South Africa: Call for developed nations to fund climate change efforts Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy has encouraged developed countries to provide financial and technical support to developing countries for the mitigation and adaptation efforts for climate change. We share with other developing countries a view that our own ability to fulfil our climate ambition, related to both mitigation and adaptation is integrally linked to developed countries honouring their obligations under the convention, said the Minister. Addressing the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 26 on Monday, Creecy said the public, private sector and civil society are exposed to the physical and transition risk of climate change, but the degree of exposure and the resultant costs will manifest unevenly, with communities in developing countries being hit the hardest. South Africa came to Glasgow with a clear mandate to negotiate for the full implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, including the global goals on mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation for climate action, Creecy said. The Minister emphasised the importance for collaborative efforts to address the challenges posed by climate change. The Presidential Climate Commission, that coordinates all our joint efforts, is researching and identifying pathways to advise government on its just transition to a low-carbon economy and a climate resilient and sustainable society by mid-century. From this advice, it will be possible to develop a clear plan to take us from what is at present, an aspirational commitment to the reality of new technologies, new investments and above all new jobs, she said. The Minister advocated for investment in the green economy and green technologies as it provides strategic advantages for the country and continent. It opens access to new green financing opportunities; it offers the possibility of significant proven job creation; it has potential to localise production and services which will build small and medium enterprises and of course it enhances our long-term competitiveness while mitigating our transition risks, Creecy said. She made these remarks at the official launch of the South African Pavilion in partnership with the National Business Initiative (NBI) at the Climate Change Conference. This partnership is a practical embodiment of collaboration to address climate change. A number of dialogues and side events were hosted at the Pavilion to showcase the work being done by South Africa to raise awareness, adapt to, and mitigate, climate change. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-11-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Taxpayers reminded to file returns ahead of deadline The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has urged individual non-provisional taxpayers to file their income tax returns on or before the deadline of 23 November 2021. In a statement, the revenue collector warned that penalties would be levied on taxpayers who fail to submit their income tax returns by this deadline. Taxpayers must note that according to changes in legislation, SARS will levy penalties from 1 December 2021 where one of more returns are outstanding. Before the change in the legislation, SARS could only levy penalties where two or more returns were outstanding. This older rule will remain in place for one more year for 2020 and earlier returns, said the revenue service in a statement. SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter said the filing of a tax return is a legal obligation for those taxpayers who are required to file and contributes towards a culture of voluntary compliance. But beyond the legal requirement to file a return, taxpayers who do the right thing are enabling government to meet the basic service needs of the poor and vulnerable by providing social grants and health care, amongst others, he said. He said SARS had put in place a number of upgraded digital channels that are available 24/7. This will help provide clarity and make it easy for taxpayers to meet the deadline of 23 November without any difficulty. These channels include amongst others, SARS eFiling, SARS MobiApp and an SMS service. More details are available on the SARS website, he said. Provisional taxpayers have until 31 January 2022 to fulfil all their filing obligations. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-11-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. South Africa: Government undertakes second Vooma Vaccination Weekend As part of efforts to ramp-up COVID-19 vaccinations ahead of the festive season, President Cyril Ramaphosa has written to leaders in government, labour, faith-based organisations, traditional leaders, business and civil society partners to support the upcoming Vooma Vaccination Weekend. Set to take place at the weekend, 12-14 November, the leaders have been requested to participate in local events, community outreaches and to lend their support in promoting awareness of vaccination sites in every district. In a statement, the Department of Health said the activations were aimed at galvanising massive country-wide support for the vaccination programme against COVID-19. It comes at a time when the rate of new COVID-19 infections are low in South Africa, but where the fourth wave is anticipated early in the New Year. While the country is unlikely to avert the 4th wave, a higher vaccination rate over the next month could substantially reduce its impact, especially if coverage among people aged 50 and older could be accelerated, said the departments spokesperson Foster Mohale. To date, over 80% of confirmed COVID-19 deaths have been in this age group. In the statement on Tuesday, Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, said three out of five people aged 50 and older have now had at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. If we can get close to five out of five people in this age group vaccinated by the end of the year, we will crush the power of the fourth wave by substantially reducing the number of hospital admissions and deaths, said the Minister. The first Vooma Vaccination Weekend in October led to an unprecedented level of engagement and active mobilisation across many districts in South Africa. It achieved 75% of its target of 500 000 vaccinations over the three-day period. The department hopes to achieve 100% of that target in the next Vooma Weekend. This target will only be achieved if there can be even greater mobilisation across all sectors of society, hence the president has called upon all leaders across various sectors of society to join hands with government, it said. Vaccination sites would be open across the country during the Vooma weekend. The goal is to ensure at least 95% capacity on the Saturday. While fewer sites will open on Sunday, the focus will be on outreach to large faith-congregations willing to be vaccinated on that day. Vaccination sites will be open across the country during Vooma weekend, and the goal is to ensure at least 95% capacity on the Saturday. While fewer sites will open on Sunday, the focus will be on outreach to large faith-congregations willing to be vaccinated on that day. In the first Vooma Vaccination Weekend, over 1,000 frontline health workers and health service managers received certificates of appreciation signed by President Ramaphosa, and district management teams will nominate sub-district vaccination and outreach teams for recognition in the coming Vooma Weekend. Dr Phaahla expressed appreciation to health professionals who had worked tirelessly to vaccinate South Africans. We would also like to thank almost 16 million South Africans who have vaccinated to date. Your efforts will ensure that we break the power of this deadly pandemic and speed up the process of saving lives and livelihoods, he said. The department requested the media to support this effort by publicising the Vooma Vaccination Weekend activities, and giving recognition to the extraordinary efforts of all health workers involved in the Covid-19 response, whether in health care facilities or vaccination sites. The lists of open sites (by province) will be available on www.sacoronavirus.co.za from Tuesday, 9 November 2021. SAnews.gov.za This story has been published on: 2021-11-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hong Kong: Electricity tariff to be raised (To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.) The Environment Bureau and the citys two power companies announced today the electricity tariff adjustments for 2022. Subsequent to negotiations with the Government, from January 1, 2022, Hongkong Electric Company will increase its average net tariff by 7% to 135.3 cents per kilowatt-hour, while CLP Power and Castle Peak Power will raise the average net tariff by 5.8% to 128.9 cents per kilowatt-hour. At the same time, the two power companies will freeze the basic tariff rates, postpone the recovery of fuel costs and provide special rebates to reduce the final net tariff in 2022. According to the power companies estimation, the average monthly tariff increase next year for a typical three-member household will be about $20 to $24. At a press conference today, Secretary for the Environment KS Wong said: The increase is solely due to surging fuel prices. Facing rising international fuel prices, various regions have increased their energy prices and electricity tariffs. Likewise, Hong Kongs two power companies are under tremendous pressure for tariff adjustment, Mr Wong explained. To alleviate the impact, he told reporters that various measures are already in place. The Government has provided monthly electricity charges relief of $50 to each residential electricity account since 2019, and it will continue to be distributed next year and the following year. Additionally, the power companies will bear large deficit balances in their fuel clause recovery accounts and use hefty resources from the tariff stabilisation funds. They will also continue to use their community energy saving funds to help disadvantaged groups and small and medium-sized enterprises. Meanwhile, the Chief Executive-in-Council today gave approval for CLP Power to increase the estimated total capital expenditure as approved in its 2018-23 development plan by $3.2 billion. The two power companies need to invest a substantial amount of capital to build the infrastructure required for the production, reception and storage of zero-carbon energy, which will inevitably put upward pressure on electricity tariffs, said the environment chief. The power companies need capital to support Hong Kongs overall development, such as supporting the Governments initiatives and the rapid development of data centres, he added. He also urged all businesses and the public to step up efforts to save energy in daily life, and expressed hope that everyone will strive to save electricity, save money and reduce carbon emissions to mitigate climate change. This story has been published on: 2021-11-09. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Hong Kong: Govt staff get jab leave for 3rd dose The Civil Service Bureau today announced that eligible government employees will be offered a day of vaccination leave for their third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. It explained that the move aims to further encourage government employees to get vaccinated as early as possible. All government employees who have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine on or before September 30 will benefit from this authorised absence arrangement. The bureau said: "After the Government's announcement on the arrangements for the third dose vaccination, some civil service unions and colleagues who have received the vaccines earlier and belong to certain groups reflected to us that they hoped the Government can provide vaccination leave for the third dose. "As such, the Government will arrange vaccination leave for eligible government employees so that they can have sufficient time to recuperate after getting vaccinated." The bureau also noticed that some chambers of commerce have indicated that they will provide a vaccination leave arrangement for employees taking their third dose. It appealed to other enterprises' employers to offer similar measures as far as practicable. Meanwhile, the Government explained that it will tighten the vaccination in lieu of the regular testing arrangement for all government employees due to the emergence of variant virus strains with high transmissibility. Those who have not received the first dose of a vaccine need to get tested at a community testing centre (CTC) once a week, instead of once every two weeks under the current arrangement. The COVID-19 nucleic acid tests must be done by using combined nasal and throat swabs and starting today, the test results will be valid for one week only. For government employees who are unfit to receive COVID-19 vaccination due to medical conditions supported by a valid medical certificate, relevant bureaus or departments will continue to allow them, as far as possible, to undergo weekly testing at CTCs provided that departmental operations are not affected. Such employees will also receive reimbursement for their testing expenses. Others who have not received their first dose of a vaccine should get tested on a weekly basis outside working hours and pay for these tests at their own expense. This story has been published on: 2021-11-09. 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 US donates 2.87 million more Covid-19 vaccine doses The US has just sent 2,873,520 additional doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to support Vietnam in its fight against Covid-19. The US has just sent 2,873,520 additional doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to support Vietnam in its fight against Covid-19. Illustrative photo by UNICEF Vietnam According to the US Embassy in Vietnam, 1,316,250 doses arrived on November 6 in Hanoi, and 1,557,270 doses arrived in two shipments on November 7 and 8 in Ho Chi Minh City, all through the COVAX Facility. The latest batches have raised the total number of Covid-19 vaccines that the US government have donated to Vietnam to more than 15 million doses. Besides vaccine donations, the US committed USD26.7 million in grants to help Vietnam respond to the pandemic and more than USD1 billion to develop local health infrastructure. The US Department of Defence has also delivered 77 out of 111 ultra-low temperature freezers to Vietnam to help store vaccines. In June, US President Joe Biden pledged to share a total of 80 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccines worldwide. He said about 75 percent of the vaccines will be delivered through the COVAX Facility, while the remaining 25 percent will be distributed directly. Underground space planning in Hanoi vital for future expansion: Experts Hanois population, as of July 2021, reached over 8 million, increasing by almost 200,000 people per year on average. Hanoi needs more underground parking places. Photo laodong.vn The capital city continues to grow, and new solutions are needed to manage this expansion. One idea being considered is further utilising underground spaces. According to figures from the citys traffic police, there are about 7.6 million vehicles registered in Hanoi, excluding 1.2 million vehicles from other cities and provinces that regularly travel to the city. The growth rate of spaces for vehicles has not kept pace with this increase in vehicles, leading to an urban infrastructure overload, traffic congestion and air pollution. One solution is to build an underground traffic system or even entire underground urban areas. Since 1996, a number of commercial centres and hotels in Hanoi have built two to four levels of basements. The city has also built a number of underground intersections such as underground tunnels of Kim Lien, Thanh Xuan and Trung Hoa, as well as underground technical infrastructure systems in drainage, electricity and water supply lines. By the end of 2020, a private housing project in Ba Dinh district on an area of more than 300sq.m will include up to four basements. Vice President of the Vietnam Urban Development and Planning Association architect Dr Dao Ngoc Nghiem told Kinh Te & Do Thi (Economics and Urban Affairs) newspaper that it is time that underground space became an important consideration in urban development strategy. Dr Pham Hung Cuong, former head of Architecture and Planning at the Hanoi University of Construction, said: "The development of underground space includes two aspects of public space and public transport system. If done well, it will solve a lot of urban problems. "However, Hanoi is only in the early stages of developing these two aspects. If there was no planning soon there will be many difficulties. The first problem will be the basements of the high-rise buildings that had been built, Cuong said. By that time, the underground traffic routes will have to go around, which will be costly and controversial. This is the case regarding the C9 underground station near Hoan Kiem Lake," he said. Therefore, Hanoi needs to focus on underground planning sooner rather than later, to develop a plan that aligns with the whole city. The planning of underground space is only mentioned, but not expanded upon, under current regulations, such as the Plan of Hanoi construction up to 2030, with a vision to 2050, approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 1259/QD TTg, and the Hanoi Transport Planning to 2030 and a vision to 2050 approved by the Prime Minister in 2016. In addition, there are no recommendations and research results for land use plans for building underground spaces, according to the director of the Hanoi Planning and Architecture Department, Nguyen Truc Anh. Adjustments in how construction in Hanoi is planned are needed, with proposals on specific locations, areas, and scope of the citys main underground spaces, as well as planning how to maximise land and urban space, he said. The Hanoi Construction Planning Institute has just completed an underground space project for the city and submitted it to the municipal People's Committee for approval in the near future. According to the plan, underground road traffic routes are mainly arranged at intersections, squares, railway and metro stations. Notably, 79 underground public parking lots will be built in nine inner-city districts. Total construction will cover an area of 107 hectares. The parking areas will be from three to five level basements, in combination with commercial and service centres. Underground stations for the urban railway network will be the nucleus of future underground public spaces around a radius of 500m. There will be 65 underground public spaces with a total area of 2,171 hectares. Vietnam to resume all international air routes from next year The Ministry of Transport has proposed to the prime minister a three-phase plan to resume all international commercial flights starting from 2022. The Ministry of Transport has proposed to the prime minister a three-phase plan to resume all international commercial flights starting from 2022. Illustrative photo In the first phase which will start from the first quarter of 2022, Vietnam is set to resume flights to 15 countries and territories including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, France, Germany, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Australia. These are key aviation markets to Vietnam and all have higher Covid-19 vaccination rates than Vietnam. It is expected that about 12,000 passengers will be transported to Vietnam a week on these flights. During the first phase, passengers are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 or have a certificate of recovery from Covid-19 within six months. They must prove that they have already paid seven-day quarantine costs at a designated quarantine facility in Vietnam. Passengers that are not fully vaccinated are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine and have a confirmation that they have already paid quarantine costs at a designated quarantine facility in Vietnam. In the second phase which will start from the second quarter of 2022, a vaccine passport model will be applied. Passengers having a vaccine passport or a certificate of recovery from Covid-19 within six months will be required to self-quarantine at the place of residence instead of a designated isolation facility. The expected time for self-quarantine will be between three to seven days according to the guidance from the Ministry of Health. Other cases would undergo 14-day quarantine at a designated isolation facility and have a confirmation that they have already paid isolation costs. In the third phase, passengers may not be required to show their vaccine passport or self-isolate if herd immunity is achieved in Vietnam. This will also depend on the results of negotiations on mutual recognition of vaccine passports between Vietnam and other countries. Vietnam closed its doors to foreign tourists and cancelled all international flights in March last year to contain Covid-19, allowing only Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts and highly-skilled workers to enter. The country now only operates one-way flights to carry passengers from Vietnam to Asian and European destinations. News Headlines French expert pins high hope on foreign companies prospects in Vietnam Moscow (dpa) - Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a new anti-doping commission to be established in Russia on Friday, as many of the countrys top athletes face a looming ban from participating in the upcoming Summer Olympics. The commission will likely be headed by 81-year-old Vitaly Smirnov, who was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for 45 years, Putin said in Moscow. "He has an absolutely impeccable reputation and enjoys the confidence of the Olympic family," Putin said in comments carried by the Interfax news agency. Earlier this week, the international Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a ban that will keep dozens of Russian athletes from competing in the Summer Olympics next month in Rio. The ban came after a report released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) alleged that state-organized doping is widespread among Russian athletes across various sports. Chinese astronauts' EVAs to help extend mechanical arm Xinhua) 17:11, November 08, 2021 BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The extravehicular activities (EVAs) carried out by two Chinese astronauts from Sunday evening till early Monday morning will help expand the capabilities of the mechanical arm on the country's space station, said the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST). Astronauts Zhai Zhigang and Wang Yaping were out of China's space station core module Tianhe by 8:28 p.m. (Beijing Time) Sunday, and completed their EVAs and returned to the space station core module Tianhe at 1:16 a.m. (Beijing Time) Monday. They performed a series of extravehicular tasks, including installing the dual-arm connector (the device linking the big and small mechanical arms) and the suspension device. The devices will help realize the connection of the big arm on the core module Tianhe and the small arm on the lab module Wentian, which is expected to be launched in 2022 to dock with Tianhe. The connected mechanical arms will be able to transfer a heavier load for a larger area range. According to Gao Sheng, an engineer in charge of the mechanical arm operation with the CAST, after connection, the big arm, 10 meters long, and the small arm, five meters long, will form a combined mechanical arm, with its operation range extended to 14.5 meters. The combined mechanical arm can cover three modules of the space station, inspecting their surface at any time, and can carry out difficult and diverse missions, Gao said. China launched the Shenzhou-13 spaceship on Oct. 16, sending three astronauts on a six-month in-orbit mission to construct its space station. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Lavrov calls U.S. "democracy summit" "artificial" with inflated attendance Xinhua) 17:12, November 08, 2021 Photo taken on Oct. 28, 2021 shows the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Americans want to have as many "extras" as possible like in a movie, Lavrov said. MOSCOW, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that the United States is promoting its Summit for Democracy and trying to inflate the number of participants. By hosting the summit, Washington aims to divide countries into "democracies" and "non-democracies," and then "full" and "conditional" democracies, Lavrov said in an interview with the Russia 24 TV channel. This is because Americans want to have as many "extras" as possible like in a movie to create a vision that the United States-headed movement for democracy is popular, he said. Some of Russia's strategic partners and allies were invited, he said, expressing hope that they will "demonstrate their commitment to existing formats rather than some artificial, one-time and unofficial summits." U.S. President Joe Biden will host a virtual summit on Dec. 9-10 that will "focus on challenges and opportunities facing democracies." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Xinjiang experts, scholars reject "forced labor" lies Xinhua) 08:21, November 09, 2021 Amar Aziz takes a nap in a cotton pile in Toyboldi Town of Xayar County, Aksu Prefecture, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Oct. 26, 2021.(Xinhua/Ma Kai) URUMQI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Twelve experts and scholars from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region debunked fallacies about "forced labor" in Xinjiang at a symposium held in Urumqi, the region's capital, on Sunday. They pointed out that some Western politicians lied to scuttle the prosperity and stability of Xinjiang. Rehemutula Aishan, a professor with the school of history, Xinjiang University, said company employees, regardless of their ethnic groups, race, gender or religious belief, have labor contracts with employers and receive remuneration on the basis of equality, free will and consensus through consultation in accordance with China's laws and regulations. "Workers of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang always choose jobs of their own volition, and they have complete freedom to choose their place of employment," he said. Buhejer Abula, vice dean of the school of economics and management, Xinjiang Agricultural University, is a Uygur professor who has long been involved in the study of agriculture and rural economy in Xinjiang. She said workers of all ethnic groups enjoy the rights of labor remuneration, rest and vacation, work safety and health protection, and their rights and interests are respected and guaranteed in keeping with the law. She added the United States, which has always claimed a sound labor law system, still has not signed three important legal documents on forced labor issues. This shows the poor record of the United States in protecting labor rights, she noted. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Foreign experts, business leaders regard CIIE as conducive to opportunities, global economic recovery Xinhua) 08:22, November 09, 2021 Visitors learn about products at the booth of China-Belarus Industrial Park at the Trade in Services Exhibition Area of the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 7, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei) China is an important force in restarting the world economy under COVID-19, and China has demonstrated its leading role in international trade through platforms such as the CIIE, said Betty Alexandropoulou, executive director and member of the board of Enterprise Greece. BEIJING, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) is a great platform for businesses around the world, offering opportunities and contributing to boosting the global economic recovery, overseas experts and business leaders have said. As the world's first dedicated import exhibition initiated in 2018, the CIIE is becoming more and more popular. A total of 50 enterprises and institutions signed up for the 5th CIIE on Saturday during the ongoing 4th CIIE in Shanghai. People visit the booth of Port of Hamburg at the Trade in Services Exhibition Area of the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Wang Xiang) Kosala Wickramanayake, president of the International Business Council in Sri Lanka, said that the CIIE provided Sri Lankan tea exporters with an opportunity to enter the Chinese market. This year will be the fourth time for Sri Lanka to participate in the CIIE. China has gradually become an important buyer of Ceylon tea, and it became Sri Lanka's fifth-largest tea export destination in 2020. Betty Alexandropoulou, executive director and member of the board of Enterprise Greece, said that China is an important force in restarting the world economy under COVID-19, and China has demonstrated its leading role in international trade through platforms such as the CIIE. Photo taken on Nov. 6, 2021 shows a booth displaying handmade woolen carpets from Afghanistan during the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong) Greek exports to China have risen steadily in the last few years and the CIIE platform plays a very important role in that growth, the official said, adding that for example, in 2019, the year after the first CIIE, Greek exports to China almost doubled to nearly 1 billion euros (1.16 billion U.S. dollars) John Edwards, British trade commissioner for China, said the CIIE was "a huge platform" for British businesses. The Chinese market is extremely important for British businesses, he noted, adding many British businesses are participating in this year's import expo, and some of the firms got involved through a digital online pavilion. Oguz Demir, associate professor of economics at the Istanbul Commerce University, said the CIIE provided a favorable platform for interactions among businesspeople from all over the world. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and weigh on the world economy, trade remains an important engine for the growth of developing countries, he said. People visit the "CIIE Fair" on the Nanjing Road pedestrian walkway in Shanghai, east China, Nov. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Fang Zhe) Gustavo Girado, an Argentine China expert and economist at the National University of Lanus, said the CIIE will boost the global economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide significant opportunities for Latin American countries. "Since a large number of global manufacturing activities depend on China, and its companies are part of global value chains, the CIIE is bound to be extremely important," he said, calling the Chinese market the "most dynamic market in the world." (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) U.S. opens border to fully vaccinated int'l travelers, benefiting airlines Xinhua) 08:24, November 09, 2021 Travelers with face masks are seen at the Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, the United States, July 18, 2021. (Xinhua) "Shares of United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines were each up more than 1 percent in morning trading. Those carriers have the most international service of the U.S. airlines and stand to benefit from the resumption of U.S.-bound travel," media reported. NEW YORK, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The United States opened it doors to fully vaccinated international travelers on Monday, welcoming the visitors who have been shut out of the country for about 20 months, which is seen as a relief for the tourism industry and for families separated by previous COVID-19 rules. International flight arrivals are expected to rise 11 percent on Monday over a similar day in October at Newark Liberty and John F. Kennedy international airports, with 253 flights scheduled to arrive, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Airline executives have said bookings have surged since the Joe Biden administration said it would lift the restrictions. "Shares of United Airlines, Delta Air Lines and American Airlines were each up more than 1 percent in morning trading. Those carriers have the most international service of the U.S. airlines and stand to benefit from the resumption of U.S.-bound travel," reported CNBC. The ban, put in place by former U.S. President Donald Trump in early 2020 and expanded by President Joe Biden early this year, prohibited visitors from 33 countries, including Britain, much of Europe, China, Brazil and South Africa. Now, visitors can fly into the United States with proof of full COVID-19 vaccination. Documentation can be shown as a paper certificate, a photo of the document or a digitized version. There are exemptions for travelers under age 18 and passengers from countries with low vaccination availability. Accepted vaccines are those approved or authorized by the Food and Drug Administration and those listed for use by the World Health Organization: Johnson &Johnson, Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac. The United States will also require proof of a negative COVID-19 test from within the past three days for all vaccinated travelers. The country has required that since January for all arrivals, including U.S. citizens. If a traveler is not vaccinated, the COVID-19 test must have been taken from within one day of departure. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) War-torn countries explore Chinese market through import expo Xinhua) 08:25, November 09, 2021 -- After Afghan businessman Ali Faiz first showcased the woolen carpets at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) last year, the pieces raised interest among Chinese customers, and the orders he received brought income to Afghan families. -- Like the woolen carpet makers in Afghanistan, businessmen from Syria, a country that has also suffered war and turmoil in recent years, are also exploring the Chinese market. The Dakka Kadima factory in Syria, which has a history of nearly 100 years, has found its market in China after participating in the CIIE. -- The fourth CIIE attracted nearly 3,000 companies from 127 countries and regions, including 33 least developed countries. The annual fair has become a significant platform for foreign companies to boost exports to the massive Chinese market. SHANGHAI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- At a 20-square-meter booth displaying delicate hand-made carpets at the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE), Afghan businessman Ali Faiz promoted the woolen commodities for his country fellows, hoping to improve their livelihoods via the Chinese market. It was the second time he attended the expo, the world's first import-themed national fair in Shanghai. He brought over 70 carpets to the booth for sale and promotion. "A lot of the logistics stopped, and we shipped the goods to a third country and then to China," said Faiz, who stocked about 3 tonnes of commodities for the expo, which opened last Thursday and will last until Wednesday. After he first showcased the woolen carpets at the expo last year, the pieces raised interest among Chinese customers, and the orders he received brought income to Afghan families. Photo taken on Nov. 6, 2021 shows a booth displaying handmade woolen carpets from Afghanistan during the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Zhang Jiansong) The carpets come from more than a dozen towns in central and northern Afghanistan. It takes four people eight months to complete the weaving of each large one. And the sales of a large wool carpet can support a regular family for nearly a year in this war-torn country. For these reasons, Faiz continues his participation in the expo despite difficulties. "When I bring the carpets here, I also bring the hope of people in my hometown with me," said Faiz. To attract Chinese customers, some carpets also have Chinese cultural elements, such as the design of Chinese peony flowers. Ali Faiz (R), a carpet merchant from Afghanistan, is seen at his booth at the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 5, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Yu) "The carpets are really of high quality and in line with our Chinese aesthetics," said a female Chinese customer, who came to know the booth through media reports and came to buy two pieces, one for herself and one for her friend. Like the woolen carpet makers in Afghanistan, businessmen from Syria, a country that has also suffered war and turmoil in recent years, are also exploring the Chinese market through the CIIE. Not far from the Afghan carpet booth, Aleppo soaps from Syria are neatly placed. Syrians bring this traditional commodity into China with the help of the CIIE's platform. The centuries-old soap industry in the country was hit hard by the war, and many ancient soap shops were bombed. Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2021 shows a staff member arranging soaps from Syria at the booth of Dakka Kadima during the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Fortunately, the Dakka Kadima factory, which has a history of nearly 100 years, has found its market in China. "After participating in the second CIIE, our washing products, such as the soaps, quickly entered China's shopping malls, supermarkets, and e-commerce platforms," said Tarek Alshayb, head of Dakka Kadima China. At present, the sales volume in the China accounts for 25 percent of the company's total sales in the overseas market. Rose essential oil from Damascus is also present at the import expo. Roula Ali-Adeeb, founder of the BioCham company, recalled her difficult years: a shipment of goods worth 200,000 euros was affected due to sanctions, and militants broke into the factory and kidnapped employees. A visitor checks a Syrian essential oil product during the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 6, 2021. (Xinhua/Lu Peng) In 2017, just as the company was in a difficult situation, several orders from China became the biggest source of revenue for the company that year. In 2018 and 2019, her continuous participation in the CIIE strengthened her determination to explore the Chinese market. Roula Ali-Adeeb expects to make progress "step by step" through the CIIE platform. The fourth CIIE attracted nearly 3,000 companies from 127 countries and regions, including 33 least developed countries. The annual fair has become a significant platform for foreign companies to boost exports to the massive Chinese market. "Personally speaking, I have studied and worked in China for seven years, and the country has offered me educational and entrepreneurial opportunities," Faiz said. "I have received bunches of attention and warmth at the CIIE and in China," Faiz said. He also hoped that bilateral trade between Afghanistan and China would continue developing, and more specialty products from Afghanistan would be exported to China. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) 'Taiwan independence' a dead end, 'dollar diplomacy' has no way out: FM (Global Times) 08:44, November 09, 2021 "Taiwan independence" is a dead end and the "dollar diplomacy" has no way out, Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday warned sternly of the Taiwan secessionist authority over their recent reactions to the presidential election in Honduras. The external affairs officials from the island of Taiwan claimed during the weekend that the Taiwan authorities have been following closely the presidential election in Honduras and have strengthened their communications with the Honduras government and people of various circles to prevent the Chinese mainland from damaging the "Taiwan-Honduras relationship" by all means. Honduras will hold the presidential election on November 28. The candidate of the opposition party Xiomara Castro has said that she would establish diplomatic relations with the Chinese mainland and break off ties with Taiwan if she is elected. Some experts in the island have estimated that the probability for Taiwan and Honduras to break off their ties is as high as 80 percent to 90 percent. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Monday's routine press briefing that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory and the one-China principle is a universally recognized norm of international relations and a general consensus of the international community. Adhering to the one-China principle is the shared aspiration of the people and what the general trend indicates. "Taiwan independence" is a dead end and a "dollar diplomacy" has no way out, Wang warned sternly, noting that any attempt to go against the tide of history and slavishly depending on others won't bring the island anything but a doomed failure. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) Resolution set to chart nation's path to future China Daily) 08:59, November 09, 2021 A grand gathering is held to honor the centenary of the CPC at Tian'anmen Square in Beijing, July 1, 2021. [Photo/Xinhua] Document to help boost confidence in socialism with Chinese characteristics The key resolution being reviewed by the central leadership of the Communist Party of China at a plenary session this week will be a crucial political document that could chart the Party's direction for the next few decades, analysts said. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, delivered a work report at the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the CPC, which opened on Monday and will last until Thursday. He also explained to the plenum a draft resolution on the major achievements and historical experiences of the Party's 100 years of endeavors. The plenary session comes after the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, the Party's core leadership, held meetings in August and last month to set the agenda and the tone for this week's meeting. The resolution, a touchstone document that will be only the third of its kind in the Party's 100-year history, marks the Party's efforts to draw on its historical experiences and lay out the road map for the future at a new historical starting point for the nation, said Han Qiang, dean of the School of Marxism at Beijing Foreign Studies University. "The adoption of the third historic resolution will help the Party see goals and a clearer course of action going forward," he said. "It will also help the Party and the nation to shore up their confidence in the theories, paths, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics." The historic resolution will serve as a shield for the Party and people against historical nihilism and enhance the Party's capacity to guard against unhealthy ideological trends, he said. The resolution will also be significant for the nation to seize the period of strategic opportunity as it faces unprecedentedly complicated external environments, he added. Such a summary of major achievements and historical experiences is instrumental to resolutely uphold the authority and central unified leadership of the Party's Central Committee and ensure that the whole Party can march forward in unison, according to a statement released after the Political Bureau meeting in August. Looking back on the Party's history is also important in terms of moving forward with the CPC's self-reform, improving its fighting capacity and ability to respond to risks and challenges, and forever maintaining the Party's vitality and vigor, according to the statement. Qu Qingshan, head of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee, wrote in a signed article this month that the Party's two previous resolutions on historical issues, respectively adopted in 1945 and 1981, had unified the thoughts of the Party at key critical junctures, strengthened Party unity and offered a key guarantee to the success of the Party. The drafting of these two documents was led respectively by late leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, and they were both produced at key historic junctures, paving the way for the unity of the Party and laying out paths for the future, he wrote. The timing of the resolution also bears similarity to the two previous documents. With the Party scheduled to hold its 20th National Congress next year, the significance of the resolution could be greater, analysts said. Wang Feng, an associate professor on the history of the CPC at the School of Marxism of Beijing Normal University, said the resolution would be a significant move for the world's largest political party to interpret key historical narratives at a critical historical juncture. The CPC, after having reached the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, has now embarked on a new journey of developing China into a strong socialist nation before the middle of the century. The resolution, which could lay out the Party's stance on its past, present and future, "will be of strong historical, theoretical and realistic significance for the CPC to master the patterns of historical developments, win over the initiative for future development and increase its international power of discourse", he said. While looking at the Party's key achievements and experiences, the resolution is expected to reveal patterns of history that the Party must follow in the new era, he added. The Political Bureau meeting in October highlighted the need to keep exercising full and rigorous governance over the Party and continuing to maintain close ties with the people. The Party must always be ready to protect against potential dangers in peacetime, continue to move forward with Party building and unite the nation in fighting relentlessly for the goal of people living a better life, said a summary of the meeting. Some analysts have also emphasized the pivotal role of the resolution in passing on China's solutions and experiences to other nations and offering a powerful response to those who seek to undermine the legitimacy of the CPC and defame the path of China's development. Xi has, on many occasions, underscored that China's growth will offer greater opportunities to the world. "The resolution will surely be a key document for the global community to learn about the Party and for the Party to make its voices and proposals heard globally," said Han from Beijing Foreign Studies University. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) China injects vitality into Africa's green transition, says Kenyan expert Xinhua) 09:35, November 09, 2021 This file photo taken on Aug. 14, 2015, shows the tropical grassland with few tress which is typical landscape of East African savanna in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve. (Xinhua/Sun Ruibo) NAIROBI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Progress towards the realization of carbon neutrality in Africa has accelerated thanks to capital flows, technical and knowledge transfer to the continent facilitated by China, a Kenyan expert said on Monday. Adhere Cavince, an international relations scholar noted that China has been in the frontlines of the transition to low carbon and sustainable development pathways in Africa, where climate change has taken a toll on livelihoods and vital ecosystems. Adhere said in a commentary published by Capital FM, a local radio station news website that as Africa's largest partner and source of foreign direct investment, China has injected vitality into the continent's quest for climate resilience. While observing that funding and technological bottlenecks have derailed Africa's green transition, Adhere hailed China's support towards the implementation of the continent's renewable energy programs. "China has been the leading partner in the continent's desired to switch to solar and wind energy," Adhere wrote against a backdrop of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) underway in Glasgow, Scotland. Quoting statistics from the International Renewable Energy Agency, Adhere observed that between 2009 and 2018, China upgraded solar capacity in Africa from 739 to 5,500 megawatts while wind energy installations during the same period jumped from 108 to 6,100 megawatts. He said that a China-built 50-megawatt solar plant located in Kenya's eastern county of Garissa has increased the share of renewable energy to the national grid to 93 percent. Adhere emphasized that concrete actions are required to realize a climate-resilient future for humanity. He said that China's progressive actions ahead of COP26 that including launching a fund to promote biodiversity conservation and the pledge to discontinue financing coal plants abroad will revitalize climate response in the global south. Adhere noted that China's climate stewardship nudged major economies to make tangible commitments at the ongoing COP26 to help developing countries withstand shocks related to a warming planet. According to Adhere, the forthcoming Forum on China-Africa Cooperation summit in Dakar, Senegal, provides a platform to explore innovative ways the long-standing partners can reinvigorate the climate fight. This file photo taken on March 7, 2019, shows giraffes walking on a grassland backdropped by Mount Kilimanjaro at Amboseli national park in Kenya. (Xinhua/Xie Han) (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) Stop questioning China's zero-COVID approach Xinhua) 09:53, November 09, 2021 A medical worker takes a swab sample from a citizen for nucleic acid test at a testing site in Xining, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Nov. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Wu Gang) - If China had dealt with the pandemic as the United States did, its death cases would have been well over three million. - Human lives are invaluable. The sufferings, miseries and pains of the patients and their families cannot be measured by "economic cost." NEW YORK, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The New York Times and some other U.S. media have been slinging mud at China's zero-COVID-19 approach, depicting an "extreme and harsh reality" of people's lives under China's stringent quarantine measures wherever new COVID-19 infections are found. There is no doubt that, like any other place in the world, strict containment measures do affect people's lives and local businesses to some extent. However, it's simply not right to question China's efforts to eliminate the virus, especially for the United States, a country with the world's most infections and deaths from COVID-19. China has proved the feasibility of its zero-COVID-19 approach with its own success in bringing the disease largely under control. While the deadly pathogen has so far taken more than five million human lives worldwide, with the United States alone having lost more than 754,000 lives, the Chinese mainland has not reported a single death since January. All the small-scale regional outbreaks in China over the past months were caused by imported cases. A staff member spays disinfectant at the Harbin Taiping International Airport in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Sept. 23, 2021.(Xinhua/Wang Song) If China, as those U.S. media suggested, had adopted the U.S. way to tackle the pandemic, the consequence would have been more dire. There is a mathematical understanding here: China has a population more than four times larger than that of the United States. If China had dealt with the pandemic as the United States did, its death cases would have been well over three million. Now the number of deaths on the Chinese mainland stands at 4,636. As the U.S. media is focusing on several Chinese citizens who have complained how anti-COVID measures have disrupted their tour arrangements, it seems that these papers and outlets pay no heed to the hundreds of thousands of American families who lost their loved ones and their fellow countrymen to COVID-19. However, even those minor inconveniences like travel restrictions are temporary in China, as the Asian country's people and governments at different levels have proven their compassion and competence in supporting those affected by quarantine measures since the outbreak of the pandemic. Staff members spray disinfectant at a testing site in Chengxi District of Xining, northwest China's Qinghai Province, Nov. 8, 2021. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) The novel coronavirus is different from any other viruses we've seen both in ways of transmission and fatality rate. It's so devious that there are only two choices for humanity: full elimination or widespread infection. Some say that China's stringent approach to containing the pandemic has come at a great cost to its economy and development. That is not completely true either. China's economic development remains robust despite the measures. The International Monetary Fund has projected that China's economy is expected to grow at 8.0 percent this year. Human lives are invaluable. The sufferings, miseries and pains of the patients and their families cannot be measured by "economic cost." A volunteer has his face mask removed after disinfection operation at Wutu community in Xinmin Township, Tongan District of Xiamen City, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 20, 2021. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong) While many countries have chosen to "live with the virus," the pathogen still looms large around the world as a ruthless threat. Data from Johns Hopkins University show that the world is still losing some 7,000 lives daily. As winter is arriving in the North Hemisphere and many countries no longer require social distancing and mask-wearing, a resurgence of the pandemic is very likely. The World Health Organization has warned that Europe could face 500,000 more COVID-19 deaths in the coming three months following loosened containment measures in the region. The virus will not fade away by itself. The best still hope hinges on the full vaccination of most people and highly effective cures, both of which, however, are yet to come. So at present, strict containment measures are still the best way to save lives. China's efforts in this regard are unquestionable. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) China delivers largest, most advanced warship to Pakistan Global Times) 10:39, November 09, 2021 China launches first Type 054A/P frigate for Pakistan in Shanghai in August 2020. File photo: Courtesy of the Pakistan Navy China on Monday delivered to Pakistan the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, in a move that highlights the friendship between the two countries and will contribute to the two countries' all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, CSSC announced in a statement on Monday. The Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril, according to a statement the Pakistan Navy sent to the Global Times on Monday. The PNS Tughril is the first hull of four Type 054 frigates being constructed for the Pakistan Navy, the Pakistan Navy said, noting that the ship is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and underwater firepower, besides extensive surveillance potentials. Being equipped with state-of-the-art combat management and an electronic warfare system along with modern self-defense capabilities, the Type 054A/P frigate can simultaneously execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, the Pakistani statement said. The frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, CSSC said. The completion and the delivery of the vessel is another major achievement of China-Pakistan friendship, and will further enhance the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries, the Chinese shipbuilding company said in the statement. Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ushers in a new chapter in Pakistan-China friendship that has matured through the test of time and remained steadfast in all domains, according to the statement from the Pakistan Navy. In the context of the overall security paradigm of the region, Tughril-class frigates will strengthen Pakistan Navy's capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defense, maintain peace, stability and balance of power in the Indian Ocean region, the ambassador said, who also praised the concerted efforts made by China for the landmark achievement by the timely delivery of the well-equipped and potent frigate despite the global pandemic. The Vice Party Secretary and Director of the Board at CSSC Du Gang also applauded the timely construction of PNS Tughril while emphasizing that the commissioning of the ship is a major milestone and a testimony of the China-Pakistan long-lived friendship, as both countries are bound by the affinity of trust, compassion and commonality. The head of the Pakistan Navy Mission overseeing construction of the 054A/P frigate, Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, said that the PNS Tughril, being a multi-mission capable frigate, will form the mainstay of the Pakistan Navy fleet while bolstering the Pakistan Navy's maritime defense capabilities, according to the Pakistani statement. The delivery of the frigate also serves as a milestone in expanding the influence of Chinese vessels as products and boosting their competitiveness in the international market, CSSC said. Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Research Academy, told the Global Times in a previous interview that the Type 054A, on which the Type 054A/P is based, is China's most advanced frigate. Compared to previous Chinese frigates, the new ship has better air defense capability, as it is equipped with an improved radar system and a larger amount of missiles with a longer range, Zhang said, noting that the Type 054A frigate also has world-class stealth capability. (Web editor: Liang Jun, Bianji) Lao gov't plans to increase goods export to China: Lao PM Xinhua) 13:05, November 09, 2021 VIENTIANE, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Lao government is set to hold talks with business operators for the production of more goods required by Chinese buyers, Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh told the National Assembly (NA). The premier responded to questions raised during the ongoing second ordinary session of the NA's ninth legislature, local daily Vientiane Times reported on Tuesday. Assembly members inquired about the government's plan to promote commercial production associated with the China-Laos railway, which is scheduled to come into service in December, to drive the economy. The government will hold talks with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry with the aim of encouraging businesses to invest in and produce nine categories of goods based on the export quota given by the Chinese government. "We will figure out what the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry plans to do and what it wants from the government to facilitate production," he told lawmakers. He added that the government is ready to consider and offer supporting policies to maximize potential in this regard. Laos has received a quota to export cattle, rice, bananas, cassava, tea, watermelons, beans and rubber latex to China, according to the report. The prime minister said China has allocated Laos a huge quota of cattle and rice for sale to its markets but that in reality Laos is able to supply very little of them. He underlined the need for Lao entrepreneurs to partner with Chinese counterparts on the cultivation of crops for export to China, saying this would ease export procedure requirements. (Web editor: Shi Xi, Liang Jun) CIIE able to create value for participating exhibitors: Danish ambassador 17:10, November 09, 2021 By Du Mingming ( People's Daily Online The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is able to create value for participating exhibitors, Danish Ambassador to China Thomas strup Mller said during a recent interview with Peoples Daily Online. Danish Ambassador to China Thomas strup Mller tastes food at the fourth China International Import Expo in Shanghai, Nov. 6, 2021. (Photo/Courtesy of the Confederation of Danish Industry and Food Nation) As the first dedicated import exhibition globally, the CIIE has yielded fruitful outcomes during its past three expos. The fourth CIIE is being held online and offline in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, attracting nearly 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions. This year marks the fourth consecutive year that Denmark is represented at the Expo. A record high number of Danish companies are participating at CIIE. The total floor area for Denmark's national pavilion this year represents a combined 500 square meters, making it the largest Danish pavilion the country has had at any previous CIIE, both in terms of its size and the number of participants. Thirty-one companies are attending the Danish national pavilion, with other companies are also attending with their own independent exhibition space. CIIE provides a good opportunity for exposure. For many, it is also an efficient way of introducing their brands and products to the Chinese market and to expand existing sales, said the ambassador. This year, at the Danish pavilion, we have tried to display the entire Danish value chain within food and agriculture, from cookies and sweets, to meat, seafood, dairy, nutritional food and technology. Bilateral trade between China and Denmark remains vibrant despite the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Statistics Denmark, in the first half of 2021, the bilateral trade volume between the two countries was 8.45 billion US dollars, representing a year-on-year increase of 19.4 percent. Mller noted that China is a key player globally, and an important partner for Denmark. Bilateral trade continues to grow because Denmark and China have many joint interests. Not least on a sustainable green transition where both Denmark and China have set ambitious goals, he explained. China is therefore an important trading partner and an important destination for Danish investments and makes up the 5th largest export market for Denmark, he added. (Web editor: Hongyu, Bianji) Per capita disposable income of rural residents in Anhui rose 11.7 percent year-on-year to 13,988 yuan ($2,189) in the first three quarters of 2021, higher than the national average of 11.6 percent, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Anhui Province said. The increase brought the province to the 12th place in China and 3rd in the central region. It ranked 10th in the country and 1st in the central region in terms of rural residents per capital income. Ten out of the provinces 16 cities saw their growth rates the same as or higher than the provincial average, namely Wuhu (12.6 percent), Maanshan (12.5 percent), Fuyang (12.4 percent), Tongling (12.3 percent), Chizhou (12.2 Percent), Luan (12.1 percent), Huangshan (12 percent), Suzhou (11.9 percent), Chuzhou (11.8 percent) and Hefei (11.7 percent). The recently-concluded 11th Communist Party of China (CPC) Anhui Provincial Congress proposed that farmers income in Anhui should exceed the national level during the next five years. That means the growth rates need to be at least 0.7 percentage points higher than the national average each year, an official with the department said. The province will continue to increase rural residents income by developing more rural industries and improving farmers working skills, according to the official. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Monday warned Taiwan authorities that the "Taiwan independence" is a dead-end street with regards to their recent comments on the upcoming Honduran presidential election. "There is only one China in the world and the Taiwan region is an inalienable part of China's territory," Wang said at the regular press briefing. "The one-China principle is a universally recognized norm governing international relations and the consensus of the international community" According to media reports, Honduran presidential candidate for the left-wing Liberty and Refoundation Party Xiomara Castro said on September 6 that she would open diplomatic relations with China if she wins elections in November. Some Taiwan authorities had issued a statement to warn Honduras against "flashy and false" promises by the mainland, adding that it is a usual trick to undermine ties between Taiwan and its "allies". "We are here to tell Taiwan authorities, 'Taiwan independence' is a dead end and their 'dollar diplomacy' will lead nowhere," Wang stressed. Any attempts to reverse the historical trend by soliciting foreign support is bound to fail, he added. By Ren Baorong and Yan Liang BEIJING, Nov. 8 -- In late autumn, a joint search and rescue task was carried out on Kuoqiong Gangri glacier in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region. At an altitude of 5,500 meters, members of the Snow Wolf Mountaineering Expedition, a new-type militia group founded just one year ago, collaborated with the mobile rescue troops under the Xizang Contingent of the Peoples Armed Police Force (PAP) and an aerial rescue squadron of an army aviation brigade for a joint search and rescue task. The snow-covered plateau in Xizang has been recognized as a life-forbidden zone. Being familiar with the geographical situation, social and folk conditions therein, the militias have always been the right-hand assistants for the military in fulfilling national defense missions. Last summer, an array of new-type militia groups with special skills, advanced technology and excellent equipment were established, including the Snow Hawk Air Patrol Team, the Snow Pigeon Communication Team, the Snow Wolf Mountaineering Expedition, the Snow Fox Quick Response Team, and the Snow Mastiff Fighting Team. According to the commander of the recent joint exercise who is assigned to the PLA Xizang Military Command, after a years training, the batch of new-type militia groups have become an important part of the military in carrying out diversified military tasks. They have served to improve the organization, mobilization, rapid reaction, and support capabilities of Chinas reserve force for national defense (RFND), pushing the construction of reserve force in Xizang into a new stage featuring multi-factor integration and all-round development. As for now, all the new-type militia units with special skills, advanced technology and excellent equipment account for nearly 40% of all the militia forces in Lhasa region. And more and more high-quality social resources are being invested in the construction of reserve force. After the Chinese mainland confirmed a list of Taiwan independence secessionists, Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, announced on November 5 the punitive measures that the mainland will impose on the secessionists. This is the first time that the mainland rolled out such measures, which sent a clear message Taiwan independence secessionists must pay a heavy price! The mainland releasing these punitive measures against the Taiwan independence secessionists is a reasonable and legal move that is supported and hailed by all Chinese people across the Taiwan Strait. Compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have zero tolerance for the secessionists, but they acclaim the righteous steps to maintain peace across the Strait. Anyone who supports Taiwan independence must pay the price! The punitive measures are the embodiment of the price in order to make the secessionists feel the pain. Taiwan independence secessionists and their families are forbidden to come to the mainland and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions this is to keep the dregs of the nation from wreaking havoc again. Organizations related with Taiwan independence secessionists are restricted in their cooperation with relevant organizations and individuals on the mainland this is to hit the patrons of the secessionists and stop them from making money on the mainland while seeking independence in the Taiwan region at the same time. This is the Damocles Sword that the mainland reserves the rights to adopt other necessary punitive measures. The targeted package will let the secessionists know that anyone that forgets their own origins, betrays the motherland and splits the country will have to pay the piper eventually. China must be and will surely be reunified. The punitive measures are just the beginning. The Chinese mainland will hold the Taiwan independence secessionists criminally accountable permanently. Su Tseng-chang, Yu Shyi-Kun, Joseph Wu and their like must bear in mind that traitors never end well, and continuing the provocative pursuit for Taiwan independence will only expedite their doom! Pakistani Ambassador to China H.E Mr. Moin ul Haque attends the commissioning ceremony of the new frigate on Nov. 8. SHANGHAI, Nov. 9 -- According to the official WeChat account of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the commissioning ceremony of a new frigate designed and built by CSSC to the Pakistani Navy was held in Shanghai, China on November 8. The Chinese and foreign guests including Pakistani Ambassador to China H.E Mr. Moin ul Haque and Pakistani Consul General in Shanghai Mr. Hussain Haider attended the ceremony. The frigate is the largest and most technologically advanced surface combat ship exported by China so far, which is equipped with a new type of combat management system independently developed by CSSC, as well as advanced sensors and weapon systems, and demonstrates China's strong R&D, design and construction capabilities in the field of frigate manufacturing. It is reported that following the delivery of four frigates to Pakistan by 2013, this new frigate is another medium-and-large-level surface combat vessel exported to Pakistan by CSSC. The completion and delivery of the frigate is another major achievement of the China-Pakistan friendship, and will inject new strength into the further consolidation of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. By Kong Jun The bad demonstration given by the US, Britain and Australia's nuclear submarine deal is causing ripple effects. A few Japanese politicians attempt to fish in troubled waters and take the opportunity to push for developing nuclear submarines in Japan too, which has rung an alarm in the international community. During the election period of the president of Japans Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) this year, Taro Kono and Sanae Takaichi, both being candidates, clamored about the importance for Japan to have nuclear submarines and the necessity to discuss the topic. Recently, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) held a launching ceremony for its submarine Hakugei, which boasts the largest tonnage among Japans conventional submarines and the reactor is the only difference in comparison with a nuclear submarine, as some analysts said. Japans militarist ambition is only too evident. Its internationally acknowledged that Japan is a country at the nuclear threshold that has no technical barrier in building nuclear weapons. It also stores huge amounts of weapons-grade nuclear materials and has the capability to break the Three Non-Nuclear Principles of not possessing, not producing and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons anytime. Japan is also self-contradictory and extremely hypocritical on nuclear disarmament. On the one hand, it has all these years posed itself as a victim to nuclear weapons in a bid to win compassion from the international community. On the other hand, it has been trying to block the process of nuclear disarmament. It is reported that when the Biden administration intended to adjust its nuclear policy and consider the non-first-use of nuclear weapons, Japan was so anxious that it went to great lengths trying to talk the US out of this idea. Some Japanese politicians even threatened in private that if the US adopted the non-first-use policy, Japan would turn to the nuclear path. In fact, Japan never even mentioned the reasonable security concerns of the countries involved when it discussed the nuclear issue in DPRK and Iran, but now it is taking security concerns to gloss over its intended possession of nuclear weapons. That is downright double standard! Japans brazen development of offensive weapons has exceeded its normal defense needs. Its submarine Hakugei can launch heavy-duty torpedo and anti-ship missiles and is equipped with torpedo defense systems, practically functioning as an assault submarine. Moreover, it has publicly named its new destroyer Izumo, the nomenclature of a Japanese armored cruiser serving during WWI and the Russo-Japanese War. The new destroyer is generally regarded as a quasi-aircraft carrier for its 20,000-ton displacement and ability to accommodate the landing and takeoff of F-35 aircraft. Such a move that flagrantly tramples upon the Peace Constitution has sounded the alarm for people in the region. To make things worse, the newly elected Fumio Kishida explicitly vowed to develop strike capabilities against enemy bases the minute he took office, picking up the ambition for missile development initiated by his predecessor Shinzo Abe. Desperately trying to become a so-called normal state, Japan has always been a staunch and obedient follower of the US, and successfully made itself a regional trouble maker by constantly starting disputes and creating tension in the region. It plans to buy the Tomahawk cruise missile and JASSM (Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile) from the US, and strengthen their military cooperation in missile defense, outer space and cyberspace. It has also been making waves on issues regarding the Diaoyu Islands and the South China Sea, joined the US-led Quad regime, and welcomed the AUKUS security partnership. All these actions have added to the uncertainties in Asian-Pacifics security situation regardless of the concerns of countries and people living in the region. Countries around Japan cannot help but question its sincerity in following the path of peaceful development. The Japanese people know too well the devastating damages of nuclear weapons, and there are always rational and peaceful voices against the development of nuclear weapons within the Japan. Yet certain Japanese politicians are so stubborn and obsessive that they, instigated and emboldened by the US, are bent on developing aggressive weapons like nuclear submarines, even nuclear weapons, which will only take Japan to a dead end. (The author is an observer of international issues) Editor's note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and 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. Japanese health officials said the country reported no daily COVID-19 deaths on Sunday for the first time in more than a year. The Health Ministry said the last time Japan reported no new coronavirus deaths was on Aug. 2, 2020. COVID-19 cases and deaths have fallen dramatically throughout Japan as vaccinations have increased to cover more than 70 pecent of the population. New daily infections peaked at more than 25,000 during an August wave driven by the infectious delta variant. At least 18,000 people have died in Japan from the disease during the pandemic. "These days even Naver, Kakao, Coupang and Baedal Minjok are seen as established conglomerates," an industry insider said. "More and more jobseekers are looking for the next unicorn," or start-up companies valued at more than US$1 billion. The Chosun Ilbo and head-hunting app Wanted Lab found that the top 20 most popular employers are start-ups rather than big conglomerates. At the top of the list is flea market app Daangn Market, followed by cybercurrency exchange Dunamu, fashion app Kakao Style, handicrafts platform Idus and fashion app A-bly. The picture of the ideal workplace among Koreans is changing. Where an older generation of salarymen devoted their life and sometimes worked themselves to death for the corporation, younger people now look for growth potential and rewards. In other words, they no longer ask what they can do for the company but what the company can do for them. One 25-year-old computer science graduate from a top university in Seoul began working for Daangn Market in March this year. He had the qualifications to get a job with any top IT company like Samsung, Naver or Kakao but did not even consider applying to them. Instead he was looking for a company where he would be able to lead the creation of new services, and Daangn Market boasts the best employee benefits. After becoming a unicorn this year, it raised the starting salary for programmers to W65 million a year (US$1=W1,184). The online flea market also offers a handsome signing bonus and stock options. One human resources executive at a major conglomerate said, "We surveyed the favorite workplaces of students with the qualifications we're looking for and found that they chose to launch their own business or work in either big global tech firms like Google and Facebook or promising new start-ups before Naver, Kakao, Samsung and SK Telecom." Start-ups are attracting millennials largely because their rewards are performance-based, benchmarking Silicon Valley tech giants. According to Wanted Lab, the average starting salary at 13 Korean unicorns this year is W39.04 million a year, which is lower than the W46.9 million at major conglomerates. But high-performers are rewarded handsomely. Mobile finance app Toss offered W100 million worth of stock options to all of staff in late 2018, and since then the company's stock price surged fivefold, raising the value of their stock options to W500 million. Annual salary increases are also mouthwatering. One IT contents start-up increased the annual salary of workers who have been with the company for four to six years by 82 percent from W35 million in 2019 to W63.6 million this year, and a retail start-up raised workers wages by 14 percent for two years running. Millennials are also drawn to start-ups due to their relaxed workplace culture. Toss recently appointed a programmer in his 20s as the leader of a team of 30 staffers even though he had only joined the company just a year ago. Park Hae-jin, a former brand marketing worker at Kakao who recently moved to self-development app Chlngers, said, "Kakao has become such a big company that I didn't get the feeling that I was making a contribution. In my present job, there are many capable people who are working to realize their visions in spite of the risks." PRESS RELEASE 12500 N.E. Tenth Place Bellevue, WA 98005 JPFO.org 800-869-1884 info@jpfo.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nov 9, 2021 Contact: Floyd Neeland "We have to do something!" If it saves one life Among the most stunning aspects of the Alec-Baldwin-related homicide, for those of us in the firearms industry and community, was the nearly total lack of understanding mass media and its followers exhibited about firearms. Even questions they asked left knowledgeable people slack jawed. How could real reporters not know blanks and live ammo look different? You don't look down the barrel to see if it's loaded, thank you MSNBC. Only total inexperience can leave you wondering if a round you fire is blankthe sound and recoil are obvious. Gun ownership describes half the nation, but that's apparently non-inclusive of news professionals, who you could tell never even held a gun, let alone practiced. Can the failure be attributed to public teachers' unions? Public school teachers basically forbid gun safety, or even saying "gun," for anyone seeking a diploma. With the tragedy at the "Rust" movie set, where ignorance of safety was so evident, California (and all states) should be introducing bills to require any person on the set of a theatrical production, to have successfully completed a program in gun safetyincluding discharge of live ammunition loaded in a firearm safely aimed at a target. Being present without having taken a suitable class is a Class 1 misdemeanor on a first offense, and requires one-half day of ceased operations to self-evaluate all set safety features, not just firearms. The offender is removed from the set and Responding to arguments that everyone should be compelled to such gun-safety programs, not just Hollywood denizens, JPFO might agreeif it's part of a requirement for a high school diploma like English and math. Refusal by schools to do so in our gun-prevalent society is virtually deliberate negligence. As a requirement for gun ownership in general though, there is qualitative difference between job requirements, and exercise of fundamental rights, which must be uninfringed. Read real gun safety rules here ##### (The Center Square) When Brandon Trosclair decided to challenge President Joe Bidens employee COVID-19 vaccination mandate in court, he didnt know the effort temporarily would block the policy nationwide. The case also could lead to a permanent injunction this week, stopping the mandate from reaching private businesses with 100 or more employees affecting an estimated 84 million workers and likely setting up a U.S. Supreme Court fight. Maybe Im a little bit naive, but I thought Id be one of thousands of lawsuits, Trosclair said in Monday phone interview with The Center Square. I just thought it was a no-brainer to get involved and do this because its the right thing to do. Trosclair resides in Ascension Parish and employs nearly 500 people across 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi. Represented by attorneys from the New Orleans-based Pelican Institute for Public Policy and the Liberty Justice Center, a public interest law firm, he and six workers from Texas filed a lawsuit Friday against the Biden administration. The lawsuit challenged an emergency temporary standard authorizing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enforce mandatory vaccinations or weekly testing regimes for unvaccinated private sector workers. The standard includes a Jan. 4 deadline for vaccinations and fines of nearly $14,000 per employee for noncompliance. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Trosclair on Saturday, halting the mandate for grave statutory and constitutional issues. Trosclair said he was excited for his employees and American workers after the ruling. The appeals court validated what we already thought, he said. At first we were unsure if we were going to fall within the parameters of the mandate being that it applies to 100 different employees and we have 15 different entities. When I found out that we would be held to the mandate, to me it was a fairly obvious thing to get involved because the government was putting me in a position to terminate employees for not taking the vaccine or do multiple testings every week, he said, adding that the tests would be costly. Sarah Harbison, general counsel for the Pelican Institute, said in an interview the private employer mandate is a naked attempt to push policy objectives through the administrative procedure and bypass Congress. Harbison explained the Fifth Circuit stopped the policy from going into effect until it could decide whether to lift the temporary stay or issue a permanent injunction. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute The appeals court gave the administration until 5 p.m. Monday to respond. Trosclairs reply to the governments response is due Tuesday at 5 p.m. A final ruling could come as early as Wednesday, Harbison said. Biden announced the employer vaccination mandate in September. The OSHA standard was announced Thursday. 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, Biden said. Republican-led states and attorneys general filed multiple lawsuits Friday challenging the mandates legality. An 11-state coalition sued in the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, seven states sued in the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and three states sued in the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Fifth Circuit in New Orleans was the first court to issue a ruling, which combined Trosclair case with multiple petitioners, including the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Trosclair said wasnt expecting the wave of ensuing public attention. He said he will rely on his faith no matter what happens. He also said theres strength in numbers. We the people still have the power in this country. We should unite together not only to fight this illegal mandate but any federal overreach, he said. (The Center Square) Ending months of speculation, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said he won't be running for U.S. Senate in next year's midterm elections. Sununu, a Republican, told reporters on Tuesday he will be seeking a fourth-term as New Hampshire's governor and won't be jumping into the fray of Washington politics. "My responsibility is not to the gridlock and politics of Washington, it's for the citizens of New Hampshire," Sununu said during a briefing in Concord. "We have a lot more to do to protect the interests of New Hampshire citizens and its just clear that I can most effective doing that here in the corner office in the Granite State." Sununu was being urged by national GOP groups to challenge incumbent Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan as part of a strategy to reclaim the U.S. Senate in the midterm elections. Republicans and Democrats each hold 50 seats in the Senate with Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris serving as a tie-breaking vote. To date, only one Republican candidate, retired Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, has filed paperwork to run for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire in next year's election. Hassan, a former governor, kicked off her reelection campaign several weeks ago with a TV ad emphasizing her efforts to reach across the political aisle to work on bipartisan legislation. Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Sununu, the heir to one of New Hampshire's most storied political dynasties, was the youngest governor in the country when he took office in 2017. He is now 47. He handily won a third term in the November 2020 elections with more than 65% of the vote, according to results. A recent University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll showed Sununu with a small lead over Hassan in a potential 2022 matchup between them. On Tuesday, Sununu acknowledged that the race is significant to the GOP's efforts to win back a majority in the U.S. Senate but said the Beltway isn't for him. "I'd rather push myself 120-miles-an-hour delivering wins for New Hampshire, than to slow down and end up on Capitol Hill debating partisan politics without results," Sununu said. Press Release November 9, 2021 Duterte's repeated lies and defense of drug war an attempt to hide his failure in a flood of blood - De Lima Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima slammed Mr. Duterte's repeated defense of his War on Drugs and continued neglect of the thousands of victims who belong to poor families. De Lima, the staunchest critic of the current regime's brutal anti-narcotics campaign, said Duterte continues to lie and deceive the public about the murders committed under his term, saying that this is for the future of the youth. "Duterte still wants to convince us that it is just ok to murder people so long as he says that it was done for the future of the nation's youth. Assuming that it is even legal to kill people to 'save' the country, up to now the mass executioner of Davao still has not come out with any proof that the more than 20,000 dead in his drug war has actually saved the country from the scourge of drugs," De Lima said. "So what, in the five years of his murderous drug war, did he actually accomplish? That there are now 20,000 dead Filipinos? How can that be a success?," she added. The lady Senator from Bicol also lambasted Duterte's arrogance on what he considers as effective anti-illegal drug campaign despite the millions of pesos worth of shabu still discovered in his own city of Davao, a city that was supposed to be the beneficiary of a local drug war since the 1990s. Just last September, it was reported that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives dismantled two suspected drug dens that led to the arrest of 14 suspects during simultaneous anti-illegal drug operations in Davao City. "Nawala ba ang drugs sa Davao sa pagpatay ni Duterte sa mahigit kumulang tatlong libong biktima ng DDS mula noong 1990? Anong kinabukasan ang pinagsasabi niya kung sa mismong syudad ng Davao kung saan siya naghari ng 30 taon ay talamak pa rin ang droga?," stressed De Lima. "Just like in Davao, his five-year killing spree throughout the whole country has not resulted in anything positive in eradicating the drug menace. That this has resulted for the good of the country is just all in his mind. With nothing to show for it, Duterte is reduced to pleading to the people that his intentions were good," she added. De Lima further stated that Duterte knows very well that he is lying and that he never solved the drug problem in Davao City, as proven by one of the RTC judges presiding over one of his City's drug courts, who, during a JBC interview back in 2016, admitted that drugs remained a big problem in that jurisdiction owing to the authorities' - particularly policemen's - failure to observe the chain of custody. De Lima gained the ire of Duterte when she investigated the extrajudicial killings being carried out by the Davao Death Squad (DDS) in Davao City during the term of then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, who is alleged to be the mastermind behind the summary executions. As Senator, De Lima also sought an inquiry into the spate of killings in the country when Duterte took office as President. "Duterte was a failure both by hook and by crook. Now, even the Filipino people know what a failure he is," she said. "He did not kill all those thousands of mostly poor people for the future of the youth, he did it because he had nothing better to show for in his bid for higher power. He knew he was a failure, but he thought he could hide his failure in a flood of blood," De Lima added. Lacson Withdraws Death Penalty Bill More at: https://pinglacson.net/article/lacson-withdraws-death-penalty-bill Sen. Panfilo "Ping" Lacson withdrew this week his authorship of the Senate bill seeking to reinstitute the death penalty for heinous crimes. In a letter to Senate Secretary Atty. Myra Villarica, Lacson also requested that his bill, Senate Bill 27, no longer be considered for deliberation by the Senate panels concerned. Last week, Lacson withdrew his support for the death penalty for heinous crimes, saying it is better to spare the life of a criminal than to wrongly execute an innocent person. "Mas mainam na ang guilty ikulong habang buhay sa halip na inosente ma-execute dahil sa pagkakamali (Better that the guilty be imprisoned for life than to have innocents executed because of a wrong judgment)," he said. He also pushed for life imprisonment and penal reforms as a better alternative, even as he supported Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III's suggestion to confine drug lords in a "super max" penitentiary, with no means of communication with the outside world. Lacson and Sotto earned praise from the Commission on Human Rights and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines for their stance on the issue. On the Slash in the NTF-ELCAC's 2022 Budget More at: https://pinglacson.net/article/on-the-slash-in-the-ntf-elcacs-2022-budget Use it or lose it, as former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno once said. Misused funds are far worse than unused appropriations. If the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee himself asserts that those entrusted to utilize the NTF-ELCAC funds cannot even provide the details on how they spent the same, they have no business asking for more. That being said, not only do I support the slash in the NTF-ELCAC's proposed budget for 2022, if such misuse was indeed committed - the officials concerned must be made accountable, if not criminally liable. Press Release November 9, 2021 Co-Sponsorship Speech Honoring and Commending the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos of 2021 by Senator Panfilo M. Lacson November 9, 2021 More at: https://pinglacson.net/article/co-sponsorship-speech-honoring-the-metrobank-foundation-outstanding-filipinos-of-2021 Mr. President, fellow members of this august chamber, I have the honor to co-sponsor Senate Resolution No. 838 entitled "Resolution Honoring and Commending the Metrobank Foundation's Outstanding Filipinos of 2021." At a time when the world is facing a grave health crisis, it is on very rare occasions that we find ourselves on the same ground from which hope springs and optimism thrives. Today is one such occasion with the presence of inspirational public servants who are named as Metrobank Foundation's Outstanding Filipinos of 2021. Mr. President, we gain high spirits when Filipinos find pride in their work, build avenues for change, and remain on course despite the challenges of our generation. Today's outstanding teachers, soldiers, and police officers are a testament to this. In our long course of human history, the global pandemic is said to have created the greatest disruption to the educational systems. At these trying times, our exceptional teachers -- Ms. Lou Sabrina S. Ongkiko and Mr. Jason Albaro -- have inspired our youth to pursue a higher level of literacy and competence through their innovative and progressive learning tools. We can say the same for our awardees from the Higher Education sector -- Dr. Maria Minerva Calimag and Dr. Iris Thiele Isip-Tan - who have leveraged a transformational learning system through digitization and flexible teaching programs. Mr. President, we also salute our soldiers -- Technical Sergeant Jake Belino and Col. Augusto Padua from the Philippine Air Force, and Lt. Col. Elmer Boongaling from the Philippine Army, who have deftly fulfilled their duties on counter-insurgency and disaster response. Their accomplishments have shown us that our agenda for peace-building can be achieved by forging a people-centered united force. We also take pride in the glory of the police force embodied by our law enforcers, Police Senior Master Sergeant Mary Joy Ylanan -- a woman of power, strength, and substance who championed justice for the victims of sexual abuse and human rights violations; Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare who instituted reforms in the legal system and law enforcement for the welfare of our police; and, Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Pablito, who pioneered the PATROL Plan 2030 Program that fostered the strong community engagement of our police force. No amount of accolades will be commensurate with the glory and hope that these public servants accorded the Filipino people. They deserve nothing less for walking worthy of their calling, and for fulfilling their oaths to God, to our countrymen, to our nation. To this end, I also wish to commend the Metrobank Foundation for staying true to its commitment to promoting a culture of professionalism, excellence, and heroism. May you remain steadfast in your role as an instrument in inspiring our fellow Filipinos towards the highest ideals of public service. Mr. President, in view of the foregoing, this representation urges this august body to adopt Senate Resolution 838, honoring and commending the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos of 2021. Thank you Mr. President. Press Release November 9, 2021 Senate honors Agcaoili for selfless dedication to welfare of persons with disability The Senate adopted a resolution lauding and honoring an exemplary Filipino for his selfless dedication to the welfare and empowerment of persons with disability. Senate Resolution 826 was introduced by Senate Minority Franklin Drilon. He said the late Manuel "Noli" V. Agcaoili was himself a disabled person when a severe case of polio damaged his left leg permanently when he contracted the disease at the age of two. But the disability did not hamper the young Agcaoili from achieving his goals and ambitions. He obtained a degree in Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Banking and Finance from the University of the East in 1961, and a post graduate degree in Advertising Management, Product Management and Marketing Management and Strategy from the Ateneo de Manila in 1967. "He did not let his disability hinder him from achieving great things and instead it impelled him to render tireless service to the nation, particularly the community which was close to his heart. He used his experience and influence to empower and help other Filipinos with disabilities," Drilon said. Drilon said Agcaoili worked tirelessly and rose from the ranks to various executive positions in prestigious companies such as Manva Holdings Inc., J. Romero & Associates, Interpol Resources Corp., Fil-Estate, Realty Corporation, Econ Concrete Inc., Antipolo Properties, Inc., Gencars Incorporated, Health Maintenance, Inc. Cocofed Marketing Corp., Coconut Investment Company, Palawan Energy Development Corp., and many others. After gaining prominence and success as a businessman and corporate executive, Drilon said Agcaoili decided to devote his time, efforts, and resources to help fellow persons with disability and joined various civic organizations such as the Rotary Club, Tahanang Walang Hagdanan, Impact Foundation Philippines, Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, National Council on Disability Affairs, Alyansa ng May Kapansanang Pinoy (Akap-Pinoy), DepEd Advisory Council on Children and Youth with Disabilities, Philippine Council of Cheshire Homes for the Disabled (Philcoched) and the De La Salle-College of St. Benilde's Center for Inclusive Education. In 2004, Agcaoili established the Nova Foundation for the Differently Abled Persons, Inc., with the aim of creating a training center to teach persons with disability for entry into the BPO industry and into data processing sector of the IT industry, with the help of local and foreign non-government organizations such as the Christoffel Blinden Mission, the Abilis Foundation, the Microsoft Foundation, AUSAID, and the World Bank. Drilon said Agcaoili also helped organize AKAP-Pinoy, the only 10 nationwide federation of Disabled Peoples' Organizations (DPOs) with 456 members, 11 affiliates and branches; and initiated the teaching of computer literacy and data processing courses to wounded and disabled soldiers to help them integrate to civilian life. He said Agcaoili also found employment for more than a thousand trained persons with disability through a foundation he established. "In March 2021, he was given the "Special Mabini Award for Lifetime Achievement" by the Philippine Foundation for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled (PFRD), Inc., the oldest NGO in the country to work for the interests of PWDs, for his untiring and selfless advocacy to uplift the welfare and champion the empowerment of persons with disability. On April 18, 2021, Manuel "Noli" V. Agcaoili passed away and left a legacy of determination and perseverance that will inspire our people, particularly those with physical limitations, and the enduring lesson that disability is not an obstacle to success and achieving great things," Drilon said. Saudi Arabia in letter to Qatars ruler expressed willingness to bolster ties in many areas as both countries continue to thaw ties following years of diplomatic feud. Saudi Crown Prince, Mohamed bin Salman, the facto ruler of Gulf greatest power, wrote a letter to Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the office of the Qatari leader said. Amid continued reconciliation efforts, the letter focused on ways to strengthen bilateral relations as well as regional and international developments, the office known as the Amiri Diwan noted. The letter was handed to the Sheikh Al Thani by the kingdoms ambassador Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan during his meeting with the Qatari ruler. Both countries established new relations in January this year during the regional summit in the kingdom following a reconciliation agreement that put an end to more than a three-year diplomatic row. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain leagued against in June 2017 by cutting their ties with tiny-Gulf country over alleged accusation that Doha sponsors terrorism. The gas-rich country had vehemently denied any wrongdoing. In a joint session, students in Human Health 385 and Psychology 385 explored the topic of psychological trauma from physical injuries with senior lecturers Chris Eagle (second from right) and Andrew Kazama (right). A new Emory College of Arts and Sciences effort capitalizes on the diversity of perspectives and knowledge from different fields to help undergraduates develop innovative ideas to tackle a variety of real-world problems. The Institute for Liberal Arts (ILA) created the Learning through Inclusive Collaboration (LINC) Initiative with additional funding from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. It showcases Emorys deep commitment to interdisciplinary learning by pairing faculty in different departments who work together to create links between their independent courses. The goal underscores Emorys emphasis on liberal arts excellence. Instead of simply disseminating knowledge in a world awash in information, the LINC courses help students spot connections in information and guide how to weigh them. The program started with four courses this semester, or two LINCs, with six courses (three LINCs) on the spring calendar. Paired classes include differential mathematics with dance, neuroscience and human health, and atmospheric chemistry with German studies. We see interdisciplinary study as the core of everything we want to accomplish in undergraduate education, says Robyn Fivush, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology and director of the ILA. It provides a much more complete, and sometimes a more complicated, understanding of the world and what we need to do to find solutions to the worlds problems. Building inclusivity through interdisciplinary thought The ILA developed LINC last year with David Lynn, Asa Griggs Candler professor of chemistry and biology, who was drawn to the ILAs rich history of encouraging intellectual pursuits that cross traditional academic departments. Lynn had already seen such efforts succeed firsthand. Nearly two decades ago, he used funding as an inaugural Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) professor to create first-year seminars where top Emory graduate students introduced broad scientific concepts by sharing overlap with religion, biology, history, physics, womens studies and business. With the way the social justice and environmental justice movements have evolved, this notion of taking a broader perspective of our world has become even more important, says Lynn, who used money from an HHMI grant to create the LINC framework. The issues of PTSD and trauma, for instance, are the focus of both HLTH 385 and PSY 385 this fall. Senior lecturer Chris Eagles human health course covers cultural and clinical ideas about trauma from World War I to now, using fiction, poetry, testimonials, theoretical essays and clinical case studies to explore different facets of the traumatic experience. Senior lecturer Andrew Kazamas psychology seminar, meanwhile, covers various neurobiological aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder, using peer-reviewed articles drawn from a wide variety of biomedical fields such as genetics, hormones, brain structures and current treatment approaches. Broadening perspectives Students focus on their own coursework but meet to discuss shared readings three times this semester. The first joint session followed their reading of a 1917 paper by medical psychologist Charles S. Myers, arguing that shell shock in World War I soldiers was the result of physical damage to delicate brain tissue. Both classes met for a 15-minute overview from Eagle on the history of battle trauma before discussing the evolution of how to consider and treat psychological trauma from physical injuries. The classes had a similar discussion about the human impact of traumatic injuries following a shared reading of an Iraq War veterans suicide letter. In that discussion, Kazama spoke briefly on the possible neurological explanations for what the letter describes, using a brain specimen to illustrate his points. In their first classes following joint sessions, both professors noted a shift in student interest. Eagle says his students wanted to talk more about the role neural pathways play in how people respond to specific traumas, whereas Kazamas students expressed curiosity about the meaning of trauma. The main takeaway from these LINC sessions has been that what is happening in our brains affects how we experience trauma as much as our cultural ideas of what trauma is, Eagle says. As a neuroscience and behavioral biology major, sophomore Kayla Huynh saw Kazamas course as helpful to both complete her major and for her goal of attending medical school. The first joint session, though, made Huynh consider the cultural reasons why her parents, childhood Vietnamese refugees after the war, did not consider their experience traumatic. She is now interested in learning more about the historical and cultural definitions of trauma and is looking for undergraduate research opportunities in childhood trauma, in particular. Studying this way has opened up a lot in me, Huynh says. Its something Emory does extraordinarily well, finding these connections between disciplines so we can learn to appreciate different perspectives. Its so valuable to see what you can learn when people can pull in information from their own backgrounds and respective majors. Creating more LINCs Fivush, along with Lynn and ILA senior lecturer Kim Loudermilk, plan to apply for more HHMI funding to expand the program. The trio and a LINC committee made up of faculty from across Emory College also plan to continue with additional paired courses next year. The ILA plans workshops for faculty to consider creative ways to bridge their work with other departments. Kazama, who sits on the LINC committee, says the critical work is helping professors and students alike to think about a topic that will resonate differently in other fields. The way I explain it to my class is we are learning to distinguish between revealed truths and observable truths, he says. Science is observable truths, while revealed truths come from religion, philosophy and the humanities. Neither is more true than the other, because both are incomplete truths of our universe, Kazama adds. I can talk all day about how everything you do is the result of your neurons firing or not firing, but that is not the entire truth. You need both. Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size Notice body For the first time, the Beat Bama Food Drive and Campus Food Pantry have joined together in the continuous fight against food insecurity in East Alabama. Through Nov. 18, any donation to Auburns Campus Food Pantry will be counted towards the universitys goal of beating the University of Alabama in the Beat Bama Food Drive. This partnership is a direct reflection of the work Beat Bama Food Drive students and the Campus Food Pantry do to alleviate food insecurity throughout not only Auburns campus but the Auburn community, Charlie Gordon, Student Involvement graduate assistant for service programs, said. Additionally, through this first-year partnership, the Campus Food Pantry will receive a portion of donations from the Beat Bama Food Drive, which directly supports students on Auburns campus. The Campus Food Pantry began in 2012 to provide non-perishable food items to aid students struggling with food insecurity. It is an initiative of Auburn cares, a department of Student Affairs. Donations of non-perishable food items are accepted at labeled Beat Bama Food Drive barrels located throughout major campus building and in Auburn retail stores, schools, churches and pharmacies. To give directly to the Campus Food Pantry, items can be delivered to 1115 Melton Student Center. Beat Bama Food Drive monetary donations are accepted through multiple online platforms, including Venmo, GivePulse and the Beat Bama Food Drive website. We utilize a conversion system of 2 pounds for every $1 donated in monetary gifts and convert that physical weight of individual food items into a collective poundage total that we report to the Food Bank of East Alabama, Gordon said. We combine the donations to the Campus Food Pantry with the donations received at the Food Bank of East Alabama for our drive total. According to Gordon, one in four Auburn students face food insecurity every day, and for the Campus Food Pantry, monetary donations are essential in keeping the program running. There are certain times of the year when we run low on items, so monetary donations allow us to go to the grocery store and purchase those items, Sarah Grace Kaschak, Auburn Cares coordinator, said. Additionally, these funds help us make larger purchases as we are working to open a new, larger spacelike a refrigerator to offer our users fresh foods. Jack Wray, Beat Bama Food Drive president, encourages everyone to come together and fight against something that impacts our community and state. Food insecurity doesnt present itself like hunger or poverty where the person that is struggling is very apparent, Wray said. Imagine having to choose between a car payment, a textbook, your electricity bill or eating. Food security should be a basic human right. Because of this, Wray encourages everyone to come together and fight against something that impacts our community and state. I am so appreciative of Jack and Charlies work to make Beat Bama Food Drive bigger and better than ever this year, Kaschak said. I know we are going to change the lives of so many through this drive. Since 1994, Auburn University and the Food Bank of East Alabama have united students, faculty, alumni and community members to help fight hunger and poverty in our community by challenging the University of Alabama and the West Alabama Food Bank. The competition has since garnered donations of over six million pounds of food for Alabamians in need. The Beat Bama Food Drive team is comprised of students who have such a genuine passion for not just alleviating food insecurity in their own community but creating a better world than the one they currently live in, Gordon said. The work these students do every day embody the spirit of the Creed and the impact of the human touch. To give to the Beat Bama Food Drive and the Campus Food Pantry, click here. For more information on these programs, visit the Beat Bama Food Drive and the Campus Food Pantry websites. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: CCTV: A high-level session on the 20th anniversary of China's accession to the WTO was held in Shanghai. Guests from various countries had discussions on the significance of Chinas accession to the WTO and spoke highly of that. Do you have any comment on that? Wang Wenbin: The High-level Session on the 20th Anniversary of China's Accession to the WTO was held in Shanghai on November 5. Vice President Wang Qishan attended the event and delivered a speech. And the forum was also attended by Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, Secretary of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee Li Qiang, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan, President of the New Development Bank Marcos Troyjo and diplomatic envoys in China. Guests at the forum called Chinas accession to the WTO a milestone event and a right choice China has made in line with the trend of economic globalization. It has generated a new wave of domestic development while injecting fresh impetus into the world economy. The past 20 years have witnessed a China deepening reform and seizing opportunities. Its GDP increased 8 times, and its share in the world increased from 4% in 2001 to 17.4% in 2020, and it has become the worlds second largest economy and top trading nation. Also, China has led developing countries in utilized foreign investment. The past 20 years have witnessed a China pursuing all-round opening up and stepping up to its responsibilities, and promoting mutual benefits and win-win results. China has contributed nearly 30 percent in global growth on average over the past two decades and become a positive contributor to the sustained development of global economy and staunch supporter of multilateral trading system. As the world economy is deeply integrated, the interests of all countries are more closely intertwined. Taking the 20th anniversary of its accession to the WTO as a new starting point, China will continue to open up at a higher level, create a market environment where domestic and foreign companies are treated as equals and compete on a level playing field, and share China's opportunities with the rest of the world. China will continue to uphold multilateral trading system and work to move WTO reform in the right direction with a constructive attitude. China will also deepen regional and bilateral economic and trade cooperation, promote openness and cooperation around the world, and build a community with a shared future for mankind. Bloomberg: A question on the US administrations plans to launch a global infrastructure program, which is intended to counter Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. This could launch as soon as January. Its called the Build Back Better World program. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on the Build Back Better World program? Wang Wenbin: Since its inception eight years ago, the Belt and Road Initiative has followed the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation and high-standard, people-centered development, promoted the construction of a large batch of cooperation projects, strengthened connectivity and delivered tangible benefits to the people of our BRI partners. It has become the most popular international public good and the largest cooperation platform. We believe that there is wide room for global infrastructure cooperation and various initiatives dont have to counter or replace each other. Countries should work to build rather than tear down bridges, promote connectivity rather than decoupling, seek mutual benefits and win-win results rather than isolation and exclusiveness. We hope the US will take concrete actions to earnestly boost common development and revitalization of all. CCTV: Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) said in a recent interview that China's performance in IP protection and IP commercialization has already spoken for itself. Do you have any comment? Wang Wenbin: According to the 2021 edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) published in September, China moved up the ranks to the 12th place in the GII and stands as the only middle-income economy in the list of top 30. This ranking is above some developed economies like Japan and Canada. In 2020, Chinas R&D expenditure ranked the second in the world at 2,442.6 billion yuan, which accounts for 2.4% of its GDP. China filed more than 68,000 international patent applications, making it the country with the largest number of international patent applications for the second consecutive year. These achievements are the result of the ingenuity and hard work of the Chinese people and the Chinese government's vigorous efforts to advance the IPR strategy and innovation-driven development strategy. China always attaches great importance to the IPR work. In 2019, China issued the Guideline on Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights Protection. In 2020, China promulgated the Civil Code and completed a new round of revisions to the Patent Law, Copyright Law and Criminal Law, further improving the legal system for IPR protection. China has also issued several policy documents, including the opinions on strengthening punishment of IPR infringements in accordance with the law, opinions on strengthening destruction of pirated and counterfeit goods, opinions on strengthening mediation of IPR disputes, and standard for determination of trademark infringement. In 2021, the Chinese government issued the outline for building a country strong on intellectual property rights (2021-2035), which listed legal guarantee and strict protection as the first of its four working principles. So far, China has established 54 IPR protection centers, 28 rapid IPR protection centers, and 22 local sub-centers of the National Guidance Center for Handling Overseas Intellectual Property Disputes. The system of rapid and coordinated handling of IPR cases is being improved by the day. While building a country strong on intellectual property, China is actively participating in global governance of intellectual property. We have joined almost all major international conventions on intellectual property, and taken effective measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of intellectual property owners at home and abroad. Recently, the Chinese government issued the national plan for IPR protection and application for the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), which sets out the four goals: bringing IPR protection to a new stage, scoring new achievements in IPR application, bringing IPR services to a new level, and making new breakthroughs in international cooperation. Looking ahead, China will further open up its IPR to the world in a wider scope, in more areas and at a deeper level, continuously upgrade its international cooperation with WIPO and other parties, and make more contributions to the balanced, inclusive and sustainable development of global intellectual property rights. Reuters: Over the weekend, satellite imagery was discovered revealing mockups of equipment that appeared to be US Navy carriers and other related military equipment in Xinjiang. We would like to ask once again if China has any response to these observations? Wang Wenbin: I already responded to a related question yesterday and you may refer to that. Bloomberg: A question on a letter from several diplomats based in Beijing from countries such as the US, UK, Japan, EU, Switzerland, etc. This letter was addressed to the head of China Customs and asks China Customs to postpone the implementation of two new decrees on food imports. The reason for this, the diplomats cited a lack of clarity around the rules and how they might be implemented. They also said that the situation posed a risk to global food supply chains. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this letter from the diplomats to the China Customs head? Wang Wenbin: I would like to refer you to competent authorities. Associated Press of Pakistan: Pakistan and China have very close cooperation in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Can you share some details of it and update on the provision of vaccines to Pakistan by the Chinese side? Wang Wenbin: China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Pakistan have stood together in solidarity against the pandemic and achieved positive outcomes, setting an example for international cooperation against the pandemic. China attaches great importance to Pakistans needs in vaccines and conducts close cooperation with the Pakistani side. China takes Pakistan as a priority in vaccine assistance and export and has offered strong support for Pakistan by various means including vaccine assistance, procurement and through COVAX. Just a few days ago, 200,000 doses of vaccines provided by the Red Cross Society of China arrived in Islamabad. Chinese companies have also launched vaccine production cooperation in Pakistan. China will continue to stand firmly with Pakistan and strengthen anti-epidemic cooperation including on vaccines until the epidemics are defeated. RIA Novosti: National security advisers of Russia, Iran and five Central Asian countries tomorrow will attend the Delhi regional security dialogue on Afghanistan. Indian media earlier reported that China and Pakistan were also invited, but both have declined to participate. Could you please confirm that China has declined the invitation of the Indian side and provide any detail why it happened? Wang Wenbin: China is not able to attend the meeting due to scheduling reasons and has notified the Indian side in reply. Radio Television Hong Kong: Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor said in an interview that she expected Hong Kongs land border with Chinas mainland to reopen to quarantine-free travel in February next year, and such travel would be limited to Guangdong province initially. Has the central government decided on a definite date for the reopening and made any specific arrangements? Wang Wenbin: This issue does not fall under the purview of the foreign ministry. Please refer to competent authorities. MASTV: US leader issued a statement on November 8 which made accusations about human rights and democratic conditions of many countries and regions, including Hong Kong. What is Chinas comment? Wang Wenbin: We resolutely oppose the US attempt to discredit Hong Kong, disrupt the SARs rule of law and cast a shadow on its development under the pretext of human rights and democracy. Hong Kong affairs are purely Chinas internal affairs, which brook no foreign interference. Since the promulgation and implementation of the national security law for Hong Kong, black-clad violence has almost disappeared, public order and peoples normal life have resumed, and all legitimate rights of Hong Kong residents and foreigners in Hong Kong have been earnestly protected. Now rid of chaos, Hong Kong faces a bright prospect of transition from chaos to order and prosperity. Our Hong Kong compatriots now enjoy unprecedented democracy, freedoms and rights compared with under the British colonial rule. The US side hailed violence and crimes including harming Hong Kong residents and vandalizing public facilities as a beautiful sight to behold, while smearing the Hong Kong SAR governments law-based protection of peoples rights and the public order as violation of human rights and freedoms. This once again reflects the US double standard and exposes the hypocrisy of US human rights and democracy. As before, the US tries to justify its interference in other countries internal affairs and its moves undermining regional and international security in the name of human rights and democracy. But be it Iraq, Syria or Afghanistan, facts have proven time and again that the US brings to the world turmoil and chaos instead of stability and prosperity by forcibly selling its democracy and values to others. The US has overdrawn its credit of human rights and democracy, and the American democracy has long been bankrupt. Measurements of electric fields, magnetic fields, and camera images reveal the plasma explosions and clouds of debris created when very high velocity dust impacts the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft. By watching the dispersal of these small plasma and debris clouds, scientists can learn about how larger clouds of dust and debris are blown away from stars. CREDIT NASA New results reveal how plasma explosions and clouds of debris can disturb spacecraft operations in the aftermath of hypervelocity dust impacts. The Parker Solar Probe spacecraft, NASA's newest and most ambitious effort to study the sun, has broken a lot of records: it has gotten closer to the sun than any other spacecraft to date, its instruments have operated at the hottest temperatures, and the probe is the fastest human-made object ever. But those records come at a cost: The spacecraft is moving so fast that running into even a tiny grain of dust can lead to serious damage. New research by scientists at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado, Boulder and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) examines collisions between the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft and dust. Led by David Malaspina, a researcher at LASP, and Assistant Professor in the Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences Department at the University of Colorado, the team drew on electromagnetic and optical observations from Parker Solar Probe to produce the most complete picture yet of how hypervelocity dust impacts may damage a spacecraft and disturb its operations. Traversing near-sun space at up to 180 kilometers per second (about 400,000 miles per hour), Parker Solar Probe plows through the densest region of the zodiacal cloud. The zodiacal cloud is a thick, pancake-shaped dust cloud that extends throughout the solar system and is made up of tiny dust grains shed from asteroids and comets. As Parker Solar Probe barrels through this region, thousands of tiny (about 2 to 20 microns in diameter, or less than a quarter of the width of a human hair) dust grains strike the spacecraft at hypervelocity (faster than 6,700 miles per hour). Upon impact, the material that makes up the dust grains and the spacecraft surface is heated so much that it first vaporizes, then ionizes. Ionization is a process where atoms in the vaporized material are separated into their constituent ions and electrons, producing a state of matter called plasma. The rapid vaporization and ionization creates a plasma explosion lasting less than one thousandth of a second. The largest of these impacts also generate clouds of debris that slowly expand away from the spacecraft. In the new study, Malaspina and colleagues used antennas and magnetic field sensors to measure disturbances to the electromagnetic environment around the spacecraft produced by dust impact plasma explosions (Figure 1). The findings could lead to new insights into space weather around the sun. For example, these measurements allowed the team to study how these plasma explosions interacted with the solar wind, or the stream of ions and electrons that the sun generates on a constant basis. "With these measurements, we can watch the plasma created by these dust impacts be swept away by the flow of the solar wind." Malaspina said. He added that learning how this "pick up" process works on a small scale may help scientists better understand how larger plasma regions, such as those in the upper atmospheres of Venus and Mars, are swept away by the solar wind. The findings also have major implications for the safety of Parker Solar Probe and spacecraft that will come after it. The team observed how metallic flakes and paint chips knocked loose during collisions with dust drifted and tumbled near the spacecraft. Those pieces of debris created streaks in the images taken by navigational and scientific cameras on Parker Solar Probe. "Many image streaks look radial, originating near the heat shield," said study co-author Kaushik Iyer of APL, referring to the large shield that protects Parker Solar Probe from the intense heat near the sun. The study also reports that some debris scattered sunlight into the Parker Solar Probe navigation cameras, temporarily preventing the spacecraft from determining how it was oriented in space. That can be a dangerous prospect for a spacecraft that relies on precise pointing of its heat shield to survive. Parker Solar Probe was launched in 2018 and has completed nine full orbits of the sun. Before its prime mission ends in 2025, it will complete another 15 orbits. As Parker Solar Probe continues its journey of exploration near the sun, it can now add one more record to its long list: most sand-blasted spacecraft. The results of this study will be presented on November 11, 2021, at the 63rd Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics in Pittsburgh, PA. This work was supported by NASA (NNN06AA01C). Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook. The annual Standardbred Horse Sale continued in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Nov. 9 with another trotting filly topping the bidding for the second yearling session, as Unicorn Blue Chip sold for $475,000. Unicorn Blue Chip, selling as Hip 300, was purchased by Lucas Wallin of New Egypt, New Jersey, acting as agent. Bred by Blue Chip Farms, the filly is by Chapter Seven out of the unraced Donato Hanover mare Dunk The Donato. She is a half-sister to world champion and millionaire Plunge Blue Chip (1:49.4 - $1,596,841), multiple Grand Circuit stakes-placed Splash Blue Chip (1:51.4 - $474,623) and recent Matron Stakes winner Threepointbluechip (1:55 - $107,100). Of course, we liked the page, and the video, said Wallin, who purchased the filly for a yet-to-be-finalized group. And the way she looked. She looked really, really good. She is a little on the smaller size, but she is a beautiful, correct filly. Plunge Blue Chip was a lot bigger. But most of the Chapter Sevens, the good ones, I think are not too big. They are a little on the smaller side, so I wasnt worried about the size. Im very happy we got her. I figured she would go very high, the trotting fillies especially. We were prepared to go high. But that was a lot of money. Sons and daughters of Walner continue to fetch top dollar, with Won Liner fetching the second highest sale price during Tuesday's session. The daughter of Walner - Won Ton Hanover, bred and consigned by Fred Hertrich's Allamerican Standardbreds, was purchased by Ake Svanstedt for $310,000. I liked the conformation and the horse, and she was a Walner, Svanstedt said. Everything was good. Twin B Nation rounded out the top three of the highest priced yearlings to pass through the sales ring on Tuesday with a bid of $300,000. The American Ideal - Lovely Erin bay colt, sold as Hip 337 by breeder / consignor Twinbrook Farms, was collared by Determination of Montreal, Que. We dont buy a lot, but we buy a pacer every year, said Luc Blais, who trains for Determination. The money is good too with the pacers, but you need the right one. The first thing (about Twin B Nation) was the individual. He is a super nice horse, looks like a million bucks. Twinbrook does a very good job. When I saw him at the farm and when I saw him here again, we liked him a lot. I like his temper. Hes a very laidback horse. I like that. I think that is very important. It is a lot of stress when you race at that level and go to every kind of track. You need a good horse to deal with that. A total of 300 yearlings were sold during the second yearling session for gross sales of $13,425,000. The average sale price was $44,750, up from the $35,691 average sale price for the second day of the 2020 sale, which was held at Timonium Fairgrounds in Maryland. Unicorn Blue Chip, Won Liner Twin B Nation were the first yearlings to top $300,000 in the sale's second session. Over the past five years, no horse sold for more than $280,000 during the second session. Through this years two sessions, the sale at the Pennsylvania State Farm Show Complex averaged $79,399 for 421 horses. The previous high average for the first two days was $69,769 for 468 horses in 2019. This years average represented a 13.8-percent increase over the previous record. Last years sale, which was held at the Maryland State Fairgrounds because of the COVID-19 pandemic, averaged $52,133 for 445 horses through two days. This years average was a 52.3-percent increase over 2020. The two-session gross this year, $33.4 million, has already topped the total gross for last years sale, which was $29.5 million for 773 horses. The record for overall gross was also set in 2019, at $40.7 million for 833 horses. After two sessions that year, the gross was $32.6 million for 468 yearlings. Its just incredible how the sale continued, said Dale Welk, the Standardbred Horse Sales president and director of operations. I had a lot of the buyers today say there is still plenty of money here, and there was. It proved it, right up until the end. Were still going to have those standouts tomorrow. I think it will correct just a little, but I think were still going to have a great day tomorrow. It seems like all the consignors are happy. Buyers are happy, even though theyre spending more money, theyre getting what they want, some incredible individuals. I hope it carries on. Its very satisfying for the work we put into it all year. The office staff, everyone, is working hard to put the right kind of sale together. Its extremely gratifying. I cant thank our consignors, the owners that sell with us, and the bidders and buyers enough. That makes the whole thing. We do the background work but we need them in the front. The Black Book Yearling Sale continues on Wednesday at 10 a.m. The Mixed Sale portion of the five-day auction will be held on Thursday and Friday, starting at 10 a.m. on both days. IMPORTANT LINKS Sale Catalogues Outs List Sale Results Online Bidding (via i-bidder) Sale Live Streaming Video (Active during the sale and will also appear below. Click 'watch live' and then 'play' to view the live stream.) (with files from USTA) By Trend A musical firework, dedicated to the glorious victory of Azerbaijan in the 2020 second Karabakh war and the liberation of its lands from Armenian occupation, was held in the National Seaside Park in Baku on November 8, Trend reports. According to the decree of President Ilham Aliyev "On the establishment of Victory Day in the Republic of Azerbaijan" signed on December 3, 2020, November 8 is celebrated as Victory Day in Azerbaijan. On September 27, 2020, in response to the large-scale provocation of the Armenian armed forces on the frontline, the Azerbaijani Army launched a counter-offensive operation, later called the "Iron Fist". The 44-day Second Karabakh War, which erupted as a result, put an end to nearly thirty years of occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the restoration of the country's territorial integrity. By Trend Azerbaijans victory in the second Armenia-Azerbaijan Karabakh war became the main military-political event of 2020 and objectively put Azerbaijan among the leading countries not only in the region, but also in the world, Editor-in-Chief of the authoritative Russian National Defense magazine, well-known military expert Igor Korotchenko told Trend. He admitted that as a result of the war, Azerbaijan severely damaged Armenia's military power. "Modern Armenia is only capable of committing local military provocations, which it commits. But from a military, organizational point of view, the Armenian army does not exist today." Korotchenko stressed that Azerbaijans victory really opens up the prospects for the restoration of peace, security and stability in the South Caucasus. "The initiatives that are of great interest today in terms of politics are, first of all, the restoration of transport routes in the region, and, accordingly, the launch and acceleration of all economic processes," the expert said. "Therefore, Azerbaijan's victory in the second Karabakh war opens prosperity, peace, security, sustainable development for the region." The expert stressed that of course, stability and security in the South Caucasus are one of the main priorities for Russia in the region. "Russias initiatives in a number of spheres coincide with Azerbaijans position," Korotchenko said. "We unanimously support the full implementation of the trilateral statement." The expert said that unfortunately, Armenia is not yet ready for peace today. "The instability, the opposition rally, which is scheduled for November 8 in Yerevan, will show whether Armenia will be ready in the future," Korotchenko said. "We can't exclude a repetition of situation we saw a year ago, when the crowd stormed the government buildings, looking for Nikol Pashinyan to destroy him." The expert said that actually, this shows again the level of tolerance of the Armenian society, which is suffering from the point of view of those chauvinistic and often semi-fascist sentiments that prevail there. "Perhaps, we can pin hope only on peace based on force, on the political coercion of Armenia to the constructive behavior," the expert said. "In general, we expect that the South Caucasus in case of implementation of the 3+3 initiative, the launch of the Zangazur transport corridor project will get a chance to become one of the dynamically developing regions of the world," Korotchenko said. Azerbaijani and Russian Foreign Ministers Jeyhun Bayramov and Sergey Lavrov discussed the implementation of the joint statement, on the eve of the anniversary of the trilateral statement signed on November 10, 2020. The discussion took place during the phone talks on November 8, 2021, the Foreign Ministry has reported. The parties also exchanged views on the agenda of bilateral cooperation. Russia played a key role in the signing of a ceasefire deal between Azerbaijan and Armenia to end the last year's 44-day war. The trilateral peace deal signed by the Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian leaders on November 10, 2020, ended the 30-year conflict between Baku and Yerevan over Azerbaijans Karabakh that along with seven adjacent regions came under the occupation of Armenian armed forces in the war in the 1990s. Azerbaijan and Russia also cooperate in different spheres of the economy. Earlier this year Azerbaijan participated in a number of international exhibitions held in Russia. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia amounted to $2.6 billion in 2020, making Russia Azerbaijans third-largest partner. Additionally, Azerbaijan is a major supplier of fruits and vegetables to Russia. By Trend Turkey is ready to mobilize all its capabilities to solve any problem of Azerbaijan, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said during a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Trend reports. After answering reporters' questions, the defense ministers of the brotherly countries made press statements. Defense Minister Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov expressed gratitude to the brotherly country for political and moral support in the second Karabakh war. It was noted that the Azerbaijani army under the leadership of the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev demonstrated high professionalism in the 44-day war. Speaking about joint exercises with the Turkish Armed Forces, the minister noted that work in this direction will be continued. The Minister of Defense thanked the Turkish counterpart and the delegation headed by him for the celebration of Victory Day with Azerbaijan. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar noted that both countries have a common history and stressed that the brotherhood of the two countries will last forever. It was noted also that Turkey is always ready to mobilize all its capabilities to solve any problems of Azerbaijan. The Minister of National Defense expressed confidence in the further development of friendly and fraternal relations between the two countries. The illegal visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to the territories of Azerbaijan is a military-political provocation, Trend reports citing Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. According to the ministry, the Armenian media reported on the illegal visit of the Minister of Defense of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan to the territory of Azerbaijan, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed. The unauthorized visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to Azerbaijani lands, holding meetings with illegal Armenian formations and expressing an opinion about their combat readiness is a military-political provocation, the ministry reports. The ministry stressed that this provocative visit of the Armenian Defense Minister was deliberately carried out on the eve of the anniversary of the signing of the trilateral statement by the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia and the Prime Minister of Armenia. The military-political leadership of Armenia, grossly violating the provisions of the trilateral statement, intentionally destabilizes the situation in the region and endangers the activities of the Russian peacekeepers, the message says. The ministry added that the Armenian military leadership, instead of drawing conclusions from the total defeat in the second Karabakh war in 44 days, adapting to the new geopolitical situation in the region, strengthening peace and security, is making attempts at cheap military adventures with the expectation of an internal audience. It was also noted that the visit of the Armenian Defense Minister once again demonstrates that Armenia continues to directly support irregular Armenian military units, aggressive separatism, and terrorist acts on the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Moreover, elements of the armed forces of Armenia continue to be in the territories of Azerbaijan, where Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed. "We would like to remind the Armenian Defense Minister of the fate of his former colleagues and other Armenian generals who made utopian claims such as 'impassable Ohanyan line', 'new wars, new territories'," the ministry said. "We warn the military-political leadership of Armenia that in case of a repetition of such illegal visits to the territory of Azerbaijan, the necessary measures will be taken to prevent aggressive separatism and terrorist acts in accordance with the legislation of Azerbaijan," the ministry stressed. The Azerbaijani army is organized according to the model of the Turkish Armed Forces, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov said at a press conference with Turkish Minister of National Defense Hulusi Akar, Trend reports on Nov. 9. According to Hasanov, the Azerbaijani army demonstrated high professionalism in the 44-day second Karabakh war. Most of the personnel of the Azerbaijani army were trained in the Turkish training center. "The Turkish Armed Forces are one of the strongest armies in the world. On behalf of President Ilham Aliyev, we continue to organize the Azerbaijani army in accordance with the model of the Turkish Armed Forces," he said. The minister added that during the 44-day second Karabakh war, the Azerbaijani army also used Turkish-made weapons. Turkey's military industry has been developing in recent years, and we have used both unmanned aerial vehicles and other precision weapons, including Bayraktar, Hasanov said. By Trend The bill on the extension of the period of stay of the Turkish military in Azerbaijan, signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will be discussed on November 9 at a meeting of the Turkish Grand National Assembly, Trend reports. According to the information, the bill provides for the extension of the term of office of the military working in the joint Turkish-Russian monitoring center in Aghdam by one year. The Turkish Grand National Assembly on November 17, 2020 authorized the Turkish Armed Forces to send Turkish troops to Azerbaijan for a period of one year. It is reported that the deadline is expected to be extended until November 2022. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov left for Paris on a working visit. According to the information, the minister within the framework of the visit will deliver a speech at the 41st session of the UNESCO General Conference, as well as hold a number of bilateral meetings with officials. By Trend Our goal is to ensure the contribution of the Turkish-Russian Joint Monitoring Center to sustainable stability in the region, Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel General Zakir Hasanov at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Trend reports. According to Akar, the tasks and boundaries of the Turkish-Russian Joint Monitoring Center are known. Although small problems arise from time to time, every effort is made to operate the center within the established framework. Great efforts are being made there by employees of the administrative and security services of not only Russia and Turkey but also Azerbaijan. As a result, the ceasefire is largely respected, he said. We are pleased to note that the incidence of ceasefire violations has significantly decreased, and important steps have been taken towards stabilization. Representatives of the Turkish Armed Forces at the Joint Monitoring Center are very pleased to carry out their mandate. We want all this activity to contribute to a sustainable ceasefire. We have done everything that is needed for this and will continue to do so, the Turkish Defense Minister said. By Trend Russia intends, together with its partners, to consistently implement the tasks of unblocking all economic and transport ties in the South Caucasus, the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry in connection with the anniversary of the signing of the trilateral ceasefire agreements of the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Trend reports. "We highly appreciate the activities of the Trilateral Working Group under the joint chairmanship of the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Deputy Prime Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia. We emphasize the need for an early launch of specific projects based on a balance of interests, which will contribute to unlocking the economic and transport potential of the South Caucasus. We note the importance of reducing tensions on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border and launching the process of its delimitation with subsequent demarcation as soon as possible. We are ready to provide all the necessary advice," the statement says. The ministry notes that Russia will do its utmost to promote the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia, support peaceful initiatives aimed at expanding contacts at all levels on a wide range of issues of ensuring stability, security, and economic development of the South Caucasus. "We are also ready to facilitate dialogue between representatives of the public of Azerbaijan and Armenia with the participation of Russia in order to create an atmosphere of trust between the Azerbaijani and Armenian people. We advocate building good-neighborly relations between the countries of the South Caucasus and their neighbors, the development of mutually beneficial regional cooperation," the ministry said. Armenia wants to cast a shadow on the activities of the Russian peacekeepers, the head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Leyla Abdullayeva said, commenting the statement of the Armenian Foreign Ministry on the incident near the city of Shusha on November 8, Trend reports. According to Abdullayeva, the Armenian Foreign Ministry has no political, legal or moral grounds to make any statements in connection with the territories of Azerbaijan. "As for this incident, it is the result of yet another provocation of the Armenian side. Thus, in the statements of the Armenian side it is noted that these persons allegedly acted on November 8 with the aim of repairing the water pipeline near the Khankendi-Shusha road. I would like to note that usually before carrying out any activity on this territory, Russian peacekeepers are informed about this, and this activity is carried with observance of the peacekeepers, she said. This time, the Russian peacekeepers were not informed and did not participate. This, of course, raises serious questions. In addition, on that date, an event was held in the city of Shusha with the participation of the president of Azerbaijan and government officials. In such cases, enhanced security measures are taken on the territory. Knowing this, doing any repairs to the water supply system near this territory does not fit into any logic," Abdullayeva said. At the same time, Abdullayeva stressed that the illegal visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to the Karabakh region of Azerbaijan is another provocative act of the Armenian side. "All this testifies to the fact that the Armenian side deliberately pursues the goal of aggravating the situation. And the fact that these steps were taken on the eve of the first anniversary of the signing of the trilateral statement serves the purpose of casting a shadow on the activities of the Russian peacekeepers, and in general, this is a violation of the provisions of the trilateral statement," Abdullayeva said. By Trend A second level assessment of the Ship Search Group of the Azerbaijani Army Naval Forces, declared in the Joint Forces Joint Force, was carried out within the framework of the NATO Operational Capabilities Concept at the Eastern Mediterranean 2021 multinational naval exercise in Turkey, Trend reports on Nov.9 with reference to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. According to the ministry, the assessment of the Ship Search Group was conducted by a multinational assessment team and overseen by a NATO Naval Command observer team. During the exercise, the tasks of a quick approach of the boat to a ship captured by a mock terrorist group, neutralization of terrorists and the release of the ship, as well as the safe evacuation of the crew were carried out in a highly professional and efficient manner. It is noted that the purpose of the assessment exercises is to check the combat readiness, activity, and equipment of the units declared in the Joint Forces for compliance with NATO standards. Armenian Armed Forces fired at the engineering equipment of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the Kalbajar region. the story will be updated. By Trend The Armenians living in Karabakh are citizens of Azerbaijan, they must begin integration into the legal, economic, political and cultural space of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Ambassador to France Rahman Mustafayev said in the news program of the international French-speaking TV5 Monde channel, Trend reports on Nov. 9. According to Mustafayev, Shusha is the historical center of Karabakh, the cultural capital of Azerbaijan, the cradle of Azerbaijani poetry and literature. "The school of national folklore and classical music was born here," he said. Answering the relevant questions of the TV hosts, the ambassador said that the liberation of the city of Shusha put an end to the war. "The war is over, the conflict has been resolved, but many questions and problems of the post-war, post-conflict period remain. These include the clearance of the liberated territories, the clarification of the fate of the missing nearly 4,000 Azerbaijani citizens, the reconstruction of destroyed cities and villages, he stressed. It is also necessary to resolve the issue of delimitation and subsequent demarcation of the state borders between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We have long ago conveyed to the Armenian side a proposal to start a dialogue on this issue, we are waiting for a response from them," Mustafayev said. Mustafayev also stated that the Armenians of Karabakh are citizens of Azerbaijan, they must begin integration into the legal, economic, political and cultural space of our country. "The territory of Azerbaijan is one and indivisible, there will be a place for Armenians on the basis of observance of the principle of equality of all before the law," the ambassador added. A year ago, the Azerbaijani army under the leadership of the President, the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev wrote a glorious page in the history of Azerbaijan, putting an end to the 30-year occupation of Karabakh. The work that international organizations could not do in 30 years, Azerbaijan did on its own - in 44 days. The liberation of the city of Shusha from the Armenian occupation on November 8 last year was a decisive moment in the course of the Second Karabakh War. During the broadcast, the ambassador also answered questions related to the role of Russia, Turkey, Iran and Israel in the region. TV5 Monde is a French-Belgian-Swiss-Canadian international public broadcaster. It broadcasts to an audience of 350 million people in 200 countries around the world. About 80 million people watch its newscasts every week. The Mena region saw four IPOs raise total proceeds of $1.836 billion during the third quarter (Q3) of 2021, reflecting a 1,483% increase in value on the same quarter in 2020, said professional services firm EY in a new report. The number of IPOs increased from one in Q3 2020, representing a 300% surge, according to the EY Mena IPO Eye Q3 2021 report. The year-to-date total number of IPOs stands at eight in the Mena region so far this year, with a combined value of $2.261 billion. Direct listings continued their momentum with seven such listings occurring during Q3 2021. The four IPOs in Q3 2021 were Al Yah Satellite Communications Company (Yahsat), Tanmiah Food Company (Tanmiah), Mataam Bayt AlShatira Lilwajbat Alsariya Company (Burgerizzr) and Arabian Internet and Communications Services Company (Solutions by stc). The Yahsat listing is the first IPO to occur on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) since 2017, raising $730.6 million by offering 40% of its shares. The offering was oversubscribed multiple times, with Mubadala continuing to retain a circa 60% shareholding in the company. Equity markets have also had an exceptional year so far, with the ADX continuing to be the top performer with a YTD return of52.6%. Saudi Arabias Tadawul is the second-best performing Mena market with a YTD return of 32.3%. Widespread regulatory changes The third quarter of 2021 saw a series of notable regulatory changes with Qatar amending its Commercial Companies Law, while the ADX and Dubai Financial Market (DFM) extended their trading hours and waived the minimum commission fee on trades for all listed securities. The Capital Market Authority of Saudi Arabia approved three IPOs and one direct listing on the NomuParallel Market. In addition, three IPOs on the main market received approvals. Matthew Benson, EY Mena Strategy and Transactions Leader, said: During Q3 2021, the number of IPOs increased 300% as compared to Q3 2020, when there was only one IPO on the Mena markets, with proceeds increasing 1,483% compared to Q3 2020. This brings the total number of IPOs YTD in 2021 to eight, with total proceeds of $2.3billion. As Mena economies rebound from the pandemic and oil prices remain favourable, companies with strong fundamentals continue to receive ample investor interest and the pipeline of IPO candidates is ever increasing. At EY, we continue to work closely with Mena companies to support them on this transformational journey to go public, which starts many months and often years ahead of their IPO journey. Gregory Hughes, EY Mena IPO and Transaction Diligence Leader, said: The Mena IPO market activity has picked up in Q3 2021 with four listings raising a total of $1.8 billion in proceeds. KSA and Abu Dhabi are leading the IPO activity and continue to have a strong pipeline for the coming quarters, while activity in Dubai continues to lag. We have also seen the re-emergence of larger IPOs, which have been met with solid investor interest, further demonstrating the ample liquidity that is currently available in the market. Around the world, however, we are seeing IPOs being pulled or delayed in multiple markets due to the large number of offerings looking for investment, so we need to remain vigilant in this region as the pipeline grows. ESG mandates may block access Notably, the ESG context is rapidly evolving globally across the Mena region and Mena policy is broadly keeping pace with investor sentiment. Institutional investors are raising the stakes when it comes to assessing company performance using ESG factors. Right across the region, Q3 saw a flurry of announcements relating to new ESG mandates. In the UAE, the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has made it mandatory for listed companies to publish an annual sustainability report. Several Mena stock exchanges such as the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange, Dubai Financial Market, Boursa Kuwait and the Bahrain Bourse have issued their own ESG reporting guidelines and many Mena exchanges have launched awareness campaigns for their listed companies on the importance of ESG. The latest announcement on ESG is from the Saudi Exchange, which published its disclosure guidelines to help further advance ESG disclosures in the Saudi capital markets. As Mena companies look to raise capital in the public markets, the lack of a strong sustainability strategy and ESG disclosure can create a value gap. After going public, companies continue to face scrutiny on their ESG disclosures from third-party ratings and rankings agencies. Hence, a lack of focus on ESG disclosures may create a gap in meeting stakeholder demands and expectations. For IPO candidates, ESG forms an integral part of their equity story, and a clear strategy can help to attract a larger pool of investors as part of the IPO process and have an impact on the companys valuation. The ESG agenda is becoming ever more important for investors and regulators alike and companies in the region should ensure they are not lagging. TradeArabia News Service Sohar International, a leading bank in Oman, recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Vodafone Oman in a move to provide innovative value-added products and services. The partnership agreement was signed between Khalil Salim Al Hedaifi, Chief Retail Banking Officer of Sohar International and Sayyed Fahad Abdulaziz Al Busaidi, Chief Support Service Officer at Vodafone. Sohar International has demonstrated unfaltering dedication in aligning itself to the diversification goals outlined in Oman Vision 2040 and has played a vital role in boosting various sectors through strategic alliances with key players, said Khalil Salim Al Hedaifi, Chief Retail Banking Officer at Sohar International. Through this agreement, Sohar International has partnered with Vodafone on strategic alliance, and potential future collaboration between the two companies, seeking opportunities to boost modernization, enhance customer satisfaction and expand the communication networks in the country. Vodafone has been recognized as an international leader in telecom and we are indeed proud partner with the brand. With a strong track record attesting to its business excellence, we are certain that this partnership will be mutually beneficial. Meanwhile, our expert team of professionals will offer their unconditional support and assistance to Vodafone as they establish their presence in the country, he added. Sayyed Fahad Al Busaidi, Chief Support Services Officer at Vodafone, said: We are proud to support partnershi0ps that provides opportunities for mutually beneficial business ventures. Singing the MoU with Sohar International marks the beginning of a long-term collaboration, and we will continue to encourage future projects with Sohar International who have industry-proven ability to provide innovative solutions to customers. TradeArabia News Service The Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange (ADX) and Abu Dhabis Department of Economic Development (ADDED) have submitted a proposal to the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) for the introduction of a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (SPAC) regulatory framework, the Arabian Gulfs first. The robust regulatory framework proposed by the duo will facilitate initial public offerings of SPACs, providing investors worldwide with access to unique growth opportunities. The proposed regulations will also allow sponsors outside of the UAE to apply for approval to list their SPACs on the ADX. The ADX and ADDED, in conjunction with legal and investment specialists, have worked together to produce the proposed SPAC regulations, assessing the regulatory landscape and benchmarking US and international SPAC regulations. Following its review by the SCA, the SPAC proposal will require formal regulatory approval. Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa Al Hammadi, the Chairman of ADDED, said: "The introduction of a SPAC regulatory framework will be an important step for Abu Dhabi, providing growing companies with yet another new avenue of funding. The ADDEDs participation in the creation of the SPAC regulation reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of Abu Dhabis economy and making the Emirate an attractive destination for international capital." "The emirate has nurtured a pipeline of fast-growing regional companies by providing robust regulations in a stable, low tax and fixed exchange rate environment. We will continue to support the economy of Abu Dhabi by promoting innovation and enhancing the business environment," he added. Sameh Al Qubaisi, Executive Director - Executive Affairs Office at ADDED, said: "The creation of a market for SPACs reflects the Emirates commitment to create a dynamic capital market environment, seamlessly connecting investors and issuers around the world in a stable, business friendly environment." "This new milestone will support the Emirates efforts to accelerate economic diversification and enhance its financial services sector, attracting a wider range of professionals to live, work and invest in Abu Dhabi," he noted. "Targeted companies in the UAE and beyond will also enjoy many advantages through a SPAC merger, from faster execution and lower costs of marketing to upfront price discovery and access to the SPACs sponsors operational expertise," he added. CEO Saeed Hamad Al Dhaheri said: "The introduction of SPAC regulations will further enhance ADX's efforts to provide market participants with the widest range of investment vehicles and tools, including the recent introduction of a derivatives market platform." The market capitalisation of the ADX recently exceeded AED 1.5 trillion, supported by a series of listings and increased international investment. At the end of the first ten months of the year, the value of shares traded on the exchange reached AED 284 billion, while the foreign net investment reached AED 6.1 billion. Meanwhile, the benchmark Abu Dhabi General Index (ADI) increased by more than 61% year to date making it one the best performing equity indexes in the world within the same period. "Over the past several months, the exchange has undertaken rigorous SPAC simulations, operational readiness tests, and the preparation of educational material for sponsors and investors," he noted. "ADX is now fully prepared to field inquiries from sponsors and investors ahead of the proposals expected approval. In the meantime, we will continue to encourage the listing pipeline on the exchange and roll out more innovative investment tools as part of our efforts to enhance liquidity," he added. Egis, a leading international group in the consulting, construction engineering and mobility sectors, has announced the inauguration of its new headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This is Egis' largest and most expanded corporate office in the Middle East, said a statement from the company. It had previously established the corporate offices in Jeddah and Al Khobar. The official opening ceremony was held in the presence of Laurent Germain, Group CEO of Egis and Ludovic Pouille, The Ambassador of France to Saudi Arabia and other senior officials. It was followed by a reception at the Residence of France, attended by a high-level audience including, government officials, key clients and business partners. The opening of the Riyadh headquarters reinforces the importance of Saudi Arabia to the growth of Egis in the region and its investment in Saudi Vision 2030, as well as strengthens the company's partnerships with its clients, said the company in a statement. Egis has been operating in Saudi Arabia for almost 30 years and is currently working on more than 25 projects spread across the kingdom. "The decision to invest in a new HQ office in Riyadh was a logical step as we strive to support the kingdoms plans to diversify the economy and invest in the countrys transformational strategies for infrastructure, transport and logistics," stated Germain. "Some of the most ambitious programs in the world are in Saudi Arabia and it's critical that we meet our clients needs with the required support that serve them most effectively," he added. Germain said Egis was proud to be creating a new generation of leaders employing over 800 people in Saudi Arabia and remained committed to supporting Saudization and knowledge transfer by recruiting, developing and retaining a highly-capable local workforce. At the heart of Egis vision is innovation and sustainability which is very much in line with the Saudi Vision 2030. This is evident in their awards of projects such as Green Riyadh which aims to plant 7.5 million trees, Riyadh Metro, one of the worlds most extensive transit projects and Amaalal, the new international airport in the ultra-luxury destination located along Saudi Arabias northwestern coast. "We are determined to make our contributions to the economic development of Riyadh and the broader Saudi market, leveraging our global network and professional services experience. The new and expanded Egis footprint will enable us to create a cohesive service network and further strengthen our service capabilities in this region," he added. Pouille said: "The decision of Egis to open the HQ in Saudi Arabia, will strengthen the ability of the group to develop its consulting and engineering activities in the kingdom. The Group is already very much involved in supporting the implementation of many ambitious projects of the Saudi Vision 2030." The Egis decision is fully aligned with the National Investment Strategy of Saudi Arabia, which aims to make the kingdom a world-class destination for international investors. "Many reforms have already been implemented to improve the business environment and enhance the kingdoms competitiveness in a sustainable way," he added. The Royal Commission for AlUla and Pritzker-prize-winning French architect Jean Nouvel will be sharing the design philosophies and principles that are guiding the transformation of AlUla with visitors and leading industry figures at this years Dubai Design Week (DDW). A premier event for the design, architecture and art sectors, DDW kicked off yesterday (November 8) and will run untill November 13. This year marks the first time RCU has taken part in DDW, held at Dubai Design District (d3). The AlUla design exhibition will highlight the diversity of projects that are shaping the emerging design city in northwest Saudi Arabia while also inspiring international and Saudi-based creatives to be part of the AlUla journey. One of the worlds most celebrated architects, Nouvels impressive credentials extend to designing iconic cultural buildings around the world. In AlUla, Ateliers Jean Nouvel has conceptualised the Sharaan Nature Resort, a pioneering resort and residence that will be carved and sculpted from the rocks of AlUla, Nabataean style, in the protected Sharaan Nature Reserve. "AlUla is sacred. It holds great signicance, lled with unique sites for exploration and discovery, and is therefore deserving of innovation and respectful design to enhance the well-being of the local community and elevate its original authenticity," remarked Nouvel. In a talk entitled Shaaran, AlUla: A Journey Through Time the architect, joining online from Paris, presents his radical approach to architecture and design, which seeks to integrate natural and cultural heritage in one living environment. Part of a special AlUla programme at the DDW Downtown Design Stage, the talk will be on November 12 with Nouvel in conversation with Samantha Cotterell, the Royal Commission for AlUlas (RCU) Executive Director of Design. A second panel entitled AlUla, A Cultural Landscape will look at how architecture and art can exist in harmony with the natural landscapes of the desert and will be moderated by Sumantro Ghose, Artistic Programming Director, Royal Commission for AlUla. Panelists Nora AlDabal, Director Art & Creative Planning, Royal Commission for AlUla, Florian Boje, Lead Architect Gioforma Architects the company that designed AlUlas iconic mirrored Maraya venue, Nouf AlAnkari, Design Manager, Royal Commission for AlUla and Waleed Shaaran, Design Director, AFALULA, French Agency for AlUla Development to discuss the concept of land architecture, seen in Maraya and Desert X AlUla, a large-scale contemporary art exhibition. A true marvel of architecture, Maraya is an impressive example of how incredible design is an integral part of the Journey Through Time Masterplan. The ambitious and considered masterplan is arguably the biggest destination development and place-making project in the world. Major global design and architecture firms currently working on projects from hospitality to museums and residences include Kerry Hill Architects, Khammash Architects, Prior & Partners and Allies & Morrison. Consolidating its position as a global leader in nature-based climate change solutions, UAE is targeting planting 100 million mangroves by 2030. At COP26, Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, announced the nations ambition to expand its mangrove cover by raising the mangrove-planting target in its second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the Paris Agreement from 30 million to 100 million. The new target was presented at the High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on Adaptation Action that took place on the Adaptation, Loss and Damage Day at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow. She said: The UAE is keen to leverage nature-based solutions to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. I am proud to announce an important new step in strengthening our blue carbon ecosystems an increase in our mangrove-planting target to 100 million by 2030. We aim to work closely with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector to fulfil our commitment to safeguarding the sustainability of our mangrove forests. Mangrove forests protect the UAEs coasts from rising sea levels and storm surges, and provide critical habitats for biodiversity. They also serve as powerful carbon sinks. The country is home to 60 million mangroves that form forests spanning 183 sq kms and capture 43,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. With the additional 100 million mangroves planted, the UAEs mangrove forests will cover 483 sq kms and sequester nearly 115,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. Co-hosted by the UK COP26 Presidency and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), the High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on Adaptation Action convened global leaders with the aim of accelerating climate change adaptation action worldwide. The event provided an ideal platform for countries to review their commitments to boosting climate change resilience and raise their ambitions.-- TradeArabia News Service Aveva, a global leader in industrial software, will showcase the transformative power of cloud, AI and digital twin technologies at Adipec from November 15 to 18 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre. The company will showcase a broad portfolio of leading-edge solutions that enable oil and gas and energy companies to accelerate their digital transformation and sustainability journeys. Aveva CEO Peter Herweck will host an exclusive Adipec Leadership Roundtable for C-suite executives at the event, where delegates will discuss how digitalisation, innovation and cross-sector partnerships are fundamental in supporting organisations as they develop, invest and deploy technology to meet the worlds net-zero climate ambitions. The panel will also discuss strategies that lead to industrial innovation, as well as elaborating how to accomplish a greener and truly digital value chain. Herweck will be joined by Amish Sabharwal, EVP Engineering Business, Aveva, BCG and Arthur Hanna, Adipec Strategy Advisor and World Energy Council Advisor. Sabharwal will also address the Adipec Offshore and Marine Conference, where he will discuss the role of technology and digitalisation in enabling growth in the offshore and marine industry. Digitalisation and sustainability have emerged as two of the biggest issues impacting industries, including oil and gas players. Aveva enables 19 of the top 20 petroleum companies to leverage the benefits of digital transformation for sustainable and environmental benefits by accelerating capital project efficiency, driving operational excellence, and optimising plant capabilities. Technology and digitalisation now play a central role in delivering business success. Now more than ever, cutting-edge digital innovations are supporting energy companies in improving performance while boosting value creation and business competitiveness as they decarbonise their operations. Requirements to meet climate targets are compelling organisations to fast-track the onboarding of data- and automation-related tools for transformative impact amid an uncertain business landscape. An expansion of connected worker capabilities will likewise require embracing a new operational paradigm, said Evgeny Fedotov, Senior Vice President, Head of EMEA region at Aveva. Aveva will attend Adipec 2021 alongside its strategic partner, Schneider Electric as well as host an independent booth, where it will showcase its innovative technologies such as Aveva Unified Operations Centre, Digital Twin, and Value Chain Optimisation to name some. Aveva will also be present at the Microsoft stand, demonstrating how Aveva PI System and its Asset Performance Management software use artificial intelligence and machine learning to support asset reliability and performance, while warning users of potential anomalies and maintenance issues. At the AWS booth, Aveva will present its Aveva Unified Engineering and Digital Twin solutions, with Amit Kar, Director of Global Pursuits at Aveva, providing real-life examples of this data-centric ecosystem in action. Across the event, senior Aveva executives and experts will be available to meet with customers and share success stories of how Aveva serves the worlds largest industrial and oil and gas companies by offering powerful market-ready solutions with an integrated end-to-end digital portfolio spanning asset and operational lifecycles. With its breadth of expertise across the energy sector, Aveva is uniquely poised to help energy partners unlock the benefits of digital transformation at every level and we look forward to engaging with partners and stakeholders at Adipec 2021, Fedotov said. As a silver sponsor of Adipec 2021, Aveva will be exhibiting at booth 4410 in Hall 4.-- TradeArabia News Service Abu Dhabis The National Aquarium, with innovations including video mapping technology and signage guides on ones personal device, is expected to quickly take its place among the worlds best aquariums. Iconic species include the world-famous Super Snake, believed to be the longest reptile on display in the world, along with a large school of Hammerhead sharks and many other hero creatures are housed in the facility, which includes over 60 exhibits across 10 zones and it is expected to take an average of 2 hours to complete the journey. This much anticipated landmark, will open this Friday, November 12 at 10am. Located within the Rabdan Area, the National Aquarium is one of the 11 anchors found within Al Qana, one of Abu Dhabis most iconic touristic and lifestyle destinations. Paul Hamilton, General Manager at The National Aquarium says: We are absolutely delighted to be opening our doors to the public and be able to showcase our gigantic and diverse array of animals and animal-related activities to visitors from around the world. The Emirates has a unique relationship with the Arabian Gulf, and it is our mission to honor this connection by incorporating the UAEs history into the project. The National Aquarium has been years in the making and we are especially excited to be opening in the same year as the UAEs 50th Anniversary. In addition to its spectacular biodiversity, The National Aquarium boasts an array of unforgettable experiences. Visitors will be able to fully immerse themselves during their visits, with glass bottom dhow tours and personal animal encounters with sharks, puffins and a variety of other fascinating species. Scuba diving with one of the most diverse collections of sharks and rays on earth is also available. In July 2020, the National Aquarium signed a five-year partnership with The Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD), to create the largest and most innovative rehabilitation program of its kind to protect and rehabilitate wildlife in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Hamilton continues: Education, rescue, and rehabilitation are guiding priorities for The National Aquarium. Our entire facility has been designed to provide both children and adults with world-class interactive learning opportunities, to spotlight the vital role our marine environment plays on the wellbeing of all. With the 2020 whale shark rescues and over 250 Sea Turtles already rehabilitated and released back into the Arabian Gulf, The National Aquarium is already holding up its promise to contribute to conservation in the emirate.-- TradeArabia News Service The Middle East's first personal mobility company ekar has diversified and grown its fleet with 1,000 2021 model vehicles from car rental partners in response to demand for personal mobility in the face of a global car shortage and consistent surge pricing from chauffeur-driven mobility options. ekar Founder Vilhelm Hedberg said: "Car rental companies are in awe of whats going on at ekar. We are delivering unprecedented returns for the car rental industry via our revenue share programmes, while providing data insights and analytics that the car rental industry has never since experienced. "In turn, ekar is becoming data-rich. The more cars we add, the easier for users to book a vehicle, the more efficient our service becomes, which leads to decision automation. This flywheel effect is a testament to a solid product market fit and a compliment to an in-house team that keep me inspired. In addition to the fleet growth, ekars recent breakthroughs are dynamic pricing and predictive AI-driven fleet optimisation and rebalancing. Using proprietary algorithms, the ekar data and tech teams have been able to improve the companys booking percentages over 30 per cent by recognising latent demand. Car-sharing vehicles are positioned in optimal areas in the cities in which ekar operates, ensuring a car is within walking distance. In a recent survey, 1,000 ekar users were asked, 'what could ekar add or change to the current pay-per-minute service?' More than 65% of users requested a range of pricing options and a wider range of cars added to the App. ekar now boasts a wide range of self-drive mobility vehicle options in the Middle East, with 77 car models across seven cities in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Hedberg said: "The recently added Kia, Hyundai and Mazda vehicles have been met with great enthusiasm from our Dubai users. These new cars are experiencing high demand levels, and we expect utilisation levels to surpass 2019 numbers, when ekar Dubai was the highest utilised carshare service in the world. "The continued influx of Expo 2020 visitors, tourists, and residents seeking cost-effective mobility solutions is a testament to how self-drive has a seat at the mobility table in the Middle East, and ekar is the clear market-leader." Users can choose from thousands of short-term pay-per-minute, daily, and weekly carshare options, plus longer-term monthly car subscriptions packages with ekars Self-drive Super App. ekar operates in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, and will be launching in Thailand and Malaysia in December 2021 with Egypt and Turkey launches scheduled for early 2022.-TradeArabia News Service From the ancient archaeological sites of Petra and Wadi Rum to the storied waters of the Dead Sea, Jordan is home to a wealth of experiences and attractions for visitors to explore. For travellers looking to discover the best of the Kingdom, the renovated Four Seasons Hotel Amman offers the ideal base in the heart of this capital city. Set atop the tallest of Ammans seven hills within the streets of the Abdoun residential area, the 15-storey, white stone-and-glass hotel places the Kingdoms many wonders within easy reach. Following the completion of its refurbishment programme, the property blends Jordanian hospitality with contemporary elegance to create a home away from home for both local visitors and international travellers. The hotels concierge team is ready to help travellers put together customised itineraries to explore Jordans capital and beyond. In addition to the fabled ruins of Petra and the famous waters of the Dead Sea, guests will have the opportunity to embark on off-the-beaten-track adventures such as beekeeping, road biking, and olive harvesting. Mediterranean Tourism Investment Company (METICO) Chairman Hani Al Qadi said: METICO is proud to be the owners of the luxury hospitality address in Amman since its opening in 2003. The renovation programme that was recently completed will further elevate Four Seasons Hotel Ammans appeal as one of Jordans top luxury destinations and support and encourage the tourism sector in the country. "We would like to thank all our local and international partners for completing the redesign of Four Seasons Hotel Amman. General Manager Carlo Stragiotto said: At Four Seasons, we strive to offer our guests opportunities to enjoy authentic experiences that help them form a connection with each destination. "With our renovation complete, the look of and feel of the hotel has been revitalised to create a more welcoming environment. We look forward to creating special moments for our guests and helping them make memories to last a lifetime. The renovation was carried out by renowned hotel design firm Richmond International, who crafted the original interiors for the opening of the property in 2003. Decorated in a palette of earthy tones, the Foyer Lounge features colours, textures, and materials inspired by the landscape that surrounds Amman. Marquetry panels represent the Jordanian desert, while stone cladding and timber accents bring further touches of the natural world. The decor in the 163 guest rooms echoes the natural theme in the Foyer Lounge. Characterised by pale grey and sandy tones, the rooms are offset with soft green accents. The colour scheme of the 29 suites is slightly warmer and complemented by rusty oranges, reds, golds, and greens, bringing the spirit of the desert and city to life.-TradeArabia News Service By Ma Yichong and Wang Suoyong Members of the 2nd echelon of the 2nd Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit to Abyei, all in protective suits, arrive at the mission area in Abyei on November 8. Photo by Liu Shiqi/Xinhua KHARTOUM, Nov. 9 -- Last group of members of the 2nd Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit to Abyei arrived at the mission area on November 8 and began to perform a one-year international peacekeeping mission. The 2nd Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit, formed by service members assigned to an army aviation brigade of the 82nd Group Army under the PLA Central Theater Command, is mainly responsible for force projection, search and rescue, material transportation, air patrol and other tasks. This peacekeeping helicopter unit was divided into two echelons, which arrived in the mission area on October 18th and November 8th respectively, with 43 members in each echelon. After a 14-day medical quarantine since arrival, the first echelon took over the weapons, materials and equipment as planned, and organized flight training, convoy escorts, security guard, and barracks duty exercises thereafter. They also participated in the training course organized by the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA) during the same period. Jiang Peng, commander of 2nd Chinese peacekeeping helicopter unit to Abyei, said that after domestic basic skills and field preparation training, the unit is able to independently carry out flight missions and various tasks in the mission area. BEIJING, Nov. 9 -- "On November 9, the U.S. congressmen flew to Taiwan on military aircraft to pay visit, China firmly opposes and strongly condemns it," said Senior Colonel Tan Kefei, Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defense (MND) in a written statement on Tuesday. "Taiwan is a sacred and indivisible part of Chinese territory, this action of the U.S. side grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, seriously jeopardized China's territorial sovereignty and severely threatened peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Tai said. We hereby warn the U.S. side to immediately stop its provocative actions, immediately cease all destructive actions that lead to the escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait, and stop sending wrong signals to Taiwan independence separatist forces, Tan stated. We sternly warn the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authority not to misjudge the situation and take risks, otherwise it will only bring serious disaster to the island, Tan said. China must and will be reunified. No one should underestimate the Chinese people's strong determination, unbreakable will, and powerful ability to defend national sovereignty and territorial integrity, Tan stressed. The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) will stay on high alert at all times and take all necessary measures to resolutely smash any interference by external forces and Taiwan independence separatist plots, Tan emphasized. 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. by Melanie Manel Perera Sri Lankas Catholic Church opposes government acquisition of an ecologically valuable but fragile area. For environmentalists, grabbing the land to build a power station would not only damage the environment but also the economy. Colombo (AsiaNews) Card Malcolm Ranjith filed a petition with the Sri Lankan Supreme Court against the government's appropriation of the Muthurajawela wetlands. On Sunday, Catholics in the Archdiocese of Colombo were informed about the issue through brochures and leaflets explaining the damage of a possible seizure. According to the archbishop, the acquisition of the land would severely affect the livelihoods of the people living in the area. What is more, there are a number of religious sites in the area, and religious activities would also be adversely affected." Environmentalists, the parliamentary opposition, and residents are also opposed to the requisition of 3,863 hectares of wetlands by the Western Province's Urban Development Authority (UDA). Kavinda Jayawardena, a Catholic lawmaker from the Jaela Gampaha district, and fishermen from the Negombo area have petitioned the UDA challenging the land grab, which Jayawardena describes as a violation of the fundamental human rights enshrined in the constitution. The government has said that it wants to protect Muthurajawela, but it is actually planning to build a power plant that would serve the city of Colombo. "There are 78 types of fish in Sri Lanka and 35 of these are found in Muthurajawela. Out of 54 types of native amphibians, 14 are found in Muthurajawela, said environmentalist Dinusha Nanayakkara, speaking to AsiaNews. There are 155 different types of reptiles in Sri Lanka, 31 are found within the wetland and out of 226 indigenous birds, 83 are found in Muthurajawela together with 22 out of 90 mammals in Sri Lanka, he added. Since the wetlands are located along the coastal strip, migratory birds often stop and reproduce here. "If the wetland is completely destroyed, it would affect the resting places for these migratory birds and the wider ecosystem. More importantly, the benefits of the wetlands are not limited to the environment, but have an economic aspect. Nanayakkara notes that according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, flood control by the wetlands saves the Sri Lankan government 485 million rupees (US$ 2.4 million) with an additional economic benefit of 726 million rupees (US$ 3.6 million). However, in recent years the area has been undergoing progressive degradation, the environmentalist points out. Animal remains from slaughter houses have been discarded into streams while illegal moonshine production has generated waste waters. The toxins released by industrial and other unsuitable activities kill the fish in the streams," he lamented. In addition to being used for waste disposal, the Muthurajawela wetlands have also fallen prey to illegal construction. by Vladimir Rozanskij First economic forum between the European Union and the countries of the region. Six agreements signed. Focus on "green" economy. Technological collaboration also launched. Strong activism by Hungary. Kazakh and Kyrgyz coordinate their policies towards the EU. Moscow (AsiaNews) - The Kyrgyz capital Biskek hosted the first "European Union-Central Asia" Economic Forum, attended by over 250 local and international entrepreneurs, representing over 40 major companies operating in the region. The initiative ended with the signing of six agreements in the field of construction of new hydropower plants, agricultural development, education and "green" economy. From November 5 to 7, participants discussed mainly the topics of ecological transition and information technology. The guests were welcomed by Kyrgyz President Sadyr Zaparov, who spoke of "a new stage in the expansion of cooperation between Europe and Central Asia". Zaparov remarked that "the Covid-19 pandemic has strengthened us in the idea that joint efforts can really lead to great results, instead of trying to go it alone." On the eve of the meeting, the Kyrgyz leader received European Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis. Zaparov reiterated the importance of the partnership between his country and the EU, and stressed the contribution of the Union to achieve democratic and market reforms in Kyrgyzstan. Dombrovskis confirmed the opinion that the country at the center of the economic routes of Asia has a great potential for commercial and economic development, especially in the new technological conditions of the contemporary world. The President of the EU Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, participated in the Forum by videoconference, stating that "for Europe this is a crucial region, to be supported in the reconstruction of an economic and social fabric, in digitalization and in the conditions of a climate of positive collaboration". Von der Leyen added that Europe will make its experience available to the states in the region. Kyrgyz Prime Minister Alybek Zaparov intervened, proposing the initiative to enlarge and continue the Forum in a regular format and in all capitals of the participating countries. His deputy, Edil Bajsalov, intervened to reiterate that "only a united, peaceful and integrated Central Asian region can play an important role in the economy and world politics". In his opinion, "despite the abundant human and natural resources, the individual nations of Central Asia are too small and far away to attract the necessary attention, but as a region we can present the EU with our common vision". In the same days, the inauguration of the Kyrgyz-Hungarian Joint Development Fund was also held in Biskek. The first official session of the new structure was chaired by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Hungary, Peter Szijjarto. He announced that from March 2022 the direct Biskek-Budapest airline will be opened. The Hungarian envoy emphasized that European countries "must show interest in the development of cooperation with those of Central Asia in the economic, financial and political spheres, opening representative offices in these states, also to encourage exchanges with citizens of the region." In recent years, Budapest has opened new embassies in Biskek, Taskent, Nur-Sultan and Dusanbe, also financing free education for 540 Central Asian students. During the Biskek Forum, delegations from Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan also met and assessed their trade relations not only with Europe, but also with the United States. Kyrgyz and Kazakhs set common goals to be achieved with the strengthening of bilateral and common strategies for the whole region. The two governments also agreed on the movement of citizens across common borders, adjusting health prevention standards for the pandemic. The next EU-Central Asia Forum, as agreed, will be held in 2022 in Kazakhstan. by Steve Suwannarat Before the pandemic, Thailand was home to millions of foreign migrants who played a crucial role in the local labour market. Today workers from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos are trying to return, but Thai authorities fear they could cause the number of infections to rise again. Bangkok (AsiaNews) Over the past weekend, Thailands border police arrested 120 Myanmar nationals trying to enter Thailand. In search of jobs, thousands more are trying to do the same, and return to the Southeast Asian country. In fact, they are just the tip of the iceberg of an army of hundreds of thousands of people forced to go home when the COVID-19 emergency broke out, held back for months by health measures imposed by Thai authorities to stem the spread of the pandemic. The latter are facing a difficult choice between halting irregular immigration seen as one of the main virus spreaders, or allowing legal migration, conscious that red tape and costs are causing delays and creating shortages in the local labour market. A year ago, Thailand had 2.32 million regular immigrants; but reliable sources estimated that the country had as many if not more irregular migrants living and working in the country. The largest number came from Myanmar, but many hailed from Cambodia and Laos, harder to tally, not only because of their precarious conditions but also because of corruption and poor enforcement of labour laws; indeed, few if any employers are sanctioned for employing undocumented migrant workers. In a country that is trying to get back on its feet after a crisis of exceptional magnitude and to re-establish itself as a central player the region in terms of production, exports and the ability to attract investments, foreign workers who are gradually replacing locals in construction, fishing and plantations remain indispensable. To this end, Thailands Labour Ministry has launched a campaign to encourage undocumented immigrants to regularise their status by the end of November, while at the same time, pursuing an active policy in neighbouring countries to recruit more legal immigrants. It is unlikely that this will lead to the arrival of 600,000 new workers over a year as envisaged by the Labour Ministry. In any case, the evolution of the pandemic will play a major role in shaping the Ministrys immigration plan. At the same time, Thailand has been urged for some time to resolve the contradictions of its immigration policy so as to protect the fundamental rights of workers, including immigrants. by Sumon Corraya After sending his children away for their safety, Douglas Andrew Rodrigues reported the situation live on Facebook. However, the intimidation against him continues. Chattogram (AsiaNews) Members of a Christian family in Lakhan Bazar were forced to leave their home due to harassment and intimidation by a Muslim who wants to take their land. A few days ago, Douglas Andrew Rodrigues complained about it live broadcast on Facebook, accusing a local Muslim, Zakir Hossain, of continuing to threaten him. We face a lot of problems just because we are a religious minority, Rodrigues said. I continue to receive death threats from people who want to take my land," he added. As a result, the Christian man sent his children away for their safety. "Where will we go? I would like to live in peace here in our home. Zakir Hossain is a very influential person in the area. Rodrigues said he asked his neighbours for a hand, but no one has helped him and his family. Tell us to leave and we will leave. We are unable to tolerate this persecution in a dispute over the land," said the Christian live on Facebook. My family members would rather poison themselves than live like this. Today Douglas went to buy some lemons and people loyal to Zakir Hossain once again ordered him to leave the land. Now I'm afraid to go out. They can do anything. Douglas's father Arnold Rodrigues bought the land where his son now lives in 1974. Zakir Hossain, however, claims to have bought the same land in 1997. Both have filed a lawsuit in court to settle the matter. "We ask the authorities to undertake an investigation and appropriate action so that Douglas Andrew Rodrigues can live in peace in his home, said Nirmol Rozario, president of the Bangladesh Christian Association, speaking to AsiaNews. We are concerned about the safety of Douglas Andrew Rodrigues and his family, he added. In Bangladesh, where 90 per cent of the population is Muslim, Christians are often persecuted because of their religious faith. In a message signed by Card Parolin, the pontiff expresses his prayerful closeness" to al-Kadhimi and the wounded. He also reiterated his solidarity to the country's government so that it may pursue "the path of peace". Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces arrested three people in connection with the attack, members of an armed Shia faction. Baghdad (AsiaNews) Pope Francis sent a message to Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi after the attack on 7 November that targeted the home of Iraqs head of government Signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the statement reads: Following the attack on your residence in Baghdad, his Holiness Pope Francis wishes me to convey his prayerful closeness to you and your family, and to those injured. Francis goes on to reiterate his solidarity and closeness towards Iraq and its government, strengthened by past meetings and by his historic official visit to the Arab country last March. In condemning this vile act of terrorism, his holiness once more expresses his confidence that with the blessing of the most high God the people of Iraq will be confirmed in wisdom and strength in pursuing the path of peace through dialogue and fraternal solidarity. Such words, which cannot be taken for granted, confirm, once more, the closeness of the Holy See and the Pope to the steps taken by the Iraqi government and the prime minister towards fraternal reconciliation after years of political, ethnic and sectarian violence. The Chaldean patriarch himself, Card Louis Raphael Sako, insisted on the same point to AsiaNews yesterday. In his view, the attack sought to block plans for a strong Iraq based on the law, citizenship, order and justice. Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces arrested three people in connection with the assassination attempt against Prime Minister al-Kadhimi, Russia Today reported, citing a government official. However, the latter did not provide further details about the identities of those arrested or their role in the attack, which left several bodyguards wounded. Some unconfirmed reports claim that the three people arrested belong to an armed Shia faction close to Iran. Previously, the prime minister himself said that he knew who was behind the attack. The day's news: In India, four newborn babies die in a hospital fire; China offers money for information in the fight against the new coronavirus; Pyongyang forges death certificates to remain 'Covid-free'; Pakistan signs ceasefire with Taliban. SINGAPORE Singapore has suspended the execution, scheduled for tomorrow, of a mentally ill young man sentenced to death for drug trafficking. Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, who has been on death row for 11 years, tested positive for Covid-19. The judges speak of an "unexpected turn of events" and emphasize that it is not appropriate to proceed "under the circumstances". INDIA At least four infants died in a fire that broke out last night in the neonatal ward of the Kamla Nehru Children's Hospital in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Firefighters were able to save another 36 babies from the flames. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained, but an electrical short circuit seems the probable. CHINA The city of Heihe, in the north on the border with Russia, is offering 100 thousand yuan (about 15 thousand euros) to anyone who offers information on tracing outbreaks of the new coronavirus. The choice is part of the "people's war" against Covid-19, which has re-emerged in China in recent weeks as Beijing pursues the policy of "zero contagion". Yesterday, 43 domestic cases were recorded. PAKISTAN Islamabad has reached an agreement for a complete ceasefire with the Tehreek-e-Taliban movement, which had multiplied its attacks in the last period, galvanized by its successes in Afghanistan. Peace talks continue and the duration of the truce is linked to the outcome of negotiations. The government fears that the rise of the Taliban in Kabul could fuel regional instability. SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 6.8% year-on-year (YoY) at the end of the third quarter of 2021. The oil sector grew 9% due to higher global demand for crude oil and a recovery in production. In addition, Riyadh can benefit from +6.2% in the non-oil sector and +2.7% in government activities. ASIA Military training maneuvers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which unites North Central Asian states, began yesterday in Kazan. Entitled "Unbreakable Brotherhood - 2021", they will involve 2 thousand soldiers in the republic of Tatarstan. Contingents from Russia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia are participating. RUSSIA - USA Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with CIA chief William Burns, as confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitrij Peskov, during his visit to Moscow on November 2 and 3 at the request of US President Joe Biden. Several unresolved issues were adressed including bilateral relations, diplomatic practice, regional conflicts and cyber security. NORTH KOREA A hospital in North Korea sent 10 patients with Covid-19 symptoms to an unheated ward with freezing temperatures and then faked their cause of death. Anonymous sources report Pyongyang's goal of safeguarding the nation's "Covid-free" slogan was behind the decision. Medical reports mention "malnutrition," but they suffered from "pneumonia." by Emanuele Scimia Trump's tariffs, confirmed by Biden, have so far failed to rebalance the trade deficit between the two powers. Roosevelt Institute expert: without the 2018 duties, we would not have had an agreement like the EU deal on sustainable steel. The two sides of the Atlantic coordinate intervention to counter Chinese unfair practices. Rome (AsiaNews) China's economic growth is slowing down, but its exports continue to hold, once again fostering a large surplus with the United States. The "trade war" unleashed by Donald Trump in 2018, later confirmed by his successor to the White House, has failed to rebalance economic trade between the two powers. However, now in a sizeable shift away from Trump policies, the Biden administration is working on a common front with the European Union to respond to Beijing's "unfair" trade practices. According to new data released by the Chinese customs agency, China earned 259 billion euros from exports in October: a 27.1% increase from a year ago, but a 28.1% drop compared to September. Year-on-year, imports also grew (+20.6%) to 186 billion euros. Beijing recorded a trade surplus with the US of 35.1 billion euros; the previous month it had been 36.2 billion. In January 2020, the United States and China signed a preliminary agreement (Phase 1) in an attempt to resolve their trade disputes. Under the deal Beijing committed to increase its purchase of goods and services from the US by about 184 billion euros by the end of 2021, compared to 2017 levels. That goal has yet to be achieved. US government statistics reveal that in the first eight months of 2021, the country has accumulated a trade deficit of 189 billion euros against China, up from 166.5 billion last year data that raise criticism from those who opposed Trump's tariffs, particularly big US companies. Todd Tucker, director of governance studies at the Roosevelt Institute in New York and a former member of Joe Biden's transition team, argues that tariffs are actually a useful tool to balance relations between the US and China. "For instance, we would not today be on the verge of a common US-EU external 25% tariff/tariff rate quota on Chinese steel were it not for the 2018 imposition of steel duties. So they can be useful for sectoral strategies," he told AsiaNews. On October 31, on the sidelines of the G20 in Rome, the United States and the European Union reached an agreement to create a global agreement on the sustainable and low-carbon production of steel and aluminum. The transatlantic pact aims to counter the overproduction of China's steel and aluminum industries and their impact on global warming. For Tucker, the U.S.-EU agreement will allow the two sides of the Atlantic to move together from an indirect legal system of protection, like the poorly functioning World Trade Organization, to "a more direct economic strategy." In their recent meetings, the U.S. and EU trade envoys promised more joint efforts to respond to Chinese market "distortions." The United States and Europe could coordinate to adopt shared instruments against Beijing's "coercive" trade policies (such as those against Australia) and Chinese dumping. There is also room for cooperation in terms of screening and possible blocking of investments from China, as well as banning the sale of certain products to the Asian giant, especially in technology. Prisoners were protesting their conditions after another inmate died of dengue fever. Accusations against police who deny shooting to restore order. Across India, the problem of prison overcrowding is serious, affecting a population made up of 69.1% of people arrested while awaiting trial. Lucknow (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The shooting dead of a prisoner in the state of Uttar Pradesh is refocusing public attention on the issue of prison conditions in India. Shiwa, a prisoner in Fatehgarh District Jail, died in hospital after being shot on Sunday during a prisoners' riot. The prisoners were protesting the dengue-related death of another of their comrades, Sandeep Yadav, a few hours earlier. The inmates accused the facility's staff of negligence. On Sunday the tension degenerated into violence with clashes in which there were also several injured officers. The police deny having fired to regain control of the situation, but in a video Shivam himself - before being taken to hospital - said he had been reached by a bullet fired by an agent. An autopsy confirmed the gunshot as the cause of death. Uttar Pradesh's director general of prisons, Anand Kumar, has ordered an investigation into the incident. "We will clarify how the weapon reached the prison and who shot the prisoner," he said. Prison conditions are a serious social problem in India: the latest official data available, for the end of 2019, speak of 479 thousand inmates against a capacity of 404 thousand places. Overcrowding is aggravated by the fact that in 69.1% of cases these are pre-trial detainees, i.e. people who are serving in those conditions a sentence not yet sanctioned by any trial. The most serious problem is health, as the Covid-19 emergency with numerous outbreaks in Indian prisons has shown. Now the issue is likely to arise again with dengue. So far, at least 1.9 million children ages 5 to 11 have been infected with COVID-19 and about 8,300 have been hospitalized, with a third of those needing intensive care. Nearly 100 in the age range have died, making it a leading cause of death for that group. In Maryland, four children up to age 9 and eight from 10 to 19 have died from the infection, out of more than 103,000 cases, according to state health department data. Superintendent Darryl Williams said the school system will invest $5.2 million, using federal funds from the American Rescue Plan, to cover financial incentives through the remainder of the school year. The incentives include $50 monthly rewards for on-time attendance, $250 sign-on bonuses, $250 employee referral incentives and $1,000 retention bonuses paid in December and June. The system will also offer more flexible time off and a $2 per hour shift differential for drivers who take on additional routes through the remainder of the school year. Managers were slow to ask for outside help, the report noted. Mail delays increased significantly in March and April this year, but district management didnt ask for assistance sorting and delivering the mail from beyond the Baltimore region until late June (the same week the auditors made site visits), according to the report. Baltimore police arrested a teenager over the weekend after a car drove into a small business in West Baltimore, in an attempt to steal the ATM. Police said over the weekend that the suspect identified himself as a 17-year-old, but police said Monday that he is 18 and will be charged as an adult. Court records suggest he may be older. Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call detectives at 410-396-2100. Those who know something but wish to remain anonymous can leave a tip with Metro Crime Stoppers by dialing 1-866-7LOCKUP. Finally, if city officials are alarmed St. Michaels Media (will) incite violence in the heart of downtown Baltimore, they need to proactively involve our police. And if the Baltimore Police cant hold the line, then we have the Maryland National Guard available, if necessary. OMalley said the attorney general is the peoples lawyer, and its important for Maryland to elect a Democrat who will fight for the environment and equal justice. She said her experience as a judge and a lawyer, working in courtrooms for three decades, has shown her how the law can help people, and also how the law can fall short. Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High around 45F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy. Low around 35F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow A mainly sunny sky. High around 60F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Marie-Elena studied creative writing, art, and photography at University of Nebraska at Omaha, graduating with a BA in Studio Art -Visual Media. She moved to California from Nebraska in 2019 and is happy to call Calaveras County her home. 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. 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. While TAAAC does not seemingly appreciate the value of Brightspace, this new learning management system provides an awesome opportunity to enhance teacher communication with students and families by utilizing dynamic dashboards to provide easy access to lessons, assignments, and assessed work/grades; track student progress; and support school-family connections. It is also an invaluable tool to help students and families connect to what is occurring within the classroom each day, especially when students may have to quarantine or miss school for other reasons. Even if it was three people or 300 people, people still came and were moved and received something from the event, whether it was a connection, whether it was a resource, whether it was a conversation that theyre able to carry on with their community, Rivera said. It was a dark, wet, cold, rainy Friday night, and everyone left with the positive vibes. I was his protege and he was my mentor, and his Advanced Placement program was a goliath, Mr. Ader said. As a teacher, Bernie Kenyon the myth was the reality. He was demanding, had high standards, but not in an unkind way. For the first month you were in his class, youd say to yourself, This guy cares. He pushed you to do well and grow more. The defendant was in the United States to attend college in Tennessee. Joseph came to Carroll County during the summer of 2019 to participate in an internship in Washington, D.C., according to the release. After an investigation by members of the Carroll County Advocacy and Investigation Center, an arrest warrant was obtained for him. A growing theory, Matson said, is that Poe was a victim of cooping, a practice where people from out of town were kidnapped off the street, given alcohol and forced to vote for a certain candidate several times, changing clothing each time. The exhibit In Laurel focuses on this theory, as Poe was found on Election Day. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday met Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, Secretary, Security Council of Tajikistan and had a detailed exchange of views on Afghanistan, sources said. They said there was significant convergence of assessments. Concerns were expressed on the sharp increase in terrorist threats from Afghanistan in the recent past. The sources said the Tajik side highlighted the gravity of the situation in Afghanistan. The meeting took place a day ahead of the NSA-level dialogue on Afghanistan being hosted by India. Discussions were also held on the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. On the bilateral side, discussions took place on deepening cooperation in areas like defence, border management and border infrastructure development. NSA Doval also held talks with Victor Makhmudov, Secretary of the Security Council, Uzbekistan. Both security heads agreed that the future of Afghanistan must be decided by the people of Afghanistan themselves. Doval will on Wednesday chair 'Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan' which will be attended by security heads from Russia, Iran and all five Central Asian countries. This is the first-of-its-kind regional dialogue on Afghanistan hosted by India. The high-level dialogue will review the security situation in the region arising from recent developments in Afghanistan. It will deliberate upon measures to address the relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday slammed opposition parties and said that all those people who support the Talibani mindset will be dealt with strictly by the state government. Addressing a rally in Kairana in the Shamli district, the Chief Minister said, "All those people who support the Talibani mindset in the state will be dealt with strictly by the Uttar Pradesh government. Talibani mindset should not be accepted. It should not be tolerated. Those who support this are driving society into the pre-historic era. The basic rights of citizens are violated with this mindset. Those who follow their religious beliefs blindly, follow the Talibani mindset. Such activities will not be tolerated." "Those people who did not want Ayodhya Temple to be built, who did not support the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.....come out in support of 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots and the Kairana exodus. Such people support the Taliban regime in Afghanistan," he said. The UP Chief Minister visited Kairana after meeting members of families who were allegedly forced to leave the town in 2016 said that "Peace has returned to Kairana due to state government's policy of zero-tolerance against crimes." "A number of families have returned to Kairana now. Today, I am here for the establishment of a battalion of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC)," he added. During his visit, he also handed over the keys to the beneficiaries of the PM-Awas Yojna. Addressing the beneficiaries, he slammed the previous state government. Further, praising the schemes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the UP CM said, "Previous governments focused on the own family's welfare, while our government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership got toilets constructed for the people, waived off loans, provided free gas connections." "Our government has waived off Rs 36,000 crores worth of farmers' loans," he pointed out. The reported migration from Kairana was a major issue during the 2017 Assembly elections as BJP had claimed that many families of a community had left the town after receiving threats from criminals. Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to go for Assembly polls early next year. In the 2017 UP Assembly elections, the BJP had secured 312 seats and a 39.67 per cent vote share in the elections for 403-member Assembly. Samajwadi Party (SP) had bagged 47 seats, BSP had won 19 while Congress had bagged seven seats in the last assembly polls in the state. (ANI) Also Read: UP CM to inaugurate 'Braj Raj Utsav', 'Hunar Haat', 'Kumbh of Kaushal Kuber' on Nov 10 at Vrindavan India has played a key role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan over the years, spending more than USD three billion in the last two decades on people-centric projects in the country with even the Taliban acknowledging New Delhi's contribution. Whether it is G20 Summit, BRICS or bilateral discussion, India has been a key participant regarding the issue of Afghanistan. Seven security czars from Russia, Iran and all five Central Asian countries will be landing in Delhi on Tuesday to attend first of its kind regional dialogue on Afghanistan hosted by India. National Security Advisers of five central Asian countries - Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan besides Russia and Iran - will attend the Delhi meet on Afghanistan. The meeting will be chaired by India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Earlier, Iran had hosted dialogues in a similar format. This is a continuation of the format started by Iran in 2018 and 2019, however, this time dialogue will see the highest participation of seven nations. Following the format, India had invited Pakistan and China. However, on the expected line both declined. China cited scheduling issues and has conveyed that it is open for dialogue with India on Afghanistan at multilateral and bilateral levels. China attended previous meetings hosted by Iran and more recently BRICS meet as well Officials here feel that Pakistan never wanted to be part of the solution, in fact, it is well acknowledged that it is the source of the problem In Afghanistan. It is no secret to the world that Pakistan provides backing to Taliban regional shuras over the years and Pakistan notorious spy agency --Inter-Services Intelligence-- with Haqqani's and ISIS Khorasan are not hidden. Also, Pakistan has emerged as a key obstruction to the flow of humanitarian aid to Afghans. India stands ready to supply much-needed aid but Pakistan is not allowing access to landlocked Afghanistan. Pakistan did not attend any of the meetings organised in this format hosted by Iran and now it has also declined India's invitation. India, along with seven other countries participating in the Delhi dialogue, will discuss in detail terror threats emanating from within Afghanistan and around it, extremism and radicalisation is also key concern among many participants, they feel many hotheads in their countries may get influenced and there may be export or spill over of ideology into their societies, drug trafficking, use of huge weapons left by the United States is another cause of concern. More than the above factors 'uncertainty' of what will happen next is also a common point of discussion. Interestingly, Pakistan is oblivious to the above issues and continues to engage with the Taliban government. Iran, Russia and all Central Asian countries participating in dialogue here are far from recognising or legitimising the Taliban regime, sources told ANI that it is not even on their agenda to recognise the Taliban as they see no change in the Taliban of 90s and today. All participating countries have common ground and concern vis-a-vis representation of minorities, inclusiveness, women rights and human rights in Afghanistan. Russia and Iran and to that matter some countries in Central Asia have been engaging with the Taliban but the red lines are clear and also they strongly regard India as a key stakeholder in the region. There is unanimity and common ground which will be reflected during dialogue, this is not any protocol-driven dialogue, it is a special dialogue with a practical outlook, the big point is will Kabul read the writing on the wall. (ANI) Also Read: Militancy, sectarian violence engulfs Pakistan after Taliban takeover in Afghanistan 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 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. A Winnetka teenager was charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault last month, according to the Cook County states attorneys office. Perhaps most galling of all is that Biden who is clearly senile and incapable of stringing thoughts together and also the most diabolical politician to ever live keeps calling the infrastructure bill bipartisan, just because members of both parties debated, gave concessions and then voted for it. As if thats what bipartisan means. Flash-forward a century, to last April in President Bashar al-Assad's Syria, and the world's eyes are horrified when scores of civilians die in a sarin-gas attack on the town of Khan Sheikhoun. If you saw the recent images out of Syria, as gassed children were hosed down as they gasped for life, then it is difficult to watch the new "Wonder Woman" and not be struck by a long constant in the cruel fog of war. As Clare insinuates herself into Irenes life, and home, the cross-currents deepen. Irene volunteers for what her husband cynically describes as your precious Negro League. A famous white writer (Bill Camp) also works from the social welfare organization, and while most of the story remains tightly focused on the women, the world these women navigate, or cant, emerges in tantalizing fragments. Hall recently told the Chicago Tribune the central, rekindled but hazardous friendship of Irene and Clare is built upon the idea of two female characters, two sides of a coin, built for each others destruction. This is not melodrama, however. Its subtler, with a deceiving calm baked into the evocations of its time and place. It's in battle that Robin meets his best ally, who starts as an enemy. Jamie Foxx plays a Moor warrior who stows away to England to enact revenge for his son's death, and engages Robin to help him do it. He lets Robin call him John and trains the young lord to infiltrate the inner circle of the Sheriff (Ben Mendelsohn) while robbing the coffers blind, disguised as The Hood. The idea is to take the whole enterprise down from the inside, choking off the church's funding of the war earned through brutal taxation. There's even a fun little Reagan-era Iran-Contra twist to that too. Everything that has happened since Illinois entered phase four of reopening points to the new intimacy of making and hearing music. When Chicago guitarist Andy Brown led his trio at Andys Jazz Club this month, you could hear every minute interaction among him, pianist Jeremy Kahn and bassist Joe Policastro in a previously rambunctious room where the din of conversing diners often obscured the music. When Chicago guitarist Joel Paterson led his trio at the Green Mill last month, the limited audience meant the rooms ferocious energy was diminished, but the warmth, plushness and vibrancy of its acoustics were more immediate than ever. In an interview with the Tribune Tuesday, Rice said that the theaters financial status would not support hiring a full-time staff at appropriate salaries. This has been a labor of love for us, said Rice, and since we were not wholly dependent on the theater for our income, we were able to plow back that money. Of course, the older we get, the more touched we are by cancer, the more people we know who have suffered from its unwelcome intrusion. I hadn't seen "Wit" in a while, before I caught director Marti Lyons' very intense production for The Hypocrites. I find it exponentially harder to watch. These days, hospitals tend to reference cancer in their commercials as a diabolic persona, something that you can address defiantly in a note, beat back or vanquish like a character in a video game. "Wit" takes a different view it's an exploration, really, of the inherent paradoxes of mortality, often through the lens of the poetry of John Donne, who happens to be Bearing's research interest and a poet with a singularly sophisticated understanding of mortality: The mandate would apply to private businesses with more than 100 workers. Employees who do not receive the shots by Jan. 4 would be required to wear a mask and be tested weekly for the coronavirus. The OSHA rules create exemptions for workers citing religious objections and for those who do not interact in-person with coworkers or customers, as well as those who work only outdoors. Kontein emigrated from Nigeria in 2017 to attend DePaul University and graduated with a degree in criminology, his sister said, but he went back to school for massage therapy. While at DePaul, he met Guwor and his wife. For many of us, our thoughts are turning to Thanksgiving, in the hope that we can celebrate among family and friends, like we did before COVID, CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said. If you want some peace of mind, not only for yourself but for those youll be joining for Thanksgiving, make sure you are fully vaccinated by Nov. 11. Later that evening, officials saw Vazquez-Gamez and another person loading the suitcases into a white Toyota Highlander driven by Jimenez-Perez. Shortly before 9:30 p.m., agents stopped the vehicle in the 500 block of North Rush Street on the Near North Side. They found the suitcases and, upon inspection, saw they were filled with about 80 brick-shaped packages appearing consistent with kilogram bricks of controlled substances. In a news conference Monday morning, Brown said the number of officers on no-pay status has fluctuated and is down from about 50 officers at one point The increase means almost 78% of the more than 12,000 department employees, a number that includes sworn officers and civilian employees, has disclosed their vaccination status, Brown said. Saunders told her that (the former classmate) was trying to get her to try new drugs that she had never tried before, one report says. (The friend) advised Saunders not to try the new drugs and only do what she is comfortable doing.' The Salvation Army remains committed to assisting everyone who comes through our doors, Lt. Col. Lonneal Richardson, divisional commander of the Salvation Armys metropolitan division, said in a statement. But, we can only do it with the generosity of the community. Your donation to the Red Kettles could mean the difference between a family being able to cover the rent, keep the lights and heat on and stay in their homes. We need your help to ensure hope marches on for those in need this year. The internet has bent but not broken during the pandemic, as more people work remotely and rely on broadband to stay connected, Deryckx said, with huge increases in internet traffic and an increase in the number of reported problems. But online infrastructure has stabilized over time, adapting to the new normal with fewer disruptions this year, he said. They raise their right hands and swear to tell the truth and then they lie, Shobat said. You gotta ask yourself, what is so magical that they would now stop lying and suddenly start telling the truth? Of course there is nothing magical about it. People are what they are, they do what they do. We have far more similarities than we think, we face those similar issues of police brutality and more, Torres Mendivil said. At the end of the day, it is much better to recognize each other than to confront one another. We lose power if we stand apart as we fight for equity. If he doesnt have a criminal background that he has to explain, then I think you absolutely put him on, said Sam Adam Jr., a Chicago attorney also licensed to practice in Wisconsin. He can explain what was going on in his mind and what he thought would happen to him if he didnt shoot. Its not a very hard story to explain, even for a teenager. Its actually a very easy one. By the time news about what had taken place began to spread, the government had already moved to muzzle the protesters. Cubalex, a U.S. based human rights organization, subsequently documented more than 1,200 arrests. Cubalex said that half of the arrested are in prison awaiting trial. The others were fined, given house arrest or sentenced to as much as a year in prison. Close to 200 of the detainees are facing sentences of between five and 25 years on criminal charges that include sabotage and sedition. For how long do you think the governor should be allowed to continually issue these executive orders that seem to circumvent the legislative process that allows us as a coequal branch of government an opportunity to have some input and dialogue in that? How long does that continue? Barickman asked Harmon, who argued that the governor has the authority to issue such orders during emergencies. A 2018 Chevrolet Equinox the men were in had been reported stolen Sunday in Chicago, and on Monday, police in Gary began the pursuit after a license plate reading camera alerted them the vehicle was in town, according to the release. Failing to invest in our infrastructure weakens our economy and harms minority and underserved communities, who often suffer most from disinvestment, Rush said. A prime example of this is the outrageous fact that Chicago has the most lead pipes of any city in the country and Illinois has the most of any state. If the (Grand) have a loyal, local following and people go there because of the perception of it being an independent and local store, it makes perfect sense that they are keeping the brand, Renko said. They want to capitalize on the good will the brand already has in the community. It follows the trend you see in other sectors. Andre Norris, 29, of 1768 Queensbury Circle, was given the maximum 3-year sentence Monday be DuPage Circuit Judge Michael Reidy after Norris pleaded guilty to three counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals. Per state law, he will not be eligible for parole until hes served 50% of his term, a states attorneys office news release said. The world-renowned Italian art museum, La Galleria degli Uffizi, teamed up with the Bund One Art Museum to hold a series of the top art exhibitions in Shanghai starting from April 2022. A total of 10 exhibitions are scheduled in Shanghai in the next five years, the two parties announced on Nov. 6. Two of the serial exhibitions will be dedicated to celebrating the China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism in 2022. The collaboration is expected to be the very first time the art collections preserved by the Italian gallery are showcased on such a large scale in China. In April 2022, the first three exhibitions will be held in Shanghai, covering masterpieces from the Renaissance period and artworks created between the 16th and 21st centuries. Based in Florence of Italy, the Uffizi Gallery is well-known worldwide for its ancient sculptures and collections of paintings, while the Bund One Art Museum is one of Shanghai's emerging landmarks. U.S. Federal Reserve Governor Randal Quarles said on Monday that he would resign from the central bank at the end of December. "After more than four years as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and given the completion last month of my term as Vice Chairman for Supervision of the Board, I intend to resign my position as a Governor of the Federal Reserve during or around the last week of December of this year," Quarles said in a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden. "It has been a great privilege to work with my colleagues on the Board, throughout the Federal Reserve System, and among the global central banking and regulatory community," he said. The Fed said in a statement that Quarles has played a "central role" in ensuring the safe operation of both the domestic and international financial systems during the stress of the COVID-19 event. Prior to his appointment to the Fed board in October 2017, Quarles was founder and managing director of The Cynosure Group, a private investment firm. He also served in a variety of senior positions at the U.S. Treasury Department and was U.S. executive director at the International Monetary Fund. The resignation came as Biden is expected to announce whether he will renominate Fed Chair Jerome Powell as soon as this week, according to the media. Powell's four-year term as Fed chief ends in February. Cainiao Network, the logistics arm of China's Alibaba Group, officially opened Monday its first smart logistics hub at Liege Airport in Belgium. The smart hub, the largest of its kind in Europe, is a key part of the agreement concluded in 2018 between the Alibaba Group and the Belgian government to join the global Electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) initiative, which aims to lower barriers to global trade for small and medium-sized businesses via e-commerce. Construction of the smart hub started in late 2019. It offer a new direct connection for Belgian traders to new markets. The 30,000-square-meter (sqm) facility is divided into two parts: a 12,000 sqm air cargo station for the rapid transit of goods for both export and import between the airside and the landside of the airport; and an 18,000-sqm parcel sorting center that organizes parcels according to their destinations across Europe. The facility is equipped with the latest digital technologies and designed to streamline terminal operation services by digitizing the flow of goods between China and the European bloc. "This e-hub in Liege is equipped not only with equipment and digital management system from China, but also with high-quality automated machines and experienced European operators," said Zhang Chi, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Belgium. "The integration of the best resources of our two parties, making it possible to optimize the logistical efficiency of this hub in Liege, will help consolidate the important position of Belgium and the Walloon Region as logistics hubs in Europe while strengthening Sino-Belgian cooperation as part of the Belt and Road Initiative," Zhang said. "Cainiao is an ambitious and innovative partner, which pushes us to reinvent ourselves and to be better," commented Frederic Jacquet, chief executive officer (CEO) of Liege Airport. "Like other important partners of Liege Airport, Cainiao will help us grow in a win-win relationship, which finds its full meaning in the development projects that are ours." Over the previous months, Cainiao, together with local partners, has recruited more than 200 local people to work at the facility. The project is expected to create 900 jobs when it reaches full scale. Cainiao plans to construct additional facilities in Liege in the future. Founded in 2013, the Cainiao Network is a global industrial internet company and the official parcel tracking platform of the Alibaba Group. The fourth China International Import Expo (CIIE) is a great platform for businesses around the world, offering opportunities and contributing to boosting the global economic recovery, overseas experts and business leaders have said. As the world's first dedicated import exhibition initiated in 2018, the CIIE is becoming more and more popular. A total of 50 enterprises and institutions signed up for the 5th CIIE on Saturday during the ongoing 4th CIIE in Shanghai. Kosala Wickramanayake, president of the International Business Council in Sri Lanka, said that the CIIE provided Sri Lankan tea exporters with an opportunity to enter the Chinese market. This year will be the fourth time for Sri Lanka to participate in the CIIE. China has gradually become an important buyer of Ceylon tea, and it became Sri Lanka's fifth-largest tea export destination in 2020. Betty Alexandropoulou, executive director and member of the board of Enterprise Greece, said that China is an important force in restarting the world economy under COVID-19, and China has demonstrated its leading role in international trade through platforms such as the CIIE. Greek exports to China have risen steadily in the last few years and the CIIE platform plays a very important role in that growth, the official said, adding that for example, in 2019, the year after the first CIIE, Greek exports to China almost doubled to nearly 1 billion euros (1.16 billion U.S. dollars) John Edwards, British trade commissioner for China, said the CIIE was "a huge platform" for British businesses. The Chinese market is extremely important for British businesses, he noted, adding many British businesses are participating in this year's import expo, and some of the firms got involved through a digital online pavilion. Oguz Demir, associate professor of economics at the Istanbul Commerce University, said the CIIE provided a favorable platform for interactions among businesspeople from all over the world. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread and weigh on the world economy, trade remains an important engine for the growth of developing countries, he said. Gustavo Girado, an Argentine China expert and economist at the National University of Lanus, said the CIIE will boost the global economy battered by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide significant opportunities for Latin American countries. "Since a large number of global manufacturing activities depend on China, and its companies are part of global value chains, the CIIE is bound to be extremely important," he said, calling the Chinese market the "most dynamic market in the world." Taiwan's exports to the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong rose to 16.22 billion U.S. dollars in October, up 14.3 percent year on year, according to data released by the island's finance authorities on Monday. The mainland and Hong Kong remained Taiwan's biggest export destination, with cross-Strait exports accounting for 40.4 percent of the island's total exports in October. Taiwan saw a trade surplus of 6.12 billion U.S. dollars in October, and its trade surplus to the mainland was 8.96 billion U.S. dollars. During the first 10 months of this year, Taiwan's exports totaled 364.2 billion U.S. dollars, and imports increased to 310.38 billion U.S. dollars. The island's exports to the mainland reached a record high for the period of 154.68 billion U.S. dollars, while imports hit 68.42 billion U.S. dollars. The finance authorities said that global economic recovery will continue to underpin Taiwan's exports later this year, but the spread of the COVID-19 variants and the policy changes in major economies may weigh on its exports. Bank of China helped facilitate partnerships between various domestic and foreign companies during a matchmaking event at the ongoing 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE). A billboard for the Bank of China can be seen outside a venue of the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, Nov. 8, 2021. [Photo by Zhang Rui/China.org.cn] One minute after the Trade and Investment Matchmaking Conference began Nov. 6, Shanghai Nanda Group, a designer, manufacturer and exporter specializing in cable and wire products worldwide, agreed to sign a deal with Australia's SinaPrise, marking the first big partnership of the event, with an intended worth of some $100 million, the Shanghai branch of Bank of China told China.org.cn. Meng Yanmin, manager of Shanghai Nanda Group's investment department, said there's nothing that set her company apart from all the other enterprises and giants that joined the conference, and that she was initially anxious. She arrived at the event early and struck up a conversation with a SinaPrise representative before the event had even kicked off. Shortly thereafter, the two companies saw the value in each other, and the deal was signed relatively quickly with help from Bank of China service staff who spent months sorting and matching potential partners. Besides onsite meetings and negotiations, the Bank of China which served as the event's organizer also arranged 100 "cloud meetings" to help domestic and foreign companies find suitable collaborators. Bank of China is the sole strategic partner of the CIIE and provides various financial services and helps bring in merchants and investors. Bank of China has developed a global corporate ecosystem, where international companies can enjoy efficient and open trade and investment matching services, effectively enhancing the CIIE's impact. A digital yuan experience zone is installed in a Bank of China booth at the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, Nov. 8, 2021. [Photo by Zhang Rui/China.org.cn] Also at the CIIE, the e-CNY, China's innovative digital fiat currency issued by the People's Bank of China (PBOC), is being used at restaurants, booths, and vending machines for the first time. Bank of China has set up six booths throughout the CIIE venue to help those who want to apply for a digital yuan wallet. The CIIE has attracted nearly 3,000 companies from 127 countries and regions this year, with representatives of these businesses and other attendees able to use the digital yuan when paying for food or purchasing souvenirs at the expo. In some stores and restaurants, consumers can get discounts when paying with the e-CNY. Additionally, there are activities for old residents and foreigners to experience using e-CNY or making foreign currency exchanges to e-CNY in easier ways. "Inclusive finance, and the development for convenience for the people, are the original aspirations of the financial industry and the direction of the Bank of China's efforts," said a representative in charge of the Shanghai branch of Bank of China. Visitors walk through a passage of the Bank of China booth at the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, Nov. 8, 2021. The passage showcases many pictures and historical stories about the past and current glories of the bank. [Photo by Zhang Rui/China.org.cn] According to statistics, during the past three CIIE editions, the Bank of China has brought together a total of nearly 10,000 companies to carry out negotiations and reached 4,200 cooperation intentions. Preliminary statistics show that this year, more than 800 exhibitors and more than 2,200 purchasers would conduct online and offline trade and investment matching. Currently, the Bank of China has set up nearly 600 overseas branches in 62 countries and regions around the world, including 25 countries along the Belt and Road. Its international settlement volume and cross-border renminbi settlement volume rank first in the industry, and it is a main channel and service bank for domestic import and export trade settlements. China will host the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP14) in Wuhan, the capital of central China's Hubei Province, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (NFGA) said on Monday. The meeting will begin on Nov. 21 and conclude on Nov. 29, according to the NFGA. It is the first time China will host such a meeting, the administration said. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, also known as the Convention on Wetlands, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. It has 172 contracting parties so far. Every three years, representatives of the contracting parties meet at the COP, where they adopt decisions on the administration of the convention and guide its implementation. Since its accession to the treaty in 1992, China has taken diverse actions to tackle global challenges such as the decreasing wetland area and the degradation of ecological functions. The country has adopted a series of measures aimed at the protection of wetlands, including promoting wetland legislation, implementing wetland protection and restoration schemes, designating internationally important wetlands, and carrying out wetland surveys. The country has so far designated 64 wetlands of international importance, 602 wetland nature reserves and 1,693 wetland parks, according to the NFGA. Human beings should not be divided by oceans; rather they should be united more closely through oceans to build a maritime community with a shared future, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Tuesday. Wang made the remarks at the opening ceremony of the symposium on global maritime cooperation and ocean governance 2021 held via video link. Noting oceans are a bond connecting countries and an important platform for globalization, Wang said that in recent years, maritime security issues have emerged one after another, the marine ecological environment has degraded, and global maritime governance is faced with various challenges, which need to be addressed through solidarity and cooperation of the international community. He called for adhering to multilateralism and jointly safeguarding the maritime order. China opposes some countries flexing their muscles for maritime hegemony, and ganging up to form military cliques at sea and continuously infringing upon the rightful and lawful rights and interests of other countries, Wang said. All nations should unite to hold high the banner of multilateralism, safeguard the international system with the UN at its core and safeguard the maritime order based on international law. Wang urged dialogue and consultation to jointly promote maritime peace. For thousands of years, the Chinese people have spread friendship through oceans and have never been involved in aggression or expansion. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the country has always been committed to respecting the legitimate maritime interests of all parties, bridging differences through dialogue and resolving disputes through negotiation, Wang said. He said China and ASEAN countries are actively committed to the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and advance consultations on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. "Both sides should strive for an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, so as to build it into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation," he added. It is necessary to adhere to the principle of shared benefits and common governance, promote maritime interconnection, promote free trade, maintain the stability and smoothness of maritime transportation and industrial chain, and build an open world economy of higher standards through open and integrated oceans, Wang said. "China will work with other countries to fully implement the global development initiative, advance the building of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Partnership on Blue Economy, speed up maritime connectivity and actively build platforms for maritime cooperation, so as to inject new vitality into world economic recovery," Wang added. Noting China attaches great importance to marine ecological construction, Wang said the country stands ready to deepen cooperation with other nations to make due contribution to the green development of oceans and build a maritime community with a shared future. The symposium was jointly organized by China-Southeast Asia Research Center on the South China Sea, China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies and China Oceanic Development Foundation. Officials, experts and diplomats from over 30 countries and media representatives attended the forum online and offline. The annual China International Import Expo (CIIE) kicked off in Shanghai last week. Nearly 3,000 business exhibitors from 127 countries and regions have attended the exhibition, with the number of participating countries and companies surpassing the previous year. Since 2018, the expo has developed into a powerful platform for international procurement, investment promotion, cultural exchanges, and inclusive cooperation, serving as "an international public good for the world to share." Over the past three years, more and more businesses worldwide have taken part in the CIIE. As a result, statistics show that the volume of trade deals signed in the letters of intent during the expo between 2018 and 2020 surpassed $201.6 billion. Such an increase in cooperation deals has expanded China's imports. It also demonstrates that an increasing number of international enterprises are exploring the Chinese market and enjoying the opportunities brought about by China's development. While the World Openness Index has been decreasing over the past decade, China has decided to open its market further and share the benefits of its rapid development with the entire world to promote economic globalization and support a multilateral trading system. Hosting the CIIE is a vital move of China to fulfill its commitment. The world is still facing the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left many economies sluggish and global supply chains disrupted. In response to these crises, China stepped up efforts to fill the gap between supply and demand worldwide. As the only major economy registering positive trade growth in goods last year, China has made significant contributions to keeping global industrial and supply chains stable and boosting world economic recovery. China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001. Since then, the country has committed to economic reform and pursuing all-around opening up. Over the past two decades, China has adopted concrete measures and policies to open wider and allow global businesses to tap into its vast market potential. In the 14th Five Year Plan period (2021-25), China aims to pursue a higher level of opening up and high-quality development, and it will further reduce the negative list for foreign investment and market access restrictions. Such a favorable legal and policy environment will ensure international businesses get easier access to the Chinese market. China's development cannot be successful without the international community's support, and the world's economy cannot prosper without China's participation. China has entered its new development stage where its development priority lies in people's happiness and growing needs for a better life. In this regard, offering opportunities for global enterprises will benefit both China and the world. Dr. Sun Yuning is an adjunct research fellow with the China Center for Contemporary World Studies (CCCWS). His research interests include international relations and party politics. This article was written in Chinese and translated by Gong Yingchun. Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. If you would like to contribute, please contact us at opinion@china.org.cn. Flash The New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor China (Guangxi and Sichuan) - Thailand Fruit Fair was held online and in-person on Sept. 28, bringing together logistics, commerce and wholesale food companies and fruit dealers from China and Thailand. The fair provided an opportunity to discuss establishing a convenient channel for Thai fruits entering Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Sichuan province and other provinces along the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, and accelerating the development of the fruit industry in both countries. The fruit fair was co-hosted by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Guangxi Committee (CCPIT Guangxi Committee), China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Sichuan Council (CCPIT Sichuan Council), and the Thai Consulates-General in Nanning, Chengdu and Guangzhou, with offline activities taking place in Nanning and online branches in Chengdu, Kunming and Shanghai. CCPIT Guangxi Committee Chairman Wei Ran said in his speech that Guangxi Beibu Gulf Port has opened a total of 54 shipping routes to date, including seven routes to Bangkok and Laem Chabang in Thailand. He suggested Guangxi and Thailand continue to strengthen their logistical cooperation for sea-rail combined transport, and attract leading Chinese and Thai enterprises to participate in the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Fan Jun, vice chairman of the CCPIT Sichuan Council, said that Sichuan is a major agricultural province and a major consumer of agricultural products. Every year, the province imports durian, mangosteen, longan, dragon fruit and others from Southeast Asian countries. In recent years, Sichuan has improved its infrastructure to support the "going out" and "bringing in" of modern agriculture. Fan said the Sichuan CCPIT Council will work with Thailand and Guangxi CCPIT Committee to build the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. Benjamas Tanvetyanont, consul general of Thailand in Nanning, said that the 12 provincial regions in Western China have significant market potential. Thai companies are eager to explore a new route for exporting fruits to Western China by sea-rail through the Beibu Gulf Port in Guangxi. She encouraged both countries to work towards that goal. During the event, representatives of Nanning Customs gave a detailed explanation of inspection and quarantine requirements concerning the foreign fruit trade. Likewise, representatives of various Chinese and Thai enterprises shared their experiences and views on topics ranging from the facilitation of customs clearance to streamlining logistics and an expansion of the fruit industry. You are here: World Flash Iran's army branches tested on Monday locally-developed missiles, torpedoes and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the second day of joint large-scale drill in the Sea of Oman and surrounding waters. "All the systems used in the exercise are domestically-manufactured and state-of-the-art technology at the global level, whether in the fields of reconnaissance, radar systems, electronic warfare and others," said Brigadier General Alireza Sabahi Fard, commander of the Iranian Army's air defense force. The air defense force is one of four army branches taking part in the exercise, code-named Army's Zolfaqar-1400, he said at a press briefing on the sidelines of the drill, reported the official news outlet of Iran's army. Surface-to-surface equipment used from the coast on sea targets included anti-ship cruise missiles Ghader, Nasr and Ghadir, said Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, the spokesman for the drills. A target vessel locating 200 km off the coast was successfully hit using medium-range Ghader, launched from a tactical missile site off the Makran coast, he added. Nasr was used from a launcher ship of the army's naval force on surface targets, also with success, the spokesperson also said. Mousavi added that Ghadir hit its surface target from a 300-km distance, also shot from a launcher ship. A feature of the exercise was the use of the Arash suicide drone, which hit predetermined targets successfully, he added. Another drone, electronic warfare and anti-radar UAV Omid, was put to the test to neutralize simulated enemy radars. Tareq and Ghadir-class submarines confronted surface and subsurface simulated threats using a variety of torpedoes, and a Tareq-class submarine was used to launch a DM1 sea mine, the spokesman also said. Additionally, simulated aggressors were neutralized by rockets and smart precision artillery fired by ground units, attack helicopters operated by the army's air force, and combat drones. During the night from Sunday to Monday, the Mersad air defense system shot down a hostile air target in coordination with Iran's integrated defense network, said Mousavi. The main aim of the Zolfaqar-1400 drill is coordinating Iran's military staff and acquainting younger servicemen with technical knowledge, said the Commander of the Iranian army's naval forces Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, on the sidelines of the drill. Today, Iran has the upper hand on the battlefield in case of confrontation, noted Irani. The exercise kicked off on Sunday under the command of the Army's Zolfaqar base, with the participation of the Iranian army's Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense. Flash Rwanda and China on Monday marked the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, reflecting on the achievements as well as setting the stage to explore new areas of cooperation. Speaking at the event in Rwandan capital city Kigali, Rwanda's Foreign Minister Vincent Biruta commended the government of China's multidimensional contribution to the development of Rwanda in key sectors ranging from investment, infrastructure, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), to mining, health, agriculture, defense and security. Since Nov. 12, 1971, and more particularly after the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, the two countries have worked closely to strategically develop their political and socio-economic ties. China currently ranks among the top investors in Rwanda which has created thousands of jobs in different sectors. "Supported by the increasing high level political interaction and exchanges, our bonds of relationship have flourished at all levels," Biruta said. He reiterated his country's appreciation for the solidarity and support of the Chinese following the recent donation to Rwanda 500,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines. The minister reaffirmed Rwanda's readiness to explore new ways to further deepen the two countries' relations under existing bilateral and multilateral frameworks. In addition to traditional cooperation areas, the two countries enjoy cooperation in e-commerce, trade in high-quality agricultural produce, as well as combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Rwanda's coffee beans are popular on China's e-commerce platforms, where each kilo of beans sold in China can bring coffee farmers four more dollars. Rwanda became the first African country to export dried chili to China. Some 50,000 tons of dried chili will be exported to China in the next 5 years. Chinese Ambassador to Rwanda, Rao Hongwei said over the years the two countries have developed high-level political mutual trust, "making bilateral relations as stable as a great rock in the face of any changes in the international situation." "Our economic and trade cooperation has gotten closer. China is proud to be Rwanda's largest trading partner and largest project contractor," he said. The bilateral trade volume between the two countries in 2020 reached 321 million U.S. dollars despite the impact of COVID-19. Since 1982, China has dispatched 21 medical teams to Rwanda, with a total of 258 doctors providing medical services to more than 700,000 local people, according to data from the embassy. Over 5,000 students were enrolled by the Confucius Institute at the University of Rwanda while more than 2,000 members registered with the Rwanda Kung-Fu Wushu Federation. Hundreds of Rwandan students receive Chinese scholarships to study in China every year while more and more Chinese have been learning about Rwanda and visiting for sightseeing and business. Noting that people-to-people exchanges have expanded, the envoy noted that the two countries support each other in international affairs and speak in one voice on many issues such as development and human rights. China is grateful for Rwanda's firm support on issues involving China's core interests and major concerns, Rao said. According to the ambassador, the friendship between China and Rwanda is not an accidental choice, but the result of like-mindedness. "We both maintain that all countries, big or small, strong or weak, are equal. We both cherish national sovereignty and independence, and resolutely oppose any interference in our internal affairs by any country or external forces," he said. Upholding the principles of sincerity, practical results, affinity, and good faith, China seeks to strengthen cooperation with Rwanda "for mutual benefit, win-win outcome and common development," the envoy added. "China will join hands with Rwanda to build a community with a shared future for the two countries, and for China and Africa at large," he said. Flash The Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Aviation Training Course will help train 52 professionals from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam in civil aviation specialties, including air traffic control, flight dispatch and aircraft maintenance. The training course, which is offered by Civil Aviation Flight University of China (CAFUC), will last for two months, from mid-October to mid-December. A total of 56 top teachers will teach participants civil aviation theories and practices in English. The course moved online due to the ongoing effects of COVID-19. Speaking about the change, Tang Qingru, the vice president of CAFUC, said, "Trainees can obtain professional knowledge of the same if not greater quality as they would from offline teaching." CAFUC has cultivated numerous civil aviation talents of various specialties for many countries along the Belt and Road, achieving good results and reputation in the field of international civil aviation training. Promoting international cooperation paves the way for CAFUC to become a world-class flight university. Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam look forward to setting up a long-term cooperation mechanism with China, accelerating the development of aviation industries, and reserving more professional pilots. Flash Acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan's caretaker government Mullah Hassan Akhund chaired a cabinet meeting discussing security of traders and prevention of deforestation among others issues, the General Directorate of Administrative Affairs said on Tuesday. The Taliban cabinet reviewed problems faced by Afghan traders and currency exchangers, and appointed a delegation consisting of the ministries of defense and interior as well as General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), the country's national intelligence agency, and Kabul police department to assess the problems and ensure security of the traders, the office said in a statement. "All state administrations are duty-bound to provide required facilities for the national traders and investors," said the statement, warning that creating any type of delay and obstacle for traders could be considered as misconduct. The deforestation for firewood and facilitating fuel for the people during winter were also discussed at the meeting, with the minister of agriculture and livestock being assigned to prepare a plan to control the deforestation around the country, the statement added. The Taliban caretaker government also focused on the rehabilitation and protection of Afghanistan's national parks, and appointed a special unit to probe the usurped lands and their return. Other issues, including alleged misbehavior and misconduct by Taliban soldiers against Allahgul Gul Mujahid, a member of former Afghan national parliament, were also discussed in detail at the meeting, the statement said. The GDI was assigned to conduct a thorough investigation into the alleged misconduct, according to the statement. My first edition I believe my first Bible was give to me for use in school by y parents. Living in Jamaica, a Bible was always on your booklist. It was a Good News Bible, and it had these cute figures as illustrations to help young minds understand the stories better. My second Bible was probably one from the Gideon Missionaries. They would visit schools and hand out small Bibles that comprised the New Testament including Psalms and Proverbs. As an adult, I may have been gifted a Bible or two, therefore growing up Christian, I was always in arms reach of the Good Book. In my own efforts to know God and understand my walk, I invested in a study Bible some years ago. I still have that physical Bible, but I must admit that my reading of it is done mostly via the Bible app on my electronic devices these days. Despite whatever happens, I still love having a physical copy and I do believe that this is something every believer should have. As an acronym? Over the years I have learnt that the word Bible was turned into an acronym. The most common one I have heard meant Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. I went ahead and did some more research and found at least ten other variations that pretty much meant the very same thing: 1. BIBLE - Basic Instructions before Leaving Earth 2. BIBLE - Basic Information Before Leaving Earth 3. BIBLE - Best Instructions Before Leaving Earth 4. BIBLE - Best Investment Before Leaving Earth 5. BIBLE - Be Informed Before Leaving Earth 6. BIBLE - Basic Instructions before Life Ends 7. BIBLE - Be Informed Before Life Ends 8. BIBLE - Best Instruction Book for Living Everyday 9. BIBLE - Basic Instructions Before Living Eternally 10. BIBLE - Believer's Instruction Before Leaving Earth 11. BIBLE - Basic Instructional Book for Living Everyday 12. BIBLE - Basic Instruction Book for Living on Earth 13. BIBLE - Biblical Instruction Before Leaving Earth There are as many options as one can choose. I would say my top picks are No.s 1, 3 and 8. The Bible as we know it provides a wealth of knowledge, inspiration and teaching for Christians. But not just us, as it is also a great guide for non-believers. This of course stems from the fact that there are some principles in the Bible that when applied, anyone can reap its benefits for daily living. If the Bible is our Basic instructions before leaving earth, providing a framework/foundation for daily living, what serves as the filling/body of that basic framework/foundation? The Holy Spirit He is literally the one who fills us. Called by many names, Holy Ghost/Spirit, Dove, Comforter, Intercessor, Paraclete, Presence of God, Spirit of God and Spirit of Truth, the Holy Spirit comes with fruit and gifts to help us walk out a better life. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law (Galatians chapter 5 verse 22 23). It is important to note that the reference is fruit and not fruits, so though we can count nine attributes listed, as Christians, we should strive to have them all. If we have not one, we have not any. It is this fruit of the Holy Spirit that is living proof of our transformation and the substance in between the B.I.B.L.E that we should read and study each day. It is this Spirit that will indwell us and teach us how to live, give us guidance and show us how to interpret the Bible. Together, both are a wholesome synergy. But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come (St. John chapter 16 verse 13). As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him (1st John chapter 2 verse 27). Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans chapter 8 verse 26). His constant presence is a gift in itself. As Jesus ascended, he promised us this comforter and it would be difficult to live a Christian life without the Holy Spirit. Making the most of your instructions As I have established, the Bible provides the basis and framework and the Holy Spirit the filling/body. What is our role in all of this? 1. Be strategic about studying our Bible. Dont just read it. Make every effort to truly know and understand it. Remember, we need the basic instructions. 2. Spend as much times as possible with God. We will want to have all the guidance of the Spirit. 3. Exercise the fruit of the Spirit. In order to demonstrate our beliefs, we have to live it. It is simply just talk to say we believe something, yet we have never exercised it in our own lives. 4. Understand your purpose and walk in it. Having done all of the above, we will be in a better place to understand our calling and live in it before leaving earth. I have been studying apologetics for ten years now and it has become an important part of my life. Not only have my studies provided me with answers, but I have seen apologetics equip Christians to provide an answer to everyone. As I read, think, wrestle, argue and discuss, I realise a good way to approach apologetics is to think about giving answers and seeking answers. The problem with cookie cutter answers In my early days of reading apologetic-related resources I would share with students and seekers as part of my university ministry. I would often give cookie cutter answers; very precise and verbatim from the books I was reading. This method wasnt always as effective as I hoped! These answers often had a lot of underlying assumptions as to the motives of the questioner; this wasunderstandablynot always met with appreciation. I realised it is wiser to let people speak for themselves and for me to be slow to speak and quick to listen. The everyone we seek to give an answer to is a diverse group. Not everyone will be combative, adversarial or seeking to trapdifferent people ask similar questions for different reasons. For example, the question how could a good God allow evil and suffering? may be motivated by a number of reasons. Some question Gods existence, while others question the existence of a loving God. This sort of question is a struggle for both believers and unbelievers. Everyone is diverse and should not be viewed under the lens of stereotypes. Alistair McGrath makes and excellent point along these lines in his book Mere Apologetics, he says: One of the first things that the apologist learns when he does apologeticsas opposed to just reading books about itis that audiences vary enormously. Each person has his or her own specific difficulties about faith and must not be reduced to a generalised stereotype. Consider context As we shape our answers to address questions, we must also realise that the people we engage with are not untethered from their time and context. This understanding helps us to understand their expectations, struggles and also their questions. McGrath speaks very poignantly about understanding context: We also need to reflect on the cultural context within which we proclaim, explain and commend the gospel. People do not exist in cultural vacuums. They live in a specific situation, and often absorb at least some of its ideas and values. Essentially we are all men and women of our times and cultural contexts; we are its products, this shapes the questions asked and the answers we can give. In the modern era, rationalism was a big thing and major questions asked were more or less along the lines of Gods existence. In todays society the questions may be less about how rational Christianity is and more about how existentially meaningful it is. In other words: What does Christianity mean to me in a relational and emotional sense. Seek to give and receive answers Finally, as we seek to give and receive answers, I think it is vital that we have proper expectations. I have come to realise that people seek two key things in their quest for truth: reasons and answers. During the modern era rationalism was the order of the day and, in many cases, people bought into the idea that if a thing was unexplainable, then it should not be believed. Reason was crowned king and arguments were a means of disseminating and coming to knowledge of the truth. Even in Christianity a rational defence of the faith became a useful tool in the arsenal of the apologist. McGrath makes a very noteworthy and timeless remark: One of the problems here is that rationalist approaches tend to minimise the element of mystery within the Christian faith in order to make Christianity appear more accessible to reason. I would be the first to say Christianity is rational, but also the first to say reason alone cannot sufficeit is a delicate balance. The questioner might demand pure rationalism of Christianity, and we can oftenwith good intentionsbe drawn into this line of argument unwisely. Blaise Pascal wrote rather astutely, The heart has its reasons, which reason knows not, as we feel in a thousand instances. Not all answers are logical and can be so easily explainable, in giving answers we must realise that reason will take you only so far. Man is not only cerebral but emotional; it is both the head and the heart that comes into play. While studying in France I spoke to a professor who was visiting for the day and I said to him: I am not a scientist and when the subject switches to that I am out of my depth. He replied, Son, thats ok; the worst scientists are the ones that are just scientists. For him, when all of life is focused on facts and no emotion, it creates an imbalance. This is why I believe people need answers, not purely reasons, as some answers cannot be answered purely rationally. On the other hand, this does not mean truth is unknowable or relative. This is simply a reality with an obvious tension; to relax it is to slip into error on either side. Rather than being purely rational, we must have confidence in our answers. Society will want to relegate our answers to a place of irrelevanceas being antiquated and impracticalbut the outlook is wrong. Answers must firstly be accessed as being truthful or not. Transforming words worth sharing Giving answers is not just a good thing to be doing but biblically directed in1 Peter chapter 3, verse 15: But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. I do hope that the answers that Jesus Christ provides will continue to illuminate darkness of our lives with the life transforming answers it gives, as Jesus rightly says: My words are spirit and they are life. How was the UVA event? my mom excitedly asked my little sister over the phone. Instead of accompanying the rest of our family to a wedding over the weekend, my sister was dressed up to meet with representatives from the University of Virginia, or as I had come to know it, Virginia Techs a Report Description A recent market intelligence report that is published by Data Insights Partner on the global Fatty Amines Market makes an offering of in-depth analysis of segments and sub-segments in the regional and international Fatty Amines Market . The research also emphasizes on the impact of restraints, drivers, and macro indicators on the regional and global Fatty Amines Market over the short as well as long period of time. A detailed presentation of forecast, trends, and dollar values of global Fatty Amines Market is offered. In accordance with the report, the global Fatty Amines Market is projected to expand by healthy CAGR over the period of forecast. Market Insight, Drivers, Restraints& Opportunity of the Market: Fatty amines, where one of the hydrogen atoms in ammonia, is replaced by alkyl group. Example (Partial list): octylamine, dodecylamine, tetradecylamine, coconut fatty amine, soybean alkyl amine, stearylamine, tallow fatty amine etc. Primary fatty amines are largely used as cationic emulsifiers (in Acidic solutions), bitumen emulsion, wax emulation (cationic), intermediary (pigments, corrosion inhibitor dewatering chemicals) etc. Request for Report Sample: https://datainsightspartner.com/request-for-sample?ref=509 Fatty amines, where two hydrogen atoms are substituted by alkyl groups. Example (partial list): distearylamine, amine mixture (di C12-18 R) etc. Secondary amines are used as intermediaries such as quaternary ammonium salts in various chemical formulations Fatty amines with all hydrogen atoms substituted by alkyl groups. Example : dimethyldecylamine, dimethyllaurylamine, dimethyl coconut fatty amine, dimethylhexadecylamine, C16/18 fatty alkyl dimethyl amine etc. Fatty amines are used as asphalt additives as their positive charge increases the adherence of the asphalt to the aggregate , typically between 0.5% to 1.0% is added depending on the speed of setting required where 1.0% gives the fastest set. Asphalts additives for roadway pavement and protective coatings and paints are often stabilized by fatty amine salts (at acid pH) or quats (at neutral pH). Asphaltic bond emulsions prepared with fatty amines and their derivatives have gained great importance in road building and construction. With them, road building may be carried on even in wet and cold weather. Demand for agricultural products viz. a viz. agro-chemicals is on a rise due to constantly growing population, particularly in developing countries. In addition, the cultivable land across the globe is also reducing. In order to support the ever increasing agri product demand, the agro-chemicals industry is focusing on chemicals/fertilizers boosting the crop yield. Agro-chemicals are used to protect crops from pests, insects and various types of fungi. Agro-chemicals comprise pesticides, biocides and insecticides. Fatty amines find major applications as ingredients in agro-chemicals along with other amines. This has resulted in a rise in demand for fatty amines. As the demand for agri-products and agro-chemicals will continue to increase, it will continue to drive the demand for fatty amines across the globe. Volatile raw material prices affect optimum production quantities and production processes change frequently A key raw material required to manufacture fatty amines is ammonia. The chemical commodities market has experienced an acute upward trend for ammonia prices. This has further led to increase in prices of fatty amines. The fatty amines manufactures uses a significant amount of ammonia produced worldwide. Hence, continuous price instability has become a restraining factor for growth of the fatty amines market Segment Covered: This market intelligence report on the global Fatty Amines Market encompasses market segments based on application, product type and country. By Application the global Fatty Amines Market has been divided into: Agrochemicals Oilfield Chemicals Asphalt Additives Anti-caking Water Treatment Chemical Synthesis Personal Care Household Others By Product Type the global Fatty Amines Market has been divided into: Primary Fatty Amines Secondary Fatty Amines Tertiary Fatty Amines By country/region, the global Fatty Amines Market has been divided into: North America (the U.S., Canada), Latin America (Brazil, Mexico, Argentina and other countries), Europe (Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Italy, Russia, and other countries), Asia Pacific (India, Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand and other countries), Middle East and Africa (GCC, South Africa, Israel and Other countries). Get Request for Table of Contents: https://datainsightspartner.com/report/fatty-amines-market/509#content Profiling of Market Players: This business intelligence report offers profiling of reputed companies that are operating in the market. Companies such as: Kao Corporation Evonik AkzoNobel Ecogreen Oleochemicals GmbH KLK OLEO Volant-Chem Group Solvay Huntsman Temix International S.R.L. Qida Chemical Co., Ltd. Indo Amines Temix International Others others have been profiled into detail so as to offer a glimpse of the market leaders. Moreover, parameters such as Fatty Amines Market related investment & spending and developments by major players of the market are tracked in this global report. Report Highlights: In-depth analysis of the micro and macro indicators, market trends, and forecasts of demand is offered by this business intelligence report. Furthermore, the report offers a vivid picture of the factors that are steering and restraining the growth of this market across all geographical segments. In addition to that, IGR-Growth Matrix analysis is also provided in the report so as to share insight of the investment areas that new or existing market players can take into consideration. Various analytical tools such as DRO analysis, Porter's five forces analysis has been used in this report to present a clear picture of the market. The study focuses on the present market trends and provides market forecast from the year 2020-2028. Emerging trends that would shape the market demand in the years to come have been highlighted in this report. A competitive analysis in each of the geographical segments gives an insight into market share of the global players. Salient Features: This study offers comprehensive yet detailed analysis of the Fatty Amines Market, size of the market (US$ Mn and Volume KiloTons), and Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR (%)) for the period of forecast: 2020-2028, taking into account 2019 as the base year It explains upcoming revenue opportunities across various market segments and attractive matrix of investment proposition for the said market This market intelligence report also offers pivotal insights about various market opportunities, restraints, drivers, competitive market strategies of leading market players, emerging market trends, and regional outlook Profiling of key market players in the world Fatty Amines Market is done by taking into account various parameters such as company strategies, distribution strategies, product portfolio, financial performance, key developments, geographical presence, and company overview The data of this report would allow management authorities and marketers of companies alike to take informed decision when it comes to launch of Type of models, government initiatives, marketing tactics and expansion, and technical up gradation The world market for Fatty Amines caters to the needs of various stakeholders pertaining to this industry, namely suppliers, manufacturers, investors, and distributors for Fatty Amines Market. The research also caters to the rising needs of consulting and research firms, financial analysts, and new market entrants Research methodologies that have been adopted for the purpose of this study have been clearly elaborated so as to facilitate better understanding of the reports Reports have been made based on the guidelines as mandated by General Data Protection Regulation Ample number of examples and case studies have been taken into consideration before coming to a conclusion Reasons to buy: v Identify opportunities and plan strategies by having a strong understanding of the investment opportunities in the Fatty Amines Market v Identification of key factors driving investment opportunities in the Fatty Amines Market v Facilitate decision-making based on strong historic and forecast data v Position yourself to gain the maximum advantage of the industrys growth potential v Develop strategies based on the latest regulatory events v Identify key partners and business development avenues v Respond to your competitors business structure, strategy and prospects More Info of Impact Covid19@ https://datainsightspartner.com/report/fatty-amines-market/509 Report Summary: The report titled Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate Market offers a primary overview of the Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate industry covering different product definitions, classifications, and participants in the industry chain structure. The quantitative and qualitative analysis is provided for the global Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate market considering competitive landscape, development trends, and key critical success factors (CSFs) prevailing in the Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate industry. Historical Forecast Period 2013 2017 Historical Year for Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate Market 2018 Base Year for Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate Market 2019-2027 Forecast Period for Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate Market Download Research Sample with Industry Insights @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/sample/13002 Key Developments in the Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate Market To describe Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate Introduction, product type and application, market overview, market analysis by countries, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force; To analyze the manufacturers of Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate, with profile, main business, news, sales, price, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers in Global, with sales, revenue and market share in 2016 and 2018; To show the market by type and application, with sales, price, revenue, market share and growth rate by type and application, from 2013 to 2019; To analyze the key countries by manufacturers, Type and Application, covering North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle-East and South America, with sales, revenue and market share by manufacturers, types and applications; Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate market forecast, by countries, type and application, with sales, price, revenue and growth rate forecast, from 2018 to 2026; To analyze the manufacturing cost, key raw materials and manufacturing process etc. To analyze the industrial chain, sourcing strategy and downstream end users (buyers); Todescribe Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate sales channel, distributors, traders, dealers etc. To describe Sugar Free Candy and Chocolate Research Findings and Conclusion, Appendix, methodology and data source Market Segment by Manufacturers, this report covers Mars, Incorporated The Hershey Company Nestle Place a Direct Purchase Order @ https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/checkout/13002/Single Mondelez Ferrero Meiji Ezaki Glico Lindt Sprungli Brachs Jelly Belly Dr. Johns Candies Edas Sugarfree August Storck Montezumas Lilys Sweets Market Segment by Countries, covering North America (United States, Canada, Mexico) Market Revenue and/or Volume Europe (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy) Market Revenue and/or Volume Asia Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia) Market Revenue and/or Volume Middle-East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa) Market Revenue and/or Volume South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.) Market Revenue and/or Volume Market Segment by Type, covers Sugar Free Soft Sweets Sugar Free Hard Candy Sugar Free Chocolate Market Segment by Applications, can be divided into Offline Sales Online Sales Request for Report Discount: https://www.trendsmarketresearch.com/report/discount/13002 Market Reports on Saudi Arabia Provides the Trending Market Research Report on Writing Instruments in the United Arab Emirates under Consumer Goods Market Research Reports category. The Writing Instruments Market in the United Arab Emirates is projected to exhibit highest growth rate over report offers a collection of superior market research, market analysis, and competitive intelligence and industry reports. New habits were formed by many during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as increased writing in diaries or journals. These continued in 2021, especially given the associated eye strain associated with increased screen time. Novelty writing instruments and a preference for more distinctive fountain pens are pandemic trends that will continue to be relevant in 2021. Furthermore, in 2021, schools re-opened full time and many people returned to hosting in-person birthday parties and events. Writing Instruments in United Arab Emirates report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data (2016-2020), allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market be they new product developments, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts to 2025 illustrate how the market is set to change. Product coverage: Colouring, Markers and Highlighters, Pencils, Pens, Writing Accessories. Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data. Why buy this report? * Get a detailed picture of the Writing Instruments market; * Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change; * Understand the competitive environment, the markets major players and leading brands; * Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop Table of contents Writing Instruments in the United Arab Emirates WRITING INSTRUMENTS IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES KEY DATA FINDINGS 2021 DEVELOPMENTS Screen fatigue brought back the old-school pen International brands continue to lead with Hoshan Pan Gulf at the top PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES Montblanc shows resilience New product developments to appeal to creativity-seeking consumers E-commerce marketplaces expected to intensify competition CATEGORY DATA Table 1 Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: Volume 2016-2021 Table 2 Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: Value 2016-2021 Table 3 Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: % Volume Growth 2016-2021 Table 4 Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: % Value Growth 2016-2021 Table 5 NBO Company Shares of Writing Instruments: % Value 2016-2020 Table 6 LBN Brand Shares of Writing Instruments: % Value 2017-2020 Table 7 Distribution of Writing Instruments by Format: % Value 2016-2021 Table 8 Forecast Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: Volume 2021-2026 Table 9 Forecast Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: Value 2021-2026 Table 10 Forecast Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: % Volume Growth 2021-2026 Table 11 Forecast Sales of Writing Instruments by Category: % Value Growth 2021-2026 PERSONAL ACCESSORIES IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Personal accessories in 2021: The big picture Key trends in 2021 Competitive landscape Retailing developments What next for personal accessories? MARKET DATA Table 12 Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: Volume 2016-2021 Table 13 Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: Value 2016-2021 Table 14 Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: % Volume Growth 2016-2021 Table 15 Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: % Value Growth 2016-2021 Table 16 NBO Company Shares of Personal Accessories: % Value 2016-2020 Table 17 LBN Brand Shares of Personal Accessories: % Value 2017-2020 Table 18 Distribution of Personal Accessories by Format: % Value 2016-2021 Table 19 Forecast Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: Volume 2021-2026 Table 20 Forecast Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: Value 2021-2026 Table 21 Forecast Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: % Volume Growth 2021-2026 Table 22 Forecast Sales of Personal Accessories by Category: % Value Growth 2021-2026 DISCLAIMER SOURCES Summary 1 Research Sources Browse our full report with Table of Contents: https://marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com/report/664818/writing-instruments-in-the-united-arab-emirates About Us Market Reports on Saudi Arabia provides you with an in-depth industry reports focusing on various economic, political and operational risk environment, complemented by detailed sector analysis. We have an exhaustive coverage on variety of industries ranging from energy and chemicals to transportation, communications, constructions and mining to Food and Beverage and education. Our collection includes over 3000 up-to-date reports all researched, analysed and published by top-notch international research firms. Contact us at: Market Reports On Saudi Arabia Tel: +91 22 27810772 / 27810773 Email: info@marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Website: http://www.marketreportsonsaudiarabia.com Follow us on : Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn Global Bionic Ear Market: By Device Type (Cochlear Implant, Auditory Brainstem Implants, Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid), By End User (Research Institutes, Hearing Clinics, Hospitals), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Rest of the World) Forecast to 2027 GET FREE SAMPLE COPY @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/4354 Regional Analysis On aregional basis, the North Americais anticipated to dominate the global bionic ear market dueto the factors such as the presence of leading service providers in this region involved in R&D activity.An increase in public awareness among people and improved diagnostic facilities, and technological advancements in bionic ears greatly impact business development. In addition, the presence of the major giants in the market involved in mergers&acquisitions and new product innovation is another driving the market growth. For instance, in May 2021, Sonova acquired the Consumer Division from Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG (Sennheiser), which concentrates on the business of headphones and hearables for private customers, is an excellent fit with Sonova's strategy to lead innovation in hearing experience and to engage consumers early on their hearing journey. Additionally, in July 2017, Cochlear Limited introduced Cochlear Nucleus 7 Sound Processor into the US market. It was by the US FDA. Segmentation The bionic ear market is segmented by device type, enduser, and region. Based on the device type, the bionic ears market segments into cochlear implants, auditory brainstem implants, and bone-anchored hearing aid.The cochlear implant segment is expected to hold a significant share of the market in 2020. Cochlear implant is found to be effective than traditional devices. These devices enhance the sound quality and thus improve a person's ability to better understand a speech.It also helps to regain the sound even in a noisy environment and is even considered safe for children to use it. Based on end user, the bionic ear market segments into research institutes and hearing clinics & hospitals. The hearing clinics & hospitals segment dominated the market and held the largest market share in 2020. Hospitals provide better care and have more qualified medical personnel, attracting more patients. Aside from that, due to theadvancements in the treatment procedures&facilities at such hearing clinics are predicted to grow at significant rate In terms of geography, the bionic ear market has been segmented into regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. The North America is anticipated to dominate the global bionic ear market. The North America accounted for the largest market share in 2020 and is likely to continue to command during the forecast period, owing toincreasing adoption of new technologies, thesetablished medical infrastructure, and increasing awareness have accelerated the market growth. The North America market comprises the US and Canada. The increasing prevalence of the geriatric population who suffer from hearing disabilities is a key factor supporting the growth of the bionic earmarket in North America. On the other hand, Europe is expected to be the second-largest bionic earmarket due to the highly developed healthcare industry, prominent R&D infrastructure, and accessibility of products. The bionic earmarket in Asia-Pacific is anticipated to be the fastest-growing due to the growing geriatric population. Also, the medical infrastructure in these countries is growing, which has resulted in market growth. The Rest of the World bionic ear market is driven by technological developments. The growing number of healthcare facilities and government initiatives for improving the healthcare sector is also boosting the growth of the market in this region. Key Players Some of the key market players include Advanced Bionics (US), Sonova (Switzerland), Cochlear (Australia), MED-EL (Austria), Sivantos / WS Audiology (Singapore), Oticon (Denmark), Hangzhou Nurotron (China), Listent Medical (China), Medtronic PLC (Ireland), Edward Lifesciences Corporation (US), Ekso Bionics (US), Ossur (Iceland), LifeNet Health (US), William Demant Holdings (Denmark), and Terumo Corporation (Japan). Access full report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/bionic-ear-market-10644 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. Over the last couple of decades, incidence of diseases and disorders related to the heart and blood pressure have increased drastically. Sadly, the figure is growing every year. Although a number of precautionary measures and innovative therapies are taken care of, the prevalence of these diseases is rising continuously, becoming a major concern. Such factors are commutatively contributing to the growth of the hemodynamic monitoring systems market, globally. Request Sample Copy: https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6678 Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market - Segmentations The global hemodynamic monitoring systems market has been segmented on the basis of product, type, end-use, and region. By product, the market is segmented into disposables, monitors, minimally invasive, and others. Among these, the segment monitors accounts for the largest segment. By type, the market is segmented into invasive, non-invasive, and others. Out of these, the Invasive accounts for the major segment. By end-user, the market is segmented into hospitals, clinics, ambulatory care centers, home care settings, and others. The segment hospitals and clinics is the largest segment. By region, the market is segmented into the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. Out of these, the Americas region dominates the market, whereas the Asia Pacific region accounts for the fastest growing region. Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market Geographical Analysis North America accounts for the leading share in the market for the hemodynamic monitoring systems. Factors positively impacting the market growth in the region include the high per capita health care expenditures and rapid uptake of advanced technologies in the growing healthcare sector. Moreover, the rising geriatric population along with the increasing prevalence of high/low BP, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, and obesity issues that are leading to heart diseases & disorders are fuelling the market growth in the region. Furthermore, the presence of well-established market players along with the growing number of patients suffering from major/minor heart issues is positively impacting the growth in the regional market. The Europe hemodynamic monitoring systems market accounts for the second-largest market, globally. Attributing to the increasing healthcare expenditure, availability of advanced treatment facilities, and government initiatives, the market is estimated to register a remarkable CAGR during the forecast period (2017-2023). Increasing cardiovascular issues in the region are becoming paramount concerns which, in turn, are contributing to the market growth. The hemodynamic monitoring systems market in the Asia Pacific region is rapidly emerging as a promising market. Growing number of aging populaces alongside the prevalence of cardiac disorders growing at an alarming rate are driving the market in the region. Also, some of the other dominant factors such as the faster adoption of healthcare technology, government initiatives to improve the quality of healthcare, favorable insurance, and reimbursement policies are fostering the growth of the APAC market. Hemodynamic Monitoring Systems Market - Key Players Some of the market leaders profiled in the report are Argon Medica, Teleflex Incorporated, Osypka Medical, Edwards Lifesciences Corporation; PULSION Medical Systems SE, LiDCO Group plc, Cheetah Medical, Deltex Medical Group Plc., ICU Medical, Osypka Medical GmbH, CareTaker Medical, CNSystems, NI Medical, and Uscom. Innovation, mergers & acquisitions, product launch, and regional expansion remain the key strategies for these players to maintain their market positions. Access Report Details @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/hemodynamic-monitoring-systems-market-6678 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. Japanese clothing company partners with Centric Software to accelerate decision-making with centralized product data and planning CAMPBELL, Calif., November 8, 2021 Onward, the Japanese ready-to-wear manufacturer and retailer, has selected Centric Softwares Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solution. Centric Software provides the most innovative enterprise solutions to plan, design, develop, source and sell products such as apparel, footwear, sporting goods, furniture, home decor, cosmetics, food & beverage and luxury to achieve strategic and operational digital transformation goals. Founded in Osaka in 1927 as Kashiyama Trading, Onward was one of the first apparel manufacturers to make and sell ready-to-wear clothing in Japan. Today, Onward sells high-quality womens, mens and childrens clothing with a mission statement of Enriching and adding color to peoples lives while caring for the planet. In order to make quick management decisions based on sound information, Onward needed greater supply chain visibility, standardized product data and the ability to effectively create centralized plans for merchandise planning, sourcing and procurement. Ultimately, these improvements aim to speed products concept to delivery. To achieve these goals, Onward decided to implement Centric Fashion PLM. Centric has a lot of experience in implementing solutions for all kinds of consumer goods, including lifestyle products, while providing apparel-specific solutions, says Michinobu Yasumoto, President and CEO of Onward Holdings Co., Ltd. It is a solution that matches the complex value chain of the apparel industry, and can be implemented without major customization. Onwards PLM project will digitally transform every process involved in planning, producing, delivering and selling products, explains Yasumoto. We aim to centralize product information, manage progress, shorten production lead times and optimize procurement costs by linking data from all brands, trading companies and partner factories with each system centered on PLM. We believe that this will enable us to offer products more in tune with what our customers want. We are looking forward to working with Centric and building a strong long-term partnership where we can exchange ideas and information about the future of the apparel industry and our challenges. We hope we can work together to change not only our company but also the apparel industry for the better, Yasumoto concludes. We are delighted to announce that Onward has selected Centric PLM, says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. Onward is taking a proactive approach to confront future challenges by investing in digital transformation, and we look forward to working with the Onward team to help achieve their strategic goals. Learn more about Centric Fashion PLM Request a Demo Onward Holdings (https://www.onward-hd.co.jp/site/english/) Founded in 1927 by Junzo Kashiyama as Kashiyama Trading in Osaka, the company changed its name to Onward Kashiyama in 1988. In 2007, Onward Holdings was established. Onward Kashiyama, the core business company, operates womens, mens and childrens clothing brands such as "Nijyusanku," "Jiyuku," and "gotairiku". In October 2017, Onward Kashiyama launched its made-to-order business KASHIYAMA. In 2019, Onward Digital Lab Co.,Ltd. was established, and in August 2021, it started a D2C project called "CRAHUG" to support local factories. Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com) From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides a Product Concept to Consumer Digital Transformation Platform for fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor and consumer goods including cosmetics and personal care and food and beverage. Centrics flagship Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform, Centric PLMTM, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, quality and product portfolio optimization innovations specifically for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB focuses on core tools and industry best practices for emerging brands. Centric Visual Innovation Platform (CVIP) offers highly visual digital board experiences for collaboration and decision-making. Centric Software pioneered mobility, introducing the first mobile apps for PLM, and is widely known for connectivity to dozens of other enterprise systems including ERP, DAM, PIM, e-com, planning and more as well as creative tools such as Adobe Illustrator and a host of 3D CAD connectors. Centrics innovations are 100% market-driven with the highest user adoption rate and fastest time to value in the industry. All Centric innovations shorten time to market, boost product innovation and reduce costs. Centric Software is majority-owned by Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D digital mock-up and PLM solutions. Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, including being named by Red Herring to its Top 100 Global list in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Centric also received various excellence awards from Frost & Sullivan in 2012, 2016, 2018 and 2021. Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software Inc.. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Media Contacts: Centric Software Americas: Jennifer Forsythe, jforsythe@centricsoftware.com EMEA: Kristen Salaun-Batby, ksalaun-batby@centricsoftware.com APAC: Lily Dong, lily.dong@centricsoftware.com The report "Medical Tubing Market by Material (Plastics, Rubbers, Specialty Polymers), Application (Bulk Disposable Tubing, Catheters & Cannulas, Drug Delivery Systems, and Special Applications), Structure, and Region - Global Forecast to 2026" The global medical tubing market size is projected to grow from USD 4.9 billion in 2021 to USD 7.9 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 10.0% between 2021 and 2026. Medical tubing is a polymer-based tube produced by the extrusion process. Medical tubes can be inserted into a human body to remove fluids and deliver drugs. They are also used in many medical devices such as catheters & cannulas and peristaltic pumps for removing fluids or inserting drugs. Growing awareness and government initiatives to provide high-quality healthcare facilities ultimately drives the medical tubing market globally. Request a Report Sample to Gain Valuable Insights at https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=162082103 The bulk disposable tubing application segment is estimated to lead the medical tubing market during the forecast period. Disposable medical tubing, also known as common disposable tubing, is designed for single use and can be easily disposed of once used. The major growth factors driving the bulk disposable tubing segment include the need for modernizing healthcare infrastructure, prevention of infection, and need for increased efficiency. The growth of this segment in developing countries is exponential due to the rising economic growth, increased disposable income and purchasing power, and increasing investments by governments to provide superior-quality healthcare facilities. Bulk disposable tubing comprises tubes used in blood bags for blood transfusion, IV infusion tubing, drug delivery disposables, respiratory disposables, products for dialysis, laboratory disposables, and wound management disposables. The plastic material segment is expected to lead the medical tubing market during the forecast period. The plastics segment accounted for the largest share (56.5%) in the global medical tubing market, in terms of volume, in 2020. Plastic is the most dominating material used for medical tubing because of its low cost and ease of processing. PVC is a dominant plastic material used to manufacture medical tubing because of its low price. The ease of fabrication, manufacturing, and assembly makes it a preferred material for medical tubing. PVC can be used in a wide range of applications, as it exhibits excellent stability and chemical resistance. North America is expected to be the largest market for medical tubing during the forecast period. North America accounted for the largest share of the global medical tubing market and is projected to continue dominating the market during the forecast period due to the focused interest of governments in the region to provide high-quality healthcare facilities. Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solutions for Your Business at https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=162082103 The key players in this market are Saint-Gobain (France), Freudenberg Medical LLC. (US), W.L. Gore and Associates Inc. (US), Avient Corporation (US), Raumedic AG (Germany), Lubrizol Corporation (US), Elkem ASA (Norway), Dow Corning Corporation (US), Nordson Corporation (US), Teknor Apex (US), and Optinova (Finland). About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets provides quantified B2B research on 30,000 high growth niche opportunities / threats which will impact 70% to 80% of worldwide companies' revenues. Currently servicing 7500 customers worldwide including 80% of global Fortune 1000 companies as clients. Almost 75,000 top officers across eight industries worldwide approach MarketsandMarkets for their painpoints around revenues decisions. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. MarketsandMarkets now coming up with 1,500 MicroQuadrants (Positioning top players across leaders, emerging companies, innovators, strategic players) annually in high growth emerging segments. MarketsandMarkets is determined to benefit more than 10,000 companies this year for their revenue planning and help them take their innovations / disruptions early to the market by providing them research ahead of the curve. Markets's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "Knowledgestore" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: 1-888-600-6441 sales@marketsandmarkets.com The report "Thin Film Material Market, By Type (CdTe, CIGS, a-Si, Others), End-User Industry [Photovoltaic Solar Cells, MEMS, Semiconductors and Electrical (Circuit Boards), Optical Coating, Others], and Deposition Processes - Global Trends & Forecast , defines and segments the thin film material market with an analysis and forecast of the market value. The advantages offered by thin film material in industrial as well as domestic operations, coupled with the rising demand for efficiency and miniaturization, will continue to drive the thin film material market. The growing demand from end-user industries would be responsible for the growth of thin film material market at a very swift pace in the future. Request a Report Sample to Gain Valuable Insights at https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=232915487 Globally, thin film material manufacturing companies are dependent on the government funding and subsidies. During the global economic crisis, U.S. and the European countries were affected the most. Many countries such as the U.S. and Germany stopped the funding subsidies provided to the thin film material manufacturing companies. This resulted in bankruptcy, closure, or acquisition of these companies by their Chinese counterparts. It also affected the thin film material market adversely causing the revenues to decline in 2013. But the recovering global economy combined with the stringent government regulation and funding from venture capitalists is estimated to provide the market with a necessary boost in the future. The thin film material market is growing steadily in Europe, but will continue to grow at a rapid pace in Asia-Pacific. The countries such as China and Japan are the major contributors to the growing market of Asia-Pacific. The North American markets for thin film material will also continue to grow at a significant rate. The African and Latin American markets have still not realized their full potential but their growth rates would be considerably higher as compared to others owing to low base effect. The thin material market is highly competitive and most companies dont offer all types of thin film material. First Solar (U.S.) is a major player which has dominated the CdTe market, accounting for nearly half of of the total CdTe market in 2012. Hanergy (China) dominated the CIS/CIGS market; occupying around one-third of the market by acquiring other bankrupt companies in 2012. Ascent Solar (U.S.), Kaneka Solar Energy (Japan), and Solar Frontier (Japan) are the other major companies offering CIS/CIGS technology. The a-Si technology is majorly used by Asian companies such as Anwell Solar (Hong Kong), Suntech Power Co. Ltd. (China), and Moser Baer (India). Thin film materials are appropriate for high-density and high-frequency applications. Thin film materials are used for number of applications in several industries such as photovoltaic solar cells, MEMS, semiconductor, electrical and optical coating. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing use of solar energy. The market has also witnessed growth due to various governments investing increasingly in the solar industry globally. However, the shortage of raw material used for the production of thin films could pose a challenge for the growth of this market. Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solutions for Your Business at https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=232915487 The report covers the thin film material market and its trends that concern five regions, namely, Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, The Middle East & Africa, and Latin America; and the major countries in each region such as US, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, China, Japan, India, and others .. Thin film material by types, which are, amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium telluride (CdTe ), and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) along with others have also been studied. Thin film material deposition processes such as, chemical process and physical process are covered. About MarketsandMarkets Markets and Markets is a global market research and consulting company based in the US We publish strategically analyzed market research reports and serve as a business intelligence partner to Fortune 500 companies across the world. MarketsandMarkets also provides multi-client reports, company profiles, databases, and custom research services. M&M covers thirteen industry verticals, including advanced materials, automotives and transportation, banking and financial services, biotechnology, chemicals, consumer goods, energy and power, food and beverages, industrial automation, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor and electronics, and telecommunications and IT . We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: 1-888-600-6441 sales@marketsandmarkets.com The report "Evaporative Condensing Unit Market by End-Use Industry (Commercial, Power, and Chemical), Application (Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning), and Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and South America ) - Global Forecast to 2026 ", The global evaporative condensing unit market is projected to reach USD 1.61 Billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 7.2% from 2016 to 2026. Request a Report Sample to Gain Valuable Insights at https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=111214576 The introduction of evaporative condensing units with advanced technologies has contributed to the growth of this market. Advanced evaporative condensing units are in demand primarily due to the benefits that they offer, such as adaptability, extended durability and shelf life, and improved performance of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Thus, the growing demand for advanced refrigeration systems is expected to fuel the growth of the evaporative condensing unit market. Based on end-use industry, commercial segment of the evaporative condensing unit market expected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2016 to 2026 Evaporative condensing units are being used for refrigeration and air conditioning purposes in commercial end-use industries, such as hotels & restaurants, food processing units, and cold storages & warehouses. These are being used in refrigeration and air conditioning applications in large commercial industries, especially where more than 100 TR (tons of refrigeration) is required. All luxury facilities in the food & service industry prefer evaporative condensing units due to the benefits that they offer, such as adaptability, extended durability and shelf life, and improved performance of refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. Thus, the growing demand for advanced refrigeration systems is expected to fuel the growth of the evaporative condensing unit market for commercial industries. Based on application, the refrigeration segment is expected to lead the evaporative condensing unit market from 2016 to 2026 Evaporative condensing units are used for refrigeration purpose in various industries, such as power, chemical, and commercial industries, among others. The demand for evaporative condensing units is growing from various end-users, such as cold stores, warehouses, restaurants, and food processing units, owing to the growth of food & beverage industry in developing nations. The growing food processing & storage facility market in emerging nations is expected to drive the refrigeration application segment of the evaporative condensing unit market. The evaporative condensing unit market in the Middle East & Africa is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2026 The Middle East & Africa is projected to grow at the highest rate between 2016 and 2026. The Saudi Arabia evaporative condensing unit market is expected to grow at the highest CARG between 2016 and 2026. High economic growth of Saudi Arabia is significantly contributing to the growth of the evaporative condensing unit market in the region. Egypt is one of the key markets for evaporative condensing units in the Middle East & Africa, due to growth of commercial refrigeration industries, such as cold storage, food processing, and power industries, in the country. Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts/Industry Experts to Find Solutions for Your Business at https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalystNew.asp?id=111214576 Key players in the evaporative condensing unit market, such as Baltimore Aircoil Company Inc., Johnson Controls Inc., and DECSA s.r.l. have launched various products to cater to the diverse needs of customers and expand their presence in the market. About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the largest market research firm worldwide in terms of annually published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M & M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Contact: Mr. Aashish Mehra MarketsandMarkets INC. 630 Dundee Road Suite 430 Northbrook, IL 60062 USA: 1-888-600-6441 sales@marketsandmarkets.com Litchfield, CT (06759) Today Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 50F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Rain showers early will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Gerard Cinq Mars of the Dayville section of Killingly, has been a member of the Water Pollution Control Authority since 1997, said Mary Calorio, town manager. He was chairman for much of that time, helping to champion major renovations of the towns sewage treatment plant. Instead, OBanner stormed out of the house and opened fire on the crowd gathering in the intersection outside his home, prompting several others allegedly including the teen arrested last week to return fire, nearby security cameras showed. Hardy was killed and a 17-year-old boy was injured, but police have not said whether the teen arrested last week was the same one wounded that day. The Hartford hook had always featured heavily in the stories Shapiros father told him when the elder firefighter came home from his shifts smelling of smoke. The tool was especially useful for pulling apart plaster walls and punching through tin ceilings in search of pockets of flames, and firefighters felt pride in using something designed and hand-built by an earlier generation of Hartford Fire Department machinists. Rochelle declined to discuss her work for West Haven, but a lawyer acting as her spokesman said DiMassa approached her about the job and she was paid $5,000 in June. But the spokesman said the consultancy ended when Rochelle told DiMassa what would be needed to keep moving the project moving forward a request made at about the same time the FBI was preparing to arrest him. Stewart did not offer specifics for what shed have the schools do differently, and state law sharply limits the direct power that mayors have in education. Unlike nearly all other parts of local government, the schools are considered a branch of the state and are managed solely by school boards and their superintendents. You are a founding father, Professor Wood, of a massive campaign of censorship. Youre not the most responsible, but the five of you are responsible. And thats why, right now, I want to ask you to write another open letter to Sen. Cotton, and to Gov. DeSantis, and to all the other demagogues who are using your letter to ban the 1619 project, to say, I am Gordon Wood, and damn it, I am not in favor of censorship. After the bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commissions effort to redraw districts ended in a partisan deadlock, the job has become Supreme Courts. Democratic and Republican leadership in the General Assembly can each offer nominees for the court to hire as special masters to help and the court will pick one nominated by each party. Newport News police spokesman Brandon Maynard told The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press that he didnt know where or when the alleged assault and suspected abduction took place. Maynard also said he didnt know what route and on-ramp the pursuit took in getting onto the interstate from Jefferson Avenue. With the reduction in space of the new store, Barnes & Noble is adjusting the availability of W&M-branded merchandise. The company has recently partnered with Fanatics, the No. 1 retailer of college merchandise, to offer even more apparel operations that resonate with W&M students, parents and alumni nationwide through our new best-in-class website, the spokesperson added. Lubbock, TX (79409) Today Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High near 60F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 32F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Pfizer's results followed news from Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics on Oct. 1 that their oral antiviral drug cut hospitalization and death by half. (AP) Chicago: Oral antiviral pills from Merck & Co and Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE have been shown to significantly blunt the worst outcomes of COVID-19 if taken early enough, but doctors warn vaccine hesitant people not to confuse the benefit of the treatments with prevention afforded by vaccines. While 72% of American adults have gotten a first shot of the vaccine, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, the pace of vaccination has slowed, as political partisanship in the United States divides views on the value and safety of vaccines against the coronavirus. Vaccine mandates by employers, states and the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden have helped increase vaccinations but also fueled that controversy. Some disease experts fear the arrival of oral COVID-19 treatments may further impede vaccination campaigns. Preliminary results of a survey of 3,000 U.S. citizens by the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health suggest the drugs could "hamper the effort to get people vaccinated," said Scott Ratzan, an expert in health communication at CUNY, who led the research. Ratzan said one out of every eight of those surveyed said they would rather get treated with a pill than be vaccinated. "That is a high number, Ratzan said. The concern follows news on Friday from Pfizer, maker of a leading COVID-19 vaccine, that its experimental antiviral pill Paxlovid cut the risk of hospitalization and death from the disease by 89% in high-risk adults. Pfizer's results followed news from Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics on Oct. 1 that their oral antiviral drug cut hospitalization and death by half. That drug, known as molnupiravir, won conditional approval in the UK on Thursday. Both need clearance from U.S. health regulators but could be on the market in December. "By relying exclusively on an antiviral drug, it's a bit of a roll of the dice in terms of how you will do. Clearly, it's going to be better than nothing, but it's a high-stakes game to play," said Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. Six infectious disease experts interviewed by Reuters were equally enthusiastic about the prospect of effective new treatments for COVID-19 and agreed they were no substitute for vaccines. Even in the face of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus, the vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech remain effective, cutting the risk of hospitalization by a combined 86.8%, according to a government study of U.S. veterans. They said some unvaccinated people have already relied on monoclonal antibodies - drugs that need to be delivered through intravenous IV infusions or injections - as a backstop in case they become infected. "I think the Pfizer news is terrific news. It goes hand in hand with vaccination. It doesn't replace it," said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University and Baltimore's former health commissioner. Choosing not to get vaccinated "would be a tragic mistake," said Albert Bourla, chief executive officer of Pfizer Inc. "These are treatments. This is for the unfortunate who will get sick," Bourla told Reuters in an interview on Friday. "This should not be a reason not to protect yourself and to put yourself, your household and society in danger." Antiviral challenges One main reason not to rely on the new pills, the experts said, is that antiviral medications, which stop the virus from replicating in the body, must be given in a narrow window early in the disease because COVID-19 has different phases. In the first phase, the virus rapidly replicates in the body. A lot of the worst effects of COVID-19, however, occur in the second phase, arising from a defective immune response that gets triggered by the replicating virus, said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease expert and the CEO and founder of Just Human Productions, a non-profit multimedia organization. "Once you develop shortness of breath or other symptoms that would lead you to be hospitalized, you are in that dysfunctional immune phase where the antivirals are really not going to provide much benefit," she said. Hotez agreed. He said getting treated early enough could be challenging because the window when the virus transitions from the replication phase to the inflammatory phase is fluid. "For some people, that will happen earlier; for some, later," Hotez said. Hotez said many people in the early phase of the illness feel surprisingly well and may be unaware that their oxygen levels are dropping, one of the first signs that the inflammatory phase of the disease has started. "Oftentimes, you're not going to realize that you're getting sick until it's too late," he said. EU drug agency looking at data on Merck's COVID-19 pill The European Union's medicines agency on Monday began reviewing Merck's COVID-19 treatment pill so that it can swiftly advise national drug authorities in the 27-nation bloc that want to begin using it before it gets official approval. The European Medicines Agency said in a statement that it will give EU-wide recommendations in the shortest possible timeframe to help national authorities decide on possible early use of the medicine, for example, in emergency use settings. The Amsterdam-based agency will give the recommendations while a comprehensive review of molnupiravir continues ahead of a possible application to market the drug. Currently most COVID-19 treatments require an IV or injection. Merck's COVID-19 pill is already under review by the US Food and Drug Administration after showing strong initial results. On Thursday, the United Kingdom became the first country to OK it. In the UK, the pill was approved for adults 18 and older who have tested positive for COVID-19 and have at least one risk factor for developing severe disease, such as obesity or heart disease. Patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 would take four pills of the drug twice a day for five days. In the United States, the FDA has set a public meeting later this month to review molnupiravir. The company reported in September that its drug slashed rates of hospitalisation and death by 50%. The drug targets an enzyme the coronavirus uses to reproduce itself, inserting errors into its genetic code that slow its ability to spread and take over human cells. That genetic activity has led some independent experts to question whether the drug could potentially cause mutations leading to birth defects or tumours. The Central government on November 3 announced slashing excise duty on petrol by Rs 5 per litre and on diesel by Rs 10 a litre to give reprieve to consumers battered by record-high retail fuel prices. (PTI Photo) New Delhi: City Congress leaders and workers staged a protest near the Delhi Secretariat at ITO on Tuesday demanding that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal reduce value added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel. Delhi Congress president Anil Kumar said Kejriwal should learn from Punjab and bring down VAT on fuel. "People are deeply troubled due to price rise. The Kejriwal government should reduce at least Rs 10 and Rs 5 on petrol and diesel as has been done in Punjab to provide relief to Delhiites," Kumar demanded. The Central government on November 3 announced slashing excise duty on petrol by Rs 5 per litre and on diesel by Rs 10 a litre to give reprieve to consumers battered by record-high retail fuel prices. Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Saturday said the AAP government is looking into steps it can take to provide more relief to the people from the high prices of petrol and diesel. 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 is higher. BJP-ruled states have cut their VAT on petrol and diesel following the Centre's announcement to cut excise duty. The Congress-led Punjab government on Sunday announced a reduction in VAT on petrol and diesel, making them cheaper by Rs 10 and Rs 5 per litre respectively in the state. Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday announced Rs 10 crore for the construction of 'Kannada Bhavan' in neighboring Goa. The Chief Minister gave this assurance to the office bearers of All Goa Kannada Maha Sangha, who met him at his home office Krishna' in Bengaluru. The delegation was led by BJP national general secretary and MLA C T Ravi. Noting that a large number of people from north Karnataka have settled in Goa, and they are promoting and safeguarding Kannada and its culture there, Bommai said, the government is committed to building Kannada Bhavan in Goa in the interests of Kannadigas. He directed officials to identify land and prepare a detailed project report for construction of the Kannada Bhavan in Goa, the CMO in a statement said. All Goa Kannada Maha Sangha honorary president Siddanna Meti, and other office-bearers expressed happiness about the Chief Minister's announcement, it said. 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 FILE - Pope Francis is greeted by Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi as he arrives at Baghdad's international airport, Iraq, on March 5, 2021. Pope Francis is condemning the assassination attempt against Iraqs prime minister as a vile act of terrorism and says he is praying for peace in the country. The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, sent a telegram Tuesday to Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi expressing Francis solidarity and prayers to al-Kadhimis family and those injured in the drone attack on the prime ministers residence. Emporia, KS (66801) Today Abundant sunshine. High near 60F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few passing clouds. Low 29F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. The maps of drought, flood and heat-stress risks are from research by a large international team in the EU-funded project HELIX (High End cLimate Impacts and eXtremes) www.helixclimate.eu , led by the University of Exeter. One billion face heat-stress risk from 2C rise The numbers of people in regions across the world affected by extreme heat stress a potentially fatal combination of heat and humidity could increase nearly 15-fold if the worlds temperature rise reaches 2C. At the new temperature - according to new figures and a map from the Met Office - the number of people living in areas affected by extreme heat stress rises from 68 million today to around one billion. A 4.0C rise could see nearly half of the worlds population living in areas potentially affected. The indicator used for this assessment of a wet-bulb globe temperature above 32.0C (see definition below*) is part of the international standard for measuring heat stress in working environments. Above these levels, increased rest time is recommended per hour in order to avoid heat exhaustion. Dr Andy Hartley, Climate Impacts Lead at the Met Office, said: Above this level people are defined as being at extreme risk. Vulnerable members of the population and those with physical outdoor jobs are at greater risk of adverse health effects. Currently, the metric is met in several locations, such as parts of India, but our analysis shows that with a rise of 4.0C, extreme heat risk could affect people in large swathes of most of the worlds continents. The findings are revealed as part of a series of maps showing regions affected by five different effects of climate change at 2.0 C and 4.0 C. The others are: river flooding; risk of wildfire; drought; and food insecurity. The maps of drought, flood and heat-stress risks are from research by a large international team in the EU-funded project HELIX (High End cLimate Impacts and eXtremes) www.helixclimate.eu, led by the University of Exeter. The Met Office team did further analysis for the UK government to assess where the most severe projected impacts overlap with each other and with the regions currently most vulnerable to food insecurity. Prof Richard Betts MBE of the University of Exeter and Met Office, who led the HELIX project, said: This new combined analysis shows the urgency of limiting global warming to well below 2.0 C. The higher the level of warming, the more severe and widespread the risks to peoples lives, but it is still possible to avoid these higher risks if we act now. Dr Andy Wiltshire, Head Earth System and Mitigation Science, added: Any one of the climate impacts presents a scary vision of the future. But, of course, severe climate change will drive many impacts, and our maps show that some regions will be affected by multiple factors. Perhaps unsurprisingly, parts of the tropics are most affected with countries like Brazil and Ethiopia potentially facing impacts from four of the hazards. Rapid emission reductions are required if we are to avoid worst consequences of unmitigated climate change. Prof Albert Klein Tank is director of the Met Office Hadley Centre. He concluded: These maps reveal areas of the world where the gravest impacts are projected to occur with higher levels of global warming. However, all regions of the world including the UK and Europe - are expected to suffer continued impacts from climate change. Next year the IPCC is expected to publish the Working Group II Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability report. Working Group II assesses the vulnerability of socio-economic and natural systems to climate change, negative and positive consequences of climate change and options for adapting to it. (*) Human heat stress risk depends on both temperature and humidity, and is indicated using wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT). WBGT above 32.0C is defined as extreme risk. At this level, vulnerable members of the population, and those with physical, outdoor jobs are at greater risk of adverse health effects. See more on the Met Office website 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. The Australian PM Scott Morrison was caught in a rock and a hard place after canceling a diesel submarine deal with France. This situation made it difficult for him to deal with French President Emmanuel Macron and other EU leaders, also the US bid to pacify Paris. Placed in a tenuous position by the admission of Joe Biden, the submarine pact was very wrong, and not covering for Canberra, led Macron to call Morrison a liar. It was not a good day for Australia due to the sequence of events that included leaked texts. One impression from the whole affair is that Canberra is left to fend for itself in EU anger. US apologizes for not telling France about submarine deal Speaking to the French leader, Joe Biden endorsed the defense pact between the two participants and admitted that was the deal came about was clumsy, and done awkwardly, reported the Express UK. According to Dr. Romain Fathi, a historian at Flinders University and Paris' Sciences Po university, remarked to News AU; it was hell week for the Aussie PM. Morrison made many missteps in the G20 Rome summit and the COP 26 climate meets in Glasgow. Whatever the AUKUS fallout sidelined gains that could have been gained. In seven days, the PM has led Canberra to become alone in a community of nations that gave it a poor reputation. The reaction of the French leader was called a massive fit by many, and an overreaction to getting shafted allegedly, the US and the Australian PM canceled the diesel submarine deal in favor of the AUKUS deal. Aukus: French president says Australian PM lied over submarine deal https://t.co/D5ckkIkomR BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) October 31, 2021 Read Also: Is French Sovereignty at Stake with Joe Biden's Interference in Fishing Row Between UK, France After AUKUS Deal Fallout? Dr. Fathi said two things were cardinal errors, like putting his hand on Macron and leaking texts would not solve the fallout. Someone will lose in the end on the world stage. He did not accept any implication that Paris was overplaying its hand. Fathi justified the outrage of Paris as the automatic reaction after getting blindside, that would be the same kneejerk reaction of Canberra. One statement from an international relations consultant, Dr. Erin Watson-Lynn, she attended six G20s before this. She added the world will be agnostic or even benign to PM Morrison's showing abroad, cites Hot World report. Furthermore, explaining that a middle power does not get much attention in developments like Australia, compared to more prominent nations. US sponsored sub deal had Paris was raging over the broken deal with Canberra Dr. Fathi made it clear that the harm was not in the COP 26 or the G20 during the week concerned. It all began in September when the AUKUS deal was proclaimed, and the fallout fell so fast. Things could not have changed either way as Paris was raging over the broken deal. Nothing could have changed the outcome or stopped the event that followed. In a media interview of NSW's Liberal Treasurer Matt Kean, he told the outlet that the US-brokered Submarine deal besmirches Australia's international reputation. Overall, the Australian PM Morrison dropping the French deal and choosing the AUKUS deal is not what allies note France. But Joe Biden let Australia suffer the consequences on their own. Related Article: Joe Biden's Apology to France May Backfire; White House Documents Show the AUKUS Pact was Doomed From the Beginning @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Pentagon has mentioned that China revs up its increased nuclear threat by adding more warheads to its arsenal. It comes as Beijing took Washington by surprise with its hyper glide vehicle that can carry a nuclear warhead and orbit the earth. Concern by US officials with the leapfrogging of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in many aspects of military advancement. According to the US Department of Defense (US DoD), it is a threat that will overlap in due time because Beijing is hurtling headlong to surpass America. PLA nuclear advancement has exceeded US expectations Sources are grimly predicting a total of 700 nuclear warheads coming soon by 2027 and around 1000 by 2030, reported the Express UK. This alarming report shows that the PRC has exceeded the projection of the US, which was a year ago. PRC has about 200 warheads that will rise significantly in 2030. These figures are based on the speedy adoption of modern weaponry that includes striking back with a nuclear option, plus building multiple missile silos for their upcoming arsenal. Similar to the US, China is developing a nuclear triad, which encompasses launching via land and being released from aircraft. Last would be the deadliest, which is coming from an SLBM or submarine-launched ballistic missile. All these systems are counter deterrents, not a first strike option, cites the Global Times. But, the US has about 3,750 nukes and keeping them at this number with no increases in the future. It is a huge drop from the 10,000 it had in 2003. If China revs up its increased nuclear threat to have all the nukes ready, that won't be a surprise. Read Also: NASA Asks the US Government for Budget To Develop Nuclear Powered Rockets to Prevent Chinese Domination of Space The US expects Xi to be transparent about their arsenal According to one report, China is not looking to have a first strike option against the US. Their weapons exist to stop attacks from the US or hostile actors. But the US is concerned over the PLA's intent. One US defense official remarked that the PRC is developing its weapons fast, which he said it is getting to become worrisome. The US expects China to become transparent and explain what is happening, but the Chinese remain as if nothing is to explain. The Pentagon expects China to be predictable and have fewer capabilities than would be capable. In Beijing's point of view, they need to outdo anywhere. Remarking on the situation, the US official begs the question of what does China wants to achieve. According to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, who spoke about the quick of the PRC's progress that has overshadowed the US, he called the rapid advance of Beijing as a world power is enormous, and America might not be able to cope. Pentagon officials have deemed China as its primary concern shortly. The People's Liberation Army, if it goes well, should be a force hegemon by 2049, noted TRT World. This is not making the US any confident. Beijing is lining up a dangerous array of capabilities to field forces for air, space, and sea forces that will rival the US and Russia. Taiwan is caught in a power struggle between the US and China. Taipei gets the US and some allies' support US sources claim that China can mount an invasion of Taiwan by 2027, but the US is bringing allies into play. If China revs up its increased nuclear threat that the US cannot defend, Taiwan might be forced to follow. Related Article: Chinese Space Technology Advances at an Alarming Rate That Raises US Concern @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. To help more than 22 million people in Afghanistan, the World Food Program (WFP) will have to expand its supply. A large number of people may experience severe hunger and widespread famine if the weather turns out to be as awful as experts expect this winter. The weather has changed dramatically from early fall warmth to a severe chill. Drought has been recorded in various locations, heightening the sense of approaching doom, and the country is now experiencing "hell on earth." Qatar helps Afghanistan amid severe hunger The World Health Organization (WHO) transported roughly seven metric tonnes of life-saving medications and supplies to Afghanistan with the help of Qatar. An aircraft carrying around seven metric tons of life-saving medications and supplies arrived in Kabul on November 4, according to the WHO. The global agency worked with Qatar Airways' operations and logistics staff, as well as the Qatari government, to deliver the supply, Republic World reported. Dr. Mutlaq AlQahtani, Qatar's Special Envoy for Counter-Terrorism and Conflict Resolution Mediation, encouraged the international community to continue assisting Afghanistan. In light of the development of new COVID-19 variants and the upcoming winter season, AlQahtani highlighted the significance of delivering help to Afghanistan. Qatar continues to support the war-torn country in enabling supply airlifts, according to Dr. Mutlaq AlQahtani. Before the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan in August, there was hope that President Ashraf Ghani's government would be able to deal with the danger of a hard winter with the help of the international community. That support vanished when Ghani's administration came apart. Western countries have cut off help to the country because they don't want to be associated with a dictatorship that forbids females from attending school and favors reinstating the full range of Sharia penalties. In Afghanistan, many poor people are living in a nation that has been devastated by more than two decades of conflict. When the Taliban retook power in August, thousands of people fled the country, and many more attempted but failed to flee. Read Also: India, China To Purchase Russia's S-500 Missile Defense System; 3 Top Methane Emitters Won't Pledge To Cut Emissions Afghan children are most affected by famine Many of those who have stayed have been evicted from their houses and are now living in deplorable conditions around the country. Some Afghans are living in camps, where they are squatting in worn-out tents and using clothing that isn't thick enough to keep them warm in the freezing winter conditions. Others are unable to heat their houses due to a lack of gasoline. Hundreds of people are reportedly queuing for hours to receive flour at World Food Programme distribution locations, which are controlled by Taliban troops who turn away those who are not qualified for supplies, according to BBC News. Several droughts in the nation have resulted in fewer harvests, and clean water pipelines also freeze during the winter months. Fatema, a single mother with seven children who live in a cave in Bamiyan, central Afghanistan, says she is "frightened." Per SCMP, Guldana, a two-and-a-half-year-old girl at Kabul's main children's hospital, is sitting up on her bed, but she is too weary even to open her eyes. Only her thin face can be seen since her little body is covered in a blanket. She is one of a rising number of children taken to the Indira Gandhi Children's Hospital in Kabul daily. Hunger is on the rise in Afghanistan, fueled by an economic catastrophe that has only gotten worse since the Taliban seized power over three months ago. Jinnat Gul, Guldana's father, stated he couldn't afford to feed her and his other five children. He used to travel from home to house, gathering and selling junk items. However, the business has dried up for the past three months, and he has barely made any money. According to the World Food Program, the number of Afghans living in near-famine circumstances has grown to 8.7 million, up 3 million from earlier this year. In Afghanistan, about 24 million people suffer from acute hunger or 60% of the population. By the end of the year, an estimated 3.2 million children under the age of five are likely to be malnourished. Related Article: Senior Taliban Commander Among Killed in Kabul Hospital Attack; Incident Undermines New Regime's Security Pledges @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A federal appeals court in the United States imposed a stay on Saturday, halting the Biden administration's attempts to enforce COVID-19 vaccination for workers at organizations with at least 100 employees in the United States. Decision of Three-Judge Panel on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals In a recently published article in The Hill, in granting the stay on Saturday, a three-judge panel on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals highlighted "severe statutory and constitutional problems" with Biden's decision on vaccine mandate. The panel's three justices were all nominated by Republican presidents. After multiple Republican-led states filed legal challenges to the new regulation, slated to take effect on January 4, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit issued its verdict. It mandates that workers at organizations with at least 100 employees in the United States be vaccinated against COVID-19 or tested weekly, noting "severe statutory and constitutional" concerns with the requirement. It is unknown how long legal challenges to the vaccination mandate will take to settle. The regulation is being challenged in court by more than two dozen state attorneys general as well as other groups, according to a published report in Reuters. Read Also: US To Welcome Fully Vaccinated Foreign Visitors After 20-Month Entry Ban Biden's Rule on Vaccine Mandate Last Monday, the Biden administration published the regulation, officially known as an emergency interim norm. Businesses with 100 or more workers are required to have their staff vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing. Employers must comply with the obligation by January 4, according to the regulation. Officials predict that 84 million individuals will be affected by the regulation. An employer might be fined up to $13,600 for each infraction of the regulation, according to a report published in VOA News. Meanwhile, White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that "We think people should not wait. We say, do not wait to take actions that will keep your workplace safe. It is important and critical to do and waiting to get more people vaccinated will lead to more outbreaks and sickness." Businesses Moving Forward To Implement Vaccine Mandate Several firms have already begun to impose their vaccination mandates for workers. Still, authorities believe that the mandate would spur even more coronavirus vaccinations, allowing the US to reduce COVID-19 cases and fatalities. The United States reached the dismal milestone of 750,000 coronavirus fatalities last week. On the other hand, OSHA has the ability under federal law to create a temporary emergency standard if it believes that employees are at "grave risk" and that a rule is required. White House chief of staff Ron Klain told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he is convinced that the legitimacy of the requirement would be sustained when it is properly adjudicated, not simply a temporary order. He claims that if the government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) can urge individuals to wear hard hats on the job and to be cautious around chemicals, it can implement these easy safety precautions. Related Article: Biden's Vaccine Mandate Faces Legal Challenges, Lawsuits; The Administration Is Confident That the Mandate Can Withstand Against Legal Battle @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Americans have been on cloud nine since receiving good news recently. Citizens in the United States were thrilled and relieved when word of a fourth stimulus check surfaced. However, just a few needy Americans will receive stimulus payments, and they will not receive them until 2022. Due to the financial catastrophe that occurred during the pandemic, many Americans have received nearly all three stimulus checks. Nonetheless, only a small percentage of individuals will get the fourth stimulus payment in 2022. Fourth stimulus checks in 2022 There have been a number of newborns, and these new parents who have just given birth to a kid adopted a child or acquired a dependent are all eligible. In 2022, they are expected to get over $1400 in stimulus money, which is equivalent to the third stimulus payment made in March 2020, according to Digital Market News. While filing their tax returns for 2021 in the coming year, new parents must inform the IRS about their babies or new dependents. For their children, they will be deemed eligible for stimulus benefits. Couples making less than $150,000 per year and single parents earning less than $75,000 per year will also be deemed eligible for the complete 4th stimulus check payment. Connecticut and California are among the states that have declared plans to dispense their own stimulus funds, tax relief, or unemployment assistance. In 2022, most local state governments will begin their own stimulus cash programs for qualifying individuals. Los Angeles has launched the BIG LEAP initiative, which would provide 3000 qualified persons with a $1000 monthly payment for a year under the Guaranteed Basic Income program. Chicago will pick 5000 homes at random and pay them $500 every month for a year. The purpose of these stimulus checks is to assist financially disadvantaged persons in the United States. Read Also: Families Will Get $7,200 Stimulus Check in Child Tax Credit New Year; How To Be Eligible For The New Payment? States start distributing additional payments Per BGR via MSN, a petition on Change.org calling for $2,000 stimulus payments per month until the pandemic is over is approaching 3 million signatures. That's just one example of how folks all around the country are eagerly anticipating a new payment. And owing to California's stimulus check efforts, some of them will be able to do so as soon as this week. Residents of the Golden State are receiving stimulus funds of up to $1,100. Direct deposits were first made towards the end of October, followed by paper checks. The latter procedure began on November 1, so if you haven't already, you should be receiving one this week. Of course, this is assuming you're a qualified beneficiary. States are sending out money, unemployment benefits, and tax credit breaks to citizens around the country in order to aid their communities. Each state now has its own program to help residents, with local governments selecting who is eligible for a fourth stimulus check and how much they would get. In the year 2022, eligible residents of Los Angeles and Chicago will get money. BIG:LEAP, Los Angeles' Basic Income Guaranteed initiative, is now accepting applicants. Around 3,000 persons who have been affected by the epidemic and are poor will be picked from a pool of applicants to receive $1,000 in monthly payments for a year, as per The Sun. Related Article: What Stimulus Checks To Look Out for? New Payments May Be Forthcoming for Others in 2022! @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The House Select Committee responsible for investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot has issued more subpoenas to several more of former United States President Donald Trump's associates as the legal battle for information continues. The six new subpoenas target top individuals from the former president's re-election campaign that panel members argue were involved in instigating the idea that the 2020 presidential elections were fraudulent. The subpoenas were sent to individuals, including William Stepien, Jason Miller, John Eastman, Michael Flynn, Angel McCallum, and Bernard Keri. House Committee Subpoenas The committee is using the subpoenas to urge all six individuals to provide documents by Nov. 23, with depositions scheduled over the last week of November into mid-December. In a statement, Select Committee Chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson argued that Trump's closest allies and advisors were responsible for driving a campaign of misinformation. Thompson added that these individuals also planned ways to stop the counting of Electoral College votes amid their attempts. The official said the committee needed to know every single detail about the efforts to overturn the election, including the people they talked to in the White House and in Congress and how they were connected to citizens who joined the rally, CNN reported. The six new subpoenas that the House Select Committee has issued now total 25, and they have received testimonies from more than 150 witnesses. Many expect the panel to issue more subpoenas as soon as later this week. Read Also: Biden's Vaccine Mandate Faces Legal Challenges, Lawsuits; The Administration Is Confident That the Mandate Can Withstand Against Legal Battle While the recent subpoenas focused on individuals whom the panel believes were involved in trying to overturn the elections, Eastman, in particular, is facing widespread criticism. The reason for this is that he spoke at the Jan. 6 rally where former President Trump gave a speech claiming election fraud and urged rioters to storm the Capitol. Additionally, Eastman wrote a memo that the committee believes outlined, in his view, then-Vice President Mike Pence could be capable of stopping formal certification of Congress of Trump's reelection loss. "In the days before the January 6th attack, the former President's closest allies and advisors drove a campaign of misinformation about the election and planned ways to stop the count of Electoral College votes," said Thompson, Reuters reported. Defying the Subpoenas The investigation into the Capitol Hill riot focuses on figuring out exactly what caused the march into the building and preventing future similar incidents. Political strategist Steve Bannon is among the individuals who were previously issued subpoenas amid the investigations. He has been held in contempt, and negotiations are in place to criminally prosecute Bannon for dyeing the subpoena. The situation comes as former President Trump has desperately tried to avoid giving the committee access to House records. The Republican businessman filed a lawsuit to stop the National Archives and Records Administration from releasing documents related to the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill riot. Trump has also called on his former associates, such as Bannon, to defy the committee's subpoenas. Amy and Kylie Jane Kremer, a mother-daughter team who are responsible for organizing the Women for America First rally near the White House the morning of Jan. 6, were also issued subpoenas, USA Today reported. Related Article: Biden's Apologizes After Trump's Administration Left the US Out of the Paris Accord; Beijing Hates Washington's Ploy @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chinese military personnel built models of a US Navy aircraft carrier and US vessels, probably for target practice. Captured Images from Satellites In a recently published article in MSN News, according to the USNI, a private, non-profit, professional military association, satellite images from China's northwest Xinjiang region appear to show a full-scale outline of a "Ford-class" aircraft carrier currently being built for the US Navy, as well as the shapes of at least two Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers at a new target range complex in the Taklamakan Desert. The silhouettes of a US aircraft carrier and at least one warship can be seen on a railway track in photographs obtained by Colorado-based satellite photography provider Maxar Technologies on Sunday. Ruoqiang, a Taklamakan Desert county in northeastern Xinjiang, was recognized by Maxar as the site. Although USNI stated it had detected characteristics on the destroyer such as funnels and weapons systems, it was unclear how many specifics had been included in the putative targets based on the photographs, according to a report published in CNN News. Read Also: Russia Officially Constructs Nuclear-Powered Ballistic-Missile Submarines That Might Terrify Rivals China's Military Advancement To Counter Its Rivals China's huge military upgrading has focused on confronting the naval capabilities of the United States and other nations. The development of land, sea, and air-launched missiles to resist and perhaps destroy enemy warships is shown by the ground-based DF-21D ballistic missile, dubbed the "carrier killer." In recent months, Chinese military aircraft has increased significantly just southwest of Taiwan, the self-governing island republic that Beijing claims and threatens to seize by force. Taiwan receives most of its weapons from the United States, which is required by law to guarantee that the island can defend itself and to take threats to it as issues of "grave concern." Furthermore, China's navy and coast guard are also building new ships at an unprecedented rate, concentrating them in the South China Sea, which China claims in its entirety where tension continues to escalate, according to a published report in The Wall Street Journal. Pentagon's Latest Assessment on China's Military Developments Beijing is quickly developing its arsenal and military capabilities, according to the Pentagon's newest assessment of China's military and security advancements. More than 250 ballistic missiles were fired for testing and training by the PLARF in 2020, more than the rest of the world combined. The Pentagon report was released amid rising tensions over China's military exercises in the Pacific and came just hours after the US military's most senior general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, warned that China's military progress represented one of the world's largest shifts in global geostrategic power. Meanwhile, Beijing claims practically the entire South China Sea as its sovereign territory and has ramped up attempts in recent years to impose supremacy over the resource-rich seas, converting a series of remote reefs and into strongly fortified man-made islands and expanding naval operations in the area, as per The Guardian reports. Needless to say, at least five other nations oppose its territorial aspirations, and Washington has flatly rejected them. As tensions with the United States over the disputed waterway grew, China fired a series of ballistic missiles into the South China Sea in August 2020. Related Article: Xi Jinping Set To Unveil New Doctrine That Could Allow Him To Rule China For Life @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Russian President Vladimir Putin orders naval drills in the Black Sea as a show of force to shut up the west. Another part of the naval drills is to remind Joe Biden that he'll need a lot of help when dealing with the Russian federation. He also wanted to remind the European Union and anyone else that Moscow was not a trifle to deal with. One more sore point in Washington and Moscow relations is the interference of the United States in Ukraine that it objects to. Russia conducts devastating navy drills as a warning to the US US President Joe Biden got on the stage and chastised Putin, Xi Jinping, for not attending the climate summit, but the audience did not take most of his prancing on the world state seriously, reports the Express UK. There were two US navy vessels in the recent drills, the command ship USS Mount Whitney and USS Porter. But the two ships were under watch by the Black Fleet all the while, noted the Tass news agency last Monday. Earlier, the US 6th Fleet has verified that two US naval vessels are part of exercises in the Black Sea with NATO allies and partners. According to the press release by the Black Sea Fleet's press office about the activity in the Black Sea, the naval group of the Yeisk and Kasimov practiced searching for and detecting small anti-submarine warfare ships, which is an element of a surface strike group. Their mission is to hunt down an imaginary submarine with a unit of Ka-27M anti-submarine helicopter. President Putin orders naval drills in the Black Sea that include anti-sub warfare. Read Also: The UK and Kremlin: An Encounter with HMS Defender and Russian Forces in Crimean Sea Causes Row During the drills, the ship's crews will use their data and the ASW helicopter for hunting and looking for a hostile submarine, tracking and attacking it with proper ordnance like torpedoes and rocket-assisted depth charges, cites Exclusive Global News. Several actions were done in the exercise with crews of the Russian ships practicing air defense, shooting at flying targets with surface-to-air missiles and artillery fire. All the naval activities were done at a practice range in the Black Sea, based on a program of activities. An aggressor submarine played the target of the sub-hunting activities. Kremlin's new method with tank support combat vehicles Called the Terminator, a multi-mission well armored, with tracks and a first support fighting vehicle. Armed with heavy weapons and assisted fire control system, fast agile as well. It can attack light targets, tanks, and infantry fighting vehicles; also link up with air defense systems to take out low-flying helicopters and slow-moving aircraft. According to Colonel-General Alexander Lapin, Central Military District Commander, they have tried new ways to use tank support combat vehicles for the 90th Tank Division. Adding a total of nine vehicles will be made into a company by the year's end, on December 1. It will be decided by the defense minister, with instructions coming from the head of the General Staff. In June of the following year, 2022, another evaluation will be underway to explore more tank support combat vehicles. Command expressed more plans to them. Putin orders naval drills in the Black Sea, a crucial waterway that NATO is interested in, especially with Crimea, where ships can be placed. Also, the US and its allies seem to be interested in the threshold of Moscow and how far it would consider such impudence from the US. Related Article: Russia Fires at Practice Targets in Crimean Waters To Warn Off US and UK From Further Territorial Violations @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Authorities have identified the University of Connecticut student killed in a hit-and-run late last month, and say they have apprehended the suspect. Meghan Voisine, 20, was killed by an automobile in Suffield on Saturday. Voisine was a second-year marketing student at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. UConn student died of hit-and-run, companions witnessed According to a statement from the school, she was a member of the campus group Women in Business as well as the Gamma Phi Beta sorority. On October 23, about 10:30 pm, Voisine was crossing a roadway with their companions when she was struck. According to authorities, the car that hit her fled the scene. Frederick Seymour, 58, of Windsor Locks, was arrested by the Suffield Police Department on Friday in connection with the tragic hit-and-run. Per PEOPLE, the complaint said Seymour stepped into the police station on Friday and reportedly confessed to officers. Seymour has been charged with operating under suspension and avoiding responsibility in a fatal or serious injury accident. In the meanwhile, he is being jailed on a $750,000 bail until his court appearance. Additional charges might be filed shortly, according to police, who are still investigating the incident. Seymour had borrowed the vehicle he was driving when he hit Voisine, The Hartford Courant reported. The car's owners later turned him in to police after reading Facebook posts about the hit-and-run. UConn released a statement in response to Voisine's death. Brown told Fox News, the owners of the automobile involved in the tragic hit-and-run notified authorities about Seymour, who borrowed the car from them. When the owners saw a police post about the incident on Facebook, they turned him in. "On Friday morning, when we were preparing his arrest warrant, the accused came to our lobby on his own," Brown said. Read Also: Pennsylvania Mom Faces Charges After Police Discover Dead Baby Hidden Inside Her Bedroom Wall Car owner turned the suspect to the authorities At the time, authorities thought the vehicle that struck Voisine was a newer model SUV, similar to a Jeep Cherokee. According to the Courant, Seymour had a past arrest from December 2019 for driving with a suspended license. "This is a difficult time for the University as we navigate the many emotions people experience after witnessing the death of another community member," the university stated in a statement. " We are aware that tragedy may awaken our own personal experiences of loss and grief, in addition to the pain of this present situation." Meghan Voisine's relatives also released a statement, describing her as a bright light to all who encountered her. Memorial gifts can be directed to Suffield Community Aid, which is located at 450 South Street in Suffield, Connecticut. Meanwhile, police responded to a complaint of a person being struck by a car about 2:50 pm on Sunday, November 7. This happened on Bingham Street in the 7600 block. When police got at the scene, they discovered the victim, a 6-year-old boy who had sustained many injuries as a result of the event. Per CBS Local, the victim was sent to Children's Hospital, but she died as a result of her injuries. The car involved, according to police, is a silver or white Chevrolet Equinox. Anyone with information about this incident should call Corporal Baraboll at 313-943-2275 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK-UP (1-800-773-2587). Related Article: New York Trooper Charged After 11-Year-Old Girl Died When He Intentionally Rammed His Cruiser into Her Dad's Car @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. According to a royal expert, Princess Diana would not have divorced Prince Charles if Queen Elizabeth II had not intervened. In 1981, the Prince and Princess of Wales married in a fairytale wedding. Their marriage, on the other hand, fell apart in 1992, and they divorced in August 1996. Despite their personal problems, Princess Diana never intended to give up on her marriage to Prince Charles, according to royal expert Emma Cooper, the global head of non-scripted television at Pulse Films. Queen allegedly intervened with Princess Diana, Prince Charles' divorce "I believe that even after their divorce in 1992, they continued to perform engagements because I don't believe Diana really genuinely wanted to give up," she told Us Weekly on Tuesday. Cooper worked as an executive producer on the six-part CNN original docuseries "Diana," which focused on the late princess' time in the limelight. While researching her, the royal expert claimed she found some surprising secrets regarding Princess Diana's relationship with Prince Charles. Princess Diana told royal correspondent Jennie Bond in Kensington Palace on the day the late royal's divorce papers arrived that the only thing she wanted to do was to call and speak to Prince Charles. Prince William and Prince Harry's mother was hesitant to do so because she was afraid her ex-husband would think she was "silly again," according to Cooper. Everyone in the royal family, including Princess Diana, knew about Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles' romance. The Princess of Wales was well-informed of the couple's connection and subsequently revealed how the affair contributed to the breakup of her marriage to the Prince of Wales. "Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," the royal remarked in a contentious Panorama interview in 1996. After being persuaded by the Queen to divorce legally, Princess Diana and Prince Charles formalized their divorce in August 1996. Princess Diana's death in a car accident in Paris a year later drew widespread public sadness and media attention. Her legacy has had a significant influence on the Royal Family, notably the popularity of Prince Charles and Camilla, as per Express.co. Read Also: Prince Andrew's Legal Team Given January 2022 Schedule To Toss Sexual Assault Lawsuit; Duke Faces Increased Trouble as "Walls of Silence" Fall Prince Harry, Meghan Markle slammed over Princess Diana film Meanwhile, both royal and television insiders have slammed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for sticking to their Netflix agreement in the face of a flood of inappropriate representations of Princess Diana. Per Page Six, after signing a multi-year agreement with the streamer in September 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are working on a number of projects, including a fly-on-the-wall documentary about their life. However, royal sources have claimed that they should not be accepting money from Netflix because the streaming service continues to profit from Princess Diana's marriage to Prince Charles. Her worst days will be depicted in the show's forthcoming fifth season, including her Panorama interview after the breakup of her marriage to Prince Charles. Jemima Khan, a British filmmaker and socialite who was close to Princess Diana, allegedly dropped out of helping to script the show over the weekend because the tale was not being handled "as respectfully or compassionately" as she had intended, according to the UK's Sunday Times. Related Article: Princess Diana's Close Friend Withdraws Support For Netflix's 'The Crown' Over Disrespectful Script; Royal Experts Urge Prince Harry To Axe the Deal @YouTube @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The French Catholic Church has agreed to sell some of its properties to pay compensations to the victims of sexual abuse, French bishops revealed on Monday, only a month after a report detailed long-running sexual abuse by the clergy in the last 70 years. During an interview, the archbishop of Reims and the president of the Bishops' Conference of France Eric de Moulins-Beaufort said that they would continue to compensate victims and leave no one behind. The announcement comes after he revealed that bishops have been convening to discuss the matter in the last week in Lourdes, a Catholic pilgrimage site located in the southwestern parts of France. Selling Assets and Properties On Monday, bishops unanimously approved the measure, which is only one of many that they approved. Victims groups praised the decision and considered it as a major step in the right direction in the French church's reckoning of sexual abuse of its members. However, the groups said that careful monitoring of the implementation of the measures must be done. The church also decided to create an independent reparations body to process the claims of victims, the New York Times reported. The report of sexual abuse within the French Catholic Church detailed that clergy members abused more than 200,000 children in the last 70 years. The decision to compensate the massive number of victims will result in a fund "financed to whatever extent necessary through the divestment of real estate and other assets." Read Also: Biden's Vaccine Mandate Faces Legal Challenges, Lawsuits; The Administration Is Confident That the Mandate Can Withstand Against Legal Battle Moulins-Beaufort added that if the money from the sale of assets were not enough, the church would be willing to take on loans in order to pay off the compensation of the victims. The reports of the sexual abuse from clergy members allegedly resulted in "deep, total and even cruel indifference for years." The report also argued that the French Catholic Church opted to protect itself and its members instead of the victims of abuse, Reuters reported. French Church's Sexual Abuse Scandal The report of widespread sexual abuse by clergy members was the latest, and one of the most controversial issues to rock the Roman Catholic Church worldwide. Moulins-Beaufort said that they felt disgust and horror after realizing the extent of the damage done by the members of the clergy who allegedly conducted the sexual abuse crimes. France's National Institute of Health and Medical Research into sexual abuse of children in the country was responsible for the broader research that estimated the number of victims. A 2,500-page report was released which gave 45 recommendations for the church, including training of priests and other clerics, revising canon law, and fostering policies to recognize and compensate victims. While France is a traditionally Roman Catholic country, it continued to follow a strict form of secularism in public life based on a 1905 law separating church and state, Aljazeera reported. A member of De la parole aux actes!, an umbrella association of victim groups that was established after the release of the sweeping report, Olivier Savignac, victims were now waiting on how the measure will be implemented and how the church will converse with the victims. Related Article: Man Charged With Unlawful Imprisonment, Possession of a Minor After North Carolina Resident He Kidnapped Was Rescued @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. On Monday, the country's senior law enforcement authorities announced the recovery of around $6 million in ransom money and the filing of additional criminal accusations against a Ukrainian and a Russian national. Ukrainian and Russian National Alleged in REvil Ransomware Attack In a recently published article in MSN News, fresh criminal charges have been filed against a Ukrainian person and a Russian national accused of deploying the REvil ransomware, which infected over 1,000 businesses and government agencies throughout the world last summer. Yaroslav Vasinskyi, a Ukrainian national detained in Poland last month, and Yevgeniy Polyanin, a Russian citizen who is still on the run, are accused of fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering. Vasinskyi was charged in connection with the disastrous July 4 ransomware assault on the software company Kaseya, which damaged hundreds of businesses throughout the United States. The two individuals are part of a cybercriminal gang that has participated in ransomware operations and collected more than $200 million in ransom payments delivered in Bitcoin and Monero, according to the US Treasury Department. Sanctions are also being announced against the two guys, according to a report published in ABC News. Read Also: Biden Directs US Intelligence Agencies to Investigate Into the Latest Ransomware Attack United States To DO Everything To Stop Ransomware Attack Vainskyi is also accused of launching around 2,500 ransomware assaults and seeking $767 million in ransom, of which $2.3 million was finally paid, according to the papers released Monday morning. Vasinskyi and Polyanin do not have an attorney listed. Attorney General Merrick Garland said, "Our message today is clear: The United States, together with our allies, will do everything in our power to identify the perpetrators of ransomware attacks, to bring them to justice, and to recover the funds they have stolen from the American people," according to a report published in Yahoo News. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco praised Kaseya for contacting the FBI and Department of Justice and requesting assistance locating the suspected perpetrators. FBI Director Christopher Wray said that the culprits or anybody participating in the ransomware assault would be pursued and disrupted. Biden Released a Statement President Joe Biden said shortly after that he had kept his pledge to Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold cybercriminals accountable. When Biden spoke with Putin, he promised that the US would take steps to hold cybercriminals responsible. He also added that the United States is mobilizing all of its resources to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors, strengthen domestic resilience, combat the use of virtual currency to launder ransom payments, and leverage international cooperation to disrupt the ransomware ecosystem and address safe harbors for ransomware criminals. Furthermore, according to Garland, REvil ransomware has been installed on around 175,000 machines throughout the globe, with at least $200 million in ransom paid. REvil was also behind the $11 million ransom paid by meat producer JBS in May to unlock its systems. The State Department is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information that leads to the identification or location of the REvil or Sodinokibi cybercriminal gang leaders. The United States is now offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of anybody engaged in the REvil ransomware assault. Related Article: Russian-Speaking Hackers Demand $70 Million in Bitcoin in the Recent Ransomware Attack @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A questionable COVID lab leak has sufficiently demonstrated with evidence the threat of a bio war waged by germ warfare terrorists. But, the problem is the release of the first wild-type coronavirus has gotten worse with each variant. Since intelligence agencies have not pinned down who caused the initial spread, which shows bio-wars are effective. No one knows when or who will release the next engineered pathogen, programmed to kill, much like the SARS-CoV-2, whose origin is a mystery. COVID-19 pandemic origin remains mystery There is no way for anyone to identify how the pathogen was made. Even researchers are stumped about how it came about, reported the Sun UK. One suspicion is that SARS-CoV-2 was made in the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), but recent World Health Organization probes have not proven this. Also, China is not keen on granting full access to its files on the mammalian viral pathogen. Genetic engineering expert Alina Chan and renowned science writer Matt Ridley stressed that not getting the answers will be deadly for the world at large. Next time it might be worse compared to what is happening now. It bodes said Ridley and Chan that weaponize pathogens have proven successful, and even Beijing can get away with it. No one can be held responsible as it is now, which is dangerous if a bio war waged by germ warfare-terrorists comes out tomorrow. Read Also: Researchers Say the Unvaccinated Can Get Reinfection From COVID-19, Disregard Natural Immunity in Favor of Immunization Deadly viruses can cause global chaos As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, a weaponized virus is better than any technological doomsday device. The use of an unseen and infectious virus can be a cataclysm that is invisible, attacking our cells from the inside. They authored a book that states regimes the world over might be carrying out studies in weaponizing deadly pathogens should be looking at what happened in Wuhan, cited News Block. Since the case in the WIV is practically absolved by not having any concrete proof of SARS-CoV-2 manufacture, the danger of other incidents of germ-wars is an ominous shadow. Even the WHO has acknowledged that bio-terrorists threaten everyone, ominous, knowing pathogens are very deadly. Compared to the coronavirus, which is animal-based, more common bioagents have been around and outlawed. They are anthrax, plagues, Botulinum toxin that can kill many fast; these would be devilish outbreaks to control. After the Afghanistan debacle, it has energized anti-west terror groups like Boko Haram, Isis, and even North Korea, devising a virus to attack the west in bio-war. These pathogens could be Zika or Ebola to infect the world, noted Eminetra. Even ISIS has used captured prisoners as their test subjects on germ or chemical weapons in experiments from 2014 to 2016, against the Geneva convention. Based on reports by the UN that reveal the ISIS have attempted to make a doomsday weapon from pathogens. Evidence has shown that ISIL has been busy with its weaponized pathogens, which are under development. There are revelations that ISIS may have attempted to release a deadly toxin but was stopped. If terrorists executed a bio war by germ warfare, it would be because it's easy, untraceable like the coronavirus pandemic, where more hostile actors might opt for this than attacking with weapons. Related Article: New Study Suggests COVID-19 Antibodies Last at Least 10 Months After Infection; Other Studies Refutes the Findings @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Oakland police officers union blamed the country's defunding the police movement for the death of a 23-month-old toddler who lost his life after a shootout in one of the city's freeways after a mass shooting over the weekend. In a statement, the Oakland Police Officers' Association wrote that the city's "sad reality" has been evident from back-to-back tragedies. They noted the young toddler, identified as Jasper Wu, was killed by what officers believe was a stray bullet on Saturday. In the evening of that same day, another murder took place. 23-Month-Old Toddler's Death Investigators said that there was a shootout between vehicles on I-880 in Oakland on Saturday at around 2:10 p.m. While the California Highway Patrol did not believe the armed suspects were aiming for Jasper's mother's car, the family was caught in the middle of the crossfire. Officials reported that Jasper was shot and quickly transported to a children's hospital but immediately died due to the severity of his injuries. Police said that the shooters are still free and that no arrests have been made in relation to the shootout, Kron4 reported. Jasper's aunt said during an interview that she and other family members of the victim were traveling home from San Francisco to Fremont when the stray bullet hit the young toddler. The victim was allegedly struck in the head. The aunt said three other children were sitting in the back of the car that Jasper's mother was driving at the time. Read Also: Biden's Vaccine Mandate Faces Legal Challenges, Lawsuits; The Administration Is Confident That the Mandate Can Withstand Against Legal Battle Officials shut down the northbound side of I-880 starting at 23rd Avenue for more than three hours after the incident took place. Reports revealed that the temporary shut down of the route caused traffic to back up for at least five miles. "Evidence collected on the northbound side of the freeway may indicate the victims were not targeted and the child passenger was struck by a stray bullet," said the California Highway Patrol in a news release on Saturday, People reported. Rising Violence in Oakland Jasper's father is planning to travel from China to attend his son's funeral after not having met the child since he was born, said a spokesperson for the family. The president of Oakland's Chinatown Chamber of Commerce said that Jasper was sleeping inside his mother's car when the stray bullet struck him in the head. The official has been working with the victim's family with funeral arrangements and getting an online fundraising page set up. Chan said that no one, not one parent or family member, would have expected a stray bullet hitting a car and killing a sleeping child. He added that it was a tragedy that Jasper will never be able to celebrate his second birthday this coming December. Jasper's mother was grief-stricken after the incident but was staying strong while focusing on making sure that no other parent was going to suffer from a similar incident, said Chan. Additionally, he said that Oakland's homicide rate was surging, which resulted in Chan requesting more resources in policing. In October, the city surpassed its 2020 homicide total, rising by 40% from 2019, Mercury News reported. Related Article: Man Charged With Unlawful Imprisonment, Possession of a Minor After North Carolina Resident He Kidnapped Was Rescued @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Biden administration does not intend to charge those fleeing Afghanistan any money in order to apply for work permits in the United States. Fees Afghans Are Paying In a recently published article in Business Insider, work permit applications cost $410, and costs for securing lawful permanent residency might cost up to $1,225. This has become a burden to almost all Afghans who are currently in the U.S. today. Meanwhile, parolees have not been spared from paying filing costs of $575 per person, which is the equivalent of an average Afghan year's wage; and those costs might mount up quickly. A family of 22 was requested to pay $12,650 after their case was publicized by one assistance organization. While the application price stays the same, Matthew Bourke, a DHS spokeswoman, pointed out that candidates filing a request for humanitarian parole may obtain a fee waiver via a different procedure, according to a published report in CNN News. Read Also: Taliban Stops Six Planes Full of Evacuees From Leaving Afghanistan; Americans Reportedly Onboard Homeland Security Secretary, Advocate Released a Statement Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement that the US will open doors of opportunity for its Afghan partners by giving accelerated processing and tax waivers to these evacuees, allowing them to begin rebuilding their lives in places throughout the nation more rapidly. President and CEO of Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service Krish O'Mara Vignarajah also said that the news made today gives much-needed financial assistance to their newest Afghan neighbors. The majority of the families they serve have no savings, so every cost is a cause of worry and concern, according to a report published in MSN News. Last month, a group of Democratic senators requested DHS and US Citizenship and Immigration Services to cancel application costs for Afghans seeking humanitarian parole to enter the US, claiming that the cost of the payments is putting a strain on communities here. Numbers of Afghans Who Have Come To the United States According to the Department of Homeland Security, around 51,000 individuals work at eight Department of Defense locations in the United States, with another 2,500 working at sites in Europe and the Middle East. Since August 17, a total of 68,000 Afghans have arrived in the United States, only days before the US troops withdrew from their nation at the end of the month. According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 14,000 of them have been relocated to the United States. Afghans on humanitarian parole, like refugees, have been assessed and admitted to the United States based on a real fear of persecution. However, since they were evacuated immediately from Afghanistan, they do not have access to the full range of benefits offered to people with permanent refugee status the US has requested volunteers to assist support their relocation. 70,000 Afghans have fled to the United States since the civilian government of Afghanistan collapsed in August. The vast majority of them are still based on US military sites. Many of the refugee customers have voiced their dissatisfaction with the incompetence of the bureaucracy that has kept them from obtaining the dignity of a job and the financial stability that comes with it. Related Article: Afghan Interpreters Evacuate to the US Amid Threat of Taliban for Assisting American Troops @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A Singaporean court has decided to delay the imminent execution of a Malaysian man who tried to smuggle heroin into the country in 2009 after campaigners claim that the suspect is intellectually disabled. The man, identified as Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, was scheduled to be executed by hanging on Wednesday for attempting to smuggle a small amount of heroin into Singapore several years ago. Authorities and Malaysian human rights groups have called to delay the suspect's execution after claiming that he has a low IQ. Man With Low IQ Previously, Singaporean courts ruled that the suspect was in full understanding of the actions that he had done. On Tuesday, the court of appeal will once again hear the case on the grounds that Mr. Nagaenthran is not of sound mind. The suspect's attorney, M Ravi, said that Nagaenthran was a victim of the incident and should be released from custody. The legal expert said that his client was "gamed" and was a victim of the [drug-trafficking] operation. Ravi argued that the suspect needed treatment and help, BBC reported. Many campaigners against the execution of Nagaenthran called the sentencing of the man "sickening" and a "systemic failure." They argued that the situation put the city-state's zero-tolerance drug laws under scrutiny. Read Also: Biden's Vaccine Mandate Faces Legal Challenges, Lawsuits; The Administration Is Confident That the Mandate Can Withstand Against Legal Battle The High Court ruled on Monday to delay the suspect's execution following a last-minute constitutional challenge. The situation was brought by Nagaenthran's lawyer which gives supporters of the man a small glimmer of hope. While the suspect's execution is currently on hold, the court dismissed Ravi's attempts to declare his client's execution as unconstitutional. However, they did grant a stay of execution until an appeal on its decision can be heard, CNN reported. Malaysian Man's Execution During the suspect's arrest in 2009, narcotics officers discovered a small amount of heroin strapped onto Nagaenthran's left thigh at a checkpoint. In November 2010, he was sentenced to death under Singapore's strict drug laws. Previously, courts denied an appeal to reduce the penalty to life in prison. Just last year, a final push for presidential clemency was rejected. However, supporters of the Malaysian man argue that the suspect's IQ was disclosed during a trial at the High Court as 69. The number represents a level that is internationally recognized as an intellectual disability. But the court maintained the death sentence, arguing that Nagaenthran knew what he was doing. Nagaenthran's family lives in Ipoh which is located in the northern parts of Malaysia and his mother was assisted by Kirsten Han, an activist. Han helped the suspect's family, including his two younger siblings, and his cousin, to be flown to Singapore. They have been allowed to have daily prison visits since last week when they arrived. "The main thing that I've heard from Nagen's younger brother is that Nagen has been disoriented, he doesn't quite make eye contact and goes between periods of lucidity and confusion. His brother even doubts that he fully grasps that his execution date is so close," said Han, ABC News reported. On the other hand, Sarmila Dhamalingam, the suspect's older sister who was unable to travel to the country, said she was able to talk to her brother by phone on Monday. Related Article: Southwest Airlines Accused of Racial Profiling After Mom, Daughter Were Interviewed by Police Due To Suspicious Behavior on Plane @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A group of European nations is forming a consortium to develop a patrol corvette suited for their individual needs. This decision comes as the need for customized vessels built to suit the needs of specific nations and what systems will be fitted onto them. The EU defense will make the upcoming warship cheap, effective, and versatile for a few different mission types it will be utilized. These countries are France, Italy, Spain, and Greece that will initiate the project. Instead of bigger ships like destroyers, they will be frigates and corvettes but armed heavily with offensive weapons and defensive systems. Four nations' common platform to develop patrol corvette It is based on the specifications of the European Union, with several members bankrolling the project, which will be called the Patrol Corvette that will serve in most naval forces in the EU. The objective is to build a multi-purpose vessel equipped with any weapons system and heavily customizable. A final design will be a jack of all trades and with swappable loadout that will be like plug and play, even have the base ship as an option too, reported 19FortyFive. Most participating countries make it a collaborative program that will consider how the warship will be used. For now, all the consortium members are looking at two main versions to be built. The two versions planned are the heavier armed Full Combat and the Long-Range multi-purpose version with several differences between them, despite the similar platforms of the Patrol Corvette. Read Also: After 4 Years Commissioning, US Navy Adds Stealth Destroyer to the US Fleet Primary configuration of the corvette The fully armed version is mounted a good number of missiles for air defense and ship killing operations, emphasizing the most weapons it can load for its cargo. But the long-range version is to have the ability to conduct a process in longer ranges and project force distantly. The size of the vessels is about 330 feet long and has a displacement of 3,000 tons. It is smaller than a destroyer but is more compact and dense. Italy will get eight of the European Corvette Program (ECP) of the countries signed on the deal. Next, France and Spain will get six-ship each. Last is Greece with no specific number in mind but is shopping for a new ship, noted TakTikz. Several considerations are crucial before the four nations start deciding the specifics and more delicate details for the European Defense Fund in early December 2021. It would cost about $7 billion to fund the project, and the projected cost per ship produced is from $250 to 300 million once the project starts rolling. Besides the four EU nations involved, Portugal and Denmark have signaled interest in the corvette project. Compared to the AUKUS pact that includes Australia, the UK, and the US, which dealt with nuclear submarines, Canberra ditched the deal with the French state-owned Naval Group. The US snuck in their value without consultation and took away potential income from the EU. The deal's total cost was $60 billion, and the US and the UK will be the beneficiaries of the sale of nuclear-enabled subs. Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is the umbrella where the Patrol Corvette is included, with everything transparent and emphasizing EU defense. Related Article: Navy Plans New Weapons Strategy for New Frigate Deployment @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. United States authorities have announced the lifting of some travel restrictions on Monday, allowing international tourists to enter the region from 33 other countries with the requirement of having been fully vaccinated. The announcement comes after nearly two years since the implementation of travel bans by former United States President Donald Trump's administration. The administration enforced the regulations to curb the spread of the coronavirus pandemic within the region from other nations that were also struggling with the disease. Lifting of Travel Restrictions The list of countries whose travelers were not allowed to enter the United States included China, India, the majority of Europe, and land travelers from Canada and Mexico. United States President Joe Biden signed a proclamation on Oct. 25 that aimed to revoke the suspensions and limitations on entry into the country. The new rules that were announced affect non-U.S. citizens who were coming into the country by air travel, non-U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents, or immigrants. However, travelers are still required to show proof of vaccination from the coronavirus disease before being allowed to board a flight to the U.S., CNET reported. However, there are exceptions to the rule, such as people who have recently recovered from the infection in the last 90 days. These individuals are not required to show proof of test for the coronavirus, only documentation that shows they have fully recovered from the illness. The announcement caused a surge of international travelers trying to get into the United States on Monday. The travel ban lift resulted in lines forming at the Canada and Mexico borders before daybreak. Others were quick to board flights from Europe, including dueling departures from London's Heathrow airport. Read Also: Donald Trump Slams Mitch McConnell, Republicans for Helping Pass Joe Biden's $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill For people younger than 18, U.S. officials require them to show a recent negative test for the coronavirus infection before being allowed to board a plane to the region. Travelers trying to enter the United States via land or ferry for non-essential reasons must be fully vaccinated. Despite warnings from federal officials regarding possible long queues at entry points to the United States, there have been very few delays as visitors continued to enter by land and air, USA Today reported. Surge of International Travelers During a late October travel industry conference, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said that the first few months of reopening travel borders would be messy. He added that will surely be long lines of people trying to get into the United States. Many Delta flights scheduled to arrive on Monday were completely packed with high load factors in the following weeks. The airline company has observed a massive 450% increase in international bookings in the six weeks after announcing the reopening of the U.S. travel restrictions. In an interview, the Lufthansa Group said that its carriers were operating 31 flights to the United States on Monday, which were all fully booked. On the other hand, Virgin Atlantic revealed that its flights were 98% full as others, including Swiss Air and British Airways, said passenger volume on flights going to the United States was high, CNN reported. Related Article: Southwest Airlines Accused of Racial Profiling After Mom, Daughter Were Interviewed by Police Due To Suspicious Behavior on Plane @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. In a retort to the climate summit, Beijing scours Cop 26 goals as unrealistic and will pursue what it perceives are the best emission target. Despite what the west and its allies think about China's alternate path to zero CO2, it will ignore them and Joe Biden's antics at the summit's podium lashing out. Even before the Glasgow Summit, many have predicted that the meeting would not get the support it needed. Especially with Russia and China, who are called polluters for not adopting green energy. As a backdrop to COP 26, there is a shortage of gas and coal in Europe. Vladimir Putin's choice does not dive into green energy proved wise, while the EU faces a winter. China says climate chnage plans are not doable Chinese officials have panned the climate change commitments by those who agreed at keeping most global warming at less than two centigrade as fantasy. Senior adviser of the delegation from China, Wang Yi, contested that it is even realistic that the 1.9C is achievable, reported the Express UK. He pointed out that members of the COP 26 are out of it, thinking pegging the goal at 1.9C or 2.7C is not practical. Instead, he suggested that it's better to base on a more concrete action or solution. President Xi Jinping did not attend the climate summit at Glasgow and chose to forego attending it. He added that the negotiators would be only 50, not more than a hundred, when they went to Paris. Wang added that pandemic protocols with the 21-day isolation had reduced the number of members to make the delegation. Isolating too many members is not acceptable on the return back when Beijing scours Cop 26 Goals as unrealistic, which it finds as not practical for everyone. Read Also: Britain Angered by Joe Biden's Attempt to Appease France Regarding the French, Brexit Fishing Row As Another Misstep in Foreign Policy Joe Biden takes the stage again On the stage in Cop 26, US President Joe Biden, 78, called Xi's nonappearance as an error; then went on to posture on stage, and even allegedly slipping off while talking, cited the Independent. Wang added why Beijing should commit when it disagrees with the climate change goals. He said that China is denounced as a polluter and somehow singled out for it. He added that how his country is perceived cannot be changed, and he could do nothing about that. He stressed that changes are planned to have a reasonable goal for China, all that needs to be done is in consideration. Also, the attitude toward the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) allows their efforts to be discounted. A position paper was submitted by Beijing to reach the zero-emission goal for 2030, which are five documents that outline how to deal with peaked CO2 gas emission by 2030, noted the BBC. The diplomat said that Beijing's efforts to inform the west of the actions towards the climate is generally ignored, also unread. Adding that from all the documents and its position papers is even more than some countries in the west. But, according to the Rhodium Group that marked the PRC with 27 percent emissions of carbon gases in 2019. But the US is the second-worst, and India is the third one. Wang said that China is developing and cannot accept the COP 26 goals, which will be a challenge. Peaking would be much easier than zero carbon. Beijing rubs Cop 26 goals as unrealistic concerning its demands on other nations and benefits a few only, which is a problem. Related Article: Is French Sovereignty at Stake with Joe Biden's Interference in Fishing Row Between UK, France After AUKUS Deal Fallout? @ 2021 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Cumulative counts on the fourth stimulus check online petitions have finally reached 4 million signatures. Many Americans anticipate the response of the White House and Congress on this development. On top of the stimulus money, Chicago promised to give away $500 monthly payments to 5,000 low-income households. Several studies proved that stimulus checks are effective means against economic poverty. This is because the money is spent on basic necessities like food, medicine, and rental bills. It improved recipients' well-being by decreasing their anxiety and depression. It also reduced unemployment rates by providing immediate financial relief. This makes a fourth stimulus critical for many Americans. Fourth Stimulus Check Update: 4 Million Signatures Since the federal government gave no indications about a fourth stimulus check, some Americans took the initiative to start an online petition for it. The most popular online petition was launched by the Denver restaurant owner Stephanie Bonin, and the said campaign has already amassed 2,953,018 signatures out of its 3 million goal at the time of writing. Bonin proposes $2,000 recurring checks for the duration of the pandemic, emphasizing the need for reliable and recurring payments to help Americans in the midst of the crisis. Aside from Bonin's petition, Yahoo! Finance sources said several other petitions also reached 1 million signatures collectively. This makes a total of 4 million Americans asking for the approval of a fourth stimulus check. Unfortunately, White House and Congress have yet to acknowledge these petitions. Read Also: Cybersecurity Expert Warns Google Android Exposes Users 'Private Information, More: How to Protect Yourself The Basic Income Program: Chicago $500 Monthly Payments Aside from online petitions, some government agencies authorized basic income pilots in their respective cities. Just recently, the Chicago city council finally approved one of the largest basic income programs in US history. The city will give out $500 monthly payments, effective for one year, to 5,000 low-income households eligible for the program. According to Insider, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot said "growing up, I knew what it felt like to live check to check. When you're in need, every bit of income helps." This pilot aims to relieve eligible families from their financial burdens during this pandemic. For reference, hundreds of thousands of Chicago residents lost their jobs due to the pandemic. Approximately 18 percent of the resident population ended up falling below the federal poverty line. Keep in mind, however, that there are eligibility requirements for the program. According to WTTW, these are: Chicago resident who is enrolled City Colleges or has a dependent: (a) who is enrolled in Chicago Public Schools or City Colleges or (b) who is not yet the minimum age to attend Chicago Public Schools; Negatively impacted by the COVID-19, especially on financial issues. Must have income at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, less than $35,000 per year. Not employed of or elected officials of the City of Chicago or the State of Illinois. Residents who qualify for on these eligibility requirements are recommended to immediately apply. Related Article: Fourth Stimulus Check Update: $15000 Payment Rumors Not True, But LA Approves $1000 Monthly Checks For those who are waiting for some new reports about the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G, a notable leaker has disclosed that the upcoming Samsung device will have no headphone jack. Aside from that, it is worth noting that the refresh rate will remain the same as the Galaxy A52. Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Leak: No Headphone Jack According to known leaker @OnLeaks in partnership with Digit, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G has a nearly identical design to the Galaxy A52, with the exception that the rear panel is flat and does not curve around the edges. In terms of its camera, the camera hump has reportedly been refined from the A52 and appears to be an extension of the back panel. In addition, Samsung Galaxy A53 is said to have a smooth curve that surrounds the camera module, providing a seamless look and feel. The upcoming Samsung Galaxy device is alsoalleged to have a quad-camera array on the back and a punch-hole notch cutout for the selfie camera on the front. Digit added that some earlier rumors stated that the device is expected to have a 64MP primary camera, 12MP ultrawide angle, and a 5MP macro lens Meanwhile, the size of the device has been speculated to be slightly slimmer than the Galaxy A52, which measures 8.14 mm thick and 9.73 mm with the rear camera hump. Surprisingly, the 3.5mm audio port has reportedly been removed from the Samsung Galaxy A53, which could means that Samsung consumers must rely either on the Type-C adapter or wireless earphones. Olt News added that this is not the first time that Samsung has ditched the 3.5mm port on a low-end phone since the tech giant did make the same omission to the Galaxy M52s. Aside from OnLeaks and Digit, Michel Groenheijde of the Galaxy Club claimed that the Samsung Galaxy A53 would be offered in at least four colors next year. In addition to black and white, a light blue and orange version would be available in the lineups. "We spotted the Galaxy A50 in a 'coral orange' color at the time (2019). We haven't yet decided whether the A53's orange will be similar," Groenheijde furthered. Read Also: Clubhouse App Android, iOS: How to Use 'Replay,' Best Features of New Tool Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Specs In a separate report, Digit provided a list of the rumored Samsung Galaxy A53 5G specs for fans to have an idea of what to expect from the new device. In terms of its chipset, Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is said to be using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. For those who are not familiar with the stated chip, Android Central shared that it is the latest mobile chipset for premium mid-range devices, which improves overall CPU performance by 40 percent as well as faster graphics performance by another 40 percent over the previous version. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the said device would have a Super AMOLED display feature while retaining the same 120Hz refresh rate display on the A52. Unfortunately, the battery life only offers up to 4,000mAh, which is relatively lower than the previous Samsung Galaxy A52 that has 4,5000mAh. Related Article: Samsung Galaxy S22 Release Date, Price Leaked: Early 2022 Launch, Cheaper Price Teased! Actor Lee Sang-yoon played the character of Han Seung-wook in the SBS comedy series "One the Woman." Courtesy of JWide Company By Lee Gyu-lee When the SBS comedy series "One the Woman" was announced as a follow up to "The Penthouse: War in Life 3" in September, the creator and cast felt immense pressure because its predecessor was so popular with an almost 20 percent viewership rating. "One the Woman" aired its first episode with a relatively humble start it's viewership was in the single digits. But it didn't take long for the new series to prove itself as catchy and hilarious. Viewer ratings rose to double-digit figures from the third episode and the show eventually ended its 16-part run Saturday with its highest rating of 17.9 percent. Actor Lee Sang-yoon, who co-led the series with Lee Ha-nee, said that he was confident of the series' success from the beginning. "Viewer ratings are unpredictable, so I didn't expect that ours would be so high. But I was certain that the viewers would enjoy it very much," the actor said during the interview with The Korea Times via Zoom, Friday. "The reason behind the series' success is that it is cathartic. The plot and its lines are so satisfying. And I think the viewers enjoyed how the actors did a good job of putting life into those interesting lines." Directed by Choi Young-hoon, whose previous work includes the romantic comedies "Good Casting" and "Second to Last Love," the series revolves around corrupt prosecutor Cho Yeon-joo (Lee Ha-nee) and the scion of a chaebol family Han Seung-wook (Lee Seung-yoon). Yeon-joo loses her memory after a mysterious car accident and wakes up to a different life where she is mistaken as her lookalike Mi-na who has married into a wealthy chaebol family. While struggling to settle into the unfamiliar life of the rich, she realizes she is not actually Mi-na and discovers that the in-laws' dark secret is connected to the death of her grandmother. Teaming up with Mi-na's cousin-in-law Seung-wook, who believes his own relatives are responsible for his father's death, the two seek revenge on the rich family and bring them to justice. A scene from the series / Courtesy of SBS Actor Lee Ji-hoon / Courtesy of G-Tree Creative Bumpy road ahead for IHQ's new drama, 'Sponsor,' as lead actor, some staff mired in dispute By Kwak Yeon-soo IHQ's upcoming series, "Sponsor," has been mired in a controversy over allegations of wrongful behavior by actor Lee Ji-hoon during production just weeks before the drama's premiere on Nov. 29. Lee, who is about to play his first lead role in the drama, has been at odds with some staff over a recent reshuffle. The actor has denied the allegations that he influenced the production house to replace several staff, including the screenwriter, with new ones. In a statement uploaded on his Instagram account, he denied allegations that he had committed "gapjil," claiming he's not influential enough to replace the staff. "Gapjil" is a Korean word referring to the abuse of power by people in authority against those they outrank. In response to the rumors, Lee wrote, "I am shocked and my heart is broken. I don't have enough guts to exercise any sort of power to remove or appoint anyone." The allegations surrounding the actor were made on Nov. 3 after one of the series' staff claimed that Lee always showed up late and brought his friend to the set, who later got into a fight with a floor director. Lee explained that he had been late because there had been some miscommunication, and his friend had visited the set to give him a present for his birthday. He apologized on behalf of the friend for causing trouble. However, he denied that there was any physical fight involved and said that he had tried to get his friend to reconcile with the floor director. "I know I've done some things wrong and I accept the blame for it, but I only want to be blamed for the things I actually did wrong," he added. His statement, however, has not silenced the accusers. Screenwriter Park Gye-hyung claimed that he and a few other staff members had been fired after Lee complained about his screen time. The poster for the IHQ drama, "Sponsor" / Courtesy of Victory Contents Ruling Democratic Party of Korea presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung poses at the Korea Exchange building in Seoul, Nov. 4. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun Retail investors unsatisfied with Lee's cautious approach By Park Jae-hyuk Ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung started to soften his stance toward short-selling on the local stock market, in contrast to last year when he supported a ban on the investment move which bets on a drop in a stock prices. The issue is raising concerns from retail investors, as they have been urging the DPK presidential candidate to specify more detailed measures to ensure fair competition with overseas and institutional investors. Earlier this week, the DPK candidate wrote on Facebook that individual investors should be allowed to borrow a greater amount of shares for short-selling, so that they can engage in competition with larger investors on a level playing field. He also mentioned the possible necessity of harsher punishments for illegal short-sellers, such as those who conduct short-selling without actually borrowing stocks. Lee, however, did not call on the complete prohibition of short-selling on the Seoul bourse, nor asked financial regulators to continue the ongoing ban on shorting stocks that are not included in the KOSPI 200 and Kosdaq 150 indices. During his visit to the Korea Exchange last week, he also declined to comment on the complete resumption of short-selling in domestic stock markets. In August last year, the former Gyeonggi Province governor said that the government should continue its temporary ban on short-selling for at least six more months, citing the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, although he has never denied advantages of the investment method, such as enhancing market effectiveness and liquidity. At that time, he proposed imposing up to 20-year prison sentences or significant fines on illegal short-sellers. "It's not too late to resume short-selling after improving the market conditions," he said. MSCI coincidence? His latest stance on short-selling is in line with his support for Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki's plan to resume talks with MSCI, a U.S. index provider, on reclassifying the Korean equity market as a "developed market." "In order to upgrade the Korean equity market that has been underestimated by overseas investors, we should make efforts to win the MSCI developed market status," Lee said last week. "If Korea is included in the developed market index, the net inflow of foreign capital will reach at least 18 trillion won ($15.2 billion) and potentially up to 62 trillion won." In its latest market reclassification review in June, MSCI mentioned Korea's short-selling ban on small-cap stocks, which has continued since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, as a reason for rejecting the request to upgrade the domestic equity market from "emerging" to "developed" status. After banning short-selling temporarily on the local stock market in March last year in the wake of the pandemic, the government partially lifted the ban in May, allowing short-selling for large-caps. However, there is no timeline on the resumption of short-selling for small-caps at this moment, although Financial Services Commission (FSC) Chairman Koh Seung-beom said in September that the complete resumption of short-selling on the stock market is inevitable. The Korea Stockholders Alliance holds a rally in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, with a bus showing a slogan that reads, "I hate short-selling," in this February file photo. Korea Times photo by Wang Tae-seok The cover of "War Women" by Martin Limon / Courtesy of Soho Press By Jon Dunbar After a year off due to COVID-19 delays, the fictional CID agents George Sueno and Ernie Bascom are finally back in action, patrolling 1970s-era Itaewon and locations across Korea. This time, while trying to help out friends, they run up against North Korean agents while also finding themselves caught in a gender war within U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) ranks. "War Women" is 15th book in the Sueno and Bascom series, based loosely on his own memories and impressions serving in Korea from the 1960s to 1980s. "None of my stories are based on real-life incidents. I think it's fair to say that they are inspired by numerous real-life incidents that I either experienced directly or was told about or read about during my 20 years in the army, and my five tours in the ROK. Then I add a huge dollop of imagination and, I hope, story-telling acumen," Limon told The Korea Times. "I visited many if not most of the 50-some military compounds in Korea during my years there. I even went to some on my own, in civilian clothes, during my off-duty time, out of curiosity to see what they were like. Often the local GIs would become suspicious and start whispering about the CID. Frankly that was the genesis of the idea that later became the George Sueno and Ernie Bascom series. You'll notice that my two investigators constantly face suspicion and even hostility from local soldiers. GIs are very territorial, often irrationally so." Martin Limon / Courtesy of Martin Limon This story gets going with the two detectives investigating the disappearance of Sergeant First Class Harvey, their source in the classified documents vault on Yongsan Garrison, nicknamed "Strange" due to his always unwelcomed catchphrase, "Had any strange lately?" While scouring Itaewon for the vanished NCO and the classified document he disappeared with, they must also bail out their reporter friend Katie Byrd Worthington from Korean jail, after she is caught photographing a U.S. general enjoying himself a little too much at a private party. Byrd, introduced in the preceding book "GI Confidential," works for The Overseas Observer, nicknamed "The Oversexed Observer" and based on the real Overseas Weekly that ran from 1966 to 1975. When the characters go out into the field for the Focus Lens war exercises, the two plotlines start coming together, and the stakes get higher. Even though the story is set in the mid-1970s, "probably in mid-1975" according to the author, many of the key plot points brought up still feel fresh today, particularly the addressing of military sex crimes. After a handful of high-profile suicide deaths reported earlier this year resulting from mishandling of sex crimes in Korea's own armed forces, it's hard to believe "War Women" depicts a similar incident completely by coincidence, but yet the timing of publication leaves little doubt Limon planned it that way, since he finished the book last year. "Frankly, after I finished War Women I wondered if I'd overdone the sexual abuse aspects of the story," Limon said. "While I was pondering this, news broke regarding a young female soldier named Vanessa Guillen." Guillen went missing last year from her duty station at Fort Hood, Texas, but she was declared absent without leave (AWOL) until her dismembered remains were discovered. "Despite the fact that she'd complained about sexual harassment, nothing had been done about it which surprised me not one whit," Limon said. "As the cops were coming to arrest him, the soldier responsible shot himself through the head. Unfortunately, there are more like him in the military, which is what War Women is about." When Sueno and Bascom first encounter the War Women of the novel's title, they are at first confused and a little angered by the women's hostility toward them. But as they learn about the treatment the women endure, especially while out in the field for Focus Lens, they all but side with the female soldiers gone rogue. Another element that features heavily is Focus Lens, which in those days saw the USFK and Korean armed forces out in the field, practicing maneuvers such as river crossings and beach landings. Highlighted is how much North Korea's leader hated these exercises, and in this book he decides to do something about it. These days, such combat drills are heavily scaled back so as to not provoke North Korea, with even the previous U.S. President Donald Trump calling them "war games" that were too "expensive" and "provocative" toward the North, which has been accusing the drills of being a rehearsal to an invasion. "I was startled and frankly pissed off that former President Trump used the North Korean propaganda buzzword provocative to describe our joint military exercises," said Limon, who participated in the exercises himself in the mid-1970s. "I can tell you that the first thing we did, rather than provoke, was to retreat. We hooked up each of our howitzers to a two-and-a-half ton truck and moved out smartly heading south. When we arrived at the Imjin River we boarded motorized pontoons, launched into the fast moving current, and when we hit the far bank, about a half-mile downstream, we offloaded and continued our retreat. The idea was to clear the area near the DMZ so B52s from Okinawa and Guam would have plenty of room to attack the numerous tank brigades that the North Koreans kept poised and ready just north of their side of the DMZ. Our practice was defensive. Not offensive. And it certainly wasn't provocative North Korea was delighted that Donald put a stop to those exercises. He fell for their lies." Interestingly, Limon describes Kim Il-sung, the North's leader in the days of Sueno Bascom, as having long tentacles. Meanwhile, the North's agents in the story seem to hang out at seafood restaurants specializing in nakji, or freshly sliced up tentacles still wriggling, so the main characters visit the seafood market in Noryangjin hoping to spot their suspects. "I hadn't thought of the use of nakji as a literary device," Limon admitted. "I ate it once, soaked in some sort of hot red pepper sauce, and didn't like it much. That and squid and cuttlefish are seen as gross by most American GIs. So I thought it would be sort of humorous to have an old curmudgeon like Strange being persuaded to enter a Korean seafood restaurant specializing in nakji and ojingeo." "War Women" is due for publishing by Soho Press on Nov. 16 and is currently available for pre-sales through , including and . North Korea on Tuesday slammed the European Union (EU) for leading a U.N. resolution condemning its human rights situation, calling the move an act of hostility based on "false and fabricated" documents. The resolution, drafted by the European countries, was submitted to the United Nations' Third Committee for approval late last month. If passed, it will be put to a vote at the U.N. General Assembly in mid-December. "We have long rejected this slanderous 'resolution' full of false and fabricated documents to blindly defame our human rights policy and situation," an official at a North Korea-EU association said in a commentary posted on the North's foreign ministry website. North Korea has been bristling at accusations of its human rights violations, calling them a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime. "The European countries with the worst records of human rights should do their job first, which is to deal with their own human rights trashes," the official added. South Korea has taken part in the adoption process by consensus, not as a co-sponsor of the resolution, since 2019 amid efforts to resume inter-Korean talks and nuclear negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang. (Yonhap) From left, Korean War veterans Vincent Courtenay from Canada, William Hale from the U.S. and Philip Wood from the U.K. pose during an interview with The Korea Times at the Millennium Hilton Seoul hotel, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Nam Hyun-woo By Nam Hyun-woo A number of veterans who fought in the 1950-53 Korean War have questioned the necessity of a declaration to officially end the war, which was proposed by President Moon Jae-in as part of his peace initiative on the Korean Peninsula. "I think it's very unnecessary but if they (Koreans) want to do it, it's fine," Vincent Courtenay, 87, a Canadian veteran, said during an interview with The Korea Times in Seoul, Tuesday. He fought in the Second Battle of the Hook near the inter-Korean border area Nov. 18 and 19, 1952. "South Korea was invaded and we repelled North Korea and the war ended. It ended as they stop shooting there," Courtenay added. "You have a military armistice agreement and it lasted for 70 years. It's better than any other armistice that was ever signed in any war. If Koreans want do it, it's very nice to do it, but I'm sure it won't make us feel any prouder. The war ended when we fought here. And if we didn't, we wouldn't have South Korea like it is today." After three years of fierce battle, the Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war. To improve inter-Korean relations and push the North to denuclearize, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has proposed a declaration on a formal end to the war most recently in September involving the two Koreas, the United States and possibly China. Since it is not a peace treaty, such a declaration is closer to a non-binding political statement, but the Moon administration sees it as a gateway to peace for the two Koreas, and as a catalyst for negotiations on denuclearization. However, the effort is seeing no tangible progress. Domestic opinion on Moon's proposal is also divided because of some public sentiment opposing his repeated offer of a conciliatory gesture despite the North remaining unrepentant for its invasion and continuing military provocations. According to a Sept. 30 poll on 1,132 respondents by RnSearch, 49.4 percent supported Moon's proposal, but 42.8 percent were against it. For the veterans, who risked their lives to help a country they barely even knew and repel a North Korean invasion, the proposal also brought mixed emotions. "So I have mixed emotions," said William Hale, who served as a U.S. Marine during the war and participated in Operation Mousetrap. "I know your president wants to, and I know a lot of Korean people that are not in agreement with that. If it could really help settle North Korea down a little bit, and they follow you guys, I would be very happy, but I'm not so sure in this environment in my lifetime it will happen." Philip Wood, a British military engineer who participated in post-war rebuilding and mine-clearing missions, also said the Moon administration should "talk to its people" before pursuing such a proposal. "I think we're happy that you made such a good job of a recovery from the Korean War and I think Britain will always support you whichever way you've got, and the Canadians are the same, the Yanks are the same, but we are not sure about North Koreans," Wood said. The veterans visited Korea to attend the annual "Turn toward Busan" ceremony Friday. The ceremony is held to honor fallen soldiers of the United Nations Forces who fought in the Korean War, and is held with veterans and their families across the world turning toward Busan, where the United Nations Memorial Cemetery is located, and holding a minute of silence. Courtenay first proposed the idea in 2007 and South Korea has been holding the ceremony every year except for 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the remains of three British soldiers will be buried during this year's ceremony. They are assumed to have died in the battles of Sulmari and Mount Papyeong in April 1951. When asked if they had the chance to wind the clock back to 1950 and choose whether to participate in the war, the veterans said they are proud of their choice and would do the same. "Yes I would," Courtenay said. "I think everybody who was with me, they would do the very same things. It was something we felt was honorable, something we needed to do even though we were still very young. We would have done the same thing again later in our lives." A student receives a COVID-19 vaccine shot at a clinic in Seoul, Oct. 18, when health authorities started inoculations of children aged between 16 and 17 and reservations for those between 12 and 15. Korea Times file By Bahk Eun-ji Parents are at a loss over whether to have their children get COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the resumption of full-scale in-person classes later this month. While the health authorities are encouraging them to do so, citing an increasing number of infections among children recently, many parents are still hesitant due to concerns of possible side effects. The stance taken by education authorities to leave inoculation up to individuals is also making it challenging for parents to make a decision. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), 22.9 percent of confirmed patients from Nov. 1 to 7 were under the age of 20, up from 17.6 percent a month ago, from Oct. 1 to 7. Not only the proportion, but also the number of infections under the age of 20, increased during the period, from 2,566 to 3,504. Infection clusters among students are also taking place at schools or private academies, and considering the fact that it has been only about a week since the government's "Living with COVID-19" plan was implemented, new infections among children are highly likely to rise further under the eased social distancing rules. In addition, starting from Nov. 22, after the state-run university entrance exam slated for Nov. 18, elementary and middle schools in the Seoul metropolitan area will fully resume in-person classes for the first time since the COVID-19 outbreak here in January last year. Small-scale group activities such as group discussions, club activities and school trips will be also allowed. Freight trucks park in western Seoul on Nov. 7 amid a shortage of urea water solution due to China's export curbs. Yonhap South Korea said Monday it plans to import 200 tons of urea from Vietnam next week in the latest move to help ease a supply shortage of urea water solution, a key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions. The amount is part of 10,000 tons of urea that South Korea hopes to import from Vietnam and other nations to make urea water solution, according to the finance ministry. Two hundred tons of urea can produce about 650,000 liters of solution, which can meet demand for just one day based on last year's figure. Separately, South Korea is set to import 27,000 liters of urea water solution from Australia, including 20,000 liters planned for this week. The move came as President Moon Jae-in ordered aides to "make utmost diplomatic efforts to secure" urea water solution from foreign countries. To help facilitate the imports, the government plans to cut import tariffs on the material to zero from the current 5-6.5 percent. The government has also decided to speed up customs clearance on vehicle-use urea solution. Usually, the inspection process takes more than 20 days, but the customs authorities plan to cut the time to 3-5 days, according to industry minister Moon Sung-wook. South Korea has been grappling with a shortage of urea water solution, known as diesel exhaust fluid, and its surging prices in recent weeks, as China tightened exports of fertilizers and related materials, including urea, in October amid a power crisis caused by a coal supply shortage. Coal is the main feedstock for urea. By Kang Seung-woo Unusual meetings scheduled for the U.S. diplomat in charge of East Asia policy and the presidential candidates of South Korea's two main political parties are offering a hint that the Joe Biden administration is waiting for the next government to be installed here before discussing bilateral issues, including containing China. Daniel Kritenbrink / Korea Times file New replaces old in northeastern Seoul's Gireum-dong, Feb. 3, 2018. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun By Ron Bandun Construction companies here often use English or other foreign-sounding words for apartment brand names, hoping to "exude an upscale, high-end image," according to a . This is something everyone in Seoul has likely noticed, after gazing up at the barren concrete sides of the city's thousands of identical high-rise apartments, which are sometimes referred to pejoratively as "Stalin stacks." Each one is usually marked with a number and a brand name. A cityscape is reflected in water pooled in an urban renewal zone, Oct. 30. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun But can we really call those names "English"? It might be easier to argue they're Konglish, like the random gibberish text seen on shirts sold for cheap in markets like Dongdaemun and Namdaemun (we're just lucky no one's built an "I'm a Tosser" apartment complex yet), or the city's own grammar-deconstructivist slogan, "I.Seoul.U" (what does it mean exactly? How does one "Seoul" another person? Mayor Oh, why haven't you ?). So by slapping "Raemian" (a Samsung apartment brand) on the side of an apartment, or "Prugio" (a Daewoo brand, pronounced "Pureujio" in the original Korean, curiously), that doesn't make it English just because it's in the Latin alphabet. After all, "e-Pyeonhansesang" (a Daelim Industrial brand, one of the few mostly Korean names) doesn't become English just because we can spell it phonetically in English. This genuinely irritates me, maybe partly because I spend too much time gazing at the city as an urban explorer. Older apartments have nice-sounding Korean names, like Jindallae (azalea) and Mujigae (rainbow), or (March 1, the date of Korea's independence movement started 1919) and Gwangbok (Restoration of Light, in reference to Korea's 1945 independence). An urban explorer climbs over rubble at an urban renewal zone next to a "We've" apartment complex in Seoul, Oct. 22, 2016. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun But lately, it seems everywhere I go, I see Doosan's "We've" apartment brand. We've what? What've we done that's worth placing this incomplete statement so prominently? Other similar names include "I Want" (what do you want? What does this apartment complex leave its occupants wanting for?) and "I'll" (which is actually uncontracted as "I Will" in the Korean). Another brand that falls into this category is Hyundai's IPARK. They probably intended for it to conjure up lush urban parklands, but it just makes me think of parking garages. Grammatically it does seem to say "I park (my car)." Yongsan Station is in a building called IPARK Mall, but until recently I thought that was just the name of the parking garage there; it is even displayed over at least one parking garage entrance. Sometimes these faux-prestige names come off as insensitive or even mean-spirited, if you have a connection to the low-rise neighborhoods they replaced. How does it look to working-class people who are evicted (some more violently than others) to make way for the construction of an imperial-sounding "Lotte Castle" (especially if it's the one next to the Gyeongbu Expressway with a on the side)? Or a utopianist-sounding "Humansia"? Lotte Castle apartments in southern Seoul's Seocho District have odd decorations on the side, Nov. 9. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun The very first urban renewal site I visited, way back in 2005, is now the Gongdeok Brown Stone Apartment (Isu E&C) complex. The brand name clearly comes from the type of medium-density townhouse (or rowhouse) likely made famous in Korea thanks to its prominent depiction in "Sex and the City" set in New York. Like most other high-rise apartments, the Brown Stone buildings near Gongdeok Station are a dull pastel mix of beige and grey on barren, each about 20 stories tall. Want actual "brownstone" buildings? That description better fits the medium-size brick buildings that were knocked down to make way for these monstrosities. Urban renewal in western Seoul's Ahyeon-dong, July 22, 2019 / Courtesy of Ron Bandun One of the ugly problems with these apartment brand names is that, just like the large-scale urban redevelopment completely erases and reconfigures the land (in more extreme cases completely removing hills and water bodies), these names do nothing or very little to memorialize local history or topographical features. If you disagree, I could point you toward a couple of Hillstate complexes (another Hyundai brand) that were built on former hillsides, which have been scraped out and flattened to make space for these lucrative housing projects. A Hillstate apartment complex towers over an urban farming project in northwestern Seoul's Eunpyeong District, Aug. 25, 2019. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun Instead, these names run the risk of creating a false mythology, and one that's dismissive of Korea's long heritage. Just who is this Harrington, that Hyosung Heavy named its " " brand after him? So much complexity is lost, while working-class citizens are feeling more pinched for housing the more that affordable options are removed from the market in favor of more affluent high-rises for investors to play their real estate shell game with. Urban renewal in western Seoul's Ahyeon-dong, July 22, 2019 / Courtesy of Ron Bandun I confess, I've lived in one of these tacky-named apartment brands named above, but not anymore. Long enough to know that they're nicer on the inside than the outside. But their creation is too destructive, and not nearly inclusive enough to support a diverse, robust local community. But there's nothing we as individuals can do about that, so all the more reason to focus on the lame apartment brand names. Apartment construction in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, Aug. 25, 2019. / Courtesy of Ron Bandun And public perception is surprisingly more in line with my own stance than I would have thought; that Korea Times article mentioned at the beginning of this article included an interesting finding in a survey by the Federation of Korean Language & Culture Centers about their preference for apartment brand names. Of 1,000 people surveyed, only 5.0 percent favored foreign-sounding apartment names (which include Evervill, Xi or even "Anusville" whoops, I mean "Honorsville," at least presumably), while 45.9 percent couldn't care less and a whopping 49.1 percent would have preferred a Korean-sounding name. What's the silliest apartment name you've seen? Can you top " "? Ron Bandun is an urban explorer. He has been visiting forgotten, abandoned and forbidden spaces in Korea for over 16 years, documenting the changes and conflicts of the urban environment. This photo, released on Nov. 9 by the Navy, shows the new 2,800-ton frigate Gyeongnam in operation. The warship is the second vessel built under South Korea's frigate acquistion program called FFX-Batch II. Yonhap South Korea was set Tuesday to hold a ceremony launching a new frigate named after a warship torpedoed by North Korea in 2010, the Navy and state arms procurement agency said. The ceremony for the 2,800-ton frigate, Cheonan, was scheduled to take place at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in Ulsan, some 410 kilometers southeast of Seoul, as the Navy still has potent memories of the North's deadly attack. The 1,200-ton corvette Cheonan sank near the Northern Limit Line, a de facto western inter-Korean sea border, in March 2010, after a North Korean midget submarine fired a torpedo at it, killing 46 sailors. The unveiling of the Cheonan carried a symbolic meaning for the survivors of the attack and bereaved families who have wished to see the new warship named after the ill-fated corvette and commissioned to fulfill its unfinished mission of safeguarding the maritime border. Trucks are parked in western Seoul, Nov. 8. Yonhap South Korea said Tuesday it has identified thousands of tons of urea held by local importers and plans to use them to produce urea water solution, a key fluid used in diesel vehicles to cut emissions, amid its supply shortage. Special inspection teams began crackdowns on hoarding of urea or its solution Monday and found local importers to have held a combined 3,000 tons of urea, according to the government. Of the 2,000 tons of urea to be used for vehicles, the government plans to send 700 tons to a local manufacturer to produce urea water solution this week. With the amount, it is possible to make enough urea solution to be used for about three days. South Korea has been grappling with a shortage of urea water solution, known as diesel exhaust fluid, and its surging prices in recent weeks, as China tightened exports of fertilizers and related materials, including urea, in October amid a power crisis caused by a coal supply shortage. Coal is the main feedstock for urea. People wait in line to buy diesel exhaust fluid in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, Tuesday, Yonhap President Moon vows all-out diplomatic efforts to secure overseas supply By Lee Kyung-min The continued shortage of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), also known as "urea water," is wreaking havoc on the Korean economy, developing into a full-fledged transport, logistics and public service crisis. DEF, a key agent needed for operation of diesel freight and passenger vehicles, is in acutely short supply since China banned the import of Australian coal, from which urea is extracted. The ban was a retaliatory move against Australia for faulting China for the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of Korea's large DEF manufacturers shut down around 2013 and Korea has since relied almost exclusively on China for the cheap urea. The government is scrambling to come up with measures, mostly through imports from other countries including Australia, while clamping down on hoarding and also upgrading lower-quality DEF for industrial purposes to make it suitable for vehicles. But businesses say the slew of stopgap measures will only be partially effective, given the clear limit in the amount domestically stockpiled, a reason they say diplomatic finesse is critical for a more fundamental and lasting solution to what is set to become a national crisis amplified further by the pandemic. The Moon Jae-in administration and the ruling Democratic Party of Korea are increasingly wary of how politically charged the crisis is becoming, cornered by the main opposition People Power Party mounting a political offensive against what it deems a perfect opportunity to hurt the prospects of a victory by the ruling party ahead of next year's presidential election. Stopgap measures A taskforce set up by eight government ministries and five government agencies announced a set of measures, Tuesday, on ways to navigate the crisis. Unionized truck drivers affiliated with the mighty Korean Public Service and Transport Workers' Union (KPTU) threatened Tuesday to stage a general strike late this month over rising transport costs, which have been aggravated by the nationwide shortage of "urea water" solution. The Cargo Truckers Solidarity (CTS) said that its members will launch their first general strike in late November and the second general strike in December to demand a full expansion of the "Safe Trucking Freight Rates System," which is intended to prevent dangerous driving and guarantee minimum freight rates for truck drivers. The safe freight rates system was introduced in 2018 and is scheduled to expire next year due to a sunset clause. Separately from the strike threat, the CTS launched a sit-in in front of the National Assembly on Monday to demand the full expansion of the safe freight rates system and the abolition of the relevant sunset system. The CTS did not disclose its specific strike dates, saying they will be linked to parliament's debate on the pending issues. The truckers' union said that their collective actions have been needed more as the rising costs of urea water solution, a key material used in diesel vehicles to reduce emissions, have been passed on to truck drivers. Industry watchers express concern about the possible strikes by truck drivers, as they may coincide with a lingering crisis in the logistics sector amid the prolonged urea water shortage. In solidarity with the CTS, meanwhile, the Korean Railway Workers' Union said it will refuse to work overtime and on holidays from Nov. 19 and launch a work-to rule struggle on Nov. 25. The KPTU also said that it will hold a rally in downtown Seoul on Nov. 27, drawing about 20,000 people, or 10 percent of its members. (Yonhap) By Jun Ji-hye With former Gyeonggi Province Governor Lee Jae-myung and former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-youl having won the presidential nominations of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and main opposition People Power Party (PPP), respectively, the campaigns by their potential first ladies their wives are attracting public attention as well. Kim Hye-gyeong, 55, the wife of Lee, and Kim Kun-hee, 49, the wife of Yoon, are both preparing to start their public appearances soon in a bid to support their husbands, but the two could also pose risks to their husbands' election chances due to past and ongoing controversies surrounding them. Lee Jae-myung, the presidential candidate for the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, sits on a bench with his wife, Kim Hye-gyeong, during their visit to Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Aug. 7. Captured from Lee Jae-myung's Facebook account Kim Hye-gyeong was embroiled in a huge controversy in 2018 over suspicions that she owned the Twitter account @08_hkkim, which spread damaging statements for several years about her husband's rivals within the party, including President Moon Jae-in and Interior Minister Jeon Hae-cheol. After Lee lost to President Moon in the DPK's presidential primary in 2017, he ran for the Gyeonggi Province governorship in competition with Jeon. Some 40,000 questionable tweets have been uploaded on that Twitter account since 2013, and damaging statements also targeted former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun. Controversy further heated up after police announced in November 2018 that Kim Hye-gyeong owned the Twitter account in question, just before transferring the case to the prosecution. But prosecutors freed her without charges, citing a lack of evidence. Despite the dismissed charges, some supporters of President Moon and former President Roh still resent her, posting comments critical of her in online communities, which could deal a blow to Lee's efforts to unite liberal voters around him. Lee called the Twitter fiasco a "witch-hunt" against his wife during his appearance on a YouTube channel in July. "My wife has continually been a target of attack. She has been hurt a lot. I feel so sorry for that," Lee said, adding that it was regrettable that such an attack did not come from the opposition, but from his own party. Yoon Seok-youl, the presidential candidate for the main opposition People Power Party, sits with his wife Kim Kun-hee at Cheong Wa Dae in this July 25, 2019 photo, when he was appointed as prosecutor general by President Moon Jae-in. Yonhap President Moon Jae-in speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Cheong Wa Dae, Seoul, Nov. 9. Yonhap With half year in office remaining, President Moon Jae-in said Tuesday his administration will do everything possible for a complete return to normal life from the COVID-19 pandemic and an economic recovery. South Korea began easing virus curbs this month in its first step of its "living with COVID-19" policy after more than 70 percent of its population were fully vaccinated. Still, health authorities remain on high alert as virus cases could trend back upward again. Moon's single, five-year term ends May 9 next year. "The government will make utmost efforts to achieve a complete return to normal life until the end," Moon said at a Cabinet meeting. A farmer makes urea water from urea fertilizer and purified water in a self-made video clip uploaded on Nov. 4. Captured from YouTube By Lee Hae-rin False information and scams are spreading online about making and selling diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), also known as "urea water," amid a supply shortage of the critical additive required for cutting air pollution from diesel engines. Law enforcement and environment authorities have warned of such activities, saying those making or selling unauthorized products could face heavy punishment including jail terms. These cases are taking place as the country is suffering from an extreme shortage of DEF since the middle of last month, following China tightening exports of component material, as nearly 98 percent of Korea's urea water imports are from the neighboring country. Several clips have been put online showing how to make urea water, including one by a farmer who blends agricultural urea fertilizer with purified water in a YouTube video uploaded Nov. 4. "Although this is how I created a urea solution, I wouldn't use it for my own vehicle for quality reasons," he said in the video, adding that he hopes his method could be combined with others' ideas and result in a solution that can actually be used in diesel-powered vehicles. "Use of self-made DEF solution could lead to emissions of toxic substances such as carcinogens and fine particulate matter that have serious adverse effects on both the atmospheric environment and the driver's safety," Kim Pil-soo, a professor of automotive engineering at Daelim University, told The Korea Times. Under the Clean Air Conservation Act, supplying unauthorized DEF is subject to a five-year prison term or fine of up to 50 million won ($42,462), while those who use the chemical can face fines up to 2 million won. As the shortage continues, similar misinformation and rumors are shared online. Some even claim that "purified water can replace DEF," and that "urea water can be made out of human urine." "Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems, for which urea water is used, are very sensitive pieces of equipment highly susceptible to damage and breakdown depending on the quality of the DEF. Changing urea water purity in SCR, by using urine, for example, could lead to problems such as a major functional defect in gas discharges," Kim said. A man fills up a bus with urea water at a gas station in Seoul Express Bus Terminal, Monday. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul By Stephan Sonnenberg We are currently witnessing another spectacle of global governance failure. Our political leaders are currently gathering in Glasgow for the latest climate change conference. A few, no doubt, understand the urgency of the situation. Most, however, approach the occasion like a Halloween dress-up party; donning a green costume for a few days to hide the regular clothes they continue to wear underneath. Their dithering will devastate the lived environment for billions of people around the world. Standing at the front lines of that impending disaster are hundreds of thousands of communities. When the day comes that these communities turn to ash, become covered in sand, or sink underneath the waves, the people living there will have no choice but to move elsewhere: to become climate refugees. Along with everyone else, we watched in amazement as the world's militaries this past summer airlifted nearly 125,000 Afghans from Kabul to relative safety. That evacuation, of course, unfolded amidst untold layers of accumulated trauma, fear, humiliation, and rights abuse. Strikingly, however, it was not these indignities that prompted this unprecedented logistical, diplomatic, and humanitarian evacuation effort. Over the past decade, many thousands of asylum seekers from Afghanistan have seen their claims rejected, some deported back to Kabul literally days before the humanitarian airlift began. Was the international community's dramatic change of heart motivated by a sudden rediscovery of the lofty rhetoric of the 1951 Refugee Convention? Hardly. It was rather an example of nations grudgingly taking responsibility for their collective and undeniable failure to prevent disaster in Afghanistan. It was the equivalent of a shattered vase in aisle 5 of a porcelain store: You break it, you buy it end of story. Korea also, of course, shouldered a share of this burden, in the form of 391 refugees that came here in late August. What does this teach us as about the impending climate refugee crises? We must stop thinking exclusively in terms of the individual rights of those who are displaced, but also about who is to blame for those displacements in the first place. We must start to be more specific when we recite the mantra that the "global community" owes something to the world's displaced refugees. The 1951 Refugee Convention does not address the possibility that climate change can cause forced displacement. According to its provisions, the only thing to do when confronted with a climate refugee is to send them back home. But what if that home is broken by the "new normal"? Who is it that broke the "old normal?" Does your country's economy still depend on exporting automobiles, or fossil fuels, or other carbon-intensive goods and services? "Here's looking at you." Do politicians make a mockery of attempts to seriously combat climate change? Laugh now, because soon it will be you who are held to account. Do tourists who enjoy flying to distant destinations on vacation add "#accountability" to those social media updates? If this call for a reckoning sounds provocative, politically unpalatable, and costly, then perhaps it will ignite a hot fire under the feet of those with the power today to do something before it is too late. Bringing a few hundred Afghan refugees to Korea was hard enough politically, financially, and culturally. Now let us imagine what it would take to accommodate our share of the estimated 300 million climate-displaced migrants estimated to be homeless by 2050. We can still stop this from happening. Low lying island communities in the South Pacific, the Philippines, the Caribbean and elsewhere desperately want to avoid being thrown on the trash-heap of the "developed" world's collective inaction. They do not wish to be labeled as "refugees" and they do not want to restart their lives in some faraway land. They intend to remain in their homes and rework their communities to become more resilient, more just, and more climate adapted places in which to thrive. The rest of the world can, and must, help them achieve that goal. Industrialized nations must rethink how they provide aid to climate affected communities. Aid cannot be extended merely as a fig leaf, or as a public relations tool deployed to promote a country's national self-interest. It must instead draw on local sources of wisdom and genuinely emphasize local capabilities. Korea, as a relatively new player in the international aid community, can play a crucial role in rethinking tired old models of international development that insist that knowledge must flow in a one-way direction from the "developed" to the "less developed" parts of our globe. Moreover, the world's industrialized nations must begin to take their climate commitments seriously. Long-term promises about climate neutrality are nice, but even more important is immediate and decisive action by those governments and their citizens. The time for handwringing is over, the time for accountability is coming soon, and the time for decisive action is now. May this lesson motivate our climate negotiators in Glasgow during the remaining days of the COP26 conference. This opinion piece was co-authored by members of the Human Dignity Clinic at Seoul National University School of Law Lila Martin de Fremont, Lukas Hefter, Ilya Igorevich Kornienko, Khun Kim, Konstantin Schindler, Heewon Yang, Anna Guo, and Inga Sund under Prof. Stephan Sonnenberg's supervision. It is additionally co-signed by several other Seoul National University professors, including: Prof. Jorn Altman (College of Engineering) Prof. Edo Andriesse (Department of Geography) Prof. Nancy Cho (College of Humanities) Prof. Bernhard Egger (Department of Computer Science and Engineering) Prof. Kevin Kester (Department of Education) Prof. Namhee Kim (School of Law-Public Interest and Legal Clinic Center) Prof. Doohyun Kong (School of Law) Prof. Jae-Hyup Lee (School of Law) Prof. Joo-Young Lee (Human Rights Center) Prof. Yong-Sung Park (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering) Prof. Annie Pedret (College of Fine Arts, Retired) Prof. Ra Mi Seo (School of Law-Public Interest and Legal Clinic Center) Prof. Yoon Jin Shin (School of Law) Prof. Jiewuh Song (Department of Political Science and International Relations) Prof. Yoo Min Won (School of Law) Prof. Hyunah Yang (School of Law) Prof. Joan Yoo (Department of Social Welfare) Fiscal soundness crucial to sustainable growth The International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a report Monday that Korea's ratio of national debt to GDP is expected to surge to 66.7 percent in 2026 from this year's estimate of 51.3 percent. The predicted steep increase is the highest among 35 advanced economies. We have to take the report seriously although the projected figure is still half the average debt-to-GDP ratio of the 35 countries. What matters is that the ratio is rising at the fastest pace. Korea's ratio is forecast to jump by 15.4 percentage points over the next five years, followed by the Czech Republic (8.7 percentage points), Belgium (6.3 percentage points) and Singapore (6 percentage points). The Moon Jae-in administration has continued to increase the national debt. It seemed inevitable to see the debt ratio grow sharply as the government had to dole out huge sums from the state budget to minimize the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. But the problem is that the liberal government has no intention of reducing the national debt to ensure fiscal health. Next year's proposed government budget is estimated at 604.4 trillion won ($512 billion), up 8.3 percent from this year's outlay. This mega-budget, if approved by the National Assembly without any cutbacks, will force taxpayers to shoulder more of a financial burden and require the issuance of more state bonds. As a result, the country will continue to suffer a budget deficit in 2022 after recording a 70 trillion won shortfall this year. Even before the public health crisis, the Moon government poured a large amount of taxpayers' money into creating public-sector jobs and increasing welfare benefits for low-income earners. Therefore it cannot avoid criticism for aggravating the country's fiscal health by recklessly increasing its spending based on populism. More worrisome is that presidential candidates are competing to propose a fiscal expansion in the lead-up to the March 9 election. The ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) has decided to accept its candidate Lee Jae-myung's proposal to provide COVID-19 relief aid worth 200,000 won to 250,000 won to every Korean in January. Yoon Seok-youl, the candidate of the main opposition People Power Party (PPP), floated the idea of earmarking 50 trillion won to pay compensation to small business operators and the self-employed for their losses arising from business restrictions under strict social distancing rules. We must express concern about Lee's views on the nation's fiscal situation. He said Sunday that the government has collected 40 trillion won more in taxes this year than it had planned. Lee argues that the state coffers are full of money, making the case for the additional provision of relief money to everyone. But he should stop putting undue pressure on the government to accept his populist ideas. Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum and Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki have already voiced their opposition to Lee's proposal for the additional relief package, citing the lack of a dedicated budget. Now, politicians and policymakers should pool their wisdom to work out measures to check the rapid rise in the national debt and improve our fiscal soundness. Otherwise Korea cannot sustain economic growth, at a time when the country's potential growth rate is on the decline amid the low birthrate and aging population. By Andrew Hammond China has enjoyed in recent years a reputation as a state which is deeply committed to the climate change agenda, yet it has received significant criticism for the failure of President Xi Jinping to show up at the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) summit last week. "China can do more, and it should," said Tina Stege, climate ambassador for the Marshall Islands, which could submerge underneath the rising Pacific Ocean. These comments were underscored by Alf Wills, a former chief COP negotiator for South Africa, who said that other developing nations were loath to publicly criticize Beijing on this issue given that Chinese diplomats can be instrumental in delivering funding for them. Yet, it is the United States that has been most forceful in its critique with President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, asserting that the Chinese are "significant outliers" among countries that have made commitments in an attempt to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as agreed in Paris in 2015. He asserted that Beijing had "an obligation to step up to greater ambition as we go forward" and that China is "a big country with a lot of resources and a lot of capabilities" which is "perfectly capable of living up to their responsibilities." While Sullivan's critique needs to be seen in the context of the current tensions in U.S.-China relations, the fact that other countries share at least some of his sentiment risks exacerbating the soft power challenges that Beijing already faces which has the potential to become a growing headache for the ruling Communist Party in the 2020s. China cares deeply about its international image and, according to David Shambaugh, a leading sinologist at George Washington University, the nation is expected to spend some $10 billion a year as part of a soft power campaign. COP26 aside, a significant driver of China's soft power problems is, ironically, its very success in rapidly becoming a nascent superpower. Indeed, the nation's rise to greater prominence has been one of the defining features of the post-Cold War period, and this has been reinforced by major trade and diplomatic initiatives such as the Belt and Road initiative. Take the example of Beijing's growing economic power. International Monetary Fund (IMF) data since 2014 has asserted that the nation's economy is now larger than its U.S. counterpart on a purchasing power parity basis which adjusts for the fact that goods are cheaper in China and other countries relative to the U.S. However, the consequences of the country's generally strong growth in recent decades have been more than economic. In terms of perceptions, many internationally believe the global balance of power has swung very significantly. Pew Global Research has highlighted this stark change in international perceptions toward Beijing. A significant number of nations in its surveys now assert that China is the world's "leading economic power." Much of the reason for these changed perceptions of China's strength stem from the aftermath of the 2008-09 financial crisis. While much of the developed world subsequently recovered, at a sometimes slow pace, from the worst economic downturn for a generation, China has enjoyed mostly strong growth. While welcomed by many in China who understandably like recognition of the country's growing might, this opinion shift is not without headaches for Beijing. For it has exposed the country to greater foreign scrutiny and fed into perceptions, seized upon by politicians, tapping into concern about China's rise. The significantly brighter spotlight on the country, especially since 2008, has exposed a deficit of soft power which is complicating its rise to power. Soft power is recognized by Beijing as a key political commodity, but one it has had limited success in cultivating to date. As international perceptions of the country's power have changed, its global favorability has shown weakness in multiple key countries, as underlined in Pew Research Center. And this has been exacerbated by the pandemic. According to a survey conducted by Pew in 14 different countries, a median of 61 percent of respondents say China has done a bad job in dealing with the coronavirus outbreak. Confidence in Xi also fell in surveyed countries with the poll showing a median of 78 percent of those surveyed have little or no confidence in the leader. Especially if critical scrutiny intensifies, Beijing must find better ways to tackle this soft-power deficit. This includes enhanced international public diplomacy to win more foreign "hearts and minds." Beijing should also restart the process of addressing foreign concerns about its intentions as a rising power. Here, it could intensify efforts to be seen as a responsible, peaceful global stakeholder. And match this rhetoric with actions. In the post-pandemic period ahead of us, this agenda will pose significant challenges. However, unless it is tackled, the nation's soft power deficit will only grow bigger in the 2020s. Andrew Hammond ( Andrew.korea@outlook.com ) is an associate at LSE IDEAS at the London School of Economics. More companies moving to set up offices in Washington DC By Baek Byung-yeul Major Korean companies are beefing up their lobbying activities in Washington D.C. by setting up offices there at a time when they are required to agilely respond to ever-changing geopolitical friction between the United States and China. The moves are quite different from before when they were passive about opening offices in the U.S. capital due to the negative view of lobbying activities in Korea. However, they seem to be abandoning this attitude and are rushing to launch local bases in Washington as the semiconductor and battery industries become more valuable, and are classified as national strategic assets in many advanced countries. According to industry sources, 10 large Korean conglomerates will have liaison offices there from next year as LG Group, whose businesses range from home appliances to electric vehicle (EV) batteries, will open one. Currently nine corporations run Washington offices including Samsung Electronics, SK hynix, Hyundai Motor, Kia, SK Group and POSCO. Industry officials said they plan to increase their lobbying of the U.S. government, politicians and social organizations to make sure their voices are heard, adding it is natural that their lobbying will increase as the size of their businesses in the U.S. grows. "Large companies are increasing spending on lobbying because the core of U.S. business is not just about selling goods, but about reading U.S. government policy changes," an official at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) said. The KCCI is the country's top business lobby representing the interests of conglomerates. The capital is home to a variety of federal government agencies, as well as the White House and the U.S. Capitol, where lobbyists' activities are concentrated. The U.S. government's website for the public to view global chipmakers' data shows the information submitted by HP and other multinational companies. The data submitted by Samsung Electronics and SK hynix on Tuesday, was not released as of 5 p.m. on the same day. Screenshot from regulations.gov By Yi Whan-woo As was widely expected, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix, the world's top two memory chipmakers, each submitted their semiconductor data by the deadline (Nov. 9, 1400 KST) set by the U.S. Department of Commerce. However, they did not submit classified information, such as the names of clients and inventory levels. Samsung Electronics did not provide any comments following the submission. SK hynix, said that its decision to submit semiconductor data to the U.S. government was the result of extensive consultations with the U.S. Department of Commerce and thorough considerations of other circumstances, such as the protection of customer information. The U.S. government hinted that it may ask the two Korean chipmakers to submit more information if the level of semiconductor data turned in so far fails to meet its expectations for resolving the chip shortage and ensuring the resilience of global chip supply chains. Migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere gather at the Belarus-Poland border near Grodno, Belarus, Nov. 8. AP-Yonhap Hundreds if not thousands of migrants sought to storm the border from Belarus into Poland on Monday, cutting razor wire fences and using branches to try and climb over them. The siege escalated a crisis along the European Union's eastern border that has been simmering for months. Poland's interior ministry said it had rebuffed the illegal invasion and claimed the situation was under control. The Defense Ministry posted a video showing an armed Polish officer using a chemical spray through a fence at men who were trying to cut the razor wire. Some migrants threw objects at police. Video footage from Belarusian media showed people using long wooden poles or branches to try to get past a border fence as police helicopters circled overhead. Defense Ministry video taken later Monday showed the migrants settling in for the night by the border, having put up scores of tents and cooking meals. ''A coordinated attempt to massively enter the territory of the Republic of Poland by migrants used by Belarus for the hybrid attacks against Poland has just begun,'' a spokesman for Poland's security forces, Stanislaw Zaryn, said in a statement. Noting that it's also NATO's eastern border, Zaryn stressed that the ''large groups of migrants ... are fully controlled by the Belarusian security services and army.'' He accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of acting to destabilize Poland and other EU countries to pressure the bloc into dropping its sanctions on Minsk. Those sanctions were put into place after Belarus cracked down brutally on democracy protests. Piotr Mueller, Poland's government spokesperson, said 3,000 to 4,000 migrants were next to the Polish border on the Belarusian side. Polish border guards stand near the barbed wire as migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere gather at the Belarus-Poland border near Grodno, Belarus, Nov. 8. AP-Yonhap Polish border officials said the border crossing in Kuznica, in the northeast, will be closed early Tuesday. There was no way to independently verify what was happening. Journalists have limited ability to operate in Belarus and a state of emergency in Poland is keeping reporters and human rights workers out of the border area. The massing of people at the border appeared to rev up the crisis that has being going on for months in which the autocratic regime of Belarus has encouraged migrants from the Mideast and elsewhere to illegally enter the European Union, at first through Lithuania and Latvia and now primarily through Poland. Anton Bychkovsky, spokesman for Belarus' State Border Guard Committee, told The Associated Press that the migrants at the border are seeking to ''exercise their right to apply for refugee status in the EU.'' Bychkovsky insisted they ''are not a security threat.'' But the massive group was viewed as a threat by Poland and other European countries, including Germany the main destination for many. Steffen Seibert, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, told reporters Monday that ''the Belarusian regime is acting as a human trafficker.'' European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on the bloc's 27 nations to approve extended sanctions on the Belarusian authorities ''responsible for this hybrid attack.'' She said two top EU officials EU Commission vice president Margaritis Schinas and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell will travel to the main countries of origin for the migrants to ''ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities.'' The EU said it hoped that Poland would finally accept help from Frontex, the bloc's border agency, a step that Poland's ruling nationalists have so far refused to do. Frontex would not comment Monday on the border situation. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price expressed concern ''with disturbing images and reports emanating from the Belarus-Poland border'' and stressed that the U.S. ''strongly condemns the Lukashenko regime's political exploitation and coercion of vulnerable people and the regime's callous and inhumane facilitation of irregular migration flows across its borders.'' He said the U.S. was calling on ''the regime to immediately halt its campaign of orchestrating and coercing irregular migrant flows across its borders into Europe'' and warned that if the regime ''refuses to respect its international obligations and commitments ... we will continue to pressure Lukashenko and will not lessen our calls for accountability.'' Polish police and military police stand behind the border fence as migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere gather at the Belarus-Poland border near Grodno, Belarus, Nov. 8. AP-Yonhap Former U.S. President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks during the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Nov. 8. AP-Yonhap Barack Obama expressed confidence at U.N. climate talks Monday that the Biden administration will ultimately get its $555 billion climate package through Congress, and faulted U.S. rivals China and Russia for what he called a ''dangerous lack of urgency'' in cutting their own climate-wrecking emissions. As nations complained of lagging trust and progress in the climate talks, Obama, one of the leaders who paved the way for the historic 2015 Paris climate deal, threw in a touch of his trademark hope but admitted that ''images of dystopia'' were creeping into his dreams. ''There are times where the future seems somewhat bleak. There are times where I am doubtful that humanity can get its act together before it's too late,'' Obama said at the two-week-long negotiations. ''(But) we can't afford hopelessness.'' His comments came as conference leaders acknowledged Monday that many key sticking points exist after a week of talks. A trust gap between rich and poor nations has once again emerged and developing countries used the word ''disappointing'' when leaders talked Monday about the progress to date in the talks. The U.N. climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, is the former American president's first since he helped deliver the triumph of the 2015 Paris climate accord, when nations committed to cutting fossil fuel and agricultural emissions fast enough to keep the Earth's warming below catastrophic levels of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit). That celebration has been replaced by worry. Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the Paris accord. And while President Joe Biden put America back in the climate deal the Trump move set back U.S. efforts. Other top polluters including China, India and Russia are moving far more slowly on fighting climate change than scientists say is needed. ''1.5 C is on life support now, it's in ICU,'' said Alden Meyer of E3G, an environmental think tank. Obama's appearance sought to remind governments of the elation that surrounded the Paris accord and urge them to announce more immediate, concrete steps to put the 2015 deal into action. Optimism and unity is required to save the planet, he said. ''It doesn't matter if you're a Republican or a Democrat if your Florida house is flooded by rising seas, or your crops fail in the Dakotas, or your California house is burning. Nature, physics, science they don't care about party affiliation,'' Obama said. ''We need everybody even if we disagree on other things.'' Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate wrote Monday on Twitter that she was 13 when Obama was part of rich nations who promised $100 billion a year to poor countries to help them fight global warming, but said those nations broke the promise. Nakate told The Associated Press that she wasn't attacking the former president ''but that is me speaking the truth.'' ''This money was promised, but it hasn't been delivered,'' she said, adding that the $100 billion a year was the ''bare minimum'' for climate finance. Despite opposition within Biden's own Democratic party that has blocked the president's climate-fighting legislation, Obama was confident that some version of Biden's ambitious climate bill will pass and be ''historic.'' ''It will set the United States on course to meet its new climate targets,'' he said. Former U.S. President Barack Obama gestures as he attends a roundtable meeting at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Nov. 8. AP-Yonhap This handout picture released by Nicaragua's presidency press office of Nicaragua's President and presidential candidate Daniel Ortega giving his thumb up after casting his vote during the general election, Managua, Nicaragua, Nov. 7. AFP-Yonhap Nicaragua's longtime leader Daniel Ortega faced a torrent of criticism Monday after he won a fourth straight presidential term in what critics described as a "farce" election with his political opponents jailed or exiled. With Ortega's victory in Sunday's poll a foregone conclusion, the United States and Europe led fierce condemnation of the 75-year-old former guerrilla whom they accused of dictatorial tactics and of crushing dissent. A partial official count from the Supreme Electoral Council showed Ortega and wife Rosario Murillo, his vice president, securing 75 percent of votes. Nicaragua is now fully "an autocratic regime" after the deeply deficient elections handed Ortega his fifth overall presidential term, the European Union said. The polls "lack legitimacy" after Ortega "eliminated all credible electoral competition," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a withering statement on behalf of the 27-nation bloc, adding further sanctions were being considered. The election took place without independent international observers and with most foreign media denied access to the country. Spain branded the vote "a farce against democracy," with seven would-be presidential challengers detained in Nicaragua since June and the five contenders Ortega did face dismissed by critics as regime loyalists. The British government said the ballot was "an election in name only," while US President Joe Biden said its outcome was "rigged" long before the "sham" vote. On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken threatened further sanctions and visa restrictions "for those complicit in supporting the Ortega-Murillo government's undemocratic acts." Overnight in the streets of the capital Managua, supporters waving red and black flags of Ortega's party celebrated in the Plaza de las Victorias. "Whether the Yankees like it or not, we rule!" said one woman. Nicaragua's neighbor Costa Rica, however, said there was no way to determine whether the vote was "credible, independent, free, fair and inclusive." Uruguay and Colombia were among other Latin American states to not recognize the outcome. Portraits of political prisoners are displayed during a Nicaraguan citizens exiled in Guatemala demonstration against the general elections held in Nicaragua and President Daniel Ortega's government, Guatemala City, Nov. 7. AFP-Yonhap Opposition 'terrorism' Former guerilla hero Ortega launched a new attack on his opponents Sunday, saying: "This day we are standing up to those who promote terrorism, finance war, to those who sow terror, death." He was referring to Nicaraguans who took part in massive protests against his government in 2018, which were met with a violent crackdown that claimed more than 300 lives in Central America's poorest country. Some 150 people have been jailed since then, including 39 opposition figures rounded up since June. The Nicaraguan Center for Human Rights (Cenidh) said Nicaragua was a "police state" using tactics of "fear (and) social control" to "crush the opposition." Opponents said the vote was marked by mass abstention even as the government claimed a turnout of 65 percent. The Urnas Abiertas independent observatory estimated turnout at a paltry 18.5 percent. Fear vied with apathy among the 4.4 million Nicaraguans eligible to cast a ballot in the country of 6.5 million. "No one from my family went to vote. This was a mockery for Nicaraguans," said a 49-year-old woman who runs a grocery store. Like many others, she was too scared to give her name. But at one polling station, Pablo de Jesus Rodriguez, a 26-year-old carpenter and bricklayer, told AFP as he cast his vote: "The president has done good things for our country." Police officers walk in line while heading to cast their vote during general election, at a polling station in Managua, Nov. 7. AFP-Yonhap Virgin Galactic founder Richard Branson carries crew member Sirisha Bandla on his shoulders while celebrating their flight to space at Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, N.M., July 11. AP-Yonhap Virgin Galactic has sold around 100 tickets since flying its founder Richard Branson to space over summer, with commercial service expected to begin by the end of 2022, the company said in its financial results Monday. The current price of the fare is $450,000 per seat, well above the $200,000-$250,000 paid by some 600 customers from 2005 to 2014. In total, the company has now sold 700 tickets, a spokesperson told AFP. "We are entering our fleet enhancement period with a clear roadmap for increasing the durability, reliability and predictability of our vehicles in preparation for commercial service next year," said CEO Michael Colglazier in a statement. "Demand for space travel is strong, and we've been selling seats ahead of the pace we had planned." Established in 2004, Virgin Galactic is seeking to cash in on the success of a high profile test mission in July, which saw Branson beat by a matter of days Blue Origin owner Jeff Bezos in their billionaire space race. But since then, the company, which flies out of Spaceport America in the New Mexico desert, has faced setbacks. It was briefly grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following an investigative report in the New Yorker that found its spaceship experienced a close-call and dropped below its designated airspace during the July flight. The FAA criticized Virgin Galactic for failing to communicate the deviation. In October, Virgin said it was postponing by several months a mission with members of the Italian Air Force, after finding problems with the strength of materials in its vehicles. It is currently in the process of enhancing its vehicles. Unlike Blue Origin and SpaceX, its main competitors in the nascent space tourism sector, Virgin Galactic deploys a massive carrier aircraft that takes off horizontally, gains high altitude, and drops a rocket-powered spaceplane that then soars into space. As a publicly traded company, Virgin Galactic is also required to be more transparent about its finances. The cost of tickets on Blue Origin's suborbital New Shepard rocket, capable of roughly ten-minute hops into space and back, is unknown, but likely to be substantially higher. An online auction for the very first seat sold for $28 million, but the winner deferred their flight. Seats aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon, which launches atop a huge Falcon 9 rocket and is also contracted by NASA to ferry astronauts to the ISS, are likely to run into the tens of millions of dollars. In September, Elon Musk's company took four private tourists on a three-day orbital mission sponsored by online payments billionaire Jared Isaacman. (AFP) A view of the Kaisa Plaza of Chinese property developer Kaisa Group in Beijing, Nov. 6. Beijing's crackdown on the property sector and local government debt is likely to do more harm than good to provincial economies amid wider concerns about national growth, Chinese economists say. EPA-Yonhap Beijing's crackdown on the property sector and local government debt is likely to do more harm than good to provincial economies amid wider concerns about national growth, Chinese economists say. Some domestic economists have called Beijing's tighter policies too harsh and potentially self-defeating, which will likely leave provincial governments struggling to make ends meet, in a rare display of criticism of the central government ahead of the Chinese Communist Party's key sixth plenum meeting this week. Beijing's stricter regulation of local government borrowing and real estate developers increases the risk that some of them may run out of cash, result in much weaker infrastructure and property investment and significantly aggravate the economic slowdown, Xu Gao, assistant president and chief economist of Bank of China International, warned in a note on Sunday. "[The crackdowns] cannot truly defuse the risks in the macro economy, but instead will likely force the Chinese economy to give up its own special strengths and abandon an important economic growth engine," warned Xu. Xu's cautious message lays bare growing doubts about China's harsh medicine amid shrinking real estate and construction industry output and sluggish infrastructure investment, which has seen the country's gross domestic product stall at 4.9 percent in the third quarter. The growth rate in land transaction revenue for China's local governments slowed to 8.7 percent in the first nine months of this year, compared with growth of 67.1 percent in the January-February period a year ago, according to official statistics. "China's economy still needs a certain growth rate at present," Ren Zeping, chief economist at Soochow Securities and Evergrande's ex-chief economist, wrote in a note last week. He called on the government to spend more on new infrastructure like new energy, new energy vehicles, information technology and digital economy projects. The rare critique also comes before the Central Economic Work Conference, which is expected to take place next month to confirm China's economic priorities for 2022. Before the annual meeting, policy debate typically heats up among economic and market commentators. "What is more frightening than a short-term economic slowdown is eroding the foundation of China's long-term success," warned Xu in his note. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends an event commemorating the 110th anniversary of Xinhai Revolution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Oct. 9. AP-Yonhap Raritan Township Public Works is looking for Snow Plow Contractors for the 2021-22 snow season to work at an hourly rate. Must have ton or larger plow truck. Must supply truck, plow and operator. For information and a copy of the snow contract, please send resume in by applying! Limited positions available, once requirements are met the positions will be filled. recblid ris0brde1xhmnph9b847q9txcuhz3o We will be at home during the Thanksgiving holiday. We will make a brief trip away from home. We will spend most of the Thanksgiving holiday away from home. Vote View Results Having strengthened their grip at the recent party conference, the Labour right wing are undertaking a fresh wave of expulsions of Socialist Appeal activists. But Starmers purge cannot break the link between Marxism and the labour movement. Earlier this year, on 20 July, the right-wing majority on the Labour NEC voted to officially proscribe Socialist Appeal. Now the right wing are starting to step up their witch-hunt. Over the last week, swathes of Socialist Appeal supporters and sympathisers have received threatening letters, all of them euphemistically titled Notice of Allegation. These inform the comrades that they are being investigated for a Prohibited Act. In all instances, the Prohibited Act in question is simply comrades support for Socialist Appeal: a Marxist newspaper funded by workers and youth; written by workers and youth; and fighting for workers and youth. Stalinism Included in these letters are various pieces of evidence showing comrades support for Socialist Appeal. Nobody is denying this crime, however. Those targeted are proud Marxists and supporters of Socialist Appeal. One of those to have received a letter is Socialist Appeal supporter and Labour member for 47 years Kevin Ramage, formerly of Bristol West CLP. Earlier this year the right-wing majority on the Labour NEC voted to officially proscribe Socialist Appeal. Now the right wing are starting to step up their witch-hunt / Image: Socialist Appeal In his youth, Kevin was a chair of the Labour Party Young Socialists. He has been a dedicated activist for the party for decades including as an unpaid volunteer for 11 weeks during the 2019 general election. Despite his years of service to the movement, Kevin is now threatened with expulsion. Responding to this attack, Kevin has highlighted the fact that the party bureaucracy is telling the accused to keep silent about their investigation. This has more in common with Stalinism than the traditions of the labour movement, Kevin rightly says in his reply, which can be read in full below. Of course, unlike Stalin, Starmer hasnt exiled left-wing members to Siberia or murdered them in cold blood. But the bureaucratic methods and arguments used are crudely similar. In fact, Ken Loach put it most succinctly when he was expelled, calling the Labour leader Mr Bean trying to act like Stalin. The Scum Another member who received such a letter recently is Daniel Morley of Hackney South CLP. A loyal party member for 14 years, Daniel will now also likely be expelled. Responding to this in a post on social media, Daniel highlights the hypocrisy of his potential expulsion, with Socialist Appeal writers being kicked out of the party, whilst Starmer faces no reprimand for scandalously writing for Murdoch-rag The Sun Keir Starmer recently wrote an article in The Sun newspaper, much to the indignation of socialists throughout the country. If supporting the paper Socialist Appeal is prohibited, why is writing for The Sun widely recognised as the most anti-working class, anti-labour movement newspaper in Britain not? Spying and blacklisting Insidiously, Starmer and his bureaucrats have also engaged in spying on members in order to conduct their McCarthyite witch-hunt, including in online Zoom meetings. Vic Dale, for example, a long-standing supporter of Socialist Appeal and legendary party activist on the Isle of Wight for many years, has also received a letter threatening him with expulsion. Starmer recently wrote an article for Murdoch-rag The Sun, much to the indignation of socialists throughout the country/ Image: Socialist Appeal Shockingly, the evidence used against Vic is a screenshot from an open meeting about the purge of Socialist Appeal. In a dystopian twist, it seems that even talking about the purge puts one at risk of being purged! Sadly, this method of spying on members is not new. In fact, one Socialist Appeal supporter who was elected as a delegate from his CLP to the recent Labour conference was expelled just days prior to travelling to Brighton for attending the very same online event. Another of those threatened with expulsion is Russ Blakely. Russ is a proud Marxist, an active trade unionist, and has been a member of the Labour Party for many years. As a construction worker, organised in Unite, Russ has suffered from the scourge of blacklisting that has plagued the industry for decades. Russ is exactly the kind of militant worker that the Labour Party should be welcoming. But instead, having already faced the bosses blacklist, he is now on Starmers blacklist as well. #UnitePolicyConference delegate and Socialist Appeal supporter Russ Blakely proposing Composite 15 on a new Clause 4. This commits Unite to backing "the common ownership, under democratic control and management by working people, of the commanding heights of the economy" pic.twitter.com/KiFmICcP8N Socialist Appeal (@socialist_app) October 22, 2021 Counter-revolution Whole groups of activists and Socialist Appeal supporters have received similar letters too. This includes a number of Labour and Momentum activists in Portsmouth South CLP, and others in Canterbury CLP. As we said at the time, the proscription of Socialist Appeal will be and is being used as carte blanche to attack the whole of the Labour left. Next in line will be Momentum members, and anyone who opposes Starmers Tory-lite politics. Alongside David Evans and a whole host of Blairite has-beens, Starmer and the Labour right wing are driving through a counter-revolution. Having lost control of the party under Corbyn, these agents of capitalism are maneuvering to ensure that they do not make the same mistake twice. Unfortunately, the ease with which this counter-revolution is being carried out is down to the failure of the left leaders to stand up to these Blairite gangsters. If a determined fightback against the Labour right had been launched, then the tide could have been turned. But the left leaders repeatedly failed to seize the initiative. And now, instead, tens-of-thousands are leaving the party, demoralised and disillusioned. Marxism on the march Nevertheless, Starmers purge cannot break the link between the Marxists and the labour movement. Already, the ideas of Marxism are gaining an echo in the trade unions. Starmers purge cannot break the link between the Marxists and the labour movement. Already, the ideas of Marxism are gaining an echo in the trade unions / Image: Socialist Appeal For instance, it was Russ Blakely who recently proposed a motion on a new socialist Clause 4 at the Unite policy conference, which passed unanimously. This commits the union to supporting the nationalisation under workers control of the commanding heights of the economy. This shows the appetite for Marxism and bold socialist policies in the workers movement, and in wider society. No matter what bureaucratic obstacles come our way, the Marxists are on march. A reply to the GLU purgers, by Kevin Ramage Dear comrades of the Labour Party Governance and Legal Unit I am accused, with the threat of immediate expulsion, of supporting a socialist newspaper banned by the NEC, Socialist Appeal. During the first COVID lockdown, as the Bristol West Constituency campaign coordinator, I initiated and produced eleven editions of an all-members newsletter, to maintain communication between members in those initial hard months. Alongside this activity, I also wrote articles for the socialist press. The articles cited as evidence of my prohibited activity are: An article reporting an action by the community union Acorn in Bristol protesting against eviction threats during lockdown. An article outlining the history of Labours youth movement, the LPYS, in the 1970s and 1980s. I am proud to admit that I wrote both these articles for Socialist Appeal, a paper which is entirely financed by its readers. Can you say the same about Keir Starmer writing for The Sun? If I am to be expelled for writing for a socialist paper, will similar measures be meted out to Keir Starmer for his shameful act? Even though you havent asked me, I am pleased to confirm that in the 2019 general election I worked flat out for a Labour victory. I canvassed in Bristol West and also in the neighbouring marginal Kingswood at the start of the 2019 general election campaign. With my partner, I donated 100 to the constituency election fund. We then headed to work for four weeks as unpaid volunteers in the marginal Truro and Falmouth seat. Will Peter Mandelson who boasted in 2017 that he worked every single day to work to undermine the party leader, Jeremy Corbyn be expelled for bringing the party into disrepute? In my twenties, I served for four years as the unpaid national chairperson of the Labour Party Young Socialists a vibrant campaigning organisation with over 500 branches, until it was effectively destroyed by the bureaucratic measures of Tom Watson. In 47 years continuous membership of the party, unlike many members of the Parliamentary Labour, I have never voted or advocated voting for any other party, and always opposed deals with other parties whose aims do not share those at the heart of the Labour Party transforming society along socialist lines. Let us call things by their right names: expulsions of socialists on spurious organisational grounds (I and Socialist Appeal have never stood against Labour or argued for support for other parties against Labour) are nothing less than a political purge. This purge is because, after the fright of Jeremy Corbyn so nearly winning the 2017 general election (despite the daily efforts of right-wing Labour MPs and people like Mandelson to undermine him), the ruling class and their acolytes inside the party leadership have determined that the party has to be made safe for capitalism, so that it can be called in as a second eleven when this corrupt Tory governments days are over. But organisational measures will never overcome political ideas whose time has come. I stand proudly as a lifelong socialist and a Marxist. Marxism has always been a component part of the traditions of the party. This attack on Socialist Appeal is not because it is a tiny sect. If it were, there would be no point to it. No! It is precisely the opposite; it is because the ideas of Marxism the recognition that capitalism as a system has no future to offer working people are growing in support in all areas of the labour movement, as capitalism lurches on a world scale from crisis to crisis. Individuals may be removed from membership. But ideas whose time has come will never be cut off from the labour movement. Kevin Ramage Socialist Labour Party member continuously from 1974 to the present PS: If your behind closed doors process cancels my membership, I demand the return of the proportion of the 53 annual membership fee you accepted from me a little over a month ago. Originally published 5 Nov 2021 at socialist.net | 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. Twenty-nine students were rescued by Gomez, the identified woman and first responders. At least 13 students and the bus driver were taken for treatment at local hospitals, but none of the injuries was believed to be serious, officials said. Gomez said one student injured his left knee and another student had appeared to suffer a twisted foot. He said the bus driver was bleeding from the head but seemed to be fine otherwise. Sadly in the last several years we have seen, both anecdotally and data-wise, an increase in how comfortable people are talking about some of these issues very openly, Reynolds said. We hear it and we think that is just the most racist thing you could ever say and the most hate filled. Unfortunately there are a lot in our community that do not feel that way. I will continue my quarantine for the prescribed number of days, and then I will be re-tested, Schlert said. I would like to reassure you that all of you will be in my prayers as you continue with the important work of our diocese, of our parishes, and of our schools, and other ministries. In the release, Wolf gave an overview of funds expected to come to the state following passage of the federal infrastructure package. Based on past funding through formulas and including flows of money that already were expected to come to the state Wolf said the White House anticipates: Reichley said the victims mother was correct about the difficulty in finding justice in the situation, but Riveras crime was the result of a deliberate plan and that warrants a serious consequence. Reichley sentenced Rivera to 18-36 years in prison for third-degree murder, noting the minimum was the age of his victim. He sentenced Rivera to 5 to 12 years for robbery to be served consecutively with the murder sentence, noting the minimum of the combined sentences is the age Rivera would soon be. Critics in Congress who opposed the bill argued that too much money would be spent on non-traditional infrastructure. If the pandemic has taught us anything, its that broadband service is an essential service that everyone needs, just like roads, bridges and buses. International Education Week (IEW), which runs from Nov. 14-20, is a celebration of the benefits of international education and global exchange. Events are offered throughout campus to engage students, faculty, staff, and even alumni with this mission. This year, one of the IEW signature events includes a day-long engagement with a nationally-known distinguished scholar and Miami alumnus, thanks to support from the Miami Honors College. Amer F. Ahmed The IEW keynote speaker will be the 2021-22 Faber Scholar-in-Residence, Amer F. Ahmed (00). Born and raised in Ohio to Indian Muslim immigrants, Ahmed draws on lived experience, deep theoretical analysis, and practical application to guide institutions, leadership, and workplaces on a path to transformative change. In short, he seeks to bridge the "silos" between DEI work and global work in higher education. DEI work is relevant across all areas of higher education, and international education is no exception, said Karla Guinigundo, director of global partnerships and chair of the International Education Week committee. We are particularly fortunate to have Dr. Ahmed joining us, who is not only an expert in DEI as it intersects with international education, but is someone whose critical reflection on his experience as a student at Miami is one we can learn from. Ahmed is the founder and CEO of AFA Diversity Consulting, LLC, a consulting practice that supports organizational efforts around leadership, professional development, assessment, and strategic change. In addition to his consulting work, he currently serves as Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Vermont. He was also the very first keynote speaker at IEW six years ago, and he is eager to return to campus and speak with the Miami community again. The Honors College Faber Scholar-in-Residence According to Dr. Zeb Baker, director of the Honors College, their mission to support DEI initiatives and expand their involvement in global programming led to the choice of Ahmed as the Faber Scholar-in-Residence. "Amer Ahmed is precisely the sort of thinker and activist we like to bring to campus. Not only will he work with students, faculty, and staff through the IEW week activities, but he can also engage with our honors students during his visit," he said. Faber Scholars are asked to give a lecture to the entire university community; to visit an Honors course that is relevant to their field of study and/or expertise; and to attend a luncheon or symposium with honors students to discuss the major issues and themes of their work and research and how it intersects with our students' interests. Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-07 16:30:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Politicians and businessmen gather in Glasgow to talk about climate change. However, the carbon emission of their transport to COP26 is equivalent to a whole year's emission of 1600 Scots, Daily Record reports #EcoHypocrites Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 00:10:22|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close A pile of soaps made by local residents in refugee camps are pictured near Goma, northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nov. 7, 2021. Nearly six months after the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local residents, who once feared to be engulfed by steaming lava, bend but don't break as female survivors set to pick up their broken pieces in refugee camps with a little entrepreneurship. In a displacement camp at the foot of the volcano, Chantal Ngomu is instructing step-by-step local housewives who seek refuge here to wring a piece of cloth in their hands, one of the most crucial steps in making home-made soap. (Photo by Zanem Nety Zaidi/Xinhua) GOMA, DR Congo, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Nearly six months after the eruption of the Nyiragongo volcano in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), local residents, who once feared to be engulfed by steaming lava, bend but don't break as female survivors set to pick up their broken pieces in refugee camps with a little entrepreneurship. In a displacement camp at the foot of the volcano, Chantal Ngomu is instructing step-by-step local housewives who seek refuge here to wring a piece of cloth in their hands, one of the most crucial steps in making home-made soap. Since September, Ngomu, 35, has come up the idea to start a homemade soap business to put the food on the table and finally pay for a new house in her hometown that was destroyed by the tragedy in May. Though left with nothing after the eruption, Ngomu was able to get creative with local herbs to start her business. "We take different kinds of herbs that help me make soap. I mix them all with palm oil. Seven days later, it is done. The soaps we make are medical, they heal the skin," said Ngomu with pride on her face, who then decided to empower her female friends in the same position to stand on their own. "With limited financial assistance, life did not treat us well. So we have to make it on our own," said Ngomu, who now has trained more than 20 women in her initiative to help them support themselves. "These ladies are in full training. They have all lost their home. We thought that the best thing was to teach them this job so that they are self-sufficient," Ngomu explained the reason to offer local women like her the free training to make soaps. "I came here to learn how to make soap, to see how to live myself and the family. After that, I also plan to teach my loved ones. In the camps we don't have a job, so it's a great opportunity that we have, it's here that we learn to work, and then we can train others," said Marcelline Vumiliya, one of Ngomu's students, who has now mastered the soap-making technique. "I think the business could soon allow me to afford a new house in my hometown." Tens of thousands of people left the city of Goma and the surrounding regions when Mount Nyiragongo erupted on May 22, 2021, spewing lava near the city while destroying houses and killing at least 32 people. Right after the volcano burst into activity, the country's eastern city of Goma, with a population of nearly 2 million, saw the night sky illuminated with orange flames. Electricity supply across much of the city was cut off. The displaced residents were forced to move again one week later when authorities raised the alarm out of fear of a fresh volcanic eruption. According to a recent report by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), 7,891 persons are still displaced in the affected region, and thousands of displaced individuals are still staying in spontaneous sites in poor conditions. Many displaced persons who live in host families live in overcrowded spaces with poor sanitary infrastructure, exposing themselves to water-borne diseases such as cholera, said UNCHR. Goma is home to two active volcanoes -- Nyamulagira and Nyiragongo. Nyiragongo's last major eruption in 2002 killed about 250 people and displaced thousands. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 11:58:59|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Lebanese counterpart, Michel Aoun, on Tuesday exchanged congratulations on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. In his congratulatory message, Xi said that since China and Lebanon established their diplomatic ties, bilateral relations have been developing steadily. The two countries, he noted, have enjoyed continuously deepening cooperation in various fields, and offered each other understanding and support on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, setting an example of relations between countries of different sizes based on equality and mutual benefit. Xi said he attaches great importance to the development of China-Lebanon ties, and is ready to work with President Aoun to take the 50th anniversary as an opportunity to consolidate political mutual trust, deepen practical cooperation, and lift China-Lebanon friendly and cooperative relations to higher levels. China, he added, will continue to provide assistance and support to Lebanon in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, developing its economy, and improving its people's wellbeing. For his part, Aoun said that over the past 50 years, the two countries have carried out constructive cooperation in political, economic, cultural and other fields. Lebanon thanks China for supporting Lebanon's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, its just cause, and its fight against the pandemic, he said. Aoun added that Lebanon cherishes its relationship with China, holds China's development achievements in high regard, and looks forward to further strengthening bilateral cooperation for the benefit of the people of both countries. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 13:51:58|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni waves to the crowd after attending the Independence Day celebration in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 9, 2021. Cambodia on Tuesday marked the 68th anniversary of its independence from France in an hour-long ceremony held at the Independence Monument in the capital city Phnom Penh. (Photo by Phearum/Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Tuesday marked the 68th anniversary of its independence from France in an hour-long ceremony held at the Independence Monument in the capital city Phnom Penh. King Norodom Sihamoni, accompanied by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, laid a wreath and lit the ceremonial victory fire inside the Independence Monument to symbolize the country's independence. The event was also attended by foreign diplomats, armed forces, civil servants, citizens and students. All of them were seen wearing face masks and keeping physical distancing properly to guard against the COVID-19. Hun Sen said that Nov. 9 reminded the people of a noble mission launched by late Cambodian King Norodom Sihanouk to demand independence from France. "King Norodom Sihanouk, the Father of Independence, had sacrificed both physical and mental energies in his royal crusade to gain the full independence for Cambodia," he wrote on his official Facebook page. At the end of the celebration, pigeons and balloons were released as a sign of independence and freedom. The Southeast Asian nation gained its independence on Nov. 9, 1953, after 90 years of French colonial rule. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 15:27:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Photo taken on Nov. 8, 2021 shows the office building of the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington D.C., the United States. A U.S. federal appeals court over the weekend temporarily blocked the White House's vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees, raising concerns over whether more challenges could pop up. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) By Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal appeals court over the weekend temporarily blocked the White House's vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees, raising concerns over whether more challenges could pop up. The move came after Republican attorneys general in the states of Utah, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas filed petitions that would challenge what they viewed as Washington's unconstitutional approach to getting more people vaccinated. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a halt to the vaccine mandate because "the petitions give cause to believe there are grave statutory and constitutional issues with the Mandate." The judges who blocked the mandate were appointed by former Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. Seema Nanda, Labor Department head attorney, said the White House is prepared to defend the vaccine mandate in court, according to U.S. media. The mandate is being implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and under emergency authority that enables the department to circumvent the usual process of implementing safety standards for workplaces. The lengthy process often takes a number of years to implement, but has taken OSHA a few months in this case. The U.S. administration's mandate requires all employees at companies with more than 100 workers to get the jab. But several Texas businesses are challenging OSHA's right to issue safety standards on an emergency basis, contending that the mandate amounts to granting unconstitutional legislative powers to the White House. Nanda said Washington's vaccine mandate "preempts any state or local requirements that ban or limit an employer's authority to require vaccination, face-covering, or testing," U.S. media reported. The legal challenge came on the heels of last month's ban on vaccine mandates in Texas by the state's Governor Greg Abbott. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said last week that the vaccine mandate was an "abuse" of the federal government's power, adding that it went beyond the "limited" responsibilities of OSHA, according to CNBC. MORE LEGAL CHALLENGES Experts said the blocking of the vaccine mandate could foreshadow an uphill slog for the U.S. administration, as it may cause more legal challenges. "The decision will be appealed and likely end up in the Supreme Court," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua. "Republicans are seeking to block the vaccine mandate, but will need judicial approval to be successful. Whether the mandate sticks depends on how justices rule," West said. "The battle illustrates the continuing contentiousness surrounding COVID and how government officials are trying to reduce its spread," West said. According to a Gallup poll released in September, 56 percent of Americans favor vaccine mandates at their office or work site. At the same time, however, many U.S. workers strongly oppose vaccine mandates. Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua that the United States will "definitely" see more judges and governors block vaccine mandates going forward. Over the weekend, city employees in Pittsburg took to the streets to protest Washington's vaccine mandate. In the U.S. city of Boston, clashes broke out between protesters and counter protesters during a demonstration in which opponents blasted the mandate. Protests also broke out in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Health care workers gathered in Utah to oppose the mandate over the weekend. Last week, in Wichita in the state of Kansas, thousands of employees at two major aircraft companies decided to remain unvaccinated in defiance of the federal mandate, a union official was quoted by Reuters. "We're going to lose a lot of employees over this," said Cornell Beard, head of the local Machinists union district, according to Reuters. While many workers were not against COVID-19 vaccines, they opposed what they view as government meddling in their personal health decisions. The issue has been part of a larger partisan battle in Washington. Wendy Parsons, a manager in her early 40s at a company in Virginia, told Xinhua that while she voluntarily got the jab several months ago, she did not believe it should be a workplace requirement. A number of Republican governors, most notably those of Florida and Texas, have also opposed vaccine mandates. Announcing the vaccine mandate in September, U.S. President Joe Biden said "my job as president is to protect all Americans." But the Republicans objected to the mandate from the beginning. Washington is "forcing an unconstitutional, un-American federal decree on businesses and families," said Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. The battle over what role the U.S. government should play in curbing the spread of COVID-19 has been unfolding since early 2020. Dorothy Johnson, a retired nurse in the state of New Jersey in her 70s, told Xinhua that getting the vaccine should be a choice "between a patient and their doctor," not a decision of the government. Linda Hunter, a housewife in her 60s, told Xinhua that she's in favor of getting the vaccine, in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 17:54:20|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close 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) -- After honoring all its entry commitments, China has further opened up its marketplace as it understands that sharing its development opportunities with the wider world can greatly sustain its growth momentum. -- Those Western countries should stop smearing China's WTO records. Instead, they should do some soul-searching about their own behavior, and join China in building a more open global economy. That is how they can best serve their own interests and the common good of the wider world. by Xinhua writer Dong Yue BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Over the past two decades since China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO), some rabble-rousing Western countries have from time to time sought to flummox the global community by hyping up a myth that China has failed to honor its entry commitments. It does not take rocket science to debunk those ill-founded, and sometimes deceptive, allegations. A simple comparison between China's entry pledges, publicly listed on the website of the WTO, and China's practices over the past 20 years can easily lead any objective minds to the solid conclusion that China, instead of being a breacher, has been a faithful keeper of its WTO promises. In terms of opening its market, China has honored its commitments with concrete actions. The country's overall tariff level has dropped to 7.4 percent from 15.3 percent in 2001, lower than the 9.8 percent the country promised when entering the world trade body. China has also widely opened its market in the services industry. Relevant documents on China's accession to the trade organization stipulated that 100 sub-sectors in nine categories needed to be opened by 2007. That is a level close to the average 108 sub-sectors of developed countries. Now, Beijing has opened nearly 120 sub-sectors, which means that China has over delivered in this regard. To conform with the WTO rules, China has revised its laws, regulations and policies. Since 2001, more than 2,300 laws and regulations have been reviewed and revised by the central government in Beijing, and over 190,000 by local authorities. On protecting intellectual property, China has set up intellectual property courts in more than a dozen cities countrywide. In addition, more efforts have been made to provide administrative and judicial protections. China has also walked the talk in improving transparency. It has notified the WTO in a timely manner of the adjustment and implementation of its legislation, as well as of laws and regulations. The number of notifications has exceeded 1,000. China's actions have been acknowledged by several directors-general of the WTO and most of the organization's members. Pascal Lamy, a former WTO director-general, acknowledged that China has delivered an "A-plus performance" since its WTO accession. Aerial photo taken on July 7, 2020 shows a photovoltaic industrial park in Gonghe County of Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Hongxiang) In fact, the so-called "China commitments" those Western demagogues talk about are either fabricated or misinterpreted and China's proven track-record deliberately twisted or even ignored. For example, some from the West have criticized China for keeping certain areas off-limits to foreign investments, and cited this as a proof of China's falling short of its promises. The fact is that the WTO has no regulations for these areas, not to mention "China commitments." Many countries have similar prohibitions or restrictions in these areas as well. Obviously, when some Western countries try to spread their lies regarding China's failure to honor its commitments, they are actually saying "China does not serve my interests well." They care little about what China really promised in 2001, but much about how to manipulate the facts to best serve their interests. More ironically, while advocating a rules-based trade system and requiring China to do more than it promised, those Western countries themselves are breaking the rules and disrupting the global trade order by promoting unilateralism and isolationism. Rules are rules only when they are in the interests of these countries. Yet China is still endeavoring to open its door wider. That should in no way be interpreted as evidence alleging China is still on the way to fulfill its WTO entry commitments. Actually, after honoring all its entry commitments, China has further opened up its marketplace as it understands that sharing its development opportunities with the wider world can greatly sustain its growth momentum. As the world economy is still grappling with fierce headwinds of anti-globalization and major obstacles resulting from the pandemic, those Western countries should stop smearing China's WTO records. Instead, they should do some soul-searching about their own behavior, and join China in building a more open global economy. That is how they can best serve their own interests and the common good of the wider world. Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 18:03:23|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Aerial photo taken on Aug. 17, 2020 shows a photovoltaic power station at a green industrial development park in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Hainan, northwest China's Qinghai Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Long) -- In September last year, China updated its nationally determined contribution targets which aim to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, giving China a gap of about 30 years between the two targets. In comparison, the gap for the EU will be 71 years, the United States 43 years and Japan 37 years. -- China has translated its pledges on carbon emissions peaking and carbon dioxide neutrality into concrete actions. According to the World Bank, China has accounted for more than half of the world's entire energy savings since 2005. -- According to a guiding document on China's work to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals released on Oct. 24 by the Chinese authorities, China aims to gradually increase the share of non-fossil energy consumption to around 20 percent by 2025, around 25 percent by 2030, and over 80 percent by 2060. GLASGOW, Britain, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- As the world's largest developing country, China is striving to meet a grand goal: to peak its carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. This ambitious target means China will complete the world's most dramatic reduction in carbon emission intensity, and realize carbon neutrality from carbon peaking in the shortest time in global history. As a country that has always walked its talk, China is working toward the climate goal with a Herculean effort backed by meticulous planning. Here are some key facts and data you need to know: SHORTEST TIME IN GLOBAL HISTORY It is widely recognized by the international community that developed countries have an unshirkable historical responsibility for global climate change due to their unbridled emissions during their industrialization over the past 200 years. The United States, the world's largest cumulative emitter of greenhouse gases, emits 3.3 times more carbon per capita than the global average registered in 2017. As a manufacturing powerhouse, China's level of carbon emissions per person is less than half of that of the United States. China's cumulative emissions per person are one eighth of those of the United States. The world's major developed economies have all reached carbon peak. Britain, France, Germany and the European Union (EU) reached carbon peak in the 1970s, while the United States and Japan did so in 2007 and 2013, respectively. It is also noteworthy that these countries all reached carbon peak naturally with the evolution of development stages and the transfer of high-carbon industries. In September last year, China updated its nationally determined contribution targets which aim to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, giving China a gap of about 30 years between the two targets. In comparison, the gap for the EU will be 71 years, the United States 43 years and Japan 37 years. "The climate change issue is not about climate change only, but is closely related to a country's economy, society, environment, employment and other fields," said Xie Zhenhua, China's special envoy for climate change, at the ongoing 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Aerial photo taken on Nov. 3, 2021 shows a wind power field in Luduo Township of Baoying County of Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Li Bo) HALF OF WORLD'S ENERGY SAVINGS China has translated its pledges on carbon emissions peaking and carbon dioxide neutrality into concrete actions. According to the World Bank, China has accounted for more than half of the world's entire energy savings since 2005. Measures countries around the world have been taking to cut emissions usually include improving energy efficiency, optimizing energy mix, developing renewable energy, adjusting industrial structure and developing forest carbon sequestration. "China's contribution in these said areas accounts for about 30 percent to 50 percent of the world's total," said Xie, noting that China's contribution to global emissions reduction is plain to see. On Oct. 27, China released a white paper to document its policies, actions and progress in mitigating climate change, and to share its experience and approaches with the rest of the world. China is committed to building a global climate governance system that is fair, rational, cooperative and beneficial to all, and makes its due contribution to tackling climate change using its greatest strengths and most effective solutions, said the white paper titled "Responding to Climate Change: China's Policies and Actions." China's 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, data from the white paper showed. The drop in carbon intensity translates to a total reduction of about 5.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 to 2020, and demonstrates that China has largely reversed the rapid growth of its carbon dioxide emissions, the data shows. In addition, China's investment in renewable energy ranks first in the world for many years, and the cost of renewable energy is decreasing day by day. China has also built a large number of solar and wind farms. In terms of increasing forest carbon sinks, China has maintained growth in forest area and forest stock volume for 30 consecutive years, making China the country with the largest increase in forest resources in the world. China has topped the world in new energy vehicles (NEVs) output and sales for the last six years, with its NEV fleet reaching 6.78 million, including 5.52 million electric vehicles. Aerial photo taken on May 25, 2021 shows paddy fields in Nanniwan Township of Yan'an City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Photo by Qi Xiaojun/Xinhua) COORDINATED DEVELOPMENT In the years between 2005 and 2020 when China made great strides in its climate actions, its gross domestic product (GDP) increased by more than four times and the number of rural people living in poverty decreased by nearly 100 million. "This means China has embarked on a path of decarbonization that can coordinate relatively well with its economic and social development," Xie said. According to a guiding document on China's work to achieve carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals released on Oct. 24 by the Chinese authorities, China aims to gradually increase the share of non-fossil energy consumption to around 20 percent by 2025, around 25 percent by 2030, and over 80 percent by 2060. By 2025, the country's carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP will be lowered by 18 percent from the 2020 level, and by 2030 will have dropped by more than 65 percent compared with the 2005 level. By 2025, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP will be lowered by 13.5 percent from the 2020 level, the forest coverage rate will have reached 24.1 percent, and the forest stock volume will have risen to 18 billion cubic meters. By 2030, China's total installed capacity of wind power and solar power will reach over 1,200 gigawatts, the forest coverage rate will have reached about 25 percent, and the forest stock volume will have reached 19 billion cubic meters. By 2060, China will have fully established a clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient energy system, with energy efficiency reaching the advanced international level, according to the guideline. Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 20:18:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close Tourists spend time on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States on Oct. 30, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) Experts said the blocking of the vaccine mandate could foreshadow an uphill slog for the U.S. administration, as it may cause more legal challenges. By Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal appeals court over the weekend temporarily blocked the White House's vaccine mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees, raising concerns over whether more challenges could pop up. The move came after Republican attorneys general in the states of Utah, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas filed petitions that would challenge what they viewed as Washington's unconstitutional approach to getting more people vaccinated. The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ordered a halt to the vaccine mandate because "the petitions give cause to believe there are grave statutory and constitutional issues with the Mandate." The judges who blocked the mandate were appointed by former Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump. Seema Nanda, Labor Department head attorney, said the White House is prepared to defend the vaccine mandate in court, according to U.S. media. The mandate is being implemented by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and under emergency authority that enables the department to circumvent the usual process of implementing safety standards for workplaces. The lengthy process often takes a number of years to implement, but has taken OSHA a few months in this case. The U.S. administration's mandate requires all employees at companies with more than 100 workers to get the jab. But several Texas businesses are challenging OSHA's right to issue safety standards on an emergency basis, contending that the mandate amounts to granting unconstitutional legislative powers to the White House. Nanda said Washington's vaccine mandate "preempts any state or local requirements that ban or limit an employer's authority to require vaccination, face-covering, or testing," U.S. media reported. The legal challenge came on the heels of last month's ban on vaccine mandates in Texas by the state's Governor Greg Abbott. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said last week that the vaccine mandate was an "abuse" of the federal government's power, adding that it went beyond the "limited" responsibilities of OSHA, according to CNBC. White flags honoring the lives lost to COVID-19 are seen on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the United States, on Oct. 2, 2021. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) MORE LEGAL CHALLENGES Experts said the blocking of the vaccine mandate could foreshadow an uphill slog for the U.S. administration, as it may cause more legal challenges. "The decision will be appealed and likely end up in the Supreme Court," Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Darrell West told Xinhua. "Republicans are seeking to block the vaccine mandate, but will need judicial approval to be successful. Whether the mandate sticks depends on how justices rule," West said. "The battle illustrates the continuing contentiousness surrounding COVID and how government officials are trying to reduce its spread," West said. According to a Gallup poll released in September, 56 percent of Americans favor vaccine mandates at their office or work site. At the same time, however, many U.S. workers strongly oppose vaccine mandates. Clay Ramsay, a researcher at the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, told Xinhua that the United States will "definitely" see more judges and governors block vaccine mandates going forward. Over the weekend, city employees in Pittsburg took to the streets to protest Washington's vaccine mandate. In the U.S. city of Boston, clashes broke out between protesters and counter protesters during a demonstration in which opponents blasted the mandate. Protests also broke out in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Health care workers gathered in Utah to oppose the mandate over the weekend. Last week, in Wichita in the state of Kansas, thousands of employees at two major aircraft companies decided to remain unvaccinated in defiance of the federal mandate, a union official was quoted by Reuters. "We're going to lose a lot of employees over this," said Cornell Beard, head of the local Machinists union district, according to Reuters. Tourists spend time on the National Mall in Washington D.C., the United States on Oct. 30, 2021. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) While many workers were not against COVID-19 vaccines, they opposed what they view as government meddling in their personal health decisions. The issue has been part of a larger partisan battle in Washington. Wendy Parsons, a manager in her early 40s at a company in Virginia, told Xinhua that while she voluntarily got the jab several months ago, she did not believe it should be a workplace requirement. A number of Republican governors, most notably those of Florida and Texas, have also opposed vaccine mandates. Announcing the vaccine mandate in September, U.S. President Joe Biden said "my job as president is to protect all Americans." But the Republicans objected to the mandate from the beginning. Washington is "forcing an unconstitutional, un-American federal decree on businesses and families," said Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel. The battle over what role the U.S. government should play in curbing the spread of COVID-19 has been unfolding since early 2020. Dorothy Johnson, a retired nurse in the state of New Jersey in her 70s, told Xinhua that getting the vaccine should be a choice "between a patient and their doctor," not a decision of the government. Linda Hunter, a housewife in her 60s, told Xinhua that she's in favor of getting the vaccine, in a bid to contain the spread of the deadly virus. Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 20:57:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close BEIJING, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- China believes there is wide room for global infrastructure cooperation and various initiatives don't have to counter or replace each other, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Tuesday. Wang Wenbin made the remarks when asked to comment on the U.S. administration's plans to launch a global infrastructure program, which is intended to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative, according to media reports. Countries should work to build rather than tear down bridges, promote connectivity rather than decoupling, seek mutual benefits and win-win results rather than isolation and exclusiveness, Wang said. Since its inception eight years ago, the Belt and Road Initiative has followed the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits and the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation and high-standard, people-centered development, promoted the construction of a large batch of cooperation projects, strengthened connectivity and delivered tangible benefits to the people of the BRI partners. It has become the most popular international public good and the largest cooperation platform, he added. "We hope the United States will take concrete actions to earnestly boost common development and revitalization of all countries," he said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 20:23:49|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KIGALI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda Defence Force (RDF) has denied allegations that it involved itself in supporting the activities of the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel attacks on Sunday in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's northeastern border region with Uganda, RDF said in a statement on Tuesday. It has been reported that an armed group believed to be ex-M23 rebels, on Sunday evening crossed into DRC from Ugandan territory where it is based, and attacked and occupied the villages of Tshanzu and Runyoni, said the statement. The Rwanda Defence Force is neither involved in nor supports any activities of the ex-M23 armed group, it added. The ex-M23 group in question did not seek refuge in Rwanda during their retreat from DRC in 2013, but has been based in Uganda, from where this attack originated, and to where the armed group retreated, said the statement. RDF emphasized that any reports, in the media or by officials in the region, that the ex-M23 armed group originated from or retreated to Rwanda, is propaganda aimed at undermining the good relations between Rwanda and DRC. The M23 attacked the military positions of Chanzu and Runyonyi, in North Kivu province near the border with Uganda and Rwanda, according to the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC). The latest attack came amid mounting violence in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, where armed groups such as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have been active. Several villages in the area are now empty as their inhabitants, including women and children, have crossed the border into Uganda for fear of the rebels' advance in the region. The M23 is a group of former rebels of the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP). The name came from the March 23, 2009, agreement between the CNDP and the Congolese government, which M23 leaders claimed had not been respected by the government. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 22:42:57|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close LUSAKA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's largest emerald miner on Tuesday announced the discovery of a rare gigantic emerald weighing 1.505 kilograms. Kagem Mining Limited said the 7,525 carats gem was discovered on July 13, 2021 at its mine in Lufwanyama district on the Copperbelt province and has been dubbed "Chipembele" (meaning Rhino), according to a release. It adds that a share of proceeds from the sale of the gem would be donated to support rhino conservation efforts in Zambia. "A key Gemfields tenet is that Africa's gemstone wealth must contribute meaningfully not only to host-country economies, but also to conservation efforts, host communities and the next generation by ways of education, healthcare and livelihood projects," Jackson Mtonga, the miner's Sort House Assistant Manager said. The gem was due to be sold at the next emerald auction to be conducted by the firm, with viewing expected to take place from November, the release added. The discovery of the giant gem at the mine follows similar discoveries such as the 6,225 carats Insofu (Elephant) gem in 2010 and the 5,655 Inkalamu (Lion) in 2018, according to the release. The emerald miner is owned 75 percent by London-based Gemfields Plc with the Zambian government retaining the other 25 percent. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 23:17:31|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The African Union (AU) has urged parties to the conflict in Ethiopia to engage in a meaningful dialogue to find a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict in Northern Ethiopia. The statement was made by the Peace and Security Council of the 55-member pan-African bloc Tuesday following the Council's meeting Monday that dwelt with the current situations in Ethiopia. The Council "urges the government of Ethiopia and all other relevant parties to the conflict, while being guided by a commitment to the supreme national interest of the country, to engage in a meaningful and genuine dialogue that aims at finding a lasting peaceful solution to the conflict," the statement read. While underlining the importance of an inclusive, genuine and comprehensive national dialogue to sustain peace, stability, democracy, good governance and reconciliation in Ethiopia, the Council underscored full support to the efforts of the High Representative of the AU Commission Chairperson Olusegun Obasanjo toward the cessation of hostilities and peaceful resolution of the conflict and welcomed other international and regional efforts exerted toward supporting the realization of these objectives. It urged all the parties to engage constructively with the High Representative within his mandate and reassured Obasanjo of the Council's unwavering support for discharging his mandate in line with the notion of African solution to African problems. The Council also emphasized that the escalation of the conflict has a determinant impact on peace, security and stability in Ethiopia and the wider region, as well as on the political and humanitarian situation. Reiterating its conviction that there is no military solution to the ongoing conflict, the Council called on all the parties to commit to an immediate cessation of hostilities with a view to pursuing a lasting, unconditional and comprehensive ceasefire and durable peaceful solution. Amid the escalating conflict, the AU stressed its long standing commitment against any attempt aimed at unconstitutional change of government, while underscoring the importance of continuous efforts toward deepening the culture of democracy and promotion of good governance in the continent. The Council further requested the Chairperson of the AU Commission to provide periodic updates on the situation and the efforts aimed at reaching a peaceful solution in Ethiopia, especially measures being taken toward de-escalation of the conflict and lasting peace. Meanwhile, the AU appealed to the international community to refrain from adopting unilateral coercive measures that run contrary to international law. It also reaffirmed its strong commitment to the preservation of the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Ethiopia. The AU Peace and Security Council meeting on the current situations in Ethiopia came amid escalating conflict in Northern parts of the East African country between the Ethiopian federal government and the forces loyal to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Amid the escalating conflict, the Ethiopian House of People's Representatives (HoPR) last week endorsed a six-month nationwide state of emergency rule. The decision to impose the state of emergency rule also came in line with the national call to support the Ethiopian army in the ongoing fighting against forces loyal to the TPLF, including the call to veteran members of the Ethiopian army to fight alongside the Ethiopian defense forces. Over the past several days, the TPLF declared control of key cities in Amhara region, Dessie and Kombolcha, some 380 km north of the capital. This was, eventually, followed by huge popular mobilization by the Amhara and Afar regions as well as other regional states in the country to fight back the TPLF's expansion. Since the early hours of Nov. 4, 2020, the Ethiopian government has been undertaking military operations against the TPLF. In late June, the government announced a unilateral ceasefire in Tigray, but forces loyal to the TPLF soon took control of much of the area in the region, including the regional capital. The conflict has since expanded to Tigray's neighboring Amhara and Afar regions. The HoPR, the lower house of the Ethiopian parliament, has designated the TPLF as a terrorist organization. Chairperson of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat last week called for the immediate cessation of hostilities, the full respect for the life and property of civilians, as well as state infrastructure, a separate AU statement read, while urging the parties to the conflict to engage in dialogue and seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the country. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-10 01:40:43|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The internet service in Sudan has not yet been restored, despite a judicial ruling on Tuesday requiring the communication companies to immediately resume the service, which has been blocked since Oct. 25. Sudanese economic experts and analysts believe that the internet outage for more than two weeks has negatively effects on the economic and social conditions in the country. "The banking sector is the most affected sector by the outage of internet services," Mohamed Mustafa Ishag, a Sudanese banking expert, told Xinhua. "Those dealing with Sudanese banks suffer from inability to manage their accounts and daily transactions," he said, adding that "many banking transactions requiring dealing via the internet have been disrupted, and most of those transactions are made through liquid money (cash)." Ali Ismail, a Sudanese economic analyst, pointed to the negative impact of cutting the internet service on the communications companies themselves. "Certainly, the communications companies themselves have sustained great losses, especially if we know that the size of their daily business is estimated at about 6 million U.S. dollars," Ismail told Xinhua. Other sectors have also been affected by the internet outage, such as transportation. "A broad sector of the population of the capital Khartoum suffers from inability to deal with the 'Tirhal' application for transportation due to the outage of internet in mobile phones," he said. Essam Al-Zein, director of an import and export company in Khartoum, said that it is difficult to work in light of the outage of internet. "Our business has been greatly affected, and there is a significant decline in the movement of export and import due to the lack of internet," Al-Zain told Xinhua. According to unofficial statistics, there are nearly 14 million internet users in Sudan, about 30 percent of the country's population of 44 million people. The internet service was blocked on Oct. 25 following measures adopted by the General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, including declaring a state of emergency and dissolving the Sovereign Council and the government. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-10 03:40:51|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KHARTOUM, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Troika (Norway, Britain, and the United States) on Tuesday urged the General Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan not to take "unilateral action," the three countries said in a statement. The three countries made the remarks during a meeting with Al-Burhan on Tuesday, according to the statement. "We discussed our strong desire to see Sudan's democratic transition back on track," it said. "We underscored the need for restoration of the Constitutional Document and of the Prime Minister Hamdok back to office, as the basis of discussion on how to achieve a civilian-military partnership and civilian-led transitional government, which genuinely reflect the aspirations of the Sudanese people," noted the statement. "This would demonstrate a commitment to stay on course toward free and fair elections at the end of the transition period," it added. The three countries further urged the immediate release of all detained since Oct. 25, lifting the state of emergency, and "ending violence against peaceful protesters" as critical steps toward resuming Sudan's democratic transition. Al-Burhan declared a state of emergency on Oct. 25, and dissolved the Sovereign Council and the government. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 12:08:01|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close KUALA LUMPUR, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will make an official visit to Indonesia, Malaysia's foreign ministry said Tuesday. The visit from Tuesday to Thursday is Ismail Sabri's first visit to the neighboring country since assuming office in August. Ismail Sabri will meet with Indonesian President Joko Widodo as part of his schedule during the visit accompanied by several cabinet members. "It will provide an opportunity for the leaders to advance collaboration towards effective recovery as two immediate neighbors deal with the impacts of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic," the ministry said in a statement. Ismail Sabri will also meet with representatives of Indonesia's business community, the Malaysian diaspora in Indonesia and a defense industry facility during the visit, it said. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 15:41:24|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close CANBERRA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement is important amid global economic uncertainty at the current time, said a renowned Australian economist. "East Asia's RCEP agreement was concluded in a time of heightened uncertainty in the global economy and in the middle of the largest economic downturn in almost 100 years from a pandemic-induced recession," said Peter Drysdale, Emeritus Professor of Economics and Head of the East Asian Bureau of Economic Research at the Australian National University, told Xinhua in an interview. As of last Tuesday, the ASEAN Secretariat has received instruments of ratification/acceptance (IOR/A) from six ASEAN member states -- Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states -- China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. As provided by the agreement, RCEP will enter into force 60 days after the date at which the minimum number of IOR/A is achieved, which means that the world's largest free trade deal covering about 30 percent of the world's population shall enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022. Its economic and trade volume also accounts for 30 percent of the world's total. Professor Drysdale noted that the agreement is even more important in the context of rising protectionism, trade dispute between China and the United States, and the protectionist pressure arising from the COVID-19 pandemic that "have put the global trade regime under extreme pressure". Given its size which is more than twice that of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in terms of the scale of the economies involved and trade volume, the professor saw it beyond a trade arrangement. "It is an economic cooperation arrangement, as it incorporates elements which will see the partners continuing to deepen the economic integration," he said. He believed that RCEP represents a big commitment to economic liberalization, allowing developing economies in the arrangement to phase in their liberalization over periods of time, while ensuring an endpoint of substantial liberalization and recognizing the wide range of economic development and market conditions found in member economies. Professor Drysdale said the RCEP provisions on government procurement, intellectual property and the digital economy signal the willingness of member economies to commit to a shared "rule book" for emerging areas of trade despite bilateral disagreements and intersecting FTAs. In terms of market access, RCEP will eliminate most tariffs and quotas, and liberalize service trade, he added. The cooperation framework offers opportunities not only to help members make progress "in areas that are not suited to negotiation such as cooperation on recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and the regulation of the increasingly important digital economy," but also on broader regional and global issues such as regional infrastructure investment and climate change policies. Therefore, Drysdale said it is not simply another free trade and investment arrangement. "It incorporates an important cooperation agenda, an essential element in building capacity for economic reform and mutually reinforcing regional development in Southeast Asia over time," he said. While recognizing developing the agenda for cooperation in RCEP as the major challenge now, "the cooperation agenda has a political and security pay-off that will assist in ameliorating regional tensions and managing relations with bigger powers," he said. According to him, the RCEP agreement could ultimately facilitate collective Asian leadership, ASEAN centrality, and strengthen the ASEAN institutional ecosystem and its dealings with those outside it, like the United States and Europe. As he expressed the expectations for RCEP, Professor Drysdale saw the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting, to be hosted virtually by New Zealand this week, as another opportunity in a difficult time. He has been involved in the regional economic cooperation process before APEC was born. His students gave him a car plate that reads "APEC Daddy", a tribute to his works which were recognized as the intellectual foundation of APEC. "APEC is more important now than it ever has been because there are big issues that need to be worked through to strengthen and stabilize global governance," he said. For him, APEC is ideally suited to enable different perspectives to be discussed outside the pressure of negotiation and solutions to be found in the development of policy strategies. "Its multilateral character and the participation of both China and the United States in its multilateral deliberations is a huge strength that APEC can use if the will is there," he added. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 17:29:04|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close MANILA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Less than a week ahead of the 2021 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Week virtually hosted by New Zealand, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) free trade agreement has crossed the ratification threshold to enter into force in January 2022. Experts believe the world's largest free trade agreement will inject impetus into post-pandemic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region, by providing strong support for expanding trade and investment. VICTORY OF MULTILATERALISM At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting with its dialogue partners held last month, leaders of RCEP participating countries are in unison for the immediate ratification and entry into force of the RCEP agreement, not only because it will create a stable and robust business environment, but also it is viewed as an important tool in the economic recovery efforts of the region. As an ASEAN-led Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that consolidates the 10-country bloc's existing regional FTAs with Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand into a modern, comprehensive, high-quality, and mutually beneficial economic partnership agreement, the RCEP "provides an open, inclusive, and rules-based trading system that can serve as a major platform to deepen and broaden regional economic integration," said the leaders. "To accelerate post-pandemic recovery, we must further strengthen our economic ties through the RCEP," Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said during the ASEAN meetings. Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the RCEP "provides for a framework aimed at further lowering trade barriers, and securing improved market access for goods and services for businesses in the region" that makes up almost one third of the world's GDP, global trade, and global inward foreign direct investments. There is no doubt that the RCEP is "a victory for multilateralism and defeat of unilateralism," said Joseph Matthews, a senior professor at the BELTEI International University in Phnom Penh. Some Japanese experts believe the RCEP is an important trade arrangement to safeguard free trade and counter protectionism, which is "in line with the historical trend." CORE FOUNDATION FOR TRADE As of Nov. 2, the ASEAN Secretariat based in Jakarta, Indonesia, has received instruments of ratification from six ASEAN member states, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as from four non-ASEAN signatory states, namely China, Japan, New Zealand and Australia. That means the world's largest free trade agreement to enter into force on Jan. 1, 2022. "It will become the core foundation for trade and investment in the region, further expand regional value chains and create more employment and market opportunities for peoples and businesses in the region," Cambodian government spokesperson Phay Siphan told Xinhua. Tran Toan Thang, a high ranking official from Vietnamese Ministry of Planning and Investment, said the FTA will have positive impacts on production structure, production chain and supply chain "because with lower tariffs, FTAs increase import, and bigger import will affect domestic production." Wichai Kinchong Choi, senior vice president of leading Thai bank Kasikornbank, said the RCEP will further enhance regional industrial cooperation and improve the region's productivity, risk resistance capacity, and international competitiveness. He said the massive open market to be formed will help consolidate the regional industrial and supply chains, support member states against economic uncertainties, and promote coordinated economic development in the region. A recent Asian Development Bank (ADB) study said the RCEP "presents strong potential to hold regional trade and investment patterns well into the future and to influence the direction of global economic cooperation at a challenging time." BOOSTING ECONOMIC RECOVERY Signed in November last year, the RCEP is the world's largest free trade zone across a wide assortment of indicators, and its 15 member states are home to 2.27 billion people, with a total GDP of 26 trillion U.S. dollars and total exports of 5.2 trillion U.S. dollars. The ADB study predicted that the RCEP will make significant contributions to post-pandemic economic recovery in the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide. "By 2030, if the implementation is on track, we estimate that it will increase members' incomes by 0.6 percent, adding 245 billion U.S. dollars annually to regional income and 2.8 million jobs to regional employment," said the study. Kin Phea, director-general of the International Relations Institute at the Royal Academy of Cambodia, agreed that the RCEP will be vital in regional and global economic recovery. "RCEP countries will greatly benefit from this important trade deal and can diversify their productions and markets," he told Xinhua, adding that "the RCEP will be a driving force of foreign direct investment to all RCEP countries." Chris Lipscombe, international business strategist and president of the New Zealand China Cross-border Electronic Commerce Foundation, considered the RCEP as "a tremendous boost" for the region's post-pandemic recovery. "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. ASEAN Secretary-General Dato Lim Jock Hoi said the expeditious ratification process is "a true reflection of our strong commitment to a fair and open multilateral trading system for the benefit of the people in the region and the world." "The implementation of the RCEP agreement starting from January 1 next year will give a tremendous boost to the post-COVID-19 economic recovery efforts," he said. Enditem (Xinhua correspondents Lu Huaiqian, Mao Pengfei, Ye Shan, Tao Jun also contributed to the story.) Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 19:56:39|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close JAKARTA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian police arrested five terrorist suspects affiliated to outlawed organization Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) in East Java province early Tuesday, police spokesman Senior Commissioner Ahmad Ramadhan said. The suspects were apprehended in a number of districts in the province, including Bojonegoro, Gresik and Sumenep, Ramadhan told a press conference. They were captured on suspicion of delivery of firearms, training for JI recruits and a group of JI military trainers or instructors, the spokesman said. According to him, the police were still probing the case to seek further information about the JI group's fundraising in East Java province. The police recently confiscated hundreds of charity boxes suspected of being used by terrorist groups to raise operational funds in Lampung province during an operation. "Charity boxes have not been found in East Java, but we are conducting an in-depth investigation to see if there is a fundraising pattern as well," Ramadhan said. Jamaah Islamiyah has long been accused of being behind a series of bomb attacks in Indonesia. The deadliest attack was the bombing of two nightclubs in Bali on Oct. 12, 2002, which killed 202 people. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 22:01:41|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close COLOMBO, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The China International Import Expo (CIIE) is an important gateway into the Chinese market especially for gem and jewellery trade, and gives exporters a high level of confidence, a representative of a Sri Lanka-based gem industry association has said. China's commitment to expanding imports would enable Chinese consumers to enjoy Sri Lanka's colored gemstones while boosting the Sri Lankan economy, Altaf Iqbal, vice chairman for foreign promotion and trade fairs of Sri Lanka Gem and Jewellery Association (SLGJA) told Xinhua in an exclusive interview. "It is important to note that China is the fastest growing market for the gem and jewellery industry in Sri Lanka and it has remained so for the last decade," Iqbal said. Iqbal said that gem exports to China would greatly benefit from trade liberalization between the two countries. Sri Lanka's gem exports have faced great difficulty in 2020 due to COVID-19 and the cancellation of key industry exhibitions because of the pandemic, Iqbal said, adding that the CIIE would help raise the profile of Sri Lanka's natural gems. Sri Lankan gem exporters have participated at the CIIE since it was initiated in 2018. Iqbal said the SLGJA is working with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority to promote the country's gem exports. Sri Lanka earned 313.82 million U.S. dollars from exports of gems, diamonds, and jewellery in 2019, amounting to 2.67 percent of total exports. The country's main export destinations for gems, diamonds, and jewellery are the United States, China's Hong Kong, and the European Union. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 23:27:27|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close TASHKENT, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing-headquartered Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a 100-million-U.S.-dollar loan to a private energy company in Uzbekistan to boost the energy supply and security, the bank announced on Monday. The loan, AIIB's first nonsovereign-backed financing, was issued to ACWA Power Sirdarya LLC to support the construction of the 1,500-megawatt Sirdarya Combined Cycle Gas Turbines (CCGT) project. The power project is located in the central Sirdarya region and aims to increase the availability of high-efficiency gas power generation capacity in the country. The project is being developed by Saudi Arabia's ACWA Power, a developer, investor and operator of power, desalinated water, and green hydrogen plants in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and Southeast Asia. "Uzbekistan's electricity system faces major supply gaps, which is estimated to be 9.4 percent of the total electricity demand in 2019, and lacks the needed reserve capacity to balance the upcoming large share of intermittent renewable energy such as solar and wind," AIIB said on its website. According to the lender, the construction of new, high-efficiency gas power stations, which would replace older and less efficient assets, is an important modernization step that complements the early spread of renewable energy. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 23:46:29|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close SINGAPORE, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Four Asiatic lions at Singapore's Night Safari have tested positive for COVID-19, the Straits Times reported on Tuesday evening, quoting the Animal and Veterinary Service (AVS). The AVS, which is under the National Parks Board, said that the four lions, as well as an African lion at the Singapore Zoo, had exhibited mild signs of sickness including coughing, sneezing and lethargy on Saturday and Monday respectively. The lions have been exposed to infected staff from Mandai Wildlife Group previously. The testing for the African lion that had shown signs of sickness is ongoing. According to the newspaper, the AVS has issued an order under the Animals and Birds Act to Mandai Wildlife Group to isolate all nine Asiatic lions and five African lions in their respective dens. Mandai Wildlife Group, formerly named Wildlife Reserves Singapore, manages the majority of zoos in the country, including the Night Safari and the Singapore Zoo. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-10 00:04:36|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close ISLAMABAD, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The world should not leave Afghanistan alone in the current economic situation where people are living in extreme poverty, a Pakistani minister said on Tuesday. Addressing a press briefing here, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain said that people in Afghanistan are undergoing very tough economic challenges. "The primary reason for Afghanistan's present situation is that the assets of the country have been seized. Afghanistan was dependent on foreign aid and right now there is no aid," the minister said. Talking about his country's efforts to support the people of Afghanistan in the hour of need, he said that Pakistan will send rice and wheat to the neighboring country to help it handle the food crisis. He said a special fund is also being set up by the Pakistani government to help Afghanistan tackle the hunger issue. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan announced in a statement on Tuesday that Acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi is expected to lead a high-level delegation to Pakistan from Wednesday to Friday. "The exchanges will center on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations with a particular focus inter alia on enhanced trade, facilitation of transit trade, cross-border movement, land and aviation links, people-to-people contacts, and regional connectivity," the statement said. In view of the prevalent situation, Pakistan has been urging the international community to urgently provide humanitarian assistance and economic support to alleviate the sufferings of the Afghan people, the foreign ministry said, adding that Pakistan is extending humanitarian and economic assistance to the people of Afghanistan. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 14:17:52|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) members currently on the UN Security Council -- Estonia, France and Ireland -- joined by Norway and incoming council member Albania, on Monday voiced concern over Israel's designation of six Palestinian nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as terrorist groups. "These listings are a matter of serious concern, as they have far-reaching consequences for the organizations in political, legal and financial terms," said the five countries in a joint statement. "We will be engaging Israeli authorities for more information regarding the basis for these designations, which we will study carefully," they said. The five countries called on both Israelis and Palestinians to refrain from unilateral actions that increase tensions and undermine the two-state solution, and called on them to build on steps taken in recent months to improve cooperation. They called on the Israeli government to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and not to proceed with the tenders for the construction of more than 1,300 housing units and plans for the construction of nearly 3,000 housing units in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory announced on Oct. 24 and Oct. 27. As stated in Security Council Resolution 2334, settlements are illegal under international law and constitute a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-state solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace between the parties, said the five countries. "We reiterate our strong opposition to the expansion of settlements and will not recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties." The joint statement was issued after the Security Council held closed-door consultations on Israel's designation of the Palestinian NGOs as terrorist organizations and on developments regarding settlement activity in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 10:50:02|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close RAMALLAH, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye on Monday called on the U.S. Congress to recognize an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. In a press statement issued at the end of a meeting with a delegation of U.S. Congress members headed by Senator Ben Cardin, Ishtaye called on the U.S. congressmen to work on amending the American laws which link both the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization to terrorism. The statement said Ishtaye discussed with the delegation the future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process amid the Israeli government's attempts to undermine the two-state solution by maintaining Israeli occupation and violating the Palestinians rights. He also asked the United States to implement the pledges it made to the Palestinians, mainly reopening the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem. He also urged his visitors to help curb Israel's settlement policy. "How can we continue to talk about the two-state solution when there are 720,000 settlers on the lands of the Palestinian state, and the settlement program is continuing?" he asked. "There are 62% of the Palestinian lands under the direct control of Israel, and it deals with it as a geographical reservoir for settlement expansion," he added. Ishtaye also requested the delegation to pressure Israel to allow the PNA to hold general elections in all the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are claimed by the Palestinians, in the 1967 Middle East war, and has controlled them ever since. The Palestinians have been seeking to establish a Palestinian state on these territories together with the Gaza Strip. Enditem Source: Xinhua| 2021-11-09 17:59:26|Editor: huaxia Video Player Close WASHINGTON, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot issued subpoenas Monday to six associates of former President Donald Trump, asking them to provide documents related to their involvement in the riot and appear for depositions. "In the days before the January 6th attack, the former president's closest allies and advisers drove a campaign of misinformation about the election and planned ways to stop the count of Electoral College votes," the committee's chair, Mississippi Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson said. Those who were subpoenaed included Bill Stepien, manager of Trump's 2020 reelection campaign; Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the campaign; Angela McCallum, national executive assistant to the campaign; John Eastman, a lawyer who advised the former president; Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to Trump who talked with the former president ahead of the insurrection; and Bernard Kerik, who the Select Committee said paid for hotel rooms that were used as command centers in the lead-up to Jan. 6. "The Select Committee needs to know every detail about their efforts to overturn the election, including who they were talking to in the White House and in Congress, what connections they had with rallies that escalated into a riot, and who paid for it all," Thompson added. He told the Trump associates that the panel now possesses "credible evidence" of their participation in Trump's efforts to overturn his defeat in the election, citing ways in which each of them tried to promote the former president's claims. The subpoenas came as the panel has already demanded documents and testimony from several other Trump advisers. Among them was one of Trump's staunchest allies, Steve Bannon, whom the House voted last month to hold him in criminal contempt of Congress after he refused to comply with his subpoena. Others facing subpoenas are former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and administration aides Kashyap Patel and Dan Scavino. They were reportedly "engaging" with the investigators. Trump has been fighting the probe in court, claiming to insert his executive privileges to shield some of the records from Congress. President Biden has refused to grant Trump those privileges in the context of the probe, saying it would otherwise not be in the best interest of the nation. Enditem The Government of Zimbabwe has no plans to consider adopting a new currency and local currency remains the Zimbabwe dollar (ZW$), Cabinet has said. Last week, head of the e-government unit Charles Wekwete proposed the introduction of cryptocurrency during the Computer Society of Zimbabwe summit. The media quoted Wekwete as having hinted that government was looking into how cryptocurrencies could be used as a legal payment service. But on Tuesday, Cabinet shot down the idea, giving assurance that the country is sticking to local currency. Government would like to assure the nation that it is not considering introducing another currency in the economy as reported in some sections of the media, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa told journalists during a post Cabinet briefing. Our local currency is the Zimbabwe dollar (ZW$) and not cryptocurrency. Like most countries in the world, the government of Zimbabwe through its Financial Technology (FINTECH) Group, is studying Central Banking Digital Currency (CBDC) as opposed to crypto currencies, bit coins or any form of derivatives. A Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) is the digital form of a countrys fiat currency that is also a claim on the central bank. Instead of printing money, the central bank issues electronic coins or accounts backed by the full faith and credit of the government. Wekwete told the summit that the government has begun gathering views from businesses and will talk to citizens as part of research on the issue. So the government has put in place a mechanism to try and gather views from various sectors of society in order to eventually formulate policies, Wekwete was quoted last week. Zimbabwe is ranked 61st for crypto adoption, according to the Chainalysis 2021 report. On the COVID-19 pandemic, Mutsvangwa said the country was yet to come out of the woods. This means that all gatherings, including bars, must only allow vaccinated clients. Let us all continue to work together to forestall a possible 4th wave. Newsday The current rules: People who initially received Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations are eligible for a booster six months later if theyre 65 or older, or are at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems or their job or living conditions. Because the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine hasnt proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&J recipient can get a booster at least two months later. Harris Wilson Sanchez, 54, and Hinguenbert Deleon, 36, fled authorities who had been spying them coming and going from a Mosholu Ave. apartment building for more than a month, the Office of the Special Narcotics Prosecutor said in a release. On Thursday afternoon, investigators attempted to pull over Sanchez and Deleon while they drove a 2021 Volkswagen Touareg SUV. The pair sped off and managed to lose investigators but not for long, according to a release. Manhattan Federal Court Judge Alison Nathan ruled that Maxwell should remain bars for the same reasons she stated in previous rulings. Shes written that Maxwell, who is accused of grooming underage girls for Epsteins sexual abuse in the mid-1990s and early 2000s, has not been candid about her finances and is a flight risk. Maxwell had proposed a $28.5 million bail package in exchange for home confinement. Kennedy Airport was filled with joyous reunions Monday as U.S. borders reopened for the first time in nearly 20 months amid the COVID-19 pandemic. International travelers, who were able to enter the U.S. thanks to proof of vaccination and a negative test, wept and embraced upon seeing friends and family with their own eyes no FaceTime or Zoom required. In almost all instances in which Andrew Cuomo granted clemency, it was to a handful of people in late December or early January. We dont believe that values of mercy and redemption, and the exercise of clemency, should be limited to once or twice per year, wrote more than 100 criminal justice reform groups in a letter to Hochul. Bazemore was found to be at home during 10 shifts he filed for from January through July of 2019 and the IGs audit of his credit card records found he was likely shopping at Macys during work hours during another nine of his shifts, the report states. Casino records also showed Bazemore was gambling in Atlantic City during two sick days he filed for in 2019, according to the report. Banton, 42, remained in custody Tuesday in Florida, awaiting extradition to face charges in New York, according to the Jacksonville sheriffs office. In August, Johnsons 20-year-old sister described the suspect to The News as a family friend of more than two decades who often came by to eat and hang out in their home. An alleged killer who walked up to a Brooklyn woman and shot her in the back of the head has been captured in Florida, police said Monday. Video shows the shooter confronting two men and sticking a gun at one of their heads. Ball said he pulled the gun because the men were selling marijuana laced with fentanyl, sources said. Dominguez-Quevedo argued that he was cleaning urine off the toilet left there by Callen when his cellmate attacked him. Authorities report the victims face was bruised and battered, and that hed suffered a broken rib and missing teeth. The two men were alone in the cell. When investigators searched his apartment they found an 18-inch machete, a knife covered with blood and fur, and another knife with a broken handle and blade in a dog bowl. His oven was covered with blood and fur, according to police. According to the local ABC affiliate WFAA-TV, a witness told investigators that he was inside his apartment when he heard gunshots around 5 a.m. When he looked out the window, he saw Walker chasing Mack through the parking lot and firing multiple shots at her. At one point, the witness said, he saw Walker standing over the victim and firing at her as she was on the ground. All of the camera footage is still being reviewed closely but right now we know the first victims shooting was clearly on video, police spokesperson Teal Soden said. Well need to review more before we definitely say whether the second victims shooting was clearly on video or not. The woman who owns the home told WCVB that she invited the man, her stepson, to the residence 10 days ago but asked him to leave this morning. She said he pulled a gun and refused, leading to the police response. In spite of having a career that came and went several times during his seventy plus years in the business, he was always grateful and delighted to have the chance to keep working, Bakula wrote. The only time he ever complained was when we called him on the golf course and told him we were ready for him to come to work! He used to announce his presence on the sound stage (if we hadnt already caught a whiff of cigar smoke trailing in behind him), with a bellowed, The fun starts now! Truer words were never spoken. According to prosecutors, the officers had been trained and instructed to only use their Tasers for 15 seconds, but Lakey was tasered for three minutes. A medical examiner later determined Lakey died from a heart attack and law enforcement use of electrical weapon and restraint, according to the Daily Ardmoreite. The investigation into Strains sexual abuse came during a separate investigation into corruption within work release programs that he set up during his tenure as sheriff, then handed over to the children of two of his closest associates. Those confidants, who both pleaded guilty, testified that Strain received monetary kickbacks from the programs. When Marshall and the other officers arrived, a woman, later identified as 43-year-old Jessica Worsham, met them at the front door and immediately pulled out a gun and began firing. The pathologist, Dr. Doug Kelley of the Milwaukee County medical examiners office, testified that Rosenbaum was shot at close range and had soot injuries on his hand, but it was not clear whether he had his hand on the barrel of Rittenhouses AR-15 style rifle when he was shot. The footage, which was slowed down, shows Rittenhouse turn around and shoot Rosenbaum at close range. Hurley, a concealed-carry permit holder, was quick to take action. He used his own firearm to shoot and kill the suspect and then picked up the long gun with the intent of holding on to it for authorities, according to District Attorney Alexis King. According to WOIO, Cpl. Foreman, a member of Company A, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, 7th Infantry Division, went missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950 after he unit was attacked in current day North Korea during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, one of the most brutal in modern history, and a victory by the communist forces, which lasted from Nov. 27 to Dec. 13 that year. For decades, the military said it was unable to recover Foremans body. The mother and her friend were able to exit the park successfully, but they were again met by Dwonchyk down the road. He attempted to cut them off and then continued to follow them, while threatening to kill himself if he could not see the children. In my opinion, and this is my opinion right now because everything is going to be fleshed out throughout this investigation, but certainly, the artist, if he notices something thats going on, he can certainly pause that performance, turn on the lights and say, Hey were not going to continue until this thing is resolved. Gosar used his government account to tweet the 70-second video depicting a heroic image of himself flying into the air and brandishing a sword against an animated image of an enemy with AOCs head superimposed on it. Melissa Mark-Viverito, a former councilwoman who served as speaker between 2014 and 2017, told The News that she approached Menin at Somos after hearing that she had portrayed herself to allies as more qualified than the other four women already in the speakers race. Neumann told Belarus 1 that his photo had been added to the FBIs most-wanted list, after which he left the country under the pretense of a business trip. Neuman, who owns a handbag manufacturing business, traveled to Italy in March, and then through Switzerland, Germany and Poland before arriving in Ukraine and spent several months there. Sununu was considered by far the best GOP candidate against Hassan and insiders say her chances of winning reelection are much higher without him in the race. I also just wanted to say thank you to all of our friends here in Perth for all the support and love that youve shown us, and thats really appreciated because both of our families are overseas, and obviously weve been talking to them as well, but its hard because they may not be able to travel here to be with us, she added. And though a full year of family leave costs real money, there are many creative ways in which the government can fund it. The Independent Womens Forum has recommended giving parents access to some of the Social Security benefits they have already earned, after they have given birth. I have always recommended the idea of a separate caregiver tax which can be set aside as an insurance policy for new mothers when they have a child, and if they do not have children, which can be used to care for a sick or elderly family member. There is also the option of the government working with the private sector to ensure by law that all employees are covered for paid parental leave for a period of time after the government-sanctioned time is over. In 2018, Gateway Housing launched Attendance Matters, a pilot program to improve the school attendance of children living in homeless shelters operated by four leading nonprofit providers, BronxWorks, Win, CAMBA and HELP USA. Designed by Dr. Judith Samuels and funded by the Robin Hood Foundation and JPMorgan Chase, the program uses a team approach to leverage existing resources, adding just one position to coordinate the efforts of nonprofit shelter staff and Department of Education workers recently deployed to work on-site in shelters. Weekly interagency meetings take advantage of improved data matches between DOE and the Department of Homeless Services to identify the children at a shelter who arent getting to school. The Attendance Matters team then works to come up with and implement individualized solutions for every child and family who needs assistance. The Irish Post reports that Fury is predicting an excellent night when his 22-year-old brother, a British reality TV performer and boxer with seven wins under his belt and no losses, gets into the ring with Paul, who is 4-0. Fury, who stands 6-foot-9 has been training his 6-foot sibling to fight the 24-year-old Paul. The Ohio native is roughly Tommy Furys size. Dwayne and Gal and I, we talk a lot about that, and there is a sort of shared experience there that I think is worth noting, said Reynolds. We love, love having our girls. Watkinsville, GA (30677) Today Generally cloudy. High 62F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. While Amazon is known for its dominance in online retail, it has slowly begun expanding its footprint into physical locations. In September, Amazon launched its first grocery location in California and has since added 11 more locations in California and Illinois. The company has plans to launch over 30 more locations across the country, according to Bloomberg. Wholesale prices for frozen, whole turkey hens average $1.22 per pound this year, up 14% from $1.07 in 2020 and a whopping 37% from $0.89 in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Prices were closer to what they are now in 2016 when they averaged $1.17 per pound. Freshly off the first flight to land from Great Britain to Orlando after the lifting of international travel restrictions Monday, Mitchell, 53, stood by a hefty suitcase as she searched for her daughter among the crowd. She was minutes away from their reunion and the beginning of their vacation together, which will include a stay in Daytona Beach. Mokdad says a concern remains that a strain more infectious than delta could spread somewhere in the world at a time when Florida has few prevention strategies left in place. However, so far delta has swept the globe so thoroughly that it has crowded out almost all the other lineages of viruses, he said. For one, this study is a preprint, which means it has not gone through peer-review, a process where experts evaluate the studys quality. MedRxiv, which features the study, states preprints have not been finalized by authors, might contain errors, and report information that has not yet been accepted or endorsed in any way by the scientific or medical community. A mother told the Orlando Sentinel that her daughter also saw the suspect with a gun. She said her daughter, who spoke to police, said the suspect appeared drunk and stood out at the dance because he was wearing sweatpants and Crocs. Marcanos bed wasnt made and there was a pillow on top of it which had a small patch of dried blood, the report said. Three pieces of jewelry were found on the floor and a book bag was next to her desk that appeared to be luggage Marcano planned to take on a flight to Fort Lauderdale the day she went missing. She never boarded the flight Prosecutors say Ramos-Rivera and his girlfriend, Glorianmarie Quinones-Montes, were hired by Ishnar Lopez-Ramos to kill a different woman who she saw as a romantic rival standing in the way of her relationship with a man. They bought duct tape, zip ties and a bag of lime, a chemical often associated with body disposal, from Home Depot and Lowes, Smith said. These significant sentences and restitution of over $29 million to our nations critical healthcare system Medicare are a result of law enforcements unified efforts to hold the perpetrators of one of the largest healthcare fraud schemes in history accountable for their crimes, said Special Agent in Charge Omar Perez Aybar of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Seagulls are common sights on Florida beaches and are often attracted to beachgoer food, which they can detect from three miles away, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The agency recommends putting food away if the birds become a nuisance, as well as not feeding them. Hays is right, of course: His fellow Republicans are full of it. But theyre so hopped up on former President Trumps outrage elixir that theyve abandoned reason. Republicans across the state are following the lead of charlatans like Lake County state Rep. Anthony Sabatini, who hopes to become Floridas answer in Congress to the preposterous likes of Madison Cawthorn and Marjorie Taylor Greene. Education: Despite all of the buzz around green energy and climate change, there is a lack of education specifically about hydrogen and the significant role it will play in the near future. Raising the knowledge at a local level will be critical in unlocking its potential. The science says that liquid hydrogen in 2022 can be a significantly safer than even gasoline or diesel, yet many local governments are still hesitant to add stations because of incorrect public perceptions rooted in gaseous hydrogen circa 1937. As an industry, we are working to combine forces to further educate people throughout North America on the facts about liquid hydrogen fuel. To the gentleman who recently wrote a letter disparaging Las Vegas (Las Vegas is home to wanton behavior, Nov. 6): Many of his comments reflected his experience on the Strip, which is very little of what Las Vegas is. If you only visited the Sunset Strip and the movie studios, you would not see Los Angeles. Times Square is not New York City; South Beach is not Miami, on and on. There are many hardworking and fine citizens of Vegas who do not set foot on the Strip. Please do not discount the many virtues of the city and its citizens because of a visit to the Strip. As members of Veterans For Peace, an international organization of chapters all across the U.S. and other countries, we advocate reclaiming Armistice Day, now known as Veterans Day, and the principles which it held. In doing so, we would still be honoring those who served and made the sacrifices. The stronger message would be to find means of peace and abolish war. It can be done, if we, as a people, resolve to do so. COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on workers, and we continue to see dangerous levels of cases, Walsh said. We must take action to implement this emergency temporary standard to contain the virus and protect people in the workplace against the grave danger of COVID-19. Many businesses understand the benefits of having their workers vaccinated against COVID-19, and we expect many will be pleased to see this OSHA rule go into effect. After more than a year of silence, Floridians for Equality and Justice said in court filings last week it hired attorneys from the Florida firm Shutts & Bowen including Ben Gibson, a partner in the firms Tallahassee office who, according to his biography, served as the chief counsel to the Republican Party of Florida during the 2018 and 2020 election cycles and the general counsel of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis transition team in 2018. Oswego, NY (13126) Today Periods of rain. High 49F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Steady light rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (PANA) - The Burkinabe Ministry of Economy, Finance and Development and the French Embassy in Ouagadougou, have signed an amendment to the intergovernmental agreement on the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) for an amount of more than 3 billion CFAF, an official source said on Monday Victoria, Seychelles (PANA) - Seychelles has made impressive progress in implementing the International Monetary Fund (IMF)-supported programme and restoring macroeconomic balances, a staff mission from the Fund has confirmed after assessing the countrys performance New York, US (PANA) - A year-long conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia has reached disastrous proportions, the UN political chief told the Security Council on Monday, warning of grave uncertainty surrounding the future of the country and stability of the whole Horn of Africa region Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) -Women in Nifas Mewcha in Ethiopia's Amhara region where a rebel army has been ransacking villages and towns, have reported gang rape, verbal abuse and looting, a global rights body said on Tuesday News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. "Mother of Iran's environment" Mahlaqa Mallah dies at 104 11/09/21 Source: Tehran Times TEHRAN - Mahlaqa Mallah, known as the "mother of Iran's environment" for dedicating her life to protecting the environment, passed away at the age of 104 on Monday. Mahlaqa Mallah 1917-2021 (photo by Mitra Mahasseni) Mallah was born on September 21, 1917, in a caravanserai close to Now Kandeh, while her parents were traveling to Mashhad on a pilgrimage. Her mother and her grandmother were both women's rights activists in Iran. Her father, Aqabozorg Mallah, worked for the government and lived in several cities. After studying philosophy, social sciences, and sociology at the University of Tehran, Mallah was awarded an MA in Social Sciences in 1958. In 1966, she moved to Paris to study for a Ph.D. at the University of the Sorbonne, which she graduated from in 1968. During her time in Paris, she also studied librarianship at the National Library of France. After graduation, Mallah returned to Iran and began work as a librarian at the Psychology Research Institute Library at Tehran University. Mallah's interest in environmental activism was fostered growing up, as her mother, Khadijeh Afzal Vaziri, was an environmentalist too. However, her interest grew when she was working as a librarian and, in 1973, read a book on pollution in order to understand how to catalog it. After Mallah retired in 1977, she began work researching pollution in Tehran and started by visiting houses to talk to people about pollution and other environmental issues. She founded the organization of the Women's Society Against Environmental Pollution (wsaep.org), which was the first non-governmental environmental organization in Iran. It has branches in 14 Iranian cities and has enabled over 25,000 families to recycle. In 2011 it was reputedly the most popular environmental group in the country. In 2009 the Society published a report entitled "Water Rights" and stressed the urgent need for the conservation of wetland habitats in Iran. In 2015 the documentary All My Trees featured Mallah's life story and was directed by Rakhshan Banietemad. As a result of her activities, Mallah has become known as the "Mother of Iran's Environment". All My Trees 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 A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. By SA Commercial Prop News The Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Victoria Junction will no longer be opening its doors to prospective guests and travelers. The famous iconic Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Victoria Junction will no longer be opening its doors to prospective guests and travelers. The hotel is the latest casualty of Covid-19's impact on the tourism sector. The hotel, which is in the popular De Waterkant area close to tourist hotspots like the V&A Waterfront and central city will no longer be managed by Marriott International, nor will it be part of the Protea Hotels by Marriott brand portfolio. Volker Heiden, the area vice president of Marriott International, Sub-Saharan Africa, confirmed that the hotel won't be part of Marriott International or part of the Protea Hotels by Marriott brand portfolio. It has been handed back to the property's owners, namely HPF Properties, which is owned by Tsogo Sun, said Heiden. Marcel von Aulock, Tsogo Sun Hotels CEO, confirmed on Wednesday that Tsogo Sun Hotels owns Victoria Junction. He says it was previously leased to Marriott, which has given it up. "It is expected that Tsogo Sun Hotels will take it in-house and re-open Victoria Junction in due course," said Von Aulock. The timeline is unclear. Heiden, speaking for Marriott International, described the pandemic's impact as "unprecedented". "The impact of Covid-19 on the hospitality industry has been unprecedented. Travel restrictions and social distancing efforts around the world have resulted in weaker demand and economic uncertainty. Due to the financial impact of the situation and having explored the relevant avenues available to us, we must shut the doors at Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Victoria Junction," said Heiden. "These are indeed challenging times and our thoughts are with the associates impacted by this decision. We value their hard work and dedication over the years and thank them for their service." Independent analyst Anthony Clark of Small Talk Daily said the hotel had tourist appeal due to its convenient location. But, he added, despite the lifting of travel restrictions, "many hotels simply could not cope due to a lack of tourists". The Protea does have other hotels in its portfolio situated close by, including the Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Waterfront Breakwater Lodge at the V&A Waterfront and the Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town North Wharf in the CBD. It also runs the Protea Hotel by Marriott Cape Town Sea Point. Tsogo Sun has the Southern Sun Cullinan, the Southern Sun Waterfront, the StayEasy Cape Town City Bowl, the Sun1 Foreshore and the SunSquare Cape Town City Bowl in the city centre. Amid a potential fresh threat, the Mumbai Police on Monday beefed up security for the family of industrialist Mukesh Ambani at his residence Antilia in south Mumbai, official sources said. The move came after a taxi driver alerted the Mumbai Police after overhearing two suspicious persons who were reportedly collecting certain information on Antilia. The police have detained the taxi driver to record his statement, prepare a sketch of the two 'mysterious' persons, and scouring the CCTV footage of the route on which they commuted. Road blocks have been erected at various strategic locations in Mumbai to help track the two unknown persons, who were reportedly carrying a couple of bags, as per the taxi driver's statement, though the police declined to share further details. Simultaneously, security has been further tightened with a dog squad, a Rapid Action Force team and more personnel outside Antilia, the residence of the Reliance Industries Ltd Chairman and his family. Official sources hinted that after making preliminary enquiries, Mumbai Police are likely to issue a formal statement in the sensitive matter. Antilia was previously targeted on February 25 when an abandoned SUV with 20 gelatin sticks and a threat note was found near the building, sending the police into a tizzy besides kicking off a national uproar sparking global concerns. Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Tuesday demanded a high-level probe in the fire incident at Kamla Nehru hospital where four infants died. He alleged that the fire fighting system was defunct. Reacting to the incident, Nath said it is the second time when such an incident occurred in Bhopal. "Families have lost their newborn due to the negligence of the security system and administration of the hospital. "This is the second such incident in Kamla Nehru hospital. It is a grave negligence. The fire safety system of the hospital was defunct and the responsible authorities were unaware of it. Responsibilities should be fixed and strict action must be taken against them," Nath added. He also said the Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang was responsible for the incident. Meanwhile, state Mahila Congress president Archana Jaiswal along with party workers reached the hospital and tried to forcibly enter. Police deployed there stopped them which resulted in a heated argument between the police officials and the Congress workers. However, the situation was brought under control. Fire occurred on the fourth floor of the building and the children were admitted to the special children care unit located on the third floor. As per the officials, a total of 40 children were on the ward when the fire broke out. Earlier in the day, Vishvas Sarang said that four infants have died due to suffocation, while 36 children were evacuated safely. Sources claimed that the number of deaths have increased from four to seven, however, no official confirmation was there. Hitting back at Bharatiya Janata Party's Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik refuted allegations of 'mafia links' and accused the BJP leader of attempting to "make a mountain out of a molehill', here on Tuesday. Malik dismissed Fadnavis' sensational allegations that a Malik-linked company Solidus Investments Pvt. Ltd. (SIPL) had entered into a prime land deal in Goawala Compound, Kurla, at throwaway prices with two alleged associates of the absconder mafia don, Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar. They are: M. Salim Ishaq Patel and Sardar Shahvali Khan, who Fadnavis -- an former Maharashtra Chief Minister -- claimed are both close aides of Dawood and the latter (Khan) is a convict sentenced to life imprisonment in the March 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts. "The deal in question was getting ownership rights as we were the tenants of a landlady (the Goawala Compound owner) who had vested her Power of Attorney (PoA) to M. Salim Ishaq Patel. A building, 'Madinatul Aman CHS', with over 125 tenants has stood there since 1984 and on the adjoining plot there are slums. So how is Fadnavis saying we created fake tenants to grab the plot at throwaway rates," Malik asked. Malik said when they went to register their ownership rights, they discovered that the father of Sardar Shahvali Khan had grabbed 300 metres of the plot with his name figuring in the land records, and the tenants paid him off to clear his illegal claims. "It's a well known fact that Sardar Shahvali Khan was a convict in the March 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, but we had no deal with him... As for M. Ishaq Patel's alleged links with Dawood or his sister, as for us he was the authorised PoA holder of the landlady," Malik declared. "We did not transact any land business deal with the mafia, as falsely alleged by Fadnavis, all transactions, financials and documents are on record in public domain... In fact, if Fadnavis had asked me, I would have provided him with more details which his aides have failed to," Malik smiled. Announcing a counter-attack, Malik said though Fadnavis failed to make any 'post-Diwali blast', he warned that on Wednesday, he (Malik) would drop a Hydrogen-bomb on Fadnavis' mafia connections and how he held Mumbai at ransom when he was the CM (2014-2019) with the help of an underworld don. Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, will arrive in Islamabad on Wednesday at the invitation from Pakistan to be a part of the Troika Plus meeting. The visit will be Muttaqi's maiden visit to Islamabad after assuming charge as the acting Foreign Minister following the collapse of Afghanistan to the Taliban in August. As per details shared by the Pakistan Foreign Office, the visit will be focused on pivotal issues related to economic crisis in Afghanistan, coupled with easing of visa provision and processing. Muttaqi will also be taking part in the all important Troika Plus meeting on Thursday in Islamabad where "special representatives for Afghanistan from US, Russia, China and Pakistan will be meeting", to discuss the way forward towards a stable country. The Foreign Office further said that Ambasador Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, the State Department's Special Representative and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Afghanistan, Russia's special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov and Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan Yue Xiaoyong will be in attendance. The meeting is expected to not only see through means of provision of continued humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, but will also be focused on handling the crippling economic crisis of the country. The Taliban interim government is yet to receive recognition from the international community and has been engaging with global powers before the economic crisis of the country turns from bad to worse. The Troika Plus holds great importance as China, Pakistan, Russia and the US share major stakes in Afghanistan and have been relevant active participants of the Afghan peace talks. Although Pakistan is yet to recognised the Taliban government, it has allowed the new Taliban officials to take control of the Afghan embassy in Islamabad along with consulates in Peshawar, Karachi and Quetta. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, during his last visit to Kabul on October 21, had discussed with senior Afghan Taliban government officials, confirming that both sides had agreed to enhance and revive the existing bilateral mechanisms and institutional frameworks such as the Afghanistan- Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS), which would be used as a platform to resolve differences and hurdles in implementation of decision on both sides. The neutron is a bound system of three valence quarks and a neutral sea consisting of gluons and quark-antiquark pairs. Although the proton was discovered in 1919 and the neutron in 1932, their structure is still not fully understood. Physicists use electromagnetic form factors to describe the dynamic inner structure of the neutron and the proton. These form factors represent an average distribution of electric charge and magnetization. In new research, physicists from the BESIII Collaboration measured electron-positron annihilation reactions into a neutron and antineutron pair to determine the effective form factor of the neutron. A single form factor, measured at a certain energy level, does not say much at first, said Professor Frank Maas, a researcher at the PRISMA+ Cluster of Excellence, the Helmholtz Institute Mainz, and GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung Darmstadt. Measurements of the form factors at various energies are needed in order to draw conclusions on the structure of the neutron. In certain energy ranges, which are accessible using standard electron-proton scattering experiments, form factors can be determined fairly accurately. However, so far this has not been the case with other ranges for which so-called annihilation techniques are needed that involve matter and antimatter mutually destroying each other. Using the Beijing Spectrometer III (BESIII) at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider II (BEPCII), Professor Maas and his colleagues studied neutron and antineutron pairs produced in electron-positron annihilations at centre-of-mass energies between 2 and 3.08 GeV (gigaelectronvolts). Their results improve the statistics on the neutron form factor by more than a factor of 60 over previous measurements. They also demonstrate that the neutron form factor data from annihilation in the time-like regime is on par with that from electron scattering experiments. With these new data, we have, so to speak, filled a blank space on the neutron form factor map, which until now was unknown territory, Professor Maas said. These data are now as precise as that obtained in corresponding scattering experiments. As a result, our knowledge of the form factors of the neutron will change dramatically and as such we will get a far more comprehensive picture of this important building block of nature. The teams results were published in the journal Nature Physics. _____ The BESIII Collaboration. 2021. Oscillating features in the electromagnetic structure of the neutron. Nat. Phys 17, 1200-1204; doi: 10.1038/s41567-021-01345-6 Design experiments in the lab, online, or in the real or virtual world now available, connect the sensor data from eye-tracking, facial expression analysis, skin conduct, muscle and heart activity among others, all monitor us. This is, I believe, to gain inside access to our cognitive neuroscience. by Victor Cherubim As we look at the technical, perhaps, theatrical breakthroughs that occurred in 2021, partly due to Coronavirus, our personal data has become even more precious now. From our heart rate, to our lung function monitor and/or even our pace of recovery rate detection, to items of data directly connected to our field of vision, and our other senses of smell, taste, touch and hearing, unbelievable strides are being achieved within a short space of time. Design experiments in the lab, online, or in the real or virtual world now available, connect the sensor data from eye tracking, facial expression analysis, skin conduct, muscle and heart activity among others, all monitor us. This is, I believe, to gain inside access to our cognitive neuroscience. How we quantify human behaviour insights and biometric research methodologies has also developed, perhaps, as a by-product of this search for innovation. Emotional detection and behavioural analysis tech is collecting, syncing and visualising this sensor data. Behavioural Data Collection Behavioural data captures how people typically customers - interact with products and services, in somewhat greater detail. The worldwide Web, our mobiles, are the typical behaviour data sources of information. But, there are many other examples, email, SMS, Support and Chatbots, Wearables, even Smart appliances, among others. We are told that the most successful companies, conglomerates, in todays world use Behavioural Data to drive competitive advantage. Organisations, businesses used to compete on brand, on product, on service, but today, the key is who best understands, knows their customers. Those who capitalise on the opportunities that Great Behavioural Data presents, have an unfair and competitive advantage. They deeply understand how their customers interact across not only their products and service(s), but also of their closest competitors and can make impact for improvements, better pricing decisions, for customer feel good. The name of todays business empowerment is without doubt, great but up to the minute behavioural data. To miss out on the opportunity to gain a competitive edge is to miss the boat. The way this is done is to meticulously personalise the experience of customers, both in real time and psychologically. The drive today is acquiring and retaining clients, its customers. Besides, better forecasting, and offering unique value propositions to their customers, business is removing complexity. The visibility of control of purchase by the customer, is the Companys aim. Capture Meta Data The other aim of the shopping experience for business, is to capture Meta Data with each visit of the customer and to govern the usage of that data for profit, tracking behaviour with complete user anonymity. This out of the box insight into user behaviour is powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), leveraging or monitoring every customer purchase. In other words, Behavioural Data of each customer is stored as a blueprint of customer identity and is manipulated as it sees fit. Customers are aware of this Meta Data Most customers although they are impulsive buyers, are aware of this Data Collection. However, customers equally access products from multiple sources, web browsers, mobile devices, geographic areas and other marketing channels, seeking value for money. But, they are unable to control the use of their shopping experience data collected and stored over years, in Company Databases. The power of this data by Company Databases is such that they can segment User Behaviour Analytics by various yardsticks including customer satisfaction, location, by device, even by App version or Operating System on customer Laptops. End to End AI Analysis of Customer Behaviour Behaviour Analytics is, in my opinion End to End monitoring of customer psychology. Perhaps, like Credit Rating Agencies, there will be advantages to the customer as well. Customer Shopping Profile will enable them to get favourable treatment because of their Behaviour Score. This practice is prevalent in China, where behaviour inducement offers are somewhat similar concessions as Party Membership. What will marketing trends look like in 2030? I think we are in an era where Creativity, Technology and Data will continue and take the foothold of marketing culture. My impression of 2030, perhaps, not only due to Climate Change, is going to be really exciting, as most things may be frictionless for customers, as everything will turn from product to service. I can visualise a future where the Customer is King. It could perhaps be an Experience Economy with a balance between human creativity and machine creativity, Will it be convergent and at the same time divergent thinking. Who knows? 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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(0x7f3fdeacb5c8)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdf1c74c0)', '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(0x7f3fdeacb5c8)') 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(0x7f3fdf1c74c0)') 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(0x7f3fdead0a40)') 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(0x7f3fdf1c74c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdf1c74c0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde1b51f8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdf1fca30)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdf1fca30)') 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: 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: 28:
29: ... 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(0x7f3fdeabc938)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdeb301b8)', '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(0x7f3fdeabc938)') 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(0x7f3fdeb301b8)') 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(0x7f3fdeb273e0)') 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(0x7f3fdeb301b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fdeb301b8)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7f3fde1b3f40)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdeb24298)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7f3fdeb24298)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0 Its everything its retail, its hospitality, its real estate because we have a lot of international investors here, he said. It even goes to health care because so many people use what we call tourism health care. They come here to get their procedures done. So it runs the gamut, it really does. Their bills had to be paid before anyone else could recover anything. Under a 1930s-era federal law called the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA), produce suppliers stand at the front of the line of creditors when food retailers go bankrupt. The Hollywood property and even homes and cars owned by all seven members of the controlling Salsburg family could be vulnerable to the suppliers protected claims, the suppliers asserted. Schrager says the four-day festival, for now, will keep intact some of its COVID-19 restrictions, and require staff, chefs and visitors to provide proof that they have been vaccinated or tested negative at least 72 hours before entry. The 2021 edition of the bacchanal shuffled its dates from February to May as a surge of cases gripped the country, forcing Schrager to shrink his lineup, cut capacity by roughly half and add COVID-sniffing dogs. There are fewer restrictions for 2022: Many gatherings are indoors and there are more events compared to the 68 in 2021. When I created that page everyone around the world felt such a love for this dog, even though they never met him or touched him, she said. Ollie endured immense pain and he stayed alive for a reason. Hes the reason why all these other animals are not going to have to endure a painful death. Thats why this dog means the world to me. Because of his will to live he saved other animals. But Bob Jarvis, a constitutional law professor at Nova Southeastern Law School, said he figures the challenges will be withdrawn. There is no reason to think the courts in Florida which are stacked with political appointees would reverse their opinion, Jarvis said. The judge essentially said the school districts did not make their case. The U.N. can confirm that a message was sent to all U.N. staff on 28 October strongly advising them, due to the prevailing security and fuel situation, to stock at least 14 days of emergency supplies of water, food and necessities, Daniel Dickinson, a spokesperson for the U.N.s political office in Port-au-Prince, said. This advice is in line with the U.N.s security and contingency planning. The Democrats need to fight a culture war more than anything else over voting rights, to make the argument that the red state wave of Republican voter suppression laws is a profoundly un-American activity, and that Democrats are the spiritual heirs to the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Selma-to-Montgomery march, and thus the protectors of an expansive vision for democracy that works for all citizens. To do that, Team Biden needs to make clear starting with an Oval Office address that voting rights is the presidents No. 1 priority, and that he will use every tool in his White House bag of tricks to force at least a carve-out of the wretched filibuster to clear the way for game-changing bills like the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. If what happened to Maura, Van Vessem and the other victims in Tallahassee while most members of the Legislature were in town for committee meetings, plus the substantial body of information submitted, is not enough to move Floridas Legislature to act and classify gender-motivated hate crimes as what they are, we ask that leaders and those who have yet to step forward in support of legislation also consider the following: State Attorney William Gladsons motion is more than a formality. It teaches lessons, if we can learn from them. In this case, they show how easily justice can be perverted, especially when race is involved; why it is wrong for some politicians to try to erase such history from the American record; and the importance of electing governors who will commute death sentences when guilt is in doubt and Cabinet members who will support them. But for Gov. LeRoy Collins, Groveland defendant Walter Irvin would have died in the electric chair in 1955 rather than survive to be paroled. A second part of the solution is to release non-violent offenders and require them to submit to ankle monitors and/or supervised probation. This alone could solve overcrowding and staff shortages. It doesnt take a genius to figure this out. If the governor would like to hire me to solve this issue, Id gladly come out of retirement to help him. If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading The Henderson News. MINE-EMI EZULWINI- The three main judges of the Spotlight Season 3 music competition have applauded the development of this years contestants in terms of their music talent. The judges made these comments during the Top 8 eliminations held on Sunday under the theme House Music, where they were joined by Guest Judge Mdura. When Nobesuthu Zungu took to stage the judges expressed their satisfaction with her growth noting that each week she was developing. The same comments were given to Nonjabulo Magagula as well as Mnqobi Nkambule and others. mentoring Worth mentioning is that the contestants are taken through a lot of mentoring during the stages of the competition. This past week KrTC taught them on the four pillars of being a great artist while others motivated them as artists on how to be great performers and to develop confidence. Phakamile Peekay Dlamini was applauded for improving in terms of her pitch. In the past you had issues with your pitch but now I can see that you have improved and that is good to see, said Judge Ndumiso Dlamini. Each week they also go through rehearsals to ensure that they get familiar with their songs. The Spotlight Season 3 is powered by MTN Eswatini with other sponsors and partners like Nandos, Destiny Group, Mantenga Lodge, Super Signs, Sitibas Hair and Makeup, Eswatini Tourism Authority (ETA), Huawei, Eswatini TV, KrTC of Hip Hop Clothing, and Lifespan Diagnostics. Specials The show which has a grand prize of a car among others is also powered by MTN Pulse, which is offering specials for those that follow the Spotlight which includes combos and bonuses. While the Ayoba App has a dedicated channel that has videos and other interesting polls which gives the public a chance to win prizes as they vote. The prizes include three weekly smartphones. The public is also urged to like The Spotlight Page to keep updated and also follow them on social media for more updates. The next eliminations will be towards Top 6 and this is all a build up to the Top 3 Grand Finale. The details of the grand finale will be announced at a later date, however on this day one of the Top 3 will drive off with a brand new Nissan Datsun Go among a list of prizes. MBABANE A church member drove off in a Mercedes Benz on Sunday after Apostle Tafara Chindara from Living Christ International Church felt generous enough to give away his car and furniture items. He gifted some of the congregants of his church furniture which included his refrigerator, lounge suit, TV set and a bed. In an interview with this publication, the apostle said he gave away the items to some members of his church because gifting was not only for the congregants to do, but pastors as well. He said this was also his way of sacrificing in order for God to bless him. A lot of people think that to tithe is only for the congregants, but the truth is that everyone should. This was my way of paying sacrifice to God in order for him to answer my prayers. This is not the first time that I give away such gifts to my congregants as I am teaching them that to give is a good thing,he said. Principle Chindara mentioned that the principle of giving all you have to receive more was illustrated by God when he gave the world His son as a living sacrifice in order to win a lot of souls. He further said through his giving, he was opening doors to receive more than what he had given. When questioned on how he picked those he gave his properties to, Chindara said he was led by the Holy Spirit, which showed him the people to give and also items he had to give away. I was not choosing randomly, but was led by the Holy Spirit, who told me who to pick and what to give them. Some were being awarded by God on their job well done in the church as they were committed members of the church who helped in many ways. Others were first time comers and God decided to gift them as a token of appreciation for attending the church services, he said. Chindara further said currently, he was using public transport and was sleeping on the floor. As I speak, my house is empty. I gave away most of my belongings to the congregation. We do not give because we have, but we give because we love. I will be joining other people in using public transport and I will sleep on the floor until God opens doors for me, he explained. Leadership In an interview with this publication, a congregant, who opted to remain anonymous, said it was not the first time the apostle had gifted members of the congregation with his belongs. He said the apostle would always demonstrate leadership skills through doing what he preached. The church member further said through their pastors teachings, they had seen the importance of sacrificing in order to get more. Our pastor has shown his kindness and the level of leadership by doing what he expects of us. He has helped the members in so many ways, both spiritually and otherwise. He also has prophesied about a number of events which ended up taking place in the kingdom, he claimed. Divine Healing Ministries Bishop Nash Shongwe said it was important for pastors to learn that giving was not only for the congregants, but for pastors to do as well. He expressed his gratitude towards the pastor for showing emaSwati that it was important to give as a pastor. It is exciting to hear such news. More pastors should learn that it is important to do such. It also teaches the congregation the power in giving, Shongwe said. PIGGS PEAK It was not just a threat, it appears nurses were serious about not attending to police officers. Constable Matikweni Peter Nyatsi, who was a police officer based at Matsamo Border Gate, has allegedly become a victim of this. Nyatsi is said to have died after a wound he sustained from a spider bite went septic. It was gathered that he complained of having been bitten while at his house at a place known as Msahweni near Matsamo. At the time of the bite, he was not sure what had bitten him. Common Later, after a thorough check in the house, it was discovered that he had been bitten by a rain spider. Rain spiders are very common around the area. Nyatsi is then alleged to have gone for treatment at Emkhuzweni Health Centre, but he was allegedly denied treatment because he was a police officer. Nurses recently took a stand not to treat police officers after recent alleged shooting incidents. The latest shooting incident is said to have happened at Nkoyoyo, where nurses and other civil servants aboard a bus had tear gas thrown inside. After not being assisted at Emkhuzweni, Nyatsi is said to have gone to Piggs Peak Government Hospital, but he was also not assisted. The wound he sustained from the spider bite had already become septic. Nyatsi is then said to have gone to a military hospital at Phocweni where he was seen by a doctor. He was also administered with antibiotics and the wound was cleaned and dressed but it was already too late. Some of his colleagues described Nyatsi as a man who was down to earth to the point that one would not even realise he was a police officer. He was also described as a loving father. Other residents of Piggs Peak and Buhleni decried his demise. Nyatsis son also confirmed his death. He also confirmed that he had been bitten by a spider, but was advised that spiders do not have venom that can kill. Meanwhile, Thea Litschka-Koen, who is from the Eswatini Antivenom Foundation, said from the image she received from the family, the spider which bit Nyatsi was a rain spider. She said rain spiders did not have venom. MBABANE Judge Sipho Nkosi has reached out to the Kings Advisory Council (Liqoqo) to advise His Majesty about alleged breaches of the Constitution by the chief justice and to revoke his suspension. Judge Nkosi wrote a letter to Liqoqo and stated that he was requesting you as the rightful libandla to kindly and urgently intervene by advising the Ingwenyama of emaSwati about the blatant breaches of the Constitution by the chief justice thus revoking the suspension of August 13, 2021. He served the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) with the 13-page letter yesterday at the Royal Villas where his impeachment was conducted in camera. The JSC is overseeing the impeachment. This was after his arrival at the Royal Villas, at about 11:30am, where the impeachment was conducted. Soon after his arrival in the company of his attorney, Linda Dlamini of Linda Dlamini and Associates, and serving the JSC with the letter, Judge Nkosi left together with Dlamini for Lozitha to serve Liqoqo with the letter. Allegations In the letter, Judge Nkosi made damning allegations, particularly against Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala and outlined seven transgressions which he alleged to have been committed by the latter. He alleged that the chief justice committed serious transgressions in the manner and method by which he administered courts in the country. These I have personally observed, he said. These allegations are contained in the letter that Judge Nkosi served the JSC and Liqoqo with yesterday and have not yet been proven. Judge Nkosi also alleged that during his first two years as a judge, he was subjected to ill-treatment in that he was not given the necessary tools and resources to carry out his duties. He said on numerous occasions, he implored the chief justice, registrar of the High Court and secretary of the JSC to give him resources to work. However, the chief justice continued with literally oppressive actions to demean my status and making it impossible for me to carry on working as a judge. He deliberately impeded my performance, reads the letter. According to Judge Nkosi, the CJ allegedly on various occasions, literally subjugated the rule of law and breached fundamental provisions of the Constitution by deliberately interfering in court matters which he was seized with. This, according to the judge, undermined the sanctity of the High Court and independence of the Judiciary. In fact, Judge Nkosi said the first derogation allegedly by Maphalala, who is also the chairperson of the JSC, emanated from Section 158 (3) of the Constitution, which provides that where the King, acting on the advice of an ad hoc committee in the case of the chief justice, and on the advice of the chief justice in the case of any justice of a superior court, considers that the question of removing from office the chief justice or a justice on any ground stated in Sub-section (2) ought to be investigated, the King shall refer the matter to the Judicial Service Commission for investigation. Sub-section 2 states that a justice of a superior court shall not be removed from office except for stated serious misbehaviour or inability to perform the functions of office arising from infirmity of body or mind. Judge Nkosi stated that the chief justice must advise the King of any complaints he had against a judge and His Majesty would then direct the JSC to investigate such complaints. This, according to the judge, did not happen in his case. He said he was not at any point advised by the JSC that a directive had been issued by the King empowering the former to investigate any matters concerning his behaviour. The essence of the investigation by the commission is to establish the facts from both the chief justice and from me. This would then ensure that whatever recommendation is given to His Majesty the King by the commission will incorporate both sides of the matter, he stated in the letter. Judge Nkosi mentioned that the JSC would have to advise the King on what he had to say in his defence. He argued that the alleged breach of Section 158 (3) was fundamental to the process of impeachment. My complaint is in twofold: Prior to the issuance of the Government Gazette suspending me from my duties I had absolutely no clue that there was an investigation or that the chief justice had actually laid a complaint against me resulting in the current process. I have no knowledge what reasons were given by the chief justice or for that matter the commission that warranted the Ingwenyama suspending me in terms of Section 158(6). He pointed out that it was imperative that he should have been made aware of any investigation in order to be given an opportunity to outline his defence for any alleged misbehaviour. Judge Nkosi said as the matter stood, he was not aware as to what was alleged to the Ingwenyama to warrant his suspension. It is the very essence of civilised society that the precepts of justice and fairness that a person accused of misbehaviour at the workplace must during the investigation be given a chance to state his side. Sidelining me from the investigation was unjust, unfair and unconstitutional, he continued. There had been instances, according to Judge Nkosi, where provisions of the Constitution had allegedly been utilised to unfairly sanction citizens without them even knowing that matters had gone so far as to be reported to the King. He said this kind of action, in light of the Constitution, could not be allowed because it made it easy for people to utilise the authority of the King for their own purposes. Charges Judge Nkosi also accused the chief justice of deliberately withholding the charges from the date of suspension being August 13, 2021-until barely two weeks before the expiry of the period of the inquiry. He said that kind of conduct was utilised by corrupt persons in order to force one party into submission. He alleged that he was not given time to prepare. He said he was in fact given 72 hours within which to answer on the allegations levelled against him. He said he hoped the Liqoqo, in its wisdom, would interrogate thoroughly the issues he complained about. He said the JSC should be transparent when dealing with judicial officers. Cityscape, a key real estate exhibition, is all set to make its Bahrain debut next year as one of the first major shows at all-new Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre. This comes following an agreement inked by Informa Markets, the organisers of Cityscape, with the Kingdoms Real Estate Regulatory Authority at the ongoing Cityscape Global exhibition in Dubai. Cityscape Bahrain will cover all aspects of the real estate ecosystem, including residential, hospitality and commercial, as well as the latest prop-tech and financing initiatives to stimulate market growth. International real estate player Savills recently highlighted Bahrains office market potential, citing it as outperforming other asset classes with demand remaining relatively stable, and landlords being flexible to retain and attract tenants with incentives including contributions to fit-out costs. Over 21,000 sq m of office space has already come online in the country this year, with a further 63,000 sqm expected to be delivered in Q4 2022. "The debut of Cityscape Bahrain underlines Rera Bahrains commitment to modernising the kingdoms real estate sector, remarked Abdulla A. Rahman Al Kooheji, the Director of Policies & Strategic Planning Directorate, and Secretary of the Board of Directors at Rera, after signing the deal with Chris Speller, Group Director at Informa Markets. "Hosting the regions leading real estate exhibition series will enable us to highlight Bahrains multifaceted and opportunity-laden real estate sector to investors, developers, corporates and individual buyers from across the Gulf, wider Middle East and beyond," he added. Speller said the landmark agreement underscores Bahrains emergence as a high potential regional real estate player, with the kingdom prioritising the sector as a key inward investment generator. "Cityscape Bahrain is an initiative fully aligned to the countrys National Real Estate Plan 2021-2024 in that it will assist the development of a sustainable real estate investment environment and contribute to creating an integrated eco-system enabling and attracting global investment and expertise," he stated. "Our investor community is always looking for diverse opportunities to grow their portfolios. Bahrains focus on blue chip companies with high quality and reputable business operating standards will help it become a Middle East headquarter location of choice and an important route into the regional market," noted Speller. Bahrains real estate industry has a bright future, and we plan to build an event that is best suited to help shape the kingdoms real estate story and build a long-term legacy for the sector in this unique Gulf nation," he added. The live and in-person event is being held in adherence with Informa AllSecure, an enhanced health and safety standards that raise the bar on safe, hygienic, productive, and high-quality organised event experiences. A Bahraini delegation chaired by Dr Khalid Fahad Al Alawi, Assistant Undersecretary for Industrial Development at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism in Bahrain visited the headquarters of the Public Establishment for Industrial Estates (Madayn) at the Knowledge Oasis, Muscat. Receiving the delegation, Hilal bin Hamad Al Hasani, Chief Executive Officer of Madayn, discussed potential areas of cooperation with the Bahraini side in the development of industrial cities and attracting investments to serve mutual interests and deepen ties between the two sides. Al Hasani explained that Madayn aims at establishing world class business cities with an Omani identity based on partnership. He added that Madayn aims to perform an enhanced governmental role for comprehensive and sustainable economic and social development through enhancing partnership with the private sector to develop and operate business cities with integrated services. This shall take into account the significance of employing rapid response to variations through adopting advanced solutions and technologies that meet the needs and requirements of businesses, and at the same time take into account the environmental standards, Al Hasani pointed out. Madayn officials then elaborated on the incentives and facilities offered by Madayn to the investors in the various industrial cities. These incentives include lease period of lands and facilities for up to 30 years, renewable for the same period; right to waive the lease right for the remaining period of the contract; right to sell constructions and buildings on the leased land; right to involve new partners in the lease contract; fair evaluation of buildings and facilities upon the termination of the lease contract; developed and equipped lands with basic services (water, electricity, telecom, roads); and transparent legal frameworks illustrating rights and obligations; punctuality in service delivery; in addition to other incentives.--TradeArabia News Service There is huge potential for Indonesian companies to boost exports to the UAE, especially in the categories of commodities, industrial products and textiles, according to a new analysis from Dubai Chamber. The analysis was released by Dubai Chamber in the lead up to the inaugural Global Business Forum ASEAN (GBF ASEAN), a high-level business forum organised by the Chamber in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai. Taking place December 8-9, 2021 at Expo 2020 Dubai, the event is being held under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The UAE is among the top 20 countries import partners of Indonesia. In the same year, Indonesia ranked 52nd and 33rd among top export and import markets for the UAE, respectively. This indicates that there is an enormous array of untapped opportunities to increase mutual cooperation and bilateral trade between the two countries. The analysis identified 10 high-potential products that Indonesian traders can export to the UAE. The UAE's imports of these ten products in 2020 were valued at$125 million, but Indonesia's share of the UAE's imports of these products was less than 15%, Clothing, wood products, prawns, coffee and coconut products were also highlighted as in-demand Indonesian products that can be exported to the UAE and re-exported through the country to African, European and Middle Eastern markets. Raw gold, unwrought aluminium and ethylene polymers were among the top 10 products that could be exported from the UAE to Indonesia. The analysis valued Indonesia's imports of these materials during the year 2020 at approximately $307 million, with the UAE accounting for 15% of this trade value. The findings indicated that there is plenty of scope for Indonesia to expand its cooperation with the UAE in the area of food security as the Southeast Asian country is the seventh largest food exporter in the world in 2020, while the UAE imports about 80% of its food requirements. In addition, infrastructure was regarded as a sector where UAE companies can tap into attractive investment opportunities in the Indonesian market, as Indonesia is looking to boost its infrastructure spending to more than $430 billion over the next the years. Hamad Buamim, President & CEO of Dubai Chamber said: Indonesia is market of strategic important to Dubai and Dubai Chamber members. The recent analysis highlights the wide array of trade opportunities in the Indonesian market, which offers tremendous potential to trading companies in the UAE. Buamim noted that Indonesia earlier this year became the first Southeast Asian nation to join the World Logistics Passport (WLP), which opened new doors for traders in the Indonesia market to boost trade flows with Dubai and other emerging markets around the world. He added that such opportunities emerging on the horizon would be discussed in detail at the upcoming GBF ASEAN in Dubai, which is the first event of its kind in the region The inaugural GBF ASEAN will be held under the theme The New Frontiers, is expected to attract public and private sector stakeholders from the UAE and ASEAN markets, including government officials, prominent CEOs and industry experts. GBF ASEAN forms part of Dubai Chambers Global Business Forum series that was launched in 2012 as a platform to drive trade and explore opportunities between the UAE and some of the worlds fastest growing markets. TradeArabia News Service Aluminium Bahrain (Alba), a leader in Environment, Social and Governance (ESG), has collaborated with a top-class sustainability consultant to develop a fully-fledged roadmap to realise its ambitious ESG goals in line with Bahrains commitment for Net Zero Emissions by 2060. Albas roadmap will lay out quick wins, short-term and long-terms goals in line with the companys mission to inspire change and boost its status as an Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) certified aluminium producer, the company said in a statement. Alba has recently issued a Public Tender for supplying and installing solar panels for its Solar Farm with a view to diversify its energy sources and adopt clean energy in line with the Kingdom of Bahrains Economic Vision 2030 and its Green/Renewable Energy Targets led by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The Solar Farm project will have a capacity of more than 5 MW and cover an approximate surface area of 37,000 sq. mts. spread over operational areas, car parks and Alba Club. Speaking about Albas ESG approach, the Chief Executive Officer Ali Al Baqali, said: We cant delegate our ESG transformation, we collectively must own it and embrace it. ESG is not a destination but a journey. What we have is agility and today I call upon each one to embrace our nations objectives under the leadership of HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain to reach net zero by 2060. Alba also recently signed an MoU with Bahrains Sustainable Energy Authority (SEA) to seek opportunities that will help it leverage SEAs expertise to find sustainable energy solutions. With more actionable plans in the pipeline to address Climate Change such as clean energy, environment protection, waste management, responsible sourcing, etc., Alba will be using its resources under the leadership of its Chairman of the Board Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa to play a leading role across its supply-chain to make a difference in what really matters the most be the ESG change we want to see in the world. I also take the opportunity to extend my thanks towards Albas Chairman of the Board Shaikh Daij bin Salman bin Daij Al Khalifa for inspiring us to go above and beyond and for supporting in our pursuit to realise our ESG objectives in line with Bahrains Economic Vision 2030. --TradeArabia News Service Vision-Box, a leader in seamless travel, automated border management, and electronic identity management solutions, has announced the launch of its new Centre of Excellence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which will act as a regional hub while continuing to strengthen its customer relationships and expand the companys presence in Asia Pacific. This centre comes as Vision-Box extends its operations in the region after a strategic partnership with Malaysias air transport leaders - Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad and AirAsia Group. The technology firms partners in Malaysia will have a centre of operations in the countrys capital to get technical support and operational assistance within the same headquarters at KL International Airport. Speaking about the launch of the Centre of Excellence, CEO Miguel Leitmann said: The launch of this Kuala Lumpur-based centre is a testament to the importance of Malaysia in the companys vision and mission, and our commitment to our customers in the region. The centre also brings us closer to two of our marquee clients in the country - Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad and AirAsia. "This new hub will provide all the support and maintenance for our current and future partners in Asia Pacific. We are proud of this new opening which will leverage Vision-Boxs global experience and allow us to solidify our footprint in this region. Vision-Box Head of Asia Pacific Fabrice Godeau said: Malaysia remains a well-placed destination for us to capture the opportunities to diversify our supply chain and operations in Asia taking the opportunity to expand our digital capability with the incredible pool of talent and fresh graduates.-TradeArabia News Service Dana Gas' Board of Directors has decided to increase the companys annual dividend by 27% in light of its robust and steadily growing financial performance. The Board has determined to pay dividend of 7 fils per year payable in six monthly instalments of 3.5 fils. A General Assembly Meeting will be held on the December 9, 2021 to approve the first interim dividend of 3.5 fils per share to be paid in December 2021. Hamid Jafar, Chairman of the Board, said: The Board of Directors is encouraged by the recent positive trend of international energy prices and the companys strong operational and financial performance. Accordingly, the Board has decided to recommend to shareholders an increase to the annual dividend by 27% to 7 fils payable in in six monthly instalments in line with the practice of a growing number of public companies, starting this quarter immediately following approval of the General Assembly. The company had announced earlier that its collections from the KRI (Kurdistan Region of Iraq) and Egypt increased 86% year-on-year in the first ten months of the year to $283 million (AED1.03 billion) from $152 million (AED557 million) in the same period the previous year supported by higher oil prices and the settlement of past outstanding receivables in the KRI. The KM 250 expansion project is on track to deliver first gas in Q2 2023. This project is the first stage of a two-train expansion project at Pearl Petroleums Khor Mor plant that aims to boost total production capacity to approach 1 billion standard cubic feet per day. Pearl Petroleum recently signed a $250 million financing agreement with the US International Development Finance Corporation to support the Khor Mor gas expansion project.-- TradeArabia News Service Outlining its plan to double energy production to 30GW by 2030, Uzbekistan has invited German companies to participate in the forthcoming infrastructure and energy tenders. Speaking in Frankfurt, Germany, at the third Uzbek-German business forum, Uzbekistans Energy Minister, Alisher Sultanov, noted that by the end of 2021, Uzbekistan will announce three new international tenders, for the construction of over 400 km of overhead power lines, and two other new tenders for 400 MW of solar energy. Further tenders, to provide 200 MW of energy will be announced in 2022, Sultanov said. He invited German companies to participate in the upcoming tenders, noting they offered great opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector. Uzbekistans government has launched several tenders for energy infrastructure projects since 2019. Ongoing tenders include solar PV power plants with total capacity of 1 GW in 2019-2025, supported by the Asian Development Bank. Bilateral agreements signed with foreign companies, including Total Eren (France), Masdar (UAE), and Aqua Power (Saudi Arabia), will also amount to 1.6 GW total capacity. Sultanov also highlighted Uzbekistans energy reforms to date, and reiterated the countrys ambitious goal to double by 2030 its energy generation capacity to 30 GW - 25% of which will be via renewable energy sources. The Minister noted Uzbekistans renewables potential is significant, with solar power representing 51 billion tonnes of oil equivalent and wind energy representing 360 million tonnes of oil equivalent. As an example of Uzbek-German cooperation, Sultanov highlighted the joint project between JSC Uzbekneftegaz (UNG) and Siemens Energy to overhaul the gas turbine engines and compressor units in UNGs plants.-- TradeArabia News Service The 4th edtion of ITB China, which opened today (November 8), is being held as a virtual event, offering all participants a digital platform to meet, chat and exhange ideas with key industry players worldwide. The virtual platform will run until the end of the year, connecting participants for a total of 50 days, a statement from the organisers said. Messe Berlin CEO Martin Ecknig said: After months of preparation and hard work we are proud to officially open ITB China Virtual 2021. For the first time ITB China is fully digital. "The new virtual platform will meet the ever-changing needs of our exhibitors and buyers, giving them a platform to explore opportunities, ideas and innovations with an optimistic future for our industry in mind. By offering a longer digital trade show period, all attendees will get adequate time to connect with more business partners, discover new products and services of the exhibitors from over 50 countries on the virtual show floor, network with top Chinese buyers from over 200 travel agencies and companies, and learn from industry experts all in one place. As the Strategic Partner, the European Travel Commission (ETC) will have a strong exhibition presence at the virtual event, with many destinations joining the virtual ETC booth including: Ards and North Down, Armagh, Austria, Belfast, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark & Norway (Scandinavian Tourist Board), Estonia, France, Germany, Isle of Ireland, Monaco, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland, Portugal, Saxony, Serbia and Zagreb. A number of European destinations will also be joining ITB China with their own virtual booths, including Hamburg, Italy, Malta, Spain, Switzerland, Thesprotia/Vlora, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Furthermore confirmed destinations are this years Official Island Travel Partner Maldives, Abu Dhabi, Australia, Fiji, Israel, Los Angeles, New Zealand, Penang, Qatar, Sarawak, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sanya, Shenyang, Shaanxi, Tahiti, The Bahamas, and many others. Many hotels and OTAs will also be showcasing their portfolio as also those in the transportation, travel tech, tour operators sectors. Participants will also have access to latest industry updates and gain business insights from Chinese and international travel and tourism experts. Content sessions will gradually go live on the platform throughout the entire event duration. A series of executive interviews with leading professionals from travel organisations, destinations, travel services, hospitality and MICE will be released during the first two opening weeks, kicking off the programme.-TradeArabia News Service Dubai-based travel technology provider TPConnects has signed a deal with Australian flag carrier Qantas for the provision of its advanced TPConnects Aggregator Platform that utilises IATAs next-generation New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard. Through this deal, travel bookers will be able to book flights and ancillaries directly with Qantas through TPConnects NDCMarketplace.com virtual storefront, offering a new booking and servicing experience for agents, EINPresswire.com reported. NDCMarketplace.com connects dozens of NDC-certified and Low-Cost Carriers (LCCs) along with Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) regardless of schema, standard and version. Travel sellers subscribed to NDCMarketplace.com will be able to access all participating NDC airline content alongside GDS and LCC content in one screen enabling them to serve their customers. The virtual storefront enables travel agents to create unlimited sub agents, provide access to staff and create role permissions, add markups, multiple currencies and use the agents' agreed form of payment (BSP Cash, BSP CC etc) with the airlines. Non-IATA travel agents can subscribe to NDCMarketplace.com search, compare, book, issue, manage after-sales from multiple sources and make payment through credit cards. Qantas has been one of the industrys strongest proponents of the NDC standard and is a member of IATAs NDC Leaderboard group, which comprises 23 international airlines that account for more than 30 per cent of IATAs passenger volumes. Other members of the group include United Airlines, American Airlines, Qatar Airways, British Airways and Air France. The content available through the Qantas Distribution Platform offers benefits that include the delivery of tailored offerings across all core market segments, special offers for loyalty members and differentiated content as compared with the traditional GDS. TPConnects CEO Rajendran Vellapalath said: Qantas is recognised as one of the industrys leading supporters of the NDC and is committed to its long-term growth and development. We are honoured to be working with the airline to support their growth via the various NDC channels. Its presence on NDCMarketplace.com will enable travel agents who have signed up to the Qantas Channel to book tickets and ancillaries via the online portal, delivering innovative new services to their clients. Qantas Executive Manager, Global Sales & Distribution Igor Kwiatkowski said: Despite the significant impact of Covid-19 on airlines globally, we remain committed to progressing our NDC programme with our key agency and technology partners like TPConnects. As we continue to launch new features through the Qantas Distribution Platform, this new partnership will help deliver richer content and a better experience to more of our customers and agency partners around the globe. Written by Ross Locksley on 09 Nov 2021 Once again, Celsys, the company behind Clip Studio, has opened its International Comic/Manga School Contest for 2022, encouraging students worldwide to work on submissions - this year the theme is Journey. Schools can apply now, with individual students able to register from December 1st. Limited to students, the contest is designed to promote young and enthusiastic artists looking to promote and improve their craft. From the Press Release: Many Japanese and international companies in the comic industry have endorsed the contest. Ten companies, including SHUEISHA, KADOKAWA, Kodansha, BookLive, LINE Manga, Wacom, pixiv, Ki-oon, Dupuis, and L SEVEN have signed on as Gold sponsors with six other Silver sponsors and operational support from NGOs such as The Japan Cartoonists Association, Manga Japan, and the Digital Manga Association. Prize winners will have chances to have their entries published in sponsors media outlets. In addition to the Manga and Comic categories, there are many chances to win in the five comic-related categories in total, including the Bande Dessinee, Webtoon, and Storyboard categories, where students draw a comic according to an assigned manuscript. To sign up for the competition, visit this site: https://www.clipstudio.net/promotion/comiccontest/en/ Belarusian border guards say contacts with Polish counterparts become more constructive 22 Nov 2021 | 12:02 AM Minsk, Nov 21 (UNI/Sputnik) The information exchange between Belarusian and Polish border guards has switched to merely formal to more constructive in recent days, Sergey Kozlovsky, the head of the operative-situational center of Belarus' Brest border group, Sergey Kozlovsky, said on Sunday. see more.. Russian FM thoroughly prepares meeting of Putin, Biden: Deputy minister 22 Nov 2021 | 12:00 AM Moscow, Nov 21 (UNI/Sputnik) The Russian Foreign Ministry is doing a careful preparation for the meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said on Sunday. see more.. Singapore, India to resume daily commercial flights under Vaccinated Travel Lane 21 Nov 2021 | 10:33 PM Singapore/New Delhi, Nov 21 (UNI) Singapore and India have reached an agreement to resume commercial passenger flights, under the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) , that will begin with six daily flights from Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai on November 29, the High Commissioner in India said. see more.. Poland yet undecided on closure of railroad checkpoint on Belarus border: Govt 21 Nov 2021 | 10:21 PM Warsaw, Nov 21 (UNI/Sputnik) Poland has not yet made the final decision on whether or not to close the Kuznica railroad checkpoint on the border with Belarus after the expiry of its ultimatum over the ongoing migrant crisis, Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller said on Sunday. see more.. Steam comes out of the chimneys of the coal-fired power station Neurath near the Garzweiler open-cast coal mine in Luetzerath, Germany, on Oct. 25. 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 25 to 29 October 2021, the East African Community (EAC) convened a meeting of its Sectoral Committee on Customs to discuss a wide range of issues related to Customs and trade policies. The meeting was held at the EAC Secretariat Headquarters in Arusha, Tanzania, and was attended by all the six EAC Partner States. In the framework of the ongoing cooperation between the EAC and the EU-WCO Programme for Harmonized System in Africa (HS-Africa Programme), the EAC invited representatives of the Programme to join the meeting. During the first three days of the meeting, senior officials from the EAC Customs administrations gathered to examine technical aspects of the issues included in the agenda. Of particular importance were discussions related to the preparation of the new version of the Common External Tariff (CET), digitalization projects such as an electronic tariff platform and a duty remission scheme management system, as well as implementation of advance ruling programmes, capacity building activities and other modernization initiatives. Outcomes of the meeting were subsequently presented to Commissioners General of Customs who convened during the last two days to examine and approve the report by the senior officials. In the presentation delivered by the HS-Africa Programme during the meeting, emphasis was placed on the results achieved within the Programme to date, and the outlook for future cooperation established according to a joint multi-year work plan. It was stressed that the Community was on the fast track to implementing the HS 2022 version of its CET, launching web-based tools and platforms related to tariffs and modernizing advance ruling programmes, among other things. The Programme pledged strong and continued support in all the key areas of Communitys HS-related work for the future. The Committee commended the HS-Africa Programme for the support in the all-important area of commodity classification and tariff work, welcoming new opportunities offered by the Programme and thanking the European Union for the funding provided. Delegates expressed their appreciation of the fact that the activities implemented in cooperation with the Programme were driven by the needs of the Community and were addressing real challenges that the EAC was facing, in a targeted and efficient manner. For more details, please, contact capacity.building@wcoomd.org. The WCO Technical Experts Group on Non-Intrusive Inspection (TEG-NII) held its 8th Meeting on 4 and 5 November 2021 as the first meeting of a WCO working body to be held in a hybrid format since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The Meeting gathered, both online and at the WCO headquarters in Brussels, more than 140 participants from 68 Member Customs administrations and 5 NII vendors, which is a record number for the TEG-NII. In his opening remarks, the WCO Director for Compliance and Facilitation, Mr. Pranab Kumar Das, stressed the growing importance of the use of big data and data analytics in Customs a topic of relevance also to the TEG-NII. The Director further highlighted the importance of optimizing the use of scanning equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, as NII contributed to the social distancing measures necessary to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and supported the supply chain continuity. In this context, it was important for the TEG-NII not to lose momentum and to continue working towards enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of Customs administrations in the NII domain. The TEG-NII discussions centered around two main topics the Unified File Format (UFF) Development Programme and other NII-related matters. The TEG-NII took note of the intersessional progress in the development of a use case on a UFF 2.0 deployment project involving large scale cargo NII systems with available internet or glass fibre connection, and endorsed the draft use case, as a living document, with a view to providing guidance material to those Members that are considering the implementation of pilot projects to test and deploy UFF 2.0. The use case will soon be made available on the WCO Members website as part of the SAFE Package. Under the agenda item devoted to the scope and timelines of Phase 3 of the UFF Development Programme, and based on a progress update by the Private Sector Co-Chairperson, the TEG-NII discussed possible criteria for the inclusion of more vendors in the UFF development initiative. The criteria that future private sector members should meet include: i) NII manufactures and significant NII systems integrators; ii) committed to integrating UFF and supporting its goals outlined in the TEG-NII Terms of Reference; iii) should have equipment in active use with WCO Members; iv) should have International sales; and v) prepared to commit time and effort to develop the standard. The initiative will continue to be limited to large-scale, high-energy NII systems. Interested NII industry members can write to the Secretariat at facilitation@wcoomd.org and request to be added to the UFF Development Team. The group also discussed the governance aspects of the UFF maintenance, and the Secretariat will soon send a letter to the WCO Membership to invite interested Members to join a steering group of technical experts that will be handling modifications and expansions to the UFF. The first expansions to the UFF will cover the development of Application Programming Interface (API), the inclusion in the UFF of data from Radiation Portal Monitors (RPM), and the establishment of an image library to support testing by Members and vendors. Based on presentations by the Secretariat, the European Union, Japan, GScan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, the United States and China, the TEG-NII discussed various NII-related matters such as Radiological and Nuclear Detection Awareness, Data Analytics, approaches to research and innovation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other innovations in NII, centralized image analysis and data acquisition, as well as the possible requirements for X-Ray systems for inspection of cars and small vehicles in drive-through mode. Under the agenda item on Innovation in NII, the Group called for the development of novel and new technology to support Customs in their efforts to facilitate and secure international trade. Furthermore, the TEG-NII confirmed the importance of the use of AI for the development of threat detection algorithms and stressed the importance of efficient data collection in that regard. Customs administrations need to constantly invest efforts to catch up with the advances of technology, a delegate said and appreciated the opportunities provided by the meetings of the TEG-NII to share experiences in the area of NII. Article 23.2 of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) requires each WTO Member to establish and/or maintain a National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) or designate an existing mechanism to facilitate both domestic coordination and implementation of TFA provisions. In December 2014, the WCO Policy Commission took a decision to pursue gathering further information on the situation of NCTFs and the role of Customs therein. Consequently, the WCO Secretariat carried out a survey to collect information on Members' national experiences in relation to the establishment of NCTFs. Based on capacity building needs expressed by Members and related WCO delivery experience, as well as based on the results of a WCO survey, the WCO recognized a need for enhanced guidance regarding the establishment and maintenance of NCTFs. The WCO Guidance on NCTFs was endorsed as a living document by the WCO Working Group on the WTO TFA (TFAWG) at its 4th meeting in October 2015. The Guidance focuses on the role of Customs and its involvement in the NCTFs, preconditions for its successful functioning, its duties and responsibilities including setting-up the group, developing the Terms of Reference, launch of the NCTF, establishment of the national roadmap to TFA implementation and its monitoring, as well as achievements reported by NCTFs. The WCO Guidance on NCTFs has been published in March 2016 and can be accessed at here. The Annual Consolidated Survey (ACS) in 2021 included a new chapter on NCTFs (Chapter 5), which was introduced with the objective of taking stock of the current state of play in this area, six years after a similar survey was last carried out. The ACS looked in particular into the challenges and opportunities observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. There were a total of nine questions in this Chapter. The results of the WCO Annual Consolidated Survey on NCTFs have been compiled into the Secretariat Note on Current State of Play of WCO Members in the Area of National Committees on Trade Facilitation (NCTF). The Secretariat Note was presented to the Permanent Technical Committee (PTC) at its 233rd/234th sessions in October 2021 and the PTC supported the publication of the Secretariat Note as an Annex to the existing WCO Guidance on NCTFs. The Secretariat Note can support the WCO Membership with practical examples for implementing Article 23.2 of the TFA. It will also be useful material to WCO Mercator Programme Advisors and the Secretariat in the provision of its technical assistance and capacity building through the Mercator Programme. The WCO Secretariat Note on Current State of Play of WCO Members in the Area of National Committees on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) is now available on the WCO website as an annex to the Guidance in three languages; English, French and Spanish. Retired Franklin Fire Battalion Chief Andrew Gentry Fox, who died Nov. 15 at the age of 70, will take one last ride through Franklin on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 11 a.m. I ve wandered so far off the island, at this point, for those of you who are still stopping by, here goes nothing. Im fixated on this rel... There was confusion across Swaziland (eSwatini) as schools attempted to reopen after an almost one-year closure because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Ministry of Health and Training had issued a staggered timetable for reopening but many pupils turned up when they were not scheduled. There was also confusion about whether school fees needed to be paid. Staff and pupils were required to wear masks and to keep social distancing. Many had their temperatures screened before they were allowed into school. Many were unsure how they were supposed to behave. The Times of eSwatini reported, 'It was a bad start to the reopening of schools as a lot seemed to have gone wrong. Teachers had a tough time while trying to arrange pupils who had no clue which classrooms they had to occupy.' It added, 'Meanwhile, some of the pupils in Grade IV, V and VI had to be turned back as they had attended school yet they were not supposed to.' The eSwatini Observer reported several schools in the Shiselweni region were expected to open without teachers. There are over 140 primary schools and over 70 high schools in the region. It quoted Regional Education Officer Siboniso Gumbi saying, 'The only serious challenge I have received from a number of principals it is that of the shortage of teachers. There are schools that will open with only five teachers. Other schools are likely to open with fewer teachers than that.' Separately, the Swaziland National Association of Teachers and the Swaziland Association of Schools Administrators said that there would be no lessons until the number of teachers was doubled. press release Adherence and Confidence Are Keys to Fighting TB and HIV Khulile Mamba is a 33-year-old office clerk living with HIV in Eswatini, a small nation that borders South Africa and Mozambique. A mother of five, Mamba was diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in November 2020. Previous to receiving her TB diagnosis, Mamba had missed some of her HIV follow-up appointments and had defaulted on her antiretroviral medication. She had only recently been brought back to care. With this medical history, both she and her healthcare workers feared she would struggle to effectively fight TB if she did not adhere to both TB and HIV medication. "Frankly speaking, I was afraid when I was told that I had TB, especially because I have had other people tell me that once you have TB and you are HIV-positive, you are more likely to get sick," said Mamba. It always rings in Mamba's mind that people living with HIV are more likely than others to become sick with TB, because of their weakened immune system. Because of this, she recommitted to adhering to her medication. Learning from her past experience, Mamba found that disclosing both her TB and her HIV status to her close family members and colleagues helped her continue with the medication. She says disclosing has bolstered her confidence and motivates her to alter some of her behaviors that might otherwise put her life and the lives of others at risk. To protect her children and others in her family from getting TB, Mamba stays in her own room and uses her own bed linen, bath towels, and utensils for food and other needs. Maintaining quality care for her 3-year-old child is the main challenge, but Mamba always wears a face mask when with the child and frequently cleans surfaces that the child might touch. It would be difficult, if not impossible, to implement these precautions had she been unable to disclose her status to her family. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines AIDS Swaziland 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 addition to protecting others, disclosure helps people living with HIV and TB take care of their own health--after all, if an individual is hiding their diagnosis, they may avoid storing or taking medication where others can see it, which can result in defaulting on medication. Having disclosed her status, Mamba feels she can take her medication when she needs to, regardless of who is around. This is helpful, as the treatments for HIV and TB can be difficult to navigate--each treatment system has a different number of pills and different timing. Deviating from the assigned timing can cause the medications to interact badly. Mamba says that it is essential that she feel comfortable taking medication throughout the day, without hiding it from other people. Mamba believes that taking both HIV and TB medication has made her stronger--and an ambassador to talk about TB/HIV co-infection. "One point for me to stress for others is that if you have HIV, it is very important to get a TB test. I wasn't thinking of TB when I went to hospital because the pain was not in the chest, nor was I coughing. I just had a back pain," Mamba says. Mamba emphasizes the need to resist fear and stop being afraid once one is diagnosed with both TB and HIV. "Fear and shame are the greatest barriers to achieving good health for you and your family." she says. "Both HIV and TB are treatable and survivable, if we commit to our health." Five politicians namely, 'Matsepo Ramakoae, Lehlohonolo Moramotse, Monyane Moleleki, Mahali Phamotse and former first lady 'Maesaiah Thabane, have been implicated in the illegal trade in alcohol which resulted in the recent expulsion of seven Lesotho diplomats from South Africa. They were allegedly named by some of the expelled diplomats who had last week threatened not to go down alone. Their names were mentioned in a current affairs show on the local Tsenolo FM radio station. The presenter of the programme, Ralikonelo Joki, said the politicians had been named in his conversations with the some of the diplomats who were kicked out of South Africa. However, ministers Ms Ramakoae (Foreign Affairs and International Relations) and Mr Moramotse (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs) have vehemently denied the allegations. Former Deputy Prime Minister Moleleki, who leads the opposition Alliance of Democrats (AD), has also denied the allegations. Repeated efforts to obtain comments from Ms Thabane and AD secretary general Phamotse were unsuccessful as their mobile phones rang unanswered yesterday. The five are accused alongside Principal Secretaries (PSs) Tanki Mothae (Foreign Affairs) and 'Mamonyane Bohloko (Defence and National Security) of benefiting from the illegal alcohol trading allegedly spearheaded by the seven embassy officials who were kicked out of South Africa over the issue. Two weeks ago, the seven embassy officials and five of their spouses were expelled from South Africa for abusing their diplomatic privileges to engage in the illegal sale of alcohol. The seven diplomats are Teboho Letseka (Consular Attache), Malika Sylviah Molapo-Mphofe (Counsellor), Keketso Halio Makhupane (First Secretary), Molefi John Matsoso (Assistant Attache), Jane Lekunya (Third Secretary), 'Malebohang Jane (Attache administration) and Ketso Pitrose Kalake (Attache's driver). They were expelled along with Cephas Kolouoane Jane (husband to Ms Jane), Mathato Joyce Kalake (wife to Mr Kalake), 'Makhotso Angelinah Matsoso (wife to Mr Matsoso), Limakatso Mafelesi (wife to Mr LJ Ralebesi-Consular Attache in Durban) and Makagiso Anicia Mabeleng (wife to Mr K Mabeleng- Consular Attache in Johannesburg). The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has previously claimed that it had uncovered a tax-dodging racket, in which the diplomats would buy large volumes of alcohol at duty-free retailers and then sell it locally. According to SARS, the scheme cheated the tax collector of an estimated R100 million a month. Foreign Affairs and International Relations Minister 'Matsepo Ramakoae has promised "tough disciplinary measures" against the embassy officials for causing a "serious diplomatic headache" for the country with their embarrassing expulsion from South Africa. Last week, the diplomats said they would not go down alone. They threatened to name and shame high ranking government officials they say are involved in the scandal. The threats were communicated by their lawyer, Advocate Letuka Molati, in a letter to Retired Colonel Mothae. "We represent some of the members of Basotho Staff of the Lesotho High Commission in South Africa who have been declared as persona non grata (unwelcome persons) in South Africa," Adv Molati stated in his 15 June 2021 letter to Rtd Col Mothae. "We wish to hold an urgent meeting regarding their matter because there is too much information about and concerning other high-ranking government officials and other people who will not go unscathed in the event of court litigation being embarked upon, your office included. This letter is written with that view in mind so that this matter can be handled with the sensitivity it deserves," Adv Molati added. If the radio show is anything to go by, then the disgraced diplomats have made good on their threats by implicating Ms Ramakoae and others in the scandal. Ms Ramakoae, Messers Moramotse, Moleleki, Ms Thabane, Rtd Col Mothae and Ms Bohloko are accused of sending Mr Kalake to duty-free shops to buy alcohol on their behalf. Mr Kalake is one of the embassy officials who was expelled from South Africa a fortnight ago. Ms Ramakoae has vehemently denied the allegations, saying "I have never been involved in this". "Whoever says I was involved will still have to say how I was involved. This is something that has allegedly been going for years yet I only became a minister a year ago. Even then, I have only been to South Africa twice on special assignments. "So, I have not had an opportunity to go to the liquor stores to buy alcohol. In any case, I don't consume alcohol but I can have it for my visitors. But remember, these investigations have been going on because these people were buying alcohol not for consumption but to sell. I don't have a liquor business in Lesotho, South Africa or anywhere else. As I said before, the issue is ongoing and we will find out what really happened," Ms Ramakoae said in a weekend interview with the Sunday Express. On his part, Rtd Col Mothae said he only bought M18 500 worth of alcohol for "household consumption". "I always get disappointed with the manner in which the media addresses issues in this country. The issue here is that our diplomats violated the Vienna Convention which provides immunities and privileges for diplomats to buy in a diplomatic shop without paying taxes. But they (expelled diplomats) bought alcohol for resale. "According to the investigations and report that we got from our High Commission in South Africa, they (expelled diplomats) engaged in transactions of more than hundreds of thousands of maloti almost every week. In my case I spent M18 500 for my personal household issues. (sic) "For me it was not meant for resale. So, I really don't see how I'm involved in this. The matter that is on trial is the abuse of privileges by diplomats for their own business purposes and it has nothing to do for what they bought for other people. These (allegations) are probably the last kicks of a dying horse wherein some people do not want to accept that they actually violated the law of another country," Rtd Col Mothae said. Ms Bohloko yesterday accused the expelled diplomats of attempting to divert attention from the real issue of their abusing their diplomatic privileges to illegally sell alcohol. She said her picture had even been photoshopped onto a Facebook page where she is shown with a stack of alcohol. "I never bought that stack of alcohol they are showing alongside my picture on Facebook. They have photoshopped the picture to gain public sympathy. I don't have a liquor shop and I have never bought duty-free alcohol for resale. I need you to quote me as saying the PS does not sell alcohol," Ms Bohloko said. She added: "These people (expelled diplomats) need help. They have just been hit by the sad reality of what they have done and they are just trying to divert attention from themselves. Instead of going to the ministry of foreign affairs to plead for leniency, they are now making excuses like this one. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Lesotho Governance 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. "When I was still principal secretary for foreign affairs, I wrote to them and instructed them to stop this illegal practice. But instead of heeding my call, I was insulted on social media and labelled a jealous person, look at them now. They must just humble themselves and ask for forgiveness. What they have done is seriously bad," Ms Bohloko said. Mr Moleleki also denied the allegations. "I have never bought alcohol nor have I instructed anyone to buy alcohol on my behalf. If they did that, they did it out of their own goodwill and voluntarily," Mr Moleleki said in a brief interview with this publication yesterday. Mr Moramotse said he was not in a position to react to the allegations. "Ka nnete ha ke arabe lintho tsa joala hobane ha ke noe joala (I don't respond to alcohol issues because I don't drink alcohol)," Mr Moramotse said. Incidentally, Mr Moramotse has a pending court case after being charged last with contravening Covid-19 Regulations. This after he allegedly bought alcohol in contravention of gazetted regulations forbidding such purchases during the ongoing national lockdown. According to the charge sheet, Mr Moramotse "is charged with contravening Regulations 3(5) and 3(7) and 6 read with Regulation 11 of the Public health Covid-19 Regulations No.28 of 2020". He is accused of illegally purchasing two boxes of assorted whiskeys at Borokhoaneng Urban Offsales in Maseru. THE Lufthansa Group's new subsidiary, Eurowings Discover launched its inaugural flight to Zanzibar yesterday signifying efforts of reviving tourism that has been hit hard by the Covid-19. Zanzibar Minister for Tourism and Heritage Lulu Mohamed Mussa led several stakeholders in tourism and travel businesses to welcome the plane at the Abeid Amani Karume International Airport (AAKIA) terminal III, where the short ceremony was staged. The plane landed at around 7.15 am (local time) followed by water saluting of the A330- 200 flight 4Y134 before the minister cut the ribbon to signify opening the door for the new flight. She expressed happiness that it will further boost Zanzibar's efforts of reviving tourism hit by the Covid-19. "We are happy to welcome Eurowings discovery flight. We hope it will bring in more tourists at this time, when the economy is recovering, as well as know it mostly depends on tourism," Ms Mussa said. According to available data, tourism contributes to more than 25 per cent to GDP and also employs (direct employment) more than 60, 000 people. However, Ms Mussa welcomed other international flights to Zanzibar, saying: "Zanzibar and the Mainland Tanzania is a safe place for tourists and that the government is encouraging health workers, staff at the official entry points and other workers in the tourism industry to have the Covid-19 vaccine." The Zanzibar Airports Authority (ZAA) Acting Director General Mr Fadhil Juma Ali asked the enthusiastic gathering at the airport to provide all the necessary and recommended services to the visitors. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Tanzania Coronavirus Travel 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 said: "We must be well prepared to provide all the necessary, recommended and standard services to the Eurowing and other planes scheduled to Zanzibar." Eurowings Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mr Wolfgang Raebiger and the Eurowings Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Mr Helmut Woelfel, in separate remarks said they were happy to include Zanzibar in their destinations, with great expectations that many tourists from Germany and Europe will visit the Island. The Eurowings flight General Manager for Southern Africa & East Africa, Dr Andre Schulz said the flight schedule to Zanzibar will be twice a week via Mombasa (Kenya). "Plans are underway also to include Kilimanjaro and other destinations in Africa such as Mauritius," Dr Schulz said. Deputy German Ambassador to Tanzania Mrs Dr Kathrin Steinbrenner said opening Eurowings is another opportunity to strengthen the existing cooperation and relations between Europe and the east African nation for the benefits of the citizens. Ilorin Hundreds of the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state at the weekend. The defectors, who were led by one of the chieftains of APC in the local government area, Mrs. Aina Olushola, said their decision to leave APC for PDP was based on wide consultationsin the area. The defectors, who were mainly from Osi Ward 1 and 2 in the local government area, went to PDP "because of its peaceful environment." Speaking on their behalf, Olushola decried the present crisis in the APC in the state, adding that the situation has become unbearable for the party, which hitherto has affected peace and progress of the APC in the state. She said: "Our decision to decamp from the APC in the state to a peaceful political party that wants a better Nigeria, PDP, has to do with many reasons. "Also, our decision to dump the APC was done with deep consultation among its political followers both from Osi Ward one and two. "I appreciate my political team, and I'm using this medium to pledge our total support to the leadership of Dr. Bukola Saraki." Receiving the defectors, a member of Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP in the state, Mrs. Felicia Ebun Owolabi, commended the defectors for deeming it fit to join the PDP in the state. Owolabi, a former member of the state of House Assembly representing Ekiti constituency, said the defectors should be up and doing in order to ensure the success of the party in the next elections in the state. She also charged the newly elected party executives at ward, LGA, and state level to work together as a team to woo more members to the PDP. Three Injured as Gas Tanker Explodes on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Three men have been injured following a gas tanker explosion that occurred near Berger Yard around KLM 38 on the outward Lagos section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway corridor. According to a Situation Report by the Sagamu Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the incident occurred yesterday evening. The fire was said to involve a Liquefied Petroleum Gas tanker moving towards Sagamu Interchange on the outward Lagos section of the expressway. However, the FRSC operatives from the Sagamu and Mowe Unit Commands were said to have been quickly deployed to the scene. Also, firefighters from the Ogun State Fire Service have intervened to bring the situation under control. 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. Meanwhile, the three injured adult male occupants had been taken to Idera Hospital, Sagamu for medical attention. Three Injured as Gas Tanker Explodes on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Three men have been injured following a gas tanker explosion that occurred near Berger Yard around KLM 38 on the outward Lagos section of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway corridor. According to a Situation Report by the Sagamu Unit Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the incident occurred yesterday evening. The fire was said to involve a Liquefied Petroleum Gas tanker moving towards Sagamu Interchange on the outward Lagos section of the expressway. However, the FRSC operatives from the Sagamu and Mowe Unit Commands were said to have been quickly deployed to the scene. Also, firefighters from the Ogun State Fire Service have intervened to bring the situation under control. Meanwhile, the three injured adult male occupants had been taken to Idera Hospital, Sagamu for medical attention. analysis Although the ANC suffered heavy defeats in many parts of KwaZulu-Natal, particularly in the northern part of the province, there was never a doubt that the party would do very well in the southern part of the province bordering Eastern Cape and Lesotho. It also held on to Matatiele, which was incorporated into the Eastern Cape in 2006. UMZIMKHULU Over the years, uMzimkhulu Local Municipality has gained a dubious reputation as one of the most corrupt municipalities in the country. It was here in September 2017 that Sindiso Magaqa, former ANC Youth League secretary-general, was shot with two other ANC councillors as they travelled from an ANC meeting. Magaqa, who was an ANC councillor in uMzimkhulu at the time, died two weeks later of his injuries at a Durban hospital. See Daily Maverick's Ground Level Report here in the buildup to the local government elections: Umzimkhulu emerges from looting virtually unscathed, but enters polls beset by stench of corruption The ANC has been accused of being at the centre of corruption, tender-rigging and service delivery failures in this and other municipalities. Despite this, voters seemed to have rewarded the ruling party in the 1 November local government elections. The ANC... A family from Samre, in southwestern Tigray, walked for two days to reach a camp for displaced people in Mekelle. A year-long conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia has reached "disastrous proportions", the UN political chief told the Security Council on Monday, warning of "grave uncertainty" surrounding the future of the country and stability of the whole Horn of Africa region. Fighting began in early November last year, when forces of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) attacked a federal army base in the region, leading the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to order a military offensive against the rebels, which has left thousands dead. Last week, the UN human rights office reported that serious violations on all sides, which may amount to crimes against humanity and war crimes.The Government declared a state of emergency on 2 November, after TPLF troops and their allies, began pushing south towards the capital, according to news reports. Coordinating with the Oromo Liberation Army, Tigrayan forces have advanced towards Addis Ababa, the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo said. "The Government of Ethiopia has declared a nationwide state of emergency and has stated it is fighting 'an existential war'", she said, noting the spread of fighting throughout the country. "Elsewhere, insecurity in the Oromia region continues to worsen, while the situation in parts of the Benishangul-Gumuz region remains tense". Catastrophic threat Turning to growing speculation on how the crisis would unfold over the coming weeks, the UN official observed that in a country of more than 110 million people, over 90 different ethnic groups and 80 languages, no one could really predict what continued fighting and insecurity will bring. However, she said that the political repercussions of intensifying violence in the wider region would be "immense" - compounding the many other crises underway in the Horn of Africa. "But let me clear: What is certain is that the risk of Ethiopia descending into widening civil war is only too real. That would bring about a humanitarian catastrophe and consume the future of such an important country", she said. Cut off and hungry While more than seven million people need humanitarian aid in northern Ethiopia today, efforts to mobilize assistance in Tigray - where more than five million lack food and an estimated 400,000 now live in famine-like conditions - are made more difficult due to the inability to move cash, fuel and supplies into the region. "No aid trucks have reached Mekelle since 18 October amid continued airstrikes", Ms. DiCarlo said, adding that since strikes on 22 October on the regional capital of Tigray, UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) flights have remained suspended while fuel shipments have been blocked since August. While some emergency supplies have been moved, it has been four months since the last major shipment of medicines and health supplies into Tigray. Humanitarian visit Lack of access, has forced humanitarians to scale-back aid, just as life-saving humanitarian needs escalate rapidly in the neighbouring Amhara and Afar regions, as large numbers of people flee the spreading conflict. Over the weekend, Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths, travelled to Ethiopia to review increasing needs and plan for a greater humanitarian response. "Unfettered access to conflict areas remains key", underscored Ms. DiCarlo. 'Horrific suffering' Recalling last week's report of the joint UN-Ethiopian Human Rights Commission investigation into the conflict in Tigray, she pointed to the "horrific suffering" of civilians. "The report concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe that all parties to the conflict... committed violations of international human rights, humanitarian and refugee law", the UN official stated, adding that war crimes and crimes against humanity may also have been committed. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines International Organisations East Africa 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. And amidst incidents of hate speech and an alarming increase in targeting ethnic groups "at an alarming rate", she described the Council's call for refraining from inflammatory speech and incitement to violence as "welcome and timely". Need for inclusivity 'never greater' "There must be an immediate cessation of hostilities", she spelled out, drawing attention to multiple calls for a lasting ceasefire and for an inclusive intra-Ethiopian dialogue to resolve the crisis, and eventually create the foundation for peace and stability throughout the country. At the same time, Ms. DiCarlo noted that the July elections which returned the Prime Minister's party to power, securing him another five year term, "demonstrated the people's commitment to the democratic process", and highlighted Abiy Ahmed's commitment to resolve the ongoing challenges and launch a national dialogue. "The urgency for such an inclusive initiative has never been greater", she said. analysis South African writer Damon Galgut has won the UK's most prestigious literary award, the Booker Prize, for his work The Promise. It was Galgut's third shortlisting for the career-defining award, which has evaded him until now. In 2003 he was shortlisted for The Good Doctor and in 2010 for In a Strange Room. So what is it that makes his latest novel The Promise so special? We asked Galgut expert Sofia Kostelac to fill us in about the writer and his tale of a white South African family's reckoning with a racist past - and why the book is important, especially in South Africa where it is set. Warning: This article contains spoilers. Who is Damon Galgut? Damon Galgut is a South African writer born in Pretoria in 1963. He now lives and works in Cape Town. He made his literary debut at the age of 18, with the publication of his first novel, A Sinless Season, in 1982. The Promise is his ninth novel, and the third to be shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. Although best known for his novels, Galgut has also authored several plays, screenplays and short stories. Like many readers, I was first made aware of Galgut's writing when The Good Doctor was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2003. That novel encompasses many of the themes that Galgut has become best known for, including his searching meditations on the devastating legacies of apartheid and white-minority rule in South Africa. Yet his literary range also extends well beyond forms of politically engaged realism. It includes experiments with fictionalised memoir or 'autrebiography' (In a Strange Room), biographical fiction (Arctic Summer) and metaphysical crime writing (The Quarry and The Impostor). What is The Promise all about? The Promise is a carefully layered novel that spans just over three decades in the lives of the Swarts, a white South African family living on a farm just outside of Pretoria. The promise of the novel's title refers to the commitment that Manie makes to fulfil his wife Rachel's dying wish: to give their domestic worker Salome, who has worked for the family for decades, the house on the Swart farm in which she lives. The promise remains unfulfilled for the next 31 years as successive inheritors of the land refuse to cede the property to Salome. The novel is divided into four parts, each focused on the death and funeral of a member of the Swart family. The deaths occur roughly a decade apart from each other. This is a structuring device that allows Galgut to hold three decades of South African history - from the violent state of emergency in the mid-1980s to the tumult of contemporary times - in view. While the dramatic socio-political changes of these years are apparent in every aspect of the Swart family's lives, little changes for Salome, whose wait for the dignity and safety represented by land and property endures. Why does the book matter? Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Entertainment Books 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. At the heart of the novel - and the unfulfilled promise to Salome - lies the question of what sort of restitution is possible in the context of South Africa's brutally iniquitous history? The bitter irony on which the story rests is that Salome's house is entirely undesirable, consisting of "three rooms and a broken roof. On a tough piece of land." It holds almost no material value for the Swarts, yet the family is torn asunder by their disagreements over its fate. What would it take, the novel implicitly asks, for a family like the Swarts to give up a modicum of their privilege to nudge us towards a more equitable society? The Promise attends, with meticulous detail and insight, to the pathologies of racism, pride and fear that make such acts unlikely. Galgut has rightly been praised by reviewers and the Booker judges for the formal skill with which he handles these vexing themes. The narrative voice is a remarkably inventive one that ranges between diverse characters with apparent ease, and delivers a rare combination of irony and empathy that wryly critiques the novel's deeply flawed and afflicted characters without dehumanising them. Does the Booker Prize matter and what will it do for Galgut's career? The Booker Prize is almost unparalleled in the attention and esteem it affords its winners. The prize has played a significant role in shaping the South African literary canon, and Galgut is now likely to take up a well-earned place alongside pantheons like J.M Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer as among the most recognised, studied and anthologised of the country's writers. Sofia Kostelac, Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand 90% of Africas cultural heritage currently lies outside the continent, including the Benin Bronzes in the British Museum. analysis After years of pressure, western countries are finally returning priceless artefacts and artworks that had been looted from Nigeria during colonial times and were on display in foreign museums. Commonly called the Benin Bronzes, because the objects originated from the Kingdom of Benin (today's Nigeria), these beautiful and technically remarkable artworks have come to symbolise the broader restitution debate. Two British universities - Cambridge University and the University of Aberdeen - recently returned two of the artefacts. And, in mid-October, Germany and Nigeria signed a memorandum of understanding setting out a timetable for the return of around 1,100 sculptures from German museums. Jos van Beurden - an expert on the protection, theft and smuggling of cultural and historical treasures of vulnerable states - offers his insights into this wave of repatriation. He also suggests a way forward for Nigeria to handle and harness the benefits of the artefacts. Listen here Joey Akan, Freelance Arts & Culture Editor, The Conversation and Usifo Omozokpea, Audience Development Manager, The Conversation analysis Research suggests that the links are overstated, especially compared to Africa's voting patterns with other council members. Over the past two decades, Russia has aimed to re-establish itself as a world power. A key way to achieve this has been through its permanent membership on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). In recent years, Russia's posturing on several international conflicts has increasingly divided the UNSC, causing a degree of paralysis that hasn't occurred since the Cold War. At the same time, questions have arisen about how A3 members - the annually elected grouping of African states - coordinate positions among themselves, and with respect to the interests of the five permanent UNSC members (the P5). In particular, are certain African members becoming more aligned to Russia's positions on the council? These questions have been promoted, for example, by South Africa's vote against the United States (US)-sponsored draft resolution on Venezuela that Russia and China vetoed in February 2019. To understand these dynamics, a recent study by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) examined voting patterns between the A3 and Russia. An assessment of all votes cast by UNSC members between 2014 and 2020 found that most resolutions were still approved unanimously, with close to 95% of all votes cast in favour of any tabled resolution. Russia stands out in terms of its willingness to veto or abstain from tabled UNSC resolutions So the institutional 'paralysis' that many council observers refer to, while still considerable, applies to a few debates in which council members disagree. These divisions were seen most sharply in discussions relating to Syria, Venezuela, Ukraine and the Women, Peace and Security agenda. The SAIIA-ISS research found that Russia consistently stood out above other council members in its willingness to veto or abstain from tabled resolutions. It abstained from 45 votes and cast 20 vetoes between 2014 and 2020. Russia especially opposed positions led by the other permanent member states - 'loudly' disagreeing with stances put forward by France, the United Kingdom and the US. This dissent is usually based on its criticism of the West's apparent attempts to 'monopolise the truth' and over what constitutes human rights. Russia also enjoys a convenient (but passive) alliance with China, which shares similar grievances over Western-dominated approaches to global conflicts. In contrast to Russia, the A3 seldom voted against any draft resolutions tabled between 2014 and 2020, preferring instead to abstain on contentious issues. An example is the controversial 2018 US-sponsored draft resolution on Palestine. There are few cases in which the A3 abstained or voted against resolutions in line with Russia As divisions have deepened among the P5, African countries on the UNSC have increasingly relied on collective positions among themselves and those aligned to the African Union (AU). This has given Africa greater agency in global multilateral processes that directly affect conflicts and crises on the continent. A similar approach has been taken in recent years by all 10 non-permanent members (E10). These efforts paid off considerably on specific council discussions, such as allowing greater humanitarian access to Syria. But the coordination and coherence of E10 positions have again waned somewhat since 2018. More consistent UNSC positions by the A3 have given African states greater leverage to engage with other council members. The risks of not doing so were revealed in December 2018 when A3 members disagreed on a common approach to the thorny issue of financing for AU-led peace support operations. The fallout can still be seen today. Recent attempts to revitalise negotiations have only managed to expose lingering divides between New York and Addis Ababa. The SAIIA-ISS study found little evidence of a growing alignment or greater coordination between the A3 and Russia, based on their voting patterns from 2014-2020. The coincidence of 'in favour' votes between the A3 and Russia declined year-on-year, falling to 72% in 2020 compared to 91% in 2014. The overlap in A3 votes 'in favour' with the US, UK and France by contrast, ranged from 91% to 93% in 2020. The relationship between Russia and the A3 on the UNSC is comparatively uncoordinated There are also extremely few cases in which the A3 collectively abstained or voted against draft resolutions in line with Russia's position. Between 2014 and 2020, on only one occasion did an A3 member vote against a draft resolution that Russia vetoed (South Africa's 2019 Venezuela vote). Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa International Organisations 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. These findings show that the relationship between Russia and the A3 on the UNSC is relatively uncoordinated, especially compared to A3 votes in relation to other permanent members. While the SAIIA-ISS study didn't delve into the content and substance of resolution-specific negotiations, the alignment between Russia and the A3 during the 2014-20 period was very weak. Arguments that certain A3 members are becoming more aligned to Russian interests on the UNSC don't hold for the African group as a collective. Russia's 'loud dissenter' role on the council may well continue, but to succeed, it needs more significant support from other members, including the A3. Based on the SAIIA-ISS research results, that seems unlikely. Priyal Singh, Researcher and Gustavo de Carvalho, Manager and Senior Researcher, Peace Operations and Peacebuilding, ISS Pretoria Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who visited the scene of the accident on Saturday, had put the death toll, as of that day, at 42. The number of dead bodies recovered from the rubble of the 21-storey building, which collapsed last week in Ikoyi, Lagos, has reached 44. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), two bodies were found at the site on Sunday. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who visited the scene of the accident on Saturday, had put the death toll, as of that day, at 42. However, Gbenga Omotoso, the Lagos State's Commissioner for Information and Strategy, told PREMIUM TIMES on Monday that the casualty figures stood at 43. He said one body was recovered on Sunday. It is unclear why the state and federal emergency rescue agencies arrived at different figures. Last week, the agencies also issued different casualty figures to journalists, prompting the governor's "chain of command" speech at the site. On Monday, NEMA said the federal government has directed the Army Corps of Engineers to assist in the ongoing operation. Since the skyscraper crumbled last week, relatives of victims and sympathisers had continued to throng the area, hoping to see their loved ones alive. The state government had also set up 'help desks' to help families identify their loved ones trapped in the debris. However, on Monday, few people were seen at the site. The 'help desks' were no longer present but the rescue operation was still going on. This newspaper also observed that the debris had been evacuated almost to the ground level. On Friday, Mr Sanwo-Olu granted access to family members to identify bodies of their loved ones deposited in the Lagos Mainland Hospital morgue. The judge ruled that Mr Maina, as a civil servant, could not have legitimately found in the bank accounts his fraudulently registered bank accounts. The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday sentenced a former chairperson of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, to eight years imprisonment. The judge, Okon Abang, jailed him after convicting him of counts 2, 6, 9, 3, 7 and 10 in the charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He held that Mr Maina stole over N2 billion belonging to pensioners, "most of whom have died without reaping the fruits of their labour," the judge said. "I find the defendant (Mr Maina) guilty and convicted in count 2, 6, 9, 3, 7 and 10," Mr Abang held. In his analysis of the evidence led in the case, Mr Abang held that the prosecution established its case against Mr Maina. According to the judge, the prosecution established that Mr Maina purchased property in Abuja with $1.4million cash without passing through a financial institution. The amount, the judge said, was far above the cash transaction threshold of N5million. He also ruled that the prosecution proved that Mr Maina concealed his true identity as signatory to accounts opened in two new generation banks by using the identity of his family members without their knowledge. The sums of N300million, N500million and N1.5billion which, according to the judge, were stolen by Mr Maina from pensioners, were deposited in the account. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs Labour 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 Maina could not explain the source of the money, the judge ruled, adding that the convict could not have legitimately earn the sums of money from his salary and emoluments. The judge said the money formed part of the proceeds of unlawful act. Background A month ago, the court jailed Mr Maina's son, Faisal, after finding him guilty on all three counts of money laundering involving N58.1million in public funds. There has been no report that Faisal, who faced a trial separate from his father, has been apprehended and put in jail. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned Mr Maina before Mr Abang, on October 25, 2019, and firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd. Mr Maina was tried on a 12-count money laundering charge filed against him by the EFCC. He had pleaded "not guilty" to the charges. Mr Maina had jumped bail twice in the course of the trial. He was recently arrested in Niamey, Niger Republic, where he had fled. PREMIUM TIMES reported how a senator, Ali Ndume, was briefly jailed after he failed to provide Mr Maina, whom he had stood surety for. Mr Ndume spent five days at the Kuje correctional centre before he was granted bail. In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/256/2019, EFCC alleged that Mr Maina used fictitious names to open and operate various bank accounts, as well as recruited his relatives that were bankers to operate fake bank accounts through which illicit funds were channelled. The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Sunday hardened its stance against military-ruled Mali and Guinea, imposing new individual sanctions and calling on both countries to honour timetables for a return to democracy. ECOWAS "has decided to sanction all those implicated in the delay" in organising elections set for 27 February in Mali, ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou told French news agency AFP after a summit of the 15-nation group in the Ghanaian capital Accra. He said Mali had "officially written" to Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, who holds the rotating presidency of ECOWAS, to inform him that the Sahel country could not hold elections as planned. "All the transition authorities are concerned by the sanctions which will take immediate effect," Brou said, adding the travel bans and assets freezes targeted family members as well. In a final declaration following Sunday's summit, ECOWAS said it "highly deplores the lack of progress" towards staging elections in Mali and condemned the expulsion of its envoy Hamidou Boly from the country on 26 October. The situation has raised concerns internationally, prompting a UN Security Council delegation to Mali late last month. Council members "reiterated their call for the Malian transitional authorities to achieve... the handover of power to democratically elected civilian authorities within the agreed timeline," the officials said in a statement. Several party leaders within Mali reacted to the sanctions on Monday, notably Jeamille Bittar, the spokesperson for the M5 party of prime minister Choguel Maiga. "I think it's up to the international community to help us rather than issue threats, and pressure which only destabilise our country further. We don't need that," he said, stressing that stable elections coulld not go ahead until the security issues were addressed and that forcing them to do so would only drag the country into further chaos. Double coup ECOWAS rescinded economic sanctions against Mali and its suspension from the organisation when the junta headed by Colonel Assimi Goita pledged a transition of no more than 18 months, last August. But Goita went on to mount a new coup in May, deposing transitional president Bah Ndaw and his prime minister, Moctar Ouane. ECOWAS suspended Mali once again, but did not apply new sanctions. Swathes of Mali, a vast nation of 19 million people, lie outside of government control because of a jihadist insurgency that emerged in the north in 2012, before spreading to the centre of the country as well as neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. Brou noted that the deployment of contractors from the Russian paramilitary group Wagner in Mali was "one of the concerns of the heads of state". Charter for transition As for Guinea, where soldiers seized power on 5 September, ECOWAS decided to uphold the country's suspension from the bloc as well as sanctions against individual junta members and their families. It also reiterated its demand for the "unconditional release" of president Alpha Conde, 83, who has been under house arrest since his ouster. In the final declaration, it praised the adoption of a "transition charter", the appointment of a civilian prime minister and the formation of a transitional government -- echoing Brou following an ECOWAS delegation to the country in October. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Mali West 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. But it called on the authorities to "urgently submit a detailed timetable... towards the holding of elections" in the country of 13 million people. Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who overthrew Conde after months of discontent against his government, had promised to restore civilian rule after a transition period of unspecified length. What we know about Guinea coup leader and war master Mamady Doumbouya The ECOWAS leaders named Mohamed Ibn Chambas as its special envoy to Guinea, which had spent decades under authoritarian or dictatorial regimes before Conde's election in 2010. At a September summit, ECOWAS demanded that Guinea hold elections within six months. ECOWAS will hold its next summit in December when it will consider more sanctions "if the situation persists", Sunday's declaration stated. (with AFP) Local resistance committees and the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) have organized a two-day protest to protest against the military coup d'etat carried out last month, Residents said that people were out on Sunday in Khartoum, the capital, but there were less than usual. Protests were limited because of internet and telephone cuts "A number of people did not know about the call for civil disobedience because of the internet cut," one resident of central Khartoum told Reuters newswire. Update: Internet remains disrupted in #Sudan two weeks after a military coup targeted the transitional civilian government. The assault on communications leaves the public without a voice at a critical time, presenting a direct threat to democracy. https://t.co/uVVZKchH5S pic.twitter.com/y1xETftVKr - NetBlocks (@netblocks) November 8, 2021 Internet and phone service is intermittent since the 25th of October coup, but after mass closure of a number of shops and banks, some are beginning to reopen. Some hospitals and medical staff in Khartoum were working as usual, but others were on strike. According to a teachers' union, security forces used tear gas to break up a sit-in where people were opposed to giving positions to military appointees. More than 85 people were arrested at the education ministry. Sudan coup leaders in 'gross violation of the law', Pan-African Lawyers Union says Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Sudan 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. Sudan coup leaders release Islamists as detained premier refuses to stand down Tear gas was used in other parts of the city against protesters, as witnesses noted security forces in civilian clothing working with police. The cities of Medani, Nyala and Atbara also reportedly held protests against the reappointment of Bashir loyalists in local government. Former rebels reject the coup As people continue to protest on the streets of the capital and around the country, others, including former rebels who had been a part of the peace agreement after strongman Omar al-Bashir was deposed, say they have rejected the coup. The Sudanese Revolutionary Front, an umbrella group of former rebels, has rejected the coup. This includes three men who were on the power sharing military-civilian council: Elhadi Idris and Altahir Hajar from Darfur and Malik Agar of the southern SPLM-N. The military actions of 25 October eliminated the power-sharing agreement between the military and civilians and the promise of elections by late 2023. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok remains under house arrest but has been conducting meetings. On Sunday he met with an Arab League delegation who issued a statement calling for the importance of dialogue and the return to power sharing. They also met separately with coup leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the former head of the Transitional Military Council and head of the armed forces. press release On 4 November 2021, the Ministry of Health, Eritrea, organized a Consensus building workshop for the National Health Research Agenda document which the country has developed. The objective of the priority health agenda consensus workshop was to give all the technical expertise an opportunity to review and further enrich the document before final printing and dissemination. The priority health research agenda is one of the key tools which can help the health sector to identify and implement research based on the need of the country. Eritrea, as a continuation of commitment towards efforts and achievements of SDG and UHC targets has been making different approaches and initiatives to accelerate evidence-based policy directions. The country has drafted a National Health Research Agenda 2022-2026 whose objective is to give guidance for policymakers, researchers, funding agencies and other relevant parties on the top areas of research priority for health. The National Health Research Agenda was developed in collaboration with WHO and other stakeholders including health training institutions. Thus, resources can be equitably allocated, and knowledge and evidence can be produced so as to be used by planners, decision makers and policy makers. The last priority health agenda for Eritrea covered the year 2013 to 2017. The MOH first established advisory committee and core-team to undertake planning, situation analysis, information gathering and synthesis as well as stakeholders' consultations. The consultative process was conducted with different stakeholders such as the MOH at HQ as well as at the Zoba (Zonal) level, Academia, relevant line ministries and the UN Agencies working in the health sector. The thematic focus areas that have been prioritized include: Research to enhance and extend healthy lives Research on Health systems Research on Social, educational and behavioral health determinants and Research on healthcare innovations. During the opening remarks of the workshop, Dr Berhane Debru, Director General of Policy, Planning and Human Resources Development welcomed participants and elaborated the timely importance of health research priority agenda. Dr. Berhane further explained that due to the transformation of health care delivery system and the dynamics of diseases and health conditions it is important that that research priorities for the country should be determined for short and longer terms. He further emphasized that it is key to streamline and coordinate top health research priorities. He explained that during the process of priority setting for health research agenda the following facts were taken into consideration 1. Research must be demand driven which can respond to a broader group of stakeholders 2. Magnitude of burdens, urgency of subject matter and also responding to social justice and equity 3. Research must be accepted ethically, socially and politically 4. Feasibility for undertaking is also very critical 5. Research should complement and avoid duplication of already existing knowledge. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Eritrea Health International Organisations 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. Dr Martins Ovberedjo, WHO Representative on his remarks congratulated the Ministry of Health under the leadership of the Honourable, Minister of Health, Amina Nurhussien and thanked all who contributed their valuable expertise to the production of priority health agenda. Dr Martins emphasized on the importance of the research priority agenda as it will accelerate towards the achievements of UHC and SDG targets for Eritrea. He elaborated that research is a constant process of searching knowledge and information, thus it is part of our day today life. He also stated that our research should not focus only on academic objectives, but rather to bring practical improvement to health of our children, mothers and general population living in all places of Eritrea. He also reminded participants that research results must be used to guide policy directions and reforms. During the workshop participants were divided themselves into four groups and reviewed the document. Each of the four groups presented comments and plenary discussion was conducted. Finally, all comments and points were considered, and the key ones incorporated into the final draft of the document. The priority health agenda 2021-2026 will be widely disseminated and put in public domain. document Special Envoy Jeffrey Feltman is currently in Ethiopia to underscore the United States' grave concern with the escalation of the conflict and the risk of intercommunal violence, and to encourage all parties to engage in a dialogue on a cessation of hostilities. From November 4 to 7, Special Envoy Feltman traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen Hasan, Minister of Defense Abraham Belay, and Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide. He also met with AU High Representative Olusegun Obasanjo, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, UN Undersecretary General Martin Griffiths, and other international partners and government leaders. From November 7 to 8, Special Envoy Feltman traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, where he consulted with President Kenyatta and other political leaders on the conflict in Ethiopia. The United States will continue to work with international partners to address the crisis in Ethiopia, including through action with the United Nations, the African Union, and other relevant partners and institutions. Special Envoy Feltman remains in the region and returned to Ethiopia today, November 8. Around 18,000 were robbed of their land The community has been struggling in inadequate resettlement camps Reports of continued killings, shootings and beatings by the Uganda Wildlife Authority Uganda's Indigenous Benet people continue to suffer appalling conditions in resettlement camps with little access to water, sanitation and healthcare 13 years after being violently evicted from their ancestral forest lands in Mount Elgon, Amnesty International said in a report out today. The report - 13 Years in Limbo: Forced Evictions of the Benet in the Name of Conservation - based on interviews with 61 evictees, documents the numerous impacts of forced evictions against the community of about 18,000 people. Amnesty found that the Benet are still reeling from the disruption to their way of life and remain at risk of physical harm from the forest rangers despite repeated promises by the government - including President Museveni - to remedy their plight. The Benet were first evicted from the forest by the National Forest Authority in 1983, and subsequently by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in 1993 when the Ugandan government declared the forest a national park. In 2008, UWA forcefully evicted about 200 families of the Benet, this time targeting members of the community who the UWA claimed were still settled inside the national park despite government allocating the same land to them after the previous evictions. The Benet have accused UWA of killings, unlawful use of force and firearms, including shootings, beatings, and even crimes under international law, including torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, when they try to enter the forest which was declared a national park in 1993. They also report being subjected to extortion by UWA wardens deployed to prevent them from returning to the forest to cultivate crops, graze animals or perform their cultural rituals. Amnesty has raised the findings with various state agencies in Uganda, including the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Health and is in the process of engaging with them to see that the rights of the Benet are upheld. Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International's Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said: "Not only were the Benet violently evicted from the forest and robbed of their ancestral home but today - 13 years later - they are still living in temporary settlements made of flimsy huts of mud and sticks, deprived of essential services such as clean drinking water and electricity and cut off from healthcare and education. "President Museveni has repeatedly promised to take action and has at least twice directed the Office of the Prime Minister to do so, but years have come and gone, and the Benet people remain in limbo with nowhere to turn for justice. "The treatment of the Benet is a flagrant violation of Uganda's constitution and its own international human rights obligations. The Ugandan government must recognise the Benet as the Indigenous inhabitants of the forest and restore them to their ancient home." Forced evictions across Uganda The Benet people are not the only community to have suffered from forced evictions. In May 2018, Ugandan soldiers and UWA forcibly evicted communities in Apaa, northern Uganda, claiming that they had settled in a wildlife reserve. By May 2018, more than 250 homes had been burnt and destroyed, leaving hundreds of people, including children, homeless. Similar unlawful and violent evictions continued in 2019 and 2020. As of January 2021, more than 35,000 people from over 2,300 families had been forcibly evicted from their homes in Kiryandongo by Ugandan security forces to make way for the industrial farming projects. In 2016, President Museveni appointed a commission led by Justice Catherine Bamugemereire to investigate land disputes nationwide. But the Commission's final report has still not yet been made public. At times the government has cited climate change and the need to mitigate against it through conservation as the reason for evicting the Benet people from their land. Indigenous peoples all over the world have lived sustainably with their ecosystems for centuries, and Amnesty believes that, if the state worked with the Benet to co-manage Mount Elgon, they would continue to do so. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Uganda 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. Deprose Muchena added: "Academic research shows that conservation works best when the state works with Indigenous peoples as equal partners in conservation. It must not result in human rights violations, or be used to justify them. "Evictions must always be a tool of last resort and must not be conducted without following due process requirements as per international human rights standards. Uganda is a signatory to African and global treaties that stipulate this irreducible minimum and prohibit forces evictions. It must comply with them." The Benet The Benet are a hunter-gatherer and pastoralist community widely referred to by the pejorative word "Ndorobo", meaning the "primitive people of the mountain". Their land issues date back to the colonial period when the British colonial government declared the Mount Elgon moorlands and grasslands - home to their ancestors from time immemorial - as a forest reserve, but they have carried on and worsened with each passing decade since independence. press release New York Inciting Rhetoric, Sweeping Emergency Regulations Fuel Abuses The African Union Peace and Security Council and the United Nations Security Council should move beyond discussions and act to avert further atrocities in Ethiopia, Human Rights Watch said. On November 4, 2021, the Ethiopian government passed a sweeping nationwide state of emergency granting the authorities unchecked power as fighting in northern Ethiopia spreads amid rising political and ethnic tensions. In a virtual meeting on November 8, the AU Peace and Security Council was briefed by Olusegun Obasanjo, the AU special envoy on the Horn of Africa, after speaking to warring parties about how to deescalate tensions. The UN Security Council also met in an open session in New York, where it discussed these developments. "The Ethiopian government, its allies, and opponents should stop actions and policies that risk inciting abuses, and take urgent steps to ensure that the rights of all communities are fully protected," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch. "It's critical for African leaders and UN Security Council members to work together to take immediate action to avert further atrocities - or they will have failed the Ethiopian people." Warring parties need to ensure that civilians are protected and enable the provision of critical humanitarian assistance, Human Rights Watch said. Tigrayan forces affiliated with the country's former ruling party, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), and armed forces known as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) reportedly have captured key towns on the route toward Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital. Ethiopian federal and regional authorities and public figures responded with public statements that risk inciting violence and discrimination against Tigrayans and others deemed to support "the invading forces." Facebook removed an October 31 statement by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed calling on all Ethiopians to "take up arms and bury the TPLF." Human Rights Watch previously reported on the increase in ethnic profiling, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances of scores of Tigrayans in Addis Ababa after Ethiopian government forces withdrew from most of the Tigray region and Tigrayan forces recaptured of the regional capital, Mekelle, in late June. Ethiopian authorities, in their recent public statements, including on social media, have increased the likelihood of violence against specific ethnic groups, though international law requires them to seek to prevent violence. Foreign journalists and aid workers are also at risk. A November 4 social media post by the government's communication service threatened those "working with the enemy in propagating its false narratives," accused Reuters of "spreading misinformation," and referred to Tigray forces as "a rat that strays far from its hole." The authorities in Addis Ababa also called on residents to register their arms and prepare to defend their neighborhoods, increasing the risk of communal violence. Amid rising tensions in the country, all warring parties and public officials should be denouncing statements that incite hostility, violence, or discrimination rather than encouraging them, Human Rights Watch said. On November 4, Ethiopia's parliament passed a six-month nationwide state of emergency. It grants the government far-reaching powers to arrest and detain people based on "reasonable suspicion" of cooperation with "terrorist groups" without a court warrant and judicial oversight while the proclamation is in effect. It includes vague provisions that restrict expression that "contributes to the success of terrorist groups ... or terrorizes the civilian population," and allows the authorities to suspend licenses for civil society, media organizations, and journalists that provide direct, indirect, or moral support to terrorist groups. It allows the security forces to use "proportional force which it finds necessary for the execution of state of emergency measures." The emergency provisions not only heighten the risks of arbitrary arrest and detention against at-risk communities, but could have a chilling effect on humanitarian activities, induce self-censorship by the media, activist groups, and human rights organizations, and risk emboldening abusive elements within the security forces, Human Rights Watch said. Since the law came into effect, Human Rights Watch has learned of security forces in Addis Ababa carrying out neighborhood searches and detaining Tigrayans, without a court warrant or access to their family. Human Rights Watch also has received reports that ethnic Oromos have been detained outside of the capital. On November 7, the state-appointed Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) released a statement expressing its concerns about the arrests along ethnic lines, following the issuance of the state of emergency. Successive Ethiopian governments have a long history of using vague and overbroad legislation to clamp down on basic rights. They include problematic nationwide state of emergency declarations - in 2016, 2018, and its 2020 law in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the now-amended counterterrorism, mass media, and charities and societies laws. While international law allows governments to impose certain emergency measures in response to significant threats to the life of the nation, derogations of basic rights must be strictly necessary and proportionate to the emergency and be for the shortest duration possible. Although the Ethiopian Constitution permits such derogations during times of emergency, international human rights law forbids authorities from limiting some specific human rights, including the right to life and the right to be free from torture, including during national emergencies. Further, the Principles and Guidelines on Human and Peoples' Rights while Countering Terrorism in Africa, which were adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights in 2015, outline that "states should not use combatting terrorism as a pretext to restrict fundamental freedoms." Rather than assuaging fears, the government's emergency provisions, along with officials' hateful public rhetoric, risk stoking fear among communities across the country, can limit critical humanitarian assistance, and empower the authorities to commit ethnically motivated arbitrary arrests and other abuses, Human Rights Watch said. In a November 5 statement, the UN Security Council called "for all parties to refrain from hate speech and incitement to violence and divisiveness." The UN secretary-general issued a statement on November 2 saying he was "extremely concerned" about the "recent declaration of the state of emergency," and the UN high commissioner for human rights said on November 3 that "far from stabilizing the situation, these extremely broad measures ... will deepen divisions, endanger civil society and human rights defenders, provoke greater conflict and only add to the human suffering already at unacceptable levels." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia International Organisations Human Rights 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 the beginning of the armed conflict in Tigray in November 2020, Ethiopian government and allied forces have massacred and forcibly displaced civilians, carried out brutal acts of sexual violence, and destroyed and pillaged crops, healthcare centers, schools, and other civilian infrastructure. Since June when Ethiopian and Eritrean federal forces pulled out of most of Tigray, Ethiopian authorities have effectively besieged the region by unlawfully blocking critical access to humanitarian assistance and services. Attacks also continue in the region. Human Rights Watch has also documented serious abuses committed by Tigrayan militias against Eritrean refugees in Tigray and received reports of summary executions and sexual violence by Tigrayan forces against Amhara civilians as the fighting expanded to that region in July, increasing humanitarian needs. Obasanjo, in his briefing to the AU Peace and Security Council, also said that the Council should urge parties to ensure respect and compliance with international humanitarian and human rights laws. "The UN and African Union security councils should urgently press Ethiopia's warring parties to respect international humanitarian law and hold their troops accountable for war crimes," Roth said. "The UN Security Council should impose a global arms embargo on both Ethiopia and Eritrea to avoid fueling further war crimes and make it clear that the council will no longer sit on the sidelines as atrocities in Ethiopia mount." Blantyre, Malawi Malawi's parliament Monday welcomed the country's first ever elected albino lawmaker when it reconvened after months of recess. The presence of Overstone Kondowe in Malawi's national assembly, is seen as a victory for albinos who have faced attacks in this southern African country since 2014. Until last Thursday, when he took the oath of office in the capital, Lilongwe, Kondowe was President Lazarus Chakwera's special adviser on persons with albinism and disabilities. The move, following a by-election two weeks ago, comes amid continued attacks on people with albinism in Malawi. Police records show that in the last four months, there were seven attacks on albinos, including killings, attempted abductions and physical violence. Separately, grave robbers have exhumed corpses to retrieve albinos' bodies. Kondowe is also the former president of the Association of Persons with Albinism in Malawi or APAM. He says that as a lawmaker in the national assembly, he will pursue his fight against incidents targeting albinos. "Let me assure them that I will do to the maximum of my potential to make sure that we should also have programs, like what South Africa put in place," said Kondowe. "I am ready to do that. And I have also demonstrated my ability to do so when I was acting outside the system. Now, that I am in the center of the system, I am sure change is coming, not tomorrow, but today." The statistics show that since 2014, more than 170 albinos have been attacked in Malawi because of false beliefs that concoctions mixed with their body parts bring luck and wealth. To help stop the attacks, Malawian courts have imposed stiffer punishments on perpetrators. For example, two weeks ago, the High Court in northern Malawi sentenced two men to life in prison with hard labor for killing a 54-year-old albino. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Malawi Governance Human Rights 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. Young Muhamba is the current president of the APAM. He says the election of Kondowe to parliament sends a clear message that albinos are equal to other Malawians. "We will be developing some bill to do with people with albinism," said Muhamba. "So, he will be the first voice there in parliament. He will be the first person to table the bill and to support it and also make others support it. So, he will be like our voice." Muhamba says the association is currently pushing the government to start implementing its program of constructing houses for people with albinism as a security measure. Simon Munde is acting executive director of the Federation of Disability Organization in Malawi. Munde says he believes that Kondowe, a member of the ruling Malawi Congress Party, will also represent people with disabilities. "We have faith in him," said Munde. "The fact that he is quite an advocate, he has even done it when he was presidential adviser on disabilities, and we are not doubting in any way that that kind of spirit will continue with it as now he will be able to speak within the legislative assembly." Munde said the election of Kondowe to parliament should send a message to other public or private institutions that disability does not equate to inability. Kampala A report by Amnesty International documents several violent forced evictions in Uganda of the Benet indigenous people. Affected members of the community narrate details of the eviction from their ancestral land saying it took place without notice and they are asking the Ugandan government to compensate them. More than a decade after being violently evicted from their ancestral forest lands in Mount Elgon, Amnesty says Uganda's Indigenous Benet people continue to languish in deplorable conditions. This includes living in ramshackle resettlement camps with little access to clean water, sanitation and healthcare for 13 years according to a report by Amnesty International. The report titled, "13 Years in Limbo: Forced Evictions of the Benet in the Name of Conservation", found that the Benet are still suffering disruption to their way of life and they remain at risk of physical harm from forest rangers despite repeated promises by the government to resettle them. David Chemutai is an affected member of the Benet group. He says that through the different evictions, about 100 people have since lost their lives and many remain psychologically traumatized. "The UWA officials came, they forced us to burn our own houses. They give you the matchbox and they have a gun and they tell you that, please burn your house. You have no alternative, the food is inside, the properties, they are inside. We had nowhere to go and we had to reside under the trees and in the caves," he said. Roland Ebole, a researcher at Amnesty International, says the evictions among a community of 18,000 people constitute a range of human rights violations including the right to housing and the rights of indigenous people. Ebole says Amnesty found that the Benet are suffering as the government's promises of protection and resettlement go unkept. "The multiple inter-related and interconnected human rights violations that the indigenous people of the Benet have suffered, following violent forced evictions by the state, have deepened the poverty and disparities experienced by this community. Leaving them landless, marginalized and at risk of further human rights violations," he said. Amnesty International's report says the Benet were first evicted from the forest by the National Forest Authority in 1983, and subsequently by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, UWA, in 1993 when the Ugandan government declared the forest a national park. The report further notes that in 2008, the UWA forcefully evicted about 200 Benet families, this time targeting members of the community who the UWA claimed were still settled inside the national park despite the government's allocation of land to them. Amnesty is calling on the government to, among other things, recognize the Benet as indigenous people, recognize their right to their ancestral lands in Mount Elgon and to ensure that all Benet people who were subject to forcible evictions get remedy and reparations. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Uganda Human Rights 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. The organization also demands that all allegations against the UWA be investigated and responsible persons prosecuted. Bashir Hangi, public relations officer for the Uganda Wildlife Authority describes the Amnesty report as baseless and pure speculation. According to Hangi, the Benet vacated their land for conservation voluntarily and are now going back on that. "It Is also not true that UWA is involved in killing people. Why do we kill people? We are a government entity established to be responsible for all protected areas. In the process of taking care of a protected area, we don't allow encroachers. We are not doing anything wrong. We are executing our mandate as per the law," he said. Hangi adds that they are working closely with communities neighboring all protected areas and the government aims to resettle displaced communities. The Benet are a hunter-gatherer and pastoralist community who many Ugandans refer to as "the primitive people of the mountain." Their land issues date back to the colonial period when the British colonial government first declared the Mount Elgon moorlands and grasslands, home to their ancestors, as a forest reserve. Washington The United States and Egypt have had "a shared interest" in getting Sudan's democratic transition back on track since the Sudanese military seized power in late October, said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. On Monday, Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry opened the U.S.-Egypt Strategic Dialogue. "The military takeover that began on October 25 has been dangerously destabilizing," Blinken said. "Restoration of the civilian-led transitional government is the only path to facilitating the aspirations of the Sudanese people, who have demonstrated remarkable bravery in repeatedly coming out in demand for democracy," he added. Egypt, one of Sudan's neighbors, is notably absent from a recent joint statement issued by the U.S., United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, calling for a "full and immediate restoration" of Sudan's "civilian-led transitional government and institutions." The statement also encourages releasing all those detained since the coup and lifting the state of emergency in Sudan. A report by The Wall Street Journal said that Sudanese military chief General Abdel-Fattah Burhan sought support from President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt in a meeting a day before the military takeover and that el-Sissi reassured his fellow general. Shoukry did not address last month's Sudanese military takeover, nor did he answer questions from reporters during the opening remarks. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the U.S. will discuss the "ongoing efforts to restore the civilian-led transitional government and to prevent violence in Sudan" with Egyptian officials. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Egypt U.S., Canada and Africa Sudan 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'm going to allow the Egyptians to characterize the nuance of their position, but certainly this will be a topic of discussion with our Egyptian counterparts," Price said during Monday's press briefing. The Sudanese military has been facing international condemnation since it overthrew the transitional government in which it shared power with civilian leaders. The U.S. immediately froze $700 million in economic support after the military takeover. The U.S.-Egypt Strategic Dialogue on Monday is the first bilateral dialogue held between the two nations since 2015. The State Department said top diplomats from the two countries exchanged views on international and regional issues, human rights and pathways to increased cooperation on economic, security and cultural issues. Blinken also expressed appreciation for Egypt's role in supporting regional stability, including the de-escalation of tensions in Gaza. After Blinken's visit to Cairo in late May, the U.S. said it planned to engage in a "constructive" human rights dialogue with Egypt as rights groups and activists drew attention to the country's human rights record. On Monday, Shoukry said that Egypt would "continue to forge our path towards a modern democratic state" but that "equal attention" needed to be dedicated to "political rights and civil liberties and economic and social rights" as "orderly change" offered Egypt "the best chance to succeed." Egyptian authorities had argued that the definition of human rights was more about improving the quality of life for a majority of people rather than political space or political tolerance. Olusegun Obasanjo, on screen, African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa, briefs the Security Council meeting on peace and security in Africa on November 8, 2021. United Nations The African Union envoy for the Horn of Africa warned Monday that the window of opportunity is closing for a political resolution of the crisis in northern Ethiopia, as the country tips further toward all-out conflict. "The time is now for collective actions in finding lasting solution to avoid further escalation of the situation, which may have direct effect on the strategic Horn of Africa region as a whole," said former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the AU's special representative for the Horn of Africa. Briefing the U.N. Security Council from Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, where he arrived Thursday, Obasanjo said he has met separately with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and leaders of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), as well as some allied groups, in order to de-escalate tensions and seek the start of talks. "All the leaders here in Addis Ababa and in the north agree individually that the differences between them are political and require political solutions through dialogue," he said. "This, therefore, constitutes a window of opportunity that we can collectively tap into to assist the people of Ethiopia to find a lasting solution to the ongoing crisis." Obasanjo said he will visit the northern regions of Amhara and Afar on Tuesday, where the TPLF has expanded fighting, displacing thousands of people. Fighting has escalated in the lead-up last week to the one-year anniversary of the start of the conflict. Tigrayan forces said earlier this week they were advancing on Addis Ababa and that it could fall within months or even weeks. The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency Tuesday and called on residents to defend their neighborhoods if rebels arrived in the capital. Jaal Marroo, commander of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), an ally of the TPLF, told Agence France-Presse that the OLA posed "no threat" to ordinary civilians but that Abiy and his ruling Prosperity Party have to be "completely removed and cleared" for reconciliation to begin. "We will make Ethiopia - not just Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa - a peaceful, very stable place to live in. I am very confident there is not going to be conflict after Abiy Ahmed's regime," he said. Ethiopia's U.N. ambassador blamed some countries and Western media for encouraging the TPLF. "It is emboldened to a level that it threatens to unseat a popularly elected federal government and destabilize a nation of 112 million people," Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie said of the rebels. "We again reiterate our plea for the support of this group that have been providing it with communications equipment, satellite information, weapons and even fighters to desist from this." Civil war concerns growing The United Nation's political chief warned that the conflict has "reached disastrous proportions" and if not immediately halted could see Africa's second-most-populous country engulfed in all-out civil war. "What is certain is that the risk of Ethiopia descending into widening civil war is only too real," Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council. "That would bring about a humanitarian catastrophe and consume the future of such an important country." DiCarlo said the fighting already threatens regional stability in the Horn of Africa. "The political repercussions of intensifying violence in the wider region would be immense, compounding the many crises besetting the Horn of Africa," she added. "The longer this conflict goes on, the harder the road to peace becomes and the more people will die," U.S. envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. "And as you heard from High Representative Obasanjo, the window of opportunity is limited, and time is running out. I urge all parties -- all parties -- in the strongest possible terms to back away from the brink and lead their people toward peace." She added that accusations that the United States is biased toward one side are false. "Let me be crystal clear: We condemn violence on all sides. We condemn any and all human rights violations and abuses committed by all sides." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia 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. Alice Wairimu Nderitu, U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, expressed concern in a statement Monday at the increase of ethnically and religiously motivated hate speech, ethnic profiling and incitement to violence. "These all constitute risk factors for atrocity crimes," she warned. Intensive diplomacy In addition to Obasanjo, U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths wrapped up a four-day visit to Ethiopia on Monday. During his mission, he traveled to Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, where the government maintains a de facto blockade on the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The U.N. said no aid has gotten in since October 18, and more than 5 million people are in dire need. Griffiths also met with Abiy on Friday and with other senior federal government officials. U.S. Horn of Africa envoy Jeffrey Feltman has also been in the region since Thursday. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Feltman is currently in Addis Ababa. Addis Abeba In a speech, seen by Addis Standard, and delivered to the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Council (PSC) emergency session held today in Addis Abeba, AU High-Representative for the Horn of Africa and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said "leaders here in [Addis Abeba] and in the north agree individually that the differences opposing them are political and require political solution through dialogue ." This, he said, "constitutes a window of opportunity that we can collectively tap into to assist the people of Ethiopia find lasting solution to the ongoing crisis." However, he cautioned that "the window of opportunity we have is very little and that time is paramount for any intervention in this regard." AU's HoA envoy also said he has "met with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, the President of Ethiopia and the President of Oromia and had meaningful discussions with them on the ongoing escalation with reflections on how to de-escalate tension to pave the way for dialogue." As to his trip to Mekelle on November 07, Mr Obasanjo told the PSC members that "Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed agreed that I pay a visit to Mekelle to meet his adversaries." "The ongoing conflict situation continues to have severe humanitarian consequences on the population, with huge impact on socio-economic development and stability. The time is now for collective actions in finding lasting solution to avoid further escalation of the situation which may have direct effect on the strategic Horn of Africa region as a whole" the envoy warned. He urged the Peace and Security Council to consider the following: i. Strongly urge and encourage the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) to engage in political dialogue without any preconditions; ii. Call for an immediate and unconditional comprehensive ceasefire and cessation of hostilities by all parties; iii. Call for immediate and unhindered humanitarian access; iv. Call on the parties to ensure respect and compliance with international humanitarian and human rights laws; v. Call for an immediate commencement of an all-inclusive nationwide dialogue and reconciliation. vi. Call on the international community to rally behind the AU-led process in order to ensure coherence and unity of purpose for our peacemaking efforts. AS Addis Ababa "I am deeply saddened by everything that is happening in the Tigray region and in the regions alongside Amhara and Afar, even though unrest has been occurring throughout the country for at least a year, which have now dramatically degenerated", says Bishop Seyoum Fransua Noel, Apostolic Vicar of Hosanna and National Director of the Pontifical Mission Societies in Ethiopia to Agenzia Fides. "When there is a conflict, the victims are the poor, it is necessary that there is a dialogue between the parties to restore a social balance. War is useless, people are suffering a lot, it is necessary to seek peace and security", notes the Apostolic Vicar of Hosanna. The Bishop launches an appeal to prayer: "It is necessary to pray, to have a dialogue with God, true peace comes only from God, I ask everyone to pray for this situation". As sources of Fides confirm, the situation in Ethiopia is dramatic: one year after the outbreak of the war in Tigray, chaos reigns and the leadership of Prime Minister Abyi seems to be hanging by a thread. The great African country, until a few months ago was considered a model. Headquarters of the African Union, center of political stability in one of the "hottest" areas in the world, was a nation with a rapidly growing economy and a leader who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019 for facilitating international cooperation, reconciliation with neighboring Eritrea and initiated important reforms. Now, according to observers, this horizon seems lost in just 12 months. On November 3, 2020, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (Tplf), after having held an electoral round without the authorization of Addis Ababa, closed all communications with the rest of the country and took control of the region, after having conquered military weapons and facilities. Prime Minister Abiy, leader of the Oromo ethnicity (a majority group in Ethiopia, but historically in conflict with the central government for alleged discrimination), and leader of the Pentecostal Christian denomination in a country with an overwhelmingly Orthodox Christian majority, immediately sent troops giving the go-ahead to a military escalation, ignoring the internal and external voices that advised him to resort to dialogical means. Gradually, the northern area of the country plunged into a serious humanitarian crisis: thousands of deaths among the military on both fronts and, above all, among the defenseless population; massacres, carnage, mass rape, looting and mutilation of innocents; 5.2 million inhabitants (out of about 6.5) are in a state of dramatic need for food while internally displaced persons amount to 2.1 million (to which must be added the more than 60 thousand who fled to Sudan). The conflict, meanwhile, has spread to the Afar and Amhara regions. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Ethiopia Conflict Religion 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. For the country's economy, the war meant a collapse. Military expenses have risen to over 500 million dollars in a year and there has been the flight of investors - who up to the end of 2019 looked to Ethiopia as the ideal destination. The abandonment of land, pastures and livestock in many areas affected by war and recurrent famines, has created a situation of poverty and, while economic growth from 10-11% in the pre-conflict time has dropped to 2% in 2021. Meanwhile, the Tplf has conquered Dessie and Kombolcha, two cities just 400 km from Addis Ababa and also announced the imminent capture of Kemise. The Oromo Liberation Army (Ola), an ally of the Tplf since August, declared that the capture of the capital is "a matter of months, if not weeks". Prime Minister Abiy called his fellow citizens to revolt against the "traitorous enemy of the people". The rumors, reported by the local press, on a possible use of milder attitudes and negotiating tables, await feedback. The Prime Minister recently said in an official statement: "The TPLF are to blame: it was the Tigrinya terrorists who pulled the trigger of the war". Addis Ababa An emergency session of the Peace and Security Council (PSC) of the African Union (AU) has been called for today, Monday, November 8, 2021. The session, motivated by recent changes in the context of the conflict, focuses on the theme: 'Update on the situation in northern Ethiopia'. The decisive push to intervene came from the appeal that Pope Francis launched yesterday Sunday, November 7, at the end of the Angelus. "I follow with concern the news from the region of the Horn of Africa, particularly from Ethiopia. I invite everyone to pray for those peoples so sorely tried, and I renew my appeal for fraternal harmony and the peaceful path of dialogue to prevail". Local sources who ask for anonymity told Fides that "the concern is strong and that the intervention of Pope Francis was decisive in stirring up the waters in Italy, too". "Noting the efforts and expressions of commitment to addressing the situation, the Peace Council reaffirms the appeal of the Presidents of the AU Commission for the cessation of hostilities and the need to initiate a political process to end the escalation of fighting - explains the source. To this end, United Nations Undersecretary for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths visited Makalle yesterday asking for greater access to aid for civilians amid the clash between rebels and government forces. The forces of the TPLF and oromo of OLA are concentrated on conquering the communication routes. There is a great mobilization of the Amara population to fight alongside the federal army which is experiencing severe difficulties in the field and which is re-enlisting elderly soldiers already dismissed as well as civilians. On both sides, the information campaign to report crimes is very strong". "On Sunday, November 7, 2021, a large demonstration in Addis Ababa by supporters of Prime Minister Abiy led to many arrests among Tigrayans in the city. Government forces entered the Salesian compound and arrested workers and 17 ethnic Tigrinya priests, including the provincial. This fact is not confirmed in the mass media but is reported by several Catholic sources on the ground that are very concerned about the fate of those arrested and the ethnic division that is made within the Catholic world which could open very worrying scenarios for the local church". The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged the federal government to officially recognise traditional medicine practice as alternative healthcare delivery services in the country. This was contained in the communique presented by the PSN at the end of its 94th annual national conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The immediate-past president of PSN, Sam Ohuabunwa, who read the communique at the weekend before journalists, noted that traditional medicines provides opportunity for patients to access alternative healthcare services. The theme of conference was 'COVID-19 Lessons: Broadening and Strengthening the Nigerian Pharmaceutical and Health Sector'. He stressed that the government should regulate and standardise the traditional medicines so that Nigerians, who could not access the orthodox services, can still afford a good healthcare services. According to Ohuabunwa, "The Conference advised that the integration of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines into the health care delivery system provides opportunity for patients/individuals to access alternative healthcare services and facilitate the attainment of universal health coverage. "The government ought to recognise traditional or alternative medicine officially that we can have both systems working in this country. So if you come to the hospital and you want to follow the orthodox one, you have doctors who will attend to you and if you choose the alternative, you will also be attended to. "But then it can be regulated. But right now, is not regulated and anybody can put anything inside the bottle and call it a name and begin to use it to cure different diseases. "So, what we are saying is to regulate the traditional medicine, standardise the branding so that Nigerians can follow their choice according to their ability to pay. "In fact in Ghana, they have started awarding degrees to traditional or alternative medicine practitioners, and in that way, you will improve cost, access, or other health challenge that orthodox medicine cannot handle. "The Conference agreed that traditional medicines must be leveraged upon to facilitate medicines security, supply-chain production, increase revenue generation through research aimed at product development." Also, the Conference further noted that the modern pharmacist as an apothecary should have the knowledge of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicines in order to diversify their services. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Health 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 agreed that it was necessary to establish, encourage and strengthen the relationship between pharmacists and other healthcare providers. It said: "Pharmacists must work to enhance the procurement policy to improve availability of rare drugs such as anti-cancer drugs and others." Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the Conference, Odein Ajumogobia (SAN), highlighted the need for a more effective structure of drug manufacturing, importation, distribution, administration, and control, especially in view of the current reliance on foreign sources for not only finished drug products but pharmaceutical raw materials, reagents and manufacturing equipment to provide safe, efficacious and good quality drugs to meet the health needs of Nigerians. He stated that the formulation of new strategies, strengthening achievements in areas where progress has been recorded, and addressing those areas that call for more effective action, must be prioritised. Also, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, in her keynote address discussed the disruptions of socio-economic well-being of the public, unprecedented pressure on healthcare systems and the inability of the existing capacities to provide full and affordable access to quality health care, which has affected even the most resourceful and advanced healthcare systems. She stated that uncertainties over how the COVID-19 pandemic would progress added further complexities to the uncertain healthcare environment. The need for Nigerian constitution to be revised in line with the recommendations of several national conferences is top among five critical demands enshrined in the Niger Delta Peoples Charter to be unveiled February 23, 2022. President of Niger Delta Congress (NDC), Mr. Nubari Sataah, who made the disclosure in a press statement released in Warri, Delta State yesterday noted that February 23, 2022, was chosen as preferred date for the unveiling, to commemorate the 55 years anniversary of 'Niger Delta Republic' as declared by late Mr. Isaac Adaka Boro in Kaiama in the present day Bayelsa State in 1967. According to Sataah, the signing of the Niger Delta Peoples Charter (NDPC), which would be done by representatives of the 70 ethnic nationalities that made up the Niger Delta, representatives of organisations in the Niger Delta as well as representatives from states that made up the region: Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River States, commenced with Professor Ebiegberi Joe Alagoa, signing the adopted charter at his country home, Nembe, in Bayelsa State, on behalf of Bayelsa State, Thursday, November 4. The other four critical demands enshrined in the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, stated thus: "An immediate assessment of the entire Niger Delta environment be made to determine the scale of devastation, any compensation(s) recommended by the national conferences be paid speedily without delay. The group is also demanding a complete cleanup of the entire Niger Delta region without delay and all monies received by the Nigerian government from the exploitation of crude oil and deprived the people of the Niger Delta, under the guise of 'derivation formula' be returned to the Niger Delta.b 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. Ethnic nationalities of the Niger Delta, under the auspices of Niger Delta Congress (NDC) on Friday, October 8, at Ijaw House Complex, Yenagoa in Bayelsa State, adopted a charter of what they termed their inalienable rights, warning that failure by the federal government to adopt a constitution that captures these rights in the shortest possible time, would leave Niger Delta people with no option, "but to exercise our rights to self-determination as a people, independent of the Nigerian federation." Motion for acceptance of the charter, was moved by Chairman of NDC, Delta State Chapter, Mr. Destiny Noritsegho, and Seconded by Representative of Ibibio Ethnic Nationality, Mr. Ubong Akpana, during a press conference convened by NDC for sons and daughters of the ethnic nationalities that make up Niger Delta region. The inalienable rights stipulated in the Niger Delta Peoples Charter, are: life and liberty, resource control, sustainable environment, justice and fairness as well as self-determination. The NDC: "The wishes of our people were dismissed by the pre-determined Henry Willink's Commission setup by the British Colonial Government for the purpose of looking into our fears. The victimization and robbery of the Niger Delta people, has been done using various laws and decrees, including constitutions, which have over time been forced on our people, despite protest against such from our people." In September 2021 a screenshot spread on WhatsApp in Nigeria claiming that the federal government had borrowed N6.16 trillion from the country's pension fund, valued at N8.499 trillion (US$20.675 billion at current rates). Text in the screenshot, which was still doing the rounds in early November, advised civil servants who live and work in the country to make alternative retirement plans, claiming that "very soon there will be no pension again". The screenshot circulated amid public debate about government borrowing and the country's debt profile. But could Nigerian civil servants lose their pensions? Screenshot from 2019 media report We traced the screenshot to an article published by the national daily newspaper Punch on 16 January 2019. According to Punch, the total pension assets under the contributory pension scheme was N8.49 trillion as of November 2018. This was based on figures published by the National Pension Commission. The commission's data showed that the federal government had borrowed 72.5% (about N6.16 trillion) of the fund, which was then invested in federal government securities. Punch said fund administrators, who manage the pension scheme invested 6.87% or N584.32 billion of the fund in domestic ordinary shares. An additional 0.71% or N60.53 billion of the fund was invested in foreign ordinary shares. 'No need for panic' says academic Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Labour 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 was no need for worry if the funds were invested in government securities, Bayero Kasim, professor of public finance at the Usmanu Dan Fodio University in Sokoto, northern Nigeria told Africa Check. "If the pension fund was converted to federal government bonds, that is securities, then there is no need to worry. "It is true that a lot of people are concerned about government borrowings and the country's rising debt. But I don't think the Nigerian government can go broke to the extent it cannot pay its debts," he said. (Read: Is Nigeria 'officially broke'? Why prominent economist's warning needs a larger view.) Kasim said federal government bonds were a largely safe investment option and so civil servants were not at risk of losing their pension contributions. Nigerian officials calm fears In October 2021 Nigeria's budget, finance and planning minister, Zainab Ahmed, tried to allay fears over the country's rising debt, saying the main concern was dwindling government revenue and not debt levels. She gave a breakdown of how the 2021 budget had performed and said of the N8.14 trillion the country spent in the year, N2.87 trillion was used to service debts while N2.57 trillion went to personnel costs, including pensions. In December 2020, the African Development Bank approved plans by some African countries to borrow from their pension funds for infrastructure. Earlier that year, Patience Oniha, who heads Nigeria's Debt Management Office, said government borrowing from the pension fund was not illegal. She added that this would not affect the pension scheme or payments to retirees. The #EndSARS panel says it will recommend in its report that the complainants be compensated for loss of income during the period of the seizure of their vehicles. The #EndSARS panel in Abuja, on Monday, commended the efforts of the police legal team at ensuring the amicable resolution of a case of alleged unlawful confiscation of property. The case was reported to the panel by Tunde Moses and another complainant alleging that their vehicles were illegally impounded by the operatives of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the Intelligence Response Team of the police. Abdullahi Ahmadu of SARS in the Federal Capital Territory, the Inspector-General of Police, the Intelligence Response Team unit, and the IGP, were joined as the respondents to the petition. The case was struck out by the panel on Monday after it was reported that it had been amicably resolved. Aliyu Adamu, a lawyer to the panel helping to lead or cross-examine witnesses during proceedings, told the panel that the matter had been resolved and the vehicles returned to the petitioners. He then applied that the matter be struck out. But he suggested that the petitioners be compensated for loss of income while their vehicles were confiscated. The leader of the police legal team, James Idachaba, said the matter was amicably resolved through the efforts of his team. He said his team deserved a commendation from the panel. "We saw to the release of the confiscated vehicles. We convinced the police to resolve the matter amicably. The panel should note this as we deserve to be commended," Mr Idachaba said. 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. Garba Tetengi, acting on behalf of the substantive chairperson of the panel, Suleiman Galadima, a former Justice of the Supreme Court, who was absent due to ill health, said the panel had noted the development and commended the efforts of the team. In his closing remarks on the case, Mr Tetengi said the panel would include in its report the suggestion that the complainants be compensated as suggested by Mr Adamu. The case was then struck out. The Independent Investigative Panel was set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to probe cases of human rights violations perpetrated by the defunct SARS and other police units. It was set up in the aftermath of the October 2020 #EndSARS anti-police brutality protest. The panel is being commonly referred to as #EndSARS panel being a product of the historic #EndSARS protest. At least 28 states also set up similar panels, many of which have submitted their reports but their recommendations are still unimplemented. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has once cautioned members of the public against engaging in panic buying of petrol, stressing that the national oil company has over 1.7 billion litres of the product in stock. A statement by the NNPC Spokesman, Mr. Garba Muhammad, yesterday reiterated that the corporation was also not aware of any plan by government to cause an increase in the pump price of petroleum. In addition, the NNPC stated that more product was expected to arrive in the country daily over the coming weeks and months, insisting that it was therefore unnecessary to entertain any fear of scarcity of petrol throughout the festive season and beyond. "The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) had made that declaration last week. "In view of these assurances therefore, the NNPC is advising motorists and other consumers of petrol to maintain their regular pattern of the purchase of petrol without getting into a panic situation that may send the wrong signals around the country," it stated. The NNPC said it was engaging all stakeholders to ensure smooth supply and distribution of products to every part of the country during the festive season and beyond. Meanwhile, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari has said in the last two years, the organisation has automated its processes and systems. Speaking when he received the 2020 Zik Prize for Public Service Leadership in Lagos, Kyari explained that this has reduced the cost of operations and enabled NNPC focus on delivering value to Nigerians, in line with its management vision of Transparency, Accountability & Performance Excellence (TAPE). He added that the enactment of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) had placed huge responsibility on the NNPC to do things differently and be much more accountable to its shareholders, the over 200 million Nigerians. Kyari said the Zik leadership award would spur him and his management team to work harder towards becoming an "international national oil company," that is at par with its global peers. The Public Policy Research & Analysis Centre (PPRAC), which organised the event, stated that Kyari was deserving of the award for turning the NNPC from a loss-making organisation into a profit- making venture. Speaking on behalf of the Centre, Chief Mac Wabara said this was made possible by the various reforms Kyari instituted at the corporation through transparency and accountability. "Kyari continues to seamlessly transform the operations of NNPC, including deepening domestic gas utilisation, rehabilitation of the nation's refineries and public disclosure of NNPC accounts, the first in NNPC's 44 years of existence," Wabara noted. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Petroleum 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. "Under Kyari's watch at the NNPC, the company declared a profit after tax of N287 billion in 2020 after losses were reduced from N803 billion in 2018 to N1.7 billion in 2019. This is unprecedented in the history of the NNPC," he added. He further explained that Kyari also consistently played a huge role in the enactment of the PIA, stressing that with the coming of the legislation, the NNPC is now well-positioned to operate efficiently, like its global peers. According to Muhammad, at the event were the Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero; Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage (rtd) and Kebbi State Governor, Abubakar Bagudu. Other recipients of the award included: the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Pius Anyim; Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora; Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamo as well as Managing Director of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr. Uche Orji. Established in 1994 by the PPRAC and now in its 26th edition, the Zik Prize in Leadership is aimed at highlighting Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's legacy of patriotic fervour and nationalist vision Niger State government will fund the 2022 budget with N100.4 billion capital receipts in order to ensure the completion of ongoing capital projects, especially roads in the state. The commissioner for finance, Alhaji Zakeri Abubakar, who oversees the state planning commission, disclosed this to journalists at a news conference in Minna on the highlights of the 2022 budget aimed at consolidating development in the state. He said the budget was "a reflection of our desire and commitment towards consolidating our achievements in the previous years. This is with the view to strengthening the state security apparatus, completing critical on-going projects that have attained 80 per cent level of completion and will impact positively on the lives of citizenry". Consequently, he said the capital receipt of N100.4 billion is part of capital expenditure of N122. 991 billion or 62.04 percent of the entire N198 billion budget size and N75 billion for recurrent expenditure. He said the capital receipts would be made up of external and internal borrowing as well as grants from various sources aimed at fast tracking infrastructural development in the state and success of the 2022 budget. Also, he said the budget will be funded through internally generated revenue of N17.190 billion (or 8.67 per cent); federation account (FAAC) N54.282billion (or 27.38 per cent); value added tax (VAT), N20.792 billion (or 10.49 per cent); dividends from North-South Power N500 million (or 0.25 per cent); refund from federal roads, N200 million (or 0.10 per cent), and excess crude/other revenue N4.870 billion (or 2.46 per cent). The judge says the two banks ought to be charged as Mr Maina's co-accused and their licences withdrawn for their roles in serving as conduits for stealing pensioners' funds. A Federal High Court judge, Okon Abang, on Monday, revealed the roles two Nigerian banks played in the N2 billion pension fraud perpetrated by a former chairperson of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina. PREMIUM TIMES reported earlier that the judge sentenced Mr Maina to eight years imprisonment in his judgement at the end of two-year trial on Monday. The judge said the United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Fidelity Bank Plc were used by Mr Maina as "conduit" to defraud pensioners. Noting that the convict's fraudulent activities "ruined" many homes in the country, Mr Abang said the two banks ought to have been charged alongside Mr Maina for serving as "conduits" through which the stolen funds were channelled. In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/256/2019, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleged that Mr Maina used fictitious names to open and operate various bank accounts. He also recruited his relatives that were bankers to operate fake bank accounts through which illicit funds were channelled. "UBA and Fidelity Bank Plc should have been arraigned with the convict for illegal transactions," Mr Abang held, adding that "their licences ought to have been withdrawn." "The banks benefitted from the proceeds of illegal transactions. UBA and Fidelity Bank provided the channels with which the convict (Mr Maina) used in defrauding the federal government," Mr Abang also said. He said the banks abdicated their responsibilities by failing to carry out due diligence to establish the true identities of persons in whose names Mr Maina opened and operated the fictitious bank accounts. Nigeria in urgent need of national rebirth The court noted the prevalence of monumental financial fraud in Nigeria's public sector, calling for drastic measures to tackle the problem. "The facts of this case portray the moral decadence of the society we live in. I think we need a National rebirth of guaranteed regeneration," the judge said. Mr Abang said while the convict lived in opulence at the expense of pensioners, his victims died in penury in Nigeria. "Having considered the monumental fraud of how the pension funds were stolen, over N2.1 billion by the 1st Defendant (Mr Maina), it is a clear case that the convict is inhumane, heartless and has no compassion for the pensioners. "Meanwhile, the convict, through the assistance of UBA and Fidelity Bank Plc, deprived the pensioners that gave their all to this country in their youthful age, their legitimate earnings. "Whereas the convict was feeding fat on their sweat faraway in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), buying choice properties, driving bulletproof cars, living in affluence beyond his legitimate earnings. "An abnormal situation requires drastic actions to send a message to those that believe in dishonesty to have a rethink; turn a new leaf. "Dishonesty is an endemic disease in this country, that requires urgent treatment if we are to make any headway in this country," the court declared. 'Maina was hearless' In the judgement that lasted four hours on Monday, the judge said Mr Maina treated hapless pensioners with "disdain and levity." While underscoring the plight of the pensioners whom the official stole from, Mr Abang said, "Some have suffered and died while waiting for their reward." "The facts of this case are sordid, immoral, and morbid," the judge noted, adding that, "the facts portray the moral decadence in Nigeria." He said Mr Maina could not have earned the sum of N2 billion when his salary as a civil servant was a little above N300, 000 per month. "The convict's salary as a civil servant was a little above N300, 000, and could not have amounted to N2 billion even if he was saving all his salaries for 35 years," the judge observed. Reviewing the testimonies of witnesses in the suit, the court held that Mr Maina's only defence witness, Ngozika Ihuoma, "testified on irrelevant issues" that were not related to the charges against Mr Maina. The judge noted that EFCC's nine witnesses "proved the prosecution's case beyond reasonable doubt," leading to Mr Maina's conviction and sentencing on Monday. 'Chequered history' "This matter has a chequered history," Mr Abang said of the drama that characterised Mr Maina's trial. Mr Maina had jumped bail twice in the course of the trial. He was recently arrested in Niamey, Niger Republic, where he had fled. PREMIUM TIMES reported how a senator, Ali Ndume, was briefly jailed after he failed to provide Mr Maina, whom he had stood surety for. Mr Ndume spent five days at the Kuje correctional centre before he was granted bail. Maina, firm to return about N2 billion within 90 days In the verdict, the judge ordered Mr Maina to return N1 billion to the coffers of the federal government within 90 days from Monday. Mr Maina's company, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd, the second convict, was ordered to refund the sum of N183 million as well as $223,000 to the federal government winnin 90 days from Monday. Mr Maina's eight years sentence would take effect from October 25, 2019, the date he was arraigned. The company would be wound up and all its assets forfeited to the federal government, the judge ruled. Other property forfeited to the federal government by the convicts are a bulletproof Range Rover, and houses located at Jabi and Life Camp parts of Abuja Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Banking 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. Plea for mercy In his plea for leniency, Mr Maina's lawyer, Olusegun Jolawo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), urged the judge to give the convict a "second chance." Mr Jolawo premised his plea for clemency on the grounds that his client was battling with ill-health, despite being the "breadwinner of his immediate and extended family." Admitting that Mr Maina had made some "bad decisions" including jumping bail twice, the lawyer said his client was remorseful. "With all humility, we urge the court to impose the minimum possible punishment," Mr Jolawo pleaded. Maina speaks Before the sentence was handed down, Mr Maina was given the opportunity to articulate his plea for mercy. "My Lord, I want to apologise for anything that I may have done," the convict said. Mr Maina ,who walked into the courtroom, aided by prison officials, said: "I also want to inform My Lord that I have a tumour which needs to be operated on urgently." Flanked on both sides by armed prison personnel who shielded him from the horde of cameras that were stationed outside the courtroom, Mr Maina was seen acknowledging cheers from his friends and associates as he walked into a waiting van after he was sentenced. MTN and Airtel on Friday announced receipt of a tentative nod of banking sector watchdog the Central Bank of Nigeria to start a payment service bank. Nigerian stocks hit a new milestone on Monday as a tense investor scramble for the shares of the country's biggest telecommunications companies - MTN Nigeria (MTNN) and Airtel Africa - catapulted the benchmark index by 2.93 per cent to 43,246.87 points equivalent to a market capitalisation, the peak level since February 2018. That feat will bolster Nigerian Exchange's capacity to close the year with another positive return after yielding 50 per cent in 2020 even though the current foreign exchange scarcity has starved the market of foreign investors' dollars. The two wireless operators on Friday announced receipt of a tentative nod of banking sector watchdog the Central Bank of Nigeria to start a payment service bank. Airtel and MTNN topped PREMIUM TIMES weekly stock recommendation published earlier on Monday and ranked first and fourth respectively of the best performing stocks of the day. On the flip side, market breadth, which indicates investors' attitude towards trade, was negative as 18 gainers emerged compared to 26 gainers The all-share index enlarged by 1,232.27 basis points, while market capitalisation rose to N643 billion at the end of trade. Year to date, the index is up by 7.39 per cent. TOP FIVE GAINERS Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria 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. Airtel led gainers, appreciating by 10 per cent to close at N858. Red Star Express added 9.94 per cent to end today's trade at N3.43. Cutix went up by 9.91 per cent to N6.21. MTNN rose to N192.50, notching up 9.62 per cent in the process. Unilever completed the top 5, climbing by 9.36 per cent to N14.60. TOP FIVE LOSERS Conoil led laggards, declining 9.80 per cent to close at N23. CWG fell to N1.02, losing 9.73 per cent. Custodian dipped to N7.65, recording 9.47 per cent depreciation. Honeywell Flour shed 9.07 per cent to close at N3.31. Africa Prudential closed at N4.72, going down by 6.05 per cent. TOP FIVE TRADES In all, 443.6 million shares estimated at N5 billion were traded in 5,233 deals. Sterling was the most active stock with 81.2 million units of its shares worth N121.8 million traded in 67 deals. UACN transacted 67.2 million shares priced at N706.4 million in 57 trades. FBN Holdings traded 42.2 million shares estimated at N473.4 million in 305 transactions. Zenith traded 32.6 million shares valued at N797.3 million in 346 deals. Transcorp had 21 million shares valued at N21.6 million traded in 133 deals. Kenyans in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) will receive a stipend of Sh3,000 (per household) and Sh2,000 (per individual) from the government beginning next month, instead of food rations. The cash transfers will target 369,000 vulnerable households and 734,119 individuals, and will be disbursed every two months. Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia said the shift in policy is intended to increase efficiency and accountability. "I am happy to report that, arising from today's meeting, development partners have agreed to support government efforts to mobilise resources to address gaps in drought response and resilience building in ASALs," she said. She said data and phone details of intended recipients have already been captured in a registry. Those who do not have cell phones will be facilitated by their chiefs, with whom the county governments will be coordinating the programme. "We will not be distributing new food from December, only what we had already purchased," said Prof Kobia. The CS said the national government has provided over Sh1.5 billion as part of the measures to assist affected households with food and other commodities. Sh1.2 billion "The government has provided Sh1.2 billion for purchase and distribution of food to 2.5 million people in 23 ASAL counties from October. It has also disbursed Sh450 million to Kenya Defence Forces for livestock off-take, purchase and distribution of livestock feed," said Prof Kobia. About Sh350 million was allocated to the Ministry of Water and Sanitation for water trucking and Sh500 million was given to National Disaster Management Authority for drought emergency response in non-food interventions. Prof Kobia said 12 counties are now on the verge of sliding from alert to alarm phase. They include Garissa, Isiolo, Lamu, Mandera, Marsabit, Tana River, Turkana and Wajir. "Forecasts show that there will generally be depressed rainfall across all the ASALs. This means 2.5 million people will remain food-insecure between November and December; calling for urgent pre-emptive measures. To address this impending crisis, the government has identified priority needs in key sectors amounting to Sh7.3 billion. "I assure the country that the government is focused and is firmly on the right trajectory towards winning the war against negative impacts of drought." A political storm is brewing in Nyanza after opposition chief Raila Odinga's wife, Ida, waded into the region's politics as she seeks to curtail a possible falling out among close allies of her husband during party nominations. While many people have praised her move to push for consensus among aspirants seeking the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket for gubernatorial seats, others have expressed concern with her decision to endorse some candidates. Mrs Odinga appears concerned about the cut-throat competition among close allies of the former prime minister who are tussling for the party's ticket, fearing a falling out could derail Mr Odinga's journey to State House in next year's elections. Her intervention, according to political analysts, hinged on the need to ensure Mr Odinga does not get distracted by "the noise" in his own backyard as he focuses on the presidency. While praising the move by Mrs Odinga to condemn violence and push for consensus, Mr Salim Odeny, a political commentator, however, differed with her on the outright endorsement of some candidates. He believes that since Mr Odinga stands a better chance of becoming the country's fifth president this time round, his wife, as well as other close allies, should try as much as possible to desist from any utterances or moves that could derail his bid. Consensus proposal "Mama Ida has every right as a voter in Nairobi to elect whoever she wishes, but she should not come outright to declare her support for a particular candidate. This doesn't augur well owing to the position she holds," he said He, however, supports the consensus proposal by Mrs Odinga, saying it will go a long way in reducing the tension in the ODM leader's backyard. To avert violence during party primaries, the problems must be nipped in the bud, before next year when it is crucial for Mr Odinga's backyard to be as peaceful as possible, he added. "I agree with the consensus proposal or negotiated democracy, as it will reduce the cut-throat competition that usually leads to violence. However, Mama Ida might not be the right person to spearhead it and therefore, it is up to the relevant party organs to take it up and ensure it is achieved," said Mr Odeny. ODM National Chairman John Mbadi told the Nation that the party is doing all it can to ensure it rights the wrongs it made in the past that led to chaotic nominations. He stated that the party, on many occasions, is committed to a free, fair and credible process spearheaded by the party's elections board and not party officials. The ODM chairman said consensus was one of the methods the party uses in choosing its candidates if agreeable by contestants. "Consensus is not a new thing as it is enshrined in the party constitution, apart from direct nomination, delegates and universal suffrage. For consensus, the aspirants must agree," said Mr Mbadi, who is on an official tour in Florida, USA. He, however, pointed out that aspirants have the sole duty of avoiding violence during campaigns and elections. Raila allies There is going to be a close contest among aspirants who are close allies of Mr Odinga, which might be costly to the party should the process be compromised. Mrs Odinga, popularly known as Min Piny (Luo for mother of the nation), wields influence in the party in the Nyanza region, and to some extent, at the national level. Earlier this week, she endorsed Westlands MP Tim Wanyonyi for Nairobi governor in the next elections. She promised that those who will miss the party ticket will be considered for other jobs in the next government, should the party win. Before that, while at Sing'enge primary school in Ndhiwa, Mrs Odinga said aspirants should first agree among themselves on who should be given the party ticket before delegates are involved in the process. She said the proposal by ODM Deputy Leader Wycliffe Oparanya to use delegates to nominate candidates to vie on the party's ticket will ensure peaceful campaigns. According to the Kakamega governor, the new system, which will consider popular candidates in an area where one is vying, will help cut down on the costs aspirants incur during nominations. 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. In Homa Bay, Mr Odinga's allies seeking to take over from Governor Cyprian Awiti include Mr Mbadi, former Kasipul MP Oyugi Magwanga, Woman Representative Gladys Wanga, former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero, Deputy Governor Hamilton Orata and County Secretary Isaiah Ogwe. Read: ODM seeks to avert fallout as 3 tussle for Hassan Joho mantle In Migori County, Governor Okoth Obado's arch rival, Senator Ochillo Ayacko, Migori woman representative Pamella Odhiambo, and Uriri MP Mark Nyamita, all Mr Odinga's lieutenants are seeking the county's top seat. In Kisumu County, Governor Anyang Nyong'o will be facing former governor Jack Ranguma, former Deputy Governor Ruth Odinga, Kisumu Senator Fred Outa, former Speaker Onyango Oloo and the chief administrative secretary in the Ministry of East Africa Community and Regional Development, Mr Ken Obura. In Mr Odinga's rural home, Siaya, among touted to replace Governor Cornel Rasanga are Senate Minority Leader James Orengo, former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo, Deputy Governor James Okumbe, former police Spokesperson Charles Owino and former Permanent Secretary Carey Orege. The law society has given an ultimatum to President Uhuru Kenyatta to sack three top government officials in charge of national security over rising abductions and enforced disappearances. Meanwhile, Muslims are planning a series of protests against rights violations against members of their faith. The developments follow the release of Prof Hassan Nandwa, the lawyer who vanished 11 days ago, by his captors on Monday morning. Prof Nandwa was dumped by his captors, suspected to be state security agents, in Mwingi, Kitui County. The lawyer's family confirmed that he was dumped in Mwingi at 1am. The Muslim scholar then walked to his relative's home in Mwingi and is yet to speak to anyone about his ordeal. He represented terror convict Elgiva Bwire, who is also missing. Kamiti Maximum Prison Mr Bwire was freed from Kamiti Maximum Prison on Thursday October 28, after serving 10 years for a terror attack, but was abducted alongside his cousin on their way to Eastleigh. They have not been seen since. Speaking from Mwingi, Mr Elmiqdad Hassan, the lawyer's son, said his father had no visible signs of physical torture but was "very shaken and traumatised". "He is not yet ready to talk to anyone," Mr Hassan told the Nation. Following his release, the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) on Monday gave given President Kenyatta a 30-day ultimatum to sack Interior CS Fred Matiang'i, his PS Karanja Kibicho and Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai over the increasing abductions, or be sued. Speaking at Jamia Mosque after the release of Prof Nandwa, LSK Nairobi branch chairman Erick Theuri said the buck stops with the three officials. He accused them of not speaking against the abductions, and for allegedly overseeing a rogue unit of law enforcement officers who are not held to account for their illegal actions. Human rights "They have failed and they need to go for presiding over a law enforcement regime that has no regard for human rights. As the President prepares to hand over power, he should ensure that he leaves behind a team that respects religious, economic and political differences, otherwise we shall proceed to court to sue the President and the Attorney General," said Mr Theuri. The LSK maintained that anyone arrested on suspicion of committing a crime has the right to be presented in court and to be represented by a lawyer. "We will not accept the trend that we are observing in Kenya today of terror and robbery with violence suspects being shot and killed and others abducted as opposed to being arraigned in court. We shall fight to have the Constitution upheld," said Mr Theuri. And starting this Friday, Muslims in the country will embark on a series of protests against the abductions. The protests that will be held every Friday will go on until action has been taken against law enforcement officers who have been accused of being behind the abductions allegedly committed on grounds of fighting terrorism. Muslim leaders and civil society organisations vowed to fight to ensure that the lives of Muslims and other Kenyans are protected in the wake of the increased abductions. "We will not relent (in the search) for justice. Muslims are not second class citizens and we will strongly stand out and fight for our constitutional rights through all legal means," they said in a statement. Prof Nandwa's disappearance saw many civil society groups, as well as the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) put pressure on the government to release the lawyer. "We have been informed by the family that the professor is safe and currently with their relative in Mwingi. However, we are concerned that Mr Bwire is still nowhere to be seen," he told the Nation. Brutal consequences LSK has dispatched a lawyer to Mwingi to assist Prof Nandwa. He is reportedly weak, fearful and has likely been threatened not to speak to anyone, including the press and civil society groups about his experience, or else face brutal consequences. "We spoke, but there is not much information about where he was. We are giving him time to settle and heal and probably seek medical attention," said the society's CEO, Ms Mercy Wambua. Lawyers, through the LSK, previously pointed an accusing finger at security agents over the abduction. In court, they argued that the disappearance of the lawyer and the ex-prisoner are closely intertwined. A court had last week issued an order for Prof Nandwa and Mr Bwire to be produced in court within 24 hours. Justice Anthony Mrima had also ordered telco Safaricom to produce Prof Nandwa's call logs before court. The data was to enable tracing of his movements before he disappeared and provide clues on who was holding him. Plainclothes police officers raided Prof Nandwa's home the same night he disappeared. "All this should not have happened in the first place. We have not heard anything about his client. My father is visibly shaken and we suspect he was threatened against talking about his unlawful detention," Mr Hassan said. 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 Spokesperson Bruno Shioso on Monday said the police are yet to receive any information from the professor's family regarding his resurfacing. "I spoke to the Kitui County Commander and they have no such report. It would have been nice if they informed the police. I am aware of this incident through the media, but have no official record showing that he has been found," Mr Shioso said. Prof Nandwa's abduction and release come barely six weeks after the abduction and reappearance of businessman Abdulhakim Salim Sagar and scholar Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdiswamad, who also declined to speak about their experiences in captivity. Mr Sagar was missing for nearly one month, while Dr Abdiswamad spent 10 days in detention for "questioning". Supreme Council of Muslims in Kenya boss Hassan Ole Naado, recently cautioned the government against treating Muslims like terror suspects. According to Missing Voices Kenya, more than 133 people have either been killed or disappeared this year alone. Since 2017, more than 1,000 people have faced a similar fate in the hands of security agencies with only a handful 28 of them with cases before court. Cape Town At least 25 primary school children were killed after their straw-hut classrooms caught fire in Maradi region, Niger on Monday, November 8, 2021. Reuters reports that several others were injured during the blaze. Most of the victims were five or six years old. Three days of mourning have been declared and classes at the school have been suspended. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Niger tries to fix shortages of school buildings by constructing overflow classrooms made of wood and straw. This incident comes after at least 20 children died in a similar fire in April, prompting an outcry. According to Reuters, the council of ministers said that following the two incidents, preschool classes must not be held in straw-roof huts. Administrators of Bunyore Girls High School ordered the institution closed on Monday evening after students boycotted classes and threatened to burn infrastructure. County Director of Education Hellen Nyang'au confirmed the decision to close the school, citing growing unrest at the Vihiga County-based national school. The girls are expected to leave the school on Tuesday morning. Parents were on Monday evening notified about the decision to send the students home. In the text message seen by Nation, the administration said students had threatened to burn the school. Parents were then asked to send fare "as soon as now" for students to travel home. "Good evening dear parents. I am saddened to let you know the girls are coming home tomorrow (Tuesday) due to unrest. "They (students) threatened to burn the school. Please organise to send fare as soon as now." Bunyore becomes the third school in Vihiga County to be closed over unrest after Chavakali and Senende. In Chavakali and Senende students burnt their dormitories and vandalised property. Chairperson of the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority Board Mary Chao Mwadime addressing the media on November 4, 2021. The Labour court yesterday halted a decision by the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) Board to lay off over 900 staff and enlist the NYS and Kenya Defence Forces to oversee operations of the agency. Justice Kebiria Ocharo said the order would remain in force pending hearing and determination of an application filed by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU). Hearing was fixed for November 16. The medics want the court to find the decision of the Kemsa board to enlist the services of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers and the National Youth Service (NYS) illegal. The suit follows reports that KDF officers on Monday took over the Kemsa headquarters, just days after Kemsa board chairperson Mary Mwadime announced that the agency's staff had been sent home to pave the way for restructuring. The staff were informed that the parastatal had run out of funds amid other procurement challenges. The union's suit is the second case to be filed against the changes at Kemsa. The first case was filed on Friday by Nakuru-based doctor Mageri Gikenyi Benjamin. In its court papers, KMPDU says the Kemsa board together with the Health ministry and the attorney-general breached the Constitution by deploying the military. Through lawyer Henry Kurauka, the union says in the absence of an emergency or a disaster the deployment of the NYS servicemen and the military is unlawful. "Article 241(2)(a) and (b) provides that persons enlisted in the KDF are responsible for the defence and protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the republic," states the trade union. "They shall assist and cooperate with other authorities in situation of emergency or disaster, and report to the National Assembly whenever deployed in such circumstances. Kemsa is not facing any emergency," it adds. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Legal Affairs 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. Another argument is that the government's decision contravenes the provisions of Article 24 (5)d of the Constitution which limits the rights and fundamental freedoms of persons serving in the KDF and the National Police Service in respect to labour relations. It also wants the court to intervene because the staff of the national drug supplier are facing unfair and unjust termination of their employment without being subjected to the due process. The military officers are set to manage the Kemsa's Medical Commodities Programme (MCP), which is funded by USAID.According to the union, the military officers will also take over the management of the Commercial Services Directorate, which includes strategic programmes, sales and marketing, which are funded through the Global Fund and Government of Kenya. The union further questions the criteria used by the board in determining the core and non-core members of staff. The board had directed the non-core staff to work from home to allow for the restructuring of the agency, while others described as core staff were given a notification of temporary retention of services for a month. Dr Davji Atellah, the union's secretary-general, says the government's decision is also illegal because there was no stakeholder engagement or public participation prior to the implementation of a new staff structure at the parastatal. Deputy President William Ruto will today try another attempt to penetrate the impregnable Luo Nyanza fortress of Orange Democratic Movement leader Raila Odinga as he seeks support for his 2022 presidential bid. In his second tour of the ODM stronghold in a month, the DP will be selling his bottom-up economic model and the United Democratic Alliance. He will visit Kisumu, Migori and Homa Bay over three days. An advance team led by Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi arrived in Kisumu on Friday and has been preparing the ground for the DP. Dr Ruto has concentrated most of his Nyanza political engagements in Gusii, where he has made numerous visits to Kisii and Nyamira counties. UDA deputy secretary-general, Mr Eliud Owalo, said the DP will meet youth leaders and professionals drawn from different backgrounds. "The DP will espouse his revolutionary bottom-up economic model and articulate his development agenda for Nyanza," he said. Mr Owalo, who is also in charge of policy and strategy, is the regional coordinator for the DP's political and economic programmes. "The DP will undertake economic empowerment programmes for youth and women groups and meet UDA grassroots coordinators," he said. Dr Ruto will meet youth groups in Kisumu at 3pm, who are expected to present the region's economic blueprint. Tomorrow, he will meet boda boda operators in the morning, and later engage the residents of Kisumu at Kondele market where he is expected to donate a truck for a youth group. 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. Sources said he will also meet small-scale traders at Nyahera and later donate a school bus to Nyalunya Primary School in Kisumu East. The DP will then head to Migori County where he's expected to address roadside rallies in Rongo, Ranen, and Uriri before winding up in Karachuonyo in Homa Bay County. On Thursday, Dr Ruto will visit Homa Bay Town, Muhuru, Sori, Masara and Migori Town. They will be hosted by Migori Governor Okoth Obado. About a month ago, the DP was in Awendo where he was hosted by Mr Obado and former area MP Jared Kopiyo. The governor, who is also the People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader, has thrown his weight behind Dr Ruto's presidential bid. Apart from Mr Obado and Mr Kopiyo, local politicians in the DP's entourage include former Rangwe MP Martin Ogindo of Green Congress Party of Kenya and businessman Polycarp Ocholla Kamili, who is in the Kisumu gubernatorial race. Mr George Ayugi, popularly known as Mbuta, will head the Kisumu team. Mr Odinga's message to counter the DP's bottom-up approach is being viewed as a way to lock Dr Ruto out of his 'bedroom'. During the 'Sikri Declaration', the ODM leader unveiled an economic blueprint for the region. Mr Odinga said counties in Nyanza have suffered from economic setbacks and called for unity, reconciliation, tolerance and hope. The ODM leader is addressing food security, blue economy, sports, education, youth empowerment, rural transformation, ICT and sports. Mr Ogindo told the Nation that they plan to bring on board as many politicians as they can to the 'hustler movement'. Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi yesterday broke his silence after a week-long absence from the public that drew wide speculation on his health. The One Kenya Alliance (OKA) principal has been away from since October 31, when he addressed a political rally in Thika town alongside other OKA leaders. Yesterday, Mr Mudavadi who sounded cheerful neither confirmed nor denied allegations about his health, only insisting he was as fit as a fiddle. "Niko salama kabisa. Watu wasiwe na wasiwasi. Niko imara kabisa (I'm very fine. Let people not be anxious. I'm very strong)," the ANC leader told the Nation on the phone. "In a few days' time you will see me. There is no problem. I'm strong," he added. Nation established that the ANC leader was taken ill and on doctor's advice, asked to take a break from active political campaigns. "He was given a rest and is still under doctor's instructions to relax. He should be up and about soon," said Mr Mudavadi's close aide. ANC Deputy Party Leader Ayub Savula, a close ally of the former deputy prime minister revealed that Mr Mudavadi is today expected to chair the party's Parliamentary Group (PG) meeting in Nairobi. He dismissed speculation over the ANC leader's health as mere rumours and urged Kenyans to ignore them. He said the ANC leader had just taken a break after rigorous rallies conducted by OKA principals on October 29 and 30. OKA counterparts On October 29, Mr Mudavadi hosted his OKA counterparts - Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Gideon Moi (Kanu), Moses Wetang'ula (Ford Kenya) and Cyrus Jirongo (United Democratic Party) in Kakamega, before attending a church service in Thika, followed by roadside rallies. From then, he has not been seen on the political scene and even kept off Mr Wetang'ula's party's National Delegates Conference (NDC) at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on November 4. He was represented by Kakamega senator Cleophas Malala at the fete that was graced by other OKA principals. "Our party leader is in good health, energetic and around. He had taken a break because we still have nine months of campaign before the next elections and he has no need to run here and there," said Mr Savula. According to Mr Savula, the OKA team has planned to announce the outfit's flag-bearer before end of next month. 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. "It is after announcing of the formation's flag-bearer that we shall then stage vigorous campaigns across the country, both jointly and separately, to drum up support for our presidential candidate," stated the Lugari MP. He continued: "We will have two months of intensive campaigns and then make further plans that will be informed by the reception we will receive during our campaigns." Mr Mudavadi's absence from the public had sparked speculations about his whereabouts, with some claiming he was in critical condition in a hospital in Nairobi. All the four OKA affiliate parties have endorsed their presidential candidates, with the latest being Ford Kenya which endorsed its party leader, Mr Wetang'ula at last week's NDC. Kanu delegates ANC's top decision making organ, the Amani Council, endorsed Mr Mudavadi as the party's presidential candidate, while on August 10, Wiper endorsed Mr Musyoka to join the race to succeed President Kenyatta. On September 31, Kanu delegates unanimously endorsed Moi as their presidential candidate in next year's general election. Mr Mudavadi's key allies from Western Kenya have stepped up campaigns to popularise his presidential bid in his backyard. Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, former minister Dr Amukowa Anangwe, Vihiga Woman Representative Beatrice Adagala and Mr Savula were over the weekend upbeat about Mr Mudavadi's chances of clinching the presidency in next year's polls. Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo, has said that the security situation across the 18 local government areas of the state is improving significantly. Obaseki stated this on Monday in Benin while reviewing the state security situation for the month of October, after a joint security meeting with all heads of security agencies in the state. According to him, "report shows that the security situation is improving. If you look at the data from July to October, you will see that the trend is declining in either in kidnapping, drugs, homicide, armed robbery and vehicular accidents. "We have the security agencies to thank. The Operation Steal Water has helped to reduce kidnapping in Edo and we have to thank the army for that; it's the effect of all they've been doing that shows in the statistics we displayed today." The governor said that a task force would be constituted on Nov. 29 on the issue of land grabbing in the state. "We have also decided to set up a team that will be responsible for reconciling aggrieved communities on issues concerning land; this is just to make sure that we have peace in our land. "We are also concerned about the cultivation and use of drugs in the state. We are working out something that will help us address the issue of drugs cultivation and its use by young people in the state," he stated. Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Philip Ogbadu, had called on residents to avoid travelling at night, saying that measures were being put in place to reduce crime in the state. Ogbadu urged residents to take security situation very seriously and report any suspicious incident to the police. Mr Williams Waba, Chief Security Officer to the Governor, while giving summary of the incidents under review, highlighted kidnapping, drugs and homicide as the highest recorded incidents. He listed others to include armed robbery, vehicular accidents, rape and cultism, among others. Waba said that Oredo Local Government Area of the state had the highest number of crime, ranging from kidnapping, drugs to homicide. He ascribed the successes recorded to collaboration among security operatives, including the vigilante groups, in the state. (NAN) Vanguard News Nigeria The FCT Administration has concluded plans to begin massive demolition of illegal structures causing obstruction in the market and the area. The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Monday in Abuja issued 24-hour ultimatum to illegal traders at Kubwa village Market to quit. The order followed the recent fire outbreak that claimed six lives. Acting Director Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Kaka Ali, issued the ultimatum and urged owners of illegal shops and those encroaching on the major corridors and undesignated places around the market to vacate the premises. Mr Ali disclosed that the FCT Administration had concluded plans to begin massive demolition of illegal structures causing obstructions in the market and the area. The director explained that all structures that fell within the non-regulated areas for trading would be demolished by the FCT Department of Development Control. "We are here to sanitise the market and environs following the recent incident of fire outbreak caused by explosion of an illegal Kerosine tank depot in the area. "We are trying to enlighten them on the dangers of selling within or around the market or within residential areas, which are completely forbidden and there are specific areas for selling such products. "We have spoken with the market managers on the need to sanitise and put all things in order," Mr Ali said. 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. Earlier, the Director, FCT Department of Development Control, Garba Kwamkur, explained that the department received a marching order from the FCT Minister in view of the ugly incident that happened on November 5. "In and around the market are residential buildings, but people have resorted to breaking their windows and doors, turning those houses to commercial, thereby making everywhere to be rowdy. "We can't allow that to continue, that's why we are here to insist on what the FCT Master Plan says. "We have given them 24- hour ultimatum to revert to what they were originally meant for. We insist on the restoration of Kubwa Master Plan, because Kubwa, being a satellite town of Abuja, has a plan." Also, Ikharo Attah, Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Taskforce on City Sanitation, disclosed that there were old abatement notices served by relevant agencies on most of the affected structures. Mr Attah added that in 2020 the taskforce cleared obstructing structures in the area. "We cleared that particular place, but within the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, the people returned to the same spot where the disaster happened. "Now, with the support of the FCT Minister and Directors of AEPB and Development Control Department, as well as joint team of security personnel, we are going to purge and purify the entire neighbourhood of the NYSC area in Kubwa, in order to remove all illegalities. "We are ready to commerce removal action, we have told them that we have given you demolition notices as Development Control Department and AEPB issued them notices almost six years ago. "We have no option but to give them 24 hours within which to vacate the affected structures," Mr Attah said. (NAN) The minister says the prevalence of the various security threats in the country has adversely affected food security. The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi, says the prevalence of the various security threats in Nigeria has adversely affected food security thereby posing new dimension of threats to the country. Mr Magashi, a retired major general, stated this at the opening of a retreat for Defence Advisers/Attaches Conference, organised by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) on Monday in Abuja. The conference/retreat has the theme, "Advancing Counterterrorism Efforts through Enhanced Inter-Agency Cooperation: A Whole of Government Approach". He said the attacks by Boko Haram Terrorists and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the North-east as well as banditry and herder/militia in the North-west and North-central had continued to pose serious security threats to Nigeria. According to him, the littoral states in the South-south region are plagued with illegal oil bunkering, piracy and militancy while the South-east is challenged with secessionist activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). He added that the South-west region is equally faced with secessionist inclination driven by ethnic agitators as well as occasional tensions between herders and farmers. "The threats currently facing Nigeria and understanding their socio-geographic context is pivotal for adapting appropriate and lasting counter-measures. "Regrettably, the prevalence of these threats has continued to endanger not only national security and economic growth, but also food security. "In particular, food security has been adversely affected with the attendant rise in the prices of food stuff across the country which portends a new dimension of threat. "This makes it imperative for the various security agencies in the country to continue to collaborate to tackle these menaces in order to create an enabling atmosphere for economic activities to thrive and to attract Foreign Direct Investment. "It also means that the security agencies must explore all avenues within their respective systems to come up with innovative ways of identifying and confronting the challenges facing us as a nation," he said. Mr Magashi said the Defence Advisers/Attaches system had a crucial role to play by forging understanding and cooperation with the security and defence architectures in their respective countries of accreditation. He said the conference would provide participants the opportunity to appraise the shared vision of stemming the tide of insecurity through the integrated efforts of all government entities, the objectives of the government approach. He said the recent achievement of the military and security agencies "who took the fight from all angles to the doorsteps of the adversaries leading to the surrender of over 14,000 terrorists, is reassuring". The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, said the defence Attaches/Advisers were considered as critical stakeholders in surmounting the myriad of security challenges facing Nigeria. Mr Monguno, represented by his Principal General Staff Officer, Abubakar Ndalolo, a major general, said Nigeria had been adopting both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches in dealing with security challenges, adding that both approaches had been yielding results. He said the government also laid emphasis on the integrated approach, which recognised the roles of ministries, departments and agencies as well as the entire society in "tackling our security challenges." According to him, "this involves participation of critical stakeholders from different sectors of the society, such as religious actors, youths, teachers, women, civil society, media, law enforcement as well as the security and intelligence agencies". The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Samuel Adebayo, a major general, said the conference is an annual event which affords DIA a medium to assiduously review the activities of all its defence sections. Mr Adebayo said the conference was also an avenue to identify new lessons and challenges, discuss modalities for overcoming such challenges as well as restrategise for the future. "This conference comes at a time when the nation is facing unusual daunting security challenges characterised by a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment. "That is why the theme for this year's Conference, "Advancing Counterterrorism Efforts through Enhanced Inter Agency Cooperation: A Whole of Government Approach", was carefully chosen. "This theme will undoubtedly guide our deliberations and contributions to the current efforts of the federal government towards attaining an approach in our counter terrorism strategy and create an atmosphere for sustainable national security and development. "It is therefore in this regard that I urge the participants in this conference to address the issues squarely and deliberate with open minds to ensure that the objectives of the conference are achieved," he said. The CDI noted that the Nigerian armed forces had made tremendous progress in confronting the nation's security challenges as evident from the massive surrendering of terrorists in the North-east and intensified operations against bandits in the North-west and North-central regions. 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. He said the fluid nature of the threats posed by the enemies had reinforced the need for collaborative efforts, be it government to government, within the security Services and even through foreign diplomats and Defence Attaches System (DAS). According to him, the need for a continuous reappraisal of our strategies, operational tactics and methods of intelligence gathering and sharing in order to efficiently deal with our security challenges, is therefore paramount. He said the forum would provide the opportunity to tap from the vast experiences of the participants. The Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, urged attaches to use their position to support the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in Nigeria. Mr Marwa, a retired brigadier general, said there is a strong connection between drug and insecurity, saying that taking drugs out of the hands of peddlers would reduce the effects on security. He said the recent seizure made by the agency revealed that large quantities of drugs used by criminals are finding their ways into the country. (NAN) The CDD said that since technology was key to the electoral process, INEC must strive hard to get it right. The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address hiccups associated with the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), towards credible elections in the country. Jibrin Ibrahim, Senior Fellow CDD and election analyst, Election Analysis Centre (EAC) said this when he addressed a news conference on the Anambra Governorship Election in Abuja on Monday. Mr Ibrahim said that since technology was key to the electoral process, INEC must strive hard to get it right. "INEC has to improve on technology and deployment skills, you cannot keep having these hitches each time you are deploying a news technology," he said. Sam Amadi, CDD election analyst, said that the CDD deployed some observers to monitor the election and got findings on late arrival of election material and poll officials. Mr Amadi said that poor welfare for security personnel, slow pace of transmission of results to the INEC Results Viewing portal (IREV) and fake news were some of the things observed. "The reported malfunction of the BVAS in most polling units has raised concerns about the reliability of the device; CDD believes that the intention behind the introduction of the BVAS is laudable. "Importantly, the successful deployment of the device in many polling units demonstrates its utility and reliability. "As was experienced with the card reader at its inception stage, we are confident that INEC will seek solutions to the identified challenges with the device. "However, INEC must take immediate measures to enhance the infrastructure behind the technology and ensure adequate training for Adhoc staff on the efficient use of the device," he said. Mr Amadi said that the widely reported late arrival of INEC personnel and polling materials at polling units at over 65 per cent pointed to the need for the commission to review its logistics strategy, especially in conflict prone areas. He said that CDD got information that some transporters refused to convey INEC staff and voting materials to the polling units even after receiving 50 per cent upfront payment, describing it as a reoccurring issue. "The CDD found out that the continuing trend of security agents' welfare not being given priority is disappointing, as it undervalues the humanity and service of those that put them in a situation where they could easily be compromised. "The Anambra election saw the weaponisation of fake news and disinformation to mislead, confuse or frighten the electorate in order to undermine their faith and participation for the election," he said. He said that the CDD believed that these demonstrated the need for info-vigilance with respect to elections. "But as we have seen, not only was the turnout in the 20 declared Local Government Areas (LGAs) disturbingly low (9.62 per cent), due to failure to hold election in Ihiala LGA. "The process has been declared inconclusive until Tuesday, Nov. 9, when we hope there will be a resolution. "How the supplementary election is handled will have significant implications not only for Anambra, but also for Nigeria's democracy. "While we await the conclusion of the process, there is need to share lessons from the Anambra experience that we believe will help to safeguard our democracy," he said. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Governance 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. Clues, 2023 Mr Amadi said that CDD noted that the Anambra election has given a clue that the security challenge in the country could mar the 2023 elections, if not handled properly. "The CDD therefore, call on the Federal Government to take drastic measures to address security challenge in the country to ensure that the 2023 election is not undermined. "We further call on INEC, political parties and security agencies to ensure that the Nov. 9 supplementary election in Ihiala LGA is conducted with sincerity and within the electoral guidelines. "The CDD also call on the political class to recognise the connection between governance failure and voter apathy. "Because the official results fall within the estimated ranges, governorship contestants, parties, and voters should have confidence the official results for the 20 LGAs as announced by INEC reflect the ballots cast at polling units on Saturday" Yiaga Africa on Monday said the results announced thus far by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reflected the ballots cast during the 6 November Anambra governorship election. Executive Director, Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, made this known at a press conference on the preliminary statement on the Anambra election. Mr Itodo said that Yiaga Africa deployed 500 observers and 27 mobile observers to monitor the election adding that INEC had so far released results for 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs), remaining Ihiala LGA that was yet to hold. He said that Yiaga Africa, through the Watching The Vote citizens movement, deployed the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology to verify the official governorship results as announced by INEC. PVT is an advanced election observation methodology that employs well-established statistical principles and sophisticated information technologies in elections. This provides timely and accurate information on the conduct of accreditation, voting and counting, and it independently verifies the official results as announced by the INEC. Yiaga Africa's PVT can provide independent verification off of the results announced thus far reflecting the ballots cast. "The release of these figures speaks only to the accuracy of the tabulation process for votes cast on Nov. 6 2021 and not the overall credibility of the Anambra gubernatorial election. "As noted, the election is not yet over. Yiaga Africa will continue observing the voting and counting processes as well as the results announcement for Ihiala by deploying its observers to the sampled polling units of the LGA on Tuesday." According to Mr Itodo, of sampled polling units that opened Saturday, Yiaga Africa received reports from 96 per cent of its field observers. He said that based on those reports, Yiaga Africa's statistical analysis showed that for the votes cast, All Progressives Congress (APC) should receive between 16.6 per cent and 21.1 per cent of the vote. He said that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) should receive between 41.0 per cent and 47.6 per cent of the vote while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should receive between 19.2 per cent and 24.2 per cent of the votes. He added that the Young Progressive Party (YPP) should receive between 6.7 per cent and 11.1 per cent of the vote while no other political party should receive more than two per cent of the vote. "Had the official results been changed at the ward, LGA or state collation centres, the official results would not have fallen within the Yiaga Africa WTV estimated ranges. "Because the official results fall within the estimated ranges, governorship contestants, parties, and voters should have confidence the official results for the 20 LGAs as announced by INEC reflect the ballots cast at polling units on Saturday, Nov. 6," he said. Mr Itodo said that it was important to highlight the counting process at polling units was transparent and included representatives from the four political parties that received the most votes. He said that at 86 per cent of polling units, an APC party agent signed the EC.8A results in form, while at 98 per cent of polling units an APGA party agent signed the EC.8A result form. He added that at 96 per cent of polling units a PDP party agent signed the EC.8A result form, and at 79 per cent of polling units, a YPP party agent signed the EC.8A results form. Turnout He said that INEC's turnout and rejected ballots for the 20 LGAreleasesd were also consistent with Yiaga Africa WTV PVT estimates. Mr Itodo said that Yiaga Africa was able to estimate that turnout was between 10.2 per cent and 12.8 per cent (11.5% 1.3%) while INEC's official result was 10.75 per cent. He said that similarly, Yiaga Africa estimated rejected ballots are between 2.5 per cent and 3.7 per cent (3.1% 0.6%) while INEC's official result was 3.3 per cent. He urged INEC to work on its logistics to curb further hitches and technological failure at elections as well as distribute voters evenly at polling units. This, he said, was to decongest the overcrowded ones while adding to other units with scanty voters to balance. He said this was because the newly created polling units had few voters while some units were overcrowded. Observations Ezenwa Nwagwu, Board Member, Yiaga Africa, said that the group noted some observations having monitored the election. Mr Nwagwu said that despite the establishment of Super Registration Area Centers (RACs) close to the polling units to avert logistical hiccups, late deployment of election materials and personnel delayed the opening of polling units. He said that based on verified reports from Yiaga Africa observers, 21 per cent of polling units failed to open by noon adding that this might disenfranchise voters. He said that the delays were occasioned by poor logistics management and transportation challenges as per INEC's announcement. He said that in five per cent of polling units, the BVAS malfunctioned but was not fixed or replaced. He added that INEC's framework for adopting new electoral technologies, as the BVAS, though a valuable tool for electoral integrity, fell short of expectations. 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. Mr Nwagwu said that Yiaga Africa observers reported incidents of intimidation, harassment or violence towards women voters, polling officials, security, party agents or observers at some polling units observed. He added that Yiaga Africa also noted that in 26 per cent of polling units observed, there were no female polling officials and female presiding officers were sighted in only 38 per cent of polling units. He said Yiaga Africa implored INEC and security agencies to ensure safety for women voters and for INEC to ensure gender parity in its deployment of officials in electoral processes. Director of Programmes, Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, said that to enhance the transparency of the supplementary election, INEC should publish the total number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) collected in Ihiala LGA and inform the public on the status of uncollected PVCs. Ms Mbamalu also said that Yiaga Africa urged INEC to undertake an audit of the BVAS and ensure all the technical glitches with the device were resolved ahead of the supplementary elections to prevent delays and possible disenfranchisement of voters. She added that INEC needed to sanction all its staff accused of complicity and conspiracy with political actors and security agents to falsify election. (NAN) Cape Town Barakat has been chosen as South Africa's official submission for the best international feature category at the 94th Academy Awards that will take place on March 27, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. The film was directed by Amy Jephta and produced by Ephraim Gordon. Jephta is the fourth woman director whose work is submitted by South Africa, and the first woman of colour. Jephta scripted South Africa's official Golden Globes Foreign Film entry for 2018, Ellen: The Story of Ellen Pakkies. In 2019, she received the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year Award for theatre. Jephta and Gordon are no strangers to movie awards, having won Best Screenplay and Best Short Film at the 2017 kykNET Silwerskerm Festival for Soldaat (Soldier). In a statement by The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), Jephta said: "I am so proud that this film has reached as many people as it has, and to be recognised by South Africa in this way is incredibly special," she said. "Even after an extremely challenging year for our film industry, we're honoured that a small story about a family has connected us." Producer Ephraim Gordon added: "This was totally unexpected, but it shows that everyone's hard work on this project has paid off. This film was a blessing from the beginning and continues to be. It is our barakat ." The film is told in Afrikaans, a language that includes English, Dutch, Arabic, and is spoken by Muslims and mixed communities in Cape Town. Barakat is an Arabic word that means "blessings". Set during Ramadan, the movie follows the story of a Muslim widow Aisha Davids (Vinette Ebrahim), who tries to bring together her fractured family over Eid-ul-Fitr, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide, to mark the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting. She wants to break the news of her new romance with a Christian man, whom she wants to marry. But she has difficulty gaining the approval and blessing from her four sons - Zunaid (Joey Rasdien), Zaid (Mortimer Williams), Yaseen (Keeno Lee Hector), and Nur (Danny Ross) - who are still coming to terms with the loss of their father. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines South Africa Entertainment 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. Barakat was released in cinemas in early 2021. The film, has won seven international awards so far, including Best International Feature at the 2021 Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema and Best Narrative Feature at both the Motion Pictures International Film Festival and The Reel Sisters Of The Diaspora Festival in 2020. South Africans have graced the Oscars red carpet over the years, demonstrating the country's talents and eye for the arts. South Africa won the foreign-language Oscar category in 2005 for Gavin Hood's Tsotsi, whilst John Trengrove's The Wound was nominated in 2017. All eyes are now on Barakat to bring home the Oscar! Titular de la PCM: Desde el Gobierno queremos reafirmar que somos muy respetuosos de las Fuerzas Armadas, que son un actor estrategico y muy importante para proteger la soberania del Estado, asi como nuestra actitud de no interferencia en las decisiones que se toman internamente. pic.twitter.com/emoVGp8ixK " " A one-month-old veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. Chameleons are well-known for their ability to spontaneously change color. Ian Waldie/Getty Images Chameleons have built a pretty solid reputation on two commonly held beliefs: They can stealthily blend into their surroundings, and they are the ideal subjects for iconic '80s anthems. But it turns out one of those supposed facts isn't quite right in fact, everything you think you know about chameleons and their color-changing capabilities is probably backward. "The color changing properties of chameleons don't really help them blend in, but rather their natural, relaxed state is what helps them blend in," says Daniel Flynn, marketing manager for the Conservation Society of California at the Oakland Zoo. "The expression, 'blending in like a chameleon' isn't entirely accurate, meaning these lizards don't change their appearance to fit in, but rather to stand out." Advertisement It's All About the Iridophores Scientists long believed that chameleons change their coloring similarly to the way octopuses switch shades, but biologists and physicists somewhat recently realized that something else entirely is going on. "The color change you are seeing is based on structural changes of crystal-like cells called iridophores underneath the skin that refract light," Flynn says. When anything agitates or exhilarates the chameleon, things start to get interesting. "When they get excited, feel threatened, or want to display positively, towards a mate, or negatively, to a rival, the crystals separate or compress and give off the appearance of different colors," Flynn says. In a 2015 study published in the journal Nature Communications, researchers with the University of Geneva in Switzerland revealed that iridophores act like tiny mirrors that selectively reflect and absorb different colors. While a lot of animals have color patterns birds and fish for example the cells that make their vibrant displays possible typically absorb or reflect certain regions of the visible light spectrum. Chameleon cells are different iridophores can actually absorb or reflect any and all colors of the spectrum. "Some species change more colors than others," Flynn says. "For example, some will change shades lighter to darker, while others will change to more vibrant, bright colors. There are quite a few species, so there is a lot of variance. Among all of them, they can change all different types of colors even colors that aren't visible to the human eye!" The pigments inside the iridophores are typically contained inside tiny sacs, but when a chameleon's mood changes, its nervous system activates the cells to contract or expand. When the animal is relaxed, the cells stay close together and reflect short wavelengths, like blue. A rush of excitement pushes those cells farther apart, enabling each iridophore to reflect longer wavelengths, like red, orange and yellow. But if the naturally relaxed cells reflect blue, why are chilled out chameleons typically green like their surroundings? "Basically, when a chameleon is relaxed, they are naturally visible as green to help them camouflage with the green leaves and trees," Flynn says. "This is due to the natural yellow pigment combined with the relaxed state of the crystal cells which reflect blue light. Blue plus yellow equals green." It may not be easy being green, but it's necessary for the chameleon, which has no real defenses; blending in is its best bet against predators. So, if the color changes are due to special cells under the skin, why are the effects external? The outermost layer of the chameleon's skin is actually transparent. Beneath that outer layer lies several more layers containing a variety of specialized skills, including the blue and white light-reflecting iridophores. What's really wild is if the chameleon needs a dramatic quick-change (like when it's trying to show off for a potential mate), it can quickly shed its outer layers of skin to expose the iridophores to direct sunlight in a hurry. Learn more about chameleons in "Chameleon, Chameleon" by Joy Cowley. HowStuffWorks picks related titles based on books we think you'll like. Should you choose to buy one, we'll receive a portion of the sale. Now That's Interesting There's not a ton of research to support it yet, but some scientists believe chameleons' color-changing abilities also allow them to regulate their body temperature. A 2016 study demonstrated that bearded dragons alter their hue based on their temps, and since chameleons are ectotherms and can't retain body heat (hence their stereotypical sunbathing), it's possible that maintaining a dark color allows them to absorb more light and heat. Advertisement Originally Published: Jun 21, 2019 " " Snowy owls (Bubo scandiaca), unlike many other owls that are nocturnal, are diurnal, which means they can be seen hunting any time of the day or night. REDA&CO/Getty Images When someone has been studying a certain animal up-close and personal for more than two decades, you know that person is going to get the inside scoop on that creature. Such is the case with Denver Holt, founder of the Montana-based Owl Research Institute, who began researching snowy owls in the village of Barrow, Alaska, along the coast of the Arctic Ocean, in 1992 as part of the nonprofit organization's Snowy Owl Breeding Ecology and Lemming Population Study. While the group's initial research focused on the predator-prey relationship between the snowy owl and brown lemming the owl's primary food source Holt and his crew have since learned much more about this regal and charismatic bird, also known as the snow owl, great white owl from the North and white owl. Interestingly enough, of the 250 species of owls in the world, the snowy owl (Bubo scandiaca) has arguably proved to be the most captivating, with the ORI's work with this particular animal always generating the most attention, questions and admiration. "Owls, in general, are one of the most popular and most recognized groups of birds in the world," says Holt. "But for reasons I'm not even sure of, when you take a white snowy owl out in front of everyone, people just say 'ah.' That goes for white Arctic animals, in general. I don't know what it is, perhaps some angelic quality or purity, but people kind of get excited when they see the white snowy owl." Here are six tidbits about this fascinating bird of prey. Advertisement 1. They Take Part in Dramatic Invasions Known as "Irruptions" Lovers of the majestic snowy owl can hit the avian lottery if they're lucky enough to witness what's known as an irruption; a periodic phenomenon when hordes of mostly young snowy owls 4-6 months old migrate south from their northern breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra to Canada and the Northern U.S., from as far as Seattle to Boston. When one of these sporadic irruptions occurs, people will flock by the hundreds of thousands to go view these birds in their first year of life, according to Holt. "People who don't have any interest in owls even head out to look at them," he says, "often traveling across state boundaries." 2. They're Not All Solid White The snowy owls are one of the only owls in the world that display distinct color differences between the male and female. When they're young, they both look like females, which retain brown bars and spots on their white face and plumage throughout their lives, according to Holt. "As the owls age, the females retain most of their darkness, and some males lose their markings almost completely and become a bright fluorescent white. It takes three years for males to become almost pure white." Like the females, however, some male snowy owls never lose their dark bars and spots. "We think that has to do with special selection," says Holt. "Young males that kind of resemble females do not breed; only older males who become bright white at 3 to 4 years old maintain territories and breed." " " Two young snowy owls at the Hanover Zoo in Hanover, Germany. Jochen Luebke/picture alliance/Getty Images 3: The Females Are Larger Than the Males "Females are more dominant as far as aggression goes, while males are faster and more handsome," says Holt. "Females can weigh 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.2 kilograms) and males are in the 3-pound (1.3-kilogram) range. The female also has a wing span of about 4.5 to 5 feet (1.3 to 1.5 meters), with the wing span on the male a little less." 4. They Love to Eat Small Hamster-Like Rodents Known as Brown Lemmings "When lemmings are high, snowy owls have a good year," says Holt, who reports that snowy owls in his study range have killed and eaten a total of 45,000 to 50,000 lemmings through the years. "When lemmings are low, they have a bad year, and might refrain from breeding or have a smaller number of chicks." When lemmings are scarce, he adds, they'll switch over to wild birds and shore birds, such as ducks or gulls. Advertisement 5. Lemmings Play a Part in the Bird's Fascinating Courtship and Mating Ritual "We think the owls migrate back north to find areas where lemmings are abundant, and then they settle to breed," says Holt. "Once that all starts, males try to entice females to their territories. Only adult white males get to breed, and only if they have a lot of lemmings to offer females; it's all about who's got the resources. Males catch the lemmings, and do an elaborate courtship flight with the lemmings in their bills (flying in an exaggerated undulating pattern, up and down like waves). They land and raise their wings up, turn around and show off their highly reflective fluorescent plumage as if to say, 'Look at me, I'm a handsome male and it's better breeding with me than someone who doesn't even have a house!' You gotta interpret it that way. If he has a good territory and a lot of lemmings, he'll have the opportunity to breed." 6. Snowy Owl Eggs Hatch in the Order They Were Laid When snowy owls return to their Arctic coastal breeding grounds to look for a mate in late April or May, the tundra is still frozen and often snow-covered. "They use their body heat, feet and bills to dig out a bowl about 10 inches (25 centimeters) wide and 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 centimeters) deep on a high mound or ridge, so the female can lay her eggs," says Holt. "The female will have some 10 to 12 eggs in good lemming years, with the average at around five eggs. After about 32 to 35 days, the eggs will hatch one at a time in the order in which they were laid (or asynchronously, which means you'll have chicks in the nest ranging anywhere from 2 to 10 days old). Only the female incubates the eggs, and the male brings in food and protects her from foxes, polar bears or other predators." Now That's Interesting There is a specific reason why a snowy owl named Hedwig is featured in JK Rowling's Harry Potter series. According to a 2015 Wizarding World article, Rowling's love of, and fascination with, owls predates her idea for Harry Potter and can be traced to a cuddly owl toy her mother made her when she was 6 or 7 years old that she adored. Furthermore, owls have been associated with magic going way back, and its association with wisdom was established in Roman times as the emblem of Minerva, goddess of wisdom " " Purple sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) off the coast of California. Tammy616/Getty Images Whoever it was that first came upon the sharp, spiny body of a sea urchin and said: "Hey, let's crack this bad boy open and see if the orange goo inside tastes good" deserves a gold medal in bravery and sheer determination. The sea urchin is a small, spiny little sea creature called an echinoderm, part of the class Echinoidea, of which there are more than 940 species worldwide. Sea urchins, along with all members of the phylum Echinodermata are found only in the ocean, a particularly unusual quality as a large number of aquatic animals tend to take up residence in lakes and streams as well. Sea urchins most often can be found in shallow water and even carpet the seafloor in some spots. Advertisement Can You Eat Sea Urchin? With the hellish look and feel of this echinoderm, one has to wonder why people actually want to eat what's inside. Sea urchin fishing began in Japan soon after World War II before spreading to the entire Pacific Rim by the 1970s and within two more decades the practice would spread to the Atlantic region. "The global peak in sea urchin harvests occurred around 1993 and has declined ever since," explains Steneck. "In many places, it is a poster-child example of overfishing." In the year 2000, 20 million pounds (10 million kilograms) of sea urchins were harvested in California and were sold to markets in Japan. Advertisement What Does Sea Urchin Taste Like? So, the big question is: How does sea urchin taste? David Glass, accomplished dessert chef, foodie, self-described sea urchin fanatic and father to this particular author, has a few choice words when it comes to consuming the bizarre little creatures: "The brilliant orange color, slightly fermented aroma and solidity suggesting a catastrophic explosion of flavor in your mouth precede your first taste. That first taste is sticky, oceanic, sweet and fermented, and everything else that makes up the taste known as umami. Poetry starts to flood your brain." " " "Uni" is the Japanese name for the edible part of the sea urchin. But Japan isn't the only country where where sea urchins are considered a delicacy. Herman Au Photography/Getty Images In layman's (that is, not foodie) terms: Sea urchin (aka uni) tastes weird but fine. It's gooey, runny, sweet, slightly salty, with a texture somewhere between an egg yolk and Jell-O. It is a very, very unusual taste, but when prepared right, provocative and worthy of an eyebrow raise. Advertisement What Eats a Sea Urchin? After humans, the sea urchin's second-biggest predator is one of its own a fellow echinoderm that you're all familiar with: the starfish. If you think starfish are beautiful, get ready to be horrified with this graphic nugget of info: The starfish will actually wrap itself around the sea urchin, "everting their stomach against the sea urchin to dissolve away the flesh and shell, eventually getting to the succulent interior." Scientists also believe that some species of sea urchins don't die unless they're killed. "No animal lives forever, but these red sea urchins appear to be practically immortal," Thomas Ebert, a marine biologist at Oregon State University said in a 2009 article based on the findings of a study by scientists from Oregon State University and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory on red sea urchins, published in the U.S. Fishery Bulletin. "They can die from attacks by predators, specific diseases or being harvested by fishermen. But even then they show very few signs of age. The evidence suggests that a 100-year-old red sea urchin is just as apt to live another year, or reproduce, as a 10-year-old sea urchin." And here's another thing. The sea urchin eats using a method that's as complex as the way it tastes. It's called the Aristotle's lantern and it's made of five teeth that are arranged in a circle at the bottom of its body. It uses the teeth to scrape algae from rock surfaces and to create depressions in the seafloor that become its hideaway. Pretty wild. Advertisement What If You Step on a Sea Urchin? " " Sea urchin tube feet extend past their spines, attach to the sea floor and allow them to move. Wikimedia Commons ( CC By 2.0 "A sea urchin's body plan is pretty unique," says Bob Steneck, professor of Oceanography, Marine Biology and Marine Policy at the University of Maine. "One could say it is a hollow limestone sphere (made of numerous hexagonal plates sort of like a geodesic dome) with spines that make it look like a pincushion. They move slowly using numerous small tubular suction devices called 'tube feet.'" These tube feet are strong muscles that protrude from the ends of the spines, which they can attach to rocks or coral, allowing them to move over the sea floor. And those little spines? Think of them as a sharp little feet that are just achin' to pierce your skin. While it's certainly not pleasant, Steineck assures that stepping on a sea urchin is not deadly and he has, to date, never heard of a fatal case due to an accidental trampling. Still, if you're worried about stepping on one of these bad boys ... well, maybe wear rubber-soled shoes and try not to. A prick on the feet by one of these spines can cause damage to the skin and sometimes even the bone inside. A few species' spines can be venomous, but not so much that it would be fatal to humans. The worst that can happen is a potential allergic reaction or further injury from trying to remove the spine. Instead of tugging at it, use vinegar, which will dissolve the spine and leave behind only the distant memory of the time you stepped on a living pin cushion. So, whether you accidentally come upon these spiny marine creatures on the sea floor via your foot or take a bit of its insides doused in soy sauce over rice, you really have to appreciate the sea urchin for its unbroken commitment to staying weird. Now That's Interesting If you thought these little guys couldn't get any weirder, hold on to your hats. Along with eating seaweed, sea urchins will often feast on meat and even go as far as to snack on each other. YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Foreign Ministry of Armenia issued a statement today on the first anniversary of the 2020 November 9 statement which put an end to the war in Artsakh. Armenpress presents the text of the statement: In order to halt the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020, against Artsakh and its people, with the direct involvement of Turkey and foreign terrorist fighters, on November 9, 2020, with the mediation of the President of the Russian Federation a Trilateral Statement on complete ceasefire and termination of all hostilities in the area of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was signed, which resulted in deployment of peacekeeping forces of Russia in Artsakh. Today we once again bow before the brave Armenians who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the right of the Armenian people to live and build their own future, preventing the attempt of the aggressors to completely annihilate the Armenians from Artsakh. The 44-day war, accompanied by mass violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and cultural monuments, use of prohibited weapons and other war crimes by Azerbaijan, resulted in thousands of casualties, tens of thousands of wounded, displaced people and mass devastation. As a result of the war, a number of regions of Artsakh were subjected to ethnic cleansing, and the population became victims of war crimes and mass atrocities committed by Azerbaijan. In particular, 40,000 people lost their homes and property, more than 17,000 civilian facilities and infrastructure were destroyed, hundreds of civilians were killed or injured, and the fate of many still remains unknown. Armenia and Artsakh have consistently implemented the provisions of the Trilateral Statement, while just a month after the signing of the latter, despite the commitment to stop in the current positions at the time of signing, Azerbaijani armed forces infiltrated into Khtsaberd and Hin Tagher villages of Hadrut region of Artsakh, killing and capturing Armenian servicemen. Moreover, after the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the regions mentioned in the document, the Azerbaijani side responded with the infiltration and continued illegal deployment of its armed units into the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia from the very same territories. Azerbaijan has not yet implemented the paragraph 8 of the November 9 Statement, holding numerous Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons in captivity, which is not only a gross violation of the Trilateral Statement but also of international humanitarian law. The ceasefire regime established by the Trilateral Statement is periodically violated by the Azerbaijani armed forces, accompanied by targeting not only the positions of the Armenian Armed Forces and Artsakh Defense Army, but also peaceful settlements and civilians, leading to human and material losses. Deliberately distorting and arbitrarily commenting the provisions on unblocking regional infrastructure enshrined in Trilateral Statements from November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021, Azerbaijan circulates the idea of a so-called "corridor" and threatens with the use of force, which not only contradicts the letter and spirit of those statements, but also aims to undermine efforts of de-escalation in the region. The consistent Armenophobic policy blatantly conducted by the highest leadership of Azerbaijan, the ethnic cleansing in the territories of Artsakh fallen under the Azerbaijani control as a result of the use of force, the destruction and desecration of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage, as well as the obstruction of the access of international humanitarian organizations to Artsakh demonstrate the fact that the guarantee of the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to safe and dignified life in their homeland under the jurisdiction or control of Azerbaijan is impossible. The realities created as a result of the use of force by Azerbaijan against Artsakh and its people cannot create basis for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan's claims that as a result of the war the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Nagorno-Karabakh itself does not exist in the international arena any more are also violations of the November 9 Trilateral Statement, as Nagorno-Karabakh is presented as a territorial entity right in the latter. Only the full implementation of the Trilateral Statements from November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, particularly the immediate resolution of urgent humanitarian issues, first of all, the unconditional repatriation of all prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons, the clarification of the fate of missing persons and the investigation of the cases of enforced disappearances, protection of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage, as well as the full resumption of the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can create conditions for ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region. The comprehensive and lasting settlement of the conflict is only possible through peaceful negotiations under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, which assumes the clarification of the status of Artsakh, ensuring conditions for the safe return of displaced Armenians of Artsakh to their places of residence throughout Artsakh, and realization of the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to safe and dignified life in their homeland, based on equal rights and self-determination of peoples. Armenia reiterates its readiness to undertake practical efforts towards the de-escalation of the situation in the region, gradually overcoming the atmosphere of hostility, opening an era of stability and peaceful development. At the same time, for the effectiveness of this process, Azerbaijan should adopt a constructive position, renouncing its policy of Armenophobia, aggressive rhetoric and actions. The original version of this article was updated with comments from the prosecutor-general's office YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Investigative Committee of Artsakh released details from the November 8 Azerbaijani attack near Shushi which left 1 Armenian civilian dead and three others seriously wounded. Around 15:00, November 8, a serviceman of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces whose identity is yet to be determined by the investigation passed into the area called Shushii Tak [Under Shushi] of the Shushi-Berdzor road of the Republic of Artsakh from the territories which have gone under Azerbaijani control, and with the purpose of terrorizing the population of the Republic of Artsakh and developing an atmosphere of fear and terror among them, fueled by religious and ethnic hatred and with the purpose of committing [mass murder] opened fire with his firearm at the persons who were repairing a water supply pipe, the investigators said in a statement. They added that the shooting resulted in the death of Martin Yeremyan (born 1998) from a gunshot wound to the head, while three others Gevorg Melkumyan, Gagik Ghazaryan and Armen Sargsyan suffered gunshot wounds. Criminal proceedings were launched amid an ongoing investigation to reveal all circumstances of the incident. The prosecutor-general's office of Artsakh said in a separate statement that they are treating the shooting as terrorism. It said that all victims of the shooting were plumbers of the Artsakh water supply company. The evidence gathered by law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Artsakh during the investigations of the Azerbaijani criminal actions reaffirm the constantly repeated position that similar incidents individually as well as their entirety pursue a single goal to terrorize at all cost the Armenians of Artsakh, to defame the Russian peacekeeping forces and thus develop a sensation of defenselessness and intentions of leaving Artsakh among the population. This kind of an Armenophobic and genocidal conduct will continue as long as the international community is encouraging Azerbaijan with its silence and inaction, the prosecution said. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. Legendary Armenian director of essay films, screenwriter Artavazd Peleshyans Nature (La Nature) films European premiere will take place in the International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam (IDFA) on November 17-28, kinoashkharh.am reports. Festival president Orwa Nyrabia said that this year the festival will honor Peleshyan for his invaluable contribution to film-making. Other films by the renowned film director will also be screened. The Nature movies global festival premiere was held at the New York Film Festival-59. Premiered by the Fondation Cartier, Nature brings together amateur shots of nature, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, and grandiose landscapes from the internet, juxtaposing the overpowering force of nature with human ambition. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The curling Civil Contract partys proposal to create a commission for investigating the circumstances of the 2020 Artsakh War will be implemented, and all steps will be taken for an effective work, Speaker of Parliament of Armenia Alen Simonyan told reporters at a briefing. You know that the law allows to create a commission for 6 months and extend the term of its operation by another 6 months. You know that not all MPs have presented documents on confidentiality. I can state that the commission will definitely operate and this will not be the only purpose. It must have a concrete result and deal with concrete actions. The activities of the commission will start soon when we understand that there is no technical problem for the operation of the commission, Alen Simonyan said. Alen Simonyan said that lessons must be learnt from the past 30 years path which led to the November 9 ceasefire agreement. We need to analyze long, we have paid a very high price for our mistakes. I attach great importance to the idea of establishing that investigative commission, which we have proposed, as its results could play a decisive role, the Speaker added. He also commented on yesterdays actions of the Azerbaijani armed forces which targeted civilians, calling it as a provocative step. We need a situation to continue together with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs the discussions on the Artsakh issue which have been suspended, he said. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. President of Artsakh Arayik Harutyunyan visited today the Stepanakert Memorial on the occasion of the first anniversary of the statement which put an end to the 2020 war, his Office reports. The President of the Republic also visited the military pantheon and laid flowers at the tombs of the servicemen fallen at the Artsakh wars. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. The Russian peacekeeping contingent in Nagorno Karabakh has a significant contribution to the stabilization of the situation and the provision of security in the region, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on the first anniversary of the statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on the establishment of ceasefire in Karabakh. In the statement the Russian foreign ministry said that since December 2, 2020, a total of 122 prisoners of war and persons held have been returned. 105 of them have been returned to Armenia, and 17 to Azerbaijan. Moreover, the Azerbaijani side has been provided with 3 packages of maps of mine fields. November 9, 2021, marks the first anniversary of the statement signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev over the stop of all military operations in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict zone. That step allowed to end the bloodshed and start a process of establishing a peaceful life in the region. Today we can state that what has been enshrined by the 2020 November 9 statement, overall, is being implemented. At the same time the fact that Baku and Yerevan keep the commitment to the further implementation of all provisions is important. The Russian peacekeeping troops have a significant contribution to the stabilization of the situation and the provision of security in the region. This is appreciated by our Armenian and Azerbaijani partners. With the participation of the Russian peacekeepers, a total of 122 prisoners of war and persons held have been returned since December 2, 2020. 105 of them have been returned to Armenia, and 17 to Azerbaijan. Moreover, the Azerbaijani side has been provided with 3 packages of maps of mine fields. Humanitarian aid has been regularly delivered to the region, the territories have been demined, the infrastructure has been restored. 53,000 people returned back to their homes. The Russian emergency situations ministry has delivered 1581 tons of humanitarian cargo and 800 tons of construction material to the region since December 2020. We continue our efforts to overcome the remaining humanitarian challenges as soon as possible, including the release of all persons held, as well as to reveal the fates of all those missing, transfer the bodies of the dead and completely provide the reliable maps of mine fields. Ensuring the security of historical-cultural and religious heritage is also relevant. We plan to consistently solve with our partners the issue of unblocking all economic and transportation communications in South Caucasus, as it is enshrined in the 2021 January 11 statement of the leaders of Russia, Armenia. We highly appreciate the activity of the trilateral working group jointly chaired by the Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani deputy prime ministers. We highlight the need for the early launch of concrete projects based on balanced interests which would contribute to revealing the economic and transportation potential of South Caucasus. We attach importance to the ease of tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijani state border and the launch of its demarcation and delimitation process as soon as possible. We are ready to assist with the necessary consulting. We consider important to continue the efforts within the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, firstly in the context of solving the regions socio-economic and humanitarian issues. We will do everything to contribute to the settlement of the relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, support the peaceful initiatives, expansion of contacts at all levels and to the security and economic development of South Caucasus. We are also ready to contribute to the dialogue between the representatives of the Armenian and Azerbaijani publics with the participation of Russia aimed at creating an atmosphere of trust between the Armenian and Azerbaijani peoples. We support the formation of friendly relations between the countries of South Caucasus and their neighbors, as well as the development of mutually beneficial regional cooperation, the Russian foreign ministrys statement says. Editing and Translating by Aneta Harutyunyan According to FARS Iranian news agency, "All systems that we used in these exercises in the field of reconnaissance, radar, electronic warfare and, etc., are indigenous and domestically manufactured," General Sabahi Fard said on the sidelines of the Iranian Army's military wargames, Zolfaqar 1400. Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link Troops serving in the Armys infantry, armored units, mechanized regiments, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense have taken part in the main stage of the exercise. (Picture source: via IRNA) The exercises started on Sunday 7 November morning. Troops serving in the Armys infantry, armored units, mechanized regiments, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense have taken part in the main stage of the exercise. The military exercises consisted of different series and scenarios in an operational area of more than one million square meters. The Air Defense Force was one of the four forces participating in the 'Zolfaqar 1400 military exercises of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army, General Sabahi Fard said. He considered the use of domestically-manufactured systems as a prominent feature of the exercises. All 28 branches of the ground forces have been involved in the operation, using renovated armored personnel carriers. Arash suicide and combat drone were used in the event. In order to target mock enemies from a long distance, the army utilized drones and missiles backed by helicopters. Various types of short- and long-range drones flew with different missions, including reconnaissance and intelligence, as well as systems evaluation and combat. Increasing coordination amongst four sections of Iran's Army, conveying experiences to the young generation, and utilizing the Army's current drone capacities were among the objectives of the drills. The final parade included various naval surface vessels and submarines, including home-made Dena Destroyer, Tareq and Qadir submarines, and guided-missile destroyers as well as F4 and Mirage warplanes, reconnaissance aircraft P3F and helicopters. Whilst initially misidentified as the Austrian Steyr HS .50, this rifle is in fact an Iranian produced copy of the HS .50, known as the AM50. In 2006/7 Iran acquired 800 Steyr HS .50 rifles; shortly thereafter, Iranian copies of the rifle were observed. (Picture source: via IRNA) Various types of short- and long-range drones flew with different missions, including reconnaissance and intelligence, as well as systems evaluation and combat. (Picture source: via IRNA) Iranian Revolutionary Guards disembarked from a Bell UH-1N (Picture source: via IRNA) The Iranian army still operates aging Bell AH-1J and AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters (Picture source: Erfan Kouchari via IRNA) Karrar MBT in action (Picture source: via IRNA) Amphibious operations were given a high degree of importance in Zulfaqar 1400 (Picture source: via IRNA) The Azerbaijani side opened fire on civilians carrying out construction work near the Stepanakert-Shushi road in the area of responsibility of the Russian peacekeepers, as a result of which three people were injured and one was killed. November 9, 2021, 09:15 The incident took place on the day of Ilham Aliyevs visit to Shushi, where he made anti-Armenian speech. Armenia MFA STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 9, ARTSAKHPRESS: We strongly condemn the gross violation of the ceasefire regime by the Azerbaijani armed forces, which was established by the Statement of November 9, 2020. It is noteworthy that the incident took place on the eve of the first anniversary of the signing of the Trilateral Statement and on the day of the visit of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev to Shushi, wherein another statement full of Armenophobic rhetoric and threats of use of force was delivered. The consistent Armenophobic rhetoric of the highest leadership of Azerbaijan, the repeated incidents of violation of the ceasefire regime clearly demonstrates the hollow nature of the statements made by official Baku on the normalization of relations with Armenia and the Armenian people. It should be noted that this is the second case of attack on civilians by the Azerbaijani armed forces within a month, resulting in human casualties. We are convinced that the proper investigation of such crimes and the bringing of those responsible to justice can prevent further attacks on the civilian population. We express our condolences to the relatives of the victim and wish a speedy recovery to all wounded, reads the statement issued by the Foreign Ministry of Armenia. The U.S. Department of State spokesperson Ned Price issued a statement on the first anniversary of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh ceasefire agreement. November 9, 2021, 09:39 We call for the return of all remaining detainees U.S. State Department on first anniversary of Karabakh ceasefire STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 9, ARTSAKHPRESS: This week, the United States and the international community recognize the one-year anniversary of the ceasefire declaration that ended 44 days of intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the South Caucasus, Price said in the statement titled Recognizing the One-Year Anniversary of the Ceasefire Declaration Between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured during the hostilities last year. We call for the return of all remaining detainees, a full accounting of missing persons, the voluntary return of displaced persons to their homes, comprehensive humanitarian de-mining of conflict-affected areas, and access by international humanitarian organizations to those in need. We also call for an investigation into alleged human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law. The United States remains committed to promoting a secure, stable, prosperous, and peaceful future for the South Caucasus region. U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Erika Olson is currently in the region to discuss bilateral issues with all three countries and to explore opportunities for regional cooperation. We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue and intensify their engagement including under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to find comprehensive solutions to all outstanding issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. One year since the end of the 2020 Artsakh war, Azerbaijan still refuses to return dozens of Armenian prisoners of war, despite obligations to do so under the terms of the ceasefire. A battalion commander is under arrest on charges of dereliction of duty concerning his actions which authorities say led to nine troops being killed, two taken captive and multiple combat positions being taken over by Azerbaijani military during 2020 December 11-12 clashes. November 9, 2021, 11:22 2020 deadly Hin Tagher clashes: Battalion commander jailed on charges of dereliction of duty STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 9, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: The battalion commander was charged with aggravated dereliction of duty back in April 2021 and investigators asked a court to remand him in pre-trial detention, but the motion was rejected. The supervising prosecutor appealed the decision to a higher court, which eventually ordered a renewed examination. Subsequently, a Yerevan court of general jurisdiction approved the pre-trial detention, the Investigative Committee said in a press release. The officer, who was the commander of a rifle battalion, was ordered after the 2020 November 9 ceasefire to ensure the security of 12 combat positions of the eastern border of Hin Tagher, a district of the Hadrut region in Artsakh. However, during combat operations which took place between 2020 December 11-12, he committed actions amounting to dereliction of duty which led to grave consequences: 12 combat positions of the Hin Tagher districts eastern border were taken over by enemy troops, the servicemen deployed in one of these combat positions were besieged, of whom nine servicemen were killed and two were taken captive, the investigators said. The 2020 November 9 statement signed by the leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan on the ceasefire in Nagorno Karabakh is very important, its difficult to overestimate its value, Russian presidential spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters today. November 9, 2021, 17:30 No Putin-Pashinyan-Aliyev meeting planned on first anniversary of Karabakh ceasefire statement Kremlin STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 9, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: We attach great importance to the one-year-old documents, they are important both for Azerbaijan and Armenia, these were documents which allowed to stop the war and stand on the peaceful development path of the regional economy and infrastructures, Peskov said, TASS reports. He said that the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno Karabakh fulfill their functions, ensure the security, the monitoring of the ceasefire regime and the return process of refugees. This is very important. Therefore, its very difficult to overestimate the significance of the signing of documents, he said. Peskov informed that the contacts between Russian President Vladimir Putin, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev are not planned on the first anniversary of the signing of the trilateral statement. As for the contacts with Baku and Yerevan, Moscow carries out them at different levels and exclusively on a regular basis. As for the trilateral contact, if there is such an agreement, we will inform you. There is nothing concrete at this moment, the Russian presidential spokesperson said. Sources said India had never considered inviting a delegation from Taliban as it does not officially recognise the Taliban regime in Kabul New Delhi: After Pakistan last week announced a boycott of Indias NSA-level conference on the layered, nuanced and complicated security situation in Afghanistan to be held this Wednesday, it was confirmed on Monday that Islamabads all-weather friend/benefactor China too has decided not to attend the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan, citing scheduling difficulties. However, Beijing has apparently sent a conciliatory note mentioning that it is open to maintaining contact with India on the situation in Afghanistan in both bilateral and multilateral settings. While New Delhi is disappointed with Beijings absence, it nevertheless is happy and encouraged by the participation of Russia, Iran and five Central Asian nations -- Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Turkmenistan -- who will all be represented by their respective national security advisers or security council secretaries. Sources said India had never considered inviting a delegation from the Taliban as it does not officially recognise the Taliban regime in Kabul. Sources also hinted that in future editions of the conference, the door could be open for other invitees to attend, including the United States. Sources said the conference, to be chaired by national security adviser Ajit Doval, will be a serious meeting of the security czars of the participating nations and would hold deliberations on security threats arising from the current situation in Afghanistan such as terrorism, radicalism and extremism, cross-border movements, drug trafficking, the vast arsenal of weapons left behind in Afghanistan during the American military withdrawal, information and intelligence-sharing and also the issue of humanitarian assistance to the people of the strife-torn nation. Sources made it clear that going by Indias assessment, all the countries attending the conference on Wednesday feel Pakistan is the source of the problem in Afghanistan, although only some countries may be able to say this openly. They said Pakistan has provided resources and facilitation for the Haqqani Group and other terror outfits in Afghanistan and that India had invited Pakistan for the conference only because this was the format of the conference. According to the sources, the endeavour at the conference would be to agree on the challenges facing the region and to find common ground and agree through consensus on what should be done. The sources said although the meeting would not lead to a formal security architecture for the region, it could well pave the way for the gradual evolution of such an architecture. Meanwhile, in a formal statement issued in the evening, New Delhi said: The high-level dialogue will review the security situation in the region arising from recent developments in Afghanistan. It will deliberate upon measures to address the relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability. India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with the people of Afghanistan and has called for a unified international response to address the security and humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan. The forthcoming meeting is a step in that direction. The sources said the Central Asian nations that are moderate societies are worried about export of extremist ideology into their countries from Afghanistan. None of these (participating) countries have legitimised the Taliban, the sources said, adding it is not even on their agenda. The sources added that none of the countries invited had put a precondition on an invitation to the Taliban, thus indicating clearly that it was a non-issue. Asked about Beijing not attending due to scheduling difficulties, the sources said India didnt want to speculate on the reasons but hinted it could be because of the sixth plenary of the Communist Party of China that has begun there on Monday. According to the sources, the conclusions of the conference are bound to send a strong message to the Taliban regime in Kabul (that is backed by Islamabad). Kabul will see. Kabul will hear, the sources said, but also indicated that as per Indias assessment even the ISKP (Islamic State Khorasan Province) in Afghanistan has links with Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence spy agency, despite reports of rivalry and conflict between the Taliban and the ISKP. It is understood that at the conference, Iran will be represented by Rear Adm. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Supreme National Security Council, Kazakhstan by Karim Massimov, chairman of the National Security Committee, the Kyrgyz Republic by Marat Mukanovich Imankulov, secretary of Security Council, Russia by Nikolai P. Patrushev, secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Tajikistan by Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, secretary, Security Council of Tajikistan, Turkmenistan by Charymyrat Kakalyyevvich Amavov, deputy chairman of Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on Security and secretary, State Security Council, and Uzbekistan by Victor Makhmudov, secretary of the Security Council. The International Association of Democratic Lawyers opposed Secretary Harry Roques nomination to the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC) in a statement, joining the list of over 200 groups who have expressed their stanceincluding Roques former employer and alma mater, the University of the Philippines Diliman. READ: UP Diliman stands against Roques ILC nomination in statement The IADL is a United Nations-accredited organization with members in over 90 countries and was founded by lawyers in 1946 who participated in the Nuremberg trials and helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The presidential spokesperson first announced that he was seeking one of 34 seats on the commission in September, an advisory body to the United Nations made up of law experts from around the world that is tasked with helping write up international law. IADLs statement opposing Harry Roques ICC nomination. IADLs statement opposing Harry Roques ICC nomination. The ILC is set to make its vote on November 12. Edre Olalia, IADLs transitional president told Coconuts that Roques potential election to the commission would taint his term for the next six years and undermine the ILCs credibility. Olalia added that its 24 signatories included UN representatives, ICC-accredited counsel, international tribunal lawyers, international law experts, law professors, and progressive lawyers. In its letter, the IADL said that Roques nomination to the ILC was inappropriate and unacceptable, citing his actions as presidential spokesperson where he arrogantly defended and justified beyond the call of duty (President Rodrigo Dutertes) attacks on human rights, justice, due process, and the rule of law. President Duterte faces investigation by the International Criminal Court for extrajudicial killings and other violations under his administrations drug war. The IADL added that allowing Roques election to the ILC was incompatible with its mandate, may contaminate its reputation and prestige, and might unduly compromise its credibility. Story continues The group added that Roque repeatedly mocked and antagonized those who opposed his even vilified and casted aspersions on his own colleagues in the legal profession, his peers in his very own alma mater, and other Filipino and solidarity groups in the Philippines and in New York who have interposed bona fide objections to his nomination and candidacy. The IADL added that Roques election to the seat will be adding insult to the irreparable injury to the victims of continuing human rights violations in the Philippines, and urged the commission to deny the spokesperson the undeserved pleasure and privilege of joining the ILC. READ: Harry Roques contempt for the rule of law makes him unworthy of a seat at the ILC, says lawyers group This article, International lawyers group oppose Roques ILC nomination, originally appeared on Coconuts, Asia's leading alternative media company. TSMC, Sony to invest $7 billion for new Japanese chip plant FILE PHOTO: The logo of Sony Corp is seen at the CP+ camera and photo trade fair in Yokohama TOKYO (Reuters) - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC) said on Tuesday it would build a $7 billion chip plant in Japan with Sony Group, a move that was welcomed by the Japanese government. Sony will invest about $500 million in the factory, it said separately. Construction of the factory, which local media said last month would supply semiconductors to Sony's image sensor business, will begin in 2022, with production slated to begin at the end of 2024, the companies said in a press release. The decision marks a success for Japanese industry ministry officials, who want world No.1 contract chipmaker TSMC to build plants to supply chips to Japan's electronic device makers and auto companies as trade friction between the United States and China threatens to disrupt supply chains and demand for the key component grows. "The fab (plant) is expected to directly create about 1,500 high-tech professional jobs and to have a monthly production capacity of 45,000 12-inch wafers," Sony and TSMC said. The plant will produce 22-nanometer and 28-nanometer chips to address strong global demand for speciality chip technologies, they said. The project has "strong support from the Japanese government," they added, although they did not say whether that included financial backing. Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi on Wednesday welcomed the move while declining to specify the nature of the government's support. Tech powerhouse Taiwan, home to chip makers like TSMC, has become front and centre of efforts to resolve a shortage of chips that has shut some auto production lines and impacted consumer electronics makers around the world. TSMC, a major Apple supplier, produces some of the world's most advanced semiconductors. The company has pledged to spend $100 billion over the next three years to expand chip capacity and is building a $12 billion chip fabrication plant in the U.S. state of Arizona. (Reporting by Ju-min Park and Tim Kelly; Additional reporting by Yimou Lee and Daniel Leussink; Editing by Mark Potter and Stephen Coates) Carole Baskin, the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue, is unhappy with how she was presented in the first series Netflix has said Carole Baskin has "no claim" in suing the company over the use of footage of her in Tiger King 2. Baskin and her husband Howard launched legal action against Netflix last week for breach of contract after they appeared in the show's trailer. Their lawsuit stated they only signed appearance release forms for the first season of the Netflix docu-series. Netflix now says they signed releases in 2019 that "explicitly permit" the footage use in later projects. The streamer and Royal Goode Productions, who are also included in the Baskins' legal claim, have called for it to be denied. Their case filing says Carole Baskin became a "pop culture phenomenon" as a result of Tiger King, adding she had "no claim at all" and her "breach of contract claim is merely a red herring, lacking any merit". Tiger King followed the rivalry between eccentric Oklahoma zoo owner Joe Exotic and animal rights activist Baskin. The show became a cultural phenomenon in March 2020, fuelled partly by the pandemic-enforced lockdowns. Carole Baskin, the owner and CEO of the Big Cat Rescue in Florida, has said she was unhappy with how she had been presented and described the series as "a reality show dumpster fire". Joe Exotic was jailed for 22 years but an appeals court has now said he should be released early as he has prostate cancer The Baskins want Royal Goode Productions and Netflix to drop all footage of them from Tiger King 2 and are seeking to take the case in front of a jury. The lawsuit states: "By utilising the film footage of the Baskins and Big Cat Rescue secured by Royal Goode Productions under the Appearance Releases in 'sizzle reels' and promotional trailers for the sequel entitled Tiger King 2, the defendants are in breach of the terms of the Appearance Releases." The lawsuit also claims the first series gave a false impression of the work of Big Cat Rescue and unfairly accused the Baskins of animal abuse. "The Tiger King 1 series wrongly attempted to suggest that Big Cat Rescue abused its animals by keeping them in very small cages while not making clear that the animals actually reside in expansive enclosures," the legal papers state. Story continues "Perhaps most pernicious is the overarching implication in Tiger King 1 that Carole Baskin was involved in the disappearance of her first husband in 1997," the papers say. Carole Baskin has repeatedly denied that she had anything to do with the disappearance of her first husband Don Lewis. 'Insurmountable constitutional hurdle' Netflix and Royal Goode Productions have called for the case to be denied as it "strikes at the heart of the First Amendment" of the US Constitution protecting free speech. An evidentiary hearing in the case is "futile" due to the "insurmountable constitutional hurdle", the streamer said. Tiger King became a viral Netflix hit at the height of the pandemic Last week a Florida judge had already denied a motion for a temporary restraining order that would block footage of the Baskins in the second season of Tiger King. The judge ruled that the Baskins "are not entitled to the extraordinary remedy of a temporary restraining order, which would be entered before Defendants have had an adequate opportunity to respond". Prison sentence Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, And Madness told the story of Baskin's nemesis, the flamboyant big cat enthusiast Joe Exotic. Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, was the owner of Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, which he has now sold. In 2018, Exotic was arrested and accused of hiring two men to murder Baskin. The following year he was found guilty of multiple federal charges of animal abuse and two counts of attempted murder and was sentenced to 22 years in a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. An appeals court has since ruled Exotic should receive a shorter sentence after he said he'd been diagnosed with "aggressive" prostate cancer. The second season of Tiger King will stream on Netflix from 17 November. Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk. The Inns of Aurora on Tuesday announced the opening of Taylor House Conference Center, a new meeting and events space that represents the "capstone restoration" for the luxury resort. Located in the center of the village, the center offers about 3,500 square feet of meeting space on two floors and "state-of-the-art amenities," the Inns of Aurora said in a news release. They include seven 65-inch TV screens, magnetic walls for workshops and presentations, airwalls to create separate meeting spaces, wireless microphones and an automatic light and projection system. The first floor has 2,000 square feet for a capacity of 50 guests, including three grand parlors. There is also a dining room for up to 30 guests, an outdoor patio and firepit for up to 50 guests, and dedicated parking with an electric vehicle charging station. The second floor has 1,500 square feet of modern boardroom space, a primary table for up to 36 guests, two breakout meeting spaces for eight guests each, and more than a dozen windows with views of the historic village and Cayuga Lake. The center has a total of nine fireplaces between the two floors. Weve been able to develop extraordinary meetings and events for guests throughout the Inns of Aurora property, Director of Sales Sara Brown said. In this new era where companies are favoring off-site retreats as their employees continue to work remotely and social groups are seeking more intimate experiences Taylor House allows us to expand our capabilities even further. The 1838 Greek Revival building, which in the past had been the home for Wells College presidents, also boasts original architectural details like Ionic columns and intricate crown moldings and plasterwork. Several pieces of art come from the collection of Inns founder Pleasant Rowland. The center is the latest of more than a dozen buildings in the village to be restored by Rowland. The Inns also includes five boutique inns, two restaurants, a spa and more. We deeply admire Auroras incredible entrepreneurial spirit, from the early settlers who created a bustling hub along the Erie Canal to the successful entrepreneurs, diligent scholars, and progressive thinkers including Pleasant Rowland who have shaped Aurora into the jewel it is today," said Chief Operating Officer Sue Edinger. For more information, visit innsofaurora.com/meetings-retreats/taylor-house-conference-center. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 While remaining below peak levels for the Delta variant surge that began in August, Cayuga County's COVID-19 transmission level increased over the past week, according to data from the county health department and the federal Centers for Disease Control. The health department's situational report for Monday said there are currently 229 residents in mandatory isolation with an active coronavirus case. That total is up from 178 in isolation a week earlier. The county put 22 residents into isolation Friday, 24 on Saturday and 17 on Sunday. Out of those 63 residents, 42 were unvaccinated. Data reported by the CDC showed the seven-day daily average of new cases over the past week ending on Saturday ranged from 20.1 on Oct. 31 to 26.9 on Nov. 4. It was at 22 on Saturday. Those levels are below the daily averages seen for Cayuga County in much of September, when they were consistently reported above 30 cases per day. However, it's still substantially above the levels reported in July and early August, when they were below 10. The county's COVID-19 hospitalization trend moved lower over the past week. The health department reported nine residents are hospitalized with COVID-19 in facilities in Auburn or Syracuse, down from 12 a week earlier. Of those nine case, five are unvaccinated, and one is a child under the age of 10. The health department is holding three vaccine booster clinics this week, but two have had appointments fill up, according to the county's online sign-up. The third clinic, scheduled for noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, will offer Moderna boosters at Fingerlakes Mall in Aurelius. As of 4 p.m. Monday, 21 appointments were left. Registration is required for those clinics. To register, visit cayugacounty.us/health and click on "COVID-19 vaccine clinics." If you sign up for an appointment, you should bring photo identification, your health insurance card and COVID-19 vaccination card to the clinic. Anyone who needs help with the registration process should contact their local government offices or call the Cayuga Community Health Network at (315) 252-4212. The health department last week said it will be working with school districts to hold in-school as well as community clinics for 5- to 11-year-old residents starting the week of Nov. 15. That age group just became eligible for shots with federal authorization last week. Cayuga County's overall vaccination rate continues to lag much of the rest of the state. According to the CDC, just 56.9% of the county's total population has had at least one COVID-19 shot, compared with 74.9% of the state population. The county's rate is 11th lowest out of 62 New York state counties. Allegany County is lowest at 41.7%, while New York County is highest at 86.4%. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A statewide crackdown on speeding and other violations in work zones resulted in more than 2,300 drivers being ticketed. The New York State Police, state Department of Transportation and the Thruway Authority said that state police and local law enforcement agencies issued a record number of tickets during 2021s Operation Hardhat, a joint initiative that seeks to crack down on work zone violations and highlight the importance of safe driving when encountering construction, maintenance and emergency operations along state highways. According to a news release, a total of 2,336 tickets were issued during the details this year, breaking the previous record of 2,018 tickets set during 2020. Under Operation Hardhat, police officers are present within work zones dressed as highway maintenance workers to identify motorists who are distracted by electronic devices while driving, disobey flagging personnel, speeding or violating the states Move Over Law, which applies to both emergency and maintenance vehicles. Of the 2,336 tickets issued during 2021, 2,201 were issued by the state police, a significant increase from the 1,803 issued by troopers in 2020. Another 135 tickets were issued by local law enforcement agencies, including the Madison County Sheriffs Office, the Montgomery County Sheriffs Office, the Oneida County Sheriffs Office, the Utica Police Department and the NYPD. Tickets issued in 2021 included the following violations included: Speeding 855 Cell Phone 434 Seat belts 254 Failure to move over 167 Failure to obey flagger 1 Failure to obey traffic control device 4 Other violations 621 "We are committed to making sure our roadways are safe, not only for those who travel them, but also for those who work on them," New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said in a news release. "Each day, law enforcement and other emergency responders, including highway workers, work in a dangerous environment and risk their lives to keep the traveling public safe. It is important that motorists are aware of their responsibility to follow the rules of the road and know that violations of the Move Over Law and work zone intrusions will not be tolerated." In September, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that authorized a pilot program to establish automated speed violation monitoring systems in work zones. These photo devices will be used to effectively monitor and penalize work zone violations, police said, further supporting initiatives like Operation Hardhat. Motorists are reminded to move over a lane, if safely possible, or slow down significantly whenever encountering roadside vehicles displaying red, white, blue, amber or green lights, including maintenance and construction vehicles in work zones. Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individuals driver license. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 " " ProCharger D1SC centrifugal supercharger Photo courtesy Muscle Mustang An ordinary four-stroke engine dedicates one stroke to the process of air intake. Three things happen during this process: The piston moves down. This creates a vacuum inside the cylinder. The vacuum causes air at atmospheric pressure to be sucked into the combustion chamber. Once air is drawn into the engine, it must be combined with fuel to form the charge a packet of potential energy that can be turned into useful kinetic energy through a chemical reaction known as combustion. The spark plug initiates this chemical reaction by igniting the charge. As the fuel undergoes oxidation, a great deal of energy is released. The force of this explosion, concentrated above the cylinder head, drives the piston down. The motion created by the movement of the piston is eventually transferred to the wheels. Advertisement Getting more fuel into the charge would make for a more powerful explosion. But you can't simply pump more fuel into the engine because you need an exact amount of oxygen burn a given amount of fuel. When idling or cruising at a constant speed, the mixture is 14.7 parts of air to 1 part fuel. When you need more power, such as accelerating to pass on the highway, the air-fuel ratio is more like 12:1. If you want to set records in the quarter-mile, however, you'll need to add more air so you can add more fuel. That's the job of the supercharger. Superchargers increase intake by compressing air above atmospheric pressure without creating a vacuum. This forces more air into the engine, providing a boost. With the additional air, more fuel can be added to the charge, and the power of the engine is increased. Supercharging adds an average of 46 percent more horsepower and 31 percent more torque. In high-altitude situations, where engine performance deteriorates because the air has low density and pressure, a supercharger delivers higher-pressure air to the engine so it can operate optimally. Unlike turbochargers, which use the exhaust gases created by combustion to power the compressor, superchargers draw their power directly from the crankshaft. Most are driven by an accessory belt, which wraps around a pulley that is connected to a drive gear. The drive gear, in turn, rotates the compressor gear. The rotor of the compressor can come in various designs, but its job is to draw air in, squeeze the air into a smaller space and discharge it into the intake manifold. To pressurize the air, a supercharger must spin rapidly more rapidly than the engine itself. Making the drive gear larger than the compressor gear causes the compressor to spin faster. Superchargers can spin at speeds as high as 50,000 to 65,000 rotations per minute (RPM). A compressor spinning at 50,000 RPM translates to a boost of about 6 to 9 pounds per square inch (psi). That's 6 to 9 additional psi over the atmospheric pressure at a particular elevation. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 14.7 psi, so a typical boost from a supercharger places about 50 percent more air into the engine. As the air is compressed, it gets hotter. Hotter air is less dense and can't expand as much during the explosion as cooler air. This means that it can't create as much power when it's ignited by the spark plug. For a supercharger to work at peak efficiency, the compressed air exiting the discharge unit must be cooled before it enters the intake manifold. The intercooler is responsible for this cooling process. Intercoolers come in two basic designs: air-to-air intercoolers and air-to-water intercoolers. Both work just like a radiator, with cooler air or water sent through a system of pipes or tubes. As the hot air exiting the supercharger encounters the cooler pipes, it also cools down. The reduction in air temperature increases the density of the air, which makes for a denser charge entering the combustion chamber. Next, we'll look at the different types of superchargers. Beijing (Gasgoo)- The British energy mogul BP signed an agreement with China's battery swapping company Aulton to buy stake of the latters subsidiary Guangzhou Aulton New Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (Guangzhou Aulton). Photo credit: BP Upon deal completion, Guangzhou Aulton will become a joint venture of both companies to provide safe and highly-efficient battery-swapping services for taxis, ride-hailing vehicles, and other passenger vehicles in Guangzhou. The two parties both hold a great vision for carbon emission elimination. They believe the battery-swapping business will substantially help achieve carbon reduction. For example,instead of long-time charging, commercial vehicle drivers will have the option of battery-swapping, which takes only a hanful of minutes like gas-fueling, if not shorter. As a world leader in the battery-swapping field, Aulton has developed over 24 electric vehicle models compatible with the company's battery-swapping network with 14 major automakers, including BAIC Group, FAW Group, Dongfeng Motor, Changan Automobile, SAIC Motor, and GAC Group. The company has deployed its battery-swapping network in nearly 30 cities across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changchun, Wuhan, Chongqing, Kunming, and Sanya. As of now, Aulton's battery swapping platform has accumulated over 50,000 users. Notably, earlier this year, Aulton disclosed its plan to set up at least 10,000 battery-swapping stations and a battery swapping platform with a capacity of over 10 million new energy vehicles by 2025. A demonstration on the grounds of the South Dakota Capitol proceeded Monday morning despite an original denial for a protest permit by Gov. Kristi Noem's administration. Demonstrators were rallying in support of a special session to strengthen state law ensuring individual rights to religious and medical exemptions from COVID-19 vaccine requirements. PIERRE About 100 people braved wet and cold conditions Monday morning outside the South Dakota Capitol to rally against vaccine mandates and in support of legislation guaranteeing the right to decline a COVID-19 shot. Men, women and children huddled with umbrellas and picket signs as they listened to a series of speakers demand action from state leaders in response to vaccine requirements being adopted by some South Dakota employers. "We're back to, 'Let's bribe you into doing this. Let's shame you into this, let's guilt you into this,' and now we're where we are now it's mandated," said Scott Hourigan, a Spearfish city alderman and resident who's been active throughout the pandemic in resisting heavy-handed mitigation responses. More: South Dakota lawmakers allege COVID vaccine religious exemptions are being denied, call for special session Government-issued mandates haven't happened in South Dakota. But many employers have required their employees get the shot. So while lawmakers are already in Pierre for two separate special sessions regarding redistricting and the potential impeachment of Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, Hourigan and other demonstrators want the state Legislature to use their authority to block all COVID-19 vaccine mandates, whether issued by government or private employers. But despite the GOP's dominance in Pierre, key decision makers, including Gov. Kristi Noem and Senate leadership, do not support using government to prohibit the private sector requiring employees, clients and customers to be vaccinated. More: After months of talk, South Dakota Legislature to decide attorney general impeachment, redistricting But when Noem indicated last month that she is open to strengthening protections for religious and medical exemptions for South Dakotans who don't want to get the jab, a handful of lawmakers formally called for a special session to take place this week. Story continues Requiring two-thirds of members of both chambers to sign onto the call, those lawmakers as well as demonstrators outside the capitol Monday morning hoped the rally would convince more legislators to sign on. As of midday, the call for a third special session had not achieved two-thirds support from lawmakers. More: Gov. Kristi Noem sued by 'Blue State Refugees' pushing for ban on vaccine mandates The demonstration is being held jointly by three separate organizations: Liberty South Dakota, Health Freedom South Dakota and Blue State Refugees, an unincorporated group of new South Dakota residents who filed a lawsuit against the state last week alleging it'd been denied a permit to rally outside the Capitol this week. The lawsuit was tossed out Friday after the Bureau of Administration reversed course and issued the organization a permit to gather on state-owned grounds. Following the morning demonstration, members of Liberty South Dakota entered the Capitol building where they gathered in the rotunda and unsuccessfully attempted to get a meeting with Gov. Noem. This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota Capitol protesters want protections from vaccine mandates LOS ANGELESNew Men.com exclusive model Clark Delgaty makes his debut for the studio opposite fellow Canadians Skyy Knox and Alex Mecum in Fuck Me Back to Life, a new scene debuting Friday. Fuck Me Back to Life follows two paramedics (Delgaty and Mecum) as they are called to a public bathroom where Knox has slipped in his cum and passed out on the floor. When the paramedics arrive at the scene, they have to shock Knox to bring him back and he wakes up horny and craving dick. Soon, a threesome erupts. Delgaty recently signed an exclusive contract with Men.com, joining fellow contract stars Felix Fox, Finn Harding, Matthew Camp, Theo Brady, Diego Sans and Joey Mills. I want to thank Men.com for an amazing experience, Delgaty said. The script was really fun, and I really enjoyed working with Alex and Skyy. To watch the scenes debut Friday or other premium content, visit Men.com. For more updates, follow the brand on Instagram and Twitter. LOS ANGELES Rachel Starr has joined FanCentro as their newest brand ambassador. Im so excited to bring my fanbase to FanCentro, says Starr. There are so many selling options and features, and their support team is truly amazing. The best part is they have always been adult-friendly and they truly care about the needs of the performers on the platform. Im proud to be on the platform. On top of her successful studio career with companies like Brazzers, Digital Playground, Bang Bros and Elegant Angel, Starr has become one of the most sought-after adult influencers, with more than 4M followers on Instagram. Were so proud to have Rachel on our team, says Kat Revenga, vice president of marketing at FanCentro. Rachel is not only one of the top stars in the world, shes a serious businesswoman. With a successful studio career, merchandise, podcasts and a massive following on social, shes got a wealth of knowledge and experience to share, making her a perfect ambassador for FanCentro. Top creators Eliza Rose Watson and Just Lucy had previously joined the platform as brand ambassadors. NEW YORK (AP) Britta Larson, a shift leader at Half Price Books in Roseville, Minnesota, has been with the store for nearly 12 years but only recently thought about whether she wanted to join a union. With the pandemic going on, we all were just weary of the constant dismissals we got when we raised concerns about staffing and workload to upper management, said Larson, noting that the staff had been reduced when the store shut down for a time and was stretched extremely thin once it opened again. Before the pandemic, I'd say we would have kind of just thought Things arent great' because it was all we had ever known. The pandemic forced us to do some things differently and we learned from that. Labor action has surged in many industries over the past two years, including in bookselling, a business where unions had been rare. Since 2020, employees have unionized or are attempting to do so everywhere from Printed Matter in New York City to Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle and Bookshop Santa Cruz in California. In Minnesota, workers at four Half Price Books stores have announced plans to affiliate with locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers union. "I think COVID-19 was a rude awakening for bookstore workers, and really anyone who works with the public, says Owen Hill, a buyer at Moes Books in Berkeley, California, which unionized earlier this year. We were given no say regarding safe working conditions, even though we were risking our health by showing up for work. We had to organize in order to be a part of the conversation around worker safety. The publishing world has not a magnet for those seeking to get rich. Bookselling, especially independent bookselling, has a long affinity with liberal politics and a long sense of mission that transcends the desire to make a profit. Larson told The Associated Press that she and fellow Half Price staffers would rather unionize than quit because of their enjoyment of books and love of our jobs as booksellers. But when workers organize, even the most progressive-minded owners might object. Moes Books was co-founded in 1959 by the cigar-smoking Moe Moskowitz, a longtime activist and agitator known in part for letting his store serve as a refuge for anti-war protesters in the 1960s. Moe's is now run by his daughter, Doris Moskowitz, who has spoken of the store's egalitarian atmosphere and tradition of valuing dissent and social consciousness. But when the staff announced in March that it was affiliating with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) union, Moskowitz acknowledged mixed feelings, telling the digital news site Berkeleyside that the decision to unionize, which I deeply respect from a political perspective, has left me very sad and confused. In September, workers picketed the store and alleged unfair labor practices (denied by Moskowitz), though Hill says the situation has since improved. After lots of ups and downs, and major disagreements, the parties have come together, Hill said. Were zeroing in on a contract, and both sides are negotiating in good faith. I expect that we will be voting on a new contract just after Thanksgiving (fingers crossed). I think management realized that both sides are committed to keeping the store open were such an important part of the community. In a recent email to the AP, Moskowitz wrote: Booksellers all over the country are participating in an important conversation. We are proud to be part of that, and we are especially proud of the progress made toward our first labor contract. Half Price Books also has its roots in the anti-establishment. It was co-founded in 1972 by Ken Gjemre, a former executive at the Zale Corporation who in middle age wanted to make a living more in line with his ideals as a pacifist, environmentalist and civil libertarian. A 2003 article in PR Week, published a year after Gjemre's death, described Half Price as "forgiving and generous to its unconventional workforce, which is peppered with aging hippies and liberal-arts majors. Half Price has grown from a former laundromat in Dallas to more than 100 locations around the country. In response to a request for comment on the current labor action in Minnesota, Half Price Books executive vice president and chief strategy officer Kathy Doyle Thomas said in a statement: Half Price Books strives to provide competitive benefits and good working conditions for all 1,900 employees across the country. We understand there is a movement to organize workers, and we respect the right of employees to vote. We are committed to following all procedures required by law. The company sent a different message to employees. In a statement posted for a time in some of the Minnesota stores, workers were told that Half Price would oppose unionization with every legal means available to us. Forming a union, the company added, was a very serious decision, one that could affect your working future, and the future of those that depend on you. We believe that, once you get all the facts about the union, you will decide that our future will be better without a union. Some owners say they are at peace with unions despite tensions. When staff at the McNally Jackson stores in New York City organized in 2019, owner Sarah McNally acknowledged that the action was initially a shock that offended her indie spirit. But she now says the union has brought clarity and structure to everything from salaries to job descriptions, and overall made management of the store more efficient. At Green Apple Books in San Francisco, co-owner Pete Mulvihill had just joined the staff when workers joined the local UFCW around 30 years ago, and he remembers a brutal process that including picketing, layoffs and an astounding amount of money spent on legal bills. He says tempers still rise when contracts are negotiated every three years, but he believes that staff and management are largely united as like-minded book lovers. Its helpful to have clear, written policies on things like scheduling, health insurance and paid time off, he says. It also sets realistic expectations for incoming staff around what the store can offer in compensation. And San Francisco is historically a labor town, so I think customers feel good knowing that our employees are backed by a union. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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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 Daily Mail President Joe Biden met Duchess of Cornwall during reception on Monday. He is supposed to be committed to reducing emissions but when President Joe Biden produced a little natural gas of his own at the COP26 summit, it was audible enough to make the Duchess of Cornwall blush. An informed source has told The Mail on Sunday that Camilla was taken aback to hear Biden break wind as they made polite small talk at the global climate change gathering in Glasgow last week. 'It was long and loud and impossible to ignore,' the source said. 'Camilla hasn't stopped talking about it.' The President met the Duchess during a reception on Monday at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery, attended by Prince Charles, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Boris Johnson. Just hours earlier, the 78-year-old nicknamed 'Sleepy Joe' by Donald Trump had appeared to doze off during the opening addresses, prompting more questions from his political rivals over his fitness for office. This is not the first time that Biden has faced claims that he broke wind. In May 2020, Republicans, including Donald Trump Jr, posted a video clip of Biden containing a suspicious noise while live-streaming an exchange with Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf. However, a separate video which circulated last month and was briefly trending on Twitter under #Fartgate was found to have been doctored to include fake flatulence. Trump Sr is considering running in the 2024 Presidential race. After a year in the White House, Biden's approval ratings are at rock bottom, with polls putting his predecessor two percentage points ahead. At the reception, which was originally supposed to have been hosted by the Queen until she was ordered to rest by doctors, Biden was seen laughing and joking with Prince William, at one stage placing a hand on his shoulder. At COP26, Biden apologised for Trump's actions in taking the United States out of the Paris Climate Accord and he pledged that America would devote more resources to fighting climate change. The President was 'gonged' eight times by organisers for running past the three minutes allotted for his speech. This summer, Johnson praised Biden as being 'a big breath of fresh air' on climate change compared to his predecessor. Appropriately, Biden has urged world leaders to cut methane gas emissions by 30 per cent by the end of the decade. Cows and other livestock contribute substantially to global methane levels. The White House declined to comment last night. This article has been adapted from its original source. The Beatrice Public Schools Board unanimously approved a partnership with Educational Services Unit 5 as part of plans to build a new elementary school during its Nov. 8 meeting. Together, the two institutions will form the Southeast Nebraska Public Education Agency under the Interlocal Agreement Act. This comes after months of weighing approaches to finance the new building. With the partnership, the newly formed agency will be able to secure financing to address a larger building project by pursuing Certificates of Deposit. Information provided by the school emphasized that this approach will not result in tax hike. Beatrice Public Schools superintendent Jason Alexander said the partnership will provide a financial foundation for the elementary school plans. This will allow us the opportunity to begin with a financial plan for the new school building, Alexander said. Creating this agency is like bringing tow public agencies together. And then through that process, we can create bylaws and then meet to discuss how we want to go about formulating the financial plan for the new building. The new partnership has created that new agency, and we can go out and secure bonds to move that project forward. Efforts to build a new elementary school stem from the problems Alexander has previously identified with the four current preschool through fifth grade buildings, including fire code violations, health code violations, ADA compliance issues and security surveillance issues. Jacquelyn Nielsen, assistant superintendent, said the plans over the next few years, including the building of the elementary school, will strengthen the district. It has been an awesome process that we have gone through to develop our strategic plan for the five years, she said. It really is visionary. It really is helping to push us forward. The board appointed Jon Zimmerman, Jason Alexander, and Lisa Pieper to serve as the districts representatives on the Southeast Nebraska Public Education Agencys board of directors. That board of directors will hold their first meeting on Monday Nov 15 at 11:30 a.m. A location has yet to be determined. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4 A joint board is being formed to oversee the construction of a new consolidated elementary school in Beatrice as part of an interlocal agreement. Both the Beatrice Public Schools Board of Directors and Educational Services Unit 5 Board of Directors approved resolutions Monday night to enter into the agreement. Michael Rogers, a bond attorney with Gillmore and Bell, attended the ESU5 meeting Monday night to discuss the proposal, which he said will differ from a bond issue by the vote of the people in that it will not come with a tax increase. (Beatrice Public Schools) has been looking at a lot of different options at how to solve their problem with their elementary school facilities, he said. My understanding is their elementary schools need either to have significant upgrades or to be replaced. The idea that Beatrice had was replace those by building a new elementary school building. The idea here would be for Beatrice Public Schools and the ESU to join together enter into this interlocal agreement. The interlocal agreement will form a new public body to plan a new school for pre-kindergarten through fifth grades. The five-member board will consist of School Board members Jon Zimmerman and Lisa Pieper, Superintendent Jason Alexander, ESU5 Administrator Brenda McNiff and ESU5 business manager Jan Reimer. The Interlocal Agreement Act allows public entities to partner and pursue financing for a larger scale project. Information provided by the school district stated the arrangement specifically allows school districts to partner with other public entities to address building issues without raising property taxes if the school district has the capacity to do so within the confines of its budget. The newly-formed Southeast Nebraska Education Agency will be able to secure financing to address a larger building project by pursuing Certificates of Deposit. The entity will issue bonds and lease the building to the school district, likely for 5-7 years, with an expectation the agreement will be renewed several times. The bonds will be payable from the revenues received from the new board and the bond holders will be paid from those lease revenues. It was stresses neither ESU5, the School Board or the new agency will be able to raise taxes, and BPS will not be able to exceed its $1.05 tax levy. The new board will be public and subject to the Open Meetings Act. Headquartered in Beatrice, ESU5 is one of 17 ESUs in the state created by the Nebraska Legislature in 1965. It serves Gage, Jefferson and Thayer counties. The ESU5 board unanimously approved the agreement Monday night after around 45 minutes of discussion. ESU5 board president Vicki Hinz-Ensz said its an unusual circumstance, but one shes proud to be able to support. It just seems like a lot of these circumstances have fit together to make this the right time compared to other times, she said. I think its something I feel proud to be able to support because I feel there is a need for change. Any time you have a good school system people in the community or surrounding area want to come and you get new people in the town, thats what you hope for. McNiff added that forming the group with Beatrice will have no impact on other schools ESU5 supports in the district. Services will not change to their districts, she said. No money will be taken from Thayer Central to support the building for Beatrice Public Schools or something like that. This would be a consideration if any district we have approached us and needed support in this way. ESU5 Board member Darlene Pierce added if the need arises, similar agreements could be reached with other schools the organization serves. I can see that Beatrice is the largest and I think a lot look to Beatrice as a leader in many ways, she said. If its good for Beatrice, it will help all children in our ESU5. Over the last three years Beatrice Public Schools has been researching building options that would address the learning conditions, life safety code violations and inefficiencies with the current prekindergarten through eighth grade schools. Five community meetings have been held in recent months, along with three smaller presentations to inform the community about these building issues, discuss options, answer questions, and address concerns. Alexander has previously said all four current preschool through fifth grade buildings have fire code violations, health code violations, ADA compliance issues, and security and surveillance issues. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Nebraska will immediately return to daily releases of more extensive COVID-19 data as hospitalizations have crossed a key threshold, Gov. Pete Ricketts said Monday. The state averaged 400 people hospitalized with COVID last week, up from 386 the week before, according to a World-Herald analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. That is at or close to 10% of the states staffed beds a number the state has used as a trigger for how much data it releases on its public dashboard and how often. The dashboard had been scaled down for the last 2 weeks. The pared-down version has been updated weekly rather than daily and has not included county-specific or demographic data. The week before Ricketts announced the change on Oct. 21, an average of 381 Nebraskans were hospitalized with the virus. At the same time, Ricketts announced that the state would rescind a directed health measure that delayed some elective surgeries. At a Monday press conference, Ricketts looked to Dr. Gary Anthone, the state director of public health, who confirmed that Nebraska would return to daily data releases effective Monday. Ricketts said the state was not, however, planning to reinstate the pause on elective surgeries. We think the hospitals have been able to manage it, with regard to their personnel and so forth, he said. So, were not planning on doing that. But we will be going back to updating the dashboard daily. The dashboard will include the same data on COVID-19 as was included before the latest scaling back, he said, plus data related to flu and RSV in the state. Back in June, the state retired the data dashboard entirely after Ricketts ended the states COVID-19 state of emergency. It started reporting a limited amount of data each week a move that was heavily criticized. In August, 11 state senators requested that Ricketts reinstate the dashboard, saying the data is crucial for schools and businesses making operational decisions. When hospitalizations were rising in September, Ricketts reinstated a version of the dashboard focused on hospital capacity, prompting praise from health care officials who said it would make it easier for them to plan and manage outbreaks. Ricketts said the dashboard would be dropped if COVID hospitalizations again fell below 10% of the states total staffed hospital beds, which came to fruition last month. The animal is weighed, the IDs checked and then based off of weight and overall health of the animal, then we decide where its going to go Gooder said. In addition to weighing each animal, the cows are preg- tested. Some are selected to return to the herd, and others are auctioned off as either bred heifers (pregnant heifers) or open heifers. Bulls also go through fertility testing, and those that fail are may be sold as grade bulls or possibly returned to the park to be hunted as part of the non-trophy bison hunt program. Eddie and Frida Gaw have been traveling to the Custer State Park for the annual auction from Cookeville, Tennessee, for the past 12 years. Eddie Gaw said he used to raise cattle but switched to bison 16 years ago when he sold just five buffalo bulls at $20,500 compared to a sale of 20 head of cattle for $20,000. I came back and sold all my cattle, and weve raised bison ever since, he said. Gaw purchased two breeding bulls for $2,900 each at the auction. Gaw said he runs 125 to 150 head of bison at his Lazy G Ranch and runs one bull to about 12 to 15 cows, changing the bulls out every three years. A team of medical professionals from the federal government arrived at St. Vincent Healthcare Monday to provide surge support in response to consistently high hospitalizations due COVID-19 infections. The team of 30 health care professionals are affiliated with the National Disaster Medical System, which is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Made up of doctors, nurses, paramedics, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, a pharmacist and administrative support specialists, the team will be serving at St. Vs for 14 days, according to Chrisity Westmoreland, the teams commander. The hospital can apply for additional federal support if needed at the end of the deployment. The Tennessee-one federal disaster medical assistance team, TN-1 DMAT, that Westmoreland leads deploys to areas where resources have been overwhelmed from natural disasters or public health emergencies. With the COVID-19 pandemic, Westmoreland and her team have been busy, deploying twice in 2020 and twice in 2021. Federal habitat protections imposed in 2012 were meant to avert the bird's extinction. They've also been blamed for a logging slowdown that's devastated some rural communities. Of 9.6 million protected acres (3.9 million hectares), federal officials proposed in August 2020 to remove protections for about 2%. The timber industry said the plan didn't go far enough and called for removal of more than 28%. On January 7, Skipwith changed her agency's recommendation and went even further, telling Bernhardt more than one-third of the protected land, or 3.5 million acres (1.4 million hectares), should be excluded from protection. The land has huge swaths of timber and includes 2 million acres (809,000 hectares) spread in a checkerboard pattern across western Oregon. Logging those lands might not have immediately killed off the owls immediately they live up to 20 years on individual territories that can stretch across 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) yet eventually they would have gone extinct, said Paul Henson, the wildlife service's Oregon supervisor. When Henson brought his concerns to superiors last December, Skipwith overrode them. Rosendale admitting in a recorded conversation that hed spoken with NRA-ILA political director Cox about the gun lobby's Montana campaign, its focus on Tester and Supreme Court Nominations, was important to the lawsuit, said Brendan Fischer, of the Campaign Legal Center. CLC is representing Giffords in court. The interaction between the shell companies then illustrated the campaigns relationship down to the placement of ads at Montana TV stations. There were two layers to the coordination scheme. One was coordination over the production of the ads. And then the other layer was regarding the placement of the ads, Fischer said. Both of those are forms of coordination. Both are illegal. It matters because the NRA can only spend unlimited amounts of money supporting Rosendale if it's operating independently of Rosendale. If it's coordinating its spending with Rosendales campaign, then it can't spend unlimited amounts of money, including secret money. Campaign coordination can work a couple of different ways. A third party can make political attacks a candidate would rather not be associated with. The third partys ads might be coordinated to complement the candidates ads. Both examples are illegal. Knudsen said he was among the first kindergartners to attend classes at the then new school in Bainville in 1987. "It is a real treat for me to have locals come all the way to Helena for such a special award," he said, congratulating Wills. Gov. Greg Gianforte also congratulated Wills. Gianforte said his daughter just became a teacher, so he knows firsthand how important the work is. "Not only does your work have a lasting impact in the lives of your students, but it imparts in them an understanding and appreciation of our state's history," he said. "Our shared history is what binds us together as Montanans, and it couldn't be more important to preserve. Preserving and learning from that history helps our state meet the challenges of today and build a strong, more prosperous tomorrow." The Centennial Bell was placed in the Capitol building in front of the Senate by an act of the state Legislature in 1989. It is rung every Nov. 8 to commemorate President Benjamin Harrison's declaration of statehood for Montana on that day in 1889. Montana was the 41st state inducted into the union. Editor's note - This story has been updated to correct information about the entities that donated funds to the winner of the Montana History Teacher of the Year award. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A female Montana Army National Guard soldier graduated from the U.S. Army Sniper Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, on Nov. 5, becoming the first woman in history to complete the course, officials said. Military officials said in a news release Monday they are not identifying her by name. That was done at the request of the soldier, who is a native Montanan. The accomplishment prompted praise from Gov. Greg Gianforte. What a remarkable feat for this soldier and incredible milestone reached for our U.S. Armed Forces! he said on social media. Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, adjutant general for Montana, offered congratulations as well. This soldier had to volunteer several times to reach this goal, which is a demonstration of her dedication and commitment to service, he said in a news release. The soldier enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in December 2020. She was sent to Fort Benning to complete Infantry One Station Unit Training, a 22-week course that combines Army basic training with advanced individual training in infantry skills. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The chairman of Dubai-based real estate developer Union Properties was dismissed from the company's board on Tuesday, a day after the firm disclosed that a top prosecutor in the United Arab Emirates had called for his detention amid an investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing. Khalifa Hassan al-Hammadi, who had served as chairman of the board of directors of Union Properties, and three other board members were dismissed, leaving in place just three of the company's seven board members. The company, one of the biggest real estate developers in the emirate, is known for building Dubai Motor City. The decision was announced in a disclosure on the Dubai Financial Market stock exchange website. It comes after a late Monday night disclosure on the same site of an Arabic letter from the public prosecutor for public funds ordering the detention of al-Hammadi pending investigation. The letter added that the case remains under investigation. Trading on the company's stock was suspended Monday until resolutions are disclosed, according to a brief statement on the stock exchange's website. GLASGOW, Scotland Countries must come together urgently to find political consensus on issues like the promise of money from rich countries for poor countries to combat climate change or to adapt to climate shocks, says Alok Sharma, who is chairing the two-week climate talks in Glasgow. We have only a few days left, he said. Sharma said that the commitments made by countries in the first week of the talks narrowed the gap but werent enough. He said that countries now have to shift immediately to making good on those promises. He said that with the commitments the world is bending the curve to limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius. But of course, that isnt good enough, he said, reiterating that the target for these talks was to try to ensure that warming is less than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Archie Young, the U.K.s lead negotiator, said that there have been three main areas where there have been disagreements during the negotiations: a mechanism for helping countries with the losses they suffer from climate change, how the progress on countries' own climate targets would be tracked and the support that poor countries need to become more transparent. A federal grand jury has indicted five people in an alleged drug trafficking operation that authorities say has brought more than 350 pounds of methamphetamine to two American Indian reservations in North Dakota since 2018. The grand jury indicted Uzziel Garcia, 25, of Arizona; Allan Widmayer, 57, of Minot; Corey Baker, 50, of Sheyenne; Nathan Smith, 40, of Fort Totten; and Charlsie Walking Elk, 36, of Tokio. The indictment alleges they were part of a conspiracy that brought the drugs to North Dakota for distribution primarily on the Spirit Lake and Turtle Mountain reservations, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Nick Chase. Smith was arrested in January after a chase on the Spirit Lake Reservation. Authorities found 2 ounces of meth in his vehicle, and an investigation showed the drugs came from Baker through Walking Elk, according to Chases office. Grand Forks officials said they seized 8 ounces of meth and $27,000 from Baker in a June traffic stop. Bakers sources were identified as Widmayer and Garcia. Law enforcement through a controlled buy and a search warrant found more than 30 pounds of meth and $32,000 cash in Widmayers house, authorities say. An investigation showed Baker allegedly received 2-3 pounds of meth per month from Widmayer and Garcia since 2018. It was distributed mostly on the two reservations, the U.S. attorney said. The five are charged with drug conspiracy and drug distribution. They face the possibility of life in prison if convicted. They will enter pleas later. Reach Travis Svihovec at 701-250-8260 or Travis.Svihovec@bismarcktribune.com Love 0 Funny 0 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. North Dakota health officials on Tuesday began publicly tracking COVID-19 vaccinations of children in the 5-11 age range, and hundreds of doctors in the Dakotas encouraged parents to protect their kids as shots for that age group get underway across the nation. Meanwhile, COVID-19 cases in the state ticked up as testing increased with the start of the workweek on Monday, and officials also reported five more coronavirus-related deaths. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week endorsed Pfizer's vaccine for children ages 5-11. Doses for that age group are about one-third of the amount given to adolescents and adults. There are about 82,000 children in that age range in North Dakota, according to the Health Department -- about 11% of the state population. The agency's vaccine dashboard on Tuesday showed that 1.3% of them -- about 1,000 -- had received one dose of the vaccine. The American Academy of Pediatrics chapters of North Dakota and South Dakota on Tuesday urged parents to vaccinate their children ages 5 and up against COVID-19. People who oppose the vaccine question whether it's safe; the pediatricians said there is no doubt. This vaccine has undergone rigorous testing and in-depth studies to ensure safety and effective protection against COVID-19 infection," they said in a statement. "The vaccine is very good at preventing COVID-19 infections, excellent at preventing severe COVID-19 disease, and outstanding at preventing COVID-19 deaths. To us, even one child dying from a vaccine-preventable illness such as COVID-19 is one too many. Numerous health care organizations including the state medical associations in the two states and more than 200 individual health care providers in the Dakotas signed onto the letter. Sanford Health Bismarck and CHI St. Alexius Health both are scheduling COVID-19 vaccination appointments for children ages 5-11. Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health conducted a drive-thru clinic at the Bismarck Event Center on Tuesday. Daily data The Health Department on Tuesday reported a total of 791 new COVID-19 cases in all age groups, from 8,848 tests completed Monday, and officials calculated a positivity rate of 9.58%. The 14-day rolling average test positivity rate was at 7.18%, above the state target of less than 5%. That rate has changed little in the last three weeks. Active virus cases statewide rose by more than 300 from Monday, to 3,455, and by 24 in Burleigh-Morton counties, to 649. Large increases from Monday to Tuesday is not unusual, since testing typically drops off on weekends, which is reflected in Monday data. The five new deaths brought the state's pandemic death toll to 1,796; 170 of them have occurred since the start of October, amid the onset of the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. The Health Department no longer publicly reports the county, sex and age range of newly confirmed deaths. The dashboard death total for Morton County increased by one, to 120; the total for Burleigh remained unchanged, at 244. COVID-19 hospitalizations increased by two on Tuesday, to 150. About 8% of staffed inpatient beds were available statewide and about 5% of intensive care unit beds were available, according to the most recent state data. Sanford Health Bismarck and CHI St. Alexius Health had no available beds listed in either category. More information The state's vaccine dashboard shows 56% of eligible North Dakota adults and 33.9% of adolescents in the 12-18 age group are considered fully vaccinated. North Dakota has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S., according to the CDC. People can go to https://www.ndvax.org or call 866-207-2880 to see where COVID-19 vaccine is available near them. The coronavirus transmission risk is considered substantial or high in all of North Dakota's 53 counties, according to the CDC's COVID-19 data tracker website. The CDC recommends people in those risk categories wear masks in public indoor settings. The transmission risk in the Bismarck-Mandan region is considered high. A list of free COVID-19 testing offered by local public health units is at health.nd.gov/covidtesting. For more detailed information on coronavirus in North Dakota, go to www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus. For more information on coronavirus variants, go to https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/transmission/variant.html. Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or blake.nicholson@bismarcktribune.com. 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. The mayor of Grand Forks told state lawmakers Tuesday that access to natural gas is key to attracting industrial facilities to North Dakota, while a utility company asked for tweaks to a proposal that would make $150 million in grant money available for another cross-state pipeline. North Dakotas propane industry, meanwhile, opposes the plan. Several of its representatives told the Senate Appropriations Committee that the proposal would create an unfair playing field by propping up one energy industry over another. Legislators will weigh Tuesdays comments this week as they sort out how to spend $1 billion in federal stimulus money from the American Rescue Plan Act. The proposal before legislators contained within Senate Bill 2345 would put $150 million toward bringing more gas to the eastern part of the state, where many communities lack access to gas or would like more of it. The bulk is expected to go toward a pipeline that would transport gas from the Bakken oil fields, a project estimated to cost $1 billion. Grand Forks leaders announced this week that a wet corn mill is coming to the community, but the deal hinges on the availability of gas, which is seen as among the cheapest ways to fuel industrial facilities. We need it now, Mayor Brandon Bochenski told the committee. The problem is weve got a two-year window to deliver this gas to this company and to our agribusiness park. If we cant do that, theyre going to have to look elsewhere. The bill carves out $10 million to bring natural gas service to Grand Forks County. Bochenski said that money would go toward building a short 13-mile pipeline that taps into the larger Viking Pipeline in western Minnesota, as any future pipeline spanning the length of North Dakota would take a while to build. North Dakota Pipeline Authority Director Justin Kringstad estimated it would be four years at the earliest to build a pipeline crossing the state. Bochenski said such a pipeline would still benefit the Grand Forks area even after installing the proposed 13-mile line, as other local industrial facilities would want to tap into it. Meanwhile, Dakota Natural Gas, a new utility serving Hillsboro, Mayville and Drayton in eastern North Dakota, wants to bring gas to more small communities. The company sees the proposed grant money as an option to reduce costs if lawmakers are willing to allow some of it to be spent on projects other than a cross-state pipeline. President Cody Chilson suggested the Legislature amend the bill to state that building out smaller distribution systems would be an acceptable use of the funds. Especially if the trans-Dakota pipeline is slow to get off the ground, it would ensure a timely way to use the ARPA funds earmarked for natural gas, he said. The federal money must be spent by the end of 2026. The three-member North Dakota Industrial Commission would be tasked with determining which company or companies receives grant money. The committee rejected the amendments proposed by Dakota Natural Gas. North Dakotas propane industry does not want to see the proposal go through. Natural gas is a competitor of propane. Numerous residents of smaller communities in North Dakota use propane for heat, and its used by some industrial facilities that do not have access to gas. I have a team of very hard-working, loyal and dependable employees that will be laid off if the natural gas expansion comes to our area, said Joe Fouhy, general manager of Farmers Union Oil Co., which distributes propane in the western North Dakota communities in and around Beulah. I am not against natural gas. I am against this expansion with the use of taxpayer money. The prospect of putting public money toward natural gas also prompted questions from Sen. Tim Mathern, D-Fargo. Are other states subsidizing these pipelines? he asked. What is going on that the market itself is not working? Kringstad said that the market would react to the need for more gas infrastructure in the coming years. He anticipates gas production will grow, which could lead to more flaring down the road if processing plants and pipelines do not keep pace. The solutions companies pose would likely maintain the status quo by sending more Bakken gas down existing pipelines to bigger markets in other states, he said. Several pipeline projects have been proposed in recent years to move more Bakken gas eastward across North Dakota, but they failed to secure enough interest and the economics did not pan out, Kringstad said. WBI Energy operates one pipeline that crosses the state already, and some eastern North Dakota communities receive gas through the Viking Pipeline. Elsewhere in North Dakota's eastern half and along U.S. Highway 2 in the north, small communities have long wanted gas service. Its too early to know what route another pipeline crossing the state would take. Kringstad said he has heard ideas from at least five developers. Some state officials have floated the idea of putting more than $150 million in public money toward a future project to make the economics pan out better for a developer. The committee did not immediately vote on the bill Tuesday afternoon. Abandoned wells Another energy-related proposal within the bill would direct $3.2 million of the federal stimulus money to plug abandoned oil wells and convert them to water wells to provide water for livestock in the western part of the state. State Mineral Resources Director Lynn Helms told lawmakers on Monday that the request would cover the cost for 16 well conversions. The state has identified 32 wells that could be candidates for the program. Reach Amy R. Sisk at 701-250-8252 or amy.sisk@bismarcktribune.com. Love 1 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. Cheung Kim-hung, former CEO of the media company founded by pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, must continue to sit in jail as he awaits his Dec. 28 court date, accused of violating the broad and oppressive National Security Law imposed by Beijing. [] After enduring five months in prison awaiting trial on conspiracy charges under Hong Kongs National Security Law (NSL), Cheung Kim-hung, former CEO of Next Digital Media company, was denied bail by the citys high court. The presiding judge, DAlmada Remedios, denied Cheungs request for bail on Nov. 5, citing insufficient grounds for believing that Cheung would not continue to commit acts endangering National Security if bail were granted, according to the Hong Kong Free Press. Cheung was one of the top executives of the now-defunct media company Next Digital and its subsidiary newspaper Apple Daily. Both entities had come under increasing government scrutiny for denouncing China and its communist government, violations of the extremely restrictive NSL. Cheung and six other senior executives of Next Digital await trial on charges of conspiring with longtime Acton friend Jimmy Lai, Next Digitals founder. Next Digital, Apple Daily, and Apple Daily Limited, all founded by Jimmy Lai, also face charges. Hong Kongs NSL, which was imposed by Beijing, aims to stifle any hint of dissent, including freedom of speech, assembly, and expression, by banning what party leaders deem to be acts of subversion, collusion with foreign powers, or terrorism against the citys increasingly authoritarian government. Acquiring bail is much tougher in National Security cases, as the malleable law allows a specific exception to the general rule of granting of bail in Hong Kong criminal cases. Section 9P in Hong Kongs Criminal Procedure Ordinance bans media from publishing details of the court session involving a request for bail. Such details may be reported at a later time. Cheung and the other six Next Digital executives, including Lai, are set to appear in High Court on Dec. 28, where they face possible life imprisonment. Apple Daily, a prominent pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper, was forced to shut down operations after city police raided its headquarters and froze HK$18 million (US$2.3 million) in assets. In addition, a government-appointed personal investigator raided Next Digitals headquarters in a search and seizure of its financial records. The company filed for liquidation on Sept.5, as employees stepped down to allow the companys creditors to be paid. Jimmy Lai founded Next Digital in 1990 with a single magazine after the rights that Hong Kongers once enjoyed began to be erased. His publication produced pieces that opposed the rising Communist government in China and its overflowing influence on Hong Kong freedoms. Specifically, Lai is charged with fraud related to his sublease of the companys headquarters, along with conspiracy, collusion with foreign forces, and calling for sanctions against Hong Kong and its leaders. Hong Kong party leaders have been after Lai for decades in an effort to silence his influential pro-democracy voice. With the passing of the sweeping NSL in June 2020, its vague language and broad application have made an example out of Lai. The Acton Institute honored Lai with its Faith and Freedom Award in 2020, recognizing his fight against totalitarianism and promotion of the dignity of the human person. The Acton Institutes in-depth documentary, The Hong Konger, showcases Lais unceasing activism and fight for human rights in Hong Kong. The film is set to debut in early 2022. You need people who you can email, and you need them quickly. Oh, and if you could get them pretty cheap, that'd be great, too. That's the mindset many marketers find themselves in when they're on the phone with a list-purchasing company: We need new people to email to support our sales team. Acting on that moment of desperation, however, can cause more harm than good. Yes, thousands of contacts are a credit card swipe away, but your email marketing program a critical part of a well-rounded inbound marketing strategy can seriously suffer. Curious why buying email lists is a legitimate email marketer's kiss of death? Read on. Plus, we'll give you a list of squeaky-clean and effective ways to build your email marketing list without simply buying one. Methods of Acquiring an Email List Before we get into the pitfalls of buying email addresses, let's review three ways marketers are currently able to acquire their email lists: 1. Buy an email list. You work with a list provider to find and purchase a list of names and email addresses based on demographic and/or psychographic information. For example, you might purchase a list of 50,000 names and email addresses of people who live in Minnesota and don't have children. There are several sustainable ways to use email marketing to grow your business. This isn't one of them. 2. Rent an email list. Also working with a list provider, you identify a segment of people to email but you never actually own the list. As such, you can't see the email addresses of the people you're emailing, so you must work with the provider to send out your email. 3. Own an opt-in email list. Someone voluntarily gives you their email address either online or in-person so you can send them emails. They may pick certain types of email content they wish to receive, like specifically requesting email alerts when new blog posts are published. Opt-in email addresses are the result of earning the interest and trust of your contacts because they think you have something valuable to say. When it comes to rented or purchased lists, you may come across vendors or marketers who say, "This email list is totally opt-in!" This means the people on the list opted in to email communication from someone at some point in time the list provider, for example by filling out a form or checking a box to receive more content from that provider. What "opt-in" lists don't mean, however, is that email recipients opted in to receive email communications from your business. This is a critical distinction, and the next section of this post will go into more detail on why this type of "opt-in email list" (should be read with air quotes) is not a good idea for your email marketing program. Why You Shouldn't Buy Email Lists You'll violate the rules of consent under GDPR. Reputable email marketing services don't let you send emails to lists you've bought. Good email address lists aren't for sale. People on a purchased or rented list don't actually know you. You'll harm your email deliverability and IP reputation. You can come across as annoying. Your email service provider can penalize you. 1. You'll violate the rules of consent under GDPR. Most email marketers around the world are legally required to allow recipients to opt out of emails they no longer want to receive. Contacts must be able to do this directly in the email message. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), a European data privacy act that doubles down on the opt-in side of this relationship and found that purchased email lists are simply not compliant. GDPR has revamped numerous aspects of a digital marketer's use of customer data throughout Europe on a website, in social media, and via email. You don't even have to work in Europe to fall under the act's jurisdiction; if your recipients live in Europe, they're protected by GDPR. With GDPR now governing all email correspondence across Europe, adding an opt-out option to your email template no longer cuts it. Under this act, you must have explicit consent from your contacts to send them emails. Explicit, in this case, means the checkbox a person must click to opt into an email subscription isn't pre-checked when they see it on your website. And when you buy your email lists, the people on it haven't been given this option making you non-compliant with GDPR before you send your first email. Want some non-legal reasons to avoid the purchased email list? We've got those as well, below. 2. Reputable email marketing services don't let you send emails to lists you've bought. If you're using email marketing software or plan to in the future, you'll find that reputable companies will insist that you use opt-in email lists. You might be saying, "I'll just use a non-reputable email marketing vendor." Alas, ESPs on shared IP addresses that don't require customers to use opt-in email lists typically suffer poor deliverability. Why? One customer's ill-gotten email address list can poison the deliverability of the other customers on that shared IP address. You're going to want to hitch your wagon to the light side of the email marketing force if you want your emails to actually get into inboxes. 3. Good email address lists aren't for sale. Unless your company is in the middle of a merger or acquisition, you're not going to come across a high-quality email list you can purchase. If it's for sale, it means the email addresses on it have already been deemed non-responsive or unqualified for marketing outreach. While bought email addresses might've at one time had value, they've likely been spammed to the ends of the earth otherwise, they'd still be in the desiring hands of the company selling them. Think about it, would you sell or share the email addresses of those who have voluntarily opted in to receive email from you? 4. People on a purchased or rented list don't know you. I referenced this earlier, but it's worth going into some more detail on this subject. Rented and purchased lists are sometimes scraped from other websites, which, I think we can all agree, is a dirty way to acquire email marketing contacts. But let's say the email addresses you're looking to purchase were not taken from another site but rather earned legitimately. Email list purchase and rental companies might tout that those lists are "opt-in." Sounds great, right? Not really. Email addresses that belong to an "opt-in" list have opted to receive emails from, say, the list-purchasing company not your company. Even if the opt-in process includes language like, "Opt-in to receive information from us, or offers from other companies we think you might enjoy," the fact is the recipient doesn't recall having a prior relationship with you, specifically. This makes it highly likely for the recipients to mark you as "spam" when you arrive in their inboxes. Hey, if they don't recognize you or remember opting into communications from you ... can you blame them? After all, the most prevalent type of spam is advertising-related email accounting for approximately 36% of all spam messages. This takes us to our next point. 5. You'll harm your email deliverability and IP reputation. Did you know there are organizations dedicated to combating email spam? Thank goodness, right? They set up a little thing called a honeypot, which is a planted email address that, when harvested and emailed, identifies the sender as a spammer. Similarly, things called spam traps can be created to identify spammy activity; they're set up when an email address yields a hard bounce because it's old or no longer valid, but still receives consistent traffic. Fishy, eh? As a result, the email address turns into a spam trap that stops returning the hard bounce notice, and instead accepts the message and reports the sender as a spammer. If you purchase a list, you have no way of confirming how often those email addresses have been emailed, whether the email addresses on that list have been scrubbed for hard bounces to prevent identifying you as a spammer, or from where those email addresses originated. Are you really willing to risk not only your email deliverability, but also the reputation of your IP address and your company? Even if you find the light after purchasing or renting email lists and decide to only email those who have opted in with your company, it'll take you months (or maybe years) to get your Sender Score up and rebuild the reputation of your IP. 6. You can come across as annoying. How do you like it when you get an email in your inbox from a company you've never heard of? I bet that's not the kind of company you want to buy from or work for. If someone didn't ask to hear from you, it doesn't mean they won't want to hear from you later. It's your job to prove to them through helpful content and valuable offers that they should stay up to date with your company via email. If you force your email content on anyone too early, even if you know in your bones they're a great fit for your products or services, you risk preemptively losing their trust and their future business. 7. Your email service provider can penalize you. Buying email lists doesn't just damage your deliverability and brand reputation it can also put your email account at risk. Email clients like Gmail, Yahoo!, and Outlook don't want to be associated with accounts that recipients repeatedly flag as spam. Email service providers like AWeber go as far as immediately closing your account if it suspects you're sending unwanted content. If these consequences are too daunting, we came up with some alternatives to paid email lists thatll gain your customers interests. Paid Email List Alternatives 1. Shift your outbound marketing strategy to inbound. Buying email lists is another form of outbound marketing its the method that pushes messaging out to potential customers. Not only is it costly, but it doesnt guarantee a higher ROI as a result. When you shift your strategy to inbound marketing, youre repositioning your business to build brand awareness and customer relationships through content creation and social media tactics. 2. Conduct lead generation campaigns. Lead generation is the process of attracting prospects to your business and nurturing their interests with the goal of making them into customers. This can be achieved through effective marketing campaigns with enticing call-to-actions. Some examples of lead gen campaigns include: Sharing blog posts with informational content Promoting product offerings across social media channels Offering product trials or coupons that lead to your landing page Your business can get creative with campaigns to better engage your audience, especially with our next point in mind. 3. Show thought leadership through your content. With the content your business shares to an audience, you have the ability to display thought leadership. This tactic is used in content marketing to build trust and gain credibility in your field. To become a thought leader, your business needs to display brand helpfulness through informative content like tutorials, listicles, and other posts that help your target audience learn something new. If you want to use both email marketing while implementing these alternatives, read on to see how to do it right. How to Grow an Opt-In Email List for Free Now that you've learned a few ways to acquire email lists, let's explore how you can acquire them through the third method stated earlier in this article the opt-in method. Generating your own list of email contacts who have opted in to receive content from you doesn't just comply with legal regulations and protect your brand reputation. It also presents you with opportunities to grow this list through genuine relationships with new customers. We've already written about clever ways to go about doing this, which you can check out here. But, below are the basic best practices that have a very big bang for their buck when it comes to consistently growing an email list. 1. Create gated assets so there's a reason for people to give you their email address. Webinars, ebooks, templates, etc. these are all good long-form, premium content assets that people may find valuable enough to give over their email address. The more gated assets you have to put behind landing pages, the better a wider variety of content will make it easier for you to attract a wider swath of people. 2. Create useful tools. If ebooks aren't your jam, create tools instead. I don't recommend a one-or-the-other approach, but if you have more development talent than writing talent, this may be a more attractive option for you. These tools can be valuable enough to some of your website visitors that they'll trade you their email address for a free demo of the product you built. Then, for your first email, ask them what they thought of the tool. It's the perfect icebreaker. For example, we created Website Grader which is free to use, but prompts you to input an email address. We also took a similar approach to a more recent tool, the Blog Topic Generator. 3. Promote those gated assets on your marketing channels. Now that you have some gated assets that can capture email addresses, spend a considerable amount of time making sure the world knows about them. You have plenty of channels at your disposal social media, PPC, and email are common ones to turn to. But, none will provide lasting returns quite like your blog. Consider this scenario: You promote your new gated assets by blogging about subject matters related to the content assets you've created. Put CTAs that lead to the asset's landing page on every one of those blog posts. Now let's say your blog posts get about 100 views per month, and your visitor-to-lead conversion rate on the blog is about two percent. That means you'd get two leads from a single blog post each month. Then, let's say you write 30 blog posts a month. That means you'd get 60 leads in a month two from each blog post. Now keep doing that for a year. The work you did to blog that first month will continue to drive leads throughout the year. That means you're actually getting 4,680 opt-in contacts a month by the end of 12 months because of the compounding effects of blogging not just 720 opt-in contacts (60 leads*12 months). 4. Run creative email marketing campaigns. Most people don't think of email as a lead- or contact-generating channel. But because people forward helpful emails to colleagues or friends, it can expand your database if you simply make forwarding or sharing email content easy for recipients. Include calls-to-action in your emails that make sharing an obvious choice for recipients, particularly with your most useful assets. If you already have a pretty large database, you also likely have some contacts that have gone quite stale. If so, I recommend running a re-engagement campaign that can help you both scrub your list and prevent the kind of spam and IP issues I addressed earlier, as well as reawaken old contacts that might have forgotten about you, but would actually be great fits for sales. 5. Include sharing buttons in your emails. Consider adding share buttons to your email so your email recipients can forward the emails they liked most to friends and colleagues they think would like it, too. Have a few different buttons on your email template: separate social media buttons that produce pre-written social posts linking to a webpage version of your email, and an "Email to a Friend" button that transfers the email into a compose window so your contacts can instantly forward the message. Just make sure your email has an opt-in button so each new viewer can subscribe to more emails from you if they like what they see. Attract Customers without Breaking the Bank Theres already plenty of noise your business has to break through to get to your customers so dont let your paid email marketing efforts end in their spam box. Instead, we hope you use this article to devise a strategy to attract prospects with impressive content, assets, and tools that nurture them from leads to customer advocates. This article was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness. Anti-science pastor and lawmaker Jeff Hoverson (RND) organized an anti-vaccine rally, set for today. The Q-injected gentleman then caught Covid-19 and was forced to miss his own rally. Although yesterday Hoverson posted about his case of Covid on Facebook, saying "Quarantining and each day is getting better," today the ailing state representative changed his tune. "I'm feeling rough," he said. "But this ivermectin is keeping me out of the hospital," he added, perhaps unaware that the vaccine would also keep him out of the hospital, as well as allow him to keep his de-worming medication in the barn, where it belongs. From KSTP: The North Dakota Legislature returned to Bismarck Monday for a special five-day session, during which a bill to prevent vaccine mandates will almost certainly gain approval. House Majority Leader Chet Pollert said Hoverson could participate remotely. North Dakota's Republican leadership and GOP Gov. Doug Burgum have said they oppose such mandates and the state has joined a federal lawsuit challenging President Joe Biden's COVID-19 vaccine rules. Although Hoverson will not attend the rally at North Dakota's statehouse, he said three of his teenage children will be there. Hoverson is among the most far-right legislators in the GOP-controlled Legislature. He introduced legislation last session to repeal mask mandates and he sponsored failed legislation that would have made it a felony to help women access abortions. This is the same good lawmaker who called the police from the Minot International Airport last month after he triggered a security alarm during the TSA screening. The TSA officials had tried to pat him down, but he was having none of it. The airline then banned him and his wife from boarding their flight, thereby messing up their anniversary getaway. [Insert sad Fred Flintstone music here.] The 16-year-old Texan who ran over six cyclists after blowing diesel truck exhaust at them on September 25 was charged with six felonies today. All six cyclists were sent to the hospital after the unnamed minor drove into them with his 7,000 pound Ford F250 pickup truck. Two of the cyclists were flown to the hospital by helicopter. When police arrived at the scene of the collision, they spoke to the teen but didn't ticket him or arrest him. The police didn't interview any of the cyclists, some of who suffered broken bones and traumatic brain injuries. Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis said in a Facebook post: "There has been some online and community speculation that the incident was handled in the manner it was because of connections between the motorist and Waller city officials. At this point we can confirm there are some connections, but have yet to see evidence of a city official directing the officer on the scene as to how to handle this particular situation. We will continue to look for any such criminal interference as the investigation proceeds." Prosecutors say they police didn't inform the district attorney's office ( a charge the police department disputes). In Syracuse, New York, firefighters rescued a fellow who had become trapped, naked, inside the bathrooms wall at a Landmark movie theater. An employee heard the man yelling and called emergency services who used a fiber optic camera to determine his exact location. Then they broke out the saws. They brought the man to the hospital for evaluation but he was not visibly injured by his harrowing experience. From Syracuse.com: He had been seen wandering around the theater earlier in the week, said Mike Intaglietta, executive director of the theatre. Employees who had seen the man lost track of him and thought he had left the building, he said. "I don't know if he was entering to keep warm or to use the bathroom. I don't know," Intaglietta said. Instead of leaving, the man got into a crawl space in the building, Kane said. He was in the hiding spot for two days before he fell into a space in the wall of the men's bathroom and became trapped, Kane said. Evan Neumann of Mill Valley, California, fled the United States after his participation in the failed January 6th Capitol insurrection came to light. Neumann is wanted on six charges including assaulting police, obstruction of law enforcement, unlawfully entering a restricted building, disorderly conduct, engaging in physical violence on restricted grounds, and violent entry on Capitol Grounds. Like a true hero of the January rebellion, Neumann sold his house and ran for Eastern Europe. Crooks and Liars: On November 8, 2021, Bari Weiss's Substack newsletter announced the formation of a new college: the University of Austin. Conveniently not to be confused with UT Austin, an actual university, this as-yet-unaccredited university is different from other liberal arts colleges, because it's about truth and real education and free speech or whatever banal platitudes the anti-wokist profiteers are cheering on this week. A new university dedicated to the pursuit of truth. pic.twitter.com/8mQRFPK53B The University of Austin (UATX) (@uaustinorg) November 8, 2021 Much like the infamous "Harper's Letter" on Cancel Culture, the University of Austin's mission statement presents itself as a bold and defiant while offering little more than vague rhetoric which is, on its surface, hardly disagreeable. Like this: We're reclaiming a place in higher education for freedom of inquiry and civil discourse. Our students and faculty will confront the most vexing questions of human life and civil society. We will create a community of conversation grounded in intellectual humility that respects the dignity of each individual and cultivates a passion for truth. Or this: Our curriculum is being designed in partnership not only with the world's great thinkers but also with its great doersvisionaries who have founded bold ventures, artists and writers of the highest order, pioneers in tech, and the leading lights in engineering and the natural sciences. Students will apply their foundational skills to practical problems in elds such as entrepreneurship, public policy, education, and engineering. Thinkers and Doers?! At a university?! What will they think of next?! As for the team of revolutionary founders behind this very revolutionary non-degree-offering university, well, I think Today in Tabs summed it up most perfectly: There are some noted academics on the school's roster who aren't entirely terrible, though it's also not clear what, exactly, their involvement is. Although the university is not currently accredited or offering any degrees, they say they are "working on it" and have the connections to speed up the accreditation process in order to reach their ambitious plans to launch graduate programs in Entrepreneurship and Leadership in 2022, graduate programs in "Politics & Applied History" and "Education & Public Service" (which both sound like propaganda mills to me!) in 2023, and finally establish an undergraduate college in 2024. That undergraduate program is also definitely going to be different from other colleges: The first two years of study will consist of an intensive liberal arts curriculum, including the study of philosophy, literature, history, politics, economics, mathematics, the sciences, and the fine arts. The College will feature an immersive, in-depth and personalized learning experience with interdisciplinary breadth. Look, there are absolutely problems with higher education in this country. But starting a non-profit think tank disguised as a college where you can just indoctrinate people with a wholly unoriginal set of elite centrist ideologies will not do anything to change the institutional issues or cultural reckonings happening on campuses across the country. (PS: those are two very separate things, and you don't solve or end or even address them both by conflating the two into one big boogeyman of Faux-Marxist Brouhaha.) The University of Austin We Can't Wait for Universities to Fix Themselves. So We're Starting a New One. [Pano Kanelos / Common Sense with Bari Weiss] For decades, police have disproportionately pulled over minorities, especially Black men, for minor traffic infractions. Those traffic stops have lead to a disproportionately large number of driver and passenger deaths when police discharge their weapons into the car for the wrong reason (like killing the driver for reaching into the glove compartment after the cop demands to see their registration). The City of Philadelphia has now joined a number of other cities who've banned police from pulling over drivers for things like an obscured registration tag. Instead, the cops will take a photo of the license plate and the car owner will get a ticket in the mail. Here is a list of infractions that are on the no-stop list: Driving with a single broken brake light Driving with a single headlight Having a registration plate that's not clearly displayed, fastened, or visible Driving without an inspection or emissions sticker Bumper issues Minor obstructions (like something hanging from a rearview mirror) Driving without vehicle registration within 60 days of the observed infraction From NPR: About 2,500 union workers at Catholic Health System have ratified new four-year contract agreements, officially ending one of the most significant labor disputes in recent Western New York history and opening the door for about 2,000 of those employees to return to Mercy Hospital this week. Just after 9 p.m. Monday, Communications Workers of America said Local 1133 and Local 1168 members voted to approve the deal by a wide margin: 94% voted "yes," while the remaining 6% voted "no." With the contracts ratified, the 2,000 workers who were on strike for 35 days before a tentative agreement was reached late Thursday will start returning to Mercy Hospital in South Buffalo on Wednesday. "The agreement we've reached with Catholic Health, now overwhelmingly ratified by our members, is going to allow Catholic Health to attract and retain the staff they need, provide the good wages and benefits our health care heroes deserve and usher in a new level of care and safety for patients," CWA Area Director Debora Hayes said in a statement. People in the Western New York region who are looking for jobs in the advanced manufacturing sector might be just the ones wanted at a jobs event to be held on Tuesday in Buffalo. The event will happen from 1 to 5 p.m. at the Northland Workforce Training Center, 683 Northland Ave. The opportunity is designed for students, but also people who have graduated or are looking for a job, organizers said in an email. The job event Tuesday could yield multiple benefits, said Stephen Tucker, president and CEO of Northland Training Center. First, I hope that companies identify potential candidates, said Tucker of the job event. He said he hopes students benefit from the event, as well as job seekers that would want to come to Northland to get the training we have to offer. At the event, people seeking jobs will be attending during the afternoon, with students attending from 1 to 3 p.m., and the public attending the event from 3 to 5 p.m., Tucker said. One difficulty with hiring for these sorts of jobs is because people don't understand that these sorts of positions are out there, Tucker said. And, Tucker said, We dont recruit just to fill the seats." Bergevin said that Bennett died in January. "Lucky for you, huh?" she said to Grassi. The defense attorney contended that Bennett "researched this about Joe Belstadt and this young girl that went missing, and he made up a story." "I am not aware of that," Grassi said. He agreed that he was interested in an early parole, and Grassi was paroled on the earliest eligibility date, 14 months after he talked to North Tonawanda police. Niagara County District Attorney Brian D. Seaman got Grassi to agree that he had already received a favorable parole decision before he talked to police about Belstadt. Also Tuesday, a forensic pathologist testified that Steingasser died from being strangled with her own bra. Dr. James Terzian of Vestal didn't carry out the 1993 autopsy; he was hired by the District Attorney's Office to review the reports and photos from the autopsy, done by then-Erie County Medical Examiner Dr. Sung-Ook Baik. According to Bergevin, Baik refused to travel from California to testify at the trial. Terzian, who said he's done more than 4,000 autopsies of his own, said he's being paid $3,500 plus expenses for his testimony. "I also remind you we have close to 10,000 students and countless families that send their children to private schools that will be affected by this change," he wrote. Brown-Hall's response, which he sent to parents, prompted some parents to say they would come out in support of him before Tuesday's School Board meeting. Williamsville parent Dana Hensley said she asked her oldest daughter what the family should do if mask breaks are not allowed. "I would pull her and home-school her," she said, adding that is not an option for every family and not ideal for her family. "I'm not going to allow her to sit there all day long and not be allowed to take her mask off." Cornell said he has contact with many superintendents throughout the state through the New York State Council of School Superintendents. "If mask breaks are a threat to public health in schools, why is only Williamsville being singled out?" Cornell said. In its guidance issued before school started, Erie County included five-minute mask breaks every hour for students. But it added a notice that said as of Sept. 27, schools should follow state Health Department guidance. Cornell said students are spaced out during mask breaks. Emilia Louisiac needs a map of the world to show how she ended up in Buffalo. She is from Haiti but, like many Haitians, left her home country that was left in ruins by the earthquake that struck in 2010, killing 200,000 people. She was most recently living in Chile where she worked as a fruit packer. She dreamed of a better life, especially now that she was pregnant. So, like many Haitians and other people fleeing political and economic strife, she began the long, treacherous journey north to the United States, at times traveling on foot through miles of jungle. In July, she arrived at the Vive Shelter for people seeking asylum in the United States or Canada. "She made up her mind she was going. For her, it was like a mission she was going to accomplish," said Maria Perez-Gomez, assistant director at Vive, who translated for Louisiac while holding her month-old baby, Lia Keisha, as Louisiac told her story to The Buffalo News. The Covid-19 pandemic slowed the flow of asylum-seekers to Vive for more than a year, but since the summer, the shelter has experienced an influx of immigrants. Recently, people from Haiti and Colombia have been among the largest groups, accounting for 17% and 25% of the building, respectively. "We've been extremely busy here at the shelter," said Matt Tice, the director of Vive. He said he has had to add more beds to the dormitory rooms and recently converted spaces that had been used for workshops and other programming to make room for more residents. "We just don't have anywhere else to put people," he said. People from all over the world come to Vive in their quest for asylum. Located in an old school building at 50 Wyoming Ave., the shelter is operated by the Jericho Road Community Health Center. It was founded in 1984 by members of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious of the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo to help South and Central Americans seeking asylum in the U.S. or Canada. "We see different waves of people coming through depending on what's happening in the world," Tice said. This summer and fall, the U.S./Mexico border saw an increase in the number of Haitians. Front pages of newspapers and cable news showed images of tens of thousands of migrants, many of them Haitians, crowded into makeshift camps under the international bridge in Del Rio, Texas. Some are being flown back to Haiti. Others are being allowed to stay in the United States as they wait for their cases to be heard in immigrant court. Vive staff members expected to see Haitians arriving at their facility. Now, they are helping them apply for Temporary Protected Status, which allows people from certain countries to remain in the United States legally for a given amount of time and seek work permits. Help needed Vive is seeking donations to help clothe and care for the influx of new residents. Many arrive in shorts and flip-flops and aren't prepared for a Buffalo winter. Vive has a wish list that can be found at jrchc.org/vive/wishlist. Donations can be arranged by appointment. Inside Vive last month, small children clung to their parents and adults scrolled through their cellphones waiting for appointments. Three Haitian residents at Vive shared their stories. All are applying for Temporary Protected Status. Like many of the Haitians who have crowded to the Southern border recently, those Haitians who talked to The News said they had left their native land after the 2010 earthquake. Many fled to South America, including Chile but in late 2020, new restrictive legislation there passed. Violent protests erupted. Then, back in Haiti, the president was assassinated and another large earthquake struck, making it all but impossible for Haitians to return home. The United States offers Temporary Protected Status to Haitian nationals who have been here since before July 29, 2021, explained Irene Rekhviashvili, an immigration attorney with Journey's End Refugee Services, who provides legal services to Vive residents. Haitians entering the U.S. after that date do not qualify. The status for each country lasts 18 months and can be renewed, but it's not guaranteed. "There's a huge chance that status will run out in the future. At that point, if you have no other status you'd have to go back to your home country." Many migrants apply for other avenues to stay legally in the United States, including asylum, which would offer a path to citizenship, Rekhviashvili said. 'I have a lot of dreams' Davilmar Elie, 34, said he decided to leave after he was robbed of all his money. He had saved money by working seven days a week in construction and farming. When he crossed into the United States, he was arrested by border authorities and released after 11 days. He went to Philadelphia and Manhattan where he has relatives, but decided to go to Buffalo after hearing about Vive. He paid his cousin $150 to drive him from New York City. Elie wants to work and build a new life here. "I have a lot of dreams," he said. "I want to touch the sky." He would like to find work as a roofer, he said. Steve Corneille said he supported himself by driving for Uber and had a small restaurant where he sold Haitian food. A long journey This summer, he sold his car and began the long journey from South America. From Santiago, Chile, he traveled by bus, boat and often on foot. "Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico," he said, showing his path on a series of maps. He showed videos he took on his cellphone of migrants wading through raging waters through the Darien Gap, which connects Colombia to Panama. That journey took days, he said. They survived on instant noodles and slept in tents at night, even when it rained. The trip to Mexico took a month for Corneille. He stayed in Tapachula, Mexico, for two months before he took a bus to Acuna, across from the U.S. border. He was taken into custody after he crossed the river and is now at Vive awaiting his application. "I'm just waiting for my papers," he said. "I want to work. I want to study. I want to have my family." The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories every weekday. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Buffalo News found that some places - like the towns of Amherst and Hamburg are planning to not opt out on either sort of business, which would allow those businesses to open there. Cheektowaga was moving in a similar direction. Other places like the Village of Orchard Park and the towns of West Seneca and Tonawanda were opting out or planning to, even if only with respect to one portion of the law. A total of seven towns and villages were part of the reporting by The News the towns of Tonawanda, Amherst, Cheektowaga, West Seneca and Hamburg, and the villages of Williamsville and Orchard Park. On the line in the case of the marijuana businesses is money. Marijuana products carry a 4% local tax when purchased by customers, 25% of which goes to the county, and the rest goes to the municipality where it was sold. Over time, communities can change their minds on opt-out decisions, but only in one direction. "If a municipality does not opt out by December 31, 2021, the municipality will be unable to opt-out at a future date," the state's Office of Cannabis Management states on its website. However, if a community opts out now, it can still opt in at a later date. The public's attitude toward marijuana, Fadhl said, has changed dramatically. Police Capt. David R. Price in December cited a "written record of repeated infractions and poor evaluations" for the officer, noting he had received nine letters of counsel and four more serious reports of violation since 2011. In the 2016 Tonawanda Town Court incident, according to video footage obtained by The News and WKBW-TV in separate public-records requests, Lewandowski approached a man and woman as they sat along the main aisle and soon pulled them out of the courtroom with the help of another officer. He is shown pushing the woman backward through the doors at the rear of the courtroom and, per a hallway camera, throwing punches at the man, although it's not clear whether the blows connected. When the woman tried to intercede, Lewandowski shoved her head back against the wall, before he and the other officer wrestled the man to the ground. As part of his discipline, Lewandowski was required to undergo training in how to avoid bias and act professionally toward the public. Emily Trott, Lewandowski's lawyer, previously said her client acted appropriately in the encounter. Local school districts have made an effort in recent years to ensure all students including those who are transgender, nonbinary or gender nonconforming are made to feel comfortable and included. The Williamsville Central School District is the latest district to take action along these lines. The School Board last month approved a policy marking all single-occupant bathrooms as gender neutral and another policy on gender identity that, among other steps, allows transgender students to take part in gym classes for the gender with which they identify instead of their birth sex. Williamsville school officials say the board primarily voted to formalize longstanding district practices. But this didn't lessen the urgency in the voices of backers of the new policies when they spoke at the meeting. Jessica Mason spoke of coming out as gay years ago as a student at Williamsville East High School, where the support she received at school was a "shield" to protect her from the verbal abuse she endured at home because of her sexual identity. Mason's sister, Melissa Bennett, a teacher at Casey Middle School, implored the board to aid the students of today and tomorrow. When we receive emails and phone calls that call us names and use profanity, thats just not appreciated, Councilor Tim McGlothlin said right before the vote. Were doing our best to represent you. The Dalles is adjacent to the the mighty Columbia River, but the new data centers wouldnt be able to use that water and instead would take water from rivers and groundwater that has gone through the citys water treatment plant. Dawn Rasmussen, who lives on the outskirts of The Dalles and has seen the level of her well-water drop, said during public comments just before the vote that she worries Google would elbow aside residents if water becomes so scarce, because of climate change, that there's not enough for everyone. Anderson assured her that the tech giant would not have priority. I think weve identified that the highest priority is the public health and safety needs of the community. After that, there is shared curtailment, he said. The concerns are understandable in The Dalles, the seat of Wasco County, which is suffering extreme and exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The region last summer endured its hottest days on record, reaching 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 Celsius) in The Dalles. Blinken praised Egypt for its work to try to help stabilize Libya, which has been in the midst of chaos and internal unrest for years made complicated by the presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries acting on behalf of Russia, Turkey and Gulf Arab states. On human rights, Blinken said the administration welcomed the launch of an Egyptian national human rights strategy but said the effort would be judged by its results. Making tangible and lasting improvements on human rights is essential to strengthening our bilateral relationship and the United States will continue to support those efforts however we can, he said. The U.S. has complained about Egypts human rights record for years and the Biden administration has withheld $130 million in military aid to the country pending improvements. Shoukry's remarks appeared to acknowledge Egypt's understanding of the concern. ""We also believe that human rights are an interdependent whole, which necessitates that we dedicate equal attention to political rights and civil liberties and economic and social rights," he said. This is an evolutionary process unique to each country, one that reflects and takes into consideration its social specificities, developmental realities, religious background, and cultural characteristics, he said. He added that the new strategy, along with al-Sissi's revocation of a long-standing nationwide state of emergency last month are irrefutable evidence of our determination and resolve to continue to forge our path towards a modern democratic state and for the benefit of our citizens first and foremost. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) At 19, Glasgow college student Ross Hamilton doesn't think highly of world leaders they chat a lot of nonsense or expect them to accomplish anything on a problem he cares deeply about, climate change. But there is one former world leader Hamilton trusts, at least enough to join several hundred Glasgow college students crowding outside their college in the dark Monday in hopes of a glimpse of him: Barack Obama. I've always liked him. I feel as if he's pretty honest." The former U.S. president, one of the leaders responsible for the 2015 Paris climate accord, came to the U.N. global climate talks in Glasgow, wielding his cross-generational appeal to urge frustrated climate activists to stay in the fight. Even five years out of office, and now 60, Obama still claims a rapport with liberal and moderate young people in a way that President Joe Biden, 78, might not be able to pull off. Inside the glass-fronted building where Hamilton and other students of Glasgow's Strathclyde University were waiting for him to emerge, Obama was sitting around a table with a dozen climate advocates from around the world, hearing them out and encouraging them. Obama was in shirtsleeves and tieless, his hair whiter than during his presidency. Traffic pursuits or stops (8.4%); Civil disorder, such as mass disobedience or riots (4.1%); Handling persons with mental illness (3.9%); Burglaries in progress or pursuing burglary suspects (1.3%); Ambush situations (0.8%). Western New Yorkers should know these killings and assaults are happening with alarming frequency in this country. For law enforcement officers, the dangers they face are constant as they deal with a wide range of threats. FBI Director Christopher Wray has spoken up against calls to defund the police. With the rise in violence against police, now is the time to make sure officers at the local and federal levels have every tool necessary. I dont believe that giving the police less resources, less training, less people is the solution, Wray said. I think that just promotes lawlessness. I think we need to be making sure that our police departments can recruit and hire the right people, that theyre trained in the right way. That theyre equipped with the very best equipment, that theyre compensated appropriately. At the FBI, we must continue to sound this alarm. Remember, every one of the officers we lost in the line of duty this year was someones family member. They were truly special people. Stephen A. Belongia is Special Agent in Charge in the FBIs Buffalo Field Office. In what may be the one of the last good deeds Tom Reed does for his congressional district, the Corning Republican last week voted for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that the majority of his caucus would have cheerfully suffocated in its cradle. Reed, who has announced he will not run for re-election next year, may have felt freer than others to buck his partys madness but, make no mistake: Madness is the word. Only 13 of the Houses 213 Republicans broke with their party to support a measure that will transform large swaths of the country with upgraded roads, bridges, sewer projects and other long-needed improvements. Among the areas that will almost certainly benefit is Reeds 23rd Congressional District. The good news for this state is that two other New Yorkers were among the 13 Republicans who supported the bill, with Reps. Andrew Garbarino and John Katko joining Reed. Sadly, Rep. Chris Jacobs, R-Orchard Park, didnt have the nerve to stand up for his 27th Congressional District. HAIKOU, China, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ -- The 2021 January-September period witnessed 176,900 market entities emerged, an increase of 126 percent from that of the last same period, in Haikou, capital of south China's Hainan Province, on back of the government's efforts to implement the master plan for the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), announced Haikou International Investment Promotion Bureau this month. Hainan FTP Plan Boosts Market Entity Emergences in Haikou City during 2021 Jan-Sept period The master plan for the Hainan free trade port aims to build the southern island province into the world's largest duty-free market, and a globally-influential high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. According to the government plan, by 2050 this region will become a unique cluster with an advanced economy, where campuses of leading universities, advanced laboratories and headquarters of leading multinational corporations will be located. Since the master plan was released on June 1st, 2020, Haikou attended eight signing ceremonies in Hainan Province, which involved 106 projects totaling 50.995 billion yuan (about 7.9 billion US dollars) of investment, with the engagement of Xiaomi Corporation, China Railway Material General, Cambodia Angkor Air, De Beers, and other well-known enterprises. Haikou has streamlined the administrative process to better serve enterprises, with efficiency improved by 90% in recent years. The approval time limit for non-governmental investment projects was reduced to 14 working days, and saved considerable time before construction kick-off. Hainan Chang'an International Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. went through the whole process of site selection to the investment contract determination within 21 days. Up to date, the company has capped its main project, with 400 million yuan (about 61.5 million US dollars) already invested in its anti-tumor drug production line. Haikou also made efforts to host investment invitation events in cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, and many enterprises shared their experience of settling down in Jiangdong New District. Story continues Zhang Jiawei, head of Shenzhen Minaspace International Group Co., Limited, said that Haikou Jiangdong New District has a steady long-term policy system, livable ecological environment, gradually optimized supporting facilities, and apparent advantages of later-stage policies. Li Sichao, a China Area General Manager of Shenzhen Huachuang Investment Management Co., Ltd.'s subsidiary, also noted that Jiangdong New District is equipped with various preferential Hainan FTP policies, as well as a strong environmental protection sense. The Chinese central government decided that a free trade port system focusing on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be "basically established" in Hainan by 2025 and become "more mature" by 2035. The authorities expect to make Hainan, China's largest special economic zone, the frontline of China's integration into the global economic system. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hainan-ftp-plan-boosts-market-entity-emergences-in-haikou-city-during-2021-jan-sept-period-301419839.html SOURCE Haikou International Investment Promotion Bureau Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/09/c6414.html Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo A deadly wave of attacks recently claimed by the Islamic State (ISIS) in Afghanistan is sparking fears across intelligence communities worldwide that a familiar nightmare is re-emerging. No doubt, the pattern is alarming: Ever since the suicide bombing that killed roughly 100 Afghans and 13 U.S. servicemembers on Aug. 26, the group has persisted with more mass-casualty attacks across the country, including a suicide bombing at the funeral for Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahids mother, another suicide bombing against the Shi'a Hazara mosque in Kunduz, and a dual suicide attack on Shia Bibi Fatima mosque in Kandahar just a couple of weeks ago. Were concerned that ISIS-K can take advantage of a significantly weakened security environment, after the U.S. withdrawal, FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers last month. In the same hearing, National Counterterrorism Center Director Christine Abizaid expressed worry that ISIS is building off the notoriety it received from the Kabul airport attack. But is that really the case? Are these signs of a more emboldened, rejuvenated ISIS? Why ISIS Attacked the Kabul Airportand Whats Coming Next While on the surface, ISISs shift toward mass-casualty attacks, accompanied by a targeted anti-Taliban media campaign, can be seen as signals of confidenceits far more likely that the group is acting out of pure desperation. Both locally and globally, the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan threatens ISIS in profound new ways, and marks yet another major defeat from which ISIS will likely not recover. ISISs Khorasan Province, also known as ISKP or ISIS-K, originated from the Taliban and allied groups in 2015. Its pitch to the radical jihadists of Afghanistan was easy to make in those days: With the U.S. still in Afghanistan, and with its caliphate then growing rapidly across the world, ISIS was the group that could finally change the course of the region. It didnt take long before the Taliban asserted its overwhelming dominance, though. Much like the Shabaab al-Mujahideen did to ISIS-pledged militants in Somalia, the Afghan Taliban steadily rooted out the vast majority of ISISs Khorasan Province. The former Afghan government and U.S. government put further pressure on ISIS in the years that followed, helping to cut its ranks from an estimated 3,000 to 300. Story continues Now, with the Taliban in control of Afghanistan and the U.S. military gone, the ISIS sales pitch becomes a much harder sell: no infidel invasion of Muslim lands to rail against, and no significant ranks to resemble a caliphate. Today, ISIS is instead reserved to cell-based terrorism and guerrilla warfare. Its unsophisticated attacks in the last year point to its limited capabilities: IED attacks, dismantling power lines, sniper attacks, and suicide operations. And with the Taliban now armed with scores of U.S. Humvees, armored fighting vehicles, and other major weaponry, it seems very implausible that ISIS will ever have a stable base in Afghanistan. This new reality has required ISIS to reconfigure its pitch to Afghans. The Taliban, after all, has now established an emirate far more secure than the caliphate ISIS failed to hold onto. All that considered, ISIS may have even been better off with the U.S. in Afghanistan than it is now. The groups new media campaign has reframed its role from a Taliban rival to a righteous opposition force. ISIS and ISIS-aligned media groups are now punching up, referring to the Taliban as the security guard for the interests of America while declaring a a new stage in their blessed jihad in Afghanistan. Then theres ISISs new phase of mass-casualty operations. These attacks are not intended to sway the United States one way or another, because it knows war-weary America will not be coming back in the same capacity as before. Nor does ISIS expect that its suicide bombings will somehow increase its odds at facing the ever-powerful Taliban, which it stands no real chance of challenging. A Journalists Tortuous Escape From the Taliban Kill List What ISIS is doing with attacks like that at Kabuls airport is exactly what it did when it publicly burned a Jordanian pilot alive or drowned prisoners in cages in Hollywood style productions: making sure that its name continues to occupy headlines. For ISIS, staying relevant and staying existent are one and the same. And to survive under the Taliban, the group will go to any and all extremes to maintain relevance. The airport attack was just another effort to hijack the conversation.: Headlines, news shows, and social media veered away from the U.S. withdrawal and Taliban takeover, and instead focused once more on the threat of ISIS. The groups deadly suicide operations against Shiites and other soft targets in Afghanistan since then have done the sameall without any significant numbers or resources. The Talibans Afghanistan takeover had other global implications for ISIS as well, because it was a mutual victory for an even deeper-rooted ISIS rival: al Qaeda. While ISIS took a fast path to the caliphate, al Qaeda, the group from which ISIS split, urged patience. This was among ISISs favorite places to jab at al Qaeda, arguing to the global jihadi movement that its longer-standing rival had lost its way since 9/11 and had become useless in pursuing true Islamic statehood. But in the end, ISIS lost it all while al Qaeda is finally seeing its strategy and narrative vindicated. This creates a powerful narrative within the global jihadist community, which is driven in no small part by narratives of victory and uncompromising piety. Here is al Qaedas most powerful and longstanding ally, the Taliban, having established an Islamic Emirate after defeating the worlds most powerful military. And here is al Qaedaits bonds with the Taliban just as strong as eversharing in that historic victory with a guaranteed place to regroup and grow after enduring so many tribulations. Al Qaedas past losses or its leaderships lack of charisma no longer hinder it, because it can boast that its long-preached steadfastness is paying off. And meanwhile, here is ISIS: everything lost, its propaganda machine a shell of what it once was, and its methodology a demonstrable failure. A so-called Islamic State that is anything but. How the FBI Nabbed a German ISIS Woman Over 5-Year-Old Girls Vile Murder ISIS is no longer the same group it was in the days of the 2015 Paris attacks and its sweeping caliphate across Iraq, Syria, and beyond. The group was once able to flaunt itself as a serious military force via propaganda of training camps and fighters parading through controlled territories in rows of weapons-mounted trucks. Not anymore. Sure, it has built presences in regions like West Africa, but it no longer holds a substantial base in any Sunni-majority country. Its propaganda now shows meagerly constructed training camps, and poorly equipped fighters confined to hidden bases. While the impact of ISIS losing territories like Mosul and Raqqa are immeasurable, the Talibans takeover of Afghanistan is its own unique nightmare for ISIS, even if only symbolically. It is the final nail in the coffin for the pretensions of statehood it had still been holding onto. Whether it keeps with the gimmick or not, they know, just as the global jihadi community knows, that there is no viable path back to sweeping territories anymore. Not in Afghanistan, not in Syria, not anywhere. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Peloton's fitness ambitions go far beyond treadmills and stationary bikes. Its next product is the Peloton Guide, a strength-training camera system that hooks up to your TV and uses machine learning to understand your movements. The movement tracker feature is compatible with hundreds of Peloton strength classes. The idea is to encourage users to carry out all of the exercises in a class and keep up with instructors (but it's not a big deal if you can't stick to the instructor's pace). The Self Mode will enable users to match their form against the instructor's in real-time via smart camera technology. You'll be able to select how you appear on screen, and the aim is to help you make adjustments during a class. Peloton Guide camera system and remote. The body activity function serves as a reminder of which muscle groups you've worked out most recently. It will suggest classes that target muscles you might have overlooked lately. In addition, Peloton Guide has a voice activation mode. You can start, stop, rewind and fast forward a class. The feature will be available in the US, Canada and the UK at the outset (for what it's worth, Peloton's bikes only just got a pause button for on-demand classes). In terms of privacy, you'll be able to put the system to sleep, slide a cover over the camera and turn off the microphone with a physical switch, though the company says the microphone won't be on or listening unless you're in a class. Peloton plans to improve the system over time by training the machine learning model on more movements and disciplines, and increasing the number of classes and training programs. Meanwhile, you'll be able to use your own equipment and weights. A TV displaying a selection of Peloton Guide's strength training classes. The company says that strength is its platform's fastest-growing discipline. The Peloton App offers some strength classes, while unofficial groups and tags focused on strength now boast nearly 250,000 community members. Peloton Guide is the company's least expensive device to date. It costs $495 US / $645 CAD / 450 / 495. The system, which comes with a remote and the updated Peloton Heart Rate Band, will arrive in the US and Canada in early 2022. It will hit the UK, Australia and Germany later next year. Story continues The Heart Rate Band, which will be an armband rather than the current chest strap, will be available separately early next year for $89, and is compatible with Peloton's other products. Peloton says it will discontinue the existing Heart Rate Monitor in the coming months. It's worth noting that, as with Peloton's other products, you'll need a subscription to use it. The Peloton Guide Membership costs $13 USD / $17 CAD / 13 / 13 per month, and allows five people to work out with the system. A membership is included with Peloton's All-Access subscription (which many Bike and Tread owners will already have). Peloton Guide is not going to be for everyone. Some people won't be comfortable seeing themselves on a screen as they're working out. But for those who do strength training at home and aren't sure that their form is right, it could fit the bill. (AFP via Getty Images) Tottenham forward Steven Bergwijn has been added to the Netherlands squad for their crucial World Cup qualifiers against Norway and Montenegro. Bergwijn was part of new manager Louis van Gaals first squad in September but missed the October international break through injury and was not initially recalled for this months game. However, the 24-year-old is one of three players to have been summoned as injury replacements, with goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen and Ajax teenager Devyne Rensch also called up. The Dutch face Montenegro on Saturday night before what looks likely to be a decider against Norway in Rotterdam next Tuesday. Van Gaals side currently sit two points clear of the Norwegians at the top of Group G, with only the winners qualifying automatically for Qatar. Norway meet Latvia at home in their penultimate game. Meanwhile, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has been ruled out of Frances final qualifiers after limping out of training on Monday with a thigh injury. The world champions take on Kazakhstan and Helsinki in their final two fixtures, knowing victory at home to the former will see them qualify to defend their title next year with a game to spare. Read More Hojbjerg sought out Christian Eriksen and Chelseas Christensen for advice on life under Tottenham boss Conte Ben Davies admits Tottenham players are desperate to get going under Antonio Conte Tottenhams Sergio Reguilon reveals conversation with PSGs Achraf Hakimi about special Antonio Conte The artefact disappeared from the Mayan site of Piedras Negras in the 1960s A private collector has handed over a Mayan artefact to Guatemala following negotiations after plans were made to auction the piece in 2019. The artefact depicts the head of an ancient ruler wearing a mask in the form of a bird of prey. It disappeared from the Mayan site of Piedras Negras in the 1960s. The piece reappeared in Paris in 2019 during an auction, but Guatemala objected and presented evidence calling for the artefact to be returned. The sale was suspended and negotiations took place between the private collector, Manichak Aurance, the French and Guatemalan governments, and Unesco. Ms Aurance opted to voluntarily return the fragment - which depicts an ancient ruler who acceded to the throne in the year 729 AD - to Guatemala, Unesco said in a statement. It was returned during a ceremony in Paris on Monday. "The voluntary handover of this fragment of a Mayan stela to its homeland in Guatemala showcases the evolution of the international environment in favour of the return of emblematic cultural objects and artefacts to their homelands," Audrey Azoulay, Unesco director-general, said in the statement. The artefact will soon be sent to the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology of Guatemala City, where it will be on display to the public. You may also be interested in: C-Level View | Feature In Search of a Student Relationship Management System A Q&A with Gerlie Jeltema Finding the perfect student relationship management system implementation, or SRM, is getting more important for today's higher education institutions, but, it seems, that's not getting any easier to achieve. And there's a history to these systems to keep in mind through all your planning. The student information system, or SIS, has been generally used in higher education institutions for decades, for the purpose of linking functions across the university, with the hopes of integrating student data and procedures. An SIS is mainly focused on the institution's systems of records and data, and it is largely used to support staff in their functional roles and internal responsibilities. A CRM, or customer relationship management system, originally produced for the corporate and business sectors, emerged close on the heels of the SIS. These CRM systems have been modified, for years, and refitted for education users. Finally, vendors have attempted to fill the need for a true student relationship management (SRM) system in higher education. An SRM is focused on the students as users and not only serves to record student data but also helps generate the institution's response to changing student needs. But, we've rarely found an SRM system that serves us, "out of the box". Here, South Orange County Community College District's IT Director - Enterprise Systems Gerlie Jeltema talks with CT about her institution's search for an SRM implementation for SOCCCD. "We've already had a series of business process analysis and journey map sessions with representatives from student services and instruction who serve our students in different aspects of their lifecycle." Gerlie Jeltema Mary Grush: Where does South Orange County Community College District stand in terms of a student relationship management system (SRM)? I've heard there's somewhat of a quest for an SRM at your institution. Gerlie Jeltema: It's exactly that; it's still a quest. We don't have an SRM in place at this time, so I am managing an initiative to understand what we need from an SRM and then we will select an SRM to implement (or even integrate more than one). Grush: Certainly your institution already has a student information system. What is the difference between a student relationship management, or SRM system, and an SIS? Jeltema: As far as I am concerned, the SIS is the primary means of managing student records, making sure that information about a student is accessible to the student, to our faculty when appropriate, and to our staff. An SRM, for us, is intended as a means of managing student engagement: Based on information that we know about the student that we store within our SIS how do we best engage the student, throughout his or her entire life cycle, from when they first show an interest in our institution, to completion of their academic journey with us? Grush: How long have SIS and SRM systems been around? Jeltema: SIS systems have been around, it seems forever! For as long as there have been students attending an institution, there has been some form of SIS for managing their records. (Students were attending long before computers; then, these systems were paper-based.) But SRM systems are comparatively new, with regard to the institutional memory. They're practically in their infancy as far as the higher education space is concerned, initially fashioned after the customer relationship systems (CRM) found in commerce. The idea of creating an SRM system that reflects the uniqueness of the higher education environment is fairly recent. Online Learning BlueJeans Adds Remote Learning Features Verizon Business has announced a number of new features for its BlueJeans Meetings product, designed to support hybrid and remote learning. The BlueJeans Remote Learning bundle includes classroom management tools as well as collaboration features such as a chat wizard, breakout sessions, participant reaction, intelligent highlights and multi-participant whiteboard. A Teacher Dashboard allows instructors to arrange students in gallery view, spotlight a presenter, share content, chat and more, all in one easy-to-access place. Using the remote learning tools, educators can build the teaching experience that is best suited to their lessons, students and instructional style. Additional features include: Customizable layouts, giving instructors the ability to see the entire classroom as well as classroom management tools in one view; Flexible views, including a gallery view for the entire class and views sorted by participation level, alphabetical order or prioritizing raised hands; Student rosters, to keep track of who is joining a session and who is in the waiting room; Floating chats, which allow instructors to continue messaging while whiteboarding, sharing or annotating content; and Teaching apps, including Collab Board, Breakout Sessions, Polling/Q&A and Smart Meeting highlights. The BlueJeans Remote Learning bundle will be available in early 2022 as part of specific BlueJeans Meetings plans, or for purchase by education customers at a discounted rate. For more information, visit the BlueJeans site. The family of a Girl Scout who was injured in a crash that killed four others on Nov. 3, 2018, has filed a lawsuit against Colten Treu, the driver of the truck. Ryan and Dianne Zwiefelhofer filed the lawsuit in Chippewa County Court on behalf of their daughter, Madalyn. The case has been assigned to Judge James Isaacson. No future court dates have been set. Treu, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Wisconsin and Auto Club Group Insurance Company are listed as defendants in the case. Treu was sentenced to 54 years in prison in March 2020; he is currently incarcerated at Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun. Attorney Dana Wachs of Eau Claire is representing the Zwiefelhofer family. As a result of the Nov. 3, 2018, incident, Madalyn C. Zwiefelhofer sustained serious, permanent, life-threatening disabling and debilitating injuries, has endured pain and suffering in the past and will incur pain and suffering in the future and sustained other injuries and damages, Wachs wrote in the lawsuit. Madalyns parents incurred medial expenses, needed to provide nursing services, and lost the society and companionship of Madalyn C. Zwiefelhofer, suffered emotional distress, lost wages, incurred medical expenses for her own treatment and suffered other injuries and damages, the lawsuit reads. Wachs is seeking a jury trial. The lawsuit doesnt state the amount of money the Zwiefelhofers are seeking. It says they want compensatory damages, along with reasonable attorneys fees. The lawsuit was filed before Nov. 3. There is generally a three-year statute of limitations, but there are exceptions for children to file lawsuits before they reach age 20. After the crash, Madalyn was brought to Mayo Clinic Hospital, St. Marys Campus, in Rochester, Minn., where she stayed for several weeks, coming home at Thanksgiving time. Madalyn suffered two broken legs, a displaced pelvis, a broken cheekbone and numerous injuries to her internal organs, including her liver, kidneys and spleen. Shes already had successful heart surgery and will need a future surgery to repair a damaged muscle in her right leg, Dianne Zwiefelhofer told the Leader-Telegram in a previous interview. The GoFundMe page set up for Madalyn after the crash had reached $100,977 as of Thursday morning; the account is still active. Dianne previously said she was thankful for the donations because the money would be used to pay for the helicopter flight and ambulance ride, hospital bills, hotel stays, travel expenses, home remodeling and physical therapy. Treu, who is now 24, pleaded no contest in December 2019 in Chippewa County Court to four counts of homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and guilty to one count of hit-and-run, causing great bodily harm. Treu is accused of huffing from an aerosol canister, then crashing his pickup truck into members of Girl Scout Troop 3055 as they were picking up trash along Highway P in Lake Hallie, south of the Highway 29 overpass. The four people killed in the crash were Autumn Helgeson and Jayna S. Kelley, 9, both of Lake Hallie, Haylee J. Hickle, 10, and her mother, Sara Jo Schneider, 32, both of the town of Lafayette. Treus passenger, John Stender, was sentenced in September to three years in prison. Treu and Stender fled the scene after the crash, and attempted to hide the truck in a garage. Both men turned themselves in to authorities later that day. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A local trucking staple is under new ownership who plan to keep the decades-old business running strong for years to come. JR Truck Repair and Fabrication is a one-stop big rig truck shop in Lake Hallie, which until recently was owned/operated by Jim Raven for more than three decades. Looking to spend more time with family, Raven sold the business and all its assets in June to married couple Adam and Katoria Pratt, two enthusiastic new owners who are excited to put their stamp on the Chippewa Valley trucking business. This has always been the dream, Adam Pratt said. This is what I was hoping for when I was in school, there have been a lot of stepping stones to get there and Im glad to finally be here. Trucking has always been a part of my life and I look forward to it continuing to be a big part of my familys life. The services provided at JR Truck Repair and Fabrication include big rig oil changes, truck stretching, custom fabrication, engine rebuilds, transmission work and everything from bumper-to-bumper on big rig trucks except paint and polish. The business also offers a few general truck services, including oil work and other services as needed. JR Truck Repair and Fabrication also has over 200,000 service parts on-site. The Pratt family is planning on keeping the day-to-day operations the same for the foreseeable, with plans to expand in the future. The new owners would like to hire a few more mechanics/workers and potentially add two-to-three more truck bays and a full-time fabricator if all goes according to plan. Prior to buying JR Truck Repair and Fabrication, Adam Pratt attended diesel school in Wyoming in 2008, then worked locally at Menards and various other trucking shops before starting his own trucking company (Adam Pratt Trucking) in 2018. Wanting to focus solely on the new business, Pratt sold the trucking company last month and is ready to go full force on maintaining and improving the pre-existing JR Truck Repair and Fabrication. This business has, and will always be a family-owned business, Katoria Pratt said. We will continue to be a one-stop shop for everything heavy diesel machinery equipment. This place means a lot to us and we know it means a lot to many people in the trucking community as well. We are looking forward to keeping this place running strong. For more information on JR Truck Repair and Fabrications new ownership, visit their website jrtruckrepairand- fabrication.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. A bipartisan group of more than 50 elections officials sent a letter Monday to Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, supporting state Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe as Vos and other Republicans attack her for election-related decisions the bipartisan commission made last year during the COVID-19 pandemic. Year after year, Wisconsin election officials deliver accurate, secure, and accessible elections that give voice to the citizens of the state, the letter from officials in states across the country says. Much of the success of Wisconsins elections is due to the competence and excellence of the person who was chosen to lead the agency, Meagan Wolfe. The letter comes after Vos called for Wolfes resignation last month and Republicans in the state Senate earlier Monday passed a resolution castigating the Wisconsin Elections Commission for ignoring statutory requirements, for sidestepping the administrative rulemaking process, and for not following both the letter and intent of state statute. The GOPs outrage is in response to allegations of a handful of cases of voter fraud in Racine County and a report by the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau that did not find any widespread fraud or abuse in the 2020 election that would have affected its outcome, but made 48 recommendations for improvements to how elections are run. The letter, organized by the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research, notes that it was Republicans who created the Elections Commission in 2016 after disbanding the former Government Accountability Board, made up of retired judges. Republicans at the time felt the GAB had been unfair to former Republican Gov. Scott Walker. The Elections Commission has provided a range of guidance to local elections officials on how to conduct various aspects of elections all in public and usually with the support of all of the commissions six members, three Republicans and three Democrats. Guidance to local officials last year included how to handle the flood of absentee ballots, ballot drop boxes and special voting deputies, who help people in nursing homes votes. The Republican-controlled Legislature did not pass any laws last year aimed at providing elections officials with guidance on how to conduct elections during a pandemic. Extremist partisans and election deniers have called for Wolfe to resign in recent days, in an effort that weakens nonpartisan election administration in the state, and further casts doubt on an election that was secure, audited, and verified many times over, including by judges appointed by Republicans and former President Trump, a statement accompanying the letter says. Donald Trump has continued to falsely claim last years election was stolen from him. State Journal reporter Mitchell Schmidt contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Human remains were found over the weekend at Fort McCoy in western Wisconsin, but officials say they do not believe the body has anything to do with the thousands of Afghan evacuees staying on the military base. The body was found Saturday in a "remote area" of the 60,000-acre base, FBI spokesperson Leonard Peace said in a statement. "There is no reason to believe it is related to any of the evacuees or active duty military personnel on the base," Peace said. The FBI is investigating the death. The body has not yet been identified, but the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office will release that information at a later date. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe on Tuesday said there are a handful of errors that will need to be corrected in the Legislative Audit Bureaus report on the 2020 election. Testifying before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Wolfe, who was speaking on her own behalf and not for the six-member bipartisan elections commission, said many of the inaccuracies in the report could have been addressed before it was released in late October had the Audit Bureau not made the unusual decision to publish the report without giving the agency or its staff a chance to respond. I do think that we should all want this to be an accurate record of the election, Wolfe said, adding later, I think what were asking is how can we get those corrected, being the choice was made to go in this direction? Several state Republicans have taken aim at Wolfe and the commission after allegations of a handful of cases of potential voter fraud in a Racine County nursing home, as well as the nonpartisan Audit Bureaus report, which did not find any evidence of widespread fraud or abuse in the states 2020 election, but did make 48 recommendations to the Legislature and commission for improvements to how elections are run. Much of the Audit Bureaus review notes instances where statutes do not make specific recommendations related to election matters, such as the use of ballot drop boxes or whether clerks can fill in missing information on absentee ballot envelopes. In other instances, the report found that the Elections Commission failed to create rules governing certain practices, such as the requirements for training voting deputies or election inspectors. Wolfe said a section of the report pertaining to information the agency obtains through the nonprofit Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, which flags voters who potentially have moved, contained numerous inaccuracies. Wolfe said the report implies that the state missed several opportunities to obtain such data, but ERIC reports have specific periods of availability, all of which have been followed by the commission. Wolfe said many of the recommendations outlined in the report will need to be approved by a majority of the commission, which is scheduled to meet Dec. 1. Wolfe said her testimony was not representative of the six-member commission, which consists of three Republican appointees and three Democratic appointees. Last week commission chair Ann Jacobs said neither Wolfe nor the commission would appear before the committee until after the commission meets Dec. 1. Rep. John Macco, R-Ledgeview, called Wolfes inability to represent the commission before the committee repugnant and insulting. I just find the whole thing a joke today, and youve done nothing to allay my concerns, Macco said. Audit Bureau officials said the report was not provided to WEC in advance because the commission 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 have compromised the reports confidentiality. State auditor Joe Chrisman said the Audit Bureau will take into account Wolfes testimony and any formal response from the commission to determine any further steps or updates to the report. Madison city attorney Mike Haas also criticized what he called a subpar report from the Audit Bureau and said many of the challenges being faced by the WEC and local election officials stem from a scarcity of time and resources, needs that were greatly amplified by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. If you want the perfect election, you have to fund it like you mean it, Haas said. Vicki Terpstra, clerk for the town of Spring Green, also took aim at the Legislature for not convening for months last year despite concerns among election officials across the state as they tried to navigate challenges created by the pandemic. I feel like Im being persecuted for doing the best that I can in a lousy situation with not much help from the people that are representing me, Terpstra said. A bipartisan group of more than 50 elections officials on Monday sent a letter, organized by the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research, to Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, expressing support for Wolfe and calling for an end to the politicization of Wisconsins election process. Speaking with reporters Tuesday, the centers executive director, David Becker, said repeated questioning of the results of the 2020 election and attacks on election officials in states like Wisconsin erodes the publics confidence in democracy, which he said will take decades to repair, if we are able to repair it at all. Im as concerned, maybe even scared, for American democracy as I have ever been in my quarter-century working in this space, Becker said. 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. The Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections on Wednesday will take testimony from Racine County Sgt. Michael Luell, who led an investigation into Mount Pleasants Ridgewood Care Center, and discuss the GOP-ordered probe into last years presidential election being carried out by former conservative state Supreme Court Justice Michael Gableman. Committee chair Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, has called for a full cyber forensic audit in the state similar to the partisan election review conducted in Arizona. Gablemans investigation largely focuses on how the 2020 election was conducted, with a specific focus on Center for Tech and Civic Life grants provided to the states five largest cities. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling, a Republican, last week called for five members of the state elections commission two Republican and three Democratic appointees to be charged with crimes for waiving special voting deputies in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic last year. Becker called the sheriffs October press conference unveiling the allegations a political stunt and harassment under color of law. The commissions decisions relating to special voting deputies 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. The Legislatures GOP-led Committee on Elections, Election Process Reform and Ethics plans to conduct its own investigation into the 2020 election based on the Audit Bureaus report. That investigation is expected to start as soon as this month. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Wisconsin Supreme Court has denied a request to block a lower court order that could allow opponents to temporarily stop construction of a power line across southwest Wisconsin. Utilities building the Cardinal-Hickory Creek line asked the high court to step in after Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost last month granted an injunction that would pause construction while he considers challenges to the $492 million projects permit. The high court refused in a 6-1 order Monday, saying the utilities can follow traditional procedure and ask the court of appeals to review the injunction. Only Justice Rebecca Bradley dissented, noting the court has agreed to review some of Frosts other preliminary rulings, including on whether a former regulators relationships with utility executives created a conflict of interest that could scuttle the projects approval. Bradley said subjecting the parties to the jurisdiction of three courts may precipitate a fog of confusion and irresolution not unlike the court of chancery in the Charles Dickens novel Bleak House. The order is unlikely to affect work on the line between Middleton and Dubuque, Iowa, because opponents have been unable to put up $32 million to cover the potential costs of a delay, which would ultimately be passed on to consumers if the legal challenge fails. Opponents have challenged the bond amount, which they argue is unaffordable and thus unconstitutional. Utilities began construction of the Wisconsin portion last week, although a separate federal court injunction has blocked work on more than 100 federally protected waters along the route. Construction of the Iowa portion began last winter. The utilities, which have so far spent $156 million on the project, say it is critical to ensuring a cleaner, safer and more affordable energy future for the state and will enable more wind and solar generation. A joint venture of American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative, the line is the subject of multiple state and federal court challenges. U.S. District Court Judge William Conley is expected to rule later this year on challenges to the projects environmental review and federal permits needed to cross the Mississippi River. In September, the state Supreme Court agreed to hear former Public Service Commissioner Mike Huebschs challenge to subpoenas from power line opponents who sought to question him and inspect his phone for encrypted communications with utility executives and to determine whether those communications create an appearance of bias that could invalidate the lines state permit. Meanwhile, Frost is reviewing the PSCs decision to grant the permit. Howard Learner, lead attorney for the power line opponents, said the decision suggests the court is only interested in the narrower questions involving Huebsch not the line itself. The Supreme Court isnt going to interfere with his decisions on the merits, Learner said. Noting both injunctions were granted in part based on the likelihood that the opponents will win in court, Learner accused the utilities of doing unnecessary environmental damage while gambling with ratepayer money. If they cant go through the national wildlife refuge, their entire construction path will have to change, which means they will have wasted an enormous amount of money, Learner said. You have a costly transmission line to nowhere. That is corporate irresponsibility. A utility spokesperson dismissed the Supreme Court decision as procedural and said they planned to appeal the injunction in the court of appeals while crews continue mowing and cutting trees along the planned route. The utilities disagreed with the assertion that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail. We will not speculate at this point on whether the outcome of any court proceeding would result in redoing portions of the regulatory approval processes, much less any specific changes to the route or the amount of the potential cost increase, they wrote. 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 Nov. 1 and opening statements the following day. 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: 4:52 p.m.: Done for the day. After court today defense attorney Mark Richards said he believes they will finish with presentation of evidence this week. Asked if Rittenhouse would testify he said Whos Rittenhouse? and laughed as he walked away. 3:35 p.m.: DeBruin is now testifying about what he saw after Rosenbaum shooting. "Now I can say (it was) Anthony Huber, it looked like he was trying to subdue Kyle, and thats when everything happened in what seemed like a matter of a second." Next, of Grosskreutz, DeBruin said "he had his firearm out, pointing it at Kyle, and Kyle shot Mr. Grosskreutz." Bit of a crazy interchange in court as Richards asks DeBruin about a meeting DeBruin had with prosecution in which Binger asked him if he wanted to add anything to his statement. DeBruin took that as him wanting to rewrite his police statement. DeBruin said he hired his own lawyer and talked the next day to Richards. As cross examination got a little heated, judge sends the jury out of the room. Back on the stand, ADA Kraus is pointing out differences between DeBruin's statement to police and what was said in court. "Like I said, I'm not a detective," DeBruin said. 3 p.m.: "You're the first witness who has ever done this, but you brought your own exhibits," lead defense attorney Mark Richards says to local resident Nathan DeBruin, who described himself as a freelance photojournalist. DeBruin brought in photographs he took the night of the shooting The jury is looking a little exhausted as this witness goes through photos of Joseph Rosenbaum being involved in stuff like setting fire to a trailer and tipping over a port-a-potty. 1:55 p.m.: JoAnn Fiedler called to the stand. She said she went to protect businesses in Kenosha on Aug. 25 and met Rittenhouse that night. She affirmed that Rosenbaum yelled threats to the group she was with. 12:55 p.m.: State formally rests case. First witness up for the defense is Nicholas Smith, who worked for Car Source in the past and was with Rittenhouse and Dominick Black the night of the shootings. Smith testifies that a family member of the family that owns Car Source asked for help defending the property, a direct contradiction of what the owner's sons testified to last week. 11:50 a.m.: Jury sent out of the room for lunch break. Lead prosecutor Thomas Binger lets court know the state plans to rest their case. 11:10 a.m.: Defense attorney Mark Richards now doing cross of pathologist. He asks about soot on Rosenbaum's hand wound. "That hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouses gun when his hand was shot?" Richards asks, trying to show how close Rosenbaum was to Rittenhouse's gun. "That makes sense," pathologist replies. 9:56 a.m.: Forensic pathologist Doug Kelley now on the stand. He did the autopsies for Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum. Photos of Huber deceased are shown. Reporters in the room say Rittenhouse looking away from screens showing images. Medical examiner moves on to Rosenbaum autopsy, with photo on the screen of headwound. The doctor says bullet travelled back to front and downward. Again Rittenhouse looks away. Jurors appear to be paying close attention to medical examiner's testimony, taking notes, following his explanations although one woman especially seems reluctant to look at the photos. 9:40 a.m.: The state received just on Friday high-resolution drone video that shows the shooting of Rosenbaum. With forensic imaging expert on the stand and video being shown. It shows Rittenhouse shooting Rosenbaum as Rosenbaum runs up to Rittenhouse, and it does not appear Rosenbaum ever made any contact. Gun charge not dropped: In the opening discussions of the morning in the seventh day of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial and before the jury is the room Judge Bruce Schroeder denies defense motion to reconsider their request to dismiss Count 6, possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor. The judge also informs the attorneys that a deputy observed someone taking video of the jury as they arrived. The deputy made the person delete the video. "I've been assured the officers had the video that was taken deleted. New measures are being taken to make sure that does not reoccur," judge tells jury when they arrive in the courtroom. Before the jury was in the room, judge also said he would not address on the record the conversation he and attorneys had at the end of the day Monday in his chambers. 9 a.m. The prosecution is set to continue its case against Kyle Rittenhouse today in Kenosha. On Monday, jurors heard from the protester and volunteer medic who survived after Kyle Rittenhouse shot him on the streets of Kenosha. Gaige Grosskreutz testified that he pointed his own gun at Rittenhouse but didn't mean to and had no intention of firing it. Grosskreutz, the third and final man gunned down by Rittenhouse during a night of turbulent racial-justice protests in the summer of 2020, took the stand Monday at Rittenhouse's murder trial and recounted how he drew his own pistol after the bloodshed started. I thought the defendant was an active shooter, said Grosskreutz, 27. Asked what was going through his mind as he got closer to the 17-year-old Rittenhouse, he said, That I was going to die. Rittenhouse shot Grosskreutz in the arm, tearing away much of his bicep or vaporized it, as the witness put it. Rittenhouse, now 18, is on trial on charges of killing the two other men and wounding Grosskreutz. The one-time police youth 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 the violent demonstrations that broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white Kenosha police officer. Testimony was expected to continue Tuesday with the state nearing the end of its case. Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed. His lawyers have argued that he acted in self-defense. He could get life in prison if convicted of the most serious charges against him. Under questioning from the prosecution, Grosskreutz said he had his hands raised as he closed in on Rittenhouse and didnt intend to shoot him. Prosecutor Thomas Binger asked Grosskreutz why he didnt shoot first. Thats not the kind of person that I am. Thats not why I was out there, he said. Its not who I am. And definitely not somebody I would want to become. But during cross-examination, Rittenhouse defense attorney Corey Chirafisi asked: It wasnt until you pointed your gun at him, advanced on him that he fired, right? Correct, Grosskreutz replied. The defense also presented a photo showing Grosskreutz pointing the gun at Rittenhouse, who was on the ground with his rifle pointed up at Grosskreutz. Grosskreutz, under follow-up questioning from the prosecutor, said he did not intend to point his weapon at Rittenhouse. Wisconsins self-defense law allows someone to use deadly force only if necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. The jury must decide whether Rittenhouse believed he was in such peril and whether that belief was reasonable under the circumstances. Grosskreutz said he had gone to the protest in Kenosha to serve as a medic, wearing a hat that said paramedic and carrying medical supplies, in addition to a loaded pistol. He said his permit to carry a concealed weapon had expired and he did not have a valid one that night. I believe in the Second Amendment. Im for peoples right to carry and bear arms, he said, explaining why he was armed. And that night was no different than any other day. Its keys, phone, wallet, gun. He said he went into action after seeing Rittenhouse kill a man just feet away the second person Rittenhouse fatally shot that night. While Grosskreutz said he never verbally threatened Rittenhouse, Chirafisi, the defense attorney, said that people dont have to use words to threaten others. They can do so by their actions, like running after them down the street with a loaded firearm, Chirafisi said. Grosskreutz denied he was chasing Rittenhouse. Chirafisi also said Grosskreutz lied when he initially told multiple police officers that he dropped his weapon. In addition, Chirafisi pointed to Grosskreutzs lawsuit against the city of Kenosha, in which he alleges police enabled the violence by allowing an armed militia to have the run of the streets during the demonstration. If Mr. Rittenhouse is convicted, your chance of getting 10 million bucks is better, right? Chirafisi said. Chirafisi also asked Grosskreutz if he told his former roommate that his only regret was not killing the kid and hesitating to pull the gun before emptying the entire mag into him. Grosskreutz denied saying that. Grosskreutz, who was trained as a paramedic, testified that he volunteered as a medic at protests in Milwaukee in the days after George Floyd died under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer in May 2020. Grosskreutz said he attended around 75 protests before the night he was shot, offering help to anyone needing medical attention. While Rittenhouse is white, as were those he shot, the case has stirred racially fraught debate over vigilantism, the right to bear arms, and the unrest that erupted around the U.S. that summer over police violence against Black people. Last week, witnesses at the trial testified that the first man shot and killed, Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, was hyperaggressive and acting belligerently that night and threatened to kill Rittenhouse at one point. One witness said Rosenbaum was gunned down after he chased Rittenhouse and lunged for the young man's rifle. Rosenbaums killing set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later: Rittenhouse killed Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on bystander video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Grosskreutz. Associated Press Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Fast-food giants Jollibee Foods Corporation and McDonalds Philippines offered their restaurants as COVID-19 vaccination sites to assist the government in ramping up daily inoculation, a private group said on Tuesday. Task Force T3, a public-private group that supports pandemic initiatives, bared this in a statement, adding the move could begin as early as this month in identified stores. The focus would be in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and other key cities outside Metro Manila, it said. We are willing to offer the space in our stores for two weeks in November to help LGUs (local government units) administer the first doses for the eligible population of adults and those aged 12-17 years old, said McDonalds Philippines Managing Director Margot Torres. The National Task Force Against COVID-19 endorsed the proposal, according to Task Force T3. The group said that LGUs will be responsible for the immunization drive itself, including the vaccine and ancillary supplies, their storage and disposal, as well as personnel. Pepot Minana, Jollibees chief sustainability and public affairs officer, meanwhile said their teams can also work with the Department of Health in making sure the vaccination process will run smoothly. We expect that we can achieve 150 to 300+ jabs per day depending on the location, size and store layout, Minana said. The government earlier said it aims to administer a million shots per day by Nov. 10, further increasing this to 1.5 million after Nov. 15. Latest data show the average number of doses administered daily over the past week was at 781,958. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 10) - When there are several members of a family holding government positions at the same time - also known as a "fat" political dynasty - often their area suffers from underdevelopment and poverty, an analyst told CNN Philippines. Ateneo School of Government Dean Ronald Mendoza said this claim is supported by empirical data which show patterns of high levels of poverty and inequalities in areas where political dynasties thrive, especially in the provinces. "Humihirap 'yung lugar at nawawala 'yung development push, nagkakaunder development particularly if you are outside Metro Manila," Mendoza told Politics as Usual on Tuesday. [Translation: The area becomes poor and the push for development is lost, leading to underdevelopment, particularly if you are outside Metro Manila.] "'Pag sabay-sabay, nagkakaroon ng weaker checks and balances," the dean added. "Nagkakaroon ng impunity, corruption, even violence." [Translation: When they hold positions at the same time, checks and balances get weaker. It leads to impunity, corruption, even violence.] Mendoza looked at data until the 2019 national elections, and found that 80% of governors, 67% of congressmen, and 53% of mayors are from "fat" dynasties. Among the provinces, Maguindanao had the most officials belonging to a dynasty, eating up about 50.54% of political posts. "Ang pagpili natin dapat sana 'yung pinakamahusay, pinakamatino, pinaka may kakayahan, pinaka may integridad pero 'yan ang paraan ng pagpili...'yung mga may kapangyarihang pamilya, sila-sila ang nagpipilian kung sino sa kanila ang tatakbo," he said. [Translation: Our choices should be about who's the best, most decent, most capable, and someone who has the most integrity. But now, what happens is the families are the ones making choices among themselves on who will run for office.] Mendoza also cited his study in 2016 published in the peer-reviewed Oxford Development Studies journal, which examined the link between poverty and dynasties, using a database of local governments from 2000 to 2013. Cebu Rep. Pablo Garcia, who is part of what he calls a "political family," reacted to Mendoza's assertion. "I'm just one of eight congressmen in the province of Cebu so are we a fat dynasty? So is Cebu among those? It's difficult to generalize all these things," he said in the same interview. However, the two shared the same sentiment that the issue stems from Congress' failure to come up with a working definition for a political dynasty. Article 26 of the 1987 Constitution states that the State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. But until now, the definition remains unavailable while a number of political families continue to fill local and national seats, including in both legislative chambers. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) Should she win in next year's presidential race, Vice President Leni Robredo is targeting to initially tap discretionary funds amounting to 500 billion to help kick off her "ambitious" pandemic response plan. In a briefing, Robredo said her team has estimated the funding needed to pursue her recovery plan dubbed as "Kalayaan sa COVID". The official, who is running as independent, plans to realign the budget of some departments to focus on COVID-19 response. "Mayroon na kaming kwenta. Tinitingnan namin kung saan mahuhugot yung mga pondo... Ang kwenta namin na nahanap namin sa budget ay somewhere in the area of 500 billion," she said. [Translation: We already have estimates. We are looking at where to get the funds... The available money we found in the budget is somewhere in the area of 500 billion.] Some of the money will come from the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Department of Health, and the Office of the President, Robredo noted. She stressed her COVID-19 recovery planwhich was described as ambitious by some criticsis "possible" as long as all agencies are committed to delivering the available money. "Kailangan maging ambitious kasi ang laki ng problema natin ngayon," Robredo said. "Kailangan lang talaga all hands on deck tayo," she added. [Translation: We need to be ambitious because we're facing major problems now. We just really need all hands on deck.] Robredo also said that the government will explore partnerships with the private sector as she stressed the need to engage all sectors of the Philippine society to rebuild the country. During the briefing, the official promised that Filipinos who suffered from the economic fallout from COVID-19 would face a brighter 2022 under her administration. Under her plan, Robredo bared the proposal to create an unemployment insurance system, where those who lost their jobs during the pandemic will receive 80% of their salary for the first three months. She said the program will "give them enough time" to look for employment or explore other income streams. Small businesses will also get financial backing from Robredo's administration to avoid layoffs, the presidential hopeful said. Some of the plans for the health sector that were earlier revealed include curbing corruption, providing living wages to medical frontliners, and boosting hospitals with equipment and beds. READ: Strengthen healthcare system, fight hunger, continue learning: Robredo details pandemic recovery plan She also vowed to provide free and accessible healthcare to Filipinos and would tap service providers to expand telemedicine services. Robredo added she would fund the full payment of medical claims from the state-run Philippine Health Insurance Corp. The government official reiterated that face-to-face classes will resume in low-risk areas, while students residing in high-risk areas will be provided with gadgets and internet allowance. She said they would team up with telco players to provide students with free internet access to educational websites and online resources. Her office would also scale up community hubs in high-risk areas. Robredo said she has been in discussion with experts in the different sectors to craft a clearer and effective COVID-19 plan. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano has said the executive orders issued by several mayors no longer requiring the use of face shields are enforceable, contrary to the claim of Malacanang. "Pwede sila mag-enact ng mga ordinansa at executive orders," Ano said in a chance interview on Monday. "Nag-iba na ang situation natin ngayon." [Translation: They can enact ordinances and executive orders. The situation is different now.] "For those LGUs na nasa [that are in] low risk, I will not hold it against them," he added. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said the executive order issued by Manila Mayor Isko Moreno removing the mandatory use of face shields except in hospitals is null and void pending the final decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force. He also said it is up to the Department of the Interior and Local Government if it will impose sanctions on Moreno. Even Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said it is up to the DILG to decide if the executive orders are enforceable. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and Iloilo Mayor Jerry Trenas earlier issued executive orders scrapping the contentious use of face shields. Moreno was the latest mayor to issue such an order. Ano said the local chief executives will not be sanctioned, but he advised them to wait for the formal IATF resolution which is expected within the week. The official said they have discussed within the task force to "tie up" the use of face shields to the alert level and vaccination rate in an area. He also said they are studying if face shields will still be required in enclosed public utility vehicles. The effectiveness of face shield 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, stressing that they do not offer an additional layer of protection. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Martial law survivors urged the Supreme Court on Tuesday to affirm the graft conviction of former first lady Imelda Marcos, who continues to enjoy her freedom three years into her conviction. The Samahan ng Ex-Detainees Laban sa Detensyon at Aresto (SELDA) and the Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malacanang and Martial Law (CARMMA) said there has been no update on her case since she appealed her conviction at the Sandiganbayan and the notice was forwarded to the high court in 2018. We suffered during the Marcos conjugal dictatorship, and we continue to suffer as we continue to see that Imelda is out of jail, out of accountability. The dictators widow continues to live the life, not sickly and dirt-poor, as she receives all the geriatric care she wants and needs using all the wealth from the peoples pockets accumulated in their more than two decades of power and might, SELDA vice-chairperson and CARMMA convener Danilo dela Fuente said in a statement. The widow of ousted dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos was convicted of seven counts of graft by the Sandiganbayan in 2018 for illegally funneling at least $352 million to Swiss foundations in the 1970s when she was governor of Metropolitan Manila. She was also sentenced to imprisonment of six years and one month to 11 years for each count of graft, which is equivalent to a minimum of 42 years in prison. However, she was allowed by Sandiganbayan to post bail partly because of then 89-year-old Marcos' old age and state of health. She later posted bail amounting to P300,000. "We urge the Supreme Court not to be accessory to the Marcoses continuing grand deception and escape from accountability," the groups told Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo. (CNN) Campaigners are making a last ditch effort to save a man with intellectual disabilities from execution in Singapore, in a case that has been described a "sickening" and a "systemic failure," and put the city-state's zero-tolerance drug laws back under scrutiny. Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam, a 33-year-old Malaysian man, was arrested in 2009 for bringing 42.7 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into Singapore. He was due to be executed by hanging on Wednesday. On Monday, the High Court ordered a stay of execution following a last minute constitutional challenge, his lawyer in Singapore M. Ravi posted on Facebook -- a small glimmer of hope for Dharmalingam's supporters. The stay is temporary for now. The court on Monday dismissed the lawyer's application to declare the execution unconstitutional, but granted a stay of execution until an appeal on its decision can be heard. That hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Anti-death penalty activist Kirsten Han said "if the Court of Appeal dismisses this as well, then the stay will be lifted." She said Dharmalingam's family are "very relieved." "But they are also aware that the appeal could be quite soon. We don't know how long this stay is going to last, it could actually not be a very long stay at all. So they are mentally prepared for that. But in such cases, every little bit of hope is really important," Han said. Dharmalingam's lawyers and rights groups fighting to save him say Singapore is violating international law by executing a person with a mental impairment. They have exhausted all other legal appeals and a petition to the President for clemency was unsuccessful. Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement Dharmalingam "was accorded full due process under the law, and was represented by legal counsel throughout the process." However, his lawyers argue that Dharmalingam should not have been sentenced to death under Singaporean law because he was incapable of understanding his actions. A psychologist assessed his IQ to be 69, which is internationally recognized as an intellectual disability. At his trial, the defense also argued he had severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), borderline intellectual functioning, and severe alcohol use disorder. Dharmalingam has spent a decade on death row and during that time his condition has further deteriorated, his lawyers said. "He has not a very good sense of what is happening around him," said N. Surendran, a Malaysian lawyer who is representing Dharmalingam's family, and adviser to Malaysian NGO Lawyers for Liberty. "He is disoriented. He's got no real clue of what is going to happen to him." Surendran said executing Dharmalingam "would be tantamount to executing a child." Singapore has some of the strictest drug laws in the world. Trafficking a certain amount of drugs -- for example, 15 grams (0.5 ounces) of heroin -- results in a mandatory death sentence under the Misuse of Drugs Act. It was only recently -- and after Dharmalingam's case began -- the law was amended to allow for a convicted person to escape the death penalty in certain circumstances. Dharmalingam was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to death by Singapore's High Court in 2010. His first appeal was dismissed a year later. Another appeal after Singapore amended its drug law was again rejected in 2018. "The Court of Appeal affirmed the High Court's decision and said that it was satisfied that Nagaenthran clearly understood the nature of his acts," the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement. The court argued Dharmalingam transported drugs "in order to pay off his debts" and he knew it was unlawful so he "attempted to conceal the bundle by strapping it to his left thigh." It also said Dharmalingam was "continuously altering his account of his education qualifications, ostensibly to reflect lower educational qualifications each time he was interviewed." "This was 'the working of a criminal mind, weighing the risks and countervailing benefits associated with the criminal conduct in question.' Nagaenthran considered the risks, balanced it against the reward he had hoped he would get, and decided to take the risk," the ministry said in its statement, quoting the court's decision. Public pressure Dharmalingam's case has sparked international condemnation -- even British Virgin boss Richard Branson has appealed for clemency. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has written to his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsein Loong asking for leniency, Malaysian state media Bernama reported. More than 62,000 people have signed a petition urging Singapore's President Halimah Yacob to issue a pardon. Last week, dozens of activists protested outside Parliament in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN) and other rights groups have also called on the Singapore government to halt the execution. "Executing a man with a disability, who was convicted after an investigation and trial that provided no disability-specific accommodations, violates international law and won't deter crime," Emina Cerimovic, senior disability rights researcher at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Singapore should commute Nagaenthran Dharmalingam's sentence and amend its laws to ensure that no one is subjected to the death penalty, certainly not people with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities." Surendran, the lawyer, said the execution order was "sickening beyond belief." He criticized the court for ordering the appeal hearings on Tuesday, arguing it gave little time prepare submissions overnight. "These unreasonable court directions and unholy rush to have both hearings heard in less than 24 hours amounts to a blatant denial of due process to Nagaenthran contrary to Article 9 of the Singapore Constitution. No criminal justice system in any country which upholds the rule of law, rushes through criminal appeals in this manner; and all the more so in a death penalty case," he said. Family 'shocked' Dharmalingam's family, who lives in Ipoh, northwestern Malaysia, were notified of his impending execution only on October 26. His lawyer in Singapore, M. Ravi posted the letter to Facebook, calling the order "state sanctioned murder." The letter stipulated only five members of Dharmalingam's family would be allowed to enter Singapore and would need to contend with a list of Covid regulations. Four family members -- his mother, brother, sister and a cousin -- managed to travel to Singapore and meet with Dharmalingam in Changi prison but were "shocked" at his condition, Surendran said. "They see a completely different person, they're not able to get through to him," he said. Han, the anti-death penalty activist, launched a crowdfunding campaign that raised more than $19,000 Singapore dollars to pay for the family's flights and hotels. "This is not something that the family could have afforded themselves," she said. She said the execution order, made worse because it was issued shortly after the important Hindu festival Deepavali, which Dharmalingam's family celebrates, is "very emblematic of how cold and clinical the entire death penalty regime is." "The Singapore government has insisted for a very long time that (the law) protects Singapore. But drug policy experts say there's no proof that this sort of punitive capital punishment regime deters drug trafficking," Han said. This story was first published on CNN.com Campaigners make last effort to save man with intellectual disabilities from execution in Singapore Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Petron Corporation is well on its way to recovery amid the COVID-19 pandemic with earnings rising to nearly 5 billion from January to September from last year's loss. The oil refiner on Tuesday disclosed a consolidated net income of 4.99 billion for the nine-month period swinging from a 12.6-billion loss last year amid "efforts to reduce costs and yield more savings." The recent figure also came as consolidated revenues from Petron's local and Malaysian operations surged by 35% to 291.57 billion. The listed firm's local sales of lubricants logged a 28% jump during the said period, while retail station volume logged a 9% jump despite the return of lockdowns. Consolidated sales of 59.2 million barrels matched last year's 59.5 million tally, Petron added. Petrochemical exports registered a 68% increase in sales, referred to by the company as "substantial" growth. "Despite external challenges, sustaining the financial resilience of the company has helped ensure that we have the means and the capacity to continue growing the business while providing our investors with the best return," Petron president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang said. Ang also cited "strategic" investments in the company's service station expansion, refinery enhancements, and supply chain management. "We are looking forward to ending 2021 in a much stronger and stable position than last year," the Petron big boss added. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) San Miguel Corporation (SMC) president and chief executive officer Ramon Ang is willing to sell Petron Corporation back to the Philippine government, with the payment made on an installment basis over a five-year period. Ang made the remark at Monday's hearing of the House Committee on Ways and Means on proposals to suspend the fuel excise tax in the wake of rising oil prices worldwide. Yung sina-suggest na bilhin ng gobyerno yung Petron...anytime po, pwede ko pa ipautang sa Philippine government," Ang said. [Translation: The suggestion for the government to buy Petron, anytime I can also loan it to the Philippine government.] "Bilhin ninyo ito ng over five years to pay," he also said. "I swear, kung gusto ng gobyerno bilhin...ibebenta ko kaagad sa inyo. Pagawan niyo na ng evaluation immediately. [Translation: You can buy it over five years to pay. I swear if the government wants to buy it, I will immediately sell it. Make the evaluation immediately.] Ang said the government can buy Petron if it thinks the company is profitable despite racking up 18 billion in losses in 2020. Hindi kami yung nag-kukunya-kunyari dito ngayon," he said. "Kung sa tingin niyo, jackpot yung negosyong yan, let the government buy it. At the market valuation lang. [Translation: We are not pretending here. If you really think this business is a jackpot, let the government buy it. At the market valuation only.] Bayan Muna party-list Representatives Carlos Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite and Eufemia Cullamat have filed House Bill No. 244 seeking to renationalize Petron, which was owned by the government until 1993. In a statement, Gaite welcomed Angs readiness to sell Petron back to the government. He said he is hopeful that the current administration or the next one will take the offer. "In fact, our House Bill 244 specifically calls for the full renationalization of Petron in a span of four to five years so that we can have a midterm to long term deterrent to runaway oil price hikes," Gaite said. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 8) As the elections of the International Law Commission draw nearer, more Filipino lawyers from different organizations have joined the growing opposition to presidential spokesperson Harry Roques candidacy. In a letter of objection released to the media on Monday, over 150 lawyers urged members of the United Nations General Assembly not to vote for Roque, saying to allow his undeserved election to the ILC, which develops and codifies international law, might affect its credibility. The signatories said Roque is unfit to sit at the commission as he repeatedly justified President Rodrigo Dutertes unacceptable positions on human rights, justice, pandemic response and good governance. As a lawyer, he is supposed to be a purveyor of facts and the truth and should uphold the administration of justice, a role he has sacrificed in exchange for his blind loyalty to a strongman president, they said. We fear he will bring this with him to the ILC. In defending his nomination by the Duterte government, Roque previously cited his expertise in international law. READ: Roque defends his nomination to UN law body Critics of his ILC bid, however, argued that he has openly undermined international mechanisms on accountability, such as the International Criminal Court which is probing the Duterte administrations drug war. They also cited the United Nations Human Rights Council and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. As fellow lawyers, we are scandalized by his spins and reinvention of basic legal principles and concepts in his zealousness to repackage President Dutertes pronouncements of questionable legal and constitutional bases, the letter further read. Among the signatories are incumbent and former government officials, including Senator Leila de Lima, and Representatives Edcel Lagman and Carlos Zarate. Also joining them are deans of law schools, heads of bar associations, law professors, and human rights and international lawyers from all over the country. The ILC elections are scheduled on Friday, Nov. 12, according to National Union of Peoples' Lawyers president Edre Olalia. Earlier, officials of Roques alma mater University of the Philippines-Diliman have also opposed his ILC nomination. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) The Health department supports the Interior departments "no vaccine, no subsidy" proposal, saying the move would redound to the health of mothers and their children eligible to get COVID-19 shots. "If this will be proposed, it will be a welcome development because it is part of the help-seeking behavior so people will be interested or will be encouraged to have their COVID-19 vaccinations both for the mothers and their children," Health Usec. Rosario Vergeire told CNN Philippines' The Source on Tuesday. "If this is going to push through, of course, we will support...but we need to review thoroughly if this is going to violate any of the rights of our citizens or the members of 4Ps," Vergeire added. The Interior department recently bared a proposal to withhold the 750 health and nutrition monthly grant, a component of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), until the indigent recipient agrees to be vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. Under Republic Act 11310 or the 4Ps Act, eligible beneficiaries from poor households are entitled to at least a 750 health grant per month and a monthly cash grant ranging from 300 to 700 per child in the household, depending on their year level. Interior spokesperson Jonathan Malaya earlier told CNN Philippines that the idea originated from local government units struggling to ramp up their vaccination programs, following President Rodrigo Duterte's order to sanction localities that fail to meet their inoculation targets. READ: DILG says no vaccine, no subsidy idea came from LGUs The government aims to increase its daily vaccination target from over 500,000 to 1.5 million later this month. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) The Senate on Tuesday adopted a resolution seeking to challenge before the Supreme Court the legality of President Rodrigo Duterte's order barring executive officials from attending hearings of the Blue Ribbon Committee. The chamber quickly adopted Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III's resolution, filed on the same day, which calls for the Senate's filing of a petition in the high court to assert its power to conduct inquiries in aid of legislation. Last month, Duterte issued a memorandum forbidding Cabinet officials from attending hearings looking into the alleged misuse of COVID-19 pandemic response funds worth over 67 billion. Among the biggest issues raised was the deal made by the government with Pharmally Pharmaceutical to procure alleged overpriced face masks and face shields. In Proposed Resolution No. 946, Sotto stressed it is the "inherent right and solemn duty" of the Senate to seek judicial relief and affirmation of its rights and prerogatives when such are challenged or interfered with by the government or any individual. Senators called Duterte's directive "unconstitutional," while hundreds of medical professionals also stood up against the order which they described as an obstruction to the Senate committee's probe. In a previous address, the President welcomed the Senate's planned move to bring his snub order to the Supreme Court, saying Malacanang would be "most eager" to defend the directive. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) The government aims to hike the COVID-19 vaccination coverage for the elderly this month, Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez said Tuesday amid a similar call from the World Health Organization (WHO) to focus on the sector. "The WHO has already spoken that we need to concentrate our vaccination to the elderly. Right now, we are at 59% of the coverage of the elderly. We will be focusing that this month of November, we will try to push for 70% coverage of all the elderly," Galvez told reporters during the arrival ceremony of AstraZeneca doses donated by Germany. RELATED: PH receives over 790,000 AstraZeneca doses from Germany WHO country representative Rabindra Abeyasinghe one of the officials who welcomed the fresh vaccine shipment also underscored the need to concentrate on the priority group amid increasing vaccine supply. "We still believe that we need to increase the coverage among the elderly population, the priority groups, so that we can save as many lives as possible," Abeyasinghe said. Both Galvez and Abeyasinghe reiterated calls for local government units to ramp up the vaccine distribution in the regions. "[We] continue to urge the LGUs to take ownership of the vaccination drive to use the vaccines so that we can protect the most vulnerable groups as quickly as possible, so that we can open up the economy in a sustainable manner, and prevent the need for future lockdown," the WHO official said. The government seeks to inoculate at least 54 million Filipinos by year end. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) An official of the Davao City government was sacked after being tagged in a drug operation over the weekend, authorities confirmed Tuesday. In a statement, the city government said information officer Jefry Tupas was involved in a drug raid which took place in Mabini town, Davao de Oro on Nov. 6. Last Sunday, Jefry signified his resignation and on the same moment he was informed that he is terminated from work with the City Government of Davao, the LGU said, adding that details of the operation are known only to the PDEA (Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency) officers in Davao de Oro and Tupas. In a separate advisory, PDEA reported that some 1.5 million worth of suspected party drugs and other illegal substances were seized during the buy-bust operation, which took place at a resort in Barangay Pindasan. At least 17 people were arrested during the party, it noted. Tupas was not among those arrested by authorities, but the former official, in an interview with online news site Rappler, admitted attending the party. CNN Philippines is trying to reach Tupas for more information on the matter. The suspects are detained at the National Bureau of Investigations detention facility, PDEA said. Cases for violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act are being readied against them. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Ako Bicol Rep. Alfredo Garbin denied claims he was involved in the closure of Zagitsit News FM, a radio station based in Legazpi City in Albay. He said the station should, in fact, be thankful it was allowed to operate in the past six years, even without a congressional franchise and a separate frequency. The National Telecommunications Commission issued a cease-and-desist order, a copy of which is still being acquired by CNN Philippines, against Zagitsit News FM on Monday. Station manager and owner Hermogenes "Jun" Alegre, a well-known voice impersonator of President Rodrigo Duterte, said the commission was likely pressured by Congress' legislative franchises committee, where Garbin is an "influential member." The Bicol-based lawmaker dismissed as "baseless" Alegre's claims, noting that other radio stations have also been shut down by the NTC for operating without a franchise. Alegre is vying for a provincial board member seat in Albay. He is an ally of incumbent Legazpi Mayor Noel Rosal, who is running for Albay governor. Garbin, on the other hand, is challenging Rosal's wife, Geraldine, in next year's mayoralty race in Legazpi. Alegre said he and his lawyers will do their best to challenge the order, but that the station will continue broadcasting through other platforms. Zagitsit News FM has been operating since 2015 via its affiliation with the Hypersonic Broadcasting Corporation. It said its permit to operate will not expire until Nov. 19. Garbin pointed out that the closure, which drew the ire of local media practitioners, was not an act of suppression of press freedom, as the operation of the radio station was "illegal" from the very start. CNN Philippines' stringer Rosas Olarte contributed to this report. (CNN) -- Two months ago, Denmark was riding high. The European nation lifted all remaining domestic coronavirus restrictions as the government declared Covid-19 was no longer "an illness which is a critical threat to society." With a successful vaccine rollout in their back pocket, Danes essentially returned to pre-pandemic daily life. They visited nightclubs and restaurants without showing a "Covid passport," used public transport without having to wear a mask and met in large numbers without restrictions. The optimism of mid-September has been short-lived. Denmark, like many countries across Europe, is now considering whether to reinstate restrictions as the continent battles a surge of Covid-19 cases that has pushed the region back into the epicenter of the pandemic. Large swathes of Europe are battling to beat back surges of the Delta variant amid the relaxation of restrictions and stuttering vaccine rollouts in some countries, with the WHO warning half a million Europeans could die of Covid-19 in a potentially devastating winter. In the space of a few months, Europe's Covid-19 fortunes have shifting dramatically. By the end of the summer, many countries had done away with tough restrictions after nations particularly in the west of the bloc charged ahead with vaccination programs and cases plummeted. Now as other parts of the world reopen, Europe could again be facing a winter of renewed clampdowns. Repeat restrictions On Monday the Danish government proposed reintroducing a digital "corona pass" -- used as proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test -- for entering bars and restaurants, as the country faces a third wave of infections, Reuters reported. The measure will be subject to parliamentary approval. But it comes against the urgent new backdrop of steadily rising cases -- from a low of just over 200 daily infections in mid-September to around 2,300 in recent days. Denmark is not alone. Austria this week banned unvaccinated people from restaurants and hotels amid a surge in cases. And Iceland reintroduced masks and social-distancing rules following a rise. Elsewhere, Germany's incidence rate is breaking records on a daily basis. On Tuesday the country recorded its highest seven-day infection rate since the pandemic began, with 213.7 cases per 100,000 people, according to the country's Robert Koch Institute of infectious diseases (RKI). In some eastern German states, like Saxony and Thuringia, the incident rate has been more than double that, at over 400. And on Tuesday French President Emmanuel Macron was set to address the nation amid a surge in cases -- his first major TV speech since July when he announced mandatory vaccinations for all health workers. The United Kingdom has also been battling a stubborn streak of new infections, months after "Freedom Day" celebrations at the end of July marked the removal of almost all Covid-19 restrictions. Though unlike its European neighbors, the UK has no plans to reinstate restrictions any time soon, including mandatory mask wearing. Vaccine roll on and on Denmark's rise in case comes after a successful vaccine rollout, with 88.3% of its adult population fully vaccinated, according to the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC). On Monday, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke tried to put Denmark's fortunes in the wider context of Europe's ongoing battle with Covid-19. "Several European countries are now in the middle of their fourth wave of corona," Heunicke said during a televised briefing, Reuters reported. "In Denmark we are heading into our third corona wave." The European Union as a whole has been a world leader on inoculations, with 75% of adults fully vaccinated, according to the ECDC. But the rollout has been extremely unequal across the bloc; on the eastern side, Romania and Bulgaria have fully vaccinated only 40% and 27% of their adults, respectively. Now countries are increasingly turning their attention to booster shots in an effort to halt the virus' spread over the winter months, and the prospect of unpopular restrictions over the Christmas period. Germany and Austria have offered booster shots for everyone six months after receiving their second shot. France has begun administering booster shots to its over-65s, those with underlying health conditions and carers. The United Kingdom, meanwhile has already administered more than 10 million top-up jabs, Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted this week. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Denmark ditched its Covid rules two months ago. Now it's joined other EU nations in mulling new restrictions" (CNN) The United States has reopened its borders to vaccinated international travelers, ending a 20-month travel ban at the same moment Europe is battling a surge of COVID-19 cases that has pushed the continent back into the epicenter of the pandemic. Fully vaccinated travelers from 33 countries including the United Kingdom and much of Europe can now enter the US without needing to quarantine, provided they have proof of vaccination and a negative viral test. Families and friends separated since the start of the pandemic streamed into airports across major European cities on Monday morning, excited to see loved ones for the first time since former President Donald Trump imposed tough travel restrictions at the outset of the pandemic in an effort to control the virus. But beyond these happy scenes is a darker backdrop. Europe is in the grip of a fresh wave of coronavirus cases, with the World Health Organization last week warning the region is once again "at the epicenter" of the pandemic. Large swathes of Europe are battling to beat back surges of the Delta variant, amid the relaxation of restrictions and stuttering vaccine rollouts in some countries, with the WHO warning half a million Europeans could die with COVID-19 in a potentially devastating winter. Germany on Monday recorded its highest seven-day incidence rate since the pandemic began. The same day, neighboring Austria banned unvaccinated people from restaurants and hotels amid a surge in cases. Iceland has also reintroduced masks and social-distancing rules following a rise. And cases are hovering at record levels in Russia, Ukraine and Greece. From Paris to the US, with love France too has seen a sharp rise in cases in the last month, with President Emmanuel Macron set to address the nation on Tuesday his first major TV speech since July when he announced controversial mandatory vaccinations for all health workers. Nonetheless, a steady stream of masked travelers arrived at Paris' bustling Charles de Gaulle airport on Monday morning, excited to finally see loved ones in the US. The airport's departures board was filled almost back-to-back with flights to destinations in the US. Some travelers wondered if this was a window of opportunity to see loved ones before another COVID-19 wave in Europe shut them off from the world again. One traveler, Maxime Barei, told CNN he was on his way to visit his two children in Los Angeles where they are studying. It's the first time he's been able to go to the US in two years. "We can call it freedom," Barei said, adding "I hope it continues." Amid the uncertainty over another wave in Europe, he said: "I don't know if the borders will be closed again another time." Another woman, Maria Giribet Caldentey, was also headed to California to see her twin grandchildren, after already postponing the trip once before due to border closures. "I'm leaving the first day they will allow me to leave ... I've got butterflies," she said. It's the first time Caldentey has traveled alone, after her husband died last year, and she admitting to having a few nerves around the trip. But mostly she was relieved to finally be going on a journey she's been "dreaming of since July." Many European airlines including Lufthansa, Virgin Atlantic, Swiss Air and British Airways reported full or nearly full flights on the first day the US reopened to vaccinated international travelers. British Airways and Virgin Atlantic celebrated the easing of restrictions with a dual take-off of their first flights from Heathrow airport in London to JFK airport in New York. Air France said it would increase its capacity after the US announcement led to a significant increase in bookings, particularly on routes to New York, Miami and Los Angeles over the Christmas holiday period. "After an unprecedented 18 month closure, today we celebrate the reopening of the US to the nearly 76% of the adult EU population who have since been vaccinated against COVID-19. Europe's airlines look forward to reuniting families and friends who have been separated for far too long," Europe's largest airline association, Airlines 4 Europe, said in a statement: 'Good for the economy, good for the people' Meanwhile in some parts of Europe, experts have expressed concern that further rises in infections, coupled with seasonal winter colds, could place health care workers under unmanageable pressure through Christmas and in the New Year. On Monday, Germany's daily COVID-19 infection rate climbed to 201.1 cases per 100,000 people, its highest since the start of the pandemic, according to the country's Robert Koch Institute of infectious diseases (RKI). In some eastern states, like Saxony and Thuringia, the incident rate was more than double that at over 400. However there was little mention of rising cases from German politicians who welcomed the US travel reopenings Monday, with the Minister of Economics and Technology, Peter Altmaier, welcoming the move in a statement, saying it was "good for our transatlantic relations, good for the economy and good for people." So far, almost 80% of the adult German population has been fully vaccinated, a slightly lower figure than other major EU countries like France, Spain and Italy, according to the European Center for Disease Control (ECDC). But the rollout has been extremely unequal across the bloc; on the other side, Romania and Bulgaria have fully vaccinated only 40% and 27% of their adults, respectively. Elsewhere, the UK has been enduring a stubborn streak of new infections since the end of the summer, but has resisted implementing measures like mask mandates or vaccine passes which have become commonplace across Europe. The US has suffered its own devastating COVID-19 toll, recording more than 46 million cases and over 754,400 deaths, the highest worldwide, according to the John Hopkins University (JHU). More recently, COVID-19 deaths and hospitalizations have been dropping nationally, though there have been regional spikes. Earlier this month the world passed the grim milestone of 5 million COVID-19 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic a mark the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called "a painful new threshold." This story was first published on CNN.com "The US is reopening its borders to Europe, the global epicenter of Covid-19" (CNN) Law enforcement officials seized an estimated $6 million in ransom payments and federal prosecutors charged a suspect from Ukraine over a damaging July ransomware attack on an American company in a breakthrough for the Biden administration's pursuit of cybercriminals, the Justice Department announced Monday. Yaroslav Vasinskyi, a Ukrainian national who was arrested in Poland last month, is accused of deploying ransomware known as REvil, which has been used in hacks that have cost US firms millions of dollars. Vasinskyi conducted a ransomware attack over the Fourth of July weekend on Florida-based software firm Kaseya that infected up to 1,500 businesses around the world, according to an indictment unsealed Monday. Vasinskyi and another alleged REvil operative, Russian national Yevgeniy Polyanin, are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, among other charges. As part of the investigation, authorities seized at least $6 million in funds allegedly linked to ransom payments received by Polyanin, US officials said. CNN was first to report on the law enforcement actions before the Justice Department announcement. The law enforcement bust is one of the most impactful actions yet in the Biden administration's multipronged fight against ransomware, which accelerated after a series of hacks hampered US critical infrastructure firms this year. While some ransomware groups have continued to breach US companies and demand payment, others have gone quiet in recent months. Attorney General Merrick Garland said at a press conference that the US and its allies would do "everything in our power" to track down ransomware operatives and claw back the money "they have stolen from the American people." Vasinskyi, 22, is being held in Poland pending US extradition proceedings, while Polyanin, 28, remains at large. CyberScoop, first reported that Vasinskyi had been arrested. The Treasury Department on Monday also imposed sanctions on Vasinskyi and Polyanin, as well as cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly has moved money for ransomware operatives. The State Department meanwhile announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification or location of the leadership of the REvil ransomware gang. The department is also offering up to $5 million for information leading to an arrest or conviction of anyone conspiring or attempting to participate in REvil ransomware attacks. US officials have pursued diplomacy with the Russian government, sanctioned a cryptocurrency exchange and exhorted companies to raise their cyber defenses. But experts say that putting ransomware operators in handcuffs is a crucial part of the US strategy to curb attacks. Romanian authorities last week arrested two additional alleged REvil operatives, Europol announced Monday. And South Korean authorities last month extradited to the US a Russian man accused of being part of a different crime ring that infected millions of computers worldwide. In a statement later on Monday, President Joe Biden said, "We are bringing the full strength of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors, bolster resilience at home, address the abuse of virtual currency to launder ransom payments, and leverage international cooperation to disrupt the ransomware ecosystem and address safe harbors for ransomware criminals." Biden administration has made tackling ransomware groups a priority Biden in June asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to take action against criminal hackers that were holding US companies hostage. But the Russian government has historically been reluctant to pursue cybercriminals on its own soil as long as the hackers refrain from hitting Russian targets. Since the Biden-Putin summit, "We have not seen a material change in the landscape," US Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco told the Associated Press last week. "Only time will tell as to what Russia may do on this front." Garland on Monday declined to comment when asked if the Russian government was aware of or condoned the REvil activity, citing an ongoing investigation. In a crowded landscape of cyber crooks, REvil has stood out for a series of brazen attacks. The group reportedly demanded $50 million from Apple earlier this year after hacking one of the tech giant's suppliers. The FBI has also blamed REvil for a May ransomware attack on JBS USA, which accounts for about a fifth of US beef production. The incident forced JBS to temporarily shut down production at facilities in Australia, Canada and the US. JBS paid the hackers $11 million to unlock their systems. REvil has been deployed on about 175,000 computers worldwide, with at least $200 million paid in ransom, Garland said Monday. Polyanin allegedly conducted about 3,000 ransomware attacks, including some on law enforcement agencies and municipalities throughout Texas, Garland said. REvil has had a volatile few months. The websites the group uses to extract ransoms and shame victims went offline after the Kaseya hack, only to reemerge in September. But the group shut down again last month after a foreign government and Cyber Command, the US military's hacking unit, compromised the group's computer infrastructure, according to a Washington Post report. To turn up the pressure, the State Department last week announced a $10 million reward for key information on the hackers behind the so-called DarkSide ransomware, which forced major US fuel provider Colonial Pipeline to shut down for days in May. Government agencies have leaned heavily on private experts in their pursuit of criminal hackers. Cybersecurity firm Emsisoft, for example, saved victims of a type of ransomware millions of dollars in ransom payments by discovering a flaw in the hackers' code. John Fokker, a former Dutch cybercrime investigator who is now with cybersecurity firm McAfee Enterprise, told CNN that his team had helped law enforcement identify multiple suspects involved in REvil and Gandcrab, another type of ransomware. No single law enforcement action will be a fatal blow to the lucrative, transnational ransomware economy. Victims of ransomware attacks paid about $350 million in ransoms in 2020, according to Chainalysis, a firm that tracks cryptocurrency. But that figure is likely just a fraction of the digital extortion that went on that year. And victims who don't pay the ransom can spend millions of dollars rebuilding their computer infrastructure. FBI Director Christopher Wray told US lawmakers in September that the bureau was investigating more than 100 different types of ransomware. This story was first published on CNN.com, "US seizes $6 million in ransom payments and charges Ukrainian over major cyberattack." Farms and businesses associated with Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Pillen received federally funded pandemic loans totaling $7.8 million last year about $5 million of which was returned to the government. The loans were provided through the Paycheck Protection Program, a federal program created to help farms, ranches, small businesses and nonprofits weather the economic storms created by the COVID-19 pandemic. All told, Nebraska entities got 114,684 PPP loans during two five-month periods in 2020 and 2021. Statewide, the loans totaled $5.39 billion. Sixteen businesses affiliated with the Columbus-based Pillen Family Farms got loans to support 1,057 jobs, according to records released by the Small Business Administration. The loans ranged from $1.9 million for Platte Center West, a hog farming operation, to $63,025 for Pillen Family Farms Vet Services. Sarah Pillen, co-CEO of Pillen Family Farms, said the money helped keep employees paid at a time of massive disruptions in the meatpacking industry that caused revenue losses further down the supply chain. At the time, there was no way to know how long the disruptions would last. The loans were forgiven under the terms of the program; however, the businesses later returned $5.08 million of the total received, she said. Like livestock producers across the country, Pillen Family Farms suddenly faced not only the challenge of keeping employees on the job without normal revenues, but also the ongoing costs of caring for animals that couldnt be sold (including feed, water, veterinary care, and utility costs), she said in an email. The Trump administrations support enabled farmers and ranchers to weather the massive market disruptions caused by COVID-19 and continue to produce Americas food supply, and were grateful, she said. Other candidates seeking the governors seat in 2022 declined to comment on Pillens use of the PPP loans, including GOP contenders Charles Herbster and Brett Lindstrom and Democratic candidate Carol Blood. Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state had encouraged Nebraskans to apply for the loans if they were eligible. Every business was doing everything they could do to meet the challenges of the moment, he said. Just like everyone else, the Pillens were entitled to apply for this help. I applaud them for going above and beyond and repaying a large portion of their PPP, even when most of these loans are forgiven. No PPP loans were found for Nebraska-based entities tied to other announced gubernatorial candidates, to potential candidates Theresa Thibodeau and former Gov. Dave Heineman, or to Ricketts. Charles Stoltenow -- the priority candidate in the search for the next dean and director of Nebraska Extension -- met with community members and extension personnel on Monday morning inside the Platte County Extension Office, 2715 13th St. in Columbus. It was the first of 13 stops Stoltenow will be making in Nebraska over the next week-and-a-half. A list of all 13 stops can be found online at ianr.unl.edu/dean-and-director-nebraska-extension. The goal of the tour is to allow Stoltenow to engage with community members, extension personnel and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln organization throughout the state. "The idea is all about getting out and about across Nebraska and being able to listen and learn about what some of the priorities are for the communities across Nebraska, and then those communities can also learn more about Dr. Stoltenow," Tiffany Heng-Moss said. Heng-Moss is the dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a co-chair of the Search Advisory Committee for the dean/director position. Nebraska Extension's previous dean and director, Chuck Hibberd, left the position in 2020 at the end of June. Associate Dean and Director of Nebraska Extension Dave Varner has been serving as the interim dean and director since Hibberd's retirement last year. The search process to fill the dean/director position began in the summer. After a rigorous search and interview process, Heng-Moss said that Mike Boehm, the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Science Vice Chancellor, named Stoltenow as the priority candidate. While Stoltenow is now the priority dean and director candidate, Heng-Moss stressed that nothing is final yet. "It's really important that we have a statewide effort," Heng-Moss said. "No formal offer has been made at this point in time because this is still part of the search process." Stoltenow is currently the assistant director of the North Dakota State University Extension Service in Fargo. His previous experience includes working for the United States Department of Agriculture as a federal veterinarian and some years at a private equine practice. On Monday in Columbus, Professional Development Coordinator and Extension Educator Lisa Kaslon asked Stoltenow about his long-term vision for Nebraska Extension. "To me, the long-term vision is to stay with local engagement," Stoltenow said Monday morning. "Organizations that I've seen out there that have struggled are those that have -- whether by choice or necessity or really not making the right decisions -- left that to go to a regional system. I don't think that's in anybody's best interest." Stoltenow's tour of the state will wrap up on Nov. 17 with an Omaha area open forum and reception. "Vice Chancellor Boehm will be seeking feedback from those who had the opportunity to connect with Dr. Stoltenow. And then he will be reviewing that information and then moving forward with a decision about (whether) Dr. Stoltenow will be the next dean and director of Nebraska Extension," Heng-Moss said. 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. If you ever needed anything, whether it was 2 oclock or 4 oclock in the morning, Tim was the person I knew growing up that was my person to call for anything, said his sister, Molley Lippold of Omaha. For 38 years, members of the Carlisle Vietnam Veterans, Edward J. Rykoskey Post #1, have gathered on the steps of the Old Courthouse on the Square in Carlisle to remember those who never came home, in life or in death. The vigil honors and remembers prisoners of war and those who were declared missing in action. When the vigil started less than 10 years after the fall of Saigon, it was more likely that some of those soldiers were still alive. At the 2019 vigil, post commander Bob Hinkle said the POWs and MIAs are probably dead by now, but it is important to see the remains of the fallen return to their families. Even after all this time, that is still happening. Earlier this year, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced the return of the remains of a pilot who had been lost in Thanh Hoa Province, Vietnam, in March 1967. A map from the agency shows theres more than 81,600 Americans still missing from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War and the Gulf Wars and other conflicts. Of those, 5,396 are from Pennsylvania. Hinkle invited the public to join them for this years vigil, which starts at 11 p.m. Wednesday and ends at 11 a.m. Thursday. How and when did the vigil start? Men were still missing in 1983 from Vietnam so we decided to honor and remember them by holding an all-night candlelight vigil. We didnt want them forgotten. Your post is named after a missing Vietnam serviceman. Who was Edward J. Rykoskey? Edward Rykoskey was a local hero who graduated from Carlisle High School in 1964 and joined the Marine Corps rather than wait to be drafted. The second year of his enlistment was to be spent in Vietnam, where he was shipped early in 1966. On Aug. 18, 1966, with four months of his tour left, Edward served as the radio man for a reconnaissance patrol consisting of four men that went out in the Da Nang area. Returning to Da Nang, the patrol was ambushed. Three men survived, and reported that Edward Rykoskey did not. Search parties were sent out to find Rykoskeys body, but after three or four days, they stopped looking. Edward was originally classified killed in action, status changed to missing in action, and later back to killed in action. What keeps the veterans coming back year after year for the vigil? We dont want to forget our missing POW/MIAs like most Americans have done, and we wanted to continue honoring their service and sacrifice. As our Vietnam veterans age, what would veterans like you and the members of your post want to see happen to address the POW/MIA issue? We have always wanted our country to put more priority on finding and returning live POWS and/or their remains. Their families deserve more than what weve done for them as a country. We should never leave service men or women behind. What can the public do to remember and honor POW/MIA service members? Show up at our candlelight vigil and write or call congressman and president and demand that we do more. But I wonder how many Americans really give a damn? Email Tammie at tgitt@cumberlink.com. Follow her on Twitter @TammieGitt. 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 Borough of Carlisle announced Monday that the annual Christmas parade is back on the schedule for December. Last month, the Downtown Carlisle Association, which served as the recent ogranizer for the parade, said it would not hold the Christmas parade due to funding cuts from its two primary sources, the borough and Dickinson College, that led to the elimination of a staff position. Now, the borough said it will step in to organize the parade, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Dec. 4. The parade will start at West South and South Hanover streets and go north ending at Louther Street and North Hanover Street. The daylight timing for the parade marks a change from the recent practice of holding the parade on the same evening that Santa arrives to light the tree at the Square (6 p.m. Dec. 3 this year), but harkens back to older traditions of the parade being held on a Saturday during daylight hours. Mayor Tim Scott said in a news release that a daytime parade gives the community and visitors additional opportunities to support small business while augmenting other local holiday festivities planned by Carlisles downtown shop owners, restaurateurs and agencies like Downtown Carlisle Association. This will also provide families with the opportunity to see Santa again before he returns to the North Pole, he said. The parade, which will be known this year as the Making Spirits Bright Parade, will be facilitated by the Borough of Carlisles Parks and Recreation Department whose team is also responsible for coordinating and hosting the annual Halloween Parade. Deputy Mayor Shultz pointed to Carlisle Boroughs commitment and support of small business and the strides taken throughout the years to advance economic development and vitality. Carlisle Borough is known for its collaborative spirit with strategic and creative public-private solutions throughout the course of decades and especially during the pandemic. The Carlisle Community Action Network spearheaded by Dickinson College is one great example, Shultz said. This parade is another example of our support of local businesses as they battle the residual impacts of the pandemic while providing a festive event for our community. We encourage everyone to come out and rediscover what makes our town a special place to visit, live and work. To support small business during the pandemic, the borough expanded open container and sidewalk cafe provisions, provided about $150,000 in grants to small businesses for COVID recovery, issued low-interest shopsteading loans to new businesses, removed snow from the downtown overnight, suspended parking enforcement and has provided temporary relief for unpaid water and sewer accounts, among other initiatives. Details on how to register your float or performing group for the parade may be found at www.CarlislePA.org/EVENTS. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Andrea Crouse, director of Parks and Recreation, at 717-240-6951 or acrouse@carlislepa.org. Email Tammie at tgitt@cumberlink.com. Follow her on Twitter @TammieGitt. Love 1 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. Information is from police reports and may be incomplete depending on the status of an investigation. Phone numbers are nonemergency. The state Department of Health reported 105 cases of COVID-19 and no deaths for Cumberland County Tuesday. The number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 decreased to 88 in Tuesday's report, down one from Monday. There are 16 adults in intensive care (the same as Monday) and 13 on ventilators (the same as Monday). Seven adult ICU beds remain open of the 111 currently staffed across the county, and 26 of 95 ventilators in the county are in use. Tuesday's report included 227 test results, with 44 probable cases. Comparing just the number of negative tests (122) and confirmed positive tests (61), the county saw 33.3% of its tests come back positive. The southcentral region reported 670 cases and 12 new deaths Tuesday, with 145 cases and two deaths in York County, 106 cases and two deaths in Dauphin County and 104 cases and one death in Franklin County. Franklin County reported 53 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Tuesday (up two from Monday), with four of 28 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 14 of 35 available ventilators in use. There are eight adults in intensive care and five on ventilators. Dauphin County reported 101 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 Tuesday (up six from Monday), with 28 of 198 currently staffed ICU beds available in the county and 73 of 177 available ventilators in use. There are 30 adults in intensive care and 19 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. 8) 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. Monday's update shows 92 total cases (88 adults, 4 pediatrics) in the health system's four hospitals 20 are fully vaccinated (21.7%) with five in an ICU and one on a ventilator, 58 are nonvaccinated (63%) with 19 adults in an ICU and eight adults on a ventilator, and 14 are unknown status patients. Three of four children hospitalized are unvaccinated (one is unknown status), with no one in an ICU and no one on a ventilator. Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill has 19 COVID patients. Four are fully vaccinated adults (no one in ICU and no one on a ventilator) and 15 unvaccinated adults (one in an ICU and one on a ventilator). Hampden Medical Center has eight COVID patients. Five are not fully vaccinated (two in an ICU, no one on a ventilator) and three are 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. 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 Monday evening, the CDC says Cumberland County has seen 63.4% of its total population of 253,370 become fully vaccinated. For the county's vaccine eligible population of people ages 12 and older, 73.2% have been fully vaccinated. County numbers in the southcentral region (for Nov. 9): Adams County (pop. 103,009): 27 new cases; 13,706 total cases (11,175 confirmed, 2,531 probable); 44,369 negatives; 231 deaths; 50.5% of county population vaccinated 27 new cases; 13,706 total cases (11,175 confirmed, 2,531 probable); 44,369 negatives; 231 deaths; 50.5% of county population vaccinated Bedford County (pop. 47,888): 11 new cases; 7,060 total cases (4,809 confirmed, 2,251 probable); 12,608 negatives; 177 deaths (+1); 35.1% of county population vaccinated 11 new cases; 7,060 total cases (4,809 confirmed, 2,251 probable); 12,608 negatives; 177 deaths (+1); 35.1% of county population vaccinated Blair County (pop. 121,829): 68 new cases; 18,405 total cases (14,518 confirmed, 3,887 probable); 47,482 negatives; 402 deaths (+1); 46.5% of county population vaccinated 68 new cases; 18,405 total cases (14,518 confirmed, 3,887 probable); 47,482 negatives; 402 deaths (+1); 46.5% of county population vaccinated Cumberland County (pop. 253,370): 105 new cases; 28,940 total cases (22,563 confirmed, 6,377 probable); 103,037 negatives; 634 deaths; 63.4% of county population vaccinated 105 new cases; 28,940 total cases (22,563 confirmed, 6,377 probable); 103,037 negatives; 634 deaths; 63.4% of county population vaccinated Dauphin County (pop. 278,299): 106 new cases; 35,644 total cases (30,541 confirmed, 5,103 probable); 129,357 negatives; 662 deaths (+2); 59.2% of county population vaccinated 106 new cases; 35,644 total cases (30,541 confirmed, 5,103 probable); 129,357 negatives; 662 deaths (+2); 59.2% of county population vaccinated Franklin County (pop. 155,027): 104 new cases; 22,367 total cases (18,160 confirmed, 4,207 probable); 64,785 negatives; 468 deaths (+1); 46.2% of county population vaccinated 104 new cases; 22,367 total cases (18,160 confirmed, 4,207 probable); 64,785 negatives; 468 deaths (+1); 46.2% of county population vaccinated Fulton County (pop. 14,530): 9 new cases; 2,343 total cases (1,153 confirmed, 1,190 probable); 5,063 negatives; 32 deaths; 31.8% of county population vaccinated 9 new cases; 2,343 total cases (1,153 confirmed, 1,190 probable); 5,063 negatives; 32 deaths; 31.8% of county population vaccinated Huntingdon County (pop. 45,144): 9 new cases; 7,002 total cases (5,750 confirmed, 1,252 probable); 21,063 negatives; 169 deaths (+2); 47.3% of county population vaccinated 9 new cases; 7,002 total cases (5,750 confirmed, 1,252 probable); 21,063 negatives; 169 deaths (+2); 47.3% of county population vaccinated Juniata County (pop. 24,763): 8 new cases; 2,995 total cases (2,732 confirmed, 263 probable); 6,735 negatives; 117 deaths; 40.6% of county population vaccinated 8 new cases; 2,995 total cases (2,732 confirmed, 263 probable); 6,735 negatives; 117 deaths; 40.6% of county population vaccinated Lebanon County (pop. 141,793): 47 new cases; 21,169 total cases (18,108 confirmed, 3,061 probable); 63,543 negatives; 341 deaths; 51.3% of county population vaccinated 47 new cases; 21,169 total cases (18,108 confirmed, 3,061 probable); 63,543 negatives; 341 deaths; 51.3% of county population vaccinated Mifflin County (pop. 46,138): 13 new cases; 7,475 total cases (7,071 confirmed, 404 probable); 17,700 negatives; 207 deaths (+3); 49.5% of county population vaccinated 13 new cases; 7,475 total cases (7,071 confirmed, 404 probable); 17,700 negatives; 207 deaths (+3); 49.5% of county population vaccinated Perry County (pop. 46,272): 18 new cases; 5,445 total cases (4,197 confirmed, 1,248 probable); 13,459 negatives; 126 deaths; 47.6% of county population vaccinated 18 new cases; 5,445 total cases (4,197 confirmed, 1,248 probable); 13,459 negatives; 126 deaths; 47.6% of county population vaccinated York County (pop. 449,058): 145 new cases; 64,570 total cases (52,543 confirmed; 12,027 probable); 195,582 negatives; 1,004 deaths (+2); 55.8% of county population vaccinated ZIP code-level counts (updated Nov. 9): 17013: 3,468 positives, 15,955 negatives - +34 since Nov. 5 17015: 2,065 positives, 7,808 negatives - +18 since Nov. 5 17050: 3,283 positives, 16,305 negatives - +31 since Nov. 5 17055: 3,693 positives, 18,456 negatives - +31 since Nov. 5 17011: 3,403 positives, 15,475 negatives - +31 since Nov. 5 17007: 498 positives, 1,996 negatives - +10 since Nov. 5 17065: 355 positives, 1,381 negatives - +6 since Nov. 5 17324: 402 positives, 1,419 negatives - +2 since Nov. 5 17241: 926 positives, 3,468 negatives - +8 since Nov. 5 17257: 2,374 positives, 7,823 negatives - +16 since Nov. 5 17240: 233 positives, 707 negatives - +5 since Nov. 5 17025: 1,574 positives, 6,289 negatives - +12 since Nov. 5 17070: 1,484 positives, 5,974 negatives - +20 since Nov. 5 17043: 503 positives, 2,263 negatives - +11 since Nov. 5 17019: 1,752 positives, 6,057 negatives - +25 since Nov. 5 17266: 28 positives, 136 negatives - +0 since Nov. 5 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. State Police at Carlisle reported Wednesday that two people were serious injured in a three-vehicle crash on Interstate 81 that tied up traffic Tuesday early afternoon. Police said Aaron Chavis, 49, of Unionville, Connecticut, was driving a 2008 Honda Pilot south on I-81 near mile marker 52.7 in Middlesex Township at 12:43 p.m. Tuesday when, for unknown reasons, his vehicle exited the left lane of the highway, crossed the grass median and entered the northbound lanes of travel. David Johnson, 58, of Phil Campbell, Alabama, was driving a 2020 Ford F250 SuperCab on I-81 south and took evasive maneuvers after seeing the oncoming vehicle. However, Chavis' vehicle struck the passenger side of Johnson's vehicle. Chavis' vehicle then continued into the path of a 2021 Audi Q3, driven by Giovanni Velazquez, 33, of Miami. Chavis' vehicle struck the Audi in the driver's side before coming to rest in the right shoulder of the northbound lanes. The Audi exited the road and struck shrubbery. Chavis and Velazquez suffered suspected serious injuries and were transported to the hospital, according to police. Johnson was not injured. All three vehicles were towed from the scene. Posted Tuesday on Cumberlink: Three vehicles were involved in a crash on Interstate 81 in Middlesex Township Tuesday that shut down the northbound lanes of the highway for more than an hour. The crash involved one vehicle crossing over the grassy median area into the northbound lanes around mile marker 52.8, according to the New Kingstown Fire Company. PennDOT spokeswoman Fritzi Schreffler said no one was killed in the crash, which happened around 12:52 p.m. No details were available for the extent of injuries. According to New Kingstown's Facebook post, crews arrived on scene to find two SUVs and a small truck that had been hauling a trailer. Fire crews worked to stabilize and depower vehicles while EMS crews from Silver Spring and Cumberland-Goodwill arrived on site. The highway reopened to a single lane of traffic around 2:15 p.m., and fully reopened by 4 p.m. Posted at 2:20 p.m. Northbound lanes on Interstate 81 in Middlesex Township have partially reopened after a crash closed all lanes for more than an hour Tuesday. A lane restriction remains in place near where the accident happened at mile marker 52.8, but traffic is flowing in the area again. Posted at 2 p.m. All northbound lanes between exits 52 and 57 on Interstate 81 north remained closed as of 2 p.m. Tuesday. No further details have been reported about the crash at mile marker 52.8. Posted at 1 p.m. Emergency crews are responding to a crash with entrapment Tuesday on Interstate 81 north near mile marker 52.8 in Middlesex Township as of 12:52 p.m. PennDOT's traffic website reports all northbound lanes are closed between exit 52A (U.S. 11 north) and exit 57 (Route 114) on the interstate. Traffic delays stretch all the way back to the High Street exit near Carlisle on I-81. Check back to Cumberlink for updates as they become available. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 2 Sad 2 Angry 1 This week is an important week at the West County School District because students and staff are focusing on honoring local veterans. The district kicks off veteran-related activities today with a veterans banquet from 5-6 p.m. in the high schools cafeteria. Family and Consumer Sciences teacher Cheryl Hunt and her high school students and FCCLA members are preparing the meal of pulled pork, chicken, potato salad, beans, salad, cookies and brownies. Coffee, tea, lemonade and water will also be served. After the meal, veterans and their families are invited to attend a special patriotic concert at 6:30 p.m. in the gymnasium. About 65 West County Elementary choir students from third through fifth grades will sing Americans We, On Veterans Day and American Heart. Drew Hartenberger, K-5 choir director, said her students have been practicing with everyone during the school day to prepare for the concert. I think it is essential for my students to understand the importance of the sacrifices of those who served our country to give them the freedoms they enjoy every day, she said. We discuss this in class as we learn our patriotic music. Hartenberger said, While my students sing On Veterans Day, I have asked the kids to picture someone they know who served and sing that song to them. This way, it will make a personal connection for them and the music will come from their heart. Band Director Darren Cordray, who will lead 47 high school students in three songs at the concert, said he believes it is important for his students to not only learn about the service and sacrifice our veterans have freely given, but to also give back to the veterans of our community. He said, We are proud of our veterans and hope that our music gives them all the honor they deserve. High school band members will play Marches of the Armed Forces, Always United, Forever Strong and An American Celebration. A special flag-folding ceremony will take place Wednesday at the middle school at 1 p.m. This service will be completed by the Desloge VFW and Auxiliary members. The elementarys care package drive for veterans also concludes Wednesday. The staff are sponsoring a Family Give Back Night from 6-7 p.m. when they will take the items collected from the school-wide drive to create care packages for veterans in local nursing homes. On Thursday Veterans Day area veterans are asked to participate in a drive-through parade at the three West County campuses. All veterans who would like to participate are asked to meet in their own vehicles on the parking lot near the elementary playground no later than 12:30 p.m. The elementary is located at 625 Chariton Ave. in Park Hills. School Resource Officer Jennifer Hulsey begins the parade at 1 p.m. The Missouri Department of Corrections Eastern Region Honor Guard will then march behind her patrol car. This group is coordinated and led by Field Commander Jake Martin, a correctional sergeant. He has been field commander of the Honor Guard for the past several years and in the group for 10 years. The Honor Guard is a specially trained team of officers who are used as a public face to represent the Department of Corrections at various ceremonies, special functions and parades in the eastern region of the state. They also serve as direct representatives of the department at funerals of their retirees, active duty personnel and other dignitaries. Currently there are 11 officers who serve in the Easter Region Honor Guard. They come from the Eastern Reception Diagnostic Correctional Center in Bonne Terre; Farmington Correctional Center; Missouri Eastern Correctional Center in Pacific; and Potosi Correctional Center. Five officers will represent the department at Thursdays veteran parade: Lieutenant Stephanie Easter and Sergeant Kelsey Miller from Missouri Eastern Correctional Center in Pacific; Sergeant Jake Martin, Officer Mike Griffin, who is currently the longest serving member; and Officer Paul Wilfong from Farmington Correctional Center. Martin said, The DOC is closely tied to this area. Many of our staff members are military veterans themselves and have children or grandchildren attending the local schools. He said it is the Honor Guards mission to display the respect of their department toward the veterans in the communities and toward the veterans "among our ranks." The Leadwood Police Department and Leadwood Fire Department will follow the Honor Guard, followed by the veterans as they travel in front of the elementary school through the bus lane for all students and staff to cheer for them and hold up signs and banners they have made. As the veterans exit from the elementary, they will be given a decorated thank-you cookie with a toy soldier with a special saying. Veterans will then drive through the parking lots at the middle and high schools where students and staff will be waiting outside to greet them. WCE School Instructional Coach Jessica Kearns, along with Principal Laura Basler and Counselor Becky Yount, planned the drive-thru celebration for the district. We collaborated on ways we could honor veterans and keep everyone safe with the current COVID situation, said Kearns. I have seen similar events take place for birthdays and Grandparents Day in the area and thought this would be a fun way to celebrate our local veterans. Kearns said, Veterans Day serves as a great learning opportunity for our students, and modeling to show them what it looks like to honor our veterans is motivation behind our drive-through celebration. Pam Clifton is a contributing writer for the Daily Journal 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. Seated in front of a jury Monday, Marissa Blair said she came to Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017 to join her close friend Heather Heyer. The two had a bond that few coworkers did, she said, becoming friends who never tired of each other. With pain in her voice Blair said that when she joined a crowd of peaceful counter-protesters that day she never could have expected that Heyer would soon be dead. No one expects or would expect for your friend to be killed right in front of you for standing up for what she believes in, said Blair. At times I feel guilty because she was about to leave to go to work but we found this crowd and we stayed. You can see in the video, she was standing right in front of me. Blair is one of nine plaintiffs in the federal Sines v. Kessler lawsuit, which seeks to hold key organizers and participants of the 2017 Unite the Right rally responsible for allegedly conspiring to come to Charlottesville and commit acts of racist violence. Among those defendants is James Alex Fields Jr., who drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters on Aug. 12, 2017, murdering Heyer and injuring dozens, including Blair and six of the other plaintiffs. The other defendants have, for the most part, spent the trial trying to distance themselves from Fields and each other. Kruse said she is glad that the city is working on an assessment of these issues, but she also wants to see more urgency from the city in developing the climate action plan, which she says should already have been in place. Without a plan, without giving direction to other departments within the city who may not have climate top of mind when theyre making their decisions were making decisions right now that will impact our ability to reach our climate goals. And Im concerned that we dont have this plan in place already and that some of these decisions were making might hinder our ability to get where we need to go, she said. Inequity and the climate The citys Climate Action Planning department worked on collecting heat map data this summer. Charlottesville is participating in the 2021 NIHHIS-CAPA Urban Heat Island Mapping Campaign, a nationwide citizen-science based effort to collect local data on temperatures and humidity levels across the city. How urban environments and neighborhoods are built affects the amount of heat absorbed and retained, which can increase or reduce the impact of extreme heat events. Increases in extreme heat are one of the top projected impacts Charlottesville will experience from climate change. A community group is calling on the city of Charlottesville to expand the Court Square historic area downtown, a move that would reflect the original area of Court Square. The Court Square Slave Block Citizen Advocacy Group, a group of community members led by Richard Allan and Rev. Marvin Morgan of Sojourners United Church of Christ, submitted a letter to City Council and the Historic Resources Committee last week, asking them to consider widening a curb and moving two parking spaces to expand the area and allow space for more historic interpretation of the area where people were bought and sold into enslavement. We ask City Council to reestablish the original area of Slave Block auction yard space where human beings were sold for over a century, as shown on the Court Square map of 1828, the letter says. Today much of those additional nearly 500 [square feet] is given over to two parking spaces. Vehicles will obstruct the publics visual field, blocking view of any obelisk or other markers/signage [Historic Resources Committee] plans for the space. The letter says that the Court Square Slave Block Citizen Advocacy Group worked with city engineer Brennen Duncan, who inspected the area. General Electric, the storied American manufacturer that struggled under its own weight after growing to become a sprawling conglomerate, will divide itself into three public companies focused on aviation, health care and energy. The companys announcement Tuesday is the culmination of an arduous, yearslong reshaping of a symbol of American manufacturing might that could signal the end of conglomerates as a whole. Its over now," said Nick Heymann of William Blair, who has followed GE for years. "In a digital economy, theres no real room for it. The company has already rid itself of the products most Americans know it for, including its appliances, and last year, the light bulbs that GE had been making since the late 19th century when the company was founded. The breakup marks the apogee of those efforts, divvying up an empire created in the 1980s under Jack Welch, one of America's first CEO superstars. GEs stock became one of the most sought after on Wall Street under Welch, routinely outperforming peers and the broader market. Through the 1990s, it returned 1,120.6% on investments. GE's revenue grew nearly fivefold during Welchs tenure, and the company's value increased 30-fold. Everyone eligible should be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel or employment. Vaccination should be voluntary but those who don't get vaccinated should be frequently tested for COVID-19 as a condition of long-distance travel and employment. Both vaccination and testing should be voluntary and not required as a condition of long-distance travel or employment. I defer to the judgment of lawmakers as long as they base their decisions on a consensus of medical professionals. Vote View Results More information Contract between Kerr County and U.S. Treasury Department for use of funds provided under the American Rescue Plan Act: https://bit.ly/3bUSPV8 Raw video footage of residents speaking about ARPA funds at Mondays commissioners court meeting: https://bit.ly/3qnpgUG County presentation on ARPA funds - https://bit.ly/2YpSmHC Community survey seeking input on how funds should be spent - https://bit.ly/31pOFma Intent to submit document - https://bit.ly/3bKVaC1 ARPA project application - https://bit.ly/3mQsY6Y ARPA funds evaluation criteria - https://bit.ly/3GUDYIQ (Score weights not yet available) You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Russia's leading long-distance telephone provider Rostelecom is looking at selling its Armenian subsidiary GNC-Alfa, providing services under the Rostelecom Armenia brand, reports local media. According to Cnews, the fixed-line operator GNC-Alfa will completely come under the control of the Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) company, which is part of the Tashir holding, which is owned by businessman Samvel Karapetyan, who lives in Russia. The application for the sale of the operator has already been submitted to the Public Services Development Commission of Armenia (PSRC). At the moment, the deal is being coordinated with the Government of Armenia, the National Security Service, and the Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition, said informed sources. In 2012 Rostelecom acquired 75% of GNC-Alfa securities. Seven years later, the Russian operator completed a deal on the full purchase of shares for 507 million rubles. Thus, GNC-Alfa became Rostelecoms first and only foreign asset today. All this time the Armenian company has been operating under the Rostelecom brand. The Armenian unit's fiber-optic networks with a length of more than 2,500 km cover 80% of the country's territory. The network is also connected to regional backbone networks and an international Internet channel through Georgia and Iran. Rostelecom has been trying for years to sell its Armenian affiliate. The relevant negotiations took place with Veon Armenia, which operated under the Beeline name and was then part of the Veon group (of which the Russian Vympeklom also is part). The deal was not materialised. Safaricom, whose license-winning consortium in Ethiopia was to begin operations next year, has reportedly evacuated its employees from Ethiopia because of the ongoing armed conflict. The Business Daily Africa website reports that the employees left the country on Wednesday and Friday. Safaricom had seconded staff to run Ethiopian operations for products and network development in readiness to begin operations next year. The idea was to gradually reduce Kenyan expertise and build the local workforce as the business grew. The Safaricom consortium, which also includes British development finance agency CDC Group and Japans Sumitomo Corporation, won a licence to offer mobile services in Ethiopia with a bid of $850 million. The licence has been awarded for an initial period of 15 years. Until recently, only state monopoly Ethio Telecom offered mobile services in the country. The government is also looking to sell a minority stake in Ethio Telecom and a second new licence. Both new entrants will be permitted to offer mobile money services, a sector in which Ethio Telecom has made some major inroads of late. As we recently announced, the Ethiopian Communications Authority (ECA), Ethiopia's telecommunications regulator, has invited a request for proposals for the second licence, to be delivered by 20 December. This was the second time; the last bid was deemed too low. However, the situation in the country is now undoubtedly serious. A number of nations have already advised their citizens to leave Ethiopia. Tigrayan rebel forces and their allies told Reuters last week that they were 325 kilometres from the capital. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds government has ignored international appeals for a ceasefire. The questions for the ECA now are whether the new licence award can go ahead on time and, indeed, whether Safaricom will be able to begin trading as planned. It looks like Telenors attempts to sell its Myanmar unit may be facing fresh problems as the countrys military leadership is said to be looking for participation from local buyers in any planned deal. The original plan was to sell its local operations to M1 Group, a Lebanese firm, for a reported asking price of $105 million. However, the junta, which took over in February, now appears to want some measure of local ownership. In addition, as we have reported, telecom and internet firms have been pressurised to install surveillance technology, while senior executives have been prevented from leaving the country. As we reported in September Telenor has thus far resisted, saying it has worked actively to avoid activation of intercept equipment and will not do so voluntarily. Following the February coup, in which Myanmars military seized power in the country, Telenor said in July: The situation in Myanmar has over the past months become increasingly challenging for Telenor for people security, regulatory and compliance reasons. It also announced plans to sell its local division. According to Reuters, M1, an investment firm, is in advanced talks about a partnership with at least one Myanmar company, and other local firms have expressed interest. Reuters adds that Telenor has said it is still waiting for a formal response from Myanmar authorities to its request to sell its unit to M1. Albanias telecoms regulator AKEP (Electronic and Postal Communications Authority) has signed a cooperation agreement with the countrys broadcast regulator AMA (Audiovisual Media Authority) on a number of issues including the release of 700MHz spectrum. The regulators stated that AMA would issue the 700MHz spectrum while AKEP would oversee administration of the band. TeleGeography reports that the stated goal of the regulators is to ensure that their usage of the spectrum is in line with targets set by both the ITU and the EU. In October 2020, the ITU called for the migration of broadcast operators from the 700MHz to be completed by the end of 2022 so that the spectrum could be reallocated to mobile network operators. The regulators have confirmed that they also plan to set up a joint task force to monitor spectral interference and create a combined inventory of frequencies. Telecommunications service provider Paratus Namibia and MTN Namibia announce that they have signed a national roaming agreement, a first of its kind in the Southern African country. The agreement signals that Paratus and MTN customers throughout the country will benefit from the integration of two networks to deliver better and increased national coverage for all, said local media reports. Andrew Hall, Managing Director of Paratus Namibia, said: By partnering with MTN we are now able to achieve faster mobile LTE deployment because in the past we have failed to engage with dominant operators to achieve our goals . He indicated that the national roaming agreement with MTN is the "first of many agreements in which Paratus will share the infrastructure with licensed operators and provide quality network connections to the commercial and national market at large and beyond. It really is a new dawn for telecommunications in Namibia . Andrew said the partnership with MTN would enable Paratus to realise a faster mobile LTE roll-out as in the past it has been unsuccessful in engaging with the dominant operators to achieve its goals. Long Term Evolution, or LTE, is a 4G wireless broadband standard that replaces previous technologies like WiMax and 3G. It is faster than 3G but slower than both true 4G and 5G, which is the current wireless standard. Moscow, ID (83843) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. Morning high of 54F with temps falling to near 35. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Clear to partly cloudy. Low 31F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Were all rolling on up toward the holidays, and I want everyone who has any connection to me, either positive or negative, to have a good one. Theres been a ton of research coming out this last couple of weeks that many of the COVID-19 ritualistic class would find upsetting. But in the spi A missing teenager from North Carolina was rescued by Kentucky police after she signaled for help by using a hand gesture known on TikTok to represent violence at home, according to police. The 16-year-old from Asheville, North Carolina, was reported missing by her parents on Tuesday, according to the Laurel County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky. On Thursday, a motorist in Kentucky called 911 to report seeing a girl in distress in a vehicle on the interstate. "The complainant was behind the vehicle and noticed a female passenger in the vehicle making hand gestures that are known on the social media platform 'Tik Tok' to represent violence at home -- I need help -- domestic violence," reads the statement posted on Friday by the Laurel County Sheriff's Office. The hand gesture is a one-handed sign someone can use when in distress, according to the Canadian Women's Foundation. Someone using the signal holds their hand up with their palm facing out, then tucks their thumb into their hand and then closes their fingers to trap thumb. We are looking for peace and cooperation. So, this is a small environment, my Atlantis. I can call it the perfect city where everybody has his own set of beliefs, but he has respect and knowledge and understanding for the other party, she said. Our interfaith group is really a great representative of why God created us all different. At the same time he expected us to respect each other, live in peace and love each other. Learning about Christianity and Judaism, Aimach said she learned more about Islam because stories in the Quran are also in the Christian and Jewish religious texts. Its very informative, elaborating, and also gives you a better quality of your own faith. Even though you are learning more, more about other traditions, it just gives you a greater value of life I think, she said. Betty Taylor, a member of the leadership committee, said after a career working with Middle Eastern countries, the rhetoric about Muslims in America following the 9/11 attacks really bothered her. I noticed that you guys have made significant changes in several areas over the state, but zero changes at all to my community of interest and to my county, Singleton said. Redistricting committee chair Bonnie Rich noted she has family ties to Coweta County and said I do have sympathy for protesters' position, but suggested her hands were tied by requirements under the federal Voting Rights Act to maximize minority districts. No matter how much anybody here on this committee or in this room thinks that the application is unfair here, this is just not the body that has any authority to change the Federal Voting Rights Act, said Rich, a Suwanee Republican. A number of Fayette County residents complained about their county being split four ways. Advocates renewed requests for more time to give meaningful input into the maps. State Rep. Ed Setzler, an Acworth Republican, said the changes Rich unveiled Thursday are a response to that input. What you see before you has all of the changes madam chair highlighted for you that were based on the feedback we've gotten from the citizens of Georgia across the political spectrum, Setzler said. Follow Jeff Amy at http://twitter.com/jeffamy. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) A Brightline commuter train hit a car carrying a woman and her grandchild Monday on the higher-speed line's first day back in operation since the coronavirus pandemic began. The 71-year-old woman suffered some broken bones and the child did not appear to be seriously injured, Pompano Beach Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Sandra King told news outlets. They were both taken to a hospital. Television stations showed images of the woman's crushed car at the intersection in Pompano Beach, which is north of Fort Lauderdale. The woman had made a right turn was was trying to cross the train tracks when the crash happened, King said. The train was heading south from West Palm Beach to the Fort Lauderdale station with Brightline officials, including President Patrick Goddard. He was scheduled to appear at an event in Fort Lauderdale marking the train's return. The train travels at speeds of up to 79 mph (127 kph) through some of Floridas most densely populated cities. OZARK A Florida man is behind bars after a car chase that ended in the suspect being shot several times by law enforcement. Dylan Gentry, 26, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, is being charged with attempting to elude law enforcement and faces several felony charges in his home state. Around midday Sunday, an Ozark police officer attempted a traffic stop on West Roy Parker Road near Van Heusen Drive, according to a joint release from the Ozark Police Department and Dale County Sheriffs Office. The suspect failed to stop and a pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, the vehicle traveled at excessive speeds and into oncoming traffic. As the pursuit continued on U.S. Highway 231 North, Ozark police requested backup from the Dale County Sheriffs Office. A Dale County deputy performed a pursuit immobilization technique (PIT) intended to force a fleeing car to turn sideways abruptly, near Sam Lisenby Road. The suspect was able to regain control of his vehicle and continued northbound. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A second PIT was performed by a deputy near the intersection at Jernigan Road. As officers and the deputy attempted to take the suspect into custody, the suspect attempted to flee again. Many festival visitors are particular about what vendors they visit. It becomes part of the tradition of going to the National Peanut Festival. Take the Shannen and AudreyElla Dotson. Their corn dogs have to come from The Corn Dog Man. Theyre just good, Dotson said. I think its because you cant just go buy one anytime you want. Its a special thing. For Tyler Robinson, the festival food experience isnt complete without a turkey leg like the one he was eating recently when he attended with Rhianne Williamson, who enjoyed a loaded baked potato from the same local food vendor where Robinson bought his turkey leg. They both grew up locally, attending the festival as children. Boiled peanuts and corn dogs are also usually on the menu for them. A lot of it is just the tradition, Robinson said. You come here, its what you do, and its part of the experience. Peggy Ussery is a Dothan Eagle staff writer and can be reached at aussery@dothaneagle.com or 334-712-7963. Support her work and that of other Eagle journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at dothaneagle.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. The resolution, read aloud by Chairman Mark Culver, states that while the commission recognizes the sacrifices and difficult decisions faced by members of the Houston County Health Care Authority, it appears the authority is resistant to change in their membership. Along with seeking a draft of a local constitutional amendment, the resolution states that the county commission will take necessary steps to prevent any single commissioner from appointing someone believed not to have the hospitals best interest at heart. The health care authoritys appointment process is established in its articles of incorporation. Every two years, a nominating committee presents each district county commissioner with three names for their district along with a recommendation. County commissioners are to select someone from those three names and then the entire commission votes on the appointments. Herring, who has still not made his latest appointment, has argued that the process keeps commissioners from truly appointing who they want to appoint. The county commission appoints 12 of the authoritys 13 members. Each of the four district commissioners appoints three authority members, but the chairman does not make appointments. The president of the hospitals medical staff also serves on the authority. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and France's Thomas Pesquet should have been back Monday morning, but high wind in the recovery zone delayed their return. One more night with this magical view. Who could complain? Ill miss our spaceship! Pesquet tweeted Sunday alongside a brief video showing the space station illuminated against the blackness of space and the twinkling city lights on the nighttime side of Earth. From the space station, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei -- midway through a one-year flight -- bid farewell to each of his departing friends, telling McArthur "Ill miss hearing your laughter in adjacent modules. Before leaving the neighborhood, the four took a spin around the space station, taking pictures. This was a first for SpaceX; NASA's shuttles used to do it all the time before their retirement a decade ago. The last Russian capsule fly-around was three years ago. It wasn't the most comfortable ride back. The toilet in their capsule was broken, and so the astronauts needed to rely on diapers for the eight-hour trip home. They shrugged it off late last week as just one more challenge in their mission. Arbery's mother told reporters outside the courthouse she was confused why more was not done to help her badly wounded son. He had a guy lying in the road who was covered in blood," Wanda Cooper-Jones said. I cant understand why he didnt render aid. When police arrive at a scene of gunfire, their first priority is to look for and mitigate any threats "and then they can come back and deal with the injured, said Keith Taylor, a former police sergeant in New York City whos now a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. A gunshot wound of the nature that was inflicted on this victim, that would probably be beyond the scope of ability for this officer to address, Taylor said, noting police generally have limited medical training. Cooper-Jones stayed in the courtroom as the graphic photos were shown and could be heard exhaling quietly as Ramos identified closeup images of a gaping shotgun wound in her sons chest. Arberys father, Marcus Arbery Sr., got up and walked out before the jury was shown the images. The second officer to respond to the shooting, William Duggan, testified Friday and jurors watched portions of his body camera video in which Duggan rolled Arbery over and pressed a hand to his wounded chest. MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) Santa may have fewer eyes in homes this Christmas season after a Georgia judge jokingly banned the Elf on the Shelf. Cobb County Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Leonard posted a mock order on Twitter Thursday banishing these elves. Tired of living in Elf on the Shelf tyranny? Not looking forward to the Elf forgetting to move and causing your kids emotional distress? I am a public servant and will take the heat for you. My gift to tired parents, Leonard tweeted. According to the holiday tradition, the elves hide in homes for weeks before Christmas and report back to Santa on who's been naughty and nice. The elf dolls are supposed to move to a different location each night. Inexplicably, Elves sometimes move and don't move overnight. When those Elves do not move, it leaves our children of tender years in states of extreme emotional distress," Leonard wrote in his order. He recalled a horrific incident in his own home when three children were sent to school in tears, with one child being labeled an Elf Murderer and accused of making the elf lose his magic. The ink is barely dry on the redistricting maps the Alabama Legislature passed last week, and theres already a challenge filed in the courts. The only wonder is what took so long. Every 10 years, Alabama lawmakers undertake the task of drawing new legislative and congressional districts according to the latest U.S. Census figures. The intended purpose is to ensure equitable representation of the people of the state. However, lawmakers have an alternate purpose behind their efforts. Redistricting in Alabama is about power, individual and partisan, and the maps that make their way to the governors desk are drawn to best protect the interest of incumbent legislators and continuing control of the political party that holds the majority, along with a grudging concession to maintain just enough minority majority districts to keep the federal courts at bay. Often, maps are drawn to pare out intended challengers in a particular district and limit minority voting power. And with this effort, Alabamas proposed redistricting maps dont require pre-clearance by the U.S. Department of Justice. Rockwell sets up cybersecurity centre and adds partners Rockwell Automation has set up a Cybersecurity Operations Center in Israel to deliver remote cybersecurity services to customers around the world. The centre is one of several moves that that Rockwell has announced to bolster its cybersecurity activities, including partnerships with the cybersecurity specialists Dragos and CrowdStrike. The establishment of the cybersecurity centre follows Rockwells acquisitions last year of Avnet, an Israeli cybersecurity provider with more than 20 years of experience, and Oylo, a Spanish cybersecurity services provider based in Barcelona. Rockwell also has existing partnerships with Claroty and Cisco. Rockwell says that the new initiatives will help its customers to adopt a more proactive approach to cybersecurity before, during and after cyberattacks. Implementing strong cybersecurity is no longer a best practice, but a must-do, says Rachael Conrad, Rockwell vice-president and general manager of its Global Services business. For manufacturers, protection starts with a rock-solid foundation of OT expertise. Thats why were doubling down on our cybersecurity investment to build the most robust, specialised IT/OT cybersecurity offering in the market. Rockwells partnership with Dragos will combine Rockwells industry, application and ICS expertise with Dragos technologies and services. They will focus on incident response and threat intelligence. The partners says that their combined capabilities will increase the speed with which customers can assess and remediate cybersecurity threats. Rockwell and Dragos experts will also join forces to offer threat intelligence. Our investment and partnership with Dragos will help our industrial automation customers achieve their connected enterprise by providing a safe and secure OT infrastructure, says Conrad. As the frequency and severity of cybersecurity threats continue to rise in our industry, its critical that automation leaders partner with cybersecurity leaders to share expertise and co-innovate on ways to protect our customers. Conrad: cybersecurity is a must-do Rockwells partnership with CrowdStrike, which specialises in cloud-delivered end-point and workload protection, will result in end-to-end cybersecurity and network services. The partners will examine ways of combining CrowdStrikes AI-powered Falcon cloud platform with Rockwell capabilities to help users to address cybersecurity pain points. According to Conrad, the CrowdStrike partnership will enable Rockwell to provide integrated, end-to-end industrial security services and solutions across the entire customer cybersecurity journey, from threat detection through response and recovery from cyber-incidents." Rockwell Automation: Twitter LinkedIn Facebook (From L) Australias Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne (2nd) and Vietnam's Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (3rd) at a ceremony to mark Australia's Covid-19 support to Vietnam, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Viet Anh Vietnam received 1,910 vaccine refrigerators, five million syringes and 50,000 cooler boxes from the Australia - UNICEF partnership Tuesday. Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Marise Payne, in Vietnam on an official visit, announced the delivery at a symbolic handover ceremony in Hanoi. The syringes and cooler boxes are being distributed to vaccination points as needed. The vaccine refrigerators will be delivered to remote communes in 35 provinces that currently lack this equipment. With a storage capacity of 61L, the refrigerators will each be able to store enough vaccine doses to cover the local target population in the communes, according to UNICEF. The partnership is part of the Australian governments AUD60 million ($44.3 million) package of support for Covid-19 vaccine access in Vietnam, and complements its commitment to deliver approximately 5.2 million vaccine doses. Vietnamese Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long thanked the support provided by the Australian Government and UNICEF in Vietnam's Covid fight. He said 5.2 million doses that Australia has pledged Vietnam was "a meaningful present." Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative in Vietnam, said the cold chain equipment ensures that the vaccines are safely stored and delivered, ensuring that people in the remotest of areas have access to safe vaccines, including those for Covid-19. Announced in April 2021, the Australia-UNICEF partnership provides a package that will assist Vietnam across a range of areas to help with its mass immunization program against Covid-19, to ensure that vaccine distribution and coverage is safe, adequate and equitable. Along with upgrades to cold chain equipment and the purchase of immunization devices, the partnership supports training for healthcare workers, communication campaigns, monitoring of vaccine deployment and planning and implementation of the vaccine rollout in remote provinces. Vietnam allows foreigners stranded by pandemic to stay on A foreigner has his temperature checked at a Covid-19 checkpoint in central Quang Nam Province, July 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Dac Thanh Foreigners stranded in Vietnam by the Covid-19 outbreak and attendant travel restrictions can have their temporary stay permits extended until Nov. 30. The Immigration Department said foreigners who entered Vietnam since March 1, 2020, are entitled to an automatic stay extension, and could depart the country without having to apply for it, the government news portal said. For those who entered before March 1 too the automatic extension until Nov. 30 would be available subject to provision of proof the person was stranded due to Covid restrictions along with a translated and notarized note from relevant diplomatic missions or a written document from Vietnamese authorities saying the person was quarantined or treated for Covid-19. Those who do not qualify or who commit violations will face charges. To contain Covid, Vietnam closed its borders and canceled all international flights in March last year, allowing only Vietnamese repatriates and foreign experts and highly-skilled workers entry since then. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam last week proposed resumption of flights to 15 countries and territories: Australia, Cambodia, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Russia, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.K. The nation welcomed just 3.83 million foreign visitors against a record 18 million in 2019, according to official data. NanoDragon, a micro-satellite built by the Vietnam National Space Center, was launched into orbit from Japan Tuesday morning. It was launched on an Epsilon 5 rocket from the Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Vietnam maritime observation satellite launched from Japan phong ve tinh cua viet nam NanoDragon is launched into space from Japan, November 9, 2021. Video from JAXA's YouTube channel The rocket carried eight other satellites made in Japan. Speaking from the launch site, Vietnams ambassador to Japan, Vu Hong Nam, said it was a "very proud initial achievement" for the VNSC, and marked an important step forward for Vietnam's space industry. The NanoDragon is a nano-layer cubesat satellite weighing about four kilograms made up of multiple small modules. Its research, design, and integration was done completely in Vietnam by VNSC scientists. Its entire mechanical structure, power distribution circuit and some auxiliary circuits were also made in Vietnam. But the lack of infrastructure in Vietnam meant the satellite had to undergo vibration, shock and thermal vacuum testing at the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan. NanoDragon seeks to demonstrate micro-satellite beam technology to receive automatic identification system (AIS) signals to monitor activities at sea. Pham Anh Tuan, general director of the VNSC, explained: "Each ship sends out a signal containing information about its type and size. Currently Vietnam only has terrestrial signal receiving stations and no satellites. When this technology is successful, we can launch more satellites to continuously update signals from vessels in Vietnams waters." Vietnamese engineers create the micro-satellite NanoDragon. Photo by the Vietnam National Space Center NanoDragon is designed to remain in orbit for a minimum of six months though VNSC estimated it would operate for two years. Tuan also said the Vietnam Space Center would be built in 2023 at the Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Hanoi, and bigger satellites would be built once the technical infrastructure is in place there. There would be a center to assemble and test satellites weighing up to 200 kg, and small satellites like NanoDragon too could be tested in Vietnam, he said. In 2019 Japan had launched Vietnam's 50-kg MicroDragon into space. It was used to observe Vietnam's coastline, evaluate water quality, locate fisheries resources, and monitor changes to serve aquaculture, detect cloud coverage and aerosols, collect ground-based sensor signals, and transmit them to stations on Earth. Vietnam sent its first indigenous satellite into space in 2013 after earlier launching four others made by foreign companies. PicoDragon remained in orbit for three months. A vial labelled with the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus disease vaccine is seen in this illustration picture taken March 19, 2021. Photo by Reuters The U.S. delivered 2.8 million doses of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to Vietnam through Covax in the last few days, its embassy said in a press release Tuesday. Some 1.31 million doses arrived on November 6 in Hanoi, and another 1.5 million arrived on November 7 and 8 in HCMC. With this the U.S. has so far delivered more than 15 million doses to Vietnam. Besides vaccines, the U.S. has also donated equipment for storage, Covid testing, ventilators, oxygen concentrators, liquid-oxygen tanks, genetic sequencing technology, and virtual training for thousands of hospital workers. At the Global Covid-19 Summit on September 22 U.S. President Joe Biden announced a commitment to provide another 500 million doses of the Pfizer vaccine to 92 low- and middle-income countries, taking the total commitment to more than 1.1 billion doses. The U.S. has provided more than 220 million doses so far to more than 100 countries and economies. Around 61.4 million of Vietnam's 96 million people have received at least one shot, and 29.3 million people are fully vaccinated. Vietnam plans to begin giving Covid-19 booster shots either at the end of 2021 or early 2022, health minister Nguyen Thanh Long said Monday. At a session with the National Assembly, Long said Vietnam has had contracts and agreements to secure around 200 Covid-19 vaccine doses, and 125 million doses have arrived. "We are speeding up the process to receive all the vaccine doses by the end of the year to vaccinate people for free," he said. Vietnam has vaccinated around 84 percent of its adult population with at least one dose, and 40 percent have received two doses. The Delta variant has upended several countries' Covid fight progress, said Long, adding that Vietnam also experienced its impacts in the fourth Covid-19 wave. But so far, epicenters like HCMC, Binh Duong, Long An and Dong Nai have been able to put infections and fatalities under control, he said. There are still challenges that need to be addressed in the Covid-19 fight according to the government's report, including problems in forecasts, instructions and medical capabilities, Long said. In the future, the government and the Ministry of Health would continue to bolster frameworks and structures of the health system to improve personnel, financial frameworks and medical services, he added. The United States supports Taiwans meaningful participation at the United Nations. Secretary of State Antony Blinken explained why. Taiwan, he said in a written statement, has become a democratic success story. Its model supports transparency, respect for human rights, and the rule of law values that align with those of the United Nations. Taiwan is critical to the global high-tech economy and a hub of travel, culture, and education. We are among the many UN member states who view Taiwan as a valued partner and trusted friend. The United States supports a more inclusive approach, which would allow the international community and the UN itself to benefit from Taiwans expertise and willingness to help. Taiwan is a leader in developing the technologies that will shape the future not just of our economies, but also of our governments and societies. The world needs Taiwans expertise to help set standards and chart a course toward a future in which technology affirms, not undermines, democratic values and civil liberties. The United States adheres to the one China policy. Consistent with that policy, the United States has strong informal relations with Taiwan consistent with the Taiwan Relations Act. As Secretary Blinken pointed out, for most of the past 50 years, Taiwan participated robustly in certain UN specialized agencies. Recently, however, Taiwan has not been permitted to contribute to UN efforts. Despite the tens of millions of passengers traveling annually through its airports, Taiwan was not represented at the International Civil Aviation Organization, Secretary Blinken said. Although we have much to learn from Taiwans world-class response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he added, Taiwan was not at the World Health Assembly. Members of civil society from around the world engage every day in activities at the UN, but Taiwans scientists, technical experts, business persons, artists, educators, students, human rights advocates, and others are blocked from entry and participating in these activities simply because of the passports they hold. Secretary Blinken declared that Taiwans exclusion undermines the important work of the UN and its related bodies, all of which stand to benefit greatly from its contributions. . .That is why we encourage all UN Member States to join us in supporting Taiwans robust, meaningful participation throughout the UN system and in the international community, consistent with our one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances. COVID-19 booster clinic at Senior Center ELKO The Terrace at Ruby View, Elkos 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. RPEN meets on Nov. 10 ELKO The Elko County Chapter of Retired Public Employees of Nevada will be holding their monthly meeting at 12:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at the Elko Senior Citizens Center, 1795 Ruby View Drive. The speakers will be the RPEN members who attended the annual state meeting to discuss the various sessions attended. All active and retired public employees in the PERS retirement system are invited and encouraged to attend. For more information contact President Margaret Marcucci at 934-7361 or email mkmarcucci56@gmail.com. Full moon hike at South Fork ELKO Nevada Outdoor School is partnering with Friends of the Ruby Mountains and Nevada State Parks to offer a full moon hike. The event takes place from 6-7 p.m. Nov. 20 at South Fork State Recreation Area at the Southwest Trails Meadows Trailhead. Signs will be posted as guides to the entrance. Participants should dress warmly for the weather and bring a headlamp or other light source. Organizers will be provide hot chocolate, tea and Smores. The hike is open to all experience levels. The trails are mostly flat and gravel. The main hike is a three-mile loop. There is also a one-mile option. A campfire will be set up for participants who still wish to attend but not hike. For further information call 777-0814. First Aid Kit overview ELKO Nevada Outdoor School is offering a First Aid Kit overview from 4 to 5 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Peace Park, 1103 Ruby Vista Drive. Participants can bring their own first aid kits to review. Instructors will be talking about the essentials for first aid kits and how they can also be personalized by family. Participants will play games and enjoy a first aid kit scavenger hunt. There is no age limit and no registration is required. For further information call 777-0814. Gold Diggers Motorcycle Club WINNEMUCCA Gold Diggers Motorcycle Club of Elko is seeking registrants for their event Rumble in the Jungo. This years event will raise funds for the Corey Herring Scholarship Fund. Registration is open for Peewees, Mini/Women/Vintage/Bombers and Big Bikes. The event takes place Nov. 13-14. An ambulance will be on site during all races. For more information contact Curtis Calder at 934-7625 or ktmracer@frontiernet.net. St. Josephs hosts bazaar ELKO The Women of St. Josephs annual bazaar is being held at St. Josephs 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. 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 ELKO An Elko man who has served five prison terms was arrested Nov. 6 at a casino for violating conditions of his probation. Police were called to a residence on Feb. 8, 2020, after Shawn J. Freed, 44, allegedly threatened to beat a woman with a metal bar or pipe in a dispute about money. He allegedly struck her car windshield and side of her car. Freed was booked into Elko County Jail in March 2020 on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon and for failure to appear after bail on a felony crime, false statement to obstruct a public officer, destroying or concealing evidence, and use or possession of drug paraphernalia. In May 2020, Freed pleaded no contest to an earlier charge of eluding a police officer in a manner posing danger to persons or property, and was sentenced to 19-48 months in prison by District Judge Al Kacin. Nevada prison records also indicate he was sentenced in February of 2016 for trafficking a controlled substance in Elko County. Prison records also list three previous sentences from Washoe County dating from June 2003 to January 2013. One was for ex-felon in possession of a firearm, one for being under the influence of a controlled substance, and another for attempted battery causing substantial bodily harm. Love 0 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 10 WOLF POINT, Mont. (AP) A shooting that left three people dead at a casino on the border of Montana and North Dakota appears to have been a double murder-suicide perpetrated by the husband of one of the victims, authorities said Wednesday. Surveillance video from the shooting at a casino near Bainville, Mont. appeared to show that Bradford Mann, 56, shot and killed his wife, Jennifer Mann, 49, and Scot Panasuk, 63, before taking his own life, Roosevelt County Sheriff Jason Frederick said. Frederick said the Manns, of Williston, North Dakota, and Panasuk, who was from Bainville, knew each other. He provided no further details. Deputies responded to reports of a shooting about 5:20 p.m. Saturday, and found the three people dead when they arrived. Frederick said no one else was injured. Bainville is a small farming town of about 300 people in far Eastern Montana that has grown over the last 10 years with booming activity at the nearby Bakken oilfields. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 3 Sad 0 Angry 0 BOISE, Idaho (AP) A group of Boise students are drafting legislation to require licensing for minors to purchase firearms, hoping to win bipartisan support for the gun control measure in one of the reddest states in the nation. The students, all members of Idahos March for Our Lives board, hope the measure will help prevent suicides, school shootings and other forms of gun violence by slowing the process that minors use to buy a gun, the Idaho Statesman reported Monday. The goal is to make it so students in the midst of a mental health crisis cant as easily access a firearm. Kate Stevens, a senior at Boise High School and the state director of the board, said students should spend time in schools thinking about learning, not worrying about active shooters. Idaho law currently requires minors to either have written permission from a parent or guardian or to be accompanied by a parent or guardian when purchasing firearms. Kids under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult when in possession of a weapon. The students are drafting legislation that would require minors to apply for a firearms license and show proof of gun safety training before purchasing or possessing a weapon. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 A majority of voters in the US are in favor of increasing taxes on the ultra-rich Data for Progress found that 68 percent of voters are in favor of a wealth tax on millionaires and billionaires. While rates are highest among Democrats, more than half of Independents, and Republicans also support the tax increases. Promoting Vietnamese culture and cuisine in Venezuela (Source: baoquocte.vn) The event was held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela on November 6 in the framework of the 17th Venezuela International Book Fair (FILVEN 2021) and as part of activities to mark the 32nd anniversary of the two countries diplomatic ties (December 18). Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador Le Viet Duyen affirmed the Vietnamese Government and peoples stance of always supporting and standing side by side with Venezuela in its national building and development. The diplomat emphasized that the gala is a manifestation of the friendship and solidarity between the two countries through dances and songs about Vietnam performed by Venezuelan artists, together with Vietnams traditional dishes cooked by Espacio Vietnam - the first Vietnamese restaurant in Caracas. Art and dance performances and show on Ao dai were held. /. People learns about audio equipment at the booth of Pequod Acoustics during the 4th China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 6, 2021. Pequod Acoustics takes part in the CIIE for the first time. The 4th CIIE kicked off on Nov. 5 and will last till Nov. 10, attracting over 3,000 businesses from 127 countries and regions. (Xinhua/Lu Peng) Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, GMW.cn makes no representations as to accuracy, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information. BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Throughout 2021, a special year in China's history, the schedule of Xi Jinping has been busy. Over the past months, he addressed a ceremony marking the Party's centenary, announced the realization of a moderately prosperous society in all respects, inspected Tibet, talked to astronauts working at China's first space station, attended online meetings of the United Nations, and held phone or video talks with world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden. Next week, Xi, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will attend a high-profile Party plenum -- the sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee. A landmark document will be tabled at this important meeting -- the resolution on the major achievements and historical experience of the CPC's 100 years of endeavors. Xi Jinping delivers an important speech at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Ju Peng) Few political parties worldwide could boast such a long history and uninterrupted period of state governance. The CPC has been China's ruling party for 72 years. Presently, Xi is the core of the CPC leadership. Before him, generations of central collective leadership had spanned the decades with Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, and Hu Jintao as chief representatives. Since being elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in November 2012, Xi has been seen as a man of determination and action, a man of profound thoughts and feelings, a man who inherited a legacy but dares to innovate, and a man who has forward-looking vision and is committed to working tirelessly. Under his leadership, China is becoming a powerful country, and is now entering an era of strength, according to Channel News Asia. On the new journey, Xi is undoubtedly the core figure in charting the course of history. How will he lead the Party in the face of opportunities and challenges? How will he bring China back to the world's center stage? Today, the world is watching Xi just closely as nine years ago. WALKING WITH THE PEOPLE In September, during an inspection of the village of Gaoxigou in northwestern Shaanxi Province, Xi stopped by farmlands to check the crops and chat with villagers working in the fields. Xi hailed the achievements of local poverty alleviation. Gaoxigou was once an impoverished village; today it is prosperous thanks to the relentless efforts of cadres and villagers. It was in 1974 in Shaanxi's Liangjiahe, about 150 km from Gaoxigou, that Xi joined the Party. He was just 15 years old when he arrived in Liangjiahe in 1969 as an "educated youth." He would spend the next seven years living in the small village on the rural Loess Plateau; at the end of a day's labor, he would return to his primitive cave house and sleep on a simple clay bed. It would take 38 years and multiple postings across various levels of the Party's hierarchy until he would be elevated to the top job. After joining the CPC, Xi became Party secretary of Liangjiahe. Shedding light on his caliber, one of his village colleagues said Xi "worked conscientiously, had many ideas and could unite the people and cadres." Recalling his time in the impoverished village, Xi said what he wanted more than anything was to make it possible for the villagers to "have meat on their plates." To improve the lives of those who called the community home, Xi initiated various projects, including wells, terraced fields, and methane-generating pits. These "simple" projects would have a significant impact on the villagers' lives, work, and attitudes. In his spare time, the young Xi devoured as many books as he could. In particular, he read Das Kapital three times; his reflections on the seminal work filled 18 notebooks. His father, Xi Zhongxun, was among the first generation of CPC central leaders. Xi Jinping often evoked the wisdom imparted to him by the elder Xi. Inspired by a much-loved school book, he decided he would carry on the revolutionary torch from a young age. In 1975, Xi was admitted to the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing. After graduating, he first worked at the general office of the Central Military Commission before moving to Zhengding, a county in northern Hebei Province, in 1982. Recalling the move to Zhengding, Xi said he had volunteered to work at the grassroots level among the people. He said he wanted to "love the people like he loves his parents." After Zhengding, Xi's political career took him to the coastal provinces of Fujian and Zhejiang and the metropolis of Shanghai. Wherever he went, his close ties with the people were notable. He wrote heartfelt essays commemorating his deceased friends and colleagues in Zhengding. He used his own money to help finance the medical treatment of a villager from Liangjiahe. Xi's care for the people can be seen in every aspect of his work. Zhang Hongming, one of his colleagues back in Zhejiang, still remembers Xi's attitude and work ethic when the province was hit by typhoons. "Even if nine of our ten evacuations are for nothing, we still need to do it to ensure the absolute safety of the people," Zhang said recalling Xi's instructions. Xi's people-centered philosophy explains why he ordered unwavering efforts to save people's lives at all costs during the COVID-19 epidemic, said Liu Jingbei, a professor at the China Executive Leadership Academy in Pudong, Shanghai. In 2007, Xi returned to Beijing to sit on the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and later became China's vice president. He oversaw areas including Party building, organizational work, Hong Kong and Macao affairs, and preparations for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. At the age of 59, Xi was elevated to the Party's most senior post in November 2012. About a month later, he braved the winter cold to visit poor villagers in Hebei. Sitting down with them, Xi asked about their income, and if they had sufficient food and enough quilts and coal to stay warm through the winter. Xi said his heart sank when he saw that some villagers were still struggling to make ends meet. Xi Jinping visits impoverished villagers in Luotuowan Village of Longquanguan Township, Fuping County, north China's Hebei Province, Dec. 30, 2012.(Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) STRENGTHENING THE PARTY The year 2021 is also the ninth year of Xi's signature anti-corruption campaign, the most extensive in Chinese history. It shows no signs of letting up. More than 20 high-level officials and executives in the financial sector have been punished or investigated this year. And in the past 30 days or so, one former ministerial-level official in the central government's law-enforcement apparatus was investigated while another was punished. When Xi was elected general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, China was already the world's second-largest economy. Yet, it faced challenges from within. "Facts prove that if corruption is allowed to spread, it will eventually lead to the destruction of a party and the fall of a government," Xi said in a stern warning. Over the past nine years, more than 400 officials at ministerial level or above have been punished or investigated, including a former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and two former vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission. From 2014 to 2020, over 8,300 fugitives were repatriated from more than 120 countries and regions. "In a critical time, Xi turned the tide," said a foreign media editorial. Xi has ordered efforts to "lock power in the cage of systemic checks." He also spearheaded the establishment of the National Supervisory Commission. All public sector employees came under supervision following the supervisory reform. As general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, Xi has led efforts to formulate and revise around 200 intra-party regulations. He also launched five Party-wide education campaigns to firm up the ideals and convictions of Party members and ensure they act effectively and in unison. Xi also attaches great importance to intra-party democracy. Solicited comments from CPC members are now incorporated into all Party national congress reports, documents reviewed at plenary sessions, and major Party documents, decisions, and reform policies. By June this year, the number of CPC members had grown to 95 million, 10 million more than the population of Germany. Experts in China affairs say the Party has become more disciplined, pure, and powerful. Xi Jinping is enjoying greater support within the CPC now than ever, said Neil Thomas, a China observer. In 2016, the sixth plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee established Xi's status as the core of the CPC Central Committee and the whole Party. Without a strong leadership core, the CPC would find it hard to unify the entire Party's will or build solidarity and unity among people of all ethnic groups. It would not be able to achieve anything or carry out any of its "great struggles with many new historical features," said Wang Junwei, a research fellow at the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee. In October 2017, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was officially instituted at the 19th CPC National Congress. The thought was enshrined in the CPC Constitution and China's Constitution. Like Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, Xi has advanced the adaption of Marxism to the Chinese context and kept it relevant, said Xin Ming, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance). MAKING CHINA STRONG After the Opium War of 1840, China was gradually reduced to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. It was bullied by foreign powers and suffered from poverty and weakness. "What a humiliation! China was trampled upon at that time," Xi said when recalling that part of history. The CPC was founded in 1921 to change the situation. According to Han Qingxiang, a professor at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee, the pursuit of national rejuvenation is marked by four critical milestones -- the Party's founding in 1921; the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949; the advent of reform and opening up in 1978; and the new era after the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012. Two weeks after Xi's election as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, he put forward "the Chinese Dream" of national rejuvenation. This October, at an event commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Revolution of 1911, Xi mentioned "rejuvenation" 25 times in his 35-minute speech, making it one of the most emphasized messages. Xi believes that rejuvenation requires both strategic design and hard work. He took the lead by being a man of action. In 2019 alone, he took part in more than 500 important events. His working itinerary covered weekends of about 30 weeks in that year. He revised each draft of major reform plans. Although Xi has little time for himself, he manages to find time for swimming. This and physical labor during his youth ensure that he has enough stamina to deal with affairs of the Party, government, and the military. More importantly, he is driven by a sense of mission. "Happiness is achieved through hard work," he said. Xi often visits farms, fishing villages, farmers' houses, small eateries, supermarkets, factory workshops, laboratories, hospitals, schools, and even inspects pigsties and toilets to obtain first-hand information of people's livelihood. Xi Jinping inspects a primary school of Laoxian Township, Pingli County of the city of Ankang, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 21, 2020.(Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Zhang Mengjin, a former colleague of Xi's in Zhejiang Province, said: "Xi takes in enough knowledge day to day so it is impossible to fool him with lies or bragging. We have to be honest when reporting to him." Xi has stood the test in the face of numerous hurdles and crises over the past nine years. In early 2015, when Yemen descended into chaos, he directed the navy to evacuate hundreds of stranded Chinese nationals. When the United States initiated a trade war against China, he devised the strategy that China does not want a trade war but is not afraid of one and will fight one if necessary. He also said strengthening dialogue and cooperation is the only right choice for the two countries. "The vast Pacific Ocean has enough space for the two large countries of China and the United States," Xi said. From conducting regular patrols in the waters of Diaoyu Islands, fending off the so-called South China Sea arbitration, finding solutions to China-India border conflicts, to facilitating the return of Chinese people illegally detained overseas, Xi has spearheaded strategic and tactical planning and, if necessary, personally intervened. In 2019, when social unrest gripped Hong Kong, he directed efforts to safeguard the "one country, two systems" cause and crush attempts to instigate a "color revolution." On the eve of Lunar New Year 2020, with the COVID-19 epidemic clouding festivities, Xi had a sleepless night. The next day, he convened a Party leadership meeting to discuss the country's response. Before the meeting, Xi had made a decision to tighten restrictions on the movement of people and channels of exit in Hubei and Wuhan. Time has shown how this strict approach was the only viable option. Xi Jinping speaks with a patient and medical workers by video link at Huoshenshan Hospital in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, March 10, 2020.(Xinhua/Ju Peng) Xi introduced "black swan" and "gray rhino" into Party parlance. Han, the Party school professor, identified risk prevention and defusing as a major highlight of the new era. "It is indeed a huge responsibility and arduous task to govern such a big country," Xi said when answering a question from a foreign politician. "I am willing to be selfless and devote myself to China's development. I will not let the people down." BREAKING NEW GROUND OF REFORM When Xi took office as general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, China's strength had significantly risen after more than 30 years of reform and opening up. Yet, it was not without problems, including downward pressure on the economy, wealth disparities, environmental damage, and social tension. Reforms also encountered some resistance. A more scientific top-level approach was needed. Xi designed a Chinese model of modernization characterized by an innovative, coordinated, green, and open development path that is for everyone. Xi Jinping applauds for the personnel awarded with medals during a grand gathering to celebrate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 18, 2018.(Xinhua/Xie Huanchi) Observers say this development vision is intended to lead socialist China out of a development trap reliant on extensive and inefficient growth at the cost of ecological damage, shifting the country to high-quality development, and avoiding situations where the rich become richer and the poor poorer. As head of the central commission for deepening overall reform, formerly a central leading group, Xi launched a series of reforms that broke new ground while furthering Deng Xiaoping's reform and opening up. Reform has reached into diverse fields, spanning land-use policies, Party building in state-owned firms, judicial procedure, family planning, fiscal and tax policies, the real estate market, science and technology, and anti-monopoly. One reform measure, above all, stands out: the modernization of institutions, which directly impacts China's long-term development and stability. Its essence is upholding and improving socialism with Chinese characteristics, and modernizing China's system and capacity for governance. At times, reforms encountered great difficulties. To address controversies and eliminate obstructions, Xi himself had to give the final say. Xi headed a group tasked with drafting the document of the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee. The document centered on deepening overall reform. Officials and experts who participated in the drafting and appraisals said Xi personally conducted research and made decisions, facilitating many breakthroughs. For example, the new proposition "let the market play the decisive role in resource allocation" resulted from Xi's vital decision. "Without General Secretary Xi's determination, it would not have been possible to roll out many major reforms," said a source familiar with the process. To reverse environmental damage, Xi demanded that polluting factories address problems or face closure. He issued a 10-year ban on fishing to protect China's longest river, the Yangtze. He gave six instructions to demolish illegally constructed villas in the Qinling Mountains, home to giant pandas, snub-nosed monkeys, and many other rare wild animals. Xi Jinping learns about ecological conservation of the Qinling Mountains at Niubeiliang National Nature Reserve, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, April 20, 2020.(Xinhua/Ju Peng) For many Chinese people, environmental improvements are obvious. In 2020, the percentage of days with good air quality was 87 percent in cities at and above the prefecture level. The proportion of surface water with fairly good quality rose to 83.4 percent. As a result, 89.5 percent of Chinese people were satisfied with the environment. Reforms have made China more open. In 2013, the first pilot free trade zone was established in Shanghai. Now the number of such zones has reached 21, including the entire island of Hainan, which is roughly the size of a small European country. China's negative list for foreign investment has been further shortened. While some countries chose to erect trade barriers, China made itself host of a series of global trade and investment fairs. Xi personally initiated the China International Import Expo, one of the multiple national-level expos across the country. China also took the lead in ratifying the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. By the end of 2020, China had rolled out 2,485 reform plans in over seven years. The targets and missions set at the third plenary session of the 18th CPC Central Committee had been essentially accomplished as scheduled, Xi announced. From 2013 to 2020, China's GDP grew by about 6.4 percent each year on average, contributing more than 30 percent of world economic growth on average for many years in a row. China's GDP exceeded the 100-trillion-yuan threshold in 2020, or about seven-tenths of that of the United States. In 2021, China ranked 12th in the Global Innovation Index, higher than Japan, Israel, and Canada. It is the top recipient of foreign direct investment and the world's No. 1 consumer market. So far, the most impressive achievement in the new era has been the accomplishment of the "first centenary goal," namely building a moderately prosperous society in all respects, said Liu Ronggang, another research fellow at the Institute of Party History and Literature of the CPC Central Committee. The term moderately prosperous, or "Xiaokang" in Chinese, originates from the Book of Songs of ancient China. It is an aspiration for a well-off life cherished by the Chinese people for thousands of years. The country has the world's most extensive social security system in scale and the largest middle-income group. Extreme poverty has ended, once and for all. Over the past nine years, about 100 million people have been hoisted out of extreme poverty. Xi ordered Party members and officials to be stationed at impoverished villages to carry out targeted poverty alleviation measures at the front line. Xi himself had visited every one of the country's 14 contiguous poorest areas. Eliminating extreme poverty was likened to fighting a war. Indeed, the campaign had its fallen heroes, with more than 1,800 people dying in the line of duty. Xi also comprehensively reformed the armed forces. Reiterating the principle established by Mao Zedong that "the Party commands the gun," Xi introduced a series of reforms in the military's leadership and command system, size, structure, and force composition. He demanded the military be combat-ready. He regularly inspected military bases. He boarded China's first domestically built aircraft carrier and new-generation nuclear-powered submarine. Xi Jinping boards the aircraft carrier Shandong and reviews the guard of honor at a naval port in Sanya, south China's Hainan Province, Dec. 17, 2019.(Xinhua/Li Gang) Gerd Kaminski, an Austrian legal scholar and sinologist, said that after the 18th National Congress of the CPC, Chinese characteristics became an increasingly central guiding principle in all significant issues of China's development, including its governing philosophy. In such a process, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era has stood the test, said Han Qingxiang. "It effectively leads the historical course of national rejuvenation and influences the whole world." CONTRIBUTING TO GLOBAL COMMUNITY Xi has been at the forefront of China's efforts to engage with and contribute to the global community. Before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, he had visited 69 countries in 41 tours and been the first Chinese head of state to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos. He has said that, while spending so much time on overseas visits might be deemed a "luxury," he sees it as "worthwhile." His schedule during overseas visits is usually very tight and can last until the small hours. He had even spent his birthday during an overseas tour. "Everything we Chinese communists do is to better the lives of the Chinese people, renew the Chinese nation, and promote peace and development for humanity," Xi said. Altay Atli, a scholar based in Istanbul, Turkey, noted that there is a transformation of China's participation in international affairs, whether economic or diplomatic, under Xi's leadership, and that the world is witnessing the emergence of a major country with global influence. "The world is too big, with too many challenges, to go without the voice from China being heard, without solution ideas from China being shared, without the involvement of China being needed," Xi said. In 2013, Xi raised the notion of "building a community with a shared future for humanity." When elaborating on the specifics of his vision, Xi proposed that the international community should promote partnership, security, growth, inter-civilization exchanges, and the building of a sound ecosystem, citing a proverb: "The interests to be considered should be the interests of all." A community with a shared future for humanity comes from an excellent pedigree. Political scientists have noted that the notion inherits the Marxist idea of "an association in which the free development of each is the condition for the free development of all," and the Chinese ideal of "harmony." It is the most recent proposition on foreign affairs floated by the CPC, following Mao Zedong's "Three Worlds Theory" and Deng Xiaoping's "peace and development as two main world themes." The response from the international community has been positive. When Xi presented his vision at the Palace of Nations, the United Nations Office at Geneva, in January 2017, politicians, diplomats, and celebrities across the world responded with more than 30 waves of applause in 47 minutes. Xi Jinping delivers a keynote speech "Work Together to Build a Community of Shared Future for Mankind" at the United Nations Office in Geneva, Switzerland, Jan. 18, 2017.(Xinhua/Rao Aimin) Under this concept, Xi proposed a new approach to international relations based on mutually beneficial cooperation and the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration in global governance. "What kind of international order and governance system best suits the world and best suits the people of all countries? This is something that should be decided by all countries through consultation, and not by a single country or a few countries," he said. The same principle runs through the framework for major-country relations, as advocated by Xi, which features overall stability and balanced development. On many occasions, he has stressed that if nations maintain communication and treat each other with sincerity, the "Thucydides trap" can be avoided. By 2019, 180 countries had diplomatic relations with China, a sharp increase from around 30 in the 1950s. Over the past few years, five countries in Central America and the Pacific region established or resumed diplomatic ties with China. "We have friends in every corner of the world," Xi said. When meeting with outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel via video link in October, Xi called her an old friend: "The Chinese people put a premium on friendship; we will not forget old friends and will always keep the door open for you." The same year that Xi first called on the world to jointly build a community with a shared future for humanity, he also proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). By August 2021, about 172 countries and international organizations had signed more than 200 cooperation documents with China under this framework. According to a report from the World Bank, BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty and 32 million people out of moderate poverty globally. Xi has personally visited several BRI projects, including the Piraeus Port in Greece, the Smederevo steel plant in Serbia, and the China-Belarus Industrial Park in Minsk, Belarus. Global development, however, should not come at the cost of the environment, and in 2020 Xi offered a clear signal of commitment when he told the world that China would peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060. "The world should thank China for its contribution to climate change responses," said former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Xi offered China's strong support of the Paris Agreement four years ago and, without China's support, the agreement would not be the way it is now, Rudd added. Xi's commitment to offering a helping hand transcends environmental and development issues. Today, China is a vital force in addressing global and regional flashpoint issues, ranging from nuclear proliferation to pandemic response. "We need to 'join hands' with each other instead of 'letting go.' We need to 'tear down walls,' not to 'erect walls'," he said. A few months ago, when the abrupt withdrawal of U.S. troops triggered unrest in Afghanistan, Xi had a phone conversation with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin and met leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization members via video link to call for support of the steady transition of Afghanistan, engage the country in dialogue, and help the Afghan people. When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Xi called for global solidarity and cooperation. By his instruction, China provided anti-virus material for more than 150 countries and 14 international organizations and sent 37 medical teams to 34 countries. He pledged to make Chinese COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and promised that China would provide 2 billion doses of vaccines to the world this year. The country also promised to donate 100 million U.S. dollars to COVAX. Xi Jinping chairs the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 and delivers a keynote speech in Beijing, capital of China, June 17, 2020.(Xinhua/Ding Haitao) Over the past 100 years, the world's most populous country has been on an almost unbelievable journey -- from a poverty-stricken nation to one where basic needs are met to its current state of moderate prosperity. Xi deemed this achievement a contribution to humanity. More than 70 percent of worldwide poverty reduction over the last 40 years was in and by China, which means it realized its poverty reduction goal from the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ten years ahead of schedule. Describing her impressions of Xi, Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, president of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly, called him "a seasoned captain" whose contributions, such as advocating multilateralism, the BRI, and the notion of a community with a shared future for humanity, have been significant. FULFILLING NEW MISSIONS The CPC plans to achieve national rejuvenation through a pair of goals, known as "two centenaries." During the past nine years, as the Party's most senior leader, Xi has led the country in completing the first step and chaired the design of the second step of this historic plan. First, socialist modernization should be "basically realized" by 2035, and second, China should be built into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful by the middle of the 21st century, which will be around the centenary of the PRC. Supplementary road maps support these overarching goals. Most notably, Xi spearheaded the drafting of the Party leadership's proposals for the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) and the Long-Range Objectives Through the Year 2035, which were adopted in October 2020. Xi has described the CPC's past century as "a historic miracle" and expressed confidence that the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is dawning. However, he also warned that this is no time for indecision. "At this critical moment, we must not stop, hesitate or wait," Xi said. He warned that achieving national rejuvenation will be no walk in the park, and the coming tests will only become more complex. "Realizing this great dream demands a great struggle," he said. Therefore, the upcoming sixth plenary session of the 19th CPC Central Committee comes at a significant time, as a resolution on the major achievements and historical experience in the Party's 100-year history will be discussed. "Over its 100-year struggle, the CPC has accumulated rich experience, understood important rules, developed governance theories and earned wisdom. This great treasure should be summarized to inspire the Party's governance better," Han Qingxiang said. Over the past 100 years, the CPC has adopted just two resolutions related to historical issues, in 1945 and 1981. They analyzed the causes and drew conclusions on important historical events and figures, through which the whole Party came to a clear consensus and thus grew stronger in unity. "The Party's previous resolutions on historical issues played a profound role in building consensus and rallying strength to fulfill new missions. This is what we expect from the upcoming plenary session," said Wang Junwei, the research fellow. History has emerged as something of a buzzword for all CPC members this year. A sweeping education campaign helped cadres recognize the Party's history, and a new Museum of the CPC was inaugurated. On June 18, Xi and his colleagues toured the museum, viewing exhibits such as bonds issued by the Qing government used to pay for the war indemnity required by the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki; the manuscript of Karl Marx's notes from Brussels; the list of the 58 CPC members when the Party was founded; the car manufactured in the PRC's early years; and the model of China's Mars rover. Each display bore vivid testimony to how the Party led China. The exhibition ended with a "time tunnel," linking all significant historical junctures from 1921 until today, leading the audience to the future. Xi once quoted Mao Zedong, saying that "after several decades, the victory of the Chinese people's democratic revolution, viewed in retrospect, will seem like only a brief prologue to a long drama. A drama begins with a prologue, but the prologue is not the climax." "History has not ended, nor can it possibly end," he said at the conference marking the 95th anniversary of the CPC's founding. "The CPC and Chinese people have every confidence in their ability to provide a Chinese solution to aid the exploration of a better social system for humanity." After concluding their exhibition tour, Xi and his colleagues took a vow in front of the Party flag, reliving a ritual undertaken by all new CPC members. "I will fight for communism for the rest of my life," Xi said, leading the oath. Xi Jinping leads other CPC and state leaders Li Keqiang, Li Zhanshu, Wang Yang, Wang Huning, Zhao Leji, Han Zheng and Wang Qishan to review the Party admission oath after visiting an exhibition on CPC history at the Museum of the CPC in Beijing, capital of China, June 18, 2021.(Xinhua/Li Xueren) Editor: Zhang Zhou By Wang Ruoxin BEIJING, Nov.9, (Guangming Online) This year marks 20 years since China joined the WTO. During these two decades, China has not only actively integrated into the world, but also contributed to the development of the world economy through a series of initiatives. Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the opening ceremony of the fourth China International Import Expo, noted that this year marks the 20th anniversary of Chinas accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Over the last two decades, China has fully delivered on its accession commitments. Its overall tariff rate has been cut from 15.3 percent to 7.4 percent, lower than the 9.8 percent accession commitment. The central government has reviewed and revised over 2,300 pieces of laws and regulations, and local governments over 190,000 pieces, which all helped to unleash market and social vitality. Over the past two decades, total world trade in goods has nearly doubled, but China's exports of goods have increased more than sevenfold, and total imports have increased nearly sixfold. In 2020, China's imports alone already account for 12% of total world trade in goods imports, which is a staggering figure. Over the last 20 years, Chinas economic size has grown from the 6th to the 2nd largest in the world, trade in goods from the 6th to the 1st, and trade in services from the 11th to the 2nd. China has led developing countries in utilized foreign investment, and its outbound direct investment (ODI) has risen from the 26th to the 1st. 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, Xi said. In 2001, China was only the 11th largest export destination for the United States, which is why the United States was actually not that concerned about China's accession to the WTO. At that time, exports to China accounted for less than 2% of total U.S. exports, but in 2020 U.S. exports to China have reached 9% of total exports, China became the 3rd largest U.S. export market after Canada and Mexico. Since 2006, China has been the largest contributor to world economic growth for 15 consecutive years, with an average contribution rate of more than 30% to world economic growth for many years in a row, making it the main engine of world economic growth. Editor: JYZ In the next three or five years, Ukraine will need to import thermal coal, DTEK CEO Maksym Timchenko has said. "What we see: Ukraine, starting from this year, becomes a net importer of coal for the next at least three or five years in the energy sector," he said at a press conference in Kyiv on Tuesday. At the same time, Timchenko noted the importance of developing a coal import program. "And this coal should not be purchased at the peak and before winter, but a whole program for the import of coal should be drawn up in advance and it is necessary to understand where to buy this coal," he said, noting that it is necessary to purchase, "probably, from the wrong countries, which by the decision of one or two people in one day can stop deliveries." At the same time, according to him, the company welcomes the efforts of the authorities to settle accounts with renewable energy generation, which will become a powerful signal for the renewal of green energy in Ukraine, and at the same time the replacement of thermal generation with green technologies. "Before that, we need to take a sober view of how much coal we need during the construction of green generation," the CEO of DTEK said. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky welcomes the formed composition of the Ethics Council, which is designed to establish the compliance of a candidate for the position of a member of the High Council of Justice with the criteria of professional ethics and virtue. "I hope that the Ethics Council will start its work as soon as possible. Despite considerable resistance, we managed to embark on a critical stage of the changes I initiated in the judicial system. The formation of a respectable High Council of Justice (HCJ) and the High Qualification Commission of Judges of Ukraine will help restore Ukrainians' confidence in the judiciary and ensure further cleaning of the system," the presidential press service said, citing Zelensky. The composition of the Ethics Council was formed in accordance with the provisions of law of Ukraine on amendments to certain laws of Ukraine on the procedure for election (appointment) to the positions of members of the High Council of Justice and the activities of disciplinary inspectors of the High Council of Justice No.1635-IX dated July 14, 2021. Thus, the members of the Ethics Council include Judge of the Supreme Court at the Criminal Court of Cassation Lev Kyshakevych; Judge of Kyiv Court of Appeal Yuriy Triasun; Judge of the Eastern Economic Court of Appeal, retired Volodymyr Siverin; Judge of Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, retired Robert Cordy; Judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, retired Sir Anthony Hooper and former Prosecutor General of the Republic of Estonia Lavly Perling. The President's Office said that on November 2, the High Council of Justice received a list of candidates recommended by the Council of Judges of Ukraine for the Ethics Council. International and foreign organizations determined the list of international experts on September 10, 2021. Denys Kulikovsky, a war criminal of the Izolyatsiya underground prison in Donetsk, has been detained in Kyiv, Ukrainian journalist Stanislav Aseyev, released as part of the exchange of detainees on December 29, 2019, has said. "In Kyiv, the main war criminal of Izolyatsia, Denys Kulikovsky, has been detained. Now I can say that I did not live my life in vain. P.S. Dear fellow journalists, please do not call yet, all the details later," Aseyev said on his Facebook page on Tuesday. As reported, Aseyev was abducted on May 11, 2017 and held by the DPR terrorist organization until December 29, 2019. The journalist was held captive for 31 months, of which 28 months he was kept on the territory of Izolyatsia in Donetsk. Counterintelligence officers of the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have detained in Kyiv a former fighter of the terrorist organization "DPR," the head of the illegal prison in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region "Izolyatsia," SBU press secretary Artem Dekhtiarenko told Interfax-Ukraine. "According to the SBU, this man organized and took direct part in the killings and torture of illegal prisoners of Ukrainian citizens. In relation to the former serviceman, legal procedural actions are being carried out," the department said. In particular, regarding his delivery to the court for choosing a preventive measure, as well as obtaining additional information about his illegal activities. The attacker was detained within the previously open criminal proceeding under four articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine: Article 149 (human trafficking); Article 258-3 (creation of a terrorist group or terrorist organization); Article 260 (creation of paramilitary or armed formations not provided for by law); Article 438 (violation of the laws and customs of war). Measures to expose the intruders were carried out by counterintelligence officers of the SBU under the procedural leadership of Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office. In turn, former Deputy Prosecutor General Gunduz Mamedov said that Denys Kulikovsky was detained at 02:30 in Kyiv. "Tonight at 02:30 in Kyiv, Denys Kulikovsky 'Palych,' a representative of the illegal armed group of the Russian Federation and the head of Izolyatsia in Donetsk, was detained," he said on Twitter. Ukraine runs the risk of losing the Kyiv Post newspaper with consequences, it is sad to hear about the closure of the publication, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine Matti Maasikas has said. "Sad to hear about closing down KyivPost. It was the first English-speaking source for most foreigners something Ukraine now risks losing, with consequences," Maasikas said on Twitter on Tuesday. Meanwhile, British Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said she was surprised by the sudden decision to close the newspaper Kyiv Post, which has been an example of independent journalism for 25 years and has played an important role in supporting reform and democracy in Ukraine. "Not a good day for free media. I hope it will be back soon," Simmons said on Twitter. Swedish Ambassador to Ukraine Tobias Thyberg, in connection with the closure of the publication, said that free and independent media in Ukraine needs defence on multiple fronts. "The Kyiv Post has been shut down. It has been one of the world's strongest sources of news and analysis on Ukraine. Free and independent media in Ukraine needs defence on multiple fronts. A sad day," Tyberg said on his Twitter page. In addition to the previously made trumped-up charges, Russian-occupation administration in Crimea has added to deputy head of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Nariman Dzhelyal an accusation of smuggling an explosive device, Ukrainian First Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova has said. "To Nariman Dzhelyal, in addition to the previously made trumped-up charges, Russian- occupation administration in Crimea added one more thing, the smuggling of an explosive device. The absurdity of the punitive case against Nariman Dzhelyal and brothers Asan and Aziz Akhtemovs invented by Russian-occupation forces has no limit," Dzhaparova said on Twitter on Tuesday. With the help of the meeting of the U.S.-Ukraine Strategic Partnership Commission, which will be held on November 10 in Washington, Moscow will be sent a clear message that Ukraine will not be left alone with the aggressor state, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. "It is very important that due to systematic work we have come to this important event right now, when Russia continues to provoke and behave aggressively towards Ukraine. In these conditions, we will send a clear message to Moscow: Ukraine and the United States are united. Ukraine will not be left alone with the state. We have powerful allies and partners who are ready to charge Russia with a high price tag for an attempt to expand its aggression. This is the best way to deter Russia from escalating," Kuleba said on his Facebook page on Tuesday. The minister said this will be the third full-fledged meeting of the heads of the foreign ministries of Ukraine and the United States in 2021. "In general, the dynamics of contacts between the presidents of Ukraine and the United States and their teams this year is unprecedented. This time, together with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, we will consolidate a new level of strategic partnership with our number one ally in the field of security, we will hold a meeting of the Strategic Partnership Commission Ukraine-U.S. with the participation of expanded delegations of both states," he said. Kuleba said that tomorrow's meeting embodies the agreements reached at the meeting between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Joseph Biden. "The Strategic Partnership Commission is the main engine of this process. The work of this engine is concrete results for the security and development of our country. And the security and development of the country as a whole is the security and well-being of every citizen. This is how we implement the strategy of foreign policy in the American direction. Readiness The United States to a new stage of strategic partnership testifies to the high level of trust between our countries," the head of the Ukrainian MFA said. KYIV. Nov 9 (Interfax-Ukraine) Bill No.5655 on the reform of urban planning, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine on July 1 at first reading, in its current form levels out the achievements of decentralization, representatives of the professional community said at the press conference titled "Urban planning reform. Has the government heard architects?" at Interfax-Ukraine on Monday, November 8. "By developing architecture, we are developing civil society as a whole. We are convinced that the formation of harmonious and stimulating laws requires a dialogue between the architectural community and the authorities, namely the Verkhovna Rada, the Ministry of Regional Development," President of the National Union of Architects of Ukraine Oleksandr Chyzhevsky said. Deputy Chairman of the Architectural Chamber of the National Union of Architects of Ukraine Hanna Kyriy said that since the adoption of the bill at first reading, a systemic struggle has been waged "not only for the rights of architects, but above all for the rights of people to a safe, high-quality and comfortable space in our cities." Architect and urban specialist, chief architect of Lviv (2015-2019), Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories (2019-2020) Yulian Chaplynsky said, while working on the bill on urban planning reform, it was necessary not only to single out the stakeholders, but also to clearly define, who exactly represents their interests. "The digitization of all the processes offered by bill No.5655 is an absolute plus. But the sphere of architecture and procedure are not the same thing. Bill No.5655 is not about cities, not about communities, not about the quality of architecture. The previous system of urban planning control and supervision assumed that local authorities issue urban planning terms and limitations, and not permits. Now this process is further aggravated, because "urban planning terms and limitations are being simplified," cities and communities will continue to receive dubious architecture with incomprehensible facades," Chaplynsky said. According to him, residents demand a high-quality environment, first of all, from the mayor, but the local authorities, within the forthcoming reform, will be able to control only two parameters, such as the maximum height and density of the building site. Kyriy said the bill provides for some fuses, for example, local governments can fight unauthorized actions and monitor. The expert said the bill drew criticism not only from the architectural community. "Negative conclusions on bill No.5655 were also provided by the National Agency on the Corruption Prevention, the Main Scientific and Expert Department of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy, NGO Together Against Corruption, representatives of local government agencies. In particular, the Association of Cities and the Association of merged territorial communities sent corresponding letters to the Verkhovna Rada and the Ministry of Regional Development," Kyriy said. Kyriy said that due to the well-coordinated and active work of the architectural community, it was possible to remove the most controversial points from the bill. Now, according to her, joint consultations and work with members of the subcommittee on the wording and correctly written texts are continuing. "But I want to record that the authors of the bill agreed to satisfy all our demands," Kyriy said. In her opinion, it would be necessary not only to send bill No.5655 for revision, but to organize an open and transparent process of writing the reform with the involvement of all market participants. The expert said the struggle of architects for their rights works only with mass involvement and media activity. She announced an all-Ukrainian action of architects on November 16. Public representatives, together with students, lecturers and the administration of International European University, planted about 900 pine trees at Holosiivskyi National Natural Park. The organizers called this event #_ (pine meet-up), which was supported by the Silpo supermarket chain and initiated by SD Platform NGO. Our journalists talked to Kateryna Davydkova, the coordinator of environmental matters at SD Platform NGO, about the idea and further plans. I try to extensively involve the university community in ecologically vital initiatives. The idea originated from the importance to enrich our country with trees. It's painful to watch mass deforestation and wood sales. By the way, coniferous forests destroy bacteria in our air and clean our lungs, especially after COVID-19. The #_ initiative took place in Vinnytsia and twice in Kyiv. Our International European University regularly joins eco-initiatives and supports the environmental consciousness of young people. In general, around 900 pine trees were planted at Holosiivskyi National Natural Park. Forest officers held a workshop on the proper technique of tree planting and maintenance. Our lungs were filled with useful coniferous air. We believe that our pine trees will also produce phytoncides in a year, which are quite beneficial to human health, Kateryna said. It is a great pleasure that International European University promotes an eco-friendly lifestyle, as forests are the lungs of our planet, which have suffered a lot this year and which recovery is crucial to each citizen. Taking the responsibility for the planet and its future, being conscious and caring about environmental problems: its about the IEU family. Activists and students are going to plant more trees in the spring. Sayenko Kharenko acted as a Ukrainian law expert for the Allard Pierson Museum in the Scythian Gold case The team of Sayenko Kharenko prepared an expert report on Ukrainian law for the Allard Pierson Museum in the Scythian Gold case. On 26 October 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal ruled that the Allard Pierson Museum had to hand over a collection of artifacts, known as the Scythian Gold, to Ukraine. The collection was being exhibited at the Allard Pierson Museum at the time when the Russian Federation occupied Crimea. The key questions of Ukrainian law for the legal position of the Allard Pierson Museum were as follows: whether the Allard Pierson Museum had validly suspended performance of its obligations under the contracts concluded with the Crimean museums; whether the Allard Pierson Museum was liable in this situation; whether there were grounds for terminating the contracts concluded between the Allard Pierson Museum and the Crimean museums or for establishing that the obligations of the Allard Pierson Museum under the said contract were impossible to perform. On 16 April 2019, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal issued an interim judgment in the case confirming that the position of the Allard Pierson Museum on the suspension of performance of its contractual obligations to the Crimean museums had been correct. In a final judgment of 26 October 2021, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal also confirmed that the contractual obligations of the Allard Pierson Museum to the Crimean museums could not be performed and, therefore, the Allard Pierson Museum should not return the Crimean Treasures to the Crimean museums. In its interim and final judgments, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal referred, inter alia, to an expert report on Ukrainian law prepared by Sayenko Kharenko. The Amsterdam Court of Appeal has duly established the content of Ukrainian law and applied it to the facts of this complex and extremely important case. We are glad to have helped the court with this, - commented Olexander Droug, partner, head of international arbitration at Sayenko Kharenko. Sayenko Kharenko team included associate Alina Danyleiko, special advisor Tatyana Slipachuk, and was led by partner Olexander Droug. ### About Sayenko Kharenko Sayenko Kharenko enjoys a global reputation as a leading Ukrainian law firm with an internationally oriented full-service practice. Sayenko Kharenko, founded in 2004, is currently one of the two largest Ukrainian law firms with more than 120 lawyers. The firm works on the largest and most sophisticated transactions and disputes representing the leading international and local companies. It has provided legal services to over 2,000 clients from more than 60 countries around the globe. You can find more information about the firms areas of specialization and experience on the website www.sk.ua. For additional information please contact Alyona Onyshchenko, Director of Marketing and Business Development T: +380 44 499 6000, E: aon@sk.ua Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Israel Yevhen Korniychuk visited a leading Israeli company in the field of development and production of irrigation systems Netafim to get acquainted with the technologies and discuss prospects for cooperation in the modernization of Ukrainian irrigation systems. The Embassy of Ukraine reported this at Facebook. The purpose of the visit was to get acquainted with advanced developments and technologies in the field of drip irrigation for growing various crops. During the meeting, the state and prospects of cooperation of this company with Ukraine were discussed, in particular, in the context of implementing optimal solutions for the modernization of irrigation systems in the southern regions of Ukraine, - the statement reads. In order to discuss ways to intensify Netafim's activities in Ukraine, it was reached an agreement to work out the organization of a working visit of the company's representatives to Ukraine. A writer and mother of Tesla and SpaceX owner Elon Musk, Maye Musk, visited Kyiv at the invitation of Alyona Shevtsova, the business woman who founded the international payment system LEO. Maye timed her visit to the release of her autobiographical best-selling book, A Woman Makes a Plan, in Ukrainian. Together with Alyona Shevtsova, 73-year-old Musk gave an exclusive interview to journalists of the Snidanok z 1+1 program. I admit that when I first read Mayes book in Washington earlier this year, I even cried. It has become my guide as to how to climb up when its hard. When you are a woman; when you are a single mother with children, Alyona Shevtsova said while explaining the purpose of inviting Maye Musk to Kyiv. During the interview, Maye Musk talked about working on the book. My agent wanted me to talk about my life and the lessons learned. And even my children said, You should talk about the struggle. Because women need it! And the main idea of the book is how important it is not to give up. And when a woman has a plan, she is able to get out of any situation! Maye Musk emphasized. She says that she did not check her childrens homework or control them to provide them with the freedom to do what they liked and pursue their goals. In turn, Alyona Shevtsova as a mother-of-four believes that the main thing for children is to feel the familys support. I try to be the best mother for them. For example, when my children call, I always answer them. And when the children go to bed, only I, their mother, tell them bedtime fairy tales, Alyona Shevtsova said. Maye Musk is a writer, model, certified nutritionist, the mother of three children sons Elon, Kimbal (owns a restaurant business), and a daughter Tosca (a director and producer). Alyona Shevtsova is one of the most famous and influential women in the fintech industry of Ukraine. In February 2020, the LEO IPS founded by her received a currency license from the NBU, and in the summer of 2021 it became one of the four largest players in the Ukrainian money transfer market. The companys supervisory board is headed by third President Viktor Yushchenko. BTS To Put Up World Premiere Performance Of This Hit Song At 2021 American Music Awards, Good Surprise For Army BTS To Put Up World Premiere Performance Of This Hit Song At 2021 American Music Awards, Good Surprise For Army (Photo : TenAsia/CC BY 3.0) The American Music Awards and BTS official Twitter account stated on November 8 that K-pop group BTS will both attend and perform at the upcoming show. The Bangtan Boys are slated to perform a remix version of their hit single "Butter" first time on stage at the show in Los Angeles alongside American rap artist Megan Thee Stallion. It will be the world premiere performance by the group on this song. Advertisement The K-pop supergroup has a vibrant history with the AMAs. The boys made their TV debut in the US with the AMA show performance of "DNA" in 2017. Since then, the boys have been nominated for nine awards, winning every one of the six nominations before 2021. At the 2021 AMAs, BTS has earned a nomination for the artist of the year (AotY) category, which is arguably the night's biggest award category and the main award. The group has anyway made history for being the first K-pop artist to ever win an AotY nomination at the AMAs. The night will be even more legendary for BTS if they manage to win the award. The Bangtan Boys have attended shows virtually since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 due to safety measures that put a restriction on international travel. The pandemic and related measures haven't stopped the group from performing though, as they put up a virtual performance from their home country for the 2020 AMAs, 2021 Billboard Music Awards, and the 2021 Grammys. However, the 2021 AMAs will be the first in-person award show appearance for the members of BTS since their attendance at the 2020 Grammy Awards. Jungkook, V, Jimin, J-Hope, Suga, Jin, and RM traveled to New York, USA in September 2021 for the first time in over a year to participate in the 76th United Nations General Assembly. BTS is going to have its first offline concert after the pandemic at Los Angeles's SoFi Stadium on November 27-28 and December 1-2. It seems that the boys will be able to take part in the AMAs, which will take place just a week prior to the stadium shows. Right after that, the group will also be a part of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Live In Concert show. The AMAs are a yearly fan-voted awards ceremony and this year it will take place on November 21 at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles. The show will be aired live on ABC. An Egyptian criminal court sentenced on Tuesday a man to 15 years and two others to life in absentia for raping a woman in a resort on the North Coast in 2015. The Military Joint Committee between Egypt and Israel agreed to increase the number of Egyptian border guards at the Rafah border area with Israel, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced on Monday. Sudan's Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok and General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan signed an agreement in a public ceremony in the presidential palace in Khartoum on Sunday afternoon to end the month-old political crisis in the country. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Sunday called the migrant crisis on the Belarusian-Polish border, the EU's eastern frontier, the "greatest attempt to destabilise Europe" since the Cold War. Kamel's visit is meant to advance Egypts efforts in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process sponsored by President El-Sisi Head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service Abbas Kamel travelled to Ramallah and Tel Aviv on Wednesday as per the directives of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, a statement read. Kamels visit is meant to advance Egypts efforts in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process, which is sponsored by El-Sisi. Earlier in May, an Egypt-sponsored ceasefire deal was reached between Israel and Palestinian factions to end an 11-day military aggression in the Gaza Strip. The escalation was sparked on 10 May when Israel cracked down on Palestinian demonstrators who were protesting against Israels plan to expel Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah district in East Jerusalem. The 11-day fighting was deemed the most vicious since 2014 as Israel upped its aggression on Gaza with artillery and air strikes in response to rocket attacks on Israeli towns from the Strip, which is controlled by Hamas. The Israeli offensive killed more than 250 Palestinians, including 66 children, left more than 1,900 injured, and destroyed hundreds of commercial and residential buildings. The death toll in Israel stood at 13. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt expressed its sincere condolences on Monday to Niger after a school fire broke out that left dozens of students dead and injured. At least 25 primary school children were killed and 14 injured, including five in critical condition, when their straw-roof classrooms caught fire on Monday. In a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered the condolences of the Egyptian government and people to the families of the victims, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured children. Search Keywords: Short link: The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Allianz Global Investors (AllianzGI), one of the worlds leading active investment managers have launched the Emerging Market Climate Action Fund (EMCAF) in a public and private partnership with the Governments of Germany and Luxembourg. The EIB, the Nordic Development Fund, Allianz, and Folksam are the anchor investors, according to the EIB. The EMCAF is a fund that supports climate-focused investment funds and projects active in emerging markets and developing countries that will focus on climate mitigation, climate adaptation, and access to electricity in developing countries. With a target size of 500 million, the EMCAF is aiming to become a European flagship impact investing initiative, mobilising substantial amounts of private capital to get climate action projects off the ground in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, the EIB pointed out. The funds investments are also expected to support a significant amount of new clean energy capacity globally. As world leaders meet in Glasgow, this is a pivotal time for the planet. Thats why I am delighted to see the joint efforts spearheaded by the EIB and Allianz Group to enhance support for developing countries and help mobilise green finance to meet the Paris Agreements goals, said President of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow Alok Sharma. EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle noted that supporting climate projects in emerging and developing countries is the key to meeting the Paris Agreements climate goals and to boosting economic activity on the ground. As the EU climate bank, we have much experience with innovative financial instruments that mobilise private capital at scale. Launching the EMCAF sends an important signal to the COP26 conference about the power of public-private partnerships to bridge the climate finance gap, he added. On his side, CEO of AllianzGI Tobias Pross expounded that the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed some profound inequalities. He noted that the pandemic is thought to have magnified the existing funding shortfall needed to meet the UNs Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 in developing countries, adding that many investors have become increasingly aware of the role their capital can and should play in addressing these imbalances. During the COP26, there were calls from number of developing countries to raise the global commitments dedicated to counter climate change to up to $1 trillion, up from the $100 billion allocated in 2009. Also, they called on advanced economies to live up to their financial commitments through 2030 and 2050. Furthermore, the UKs COP26 presidency issued a Climate Finance Delivery Plan that will provide clarity on when and how developed countries will meet the pledged $100 billion climate finance. According to an analysis made by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, developed countries are expected to achieve great progress towards this goal in 2022 and that will enable them to meet the goal in 2023. It also projected that developed countries can mobilise more than $100 billion per year thereafter through 2025. Search Keywords: Short link: At least 26 children aged between five and six died in a school fire in southern Niger on Monday, the local governor told AFP. "Right now we have 26 dead and 13 injured, four of them seriously," said Chaibou Aboubacar, mayor of Maradi. Search Keywords: Short link: The Ministry of Agriculture has announced the roll-out of smartcards giving access to services for the countrys farmers. The Ministry of Agriculture is preparing to roll out smartcards for farmers across the country after their partial introduction in several governorates in a move that is being hailed as transforming the traditional agricultural system in Egypt. The smartcards are part of ministry plans to digitise the services it offers to farmers, among them help in selling crops and accessing fertilisers. Registered farmers will be able to access fertiliser quotas for their land using the smartcards along with other materials including pesticides and seeds. The system will help those who need it, liberalise the fertiliser market, and prevent the development of a black market. Hussein Abu Saddam, head of the Farmers Syndicate, praised the new system, saying that it would bring major benefits to Egypts farmers. The new plastic cards cannot be easily damaged, are easy to carry, and difficult to falsify, he told Al-Ahram Weekly. Data related to land ownership including area and types of crops are loaded on the card by the Agriculture Ministry. Amer Al-Shorbagi, a member of parliaments Agriculture Committee, said that the new cards would end corruption in the distribution of fertilisers. The old paper system focused on organising the distribution of fertilisers, whereas the new one also covers loans and all kinds of government aid to farmers. Data on pensions and insurance will soon be added to the cards as well, he told the Weekly. The idea of a smartcard for farmers is an old one, but it has only recently been introduced, director of the project Mohamed Youssef told the Weekly. The project began in November 2016 through a contract signed between the ministries of agriculture and military production. The project saw a two-year period of preliminary work before its first concrete results in 2019. More developments are still in progress, Youssef said. To ensure the proper application of the system, the roll-out will be supervised by three main bodies, the Ministry of Agriculture, agricultural associations, and the Agricultural Bank of Egypt. Companies affiliated to the Ministry of Military Production are responsible for manufacturing and issuing the cards, Al-Shorbagi said. So far, 3.5 million cards out of the planned five million have been made, and 1.8 million farmers have received their smartcards. Distributing all the cards is expected to be complete within two months, he added. At the committees next meeting I will propose sending the remaining cards to farmers by delivery companies in order to speed up the process, he said. Registering all of Egypts farmers on the new system is not the only challenge facing the project. Some farmers are reluctant to use it as they do not understand its benefits, an obstacle the Ministry of Agriculture is working on by organising training campaigns for farmers in agricultural associations, Abu Saddam said. Another challenge is that the new system is dependent on technology, and many employees lack experience in this, Youssef said. We trained the employees working in the ministrys different departments and the agricultural associations before starting using the new system, he told the Weekly. There are 5,701 agricultural associations in Egypt, and so far we have completed the training of 8,100 employees on the use of the new cards, he added. Al-Shorbagi told the Weekly that complexity of land inheritance and dealing with tenants rather than landowners had slowed the introduction of the new system. The heirs of a piece of land must choose one of them to get a new card. Otherwise, they will not be getting the cards benefits, he said. The new system requires the owner to obtain the card and not the tenant. But in many cases the latter is the one who takes care of the land and not the owner, so I will suggest that partial possession cards be given to tenants so they can get fertilisers on time, he concluded. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: As preparations continue for the opening of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, Egypt should continue to press for the return of irreplaceable artefacts from museums abroad. During visits to distinguished museums such as the British Museum in London, the Louvre in Paris and the Metropolitan Museum in New York, my impression has always been one of pride that Egyptian treasures rank among the most prominent exhibits on show in these institutions. However, it usually has not taken long for pride to be eclipsed by anger and dismay. How come Egyptian treasures are housed abroad in museums where visitors from all over the world come to view them in awe and admiration? How did these museums come by these treasures? Did Egyptian officials donate them to their new proprietors for in-kind efforts, or were they looted and then illegally smuggled out of Egypt? Will Egypt ever regain its treasures? Museums, jam-packed with Egyptian artefacts, are not the only exhibitors of Egyptian monuments. Squares in cities worldwide, from Rome to London and from Paris to New York, are adorned by obelisks that stand tall to tell the world of a civilisation like no other. The obelisk in the Place de la Concorde in Paris was gifted to France in 1829, for example, and that in Central Park in New York, known as Cleopatras Needle, was gifted to the US by the Khedive Ismail in the 1880s. Rome has the most Egyptian obelisks in the world, more than the ones in Egypt by far, and these were smuggled out of Egypt during the Roman occupation of Egypt. Lets return to what todays museums hold. According to the Cairo magazine Egypt Today, Egyptian artefacts can be found in over 39 museums across the world. The Dutch National Museum of Antiquities holds over 24,000 pieces, and Egyptian treasures are ranked as among its primary attractions. The Museo Egizio in Turin in Italy is devoted entirely to Egyptian artefacts. At the Royal Ontario Museum in Canada, the Egyptian collection comprises approximately 25,000 artefacts, with close to 2,000 of these on display. Then there are exceptional pieces at special museums. The Egyptian Museum in Berlin houses about 80,000 artefacts and is one of the worlds most important collections of ancient Egyptian artefacts, including the iconic bust of the ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti. The British Museum in London, which welcomes approximately six million visitors a year, proudly exhibits the Rosetta Stone. As the museum prepared to reopen its doors after the Covid-19 pandemic, it put together a list of 14 items not to miss, citing the Rosetta Stone as number one and classifying it as the most famous object on display and the key that unlocked ancient hieroglyphs. The Louvre in Paris houses one of the worlds major collections of Egyptian artefacts, approximately 55,000 pieces, in particular the statues of the Seated Scribe and the Great Sphinx of Tanis and one of the best-preserved mummies in the world. Today, the iconic pyramid at the entrance to the Louvre pays tribute to the artefacts from Egyptian civilisation that are housed inside and that have become landmarks of the museum. In all fairness, these treasures are well preserved, carefully maintained and exquisitely exhibited at renowned museums, where millions are able to see them. They allow visitors to understand the Egyptian culture and its significance. Many of the Egyptian artefacts displayed abroad were donated to their current proprietors, including the Temple of Dendur in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Egypt gifted this temple to the US in 1965 in recognition of the role it played in the campaign to move the Nubian Temples from the rising waters of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s. Undeniably, the Temple of Dendur in its current home has the grandeur and honour it deserves. Visitors can view it from every angle and experience it to the fullest. It is an ambassador of Egypt and provides a glimpse of what visitors can expect to enjoy during a visit to Egypt. But by the same token, many non-Egyptian excavators in the past assumed that they were entitled to the treasures they had excavated. These exceptional pieces, thousands of years old, were then smuggled out of Egypt and ended up in Berlin, London or Paris. It is unlikely that these museums will ever part with prized exhibits such as the Rosetta Stone and the Nefertiti bust. Whatever is repatriated to Egypt is unlikely to include such iconic pieces. But Egypt should continue to seek the repatriation of its irreplaceable artefacts. When Egypt called on the Berlin Museum to return the Nefertiti bust, the response was that this should remain in Germany, most probably on the assumption that it is somehow better off there. One Internet site suggests that Egyptian museums, though many, are often smaller than others located in the UK, France, Germany, the US and Italy. However, now that Egypt is completing the Grand Egypt Museum (GEM) on the Giza Plateau, the largest archaeological museum in the world, it is befitting that these iconic pieces should come back home. In April 2021, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) in Fustat in Cairo also opened its doors to 22 royal mummies including those of Ramses II and queen Hatshepsut. Both museums are more than worthy of housing rare and significant pieces currently exhibited elsewhere. * The writer is the author of Cairo Rewind on the First Two Years of Egypts Revolution, 2011-2013. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: With the US being a key superpower and Egypt an influential regional nation with a long history, this relationship is wide-ranging and diverse, covering bilateral, regional and international issues. Differences do come up, but through dialogue and recognition of the importance of maintaining close cooperation, Egypt and the US have preserved their strategic partnership. The US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue was launched in the mid-1990s under former US president Bill Clinton. Top level officials from the two sides, coming from a variety of sectors involved in cooperation programmes, from military to education, were to meet on a regular basis to review what was achieved, and plans for the future. Such rounds of discussions continued to be held until 2009 when they were halted, before resuming in 2015. When former Republican US president Donald Trump took office in 2017, he met regularly with President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi and handled the relationship on that level. After Democratic US President Joe Biden won the election in November, 2020, many observers expected that the relationship with Egypt would be negatively influenced. Before this latest round of strategic dialogue, which concluded on Tuesday, the US State Department announced it was withholding $130 million out of the $1.3 billion annual military aid until improvements took place in Egypts human rights profile. This was certainly not a welcome step for Egyptian officials, but going ahead with convening the strategic dialogue in Washington was a good opportunity to clarify Egypts view in meetings with their US counterparts, and to confirm that disagreeing on one issue should not influence the overall strategic relationship between the two countries. For many reasons, and particularly following the widespread instability in the region over the past 10 years, breaking up key countries such as Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen, US-Egypt close cooperation and coordination is indispensable on many fronts. Since Egypt signed the Camp David accords with Israel in 1979, it has played a key role in stabilising the region and convincing other regional players to work on reaching a negotiated, peaceful settlement. When the latest war broke out in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, it was Egypts intervention that led to a relatively quick pause. This role was recognised by President Biden, who telephoned President Al-Sisi in May to confirm the need for continued coordination between the two countries, not just to maintain the fragile peace in Gaza, but also to kickstart talks between the Palestinian Authority and Israels new government, which were on hold. For the first time in many years, President Al-Sisi hosted Israels prime minister in Sharm El-Sheikh in September, raising the hope that peace negotiations could resume with the Palestinian Authority. Sudan, together with Libya, are Egypts two closest neighbours. Unfortunately, both countries are in turmoil. While the United States certainly has its own interests in both countries from an international perspective, it is Egypt that will be directly influenced by continuing instability there. Through close coordination with the US, Egypt has confirmed its commitment to exert all possible efforts to restore stability in Sudan by convincing all parties concerned of the need to reach an agreement that would help to restore trust between the military and civilian components of the government that took over following the ouster of former president Omar Al-Bashir in early 2019. In Libya, the two countries agreed on the importance of holding presidential and parliamentary elections on 24 December in the hope of restoring Libyas geographic and governmental unity. This will not be achieved, however, if foreign troops and mercenaries maintain their illegal presence in Libya. Close coordination between Egypt and the United States is also needed in Syria and Iraq. The previous decade was a period of trials and tribulations in the Middle East. Thankfully, Egypt has weathered the storm and successfully overcame the subsequent security and economic turbulence that bedeviled the region, and is now standing on solid ground and fulfilling its traditional role as a stabilising force in the region. While confronting serious challenges to Egypts security, including the fight against terrorism and extremism, President Al-Sisi spared no effort to achieve greater and more inclusive growth and economic development for the Egyptian people. Facing demands by the new Biden administration to improve Egypts human rights record, Cairo repeatedly expressed its conviction that orderly change was the best chance for success. Moreover, Egypts government strongly believes that human rights are an interdependent whole, which necessitates that we dedicate as much attention to political rights and civil liberties as we do to economic and social rights. This is an evolutionary process unique to each country, one that reflects and takes into consideration its social specificities, developmental realities, religious background and cultural characteristics. It should be acknowledged that ultimately it will be up to the people of Egypt to decide for themselves what they want with respect to a political, social and economic system that would ensure and promote the welfare of Egypts citizens. The national human rights strategy that was developed through a wide-ranging consultative process with the active engagement of societal stakeholders and which was recently launched with presidential endorsement, in addition to the presidents decision last month to end the state of emergency across Egypt, are irrefutable evidence of Egypts determination to build a modern democratic state for the benefit of its citizens first and foremost. Finally, Egyptian-American relations are not limited to the areas of political and security cooperation. There are also the economic, scientific, educational and cultural areas, which provide potentially endless opportunities to further deepen and broaden ties between the two countries. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The Iranian-backed Houthi militias have been intensifying their campaign in Marib, Yemen, ignoring calls to scale down fighting and join a UN political settlement process in the war-torn country. Meanwhile, the militias kept targeting civilian positions inside Saudi Arabia, with Saudi defences foiling their attacks. The war to control the oil-rich region of Marib has been ongoing for almost a year. Reports now say that the Houthis are advancing there at the expense of the legitimate government forces and the Saudi-led Arab Coalition. Military escalation in Yemen always precedes negotiations between Iran and the United States on Washingtons return to the nuclear deal between Tehran and international powers. A new round of talks is expected by the end of this month, and some Europeans are optimistic about the outcome. With the prospect of an Iranian-American agreement that might facilitate the rehabilitation of Iran by the international community, regional parties are pushing for their interests to be taken into account. Traditional conflict between Iran and the Arab Gulf countries is in focus, as the Gulf countries expect greater boldness on the part of Iran. That is why all areas of Iranian influence in the region are flaring up, from Yemen to Lebanon. Recent Gulf anger with Lebanese officials repeating Iranian rhetoric is but a symptom of the wider ramifications of the regional conflict. Remarks by the Lebanese information minister that Yemenis are defending themselves against external aggression were followed by remarks from the Lebanese foreign minister that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries were considered aggressive to them. Four Gulf countries suspended diplomatic relations with Beirut in what looks like pressure on the Lebanese authorities to curb the Iranian-backed Hizbullah. More Gulf measures are being taken to sway Lebanon away from Iranian influence. This week, the Kuwaiti daily newspaper Assiyasa reported the arrest of a group accused of working for Lebanese Hizbullah, according to security sources quoted by the paper. The state security service accused the four Kuwaitis, one of whom is said to be son of a former MP, of cooperating with Hizbullah in recruiting youth to work with the party in Syria and Yemen. The group is also accused of laundering money for the party, financing recruits to join the terrorist group and participate in terrorist activities and drug trafficking. Another Kuwaiti daily newspaper, Al Qabas, said that in the midst of an escalating crisis between the Gulf states and Lebanon and the inability of Lebanon to resolve the issue, the Gulf countries are considering taking new measures against Lebanon. The paper reported that it learned that certain countries that recalled their ambassadors from Beirut may suspend flights to Lebanon in the next few days. Calls for a boycott of Lebanon, especially Lebanese goods, on Saudi and Gulf social media accounts are gathering steam. Those calls gained momentum after the statement by Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib: We are facing a big problem. If they just want Hizbullahs head on a plate, we cant give them that. Hizbullah is a component of politics in Lebanon. Some pundits are linking increased Houthi attacks on targets in Saudi Arabia with the Lebanon issue, citing close relations between Hizbullah and the Houthis. Others maintain that attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia are related to intensified fighting in Marib, where the coalition forces bombard the Houthi militia in support of legitimate government forces. The Saudi commentator Abdul-Aziz Alkhames acknowledges the Hizbullah factor in Yemen, but says the war in Marib is behind the recent escalation. For sure, Hizbullah is supporting the Houthi militias on Tehrans instructions. But I think the military escalation in Yemen is not a response to the Lebanon crisis. It is the battle for Marib that has been going on for almost a year now, before the issues with Lebanon erupted, he told Al-Ahram Weekly. The battle for Marib is the main cause of the current escalation in hostilities. The reason Houthis are stepping up fighting is that they feel the weakness of legitimate government forces there. Unfortunately, the government relied on the Muslim Brotherhood, which let it down. The Brotherhood has no interest in defending the country, their doctrine is to fight for their own interests. For example they focus on Taiz, where the group has influence; indeed it seems the Brotherhood has had a clandestine agreement with Houthi militia not to sweep Taiz, Alkhames added. This is a notion that Andrew Hammond of Oxford University upholds. He told the Weekly that the Gulf countries also anticipate that President Biden will join the nuclear deal soon, probably next month, and theyll be left with no cards in the struggle with Iran and that could be part of the angst. He added that the US is pressuring them to agree to lift the blockade before a ceasefire, which is a main Houthi demand to agree on negotiations about political settlement. But the link between all these issues, all involving Iran and its proxies, is undeniable. A semi-official source in a Gulf country said that Tehran is stepping up its conventional destabilising policies in the region preceding its negotiations with the West. It is not only in Lebanon. Iraq is now another arena where Iran is flexing its muscles using its proxy militias in the Arab country. Tehran is wary of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who has started pursuing a new approach of returning Iraq to its Arab fold and away from Iranian influence. The Arab countries, especially the Gulf countries plus Egypt and Jordan, have been very positive in meeting Kadhimis efforts with more cooperation, the Gulf source told the Weekly. The next few weeks might see more escalation in Yemen and other areas where Iran has influence and this may well be the case until Iranian-American negotiations yield clear results. Search Keywords: Short link: In the Triangular Capital, where Africas Blue and White Niles meet, military leaders insist they will not go back to the pre-25 October transitional phase while civilian leaders are adamant that there should only be civil governance. In the meantime, international pressure is mounting, reports Haitham Nouri. Last Sunday and Monday the Professionals Association called for a general strike, and thousands took part albeit in smaller numbers than on the previous such move on 30 October. The association is the backbone of the protest movement that ended Omar Al-Bashirs 30-year reign through a series of demonstrations that swept the nation from December 2018 to April 2019. The past few weeks protests were organised under the motto No partnership, no negotiation, escalating the conditions with which the association was content following the overthrow of Al-Bashir. In 2019, the Sudanese agreed to a power-sharing formula whereby the civilian and military camps would share a sovereign council acting as the head of state to rule for a three-year transition until elections were held in July 2023. De-escalating the tension on the street requires a magnanimous effort, Osman Al-Boshri, a leader in the national Umma Party, the largest political organisation in Sudan according to the last elections, of 1986, told Al-Ahram Weekly, from Khartoum. No single party can rule Sudan on its own. Neither the army, nor the civilians. The situation is much more complicated. With the current status quo, it is difficult to go back to the transitional phase, Al-Boshri opined, ruling out the possibility of forming a sovereign council comprising the figures the military proposed. Malik Aqar and Al-Hadi Idriss are refusing to be on the council without going back to the pre-25 October arrangement. Aqar and Idriss are leaders of armed groups that had fought against Al-Bashir for decades. We need the army to impose peace, organise the return of refugees and those displaced by the war, collect arms from the movements that spent years fighting Al-Bashirs regime, and integrate the fighters of those movements into the armed forces. This will raise the profile of the army socially and politically, as was the case following the 1972 agreement to stop the war in South Sudan. However, without political cover and social consensus, peace will fall apart just like the 1972 accord failed, he said, referring to violating the agreement in 1983 at the hands of Jaafar Numeiri and southern leader Joseph Lagu, triggering the civil war that ended with the secession of the south in 2011. The present events are the 18th military takeover of power in Sudanese history since independence in January 1956. The majority of the moves failed, but there were a number of successful regime changes, such as the one under the leadership of Ibrahim Abboud between 1958 and 1964, Numeiris between 1969 and 1985 and Al-Bashirs from 1989 to 2019. Many parties participated in attempts to take over power, such as the Umma Party, whose leader at the time Abdullah Khalil organised the 1958 coup; communists and nationalists backed Numeiri; and the Muslim Brotherhood led by Hassan Al-Turabi executed a coup to help Al-Bashir to become president. All the players in the Sudanese court should shoulder the responsibility for the current state of affairs, Al-Boshri said, adding that the civilians fight for power, the failure of a large number of ministers to run the affairs of their ministries and the procedures of the Empowerment Removal Committee are the main problems of the civilian camp. We cannot escape the fact that many ministers failed, although the first government of technocrats couldnt lift subsidies to initiate negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. The Empowerment Removal Committee damaged democracy the most, Al-Boshri insists. The committee is known as the body assigned to erase the repercussions of the 1989 coup. The committee fired civil servants who were employed during Al-Bashirs tenure. Wagdi Saleh, a leader in the Baath Party and a prominent member of the Empowerment Removal Committee, however, said, we are fighting a vast network of corruption. No wonder the committee did not win the hearts of a large number of state leaders and the army. They want to disassemble the committee and, consequently, quell the revolution. But, there is no going back, Saleh quoted the revolutionaries slogan against the recent military intervention. Many people would have loved to see the committee maintaining its role in the rights field; preparing reports on corrupt people that would then be sacked and others appointed via national competitions held periodically. This is no longer possible. We are facing a mountain of corruption. This is a rich, vast network that can spoil evidence and nip investigations in the bud, said Saleh. All the parties represented in the government have no political experience in elections. Furthermore, many observers doubt the Professionals Association can win if elections for professionals syndicates and labour unions were held. The syndicate organisations in the Professionals Association were formed after their failure to win against the Islamists in their syndicates, said Al-Boshri. For his part journalist Mohamed Al-Asbat, former spokesman of the association, said: The Islamists victory in syndicate elections was not the norm. They had usually won a few seats, but with Al-Bashir in power, the Islamists were in control of the state and hence secured one victory after the other. He believes that if fair elections were held, the Islamists would reveal their weakness. In all the countries the Islamists had secured victory in professional syndicates, the government was in on it. It enabled them to impose social and professional hegemony in return for not harassing the corrupt elite, Al-Asbat continued. Asked about the whereabouts of Mohamed Dagalo, aka Hamidti, the leader of the Rapid Support Forces, Al-Boshri said that he is a Bedouin with a hunch. He knew he had to hide when push came to shove. If the army wins he will re-emerge in his military uniform. If it loses, he will disown them. In the Umma Party, we dont stand against Hamditi. He is close to us because the Roziqat tribe belongs to the Ansar sect. We are ready to support Hamidti on condition that he takes off the military uniform and presents himself as an independent civilian, Al-Boshri referred to Hamidtis conversation with the leader of the Ansar and the late figurehead of the Umma Al-Sadek Al-Mahdi. It appears that the Umma Party is at present close to the Arab tribes of west Sudan. The current president of the party is Nasser Burma, a general and 1980s defence minister who belongs to western tribes. According to many Sudanese rights activists, Burma founded the Popular Defence Forces in the second half of the 1980s from herding tribes in Darfur to fight against the farmers of Fur and Masalit tribes. Al-Bashir rehabilitated the Popular Defence Forces to become the Janjaweed militias that were later accused of war crimes in the Darfur War in 2003, which claimed the lives of 300,000 Sudanese, and resulted in the rape of dozens of women and the displacement of millions, according to UN figures. Search Keywords: Short link: Tigray Peoples Liberation Front forces have declared they will march on the Ethiopian capital in a war that is becoming an existential crisis for the country, writes Haitham Nouri The advance of the rebel Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) towards the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa is pushing the country to its demise warned Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in a Facebook post last week. Facebook, which has rebranded itself as Meta, removed the post for violating its policies against inciting and supporting violence, it said in a widely reported statement. In the deleted post, Ahmed, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019, called on Ethiopian citizens to organise and march in [any] legal manner using every weapon and power... to prevent, reverse and bury the terrorist TPLF. As the war in the country entered its second year on 3 November, TPLF forces moved onto the offensive, pushing into territory controlled by federal forces and declaring they would march on the capital. The scenario is reminiscent of the overthrow of the communist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam in the country in 1991, something which has also raised the alarm in Addis Ababa. The federal government called on citizens to rise up to defend the capital and to bury the enemy with our blood and bones and make the glory of Ethiopia high again, as Ahmed put it in a speech on 3 November. Two days later, Ethiopian opposition forces meeting in Washington announced the creation of a coalition of militias from various regions included Oromia, Benishangul and the Somali Region, as well as the Tigray Region in the north. The coalition is another reminder of the 1991 experience in which an alliance of forces from Ethiopias different ethnic groups formed the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) that overthrew Haile Mariam. The EPRDF, controlled by Tigray, held power for nearly three decades until Ahmed, Ethiopias first Oromo prime minister, came to power in April 2018. The ethnic factor is another reason why the current situation in Addis is tense. Most of the inhabitants of the federal capital are Amhara who dominate the countrys political elites and middle class and therefore fear revenge from the Tigray and other groups. Under Ahmed, the Amhara have been working to turn history back to the era when they dominated Ethiopia not just politically but also militarily, economically and perhaps most importantly, culturally. The Amhara were the founders of modern Ethiopia, which began with the unification of the country in 1855 under Tewodros II. He was succeeded by emperors Yohannes IV (18721889), Menelik II (18891913) and Haile Selassie (1913-1974). The Amhara imposed their language on the other components of Ethiopian society, which had been sultanates and princedoms controlled by Muslim sheikhs or African tribes that followed traditional Africa religions, said Ahmed Abdel-Halim, a professor of Amharic at the Institute for African Studies in Cairo. When the Tigray came to power, they allowed the other Ethiopian ethnic groups to use their own languages in their regions which had become autonomous. Then, Ahmed replaced the EPRDF with a single party as a means to reassert Amhara control over Ethiopia. Abdel-Halim said that Western and regional analysts believe that Ethiopia might have disintegrated had Haile Selassie died a natural death while in power and that this had been a main reason why Amhara officers overthrew him and founded a communist republic in the 1970s. This was a means to prolong Amhara control over the country, they said, although the founders of the new republic also felt that the new system would be a better means to develop the awareness of the population as a whole. The communist regime in Ethiopia only lasted two decades and was swept away by the dual forces of the famines of the 1980s and the civil war led by the Tigray. However, the ethnic tensions that are resurfacing in Ethiopia today are not just between the Amhara and the other ethnic components of the country. According to Abdel-Halim, the other ethnic groups do not trust the Tigray after experiencing their rule for three decades, but nor do they want to return to the era of Amhara control. According to Hassan Ali, a professor of African Political Studies at the University of Khartoum in Sudan, the coalition of opposition militia groups announced in Washington is essentially a political pact against Abiy Ahmed intended to weaken his hold on power. No ethnic group in Ethiopia wants to be ruled by another. Most of the militia groups have secessionist agendas. At the same time, the countries around Ethiopia also have designs on the country. Sudan is the only friendly neighbour, Ali said. Somalia, which waged several wars against Ethiopia in the 1960s and 1970s, is the main enemy. Although the Ethiopian-Somali wars were proxy wars in the framework of the Cold War, they were also manifestations of longstanding animosity between Addis Ababa and Mogadishu. As Somali journalist Abdel-Rashid Abduh told Al-Ahram Weekly, our five-pointed star symbolises that the Somali people are spread among five countries: French Somalia, which is now Djibouti, the former Italian and British Somalias, which make up the Republic of Somalia, Ethiopian Somalia in the Ogaden Region and lastly Kenyan Somalia in north-eastern Kenya. Somali resentment of Ethiopia runs deep. Ethiopia occupies a religious centre that is very dear to Somalis: Harar, the city of mosques, holy men and Quranic schools. Ethiopias dams in the Juba and Shabelle River Basins have increased droughts in southern Somalia. The Ethiopian army has also made incursions into Somalia ostensibly to fight the terrorist Al-Shabaab Al-Mujahideen group, Abduh said. Somalia today is not in the best condition. It is a divided, failed state that has lost control over its own territory. However, this might be the best condition for reunifying Somalis behind the cause of regaining our land from the Ethiopian occupation. The Somali nation in Ethiopia has fought a bitter war against Tigrayan rule, followed by an ethnic war against the Oromo, the largest Ethiopian ethnic group accounting for around 34 per cent of the population. The fighting claimed thousands of lives and displaced over a million people. The Somali Region in Ethiopia also suffered severe food shortages as a result of locust infestations in 2019 and 2020, which aggravated an already volatile situation. The Somali Peoples Liberation Front is among the militias that signed up to the anti-Ahmed alliance unveiled in Washington on 5 November. The Gambella Peoples Liberation Army is another group that joined the alliance. Commenting on the Gambella Region, Ali said it was adjacent to South Sudan and inhabited primarily by Nilotic groups such as the Nuer and Anywaa. During the Sudanese Civil War, the Sudanese Peoples Liberation Front had camps in Gambella that they used in the fight against the Sudanese army, he said, adding that the region is still largely outside the control of the federal government in Addis Ababa. Some believe the war to liberate Gambella might be politically useful for South Sudan, which has been plunged into civil war between the Dinka and Nuer since its independence in July 2011. The war has claimed around 400,000 lives and exposed millions to one of the worst manmade humanitarian disasters after those in Tigray and Yemen. Others believe that if liberated, Gambella could become as much of a burden on South Sudan as a liberated Ogaden would for Somalia. Kenya also has longstanding grievances against Ethiopia, and it has officially lodged complaints with the UN Security Council against the Gilgel Gibe III Dam that Ethiopia is building on the Omo River that flows into Lake Turkana in northern Kenya. Thousands of fishermen, pastoralists and farmers depend on the Lake for subsistence. Due to the construction of the dam, the water level in the lake has decreased by nearly a metre since 2016, forcing hundreds of people in the area to migrate to urban centres. The environment-related migration has raised the spectre of a recurrence of the fighting that erupted in the Kenyan capital in 2009-2010 due to an influx of migrant pastoralists due to drought in the northeast. Although the crisis was resolved through a power-sharing agreement, the wounds are still tender and cannot sustain further tensions due to environmental deterioration caused by the dams that Ethiopia is building for its own benefit. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has put Kenyan forces on the alert along the border with Ethiopia. Kenya and Somalia are in a dispute over the demarcation of their maritime borders, and although the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled in favour of Mogadishu, Nairobi has rejected the ruling. Both sides are monitoring the situation in Ethiopia closely out of fears that developments there might upset the delicate balance between them. There is a long history of hostility between Eritrea and Ethiopia and between Eritrea and the Tigray. Asmara entered the war in Tigray on the side of the Ethiopian federal government almost at the outset. Although it has withdrawn from the fighting under international pressure due to war crimes perpetrated by its forces, it is unlikely to sit back quietly if its Tigrayan enemy regains power in Addis Ababa. It was Ahmed who put an end to the over 20-year state of war between the two countries, and it was precisely for this that he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize after coming to power. Renewed warfare between Ethiopia and Eritrea would plunge the Horn of Africa into anarchy and open the doors to hell for everyone, as former Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi once put it. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party has been playing on hostility to Syrian refugees as a way of directing attention away from its own shortcomings, writes Sayed Abdel-Meguid Popular resentment against Syrian refugees in Turkey is mounting by the day, with Turkish social media circulating video clips such as one of a woman shouting at some Syrians in a market place in Turkey go back to your country and fight your own war! The climate is not lacking in farcical moments, but they do not hide the true nature of the problem. Eleven Syrians in Turkey were recently arrested and now face deportation for posting videoclips of themselves provocatively eating bananas. Their postings, which went viral two weeks ago, were a reaction to another video of a young man exploding at a Syrian woman in Turkey that I cant afford to eat bananas, but you all buy them by the dozen. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey is playing on such sentiments as a means of directing anger at the countrys economic straits away from the government and to fire the zeal of its ultra-right-wing base. The Turkish authorities said they had arrested seven foreign nationals as a result of an investigation into the controversial videos. The figure then rose to 11 Syrians charged with inciting hatred and insulting the Turkish people. According to Turkish rights activists, the provocative trend of videos of Syrians eating bananas was a satirical commentary on the mounting hostility towards refugees in Turkey against the backdrop of the plummeting lira. Nevertheless, the announcement that the arrested Syrians now face deportation came as a surprise to some analysts. It shows a bankruptcy of policy, said Omar Kadkoy, a policy analyst at the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey, in comments to the website Al-Monitor. Do the Syrians have no right to express their views when they are faced with discrimination or use sarcasm against anti-refugee myths? What does this say about freedom of expression in Turkey, he asked. Myths about Syrian refugees abound. It is widely believed in Turkey that they are entitled to free tuition at Turkish universities, five-digit monthly salaries, and free medical care. It is even said they can get 50 per cent reductions at the furniture seller IKEA. Moreover, despite provisions in international and Turkish law prohibiting the expulsion of refugees, especially to countries where their lives would be threatened, another Turkish ultranationalist party, the Zafer (Victory) Party (ZP), was recently founded to campaign for just that. The Turkish governments intensification of its military activities in Syria is directly related to such domestic developments. Opposition circles believe that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is manoeuvring to deflect public opinion away from troubles at home ahead of the looming presidential and parliamentary elections in 2023. It certainly would not be the first time that Erdogan has used a military buildup against the Kurds in Syria to rally support around him and his party and to divide the opposition. According to Fehim Tastekin, a Turkish columnist, Turkey has five new targets for a possible offensive in Syria, with the foremost among them being the US-backed Syrian Kurdish groups, namely the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and their affiliates. Nevertheless, even though the Turkish parliament has just granted the government a two-year extension on its mandate for military operations in Syria, carrying out another incursion into the north of the country would still need the green light from Moscow and Washington. Without it, the troops that Turkey has already amassed on its border with Syria will remain no more than muscle flexing. Quoting Turkish press reports, Tastekin said that Ankara had recently invited the leaders of Syrian rebel groups to a briefing on tactics and strategies for a fourth military campaign in Syria that would involve some 35,000 troops advancing on two main flanks. The four target areas are reportedly Tel Rifaat and Manbij in northern Aleppo and Ain Issa and Tel Tamer to the east of the Euphrates, Tastekin said. Ankara is reportedly also considering extending the offensive to Kobani on the Turkish border to cut off connections between Qamishli and Manbij and link areas controlled by Turkish-backed rebels in Ras Al-Ain and Tel Abyad and in Jarablus, Al-Rai and Al-Bab. According to a Turkish official cited by Bloomberg and as reported by Tastekin, the incursion is meant to seal more than two thirds of Turkeys 910 km (560 mile) frontier with Syria. But the road will not be smooth for Erdogan, and he might look into hell, as Russian President Vladimir Putin is rumoured to have warned him according to leaks from the two mens last summit in Sochi in late September. Syrian forces in the vicinity of Idlib have reportedly declared an unprecedented state of high alert at several locations, including the Taftanaz air base, Binnish and Sarmin, Tastekin said. Meanwhile, Russias air campaigns have expanded towards the Turkish border, and in addition to the reinforcements at Tel Rifaat and the Minnig air base, additional Syrian government troops have been dispatched to several villages in the countryside north of Aleppo, including Tel Madiq and Tel Zawayan. Such activity suggests an impending Syrian regime operation to regain more territory from Turkish-backed forces in Idlib. For an operation against the Kurds to the north to succeed, Turkey would want to access Syrian air space. According to Tastekin, there has been speculation that Turkey might sacrifice some of its military observation posts in Idlib near the M4 highway in return for a Russian green light to use Syrian air space. But would Russia agree to such a tradeoff? As for the US green light that Erdogan also needs, this is probably even less likely given the still cold relations between the Biden administration and Ankara. The Turkish press gave considerable coverage to a phone call on 23 October between Turkish Presidential Spokesman Ibrahim Kalin and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan in which Kalin stressed his governments determination to fight all terrorist groups, including the Peoples Protection Units, the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Islamic State (IS) group. However, most observers have read this news as posturing for the purposes of domestic consumption. Turkish public opinion is looking grim for Erdogan and the AKP, according to recent opinion polls, and the countrys main opposition party, the Republican Peoples Party (CHP), voted against the bill to extend the mandate for military operations in Syria. In matters involving military considerations, Tastekin said, the CHP has traditionally heeded signals from the general staff. Hence, the partys veto is an important sign of unease within the establishment. Search Keywords: Short link: From 2 to 9 November across three governorates in Egypt, the Hakawy International Arts Festival for Children has been spreading joy and knowledge for Egyptian children and many opportunities for professional artists. In Cairo, the festival took place from 2 to 6 November at the Tahrir Cultural Centre and the Goethe Institute. It had a touring programme in Alexandria at the French Institute on 2 November. In Minya, it was hosted by the Jesuit Cultural Centre on 8-9 November. The festival is organised by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) Arts Centre that was founded in 2011. Each year, it puts on international and local performances designed for children and presents them in a vibrant one-week event with the aim of educating and entertaining them and their families through arts and culture. Mohamed Al-Ghawi, founder and art director of the festival and the AFCA Arts Centre in Egypt, commented that the festival came to life 11 years ago. It started out of a belief that children have the right to be exposed to cultural and arts experiences, either through watching them or participating in them in different contexts. Every year, we go around the world to bring the best shows and bands to Egypt. We also look for Egyptian shows to high professional standards. The festival targets all levels and ages, he said, adding that our mission is to educate children and young people through arts and culture in Egypt without discrimination in three different languages, Arabic, English and French. Attendees vary from children going to international schools to those attending regular government schools. Each international school student pays for a couple of tickets, while they are free for the government-school students. After the Covid-19 pandemic brought the world to a standstill last year, the AFCA turned the situation around and looked for ways to help Egyptian artists during the pandemic. It worked with international collaborators on producing shows that could be performed by local artists, for example, leading to greater opportunities for Egyptian performers. This year we have only one French show, while all the rest are Egyptian. We are happy that Covid-19 caused one positive thing in increasing the local participation, and we will strive to maintain this powerful Egyptian participation in future editions of the festival, Al-Ghawi said. We take every opportunity to support local artists, but they also need more grants and aid to continue. We are against the idea that artists should offer their services for free. The AFCA will continue to bring international groups as their countries fund them, and we hope to find more awareness and financial support from the government for Egyptian ones. The international funding is not enough to cover local participation, but we do our best to find a balance. French funding covered two Egyptian groups this year, for example. Mustafa Mohamed, director of the AFCA and the festival, said that the AFCA shifted the focus to the early years in this years festival, with two shows targeting children aged only 10 months old, a period important for child development. One was an interactive performance called Archipel by the ACTA Company from France that explores the musicality of early childhood, and another was nine Egyptian performances in different art forms such as object theatre, physical theatre, interactive theatre, music and singing, science and magic, and storytelling. The children experienced the magic of science in the Chamber of Secrets by Marina Girgis, and appreciated friendship in Gimme Please, an Egyptian restaging by the AFCA in cooperation with the group Paperboats, the University of Texas at Austin in the US, and the Alliance Theatre. They understood animal welfare in the play Forgotten Tale... The Animals Lawsuit Against Humanity by the ACT Company, danced to the rhythm of music in a performance called Sohbet Al-Semsemeya, and sat down for an afternoon story in Stories on Four Wheels, the mobile library of the charity Misr Al-Kheir. They also had a special music day with the choir of the Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development (AUEED) and the Al-Nour Wal-Amal Orchestra. Children who participated in the AFCA Arts School showcased their talents in the storytelling performance Stories from Minya. One of the most important parts of this years festival was a theatre experience for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the first of its kind in Egypt. With the help of the British Council, we were able to get funding for this last April and worked on online training for many months with the Bamboozle Theatre Company, a company working with children with special needs in the UK, Mohamed said. We put out an open invitation to specialists who work with children with autism and chose six of them in addition to two participants from the AFCA. The online training was followed by physical training at the Al-Abbasiyya Hospital in Cairo, and the pay-off for us was to see the children enjoying and interacting with each other. Both the training and the exploration sessions were not covered by the media out of respect for the childrens privacy. Three children with ASD per session could apply online through our general paid invitations. In fact, registering for free tickets was easy through our Facebook page, and for paid tickets we used TicketMarche. This edition of the festival would not have come to light without the support of our partners, the Ministry of Culture in Egypt, the US Embassy, the British Council, the French Institute, the European Union, the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), the Goethe Institute and the Misr Al-Kheir Foundation and our media sponsor the NRJ Egypt radio station. Nesma Selim, one of the attending parents, said that the Festival has been a great success. There could have been more organisation regarding the seating, but overall it has been safe and joyful. My children attended two shows, Sohbet Al-Semsemeya and The Lawsuit of the Animals, and they enjoyed them a lot. Its our first time to come to the festival, but it wont be the last. Al-Ghawi commented that we work throughout the year and have projects with many associations and partnerships. We dont seek only a commercial presence. This year, we have 10 shows, five of which are paid and the others are free. Some of the attendees have come every year for 10 years. We are keen to get their feedback through physical visits to schools and associations or through online surveys sent to parents. All the tickets were pre-sold, and we are more than delighted with this success. Salma Haddad, a 33-year-old parent, said that I knew about the festival through my previous job at the British Council and started to attend with my child. This is my fifth year coming. The shows are really different, and I want my child to participate. This year she enjoyed Stories on Four Wheels, Sohbet Al-Semsemeya and Gimme Please, for example. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt is pulling out all the diplomatic stops for the sake of a more secure region. On 12 November President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi is expected in Paris where he will take part in a conference on Libya hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. The conference is taking place in the run-up to Libyan elections, scheduled for 24 December, which many hope will place Egypts long troubled western neighbour on the path to stability. This is an important meeting at a crucial moment for Libya, said a Cairo-based foreign diplomat. The objective, he said, is to make sure that the poll is held on time and result in the election of a president and new parliament that can work together to bring stability to Libya. Egyptian government sources say that for Cairo the issue is also about maintaining the territorial integrity of Libya, not just on paper but on the ground, and add that this requires a political regime that is inclusive and free of excessive foreign influence. Yet despite most concerned capitals vouchsafing their support for the elections to be held as scheduled, a number of diplomatic sources expect that the process will encounter last-minute delays. On Monday, as the Libyan electoral committee started the process of registering presidential candidates, Macron called Al-Sisi ahead of the Paris meeting to discuss the situation in Libya, according to a presidential statement issued by Cairo. On the same day, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri was discussing Libya with his American counterpart Antony Blinken in Washington as part of the two-day Egyptian-US strategic dialogue that opened this week. In press statements Blinken stressed the commitment of Egypt and the US to supporting the Libyan elections and the removal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya. I dont think we disagree with the US on what needs to be done to get Libya on the path of stability. Nor do we disagree on the importance of Libyan stability for the southern Mediterranean and North Africa, said the Egyptian government source. Regional stability, according to statements made by Shoukry and Blinken in Washington this week, is an objective shared by Cairo and Washington, though it is one that begs the question of what can be done on the Palestinian-Israeli front. For the last six months, Egyptian and Cairo-based foreign diplomats have argued that Washington greatly values Cairos role in holding the line between the Palestinians and Israel. It is no surprise, they say, that Blinkens first visit to Egypt came in spring this year, after Egypt had managed to mediate a halt to Israels war on Gaza, and was followed by US President Joe Bidens first call to President Al-Sisi, seven months after Biden entered the White House. In press statements in Washington this week, Blinken underlined the significance of Egypts mediation and praised Cairos commitment to work further to secure stability. He also praised Egyptian-Israeli relations which he said had never been stronger, as demonstrated by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennetts visit to Egypt in September the first visit by an Israeli prime minister in a decade. Blinkens remarks came as a meeting of the Egyptian-Israeli Military Committee was in the process of agreeing an increase in the level of Egypts military presence around Rafah beyond that agreed in the 1978 Camp David Accords. A second Egyptian government official said that while Egypt began expanding its military presence in the area five years ago, with tacit Israeli approval, the official agreement shows how committed the two countries are to working together on joint security concerns. This cooperation between Egypt and Israel, he added, could help support regional stability at a time when the US appears keen to disengage from the Middle East. Egyptian and Cairo-based foreign diplomats agree that to some extent Washington is seeking to reduce its regional involvement on the back of Egypts crisis-management capacities. But while Washington would clearly appreciate some quiet and stability in the Middle East, they warn that the US may well be unwilling to invest as much as Cairo would like in securing sustainable, long-term regional stability. Cairo, according to Egyptian sources, has been trying to get Washington to invest in relaunching a direct negotiations process between the Palestinians and Israelis, even if not at the most senior level, since at least May, and it is not yet clear whether Shoukri was able to secure a change in the US position in Washington this week. The same sources also say that Cairos and Washingtons assessment of what constitutes stability, are likely to differ, citing Sudan as an example. While the US, according to Blinkens statements during his press conference with Shoukri this week, views the military take-over of power in Sudan as dangerously destabilising, Egypts position is to encourage Sudanese military leaders to establish a new partnership with a set of civilian figures capable of pushing the situation forward. That said and the disagreements have never been explicitly voiced in public Cairo has agreed, according to the same Egyptian sources, to work with Washington and try and persuade Sudanese military leader Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan to move forward on announcing a new civilian government. The same sources say Cairo is also hoping Washington will relax its objections to the slow process of reintegrating Syria into the Arab security regime. While Washington continues to view Bashar Al-Assad as persona non grata, Cairos position is that Al-Assad has won the war with the help of regional and international allies and it serves no purpose to pretend otherwise. Speaking in Washington this week, Shoukri did not attempt to disguise the disagreements between Cairo and Washington on a number of issues, but he insisted the two countries are committed to working together to promote regional stability. Egyptian diplomatic sources say Cairo is worried about the level of instability in the region and its possible impact om Egypts economic prospects, particularly when it comes to attracting tourism and investments. Dialling down regional tensions, they add, also serves Washingtons plans to reduce any interventions in the Middle East and the interest of European partners who want to see a far more stable southern Mediterranean. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Morocco's national carrier Royal Air Maroc (RAM) said Tuesday it would start regular direct flights to Israel, taking off a year after the kingdom normalized ties with Tel Aviv. The service linking the countries' respective commercial capitals Casablanca and Tel Aviv will take off on December 12, two days after the first anniversary of Morocco's "resumption of relations" with Israel under a deal brokered by the former US administration. The service aims to "respond to the needs of the Moroccan community in Israel which has strong links with its country of origin", the airline said in a statement carried by the official MAP news agency. "It also aims to allow tourists and businesspeople to travel between Morocco and Israel," it said. The airline said it would offer three flights per week, later moving to five. The decision comes after the first direct commercial flight between the countries, by Israeli airline Israir, landed in Marrakesh in July. That was soon followed by a visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid. In return, Washington recognised the kingdom's sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara. Morocco's ancient Jewish community is the biggest in North Africa, with some 3,000 still living in the kingdom. A further 700,000 Israelis are descended from Moroccans and have kept strong links with the country. Before the coronavirus pandemic and the normalisation deal, tens of thousands of Israeli tourists visiting Morocco each year had to pass through a third country. Morocco and Israel previously established ties in 1993 but Morocco had broken them off at the start of the second Palestinian intifada (uprising) in 2000. Search Keywords: Short link: A Cairo court sentenced on Tuesday a doctor to life for sexually assaulting six minor girls in his private residence and clinic. The prosecution had referred the doctor to criminal court on charges of kidnapping six minor girls and sexually assaulting them in his private residence and clinic. The doctor committed the crimes by taking advantage of the girls' young age, luring them to his residence and private clinic by deluding them to believe that they needed medical examination and treatment, before sexually assaulting them, the prosecution charged. Tuesday's ruling can be appealed. A life sentence carries 25 years in prison, according to Egyptian law. Meanwhile, the court exonerated today the doctor's wife of the charges of assisting him in committing the crimes by attending meeting with some of the victims and their families in order to reassure the victims that they would be receiving medical treatment. The prosecution had gathered evidence in the case through the testimonies of the victims and 12 witnesses. It also found various forms of evidence of the crimes committed by the doctor, including chats, images and videos on phones and laptops, as well as CDs containing sexual videos of the victims. The prosecution also found that the defendant claimed in a published pamphlet holding an academic degree, which he did not hold. It also established that he also failed to register his clinic with the relevant authorities. The case began to surface online in September when various Facebook pages and Instagram accounts that support the victims of sexual harassment and assaults began to speak about a psychiatrist who used to kidnap and sexually assault rural girls, who travel to Cairo to seek medical help. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Jordans Crown Prince Al-Hussein bin Abdullah II voiced their full support for Iraqs efforts against terrorism during their meeting in Cairo on Tuesday. El-Sisi and Prince Al-Hussein reiterated their condemnation of the recent assassination attempt against Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi and affirmed their support for the countrys political path, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement. World leaders and the UN Security Council have condemned the attack, which comes only a month after Iraqs parliamentary elections. The meeting was attended by Egypts Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and his Jordanian counterpart Bisher Al-Khasawneh. Minister of Tourism Khaled El-Enany, Minister of Supply Ali Moselhi, Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea, and their Jordanian counterparts were also among the attendees. El-Sisi and Al-Hussein discussed means of bolstering cooperation with Iraq within the framework of the trilateral cooperation mechanism between Egypt, Jordan and Iraq. They affirmed that the trilatera mechanism secures the appropriate chance to discuss issues and challenges of mutual concern between the three countries. Since March 2019, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq have held four trilateral summits - the latest in June in Baghdad - to promote cooperation mechanisms and reinforce political consultation on regional issues. Furthermore, El-Sisi and Al-Hussein called for concerted Arab efforts to resolve the ongoing crises in Libya and Syria. This should take place within the framework of respecting the two countries sovereignty and unity and eliminating the humanitarian suffering witnessed by their brotherly peoples, they affirmed. The president and the Jordanian crown prince also agreed on the need to revive the Palestinian-Israeli peace process to reach a fair and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue. This solution should ensure the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people in accordance with the two-state solution, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the borders of 1967 with East Jerusalem as its capital. Additionally, they discussed means of boosting bilateral cooperation, especially in tourism, economy, trade exchange, and small and medium enterprises. Moreover, they discussed fostering cooperation in the face of terrorism and extremist thought. They also reviewed their countries experiences concerning empowering women and youths and discussed the exchange of expertise in this regard. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi called for the adoption of the joint responsibility principle to deal with challenges in the region, especially terrorism and extremism, as he addressed the Arab Intelligence Forum in Cairo on Tuesday. Speaking virtually during an extraordinary meeting of the forum, which gathered intelligence chiefs of Arab countries, the Egyptian president said the principle of joint responsibility to tackle regional challenges needs the adoption of comprehensive approaches to tackle regional crises. El-Sisi affirmed that these comprehensive approaches should focus on ending foreign interference in the Arab regions affairs, and respecting Arab countries sovereignty and national institutions as well as popular will, a statement by Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady read. This should stop the terrorist and takfiri organisations from taking advantage of these crises and their repercussions, El-Sisi said. The president affirmed that Egypt had not and will not spare any effort to assist its brothers in crossing with their countries to safety through the comprehensive political solution, Rady said. This solution should include simultaneous steps and measures that are based on unifying each countrys military institution, the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries, ending the presence of armed militias, and activating the will of peoples, El-Sisi explained. Arab intelligence chiefs attending the meeting highlighted the importance of the forum as a firm mechanism that supports close intelligence cooperation among Arab states. They also affirmed that the forum contributes to establishing a comprehensive and tight system to combat terrorism, which is based on integrating roles, exchanging expertise, and continuous development of confrontation mechanisms. This will help protect the Arab national security and achieve the desired aspirations of the Arab people, the intelligence chiefs added. El-Sisi hailed the efforts made by the intelligence delegations partaking in the meeting since the forum was established. These efforts enhance joint Arab cooperation in the security and information fields, he added. Egypt held the first meeting of the forum in February 2020 as the first of its kind in the region. Under the auspices of President El-Sisi, Egypt also hosted earlier this week an international judicial conference on the role of prosecution in combatting transnational crimes with the presence of top African and Arab prosecutors. The Egyptian Public Prosecution also hosted the 15th annual meeting of Africas top prosecutors and the first annual meeting of top Arab prosecutors between 7 to 9 November. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt has halted the use of rapid ID NOW coronavirus test for arrivals from countries with COVID-19 variants starting Tuesday. The decision, which applies to passengers arriving at all land and sea ports and will be implemented by quarantine authorities, was made by the Preventive Medicine Sector of the Ministry of Health. The countries covered by the decision are India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Brazil - and Latin America. The authorities will now only conduct the ID NOW test on arriving passengers in cases of emergency, those arriving after attending mass gatherings, as well as foreign travelers whose countries travel requirements require them to undergo the exam. The ID NOW instrument-based test, introduced by the US-based medical device company Abbott, has been widely used at airports since last year for detecting coronavirus infection in less than 15 minutes. Egypt started conducting the ID NOW test last May for Egyptians and non-Egyptians arriving from countries with coronavirus variants. Egypt, which has resumed international flights and reopened its main tourist attractions in July of 2020 after three months of suspension due to the pandemic, is currently witnessing a large influx of tourists with tourism, according to officials. However, the country has witnessed a rise in coronavirus infections in recent weeks amid efforts to expand the countrys mass vaccination campaign. PCR Egypt will continue to require the submission of negative PCR test results a maximum of 72 hours prior to the arrival in Egypt, the Preventive Medicine Sector said. Travelers entering Egypt at any of four airports in the Red Sea governorate and South Sinai, however, can take a coronavirus test upon arrival. In June, Egypt allowed travellers who are fully vaccinated with WHO-approved coronavirus vaccines to enter without taking a PCR test. Search Keywords: Short link: The Military Joint Committee between Egypt and Israel agreed to increase the number of Egyptian border guards at the Rafah border area with Israel, the Egyptian Armed Forces announced on Monday. According to the statement, the joint committee between the Egyptian and Israeli armies signed a security amendment to the 1978 Camp David Accords allowing the increase of the number of border guards as well as their capabilities in a specific area on the borders. According to international news reports, the amendment was approved and ratified by Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his cabinet. The amendment allows the Egyptian Armed Forces to increase their presence in the region officially known in the peace agreement as Area C. The Camp David Accords stipulate that Sinai is divided into three areas, and that Egypt is allowed a limited number of troops and arms in each of them. Area C, the closest to Israels borders with Egypt, is the most restricted. The exact number of Egyptian forces to be added was not disclosed whether in the Egyptian or Israeli statements. Egypt has already increased the presence of the Egyptian army in the region following the increase of terrorist attacks in North Sinai, where hundreds of military and police personnel as well as civilians have been killed. In response, hundreds of terrorists were killed as well in military operations against militant groups. Search Keywords: Short link: Hurghada International Airport received on Tuesday the first charter flight from Russia following the recent lifting of a six-year Russian suspension of direct flights to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts. The flight, which was operated the Egypt-based Aviary Aero and carried 184 passengers, arrived at the Hurghada airport amid tight security and preventive measures. A number of Russian aviation companies have already obtained approval to land at the two Red Sea airports, sources at the Egyptian Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation said. Russia had resumed direct flights from the country to Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheikh in early August, shortly after President Vladimir Putin ordered the lifting of the six-year ban on direct flights to the Egyptian Red Sea resorts. Moscow had suspended all flights to Egypt in October 2015 after a Russian plane crashed in Sinai, killing everyone on board. Russia had resumed flights to Cairo in 2018, 30 months after the crash. Since the crash, Egypt has upgraded its safety and security measures at all airports nationwide, and the country received several Russian security delegations to inspect safety measures at its airports. Charter flights will help increase the flow of tourists from Russia to Egypt, the sources stressed. Russian travellers are a major contributor to the country's tourism industry, a key source of hard currency. Search Keywords: Short link: In Marsa Alam, it was the first time that Haitham Obaid tried diving to see sharks in the flesh; needless to say, he felt scared. After some time, the divers feelings shifted to fascination and admiration, as he accompanied dozens of tourists who came from all over the world to see sharks in Egypt. He was assured that they were peaceful creatures as long as no one attacks them. I got angry when I realised that people kill them and waste their environmental and economic value to make a soup dish, he went on to say. A thousand years ago in China, someone came up with a shark fin soup, and since then, it has become one of the most expensive dishes in the world. For this particular dish and other reasons 100 million sharks are killed every year according to recent surveys, either by hunting to harvest their components or finning them then throwing them back into the sea to bleed to death. When you hear the word shark, all you think about is the image of this fierce giant creature that smells your fear and can shred you to pieces, but when you learn how this creature is followed by death in different ways, youll end up sympathising with it. Sharks have existed since 450 million years ago; they were classified as cartilaginous fish. Years later, scientists discovered different species of sharks, and now they have recorded around 520 species of the marine animal, with more still being discovered every once in a while. In the last 50 years, targeting sharks and rays has increased, leading to a decrease in their numbers by 70 percent and endangering them with extinction. How did we reach this point? Why is the world hunting down sharks? Basically, the world primarily trades in two shark components: the meat, which has a small economic value compared to the more profitable component, which is the fins. Currently, fins can cost up to USD 100 per kg, while their meat runs for about USD 0.1 per kg. Fins and meat, however, are not the only parts of sharks humans are after, as they use their skin, cartilage, and liver as well. Many Asian and Oceania countries eat shark skin after boiling it in water and removing its scales. Shark cartilage is also used in the food industry sometimes and is a commonly used component in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products, whereas the oils from the liver are used in a number of industries, according to the UNs Food and Agriculture Organisation. Sharks at the top of the food chain Marine life follows a precise eco system in obtaining food, and its organisms are classified according to their position in the levels of the food chain or the so-called food pyramid, so each species feeds on fish that are located at a lower level in this pyramid. Sharks are at the top of this food chain, according to Mahmoud El-Hanafy, a professor of marine environment at the Suez Canal University, saying sharks are a vital indication for marine environment balance. They prey on genetically weak or sick fish, hence keeping the balance in the lower levels of the food chain in terms of numbers and species. They also enhance the purity of genetic strength in existing fish. Depletion in sharks numbers leads to an increase in fish lower than them in the pyramid, resulting in an imbalance in the whole food chain, as each level plays a certain designated role, thus we lose this biodiversity, and the efficiency of the ecosystem is affected. Why is it difficult to save shark species? Along with endangering sharks, saving them is just as complicated and difficult, for it might take these creatures decades to repopulate. Sharks reproduce slowly and have low fertility levels, meaning they produce not more than tens of pups, which is nothing compared to other fishes that produce maybe a million eggs; thus, shark communities have a limited ability to repopulate and take a long period of time to recover and restore their numbers, says El-Hanafy. He went on to say that sharks reproduce according to their species; some we call Ovoviviparous, in which embryos develop inside eggs that are retained within the mothers body until they are ready to hatch, while others lay their eggs directly into the water. Also, there are shark species that live for decades and others that live for no more than five years. Sharks are tourism commodities Professor El-Hanafy believes that hunting sharks in Egypt is a huge economic loss, not an environmental one solely. Sharks are tourism commodities that attract divers from all over the world and bring thousands of dollars into Egypt a year. He added that if a single shark lives for twenty years, its economic value in tourism may reach up to 4 million dollars, however, when it is hunted, its value decreases to around 150 to 300 dollars. El-Hanafy also warns against the dangers of eating shark meat, as it contains large amounts of mercury, which is a poisonous metal that causes incurable diseases if consumed in large quantities. Looking at things from a different angle, overfishing also harms sharks indirectly, as it harvests large numbers of the fish they rely on for sustenance, leaving them to possibly starve. Also, dumping kitchen waste in seas and oceans or throwing food to sharks has changed their behaviour and made them more hostile, leading to a rise in incidents where sharks attack humans. Half of the shark species in Egypt have already disappeared Mostafa Fouda, an adviser to the minister of environment for biodiversity, said that Egypt had about 50 species of sharks ranging in length from twenty centimeters to five meters, but in recent years, nearly half of them have disappeared due to several factors, such as overfishing, human interventions, pollution, and climate change. He added that there are several laws and agreements prohibiting harming sharks, however, sharks are still hunted under the radar. In Egypt, according to the amended Environment Law of 2009, the possession of shark fins is punished by law. We need to continuously monitor the presence of sharks and prohibit the use of large nets in areas where they are likely to be found, Fouda said. Neils Klager, the spokesman for the STOP Finning STOP the Trade initiative, has noted that EU countries still have high percentages of shark finning despite the official ban issued in 2013. European citizens decided to launch this initiative last year to call for an end to trading fins in the EU. Although finning is prohibited in the EU, shark fin trade is not. Sharks are still hunted down; there are markets to sell their meat, and fin business is conducted away from the public eye let us leave fins naturally attached, Klager said. Other threats According to David Campbell, the founder of the MarineBio Conservation Society for Marine Life, sharks managed to survive several mass extinction events, however, during the CretaceousPaleogene extinction event 66 million years ago, about 90 percent of all shark species in the open ocean became extinct; and now, in his opinion, sharks are facing yet again the risk of mass extinction. It is not just overfishing that threatens them directly, there are many additional threats that are not fully understood such as climate change and the map of the distribution of other predators that are affected by human fishing; British research found the presence of plastic fragments in the digestive tracts of 67 percent of sharks that were examined. We know that plastic may carry toxins and pathogens, but its potential impact on sharks at this point is unknown, Campbell explained. He added that important nursing areas for sharks such as mangroves and estuaries have also been endangered by human activities including fishing and climate change. The need for joint efforts Levis Kvaje, the coordinator for ecosystems and biodiversity at the United Nations Environment Programme in Africa, said that shark hunting causes an ecological imbalance that can lead to catastrophic results, as they grow slowly, mature late, and produce very few pups, so overfishing will lead to their extinction on the medium to long term. He also added in special statements on the sidelines of a workshop organised by Africa21 on biodiversity that preserving sharks needs cooperation between countries in order for all this work to be effective, noting that the United Nations Environment Programme through the Convention on Migratory Species calls for international cooperation to address the excessive exploitation of sharks. Search Keywords: Short link: US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken affirmed on Monday the US support for a negotiated agreement on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dispute between Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia that will address the interest of all parties including Egypt's water needs. Blinken said that the GERD issue, alongside the latest developments in Ethiopia, is among the main issues set to be discussed with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in the US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue, which kicked off in Washington on Monday after a six-year halt. In the opening statements for the dialogue in Washington, the US secretary of state praised Egypts key role in Libya in pushing forward an inclusive political process and for elections to be held on time in December. Blinken said that both the US and Egypt are working together to help the Libyans resolve pressing economic issues, including the unification of the Libyan Central Bank. We very much agree on the full withdrawal of foreign forces, fighters and mercenaries from the country, Blinken said. Egypt has maintained its official stance of demanding the full withdrawal of foreign forces from Libya immediately to ensure stability for the whole region. Blinken also praised the vital role Egyptian mediation played in securing a ceasefire between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza in May as well as how Egypt committed $500 million to the Gaza reconstruction project. Regarding the ongoing situation in Sudan, the secretary of state said both the US and Egypt share common interest in getting the countrys democratic transition back on track. Blinken condemned the military takeover of 25 October, demanded the release of the Sudanese detainees and praised the Sudanese protesters for their ongoing demonstrations. We share serious concerns regarding Irans destabilising influence in the region, including its support of terrorism, its domestic ballistic missile programs and the practice of arbitrary detention of foreign nationals, including US citizens, to exert political pressure, Blinken said, stressing that Iran would be an even greater destabilising force with a nuclear program. On Sunday, Egypts FM Shoukry met US special envoy for Iran Robert Malley. Human rights, climate change and COVID-19 Regarding the human rights situation in Egypt, Blinken said, We welcome Egypts launch of the national strategy for human rights and are committed to working together on human rights goals, like refining the pre-trial detention regulations and protecting freedom of the press and expression. For his part, Shoukry said that the launching of the national strategy for human rights and the recent presidential decree ending the state of emergency in Egypt are evidence of Egypts commitment to the advancing human rights. Blinken also spoke about the collaboration between the two countries in facing challenges like the coronavirus and climate change. Regarding climate change, Blinken praised President El-Sisis commitment at COP26 to doubling Egypts dependence on renewable fuels to 40 percent by 2030 and reducing subsidies for fossil fuels. We are looking forward to partnering with Egypt as it takes this transition [from fossil fuel to renewable energy] through a visit by US companies to the country to be part of this transition, he said, announcing the launch of a new US-Egypt climate working group. Blinken also said the US welcomes Egypts bid to host COP27 next year. On the coronavirus, Blinken said that the US has provided Egypt with more than 8 million doses of vaccines through the COVAX initiative, in addition to $55 million in assistance to the healthcare sector. Economic cooperation Blinken said that the US wants to deepen economic relations with Egypt in a way that benefits both peoples, and revealed that a new joint economic commission is being launched this week. Shoukry stressed the necessity of continuing cooperation between Egypt and the US in trade, energy, research, technology, higher education, cultural exchange and healthcare. The FM said that over the past 10 years, Egypt has achieved stability plays a major role in stabilising the region. The US-Egypt Strategic Dialogue was first launched in the mid-1990s, lasting until 2009 when it was halted, before resuming in 2015. On Thursday, the US Department of State expressed its commitment to strengthening the 40-year US-Egypt partnership by enhancing security cooperation, advancing human rights, and growing economic relations and cultural ties. Shoukry, who is currently in Washington with a delegation of officials from different ministries, is set to meet a number of US officials, congressmen, and members of the most prominent US think tanks. Search Keywords: Short link: The United Nations says at least 16 of its local staff members have been detained in Ethiopia's capital days after the government declared a state of emergency as the country's yearlong war escalates. All the detained staffers are ethnic Tigrayan, a humanitarian worker said on Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. ``They are being detained in facilities against their will,'' U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters. He said another six staff members had been detained but then were released, and a number of dependents were also detained. The U.N. said it was given no reason for the detentions, but ethnic Tigrayans, including lawyers, have reported widespread detentions in Addis Ababa since the state of emergency was declared, saying people are being picked up on the basis of their ethnicity alone. Government spokesman Legesse Tulu did not immediately respond to questions about the detentions. The government has said it is detaining people suspected of supporting the rival Tigray forces who have been fighting Ethiopia's government for the past year. Deputy U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said security colleagues have visited those detained and the U.N. has asked Ethiopia's foreign ministry for their immediate release. The government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission in a statement this week noted with concern that the new wave of arrests ``appeared to be based on ethnicity'' and included older adults and mothers with children. It was confirmed that the people detained included priests, monks and other clergy in the Ethiopian Orthodox church. Urgent diplomatic efforts continue as African Union and United States envoys encourage an immediate cease-fire by Ethiopia's government and the Tigray forces who long dominated the national government before current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power. Thousands of people have been killed in the yearlong war, thousands detained and millions displaced. Search Keywords: Short link: France urged Tuesday a "rapid solution" to a fishing dispute with Britain that has threatened to degenerate into a full-blown trade war, after new talks aimed at breaking weeks of deadlock. "France remains open to dialogue, but a rapid solution must be found for our fishermen, in line with the implementation of our agreements," France's Europe Minister Clement Beaune wrote on Twitter after telephone talks with Britain's Brexit minister, David Frost. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt plans to liquidate five state-owned companies in the near future after all efforts to end their losses have failed, and will announce the names in December, Minister of the Public Business Sector Hisham Tawfik revealed on Tuesday. Tawfik made the comments at a monthly luncheon event organised by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. In January, the government liquidated the iconic Egyptian Iron and Steel Company and divided into two new companies on the back of losses exceeding EGP 9 billion. The minister said that Egypts public sector includes 40 companies, explaining that the ministry manages eight holding companies, 119 subsidiaries, and 299 join ventures operating across 16 sectors. Tawfik said that the total losses of state-owned enterprises have reached EGP 44 billion, which was the key driver behind the launching of an integrated reform programme a few years ago to improve the performance of the sector and realise its potential. The minister explained that the total debt of the public sector companies had reached EGP 42.1 billion, which were owed to the tax authority, the Social Insurance Authority, the ministries of petroleum and electricity, and the National Investment Bank. The ministry has so far managed to repay about EGP 34 billion of this sum, Tawfik said. Tawfik also told the chamber that ministry is currently preparing a promotional campaign for Egyptian cotton in the countries that Egypt is targeting for export. He added that Gossor company previously Al-Nasr for Import and Export aims to bring Egyptian products to the whole world instead of focusing only on the African market. The minister also announced at the luncheon that the state-owned Heliopolis Company for Housing and Development is planned to go public under the states initial public offering programme before the end of FY2021/2022 with a total value of EGP 1.5 billion. The minister also announced that Egypt is developing an electric vehicle model that can be exported to neighbouring countries. We will launch this model by the end of 2022. However, we are ending the cooperation with the Chinese side in developing the model due to financial issues, and we are considering alternative investors." The minister reported that 3,000 public electric charging stations will be built in three governorates across Egypt, and called on the private sector to submit their offers to the ministry to operate and manage these stations. The ministry is open to all serious ideas and proposals regarding tapping the opportunities it is offering on all levels, Tawfik told the chamber. Search Keywords: Short link: At COP26, Egypt called on the international community to increase the financial resources of the Adaptation Fund to build resilience against climate change. There is a pressing need to finance climate adaptation schemes due to the fact that adaptation costs for developing countries have multiplied by five- to 10-fold, said Egypts Minister of Environment Yasmine Fouad, citing the latest Adaptation Gap report issued by the United Nations Environment Programme. Fouad was speaking with shareholders in the Adaptation Fund at a seminar organised as part of the COP26 recently held in Glasgow. The seminar was attended by John Kerry, the US presidential envoy for climate, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK secretary of state for international trade and the British International Champion on Adaptation and Resilience for the COP26 Presidency, as well as environment ministers. The Adaptation Fund plays a bigger role now more than ever, being a significant channel for delivering funds for countries to adapt to climate change, Fouad said. For more than a decade the fund has been supporting 119 countries to build multi-pronged long-term resilience to overcome climate change threats, health, environmental, and economic hazards, and the dangers associated with the coronavirus pandemic, she stated. World countries have to continue to support the Adaptation Fund to be able to carry on its mission, Fouad continued, pointing out that the US has pumped $2.05 billion into the fund. The Adaptation Fund supported two projects in Egypt with over $10 million The first is called Adaptation to Climate Changes in the North Coast and Nile Delta and focuses on efforts to prevent seawater from seeping into groundwater, to limit the latters salinity. The second is concerned with the protection of low-lying areas prone to sinking. This takes place through using earthern bridge systems with reed fencing on top of bridges to trap windborne sand. The sand collected on the reed walls forms a system of sand dunes above sea level to stop the expansion of the sea into the coastal zone during strong storms. Fouad hailed the funds decision to increase the maximum financing to each country from $10 million to $20 million and the bodies to receive the funds from one to two in each state. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: COP26, which is taking place in the Scottish city of Glasgow, kicked off on 31 October and ends on 12 November. The conference has so far witnessed promises by world leaders to end deforestation by 2030. Trees play an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide and forests act as carbon sinks, a term used to describe an area that absorbs large amounts of carbon emissions. The US and the EU both signed up to the Global Methane Pledge, an international initiative put forward by 90 states that seeks to reduce emissions of the climate heating gas by 30 per cent by 2030. More than 40 countries have also agreed to shift away from coal, though some coal-dependent states, including China, India and the US, have not signed up. Limiting the burning of coal is critical in reducing global temperature rises. The International Energy Agency says that the full implementation of all the net-zero pledges and the Global Methane Pledge by signatories will limit global warming to 1.8 oC by 2100. Extreme weather events linked to climate change, including heat waves, floods, drought and forest fires, are intensifying, and record temperatures have been recorded in recent years. In 2015, 197 countries signed the Paris Agreement which aimed to keep global warming below 2 oC, and to aim for 1.5 oC, in order to avoid a climate catastrophe. It means countries have to keep cutting emissions and reach net zero by 2050. This will require radical changes in industry, transport, agriculture and construction. The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) repot, Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis, released in August, was a wake-up call for immediate action to avoid what it described as the catastrophic warming of the planet. The report warned of more extreme weather events, including extended heat waves, droughts, floods and higher sea levels that will affect people living in coastal areas. It highlights the urgent need for nations to accelerate plans to de-carbonise and transition to renewable energy resources. The US announced the Net Zero World Initiative, a new partnership between countries working to implement their climate ambition pledges and accelerate transitions to net zero. According to a press statement, countries committed to raising their climate ambitions will work through the initiative to create and implement tailored, actionable technology road maps and investment strategies that place net zero within reach. Tarek Al-Molla, Egypts minister of petroleum and mineral resources, said during the launch of the Net Zero World Initiative that Egypt is following an ambitious strategy that supports the transition to cleaner energy and the reduction of carbon emissions as part of its vision for sustainable development, Egypt 2030. The strategy, he said, currently has three priorities: the expansion of the use of natural gas as a more environmentally friendly transitional fuel; the preparation of a national strategy to expand the use of hydrogen as a clean fuel, and developing a network of renewable energy. Cutting emissions and adapting to climate change will be expensive. At the 2009 UN climate summit rich nations promised to allocate $100 billion a year by 2020 to help developing countries adapt to climate change, a target that has not been met. And even the target looks paltry compared to recent estimates of the costs involved. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says between $1.6 and $3.8 trillion are needed annually simply to transform energy systems by 2050. Business leaders and financial institutions have pledged to invest more in net zero-aligned projects during COP26, and the 450 organisations that control $130 trillion an estimated 40 per cent of global private assets have said they will support clean technology, mainly in the renewable energy field. Ways to compensate less developed countries for the loss and damages they have incurred because of richer countries emissions remains a moot point. African nations are pushing for a $700 billion climate finance deal, though agreement had not been reached before Al-Ahram Weekly went to press, and COP26 closes on Friday. Meanwhile, Yasmine Fouad, Egypts minister of environment, announced the launch of the National Climate Change Strategy 2050 as part of Egypts participation in COP26. She said the strategy will enable Egypt to support the goals of Vision 2030, and effectively address the effects and repercussions of climate change, by adopting a flexible, low-emission approach. The strategy targets sustainable economic growth through increasing the share of renewable and alternative energy sources, maximising energy efficiency, improving the efficiency of thermal power plants, transmission and distribution networks, and adopting sustainable consumption and production trends to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It aims to build resilience and adaptability to climate change by protecting natural resources and ecosystems, preserving state resources and assets from the effects of climate change, improving infrastructure, implementing disaster risk reduction concepts, and establishing early warning systems. The strategy, said Fouad, envisages improving the governance and management of work in the field of climate change by defining the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders in order to achieve strategic goals. It requires improving the infrastructure for financing climate change projects, and the promotion of scientific research, technology transfer, knowledge management, and awareness to combat climate change. Innovative financing tools such as green bonds will be introduced, alongside conventional financing instruments such as soft loans and grants from multilateral development banks, and a national verification system will be established to monitor all forms of climate action. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Ahmed Eleiba explains the role of the Sahel and Sahara Counter-terrorism Centre which opened this week in Cairo The Sahel and Sahara Counter-terrorism Centre in Cairo was officially inaugurated on 4 November in a ceremony attended by Major General Mohamed Salah, assistant minister of defence for foreign relations. Egyptian army spokesperson Colonel Gharib Abdel-Hafez described the centre as one of the most important components and mechanisms of the Sahel and Sahara community. The purpose of the centre is to coordinate the efforts of the members of the Community of Sahel-Saharan [CEN-SAD] states and to exchange information that will help these 20 countries confront terrorism said Salah at the ceremony. In a speech during the inauguration, Major General Mohamed Abdel-Baset, director-general of the new centre, explained how CEN-SAD states had developed social, economic and development activities in a way that serves the wider African community, and then expanded their mandate to cover security and the fight against terrorism. CEN-SAD Executive Secretary Abdel-Rahim Al-Kadiri also spoke at the event, saying the principles on which the new centre is founded include solidarity, strengthening the spirit of brotherhood between peoples, and the need to fight collectively and effectively against terrorism. The centre will host and organise CEN-SADs counter-terrorism training. Egypt has already conducted a joint military exercise in the CEN-SAD framework and is providing 1,000 military studies grants to candidates from member states. Cairo attaches great importance to the fight against transnational terrorism in the Sahel-Sahara region and a major aim of the centre is to promote the exchange intelligence related to counter-terrorism. Following the military defeat of the Islamic State (IS), the region saw an influx of terrorist operatives from the Levant. Cairo is determined to reduce the influence of Al-Qaeda affiliates across North Africa, groups such as Mourabitoun, a faction which operated in Libya under the command of the Egyptian Hisham Ashmawi who was arrested in Libya and subsequently executed. Cairos prioritisation of counter-terrorism in the region stems from a recognition that Egypts own national security is inextricably linked with the collective security needs of the Sahel-Sahara community. The surge in terrorist activity since IS took control of Boko Haram in the summer of 2021 is of particular concern. IS affiliates have taken advantage of the anarchy, porous borders and security breakdown in conflict zones to expand their activities from Central to West Africa, and have reappeared in southern Libya where they have carried out attacks in Sabha and Brak. The symbiotic relationship between terrorist organisations and human trafficking, arms smuggling and other organised crime networks that also capitalise on chaos and lack of security in southern Libya and elsewhere, is well documented, lending urgency to CEN-SADs battle against terrorism. Cairo recently hosted Libyas southern neighbours Chad, Niger and Sudan together with the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) which has been working to develop strategies and mechanisms to remove foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya. A large portion of the militia groups active in southern Libya are from the three neighbouring countries and they contribute to an environment favourable to terrorist groups with connections to the main IS or Al-Qaeda affiliates in western Africa. The recent death of President Idriss Deby, and the decline of the French role in the Sahel region, has severely impacted the security situation. The late Chadian president was a formidable leader in the fight against terrorism in the Sahel and his death expanded the margin of manoeuvrability for terrorist groups. Closer intelligence coordination among CEN-SAD countries will require international support, especially from France. It was France, after all, that launched the Barkhane counterterrorist operation, in coordination with several Sahel nations. Although France announced plans to end the operation, it has since affirmed that it will continue its efforts to fight terrorism in the Sahel. US Africa Command (AFRICOM) is also expected to be willing to help CEN-SADs intelligence efforts. AFRICOM has launched strikes against Al-Qaeda operatives in Libya and it has helped hunt down other terrorist groups in the area. The establishment of the COM-SAD Counter-terrorist Centre in Egypt adds further value to Egypts regional role in the war against terrorism, and the coordinating mechanisms that Egypt will help put into place will bring Cairo closer to the many African nations that share its concerns over terrorism in the Sahel-Sahara region. The fight against these ruthless, predatory groups is complex, and multilateral efforts are needed to defeat them. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The Egyptian-US strategic dialogue provides an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual interest as well as regional crises, providing a foundation from which to strengthen and broaden vital ties, said Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri at the outset of the dialogue on Monday. The tensions that characterised Egyptian-US relations when Joe Biden entered the White House may have lessened in the wake of Egypts role in negotiating the Gaza ceasefire in May, but there is still work to be done. And even though the US is recalibrating its role in the Middle East, shifting its international focus to other areas, Washington remains an important capital for Cairo, says Cairo University professor of political science Mohamed Kamal. The obverse, too, is true. Egypt is still viewed as an important partner in Washington, a fact the most recent conflict in Gaza, and the disruption caused when the Suez Canal was temporarily blocked earlier this year, served to underline. Growing US interest in the Indian and Pacific oceans will increase the importance of the Suez Canal and enhance Egypts role in future arrangements regarding world trade and maritime security in the region, Kamal told Al-Ahram Weekly. The timing of the dialogue is significant, says Rakha Hassan, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs. It comes not only as elections approach in Libya, a poll that some groups support and others are attempting to derail, but when the conflict between civilian politicians and the military in Sudan is entering a crucial phase. On the Palestinian front, says Hassan, the Biden administration has said it supports a two-state solution but has done nothing to translate that support into action, and the crises in Syria and Yemen appear as intractable as ever. US aid to Egypt was naturally discussed during the course of the two-day dialogue. Washington provides $1.3 billion in annual Foreign Military Financing (FMF) to Egypt, $300 million of which is conditional. In September, the Biden administration said it would withhold $130 million owing to concerns over human rights. Since that decision was made, Cairo has issued a National Strategy for Human Rights and last month President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi lifted the state of emergency that has been in place since 2017. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken pointed out during his dialogue opening speech that making tangible and lasting improvements on human rights is essential to strengthening our bilateral relationship, and the United States will continue to support those efforts however we can. The ongoing dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) was also discussed. The United States continues to support a negotiated agreement that will address the interests of all parties, including Egypts water needs, something that President Biden and President Al-Sisi have discussed directly, said Blinken. The US hosted tripartite talks in November 2019 and an agreement was reached in February the following year only for the Ethiopian delegation to miss the final meeting when the agreement was due to be signed. On the regional level, the political turmoil in Sudan is likely to have topped the agenda. While the US believes restoring a civilian-led transitional government is the best way to meet the aspirations of the Sudanese people, Washington feels Egypt has been giving mixed signals on the matter. That Sudanese General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan visited Cairo before the military acted to remove Sudans prime minister will certainly have raised suspicions in Washington that the armys move was first discussed with Egypt. On Libya, Washington and Cairo agree that foreign forces and mercenaries must leave the country, and that measures capable of guaranteeing the elections scheduled for 24 December run smoothly are needed. While Egypt has moved away from its support of General Khalifa Haftars so-called Libyan National Army (LNA), the question remains whether other parties will be willing to give up their preferences and pursuit of short-term interests and work for the security and stability of Libya, said a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity. While Egypt and the US also agree that the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians should be pursued, Blinkens speech appeared to give priority to Israels relations with Arab states, while Cairo wants to prioritise negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis. In the more than four decades since it was signed, the Camp David Accord has been the bedrock for peace in the region. Its helped pave the way for other Arab nations to make peace with Israel. The Egypt-Israel relationship has never been stronger, said Blinken. The two diplomats also discussed instability in the Horn of Africa, ways to contain Iranian influence, and bilateral cooperation in the economic, judicial, security, education, and cultural fields During the two-day strategic dialogue Blinken was joined by senior officials from USAID and the Department of Defense. As well as US administration officials, Shoukri met with members of the House of Representatives and Senate, and held meetings with leading think tanks. Shoukri and Blinkens last meeting was on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assemblys (UNGA) 76th session. The Egypt-US Strategic Dialogue was launched in the mid-1990s, continuing until 2009 when it was halted, before resuming in 2015. This weeks session was the first since 2015. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The attack on Mustafa Al-Kadhimi appears to be a miscalculated attempt to deny him a second term, but his bid to stay in office could fall flat if he fails to tackle pro-Iran militias, writes Salah Nasrawi For many Iraqis, the attempted killing of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi this week crystallised everything they have come to expect from their dysfunctional political system. In a country where militias routinely abduct and kill opponents and enjoy impunity for their crimes, no one is immune from lawlessness, not even the head of government. But with the country now embroiled in one of its worst crises ever over allegations of electoral fraud and suffering from growing terrorist attacks by the Islamic State (IS) group, even a botched assassination attempt on the life of the prime minister could trigger widespread politico-ethno-religious violence. Al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt with an explosives-laden drone that targeted his residence in Baghdads fortified Green Zone overlooking the Tigris River early on Sunday, and he immediately appeared on social media to declare he was unharmed. Thank God, I am fine and among my people, he tweeted on his official account. I was, and still am, a redemption project for Iraq and the people of Iraq. The missiles of treachery will not discourage the believers and will not shake a hair of the stability and determination of our heroic security forces to preserve peoples security, achieve justice and put the law in its proper place, he tweeted. While Al-Kadhimi appeared unharmed and in good health in a later video addressing the nation, several members of his security detail were reportedly wounded in the attack. Iraqs Ministry of the Interior said that three drones were used, including two that were intercepted and downed by security forces, while a third drone hit Al-Kadhimis residence. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but a statement by the Iraqi cabinet blamed criminal armed groups that have encroached on the state and its symbols for an attack that ramped up tensions sparked by the refusal of Iran-backed militias to accept last months parliamentary election results. The attack drew widespread condemnation both at home and abroad. Iraqi President Burham Salih called it a dangerous transgression, and the countrys political leaders joined forces to denounce it as a serious escalation. Muqtada Al-Sadr, whose Sadrist Movement gained most of the seats in parliament in Octobers elections, described the attack as an act of terrorism and called on the army to take charge of the matter. International condemnation was also swift and robust. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned the assassination attempt, and EU chief diplomat Josep Borrell said the group strongly condemns the assassination attempt against Al-Kadhimi, adding that the perpetrators must be held accountable. Leaders from the US, Europe and the Arab world expressed their dismay at the assassination attempt and voiced support for Al-Kadhimi, some in telephone conversations with the Iraqi leader. US President Joe Biden promised all appropriate assistance to Iraqs security forces to help in investigating the attack and identifying those responsible. Insinuations by Al-Kadhimi that they might have been behind the attack on his residence drew the ire of leaders of Iraqs Iran-backed militias whose leaders have threatened him in the past with assassination, including most recently after violence between their supporters and the police over the disputed results of the elections. Asaib Ahl Al-Haq, a militia group among those that lost seats in the parliamentary elections, called the attack an attempt to divert attention from the deadly clashes outside the Green Zone on Friday and blamed foreign intelligence agencies. Kataib Hizbullah, another Iran-backed militia, also dismissed suggestions that the group was behind the attack. Spokesman Abu Ali Al-Askari accused Al-Kadhimi of playing the role of victim and said that no one in Iraq considered the Iraqi leaders home worth losing a drone over. If there is anyone who wants to harm this Facebook creature, there are many ways that are less costly and more guaranteed to achieve it, he said in a posting on Telegram. Official Iranian reactions to the attack were meant to deflect blame from the Islamic Republic and point the finger at unidentified parties. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh condemned the attack and stressed Tehrans support for peace and stability in Iraq. Iranian National Security Chief Ali Shamkhani, who was quick to react to the news in an early morning tweet, accused foreign think tanks of being behind the attack. He condemned the attack, calling it a new sedition. While the attack has raised fears of growing instability amid the continuing political turmoil in Iraq, people seemed to be generally shrugging it off. Life remained as normal after the attack, though more troops and tanks were deployed around Baghdads main intersections. As supporters of Al-Kadhimi and his detractors exchanged contradictory responses, many Iraqis, including politicians, went on social media to question the account given of the failed assassination attempt or to describe it as theatrical or laced with political messaging. Former prime minister Haider Al-Abadi cast doubt on the attack, which he described as dubious and a card trick. Multiple questions remain, however, about who was behind the attack and whether it was an assassination attempt or merely a political message and what could have been the motive in wanting to get rid of Al-Kadhimi. There is not sufficient evidence to determine who was involved in the attack or to explain its motives. Al-Kadhimi has been threatened before by the leaders of the most powerful militias loyal to Iran, who blamed him for the assassinations of Iranian military leader Qassem Al-Suleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis in US drone strikes in January 2020. As recently as last week, some of these militia leaders accused Al-Kadhimi of being behind the clashes between their supporters and the security forces when the latter tried to storm the Green Zone to protest against the deaths of two of their members. Qais Al-Khazali, leader of the Asaib Ahl Al-Haq militia, said his group held Al-Kadhimi accountable for the deaths and vowed revenge. Abu Alaa Al-Walaee, commander of the Kataib Sayyid Al-Shuhada militia, tweeted that Al-Kadhimi should now forget about a second term. Sabreen, an Iraqi social-media outlet used by the militias to post their news and statements, went as far as to threaten Al-Kadhimi with assassination. In a post on Instagram, the outlet administrators admitted the killings of three officers in Iraqs Intelligence Agency, which is headed by Al-Kadhimi. There are fears that the long-feared confrontation between Iraqs unruly pro-Iran militias and the Iraqi government has now come out into the open. If the aphorism that what doesnt kill you makes you stronger is apt in Al-Kadhimis case, he might stop acting as a near-martyr and seize the opportunity to outlast a politically wounded opposition that has lost more than three quarters of its seats in the upcoming parliament. Since he took office last year, Al-Kadhimi has resorted to a low-level confrontation strategy with the militias that has sometimes amounted to appeasement in the hope of avoiding a military struggle. Meanwhile, the armed groups have taken advantage of a declining state in which power is mingled with corruption to boost their own power bases and challenge the prime minister. The brazen attack on Al-Kadhimis residence and the unprecedented escalation between him and the Iran-backed militant groups that have been trying to storm the Green Zone and overturn last months election results now provide the Iraqi leader with an opportunity to outmanoeuvre the militias and even to tear them apart. However, Al-Kadhimi seems to be more focused on winning a second term in office, with this having been boosted by the assassination attempt. But many analysts believe he is unlikely to take bold steps to shred the militias political and military muscles once and for all. It is true that such a project would need the backing of key Shia religious and political leaders and groups and that these are not keen to undermine the Shia united front. But it would be self-defeating were Al-Kadhimi to continue to be seen as a leader whose hand is unsteady on the rudder of the ship of state, even if this does help him to win a second term in office. Search Keywords: Short link: The Sudanese military must cooperate with national and international efforts to undo the effects of the 25 October events in Sudan. The precarious political and security situation in Sudan is still a major Arab, African and international concern. At the time this article was written, mediations, consultations and negotiations were still ongoing to help the former teams of the civilian-military transitional period reach a new agreement to share power pending new elections. The African Union (AU), the UN Security Council, the EU and the Arab League have all been engaged with the Sudanese military, urging it to renew its partnership with the former civilian government of former prime minister Abdalla Hamdok. General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan, the commander of the Sudanese army, has been the man calling the shots since the grave developments and decisions that the Sudanese military announced at the end of October. These decisions have not been in line with the Sudanese peoples aspirations, as manifested in their overthrow of the former dictatorial regime of former Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir in 2019. Not only was their popular revolution a repudiation of the militarys political power in Sudan, but it was also a clear commitment to establish a civilian democratic system. Popular revolutions that have captured international attention as the 2019 revolution did in Sudan are rare. Few revolutions have enjoyed such interest and concern in a sustained way. To find a parallel, we must harken back to the uprisings and revolutions in Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. A lot of manoeuvring has been taking place in Khartoum since 25 October, and this has not only pitted the military against the people of Sudan but also the Sudanese military against the leading world powers and international and regional organisations. The political messages of the latter could not be clearer and more determined: there must be the restoration of the former partnership between the two main components of the transition in Sudan, the freeing of all those arrested on and after 25 October, respect for the right of peaceful assembly and protest, and the restoration of former prime minister Hamdok to power. On 3 November, the governments of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US and the UK released a joint statement on Sudan. The four powers reaffirmed their support for the realisation of the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people. They reiterated their commitment to helping them achieve these aspirations. The statement called for the immediate restoration of the civilian-led transitional government and institutions in Sudan. The statement did not leave the Sudanese military outside the present political equation in Sudan until elections are held to elect a civilian government, as it called on all parties to cooperate and for unity amongst them to carry out the above objectives. It also stressed the commitment of the powers to the Sudanese Constitutional Document of 2019 and the Juba Peace Agreement of 2020. These were referred to as the two foundations for further dialogue and the sole mechanism for the restoration of a genuine civil-military partnership in Sudan, pending new elections, to help the country reach political stability and economic recovery. Needless to say, what Sudan needs now are political stability, economic recovery and security. In the quest to achieve these three essential stabilisers for the future stability and territorial integrity of Sudan, the Sudanese military should cooperate, sincerely and transparently, with international efforts to undo the destabilising effects of its decisions on 25 October. The dire economic situation in Sudan combined with the critical security environment should be enough to push Al-Burhan to undo the regrettable and ill-founded decisions he took in October. It is difficult to imagine how he can deflect international pressures, which are not going to abate, without posing a very serious threat to Sudan. * The writer is former assistant foreign minister. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: Britain lived through better times over the past few decades than it did in previous years, but today the economic, political and social situation is not improving on any level in the country despite what has been reported to be a seven per cent rise in GDP in the British economy this year. The outlook of a potential seven per cent growth in GDP by the end of 2021 appears to be British Prime Minister Boris Johnsons strongest line of defence against a barrage of attacks on his performance. But this line of defence appears much flimsier with the knowledge that the UK is coming back from the shrinking of its economy by 9.8 per cent in 2020. This is hardly the kind of growth that British citizens are looking forward to following the gloomy year of 2020. But Johnson is still using this potential growth as a sign of his aptitude in handling a critical situation in the country. Nevertheless, economic reports counter his arguments decisively, as the reality indicates that Britain is taking longer to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic than many other competing economies. It may take up to the first quarter of 2022 to reach pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, what was promised to be a step forward for the countrys economy in the form of Brexit, which theoretically should have increased the employment rates of British citizens, is no longer the case. The countrys attempts to distance itself from what was perceived as damaging EU policies are now backfiring. The shoddy performance of successive British governments during the post-Brexit period has been overshadowed by a worse performance after the pandemic. The early days of the latter witnessed misjudgements by Johnson and a lack of proper precautions against the virus. These occurred despite Britain having the advantage of time to prepare for the onslaught of the virus at a time when it was spreading in continental Europe. This advantage, if properly capitalised upon, could have saved the country hundreds of thousands of lives, but alas the UK government did not implement the precautions at the proper time. The lockdown in the UK in 2020, which was lifted only to be followed by another, caused a major shake-up in the UKs domestic economy and massive layoffs and bankruptcies, especially among smaller businesses and commercial outlets. The countrys hospitality and tourism sector took the strongest hit, as most of these businesses have been operating at much lower capacity and have only been keeping open in order to pay the bills. Britain is now facing a major shipping and delivery issue, and there is a dire need for 100,000 lorry drivers, most of whom left the country following Brexit. The government has managed to procure around 10,000 non-British truck drivers and has granted them temporary visas. The problem has stemmed from the fact that the majority of the previous drivers carried non-British citizenship, and after Brexit they were no longer permitted to work in the UK. This problem remains a major issue as the Christmas season approaches, and there are serious concerns over expected shortages of goods in supermarkets. There will be empty shelves if the situation persists. Yet, this is not just a matter of the transportation of goods across the UK, but also extends to the transportation of humans. This week, the UKs Licensed Private Car Hire Association (LPCHA) estimated that the countrys taxi and private-hire industry is short of 160,000 drivers out of a previously 300,000-strong workforce. These taxi, Uber and limousine drivers quit their jobs during the pandemic, as the lockdowns drove down demand for their services. The problem is now impacting all facets of life in the UK, from going to work and shopping to recreation, as people going to hotels, bars and restaurants cannot expect to get a guaranteed ride home after visiting these places. The UK daily the Financial Times this week reported disappointing British exports following Brexit, and these stand out all the more as the worlds leading economies are witnessing a significant recovery from the dip that followed the coronavirus pandemic. There seems to be a significant problem in attracting foreign customers for British goods. The report quoted Jonathan Portes, a professor of economics at Kings College London, who described the state of British exports as poor in comparison to peer countries that have been witnessing a recovery to near pre-pandemic levels. Britain is also engaged in a feud with France, which ended with the latter withdrawing its ambassador in London as a sign of deteriorating relations. The feud was about fishing rights in the English Channel, and it led to further arguments between two nations already at odds over Brexit and the AUKUS pact with Australia that ostracised France and denied it a $90 billion submarine deal. The French went as far as to seize a British ship before releasing it last week. While the tone of the feud has been getting better, an assortment of issues must be resolved before it will go away. Earlier, France vowed to impose sanctions on Britain over the fishing feud, and the UK vowed to retaliate if the French went ahead with their threats. Chairman of the British fiscal watchdog the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) Richard Hughes also warned of decreasing GDP as a result of Brexit at around four per cent and added this to two per cent already lost as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. This month alone, 9.25 million British citizens have contracted the coronavirus, and there have been 147,000 who have tragically died since last year from this infernal disease. Infections averaged 37,526 per day during the first week of November in the UK, an enormous number when over 50 million of 67.2 million British citizens have received at least one shot of the vaccine. Britain has not witnessed harder times since World War II, and unfortunately Johnsons plans for the post-Brexit period and for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic are not as impressive as he seems to believe. His attitude throughout the crisis and his conflicting decisions have exacerbated the length of the painful post-Brexit period and the coronavirus pandemic. * The writer is a political analyst and author of Egypts Arab Spring: The Long and Winding Road to Democracy. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: The 104th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which set into motion one of the greatest ongoing human tragedies in the 20th century, passed quietly and generally unnoticed. However, breaking from the general silence in the Arab region, the Arab League issued a statement calling on Britain to rectify its historical mistake and bear its legal and moral responsibility towards the Palestinian people. The statement urged Britain to apologise to the Palestinian people for more than a century of suffering and pain that it caused them, and to pressure Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian territories and halt its aggressive war machine. The Arab League also called on the international community to undertake its responsibility to implement the UN resolutions that address this tragedy, to put an end to Israeli crimes, impose sanctions on the colonial settler state and provide international protection for Palestinians. To me, the most important part of the Arab League statement was its demand that Britain should recognise Palestine as an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital. I want to discuss this point from a perspective different from that which Israel has forced us to swallow as a basis for peace talks. Let us take the issue outside the frames of reference that we have begun to reiterate without thinking, transcend our state of Arab weakness, and discuss the Palestinian question independently of certain ideas that we have somehow agreed to take for granted upon entering the endless process of negotiation. First, why did the Arabs fall in with the Israeli notion that any Palestinian state emerging from these negotiations has to conform to conditions that Israel sets, such as that it must be unarmed and its territorial waters and airspace subject to Israeli sovereignty. Whatever made us even entertain such absurd conditions? We should never have accepted as a principle that Israels approval was required for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Did not the UN issue a resolution calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state side-by-side with a Jewish one? The UN Partition Resolution establishing the state of Israel did not make that contingent on Arab approval. Why should the reverse apply? In fact, the Arabs at the time opposed the partition resolution, but world powers paid them no heed and proceeded to recognise Isreal in implementation of that resolution after it was adopted in 1947. It seems that we should take the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration (and other occasions) to demand the implementation of the resolution in accordance with which Israel was established rather than asking for Israels approvals. In fact, the very fact that the resolution calling for the establishment of a Palestinian state has never been implemented undermines the international legitimacy on which Israels establishment is based. Some might counter that it was the Arabs who rejected the partition resolution when it was issued. But this argument does not hold since the resolution was adopted and partially carried out. It has never been rescinded, either, regardless of what the Arabs had to say, because if it had, that would have meant that Israels creation did not rest on an international resolution granting it legitimacy. Therefore, since the UN has done nothing to indicate that the resolution has been rescinded, we should be demanding the implementation of the rest of the resolution - namely the establishment of a Palestinian state - instead of negotiating with Israel to obtain its approval on the establishment of a Palestinian entity encumbered by conditions that were never mentioned in the UN resolution in the first place. Palestine existed before the partition resolution, just as it has continued to exist afterwards. The Israeli occupation does not alter this fact. After all, the existence of a state is not contingent on the withdrawal of occupation forces from its territory. France and other major powers were occupied at one point or another in their history, and in no case did the occupier set the conditions for recognition of the state under its occupation. What the Arab states should do on the occasion of the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration is to issue a joint resolution under the auspices of the Arab League recognising the Palestine state as called for in the resolution the UN adopted over seven decades ago, then they should leverage their influence through their various bilateral relations to pressure other countries to recognise the state to which they had already agreed when they approved the resolution in 1947. Can the Arabs do this? Do they want to? If yes, then they only have to declare their recognition of what already exists. If not, then I suppose we should thank the Arab League for issuing the aforementioned statement at a time when its members are vying with each other to normalise relations with the occupation authorities. *A version of this article appears in print in the 11 November, 2021 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly Search Keywords: Short link: A giant panda frolics in the snow at Jinan Zoo in east China's Shandong Province on Nov. 8, 2021, as the city welcomed its first flurry of the winter. [Photo: VCG] A giant panda frolics in the snow at Jinan Zoo in east China's Shandong Province on Nov. 8, 2021, as the city welcomed its first flurry of the winter. [Photo: VCG]A giant panda frolics in the snow at Jinan Zoo in east China's Shandong Province on Nov. 8, 2021, as the city welcomed its first flurry of the winter. [Photo: VCG] A giant panda frolics in the snow at Jinan Zoo in east China's Shandong Province on Nov. 8, 2021, as the city welcomed its first flurry of the winter. [Photo: VCG] A giant panda frolics in the snow at Jinan Zoo in east China's Shandong Province on Nov. 8, 2021, as the city welcomed its first flurry of the winter. [Photo: VCG] Further expanding its probe, the U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has issued subpoenas to six additional associates of former President Donald Trump who were closely involved in his efforts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. The committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, said in a statement Monday that the panel is demanding testimony and documents from former Trump campaign officials and others who participated in a war room ahead of the siege and strategized about how to halt the certification of Joe Bidens victory. Jason Miller, senior adviser to the Trump 2020 re-election campaign, walks in the Capitol during the second impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump in the Senate, at the Capitol in Washington, on Feb. 9, 2021. [File photo: AP/Andrew Harnik, Pool] Thompson said the committee had issued new subpoenas to Bill Stepien, manager of Trumps 2020 reelection campaign; Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the campaign; Angela McCallum, national executive assistant to the campaign; John Eastman, a lawyer who advised the former president; Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to Trump who talked with Trump ahead of the insurrection; and Bernard Kerik, who the committee says paid for hotel rooms that served as command centers ahead of Jan. 6. In the days before the January 6th attack, the former presidents closest allies and advisers drove a campaign of misinformation about the election and planned ways to stop the count of Electoral College votes," Thompson said. "The Select Committee needs to know every detail about their efforts to overturn the election, including who they were talking to in the White House and in Congress, what connections they had with rallies that escalated into a riot, and who paid for it all." The subpoenas come after the panel has already demanded documents and testimony from several other Trump advisers some who have cooperated and some who have not. The House voted last month to hold longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon in contempt after he refused to comply with his subpoena. Trump himself is fighting the probe in court. The rioters who violently pushed back police to break into the Capitol and interrupt the electoral count repeated Trump's false claims of widespread fraud, and the committee says the six newly subpoenaed witnesses helped amplify the misinformation in the days ahead of the attack. Trump's false claims came as election officials and courts across the country verified Biden's win, and as his own attorney general said there was no evidence of significant fraud. Thompson says in the letters to the Trump associates that the panel has uncovered credible evidence of their participation in the former president's efforts to overturn the election and cites ways that they individually tried to further his cause. In Stepien's subpoena, Thompson cites the testimony of an unnamed witness in saying he oversaw the conversion of Trump's presidential campaign to a Stop the Steal effort. In letters to Miller and McCallum, Thompson cites specific efforts to spread the false claims, including a phone call from McCallum to an unidentified Michigan state legislator asking if the Trump campaign could count on them and urging the person to push for the appointment of new state electors. Thompson detailed several efforts by Eastman, a lawyer and professor, to persuade Vice President Mike Pence to try to overturn the election as he presided over the congressional certification a power Pence did not legally have. Thompson also cites Eastman's outreach to states, including a briefing to state legislators, and his participation in the so-called war room at the Willard Hotel where he, Bannon, Kerik and others strategized ahead of the siege about how to overturn Trump's defeat. KYODO NEWS - Oct 21, 2021 - 13:45 | All, World, Japan Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan William Hagerty on Wednesday accused Japan of what he called an "inhumane" justice system, citing the ongoing case of a former Nissan Motor Co. executive who was arrested along with his boss Carlos Ghosn in 2018 in Japan over financial misconduct allegations. Hagerty, now a Senator representing Tennessee, highlighted the plight of Greg Kelly, who is currently on trial in Japan, during a confirmation hearing for U.S. Ambassador to Japan nominee Rahm Emanuel. Kelly, who is from the southern state, has pleaded not guilty. Noting that Kelly's defense attorneys plan to present their closing arguments next week, Hagerty emphasized it took "35 months to get to this point" since the arrest. He also said a verdict is not expected until next March for "reasons that defy logic." "It's in our nation's interest to resolve the situation quickly," Hagerty said, adding, "With this type of justice system, I fear that American executives will start thinking twice about doing business in Japan." A Japanese government spokesman dismissed the criticism, saying the country's justice system has procedures in place to protect individuals' rights while cases are being investigated. "We believe such procedures are being implemented appropriately," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki told a press conference in Tokyo. Hagerty called for Emanuel to make it a matter of "top priority" once he is confirmed as ambassador to see Kelly's name is cleared and that he is returned to the United States as soon as possible. Emanuel agreed that the safety of U.S. citizens is the number one responsibility of an embassy and ambassador. In late September, Tokyo prosecutors sought a two-year prison term for Kelly for helping former Nissan Chairman Ghosn to underreport his remuneration by millions of yen. Ghosn, facing trial in Japan, jumped bail and fled to Lebanon in late 2019 fearing being "held hostage by a rigged Japanese justice system." Kelly is a citizen "caught in the Japanese judicial system, suffering from unfair and barbaric treatment in the so-called hostage justice system," Hagerty said. Hagerty, who assumed his role as U.S. ambassador to Japan in 2017, stepped down in July 2019 to run for the Senate. The post has been vacant since then. Related coverage: 2-yr jail term sought for ex-Ghosn aide over financial misconduct 2 Americans get jail terms for helping ex-Nissan's Ghosn flee Japan Prosecutors want 2-yr jail terms for Americans who helped Ghosn flee By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - Nov 9, 2021 - 23:48 | All, World, Japan A senior U.S. diplomat said Tuesday that Washington would "welcome" an increase in Japan's defense budget, as signaled by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida amid China's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. "This is a decision for our sovereign Japanese allies to decide, but I'll be very clear we would welcome increased Japanese defense spending," Daniel Kritenbrink, the U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said in an interview with Kyodo News. "And we would welcome the opportunity to continue to coordinate with our Japanese allies on how we together can contribute to peace and stability across the region," Kritenbrink added. Kritenbrink also said he believes that increased defense spending by Japan would "make Asia more secure and more prosperous." The remarks came after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party led by Kishida retained a comfortable majority with its ally Komeito in the House of Representatives election late last month, with the LDP pledging to consider a doubling of defense spending to around 2 percent of Japan's gross domestic product. While not a formal rule, Japan has long kept defense spending below 1 percent of GDP due to its pacifist Constitution. Kishida has vowed to beef up the Japan-U.S. alliance and deal with security challenges linked to China as well as North Korea, which recently carried out a series of missile tests. Kritenbrink echoed Kishida's view on strengthening the bilateral alliance to address concerns about "a range of Chinese actions that we think are designed to undermine the rules-based international order." As for the issue of Taiwan, the longstanding one-China policy of the United States remains unchanged and Washington intends to "carry our rock solid commitment" under the Taiwan Relations Act to enable and assist the self-ruled democratic island in "maintaining incredible self-defense," he said. Meanwhile, Kritenbrink said Washington and Beijing could cooperate in areas such as climate change, pandemic disease, counternarcotics and nuclear nonproliferation. Kritenbrink is on his first trip to Japan since becoming the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia in late September. He plans to stay in Japan through Wednesday before making a three-day trip to Seoul, according to the U.S. government. A former U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, Kritenbrink has served as senior adviser for North Korea policy at the State Department, senior director for Asian affairs at the National Security Council, as well as in roles at the U.S. embassies in Tokyo and Beijing. KYODO NEWS - Nov 9, 2021 - 19:41 | All, World, Japan Japan's Defense Ministry on Tuesday retracted its earlier claim that North Korea fired two ballistic missiles rather than one on Oct. 19, saying it had mistakenly detected a man-made object in space. The assertion that there had been two launches contradicted reports from the North's state-run media as well as analysis by the United States and South Korea that only mentioned a single submarine-launched ballistic missile. The ministry said that after reviewing data it had concluded the object picked up by its radar was mistaken for a ballistic missile. The SLBM, meanwhile, flew on an unconventional trajectory in which it pulled up after its initial descent, the ministry said, a maneuver aimed at avoiding interception. Part of a series of recent missile tests by North Korea, the launch was condemned by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as "extremely regrettable" and a violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. The North's state-run Korean Central News Agency had reported on the successful test-firing of a new type of SLBM with "advanced control guidance technologies including flank mobility and gliding skip mobility." Related coverage: North Korea confirms testing new submarine-launched ballistic missile Japan maintains North Korea fired 2 ballistic missiles, not 1 KYODO NEWS - Nov 9, 2021 - 19:50 | All, Japan A Japanese court on Tuesday sentenced a former nurse to life in prison for killing three patients by putting a disinfectant into their intravenous drips at a Yokohama hospital near Tokyo in 2016. The Yokohama District Court concluded that a life sentence for Ayumi Kuboki, 34, who was found guilty of murdering the patients, was reasonable as she had shown remorse during the trial. Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty. However, Presiding Judge Kazunori Karei ruled Kuboki, who admitted to the murders, could be held responsible for the crimes as pointed out by the prosecutors, saying, "She committed such acts knowing they were unlawful." "She understands the huge gravity of the crimes, and even said in her final statement she wants to make amends with her own death," he said. "By having her face the weight of her guilt for the rest of her life, it is fair to have her back on the right track in life." Kuboki's defense counsel sought a life sentence, arguing the former nurse had a diminished capacity at the time of the crimes in September 2016 due to her suffering from schizophrenia. Meanwhile, the prosecutors said Kuboki exhibited traits of autism spectrum disorder but she was fully competent to stand trial and that it did not affect her decision-making or play a part in her crimes at the hospital, which had accepted terminally ill patients. According to the ruling, Kuboki intentionally killed three inpatients -- Sozo Nishikawa, 88, Asae Okitsu, 78, and Nobuo Yamaki, 88 -- at the institution formerly named Oguchi Hospital by introducing the antiseptic solution into their IV drip bags. During a hearing, Kuboki said, "In order to avoid being accused by family members if the patients died during my working hours, I made it appear so they had died while I was off duty." Kuboki said she had felt anxious about having to treat and communicate with patients and their families. Her father said in court that she had consulted her family about leaving the hospital about three months before the murders. She apologized to the family members of the three patients during the trial, which began last month. Following the ruling, a member of Nishikawa's family said, "I cannot accept it. The defendant has been allowed to live, but how will she make up for it?" Police launched a probe in September 2016 following the deaths, but it took them until July 2018 to arrest Kuboki as they struggled to find enough evidence. The fourth floor of the hospital, where the three patients had stayed, did not have any surveillance cameras. The hospital, which changed its name after the crimes, has been temporarily closed since 2019. It apologized again Tuesday for not preventing "such a horrific act in (a place) that should have protected patients." Related coverage: 5 doctors found liable for child's death due to excessive drug use Ex-nurse acquitted of 2003 murder after 12 years in prison By Reito Kaneko, KYODO NEWS - Nov 9, 2021 - 22:54 | All, World, Japan The chief of the German navy said Tuesday he is concerned freedom of navigation, and the rules-based international order could be undermined in the Indo-Pacific region, in a veiled reference to China's rising assertiveness in the East and South China seas. The German navy will strengthen its commitment to the region through deeper security and defense cooperation with regional partners, Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schonbach said. "The Indo-Pacific region is more than just an economic bloc," Schonbach said at a press conference at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo. "The region is becoming a source of increasing conflicts, unresolved territorial disputes and a change in power balance." Schonbach has been in Tokyo for meetings with officials of Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force, as the German navy frigate Bayern arrived in Tokyo on Friday, becoming the country's first military vessel to make a port call in Japan in nearly 20 years. Berlin has been stepping up its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, partly propelled by actions by Beijing deemed as undermining the rule of law, human rights and democracy. Berlin released its comprehensive Indo-Pacific strategy in September last year, signaling its shift away from a China-centered Asia policy. France and Britain have also sent naval vessels to the region recently, 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. Schonbach said the Bayern's dispatch to the region demonstrates his country's contribution to the area based on the "inclusive" strategy. "We want to deepen our security and defense relationships with countries in the Indo-Pacific region, and we see Japan, Australia, South Korea, Singapore...New Zealand and, of course, the United States as particularly important partners," he said. The navy has said the frigate plans to sail through the South China Sea, where China is building military outposts on artificial islands. The commanding officer of Bayern, Cmdr. Tilo Kalski did not rule out the possibility of provocation by Chinese ships. "We are prepared for anything when going through that area," he said at the press conference. Later this month, the Bayern also plans to conduct its first-ever mission in the East China Sea to monitor whether North Korea engages in any ship-to-ship transfer of goods in violation of U.N. resolutions banning such a practice for its nuclear and missile development. These plans show "demonstrations of commitment to a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific," Schonbach said. He reiterated that Germany would seek to send a frigate every two years to the Indo-Pacific region with a supply ship, adding that the German navy could join British or French vessel strike groups when deployed to the area. Gen. Eberhard Zorn, the German chief of Defense, has told Japanese Defense Ministry officials during their recent meetings that Germany is planning to send air force aircraft to Japan next year, according to Schonbach. Related coverage: German navy chief looks to send vessels to Indo-Pacific every 2 years Japan defense chief inspects German navy frigate Bayern By Dahee Kim, KYODO NEWS - Nov 9, 2021 - 18:51 | World, All, Japan The leader of South Korea's main opposition said Tuesday that if the conservative party's nominee Yoon Suk Yeol wins the March presidential election, he will work with Yoon to prioritize solving thorny issues with Japan, including wartime labor compensation. In an interview in Seoul just days after the former prosecutor general became the People Power Party's standard bearer, Lee Jun Seok emphasized the need to explain to the South Korean public early during Yoon's presidency that sensitive historical issues involving Japan should be handled through diplomacy. Ties between the two countries sharply deteriorated after South Korea's top court in 2018 ordered Japanese firms to compensate South Korean plaintiffs over forced work for them during World War II. This came on top of already frayed ties over the issue of "comfort women," who were forced to work at Japanese wartime brothels. Tokyo has maintained that issues of claims stemming from its 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula were resolved in a 1965 bilateral agreement, calling on Seoul to take "appropriate action" to resolve the diplomatic spat. The 36-year-old party leader said many South Koreans are aware that while court rulings need to be respected under the separation of powers between different branches of government, diplomatic affairs are something that transcends them. Lee predicted that once Yoon comes up with a good case to make to the public, the 60-year-old would engage in negotiations with Japan more actively than the current administration of President Moon Jae In. As to the timing of such a diplomatic outreach, Lee said it would be best when "the atmosphere changes with the launch of a new administration" in May. "I hope to visit Japan sooner or later to see and feel the atmosphere there so that I could give advice to Yoon (on handling South Korea-Japan issues)," Lee said. With regard to North Korea, the party leader expressed reluctance toward the Moon administration's proposal that a formal end to the 1950-1953 Korean War be declared. Lee also faulted the current administration for mishandling the country's North Korea policy, saying it sent "wrong messages" to Pyongyang while playing a messenger role between then U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Lee expressed willingness to visit North Korea as a special envoy if appointed to the role by the next president. "The whole framework for diplomacy with North Korea should change, and to do so, we should know more who Kim Jong Un really is," he said. On Yoon, the country's former top prosecutor, vying for the presidency with the ruling Democratic Party's Lee Jae Myung, Lee Jun Seok said the development reflects people's longing for eradicating corruption in South Korean society. "When a particular person becomes highly popular as a political figure, society expects that person to solve something, and for Yoon it is corruption," Lee said, referring to a scandal facing the Democratic Party candidate over a land development project during his time as mayor of a city. Lee, however, said Yoon still has to put a lot of effort into understanding what the young generation, especially those in their 20s and 30s, wants as they are considered to be a key demographic that will determine the winner in the upcoming election. He added that he has felt South Koreans have a desire to see a new wave of politicians in the country's politics, given that the candidates of both parties as well as Lee himself have no experience of serving as lawmakers. The Harvard-educated startup founder expressed willingness to meet such expectations by working to change the conservative party for the coming decades as he earned a chance to serve as leader at a relatively young age for a politician. New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday slammed the Narendra Modi government over Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa reportedly recusing himself from EC meetings to discuss Model Code of Conduct violations, saying that erosion of institutional integrity is the hallmark of the ruling regime. Reacting to the report, Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said, Erosion of Institutional Integrity is the hallmark of Modi Govt! SC Judges going public, RBI Guvs resigning CBI Director getting removed CVC giving vacuous reports Now Dividing Election Commission! Will EC save the embarrassment by recording Sh Lavasas dissent notes? In a series of attacking tweets, the Congress spokesperson termed Lavasas recusation Another Dark Day for Democracy and gave Election Commission a new synonym Election Omission. The disagreement over the Election Commissions clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for their alleged violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) broke open a rift among the election commissioners with Ashok Lavasa recusing himself from all the meetings to discuss poll code issues. Lavasa claimed that minority decisions taken by him in several cases were supressed by the commission. "Minority decisions recorded by me in several cases continue to be suppressed in a manner contrary to well-established conventions observed by multi-member statutory bodies," Mr Lavasa wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner on May 16. "...It appears futile for me to participate in the deliberations of the commission until its lawful functioning is restored in terms of including the minority decisions recorded by me," NDTV quoted Lavasa as saying. After Lavasas protest, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora called a meeting with him. Arora reportedly said that minority decisions can only be recorded in quasi-judicial proceedings and the decision to give clean chits in poll code violations were not quasi-judicial proceedings. On May 3, the Election Commission had cleared Modi and Shah of all the charges of poll code violations. The decision was met with severe criticism and the Opposition parties had accused the poll body of acting under the influence of the central government. The 'full Commission' which takes such decisions comprises Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and fellow election commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra. As per the Election Commission (Conditions of Service of Election Commissioners and Transaction of Business) Act, 1991, if the Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners differ in opinion on any matter, such matter shall be decided according to the opinion of the majority. The Commission transacts its business by holding regular meetings and by circulation of papers. All Election Commissioners have equal say in the decision making of the Commission. (With inputs from agencies) New Delhi: Smartphone shipment in India grew 7.1 per cent to 32.1 million units in the March 2019 quarter, even as the global market saw shipment volume decline 6 per cent year-on-year during the period, according to an IDC India report. However, high channel inventory from the previous quarter resulted in fall in shipment volume by 8.4 per cent on sequential basis. Xiaomi led the tally with 30.6 per cent share in the March 2019 quarter, followed by Samsung (22.3 per cent), Vivo (13 per cent), Oppo (7.6 per cent) and Realme (6 per cent). The feature phone segment, which still accounts for half of the total mobile phone shipments, registered shipment of 32.3 million units in the first quarter of 2019 falling sharply by 42.4 per cent year-on-year. There was a sharp drop in 4G-enabled feature phones, declining by more than 50 per cent year-on-year due to channel inventory from previous quarters. There was also a sequential dip in 2G or 2.5G feature phones, IDC said. Interestingly, the average selling prices grew 3.3 per cent year-on-year to USD 161 (about Rs 11,326). This can be attributed to the growth in the USD 300-500 segment, accounting for 6 per cent of the overall smartphone market in Q1 2019. This segment also outgrew all other price bands... IDC said. The premium segment (USD 500/Rs 35,000 and above) saw Samsung surpassing Apple for the leadership position with an overall share of 36 per cent in March 2019 quarter, it added. In 2019, we should expect further aggressive offline expansion by the online-heavy vendors in an attempt to get a wider footprint in smaller cities and towns. Having said that, the influence of the online channels and their focus on the smartphone business will continue, IDC India Research Director (Client Devices and IPDS) Navkendar Singh said. He added that this will gain momentum in the all-important second half of the year since the affordability driving factors like EMIs or cashback offers continue to be top-of-mind attributes for consumers. Online sales accounted for 40.2 per cent of the market share in March 2019 quarter. New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to return to power for the second term on May 23 when the results of the Lok Sabha elections 2019 will be announced, according to the News Nation exit poll that was announced on Sunday. The channel predicted that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will win anything between 282 and 290 seats, while the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) may garner only a maximum of 126 seats. Interestingly, Others will perform better than the UPA with the maximum of 138 seats. The NDA won 336 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, while the UPA, which had been in power for two straight terms, was reduced to 59. Here are the LIVE updates: 21:49 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In If we want to strengthen institutions we've to keep in mind institutions are serving well in this country&if democracy has succeeded, it's largely due to perfect conduct of elections by Election Commissioner starting from Sukumar Sen to present Election Commissioners: Pranab Mukherjee 20:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Election Commission: Sec-144 (prohibits assembly of more than 4 people in an area) has been imposed in Bhatpara for undefined time-period to combat post-poll violence. 19:54 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In They (BJP) have been trying this since day 1,have proved majority at least 4 times in last 5 months.They want to do it again, we have no problem.They'll try their best to disturb present govt to save themselves from getting exposed. Govt is ready for floor test: CM Kamal Nath 18:56 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu meets his counterpart Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. 18:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In National Commission for Women issues notice to actor Vivek Oberoi demanding explanation over his tweet on exit polls. 18:33 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Maharashtra Congress MLAs unanimously pass resolution that decision on name of the Leader of Opposition of State Assembly will be taken by Congress President Rahul Gandhi. Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil had resigned as Leader of Opposition(LoP) last month. 17:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Andhra Pradesh CM and TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. West Bengal: Andhra Pradesh CM & TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu arrives in Kolkata to meet CM & TMC leader Mamata Banerjee. pic.twitter.com/6BflCZqZ94 ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 15:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP requests Election Commission to conduct repolling in booths affected by violence in the Lok Sabha elections. 14:48 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP MLA and Minister of State Anil Rajbhar has been given additional charge of departments headed by Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) Chief OP Rajbhar who was dismissed by Governor on recommendation of CM office. 14:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu: I am 1000 per cent confident that TDP will win the elections. I don't have even 0.1 per cent doubt, we are going to win. There are many problems in counting process. The EC should take steps to resolve all those problems. There are many rumours regarding EVMs, including that printers may be manipulated &that control panels will be changed. EC has given scope for suspicion 14:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava says, 'MP govt will fall on its own' Madhya Pradesh Leader of Opposition and BJP leader Gopal Bhargava: It will fall on its own (MP Government), I don't believe in horse-trading but I feel its time has come and it will have to go soon. We are sending a letter to Governor requesting an assembly session as there are a lot of issues. 12:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav leaves after meeting BSP Chief Mayawati at her residence in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/j76Ut5MqBJ ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 20, 2019 12:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Piyush Goyal, BJP after meeting with EC: We gave the Election Commission detailed information of the violence inflicted upon our workers. We reiterated our demand for re-poll for constituencies where violence occurred in 7th phase and earlier phases, particularly in West Bengal. 13:35 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Akhilesh meet Mayawati in Lucknow Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav reaches BSP Chief Mayawati's residence in Lucknow. 12:15 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Nagpur, Maharashtra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and actor Vivek Oberoi launch poster of biopic 'PM Narendra Modi' Nagpur, Maharashtra: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and actor Vivek Oberoi launch poster of biopic 'PM Narendra Modi' pic.twitter.com/bUuwSBGLsQ ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2019 11:53 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In SP leader Shivpal Yadav says that the party that comes to power will need our support. 11:43 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Madurai bench of Madras High Court grants anticipatory bail to Kamal Haasan in a case filed against him by Hindu Munnani party for his comments on Nathuram Godse. 11:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Sources: Union Council of Ministers likely to meet tomorrow; BJP President Amit Shah to host a dinner for NDA leaders tomorrow. 11:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In EVMs and VVPATs brought to Lahaul & Spiti district headquarters on a Border Security Force (BSF) helicopter from Tashigang, world's highest polling station, reports ANI. EVMs and VVPATs brought to Lahaul & Spiti district headquarters on a Border Security Force (BSF) helicopter from Tashigang, world's highest polling station, reports ANI.#HimachalPradesh Y: ANI#ElectionsWithNewsNation Follow LIVE updates:https://t.co/oofVp6FNtz pic.twitter.com/5YW2BQsEuA News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 20, 2019 10:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Office: "CM has requested the governor to dismiss Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar from the UP Cabinet with immediate effect." Rajbhar, a minister for backward class welfare and divyangjan' empowerment, had earlier resigned from Cabinet but his resignation wasn't accepted. UP CM 10:39 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In When I said I'll win 22 seats in the state, no one took me seriously. I'm sure now the media will understand. All surveys have predicted the same thing, it's not a surprise if we win 22 seats. It's clear that some big names will see a setback, says BS Yeddyurappa, Karnataka BJP president. #Video | When I said I'll win 22 seats in the state no one took me seriously. I'm sure now media will understand. All surveys are saying the same' says B. S. Yeddyurappa@BSYBJP #ElectionsWithNewsNation READ full story here:https://t.co/oofVp6FNtz pic.twitter.com/Ra59uTzqoT News Nation (@NewsNationTV) May 20, 2019 09:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The Left Front and the Congress may end up getting 18 per cent and 10 per cent of the total votes, respectively. As far as the vote share is concerned, the Trinamool Congress is predicted to get 36 per cent of the total votes followed by the BJP (30%), Left (18%) and Congress (10%). 09:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In According to News Nation Exit Poll, BJP may get 10-12 seats, while AITC may win 26-28 seats in West Bengal. 07:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In HD Kumaraswamy: Whom are you (media) trying to help by misusing our name. I'm thinking of bringing in a law. What have you thought of us politicians? You think we're jobless? Do we look like cartoon characters to you? Who gave you authority to show everything humorously? 07:41 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BSP leader SC Mishra to ANI: Mayawati ji has no programme or meetings scheduled in Delhi today, she will be in Lucknow. 06:58 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The BJP on Sunday accused the TMC of letting loose widespread violence in the last phase of the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal, and demanded repolling in several booths in eight out of the nine constituencies. Over 72 per cent of voters of the over 1.49 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 5 pm in the nine constituencies of West Bengal during the seventh and final phase of polling. 06:46 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In According to News Nation Exit Poll, BJP-Shiv Sena alliance is likely to win 33-35 seats while Congress-NCP may get 13-15 seats. 06:46 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP is likely to win 22-24 seats, while Congress may get 2-4 seats in Gujarat. 06:46 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In BJP may sweep Uttarakhand winning all 5 seats. 06:45 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In According to News Nation Exit Poll, BJP-led NDA and SP-BSP alliance are likely to win 38-40 seats each, while Congress may win 2-3 in Uttar Pradesh. New Delhi: The Election Commission is learnt to have given its go ahead to Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposed visit to Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines in Uttarakhand beginning Saturday while reminding the prime minister's office that the model code of conduct is still in force. The prime minister's office is learnt to have sought the views of the Election Commission on the two-day official visit of Modi to Uttarakhand. As it is an official visit, the Commission has only "reminded" the PMO that the model code of conduct which came into force on March 10 with the declaration of Lok Sabha polls, is still in force, sources aware of the development said. The last and seventh phase of Lok Sabha polls is on May 19. "The visit is official so it can be undertaken. But the office of the PM has been reminded that the poll code is still in force," a source said without elaborating. Modi will undertake a two-day visit to Uttarakhand beginning May 18. While he will be in Kedarnath Saturday, he will visit Badrinath on Sunday before returning to the national capital in the afternoon. In November last year, PM Modi had visited the hill shrine of Kedarnath where he prayed for "India's progress" and well-being of the people of the country. PM Modi had earlier visited the holy shrine in May 2018. Washington: President Donald Trump on Friday announced he will delay by six months a decision on imposing steep tariffs on imported autos while the United States pursues talks with key trading partners. "Within 180 days... the Trade Representative shall update me on the outcome of the negotiations," Trump said in a proclamation issued by the White House. Trump had been facing a Saturday deadline to announce whether to implement 25 per cent punitive duties on autos -- a possibility that has worried the European Union and Japan in particular, as well as Mexico and Canada. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: President Donald Trump on Friday announced a deal to lift US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada and Mexico that had created friction between the neighbours and blocked a new North American free trade agreement. "Im pleased to announce that weve just reached an agreement with Canada and Mexico and will be selling our product into those countries, without the imposition of tariffs, Trump said at an event in the US capital. His statement came moments after Canada released the text of the agreement between Ottawa and Washington in which they agree to eliminate US tariffs on steel and aluminium, and Canadas retaliatory measures, within no more than two days. Mexico subsequently confirmed it had reached a similar agreement with the United States. The steep US tariffs imposed last year -- 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminiumbecame a major stumbling block to ratifying a new North American trade pact negotiated last year by the three countries. Canada and Mexico initially were exempted from the tariffs Trump enforced using a national security argument, as part of his hardline trade tactics. Once Americas neighbours were included, the levies drew retaliation with tariffs on a host of US products. Even after the governments agreed to a revised free trade dealthe US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCAthe tariffs remained in place, but officials in Ottawa and Mexico City said they would not sign unless Washington removed the metals duties. Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said there had was a shared recognition that these tariffs were harming workers and consumers on both sides of the border and didnt make a lot of sense in the context of a new free trade deal. Obviously these continued tariffs on steel and aluminium and our countermeasures represented significant barriers to moving forward with the new NAFTA agreement, he said, referring to the 24-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement. Now that weve had a full lift on these tariffs we are going to work with the United States on timing for ratification but were very optimistic we are going to be able to move forward well in the coming weeks, Trudeau said. Mexican chief trade negotiator Jesus Seade likewise tweeted that the lifting of tariffs clears the way towards ratification of USMCA. Some key members of the US Congress had said they would not agree to vote for the three-country free trade pact unless the Trumps metals tariffs ended. Hopefully Congress will approve it quickly, said Trump. According to the agreement with Canada, the two governments will withdraw all complaints lodged in the World Trade Organization. The two countries also agreed to monitor imports of steel and aluminium to ensure metals that are sold at dumped pricesbelow the cost of productionare not purchased in or shipped through Canada. In addition, they agreed to a provision to reimpose steep duties if imports of the metals surge meaningfully beyond historic volumes of trade over a period of time. US tariffs on steel and aluminium from Europe remain in place, as does the EU retaliation. Some countries, including South Korea, accepted export quotas to avoid the tariffs. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Demanding a probe into charges made by Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, the Congress on Saturday alleged that eroding institutional integrity has been the hallmark of Modi government and asked whether the poll panel has become Election Omission and a puppet in the PM's hands. Lavasa is learnt to have written to the Chief Election Commissioner that he will be recusing from EC meetings as his dissent was not being recorded on clearances given by the poll panel to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over alleged poll code violations. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked whether the EC will save itself more embarrassment by recording Lavasa's dissent notes, as he accused PM Modi of "muzzling" democratic institutions. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said there must be a credible investigation into the issues raised by Lavasa, alleging that the sanctity of the electoral process and the institutional integrity of the Election Commission of India is in jeopardy. There must be a thorough credible enquiry into the issues raised by Mr Lavasa and restoration of the Commission's independent status as the watchdog of world's largest democracy. Mr Lavasa's letter - contents of which have appeared in the media - is extremely serious. The sanctity of the electoral process and the institutional integrity of the Election Commission of India is in jeopardy, said Ahmed Patel on Twitter. In a statement, Surjewala said: "Election Commission has become 'Election Omission'. Shri Ashok Lavasa, one of the three members of the Central Election Commission (CEC), who dissented on multiple occasions when the Election Commission was busy giving clean chits to Modi-Shah duo opts out of EC meetings as the ECI even refused to record his dissent notes. This is a day-light murder of Constitutional norms, set conventions and propriety. The poll panel's rules express preference for a unanimous view, but provide for a majority ruling in the absence of unanimity. Being a Constitutional body, the minority view has to be recorded, but this is being trampled to protect Modi-Shah duo." He alleged that Lavasa's minority decisions going unrecorded "speaks volumes about the political pressure being exerted by the Modi Government on the EC". Omitting the dissent of Election Commissioner, simply because he had asked for a notice to be issued to the PM Modi, has severely tarnished the institutional integrity of the Election Commission, he said. Surjewala alleged that Modi has "taken upon himself the task of denigrating, damaging, decimating, dislodging and diminishing, the sanctity of every institution of India". PM Modi demolished the integrity of India's premier investigation agency CBI in a midnight coup to save himself from any scrutiny in the Rafale Scam. Modi Government used CVC as the 'Colossal Veil to Cover Corruption' to publish a fallacious report, based on which an incumbent CBI Director was illegally removed. The nation has to count only 5 more days to overthrow the 5 years of Mal-Governance of Modi Government, he said. London: Britain's Opposition Labour Party ended the crucial cross-party Brexit talks with embattled Prime Minister Theresa May on Friday without a deal, saying negotiations have "gone as far as they can". Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wrote to May to declare an end to the negotiation process, blaming the "weakness and instability" of her government as a leadership contest gets underway within the ruling Conservative Party. May in turn blamed Labour for not having a "common position" within its own ranks on issues such as a second referendum. The development came a day after Prime Minister May was forced to set a June timeline for her exit from Downing Street. "I have written to Theresa May to say that talks on finding a compromise agreement for leaving the European Union have gone as far as they can," Corbyn tweeted. "The government's growing weakness and instability means there cannot be confidence in its ability to deliver," he said. Britain's exit from the 28-member European Union had been due to take place on March 29 - but after MPs voted down the deal May had negotiated with the bloc three times, the EU gave the UK an extension until October 31. "The increasing weakness and instability of your government means there cannot be confidence in securing whatever might be agreed between us," Corbyn wrote. "As you have been setting out your decision to stand down and Cabinet ministers are competing to succeed you, the position of the government has become ever more unstable and its authority eroded," he noted. Prime Minister May acknowledged that there have been areas where "we have been able to find common ground, but other issues have proved to be more difficult". Commenting on the talks after a meeting with her party activists in Bristol soon after the Opposition's letter became public, May said her government would now consider what had come out of the meetings with Labour so far and consider whether there are some ideas that could command a majority in the House of Commons. Stressing that his party had conducted the exercise in "good faith" and that some constructive effort had gone into finding a possible consensus, Corbyn pointed to growing concern within the Opposition ranks about the government's ability to deliver on any compromise agreement. The Labour Party has been in favour of a form of a common customs arrangement with the European Union (EU) that keeps the UK aligned with its European neighbours on trade tariffs post-Brexit. Some Labour MPs have also insisted they would not back a deal with the government unless it includes another referendum. Both scenarios have caused anger among Brexit-backing Conservatives, who claim a customs union would stop the UK negotiating its own trade deals around the world and who believe another public vote is undemocratic. In his letter to the British Prime Minister, Corbyn noted: "Not infrequently, proposals by your negotiating team have been publicly contradicted by statements from other members of the Cabinet. "In recent days we have heard senior Cabinet ministers reject any form of customs union, regardless of proposals made by government negotiators." The Labour leader is equally clear about the party's opposition to May's unchanged Withdrawal Agreement, which is set for a fourth House of Commons vote in the week beginning June 3. "I should reiterate that, without significant changes, we will continue to oppose the government's deal as we do not believe it safeguards jobs, living standards and manufacturing industry in Britain," Corbyn said. The compromise talks were convened around six weeks ago, when May lost the third vote in Parliament on her EU Withdrawal Agreement, rejected repeatedly by MPs over the controversial Irish backstop clause. The latest Labour stance means May's deal looks even more unlikely to secure the parliamentary arithmetic required for the Withdrawal Agreement to be enforced in time for the new October 31 Brexit deadline. On Thursday, after a crucial meeting with the powerful 1922 Committee of Tory backbench MPs, it was announced that May would set out a clear timetable for her resignation as Tory leader and make way for a new prime minister by next month. Former Cabinet minister and hard Brexiteer Boris Johnson is seen as a frontrunner in the race, with a number of other Cabinet ministers set to throw their hat in the ring. Meanwhile, May is likely to offer a set of binding indicative votes in the Commons as she had indicated when she announced the cross-party talks. These votes are likely to take place within days as the UK Parliament is set for a break from next Thursday before reconvening in early June. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Addressing a press conference for the first time ever since he came to power in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted on the last day of campaigning Friday that the BJP will come back to power with a full majority, but refused to take any questions, citing party discipline. In a surprised move, Modi showed up on the dais at the BJP headquarters here for a scheduled press conference by party president Amit Shah, who gave a detailed report card on the performance of the NDA government as well as BJP's extensive electioneering. After his opening remarks, Modi diverted questions by journalists, saying he will not answer because the press conference is being addressed by Shah, and in BJP's system, discipline has to be followed. "We are disciplined soldiers of the party. The party president is everything for us," Modi said. In his remarks, Modi said,"the election has been amazing (shandar). Elections were held in a positive spirit. A government with full majority will come back after remaining in power for five years . This is probably happening after a very long time. This is a big deal in itself." "The public has decided on the next government. We have promised many things in our manifesto to take the country forward. As soon as possible, the new government will take charge and we will take decisions one after another," Modi added. In the press conference, Shah answered all questions and asserted that BJP will come back with a bigger majority. "BJP will have enough seats to form a government on its own. We will get more than 300 seats. This election is to choose the country's Prime Minister. Narendra Modi will be the PM," said Shah. There have been criticism against Modi including by Congress president Rahul Gandhi for not addressing any press conference since he became PM. "It is not necessary that the PM responds to every question," said Shah, when a journalist asked him a question on the allegations against Modi and his silence on the Rafale deal. He said there was a time when Indian Premier League had to be shifted out of India due to polls, but under the current government, Navratri, Ram Navami, Easter, Ramzan, IPL, board exams as well as elections could take place simultaneously and smoothly. Modi said work to fulfil promises made in BJP's manifesto will be started as soon as the party comes to power. "We ensured last-mile delivery which was a new structure of governance...Our government will take up its responsibility as soon as possible," he added. The prime minister said the journey for an honest government started on May 17, 2014, a day after Lok Sabha election results were announced. "Election results came on May 16, 2014 and a huge casualty took place on May 17, 2014. Today is also May 17. People in 'Satta bazaar' who bet for Congress to win in elections faced huge losses on May 17," he added. The Congress mocked Modi for not taking any questions in his first appearance at a press conference, with party president Rahul Gandhi saying "showing up is half the battle". "Congratulations Modi Ji. Excellent Press Conference! Showing up is half the battle. Next time Mr Shah may even allow you to answer a couple of questions. Well done," Gandhi tweeted. Gandhi said it is "very impressive" to see the PM address his first press conference a few days before the Lok Sabha election results are out. "The PM's first press conference is coming 4-5 days before the election results. The PM is accompanying Amit Shah in the press briefing. It is unprecedented. Very good. I am told the doors have also been shut, as journalists who want to ask questions have been blocked. It is a great press conference," he told reporters. Gandhi addressed a press conference almost at the same time as Amit Shah and Modi did. "I want to ask the prime minister why he did not hold a debate on the Rafale issue? I want to ask you why did you give Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani. I was ready to come to Race Course road to hold a debate with Modi," Gandhi said, posing a question at his press conference. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: Launching a fresh offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday alleged that the former got his entire cabinet locked up before announcing his decision to demonetise high-value currency notes. Addressing a rally in Himachal Pradesh's Solan, Gandhi claimed he was given this information by members of the Special Protection Group (SPG), the agency which guards him. "During demonetisation Narendra Modi put his cabinet under lock and key (taley se band kiya tha) on Race Course Road, he said, referring to the earlier name of the road on which the PM's official residence is located. This the truth, Gandhi said. The SPG people provide me also with security. They told me that do you know that the prime minister of India locked up his entire cabinet, he said. He also criticised Modi over the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). "Countrymen say Modi committed mistakes by implementing demonetisation and the GST. But Modi will never admit it," he said. The small and medium industrialists, traders and unemployed youth were adversely affected by demonetisation and GST, he added. Rahul Gandhi also dared Narendra Modi to a debate, saying he has just "four questions" to ask which the prime minister will not be able to answer. "I am ready to engage in a debate with Modi on corruption at any place," he said. "Give me 15 minutes, I will ask only four questions. And Modi may take three-four hours to answer them. He will not be able to show his face to the citizens of the country after the debate," he added. Reiterating his allegations of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet contract, Rahul Gandhi said the government struck an overpriced deal for the jets to benefit industrialist Anil Ambani. The charge has been repeatedly denied by the government and the Bharatiya Janata Party. Gandhi also ridiculed Modi over his reported remark that he felt the cloud cover on the day IAF struck Balakot will help the fighter aircraft evade Pakistan's radars. "Modi keeps hiding his knowledge and does not hold any press conference while I talk to the media every other day," he said. The Congress leader also accused Modi of not fulfilling his poll promises of providing jobs and "depositing Rs 15 lakh" in the bank account of every citizen. He reiterated that a Congress government will implement the Nyay scheme, which promises a minimum annual income of Rs 72,000 to 20 percent of the poorest families. Former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, state Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore, state's party in-charge Rajni Patil and Shimla's Congress candidate Dhani Ram Shandil also spoke at the meeting. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had earlier addressed a rally in Solan for his party's Shimla candidate Suresh Kashyap on May 13. Polling will take place for all four Himachal Pradesh seats on Sunday. Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati Friday termed the BSP-SP-RLD alliance a combine of ideas and said it will not sit silent till the Yogi Adityanath government in the state and the Narendra Modi government in the Centre were uprooted. "Unlike the Bharatiya Janata Party, this alliance is that of ideas and it will not sit silent till it uproots the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh along with the Narendra Modi government," the Bahujan Samaj Party president said, addressing rallies for the candidates of the alliance in Mirzapur and Chandauli. "The sad faces of the BJP leaders after the completion of six phases of polling indicate that they know it's time for the Narendra Modi government to go. Their bad days will start from May 23. After that, preparations for Yogi to return to his Mutt will start," she said. Seeing the bad state of affairs in the polls, the BJP and its supporters tried to create misunderstanding between the BSP and the Samajwadi Party but they failed, Mayawati said. "This alliance has been formed after due consideration and will last long," she asserted. Mayawati exhorted the electorate to ensure BJP state unit president Mahendra Nath Pandey, in the fray for the Chandauli seat, losses his deposit. Mayawati said the amount of work the BSP and the SP have done for the sisters and daughters of the state had not been done by any other party. She said when in power her government had taken steps to connect Naxal infested areas with development works. "Instead of killing Naxals, we extended employment and food. We gave employment to the poor people of Sonebhadra (naxal infested area) and later the SP government did a lot of work in this direction," she said. Stating that SP president Akhilesh Yadav had put in a lot of effort to ensure BSP candidates fared well in the polls, Mayawati said it was the BSP's moral responsibility to ensure the victory of SP candidate from Chandauli. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, in his address, said the 'mahagathbandhan' had wiped off the BJP in the six phases of polling because of which their leaders were having sleepless nights. "As May 23 is nearing, their (BJP) fear is rising," he said. Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Akhilesh said, "He (Modi) wants to teach us about socialism. Says that Samajwadis do not know anything about socialism. I want to say the PM will have a lot of time after two days. We will send some books of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia. He will get to know a lot about India once he reads 'Hindu Banam Hindu' and 'Itihas chakra'. "If he doesnt read them, he will not know about those for whom this alliance has been formed. Poor, Dalits, backwards, minorities who have not got their rights... This alliance has been made to get them their rights," he said. "Those who want to break this alliance will themselves get broken," he averred. The SP president said in the past five years the prime minister had pushed the country backwards in the race for development and harmed the economy. "Modi is not the prime minister of mine or yours, he is the prime minister of one per cent rich people," he claimed. Singapore: Piracy and sea robbery incidents in the South East Asia region have sharply declined by 62 per cent to 76 incidents from 2015-2018, according to a Singapore-based multi-national maritime security information centre which links ships and ocean monitoring with 41 countries, including India. An average of 1,700 incidents per year were reported for the last few years in the immediate region of Singapore, noted Singapore's Senior Minister of State for Defence Maliki Bin Osman as the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) provided insights into its monitoring efforts at the International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference here. From 2015 to 2018, piracy and sea robbery incidents in the region have declined from 200 to 76 incidents, which is a drop of 62 per cent. In particular, there has been a 92 per cent drop in piracy and sea robbery incidents in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore, The IFC reported. "This is a tip of the iceberg, as there are more cases which go unreported, adding to the magnitude and complexity of the problem," said Maliki, recalling the 2008 deadliest attack on several locations in Mumbai by terrorists who made their way from Pakistan by boat to carry out the coordinated attack in Mumbai. Felicitating IFC on its 10th anniversary, Maliki underlined that information-sharing continues to be relevant, and more critical than before. "There are many 'unknown unknowns' in the maritime environment such as unidentified vessels, unreported illegal activities, and smuggling routes," he pointed out. "In fact, what happens in your immediate waters could invariably affect the security of mine. Information sharing can bridge these information and time gaps, by providing actionable information to the correct parties, for operational responses," he pointed. "This is why the IFC was established:, he stressed, adding that it was born out of necessity in 2009 to help manage the full range of mairitime security threats in this region." The IFC is one of the most comprehensive maritime monitoring set up and brings together Open & Analysed Shipping Information System with India's Maritime Surveillance Information System, Italy's Virtual Regional Maritime Traffic Centre and Brazil's Maritime Traffic Information System. It has upgraded its Real-time Information-Sharing System (IRIS) which was launched on 14 May 2019 at the Changi Command and Control Centre where it is hosted by the Republic of Singapore Navy. Over the last decade, the IFC has been at the forefront of providing actionable information to cue responses by regional and international navies, coast guards and other maritime agencies to deal with the full range of Maritime Security (MARSEC) threats and incidents."While the IFC's model has served as us well, we must continuously seek ways to stay relevant. In today's digital age, information flows much faster and easier across multiple domains," said Maliki. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: An Indian-origin man in the US has been indicted for committing wire fraud to the tune of USD 98 million, the Department of Justice said on Friday. The 34-count indictment charges Gopalkrishna Pai from Texas, previously residing in Puerto Rico, of being engaged in a scheme to defraud merchant processors and others by submitting false information and falsified documentation to create merchant accounts in the name of straw companies to process credit card and electronic payments and to receive a substantial financial benefit. The fraudulent scheme employed by Pai disguised his involvement and use of over 100 companies formed to facilitate the processing of approximately USD 98 million in gross revenue in online retail sales, the Department of Justice alleged. As a part of the conspiracy, Pai owned and operated F9 Advertising LLC (F9), a for profit limited liability company organised in Puerto Rico in May 2014 and registered under the Export Services Act, Puerto Rico Act 20 of 2012. F9 engaged in the sale of personal care products, including skin creams, through the internet utilising a negative option marketing model. Negative option marketing is a category of commercial transactions in which sellers interpret a customer's failure to take an affirmative action, either to reject an offer or cancel an agreement, as assent to be charged for goods or services. Pai allegedly created over 100 liability companies (Straw Companies), obtained individual Employer ID Numbers (EINs) from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for each Straw Company and opened individual commercial bank accounts under his control for each straw company. False documents were then created and submitted to merchant processers to create merchant accounts to process online sales, and to disguise Gopalkrishna Pai's involvement. Federal prosecutors alleged that the true owner and operator of the Straw Companies was disguised through the falsification of bank records and EIN tax documents and other information in order to prevent merchant processors and their related financial institutions from having knowledge of the true owner and operator, which was the defendant. Credit card and other payments processed by the merchant processors were paid to accounts in the name of the Straw Companies, controlled by the defendant, and transferred to F9. As part of the scheme to defraud the merchant processors, Pai exchanged email communications and internet transmissions through interstate wire to submit documents, including applications, containing materially false representations and falsified documentation, which included real individuals' personal identification information like names, social security numbers and signatures. This fraud scheme and conspiracy generated approximately USD 98 million in total revenue, processed based on materially false information, through the Merchant Processors in the names of the Straw Companies. "This individual took advantage of Puerto Rico and Law 20 to create a company, F9 Advertising, to generate significant revenue through a fraudulent scheme based on lies and falsified documents," US Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodrguez-Vlez said. "The indictment underscores the USAO's commitment to the investigation and prosecution of all types of fraud and to our continued efforts to ensure that Puerto Rico is not a safe haven for criminal activity," she said. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In a shocking incident, Congress leader and former district president of JD(S) Reshma Padekanura was found in Krishna River near Kolhar of Basavanabagewadi taluk of the district on Friday. Police suspect that Reshma was murdered on Thursday night and her body was thrown in the river. According to reports, she was last seen with All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party leader from Maharashtra Toufik in his car on Thursday night. Police said Reshmas husband has blamed Toufiq, alleging that they had a property dispute. He added that Reshma had gone to meet Toufiq on Thursday and she had got into the car with him. Before joining the Congress, Reshma served as the JD(S) district president of womens wing for over a decade. She also contested from Devarahipparagi assembly constituency on a JD(S) ticket in 2013 but lost the elections. After JD (S) leaders denied her a ticket in the last assembly polls, she had quit the party and joined the Congress. She had also alleged that she was sidelined by the JD(S) even after serving for years. For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Are you a social media buff? Do you have great expertise in transforming some boring photographs into dream-worthy Instagram posts? If the answer is 'yes' to the above questions, your dream job is waiting for you. Yes! Buckingham Palace, the London residence and administrative headquarters of Britain's royal family, is currently looking for a social media manager. The key responsibility of the 'digital communication officer' will be finding "new ways to maintain the Queen's presence in the public eye and on the world stage", according to the job listing website of the royal household. Other duties in the role include managing the daily news flow on digital and social networking platforms, creating content, as well as researching and writing features. "This is your opportunity to use your digital expertise to deliver the exceptional," the job post read. The job advert comes months after Queen Elizabeth II posted her first Instagram post during a visit to London's Science Museum. Taking to the official Instagram handle - @TheRoyalFamily - the Queen wrote, "Today, as I visit the Science Museum, I was interested to discover a letter from the Royal Archives, written in 1843 to my great-great-grandfather Prince Albert". The selected candidate will be paid a mouth-watering salary of A30,000 (approximately Rs 26,84,280) and provided with some attractive facilities such as 15 per cent employer contribution pension scheme (after six months), 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays), free lunch and access to training and development to support professional development. The job, which is located at Buckingham Palace, require the employee to work 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. An ideal candidate should possess an educated degree, good photography skills along with natural communication skills. The interested candidates should apply for the social media manager position before midnight on 26 May. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Badrinath: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday paid obeisance and performed puja at Badrinath temple on the second day of his two-day visit to Uttarakhand. He reached Badrinath after spending around 20 hours in the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath. Modi offered prayers at innermost sanctum in Badrinath, another temple in Uttarakhand's 'char dham' religious circuit, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Earlier, PM Modi thanked the Election Commission for granting him permission to visit the Kedarnath shrine at a time when the model code of conduct is in force. Modi, who spent around 17 hours at a holy cave near the shrine, offered prayers and performed puja at the temple. He told reporters he did not ask for anything while praying as it is not his nature. "God has given us capacity to give and not demand," he said. He said may the almighty bless not only India but the whole humankind with happiness, prosperity and welfare. "I am fortunate to visit the temple on multiple occasions," he said while thanking the media for taking out time to visit Kedarnath at a time when the poll process is underway. The media's presence, he said, will send a message that the town has been developed well. Referring to the ongoing development works at the temple town, Modi said development should be a mission in which nature, environment and tourism should not be affected. He said he has been reviewing the work through video-conferencing. Modi reached the temple town Saturday. Dressed in a grey traditional pahari attire, he offered prayers for about 30 minutes and undertook a circumambulation of the Kedarnath shrine situated at a height of 11,755 feet near the Mandakini river. The prime minister then went inside a cave near the shrine to meditate. Draped in a saffron shawl, Modi was seen meditating at the holy cave. The prime minister also took stock of development work in the temple town. This is Modi's fourth visit to the temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in the last two years. The portals of Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines reopened for devotees earlier this month after the winter break. The Election Commission gave its nod to the visit while "reminding" the Prime Minister's Office that the model code of conduct is still in force. Washington: Describing the nature of America's ongoing trade tension with China as a "little squabble", US President Donald Trump on Tuesday hoped that the world's top two economies would be able reach an agreement. Trumps remarks came as trade war between the US and China escalated after Trump last Friday increased the import duty on Chinese products worth USD 200 billion from 10 per cent to 25 per cent. He has also started the process of a similar increase on the remaining Chinese imports of over USD 300 billion. China retaliated by slapping tariffs on USD 60 billion worth of US imports. "We're having a little squabble with China," Trump told reporters on the South Lawns of the White House before boarding Marine 1. He said the tension with China stemmed from them "treating us very unfairly and predicted "we will be successful". "I think it's going to turn out extremely well, we're in a very strong position," Trump said. The President also described his relationship with President Xi Jinping of China as "extraordinary". "The relationship I have with President Xi is extraordinary... but he's for China and I'm for the USA. It's very, very simple," he said. Trump also boasted about the relative health of the US economy. "Our economy is fantastic. Theirs is not so good," he said of China. Trump was asked about the talks with China having "collapsed". He rejected that characterisation. "We have a very good dialogue... it'll always continue. We had a deal that was very close and then they broke it," he said. The economy is doing very well by every measure, Trump said and he described it as "probably the greatest economy... in the history of our country". On the Middle East, Trump called The New York Times story on the US preparing plans to send 120,000 troops to the Middle East "fake news". But he did say "I would do it", and would actually send "a hell of a lot more". The 11th round of talks in Washington ended Friday with no deal, but Chinese Vice Premier Liu He said that the negotiations had not broken down. Trump has been demanding that China reduce the massive trade deficit which last year climbed to over USD 539 billion. He is also pressing for verifiable measures for protection of intellectual property rights (IPR), technology transfer and more access to American goods to Chinese markets. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) will release 572 Pakistani prisoners languishing in its jails under an amnesty during the ongoing holy month of Ramazan, according to a media report. Pakistans Foreign Office spokesperson Muhammad Faisal said on Thursday that the UAE government will release the prisoners under an amnesty announced by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. ?Subsequent to the order of the president of the UAE to pardon 3005 prisoners, serving sentences in different jails of the UAE under various categories, the government of the UAE has decided to release 572 Pakistani prisoners,? he was quoted as saying by the Geo TV. He said that the Pakistani mission is in touch with local authorities to expedite their release and deportation to Pakistan. Our mission is extending all necessary assistance, including the issuance of outpasses/passports and air tickets, where required,? he said. Currently, around 2,409 Pakistani nationals are in eight UAE jails, facing imprisonment in different minor and major crimes, he added. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Hitting back at the opposition for criticising Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakurs candidature for the Lok Sabha elections, BJP chief Amit Shah said that it was a satyagraha against a fake case of Bhagwa terror (saffron terror). Pragya Thakur's candidature is a 'satyagraha' against a fake case of bhagwa (saffron) terror. I want to ask Congress, some people were earlier arrested in Samjhauta Express who were related to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and later released. A compensation of Rs 5 lakh was given to them as part of votebank politics. A fake case of 'bhagwa terror' was made in which accused were released by the court, Shah said while addressing the BJPs press conference in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The entire Hindu community was defamed and Congress president should tender an apology for this," he added. Thakur, who is out on bail in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, is the BJPs candidate from Bhopal who is facing challenge from senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. Reacting to Thakurs remarks hailing Mahatma Gandhis assassin Nathuram Godse as patriot, Shah said the party will take appropriate action against her. Party has served her a show cause notice and asked her (Sadhvi) to reply within 10 days. After she files a reply, party's disciplinary committee will take appropriate action, he said. Earlier in the day, PM Modi had said that he will never forgive Thakur for insulting Mahatma Gandhi by calling his assassin a true patriot. "The remarks made about Gandhiji or Nathuram Godse are very bad and very wrong for society," he said. "She has sought an apology but I would never be able to forgive her fully," he added. Shah exuded confidence that Narendra Modi will return as the prime minister on May 23 and added that the BJP would win over 300 seats. New Delhi: One suspected terrorist was neutralised in an encounter with security forces in Kashmirs Sopore of Baramulla on Saturday. The identity and affiliation of person was yet to ascertained, the J&K Police said. Arms and ammunition have been recovered from the site of encounter. In the anti-militancy operation, the spokesman said, a cordon and search operation was launched by security forces in the Hathlangoo area of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district. During the search operation, terrorists fired upon the forces, triggering an encounter, he said. One terrorist was killed in the gun battle, he added. The body of the slain terrorist was retrieved from the site of the encounter and his identity and affiliation was yet to be ascertained, the spokesman said. He said incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, was recovered from the site of the encounter. In another operation, three terrorists, including the one who was part of a group of ultras involved in the killing of Army jawan Aurangzeb last year, were on Saturday gunned down in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, the police said. Three Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terrorists were killed in a pre-dawn operation by security forces in Pulwama district of south Kashmir. He said based on a credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched by the police and security forces in the early hours of Saturday in the Panzgam area of Awantipora in Pulwama. During the search operation, the hiding terrorists fired on the search party of the forces, who retaliated, leading to an encounter, he said. In the ensuing encounter, the spokesman said, three terrorists were killed. He said they have been identified as Showkat Dar of Panzgam, Irfan War of Wadoora Payeen, Sopore, and Muzaffar Sheikh of Tahab, Pulwama. "All the three killed terrorists, according to the police records, were affiliated with proscribed terror outfit HM. They were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of terror crimes, including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. Several terror crime cases were registered against them," he said. As per police records, the spokesman said, Dar had a long history of terror crime records. "He was involved in planning and executing series of terror attacks in the area and many other civilian atrocities. He was part of a group involved in the killing of Army jawan Aurangzeb in 2018. He was also involved in the killing of a policeman Aqib Ahmad Wagay last year. Several terror crime cases were registered against him," he said. Aurangzeb was abducted and later killed by militants in Pulwama in June last year while he was on his way to home in Poonch for celebrating Eid. The spokesman said War was part of terror groups responsible for conspiring and executing attacks on security establishments and civilian atrocities in the area. "Accordingly, terror crime cases were registered against him (War)," he said. "Similarly, Sheikh, as per police records, was also involved in several terror attacks on security establishments in the area. Several criminal cases were registered against him for terrorist activities," he added. Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, were recovered from the site of the encounter, the spokesman said. The police have registered a case and the material has been taken in the case records for the purpose of investigation, he added. The spokesman said with the efforts of police and security forces, it was a clean operation and no collateral damage took place during the encounter. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Congress on Saturday asked the Election Commission not to grant Prime Minister Narendra Modi permission to travel with his motorcade here on polling day as this would amount to a roadshow, a "violation" of the poll code. In a letter to the Election Commission and the local poll authority, the party's district unit said in such a situation its own candidate would also be forced to move about in a cavalcade which could lead to "unnecessary confrontation". Modi, who is seeking re-election from Varanasi constituency, is expected to spend at least a part of the day in Badrinath. The Congress said it had learnt that the prime minister would stay in Varanasi on Sunday and his movement might even affect traffic, which would cause hindrance to voters trying to reach polling booths. It said that even if his cavalcade moved without affecting or halting traffic, it would still seem like he was holding a roadshow and asked the poll body not to grant him permission for it. Congress district unit president Prajanath Sharma said it would create a situation of an undeclared roadshow being held during the period when canvassing by candidates is restricted. He claimed that in Maninagar, Ahmedabad, Modi he merely gone to vote, but his party had planned a roadshow with a prearranged crowd. Sharma claimed the prime minister had also waved to crowd standing on a moving vehicle. The party claimed that a large number of outsiders were staying in Varanasi's hotels, guesthouses and even in BJP leaders' houses despite the canvassing being over and demanded that a raid be conducted at these places to remove them from the city. New Delhi: National Security Advisors (NSA) of eight countries will meet in New Delhi on November 10 over the threat posed by the Taliban, a terror group in Afghanistan. Invitations were sent to Pakistan, China including Russia, Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. While Pakistan refused to attend the meeting only last week, China has now distanced itself from it. The meeting will be chaired by India's NSA Ajit Doval. The NSA of the countries attending the meeting are said to be discussing the security of their countries' interests from the threat posed in Afghanistan. In addition, there will be a talk of formulating a common security policy. China has sent a letter saying that their NSA will not be able to attend the meeting due to other engagements. However, China has called for cooperation and dialogue with India on the Afghanistan issue. Sources said, the meeting will hold extensive discussions on terrorism, radicalization and extremism, cross-border movement, drug production and smuggling, and possible use of weapons and equipment released by the US and its allies under a regional security dialogue to address the challenges faced since the Taliban rule in Afghanistan. Tamil Nadu Ex-CM Panneerselvam writes to PM Modi to release funds for flood relief Nepal's army chief will be given the title of 'General' of the Indian Army Nirhua-Amrapali's Chhath song created stir as it releases Jakarta: After 50USD of the country's population has been fully vaccinated against the virus, Indonesia will begin administering Covid-19 booster shots, according to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin. "Booster vaccination is a touchy subject when it comes to equality. There are still some countries that lack access to Covid-19 vaccines "At a parliamentary hearing on Monday, Sadikin stated. According to reports, because Indonesia has reached 39% of the current second doses of vaccines, Sadikin said the booster would begin at the end of December, rather than the original plan of starting in early 2022. Booster vaccines will be given to the elderly with a higher mortality rate first, and then to the poor for free, while others will have to pay for their shots. Outside of Java and Bali, the Indonesian government has extended its public mobility restrictions, known locally as PPKM, from November 9 to 22, citing a reduction in transmission of up to 97.5 percent since the second wave of coronavirus infection peaked in July. The restrictions in Java and Bali, meanwhile, have been extended until November 15. Covid-19 pandemic widens economic disparities in the United States: Powell Moon Jae-in assures complete return to normalcy before presidency ends Covid-19 UK: Another 32,322 new cases are reported in the United Kingdom Tehran: Iran's Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, said that normalising trade relations with Tehran was one of the commitments made by its counterparts in the 2015 nuclear agreement, and that the obligation's fulfilment must be discussed in the Vienna talks. In a phone call with his British counterpart Elizabeth Truss, Amir Abdollahian reportedly made the remarks. The diplomats discussed bilateral issues, regional issues, and the upcoming Vienna talks aimed at reviving the Iranian nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, according to an official briefing released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry (JCPOA). Since former President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran, Amir Abdollahian has emphasised the US's role in bringing the deal to its current state. He went on to say that "some parties" outside of Washington have contributed to the current situation through their "irresponsibility and silence" in response to Washington's actions. Amir Abdollahian stressed the importance of London playing a "more active role" in increasing trade volume and facilitating financial relations between Iran and the UK. Iran warns that unless Biden provides guarantees, nuclear talks will fail Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visit to Pakistan Lebanon is eager to strengthen its best ties with Saudi Arabia Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia's Foreign Ministry announced on Tuesday that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will visit Indonesia for the first time this week. According to reports, Ismail Sabri's visit to the neighbouring country from Tuesday to Thursday is his first since taking office in August. During his visit, the Prime Minister will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who will be accompanied by several cabinet members. In a statement, the Ministry said, "It will provide an opportunity for leaders to advance collaboration toward effective recovery as two immediate neighbours deal with the impacts of the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic." During his visit, Ismail Sabri will meet with members of Indonesia's business community, the Malaysian diaspora in Indonesia, and a defence industry facility, according to the statement. Indonesia to begin giving Covid booster doses, post 50-pc populace fully inoculated Covid-19 pandemic widens economic disparities in the United States: Powell Iran Foreign Minister urges normalisation of trade ties in Vienna Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed inaugurated the rebuilt Shri Param Hans Ji Maharaj temple in Karak, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Diwali and congratulated the community on the occasion, according to reports. Justice Gulzar, speaking at the inaugural ceremony on Monday, said that the Supreme Court has always taken steps to protect minorities' rights and would continue to do so in the future, according to the report. According to the report, he stated that the Hindu community has the same rights as people of other religions under the Constitution. Everyone loves their holy places, according to the CJP, and no one has the authority to harm anyone's religious place. He went on to say that the Supreme Court guarantees minorities the protection of their religious freedom, calling it a constitutional duty to do so. Ramesh Kumar, Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council and a PTI leader, spoke on the occasion and expressed gratitude to the Chief Justice for taking timely notice of the Karak incident. The Evacuee Property Trust Board is in charge of temple maintenance, he said. Taliban pledges military action in case Pakistan discussions with TTP fail Gulzar Ahmed to celebrate Diwali in same temple which was demolished by Muslims last year 6 terrorists acquitted in terror funding case, Hafiz Saeed's brother-in-law also involved Pakistan: Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan's Taliban government, will visit Pakistan in the coming days as part of efforts by both sides to rebuild ties following the fall of Kabul, According to reports. If Muttaqi goes ahead with his Pakistan visit, experts on Afghan affairs told the Global Times on Monday, it will be another step toward regional recognition of the Taliban government. The Taliban government's Interim Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister arrived in Moscow on October 20 to attend Russia's Moscow International Conference on Afghanistan. It was the Taliban's first visit to Moscow and meeting with senior Kremlin officials since seizing control of Kabul in August. Muttaqi's visit to Pakistan is likely to be transactional, according to Zhu Yongbiao, Director of Lanzhou University's Center for Afghanistan Studies, who told the Global Times on Monday that the visit will focus on practical issues of mutual concern, such as the Afghan Taliban's role as a mediator between the Pakistani government and the Pakistani Taliban. Because of the special relationship and historical entanglement between the Taliban and Pakistan, which was once considered by the international community to be the first country to recognise the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, he said the timing and choice of country for this visit was not surprising. India to hold crucial meeting on Taliban crisis, Russia-Iran to join, China-Pak distances itself Taliban pledges military action in case Pakistan discussions with TTP fail Taliban foreign minister to visit Pakistan in August In the Nawalpur district of the Gandaki province, academics are assembled to talk about what they call their dream project. Having seen how poor the state of universities in Nepal is, these academics who have studied in top universities in various parts of the world are talking about establishing a new university. They want their dream, Nepal University, to be different from other universities in Nepal in all forms. Rigorous homework At the forefront of the project is Kedar Bhakta Mathema, an educationist and former vice-chancellor of Tribhuvan University. He says they want this project to be a success as they want to set up a foundation for the coming generation so that they do not have to suffer what the earlier generation has. Im excited about this project as is everyone here. Im hopeful this will be a success, says Mathema. To move the project ahead, over 40 academics from various fields met local politicians and elected representatives from Nawalpur, where they plan to set up the university. They discussed the challenges, opportunities and goals of the university along with sharing the design and what they aimed to achieve with this project. Over a dozen such discussions have been held since the project was envisioned over four years ago in which they have met national and international stakeholders, local representatives and national and international academics. The designer of the project, Dr Arjun Karki, says these consultations are necessary for such a mega project to be a success. He says that Nepal University will be a place where students will get more than just bookish knowledge. They will learn about skill development along with developing a conscience that will be important for Nepal in the long run. We want to discuss things without prejudice and create a place of learning for all. For that, we need to have discourses with everyone involved, says Dr Karki. Present at the discussions were lecturers and professors who have envisioned such a university for years. Arjun Karki, Pratyoush Onta, Dr Anup Subedee, Pramod Dhakal, Chaitanya Mishra, and Krishna Kumar Pandey were a few notable names present at a recent meeting. Were on the right track, said veteran civil society leader Devendra Raj Pandey at the meeting, adding to start such an ambitious project, every academic in the country should be consulted. Pandey is over 80, but he spoke with energy and enthusiasm as if he was still in his prime. That seemed to motivate every other academic present at the hall. Academics and locals were divided into different groups; all of them discussed the same topic and came up with a conclusion which was then discussed by everyone. Even though there were many positives, the academics mentioned that they might suffer initially as they lacked political support. But, that was seen as a positive thing as it would mean that the university was impartial and would be free from political appointments that Kathmandu and Tribhuvan universities normally see. Importance of the discourse Dr Arjun Karki who was instrumental in starting Patan Academy of Health Sciences is leading the Nepal University project with various other academics. Academics present at the recent discussion said through the Nepal University, they wanted to create enough human resources for Nepal. They said current universities were poor in so many aspects, and critical thinking at the leadership level was lacking throughout the country. They wanted to fill this gap and help take the country forward, they said. They said it was important to hold a discussion on every aspect from law to development as discourses would help make the law and the project better. They also stated how the current universities were narrow-minded as they did not teach liberal intelligence that was needed in the modern world. They said the Nepal University would not be doing that as it aimed at creating human resources that understood Nepal and its languages, culture, geography, history, tradition and religion. These academics are still looking for a proper framework on how to do this in todays modern world. Environmentalist Uttam Babu Shrestha says everyone knows it is going to be hard, but they are only talking about things that they can achieve now. We want to achieve what we have said. That way, we want to set a precedent, he says. It is believed that a university plays an important role in creating think tanks and skilled human resources. However, in Nepal, that cannot be entirely true, say these academics. This discourse we held here is trying to do exactly that. Trying to find out why Nepal has not been producing skilled human resources and why its not been able to hold on to them, says Karki, adding they want to create a model university that can be later be emulated by others. Through these discourses, they also want to create a curriculum that will fill the gap in the Nepali education system as they are holding focused and meaningful discussions. A former dean of the Kathmandu Universitys School of Law, Bipin Adhikari is also a part of the project. He says even though they know what they want to do, they still are not sure how to do it and that is why these discussions are necessary. He says these events teach what to do when there are hindrances along the way and come up with solutions. We can collectively come up with solutions to problems, which is important as new topics that we might have missed are also put forward, says Adhikari. Researcher Surya Raj Acharya, who is also a part of the team, says these discussions will help make people aware of what they are trying to do and achieve. This is a model project and all model projects need these discussions to set a base and help us stop making wrong decisions which might hamper projects like these, says Acharya. The dream university A lot of people are hopeful that Nepal University will be a success. Although people cannot predict the future, looking at the team, the framework, background, mindset and its foundation, people are hopeful. There are a few reasons to be hopeful too. One of these reasons is Dr Arjun Karki who founded the Patan Academy of Health Sciences, who is associated with the project. His success with the Patan Academy of Health Sciences is giving people hope. The project is also constantly consulting national and international experts to formulate a framework on how to do things. Nepal University is a dream of a number of energetic and passionate academics. Were sure that well leave a mark when we start this project, says Devendra Raj Pandey. The academics have already started discussing curricula too as experts from each field talk about the difficulties and challenges they might face while teaching these courses at the university. But, it is not going to be as easy. Currently, four universities want themselves to get established in Nepal. But, none of these universities has held such discourses Nepal University is holding currently. Nor are they talking to local, provincial and central governments about it. The director of the Heritage Management Department at the University of Ahmedabad, Nil Kamal Chapagain, says he joined the project because he was excited by the idea of such an institution. The people associated there have worked in reputed institutions across the world. They want to change the education system of the country and Im glad to be a part of it, he says. Other universities in Nepal do claim they are different too. But, Nepal University is working to prove it is different. However, the academics do understand it will be a challenge to set them apart from the rest. To do so, they say they will be evaluating the mistakes done by universities so as not to repeat them. The dream seems quite close as the central governments Education Secretary Ram Prasad Thapaliya says it is possible to commence the university if there is a proper strategy in place. He says once a strategy is in place, the ministry can start efforts to draft a bill. Elected local representatives of the area have also pledged that they would be helping out in whatever way they could during the constriction of the university. Challenges galore Until now, the academics have designed what the Nepal University will look like, held multiple discussions and formed a team of experienced academics. But, the real challenge starts now as an act is yet to be made. The good thing is that they have made a committee to look into this, but when the act will be made is anyones guess as the country does not have political stability. For that to happen, these academics need political support. But, they have been stating from the start that they will not let politics interfere in the university so this, according to many, is going to be a huge challenge. Another problem will be acquiring land, and Dr Karki is fully aware of what a big hassle that is going to be. We are aware this is not a simple task. But, weve dealt with a lot of challenges until now and are sure well have to face even more in the future. That said, were not giving up, says Dr Karki. But, will it get students? Thousands of Nepalis leave Nepal for abroad for their higher education, as they do not think Nepals education is up to standard. This leaves them with a major problem of ensuring that students enrol in their university. What makes it even more difficult is the university will be established in Nawalpur, which is far away from the Kathmandu valley. This is sure to make it less attractive to students. But, Dr Karki says he is aware of this and has plans in place of making the university attractive for students by bringing placement opportunities to students. He wants to make Gaindakot and Nawalpur an educational hub as they want to develop other areas as well. We want graduates from the university to work with us and become educators. Surely, a lot will go work in industries, organisations and businesses, but we also want them to become educators as it will help us shape the next generations of teachers in the country, says Dr Karki. " " An 1872 portrait of Fyodor Dostoevsky, from the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow, Russia. VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images On Dec. 22, 1849, a 28-year-old Fyodor Dostoevsky was marched from a dank St. Petersburg jail into the bitter cold and placed before a firing squad. In a minute, Dostoevsky thought, he would be dead. He had published two novels the first a success, the next a flop but there was so much more he wanted to say and do. As the executioners raised their rifles, a horse and cart pulled up waving a white flag. Czar Nicholas, a messenger reported, had spared Dostoevsky's life along with those of his fellow radicals. They would instead spend the next four years in a Siberian hard labor camp, a living hell instead of a sudden death. Dostoevsky returned from Siberia a changed man. He had come face to face with his own mortality and had seen depths of cruelty that man can inflict and endure. But unlike some of his contemporaries, he didn't lose faith. In fact, his belief in God and the redemptive power of love were never stronger. "Our image of Dostoevsky as this scowling, sickly Russian writer of weighty novels obscures a more nuanced picture of the real man," says Alex Christofi, author of "Dostoevsky in Love: An Intimate Life," a literary biography of the Russian novelist. Yes, Dostoevsky suffered from crippling epileptic seizures and struggled with a gambling addiction, but he was also a devoted family man who found the love of his life with his second wife and close collaborator, Anna. Some of his most famous works include "The Brothers Karamazov," "Notes from Underground" and "Crime and Punishment," books that shaped existentialism and even psychology. Let's get to know the real Dostoevsky through five revealing quotes from his life and literature: Advertisement 1. "Literature is a picture, or rather in a certain sense both a picture and a mirror." In 1846, Dostoevsky wrote to a friend exulting about the success of his very first book, "Poor Folk," from which the above quote comes. The book had just been published to rave reviews and lucrative sales. "If I began to recount all my successes for you, I would run out of paper," he wrote. "Overnight, he became a literary sensation," says Christofi. " " Fyodor Dostoevsky, circa 1865. Among the writers and philosophers he influenced were Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, Anton Chekhov, Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus. adoc-photos/Corbis via Getty Images Dostoevsky's life to that point hadn't been easy. He grew up in Moscow, spending most of his childhood at a hospital for the poor where his father was a doctor. At school, he got lost in daydreams and was bullied by more aristocratic classmates. Dostoevsky's mother died of tuberculosis when he was 15, and his father was murdered two years later. Orphaned, Dostoevsky managed to graduate from a military academy and become an army engineer ("not a very good one," says Christofi), but what he really wanted to do is write like his literary hero Nikolai Gogol. So, he wrote a manuscript of what would become "Poor Folk," and a friend got it into the hands of a big-name literary critic, Vissarion Belinsky, who thought it was a work of genius. With the success of his first novel, Dostoevsky was briefly embraced by the Russian literati and quit his engineering job with the military. But when his follow-up novel floundered, his new literary "friends" turned on him, poking fun at his odd mannerisms and way of speaking. Dostoevsky was always small, pale and physically weak, and his first symptoms of epilepsy appeared in his teenage years. "Soon Dostoevsky fell into a much more dangerous, revolutionary group of writers who had a salon where they discussed ideas that challenged the czar, which was a huge no-no," says Christofi. This is when Dostoevsky's real troubles began. Full quote: "Literature is a picture, or rather in a certain sense both a picture and a mirror; it is an expression of emotion, a subtle form of criticism, a didactic lesson and a document." "Poor Folk" (1846) Advertisement 2. "A murder by sentence is far more dreadful than a murder committed by a criminal." The above line comes from "The Idiot," a novel published decades after Dostoevsky's near execution and four-year ordeal in Siberia, but it reflects how his life was forever impacted by his arrest and imprisonment. Dostoevsky and his circle of dissident thinkers were ratted out by an undercover officer of the czar's secret police. Found guilty of trumped up "conspiracy" charges Czar Nicholas feared a coup like the failed 1825 Decembrist Revolt Dostoevsky and his friends were sentenced to death by firing squad. The last-minute reprieve was later revealed to be part of a choreographed "mock execution" meant to inflict psychological torture on the prisoners and evoke a misplaced sense of gratitude for the "mercy" of the czar. While we can't know Dostoevsky's exact thoughts upon facing the firing squad, a character in "The Idiot" witnesses an execution by guillotine and puts himself in the place of the condemned man, saying, "[T]he strongest pain may not be in the wounds but in knowing for certain that in an hour, then in ten minutes, then in half a minute, then now, this second your soul will fly out of your body and you'll no longer be a man." Dostoevsky's four years in a Siberian prison were unspeakably gruesome. He was housed with the most dangerous criminals, and his hands were shackled 24/7. Conditions in the squalid, overcrowded cells were absolutely hellish, compounded for Dostoevsky by a prohibition against books. " " Dostoevsky once spent time in this heinous prison in Siberia, now open to tourists. Alexander Aksakov/Getty Images "He had the New Testament with him, though," says Christofi. "And prison was a time when Dostoevsky thought very deeply about his own spirituality as an Orthodox Christian. It's a theme that you see in the majority of his work, post-Siberia, including his greatest novels." Bonus quote: "Man is a creature that can get accustomed to anything, and I think that is the best definition of him." "The House of the Dead" (1861) Advertisement 3. "I would sooner remain with Christ than with the truth." By the time Dostoevsky was released from prison in 1854, some of the "radical" ideas that had so threatened the czar were now de rigueur among young European intellectuals and writers. "The fashionable thing at the time was atheism, and new political movements like socialism and utilitarianism, which rejected religion," says Christofi. "Against that backdrop, Dostoevsky was quite unusual in his staunch defense of Christian faith." In a letter he wrote from prison, he said that "if someone proved to me that Christ is outside the truth," he'd prefer to remain with Christ than with the truth. From his lifelong contact with the poor, Dostoevsky was sympathetic to the utopian movements that aimed to create a more egalitarian society, but he feared what would happen when God was unthroned and man was elevated in his place. Keep in mind that this was a half-century before the Bolshevik Revolution and the rise of a totalitarian communist regime that imprisoned and killed tens of millions under Stalin. "Dostoevsky felt very strongly that a socialism based in atheism would end in violence," says Christofi. "In that, I think he was very prophetic." Bonus quote: "lf there's no God and no life beyond the grave, doesn't that mean that men will be allowed to do whatever they want?" "The Brothers Karamazov" (1879) 4. "I admit that twice two makes four is an excellent thing, but if we are to give everything its due, twice two makes five is sometimes a very charming thing, too." This quote is pulled from "Notes From Underground" (1864), Dostoevsky's response to a wildly popular philosophical novel from another Russian writer, Nikolai Chernyshevsky, called "What Is To Be Done?" Chernyshevsky isn't a household name today, but back in the 1860s he influenced budding socialists, utilitarians and future communists with his utopian ideas. According to Chernyshevsky, human behavior is bound by the same rational, scientific laws as the rest of the universe. "If we all just pursue our rational self-interest, then the world will become a wonderful place and we can do away with irrational concepts like God," says Christofi. "But all of this is based on the idea that human beings are these clockwork creatures who will only ever do the thing that is most rational." In Dostoevsky's experience, that wasn't how people worked at all. As the quote above demonstrates, sometimes we can't resist saying that two and two is five, just to prove that we can. "Sometimes people will do something perverse, even if it's just to prove that they're free," says Christofi. Dostoevsky himself didn't always act in his rational self-interest. He was a gambler, for example. Today, we'd say that he had a gambling addiction, but Dostoevsky only knew that he couldn't pass up a game of roulette. Whether he was flush with cash or deep in debt, he gambled, and he lost far more than he won. There was nothing rational about such self-destructive behavior. The anonymous main character in "Notes from Underground" was a mess of contradictions, a "free" human who could barely function in society. If left to follow his "rational self-interest," the result would be chaos, not utopia. Dostoevsky continued the theme in "Crime and Punishment," the first of his great novels, in which a man's cruelly rational plans to murder an old woman for money go terribly wrong. Bonus quote: "There exists no greater or more painful anxiety for a man who has freed himself from all religious bias, than how he shall soonest find a new object or idea to worship." "The Brothers Karamazov" (1879) Advertisement 5. "What is hell? I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love." This quote comes from Dostoevky's last and greatest novel "The Brothers Karamazov." "We have this image of Dostoevsky as this prolific writer who's constantly scribbling at his desk or arguing with his contemporaries, but he actually devoted much of his life to finding a partner with whom he could start a family," says Christofi. " " Stenographer Anna Snitkina married Dostoevsky in 1867 soon after she helped him complete his novel "The Gambler," which he dedicated to her. Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images Dostoevsky first married a widow named Maria in 1857, but the two soon realized they were incompatible and miserable together. Maria died in 1864, the same year that Dostoevsky lost his brother, Mikhail, and Dostoevsky found himself financially responsible for Maria's son and Mikhail's family. Desperate to relieve himself of his and Mikhail's debts, Dostoevsky signed a contract to deliver a short new novel in one year, but he spent 11 months working on "Crime and Punishment" instead. With only one month left, he sought a stenographer to take notes in shorthand while he quickly dictated the novel. The woman he hired, 20-year-old Anna Grigoryevna Snitkina, would not only become his close literary collaborator and business partner, but also the love of his life. Anna and Fyodor married in 1867 and had four children, only two of whom survived to adulthood. "Having seen everything that he went through the mock execution, the prison in Siberia, his gambling addiction it does feel very rewarding to see him finally find love," says Christofi. With Anna at his side (and looking after his finances), Dostoevsky published "The Brothers Karamazov" in 1879. The sweeping epic was a monumental commercial success. "'The Brothers Karamazov' was a huge sensation at the time," says Christofi. "It made him one of the most famous and revered writers in Russia. When Dostoevsky died in 1881 [from epilepsy], there was a street procession of tens of thousands of people for his funeral in St. Petersburg. Passers-by asked if they were burying the czar." Bonus quote: "Beauty will save the world." "The Idiot" (1869) HowStuffWorks earns a small affiliate commission when you purchase through links on our site. Now That's Cool When Dostoevsky risked gambling all of their earnings away, Anna took over the business side of writing and built Dostoevsky into a national "brand," turning her husband into Russia's first self-published author. Cybersecurity OMB official reviews progress six months after the cyber EO A federal official tasked with overseeing the execution of the cybersecurity executive order the president signed six months ago said agencies have "come a long way" in meeting its aggressive deadlines and ambitious targets. Steven McAndrews, director of federal civilian cybersecurity for the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), said his office was working closely with agencies and industry partners after laying out a vision through a series of guidelines to help stakeholders improve their cyber posture. "Today is the 180-day mark of the cyber EO. We have come a long way in these six months," McAndrews said on Monday at ACT-IAC's Imagine Nation ELC 2021 conference. "We started establishing the policies that are going to get us to the end state that we're looking for." The executive order required all federal agencies to adopt multi-factor authentication and encryption for data at rest and in transit by Monday, 180 days after President Joe Biden announced the sweeping directives. OMB and its partners have meanwhile released a steady stream of guidance, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), instructing agencies on how to meet the requirements outlined in the executive order. Those guidance documents include a federal zero trust strategy OMB released earlier this year, which sets key security outcomes for agencies in order to establish baseline cybersecurity requirements. CISA has also launched multiple efforts to engage key stakeholders and ensure agencies were on track to meet deadlines, including a joint website with OMB covering zero trust implementation. McAndrews said OMB was planning to soon release new policies and guidelines that further address critical cybersecurity needs, while working to produce "logical timelines, roadmaps and metrics" designed to create consistency across the federal government. "The memos and the policies that we've put out tie directly to each of the sections laid out in the EO," he said. "There's copious amounts of deliverables throughout the [EO] and we've taken it piece-by-piece, one section at a time to make sure that we're addressing them and giving them our full attention and setting up policies to be successful at every agency." Even as McAndrews spoke, federal cyber officials were reacting to yet another major cyberattack, this one with links to China, in which a threat actor " successfully compromised at least nine global entities across the technology, defense, healthcare, energy and education industries," according to a report from the security firm Palo Alto Networks. Workforce Union complains of 'double standard' for fed and contractor vaccine mandates The American Federation of Government Employees wants the Biden-Harris administration to extend the deadline for federal employees to receive their vaccine to after the holiday season to align with the policy on federal contractor vaccinations. The request comes after a decision last week from the White House to extend the deadline for federal contractors to receive their vaccinations from Dec. 8 to Jan. 4, 2022, a move the administration says it took to align the contractor deadline with new requirements for some private employers and medical providers. Now there's a "double standard," AFGE president Everett Kelley wrote in a letter to Shalanda Young, acting director of the Office of Management and Budget, Kiran Ahuja, director of the Office of Personnel Management, and White House coronavirus response coordinator Jeff Zients on Tuesday. "While we share the administration's goal of beating the pandemic and appreciate the vital role of vaccination in this effort, setting different compliance deadlines for employees vis-a-vis contractors is both harmful to morale and substantively unjustified," he wrote. "Federal workers should be able to complete the holiday season without the threat of discipline looming over them." The contracting community and federal employees were never on the same vaccination deadline. Previously, contractors were under a Dec. 8 deadline, while feds are facing a quickly approaching deadline of being fully vaccinated by Nov. 22. Since that is a deadline for full vaccination, the last date for federal employees to receive either the one dose vaccine or the second round of a two dose vaccine Nov. 9. That means noncompliant feds could potentially start facing discipline from their agencies as of today. Regardless, Kelley wrote that it is "inexcusable" that contractors get the "entire holiday season" to meet the mandates, while feds don't. Feds would be able to use the holidays to "contemplate these important decisions," he wrote. "The effect upon morale of federal employees being subject to possible discipline at this time of year cannot be overstated," he wrote. Currently, only limited exceptions to the mandate are being offered for religious and medical exemptions. Kelley continued on to say that corrections officers working in the Bureau of Prisons are "understandably chagrined" that inmates are under no vaccine mandate, while officers themselves are. This isn't the only action taken on the vaccine front lately by AFGE, the largest union representing federal employees. On Oct. 31, AFGE Local 501, which represents federal prisons employees in Miami, and AFGE Council of Prisons Local 33, which represents Bureau of Prisons employees, filed a lawsuit challenging the mandate in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Other lawsuits, filed against the government's contractor vaccine mandate and the requirements from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) at the Department of Labor for certain private employers. A panel of judges on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the OSHA mandate on Nov. 6, but that ruling does not appear to affect contractors who work in federal facilities. The Biden administration will ask the court to lift the stay as the case proceeds. "So, this is an authority that we believe that Department of Labor has. We are very confident about it," Karine Jean-Pierre, principle deputy press secretary at the White House, said in a Monday news briefing. Workforce SSA plans to bring workers back to the office The Social Security Administration is working to bring its employees back to the office within months and return to "normal operations." The agency is going to implement the re-entry process across the agency "as soon as possible, including taking steps to increase in-person accessibility" in order to "improve service," Nicole Tiggemann at SSA's press office told FCW. This will be a change from the agency's pandemic operations, where it offered in-person appointments for beneficiaries in some situations, but relied largely on online, telephone and video service. Senior leadership, including the acting commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi, will start going to the office on Dec. 1, Tiggemann said. Republicans in Congress have pressed officials to cut back on maximum telework and restore in-person service, arguing that continued telework and the lack of face-to-face interactions have diminished government service delivery, especially at SSA. The plan allows for up to two days of telework a week for field office employees and four days per week for teleservice center employees starting on Jan. 3, 2022, according to Ralph de Juliis, president of American Federation of Government Employees Council 220, which represents 29,000 SSA employees in field offices and call centers. "We are encouraged that SSA has seen the impact of telework on the quality of our work and are proud to see telework continue for many of our portable workstations," de Juliis said. AFGE wants the agency to create an appointment-only schedule for in person visits to SSA offices, something it says would both mitigate COVID-19 transmission and improve service quality. SSA says that the acting commissioner "supports telework provided there is accountability and we can serve the public remotely as efficiently as we do in the office," Tiggermann said. "Agency leadership, including our deputy commissioners, have shared their telework decisions with their employees, and this is the starting point." SSA "is engaging with our employee unions around reentry and safety protocols," said Tiggermann. "The outcome of these negotiations will drive important reentry details, including when we will transition from our remote pandemic operations." AFGE locals representing SSA workers are looking to replace the current contract, which was finalized in 2019. The union is leaning on a Biden administration executive order rolling back much of the Trump administration's workforce policies, including aspects of union-agency relations. Over the summer, the agency identified what sections of the contract it deemed affected by the now-rescinded Trump policies and was therefore willing to bargain over. Telework was not one of them. De Juliis said that because telework wasn't on the table, SSA's safety and re-entry plan "grants too much power on whether or not to revoke telework to the whims of a local manager." American Airlines (AAL) welcomed 150 international flights Monday as the U.S. opened its borders to non-citizens who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. "We're seeing fantastic demand, 40,000 customers are coming inbound to the U.S. today," American Airlines President Robert Isom told Yahoo Finance Live. "People want to get out on the road," Isom said, predicting the surge to continue well into 2022. "There are families and grandparents that haven't seen, you know, children in a long time. Business people that really want to get out and make contact with customers, you know, it's all over the place." New CDC guidelines require non-citizen travelers to provide proof they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to boarding a flight to the U.S. All passengers, including U.S. citizens, are required to test negative for COVID-19 within three days of a flight's departure. American, like other airlines provides tools on its website and app to help passengers comply with the new COVID requirements. "It's really simple to use. It gives you great confidence that you're doing all the things you need to do. And so really I recommend for people to go out there, download the VerFly app, and we'll make sure you're going to get to where you want to go with everything you need," Isom promised. American Airlines bookings jumped '60% from the UK' Latin America and Europe are key to American's international recovery and bookings jumped, in September, when the Biden administration announced U.S. borders would open to foreigners. "We saw bookings increase immediately overnight by about 60% from the UK, and over 70% from South America and that kind of demand has continued on," Isom said. Westminster bridge and Elizabeth tower Big Ben view at the sunset, London England Other U.S. carriers are counting on a return of international travelers to help bring them back to profitability as the airlines ramp up flights for the holidays. Isom recently told investors, "We expect the domestic leisure revenues will surpass 2019 levels in the fourth quarter and continue that trend throughout 2022. Short-haul international revenues should follow that same pattern." American is the largest airline in the world when measured by fleet and number of total passengers but the legacy carriers and smaller airlines, regardless of size, say they need international travelers to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic which decimated their industry. Story continues Delta Air Lines (DAL) CEO Ed Bastian recently told Yahoo Finance the airline expects to end the year with roughly 75% of its business restored, compared to 2019. At United Airlines (UAL) the return of international travelers promises big returns. Raymond James analyst Savanthi Syth told Yahoo Finance, 50% of United's revenue in 2019 was tied to international trips. "If you look at their 2019 revenue, about 60% of their revenue was domestic, 40% International. But of that 60%, about 10 percentage points were domestic trips related to an international trip. So really 50, they're about 50-50, domestic International," she said. Syth says American's international sales in 2019 ranged between 25% and 30% of total revenue. The airline plans 200 daily flights to international destinations this month and plans to raise the daily number to 300 early next year. Isom said American is poised to take advantage of the travel rebound. "We see it coming. Domestic, especially leisure travel has been there. Throughout the pandemic we've been waiting for international to reopen, which it is now," he said adding the last piece of the puzzle is getting business travelers back in the air. "I fully anticipate that by the end of 2022 business travel is going to be back to where it was before" the pandemic, Isom predicted. "And that's good news for American Airlines," he said with a smile. Adam Shapiro is co-anchor of Yahoo Finance Live. Follow him on Twitter @Ajshaps Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Flipboard, and LinkedIn Annual Prize Honours Excellence in Journalism in Service of the Common Good TORONTO, Nov 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The Sidney Hillman Foundation is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Canadian Hillman Prize honouring excellence in investigative journalism in service of the common good. The Hillman Prize celebrates print, digital and broadcast reporting that highlights social or economic injustice and hopefully leads to meaningful public policy change. Winning entries will be judged on the following criteria: Significance of journalism in service of the common good Resourcefulness and courage in reporting Skill in relating the story and impact of the investigation Eligibility: Entries must be published or broadcast in 2021 and have been made widely available to a Canadian audience. Nominated material and a cover letter explaining how the entry meets the requirements can be submitted here. There is no fee to enter. The Canadian Hillman Prize winner(s) will be awarded a $5,000 honorarium and a certificate at our event to be held in-person in Toronto on March 24th (if the status of pandemic restrictions allow), as well as travel to New York City to be a guest at the U.S Hillman Prize ceremony if that is to occur in person. Honourable mentions will also be awarded. Previous Canadian Hillman Prize winners include the Globe and Mail, the Crackdown podcast, CBC's fifth estate, the Toronto Star, the Hamilton Spectator, the Calgary Herald, the Edmonton Journal, CBC/Radio-Canada and TVO. Judges: This year's Canadian judges are: Neil Docherty - internationally acclaimed documentary maker; Garvia Bailey - arts journalist, broadcaster and producer; and Bonnie Brown - documentary and news producer, CBC Radio and Television. Timeline: January 15, 2022 - Deadline for entry Mid-March, 2022 Winner(s) announced March 24, 2022 Winner(s) honoured at Canadian Hillman Prize ceremony - Toronto May 3, 2022 Winner(s) honoured at U.S. Hillman Prize ceremony - New York City Story continues "The Hillman Prize goes to journalists who safeguard truth, hold power to account, and ultimately illuminate a path towards greater understanding and meaningful social change," said Alex Dagg, Director for Public Policy for Airbnb, Canada and Northeast US and Hillman board member. "The global pandemic has only put into sharper focus the essential function journalism plays in our society, amidst overwhelming public disruption and an unprecedented need for reliable information. Canadian journalists have worked tirelessly and courageously on the front lines to help navigate this crisis. We are profoundly grateful for the necessary work you do and the difference you make." Since 1950, in the United States, and 2011 in Canada, the Sidney Hillman Foundation has honoured journalists, writers and public figures who pursue social justice and public policy for the common good. Sidney Hillman was the founding president of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union of America, a predecessor union of Workers United, SEIU. An architect of the New Deal, Hillman fought to build a vibrant union movement extending beyond the shop floor to all aspects of working people's lives. For more information about the Hillman Prize, please visit hillmanfoundation.org. SOURCE The Sidney Hillman Foundation Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/09/c5762.html The japanese crypto-to-FIAT exchange launched to allow users to buy and sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, Cardano, Litecoin, Dogecoin, Tether, USD Coin, BNB, Chainlink, EOS and Dash with USD in El Salvador using the financial system to deposit and withdraw in USD. BITPOINT El Salvador BITPOINT El Salvador BITPOINT El Salvador SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The platform is described as "state of the art in terms of crypto investments," from where it eases the buy and sell operations for the main crypto assets of the market with local currency available to all Salvadorans. BITPOINT has positioned itself as the most extended crypto exchange in Latin America, with local presence, support and partnerships with the financial system in 10 countries. It started regional activities four years ago and today has a presence in Guatemala, Panama, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and now El Salvador BITPOINT announced the partnership with a local bank to enable USD deposits and withdrawals. The exchange also offers deposits with Visa cards and PayPal The platform has real-time attention to users through WhatsApp, email and social networks, which also facilitates access to the crypto world for beginners, but also maintains a quick and timely response to advanced users requirements, which has made BITPOINT a leader in the crypto industry in users satisfaction. "Today we have a world-class platform available to crypto enthusiasts of all levels of sophistication in Latin America. We know that it is a time when many people are starting out in the crypto space, so we have done what it takes to create an intuitive and user-friendly experience, but also added professional features that the most experienced can operate with, and alliances with local banks to deposit and withdraw in local currency safely. There is a great advance in the ecosystem in technological, legal and financial inclusion matters promoted by the Presidency in El Salvador," said Julian Geovo, BITPOINT's Director of Operations for Latin America. Story continues BITPOINT is positioned as the door that connects the crypto world with the traditional financial system, allowing deposits and withdrawals of local currencies in the countries it operates, accompanying them with strict compliance processes, supported by cutting-edge technology in terms of KYC and permanent transactions monitoring. "We are proof that in crypto things can be done safely and correctly for the user and transparent for the authorities. Today we are already regulated in our country of origin Japan and we follow regulatory processes in several Latin American countries. El Salvador is a benchmark in crypto and we will contribute to the success started by President Bukele," added Geovo. "We have been established in El Salvador for more than two years, betting the country as the first international player, and today we are pleased to see how the remittance, investment and financial inclusion system is transformed thanks to blockchain technology," concluded Geovo. More info: www.bitpointlatam.com Contact: support@bitpointlatam.com Related Files PR Lanzamiento en El Salvador.pdf Related Images Image 1: BITPOINT El Salvador BITPOINT Launches in El Salvador This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment (Bloomberg) -- Chinas higher-quality dollar bonds are suffering their worst selloff in about seven months as property woes spill into the broader credit market. Most Read from Bloomberg Spreads on the investment-grade notes -- which account for the bulk of offshore dollar securities from Chinese issuers -- widened about 8 to 10 basis points Tuesday, traders said. That would be the biggest daily expansion since April after a widening of 7 basis points Monday, according to a Bloomberg index. The selloff has moved well beyond Chinas higher-quality property names. Tencent Holdings Ltd.s dollar bond spreads widened 12 basis point to 137 basis points Tuesday, set for the biggest jump since July. Financial issuers are also slumping, with the yield premium on a Bank of Communication Hong Kong note widening about 10 basis points. Signs are spreading of contagion from debt crises in Chinas property sector, which has been grappling with a clampdown on excessive leverage and liquidity woes at real estate giant China Evergrande Group. The fallout had until recent days been largely contained to junk-rated developers. But investors have since grown increasingly concerned about the impact on larger property firms and the broader economy. We believe some form of government policy easing or intervention is ultimately inevitable, at which time Chinese dollar bonds should rebound strongly, said Mark Reade, head of fixed-income desk research at Mizuho Securities Asia. However until then, the path of least resistance for Chinese credit spreads is wider. Authorities have sought to limit the fallout, with the central bank injecting liquidity into the financial system. Thats largely succeeded in keeping the onshore credit market calm. But the contagion to investment-grade offshore securities is concerning because they make up nearly 70% of the $870 billion market for all Chinese dollar notes. Story continues The moves have left average yield premiums for the bonds set for a blowout of some 27 basis points over four straight days in the sharpest such spike since April, when concerns about China Huarong Asset Management Co. shook the market. The spreads are already at their widest over respective Treasury notes in at least five months, the Bloomberg index shows. Real estate makes up 10% of the index, the second largest weighting after financial services firms. (Adds quote) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Project Canary Adds to Team With Key Hires Project Canary Adds to Team With Key Hires Project Canary Adds to Team With Key Hires DENVER, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Project Canary, an independent environmental certification organization that delivers ESG data across the energy value chain, announced the appointment of two new senior roles as its growth continues. These new hires underscore Project Canary's commitment to working hand in hand with customers to develop best-in-class technology-driven solutions to climate change. David Stewart, newly appointed Vice President of Environmental Solutions and Regulatory Affairs, will develop environmental solutions focused on ESG data and environmental performance. John "Bunkie" Westerheide, Senior Director of Customer Solutions, will work collaboratively with Project Canary customers and partners to define, develop, and deploy market-leading ESG solutions. Project Canary is on track for 10x headcount growth for 2021, representing a 900% increase. "Fighting climate change takes the right team," said Project Canary CEO Chris Romer. "With deep energy-sector experience, David Stewart and John Westerheide will help our team cement our strategic relationships with clients and drive new, market-leading ESG performance solutions." David Stewart, Vice President of Environmental Solutions and Regulatory Affairs, will be responsible for developing strategic relationships with external clients to develop environmental solutions to enable ESG performance. By harvesting high-fidelity data from the Project Canary real-time dashboard, Stewart is focused on helping customers achieve and prove out ESG commitments. Additionally, he will partner with the customer solutions, operations teams, and others to provide meaningful feedback for continuous product improvements. Before joining Project Canary, David worked at Crestone Peak Resources and several other oil and gas exploration and development companies as an executive leader in environmental, health & safety, and regulatory areas. Stewart also has experience in environmental consulting with a specialization in air quality management. Story continues "Increased focus on ESG metrics and reporting, not just promises, means that environmental health and safety are top of mind for oil and gas companies," said Stewart. "I'm proud to join the Project Canary team to drive best-in-class standards for our clients." John "Bunkie" Westerheide, Senior Director of Customer Solutions, brings over 14 years of deep energy industry experience to the Project Canary team. Through his time at General Electric (GE), previously Baker Hughes, Westerheide led highly technical teams on cross-enterprise initiatives often focused on developing and activating new products or markets. Before departing Baker Hughes as the Director, Innovation at Baker Hughes' Energy Innovation Center in Oklahoma City, John helped conceptualize and lead advanced R&D programs around oil and gas challenges. "The energy sustainability and decarbonization landscape are both exciting and dynamic," said Westerheide. "Working with companies across the energy value chain, I'm excited to deepen our relationships in the energy sector while expanding into new markets as the energy transition gains momentum." Project Canary has made significant talent investments, including key hires across engineering, product, and business development. The company is on track to report 10x growth in headcount from 2020 to 2021, representing a 900% increase. "Altering the course of climate change is an ambitious goal that requires an equally ambitious team," said Chief Science Officer Dr. Anna Scott. "For us, investment in talent is an investment in vision." About Project Canary Project Canary is an independent certification organization that measures, tracks, and delivers trusted ESG data across the energy value chain. We are the leaders in the rating and certification of responsible energy operating practices and provide science and technology-backed emission profiles via continuous monitoring hardware synced with a real-time dashboard. Project Canary Upstream (TrustWell) Certifications, Midstream Certifications, and Canary Continuous Monitoring help identify the most responsible energy supply chain operators. Formed as a Public Benefit Corporation, Project Canary's team of scientists, engineers, and seasoned industry operators have earned recognition for their uncompromising standards, including being named "Best for the World 2021" B Corp. CONTACT: mediainquiries@projectcanary.com Related Images Image 1: Project Canary Adds to Team With Key Hires David Stewart and John 'Bunkie' Westerheide This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment More than half of younger Canadians say the pandemic upended their financial security, but the majority are optimistic about their financial futures TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The coronavirus pandemic has tested the limits of Canadians over the past 20 months. What began as a health crisis quickly morphed into an economic crisis, with the spread of COVID-19 shocking large segments of the economy and leaving many without paycheques. While no generation has been unaffected by the pandemic, the economic impact was distributed unevenly. Many younger Canadians in Generation Z, or Gen Z, have had their education disrupted, career plans changed, and financial prospects diminished largely because they are overrepresented in the highly affected service sector, according to a new survey by the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA). Infographic - CBA Gen Z Survey (CNW Group/Canadian Bankers Association) The survey was published to mark Financial Literacy Month, which takes place each November, and found that more than half (53 per cent) of Gen Z respondents (aged 18-25) felt the pandemic upended their financial security, with that number rising to 73 per cent for those in less stable financial situations. At the same time, nine-in-ten (88 per cent) Gen Zers are feeling optimistic about their financial futures, and nearly all of them (98 per cent) are actively making plans to strengthen their financial resilience. "Gen Z was dealt a disproportionately tough hand during the pandemic, but it has also shown incredible resilience in channeling its natural gifts for perseverance, adaptability and motivation," says Neil Parmenter, President and CEO, Canadian Bankers Association. "Despite the setbacks, younger Canadians are eager to forge ahead, be prepared for the unexpected and build bright futures as our economy recovers." Savings mindset For a generation that has recently entered adulthood, it's the second time that Gen Z has faced an uncertain future caused by disruptive events: the first was the Great Recession of 2008-09 and now the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-21. Indeed, these two seismic events in their formative years have shaped a generation's worldview when it comes to their financial well-being. Story continues The CBA survey found that Gen Z is keen to save. Three-quarters (74 per cent) of those surveyed have a savings account and a similar proportion (77 per cent) say that they put at least one per cent of their income aside as savings, with an overall average of nine per cent of income saved. While respondents in higher self-reported income groups are more likely to be savers, and save more on average, the majority (68 per cent) of those in less secure financial situations also have a savings mindset. When asked what they are saving for, the overall top responses are: an emergency fund and financial independence. Both goals are likely top of mind against the backdrop of the sudden and unexpected economic shock brought on by the pandemic. The most-cited savings vehicle is the Tax-Free Savings Accounts (47 per cent), followed by High Interest Savings Accounts (27 per cent) and Registered Retirement Savings Plans (20 per cent). Avid budgeters Gen Zers are taking active steps to track their expenses, control their spending and save money. Overall, 71 per cent of Gen Z respondents say they are actively budgeting, with more than half (58 per cent) saying they do so in a formal manner by: keeping a written record of expenditures (21 per cent), maintaining financial spreadsheets (20 per cent), or using digital tools (17 per cent). Nearly a third of respondents (29 per cent), however, say they do not set a budget to help guide their financial decisions. Younger Canadians may be avid budgeters, but the vast majority of Gen Z survey respondents (92 per cent) say they experience barriers with sticking to a budget. The most common barrier is not earning enough money (43 per cent) a sentiment particularly acute for more economically disadvantaged Gen Zers followed by unexpected expenses (42 per cent) and shopping impulsively (38 per cent). Emergency benefits kept Gen Z afloat Almost identical to the proportion of those saying the pandemic upended their financial security, more than half (52 per cent) of Gen Zers say that they would have suffered greatly during the pandemic without government income supports. Perhaps not surprisingly, that number rises to 73 per cent for respondents in basic and precarious financial situations. About two-thirds (64 per cent) of Gen Zers surveyed received COVID-related emergency government benefits. Again, that number rises to 70 per cent among those in more unstable socio-economic situations. Consistent with their savings mindset and penchant for budgeting, more than half (57 per cent) of Gen Zers who received emergency response and recovery benefits saved at least some of this money. And in response to a separate question, slightly less than half (48 per cent) say they used government benefits to help lower their debt. Debt management, responsible use of credit and pandemic-related anxiety The majority (73 per cent) of Gen Zers report having some type of debt, with the average reported debt load being $14,100. Among those with debt, the two most common are credit card (49 per cent) and student loans (39 per cent). Interestingly, of those with credit cards, half (49 per cent) of respondents say always pay off their credit cards in full each month, whereas 38 per cent carry a balance. Moreover, despite the prudent use of debt and a propensity for saving and budgeting, nearly one in three (29 per cent) are embarrassed about how much debt they have accumulated. True to the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gen Z, more than half (51 per cent) of respondents say they have experienced anxiety related to debt during the pandemic. Tied to this, 41 per cent have seen their debt level increase because of the pandemic. Again, both proportions increase for those in less stable financial situations, at 81 per cent and 73 per cent respectively. Banks as trusted advisors Banks in Canada work diligently to help their customers succeed financially at every stage of life. Indeed, they are here to help at every step and Canadians are encouraged to talk to their banks early in the process of managing their debt and creating their financial plans, and frequently as they go through changes in their lives. The survey of Gen Z Canadians found that 69 per cent of Gen Zers have sought advice regarding financial planning or debt management, however only 47 per cent say a financial plan is key to a secure financial future. The most cited sources are friends and family (52 per cent), followed closely by financial institutions (30 per cent). The same survey revealed that 80 per cent of Gen Zers trust their bank and 85 per cent say that their bank is meeting their needs. This shows that there is opportunity for banks to further engage with younger Canadians to help them chart a path to financial well-being. Banks are committed to helping Canadians take the necessary actions to help them make financial progress amid the ongoing pandemic. Working together with their Gen Z customers, banks can help set and maintain good financial habits that will help them get and stay ahead financially. Methodology A total of 763 Canadians aged 18-25 were interviewed online in June 2021. The sample was designed to reflect Canada's population of young adults according to gender, education, income, origin class and region. A comparable probability sample would have a margin of error of +/- 3.5%, 19 times out of 20. About the Canadian Bankers Association The Canadian Bankers Association is the voice of more than 60 domestic and foreign banks that help drive Canada's economic growth and prosperity. The CBA advocates for public policies that contribute to a sound, thriving banking system to ensure Canadians can succeed in their financial goals. www.cba.ca Follow the CBA on Twitter: @CdnBankers Watch videos: Youtube.com/CdnBankers Follow the CBA on LinkedIn SOURCE Canadian Bankers Association Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/09/c6023.html Appointment Adds Key Population Health and Medication Management Expertise to Genomind as Population Health Tools are Launched KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., November 09, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Genomind, a leading precision healthcare company, has named David Nash, MD, MBA the newest member of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). Dr. Nash joins Genomind from the Jefferson College of Population Health at Thomas Jefferson University, where he serves as the Founding Dean Emeritus and the Dr. Raymond C. & Doris Grandon Professor of Health Policy. A board-certified internist, Dr. Nash is internationally recognized for his work in public accountability for outcomes, physician leadership development and quality-of-care improvement. Dr. Nash is a principal faculty member for quality-of-care programming for the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL). Prior, he served on the NQF Task Force on Improving Population Health and the John M. Eisenberg Award Committee for The Joint Commission. He was also a founding member of the AAMC-IQ Steering Committee, the group charged with infusing the tenets of quality and safety into medical education. Dr. Nash has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and edited 25 books, most recently Population Health: Creating a Culture of Wellness. Dr. Nash has delivered numerous endowed and named lectures across the country and currently serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the American Journal of Medical Quality, Population Health Management, and American Health and Drug Benefits. Dr. Nash received his BA in economics (Phi Beta Kappa) from Vassar College, his MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, and his MBA in Health Administration (with honors) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, Dr. Nash was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar. "I am privileged to join an amazing group of nationally prominent experts on the Genomind Scientific Advisory Board," said Dr. Nash. "I have been researching drug/drug interactions and medication errors for three decades and the powerful new tools developed by Genomind represent a watershed event to improve medication therapy across the entire spectrum of healthcare. I am looking forward to helping Genomind to get the right drug to the right patient at the right dose each and every time. These actions will necessarily improve the health of many populations, today and tomorrow." Story continues In addition to its flagship product, Genomind Professional PGx Express, Genomind recently launched GenMedPro, an interactive software tool that allows healthcare providers to select drugs that are less likely to cause gene-drug, drug-drug, and gene-drug-drug interactions. GenMedPro, scores interactions between hundreds of medications and a dozen genes to produce an intuitive analysis of an individuals entire drug profile. It also ranks alternative medications, so that a clinician is informed on not only the severity of an interaction, but also how to minimize these interactions. The logic in this software can be used to assess drug interactions in large populations, and will have relevance for payers, accountable care organizations and other entities responsible for delivery of health care to large populations. "Population health refers to the distribution of health outcomes, resources, and equity within a population," said David Krause, MD, FACP, Co-CEO of Genomind. "Genominds expertise in pharmacogenetics is well suited to advancing the quadruple aim of improving the individual patient experience, improving health outcomes of populations, improving clinician satisfaction, and reducing the cost and resource utilization of health care. Dr. Nash is a national leader in population health, and his appointment brings expertise of the highest caliber to the core of Genominds leadership. We are proud to have him join our SAB." View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006128/en/ Contacts Clinical inquiries: David Krause, MD dkrause@genomind.com Business inquiries: Cynthia Kilroy ckilroy@genomind.com VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Dolly Varden Silver Corporation ("Dolly Varden" or the "Company") (TSXV: DV) (OTC: DOLLF), is pleased to announce that Andrew Hamilton, P.Geo. has joined the Company as Senior Geologist. Dolly Varden Silver Corp Logo (CNW Group/Dolly Varden Silver Corp.) Mr. Hamilton is an exploration geologist with over 30 years of mineral exploration experience, primarily in British Columbia, Nunavut, the Yukon and Mexico, with a focus on gold and copper-gold projects. He brings additional grass roots to advanced stage mineral exploration experience to Dolly Varden with a focus on drill program design and management, mineral resource modelling and estimation, QAQC and data management. Andrew has been part of technical teams of multiple successful explorers that have transitioned from exploration to production as well as company sale, including Wheaton River Minerals' Golden Bear Mine, Cumberland Resources' Meadowbank Project and IDM Mining's Red Mountain Project. He was mostly recently the Exploration Manager for White Gold Corp. for their Yukon projects. As an Independent Qualified Person, he has co-authored numerous NI 43-101 Reports and Resource Estimates, as well as audits and reviews of producing Companies Mineral Resources and Reserves and QA/QC. Mr. Hamilton has been lauded in the mining industry for his conservative and balanced approach. Shawn Khunkhun, Dolly Varden's CEO, commented: "I am pleased to welcome Andrew to Dolly Varden. His advanced exploration experience in the Golden Triangle, expertise in the design of drill programs for resource delineation and expansion, as well as critical project evaluation skills will complement our current technical team and benefit the Company as we look to dramatically grow in the next two years." Mr. Hamilton holds a Bachelor of Science degree in geological sciences from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Arts degree in anthropology from the University of Victoria. He is a registered professional geoscientist (P.Geo.) in the province of British Columbia. Story continues About Dolly Varden Silver Corporation Dolly Varden Silver Corporation is a mineral exploration company focused on exploration in northwestern British Columbia. Dolly Varden has two projects, the namesake Dolly Varden silver property and the nearby Big Bulk copper-gold property. The Dolly Varden property is considered to be highly prospective for hosting high-grade precious metal deposits, since it comprises the same structural and stratigraphic setting that host numerous other high-grade deposits (Eskay Creek, Brucejack). The Big Bulk property is prospective for porphyry and skarn style copper and gold mineralization similar to other such deposits in the region (Red Mountain, KSM, Red Chris). Forward Looking Statements This release may contain forward-looking statements or forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation that may not be based on historical fact, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believe", "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "potential" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of Dolly Varden to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements or information relates to, among other things, completion of the Offering, Exchange approval of the Offering, the use of proceeds with respect to the Offerings, the results of previous field work and programs and the continued operations of the current exploration program, interpretation of the nature of the mineralization at the project and that that the mineralization on the project is similar to Eskay and Brucejack, results of the mineral resource estimate on the project, the potential to grow the project, the potential to expand the mineralization, the planning for further exploration work, the ability to de-risk the potential exploration targets, and our beliefs about the unexplored portion of the property. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs but given the uncertainties, assumptions and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements or information. The Company disclaims any obligation to update, or to publicly announce, any such statements, events or developments except as required by law. For additional information on risks and uncertainties, see the Company's most recently filed annual management discussion & analysis ("MD&A"), which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. The risk factors identified in the MD&A are not intended to represent a complete list of factors that could affect the Company. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/dolly-varden-silver-strengthens-technical-team-with-andrew-hamilton-pgeo-301419484.html SOURCE Dolly Varden Silver Corp. LEAD PLAINTIFF DEADLINE IS DECEMBER 6, 2021 NEW YORK, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that a federal securities class action lawsuit has been filed against Eargo, Inc. (Eargo or the Company) (NASDAQ: EAR) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on behalf of those who purchased Eargo, Inc. securities between February 25, 2021 and September 22, 2021, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). All investors who purchased Eargo, Inc. and incurred losses are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. You may obtain additional information concerning the action or join the case on our website, www.whafh.com. If you have incurred losses in the shares of Eargo, Inc., you may, no later than December 6, 2021, request that the Court appoint you lead plaintiff of the proposed class. Please contact Wolf Haldenstein to learn more about your rights as an investor in Eargo, Inc. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE On August 12, 2021, after the market closed, Eargo revealed that claims submitted to the Companys largest third-party payor, which accounted for 80% of Eargos accounts receivable, had not been paid since March 1, 2021. On this news, the Companys share price fell $8.00, or over 24%, to close at $24.70 per share on August 13, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume. On September 22, 2021, after the market closed, Eargo revealed that "it is the target of a criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice (the DOJ) related to insurance reimbursement claims the Company has submitted on behalf of customers covered by federal employee health plans." Moreover, the DOJ is the "principal contact related to the subject matter of the [ongoing] audit" of Eargo by an insurance company that is the Companys largest third-party payor. As a result of the foregoing, Eargo withdrew its full year financial guidance. Story continues On this news, the Companys share price fell $14.81, or over 68%, to close at $6.86 per share on September 23, 2021, on unusually heavy trading volume. Wolf Haldenstein has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com, or visit our website at www.whafh.com. Contact: Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP Patrick Donovan, Esq. Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis Email: gstone@whafh.com, donovan@whafh.com or classmember@whafh.com Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774 This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. and COLUMBIA, S.C., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Encompass Health Corp. (NYSE: EHC) today announced it plans to build a freestanding, 27-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital near Columbia, South Carolina. (PRNewsfoto/Encompass Health Corporation) The hospital will be located at the corner of Evergreen Drive and Shady Lane in Irmo, South Carolina, a suburb of Columbia, and will be built with the capacity to expand to 50 beds. Construction on the hospital is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2022 and the hospital is expected to begin providing inpatient rehabilitation services in the fourth quarter of 2023. "We are excited to expand and grow our rehabilitation services in the Columbia, South Carolina area," said Linda Wilder, president of Encompass Health's South Atlantic region. "Through the new inpatient rehabilitation hospital, we will provide our patients with coordinated and connected care that meets them where they are in their healthcare journeys and makes a positive difference in their lives." Complementing local acute care services, this inpatient rehabilitation hospital will serve patients recovering from debilitating illnesses and injuries, including strokes and other neurological disorders, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and complex orthopedic conditions. In addition to 24hour nursing care, this hospital will offer physical, occupational and speech therapies to restore functional ability and quality of life. Care will be provided by highly specialized nurses, therapists and physicians. The hospital will feature all private patient rooms, a spacious therapy gym with advanced rehabilitation technologies and an activities of daily living suite, cafeteria, dining room, pharmacy and therapy courtyard. The planned hospital will become part of Encompass Health's national network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and home health and hospice agencies. The Company's South Carolina footprint currently includes eight inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, three home health locations and one hospice location. Story continues About Encompass Health As a national leader in integrated healthcare services, Encompass Health (NYSE: EHC) offers both facilitybased and homebased patient care through its network of inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, home health agencies and hospice agencies. With a national footprint that includes 145 hospitals, 249 home health locations, and 95 hospice locations in 42 states and Puerto Rico, the Company provides highquality, cost-effective integrated healthcare. Encompass Health is ranked as one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work For. For more information, visit encompasshealth.com, or follow us on our newsroom, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENT Statements contained in this press release which are not historical facts, such as those relating to the likelihood, timing and effects of the completion of this project, are forward-looking statements. In addition, Encompass Health may from time to time make forward-looking public statements concerning the matters described herein. All such estimates, projections, and forward-looking information speak only as of the date hereof, and Encompass Health undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise such forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily estimates based upon current information and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Encompass Health's actual results or events may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors. While it is impossible to identify all such factors, factors which could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated include, but are not limited to, the regulatory review and approval process, any adverse outcome of various lawsuits, claims, and legal or regulatory proceedings that may be brought by or against Encompass Health; the possibility this project will experience unexpected delays; the ability to successfully complete and integrate this project consistent with Encompass Health's growth strategy, including realization of anticipated revenues and avoidance of unforeseen exposure to liabilities; the continued spread of COVID-19, including the speed, depth, geographic reach and duration of the spread; the actions to be taken by Encompass Health in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; changes in the regulation of the healthcare industry at either or both of the federal and state levels; competitive pressures in the healthcare industry and Encompass Health's response thereto; the hospital's ability to maintain proper local, state and federal licensing; potential disruptions, breaches, or other incidents affecting the proper operation, availability, or security of Encompass Health's information systems; Encompass Health's ability to attract and retain nurses, therapists, and other healthcare professionals in a highly competitive environment with often severe staffing shortages and the impact on Encompass Health's labor expenses from potential union activity and staffing shortages; changes, delays in (including in connection with resolution of Medicare payment reviews or appeals), or suspension of reimbursement for Encompass Health's services by governmental or private payors; general conditions in the economy and capital markets; and other factors which may be identified from time to time in Encompass Health's SEC filings and other public announcements, including Encompass Health's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2020 and Forms 10-Q for the quarters ended Mar. 31, 2021, June 30, 2021 and Sept. 30, 2021. Media contact: Casey Winger | 205-970-5912 casey.winger@encompasshealth.com Investor Relations contact: Mark Miller | 205-970-5860 mark.miller@encompasshealth.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/encompass-health-announces-plans-to-build-inpatient-rehabilitation-hospital-in-columbia-south-carolina-area-301419737.html SOURCE Encompass Health Corp. By Eric M. Johnson SEATTLE (Reuters) - The number of Boeing Co employees seeking a vaccine exemption on religious or medical grounds has reached more than 11,000 - or nearly 9% of its U.S. workforce - a level many times higher than executives initially estimated, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The widespread reluctance has left executives scrambling for a strategy that keeps employees safe and complies with President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for federal contractors, but avoids an exodus of engineering and factory labor, the people said. The standoff comes as the U.S. planemaker tries to muscle through industrial and certification challenges on its 787, 777X and Starliner spacecraft programs, as well as depressed demand and supply-chain shortages. Late last week, the White House pushed back to Jan. 4 its deadline for employees at federal contractors to be vaccinated or be tested regularly if they receive exemptions. Boeing on Friday then delayed its deadline by about a month to Jan. 4 for employees to take a COVID-19 vaccine, or file an exemption on religious or medical grounds, according to industry sources and a company email seen by Reuters. "Compliance remains a condition of employment," the internal email said. The Boeing email also said employees whose requests are approved would be required to wear a face covering, physically distance and frequently test for COVID-19. "Anyone who has not received their final dose or been approved for an accommodation, and registered their vaccination status by Jan. 4, will be issued a final warning, and will be expected to promptly come into compliance if they wish to remain employed at Boeing," the email said. A Boeing spokesperson declined to provide a count of vaccination exemption requests. "Boeing is committed to maintaining a safe working environment for our employees, and advancing the health and safety of our global workforce is fundamental to our values," the spokesperson said. Story continues EXEMPTION REQUESTS Wearing a face mask on companywide webcasts, Boeing Chief Executive Dave Calhoun has urged employees to take a vaccine, two employees said. Two Boeing insiders said executives initially estimated vaccine resistance from some 2% of workers, a number the company could manage. But by last week, one person familiar with the matter said more than 10,000 employees had filed religious exemptions, and a second person said the number stood at more than 11,300. Another 1,000 or so workers filed a medical exemption, another person said. The fact that the vast majority of applications were on religious grounds has thrust one of America's largest employers into the center of a debate about the ethics of probing an employee's religious beliefs. One person seeking a religious exemption said the company had no right to do so under the law or its own anti-discrimination policies. Another person, a veteran engineer, said: "The long list of program issues makes it tough to have company pride. The handling of the vaccine mandate is it for many." The issue is hitting other aerospace companies. Around 50 employees at Boeing-Lockheed Martin Corp's United Launch Alliance (ULA) rocket factory in Decatur, Alabama, have already been placed on unpaid leave, or decided to retire early, after refusing to take a vaccine by a company deadline, two of the sources said. A third person said ULA executives expect in a worst-case scenario to lose 15% of its roughly 2,600-person workforce, or as many as 390 people. A ULA spokesperson said so far 1% of its workforce, or roughly 26 people, had permanently left the company. ULA "decided to require vaccinations to ensure the health and safety of our employees and to align with our U.S. government customer and industry direction," the spokesperson said. The departures come after ULA executives decided to deny all employee applications for an exemption on religious grounds, deciding it would be too time-consuming to evaluate each case, among other reasons, the third person said. "I don't conform to strong-arming or coercion," said ULA welder Brent Vandiver, 45, who was among the workers placed on unpaid leave. (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle; Editing by Joseph White, Matthew Lewis and Michael Perry) Internet-based sexual exploitation of minors in Kenya was found to be more rampant on Facebook than on any other site, according to the newly released Disrupting Harm report -- making the tech giants platform exceedingly unsafe for children. The report by Interpol, UNICEFs Office of Research-Innocenti and End Violence against Children, found that Facebook accounted for more than 90% of all the instances of online sexual exploitation and abuse of minors in the East African country last year. The report was informed by data from the U.S. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), interviews with minors, their parents, policing agencies and legal representatives. Alongside Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube made up other platforms where child sex abuse imagery and videos were commonly possessed, manufactured and distributed. This report comes in the wake of data from NCMEC showing that globally, Facebook reported more than 20 million child-sex abuse images last year, 37 times more than those reported by Google, which ranked second. It also succeeds investigations showing that Instagram seriously affects the mental health of teenage girls -- even as Meta, Instagrams parent company, mulled plans to launch the currently paused Instagram Kids for minors under 13 years. Meta told TechCrunch that it has taken several measures to protect minors using its platforms including using sophisticated technologies like PhotoDNA -- which detects and removes images that exploit children -- and by working closely with law enforcement agencies to stem the vice. We have no tolerance for this abhorrent abuse of children and use sophisticated technologies to combat it, said Meta, Eastern Africa communications manager, Janet Kemboi. We encourage anyone who sees content they think violates our community standards to report it using our in-app reporting tools. Weve recently made it easier to report content for violating our child exploitation policies, and now offer a dedicated option to report content that involves a child on Facebook and Instagram. These reports are prioritized for review, she said. Story continues Overall, incidents of online child sexual abuse in Kenya also increased by six percentage points, to 14,434 occurrences, according to CyberTipline reports from the NCMEC. The CyberTipline is a centralized system for reporting incidents of sexual exploitation of minors. Kenya is the only country in East Africa that is connected directly to NCMEC's reporting system through its Directorate of Criminal Investigation's (DCI) Anti-Human Trafficking & Child Protection Unit (AHTCPU) and Interpols International Child Sexual Exploitation Database. WhatsApp and Facebook or Facebook Messenger were the social media and instant messaging apps via which children were most commonly targeted. This is probably because Facebook and WhatsApp the two most popular social media platforms in Kenya are where children spend much of their time online, the report said. Mueni Mutisya, the AHTCPU in-charge, told TechCrunch that the authority receives about 22 cybertip reports daily. She said the country has experienced a spike in cases recorded since the start of the COVID pandemic, a situation that has also been fueled by the use of social sites. Social media has enhanced sharing, production and distribution of online sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA). It has become much easier for predators to trick young people into sharing explicit images of themselves and falling prey to an overly sexualized culture. WhatsApp is the most popular social app in Kenya followed by Facebook and YouTube according to this social media landscape report. To date, more than three quarters of Kenyas population is connected to the internet, making sites like Facebook and WhatsApp easily accessible. In what looks like a shift in how offenders prey on children, more than half of the victims interviewed for the report said the request for sexual materials were made online rather than offline -- as one in five minors said they were approached in person. Minors aged 12 to 17 were most at risk of facing online sexual exploitation, according to the study which also reported that both girls and boys faced the same level of risk online. The offenders were found to be often known to the victims and used gifts or money (sexual extortion) to sway the minors to meet with them or to share imagery or videos. The offers were commonly done through Facebook or Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and through YouTube. A few cited Instagram and ByteDances platform TikTok. However, others were blackmailed or threatened into sharing or taking part in obscenities. The report further indicated that foreign law enforcement agencies found Kenya to be a source of commercial forms of livestreaming of child sexual abuse. Google search engine trends showed that sex offenders in the country were in search of images and videos depicting sexual activity with and between teenagers, with children and babies. Reports of security agencies identified Kenya as a hotspot for foreign traveling child-sex offenders too. Online grooming of children for sexual purposes with the intent of manipulating them into generating and sharing abuse material, without any intention of meeting or abusing them in person, was also rife on social sites. The report said that this is one of the forms of OCSEA (together with livestreaming) that is not treated as a criminal offense in Kenya currently. Offenders can only be charged based on the Computer Misuse Act, which penalizes the perpetrators for exposing a child to sexualized content and the Sexual Offences Act that criminalizes child pornography. In Kenya, the provision of the upcoming Children Bill 2021 addressing online grooming will only cover online grooming with the intent of meeting the child and may not therefore apply to situations where, for example, a child is asked to send sexual content to an offender via online platforms, the report noted. The bill, which is currently going through legislative approval, was submitted in 2020. A fortnight ago, lawmakers invited the public to make recommendations for the new law -- providing an opportunity for this gap to be plugged. It is hoped that a provision outlawing grooming where the sexual abuse occurs online could still be included, the report said. Owing to the cross-border nature of these crimes, Kenya works closely with international and local authorities to track the activities of the offenders and to make arrests. Kenyas DCI AHTCPU also works with the countrys communications regulator to alert the public of the nature of these crimes and to encourage them to make reports. Because of the Global nature of internet crimes, the DCI AHTCPU has partnered with other national and international strategic partners to help in the fight against OCSEA. We use Interpol to issue notices in case of cross border OCSEA cases, said Mutisya. We also work closely with the International Liaison Officer at the British High commission and the FBI legal attache at the U.S. Embassy (in Kenya) as well as our international counterparts to seek justice for victims of online abuse and follow up on offenders. This is in addition to public outreach and school visits to educate, create awareness and sensitize, she said. Disrupting Harm authors hope the findings made in the report will offer a road map for the adoption of strategies for dealing with the online sexual abuse of children. The story has been updated to include a response from Meta. Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Legion Network has been one of the pioneers in cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, which envisions creating a unified platform facilitating the varied interests of investors, artists, creators, entrepreneurs, and influencers of the virtual world. When Legion laid out its roadmap for the year ahead, it mentioned launching one of its most-awaited projects in the DeFi world - the Bluemoon NFT Marketplace with an integrated metaverse combining virtual and augmented reality. The wait is finally over, and Legion Network is all set to make its exclusive NFT platform Bluemoon available to the public for use. With Bluemoon, NFT trading will see new horizons of innovation. People have been eagerly waiting for this one-of-its-kind platform that brings an array of opportunities and facilities for the NFT community. Bluemoon, a part of the Legion ecosystem, is a collaborative NFT marketplace that brings many exciting utilities to its users. The world is slowly moving into a virtual realm, and Bluemoon can take the lead and become people's first choice in their digital dealings. The alpha version of its VR galleries will soon be accessible, and here are the reasons why you need to be on Bluemoon. A collaborative environment: Bluemoon lets NFT creators, influencers, game developers, and brands come together and host contests. Creating such a collaborative environment in an NFT marketspace is an exceptional concept and promises to bring revolutionary outcomes for all involved entities. Socialize with like-minded individuals: With Bluemoon, users can establish direct contact with artists on the platform. It creates a community of like-minded people where you can be connected to creators by simply saving their NFTs, commenting on their gallery items, and rating their NFT projects. Bluemoon is a potential social networking platform of the NFT ecosystem where users can also participate in live discussions. Story continues Gamification & Rewards: Another exciting feature for NFT enthusiasts to look forward to at Bluemoon is its contests. Bluemoon has an exciting list of milestones ready, and users who accomplish these on the platform stand a chance to be awarded trophies and medals. Based on user engagement, sales volume, and other such milestones, users can win digital collectibles from influencers (game skins and more). Contest winners can also win royalties from future sales. Virtual Reality: Virtual and augmented reality is in the process of becoming a part of one's daily life. Bluemoon brings this technology of the future to the tips of users' fingers by helping to view NFTs in personalised virtual galleries or in the physical world using AR. By incorporating two futuristic technologies with the best interest of organizations and people at heart, Bluemoon is set to redefine how people deal with digital collectables, cryptocurrencies, and Blockchain technology at large. Compare, Swap, Rent (CSR): Bluemoon comes with the much-needed features of comparing, swapping, and renting NFTs, all of which initially seemed too far-fetched but have now been commonised by Bluemoon. The platform allows users to conduct an in-depth study and analysis between the many NFTs available in the market by listing them on the comparison list. The NFT Comparison feature makes Bluemoon the ideal option for every NFT investor who likes to make informed decisions. Non-Fungible Tokens became famous because of their non-fungibility, which upheld the uniqueness of each token and removed the scope of copyright infringement issues, but this somehow limited the scope of one token being exchanged for another. Bluemoon brings that power and freedom back to users by allowing NFT swapping. With the NFT Swap feature, Bluemoon users can exchange one NFT for another, provided the owner on the other side is willing to trade their NFTs. Bluemoon further allows renting NFTs, a plus for gamers who may need an asset but do not possess enough funds to acquire it themselves. The NFT rent feature lets users rent NFTs from suitable vendors for as many hours, days, weeks, or months as needed at affordable rates (lending rates as decided by the digital asset owner). This never-before-heard feature can help users temporarily own the digital tokens they need without paying the full price or spending a fortune on a single NFT collectible. NFT Launchpad: Bluemoon is here to stay, and a testament to that is its flagship Launchpad. The creators realize how difficult it can get for artists to sustain the promotions and everything else between the launch of one artwork and the next. To make this a little easy for NFT creators and artists, Bluemoon brings in the early access feature wherein creators can host presales and define the exclusive incentives associated with each pre-bought NFT. Such presales act as fundraisers and will significantly help creators sustain their interim projects. Bluemoon is a well-thought platform that adds to NFTs' charm and introduces the very features that make them adaptable, attractive, and convenient for all. As more investors, creators, and collectors get acquainted with NFTs, there is a greater propensity of Bluemoon to get widely accepted and applauded for its unique features and utilities. Bluemoon invites users to design the virtual world they want, wherein they can create, collaborate, and even earn lifetime royalties. Media Contact: Name: Athar Ahmed Company name: Legion Network Email: Partnerships@legionnetwork.io Website: https://www.legionnetwork.io To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102625 FPI-1434 Phase 1 multi-dose data now expected in 2H 2022 FPI-1966 Phase 1 study initiated; first patient expected to be dosed in Q1 2022 FPI-2059 investigational new drug application (IND) on track for first half 2022 HAMILTON, ON and BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ -- Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: FUSN), a clinical-stage oncology company focused on developing next-generation radiopharmaceuticals as precision medicines, today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021 and provided an update on clinical and corporate developments. (PRNewsfoto/Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc.) Clinical Update FPI-1434 Fusion now expects to provide multi-dose safety and imaging data, and recommended Phase 2 dose, in the second half of 2022 rather than in the first half of 2022. The shift in timelines is primarily associated with a decrease in patient enrollment rates attributable to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chief Executive Officer John Valliant, Ph.D. commented, "Despite our efforts to mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the addition of new trial sites in multiple geographic regions, we have seen patient enrollment rates decline largely due to resourcing and reduced staffing issues at trial sites. Longer timelines to enroll patients have persisted and therefore we are shifting our expectation for multi-dose data to the second half of 2022. We continue to make patient recruitment a top priority, are working closely with our trial sites to support their efforts and believe that with increased vaccination rates recruitment will return to previous levels." Fusion continues to anticipate the initiation of a Phase 1 combination study with FPI-1434 and KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) to occur six to nine months following determination of the recommended Phase 2 dose of FPI-1434 monotherapy. In addition, the study arm exploring the impact on biodistribution and tumor uptake of administration of a dose of naked ("cold") IGF-1R antibody prior to each dose of FPI-1434 is ongoing. Story continues Dr. Valliant continued, "Although the Phase 1 study of FPI-1434 is experiencing delays during these unprecedented times, we continue to believe in the significant opportunity we have to address a broad array of tumor types with high unmet need and we are working diligently to optimize the development program and progress the study for the benefit of patients." FPI-1966 The Phase 1, non-randomized, open-label clinical trial of FPI-1966 in patients with solid tumors expressing FGFR3, intended to investigate safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics and to establish the recommended Phase 2 dose, has been initiated with the first study site open to recruitment. Fusion expects to dose the first patient in the first quarter of 2022 and expects interim data from the first patient cohort in the first quarter of 2023. FPI-2059 FPI-2059 is a small molecule radioconjugate in development as a targeted alpha therapy for various solid tumors. The molecule targets neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1), a promising target for cancer treatment, that is overexpressed in multiple solid tumors. FPI-2059 combines Ipsen's IPN-1087, which Fusion acquired in 2021, with actinium-225. Fusion continues to anticipate submitting an IND application for FPI-2059 in the first half of 2022. Recent News and Highlights Dr. Valliant said, "We are building a fully integrated radiopharmaceutical company based upon our platform, reflecting a diverse pipeline of TATs in development. We are also making strategic investments in critical areas of manufacturing and supply chain to support the growth of our business, and we are attracting top industry leaders to join Fusion in our mission to impact the cancer therapy landscape with this new generation of targeted radiopharmaceuticals." Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results Cash and Investments: As of September 30, 2021, Fusion held cash, cash equivalents and investments of $238.2 million, compared to cash, cash equivalents and investments of $299.5 million as of December 31, 2020. Fusion expects its cash, cash equivalents and investments as of September 30, 2021 will enable the Company to fund its operations through the end of 2023. Collaboration Revenue: For the third quarter of 2021, Fusion recorded $0.3 million of revenue under the AstraZeneca collaboration agreement. R&D Expenses: Research and development expenses for the third quarter of 2021 were $12.7 million, compared to $4.5 million for the same period in 2020. The increase was primarily related to costs associated with the FPI-1434 Phase 1 clinical trial, as well as preclinical research and manufacturing costs, platform development and personnel-related costs. G&A Expenses: General and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2021 were $7.2 million, compared to $5.8 million for the same period in 2020. The increase was primarily related to personnel-related costs and general corporate costs, partially offset by a decrease in professional fees. Net Loss: For the third quarter of 2021, Fusion reported a net loss of $19.4 million, or $0.45 per share, compared with a net loss of $10.0 million, or $0.24 per share, for the same period in 2020. Impact of COVID-19 Fusion is experiencing material delays in patient recruitment and enrollment as a result of continued resourcing issues related to COVID-19 at trial sites. There also remains uncertainty relating to the trajectory of the pandemic, hospital staffing and resource issues, and whether they may cause further delays in patient study recruitment. The impact of related responses and disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may result in further difficulties or delays in initiating, enrolling, conducting or completing the planned and ongoing trials and the incurrence of unforeseen costs as a result of disruptions in clinical supply or preclinical study or clinical trial delays. The continued impact of COVID-19 on results will largely depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence. About Fusion Fusion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage oncology company focused on developing next-generation radiopharmaceuticals as precision medicines. Employing a proprietary Fast-Clear linker technology, Fusion connects alpha particle emitting isotopes to various targeting molecules in order to selectively deliver the alpha emitting payloads to tumors. Fusion's lead program, FPI-1434 targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The pipeline includes FPI-1966 targeting the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) and FPI-2059, a small molecule recently acquired from Ipsen, targeting neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1). In addition to a robust proprietary pipeline, Fusion has a collaboration with AstraZeneca to jointly develop up to three novel targeted alpha therapies (TATs) and explore up to five combination programs between Fusion's TATs and AstraZeneca's DNA Damage Repair Inhibitors (DDRis) and immuno-oncology agents. Fusion also entered into a collaboration with Merck to evaluate FPI-1434 in combination with Merck's KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) in patients with solid tumors expressing IGF-1R. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "believes," "expects," "plans," "potential," "would" or similar expressions and the negative of those terms. Such forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause Fusion's research and clinical development programs, future results, performance or achievements to differ significantly from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the uncertainties inherent in the drug development process, including Fusions' programs' early stage of development, the ability to move in-licensed targets forward in the clinic, the process of designing and conducting preclinical and clinical trials, the regulatory approval processes, the timing of regulatory filings, the challenges associated with manufacturing drug products generally and radiopharmaceuticals specifically, Fusion's ability to successfully establish, protect and defend its intellectual property, risks relating to business interruptions resulting from the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease outbreak or similar public health crises and other matters that could affect the sufficiency of existing cash to fund operations. Fusion undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. For a further description of the risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those expressed in these forward-looking statements, as well as risks relating to the business of the company in general, see Fusion's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 which is available on the Securities and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov and Fusion's website at www.fusionpharma.com. Investors and others should note that Fusion communicates with its investors and the public using the Fusion website, www.fusionpharma.com, including, but not limited to, company disclosures, investor presentations, SEC filings, and press releases. The information that Fusion posts on this website could be deemed to be material information. As a result, Fusion encourages investors, media and others interested to review the information that Fusion posts there on a regular basis. FUSION PHARMACEUTICALS INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands, except share amounts) (Unaudited) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 38,379 $ 90,517 Accounts receivable 300 Short-term investments 154,238 131,882 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 9,423 5,340 Restricted cash 669 425 Total current assets 203,009 228,164 Property and equipment, net 2,460 1,967 Deferred tax assets 1,324 653 Restricted cash 1,222 1,466 Long-term investments 45,554 77,082 Operating lease right-of-use assets 6,946 Other non-current assets 7,788 1,344 Total assets $ 268,303 $ 310,676 Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 3,803 $ 3,399 Accrued expenses 6,146 4,659 Income taxes payable 2,799 Deferred revenue 2,287 1,000 Operating lease liabilities 1,327 Total current liabilities 13,563 11,857 Deferred rent, net of current portion 11 Income taxes payable, net of current portion 295 295 Deferred revenue, net of current portion 2,167 4,000 Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion 5,783 Total liabilities 21,808 16,163 Commitments and contingencies Shareholders' equity: Common shares, no par value, unlimited shares authorized as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020; 43,066,219 and 41,725,797 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively Additional paid-in capital 423,446 407,672 Accumulated other comprehensive income 63 44 Accumulated deficit (177,014) (113,203) Total shareholders' equity 246,495 294,513 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 268,303 $ 310,676 FUSION PHARMACEUTICALS INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (In thousands, except share and per share amounts) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 2020 2021 2020 Collaboration revenue $ 325 $ $ 846 $ Operating expenses: Research and development 12,684 4,529 44,546 12,231 General and administrative 7,156 5,790 20,762 14,105 Total operating expenses 19,840 10,319 65,308 26,336 Loss from operations (19,515) (10,319) (64,462) (26,336) Other income (expense): Change in fair value of preferred share tranche right liability (32,722) Change in fair value of preferred share warrant liability (6,399) Interest income (expense), net 107 80 300 249 Refundable investment tax credits 41 139 Other income (expense), net 27 20 406 148 Total other income (expense), net 134 141 706 (38,585) Loss before (provision) benefit for income taxes (19,381) (10,178) (63,756) (64,921) Income tax (provision) benefit (48) 185 (55) (27) Net loss (19,429) (9,993) (63,811) (64,948) Unrealized (loss) gain on investments (274) (1) 19 (1) Comprehensive loss (19,703) (9,994) (63,792) (64,949) Reconciliation of net loss to net loss attributable to common shareholders: Net loss (19,429) (9,993) (63,811) (64,948) Dividends paid to preferred shareholders in the form of warrants issued (1,382) Net loss attributable to common shareholders $ (19,429) $ (9,993) $ (63,811) $ (66,330) Net loss per share attributable to common shareholdersbasic and diluted $ (0.45) $ (0.24) $ (1.50) $ (4.30) Weighted-average common shares outstandingbasic and diluted 43,022,762 41,682,797 42,441,091 15,422,375 FUSION PHARMACEUTICALS INC. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In thousands) (Unaudited) Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 2020 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss $ (63,811) $ (64,948) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Share-based compensation expense 6,237 2,025 Depreciation and amortization expense 450 373 Non-cash lease expense 793 3 Change in fair value of preferred share tranche right liability 32,722 Change in fair value of preferred share warrant liability 6,399 Amortization of premiums (accretion of discounts) on investments, net 1,361 24 Deferred tax benefit (670) (28) Common shares issued to acquire in-process research & development 8,924 Foreign exchange loss 5 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable (300) Prepaid expenses and other current assets (4,110) (3,792) Other non-current assets (6,227) (521) Accounts payable 413 150 Accrued expenses 1,487 1,025 Deferred revenue (546) Income taxes payable (2,800) (117) Operating lease liabilities (619) Net cash used in operating activities (59,413) (26,685) Cash flows from investing activities: Purchases of investments (157,424) (54,286) Maturities of investments 165,255 Purchases of property and equipment (953) (1,063) Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 6,878 (55,349) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of Class B convertible preferred shares and Class B preferred share tranche right, net of issuance costs 65,676 Proceeds from issuance of Class B preferred exchangeable shares of Fusion Pharmaceuticals (Ireland) Limited and Class B preferred share tranche right, net of issuance costs 6,722 Proceeds from the issuance of common shares upon closing of initial public offering, net of underwriter fees 197,625 Payment of offering costs (216) (4,572) Proceeds from issuance of common shares upon exercise of stock options and ESPP 613 Net cash provided by financing activities 397 265,451 Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (52,138) 183,417 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 92,408 67,121 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 40,270 $ 250,538 Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information: Cash paid for income taxes $ 3,739 $ 280 Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities $ 1,166 $ Increase in right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities from operating lease modifications $ 911 $ Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities: Purchases of property and equipment included in accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 25 $ Issuance of warrants to purchase Class B preferred shares and Class B preferred exchangeable shares as a non-cash dividend to preferred shareholders $ $ 1,382 Deferred offering costs included in accounts payable and accrued expenses $ 60 $ FUSION PHARMACEUTICALS INC. RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL RESULTS (In thousands) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, 2021 2020 2021 2020 GAAP Net loss $ (19,429) $ (9,993) $ (63,811) $ (64,948) Less: Adjustments Change in fair value of preferred share tranche right liability (32,722) Change in fair value of preferred share warrant liability (6,399) Non-GAAP Net loss $ (19,429) $ (9,993) $ (63,811) $ (25,827) Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fusion-pharmaceuticals-announces-third-quarter-2021-financial-results-and-clinical-program-update-301419520.html SOURCE Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/09/c4500.html Ronald Blackburn Moreno was Treasurer at the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and President and CEO of ASPIRA Association, Inc. Northampton, MA --News Direct-- Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility November 9, 2021 /3BL Media/ - The Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) mourns the unexpected passing of its longtime board treasurer and former board chair Ronald Blackburn Moreno who passed away on November 4, 2021. Blackburn Moreno was the board designate on the HACR board of directors, representing ASPIRA Association, one of the nations largest nonprofit organizations focused on empowering Latino youth through advocacy, education, and leadership development. The more than 450,000 alumni of ASPIRA programs around the country are known affectionately as Aspirates. Blackburn Moreno had served as a member of the HACR Board of Directors since 1994, the same year he joined ASPIRA as its President & CEO. He was a dedicated contributor to the HACR board for over 27 years in various executive board roles including chair, treasurer, and secretary. He will be remembered as a legendary leader in HACRs history of advancing Hispanic inclusion in Corporate America. We are deeply saddened by the loss of an iconic giant in our Latino community. Ron Blackburn Moreno was one of the highest-respected and admired Latino leaders in our country. He empowered the lives of hundreds of thousands of Latinos over his decades of leadership at ASPIRA, said HACR President and CEO, Cid Wilson. As our longest-serving HACR board director, his leadership and statesmanship was the foundational catalyst to the mission-driven accomplishments of the organization. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones. He was a mentor and longtime friend. We will miss him dearly. Blackburn Moreno was a steadfast servant leader who leveraged his longtime experience in nonprofit administration to strengthen the organizations governance and financial performance. His belief in the use of metrics to hold corporations accountable for their Hispanic inclusion laid the groundwork for HACRs corporate accountability strategy and its annual HACR Corporate Inclusion Index. He is also remembered as a consensus builder who earned the respect of his fellow board members. Story continues This is a huge loss for HACR and the greater Latino community, said Ramiro Cavazos, Board Chair of HACR as well as President and CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). Ron Blackburn Moreno could always be counted on for his deft counsel, wisdom, and guidance, especially during moments when we needed strategic leadership. He was a courageous champion for Latino causes and an unwavering advocate for Hispanic inclusion. On behalf of the HACR board of directors, our deepest sympathies to his wife, Evelyn, and their family. Blackburn Moreno, who was born in Jersey City, NJ, and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, was a key leader in taking ASPIRA Association to national prominence. In addition to his accomplishments at ASPIRA and the HACR board of directors, he was also the former board chair of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda (NHLA), and served on the boards of the National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC), Hispanic Technology & Telecommunications Partnership (HTTP), and multiple corporate advisory boards. Memorial services will be held on Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 6:00 pm ET at Immanuel Church on the Hill at 3606 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Ronald Blackburn Moreno Youth Fund at the ASPIRA Association at 1220 L Street, NW, Suite 701, Washington, DC 20005. Donations can also be sent online at aspira.org ### About HACR Founded in 1986, the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility (HACR) is the nations leading corporate advocacy organization, representing 14 national Hispanic organizations in the United States and Puerto Rico. Its mission is to advance the inclusion of Hispanics in Corporate America in the areas of employment, procurement, philanthropy, and governance. Through our corporate leadership advancement programs, best-practice conferences, research initiatives, and public engagements, HACR is illuminating The Power of Hispanic Inclusion throughout Corporate America. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility on 3blmedia.com View source version on newsdirect.com: https://newsdirect.com/news/hacr-mourns-the-loss-of-iconic-national-latino-leader-and-lifelong-champion-for-youth-development-136225475 The report covers various aspects including volume of machines & market size, production scenario of agricultural equipments in the country, target audience, growth facilitators, issues & challenges faced by the industry and more. The Vietnam Agricultural Equipment report concludes with projections for future of the industry including forecasted sales revenue and volume by 2025, market segmentations, Covid-19 impact and analysts take on the future. Gurugram, India, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Key Findings According Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2020, the level of mechanization in agriculture is increasing in the pre- and post-harvest stages. Specifically, the rate of mechanization of agricultural land preparation reached 94%; 42% of sowing and planting care reached 77% and that of rice harvest reached 65%. Compared to 2011, in 2019, the number of tractors across the country increased by about 48%, combine harvester increased by 79%, and agricultural dryer increased by 29%. The farm power availability reached about 2.4 HP / ha cultivated. The Ministry of Industry and Trade assessed that the level of equipment for Vietnam's agriculture only reached 1.4 horsepower (HP) for cultivation, much lower than countries like Thailand with 4 HP / ha; China 8 HP / ha; Korea 10 HP / ha. Shortage of Labour: Due to rapid urbanisation, most of the farmers are shifting to construction and services sector in hopes of earning more wages. Consequently, this has led to a shortage of agriculture labour in Vietnam. This has acted as a major driver for the implementation of machinery in agriculture. The transition of occupational structure from agriculture to other sectors is rapidly occurring in the four regions: The Red River Delta, the North Central and the Central Coastal areas, the Mekong River Delta, and the South East. Two Wheel Tractor to Dominate the Sales Volume in the Market: Field size and shape in Vietnam is tiny and dispersed. As per International Rice Research Institute, the country has 70 million pieces of land; therefore there is 0.7 ha of land available for every family, which is made up of 34 pieces of land. Due to this fragmentation of land, farmers often buy two wheel tractors which are convenient for small pieces of land and are also economical. Story continues Sluggish Growth Rate of Rice Transplanters: Sale of Rice Transplanters in Vietnam is expected to increase at a slower rate in future as compared to tractors as farmers lack the technical knowledge to use the machines and are not aware of the benefits of modern methods of sowing rice.Due to its limited use to rice farming they prefer to rent or buy a second hand rice transplanter. DecliningAgricultural Machine Demand due to Covid-19: The demand for agricultural machinesdecreased during the corona virus pandemic. This was due to low production and also due to closure of dealerships and retail shops during lockdown. This was further fuelled by decrease in farmer's income which led to postponing of agricultural machinery purchases. Also, Vietnam has recently recovered from a drought and Mekong Delta is currently under salt water intrusion which has led to a decline in production. Apart from production and utility issues, agricultural equipment companies experienced cash flow difficulties due to the fact that most of the imports were banned and local manufacturing and assemblies were shut down. The demand for machinesin the country remained low at the starting of 2020, however there was increase in demand in the second half of the year post ease in confinement. Slow recovery is expected in 2021. The manufacturers are expected to shift focus towards 4 wheel tractors along with launch of precision agricultural products in accordance with Vietnam Agriculture 4.0 agenda. Analysts at Ken Research in their latest publication " Vietnam Agricultural Machinery Market Outlook To 2025 Agriculture Tractor Market (By Type: 2W And 4W Tractors, By Power: Below 12 HP, 12HP-35HP, And Above 35HP, By Region: Central Highlands, North Central & Central Coast, Mekong Delta, Northern Midlands and Mountains, Red River Delta and South East), Combine Harvester Market, Rice Transplanters Market and Agriculture Implements Market (By Product Type: Rotavator, Plough, Harrow, Fertilizer Spreaders and Others) " observed that Vietnam is a growing agricultural machinery market in South East Asia and is slowly recovering from the economic crisis after pandemic. The increasing credit availability in the country along with exemption in taxes is driving the growth of the industry. Increasing focus on promotional and marketing activities, new product launches, partnerships & collaborations are expected to drive the industry in the future. The Vietnam Agricultural Machinery Market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% on the basis of sales revenue over the forecast period 2020-2025. Key Segments Covered:- By Product Type Tractors (2W and 4W) Combine Harvesters Rice Transplanter Implements By Tractor Segment Upto 12 Hp Between 12-35 Hp Above 35 Hp By Region of Sales Mekong Delta Red River Delta Northern Midlands and Mountains North Central and Central Coast Central Highlands South East By Implement Segment Rotavator Plough Harrow Fertilizer Spreaders Others Companies Covered:- Kubota Vietnam Yanmar Vietnam VEAM( Vietnam Engine and Agricultural Machinery Corporation) Thaco (LS Mtron) Key Target Audience:- Agricultural Equipment Companies New Market Entrants- Domestic OEMs New Market Entrants- Foreign OEMs Agricultural Equipment Financing Companies Government Bodies Investors & Venture Capital Firms Agricultural Equipment Manufacturers Agricultural Equipment Distributors Agricultural Equipment Associations Time Period Captured in the Report:- Historical Period 2014-2020 Forecast Period 2021-2025 Key Topics Covered in the Report:- Executive Summary Research Methodology Vietnam Agriculture Equipment Market Overview Vietnam Agriculture Equipment Market Size, 2014-2020 Vietnam Agriculture Equipment Market Segmentation, 2020 Growth Drivers in Vietnam Agriculture Equipment Market Issues and Challenges in Vietnam Agriculture Equipment Market Regulatory Framework in Vietnam Agriculture Equipment Market Snapshots on Equipment Financing and Rentals, After Market Services and Second Hand Purchases Ecosystem and Value Chain of Agricultural Equipment Industry in Vietnam Farmers Purchase Decision Making Parameters Cross Comparison between Major Players and Company Profiles & Product Portfolios Future Market Size and Segmentations, 2021-2025F Covid-19 Impact on the Industry & the Way Forward Analysts' Recommendations Vietnam Agricultural Machinery Industry Vietnam Agricultural Equipment Market Vietnam Agricultural Machinery Market Number of Agricultural Equipment Companies in Vietnam Number of Online Agricultural Equipment Companies in Vietnam Agricultural Equipment Domestic Players Vietnam Agricultural Equipment Foreign Players Vietnam Second Hand Agricultural Equipment Vietnam Financing of Agricultural Equipments Vietnam Financing of Agricultural Machinery Vietnam Interest Rate on Agricultural Machines Vietnam Region with Highest number of Tractors Vietnam Region with Highest number of Combine Harvesters Vietnam Region with Highest number of Rice Transplanter Vietnam Kubota Number of Dealers Vietnam Kubota Best Selling Products Vietnam Yanmar Number of Dealers Vietnam Kubota Best Selling Products Vietnam Thaco Number of Dealers Vietnam VEAM Number of Dealers Vietnam Logistics Charges for Import of Agricultural Equipment Vietnam Import Procedure of Agricultural machinery in Vietnam Tractor Sales Vietnam Combine Harvester Sales Vietnam Rice Transplanter Sales Vietnam Kubota Market Share VEAM Apotek Market Share Thaco Market Share Yanmar Market Share Agricultural Mechanization Present Status Vietnam Future plan of Agriculture Mechanization in Vietnam For More Information on the research report, refer to below link:- Vietnam Agricultural Machinery Market Related Reports:- Thailand Agricultural Machinery Market Outlook to 2025 Agriculture Tractor Market (By Type: 2W and 4W Tractors, By Power: 8HP-15HP, 20HP-35HP, 36HP-47HP, 48HP-75HP, 75HP-100HP, 100HP-120HP and Above 120HP), Combine Harvester Market (By Power: 70HP & Below, 75HP-105HP and Above 105HP), By Rice Transplanters (By Rows: 4Row, 6Row and 8Row), Agriculture Implements Market The revenues from the overall agriculture machinery market increased at a positive single-digit CAGR of 2.7% during the period 2013 - 2019. The contribution of the tractor market to the overall market stood at more than 50.0% in 2019. Combine Harvesters have been the second-largest category, to the overall revenues of the agriculture equipment market largely due to rising government support, growing per capita income, and rising demand for rice in the country. The revenue from the tractor market in Thailand increased at a CAGR of 4.6% during the period 2013 - 2019. Tractors have been segmented on the basis of power and those that range from 20 to 75 hp were most preferred in Thailand, accounting for the highest total tractor sales volume. Philippines Agricultural Equipment Market Outlook to 2023- By Product Type (Tractors, Combine Harvesters, Planters, Seeders and Tillage Equipments and Tillage Equipment), By Tractor Segment (Upto 60 Hp, Between 61-130 Hp and above 130 Hp), By Production (Imported and Domestically Manufactured) and By Region (Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao) Agricultural Equipment Market started to boom with the introduction of rice combine harvesters by Kubota in 2010. During the initial years, farmers were hesitant in adopting these equipments as they had no knowledge about usage of these equipments and also feared losing their job. However, growing support from the government and private investors, helped in enhancing farm mechanization in the country. Europe Agriculture Equipment Market Outlook to 2023 - By Type (Tractors, Harvesting Equipment, Soil Preparation and Cultivation Equipment, Haymaking Equipment, Crop Protection Equipment, Transport and Handling Equipments and Other Agricultural Equipment); and By Major Countries ( Germany , France , Italy , UK, Poland , Spain and Others) Europe agriculture equipment market was observed at a highly maturity stage though the farming sector within Europe has never stopped working towards innovation for agriculture equipment and every cycle brings in new technological innovation. Increasing presence of both international as well as domestic players coupled with new government initiatives has created a positive impact on the market. Europe agriculture equipment industry revenue has increased at a positive CAGR during the review period 2013-2018. The European agriculture market witnessed a decline in 2016 in terms of revenue but gradually recovered during 2017-2018. There has been a shift towards mechanization in the market as modern farm machines are now equipped with advanced technologies which aid in simplifying the farming activities. In addition to that, government support in the form of subsidies has further encouraged the growth of agriculture industry within European region Contact Us:- Ken Research Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications support@kenresearch.com +91-9015378249 CONTACT: Contact Us:- Ken Research Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications support@kenresearch.com +91-9015378249 NEW YORK J.P. Morgan Wealth Management is hosting its inaugural investing event for Black, Latina and Hispanic women and their allies to share intimate stories and lessons about money, growing their business and investing to build long-term wealth. Social media influencers and celebrities will participate in panels and workshops providing tips for first-time and experienced investors, entrepreneurs and business owners. Building a New Legacy: A Summit for Black and Latina Women will provide the backdrop for diverse women and allies to exchange real experiences, help learn step-by-step how to define achievable goals, and grow more confident about their ability to rewrite their financial future. The virtual summit will take place on November 9, and will feature live discussion panels, celebrity keynotes and on-demand workshops. Keynote topics include: Building the Financial Sisterhood with Soledad OBrien , CEO of Soledad OBrien Productions and host of Matter of Fact with Soledad OBrien Good with Money: Rebounding after Financial Loss with Tiffany The Budgetnista Aliche , award-winning teacher of financial education and Yanely MissBeHelpful Espinal , director of Educational Outreach at Next Gen Personal Finance Bossing up: Raising a Business by Raising your Voice with Beatrice Dixon, founder of The Honey Pot Company The last year and a half has been defined by many challenges that have disproportionally impacted Black, Hispanic and Latina people and particularly, women, said Kristin Lemkau, CEO of J.P. Morgan U.S. Wealth Management. The road to equality starts with greater financial equality. Were are excited to bring together these exceptional women to have raw conversations about finances and investing and how to build a legacy. Women already face financial gaps in equal pay and household income, and these are more pronounced for Black and Latina women. Investing, participating in the economy, and having skills to maximize our financial potential are all ways to build wealth and pass it on to others, said Alice Rodriguez, one of the firms top Latina leaders and 25-year banking industry expert. Rodriguez has focused her career on driving financial health and leads the firms work on delivering on a $30 billion commitment to closing the wealth gap for the Black and Latino communities. Attendees will hear inspiring stories about personal wealth journeys, and will have access to on-demand resources and specialists from J.P. Morgan Wealth Management. Breakout sessions will cover investing for beginners, multigenerational wealth, using investment goals to support communities, and financial wellness for entrepreneurs and business owners. Registration is open now at https://events.bizzabo.com/362758 Martin Communications Martin Communications Martin Communications RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Martin Communications is launching a new brand for its client Frazier Home Design. After completing a series of branding and communication analyses, the Raleigh-based marketing agency presented the luxury home design firm with a fully executed Brand Standards Guidelines to enhance its marketing efforts. The Brand Style Guidelines include the brand message and vision statement as well as direction on consistently and effectively displaying brand assets such as logo, fonts, etc. "Working with the Martin Communications team allowed me to step outside of my comfort zone and really examine my company's brand," said Tony Frazier, owner and lead designer of Frazier Home Design. "Their questions, brand experience, client relations skills, and market research produced the brand look and message I knew that we needed to continue our growth." Frazier Home Design has also agreed for Martin Communications to design a new, highly-optimized website that will display all the components of the Brand Standards Guidelines. The new website, featuring updated imagery and content on the home design firm, will go live during Q1 2022. "We are very excited to add Frazier Home Design to our list of outstanding clients," said Jenny Burke, president of Martin Communications. "It has a stellar reputation in the home building industry for creating beautiful custom home designs with great attention to the smallest details. It was an honor to create this new brand and we look forward to working with their team on a new website." ### About Martin Communications Martin Communications, located in Raleigh, NC, is an award-winning integrated marketing communications firm providing expert strategy, branding and advertising, social media, public relations and website design and development. Our full-service capabilities also include graphic design, copywriting, idea generation, and more. For over a decade, our unique culture and diverse, deep pool of talent has driven us to successfully deliver measurable results for businesses of all sizes in a broad array of industries. With roots in radio, television and newspaper, we know a thing or two about the importance of powerful messaging. For more information, visit us at thinkmartinfirst.com . Story continues About Frazier Home Design Frazier Home Design has been taking the concept of creating custom, luxury, residential plans to the next level since 2007. With a desire to influence and inspire, it continues to educate its team and its public on architectural designs as well as architectural history from across the country. Based out of Raleigh, North Carolina, the Frazier Home Design team uses their innovative and original process to deliver incredible personal service, resulting in trust with their clients and elevating their business to the highest ranks of architectural professionalism. Through a combination of raw talent, knowledge of their craft, and passion for the details, the Frazier Home Design team creates timeless designs that hold the lives of their clients. www.frazierhomedesign.com Media Contact Jenny Burke President, Martin Communications 919-621-1619 jenny@thinkmartinfirst.com Related Images Image 1: Martin Communications Martin Communications Image 2: Frazier Home Design Frazier Home Design This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment When Princess Charlene returned to Monaco after a six-month stay in South Africa, she didn't come home empty-handed. According to the local newspaper, Charlene introduced Prince Albert and their 6-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, to the newest member of their royal family: a Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy named Khan! Closely resembling the Hungarian pointer (the Vizsla) or a Weimaraner, the Rhodesian Ridgeback is a hybrid hound breed that sprang to life as European settlers' dogs mixed with the pets of indigenous Khoikhoi nomads in South Africa and Zimbabwe more than 200 years ago. In the past, Charlene has favored pocket-sized pets, including a pair of Yorkies named Monte and Carlo, and two chihuahuas called Thula and Wena. (One palace source tells PEOPLE that the princess, 43, decided to welcome Khan into the family after one of her chihuahuas died unexpectedly three weeks ago.) RELATED: Princess Charlene Returns to Monaco After Six-Month Separation from Prince Albert and Their Twins princess charlene Eric MATHON/Palais Princier The Ridgeback owes its name to the unmistakable ridge of fur growing along its back in the opposite direction to the rest of its coat, which is in an earthy red color called "wheaten" that's named after the hue of wheat field. Ridgebacks are self-aware pets, sometimes even a bit aloof, but they are just as comfortable at home with children as they are tracking lions out in the African bush (undoubtedly helped by the fact that they rarely bark). In the U.S., Old Hollywood leading man Errol Flynn sparked a wave of popularity when he raised the affectionate pooches as show dogs in the 1930s. Prince Rainier III, Princess Stephanie, Princess Grace and Princess Caroline James Andanson/Sygma via Getty Images This particular breed is also something of a tradition for Monaco's royal family one going back more than 60 years, in fact. Prince Albert's parents Prince Rainier and Princess Grace were the first to bring a Rhodesian Ridgeback into the Monegasque pack. Though it's well-known that Grace arrived in Monaco with a poodle and a Weimeraner (the latter of which had been a wedding gift from her brother, Jack Kelly, and reportedly was not housebroken), Rainier himself owned a Ridgeback. Story continues Grace was such a dog lover that she threw puppy birthday parties, including hats, canine-friendly snacks and doggie bags for prizes. Princess Caroline, who was about 10 or 11 when the festivities took place, shared her memories with Rainier & Grace author Jeffrey Robinson, saying, "They loved it! But then who doesn't love a birthday party?" RELATED: From Monaco to Bhutan: Meet the Cutest Royal Kids Around the World! Prince Rainier Keystone/Getty Before that, the family Ridgeback had a hand (or a paw, as it were) in helping decide Albert and Caroline's nanny when they were babies. In November 2018, Maureen Wood recalled her introduction to Prince Rainier after her sister had secretly written to the royals to recommend her. Clearly the letter caught the eye of Princess Grace, who personally wrote to Wood to invite her to Monaco for a job interview. "I spent an afternoon in the nursery with Princess Grace and with Caroline, who was in her playpen and Albert was in his lace covered cot, fast asleep," shared Wood. "We had a lovely afternoon and then [Princess Grace] said, 'My lady-in-waiting will take you out for dinner tonight in Monte Carlo and then the Prince would like to see you in the morning.' I had a lovely dinner in Monte Carlo with the lady-in-waiting and I suppose, looking back, it was probably to see whether I could hold my knife and fork properly," she noted. She continued, "Early the next morning, I was duly put in their little sitting room and the door flung open and in came Prince Rainier and this Rhodesian Ridgeback, who put his paws on my shoulders. And Prince Rainier said, 'I hope you like dogs,' and I said 'Of course monseigneur, of course I do" and we had a long chat." Wood was hired and stayed on as the royal menagerie including Oliver the poodle, a wedding present from Cary Grant expanded at the royals' Monaco home of Roc Agel. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Prince Rainier III, Princess Grace, Princess Stephanie, Princess Caroline and Prince Albert Tony Kent/Sygma via Getty Images The Grimaldis have also often taken their brood (and breeds) to their Chateau Marchais hunting outpost. These days, the estate in northern France even features a garden-side study decorated by Princess Caroline to showcase dozens of photo portraits of the family and their dogs, all the way up to the current generations of children and grandchildren. Surely it'll be no time before Khan joins Jacques and Gabriella in an upcoming family portrait. Middlefield Canadian Income PCC Net Asset Value Middlefield Canadian Income PCC Middlefield Canadian Income - GBP PC (a protected cell company incorporated in Jersey with registration number 93546) Legal Entity Identifier: 2138007ENW3JEJXC8658 Net Asset Value As at the close of business on 08 November 2021 the estimated unaudited Net Asset Value per share was 137.58 pence (including accrued income). Investments in the Companys portfolio have been valued on a closing price basis. Enquiries: JTC Fund Solutions (Jersey) Limited 01534 700 000 DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MoneyGram International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), the global leader in the evolution of digital P2P payments, today announced that Alex Holmes, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Larry Angelilli, Chief Financial Officer, will participate in the Citi 2021 FinTech Virtual Conference on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at 3:45 p.m. EST. MoneyGram Logo (PRNewsfoto/MoneyGram) Interested parties will be able to access the presentation via webcast by visiting the MoneyGram investor relations website at https://ir.moneygram.com/. About MoneyGram International, Inc. MoneyGram is leading the evolution of digital P2P payments. With a purpose-driven strategy to mobilize the movement of money, a strong culture of fintech innovation, and leading customer-centric capabilities, MoneyGram has grown to serve nearly 150 million people around the world over the last five years. The Company leverages its modern, mobile, and API-driven platform and collaborates with the world's leading brands to serve consumers through MoneyGram Online (MGO), its direct-to-consumer digital business, its global retail network and its emerging embedded finance business for enterprise customers, MoneyGram as a Service. For more information, please visit ir.moneygram.com and follow @MoneyGram. MoneyGram Media Contact Stephen Reiff media@moneygram.com Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/moneygram-to-participate-at-citi-2021-fintech-virtual-conference-301419904.html SOURCE MoneyGram STOCKHOLM, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MPC Energy Solutions (MPCES) has entered the Mexican renewable energies market with the acquisition of Los Santos Solar I. The solar photovoltaic (PV) project, located in Ahumada, Chihuahua, in the North of Mexico, is fully operational since 2017 and has an installed capacity of 15.8 MWp. The project is included in MPCES's communicated advanced backlog. "The acquisition of Los Santos Solar I marks our entry into the Mexican renewables market, further strengthening our regional presence which now spans six countries across Latin America and the Caribbean. This deal is another confirmation that we are on track to deliver on our project pipeline, implying 177 MW installed capacity and USD 40 million of asset-level revenue by the end of 2023. It reinforces our position as a leader in the region's renewable energy market with close to 11,000 MW of installed wind and solar PV capacity and potential for further growth given the abundance of resources and demand for clean energy from the private and public sectors," said Martin Vogt, CEO at MPC Energy Solutions. The project, which was financed and built by multinational renewable energy project developer Buenavista Renewables (BRV), has a USD-denominated Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with German cable manufacturer Leoni Cable and the International De La Salle Educational Network. MPC Energy Solutions has acquired full ownership of the project and 20-year project financing has been provided by the U.S. Government's Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and the North American Development Bank (NADB). The closing of the acquisition is expected to take place in Q1 2022 and is subject to customary conditions. Los Santos Solar I has the potential to be extended from 15.8 MWp to approximately 90 MWp and MPC Energy Solutions has signed a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) agreement with the developer. The extension may be ready-to-build in 2023. The plant avoids approximately 16,500 metric tons per year of CO2 emissions. Story continues Martin Vogt added: "Los Santos Solar I is a high-quality asset with solid private corporate clients and an attractive USD-denominated PPA in place. As an operational asset, this project provides the company with immediate cash flows while securing exclusive rights on the future project extension. It further boosts the returns we can offer our investors while assisting us in our mission to help the region's transition to cleaner energies." About MPC Energy Solutions MPC Energy Solutions ("MPCES") is a global provider of sustainable energy and primarily focuses on low-carbon energy infrastructure, including solar and wind assets, and other hybrid and energy efficiency solutions. The Company participates in the full project lifecycle of renewable solutions, from early-stage development through construction and operation. More details at www.mpc-energysolutions.com Media contacts MPC Energy Solutions N.V. Investor Relations & Public Relations Email: info@mpc-energysolutions.com Norway Jo Christian Lund-Steigedal Corporate Communications AS Phone: +47 415 08733 Email:jcs@corpcom.no Americas Perry Goldman Montieth & Company Phone: +1 (646) 8643568 Email: pgoldman@montiethco.com United Kingdom Charles Font Montieth & Company Phone: +44 020 38575478 Email: cfont@montiethco.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/mpc-energy-solutions-n-v-/r/mpc-energy-solutions-enters-mexican-market-with-the-acquisition-of-los-santos-solar-i,c3449650 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Public/20542/3449650/bbb5b3a4163ed27c.pdf 2021 11 09 MPCES Signs Acquisition of Los Santos Solar PV Park in Mexico Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mpc-energy-solutions-enters-mexican-market-with-the-acquisition-of-los-santos-solar-i-301419419.html SOURCE MPC Energy Solutions N.V. Lead Plaintiff Deadline Is December 6, 2021 NEW YORK, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP announces that a federal securities class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers or acquirers of Nano-X Imaging Ltd. (NASDAQ:NNOX) (Nano-X) securities between June 17, 2021 and August 18, 2021 has been filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. All investors who purchased shares of Nano-X Imaging Ltd. and incurred losses are urged to contact the firm immediately at classmember@whafh.com or (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774. You may obtain additional information concerning the action or join the case on our website, www.whafh.com. If you have incurred losses in the shares of Nano-X Imaging Ltd., you may, no later than December 6, 2021, request that the Court appoint you lead plaintiff of the proposed class. Please contact Wolf Haldenstein to learn more about your rights as an investor in Nano-X Imaging Ltd. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE CASE On June 17, 2021, Nano-X submitted a 510(k) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") for its multi-source version of the Nanox.ARC. A 510(k) is a type of premarket submission made to the FDA to demonstrate that a device to be marketed is as safe and effective, that is, substantially equivalent, to a legally marketed device. Following this submission, defendants touted the Nanox ARC's regulatory and commercial prospects in various public statements and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. On August 19, 2021, Nano-X reported that Nano-X "received a request for additional information from the [FDA] concerning the Company's last 510(k) submission of its multi-source device, Nanox.ARC," and that "[t]he submission file is placed on hold pending a complete response to the FDA's list of deficiencies," with "[t]he Company's response . . . due within 180 days from the date of the request for additional information." Story continues On this news, Nano-X's ordinary share price fell nearly 10%, damaging investors. Wolf Haldenstein has extensive experience in the prosecution of securities class actions and derivative litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas; and offices in New York, Chicago and San Diego. The reputation and expertise of this firm in shareholder and other class litigation has been repeatedly recognized by the courts, which have appointed it to major positions in complex securities multi-district and consolidated litigation. If you wish to discuss this action or have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this case, please immediately contact Wolf Haldenstein by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at classmember@whafh.com, or visit our website at www.whafh.com. Contact: Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP Patrick Donovan, Esq. Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis Email: gstone@whafh.com, donovan@whafh.com or classmember@whafh.com Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (212) 545-4774 This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. BEIJING, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix New Media Limited ("Phoenix New Media", "ifeng" or the "Company") (NYSE: FENG), a leading new media company in China, today announced that it will report its third quarter 2021 financial results on Monday, November 15, 2021 after the market closes. The earnings release will be available on ifeng's investor relations website at http://ir.ifeng.com. Following the earnings release, ifeng's management team will hold a conference call on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Beijing/Hong Kong time) to discuss the financial results and operating performance. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, operator assisted conference calls are not available at the moment. All participants must preregister online prior to the call to receive the dial-in numbers. Preregistration may require a few minutes to complete. Conference Call Preregistration Participants can register for the conference call by navigating to http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/6816509. Once preregistration has been complete, participants will receive dial-in numbers, Direct Event Passcode, and registrant ID by email. Please dial in 10 minutes prior to the call, using the participant dial-in numbers, Direct Event Passcode and unique registrant ID which would be provided upon registering. You will be automatically linked to the live call after completion of this process. A replay of the call will be available through November 23, 2021 by dialing the following numbers: International: +61 2 8199 0299 Mainland China: 4006322162 Hong Kong: +852 30512780 United States: +1 646 254 3697 Conference ID: 6816509 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.ifeng.com. About Phoenix New Media Limited Phoenix New Media Limited (NYSE: FENG) is a leading new media company providing premium content on an integrated Internet platform, including PC and mobile, in China. Having originated from a leading global Chinese language TV network based in Hong Kong, Phoenix TV, the Company enables consumers to access professional news and other quality information and share user-generated content on the Internet through their PCs and mobile devices. Phoenix New Media's platform includes its PC channel, consisting of ifeng.com website, which comprises interest-based verticals and interactive services; its mobile channel, consisting of mobile news applications, mobile video application and mobile Internet website; and its operations with the telecom operators that provides mobile value-added services. Story continues For investor and media inquiries please contact Phoenix New Media Limited Qing Liu Email: investorrelations@ifeng.com ICR, LLC Robin Yang Tel: +1 (646) 405-4883 Email: investorrelations@ifeng.com Cision View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phoenix-new-media-to-announce-third-quarter-2021-financial-results-on-monday-november-15-2021-301419415.html SOURCE Phoenix New Media Limited CALGARY, AB, Nov. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) is calling for policy makers at COP26 to recognize the necessary role for natural gas and oil to meet growing global energy demand and the ambitions of the Paris Agreement. Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CNW Group/Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers) Today countries around the world are struggling to provide their industries, businesses and citizens with affordable and reliable energy because they lack access to natural gas and oil. With this, we have seen a surge in coal use from both developing and developed nations along with increasing costs on food, electricity, travel and home heating. To achieve the ambitions of the Paris Agreement, the world will need increased access to lower emission natural gas and oil, article 6 and industry's leading role in emissions reduction and clean-technology. It will be incredibly important for governments and the natural gas and oil industry to work collaboratively to ensure we meet our environmental and social outcomes. CAPP will offer the following virtual press conference hosted as a video webcast on a Cision platform to answer questions from media: When: Tuesday, November 9, 2021 9:00 a.m. MST / 11:00 a.m. EST Speakers: Tim McMillan, President & CEO, Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Stephen Buffalo, President & CEO, Indian Resource Council of Canada Video webcast: Media is required to register with elisabeth.besson@capp.ca in advance of CAPP's press conference to obtain access information. The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) represents companies, large and small, that explore for, develop and produce natural gas and oil throughout Canada. CAPP's member companies produce about 80 per cent of Canada's natural gas and oil. CAPP's associate members provide a wide range of services that support the upstream oil and natural gas industry. Together CAPP's members and associate members are an important part of a national industry with revenues from oil and natural gas production of about $116 billion a year. CAPP's mission, on behalf of the Canadian upstream oil and natural gas industry, is to advocate for and enable economic competitiveness and safe, environmentally and socially responsible performance. Story continues SOURCE Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/09/c2128.html TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Foundation will host their eleventh Remembrance Day Ceremony this year from the steps of the Mount Pleasant Cemetery Mausoleum, where Wing Commander William G. Barker VC is interred, Canada's first leader of the RCAF and who is still the most decorated officer in the British Commonwealth. The event will be virtual, as it was last year. Senior Representatives of the RCAF, along with uniformed members of 16 Wing, will attend the ceremony along members of the Toronto District School Board, RCAF Cadets, and students from nearby Hodgson Middle School. All COVID protocols on site, including masking and social distancing, will be followed. Members of the Media are invited to attend in person. Due to COVID protocols please register in advance with the RCAF Foundation Senior Communications Associate, Victoria Ollers, at vollers@rogers.com. The ceremony begins at 10:40 AM sharp. To register for the online event, click on - https://www.livemeeting.ca/register/?meet=15059&rel=10280 . 10:40 am ET Welcome National Anthem of Canada Commemoration Flanders Fields Act of Remembrance Last Post 11:00 am - Two minutes of silence Reveille Lament Laying of wreaths God Save the Queen Weather permitting, around 11:00 am ET the RCAF will undertake a flyby by a CC130J Hercules aircraft. The aircraft will fly west over Mount Pleasant Cemetery's mausoleum. The RCAF Foundation is an arms-length not-for-profit organization whose mission is to recognize, foster and celebrate the Royal Canadian Air Force through community engagement, education programs and commemorative activities. Follow us: Instagram: rcaf_foundation, Twitter: rcaf_foundation, Facebook: RCAF Foundation / Fondation de l'ARC Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries is a not-for-profit organization established in 1826. It maintains 10 cemeteries, nine funeral establishments, four cremation centres, and 14 mausoleums across the Greater Toronto Area. Story continues SOURCE RCAF Foundation Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2021/09/c3564.html Figure 1 Figure 1 Knauss Creek Property Location Figure 1 Knauss Creek Property Location Figure 2 Figure 2 Mineral Occurrences at the Knauss Creek Property Figure 2 Mineral Occurrences at the Knauss Creek Property Figure 3 Figure 3 Photos of the Dorreen Vein Figure 3 Photos of the Dorreen Vein VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. (the "Company" or "Prospect Ridge") (CSE: PRR) (OTC: PRRSF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a property option agreement with Knauss Creek Mines Ltd. (the Optionor) dated November 3, 2021 (the "Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company has acquired an option (the Option) to purchase a 100% interest in a single block of 35 mineral claims covering approximately 3,152.2 hectares collectively known as the Knauss Creek Property (the Property). Prospect Ridges Holy Grail holdings now comprise over 80,000 hectares of road-accessible property approximately 35 kilometres from Terrace. The Property is located northwest of Terrace, BC, and creates a contiguous block with existing mineral claims in the Companys Holy Grail properties (see Figure 1). The Company considers the Property to be highly prospective and consistent with high-grade mineralization observed on the Holy Grail property, including the historical Dorreen Mine. Production in 1924 assayed 57.26 grams per tonne gold, 205.71 grams per tonne silver, 1.3% copper, 6.2% lead and 5.8% zinc. The Property includes several other mineralized zones that have never been drill tested. Multiple logging roads across the property many creating significant mineralized exposures, in addition to Canadian National railways crossing the property. Michael Iverson, CEO states, Prospect Ridge continues to build an unprecedented district sized property over ground that contains historical hard-rock and placer mines, resemblances and continuation of geological and structural features in the Golden Triangle just 50 kilometres to the northeast, bonanza grade precious and base metal mineralization. Iverson continues, A significant difference is the property is only kilometers from significant infrastructure at Terrace and crisscrossed with existing logging roads. The opportunity allows us to put cost-effective prospecting and exploration into one of the most overlooked opportunities in the area. Story continues Knauss Creek Property Overview Property Description and Ownership The Property mineral claims are located in the Ominica Mining Division in British Columbia. The southern portion of the Property is approximately 35 km northeast of the City of Terrace (see Figure 1). The Property covers 3,152 hectares in mineral claims. The Optionor is the registered owner (100%) of all the claims of the Property. Figure 1 Knauss Creek Property Location https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4205a67-48de-4ea0-9bfe-af7f72924818 Geology and Mineralization The Property is underlain by a sequence of stratified argillites, sandstones, and conglomerates of the Jurassic to Cretaceous age Bowser Lake Group sedimentary rocks and Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group volcano-sedimentary rocks. These are intruded by granodioritic units ranging from Cretaceous to Tertiary in age. Hornfels alteration halos occur around the intruding granodioritic bodies. Bowser Lake and Hazelton group rocks have been intruded by the Eocene aged Carpenter Creek Pluton in the southwestern part of the property and by Eocene rhyolite dykes in the central part of the property. The Property lies in the Golden Triangle area of northwestern British Columbia where extensively occurring precious and base-metal mineralization have historically been discovered. The Knauss Creek Property is being explored for polymetallic veins and potential associated skarn and porphyry mineralization within an orogenic geological environment. Placer deposits were mined in creeks adjacent, west and east, to the Property during the early part of the 20th century. Mineral Occurrences Four mineral occurrences have been identified on the Property: Saturn, Kandy, Hugin, and the Dorreen Mine (see Figure 2). Mineralization is structurally and stratigraphically controlled and is hosted within argillaceous sedimentary rocks and diorite intrusions, which are likely the driver of the mineralized system. The Saturn target hosts multiple auriferous-quartz veins, results pending. Figure 2 Mineral Occurrences at the Knauss Creek Property https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2aef9510-d1ef-4d94-bc82-c46381ad8c92 The Kandy occurrence has seen limited work; however, 6 different quartz veins were identified and 4 grab samples returned between 0.77 and 3.87 g/t Au and 39.5 and 532 g/t Ag. The Hugin occurrence consists of a 65 m wide and 175 m long (open along strike) fractured gossanous zone located along the contact of an intrusion and metasedimentary country rocks. Historical chip and grab samples assayed between 1.29 to 2.69 g/t Au, while rocks collected by Mr. Beck in 2017 yielded up to 28.4 g/t Au, 210 g/t Ag, 9.13% Pb, including 5 others that averaged 1.42 g/t Au (up to 3.65 g/t). The Dorreen Mine In 1912, the Dorreen gold vein was discovered and developed intermittently from 1914 to 1952. The mine focused on a gold-bearing quartz vein hosted along a bedding fault plane in argillite near a dioritic intrusion. Three ore shipments were made; in 1924, 1926 and 1952. In 1924, 80 tonnes of ore was shipped and reportedly assayed 57.26 grams per tonne gold, 205.71 grams per tonne silver, 1.3 per cent copper, 6.2 per cent lead and 5.8 per cent zinc. In 1926, approximately 8 tonnes of similar ore was shipped. In 1952, 476 tonnes of ore was shipped and 3,266 grams of gold, 8,118 grams of silver, 3,137 kilograms of lead and 1,342 kilograms of zinc were recovered. In 1952, 252 feet of drifting, 113 feet of crosscutting, 166 feet of raising, and 1,400 feet of diamond drilling were done. A vein recently discovered above the top entry to the mine was followed for 48 feet by a drift at 2,466 feet elevation. During operation of the mill from May 23rd to August 28th, 525 tons of ore was milled. Approximately 20 tons of bulk concentrate shipped to the Trail smelter assayed: gold, 5.25 oz. per ton; silver, 13.05 oz. per ton; lead, 17.3 per cent; zinc, 7.4 per cent; copper, 2.6 per cent. No further development has occurred since 1952. Recently a 30 cm chip sample returned 33.6 g/t Au, 161.8 g/t Ag, 6.73% Pb, 35% Zn and 1.04% Cu. Another 20 cm chip sample from a parallel vein 21 m above the main vein assayed 32.2 g/t Au, 19.2 g/t Ag, 1.28% Pb and 0.24% Cu (see Figure 3). Figure 3 Photos of the Dorreen Vein https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46cd0db1-5733-4e10-847e-f47554ab20a3 Knauss Creek Exploration Program Exploration at the Property has already begun with geological mapping and geochemical sampling. Management of the Company expects that this work will significantly expand the Companys knowledge of the complex vein system and refine targets. The Property was held for 30 years by a prospector, who mapped and sampled a number of other auriferous polymetallic quartz-veins ranging from 6 inches to 5 feet wide with strike lengths in excess of 600 m. Company is reviewing and digitizing the extensive inventory of to facilitate and guide exploration efforts. A high focus will be placed on confirming the trend of the historical orebody in the Dorreen Mine, follow-up on the Saturn target, review of additional target polymetallic gold veins, as well as potential associated epithermal or porphyry mineralization within an orogenic geological environment. A structurally related gold system like Coffee Creek in the White Gold district, Knauss Creek has many resemblances to Fort Knox Mine in Anchorage, Alaska, hosted in diorite. Prospect Ridge has filed an independent technical report on SEDAR on the Property (the Knauss Creek Report) conducted by Rein Turna, P.Geo. dated November 4, 2021, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). The Knauss Creek Report can be viewed on www.sedar.com. The Option Agreement Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and in order to exercise the Option, Prospect Ridge must satisfy the following requirements: Shares Cash Expenditures On closing date of the Agreement (the Closing Date) 500,000 $10,000 - On first anniversary of the Closing Date 500,000 - - On second anniversary of the Closing Date 200,000 - - The earlier of (a) one year following receipt of a drill permit in respect of the Property, or (b) 18 months after the Closing Date - - $250,000 On or before October 31, 2023 - - $1,000,000 (inclusive of the above amount) TOTAL 1,200,000 $10,000 $1,000,000 The Company has also granted the Optionor a 1.0% net smelter returns royalty (the NSR Royalty) with respect the Property. The Company has the right to purchase from Optionor one-half of the NSR Royalty for $1,000,000 at any time prior to 45 consecutive production days at 70% of processing plant design capacity or mining rate if a processing facility is not constructed on the Property. Finders Fees In connection with the Agreement, the Company has agreed to issue to Loan Wolf Exploration Ltd. (the Finder) 120,000 common shares (50,000 common shares issued on the Closing date, 50,000 common shares issued on the first anniversary of the Closing date, and 20,000 common shares on the second anniversary of the Closing date). The Company has also granted the Finder a 2.0% net smelter returns royalty with respect to the Property, effective as of the date the Option is deemed exercised by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. Stock Option Grants The Company also announces that it has issued a total of 500,000 stock options to certain of its directors, officers, employees and consultants. All of the stock options will be exercisable for a period of 5 years at an exercise price of $1.40. Resignation and Appointment of Corporate Secretary Further to the Companys news release dated November 5, 2021, the Company also announces that Bennett Liu has resigned from his position as Corporate Secretary. Mr. Liu is an associate of Red Fern Consulting Ltd. (Red Fern), which provides the Company with accounting and advisory services. The Company has chosen to replace Mr. Liu with Stella Chen, a senior associate with Red Fern and the Companys current Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Chen is a graduate from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant candidate and has worked in a variety of roles for publicly listed companies on the TSX and TSXV. Ms. Chen will step into the role of Corporate Secretary effective immediately. Qualified Person All scientific or technical information included in this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Rein Turna, P.Geo., a consultant to the Company and a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. About Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. is a BC based exploration and development company focused on strategic mineral exploration in Canada concurrently with developing a location in British Columbia and Quebec. Prospect Ridges technical team and management with over 100 combined years of mineral exploration experience believes the Holy Grail to have the potential for a district scale hydrothermal system and will extend the boundaries of the Golden Triangle to cover this vast under-explored region. 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. This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as intends or anticipates, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should, would or occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the prospective nature of the Property and expected exploration results, the exercise of the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement and finders fees to be paid in connection with the Option. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: a failure to obtain regulatory approval of the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement and a failure to exercise the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement or at all. In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the Company will obtain the required regulatory approval with respect to the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. CONTACT: Contact Information Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. Michael Iverson, Chief Executive Officer Email: schen@redfernconsulting.ca Telephone: 778-788-4836 Crypto mining should be legalized and regulated as an entrepreneurial activity, Russias Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Energy and the State Duma said, according to a report from local site Izvestia. The ministries and the Duma, Russias lower house of representatives, want crypto miners to be recognized as entrepreneurs, Izvestia says. However, the Russian central bank does not support this initiative, citing the risks associated with crypto, according to the report from Monday. As of August, Russia is the worlds third-largest bitcoin mining country, after the U.S. and Kazakhstan, according to the Center of Alternative Finance at the University of Cambridge. The economic ministry thinks regulation will be beneficial to the country and the crypto industry, and that crypto mining fits well within the definition of entrepreneurship in Russias civil code, the report said. The institutions want to set up a new classifying code for the industry, which mining firms could use to register their companies. The head of the Dumas finance committee, Anatoly Aksakov, noted that crypto mining is not banned in Russia, but the rules around taxation are unclear. It is necessary to assign a classifying number to the industry and determine procedures for taxation, he said, according to Izvestia. Aksakov also suggested the possibility of charging miners higher electricity tariffs than other types of consumers, the report said. Read more: Russia to Treat Crypto as a Taxable Property NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Chegg Inc. ("Chegg" or the "Company") (NYSE: CHGG). Fighting for victims of securities fraud for more than 85 years (PRNewsfoto/Pomerantz LLP) The investigation concerns whether Chegg and certain of its officers and/or directors have breached fiduciary duties owed to the company and its investors. If you are a shareholder of Chegg and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, you are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. 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 rswilloughby@pomlaw.com 888-476-6529 ext. 7980 Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-alert-pomerantz-law-firm-investigates-claims-on-behalf-of-investors-of-chegg-inc---chgg-301419094.html SOURCE Pomerantz LLP FILE PHOTO: FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. President Trump holds a rally in Wellington, OH By Krystal Hu (Reuters) -Digital World Acquisition Corp is pitching prospective investors to back private investment in public equity (PIPE) transactions supporting its special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger with former U.S. President Donald Trump's social media venture, people familiar with the matter said on Monday. The talks are at an early stage and hedge fund investors were pitched for investment in the past few days, the sources said. They said DWAC aims to sell PIPEs at well over $10 per share. Most PIPEs for special purpose acquisition companies are sold at $10 per share. DWAC has seen its stock jump almost 500% since its link with Trump's Truth Social venture network was announced. Digital World and Trump Media & Technology Group were not immediately available for a comment. Trump and other Trump Media & Technology Group shareholders will initially own 69% of the combined company after the merger with the Miami-based blank-check firm, a regulatory filing showed last month. Bloomberg had earlier reported DWAC's fundraising plans. (Reporting by Uday Sampath and Juby Babu in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Kenneth Maxwell) DUBLIN, November 09, 2021--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Two days International Master Class Strategic Intelligence" conference has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Two days International Master Class Strategic Intelligence runs twice per year for the European market. With the Six Building Blocks, all aspects are covered to become successful in strategic management and strategic intelligence. The Master Class is applicable for professionals, managers, and leaders in international business from all various company functions: sales, marketing, strategy, innovation, business development, research & development, technology, purchasing, human resources, and beyond. Every business individual who can't just rely anymore on just data, information, and knowledge, however, wants to make the difference by using strategic intelligence in their day-to-day business practices. The Master Class has been rated 4.8 out of 5.0 and is recognized in Europe as the leading training course in strategy and strategic competitive intelligence. Everybody who attends the Two days International Master Class gets the Certificate of Attendance, which is also Certified by SCIP, Strategic & Competitive Intelligence Professionals, USA. For more information about this conference visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k50xkm View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006190/en/ Contacts ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press 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 This donation among the largest of its kind for the Foundation will establish The Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences at The Weizmann Institute of Science High resolution rendering of the future home of The Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences Weizmanns Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences, which will be located at the Weizmann Institute campus in Rehovot, Israel, will promote the full spectrum of neuroscience research, from basic, curiosity-driven studies to translational work of high clinical relevance, with global impact. Weizmanns Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences, which will be located at the Weizmann Institute campus in Rehovot, Israel, will promote the full spectrum of neuroscience research, from basic, curiosity-driven studies to translational work of high clinical relevance, with global impact. TORONTO, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Released concurrently in Canada and in Israel TORONTO, ON (November 9, 2021) The Weizmann Institute of Science and Weizmann Canada are thrilled to announce a lead philanthropic donation of $50 million USD from the Azrieli Foundation, to enable catalytic brain research with the establishment of The Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences. The donation is among the largest of its kind for the Foundation. The Azrieli Foundation is a longstanding supporter of research at the Weizmann Institute, and this generous donation adds to its past philanthropic investments of nearly $30 million USD towards Weizmann research facilities and faculty and student fellowships. Weizmanns Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences, which will be located at the Weizmann Institute campus in Rehovot, Israel, will promote the full spectrum of neuroscience research, from basic, curiosity-driven studies to translational work of high clinical relevance, with global impact. The donation will enable the construction of a new building that will serve as a hub for neuroscience activities, facilities, and state-of-the-art technologies. The new Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Sciences embodies one of the Weizmann Institutes fundamental values interdisciplinary collaboration. It will create a home for all the Weizmann researchers studying neuroscience, who will, under one roof, work together to gain a detailed understanding of how the brain develops and how it functions. Im confident that this new and unique research environment will enable the next major leap in brain research, said Weizmann Institute President, Prof. Alon Chen. The Azrieli Foundations commitment to the Weizmann Institute is extraordinary and we are deeply grateful for their longstanding support and partnership. Story continues The Weizmann Institute of Science, Weizmann Canada and the Azrieli Foundation have maintained a special partnership over many years, supporting a spectrum of biomedical and life science research from systems biology to neuroscience and beyond. The Azrieli Foundation seeks to nurture networks of excellence and out-of-the-box thinking, and we are passionate about supporting the next generation of researchers. In addition to Weizmanns outstanding record in science writ large, and neuroscience specifically, we are excited that this new institute will facilitate and amplify collaborative work across 40 groups in multiple disciplines. This is how breakthroughs in brain research will happen, said Dr. Naomi Azrieli, Chair and CEO of the Azrieli Foundation. We are incredibly grateful for our longstanding partnership with the Azrieli Foundation, said Susan Stern, CEO of Weizmann Canada. Their leadership through this new magnanimous gift will benefit humankind by furthering the collective global understanding of the brain through Weizmanns world-leading neuroscience research. The Weizmann Institute is a close-knit, agile and flexible community that is home to the brightest young stars and leading minds in multiple fields. The Weizmann Institutes unique model has made it one of the highest-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions in the world (ranked second globally on the Nature Index of research quality in 2019, and eighth for research quality by the Leiden 2021 ranking), with many world-renowned, award-winning scientists, including Nobel Prize and Turing Award laureates. The Azrieli Institute will focus on cutting edge research in the following areas: the development of neural networks; perception and action; mental and emotional health, positive neuroscience; learning, memory and cognition; the aging brain; neurodegeneration; injury and regeneration; theoretical and computational neuroscience; development of innovative neurotechnologies; and, integrative brain disorders. Additional resources -30- For more information please contact: Diane Begin of Weizmann Canada at 647-624-3160 or diane@weizmann.ca Abby Robins of the Azrieli Foundation at 416-322-5928 or abby@azrielifoundation.org ABOUT WEIZMANN CANADA Since 1964, Weizmann Canada has partnered with individuals, families, foundations, and the business community to develop funding for the Weizmann Institute of Science; sharing the Institutes research with the Canadian public; and promoting science literacy and educational programs across all age groups. From coast to coast, Weizmann Canada hosts meetings and interactive events with Weizmann Institute Scientists; provides opportunities for participation in educational programs for high school students and young adults; and brings Canadians a front row seat to research that has and will continue to change the world. weizmann.ca ABOUT THE WEIZMANN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE The Weizmann Institute of Science, located in Rehovot, Israel is one of the worlds leading multidisciplinary institutions of basic research. Weizmann Institute scientists have made a global impact in a variety of areas ranging from health and medicine to alternative energy and security and technology. Our specific impact includes being credited for inventing amniocentesis, developing a block buster drug for multiple sclerosis, and developing encryption technology to power internet and smart cards. weizmann.ac.il ABOUT THE AZRIELI FOUNDATION With a firm belief that everyone, from our most vulnerable to our most exceptional, has a contribution to make, the Azrieli Foundation has been opening doors, breaking ground and nurturing networks for over 30 years. As the largest non-corporate foundation in Canada, we fund institutions and operate programs in Canada and Israel. azrielifoundation.org Joy of science Hope in action Curiosity Collaboration Respect > Learn More Attachment CONTACT: Diane Begin Weizmann Canada 6476243160 diane@weizmann.ca LONDON (AP) A British newspaper publisher on Tuesday began its court appeal against a judge's ruling that it invaded the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, arguing that she knew the letter would potentially be published. Publisher Associated Newspapers is fighting back against Meghan Markle, 40, who sued it for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement over five February 2019 articles in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline website that reproduced large portions of a letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle. The letter was written after the American's 2018 marriage to Prince Harry. A High Court judge sided with the duchess in February, ruling that the paper's publication of the letter was manifestly excessive and hence unlawful. On Tuesday, lawyer Andrew Caldecott sought to overturn that ruling by arguing that the letter was not written as an intimate communication for her father's eyes only. The huge demand for mathematical and engineering talent during World War II meant doors to careers previously closed to Black women opened for a time. Still, segregation meant their work at NASA was relegated to the background, Shetterlys book showsbut through perseverance and self-assertion, the women were able to have their work recognized, to a degree. [These women were] so profoundly patriotic and so profoundly advocating for the ideals of America even as discriminated against, said Shetterly, who is working on a follow-up to Hidden Figures about 20th-century Black entrepreneurs. If you want to look at an example of what we should be teaching people, its that a lot of people believe in those ideals so strongly that they fight for them even as they are not receiving the benefits of those ideals themselves. It is the nature of every country and particularly a country like the U.S., which was created with these stated ideals, to struggle to understand those ideals and what they mean for everybody, she continued. Thursdays virtual discussion is free, but registration is required at germanna.edu/conversations. 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 recent death of Spotsylvania County Supervisor Barry Jett leaves the Livingston District without a representative. No decision has been made on filling the post at this point, but the board likely will address the issue during closed session at Tuesdays regular meeting. Board Chairman Kevin Marshall said there is a lot involved in filling the seat. Marshall said he has done some research to determine what other boards have done with open board seats. According to Virginia state code, a special election must be held promptly to replace Jett, but the board can appoint an interim supervisor to serve until the election. The winner of the special election would serve out the remainder of Jetts term, which runs through 2023. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Marshall has heard from a diverse group of people interested in filling the vacancy, but he isnt sure the board, which often is split on key decisions, will reach consensus to make the interim appointment. If the board doesnt get the necessary four votes to appoint an interim supervisor, a circuit judge will make the appointment. The judge will also set the special election date. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average annual cost of infant care in Virginia last year was $14,063, and the average cost of care for a 4-year-old was $10,860. Even in places where child care is less expensive, it still eats up far more than 7 percent of a familys income, Kaine said. The child care funding will also allow child care providers to pay higher salaries without passing the cost along to the parents, he said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Together, the investments in preschool and child care that are part of the Build Back Better bill will amount to the biggest pro-child and pro-family investment Congress has ever made, Kaine said. This will do for children what Social Security did for seniors, he said. Kaine said the delay in passing the infrastructure bill and the Build Back Better Act have been frustrating, but he believes the results of Virginias recent election, which handed the governorship back to Republicans after a decade in Democratic control, will light a fire for his colleagues in the Senate. The Virginia election result told my colleagues that we have to stop talking and do something, he said. The subpoenas come after the panel has already demanded documents and testimony from several other Trump advisers some who have cooperated and some who have not. The House voted last month to hold longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon in contempt after he refused to comply with his subpoena. Trump himself is fighting the probe in court. The rioters who violently pushed back police to break into the Capitol and interrupt the electoral count repeated Trump's false claims of widespread fraud, and the committee says the six newly subpoenaed witnesses helped amplify the misinformation in the days ahead of the attack. Trump's false claims came as election officials and courts across the country verified Biden's win, and as his own attorney general said there was no evidence of significant fraud. Thompson says in the letters to the Trump associates that the panel has uncovered credible evidence of their participation in the former president's efforts to overturn the election and cites ways that they individually tried to further his cause. WILBER, Neb. (AP) A woman convicted of murder for her role in the death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, avoiding the prospect of being the first woman in state history to be sentenced to death. A three-judge panel deadlocked on the appropriate sentence for Bailey Boswell, with two arguing that the 27-year-old deserved to die for her crimes and the third maintaining that prosecutors failed to prove that the case merited the ultimate punishment. Boswell will now spend the rest of her life at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women for her role in the 2017 death and dismemberment of Sydney Loofe. She was sentenced at the county courthouse in Wilber, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Lincoln. Prosecutors said Boswell and her boyfriend, Aubrey Trail, 55, had been planning to kill someone before Boswell met Loofe, 24, on the dating app Tinder and lured her to them. Loofe, a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, was strangled. Her body parts were later found in garbage bags, cut into 14 pieces and left in ditches along country roads in rural Clay County. The officer said he heard King yelling, Shoot me, shoot me, the letter said. Two of the responding officers said they were afraid King was going to shoot them or someone else, so they shot him, four times, the investigation found. He was pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital. Cellphone video taken by a witness corroborates the officers' account, the letter said: It shows King pulling the slide back and charging the rifle. The letter also details the teen's troubled history, including multiple incidents of battery involving students, employees and school resource officers. In 2019, he was removed from Tarpon Springs High School due to a sheriff's office threat assessment. The report said he was seen drawing pictures of knives, guns, German soldiers and swastikas, and seemed to enjoy the uneasiness his behavior caused some students. King had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depression and bipolar disorder, and had been hospitalized against his will for mental health reasons seven times. He also previously confronted police while carrying knives and was subdued with non-lethal pepper balls. Senate Democrats are asking the Virginia Supreme Court to reject three redistricting special master candidates nominated by Republicans on Nov. 1, accusing them of having "disqualifying conflicts of interest." "We urge the Court to reject the minority leaders' nominees and direct them to resubmit new, unbiased nominees. We do not send this letter lightly, but these three nominees cannot lawfully serve and their mere nomination undermines public confidence in these critical, once-a-decade proceedings to redraw Virginias electoral maps," Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw wrote to the clerk of the high court Monday. A Constitutional amendment approved by voters last year called for a bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw the state's legislative and Congressional districts with the new Census data. The effort ended in a partisan deadlock last month, and under the amendment the job went to the Virginia Supreme Court. The high court asked leaders of both parties in the House of Delegates and Senate to nominate three qualified special masters from which the court would pick two to assist the justices. Saslaw's letter contends that the Democrats' nominees have academic backgrounds and experience as redistricting special masters in Virginia and elsewhere unlike the Republican nominees. The Fremont City Council will discuss a resolution that would redistrict the city, as well as a strategic plan for the fire department at its meeting Tuesday. The redistricting recommendation comes from Dodge County Election Commissioner Fred Mytty, who made up the Joint Redistricting Committee with Councilmembers Sally Ganem and Dev Sookram. The city and county worked really well, we all worked well together, Ganem said. It made it a very smooth process and still met all of the legal requirements that [Mytty] needed to have. The committee met on Sept. 16 and Oct. 20 to consider changes to city election wards after the release of the 2020 census. The recommended change would shift 334 people from Ward 1 to Ward 2 and 219 people from Ward 3 to Ward 2 by moving ward boundary lines. Ward 4 would see no changes. Ward 1 would change from 7,000 a 4.4% difference from the target of 6,707 to 6,666, a .6% difference. Ward 2 would change from 6,179 a 7.9% difference from the target to 6,732, a .4% difference Finally, Ward 3 would change from 6,916 a 3.1% difference from the target to 6,697, a .01% difference. Ward 4 remains unchanged at 6,732, a .4% difference. The changes also include moving 373 people within Ward 1 and 250 people within Ward 2, which would help county districts, but have no effect on the city. Ganem said she was pleased by the recommendation coming to the city council. I think we all had a great working relationship, and there isnt any partisanship at all brought into it, she said. It was looking at the numbers. Prior to the councils meeting at 7 p.m., a special meeting will start at 6 p.m. to receive a report and presentation from Matrix Consulting Group on Fremont Fire Departments Long-Range Master Plan. In February, the council approved an agreement with Matrix to develop a plan for the department, which is experiencing staffing issues. The agency hosted two public input meetings in July and a survey in August. The plan will act as a guide for both the fire department and the city to make future decisions, such as adding personnel, fire stations and equipment. Im very pleased with the process, Mayor Joey Spellerberg told the Tribune last week. We havent done a strategic plan for the fire department, and to have one done, Matrix Consulting has done a great job coming in and evaluating where were at. The council will also discuss several lot sales to companies in the Technology Park, located along Yager Road near 32nd Street in north Fremont. A second reading will be held for Allo Communications, which announced in January that the Lincoln-based internet, television and telephone provider would bring its services to Fremont. We are very excited about bringing state-of-the-art fiber internet, TV, phone and business products to the Fremont community, Allo Director of Social Media and Marketing Tanna Hanna told the Fremont Tribune at the time. We believe in providing faster, friendlier options as well as getting involved in hometowns. The ordinances first reading was approved 5-2 by the council at its last meeting on Oct. 26. The item has a request to suspend the rules and move to its final reading. Additionally, the council will approve lot sales in Tech Park for Awesome Koncrete, Selectel Inc. and Summit Medical Staffing LLC. The council will also vote to accept the retirement of City Administrator Brian Newton. Newton announced last week that he would step down from his position on Jan. 3, 2022. Ive really got a great staff, and I really thank the staff for what theyve been able to accomplish my six-and-a-half years, he told the Tribune last week. I couldnt have done anything without the amazing staff that I have. The council will also vote to recommend approval of the October 2021 Traffic Committee Report, which includes requests to: Remove No Parking, Bus Loading and Unloading Zone signs on the north side of Sixth Street immediately west of Broad Street; Place a stop sign on northbound Sheridan Street at Deerfield Avenue; and Remove No Parking signs on Third Street at C Street. Additionally, the council will discuss a motion authorizing Spellerberg to sign a contract with MCL Construction for contractor fees for Keene Memorial Librarys expansion project. The councils meeting will be held on the second floor of the Fremont Municipal Building at 400 E. Military Ave. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Supporters of a petition drive to raise the minimum wage in the state to $15 say the effort would improve lives and boost economic security for Nebraskans. In a virtual kickoff event held via Zoom on Tuesday to announce the launch of its website and social media pages, Raise the Wage Nebraska said it has begun collecting signatures to put the increase before voters in November 2022. The coalition also said it wanted to highlight the stories of the roughly 195,000 Nebraskans whose lives would be improved by raising the minimum hourly pay of workers, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Hannah Robinson of Omaha said she continued working more than 60 hours a week at two jobs in order to survive, even after it began to take a toll on her physically and emotionally. Nebraska stats The minimum wage in Nebraska is $9 an hour ($18,720 annual). The living wage for: * 1 adult: $13.57 ($4.57 difference) * 1 adult and 1 child: $29.31 ($20.31 difference) * 2 adults: $11.65 ($2.65 difference) * 2 adults and 1 child: $16.08 ($7.08 difference) Robinson said she began to see work as "a human condition," becoming too scared to call in when sick, and even fearing that her supervisors would not let her leave if she fell ill while at work. She would fall asleep on the job, or during her commute to or from work, and said she felt a constant anxiety, a feeling that she always needed to be on the go, even when she wasn't working. "I took on my work as my whole identity," she said. Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney, one of three sponsors of the petition, said the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted that many in Nebraska "are not paid adequately." "We rave about a low unemployment rate, but forget that many people are working multiple jobs and not being paid very much," he said. McKinney, who said he grew up in poverty in North Omaha, earlier this year sponsored legislation to raise the minimum wage to $20 in Nebraska by 2032, but the bill did not advance to the floor. Nebraska cannot afford to keep underpaying those it deems "essential workers," McKinney added, and said raising the minimum wage would help show young Nebraskans there is value and opportunity in their home state. Raise the Wage Nebraska, which includes the ACLU of Nebraska, Nebraska Appleseed, the Nebraska State AFL-CIO and the NAACP Lincoln Branch, launched in August. The coalition has already collected a few thousand of the roughly 87,000 signatures it will need by next July in order to qualify the initiative for the November 2022 general election, organizers said. If successful, the initiative would phase in higher wages over a period of years, raising the minimum wage by $1.50 annually until it reached $15 in 2026, according to language on the petition. After that, the minimum wage in Nebraska would receive an annual cost of living increase based on the consumer price index, as set by the U.S. Department of Labor. Nebraska voters widely supported raising the minimum wage in 2014. Nearly 60% of voters backed an initiative that increased the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9. Nebraska was one of four states that took to the ballot to raise the minimum wage that year; Alaska, Arkansas and South Dakota also approved increases. According to the Economic Policy Institute, since January 2014, the minimum wage has been raised in 30 states and Washington, D.C., with at least eight states ready to begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage. The petition has been met with opposition from business groups that said it could hurt small business owners, many of which are already having difficulty filling jobs as the country emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. Bryan Slone, president of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce, told the Journal Star earlier this year hourly wages are already increasing as employers try to lure workers back to the job, which could render the initiative a moot point. Gov. Pete Ricketts also signaled his opposition earlier this year. "The $15-per-hour campaign benefits big businesses at the expense of Main Street job creators," a spokesman for the governor said in a statement. "The governor is especially concerned about how this could impact jobs in small towns and underserved communities." Raise the Wage Nebraska organizers said a study done by the Economic Policy Institute indicated women and individuals of color would benefit most from hiking the minimum wage. The Arc of Nebraska said workers with disabilities would also benefit. Amy Bennett, executive director of the YWCA of Grand Island, called raising the minimum wage good economic policy that backs up Nebraskans' values of looking out for one another. "It has been linked to an increase in consumer spending, and can begin to reduce reliance on public benefit programs which are funded by taxpayers," she said. Robinson, who said she has found a higher-paying job that allows her to achieve work-life balance, said other workers deserve the same. "Workers are worth a wage that doesn't sacrifice their health or their identity for it," Robinson said. Reach the writer at 402-473-7120 or cdunker@journalstar.com. On Twitter @ChrisDunkerLJS Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Irans judicial authorities reportedly banned a newspaper Monday for publishing a front-page graphic that appeared to show Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's hand drawing the poverty line in the Islamic Republic, amid widespread anger over the cratering economy. A temporary cease-fire between the Pakistani government and the banned Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has entered into force as the two sides advance talks for a possible deal to end 14 years of conflict. The one-month cease-fire with the TTP, also known as the Pakistani Taliban, went into effect on November 9, just hours after it was announced. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said talks with the TTP were ongoing and the cease-fire could be extended depending on the progress of talks. The talks will focus on state sovereignty, national security, peace, social and economic stability in the areas concerned, Chaudhry said on November 8. Chaudhry added that Afghanistans new Taliban rulers played a role in facilitating the talks. No further details about the talks were provided. The TTP is a separate militant group from the Afghan Taliban, which toppled the Western-backed government in Kabul in mid-August. However, Pakistans militant groups are often interlinked with those across the border in Afghanistan and the TTP follows the same hard-line Sunni Islam as its Afghan counterparts. In a statement, TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani confirmed the cease-fire beginning on November 9 will remain in place until December 9, during which both sides will form a committee to continue talks. He said both sides will adhere to the cease-fire and the Afghan Taliban was helping to mediate. The development comes a little over a month after Prime Minister Imran Khan said the government was holding talks with factions of the Pakistani Taliban to end years of militancy. "There are different groups which form the TTP and some of them want to talk to our government for peace. So, we are in talks with them. Its a reconciliation process," Khan told Turkish television channel TRT World on October 1. Tens of thousands of Pakistani civilians and security forces have been killed by TTP bombings, suicide attacks, and gun fights in a grinding conflict that raised mixed emotions about the prospect of peace with the notorious militant group. Some Pakistani officials have accused the TTP of playing a role in the 2007 assassination of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leader of the opposition PPP and son of the slain former prime minister, denounced the government for not informing parliament about details of the talks with the TTP. He said the TTP had killed soldiers and political leaders and was behind a 2014 assault on a military-run school in Peshawar, near the Afghan border, which killed at least 150 people, most of them children. Who are they (the government) to decide on begging the TTP for talks and unilaterally engage the TTP? he said. Any policy without the approval of the parliament will have no legitimacy. In an editorial published in Dawn newspaper, the outlet questioned why details of such significant talks have been shrouded in mystery. This is too grave a matter to be left to unilateral executive decision-making, Dawn wrote in the editorial. The people of Pakistan are major stakeholders in this debate -- having borne the brunt of the TTPs militancy -- and they must have their say in the final decision. The U.S. government will streamline immigration procedures for recent Afghan arrivals to speed up their resettlement in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on November 8. Some 70,000 Afghans have arrived in the United States since the U.S. militarys evacuation of tens of thousands of people from Afghanistan as the Taliban seized control the in country. Afghans who arrived in the United States on or after July 30 this year will be able to take advantage of simplified procedures to get permanent resident status, as well as various work permits, the DHS said in a statement. They also will not have to pay filing fees, which can run up to thousands of dollars. "By providing these evacuees with access to streamlined processing and fee exemptions, we will open doors of opportunity for our Afghan allies and help them begin to rebuild their lives in communities across our country more quickly," said DHS chief Alejandro Mayorkas, according to the statement. "These actions demonstrate our ongoing commitment to Afghan nationals who provided valuable assistance to the United States over the past two decades, as well as other Afghans at risk," he added. More than 120,000 people were evacuated from Kabul in August, including diplomats, foreign nationals, and tens of thousands of Afghans fleeing the Taliban. Some were desperate to leave, fearing their lives were in danger because they had collaborated with the U.S. and other forces in the international coalition. Based on reporting by AFP A court challenge to the Trump administrations ban on bump stocks, which was the device a man in Las Vegas used to murder 58 concertgoers in 2017, has experienced another setback, as the Denver-based federal appeals court earlier this month took the unusual step of reconsidering its prior decision to review the ban as a group. Under the make my day law, a Colorado Springs man has dodged a murder charge in the shooting of a homeless man who was sleeping in his apartment complex basement last year. The case against Patrick Rau, 29, was dismissed by 4th Judicial District Judge Jann DuBois, who ruled Friday that the basement is part of the dwelling, court records show. Colorados Homeowner Protection Act, known as the make my day law, allows a person to use deadly force if an intruder enters a home illegally and is reasonably believed to be intending to harm a person or property. The resident then is immune from criminal prosecution and civil liability. The court found reasonable belief that Donald Wayne Russell, 37, posed a threat to Rau when he entered the structure at 219 N. Wahsatch Ave. on Jan. 19, 2017, records say. The District Attorneys Office respectfully disagrees with DuBois decision and will appeal, spokeswoman Lee Richards said, declining further comment. Rau could not be reached. His wife noticed that the basement door of the apartment house wasnt completely closed that day, so Rau went downstairs with a headlamp and gun, tenant Ryan OConnell told The Gazette earlier. Transients had been breaking into the complex and loitering outside, said OConnell. He said he heard Rau scream Get out, get out, then count down from five to one. Another man was screaming stuff I couldnt make out, said OConnell, who then heard a gunshot. When he ran to investigate, he said, Rau told him hed found the man sleeping in the basement and asked him to leave, but the man started freaking out, throwing things and cursing. An El Paso County grand jury indicted Rau on suspicion of second-degree murder, heat of passion, based on his 5-second countdown warning. Russells actions constituted a serious and highly provoking act that affected Rau sufficiently to excite an irresistible passion in a reasonable person, and without an interval between the provocation and the killing sufficient for the voice of reason and humanity to be heard, the indictment said. OConnell disagreed, saying Rau was in the right and did nothing wrong. It doesnt matter if its one roof over apartments or its one roof over your head, he said. You pay to live here. There is no one sleeping here for free. Dubois ruled that the basement which OConnell described as empty, abandoned and unlivable was part of the defendable dwelling. Previous self-defense claims under Colorados make my day law have had mixed results in the county. In 2017, a jury acquitted former Green Beret Michael J. Galvin of negligent homicide in the 2015 shooting of Robert Carrigan, an intruder who was shot three times in the back while allegedly stealing items from Galvins detached garage. That case hinged on whether a detached garage would fall under the make my day law, which defines dwellings as structures used, intended to be used, or usually used by a person for habitation. In 2010, a county grand jury declined to indict Chang Ho Yi, who chased a shoplifter out of his liquor store on North Academy Boulevard and shot him in the face at point-blank range, shattering his jaw. The shoplifters civil wrongful-injury claim was rejected at trial. Conversely, Fernando Rosales was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 26 years in prison after stabbing a man during an anonymous sex hookup in his Colorado Springs home in 2015. Rosales said he felt he had no other option after the man punched him and refused to leave. But prosecutors declined to charge three men who killed a burglar at a Knob Hill auto lot in 2009 only to be second-guessed by a jury at a civil trial. The jurors awarded $300,000 to the daughter of slain Robert Fox. Civil trials require only a preponderance of evidence, while criminal trials require proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Contact the writer at 719-636-0362 or find her on Twitter:@njKaitlinDurbin. A Colorado Springs man went into the basement of his apartment building and encountered an intruder. Within minutes, he had killed the intruder with his gun. Although prosecutors and the defense differ on exactly what happened in the basement during that early morning in January 2017, lower courts agreed that Patrick Rau could not be prosecuted for the shooting of Donald Russell. Under a provision of Colorado law, nicknamed the "Make My Day" statute, the occupant of a dwelling may use deadly physical force against a person who enters unlawfully. On Monday, the state Supreme Court listened as attorneys argued over whether the basement of an apartment building qualifies as a "dwelling" under the law. In doing so, the justices heard two different versions of life under "Make My Day": either the court would be sanctioning chaos in hallways and common areas as tenants gun down anyone unfamiliar to them, or it would simply give renters the same rights to self-defense as single-family homeowners. "'Make My Day' is unique. It gives uncommonly broad authority to people to use deadly physical force," Doyle Baker of the Fourth Judicial District Attorney's Office told the justices. "There was no indication from the interview Mr. Rau did with the detective that he recognized the man who was shot. He guessed the man was an intruder. And he guessed correctly in this case. But he couldve been wrong." "Make My Day," "Stand Your Ground" and "no duty to retreat" are legal principles that enable a person to use force, even deadly force, in self-defense without the requirement to disengage. There are several other conditions a person must satisfy in Colorado before receiving immunity from prosecution under "Make My Day." The person using force must reasonably believe the intruder has committed, or intends to commit, a crime against people or property. They must believe the intruder might use any degree of force. And importantly for Rau's case, they must be in a dwelling. "When you get into the common area of an apartment building, things get really fuzzy," Baker explained. "And if youre going to have this kind of law which we have, which almost gives somebody the right to a hair trigger to use physical force, it should be very clear the circumstances under which this should happen." The building in which the shooting took place, in the 200 block of North Wahsatch Avenue, was an old home that the owner had subdivided into seven units. The basement contained a furnace, water heaters, plumbing and other rooms that were not in use due to water damage. Timothy Bussey, Rau's attorney, characterized the building as "not a place any of us would really want to live. It was reportedly subject to repeated break-ins, with intruders leaving behind syringes and feces. Police did not allegedly view the break-ins as a priority. Consequently, Rau kept a loaded handgun by his bed for protection. According to Rau, when he went to the darkened basement after his girlfriend reported an intruder, he encountered a sleeping Russell. Rau told Russell to leave, otherwise Rau said he would use force. Russell reportedly began shouting and throwing objects, and Rau issued additional warnings that he would shoot. Finally, Rau indicated he would count backward from five, which he did, and then fired at Russell. Both the trial court and the Court of Appeals found Rau acted according to the "Make My Day" law. "In a single family home there would be absolutely no doubt" that the basement was part of the dwelling, Bussey said. The district attorney's office, on the other hand, believed the Court of Appeals was wrong to ignore a three-decade-old decision that upheld the murder conviction of a man who shot someone in the stairwell of his apartment building. "The stairwell was not part of the defendant's apartment, but was a common area used by other tenants and their guests. We conclude that, for purposes of the 'make-my-day' statute, the common areas of an apartment building do not constitute a dwelling," the appeals court decided in People v. Cushinberry. Baker argued that if lawmakers had intended for common areas to be included as parts of a dwelling, they could have changed the law in response to the Cushinberry ruling. The fact that they did not, he added, showed the General Assembly agreed that "Make My Day" does not apply as broadly as Rau claims it does. "A person in this situation is not defenseless. Its not as if they have no ability to exercise self-defense. What they dont have, if theyre not in their dwelling, is this uncommonly broad right to have deadly force," he said. Members of the court wondered how the use of deadly force in common areas might translate to other types of living arrangements. "I think about how the world has changed over the past 10 years in terms of Airbnb and Vrbo, and I think about mountain resorts with common areas," said Justice Maria E. Berkenkotter. "Think of the many students in Boulder or Fort Collins who live in group homes," added Justice Melissa Hart. "Would you say the kitchen in the group home is not subject to the 'Make My Day' defense because its shared by all the people living in the home? Do people living in single family homes get a different application of the law?" Bussey argued that there is no single rule that should cover every type of dwelling. He believed "Make My Day" should apply in settings intended for habitation, where there is also some exclusive use. Although the government maintained that expanding the "Make My Day" defense to common areas would give rise to people escalating benign encounters into outright slayings, Justice Richard L. Gabriel reminded the court that immunity from prosecution meant satisfying every criterion under the law, regardless of what dwelling means. "A person in Mr. Raus place takes on significant risk. If you dont satisfy those provisions, you stand on trial for murder," he said. The case is People v. Rau. Located off I-25 near Colorado Springs, the Christian-based Gateway Prayer Garden offers visitors a place to pray and meditate along its Fountain Creek Prayer Trails and inside a football field-sized pathway, shaped in the form of a cross by stone prayer benches. The garden is the only one of its kind in Colorado, and was dreamed up by a Texas artist in 2005. A Fountain couple, Ted and Audrey Beckett, donated $2 million worth of land to make the garden a reality. Colorado Springs firefighters responded to a fire in an apartment complex Monday after fire alarms sounded in the building, firefighters tweeted. Firefighters arrived at 825 S. Union Blvd. around 10:10 a.m. and reported seeing smoke billowing off the building, the department's tweets said. Firefighters rescued two residents from the building's third floor using a ladder and evaluated multiple people sufferings from smoke inhalation. Emergency responders did not transport anyone to the hospital as of 10:50 a.m., the agency tweeted. Officials investigated the cause of the fire, which is unknown as of 10:50 a.m. Monday. This is a developing story. In accepting the defeat of President Donald Trump, conservative Christians, who historically have supported Republican candidates, say they are not losing the faith, as they vow to continue opposing abortion, speaking out about same-sex relationships and promoting traditional values in society. Trump files to block Jan. 6 investigators and gets rejected in just two hours FILE PHOTO: A healthcare worker prepares a syringe with the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine at a pop-up vaccination site operated by SOMOS Community Care during the COVID-19 pandemic in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., January 29, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Rittenhouse said he 'had to shoot' after opening fire, jury hears FILE PHOTO: People visit the Liberty State Island as Lower Manhattan is seen at the background in New York, U.S., August 17, 2017. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz Ye to pay almost $1 million settlement for shipping his clothes too slowly Joe Barrera, Ph.D., is the former director of the Ethnic Studies Program at UCCS. He teaches Mexico/U.S. Border Studies and U.S. Military History. WOODLAND PARK Pending local government approval, construction of on-campus housing for about one-third of students at Charis Bible College will start in April, founder Andrew Wommack announced Saturday at an open house. I believe this will be a blessing to everyone in the community, he told the events 220 attendees. God has raised Charis up to touch people, and weve got people in every part of the world. Student housing has been part of the plan since the college, which Wommack started in Colorado Springs in 1994, opened its nearly 500-acre campus in 2014 in the small mountain town of Woodland Park. Housing stock has been in short supply in Woodland Park, which has just over 8,100 residents, guest speakers noted, as students have had to find somewhere to live while attending two- and three-year training programs in Christian ministry. Charis has 837 full-time students on site this semester; officials project enrollment to top 1,000 in January. But the housing market was tight before Charis came to town, said Debbie Miller, president of The Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce. Charis intent to build dorms is going to be an asset, she said in a video the organization produced and showed at the event. Apartment-style dorms for 40 students to have separate bedrooms and two people sharing each bathroom, will be built on the south and north sides of the land. The buildings will be concealed by evergreen trees and designed to blend in with the natural environment, Wommack said. Charis intends to unveil the complete plan in late January, he said. Each 40-unit complex will cost $5.5 million, plus infrastructure expenses, Wommack said in an interview. Wommack wants to complete four units for 160 students by the fall of 2023. Another three or four buildings would be erected after that, depending on cash flow, he said. The buildings on Wommacks campus, which include a 3,165-seat auditorium, have cost $99 million to date. All except one have been created debt-free. Wommack borrowed $22 million of the $28 million cost of a five-story, 1,022-space parking garage. Im not going to go in debt ever again, he said. It was a mistake. The nonprofit organization will pay off the loan in December a 28-month payback he said, using contributions from supporters. Andrew Wommack Ministries, which ships 550 teaching materials for free to people around the world, fields 650,000 calls in its prayer center each year and operates Gospel Truth TV, has been subsidizing $1.25 million to $1.5 million monthly to pay down the parking garage debt, Wommack said. That money will start being applied to the student housing project after the loan is repaid, he said. Between Charis and Andrew Wommack Ministries operations, which also is headquartered on the campus, Wommack expects to spend $10 million to $12 million on construction annually through 2030. Building a student activities and event center is on the horizon as well. The organization is projecting more than $100 million in revenue this year, said CEO Billy Epperhart. While Charis and the flagship Andrew Wommack Ministries, which was founded in 1978, have become large-scale global operations, the hometown community hasnt been as receptive to its efforts. Over the years, residents have complained that as a nonprofit 501c3 religious organization, Wommacks enterprise doesnt pay property taxes on a large chunk of land in city limits. Wommack, 72, drew criticism this year for something he said to followers during an April event at Charis hosted by the Truth & Liberty Coalition, a 501c4 political organization he co-founded in 2017. The coalition encourages those who subscribe to conservative Christian views to run for political office at local, state and national levels. Man, as many people as we have in this school here, we ought to take over Woodland Park, Wommack had said in April, as he urged followers to take back Colorado" from the socialists and Democrats who have turned the state from conservative to liberal political leadership. This county ought to be totally dominated by believers, he said. We have enough people here in this school we could elect anybody we want. We could take over this place. Wommack brought up the topic Saturday, telling community attendees that hes not as well spoken as some of his staff. It was a slip of lip on my part, Wommack said. All I was saying is weve got so many staff and students here we can make an impact. We can take over Im talking about we can make a difference. Our society is under attack. Wommack said in an interview after the event that he was absolutely surprised by the public backlash following a Gazette article about what he had said. The people who criticize him for such remarks want to take over, he said. I think its hypocritical for them to criticize that, Wommack said. The people who differ from me, they want to have people who they vote for in charge. To those who believe politics and religion shouldnt be intertwined, Wommack says he thinks theyre wrong. Politics is getting involved in your community, and Christians should be involved in their communities, he said. In school boards, people are supporting critical race theory and ungodly books being in the school system theyre pushing their agendas, Im saying we ought to push morality and the biblical view. Wommack supporters such as Mark Weaver, a commercial real estate broker, decried any rebuke. There is a narrative in the community that you guys are trying to take over, and I say bull thats not whats going on, he said in the video. I just dont see it from the people I know from Charis. Theyre interested and want to be involved in the community, and for a community, thats what you want. Guest speakers said Charis students and staff volunteer at organizations and during city events, sponsor community fundraisers, eat at restaurants and patronize stores, and rent apartments and purchase houses. Theyre bringing in a tremendous amount of revenue through sales taxes and their homes, said Mark Rabaut, who opened Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham in Woodland Park last year. Wommack released a new independent economic impact study of his organizations, which projects the bible college and ministry will employ 1,453 people locally by 2030 and generate $4.9 million in sales tax revenue in Woodland Park and $1.2 million in Teller County over the next decade. "We want to be a constructive part of the community, said Wommack, who has lived in Teller County since 1983. The Colorado Springs City Council is headed for a battle Tuesday on whether to ban the sale of commercially bred dogs and cats in pet stores. The coming council vote follows the failure of the state legislature to pass a measure that animal advocates feel would bring meaningful change and years of advocacy by local proponents who want to help cut off the local market for dogs and cats from commercial breeders, such as out-of-state puppy mills. Some large scale breeders do not maintain humane conditions and that can contribute to illness and congenital conditions in dogs, proponents argue. Council President Tom Strand said Monday the city needs to act because the state passed a weak law that only requires pet shops to post the price of the dogs and cats, financing information and a license number of a breeder. "This three page act does little or nothing," he said. If the council approves a ban on commercially bred animals it would only impact the two Pet City stores at the Chapel Hills and The Citadel malls in town. Those stores would have until July 2022 to phase out their commercial pet sales. The local law would allow them to offer pets from the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region and other rescues. Proponents also say the shops could transition to business models focused on pet supplies. However Chapel Hills Pet City owner Dustin Haworth said the stores could not make it if the city ban passes because 80% of the stores' sales are animals, including dogs, cats and other pets. If the shops brought in dogs and cats from the rescues they could not profit on those animals, said Bree Maestas, owner of the Citadel Pet City. She also said she might not be comfortable with those animals. "I don't know if I morally agree with obtaining my animals from unknown places, unknown backgrounds," she said. Haworth said the breeders the shops work with are willing to take on new certifications like Canine Cares, which evaluates the physical and emotional health of dogs. Not all of the breeders the shops work with have obtained this certification, but they will in the coming years, he said. "I hope the city council moves back to where we were over the last 18 months working on transparency and reasonable restrictions," he said. Animal advocates have tried to work collaboratively with the Pet City owners on a compromise, but it fell apart, said Vicki Allinger, the Colorado team leader for Bailing Out Benji, a group that focuses on the puppy mill-to-pet store connection. The group was not satisfied with the Pet City's purchasing dogs from the Canine Cares certified breeders because the program does not make any of its inspection reports public so there is no way to know if the program is holding breeders to a higher standard than the federal government, she said. She noted that most pet stores can be profitable without selling dogs from commercial breeders. For example, PetSmart and Petco don't use breeders. The ban her group is backing has held up elsewhere with five states and 400 local governments enacting similar restrictions, she said. Animal advocate Pam Horton said she hoped to see the ban pass after caring for seven Italian greyhounds that suffered physically and emotionally from their time as mothers in puppy mills. Her dogs lost teeth, eyes and bone because of the abuse and neglect they suffered. "They have no regard for these dogs as living beings that feel things that can be in pain and can be scared," she said. County speeds rental assistance processing with cloud suite The IT system Hamilton County, Ohio, used to process housing and rental assistance applications worked fine until COVID hit, said Kevin Holt, an interim assistant director at the countys Job and Family Services department. A locally built, on-premise system, it crashed frequently when the county began processing Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) funds, frustrating staff and doing nothing to help a growing backlog of applications. So the department began working with Google Cloud to implement one of its mission-critical modules in its new suite of public benefit solutions tools the company officially announced Nov. 3. To use the tool, applicants go to the agencys housing and utility relief website , enter and validate their email address which helps prevent fraud, Holt said and begin filling out the online form. I think of it as comparable to Turbo Tax straightforward answers to 30 questions. Then you hit the submit button, he said. Because its web-based and to ensure that all applicants have access to it the agency put laptop-equipped staff members on a bus that drives to various communities in the county to help residents get signed up. So far, the bus has been to 52 communities and helped about 120 people per stop, Holt said. Additionally, the agency has a contract with the local United Way, which can take applications over the phone and enter the information for applicants. Agency staff then review the applications, make decisions and kick off the distribution of funds to eligible residents. With the previous system, each application might have taken staff about 12 minutes to process, Holt said. On this, youre running closer to eight minutes. When youre doing as many applications as we are, thats a big deal. The agency used to get 30 to 40 applications per day, but averages 180 per day now. Because word has gotten out that the county moves quickly to approve applications, its backlog has grown from about 500 to 1,300 in two weeks, Holt said. It only took three months for the tool to be rolled out an extraordinarily short window, given that most similar projects have taken 18 to 24 months, on average, he said. But the county had to move quickly to disperse its share of relief funds or face rescission by the government. So far, Hamilton County has processed $600,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act funds and about $15 million in its first round of the Treasury Departments ERAP funds. It will start whittling away at another $20 million in ERAP and prepare to tackle $15 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds after that, Holt said. We deal in big dollars all the time; were a $2 billion organization. But our traditional role has been relatively stable and boring, so we do large sums of money over long periods of time, he said. Whats unusual for us certainly these are big piles of money with CARES and ERAP and ARP is the pace at which we have to get them out to the community. Other jurisdictions are tapping the Google Cloud suite in different ways. For instance, West Virginia is using it to help its 25,000 residents who are behind on rental payments get access to relief funds faster. The states existing system was unable to meet the exponential increase in applications for housing financial aid, so the West Virginia Housing Development Fund turned to Google Clouds Document AI, which automates data capture, to accelerate the process. The benefits solution suite came about directly in response to the pandemic, said Denise Winkler, strategic business executive at Google Cloud who oversees work related to health and human services and labor. The company put a focus on housing and rental benefits first because thats a crucial aspect of recovery, she added. The suite is designed to help in four key areas: engaging constituents, such as through chatbots; enabling virtual service delivery; supporting the remote workforces need to share and collaborate; and delivering virtual training so that government workers are up to date on new technologies and processes. Google Cloud took an iterative approach to building the modules to speed their development. You needed to be able to have these in days and weeks. You couldnt wait months and months to develop a solution, Winkler said. The tools integrate with governments existing systems, mainly through application programming interfaces. One of the beauties about the virtual agents is actually connecting them to the backend system, so not only can they answer routine questions, for example, but they can also execute routine tasks, Winkler said, such as helping people change passwords or check the status of their application. These capabilities can be added in stages, so that the basic technology can be ready quickly and then refined over time. This approach also means that the tools have utility beyond pandemic-related tasks, she said. These things were enhancements to existing systems. We didnt rip and replace anything. We enhanced and enabled what they already had. Now were moving into things that focus on recovery, Winkler said. For Hamilton Countys Holt, the bigger lesson learned is that partnering with the private sector is likely the future of managing IT, but he sees more opportunities in using tools like these public benefits modules on a grander scale. We did one thing right: We went to the private sector to get this done. We did one thing wrong: We did it locally, Holt said. This is something that should really be done at a regional or statewide level, because this tool is as useful in Cleveland as it is in Hamilton County, but they dont know about it. A lot of the patients werent there for very long, he said. We were an evacuation hospital. We kept them there until they were well enough to be transported. But with the locals, Gilstrap and other medics had an unspoken understanding. I didnt speak Vietnamese, but we were able to communicate without actually speaking, he said. They didnt speak English, but they understood your kindness. They understood you cared for them. Besides witnessing traumatic injuries, Gilstrap and the rest of the medical crew were under constant bombardment the Vietcong. One night, we received 140 rounds of rocket fire that hit us at the hospital, he said. Many evenings, we would have an emergency set-up where we would be armed and guarding the border of our hospital. There were firefights with the enemy. We would shoot them and then treat them, Gilstrap said. You had to or they would kill you. Gilstraps experience in Vietnam made a major impact on his life. Thats when I decided to go back to school and get my degree from Clemson, he said. The project includes historic renovation of the existing building, with the developer using historic tax credits to lower the projects cost, and construction of a new building on a separate lot for $8 million. The property, including the existing structure being renovated at 2291 Memorial Drive, will be subdivided from the rest of the property and it would be leased for 15 years by the city, with a first right of refusal on the property beginning in the eighth year. The lease payment will be about $965,000 per year, with the payment to be reduced to $720,000 per year in the eighth year of the lease. The additional, new building would be next to the existing structure and the developer will finance the cost of construction under the following terms: a $2.9 million upfront payment toward specific tenant up-fits and $546,885.12 per year for seven years with a $2.8 million balloon payment on the first day of year eight. Background The lawsuit alleges Norton and Norhurst were led to believe that an out-of-state corporation was interested in buying the property to locate corporate offices there. But the property ended up being sold to Walker, who was able to flip the property by selling it to the city for construction of a new police headquarters, according to the complaint. After the first house was put on the market, within a couple of days, we had multiple offers already, she said. And we did make a profit off of it and some of that went into buying this new lot and then the rest went into our programs, which is really cool. The Claire Parker Foundation is an Altavista-based pediatric cancer nonprofit that focuses specifically on the Virginia and North Carolina region. Jordan Parker told The (Lynchburg) News & Advance last year that the nonprofit is different from others in that it doesnt do anything with research but instead works on quality-of-life improvements. Jordan and Connie Parker started the foundation after their daughter, Claire, was diagnosed with infantile acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She died in 2014, 10 months after her diagnosis, at one and a half years old. The Dan River Region rallied around Claire and her parents, holding fundraisers to help the family cover medical costs and pooling sick days so the two Pittsylvania County school teachers at the time could be with Claire at Duke. Claire spent much of the rest of her life at Duke fighting leukemia before Connie and Jordan decided to forgo a bone marrow transplant and bring her home. The report notes the office repeatedly warned Trump White House officials about their violations, but that the former president who is responsible for enforcing the law for high-ranking officials never bothered to do that. Given the limited power the office has to enforce violations, the report suggested potential changes to the law, including a statutory amendment that would allow it to fine Senate-confirmed presidential appointees and commissioned officers, as well as greater investigative power. They also recommended an amendment to clarify which areas of the White House should be off-limits to political activity. (T)he 2020 election revealed that, at least with respect to an administrations senior most officials, the Hatch Act is only as effective as the White House decides it will be. Where, as happened here, the White House chooses to ignore the Hatch Acts requirements, then the American public is left with no protection against senior administration officials using their official authority for partisan political gain in violation of the law, it reads. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a nonprofit watchdog group, said the report underscored the need for better enforcement. This report confirms that there was nothing less than a systematic co-opting of the powers of the federal government to keep Donald Trump in office," said Noah Bookbinder, president of the group. "Congress must act now so that this never happens again. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Brazil would likely have to compromise on its demands to hold onto questionable carbon credits it amassed under a previous agreement. But a deal that provides rigorous rules for carbon markets could make Brazil a prime destination in the future for countries and companies hoping to offset their own excess emissions. There are signs that Brazils government will relinquish its claims to old carbon credits. One minister and an environment ministry aide involved in the negotiations in Glasgow told the AP that the decision to do so has already been made. Brazil would likely seek to leverage the reversal of its position to extract benefits, they said. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because talks are private and ongoing. Speaking in a panel discussion, Brazils Environment Minister Joaquim Leite highlighted the need for developing countries to receive more than the $100 billion in financial support promised by rich nations to help achieve a global green transition. A study came out days ago from a bank saying $5 trillion per year, both public and private, Leite said, adding that Brazil needs to have clear policies and incentives to foment green development. Pat yourself on the back, Virginia. You deserve it. When so much of the political discourse is brimming with ugliness and rage all of it seemingly designed to drive people away from the polls Virginians turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots in this years election. Across the commonwealth on Nov. 2, voters streamed to the polls. They poured into public libraries, school gymnasiums and civic centers. They came out in our heavily populated cities and bucolic rural counties. They arrived at 6 a.m. when voting began and some lined up shortly before 7 p.m., when the polls were set to close. But not all who cast a ballot did so on Nov. 2. Thanks to changes made by the General Assembly, Virginians took full advantage of early voting opportunities. They cast ballots by mail (making sure to have a witness signature). But since Election Day is a state holiday now, they used the day as intended: to do their civic duty and participate in the selection of their elected officials. Totals from the Virginia Department of Elections are unofficial mail-in ballots postmarked on Nov. 2 could be received as late as Friday, which could affect the numbers slightly but Virginians cast more than 3.2 million votes in the race for governor. The results of Virginias gubernatorial race Tuesday paint an ominous picture for Democrats in North Carolina, where a U.S. Senate race could tip the balance of power in Washington next year. Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkins victory in a blue state that former President Donald Trump lost twice is a reminder that what happens in the midterm elections next year, both in North Carolina and across the country, could threaten President Joe Bidens agenda. Or strengthen it. If Republicans in the purple state of North Carolina succeed as Youngkin did and hold onto control of both U.S. Senate seats, the party will be one step closer to taking back control of the chamber and stalling the progress Biden wants to make before the end of his term. One of those two seats is up for grabs in 2022, replacing the retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr. Republican gains would not be entirely surprising, as midterm elections tend to tilt the balance of power away from the presidents party. Thats exactly what happened in 2018, when Democrats, fueled by frustration with former President Donald Trump, broke Republicans supermajority in North Carolinas state legislature and took back control of the U.S. House. Earlier this week Graham said he still plans to run for Congress but didnt say whether hell still try to take on Bishop or if he will run in a different district, like the district his Robeson County home would now be in. Thats the new 3rd district, which is the home of incumbent Rep. David Rouzer, a Wilmington Republican. In the state Senate, Charlotte is also the only place in the state where Republicans could have avoided double-bunking two incumbents but didnt, Democrats have said. In the new map, Democratic Sen. Natasha Marcus would lose much of the territory in northern Mecklenburg County she currently represents and would instead find her home in a new district that includes a few of those neighborhoods plus all of Iredell County, which is represented by Republican Sen. Vickie Sawyer. It would be a highly conservative district, and Marcus who is one of her partys more active and outspoken lawmakers said she believes she was targeted on purpose. She noted that when redistricting began, Republican leaders asked every legislator to send in their address so that they could try to avoid putting them in districts with their colleagues. PHOENIX (AP) Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar was facing criticism after he tweeted a video that included altered animation showing him striking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a sword. In a tweet Monday night, Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., referred to Gosar as "a creepy member I work with" and said he "shared a fantasy video of him killing me." She added that Gosar would face no consequences because Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy "cheers him on with excuses." She also said that institutions "don't protect" women of color. A fellow House Democrat, Ted Lieu of California, referred to Gosar's tweet as "sick behavior" and said in a tweet of his own: "In any workplace in America, if a coworker made an anime video killing another coworker, that person would be fired." Gosar, a Republican, posted the video Sunday afternoon with a note saying: "Any anime fans out there?" The roughly 90-second video is an altered version of a Japanese anime series, interspersed with shots of border patrol officers and migrants at the southern U.S. border. During one roughly 10-second section of the video, animated characters whose faces have been replaced with Gosar and fellow Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado are seen fighting other animated characters. One of the largest days of cancellations at the Charlotte airport was Oct. 31, with 100 departing flights canceled. Across the airline, more than 1,000 flights were canceled that day. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The airline operates the majority of flights out of CLT, which has ranked in the top five busiest airports in the world in number of flights for much of the year, according to flight statistics website Information Design. Other changes for American Airlines American Airlines is also bringing more employees on board during the busy holiday travel season, Chief Operations Officer David Seymour told employees in an email Friday. More than 1,800 flight attendants returned from leaves in November and 800 more will return in December, Seymour said. And American plans to hire more than 600 flight attendants by the end of December, he added. American also plans to hire 4,000 new employees in the airlines fourth quarter. Were quickly approaching the holiday season a time when our customers are counting on us the most, Seymour said in his letter, shared with the Observer. Its a responsibility I know we all take seriously. Im very upset about this map, he said. In the new state legislative maps, Democratic lawmakers also focused on Eastern North Carolina, as they tried to amend the lines in ways they said would better protect the voting rights of Black (and, in one case, Native American) voters. Republicans shot down most of the proposed changes but did allow some Democratic amendments closer to the center of the state where the urban centers are, for example in both Durham and Greensboro. They changed the maps so that a pair of Democratic incumbents from each city in both cases a white man and a Black woman would not be put into the same new district and potentially forced to run against each other. In southeastern North Carolina, Democratic Rep. Charles Graham of Robeson County is a member of the Lumbee Tribe. But he has already announced hes leaving the General Assembly next year to run for Congress. And he said the way Republicans proposed splitting up his home county in the new maps would also put his 55,000-person tribe at risk of not sending a member to the legislature for the first time since the 1970s. RALEIGH A North Carolina judge could order the state on Wednesday to turn over $1.7 billion to increase funding for public education over the objections of Republican lawmakers. The plaintiffs in the long-running Leandro school funding case have proposed requiring the state budget director, state controller and state treasurer to turn over $1.7 billion to fund the next two years of a new education plan. State Superior Court Judge David Lee has scheduled a court hearing in Raleigh on Wednesday to consider their proposal. This court cannot permit the state to continue failing to effectuate the right to a sound basic education guaranteed to the people of North Carolina, nor can it indefinitely wait for the state to act, the plaintiffs say in their proposed court order. Senate Republicans said in a press release Monday they expect Lee will attempt to order the transfer of funds, which they say would be unconstitutional. When Judge Lee orders the executive branch to withdraw state funds, he will be in clear violation of the Constitution and the law, according to the Senate GOP press release. That is why the legislature is unhappy with Judge Lee his behavior is prompting something of a constitutional crisis. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. The Governor's Office on Monday announced two 12-member advisory councils that will advance shortlists to Gov. Greg Gianforte for filling district court judge vacancies in Yellowstone and Gallatin counties. Yellowstone County District Court Judge Gregory Todd announced in September that he'll retire at the end of the year. The state Legislature funded one new judge in Gallatin County, which, according to statistics gathered by the state Supreme Court, requires six additional judges to adequately tend to the case load there. The advisory panel for the 13th Judicial District vacancy in Yellowstone County includes: Moyra Anthony, clinical director for community services at Youth Dynamics; Shane Coleman, attorney at Holland & Hart LLP; Russ Fagg, former district court judge, attorney; Terry Halpin, Yellowstone County Clerk of District Court and Jury Commissioner; Emily Jones, attorney at Jones Law Firm; Bill Kennedy, former Yellowstone County commissioner; Darrelyn Lefthand, elementary school teacher at Wyola School; Rod Ostermiller, former U.S. marshal; Mark Parker, attorney at Parker Heitz Cosgrove; Coralee Schmitz, chief operating officer at Rimrock; Mark Thomas, founder of Capstone Wealth Management; Katie Weston, probation and parole officer. The advisory panel for the 18th Judicial District vacancy in Gallatin County includes: Joe Billion, owner of Billion Auto Group; EJ Clark, former Belgrade chief of police; Chris Gillette, attorney at Christopher J Gillette, PC; Holly Hauskins, foster parent in Gallatin County; Jane Mersen, attorney at Kastin, Kauffman, and Mersen, PC; Glenda Noyes, executive director of Gallatin County CASA; John Olson, probation and parole officer; Tom Peluso, board member of Western Montana Mental Health Centers; Nick Ross-Dick, student success program manager at MSU Native American Center; Nels Swandal, former district court judge and former Republican state legislator; David Wagner, attorney at Crowley Fleck; Cindy Younkin, former attorney at Bozeman Natural Resources. The panels also include members with backgrounds in local law enforcement, education, business and law. The panels are a localized replacement for the former Judicial Nomination Commission, which was a standing committee that reviewed applicants for judicial vacancies around the state and forwarded shortlists to the governor for appointment to the bench. The state Legislature changed that process earlier this year by passing a law backed by Gianforte. One such advisory council has already gone through the new process in Cascade County. Bringing decades of experience working in their communities, the members of 13th and 18th Judicial Districts Advisory Councils will support me in identifying exceptional candidates to serve as the district court judges in the 13th and 18th Judicial Districts, Gianforte said in a press release Monday. Under my direction, the advisory councils will identify well-qualified candidates who are committed to the fair, consistent, and objective application of the law and who will interpret laws, not make them from the bench. Gianforte received four applications in each of the districts. The applications for the open judge spot in Yellowstone County were from Alexander Roth, Jeana Lervick, Brett Linneweber and Charles Brent Brooks. In Gallatin County, Andrew Breuner, Benjamin Refling, Audrey Schultz Cromwell and Marty Lambert applied. The public can submit letters to Gianforte in support of candidates or to provide other comment through Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. To be considered for a judge position, applications need a minimum of three letters of support. Letters and other comments can be submitted by emailing nominatejudges@mt.gov, faxing 406-444-4151, or sending mail to: Hannah Slusser, Governors Office, PO Box 200801, Helena, MT 59620. Gianforte has until Dec. 13 to select the new judges, who will start their roles in January next year. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 3 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 lawsuit filed against U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale and the National Rifle Association lays out an elaborate scheme through which the political arm of the gun group allegedly provided the Montana Republican nearly $400,000 in illegal, in-kind contributions in 2018. Giffords, a non-profit gun-control group founded by former Democratic U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords, accuses the NRA and Rosendale of illegally coordinating campaigns during Montanas 2018 U.S. Senate race, which Rosendale lost to Democratic incumbent Sen. Jon Tester. Specifically, Giffords accuses the NRA and Rosendale of orchestrating ad buying through a half-dozen shell companies. The alleged benefit to Rosendale is $383,196 in illegally coordinated expenditures. The federal lawsuit was filed Nov. 2 in Washington D.C. Among the evidence cited by Giffords is a 2018 interview in which Rosendale says he was in communication with Chris Cox, political director of the NRA Institute for Legislative Action about the groups Montana campaign plans. The Supreme Court confirmations, thats what sent the NRA over the line, Rosendale tells the interviewer, Because in 12, with Denny, they stayed out. They stayed out of Montana, but Chris Cox told me, hes like, Were, we're going to be in this race. The Denny mentioned in the quote is Republican Denny Rehberg, who in 2012 ran unsuccessfully for Senate against Tester. Lee Montana Newspapers contacted Rosendales D.C. office Nov. 5, asking to speak directly to the congressman about allegations stemming from his 2018 Senate campaign. The representatives spokesman, Jeremy Crane, deferred all questions to Shelby DeMars, manager of Rosendales 2020 House bid. DeMars had no role in the Senate campaign targeted by Giffords lawsuit. In 2018, when audio of Rosendales recorded interview was reported by The Daily Beast, Rosendales campaign said that what was really caught on audio was Rosendale seeking an NRA endorsement, which the NRA said was all it ever discussed with Rosendale. A few weeks after Rosendales 2018 interview, the NRA began targeting Tester in Montana on the Democrats confirmation votes for U.S. Supreme Court candidates, votes the NRA said were bad for gun owners. Rosendale began running ads targeting Testers Supreme Court confirmation votes as bad for the Second Amendment, as well. But the NRA and Rosendale ads werent merely similar in subject matter. At one point, the person placing ads at a Montana TV station for the NRA was the same person placing ads for Rosendale. Giffords details the ad placements in the lawsuit. A review of political ad records for Montana TV stations confirmed Giffords account. The ads are available for public review online at the Federal Communications Commission website. Giffords accuses Rosendale and the NRA of using shell companies to hide campaign coordination. The first two companies are ad producers, Starboard and OnMessage are companies located at the same address and led by the same people. When industry awards were given out for political ads, OnMessage was nominated, and received awards for work done by Starboard. The NRA ads were produced by Starboard. Rosendales ads were produced by OnMessage. The ads were then placed by another company, National Media, doing business under two different names, Red Eagle and AMAG, short for American Media Advocacy Group. Starboard and OnMessage are separate legal entities, which gives the appearance of them being different vendors when in actuality they are functionally indistinguishable and share ad buyers, explained Anna Massoglia, investigative researcher for OpenSecrets, a political watchdog. Federal Communications Commission records of ad buys for Donald Trumps 2020 presidential campaign show employees of National Media signing off on ads for both Starboard and OnMessage, Massoglia said. Simply put, the appearance of different vendors can sometimes throw the Federal Election Commission off the scent of campaigns illegally coordinating ad buys. The acknowledgement of the NRA-ILA's advertising plans for the Montana Senate race is unique if only because of how well documented it is, Massoglia said. Because so-called 'dark money' groups like the NRA often operate with little disclosure, only some details of their plans and spending are accessible to the public. Rosendale admitting in a recorded conversation that hed spoken with NRA-ILA political director Cox about the gun lobby's Montana campaign, its focus on Tester and Supreme Court Nominations, was important to the lawsuit, said Brendan Fischer, of the Campaign Legal Center. CLC is representing Giffords in court. The interaction between the shell companies then illustrated the campaigns relationship down to the placement of ads at Montana TV stations. There were two layers to the coordination scheme. One was coordination over the production of the ads. And then the other layer was regarding the placement of the ads, Fischer said. Both of those are forms of coordination. Both are illegal. It matters because the NRA can only spend unlimited amounts of money supporting Rosendale if it's operating independently of Rosendale. If it's coordinating its spending with Rosendales campaign, then it can't spend unlimited amounts of money, including secret money. Campaign coordination can work a couple of different ways. A third party can make political attacks a candidate would rather not be associated with. The third partys ads might be coordinated to complement the candidates ads. Both examples are illegal. It could be, and we documented some of this in the complaint, that the Rosendale campaign is going to be running ads on these three stations, and then the NRA is going to be running ads on these other three stations, Fischer said. They make sure that the NRA dollars and Rosendale dollars are going the furthest. Theyre hitting viewers at different times. Theres any number of ways this can manifest itself. Fischer is CLCs director of federal reform. He said hes never seen a coordination scheme like the one the NRA and Rosendale are accused of orchestrating. Ever since the Supreme Court ruled in favor of unlimited spending by Super PACs and dark money groups, campaigns have found ways to work closely with independent entities. Ad production companies and companies placing ads for the NRA and Rosendale is more complex. Giffords calls the construct illegal. The Giffords lawsuit targets campaigns by Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, as well as Donald Trumps 2016 campaign. All told, the full amount of money allegedly coordinated amounts to $35 million. If Giffords prevails, the defendants will have to report the coordination to the Federal Elections Commission and likely pay the amount of money coordinated to the U.S. Treasury. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 1 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. BLOOMINGTON Comcast said Tuesday that a "network issue" was the cause of internet and phone outage Tuesday. "We have addressed the issue and service is now restoring for impacted customers, as we continue to investigate the root cause. We apologize to those who were affected," the company said in a statement. Customers from Central Illinois to across the U.S. reported problems. The website Downcaster estimated more than 54,000 Xfinity users were experiencing outages, with the largest concentrations in the San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York areas. Service in Central Illinois had been restored by mid-morning Tuesday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 While the company hadnt issued a statement on its social media channels early Tuesday, the outage seemed to be more widespread with news outlets from the San Francisco Bay Area to the East Coast also reporting outages. Local hot spot connectivity also was causing an issue for some users, according to anecdotal accounts. The website Downcaster also was reporting more than 50,000 Xfinity users experiencing outages. The outages appear to be concentrated in the Bay Area, Chicago, Philadelphia and New York, according to a Downcaster heat map, with other smaller hotspots scattered throughout the country. When 31-year-old John Lang woke up around 7 a.m. Tuesday, he noticed his internet was out. The marketing director works fully remote and is one of the only people in his company located in Chicago, he said. Lang attempted to disconnect from the wifi and went to Xfinitys app to try to reset his modem, with little luck. It was out so bad that the, the app couldnt do troubleshooting, he said, adding that he connected to his phones hotspot to have access to the internet in the meantime. Im currently waiting it out. Its been in and out all morning. Lang said he used to use RCN when he lived farther north, but the Loop building he now lives in only offers Xfinity. Just before 9 a.m., Langs internet appeared to be working again but at slow speeds. Sarah Roach, 40, said Tuesday is her typical work-from-home day, but around 7:15 a.m. she received a notification her email was out. Roach said she noticed there was a red light on her router that she had never seen before, so she called Xfinitys customer service line, which was busy. Roach, who works as a director of accounting for a third-party administrator for employee benefits, said she then went on Twitter. and noticed others in Chicago also were facing outages. Unfortunately, this is an extremely busy time for us, she said. Since we rely on Zoom so much, and Im working remote ... it was just the worst, worst timing. Roach said she connected to her phones hot spot and has been trying to reschedule meetings to the afternoon or handle things via email in the meantime. But many of the files she needs are on a shared drive or cloud-based, which she cant access without her internet. Its just really difficult when you rely so heavily on the internet for everything, she said. She had a glimmer of hope when she saw the red light on her router blink to white around 8:15 a.m. only for it to again go down minutes later. Since then, the connection had been off and on. Roach, who lives in Ukrainian Village, said her neighborhood doesnt have many internet options. So you rely on Comcast, and its so expensive. ... Its so frustrating that you have one option thats not reliable, she said. That is a big pain point for me. Chicago Tribune DECATUR Plans to open a Huddle House franchise in Decatur are progressing. The restaurant, with the slogan Any Meal, Any Time, would be the 10th Illinois location. Decatur natives Chazaray Carson and Jessica Michael have agreed to partner with the Huddle House team. The restaurant concept is an all-day breakfast menu. Currently, Carson and Michael are researching property to build near East Hospitality Lane, in the northeastern area of Decatur. Other businesses in the area include Sleep Inn Hotel and Pilot Travel Center. According to Anastasia Maragos, public relations associate, an opening date has not been finalized. "That is still up in the air, due to issues with supply chains and construction," she said. "However, they are aiming for a 2022 opening." Carson and Michael have been communicating with the Huddle House team about the progress. Recommended for you "They were supportive of our efforts to grow our business interests in Decatur, Carson said. We are very excited to bring Huddle House to our hometown. The restaurants 24-hour breakfast offerings and filling meals are a perfect fit for families who live in the area and for those working in jobs all around the clock." Huddle House corporation is based in Atlanta with nearly 300 locations. We are so lucky to be entering the community of Decatur with Jessica and Chazaray as our partners and guides. Their local knowledge and commitment to the Huddle House brand make them an ideal team to lead the way as we enter this thriving area, Peter Ortiz, chief development officer of Huddle House and Perkins Restaurant and Bakery said in a press release. The addition of the upcoming restaurant in Decatur will help our concept gain a stronger foothold in the Midwest. We are confident that this duos dedication to the brand and strong interpersonal skills will help them achieve success in the restaurant industry. Contact Donnette Beckett at (217) 421-6983. Follow her on Twitter: @donnettebHR Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 Satisfy your cravings With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. For generations of Decatur-area teens, cruisin' Eldo was the thing to do on a Friday and Saturday night and the Herald & Review was righ DECATUR Interim Police Chief Shane Brandel said he is alarmed at the increasing numbers of weapons being seized by his officers that have been illegally converted into machine guns. The latest was taken off a 19-year-old Decatur man Sunday evening after he was pulled over for a traffic violation. A police dog alerted to the mans car and a sworn affidavit said a handgun converted to fully automatic, and also fitted with an extended magazine, was found tucked under the drivers seat. The handgun had been converted using a device known as an auto sear which enables the weapon to fire continuously with only one pull of the trigger. Sunday's arrest brings the total of seized guns converted to automatic weapons to seven so far in 2021. Ive seen more of these that weve seized this year then I have over the course of my entire career," said Brandel. Recommended for you And we are seeing large capacity magazines on the weapons that have been modified to become fully automatic. Brandel said the guns represented a major threat to public safety. An incredible threat to our community and not to mention the threat to the officers when they confront the subjects who are carrying these guns, he added. Brandel said illegal devices to convert semi-automatic weapons to machine guns arent anything new. But he said their growing use was a worrying trend. In a recent article, the Washington Post reported the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington, D.C. field office had seized 20 auto sears in the nations capitol in the first half of this year. That is double the rate of such seizures compared to the same time last year. A gun fitted with an auto sear can fire at a rate of up to 1,200 bullets a minute. The 19-year-old man arrested in Decatur on Sunday was booked on preliminary charges of the unlawful use of a machine gun and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. Macon County Jail records show he is free after posting a $2,500 bond on bail set at $25,000; prosecutors had asked for bail of $30,000. In another automatic weapon case, Decatur police arrested Andre D. Cross Jr., 25, on Sept. 15 after he was a charged with the attempted murder of a detective he is accused of trying to run over with a vehicle. Police said a gun thrown from the car turned out to be a 9mm Glock pistol fitted with an auto sear. Cross was booked on further charges of being a felon in possession of a machine gun, unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon and armed violence. Cross, being held in jail in lieu of bail set at $1 million, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Contact Tony Reid at (217) 421-7977. Follow him on Twitter: @TonyJReid 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. After sorting out the details of what prosecutors called a senseless crime committed nearly five years ago, a Comal County jury on Wednesday d Texas flags wave in the wind as they sit on display in the Main Plaza for Texas Independence Day on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. MIKALA COMPTON | Herald-Zeitung GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) At 19, Glasgow college student Ross Hamilton doesn't think highly of world leaders they chat a lot of nonsense or expect them to accomplish anything on a problem he cares deeply about, climate change. But there is one former world leader Hamilton trusts, at least enough to join several hundred Glasgow college students crowding outside their college in the dark Monday in hopes of a glimpse of him: Barack Obama. I've always liked him. I feel as if he's pretty honest." The former U.S. president, one of the leaders responsible for the 2015 Paris climate accord, came to the U.N. global climate talks in Glasgow, wielding his cross-generational appeal to urge frustrated climate activists to stay in the fight. Even five years out of office, and now 60, Obama still claims a rapport with liberal and moderate young people in a way that President Joe Biden, 78, might not be able to pull off. *** Click on the links below for full version of today's top stories. Keep scrolling for a look back at this day in history and today's celebrity birthdays: *** IMAGE OF THE DAY *** Drugmaker Merck just shared stunning data on molnupiravir, an oral antiviral it developed to combat COVID-19. In molnupiravirs phase three clinical trial, it cut COVID-19 patients risk of being hospitalized or dying by 50%. The company is now seeking emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. The medicine could be a game-changer in humanitys fight against this virus. In the United States and other developed countries, many have regrettably decided against getting vaccinated, leaving them at elevated risk of severe illness. Though rare, serious breakthrough cases are happening. And in the developing world, a variety of factors have led to a slow vaccine rollout. Finally, there is always the concern of a mutation that evades our existing vaccines. Simply put, vaccines alone arent enough for our anti-COVID-19 arsenal. And were now poised to have at least one safe, effective and convenient oral treatment. Roche and Pfizer are working on others that could soon be on the way. A Newton man will spend at least 26 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder this week. Justin Drew Dalton, 35, of Newton, was given an active prison term of 26 to 32 years by Judge William T. Pomeroy after he pleaded guilty in the May 2019 shooting death of Emden Lee Syres Jr., 47, a news release from the District Attorneys Office says. In addition to murder, Dalton also pleaded guilty to larceny of a motor vehicle. Dalton will serve his sentence in the custody of the N.C. Division of Adult Corrections. Deputies with the Catawba County Sheriffs Office conducted a welfare check at a Sigmon Dairy Road residence in May 2019 after Syres had not shown up at work for two days, the release says. When deputies entered the residence through an open back door, they found Syres dead on the floor with a gunshot wound to the head. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The victims wallet, credit cards and vehicle were missing. A day later, officers arrested Dalton. Isaac Stafford, 38, enlisted in the Army so that he could support other soldiers after the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. I was there for my buddies, he said. I wasnt there for whatever the government wanted to push. I primarily made everything about them, and they primarily made everything about me. We were there to support each other. Before deciding to serve, Stafford had planned to be a chaplain. He changed his mind after the 9/11 attacks. It almost felt like Pearl Harbor, he said. I wanted some payback. Stafford was a mechanic in a transportation unit from 2002 to 2013. He traveled to Iraq four times, where he managed and repaired military vehicles. His first tour to Iraq lasted one year. The second was seven months. The third was 15 months, and the fourth was 14 months. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} The last tour, Stafford said, was the most difficult. I saw a lot of action there, he said. Stafford was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder after his service. He suffered from memory loss and anxiety. For the longest I couldnt be around large crowds, and still cant be around large crowds sometimes, he said. Im always on guard. By age 21, William J. Sturm was married with two children and in the habit of quitting every job he started. He joined the Army, and his life changed. In the year 1999, I had over 25 W-2s, which means I quit a lot of jobs. So, when I got into the Army, it was a desperation move. I had to find a job I wasnt allowed to quit. That is, no kidding, the reason I considered the military, Sturm said. I knew I would get paid every two weeks, whether I was in the brig or if I was a functional soldier, and I needed a job that I wouldnt quit. I was a 22-year-old that was addicted to quitting. I didnt quit my wife; I didnt quit my Lord, but everything else that resembled work I quit. Sturm, 44, is the senior pastor at Sandy Ridge Baptist Church. He has devoted 21 years of his life to the Army. He was deployed to Iraq twice during his career. He served as a chaplains assistant in Iraq. It was my job to keep the chaplain from getting killed or lost. I was there (in Iraq) when my third child was born, Sturm said. I was in Baghdad when she was born in 2003. I met her when she was 3 months old. She just graduated high school in May. " " Geronimo is one of the most well-known American Indians, but his true story probably isn't how you remember it. Library of Congress Geronimo's life story often veers from his legend: He was depicted in U.S. and Mexican culture as a frighteningly fierce warrior and as a representative of bravery for the World War II paratroopers who yelled his name as they jumped from planes. He was called "the most famous North American Indian of all time," by one of his biographers. But in reality, Geronimo was less of a mythic figure to his people. In fact, he was relatively unknown outside the Chiricahua Apache until he reached middle age, according to The Washington Post. "In our tribe, Geronimo was not a very important person," says Michael Darrow, Fort Sill Apache tribal historian. "He was not a chief." A century ago, Geronimo wouldn't have been a big deal to the tribe. Yet to many Americans in the 19th century, Geronimo epitomized the trope of the fierce warrior Indian. He represented the rhetoric that could be used to justify "protecting" settlers by moving Indians onto reservations. And that rhetoric was applied to the Apache more generally. "One of the things that is very common in writing about Apache is to use the term warriors," Darrow says. However, the Apache language doesn't have a term that translates to warrior. "History books, and as a result, the popular portrayal of Apache in books and movies, are that Apache are fierce and warlike." Geronimo's own telling of his childhood offers a different story. Advertisement Geronimo's Early Life There are two tales about when and where Geronimo was born. According to Robert M. Utley, historian and author of "Geronimo," it was in 1823 in the upper Gila River Valley in what is now New Mexico. But when Geronimo told his life story as an octogenarian in "Geronimo's Story of His Life: As Told to S.M. Barrett, he said he was born in what's now Arizona in 1829. Either way, the territory would have been part of Mexico until the 1848 Mexican Cession following the Mexican-American War and the 1854 Gadsden Purchase. What's not disputed is that Geronimo was born into the Bedonkohe band of the Chiricahua Apache tribe and was named Goyahkla, which means the "one who yawns." He was the fourth child of a family with four boys and four girls. In "Geronimo's Story of His Life: As Told to S.M. Barrett," he described his homeland around the headwaters of the Gila River: This range was our fatherland; among these mountains our wigwams were hidden; the scattered valleys contained our fields; the boundless prairies, stretching away on every side, were our pastures; the rocky caverns were our burying places. Geronimo recounts a childhood spent cultivating crops, harvesting wild-growing tobacco, grinding corn, and taking trips to gather nuts and berries. Around the age of 8 or 10, he joined in "the chase," hunting buffalo, deer, antelope and elk, slaughtering only those the tribe needed. He reported having killed many bears with a spear and mountain lions with arrows. Importantly, Geronimo says that as a youth, he never saw a missionary or a priest. "We had never seen a white man." " " Geronimo (far right) is seen here with his son and two other warriors. Library of Congress Advertisement Tragedy and Revenge In 1858, the Bedonkohe Apache went south to Old Mexico, camping just outside a town the Indians called Kaskiyeh, and going in each day to trade. Women and children remained at the camp. One afternoon, upon returning, the tribesmen learned that Mexican troops had attacked the camp, killed all of the guards, captured the ponies and weapons, and killed many of the women and children. Among the victims were Geronimo's mother, his wife Alope and their three children. From his biography: That night I did not give my vote for or against any measure; but it was decided that as there were only eighty warriors left, and as we were without arms or supplies, and were furthermore surrounded by the Mexicans far inside their own territory, we could not hope to fight successfully. So our chief, Mangus-Colorado, gave the order to start at once in perfect silence for our homes in Arizona, leaving the dead upon the field. I stood until all had passed, hardly knowing what I would do I had no weapon, nor did I hardly wish to fight, neither did I contemplate recovering the bodies of my loved ones, for that was forbidden. I did not pray, nor did I resolve to do anything in particular, for I had no purpose left. I finally followed the tribe silently, keeping just within hearing distance of the soft noise of the feet of the retreating Apaches. A few days later, the tribe returned to its own settlement. Chief Mangus-Colorado (or Mangas Coloradas), called a council. The Bedonkohe were determined to "take the warpath" against Mexico. Geronimo was sent to ask neighboring tribes to help, receiving it from the Chokonen Apache led by Cochise and the Nedni Apache led by Whoa. Geronimo spent the next quarter-century "attacking and evading both Mexican and U.S. troops, vowing to kill as many white men as he could," according to Smithsonian Magazine. But it would be a mistake to think of Geronimo as a patriot chief fighting for the preservation of his homeland, Utley explains in an email. "Wrong on all counts. He wasn't a patriot, or a chief or fighting for his homeland." He was fighting for his own cause. " " Many from the Apache tribe say Geronimo's vengeful actions weren't for the good of the tribe, that he was fighting instead for his own cause. Library of Congress Advertisement Resisting the White Man During the second half of the 19th century, with the takeover of the American Southwest and American westward expansion, the U.S. government forced Apache onto reservations. Geronimo left the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona to which he had been assigned multiple times, resisting capture by and fighting against U.S. soldiers and Mexican alike. "Geronimo's actions kept the Chiricahuas constantly riled up as long as he was on the San Carlos Reservation," Utley says. "If I were to indulge in modern politics, I would compare him to a national leader who keeps the public pot boiling. The Chiricahua trajectory was altered to the effect that they were all sent to Florida because of Geronimo, but didn't deserve it." For many years, Geronimo and the Apache "violently resisted the influx of the white settlers," according to History. Legend has it that he earned his nickname from Mexican soldiers crying out to St. Jerome when facing him. In fact, his notoriety among white settlers was such that they would threaten their children that Geronimo would come for them if they were bad. During his years eluding the U.S. government, Geronimo achieved significant coverage in newspapers. "Some were mere rumors or fabrications, but the stories were bad enough to brand this man a bloody butcher who shot, lanced or knifed dozens of victims throughout his adult life," Utley writes in his book. "[T]he public at large knew the name to stand for terrible atrocities." " " Geronimo stands with other Apache warriors, women and children shortly before his surrender to General George Crook, March 27, 1886. Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images Advertisement Treaty Negotiation Not Surrender Before the U.S. government's decision to move all Native Americans in the Southwest to reservations in the 1870s, Geronimo said the greatest wrong ever done to his tribe was in 1863 when chief Mangus-Colorado agreed to a peace treaty with the U.S. General Joseph Rodman West at Apache Tejo, New Mexico, (Fort McLane) in exchange for provisions for his people. Mangus-Colorado took about half of the tribe to New Mexico, where, instead of peace, they were taken into custody. West ordered the chief's execution and he was tortured and killed that night for trying to escape. Geronimo and his followers fled for the mountains out of fear. U.S. troops continually attacked their camps until he was taken as a prisoner of war on the San Carlos Reservation. But in 1885, Geronimo and 135 followers, including men, women and children, broke out and avoided capture for nearly a year. They were pursued for months by as many as 5,000 U.S. soldiers and 3,000 Mexicans led by U.S. General George R. Crook. However, they escaped once again. The pursuit was taken up again by General Nelson Miles, who eventually forced Geronimo to turn himself in near Fort Bowie on Sept. 4, 1886. By that time, the Apache were simply exhausted and outnumbered. His "surrender" is said to have ended the American-Indian Wars. But in Geronimo's mind, he had met with Miles to negotiate a treaty, not surrender. For Miles, claiming to be the military leader who got Geronimo to surrender offered more prestige. "It was certainly not an unconditional surrender as it had been portrayed," Darrow says. After the surrender, Geronimo and 400 Apache were sent to Fort Pickens, Florida, on Sept. 8, 1886. After a few years, they were moved to Alabama and finally to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1894. "Before the imprisonment, Geronimo doesn't seem to have done much to try to benefit the tribe as a whole," explains Darrow. Once the tribe was imprisoned, he did utilize what influence he had to try to get them released. Initially, the Apache had been promised they would not be imprisoned more than two years and would be given their own reservation and homeland. But when Darrow's grandmother was born in 1892, she was a POW in Alabama. " " Geronimo is seen with his warriors on a reservation 1886. He is the one mounted high on the horse. Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images Advertisement Geronimo's Death and Legacy Geronimo lived at Fort Sill from 1894 until his death Feb. 17, 1909. During his years on the Oklahoma reservation, Geronimo left for participation in Pawnee Bill's Wild West show, billed as "The Worst Indian That Ever Lived." He took part in the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 and participated in President Theodore Roosevelt's inauguration, where he was put on display even though his requests for the return of Chiricahua land were denied. In February 1909, Geronimo fell off his horse on the way back to Fort Sill from Lawton, Oklahoma, at night. He was found the following morning and developed a cold, which turned into pneumonia. Within the week, he was dead. Still a prisoner of war, Geronimo was buried at Fort Sill. His legend was a sort of excuse for keeping the tribe as POWs for nearly 30 years, according to Darrow. "Nobody was willing to risk their reputation allowing Geronimo to be free," he says. It was in the political interest of the United States government to keep them imprisoned and portray them as a fierce, aggressive people who were potentially dangerous. Now That's Interesting Geronimo dedicated his 1906 autobiography to President Theodore Roosevelt, listing a few reasons for doing so, including "because I believe that he is fair-minded and will cause my people to receive justice in the future." The Fort Sill Chiracahua were not released until 1914, two presidents later. A lot of soil sampling is done in the fall, and according to extension agronomist Daniel Smith, it is the right time to collect this information. For soil sampling, its a really exciting time of the year, said Smith during a University of Wisconsin-Madison Nutrient and Pest Management Program video. We want to measure how many nutrients are left over in the soil because it is our savings account for the next crop to grow. Smith recommended testing for phosphorus, potassium, soil organic matter, and pH levels. That way, we can allocate nutrients for next years crop via manure application now or in the spring, and then we can think about purchasing the fertilizer to supplement those nutrients, he explained. A sampling plan should be created by looking at a map of the farm and determining what crops are going to be grown where. Smith said that collecting one sample for every 5 acres is the broad standard, but many people will pull more samples than that, working with 2.5 or 1 acre grids. Soil samples take such a small amount of soil off of the landscape and are used to base our recommendations on and next years profit and success on, Smith reminded, so we need to be as accurate as possible. He said that sampling depth is important. The appropriate depth is based on tillage or the conservation system, but he said in Wisconsin, 6 inches is typically adequate for most farms. Smith noted that farms should also be thinking about timely manure applications in the fall. He said to apply manure when soils are not subject to compaction or environmental nutrient losses. In summary, he reiterated the value of filling that soil savings account and having a plan to do so. Sticking to that plan, or just making minor adjustments, is really important for success, he noted. To comment, email your remarks to intel@hoards.com. (c) Hoard's Dairyman Intel 2021 November 8, 2021 " " Wikimedia Commons: Lamiot The phallus impudicus or stinkhorn mushroom not only smells ungodly, it also looks like something out of an X-rated movie. Shortly after temperatures starts to turn cool and particularly after some wet weather people might find a little surprise in their yards: phallic-looking mushrooms that pop up out of seemingly nowhere. They're called phallus impudicus yes, really. (The 16th-century botanist John Gerard called them "pricke mushrooms" or "fungus virilis penis effigie" in his "General Historie of Plants.") The reason's obvious: They look like a man's, well, you know. Some cultures consider the mushrooms to be aphrodisiacs, and even feed them to bulls before they mate. Charles Darwin's daughter was known to harvest and burn them to "protect the morals of the maids." Advertisement But phallus impudicus really are nothing more than a type of stinkhorn mushroom that appears during cool, wet weather, mainly in fall and winter. They start with a white "egg" that is partially visible above soil, with a network of roots anchoring it below. Once the mushroom is mature, the full-grown stalk emerges fast sometimes within an hour. "The first time I saw one, I jumped, 'what is that?'" says Atlanta chef Joseph Ramaglia, who forages for mushrooms. Phallus impudicus is hard to miss: It can grow to be 6 inches (0.15 meter) long, and it has a brash, offensive smell. "It smells like a lot of people say dung, but it smells like decomposition. It's really bad," Ramaglia says. He also says stinkhorn mushrooms are part of a large family with other strange characteristics, such as orange and red colors, and interesting shapes. He's more a fan of the varieties that look like "alien hands" and aren't so stinky. Even the smell of stinkhorns has been studied for its erotic effects. In Hawaii, an indigenous variety of stinkhorns was called "the women's mushroom" and believed to be a female aphrodisiac a reputation that a group of scientists decided to test in 2001. Their hypothesis: The smell alone could give women spontaneous orgasms. After putting the hypothesis to the test with a small group of women most of whom felt grossed out instead of aroused the scientists had to conclude the mushrooms failed to excite anyone to orgasmic levels. At least not from smelling them. So what about when eating them? The stinkhorn mushroom is edible, but only in its egg stage. "I don't think anyone would want to eat [the full-grown mushroom]," Ramaglia says. "It's just too stinky." But stinkhorns aren't without benefits, as offensive as they might be, in smell and, well, looks. They help decompose wood and improve soil. Scientists recommend putting up with the mushrooms if you find them in your yard, and you can tolerate the stench. If you simply have to get rid of them, the best way is to pick the mushrooms at the egg stage, before they rupture. Then put them in a zip-top plastic bag, and throw them away. Then you can prevent new colonies of mushrooms by removing the mulch or dirt where they grew. Now That's Amazing In a 2004 study published in the journal Mycologist, scientists used a mathematical model to calculate that three phallus impudicus mushrooms growing out of hard asphalt produce enough force to lift approximately 400 kilograms just over 881 pounds. Advertisement Originally Published: Oct 25, 2017 On This Page Navigation Please review the information below and provide your thoughts via the Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) page for this effort during October 27 November 24, 2021. Your feedback will be used to further refine the ideas that the NPS pursues in this area. Appropriate NEPA and other compliance will be completed before construction if the park develops a proposed action. Denali National Park is considering developing trails and related recreational infrastructure in the area of the park between the Nenana River and the Parks Highway (the Nenana River corridor - see map below). The NPS is in the early stages of exploring ideas for this area and would like to hear your thoughts on how any development in the Nenana River corridor can best serve visitors and conserve park resources.Your feedback will be used to further refine the ideas that the NPS pursues in this area.Appropriate NEPA and other compliance will be completed before construction if the park develops a proposed action. Learn more about the process of pre-NEPA planning followed by NEPA compliance and environmental analysis . Thanks for participating in planning for Nenana River Trails! The area under consideration NPS Image Background The Nenana River corridor extends from the Park Road entrance south to milepost 231 on the Parks Highway and is bounded to the west by the Parks Highway and to the east by the Nenana River. This area is primarily a mixed white spruce broadleaf forest, a taiga forest community comprised largely of white spruce and aspen along with black spruce, willows, Labrador tea, blueberry, low bush cranberry, and sphagnum moss. It provides habitat for many avian species, small mammals, and larger mammals such as moose and bears. This non-wilderness area is currently undeveloped, but has been considered for trail construction since at least the The Nenana River corridor extends from the Park Road entrance south to milepost 231 on the Parks Highway and is bounded to the west by the Parks Highway and to the east by the Nenana River.This area is primarily a mixed white spruce broadleaf forest, a taiga forest community comprised largely of white spruce and aspen along with black spruce, willows, Labrador tea, blueberry, low bush cranberry, and sphagnum moss. It provides habitat for many avian species, small mammals, and larger mammals such as moose and bears.This non-wilderness area is currently undeveloped, but has been considered for trail construction since at least the 1997 Frontcountry Development Concept Plan , which also proposes the development of a campground in this area. The 2006 Backcountry Management Plan grandfathers in these ideas. A map of the Nenana River Corridor from the 1997 Frontcountry Development Concept Plan NPS Image More recently, the Nenana River corridor was chosen as part of the route for the proposed Alaska LNG pipeline which would be mostly buried through the area. A Recreational infrastructure developed in this area has the potential to: Provide easily-accessible and low-cost recreational opportunities for visitors and local residents Provide on-trail opportunities for multiple uses, varying skill levels, and diverse user groups Connect local communities and commercial enterprises to the park with non-motorized routes The descriptions below summarize one possible scenario that the NPS has considered. More recently, the Nenana River corridor was chosen as part of the route for the proposed Alaska LNG pipeline which would be mostly buried through the area. A wayside and trailhead will be constructed at the southern end of this area at Parks Highway milepost 231 in 2022. The Alaska Department of Transportation-led Parks Highway Planning and Environmental Linkages Study considers transportation improvements along the Parks Highway through the Nenana River corridor, including ideas for non-motorized and pedestrian access.Recreational infrastructure developed in this area has the potential to:The descriptions below summarize one possible scenario that the NPS has considered. Please provide comments October 27 November 24, 2021 to let us know what your vision is for this area! Example of the kind of rustic hiking trail that might be built in the Nenana River area. An example of a multi-use trail can be seen below. NPS Photo The Vision for the Nenana River Corridor Trails and other developments in the Nenana River corridor provide a readily available visitor experience in an incredibly scenic natural area. Some visitors may see the area as an introduction to Denalis backcountry. The area is less managed or tame than the entrance area, but not as intimidating as the parks trailless backcountry. Although the area is still in the frontcountry it has a remote feel in that the presence of development, traffic, and the busy nature of the entrance area quickly recede as one leaves the trailheads. Developments dont dominate the remote, scenic aspects of the area, but facilitate visitor access to and enjoyment of the natural landscape. A wide diversity of user groups (e.g., hikers, families, community members, people with accessibility needs) can feel as though they truly experienced the natural beauty of Denali National Park in an approachable area without the same degree of development, visitor guidance, and busy energy as the entrance area. At this early stage, preliminary ideas consider the locations of trails and which uses would be allowed on those trails, possible campsites, and winter use of the Nenana River corridor. Trails and other developments in the Nenana River corridor provide a readily available visitor experience in an incredibly scenic natural area. Some visitors may see the area as an introduction to Denalis backcountry. The area is less managed or tame than the entrance area, but not as intimidating as the parks trailless backcountry.Although the area is still in the frontcountry it has a remote feel in that the presence of development, traffic, and the busy nature of the entrance area quickly recede as one leaves the trailheads. Developments dont dominate the remote, scenic aspects of the area, but facilitate visitor access to and enjoyment of the natural landscape. A wide diversity of user groups (e.g., hikers, families, community members, people with accessibility needs) can feel as though they truly experienced the natural beauty of Denali National Park in an approachable area without the same degree of development, visitor guidance, and busy energy as the entrance area.At this early stage, preliminary ideas consider the locations of trails and which uses would be allowed on those trails, possible campsites, and winter use of the Nenana River corridor. Example of a typical multi-use trail NPS Photo Trails and Trail Uses A network of trails in the Nenana River corridor would provide approximately 16 miles of recreational opportunities for hikers and bicyclists. Trails would be built to universal accessibility guidelines to the fullest extent practicable. A multiuse trail on the western edge of the area would be open to bicycle use, while the remainder of trails would be for pedestrians only. The multiuse trail would resemble many of the trails in Denalis entrance area, with a gravel surface and sightlines, width, and grades to allow for safe use by bicycles and pedestrians. The multiuse trail could be in addition to or instead of a paved separated pathway in the highway right of way considered by The remainder of the trails would more closely resemble the Triple Lakes trail or the Savage Alpine trail, with a native soil surface to provide a hiking experience in a natural setting. A network of trails in the Nenana River corridor would provide approximately 16 miles of recreational opportunities for hikers and bicyclists. Trails would be built to universal accessibility guidelines to the fullest extent practicable.A multiuse trail on the western edge of the area would be open to bicycle use, while the remainder of trails would be for pedestrians only.The multiuse trail would resemble many of the trails in Denalis entrance area, with a gravel surface and sightlines, width, and grades to allow for safe use by bicycles and pedestrians. The multiuse trail could be in addition to or instead of a paved separated pathway in the highway right of way considered by the Alaska Department of Transportation in the Parks Highway Planning and Environmental linkages study The remainder of the trails would more closely resemble the Triple Lakes trail or the Savage Alpine trail, with a native soil surface to provide a hiking experience in a natural setting. The Nenana River area could see two main trails and a few small connections and spurs, in addition to the existing Triple Lakes Trail and Oxbow Trail. NPS Image Trail Type (Segment) Approximate Length Hiking 10 miles Multi-use (Mile Post 231 (Crabbies Crossing) to Mile Post 234) 4 miles Multi-use (Mile Post 234 to Riley Creek Day Use Area) 3 miles Loop Connection (South) 0.2 miles Loop Connection (Middle) 0.5 miles Loop Connection (North) 0.3 miles Spur (Yanert Confluence) 0.5 miles Spur (Mile Post 234) 0.6 miles Campsites Campsite development is less of a priority than trail development in this area. Because campsites would require considerable investments in infrastructure, maintenance and management, would substantially change the way this area has been used in the past and would increase the possibility of negative wildlife interactions, they would be constructed only after a trail system is established and visitor use of this area is understood. Similarly, campsite construction would be contingent on the ability of the NPS to manage and maintain any development. If campsites do not seem warranted after use of the trail system is established and understood, it is possible that campsites would not be constructed in this area. Campsites in the Nenana River corridor area would provide a camping experience that would be distinct from both camping in a drive-up campground and classic trailless Denali backpacking. The goal would be to provide a unique and valuable visitor experience that can be an introduction to backpacking in Denali and/or something that feels more adventurous than camping in a roadside campground. A campsite location near milepost 234 of the Parks Highway could be constructed to allow for full Americans with Disabilities Act/Architectural Barriers Act accessibility, providing the rare opportunity for remote camping to people with accessibility needs. Maximum of two possible campsite locations: Yanert confluence = More primitive, smaller, rustic camping, minimal facilities MP 234 pit = ADA/ABA accessible, closer to the highway, possibility for a few more amenities Rustic facilities to include: Tent pads (up to 4 at the Yanert confluence, up to 7 at MP 234) Cook shelters with bear boxes to facilitate cooking away from sleeping areas and proper food storage Toilet facilities (pit toilet or composting) Campsite development is less of a priority than trail development in this area. Because campsites would require considerable investments in infrastructure, maintenance and management, would substantially change the way this area has been used in the past and would increase the possibility of negative wildlife interactions, they would be constructed only after a trail system is established and visitor use of this area is understood. Similarly, campsite construction would be contingent on the ability of the NPS to manage and maintain any development. If campsites do not seem warranted after use of the trail system is established and understood, it is possible that campsites would not be constructed in this area.Campsites in the Nenana River corridor area would provide a camping experience that would be distinct from both camping in a drive-up campground and classic trailless Denali backpacking. The goal would be to provide a unique and valuable visitor experience that can be an introduction to backpacking in Denali and/or something that feels more adventurous than camping in a roadside campground.A campsite location near milepost 234 of the Parks Highway could be constructed to allow for full Americans with Disabilities Act/Architectural Barriers Act accessibility, providing the rare opportunity for remote camping to people with accessibility needs.Maximum of two possible campsite locations:Rustic facilities to include: Two proposed camping areas NPS Image Winter Use In the winter, the trails that can safely accommodate winter use would be groomed and available for day use. Where sections of trail dont allow for safe travel via skis, winter-only reroutes would be established through the vegetation, without constructing additional year-round trail surfaces (see map below). Groomed winter trails in this area would be available for non-motorized uses only, with a maintenance emphasis on Nordic skiing. In contrast to other maintained winter trails in the Denali area, these trails would provide a woodsy, natural experience that might be expected in a national park. The trails are neither in a developed area (like the entrance area/Denali Visitor Center trails or Kesugi Ken in Denali State Park) or a groomed road surface (like the Park Road or Denali Highway). For beginner skiers, this area would provide a maintained all-day adventure that is otherwise difficult to find in the Denali area. For more advanced skiers, these trails would offer a groomed experience in a wooded trail environment away from development and roads. Use of the area in winter would remain day use only for hikers, snowshoers, and skiers. Biking would be allowed on the multiuse trail where bicycles are allowed in the summer. The presence of skiers and snowshoers as well as the limited sight distances along many trails and overall limited trail system length make the area ill-suited for mushing. In the winter, the trails that can safely accommodate winter use would be groomed and available for day use. Where sections of trail dont allow for safe travel via skis, winter-only reroutes would be established through the vegetation, without constructing additional year-round trail surfaces (see map below).Groomed winter trails in this area would be available for non-motorized uses only, with a maintenance emphasis on Nordic skiing. In contrast to other maintained winter trails in the Denali area, these trails would provide a woodsy, natural experience that might be expected in a national park. The trails are neither in a developed area (like the entrance area/Denali Visitor Center trails or Kesugi Ken in Denali State Park) or a groomed road surface (like the Park Road or Denali Highway). For beginner skiers, this area would provide a maintained all-day adventure that is otherwise difficult to find in the Denali area. For more advanced skiers, these trails would offer a groomed experience in a wooded trail environment away from development and roads.Use of the area in winter would remain day use only for hikers, snowshoers, and skiers. Biking would be allowed on the multiuse trail where bicycles are allowed in the summer. The presence of skiers and snowshoers as well as the limited sight distances along many trails and overall limited trail system length make the area ill-suited for mushing. NPS Image Summary The description above outlines one possible direction that the NPS could take when developing trails and other recreational infrastructure in the Nenana River corridor. The table below summarizes this description and outlines several other ideas that may also help the park achieve its vision for visitor use of this area. Please let us know your ideas for trails and recreation in the Nenana River corridor! Option Name Ambiance Trails and Trail Uses Campgrounds Winter Use Description Above Welcome to Denali Approachable but remote-feeling, more wild than the entrance area, opportunities available to a diversity of audiences. Multiuse trail closer to highway with river bluff trail hiking only. Side loops down to river level. After trail development, if warranted, up to two campgrounds established at Yanert (more primitive) and MP 234 (somewhat more developed). Winter-only reroutes along summer trails to avoid terrain where necessary, grooming provided if feasible. Different Option Entrance Area Extension More similar to entrance area, with full multiple uses, campgrounds, formal winter trails. Bikes allowed on all trails where possible, including along the river. Two campground locations established, Yanert and MP 234. Bike use at both locations. Full network of winter trails established and formally groomed Different Option Multiple Uses Year-Round Greater emphasis on recreational diversity, less on the quasi-backcountry nature of the area. Bikes allowed on all trails where possible, including along the river. No campgrounds developed. Winter-only reroutes along summer trails to avoid terrain where necessary, grooming provided if feasible. Different Option A Riverside Walk More similar to Triple Lakes trail with minimal development. Trails as conceived in 1997, hiking trail near river only without a multiuse trail. No campgrounds developed. Maximum of snow compacted on summer trail surfaces, no corduroy or winter-specific routes established. If the NPS did nothing No change from present, no trail or other development. No additional trails in the area. No campgrounds developed. No winter trails established in the area. The Department of Theatre at Hope College will present Sarah Ruhls Eurydice on Friday-Sunday, Nov. 12-14, and Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 18-20, in the main theatre in the DeWitt Student and Cultural Center. The performances on Nov. 12, 13 and 18-20 will begin at 7:30 p.m. The performance on Sunday, Nov. 14, will be a free matinee beginning at 2 p.m. Directed by Dr. Daina Robins, professor of theatre at Hope, Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl reimagines the classic myth of Orpheus through the eyes of its heroine. Dying too young on her wedding day, Eurydice must journey to the underworld, where she reunites with her father and struggles to remember her lost love. With contemporary characters, ingenious plot twists and breathtaking visual effects, the play is a fresh look at a timeless love story. As Robins states, I have consistently been drawn to modern adaptations of Greek myths. The stakes and urgency of those old stories seem to attract the high drama side of me, yet more modern contexts and variations on mythic themes can often speak more directly to todays audience. Sarah Ruhls play does that for me. She returns to the compelling narrative of Eurydice and Orpheus and then adds her own particular take on the story with a fabulous mixture of poetic language, theatrical imagery, everyday conversation and contemporary perspective. Eurydice had its world premiere at Madison Repertory Theatre, Madison, Wisconsin, on September 2003. It was next produced at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California in 2004. The play opened in New York at the Off-Broadway Theatre, Second Stage, and ran from June 18 to August 26, 2007. The production received several award nominations, including the 2008 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Play, and the 2008 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design of a Play. Charles Isherwood when reviewing the New York production called it a weird and wonderful new play. Eurydice has been produced by hundreds of high schools and universities around the world. In addition to Robins, the colleges production team includes junior Greer Gardner of Marshall as costume designer; Michelle Bombe, chair of the theatre department, as mentor to the costume designer; Ken Chamberlain, assistant director of production for dance and theatre, as sound designer; Eric Van Tassell, assistant professor of theatre, as lighting designer; senior Mackenzie Kalinowski of Bangor as assistant lighting designer; senior Adrienne Johnson of Waukesha, Wisconsin, as assistant sound designer; Lisa Borton as guest scenic and properties designer; and staff members Stephen Krebs, Erik Alberg and Darlene Veenstra as technical director, production manager and costume shop manager, respectively. Also serving on the production team is sophomore Lydia Konings of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as stage manager; and sophomore Cecilia Casper of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and freshman Teddie Long of Lees Summit, Missouri, as assistant stage managers. The cast includes senior Adam Chamness of Holland; freshman Eden Comer of Farmington Hills; junior Annika Dekker of Grand Rapids; senior Sam Joachim of Dearborn; sophomore Grant McKenzie of Western Springs, Illinois; senior Zach Pickle of Three Rivers; and Junior Brianna Tomczak of Dexter. Tickets are $10 for regular admission; $7 for senior citizens and Hope faculty and staff; and free for Hope College students and students ages 18 and under. Tickets are available at the Events and Conferences Office located in downtown Holland in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The ticket office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be reached at 616-395-7890. Tickets can also be purchased online at hope.edu/tickets and will be sold at the door if available. Audience members who need assistance to fully enjoy any event at Hope are encouraged to contact the colleges Events and Conferences Office by emailing events@hope.edu or calling 616-395-7222 on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Updates related to events are posted when available in the individual listings at hope.edu/calendar Due to the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, Hope is currently requiring that masks be worn by all individuals while indoors on campus unless in their living space or alone in their work space. The DeWitt Student and Cultural Center is located at 141 E 12th St., facing Columbia Avenue between 10th and 13th Streets. Rohrer served with the Army National Guard out of Kentucky from 2002 to 2008 and in Iraq from 2004 to 2005, he said. Rohrer and Sunshine Rae were regulars in front of the Cox Road intersection leading into Target, with Rohrer saying the pair were there almost seven days a week for months. Rohrer and the dog slept in a tent in a wooded area near the shopping center, he said. I smiled and waved at people. It was therapeutic for me, Rohrer said. I was not panhandling. People gave me dog treats and stuff, and sometimes people would come up and say, Thank you for your service, and give me some money, but I never asked for anything. But at 6:29 p.m. on Oct. 13 someone called 911 about Rohrer and Sunshine Rae, according to a release of the call. The caller asked police to do something about Rohrer, telling the dispatcher he was using the dog to gain sympathy from potential donors and putting the animal in danger in a high-traffic area without being secured by a leash. The 911 dispatcher told the caller a police officer would check on the situation. Rohrer would be arrested a short time later. Rohrer claims the dog cannot be on a leash and provide its service to him. He said service dogs dont always need to be leashed. Authorities in Romania have arrested two men suspected of using the REvil Windows ransomware in some 5000 attacks, the Europol police agency says in a somewhat rambling statement. More than half a million euros were stolen in ransom payments by the two men, the statement added. Another five men have been arrested since February, three suspected of having used REvil and two others of using GandCrab, a precursor of REvil, in ransomware attacks. Seventeen countries have been involved in the operation, known as GoldDust. The countries involved are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Kuwait, the UK and the US. The organisations Interpol and Eurojust were also part of the takedown. "In the beginning of October, a Sodinokibi/REvil affiliate was arrested at the Polish border after an international arrest warrant was issued by the US," the Europol statement said. "The Ukrainian national is suspected of perpetrating the Kaseya attack, which affected up to 1500 downstream businesses and for which Sodinokibi/REvil asked a ransom of about 70 million. "Additionally, in February, April and October 2021 authorities in South Korea arrested three affiliates involved in the GandCrab and Sodinokibi/REvil ransomware families, which had more than 1500 victims. "On 4 November, Kuwaiti authorities arrested another GandGrab affiliate, meaning a total of seven suspects linked to the two ransomware families have been arrested since February 2021. They are suspected of attacking about 7000 victims in total." Last month, two ransomware operators were arrested in Ukraine. Europol said at the time the two were suspected of a number of attacks against big European and North American targets from April 2020 onwards. CHARLESTON Eight years ago, Eastern Illinois University professor Michael Gillespie came face-to-face with an urgent and severe problem: food insecurity on campus. One of my students was so hungry, and so famished, that they were exhibiting physical signs of pure malnutrition, said Gillespie. Thats when Gillespie, along with many others at EIU, decided that something needed to be done. Gillespie then embarked on years of research, even surveying EIU students for five consecutive years to measure their food security and their academic progress. These (surveys) measure things like how students feel they're making their progress towards graduation, whether there are any effects on class attendance, whether they're able to hold their attention span in class even the basic understanding of the class concepts for the class that they're in, said Gillespie. These (factors) are all significantly lower than their food-secure peers. Gillespie found each year that around 40 percent of students are food insecure. This percentage is on-par for the rest of the state and even the whole nation, said Gillespie. From his research, it did not surprise Gillespie that a large number of students would benefit from access to a food pantry. What did surprise him, though, was how many people utilized EIUs new food pantry, which opened in early October. The pantry expected to serve 50 students in the first few weeks, but ended up serving 250, said Crystal Brown, the assistant director of EIUs office of civic engagement and volunteerism. We want to be all-in, said Brown. That means helping our students when they're struggling, and this became something that we couldn't turn a blind eye to, anymore. EIUs food pantry, located in the lower level of McAfee Gymnasium, is open on Monday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 4-6 p.m., Tuesday from 4-6 p.m., Wednesday from 3-5 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and Friday from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 3-5 p.m. Those interested in donating and those who need food can visit that pantry at those times. In Mattoon, the food pantry at Lake Land College is playing a major role in students lives. College nurse Bretta Reed said student requests for food vary each week, but the Laker Food Pantry serves an average of five students per week. Reed said she is hopeful that more students will utilize the pantry and that its usage will increase back to levels before the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that Lake Land sends email and text reminders about the pantry to students every Monday. "It's a free service to all students by just contacting Health Services," Reed said. The Laker Food Pantry has been serving students in need since opening in fall 2018. The pantry is located in the Health Services office, open 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, at the Luther Student Center. The Laker Food Pantry stocks canned fruits and vegetables, canned chicken and tuna, pasta, rice, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, cereal, breakfast bars and other nonperishable items. Reed said Lake Land purchases supplies for the pantry from the Eastern Illinois Foodbank in Urbana and receives food donations from the community. EIUs food pantry stocks similar items, as well as additional clothing items through EIU's Clothing Closet, a free program for students in need of clothes, and is completely run through donations from students, staff, faculty and the community. It really was an effort of this campus, community, as well as the broader community because we do get a lot of support from people off-campus, said Gillespie. Its a huge major success story and a huge inspiration. Students in need of food and community members wanting to donate supplies can contact the Laker Food Pantry at 217-234-5276. 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. MATTOON Veterans Day ceremonies have been planned on Thursday in Charleston and in Mattoon, which also will host its annual parade. The Mattoon Veterans Day parade will start at 10 a.m. at 21st Street and Western Avenue. The procession will travel east on Western Avenue and then on Broadway Avenue through downtown to the southwest corner of Peterson Park. Prospective parade entries can sign up at mattoon.illinois.gov/government/tourism/parades/mattoon-parade-entry-form. Entries are asked to line up at 9 a.m. in their assigned block of Western Avenue west of 21st Street. Those that have not signed up in advance can line up at the procession's end. More information is available by contacting the Mattoon Tourism and Arts Department at tourism@mattoonillinois.org or 217-258-6286. The Mattoon Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts will lead a ceremony at 11 a.m. at the Coles County Vietnam memorial at Peterson Park's southwest corner. The ceremony will be held then to mark the armistice that ended World War I at 11 a.m., Nov. 11, 1918. The annual Armistice Day in the U.S. became Veterans Day in 1954. Mattoon school district will not have classes Thursday and encourages students to attend Veterans Day events, which include the Mattoon High School band and JROTC participating in the parade. Charleston school district will be in session Thursday and offer Veterans Day programs for students. Jefferson Elementary School students will make a trip to the courthouse square to observe the Charleston VFW post's ceremony at 11:11 a.m. Thursday. Charleston Middle School is planning a large assembly from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, spotlighting three veterans. This year's event is being spearheaded by social studies teacher Michael Pitcher. The middle school has a long history of organizing large assemblies on Veterans Day, said principal Robert Lynn. "We always go big," said Lynn, who recalls having a large celebration for Veterans Day at the school for the 23 years he has been involved there. Eastern Illinois University will host its Veterans Day ceremony from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Thursday in Old Main's Cougill Foyer. Joshua Anderson, a cadet in the Army ROTC at EIU, will be this year's master of ceremonies. EIU spokesman Joshua Reinhart said President David Glassman will share remarks along with Skylar Farris, an EIU graduate student who served as an Army forward observer in Afghanistan. Reinhart also said EIU's Booth Library will host 21 students and a teacher from Charleston's Carl Sandburg Elementary School, who will spend Veterans Day as part of the EIU community. Michele McDaniel of Booth Library will host the students. Contact Rob Stroud at 217-238-6861. 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. John Durham, the U.S. attorney appointed in 2019 by then Attorney General William Barr to investigate the origins of the FBIs investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, has finally begun to show his hand. It doesnt look good for either the FBI or the Democratic Party. On Thursday he indicted a former Brookings Institution researcher named Igor Danchenko on five counts of lying to the FBI. Danchenko was the primary source for former British intelligence officer Christopher Steeles infamous dossier, which alleged an elaborate conspiracy between Donald Trumps presidential campaign and the Kremlin. That document set the media and Democratic Party narrative for the first two and a half years of Trumps presidency, and was crucial evidence the FBI submitted to the federal surveillance court in late 2016 to obtain a warrant to monitor a Trump campaign aide. Its been clear for nearly two years that Steeles dossier was garbage. This is mainly thanks to the work of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz, who released a report in 2019 skewering the FBI for its use of the dossier in its warrant applications, concluding that the bureau could not confirm any of its original reporting. The main takeaway from the Horowitz investigation was that the FBI cut corners and gamed the surveillance court. Durhams investigation has taken a different approach. His 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. Sussman, whose lawyers have denied their client misled the FBI, also shopped the story to journalists. Durhams lengthy indictment quotes researchers warning that the Alfa Bank story would not withstand public scrutiny. It also 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 Alfa Bank story. Like Sussman, Danchenko is also charged with hiding his relationship to a prominent Democrat in interviews with the FBI about the dossier. According to the indictment, Charles Dolan Jr., a senior strategist at KGlobal, was likely the source for several items in the dossier. This undermines one of the central claims in the initial coverage of the dossier that it was well-sourced Kremlin intelligence from a respected professional. It turns out that much of it was rumor conveyed in part by a Democratic partisan. 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. Its a fair point as far as it goes. But FBI agents were able to discern that Steeles information was worthless without the benefit of knowing Danchenkos relationship to Dolan. They reached this conclusion over the course of four interviews with Danchenko in 2017. Nonetheless, much of the media treated Steeles allegations as a credible part of an epic FBI investigation until Special Counsel Robert Mueller announced that he had no evidence of a conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia to influence the 2016 election. In this respect, the real victim of these Democratic Party deceptions was not the FBI, but the American public. Thats why Durhams investigation, now in its third year, remains not only relevant but vital. Eli Lake is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering national security and foreign policy. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 She won election in 2002, winning the seat that was once occupied by the late Roland Hayes, the first Black district court judge in Forsyth County. Hartsfield ran for Hayes seat after Hayes opted not to run for re-election. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Hartsfield was the only Black district court judge in Forsyth County until 2008, when then-Gov. Mike Easley appointed Camille Banks-Prince as a Forsyth County district court judge. Frederick Adams II, a Black criminal defense attorney, was recently appointed to serve the remaining term of Lisa Menefee, who had served as chief district judge and who retired in August. Hartsfield said she is proud of the work she did in juvenile court and presiding over juvenile drug-treatment court. She said she believes her presence on the bench and the conversations she and other judges were able to have provided a space for better decisions. I think what happened was that many of the old fashioned norms in the courthouse started to change, Hartsfield said. Its a better system and one that is not as punitive, she added. Hartsfield also worked to establish the Forsyth County School-Justice Partnership, which would bring together school officials, law-enforcement officers and court officials. After Joel ran out of medical supplies, he placed a plastic bag over the chest injury of a fellow soldier to congeal the blood and save the soldiers life. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} His meticulous attention to duty saved a large number of lives and his unselfish, daring example under most adverse conditions was an inspiration to all." In addition to the Medal of Honor, Joel received the Bronze Star, the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. Joel died in 1984, and the city named its new coliseum in honor of him and his fellow veterans in 1986. In 2012, to commemorate Joels 84 birthday, his family shared some of their memorabilia with the public. One of the people who came to the exhibit was a soldier who was treated by Joel on Nov. 8, 1965. Art Thomas came from his home in Graham to see the display. He saved my life. The only reason Im standing here today is because of him, Thomas said, his voice cracking with emotion. There was about 80 men out there that day, (and) 48 of them are on the wall in Washington. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) An American who faces criminal charges from the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is seeking asylum in Belarus, the country's state TV reported, in a move that could further heighten tensions between the turbulent former Soviet nation and the United States. Evan Neumann of Mill Valley, California, acknowledged in an interview with the Belarus 1 channel that he was at the Capitol that day but rejected the charges, which include assaulting police, obstruction and other offenses. The channel aired excerpts of the interview on Sunday and Monday, and promised to release the full version on Wednesday. I don't think I have committed some kind of a crime, said Neumann, 48, according to a Belarus 1 voiceover of his interview remarks. One of the charges was very offensive; it alleges that I hit a police officer. It doesn't have any grounds to it." Neumann spoke in English but was barely audible under the dubbed Russian. Both Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin have used the Jan. 6 riot as a way to accuse the U.S. of a double standard in criticizing other countries, including Russia and Belarus, for cracking down on antigovernment protests Biden and Cabinet members are expected to step up media appearances and visits around the country in the coming weeks to highlight what's in the legislation. The White House says Biden will visit Baltimore on Wednesday to underscore how the bill will help Americans by upgrading ports and strengthening supply chains. The busy Brent Spence Bridge has long been a bane of motorists in the both states. The Federal Highway Administration declared the bridge functionally obsolete in the 1990s because its narrow lanes carried more cars than it was designed for. Biden has previously pointed to the bridge project as the sort of much-needed infrastructure work that would finally get done if Congress passed the legislation. In a July CNN town hall in Cincinnati, he made passing reference to the dangerously outdated Brent Spence, vowing his administration would fix that damn bridge of yours" if his legislation passed. In Kentucky, McConnell said Monday he was delighted to see the infrastructure bill on its way to Bidens desk, heaping praise on the bipartisan package he supported even as he has derided the presidents broader $1.75 trillion social services and climate effort still making its way through Congress. She then drove a stake into the heart of the Democrats appeal to racism, discrimination and victimhood which the party has sold to Black people for generations: 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. She then lowered the hammer about the progress made since then: We can live where we want. We can eat where we want. We own the water fountains. We have had a Black president elected, not once, but twice, and here I am living proof. She could have added that Virginia previously elected a Black governor, Douglas Wilder, a Democrat. When was the last time a modern Democrat politician talked like Winsome Sears? Here is a role model for everyone, not just minorities: an intact family; a sense of duty to and love of America; a strong work ethic; and a refusal to allow the dislike of others to keep one from pursuing the American dream. Some cable news commentators claimed the Republican sweep in Virginia (Republicans also took back the House of Delegates) was because white racists turned out to vote in large numbers. New York Times columnist Charles Blow blamed racial anxiety. In addition to Sears profile, the incoming attorney general, Republican Jason Miyares, will be the states first Latino in that office. That charge doesnt fly anymore. The United States is a wonderful country, but it isnt perfect. It has perpetuated some horrible episodes in its history. The U.S. government and large swathes of the American people have at times participated in the genocide of indigenous people, slavery and racist policies that stole the rights of Black people. Several states went to war against the U.S. government to perpetuate owning human beings as property and some still support those states for doing so. These episodes were wrong. They were evil. I wonder how a patriotic education, which some Republicans are promoting, would deal with those episodes. Would it face them head on, acknowledge them and say we must do better? Or would it paper them over, minimalize them, pretend they werent important? The problem with not teaching our children the truth is that they will eventually discover it. How will they then see the people who lied to them? The Supreme Court is considering broadening gun rights. Some see this as a right. As a practical matter, if gun rights are expanded, there will be more gun deaths. Thats just a fact. A fellow House Democrat, Ted Lieu of California, referred to Gosars tweet as sick behavior and said in a tweet of his own: In any workplace in America, if a coworker made an anime video killing another coworker, that person would be fired. Gosar, a Republican, posted the video Sunday afternoon with a note saying: Any anime fans out there? Late Tuesday, he issued a statement saying the video wasn't meant to depict harm or violence, calling it instead a symbolic portrayal of a fight over immigration policy. The roughly 90-second video is an altered version of a Japanese anime series, interspersed with shots of Border Patrol officers and migrants at the southern U.S. border. During one roughly 10-second section of the video, animated characters whose faces have been replaced with Gosar and fellow Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado are seen fighting other animated characters. In one scene, Gosar's character is seen striking the one made to look like Ocasio-Cortez in the neck with a sword. Twitter later attached a warning to the tweet saying it violated the Twitter Rules about hateful conduct. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible. Gosar is known as an ardent ally of former President Donald Trump. He was among the lawmakers whose phone or computer records a House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection asked social media and telecommunications companies to preserve as they were potentially involved with efforts to challenge, delay or interfere with the certification or otherwise try to overturn the results of the 2020 election. 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 Cross examination In cross examination, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi pointed out that in statements to police the day after the shooting, Grosskreutz did not say he pulled his handgun out as he ran, instead saying he dropped it. Grosskreutz said that after he saw Rittenhouse shoot toward a still unidentified man who had jumped into the air and attempted to kick Rittenhouse after he fell to the ground, and then saw Rittenhouse shoot Huber, Grosskreutz held up his hands. He testified that Rittenhouse re-racked his AR-15 after the Huber shooting. After the defendant re-racked his weapon with the AR-15 still aimed at me, in that movement I felt like I had to do something to prevent myself from being shot, or killed Grosskreutz said. He said he tried to close the distance to Rittenhouse, although he said he was not sure what he planned to do. Binger asked if he intended to kill Rittenhouse. I do know though that I was never trying to kill the defendant. That was never something I was trying to do. In that moment I was trying to preserve my own life, Grosskreutz said. Taking the life of another is not something I am capable of, that goes against the lifelong code I have lived by in medicine. The business plan is about making sure we are laying the foundation to be able to continue to provide a great level of service and help Nebraskans live their lives," Ricketts said. Added Smith: "What we did was we took the most critical areas that we thought were critical to Nebraska, and those are the initiatives that we put in the plan." While the business plan focuses on the future, it also includes a look back at progress since the last plan was released. According to the departments assessment, it accomplished 94% of its goals from the last plan, which was released for the fiscal year that ended in June 2020. There was no plan released for fiscal year 2021 because of the pandemic, according to Ricketts. Smith and the governor also listed recent points of pride for the department. Ricketts lauded HHS for its work during the pandemic increasing COVID-19 testing capacity through Test Nebraska, training state employees to be contract tracers, and getting people vaccinated. I could not be more proud of how this department performed during the pandemic, he said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 She would fall asleep on the job, or during her commute to or from work, and said she felt a constant anxiety, a feeling that she always needed to be on the go, even when she wasn't working. "I took on my work as my whole identity," she said. Omaha Sen. Terrell McKinney, one of three sponsors of the petition, said the coronavirus pandemic has highlighted that many in Nebraska "are not paid adequately." "We rave about a low unemployment rate, but forget that many people are working multiple jobs and not being paid very much," he said. McKinney, who said he grew up in poverty in North Omaha, earlier this year sponsored legislation to raise the minimum wage to $20 in Nebraska by 2032, but the bill did not advance to the floor. Nebraska cannot afford to keep underpaying those it deems "essential workers," McKinney added, and said raising the minimum wage would help show young Nebraskans there is value and opportunity in their home state. Raise the Wage Nebraska, which includes the ACLU of Nebraska, Nebraska Appleseed, the Nebraska State AFL-CIO and the NAACP Lincoln Branch, launched in August. Sen. Tom Briese of Albion called Monday for Nebraska to end the "outdated practice" of setting clocks back and forward an hour twice a year and instead move Nebraska to year-round daylight saving time. Under legislation he introduced in 2021, the permanent adoption of daylight saving time would occur once federal regulations allow states to make such a move and once three neighboring states adopt similar legislation. His bill (LB283) has 22 co-sponsors and has been advanced to the floor of the Legislature for consideration in the 2022 legislative session, which convenes in January. "In the 2 1/2 years since I first introduced legislation to do away with the biannual time changes, I have yet to encounter anyone who could make a good argument for keeping this archaic practice," Briese said. "This past weekend, we turned our clocks back an hour," he said. "And in March, we will wind them forward an hour again. This practice dates back to World War I, when it was a necessary practice to conserve lamp oil in a time of wartime needs for fuel and supplies. "And, yet, for reasons that no one can cogently explain, we carry out this outdated practice today (in) an era of energy-efficient LED light bulbs and energy-saving appliances." TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) Taiwan on Tuesday said China is seeking to take control of the island by wearing down its military capabilities and influencing public opinion, while avoiding an all-out military conflict that could likely draw in the United States. Taiwan's Defense Ministry said in a biennial report that Beijing is employing gray zone" tactics to ratchet up pressure on the self-governing island republic which China claims as its own territory. China has been stepping up its threats to use force to against Taiwan by holding military exercises and sending planes close to the island. During Chinas National Day weekend in early October, China dispatched 149 military aircraft southwest of Taiwan in strike group formations, causing Taiwan to scramble aircraft and activate its air defense missile systems. The report said that reflects Beijings effort to degrade Taiwan's air force through wear and tear and heavy requirements on its personnel. It said the strategy also includes cyberwarfare, propaganda and a campaign to isolate Taiwan internationally to force it to accept China's terms without engaging in a shooting war. "Most of these contaminants and their breakdown products are highly water-soluble and can leach into groundwater and drain into surface waters," Schalles said. "The AltEn site presents great risk to eastern Nebraska's water, soil, air and potentially to human health." -- John Schalles, a professor of biology at Creighton University, voicing concern about plans to cover waste from the AltEn site near Mead without shielding it from the soil below. "There's no easy answer for the delta variant." -- Pat Lopez, director of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department, discussing COVID cases in the city and county despite the high incidence of vaccination and a mask mandate. "Now I'm more resolved, in January, as soon as I can, to address the same topic." -- Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, after an effort failed to bring senators back for a special session to consider a prohibition on employers enacting their own vaccination mandates. I didnt come to Nebraska to help lead an agency to failure. This is year 40 in this business. My heart and soul is dedicated to it, and I hate where were at right now. -- Scott Frakes, Department of Correctional Services director, talking about the state of Nebraska's prison system at a townhall meeting in North Omaha last week. Congratulations on Gov. Pete Ricketts for his brilliant anti-mandate rulings. Im sure they greatly appealed to former President Trump and many other Republicans. Of course, this will probably result in more deaths of Nebraskans. On a recent day in central Nebraska, two people died, bringing the death total there to 99, according to news sources. And we are still seeing more than 1,000 die nationally per day! And sadly, their deaths are unnecessary. Why should I, a fully vaccinated person living in Lincoln, care if a bunch of uninformed or misinformed people die? Well, I used to live in several small towns in those areas. And I know that there are many good, kind-hearted people out there. people who would help their neighbors at the drop of a hat. The Nebraska way. And sadly, some of these people will die because of purely political actions that are being taken. They are not bad people, and they don't deserve this. They are merely misled. Klaus Yurk, Lincoln Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Crime-and-courts alert RITTENHOUSE TRIAL | DAY 6 Watch Now: Rittenhouse Trial Day 6: Gaige Grosskreutz says he feared for his life before being shot SEAN KRAJACIC, LEE NEWSPAPERS Gaige Grosskreutz demonstrates how he was standing when he was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020. Grosskreutz testified Monday during Rittenhouses trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse. Rittenhouse SEAN KRAJACIC, Lee Newspapers A teargas canister taken by Gaige Grosskreutz during the civil unrest in Kenosha in August of 2020 is shown to the court during Kyle Rittenhouse's trial Monday at the Kenosha County Courthouse. KENOSHA A man who survived being shot by Kyle Rittenhouse described on Monday raising his handgun toward the teenager after watching him shoot and kill Anthony Huber. Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, of Milwaukee, was volunteering as a medic at the protest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, noting he had been acting as a medic at protests throughout the summer since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. In testimony during the sixth day of the Rittenhouse homicide trial, Grosskreutz described what happened when he was shot, and he and a defense attorney sparred over what Grosskreutzs intentions were when ran toward Rittenhouse following the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, and then raised his gun toward Rittenhouse before he was shot. Rittenhouse is accused of killing Huber of Silver Lake and Joseph Rosenbaum of Kenosha, and seriously injuring Grosskreutz, on Aug. 25, 2020, during the unrest in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Rittenhouses legal team contends he acted in self defense as he feared for his own life. Grosskreutz testified that as he was just a few feet away when Rittenhouse, who had fallen to the ground after running from the scene of the Rosenbaum shooting, Rittenhouse fired two shots at one man and missed then shot Huber in the chest at close range after Huber tried to hit him with a skateboard and grab his gun. Did you witness him fire a shot into Mr. Hubers chest? Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger asked. I did, Grosskreutz said. Calm testimony Grosskreutz was calm and composed throughout his testimony Monday at the Kenosha County Courthouse, often turning toward the jury to address them directly when answering questions. He remained calm when graphic video and photos were shown of his shooting and injuries. The actions of a Racine County couple are at the center of Rittenhouse's trial A "warning shot" fired by Joshua Ziminski, of Caledonia, the defense is arguing, would have made Kyle Rittenhouse feel more like he was under attack aiding the defense's claims that Rittenhouse acted in self-defense when he killed Joseph Rosenbaum, who is identified as an "associate" of the Ziminskis. Some jurors turned away when shown photos of Grosskreutz just after the shooting with a bloody, ragged hole the size of an orange in his bicep. Grosskreutz described the moment as his bicep being vaporized. Grosskreutz testified he had pulled out his Glock handgun as he ran down the street, and that he had his cell phone in his left hand and his cell phone in his right hand. What was going through your head at this moment, Binger asked about the moment he saw Huber shot. That I was going to die, Grosskreutz testified. A real licensed medic Early in his testimony, Grosskreutz was asked to describe his background, his career as an EMT and then a paramedic, and what had led him to volunteer as a medic at protests. Like Rittenhouse, he had been a lifeguard as a teenager, and said that was one of the things that led him to become interested in a medical career. While Rittenhouse told multiple people on the night of the shootings, according to testimony, that he was a licensed EMT, Grosskreutz actually was licensed first as an EMT, then as a paramedic, and was working for a private ambulance service before the shootings. Democrats defend Evers while Republicans cry 'spin' on response to Kenosha riots Among the things elected officials who represent Kenosha County are bickering over is the role Donald Trump did or did not play in ending the riots. Grosskreutz said he also volunteered as a legal observer for the American Civil Liberties Union, and when he was at protests also live streamed video with his phone. He testified he was doing so when he heard shots south of where he was standing on Sheridan Road, those shots the ones that killed Joseph Rosenbaum. After seeing people running northbound and hearing people yelling medic I started running southbound to what I presumed at the time to be the origin of the gunshots, Grosskreutz testified. As he ran south, Grosskreutz encountered Rittenhouse running north. He ran alongside Rittenhouse, asking what happened, a video played in court showed. You just shot somebody? Who shot? Who shot? Grosskreutz can be heard saying. Rittenhouses voice is less audible. At the time, Grosskreutz said, he thought Rittenhouse said Im working with police but now believes he said Im going to police. Grosskreutz said he then turned back to where the original sound of gunfire came from, but after hearing people yelling that Rittenhouse was the person who shot someone, he turned around and started running after the people following Rittenhouse. I thought the defendant was an active shooter, and like I mentioned earlier, anytime you add a firearm to a situation the stakes are so much higher for someone being potentially injured or killed, he said. Rittenhouse's defense team: A take-no-prisoner mentality to keep their client out of prison The lead attorney defending Kyle Rittenhouse in court this month was told as a kid in Racine by a counselor that he was the most likely student to end up in prison. That attorney, Mark Richards, excels at keeping his clients out of prison. Cross examination In cross examination, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi pointed out that in statements to police the day after the shooting, Grosskreutz did not say he pulled his handgun out as he ran, instead saying he dropped it. Grosskreutz said he saw after he saw Rittenhouse shoot toward a still unidentified man who jumped into the air and attempted to kick Rittenhouse after he fell to the ground, and then shot Huber, Grosskreutz held up his hands. SEAN KRAJACIC, Lee Newspapers Kenosha Police Department Detective Martin Howard, right, picks up the weapon Kyle Rittenhouse used on Aug. 25, 2020, the night he shot and killed two men and injured a third during the unrest following the Jacob Blake shooting. Monday marked the sixth day and second week of Rittenhouse's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse. He testified that Rittenhouse re-racked his AR-15 after the Huber shooting. After the defendant re-racked his weapon with the AR-15 still aimed at me, in that movement I felt like I had to do something to prevent myself from being shot, or killed Grosskreutz said. He said he tried to close the distance to Rittenhouse, although he said he was not sure what he planned to do. Binger asked if he intended to kill Rittenhouse. I do know though that I was never trying to kill the defendant. That was never something I was trying to do. In that moment I was trying to preserve my own life, Grosskreutz said. Taking the life of another is not something I am capable of, that goes against the lifelong code I have lived by in medicine. In his cross examination, Chriafisi repeatedly showed Grosskreutz photos and video that showed the moments before the shooting. You would agree that you are pointing you gun at the defendants head, Chirafisi asks. As well as the defendant is pointing his gun at me? Grosskreutz countered. You dont agree that the gun is pointing at Mr. Rittenhouse, you dont agree with that? Chirafisi asks. In the direction, yes. Grosskreutz said. Roommates posting debated Chirafisi also asked Grosskreutz about a social media post Grosskreutzs former roommate made after visiting Grosskreutz at the hospital following the shooting. Did you tell (the former roommate) that your only regret was not killing the kid and hesitating to pull the gun before emptying the entire mag into him? Chirafisi asks, referring to the roommates social media post. No, I never said that, Grosskreutz answered. The defense said they plan to call the roommate to refute Grosskreutzs statements when the defense calls his case. The defense also asked Grosskreutz about the lawsuit he has filed against the city and county seeking damages for his shooting. If Mr. Rittenhouse is convicted, your chances of collecting $10 million are better, correct? Chirafisi asked. SEAN KRAJACIC, Lee Newspapers Heather Williams, a firearms examiner with the Wisconsin State Crime Lab, talks about the bullets Kyle Rittenhouse used on Aug. 25, 2020, the night he shot and killed two men and injured a third during the unrest in Kenosha following the Jacob Blake shooting. Williams testified during the sixth day of the Rittenhouse trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse. Other witnesses who testified Monday included police officers, a state crime lab firearms expert, and a man who was taking video at the protests. The case is expected to continue, possibly through early next week. Video and photos: Day 6 of the Kyle Rittenhouse Trial The second week of the Kyle Rittenhouse trial began Monday, Nov. 8, 20201, in Kenosha. See videos and photos from the day. Related CALEDONIA The first K9 at the St. Francis Police Department has now become the first K9 in Wisconsin to earn the First Responder of the Year Award. His former handler is a Village of Caledonia resident and trustee. 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 State Rep. Christine Sinicki, D-Milwaukee, presented Detective Holly McManus and her now retired K9, Bane, of the SFPD with the First Responder of the Year Award for the 20th Assembly District at the First Responder recognition ceremony at the Madison State Capitol on Tuesday, Oct. 26. The First Responder of the Year award was created in 2019 to recognize those who serve in emergency services. There were no awards presented in 2020. About 70 first responders from across Wisconsin were recognized this year. Others congratulated from the southeastern portion of the state included: six members of the Racine Fire Department, one from the Racine County Sheriffs Office, one from the Kenosha Police Department, one from the Kenosha Fire Department and one from Raymond Volunteer Fire and Rescue. A successful career K9 Bane, age 10, was the SFPDs first K-9 officer. He began his career with the SFPD in March 2014 and retired from the department in November 2020 when McManus was promoted to detective. McManus helped launch the K-9 program. During his career with McManus, Bane assisted with 51 high-risk tactical warrants and 72 building searches, where he was often the first officer to enter a structure. In addition, Bane responded to 560 calls for assistance that were directly responsible for the arrest of 220 offenders, mutual aid assistance to 174 individuals, recovery of $63,074 in suspected drug money and more. Sinicki had followed Bane on Facebook for many years and knows the heavy community involvement that he had, in addition to doing some good police work, McManus said. McManus frequently uses Facebook to promote her dog, such as posting funny pictures of Bane wearing a mask and other life updates. The page, simply called K9 Bane, has remained pretty popular, even in Banes retirement; it has almost 5,400 likes and almost 5,600 followers. I think that a K-9 unit is the perfect way for a police department to really connect with its community because people like animals, and I think especially during a pandemic, people relied on a lot of social media for community involvement, McManus said. Sinickis office representatives reached out to McManus and said they wanted to nominate her and Bane for an overall career nomination. Detective McManus and K9 Bane were instrumental in helping to improve the safety, well-being and happiness of St. Francis residents, Sinicki said in a news release. This brave team served the City of St. Francis honorably, and consistently went above and beyond what was required of them for the betterment of the community. In addition to receiving the 2021 First Responder of the Year Award, Bane and McManus have been recognized by the FBI for their three years as federal task force members assisting in 36 tactical missions, as well as by the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Canine Handler Association, which awarded them the Meritorious Narcotic Find Award. In his last year, Bane visited homes for drive bys for childrens birthday parties. But, the ironic part is, hes not the friendliest dog and doesnt like to be pet. Hes very mellow, but doesnt mind being around people, McManus said. The biggest thing that kids could do with him was play tug. His blue tug toy is his blankie, she said, he wont let that thing go. Bane had the toy in his mouth even when taking pictures for the award ceremony at the State Capitol. A best friend at work McManus was born and raised in Oak Creek and lived in Colorado for a while. After returning to southeastern Wisconsin, shes worked at the SFPD for 15 years and has lived in Caledonia for six years. McManus used to train Bane with other Racine County police departments, such as Caledonia, the City of Racine, Sturtevant and Mount Pleasant. Bane even attended the well-known K9 Titans last training day at Regency Mall in July 2020. McManus, with the blessing of her boss, still brings her dog to work sometimes. They dont do any police work together; Bane just hangs out at the department and says hello to other staff. Overall, hes a pretty good kid, McManus said. I miss him at work every single day. I could not have asked for a better opportunity in law enforcement. I miss driving around with him. Its kind of the coolest thing ever You get to bring your best friend with you to work every day. And I always had backup, I always had a partner with me. After helping implement the K-9 program and then finishing Banes career with an award, McManus described it as the icing on the cake. She said it finalized his career and made her proud of the work they did over the last seven years. First responders like Detective McManus and K9 Bane are so deserving of our gratitude, Sinicki said. I am deeply thankful for all the dedicated first responders, including our invaluable canine officers, across the state who work tirelessly to keep our loved ones and communities safe. 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. KENOSHA A man who survived being shot by Kyle Rittenhouse described on Monday raising his handgun toward the teenager after watching him shoot and kill Anthony Huber. Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, of Milwaukee, was volunteering as a medic at the protest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, noting he had been acting as a medic at protests throughout the summer since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. In testimony during the sixth day of the Rittenhouse homicide trial, Grosskreutz described what happened when he was shot, and he and a defense attorney sparred over what Grosskreutzs intentions were when ran toward Rittenhouse following the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, and then raised his gun toward Rittenhouse before he was shot. Rittenhouse is accused of killing Huber of Silver Lake and Joseph Rosenbaum of Kenosha, and seriously injuring Grosskreutz, on Aug. 25, 2020, during the unrest in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Rittenhouses legal team contends he acted in self defense as he feared for his own life. Grosskreutz testified that as he was just a few feet away when Rittenhouse, who had fallen to the ground after running from the scene of the Rosenbaum shooting, Rittenhouse fired two shots at one man and missed then shot Huber in the chest at close range after Huber tried to hit him with a skateboard and grab his gun. Did you witness him fire a shot into Mr. Hubers chest? Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger asked. I did, Grosskreutz said. Calm testimony Grosskreutz was calm and composed throughout his testimony Monday at the Kenosha County Courthouse, often turning toward the jury to address them directly when answering questions. He remained calm when graphic video and photos were shown of his shooting and injuries. Some jurors turned away when shown photos of Grosskreutz just after the shooting with a bloody, ragged hole the size of an orange in his bicep. Grosskreutz described the moment as his bicep being vaporized. Grosskreutz testified he had pulled out his Glock handgun as he ran down the street, and that he had his cell phone in his left hand and his cell phone in his right hand. What was going through your head at this moment, Binger asked about the moment he saw Huber shot. That I was going to die, Grosskreutz testified. A real licensed medic Early in his testimony, Grosskreutz was asked to describe his background, his career as an EMT and then a paramedic, and what had led him to volunteer as a medic at protests. Like Rittenhouse, he had been a lifeguard as a teenager, and said that was one of the things that led him to become interested in a medical career. While Rittenhouse told multiple people on the night of the shootings, according to testimony, that he was a licensed EMT, Grosskreutz actually was licensed first as an EMT, then as a paramedic, and was working for a private ambulance service before the shootings. Grosskreutz said he also volunteered as a legal observer for the American Civil Liberties Union, and when he was at protests also live streamed video with his phone. He testified he was doing so when he heard shots south of where he was standing on Sheridan Road, those shots the ones that killed Joseph Rosenbaum. After seeing people running northbound and hearing people yelling medic I started running southbound to what I presumed at the time to be the origin of the gunshots, Grosskreutz testified. As he ran south, Grosskreutz encountered Rittenhouse running north. He ran alongside Rittenhouse, asking what happened, a video played in court showed. You just shot somebody? Who shot? Who shot? Grosskreutz can be heard saying. Rittenhouses voice is less audible. At the time, Grosskreutz said, he thought Rittenhouse said Im working with police but now believes he said Im going to police. Grosskreutz said he then turned back to where the original sound of gunfire came from, but after hearing people yelling that Rittenhouse was the person who shot someone, he turned around and started running after the people following Rittenhouse. I thought the defendant was an active shooter, and like I mentioned earlier, anytime you add a firearm to a situation the stakes are so much higher for someone being potentially injured or killed, he said. Cross examination In cross examination, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi pointed out that in statements to police the day after the shooting, Grosskreutz did not say he pulled his handgun out as he ran, instead saying he dropped it. Grosskreutz said he saw after he saw Rittenhouse shoot toward a still unidentified man who jumped into the air and attempted to kick Rittenhouse after he fell to the ground, and then shot Huber, Grosskreutz held up his hands. He testified that Rittenhouse re-racked his AR-15 after the Huber shooting. After the defendant re-racked his weapon with the AR-15 still aimed at me, in that movement I felt like I had to do something to prevent myself from being shot, or killed Grosskreutz said. He said he tried to close the distance to Rittenhouse, although he said he was not sure what he planned to do. Binger asked if he intended to kill Rittenhouse. I do know though that I was never trying to kill the defendant. That was never something I was trying to do. In that moment I was trying to preserve my own life, Grosskreutz said. Taking the life of another is not something I am capable of, that goes against the lifelong code I have lived by in medicine. In his cross examination, Chriafisi repeatedly showed Grosskreutz photos and video that showed the moments before the shooting. You would agree that you are pointing you gun at the defendants head, Chirafisi asks. As well as the defendant is pointing his gun at me? Grosskreutz countered. You dont agree that the gun is pointing at Mr. Rittenhouse, you dont agree with that? Chirafisi asks. In the direction, yes. Grosskreutz said. Roommates posting debated Chirafisi also asked Grosskreutz about a social media post Grosskreutzs former roommate made after visiting Grosskreutz at the hospital following the shooting. Did you tell (the former roommate) that your only regret was not killing the kid and hesitating to pull the gun before emptying the entire mag into him? Chirafisi asks, referring to the roommates social media post. No, I never said that, Grosskreutz answered. The defense said they plan to call the roommate to refute Grosskreutzs statements when the defense calls his case. The defense also asked Grosskreutz about the lawsuit he has filed against the city and county seeking damages for his shooting. If Mr. Rittenhouse is convicted, your chances of collecting $10 million are better, correct? Chirafisi asked. Other witnesses who testified Monday included police officers, a state crime lab firearms expert, and a man who was taking video at the protests. The case is expected to continue, possibly through early next week. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MADISON Wisconsin lawmakers are to hear testimony from the Racine County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday regarding the RCSOs investigation into the Wisconsin Elections Commission and alleged election fraud at nursing homes. 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 A public hearing of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday in Madison. On the agenda are a report from RCSO Sgt. Michael Luell, who led the investigation, and another report titled Gableman Report with the description Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gabelmans (sic) investigation into the November 2020 election. It remains unclear if Gablemans investigation is complete. Melodie Duesterbeck, a staffer for state Rep. Janel Brandtjen who chairs the Committee on Campaigns and Elections, said during a phone call Tuesday I dont know when asked if the investigation is complete. It should be done soon, but we dont have it. Luell said in a phone interview Tuesday that he does not plan to present new evidence or allegations of fraud on Wednesday. Were certainly going to speak about the same investigation, he said, adding that he plans to focus more on the law than on the alleged victims, as his initial presentation on the allegations did last month. He did say Tuesday, however, that more people have come forward with allegations of election fraud since the Sheriffs Office went public with its investigation. Luell did not say how many more people came forward or from where, but did say that he has received more than 100 emails and voicemails from people with concerns, and that some of the concerns are similar to the ones presented regarding Ridgewood Care Center in Mount Pleasant. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling has called for five of Wisconsins six elections commissioners, including two Republicans and three Democrats, to be criminally charged for their votes to waive laws that require Special Voting Deputies execute the vote in nursing homes. The WEC and Attorney General Josh Kaul have responded by saying Schmalings and Luells conclusions of illegality are inaccurate. Racine County District Attorney Tricia Hanson has yet to publicly comment on the referral for charges and has not filed charges. Gableman Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who ordered the Gableman-led investigation, has said he was hoping Gablemans investigation of the 2020 election would be complete by the end of 2021. His office did not reply immediately to a request for comment on if the investigation is complete. Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, has attempted to issue subpoenas for election information from several Democratic-leaning communities, including Racine, but those subpoenas have not been officially issued. She does not have the power to issue subpoenas and Vos refused to sign her subpoenas, although Vos did approve subpoenas on behalf of Gableman. Several of Gablemans subpoenas, including those issued to the City of Racine, were revoked after being issued and after Kaul questioned their constitutionality for being overly broad and unspecific. Kauls questioning followed criticism of Gableman after the state high-court justice said he did not have a comprehensive understanding or even any understanding of how elections work as his investigation was ongoing. Soon after the 2020 election was called in favor of Joe Biden, Gableman stated, inaccurately, at a pro-Donald Trump rally that the election was stolen from Trump. Brandtjen, likewise, has supported baseless claims the election was stolen. 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. The GOP-led state Senate on Monday advanced the partys proposed decennial political maps, which focus on maintaining the core of the existing district boundaries that have helped Republicans hold majorities in the Legislature. The Senate voted 21-12 along party lines in favor of GOP-drawn maps for legislative and congressional districts. The Assembly is expected to vote on the boundaries Thursday, sending them to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who already has promised to veto them. Republicans new gerrymandered maps are modeled after the same gerrymandered ones weve had for a decade, Evers tweeted Monday. I wont sign them. Wisconsinites want and deserve #fairmaps now. Ultimately, its expected the states next 10-year maps will be decided in court, with a GOP-backed lawsuit filed with the conservative-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court and a similar lawsuit brought by Democrats in federal court. Republicans have touted the proposed maps as an effort to align as closely as possible with existing boundaries for legislative and congressional districts, which Republicans drew in secret in 2011 and are regarded by some as among the most gerrymandered in the nation. A bipartisan commission appointed by the governor has also drawn its own maps that would narrow, but still maintain, Republican legislative and congressional delegation control. On Friday, legislative Democrats released their own set of maps. Senate Minority Leader Janet Bewley, D-Mason, said the Democratic maps would result in Democrats holding a 17-16 edge in the Senate and that the GOP-drawn maps would ensure Republicans a veto-proof 22-11 majority in the chamber. Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, described the GOP-drawn maps as an abortion of democracy that is based on a newfound religion to preserve existing districts, which is not required by law. I think to pretend this is anything but a vehicle for partisan gerrymandering is insulting to the people of Wisconsin, Larson said. Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, said the Democratic proposal showed that Democrats are so embarrassed by the governors maps that they have drawn and introduced their own maps. LeMahieu also proposed an amendment to force an up or down vote on the governors commission maps. The Senate voted 22-11, with Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, joining Republicans, against maps drawn by Democrats as well as boundaries proposed by the governors commission. Taylor, who is Black, said all proposals fail to meet requirements laid out in the Voting Rights Act, which is intended to make sure minority voters can elect candidates of their choice and have representation. This process that you have created is all about you just keeping power and no concern whatsoever for people of color or for competitiveness, Taylor said in reference to GOP-drawn maps. Today Im not supporting any of these maps, but a process different than yours is necessary. It is necessary for fairness. Odd to even Under the GOP proposal, more than 138,000 voters would be relocated from odd-numbered Senate districts to even-numbered districts. With state senators serving staggered four-year terms, those voters would not be able to vote in a Senate election until 2024. Under maps drawn by the governors commission, more than 520,000 would have to wait until 2024 to vote in a Senate election. Critics have described the Republican proposal as a power grab aimed at holding GOP majorities for the next 10 years. More than 100 people registered in opposition to the maps during a nearly 10-hour public hearing on the maps last month. LeMahieu and Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, were the only two people to speak in favor of the maps during the meeting. County boards or residents in 56 of Wisconsins 72 counties have supported resolutions or referendums in favor of independent, nonpartisan redistricting in Wisconsin. Our government is no longer responsible to the people, Fair Elections Project director Sachin Chheda said during a press conference outside the Capitol on Monday. Legislators up there in the Capitol know theyre going to get reelected if they can survive a partisan primary. Every election is rigged. Every 10 years The Legislature must redraw political lines every decade based on the latest population figures from the U.S. Census Bureau. The map-making process can allow a party in power, even without statewide majority support, to create or increase a legislative majority based on how district lines are drawn. Republicans often have downplayed concerns about the practice known as gerrymandering, after an early 19th century political cartoon saying the GOPs success is the result of strong candidates and Democrats being clustered in cities. According to the Legislative Reference Bureau, the proposed GOP-drawn maps would see six incumbent Republicans in the 99-member Assembly facing off in newly drawn districts. Reps. Joe Sanfelippo and Mike Kuglitsch, both of New Berlin, would compete in the new 15th District; Ken Skowronski, of Franklin, and Chuck Wichgers, of Muskego, would both run in the new 82nd District; and Shannon Zimmerman, of River Falls, and Warren Petryk, of the town of Washington, would face off in the new 93rd District. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BRUSSELS (AP) Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the metaverse, the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. In an interview with The Associated Press, Haugen said her former employer rushed to trumpet the metaverse recently because of the intense pressure it is facing after she revealed deep-seated problems at the company, in disclosures that have energized legislative and regulatory efforts around the world to crack down on Big Tech. If you dont like the conversation, you try to change the conversation, the former product-manager-turned-whistleblower said. The documents she has turned over to authorities and her testimony to lawmakers have drawn global attention for providing insight into what Facebook may have known about the damage its social media platforms can cause. She is in the midst of a series of appearances before European lawmakers and regulators who are drawing up rules for social media companies. Meta, the new name for the parent company of Facebook, denied it was trying to divert attention away from the troubles it faces by pushing the metaverse. This is not true. We have been working on this for a long time internally, the company said in a statement. It stressed that its working to responsibly build the metaverse essentially a series of interconnected virtual communities that will merge online life with real life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that users will, for example, be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes in the metaverse and he refocused the entire company on creating it, including renaming the business Meta. Launching that new brand, in fact, draws attention to the company, it said in a statement, adding that if it didnt want the scrutiny it would have delayed or scrapped the launch altogether. But the new focus on the metaverse creates a whole new set of dangers, Haugen said. In Snow Crash, the 1992 sci-fi novel that coined the phrase, it was a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible, she said. So beyond the fact that these immersive environments are extremely addictive and they encourage people to unplug from the reality we actually live, she said, Im also worried about it on the level of the metaverse will require us to put many, many more sensors in our homes and our workplaces, forcing users to relinquish more of their data and their privacy. In a presentation last month, Zuckerberg described how the metaverse would allow for mixed-reality business meetings where some participants are physically present while others beam in as avatars. The company has launched virtual meeting software called Horizon Workrooms for use with its virtual reality headsets, so co-workers can (hopefully) better communicate, brainstorm and socialize virtually, instead of, say, looking at one another on a Zoom call grid. But Haugen said employees of companies that use the metaverse would have little option but to participate in the system or leave their jobs. "If your employer decides theyre now a metaverse company, you have to give out way more personal data to a company thats demonstrated that it lies whenever it is in its best interests, she said. And she cautioned the public not to expect more transparency. Theyve demonstrated with regard to Facebook that they can hide behind a wall. They keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritize their own profits over our safety, she said. Haugen has said Facebooks systems amplify online hate and extremism, fail to protect young people from harmful content, and that the company lacks any incentive to fix the problems, in revelations that shed light on an internal crisis at the company that provides free services to 3 billion people. To back up her allegations, she has made a series of disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission that were also provided to Congress in redacted form by her legal team. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including the AP. In Tuesday's interview, she expressed astonishment that the company would shift focus to a whole new realm while it is under such intense criticism about the areas where it is already working. Theyre going to hire 10,000 engineers to work on video games when they havent actually gotten safety right on their main product," Haugen said. For that, she faulted Zuckerberg personally, saying he has exhibited a pattern of prioritizing growth over making sure Facebook is good for users. I think that is a failure of leadership, she said. Unless he wants to prioritize the safety of the platform, he should step aside and let someone else focus on that." The company denied that its putting profits over safety. Yes, were a business and we make profit, but the idea that we do so at the expense of peoples safety or well-being misunderstands where our own commercial interests lie, it said, adding that it plans to spend more than $5 billion in 2021 on safety and security and employs more than 40,000 people who work on keeping users safe. Zuckerberg has previously dismissed Haugens claims as a coordinated effort to paint a false picture of the company. But officials in Washington and European capitals are taking her claims seriously. European Union lawmakers questioned her intensely Monday, before applauding her at the end of the 2 1/2 hour hearing. The EU is drafting new digital rules for the 27-nation bloc that call for reining in big digital gatekeepers, requiring them to be more transparent about algorithms that determine what people see on their feeds and making them more accountable for the content on their platforms. Facebook has said it largely supports regulations, with legislative efforts in the EU and United Kingdom much further along than those in the U.S. New rules could squeeze advertising revenue, but Meta's stock price appears to have so far weathered the recent storm. Haugen has made stops in London and Berlin to speak to officials and lawmakers and spoke at a tech conference in Lisbon. She also will address French lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday. Chan reported from London. 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 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 HOLDREGE A Holdrege man believed for years that men were out to get him. The bench trial for Manuel A. Gomez, 48, began today in Phelps County District Court at Holdrege. Gomez is accused of killing Raymond Burton, 65, and David Rogers, 54, and seriously injuring Doyle Morse on Feb. 21, 2019, at their individual residences in Holdrege. At the beginning of the trial, Gomez voluntarily waived his right to a jury trial. A bench trial means Judge Stephen Illingworth will hear the case and decide Gomez's fate. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Jeffrey Pickens and Nancy Freburg is representing Gomez. Phelps County Attorney Michael Henry as well as Corey OBrien and Mariah J. Nickel are prosecuting for the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. During opening remarks, OBrien explained that both psychiatric evaluations ordered by the state and the defense deemed Gomez is schizophrenic with paranoia. Upon evaluation, Gomez was found to be severely mentally ill and has been since the 1990s. He has had two prior hospitalizations, including as recent as the summer of 2018. He was treated and released, but he soon stopped taking his medication, OBrien said. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Children's Justice Clinic has served Lancaster County's vulnerable child population in the justice system since 2017. Now, thanks to new funding, the program's efforts will expand to work on increasing quality child advocacy in rural communities across Nebraska. KEARNEY The Kearney City Council on Tuesday will place its stamp of approval on the purchase of property adjacent to the Kearney-Buffalo County Law Enforcement Center and police impound lot. The property is at 2010 Ave. B, and its current owner is Buffalo Outdoor Power LLC, which has signed an agreement to sell the property to the city for $250,000. This property is located directly east of the Law Enforcement Center and north of the impound lot, both of which are already owned by the city of Kearney, City Attorney Mike Tye said in a memo to the City Council. Once the city of Kearney acquires this property, it will allow for the potential expansion of either the impound lot or the Law Enforcement Center. Before the City Council approves the land purchase it will conduct a public hearing in case anyone wants to protest the purchase. The hearing is a formality required by Nebraska statute, Tye said. The property will be purchased using the citys special sales tax fund. In other business Tuesday, the council will be asked to accept the bid of a Florida company to paint the citys two water towers. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} KEARNEY Kearney Public Schools ranks No. 5 for lowest spending cost per student in the state. The KPS Board of Education was given the 2021 financial audit of the school district at the boards meeting Monday night. The audit was conducted this fall. Mindy Oman with KSO accounting firm informed the board that it was their opinion that the financial statements do present fairly. The total net position of the school district increased by $51 million due to the advanced refunding of bonds that will be paid off in future years from the money that is held in trust for the school, Oman said. In other items of note, the general fund increased by $1.65 million due to higher tax collection and federal ESSER funds that the district received. The increase in state aid was just more than $1 million from the previous year. The general fund expenditures increased by $2.65 million due to salary and benefit increases, increases in maintenance and operations of buildings. Oman reported that cost per pupil at KPS was $10,461 for 2019-20. The state average is $13,558. The lowest in the state is $10,026 per pupil, and the highest is $48,764. The projected cost at KPS this year is expected to be about $10,200 per person. We have seen really, really good leads in the past eventually just fall apart and hasn't lead us anywhere, but it's because of the incredible work by the multi agencies that are involved that they get through these leads and we keep working them," she said. Because at the end of them is Morgan." Lincks was raised in Crawford County, Arkansas and returned to Van Buren in the 1970s after serving in the Army during World War II and working at Braniff Airlines in Dallas, Texas from 1962 until 1974, the FBI said. Lincks attempted to abduct a young girl in Van Buren at a location eight miles from the baseball field where Morgan was taken, the FBI said. We know that there's people who have more information about him, who knew where he was during certain times of his life who can give information to us," Hagan said. The FBI asked anyone with any information about Lincks to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Theres a semi-serious joke on Twitter about releasing the all-Julia cut of Julie & Julia. Nora Ephrons generation-hopping tale of Julia Child's rise and the modern young woman trying to follow her lead has its fans, but its no secret that the Julia Child section is just more interesting than Julies. Who cares about the blogger learning life lessons through beef bourguignon when you could be watching Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci fawn over one another in 1950s Paris? But heres the thing about the desire for the all-Julia cut. Its not just the actors: Its the fantasy of leading a globe-trotting life full of food and wine and passion and fame, with a supportive husband in the passenger seat. If Julia Child didnt actually exist, I doubt anyone would think to dream her up. Thankfully Julia, a new documentary from RBG directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West in theaters Friday, helps satiate that curiosity and digs a little deeper into the larger-than-life personality who brought French cuisine into American homes and essentially invented the idea of the celebrity television chef. It is a loving and straightforward portrait of this extraordinary womans life and her place in American culture. Its easy to forget that Julia Child lived an entire life before she became just Julia. She was 49 when she published her first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and 51 when her television show launched. Our culture tends to fetishize the precocious or gloss over the pre-fame sections of peoples lives, especially when theyre relatively free of drama or tragedy. But Julia reminds us that she did not emerge fully formed in any way and even continued evolving into her later years (except when it came to the idea of limiting butter use). Her trajectory would be impossible to comprehend without glimpses at her privileged childhood in Pasadena, her college education at Smith, her refusal to marry the first banker or doctor who came along and her international travels through a job with the Office of Strategic Services, which is where she met Paul. Cohen and West flesh out their story with talking head interviews from contemporary celebrity chefs like Jose Andres, Ina Garten and Marcus Samuelsson, friends of Julias, a treasure trove of footage from her many, many hours on television and some mouth-watering food porn. The filmmakers were smart to get some modern shots of her recipes being preparedChilds shows might be classics, but food photography has evolved for the better. While Julia is very much a celebration, it doesnt shy away from complexity, including her questionably cold treatment of her co-author and friend after their initial success. The filmmakers strain at times to include as much as they can in 95 minutes, which is no small feat for such a documented life, however the experience begins to feel a little rushed and undercooked. I would have liked a tiny bit more inquiry into why American households in the 1950s were favoring convenience over the ways of their old-world parents and grandparents or butting up against health food movements in the 70s and 80s, for instance. Its still a satisfying and fun tribute to someone whose impacts on modern food culture and celebrity are still being felt. Just dont go in hungry. Julia, a Sony Pictures Classics release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for some thematic elements, sexual reference, brief strong language. Running time: 95 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. - MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. - Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr: www.twitter.com/ldbahr 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 A 56-year-old man with no permanent address was charged Monday in La Crosse County Circuit Court after allegedly waving a knife toward people at a La Crosse warming house. John N. Tolar faces felony counts of second-degree recklessly endangering safety and battery to a law enforcement officer and misdemeanor counts of battery, resisting an officer and disorderly conduct. According to the criminal complaint, police were called to 413 S. Third St. where a fight had broken out. An employee at the warming house told police he responded to a loud noise in the kitchen, where he saw Tolar and a woman involved in a physical altercation. The employee said after he separated the two, Tolar pulled a knife from his pocket with his right hand and lunged at him and others in the kitchen. The employee said he attempted to de-escalate the situation but that Tolar continued to swing the knife and shout. The employee said Tolar then struck him in the chest with his left hand. The complaint says surveillance footage confirms the employee's account. It also reportedly shows Tolar chasing the woman and attempting to stab her multiple times. When police attempted to take Tolar into custody, he reportedly shouted at officers, took off his jacket and got into a boxer stance with two closed fists. The complaint says Tolar attempted to leave the shelter and ignored police instructions to get on the ground. He allegedly threatened to fight officers and continued to fight and clench his fists until he was subdued and handcuffed. After he was placed in the squad car, Tolar allegedly threatened to obtain a gun and shoot the officers who arrested him. At one point he allegedly said, "one of you is going to die." Tolar is being held in the La Crosse County Jail on a $500 cash bond ordered by Judge Ramona Gonzalez. Love 0 Funny 1 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. Ed Risler, 71, doesnt use the internet much, but his granddaughter sure does. When school shut down during the pandemic last year, 10-year-old Bella spent school days at her grandfathers while her mother was at work. With a home deep in the rolling hills of western Wisconsins Driftless Area, his internet speeds are piss poor, says Risler, the chairman of the town board in Drammen, a rural community between Mondovi and Eau Claire. While many kids in the state could do their work digitally, Drammens poor internet speeds meant Bella had to get paper assignments from school. I knew we needed it in the township, Risler says. We needed to do something. Risler and the whole community of Drammen will soon have high-speed internet, also known as broadband, thanks to the fiber optic cables two local cooperatives, Tri-County Communications Cooperative and 24-7 & West Wisconsin Telcom, are burying in the ground right now. The town of around 800 residents is able to afford the nearly $3 million project thanks to a state grant of $1.5 million, and $200,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bill President Joe Biden signed into law in March. The pandemic shutdown made the already pressing issue of high-speed internet expansion a priority, as children and adults in rural areas struggled to study and work from home. If they didnt already, local governments are now realizing the importance of broadband for improving quality of life and the local economy, including retaining existing businesses and residents and attracting new ones.n response, the federal and state government are showering rural broadband projects with cash. Since the start of the pandemic, Congress has passed three huge spending bills The CARES Act in March 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act in December and ARPA in March of this year each including millions that can be used for broadband expansion. According to Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) chair Rebecca Cameron Valcq, nearly 400,000 households in the state, most of them rural, lack access to high-speed internet access. Valcq estimates the cost of bringing it to all of them could be about $700 million. Christopher Mitchell, director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative, a Minnesota-based think tank that helps communities with their telecommunications, estimates Wisconsin will receive between $600 million and $1 billion in total for use in high-speed internet expansion. This is a time with unprecedented money available, and if Wisconsin is smart about it, they could resolve a lot of their problems, Mitchell says. But if Wisconsin is not smart about it, they have no one to blame but themselves. Down this road before From 2015 to 2020, federal programs like the FCCs Connect America Fund provided hundreds of millions of dollars to service providers for high-speed internet expansion in Wisconsin. Major internet service providers like CenturyLink, Frontier Communications, TDS Telecom and AT&T secured huge sums of funding. But, Mitchell says, the programs were poorly designed and poorly enforced, allowing the big companies to funnel the money into areas that were most profitable: cities and suburbs with high population density. Rural areas were ignored. Some providers have been accused of misrepresenting the quality of their product, giving the impression that the internet speeds provided were higher than they actually were. Frontier, which provides service to about 80,000 Wisconsinites, received more than $180 million in federal funding between 2015 and 2020 for projects in Wisconsin alone. The company then declared bankruptcy in 2020. In May, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) along with law enforcement agencies from six states, including Wisconsin, sued the company for misrepresenting internet speeds. A judge has dismissed the claims of Wisconsin and four other states, but allowed the suits from the FTC and California to continue. Brigid Smith, a spokeswoman for Frontier, says the companys bankruptcy did not affect the companys commitment to fulfilling its obligations with the federal funding. Regarding state funding, Smith says Frontier has received broadband grant funding in numerous states and has fulfilled its grant obligations in all of them. As of October, Frontier still finishes near the bottom of a ratings survey of telecommunications companies by Consumer Reports, and the Better Business Bureau gives the company a grade of F. Cash incoming At the state level, before Wisconsin Democrats broke Republicans complete control of state government with Gov. Tony Evers win in 2018, the GOP budgeted what experts call a pittance for rural broadband expansion: $20 million in the programs first years between 2014 and 2019. Now thats all changed. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) sent checks directly to every state, county and municipality in the United States, but put restrictions on how the money could be used. High-speed internet is one allowable item, and Gov. Evers and local governments are taking the suggestion. This summer, the governor set aside $100 million in federal funds in a first round of a competitive grant process for broadband expansion, giving priority to projects in areas with the least access or slowest speed and the highest need. At the state level, the budget for the next two years also sets aside an additional $129 million for broadband expansion grants, doubling the previous budget. As of October, the state has awarded about $100 million, mostly to smaller internet providers, but received more than $420 million in applications. In order to help guide funds to areas where it is needed most, the PSC awards grants based on criteria including the current availability or lack thereof in an area, as well as the proposed speeds and matching funds of the project, says Jerel Ballard, a spokesman for the commission. According to recent research, major investments could produce major returns. A 2018 study on rural broadband from Purdue University found that every dollar invested in internet expansion by the Tipmont Rural Electric Cooperative, a utility cooperative in eastern Indiana, returned nearly $4 in net benefits to the area in places like telemedicine, education, consumer savings and farm income. And for better or worse, internet speeds can have a strong effect on real estate markets. It has become one of the key factors that people consider when deciding where to buy, says Tom Larson, a senior vice president at the Wisconsin Realtors Association. Ive heard instances where it can affect the value by anywhere from 10-25%. Its a big factor. Solutions and progress Some counties and municipalities are moving aggressively to take advantage of the public cash.Drammen is fortunate that it sits in Eau Claire County, which has an active broadband committee aimed at improving coverage for residents in the topographically-challenging region. When we first started we had a lot of ideas, but no money, says Donald Mowry, a county supervisor and chair of the committee. Now we have more money than we know what to do with. The county got more than $20 million in ARPA funds. The broadband committee set aside nearly $3 million of that cash and is offering matching grants to municipalities who use their own ARPA funds to improve high-speed internet. Drammen got their $90,000 in ARPA funds matched by the county. The nearby town of Brunswick also got their $176,000 in funds matched on top of a state grant to improve their internet infrastructure. Mowry says Eau Claire County is hoping more municipalities will put their ARPA funds towards high-speed internet and will apply for state grants. Way up north, the city of Superior is moving forward with a different model. The city council has plans to build, own and maintain the internet infrastructure, but lease it out to private companies, which will provide the service, says Tylor Elm, a city councilor. Superior is replicating a similar system successfully implemented in Ammon, Idaho, Mitchell says. In the southwestern corner of Wisconsin, Grant County has broken ground on a fiber optic cable loop which will circle the county and connect the towers in its emergency communications radio network. According to Shane Drinkwater, the countys IT director, the system is modeled off an existing system in Sauk County, where private internet providers lease use of the infrastructure and hook up homes and businesses to the loop. At a cost of $8 million, Drinkwater says the county will use its nearly $10 million in ARPA funds to pay for it. Similarly, in Pierce and Pepin counties in northwestern Wisconsin, the energy cooperative Pierce Pepin Cooperative Services is working on a $32 million project to run fiber optic cables in the ground and on its power lines to bring high-speed internet to about 5,500 unserved homes. The company is using state grants as well as federal ARPA funds from municipalities in the service area like El Paso, Ellsworth and River Falls to help pay for the project, says company President and CEO Nate Boettcher. Without some investment from the outside, it would be nearly impossible, Boettcher says. Elon Musks Starlink, which consists of a fleet of satellites beaming high-speed internet down to Earth, has also started delivering service to homes in rural Wisconsin. Matthew Pease, CEO of Northern Antenna, an installation company, has hooked up a handful of Starlink customers in northern Wisconsin. But because the area is so heavily forested, installations can be technically difficult, he says. Other experts are skeptical that the technology can scale up and deliver consistent service to large amounts of customers. Even if Wisconsin gets most or all of its rural areas hooked up, problems remain. Arguably the money is going where it is needed most, but most of the people that want better broadband wont get it, Mitchell says. If youre on a farm in the Driftless region, and you dont have any access, youre probably going to get really good service as a result of the money thats now available. If you live in a suburb of Milwaukee and youre fed up with the cable monopoly, youre probably not going to see any benefits from these broadband expenditures. This story was produced in partnership with The Wisconsin Idea, a reporting project of the progressive news magazine In These Times, focused on issues facing the states rural communities, and The Badger Project, a nonpartisan journalism nonprofit in Wisconsin. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Wisconsin Supreme Court has denied a request to block a lower court order that could allow opponents to temporarily stop construction of a power line across southwest Wisconsin. Utilities building the Cardinal-Hickory Creek line asked the high court to step in after Dane County Circuit Judge Jacob Frost last month granted an injunction that would pause construction while he considers challenges to the $492 million projects permit. The high court refused in a 6-1 order Monday, saying the utilities can follow traditional procedure and ask the court of appeals to review the injunction. Only Justice Rebecca Bradley dissented, noting the court has agreed to review some of Frosts other preliminary rulings, including on whether a former regulators relationships with utility executives created a conflict of interest that could scuttle the projects approval. Bradley said subjecting the parties to the jurisdiction of three courts may precipitate a fog of confusion and irresolution not unlike the court of chancery in the Charles Dickens novel Bleak House. The order is unlikely to affect work on the line between Middleton and Dubuque, Iowa, because opponents have been unable to put up $32 million to cover the potential costs of a delay, which would ultimately be passed on to consumers if the legal challenge fails. Opponents have challenged the bond amount, which they argue is unaffordable and thus unconstitutional. Utilities began construction of the Wisconsin portion last week, although a separate federal court injunction has blocked work on more than 100 federally protected waters along the route. Construction of the Iowa portion began last winter. The utilities, which have so far spent $156 million on the project, say it is critical to ensuring a cleaner, safer and more affordable energy future for the state and will enable more wind and solar generation. A joint venture of American Transmission Co., ITC Midwest and Dairyland Power Cooperative, the line is the subject of multiple state and federal court challenges. U.S. District Court Judge William Conley is expected to rule later this year on challenges to the projects environmental review and federal permits needed to cross the Mississippi River. In September, the state Supreme Court agreed to hear former Public Service Commissioner Mike Huebschs challenge to subpoenas from power line opponents who sought to question him and inspect his phone for encrypted communications with utility executives and to determine whether those communications create an appearance of bias that could invalidate the lines state permit. Meanwhile, Frost is reviewing the PSCs decision to grant the permit. Howard Learner, lead attorney for the power line opponents, said the decision suggests the court is only interested in the narrower questions involving Huebsch not the line itself. The Supreme Court isnt going to interfere with his decisions on the merits, Learner said. Noting both injunctions were granted in part based on the likelihood that the opponents will win in court, Learner accused the utilities of doing unnecessary environmental damage while gambling with ratepayer money. If they cant go through the national wildlife refuge, their entire construction path will have to change, which means they will have wasted an enormous amount of money, Learner said. You have a costly transmission line to nowhere. That is corporate irresponsibility. A utility spokesperson dismissed the Supreme Court decision as procedural and said they planned to appeal the injunction in the court of appeals while crews continue mowing and cutting trees along the planned route. The utilities disagreed with the assertion that the plaintiffs are likely to prevail. We will not speculate at this point on whether the outcome of any court proceeding would result in redoing portions of the regulatory approval processes, much less any specific changes to the route or the amount of the potential cost increase, they wrote. 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. MADISON Wisconsin lawmakers are to hear testimony from the Racine County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday regarding the RCSO's investigation into the Wisconsin Elections Commission and alleged election fraud at nursing homes. A public hearing of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday in Madison. On the agenda are a report from RCSO Sgt. Michael Luell, who led the investigation, and another report titled "Gableman Report" with the description "Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gabelmans (sic) investigation into the November 2020 election." Sheriff Christopher Schmaling has called for five of Wisconsin's six elections commissioners, including two Republicans and three Democrats, to be criminally charged for their votes to waive laws that require Special Voting Deputies execute the vote in nursing homes. The WEC and Attorney General Josh Kaul have responded by saying Schmaling's and Luell's conclusions of illegality are inaccurate. Racine County District Attorney Tricia Hanson has yet to publicly comment on the referral for charges and has not filed charges. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who ordered the Gableman-led investigation, has said he was hoping Gableman's investigation of the 2020 election would be complete by the end of 2021. His office did not reply immediately to a request for comment on if the investigation is complete. The Journal Times has reached out to the chair of the committee, state Rep. Janel Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, for comment. Brandtjen has attempted to issue subpoenas for election information from several Democratic-leaning communities, including Racine, but those subpoenas have not been officially issued. She does not have the power to issue subpoenas and Vos refused to sign her subpoenas, although Vos did approve subpoenas on behalf of Gableman. Several of Gableman's subpoenas, including those issued to the City of Racine, were revoked after being issued and after Kaul questioned their constitutionality for being overly broad and unspecific. Kaul's questioning followed criticism of Gableman after the state high-court justice said he did not "have a comprehensive understanding or even any understanding of how elections work" as his investigation was ongoing. Soon after the 2020 election was called in favor of Joe Biden, Gableman stated, inaccurately, at a pro-Donald Trump rally that the election was stolen from Trump. Brandtjen, likewise, has supported baseless claims the election was stolen. Luell and Schmaling did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The video above is live only when court is in session and the judge allows video/audio to be broadcast. Lee Enterprises will be carrying a live blog of events in the homicide trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, which began with jury selection Nov. 1 and opening statements the following day. 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: 4:45 p.m.: Court done for the day; Antaramian dismissed. 3:45 p.m.: Defense begins asking questions of Antaramian. Antaramian confirms that during rioting several people were "severely injured." Chirafisi mentions one man who was hit with a cement-filled water bottle and a police officer hit in head with a brick. Antaramian confirms that Rittenhouse was placed under arrest at about 6 a.m. the morning after the shootings. Defense asks if Rittenhouse was charged before all information from the shootings had been compiled by police, which Antaramian confirms is true. Antaramian says he has had search warrants signed by judges that weren't executed, but it's rare. Antaramian confirms that all the questions investigators had for Grosskreutz were not answered, including regarding Grosskreutz originally saying he had lost his gun when video shows he was still holding it upon being shot. Grosskreutz never gave police permission to go through his phone, Antaramian says. Antaramian says he was never able to get a search warrant for Anthony Huber's skateboard because police never learned its location. The location of the skateboard that Huber is shown in video swinging at Rittenhouse is still unknown to authorities. Antaramian says investigators were unable to locate the pistol Joshua Ziminski, of Caledonia, allegedly fired into the air moments before Rittenhouse shot Joseph Rosenbaum. Antaramian agrees with question posed by Chirafisi that the "only people" Rittenhouse shot at ran at him. Prosecution asks if information learned later in investigation would've changed Kenosha officers' decision to charge Rittenhouse. Antaramian says he doesn't think so but can't remember for sure; it's been awhile since Antaramian read the criminal complaint. Prosecution notes that the decision to request charges against Rittenhouse was drafted after video showed Grosskreutz was carrying a gun when he was shot. Rosenbaum's water bottle comes up again, with defense asking Antaramian if someone carrying an empty water bottle would lead to the officer expecting that person to commit a crime; Antaramian says he would not get that impression. Previously it's been alleged that Rosenbaum's water bottle could've been used to make some sort of weapon, although there isn't evidence of such. Antaramian testifies on questioning from defense that Rosenbaum had "stippling" on his body, which is what happens when a firearm is fired very close to a person, leaving behind marks (oftentimes burns) on the person who was shot. Prosecution plays video with audio that includes Rosenbaum in gas station parking lot. Audio is heard of someone saying something to the effect of "Don't point that mother(expletive) gun at me!" moments before Rosenbaum is heard saying "Shoot me (N-word)! Shoot me (N-word)!" at armed individuals. A video taken moments later includes someone yelling "Do not burn my city! I support Black Lives Matter! Burn the police station!" Pool Report: With Kenosha detective Ben Antaramian on the stand, another detective put on purple latex gloves to pull the AR-style semiautomatic rifle Rittenhouse carried the night of the shooting out of a long white box lying on the floor behind the prosecution table. He held the black firearm aloft for jurors sitting a few feet away, with lead prosecutor Thomas Binger also drawing the jury's attention to a strap on the butt of the weapon. 3:20 p.m.: Court about to return to session. Kenosha Police Detective Ben Antaramian called to the stand. Antaramian says the KPD was "absolutely" equipped to respond to other 911 calls in Kenosha that were unrelated to the riots during the riots thanks to the response of the National Guard and others. He further says police were able to respond to threats to life, but not to minor things like smashed car windows. Defense hammers home, via Antaramian's recollection, that no one else was seriously injured or killed the night of Aug. 25 other than those shot by Rittenhouse. Antaramian and Detective Howard confirmed within hours of the shootings that Rittenhouse was the shooter and that he was 17. 2:57 p.m.: Break 2:48 p.m.: Prosecution ends questioning. Defense begins asking questions, after a laughable moment as Harris tried to step down but is reminded that defense now has a chance to ask questions. "First time," Harris laughs to himself. When prosecution gets chance to ask questions again, Harris notes that Rittenhouse was with the armed men described as a "militia" but that Rittenhouse was not dressed like the rest of the them. He had a T-shirt on, while others had protective vests and sometimes helmets. Harris' video show one of the armed individuals yelling at protesters "Want to (expletive) and find out!?" a seeming threat to protesters, which prosecution is using to show antagonism from those Rittenhouse was with. Defense objects. Judge sides with defense, saying "The group isn't on trial. Mr. Rittenhouse is." 2:25 p.m.: Kristan Harris called to the stand. He's the livestreamer who leads Rundown Live and says he's a talk show host. He is based out of the Milwaukee area. His livestreaming includes some of the most well-circulated clips of rioting in Kenosha last year. Harris testifies about a conversation he had with Rittenhouse, in which Harris said he tried to tell Rittenhouse that protesters did not see him as a "friendly" as the teenager attested to be. 2:08 p.m.: Kenosha Police Officer Jason Kreuger called to the stand. He is Pep Moretti's partner; the two were in a squad car Rittenhouse walked up to in the hectic moments after the shootings. The two are shown in video/audio telling Rittenhouse to stop walking toward them, and Rittenhouse not following those orders. "We were giving him verbal commands to stay back." He testifies he didn't hear anything the crowd said about Rittenhouse. "There was a lot of noise ... I didn't hear any specific words being shouted toward me," Kreuger said. Kreuger says his squad car would not be good defense against rifle rounds, nor would be his vest. Kreuger says he believed Rittenhouse to be a "threat ... I did not want somebody walking up to my squad car in that scene." Kreuger says he tried to pepper-spray Rittenhouse as he walked up; he's not sure if the pepper-spray was effective, but that Rittenhouse did leave. Kreuger says he spoke with prior witness, Richie McGinniss, at the hospital. McGinniss is the Daily Caller reporter who filmed the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum and then rendered aid to Rosenbaum. At 2:25 p.m., Kreuger is dismissed. 1:54 p.m.: Heather Williams takes the stand. She works for a state crime laboratory in Milwaukee, a firearms examiner. She is the first witness to wear a mask as she walked up to the stand, but took it off as she began speaking. She testifies to the authenticity of the bullets fired by Rittenhouse's AR-15; defense presents no questions. She is dismissed. 1:52 p.m.: Grosskreutz's testimony concludes. 1:48 p.m.: Defense asking questions again. "You never said a word to him other than approach him with your gun out from three feet away?" Chirafisi says. Grosskreutz replies in the affirmative. 1:28 p.m.: Prosecutors asking questions again. Video played with voice identified as Grosskreutz's heard saying "We have our own medics, go home," toward armed groups. Grosskreutz says on the stand that he never made any verbal threats toward Rittenhouse. Grosskreutz says, upon questioning from defense, that "if" his intent was to shoot Rittenhouse he would not have gotten as close as he did, while Grosskreutz still asserts he did not intend to shoot Rittenhouse. 1:24 p.m.: Court is back in session. Grosskreutz remains on the stand. Grosskreutz confirms he does not have any "regrets" about that evening. Chirafisi follows up by asking about statements made by Jacob Marshall, Grosskreutz's former roommate. "Did you tell Mr. Marshall that your only regret" was not "emptying your entire mag" into Rittenhouse, as Marshall allegedly wrote Grosskreutz did in a Facebook comment? Grosskreutz said he never said that. 12:14 p.m.: Break for lunch and also for a legal discussion to be had while jury is out of the courtroom. With jury out of the room, defense argues they should be allowed to ask Grosskreutz about a Facebook comment made by Grosskreutz's former roommate. Prosecution says the Facebook comment shouldn't be admitted because it is hearsay. Prosecution indicates it is OK with the line of questioning, but that the jury shouldn't be allowed to see the Facebook comment in question. Defense appears OK with that. Lunch break begins for all at 12:18 p.m. 11:25 a.m.: Attorney Corey Chirafisi of the defense begins cross-examination. Chirafisi brings up statement Grosskreutz made to police on Aug. 26, saying at some point during Aug. 25 his Glock fell off his waist. Grosskreutz said he didn't remember making that statement, but confirms it via written statement. Chirafisi says "That's a lie, no?" regarding the statement the gun fell. Grosskreutz says what he wrote was not a lie. "I told multiple officers that I dropped my firearm," the statement reads, according to Chirafisi. "You were chasing Mr. Rittenhouse with your gun, right?" Chirafisi asks. Grosskreutz says "I wasn't chasing the defendant." Chirafisi brings up lawsuit filed by Grosskreutz, seeking $10 million from Kenosha. Regarding Grosskreutz carrying a firearm, Chirafisi notes "You left that out," which Grosskreutz doesn't deny. Chirafisi hammers home that Grosskreutz was armed "for protection" even though he didn't have a valid license for concealed carry. Grosskreutz implies he didn't realize his license had lapsed until after Aug. 25. Chirafisi notes that Grosskreutz is running in same direction as Rittenhouse after Rosenbaum is shot, but Grosskreutz says he was not trying to "chase down" Rittenhouse an implication Chirafisi is trying to make. Grosskreutz says he witnessed Jump Kick Man "go over" Rittenhouse but didn't witness any kicks connecting with Rittenhouse's faces. Grosskreutz originally told police that he told Huber to "stop hitting that guy (Rittenhouse) with the skateboard" but now Grosskreutz says "with the benefit of hindsight" that that statement was "not correct," upon questioning from Chirafisi. "You omitted the fact (to police) that you ran up on him and had a Glock pistol in your hand?" Chirafisi asks, which Grosskreutz confirms, but notes that he just got out of surgery and "was on pain meds," and the "traumatic experience I had just gone through." Grosskreutz says that the omission was not "purposeful." Chirafisi then brings up that Grosskreutz had a "thoughtful process" to not share his occupation (out of concerns for safety) and make other statements accurately, but then he somehow didn't mention having a gun. Grosskreutz said he was advised by his lawyer to not answer questions from police about the shooting itself. Very grainy video still is shown with Grosskreutz's Glock shown maybe three feet from Rittenhouse with the gun appearing to be pointed at Rittenhouse while Rittenhouse points the AR-15 back at Grosskreutz. Grosskreutz describes the still as "the moment my bicep was vaporized." "It is vaporized as you are pointing a gun at (Rittenhouse)," Chirafisi responds. 11:17 a.m.: After Aug. 25, Grosskreutz says he feared for his safety due to things people said online and to him in person. Defense objects. Prosecution says it goes to "state of mind" regarding Grosskreutz, who's trustworthiness was brought into question by a police witness regarding how he worked with law enforcement. Judge sides with prosecution, allowing Grosskreutz to continue testifying about "concerns for (his) safety." "It had been made aware to me that people online were making threats," Grosskreutz says. He says people went outside his place of residence and the homes of his mom, grandma and "an aunt I barely talked to." Police asked Grosskreutz, via an attorney, to turn over his cell phone for evidence, Grosskreutz testifies. Grosskreutz says that he never refused to turn over evidence to law enforcement. Grosskreutz says he still has "physical issues" with his arm. "Besides the obvious loss of tissue, muscle doesn't grow back ... Heavier things are harder to life," he said. He can still move his forearm but can't feel most of it, from his right elbow "through his thumb." On Grosskreutz's arm, he says he has a tattoo that says "Do no harm," a mantra of the medical field. 11:05 a.m.: Back from break. Grosskreutz speaks about getting into law enforcement vehicle after police responded to his shooting and then being taken to hospital. He said a second tourniquet was put on in police vehicle since he was still bleeding after the first one wasn't applied perfectly by a livestreamer. Grosskreutz said he was moved from one hospital to another one by ambulance. Then he was taken by Flight for Life to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa. There, he was "brought into the trauma room" and prepped for surgery. He said he was in hospital for about a week followed by "several months of physical therapy." 10:42 a.m.: Break. 10:00 a.m. (Grosskreutz breaking down his recollection of the shooting of Huber and being shot): After the shootings and talking to Rittenhouse as the teenager ran toward police, "I thought he was an active shooter," Grosskreutz says. Before the moments around when Anthony Huber shot, Grosskreutz said he had not pulled out his handgun. It was when the group started running after Rittenhouse and there were gunshots that Grosskreutz said he first pulled out his handgun. Prosecutor asks: "When you pulled your gun out were you intending to use it?" Grosskreutz replies, after a pause. "If I had to." When asked what was going through his mind, Grosskreutz says "That I was going to die." An objection is sustained after Grosskreutz says Rittenhouse "murdered" Anthony Huber. Judge explains to jurors that the conclusion of "murder" is up jury. One juror nodded her head in agreement when the judge instructed the jury to disregard Grosskreutz's characterization of the fatal shooting of another protester in terms of murder. Upon reviewing video of shootings, prosecutor shows Grosskreutz put his hands up as Rittenhouse pointed AR-15 at Grosskreutz, and then Grosskreutz said he witnessed Rittenhouse "reracking" to make it ready to fire. "So after you raised your hands ... you saw the defendant rerack the weapon?" prosecutor says. Grosskreutz replies says "reracking the weapon means in my mind the defendant pulled the trigger when my hands were in the air." Grosskreutz said he didn't believe Rittenhouse "accepted my surrender." Grosskreutz says "At that moment, I feel like I had to prevent myself from being killed." He says that's why "I closed the distance between him and I. From there, I don't know." Grosskreutz begins stuttering, saying he "never had the opportunity" to disarm Rittenhouse. "I was never trying to kill the defendant." When asked why he didn't shoot Rittenhouse when he believed the teenager was an active shooter, Grosskreutz replies "Thats not the kind of person I am. Thats not why I was out there. Thats not why I was out there for 75 days previous (acting as medic at protests). That's not why I had up until that point spent my time, my money, my education" in caring for people in medical career. Of being someone who killed another, that is "definitely not something I would want to become." While saying Grosskreutz was clearly trying not to cry on the stand. Before that, he had remained composed while watching video of his own shooting and very graphic photos of his injury. Of the injuries, "I lost a large majority of my right bicep." Bloody photos of Grosskreutz's injuries are shown in court. Binger warns jury the images are "Graphic." When a prosecutor played graphic video of Grosskreutz's badly injured arm, with much of his bicep torn away by the gunshot, a few jurors seemed to grimace and look away from large monitors outside the jury box. At the defense table, Rittenhouse took notes when Grosskreutz spoke about the moment he was shot and thought he was about to die. Rittenhouse otherwise displayed little outward emotion as he glanced up at the footage on a table-top monitor. 9:35 a.m.: Prosecutor Binger asks Grosskreutz if he ever, while working as an EMT, had to respond to someone who was shot. He said he had. When asked to describe the experiences. Grosskreutz took a long time to respond. "There's a lot of blood," he notes, adding how "traumatic" gunshots are to the human body and often the threat to first responders. "It can be very hectic. It definitely doesn't get easier the more you do it." He's turning to the jury and addressing them directly when he answers questions something you usually only see with expert witnesses or cops. Grosskreutz said he attended many protests after George Floyd was killed. Upon responding to first call for a "Medic!" at a protest, Grosskreutz said he and another medically trained friend said they would start volunteering since there were no organized medical response for protesters. Binger notes, after an objection from the defense over how many questions he's asking about Grosskreutz being an emergency responder, that he is aiming "to draw a contrast between him and the defendant (Rittenhouse)." Grosskreutz says that he knew Kenosha well, having brought patients to the hospital there before, and that he knew there was a "propensity for violence" during rioting factors for why he said he came to Kenosha on Aug. 25. He said "that day was like any other day" for having gone armed in Kenosha on Aug. 25. He said he had a Glock pistol that day but his permit had expired at the time of the riots. Grosskreutz says of the 10 or so patients he treated that night before being shot, the most dire was a young woman hit by a rubber bullet on the inside of the arm. A Kenosha News photo of Grosskreutz treating someone injured during protests is shown and submitted into evidence. Grosskreutz said before he was shot he saw Rittenhouse "offering medical assistance" to someone who appeared to have an injured leg. According to Grosskreutz's testimony, he said he saw someone carried onto a Car Source lot, Rittenhouse offer aid, someone else yell something to the effect of "don't let them treat you" and then that person being carried off the lot without Rittenhouse being able to offer any aid. Later upon cross-examination, Grosskreutz says he did not render aid either. Grosskreutz was livestreaming a bit during the night. In one video, Ryan Balch one of the armed men who was with Rittenhouse is shown at a boarded-up Car Source as a woman yells at them "Protect your property, not the streets!" and another woman yells obscenities at the armed people. Grosskreutz said he doesn't remember hearing any of the armed men be threatened by Rosenbaum, who Grosskreutz said he didn't know, or others. Grosskreutz confirms he never met Rittenhouse prior to Aug. 25. Seeing him early on in the night, Grosskreutz said he later realized it was odd that Rittenhouse was wearing latex gloves the whole time by "proper hygiene protocol" medics should put on new gloves before seeing each patient. Pool report: As Gaige Grosskreutz walked into court in the morning and sat on a spectator bench, Rittenhouse glanced over his shoulder to look at him several times. Rittenhouse appeared attentive once Grosskreutz took the stand, keeping his eyes on Grosskreutz as he testified. When asked a question by the lead prosecutors, Grosskreutz turns to his left and looks straight at jurors feet away as he answers. At the start of the day, the judge asked jurors how many jurors were fans of the Green Bay Packers and how many were Chicago Bears fans. About five of the 18 indicated they supported the Bears, with the judge saying that was "about right" for a city so close to the Wisconsin-Illinois border. 9:26 a.m.: Grosskreutz shares his background in EMT training and working on private ambulance "for a number of years." 9:21 a.m.: Trial is underway once again. First witness to be Gaige Grosskreutz. Attorneys and judge share a laugh after judge nearly forgot to call in the jury, who were not sequestered over weekend. 9 a.m.: A man who suffered a severe arm injury when he was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse during a night of protests against racial injustice is expected to testify this week as prosecutors near the end of their case in Rittenhouse's murder trial. Gaige Grosskreutz, 27, who had a gun in his hand as he stepped toward Rittenhouse, was shot in the arm moments after Rittenhouse fatally shot two others in the streets of Kenosha, Wisconsin. Testimony during the first week of Rittenhouse's trial showed bystanders came to Grosskreutz's aid and placed a tourniquet on his arm before loading him into a vehicle that rushed him to a hospital. Rittenhouse, 18, is charged with shooting Grosskreutz and fatally shooting Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber on Aug. 25, 2020. The one-time police youth cadet from Antioch, Illinois, 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 are the three men he shot, but the case has raised polarizing questions about racial justice, policing, firearms and white privilege. In the first week of Rittenhouse's trial, prosecutors played numerous videos that showed the events of that night from different angles. Jurors heard testimony from people who were with Rittenhouse, as well as from police officers and loved ones of the men who died. Jason Lackowski, a former Marine who was on the streets of Kenosha carrying his own rifle, testified Friday about Rosenbaum, the first man Rittenhouse shot. Lackowski said Rosenbaum was acting belligerently but did not appear to pose a serious threat. Lackowski said he considered Rosenbaum a babbling idiot, and turned his back and ignored him. He acknowledged that he didnt see everything that went on between Rittenhouse and Rosenbaum, including their final clash. Other witnesses testified last week 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 his rifle. Prosecutors have portrayed Rittenhouse as the instigator of the bloodshed as well as an inexperienced teen who misrepresented his age and medical training to others that night. Rittenhouse's lawyer has argued that he acted in self-defense, suggesting among other things that Rittenhouse feared his weapon would be taken and used against him. The prosecution suffered a potential blow when Rosenbaums fiancee, Kariann Swart, disclosed that he was on medication for bipolar disorder and depression but hadn't filled his prescriptions because the local pharmacy was boarded up due to the unrest information Rittenhouses lawyers could use in their bid to portray Rosenbaum as the aggressor. On the day he was killed, Rosenbaum, 36, had been released from a Milwaukee hospital. The jury was told that much, but not why he had been admitted after a suicide attempt. Rosenbaums 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 Grosskreutz, Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted. The case 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 similar cases. Two jurors were also dismissed last week. One man was dismissed for potential bias after he told a joke about the Blake shooting to a court security officer, and a woman who is pregnant was dismissed after she said she was experiencing some discomfort. Eighteen jurors remain, and 12 will ultimately be picked to deliberate. Associated Press Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Early Edition for 11/9: Schools to get control over masking options, buggy drifting and more We know it's been circled on your calendar all year long. Today is National Scrapple Day. It's Pennsylvania Dutch country's mystery meat. Thrift and efficiency are essential traits of the Pennsylvania Dutch that extend to cuisine, thus scrapple. When the pigs been butchered, whats left over gets made into scrapple, which consists of pork innards, cornmeal, flour and spices. In this piece originally published in 2015, LNP staffer Michael Long takes a look at how scrapple is made at a Mount Joy butcher shop. Scrapple ranges from mild and mealy to bold and firm. Folks in Lancaster County eat it plain or with maple syrup, jelly or ketchup. Author Amy Strauss says dont reject scrapple completely before you learn a little more about its history. She wrote a cookbook dedicated to the traditional regional food that, as the saying goes, helps a hog butcher use everything but the oink, deserves better than an ew. The beauty of scrapple is that it has remained the same sound product since its start, barely left untouched through its centuries, Strauss says. In her cookbook, Strauss looks at how contemporary chefs are using scrapple in surprising ways. We know one way the classic has evolved. It's been turned into fries at two Philadelphia-area restaurants. And here are 6 different recipes, including venison, turkey and chicken versions, to make your own scrapple at home. If you're super adventurous, try "ponhaus." It's a recipe we dug out of the LNP archive. Hint: It starts with "Separate one hogs head into halves. Remove and discard the eyes and brains (some heads already have discarded eyes)." Happy scrappling! Editor's note: This was originally published in 2018 and has been updated. About 30 Hempfield High School students staged a walkout Monday morning to protest how the school district handled a perceived violent threat shared on social media last week. The walkout, which was also meant to shed light on how the district disciplines white students compared to Black students, began at 8:30 a.m. and lasted about an hour. The district said it was peaceful and ended with a conversation among students and high school Principal Jim Dague. The student whose disciplinary action was the subject of the walkout brought a knife to school in addition to posting the questionable social media posts, police said, but no criminal charges were filed. The district said it is still in the process of disciplining the student. According to screenshots provided to LNP | LancasterOnline, a high school student last week posted images to Snapchat -- a smartphone app that allows users to share images and messages that disappear shortly after theyre sent -- of himself in front of a flag supporting former President Donald Trump for president in 2024 with a message saying, in part, Tomorrow is going to be one of many days that we are going to show our democratic school that we dont mess around. Images shared with LNP | LancasterOnline show the student at school the next day with the same Trump flag draped over his shoulders. Follow-up Snapchat posts showed the same student in a cowboy hat with messages like, I own 57 guns and Just got done sharpening all my knives and cleaning one of my guns. Another screenshot showed a conversation between the student and another Snapchat user talking about the student getting suspended and potentially kicked out of Hempfield for bringing a knife to school. Complaints sent to the school districts as well as East Hempfield Township police prompted the school district to post a statement on its website Thursday. The district said it was aware of the potential threats and were working with police to investigate. Everything that has been shared with us as a potential threat has been investigated by police, and at this time there is no evidence of a credible threat to Hempfield High School, the statement read. East Hempfield Township police Lt. Matthew Pohle told LNP | LancasterOnline Monday that he believes students twisted the messages meaning and believed it was a threat. After interviewing the students, Pohle said, police and school officials determined the messages were not meant to be threatening, and no charges were filed against the student. Pohle said it was just a kid making a comment alluding to politics -- last week was the municipal election. Somehow it became a threat and it blew out of proportion, he said. Pohle also confirmed the student was found to have a knife on school property when being interviewed. Again, after interviewing the student, it was determined that he had no malicious intent and was simply carrying a pocket knife as some people do. District review ongoing While that may not be against state law, carrying a weapon in school is in violation of Hempfields weapons policy, or Policy 218. That policy states those who violate it shall be expelled for a period of not less than one (1) year. Students who protested Monday said they were upset that the student had not received more serious discipline for posting what seemed to be threatening messages and bringing a weapon to school. A lot of the kids didnt feel safe at school, said one of the protesters, high school junior Makenzi Souders. The school was doing nothing about it. If the student in question, who is white, was Black, she said, he would have been disciplined much more harshly. Images from the walkout show a group of students waving Black Lives Matter and pro-LGBT flags. One student had a sign with the students Snapchat images and asking, IS THIS NOT A THREAT? According to the district, which didnt share specifics on student discipline, the situation isnt so simple. Students were protesting what they perceived to be the outcome for a student involved in an incident last week at school, Hempfield School District spokesperson Cheryl Irwin-Bass said in an email Thursday. Principal Dague reviewed the process that the school must follow as outlined in Policy 218 and explained that the process is ongoing and is not yet complete. Mr. Dague also outlined the process that the school undertakes for internal threat assessments. Some parents joined the protest, as well. Jennifer Applegate, 43, of East Hempfield Township, said she was proud of the students who stood up against the administration. Applegates daughter, a 10th-grader, did not participate in the walkout because she was afraid she would get in trouble if she walked out, Applegate said. Applegate, a Democrat who ran for a two-year seat on the Hempfield school board but lost to her Republican opponent, Justin Wolgemuth, said she was saddened the student who made the perceived threats didnt seem to have enough support. With more support staff, perhaps the district could have helped, Applegate, a certified trauma-informed counselor, said. I feel like that was a cry for help, she said. Veterans have given their all to serve our country. On Thursday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veterans Day, restaurants and businesses in Lancaster County are ready to serve them. Here are some of the restaurants and other businesses that are offering free or discounted meals, products and services for veterans on Nov. 11. Unless otherwise stated, these deals are available Thursday only. Military ID is required to receive these discounts. Most of the discounts apply to veterans, retired military, active-duty military, National Guard and reserves; some apply to immediate family members as well. Many of the restaurant freebies and deals are for dine-in only. For the national chains offering discounts and freebies, some offers may apply to participating locations only; check with your local store or restaurant to find out if they are participating and what the restrictions on the discount may be. This list will be updated online as more discounts are announced. Museum exhibit The North Museum of Science and Nature, 400 College Ave, Lancaster, will host a traveling exhibit World War I America starting Thursday. Admission is free for veterans. The exhibit, which is designed for a multigenerational audience, includes scale photographs, moving images, multimedia and re-created settings such as a music shop and grocery store. The exhibit was created by the Minnesota History Center in partnership with the National Constitution Center, the National World War I Museum and Memorial and other organizations. The exhibit will open to the public at 10 a.m. Thursday following a ribbon-cutting ceremony. At 6 p.m. Thursday, Paul Petersen of the Philatelic Society of Lancaster County will present a Zoom lecture about World War I postcards; register for the opening event at northmuseum.org/ww1exhibit and the Zoom lecture at northmuseum.org/member-lecture-wwi. Both events are free to North Museum members and veterans. The North Museum also now offers a 20% discount to the museum for veterans and active military. Restaurants and more Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar is offering veterans and active-duty military a free full-size entree from a special Veterans Day menu. Service members will also get a $5 bounce-back card to redeem within three weeks toward dine-in, to-go or delivery meals at Applebees. BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse is offering a complimentary meal from a special menu and a free Dr. Pepper beverage. Bob Evans is offering service members a free meal from a special menu of seven homestyle favorites. At Buffalo Wild Wings, they can receive a free order of 10 boneless wings and fries, for dine-in or takeout (excluding online ordering). Carrabba's Italian Grill reminds veterans, active-duty military and first responders that its restaurants offer a 10% "Heroes Discount" every day. Visit the website for details on the discount. Chili's is offering veterans and active military a free meal. Entrees can be chosen from among seven items on a special menu. Cicis Pizza is offering a free adult buffet meal to service members. Visit cicis.com/veterans-day-deal to download the required coupon. Veterans can get a free doughnut of their choice at Dunkin'; available in-store only. Friendly's is offering service members a free cheeseburger, french fries and a soft drink. Golden Corral will hold its annual Military Appreciation Night, from 5 p.m. to closing, offering a free meal to anyone who has served in the military. Service members can get a free order of Red, White & Blueberry Pancakes at participating IHOP locations. Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant locations are offering a complimentary sandwich and soft drink. Iron Hill now offers a 10% discount to veterans and active-duty military every day. Little Caesar's is offering a free lunch combo of a four-slice Deep! Deep! Dish pizza with pepperoni and a 20-ounce Pepsi product, in store only, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Outback Steakhouse is offering service members a free Bloomin' Onion with the purchase of any Coca-Cola beverage. Red Lobster is offering a free appetizer or dessert to service members, who may choose their free appetizer or dessert from a special menu of eight different apps and three desserts. Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Brews is offering military members who have signed up for the chain's Military Royalty Rewards program a free Red's Tavern Double Burger dine in or to go now through Nov. 14. Visit redrobin.com for details. Ruby Tuesday is offering a free Garden Bar entree to service members. Shady Maple in East Earl is offering veterans and active military 50% off any meal at the Shady Maple Smorgasbord and 25% off everything in its gift shop Thursday. Sheetz will offer a free meal for service members at all of its stores all day Thursday. The meal includes a free half turkey or ham sub and a regular-size fountain drink. At Sheetz locations with a car wash, veterans can also get a free car wash that day. Starbucks is offering a free tall (12-ounce) hot coffee for service members and military spouses. Area Texas Roadhouse locations will offer a special drive-thru event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., during which service members can pick up a meal voucher in the parking lot. The vouchers, which can be redeemed for one of 10 entrees, plus two sides and a beverage, are good until May 30, 2022. Wawa stores are offering vets and other service members a free cup of hot coffee. Wayback Burgers will donate 10% of all online sales on Thursday to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, an organization that supports veterans and first responders. Weis Markets are offering service members a 10% discount Thursday on select Weis-brand products. Service members can get a free breakfast at Wendy's, for dine-in or drive-thru, from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. At Yoders Restaurant & Buffet in New Holland, veterans can get one free buffet meal with the purchase of a full-price buffet meal for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Retail At Bed Bath and Beyond, veterans, active duty, and military spouses get 25% off their entire purchase online or in-store on Thursday. In honor of Military Family Appreciation Month, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store is offering 25% off its line of everyday military apparel, bought in the store or online. Dollar General is offering a 20% discount on in-store and online purchases for veterans, active-duty military, now through Nov. 14. Vets must register at dollargeneral.com/military.html to get the coupon for the discount. Great Clips is offering free haircuts, or a card for a future haircut, to veterans and active military Thursday. In addition, those not in the military who get a haircut at Great Clips Thursday will receive a card they can give to a military person for a free haircut between Nov. 22 and Dec. 10. See greatclips.com for details. Home Depot offers a military discount of 10% on in-store purchased on select items for Veterans Day. Participating Meineke locations are offering military personnel either a free basic oil change or 50% off a synthetic oil change on Thursday. Sleep Number is offering veterans and active military 20% off all smart beds and adjustable bases and on most bedding now through Nov. 22. Visit sleepnumber.com to get the promo code. Sport Clips is offering free haircuts to service members. Service members and their immediate family members can get 25% off all purchases now through Nov. 13 at Staples office supply stores. Some exclusions apply. At Target stores, military members who've signed up for the Target Circle rewards program and verified their military status can get a 10% discount on purchases for themselves and family members now through Nov. 13. Tractor Supply Co. is offering a 15% discount on in-store purchases for service members, veterans and their dependents. Military members and their families shopping at Walgreens can get a 20% discount, through the myWalgreens rewards program, on in-store purchases Nov. 11-14. Some local businesses offer discounts to veterans year round. The Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds office offers the "Thank a Vet" program, through which veterans can get a special ID card to use at a variety of local businesses for discounts. For more information and a list of merchants that participate in the program, visit the program's website at lancasterdeeds.com/vet-id. Music The Tidal streaming music and podcast service, which offers a 40% discount (after a 30-day free trial) on new signups by veterans and active military, has put together two playlists for veterans. The Veteran Artists playlist features hit songs from across music genres by artists who have served their country, from Elvis Presley to Ice-T and George Strait to Tony Bennett. The Veterans Day playlist includes patriotic songs from America the Beautiful to God Bless the U.S.A. to Toby Keiths American Soldier. Visit Tidal.com for information. Military.com provided some of the information for this story. A Rapho Township woman was ejected from a car after crashing early Monday morning, not being found until about two hours later, according to Northern Lancaster County Regional police. Stephanie Bardach, 19, crashed along a bridge in the 2000 block of Mountain Road, between Boyer Run and East Mount Hope roads south of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Penn Township around 12:15 a.m., police said in a news release. Officers arrived to find a 2017 Ford Fusion sedan stuck on a bridge guard rail, but with no one inside the vehicle. Police began searching for the vehicles owner due to the extent of damage to the vehicle and the high potential for injury to any occupant, according to the news release. Attempts to find the vehicles owner at their home and at a second address were unsuccessful. Bardach was later found barefoot and lying on the ground, about two hours after the crash. Bardach had not been on the ground when officers first arrived. It was not clear where or why Bardach was on the ground. Northern Lancaster County Regional police did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. Bardach was transported to Hershey Medical Center to be treated for undisclosed minor injuries. She will be charged with multiple offenses at the completion of a crash investigation, police said. Don and Becky Murphy have long been believers in Columbia, amassing a portfolio of properties in town with Don telling LNP | LancasterOnline as far back as 2018 that we see the town definitely on the rise and we hope were a big part of that. Their vision for Columbias renaissance could get a boost thanks to action in Washington, D.C. Money in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that has been sent to President Joe Biden for his signature could help fund already-vetted projects in Lancaster County. One of the projects involves $5 million worth of improvements to the Veterans Memorial Bridge, where a new bike lane and road markings could funnel more walkers, bicyclists and hikers into Columbia. The borough, with a population of 10,207, opened its renovated historic downtown market in May. Don Murphy said the bridge improvements could coax more tourists into town and Adriana Atencio, co-executive director at the Lancaster-based pro-bike nonprofit Common Wheel, said even unprotected bike lanes can help slow traffic and make hesitant cyclists feel safer. Return on investment The project on the bridge over the Susquehanna River is one of six Lancaster County plans flagged for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. In August, state officials requested a list of high-priority projects from planners across the state in case a new pot of federal infrastructure money arrived. But it is very early. The lists from each region are preliminary and not necessarily projects that will be addressed with federal funds from the infrastructure bill, according to PennDOT. Republican county Commissioner Ray DAgostino said its impossible to say at this point how the infrastructure bill will affect projects locally without knowing specifics about how funding will flow to state and local governments. DAgostino also chairs the Lancaster County Metropolitan Planning Organization, a group designed to collect and represent local input for transportation projects funded largely through federal and state dollars. All but one of the six projects flagged for PennDOT are already in the MPOs four-year plan. A bridge replacement in Ephrata Township is in its longer-term plans. But DAgostino said he would like to see an open process with considerations for other projects as well. Id like to see, quite frankly, us be able to do some things that are real value-adds, that can have a great return on the investment, but the investment doesnt really take as much as some of these large projects, DAgostino said. One example is new traffic signaling for congested roadways, he said. Democratic county Commissioner Craig Lehman and Republican Commissioner Josh Parsons did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Republican U.S. Rep. Lloyd Smucker also did not respond to a request for comment. Smucker voted against the infrastructure bill Friday. In a tweet the same day, he called it a massive trillion-dollar tax and spend bill. It might move the needle PennDOT officials have not yet followed up with the Lancaster County Planning Department on next steps for greenlighting projects through the infrastructure bill, said Scott Standish, the departments executive director. Biden has yet to sign the bill, but he said over the weekend he will sign it soon. The $1 trillion figure is a massive investment when compared to recent history. The $787 billion 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that passed during the height of the Great Recession earmarked $48 billion for transportation projects. Thats less than the $66 billion the new infrastructure bill has allocated just for Amtrak. The bill reserves $110 billion for highways and bridges alone. But when spread around the whole country, it may not go as far as one might think, said Standish. It might move the needle on a couple of really important projects, but Im not sure its really going to change things up incredibly, Standish said. But from what I remember when looking at it, the package has a number of positive things in terms of transit, rail, resources for other transportation, so I think thats all positive. The projects The six items below make up the list of high-priority projects Lancaster County planners submitted in September to PennDOT in case new federal money became available. They are already in the countys long-term plans for PennDOT projects, and are ranked in no particular order: A $26 million road resurfacing of Route 222 from just north of the Jake Landis Interchange to Route 772. The 2.6-mile project would touch on Manheim, Warwick and West Earl townships. A $5 million rehab of the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Susquehanna River that includes new bike lanes and improved connections to nearby bike trails. It also calls for new lighting under the bridge to eliminate crashes and disruptions caused by mayflies. over the Susquehanna River that includes new bike lanes and improved connections to nearby bike trails. It also calls for new lighting under the bridge to eliminate crashes and disruptions caused by mayflies. Upgraded intersections at the interchange of routes 30 and 462 in East Lampeter Township , a $32 million project. That would include upgrades to traffic signals new sidewalks and bike lanes. in , a $32 million project. That would include upgrades to traffic signals new sidewalks and bike lanes. An intersection improvement at Route 324 and Route 222 with a price tag of $2.75 million. The improvements would address a confusing intersection configuration with a potential roundabout. It would also include bike and sidewalk improvements. with a price tag of $2.75 million. The improvements would address a confusing intersection configuration with a potential roundabout. It would also include bike and sidewalk improvements. A $3 million bridge replacement over Cocalico Creek in Ephrata Township on Mohler Church Road . The area sees heavy truck traffic and is a common site for flooding, according to planning officials. in on . The area sees heavy truck traffic and is a common site for flooding, according to planning officials. A $3 million nine-mile extension of the Enola Low Grade Trail project that would lead to a connection to a Chester County trail and beyond. WASHINGTON (AP) A suspected Ukrainian hacker has been arrested and charged in the United States in connection with a string of costly ransomware attacks, including one that snarled businesses around the globe on the Fourth of July weekend, U.S. officials said Monday. Yaroslav Vasinskyi was arrested last month after traveling to Poland, according to the Justice Department, which also announced the recovery of $6.1 million in ill-gotten funds from a Russian national who was separately charged and remains sought by the FBI. Both men are alleged to be affiliated with the prolific Russia-based REvil ransomware gang, whose attacks have compromised tens of thousands of computers worldwide and yielded at least $200 million in ransom payments, said Attorney General Merrick Garland. Victims have included the world's largest meat processor, JBS SA, and a technology company called Kaseya, which was hit in a holiday weekend attack last July that the company said affected between 800 and 1,500 businesses that relied on its software. The coordination of multiple agencies across the Biden administration amounted to perhaps the most high-profile response yet to a blitz of ransomware attacks that officials say continues to threaten national security and the economy. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco appeared to foreshadow Monday's announcement in an interview with The Associated Press last week, saying that in the days and weeks to come, youre going to see more arrests" as well as more seizures of illicit ransomware proceeds. Speaking at a news conference Monday, she said, We have been using every tool at our disposal and leveraging every authority we have to hunt down and hold accountable cybercriminals wherever they seek to hide." The indictment accuses Vasinskyi, 22, of deploying REvil ransomware, also known as Sodinokibi, a broad range of victims including the massive Kaseya attack. Yevgeniy Polyanin, a Russian national, is charged in a separate indictment. He's accused of conducting roughly 3,000 ransomware attacks on companies and entities across the U.S., including law enforcement agencies and local governments in the state of Texas. Both indictments were filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, a state where REvil ransomware compromised the computer networks of some two dozen local government agencies in the summer of 2019. The U.S. is seeking Vasinskyi's extradition from Poland. Though it successfully seized $6 million in ransomware payments from Polyanin, the FBI is continuing to seek his arrest, and the State Department on Monday announced a $10 million reward for anyone with information leading to the capture of any leaders of the REvil group. The Treasury Department, meanwhile, announced sanctions against the pair as well as a virtual currency exchange, Chatex, that it said was used to facilitate financial transactions for ransomware gangs. President Joe Biden commended the government's actions, saying he was making good on his commitment to Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the U.S. would hold cyber criminals accountable. He said in a statement that the U.S. was bringing the full strength of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors and to bolster resilience at home. The announcement of the criminal charges came hours after European law enforcement officials revealed the results of a lengthy, 17-nation operation. As part of that operation, Europol said, a total of seven hackers linked to REvil and another ransomware family have been arrested since February, including two last week by Romanian authorities. The Justice Department has tried multiple ways to address a ransomware scourge that has exploded over the last year with attacks against critical infrastructure and major corporations. Arrests of foreign hackers are significant for the Justice Department, and rare, since many of them operate in the refuge of countries that do not extradite their own citizens to the U.S. for prosecution. Theres lots of reasons why people travel, and I cant get into the specific reasons why Mr. Vasinskyi traveled, but boy are we glad he did, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Monday. Even so, ransomware attacks in which hackers seize and encrypt data and demand often-exorbitant sums to release it to victims have been hard to curb. Monaco told the AP last week that since Biden's admonitions to Putin last summer to rein in ransomware gangs, we have not seen a material change in the landscape. Garland did not answer directly when asked if there was evidence that the Russian government was aware of REvil's activities, but said, we expect and hope that any government in which one of these ransomware actors is residing will do everything it can to provide that person to us for prosecution. The $6.1 million seizure in this case builds on a similar success from months ago. Federal authorities in June seized $2.3 million in cryptocurrency from a payment made by Colonial Pipeline following a ransomware attack that caused the company to temporarily halt operations, creating fuel shortages in parts of the country. Justice Department officials also used Monday's news conference to urge Congress to create a national standard for the reporting of significant cyber incidents, and to require that that information be shared immediately with federal law enforcement. Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Pennsylvania school districts will be allowed to modify or end the mask mandate for K-12 students in January, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday, saying it is time to prepare for a transition back to a more normal setting. The Democratic governor said that, on Jan. 17, he expects to turn over decisions about masking to local school officials. The state's universal masking requirement for early learning programs and child care facilities will remain in place. The Wolf administration imposed a statewide mandate in early September amid a surge in infections and hospitalizations from the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. The order from acting Health Secretary Alison Beam required that students, staff and visitors at K-12 schools and child care facilities wear masks while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The mandate sparked a fierce backlash among some parents, and two lawsuits seeking to overturn it are pending. The decision to end the statewide masking order comes days after federal officials approved the COVID-19 vaccine for younger children. Now, we are in a different place than we were in September, and it is time to prepare for a transition back to a more normal setting, Wolf said in a statement released by his office. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus is now a part of our daily lives, but with the knowledge weve gained over the past 20 months and critical tools like the vaccine at our disposal, we must take the next step forward in our recovery. The administration did not indicate whether changing public health conditions might stop Wolf from ceding decision-making authority on masking to school districts. We will continue to monitor trends to ensure that students, faculty and staff continue to learn and work in person in a safe environment, Wolf press secretary Beth Rementer said in an email. In a note to school districts, Education Secretary Noe Ortega said Monday his department will provide clarifying guidance in the coming weeks. House Education Chair Curt Sonney, R-Erie, said that Wolf's decision was about time." House Republican caucus spokesperson Jason Gottesman said local choice on masks should be allowed right away, adding that local decision-making had been contentious but productive before the mandate was imposed. The decision today would have the unfortunate impact of forcing these local elected leaders, many of whom are newly elected, into the trying circumstance of relitigating these already-made decisions, Gottesman said. Leonard Rich, superintendent of Laurel School District in Lawrence County, said his district will make masking optional as soon as the statewide mandate is lifted. He said coronavirus cases in his small district have remained low even though mask-wearing has been spotty among students. I think schools will shed these mandates rather quickly, and I think that Jan. 17 is about five months too late to return it to a local decision, he said. Wolf had previously vowed that masking would remain a local decision, but reversed course in late summer. He said then that a universal, statewide order was warranted after nearly 90% of the states 500 districts did not impose their own mask requirement for schools. Two pending lawsuits assert the Wolf administration had no legal right to impose the mask mandate. The plaintiffs among them the top leader of the state Senate, President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre include parents who contend that masks interfere with their childrens breathing and cause other problems. Pennsylvanias Commonwealth Court heard arguments in the suits last month but has yet to rule. Despite many Republican state lawmakers being opposed to the mask mandate, the GOP-majority Legislature has not approved legislation to overturn it. Schools are largely back to offering in-person instruction. Despite the universal masking order, more school-aged children are being infected with the coronavirus this academic year than last, when many schools were teaching remotely or using a hybrid model. Nearly 5,000 children ages 5-18 contracted the virus in the week ending Nov. 2, nearly three times as many as in the same week in 2020, according to the state Health Department. A major teachers union, AFT Pennsylvania, said it was concerned that most districts would quickly abandon masking. Although highly populous school districts like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown had intended to require students to wear masks when the statewide order came down in August, they were among a small minority. We are so close to being out of the woods; sending the decision back to irresponsible, politically motivated school boards will only further lengthen this pandemic and put our kids and educators and their families at risk, said Arthur G. Steinberg, president of AFT Pennsylvania. But the states largest school employees union, the Pennsylvania School Employees Association, said Wolfs announcement was consistent with its view that districts should follow the advice of medical experts. PSEA spokesperson Chris Lilienthal said it makes sense to start planning for a return to greater normalcy, given recent declines in COVID-19 cases among school-aged children and the availability of vaccines. Kaylyn Mitchell, outgoing president of the Quakertown Community School Board outside Philadelphia, said the statewide masking order had created needless division in school districts. Mitchell, an independent who occasionally switches party registration to vote in Democratic primaries, said she knows parents of all political stripes who were concerned about the long-term impact of masking on their children. Beams masking order said school officials who do not enforce it may face criminal penalties and could lose immunity from civil lawsuits. When: East Drumore supervisors meeting, Nov. 4. What happened: Supervisors heard a contribution request from Bob May, executive director of Lancaster EMS. Supervisors did not take action on the requested increase to $16,365 yearly for the 2022 and 2023 contributions. Officials are still drafting the 2022 budget. Why it matters: East Drumore is served by two EMS organizations. Lancaster EMS, which covers 21 municipalities in Lancaster County, serves most of the township, while Wakefield EMS serves 80 residents in the southern portion of the township. May noted EMS services across America are in financial hardship, and that in Pennsylvania, EMS services are not considered an essential service like fire and police. Calculation: May said he used the 2019 numbers to calculate the contribution request. In 2019, of the 21 municipalities Lancaster EMS serves, East Drumore had 2.34% of total 911 calls. This percentage was multiplied by $700,000 the amount Lancaster EMS is seeking to gather from all the municipalities. In 2020, service volume decreased due to the pandemic, so 2019 service numbers were applied. Retention: The pandemic and vaccine mandates have negatively affected retention. May said the vacancy rate of Lancaster EMS is around 20%, compared to 0% five years ago. Stress, underappreciation and low pay are reasons why people are leaving EMS work, May said. Investment: May said Lancaster EMS is planning to invest $150,000 to increase wages in addition to the $700,000 requested from all 21 municipalities. May said the contribution would help improve wages. Currently, an EMT at Lancaster EMS makes $15 an hour. He is eyeing to increase EMT salary to $18 an hour. While paramedics currently make $21 an hour, May is eyeing to increase to $25 per hour. By increasing wages, he can compete with FedEx, Sheetz and Rutters. EMS Authority: May told supervisors insurance companies are forwarding checks for services onto the patient, which often results in nonpayment because patients are keeping the check. To combat this, there are six EMS authorities in Pennsylvania. Similar to a sewer authority, these organizations have the power to tax and put liens on the property of people who are placed in collections. May said they are exploring creating an authority in Lancaster County, adding the fruition of it is 3-4 years away. Quotable: "We have patients that admit to us that they call an ambulance so they get a check," May said, adding it's "not illegal" and a "problem across the commonwealth." Supervisors comment: Chair Scott Kreider said the township is home to the Quarryville Presbyterian Home, a nursing home that generates most of the calls from East Drumore. He also corrected May on the numbers presented to officials, which listed East Drumore at a support rate of $0 for the 2020 fiscal year. The township gave $4,950 to Lancaster EMS. Meet the supervisor-elect: Tim Redcay, a Republican was elected and will replace Vice Chair Brett Holzhauer on the board of supervisors. Holzhauer said his term expired. Redcay ran unopposed with 629 votes. Whats next: Supervisors will meet at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at the township building, 925 Robert Fulton Highway. The frame of the Wrightsville Fire & Rescue Companys rescue engine a 26-year-old Seagrave is rusted and its condition so bad that Chief Chad Livelsberger is worried it wont pass the state vehicle inspection in 2022. If it doesnt pass, weve got to put it out of service, he told Wrightsville Borough Council at its Nov. 1 meeting. The garage is hoping we can get two years out of it, but nothings promised, Livelsberger said. So, the fire company is in the market for a new apparatus with a price tag of at least $900,000, and we need to sign for something by the end of the year, Livelsberger said. It will take 18 to 24 months to be delivered. The chief said Hellam Township has set aside funds in its capital reserves to make a substantial downpayment on a new engine. He also said the township offered to finance the purchase and when its paid off, the fire company will get the title. Hellam Township Manager Corina Mann didnt respond to an email seeking comment. Livelsberger suggested that Wrightsville could either create its own capital reserve fund or contribute to the townships to assist with the purchase. Currently, the borough contributes $57,000 to the fire company through a fire tax, which is six-tenths of the 6 mills that property owners are assessed. Council President Eric J. White said theres some question about whether the fire tax is at a maximum allowed by state law. Livelsberger also said that in 2022 York County is planning to upgrade radios for emergency services, and by 2023 the fire companys radios will no longer be supported by the software they use. He said the fire company will have to replace 26 portable radios at a cost of about $4,000 each. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is coming down the road, Livelsberger said. In other news, solicitor Zachary Nahass informed council that the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board approved Wrightsvilles request to enforce its own noise ordinance for another three years. In August 2020, the borough made the request, which was approved for one year. After that year, the PLCB reviewed the matter and extended the request until 2024. I am co-owner of a small business in Lancaster, Fluent Business Solutions, that has worked for over a decade helping other small businesses increase revenue, grow their businesses and create more Pennsylvania jobs. Over the years, there have been a lot of folks who are not business owners and are not part of this community claiming to speak for me and to represent the needs and desires of business owners. In doing so, theyve created a system that tilts the playing field in favor of the big corporations and makes it hard for small businesses like mine to compete. I cannot sit by and watch this continue. It is time you all hear straight from people like me real business owners who actually live in and love our community about what we want to see happen in this critical moment as Congress debates investments in the future of this country. I support investments in the care economy that make early childhood education, child care and dependent care more affordable and accessible to all families. These investments would bring more people into the workforce, which I welcome as a small business owner who thrives when there is a more robust, diverse employment pool. Similarly, I support investments in higher education, including tuition-free community college. Im tired of hearing complaints about how hard it is to find qualified people to fill positions. We have an opportunity to invest in that talent pipeline and produce a more highly skilled labor force with the reconciliation bill working its way through Congress. I support a federal program providing paid family and medical leave and expanding access and affordability of health insurance. These are benefits that many of us cannot afford to provide as a small business, and that makes it hard for me to compete for many talented employees who can get them from large corporations. Federal programs level the playing field and allow small businesses like mine to compete for the best talent. I sincerely hope this is included in the final version of the Build Back Better legislation. I recognize that these investments have a price tag attached, and that we have to pay for them. That is why we need to take a hard look at our tax system and whether it is raising revenue in a fair and equitable way, so that we can afford these investments. There were 39 corporations that made more than $120 billion in combined profits from 2018 to 2020 and paid net zero dollars in federal income taxes for those three years. Many even received tax refunds. Another 73 of Americas largest corporations, including Amazon, Netflix, Nike and Disney paid less than half the statutory corporate income tax rate of 21% and, as a group, paid just 5.3% of their profits in taxes during that period. And billionaires wealth ballooned during the pandemic, while small businesses across the country closed. I dont begrudge these companies for their success. Good for them. But I pay my taxes every year, without a team of accountants and lawyers to help me avoid paying what I owe. These corporations can afford to do the same to fund the investments we need to create a level playing field for businesses big and small. Main Street Alliance recently came out with a set of recommendations that would help do that and many have been included in versions of the Build Back Better proposal. There is a lot of misinformation out there. And its particularly frustrating when politicians talk about what is good for small businesses but proceed with policies that rig the system in favor of corporations. I am a small business owner. I want investments in the care economy, education and a federal paid family and medical leave program. And I want corporations and the richest Americans to finally start paying their fair share to fund it. Whenever you hear a deep-pocketed politician or special interest group tell you small businesses want otherwise, ask yourself, Who are they really representing? It certainly isnt me. - Mike Simmons is the co-owner of Fluent Business Solutions in Lancaster and a member of the Main Street Alliance, a national network of small business owners. THE ISSUE As Spotlight PA reported, Gov. Tom Wolf last week revealed that his wife, Pennsylvania first lady Frances Wolf, dropped his mail ballot off for him, a violation of Pennsylvania election law. State law currently prohibits, in most cases, anyone other than the voter from returning a mail ballot, an act punishable by up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. On the KDKA Radio Morning Show, host Kevin Battle asked Wolf if he visited the polls to vote in person during Tuesdays municipal election. I didnt show up in person at the polls. We voted a couple weeks ago, actually, Wolf said. My wife actually dropped it off personally two weeks ago, so its there. As Spotlight PA explained, Pennsylvania law does allow voters with disabilities who arent able to return their own ballot to designate someone else to do it for them. A voter can also designate a representative to return an emergency absentee ballot. But in all other cases, voters have to mail or bring their ballot to an elections office, satellite location, or drop box themselves. Spotlight PA is a nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer; its partners include LNP Media Group. Elizabeth Rementer, a spokesperson for Wolf, said that the governors violation of state election law was an honest mistake. And in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer, even state Rep. Seth Grove, the York County Republican who chairs the state House committee that considers election issues, said, This happens. No one is an election law expert, right? Average citizens arent. Were inclined to be less forgiving. The governor is not an average citizen. He should be well acquainted with the states election law. This wasnt the crime of the century, but Wolf deserves a slap on the wrist. Because, as the legal principle states, Ignorantia juris non excusat ignorance of a law is not an excuse, for a governor or an average citizen. Which is not to say this is a good law. Its ridiculous, actually. And as Grove pointed out on Twitter, what Wolf did would have been legal had the governor signed, rather than vetoed, Pennsylvania House Bill 1300 in June. As Spotlight PA explained, that bill, introduced by Grove, would have allowed members of the same household to return each others ballots. Inspectors of election from the two major parties would have been required to verify the identity of each person dropping off a ballot and ensure the voter signed and dated it. The bill would have also implemented stricter voter identification requirements, allowed in-person early voting, and required signature verification of mail ballots. Wolf vetoed the bill, in part, because of the ID rules. We were concerned by several aspects of the bill, including its voter signature verification requirement, which would have entailed a costly, unwieldy process that could have disenfranchised voters with inconsistent signatures. As The Caucus, LNP Media Groups watchdog publication, reported, even the signature of state House Speaker Bryan Cutler of Drumore Township sometimes features cursive writing that is clear and recognizable, while other times it contains a clear first letter followed by a line with no distinct letters. He also includes his middle initial on some occasions, but not consistently. The differences are visible in records signed within a few years of each other. Building and staffing the cumbersome infrastructure to verify voter signatures would have cost significant time and money to address a problem voter fraud thats already rare. It seemed to us that state Republicans mostly wanted to push through a sweeping voting reform bill because former President Donald Trump lost Pennsylvania and the presidency last November. He lost fair and square. As Trumps attorney general and former election cybersecurity chief confirmed, there was no evidence of widespread fraud or irregularity that would have altered the elections outcome. But we regretted that one reform for which county elections officials have been clamoring went down with House Bill 1300: the ability to precanvass that is, to inspect, open and count (but not record) mailed ballots before Election Day. The bill also would have increased poll worker pay, which seems necessary after the anger to which some poll workers were subjected last year. As weve noted before, theres room for some refinement of Pennsylvanias election laws. We need our elected leaders to work together in good faith on those refinements, just as they worked together to pass Act 77, the 2019 voting reform law that enabled no-excuse mail-in voting in Pennsylvania. That was a good, if not perfect, law and it was supported by Republicans as well as Democrats until Trump lost. Unfortunately, Republicans including Grove lost credibility on election reform when they pushed for Congress to reject Pennsylvanias electors in a misguided and dangerous attempt to reverse the 2020 presidential election results. Both federal and state Republican leadership sowed distrust about the election by perpetuating lies about election fraud and election irregularities for which there is no evidence, Eliza Sweren-Becker, counsel for the Brennan Center for Justice, told LNP | LancasterOnline earlier this year. They are now saying, Were hearing from our constituents that they want us to address the problems. Theres this false circular logic; by spreading the Big Lie about the election, now theyre pointing to the concern that they created. Interestingly, were not hearing anything about supposed irregularities or fraud related to last Tuesdays municipal election, in which Republicans won control of municipal and school boards and dominated in the state appellate judge contests. Mail-in voting seemed to work out just fine for the GOP in that instance. Because, on the whole, it does work well. Which is why a massive overhaul of Pennsylvanias voting processes isnt required. We would like, however, to see Republicans and Democrats work together to make the tweaks that would make elections easier to administer and participate in. "Together is the operative word, to ensure that any changes to the state election code would make voting easier and more accessible, and are not spurred by falsehoods or pique. Unfortunately, there is too much acrimony and distrust between the two parties in Harrisburg. Perhaps Groves This happens comment about Wolfs voting misstep was an olive branch. Perhaps were naive to even entertain that possibility. All we know is that until Republican leaders emphatically reject the Big Lie that is undermining our democracy, and until efforts are made to reach across the aisle and work together for the benefit of Pennsylvania voters, the distrust and acrimony will continue to grow. The decision by Gov. Tom Wolf to reward what I view as bad behavior with five days of paid leave is unreal (Workers get time off for vax, The Associated Press story in Nov. 2 LNP | LancasterOnline). State employees already are given six hours to get their two shots, plus a day off. Because of equal treatment for everyone, this means that all of those who were previously vaccinated would also receive this taxpayer gift. I am fully in favor of vaccinations, having just scheduled my booster shot. Shouldnt keeping your job and helping protect others and your family, plus a day off, be enough? The estimated cost of $100 million could certainly be put to many better uses. John Zinkland Manheim Township A United States travel ban on foreign visitors from many countries was lifted on Monday. The action permitted many international travelers to take passenger flights to America for the first time since the COVID-19 health crisis began. Travelers must show that they are fully vaccinated before they can get on a plane. They are also required to show a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel. Children under 18 do not need to be vaccinated, but are required to take a COVID-19 test. Children younger than two years do not need to take a test. The administration of former President Donald Trump first placed COVID-19-related restrictions on air travelers from China in January 2020. These were later extended to 33 countries, including many in Europe. Americans have been permitted to travel to Europe for months. European governments had been pushing the U.S. to change its policies. The U.S. had also restricted entry through land borders from Mexico and Canada to only essential travel. Beginning Monday, anyone can enter if they show proof that they have been vaccinated. Acceptable vaccines are those approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO). These include injections from Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca and Chinas Sinovac. Russias Sputnik V vaccine has not been approved by the WHO and is not acceptable. There will be exceptions to the vaccine requirement for people from countries where fewer than 10 percent of the population has been vaccinated. Travelers from those nations will need special permission from the U.S. government to enter. Airline companies will be responsible for enforcing the vaccine requirements and could face government fines if they do not follow the rules. Alice Keane told Reuters news agency she was finally getting to travel from London to Miami to see her sister. She said it was really, really exciting. I was meant to go just before COVID happened, and obviously its been delayed this long, so its really exciting to finally be able to go, she said. Virgin Atlantic chief Shai Weiss told Reuters that the British airlines planes were full. He said business was expected to remain strong in coming weeks into the holiday season. Delta Airlines Chief Executive Ed Bastian warned travelers to expect long lines. But he promised the company would aim to reduce wait times and get things sorted out. Bindiya Patel spoke to Reuters at Londons Heathrow Airport. "I think we might just start crying," she said. Patel explained that she was going to see her one-year-old nephew in New York for the first time. Mexico's Ciudad Juarez is just across the border from El Paso, Texas. In that city, a line of about 20 people formed early Monday to enter the U.S., Reuters reported. Some members of the group had not seen family members on the other side since March 2020. "We thought they were going to tell us again that they had decided not to open it," said Lorena Hernandez. She was reunited with her grown-up daughter in El Paso. "I said, if they don't reopen, Im going to take a plane," she added. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________ Words in This Story negative adj. in a medical test, negative means the person being tested does not have a disease essential adj. completely necessary obvious adj. easy to understand or see sort (something) out v. (phrasal) to deal successfully with something, such as a problem or difficult situation Hundreds of little robots are rolling around colleges and cities in the United States, Britain and elsewhere. The robots, about 50 centimeters tall, are bringing food like pizza to hungry students. The robots were being tested in limited numbers before the pandemic started. But pandemic-related worker shortages and a desire for contactless delivery have expanded their use. We saw demand for robot usage just go through the ceiling, said Alastair Westgarth. He is the head of Starship Technologies, whose robots recently made their 2 millionth delivery. I think demand was always there, but it was brought forward by the pandemic effect." Starship has deployed more than 1,000 robots, up from just 250 in 2019. Hundreds more will be sent out soon. They are delivering food at 20 U.S. colleges and 25 more will be added soon. They are also operating in Milton Keynes, England; Modesto, California; and the companys hometown of Tallinn, Estonia. The robots use cameras, sensors and GPS to move around and even cross streets on their own at the speed of 8 kilometers per hour. Operators keep watch on several robots at a time but they say they rarely need to stop or move them around a barrier. When a robot arrives, people enter a code from their phones to open the robot and get their food. There are some limitations for now. The robots have to be recharged regularly. They are slow and cannot travel far. They will not leave food at the door. And big cities like New York and Beijing are not welcoming them. Data company NPD found that U.S. food delivery orders increased 66 percent for the year ending in June. And delivery demand could remain high even after the pandemic because people have gotten used to the service. Ji Hye Kim is the chef of Miss Kim restaurant in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She used robot delivery when her dining room was closed last year. Kim prefers robots to delivery companies which cost more and sometimes cancel orders if they do not have enough drivers. Delivery companies also group several orders per trip, she said, so food sometimes arrives cold. Robots take just one order at a time. Kim said the robots also excite people who often share videos of their interactions. Denis Maloney is the vice president at Dominos Pizza. His company is testing robots from Nuro, a California-based company. The robots are about 1.8 meters tall and can travel at a top speed of 40 kilometers on streets, not sidewalks. Maloney said Nuro delivery costs more than using human drivers for now. But as the technology gets more popular, the costs will go down. Brendan Witcher is a technology expert with Forrester. He said it is easy to get excited about robots. But they will need to prove to companies they are better than human delivery drivers. It is the right time and place for companies considering robots to test them and learn from them and do their own evaluation. Im Dan Novak. Dee-Ann Durbin reported this story for The Associated Press. Dan Novak adapted it for VOA Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________ Words in This Story delivery n. the act of taking something to a person or place ceiling n. an upper limit sensor n. a device that detects or senses heat, light, sound, motion, etc., and then reacts to it in a particular way GPS n. a device that detects or senses heat, light, sound, motion, etc., and then reacts to it in a particular way code n. a set of letters, numbers, symbols, etc., that is used to secretly send messages to someone chef n. a professional cook who usually is in charge of a kitchen in a restaurant dining room n. a room that is used for eating meals interact v. to talk or do things with other people evaluation n. to judge the value or condition of (someone or something) in a careful and thoughtful way More than 6,500 military service members who gave the last full measure of devotion in Iraq and Afghanistan are enshrined on the Wall of Honor, a mobile memorial that is on display at Albany City Hall during the week of Veterans Day. The wall is a powerful visual tribute composed of panels listing those who fell to enemy action since Desert Storm in 1991. The fallen represent every branch of military service, every state and several American territories. A photo and brief biography accompanies each name on the wall. Among the additional displays with the wall there is a memorial dedicated to the 13 service members who were killed in August in Kabul during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Debbie Modesitt, secretary for Vets Helping Vets HQ, has traveled with the wall for around six years. She said the modular design makes for easier setup in different places. Modesitt has been to a number of Oregon locations with it as well as the recent deployment to Oswego, Illinois. Veterans there found the wall online and asked to display it at their city hall. Ive never seen it set up the same way twice, she said. Modesitt, whose late husband was a Korean War veteran, said when people see it put together, the wall has a staggering effect, leaving them stunned by the sacrifices of the past three decades. Once she saw a mother explain the wars to her young son before showing him his fathers entry on the wall. It was heart-wrenching, leaving Modesitt in tears. People need to know the losses that weve had, Modesitt said. And this is a good way of doing it. Dave Perry has been the Wall of Honor historian for Vets Helping Vets HQ for around 10 years. He carries a binder full of information about some of those who appear on the wall, but Perry seems to know the story behind every life lost. A Vietnam War Navy veteran, he navigates the panels more like a caretaker than a historian, pointing out lost brothers and sisters as he goes. Perry has seen the Wall of Honors impact firsthand many times. Those who are grieving loss, even decades later, can be broken down to the raw emotional level, sometimes physically crumpling at the sight of their loved ones name. The Department of Veterans Affairs will often send a counselor along when the Wall is on display. 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. There is a phrase among military members: some gave all and all gave some. Its a nod to the fallen but also to the sacrifices of all those who serve. Perry said every veteran changes some a little, some a lot but they all give up a piece of themselves through military service. It helps those people who are not veterans understand that these men and women were prepared to go up front, Perry said, noting a quotation that says a soldier fights not because of what is in front of him but for the love of what is behind him. And for those who dont have military backgrounds or family members, they can kind of peek behind the veterans curtain, Perry said. The Wall of Honor is important for veterans to see on display, Perry said. It presents the opportunity to begin a healing process, not just for veterans of recent wars, but for all those who wore the uniform regardless of when or where or how they served. Theres an uncanny brotherhood among veterans, Perry said. Whether you served in combat or not, there is an understanding veterans will talk to veterans. Faces of the Fallen becomes the Wall of Honor Formerly known as Faces of the Fallen, the wall was initially created in 2003 by Milwaukie High School student Alicia Tallman as a senior project. Her sister, Kelly Tallman, later assumed responsibility for updating the display. It began with 24 panels, each measuring around 7 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Faces of the Fallen first came to Albany as part of the Freedom Fest celebration a decade ago. Set in the Heritage Mall from late October through the week of Veterans Day. This continued until 2014, when Vets Helping Vets HQ was asked to take over the display. Faces of the Fallen had only been current through 2010. In the transformation to the Wall of Honor, the panels were reprinted and a new format was created. There are now around three dozen panels with 104 names on each side, including panels explaining the history of the wars and highlighting sponsors. A local graphic arts company helped with the new look. Arthur Meeker, owner of Xtreme Grafx, approached Vets Helping Vets HQ in 2014 proposing to put the data on new panels before the next showing. Thousands of hours were devoted to reformatting the design. The fallen from Desert Storm and Desert Shield were added in 2017. The Wall of Honor is updated annually and represents a continuous tribute to the fallen. For more information, including how to have the wall displayed in your area, contact Vets Helping Vets HQ as 541-791-4357 or at vhvhqthebunker@gmail.com. On the wall Fallen local service members who appear on the Wall of Honor: Corvallis Army Spc. Joseph Blickenstaff, 23 Dec. 8, 2003 (Iraq) Unit: 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Lewis, Washington Death: Killed when his armored personnel carrier rolled into a canal after an embankment collapsed in Ad Duluiyah. Brownsville Army Sgt. Travis Moothart, 23 Jan. 27, 2004 (Iraq) Unit: Company B, 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division (Mech.), Fort Riley, Kansas. Death: Killed when an improvised explosive device exploded next to his convoy in Khalidiyah. Lebanon National Guard Staff Sgt. Kevin. D. Davis, 40 April 8, 2005 (Iraq) Unit: G Troop, 82nd Cavalry, Oregon Army National Guard, Redmond, Oregon. Death: Died of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Hawijah. Tangent Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tyler Troyer, 21 Nov. 19, 2005 (Iraq) Unit: 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Death: Died of wounds sustained from small-arms fire while he was conducting combat operations against enemy forces in Karmah. Corvallis Army Sgt. Sean P. Fennerty, 25 Jan. 20, 2007 (Iraq) Unit: 3rd Battalion, 509th Infantry (Airborne), 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska. Death: Died of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee in Karmah. Albany Army Sgt. Mikeal W. Miller, 22 Jan. 27, 2008 (Iraq) Unit: 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, Fort Carson, Colorado. Death: Died of wounds sustained when the vehicle he was in encountered an improvised explosive device. Albany Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Rodewald, 21 Oct. 13, 2010 (Afghanistan) Unit: 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California. Death: Died while conducting combat operations in Helmand Province. Mill City Army Spc. Nickolas S. Welch, 26 Aug. 6, 2013 (Afghanistan) Unit: 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart, Georgia. Death: Died from injuries sustained when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Soltan Kheyl, Wardak Province. Philomath Army Pfc. Cody J. Patterson, 24 Oct. 6, 2013 (Afghanistan) Unit: 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia Death: Died when his unit was attacked with a makeshift bomb in Zhari District. Cody Mann covers the cities of Albany and Lebanon. He can be contacted at 541-812-6113 or Cody.Mann@lee.net. 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. One advertised advisor, President Gordon Gee at West Virginia University, has already renounced some of the absurd claims being made about higher education on behalf of Lonsdale's project. So many of the claims in the essay announcing it are absurd that I expect more prominent names will follow suit, or dissociate entirely. Even more embarrassing is that one of the other advisors is an actual Catholic authoritarian, who does not believe in free speech or free inquiry. ADDENDUM: If the University of Austin wants to show it is serious about dissident opinions in the academy, it should appoint Norman Finkelstein, the political science professor fired from DePaul University, despite far exceeding its tenure standards, but punished because of his heterodox views about Israel. A bystander watches police crews investigate the scene of a two-vehicle crash near Eighth Street and Ninth Avenue on Tuesday. The driver of a blue 2007 Pontiac G6 was identified Monday as Jayne Carr, 32, of Lewiston. Buellton might soon become a creative hub should real estate developer Ed St. George get the buy-in he needs from local residents and city officials to build a 55 micro-unit work/live campus featuring an in-house research, development and entrepreneurship lab on Industrial Way. The new project would be in addition to the developer's project in downtown Solvang, a 43 work/live-unit property and a 92-room hotel with a restaurant, wellness center and penthouse pool. Locals were introduced to the Buellton campus idea during an Oct. 30 open house in Solvang, where they walked through a micro-unit model on display, which had been manufactured at the developer's Santa Barbara headquarters. "It was a great turnout," St. George said, noting that approximately 80 people were in attendance. "We really received good feedback. In fact, we had people asking if they could rent now." The campus-style development would be situated on Industrial Way an up-and-coming light industrial area lined with restaurants, wineries and breweries. St. George believes that with the addition of the campus, the Buellton neighborhood has the potential to become the next "Funk Zone," a lively area in downtown Santa Barbara that features boutique tasting rooms, cafes, galleries and shops. Prior to officially proposing the idea to city officials, St. George has been focused on gauging local interest through community outreach that soon will include a town hall meeting and one-on-one discussions with nearby residents who would be most impacted by the project. "At this point, we're trying to get feedback from the public," St. George said. "The plan is to first go to our immediate neighbors in Rancho de Maria." Buellton Planning Director Andrea Keffer said although there have been some initial discussions with St. George about a potential project, the city is not clear about his plans to develop in town. Ultimately, the idea is an attempt to address the local housing shortage that St. George said has resulted in local labor shortages. The affordable housing solution would keep local talent in the area while helping to redefine Buellton, he said. The Buellton campus would span 3.4 acres and include seven buildings, five of which would be two-story work/live dwellings and a sixth building that would house a community gym and lecture and conference hall. The seventh building would be set aside as a short-term residence hall for visiting college students, professors and lecturers. A central courtyard and sustainable walking trails also are part of the overall design. Within each of the five live/work buildings, the second story, according to St. George, would house college students, graduates and professors, inventors, entrepreneurs and creatives who might otherwise look to larger cities for jobs, housing and a break into entrepreneurship. St. George said the development would be an answer for those who desire simple, affordable living on the Central Coast, and prefer to live closer to family but are unable to afford a large mortgage or high rental prices. Project plans include as many as 55 micro-units, each measuring 380 to 400 square feet designed with elements based in functionality. According to St. George, housing features will be formalized after incorporating community feedback. The ground floor in each work/live building would contain an ideator's lab dubbed RD&E for Research Development and Entrepreneurship featuring cowork spaces and a creator's lab, some complete with 3D-printer, a C&C metal fabricating machine, and a full metal and woodworking shop where residents could work where they live. "I want ideas coming out of there on 'how to build a better mouse trap'; inventions and product that doesn't yet exist," St. George said, noting that he envisions a collaborative space that brings together professionals from all walks of life similar to hubs found in large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and San Francisco. "Whether computer chips or potato chips, you're going to be able to make it here," he added. Further into the future, St. George said he intends to develop a similar micro-unit project in Solvang, which he believes would help reduce the residential carbon footprint, and greenhouse emissions at a time when the city is actively working to combat a growing traffic congestion problem with an electric bike initiative. According to St. George, the micro-unit project is solution-based as more than 90% of potential residents surveyed are not car owners, would prefer to live closer to where they work, or would opt to bicycle as a primary mode of transportation. Once design plans are formalized, discussions with the city of Buellton will resume, he said. "This type of project has been a dream of mine for years, being a student landlord (in Isla Vista, Santa Barbara)," St. George said. "This is the perfect piece of real estate to do it on." +2 Solvang City Council moves ahead with St. George hotel concept The Solvang City Council approved a full docket of items during its Oct. 12 meeting that included replacing a member of the newly formed Brand +5 'We can't wait 10 years': Senior center sidesteps St. George development concept to pursue separate building plans Once the center's $2.5 million capital campaign hits its first financial benchmark $1.5 million the plan is to break ground on the project. So far they have raised $450,000. To submit a map Santa Barbara County residents can create their own suggested supervisorial districts and submit them to the Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission by visiting https://drawsantabarbaracounty.org/draw-a-map/. The site offers the ability to create paper maps, with our without Excel spreadsheets to calculate populations, as well as DistrictR, Maptitude and county interactive mapping tools and links to additional tools. Individuals and organizations who have new supervisorial district boundaries theyd like to suggest have only until noon Friday to submit them to the Santa Barbara County Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission. At 3 p.m. that day, commissioners plan to review the first group of draft supervisorial district maps and hear public comment about them as they work their way toward a Dec. 8 target for adopting a final map. The initial deadline for submitting draft maps was Oct. 18, with the final deadline set for Nov. 3, when the 11-member commission met and planned to review the first group of maps submitted by the public and consultant National Demographics Corp. But Glenn Morris, commission chairman, said there have been delays in getting the final figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, which are needed for creating districts as equal in population and demographics as possible. So we extended the deadline for people to update maps or draw new ones, Morris said. We gave them another week. The meeting, held in Santa Maria, drew about 30 people to the Joseph Centeno Betteravia Government Administration Building plus another 50 or so who watched online, he said. It was good, Morris said. We got lots of public feedback. Were anxious to see the accurate data and get the maps going. Every 10 years, new boundaries for county supervisorial districts must be drawn based on data gathered in the U.S. census, but this is the first year the boundaries in this county will be determined by an independent committee of citizens as established by county ordinance. The process of drawing potential supervisorial district boundaries has been made easier, especially for the public, this year by interactive mapping tools accessible through the commissions website. Morris said all the accurate population figures have now been incorporated into the interactive mapping tools. Ideally, each district should have a population of about 89,300, but there are other criteria to be considered in drawing the boundaries, as specified by the county ordinance. Districts must be geographically contiguous and as compact as possible, and communities of interest should not be divided by district boundaries. A community of interest is defined as a contiguous population that shares common social and economic interests in the county ordinance. Currently, the commissions website has 61 draft maps posted, with 56 of those submitted by the public and five by National Demographics Corp., although not all the public maps are complete and several appear to be attempts that were abandoned with no districts drawn. A licensed marriage and family therapist who has managed mental health programs since 2003 has been named the director of Santa Barbara Countys Behavioral Wellness Department. Antonette Toni Navarro was appointed last week by the Board of Supervisors and is expected to start Dec. 13, taking over from Dr. Pamela Fisher, who was named interim director following the departure of Dr. Alice Gleghorn in June. Fisher will return to her previous role as assistant director of Behavioral Wellness but plans to retire from the county this winter, said a spokeswoman for the county. "I am honored to be joining the Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness team and connecting with county staff, residents, behavioral wellness stakeholders and behavioral health providers throughout the county to hear their perspectives on wellness and recovery; and then working collectively to ensure that the department maintains a system of care that supports those needs in an equitable, effective and fiscally responsible way," Navarro said. The County Behavioral Wellness Department has 403 employees and a budget of $164 million. Navarros annual salary will be a little over $202,380, plus benefits. Navarro has been with Tri-City Mental Health Authority in Los Angeles County since 2008, serving six years as its chief clinical officer and the past seven years as executive director. In that position, she has been responsible for planning, organizing and directing operations of the joint powers authority to provide outpatient specialty mental health services to the cities of Claremont, La Verne and Pomona. Ms. Navarro is an inspiring and experienced leader with a track record of creating innovative programs and developing a dynamic and visionary behavioral system of care, said Mona Miyasato, county executive officer. She has a community-focused approach, with expertise in both clinical programs and administrative oversight, and exhibits a heartfelt passion for this work. Miyasato also recognized Fisher for leading the Behavioral Wellness Department over the past six months, maintaining community relations and providing all services. Navarro grew up in Santa Barbara and attended Santa Barbara High School. She earned a bachelors degree in psychology from University of California, Los Angeles, and a masters degree in education, with an emphasis on marriage and family counseling, from UC Santa Barbara. Her prior experience includes youth and family mental health and substance use disorder programming with Hathaway-Sycamores Children and Family Services in Pacoima and serving on the governing board of the California Behavioral Health Directors Association, the spokeswoman said. For the past eight years, Navarro also has been an adjunct faculty member at the University of La Verne, and she currently serves as president of the California Social Work Education Centers Advisory Board hosted by the University of California, Berkeleys School of Social Welfare. KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) The first man killed by Kyle Rittenhouse on the streets of Kenosha was shot at a range of just a few feet and had soot injuries that could indicate he had his hand over the barrel of Rittenhouses rifle, a pathologist testified Tuesday. But it was unclear from video footage whether Joseph Rosenbaum was grabbing for Rittenhouse's gun or trying to swat it away, said the witness, Dr. Doug Kelley, with the Milwaukee County medical examiners office. Kelley was one of the final witnesses for the state before prosecutors rested their murder case after 5 1/2 days of testimony that were aimed at portraying Rittenhouse as the aggressor but often bolstered the young man's claim of self-defense. His lawyers have suggested the 17-year-old was afraid his gun would be taken away and used against him. The defense then began presenting its side, calling as its first witnesses people who were on the streets with Rittenhouse that night and described him as pale, shaking, sweating and stammering after the shootings. He repeats, I just shot someone over and over, and I believe at some point he said he had to shoot someone, testified Nicholas Smith, who said he had gone to the protests that shook Kenosha that night at the request of the owners of a car dealership to protect the business. Please register or log in to keep reading. No credit card required! Stay logged in to skip the surveys. It is hard to get a handle on the size of this movement. Is it a minuscule splinter of the total force as New York would seem to suggest? Or is it more? One hopes it is the former, but even if it is the latter, were still better off doing without them than caving in to them. Yes, losing a critical number of police officers would constitute a threat to public safety. But so would leaving unvaccinated officers in place to interact daily with an unsuspecting public. And thats just in the short term. Over the long term, there is another arguably, greater concern. Meaning that of leaving law enforcement power in the hands of those who clearly dont respect the law, who think themselves above it. People often rhapsodize about police as a thin blue line standing between us and social chaos. That chaos is hard upon us is obvious from the perusal of any random days news. Recently, for instance, hundreds of QAnon followers stood in the rain in Dallas Dealey Plaza where John F. Kennedy was murdered on Nov. 22, 1963, waiting for the return of the 35th president and his namesake son, who died in a plane crash on July 16, 1999. They believed the two John Kennedys, the elder now 104 years old, would return that day to install Donald Trump as president. After countless showings and probably a few rejected offers, you finally bought a house. The hard part of your housing journey is done and you can relax or so you thought. As a first-time homeowner, theres still plenty of things to take care of: moving, decorating and protecting your investment. During your house hunt, you probably realized that a lot of the conventional wisdom about home buying isnt quite right. In this next stage of your homeownership journey, you might find that some of the advice for new homeowners is equally suspect. Here are some of the most common myths youll hear as a new homeowner and why you shouldnt believe them. Find the #1 Home Warranty in Your State. From your refrigerator to your AC System, home warranties can help you keep everything covered. Click your state to start protecting your home and appliances today! Myth #1: You can worry about maintenance costs later Make room in your budget for home maintenance even if you bought a sparkly new construction. Every home is going to require some TLC to get it move-in ready. According to listing site Zillow and home repair marketplace Thumbtack, the average home for sale needs about $27,000 worth of work. Beyond the costs to get in the door, assume youll spend between 1% and 4% of the homes value on maintenance each year. In general, people will spend more if their home is older and less if it was built more recently, but thats not a hard fast rule. As soon as you move into your new home, wear and tear are going to start taking their toll. Taking the steps to keep your home in top shape can help prevent expensive repairs down the line. Gutters get clogged, paint can start peeling and concrete can start cracking. It wont hurt to routinely walk around the home to make sure the exterior is in good shape. Small paint touch-ups, for example, are easier to take care of than redoing the whole exterior. Other items may not be as obvious. Change the filters on your HVAC system every 30 days to six months (depending on your system), clean out your septic tank every three to five years and clean the swimming pool at least once a quarter. If your home has a fireplace, it needs to be cleaned routinely how often will depend on the amount of use you give it. Other items youll need to check on include smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Make sure the batteries are in place and that the systems work properly. Myth #2: Its best to decorate and buy everything before move-in New home, new start, new furniture, right? Not necessarily. You just made the biggest purchase of your life, its understandable if you dont feel financially (or emotionally) ready to spend even more. You dont necessarily have to go out and furnish the whole house at once, especially if youre up-sizing or downsizing. In fact, sometimes its better to wait. When Amy Herman Schechter, an agent with real estate brokerage Serhant in New York, was buying her home, an interior designer friend recommended that she actually live in the house for a little while before decorating. That way she could see how she uses the space before spending lots of money on stuff that might not ultimately fit her lifestyle. One caveat: Due to current supply chain shortages, order early if you want a place to sleep or sit. Myth #3: Its not a big deal that you skipped the inspection To compete in todays red hot housing market, some homebuyers are opting to waive their home inspections or at least waiving the right to back out of the deal if an inspector finds major problems. This may have helped you win the home, but now its time to learn the truth. An inspection can catch things like drainage problems in the yard, uneven flooring or improperly installed plumbing fixtures. If you skipped the inspection contingency, its not too late to get an assessment of the homes though now that youre the owner youll be responsible for paying for any repairs. Inspections cost between $300 and $500, which is a small price to pay for the peace of mind they provide. Some insurance companies are now offering Inspection Protection. Youll still need to get an inspection, but the plan will cover the cost of repairs on things the inspector missed during the first year after closing. Appeal to serious Home Buyers by offering a Home Warranty with the sale of your house A Home Warranty could give buyers the confidence they need to make an offer on your home. Myth #4: Home warranties are the same as home insurance You almost certainly have home insurance, since mortgage lenders require it. You may also have something called a home warranty, which is more common for newly built homes but is also available for existing properties. These sound similar, but they provide fairly different protections. Home warranties are service contracts designed to cover the repair or replacement cost of items like appliances, heating and air conditioning systems, electrical and plumbing systems, water heaters and ductwork. Additional coverages for items like pools and hot tubs can be added at an additional cost. Items covered by a home warranty vary by provider, so its best if you shop around to compare whats in different plans and pick the one that best suits your needs and budget. In general, a home warranty can cost between $300 and $600 per year on average. A homeowners insurance policy, on the other hand, covers repairs and replacement costs if your property is damaged or lost due to fire, natural disasters or theft. It also covers your personal liability if someone is injured on your property. You can purchase additional coverage for damages caused by natural disasters not covered by your main policy, like flood insurance and earthquake damage. There are different home insurance policies offering different types of coverage, so consulting with an insurance broker is a good idea to learn what coverage you need. Policy costs vary depending on the company, type of coverage and the value of your home and its content. The average annual cost is over $1,000. Myth #5: All home improvement projects add value Many homeowners think of home improvement projects as adding resale value. While some projects will bring in a higher price when you go to sell, others may hurt your chances. Adding an additional bathroom can not only make your life more comfortable but can also add value, according to Realtor.com. (Buyers with kids will be more attracted to homes with more than one bathroom just to avoid the morning fight over who gets to use it first.) A mid-range bathroom addition will cost about $57,000 and will add about $30,000 of resale value to your home, according to Remodeling Magazines Cost vs. Value report. However, if adding a bathroom results in a cramped or unusual floor plan, it may be a turn-off instead of an asset. Any improvements made should be in line with the market value and location of your home. Luxury upgrades, such as top of the line kitchen appliances and exotic countertops, may add value in a high end home in an upscale neighborhood, but may not be as effective if you have a median home in a less affluent spot. The same goes for landscaping. Keeping a yard clean and well kept will add value, but water features and high end landscaping such as topiaries could just become an unwanted maintenance expense in the eyes of a future buyer. Money Moves Every Saturday, Money real estate editor Sam Sharf dives deep into the world of real estate, offering a fresh take on the latest housing news for homeowners, buyers and daydreamers alike. More from Money: Copyright 2021 Ad Practitioners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Moneys full disclaimer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 LONDON (AP) A British newspaper publisher on Tuesday began its court appeal against a judge's ruling that it invaded the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, arguing that she knew the letter would potentially be published. Publisher Associated Newspapers is fighting back against Meghan Markle, 40, who sued it for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement over five February 2019 articles in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline website that reproduced large portions of a letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle. The letter was written after the American's 2018 marriage to Prince Harry. A High Court judge sided with the duchess in February, ruling that the paper's publication of the letter was manifestly excessive and hence unlawful. On Tuesday, lawyer Andrew Caldecott sought to overturn that ruling by arguing that the letter was not written as an intimate communication for her father's eyes only. The letter was crafted specifically with the potential of public consumption in mind because the claimant appreciated Mr. Markle might disclose it to the media, the lawyer told the Court of Appeal. He referred to new evidence from Harry and Meghan's former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, suggesting that Meghan suspected her father may disclose the letter to journalists. Caldecott also argued that the publication of the letter was part of Thomas Markle's right to reply following misleading media reports that alleged he was cruelly cold-shouldering his daughter in the run-up to her royal wedding. The publisher was ordered in March to print a front-page statement stating it had infringed the duchess's copyright, but the statement has not been published pending the outcome of the appeal. Three senior judges preside over the appeal, which is expected to last three days. A ruling is due at a later date. Meghan, a former star of the American TV legal drama Suits, married Harry, a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Meghan and Harry announced in early 2020 that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. 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 BOISE An infant in Idaho died of COVID-19 in October, Idaho Health and Welfare officials announced Tuesday, confirming it was the first death of an Idaho child due to infection from the virus. State and local health officials said to protect the grieving familys privacy, they would not publicly release more specific details. Our hearts go out to the family of this child, Elke Shaw-Tulloch, administrator for the Idaho Division of Public Health, said in a written statement. Infection with the virus can have devastating impacts on families, and this situation highlights the seriousness of COVID-19. Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and Southwest District Health officials jointly announced the childs death in a news release posted at 2 p.m. Tuesday. The infant was a resident of that district, health officials confirmed during a weekly COVID-19 press briefing. Southwest District Health is one of Idahos seven independent public health districts. It serves Adams, Canyon, Gem, Owyhee, Payette and Washington counties. We were saddened to hear of the loss of one of our newest community members. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family during this difficult time, Southwest District Health director Nikki Zogg said in a written statement. Dr. Christine Hahn, Idaho state epidemiologist, said in a news briefing Tuesday that Idaho has recorded two stillbirths of babies for whom COVID-19 or a recent COVID-19 infection was listed on the death certificate as a cause or underlying cause of death. Hahn said that in 2021, Idaho had four COVID-related deaths of mothers who had babies at home. The state also recorded 37 deaths of women of childbearing age in 2021, up from six such deaths in 2020. Idaho Department Health and Welfare officials noted that COVID-19 vaccines are not available for infants. However, they recommended that parents and prospective parents including pregnant mothers receive the COVID-19 vaccine to protect parents from becoming severely ill and to protect children and babies who are too young to be vaccinated. For information on where to receive a free COVID-19 vaccine, visit the Idaho Department of Health and Welfares COVID-19 vaccine website or the Boston Childrens Hospital/Centers for Disease Control and Preventions online vaccine finder. Although this was the first confirmed death of an Idaho child due to COVID-19, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare officials said there have been nearly 900 COVID-19-related deaths among U.S. children reported since the start of the pandemic. Since Gov. Brad Little announced the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Idaho on March 13, 2020, the state has reported 3,678 deaths due to COVID-19, as of Monday afternoon. Idaho Capital Sun senior reporter Audrey Dutton contributed to this report. TWIN FALLS The library at Oregon Trail Elementary received $3,000 from the Idaho Lottery Bucks for Book program Tuesday. Nine Magic Valley schools were among 39 schools statewide to receive awards this year. Oregon Trail librarian Rachel Christiansen applied for the Bucks for Books grant to help bring in more materials that the students would enjoy reading. Were a Title I school (and) some of these children don't have access to as many books in their homes, Christiansen said. I wanted to be able to provide them with things that they enjoy reading. According to the Idaho Commission for Libraries, in the Gem State, a majority of all Idaho public schools lack sufficient resources for their entire annual library needs. I have a fairly small budget as far as books go, Christiansen said. This is going to be so helpful in getting some of those books that they are wanting to read and are excited about. Michelle Puccinelli from Idaho Lottery helped select winners from Bucks for Books applicants and was in Twin Falls to present the award. Puccinelli says she selected Oregon Trail for the award based on Christiansens essay. She was talking about filling the shelves with books that the kids can identify with, Puccinelli said. Books that are diverse not only in language and abilities but also in families that looked like them and language that they were speaking. Puccinelli said that while the Bucks for Books happens every year in the fall, Idaho Lottery gives grants to teachers and schools all year long through another program called Classroom Wishlists, which helps teachers get funding for classroom supplies. Since its inception in 1989, the Idaho Lottery has distributed $1.034 billion in Lottery dividends to Idaho public schools and buildings. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TWIN FALLS Twin Falls will join the State of Idaho in negotiating a reallocation of money to respond to the opioid crisis. On Monday night, City Council voted to authorize Mayor Suzanne Hawkins to sign an Opioid Litigation Settlement Agreement. By signing, Twin Falls will join the State of Idaho along with other municipalities in changing how settlement from Johnson & Johnson, McKesson, and AmericourceBergen would be dispersed. City Attorney Shayne Nope said that, if successful, the reallocation would mean more money coming directly to the city for opioid abuse prevention and recovery programs. The benefit to the city is that these terms are very favorable to cities as compared to what would be a default settlement that was approved, Nope said. A higher percentage of those dollars that are going to come back into our community. The default allocation previously agreed to by the three settling defendants would provide for an allocation of 15% to the State, 15% to participating local governments, and 70% to a trust fund administered by a committee but ultimately controlled by the State. Under the proposed reallocation, 40% would go to the state, 40% to local participating municipal governments, and 20% to participating regional health districts. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Biden administration framed its vaccine mandate for private employers in life-and-death terms Monday in a legal filing that sought to get the requirement back on track after it was halted by a federal court. Its filing in response to a stay issued over the weekend by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said there is no reason to rush into a ruling on whether the halt should be made permanent because the vaccine mandate won't take effect until Jan. 4. Stopping the mandate from taking effect will only prolong the COVID-19 pandemic and would cost dozens or even hundreds of lives per day, lawyers for the Justice and Labor departments said. As of Sunday, the seven-day rolling average for daily new deaths in the U.S. was 1,151, but it's not clear what role a future vaccine mandate for private businesses would play in reducing that figure. The mandate would apply to private businesses with more than 100 workers. Employees who do not receive the shots by Jan. 4 would be required to wear a mask and be tested weekly for the coronavirus. Occupational Safety and Health Administration rules issued last week create exemptions for workers citing religious objections and for those who do not interact in-person with coworkers or customers, as well as those who work only outdoors. More than two dozen Republican state attorneys general, businesses, religious groups and conservative associations sued on the grounds that the federal government does not have the right to make the regulation, partly because COVID-19 is not a workplace-specific danger. The Biden administration lawyers argued the risks were greater without the mandate than with it: Petitioners asserted injuries, by contrast, are speculative and remote and do not outweigh the interest in protecting employees from a dangerous virus while this case proceeds, they wrote. At least 27 states filed legal challenges in at least six federal appeals courts after OSHA released its rules last week. All the states have a Republican governor or attorney general. Over the weekend, judges on the New Orleans-based federal court paused the rule from taking effect, saying it raises grave statutory and constitutional issues and told the federal government to explain why the stay should not be made permanent. The federal government said in its court filings Monday that the cases should be consolidated and that one of the circuit courts where a legal challenge has been filed should be chosen at random on Nov. 16 to hear it. Administration lawyers said there is no reason to keep the vaccine mandate on hold while the court where the cases ultimately land remains undetermined. Besides, they argued, no employee will have to get a shot to comply until early December. White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre expressed confidence that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate can withstand the legal challenges. This is an authority that we believe the Department of Labor has, Jean-Pierre told told reporters during a news briefing. We are very confident about it. Jean-Pierre said the mandate was about keeping people safe and that Congress had empowered the Labor Department to act with the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Vaccine mandates, including those for certain federal employees, contractors and the military, are a key component of the Biden administration's strategy for containing a pandemic that has killed 755,000 people in the U.S. It has said that widespread vaccinations are the quickest way out of the pandemic. But employers have pushed back, saying they fear the mandate would lead many of their workers to quit. At a news conference Monday in Concord, New Hampshire, the president of Keller Companies, a manufacturer of building panels and plastics with 350 employees, described the OSHA rule as a crushing blow to employers. Kathy Garfield, whose family has run the Manchester-based company for three generations, said it brought in a vaccination van to serve employees and gave workers paid time off to get the shots. Only about half have done so. Weve had employees come forward and say if we mandate the vaccine, or this comes to be, they will not get the vaccine and they will not get tested. How can I run a business when I have no talent? Garfield asked at a news conference with Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican. She also said its difficult to find a place to get the virus test. When they are available, they can cost $200. Thats the difference between eating and starving, Garfield said. So what are these employees going to do? Theyre going to go to another employer with less than 100 employees. The administration announced plans for the workplace rule in September and unveiled the plans Nov. 4. Many Republican governors and state attorneys general signaled ahead of time that they would challenge it immediately, as they did with multiple federal lawsuits filed Friday. The states filed in the most conservative appeals courts in the country, where appointees of former President Donald Trump bolstered Republican-appointed majorities. It was not entirely clear whether the emergency stay issued Saturday by the 5th Circuit applied nationwide or just to the states that filed in that case Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. The 5th Circuit order read, the Mandate is hereby stayed pending further action by this court" but did not specifically state whether it applied only to the five states. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said it applied nationally, but states that filed in different courts asked Monday for clarification. Though the Fifth Circuits order may be construed to have nationwide effect, it does not make an explicit statement on this point," according to a state filing in the St. Louis-based 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. "To avoid any confusion and to secure full protection of their rights, Petitioners respectfully request that this Court enter a similar order here. Alabama, Florida and Georgia also asked for a stay Monday in the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, noting the one granted in the New Orleans-based court is temporary. The group of states, businesses and organizations challenging the rule in the St. Louis-based court called for a quick review of their challenge to the workplace rule. Thousands of employers and millions of working families will feel its impact immediately. The Court should act swiftly to forestall these illegal and unconstitutional injuries, the groups said in court papers. Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Zeke Miller in Washington, D.C.; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Arkansas; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire, contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a $465 million opioid ruling against drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, finding that a lower court wrongly interpreted the state's public nuisance law in the first case of its kind in the U.S. to go to trial. The ruling was the second blow this month to a government case that used a similar approach to try to hold drugmakers responsible for the national epidemic of opioid abuse. Public nuisance claims are at the heart of some 3,000 lawsuits brought by state and local governments against drugmakers, distribution companies and pharmacies, but it's not clear that the legal theory is in trouble with so many more cases queued up to test it. The court ruled in a 5-1 decision that District Judge Thad Balkman in 2019 was wrong to find that New Jersey-based J&J and its Belgium-based subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals violated the states public nuisance statute. The court has allowed public nuisance claims to address discrete, localized problems, not policy problems, according to the opinion written by Justice James R. Winchester. J&J had no control of its products through the multiple levels of distribution, including after it sold the opioids to distributors and wholesalers, which were then disbursed to pharmacies, hospitals, and physicians offices, and then prescribed by doctors to patients. The ruling also said the company had no control over how patients then used the products. The high court said that although it wouldn't want to downplay the suffering that thousands of Oklahomans have gone through because of opioids, the question was whether the companys marketing and sale of opioids created a public nuisance. J&J no longer promotes any prescription opioids and has not done so for several years, since 2015, Winchester wrote. Even with J&Js marketing practices these ... medications amounted to less than 1% of all Oklahoma opioid prescriptions. State statistics show that from 2007 to 2017, more than 4,600 people in Oklahoma died from overdoses from opioids of all kinds, including prescription painkillers and illicit versions such as heroin and illegally made fentanyl. Nationally, opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths since 2000. The court also rejected the states appeal to increase the damages award. The state was planning to use the $465 million to fight the opioid crisis, but said that wasn't nearly enough to pay for the harm it has done. The ruling comes a week after a California judge issued a tentative ruling that said local governments had not proven that Johnson & Johnson and other drugmakers used deceptive marketing to inflate prescriptions of their painkillers, leading to a public nuisance. Although the Oklahoma lawsuit filed by former state Attorney General Mike Hunter was the first of thousands of similar lawsuits to go to trial, the state Supreme Court's ruling doesn't necessarily spell doom for the others. Elizabeth Burch, a University of Georgia School of Law professor who is following the opioid litigation, said other judges and juries might not decide their cases the same way. The question is still whether these are outliers, she said. I dont think we have enough of a consensus on public nuisance law and where it goes and how it works. Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, noted that state public nuisance laws vary and that the California ruling could be altered by a higher court. Nuisance law varies from state to state, especially in this context because its so cutting edge, he said. "We havent seen enough cases to sort this out and say whether its going to be a viable theory or not. The Oklahoma case was the first of its kind to go to trial, and the one in California is the only other one where a verdict was issued, as most cases have been settled before or during trials. But other opioid trials rooted in public nuisance law are happening before juries in a federal court in Cleveland and a state court in New York. And a ruling is expected soon in a trial before a judge in West Virginia. Oklahoma's current attorney general, John O'Connor, said he was disappointed by the ruling that overturned a huge victory for those suffering from opioid abuse. Our staff will be exploring options, O'Connor said in a statement. We are still pursuing our other pending claims against opioid distributors who have flooded our communities with these highly addictive drugs for decades. The state has also filed lawsuit against three companies that distribute opioids. Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that the ruling appropriately overturned a misguided and unprecedented attempt to expand public nuisance laws. We recognize the opioid crisis is a tremendously complex public health issue, and we have deep sympathy for everyone affected, the drugmaker said. The Companys actions relating to the marketing and promotion of these important prescription pain medications were appropriate and responsible. Earlier this year, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $5 billion to settle similar lawsuits across the U.S. In a related deal, the nation's three largest drug distribution companies also agreed to a $21 billion settlement over time. It's up to the companies to decide whether to move ahead as they see how many government entities join. The companies all found that enough states joined for them to survey local governments. Burch said that the new rulings in California and Oklahoma might prompt some governments that were on the fence to join rather than risk losing on their claims in court. Two other prominent opioid makers, Purdue Pharma and Mallinckrodt, have reached nationwide settlements through the bankruptcy process. In dissent, Justice James E. Edmondson said he would uphold the verdict but send the case back to district court to recalculate the damages award. The state had asked that the award be increased to $9.3 billion. Associated Press reporter 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Grand Canyon boating community devoted to each other and to the Colorado River was shocked to learn this fall that wed lost two of our own. Former river guides and rangers Mark ONeill, 67, of Chimacum, Washington, and Kim Crumbo, 74, of Odgen, Utah, didnt return home from a Sept. 13-17 canoe-packing trip in Yellowstone National Park. Then on Sept. 20, Marks body and the boat were found on the shore of Shoshone Lake. Hed succumbed to hypothermia. Kim remains missing. We who guided in the canyon with both men, sharing our intimate knowledge of the place with thousands of visitors, have spent many hours trying to make sense of the loss. Damn it, a fellow canyon guide, Jeffe Aronson, wrote me. We live and love in a world of ghosts. Writers on the Range: A Japanese-American internment camp has much to teach us Opinion: ...thanks to a bill that passed the House and is now before the Senate, theres a good chance that Amache will become a new national historical park, telling its story of mass hysteria, hardship and survival. One way were coping with grief is to share stories. Both men began guiding in the 1970s, going on to rack up some of the most extensive experience anyone can acquire. In the 1980s, both worked in the canyon as National Park Service river rangers. Mark had already been a waterman all his life as surfer, lifeguard, skipper basically all things water, says his sister, Toni Kelly, a former Green and Colorado River guide and ranger. Kim Crumbo (Crumbo to most) served two tours in Vietnam as a Navy SEAL. By spring 1971, he was home running rivers in Utah, a place, he once told me, he had wondered if hed live to see again. When I asked how hed survived two tours, the second with a platoon known for the highest casualty rates in SEAL history, he shrugged. I had to become the scariest guy out there. Hes tough, my fellow Park Service river ranger, RuthAnn Stoner, said of Crumbo. The toughest person Ive ever met. RuthAnn and river ranger Kim Johnson remember Crumbos persistence on a Grand Canyon patrol where they found an injured peregrine falcon around River Mile 140. At the time, peregrine falcons were listed as endangered, with less than 30 breeding sites in the canyon. The birds were just emerging from decline throughout Arizona and the West. Crumbo offered to do as hed done before row his boat 26 miles downstream to Havasu Creek, hike out to Havasupai Village and call for a helicopter evacuation. But River Unit Supervisor Curt Sauer was already on inner-canyon patrol with a Park Service helicopter pilot, and when they saw a mirror signal they landed. After a heated back-and-forth, with Crumbo insisting that the falcon starving, its wing broken had to be evacuated now, Crumbo prevailed. The falcon got its ride out, wearing a bandanna hood to keep it calm. Later, Curt helped release the rehabilitated bird back into the wild, calling it a triumph that wouldnt have happened without Crumbo. Malloy: The forgotten pandemic Opinion: I am living proof that having diabetes is not all gloom and doom, or the equivalent of a death sentence. Crumbo just never gave up, as RuthAnn Stoner tells it. That same season he was jumping out of helicopters to rescue people off the rocks below Crystal Rapids after one of the big rigs flipped. Rescues like that were all in a days work for both brothers. Marks outstanding swiftwater rescue skills earned him awards for courageous and professional recovery efforts on flooding rivers and in remote forests. After leaving Grand Canyon, he continued his Park Service career in Olympic National Park, where he served 20 years until retiring in 2016. Crumbo, too, dedicated 20 years to conservation work with the Park Service, then gave another 20 years to wilderness advocacy through the Rewilding Institute, Wildlands Network and other organizations, retiring in 2019. He also become known for his well-argued essays about climate resilience, the latest titled, Hope in the Age of Humans. While many of us have found it unfathomable that a lake could make ghosts of such men, consider the lake 12 square miles of icy, unpredictable mountain water. At the time Mark and Kim were out on it, an early snowstorm blew in on 45-mph winds, causing Shoshone Lake to surge with waves at least 2 feet high. Any boater, regardless of experience, would have survived a capsize in Shoshones 48-degree F water for only 20 to 30 minutes. These two good men, as Curt Sauer describes them, gave their best to their families, the canyon and humanity. Any stories we tell about them, he says, are love stories, pure and simple. Becca Lawton is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. A former river guide and ranger, she is writing a memoir about becoming one of the first women guides in Grand Canyon. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Are you feeling like maybe now is the right time to treat your family to a special experience? If so, here are five resort destinations to consider. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Clifford Seagle, U.S. Navy, from 1951 to 1955, during the Korean War. He shipped out when his daughter, Chris, was only 1 day old, serving on a repair ship the entire time. His ship was in Korea and in 1954 went to Vietnam to support the French in the Indochina Wars. In 1954, the French lost rule of Vietnam and it was divided into the north and the south. In the late 1950s, the United States began to assist South Vietnam in the war there. Harold Seagle, U.S. Navy, from 1961 to 1965. He was a dental technician aboard aircraft carriers stationed primarily in the Mediterranean, the USS Independence for two years and the USS Enterprise for seven months. Cline Pyatt, U.S. Army active duty from 1964 to 1968. He was in security, serving one year in Vietnam, one year in Korea and two years in Germany. He went on to serve part-time in Army National Guard from 1975 to 1980 and full-time as a unit administrator from 1980 to 1996. Jim Cornett, U.S. Army, from 1967 to 1969, drafted and served active duty in Vietnam for one year as a combat engineer. John Welker, U.S. Coast Guard, active from 1975 to 1979 and inactive for two years following. He started out as a seaman, eventually becoming a cook aboard the U.S. Coast Guard ships the Dauntless and later the OpaLocka, both out of Miami, patrolling the Caribbean and the Bahamas. My best observation of a sora took place in the spring a few years ago during a visit to the boardwalk over the wetlands near the industrial park in Erwin. The boardwalk is part of the extended linear trail in town. I was birding that day with Margaret Roy, the former manager of Mountain Inn & Suites of Erwin. Margaret wanted to learn more about birds, and we really got lucky when we found such an uncommon bird only minutes after we stepped onto the boardwalk. It was as simple as looking down on the mudflats and noticing an odd, plump bird walking without concern beneath us. From our elevated viewing platform, we got excellent looks through binoculars and I took some photos. Early naturalists, even without benefit of binoculars, were aware of the black rail. John James Audubon, the famous painter and naturalist, painted a black rail and its chick. Audubon referred to the elusive denizen of wetlands depicted in his painting as the least water-rail. Others have called the bird by such names as least water-hen, little black rail and black crake. In some parts of the world, rails are referred to as crakes, but they are basically all the same type of bird. The 5,610-square-mile basin was divided into five sub-watersheds for analysis: Northern Catawba, South Fork, Central Catawba, Southern Catawba and Wateree. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} To measure the water quality, the data was grouped into five characteristics: Monitoring: How well is the water monitored? What is being done with the data? Point sources of pollution: How much pollution is permitted? Are the facilities in compliance? (Point source pollution is any contaminant that enters the environment from an easily identified and confined place. Some examples are discharge pipes and drainage ditches) Nonpoint sources of pollution: What pollutants are mobilized during rain events? (Nonpoint source pollution is contamination of water that does not originate from a single, defined source) Water quantity: How are we using the water? Do we have enough? Flooding? (Examples can include withdrawals, population, flood buyouts) Recreation: Is the water accessible? Is it safe to swim and fish? (Examples can include launches, bacterial monitoring, fish consumption advisories). President Joe Biden commended the government's actions, saying he was making good on his commitment to Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the U.S. would hold cyber criminals accountable. He said in a statement that the U.S. was bringing the full strength of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors and to bolster resilience at home. The announcement of the criminal charges came hours after European law enforcement officials revealed the results of a lengthy, 17-nation operation. As part of that operation, Europol said, a total of seven hackers linked to REvil and another ransomware family have been arrested since February, including two last week by Romanian authorities. The Justice Department has tried multiple ways to address a ransomware scourge that has exploded over the last year with attacks against critical infrastructure and major corporations. Arrests of foreign hackers are significant for the Justice Department, and rare, since many of them operate in the refuge of countries that do not extradite their own citizens to the U.S. for prosecution. Theres lots of reasons why people travel, and I cant get into the specific reasons why Mr. Vasinskyi traveled, but boy are we glad he did, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Monday. Youngkin also hit on a winning formula that conceivably could work for House and Senate Republican candidates next year: Be Trumpish on the stump without the baggage of Trump. Make all the requisite MAGA noises, especially in the suburbs Im gonna abolish critical race theory! (Even though its not taught anyway) but do it with a friendly face. Ensure that Trump stays away, but say the stuff he says in ways that can woo back the Republican-leaning college-educated suburbanites that voted against Trump in 2020. Meanwhile, if the current Republican minority on Capitol Hill (with the help of Joe Manchin, Krysten Sinema, and the usual Democratic infighting) can continue to stymie Bidens ambitious attempts to make life better for average Americans, then presto!, the Democratic base voters, who always stand ready to be apathetic and disillusioned, will be increasingly inclined to sit on their asses on midterm election day just as they did when Barack Obamas party was routed in 2010 and 2014. The result, of course, would be GOP takeovers of the House and Senate, and the death of any progressive agenda in advance of the 2024 presidential contest. The activation of cerebral cortex areas increases progressively during postnatal development. In this study, the authors unraveled the genetic bases for the establishment of such connectivity. Credit: UNIGE Laboratoire Denis Jabaudon The cerebral cortex, located at the surface of the brain, handles the cognitive, language, and complex functions that allow us to represent the world or project ourselves into the future. By being able to categorize and associate the stimuli it receives from our five senses, the cortex links this information together to make sense of it. To do this, different types of neurons establish cortical connections during embryonic development and early postnatal life. What is the biological mechanism by which this delicate assembly is created? A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE), Switzerland, has now deciphered this process: although neurons are anatomically distinct, their genetic programs remain very similar. It turns out that the differences emerge during the molecular maturation of these neurons, which must follow a precise rhythm to establish the right connections. These surprising results can be discovered in the journal Nature. The various functions managed by the cerebral cortex are not randomly distributed, but instead are organized according to a precise map. For instance, visual areas are located at the back of the head, while touch is represented on the side, and motor control in the front. To perform their different functions, however, these areas must communicate effectively. "And this is continually verified: to catch a ball, for example, visual and motor areas must coordinate," explains Denis Jabaudon, a professor in the Department of Basic Neurosciences at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine, who led this research. These connections are essential for human beings to construct a coherent vision of the world. However, choices must be made so that associations are not erroneous and the most useful associations are selected. A common genetic partition played at a different tempo Connections between cortical areas are provided by so-called 'inter-areal cortical projection neurons' (ICPN), which send electrical signals to their cortical target(s). "For cortical areas to communicate, the system must connect precisely," Denis Jabaudon points out, "and for this to happen, different types of connections must be established at the right place and at the right time." To understand how this phenomenon takes place, Dr. Esther Klingler, a researcher in Denis Jabaudon's team, and their colleagues studied how the connections between the areas responsible for touch and motor skills are established in mice after birth. "To our great surprise, the genetic programs of the two ICPN populations were not different overall, despite their anatomical dissimilarities. However, the tempo governing their expression varied considerably." Thus, neurons making connections of a given type develop more rapidly, while others developing more slowly, connect to other cortical areas. "Our work suggests that creating diversity in neurons does not always require major genetic diversity. It seems that in this case, the score sheet is similar, only the rhythm of the music changes." To confirm their discovery, the scientists modified the execution of this genetic program by expressing, over a long period of time, a gene that is normally expressed only at the beginning of the process. Mice then showed abnormal sensorimotor connectivity, as well as an unusual exploration of their environment. This single change disrupted the entire system. Touch-movement relationship comes first Distinct neuronal types thus have distinct maturation rhythms, that are reflected in the order in which connections between brain areas appear. "In mice, active exploration of the environment only emerges progressively during the first two weeks of life, corresponding to the order of connections between the corresponding brain areas," Denis Jabaudon explains. "The sequential development of these different neurons allows sensory abilities to emerge according to a similar schedule: the newborn mouse first needs to suckleand will, therefore, first develop the touch relationshipand then to move, it will develop motor abilities that are processed by other cerebral areas." Step by step, the cortex learns to establish connections only when they are necessary, to be able to process the information correctly. In the brain, too, there is a time and place for everything. Explore further Brain stem cells have a good memory More information: Denis Jabaudon, Temporal controls over interareal cortical projection neuron fate diversity, Nature (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-04048-3 Journal information: Nature Denis Jabaudon, Temporal controls over interareal cortical projection neuron fate diversity,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04048-3 Fig. 1. Consort diagram on patients included in the registry and analyzed. HSCT, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Credit: DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.09.027 Most children and adolescents with cancer have mild COVID-19 disease and make a full recovery, a new study has found. But pediatric cancer patients with underlying health conditions, severe infections and low white blood cell counts were significantly more likely to have severe disease. The study, led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Goethe University in Frankfurt, which provides new insights into COVID-19 disease severity, duration of shedding, symptoms and outcomes in children with cancer, will help inform treatment decisions. The research, published in the European Journal of Cancer, involved 131 children aged under 19 years with COVID-19 across 10 countries including Australia, Germany, Brazil and Canada. The participants either had a diagnosis of cancer or had undergone a bone marrow stem cell transplant. MCRI and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Associate Professor Gabrielle Haeusler said there was limited data before this study on SARS-CoV-2 infection in children with cancer or stem cell transplants. The study reported a third of patients were asymptomatic with 47 percent overall having mild cases, 8 percent moderate cases, 4 percent severe and 9 percent critical. It found 37 percent were hospitalized, 11 percent required ICU care and four died due to COVID-19. But in 95 percent of cases the patients made a full recovery. Associate Professor Haeusler, also a physician at The Royal Children's Hospital, said increased COVID-19 severity in children with cancer was detected in those with co-morbidities, severe infections (mostly bacterial co-infections) and low white blood cell counts, a marker of immune suppression, emphasizing the need for a heightened awareness among healthcare staff. For patients on active treatment, chemotherapy was delayed or doses were modified in a third of cases. Importantly, changes in treatment were not significantly associated with a reduced risk of severe COVID-19. There was no difference in the proportion of patients with symptomatic infection who were having cancer treatment and those had completed treatment. The most frequent COVID-19 symptoms were fever, cough, runny nose and gastro. The median duration of virus detection in the patients was 16 days. However, the virus was detected up to 80 days after initial infection in some patients. Goethe University Professor Thomas Lehrnbecher said the COVID-19 pandemic had posed great challenges for patients with cancer. "While data emerged early in the pandemic about the increased risks of worse outcomes and death for adult cancer patients with COVID-19, the impact of the disease in children with cancer was less clear," he said "An understanding of the impact of COVID-19 in children with cancer is critical to informing pediatric care pathways including modifying chemotherapy regimens and isolation restrictions." Children over 12 years with cancer or a history of cancer are a priority group for an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Associate Professor Haeusler said while the study identified some predictors of severe illness, prevention was still our best defense. "We found most COVID-19 transmissions occurred within the family home. In addition to the vaccination of treating healthcare workers, vaccination of household and regular family contacts against COVID-19 is a crucial protective measure," she said. "Ongoing surveillance is also critical to monitor vaccine efficacy and impact of emerging COVID-19 variants in this vulnerable population." More information: Gabrielle M. Haeusler et al, SARS-CoV-2 in children with cancer or after haematopoietic stem cell transplant: An analysis of 131 patients, European Journal of Cancer (2021). Gabrielle M. Haeusler et al, SARS-CoV-2 in children with cancer or after haematopoietic stem cell transplant: An analysis of 131 patients,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2021.09.027 Credit: CC0 Public Domain A study led by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University investigating social distancing behavior by college students in seven countries during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic finds that across cultures, students were more likely to practice social distancing if they believed two things: that it would protect against COVID-19 and that it was an action they could easily carry out. The most effective public health messaging, the researchers found, emphasized these points, rather than messaging that focused primarily on the threat of COVID-19. The goal of the study was to understand what communication strategies would be most effective in convincing students to undertake a primarily altruistic action: reducing their social and community interactions amid a public health emergency. "Knowing what and how to communicate is so important, especially in the midst of a public health emergency, and this study gave us some specific results to do just that," said lead author Jeanine Guidry, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture in the College of Humanities and Sciences and director of the Media+Health Lab at VCU. The study, "Social Distancing During COVID-19: Threat and Efficacy Among University Students in Seven Nations," was published in the journal Global Health Promotion. It involved a survey of 2,359 university students in the United States, China, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania and Kuwait. The study involved researchers from VCU; Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China; California State University; Texas Tech University; the University of Cagliari in Italy; Tilburg University/University of Antwerp in Belgium; and the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. As part of the study, the researchers tested messaging using the Extended Parallel Process Model, a theoretical framework that suggests the level of a perceived threat is not enoughthat effective messaging must also convince the audience that whatever measure is being recommended will work and that they can easily carry it out. "This study showed that while perceived severity of and susceptibility to COVID-19 were significant predictors, they only worked if the efficacy appraisals were significant as well," Guidry said. Kellie Carlyle, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Policy in the VCU School of Medicine and a co-author of the study, said the findings show that simply trying to scare people into taking action is not enough. "Health behavior change theory tells us that scaring people isn't enoughwe have to give people a solution and convince them it will work," she said. "Our results support these theoretical propositions and serve as an important reminder that building efficacyor confidencein both people's abilities to protect themselves and others is vital to achieving our public health goals." Co-author Nicole O'Donnell, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Robertson School and associate director of the Media+Health Lab, noted that the project involved an extraordinary amount of coordination among international collaborators, and required the management of a survey in English, Dutch, Arabic, Italian, Romanian and Mandarin. By investigating whether there were country-level differences in social distancing by college students, the researchers were able to explore why some students may be taking more protective measures against COVID-19 than others, O'Donnell said. "For example, we found that students at a school in Romania reported higher social distancing behavior than students from the U.S., China, the Netherlands and Belgium," she said. "Public health professionals can use this information to see how Romania communicated social distancing, and consider the reasons why their communication was so effective. "Across cultures, we found that it was important for students to feel confident in their abilities to social distance," she added. "Public health messages and policies that aim to build confidence in protective behaviors may be especially helpful." While the study focuses on the early days of COVID-19between March 31 and April 15, 2020its findings could be invaluable for future epidemics and pandemics. "Sometimes we forget there was a period of almost a year when we lived with the pandemic, and no vaccines were available yetand all we had to protect ourselves were preventive measures such as social distancing," Guidry said. "So for a long time social distancing, together with other preventive measures, were all we had to protect us and those we love. Understanding better what a specific population group in several nations believed and acted like is important not just for this pandemic, but for future outbreaks as well. "If there is one thing we have all been confronted with, it's that a new virus was able to profoundly change our lives for almost two years now, and that we should learn as much as we can to apply in future outbreaks, whether they are worldwide or in more specific areas, and whether they deal with the latest flu strain, the remnants of COVID-19, or a virus we have not encountered yet," she said. Explore further Study conducted early in COVID-19 could help confront the next health crisis More information: Jeanine P. D. Guidry et al, Social distancing during COVID-19: threat and efficacy among university students in seven nations, Global Health Promotion (2021). Jeanine P. D. Guidry et al, Social distancing during COVID-19: threat and efficacy among university students in seven nations,(2021). DOI: 10.1177/17579759211051368 Generalized 3 Hz spike and wave discharges in a child with childhood absence epilepsy. Credit: Wikipedia. Epilepsy and autism spectrum disorders, or ASD, show a remarkable degree of comorbidity and may share pathological mechanisms. Questions that have bogged down scientists about these disorders include: Does autism lead to an increase in epilepsy? Or does epilepsy alter the brain circuit, which then leads to autism? Viji Santhakumar, an associate professor in the Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology at the University of California, Riverside, in collaboration with Tracy Tran at Rutgers University have tackled these questions in a paper published in the journal Translational Psychiatry. "One hypothesis is that during brain development, inhibitory neurons, which regulate brain rhythms, develop in an abnormal manner," Santhakumar said. "If this is true, then how the brain circuit gets set up is abnormal, which may lead to both autism and epilepsy." Santhakumar and her team focused on inhibitory neurons in mice. She explained that unlike excitatory neurons that lead to a forward propagation of information, inhibitory neurons work like a brake by suppressing and sculpting the activity of downstream neurons. The researchers generated mice with a global mutation in all cells that prevented the inhibitory neurons from migrating to their normal location in mature brain circuits. Not surprisingly, they found a reduction in inhibitory currents in the hippocampus, a region of the brain known for memory function. Notably, the mutant mice showed behavioral traits associated with ASD and were more prone to seizures. "We found fewer inhibitory neurons in the brain circuit," Santhakumar said. "There may be a developmental abnormality in establishing inhibitory neuron circuits. If we can identify what the molecular pathways are, we may be able to intervene early and make sure the inhibitory circuit is maintained. How the circuit develops may play a key role in the co-occurrence of autism and epilepsy. Understanding these mechanisms may help develop more targeted cures." Results of the study suggest that a common underlying defect in circuit formation could contribute to both ASD and epilepsy. The findings of the current study open the doors for future work to test whether mutations, when restricted to specific cell types and developmental periods, can help distinguish between the role of inhibitory neuron migration and maintenance of circuit connections in the development of ASD or epilepsy. Santhakumar was supported in this research by a grant from the New Jersey Governor's Council for Medical Research and Treatment of Autism. The research paper, on which Deepak Subramanian, an assistant project scientist at UC Riverside, shares lead authorship, is titled, "Reduced hippocampal inhibition and enhanced autism-epilepsy comorbidity in mice lacking neuropilin 2." Santhakumar, Tran, and Subramanian were joined in the study by Carol Eisenberg, Patryk Ziobro, Jack DeLucia, and Michael W. Shiflett of Rutgers University; and Milad Afrasiabi and Pamela R. Hirschberg of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Subramanian, Eisenberg, and Afrasiabi contributed equally to the study. Explore further How neural circuits achieve a balance between excitation and inhibition More information: Carol Eisenberg et al, Reduced hippocampal inhibition and enhanced autism-epilepsy comorbidity in mice lacking neuropilin 2, Translational Psychiatry (2021). Journal information: Translational Psychiatry Carol Eisenberg et al, Reduced hippocampal inhibition and enhanced autism-epilepsy comorbidity in mice lacking neuropilin 2,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01655-6 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Before the COVID pandemic, experts like BYU psychology professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad were already worried about another affliction spreading worldwide: loneliness. In multiple studies, Holt-Lunstad and her colleagues documented how our increasing sense of loneliness is damaging our health more than familiar widespread epidemics like obesity or alcoholism, causing problems such as depression, reduced cognitive functioning, even earlier death. Knowing the toll loneliness takes, when COVID came on the sceneand with it, lockdown and physical distancingHolt-Lunstad joined an international group of experts to design a survey measuring the impact worldwide. "We not only wanted to look at, is loneliness increasing, but also, among whom?" said Holt-Lunstad. "Who might be most at risk of severe loneliness? Because certainly, some people have struggled during the pandemic more than others." Surveying over 20,000 people in 101 countries from June to November 2020, the researchers saw more than a three-fold spike in severe loneliness overall, with six percent of the sample reporting feeling lonely before the pandemic compared to 21% during. They also discovered several distinct patterns in those most affected, findings they published recently in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health: Both before and during the pandemic, people with inadequate personal finances and people grappling with mental health conditions had the highest risk of severe loneliness, with mental health concerns predicting a four-fold increase in loneliness. Unsurprisingly, those who live alone were more likely to report loneliness. But a person's choice in their living situation made a big difference. Individuals who live alone by choice were 61% more likely to say they experienced loneliness compared to those who live with others. Those who live by themselves, but not by choice, are much lonelier still, nearly seven times more likely to experience loneliness than people who have household companions. People who even mildly dislike video calls were significantly more likely to report feeling lonely than those who are fully satisfied with remote meetings. Individuals who feel they live in a tight-knit neighborhood were less likely to experience loneliness than those who feel more disconnected from their neighbors. Global study shows significant increase in severe loneliness during pandemic. Credit: Brigham Young University These findings don't offer a fully representative view of the global experience of loneliness during the pandemic because the survey received significantly more responses from the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Pakistan, and Mexico than from the remaining countries. But the study's size and the breadth and depth of its questions make it a useful roadmap for researchers to further study the cultural elements that may shape loneliness, as well as for public health policymakers. It's clear that "health concerns surrounding loneliness have been magnified by the pandemic," Holt-Lunstad said. As a broad mapping of perceived loneliness in different groups, the study "gives us some insight into who is most vulnerable and how to best target potential solutions and resources." For example, those who struggle to make ends meet may be especially predisposed to loneliness because of difficulties managing a schedule of multiple jobs or not having a job at all, both of which prevent social connection. Those with certain mental health conditions may already be prone to social withdrawal; at the same time, increased isolation during the pandemic has aggravated mental health challenges for many. According to the published paper, the results suggest that "public health measures should be taken to address root causes of loneliness and social isolation" for these vulnerable groups, not just during the pandemic but in the longer term. The disparity in perceived loneliness between those who enjoy video calls and those who don't also point to the need for further research into the long-term consequences of new remote work arrangements. "During the pandemic, we've had to scale remote work strategies widely because of reduced social contact, and some of these strategies have been very convenient and may even have benefits for productivity," Holt-Lunstad observed. "But we need to fully understand both the benefits and the potential costs of these tech-based, remote approaches for our healthwe can't just assume that it's only going to help." More information: Roger O'Sullivan et al, Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Loneliness and Social Isolation: A Multi-Country Study, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2021). Journal information: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Roger O'Sullivan et al, Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Loneliness and Social Isolation: A Multi-Country Study,(2021). DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18199982 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Hospitals in the southern Dutch province of Limburg warned the government Tuesday that they can no longer cope with new COVID-19 patients amid soaring rates of coronavirus infections. Five hospitals in the province that borders both Belgium and Germany raised the alarm in a statement that said: "We are heading straight for a healthcare blockage and the entire system is grinding to a standstill." They added that, "we are convinced that other parts of the Netherlands will soon follow." Amid an autumn surge across much of Europe, the seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in the Netherlands has almost doubled over the past two weeks from 30.88 to 61.12 new cases per 100,000 people despite more than 80% of the adult population being fully vaccinated. The Netherlands' public health institute reported Tuesday that 204 COVID-19 patients were admitted to intensive care units in hospitals across the country over the past week, a 40% increase compared with the previous week. The caretaker Dutch government last week reintroduced an order to wear face masks in public places like stores and libraries and mandated an extension for the use of COVID-19 passes. Both measures came into force over the weekend. The administration is scheduled to meet again Friday to discuss possible further measures if the soaring numbers do not ease. The hospitals in Limburg said in their statement that their occupancy levels are now the same as the end of December last yearwhen the Netherlands was in lockdown. "This time, however, there is no prospect of a solutionafter all, society is openbut it seems as if the care organizations and employees are the only ones who still have this sense of crisis and urgency," they said. "We feel alone in this struggle." They appealed for an immediate start to a campaign to give booster shots to vulnerable people and health care workers. The booster campaign is expected to start next month. Health Minister Hugo de Jonge said Tuesday that the government is researching whether the campaign can start sooner. "If it can happen quicker, we will do it quicker," De Jonge told reporters. Explore further Dutch government looking at reintroducing COVID-19 measures 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Over 300 years, generations of a family with an inherited heart arrhythmia migrated from Denmark to the eastern U.S., then to the Mountain West, bringing the disease gene with them. Credit: C Hateley, S., Lopez-Izquierdo, A., Jou, C.J. et al. Nat Comm 12, 6442 (2021), CC by 4.0 University of Utah Health scientists have documented the spread of a disease gene across continents and over centuries. The genetic mutation causes a heart arrhythmia, known as atrial fibrillation (AF), that manifests in early adulthood and leads to fatigue, stroke, and increased risk of early death. It is important to identify carriers of this genetic legacy, the authors say, since these individuals often don't know they're at risk until they have a medical episode that can be serious. The study reports that an algorithm that combines genetic and genealogic data can be used to predict who will develop the disease and who won't. The approach could one day flag susceptible individuals so they can receive appropriate surveillance and treatment to prevent atrial fibrillation and its consequences. "This first-of-its-kind study shows the power of merging human genetics and human history," says the study's senior author Martin Tristani-Firouzi, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist at U of U Health and Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital and scientist at the Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute. The research was conducted in collaboration with scientists at AncestryDNA, Intermountain Medical Center and Medical College of Wisconsin, and published in Nature Communications. "The unique partnership between U of U Health and AncestryDNA has broadened our understanding of human disease into a historical context, one that includes the history of our ancestral origins and population movement across time and continents," says genetics expert Lynn Jorde, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Human Genetics at U of U Health, who was not a co-author of the study. A circular pedigree with 2,926 members of an eight-generation family. The red lines indicate disease transmission across generations denoting carriers of a disease gene that increases risk for young-onset atrial fibrillation. Credit: C Hateley, S., Lopez-Izquierdo, A., Jou, C.J. et al. Nat Comm 12, 6442 (2021), CC by 4.0 Understanding the past to benefit the future The study estimates that around 5,000 years ago during the Bronze Age, a person born in what is now Northern Europe spontaneously developed a genetic mutation that causes young-onset AF. The mutation was passed on from one generation to the next, and as these descendants migrated across continents, the disease gene came with them. Using ancestral birth records, the scientists showed that descendants migrated from Denmark to the eastern U.S. 300 years ago, over time moving westward along Mormon migration routes to the Mountain West. Though the mutation came from Europe, the scientific story began in Utah, when investigators at U of U Health were searching for families with high-risk AF. By overlaying medical records with genealogies, they found AF was prevalent in a Utah family they could trace for eight generations, to nearly 3,000 family members. By sequencing and analyzing DNA from present-day members, they found the cause of the disease that had plagued their ancestors for 182 generations: a dominant mutation in KCNQ1, an ion channel gene that is essential for maintaining the heart's rhythm. To characterize the mutation further, the scientists transformed family members' blood cells, which are much easier to access than cells from the heart, into cardiac muscle cells in the lab. The heart cells from carriers of the mutation displayed an abnormally fast rate of re-charging (repolarization), explaining the family's susceptibility to early onset AF. With that information in hand, the scientists could focus on determining how to identify individuals living today who are at risk for AF. They developed and validated an algorithm that tracks large, shared segments of chromosomes between individuals, using it to mine a large genealogic database for people who are relatives of known carriers and likely carry the disease-causing mutation. "These computational approaches allow us to determine geographic distributions of disease and potentially narrow down the individuals at highest risk for disease," Tristani-Firouzi says. "This could help focus public health initiatives to the people who need it most." Explore further New mutation raises risk for AFib, heart failure for people of color More information: Shannon Hateley et al, The history and geographic distribution of a KCNQ1 atrial fibrillation risk allele, Nature Communications (2021). Journal information: Nature Communications Shannon Hateley et al, The history and geographic distribution of a KCNQ1 atrial fibrillation risk allele,(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26741-7 Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain A University of Florida research team is helping to build the case that coronaviruses move between animals and people at a more frequent rate than previously understood. Earlier this year, the team reported the first known instance of a coronavirus common in pigs to have "spilled over" into people. Spillovers refer to events where a virus that is adapted to a certain kind of hostsay, a dog, or pigacquires features that allow it to infect an entirely different species of host, such as a person. In their newest work, the team retrospectively uncovered an instance where a coronavirus known from dogs, called a canine coronavirus, infected at least one person visiting Haiti in early 2017. The infected person had a mild illness with fever and fatigue. The new work published in Clinical Infectious Diseases on Oct. 28,2021. In an unusual twist, the virus was determined to closely match a canine coronavirus reported earlier in 2021 from Malaysia where it caused pneumonia-like symptoms in several people. In neither instance was there evidence of further spread of the virus within human populations. From Malaysia to Haiti The UF team is part of a larger effort to understand unexplained illnesses with fevers in Haiti. They have analyzed biosamples from study participants in Haiti's Gressier region since 2013. When participants have a fever but test negative for viruses known to be in the areasuch as Zika, chikungunya, or denguethey begin a process of laboratory tests with the goal of detecting and identifying unknown viruses. In early 2017, a US medical team member traveled to Haiti and then fell ill upon returning home. Fever and tiredness were the individual's main symptoms. At the time, there was an outbreak of Zika virus in Haiti, but tests for this were negative. The team took portions of a urine sample obtained from the medical team member and used it to inoculate cell cultures. They then observed visual changes take place in the cells consistent with a viral infection. A diagnostic test that confirms the presence of human endemic coronaviruses gave a signal that indicated a coronavirus was present, but it was not strong enough to match with one that normally circulates in people. They next tested for specific coronavirus species using RT-PCR tests on portions of the inoculated cell culture, but these were also all negative. This led the team to use an "unbiased amplification and sequencing" approach. This allowed them to copy portions of the genetic sequence for the virus that was present in the cell culture. On a hunch, the team used advanced laboratory sequencing techniques to evaluate if the viral material they had was similar to a newly discovered canine coronavirus strain that had been recently found in people in Malaysia. That spillover was reported in Clinical Infectious Diseases in May. It wasn't just similar, it was a 99.4% match. But it differed slightly in one way: the sample under analysis by the UF team appeared to have undergone recombination, a form of genetic mixing, with other dog coronaviruses, as well as coronaviruses from pigs and cats. How often do novel coronaviruses spill into people? Coronaviruses were once an obscure and arcane area of research, even among virologists. This family of viruses were known to occur in birds and mammals and to drive patterns of seasonal cold symptoms in people. But they weren't thought to frequently cross species barriers between animals and people. Then came outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS in 2002 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), in 2012. Seven years later, COVID-19 rapidly spread across the world. All of these outbreaks were due to coronaviruses common in certain animals gaining access to human hosts. And each caused more severe illness and death than endemic coronavirus strains that cause the common human cold. The seeming increasing frequency with which disease-causing coronavirus strains are appearing in people has left many researchers wanting to know more about this diverse group of viruses. Dogs, pigs, and people: Coronaviruses like 'em all Usually, most of these spillovers don't transmit beyond their new human host. They simply reach a dead end. But the possibility that these viruses could one day acquire genes that cause severe disease in people underscores the need to know how frequently these spillovers occur and which types of coronaviruses are more prone to spillover. "These concerns are underscored by the apparent ease with which this canine coronavirus appears to have acquired genes from other canine coronaviruses, as well as coronaviruses from pigs and cats," says UF Emerging Pathogens Director J. Glenn Morris, Jr., M.D., M.P.H & T.M. who is the senior author to the study "It is likely that this exchange of genes and movement among hosts has occurred for many years, as part of normal evolution." Better knowledge = reduced risk for future outbreaks Many experts believe that the best way to prevent another coronavirus-driven pandemic is to better understand these viruses in both animals and people. Detecting and identifying previously unknown coronaviruses in animals, for example, will better position scientists to develop diagnostic tests that can be used in routine surveillance and monitoring. "Gaining a deeper understanding of how these coronaviruses move between species will also allow scientists to better predict which gene combinations within a coronavirus might represent a threat to humans," Morris says. "This will provide time for development of vaccines and other therapies to reduce the likelihood of future pandemics." More information: John A Lednicky et al, Isolation of a Novel Recombinant Canine Coronavirus from a Visitor to Haiti: Further Evidence of Transmission of Coronaviruses of Zoonotic Origin to Humans, Clinical Infectious Diseases (2021). Journal information: Clinical Infectious Diseases John A Lednicky et al, Isolation of a Novel Recombinant Canine Coronavirus from a Visitor to Haiti: Further Evidence of Transmission of Coronaviruses of Zoonotic Origin to Humans,(2021). DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab924 Ryan Cantrell, 7, is vaccinated by clinic nurse manager Rich Brotherton in June 2021 as part of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine trial at Stanford Medicine for children 5-11 years old. Credit: Steve Fisch On Nov. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that COVID-19 vaccinations be given to children as young as 5. Pediatricians' offices, pharmacies and health systems are preparing to offer the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines to children across the country. Science writer Erin Digitale turned to Stanford professors and pediatric infectious disease experts Yvonne Maldonado, MD, and Grace Lee, MD, for answers to parents' frequently asked questions about the vaccines. Maldonado leads Stanford's involvement in the pediatric clinical trials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Lee chairs the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which advises the CDC on vaccine use and safety. Q. Why should my child be vaccinated for COVID-19? Children need the protection offered by vaccination. More than 6 million children in the United States have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus since the beginning of the pandemic. Some have become severely ill and even died from complications of COVID-19. In addition to its direct effects on their health, the pandemic has disrupted children's education, friendships and relationships with extended family. Vaccines will make it safer for kids to take part in many activities that are important to their well-being and growth, including attending school and spending time with loved ones. Children are a large segment of the population. Vaccinating them will help control the virus and help prevent the development of new viral variants. Q. How is COVID-19 vaccination different for children younger than 12? Children aged 511 will receive a smaller dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, using smaller needles. The dose for these children is 10 micrograms, one-third of that used in teens and adults. Children's immune systems are more responsive than those of adults and in clinical trials, the smaller dose was found to produce a robust immune response. Children will receive two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine spaced three weeks apart, the same timing as for older age groups. Vaccine trials for children younger than 5, using even smaller doses, are ongoing. Pfizer representatives have said they expect to report results for the youngest children before the end of this year. The Food and Drug Administration and the CDC will then consider the results, with possible authorization for young children in early 2022. Q. How do we know that the vaccine is safe and effective for children? The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was studied in a clinical trial of more than 2,200 children aged five to 11, including about 150 children at Stanford. The trial followed the same process as clinical trials used for all other childhood vaccines. In the trial, COVID-19 vaccination produced a similar immune response to that seen in clinical trials in adults. The vaccine was 90.7% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infection in children. Children in the trial had only mild to moderate side effects that resolved in a few days. The side effects included redness and swelling, fatigue, headache, muscle and/or joint pain, chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, nausea and decreased appetite. These side effects are consistent with the body's normal reactions to vaccination and indicate that the immune system is doing its job. Side effects in the heart, which have been observed in some adolescent boys who received the vaccine, were not seen in children younger than 12. The side effects of vaccination are much less severe than the range of symptoms with COVID-19 infection. Although most children with COVID-19 have mild illness, thousands across the country have been hospitalized, and hundreds have died. Getting vaccinated is much safer than getting sick with COVID-19. Clinical trials in children of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are underway. Q. How can I schedule a COVID-19 vaccination for my child? Pediatricians' practices across the country have been planning for several weeks to make vaccines quickly available. Contact your child's pediatrician for an appointment. Parents can also schedule their child for a vaccine appointment through Stanford Children's Health at COVIDvaccine.stanfordchildrens.org , or check for appointments in their community through the California Department of Public Health at myturn.ca.gov/. If your child has not yet received a flu shot this year, the COVID-19 vaccine can be given at the same time as any other childhood vaccine, including the flu vaccine. Flu vaccination is recommended for everyone older than six months of age. Q. After receiving their vaccines, will children still need to take precautions to prevent viral spread at school? While the vaccinations are very effective, especially for preventing severe COVID-19, they do not provide perfect protection. Until the pandemic is broadly controlled, we need to use all available tools to reduce viral spread in schools and other public settings, including vaccinating everyone who is eligible to receive the vaccine, mask-wearing indoors for everyone older than two and in some cases outdoors as well, hand hygiene, physical distancing, improving ventilation in schools when possible, and other mitigation measures. Reducing viral spread keeps our communities healthy and gives the virus fewer opportunities to mutate in ways that result in dangerous new variants. Explore further COVID-19 vaccination plan for kids 5 to 11 Credit: CC0 Public Domain Researchers administered the Person-Centered Primary Care Measure (PCPCM) in 28 languages to 35 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries to examine the reliability and validity of the measure and to explore the differences in primary care across 35 OECD countries. The PCPCM is an 11-item, patient-reported measure developed in 2017 to assess primary care qualities such as health care accessibility, advocacy, community context, family context, goal-oriented care, health promotion, integration and relationship. Survey constructs are based on what patients, clinicians and, to a lesser extent, payers say is most important to them in primary care. The PCPCM showed solid psychometric properties across all languages and countries, according to the study. The results are important as they provide evidence to primary care researchers that the PCPCM is able to collect data with high comparability, despite differences in geography, culture, or language. The authors encourage further ecological and individual data analyses of the PCPCM to learn about different approaches to health care across different countries. The research was published in The Annals of Family Medicine. Explore further Primary care plays key role in vaccinating older individuals More information: Stephen J. Zyzanski et al, Measuring Primary Care Across 35 OECD Countries, The Annals of Family Medicine (2021). Journal information: Annals of Family Medicine Stephen J. Zyzanski et al, Measuring Primary Care Across 35 OECD Countries,(2021). DOI: 10.1370/afm.2697 Vials of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine sit in a cooler before being thawed at a pop-up COVID-19 vaccination site in the Bronx borough of New York on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021. On Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, Pfizer asked U.S. regulators to allow boosters of its COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 or older, a step that comes amid concern about increased spread of the coronavirus with holiday travel and gatherings. Credit: AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Tuesday to allow boosters of its COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 or older, a step that comes amid concern about increased spread of the coronavirus with holiday travel and gatherings. Older Americans and other groups particularly vulnerable to the virus have had access to a third dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine since September. But the Food and Drug Administration has said it would move quickly to expand boosters to younger ages if warranted. Pfizer is submitting early results of a booster study in 10,000 people to make its case that it's time to further expand the booster campaign. While all three vaccines used in the U.S. continue to offer strong protection against severe COVID-19 illness and death, the shots' effectiveness against milder infection can wane over time. Pfizer's new study concluded a booster could restore protection against symptomatic infection to about 95%, even as the extra-contagious delta variant was surging. Side effects were similar to those seen with the company's first two shots. A median of 11 months after their last Pfizer vaccination, trial participants were given either a third dose or a dummy shot. Researchers tracked any infections that occurred at least a week later, and so far have counted five cases of symptomatic COVID-19 among booster recipients compared to 109 cases among people who got dummy shots. The Biden administration had originally envisioned boosters for all adults, but faced a stinging setback in September when the FDA's scientific advisers rejected extra Pfizer doses for everyone. The panel wasn't convinced that young healthy people needed another dose, particularly when most of the world's population remains unvaccinated, and instead recommended boosters just for certain groupsone of a series of decisions about extra doses for all of the three vaccines used in the U.S. The current rules: People who initially received Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations are eligible for a booster six months later if they're 65 or older, or are at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems or their job or living conditions. Because the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine hasn't proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&J recipient can get a booster at least two months later. Also, anyone eligible for a booster doesn't have to stick with their initial vaccination type and can get a different company's vaccine, what's called mixing and matching. About 194 million Americans are fully vaccinated. Under today's policies, authorities already estimated about 2 of every 3 vaccinated adults could qualify for a booster within the next few months. Many who don't meet the criteria often score an extra shot because many vaccine providers don't check qualifications. FDA spokeswoman Alison Hunt said the agency would review Pfizer's application "as expeditiously as possible," but would not set a timeline for a decision. She also said the FDA hasn't yet decided whether to convene its panel of outside experts to vet the data. If the FDA authorizes Pfizer's request for expanded boosters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then will make recommendations for how to use them. Globally, boosters also are a hodge-podge. Some countries restrict them to older or medically fragile people while others have few restrictions. Israel, for example, has allowed Pfizer boosters for anyone 12 and older. Canada's health regulator on Tuesday authorized Pfizer boosters for people 18 and older. 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Medical specialty boards have broadly complied with their parent organization's mandate to allow at least six weeks of parental, caregiver, and medical leave to residents and fellows in training programs spanning at least two years, but policies still vary from one board to the next and need greater clarity and specificity to better support trainees, according to a multi-institutional study led by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), and Duke University Medical Center. The study, which coincides with the intensifying public debate over a nationwide paid leave program for all workers, was published in Journal of the American Medical Association. "It's gratifying that many medical specialty boards have expanded their allowable leave time for people in clinical training programs," says senior author Thomas Ng, MD, Ph.D., a radiology attending at MGH, and previously a resident at BWH. "At the same time, it's interesting to see how each board interpreted or applied the 2020 policy guidance from the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in different ways. Greater guidance from leaders of medical specialty boards and other national governing bodies to clarify trainee leave entitlement would help to eliminate the confusion for trainees and training programs, and alleviate the stigma attached with taking leave." Changes to parental, caregiver, and medical leave policies by the ABMS specialty boards followed previous studies at MGH/BWH and other institutions showing that leave was limited by ambiguous or restrictive policies, or was underused by trainees who feared the consequences of taking leave. Effective July 1, 2021, the ABMS required its 23 member boards to allow residents and fellows in programs of two years or longer a minimum of six weeks parental, caregiver, or medical leave without exhausting other forms of time allowed away from training, such as vacation. This latest study was designed to assess if and how boards had adhered to the mandate, and what changes had occurred compared to prior policies. Researchers reviewed publicly accessible websites for leave policies related to residency and fellowship training and contacted the boards to verify that they were current. The team learned that while all boards now have leave policies compliant with the ABMS policy, their implementation was variable. Some boards set maximum limits on leave per year, while others define limits over the entire training duration. Moreover, some boards require generic use of non-clinical time (including vacation) to fulfill the terms of the leave, while others define specific parental, caregiver, or medical leave requirements separate from other types of leave. "Given that the extended training of many residents and fellows coincides with childbearing years, the availability of family, caregiver and medical leave is essential to support the next generation of physicians," notes lead author Kirti Magudia, MD, Ph.D., a radiology attending at Duke University Medical Center, and previously a radiology resident at BWH. "Ensuring that allowable parental, caregiver or medical leave does not deplete vacation time is a critical aspect to leave policies that will promote professional and personal well-being." This past September, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) followed the ABMS by mandating a minimum of six weeks of parental, caregiver, and medical leave for all residents and fellows in accredited programs. Co-author Debra Weinstein, MD, vice president for graduate medical education at Mass General/Brigham, commends the ABMS and ACGME actions. "These governing bodies, and hopefully others to follow, are helping to modernize the profession's approach to support the well-being of members, while ensuring that the objectives of education and training are fulfilled.," she says. "More progress needs to be made, but these are important steps in the right direction." Explore further Majority of internal medicine residency program directors misinterpret ABIM leave policies More information: Kirti Magudia et al, Medical Specialty Board Parental, Caregiver, and Medical Leave Policy Updates After 2021 American Board of Medical Specialties Mandate, JAMA (2021). Journal information: Journal of the American Medical Association Kirti Magudia et al, Medical Specialty Board Parental, Caregiver, and Medical Leave Policy Updates After 2021 American Board of Medical Specialties Mandate,(2021). DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.15871 Generic ibuprofen. Credit: Wikipedia New research suggests there may someday be a role for ibuprofen in providing older adults with lasting immunity against RSV, a virus commonly associated with infants and young kids that also rivals the flu as a dangerous wintertime infection for the elderly. RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, accounts for an estimated 14,000 deaths and 177,000 hospitalizations annually among U.S. adults over 65. RSV is problematic for older people in part because an initial infection isn't effective at inducing a long-term immune response to the virus. The study showed that geriatric cotton rats given ibuprofen for a week before initial infection with RSV cleared the virus more quickly than those that didn't receive ibuprofen. When researchers re-infected those ibuprofen-treated rats a month later, the elderly animals were completely protected from the virus. In contrast, young adult cotton rats were able to clear the virus fairly effectively and mount a suitable immune response to re-infection a month laterbut got no benefit from the ibuprofen. With ibuprofen showing effectiveness only in geriatric animals, the findings suggest that the drug improves the immune response by lowering aging-related inflammation. Though there is still a lot to learn, the Ohio State University researchers speculate that the reduced inflammation restored the function of specific immune cells needed to clear the virus. "For a long time, people have thought that certain immune cells get burned out and can't function properly any longer. And then we started treating against inflammation, and suddenly the old cells can do their job like young cells," said senior study author Stefan Niewiesk, professor of veterinary biosciences at Ohio State. "It only works in old animals, and in older people we see a lot of inflammation and related chronic disease. When we think about what the pathways are to fix RSV infection in the elderly, this study opens a door to the possibilities." The research appears in the November 2021 issue of the journal Virology. Niewiesk and first author Olivia Harder, a veterinary biosciences research associate at Ohio State, cautioned that it's far too soon to consider taking ibuprofen to prevent RSV infection. Long-term use of ibuprofen, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), can damage the kidneys and gastric lining and slows down blood clotting time. In this study, the researchers compared the influence of ibuprofen pre-treatment on groups of sexually mature adult cotton rats, younger than two months old, and geriatric rats between nine and 15 months old. Cotton rats are a good model for the study of RSV because the virus grows well in both the lungs and nose as it does in humans, but the rats don't experience symptoms of illness. The drug was added to their chow and drinking water for one week before they were first infected with RSV. The estimated ibuprofen dose was intended to resemble the 200 to 400 milligrams humans might take every four to six hours. Though ibuprofen was linked to more rapid viral clearance in old rats, the scientists were particularly interested in the animals' response to re-infection a month later. "We wanted to see if they could mount an immune response," Harder said. "In the geriatric cotton rats we had treated with ibuprofen, there was no growth of the virus with the second infection." In examinations of cells and tissue, Harder found that ibuprofen did not improve the antibody response in the old rats or kill the virus. The analysis identified a specific type of immune cell, called CD8+ (cytotoxic) T cells, that were critical to the geriatric rats' ability to clear the virus because they remove infected cells. When the team used a technique to deplete CD8+ T cells in the old rats, it took the animals longer to clear the virus and any positive effects of the ibuprofen were lostsuggesting the ibuprofen had a restorative effect on those cells. Previous research has suggested that other immune cells responsible for stimulating T cell production get sluggish in old animals, and that inflammation-related molecules are behind their slowed reactivity. "If you take those inflammatory molecules away with ibuprofen, these immune cells would migrate normally and we'd have stimulated CD8+ T cells. That's the idea, but we still haven't confirmed the mechanism," Niewiesk said. "We're also asking what part of the inflammatory cascade does ibuprofen affect? How does inflammation look in these old animalsis it always there and then increased with infection? That's where we're looking at the moment." RSV vaccines are in development, but there is no treatmentwith the exception of an expensive prophylactic antibody available to prevent severe symptoms only in at-risk infants. Niewiesk hopes to eventually identify a more targeted agent for the aging population that could have a similar protective effect against RSV without any risks. "This isn't a case where someone should take ibuprofen daily for the whole winter. There are too many side effects," he said. "But if there was something to take post-infection, after you feel sickthat would be great." Explore further Traditional Samoan medicine found to be as effective as ibuprofen at reducing inflammation More information: Olivia E. Harder et al, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs restore immune function to respiratory syncytial virus in geriatric cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus), Virology (2021). Journal information: Virology Olivia E. Harder et al, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs restore immune function to respiratory syncytial virus in geriatric cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus),(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.08.006 Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A team of researchers with Lausanne University Hospital has found evidence that challenges the theory that slow brainwaves during sleep indicate the person is feeling that they are deeply asleep. Their study results are published in Current Biology. For many years, medical science has held firm to the belief that it is possible to tell how deeply a person is sleeping by watching their brainwaves on an EEG readout. In this new effort, the researchers challenge that notion by taking a closer look at what happens with people who suffer from chronic insomnia. To learn more about insomnia and to possibly find a cure for it, the researchers asked 10 people with insomnia and 20 people who generally sleep normally to undergo EEG recordings as they slept in a lab. Each also reported on the quality of their sleep. The researchers also performed 787 awakenings of the volunteers to get near-instant feedback regarding their quality of sleep across sleep stages. In looking at their data, the researchers found that normal sleepers reported experiencing their lightest sleep during the first two hours of sleep, a period of non-REM sleep. The insomniacs, on the other hand, reported feeling more awake than those who slept normally those first two hours. They also reported feeling like they slept more lightly during REM sleep, which prior research has suggested is the time when people normally sleep the deepest. The researchers also found that the insomniacs were very often sleeping during times that they thought they were awake, suggesting they get more sleep than they think they do. But the researchers also found that there was a certain degree of overlap between slow-wave sleep and fast-wave sleep in the insomniacsan indication that they are both awake and asleep at the same time. The researchers suggest this finding challenges the notion that slow waves necessarily indicate both heavy sleep and the feeling of having slept heavily afterward. They further suggest older ideas tend to ignore the feelings of disassociation people can have while sleepingan indication that something went wrong during the sleeping process. Explore further New method makes the experience of sleeplessness more visible More information: Aurelie M. Stephan et al, Conscious experiences and high-density EEG patterns predicting subjective sleep depth, Current Biology (2021). Journal information: Current Biology Aurelie M. Stephan et al, Conscious experiences and high-density EEG patterns predicting subjective sleep depth,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.012 2021 Science X Network The vaccination center of St Thomas' Hospital sits behind the National Covid Memorial Wall in London, Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021. The British government is due to decide about mandatory vaccination for NHS staff.Credit: AP Photo/Frank Augstein The British government says all health care staff who work with the public will have to be vaccinated against the coronavirus starting in April, despite concerns the move could drive thousands of people to quit their jobs. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Tuesday that 90% of staff in the state-funded National Health Service have already received two doses of a vaccine. But that leaves more than 100,000 health workers unvaccinated. Javid told lawmakers in the House of Commons that, while vaccination is not compulsory for most people, health workers "carry a unique responsibility" because they are in contact with those most vulnerable to illness. He said the mandate won't take effect until April 1, which will give all staff time to receive two doses. There will be exceptions for those who are medically exempt and staff who don't meet members of the public. The change applies in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own health rules. Trade unions had opposed making vaccinations compulsory, saying it could drive some staff to quit the already stretched health system. Labour Party health spokesman Jonathan Ashworth said there was a risk "that a policy, however laudable in principle, could exacerbate some of these chronic understaffing problems." A member of staff of the nearby St Thomas' Hospital rests on the National Covid Memorial Wall in London, Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021. The British government is due to decide about mandatory vaccination for NHS staff.Credit: AP Photo/Frank Augstein The government already requires nursing home staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with Thursday the deadline. Javid said that since the rule was announced, the number of unvaccinated care workers had fallen from 88,000 to 32,000. Britain was one of the first countries in the world to start coronavirus vaccinations, but, as in many countries, the campaign has slowed to a crawl after a strong start. About 80% of people over 12 in the U.K. have had two doses of vaccine. Britain also is offering third booster doses to people at heightened risk from the virus, including everyone over 50. The U.K. has recorded almost 142,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest total in Europe after Russia. Explore further UK says braced for 100,000 daily COVID cases 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Barysevich holds bilateral meetings during the visit to Kuwait On November 8, 2021 within the framework of his visit to the State of Kuwait to participate in the Belarusian-Kuwaiti Ministerial Consultations, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Mikalai Barysevich, held a number of bilateral meetings. At the meeting with the Co-chair of the Kuwaiti part of Joint Commission on Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation, Acting Deputy Minister of Finance Asil Al Saad Al Menaifi, the sides stressed the importance of resuming a full-fledged work of the Commission and supported the proposal of the Belarusian side to hold a meeting of the Commission in the first half of the year 2022. Issues on arrangement of the commission's work, proposals on agenda and content of the next meeting were also discussed. During the meeting with the Chair of Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mohammad Al Sakr, the sides touched upon the issues of enhancing contacts between the business circles of the two countries. The possibility of organizing a visit of a delegation of representatives of the Belarusian business circles to Kuwait in connection with the holding of the next meeting of the Joint Commission on Economic, Trade and Technical Cooperation was discussed. The Kuwaiti side confirmed its readiness to intensify contacts with the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, including taking into account the invitation sent to the head of the Kuwaiti Chamber of Commerce and Industry to visit Belarus. At the meeting with the General Director of Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Marwan Al Ghanem, the progress in the implementation of the project on the construction of the Grodno Regional Clinical Oncological Dispensary, as well as the prospects for the Fund's co-financing another socially oriented project in Belarus, were discussed. print version The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday announced the reorganization and designation of the heads of its three divisions. Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Monday that the state is sponsoring a monoclonal antibody treatment clinic in Missoula to treat people with COVID-19. It is the second such clinic in Montana the first was opened recently with St. James Healthcare in Butte. The clinic is in partnership with Providence St. Patrick Hospital, but through a third party, Jogan Health Solutions, which the state has contracted "to alleviate the strain on hospital resources," a news release announcing the clinic said. While monoclonal antibodies are an important piece of the COVID-19 toolkit, they are only given with physician prescription once a person has contracted the virus. COVID vaccination remains the key measure in preventing a patients possible hospitalization and death, said Joyce Dombrouski, chief executive of Providence Montana, in the release. Partnering with the State of Montana for staffing was integral in our ability to offer this treatment locally. The treatment center is open to eligible, at-risk Montanans who receive a referral from their doctor. Monoclonal antibodies have emergency authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help treat mild to moderate COVID cases that have potential to turn severe. The antibodies can block the coronavirus from attaching to human cells. A lifesaving tool for Montanans who contract COVID-19, monoclonal antibody treatments help reduce the strain on our hospital systems and open up ICU beds for the most critical patients, Gov. Gianforte said in the release. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 5 Funny 1 Wow 3 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 Missoula man has been jailed on $25,000 bond after his arrest for allegedly strangling a family member over the weekend. Kylend Christian Robert Rees, 32, is charged with one felony count of strangulation of a family member, first offense. He also appeared on one count of a third or subsequent offense of partner or family member assault, also a felony, and one misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest, Missoula police were called to a domestic disturbance early Sunday morning at a residence on Grandview Way in Missoula County. The caller, a woman, could be heard by dispatch telling a man to "let go of me," "get away from me" and that "you are trying to kill me," according to charging documents. The woman, a family member of Rees, answered the door when officers arrived and indicated she was the 911 caller. Police noticed she was obviously distressed, could barely speak and was breathing rapidly. The woman had been with Rees at her house when he started fighting with another man, she told officers. She was able to get the other individual off the property, but Rees remained and "lost it," the documents said. He allegedly began hitting her in the head, put his hand on her neck and began to "choke" her, the woman reported. At this point, Rees was on top of her and she lost consciousness. Officers observed raised red abrasions on the woman's neck and other signs of physical trauma. Rees did not come to the door when police tried to contact him, the documents said. Eventually they located him and Rees refused attempts to be handcuffed by not removing his hands from under his body and pretending to be sleeping. He has been convicted on at least two prior occasions under Montana's Partner or Family Assault statute, the documents said. State prosecution asked for $100,000 bail at Rees' initial appearance Monday in Missoula County Justice Court, saying he poses a danger to the community and is on probation for another partner or family member assault charge. He was given a $25,000 bond, as well as an additional $25,000 bond for an parole violation, for a total of $50,000. Rees' arraignment was set for 9 .m. Nov. 22. There have been several strangulation cases charged in Missoula County in recent weeks. Strangulation is a significant predictor of future lethal violence, according to Just Response, a project by the Office on Violence Against Women in the U.S. Department of Justice. There are many resources available in Missoula for domestic violence survivors. The Missoula YWCA provides 24-hour crisis counseling, emergency shelter, transitional housing, mental health counseling, legal support and support groups for victims of crime. Their phone number is 406-542-1944. The Missoula City-County Crime Victim Advocate Program provides legal advocacy for victims of crimes. Advocates can help you obtain a restraining order, report a crime to police or navigate options available to you through the justice system. They can be reached at 406-258-3830. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. Jaclyn Foster said she is more than ready to get her 5-year-old vaccinated against COVID-19 after seeing the shots recently gain federal approval for ages 5 to 11. "It's coming at the perfect time for my family because I'm due with a newborn in December and so just having more confidence that, you know, my kindergartner isn't going to bring COVID home from school and give it to the baby is a really nice feeling," Foster said. After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved COVID vaccines for 5-to 11-year-olds on Oct. 29, health care providers in Montana have begun offering the shots, with the Missoula City-County Health Department kicking off its clinics for young children on Monday. Missoula County Public Schools is hosting several vaccine clinics this week. Other municipalities, including Billings, Helena and Bozeman, are planning large clinics to immunize children against the virus. Since the start of the pandemic, Foster has worked to explain what COVID-19 is to her daughter, calling it "the big germ." Her daughter recently received the chickenpox immunization and despite being nervous about shots, was excited to hear about the COVID vaccine. "I explained that at her most recent appointment, she's gotten the vaccine for chickenpox, so she would never get (chickenpox)," Foster said. "For a week, she went around and would tell just about every adult she met that she'd gotten her chickenpox shot. So she was pretty excited when I told her they'd approved 'the big germ' shot." Blake Hempstead, an Anaconda native and former school board member, was also happy to have his kids vaccinated. The pandemic took a heavy and personal toll on his family his father-in-law died of COVID in Missoula after a three-month battle with the virus. Hempstead's kids were able to get the shot last week. "(Getting the kids vaccinated) wasn't necessarily just a sigh of relief, it was something that, with the kids trying to deal with the passing of their grandfather, it's really the first time they've head to deal with death, loss, grief in their lives," Hempstead said. "They're deathly afraid of needles, being a kid, obviously, but it was something that they really wanted to do and we're proud to do it." Missoula County, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County and its neighbor, Butte-Silver Bow County have the three highest rates of vaccination among eligible population in Montana. Hempstead listened to medical professionals and when they said it was safe, he and his wife went ahead with the vaccinations for the kids, he said. "If a doctor, or a collection of doctors, are going to come out and say one thing, then that's pretty much where I'm going to lean," Hempstead said. "I'm not going to go down to the local mechanic and tell them how to change my oil. That's just how we approached this, they're the professionals." Ask your doctor While the local health department and other health officials have long been urging the public to get vaccinated, their messaging around children's vaccinations is a little different than it has been for adults. "The approach we've been taking is that we don't want parents to be getting their information from websites, from social media, or even from us," said Missoula City-County Health Officer D'Shane Barnett. "What we want to do is reach out to their child's doctor, their pediatrician and get information from that medical professional as to whether or not vaccines are appropriate for their child right now," he added. There has been a lot of misinformation and politicization of COVID and vaccines over the last year, he said. "What we don't want is for that to stand in the way of people accessing resources that can actually help prevent illness for their children." Not everyone has the ability to see a doctor to ask those questions, so other organizations are trying to disseminate as much accurate, medically sound information as possible. Partnership Health Center is encouraging parents with questions about the vaccine to call 406-258-4789 to set up an appointment with a physician regardless of the ability to pay, or insurance. Additionally, Community Medical Center has a "Nurse on Call Line" where families can call 406-327-4770 for free information from 5 to 7 p.m. every day, through at least Nov. 18. The Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics held a question and answer session Friday with Montana pediatricians Dr. Tanya Jagodzinski and Dr. David Higgins. "This safe and effective vaccine now makes COVID-19 infection and these serious complications a preventable disease," Higgins said, after explaining children are not free from risk of COVID and that "otherwise healthy" children have seen long-term health complications. According to Pfizer's study of its vaccine for children, it is 90% effective in preventing symptomatic COVID and 100% effective in preventing severe disease in children, which Higgins called "incredible." Jagodzinski also said a good place to look for information on COVID and other general pediatric health questions is healthychildren.org, which is written by pediatricians. Asking questions and having concerns about the vaccine certainly does not make a person a bad parent, Higgins said. Foster, who is in pharmacy school at the University of Montana, echoed that thought. "I think for a lot of parents, there's a lot of anxiety about choosing wrong," Foster said. "Because the vaccines are new and as a parent ... it's one thing to make that choice for yourself, but to make it on behalf of your kid is a lot higher pressure." For Foster, that decision came down to her confidence in the testing and efficacy of the vaccine, citing that in the last 100 years since the world has had vaccines, there has never been a case of new side effects after eight weeks. The vaccine has been rigorously tested and studied, perhaps more so than any other, Higgins said. "Vaccines in general are held to essentially the highest safety level of anything," Higgins said. "Arguably these vaccines have been studied in more detail and more robustly than really any vaccine or medication in history." "It's only going to boost your immunity and help with future infection," he added. Clinics available The doses for kids age 5 to 11 come in smaller bottles, use smaller needles, and are one-third of that given to an adult, Barnett said, adding Missoula County and its surrounding partners have not yet run into supply issues. Uptake will likely be high, Barnett said, basing his assertion on the number of phone calls and messages the local health department got for not opening up childhood vaccinations last week. The reason for that was due to conflicts with Thanksgiving break, as second-dose vaccine appointments last week would have fallen right around that time, Barnett explained. On a personal level, Barnett is breathing a sigh of relief his family will be fully vaccinated as his son, who just turned 11, was scheduled to get his first COVID vaccine dose on Monday night. "We've been walking on eggshells, because we had a 10-year old at home who could not be vaccinated," Barnett said. "The idea that we could potentially bring a virus home that could not just make him sick, but with children with long hauler syndrome, with all the medical complications that can go along with COVID for children, there's no way we would ever forgive ourselves if we were responsible for that." MCPS is hosting a Pfizer COVID vaccine clinic for 5- to 11-year-olds on Friday, Nov. 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and again on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the district's administration building at 909 South Ave. W. in Missoula. Parents of children in the MCPS system should receive an email from Granite Pharmacy on how to make appointments. Additionally, Target Range will have a clinic for 5-to 11-year-olds in the school's gymnasium from 2 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11. Appointments can be made through Granite Pharmacy's scheduling phone application. Hellgate Elementary will have also have a clinic for children on Friday, Nov. 12 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Hellgate Elementary Building No. 4 cafeteria. Those appointments need to be made online through the University of Montana's Health Services Pharmacy. The Missoula City-County Health Department is offering childhood COVID vaccines during its regular clinic hours. Those appointments can be made at missoulainfo.com. The choice, for many parents, is simple. "As far as fear of the unknown goes ... it's hard to judge risk for all humans, but I would be so much more worried about, a decade later, finding out that COVID had long-term effects we didn't know about more than the vaccine having long-term effects we didn't know about," Foster said. 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 6 Funny 0 Wow 0 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. MonTEC, the University of Montana's startup incubator, recently received an $850,000 grant from Google to support Indigenous women looking to start or grow a business in Montana. The Google.org Impact Challenge for Women and Girls grant will allow MonTEC to collaborate with Salish Kootenai College and Blackfeet Community College to develop programming online in a wide array of subjects to support female entrepreneurs, according to a UM news release. "Women of color, in particular, are incredibly underrepresented in business and leadership roles," said Morgan Slemberger, director of Women's Entrepreneurship and Leadership at UM, in the release. "We will use this generous grant from Google to support and supplement the existing strength of Indigenous women by providing them with culturally empowering online courses." The university of was one of 34 organizations internationally to receive funding through the program. Moreover, UM was one of only six in the United States to be a recipient. "Collaborations like these not only help deliver on UM's promise to advance inclusive prosperity for all Montana citizens but also enact a critical part of UM's mission," said UM President Seth Bodnar in the release. "This program perfectly aligns with one of our strategic priorities: Partner with Place. It reflects our commitment to recognize and support the talent of the people of Montana, including those living in rural areas and Indigenous communities, to promote the prosperity of our state and region," he continued. In March, the Google.org Impact challenge for Women and Girls set out to disperse $25 million to the global nonprofit community. The philanthropic program partnered with a women-led panel of experts to evaluate proposals based on four key criteria including innovation, impact, feasibility and scalability. The entrepreneurial spirit is strong in the Blackfeet community, according to Marlene Doney, chair of the Business Division at Blackfeet Community College. "We previously offered a SMART Money program to teach financial literacy, and we set record enrollment in that class," Doney said. "The desire to learn more about finances and other areas of business is something we can grow from." Salish Kootenai College will spend the next year developing classes on a array of topics like personal finances, taxes, marketing, business and self-care, said Rachel Andrews-Gould, the dean of the college's Business Division. Ultimately, Andrews-Gould says the impact of these future businesses will extend beyond themselves. "Every woman we help touches multiple generations and family members," Andrews-Gould said. "Their children, their husbands, their aunties. It will make generational differences." In addition to the money, UM, MonTEC and its partners will participate in a accelerator program for four months led by Google's Accelerator and Women Techmakers communities and others. "Globally, women have been near twice as likely to lose their jobs during COVID-19 as men," said Jacqueline Fuller, president of Google.org. "It's vital that we elevate and support work that empowers women and girls to reach their full economic potential, especially in marginalized communities. The pandemic recovery must be an inclusive one, and we know that when we invest in women and girls, we all benefit." You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 HOUSTON (AP) The deaths of eight people in a crush of fans at a music festival have led to calls for an independent, outside investigation instead of one by the Houston police, who along with the fire department played a key role in crowd control and other safety measures at the show. Experts in crowd safety say an investigation by neutral outsiders into the tragedy during Friday nights performance by rapper Travis Scott could help the city avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency. Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva declined to comment on whether the department's close involvement in the event created a conflict or if it was considering handing the probe off to an outside agency. Such decisions are often made in investigations like police shootings. All of the information we have available to put out at this time has been placed out on Twitter, Silva said. The police department's probe would be separate from any independent investigation ordered by County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris Countys top elected official, according to Rafael Lemaitre, a spokesman for the county judge's office. Hidalgo hasn't decided who would conduct such an independent review or how it would be done, Lemaitre said Monday. She wants to know if this could have been prevented in any way, Lemaitre said. Its also entirely possible that it was not preventable for whatever reason, and thats something we would like to know, as well. Key questions remain unanswered after the Astroworld festival at the Harris County-owned NRG Park. Some involve what the Houston police and fire departments did before, during and after a crowd surged toward the stage, killing eight people and injuring many more, with over 300 people treated on site and at least 13 others hospitalized. Other questions center on the actions of event organizers. Officials with the Houston police and fire departments have said that part of their investigation will include reviewing whether the concert promoter and others behind the festival adhered to the plans that were submitted for the event. Astroworlds organizers laid out security and emergency medical response protocols for the festival in plans filed with Harris County. The 56-page plan, obtained by The Associated Press, says any decision to evacuate the event would be made by the festival director after consultation with other individuals, including the security director. Such plans have to be reviewed by Houston police officials. Christopher Slobogin, director of the criminal justice program at Vanderbilt University, said an independent criminal investigation could be beneficial to avoid any potential conflicts of interest, but acknowledged this case is different from typical situations where authorities are confronted with decisions over whether to step away from a case. The actual crime was probably not committed directly by the fire department or the police department, he said. But at least for appearance purposes, if an independent body did the investigation I think that would be the better practice. Officials have said a private company was primarily responsible for providing security at the festival, but Houston police were also assigned to the event. The plan says medical care at the festival was provided by ParaDocs, a private company based in New York. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said during a news conference Saturday that the injuries and size of the crowd quickly overwhelmed the private companies providing security and medical services. Pena said even though the medical operations plan did not require the fire department to have units pre-positioned around the festival, those units were in place in case this incident escalated. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on Monday that he had a "brief and respectful" meeting with Scott and the rappers head of security on Friday before his performance. The chief said he asked them to work with the police department. I expressed my concerns regarding public safety and that in my 31 years in law enforcement experience I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages, to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation, Finner said. G. Keith Still, a visiting professor of crowd science at the United Kingdoms University of Suffolk, said his independent investigations of similar tragedies typically begin with evaluating an events safety permit process, including how a permit was issued and whether the event organizer adhered to permit conditions. Police can sometimes get too caught up in trying to take eyewitness accounts, he said. With 50,000 potential eyewitnesses, by the time they get through with all of that, theyre left with a huge, confused mass. Houston police and fire officials said their investigation will include reviewing video taken by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show. Officials also planned to review the events security plan and determine whether its organizers properly followed permit requirements. Steven Adelman, vice president of the industry group Event Safety Alliance, said in an email that he sees no issue with public safety authorities authorizing an independent investigation of the Houston tragedy. I would hope and assume the investigation will be conducted by an outside person who is not subject to influence by the agencies that were involved with Astroworld. This is not an uncommon scenario in complex situations like this one, wrote Adelman, whose organization was formed after the collapse of a stage killed seven people at the Indiana State Fair in 2011. Adelman said private forensic analysis experts independently investigated the Indiana stage collapse, examining the stage roof engineering and crowd management. A good example of what I hope we see here, Adelman said of the investigation in Houston. Finner has defended how long it took for the concert to be called off after the first signs of trouble. The police chief said his department immediately notified concert organizers after noticing that attendees were going down. The event was called off 40 minutes later after discussions that included the fire department and park officials. You cannot just close when youve got 50,000 over 50,000 individuals, OK? Finner said. We have to worry about rioting riots when you have a group thats that young. Pena said city officials limited the attendance to 50,000 even though the venue could have held 200,000 based on fire codes. It was the crowd control at the point of the stage that was the issue, especially as the crowd began to surge toward the stage, Pena said. Live Nation said in a statement that it is cooperating with local authorities "so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time." County Judge Hidalgo tweeted on Saturday that she was calling for an objective and independent investigation into what happened. She also said her office was grateful for the work done by the police and fire departments. It may well be that this tragedy is the result of unpredictable events, of circumstances coming together that couldnt possibly have been avoided, Hidalgo said. But until we determine that, I will ask the tough questions. Hidalgos office isnt a law-enforcement agency and doesnt have authority over criminal investigations. Kunzelman reported from College Park, Maryland. Associated Press reporters Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. 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 ATLANTA (AP) Republicans continued tinkering with a proposed map for Georgia's state House on Monday even as they set up a state Senate map for a Tuesday vote. The new map rolled out by House Republicans would change more than 20 metro Atlanta districts, and alter some in GOP-friendly northern suburbs to make two districts more securely Republican and one more securely Democratic. Although Georgia statewide is narrowly divided politically, independent analysts say Democrats are at a disadvantage not only because Republicans are drawing the maps, but also because their voters cluster so tightly in urban areas. So even though most of Georgia's population growth has been in its largest metropolitan areas, and President Joe Biden carried Georgia with a narrow majority last year, Republicans are projected to control 54% of the House seats (98 of 180) and 59% of the Senate seats (33 of 56), according to statistical projections by Fair Districts GA. While Monday's changes to the House map may not change the overall balance, it is likely to reduce the already-small number of districts where both major parties have realistic chances of winning. Fair Districts GA said competitive House districts would fall from 10 today to 7 under Monday's plan. Changes were also made to a handful of Democratic-leaning districts in Fulton, DeKalb, Rockdale and Henry counties, aiding Democratic incumbents in at least two districts. The Senate Rules Committee voted 11-3 to advance that chamber's proposed state Senate map to debate in the full chamber on Tuesday, despite complaints about how quickly Republicans are moving. Normally, action in one chamber is only half the story in the Georgia General Assembly. However, Georgia's House and Senate traditionally haven't interfered in how the other chamber draws its districts. This means the Senate vote could be the final meaningful action on that chamber's map. 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. The Republicans' newest proposal doesn't make any more changes to areas southwest of Atlanta, where GOP Rep. Philip Singleton of Sharpsburg complains that an earlier proposal draws him into a heavily Democratic district that would reach north into Fulton County. Singleton has been on the outs with House Speaker David Ralston, a Blue Ridge Republican, and Singleton and others have said cutting up Coweta County smacks of retribution. Singleton had asked his colleagues to redraw two of the proposed districts to create one that combines all of northern Coweta County with parts of south Fulton County and Douglas County to create a district he would have a better chance of winning. Doing so would decrease by one the number of majority-minority districts in the map. I noticed that you guys have made significant changes in several areas over the state, but zero changes at all to my community of interest and to my county, Singleton said. Redistricting committee chair Bonnie Rich noted she has family ties to Coweta County and said I do have sympathy for protesters' position, but suggested her hands were tied by requirements under the federal Voting Rights Act to maximize minority districts. No matter how much anybody here on this committee or in this room thinks that the application is unfair here, this is just not the body that has any authority to change the Federal Voting Rights Act, said Rich, a Suwanee Republican. A number of Fayette County residents complained about their county being split four ways. Advocates renewed requests for more time to give meaningful input into the maps. State Rep. Ed Setzler, an Acworth Republican, said the changes Rich unveiled Thursday are a response to that input. What you see before you has all of the changes madam chair highlighted for you that were based on the feedback we've gotten from the citizens of Georgia across the political spectrum, Setzler said. Follow Jeff Amy at http://twitter.com/jeffamy. 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 TBILISI, Georgia (AP) Thousands of protesters rallied in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Monday to demand the release of the countrys jailed former President Mikheil Saakashvili. Saakashvili has remained behind bars since his arrest on Oct. 1 following his return from Ukraine in a bid to bolster opposition forces ahead of nationwide municipal elections. The elections were eventually swept by members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, but the opposition alleged fraud. Saakashvili left Georgia in 2013 following the end of his presidency due to term limits. He later was stripped of his citizenship and sentenced in absentia to six years in prison on abuse-of-power convictions. Saakashvili and his supporters reject the accusations as politically motivated. Supporters contend that Saakashvilis health has seriously deteriorated as he launched a hunger strike while in prison, but Georgian authorities insist that his vital signs are normal. Justice Minister Rati Begradze said last week that Saakashvili has been consuming cereal and fruit juices. Saakashvili's supporters have pushed for his transfer from a prison in Rustavi, 30 kilometers (20 miles) south of the Tbilisi, to a private clinic, but the authorities rejected the demand, describing it as part of an alleged opposition plot to foment unrest. On Monday, Saakashvili was moved from the Rustavi prison to a hospital in the Gldani prison in Tbilisi. Speaking before opposition supporters on Tbilisis Freedom Square, Nika Melia, chairman of the countrys opposition United National Movement, said by forcefully transferring Saakashvili to a prison hospital the government has crossed all boundaries and red lines. 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 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A Kansas City man who has been jailed for more than 40 years for a triple murder adamantly and repeatedly denied having anything to do with the crime during testimony Monday in an evidentiary hearing that could lead to his freedom. I had absolutely nothing to do with these murders. By no means was I anywhere close to that crime scene," said Kevin Strickland, who said he has been working toward his freedom since he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1979. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker and other legal and political leaders say Strickland was wrongfully convicted. She said evidence used to convict him had been recanted or disproven since his trial. This is a triple murder in which three young people were executed, Peters Baker said Monday. The tragedy was made much, much worse by Kevin Stricklands conviction. The evidentiary hearing in Strickland's case comes after months of delays caused by legal procedures and canceled hearings prompted mostly by motions filed by the state attorney general's office. Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate, has said he believes Strickland is guilty of the murders. Attorneys for Strickland and the Attorney Generals office indicated during opening statements that the statements from Cynthia Douglas, the only survivor of the shootings, identifying Strickland as the shooter would be central to determining Stricklands fate. Strickland's supporters said Douglas recanted her identification before she died. Andrew Clarke, an assistant prosecutor in the Attorney Generals office, said evidence existed to show Strickland was guilty. He said recorded phone calls between Douglas and her husband while he was incarcerated would show she was not interested in helping Strickland prove his innocence. Clarke also said one of Strickland's fingerprints was found on a car used the night of the killings. It was owned by Vincent Bell, who later pleaded guilty to the murders. Strickland testified that he often drove the car for Bell, who did not have a driver's license and he was surprised more of the his fingerprints weren't found on the car. Strickland also acknowledged he gave Bell some shotgun shells two to three weeks before the killings after Bell said he wanted to test a shotgun he was given. But Strickland maintained he did not know they would be used in a triple murder. Strickland said he drank beer and smoked marijuana before police came to his home to question him about the killings. During cross-examination on Monday from assistant prosecutor Christine Krug, Strickland acknowledged it was the first time in 43 years that he had ever said he was under the influence at the time. Strickland, 62, was convicted in the April 25, 1978, fatal shootings of Larry Ingram, 21; John Walker, 20; and Sherrie Black, 22, in Kansas City. Strickland, a Black man, saw his first trial end in a hung jury when the only Black juror, a woman, held out for acquittal. After his second trial in 1979, he was convicted by an all-white jury of one count of capital murder and two counts of second-degree murder. Strickland has always maintained that he was home watching television and had nothing to do with the killings, which happened when he was 18 years old. Two other men convicted in the killings later insisted that Strickland wasn't at the crime scene, The Kansas City Star reported. And Douglas, the only eyewitness to the killings, recanted her testimony that Strickland was the shooter. During afternoon testimony, Douglas' daughter, mother, sister and a former co-worker all testified that she had told them she identified the wrong shooter and wanted to help exonerate Strickland, Senoria Strickland said her daughter told her police pressured her to identify Strickland and she was was upset and depressed that she had chosen the wrong guy. During his testimony, Strickland denied suggestions that he offered Douglas $300 to keep her mouth shut, and said he had never visited the house where the murders occurred before they happened. Strickland said he went to the scene at the request of a friend who was Vincent Bell's sister. He said he cooperated with officers at the scene and later at the police station because he knew the system worked and I would not be convicted of something I didnt do. Strickland, who has spinal stenosis, watched the testimony from a wheelchair. Before the hearing began, he told reporters he was scared. In June, the Missouri Supreme Court declined to hear Stricklands petition. Republican Gov. Mike Parson also refused to pardon Strickland, saying he wasn't convinced that Strickland was innocent. Hearings were scheduled in August in DeKalb County, where Strickland is imprisoned. Those hearings were canceled after Peters Baker used a new state law to seek an evidentiary hearing i n Jackson County, where Strickland was convicted. The law allows local prosecutors to challenge convictions if they believe the defendant did not commit the crime. A hearing scheduled for Sept. 2 was delayed after Schmitt's office sought more time for the court to hear several motions his office filed in the case. Schmitt sought to have all 16th Circuit judges in Jackson County recused from presiding over the evidentiary hearing because the presiding judge in that circuit had said he agreed that Strickland was wrongfully convicted. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Sept. 30 that the Jackson County judges should be recused from the hearing to avoid any suggestions of impropriety or bias, delaying another hearing. Retired Senior Judge James Welsh was then appointed to preside over the case. This story has been corrected to show that Strickland watched the testimony from a wheelchair, but did not testify from a wheelchair. 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 On Oct. 26, Habitat for Humanity of Missoula hosted a public town hall where we shared what we are doing to address todays housing crisis. Over the last 30 years, we have rallied community volunteers and supporters to help us build two homes each year, resulting in 62 homes to date. However, to take the lead in building homeownership for our workforce, we must focus on the 5 Ls involved in the calculus of housing: Labor, Lumber, Laws, Lending, and Lots. We shared the steps we are actively taking to pivot in a new direction as we all recognize that todays paradigm has shifted away from historical norms. New housing stock is being added to the community every day, but very few affordable units are being built. Habitat has been working closely with local developers, learning from them a new perspective on their challenges. Our fellow private sector developers want to offer affordable housing, but they simply cant make it pencil. Like every other business entity, developers pass along the costs of staff, overhead, materials, regulations, and risk to the end user. Reductions in these costs are the only way we can collectively increase the supply of affordable homes. Due to a labor shortage, businesses are struggling to keep employees because they cant offer wages high enough to afford the increased rents on top of the low availability for these homes. Likely you have noticed more Now Hiring signs or the number of businesses that have closed. In addition, we see a dramatic increase in our homeless population, shelters are reaching capacity, teachers are renting out their rooms and basements to other teachers, and numerous families are living in RVs. A recent study revealed that Missoula lacks 2,400 housing units from the last decade to provide for need, and we will need another 6,500 for the next decade to address growth. Habitats traditional way of building two homes a year no longer meets demand. This is why we have partnered with the University of Montana to form an Innovation Team dedicated to finding sustainable ways to build. Through collaboration, we are exploring insulated concrete forms, modular components, cross-laminated timber, self-insulated panels, and automated 3-D concrete printers [3DCP] to determine alternatives to our traditional wood-framed or stick-built construction. These options would significantly reduce the amount of time needed to build, allowing us to increase the number of affordable homes each year incrementally. This change is essential to facing the housing crisis in Missoula. In addition, exploring sustainable ways to build allows us to address the elements of Labor and Lumber simultaneously and do so with climate resiliency at the forefront. Some good news on the Lots and Laws front: the city has committed to overhauling its zoning code. However, that process will take 2-3 years to complete. In the meantime, we all worry that even more families will be forced out of the place they call home. Instead of waiting for that future date to happen, our Land Acquisition & Development team met with Mayor John Engen and his staff. We advocated for interim zoning rules that would allow us to address parts of the zoning rewrite process sooner than later. We as a community can embrace the idea of smaller homeownership lots by reducing minimum lot sizes, rear setbacks, parkland dedication, and parking requirements. If we can support that idea we believe we can accelerate the number of affordable units to come online. Lastly, lending or financing is one of the most critical elements in finding sustainability in housing. With financial support from our community, we can provide affordable housing and continue to research innovative solutions. Although Habitat is well-positioned to take a higher responsibility in the housing crisis, we wont be able to do it alone. Please consider joining us to amplify our voice and fight for a change today. We cant sit wait for change to come to us. We appreciate all of the support from our community members over the years and look forward to growth opportunities in the coming years. Feel free to reach out to us with your time, talent, and resources at habitatmsla.org, volunteer@habitatmsla.org, or call 406-549-8210. Wed love to meet you. Heather Harp, executive director; Brittany Horres, VISTA volunteer; and Katrina Angelina, communications & grants director with Habitat for Humanity. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Donny van de Beek has hardly featured since joining Manchester United last season (PA Wire) Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is taking the p*** out of Dutch midfielder Donny van de Beek according to former club captain Paul Ince. The former Ajax midfielder signed by Solskjaer for a reported 35m in the summer of 2020 has featured in only two Premier League fixtures for a grand total of 16 minutes this season despite the Red Devils torrid form, including a short cameo in the dreadful derby defeat to Manchester City last weekend. Former Blackburn Rovers manager Ince believes Solskjaers handling of the Netherlands international since has arrival has been negligent. "Donny van de Beek gets four minutes against Atalanta, the 54-year-old told The United Stand YouTube channel. What worries me is the choices Ole makes." United have struggled with their midfield setup all season long. Paul Pogba has been in and out of the side, with the Scott McTominay and Fred pairing highly criticised by fans and pundits alike. "[After signing] Donny thought, f*** me, this is my dream, this is what Ive been waiting for, Ince added. Two years down the line hes on the bench. Oles actually taken the p*** out of him. Not only has he taken the p*** out of him, he gives him four minutes against Atalanta and then goes, oh by the way, heres your chance, go and have 10 minutes against Manchester City where weve not touched the ball for 85 minutes and show me what you can do. Ince, known throughout his career for his bullish midfield performances and on-field temper, says he would not be anything like as accepting of the treatment Van de Beek has been given. "If Im Donny van de Beek I wouldve said, f*** that, Im not going on now, you want me to go on for 10 minutes when we havent touched the ball for 88 minutes?. Now youre taking the p*** out of him even more." Read More Rio Ferdinand: Its time for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to leave Manchester United Tyson Fury threatens visit to Man United training to instil winners mentality Manchester misery for United as Verstappen rules Mexico weekend in pictures Thursdays are special days at Richards Coffee Shop, where a large group of local veterans gather to experience the fellowship of their comrades. Veterans of all military branches and different wars and ages, but all still brothers and sisters in arms, gather around their specially named table and enjoy a cup of coffee or a meal together as they swap stories with one another. Several of those that visit the coffee shop on a weekly basis are part of that greatest generation, those who served in World War II, which lasted from 1939 to 1945. Two of those veterans, Donald Haseley and Sheldon Kassoff, both 96-years-old and each wearing their World War II caps, gave a big smile, and going back to that time frame, proceeded to share a little bit of what they did during those years. Haseley, who was born in Niagara, New York, said he entered the United States Navy in Buffalo, New York, serving from 1942-45. He completed his basic training in Geneva, New York, and went to additional schools for training including submarine school in Connecticut, sound school in California in order to hear submarines and torpedo school in Rhode Island. The oxygen tanks were going off, Smart said. There were probably like six to eight different explosions The explosions were just going on and on and on. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Smart said he was worried there may have been children inside the home, but he was thankful to find out there was no one else in the home. Michaels said Smart also helped him pull hoses up to the home while firefighters from local departments continued to respond. That Marine saved that lady, Michaels said. He absolutely saved that woman. The woman was transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Smart said this fire served an example of why there needs to be some form of code enforcement to make sure people are safe from fires in their homes, especially for older people or those with disabilities. The brief also said data on immunity for those previously infected is limited because theres probable bias in the infections studied, so most of the cases studied would have been symptomatic or severe enough that they required medical attention. That means the finding that infection-induced immunity could last at least six months could not be extended to cases in children, mild cases and asymptomatic cases because there isnt enough data, the brief said. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I would rather be safe than sorry, Thompson said on getting his booster shot. He said the booster left him with a sore arm for a couple of days, but that was the extent of his post-booster symptoms. No headaches, no nausea, Thompson said. It was just a shot. Its a shot he hopes will help save lives, paired with prevention methods like wearing a mask and washing your hands. I would hate for somebody to get sick because of something I didnt do, Thompson said. If youve got a chance to keep your family and friends from being sick, why not go ahead and make sure that youre not sick so you wont spread it to your friends and family? He spoke of friends hes lost recently because of COVID-19. 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. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} When I say there is some debate about the inflection point, I mean that some researchers think its around 2,000 to 4,000 students. Others think its in the low tens of thousands. Alas, North Carolinas largest systems exceed these thresholds. Wake Countys district enrolls nearly 160,000 students. Charlotte-Mecklenburg has 140,000. Guilford (69,000), Forsyth (51,000), and Cumberland (49,000) are also quite big. While I have long advocated dividing the gargantuan Wake and Mecklenburg systems into three or four districts, Im open to the idea that the other urban systems should be subdivided as well. My main argument has long been that giving parents more choices among district-run public schools would improve academic quality and the return on taxpayer investment. Two recent studies show the promise of such a strategy. In a 2017 paper, Katie Sharron of Florida State University and Lawrence Kenny of the University of Florida exploited the fact that some states require there to be only one school district per county while others impose no such requirement. That allows for a robust test of whether school-district competition has educational benefits. We find strong evidence that restricting competition among public school districts has an adverse impact on student learning, they found. New information has emerged in the investigation of Saturdays shooting that left three dead at a casino on the border of Montana and North Dakota near Bainville. The shooting was a domestic dispute turned murder-suicide between a man and his wife from Williston and a second man from Bainville, Roosevelt County Sheriff Jason Frederick told the Gazette Monday. Bradford Mann, 56, followed his wife, Jennifer Mann, 49, and Scot Panasuk, 63, to Colbys Casino Saturday evening, said Frederick. Surveillance footage from the parking lot showed Panasuk and Bradford Mann get out of their vehicles and get in a quarrel, according to the sheriff. Soon after the quarrel, Bradford Mann took out a gun and shot Panasuk dead. He then turned the gun on his wife in the car killing her before shooting himself, the sheriff said. During the shooting, an off-duty Fort Peck Tribes police sergeant was in a nearby casino and responded immediately. Calls to 911 dispatched agencies from across the region, including Roosevelt deputies, MHP, NDHP, Williams County Sheriffs deputies from North Dakota and Williston Police alongside EMTs and fire departments from nearby towns. With an off-duty officer on scene, law enforcement had a clear picture ahead of time of what they were responding too. We were getting a play-by-play account from the officer on scene, said Fredericks, and first responders were aware the scene was safe before their arrival. The investigation is considered closed, the Sheriff said, and no further investigation will be conducted. Examinations on the victims and shooter were performed Sunday night and all the evidence has been processed from the scene. Bainville is a small town about 300 miles from Billings in northeast Montana near the border with North Dakota. The region has experienced a boom in population after fracking in the Baaken oilfields dramatically increased the population over the past decade. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 0 Sad 9 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. Montana continued its downward trend in COVID cases over the last week, but hospitalizations and COVID-19 related deaths remain high. On Monday, 351 Montanans were hospitalized with COVID-19 and over the last seven days 57 people died from COVID-19 related illness. Over the weekend, six Yellowstone County residents between the ages of 50 and 80 died of COVID related illnesses. During the last week, Montana has averaged 374 COVID patients hospitalized and 101.4 COVID patients hospitalized in ICUs daily. On Monday, 82% of ICU beds were full. Over the last seven days, 57 Montanans died of COVID-19 related illness bringing the seven-day average to 10.1 deaths per day. Golden Valley, Park and Treasure counties have the highest number of cases per 100,000 people in the state with 244 cases, 169 and 144 cases per 100,000 people respectively. For the third consecutive week, 55% of eligible Montanans are fully vaccinated, according to the state dashboard. On Monday, 112 patients were hospitalized at Billings Clinic and St. Vincent Healthcare. Of those, 34 were in the ICU and 21 were on ventilators. The majority of the COVID-positive inpatients were unvaccinated with 94 unvaccinated and 18 vaccinated. Last week, the federal government released vaccination requirements for Americans who work at companies with 100 or more employees and for workers in health care facilities and home health care providers who receive funding through the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Over the weekend, a federal appeals court halted the vaccination mandate for companies with more than 100 employees, which is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. As of Monday, there were no challenges to the CMS rule issued Thursday that requires all staff who get funding from the government health program to be at least partially vaccinated by Dec. 5, 2021. The requirements will apply to about 76,000 providers and cover over 17 million health care workers across the country. Facilities in Montana are starting to draft their policies that will ensure workers are fully vaccinated before providing care to patients by Jan. 4, 2022. Non-compliance could result in funding being pulled from the facility. Long-term care facilities in the state see the federal mandate as progress, as the last two months have forced units to restrict visitors and bar new residents due to positive COVID cases among staff. Immanuel Lutheran Communities in Kalispell receives 90% of its funding from CMS, meaning without it the facility would be forced to close its 300-bed facility, according to CEO of Jason Cronk. Cronk is in support of the mandate, saying vaccination requirements will result in a better living environment for his residents. Unvaccinated staff have exacerbated staffing shortages as employees test positive for COVID or protocol for close contacts forces others to stay home until a negative test is produced. Were doing less than best for our residents, Cronk said in a interview with The Gazette in August. He added that residents are the ones who are isolated from family and friends when there is a positive case. Staffing shortages are being felt in nursing homes throughout Montana, with 41.5% of facilities experiencing insufficient staff, according to AARPs nursing home COVID-19 dashboard. Between the labor shortages Cronk felt earlier this year and 40% of his employees unvaccinated, he was forced to limit admissions to the facility in August. By November, staffing difficulties have eased slightly as more applications for certified nursing assistant positions have been rolling in. Cronk expects some staff will leave the facility due to the vaccine requirement, but doesnt expect the change to be significant. Were cautiously optimistic, Cronk said. Some of our staff are still hesitant to get vaccinated, so were preparing for a mixed bag. CEO of St. Johns United David Trost has some concerns over the mandate, but sees it as action being made to protect vulnerable populations. It will be very challenging as (the mandate) mostly affects those who have already made choices not to yet get vaccinated, Trost said. I expect bumpy roads lay ahead. Billings Clinics policy team is working out the logistics of its vaccination requirements to align with the CMS deadlines, according to Chief Human Resources Officer Jonathan McDermott. We have to comply with the law, McDermott said, adding that the federal rule supersedes House Bill 702 that makes requiring vaccination illegal in Montana. The hospital receives over 51% of its funding through CMS, meaning patient care would be unsustainable (if funding were to be pulled), McDermott said. As of Monday, over 65% of the Clinic's staff were fully vaccinated. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Every year on Nov. 8 at exactly 10:40 a.m., the Centennial Bell housed in the Montana Capitol building rotunda is rung by special guests to commemorate the Treasure State's statehood. This year's special guests were Bainville Public School teacher April Wills and some of her fifth and sixth grade students. Wills received the Montana Historical Society's 2021 Montana History Teacher of the Year award. She and her students made the long trek from Bainville to help ring in Statehood Day. Wills is a native of Columbus who graduated from Broadwater High School in Townsend. She received her elementary education degree from the University of Montana in Missoula and her masters degree in learning and technology from Western Governors University. Former Bainville Public Schools Superintendent Renee Rasmussen nominated Wills for the award and spoke during the ceremony. "To those who know her, it's no surprise April Wills won this award," Rasmussen said. "She loves awakening an appreciation of Montana in her students." Wills called the award an honor and said as a small town elementary teacher, she never had designs of winning such an award. "I'm very appreciative of this opportunity," she said, encouraging fellow small town teachers to continue putting in the long hours and hard work to help educate the state's youth. "I'd like to thank all the teachers that are all in this with me. ... I see you." For Wills, the job of instilling curiosity about their heritage has long been a passion, one she hopes to continue long into the future. "I will always be there to encourage you to be lifelong learners," she said, directly addressing her students and challenging them to bring their unique perspectives to their future endeavors. Friend and fellow Bainville teacher Samantha Keefner touted Wills' ability to bring the sometimes stuffy pages of history textbooks to life by incorporating art, video and real-world experiences. "She does not keep her passion for Montana history to herself," Keefner said. The award was established in 1990, and this year it came along with three $1,500 checks totaling $4,500 from each of the events three main sponsors: the Montana Television Network, the Montana History Foundation and the Sons and Daughters of Montana Pioneers. The Montana Historical Society funded the bus trip from Bainville. "This is such a great way to celebrate Montana becoming the 41st state," Montana Historical Society Director Molly Kruckenberg said. "The role we share in making our history accessible has an enormous impact on our future." Montana attorney general and Bainville native Austin Knudsen also spoke during the ceremony. Knudsen said he was among the first kindergartners to attend classes at the then new school in Bainville in 1987. "It is a real treat for me to have locals come all the way to Helena for such a special award," he said, congratulating Wills. Gov. Greg Gianforte also congratulated Wills. Gianforte said his daughter just became a teacher, so he knows firsthand how important the work is. "Not only does your work have a lasting impact in the lives of your students, but it imparts in them an understanding and appreciation of our state's history," he said. "Our shared history is what binds us together as Montanans, and it couldn't be more important to preserve. Preserving and learning from that history helps our state meet the challenges of today and build a strong, more prosperous tomorrow." The Centennial Bell was placed in the Capitol building in front of the Senate by an act of the state Legislature in 1989. It is rung every Nov. 8 to commemorate President Benjamin Harrison's declaration of statehood for Montana on that day in 1889. Montana was the 41st state inducted into the union. Editor's note - This story has been updated to correct information about the entities that donated funds to the winner of the Montana History Teacher of the Year award. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 ARCHIVED - Temperatures rise across Spain: weather update November 8 The mercury will begin to rise on Monday after plummeting temperatures throughout Spain last week A polar air mass descended on much of Spain during the first week of November , resulting in plummeting temperatures and a notable change, particularly early in the morning and throughout the night. This week the country is in for something a little bit different, according to the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), as the mercury is once again set to rise on Monday November 8. Temperatures will begin to creep up on Monday across Spain, particularly in the central parts of the country, with weak rainfall expected in northern areas while potentially strong storms are a possibility on the Balearic Islands. The latest forecast from Aemet is for intervals of strong winds in the Ebro valley (Cantabria), the Pyrenees, Ampurdan (Catalonia), in the east of the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. While the most notable temperature change will occur inland, weak frosts are still expected in mountainous areas while in the Pyrenees the snow level will be between 1,400 and 1,800 metres. The intense rainfalls forecast for Cantabria and Navarra will taper off towards the coast. Monday will begin with slightly cloudy or clear skies with northern municipalities expected to experience some early fog. Both day and night-time temperatures are on the rise, with a maximum of 22 degrees in Alicante on November 8. Very strong north-westerly gusts are predicted in northern Castellon while southerly winds are expected on the coast of Alicante in the afternoon. The day dawns with cloudy skies. Night-time temperatures are on the rise while the day-time remains largely unchanged, with the exception of the Altiplano. Winds will blow in from the northwest, which will be stronger in coastal areas. Weak frosts can be expected in the eastern mountainous areas with slightly cloudy or clear skies. Temperatures will rise slightly with northerly winds predicted. Image: Aemet Strickland, a Black man, saw his first trial end in a hung jury when the only Black juror, a woman, held out for acquittal. After his second trial in 1979, he was convicted by an all-white jury of one count of capital murder and two counts of second-degree murder. Strickland has always maintained that he was home watching television and had nothing to do with the killings, which happened when he was 18 years old. Two other men convicted in the killings later insisted that Strickland wasn't at the crime scene, The Kansas City Star reported. And Douglas, the only eyewitness to the killings, recanted her testimony that Strickland was the shooter. During afternoon testimony, Douglas' daughter, mother, sister and a former co-worker all testified that she had told them she identified the wrong shooter and wanted to help exonerate Strickland, Senoria Strickland said her daughter told her police pressured her to identify Strickland and she was was upset and depressed that she had chosen the wrong guy. During his testimony, Strickland denied suggestions that he offered Douglas $300 to keep her mouth shut, and said he had never visited the house where the murders occurred before they happened. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Irans judicial authorities reportedly banned a newspaper Monday for publishing a front-page graphic that appeared to show Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's hand drawing the poverty line in the Islamic Republic, amid widespread anger over the cratering economy. The semiofficial Mehr news agency said Irans media supervisory body shut down the daily newspaper Kelid after it published a front-page article titled Millions of Iranians Living under Poverty Line" on Saturday. Under the headline, the graphic shows a person's left hand holding a pen and drawing a red line across the page as silhouettes of people underneath are reaching up to the line. The graphic resembled an earlier image of Khamenei writing on a piece of paper with his left hand, a prominent ring on one of his fingers. His right has been paralyzed since a 1981 bombing. The Young Journalists Club, a group associated with state television, earlier reported that censors were examining the newspaper after the publication. The state-run IRNA news agency acknowledged Kelid had been shut down, without explaining the reason. Kelid could not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Their website has been taken offline. Napa County residents can finally gather again in person to honor men and women who served in the U.S. armed forces, as organizers prepare Veterans Day ceremonies for Thursday in Napa and American Canyon. After a hiatus in 2020 forced by the coronavirus pandemic, tributes to military veterans are returning to downtown Napas Veterans Memorial Park, as well as the Community Center gymnasium on American Canyons west side. 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! Both observances will begin at 11 a.m. Veterans Day and will include ceremonial displays of colors, musical tributes, and speeches for the occasion, originally named Armistice Day following the end of World War I in November 1918. Napa Sponsored by American Legion Post 113, Napas annual Veterans Day ceremony will take place at its traditional venue of Veterans Park, at the intersection of Main and Third Streets. Speaking at the Napa event will be Bernie Narvaez, a Napa City Council member and six-year Marine Corps veteran who will lead the Pledge of Allegiance, give introductions and provide the closing remarks. A musical tribute will be provided by The Meadowlarks, and the keynote speaker will be Dana Baumgardner, regent of the Napa-based Vineyard Trails Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Veterans Day gathering will be the second military tribute to take place at the downtown Napa park since the spring, when California began loosening strict social distancing rules imposed in March 2020 early in the pandemic. In May, a Memorial Day observance drew about 100 spectators to the park amphitheater overlooking the Napa River. American Canyon American Canyon residents also will be welcomed back to the citys Veterans Day ceremony, which returns to the Community Center gym at 100 Benton Way. The ceremony is a city partnership with American Canyon Troop Support (ACTS), Vallejo-based Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1123, and the American Canyon Lions Club. The program is slated to include singing of The Star-Spangled Banner led by the American Canyon Middle School choir, along with the reading of essays by middle school students on the theme What does Veterans Day mean to me? Keith Armstrong will give the keynote address at the event, and U.S. Army veteran Jeremy Profitt will welcome the audience. Music will include an acoustic performance by Jade and JourneyDay, along with the ACMS choir performing The Song of the Unsung Hero. At the Veterans Day ceremony, ACTS will be collecting donations to create care packages for deployed U.S. troops. Visitors can make monetary donations for Christmas trees, care package postage, and other items, or can provide packaged foods such as hot chocolate and hot cider packets, cookies, candy canes, and holiday candy. Outreach booths will be set up at the event for veterans resources, and light refreshments will be served. Yountville This years Veterans Day observances Thursday at the Veterans Home of California are not open to the public, according to spokesperson Joshua Kiser. A virtual ceremony for the homes residents and staff will place through the campus closed-circuit television channel. On Nov. 3, the Yountville home hosted its 17th annual Celebrity Chefs Veterans Day Luncheon, with a team of eight chefs from Napa Valley restaurants leading the creation of a holiday feast for some 700 residents and spouses. A video produced for the occasion included remarks by the chefs, thank-you messages from dignitaries, and photographs from past Veterans Day luncheons, according to the Yountville Chamber of Commerce, the events organizer. Calistoga Calistoga will mark another quiet observance of Veterans Day this week. American Legion Post 231 will put out service flags, and a few wreaths will be constructed for Thursdays observance, but we are not planning anything as our membership is quite old and fragile, said Adjutant Jim Barnes. Hopefully we can get the city to put up the flag display on the grass field behind the memorial. Hopefully, we can resume our ceremonies next May as well. Calistoga's chapter of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (Col. Elmer Ellsworth Camp No. 23) will be marching in the Petaluma Veterans Day Parade. The parade, like most public gatherings, was canceled last year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Were trying to slowly get back to a more normal routine, said member Dean Enderlin. Veterans Day and Memorial Day are two holidays that the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War always try to observe publicly in some way. Weekly Calistogan editor Cynthia Sweeney contributed to this report. 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. Napa Valley College is seeking a new leader for the first time in nearly a decade with the impending retirement of Dr. Ronald Kraft, president and superintendent of the two-year community college. NVC announced Kraft's departure, effective Dec. 31, in a news release issued shortly before 5 p.m. Monday. The ninth superintendent in the school's history, he has served since August 2012 when he moved to Northern California from Orange County. 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! In an interview Monday evening, Kraft said he began informing NVC trustees in late May about his departure at year's end due to family obligations. My decade at Napa Valley College has been the most satisfying job in my career, Kraft said in the NVC statement. My leadership was enriched in working side by side with an excellent faculty, an outstanding staff and a great board of trustees. I will miss most of all the learning spirit and enthusiasm of our students who are the reason I chose this profession. After spending more than 25 years in higher education and business leadership, Kraft is retiring as the school moves ahead on major changes, including an on-campus housing development for students planned to break ground in the spring and open in stages during 2023 and 2024 and a $10 million donation by the Wine Spectator Foundation to NVCs wine and viticulture program, which is scheduled for an approval vote by trustees Thursday night. Krafts key achievement may be positioning the college into the center of conversations with the community, said trustee Kyle Iverson, who was elected to the NVC board in 2014. When I came on board, the college was viewed as an island on its own. What hes done is to highlight its connections with the community. Everyone at some level has some connection to Napa Valley College, and hes really played on that; the college is more in the news now than it was nearly 10 years ago when he came on. That desire to make Napa Valley College a more vital part of local Napa life inspired changes such as expanding performing arts programs on campus, launching a mariachi festival, and otherwise promoting the school as a cultural hub, according to Kraft. "That was a big step and it took us a few years to establish that the community was at the heart of (the college)," he said. "That positioned the college in a way where we could then move forward with a performing arts expansion, with the student housing expansion." Wine Spectator Foundation donates $10 million to Napa Valley College The Wine Spectator Scholarship Foundation is donating $10 million to Napa Valley College to support the construction and expansion of the school's Viticulture, Wine and Technology program. NVC will likely pursue an interim president as it recruits a permanent replacement for Kraft, Iverson added. Recruitment advertisements for a new NVC president have been published online, which a listing on the Inside Higher Ed website seeking candidates with at least five years of administrative experience in higher education. The ad lists a tentative starting date of April 4, 2022, for the colleges next leader, although Kraft said his full-time successor would more likely take office in July, after gaining board approval in April. A search committee of three board members will start reviewing applications for the president's posts in early January, according to Elizabeth Goff, chair of the committee. Three to five finalists would then be interviewed by the NVC board before it selects Kraft's permanent successor. Kraft, a former president, and chief executive of Southern California University of Health Sciences in Whittier, first became interim president as a replacement for Dr. Edna Baehre-Kolovani, who left in 2012 to become president of Tidewater Community College in Virginia. He was permanently appointed to the NVC leadership post in May 2013. After leaving the college, Kraft plans to turn his efforts toward business leadership and development, including the completion of a book on leadership set to publish in early 2022. "My goal is to continue to lead in the valley in a different way," he said. "It will probably be in an entrepreneurial direction, and Im very excited about that. 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. El Salvador plans to build the world's first Bitcoin city Canadian portal publishes list of countries with strongest Air Force on Earth Japan announces self-destruction of COVID-19 delta strain Israel to sign solar energy agreement with Jordan in UAE Japan concerned over joint air patrols of Russia and China near country's borders In Mexico, 600 migrants were found in two trucks Europe protests against coronavirus restrictions Commander of Russian airbase in Armenia: Ready to perform tasks as intended US is going to build a nuclear power plant on the moon 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 In order to halt the aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan on September 27, 2020, against Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) and its people, with the direct involvement of Turkey and foreign terrorist fighters, on November 9, 2020, with the mediation of the President of the Russian Federation a Trilateral Statement on complete ceasefire and termination of all hostilities in the area of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was signed, which resulted in deployment of peacekeeping forces of Russia in Artsakh. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia has noted this in a statement it issued Tuesdayand on the one-year anniversary of the declaration of the cessation of the 44-day war. The statement continues as follows: Today we once again bow before the brave Armenians who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the right of the Armenian people to live and build their own future, preventing the attempt of the aggressors to completely annihilate the Armenians from Artsakh. The 44-day war, accompanied by mass violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and cultural monuments, use of prohibited weapons and other war crimes by Azerbaijan, resulted in thousands of casualties, tens of thousands of wounded, displaced people and mass devastation. As a result of the war, a number of regions of Artsakh were subjected to ethnic cleansing, and the population became victims of war crimes and mass atrocities committed by Azerbaijan. In particular, 40,000 people lost their homes and property, more than 17,000 civilian facilities and infrastructure were destroyed, hundreds of civilians were killed or injured, and the fate of many still remains unknown. Armenia and Artsakh have consistently implemented the provisions of the Trilateral Statement, while just a month after the signing of the latter, despite the commitment to stop in the current positions at the time of signing, Azerbaijani armed forces infiltrated into Khtsaberd and Hin Tagher villages of Hadrut region of Artsakh, killing and capturing Armenian servicemen. Moreover, after the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from the regions mentioned in the document, the Azerbaijani side responded with the infiltration and continued illegal deployment of its armed units into the sovereign territory of the Republic of Armenia from the very same territories. Azerbaijan has not yet implemented the paragraph 8 of the November 9 Statement, holding numerous Armenian prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons in captivity, which is not only a gross violation of the Trilateral Statement but also of international humanitarian law. The ceasefire regime established by the Trilateral Statement is periodically violated by the Azerbaijani armed forces, accompanied by targeting not only the positions of the Armenian Armed Forces and Artsakh Defense Army, but also peaceful settlements and civilians, leading to human and material losses. Deliberately distorting and arbitrarily commenting the provisions on unblocking regional infrastructure enshrined in Trilateral Statements from November 9, 2020, and January 11, 2021, Azerbaijan circulates the idea of a so-called "corridor" and threatens with the use of force, which not only contradicts the letter and spirit of those statements, but also aims to undermine efforts of de-escalation in the region. The consistent Armenophobic policy blatantly conducted by the highest leadership of Azerbaijan, the ethnic cleansing in the territories of Artsakh fallen under the Azerbaijani control as a result of the use of force, the destruction and desecration of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage, as well as the obstruction of the access of international humanitarian organizations to Artsakh demonstrate the fact that the guarantee of the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to safe and dignified life in their homeland under the jurisdiction or control of Azerbaijan is impossible. The realities created as a result of the use of force by Azerbaijan against Artsakh and its people cannot create basis for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan's claims that as a result of the war the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and Nagorno-Karabakh itself does not exist in the international arena any more are also violations of the November 9 Trilateral Statement, as Nagorno-Karabakh is presented as a territorial entity right in the latter. Only the full implementation of the Trilateral Statements from November 9, 2020 and January 11, 2021, particularly the immediate resolution of urgent humanitarian issues, first of all, the unconditional repatriation of all prisoners of war, hostages and other detained persons, the clarification of the fate of missing persons and the investigation of the cases of enforced disappearances, protection of the Armenian cultural and religious heritage, as well as the full resumption of the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can create conditions for ensuring lasting peace and stability in the region. The comprehensive and lasting settlement of the conflict is only possible through peaceful negotiations under the mandate of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship, which assumes the clarification of the status of Artsakh, ensuring conditions for the safe return of displaced Armenians of Artsakh to their places of residence throughout Artsakh, and realization of the right of the Armenians of Artsakh to safe and dignified life in their homeland, based on equal rights and self-determination of peoples. Armenia reiterates its readiness to undertake practical efforts towards the de-escalation of the situation in the region, gradually overcoming the atmosphere of hostility, opening an era of stability and peaceful development. At the same time, for the effectiveness of this process, Azerbaijan should adopt a constructive position, renouncing its policy of Armenophobia, aggressive rhetoric and actions. We really need to learn lessons from the 30-year road we have traveled through and which brought us to this ceasefire agreement. Speaker of the National Assembly (NA) of Armenia, Alen Simonyan, on Tuesday told this to reporters in the NA. "I do not want to give assessments because the assessments are known. I can say that this is another opportunity for us to redefine and move forward after learning from our mistakes. We have to analyze still for a long time, we cannot disregard this great pain because we have paid a very high price for our mistakes; we still have to look, remember, grasp for a long time. And in that sense, I attach great importance to the idea of setting up the Committee of Inquiry, which was put forward by us and shall be set up. This work is very important, the results of which can play a decisive role for the future of our state," Simonyan said, adding that the aforesaid committee shall have results and take concrete actions. The work of the committee will start soon when we will determine that there are no obstacles for the work of the committee. The committee will definitely work," he said. And to the question as to what extent this Committee of Inquiry will be objective, Alen Simonyan responded: "And why shouldn't an objective inquiry be carried out? The committee is free to call everyone [for questioning]. The list of [respective] invitees will be very large. I am sure that it will be a very productive work. By and large, many, many things are already known. The work of the committee will already substantiate in a much more substantiated way what has already been saidboth in the pre-election and post-election period. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar is satisfied with the work of the Russian-Turkish joint monitoring center at the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone, and he stubbornly does not see the provocations of Azerbaijan. At a joint press conference in the Azerbaijani capital Baku with Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov, Akar said that the powers and boundaries of the Russian-Turkish joint monitoring center are known. "Every effort is made to strengthen the center's activities within the defined framework. Our goal is to maintain the ceasefire and, besides, to stabilize the region. In this task we have shown and continue to show seriousness, sincerity, friendship. There is no case of abuse," Hulusi Akar said. To note however, the Azerbaijani armed forces carried out a provocation Monday in the direction of Shushi city. An Azerbaijani soldier penetrated the territory subject to Artsakh and shot at a group of workers repairing a waterline. One person was killed and three others were injured as a result. In fact, by such behavior, the Azerbaijani side not only tries to discredit the Russian peacekeepers in Nagorno-Karabakh, but also questions the effectiveness of the aforesaid monitoring center. November 9, 2021 marks the first anniversary of adoption of the statement on ceasefire and all hostilities in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone adopted by President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan. The adoption of this statement provided the opportunity to put an end to the bloodshed and start the process of establishing peace in the region. This is stated in the statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation on the occasion of the anniversary of the trilateral agreements between the leaders of the Russian Federation, Armenia and Azerbaijan. The statement also reads as follows: Today we can record the fact that the agreements recorded in the Statement of November 9, 2020 are generally being implemented. Moreover, it is important that Baku and Yerevan stay true to further implementation and strict observance of all the provisions. The Russian peacekeeping contingent deployed in accordance with the statement is making significant contributions to stabilization of the situation and ensuring of security in the region, and our Azerbaijani and Armenian colleagues appreciate this. Starting from December 2, 2020, with the participation of Russian peacekeepers, a total of 122 prisoners of war and persons held have been returned. Out of those 122, 105 have been returned to Armenia, 17 have been returned to Azerbaijan, and 3 packages of mine maps have been transferred to the Azerbaijani side. The Russian peacekeeping contingent is actively involved in the establishment of peace. Humanitarian aid is regularly provided, the territories are cleared, the necessary infrastructures for living are being restored, and nearly 53,000 refugees have returned to their homes. From December 2020 until June 2021, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations has delivered 1,581 tons of humanitarian cargo and 800 tons of construction materials to the region. There has also been work done for humanitarian demining. We continue to make efforts for a rapid solution to the remaining humanitarian challenges, including the release of all detainees, clarification of the fate of all missing persons, transfer of the bodies of the deceased and provision of fully precise mine maps. Ensuring safety of cultural, religious and historical heritage objects is also important. With our colleagues, we plan to consistently meet the objectives for the unblocking of all economic and transport communications in the South Caucasus that are formulated in the statement adopted by the leaders of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia on January 11, 2021. We highly appreciate the activities of the Trilateral Working Group. We highlight the need for the speedy launch of specific projects based on balance of interests. We note the importance of reduction of tension on the Azerbaijani-Armenian state border and the launch of demarcation and delimitation. We deem it important to continue the efforts with regard to the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, and the contributions of the ICRC, the UNHCR, the UNESCO and other relevant international organizations are required. We will do everything to contribute to the normalization of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia and support the peace initiatives that are aimed at expanding the contacts at all levels, with regard to a broad range of issues related to the ensuring of stability, security and economic development in the South Caucasus. We are also ready to contribute to dialogue between the societies of Azerbaijan and Armenia with the participation of the Russian Federation in order to create an atmosphere of confidence between the Azerbaijanis and Armenians. We support the establishment of friendly-neighborly relations between the countries of the South Caucasus and their neighbors and the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the region. Turkish National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has touched upon the topic of the "Zangezur corridor." Speaking to reporters about the results of his visit to Azerbaijan, the Turkish defense minister said that "the opening of the Zangazur [(Zangezur)] corridor does not pose a threat to any side." According to him, the Armenians and Azerbaijanis should hold a dialogue on this matter. "It is necessary to support that process, not to prevent it. Cooperation will lead to an increase in prosperityand this process is not limited to Azerbaijan. All countries in the region will feel the positive impact," he said. Akar added that Armenia should use the historic chance and respond to the calls for peace from Turkey and Azerbaijan. He believes that the best contribution to regional development would be the close cooperation between the countries of the regionnamely Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Georgia, Iran, and Russia. Meanwhile, Armenia has repeatedly stated that it supports the unblocking of roads in the region, but not by the logic of "corridors." The Russian side also has stated that the overseeing of communications should be exercised by the countries through whose territory they pass. But Azerbaijan and Turkey insist on the "Zangezur corridor," placing a special meaning in that phrase. Those who were displaced from Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) need to be granted a refugee status, and a settlement for refugees needs to be established around Yerevan. This is what historian, member of the board of the Armenian Population Forcefully Displaced from Shushi NGO Ashot Harutyunyan said during a protest near the government building today. A trilateral agreement was signed last year, and its clear that the people dont accept this. But even if we try to be governed by the points stated in that document, point 6 clearly states that there shouldnt be Azerbaijani troops in Shushi now. But we see that Azerbaijan is already unilaterally breaching the agreement. Other points of the agreement state the return of refugees and forcefully displaced persons. If the Armenian government doesnt accept us as refugees, how will there be return? This traces back to the policy led in 1988 when Azerbaijan presented its 350,000 refugees as 1,000,000 refugees. In 1988, over 800,000 refugees came to Armenia from Azerbaijan and werent granted any status, Harutyunyan said. According to him, the enemy country has established refugee settlements, invited international observers and showed the settlements to the world. Armenia needs to do the same and establish a refugee settlement around Yerevan. If we Armenians want to win Azerbaijan in the war, we need to lead this policy so that we can exert pressure on Azerbaijan, he added. There can be no talk of normalization of relations between Ankara and Yerevan without the restoration of full diplomatic relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Former Turkish Foreign Minister Hikmet Cetin told this to Haqqin.az of Azerbaijan. Speaking about the role of the Armenian diaspora, Cetin noted that, "In time, the people of Armenia will come to understand all the harmfulness and destruction of its impact on the political course of Yerevan." "Sitting in comfortable conditions in the West, the [Armenian] diaspora continues to sow enmity between Armenia and its neighbors," Cetin added, ignoring the fact that the Armenian diaspora comprises largely the descendants of the victims of the Armenian Genocide perpetrated by Turkey. According to Cetin, "After the defeat suffered in the war with Azerbaijan, Armenia only returned to its borders recognized by the world community. So, there is no reason for new wars here at all. At the same time, it must be understood that any new war unleashed by Armenia will lead to huge losses for its people." In the spirit of Turkish diplomacy, Cetin implied that normalization of relations with Turkey "will open the way for Armenia to the world", as now "all trade and economic relations between Armenia and the outside world pass solely through the territory of Russia, which in itself is not much of a positive factor for an independent state." Cetin even "generously" called on the Azerbaijani authorities to "build houses and roads in the Armenian-populated cities of Karabakh." According to Hikmet Cetin, "At present there are all the necessary preconditions for establishing lasting peace in the South Caucasus region. It confirms the positive response of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkey to Armenia's desire, which was voiced in Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's last speech, to normalize relations with neighboring countries." "Yes. It will take some time for these relations to normalize and meet the standards of good neighborliness," added Hikmet Cetin. "But it is inevitable, as it is the wish not only of Azerbaijan and Turkey, but also of Armenia, whose people, despite the defeat in the 44-day war, as a result supported not the revanchist leaders of the Dashnaktsutyun [Party], but Prime Minister Pashinyan." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan has made another immoral and unreal statement, blaming the Armenian side for the incident that took place near Shushi. Yesterday an Azerbaijani soldier invaded the territory of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and shot four workers repairing a water pipeline, leaving one dead and three wounded. After contemplating for a day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan put the blame for the incident on the Armenian side in general and on Armenia in particular. Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Leyla Abdulayeva declared that Azerbaijan allegedly has nothing to do with the incident and that Russian peacekeepers are usually reported before launching any operation in this territory, and the operation is carried out with the accompaniment of the peacekeepers. This time, the Russian peacekeepers were not informed and didnt participate in the operation which, of course, entails serious questions. That day, an event was held in Shushi and attended by the President of Azerbaijan and state officials, and it is known that in such cases enhanced measures are taken for security in the territory. Realizing this, repair of any water pipeline in a site that is the closest to the territory does not fit in any logic. The tolerance and silence of the international community with regard to the tremendous number of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Azerbaijan have obscured the brains of Azerbaijani officials so much that they arent even going out of their way to try to refute the fact that there were attacks on peaceful civilians. All this is happening in the context of the statements on the willingness of Azerbaijan to establish an era of peace in the region. Russia will continue to work on returning the Armenian prisoners of war from Azerbaijan. This is what Ambassador of Russia to Armenia Sergey Kopirkin said during a conversation with Sputnik Armenia and 24News. You know that this topic is always in the focus of not only the authorities of Armenia, but also the authorities of Russia and the peacekeepers. Five persons were returned to Armenia in the not too distant past, and these activities are in progress, the Ambassador said. According to Kopirkin, this issue is one of the priorities, and Moscow will continue to work in this direction. The Ambassador recalled that Russia has always declared the principle of all for all. The diplomat assured that there wont be deals made behind the Armenian peoples back when the communications with Azerbaijan are opened. According to Kopirkin, even though the agreement signed a year ago is being implemented, there are problems and tragic incidents. The Ambassador recalled that a statement was adopted on January 11, 2021 in order to develop the agreements of November 9, and according to the statement of January 11, 2021, a working group was set up to unblock the communications. There wont be hidden deals, and there wont be treason, he said, adding that Russia is working very carefully, with respect for the sovereignty of both parties. Three OSU teams win federal technology commercialization grants Media Contact: Harrison Hill | Research Communications Specialist | 405-744-5827 | harrison.c.hill@Okstate.edu Three research teams at Oklahoma State University have won National Science Foundation Partnerships for Innovation Technology Translation grants (NSF PFI-TT) worth $250,000 each. Dr. Kitty Cardwell, Dr. Andres Espindola and team MiFi: Next-generation pathogen detection tool Dr. Stephanie Link Dissemity: Research writing software Dr. Raj Singh Nanodiamond Process Technology Development for Thermal Management of Power Electronics Daniel Will, executive director for Cowboy Innovations Brightest Orange Ventures, said the funding windfall is the result of researchers groundbreaking projects and the support of their colleges and OSUs Cowboy Innovations (CI). These grants are awarded for translational research and technology development, Will said. Cowboy Innovations helps identify and apply for commercial grant funding that matches OSU technologies at particular development stages. These grants can come from many places, such as the National Science Foundations PFI grants, but may also be the Oklahoma Center for Advancement of Science and Technologys or various federal agencies. Russell Hopper, senior licensing associate for Cowboy Innovations, said the CI team exists to support OSU innovators with any grant that involves intellectual property protection, marketing, and licensing. More info Faculty interested in commercial grant application support can contact Cowboy Innovations at cowboyinnovations@okstate.edu or 405-744-6930. For more information about all Cowboy Innovations resources available to OSU inventors, visit cowboyinnovations.okstate.edu. One example is Cardwells NSF PFI-TT grant, which is going to a partnership involving OSU; University of California, Riverside; and the Wonderful Fruit company which markets Cuties brand tangerines, among other things. The team is focused on speeding up development and production processes for new citrus varieties. To move new citrus germplasm, i.e. new varieties, into the U.S., it has to go through years of testing to prove freedom from about 30 citrus diseases, Cardwell said. Their technology called MiFi, short for Microbe Finder will do just that. Wonderful Fruit would really like for that process to be faster and more efficient, Cardwell said. Oklahoma State and the Institute of Biosecurity and Microbial Forensics have developed a next-generation diagnostic technology that will allow the Citrus Clonal Protection Program at UC Riverside to test for all pathogens at once in the same citrus sample. This NSF grant will support developing and testing MiFi pathogen detection probes for all of the citrus pathogens, Cardwell said. Cowboy Innovations, through its Brightest Orange Ventures, helped MiFi with funds to develop the first software as a service platform into a scalable, cloud-based solution, so that as the customer base grows, the platform will, too, Cardwell said. The Cowboy Innovations guys helped as we developed the proposal with market analysis and budgeting. They have also supported MiFi through intellectual property protection and advising. Additionally, the grant will allow for upgrades to the MiFi graphic user interface that the researchers use to create and validate the MiFi pathogen-specific probes, and payment for full-time technicians to do the development at OSU and UC Riverside. The group also plans to share this technology with other citrus producing countries, all of which have their own testing needs. These commercial grants serve as an important funding source to help translate early stage OSU technology from the bench to prototype that may later become licensable to an existing company and/or become investible through a startup company, Will said. Cowboy Innovations also supplies letters of support regarding its diligence in protecting the OSU intellectual property involved and later marketing it, and also its interest in later investing in the technology and the team involved with the technology. For Dr. Stephanie Link, this grant is funding an exploration into using artificial intelligence and natural language processing for an intelligent tutoring system Dissemity focused on disseminating research with clarity, Link said. The technology provides writing resources for publications, specifically peer-reviewed journal articles and grant abstracts, Link said. Cowboy Innovations provided me with my first-ever training in formulating a business model and visualizing my research as commercially viable, she said. Besides training, Cowboy Innovations also provides recommendations to OSU teams and their technologies that are a good fit for NSF PFI grants and encourages their application, Will said. The NSF funds all types of basic research and technology development with the hope of seeing commercial outcomes emerge from that research. Part of that funding is NSG programs and grants such as the NSF PFI, which provide translational funding that lead to commercial products and services, Hopper said. Cowboy Innovations mission is to provide seamless connections between OSU and industry that accelerate innovative solutions to market and provide collaborative engagements spanning the region, state and world, Hopper said. OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology awarded top DoD STEM grant Media Contact: Mack Burke | Editorial Coordinator | 405-744-5540 | mack.burke_iv@okstate.edu Oklahoma State Universitys College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology (CEAT) has been awarded the largest university grant in the National Defense Education Program from the U.S. Department of Defense. The $6 million grant, which will be administered over the next four years by the United States Department of Defense (DoD), is for the development and implementation of additional STEM education programs for schools with economically disadvantaged or underrepresented students The goal is to create a pathway for successful careers in engineering and innovation. At a special announcement ceremony Monday morning at OSU DISCOVERY in Oklahoma City, OSU President Kayse Shrum welcomed Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK3), Oklahoma City Public Schools Superintendent Sean McDaniel, Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex Director Wade Wolfe, as well as representatives for Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford and Rep. Stephanie Bice. Dr. Shrum said it was fitting to make the announcement on National STEM Day. As the former Secretary of Science and Innovation, I know the value of a strong STEM workforce to the state of Oklahoma, she said. As I served, I had the opportunity to go around and visit with many CEOs and I heard repeatedly that the most important thing they are looking for when expanding their businesses or relocating is a qualified workforce. Having a qualified STEM workforce means early engagement with our young students. Todays announcement is an example of the commitment Oklahoma State University has to STEM education. As we move forward, we are committed to developing a multidisciplinary, collaborative center that can serve the needs of the state, developing a robust pipeline for students entering STEM careers. I am very excited about [this grant], because it provides an opportunity for early engagement and introduces engineering and other STEM fields to students in middle school as well as high school. Students at Millwood, Mid-Del and Oklahoma City Public Schools, and students across the state in other school districts will have the opportunity to experience this grant and the opportunity to have mentorship. I personally, as a first-generation college student who also entered into a STEM career, appreciate the value of teaching young students the joy of discovery through science, technology, engineering and math. Students from ASTEC Charter School do hands-on STEM learning at OSU DISCOVERY in Oklahoma City. Lucas echoed Dr. Shrums excitement. If you look at the near future and long future, whoever leads in science and technology sets the rules of the road for decades to come in this world. We want that road to begin in Oklahoma. We want it to begin with these wonderfully bright young men and women, Lucas said, gesturing toward a group of students from ASTEC Charter Schools who attended Mondays event and did some hands-on STEM learning. Inhofe could not attend, but celebrated the grant announcement via video. I was glad, but not surprised, to hear that the DoD officially announced Oklahoma State University is a recipient of the National Defense Education Programs grant, Inhofe said. This $6 million will go a long way to prepare Oklahoma students to serve in the thousands of engineer and STEM-trained technician roles that maintain military readiness and innovate solutions against future threats. If you know me, you know how important Oklahomas military is to our country and I am proud to see Oklahoma State prioritizing the future generation of our nations force. Dr. McDaniel also expressed excitement about the grant and what it will mean for advancing STEM education in Oklahoma. On behalf of my two colleagues Dr. Rick Cobb from Mid-Del and Dr. Cecilia Robinson-Woods from Millwood I just can't tell you how excited we are about the opportunity to be at this event, McDaniel said. We work most of our adult lives trying to figure out how we can develop kids who are STEM ready when they leave us. So we are looking for partners all of the time. ... We can't do anything by ourselves. It takes linking arms, not just in something like STEM, but interest in our kids and this is that messaging that we want your kids to be successful. We appreciate this opportunity more than I can say. It will allow our kids to do some things that they otherwise probably could not do. OSU is one of only seven universities across the nation to receive funding from the DoD for the purpose of educating the next generation of STEM workforce employees and creating a relationship with defense industry partners who can leverage the knowledge gained by those students as a means to support their national initiatives. Together these universities and nonprofit organizations will receive a total of $43 million over three- or four-year periods, depending on the award. OSU and Harvard University each received the largest university grants in the program at $6 million each. If you look at the near future and long future, whoever leads in science and technology sets the rules of the road for decades to come in this world. We want that road to begin in Oklahoma. We want it to begin with these wonderfully bright young men and women." - U.S. Rep. Frank Lucas Awardees, consisting of a local education agency, institutions of higher education, and nonprofits, are focused on activities related to STEM. The award aims to engage students and educators through STEM education, outreach and workforce initiatives from early childhood through postsecondary education. Dr. Paul Tikalsky, dean of the OSU College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, said OSU DISCOVERY, located in the heart of Oklahoma Citys Innovation District, will be the hub of activity for CEAT, OSUs College of Education and Human Sciences, and its partners. DISCOVERY will scale up its K-8 grade STEM summer and transdisciplinary teacher training at three school districts adjacent to Tinker Air Force Base, the states largest military base. The student programs will prepare thousands of students for engineering career pathways and opportunities to earn scholarships to pursue engineering careers at OSU. The funding will serve as a hub for CEATs STEM education initiatives within the greater Oklahoma City area, as well as across the state to provide an environment for students and educators to meet the rising demand for future engineering graduates. I am very excited to propel our STEM initiatives and as an end result, produce more engineers for the state of Oklahoma and our nation, Tikalsky said. Dr. Jovette Dew, director of the K-12 STEM program at OSU, said this grant will allow the university to elevate its STEM initiatives and inspire more young people to pursue STEM careers. Some of these initiatives include increasing our summer camps, partnering with community leaders for after-school programs, increasing our teacher training programs, partnering with our industry leaders and mentoring with engineering professionals and teachers, Dew said. We want to make sure that students can see themselves in STEM careers when they grow up. We want them to know that good jobs are right here in Oklahoma and in our own backyard. Oklahoma City Air Logistics Director Wade Wolfe said thats good news for Oklahomas STEM industries. So at Tinker Air Force Base, we have 10,500 employees that work at the installation, Wolfe said. Many of them are civilians and we repair airplanes that are 50- and 60-years-old. We need a healthy balance of career tech employees, as well as STEM employees. We need aircraft mechanics, jet engine mechanics, NDI mechanics, welders, pipe fitters, but we also need chemical engineers, mechanical engineers, software engineers, chemists to keep our machine running. This is a monumental and tremendous occasion that we get to promote STEM education in the state of Oklahoma. Nov. 8A Pennsylvania state trooper arrested two Arizona men after stopping an SUV on Interstate 78 in northwestern Berks County and discovering evidence of human smuggling, according to arrest documents. Trooper Tristan Shoopack of the Jonestown, Lebanon County, station was westbound on I-78 about 1:30 p.m. Sunday in Bethel Township in Berks when he saw a Nissan Armada with an unreadable license plate ahead of him, according to the probable cause affidavit available Monday. He also noticed the windows were heavily tinted, which was another reason to stop the vehicle. According to the documents: The driver, Erik Guzman, 26, of Phoenix, identified himself with his Mexican ID card. The trooper questioned Guzman and saw further signs of criminal activity. Guzman allowed a search of the SUV. Shoopack found a bulk amount of money in the passenger area and a journal that "included numerous U.S. states and numbers, consistent with smuggling contraband." Guzman and his passenger, Martinez Hernandez Gerardo, were taken into custody and transported to the Hamburg station to be interviewed further. Another trooper interviewed Guzman who admitted the money was payment for transporting undocumented immigrants from the Phoenix area to northern U.S. states. Both men were charged with dealing in the proceeds of unlawful activity and conspiracy. They were committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bail each following arraignment before District Judge Michael Chieffo in Reading Central Court. State police contacted officials from the Department of Homeland Security, which was to begin an investigation Monday. Views along the Blue Ridge Parkway October 11, 2021. Two people were found dead in a vehicle that crashed into trees Nov. 8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville, according to a statement from the National Park Service. Parkway rangers, along with Buncombe County rescue personnel, responded to the scene after an 8 a.m. report to park dispatch of a vehicle off the road near Milepost 386. According to the statement, the first responders found two people dead in the Toyota Solara when they arrived. The Park Service on Nov. 9 identified the operator of the , Jose Roberto Espino Ruiz, 28, and his passenger as Michael Huitron, 26, both of Mexico. Public help needed: Need public tips, photos to help in Blue Ridge Parkway homicide investigation "The preliminary investigation indicates the vehicle was traveling southbound in a left-hand curve when the vehicle left the roadway, lost control and struck two trees. The investigation is ongoing to determine if there are any further, contributing factors," the statement reads. Parkway spokesperson Leesa Brandon added that the vehicle was "found upright about 10 yards from the road edge, resting on about a 25-degree slope." She said the investigation is ongoing to determine if there are any further, contributing factors. The parkway is the most visited unit of the National Park Service, stretching 469 miles from Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, passing through Asheville and ending at the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Cherokee. In 2020 there were 14.1 million visitors. Milepost 386 is about 2 miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, and in between the U.S. 74A entrance and the Hendersonville Road entrance to the parkway. Most recently, an 84-year-old man found dead Oct. 22 on the parkway near the North Carolina-Virginia borde. Brandon said the two deaths Nov. 8 are the 14th and 15th fatalities on the parkway this year. Blue Ridge Parkway deaths: National Park Service, FBI rule Blue Ridge Parkway death a homicide; body identified Story continues On Oct. 9, a 33-year-old man was found dead near the Yadkin Valley Overlook near Blowing Rock. The NPS has ruled his death a homicide and is working with the FBI and the Watauga County Sheriff's Office on the investigation. Karen Chavez is Content Coach/Investigations Editor for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Email her at KChavez@CitizenTimes.com or follow on Twitter @KarenChavezACT This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Blue Ridge Parkway crash in Asheville leaves 2 people dead While the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was tied to 27 deaths in the Tri-State region last week, Meritus Health said it vaccinated nearly 300 kids against the virus Saturday. Meanwhile, the percentages of newly reported coronavirus cases are declining in almost all counties in the region, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. Washington County recorded 12 deaths related to COVID-19 for the week ending Sunday, the data show. Franklin County, Pa., recorded seven deaths. In West Virginia, Berkeley and Jefferson counties each had three deaths, and Morgan County had two. Fulton County, Pa., had none. The Meritus vaccination clinic for children ages 5 to 11 held Saturday was one of the first in the region following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's emergency approval of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to be administered to young children. In the Robinwood Professional Center atrium, the children receiving their first dose of vaccine were greeted by Olaf from Disney's "Frozen" movies. The part of Olaf was played by Meritus President and CEO Maulik Joshi. According to a Facebook post from the health system Saturday, Joshi said he knew the pandemic has been tough on everyone, and that this would cheer kids waiting to get the needle. Our children have experienced an enormous amount of change and challenge during this pandemic and while receiving a shot isn't always fun, our clinic team did all it could to provide a child-friendly experience," he said. Saturday's child-vaccination numbers were not factored into the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccination rates for Tri-State counties, released that day. Washington County leads the region with 61.4% of people 12 and older being fully vaccinated. While that's up 0.5 percentage points from the previous week, it's well behind the Maryland average of 77.6% and the national average of 68.3% for the same age range. Story continues Meritus Health and the Washington County Health Department have regularly scheduled COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics. For more information, go to https://washcohealth.org or call 240-313-3200. The hospital and health department are working with Washington County Public Schools to hold children's COVID-19 vaccination clinics in schools. The first was Monday at Bester Elementary School in Hagerstown. The next is scheduled for Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at Ruth Ann Monroe Primary School near Hagerstown. By the numbers Here's a breakdown of COVID-19 statistics from each county in the Tri-State area: Washington County New cases reported in the week that ended Sunday: 351 New cases reported during the week that ended Oct. 31: 374 Percent decrease: 6.1% The county has recorded 20,114 cases and 409 deaths during the pandemic. Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Saturday: 61.4% Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Oct. 30: 60.9% Level of community transmission: High Franklin County, Pa. New cases reported in the week that ended Sunday: 332 New cases reported during the week that ended Oct. 31: 388 Percent decrease: 14.4% The county has recorded 22,236 cases and 467 deaths during the pandemic. Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Saturday: 53.9% Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Oct. 30: 53.3% Level of community transmission: High Fulton County, Pa. New cases reported in the week that ended Sunday: 64 New cases reported during the week that ended Oct. 31: 65 Percent decrease: 1.5% The county has recorded 2,330 cases and 32 deaths during the pandemic. Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Saturday: 36.4% Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Oct. 30: 35.9% Level of community transmission: High Berkeley County, W.Va. New cases reported in the week that ended Sunday: 270 New cases reported during the week that ended Oct. 31: 321 Percent decrease: 15.9% The county has recorded 18,985 cases and 186 deaths during the pandemic. Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Saturday: 36.5% Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Oct. 30: 36.4% Level of community transmission: High Jefferson County, W.Va. New cases reported in the week that ended Sunday: 84 New cases reported during the week that ended Oct. 31: 95 Percent decrease: 11.6% The county has recorded 6,912 cases and 88 deaths during the pandemic. Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Saturday: 37% Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Oct. 30: 36.9% Level of community transmission: High Morgan County, W.Va. New cases reported in the week that ended Sunday: 52 New cases reported during the week that ended Oct. 31: 36 Percent increase: 44.4% The county has recorded 2,171 cases and 46 deaths during the pandemic. Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Saturday: unavailable Percent of population 12 and older fully vaccinated as of Oct. 30: 34.4% Level of community transmission: High Last week: Tri-State sees 28 deaths from COVID in previous week; new case trends fluctuate by county See how your community has fared with recent coronavirus cases Track coronavirus cases across the United States Herald-Mail News Director Joseph Deinlein and USA TODAY Network reporter Mike Stucka contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: COVID claims 27 in Tri-State; 300 kids vaccinated in 1 day at Meritus Asiatic lions at the Night Safari. (PHOTO: Mandai Wildlife Group) SINGAPORE Four lions at the Night Safari have tested positive for COVID-19, following exposure to infected staff members of the attraction. It was the first time that any animal at the Mandai Wildlife Group's four wildlife parks was confirmed to be infected with the disease. In a press release on Tuesday (9 November), the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) said the four Asiatic lions at the Night Safari had exhibited mild signs of sickness including coughing, sneezing, and lethargy on Saturday. One African lion at the Singapore Zoo had also shown similar respiratory symptoms on Monday. This was upon exposure to staff from Mandai Wildlife Group who tested positive for the coronavirus disease, added the AVS. The AVS, a cluster of the National Parks Board (NParks), said it tested samples for the four Asiatic lions via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. The samples have tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Testing is ongoing for the African lion. The AVS has issued an order under the Animals and Birds Act to the Mandai Wildlife Group to isolate all nine Asiatic lions and five African lions in their respective dens. This includes the four Asiatic lions and the African lion that have displayed symptoms. The AVS noted it is working with the group to closely monitor the health of the lions and will be testing samples from the remaining lions. The Asiatic lion exhibit along the tram route at the Night Safari has been closed since Sunday, said Dr Sonja Luz, vice president of conservation, research, and veterinary at the Mandai Wildlife Group. Since then, the lions there have been isolated at the back of house and have remained under close observation by the animal care and veterinary teams, she added. The African lion exhibit at the Singapore Zoo has also been similarly closed. "The animal care teams are keeping a close watch on all higher-risk species under their care. No other animals across the four wildlife parks currently present clinical signs of the virus," said Dr Luz. Story continues The lions remain "bright, alert and are eating well", she added, noting that evidence shows that animals generally do not fall seriously ill from the virus. "We expect that the lions will make full recovery with minor supportive treatment. However, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics may be prescribed if further treatment is needed." Citing the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), Dr Luz said there is currently no evidence that animals play a role in the spread of the virus to humans, with the risk of humans contracting the coronavirus from animals "very low". Apart from the Night Safari and Singapore Zoo, the Mandai Wildlife Group also manages Jurong Bird Park and River Wonders. Zoos and wildlife parks across the US have increasingly chosen to vaccinate their animals against the virus, some after reporting cases of infection among their mammals. Stay in the know on-the-go: Join Yahoo Singapore's Telegram channel at http://t.me/YahooSingapore A still from Ram Madhvanis Aarya (Disney+ Hotstar) Bollywood director Ram Madhvanis drama series Aarya has been nominated for an International Emmy this year. A contender for the best drama award at the 49th International Emmys, which will be presented on 22 November, Madhvanis Aarya is an official remake of Dutch crime drama Penoza. With a second season currently in the works, it has quickly become one of the most popular Indian shows ever released on Disney+ Hotstar, an OTT streaming service owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company in India. Aarya is nominated alongside Chiles El Presidente, Israels Tehran and the second season of British comedy-drama There She Goes In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Madhvani said: I think that this is really a great opportunity for me to tell people that this is the work that we have not just from an Aarya point of view but from an India point of view. The show, which is also streaming on Hulu and has been dubbed in multiple languages, features actor and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen in a career-defining role. Sen plays Aarya Sareen, whose world turns upside down when her husband is shot and she has to choose between being a mother, a daughter and a wife, Madhvani told the news outlet. Madhvani made his directorial debut with the 2002 film, Lets Talk, which premiered at the Locarno film festival. His 2016 film Neerja, starring Bollywood actor Sonam Kapoor, earned critical and commercial success. His forthcoming film Dhamaka is slated for a Netflix release later this month. Two other Indians actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui for his Netflix movie Serious Men and comedian Vir Das for his Netflix comedy special Vir Das: For India have been nominated for this years International Emmys, an award that was created to honour excellence in television outside the US. Netflix show Delhi Crime, a fictionalised version of a brutal New Delhi gang rape, won the award for best drama series last year, signalling the arrival and recognition of Indian internet content on the global scene. Story continues Read More Emilio Estevez denies quitting The Mighty Ducks series over mandatory vaccines Craig Revel Horwood calls out Strictly viewers in latest results show The Im a Celebrity 2021 line-up has been revealed An Acadia Parish man was convicted of molesting a child under the age of 13 and is now facing 25-99 years in prison. The Acadia Parish jury deliberated for about two hours before convicting Damon Broussard on Thursday, said Brian Langford, an assistant district attorney with the 15th Judicial District Attorney's Office. An investigation concerning the rape of a juvenile was first launched by Louisiana State Police in 2013 into Broussard, who is a former Lake Arthur and Crowley police officer. Once the investigation was open, additional girls came forward to detectives, Langford said. Broussard is facing additional charges in those cases and charges for possession of child pornography. More: Lafayette grand jury indicts four in connection with July fatal shooting In the case Langford tried last week, the victim was 8 years old in 2010 when the molestation occurred, Langford said. The victim came forward in 2016. Broussard was not on duty as a police officer when the crime was committed, Langford said. The case lingered, delayed by an overwhelmed justice system and the COVID-19 pandemic. Langford was given the case in January when he was hired at the district attorney's office and said he made it a priority. "This was a very important case and it needed to be resolved. The girls are grown now," he said. "We can't undo the terrible things that happened to these girls, but at the end of the day, I think they were relieved that this administration decided enough is enough and we needed to get closure." In other news: What early voting turnout shows for Lafayettes millage election Langford praised the Louisiana State Police for its work on the lengthy investigation. He also said the 15th Judicial District Attorney's Office was making it a priority to move cases like Broussard's forward, either with a plea deal or trial. Broussard, 44, will be sentenced at a later date, Langford said. Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Acadia Parish man facing up to 99 years for molestation of juvenile Instant grocery and essentials delivery is already a very crowded field in Europe; but today competition was turned up another notch: Gopuff -- the U.S. leader in the space with a service that delivers food and essentials for a flat fee of $1.95, 24 hours a day -- launched officially in the U.K. It plans to use London as a base to expand further into the region. The launch is part branding, and part integration exercise: Gopuff, which was valued at $15 billion after raising $1 billion in July earlier this year, has been using its cash to make a stream of acquisitions. Two of those have been snapping up instant delivery players Fancy and most recently Dija in the U.K. Now, Gopuff is rebranding those two under its own name, and moving its services over to its main app and platform. The company is live today in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield and the plan is to be in 33 cities by the middle of next year, led by SVP of Europe, Steven Harman (who had been COO at Revolut); execs poached from Amazon; and Alberto Menolascina, who was co-founder of Dija, as the U.K. GM. The pricing in the U.K. is 1.79 per order. When looking at expanding into Europe, we were extremely attracted to the similar models, infrastructure, loyal customer bases and talent we saw in both Dija and Fancy, said Rafael IIishayev, co-founder and co-CEO of Gopuff, in a statement. By combining Gopuffs technology, scale and deep experience leveraging existing physical infrastructure, with the local market knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit of the Fancy and Dija teams, we can bring a game-changing and unparalleled experience to UK customers. I'll be meeting with his co-founder Yakir Gola later today and will see if he says more about those plans. Indeed, the U.K. is Gopuff's first international market, but not its last. The company reportedly has its eye on at least one startup out of Berlin (Flink). Germany has proven to be one of the hotter markets for instant grocery delivery. Gorillas, another well-capitalized player in the space -- it also raised close to $1 billion earlier this year and is now valued at around $2.1 billion -- is also based in the city. Story continues Aside from Flink and Gorillas, another major player in Europe has been Getir out of Turkey. Backed by the likes of Tiger Global and Sequoia, it is valued at $7.5 billion and has also kicked off an acquisition spree in earnest. There are many, many more players in the space, such as Zapp, Glovo, Cajoo, Weezy, Jiffy, Deliveroo, offerings from supermarkets and much more. All of these have raised or invested collectively hundreds of millions of dollars in funding to carve out market share and grow, capitalizing on a consumer appetite for more on-demand services and -- in a climate of the COVID-19 pandemic still very much hanging in the air -- less of an inclination to go out physically themselves to get what they need. As we have seen in other on-demand categories like transportation (hello, Uber) the strategic playbook here for the delivery businesses is to raise huge rounds of funding to make aggressive moves into new markets and to compete against others doing the same by offering deep discounts to win customers and potentially lock them into using your services more regularly. Gopuff, which has been around since 2013, believes that globally, the addressable market for instant food and essentials delivery is potentially worth $10 trillion. That will inevitably lead to more consolidation of smaller, regional players; but it also spells deep losses due to extremely negative unit economics that are hard to claw back once promotions have been doled out to the masses. In areas like transportation, that has led to major write-downs both for the companies and their investors. It will be interesting to see whether instant grocery is a mere repeat of that, or if entrepreneurs, startups and their investors have learned a lesson here. Malalai Rostami traveled across Tampa last week, from the Airbnb where shed been living with her five younger siblings and mother to their new three-bedroom apartment near the University of South Florida. It was the final leg of a monthslong journey that started when Rostami left the house in Kabul, Afghanistan, where shed been hiding and walked toward Hamid Karzai International Airport. What followed were crushing crowds, near dehydration and anxious lies told to get past Taliban fighters who blocked the way. Rostami, whod worked for the U.S. military as an air traffic controller, stepped into her new apartment for the first time last Wednesday and found it fully furnished with a refrigerator full of food. The 24-year-old said she felt a swell of gratitude to have somewhere permanent. Im doing my best to start my life from zero, she said. Im here in Florida now. I feel safe, I feel secure. More than a dozen Afghan families have arrived in Tampa Bay as refugees in recent weeks. More are expected as the 58,000 Afghans who arrived in the U.S. since Americas chaotic withdrawal leave military bases where theyre being processed. The Tampa Bay agencies serving those refugees are running into a problem: finding housing in a region with skyrocketing rents and low inventory. Finding an apartment in Tampa is hard if youre a local, said Sabahat Khan, a real estate agent and certified property manager who volunteers as housing team leader for Radiant Hands, a local charity assisting refugees. Can you imagine how hard it is for a refugee? Radiant Hands provides supplemental aid, such as furniture, groceries and rides, in addition to what is provided by the government-funded nonprofit resettlement agencies Lutheran Services Florida and Gulf Coast Jewish Family Services. Those agencies temporarily help local refugees with housing, employment services and medical and cash assistance. Lutheran Services chief strategy officer Amelia Fox said her organization desperately needs landlords who are willing to work with us. Story continues The problem, Khan said, is property managers want credit checks, references and proof that tenants earn several times the monthly rent. Refugees who just arrived in the country may not even be authorized to work yet. Some landlords have offered to take the risk for triple the normal security deposit, Khan said, but thats a budget-breaking proposition for refugees with little savings who may be living on cash assistance from the government. Khan has negotiated to help place four families in apartments so far. She said she knows of six others currently stuck in Tampa Airbnb rentals and hotels. The uncertain housing can complicate getting a job or registering for school or other services requiring a permanent address. The sooner the new arrivals have an address, she said, the sooner they become part of the social fabric. Khan understands landlords hesitation but said the refugees shes worked with are hard-working, highly skilled people who make great tenants. The first thing the families she meets with want to know, Khan said, is when can they start working. She described one refugee who was a highly skilled engineer in Afghanistan saying hed be happy to start out with a job as an auto mechanic. They want to move on with their lives, Khan said, in a positive way. Rostami decided to flee Afghanistan when she heard the newly empowered Taliban would no longer let women work at the airport. Shed studied and trained hard for that job and loved it. I did my best to improve my life, she said, and I couldnt do that (in Afghanistan) anymore. When she fled, she spent nearly 24 hours outside before she was able to slip through a gate into the Kabul airport where shed once worked. Soldiers got her and her family on a plane to Qatar. Then came Germany, an expo center near Washington, D.C., 52 days at an Air Force base in New Mexico, and finally, Tampa. Most arrivals to Tampa are part of the Special Immigrant Visa program for Afghans who worked for the U.S. Armed Forces, often as translators in dangerous combat situations. They are legal, permanent residents and can become U.S. citizens after five years. A handful of others were allowed in as humanitarian parolees, and have a more complicated path to permanent residency. The outpouring of donations from Tampa Bay residents looking to help Afghans as the U.S. withdrawal dominated the news was heartening, said Radiant Hands Executive Director Ghadir Kassab. She founded the Tampa-based nonprofit after coming to the U.S. as a refugee from Syria 10 years ago. Radiant Hands trained nearly 100 new volunteers since August and had to rent three more storage units for all the household items and furniture people donated. But my goal now, Kassab said, is to keep that momentum and build on it. Radiant Hands welcome team gives newly arrived Afghans baskets that include a phone, prayer rug, loose leaf green tea and roasted sugared chickpeas. Volunteers also offer hot meals, clothes and help translating documents into the three languages Afghans speak. Rostami officially moved into her new apartment Thursday with her brothers, ages 20, 19 and 6; sisters, 15 and 12; and mother, 46. She said she was the sole supporter of the family back in Afghanistan. She hopes to maybe become an air traffic controller again, or possibly join the military, but she has to take things step by step. The next item on her list is simply getting a drivers license. She picked up a study guide last week. She even went out with friends the other day for the first time. They were American service members who had trained her in Afghanistan, the ones who recommended she move to Tampa when she applied for the visa program. It was the first time shed ever been to a bar. It was nearby the airport, she said, and it was beautiful. She drank soda. How you can help Those interested in volunteering or donating, or those with rental properties available to refugees, can contact Sabahat Khan, housing team lead for Radiant Hands, at 813-545-5554 or khanrealtorfl@gmail.com, or Yasmin Sayed, community engagement manager for Lutheran Services Florida, at 813-293-4854 or Yasmin.Sayed@lsfnet.org. After nearly a half-hour of discussion, the Pekin City Council voted to enter into an agreement with Dewberry Professional Services for the design of new fire station buildings at Mondays meeting. We have been working toward growing and expanding, noted Pekin Mayor Mark Luft. Were doing things right now to make that happen. Were trying to connect to (Interstate 474). Weve done a residential (Tax Increment Financing district). Were looking at acquiring property. Theres a whole list of things were working on and are going to continue. Community growth and expansion, Luft added, will justify the new proposed fire stations because an expanding community will need expanded emergency services. The design services will be accomplished in two phases, with phase one consisting of programming and test fit analysis of sites. Pekin Public Works Director Justin Reeise estimated that phase one services will cost the city $36,400. A separate agreement will be brought to the council for final phase design services when the final scope of the project is established. The resolution passed 6-1, with council member Lloyd Orrick opposing the measure. Im not against rebuilding the two old (fire stations), said Orrick. Im just against adding a station. I look at wants and need. I know (the council wants) another station. But I havent seen the need to justify one. 50 years of jams: Jay Goldberg group marks half century since Pekin beginnings A resolution approving a proposal from SEICO (Security Electronics Integration Company for the installation of a fire alarm system at Fire Station 1 on Court Street also passed by a 6-1 vote with council member Rick Hilst dissenting. The system will cost an estimated $29,586. A resolution to award the bid for the demolition of 1410 S. 12th St. and 305 N. Ninth St., to Wayne Litwiller Excavating passed by a unanimous vote. According to Pekin Police Chief John Dossey, both properties had been the subject of numerous complaints from residents and of numerous property clean-ups. The properties have been condemned as uninhabitable. Story continues Dossey added that the city received two bids from the project. Litwiller submitted a bid proposal of $36,300 for the two properties, while CMT Excavating turned in a bid for $11,250. While CMT has provided the lowest bid overall, staff has reason to believe the bid was submitted in error and is therefore not a reasonable and responsible bid, Dossey said. Pekin Municipal Airport featured prominently in Mondays meeting. The council unanimously voted to award a $39,781.25 crack seal project to National Industrial Maintenance, Inc., approved agreements with Hanson Professional Services for the design of a new 10-plane T-hangar and a new corporate hangar for a total amount of up to $174,856, and authorized the Pekin Municipal Airport manager to make bulk fuel purchases. The Ironman': After 36 years, groundskeeper at Pekin Community High School retires In other business, the council unanimously approved: A resolution to determine the citys 2021 property tax levy as required by the Illinois Truth in Taxation Act. The anticipated levy is $4,699,812 for the city and $1,619,911 for the Pekin Public Library. An agreement with Enterprise Leasing to provide 10 police vehicles for $107,746.44. An amendment to an ordinance vacating a portion of Seventh Street and Court Street. The city agreed to vacate the property as part of an expansion project for St. Josephs Catholic Church. According to Pekin City Manager Mark Rothert, St. Josephs has revised its planned expansion to reduce the size of the new church building, eliminating the need to purchase 706 Court St. An ordinance amending the Code of the City of Pekin to remove Veterans Day as an observed holiday that delays the solid waste collection schedule. This article originally appeared on Pekin Daily Times: Design work for new fire station buildings approved by Pekin council Alamance County is getting almost $33 million in COVID relief funds from the federal government and has plenty of ideas about how to spend it, but the public has a chance to weigh in on that spending at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10. To accommodate a larger-than-usual crowd, the county commissioners will meet in the Alamance County Historic Courthouse. Support local journalism as a Times-News subscriber At least 10 groups like United Way and the Alamance-Burlington School System and a few individuals have already made plans to speak. Speakers will have 5 minutes to make their cases, and while the meeting will be streamed online, presentations and questions can only be submitted in person. More: How Alamance-Burlington Schools balance COVID safety and missed school Alamance County Board of Commissioners wont make any funding decisions Wednesday. Final decisions could take some time. Cities and counties are supposed to spend American Rescue Plan funds by the end of 2024, but they get plenty of time to decide how to spend them. The U.S. Treasury Department has also not set out the final guidelines for how local governments can spend ARP funds. There are five broad categories: Costs of fighting the pandemic; Economic impacts of COVID including harm to workers and businesses and low-income areas; Replacing lost government revenue, (which Alamance County did not experience); Pay for essential workers most at risk for COVID; Infrastructure especially water, sewer and broadband internet, though state restrictions might make it hard for Alamance County to spend money on internet access since it would not be improving existing infrastructure. The county got half the money last May and expects the rest next May. County government already spent some of this money leaving $26 to $30 million and has some ideas on how to spend the rest and then some. There is a $48 million wish list already. More: Q&A with Brian Ingram, president and CEO of Vaya Health, talks about Medicaid changes Story continues County administration's potential ARP projects: $13 million: A diversion center for people in mental health crisis aimed at keeping them out of jail or the emergency room. The center has been a goal for years, but the current plan is for a 24-hour center with 16 beds. County government considers it one of the more urgent needs. $8 million: A case-management program for veterans in need of health, mental health, substance abuse and housing services. $3.4 Million: Two new emergency communication towers, internet access at the North Park library, mobile internet cafe program, WiFi at public locations and a hot spot loan program. $3million: Projects in a low-income qualifying Census Tract in north Burlington and along North Church Street. $900,000: Water and sewer connections to parts of Swepsonville affected by the old landfill. Isaac Groves is the Alamance County government watchdog reporter for the Times-News and the USA Today Network. Call or text 919-998-8039 with tips and comments or follow him on Twitter @TNIGroves. This article originally appeared on Times-News: Alamance County will hear pitches for spending $33 million in American Rescue Plan funds File: New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit out at fellow lawmaker for bizarre anime video depicting her (Oversight Committee / YouTube) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit back at Republican congressman Paul Gosar who shared a bizarre anime video on Twitter, depicting the killing of a giant monster who had the face of the New York representative. In a tweet on Monday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez said: So while I was en route to Glasgow, a creepy member I work with who fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups shared a fantasy video of him killing me. And hell face no consequences bc @GOPLeader cheers him on with excuses. Fun Monday! Well, back to work bc institutions dont protect woc (women of colour) So while I was en route to Glasgow, a creepy member I work with who fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups shared a fantasy video of him killing me And hell face no consequences bc @GOPLeader cheers him on with excuses. Fun Monday! Well, back to work bc institutions dont protect woc https://t.co/XRnMAKsnNO Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 9, 2021 The congressman from Arizona had shared the 92 second clip on Sunday, both on his personal as well as his official congressional account, triggering outrage on social media. The edited clip of Netflix anime Attack on Titan showed Mr Gosar as well as fellow right-wing lawmakers Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert battling a towering, naked Titan. Ms Ocasio-Cortez is seen for a few seconds in the video, with her face superimposed over the monsters. The three anime versions of Mr Gosar, Ms Greene and Ms Boebert are then seeing delivering a fatal strike to the back of the monsters head as blood gushes out. The video also shows the three congressmen fighting with president Joe Biden for a few seconds. Mr Gosar who recently reiterated his desire to end immigration to the US entirely, tweeted the video with the caption: Any anime fans out there? on his official Twitter handle. Story continues Any anime fans out there? pic.twitter.com/TxX4qiJhOi Rep. Paul Gosar, DDS (@RepGosar) November 7, 2021 Twitter has not deleted the tweet, however it has added a rider that the tweet contains hateful content. This Tweet violated the Twitter Rules about hateful conduct. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible, the tag reads. In her statement on Monday, Ms Ocasio-Cortez added: White supremacy is for extremely fragile people &sad men like him, whose self concept relies on the myth that he was born superior because deep down he knows he couldnt open a pickle jar or read a whole book by himself. This dude is a just a collection of wet toothpicks anyway. White supremacy is for extremely fragile people &sad men like him, whose self concept relies on the myth that he was born superior because deep down he knows he couldnt open a pickle jar or read a whole book by himself Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 9, 2021 Mr Gosar has in the past defended his relationship with white supremacist Nicholas Fuentes who allegedly participated in 2017 Charlottesville Rally. He has also recently reiterated his stand to stop migration to the US completely. Read More Absolutely disgraceful: Anger as Gosar shares anime clip showing him killing AOC AOC explains no vote on Biden infrastructure bill in Instagram Live Dems end deadlock, House hands Biden infrastructure win Ilhan Omar explains why she voted against infrastructure bill Breakthrough for Biden as Democrats unite to pass $1trn infrastructure bill Manchin defends holding out on Biden agenda amid battle with progressive Democrats By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - President Emmanuel Macron regrets the controversies and misunderstandings generated from comments he made about Algeria, a French official said on Tuesday, a sign that Paris may be seeking to calm relations with its former colony. Ties between Paris and Algiers have been badly strained in recent weeks after Macron had questioned whether there had been an Algerian nation before French colonial rule and that Algeria's "politico-military system" had rewritten the history of its colonisation by France based on "a hatred of France". That promoted Algiers to close its airspace to France's military fighting in neighbouring Mali and recall its ambassador. Algerian President Abelmadjid Tebboune said Saturday that he would not make the first step to ease tensions, telling German magazine Der Spiegel that Macron had "opened an old conflict in a completely ridiculous way". The relationship between the two countries is scarred by the trauma of the 1954-1962 independence war in which the North African country broke with France. Hundreds of thousands of Algerians were killed and both sides used torture. Briefing reporters ahead of a conference on Libya on Friday, for which Tebboune has been invited, a French presidential official said Algiers was a key actor in the region and Macron wanted him to attend. The official sought to express Macron's regrets following the comments he had made to a group of young people who were working on the historical differences between the two countries. "The president regrets the controversies and misunderstandings generated by the remarks reported and I will add that president Macron has the greatest respect for the Algerian nation, its history and the sovereignty of Algeria," the official said. "He is strongly attached to the development of our two countries bilaterally for the benefit of the Algerian and French populations and also to meet the great regional challenge, starting with Libya." Macron has pushed for more transparency regarding France's past with Algeria and has commissioned a report from historian Benjamin Stora. It called for a truth commission over the war, but the French leader has ruled out issuing any official apology. (Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Angus MacSwan) A host of stars, including Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Kim Kardashian and Lil Nas X are set to appear in Madonnas Madame X Presents: Madame Xtra Q&A. The Madonna special will air on Paramount Plus on Nov. 18 and is hosted by RuPauls Drag Race winners Symone and Aquaria. Each of the stars appearing pose their burning questions to the star. In the special, Kardashian asks: Do you have all of your awards show and music video wardrobe, and if you do, do you let your daughter wear any of it? Kardashian admits she would love to raid the closet so badly, and asks the Queen of pop if she could borrow an item to wear one day. More from Variety Watch what Madonna answers below: Madame X was filmed in January 2020 during Madonnas six-night stand at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon, Portugal, as part of her 11th concert tour, which marked the first time she had played in theaters and smaller venues since 1985 Like a Virgin tour. The concert opens with God Control, and is followed by Dark Ballet, with its sample from Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker. The album was released in 2019 and is a collection of 15 new songs inspired by Madonnas residency in Lisbon, Portugal. Lisbon is where my record was born, Madonna said, I found my tribe there and a magical world of incredible musicians that reinforced my belief that music across the world is truly all connected and is the soul of the universe. The Q&A was filmed when Madonna held court at the premiere of the new documentary Madame X on Sept. 23 at New Yorks Paradise Club at the Edition Times Square. Watch the trailer below: Best of Variety Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Nov. 9The military will spend $5.9 million on a contract to remove so-called "forever chemicals" from the water at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a $5.9 million contract to Weston Solutions LLC to help remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from ground and surface water at the facility, the base said in a recent release. Also known as "PFAS," the chemicals are a group of chemicals common in industrial and other uses. They have been linked to cancer, and have become a local and national environmental concern. The project is underway now, the base said. The team has received Environmental Protection Agency approval; collected soil, surface water and groundwater samples on affected sites; and analyzed the cost of actions, the base said. (It was not immediately clear which Environmental Protection Agency approved the effort.) Weston Solutions, based in West Chester, Pennsylvania, has offices on East Monument Avenue in Dayton. "The objective of the actions is to protect human health and the environment as quickly and efficiently as possible," Greg Plamondon, a remedial project manager at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, said in the base's announcement. "This includes the protection of Airmen, site workers and any potential downgradient receptors impacted by PFAS at the sites." The team will treat the Hazmat Storage Facility on Area B of the base and current and former fire-training locations in Area A to "permanently mitigate and minimize human exposure to soil, groundwater and surface water that contains PFAS, chemicals formerly used in aqueous firefighting foam." The city of Dayton in May filed a $300 million lawsuit against Wright-Patt and the U.S. Department of Defense. The suit alleges the base consistently violated environmental laws, including the Safe Drinking Water Act, and water contaminated with forever chemicals above the recommended action level continuously flow into the city's Mad River Wellfield. Story continues Wright-Patt and DoD officials have denied the city's allegations, saying they've followed federal guidelines and taken an aggressive approach to ensure contaminants migrating from the base remain below the federal recommended guidelines. Several Miami Valley communities, including Dayton, have grappled with PFAS in recent years. Low levels of the contaminants were detected in 24 Southwest Ohio public water systems in counties such as Greene, Montgomery, Clark and Warren, according to the Ohio EPA. They made those discoveries while testing the more than 1,550 public drinking water systems across the state to determine if PFAS were present. Said the base in its recent announcement: "The Air Force continues to evaluate and determine solutions for health effects, concerns about food safety and agriculture commodities, risk management of PFOS and PFOA in the nation's products, and technology to eliminate or reduce any negative impact." A representative of Wright-Patterson's host unit, the 88th Air Base Wing, referred questions to the public affairs office of the Air Force Installation Mission Support Center. Peter Solimine turned off his alarm, rolled out of bed, wrapped himself in his bathrobe and slid his feet into a pair of slippers. Sounds like the kind of rise-and-shine that everyone else has in the morning, right? Not so for Solimine, though. Once he had his feet on the floor, Solimine was facing five tough, discerning investors seated confidently and ready to grill him about an entrepreneurial pitch he had to make. Solimine, a native of York, Maine, was not getting out of his own bed, but instead out of one on the set of the popular ABC reality show Shark Tank, which gives budding business hopefuls like Solimine and others a chance to secure investment dollars for the products they have created. Solimine appeared on the shows Nov. 5 episode and pitched Beulr his computer application that allows you to send a bot to attend virtual meetings while you sleep in or tend to other tasks to investors Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John and Kevin OLeary. Solimine sought $150,000 from the Sharks in exchange for 20% of his company. To date, weve helped tens of thousands of people around the globe avoid those tedious online meetings, where you kind of have to go but at the same time you really dont need to, Solimine said. Previous story: Maine native hoping stint on 'Shark Tank' will be Beulr's big day Solimine got the idea for Buelr when he was a student at Tulane University in New Orleans. He can even tell you the day: March 17, 2020, when fears about the COVID-19 pandemic took hold and schools, businesses and venues all across the nation started canceling in-person routines and gatherings of all sizes. That morning, Solimine had his first class on Zoom, a videoconferencing platform that would skyrocket in popularity in the days and weeks ahead. Solimine opened his laptop and attended the class that day, but he woke up in the morning not wanting to repeat the experience. The course was nothing but lectures, with no opportunities for students to speak, Solimine said. Story continues Thus, Beulr was born. Solimine wrote a computer script to automatically launch the Zoom app to log in to the early-morning class at the right time, so a bot could attend, without my engagement, he said during an interview before the episode aired on Friday. His plan worked. Thanks to Buelr, a name he gave the app in tribute to Ferris Bueller, the beloved school-skipper from the 1986 film, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Solimine started catching his morning class in the afternoon instead. He shared Buelr with others in the weeks that followed. Soon, Solimine figured out he had a business opportunity on his hands. He said he left college and a job prospect at Goldman Sachs to focus on Beulr full-time, maxing out his credit cards, moving in with his mother, and building his new business. He described the experience as invaluable. Solimine shared this story with the Sharks, smiling with ease and showing the showmanship that earned him the title of class clown in high school. And to be sure, most of the Sharks had a good laugh at Solimines inventiveness. You created a new form of hooky, John said. Sharks pose pointed questions The Sharks asked Solimine a few questions to help them determine whether to cough up cash for his idea. Some of the questions hinted at which direction each Shark was heading. Greiner, for example, said she could see how the idea could be useful to some people, such as students, but she had misgivings. The integrity issue bothers me, she said. I do think it could get people in trouble as equally as it could help them. OLeary told Solimine he loved his idea but could foresee people encountering compliance issues if their job or position legally required them to attend meetings. Speaking last, Cuban told Solimine his idea was a bad one. The app is great, but there is not a direct path to monetization, Cuban said, recommending to Solimine that he return to school if you really want to win in this space. None of the Sharks put up money for Beulr, with each one stating the shows trademark rejection, Im out. Solimine smiled and thanked the investors for their time. 'Inspiration': Exeter native Parker McKay shares best part of being on NBC's 'The Voice' The episode was filmed back in July, on Solimines birthday. After his appearance before the Sharks, Solimine addressed the camera back stage. If Mark Cuban wants me to finish college, then maybe I should, he said. I was thinking Im probably fine, but well see. I might go back to school. Entrepreneur 'not thrilled' with episode On Monday, Solimine said he was "not thrilled" with the way the episode was put together, with its emphasis on what the investors found problematic with his idea. "I remember it being a lot more upbeat while it was filming," he said. Solimine said he has received $675,000 worth of funding from multiple other sources an amount that far exceeds the $150,000 he sought on Shark Tank. "There's no plan for stopping any time soon," he said. And, if Solimines website is any indication, more people are using Beulr. Last week, before the episode, the website stated that the app had 97,000 users. And on Monday? The site boasted about 126,000 users had joined Beulrs day off. "We definitely got a good boost from 'Shark Tank,'" Solimine said. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: No 'Shark Tank' deal for Peter Solimine's Beulr 'playing hooky' app BERLIN (AP) Bayern Munich fans have been stepping up their public criticism of the club for its ties to World Cup host Qatar. Bayern supporters displayed a huge banner during the teams home game on Saturday, criticizing the club for what they say is the sports washing of human rights abuses in Qatar by accepting sponsorship from that country's national airline. The Bavarian team has also been holding mid-season training camps in Qatar since 2011. Bayern club members are preparing to present a motion at the clubs AGM on Nov. 25 calling for it to end to its sponsorship agreements with Qatar at the earliest possible date. The motions initiator, Michael Ott, and his backers say the sponsorship deal with Qatar Airways is incompatible with the values of our association and that the clubs reputation is being damaged through its links with the Gulf country. Instead of bringing about changes, FC Bayern is actively helping the Emirate of Qatar through sponsorship to distract attention from the grievances," Ott says on the webpage where hes seeking other club members support. "If FC Bayern remains silent on the situation in Qatar, our club is expressing its indifference. With this, FC Bayern is damaging its reputation and not living up to its responsibilities as a role model. Members of the Bayern ultra fan club Munichs Red Pride displayed the provocative banner in the south stand shortly after the second half began against Freiburg on Saturday in the Bundesliga. It depicted club chairman Oliver Kahn and smiling president Herbert Hainer washing blood-stained clothes in a washing machine under the words, For money, well wash anything clean. A briefcase of money rested on the washing machine, which was inscribed with the letters FCB AG to represent the club, and Kahn was holding another briefcase of money with the inscription, You can rely on us. Kahn was holding a clean robe bearing the name of Bayerns sponsor with his other hand, while both he and Hainer were standing in pools of blood. Story continues Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann defended the clubs stance after his teams 2-1 victory moved it four points clear at the top of the standings. The club tries to discuss things through dialogue, to influence things through dialogue and not by exclusion or looking the other way. I think that weve made a little bit of difference, Nagelsmann said. In the end my responsibility is for what happens on the field. Bayern fans have long protested their clubs financial dealings with Qatar. They arranged a public meeting in January 2020 titled Qatar, human rights and FC Bayern featuring two migrant workers who spoke of their experiences while working on stadium construction for next years World Cup. Amnesty released a report in August accusing Qatari officials of doing little to investigate thousands of young migrant workers deaths in the country over the past decade. As a result, the workers bereaved families have been denied the opportunity to receive any compensation from the employer or the Qatari authorities, Amnesty said. Bayern supporters have displayed banners criticizing the clubs ties with Qatar before, but the coronavirus pandemic brought some reprieve for club officials because fans were excluded from games in a bid to restrict infections. Now that the fans are back, so are the protests. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports ___ Ciaran Fahey on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cfaheyAP U.S. Department of Labor Building in DC The U.S. Department of Labor announced on Monday a proposal to rescind a Trump-era rule that greatly expanded religious exemption from anti-discrimination laws for federal contractors. Then-President Donald Trump enacted the rule in the last days of his presidency. The expansion included employers who hold themselves out to the public as carrying out a religious purpose. Previously, the rule applied to a more select number of cases. Officials noted in a press release that rescinding the rule would take the departments policy back to how it was used in the Obama and Bush administrations. The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs proposed rescission would protect against discrimination and safeguard principles of religious freedom. With this proposal, OFCCP would simply return to our policy and practice of considering the facts of each case and applying Title VII principles and case law and other applicable law, said Office of Federal Contract Compliance programs director Jenny Yang in the release. Trumps administration said the policy served as a way for religious organizations to fully participate in the federal contractor system, according to Reuters. However, LGBTQ+ groups had warned that it would lead to discrimination. "The proposed rescission would also promote economy and efficiency in federal procurement by preventing the exclusion of qualified and talented employees on the basis of protected characteristics," Yang told the news wire. "This ensures that taxpayer funds are not used to discriminate." The LGBTQ+ rights group Lambda Legal was one of the groups that opposed the Trump administration rule change, according to senior counsel Jenny Pizer. It was a bright green light for discrimination in the name of religion in federally funded contracting, and that's inconsistent with important national policy going back decades, Pizer told The Advocate. We passionately opposed that rule change and strongly support the current proposal to revert back to the prior policy. Story continues However, Pizer added that the policy itself needs to be clarified further because the exemption itself still exists. Courts, she said, have given different accounts of what those exemptions could be especially when it comes to exemptions that could be used to discriminate against LGBTQ+ people. The idea behind the exemption comes from the government wanting to allow faith-based organizations to be able to hire those of the same faith. Pizer believes that an issue arises when that faith is used to mistreat others. The prior policy is less clear than it could be that federal dollars should not subsidize discrimination, Pizer explained. Religious organizations that are defined by specific criteria may be able to prefer people of the same faith but not when doing so means unlawful discrimination. Police respond to a shooting outside Giliberto's in central Sioux Falls early the morning of Nov. 7, 2021. A witness to a shooting in central Sioux Falls early Sunday that left one person dead was the first to notify police when he flagged them down a few blocks away from the incident. Raheem Rice, 29, was in the passenger seat of a friends car coming down an empty Minnesota Avenue when they heard shots being fired off in the packed Gilibertos parking lot in central Sioux Falls. It didnt sound like fireworks, the Sioux Falls native said. We heard the first two shots, echoing off the Toppers building. It clicked pretty fast for me that that was gunshots. Argus 911: One dead, two injured in Sioux Falls shooting; no arrests made, police say Rice said that within the five seconds that it took to connect the shooting to the Gilibertos parking lot, he didnt see anyone running away in that time. As his friend started to slow the car down, Rice was ducking down in the front seat and telling the driver to hit the gas. They drove a few blocks and stopped at 11th Street and Minnesota Avenue, near the YMCA, Rice said, so that he and his friend, who was just beginning to process what they had seen, could switch spots. Rice spotted a police officer at the corner and flagged them down. Police crime tape surrounds Giliberto's at 16th and Minnesota on Sunday morning after "several" people in the area of the business. Im like go to Gilibertos, and they look at me like What? and Im like go to Gilibertos, shooting, shooting, shooting, Rice recounted, adding that the police response time was excellent. Its more just the bizarre insanity seeing that happen in Sioux Falls and somebody got shot, he said. In the aftermath of the shooting, Rice said hes not seen anything on social media that would help clear up what happened Sunday morning, especially considering how crowded the parking lot was at the time. More: Court documents: Man who fled scene 'involved' in shooting outside Giliberto's, but police unclear how I havent seen a single snapchat video or a single rest in peace (about a person), he said, referencing the one man who died during the shooting. Two other people were injured. Story continues The Sioux Falls Police Department is requesting that anyone who has footage of the shooting or knows about it, reach out to them. The investigation into what happened remains ongoing, police spokesperson Sam Clemens said. Rice said that there need to be other options for residents to hang out at during the evening that doesnt revolve around the popular downtown drinking scene. He wants to open a late-night coffee bar alternative called Eclipse that wouldnt be a party spot. Obviously Sioux Falls isnt the little city, big town that it used to be, and its refusing to let go of that, he said. But also, its still an amazing, absolute phenomenal city to live in. Im born and raised here. I wouldnt want any of this type of violence anywhere but let alone this place. Giliberto's Shooting: Sioux Falls Police requesting video footage from public around time of weekend shooting 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: Sioux Falls shooting witness recalls hearing shots outside Gilibertos Tichenor family via GoFundMe A 10-year-old Black girl who was a student in a Utah school district that had been the subject of a federal racism investigation hanged herself over the weekend, leaving her family distraught over what they say were unanswered calls to address bullying. The girls mom, Brittany Tichenor, said she had contacted the Davis School District multiple times to discuss how her daughter Isabella was mistreated by her peers after starting fifth grade just months ago. Through sobs, Tichenor described during a news conference the relentless teasing that her daughterone of just a few Black students at the Foxboro Elementary Schoolhad endured without much help from school administrators. Even though my baby is gone, Im going to make sure that I stand for Izzy, Tichenor said on Monday. And Im going to make surefor voices that cant be heard like hersthat this will never happen again to any kid. The Salt Lake Tribune first reported on the tragic death of Isabella, who was also autistic, within months of the start of the new school year. On Saturday, before Isabella took her life, Tichenor said that she had been chatting with her daughter about working on a book report. Tichenor had prepared markers and colored pencils to help, and she said the girl had kissed her cheek and told her she loved her before going into her room. Tichenor, meanwhile, dipped briefly into the garage and said that not even ten minutes had passed before two of her other children found Isabella hanging in her closet. About a month after starting school, her daughter told her she didnt believe her teacher liked her because she would greet all the other kids in her class but would ignore Isabella. Ohio Schools Freak Over Critical Race Theory, Dump Anti-Racism Reforms Tichenor said her daughter had also recounted stories about being teased, and that after her teacher had complained during class that students smelled bad, other kids began taunting her claiming that it was Isabella. The comments prompted the girl to carry air freshener to school to dispense as perfume, Tichenor said. Story continues A GoFundMe page entitled Stand for Izzy was created to raise money for a celebration honoring her life. Tichenor said efforts to speak to school district officials, who claimed to have addressed her concerns with the principal, went nowhere. She said her seven-year-old daughter, one of Isabellas siblings, had been called the N-word in September. Its not the first time allegations of racism have been leveled against the school district. In September, it said it would ban teachers from displaying LGBTQ pride or Black Lives Matter flags in classrooms and on school grounds because it wanted to stay neutral on so-called culture-war topics. And a month ago, a damning report by the U.S. Justice Department found school officials were deliberately indifferent to racial harassment. The findings came to light last month after a two-year investigation into how the Davis School District had documented hundreds of cases across dozens of its schools between 2015 and 2020. In some cases, the N-word and other derogatory racial remarks and physical assaults had been used but school officials responded ineffectively, leaving targeted students vulnerable to continued harassment, the report found, according to a notice letter issued to the districts general counsel Benjamin Onofrio. After the DOJs investigation had been launched, a student at Creekside Elementary, another school in the district, dressed in a Nazi costume with a Hitler mustache for a Halloween parade in 2019. The schools principal and a teacher were subsequently put on paid administrative leave. Investigators said that investigation under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 found persistent failures to respond to reports of race-based harassment by district employees and other students. It left Black and Asian-American students, who each make up only about 1 percent of the approximately 73,000 students enrolled in the district, with the takeaway message that the district condoned the behavior, the Justice Department said in a news release last month. The Aristocrats Funding the Critical Race Theory Backlash Pervasive racial harassment and other forms of racial discrimination in public schools violate the Constitutions most basic promise of equal protection, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division said when the agency announced a settlement to remedy the districts racial harassment problem. This agreement will help generate the institutional change necessary to keep Black and Asian-American students safe. We look forward to Davis demonstrating to its students and school community that it will no longer tolerate racial discrimination in its schools. It remains unclear, however, how the findings of the report have played out in the weeks since it dropped. District officials declined to answer The Daily Beasts questions about what action, if any, would be taken to address issues of racism at Isabellas school. The districts community relations supervisor, Shauna Lund, instead offered the following statement: We, like everyone, are devastated by the death of this child. Our hearts go out to the family. Foxboro Elementary has worked extensively with the family and will continue to provide help to them and others impacted by this tragedy. We take all incidents and reports of bullying seriously. At this point, the incident we are aware of involved another student. The teacher and administration responded quickly and appropriately. As with all allegations of bullying, our investigation will continue. If you or a loved one are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Blue Origins New Glenn first-stage simulator makes an appearance. (Blue Origin Photo) Itll be at least another year before Blue Origins orbital-class New Glenn rocket gets its first launch, but Jeff Bezos space venture has brought out a dummy version of New Glenns first stage to practice for that eventual countdown. The 188-foot-long, 23-foot-wide simulator emerged from Blue Origins rocket factory in Florida last week. In a series of tweets, the company said the GS1 simulator would enable the team to practice ground ops for New Glenns massive first stage, including the transport from the rocket manufacturing complex to LC-36 for integration. While not destined for flight, this hardware is giving our team invaluable data to inform future launch vehicle operations, Blue Origin said. The simulator is basically the weighted shell of New Glenns reusable first-stage booster, without the BE-4 engines that would launch the rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Stations Launch Complex 36. The BE-4 is due for its first use on United Launch Alliances Vulcan rocket next year after development delays. The second stage is being developed separately, with an eye toward eventually making that stage fully reusable as well. And there are signs that the New Glenns fairing is undergoing tests at NASAs Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. Blue Origin already has signed up customers for satellite launches on New Glenn which is named after the late astronaut John Glenn, the first American to go into orbit. At the time those deals were struck, the company was planning to start launching New Glenn in 2020. Meanwhile, Blue Origins suborbital New Shepard program (named after Alan Shepard, the first NASA astronaut to take a suborbital rocket ride into space) is clicking along in West Texas. When Star Trek actor William Shatner and three other people were launched on New Shepard last month, Blue Origin said it was planning one more suborbital trip by the end of this year. The space company that Bezos founded in 2000 has been facing controversies relating to sexual harassment and safety issues, and last week a federal judge rejected Blue Origins challenge of a $2.9 billion lunar lander contract that NASA awarded to SpaceX. Nevertheless, its pushing ahead on projects including a follow-up lunar lander proposal, space resource extraction systems and the Orbital Reef space station concept. Story continues At last report, Blue Origin has about 4,000 employees, with most of those based at the company headquarters in Kent, Wash. The companys career website currently lists 1,270 open positions. One of the recently reported hires is Mark Forger Stucky, who earned his commercial astronaut wings with Virgin Galactic in 2018 and whose employment there was terminated this year amid an uproar over critical comments he was quoted as making in a book about Virgin Galactic. Stucky, whos said to be involved with Blue Origins advanced development programs, tweeted out a couple of pictures from Cape Canaveral today, including this view of Blue Origins future Florida launch pad: Still beautiful, maybe more so. Would you like that #supersized? pic.twitter.com/bQtVzXbIvT Mark "Forger" Stucky (@Stuck4ger) November 8, 2021 More from GeekWire: (Bloomberg) -- More than two dozen companies, including British grocer J Sainsbury Plc, Swiss food giant Nestle SA and French yogurt maker Danone SA, are backing a U.K. initiative to stop soy shipments from deforested regions of the world. Most Read from Bloomberg A total 27 firms signed the UK Soy Manifesto, a new industry commitment to ensure physical soy shipments to the U.K. arent grown from areas where forests were cut down or native vegetation was converted into farmland after January 2020. The initiative, launched Tuesday with secretarial support from British consultancy Efeca, follows similar efforts in Europe. Initial funding was provided by grocery chain Tesco Plc and the World Wildlife Fund. The companies, which also include Pilgrims Pride Corp.s U.K. unit, McDonalds Corp. and KFC Corp., account for 60% of the U.K.s soy imports, according to a statement on Efecas website. Annual soybean consumption in the U.K. is about 3.5 million tons. The signatories also agree to publicly disclose their progress and require their suppliers to adopt such commitments. Deforestation and land-use change driven by agricultural expansion account for 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and commodities such as soy, beef, palm oil and timber are key global drivers, according to the initiatives website. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on Monday that his agency would use a portion of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill to address racial inequities in U.S. highway design. Why it matters: Buttigieg's remarks at a press briefing come amid a broader discussion of racial and socioeconomic disparities in the U.S. and days after Congress passed the long-awaited infrastructure bill. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free The program, called "Reconnecting Communities," will focus on the "legacy of highway construction built through communities" and remove or repurpose infrastructure barriers. Buttigieg reiterated that whether a highway will be removed will be decided on a case-by-case basis, adding that "it's going to vary by community and we have to listen to the community." What they're saying: "[A]t least 40% of the clean investments in this bill will go to benefit the communities that are overburdened and underserved," Buttigieg said at the briefing. "If an underpass was constructed such that a bus carrying mostly Black and Puerto Rican kids to a beach ... in New York was designed too low for it to pass by, that ... obviously reflects racism that went into those design choices." "I don't think we have anything to lose by confronting that simple reality and I think we have everything to gain by acknowledging it," he added. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Erika Berenguer, an Amazon ecologist at Oxford and Lancaster universities, is one of the most prominent scientists studying how the rainforest functions when humans throw it off balance. AFP asked the 38-year-old Brazilian to break down the latest research on the Amazon and what it means for us all. - There are lots of headlines on the destruction of the Amazon. What does the science say? - "The results are truly horrifying. They are in line with discussions about the 'tipping point' (at which the rainforest would die off and turn from carbon absorber to carbon emitter). "One study found that in the southeast of the Amazon in the dry season, the temperature has increased by 2.5 degrees Celsius (over the past 40 years). That is truly apocalyptic. "I don't think even academics were prepared for that. The Paris deal is trying to limit the world to 1.5 degrees; 2.5 in the Amazon is huge. "And in the northeast Amazon, we've seen a decrease of 34 percent in precipitation in peak dry season (from August to October). "The implication of all this is that if you have a hotter and dryer climate, fires are just going to escape more into the forest. So it gets into this feedback loop, this vicious cycle of horror." - Can we still save the Amazon? What happens if we don't? - "That's the million-dollar question. We'll never know the tipping point until we're past it. That's the definition of a tipping point. But different parts of the Amazon are speeding up toward it at different paces. "If we pass the tipping point, it's the end. And I don't say that lightly. We're talking about the most biodiverse place on the planet collapsing. "Millions and millions of people becoming climate refugees. Rainfall patterns being disrupted across South America. "Without rainfall, we don't have hydroelectricity, so it means the collapse of industry in Brazil, and therefore the collapse of one of the largest economies in the world, of one of the biggest food suppliers in the world. Story continues "We cannot live in a world without the Amazon." - Your WhatsApp profile picture has the word 'hope' written in big letters. What keeps you hopeful for the Amazon? - "Chocolate (laughs). "But really, there is definitely hope for change. Within my lifetime, I saw a decrease of more than 80 percent in deforestation, between 2004 and 2012. It wasn't easy. "You require coordination between several (government) agencies. But they did it. So why can't we see it again? "Globally, there are several levels of solutions for everyone in the world. Everybody has to reduce their carbon footprint. Nobody's going to go back to living in a cave, but we all need to have a deep reflection on what we can do. "We also need to pressure for transparency on commodities that come from Amazonia. Know where your gold is coming from, know where your beef is coming from. "But most importantly, we need to insist on structural changes. We need to pressure our governments and corporations to cut emissions." jhb/bgs The board members of Houston's Lift Off are, from left, Christina Martell, secretary; Jamie Gaspers, vice president; Ashley McDonald, founder and president, and Desiree Napier, marketing director. Not pictured is Misty Campbell. CANTON Had he lived, Houston Autrey would be a rambunctious kindergartner; the first son and second of five siblings. It was not to be. Houston was born prematurely, followed by more than four months in the neonatal intensive care units at Aultman and Akron Children's hospitals. The experience prompted his mother, Ashley McDonald, to launch Houston's Lift Off, a nonprofit support organization for families of infants in the NICU. "They put me on bed rest at 23 weeks. I had him when I was at 25 weeks," McDonald said. "He was born at 1 pound, 3 ounces. He was in the Aultman NICU for three months." Born Aug. 14, 2015, he died Jan. 5, 2016. More: US birth rate falls to lowest point in more than a century McDonald said she was told that Houston's umbilical cord was too short, which deprived him of the nutrients needed to grow to full term. He was originally scheduled to be born Nov. 22, 2016, but arrived early via an emergency C-section. "When he was 4 months old, he was transferred to Akron Children's because Aultman said they couldn't do any more for him," she said. "He died a month later." McDonald said her son also had pulmonary hypertension. "His lungs couldn't handle his body," she said. But McDonald said she remembered the care her family received at Aultman and at Akron Children's, which has a Ronald McDonald House. "They fed us, and we were able to sleep there," she said. Ashley McDonald of Canton is the founder of Houston's Lift Off, a group that helps Aultman Hospital NICU families. The group is named after McDonald's late son Houston Autrey who died in 2016 when he was 4 months old. How the nonprofit started? McDonald began commemorating Houston's birthday and his "angel-versary" (death date) by buying and donating blankets and other items to the Aultman NICU. "In 2020, I reached out on Facebook and requested donations," McDonald said. "We received so much support, I went to school for certification to obtain a 501 C-3." So far, Houston's Lift Off has donated 204 gift baskets to NICU families, containing gift cards, gas cards, snacks, hygiene products and baby-care items. Story continues "Anything to help while their baby is in the NICU," McDonald said. 1 in 10 American babies born prematurely About 380,000, or one in 10 American babies is born prematurely every year, according to the March of Dimes. The condition can be affected by geography, income, race, and even ZIP codes. The charity further reports that the United States has one of the worst rates for prematurity among wealthy nations. The U.S. rate increased to 9.8% in 2016, up from 9.6%, after seven straight years of decline. Jamie Gaspers is McDonald's best friend, a licensed social worker, and Houston's Lift Off board vice president. "He was my godson," Gaspers said of Houston. "I'm godmother to all her kids. It was something I could do." Gaspers said that, so far, Houston's Lift Off has been able to donate to Aultman NICU families about four times a year. They've handed out about 25 baskets at a time because the NICU has 25 units. McDonald said having a newborn in the NICU "is like being in another world." "You're constantly hearing monitor is going off," she said. "You're watching your baby constantly fighting for his life, and not knowing if he's going to make it. I still have PTSD. "It's difficult, especially if you have other children. It's difficult if you don't have transportation. You're scared to go and eat because you're afraid if you leave you're going to miss something." McDonald and her fiance, James Hall, are raising four children: Jemel, 10, Joslyn, 9, Phoenix, 5, and Govani, 2. Because of the COVID-19 outbreak, McDonald said she hasn't been able to meet personally with parents who have received gift baskets, but they have communicated. Christine Martell, McDonald's mother, who also serves on the board, said the effort is still worth it because they know what it's like to have an infant in the NICU. A memorial is set up for baby Houston Autrey in Ashley McDonald's home in Canton. "Our mission is to carry on Houston's legacy by helping other families, to let them know they're not alone," she said. "Every family we help is one more we know that Houston's passing has touched someone else's life." McDonald was asked what advice she would give to current and future NICU parents. "Stay positive, stay faithful," she replied. "Don't give up hope." Houston's Lift Off will host its first "Premature Awareness Event " from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Nazir Grotto Hall at 1717 Sixth St. SW. The free event will include a presentation by an Aultman NICU nurse. National Premature Awareness Day is Nov. 17. To learn more, visit www.HoustonsLiftOff.com. Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com On Twitter: @cgoshayREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: Houston's Lift Off started by Canton mom who lost her premature son Canton native Amanda Kloots and her partner, Alan Bersten, scored a perfect 40 Monday night during ABC's "Dancing with the Stars." Canton native and daytime television personality Amanda Kloots advanced Monday night to the semifinal round of "Dancing With the Stars" by registering a perfect 40 during "Janet Jackson Night." Kloots and her partner, Alan Bersten, faced stiff competition during a show in which two other dance couples also recorded perfect scores. A week after judges were critical of Kloots' performance, the co-host of "The Talk" drew rave reviews, with one judge even dashing onto stage to hug the 2000 GlenOak High School graduate. Another judge said Kloots was "amazing." She also was complimented for channeling some signature Janet Jackson dance moves while also making the number her own. Kloots and Bersten danced to the Janet Jackson pop radio hit, "Miss You Much." More DWTS: Canton native Amanda Kloots narrowly advances in 'Dancing with the Stars' on 'Queen Night' More: Amanda Kloots relives Nick Corderos death in new book: I couldnt even see the keyboard through tears Later in the show, Kloots and her partner won a dance off, adding two more points for a three-way tie for the night's overall top score. The duo joined five other couples who advanced to next week's semifinal round. Two couples were also voted off the show Monday night celebrities Jimmie Allen and Olivia Jade and their respective dance partners. Canton native Amanda Kloots and her partner scored a perfect 40 Monday night during ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." Kloots, a former Broadway actress and award-winning fitness entrepreneur, rose to the occasion during a pressure-packed double elimination round. In July 2020, Kloots lost her husband, Nick Cordero, 41, who'd battled COVID-19 through a 95-day hospitalization at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles that included a lengthy coma and leg amputation. Canton native Amanda Kloots and her partner scored a perfect 40 Monday night during ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." Kloots recently released her memoir, the New York Times bestseller "Live Your Life: My Story of Loving and Losing Nick Cordero" that was co-authored with her sister Anna Kloots. A former Broadway dancer and Radio City Rockette, Kloots performed on a variety of stage, film and TV productions for more than 17 years. She lives in Los Angeles with her son, Elvis. Story continues Canton native Amanda Kloots and her partner scored a perfect 40 during Monday night's double-elimination round of ABC's "Dancing With the Stars." Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com On Twitter @ebalintREP This article originally appeared on The Repository: 'Dancing With the Stars:' Canton native Kloots reaches semifinals The House select committee created to investigate the 6 January attack on the US Capitol has now issued dozens of subpoenas targeting members of former President Donald Trumps campaign and legal team. The targets of the committee are accused in letters from lawmakers of being personally involved in the former presidents efforts to spread falsehoods about the 2020 election, eventually leading to the attack on the Capitol by a mob intent on thwarting the count of Electoral College votes. Their targeting also shows that the panel is intent on gathering information from many former members of the Trump campaign and the presidents orbit, resulting in a broad picture of the events leading up to the deadly attack on Congress. Heres a breakdown of the committees targets: Mark MeadowsMr Meadows was White House chief of staff for the final months of Mr Trumps presidency. He was deeply involved in the former presidents efforts to overturn his defeat, according to the committee, including by contacting officials at the state level and in the Department of Justice to pressure them to join the scheme. Critically, he was also personally involved in planning efforts for the rally held in a park known as the Ellipse outside of the White House on 6 January, where Mr Trump urged his supporters to march to the US Capitol and fight as lawmakers certified his election defeat. Stephen BannonFormer White House chief strategist, Mr Bannon was ousted in 2017 but has remained a top ally of the former president. He was reportedly involved with the presidents strategy to seek the elections decertification, and famously predicted a day before the attack that all hell would break loose on 6 January. He has been held in criminal contempt for defying the subpoena. Dan ScavinoMr Trumps longtime social media director, Mr Scavino was serving as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications on 6 January when the attack occurred. He was reportedly in the White House while it occurred, promoted the presidents rally on social media in the days beforehand, and was also allegedly involved in discussions with the president regarding efforts to persuade lawmakers to join their cause. Story continues Kashyap PatelMr Patel was a top aide at the Defense Department when the attack occurred, putting him in a position to testify about the law enforcement response to the siege. He also was considered by the president for a top CIA position, only to miss out when CIA Director Gina Haspel threatened to resign in response. The select committee has sought information about all staff changes that occurred in the final days of the Trump administration, including efforts to install Mr Patel at the CIA. Stephen MillerOne of the longest-serving members of the Trump White House, Stephen Miller was named by the committee as a subpoena target due to his involvement in efforts to encourage state legislatures to alter the outcome of the November 2020 election by appointing alternate slates of electors, the committee said. Mr Miller was known as one of the top drivers of Mr Trumps hardline immigration policy while in office. Kayleigh McEnanyFormer White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany joined the Trump administration in 2020 after serving for several months as national press secretary for the Trump 2020 campaign. In her later role, she participated heavily in spreading false statements about the integrity of the 2020 election. Of greater interest to the committee, Ms McEnany was reportedly present at times with the former President as he watched the January 6th attack, and could therefore provide insight into his actions that day, according to a press release from the panel. Ali AlexanderOne of the organisers of the Stop the Steal rally that took place on the grounds of the US Capitol the day of the 6 January attack; rally planners applied for the permit several weeks before the event. Mr Alexanders event was separate from the rally organised by Mr Trumps team outside of the White House, but the crowd soon merged into one large riot outside of the Capitol after the president urged his followers to go down to the Capitol and fight for the election to be overturned. Nathan MartinA second organiser of the Stop the Steal rally outside of the US Capitol. Stop the Steal, Inc.A corporate entity apparently set up by Mr Martin and Mr Alexander as part of their efforts to organise supporters of Mr Trump to show up at the US Capitol the day it was breached by hundreds of rioters. Amy KremerFounder of Women for America First (WFAF), the organisation that planned the rally outside of the White House on 6 January with the apparent aid of the Trump campaign, as well as previous rallies in December and November in Washington DC. Kylie KremerFounder and executive director at WFAF. Katrina PiersonA former spokesperson for the 2016 Trump campaign and WFAF member who according to the 6 January panel was in direct communication with the former President about the rallies in Washington on 5 and 6 January. Lyndon BrentnallOn-site supervisor of the 6 January rally outside of the White House. Hannah SalemHeld the title of Operations Manager for Logistics and Communications for the 6 January rally outside of the White House, per the House select committee. Megan PowersHeld the title of Operations Manager for Scheduling and Guidance at the 6 January rally outside of the White House, according to the panel. Tim UnesServed as stage manager for Mr Trumps 6 January rally, per the committee. Justice CaporaleListed as project manager for the rally outside the White House on the rally permit, according to the panel. Caroline WrenServed as VP Lead for the 6 January White House rally, per the panel. Maggie MulvaneyServed as VP advisor at the rally, per the paperwork obtained by the panel. Cynthia ChafianSubmitted the White House rally permit. Cassidy HutchinsonA former White House official, Ms Hutchinson was among those who were in close proximity to Mr Trump both at the Stop the Steal rally outside of the White House on 6 January as well as later in the day when the attack on the Capitol was unfolding. Molly MichaelThe operations coordinator for the Oval Office, Ms Michael was allegedly deputised by Mr Trump to send information about alleged election fraud to various officials around the country. Nicholas LunaMr Luna was a White House official allegedly present during a phone call between Mr Trump and Mr Pence during which the president pressured the vice president to delay certification of the election results. Kenneth KlukowskiMr Klukowski was a top deputy to Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark, who was purportedly the official carrying out Mr Trumps bidding at the Justice Department and seeking to use the agency to persuade states to delay certification of the election, according to the panel. Mr Clark testified before the panel behind closed doors but did not cooperate with the members questions, according to a statement released by the committee after his appearance. Christopher LiddellFormer deputy White House chief of staff, Mr Liddell was present in the White House during the 6 January attack. Benjamin WilliamsonMr Williamson was reportedly one of two White House aides, along with Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, contacted by a former White House official during the attack, according to the committee, with the hopes that the pair could convince Mr Trump to call off his supporters. Keith KelloggMr Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general, was national security adviser to the vice president, and was reportedly in the White House while the 6 January attack occurred. According to the committee, he participated in at least one meeting where the former president personally demanded that Vice President Mike Pence overturn or delay certification of the 2020 election. John McEnteeWhite House personnel director in the last few days of the Trump administration, Mr McEntee was reportedly involved in calls to Republican officials around the country regarding loyalty to President Trump, according to the panel, and discouraged some White House personnel from seeking new jobs in order to avoid the image of an administration that had accepted defeat. He was also present for at least one conversation in which Mr Trumps lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, suggested seizing voting machines, the panel has stated. Michael FlynnMr Flynn is a retired lieutenant general in the Army and one of Mr Trumps longest-running allies. The ex-general served as the presidents first national security adviser before being ousted after it was revealed that he misled Vice President Mike Pence regarding his contacts with Russian officials. More recently, he was the recipient of a pardon from the former president involving his conviction on a charge of lying to FBI investigators, and despite not holding a White House position was involved in Oval Office discussions with the president and top officials as they plotted to fight Mr Trumps election defeat in the courts and in Congress. In one December 2020 meeting at the White House described by the panel in its letter to Mr Flynn, the ex-general was involved in discussions surrounding the potential seizure of voting machines and a declaration of a national emergency, two prospects which the president never ended up pursuing. Bill StepienMr Stepien was the man responsible for Mr Trumps failed 2020 re-election campaign, serving as the former presidents campaign manager after he replaced Brad Parscale, Mr Trumps former social media manager, in July of that year. The committees interest in Mr Stepien is more general, as it cites his role in overseeing all aspects of the Trump campaign and its weaponisation of Stop the Steal messaging in the days following the 2020 election as Mr Trump continued to fundraise and gin up anger among his supporters with false claims about voting machines and supposed fraud. Bernard KerikMr Kerik is one of the most unique individuals to be subpoenaed so far by the committee thanks to his former role as commissioner of police in New York City. The conservative ex-commissioner served as an adviser to Mr Trumps reelection campaign and was pardoned for his tax fraud conviction early last year by the president; he later was personally involved in the campaigns efforts to allege widespread voter fraud after the election took place. Importantly, he was one of several attendees including Rudy Giuliani and Mr Bannon at the Willard Hotel in Washington DC one day before the deadly attack on the Capitol in which attendees discussed options for overturning the results of the November 2020 election, according to the committees letter. John EastmanMr Eastman was an attorney for the 2020 Trump campaign whose role as an architect of plans to overturn the election came into view in recent months after the attack on the Capitol occurred. The now-infamous Eastman Memo, authored by Mr Eastman, outlined a plan for Vice President Mike Pence to declare the Electoral College votes of several states contested by the Trump campaigns false accusations of voter fraud invalid, thereby reducing the number of Electoral College votes awarded to President Joe Biden. Mr Pence would then throw the election to a vote in the House of Representatives. The scheme, which had no basis in the Constitution, was never implemented and Mr Pence ultimately certified the election of Mr Biden. Jason MillerMr Miller served on both the 2016 and 2020 Trump campaigns as an adviser and communications aide; those efforts continued after the 2020 election, when according to the committee he assisted Mr Giuliani in setting up press events where he launched false claims about election fraud and demanded that state legislatures step in to decertify election results. One of Mr Giulianis most infamous appearances at the time occurred at a landscaping company in Pittsburgh which bore the name Four Seasons an apparent mixup wherein Mr Giulianis staff had presumably been attempting to book space at a fancy hotel. Mr Miller was also present at the 5 January meeting at the Willard Hotel, headquarters for the Trump campaigns election fraud misinformation effort, according to the committee. Angela McCallumMs McCallum served as National Executive Assistant to the 2020 Trump campaign, and therefore was involved in the campaigns post-election efforts to spread misinformation about the vote. The committee noted specifically in its subpoena that Ms McCallum was heard on a voicemail left for an unnamed Michigan state lawmaker asking whether the former president could count on that lawmakers support, an apparent reference to efforts to have state legislatures decertify the results in Michigan and other state in which the Trump campaign had levied charges of election fraud. Read More Rep. Liz Cheney says Trump is at war 'with the rule of law' Prince Harry claims he predicted January 6 US Capitol riot How Paul Gosar went from respected local dentist to far-right freedom fighter House Jan. 6 panel subpoenas 10 former White House aides Probe finds Trump officials repeatedly violated Hatch Act Capitol riot committee subpoenas Kayleigh McEnany and nine other ex-Trump officials On a night Chicagos focus was divided between the Bears and Bulls, Kevin Durant made his way to the West Side for a must-watch, early season game. It was a shame the Bears were playing a Monday night game in Pittsburgh, forcing fans to either pass on the Bulls game against the Brooklyn Nets or find two screens and try to multitask. Durant is the best player in the NBA right now, the Nets are an Eastern Conference power and the Bulls need to learn how to beat such teams to get where they want to be come April. You just understand what youre going up against now, Bulls guard Zach LaVine said before the game. Instead of having one guy or two guys, youre guarding three or four, so its a little bit of (thinking), Damn, theyre good. But its fun because you get to go out there and play against those guys and get to see where you stack up as well. Ive never been afraid of competition. The Bulls stacked up well Monday night, putting on another brilliant fourth-quarter performance in a 118-95 win to improve to 7-3. They outscored the Nets 42-17 in the fourth, hitting 14 of 22 shots to run away. DeMar DeRozan led the way with 28 points, and Ayo Dosunmu came off the bench to add 15 points and seven rebounds, getting the United Center crowd in a frenzy. We definitely feel it, DeRozan said. If he sneezes out there, the crowd gets excited, so youve definitely got to feed off of that. Bulls coach Billy Donovan said Donsumus makeup makes him a rookie who plays above his experience level. You can watch a guy play for 10 minutes and you can figure out if he can play or not, Donovan said. It takes a long time to figure out a guy like thats it factor. Hes got that it factor. Hes going to impact the game, hes going to influence the game and hes got a great drive. The Bulls trailed 80-76 entering the fourth when they went on a 13-0 run. After a fall-away jumper from Durant ended the streak, Alex Caruso hit a 3-pointer. The Bulls had been ice cold from beyond the arc in the first three quarters, but suddenly everyone was getting into the act. Story continues After a pair of free throws by Durant, Nikola Vucevic hit a 3. Dosunmu, Lonzo Ball and DeRozan hit 3s down the stretch as the Bulls went into cruise control and Nets coach Steve Nash pulled his starters. Six Bulls scored in double figures, and they outrebounded the Nets 56-42. Durant put on the kind of show that has been his trademark, going inside and posting up with hands in his face, hitting a 3 over Ball and generally looking like he wasnt even working up a sweat. He finished with 38 points. Donovan said this stretch of games which includes the Golden State Warriors on Friday in San Francisco and the Los Angeles Clippers and Lakers next Sunday and Monday at the Staples Center should give the Bulls a chance to find out a lot more about ourselves. The Nets came into town riding a five-game winning streak, shooting 50.9% from the field in that span and converting a league-leading 42.1% of their 3-point attempts. The Bulls were 2-3 over their previous five after their 4-0 start, shooting 45.7% in those games, including only 31.3% on 3s. Theyve been forced to play catch-up for the most part, rebounding from a 19-point deficit to beat the Boston Celtics but falling short against the New York Knicks and in back-to-back losses to the Philadelphia 76ers. Every game, every experience helps us grow, Donovan said. When you get tested and challenged in different ways and certainly Philadelphia has been the top of the East right now and its been incredibly impressive what theyve done with the absence of some really, really key players the consistency part of our team playing together certainly shines a light on not being able to really get away with having lapses in games. Only 3,434 fans were allowed into the United Center when these teams met last May because of COVID-19 restrictions, and Mondays atmosphere was markedly different. As soon as Dosunmu came in, the noise level picked up. It makes it even sweeter, being home for him, getting the crowd behind us, DeRozan said. The Bulls came out on fire in the opening quarter thanks to LaVines 12 points, taking a 35-27 lead. But they went into a hole in the second quarter, shooting 5-for-24 from the field and 0-for-8 from 3-point range. The Nets led 57-51 at the half, hitting 8 of 19 3s to the Bulls 3 of 17. Durant is the head of another three-headed monster in Brooklyn, leading the league in scoring and dominating like he has everywhere he has been. But Donovan, who coached Durant for one season in Oklahoma City, pointed out he also is an unselfish player. When the Nets were in town back in May, Durant scored 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting and contributed a team-high eight assists in a 115-107 win over the Bulls. If you start sending a lot of people after him, with his size and his vision and his IQ, hes a very willing passer, Donovan said. Thats what really makes him an elite player. Javonte Green was given the task for much of the first half, and it was a thankless one for sure. Durant scored 15 first-half points, going 5-for-8 from the field. The Nets are the latest NBA super team, and even without Kyrie Irving who has had to sit out because he isnt vaccinated most consider them the team to beat in the East. Irvings absence was a gift for the Bulls, though LaVine said he wouldve liked to have seen the whole complement of Brooklyn stars on the court. I mean, we always want to have people playing in the NBA, LaVine said. Thats their job. Its unfortunate hes not playing right now. I think we all love and appreciate Kyries game. Im not going to say that I want him out there to help them win, but its always good to play teams that have all their players there because obviously if you go and beat them at their full strength, it shows how good you are. Associated Press Yoshihiko Takeuchi, who ran a small restaurant on the island of Okinawa, told only a few friends he had the coronavirus. When he didn't answer phone calls from public health workers for three days, police went to his home and found him dead in his bed. In many countries, those with the virus stay home to isolate and recover, but critics say that in Japan, a country with one of the most affordable and accessible health care systems, people have been denied hospital care, and the policy amounted to jitaku hochi, or abandonment at home. Members of the Joint Service Forces Color Guard conduct the parade of colors during the 2019 Veterans Day ceremony at Rancho Tapo Community Park in Simi Valley. Communities across Ventura County on Thursday are commemorating Veterans Day, and veterans can catch free rides on the VCTC Intercity bus service. Martin Erickson, the Ventura County Transportation Commissions public transit director, said in a news release that the free rides are "our way of saying thank you to those who have proudly served our country." For local stories that matter, subscribe today. Veterans are asked to show the bus driver some form of veteran identification such as a U.S. military ID, Common Access Card, Veterans Affairs or veteran designation on a California drivers license. Here is a list of ceremonies honoring U.S. military veterans. All events take place Thursday unless otherwise noted. Moorpark 10 a.m. Veterans Day Observance at the Veterans Memorial at Spring Road and Flinn Avenue. Presented by the American Legion Moorpark Post 502, the city of Moorpark, American Legion Auxiliary, Boy Scouts of America, Forty & Eight and Kiwanis Club of Moorpark. Ojai 7-10 a.m. Breakfast served by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 11461 and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 482 at the American Legion Hall, 843 E. Ojai Ave. Free to veterans, $4 for others. Noon to 2:30 p.m. Veterans Day Patriotic Program at Libbey Bowl, 210 S. Signal St., featuring music and song by local talent. A Wall of Remembrance from World War II to present will be on display with hundreds of new pictures and stories of Ojai Valley veterans and their families. Oxnard 11 a.m. Veterans Day Ceremony at the Veterans Memorial, Plaza Park in downtown, 500 South C St. Featured speakers include Cmdr. Javier Lopez-Martinez, commanding officer of U.S. Navy's Naval Construction Training Center, Port Hueneme, and Dave Wilson, past president of Vietnam Veterans of Ventura County. Santa Paula 11 a.m. Veterans Day Ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park, East Ventura Street, across from City Hall. Presented by the Mercer-Prieto VFW Post 2043. Includes patriotic songs performed by the Santa Paula High School Band. Story continues 10 a.m. Sunday: Breakfast/brunch for veterans at the Santa Paula Moose Lodge, 700 E. Santa Barbara St. Free to veterans and $10 for everyone else. Simi Valley 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Veterans Day Commemoration at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum, 40 Presidential Drive. Live music, mock Civil War camp, a military vehicle display and a program honoring all military branches with a keynote speech by retired Capt. Dan Pedersen, a leading force behind the Navys Fighter Weapons School program known as TOPGUN. Veterans with valid ID will receive free admission to the Museum on Thursday. Active military members with valid ID are always free. 11 a.m. Veterans Day Ceremony at the Rancho Tapo Community Park and Veterans Plaza, 3700 Avenida Simi. Presented by the Rancho Simi Recreation & Park District. Thousand Oaks 8 a.m. Veterans Day breakfast and USO show. Seniors and their families can pick up tickets at the Goebel Adult Community Center with a four-ticket limit per person because seating is limited. Tickets must be picked up on a first-come, first-served basis at the Goebel Center front desk, 1385 E. Janss Road. 11 a.m. to noon: Veterans Day Ceremony at Conejo Creek North Park, 1379 E. Janss Road, by the pond behind the Thousand Oaks Library. Flyover, patriotic music and a talk by the Rev. Gary Dickey of Westlake Village, a chaplain with the California Wing of the Civil Air Patrol. Presented under the direction of the Conejo Valley Chapter of the Military Order of the World Wars. 11 a.m. Sunday: In honor of Veterans Day, the Knights of Columbus St. Joseph Fourth Degree Assembly 3453 will sponsor a military appreciation Mass at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in Thousand Oaks, 5801 Kanan Road. Ventura 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Veterans Day Ceremony at the Ventura County Veterans Memorial, 800 South Victoria Ave. Presented by the Gold Coast Veterans Foundation. 4 p.m. Veterans Day dinner for up to 120 veterans. Meal is offered by Ventura VFW Wallace Chaffee Post 1679, 4801 Market St. Doors opens at 3 p.m. Meal for guests is $15. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Veterans Day: Ventura County honors vets; free bus rides say thanks The eastern German state of Saxony may have ordered tough curbs on the unvaccinated to push them to get the Covid-19 jab, but shop assistant Sabine Lonnatzsch, 59, is unmoved. The new rules are "discriminatory" because they are "pushing the unvaccinated further into a corner," she tells AFP. She won't change her mind about getting inoculated -- she just won't go to restaurants or events anymore. "I've had corona cases in my family and in my eyes it is nothing more than a bad flu," she says. With Covid-19 infections rocketing in Germany, Saxony this week became the first to largely exclude unvaccinated people from indoor dining, cinemas and bars. The new rules, likely to be emulated by other states in the coming weeks, are designed not only to reduce the spread of Covid-19 but also to encourage more people to get inoculated. But Lonnatzsch is not the only one resisting the jab in the town of Radeberg in Bautzen district, which has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country at just 45.7 percent. The clothing store No 1 Mode where she works has a sign in the window that lets customers know that all are welcome -- regardless of vaccination status. - 'Bad for business' - Across the town square, the co-owner of Cafe Roethig also has no plans to get the vaccine. Like many people in the region, Carola Roethig, 58, is "not convinced" by the jab because "it was developed in such a short space of time". The district of Bautzen has one of the highest incidence rates in the country at 645.3 cases per 100,000 people, but Roethig is not worried about catching the virus. The new rules are "definitely bad for business," she says at the cafe's bakery counter, which is lined with untouched fresh cakes, tarts and iced donuts. "Many of our customers are not vaccinated, so we are losing income, because fewer people are coming in," she says. The rules are also bad for her personal life. Story continues "I'm not allowed to go to a restaurant in the evening and have a nice dinner with my husband. I don't think it is right." Outside the cafe, 40-year-old Susan feels the same. "Nothing would convince me" to get the jab, she says, without giving her last name. "I see no sense in it because (vaccinated people) can still get the disease and infect others." - Vaccine push - The new rules come as new infections surge in Germany, with the national incidence rate reaching 213.7 cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days on Tuesday -- a record since the pandemic began. The political parties looking to form a coalition government after September's election have so far ruled out compulsory vaccinations and general lockdowns to tackle the surge. But with just 67 percent of the population fully jabbed, ministers say encouraging more people to get vaccinated is key to bringing the numbers down. In neighbouring France, more than 74 percent are fully vaccinated, and in Spain the figure is more than 77 percent. German health experts have named a target rate of 85 percent. However, in a recent a Forsa survey carried out for the health ministry, 65 percent of unvaccinated respondents declared there was "no way" they would take a Covid jab and 23 percent were "reluctant". Outside Radeberg town hall, a modest queue of people formed for a vaccination event organised to encourage more people to get the jab. Kitchen assistant Mirmirza Kabirzada, 36, had previously hesitated because "I heard that many people died in Norway and others got a fever, so I was a little bit afraid". But with the numbers rising so dramatically, "now I realised this is very important," he says. AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine has been linked to rare and potentially fatal blood clots, but experts agree that the benefits far outweigh the risks. Intensive care nurse Nicole Wieberneit, 39, is waiting in line to get her booster. She is optimistic that the new rules will encourage more people to get vaccinated. "When it becomes about the freedom to travel, to go out to eat, I think more people will come forward. Freedom is very important to people in Saxony," she says. fec/hmn/jv COVID-19 case numbers are dropping a bit in November in Shasta County, possibly signaling the beginning of the end of a surge in an outbreak that started in mid-August. The Shasta County Public Health branch reported unusually high numbers of COVID-19 deaths last week after investigating fatalities that happened earlier in the fall. Here are daily COVID-19 updates with new cases, hospitalization numbers, vaccination percentages and deaths reported. Scroll down for updates this week, Nov. 8-12, 2021. For updated case numbers and data, scroll below daily updates. For local stories that matter, subscribe today. Friday: Here's how many vaccinated people died, were hospitalized since August Three men and a woman are the latest COVID-19 fatalities reported by Shasta County Public Health. The men in their 40s, 50s and 60s. The woman was in her 80s. Public Health said it confirmed 42 COVID-19 deaths in November 22 of which the agency reported this week. As of Friday, 406 Shasta County residents died of coronavirus since March 2020. Since mid-August, about 11% of Shasta County residents who died from COVID-19 were fully vaccinated meaning they had the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine or both of the 2-dose Moderna or Pfizer vaccine series. About 10.5% of those hospitalized with the virus were fully vaccinated. Comparison of vaccinated versus unvaccinated coronavirus patients in Shasta County hospitals with the disease, and those who died from it, spanning the three months from Aug. 10 to Nov. 10, 2021. This week, the Shasta County Public Health branch released information on the latest vaccination numbers, tallied through Wednesday. 52.6% of Shasta County residents are fully vaccinated. That's up from 52% last week. About 8% of the county's population had one dose of the 2-dose Moderna or Pfizer series. That's down from 8.1% last week. 60.6% of Shasta County residents had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. That's up from 60.1% last week. For more information, to get vaccinated or tested, or to schedule a booster shot or third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, go to Shasta County's COVID-19 website at https://bit.ly/3GLFoFo or call (833) 422-4255 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Story continues Wednesday: 7 more die; Shasta County coronavirus deaths exceed 400 As of Wednesday, 402 Shasta County residents died from COVID-19, according to Public Health. That total includes seven people whose deaths Public ealth were reported Wednesday afternoon. They were: A man in his 50s Two men in their 60s Three men in their 70s A woman in her 80s Thus far in November, Public Health confirmed and reported 38 COVID-19 deaths in Shasta County. Tuesday: 4 men die of COVID-19; hospitalizations drop Another four people in Shasta County died of COVID-19, according to Public Health, pushing the total number of coronavirus fatalities to 395 since March 2020. Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency announced those who died were: A man in his 50s Two men in their 60s A man in his 70s Thus far in November, HHSA confirmed 31 deaths caused by COVID-19: 16 women and 15 men. They were all in their 40s or older. The good news on Tuesday was Shasta County COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped to 58 patients. That's the lowest number since Oct. 23 a period in mid-October when hospitals experienced a significant but temporary dip in coronavirus patient numbers. More good news: The number of hospitalized people sick enough from COVID-19 to land in an intensive care unit dropped to eight the lowest number since Oct. 15. Monday: 5 women, 2 men die of virus On Monday, Public Health confirmed COVID-19 killed another seven people in Shasta County. They were: A woman in her 50s A woman and two men in their 60s A woman in her 70s Two women in their 80s Their deaths bring the total number of COVID-19 fatalities to 391, according to Shasta County Public Health. Also on Monday, the state's public health agency released case numbers and other data for the week of Nov. 1 through Sunday. There were 457 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 about 254 cases per 100,000 Shasta County residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers 100 or more a high outbreak of the virus. The 7-day test positivity rate the percentage of coronavirus tests that come back positive from labs was 4.8%. The average number of people sick enough with COVID-19 to be in North State hospitals was 65 to 66 per day. That number dropped from the 70s in late October. There were 29 COVID-19 deaths reported to Public Health last week. Thus far, Shasta County Public Health confirmed 27 of those deaths were due to COVID-19, compared to 22 deaths during the first week of October. COVID-19 numbers in Shasta County Here are daily case, hospitalization and other numbers reported Friday by Public Health. Total case numbers were adjusted Wednesdays to account for any duplications in the count. Public Health didn't send a COVID-19 update on Veterans Day. The following data includes Thursday's new cases. New cases: 167 Total cases since March 2020: 21,693 (11,658 women, 9,924 men) New deaths reported: Four Total deaths: 406 Hospitalized: 50 nine in intensive care units Active cases: 334 New cases by age group: Ages 0-12: 18 Ages 13-19: 20 Ages 20-29: 21 Ages 30-39: 30 Ages 40-49: 14 Ages 50-59: 18 Ages 60-69: 23 Ages 70-79: Eight Ages 80-89: Eight Age 90 and older: Five Age not reported: Two Coronavirus vaccines: What you need to know about booster shots in Shasta County Vaccinations in Shasta County Here are the numbers of people vaccinated and unvaccinated who were hospitalized due to COVID and those who died from the virus tallied over the three-month period from Aug. 10 and Wednesday, according to Public Health: Fully vaccinated residents: 79,699 Unvaccinated residents: 71,934 Hospitalized patients: 442. Of those, 42 were vaccinated. Residents who died of COVID-19: 155. Of those, 14 were vaccinated. COVID hospitalizations Infogram Cases by age group covid Infogram COVID cases/deaths by gender Infogram Deaths by age group covid Infogram Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and entertainment stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you. This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Coronavirus: How many who died, were hospitalized were vaccinated? Grayson County Judge Bill Magers talks about the county's redistricting plan at a meeting Tuesday. The county's new redistricting plan was approved by Grayson County commissioners after a short public hearing on Tuesday. The plan includes five new voting precincts, but otherwise looks very similar to the previous plan. Grayson County Judge Bill Magers said increased population as reflected by the most recent census caused the "minor tweaks" he said the county's districting plan underwent. Magers said in order to be in compliance with the state and federal laws associated with redistricting, the most and least populace precincts must population variation of no more than ten percent. He said the plan the commissioners approved Tuesday has a population variance of less than 4.62 percent. "Commissioners made very few changes to this map," Magers said speaking of the commissioner's precinct map before the group at the moment. He said the changes that were made were made to take into account population shifts as well as to equalize road miles for each precinct and correction discontinuities in the previous plan and to comply with the Texas Election Code requirement for voting districts that match certain city boundaries. He said that last part about the city voting boundaries means that a voting precinct can't be partially in a city and partially in the unincorporated part of the county. "So as cities grow and are annexed over the decades those lines change," he said. He then talked about the two shifts on the newly approved maps. In Precincts 1 and 2, he said, to equalize east of Van Alstyne to equalize road miles and to more efficiently maintain equipment and roads. He also said there were minor changes made to Precints, 1, 2, and 3 in Sherman to even out road mileage and population amongst those precincts in Sherman. "The bottom line here folks is historically every commissioner had part of Sherman, this last map it wasn't as pronounced but the new map returns to that tradition," he said. Story continues He also said, "Voting district 204 West of Denison is returned to Precinct 4 to eliminate a perceived discontinuity water boundary connection." He said the problem was that the river can serve as a continuous boundary. Precincts 2 and 4 split some area up there in the North Part of the county with the river serving to connect the parts in Precinct 4. The changes move 204 to Precinct 4. Magers said Precinct 205 in the East side of Denison was changed to because it was split in half by a water treatment plant and roadway. "Finally, there was discontinuity in Precinct 407 on the border between Denison and Sherman and that was corrected in the proposed plan," Magers said. He added that Denison High School was moved from Commissioner's Precinct 2 to Precinct 4 because of the annexation. Also voting district 301 was moved to Commissioners Precinct 2 in Sherman to equalize population without impacting county road mileage. "That was really how we got the population to balance was that one precinct," Magers stressed. He said the boundary between Commissioners Precinct 3 and 4 was adjusted to equalize population along the natural boundary on Taylor Street. A map of the new Commissioner's Precincts in Grayson County for 2021. "That was the bulk what took place in our tweaking was that cities grew, boundaries changed and we adjusted the (voting districts)," he said. Magers said the Justices of the Peace made no changes to their maps. He said they are not governed by the one man one vote rule that commissioner's precincts are. A map of the unchanged Justice of the Peace Precincts approved Tuesday in court. The county judge said that rules require that if a city has more than ten thousand people, voting precinct that is partially in the city and partially in the unincorporated part of the county. For that reason, he said, Voting Precinct 103 is now within the city of Sherman because of population. Voting Precinct 109 was added for Van Alstyne's area because of population. Voting Precinct 412 was added because of population and Voting Precinct 310 was an annexation issue where Sherman annexed part of its area west of Sherman. This article originally appeared on Herald Democrat: Grayson County redistricting plan set ALBANY, N.Y. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomos legal team is accusing Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple of illegally leaking grand jury information to the media. Attorney Rita Glavin released a letter Monday calling on New York Attorney General Letitia James to open an investigation into Apple, whose office filed a forcible touching charge against Cuomo last month. Glavin wants an investigation into the unlawful disclosure ... of grand jury information relating to Governor Cuomo and the strong evidence that Albany County Sheriff Craig D. Apple was the source of that unlawful disclosure. The letter calls on James, whose office oversaw a five-month probe into sexual harassment allegations against Cuomo, to appoint an independent prosecutor to conduct the investigation into Apple. The sheriffs office accused the 63-year-old Democrat of allegedly groping former staffer Brittany Commisso at the Executive Mansion last December, a misdemeanor that carries a sentence of up to a year in prison. Commisso is one of nearly a dozen women whose allegations were outlined in a bombshell report released by James office in August, prompting Cuomos resignation. Cuomos arraignment was pushed back last week to Jan. 7 after Albany County district attorney David Soares said last week the criminal charge was potentially defective and at risk of a procedural dismissal. We were in the middle of that investigation when the Sheriff unilaterally and inexplicably filed a complaint in this Court, Soares wrote to the judge on the case. Apple admitted last month he did not expect the criminal summons to be filed and made public but has said he stands by the work of his investigators. A redacted version of the charging document obtained by the New York Daily News over the weekend reveals that Apples investigators based their case on flight records, text messages, emails and a partial transcript of testimony Commisso gave to investigators working under James. Story continues I remember looking down and I remember seeing his hand which is, I would say a large hand and over my bra and I remember looking down and being like, excuse my Ianguage, holy s---, this just like went from zero to 60 in .2 seconds, Commisso told the independent attorneys running the probe. There are also helicopter flight records that show the ex-governor was in Albany at the time and security card swipes that verify the ex-aide had visited the mansion during the time in question. Soares last week cast doubt on the evidence, chiding the Apples office for not conferring with his team and indicating that there are other statements from Commisso that could exonerate Cuomo. Excluded from the criminal complaint was a transcript of Commissos statement given in a separate proceeding and provided to Cuomos counsel due to its exculpatory nature. In calling for an independent prosecutor to probe the potential grand jury leaks, Glavin tried to claim that Apple and James, who announced her gubernatorial bid a day after the charge was filed against Cuomo, are conspiring against the fallen politician. As evidence of a relationship, Glavin notes that following a 2019 meeting between James and a group of sheriffs, Apple described the AG as awesome. Last week, Cuomo tweeted that Sheriff Apple and Tish James have epitomized the worst combination of politics, incompetence and abuse of the law. Rich Azzopardi, Cuomos spokesman, reiterated that the Albany sheriffs report has no corroborating evidence whatsoever of a crime. Under a law signed by Cuomo last year, the attorney generals office is tasked with investigating any complaints of criminal activity made against a police department or sheriffs office in the state. Under the statute, the Law Enforcement Misconduct Investigative Office can determine whether the allegations should lead to disciplinary action, civil or criminal prosecution, or further investigation by an appropriate agency. A spokesman for James declined to comment. Accused Daytona Beach serial killer Robert Hayes sets with his attorney Chris Anderson, Thursday September 9, 2021 at the S. James Foxman Justice Center. Prosecutors will be able to tell jurors that an accused serial killer charged in the fatal shooting of three women in Daytona Beach is also suspected in the killing of a fourth woman in Palm Beach County. But prosecutors wont be allowed to tell jurors during the guilt phase of the upcoming trial that accused serial killer Robert Hayes allegedly chose a different method for the woman he is accused of killing in Palm Beach County. The woman in Palm Beach was strangled to death. The three women Hayes is accused of killing in Daytona Beach were shot. Circuit Judge Raul Zambrano wrote in a 22-page ruling issued Oct. 29 that prosecutors will be allowed to introduce evidence of the killing of Rachel Bey in Palm Beach County in 2016 in Hayes triple-murder trial in Volusia County. But Zambrano said prosecutors would be barred from saying that Bey was strangled because it would be too prejudicial. Strangulation deaths are unique, Zambrano wrote in his ruling. Death by strangulation is one of the weightiest facts in the context of sentencing. This is especially so in death penalty cases where the heinous, atrocious and cruel aggravator is considered. 'A serial killer off the streets': Florida man charged in woman's death linked to slayings of three others Robert Hayes indicted: Florida serial killings suspect Robert Hayes indicted in 3 deaths; survivor comes forward to police, attorney says Previously: Accused Daytona Beach serial killer seeks to exclude evidence from Palm Beach murder case Zambrano said prosecutors would be able otherwise to present evidence regarding Beys death so long as the presentation does not become the feature of the trial. Zambranos ruling follows a hearing on the case held in September. During the hearing, Zambrano said that no one would be allowed to use the term serial killer during the trial because that would also be too prejudicial. That is what prosecutors and police have called Hayes in advance of his trial. Story continues Hayes, 38, was indicted on three counts of first-degree murder in three killings 15 years ago in Daytona Beach. If convicted, prosecutors will seek the death penalty. Hayes was also indicted on a charge of first-degree murder in the killing of Bey in 2016 in Palm Beach County. Prosecutors there also are seeking the death penalty. Hayes has pleaded not guilty. The trial in the three Volusia murder cases is scheduled for Jan. 4. Hayes' court-appointed defense attorneys in the Volusia cases, Francis Shea and Christopher Anderson, filed a motion on Sunday asking Zambrano to reconsider his ruling and hold a rehearing. Shea and Anderson wrote that the ruling prevents them from arguing the main difference between the killings: that Bey was strangled, not shot. They wrote that means jurors would only hear how the Palm Beach killing was similar and not how it was dissimilar. And they wrote that Hayes' ability to defend himself would be seriously impaired. About the jury being told that Bey was strangled, Craig Trocino, a professor at the University of Miami School of Law, said it was difficult to say how jurors would react to any one thing. But I would say that a strangulation would be more impactful than shooting, because it's more of, I mean, just think about a strangulation, you have to be within arms reach of the person and exert a large amount of force for a period of time in order to achieve it," said Trocino in a phone interview. "With a shooting you can be standing a distance away and pull a trigger. At the time of the killings in Daytona Beach, Hayes was a student at Bethune-Cookman University from where he graduated in June 2006. Hayes had studied criminal justice and was a cheerleader at the school. Hayes bought a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber VE handgun at Bucks Gun Rack in the fall of 2005, according to records. It's the same type of pistol police believed the killer used. Detectives tried to find the killer by asking people who had bought that type of gun to allow them to test fire it. Police also asked for a DNA sample from the gun owners. Detectives contacted Hayes twice during March 2006 and he told them he had given the gun to his mother, according to Zambrano's ruling. No testimony explained why Hayes was not asked to submit a sample for DNA testing, Zambrano wrote in his order. Nine months after telling Daytona Beach detectives that he had given the gun to his mother, Hayes went to the Riviera Beach Police Department in Palm Beach County and reported the firearm stolen, according to a police report dated Dec. 15, 2006. And Hayes mother, Florence Hayes, testified at the hearing in September that she had never received a gun from Hayes. The gun has not been found, Zambrano noted in his order. The Victims The first victim was Laquetta Gunther. The 45-year-olds body was found on Christmas Day 2005 wedged between two buildings on Beach Street. She was nude except for socks. Her body was kneeling with her face in the dirt. She had been shot in the back of the head with a medium-caliber firearm, which could include a .40-caliber. The new year was still young when the body of the second victim was found on Jan. 14, 2006. A superintendent of KB Homes found the remains of 35-year-old Julie Green on the edge of an area where houses were to be built off LPGA. Green was naked and face down in the dirt. A .40-caliber Federal brand bullet casing was found near her body. The killer had placed the gun up against the back of her head and then pulled the trigger. She had been killed shortly before she was found. Detectives also found a tire impression and would go on to match the impression to a tire at a DeLand salvage yard before the trail went cold. A month later, 35-year-old Iwana Pattons body was found on Feb. 24, 2006 near Mason Avenue and Williamson Avenue in the area where the new Daytona Beach Police Department is now built. Her body was face down in the soil. Patton was found nude with only socks on her feet. Pattons body was on an unpaved path just beyond where a pavement ended. Patton had been shot in the face through the right nostril. Police found a .40-caliber Federal brand shell casing near the body. A decade later in Palm Beach County, a construction worker found the body of 32-year-old Rachel Bey on March 7, 2016, just off the Bee Line HIghway, about a mile north of Indian Town Road in Palm Beach County. At the time, crews were expanding the Bee Line from a two-lane to a four-lane highway. Beys body was found at the edge of the new construction. Beys body was nude and face down in the dirt. No clothing or identification was found near her. Based on drag marks, Investigators believe that Bey may have been pulled from a vehicle on an existing road and dragged about 25 yards to where her body was found. Bey was strangled to death. It was Bey's death that led to a DNA match between her case and two cases in Daytona Beach and heated up the cold case, leading to Hayes' arrest. The Ruling Zambrano noted in his ruling that there were a number of similarities between the murders. All the victims were female, between the ages of 32 and 45 and all were slender. They were all found without identification. And they were all found nude, face down on the ground. DNA samples linked Gunther, Patterson and Bey, Zambrano wrote. Shell casings linked Green to Patterson. All the bodies were found in desolate places but in plain sight Zambrano noted. All the victims had engaged in prostitution. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Robert Hayes trial: : Judge says Daytona jurors can hear about Palm Beach murder case Republican-controlled states have been cranking out new congressional maps that spell trouble for Democrats unless courts intervene. Why it matters: Last week's Virginia and New Jersey results set off alarm bells for the party, but Democrats' lack of control of the redistricting process in states like North Carolina and Ohio could make Republican wins next year even greater and longer-lasting. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Driving the news: The North Carolina's General Assembly approved a new map that would leave Republicans with as many as 11 seats to just three for Democrats. That would be up from the current split of eight Republicans and five Democrats, according to the Cook Political Report's Dave Wasserman. (The state picked up an extra seat through reapportionment this decade.) In Ohio, Republicans are eyeing maps that would give them up to 13 congressional seats up from an already impressive 12. Due to slower population growth, the proposed map also would eliminate a second Democratic seat in the state. The Princeton Gerrymandering Project, which is measuring map fairness through various metrics, gave an overall "F" to both. By the numbers: The North Carolina and Ohio maps raise the prospect of four new Republicans in Congress just between those two states. On top of that: Montana is getting a second seat based on the new census results. Despite Democrats' hopes to have a shot at winning it, the state's redistricting commission recently finalized maps that would likely hand both seats to Republicans. The maps passed in Texas would add another two seats for Republicans, while the proposed maps in Georgia would also add at least one. Republicans also control redistricting in Florida, which also is picking up another seat thanks to population shifts. The redistricting process has yet to begin there. What to watch: Democrats' best shot at mitigating the damage is through the courts. Top Democratic attorney Marc Elias has already filed redistricting-related lawsuits in Texas, North Carolina, Alabama and other states. State and federal courts could ultimately decide some states' maps for 2022. Democrats also have the power to gerrymander in a handful of states: New York, Illinois and Maryland chief among them. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free The 2021 municipal elections around New Mexico are over. A few voters spoke, but most of them didnt. Voters went to the polls to elect mayors, councilors, school board members, and conservancy and water district representatives. Statewide voter turnout averaged 19.5%. With the states largest citys turnout at 32%, that brings the average to 14.5% for communities outside of the metro area. The accolades circulating about the record voter turnout for these elections doesnt do justice to the long hard fight for the right to vote. The preamble to the Constitution states, All men are created equal. Even then, some were more equal than others. Only free white men over 21who owned property were allowed to vote. By 1860 the property ownership provision was removed. In the years that followed the fight continued for African Americans, women, Native Americans, non-English speakers, and those younger than 21. In 1869, following the brutal Civil War, a series of amendments passed, including the 15th Amendment which allowed black men to vote. In 1920, the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote came after 80 years of struggles. Although some states, including Colorado, Wyoming, and Idaho, gave women the right to vote in state elections around 1890, it took another 30 years before Congress reached that milestone. In an expression of appreciation for womens help in World War I they removed the legal obstacle to women voting by including this language: The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex. Despite progress struggles remained. Once African Americans gained the right to vote many states worked intentionally to keep them from doing so. Poll taxes, literacy tests and intimidation were tactics states used to deny them their rights. Southern states included a grandfather clause which said you could only vote if your grandfather had voted, creating an impossible situation for those whose ancestors were slaves. This clause was struck down by the Supreme Court in 1915. Story continues Native Americans faced their own unique obstacle. The amendment giving African American men voting rights stated the right to vote could not be denied because of race. Native Americans, however, were still excluded because they were not citizens. It wasnt until the Citizenship Act of 1924 admitted Native Americans born in the United States to full citizenship that they could vote. The act left it up to states to decide who could vote, and it was two decades later before every state allowed them to vote. Even then, Native Americans were subject to the same obstacles African Americans faced: poll taxes, literacy tests, and intimidation at the polls. Passage of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and subsequent legislation in the 1970s removed these restrictions, and voters rights were strengthened. This included changing the voting age to 18 in 1971. One can only imagine how those who fought for voting rights Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Alice Paul, Martin Luther King Jr., and even the framers of the Constitution who believed in the consent of the governed would view what is happening today: Governors and legislators making it harder to voter, unsubstantiated voter fraud allegations, and the failure of 80% of eligible New Mexico voters to cast their vote at the most fundamental level in local elections. Those who protested, went to jail, and died to secure the right to vote for everyone must be reeling in their eternal resting places when we fail them so miserably. This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: They died for this? Voter turnout falls short of ancestors' hopes AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A group of hospitals in the southern Dutch province of Limburg on Tuesday called for the government to take new measures to stem rising COVID-19 cases, saying they have no space or staff to handle more coronavirus patients. Coronavirus infections in the Netherlands, as in other parts of Europe, are approaching all-time highs despite adult vaccination levels around 85%. Prime Minister Mark Rutte's government announced last week new measures to slow the spread of the virus, two months after scrapping social distancing rules. The steps included the reintroduction of face masks in stores and broader use of the country's proof-of-vaccination "corona pass". Cases have continued to rise, however, and the Netherlands' Institute for Health (RIVM) on Tuesday reported weekly cases were up 45% to 76,790, or more than 400 per 100,000 inhabitants. "We are heading straight for a healthcare disaster and the whole system is becoming jammed," the five hospitals in Limburg said in a letter to Rutte's government. "We're convinced the rest of the Netherlands will be following us shortly." They urged fresh measures including beginning immediately with booster vaccination shots for elderly and vulnerable patients. Rutte's government has said it will offer booster shots to patients over the age of 60 once six months has passed since they were fully vaccinated. His government is due to announce whether it will take new measures at a news conference scheduled for Friday. (Reporting by Toby Sterling; Editing by Alex Richardson and Ed Osmond) Dutchess County employees will have something extra to feel thankful for this month. Any non-elected county employee who worked during the pandemic last year, including those who left this year under good terms, will receive a stipend of up to $1,000, the county Legislature approved Monday. The program is being funded by using $1.84 million of the roughly $57 million in American Rescue Plan money coming into the county. The measure passed unanimously, with three legislators absent, and will result in stipends to 1,609 employees; while the resolution called for them to receive payment before the end of November, a release from Legislature Chairperson Gregg Pulver said payment would be made before the end of the year. Proposal: $1,000 for Dutchess County employees? Timing, transparency of proposed bonus questioned Election Day: What were the takeaways from elections in Dutchess County? Dutchess in 2022: Here's what tax cuts, service additions are proposed for the budget The original proposal grew by more than $200,000 in total funding in a Legislature committee meeting on Thursday when it was expanded to include those who left county employment on good terms. It does not include those who took a voluntary buyout or retired. Full-time employees received the full $1,000, while part-time employees will be given a prorated amount. Pulver, a Republican who represents North East, Stanford, Pine Plains and Milan, called the one-time discretionary expenditure a token of our gratitude. The resolution amended the 2021 county budget to account for the American Rescue Plan money being spent. Our county employees went above and beyond throughout the pandemic, Pulver said. We had to move people around, have them learn new jobs, and respond to a health crisis like no other all while keeping themselves safe. I am so proud of each and every one of them. The bonus for county was first discussed in May and County Executive Marc Molinaro said negotiations with collective bargaining units did not allow for it to be put up for Legislature vote until this month. The proposal was first announced to county employees in a message from Molinaro on Nov. 1, the day before Election Day, and before it was shared with Democrats, Legislature Minority Leader Rebecca Edwards said last week, and before it was discussed by the Legislature. A push by Democrats to add a resolution amendment that would double the amount that would be paid to each employee was defeated along party lines. This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Dutchess employees receive bonus through ARP funding Santa's little helper may be notably absent for Christmas this year as a Georgia judge jokingly banned the Elf on a Shelf. Taking to Twitter, Cobb County Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Leonard offered parents a "gift" to remove the iconic Elf, who is traditionally moved throughout the home to determine whether a child has been naughty or nice, from this year's decorations. HOLIDAY CHEER: MOST POPULAR TIME TO DECORATE AS CHRISTMAS, HANUKKAH, KWANZAA SEASON APPROACHES "Tired of living in Elf on the Shelf tyranny? Not looking forward to the Elf forgetting to move and causing your kids emotional distress? I am a public servant and will take the heat for you. My gift to tired parents," Leonard said in a tweet Thursday. "Inexplicably, Elves sometimes move and don't move overnight. When those Elves do not move, it leaves our children of tender years in states of extreme emotional distress," the judge continued. In the order, Leonard cited elven "tyranny" and a "horrific incident" involving an Elf in his own home. HIT BIBLICAL DRAMA 'THE CHOSEN' INSPIRES COMMUNITY AT CHRISTMAS "Three children were sent to school in tears, with one child being labeled an Elf Murderer and accused of making the elf lose his magic. The Court has no doubt the day of education was lost to everyone," the judge recalled. Leonard also cited the ongoing pandemic and "supply chain issues" before ordering Elf on the Shelf toys to be removed from Cobb County. "P.S. - If you love your elf, keep your elf. No contempt," the judge added. "I love the elf, and our local company that has so generously supported so many local charities and done amazing things in our community." The order was mostly well-received online, with some people even calling for their local legal system to enact similar bans. A request for comment was not immediately answered. Eden Taylor-Draper spoke about her sister's cancer diagnosis. (Getty Images) Emmerdale star Eden Taylor-Draper has shared the emotional moment she took an on-set call to hear the devastating news that her sister had been diagnosed with cancer. The actor, who plays Belle Dingle in the ITV soap, told Lorraine on Tuesday morning how she had heard that younger sister Francesca had blood cancer while at work. Read more: Emmerdale soap spoilers - Meena's angry clash with Amy Taylor-Draper, 24, told Lorraine Kelly of her Emmerdale bosses: "They were amazing. We were on tea break and they just said, Go, anything you need were here, and I was just in shock. They gave me a month off, so while Chess was in intensive chemo, I could be there. Theyre amazing. The actor plays Belle Dingle in 'Emmerdale'. (ITV) Francesca, who is now 17, said that she was doing really well now but that when she was first diagnosed, only 3% of her blood was classed as healthy. Talking about her symptoms, she said: "I felt tired and I lost quite a bit of weight but the most telling thing was I was having these really bad leg pains, like excruciating to the point where I couldnt walk and I was having to leave school early, and I also had this massive rash on my legs which was when doctors starting thinking it could be something more serious. "But a lot of the symptoms were quite generic, which I think is the scary thing about it because feeling tired and a little bit under the weather, your mind would never go to cancer." The sisters appeared on video call together, where Francesca admitted her treatment had taken a huge toll on her mental health while her older sister talked about how tough it had been to see her so ill. Read more: Emmerdale's action week reviewed The teen said: "I didnt want to say to my mum and dad that I really couldnt keep going with treatment - that was one of the things I could speak to the psychologist about. Everyone is affected by it. It wasnt just me." Story continues Taylor-Draper added: "It was so tough to see someone you love so much and so tiny go through all of that and as much as youre there supporting them, you cant fix it and you cant help." Watch: Emmerdale Soap Scoop! Meena smashes up Victoria's home UNITED NATIONS (AP) Five European countries expressed serious concern at Israels designation of six Palestinian civil society organizations as terrorist groups after a Security Council meeting on Monday and said they will be seeking more information from Israeli authorities on the reasons for their listing. The 15-member council took no action after the closed consultations. But a statement from Estonia, France, Ireland, Norway and Albania, which will join the council in January, said the listings have far-reaching consequences for the organizations in political, legal and financial terms. They said they will study carefully information provided by Israel on the basis for the designations. A thriving civil society and respect for fundamental freedoms are cornerstones of open democracies, said the statement read by Estonias U.N. Ambassador Sven Jurgenson after the council discussion. Civil society is an essential contributor to good governance, human rights, international law, democratic values and sustainable development across the world, including in Israel and Palestine. It also contributes to peace efforts and confidence building between Israelis and Palestinians, the statement said. Last month, Israel said the six Palestinian human rights organizations 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 a confidential Israeli dossier detailing alleged links between the Palestinian human rights groups and the PFLP contains little concrete evidence, and it has failed to convince European countries to stop funding the groups. 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 Israels half-century military occupation of territories the Palestinians want for their future state. Story continues 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. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, told reporters it was a good thing that Security Council members are not buying the evidence of Israel that the six Palestinian groups are terrorist organizations -- and it was also a good thing" that Israel did not succeed in creating fear among council members that the groups are linked to terrorists. We welcome the defense of civil society organizations among the Palestinian people, he said. The five European countries also called on the Israeli government to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem and not to proceed with tenders for some 4,300 housing units in Israeli settlements. They pointed to a Security Council resolution adopted in December 2016 which states that settlements are illegal under international law and constitute a major obstacle to achieving a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mansour said opposition to settlements from the Europeans and others on the 15-member council is positive but it is not sufficient because what is needed is implementation of the resolution by the Security Council. Skanska construction manager Josh Payne gives direction as workers straighten a 30-foot-tall Norway Spruce in front of the Civic Center in Downtown Evansville, Ind., Tuesday morning, Nov. 9, 2021. The official lighting ceremony for the Christmas tree will take place at 5 p.m. on Nov. 17. EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- If you have any tree-resin allergies, you may want to avoid the front of the Civic Center for a few weeks. For everyone else, the City of Evansville's official Christmas tree is here. Workers from Skanska, an industrial contracting company, delivered and set up a 30-foot-tall Norway spruce at the Civic Center early Tuesday morning, a few days ahead ahead of the official lighting ceremony. Workers from Skanska have chopped down, transported and delivered Evansville's official Christmas tree for more than 30 years, though it's only been setup at the Civic Center since Mayor Lloyd Winnecke was elected in 2012. Christmas: Tree shoppers getting in the spirit early Noah Stubbs, spokesman for the mayor's office, said the tree was donated from Allison Hamilton on her property at 5310 New Harmony Road. It will be decorated with approximately 25,000 lights donated by Advanced Network and Computer Services and topped with a lighted e as part of the city's "e is for Everyone" marketing effort. Stubbs said the official Christmas is always donated by a someone in the area whether it's a business or just a citizen trying to get rid of an overgrown tree in their yard. Last year's Christmas tree, also a spruce, was given to the city by an electrical union. The official lighting ceremony will take place on Nov. 17 at 5 p.m., Stubbs said. Winnecke will deliver remarks after a performance by the Evansville Children's Choir. The Christmas tree will remain on display in front of the Civic Center through the holiday season and will be removed sometime after Jan. 1. This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Evansville's official Christmas tree has arrived at the Civic Center Following last weekend's Veterans Day parade, several more events are scheduled to honor area active and retired military. Veterans Day is Thursday. Stand Down for Veterans scheduled LAS CRUCES - A Stand Down for Veterans will offer free services for homeless veterans, veterans at risk of homelessness and any veteran in need. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, at J.M. Carriere VFW Post 10124 at 709 S. Valley Drive. There, veterans will have access to the Veterans Administration, housing services, VA disability, Social Security, dental care, legal aid, haircuts and more. A hot breakfast will begin to be served at 7:30 a.m. and lunch is also available. Veterans' family members are also welcome. The Stand Down for Veterans is modeled after a concept used during the Vietnam War to provide a safe retreat for units returning from combat. To volunteer, request more information, or for veterans' assistance, contact Veteran Len Hampton at 575-405-9001 or email mixedcompany2@hotmail.com. Free van transportation will be provided by calling 575-339-3526. Call ahead at least three days prior for reservations. More: 14 WWII, Korean War veterans honored as Grand Marshals at the Las Cruces Veterans Day Parade City of Las Cruces to raise garrison flag LAS CRUCES - On Veterans Day, the City of Las Cruces' garrison flag will be flown at Veterans Memorial Park, on Roadrunner Parkway. The large flag will be raised at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, and will be lowered at 5 p.m. Volunteers are welcome to help Las Cruces and southern New Mexico veterans raise and lower the flag. No formal ceremonies will be conducted. 20th Heal the Troops event in T or C TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES - BodyWorx Healing Massage is hosting their 20th annual Heal the Troops event from Nov. 11-30 for veterans and their families as well as active duty military. Stop by the Pelican Spa at 300 S. Pershing St. on Veterans Day from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. for free face masks. Couples can book free massage appointments and attend the Warrior Wellness Workshops through the end of November. Walk-ins are welcome. Story continues The workshops are at 2 p.m. Saturdays. Attendees will learn about relaxing techniques, Seal Team Breathing, oils and herbs that heal and fixes for chronic pain. See a free movie at Allen Theatres LAS CRUCES - Allen Theatres says its showing its appreciation for veterans by offering those with proof of military service a free movie ticket on Thursday, Nov. 11. Redeem the offer at Cineport 10 or Telshor 12. Museum of Space History to waive entry fee for military, veterans ALAMOGORDO - Veterans, active duty service members, and National Guard personnel are invited to attend the New Mexico Museum of Space History in Alamogordo on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Admission to the museum for those personnel and their families will be free of charge. For information, call 575-437-2840 or toll free 1-877-333-6589 or visit the website at www.nmspacemuseum.org. Free hair cuts for veterans and service members at Sport Clips LAS CRUCES - Sport Clips locations in Las Cruces and across the country will host the companys annual Veterans Day haircut event. On or before Nov. 11, $2 per haircut service will support the Veterans of Foreign Wars Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarships for service members and veterans. Participating locations will also be offering free haircuts to veterans and active service members with military ID. Since 2013, Sport Clips locations across the country have worked to support U.S. service members and veterans transition to civilian careers through Help A Hero. Scholarships cover education expenses that often go beyond what's covered by GI Bill funds. To date, Sport Clips and its clients have made possible more than $9.2 million in VFW-administered scholarships. This years goal is to raise $1.5 million, which will afford scholarships of up to $5,000 for service members and veterans who are pursuing an education at post-secondary institutions, including trade schools. Those interested in donating can also text HERO to 71777. Stores nationwide began collecting donations at checkout Monday, Oct. 11, and will continue beyond Veterans Day to Nov. 13. Drop by the companys Las Cruces location at 3851 E. Lohman Ave., suite 1. Veterans, active military get free access to state parks NEW MEXICO - The Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD), State Parks Division announced that in recognition of Veterans Day on Thursday, Nov. 11, New Mexico residents who are currently serving or have served in the U.S. Armed Forces and their immediate families have access to state parks for free day-use and overnight camping. This Veterans Day, we want to honor and thank all New Mexico veterans for their service by offering free access to their 35 state parks for their enjoyment, said Toby Velasquez, State Parks director. I want to also recognize our many former and current state park staff for their service to our country. In a long-standing partnership with the New Mexico Department of Veteran Services, the State Parks Division also honors New Mexico veterans with a 50% or greater service-connected disability with an annual day-use pass and one three-day camping pass per year. To learn more, log on to www.emnrd.nm.gov/spd/fees-permits/disabled-veterans-program-2/ for more information. Military and Veterans Appreciation Week continues at NMSU LAS CRUCES - This year kicks off NMSUs sixth annual Military and Veterans Appreciation Week. Students, faculty and staff who have served, past/present, are extremely valuable to us and we thank them deeply for their sacrifice/service. The remaining planned events include: Thursday, Nov. 11 NMSU Women Veterans Day, ROTC/Armed Forces Recruiters Day and Veterans Day Carnival, hosted By SVO behind Young Hall, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 12 NMSU Faculty/Staff Military Veteran Banquet, retired Army Brig. Gen. Jack R. Fox will speak, NMSU Fulton Center's Villanueva Victory Club, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. For event details, visit the NMSU Military and Veterans Programs website, call 575-646-4524 or email mvp@nmsu.edu. Free meals for veterans Golden Corral will be having its Military Appreciation Night from 5 to 8 p.m. on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11. Veterans Day, Thursday, November 11, 2021 from 5 to 8 p.m. Active military or veterans get a free meal. Several other restaurants are also offering Veterans Day deals. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Events honoring military continue as Veterans Day approaches By Elizabeth Culliford (Reuters) - Facebook for the first time on Tuesday disclosed the prevalence of bullying and harassment on its platform, saying such content was seen between 14 and 15 times per every 10,000 views on the site in the third quarter. The company, which recently changed its name to Meta, also said in its quarterly content moderation report that bullying and harassment content was seen between 5 and 6 times per 10,000 views of content on Instagram. The social media giant, long under scrutiny over its handling of abuses on its services, has been in the spotlight after a former employee and whistleblower Frances Haugen leaked internal documents that include research and discussions about Instagram's effects on the mental health of teens and on whether Facebook's platforms stoke divisions. Haugen has said the documents show the company picked profits over user safety. Facebook disputed this characterization, saying the documents were being used to paint a "false picture." The documents, which were first reported by the Wall Street Journal, have spurred calls for Facebook to be more transparent and have raised questions over whether metrics such as prevalence give the full picture of how the company handles abuses. (https://on.wsj.com/3C1D7Cr) Facebook said its bullying and harassment numbers only captured instances where the company did not need additional information, such as a report from a user, to decide if the content broke its rules. They said that of the 9.2 million pieces of content the company removed from Facebook for breaking its bullying and harassment rules, it found 59.4% proactively. "Bullying and harassment is a unique challenge and one of the most complex issues to address because context is critical," the company's global head of safety, Antigone Davis, and product management director Amit Bhattacharyya said in a blog post. (Reporting by Elizabeth Culliford; Editing by Dan Grebler) A federal judge has ruled that United Airlines can place its unvaccinated employees on unpaid leave, even if those employees received religious or medical exemptions from the coronavirus vaccine. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman in Fort Worth, Texas, expressed sympathy for the employees in his ruling Monday and even called Uniteds handling of their vaccine concerns calloused. But the employees are not in an impossible position as they claimed and they did not prove that they would likely suffer imminent, irreparable injury if placed on unpaid leave, he stated. The Courts analysis must be guided by the law, not by its sympathy, Pittman said, while responding to the employees concerns about a potential loss of income for refusing to comply. Despite the novel facts presented here, the case law is clear that hardships stemming from loss of income are remediable; axiomatically such hardships cannot be called irreparable. A federal judge on Monday expressed sympathy for United Airlines employees who refuse to get vaccinated but said the company has not put them in an The employees seeking the preliminary injunction against Uniteds vaccine policy identified in their complaint as an aircraft captain, flight attendant, aircraft technician and mechanic, station operation representative, and a customer support representative had accused the company of failing to provide reasonable religious accommodations, of retaliating against them for requesting vaccine exemptions, and of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by failing to provide reasonable medical accommodations for qualified employees. United has said it will offer its employees who have qualified for religious or medical vaccine exemptions new roles that will not allow for close contact with customers. These roles will be made available until the company has decided it is safe for unvaccinated employees to return to their original positions. If these unvaccinated employees do not accept those roles, they will be placed on unpaid leave. Were pleased with the courts decision today, a United spokesperson told HuffPost in a statement Tuesday. We know that the best way to keep everyone as safe as we can is for everyone to get vaccinated, as nearly all United employees have chosen to do. Story continues United CEO Scott Kirby has pushed hard for his employees to get vaccinated, leading to just over 99% of its employees getting the shot, he said last month. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Nov. 9Lisa Lynn Veith was diagnosed with brain cancer three years ago. After six weeks off work, Veith an attorney in the St. Paul City Attorney's office maintains she returned to an unmanageable workload and an unforgiving environment that subjected her to criticism and humiliation in front of her peers, as well as a "sham investigation" of her workplace complaints. Veith is suing the city of St. Paul, St. Paul City Attorney Lyndsey Olson and her supervisor, Deputy City Attorney Rachel Tierney, in Ramsey County District Court. The 29-page lawsuit seeks damages in excess of $50,000 for three alleged violations of the Minnesota Human Rights Act: disability discrimination, a failure to accommodate her condition and reprisal. A fourth count relates to the display of sensitive personnel information a document title indicating that Veith had been placed on a performance improvement plan that appeared on her supervisor's screen during a virtual Microsoft Teams meeting attended by 28 of her colleagues, an alleged violation of both city policy and the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act. In a 19-page legal response filed by the law firm of Nilan, Johnson and Lewis, attorneys for the city, Olson and Tierney have denied the claims. They also filed a notice to have the case dismissed. Otherwise, a jury trial looks likely. "My client was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2018, and she needed to take a little time off of work, and when she came back, that's when things began to happen to her that were disturbing to her," said John Fabian, who is representing Veith in the civil claim. "We're proceeding with the litigation process. ... She is still doing her job. She's working everyday." Veith, who underwent medical treatments that involved intense side effects, said she fought pressure to stay out on leave or go to work part-time out of concern over how it would impact her health benefits. Her refusal to make herself scarce allegedly angered her bosses. According to Veith's lawsuit, Tierney "falsely accused Veith of having performance issues and repeatedly scolded, demeaned and made false statements about Veith in front of her coworkers." Story continues Veith said she complained about the behavior to Olson's office, only to be issued a letter of reprimand from Tierney later the first such disciplinary action of her career in apparent retaliation. In 2020, the city hired outside investigator Laurie Stoffer-Steiger to investigate a Workplace Conduct Policy complaint Veith filed with St. Paul Human Resources. After a few months, the city removed Stoffer-Steiger, hired a new investigator, Michelle Soldo, and restarted the investigation. Veith responded by filing a second Workplace Conduct Policy complaint alleging that there was no valid reason to suspend the first investigation. A letter from Human Resources later accused Veith of failing to cooperate with the investigation, according to her lawsuit. This isn't the first time a city employee has claimed violation of disability rights. In July, the St. Paul City Council approved a $76,000 legal settlement with a former mayoral aide, Hope Hoffman, who alleged that her supervisor assigned her tasks that were difficult to accomplish because of her prosthetic leg, in retaliation for being unable to keep up with the mayor at an outdoor event. In response to her complaints, the mayor's office noted it had worked to accommodate her and gone so far as to allow her to park in the deputy mayor's parking spot to shorten her walk to City Hall. The mask mandates issued by some Florida school districts irked Gov. Ron DeSantis and some Republican legislative leaders to the point that they declared the need to stop such intrusions into personal freedoms as soon as possible. So they called a special session to advance legislation that would address their concerns. The session starts next week. Read on for the latest on that story and more Florida education news. Gov. DeSantis and legislative leaders introduced their special session plans on Monday. The bills include provisions to ensure parents discretion in whether their children wear masks, quarantine and get vaccinated against COVID-19. The legislative agenda rolled out on the same day DeSantis formally filed his reelection papers. More coronavirus concerns An administrative law judge wont have the last word on school masks. School boards challenging the Department of Health rule on the mandates appealed the judges ruling that favored the departments approach, the News Service of Florida reports. Three districts statewide still have strict mask mandates in place. Theyre Alachua, Broward and Miami-Dade counties, Florida Phoenix reports. Broward and Miami-Dade could drop off the list before the end of the week, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Vaccines are becoming available for children ages 5-11. Schools are not requiring them, but are helping make them accessible in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, the Miami Herald reports. Leadership The administration at the University of South Florida continues to turn over. Longtime provost Ralph Wilcox announced his return to a faculty position, to spend more time with family. The president of the Florida School Boards Association has come under fire in her home county. The Palm Beach County School Board has voted to leave the organization until Lee Countys Chris Patricca resigns her post, WFTX reports. School board news Moms For Liberty has sued the Brevard County School Board. The organization claims the board used its public participation policy to limit access for opposing viewpoints, Florida Today reports. (Subscription required) Story continues The Manatee County School Board is transitioning to single-member districts. It has asked the public for input on what the districts should look like, the Bradenton Herald reports. In the schools Southeastern Hillsborough County schools are experiencing an enrollment boom. The district is adding portables to campuses, but projects the need to build more schools to keep up, WFTS reports. Is Florida a group of complete idiots? A teacher at a California high school asked his students to define the term on a quiz, with the Sunshine State as one of the multiple choice answers, Newsweek reports. The Palm Beach County school district is losing police officers. Theyre retiring and taking other jobs, leaving schools underserved, WPTV reports. Three Alachua County elementary schools are offering extra tutoring to struggling readers. High schoolers are the tutors, the Gainesville Sun reports. Repeating a threat rumor in school can be a felony. A Putnam County teen is learning that lesson the hard way, WUFT reports. Dont miss a story. Heres the link to yesterdays roundup. Before you go ... Leo Sayer and Metallica are probably the mashup you never imagined. Yet it works so well. If you enjoy it, heres an extra melding of Bob Marley and Billy Idol from the same channel. Sign up for the Gradebook newsletter! Every Thursday, get the latest updates on whats happening in Tampa Bay area schools from Times education reporter Jeffrey S. Solochek. Click here to sign up. Lafayette Police Chief Thomas Glover at a meeting Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Former Lafayette Police Chief Thomas Glover, who was abruptly fired in October, is appealing his termination with the Fire and Police Civil Service Board. The board is scheduled to review Glover's appeal at its Wednesday meeting. Glover was fired on Oct. 7 by Mayor-President Josh Guillory, who gave no reason for the dismissal. Glover said there was no reason for Guillory to fire him. Glover had only been on the job for 10 months. Because Glover had not been in the position for a full year, he was not allotted the full state civil service protections that protect other officers at LPD from firing. But because he had been in his position for more than six months, he is offered some protections under state law. A probational employee who has been employed for more than three months but less than a year "may appeal to the board only upon the grounds that he has not been given a fair opportunity to prove his ability in the position," according to state statute. More: Turnover and turmoil at LPD: 5 chiefs in 5 years raises questions as investigations loom Glover said he was given a "makeshift evaluation" that was "riddled with patently false information" in September, according to his appeal letter to the board, which was obtained by KADN. Glover said in the letter he submitted 11 goals to Guillory and his administration, which were accepted. He said he had accomplished eight of those goals. But during his evaluation with Guillory and Chief Administrative Officer Cydra Wingerter, Glover said notes from his hiring interview in December were used as a performance tool. Glover said he was fired 18 days after that evaluation, which did not give him the time to prove his ability. Before Glover took over, the department had been without a permanent chief for a year. Glover's interim replacement, Sgt. Wayne Griffin, was placed on administrative leave less than two weeks after he was tapped for the position while Lafayette Consolidated Government investigates a complaint of sexual harassment against Griffin. Story continues While Griffin is on leave, Maj. Monte Potier, who has been with the department since 1993, is in charge of operations. Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi. This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Former Lafayette Police Chief Thomas Glover appeals termination This story was first published in the Fayetteville Observer. A California congresswoman and the family of a decapitated Fort Bragg paratrooper are upset that the Army is considering his death a cold case. Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez, 21, of Chino, California, was reported missing May 23, 2020, at Cape Lookout National Seashore in Carteret County. His severed head washed ashore six days later. At the time of his death, Roman-Martinez was a human resource specialist assigned to Headquarters Company, 37th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. After exhausting hundreds of leads and thousands of hours of investigation, there are no more credible investigative leads remaining at this time, but the case itself is not closed, it is in a cold case status, Jeffrey Castro, an Army Criminal Investigation Division spokesman, said in an email this week. As always, if new information pertinent to any of our investigations becomes available, CID can and often does reopen investigations if warranted. Roman-Martinezs family lives in the congressional district of Rep. Norma Torres. Torres has been in contact with Roman-Martinezs family since his death and was with them when his partial remains were flown back to California. In rare move, Army CID raises reward to $50K to solve paratroopers mysterious death This young man was a hero, Torres said during a phone interview Thursday. At 17 years old, he really wanted to serve his country, and had to get permission from his mother to do so I think that we owe our personnel at the very least and their families the respect of giving them answers. Torres wrote an Oct. 19 letter to the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General raising questions about the investigation, along with the concern that theres been no justice for Roman-Martinez or his family. Im not satisfied that the Army CID has done everything in their power to solve this case, Torres said. Story continues Roman-Martinezs sister Griselda Martinez spoke to a Univision North Carolina station last month and said that she is angry and disappointed that the case seems to be closed. Martinez said investigators have told the family theyve found no evidence in the case, which she believes is because of delays. She previously told The Fayetteville Observer in May that it took three days for an official search to be launched, and that in that time rain possibly destroyed evidence. I feel like no one took it seriously until they found my brothers remains, she said in May. Because the case is still not solved, Martinez told Univision the family hired a private investigator two months ago. We are hopeful that he will be able to help us more, much better than the Army, she said. Investigation review Despite the family hiring a private investigator, Martinez said they still want authorities to investigate the case. Torres said she thinks another official set of eyes should be on the investigation and its processes, too. From the delays in reporting this young man as a missing person, to potential jurisdiction issues, to determining who was on site and when divers got in the water to begin to search for the rest of the remains, I think there have been gaps in this investigation, she said. Torres said she doesnt want to hinder the investigation or any future investigations the Army has but said she does want the inspector general to evaluate it. If the Army does not have jurisdiction but may have capabilities of investigating a crime it would probably be a good idea to work with a local agency, she said. But in the case of Roman-Martinez, she wants to know who made the call to give the Army jurisdiction of the crime scene, since it was miles off post. Spc. Enrique Roman-Martinez pictured with his mother, niece and nephew. (Courtesy photo/Martinez family) She said she understands that a local agency might not have resources but thinks the FBI or another agency should have been contacted to investigate instead of the Army, which may have a conflict of interest with seven military personnel that may or may not have had involvement, Torres said. She is asking the inspector general to review: the timeline of the investigation including how long it took for investigators to arrive at the scene and when it was determined to use divers; if any logistical or jurisdictional hurdles impacted the speed of the investigation; coordination with other local, state and federal law enforcement; communication with the family and how language barriers were addressed; requirement for soldiers reporting colleague missing; and how the Army treats a person of interest during an investigation. Authorities announced in December 2020 nearly seven months after Roman-Martinezs head was found that divers were searching waters for evidence and the rest of the remains. Castro said the Armys Criminal Investigation Division has a mandatory thorough review process that all cases are subjected to. Highly-trained investigators review all cases conducted by field agents to ensure the findings are supported and accurate, and that all possible leads have been properly exhausted, he said. This can take time, but is critical to the investigative process. An August news release stated that Army CID special agents have coordinated with the FBI, the National Park Rangers, the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Patrol, the Mocksville Police Department, the Carteret County Sheriffs Office, the Wayne County Sheriffs Office, the North Carolina National Guard, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner and the 82nd Airborne Division. According to the news release, a specialized task force comprised of CID agents, FBI employees and the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit has executed more than 100 warrants and subpoenas, conducted more than 400 interviews and returned to the island seven times to conduct air, land and sea searches for additional evidence. Investigators have traveled to Michigan, Texas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, and California for interviews and to follow up on all investigative leads. There have been searches of evidence from cellphones and vehicles along with more than 130 items analyzed at the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory in Atlanta, Georgia. None of the items revealed any trace of blood, DNA, or other forensic evidence, the CID news release stated. Not a missing soldier Roman-Martinez was last seen alive May 22, 2020, when he was camping with seven other soldiers, the Army CIDs news release stated. Griselda Martinez told The Fayetteville Observer in May that investigators told the family there doesnt seem to be a motive for the other soldiers her brother was camping with to harm him. She questioned why those soldiers waited so long to report her brother missing. According to the 911 call, the man who reported Roman-Martinez missing on May 23, 2020, told the dispatcher that the group went to bed about midnight. The caller said he woke up at 8:30 a.m., and that the group searched for Roman-Martinez all day. A park ranger previously told media that a ranger encountered the group earlier during the day, and they did not mention Roman-Martinez being missing at that time. You still dont do that especially in the Army, Griselda Martinez said. From whats been explained to me, everyone sticks together and watches out for each other. The soldier who called 911 told the dispatcher that the group was concerned Roman-Martinez hurt himself and implied he had suicidal tendencies. Griselda Martinez said when she heard that, it upset her because her brother was not suicidal and months later an autopsy report revealed that a somewhat crescent-shaped, incised vs. chop wound ... about of an inch deep, was found on Roman-Martinezs neck. A segment of the Core Banks as viewed from the Cape Lookout Lighthouse looking North East. (Jarek Tuszynski/Wikipedia) The autopsy report notes that the soldiers camping with Roman-Martinez provided no explanation of his death. The medical examiner wrote that because of the lower half of Roman-Martinez has not yet been found, officials couldnt definitively say if decapitation was the cause of death or if he died another way. However, the examiner wrote, the findings, in this case, are most consistent with death due to homicide. In the CIDs August news release, CID special agent Steve Chancellor suggested the death could have been intentional or unintentional, using the example of someone running over a person with a boat while they were in the water. Torres said Roman-Martinezs body was mutilated. There were seven people camping with him, she said. Youre going to tell me nobody saw or heard anything? I refuse to accept that as an answer. She said he should be home with his family planning his next career move. Instead, we buried partial remains, Torres said. Whats next Castro said special agents working on the case are personally invested in finding the truth about what happened to Roman-Martinez. They will not let this case go unsolved, he said. Torres, whose son is an Air Force veteran, said she refuses to have Roman-Martinezs case placed in a box and not looked at again unless someone comes forward with information. If this were your son or daughter, you would be in the same position as this family demanding answers and seeking answers where there hasnt been any, Torres said. There should be no stone unturned to find out what happened to this man. Castro said the $50,000 reward for information about Roman-Martinezs death is still active. Anyone with information about his death is asked to contact Army special agents at 910-396-8777 or the Military Police Desk at 910-396-1179. They can also anonymously submit information online. Torres encouraged anyone with information to also consider contacting their local law enforcement agency or to reach out to her office. France on Tuesday handed back 26 treasures that were looted from Benin during colonial times, fulfilling a promise made by President Emmanuel Macron to restore a lost part of Africa's heritage. Benin President Patrice Talon and Culture Minister Jean-Michel Abimbola travelled to Paris to bring home the artefacts that were snatched by French forces 130 years ago. Talon said he felt "overwhelming emotion" at recovering the objects taken during the ransacking of the kingdom of Dahomey in the south of present-day Benin, including a royal throne. Speaking to reporters at the presidential palace in Paris, where France signed over the artefacts to Benin, Talon said the treasures were much more than cultural goods -- the term used by France to describe them. "This is our soul, Mr President," he said, flanked by Macron. The French leader hailed "a symbolic, moving and historic moment" which had been long-awaited by Africans. The return of the pieces taken from Abomey palace, which also include three totemic statues, comes as calls mount in Africa for European countries to return the colonial spoils lining their museum shelves. In France, most are held by the Quai Branly museum, which has begun a major review of its collection to identify works believed to have been acquired through violence or coercion. French lawmakers last year passed a bill allowing Paris to return artefacts to both Benin and Senegal, another former French colony in west Africa. Talon made clear that he saw Tuesday's handover as just the first step in a large-scale restitution process, asking "how do you expect my enthusiasm to be complete" when France still held other key artefacts. But he added he was "confident" that further restitutions would follow. "Beyond this handover, we will continue the work," Macron promised. - 'I can die in peace' - In Benin's capital Cotonou, the return of the prized works was hotly anticipated. Story continues "I get goosebumps at the prospect of being able to see these royal treasures up close, particularly our ancestors' thrones. It's unbelievable," an elder of the Dah Adohouannon community, told AFP. "At 72 years, I can die in peace, once I have seen them." The restitution is part of a drive by Macron to improve his country's image in Africa, especially among young people. Before being packed up for the long journey home the works were shown at the Quai Branly for one last time in late October. In Benin, they will be exhibited at various sites, including a former Portuguese fort in the city of Ouidah, once a slave-trading hub, while awaiting the completion of a museum in Abomey to house them. Experts estimate that 85 to 90 percent of African cultural artefacts were taken from the continent. Some were seized by colonial administrators, troops or doctors and passed down to descendants who in turn donated them to museums in Europe. But others were presented as gifts to missionaries or acquired by African art collectors at the start of the 20th century or discovered during scientific expeditions. An expert report commissioned by Macron counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, 70,000 of them at the Quai Branly alone. Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have also received requests from African countries to return lost treasures. Nigeria said last month it had agreed with Germany on the return of hundreds of so-called Benin Bronzes -- metal plaques and sculptures from the 16th to 18th centuries that were stolen from the palace of the ancient Benin Kingdom in present-day Nigeria. Belgium has announced plans to return several objects looted from what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. burs-cb/sjw/jxb Nov. 9BOSTON General Electric Tuesday morning announced plans to spin off GE Power, which has major manufacturing operations in Schenectady, and GE Healthcare, which has a small factory in Rensselaer County. The move would leave GE Aviation as the sole business of the once-huge conglomerate. The announcement called it a defining moment for GE, and it would be the final stage in the long-running effort to winnow down what once was a vast conglomerate. General Electric was born in Schenectady in 1892 and later grew to include businesses that focused on everything from locomotives to light bulbs to oil and gas. More recently, amid major financial troubles, GE has worked to narrow itself on three core business lines: Healthcare, Aviation and Power. Scores of facilities have closed or sold and tens of thousands of employees removed from the payroll along the way. In the Capital Region, General Electric has a turbine and generator factor at the foot of Erie Boulevard on the Schenectady/Rotterdam border; the headquarters of its research arm in Niskayuna; and a relatively small production facility for medical imaging equipment in North Greenbush. The Schenectady campus also has a large contingent of GE wind power employees. Numerous other facilities within a few dozen miles of Schenectady where thousands of people once worked on other products have all been sold off or closed over the decades. The split would create three companies: Aviation, Healthcare and a combination of Power, Renewable Energy and Digital. GE Power, formerly based in Schenectady, would be spun off in early 2024. GE Healthcare would be spun off in early 2023. GE Aviation, the least-electric of the three and before COVID the company's most profitable business would retain the "General Electric" name. TOKYO (AP) The chief of Germany's navy said Tuesday that its dispatch of a warship to the Indo-Pacific underscores his country's concern that freedom of navigation and the rule-based international order are being threatened in the region, an apparent reference to its biggest trading partner, China. Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schonbach, in Tokyo for a port call by the frigate Bayern, said escalating tensions, territorial disputes and the changing military balance in the region can have an extensive impact beyond Asia. Speaking at a news conference, Schonbach said the ship's dispatch is to show support for Japan, the United States and other partners, and join their efforts in advocating peace, free navigation and the rule-based international order. The South China Sea is a global common, that is, a sea area that belongs to everyone, so it cannot be taken possession of or claimed by anyone if ... we abide by the international world order, he said. The Bayern will travel through the South China Sea, where China is increasingly pressing its territorial claims, to demonstrate its right to freedom of passage. The frigate arrived in Tokyo on Friday, becoming the first German warship to visit Japan in nearly 20 years. It conducted joint exercises with other militaries along the way, including two days of exercises with a Japanese destroyer in the Pacific Ocean, German officials said. Beginning in mid-November, it will monitor activities by North Korean ships for three weeks, including possible ship-to-ship transfers of banned cargoes, under a U.N. Security Council resolution. Sanctions against North Korea are an elementary part of this assignment," said Tilo Kalski, commanding officer of the Bayern. It is Germanys first time to participate in the mission, which started in 2018 and has been joined by New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, Britain, France and Japan. The frigate left Germany in August as part of the countrys recent shift to the Indo-Pacific 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. Story continues Schonbach said the Bayern's visit is the beginning of a long-term commitment to the region by Germany. It plans to dispatch military aircraft next year and a fleet of frigates and supply ships within two to three years, he said. 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. Nov. 9Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 8 into law Monday, allocating the nearly $16 billion federal American Rescue Plan Act funding awarded to the State of Texas earlier this year. SB 8 allocated critical funding for various state resources and programs, including: $7.2 billion to the Unemployment Compensation Fund to pay back outstanding advances and to bring the balance of the fund to the statutory floor $500.475 million for broadband infrastructure $150 million for the deployment and reliable operations of next generation 911 service including equipment and administration costs $180 million for tourism, travel, and the hospitality industry recovery (for those who have not received federal aid) $160 million to address the federal Victims of Crime Act shortfall affecting Crime Victims Assistance grants $2 billion for state and local hospital surge staffing, antibody therapeutic drugs, and the operation of regional antibody infusion centers $378.3 million for critical staffing needs of frontline workers including recruitment and retention bonuses for nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, home health facilities, community attendants, and emergency medical services providers $75 million to support rural hospitals that have been affected by COVID-19 $113 million to support the operations and expansion of mental health services for Texas children and families $35 million to upgrade all nine Texas State Veteran Homes, along with negative pressure COVID-19 wards, and mobile high efficiency particulate air filtration units for the Homes $95 million for supplemental funding to food banks in response to COVID-19 "Senate Bill 8 allocates federal funding to support Texans in need, including our veterans, rural communities, small businesses, and frontline workers," Abbott said. "Allocating these federal funds paves the way for a more prosperous, brighter future for all Texans, and I want to thank my partners in the Legislature for bringing this bill to my desk." Upon signing SB 8 into law, the Governor also provided a filing statement clarifying that the bill does not legally lead to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in the State of Texas. "Senate Bill No. 8 from the 87th Legislature, Third Called Session, appropriates funds made available to the State of Texas under the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pub. L. No. 117-2," reads the statement. "The Texas Attorney General has advised that the State's receipt and use of these so-called 'ARPA Funds' does not legally lead to a COVID-19 vaccine mandate in Texas. Based on this understanding, I signed and approved this bill." ATHENS (Reuters) - Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis angrily defended his government's migration policy on Tuesday in a heated exchange with a journalist who accused him of "narcissistic abuse" during a news conference with the Dutch prime minister in Athens. "Prime Minister Mitsotakis, when, at last, will you stop lying. Lying about pushbacks, lying about what is happening with the refugees in Greece?" Dutch journalist Ingeborg Beugel asked following joint statements by Mitsotakis and Mark Rutte. Beugel was referring to allegations by rights groups and organisations including the United Nations' refugee agency UNHCR that Greece is unlawfully pushing asylum seekers back to Turkey on its land and sea borders, a practice Greece denies. "There has been overwhelming evidence and you keep denying and lying. This is like narcissistic abuse. Why are you not honest? Why don't you say 'Brussels left us alone, we waited for six years, nobody did anything... Now I have a say and yes, I do cruel, barbarian pushbacks.'" Mitsotakis, whose centre-right New Democracy party came to power in 2019, defended his government's migration policy, calling it "tough but fair", and said Greece was rescuing hundreds of people at sea since 2015, when it was on the frontline of Europe's migration crisis. "I understand that in the Netherlands you have a culture of asking direct questions to politicians, which I very much respect," he said. "What I will not accept is that in this office you will insult me or the Greek people with accusations and expressions that are not supported by material facts." Mitsotakis said authorities were "intercepting" boats at sea in accordance with European Union regulations and had granted asylum to 50,000 people, including "tens of thousands of Afghans." Beugel interrupted him to say conditions were "appalling." Story continues Visibly irate, Mitsotakis hit back: "Look, you will not come into this building and insult me. Am I very clear on this? He said a newly-built, EU-funded camp on the island of Samos was "impeccable... no comparison to what we had in the past." Mitsotakis added: "This is our policy, we will stand by it and I will not accept anyone pointing the finger to this government and accusing it of inhumane behaviour." (Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Indianapolis police are investigating after a man was found shot to death inside the trunk of a burning car in a secluded area on the east side of Indianapolis early Tuesday morning. The discovery was made after firefighters and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police officers responded to a report of a vehicle fire in the 7500 block of Woodlawn Avenue just before 12:30 a.m., according to police. First responders found a 2011 Chrysler sedan on fire, and officers soon discovered 47-year-old Ail Smith Jr. dead in the car's trunk. More: After violent weekend, Indianapolis breaks criminal homicide record with 218 deaths The Marion County Coroner's Office on Wednesday said Smith died from a gunshot wound and ruled his death a homicide. The case marks the 239th homicide in Indianapolis of 2021, a figure quickly approaching the all-time record of 245 set last year. Over the weekend, three people were killed in a string of shootings pushing the city past its criminal homicide record also set in 2020. Few details of the car fire and discovery of the man's body were available Tuesday morning. Police described the sedan as being found in an "out-of-the-way spot." Officials indicated investigators will check nearby surveillance cameras to see if anyone could be seen driving in the area overnight. No information about the man found dead in the car has been released. The Marion County Coroner's Office will determine a cause of death in the case. Police ask anyone with information to call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 or (TIPS). Contact Lawrence Andrea at 317-775-4313 or landrea@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @lawrencegandrea. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis crime: Man in trunk of burning car was shot, coroner says Ireland Baldwin compared the negative attention Travis Scott is getting for the deadly Astroworld incident to her father, who received similar backlash for the accidental shooting on the set of "Rust." Ireland took to her Instagram Story on Sunday to defend Scott from criticism blaming "misinformation" and "twisted cancel culture bulls---" for the heightened attention on him following the deaths of eight people at his music festival in Houston, Texas, on Friday. According to The New York Post, the 26-year-old model later acknowledged in her since-deleted post that Scott often "incites the rage" at his shows. She reportedly began her post by reflecting on the backlash her dad received after a gun he was holding fired on the set of "Rust," leading to the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. She noted that she was tired of seeing people pretend to be experts on the complicated situation. TRAVIS SCOTT ASTROWORLD INVESTIGATION FOCUSING ON CROWD CONTROL BREAKDOWN: LIVE UPDATES Ireland Baldwin compared the scrutiny Travis Scott is facing to that of her dad over the deadly "Rust" shooting. Photo by Rachel Luna/WireImage "First, you were armory/stunt coordination pros when it came to the horrific tragedy involving my dad," she wrote. "And now Travis Scott is demonic because he ALLOWED people to die at his show?" Scott has faced criticism over the past few days for allegedly continuing his concert as people were calling for him to stop so first responders could do their jobs and rescue the mass of people who were injured by a surge in the crowd. She continued: "Ill start by saying I am heartbroken for the families who lost a loved one. Everyone should feel safe when theyre going to enjoy live music. But its not Travis Scotts fault. Any actual musician would validate that you cant see or hear anyone up there. Especially when wearing in-ear monitors." TRAVIS SCOTT, DRAKE SUED OVER ASTROWORLD CONCERT INCIDENT Ireland Baldwin defended Travis Scott and her dad amid their respective controversies. Kevork Djansezian/VMN19/Getty Images for Comedy Central She encouraged critics to "do a little research" before making declarations about who is at fault in the incident. Story continues Investigators are currently focused on figuring out what broke down at the venue and among staff that allowed crowd control at the 2021 Astroworld Festival to get so out of hand. The New York Times reports that Houston Police Chief Troy Finner stated that he was worried that if Scott abruptly ended the show, it could lead to a riot among attendees. Ireland noted that she has been to several concerts in her life, including Scotts, and has seen people get injured. "He incites the rage. No doubt about that. But I refuse to fall into this twisted cancel culture bulls--- when its coming from people who have no idea how anything works," She wrote in a follow-up. "I ask a bunch of questions before forming any kind of opinion." Travis Scott performs onstage during the third annual Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on Nov. 5, 2021, in Houston, Texas. Rick Kern/Getty Images Clearly, Ireland didnt like the response her posts received as she confessed later to deleting them amid backlash. However, she stopped short of saying she agreed with any of the criticism. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER "Deleted my post for one reason people on the internet are scary and so misinformed. All that matters are the families of those who died in the Astroworld tragedy. My heart breaks for them. The point I was trying to make was stop rage-blaming. Make informed opinions and posts. So many people are at fault. Not just one person." She also shared a link to a GoFundMe page dedicated to the victims of the Astroworld tragedy. AMIR COHEN Its a lawsuit WhatsApp originally filed in 2019, accusing the Israeli software surveillance firm NSO Group of hacking and spying on more than a thousand WhatsApp users. But while much of the case has remained shrouded in mystery, a new decision from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals allowing the suit to move forward should shed rare light on the secretive spyware group. The case will now go back to the district court from whence it came and can move to the discovery process, where lawyers for Facebook and WhatsAppas well as lawyers for NSO Groupcan start spilling information about the spying in this case. In its decision on Monday, the court took particular issue with NSO Groups unusual argument to avoid scrutiny. NSO Group had said it planned to argue sovereign immunity in the case, and therefore couldnt possibly carry on since, in NSO Groups reasoning, the fact that the spyware firm sold products to governments should make it immune to facing justice in the United States. Spyware Firms Claims That It Cant Target Americans Dont Add Up The judge who wrote the opinion declared that NSO Groups proposed defense was, essentially, hogwash, according to court filings. Whatever NSOs government customers do with its technology and services does not render NSO an agency or instrumentality of a foreign state, as Congress has defined that term, the judge said. Thus, NSO is not entitled to the protection of foreign sovereign immunity. And that is the end of our task. Experts say the decision could have massive implications for unraveling the secrets of the business behind NSOs spyware hacking, as it stares down accusations around the globe that it has sold products to authoritarian regimes and despots, enabling intrusive surveillance and spying on journalists, activists, and dissidents. NSO Group has been throwing up a hall of mirrors every time its accused of perpetuating or turning a blind eye to surveillance abuses around the world, and now its shady dealings behind the scenes may finally come tumbling out in these court proceedings. Story continues NSO Group has previously claimed that it only sells its products to governments and law enforcement agencies tracking down criminals. But investigations from security researchers and human rights groups have found NSO Groups notorious Pegasus spyware on the phones of journalists and dissidents around the globe. U.S. Blacklists Israeli Spyware Companies Over Threat to National Security Discovery is likely to reveal once and for all just how wide-reaching and intrusive NSO Groups spyware operations have been, said John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab, which has been investigating NSO products use against victims for years. For years victims have been trying to hold NSO accountable and NSO has been claiming that it answers to no one, Scott-Railton told The Daily Beast. Today the U.S. Court of Appeals has made it very clear NSO is going to have to answer to WhatsApp for this case. NSO is going to have to have some answers for what happened. Scott-Railton continued that NSO was between a hard place and a hard place, and that discovery for any kind of spyware company would be unprecedented and disastrous, given the secrecy NSO tries to offer and its potential shadiness. NSO Group frequently claims it has no visibility into the targets of its clients, while also claiming it can probe into the targets or block certain spyware operations. Human rights activists and cybersecurity specialists have long argued both cannot be true. FBI Probing Israeli Spyware in Government and Private Hacking And now, according to Natalia Krapiva, the technology legal counsel at the digital human rights group Access Now, the truth might finally come out. Going into discovery would definitely [be] a blow to NSO because their entire business model is dependent on secrecy and deception. We have heard NSO claiming again and again that they have no way of knowing what their clients are doing or that certain targets are off limits for their technology, Krapiva said. The discovery is likely to uncover not only more information about how much NSO knows about Pegasus targets, but also the reckless disregard with which NSO has been acting towards the innocent victims of their technology, including journalists, activists, and regime critics. NSO Group did not immediately return a request for comment. NSO Group could always opt to try its hand at taking this case all the way to the Supreme Court. But that would likely be fruitless, according to Krapiva, as the Supreme Court would be unlikely to hear the case and would probably side with the government. World Leaders Phone Numbers Appear on List of Surveillance Targets for Israeli Spyware The news comes as NSO Group is getting beaten back in every which wayto the delight of human rights activists and victims alike. Just last week, the U.S. announced sanctions against NSO Group, adding it to the U.S. entity list, and noting the company had acted contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States. Weeks earlier, an investigation from tech companies and multiple news outlets revealed the names of high-profile politicians, policymakers, royalty, and activists that are on a likely list of NSO Group surveillance targets, embroiling NSO in an international scandal. And new testimonials about NSO Group product hacking going haywire are surfacing by the hour; just on Monday, several new allegations came to light that NSO Group spyware was used to hack and spy on Palestinian rights activists. The Mexican government also announced on Monday that it had arrested a businessman, named in press reports as Juan Carlos Garcia Rivera, for his alleged role using NSO Groups Pegasus spyware to hack a journalist. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now! Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more. Vincenzo Spadafora Vincenzo Spadafora, an Italian politician, came out as gay over the weekend during an interview with Rai3s late-night talk show Che Tempo Che Fa. Spadafora, promoting his upcoming book, Unreserved, explained that its his responsibility as a public figure to be visible. I think that peoples private lives should remain that way, but I also think those with a public role, a political role like mine, have some more responsibility, he said. And I did it for myself too, because I learned perhaps too late that it is important to love and respect each other. Spadafora, 47, is a prominent member of the Movimento 5 Stelle (MS5), the populist, anti-establishment political party. He's a member of Italy's lower house of parliament, the Chamber of Deputies, and he was also formerly a minister for youth, policies, and sport in Italy. He shared that he expects some backlash for coming out, but hopes that doing so will also help to change history in Italian politics of using sexuality as a weapon against political opponents. In politics, homosexuality is used to hurt, to attack an opponent, something I now want to avoid, he said. I hope to be considered for what I do, for what I am, and from tomorrow on maybe Ill be happier because I feel freer. As for why hes coming out now, Spadafora gave two reasons. One reason is very political, to testify to my political commitment, for all those who fight for their rights every day and have less opportunity to do so than I have thanks to my role. The other was to show that, as a practicing Catholic, his sexuality is not in contradiction with his faith though admittedly many in his country may disagree with that latter point. In fact, only two weeks prior, the Italian senate rejected a bill that would have criminalized violence against LGBTQ+ people, due to opposition from the Vatican and the countrys far-right party. This underscores the need for visible queer people in positions of power, a sea change that Spadafora seems ready to lead. This undated photo shows Daphna and Alexander Cardinale. They are one of two California couples who gave birth to each others' babies after a mix-up at a fertility clinic, and spent months raising children that weren't theirs before swapping the infants, according to a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles on Monday 8 November, 2021. (Peiffer Wolf Carr Kane & Conway via AP) (AP) Its every IVF patients worst nightmare the child you have managed to conceive, carry and birth turns out not to be yours. But for some people in the US, its a chilling reality, as Los Angeles couple Alexander and Daphna Cardinale discovered. In 2020, the Cardinales got the shocking news that despite using their own sperm and egg during IVF, the child Ms Cardinale had carried to term and given birth to was not genetically related to either parent. The child had darker skin and hair than their first child, which made them suspect something wasnt right. They ordered a DNA test their suspicions were correct, they were not biologically related to the baby. The fertility clinic transferred to Daphna an embryo that belonged to strangers, the couples lawyer Alex Wolf, told NBCs Today. Daphna was an unwilling and unknowing surrogate for another couples baby, he said. They had effectively done a child swap. By the time the parents had met their biological daughter they had missed four months of her being alive, plus a whole pregnancy. I was losing a baby at the same time that I was getting a baby, said Ms Cardinale. So theres grief, and so then your heart starts breaking for their family at the same time. Because at the same time, everyones gaining a child but everyones losing a child. Mr Cardinale described the situation as a truly impossible nightmare. The couple is suing their clinic for breach of contract, medical malpractice and negligence and is telling their story so other couples dont experience anything similar. Is this an isolated incident? Mixing up embryos is extremely rare, but other fertility-related mix-ups have happened. Vanner and Donna Johnson, from Utah, found out a decade after the birth of their son, that he was not related to Mr Johnson. They got the news after doing a 23andMe DNA kit, which helps uncover a familys ancestry. When my results showed up, showing two sons immediately and seeing our oldest was a half-sibling to his younger brother, through me, we knew there mustve been something wrong, Ms Johnson told Fox 59. The couple learned that Ms Johnsons egg had been fertilised by someone elses sperm. Story continues A similar thing happened to an Asian couple in Flushing, New York. The couple, who go by the initials AP and YZ, for privacy reasons, gave birth to two non-Asian babies. Upon questioning the DNA, they discovered that the children had the same DNA as another couple undergoing treatment at the same fertility clinic. How does an embryo, sperm or egg mix-up happen? In vitro fertilisation requires a number of procedures in which an egg is fertilised outside the womb and then transferred to a uterus. Cases like this come down to human error, says former embryologist Joyce Harper, who is now professor of reproductive science and reproductive health at University College London. Mix-ups occur when tubes or dishes are labelled incorrectly or the wrong patient is in the wrong place. Errors are absolutely possible, Ms Harper tells The Independent, but its normal practice for everything to be witnessed. If there is a mix-up, its because protocols havent been followed. Good embryology labs should have a robust system of witnessing and for two patients to receive the wrong embryos, there needs to be several mistakes, she says. There are numerous of parts of the process that could go wrong, including when frozen embryos, eggs or sperm are coming out of a storage tank (they have to have been labelled correctly), and when the egg is fertilised with the sperm (it needs to be the right sperm and right egg). Then, when the embryo is implanted in the womb, it needs to be the right patient. The main people involved in IVF treatments are the embryologist and doctor. The embryologist will pick up the embryo from the dish and the doctor puts it into the womb. There should be checks along the way, and witnesses to check you have the right patient on the table and the right embryos, says Professor Harper. How many are at risk of a fertility DNA mix up? The CDC states that about 12 per cent of women of childbearing age have used infertility services and around 1.5 to 2 per cent of children in the US are conceived using Assisted Reproductive Technology. DNA mix-ups are a very rare occurrence, says Professor Harper, stating that it doesnt mean this will never happen, but it shouldnt be something that anyone going through IVF should be concerned about, she says, especially in the UK where there is a regulatory body for the fertility industry. The UKs Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA) requires a strict protocol to be followed in their Code of Practice and there are regular inspections for these processes in each clinic. Id be very very shocked if anything like this happened in the UK, says Professor Harper. Everything has to be double witnessed, says former embryologist Rachel Cutting, who is now the Hefa director of compliance and Information. When a woman goes in to have her eggs collected, the woman will be asked to say her name, date of birth and her hospital unique number is, that will be witnessed by the embryologist, the doctor who collected the eggs and the nurse who is looking after the patient during the treatment, she tells The Independent. Then every time eggs or embryos are moved between the containers they are kept in another embryologist will double-check that, says Ms Cutting. Since double witnessing has been law, there have been no cases of mixed up DNA in the UK in IVF treatments, explains Ms Cutting. Weve had no instances reported to us, she said of her time working at HEFA. So why isnt there more fertility regulation in the US? Governmental regulation is not as commonplace, as some believe restrictions could conflict with reproductive rights. Abortion laws are different in the US, and lawmakers are hesitant to go near an industry that could upend the approach of conception and embryos. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), however, disputes the level of regulation is inadequate. Sean Tipton, the ASRMs chief lobbyist, told Kaiser Health News that professional self-regulation is extensive. An official regulatory body would add another layer to self-regulation and ensure quality standards are met, says Ms Cutting, adding, you have something to work against and be inspected against. Couples like the Cardinales are keen for the industry to have more checks and balances in place. We need to get regulation or regulations to govern fertility clinics, said the couples lawyer Wolf. We want to make sure that this doesnt happen again. What can IVF patients do to guard against procedural errors? Choose your clinics wisely, ask them about their witness procedures, and ensure the staff are constantly checking your information at every stage of the process. Confirm your name and date of birth before each part of the treatment. The families who have suffered from fertility clinic mistakes encourage parents who have done IVF to complete a DNA test sooner rather than later. Read More Two women give birth to each others babies and raise them for months in IVF mixup Passenger rages at JFK over airport queues after 20-month wait Pelosi calls for ethics probe into Republican who posted anime of him killing AOC Passenger rages at JFK over airport queues after 20-month wait Pelosi calls for ethics probe into Republican who posted anime of him killing AOC Paul Gosars sister condemns his sociopathic fantasies about AOC The House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot on Monday issued six new subpoenas to senior Trump campaign officials and advisers, including campaign manager Bill Stepien and spokesman Jason Miller. The panel also subpoenaed conservative attorney John Eastman for records and documents. According to Bob Woodward and Robert Costa's recent book, he aggressively lobbied Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election results from his ceremonial post in the House on Jan. 6 -- when he presided over the counting of electoral votes. The committee also subpoenaed former national security adviser Michael Flynn, one of the prominent voices around Trump after the election who publicly called on the president to take drastic actions to overturn the results. MORE: Rioter who bragged she wouldn't go to jail gets prison term The panel has asked all six individuals to turn over records by Nov. 23 and appear for depositions between Dec. 3 and Dec. 13. Stepien "supervised the conversion of the Trump presidential campaign to an effort focused on 'Stop the Steal' messaging and related fundraising," the committee wrote in a letter to the political operative, citing an interview of a witness with "personal knowledge" of his activities. ABC reported last November that Stepien encouraged campaign surrogates to "stay at the ready" to protest in their states after the election. PHOTO: Supporters of President Trump storm the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. (Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, FILE) Flynn, who suggested that Trump impose martial law to seize voting machines, reportedly attended a December 2020 meeting in the Oval Office on the election, where similar ideas were discussed with Trump's outside advisers. MORE: Trump boasted of crowd size at Jan. 6 riot, new book says Eastman and Bernard Kerik -- a former New York City police commissioner and Rudy Giuliani associate who Trump pardoned in 2020 for tax fraud and lying to the government -- were also linked to a gathering of Trump supporters at the Willard Hotel on Jan. 5, ahead of the White House rally and Capitol riot, the committee wrote in letters to both men. Story continues "I was not hired to overturn the will of the people, only to look into the integrity of the process and ensure that the results accurately reflected the will of the people," Kerik said in a statement. Angela McCallum, national executive assistant to former President Trumps 2020 reelection campaign, who was also subpoenaed, reportedly called Michigan lawmakers asking them to appoint an alternate slate of electors who would vote for Trump even though Joe Biden won their state. To date, the committee has issued at least 25 subpoenas for records and testimony, and lawmakers have said the panel has conducted roughly 150 interviews as part of its inquiry. Jan. 6 committee subpoenas senior Trump aides, 2020 campaign manager originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Then-White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany return to the White House on October 20, 2020. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik The January 6 committee issued subpoenas to 10 more former Trump administration officials. Both Stephen Miller and Kayleigh McEnany are included in Tuesday's batch of subpoenas. The committee wants to "learn every detail of what went on in the White House on January 6th." The Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol on Tuesday issued subpoenas to 10 former Trump administration officials, including Senior Advisor to the President for Policy Stephen Miller and White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany. "The Select Committee wants to learn every detail of what went on in the White House on January 6th and in the days beforehand," said select committee chairman Rep. Bennie Thompson in a statement. "We need to know precisely what role the former President and his aides played in efforts to stop the counting of the electoral votes and if they were in touch with anyone outside the White House attempting to overturn the outcome of the election." The committee is seeking records and testimony from McEnany because of her role in spreading false claims of voter fraud in her official capacity as press secretary, as well as the fact that she reportedly "popped in and out" of the room in the White House where former President Donald Trump watched his supporters storm the US Capitol on January 6. As for Miller, the committee also cited his role in spreading false claims about voter fraud, as well as his connection to an effort to encourage state legislatures to send slates of "alternate electors" to the Electoral College. His subpoena letter also flags his presence with the former president at his "Stop the Steal" rally on the Ellipse on January 6. "We believe the witnesses subpoenaed today have relevant information and we expect them to comply fully with the Select Committee's investigation as we work to get answers for the American people, make recommendations on changes to the law to protect our democracy, and help ensure that nothing like January 6th ever happens again," Thompson also said. Story continues McEnany, Miller, and the eight other Trump officials subpoenaed by the committee have until November 23 to respond, and must sit for a deposition on December 14. Here's the full list of the 10 former Trump administration officials subpoenaed by the committee today: White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany Senior Advisor to the President for Policy Stephen Miller Personal Assistant to President Trump Nicholas Luna White House Personnel Director John McEntee White House Deputy Chief of Staff Christopher Liddell Vice President Pence's National Security Advisor Keith Kellogg Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Cassidy Hutchinson Senior Counsel to Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark, Kenneth Klukowski Special Assistant to the President and Oval Office Operations Coordinator Molly Michael Deputy Assistant to the President Benjamin Williamson If any of the 6 individuals do not comply with the committee's subpoenas, the House could then vote to hold them in criminal contempt of Congress and refer the matter to the Department of Justice, as it did on October 21 with Steve Bannon. Nine Republicans broke ranks and voted with every Democrat to hold Bannon in contempt. Read the original article on Business Insider Jon Hopkins: I like to think of it as the plants having a message they want to get out through the music (Steve Gullick) In August 2018, just days after playing a ravey headline set at Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire, the visionary techno artist Jon Hopkins found himself attached to a thin rope being lowered 200ft into an ancient cave system deep in the Amazonian jungle of Ecuador. Im not really a rugged outdoors type, admits the 42-year-old over the phone from his studio in Hackney. But when I get unusual offers I usually just say yes without really thinking. Before you know it, youre descending on this rope into the abyss. It was really f***ing terrifying! Hopkins had been invited to the Tayos Caves by Eileen Hall, whose father Stan Hall led an expedition to explore them in 1976. After he died in 2008 Eileen took up his conservation mission, hoping that by raising awareness of the sites remarkable biodiversity, it would be granted the protection of UNESCO World Heritage status. She put together a new expedition team, including scientists and artists, which is how Hopkins came to be dangling by a thread, journeying into the deep. At that moment, Hopkins already knew he had reached a turning point in his musical career. His fifth album, Singularity, had been released three months previously, receiving widespread acclaim and a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Hopkins considers Singularity and its predecessor, his Mercury Prize-nominated 2013 record Immunity, to be sister albums, with a shared intricate, euphoric and beat-driven sound. For his next record, he wanted to move in a new direction, far away from a cosmic party or a set of festival bangers. So he turned his gaze inward, taking inspiration from meditation, which he has practised since he was 21, and his experiences with DMT, the active ingredient in ayahuasca, a powerful psychedelic brew that Amazonian tribes have been using in spiritual ceremonies for centuries. It was these influences, coupled with his time at Tayos, that led to the creation of a new album unlike any hes made before, Music for Psychedelic Therapy, a gorgeous musical voyage that draws on ambient, drone and classical music as well as the sounds of the natural world and features not a single drum beat. Story continues When Hopkins landed on the cave floor, his first impressions were pretty much as you might expect. Rocky terrain, puddles, tarantulas, bats and all that stuff, Hopkins remembers. At first I was thinking: I doubt Ive made the right choice here, but then we went through into this enormous, cathedral-like opening. The expeditions guides had already set up tents within the vast space, and they had a stove burning. Food was on its way, recalls Hopkins. It all just started feeling really cosy. Another member of the expedition team was the neuroscientist Mendel Kaelen, who made hours of high-quality field recordings. Hopkins used those recordings as the starting point for a 19-minute track (split into three for digital release) called simply Tayos Caves, Ecuador. It forms the centrepiece of the new record, with the music designed to capture three stages of Hopkins time in the caves. The first is the experience of waking up in a tent, listening to a bird calling into the cave, he explains. You also hear running water, which is flowing from the rainforest floor to form the river that runs through the cave, and of course created the cave in the first place. The second section of the track descends into low frequencies, representing the day the team hiked still further underground to meditate. That was the deepest meditation of my life, says Hopkins, with no pun intended. In what felt like the centre of the Earth. The track concludes by ascending back into the forest. We were suddenly seeing sunlight for the first time in days, and hearing the life of the rainforest, remembers Hopkins. These extraordinary creatures calling to each other sounded so musical, so theres a big string orchestral section at the end which is in tune with the birds and the insects that were already in the field recordings. It was all just really synchronous and amazing. Hopkinss mind-expanding trip to the Amazonian rainforest came at a turning point in his career (Steve Gullick) After returning from his mind-expanding Ecuador trip, Hopkins put the material he had been working on to one side until he had time to give it his full attention. That opportunity presented itself during the isolated months of the pandemic, and he recorded the majority of the new record in something of a trance during the early months of 2021. The opening track, Welcome, was directly inspired by his DMT experiences. DMT comes from the bark of a tree, and interacts with the human brain in a way that results in this particular kind of music coming out of me, he says. I like to think of it as the plants having a message they want to get out through the music. He stops himself with a self-deprecating laugh. That sort of talk is very common in psychedelic circles, but as soon as you start saying that to your family or your mates you look insane, he says. The point is, it doesnt really matter what you believe is happening. The effect is the same. The fact that you can take something from a tree bark, something from the earth, and it infuses into your brain to the point where it radically changes the art you make is just infinitely interesting to me. Hopkins stopped taking DMT in 2019, after deciding it was no longer offering him anything new. It wasnt that the experience was dark, I just started to find the level of intensity unappealing and overwhelming, he explains. Looking back now, I think I was in school for writing this record, and by then all the building blocks were in place. He had begun to think about the record he was working on in terms of the burgeoning field of psychedelic therapy, which recent clinical trials have suggested could revolutionise the way we treat a variety of mental-health conditions such as depression and PTSD. Music is an essential component of psychedelic therapy, used by therapists to guide a patients journey while under the influence. As Hopkins knows from his travels in the Amazon, this concept easily pre-dates modern medicine. If you were to ask a traditional ayahuasca shaman: Would you do this in silence? theyd say no! he points out. Vibration is everything, and music is just vibration, so thats how you guide somebody. To ensure the album was fit for purpose, Hopkins listened back to it several times after taking ketamine, a dissociative anaesthetic sometimes used in psychedelic therapy. Ketamine, for me, has always had an extraordinary synergy with music, particularly electronic and devotional music, he says. Maybe three months before mastering, when the album was starting to form as a complete thing, I would have a ketamine session and just lie there and return with notes on what was good and what was not good. It was my mind exploring tool. I almost called the album Music for Ketamine Therapy, which would be getting ridiculously niche, but for me thats what its best suited for. In what can only be considered a cosmic coincidence, the playlist thats currently most often used by psychedelic therapists is referred to by the name of the university hospital where it was developed, the Johns Hopkins Psilocybin Playlist. My name has caused a number of confusions in my life, going back a long time, says Hopkins with a laugh. That playlist, which was put together by a team of psychologists, features a variety of classical pieces by composers like Gorecki, Vivaldi and Bach, before concluding with songs selected to ease the transition back to reality, including the Beatles Here Comes The Sun and Louis Armstrongs What a Wonderful World. Those are wonderful pieces of music, says Hopkins. But I really think theres value in exploring music thats created specifically with this intention, and by people who are informed about the space. Possibly The Beatles were, but it seems unlikely Gorecki was! Of course, none of this should imply that Music for Psychedelic Therapy is only suitable for therapeutic use, or that it can only be enjoyed while taking psychedelics yourself. When you do a deep listen, on a medicine, with a reasonable volume, it becomes a very emotionally intense thing, says Hopkins. But I think even a sober listener, listening at a decent volume, doing nothing else, will be taken somewhere. He recommends listening to the album in a single sitting, lying down in the dark. It asks something different of the listener because of the time scale it operates over, he says. Longform music is an incredible thing, and I like the idea of reacting to decreasing attention spans by making things that ask a little bit more, but hopefully give more as well. However listeners end up experiencing this album, Hopkins believes further research into the potential of psychedelic therapy can only benefit humanity as a species particularly if it encourages us all to listen a little harder to what those plants are trying to tell us. I see it as a protection method the Earth has got, he says. You can eat a psilocybin mushroom from the ground, and it teaches you a lesson about the importance of the ecosystem that generated that very mushroom. The message is right there, so its kind of impossible to ignore. Music for Psychedelic Therapy by Jon Hopkins will be released on 12 November Read More Gregory Porter interview: Did I want to see my brother being shot? No Bullet For My Valentine: Everyones been led down the garden path and left for dead Story of the Song: Toms Diner by Suzanne Vega Gregory Porter interview: Did I want to see my brother being shot? No Bullet For My Valentine: Everyones been led down the garden path and left for dead Story of the Song: Toms Diner by Suzanne Vega Its been almost two years since COVID-19 upended lives worldwide and left 700,000 Americans dead, but still there is no definitive answer on how, where or why the pandemic started. Now a group of bipartisan senators is calling for a full 9/11-style commission to investigate the origins of the global health crisis, amid mounting evidence that the virus leaked from a Wuhan, China, lab an idea that for a long time was characterized as "a conspiracy theory" but is now being recognized as a very real possibility. Led by Republican Sens. Roger Marshall of Kansas and Joni Ernst of Iowa and Democratic Sens. Diane Feinstein of California and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, this new commission would also examine not only the U.S. pandemic response and aim to ensure it never happens again, but it would also allow sanctions to be placed on laboratories that wont cooperate and even against China. FLORIDA HOSPITAL CELEBRATES ZERO COVID PATIENTS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2020 Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) arrives at the Senate Chamber before the fifth day of the Senate Impeachment trials for former President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill on February 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. The Senate will hear closing arguments and possibly vote on whether to convict former President Donald Trump for inciting the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6. Greg Nash - Pool/Getty Images Speaking to Fox News Marshall said, "This is like a nuclear bomb that went off but killed 10 times more people than any nuclear warhead did. We need to find out where this came from." Marshall also claimed that certain U.S. intelligence agencies have not cooperated adequately so far in the investigation, saying, "I think that the intelligence agencies have been ... not forthcoming. I think that they've released not the documents that could have been released." The State Department has repeatedly said it backs the current World Health Organization investigation despite the fact China has repeatedly stonewalled attempts to block it accused of destroying samples, hiding records and gagging Chinese scientists. This new commission would be free from Chinese interference. Jamie Metzl, a member of the WHO international advisory committee who previously served on the NSC, said Chinas repeated cover up, suggests its guilt. "China is doing everything possible to prevent that kind of investigation," Metzl said. "But we can't give China a veto over whether or not we investigate the worst pandemic in a century." China meanwhile points the finger the other way, saying on Friday, "The US turns a blind eye to facts and science and has politicized COVID-19 response and then resorted to intelligence community-led origins tracing. " President Biden has also released his 90-day intelligence review, but that has been criticized for producing no insight into COVID origins. On Wednesday Secretary of State Antony Blinken will convene a virtual meeting of foreign ministers from around the world, but its not clear if the Chinese will attend. JERUSALEM (AP) The head of the Islamist party in Israel's governing coalition met with Jordan's King Abdullah II in Amman on Tuesday, the latest sign of warming ties between the two countries. The Jordanian Royal Palace said in a statement that Abdullah and United Arab List lawmaker Mansour Abbas discussed the latest developments in the Palestinian territories and ways to advance the peace process. The king restated his commitment to a two-state solution to the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Abbass office confirmed that he met with the Jordanian leader in Amman, but provided no additional details. Abbas and his four-seat United Arab List made history in June by becoming the first Arab party to join an Israeli ruling coalition, enabling Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to form a government and oust longtime leader Benjamin Netanyahu. Since the inauguration of Israels new government in June, Bennett has prioritized mending fences with neighboring Jordan. In September, Israeli President Isaac Herzog met Abdullah in the Jordanian capital less than two months after Bennett met Abdullah in secret. The two countries signed a peace accord in 1994 and share close security ties, but recent years saw relations sour over Israeli policies toward the Palestinians and frictions at the contested Jerusalem holy site known to Jews as the Temple Mount and Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary. Text messages and search history from Oct. 9 to 23, 2019, continued to be read Monday afternoon in a marathon of testimony from an investigator in the Mengqi Ji disappearance and eventual murder. Joseph Elledge is accused of the crime. Jeff Adams with the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team was on the stand reading through the series of text messages and search history. Searches sought updates on Ji's disappearance and information on job openings. Messages related to Ji's disappearance, playing video games and other subjects. Elledge reported Ji missing Oct. 10, 2019. She allegedly was killed Oct. 8, 2019. More: Investigator who looked at Elledge cellphone data gives marathon testimony Dirt-caked boots at Elledge's apartment included trace evidence of vegetation. This vegetation, based on testimony from Missouri Botanical Garden staff, was a match with the location of where Ji's remains were found in March. Cellphone data from Oct. 10, 2019, allegedly placed Elledge in the area of Rock Bridge Memorial State Park where Ji was found. Elledge's Google account had activity each day from Oct. 8, 2019, through his arrest Oct. 25, 2019. Adams could not find any activity from Oct. 10, 2019. The general nature of the activity Adams observed was watching YouTube videos, many of which were related to home improvement programs, such as This Old House. Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight, left, on Monday shows Jeff Adams, an investigator for the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team, photos of murder victim Mengqi Ji as Adams confirms the dates the photos were taken. Adams recovered the photos from Jis computer and cellphone. Joseph Elledge is accused of murdering Ji, his wife, who went missing Oct. 9, 2019. Her body was found 18 months later in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. Matching financial files found on computers Financial paperwork from Ji's computer was also found on Elledge's computer. Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight wanted to know how an exact copy ended up on Elledge's computer. Both documents had the same hash value file, which means they were exact copies, Adams said. He conducted two tests to verify the financial files as an exact match. The file was sent as an attachment in an email, Adams said. Elledge provided log-in information to Ji's computer and iPad to investigators on Oct. 14, 2019, while it was still a missing-person case. Story continues Adams agreed he did not know why Elledge had downloaded the financial documents to his own personal computer, in questioning from defense attorney Scott Rosenblum. Witness relates familiarity with Columbia Adams has lived in Columbia nearly his entire life. Before becoming an investigator for the state's technical assistance team, he was a Columbia Police Department officer. Due to his life and career in Columbia, Adams is familiar with the roads and streets of the city as well as outlying regions, such as Rock Bridge State Park. Adams viewed personal photos of Elledge's that had views of the park and was able to identify that a photo was taken at the Devil's Icebox in the park. This location in the park is about 0.6 miles by vehicle from the location where Ji was found. Accused murderer Joseph Elledge on Monday bows his head as the prosecution asks a Missouri Highway Patrol criminal investigator about photos showing the remains of Elledges wife, Mengqi Ji. Defense conducts questioning of investigator Adams was on the stand for approximately six hours. Toward the end, he was shown a photo from Jean Elledge's phone. Jean Elledge is the mother of Joseph Elledge. A photo from May 9, 2017, featured Elledge in which he was wearing boots. Photos from March, 2, 2019; April 6, 2019; and Oct. 3, 2019 showed Elledge wearing a pair of boots. A video Oct. 3, 2019, also showed Elledge wearing boots. Rosenblum objected to Adams drawing a conclusion about the images of the boots, noting to Presiding Judge J. Hasbrouck Jacobs that it is a jury decision. Elledge's dirt-coated boots were collected as evidence from Elledge's apartment after his arrest Oct. 25, 2019. Adams throughout Monday provided information on his analysis of data from phones belonging to Elledge, Ji and Elledge's mother, in addition to other electronics. WeChat and alleged online affair Rosenblum started a line of questioning related to WeChat. Ji is alleged to have had an online affair through the Chinese-based messaging service with a man named Zhou Chau. Messages were viewed by Adams during his investigative process, and a portion was translated using Google Translate. The translations became an issue for attorneys as Adams testified he had not seen the portion of translations presented in a defense exhibit. Private bench discussion between attorneys and Jacobs lasted a few minutes. Following this, Rosenblum asked not about the content of the messages but their frequency. This received continued objections by Knight about whether Rosenblum had foundation to introduce this line of questioning. Adams also admitted to never searching out Ji's other social media accounts and that no review of these accounts took place. Knight later objected to the Google translations as hearsay. Several bench discussions occurred related to Knight's objections. Text messages, photos need context Rosenblum moved onto questioning about a folder labeled "My thoughts" on one of Ji's devices. It made note of the couple's daughter's birthday. Rosenblum also wanted to know how many text messages were exchanged between Ji and Elledge. Adams noted there were between 15,000 to 16,000 messages between the couple over the course of their relationship. The messages shown by the prosecution was an "insignificant" comparison to the overall relationship, Rosenblum asserted. There were thousands of photos on the devices. Weren't there other significant photos Knight did not use? Rosenblum asked. Adams agreed. Of the pictures introduced earlier in the day from Ji's phone, none featured Elledge, including pictures at the hospital when Ji gave birth to the couple's daughter. Pictures of all of the family were found on Ji's phone, Adams affirmed after a question from Rosenblum, but no complete family photos were shown to the jury. Can text messages between Ji and Elledge presented in evidence be open to interpretation without context? Rosenblum asked Adams. Adams agreed. There were some text conversations between the couple that cut off and did not have further context, Rosenblum said. Recordings, journal entries not cross-referenced by investigator Rosenblum wanted to know if Adams ever cross-referenced the recordings made by Ji and Elledge and journal entries written by Elledge on his phone to Elledge's Google searches. The searches on their own do not indicate motive behind them. Even Elledge's searches were numerous in the thousands, Rosenblum said. With regard to earlier testimony regarding playing video games, Adams noted he was generally familiar with them and agreed they can be used as a way to communicate further, after a question from Rosenblum. The conversations Elledge had about playing video games in the days after Ji's disappearance were with his brother, Richard. Videos presented by prosecution also were just a narrow sampling of the hundreds available, Rosenblum argued. Would you agree some appeared to show happy times? he asked Adams, noting many were not shown to the jury. Adams agreed that the videos did show some happy times the family had. Following Rosenblum's questioning on how the state has not introduced every text message, photo and video from Ji's devices, Knight in response brought out four binders at least 4 inches thick full of photos, messages and videos Ji took of her daughter. Adams testified that Elledge had minimal photos of his daughter or videos on his devices, answering a question from Knight. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Prosecution witness testifies for hours in Joseph Elledge murder trial Nov. 8Warren County Common Pleas Judge Timothy Tepe on Monday denied a motion to dismiss the city of Lebanon and its city attorney from a taxpayer lawsuit over a March 2020 gun ordinance. The ordinance allowed anyone with a state-issued concealed-carry permit to carry handguns within specified periods in the Lebanon City Building. Three residents Carol Donovan, David Iannelli, and Brooke Handley filed their civil lawsuit against the city and City Attorney Mark Yurick on March 31, 2021, challenging the city ordinance, which ended a longstanding prohibition on carrying concealed weapons in the city building. The residents are being represented by Everytown Law, the litigation arm of Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund and locally by the Lebanon law firm of Gray & Duning. The city and Yurick are represented by the Finney Law Firm of Cincinnati. The lawsuit alleges the ordinance conflicts with state laws prohibiting concealed carry in government buildings that contain courtrooms. Lebanon's City Council meets in the Lebanon Municipal Court courtroom on the second floor of the City Building, 50 N. Broadway. In March 2020, Lebanon's city council enacted an ordinance that authorizes the concealed carry of handguns within Lebanon's city building, except during the operation of the Lebanon Municipal Court. According to lawsuit, the residents sent a letter to Yurick requesting his office seek an injunction "requiring the city to comply with Ohio law and return to its prohibition on the possession of firearms within the City Building." However, on March 2, 2021, the city responded by letter and stated that it declined to seek injunctive relief, which resulted in the residents filing their civil action and the city filing a motion to dismiss. In the denial of the city's motion to dismiss, Tepe said the residents properly brought the lawsuit forward and state law allows a municipal taxpayer "may institute suit in his own name, on behalf of the municipal corporation" in order to restrain the municipalities' abuse of corporate power. Story continues In the decision, Tepe said the residents have stated a claim, which if proven, may entitle them to relief, in finding the city's motion to dismiss is not well taken. He also said the residents have standing to bring their declaratory judgment claim and that they have adequately stated a claim for declaratory judgment. "[T]he Court finds that there is a genuine dispute as to the legal validity of the ordinance. Further, it is not disputed by either party that plaintiffs' and defendants' interest in this dispute are adverse. Further, the ordinance has taken effect and is currently in place. Thus, the controversy is immediate and real," Tepe said in the decision. "The residents we represent ask only that the city comply with state laws intended to keep courthouses and similar government buildings safe," Len Kamdang, director of litigation strategy and trials for Everytown Law, said in a March statement announcing the suit's filing. "People should be able to take part in the democratic process without the threat of violence or intimidation." Rebecca Simpson Heimlich of the Finney Law Firm, said it's helpful to get insight from the court, but they believe the ordinance is not in conflict with state law. Attorneys representing the residents could not be reached for comment Monday. A view of a Los Angeles Angels jersey with a patch to honor Tyler Skaggs, who wore the No. 45. (Tom Pennington / Getty Images) A federal judge sharply criticized the effort by prosecutors to compel the Angels to comply with a subpoena in the case against former employee Eric Kay and rejected their attempt in an order unsealed Tuesday. The government apparently has no idea what specific items it wants from the Angels; indeed, it has no idea whether any items other than those already produced even exist, U.S. District Judge Terry Means wrote in the five-page document initially filed Oct. 7 in U.S. District Court in Fort Worth. Prosecutors subpoenaed the Angels in late July, seeking information about members of the organization potentially distributing drugs, then accused the team of not cooperating. In response, the Angels said they have produced thousands of pages of documents and an entire computer hard drive to the government in response to at least five subpoenas and requests for information and coordinated interviews with numerous employees. The Court is not inclined to give its imprimatur to a government fishing expedition based solely on the speculation of counsel that other unproduced documents must exist, Means wrote. The Angels have presented evidence demonstrating that, other than the documents withheld as part of its privilege log, all responsive documents have already been produced. The government has wholly failed to present any evidence tending to suggest otherwise. Kay is accused of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone and fentanyl since at least 2017 and with distributing the fentanyl that prosecutors allege led to pitcher Tyler Skaggs overdose death in a Texas hotel room on July 1, 2019. Kay has pleaded not guilty. Means order quoted from a declaration by an attorney representing the Angels, Nicole Van Dyk, saying the team gave the government almost 1 million pages of records by November 2019. Those documents included all records related to Kay and his communications with [Skaggs] The Angels asked Means to unseal his ruling last month, noting in a court filing the document didnt contain any non-public information. Prosecutors opposed the move. Kays trial, which was pushed to next year after a grand jury returned a superseding indictment last week, was delayed again Tuesday because of a scheduling conflict involving a prosecutor. The trial is now scheduled to start Feb. 8. It is the seventh trial date since Kays arrest in August 2020. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. For two years I taught Civics, Economics, and English to some of Nashvilles most disadvantaged students. I taught kids who had been incarcerated, victims of child abuse, and students experiencing homelessness. In this context, the quality of lessons took on particular importance. In searching for lessons, I relied heavily on a platform called TeachersPayTeachers (TpT), which functions as it sounds: teachers sell lessons to other teachers. TpT is overwhelmingly popular with over half of Math and English teachers using lessons from TpT at least once a week. I found on TpT a library of lessons that engaged and challenged my students. So, after saying goodbye to the teaching profession, I decided to give back to the TpT community by becoming a seller and posting for free some of my best lessons. However, a few days ago, I received notice that TpT had removed several of my lessons for violating TpTs Inappropriate Content Policy. In looking at the lessons TpT pulled, I couldnt figure out what made them inappropriate. For instance, in one lesson, students acted as FDA bureaucrats, and were charged with creating food-safety regulations to guard against COVID-19. Stumped, I decided to ask TpT for an explanation. Hear more Tennessee Voices: Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought provoking columns. Starving the expression of thought TpT responded that the lessons were deactivated because they asked students to express their opinions on a traumatic event, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and TpT does not allow resources wherein students debate, make arguments, or otherwise give their opinions about events, policies, or individuals associated with traumatic experiences or basic human rights. Seeing as roughly every historical, economic, literary, and political topic can be construed as traumatic, TPTs policies appear to ban students from giving their opinions about almost any topic in any class. After all, if COVID-19 regulations for restaurants is considered traumatic, it would be quite a challenge to name something that TpT doesnt believe is traumatic. History, for example, is almost exclusively composed of events far worse than COVID-19 regulations. Story continues Kevin Kennedy Ironically, TpT justifies its policy under the guise of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, that being the name of their department responsible for removing offensive lessons. Most perplexing though is how this policy promotes equity. One would think that stunting students ability to form opinions about the world would actually be a bad thing for low-income, minority students. Indeed, such students are substantially likelier to not discuss politics at home. For example, a Hofstra University study revealed that 40% of families making $30,000 or less do not discuss politics at all at home, while that number is only 9% for families making $100,000 or more. Hear from Tennessee's Black voices: Get the weekly newsletter for powerful and critical thinking columns. Consequently, most of my 12th grade students did not know what a Senator was. For them, school was their sole opportunity to have the conversations that their wealthier counterparts were routinely having. In effect, TpTs policies seem to exacerbate, not heal, class and racial disparities. TpTs policies would not matter if TpT was only responsible for a small fraction of the lessons teachers ultimately use. But that is not the case. In fact, given that over 40% of math and English teachers use lessons off TpT at least 2 to 3 times a week, a heavy portion of teachers evidently rely on TpT as their primary source for lessons. By starving the platform of lessons that challenge students to form beliefs about society, the inevitable result is that students, particularly disadvantaged ones, will have less of an opportunity to think critically about the world. Meanwhile, parents and educators are left to ponder how exactly all this will lead to more equity. Kevin Kennedy is a former teacher at Metro Nashville Public Schools and currently a law student at Vanderbilt Law School. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Education company's policy could possibly hurt students ability to think critically They succeeded this fall in a nearly 40-year quest to have millionaire Robert Durst charged with murder in the disappearance of his wife, Kathie. Now her siblings want to hold accountable those they believe blocked justice for much of that time, including New York city police, a former Westchester district attorney and Dursts family and other officials of the Durst Organization, one of New York citys most powerful real estate empires. Jim McCormack, Kathie's older brother, said the issues of who helped Robert Durst in the immediate aftermath of her disappearance and for years afterward had to be investigated not just for Kathie and her family "but for every family that has been victimized by prosecutorial cowardice, misconduct and corruption." Robert Durst, seated with attorney Dick DeGuerin, is sentenced to life without possibility of parole for the killing of Susan Berman Thursday, Oct. 14, 2021 at the Airport Courthouse in Los Angeles. New York real estate heir Robert Durst was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without chance of parole for the murder of his best friend more that two decades ago. (Myung J. Chung/Los Angeles Times via AP, Pool) "We want both closure and justice for Kathie and our family, which has suffered from her disappearance, murder, and the concealment of her remains," McCormack said at a press conference Tuesday outside the Westchester County Courthouse with his family's lawyer, Robert Abrams. indictment: Durst charged with murder in 1982 disappearance of his wife Timeline: Robert Durst Robert Durst, 78 and in failing health, is already serving a life sentence in California following his first-degree murder conviction in the 2000 execution-style slaying of his best friend, Susan Berman. Prosecutors argued Berman was killed because of what she knew Durst had done to his wife. After his sentencing last month, Westchester prosecutors secured an indictment against Durst, charging him with second-degree murder. He is accused of intentionally killing his wife, a 29-year-old medical student, on Jan. 31, 1982, at the couples lakeside cottage in South Salem. Her body has never been found. Jim McCormack, older brother of Kathie Durst, speaks outside Westchester County Courthouse on Nov. 9, 2021, about the murder charge against Robert Durst in the killing of his wife and why it took decades to bring it. Kathie's brother and Abrams commended new Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah but said she and her prosecutors were simply doing their jobs. In a letter from Abrams Monday, they've asked her to investigate why her predecessors didnt do the same in the 22 years since it became clear the investigation centered on Westchester instead of Manhattan. Story continues Durst reported his wife missing to New York City detectives on Feb. 5, 1982. He insisted that he took Kathie to the Katonah train station five nights earlier so she could return to their Manhattan apartment. And he claimed he spoke to her by phone that night once she had gotten there though in recent years he has admitted that was a lie to get them to believe she had reached Manhattan. Berman is believed to have posed as Kathie in a phone call to a dean of Albert Einstein College of Medicine on Feb. 1, 1982, saying she was too sick to attend the first day of a pediatric clerkship. Abrams and McCormack took particular aim at former District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, who is believed to have dropped plans to present Kathie's case to a grand jury in 2004 after a meeting she had with Douglas Durst, the head of the family business. They seek to link that decision to hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions by the Durst Organization and its principles to former Gov. George Pataki, Pirro's political mentor. Kathie Durst Abrams insisted that the Durst family did not assist investigators in 1982 because they were worried about the company's reputation. "Their only concern was 'Hey, this could hurt our business,'" Abrams said. "All they cared about was money. They didn't care about Kathie." A spokesperson for the Durst family fired back in a statement, assailing Abrams for a "long history of leveling hollow, baseless attacks without ever providing a single shred of documentation to substantiate his wild claims." It cited Douglas Durst's recent testimony at the California murder trial at which he expressed fear that his brother wanted to kill him and denied "these wild accusations" about a cover-up. "Abrams has now accused George Pataki, John Lewin (the Los Angeles prosecutor) and Jeanine Pirro of aiding Robert Durst in the cover up of his crimes," the spokesperson said. "His record of failed litigation makes it clear that he is a far better conspiracy theorist than lawyer. Pirro did not respond to a request for comment. Twitter: @jonbandler This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Family wants to know why murder case against Robert Durst took so long These are recent restaurant inspection reports for Lake County from Nov. 1-6 filed by state safety and sanitation inspectors. The Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation describes an inspection report as a snapshot of conditions present at the time of the inspection. On any given day, an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in their most recent inspection. An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall, long-term conditions at the establishment. Please note that some more recent, follow-up inspections may not be included here. Carrabba's Italian Grill 650 US Hwy 441 N, The Villages Routine inspection Nov. 2. Met standards. 15 total violations, with 4 high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Employee switched from working with raw food to ready-to-eat food without washing hands. - cookline Manager talked to employee **Corrective Action Taken** -- High Priority - Food-contact surfaces not sanitized after cleaning, before use. Do not use equipment/utensils not properly sanitized. - plastic pan remained dirty after washing. -- High Priority - Single-use gloves not changed as needed after changing tasks or when damaged or soiled. - Cookline cook touch food tickets no hand wash. Manager talked to employee **Corrective Action Taken** -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. - tomatoes sauce (48F - Cold Holding); meat sauce (46F - Cold Holding) operator Place sauces in cookline at 10:00am, asked operator to place ice under sauces. **Corrective Action Taken** -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. - soda gun in bar - mixer head - white stained cutting boards in use **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Accumulation of debris on exterior of warewashing machine. **Corrected On-Site** Story continues -- Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. - vents soiled in front of warewashing area -- Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. - grooved cutting boards in use prep area **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. -- Basic - Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. - dry storage room floor **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Food stored on floor. - water softener salt **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. - prep area oven -- Basic - Unsealed concrete floor in food preparation, food storage, warewashing area or bathroom. - grout missing in cookline -- Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. - unwashed stored above ready to eat vegetables **Corrected On-Site** Ay! Jalisco 1152 Main Street, The Villages Routine inspection Nov. 4. Met standards. 13 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Dishmachine chlorine sanitizer not at proper minimum strength. Discontinue use of dishmachine for sanitizing and set up manual sanitization until dishmachine is repaired and sanitizing properly. 0 ppm. Operator reprimed, 100 ppm. **Corrected On-Site** -- High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Multiple cleaning items stored in dry storage closet stored over liquor bottles and chocolate syrup. **Corrected On-Site** -- High Priority - Wiping cloth solution exceeding the maximum concentration allowed stored in a location that could result in the cross contamination of food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Chlorine over 200 ppm at wait station. -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. -Blue cutting board in kitchen. -Soda gun at bar. -- Intermediate - Operator is not properly tracking/marking the number of days ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite was held at refrigeration temperatures prior to freezing in order to properly date mark the food when it is thawed and held at refrigeration temperatures again. Chicken. Manager determined correct thaw date. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Dead roaches on premises. -1 dead in kitchen. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. All cooks. -- Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Triple door cooler gasket torn. -- Basic - Food stored on floor. -Cooking oil in warewash area. -Multiple items in walk in freezer. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Ice scoop handle in contact with ice. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. -Exterior of large burner in kitchen. -- Basic - Old labels stuck to food containers after cleaning. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Small reach in cooler in kitchen. **Corrected On-Site** HP Grille 1403 S 14 St, Leesburg Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. 11 total violations, with 3 high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with unwashed produce. - pulled eggs over apples -- High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. - pulled eggs over ready to eat cooked pork -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. - butter pockets left on tables no refrigeration, talked to operator regarding not leaving butter out on tables, operator collected all butter packages and discarded them. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. - small cutting board in reach-in-cooler -- Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. - cleaning tub in hand washing sink -- Intermediate - Operator is not properly tracking/marking the number of days ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite was held at refrigeration temperatures prior to freezing in order to properly date mark the food when it is thawed and held at refrigeration temperatures again. - multiple food items in reach-in-freezer -- Intermediate - Raw/undercooked animal food offered and establishment has no written consumer advisory. Raw animal foods must be fully cooked prior to service. - provided operator with consumer advisory **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Records/documents for required employee training do not contain all of the required information. - Food Handlers Training certificates missing information -- Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on equipment door handles. - multiple reach-in-coolers reach-in-freezers in kitchen -- Basic - Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. - establishment with acoustic ceiling tiles -- Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. - small reach-in-freezer Oakwood Smokehouse & Grill 860 S Hwy 27/441, Lady Lake Routine inspection Nov. 4. Met standards. 15 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Employee failed to wash hands before putting on gloves to initiate a task working with food. - Cookline change gloves no hand wash, talked to manager who talked to cook. **Corrective Action Taken** -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. - black eye peas 125F, re-heated to 173F **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. - cutting board with stains - can opener blade - dessert reach-in-cooler gasket in cookline -- Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. - hand washing sink block by reach-in-freezer, operator will move reach-in-freezer -- Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. - back of restaurant **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Records/documents for required employee training do not contain all of the required information. - missing trainers certificate number. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. -- Basic - Accumulation of debris inside warewashing machine. -- Basic - Accumulation of debris on exterior of warewashing machine. -- Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. - flour container **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. - smoke stains in multiple ceiling tiles -- Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. - two reach-in-cooler cutting boards in cookline -- Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. - employee personal items in dry storage **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Open dumpster lid. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Unsealed concrete floor in food preparation, food storage, warewashing area or bathroom. Augustines 1812 House Inc 1101 Main St, The Villages Routine inspection Nov. 4. Met standards. 12 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw bacon over biscuits in walk in cooler. **Corrected On-Site** -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Milk 57f. Less than 4 hours. Advised to rapid chill. -- Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. By dish machine. -- Basic - Accumulation of debris on exterior of warewashing machine. Under rails. -- Basic - Floor soiled/has accumulation of debris. -Under fryers. -- Basic - Food stored in a location that is exposed to splash/dust. Cake in reach in cooler. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Ice buildup in reach-in freezer and/or walk-in freezer. Reach in double door cooler. -- Basic - In-use tongs stored on equipment door handle between uses. -- Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. -Salamander. -Stack oven in side prep area. -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Interior of fryer cabinets. -- Basic - Water leaking from pipe and/or faucet/handle. Reach in double door cooler. -- Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Bulk container of sugar. **Corrected On-Site** San Jose's Original Mexican Restaurant Of Leesburg 1341 & 1339 S 14 St, Leesburg Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. 12 total violations, with 2 high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Employee used tobacco, ate, or drank then engaged in food preparation, handled clean equipment or utensils, or touched unwrapped single-service items without washing hands. - drink to cook no hand wash -- High Priority - Vacuum breaker missing at mop sink faucet or on fitting/splitter added to mop sink faucet. -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. - white stained cutting board in prep area - soda nozzles servers station in kitchen entrance -- Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. - soup dispenser came off the wall -- Basic - Bowl or other container with no handle used to dispense food. - dispensing sugar, rice, and beans **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. - ceiling vent soiled above back door -- Basic - In-use wet wiping cloth/towel used under cutting board. -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. - walk-in-cooler fan cover -- Basic - Unwashed fruits/vegetables stored with ready-to-eat food. - unwashed veg above ready to eat onions -- Basic - Walk-in cooler/freezer shelves with rust that has pitted the surface. -- Basic - Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. - spider webs in pre area wall **Repeat Violation** -- Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. Pho Saigon 2393 US Hwy 27, Clermont Complaint inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. Eight total violations, with two high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Employee began working with food, handling clean equipment or utensils, or touching unwrapped single-service items without first washing hands. Employee went out rear door, came back in, handled clean dishes without washing hands. -- High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Raw chicken over raw beef in upright freezer. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Slicer blade soiled. -- Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. Wire basket in hand washing sink by grill. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. At hand washing sink by grill. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. Broth in upright cooler not date marked, made 2 days ago. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Employee with no hair restraint while engaging in food preparation. 3 employees in kitchen with no hair restraint. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Walk in cooler shelves soiled. Top of dish machine soiled. Subway #17207 27405 US Hwy 27, Suite 105, Leesburg Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. Six total violations, with two high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Philly steak 55F, asked operator to place in walk-in-cooler or walk-in-freezer to cool to 41F or below **Corrective Action Taken** -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. - meatballs 122F, asked operator to reheat to 165F and then hot hold at 135F or above. Operator heat up meatballs to 186F. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. - ice chute with mold like substance -- Basic - Ceiling/ceiling tiles/vents soiled with accumulated food debris, grease, dust, or mold-like substance. - vent soiled above hand washing sink in kitchen -- Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. - front line reach-in-coolers cutting boards -- Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. The Pizza Shop 925 E 1St Ave, Mount Dora Licensing inspection Nov. 2. Met standards. Four total violations, with two high-priority violations: -- High Priority - Raw animal food stored over or with ready-to-eat food in a freezer - not all products commercially packaged. Raw Philly meat over cheesecake. -- High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Windex not separate from Parmesan under front counter. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. -Mixer head. -- Basic - Hole in or other damage to wall. By rear handsink. Jersey Mike's Subs 13082 674 N US Highway 441, Lady Lake Routine inspection Nov. 2. Met standards. Six total violations, with one high-priority violation: -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. Front counter Cooler: ; sliced tomatoes (59F - Cold Holding), asked operator to switch sliced tomatoes with tomatoes from grill reach-in-cooler -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. - stained and dirty (black and brown cut marks) cutting board in use. -- Basic - Cutting board has cut marks and is no longer cleanable. - Grooved and stained cutting board in use next to the grill reach-in-cooler -- Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. -- Basic - No copy of latest inspection report available. -- Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. - interior and bottom shelves of display reach-in-cooler Dunkin' Donuts 354584 451 S Duncan Dr, Tavares Routine inspection Nov. 2. Met standards. Six total violations, with one high-priority violation: -- High Priority - Toxic substance/chemical improperly stored. Cleaner stored over to go cups. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. Certified food manager came in midway through inspection. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. -Speed rack near three compartment sink. -Reach in cooler gasket. -- Basic - Reach-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. Front reach in cooler across from front register. -- Basic - Sanitizer bucket stored with food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service, or single-use articles. Stored on table top at coffee station by front register. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Single-service articles not stored inverted or protected from contamination. Coffee filters. **Repeat Violation** Burger King 534 US Hwy 27, Clermont Routine inspection Nov. 3. Follow-up needed: Warning issued. Five total violations, with one high-priority violation: -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food, other than whole meat roast, hot held at less than 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Cooked burger 127 less than 4 hours, manager discarded. **Corrective Action Taken** -- Intermediate - Employee with artificial nails/nail polish working with exposed food without wearing intact gloves. Employee with nail polish preparing food. -- Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. -- Intermediate - No certified food manager for establishment. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ -- Basic - Employee wearing jewelry other than a plain ring on their hands/arms while preparing food. Two employees preparing food with watches/bracelets. Ruby Tuesday #7163 1168 Main Street, Lady Lake Routine inspection Nov. 4. Met standards. Five total violations, with one high-priority violation: -- High Priority - Raw animal food stored over/not properly separated from ready-to-eat food. Raw chicken over milk in cooler by fryers. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Food residue in handsink on cookline. -- Basic - Exterior door has a gap at the threshold that opens to the outside. Walk in cooler door located outside. -- Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. Microwave. -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Some cooler gaskets on cookline. Town Place Suites The Villages 1141 Alonzo Ave, Lady Lake Routine inspection Nov. 2. Met standards. Three total violations, with one high-priority violation: -- High Priority - Time/temperature control for safety food cold held at greater than 41 degrees Fahrenheit. - yogurt 50F per operator unit left open. -- Basic - Floors not constructed to be easily cleanable. - observed wood panels on the floor under rubber mat. The wood panels area covering the metal plates of the grease trap. -- Basic - Standing water or very slow draining water in handwash sink, three-compartment sink, or mop sink. - hand washing sink in kitchen slow draining. Bully Brewing 2204 W Griffin Road, Leesburg Routine inspection Nov. 4. Follow-up needed: Warning issued. Three total violations, with one high-priority violation: -- High Priority - Stop Sale issued due to food not being in a wholesome, sound condition. -ice touching mold like substance inside ice machine. 50lbs. **Warning** -- Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. **Warning** -- Basic - Accumulation of black/green mold-like substance in the interior of the ice machine/bin. **Warning** Hungry Howies 2209 N Citrus Blvd, Leesburg Routine inspection Nov. 2. Met standards. Nine total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Commercially processed ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food opened and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked after opening. - open can of anchovies -- Intermediate - No currently certified food service manager on duty with four or more employees engaged in food preparation/handling. A list of accredited food manager certification examination providers can be found at http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-restaurants/food-lodging/food-manager/ -Acting manager Steven Donovan not manager certificate. -- Intermediate - Water with a temperature of at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit not provided/shut off at employee handwash sink. - current water temperature 95F **Repeat Violation** -- Basic - Ceiling not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, or warewashing areas. - in front of wic -- Basic - Employee with no beard guard/restraint while engaging in food preparation. -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. - floor drain under three compartment sink - pizza reach-in-cooler gaskets soiled - front area one door reach-in-cooler gasket soiled - walk-in-cooler gasket soiled -- Basic - Wall not smooth, nonabsorbent and easily cleanable in food preparation, food storage, warewashing areas or bathroom. - both side walls in front of walk-in-cooler -- Basic - Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. - mold like substance back of three compartment sink - mold like substance in the interior walls of walk-in-cooler -- Basic - Wet mop not stored in a manner to allow the mop to dry. Mystic Ice Cream 1217 W Miller St, Fruitland Park Routine inspection Nov. 4. Follow-up needed: Warning issued. Eight total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. - block by mop bucket **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - Manager or person in charge lacking proof of food manager certification. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. Kitchen **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - No plan review submitted and approved - renovations were made or are in progress. Must submit plans and plan review application to DBPR H and R Plan Review office located at 2601 Blair Stone Rd., Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011. Plans must be submitted AND approved within 60 days. - operator added a room to the establishment. The room is equipped with three compartment sink, ice cream machine, hand sink, mop sink, and reach-in-coolers. -- Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - No sanitizer of any kind available for warewashing. Only use single-service items to serve food to customers until sanitizer is available for warewashing. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair and/or in disrepair. - floor tiles missing under mop sink -- Basic - Hole in or other damage to wall. - unfinished walls in new space Big Kahuna Bar 18015 Summer Isle Cir, Clermont Routine inspection Nov. 3. Met standards. Eight total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. Can opener blade soiled. **Repeat Violation** -- Intermediate - No paper towels or mechanical hand drying device provided at handwash sink. At hand washing sink in kitchen. -- Basic - Buildup of food debris/soil residue on dry storage shelves. -- Basic - Employee personal items stored in or above a food preparation area, food, clean equipment and utensils, or single-service items. Ball cap stored on napkins on dry storage shelves. **Corrected On-Site** **Repeat Violation** -- Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Walk in cooler gasket torn. **Repeat Violation** -- Basic - Food stored on floor. In walk in cooler, also box of canned cheese ion floor in dry storage. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Walk in cooler gasket, lowboy cooler gaskets soiled. -- Basic - Walk-in cooler interior/shelves have accumulation of soil residues. McDonald's #24078 27422 US Hwy 27, Leesburg Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. Seven total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Food-contact surface soiled with food debris, mold-like substance or slime. - soda nozzles in dining area **Corrected On-Site** -- Intermediate - No soap provided at handwash sink. - Cookline hand washing **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Accumulation of debris inside warewashing machine. -- Basic - Floors not maintained smooth and durable. - missing grout in front of warewashing machine -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. - walk-in-cooler fan **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Trash receptacles not provided where needed in establishment. - no trash can next to hand sinks **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Wall soiled with accumulated grease, food debris, and/or dust. - wall in dry storage with food debris Cottage Inn 340 S Hwy 27/441, Lady Lake Routine inspection Nov. 4. Follow-up needed: Warning issued. Seven total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Ready-to-eat, time/temperature control for safety food prepared onsite and held more than 24 hours not properly date marked. -Taco meat. **Repeat Violation** -- Basic - Accumulation of debris inside warewashing machine. Along top rails. -- Basic - Equipment and utensils not properly air-dried - wet nesting. -- Basic - In-use ice scoop stored on soiled surface between uses. Stored on rag at wait station. -- Basic - In-use knife/knives stored in cracks between pieces of equipment. -- Basic - No mop sink or curbed cleaning facility provided at establishment. **Warning** -- Basic - Working containers of food removed from original container not identified by common name. Flour container. Hardee's #1500724 301 E Burleigh Blvd, Tavares Complaint inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. Six total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Handwash sink used for purposes other than handwashing. Ice in handsink nearest to drive through window. -- Basic - Equipment in poor repair. Cooler gasket torn nearest to broiler. -- Basic - Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair and/or in disrepair. Under handsink nearest to broiler. -- Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. -Microwave over makeline. **Corrected On-Site** -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. Above steam table. -- Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. Drink holders on floor in dry storage. **Corrected On-Site** Nishco Hospitality Inc 850 S US Hwy 27/441, Lady Lake Routine inspection Nov. 4. Met standards. Four total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. - hand washing sink block by table. -- Intermediate - Records/documents for required employee training do not contain all of the required information. - Foodhandler Training Certificates missing trainers certificate number. -- Basic - No handwashing sign provided at a hand sink used by food employees. - hallway restroom use by employees -- Basic - Trash receptacles not provided where needed in establishment. - no trash receptacle next to hand sink in kitchen. - no trash receptacle in kitchen. The Pub 890 Avenida Central, The Villages Routine inspection Nov. 2. Met standards. Three total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. - operator is utilizing hand sink as a dump sink -- Basic - Floor tiles missing and/or in disrepair and/or in disrepair. - under soda in the box shelf -- Basic - Interior of oven/microwave has accumulation of black substance/grease/food debris. - interior of microwave Little Caesars Pizza 1407 S 14 St, Leesburg Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. Three total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Basic - No copy of latest inspection report available. -- Basic - Nonfood-contact surface soiled with grease, food debris, dirt, slime or dust. - walk-in-cooler gasket -- Basic - Single-service articles improperly stored. - napkins stored on floor Empanada & Co 334 N Donnelly St, Mount Dora Routine inspection Nov. 5. Follow-up needed: Warning issued. Two total violations, with no high-priority violations. -- Intermediate - Handwash sink not accessible for employee use at all times. -- Intermediate - No proof of required state approved employee training provided for any employees. To order approved program food safety material, call DBPR contracted provider: Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association (SafeStaff) 866-372-7233. Sunrise Grill 462 E Burleigh Blvd, Tavares Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards; earlier problems corrected. No violations were found. Bru 143 E Main St, Tavares Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards. No violations were found. Brie's Cafe 1544 Lane Park Cutoff, Tavares Routine inspection Nov. 2. Met standards; earlier problems corrected. No violations were found. Dam Smoker BBQ 36721 Cr 19 A, Eustis Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards; earlier problems corrected. No violations were found. Oakwood Smokehouse & Grill 2911 David Walker Dr, Eustis Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards; earlier problems corrected. No violations were found. Puddle Jumpers 111 W Ruby St, Tavares Routine inspection Nov. 5. Met standards; earlier problems corrected. No violations were found. This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Lake County restaurant inspections for Nov. 1-6 Alphonse Bifulco of Battle Creek has begun collecting for his annual Thanksgiving food boxes for needy families. Alphonse Bifulco never really knows how the food boxes come together, but they always do. "I don't know how it gets done," he said Tuesday. "But it always works its way out at the end. Somebody will come through." Since 2015, Bifulco, 54, a transplant to Battle Creek from New York City, has been collecting and distributing food at Thanksgiving and Easter. This year, the goal of his New Leaf Project is to feed 150 families, at least 20 more than a year ago. "Why? Because people need it," he said. Bifulco works with Darlene Williams, who operates the local Santa's Helper toy drive collecting and distributing gifts at Christmastime. Williams helps Bifulco with food collection and provides names of families who need help. Much of the food they collect is from the South Michigan Food Bank in Battle Creek. Some donations are from private individuals. Ahead of Thanksgiving, Bifulco has stocked pallets of canned and boxed food including vegetables, macaroni and cheese, cereal, applesauce and fruit cocktail at the Share Center at 120 Grove St. There, he'll fill cardboard boxes donated by Lowe's and distribute them to local families. Bifulco is still seeking 150 cans of yams, 150 cake mixes and 450 boxes of cornbread. He won't know until Friday how many turkeys will be available for a reduced price or donated from Save-A-Lot and private individuals. The store has been a regular contributor to the project but Bifulco said this year he is uncertain what to expect because of a shortage of turkeys. Bifulco admits to a dark past in New York City. "I was selling drugs and robbing and stealing, and now I am giving out food," he told the Enquirer last year. "I know how it feels not to have." He moved to Michigan to be near family and start over, he said. Years ago, he began donating day-old doughnuts to police departments, firehouses, medical personnel and bus drivers in Battle Creek. Story continues He eventually started collecting food for holiday meals for a few people, and the project snowballed. "I do it because people need help," he said. "Once you do it and you see people's faces, it's like a drug. You just want to help. You wish you could help 300 people." Bifulco has a few regulars who donate each year in addition to people who read or hear about his project. "It's $50 here and $50 there," he said. "I went to my heart doctor and I always go into his pocket. I said to him, 'you helped me last year with $200, can you help me this year with $300? "You get people to step up and if they don't step up you put it on a credit card and you just pray for it and it always works out," Bifulco said. "I will do it as long as God keeps letting me do it. As long as I can get out of bed and stand on my own two feet." Call Bifulco at 269-317-9194 or 269-967-6167. Contact Trace Christenson at 269-966-0685 or tchrist@battlecreekenquirer.com This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: New Leaf Project seeking food donations for Thanksgiving baskets The new memorial for Lenawee County firefighters who died in the line of duty is pictured during a dedication ceremony Sunday at Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian. ADRIAN Firefighters, their families and dignitaries gathered Sunday afternoon at Oakwood Cemetery for the unveiling of the Lenawee County memorial to 10 firefighters who died in the line of duty. Those honored dated from 1881 to 2020. They are: William Blake, Adrian, Dec. 11, 1881. Charles Holmes, Adrian, Sept. 8, 1909. Christian Schoen, Adrian, June 2, 2012. William Vollmer, Adrian, Dec. 19, 1925. Anthony Frey, Adrian, April 23, 1939. George Schwenk, Blissfield Township, May 11, 1941. Norman McKenzie, Adrian, Jan. 12, 1960. Birger Johnson, Adrian, March 16, 1964. Clyde Filter, Riga Township May 7, 1966. Joseph Gallo, Blissfield Township, Nov. 17, 2020. The memorial was placed next to a memorial for Lenawee County peace officers who also died in the line of duty. The families of fallen firefighters, active firefighters and dignitaries gather Sunday at Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian for the unveiling of a memorial for Lenawee County firefighter line of duty deaths. This is just an amazing crowd for a very, very important and special dedication in our community. I cannot thank you enough, especially for the families of those that have fallen and are listed here on the memorial. Our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to you, and we really thank you for joining us today, Adrian Mayor Angie Sword Heath said. I also want to thank all of our active firefighters that are here today in attendance and those who could not be here. We want to recognize and thank you as you serve and protect our community and that every time you got into a fire or into an accident scene or whatever it might be, that you could possibly be paying that ultimate sacrifice. We cannot thank you enough for how much you do for our community, and we are very grateful and so thankful for everything that you do. Adrian Mayor Angie Sword Heath speaks Sunday at Oakwood Cemetery during the dedication ceremony for a new memorial for Lenawee County firefighters who died in the line of duty. It was the most recent death of Blissfield Township Fire Capt. Joseph Joe Gallo that inspired the memorial to go forward. Others had tried in the past, but the impetus for this memorial was Gallo. Gallo, 34, died in a car crash while responding to a barn fire in Deerfield Township. In his free time, he restored old fire trucks and belonged to the Michigan Antique Emergency Vehicle Club. Story continues Gallo drove his 2003 Chevrolet Impala to the scene of a fire on Garno Road at about 4 p.m. While driving on the gravel portion of the road, Gallo lost control of the car and rolled over into a field. He was always that guy, the one you knew you could count on, Blissfield Township Fire Chief Dale Fruchey said. Gallo joined the Blissfield Township Fire Department in 2014. The fire department promoted him to captain in 2017. More: Lenawee County firefighters are raising money for fallen firefighter memorial More: Community responds to death of Blissfield firefighter In 2018, the Madison Township Fire Department also hired Gallo as a firefighter and EMT. He worked two shifts every week, while simultaneously serving Blissfield Township. Fruchey broke down while he was paying tribute to Gallo. Joe was a true brother to those in the fire service. He is greatly missed every day ... not only as a member but as a close friend, Fruchey said. State Fire Marshall Kevin Sehlmeyer brought the flag that was drawn to half-staff above the state Capitol on the day Gallo died. It again was flying at half-staff over the cemetery Sunday afternoon. The ceremony began and ended with bagpipes. Ryan Rank, president of the Lenawee County Fire Chiefs Association and Madison Township's fire chief, gave the speech just before the unveiling of the memorial. Madison Township Fire Chief Ryan Rank, who also is president of the Lenawee County Fire Chiefs Association, speaks Sunday at Oakwood Cemetery during the dedication ceremony for a new memorial for Lenawee County firefighters who died in the line of duty. All the tributes we give to the fallen are small in comparison to their sacrifice. Firefighting is a very unique profession. Not many people know exactly what we do or why we do it. Its our way of life. But its a strong desire to help people, help our fellow firefighters, no matter the reason. What we memorialize today is bravery. We memorialize their courage, their adherence to duty, their sense of honor. We do so, so that others in the community can be inspired by their acts of uncommon valor, Rank said. I feel its an honor to have this memorial here in the county not only to honor the fallen firefighters, but its a privilege for us to honor their families who are here today. Its my greatest hope that no other name will be added to this list. This memorial has been a very long process. Efforts were attempted many times over the years but failed for various reasons. Unfortunately, the loss of Capt. Gallo in November of last year restarted the efforts. After the unveiling of the memorial a bell was rung for once for each of the 10 fallen firefighters and a red rose for each was placed in a firefighters boot next to the memorial by active firefighters. Narratives of each firefighter who had fallen were collected from newspaper accounts and read to the crowd. The service ended with four firefighters stationed at the corners of the tent where the crowd read the Firemans Prayer: The new memorial for Lenawee County firefighters who died in the line of duty is unveiled during a ceremony Sunday at Oakwood Cemetery in Adrian. When I am called to duty, God whenever flames may rage, Give me the strength to save some life Whatever be its age. Help me to embrace a little child Before its too late, Or some older person from the horror of that fate. Enable me to be alert And hear the weakest shout, And quickly and efficiently to put the fire out. I want to fill my calling and give the best in me, To guard my neighbor And protect his property. And if according to Your will I have to lose my life, Please bless with Your protecting hand My children and my wife. This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Lenawee County firefighters' sacrifices honored at memorial dedication Ward 2 candidate for New Bern Board of Aldermen Jennell Reddick. The race for representation in New Bern's second ward has its first official candidate. On Monday, New Bern resident Jennell Reddick announced she'll be running for the Ward 2 seat on the board of aldermen. Alderwoman Jameesha Harris currently represents Ward 2. "I've never had political aspirations at all," said Reddick. "The past couple of years, I have been involved in some areas that I never thought I would be involved in. The bottom line is supplying the need to the community and there is so much out there to do. I just want to serve." Her campaign is focused on "economic development, education and bridging the gap," according to an email from Reddick. Speaking in terms of Ward 2's needs, Reddick said the area of Duffyfield is considered a dry area with a lack of businesses. Resources like a small chain grocery store is something she would like to see, but her main objective is to reunite the people. Over the past couple of years, the rebuilding of the Stanley White Recreation Center has been a talking point for the community. The process between FEMA, the city, and those directly impacted by the loss of Stanley White was something Reddick said divided the community. "I feel like we are a little scattered, we are angry, we have a lot to say, but nothing is getting done," added Reddick. "There is a disconnect, unfortunately, but I just want us to come together, and say here are our priorities, we are going to start here instead of just talking about it." Stanley White decision: Three years of protest and studies come to a close Reddick went on to say the division between the community and local elected officials was already there. That division did not help the overall outcome when the city decided to rebuild the center located between Gaston Boulevard and Third Avenue. In order to reunite those who live in Ward 2, Reddick says her ward needs new leaders. Understanding she won't be able to listen to everyone's voice, being able to lean on local leaders will allow her to bring the communities voice to the table Story continues Growth with the workforce and economic development are two examples said to be vital to the sustainability of the city for Reddick. She also vows to help connect citizens to many educational resources and programs in order to bridge the learning gaps brought on by Hurricane Florence and the COVID-19 pandemic. Reddick is the president of R.L. Thompson Company in New Bern. Reporter Trevor Dunnell can be reached by email at tdunnell@newbernsj.com. Please consider supporting local journalism by signing up for a digital subscription for as little as $1 a month. Newbernsj.com/subscribenow This article originally appeared on Sun Journal: New Bern's Ward 2 race in March shaping up New London, Ohio. Tom E. Puskar, Times-Gazette.com Several members of the public spoke to council Monday about a variety of issues, including a property owner who said his tenants are not allowed to receive information about utility bills from the village. The solicitor will check the relevant ordinance to see if the policy can be changed. A couple who purchased a mobile home at the Reservoir Park that was used by the park director asked if it could stay where it sits. The village told the previous owner it had to be moved because the land was needed for other purposes. That has not changed and it must be moved. NEW LONDON NOTES: Village celebrates Halloween with a variety of events Police Chief Joe Hicks received permission to advertise for a part-time officer due to two resignations. Council also voted to accept the recommendation to take officer Ryan Ginley off probationary status. Memorial Deck nearly complete Administrator Shawn Pickworth reported the Terry Wilson Memorial Deck is almost complete and work on the wastewater treatment plant continues. Water to both parks will be shut off this week, according to park Director Joe Thomas. Thomas reminded council the Park Gun Raffle is Nov. 20. He suggested profits from the event be used to refurbish the tennis courts in the Recreation Park at a cost of around $16,000. This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Part-time officer needed in New London, Gun Raffle coming up Malala Yousafzai is now a married woman. The 24-year-old Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner made the announcement on Instagram Tuesday that she has tied the knot, just months after she told British Vogue that she wasn't sure if she would ever marry. "Today marks a precious day in my life," she wrote on Instagram. "Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead." Yousafzai's parents, Ziauddin Yousafzai and Toor Pekai Yousafzai, shared their excitement along with some photos by Malala's friend, photographer Malin Fezehai. "It is beyond words," Ziauddin Yousafzai tweeted. "Toor Pekai and I are overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. Alhamdulillah." Malala talked with British Vogue earlier this year about her feelings toward marriage, saying her parents had an "arranged love marriage but expressing doubt about whether she would ever marry. "I still dont understand why people have to get married," she said. "If you want to have a person in your life, why do you have to sign marriage papers, why cant it just be a partnership? Her parents disagreed with that notion. "My mum is like, 'Dont you dare say anything like that! You have to get married, marriage is beautiful,'" she said. She added that her father has received emails from men in Pakistan who wanted to marry her. Even until my second year of university, I just thought, Im never going to get married, never going to have kids just going to do my work,'" she said. "'Im going to be happy and live with my family forever.' I didnt realize that youre not the same person all the time. You change as well and youre growing. Yousafzai is known for her advocacy work on behalf of girls and women, particularly in stressing education for girls across the world. She became a well-known activist after delivering an inspiring speech at the United Nations when she survived being shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan. She was 15 at the time and was shot because she simply was a girl pursuing an education. Yousafzai is still dealing with the effects of the shooting, as she shared in August that she underwent her sixth surgery as a result of the near-fatal injury she suffered nine years ago. She also spoke up for the women and girls of Afghanistan who are once again under Taliban rule after the withdrawal of U.S. forces. One man was killed in a South Carolina gun store after the business owner told sheriffs deputies he mistook a firearm for a BB gun. Berkeley County sheriffs deputies responded to Coastal Firearms on Cainhoy Road in Charleston last Tuesday for a report of a man who had been shot in the lower face, according to an incident report. First responders declared Stefan Mrgan, 36, dead at the scene at 5:48 p.m. Store owner Jon Whitley told the deputy he accidentally shot Mrgan with a Glock 17 after mistaking it for a BB gun, the report reads. A witness told investigators Whitley and Mrgan had been having a conversation like normal inside the store when the witness heard a loud bang, then saw Mrgan fall to the ground bleeding. Investigators took possession of Whitleys Glock as part of the investigation. The store owner was not arrested at the scene. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) A man reportedly armed with a knife threatened passers-by on the streets of the Norwegian capital, Oslo, on Tuesday, before being shot dead by police, officials said. Norwegian media published footage of the alleged attacker, naked from the waist up and wielding a knife. Police initially suggested that passers-by had been wounded, but later said that only one police officer was slightly hurt. We have so far no information that this is terror-related," Senior Police Chief Egil Joergen Brekke told a news conference. Police said a patrol car in the Bislett neighborhood of northern Oslo drove into a building to halt the man's progress. He then attacked the vehicle and managed to open the car door, police spokesman Torgeir Brenden said. He said several shots were fired at the man but did not specify whether it was the police officers in the car who opened fire. Brenden said the perpetrator was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died. To my knowledge, there are no other injured, Brekke, the police chief, said. Last month a man armed with a bow and arrow and a knife killed five people in a small town southwest of Oslo. Each year, about 60,000 people in the United States get the post-exposure vaccination series of rabies shots, CNN reports. Locally, Marion County Animal Control and the Florida Department of Health in Marion County partner to help people who suffer a bite or scratch from a potentially rabid animal. Year to date, as of Nov. 1, the two agencies worked or were working in close partnership on 883 cases countywide where people were potentially exposed to rabies through animal contact. Big buy: UF Health purchases property in south Marion County for $2.21 million; plans uncertain Feline fixing: Marion County animal organizations alter nearly 300 cats Service plans: In Ocala, some changes for the Quarterly Memorials to honor deceased veterans Crystal Keele, a registered nurse, oversees the FDOH in Marion County's rabies program. When we can't confirm an animal is rabies negative, we try to educate (the exposure victim that) this really is a matter of life and death. If a rabid animal bites you and you dont get preventative treatment, you will die," Keele said. Keele had her own animal control company for 20 years in Florida and trapped wildlife in the Everglades before becoming an RN in 2018 after graduating from Taylor College. Here is how the rabies protocol works in Marion County Keele and animal biologist/scientist Samantha Perry, a rabies surveillance investigator, work with Director of Epidemiology Kelly Conklin to determine if the animal, if found, is a carrier of rabies. They then make a confirmed notification to the bite victim and inform the victim of lifesaving treatment if a rabid animal is involved. The process typically progresses from a bite report to pursuing the identification of the animal in cooperation with animal control officers from MCAC, and trapping or having the animal owner isolate the animal for a 10-day quarantine. If the quarantined animal dies or cannot be found, the post-exposure series of rabies vaccine treatment will be needed and recommended to the bite victim. Story continues Animals can be tested at a regional lab in an autopsy to confirm the rabies. FDOH investigators have authority to require owners to quarantine suspected animals, and usually owners can quarantine their animal. FDOH typically does not seize pets. A Marion County Animal Services mobile unit. If the bite is reported on a timely basis, the teams usually have about 10 days to work each case. But a delayed bite report may hasten the process. Keele explained that everyone's immune system is different, but usually the infection moves at a rate that gives time to determine if the animal was rabid and if vaccine will be needed. The closer the bite location is to the victims brain, the shorter the time frame becomes. A look at the local caseload At any given time, the teams may be juggling a group of cases at different points in the process. Keele explained that of the 883 exposure cases year to date, 18% have had no definite proof that the animal was not rabid, and thus rabies exposure treatment was recommended and offered. The FDOH in Marion team seeks to notify and educate each person involved in the bite cases, but some people refuse because they see the incident as low risk, like an episode with a neighbors dog and they continue to see the dog is alive and well, according to an FDOH in Marion official. The bite victim is informed about the risk of rabies, and a certified letter regarding refusal of treatment is issued. If it is a high-risk case (from a raccoon, bat, feral cat), Crystal or Sam go knock on doors to ensure that person is fully aware of the situation and facing a high risk of death, FDOH in Marion County Public Information Officer Bill Thompson stated. Data provided by FDOH in Marion County indicates people 55 and older are most commonly exposed to rabies in the county, and the three primary "vectors," or carriers for rabies in Marion County, are raccoons, bats and cats, usually feral cats. There have been no known human deaths due to rabies in Marion County since at least 2005, which is when the Florida Department of Health began a digital database. The rabies "post-exposure" series today normally consists of an initial treatment of multiple shots surrounding the area of the bite and a vaccination. The initial treatment is followed by single vaccination shots in the arm in three sessions over 14 days. The needle is about the same size as ones used for the COVID-19 vaccine shots, an FDOH in Marion official said. Keele said the painful shots in the stomach have not been administered since the 1980s. Thompson stated FDOH in Marion County issues rabies alerts giving information on the suspected animals and the general locations. Conklin cautioned people not to feed wild animals." And if you don't know the status of an animal "don't touch it." Dog lovers proud of their country's unique breed want to make their lives betterand prevent the spread of rabies https://t.co/e40yXe8BWG National Geographic (@NatGeo) November 7, 2021 Keele warned about leaving, for example, cat food outside, which may spread rabies virus through saliva from a rabid raccoon to the cat. A rabid cat may lick its claws and spread rabies through saliva, according to an FDOH in Marion County official. MCAC Animal Control Coordinator Jen Correnti, 2014 runner up for the Florida Animal Control Association's Animal Control Officer of the Year, has worked in the field to capture potentially rabid animals for about 12 years. Marion County Animal Control Coordinator Jen Correnti has worked in the field to capture potentially rabid animals for about 12 years. Correnti works closely with the FDOH in Marion County team to isolate the animal for the 10-day quarantine and possible later testing for rabies. Typically, an infected animal will die after 10 days. Correnti was once bitten by a 50-pound mixed breed dog during a bite investigation involving a minor. Her wound required 16 stitches to her arm. Animal control officers are given rabies pre-exposure vaccine shots and booster treatments as necessary in case of rabies exposure. MCAC data indicates from Oct. 1, 2020 to Sept. 30, 2021, the department responded to 21,295 field calls, 2,578 of which were "bite calls." MCAS provided 5,661 animal vaccinations in the same period. Meanwhile, methods have been tried by the medical community to save people suffering from the effects of rabies. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, rabies kills about 59,000 people annually worldwide, but in the United States, just 127 human cases of rabies were recorded between 1960 and 2018. "Rabies is 100% preventable through prompt and appropriate medical care," the CDC guidelines state. This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion County, Florida workers respond when possible rabies cases hit Far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has found common ground with the Black nationalist organisation the Nation of Islam, claiming Louis Farrakhan, his conspiracy theory-promoting newspaper and its followers share her opposition to Covid-19 vaccines, public health officials and the press.. The Republican congresswoman from Georgia shared a 17-post Twitter thread on 8 November following her recent visit to a jail holding people accused of participating in the attack on the US Capitol. One of the benefits as a Member of Congress is visiting different types [of] government facilities to provide oversight, she wrote. On my recent visit to the DC Jail one of the things I picked up was some religious material. She claimed prisoners were offered materials for Christain [sic] and Islam those religious materials included Nation of Islam publications with dubious claims about Covid-19 vaccine requirements, baseless claims that federal health agencies are hiding vaccine data on side effects in children, and promoting the use of the drug Ivermectin to treat Covid-19, despite warnings among federal regulators against using it. I also found out that the Nation of Islam sees the use and benefit of Ivermectin and is very angry that our media, Democrats, and [Dr Anthony Fauci] have attacked the drug, she said. We have common ground there. The congresswoman also shared a photograph of one article Stop leading Black people to Covid-19 vaccine slaughter! continuing antisemitic language and reference to a book called The Secret Relationship Between Blacks and Jews, Volume 2: How Jews Gained Control of the Black American Economy. The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan pointed out to Black leaders that so-called Jews have always been successful in pitting us against each other, the article says. 8.Stop Leading Black People to #COVID19 vaccine slaughter! This is problematic for party of identity politics. Extremely high amounts of deaths are reported on VAERS, but there are no investigations into those deaths. Just Biden EOs that fine companies for #NoJabNoJob. pic.twitter.com/wXUGjB2e8F Marjorie Taylor Greene (@mtgreenee) November 8, 2021 She shared another article praising a Nation of Islam minister for calling out what she called the Propaganda Media. Story continues Louis Farrakhan says that forcing the vaccine is a declaration of war, Ms Greene said. That is how strongly the Nation of Islam opposes [President Joe Bidens] vaccine mandates that force unvaccinated people to lose their jobs. Federal, state and local health officials have urged all Americans to get vaccinated, if eligible, to prevent severe infections, hospitalisations and deaths in the middle of the pandemic that has killed more than 750,000 people in the US. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently approved Pfizers vaccine for children ages 5 to 11; there is no evidence to suggest it is harmful to children. The Southern Poverty Law Center has characterised Mr Farrakhan who has led the Nation of Islam since the late 1970s and claimed that Satanic Jews have infected the whole world with poison and deceit as an antisemite who routinely accuses Jews of manipulating the US government and controlling the levers of world power. The Nation of Islam promotes a theology of innate Black superiority over whites with deeply racist, antisemitic and anti-LGBT rhetoric among its leadership. Ms Greene hedged her posts with a message that she is strongly opposed to radical Islam and only found the Nation of Islam papers in areas outside the jails Patriot Wing, where she said she found alleged Capitol rioters reading the Bible. One of the Congressional GOPs most extreme members today shared Nation of Islam and Farrakhan content on her Twitter feed and talked about finding common ground with them and I guarantee you itll get a tiny tiny fraction of the coverage that the Womens March & Farrakhan got. Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) November 8, 2021 *Opens twitter *sees @mtgreenee and Nation of Islam trending together *closes Twitter, smashes phone, moves to an island without internet. Nancy Mace (@NancyMace) November 8, 2021 If you think Marjorie Taylor Greene bonding with Louis Farrakhan over their shared opposition to vaccines is bad, just wait till they start exchanging theories about the Rothschilds. https://t.co/HGzs26kBM8 Yair Rosenberg (@Yair_Rosenberg) November 8, 2021 Republicans have repeatedly tried to tie prominent Democratic officials including members of Congress and Barack Obama to Mr Farrakhan and his rhetoric despite publicly condemning his bigotry. In 2019, Ms Greene filmed herself falsely claiming that US Reps Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib are illegitimate members of Congress because they took their congressional oaths on the Quran. She has also suggested their elections were part of a Muslim invasion and said that they should go back to the Middle East if they support Sharia. In August, she said Islam is not a religion of peace. House Democrats voted to strip her from her committee assignments after resurfaced comments on social media from before she ran for Congress contained support for violent conspiracy theories and antisemitic tropes, including a belief that the Rothschilds conspired to ignite Californias wildfires using a kind of space laser. After apologising for comparing mask mandates to the Holocaust earlier this year, she criticised vaccine Nazis during her appearance on Steve Bannons podcast last week. She also told Donald Trumps former adviser that she is not vaccinated against Covid-19. The Independent has requested comment from Ms Greens office. Read More Absolutely disgraceful: Anger as Gosar shares anime clip showing him killing AOC Marjorie Taylor Greene says someone stole her Lets go Brandon sign Marjorie Taylor Greene and Louis Gohmert denied access to Capitol riot suspects jail Marjorie Taylor Greene sets guards on Parkland dad at Supreme Court gun hearing Marjorie Taylor Greene fined at least $15,000 for refusing to wear mask Marjorie Taylor Greene is legitimately nuts, says Adam Schiff MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexican prosecutors said Monday they have arrested a businessman on charges he used the Pegasus spyware to spy on a journalist. The software marketed by the Israeli spyware firm NSO Group has been implicated in government surveillance of opponents and journalists around the world. Mexico had the largest list about 15,000 phone numbers among more than 50,000 reportedly selected by NSO clients for potential surveillance. Federal prosecutors announced the arrest on Monday, but did not name the suspect under rules aimed at protecting presumption of innocence. A federal official not authorized to be quoted by name said the suspect is Juan Carlos Garcia Rivera, who has been linked to the company Proyectos y Disenos VME and Grupo KBH. He was detained on Nov. 1. In July, Mexicos top security official said two previous administrations spent $61 million to buy Pegasus spyware. The two companies the suspect was linked to were allegedly parties to some of the contracts. Leopoldo Maldonado, of the press freedom group Article 19, said the detention was the first arrest in Mexico linked to the Pegasus spyware scandal. Garcia Rivera is a technical employee of a private company that was an intermediary for NSO in Mexico, and benefitted from illegal spying on public figures, Maldonado said, adding but that does not represent the end of those responsible. Public Safety Secretary Rosa Icela Rodriguez said in July that records had been found of 31 contracts signed during the administrations of President Felipe Calderon in 2006-2012 and President Enrique Pena Nieto in 2012-2018. Some contracts may have been disguised as purchases of other equipment. The government said many of the contracts with the Israeli spyware firm NSO Group were signed with front companies, which are often used in Mexico to facilitate kickbacks or avoid taxes. Last week, the governments top anti-money laundering investigator said officials from the two previous administrations had spent about $300 million in government money to purchase spyware. But that figure may reflect all spyware and surveillance purchases, or may include yet-unidentified contracts. Story continues Santiago Nieto, the head of Mexicos Financial Intelligence Unit, said the bills for programs like the Pegasus spyware appear to have included excess payments that may have been channeled back to government officials as kickbacks. Nieto said the amounts paid, and the way they were paid, suggested government corruption in an already questionable telephone tapping program that targeted journalists, activists and opposition figures, who at the time included now President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and his inner circle. Lopez Obrador took office on Dec. 1, 2018, and vowed never to use spyware. Nieto said no transactions had been detected in the current administration. 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. Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com Click here and subscribe today. For many military veterans across Brevard County, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated their need for mental health services, along with financial aid for an array of household budget items. And in the weeks leading up to Veterans Day, 211 Brevard staffers have fielded an uptick in calls from veterans seeking housing aid since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 eviction moratorium ended in late August. "Right now, I'm finding people now that are needing assistance with their (housing) deposits: first month, last month, security deposits," said Mikey Riedl, who served in the U.S. Navy from 1983-89. End of eviction moratorium: rising home prices threaten new wave of homeless in Brevard Onto the streets: Homeless man is discharged from local hospital onto the streets without medical equipment "There are people out there actually finding places who need help getting into the houses now as opposed to being completely homeless, living in the woods," Riedl said. "The moratoriums gone, so were running into them left and right," he said. Mikey Riedl, a U.S. Navy veteran, is a Florida Veterans Support Line-certified recovery peer specialist who fields calls from veterans seeking help at 211 Brevard. Riedl is a Florida Veterans Support Line-certified recovery peer specialist who fields calls from vets in financial or emotional crisis at the 211 Brevard office in Rockledge. Examples: vets seeking help paying utility bills, finding employment and navigating Veterans Affairs benefits. Other common topics include COVID-19 testing and vaccinations and everyday financial obstacles that the VA does not fund, like car payments and auto repairs. 211 Brevard connects these veterans with a database of 55 to 70 nonprofits, private organizations and government agencies. In particular, Riedl said many veterans are unaware of the scope of VA services, or of their eligibility to receive them. Riedl saw duty as a quartermaster aboard the battleship USS Iowa. He fields veterans' calls alongside Henry Angulo, an FVSL team leader and retired U.S. Marine Corps sergeant. Story continues Angulo served 10 years in the Marines and Marine Corps Reserve, and he saw action as an artilleryman during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006. More: Palm Bay WWII nursing cadet, 94, presented military honors by Hospice of Health First More: Merritt Island WWII Navy veteran, 94, takes honorary flight on biplane from Titusville The 211 Brevard veteran duo handles calls from Brevard, Volusia and Flagler counties. As of the 2019 U.S. Census, 65,436 veterans lived in Brevard, while 50,328 lived in Volusia County and 10,838 lived in Flagler County. The past two years, 211 Brevard has assisted about 1,300 veterans in Brevard and 740 veterans in Volusia and Flagler counties combined. "Brevard is a very veterans-friendly county. But it's also complicated, especially for veterans that are newly arrived or are too embarrassed to ask," said Donn Weaver, who chairs the Brevard Veterans Council. "You have to know who to contact to meet your needs. And the best place to start is 211 Brevard. Because these are veterans manning lines for veterans. And they know the key people that do certain things, Weaver said. A lot of veterans are too proud to call for emergency help. But the family knows they need it," he said. "In the extreme, this is a way to help veterans who might be potential suicides. And that is crucially important," he said. Florida is home to 21 military bases and an estimated 1.5 million veterans. The FVSL is funded by the VA and Florida Department of Children and Families. The organization is geographically divided among 10 of the 12 Sunshine State agencies that provide 211 services, including Brevard. "We come from different eras in the military. And our overall Florida team also is compiled of different veterans from different eras," Angulo said. This spring based on experiences across the states 211 network the Florida Legislature created the Florida Veterans Care Coordination Program. This future initiative will let veterans call a separate veteran-dedicated support line to receive assistance and support from trained fellow veterans. The program is modeled after a 2014 pilot program established by the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and the Florida Department of Veterans Affairs in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Manatee counties. In addition to mental health and substance-abuse services, a key program goal is to prevent suicides by veterans, according to a summary of House Bill 231. Next, the FDVA will compile relevant data collected by Floridas 211 network into a report for the governor, Senate and House by Dec. 15, 2022. How to call for help If you are a veteran in need or know a veteran in need, dial 211 or call the Florida Veterans Support Line at 844-MyFLVet (693-5838). Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1 Support local journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Veterans at 211 Brevard fielding calls for help from thousands of fellow vets Four members of a North Carolina family are going to federal prison after pleading guilty to scamming millions from South Carolina Medicaid, the U.S. Attorneys Office said Tuesday. Tony Lee Covington, 50, his wife Priscilla Covington, 51, and his sisters Vanessa McPhaul, 56, and Mary Moses Covington, 51, were sentenced for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, acting U.S. Attorney Rhett DeHart said in a news release. As a part of their scheme, the Raeford, North Carolina residents founded two health care companies which they used to defraud South Carolina Medicaid out of more than $3.6 million, according to the release. Stealing from agencies that serve those in distress is shameful, and illegal, DeHart said in the release. The companies, Preferred Care Incorporated and Saving Grace Outreach, claimed to provide rehabilitative behavioral health services to disabled, low-income individuals in South Carolina through Medicaid. Instead, between 2014 and 2016, the companies billed South Carolina Medicaid millions for crisis intervention, a service offered to individuals experiencing extreme emotional distress like suicidal thoughts or mental breakdowns, the U.S. Attorneys office said. Despite the companies having less than 20 clients, they billed more in total for crisis intervention services than the entire South Carolina Department of Mental Health, DeHart said. Clients told investigators while they received some services from the companies, they never received any crisis intervention, according to the release. Evidence showed the services provided by the companies should have been billed at approximately $9 an hour, but by billing the services as crisis intervention, the companies were instead paid $67.88 per hour, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Once the irregular billing was discovered, Medicaid instituted an audit of Preferred Care, according to the release. In spite of the audit, the family immediately started Saving Grace Outreach to continue the fraudulent billing, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Story continues U.S. District Judge Mary Lewis sentenced Tony Covington to 51 months in federal prison, Priscilla Covington to 39 months in federal prison, Mary Covington Moses to 33 months in federal prison, and Vanessa Covington McPhaul to 33 months in federal prison, according to the release. There is no parole in the federal system. Additionally all four were given a three-year term of court-ordered supervision and ordered to repay $3,647,094.83 in restitution to South Carolina Medicaid, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. This Medicaid fraud scheme enabled providers to steal millions of dollars from taxpayers, which means theres less money available for people who actually need medical care, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said in the release. The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and South Carolina Attorney Generals Office. Reuters Videos New concerns about the Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger jet emerged on Friday.Leaders of a subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives have called for a government review of the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of the Boeing plane.Lawmakers noted numerous production issues that have halted deliveries for lengthy periods over the last 13 months.Leaders of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee want answers on how the FAA is overseeing the process. Word of stepped-up scrutiny further pushed shares of Boeing lower.The stock was already under pressure after the Wall Street Journal reported Friday that Boeing had once again cut back on production.Boeing said that it is "completing comprehensive inspections across 787 production and within the supply chain, while holding detailed, transparent discussions with the FAA, suppliers and our customers."It also said production is ongoing but inspections and rework efforts are impacting deliveries.Boeing admitted last month that some titanium parts on the 787 were made incorrectly over the past three years.That was just one of many problems that have caused it to cut production and halt deliveries since May.The FAA stepped in in July and ordered Boeing to fix a manufacturing quality issue near the nose of the plane before making customer deliveries.Shares of Boeing were down nearly 6 percent in late-Friday trading. Sarmila Dharmalingam is praying for a miracle. Her brother, Nagaenthran Dharmalingam, is set to be hanged in Singapore's Changi Prison. "When I'm alone and I think of my brother, there is pain. But [we need to] be brave and keep on praying - anything can happen," she told the BBC. In 2009, then 21-year-old Nagaenthran was caught trying to smuggle heroin into Singapore from Malaysia. Nagaenthran was initially due to be hanged on Wednesday morning, but was granted a last-minute stay of execution. On Tuesday he was found to have Covid-19 and the execution was further delayed. The Malaysian citizen was sentenced to death despite an assessment by a medical expert that he has an IQ of 69 - a level recognised as indicating an intellectual disability. But the Singapore government said he "clearly understood the nature of his acts and did not lose his sense of judgment of the rightness or wrongness of what he was doing". Singapore has one of the world's toughest drug laws and locally, the use of the death penalty is largely uncontroversial. But this case appears to have sparked a rare disquiet in the island nation. Outpouring of anger More than 60,000 people have now signed a petition calling for Singapore's president to pardon Nagaenthran, citing the fact that the execution of a mentally ill person is prohibited under international human rights law. "It is completely disheartening that an intellectually disabled man is being punished for a non-violent crime," said one person who signed the petition. "Neither he nor his family deserve this pain. Please save him." The movement has also gained traction on social media, where there is an unusual outpouring of anger and sympathy. Sarmila says she's not clear if the 33-year-old himself understands how dire his situation is. "Sometimes he calls me and tells me he is going to be hanged and that he needs to get ready," she told the BBC. Story continues "[Other times] he says he wants to come back home to eat home-cooked food. I don't know whether or not he knows [what's about to happen]." Protests have taken place in neighbouring Malaysia, where Nagaenthran is from If he is hanged it will be the first execution Singapore has carried out since 2019. The intellectual disability debate In 2009, Nagaenthran was caught crossing into Singapore from Malaysia with 43g (1.5oz) heroin strapped on to his left thigh. Under Singapore's laws, those caught carrying more than 15g of heroin will be subject to the death penalty. During his trial, he initially said he was coerced into carrying the drugs, but later said he had committed the offence because he needed money. The court said his initial defence was "fabricated". He was eventually sentenced to death by hanging. In 2015, he appealed to have his sentence commuted to life in prison on the basis that he suffered from an intellectual disability. In 2017 one psychiatrist, Dr Ken Ung, said that Nagaenthran suffered from a mild intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and a drinking disorder - all of which would have "significantly affected his judgement [and] decision making". In cross examination, Dr Ung appeared to contradict himself and said Nagaenthran could instead be suffering from borderline intellectual functioning. While three other psychiatrists told the court that Nagaenthran was not intellectually disabled, one found that his "borderline intelligence may have contributed towards his... agreeing to carry out the offence". In the end, the court found that he was not intellectually disabled. A final push for presidential clemency was also rejected last year. "The Court of Appeal found that this was the working of a criminal mind, weighing the risks and countervailing benefits associated with the criminal conduct in question," said Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs in a statement. Global rights groups like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have condemned the verdict. "Taking people's lives is a cruel act in itself but to hang a person convicted merely of carrying drugs, amid chilling testimony that he might not even fully understand what is happening to him, is despicable," said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Amnesty International's Singapore Researcher. 'I couldn't look her in the face' The case has also caused outrage in Nagaenthran's home country Malaysia where protests have been held calling for the execution to be halted. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob has also personally appealed to his Singaporean counterpart. After 10 years on death row, Sarmila received a letter sent by the Singapore Prison Service saying Nagaenthran's execution had been set for 10 November. "I couldn't accept it... I was crying. I cried the whole day. I was so afraid to tell my mother because she suffers from [some] health conditions. I couldn't look her in the face." The family was given around two weeks to arrange travel, hotel quarantine and the Covid tests they would need to enter Singapore. Activists have highlighted the additional challenges of travelling during a pandemic. "[The family has to] make health declarations, get travel insurance, find their own accommodation [among others]... [and they] are expected to foot the bill for all this," activist Kirsten Han, who started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the family told the BBC. "It's a tremendous amount of money for a Malaysian family, and there are still [other] expenses to consider, as well as potential funeral costs." Some $17,000 ($12,600; 9,300) was eventually raised through the crowdfunding campaign. Sarmila says her family would not have been able to make their way to Singapore without it. The family arrived in Singapore last week. Sarmila did not come to Singapore with the rest of the family, as she says someone needs to manage matters at home. Unable to see her brother before his planned execution, she says she is praying everyday. A group of kids in the Little Explorers Club, a preschool class for kids aged three to five years old, paint a bird scene in the Suzie Edwards Conservation Education Classrooms at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Thursday, April 22, 2021. Ive often said that cities like Dayton are the canary in the coal mine when it comes to the toughest issues the United States has faced in the last few decades. We have come to accept that decisions made far away from city hall have had grave consequences for Dayton and others like it. Nan Whaley is the mayor of Dayton, Ohio, and a Democratic candidate for governor. As we begin to recover from COVID-19, I hope the reverse can be true: that Dayton can lead the way on offering a solution to a problem facing all communities. More: Labor leaders: ReImagine Appalachia plan would create over half a million well-paying jobs Thats why Im so excited to see the universal preschool proposal in President Joe Bidens Build Back Better framework. Build Back Better by Nathan Archer Opinion: You might be a socialist and not even know it When I came into office, Dayton was facing complex economic and educational challenges that were largely outside of our control. Kids were falling further behind because they didnt come to kindergarten prepared. Our social safety net was strained, in part, because working parents paid so much for child care that they couldnt cover other basic needs. People couldnt go back to school to get a degree or learn a trade because they were worried about who would watch their kids. More: Opinion: You might be a socialist and not even know it It became clear that the first step in taking on a whole host of problems was tackling child care and early childhood education. We brought together business leaders, education experts, community organizers and parents to figure out a path forward. In November 2016, on the same day that Donald Trump won Ohio, voters in Dayton overwhelmingly approved our plan to provide high-quality preschool for every 4-year-old in the city. The results have been nothing short of amazing. In Ohio, most mayors dont control local schools, so this felt like the best opportunity to make an impact on our kids. And so far, it has been. According to the most recent data, kids who attended one of our Preschool Promise sites were 30% more likely to be ready or nearly ready for kindergarten. And while we still see a gap between white and Black children in their readiness, this program is helping to close it. Story continues Whats important is that we arent just sending kids to day care: Preschools are required to meet certain educational standards. Four out of five students now attend a school with the highest possible quality rating. But the preschool operators arent navigating the system on their own. More: Electoral College pledges Ohio's votes for Trump in Columbus Our Preschool Promise program provides support and training for teachers and program owners, who are disproportionately women of color. So as we are preparing our kids, we are also growing local small businesses in historically underinvested-in communities. A survey from 2015 found that couldnt afford it was the No. 1 reason parents gave for why their kids werent in preschool: Preschool can cost nearly as much as tuition at a public university in Ohio. By removing this burden, weve seen big impacts for families who are saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars every month. Thats more money for paying the bills, spending at local businesses or the flexibility to go back to school. Not only has the program now expanded into several neighboring suburbs, but this summer we announced we would be expanding it to include every 3-year-old in Dayton. If we can do it in Dayton, theres no reason we cant do it across the state and across the country. Thats why I believe it is so vital that Congress passes Bidens Build Back Better framework. The plan recognizes what we have found in Dayton: Kids need to start learning before kindergarten in order to thrive. But that cannot be limited only to children whose parents can afford it. Every child deserves access and opportunity to high-quality preschool regardless of their zip code, what they look like or who their parents are. This is a once in a generation opportunity to make a real investment in our children the most important investment we can make. Its time to set partisan politics aside and give our children all of them the investment and opportunity they deserve. In Dayton, weve turned a corner in no small part due to our investment in high-quality preschool. Its time for the rest of the country to do the same. Nan Whaley is the mayor of Dayton, Ohio, and a Democratic candidate for governor. Build Back Better by Nathan Archer This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How does Build Back Better help? There's so much to do in the 772! And that includes watching an occasional rocket launch. NASA and SpaceX are prepping for its Crew-3 launch from Kennedy Space Center in neighboring Brevard County, and folks on the Treasure Coast may get a cool view of the nighttime rocket launch. About the SpaceX Crew-3 rocket launch Originally set for Halloween, the SpaceX Crew-3 mission has been delayed several times since late October because of weather and a Crew-3 minor medical issue with one of the crew. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled no earlier than 9:03 p.m. ET Wednesday. An on-time launch would see that Crew Dragon dock with the ISS at 7:10 p.m. Thursday. Things to know about NASA and SpaceX Crew-3 launch and its astronauts Crew-3 includes NASA astronauts Kayla Barron, Raja Chari and Thomas Marshburn and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer. Their mission will include science experiments and spacewalks and is scheduled to last about six months. Weather for a Wednesday night launch attempt looks more favorable than last week at 80% "go" around the pad. Factors not calculated into that number upper-level winds, weather along the trajectory, at-sea conditions for a booster landing, and solar flare activity were all listed as "low risk." Spectators should be prepared for a northeastern trajectory when Falcon 9 vaults off the pad Wednesday night with Crew-3. About eight minutes after liftoff, its 162-foot first stage booster will target a drone ship landing in the Atlantic. If successful, this would be the fifth SpaceX mission that launched humans into space. SpaceX crewed launches: Tom Cruise, Netflix, other fun things to know about them At 7 p.m. Wednesday, FLORIDA TODAY, a sister newspaper to TCPalm, will host live coverage of SpaceX Crew-3 launch, which includes an interactive chat with their space reporter, videos and a livestream. Visit floridatoday.com/space. Can I see SpaceX rocket launch from Indian River County? Story continues Depending on the trajectory, it is possible to see a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center if you're in Indian River County. After liftoff, the NASA and SpaceX Crew-3 launch will move toward the northeast. According to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team, the northern part of the Treasure Coast and Indian River County should see the launch, but it also depends on local weather. Spectators should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches. Here are some places in Indian River County to watch the launch: Sebastian Inlet Park, 9700 S. State Road A1A, Melbourne Beach. It's $8 per vehicle with a limit of eight people per vehicle. Call 321-984-4852 or visit floridastateparks.org/Sebastian-Inlet. Ambersands Beach Park, 12566 N. SR A1A, Vero Beach. More of a parking area than a park, this spot, which has free parking, should give you an unobstructed view of the launch. Alma Lee Loy Bridge aka the 17th Street Bridge in Vero Beach spans the intracoastal waterway in Indian River County. For directions, the intersection is 17th Street and Indian River Boulevard. Merrill Barber Bridge in Vero Beach, off Indian River Boulevard and Riverside Park Drive Wabasso Beach Park, 1808 Wabasso Beach Road, offers free parking. South Beach Park, 1700 Ocean Drive, Vero Beach. This park has free parking. Can I see SpaceX rocket launch from Martin County? Depending on the trajectory, it is possible to see a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center if you're in Martin County. After liftoff, the NASA and SpaceX Crew-3 launch will move toward the northeast. According to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team, the northern part of the Treasure Coast should see the launch, but it also depends on local weather. Spectators should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches. Here are some places in Martin County to watch the launch. House of Refuge and beach, 301 S.E. MacArthur Blvd., Stuart, a maritime museum in Martin County. Normally, if you stop by the house, it's $8 for adults, $7 for seniors and $6 for children however, according to its website, as of Nov. 9, "the House of Refuge Museum is closed for construction." Call 772-225-1961 or visit https://hsmc-fl.com/house-of-refuge. Jensen Beach Causeway, N.E. Causeway Boulevard Stuart Causeway in Stuart will have a good view, but be mindful of traffic and rights of way. Can I see SpaceX rocket launch from St. Lucie County? Depending on the trajectory, it is possible to see a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center if you're in St. Lucie County. The best views here are along the beaches. Look north. After liftoff, the NASA and SpaceX Crew-3 launch will move toward the northeast. According to FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team, the northern part of the Treasure Coast should see the launch, but it also depends on local weather. Spectators should make sure not to block traffic or rights of way on bridges and to follow posted rules at beaches. Here are some places in St. Lucie County to watch the launch. Fort Pierce Inlet, 905 Shorewinds Drive. Cost is $6 per vehicle. Call 772-468-3985 or visit floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/fort-pierce-inlet-state-park. Jetty Park, 2098 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce Contributing: Ginny Beagan, USA TODAY Network-Florida This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: NASA, SpaceX rocket launch in Florida: Where to see on Treasure Coast Nashville's rapidly expanding zoo grew by two more this month. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. Two cotton-top tamarins, small monkeys native to Colombia, were born Nov. 2, the zoo announced Monday. The babies will stay here for at least two years before going to other zoos for breeding. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Two weeks after the European Parliament voted 580-26 on a resolution to strengthen EU-Taiwan relations, an official delegation of lawmakers traveled to Taiwan for the first time to deliver a simple message: "You are not alone." Why it matters: Taiwan is an industrialized democracy that has faced growing military intimidation from the Chinese government, which views the self-governing island as a breakaway territory that must be brought under its control. Get market news worthy of your time with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free. The visit by European lawmakers last week sparked outrage from China's Foreign Ministry, which has warned that any country attempting to bestow international legitimacy on Taiwan will "pay a price." The big picture: The intensifying U.S.-China rivalry is expected to dominate the next century of geopolitics. A vocal, cross-border cadre of Europeans is seeking to ensure there is no ambiguity about where the EU stands in the clash between authoritarianism and democracy. One way is by building ties with Taiwan, whose foreign minister paid a secret visit to Brussels last month after stopping in other EU capitals. State of play: The EU's official stance is that China is simultaneously a partner, a competitor and a systemic rival a dynamic that has drawn allegations of "fence-sitting" from some critics. EU leaders say they do not wish to be dragged into a no-win conflict between the U.S. and China and that the world must deal with China how it is, not how they wish it to be. But like many countries whose views of China have soured over the last two years, that attitude of nonconfrontation may slowly be starting to shift. French member of the European Parliament Raphael Glucksmann told Taiwan's Premier Su Tseng-chang during last week's visit: "You have shown that in this region, democracy can flourish and that authoritarian regimes are not the future." How we got here: Last year ended with EU leaders joining Chinese President Xi Jinping on a videoconference call to finalize a landmark investment deal championed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, much to the frustration of lawmakers who had raised concerns about forced labor. Story continues Three months later, the EU joined the U.S., U.K. and Canada in sanctioning Chinese officials involved in human rights abuses against the Uyghurs a symbolic, but overall mild expression of the West's disapproval. China responded furiously, sanctioning 27 EU ambassadors, several think tanks and scholars, and prominent members of the European Parliament like Glucksmann who had been critical of Beijing. The EU was forced to freeze the investment deal. Dovile Sakaliene, a Lithuanian lawmaker who led parliamentary efforts in the country to designate China's treatment of Uyghurs as genocide, was among those blacklisted. "I believe that the European Union, probably for the first time in decades, is now understanding more and more how dangerous the People's Republic of China is," Sakaliene told Axios in an interview. The backdrop: Lithuania is a tiny Baltic nation whose economy is 1/270th the size of China's, but it's been at the forefront of European efforts to confront Beijing's authoritarianism. That's made it the target of an unprecedented campaign of economic coercion by China. "It's extraordinary," President Biden's nominee for ambassador to China, Nick Burns, testified in his confirmation hearing. "The Chinese government has launched an intensive intimidation campaign ... and the Lithuanians have stood up and they've held their ground. They deserve our support." Between the lines: Sakaliene, who is also a co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, says she and other Lithuanians whose families were persecuted by the Soviets draw heavily from those memories of repression. "Our very close-up, firsthand experience with a communist regime helps us understand how propaganda of communists works and how tough it is to be a small part of land surrounded by a huge, bloody regime," she said. "If the world does not support you and you are left alone, it's very easy to fall into despair." What to watch: Much of Europe's hardline rhetoric on China comes from members of the European Parliament, which has little control over the EU's executive institutions, or national lawmakers who aren't in government. Lithuania aside, there's "a tendency to be critical of China when you're not holding the reins of power," says Noah Barkin, an expert on Europe-China relations at the Rhodium Group. That theory will be tested by the next German government, in which a pair of junior parties are pushing the coalition to take a harder line on Beijing, rather than continue Angela Merkel's pro-engagement legacy. More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free By Stephen Nellis (Reuters) - Nvidia Corp on Tuesday said it was partnering with a range of self-driving sensor companies, including lidar firm Luminar Technologies, to put together a system that automakers can use for driver safety features as soon as 2024. Nvidia makes the computing chips and a software system for autonomous vehicles. But the Silicon Valley-based company largely left the selection and integration of the various sensors that help a car perceive its environment up to automakers. Nvida shifted course on Tuesday and selected a variety of sensor partners for a system, including those from Hella, Valeo, Continental AG and Sony Group Corp. Automakers will still be able to choose other sensors, but Nvidia will ensure the ones from its partners work well with its chips and software. "It really doesn't make a whole lot of sense for every OEM to try and develop their own software stack from scratch," Austin Russell, chief executive of Luminar, one of the suppliers, told Reuters. "I think Nvidia will see a lot of success here because there's someone OEMs can depend on to deliver the right stack without having to spend tens of billions of dollars to get there." The approach brings Nvidia closer to chip rivals Intel Corp and Qualcomm Inc. Intel's Mobileye unit sells a system of software, chips and sensors to automakers, and Qualcomm will have a similar full suite of offering with its $4.5 billion purchase of Veoneer Inc. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) At 19, Glasgow college student Ross Hamilton doesn't think highly of world leaders they chat a lot of nonsense or expect them to accomplish anything on a problem he cares deeply about, climate change. But there is one former world leader Hamilton trusts, at least enough to join several hundred Glasgow college students crowding outside their college in the dark Monday in hopes of a glimpse of him: Barack Obama. I've always liked him. I feel as if he's pretty honest." The former U.S. president, one of the leaders responsible for the 2015 Paris climate accord, came to the U.N. global climate talks in Glasgow, wielding his cross-generational appeal to urge frustrated climate activists to stay in the fight. Even five years out of office, and now 60, Obama still claims a rapport with liberal and moderate young people in a way that President Joe Biden, 78, might not be able to pull off. Inside the glass-fronted building where Hamilton and other students of Glasgow's Strathclyde University were waiting for him to emerge, Obama was sitting around a table with a dozen climate advocates from around the world, hearing them out and encouraging them. Obama was in shirtsleeves and tieless, his hair whiter than during his presidency. The success of the movement shouldn't be diminished even if some of the outcomes have fallen short, Obama told the gathering of climate-focused people in their 20s and 30s. They included a lawmaker, a filmmaker, legal advocate, private and public businesspeople, foundation leaders and heads of activist groups. The question is, where are the countries that really met our expectations? And it turns out those are the places where there was pressure, where there was political mobilization, where there were activists, Obama told them. It's all "going to depend on you guys to apply it," he added. Obama as president introduced programs to move the U.S. more toward renewable fuel and away from coal, although President Donald Trump rolled back most of them. Story continues Not all younger people are Obama fans. Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate tweeted Monday that she was 13 when the United States, under Obama's leadership, was among rich nations promising $100 billion a year to poor countries to help them fight and cope with warming, but said those nations broke the promise. Nakate told The Associated Press on Monday that she wasnt attacking the former president, but that is me speaking the truth. This money was promised, but it hasnt been delivered, Nakate said. Especially in Europe, young activists are credited with pressuring governments to confront climate change. Most famously, teenager Greta Thunberg in 2018 launched a climate movement that has since drawn hundreds of thousands to weekly protests to demand governments end their dependence on coal, natural gas and oil. After the Paris deal, Glasgow was billed as the talks where roughly 200 governments would put the accord into action. Last Friday, Thunberg, now 18, branded the talks a failure after their first of two weeks. Speaking to tens of thousands of young climate demonstrators protesting Friday in the summit's host city, Thunberg said national delegations at Glasgow were carving out loopholes for every pledge and greenwashing their own countries' emissions. Young people were finding it hard to believe a climate movement that had mobilized so many could fail, Luisa Neubauer, a leader of Thunberg's movement in Germany, told Obama. Neubauer told Obama she feared disillusionment was undermining peoples' faith in democracy, as people, especially activists, lose confidence in their governmental pledges, in what often turns out empty promises, in the lack of honesty about past failures." Stay the course, Obama told climate activists. Dont think that you can ignore politics, Obama said earlier, in a speech at the talks site that saw the former president draw short standing ovations. You dont have to be happy about it, but you cant ignore it. You can't be too pure for it, Obama said, devoting much of his speech to the young activists he said he came to Glasgow to be with it. Its part of the process that is going to deliver all of us, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Aniruddha Ghosal contributed to this report. Former President Barack Obama seen in Glasgow, Scotland. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images Barack Obama addressed the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on Monday. In his speech, Obama called Scotland the "Emerald Isles" - a popular term for Ireland. He then quoted William Shakespeare, an English playwright. Former President Barack Obama appeared to confuse Scotland with Ireland, then went on to quote an English playwright during his COP26 speech. "Since we're in the Emerald Isles here let me quote the Bard, William Shakespeare," Obama told attendees of the UN-led conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on Monday. "'What wound,' he writes, 'did ever heal but by degrees?'" Obama said, quoting from the tragedy "Othello." However, Obama appeared to have confused his terminology. The Emerald Isle is a popular name for the country of Ireland, which is located 12 miles from Scotland over the Sea of Moyle. And though Shakespeare was an Englishman often called "the Bard," in Scotland - where COP26 is being held - "the Bard" is a title used to refer to the Scottish poet Robert Burns. Watch his full speech below. The gaffes appear about 45 minutes into the clip. Those watching the speech didn't miss his gaffes, with many Scots dragging the former president on social media. "A tiny bit of me died there when Obama said we are here in the 'Emerald Isles,''" tweeted Mandy Rhodes, the editor the Edinburgh-based news magazine Holyrood Daily. Social media users also lamented Obama's pronunciation of Glasgow, which he pronounced as "GLAZ-gao." (It should be pronounced "GLAZ-goh.") Throughout the rest of his speech, Obama spoke passionately about solving the climate crisis. "Our planet has been wound by our actions. Those wounds won't be healed today or tomorrow or the next, but they can be healed by degrees," Obama said. "And if we start with that spirit, if each of us can fight through the occasional frustration and dread, if we pledge to do our part and then follow through on those commitments, I believe we can secure a better future. We have to. And what a profound and noble task to set for ourselves." Read the original article on Business Insider A group comprised of many University of Alabama students embrace after news that the body of fellow UA student Garrett Winston James Walker, 20, had been found in the Black Warrior River by divers from Tuscaloosa Police and Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue Service Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.] Officials have confirmed that the body of a missing University of Alabama student has been found in the Black Warrior River. Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue Chief Randy Smith said Tuesday evening that the body of 20-year-old Garrett Winston James Walker was found by divers at about 4 p.m. We have positively identified the victim," Smith said. "He was recovered by divers. Smith said Walker's family and fellow UA students were notified during the brief press conference at the river's edge, during which he took no follow-up questions from the gathered media. "This is an ongoing investigation," he said. What we know: Body of missing UA student found in Black Warrior River 'An exceptional young man' His parents said they were devastated by the loss of a young man who already had attained his pilots license, gained significant aviation experience and had chosen the University of Alabama in order to follow in his grandfathers footsteps as an engineer. Garrett Winston James Walker We remember Garrett as a young man of faith, said his mother, Debbie Walker, in a prepared statement. We were so proud of him. He was dedicated to his faith and his friends, he loved to learn, and was so excited about studying at the University of Alabama. Following the recovery of Walker's body from the river, officers had blocked entry close to the scene to allow his friends and family to gather and grieve privately. Soon after news spread through the somber scene, a prayer circle was formed for several minutes as mourners shed tears and shared hugs in an effort to spread some form of comfort among each other. Follow this story: Boats, divers and drones deployed as search for missing University of Alabama student continues Most were visibly upset, and none chose to speak to reporters. By 6 p.m., most had departed the riverside, with just family, a few friends and police and UA officials remaining. He was proud to be a student here and was eager to make his mark in the world, said his father, Andrew Walker. Our son was an exceptional young man. Story continues There are no words to describe our loss. Garrett Walkers family includes two twin brothers and a sister. In thanking the Tuscaloosa police and fire departments, the University of Alabama community and everyone who engaged in the search for their son, the Garretts said they are now planning their sons funeral and asked for privacy. University of Alabama community 'heartbroken' "Our University of Alabama community is heartbroken by the loss of our student, Garrett Walker, said UA President Stuart R. Bell in a statement issued after Walkers body was recovered. Our prayers and deepest sympathy are with his family, friends and loved ones as we mourn his passing. Bell and Myron Pope, UA's vice president of student life, both reminded students that UA has support services available, either through the University Counseling Center at 205-348-3863 or UA's student care and well-being office at 205-348-2461. "I recognize this can be a difficult and uncertain time for our UA community," Pope said. "If you find yourself in need of support, I encourage you to connect with the University Counseling Center. The staff members in these offices are passionate about helping you, so do not hesitate to reach out to them." More: Boats, divers and drones deployed as search for missing University of Alabama student continues Divers search 'every little nook and cranny' of Black Warrior River Walker, a junior from Mount Airy, Maryland, was reported missing by his family Sunday afternoon, after having been last seen leaving The Gray Lady bar on Greensboro Avenue at 1:15 a.m. that morning. Tuscaloosa police, Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue, the University of Alabama Police Department and other agencies searched in and along the Black Warrior River near the city-owned docks where the Bama Belle once moored after Walker's mobile phone and clothing were discovered there Sunday afternoon. Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue Service divers and Tuscaloosa Police search the Black Warrior River on the Tuscaloosa waterfront Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, after a man was reported missing two days ago. University of Alabama student Garrett Winston James Walker, 20, was reported missing Sunday afternoon by his parents after his mobile phone was located near the Tuscaloosa Riverwalk. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.] The search lasted all day Monday until it was called off at about 10 p.m. It resumed at first light on Tuesday, ending that evening with his recovery. The search for Walker involved about 50 police and firefighters as well as boats, divers and drones. Officials said the initial search lasted until 10 p.m. Monday, with divers from the Tuscaloosa police going into 42-foot waters about 9 p.m. to check out one more possible location. But it turned out to be a false hit and crews were back at it Tuesday, this time with a ground surface search team looking along the shoreline from the B&O Railroad trestle to the Park at Manderson Landing. Theyre going through every little nook and cranny and looking in pipes, looking everywhere," the fire chief said Tuesday morning, hours before Walkers body was recovered. "Were going to leave no stone unturned. Tuscaloosa Police Chief Brent Blankley said that, in addition to the department's dive team, investigators had been checking out tips that were called in to police or Walker's family in what turned out to be futile hope that one of them would lead to finding Walker alive. Every lead that somebody calls in to our office or in to the parents, were tracking down to either prove or disprove that and try and locate him, hopefully, still alive, Blankley said Tuesday morning. "its a two-part thing were trying to do. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family. We know its a very difficult time for them and we just hope to bring it to a resolution quickly. Staff writer Jasmine Hollie and Director of Photography Gary Cosby Jr. contributed to this report. Reach Jason Morton at jason.morton@tuscaloosanews.com. This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Officials: Body of missing UA student Garrett Walker found in river A police officer is not required to have a warrant before arresting someone in public, the Ohio Supreme Court said in a ruling issued Tuesday. LeAndre Jordan claimed that his arrest in 2016 as he left a Cincinnati cellphone store was unconstitutional because police did not have an arrest warrant. Officers suspected Jordan was involved in a burglary eight days earlier. Once an officer has probable cause to believe that a suspect committed a felony, a warrantless arrest in public is constitutional, even if there was sufficient time for an officer to obtain an arrest warrant, Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor wrote. Suspected in safe heist In December 2016, James and Emiko Locke reported that someone broke into their Cincinnati home through a bedroom window and stole a safe holding $40,000 cash. The Lockes told police that only the safe was missing and that a limited number of people knew the safe's location, including their son, Michael. A neighbor said that a cream-colored Chrysler 300 had been parked outside of the Locke home during the burglary. The Lockes suspected their son Michael's involvement with the theft as well as his friend, LeAndre Jordan, according to court documents. Cincinnati Police Detective Mark Longworth located the car in a Kroger parking lot, across the street from the barbershop where Jordan worked, it was registered to Jordan's mother. Longworth also checked Michael's cellphone log and found calls to his parents around the time of the burglary as well as calls with Jordan. Eight days after the burglary and police surveillance, officers arrested Jordan. During his arrest, Jordan had keys to his girlfriend's apartment in his pocket. Officers obtained a search warrant for his girlfriend's apartment and found nothing related to the burglary. Instead, officers found heroin, cocaine, an electronic scale, a handgun, and $2,100 in cash. Jordan was convicted of trafficking in heroin, aggravated trafficking in drugs, possession of heroin, aggravated possession of drugs and possession of cocaine. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and a suspended driver's license. Story continues In Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, Jordan sought to suppress the evidence, arguing his arrest was unconstitutional. His request was denied. Jordan appealed to the First District Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower courtt ruling. The majority of the Ohio Supreme Court also ruled that the warrantless arrest did not violate Jordan's rights. Contact Briana Rice at 513-568-3496 or brice@enquirer.com. Follow her on Twitter at @BriRiceWrites. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio Supreme Court: Warrantless arrest in Cincinnati did not violate rights As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to overwhelm short-staffed hospitals in Pueblo, Parkview Health System has requested and received help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to help stabilize hospital capacity. According to a Monday afternoon news release, a team of 15 medical professionals has been deployed from HHS' National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) to Parkviews main hospital to care for patients in one of its medical/surgical units. Parkview and the state's request, according to the Colorado State Joint Information Center, marks the first time Colorado has sought and received FEMA staffing assistance during the pandemic. "Colorado requested medical staffing assistance through FEMA, who processed the request and assigned HHS to provide the supporting medical team," the joint release from Parkview and the Colorado COVID-19 Joint Information Center said. "FEMA will reimburse HHS for 100% of the costs associated with the teams deployment to Parkview Medical Center." Housing support in Pueblo:: The Right Place, a 35-unit permanent supportive housing complex, set to open in Pueblo Parkview President and CEO Leslie Barnes said in the release that the NDMS team which consists of a physician, advanced healthcare practitioner, nurses, paramedics and a respiratory therapist along with support personnel will allow the hospital to expand its bed capacity. The team, which arrived at Parkview Monday, will collaborate with Parkviews staff to provide "short-term surge support" for 14 days and arrives as Pueblo continues to battle a dramatic rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in recent weeks. According to data from the Pueblo Department of Public health and Environment, there were 985 new cases of COVID-19 reported from Oct. 21-27 in Pueblo County, which marked a 48 % increase from the prior week. Local transmission of the virus has only gotten worse since then. Story continues From Oct. 28 to Nov. 3, Pueblo County recorded 1,011 new cases and seven deaths, bringing the county's death total above 500 for the first time. As of Nov. 3, 504 people had died from COVID-19 in Pueblo. According to Parkview's release, the hospital was treating 90 COVID-19 patients in-house on Nov. 8, approximately 80% of which were those who are not vaccinated. Visiting restrictions, according to Parkview, will remain the same. Trending: 1 dead after vehicle strikes pedestrian on Santa Fe Avenue in Pueblo Chieftain reporter Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: FEMA to aid Parkview during COVID-19 surge A British traveller who was among thousands to touch-down in the Big Apple after almost 20 months of Covid restrictions has raged against airport authorities after waiting hours at JFK. The US on Monday lifted a ban on travellers from 33 countries including the UK, with tens of thousands of international passengers arriving into airports in New York and across the country. At JFK, many were allegedly forced to wait for hours upon arriving at border control half a dozen of whom complained about the wait on Twitter. One passenger who flew into JFK from Manchester wrote: 20 months closed [is] lots of time to get things right and JFK Airport queues are a disgrace. The Briton, whose Twitter username is @Evo_1979, was among hundreds who arrived into JFK from Manchester on three different flights on Monday which he went on to describe as ridiculous. The Twitter user added that Britons were all sweating, and it was not clear what flight from Manchester he had been on. Footage shared to Twitter showing British travellers back-to-back at US Customs and Border Patrol appeared to confirm his account and that of dozens. Another British traveller, Paul Richards, also waited for hours after arriving into JFK from London Heathrow an airport from where thousands took-off for the Big Apple on Monday. As many as 8,000 passengers flew with British Airways and 4,500 with Virgin Atlantic on 26 trans-Atlantic flights, figures suggested. Mr Richarrds told USA Today that although he was waiting for two hours at JFK, there was no point in getting irate, [because] the queue will still be there. Marc Evans, who flew from Manchester with his wife and two children, commented that It was apparently a PR stunt to show the USA was back open but seems they werent concerned about the queues at customs. Two planes that were the first to fly from London to New York on Monday had been in a so-called race to be the first to break the 20-month ban on foreigners. Story continues The wait at US border control was mostly anticipated, with the CEO of Delta Air Lines warning last week: Its going to be a bit sloppy at first, I can assure you, There will be lines, unfortunately. Queues were also reported at the countrys northern and southern land borders on Monday, with vehicles stretching for several kilometres on the Mexican side. Read More QAnon followers looking for JFK Jr are refusing to leave Dallas Is Biden blocking the JFK death files over hidden bombshells? IVF nightmare: How common are DNA mix-ups? IVF nightmare: How common are DNA mix-ups? Pelosi calls for ethics probe into Republican who posted anime of him killing AOC Paul Gosars sister condemns his sociopathic fantasies about AOC Motley Fool Before you retire, you need to understand what sources of income you'll have and how much money those income sources will produce for you to live on. It's especially important to know what role Social Security will play, as this is a reliable and steady source of funds for seniors -- but it may not be as generous as you think. The reality about Social Security income is that it was never meant to be your only source of retirement funds. The 74 Kathy May was getting her four kids ready for another day at school in late October when she got an urgent voicemail from a friend. OMG, OMG, this book, her friend said, alerting May to a book found by another parent in the library catalogue of Keller Independent School District, where their kids go, called [] Early Monday morning, a steady stream of Brooklyn families showed up at one neighborhood pharmacy for childrens COVID vaccines even as hundreds of other New York City kids confronted uncertainty and long lines at school sites. At Neergaard Pharmacy in Park Slope, Heath Griffths, 5, was soon 10 micrograms of Pfizer vaccine richer departing for a happily delayed school day equipped with a stuffed bear from the pharmacy shop. Elsewhere in the city, families waited for hours in lines hundreds deep. On the opening day for school-based vaccine pop-up sites, operated by the city and Department of Education, many were turned away as demand overwhelmed supply. Line an ave deep for kids shotsbut no one here to give the shots! H and h was supposed to be here at 630 for a 7 start. Now 730 and a line 100+ deep @NYCMayor @elizashapiro @Jill_Jorgensen @reemadamin pic.twitter.com/L3l2qw1InM Jason Barnett (@barnettjason) November 8, 2021 On 5th Avenue in Park Slope on Monday, Neergaard began its first official day of vaccinating kids, administering about 200 doses, preparing to offer hundreds of vaccines to 5- to 11-year-olds this week. Vaccines have been a staple for Neergaard, an independent Brooklyn institution since 1901. About 15 minutes into a childs screams from a fear of needles, one pharmacist told The 74 families choose them for their more personalized touch people come in and feel like theyre comforted. He added, that kids been here a long time. Related: COVID-19 Vaccines Roll Out for Young Children in NYC, Early-Bird Families All Smiles Story continues Pharmacists had a deep bag of tricks: Are you a righty or a lefty? and count down from 10 with me were repeated throughout the morning to help calm kids anxieties about the dreaded needles. One Neergaard pharmacist said over the last two weeks, the shop has seen droves of parents walk in, seeking shots ever since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention news broke. Appointment sign-ups for 5- to 11-year-olds almost crashed Neergards website. I definitely prefer to go here than a place far away this felt a lot better, Ava, 10, told The 74 after receiving her vaccine. Meanwhile, as he waited to get his shot, Heath Griffiths silently looked to his mother, Rachel. Confident and on a mission, Heath never took off his scooter helmet. Time was of the essence he didnt want to miss any more school than he had to at P.S. 282 on nearby 6th Avenue. For the Griffiths, the pediatric vaccine means indoor playdates and family visits are back on the table. Once Heath and his 8-year-old brother finish their sequences, the Griffiths will fly to Arizona for the first time since the pandemic began. Were following the CDC guidance and are really excited. I hope everyone decides to do it, Rachel Griffiths said, adding that the excitements been constant since authorization was announced on Nov. 2. Dancing erupted in their kitchen when Heath and his brother learned the news. Excitement was an understatement for Neergaard regulars Luke and Parker Trautmann, 10 and 8 years old, respectively. Relieved, they jointly agreed. Right when the message came out that kids can be vaccinated, she was on the case, Parker said of his mom, Amanda. When first-week, city-run appointment slots filled up, Amanda looked to pharmacies. She said her boys needed the in-person connections vaccines afforded, and the sooner the better. And Avas mother, Allison, said what was on a lot of parents minds: We just hope that a lot of kids are going to be protected, she said, looking forward to the days when visiting friends and family will feel a little bit safer, for us and for them. Related: COVID-19 Vaccines Roll Out for Young Children in NYC, Early-Bird Families All Smiles Frank Holleman a senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center poses for a portrait near Shi Center For Sustainably at Furman University, Tuesday, October 19, 2021. This article has been updated to clarify that Piedmont Natural Gas spokesperson Jennifer Sharpe said Piedmont Natural Gas' project is not related to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Piedmont Natural Gas has chosen a route for a high-pressure pipeline along State 290 after months of deliberation. The route, described as the "blue route" by the company as it considered three options, is 12 miles long and will begin near the Post Office in Taylors and end off U.S. 25. Piedmont Natural Gas, which is owned by Duke Energy, said this route emerged as the preferred route after receiving community feedback and analyzing environmental impact. Environmentalists and some local residents have questioned whether any pipeline is needed. Frank Holleman, an attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the environment and people's health, said the move to build a new pipeline has been driven by the pursuit of profit. Holleman said it's "wise" Piedmont Natural Gas chose a route that doesn't go through open rural land, but he still believes the pipeline isn't necessary. "They're still pushing a line through northern Greenville County that will encourage sprawl and unwanted dense development in an area of the county that the public wants to remain rural, natural and beautiful," Holleman said. Piedmont Natural Gas said the new line is needed to fulfill current demand and keep up with growth. The company has about 90,000 customers in Greenville County, and it expects to add about 44,000 more over the next 20 years, according to company spokesperson Jennifer Sharpe. The growth that has occurred across the county in recent years has already created a need for additional pressure in the supply of natural gas for current residents of northern Greenville County on the coldest days of winter, Sharpe said. The new infrastructure project is vital to meeting the demand for natural gas resulting from growth in and around Greenville, Sharpe wrote in a news release emailed Tuesday. Story continues Sharpe would not disclose how many homes Piedmont Natural Gas serves in the northern part of the county. Greenville-area easements required for new Piedmont Natural Gas pipeline Piedmont Natural Gas submitted a notice of a new natural-gas construction project that was officially stamped by the state Public Service Commission last month. The company will have to get approval from the commission after construction of the pipeline to charge ratepayers for the cost of construction, according to Commissioner Tom Ervin, whose district the pipeline would fall in. Ervin told The Greenville News that he was unable to talk about his opinions of the pipeline because of the "judicial code of law." Pipeline construction is still more than a year away, and land surveys are set to begin in early 2022, according to the company's news release. The company says it will communicate directly with landowners and businesses along the route before land surveys begin, and communication is to continue throughout the process until the project is complete. In addition to permanent easements already secured by the company, a "few" temporary easements on local landowners' property could be required to install and service the pipeline, said Sharpe, the company spokesperson. No entire property will be seized, Sharpe said. The pipeline will be buried underground, and construction will include excavation and possible temporary road closures, Sharpe said. "Once construction is complete, Piedmont will restore the right-of-way area as nearly as possible to its preconstruction condition," Sharpe said. "The area will be annually maintained and will have pipeline markers to indicate that it is a right of way." But trees and planting will not be allowed on those easement rights-of-way. Company information on the project can be found at piedmontng.com/Greenville. Pipeline opponent says project is 'about profit' for Piedmont and Duke Rural farm land in northern Greenville County, a treasured commodity in shorter supply these days, could be lost to the pipeline construction, opponents have said. This area of Greenville County is one of the most environmentally sensitive areas in the region," Holleman said before Piedmont's chosen route was announced. "Its by and large an area of pastures, farms, family properties and houses on significant acreage. (The pipeline is) just bad from every angle. Its not needed. Its not wanted. It will hurt the water resources. Holleman believes the pipeline is "all about the money" for Piedmont Natural Gas and Duke Energy. "They build it, and then they charge us for the cost of construction plus a guaranteed profit. That is because they are monopolies created by the Legislature," Holleman wrote in a recent column in The Greenville News. "In 2014, Duke Energy embarked on a venture with Dominion Energy to build a huge pipeline through Virginia and North Carolina, the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, and Duke Energy projected big earnings from its construction. But the project flopped in 2020. When pressed by big investors as to how Duke Energy was going to make up the loss, Dukes CEO told the hedge funds that Duke Energy was going to build out Piedmont Natural Gas pipelines." Sharpe said Piedmont Natural Gas' project is not related to the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. She said Piedmont Natural Gas' planning process began before the Atlantic Coast Pipeline was announced in 2014. Pipeline: Project in Greenville County could take private property through eminent domain Hank McCullough, community relations manager for Piedmont Natural Gas, said the project is about providing enough dependable and more affordable energy options to the area. Opinion: Infrastructure project would ensure Greenville has adequate natural gas supply Michael Dey, vice president of government affairs for the Home Builders Association of Greenville, said he believes the proposed pipeline is necessary to keep up with growth in a county that he said could see 220,000 new residents over the next 20 years. "Piedmont, like every other utility, wants to make sure that they've got the capacity to meet demand before its needed, so theyre planning ahead for that," Dey said. "We know that there is significant desire for natural gas in homes." "Piedmont Natural Gas doesnt drive growth, but it is our responsibility to meet increased demand and offer everyone natural gas," Sharpe wrote in an email. "As the community continues to grow, our infrastructure must grow with it." Sharpe said its too early for Piedmont Natural Gas to estimate the cost of the pipeline, thought it's been expected to be between $35 and $70 million. The construction timeline and costs for restoration will affect the pipelines cost, Sharpe said. Rare bunched arrowhead plant could be threatened, Frank Holleman says More than 30 residents attended a meeting at Famoda Farms in Taylors last month to share information and concerns about the pipeline. Many accused Piedmont Natural Gas of failing to properly communicate with local residents. Most of the residents in attendance lived near the proposed routes for the pipeline, and they said they hadn't yet heard from Piedmont Natural Gas if their property would be affected. The company held two virtual community meetings this year that 52 people attended, according to Sharpe. Holleman is concerned about the effects of digging for the pipeline. You have to build a large, linear trench across the landscape, and when you confront waterways, you either have to build through them or over them," Holleman said. Holleman said the chosen route would affect populations of the bunched arrowhead, a plant protected by the state and federal governments that's found only in Greenville and Henderson (North Carolina) counties. Sharpe said the pipeline will not directly affect populations of the bunched arrowhead, but Holleman isn't convinced. The bunched arrowhead doesnt exist in just one spot," Holleman said. "They are inevitably going to affect that plant. This provided photo shows the Bunched Arrowhead, an endangered grass species found in wetlands. This plant, grows near a proposed subdivision in northern Greenville County and could stand in the way of a proposed subdivision. The chosen route will be near the Clear Creek Heritage Preserve, which Holleman said protects populations of the bunched arrowhead. He also said dense development will be spurred by the pipeline and that will be detrimental to the wetlands where the endangered plant grows. Sharpe said Piedmont Natural Gas bought land 20 years ago that would have fully accommodated the new pipeline project, but she said company officials decided not to use that land because they found sensitive wetlands and populations of the bunched arrowhead. This resulted the consideration of alternate routes, including the one ultimately chosen. Check back for more on this developing story. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Piedmont Natural Gas picks pipeline route; some dont want it Washington County's state lawmakers are holding a series of meetings Tuesday with business groups, elected leaders and the public. Washington County delegation chair Del. William Wivell, R-Washington welcomes members of the delegation and members of the Greater Hagerstown Committee during a meeting at Hagerstown Community College Tuesday. The Washington County delegation will meet with residents and local officials in preparation for the 2022 General Assembly session. The day began at 9 a.m. with a session hosted by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce at Hagerstown Community College. Greater Hagerstown Committee member Terry King opens the floor up for questions during a meeting with members of the Washington County delegation at Hagerstown Community College Tuesday. The Washington County delegation will meet with residents and local officials in preparation for the 2022 General Assembly session. The final session, a public forum, was set for 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday in Rooms 211-213 of the Career Programs Building at HCC. Tuesday's meetings were part of lawmakers' preparations for the 2022 General Assembly session. Jim Kercheval, Executive Director of The Greater Hagerstown Committee, goes over the committee's agenda with members of the Washington County delegation at Hagerstown Community College Tuesday. The Washington County delegation will meet with residents and local officials in preparation for the 2022 General Assembly session. According to the day's agenda, between the opening session and the closing forum, the delegation was to have separate meetings with: The Washington County Board of Education The county commissioners Local resident Chip Wood to discuss a rail-trail matter Ed Shaffer of Collegium The Greater Hagerstown group Officials from Hagerstown Officials from the other municipalities in the county The liquor board HCC President Jim Klauber the county health department Greenwill consulting The local Boys and Girls Club. The Washington County delegation and members of the Greater Hagerstown Committee attend a meeting at Hagerstown Community College Tuesday. The Washington County delegation will meet with residents and local officials in preparation for the 2022 General Assembly session. The Washington County delegation is chaired by Del. William Wivell, R-Washington. Members include Sen. Paul Corderman, R-Washington; Del. Neil Parrott, R-Washington; Del. Brenda Thiam, R-Washington; Del. Mike McKay, R-Washington/Allegany and Sen. George Edwards, R-Washington/Allegany/Garrett. The Herald-Mail will have more coverage online Wednesday and in print Thursday. Mike Lewis covers business, the economy and other issues. Follow Mike on Twitter at MiLewis. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County delegation meeting with public, officials today Representatives from Ardmore Parks and Recreation show off their awards at the Oklahoma Recreation and Parks Society banquet. Ardmore came away with four wins including the Gold Medal Award, the top honor in the state. From left to right: Alicia Henry, Vic White, Teresa Ervin, Che Russell, Tes Stewart, Lee Gothard, Clifford Ramon, Silas Party. The team from Ardmore Parks and Recreation came home the big winners of the night after the Oklahoma Recreation and Parks Society (ORPS) banquet last week. ORPS is a statewide organization dedicated to the advancement and promotion of parks within the state of Oklahoma, and the winners of the night were selected by a committee of parks and recreation professionals who work in departments across the state. This year the awards committee selected Ardmore for four awards: exceptional quality for overall marketing, exceptional quality for programming or special events for Crochet Crazy, exceptional quality in facilities or projects for the Ardmore Regional Park Pickleball Complex, and the Gold Medal Award. The ORPS Gold Medal Award is the highest honor given to any city's parks department, and it goes to only one municipality per year. Communities big and small are all in the running with one another, and it is based upon demonstrating excellence in long-term planning, resource management, innovative approaches to delivering services, and fiscally sound business practices. MORE: City begins planning to widen Rockford Road Ardmore Parks and Recreation Director Teresa Ervin said winning would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of her crew. "They take a lot of pride in what they do, and they really do it well," she said. The awards banquet came at the end of the annual ORPS conference, and during the conference Ardmore came away with another major win during an event called the maintenance derby. The derby challenges grounds crews from across the state to compete with one another in a series of seven competitions. The challenges included plant and tree identification, successfully assembling an irrigation system, a backpack blower obstacle course, a zero turn mower obstacle course, a nail hammering contest, a backhoe contest, and a truck and trailer contest. "It may sound like a bit of silly fun and it is really fun to watch but those courses are tough," Ervin said. "In the backpack blower contest, you have to use your blower to move a ball around through a timed obstacle course. With the backhoe contest, you have to use the backhoe to pick up a kettlebell that's painted a certain color then drop the kettlebell into a circle with the matching color. Our crew did a great job on all of them, and it really shows off their skills." Story continues MORE: Annual Veteran's Day program to be held on Ardmore Veteran's Center lawn She said she was honored to be recognized for so many awards. "It's very humbling," Ervin said. "Our mission is to serve our community, but it's really nice to be recognized by or peers. They work in the field day in and day out, so they really know the issues that we deal with. It's a very nice feeling for a city of our size to compete against the largest municipalities in the state, and come out on top." This article originally appeared on The Daily Ardmoreite: Ardmore Parks and Recreation wins four awards from ORPS Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak traveled to Poland's border with Belarus early Tuesday amid growing tensions involving a flow of migrants Poland and its allies say Belarus is directing toward the European Union's eastern border. Up to 4,000 migrants, largely from the Middle East and Africa, traveled to Poland's razor-wired border on Monday but were repelled by Polish riot police. Polish media says many of the migrants are being accompanied by armed men with dogs. Poland, the EU, and NATO accuse Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of using migrants as a weapon to destabilize Poland and other EU countries in retaliation for economic sanctions imposed after a widely discredited election last year and Lukashenko's forcing down of a RyanAir flight to arrest a government critic. Polish governmental spokesman Piotr Muller told reporters Monday that at some point Poland expects "an escalation" from Belarus that "will be of an armed nature." Deputy Foreign Minister Piotr Wawrzyk said it appears "Belarus wants to cause a major incident, preferably with shots fired and casualties." Neighboring Lithuania is asking its parliament Tuesday to declare a state of emergency along is border with Belarus. Meanwhile, many of the migrants mostly younger men but also women and children are stuck in the border area between Poland and Belarus in temperatures that are falling below freezing overnight. Some tell BBC News they know they are being used by Lukashenko but they don't have much future otherwise. Lukashenko denies weaponizing the migrants. The EU called the apparently coordinated flow of migrants a form of "hybrid attack" on the 27-country bloc and voiced support for Poland's border stand. You may also like 5 riotously funny cartoons about Steve Bannon's contempt of Congress charge 7 cartoons about COP26 and the fight against climate change Jimmy Kimmel rolls his eyes at the 'QAnon nuts' gathered in Dallas for JFK Jr.'s resurrection, Trump's anointing Tonya Couture-Grubb stands in her shop, JTs Catawba Cafe, with a Project Noelle Adopt a Child information board from Project Noelle, which gives her customers the opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts for local children. Couture-Grubb is a longtime Project Noelle volunteer. The founder of a local nonprofit that helps families affected by the opioid epidemic has lost a second child to overdose. Keli Clark formed Project Noelle after her daughter, Noelle Maschari, died of an overdose in 2017. On Sept. 1, while hosting Overdose Awareness Day in Orlando, Clark received news her 31-year-old son, Michael Maschari, also died of an overdose. Now, family friend and Project Noelle board member Laura White is asking the community to help Clark fund Michaels memorial service and headstone. Michael had gone into a public bathroom at Firelands Hospital. Thats where they found him, Clark said. He still had the needle in his arm, so he was instantly gone. DRUG EPIDEMIC: Overdose Awareness Day in Ottawa County recognizes 7 lost to drug epidemic in 2020 'Mother's intuition' kicked in Clark and White had spent the day in Orlando promoting overdose awareness and supporting families who had lost a loved one to overdose. I talked to a 9-year-old who lost a brother and a mother who lost a son, White said. To be around people suffering from that loss is unreal. After the event ended, White, Clark and a few friends visited Disney Springs shopping center, but Clark was not interested in shopping. She was, White said, not herself. I call it mothers intuition, White said. The importance of the impact Project Noelle has on local families affected by the opioid epidemic was felt more deeply in the community when the founders son died of an overdose on Sept. 1. Volunteers like Laura White, shown here, are doubling their efforts to offer practical and emotional support to those who have suffered loss from overdose. While the other ladies visited stores, White and Clark sat at a table to talk. It was then Clark received the phone call with news of Michaels death. There are no words to describe watching your best friends heart breaking, White said. Michaels tragic death highlights the importance of Project Noelle, which provides emotional and practical support for children and adults in Ohio and central Florida who have lost a loved one to overdose. A CUT ABOVE: Nottke offers his unique butcher skills, cuts at Bubbarock Organization provides assistance, support and awareness Project Noelle provides Christmas assistance, Easter baskets, back to school haircuts, and emergency clothing and diaper supplies. It hosts support groups and special events, and Clark is available for speaking engagements. A support group for grandparents raising their grandchildren because of the opioid epidemic began Oct. 14. The support group meets at The Sanctuary in Sandusky. Story continues We recently helped grandparents on Kelleys Island by giving them a car seat, a pack and play, and clothing for their grandchild, White said. We gave an aunt a twin bed, and we always offer emotional support. Project Noelle is accepting applications for Christmas assistance, and two toy drives will be held Dec. 4. The first will be at Bistro 163 in Port Clinton from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and the second will be held at a private residence at 460 Burdine Drive, Oak Harbor, 6-10 p.m. DITCH THE OLD LICENSE PLATES: Have an 'Ohio Gold' license plate? The BMV wants to get rid of it Want to 'adopt' a child for Christmas? Here's how Project Noelle is looking for people willing to adopt a child for Christmas. Information boards with childrens first names and wish lists can be found at several local businesses, including JTs Catawba Cafe, Lilly and Gerts, Village Creations, Marblehead Soap Company and Miller Ferry at Put-In-Bay. Like many nonprofits, Project Noelle is in dire need of volunteers. We need more people, White said. They can sort toys, contact businesses about information boards, and just help us get our name out there so we can find the people who need help. White said she would love to see the day when Project Noelle is no longer needed, but Michaels death proves that day is a long way off. Unfortunately, we dont see this getting any better, Clark said. And every time you hear of an overdose, you know that an awful lot of them had kids. Its just a growing problem. Donations to Michael Mascharis memorial service and headstone can be made at https://gofund.me/e8cc63be. More information on Project Noelle, including Christmas assistance applications, can be found at projectnoelle.com. Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com. This article originally appeared on Port Clinton News Herald: Project Noelle gearing up for holiday impact in children's lives FALL RIVER While former mayor Jasiel F. Correia II appeals his conviction on 11 fraud and extortion charges, his prosecutors have filed an appeal of their own: they want the jury's 21 convictions to stand. On Monday, the U.S. government filed notice with the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit that it is appealing a decision by Judge Douglas Woodlock to acquit Correia of 10 other counts of wire fraud and tax fraud. Behind bars: What will Jasiel Correia's life be like in prison? Your post-sentencing questions answered On May 14, after a monthlong trial, a jury found the former mayor guilty of 21 counts of wire fraud, tax fraud, extortion and extortion conspiracy. The jury convicted him of misusing hundreds of thousands of dollars in investors money for a smartphone app he developed called SnoOwl, filing false tax returns, and orchestrating a pay-to-play scheme that extorted marijuana business owners for the paperwork necessary to open in Fall River. Correias defense team, William Fick and Daniel Marx, moved that his convictions be overturned. During sentencing on Sept. 20 and 21, Woodlock granted acquittals for 10 of the counts, overturning six of the wire fraud convictions and all four of the tax fraud convictions. Correia's appeal: Jasiel Correia wants to stay free while he appeals his conviction on fraud and extortion Why did the judge acquit Correia of 10 counts anyway? At the start of the trial, the prosecution and Correias trial attorney, Kevin Reddington, had agreed to a stipulation that neither party would dispute the fact that any fraud described in the trial constituted wire fraud, and jurors were told they should assume that electronic communications were used in the scheme. Still, Woodlock ruled that the prosecution had not offered enough evidence to prove that wires or electronic communications were used to transfer cash from SnoOwl investors to Correias bank accounts, and threw out all the wire fraud convictions that involved the transfer of money and cashing of checks. Story continues Correia stands convicted of three wire fraud charges that involved the use of email to send business plans and communicate with investors. From Icarus to Atlantic City: The most shocking moments from Jasiel Correia's sentencing Former Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II, exits John Joseph Moakley Federal Courthouse with his wife Jen Fernandes on Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021. Woodlock also acquitted Correia of four counts of filing false tax returns, which prosecutors said didn't include income Correia received from SnoOwl investors. Woodlock ruled that prosecutors had not offered enough evidence to prove that the tax returns were purposely fraudulent, and not simply incorrect due to negligence. Woodlock noted during sentencing that those 10 acquittals would not affect Correias prison term. Correia was sentenced to six years in federal prison, and is due to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons on Dec. 3. A co-conspirator on trial: Federal judge lays out procedures leading up to Gen Andrade trial, including a backup date The government's appeal may be unusual At the time of sentencing, law professor and former dean of Roger Williams University School of Law Michael Yelnosky had suggested that Woodlocks decision to vacate those wire fraud charges was likely made out an abundance of caution, to protect the case as a whole from appeal. Renowned appellate attorney Dana Curhan from Boston had also suggested that the government would likely not appeal the acquittals. "I would not expect the government to appeal this ruling, even if there is a path to do so," Curhan had added. "These were rather minor charges. The government proved most of what it wanted to prove, and the charges that were dismissed would not have made a difference in the sentence." Correia is appealing his conviction on the 11 wire fraud, extortion and extortion conspiracy charges, and has asked Woodlock to stay home and out of prison while his appeal is being decided a process that could take months or years. During sentencing, Woodlock indicated he would not be inclined to grant such a motion, but has not yet issued any ruling. Dan Medeiros can be reached at dmedeiros@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today. This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Jasiel Correia prosecutors appeal acquittals on fraud, extortion One year from the 2022 elections, Republicans in Colorado are feeling the midterm momentum, buoyed by historical results favoring the party out of power and the GOPs win in the Virginia governor's race. Driving the news: First, though, Republican candidates need to find answers to a handful of tricky questions about former President Donald Trump, the legitimacy of the 2020 election and how to look at the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riot. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Why it matters: The topics are quickly emerging as divergent litmus tests for party primary voters who want to see unyielding loyalty to Trump and independents who disfavor the ex-president. State of play: A number of Republicans competing in high-profile races are outright refusing to discuss these issues, even as experts say there's no sidestepping them. Former Republican U.S. Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, who is now running for governor, wouldn't say whether President Biden won the 2020 election. Justin Olson, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Arizona, wouldn't either. What they're saying: Dick Wadhams, a GOP consultant, said the questions "are very important. They are important because Donald Trump is making them important." David Flaherty, a prominent pollster who has worked for Republicans, added: "It matters to the general election voter, but it also matters to the Republican primary voter. It's a very tight position to be in in Colorado." Zoom in: In Colorado, U.S. Senate contender Ron Hanks, who crossed the police line at the U.S Capitol on Jan. 6, is making election conspiracy a primary part of his campaign. But other Republicans are less vocal. Colorado gubernatorial candidate Heidi Ganahl, the only statewide elected Republican, is one of the candidates trying to avoid questions. In Ganahl's campaign launch and a recent interview with Axios, she refused to say whether she supports Trump. "I'd rather look forward than backward," she told us, adding, "Donald Trump is not running; I am." Story continues She declined to say multiple times whether President Biden was legitimately elected or whether fraud colored the 2020 election because it was a "divisive question." And she would not specify whether she considered the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol an "insurrection," or discuss the events at length. She offered: "It was a bad day for our country." Of note: One other issue that Ganahl sidestepped was the Texas abortion law that bans the procedure after six weeks. She labeled herself "pro-life" but would not say whether she supports a ban on abortion in Colorado, and acknowledged she hadn't looked at the Texas law. Between the lines: In Virginia, Republican Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin walked a narrow path that spoke to his base but avoided being vocal on these lightning rod issues. At a campaign rally, one of his prominent supporters talked about election fraud, but Youngkin dodged the topic. Yes, but: Democrats in Colorado say they won't let voters go uninformed in next year's election. "Republicans are splintered on this stuff, and there's no fixing it," said Democratic strategist Steve Welchert. "The disease runs deep, and it's starting to get to the marrow of the bone." More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free A construction site shut down and more than 1,300 workers were sent home after racist graffiti was found in a portable bathroom, Utah police said. The Utah County Sheriffs Office said Monday, Nov. 8, that a racial threat and slur was found written inside the bathroom at a huge construction site for a Facebook data center in Eagle Mountain. The slur identified a specific group, named a suggested action, and identified a date, public information officer Spencer Cannon told McClatchy News in an email. So that is at least part of why there is reason for greater concern. Police said the graffiti said kill a ------ day with an upcoming date. Cannon said there have been other instances of alarming graffiti at the job site, including a swastika drawn on the ground. That kind of thing is cause for concern, of course, but it did not include information that was a direct threat such as the one yesterday, he said. Mortenson Construction, the company managing the project, discovered the slur and reported it to the sheriffs office. The company posted a $50,000 reward for information that would help them identify a suspect, according to the sheriffs office. The sheriffs office plans to continue investigating the incident, with special attention on the date referenced in the graffiti, according to Cannon. Eagle Mountain is about 40 miles south of Salt Lake City. Student wore KKK costume as a dare before it was confiscated, CA principal says 100-hour graffiti cleanup shuts caverns at California park. What is wrong with people? Black construction workers called out racism in team meeting and got fired, feds say The Las Vegas Raiders have released cornerback Damon Arnette after video appearing to show him threatening to kill someone while holding a gun went viral over the weekend, general manager Mike Mayock announced Monday. "The content [of the video] was unacceptable, contrary to our values, and our owner, Mark Davis, has been very clear and very consistent that this is not how we will conduct ourselves in this community," Mayock said during a press conference Monday. "The bottom line: The Raiders will not tolerate this type of behavior." The video appears to have been recorded by Arnette and shows him speaking into a camera, brandishing a gun, and repeatedly threatening to kill someone who seemingly indicated they were five minutes away from his location. Arnette also warned the person that he was not alone and that he had "a whole army." Arnette was selected by the Raiders with the 19th pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He has been on injured reserve since week 4 of the 2021 season and has played a total of 13 games for Las Vegas. The decision to release the cornerback comes less than one week after the team released Henry Ruggs III, who was taken with the 12th pick the same year as Arnette. Ruggs was released after police announced he would face a DUI charge following a fatal car crash. On Tuesday, Ruggs crashed a Corvette into the back of a Toyota RAV4, killing 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog, authorities said. According to a police report obtained by CBS News, Ruggs was driving at 156 miles per hour just before the crash. Prosecutors said his blood-alcohol level was .161, more than double the state's legal limit. Turmoil for the Raiders has not been limited to the team's roster this year. Last month, Jon Gruden resigned as head coach after the New York Times reported that Gruden sent offensive emails while working as an analyst at ESPN. Victoria Albert contributed reporting. Some U.S. colleges and universities are helping to reduce the ballooning student debt crisis College athletes profit from new NCAA policy Embryo mix-up leads to two women birthing each other's baby Shown from left, are Pvt. Orvel V. Blakeley, the first Lenawee County man to die in France; Pvt. Claude Thomas Annis the first Adrian man to die in battle; and Nurse Julia Lide who died after spending 18 months tending to the wounded in hospitals in France. This week Americans will celebrate Veterans Day. A day set aside to recognize the men and women who have served in the armed forces, whether during peacetime or wartime. Established after the First World War as Armistice Day to commemorate the armistice signed on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 and effectively ending the war, President Dwight Eisenhower changed Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954. Bob Wessel is vice president of the Lenawee Historical Society and can be contacted at LenHist51@gmail.com. When the United States entered the war on April 6, 1917, Lenawee County stepped up. No less than 1,744 Lenawee County residents served, with at least nine crossing the border to volunteer in the Canadian Army. Although Veterans Day is intended to honor living veterans, it is also a time when those veterans look back in remembrance of comrades who were not so fortunate. Keith Derbyshire, a volunteer in the archives at the Lenawee Historical Museum, is compiling detailed information to memorialize those who never came home, regardless of how or where they died. Many were killed or mortally wounded in battle, while others died from disease in a war fought during the Spanish flu pandemic. Some who died from disease, died in the U.S. during training while others died either aboard ship on their way to war or somewhere in Europe. Sadly, disease claimed more lives than the battlefield. Lenawee County lost 84 soldiers, sailors, Marines and an Army nurse. Eight are remembered below. Pvt. Rexford Robert Gaddy, 18, of Tecumseh contracted measles while in training at Camp MacArthur in Waco, Texas. Measles led to broncho-pneumonia and on Jan. 20, 1918, Gaddy became the first Lenawee Country man to die in the service of his country in WWI. Pvt. Orvel V. Blakeley, 19, was from Clayton. Blakeley served in Company C, 126th Infantry, and was the first Lenawee County man to die in France. Oddly, the official record states that he was murdered. The same record has a footnote saying he had previously been reported to have drowned on Jan. 27, 1918. His obituary in the March 4, 1918, Daily Telegram simply states, Whether he died from some natural cause or from a trench injury is not known. Story continues Pvt. Claude Thomas Annis, 29, died of wounds received in action while serving in Company B, 126th Infantry, Adrians Guard unit in the 82nd Division. Annis was killed on Aug. 8, 1918, in Crezancy, Aisne, France. He was Adrians first combat death. The Adrian VFW bears his name. Pvt. Ralph Carpenter, 20, of Hudson died on a troop ship on Oct. 4, 1918, while deploying to Europe. He succumbed to pneumonia, likely brought on by the Spanish flu. Like many others from around the country, Carpenter made it through training and died of disease on the way to war. Given the realities of war, it isnt over until its over. Sgt. Arthur ODell, and Pvts. Henry C. Rosenberg and Conrad Albert Frank Carlin, three of Lenawees war casualties, all died on the last full day of the war, Nov. 10, 1918, within 24 hours of the armistice. ODell, 35, of Adrian of the 2nd Motor Transport Corps, accidentally drowned in a canal near his station at about 8 p.m. No details of the accident have been found. Rosenberg, 30, of Adrian was in the 328th Machine Gun Battalion. Rosenberg was killed in France between 2 and 3 oclock on the 10th. Although he died in battle, the exact action and location of his death is unknown. Carlin, 24, of Adrian served in the 329th Machine Gun Battalion. He was killed while his unit was pursuing retreating Germans. The retreating Germans turned and made a last stand at Jametz, France. Conrad died instantly when struck by shell fire. Nurse Julia Lide, 45, of Adrian was a veteran of the Spanish-American War. When World War I broke out, Lide was superintendent of Emma L. Bixby Hospital in Adrian. She joined the Harper Hospital Unit from Detroit on June 9, 1917. She served in hospitals in France for 18 months. During the war, she and her unit were cited for bravery under heavy fire and aerial bombardment on the front near Chateau-Thierry. She continued caring for the wounded in France after the armistice and died of a noncombat illness. One source speculates she may have contracted the Spanish flu, whereas the official Army records report that she died of peritonitis, probably due to a ruptured appendix. She died in Base Hospital No. 10 in France on Feb. 24, 1919. She is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. The effects of the war were felt by virtually every family in the county no by virtually every family in the country and probably much of the world. For men and women returning from the war, and the families of those who would never return, it was a bittersweet mixture of thanksgiving and mourning. Bob Wessel is vice president of the Lenawee Historical Society and can be contacted at LenHist51@gmail.com. This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Bob Wessel: Remembering those county residents who gave all in war On Monday, gun-maker Remington Arms announced it will move its headquarters to Georgia where it plans to open a factory and research operation. The nation's oldest gun manufacturer started in Herkimer County in 1816 when it began making flintlock rifles. It swelled into a firearms conglomerate, but faced slumping sales, complaints about quality, and legal pressure over the Sandy Hook school massacre. The company's workforce at its sprawling plant in Ilion, which totaled over 1,000 employees at one time, has become more sparse in recent years thanks to a mix of layoffs, lengthy furloughs and displeasure with New York's gun-control measures. Here is a look at some notable moments in the past few years. Remington Arms in Ilion, New York. 2018: Remington files for bankruptcy In 2018, the company filed for bankruptcy protection as gun sales slumped. It exited court protection the same year, owned by creditors. November 2019: Supreme Court refuses to block Sandy Hook lawsuit against Remington In November 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block a lawsuit that would potentially hold Remington liable for the Sandy Hook school massacre that left 26 people dead in Newtown, Connecticut. A Connecticut State Police detective in 2013 displayed a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, the same make and model of gun used by Adam Lanza in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, during a state legislative hearing in Hartford. The decision allowed the lawsuit that was filed by victim's families to move forward at the state level, on the allegation that Remington Arms Co. marketed the military-style rifle used in the 2012 mass shooting "for use in assaults against human beings." The lawsuit added to the company's financial woes. July 2020: Remington files for bankruptcy again Weighed down by lawsuits and retail sales restrictions following the Sandy Hook school massacre, Remington sought bankruptcy protection for the second time in July 2020. Earlier in the year, the company had temporarily closed as part of the states effort to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. It also furloughed up to 300 of its workers in response to a shortage of materials due to the pandemic. In September 2020, the Remington plant in Ilion was sold at a bankruptcy auction to Roundhill Group, LLC and the sale was approved in federal bankruptcy court. Story continues October 2020: Remington Arms fires 585 employees Remington terminated 585 employees at the plant in Ilion in October 2020 and refused to pay severance and accrued vacation benefits, which the United Mine Workers of America union said it was obligated to pay under a collective bargaining agreement. Roundhill, which bought the Ilion plant out of bankruptcy, had plans to bring back around 400 employees after it acquired a Federal Firearms License, which is required for them to make guns. November 2020: Union workers protest denial of benefits Two weeks after employees were laid off without benefits, union members held multiple protests. The demonstrations continued for months as the National Labor Relations Board opened an investigation into the decision to deny benefits to union workers and the union fought through bankruptcy court for contractual benefits they say the old company still owed them. April 2021: Workers return to work as plant reopens In April 2021, the former Remington Arms plant in Ilion reopened under its new ownership, and about 65 former employees had returned to work. The move came after United Mine Workers of America and RemArms, the plants new operator, reached a letter of agreement that paved the way for reopening the plant. By May, 230 employees had returned to work at the Ilion plant. Times Telegram reporter Donna Thompson, Observer-Dispatch reporter Edward Harris, USA Today reporter Richard Wolf and the Associated Press contributed to this article. This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Remington Arms timeline in New York More than a decade ago, Hartford Fire Department rookie Ashley Shapiro was sitting in the South Green fire station waiting for the next call when his captain dropped a rusty, sickle-shaped blade on his desk. I hear you like this tool, Tom Dalton told Shapiro, a history buff who had recently arrived at Engine Company 1 Ladder 6. Heres the head. Play around with it. Dalton had brought Shapiro an original Hartford hook, forged as early as the 1920s in the departments original machine shop behind their Main Street fire station. It had been a decade or two since Hartford firefighters had carried the tool, though it was once so widely used a stone carving of the hook embellishes the bay doors of the century-old fire house. Now, Shapiro is bringing back a modern version of the capital citys unique fire hook. On Monday, the 14-year veteran gave the fire department six new Hartford hooks produced by his company, Capital City Fire Helmets, which crafts and restores custom, retro fire helmets. The Hartford hook had always featured heavily in the stories Shapiros father told him when the elder firefighter came home from his shifts smelling of smoke. The tool was especially useful for pulling apart plaster walls and punching through tin ceilings in search of pockets of flames, and firefighters felt pride in using something designed and hand-built by an earlier generation of Hartford Fire Department machinists. Today, a black and white photo from the 1980s, now hanging in Engine Company 1, shows a mustached Leigh Shapiro standing with the half-moon hook in hand. When Ashley Shapiro first reported for work himself at Engine Company 1, he immediately looked for a Hartford hook, but all he found were the two-pronged variety developed in New York in the 1940s. It was a blow to Shapiro, who was already lamenting the plain helmet he was issued, which Shapiro thought was inferior in look, feel and fit to the leather one his father had once worn. Story continues But his nostalgia was encouraged by his captain, Dalton, who brought Shapiro the weathered, steel head of an original Hartford hook. Shapiro bought a new wooden handle, bolted the thing together and brought it on his next call, where he was promptly told off for carrying equipment that nobody else recognized. The rookie wasnt deterred. I got yelled at for trying to use it, but I didnt care, he said Monday. I kept using it. It worked. In 2010, Shapiro started Capital City Fire Helmets to recreate old-school helmets for buyers who shared his preference for all things old-school. For help, he brought on his father, who retired as a deputy chief after 28 years with the department, and retired deputy chief Richard Driscoll, who served 26 years. This year, they produced their new Hartford hooks, which also feature finger grooves and a metal cap that allows the end of the handle to be used as a battering ram. Its a very effective tool, Hartford Fire Chief Rodney Barco said Monday as he accepted the donation from the Shapiros and Driscoll. We have historians among us but these gentlemen took it a step beyond, Barco said. They have brought back the Hartford hook. Rebecca Lurye can be reached at rlurye@courant.com. KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) Two leading international rights groups urged Sudans military in a joint statement Tuesday to release government officials, activists and others detained during the army's coup last month. The wife of a detained former minister, meanwhile, expressed concerns about the health of her husband, whose whereabouts, like others, remain unknown. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also appealed for an end to further arbitrary arrests and the crackdown that has been taking place on anti-coup protests. It was the first time the two prominent groups issued a joint statement on Sudan. They had separately appealed to Sudan's military to free those arrested during and after the coup. On Oct. 25, the Sudanese military seized power, dissolving the countrys transitional government and detaining more than 100 government officials and political leaders, along with a large number of protesters and activists. The army also placed the countrys prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, under house arrest in his residence in the capital of Khartoum. Since the takeover, at least 14 anti-coup protesters have been killed due to excessive force used by the countrys security forces, according to Sudanese doctors and the United Nations. On Sunday, security forces tear-gassed demonstrators and rounded up more than 100 people, most of them anti-coup teachers in Khartoum. The coup has drawn international criticism and massive protests in the streets of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country. Moez Hadra, a defense lawyer for the deposed officials, said half are believed to be held in Khartoum and the others are scattered across the countrys provinces. Hadra said he and other defense lawyers have not been allowed to communicate with some of their clients or know their whereabouts. Twenty-five of those detained face charges of inciting troops to rebel against their leaders, he said. If convicted, they would likely face up to life imprisonment, he said. Story continues One of the 25 is Ibrahim al-Sheikh, the minister of industry in the deposed government. Al-Sheikh was a prominent figure in the pro-democracy movement that led the opposition against longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in his final months in power. Armed forces took al-Sheikh from his house in Khartoum early on Oct. 25, hours before coup leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan announced the disbanding of the government, his wife Amani Malik Ibrahim said. He was arrested in front of his family, including children and older women, she told The Associated Press from the familys home in Khartoums Bahri district. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown and he has only been allowed to speak by phone briefly one time with his family. That call alarmed his wife because he was sick at the time of his detention. I felt like he was not well. This was not Ibrahims normal voice. I asked him where he was detained and he didnt answer because it is clear there is someone on the phone with him, she said. Al-Tahir Maki Idris, another defense lawyer, said attorneys have sent requests to the military seeking the whereabouts of those arrested and the legality of their detention. There is no one that is helpful on what is happening to those detained or even their locations and their treatment, he said. Mohamed Osman, Human Rights Watch's researcher on Sudan, said that since the coup, the Sudanese military "has resorted to its well-trodden and brutal tactics, undermining small but important progress on rights and freedoms that Sudanese from all walks of life have fought for. The coup has upended the countrys fragile planned transition to democratic rule, more than two years after a popular uprising forced the removal of al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. Sundanese have taken to the streets in masses against the coup. The protest movement insists on a full civilian government to rule Sudan during the transition. But military leaders have maintained they were compelled to take over because of alleged quarrels among political parties that they claimed could lead to civil war. International mediation efforts have been underway to find a way out of the crisis or at least return Sudan to its pre-coup status with little headway. The protest movement has rejected internationally backed initiatives to return to a power-sharing arrangement with the military. Ambassadors of the U.S., the U.K. and Norway met Tuesday with Burhan and warned against unilateral action by the military, according to a joint statement from the three Western nations. The ambassadors urged the return of the transitional government and Hamdok to office as the basis for discussions on how to achieve a civilian-military partnership and civilian-led transitional government. Tuesdays joint statement quoted Sarah Jackson, Amnestys deputy regional director, who called for a joint, coordinated, and strong regional and international response to rights violations in Sudan. When Andrew Mercado found himself in the middle of a protest following George Floyd's death in Minneapolis last year, he was just figuring out how to livestream on Facebook. A few months later, though, thousands watched as he streamed footage from the Wisconsin streets where Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people. Mercado was just one of a number of people who caught snippets of Rittenhouse on that August 2020 night of turmoil and unrest in Kenosha when the 17-year-old from nearby Antioch, Illinois, shot three men, killing two of them. Livestreamers such as Mercado have become ubiquitous at protests, seeking to provide an unedited view into movements that often reflect an angry and divided America. They are often near the heart of protests, adorned with press identification and protective equipment, holding glowing phones that offer a real-time view into some of the most dramatic and violent clashes. Some say they are journalists who follow the same principles of objectivity as traditional news outlets. Others are activists seeking to amplify the impact of the protests. But nearly all say they are providing an alternative to mainstream newsrooms that they don't always trust. Livestreaming fits into a larger cultural moment that were in, where people seem to want authenticity, said Seth Lewis, a journalism professor at the University of Oregon. It seems raw and real. Mercado, who lives in a Minneapolis suburb, said that when he started documenting protests last year, he was a devout Republican. But amid mass protests over the killing of Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, he wanted to examine the issue of police accountability for himself. "Now I'm getting my own perspective on things," he said, adding that he does not support either major political party. A friend had to show Mercado how to livestream from his Facebook account on his phone before he started documenting the protests. Soon, his video stream had more than 60,000 viewers. Story continues As people sent him money through money transfer apps, he bought gear such as a protective vest and gas mask. He also set up accounts on YouTube and Facebook that paid him for his streams. Less than three months after first pointing his phone at the Minneapolis protests, Mercado was traveling the country and trying to make a living out of covering protests. He was on his way to a protest in Washington when he heard that a white Kenosha police officer had shot Jacob Blake, a Black man. He immediately headed that way. As some of the protests in the Wisconsin city turned violent, Mercado said he found it hard to stay in his preferred role of observer. At one point, a fire threatening a church compelled him to put down his phone and extinguish the flames. As shots rang out from Rittenhouse's rifle that night, Mercado was on the street. He streamed video as Rittenhouse ran past between the first and second shootings. "I jumped out of the objective observer mode and I grabbed people and tried to help them," Mercado said. Mercado was not the only one to capture footage of Rittenhouse. Video streams have featured prominently at the trial so far, with several livestreamers and reporters taking the witness stand. Kristan Harris, who hosts a web-based talk show The Rundown Live, testified Monday after video footage he shot that night was shown earlier in the trial. He told The Associated Press that he saw a livestream as the most raw form of reporting" that would allow people to make decisions for themselves. But even with plentiful video footage from the scene of the shooting, Rittenhouses case has been cast into a cultural wedge that has been used by powerful interest groups, extremists, politicians and others to push their own agendas. They are capturing snippets and slices of larger things occurring, said Lewis, the journalism professor. They still dont provide all the pieces of the puzzle. However, Lewis pointed out that smartphones and their ability to instantly capture video have completely changed how instances of police brutality are documented, particularly for Black people. People would not believe us so we had to document it, said KingDemetrius Pendleton, a Minneapolis-based activist and citizen journalist who can frequently be found at protests with a regular camera in one hand and a phone in the other. For Pendleton, the livestream doesn't just broadcast images to an audience, it also transports his audience to the scene of the protest. That's especially important to him because he says Black people from his community are not always able to take to the streets due to financial hardships or legal troubles. When Im livestreaming, there are so many that cant go out," he said. "Im showing them. ___ Associated Press writer Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report. ___ Find the APs full coverage of the Rittenhouse trial at https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse and follow Stephen Groves on Twitter at https://twitter.com/stephengroves. School of the Osage has announced its Veterans Day plans for veterans and guests Thursday, Nov. 11. 9 a.m. -- Heritage Elementary Assembly Features student music and presentations from students and staff. 10 a.m. -- High School Ceremony Includes performances by OHS band and choirs, and guest speaker Dan Doorninck. High school program: "American Flourish" - OHS Wind Ensemble Posting of Colors - Members of the National Guard (Sgt Crowley) Welcome Pledge of Allegiance - Tribe/STUCO National Anthem - Les Chanteurs and Girls Glee "We Remember Them" - Les Chanteurs and Girls Glee In Honor of Veteran Alumni and Staff Veteran Speaker - Dan Doorninck POW/MIA Empty Chair Ceremony Flag Folding Ceremony "Marches of the Armed Forces" - OHS Wind Ensemble Taps Retiring of the Colors - Members of the National Guard (Sgt. Crowley) Conclusion of Ceremony This article originally appeared on Lake Sun Leader: School of the Osage has announced its Veterans Day plans for veterans and guests Thursday, Nov. 11. (KCAL9) A supermarket security guard allegedly stabbed a man in California after he refused to wear a mask inside the store. Police say that the security guard in Santa Monica told a police dispatcher that he got into a fight with a customer and stabbed him in self-defence, said SMPD. When officers arrived at the Vons supermarket they found the customer outside suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim was taken to hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, but refused to identify himself or give investigators any details about the incident. Officials say there were multiple witnesses and that the security guard has fully cooperated with the investigation. Authorities say the incident unfolded when the customer went into the store without a mask and started to cause a scene. The man was then approached by store employees and allegedly became belligerent and assaulted a member of staff. A physical altercation developed when the security guard intervened and tried to escort the man out of the store, police say. At one point during the fight, the security officer pulled out a small pocket-knife and stabbed the customer multiple times, said SMPD. The security guard was the person who called 911 and told officers he had acted in self-defence. No arrests have yet been made following the incident. Los Angeles County has a mask mandate in place for public indoor settings and a sign outside the store notified customers they were required to wear one. The Guernsey County Senior Citizens Center was recently awarded a $350,000 grant through the Ohio Department of Aging to improve food service operations being taxed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the guidance of Executive Director Shon Gress the agency serves more than 800 home-delivered meals daily that are prepared and packaged at the center on Carlisle Avenue in Cambridge. The Guernsey County Seniors Citizens Center will receive $350,000 from the Ohio Department of Aging to bolster the local agency's food service program. The funds will be provided by a third round of funding from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, a $2.2 trillion economic stimulus bill also known as the CARES Act. "We are working to rebuild our nutrition programs after the last two years," Executive Director Shon Gress said. "Prior to the COVID pandemic, we were serving 500 to 550 meals per day, but now we are serving more than 800 a day. "Our seniors have been very vulnerable from the start of the pandemic and we want to expand anything nutritional that we can in order to help them stay healthy throughout the remainder of this pandemic. "This grant will help a lot of people and that's what it's all about," added Gress. The senior center received disbursements of $40,000 and $25,000 from the CARES Act last year. The Guernsey County facility was one of several senior centers or adult day care providers around Ohio to receive a grant including $28,000 to the Muskingum County Center for Seniors and $7,300 to Carr Center adult day service in Zanesville. "COVID-19 disproportionately impacted older adults and those reliant on adult care providers, who were unable to access or receive services during the pandemic," said Ohio Sen. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster). "I am proud to see the state put these relief funds to good use providing support for one of our most vulnerable populations." The funds are intended to assist with the safe re-opening and operation of meal programs, including costs associates with COVID-19 cleaning and sanitation supplies, personal protective equipment, emergency preparedness procedures and protocols, preparation supplies, technology solutions, and other expenses. Gress said he initially submitted a grant request for $2.1 million in September with hopes of spending approximately $1 million to build a new kitchen at the facility on Carlisle Avenue in Cambridge. Story continues "They didn't have any stipulations initially, so I applied for $2.1 million," said Gress. "Later, they informed us the money must be spent by the end of the year and there was no way to have a new kitchen built by that time, so I withdrew our request for the larger amount and decided to focus on our immediate needs." The senior center staff is looking to provide approximately 1,600 senior citizens with a 30-day supply of shelf stable meals estimated to cost $135,000 for the upcoming winter season. They are also working to provide winter kits that contain essential emergency numbers and supplies such as flashlights, batteries, hand warmers, toilet paper, disinfectant and snack bags, just to name a few items. Gress would like to purchase new one-, two- and three-compartment serving trays to help with the increased demand for meals. The center receives revenue from a half-mill grant for its Meals on Wheels program, but those funds too have been depleted by the increase in daily meals. "This will help us with the cost of food," said Gress. "It will really help us get through the end of the year with the higher volume of home-delivered meals." The funds will also be used to replace worn out equipment in the kitchen including 15 meal carriers at an estimated cost of $18,000. The long-time center director acknowledged the return of seniors to public settings has been slow for many people, which has had a major impact on meal delivery. "We continue to advertise and market our programs, but a lot of people are not ready to come back out in the public," said Gress. "We will continue to do what we do. Everyone is different when it comes to their time to get back in the group setting." The senior center will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2022, and Gress believes seniors in Guernsey County will be able to help them celebrate. "The last two years have been a real challenge, and a lot of seniors have been impacted psychologically or physically," said Gress. "We have a lot of work ahead of us helping them to rebuild their mental and physical health while returning to a group setting and not being socially isolated. "We will continue to listen to their needs and do the things that keep our seniors healthy and well," Gress concluded. This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Senior center receives $350K to bolster food services program amid pandemic A Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy warns a bicyclist not to ride on the sidewalk. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) Members of a civilian panel that oversees the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department called on the county's independent watchdog to examine stops of bicyclists after a Times investigation found that deputies search the vast majority of bike riders they pull over and disproportionately stop Latino people. The Times analyzed more than 44,000 bike stops logged by the Sheriffs Department since 2017 and found that deputies search 85% of riders they pull over and that 7 of every 10 stops involve Latino cyclists. Riders in poorer communities with large nonwhite populations are stopped and searched far more often than those in more affluent, whiter parts of the county. The analysis found that deputies discover illegal items in 8% of searches. Weapons were seized 164 times less than half a percent of all searches. Priscilla Ocen, chair of the Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, said the department's inspector general, Max Huntsman, should review "racial disparities of traffic stops, including bike stops," and that the commission should consider limiting the agency's role in traffic enforcement. "This does not have, in terms of what it's yielding, any real benefit in terms of safety," Ocen said, referring to low rates of success deputies have in finding drugs or other contraband while searching bicyclists. Sheriffs officials have defended the use of bike stops as a legitimate tool to fight crime, arguing that criminals use bikes to evade detection. Riding a bike allows criminals to traverse a neighborhood unnoticed, faster and safer than on foot, and additionally makes it easier to avoid police contact. We are not conducting traffic stops of persons obviously engaged in the use of a bicycle for exercise or amusement," department spokeswoman Lt. Lorena Rodriguez said in September. The Sheriff's Department is not obligated to follow the recommendations of the commission, which serves in an advisory role. Story continues Lael Rubin, also a member of the commission, said the deputies practice of routinely escalating minor bike infractions into more serious encounters in which they search people's belongings and often detain them in the back seat of a patrol car could be violating bicyclists civil rights. "That's not constitutional policing," she said. It's unclear what, if anything, Huntsman will do to examine bike stops. The commission could direct him to conduct an audit or something less formal. The Times' findings, Huntsman said, were similar to the problems with the agencys Domestic Highway Enforcement Team, which pulled over motorists on the 5 Freeway in search of drugs, and was suspended in 2018 after a Times investigation found Latino motorists were disproportionately targeted. One of the problems with low success rates is that the lower the percentage of successful catching of a criminal, obviously the higher the percentage of people who werent a criminal, Huntsman said. When that percentage gets really high what youre doing is perceived as harassment by the community. Two L.A. County supervisors, Janice Hahn and Hilda Solis, said the board should reconsider a local law in the county's unincorporated areas that makes it illegal to cycle on sidewalks a violation that was the basis of 8% of the Sheriff's Department's bike stops, according to the Times analysis. "If the deputies are using this minor infraction of riding on the sidewalk as a pretense to search innocent people, that is wrong," Hahn said in a statement. "The law against riding on sidewalks was meant to protect pedestrians, but if this is how it is being enforced, I think we need to consider changing it." Cyclists told The Times they ride on the sidewalk because it is safer than contending with cars on busy roads without bike lanes. Deputies stopped people for riding on the sidewalk more frequently in areas with few bike lanes, The Times found. In East L.A., for example, where just 1% of streets have bike lanes, nearly a quarter of bike stops were for sidewalk violations, one of the highest rates in the sheriffs jurisdiction. And in Lynwood, where there are no bike lanes at all, they account for 16% of stops. By contrast, West Hollywood, which is mostly white, has a higher percentage of streets with bike lanes. The citys code allows bikers to ride on the sidewalk in areas with no bike lanes, and less than 1% of bike stops there were initiated because of sidewalk violations. Surveys conducted by the nonprofit Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition found riders are twice as likely to ride on the sidewalk on streets with no bike lanes than those with them. Michael Schneider, founder of the transportation advocacy group Streets for All, said the average rider doesn't know when he is crossing over from a city where riding on the sidewalk is allowed into an unincorporated county area. For example, it's legal in the city of Los Angeles, as long as the rider doesn't show willful and wanton disregard" for safety. "That mismatch is really problematic," he said. Schneider said his group is pushing the Board of Supervisors to legalize riding on the sidewalk. Solis said the county's Vision Zero Plan, an initiative to eliminate traffic-related deaths, also proposes the change. "This proposal is low-hanging fruit that will begin addressing the injustices exposed by the Los Angeles Times analysis," Solis said. "Biking to work, to run errands, or to school should not be a crime. Instead, residents should have the privilege to use their bicycle without fear of profiling. Kevin Shin, deputy director of the bicycle coalition, supports such efforts but called it a Band-Aid solution, saying the county should invest in making streets safer for bicyclists. "Unless we're actually also making strong efforts to advance real changes in infrastructure, riding on the sidewalk really doesn't fix the issue," he said. He said bringing more bike lanes to underserved communities is part of the groups long-term goals. Supervisor Holly Mitchell said reports that Latino bicyclists are disproportionately stopped are "not acceptable." "No resident should suffer from discrimination based on where they live or the color of their skin. Creating more safe options including bike lanes for cyclists must be part of traffic safety, Mitchell said. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Fatima Chaaoufi gazes across the sealed Moroccan border towards an Algerian village on the other side, home to family members she hasn't seen for years. "We're so near yet so far," she sighs. Chaaoufi's village of Oulad Bouarfa, east of the Moroccan city of Oujda, lies just a stone's throw from Boussfar, the Algerian village where her brother died a month ago. Chaaoufi had not been able to see him since 1994, when the border was closed following a diplomatic crisis between the North African rivals. "When I found out he had died, I couldn't control myself," she said, tears in her eyes. "I ran to the barbed wire. They tried to hold me back but (my grief) was stronger than me." The 75-year-old, sitting in the yard of her family's modest farm wearing a hijab on her head and an apron around her waist, said she had been forced to watch the funeral procession from a distance, "impotent and in tears". Chaaoufi's is just one of many families divided by a frontier that Algeria closed in 1994 after Morocco accused its neighbour of involvement in a jihadist attack on a Marrakesh hotel that killed two tourists. The frontier has been sealed ever since, and there is little prospect of it opening soon as tensions mount once again between Rabat and Algiers. In August, after months of growing frictions over the Western Sahara and Morocco's normalisation of ties with Israel, Algeria cut diplomatic relations with its neighbour, citing "hostile actions". Morocco dismissed the accusations. Then last week, things took a turn for the worse as Algeria accused Morocco of killing three Algerian civilians on a desert highway through an area of the disputed Western Sahara controlled by the Algerian-backed Polisario Front independence movement. - 'Tough future' - But despite the bitter rivalry between their governments, Algerians and Moroccans have deep cultural and family ties. Story continues "It's so sad to see two brotherly people separated by political decisions," said Bachir Chaouch, who was born in 1951 across the border in El Amria but moved to Morocco before Algeria won independence from France in 1962. Today, he has lost all contact with his uncles, aunts and cousins who stayed in Algeria. "Until 1994, it was different. We used to go and see our families, business was good. We never thought we'd get to this point," he said. Despite being officially closed, the border remained relatively porous as smugglers carried on a thriving trade in petrol and cheap manufactured goods -- as well as more illicit items. But in 2013, the Algerian authorities launched what they said was a crackdown on the drug trade, stepping up patrols and digging trenches along the frontier, which prompted Rabat to erect border fences. Technically, Algerians and Moroccans can fly between each others' countries, but for farming communities along the border, cut off from what could be a key export market, that is little comfort. Many Oulad Bouarfa villagers miss their smuggling years. "It was a good time. We worked on both sides of the border, bringing in fuel from Algeria and selling clothes over there," said resident Mohamed Haddouri. "Today we get by raising animals, but it's not enough to feed my kids. Our future looks tough." - 'A bitter blow' - Haddouri said virtually everyone in this part of Morocco has family in Algeria. The two areas have historic links, and late Algerian president Abdelaziz Bouteflika was born in Oujda when both countries were under French rule. Meriem Hamouyi, a fellow villager with henna patterns on her hands, agreed. The closing of the border was "a bitter blow for us. All four of my kids are unemployed," she said. Oualid Kebir, an Algerian who has lived in Oujda for 10 years, says virtually everyone in the city has family across the border. "Likewise on the other side," the businessman added. "It's a big mistake to maintain these divisions." Kebir, a political activist who regularly posts on YouTube, said it was "a psychological ordeal" being far from his family. "I still believe in better relations between the two countries," he said. ko/agr/par/kir A woman labelled by social media users as SoHo Karen has appeared in court on hate crime charges after she wrongly accused a Black teenager of stealing her phone. Miya Ponsetto, of California, appeared in a Manhattan court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing in connection with the alleged hate crime against 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr. She was arraigned in July for attacking the son of jazz player Keyon Harrold, who she wrongly accused of stealing her phone in a Manhattan hotel lobby last December. The 23-year-old filmed herself accusing the teenager of wrongdoing, in footage that soon went viral and led to her arrest in January. She discovered shortly after that she had left her phone in an Uber, and pleaded not guilty. Paul DEmilia, Ms Ponsettos attorney, said after Mondays hearing that Ms Ponsetto had been grossly overcharged and has apologised for her behaviour. She was charged with crimes that were greatly enhanced, if I could say that, Mr DEmilia told DailyMail.com. We dont feel those charges are appropriate, but hopefully theres something that we can reach that will be satisfactory to everybody. He added that she had been seeking therapy at home in California and was waiting for a possible diagnosis for anger management, according to the New York Post. Ms Ponsetto, who did not speak during the court hearing, added afterwards: I just wish I had apologised differently, I feel like I made a mistake. She is expected to appear again on 10 January. The California woman could face imprisonment of 10 years if convicted of a hate crime, as well as charges of harassment and of endangering a minor, it has been reported. She was widely criticised for an interview with CBS News in which she suggested she could not have committed a hate crime and wasnt racial profiling whatsoever because she was Puerto Rican. Im, like, a woman of colour, Ms Ponsetto said at the time. A southern Sioux Falls home sold for over $1 million, topping area sales for the week of Oct. 18. The five-bed, 2.5-bath home at 5608 S. Frontier Trail offers 3,846 square feet on over one-third acre of land. The house features two wet bars in addition to its full kitchen and walk-in pantry. These sales and the below listings are the top 10 property sales in the Sioux Falls metro area for the week of Oct. 18, according to the Minnehaha County Office of Equalization and the Lincoln County Office of Equalization. All addresses are in Sioux Falls unless otherwise noted. Top 10: 5608 S. Frontier Trail, $1,020,000 200 & 112 E. 23rd St., $800,000 5201 S. Sawgrass Circle, $740,000 2605 S. Moss Stone Ave., $725,000 406 E. 21st St., $675,000 1220 S. Main Ave., $675,000 2804 S. Moss Stone Ave., $665,000 901 S. 5th Ave., Brandon; $650,000 2804 S. Snow Mass Ave., $637,500 3916 S. Pillsberry Ave., $590,000 This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Sioux Falls' top 10 home sales: 5-bed house sells for over $1M The tribute to the women of the Confederacy in Springfield Park, shown here in a 1997 fil photo, is one of the objects that a lawsuit filed in federal court opposes using taxpayer money to maintain. A Jacksonville-area civil rights activists lawsuit over using tax money to maintain Confederate monuments should be thrown out of court, lawyers for the state and city are telling a federal judge. Earl M. Johnson Jr., who organized the nonprofit Take It Down Inc. to champion removing the monuments from public land, argued in a suit filed in July that using taxpayer money for tributes to the Confederacy violated the U.S. Constitutions 13th and 14th Amendments. But a lawyer for the state argued last week that Johnson has failed to allege any actual, justiciable case or controversy that demonstrate a real threat of immediate injury that needs to be resolved. Spending to maintain the statues and other tributes to Confederates is essentially a nonjusticiable political question, Senior Assistant Attorney General Charles J.F. Schreiber told U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard. While Johnson pointed to the Confederacys support of Black slavery and argued that maintaining the monuments amounts to an intentional governmental endorsement of white supremacy and the ideology that Black Americans are inferior and subhuman, Schreiber answered thats not a subject for court to worry about. The Confederate monument erected in downtown Jacksonville in 1898 was partially dismantled with the Confederate soldier statue that topped off the 62-foot monument and the bronze plaques around the base removed in June 2020. A federal lawsuit filed in July argues spending tax money to maintain vestiges of the Confederacy like that violates the U.S. Constitution. A purely psychic injury or psychological consequences do not qualify as cognizable injuries, he wrote in a motion to dismiss the lawsuit. Johnson sued Gov. Ron DeSantis and Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry in their roles as elected leaders, asking for a court order barring use of public money to maintain or preserve any public tribute to Confederates, from statues to street signs. The Jacksonville lawsuit was different from court fights over whether to remove monuments, because its only about spending tax money for the monuments maintenance and upkeep. When the suit was filed, Johnson told reporters that examples of the tributes included Springfield Parks statue honoring Confederate womanhood erected by the United Daughters of the Confederacy; the empty pedestal from a now-removed Confederate statue in James Weldon Johnson Park outside City Hall; and street signs including Confederate Street, Stonewall Street and Confederate Point Road. Story continues If the suit were successful, he noted, the ruling would affect taxpayer spending on Confederate monuments around the country. A city lawyer last month also asked to have the case dismissed, saying Johnsons suit doesnt show some way the spending harms him thats different from countless other people. Civil rights activist Earl M. Johnson Jr. asked a federal judge in July for an order blocking the city of Jacksonville from adopting budgets that spend any money on maintenance or preservation of tributes or memorials to Confederates or the Confederacy, including street signs carrying Confederates' names. Without some harm thats different from everyone else, Assistant General Counsel Laura Boeckman said Johnson lacks legal standing to sue. She pointed to a 1990 ruling where a federal appeals court rejected a suit over the Confederate battle flag being included in Georgias state flag because citizens of all races are offended by its position. Georgias flag was changed in 2001 and again in 2003. Boeckman also argued Johnsons suit cites a statute that requires a plaintiff to claim intentional race discrimination that caused some sort of contractual harm, and that Johnson hadnt claimed a harm like that. Howard hadn't ruled Monday on either lawyers' motions to dismiss. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: State, Jacksonville lawyers ask to dump Confederate monuments lawsuit LANSING Stay calm and be pleasant. That is how Michigan state employees were told Monday they should react if they encounter "First Amendment auditors" citizens using cellphone cameras to record video inside and around public buildings. The phenomenon of citizens using cameras to record video of their encounters with public officials in libraries, police stations, election offices and other local, state and federal buildings has grown significantly over the last two years amid a highly polarized political environment and a social media culture in which a viral video can both grab headlines and potentially generate revenues. Many, though not all, identify themselves as First Amendment auditors. An internal Monday email to the state's nearly 50,000 state employees provided guidance on how they should handle such situations. They should "remain calm and pleasant" and "respectfully disengage" if they determine the citizen is not there to conduct public business, the email said. The encounters often include behavior that is designed to provoke a reaction that could be viewed as a violation of First Amendment rights, the email said. Some examples of behavior that have been observed at Michigan public buildings include video recording in and around public buildings with no obvious purpose, video recording employees coming and going, video recording employees through exterior windows, and being intentionally rude or uncooperative when questioned. In a few instances, the individuals have also been openly carrying firearms. More: Michigan State Police software 'sucks up' personal data from social media sites More: Michigan Trump supporters to launch ballot drive for 'forensic audit' of November election Such activities, "although abnormal and suspicious, are legal," the email said. "With very few exceptions, the right to create video recordings of public employees or private citizens on public property is considered a form of free speech and is protected by the First Amendment." Story continues Caleb Buhs, a spokesman for the Department of Technology, Management and Budget, said a few state employees felt unsettled recently when they were recorded on video while working. The intent of the message was to educate employees on how to appropriately handle a situation like this so they feel comfortable and do not infringe on anyones right to film in a public space, he said. State employees were told in the email that if they witness illegal activity, or actions they deem suspicious, even if legal, they should report it. "Security and law enforcement personnel are trained to deal with these situations," the email said. "If you see something, say something." In recent weeks, the Michigan Senate posted a series of warnings telling members of the public they cannot record or photograph lawmakers or staff inside offices as opposed to areas of the building deemed public, such as hallways without consent. The phenomenon has prompted a range of reactions in other states. In Arizona, in a move officials said was aimed at First Amendment auditors, the city of Tucson in April made it a misdemeanor to refuse to stay outside crime scene boundaries while shooting video at police calls, the Arizona Daily Star reported. In 2019, a self-described First Amendment auditor suffered minor injuries during a confrontation with a security guard while shooting video outside a synagogue and Jewish high school in Los Angeles. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter. Become a subscriber. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan state workers told how to react to First Amendment auditors Stockholm has halved the number of electric scooters allowed on its streets, the latest capital to impose restrictions on the exploding but controversial mode of urban transport. The city council voted to limit the number of authorised scooters to 12,000, down from 23,000 currently in circulation, and to slash the number of authorised rental companies to three from the current eight. The restrictions are to enter into force on January 1 and city authorities will announce within coming weeks the companies that will be allowed to retain their rental licenses, officials said following the late Monday vote. The use of electric scooters has exploded in recent years in major cities all over the world, as have controversies surrounding their use. Supporters say they are a convenient mode of transport; critics argue they are cluttering streets and can be dangerous at high speeds. Several global capitals have introduced curbs on their use. Copenhagen had banned them entirely in October 2020, before allowing a return a year later under strict rules limiting parking and use. Oslo in July slashed the number of allowed scooters to 8,000 from 20,000 and banned their use between 11:00 pm and 5:00 am. In Paris, the speed of electric scooters has been limited to 20 kilometres per hour (12 miles per hour). Singapore has banned the use of them on pavements, following the lead of Germany and France. map/yad/lth A protestor holds a sign asking for safety on the streets as he protests for road safety improvements on the corner of 13th Street and University Avenue on April 17. A 4-year-old pedestrian was struck by a car and died in Gainesville on Oct. 27. Dylan Roberts was crossing East University Avenue, heading home after playing at the park where there is no signalized crosswalk, when he was struck by a vehicle. The temptation after reading the above news, for those inured to Gainesville street death, favors one of three reactions: minimize, rationalize or blame. Did you zero in on the street name? Oh, its East University Avenue. (Minimization) Did you reach for an infrastructure tweak? One crosswalk will fix it. (Rationalization) Did you wonder whose fault it was? Where was the mother? (Blame) Minimize, rationalize and blame are habits used by domestic abusers to justify violence toward loved ones. They explain how we learn the news about our street violence and fail to address it by achieving Vision Zero: Gainesvilles official goal of no one dying on our streets. More from Emily Hind: Like big tobacco, auto industry spins lies as it takes lives Gainesville roads deserve a medal for scares, not shares A plea to car people: push for new park-and-ride options at UF Dylan Robertss mother is Megan Durant, and it wasnt her fault. I know mothers like Megan Durant. I heard three speak on Oct. 2 at the Reitz Union for the Not One More event. I spoke too, inelegantly stating that I am so glad that I am not one of those bereaved mothers. But I nearly was. I too have a 4-year-old child whose close call at the yellow flashing beacon lights on Northwest 16th Boulevard was the final straw, and I lost my stuffing over my frustration with Gainesville traffic abuse at a May 2021 UF Faculty Senate meeting. Then it happened again, one month later, and I had to swear off leaving my neighborhood with my child except in a car, a sacrifice that contributes to needless family unhappiness. Almost knowingly getting my kid killed has seen me devote ridiculous hours to activism. You know what I have accomplished in all that? Story continues Nothing. Well, not nothing. My neighbors sometimes ask if Ive gotten it done yet, and some acquaintances post angry little emojis when I share the latest conflict with cars from my bicycle commute. But thats really not enough to Vision Zero it and save a life, is it? So, Megan Durant: its not your fault. Florida drivers dont stop consistently at the yellow beacon lights. Even if you had that infrastructure at the park, and I think you should, there is no guarantee that your child would have crossed safely. But I dont mean to talk like an abuser. There is no minimization, rationalization or blame in what Im telling you. There are two main problems. The first are the 45 mph zones, which encourage highway-style driving. Gainesville is a collection of residential neighborhoods bounded by high-speed roads that make it very dangerous to get out of a car. The maximum speed limit in the city of Gainesville should be 35 mph, which is the highest speed at which a pedestrian or cyclist will probably survive vehicular impact. The second is the daily lawlessness, which aside from the legally excessive speeds, includes above-and-beyond speeding, red-light running, phone use in school zones, yellow-beacon-light-ignoring and driving in the bike lane. The solution to these problems starts with automated enforcement. The city of Tampa recently proposed legislation that would allow automated speed enforcement in school zones. The cameras used for automated enforcement can be moved from spot to spot, creating whole city enforcement. Minimize, rationalize and blame: The abusers move is to tell me why we cant have cameras to discourage deadly driving. How many deaths do you need to see before you stop putting up with and perpetuating the abuse? Four-year-old Dylan Roberts is dead. Theres no excuse for Gainesville drivers. Stop reading the news like an abuser. Stop driving like an abuser. Stop condoning violence. Demand whole city change. All streets should be safe ones. Emily Hind is a professor of Spanish at UF. Join the conversation Send a letter to the editor (up to 200 words) to letters@gainesville.com. Letters must include the writer's full name and city of residence. Additional guidelines for submitting letters and longer guest columns can be found at bit.ly/sunopinionguidelines. Journalism Matters. Your Support Matters. Get a digital subscription to the Gainesville Sun. Includes must-see content on Gainesville.com and Gatorsports.com, breaking news and updates on all your devices, and access to the Gainesville.com ePaper. Visit www.gainesville.com/subscribenow to sign up. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Emily Hind: Gainesville's maximum speed limit should be 35 mph FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee, March 2, 2021. AP At a hearing in September, the FBI director described what the agency sees as the top four threats to the US. The threats come from both state and non-state actors, with China and Russia behind some of them. During a Senate hearing in September, the FBI director described what the agency sees as the top four threats facing the US. FBI Director Christopher Wray told the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs that foreign terrorist organizations, homegrown violent extremists, cyberattacks, and malign foreign influence present the biggest threats to the US. In addition to the four threats the FBI has identified, the wider intelligence community and the Department of Defense have also highlighted that supply-chain vulnerabilities pose an additional threat to US national security and private industry. The threats come from both state and non-state actors, with China and Russia behind some of the challenges. Homegrown violent extremists An Oklahoma City police car near the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, April 24, 1995. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer Domestic terrorists are high on the FBI's threat list. The FBI categorizes Domestic Violent Extremists (DVEs) as individuals who commit violent criminal acts to further socio-political goals and who have been influenced by domestic factors, including racial, ethnic, anti-government, or anti-authority views. On the other hand, individuals who believe themselves to be participating in a global jihad or holy war but aren't members of a foreign terrorist organization, such as Al Qaeda or ISIS, fall under the Homegrown Violent Extremist (HVE) category. According to the FBI, there are several similar characteristics between international and domestic terrorists. The most important of those is the danger that "lone wolves" and small cells of terrorists pose. Because such individuals or cells are often radicalized online and take precautions to hide their activity and thinking, the FBI can't act to stop them before they commit acts of terror. As a result, these terrorists are almost invisible to the intelligence community and law enforcement. Story continues Further, small cells or "lone wolf" terrorists tend to go after soft targets, such as concerts, supermarkets, festivals, or places of worship, where dozens if not hundreds of people gather and can be targeted. "Both of these threats, which together form the most significant terrorism danger to our country, are located primarily in the United States and typically radicalize and mobilize to violence on their own," Wray said, adding that those actors' ability to quickly mobilize without any indications, often due to their use of encrypted communications such as Signal and ProtonMail, "pose significant challenges to our ability to proactively identify and disrupt them." Foreign terrorist organizations Members of ISIS-K in front of their weapons during their surrender to the government in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, November 17, 2019. Wali Sabawoon/Getty Images Twenty years after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, terrorist groups still pose a threat to the US. According to the FBI, Al Qaeda and ISIS are actively planning attacks on the US and against US interests abroad, as well as against other Western countries. The difference between the two terrorist groups has to do with their approaches. Al Qaeda seeks to conduct large-scale attacks that will kill lots of people and draw international attention. ISIS seeks to influence and motivate individuals and small cells of radicalized people to perform "lone wolf" attacks. Iran, acting through its Islamic Revolution Guard Corps' Quds Force, and its proxy forces are also actively plotting attacks against US targets stateside and in the Middle East. Cyber A cyber-defense supervisor launches cyberattacks during an exercise at the US Air Forces in Europe Regional Training Center at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, March 8, 2019. US Air Force/Master Sgt. Renae Pittman Unsurprisingly, cyberattacks also pose a grave threat to US national security and the US economy. Russia and China have been hacking their way to US national, economic, and technological secrets for years now. Despite the creation of a specific cyber center to coordinate and address these attacks, Moscow and Beijing keep at it, causing grave damage. The National Counterintelligence and Security Center has calculated that Beijing steals between $200 billion and $600 billion worth of economic secrets a year. Theft at that scale can have profound impact industrial espionage, for instance, has boosted China's military modernization efforts. Foreign malign influence President Donald Trump with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit in Osaka, Japan, June 28, 2019. Kremlin Press Office / Handout/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images Malicious foreign influence is probably the least detectable of the major threats facing the US. The FBI and the rest of the intelligence community assess that foreign states are trying to influence US national politics and public opinions, with the goal of sowing division. In 2016, the Russian intelligence agencies sought to influence the US presidential election, interfering "in sweeping and systematic fashion," though they don't appear to have altered votes and it's not clear that they affected the election results. Foreign influence operations include subversive, undeclared, coercive, and criminal activities to influence political sentiment and public discourse. Although such influence operations aren't anything new, the pervasiveness of social media and the ability of artificial intelligence to imitate human activity on social media has made them much harder to defend against. According to the FBI, adversaries such as China and Russia are "hoping to reach a wide swath of Americans covertly from outside the United States" by fabricating fake identities on social media in order to "discredit US individuals and institutions." Supply chains US Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford during full ship shock trials, in the Atlantic Ocean, August 8, 2021. US Navy/MCS3 Novalee Manzella In addition to the four threats the FBI identified, vulnerabilities in the supply chain are also a source of major concern. For example, if the USS Gerald R. Ford, the Navy's new $13 billion aircraft carrier, requires a small auxiliary part that's made overseas and a trade war or conflict breaks out, the US wouldn't be able to replace that part. That's a hypothetical scenario to highlight the importance of a robust supply chain, but those vulnerabilities have been put on display. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for masks and other personal protective equipment skyrocketed, and most of the supply came from China. More recently, economies have been affected by ongoing delays and shortages of important industrial components, especially of semiconductors, most of which are made in East Asia. Deteriorating relations, or outright conflict, could create even worse problems. Despite the many challenges on many fronts, Wray said the FBI continues to work with its partners to thwart plots and threats. "No matter which threats have dominated the landscape over the last 20 years, the FBI has remained focused on prevention and disruption sharing intelligence and making arrests before criminals and terrorists can act," Wray said. Stavros Atlamazoglou is a defense journalist specializing in special operations, a Hellenic Army veteran (national service with the 575th Marine Battalion and Army HQ), and a Johns Hopkins University graduate. Read the original article on Business Insider A sign outside Scoreboard Bar and Grill advertises job openings on Monday, May 17, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. Like many other local businesses, Scoreboard is struggling to fill positions. Tennessee's unemployment rolls have fallen precipitously over the past two months as national data shows a major surge in new hires. It's a long-awaited bright spot in the pandemic-spurred economic crisis that continues to frustrate growth and a return to normal business operations. A federal once-in-a-generation $1.2 trillion infrastructure spending plan is also poised to flood Tennessee and other states with new jobs. The news comes as unemployment levels trend down, now at 4.4% in Tennessee and 4.6% nationwide. But the most promising sign is a big nationwide surge in new hires made in October. More than 500,000 jobs were filled in October, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Analysts hoped to see that level of hiring in September and were disappointed when the initial numbers came in just under 200,000. But those have since been revised to 312,000 jobs added in September. The number of jobs Tennessee added in October won't be released until Nov. 19. But initial data reports are heartening. An uptick in claims made in July reversed in August and has trended downward since a sign that fears of the Delta variant are subsiding. There were 4,786 initial unemployment claims made during the week of October 23, along with 20,728 continuing claims statewide. These are key signs of recovery, bolstering Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell's belief that the economy will be humming again without critical disruptions as soon as next year. Jenny Hunt hurries around a corner as she waits on patrons at Scoreboard Bar and Grill on Monday, May 17, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. Intense demand for workers has caused wages to shoot up quickly, particularly at the lowest end of the scale. But that also increases the likelihood that high inflation rates will keep rising, increasing costs for all kinds of consumer goods and services. "We continue to believe that our dynamic economy will adjust to the supply and demand imbalances and that, as it does, inflation will decline," Powell said this week. "Were learning now, we have to be humble about what we know about this economy." Story continues President Joe Biden is now preparing to sign a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill that will bring a windfall of jobs and capital to Tennessee. The bipartisan bill will add more than $7 billion to state coffers for highways and bridges. Tennessee now spends $2.3 billion a year on roadway infrastructure and it has $10 billion in deferred projects awaiting funding. The surge in global infections from the COVID-19 Delta variant stunted widespread business reopenings even longer than expected. But employment growth was robust in October a crucial need as the holiday travel season approaches. The U.S. has recovered 18.2 million of the 22.4 million jobs lost in March and April 2020, according to the Department of Labor. Tennessees statewide unemployment rate dropped for the fourth consecutive month in September, decreasing from 4.6% in August to 4.4%. Sandy Mazza can be reached via email at smazza@tennessean.com, by calling 615-726-5962, or on Twitter @SandyMazza. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee economy: unemployment down, infrastructure funds on the way By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) -The Tokyo High Court on Tuesday dismissed a request for an injunction against manufacturer Tokyo Kikai Seisakusho Ltd's plan to issue a poison pill, a decision its top shareholder will now appeal to the supreme court. Asia Development Capital (ADC) is seeking to block Tokyo Kikai from issuing new shares that would dilute its 40% stake and prevent it from mounting a takeover. The fund plans to appeal to Japan's supreme court, ADC's lawyer told Reuters, after the Tokyo High Court on Tuesday dismissed its appeal of a lower court ruling against it. The legal battle is likely to spark concern among foreign investors and could cast a shadow over the future of hostile takeover bids in the world's third-largest economy. ADC built up its 40% stake in the manufacturer of newspaper printing presses in a matter of weeks. Shareholders in Tokyo Kikai, excluding ADC, have approved an issuance of new shares that would dilute the fund's stake. In a statement, Tokyo Kikai said it believed its plan to issue new shares was "legal and appropriate" and called the court's dismissal of the appeal a "reasonable decision that recognises the company's argument". ADC's original attempt to block the share issue was rejected by the Tokyo District Court. A victory for Tokyo Kikai holds the potential to make it much easier for other Japanese companies to use poison pills. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki, writing by Ju-min Park; Editing by Kirsten Donovan and David Dolan) Tyson Foods announced on Tuesday that it has given funding to two Amarillo agencies to help give the company's employees easier access to childcare. The company awarded $228,000 to the Wesley Community Center and $142,000 to the Maverick Boys and Girls Clubs of Amarillo to help cover childcare costs. Representatives from Tyson Foods present a $228,000 check to Wesley Community Center on Tuesday to help provide access to childcare for the company's employees. This is bridging the gap between that area that we found that our team members needed. We need to support our team members in everything that they do. They come out and work very hard for us, this is one thing thats going to help those team members become more productive, and provide for their families, said Paul Finch, complex manager for the Tyson Amarillo plant. Some parents stay home to provide for daycare, now this is going to provide that and were going to pay the cost, he added. More: WT kicks off F1RST GEN celebration, week of events for students According to Finch, this has been a two-year process in gathering the information and designing the program to best accommodate everyone involved. The funding has allowed the childcare facilities to provide transportation for the children, increased security, commercial refrigerators, tutoring, and cots to sleep on until their parents are able to get them after work. The funding allows for each organization to accommodate up to 40 children, officials said. According to officials with the childcare organizations, this program is especially important because it allows for parents who are working B shifts with Tyson Foods those working the hours of 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. to have a reliable resource for childcare while they are at work. More: Career Discovery Day connects high school students with potential careers Officials with Tyson Foods present a check for $142,000 to the Maverick Boys and Girls Clubs of Amarillo on Tuesday to help fund child care for Tyson's employees. We have been working on this project for childcare after hours for years...the world has just evolved and the normal family is not what were used to thinking of with a 9 to 5," said Donna Soria, CEO and executive director of the Maverick Boys and Girls Clubs of Amarillo. "The fact that Tyson saw the need and said 'let's just supply the funding so that those working the B shift have a place to send their children' thats a gamechanger for our city." Story continues Single mother, college student, and full-time employee for Tyson Akella Duang spoke about the opportunity that this program has given her to know that her children are safe and secure, so that she can focus on work. I am a single mother of two. I hardly see my kids, ever, because Im always working. Work and personal life just never balances out and I feel as if this is going to be such a great thing for a lot of us here at work. It's going to be good that, rest assured, my children are somewhere safe, somewhere where I know I dont have to worry, and have that peace of mind as I do my job, Duang said. More: Daniel's Drive In is back, and never left Liz Rascon-Alaniz, executive director of Wesley Community Center, said the funding has allowed the facility to remodel its kitchen with safety measures to accommodate the additional children. We are extremely blessed to have the support of Tyson Foods," she said. "We have had a critical issue in our community for quite some time now, and so with their funding support, we are able to enact this and get this done as soon as possible." According to Alaniz, the funding also allows for the South campus of the center to have a second shift from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. This will just give the parents additional hours to have their children in a safe and structured environment, while we feed them and provide them anything that they need, Alaniz said. Both Maverick and Wesley officials said they hope that other companies will join Tyson in providing childcare for their employees. The program is projected to be open for the Maverick Dec. 1 and Wesley in the spring, after renovations have been completed. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Tyson donates funding to help employees with childcare Kabul airport Bashir Darwish/UPI/Shutterstock Kabul airport The U.S. government says it is working with international agencies to locate a baby boy who apparently vanished after, his family says, he was handed to an American service member amid the chaotic evacuations at the Afghanistan capital airport in August. On Monday, Reuters published an interview with former U.S. Embassy security guard Mirza Ali Ahmadi, who told the outlet the situation unfolded while he and his wife, Suraya, were with their five children outside the Kabul airport on Aug. 19 attempting to leave the country in the wake of the Taliban takeover. As Taliban fighters began pushing out potential evacuees, the scene grew tumultuous, according to Reuters. A U.S. soldier standing on the other side of a tall fence nearby offered to help the couple, they said. Worrying that their baby would be dropped or crushed in the crowd, the couple handed their 2-month old son, Sohail, over the fence to the soldier, they told Reuters. But by the time the family made it to the other side, some 30 minutes later, Sohail wasn't there. The couple says they haven't seen him since. "I spoke to maybe more than 20 people," Mirza Ali told Reuters through a translator. "Every officer military or civilian I came across I was asking about my baby." Mirza Ali, his wife and their other children were successfully evacuated and eventually made it to the United States, Reuters reported. The family is now at Fort Bliss in Texas as they await resettlement in the U.S., where they have no relatives. Their son Sohail's whereabouts remain unknown. RELATED: Afghan Baby Reunited with Father After Viral Video of Family Passing Them to U.S. Troops Over Fence A spokesperson for the State Department tells PEOPLE that, due to privacy considerations, they generally do not comment on specific cases. But the official confirmed that the government was aware of the missing child and was attempting to locate him. Story continues "We are committed to ensuring the protection of unaccompanied children," the spokesperson says, adding, "We are working with our international partners and the international community to explore every avenue to locate the child, which includes an international amber alert that was issued through the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children." Speaking in general about such cases, the spokesperson says that as soon as a child "is identified as being without any trusted adult, we immediately begin working to reunite these children with their families and loved ones as quickly as possible." Unaccompanied children overseas are usually "referred to international organizations to assess their best interests and promote family reunification wherever possible," the spokesperson says. In the case of Sohail, for instance, one international refugee support group has created a "Missing Baby" sign with his picture on it. The flyer is being circulating it internationally in the hopes that someone might recognize the baby. "Once an unaccompanied child arrives to the continental United States normal protocols for unaccompanied children apply," the State Department spokesperson says. RELATED: A Dad-to-Be, a 'Brave Young Man' and 'the Most Patriotic Kid': The 13 Service Members Killed in Afghanistan The Office of Refugee Resettlement at the Department of Health and Human Services receives referrals for unaccompanied children and works to find any extended family or other appropriate sponsor to care for the child using established sponsor assessment processes. According to the State Department, unaccompanied children not immediately unified with a guardian or caregiver "are placed in culturally and age-appropriate facilities. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has identified sites that have Dari and Pashto speakers and are culturally appropriate in addition to the standing resources we have for all unaccompanied minors." Sohail's story is not the only one: As crowds gathered at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul during the evacuations at the end of America's war in Afghanistan, multiple children were seen being handed to service members by people seeking to flee. Footage of one Afghan baby being passed to U.S. troops over a barbed wire wall outside the Kabul airport in August quickly spread around social media and was seen by millions. The 8-week-old girl, named Liya, was 16 days old when she was handed to a Marine from among a crowd. She is now safe with her family in the Phoenix area, CBS News reported in October. By Sarah N. Lynch WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday launched an environmental justice investigation into whether Alabama's wastewater disposal practices discriminate against certain Black residents and put their health at greater risk. The inquiry, which will be led by the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, will focus on the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) and the Lowndes County Health Department. It marks the first time the Justice Department has ever in history launched a Title VI environmental justice investigation into one of the department's grant recipients. Under U.S. civil rights law, local governments and other entities that receive federal grants are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin. Sanitation is a basic human need, and no one in the United States should be exposed to risk of illness and other serious harm because of inadequate access to safe and effective sewage management, Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General in the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division, said. Some of the adverse health effects on Black residents exposed to raw sewage in Lowndes County have included hookworm infections, she told a media briefing. Residents are not connected to municipal sewer systems because they live in unincorporated rural areas and, as such, rely on private septic tanks in permeable clay soil. Clarke said the Justice Department received allegations on behalf of county residents alleging the Lowndes and state health departments were aware of the health risks from but had failed to do what was necessary to safely dispose of raw sewage.State and local health officials are obligated, under federal civil rights laws, to protect the health and safety of all their residents," she said. In an email to Reuters, the Alabama health department said it was reviewing the information provided by the Justice Department and could not comment while the inquiry was ongoing, adding: "ADPH is committed to cooperating with the investigating agencies to have this matter resolved as quickly as possible." Story continues Asked to comment, the Lowndes County health department directed Reuters to the state health department. According to Clarke, Lowndes County, situated between Selma and Montgomery, is a predominantly Black and low-income area with an average median income of just $30,000. (This story was refiled to make paragraph 3 read 'Title VI' not 'Title IV'.) (Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; additional reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; editing by Mark Heinrich) By Kanishka Singh (Reuters) - Two people from the Democratic Republic of Congo have been arrested in the United States and indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly trafficking elephant ivory and white rhinoceros horn from DRC to Seattle, the Justice Department said on Monday. "Herdade Lokua, 23, and Jospin Mujangi, 31, of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, were arrested on Nov. 3 outside of Seattle," the department said in a statement. On Nov. 4, a federal grand jury indicted them for conspiracy, money laundering, smuggling and legal violations for the trafficking, according to the statement. The 11-count indictment alleges that Lokua and Mujangi worked with a middleman to smuggle four packages into the United States. In August and September 2020, the defendants allegedly sent three shipments containing a total of about 49 pounds of ivory by air freight to Seattle, the DOJ said. In May, they allegedly sent another package with about five pounds of rhinoceros horn. A buyer paid the defendants $14,500 for the ivory and $18,000 for the horn, according to the department. According to the indictment, Lokua and Mujangi also sold 55 pounds of pangolin scales to a U.S. buyer but ultimately did not ship them. The World Wildlife Organization says the meat of the pangolin, often known as the "scaly anteater," is considered a delicacy and their scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine, making them among the most-trafficked mammal in the world. The two discussed sending larger shipments of ivory, rhinoceros horn and pangolin scales by ocean freight containers. On Nov. 2, they arrived in Washington State to negotiate the details of such a deal and were arrested in Edmonds, the DOJ said. Reuters could not immediately contact the representatives of Lokua and Mujangi. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum of 20 years' imprisonment for the smuggling and money laundering charges and five years for the conspiracy and Lacey Act violations, the Justice Department said. The Lacey Act prohibits, among other things, falsely labeling shipments containing wildlife. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Dan Grebler) A UK newspaper group began a legal challenge on Tuesday over a ruling that it breached the Duchess of Sussex's privacy by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father. Meghan, 40, successfully sued Associated Newspapers Limited, which publishes the Daily Mail, MailOnline and Mail on Sunday, over a series of articles based on the letter to Thomas Markle. A High Court judge in February, arguing that the handwritten letter was "personal and private", said publication was "manifestly excessive and hence unlawful" and ordered Associated to print a front-page statement acknowledging her victory. It has not yet done so because of the appeal, in which lawyers for the publishers argue that the letter was written with the knowledge that it could be made public. "We read the judgment as implicity accepting that the letter was crafted as an intimate communication for her father's eyes only," said one of the lawyers, Andrew Caldecott. But he said that was "false" based on new evidence from Meghan and her husband Prince Harry's former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, which suggests she suspected her father may leak its contents. "The letter was crafted specifically with the potential of public consumption in mind because the claimant appreciated Mr Markle might disclose it to the media," he added. Caldecott pointed to an interview given by five of her friends to the US magazine People, which her father considered to be "a serious attack on him". Meghan "made no effort to correct" it, he added. At the original hearing, Associated argued its articles were intended to correct inaccuracies in the People interview. Caldecott said Meghan's father had a right to reply and that she had no "reasonable expectation of privacy of the text of the letter", as it had already been widely reported. He said Knauf's evidence cast doubt on the original ruling, adding that the case should have gone to a full trial. Story continues - Media battle - Lawyers for Meghan are contesting the appeal and maintain that the High Court judge made the right ruling. They said they would oppose the introduction of the Knauf evidence. At a previous hearing, Meghan's legal team said Knauf had told them he did not write or help draft the letter. If his submission is allowed, the duchess could also offer new evidence, they said on Tuesday. The case, which is due to last up to three days with judgment expected at a later date, is the latest in the former television actress's long-running battle with Associated. As well as the privacy claim, Meghan successfully sued for breach of copyright and data protection infringement. The letter to her 77-year-old father was written a few months after her wedding to Harry, 37, who is Queen Elizabeth II's grandson. In it, Meghan asked her father to stop talking to tabloid newspapers and making false claims about her in interviews. Meghan and Harry have waged a high-profile war against the media, blaming intrusion for their decision to quit royal life last year and move to the United States. But they have since attracted criticism for launching themselves into the public eye with a series of lucrative deals with firms including Spotify, Netflix and Apple TV+. phz/jwp/gd The distribution is from 4 to 6 p.m., or until food runs out, on Nov. 10 at the Big Bear Area parking lot, located at 2 Ice Circle in Sault Ste. Marie. SAULT STE. MARIE United Way of the Eastern Upper Peninsula is teaming up with partners and volunteers from around the community to distribute turkeys. The distribution is from 4 to 6 p.m., or until food runs out, on Nov. 10 at the Big Bear Area parking lot, located at 2 Ice Circle in Sault Ste. Marie. This is part of a monthly food distribution hosted by the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. Approximately 15,000 pounds of food is slated for those in need. This event is made possible through a partnership with Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and a variety of service groups and businesses from around the Eastern Upper Peninsula. Anyone planning on attending to pick up food will be required to register. Volunteers will assist with this process, and all attendees are asked to remain inside their vehicle. Contact Kristen Corbiere with any questions (231) 622-5286 or kccorbiere@gmail.com. This article originally appeared on The Sault News: United Way to provide turkeys during upcoming food distribution Nov. 8A Spokane Valley high school student has been accused of threatening the life of a 16-year-old student multiple times through intimidating social media posts and direct threats of gun violence. The threats, according to court documents, caused University High School on Friday to cancel classes. Adam L. McCarty, 18, faces one count of felony harassment after investigators allege he threatened the other student by telling him on Oct. 29, "I've got a bullet with your name on it," during a conversation between the two in the hallways of the high school, according to the affidavit. The student reported concerns to Spokane County deputies, and high school administrators on Friday decided to cancel classes for the day. McCarty was arrested Friday afternoon. His bond was set at $50,000 Monday afternoon in Spokane County Superior Court. The teen McCarty is accused of threatening told Spokane County deputies he saw McCarty post pictures of himself holding weapons on Instagram. McCarty then used Instagram to threaten the teen's life again, according to the affidavit. A teacher at University High School told a Spokane County deputy she heard McCarty at school "yell out" he was going to kill the 16-year-old student, according to the affidavit. The teacher also said she saw McCarty attempt to assault another student off school grounds, an incident she reported to police Friday in an interview. A US judge ruled Monday in favor of United Airlines, which offered unpaid leave to employees who declined to receive a mandated Covid-19 vaccine on religious or medical grounds. The decision came after a federal appeals court on Saturday suspended a vaccine mandate by President Joe Biden's administration that is intended to push millions of workers at businesses with more than 100 employees into getting Covid-19 shots. United Airlines had announced on August 6 that its employees should be vaccinated or risk being terminated. "It is not for the Court to decide if United's vaccine mandate is bad policy," said Texas judge Mark Pittman in his decision released Monday. The court had been called to pronounce upon a very specific point: the leave United Airlines offered to employees who took advantage of the medical or religious exemption could be for as long as necessary, but would be unpaid. The judge decided that the elements were insufficient to demonstrate the "imminent, irreparable injury" that the furloughed employees claimed they were suffering. "The Court faces the difficult task of balancing individual liberties against a company's ability to exercise its business judgment," the judge said. He noted that the plaintiffs had argued that United caused them irreparable harm by "simply forcing them to choose between their livelihood and their right to live out their faith absent undue hardship from their employer." But he ruled that difficulties stemming from the loss of income were not "irreparable" and could not therefore be qualified as such. United had said that of its approximately 67,000 employees, about 2,000 have requested an exemption, two-thirds of them on religious grounds and the remaining third for medical reasons. jul/ob/jh/to A Myanmar junta court will give its verdict next month on whether ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi broke coronavirus rules during elections her party won last year, a source said Tuesday. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military's February coup, which sparked huge protests and a bloody crackdown on dissent. Suu Kyi, 76, went on trial in June, and faces a raft of charges, including illegally importing walkie-talkies, corruption and sedition. Media have been barred from attending proceedings at the special court in the military-built capital Naypyidaw, and the junta recently banned Suu Kyi's legal team from speaking to reporters. On Tuesday, she appeared at the latest hearing in the trial for allegedly flouting coronavirus rules during the 2020 elections, a source with knowledge of the matter said. She would testify in her defence next week, the source said, adding a "final order pronouncing the verdict of the court" was set for December 14. Suu Kyi faces three years in jail if found guilty. The junta court will also hear closing arguments in a separate trial for incitement next week as it begins to wrap up proceedings that could see the Nobel laureate jailed for decades. The military has alleged that the 2020 elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won by a landslide -- trouncing a military-backed party -- were beset with fraud. The junta has threatened to dissolve the NLD and continues to wage a bloody campaign against opponents to its rule. A junta court in eastern Karen state on Tuesday sentenced former NLD lawmaker and chief minister Nan Khin Htwe Myint to 75 years in prison with hard labour for corruption, her lawyer told AFP. She had no plan to appeal, Aung Thein said following the trial inside a prison in state capital Hpa-an. Last month, Win Htein, a former NLD parliamentarian and close Suu Kyi aide, was handed 20 years in jail for treason, the first high-ranking member of the party to be jailed by a junta court. bur-rma/qan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - There is no place in the U.S. political system for the sort of violent images Congressman Paul Gosar spread about his colleague Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday. "There is absolutely no place ... for any violence of any sort in this political system," said Jean-Pierre, adding she would leaving it to Twitter to decide how to act. "This should not be happening, and we should be condemning it, she said. Gosar, a Republican lawmaker, posted an anime-style cartoon on Twitter depicting him swinging swords at President Joe Biden and Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat, and killing her. The social media company put a warning on the post, but did not remove it. Earlier in the day, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for investigations into Gosar's video. "Threats of violence against Members of Congress and the President of the United States must not be tolerated," Pelosi tweeted. (This story corrects that Jean-Pierre is deputy press secretary, not press secretary in first paragraph.) (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Mark Heinrich) Ildiko Tabori and her dog Johnny Carson at her home in Culver City. Tabori, the Laugh Factory's in-house therapist, has added dog walking therapy sessions to her menu of services for comics during the pandemic. (Eric Thayer / For The Times) A therapist, a comic and a dog are walking down the street. Theres no punchline here its dog walking therapy. Somewhere on a hilly neighborhood street in Culver City, clinical psychologist Ildiko Tabori is out walking her certified therapy dog, Chihuahua-poodle mix Johnny Carson, with a friend or at least that is what it seems like from the outside looking in. Behind their pandemic masks, Tabori is talking with a patient, quite possibly a comedian, about the state of their life. I can always tell how someone is feeling by how they hold the leash and engage with the dog, Tabori said. When a patient is in a good place, they talk to the dog a lot during the walk. When theyre in a negative mood, theyre initially less patient with him. Since being hired by the Laugh Factory on Sunset Boulevard in 2011 as the comedy clubs in-house therapist, her client list caters almost exclusively to the Los Angeles stars and up-and-comers in the L.A. comedy scene. For years, comedy clients have sat down with her on the third-floor office of the Laugh Factory on an old-fashioned red couch that once belonged to Groucho Marx. In recent years, she's shifted to doing sessions on the couch at her Culver City home. Despite never getting on stage to tell a joke, Tabori's therapy sessions have become a thoroughly tapped resource in the comedy community. Comics don't have health insurance and Dr. Tabori goes out of her way to provide a much-needed service for a group of people who clearly need therapy, comedian Grant Cotter says. As a comic, I thought if I talked about my problems on stage, everything would be fine. Sometimes you just need a different outlet. I'm grateful for the Laugh Factory and [owner] Jamie Masada for linking me up with her. Actor, writer, and comedian Suli McCullough started seeing Tabori when he was going through a toxic time in his life, questioning himself about even staying in the business. There were a lot of red flags that she helped me to see and change. I wasnt in a positive place at all, and she was necessary in helping me work though some of my stuff. In fact, I should probably go back to therapy because I feel like I might have over-isolated during the pandemic, McCullough admits. Story continues Finding new ways to accommodate needs during (and beyond) the pandemic became a must for Taboris business. Enter: rescue-pet-turned-therapy-super-dog, Johnny Carson. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Johnny Carson, a Chihuahua-poodle mix, became Iidiko Tabori's therapy dog right away. (Eric Thayer / For The Times) In 2015, while looking for a larger breed dog, Taboris daughter spied a 1-year-old puppy at Adopt and Shop Rescue in Culver City. It didn't require too much begging and pleading to make the switch from wanting a big dog to a small dog because, as the story goes, it was love at first sight. When the pandemic hit, Johnny Carson became Tabori's therapy dog right away. "Some of my patients still wanted in-person sessions early in the pandemic, but I was concerned because I was only working in my home office and wasnt sure if I wanted people in my home so early on," Tabori said. "So, I started dog walk therapy my patients hold the leash, I pick up the poo, and we walk around my hilly neighborhood talking." The dog's presence around her patients and his love for being petted decreased anxiety and improved their moods during the session. The feeling was apparently mutual. Johnny Carson has learned the sound of my patients cars before theyve even parked. He gets very excited and hovers at the door with his super high-pitched squeak that doesnt relent until I open it and let him run to greet the patient by running circles around them, literally. Hes also incredibly agile and tends to get himself in these odd contortions. I have a patient that refers to him as, Cirque du Chien [Circus of the Dog], Tabori said. Four-legged friends have been used to aid in mental health care for years because the act of petting can decrease anxiety and stress, its a natural mood-elevator, and they give you something to care for. Ildiko Tabori and her therapy dog Johnny Carson at her home in Culver City. "Johnny Carson is like the dog version of that person who makes you feel like you're the only person around," Tabori says. (Eric Thayer / For The Times) Dog therapy allows for a more relaxed environment to explore and process feelings that sometimes feel scary within the confines of a therapy room, Tabori explains. Johnny Carson is like the dog version of that person who makes you feel like you're the only person around. Hes always there somewhere during a session as the cutest piece of equipment. Dr. Steve, host of Weird Medicine on SiriusXM, confirmed that theres something about the unconditional nature of dogs' love and attention that makes them ideal therapy animals. When were upset, our dogs come to us. They don't judge us, at least not in any way that we can determine, and they don't try to fix anything. They just offer themselves as comfort, he said. During the pandemic, the use of therapy dogs in hospitals decreased considerably due to fewer visitors and extra focus on sanitizing hospital rooms. Meanwhile, while trotting in the fresh air in Taboris Los Angeles neighborhood, Johnny Carson soldiers up hills while lifting spirits and taking frequent breaks to lift his leg. People open up a lot when were walking the dog and it really does shift one's focus immediately, Tabori said. Also, during their time, Johnny Carson takes forever to relieve himself because he must find the exact right blade of grass to go on. So, as comedians do, its now being referred to as Johnny Carson reading his 'pee-mail' and sliding into someones 'pee-ms,' the therapist said with a laugh. Of course, when he pees on a wall, it is now a 'Pee-casso.' Now imagine if you could take your own pooch with you to therapy oh, wait you can. The more the merrier as Tabori also does a collective dog walk therapy. As long as your dog gets along with others, theyre welcome to join. I have a couple I see individually that bring their dogs. These three Chihuahua mixes just walk in a little pack. Therapist Ildiko Tabori's cat Eartha Kitty at her home in Culver City. There is no cat walking therapy in Tabori's sessions. (Eric Thayer / For The Times) Of course, with comedians as patients, there are laughs to be had underneath the weight of the problems they need to get off their shoulders. Tabori admits, All of the comedians who do impressions give the dog the Johnny Carson voice. Strangely, however, her cat, Eartha Kitty does not have the soulful impression of the amazing Eartha Kitt. It ends up being more like Samuel L. Jackson. There is no cat walking therapy, but Eartha Kitty does periodically present herself during a traditional therapy session. Along with the dog and my patient, it becomes group therapy. Tabori says she can see the progress her patients had made in the session when they start engaging more with the dog toward the end of the walk. Physically walking a therapy dog aside, Dr. Steve adds, Ive seen patients who have severe dementia and are basically unresponsive, or even those who are agitated and unresponsive, respond positively to therapy dogs in a nursing facility. Petting a dog seems to be hardwired into our psyche, at least in areas where dogs as pets are common. Adding dog walk therapy to her menu has been a hit with her comedy patients, Tabori says. If youre a dog lover, how could it not be? Now I leave it all up to the client. Do you want to talk online? Do you want to come in and sit? Do you want to walk the dog? The only thing that changes is where Im sitting, because the dog is happy anywhere. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Jack Ciattarelli, Republican candidate for New Jersey governor, with supporters at a watch party in Bridgewater Township, N.J. on Election Day, Tuesday evening Nov. 2, 2021. (Dave Sanders/The New York Times) Hours after polls closed in the unexpectedly tight race for New Jersey governor, the Democratic incumbent, Philip Murphy, and his Republican challenger, Jack Ciattarelli, took the stages at their campaign parties and said it would take more time for the results to be finalized. A new system of voting, which utilized electronic poll books and did not permit the more than half-million mail-in ballots to be tallied until Election Day, had bogged down the count. Six days later, Ciattarelli, who trails Murphy by about 65,500 votes, or about 2.6 percentage points, according to The Associated Press, has yet to concede even though the AP has declared Murphy the winner. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Ciattarellis campaign stressed that there was no evidence of fraud, and he has warned his Republican supporters against falling victim to wild conspiracy theories or online rumors. Officials with Ciattarellis campaign said Monday that they were waiting until all mail and provisional ballots were counted, a process they expected to be completed within two days. Still, that has not stopped Murphys campaign from criticizing Ciattarelli. Assemblyman Ciattarelli is mathematically eliminated, and he must accept the results and concede the race, Murphys campaign manager, Mollie Binotto, said Monday in a statement. His continuing failure to do so is an assault on the integrity of our elections. An election lawyer for the Ciattarelli campaign, Mark Sheridan, acknowledged that it was unlikely for Ciattarelli to pull ahead in the vote count. But he said it was possible Ciattarelli could come within 1 point of Murphy the threshold at which he said it would be prudent to ask a judge for permission to conduct a recount. At the same time, Sheridan sought to distance Ciattarelli from former President Donald Trumps post-election stop the steal strategy that made disproved claims of voting fraud and led to the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Story continues Were not hearing any credible accounts of fraud or malfeasance, Sheridan said. Im not looking to be Rudy Giuliani standing in front of a mulch pile, he added, referring to Trumps lawyer, the former mayor of New York, who had his law license temporarily suspended after a court ruled that he made demonstrably false and misleading statements while fighting the results of the 2020 election. But Sheridan did stress that it was important for every vote to be counted. Despite the likelihood that Murphy will win a second term, the narrow margin has been a jolt to Democrats and suggested that they will face a steep climb to try to retain their hold on Congress in next years midterm elections. The governors race was one of several where candidates were waiting to concede until after the results were finalized. New Jerseys second most powerful lawmaker, Steve Sweeney, who lost his state Senate seat to a relatively unknown Republican candidate, Edward Durr, had not conceded the race as of Monday afternoon. The AP called the race Thursday morning, as Durr maintained a 2,298-vote lead over Sweeney with all precincts counted, and by the weekend it had become a punchline on Saturday Night Live and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. On Sunday, Trump called Durr and encouraged him to have fun with it, according to a clip of the call posted on Facebook. At the heart of the delays were election technology used for the first time in New Jersey, enabling voters to cast ballots early, in person, over nine days. The system used poll books that required an internet connection; in some cases, poll workers were confused by the new process. (At one polling location, for example, workers had not turned on the Wi-Fi router, an election lawyer said.) Boards of election across the state also struggled to hire enough people to oversee Election Day voting, leading the state to offer an extra $100 to entice workers. A spokesperson for the secretary of state has maintained that the problems were not widespread, but they did lead to long lines at some polling sites, creating frustration that spilled out on Twitter. It also prompted a last-minute effort by the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey and the states League of Women Voters to extend voting hours Tuesday by 90 minutes. A judge rejected their request. Theres not been one suggestion of any hint of a fraud problem, said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. Whats going on is a really agonizingly slow count. Last year, during the presidential election, New Jersey residents voted mainly by mail to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Months later, the Legislature also authorized nine days of early voting before the Nov. 2 election, including four weekend days, joining a majority of states that offer ways to vote early, in person. But in doing so lawmakers eliminated a rule adopted for the 2020 presidential election cycle that permitted mail ballots to be counted before Election Day in order to speed up the process. Mail ballots postmarked by Nov. 2 had until 8 p.m. Monday to arrive; an estimated 550,000 people cast mail ballots for Tuesdays election twice as many as were cast in 2019, contributing to the slow count. There are also approximately 70,000 emergency provisional ballots, none of which can be counted until all mail ballots are tallied, to ensure no one voted twice. It finally reached the point where the counties couldnt absorb all those changes at once, Rasmussen said. To come within 1% of Murphy and justify a recount, Ciattarelli would need to narrow the vote gap that separates them to about 26,000 votes. Middlesex County, with more than 10,000 provisional ballots to be counted, has one of the states largest numbers of remaining ballots. It is also a Democratic stronghold where Murphy was leading Ciattarelli in the Election Day count by 55% to 44%, which Murphys campaign maintained made it mathematically unlikely that Ciattarelli could pull ahead. Still, the Ciattarelli campaign faulted Democrats for injecting a level of uncertainty. The new law Gov. Murphy and state Democrats rushed to enact led to this disjointed and excruciatingly slow vote-counting process, Sheridan said in a statement. At this time, we do not expect the provisional vote count to end with Jack Ciattarelli in the lead, he added. However, that count may reduce the margin for Gov. Murphy enough to warrant a full recount. 2021 The New York Times Company China citizen journalist Zhang Zhan had been described in recent media reports as being 'near death' from her deteriorating health The US state department has urged China to release citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, expressing deep concerns over her deteriorating health. She was given a four-year jail term over her reporting of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan when the pandemic began. Zhang has been on an intermittent hunger strike since she was detained in May last year. The US moves comes after reports that she is perilously close to death. "We have repeatedly expressed our serious concerns about the arbitrary nature of her detention and her mistreatment during it," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters. "We reiterate our call to the PRC for her immediate and unconditional release." Zhang, a 38-year-old former lawyer, had initially travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 after reading an online post by a resident about life in the city during the outbreak. Once there, she began documenting what she saw on the streets and hospitals in livestreams and essays, despite threats by authorities, and her reports were widely shared on social media In May she was found guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" - a charge that is commonly levelled against activists and whistle blowers seen as undermining the government's efforts to control information in the country. Zhang started a hunger strike in protest while in jail. Since then, she has drastically lost weight and reportedly been held in physical restraints and force-fed through a tube. Her family have sought medical parole amidst fears she will not make it through the winter. However, her brother told Hong Kong media that the chance of approval is 'extremely slim'. You may also be interested in... The BBC has obtained the footage of what is thought to be Zhang's last interview before she was detained. Pat yourself on the back, Virginia. You deserve it. When so much of the political discourse is brimming with ugliness and rage all of it seemingly designed to drive people away from the polls Virginians turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots in this years election. Across the commonwealth on Nov. 2, voters streamed to the polls. They poured into public libraries, school gymnasiums and civic centers. They came out in our heavily populated cities and bucolic rural counties. They arrived at 6 a.m. when voting began and some lined up shortly before 7 p.m., when the polls were set to close. But not all who cast a ballot did so on Tuesday. Thanks to changes made by the General Assembly, Virginians took full advantage of early voting opportunities. They cast ballots by mail (making sure to have a witness signature). But since Election Day is a state holiday now, they used the day as intended: to do their civic duty and participate in the selection of their elected officials. Totals from the Virginia Department of Elections are unofficial mail-in ballots postmarked on Tuesday could be received as late as Friday, which could affect the numbers slightly but Virginians cast more than 3.2 million votes in the race for governor. New Delhi: The UK government has announced that Indias Covaxin, the home-grown vaccine will be added to the list of approved Covid-19 vaccines for international travellers from November 22. This means that people who have been vaccinated by Bharat Biotech-manufactured vaccine shot will not have to isolate themselves on arriving in England. The move came after Covaxin got its emergency use approval from the World Health Organisation (WHO) last week. Covaxin is the second-most used formulation in India. Besides, the United States, which has lifted its Covid-9+19 travel restrictions, will also approve Covaxin. All FDA and WHO-approved vaccines will be accepted by the US authorities. Though Covaxin is doing fairly okay and has been accepted by various countries, direct travel to some countries is still not functional. This is because the Indian government suspended certain international passenger flights till November 30, 2021, amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Notably, the countries that possess air-bubble pacts with India offer direct flights to their locations. Heres the list of countries where Covaxin is approved and direct flight is permitted: United Kingdom The country stated that it would recognise Covid-19 vaccines that are on the World Health Organizations Emergency Use Listing including Chinas Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Covaxin to the approved list of vaccines for international travellers. This will come in effect from November 22 and it will accept travellers from UAE, Malaysia, and India. United States The United States, which has lifted its Covid-9+19 travel restrictions, will also approve Covaxin. All FDA and WHO-approved vaccines will be accepted by the US authorities. Switzerland The country will approve Covaxin as a valid vaccine for international travellers from India. Oman Indians who have inoculated with Covaxin do not have to serve 14-days of isolation in the country. All passengers from India who have received two doses of Covaxin at least 14 days before the estimated arrival date will now be able to travel to Oman without the requirement of quarantine, the Indian embassy in Oman has said. Previously, Indians vaccinated with Covishield did not have to remain quarantined themselves. Nepal The Indians have to present a Covid-19 vaccine certificate and the last dose has to be administered 14 days before entering the country. The Covaxin shot has been added to its approved vaccine list. Iran The country allows Indians who have been immunised with Covaxin shots. If the RT-PCR test results are not available, the travellers have to quarantine themselves for 14 days. Sri Lanka Both Covaxin and Covishield vaccinated people from India are allowed entry to this country. Unvaccinated people have to stay isolated for 14 days. Estonia This was one of the first countries to recognise Covaxin in its approved list. Indian citizens vaccinated with Covaxin shots will be allowed into the country without being quarantined. Zimbabwe Both Covishield and Covaxin have been approved by the African nation. The Indian visitor must carry a negative RT-PCR report during their travel. Guyana The country has approved Covaxin for travel to the nation. Other vaccines approved by the country are AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, and Sinopharm, Sinovac, Johnson and Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna. Paraguay Apart from AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Sinopharm, Sinovac, Pfizer, and Moderna, the country has approved Covaxin. Heres the list of countries where Covaxin is approved but the direct flight is not permitted: Australia The country has approved Covaxin, manufactured by Bharat Biotech. However, there is no direct flight from India due to Covid-19 implications. Travelling to Australia has layovers either in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or Tokyo airports. These three countries have not approved Covaxin. Philippines Covaxin inoculated Indians are allowed to visit the Philippines. However, there is no direct flight from India to the country and the passengers have to avail of different routes. Mexico The country has approved Covaxin for emergency use. However, Mexico has not signed the air-bubble pact with India, yet. Mauritius Indians vaccinated with Covaxin can travel to the country. However, no direct flight from India is available at present. Greece People travelling to Greece have to show a Covid-19 vaccination certificate, a negative RT-PCR report of less than 72 hours, or a negative antigen test report of less than 48 hours. People not possessing any Covid-19 symptoms do not need to quarantine themselves. However, no direct flight from India is available. Passengers have to travel via European countries wherein Covaxin is not approved. The arrest of an alleged thief in Omaha Monday led to a carjacking and a chase that ended in Council Bluffs. Omaha Police Officers responded to the CarHop at 5153 NW Radial Highway at 11:03 a.m. to investigate a theft. Officers located a male suspect and took him into custody without incident, according to a press release from the Omaha Police Department. As they were transporting the suspect to Douglas County Corrections, the suspect complained of chest pains. Officers took him to Nebraska Medical Center to have the suspect medically cleared by hospital staff before booking him into Douglas County Corrections. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} While at the hospital waiting to be seen by staff, the suspect ran out of the building and jumped into an occupied vehicle, ordering the female driver to drive away, the press release stated. She got out of the car and ran away, leaving him to escape in her vehicle. Authorities have said part of their investigation will include reviewing whether the concert promoter and others behind the festival adhered to the plans submitted. Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, said firefighters had asked festival organizers for a radio so they could be in direct contact with each other. Lancton said firefighters were given a list of cellphone numbers to call during an emergency. We dont use cellphones for emergencies. We use radios. We need direct contact because as situations unfold, seconds matter, Lancton said. He said a group of four firefighters were stationed inside a mobile command van in a nearby parking lot starting at 7 a.m. on Friday. Without direct communication with the festival organizers, the firefighters inside the van monitored six different radio frequencies to keep tabs on what was going on, he said. Festival organizers had contracted with New York-based ParaDocs to handle all medical services at the festival. A 22-page plan the company submitted to local officials ahead of the festival said it estimated 70,000 attendees more than the actual number of concertgoers and planned for a daily staff of more than 80 emergency medics, doctors, registered nurses and supervisors. Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. Flags also will be half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state. Solar tax credit Since it was first available in 2012, Iowas Solar Energy System Tax Credit has benefited 6,216 solar installation projects, according to a report from the Legislative Services Agency. The credit, tied to the federal solar tax credit, will sunset at the end of the year. Residential installations accounted for nearly 61 percent of the projects and one-third of the $36.7 million in awarded tax credits. Using the $291 million in reported installation costs and the state tax credit award amount, and assuming federal tax credits totaling $87.3 million (30 percent of $291 million), the combined federal-state tax credit amount of $124 million represents 42.6 percent of installation costs across the 6,216 solar projects, LSA reported. Based on Department of Revenue projections, tax credit redemptions are expected to fall from nearly $5.2 million in fiscal 2021 to $1.4 million by fiscal 2026. At a Monday press conference, Ricketts looked to Dr. Gary Anthone, the state director of public health, who confirmed that Nebraska would return to daily data releases effective Monday. Ricketts said the state was not, however, planning to reinstate the pause on elective surgeries. We think the hospitals have been able to manage it, with regard to their personnel and so forth, he said. So, were not planning on doing that. But we will be going back to updating the dashboard daily. The dashboard will include the same data on COVID-19 as was included before the latest scaling back, he said, plus data related to flu and RSV in the state. Back in June, the state retired the data dashboard entirely after Ricketts ended the states COVID-19 state of emergency. It started reporting a limited amount of data each week a move that was heavily criticized. In August, 11 state senators requested that Ricketts reinstate the dashboard, saying the data is crucial for schools and businesses making operational decisions. 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. Like livestock producers across the country, Pillen Family Farms suddenly faced not only the challenge of keeping employees on the job without normal revenues, but also the ongoing costs of caring for animals that couldnt be sold (including feed, water, veterinary care, and utility costs), she said in an email. The Trump administrations support enabled farmers and ranchers to weather the massive market disruptions caused by COVID-19 and continue to produce Americas food supply, and were grateful, she said. Other candidates seeking the governors seat in 2022 declined to comment on Pillens use of the PPP loans, including GOP contenders Charles Herbster and Brett Lindstrom and Democratic candidate Carol Blood. Gov. Pete Ricketts said the state had encouraged Nebraskans to apply for the loans if they were eligible. Every business was doing everything they could do to meet the challenges of the moment, he said. Just like everyone else, the Pillens were entitled to apply for this help. I applaud them for going above and beyond and repaying a large portion of their PPP, even when most of these loans are forgiven. No PPP loans were found for Nebraska-based entities tied to other announced gubernatorial candidates, to potential candidates Theresa Thibodeau and former Gov. Dave Heineman, or to Ricketts. LEXINGTON An Orleans man has been accused of selling THC and nicotine cartridges to Lexington Middle School students. Hector Lugo, 22, has been charged with distribution of a controlled substance, a Class 2A felony, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Lugo appeared Friday in Dawson County Court before Judge Jeffrey Wightman. A preliminary hearing was set for Nov. 16 at 11:30 a.m. Bail was set at 10% of $20,000, or $2,000, which Lugo posted. According to court documents, on Thursday, Nov. 4, Lexington Police Officer Luke Pinkelman located several Lexington Middle School students with THC oil and nicotine cartridges at the school. Pinkelman and school staff spoke with the students, who said they bought the THC and nicotine cartridges from a male identified as hector048 on Snapchat. The students stated they would see hector048 advertise on Snapchat that he was in Lexington and selling the cartridges and would arrange a place to meet for the sale. One student and their parents agreed to help the Lexington Police Department and Cooperative Operations for Drug Enforcement task force arrange to buy from hector048. The North Platte Public Schools Board of Education set a schedule of meetings for December to prepare for superintendent candidate interviews. The regular December board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 to make room for the following meetings. On Dec. 8, the board will meet at noon to select the final candidates from those the Nebraska Association of School Boards sends the district. On Dec. 13 through 16, the board will meet each day at 6:30 p.m. to conduct interviews and. At noon Dec. 17, the board will meet to select the next superintendent. All six board members will be getting the resumes of the people who fit the criteria, said Skip Altig, board president. On Dec. 8, we will go into executive session and discuss the candidates. When the board comes out of executive session, four of the candidates will selected for the board to interview. Because of confidentiality, the candidates names will not be used, but each will be designated a letter of the alphabet to identify them. NASB will contact the four that we select and set up the interviews for Dec. 13, 14, 15 and 16, Altig said. We will meet on the 17th to make the decision on who we would like to have as our next superintendent. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} "We met with him to bring him up to date," Hilgers said. In addition to previously identified projects and proposals that spread across the state, "the concept of doing a larger reservoir lake between Omaha and Lincoln is on the table now," the speaker said. But there are lots of questions yet to be answered about the impact of such a lake, he said. Professional engineering and financial consultants hired by the committee are studying all of that now, Hilgers said. "We are finding the best ideas to fit the mission," Hilgers said. "A great idea might not be doable," he noted, due to its environmental impact or potential impact on water supply. "We are taking the conceptual to the real now," he said. A number of proposals for a lake between Lincoln and Omaha have been aired during the past 50 years, some of which would do so by constructing a dam on the Platte River and others that would result in flooding Ashland. North Platte Community College is looking for veterans who would be willing to speak about their military experience during a ceremony at 12:15 p.m. Thursday. The Veterans Day event will be open to the public and will include a question-and-answer session with attending vets. Refreshments will be served. Immediately after the ceremony, at 1 p.m., the public can watch a Zoom presentation featuring two Native American speakers: Theresa Stands and Beverly Running Bear. Stands serves as the home-school and Native family liaison for Scottsbluff Public Schools. She is of Lakota heritage and has spent her adult life learning more about her Native identity while also educating others. Running Bear is a Lakota language instructor at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D., and is a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe. She lives in Rapid City and grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the 1950s. Her first language was Lakota, but she lost it when she went to school and was forbidden to speak it. Her passion is to preserve the Lakota language and educate future generations of Lakota individuals about their cultural traditions. The Festival of Trees begins its fourth year at the Prairie Arts Center in North Platte as people decorated Monday in preparation for the annual event. The online auction opens Nov. 15 and runs through Nov. 20 with a celebration and auction countdown scheduled for 7 p.m. that Saturday. The original Festival of Trees raised funds for the Miss Nebraska program, but PAC Executive Director Holly Carlini said now the beneficiary is changed every year. In the past, the funds raised have gone to the North Platte Community Playhouse, the Mikey Ride, and this year it will be the Lincoln County (Court Appointed Special Advocates) program, Carlini said. Bidders can place bids online at gatewayrealty.hibid.com, and Carlini said people can go to the PAC during business hours Nov. 15-20 to view the trees and wreaths. On Nov. 20, Santa will be here all day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., so families are invited to come in, take pictures with him and view all of the auction items and get in the Christmas spirit, Carlini said. Hot chocolate and cider will be available, and visitors can tour the PACs studios and galleries. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} A big-screen TV will be set up to watch the online bidding live through the conclusion. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena had said during a news conference on Saturday that the injuries and size of the crowd quickly overwhelmed the private companies providing security and medical services. Pena said even though the medical operations plan did not require that the fire department have units pre-positioned around the festival, his agency decided to have those units in place in case this incident escalated. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on Monday that he had a "brief and respectful" meeting with Scott and the rappers head of security on Friday before his performance. The chief said he asked them to work with the police department. I expressed my concerns regarding public safety and that in my 31 years in law enforcement experience I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages, to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation, Finner said. G. Keith Still, a visiting professor of crowd science at the United Kingdoms University of Suffolk, said his independent investigations of similar tragedies typically begin with an evaluation of an events safety permitting process. He evaluates how a permit was issued and whether the event organizer adhered to permit conditions. The railroads have said that employees will be disciplined if they fail to comply with the vaccine mandate. The unions didn't immediately respond in court to BNSF's lawsuit Monday, but in the other lawsuits they have argued the railroads were violating the terms of their contract by requiring vaccines and by offering bonuses to workers if they do get vaccinated. Both Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are offering employees $300 if they get the shots. The non-negotiated bonuses and unilateral decision to discipline employees who are not vaccinated functioned to undermine the collectedly-bargained agreements and reduce Norfolk Southerns obligations under those agreements, the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, union said in its response to Norfolk Southern. Leaders of the SMART-TD union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have said they generally support workers getting vaccinated, but they don't think the railroads should require it without negotiating first. Federal judges have yet to rule on any of these lawsuits related to the railroads' vaccine requirements. BNSF, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific are three of the largest U.S. railroads. Spokeswomen for two other major major U.S. railroads, CSX and Kansas City Southern, said officials at those railroads are still considering whether to impose vaccine mandates in response to the executive order, but both railroads are encouraging employees to get the shots. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. One of the unspoken assumptions that many Nebraskans make every day is that we can call 911 and get an ambulance dispatched quickly if there is a medical emergency. Outside of the major population centers, this is not always true. Ambulance crews in Lincoln and Omaha do not have to hold fundraisers to maintain their vehicles and equipment and operate their rescue squad. In rural Nebraska, however, the local volunteer rescue squad is often all there is. If you get hurt and have to dial 911 in much of my legislative district, you are in for a long wait, over an hour sometimes. We had better medevac coverage in Afghanistan. It is very hard to find volunteers in rural Nebraska for anything. The ongoing labor shortage is making something thats already bad even worse. Rural Nebraskas population is increasingly more elderly, so the pool of citizens to draw from is shrinking as well. Most of our rural counties have little in the way of public resources, and no one can afford a property tax increase to help fund these services. The Legislature should make sure that there are not unnecessary obstacles to those seeking to serve as volunteer emergency medical technicians. Vice-President Joe Biden and former president Bill Clinton wave as they walk out of Air Force Two in Youngstown, Ohio, on October 29, 2012. Photo: Matt Rourke/AP/Shutterstock Sometimes when I hear a bit of popular music from the 1990s whether its the boy-band stylings of NSYNC or the guitar-rock version of Radiohead it seems familiar and momentarily with-it until I realize, Oh my God, this was a quarter-century ago! Similarly, when I read Mark Penn and Andrew Steins op-ed in the New York Times offering a take on the current plight of the Democratic Party, I certainly recognized a familiar tune from the 90s. This was the heyday of the Democratic Leadership Council, an organization I loyally served in various capacities for about a decade, eventually becoming vice-president for policy. I feel that like most of my colleagues from that era, I have evolved a lot since then, as has the Democratic Party and the United States of America. But the Penn-Stein analysis shows no evolution at all: Its a view of the current political landscape from the perspective of 1995 at the latest, and thus offers very bad advice to todays Democrats. Thats no great surprise when you look at the authors background. Im not expert enough at the byzantine politics of New York City to understand how Steins self-identification as a Democrat survived his endorsement of Donald Trump in 2016. Penn was the DLCs pollster back in the day, and more famously, was once known as the Clinton familys pollster and quasi-strategist until he was pretty clearly excluded from Hillarys 2016 presidential campaign. Since then, he has followed the example set by his partner from the Clinton White House, Dick Morris, by becoming a relentless troll reinforcing Republican talking points even as he trades on a Democratic Party ID nearly as anachronistic as his analysis. Unfortunately, Penn and Steins advice to Democrats is pretty close to the bipartisan Beltway conventional wisdom these days. A lot of scribblers and gabbers have bought into the idea that the party lost in Virginia (and underperformed in New Jersey) on November 2 because it failed to hew to the political center, thus losing suburban swing voters who disliked the entire Biden agenda and betraying the centrists who made him president. Excessive pandering to the left, it is often said, portends disaster in 2022 and 2024 unless Democrats repudiate progressives and, well, do little other than preempting as many conservative-policy prescriptions as possible. This is, Penn and Stein say, precisely what Bill Clinton did between 1994 and 1996 to save his presidency (this period, not coincidentally, was precisely the moment when Clinton started listening to Morris and Penn). This is a false analogy in many ways, but it mostly boils down to a refusal to recognize all the things that have changed since Penns salad days. The swing vote has shrunk dramatically There are many arguments among political scientists and journalists about the exact definition of swing voters (though the most common is simply likely voters who regularly change their voting patterns) and exactly how small a percentage of voters this has become (most say about or less than 10 percent of the electorate). But few would dispute that its a much smaller pool of voters than it was when Penn was focusing a lot of the 1996 Clinton-Gore reelection campaigns resources on appeals to Swing I (suburban moderates) and Swing II (culturally conservative but economically liberal) voters. The reason is simple in retrospect: In the 1990s, the two parties were still in the midst of an ideological sorting-out (voters to the left becoming Democrats, voters to the right becoming Republicans) that left a lot of voters feeling dispossessed and up for grabs. There were a lot of relatively conservative Democrats and relatively liberal Republicans in Congress and in the electorate, and in 1996 Clinton (with Penns advice) shrewdly won more than he lost among these voters who were adrift. Theyve mostly realigned by now, both causing and accelerating the partisan polarization that is so notably a feature of 21st-century politics. In very close elections, swing voters can still be crucial, but so can base turnout, and the relative size of base and swing voters in both major parties coalitions is such that the kind of exclusive catering to the latter can fatally offend and even betray the former. And its not like Clintons swing-voter catering was noncontroversial, either, as anyone who remembers the fury of congressional Democrats over the 42nd presidents triangulation against them will remember (his reelection in 1996 did not do a lot for down-ballot Democrats). Yes, Democrats were united in 1998, as Penn and Stein remind us, but by then (a) progressives were defending Clinton against impeachment and removal from office, and (b) Clinton had abandoned most of his triangulating ways. The 2021 results are a lot more complicated than some shift of suburban swing voters to the GOP Penn and Stein call the 2021 results in New Jersey and Virginia a resounding wake-up call to the Biden administration. You will note that there is no mention of the 2021 gubernatorial-recall results in California, which showed left-bent Democrats losing virtually nothing from their big 2018 and 2020 wins. But even if you focus on the one actual loss in Virginia, the picture is a lot more complicated than suburban swing voters rebelling against Bidens progressivism, as I noted last week: Preelection analysis heavily emphasized the battle for the vote-heavy Northern Virginia suburbs, in part because college-educated white suburban voters were thought to be the key to recent Democratic success, and in part because Youngkin lived in NoVa and campaigned there heavily. He did improve on Ed Gillespies 2017 performance by roughly five points in NoVa (which represented 28 percent of the vote in 2017 and 29 percent in 2021), but the region did not disproportionately contribute to a six-point improvement on Gillespies vote percentage statewide. As for the idea that Youngkin flipped college-educated white voters statewide: It seems he actually trailed Ed Gillespies losing performance in this category (Youngkin won 47 percent of these voters, while Gillespie won 48 percent). The thing that jumps off the page of the Virginia exit polls is a significantly elevated turnout by Republican base voters (particularly white working-class voters) and Youngkins super-strong performance among Evangelicals. But heres the more important point: When Clinton made the pivot that Penn and Stein exaggerate, Democrats had already gotten clobbered in the 1994 midterms. Things do not look great for Democrats going into 2022, but it hasnt happened yet, and unlike Clinton in 1995, Biden still has over a year to get important things done with trifecta control of the federal government. Should that matter a little, or indeed, a lot? Certainly it should if you view midterm losses as extremely likely no matter how much pivoting Joe Biden does. Democrats are a much more uniformly progressive party than they were in the 1990s Penn and Stein want Biden to ignore progressive demands and tailor his agenda to the views of Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, the truly representative Democrats no, seriously. They write: Senator Joe Manchin and Senator Kyrsten Sinema are not outliers in the Democratic Party they are in fact the very heart of the Democratic Party, given that 53 percent of Democrats classify themselves as moderates or conservative. Well, thats one way to put it. Another is that 85 percent of Democrats (according to an authoritative Pew survey last year) classify themselves as liberals or moderates. Joe Manchin, who represents the second-Trumpiest state in the Union, is indeed an outlier among congressional Democrats, as is Sinema: From 2017 to 2021, they both voted with the Trump administration just over 50 percent of the time, far more than anyone else currently in the Senate Democratic Conference. There are plenty of moderate Democrats in the House (including 85 of the 95 members of the New Democratic Coalition) and the Senate (e.g., Michael Bennet, Tom Carper, Chris Coons, Dianne Feinstein, John Hickenlooper, Tim Kaine, Angus King, Jeanne Shaheen, Jon Tester, and Mark Warner) who didnt join the Manchin-Sinema revolt. Who made them the king and queen of moderate Democrats? The truth is, Manchin and Sinema are well to the right of every other Senate Democrat and all but a few House Democrats. They are the very definition of outliers. Biden did not have a mandate to smite progressives You can understand that a lot of readers of the Penn/Stein op-ed might not remember the 1990s with much clarity. But even their take on 2020 is odd: The history of the 2020 election is undisputed: Joe Biden was nominated for president because he was the moderate alternative to Bernie Sanders and then elected president as the antidote to the division engendered by Donald J. Trump. He got off to a good start, especially meeting the early challenge of Covid-19 vaccine distribution. But polling on key issues show that voters have been turning against the Biden administration, and rejecting its embrace of parts of the Bernie Sanders/Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez playbook. Really? As I remember it, Joe Biden survived the early phase of the nominating process almost exclusively because of his strong standing among Black voters (who preferred him to Black candidates Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, and to moderates Mike Bloomberg, Pete Buttigieg, and Amy Klobuchar), however they identified themselves ideologically. These Black voters were emphatically not Joe Manchin/Kyrsten Sinema Democrats. Bidens perceived advantage in electability was his main advantage over Bernie, but then they reached relatively quick agreement on what became the 2020 Democratic platform, which the Build Back Better agenda reflects in a fairly modest way. Biden cannot go back to the 1990s The irony about all the unfriendly advice to Joe Biden to abandon what he has been doing since being elected president and emulate the Democratic politics of the 1990s is that he was there, and he was generally aligned with the Clintonian wing of the party. He had to repudiate part of that legacy notably the 1994 Crime Bill that the Republicans of that day called wildly left-wing in order to put himself in a position to win the Democratic nomination in 2020. This septuagenarian evolved along with his party, both in Congress and in the country. He cant go back now. November is American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, and telehealth and telemedicine solutions leader LTI recognizes that tribal, rural and other groups need better access to healthcare and mental health services Featured Image for Let's Talk Interactive Inc. Featured Image for Let's Talk Interactive Inc. Featured Image for Let's Talk Interactive Inc. CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Nebraska Urban Indian Health Coalition (NUIHC), a nonprofit providing healthcare services to the urban American Indian and Alaska Native population, needed to find a way to connect with its community during the pandemic. Let's Talk Interactive was the solution. The American Indian and Alaska Native communities face major health disparities compared to other groups. Studies by the U.S. government and healthcare nonprofits show that life expectancy is five years less, on average, and people suffer from higher rates of heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. Communities also face greater behavioral health challenges, with suicide being the second-leading cause of death for their young people. Hospitals and healthcare centers are understaffed compared to the rest of the United States as well. Recognizing those disparities and challenges to accessing care, Let's Talk Interactive (LTI), a leader in customizable telehealth solutions , has partnered with several organizations that provide healthcare and other services to tribal, rural and underserved populations. NUIHC, for example, found LTI's technology paid off not only during the worst of the pandemic, but even afterward when facilities reopened. "We are able to continue to provide consistent support to our community throughout the pandemic thanks to Let's Talk Interactive's telehealth solutions ," said Kenneth Boryca, behavioral health director at NUIHC, which serves the Omaha, Neb. and Sioux City, Iowa areas. "But telehealth is not going awaythis is something we are going to continue to offer as an organization post-pandemic. Many of our clients prefer telehealth sessions because it saves so much of their personal time to meet virtually from wherever they are that day." Story continues LTI also partnered with the school district in Fort Madison, Iowa, to overcome issues with funding for mental health initiatives, working with the district to offset mental health costs to insurers. LTI built an online portal that gives families and students access to qualified mental health providers through the largest insurance providers in the region. Now, students and their families have access to mental health support and services, billed directly through their insurance at no cost to the school. LTI's partnerships with organizations including 2nd Alarm , a community coalition providing mental health counseling to first responders in Florida's Panhandle region, and Soldier On , a nonprofit connecting veterans in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania with mental health services, underscore the telehealth solutions company's commitment to underserved and hard-to-reach communities. "Telemedicine and telehealth capabilities enable providers to administer quality care, regardless of their locale," said Arthur Cooksey, founder, chairman and CEO of Let's Talk Interactive. "We're proud to work with communities and organizations to help meet the demand for high-quality, specialized care to communities in need to help alleviate the burdens of accessibility, finding childcare, or missing work to ensure that patients, even in rural areas have better healthcare outcomes." Another key feature for nonprofits and other small organizations is the ease of use of LTI's telemedicine technology . The LTI platform and its expert support makes it easier for the groups to schedule sessions and properly document cases, while also being secure and HIPAA-compliant. "Documentation is a big thing people struggle with. Having the notes section available digitally makes reporting at the end of the day so streamlined," NUIHC's Boryca said. "The assistance LTI provides, the simple upgrades -- it's been a game changer. To me, it's a home run." About Let's Talk Interactive, Inc. Let's Talk Interactive, Inc. is a complete end-to-end Telehealth solutions provider and recipient of Zoom Video Communications, Inc's global inaugural Trailblazer Award. LTI arms medical and behavioral health professionals with cutting-edge Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) video conferencing software, kiosks and medical carts, network solutions, virtual clinics, and proprietary safe and secure online video conferencing capabilities while giving those in need instant access to care through its innovative technology platform. For more information about LTI, visit https://letstalkinteractive.com Media Contact Caitlin Wolf caitlin@letstalkinteractive.com (980) 220-3777 Newswire Savannah Muir savannah@newswire.com Related Images Image 1 This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Attachment Which countries in the world are maximum users of Facebook and how many users does Australia contribute? (Source: Getty) Love it or hate it, you cannot ignore it. Mark Zuckerberg's social media giant Facebook, which is now owned by the recently named parent Meta Platforms, has millions of users around the world despite the security and privacy loopholes it blatantly exposes them to. Common perception is that young people are shunning Facebook and that it isn't hip or cool any longer. They are said to be exiting the addictive platform in droves, but statistics tell a different story. How Facebook has grown in Australia over the last five years Generally, Aussies are ardent consumers of social media, but Facebook is the overall preferred platform, with 66 per cent of the total population, or 16 million, Australians using Facebook on a monthly basis. In Australia, the number of Facebook users has been increasing steadily since its introduction in 2005. Aussie Facebook users are the fourth-most active 'Likers' in the world, which amounts to an average of 15 likes per month versus the global average of 12. Australia's Facebook user base has been steadily growing over the past five years. (Source: Getty) There are specific reasons for this growth pattern. Given Australia has one of the highest active social media penetration rates globally and a high internet penetration rate, social networking sites are bound to grow exponentially. But statistics, surprisingly, also reveal that younger generations in Australia are much more active Facebook users with those aged 18-29 using the platform four times more per week than those over the age of 65. Furthermore, WhatsApp and Instagram are also Facebook-owned social media platforms with a growing user base. So the next time you casually diss Facebook and its many new product offerings under the Meta brand, do consider that you're probably also contributing to its remarkable growth and expansion strategy. Story continues Which countries have the most Facebook users? While Australia's active Facebook user base has grown steadily over the years and is expected to increase further by 2022, it is not among the top 10 users by country. Ever since its advent, Facebook has provided easy access to people across the world, with almost every country having users who can connect with each other more conveniently than on any other platform. India has the highest number of Facebook users in the world. (Source: Reuters) Additionally, in certain countries Facebook aids political campaigns, helps deliver news, and acts as a conduit to organise movements, protests, and more. Facebook has more than 2 billion users worldwide, with the following countries accounting for most of the user base. The figures are in millions: The top 10 countries with the most Facebook users. (Source: Statista) While China holds the largest population in the world, with more than 1.4 billion people, Facebook has been banned in the country since 2009 for not complying with Chinese censorship rules. India, which has the second-largest population in the world, with just under 1.4 billion, houses the most Facebook users of any country. India alone has 340 million Facebook users, making it the leading country for the platform. According to Statista, if Indias Facebook audience were to form a country, it would be ranked the third-most populous in the world. Other countries that have more than 100 million Facebook users each are US (200 million), Indonesia (140 million) and Brazil (130 million). With a population of about 332 million, more than 72 per cent of US citizens are on Facebook. Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to the free Fully Briefed daily newsletter. In addition, Murray said there were some structural issues given the age of the building such as a leaking roof and weakening joists. Murray said he invested about $580,000 buying the land the church occupied, but after things didnt pan out, he sold to a different private owner in September this year. In the past, he also helped lead development on The Dakota, a subdivision in west Auburn, but he stressed hes not typically a developer by trade. I learned my lesson, Murray said of buying the old church. That was not a positive experience for me but I tried to sell it to somebody that might have interest in trying to preserve it as well. A representative from Three Sixty Real Estate confirmed that the current owner is seeking to build townhomes on the site and said that individual would not be interested in speaking for this story. The representative also said the property had been available for anyone to own over several years until Murray purchased the land. Murray said he attempted to sell to the City of Auburn but was rejected because of a lack of parking availability for the building to be turned into a city facility. Ward 1 Councilperson Connie Fitch-Taylor said she would have had interest in saving it but was unaware the land was for sale until the week of demolition. We are very excited to come to Georgia, a state that not only welcomes business but enthusiastically supports and welcomes companies in the firearms industry, Remington CEO Ken DArcy said in a statement. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp famously pointed a shotgun at another person in a campaign commercial when the Republican was seeking his current office in 2018. Georgias firearms industry is responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in our communities, Kemp said in a statement. I am a proud owner of some of Remingtons first-class product, and now, I am excited to welcome them to their new home in the Peach State. Scott Malone, the economic development director for the city of LaGrange, said Remington has already secured at least one building in the city, and will operate from a combination of new and renovated facilities. He said local governments would offer property tax abatements, plus utility and infrastructure improvements. Six weeks later, however, Pat woke up for the first time. A year into his recovery, he was able to stay awake and alert for a full day. Over the next 13 years, Pat underwent numerous brain surgeries and daily extensive rehabilitation programs. These therapies helped him re-learn how to walk, talk and complete daily tasks. His rehabilitation journey was accompanied by complications of epilepsy, or seizures, commonly seen in patients with a TBI. To help with the epilepsy, the Horans were given a therapy dog named Wilson trained to identify early signs of a seizure and alert someone before Pats seizure occurred. Wilson retired this year but still lives with Pat and Patty. They have a new therapy dog named Rocco. Pat also had trouble in moving the right side of his body, apraxia (difficulty performing movements) and global aphasia. Both apraxia and global aphasia are commonly associated with left temporal lobe brain damage. The left temporal lobe of the brain is located behind the left ear and controls the processing of languages and emotions as well as visual perception. Global aphasia occurs because of a damaged Wernickes area in the left temporal lobe and Brocas area in the left hemisphere of the frontal lobe. Together, these areas of the brain help to understand language, produce words, and use grammar. Washington, PA (15301) Today Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Thank you for Reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. i saw it on twitter earlier and was like welp someone's getting sued Reply Thread Link Campea has always been such an idiot but this is a new low. Watermarking leaks? Its like he wants to be sued. Reply Parent Thread Link Did Daredevil get hair plugs in the meantime because no follicles no care tbh Reply Thread Link (Im pretty sure Charlie Cox actually did get a hair transplant. He was very sparse in 2020 and has full hair again in the show he did in 2021. Hairline is about what its been since like 2016 but hes not thinning anymore. His hair is shorter now too, probably because they dont have to keep it long enough to tease it over thin spots.) Reply Parent Thread Link really glad for him. now give me karen and jessica Reply Thread Link Looks a bit fake??? But anyways: Me when I finally see Tobey Maguire suit up again #SpiderManNoWayHome pic.twitter.com/EYWRhDKWhi jonny5 (@jonnyboa) August 23, 2021 * S C R E A M S *Looks a bit fake???But anyways: Reply Thread Link So the trailer is definitely dropping tomorrow, then. Reply Thread Link MATT MURDOCK IN THE MCU BAYBEEEEEE Reply Thread Link So these movies all happen in the one universe and everyone can still be Spider-Man like none of these were seperate movies or reboots? But why are there different Mary Janes then? Reply Thread Link I need someone to explain to me too. Are they like spider brothers? Reply Parent Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] Doctor Strange opens the multiverse and the villains, as well as the spidermen come from alt-universes. So Tobey's story happened in a different universe from Andrew's and Tom's *(and Venom's) *Spoilers* Reply Parent Thread Link The other Spidermen come from alternate worlds, basically Reply Parent Thread Link maybe some multiverse shenanigans? Reply Parent Thread Link If you've seen Spiderman: Into The Spider-Verse, I'm assuming it's something similar to that set-up/plot. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Multiverse shit, they would be, I assume, Peter Parker variants from different timelines/universes like Sylvie is to Loki or all the other Loki's we saw (some of which were incredibly different to main Loki, while Classic Loki was very similar), and after the Loki finale the timelines have been freed/aren't being pruned. Idk how Tobey and Andrew Spidey's get from their timelines to the main MCU timeline, could be magic fuckery or some other shit, who knows. Reply Parent Thread Link I need Spider-Man to find his way home and make it there already after this movie. Im getting sick of him and I never thought Id say that Edited at 2021-11-09 04:42 am (UTC) Reply Thread Link I feel like going back and re watching all the Spider-Man movies (and I mean all, even the third one) before this one comes out Reply Thread Link Worst kept secret. Reply Thread Link Its like Disney scrubbing the interview footage of TH wearing a NWH production cap during Venom promo. Reply Parent Thread Link Not the man who tweeted about 2 weeks ago that you should be fined 1 million dollars for spoiling a comic book movie leaking shit Reply Thread Link I honestly dont care about Spider-Man, where he is, or how hes getting there, this is just hilarious Reply Parent Thread Link "... dont care about Spider-Man, where he is, or how hes getting there..." This is my new fave thing! Lmao at "or how he's getting there..." Reply Parent Thread Link He did? LMAO. Campea is such an idiot. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link From what I heard, he thought they were fake. Hell be in for a shock when he wakes up. Reply Parent Thread Link lol I get the notifications via email and spoiler-cuts don't work there :( Welp, wbk I guess. Reply Thread Link Omg I didn't know that - sorry that happened to you. Reply Parent Thread Link I saw it on the front page and they don't work there, either :( Reply Parent Thread Link Yep, same. lol I just decided not to care about spoilers like I used to. Reply Parent Thread Link MATTY Reply Thread Link Is it because it's a Sony production, not just Marvel Studios, that there are so many damn leaks? For crying out loud lock your shit down! Reply Thread Link All these leaks originally are coming from disgruntled employees. I think the guy who leaked the image of the three suits wasnt getting paid or something (I think, I speed read and then forget things) and was like fuck it and dropped a bunch of spoilers. I think he also dropped black panther spoilers too. Reply Parent Thread Link Hilarious if disgruntled employees leaking spoilers left and right is the thing that finally makes Disney decide to start paying their workers. Reply Parent Thread Link Interesting re disgruntled employees - I didn't know that. They need to be paid?!?!?!? How hard is that. Reply Parent Thread Link I heard Spiderman was gonna be in this one too! Don't tell anyone yall!!! Reply Thread Link huge if true Reply Parent Thread Link Angelina Jolie could play Harry Styles, but Harry couldn't pull off Jolie's wardrobe. Reply Thread Link He can barely pull off his own. Reply Parent Thread Link Her collarbones are terrifying! Reply Thread Link So is this comment! Reply Parent Thread Link Your homer gif icon makes this response even better. Reply Parent Thread Link saw eternals again last night and enjoyed it a lot more the second time around, there were some things I didn't completely follow the first time that made way more sense on another watch. I stan Makkari and Druig so hard Reply Thread Link the chemistry between them was insane! Reply Parent Thread Link And its even funnier to compare it to ikaris and sersi that have the same chemistry as two raw boneless skinless chicken breast being rubbed together Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Barry and Lauren acknowledged the Drakkari fans on Twitter yesterday and I was . They're adorable. Reply Parent Thread Link i wish harry styles would stop ruining movies for me :/ Reply Thread Link i have since watched eternals and he managed to make a bad movie 88% worse Reply Parent Thread Link As they should be. Reply Thread Link I loved his character so much. Reply Parent Thread Link this movie is just so fucking good Reply Parent Thread Link crush me w those thighs Reply Parent Thread Link he better hurry cos im in line right behind you bb Reply Parent Thread Expand Link What film is this from? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Is that my slap king? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link is this movie scary? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I have to rewatch this movie Reply Parent Thread Link Lol I would have been the same way Reply Thread Link The question lol it's Angelina Jolie... did he think she would be excited to have a scene with Harry Styles? Reply Thread Link I love her. I was at the movie theater and I was next to a row five deep of teenage boys and during one scene one kid said she her lips were "sexy" and the other went "but she looks like a skeleton" and it just pissed me off. Like, she has been in the middle of an abusive public divorce and breakup from her partner and father of her children! Also maybe her body is just like that she's always had prominent collarbones. Ugh. Reply Thread Link we also have teenage boys making comments in this post apparently (unfortunately) lol Reply Parent Thread Link When she first got with Brad she started to get emaciated and she's been painfully thin ever since. Reply Parent Thread Link This is the reason I never trusted Brad - the women he dated always become completely emaciated after they dating dating. They were thin af before but totally frail after. Reply Parent Thread Link I believe the children are our future. Reply Thread Link *terms & conditions included. Reply Parent Thread Link *Restrictions may apply. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I don't think Harry is a good actor at all tbh, especially not good enough to overcome his whole persona when you're watching something. I just immediately think "oh that's Harry styles" When I saw that WWII move that he was in (I can't remember the name) it was kind of distracting for that reason. Reply Thread Link I rewatched Dunkirk recently and every time he showed up it just took me out of the movie. He's too famous as a celebrity and like you said, not a good enough actor to make you forget it (unlike Frank Sinatra, Cher, etc.). I feel bad for the other young actors who haven't had the same opportunities he's had since Dunkirk despite being much better at acting. I wonder if there's resentment lol. Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah I completely agree, I'm tired of untalented people getting opportunities because they bring clicks or "influence" or whatever. Reply Parent Thread Link I thought he was fine in Dunkirk. Maybe because I don't follow him or One Direction at all, he is not on my radar of super famous people. So in the film, he didn't bother me at all. Edited at 2021-11-09 03:43 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I agree with you. it reminds me of when Justin Timberlake was getting big roles like, no thats not this character thats JT! the only time that didnt happen for me was when he was in the social network. same with Taylor really, its like theyre so heavily associated with just being musicians in my head that theres no way to fully believe them as actors Reply Parent Thread Link It's weird. The boy definitely cannot act, but he has a lot of presence. Reply Parent Thread Link i can't judge him on his acting because i haven't seen enough material but yeah. him just being harry styles takes me out a bit. Reply Parent Thread Link he definitely took me out of the scene and i can't stand harry and his entire schtick but i'm ashamed to admit that i found him incredibly charming as eros lmao i hate it Reply Parent Thread Link Anyway Lol I'm still so peeved by this. Imagine being a drama student or graduate who would kill for a role like that! And not just white English boys who will get roles anyway, because that character could be played by literally anyone. For all its many faults, the MCU usually does at least cast its villains well. Now... Anyway #TeamDrukarri Reply Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] I was so upset they killed him off!! I hope they bring him back somehow. Reply Thread Link [ Spoiler (click to open) ] luckily in the comics eternals never die bc they can just make a new body and come back with the same memories, so it sounds like that's what's going to happen with whomever they decide to bring back Reply Parent Thread Link This movie and Dune just killing all their most interesting characters Reply Parent Thread Link I really respect how she has no interest in being in good movies Reply Thread Link Same Reply Parent Thread Link I think it's truly a testament to how beautiful/captivating she is because any other actress would be getting called a flop left and right lol Reply Parent Thread Link Agreed. With maaaybe a couple exceptions, her filmography is abysmal. But she is so beloved that no one gives a shit. Reply Parent Thread Link Gia, and Girl, Interrupted were very good films. And I thought she was amazing in Changeling (its a clint eastwood movie tho so it kinda sucked overall lol) but yeah, I feel like she's just coasting now in movies because she knows she can. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Sis just wants save the world, have fun, and chill with her brood. Reply Parent Thread Link Not that spoiler compilation...her trying to give real answers instead of vague PR nonsense, the oh well of it all. Tom Holland looking at this like GOALS. Reply Thread Link this comment made me go back up and watch the video and LOL Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao I didn't even realize that she spoiled so much And no one even interrupts or says anything! She's so embarrassing in a mom kind of way Edited at 2021-11-09 08:55 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link She looks really happy and cute in the compilation, it's nice to see. Reply Parent Thread Link U.S. Department of Labor Proposes $200k in Fines After Two Workers Suffer Injuries in Separate Incidents at a Northern Wisconsin Foundry OSHA finds a lack of energy control procedures, inadequate machine guarding, workers exposed to occupational noise and respirable crystalline silica. Federal safety inspections conducted recently of a northern Wisconsin foundry determined workplace failures caused two workers to suffer severe injuries. In May, one worker lost two fingers to amputation and in July, an overhead hot metal carrier struck and injured another worker. While OSHA investigated the incident at Waupaca Foundry Inc. in Marinette, the agency opened a second scheduled inspection under its National Emphasis Program for Primary Metals. Inspectors found violations related to exposures to respirable crystalline silica and noise. During the the second inspection, the employer reported the July 17 injury to inspectors, which led to a third inspection. According to a press release, OSHA determined a lack of energy control procedures, commonly known as lockout/tagout, exposed workers to hazards in both incidents. After completing the three inspections, OSHA issued one willful, seven serious and five other-than-serious violations to Waupaca Foundry and proposed $200,895 in penalties. Foundries are inherently dangerous industrial operations, where workers are exposed to hazards from machinery, trips and falls, occupational noise, and respirable silica, said OSHA Area Director Robert Bonack in Appleton. Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their workers. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the foundry industry had a 6.4 percent rate of injury for every 100 workers in 2020. OSHA cited the following violations: A group of Democratic Senators has called on President Joe Biden to reimpose a ban on crude oil exports as the administration struggles to contain retail fuel prices. "In light of these pressing concerns, we ask that you consider all tools available at your disposal to lower US gasoline prices. This includes a release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and a ban on crude oil exports," the legislators, led by Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Sherrod Brown, and Sen. Jack Reed, among others, said in a letter, as cited by CNN. Even so, the senators blamed the higher gas prices at OPEC's door, saying the organization "purposefully manipulate[d] gas prices" by curbing supply. President Biden has repeatedly called on OPEC+ to increase the supply of crude oil to international markets in order for U.S. retail fuel prices to go down. He has stopped short of accusing the cartel of deliberately manipulating the latter prices by withholding supply. "As the United States work[s] to boost the development of clean and renewable energy over the long-term, we must ensure that Americans are able to afford to fill up their cars at the pump in the meantime," the Democratic senators wrote in the letter, as cited by The Epoch Times. "In our home states," the signatories also wrote, "high gasoline prices have placed an undue burden on families and small businesses trying to make ends meet, and have proven especially burdensome as our constituents continue to recover from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic." The administration has said that various options for addressing rising gas prices were on the table, including drawing from the strategic petroleum reserve to add supply to the market. The success of such a move is questionable, according to expertsthe oil in SPR is mostly sour crude, which is not refiners' favorite. What's more, the draw would need to be quite significant to make a difference in price trends. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The world will see its level of spare oil production capacity dwindle next year as jet fuel demand returns to pre- or near-pre-crisis levels, Amin Nasser, the chief executive of Saudi Aramco, said on Tuesday. "The industry's spare capacity, currently at 3-4 million barrels per day (bpd) is providing some comfort to the market, however, my concern is that the buffer ... might diminish, especially next year when demand is expected to pick up further," Nasser said at the Nikkei Global Management Forum, as carried by Reuters. An expected rise in jet fuel demand, which continues to lag the demand recovery in other fuels, will eliminate all spare capacity, according to the CEO of the world's largest oil exporter. Little spare capacity amid continued underinvestment in oil and gas should be "a huge concern" for the market, Nasser said. "Expanding capacity in our industry takes around 5-7 years, and there is not enough investment in the world to increase capacity, this is a huge concern," Nasser said. Aramco's top executive affirmed the company's plan to raise its oil production capacity to 13 million bpd by 2027 from 12 million bpd now, reiterating that oil and gas demand will remain healthy for decades to come. "Renewable energy can't yet meet the world's energy needs," Nasser said at the forum, carried by Bloomberg. Aramco's CEO also reiterated the company's view that global oil demand would exceed 100 million bpd as early as next year. At the end of last month, Nasser said that crude oil production capacity was dwindling globally, and more investments in new production are needed urgently. "It's a huge concern," Nasser told Bloomberg, adding that "If there's aviation pick up next year, that spare capacity will be depleted. It's now getting to a situation where there's limited supply -- whatever is left that's spare is declining rapidly." By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A total of 48 percent of U.S. homes will pay 30 percent higher bills for heating this winter, The U.S. benchmark price Henry Hub has more than doubled since the beginning of 2021 U.S. consumers and utilities will be paying much higher prices for natural gas and energy this winter, as record American natural gas exports amid sluggish domestic production growth have raised prices for the fuel. The global natural gas supply crunch has impacted U.S. prices, too. But it has also drawn record volumes of gas exports out of America this year, leaving lower volumes for the domestic market, on which major natural gas producers are sticking to capital discipline to reward shareholders and are not rushing to raise output. As a result, utilities have started to warn customers they would be paying higher prices for heating and energy this winter. A total of 48 percent of U.S. homes will pay 30 percent higher bills for heating this winter, as 48 percent is the share of U.S. households that use gas as the primary fuel for space heating, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) said at the end of last month. The U.S. benchmark price Henry Hub has more than doubled since the beginning of 2021 due to relatively flat U.S. dry natural gas production and surging liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports amid high demand and record LNG prices in Asia. This winter, retail natural gas prices in the United States are expected to rise on average to $12.93 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) from $10.17/Mcf last winter. This would be the highest price since the 200506 winter average, as per EIA data. The administration also projects higher energy bills for households using propane, heating oil, and electricity. Evidence of higher consumer prices has started to show in recent days. For example, Eversource, an energy provider in New England, warned its customers in Connecticut last week that they would see their natural gas bills rise by 14 percent in November, and electricity bills would start to rise as of the beginning of next year. Eversource's vice president of energy supply, James Daly, told The Wall Street Journal that the cost of natural gas had risen by 20 percent from this time last year, while wholesale electricity prices in New England were now 50 percent higher than a year ago. More than the global rally in natural gas prices, which has had some impact on U.S. benchmark prices, the key reasons for higher natural gas and energy bills have been this year's record American exports amid flattish domestic gas production. U.S. LNG exports jumped to record highs in the first half of 2021, on the back of rising spot demand in both the winter and summer months from Asia and Europe and lower U.S. benchmark gas prices than international prices. In the third quarter of 2021, the top U.S. LNG exporter, Cheniere Energy, exported a record number of 141 cargoes, the company said in its Q3 earnings presentation. While much high LNG prices in Asia compared to the U.S. benchmark continue to incentivize American exports, domestic natural gas production is not rising too much despite the high Henry Hub prices in recent months. Many shale gas producers prefer to reduce debts and reward investors. "But really, we're staying away from growing. We're happy with where we are right now and just focusing on that free cash flow. So haven't been tempted and just want to see delivering and getting the balance sheet in pristine shape," Paul M. Rady, CEO and chairman at Antero Resources, said on the Q3 earnings call at the end of October. Ahead of the coldest months, with recovering demand after the pandemic and the high export volumes, U.S. working natural gas stocks totaled 3,611 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week to October 29, per EIA data last week. This was 8 percent lower than the year-ago level and 3 percent lower than the five-year (20162020) average for the week. The EIA warned American households last month: prepare to pay more for your heating and electricity this winter amid higher energy prices, including in the United States. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: With OPEC+ refusing to pump more oil and Saudi Arabia increasing its official selling prices, pressure is increasing on President Biden to consider tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserves Chart of the Week - Netting a third straight month of declines, Chinese crude oil imports dropped to 8.94 million b/d in October, the lowest level since July 2018. - The regional electricity mandates contributed to a fall in utilization rates to 81%, a five-month low, despite robust demand for transportation fuels. - Independent refiners were limited in their refining as the Chinese government only issued its last batches of import quotas in early October, luckily China still has some 830 MMbbls of crude inventories, down 80 MMbbls on the year. Market Movers - The US conglomerate GE (NYSE:GE) will be split into three public companies focusing on energy, healthcare, and aviation, sending its stock up 7% on the day. - In a rare move for a Western major, US oil firm ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) announced it took an FID on a $10 billion petchem project in Chinas Guangdong province that would specialize in performance polymers. - Spains oil firm CEPSA is considering the sale of its chemicals business valued at $3.5 billion as it seeks to garner funds for its transition towards renewable energy, with Citibank chosen to identify possible bidders. Tuesday, November 09, 2021 The US standoff with OPEC has become the main talking point of this week - not only did Saudi Arabia rebuff Washingtons calls for more output, but it also hiked its December official selling prices way beyond market expectations. Whilst US crude inventories have reportedly risen for the third straight week, the pressure is now on the Biden Administration to consider further SPR releases. Meanwhile, jet cracks have bounced back to prominence on the back of travel restrictions being lifted globally (despite both Europe and Asia seeing case spikes), adding some unseasonal strength to middle distillates. US House of Representatives Approves $1 Trillion Infrastructure Bill. The Biden Administration finally managed to ram through the bipartisan 1 trillion bill that would increase baseline funding on infrastructure by 550 billion and more than 100 billion on clean energy projects. Gazprom Starts Filling up European Storage. Despite some concerns that RussiasGazprom (MCX:GAZP) did not book any additional capacity via Ukraine and kept Yamal-Europe deliveries into Germany at zero on Monday, the Russian firm stated today it started to send gas towards its European storage. Aramco Sees Spare Oil Capacity Shrinking. The Saudi national oil company Saudi Aramco (TADAWUL:2222) said it expects the current 3-4 million b/d global spare production capacity to diminish significantly next year once jet demand returns in full. Canadas Oil Sands on Track for All-Time High. Despite the ongoing COP26 hype, Canadas oil sands producers are on track to reach an all-time high production rate of 3.5 million b/d by December amidst a nationwide move to focus on tight budget discipline and higher dividends. Qatar Wants More LNG Tankers. In addition to its currently operating fleet of 45 Q-Flex and Q-Max carriers, Qatar has placed another order for six new LNG vessels with South Korean shipyards as it moves to bring its total LNG fleet tally to 100 by the end of 2027. Chinas Coal Production Reaches Multi-Year Peak. Chinese authorities reported that daily average national coal output reached 11.93 million tons over the first week of November, setting the scene for further price declines as Beijing is doing its utmost to alleviate the risks of a prolonged energy crunch. Related: Oil Rally Reverses On Signs Of Cooling Demand Venezuela Uses Sanctions Calm to Increase Output. Out of the public eye for several months, Venezuelas national oil company PDVSA raised overall production to more than 600,000 b/d last month as it received Iranian condensate to dilute the extra-heavy crude from the Orinoco Belt. Saudi Arabia Wants to Pay Back Debts with Windfall Profits. According to media reports, Saudi Arabia is looking to amend the terms of a 16 billion loan due in 2023 and reduce the size of the credit facility, as Riyadh seeks to improve its credit ratings on the back of high oil prices. Alliance Refinery Set to Become Export Terminal. Unable to sell the 255,000 b/d Alliance Refinery which suffered the most damage from Hurricane Ida, US major Phillips 66 decided to convert the refinery into an oil export terminal, to be finalized by 2022. UK Funds Rolls Royce to Develop Nuclear. The UK government provided a $550 million backing to Rolls Royce (LON:RR) to develop the countrys first small modular nuclear reactor as London seeks non-intermittent energy sources to complement its vast wind capacity. Italys ENI Quits South Africa Block. The Italian oil major ENI (NYSE:E) withdrew from an offshore block in South Africa, a few months after its six-well drilling programs elicited a strong response from local environmentalists as the drilling would be near sites considered ecologically fragile. Morocco Looks Towards LNG After Algeria Feud. Having been cut off from Algerian pipeline gas exports on the back of a political spat, Morocco is now considering deploying an FSRU unit to start importing LNG as soon as possible. Gambia Re-Offers Block Relinquished by BP. Less than a year after BP (NYSE:BP)exited Gambias offshore block A1 citing its pivot towards low-carbon projects, the African nations government is offering the block in a new bidding round. By Tom Kool for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Ever since its occupation of Iraq in 2003 began to turn sour, the U.S. has been fighting a rearguard action against Iran cementing its influence in the neighboring state, with the opportunistic assistance of Russia initially and then China as well. This rearguard action initially involved the U.S. giving Iraq scores of billions of dollars in financial assistance, most of which ended up in the offshore bank accounts of various officials and did nothing to halt Irans extension of its power into all levels of Iraqs political and economic infrastructure. Then the U.S. tried linking financial assistance to specific goals, most notably Iraq halting its long-time gas and electricity imports from Iran as a starting point, but this had no effect either, with Iraq recently accepting huge funding on the basis that it would to stop these imports from Iran and then signing the longest deal ever with Tehran to continue them. Now, though, the U.S. is looking to extend an idea that came years ago from its own State Department, which is to continue to give financial assistance to Iraq but critically to tie this into Iraq allowing big U.S. firms to take part in key projects deep in the countrys oil and gas and related infrastructure. An adjunct to this is to secure on-the-ground support from Saudi Arabia, still just about an ally of the U.S. and Irans nemesis in the region, which is what is behind last weeks announcement of a series of plans from Saudi to be rolled out in Iraq. Broadly speaking, Saudi Arabias relationship with the U.S. is a lot less secure on both sides than it was before the Kingdom launched the first oil price war in 2014 aimed at destroying or at least severely disabling the then-nascent U.S. shale oil industry. Nonetheless, from the Saudi perspective, the U.S. is proverbially the only game in town as far as halting Irans plans for regional dominance go, so much media fanfare was generated that Saudi state hydrocarbons giant, Aramco, is in talks with Iraqs various ministries for billions of dollars worth of energy, power, water and petrochemical contracts. According to Iraqs Oil Minister, Ihsan Ismail, one element of this initiative is that Aramco takes an exploration and development deal for gas deposits in the countrys Western Desert. OilPrice.com understands that the provisional agreement for these gas contracts was made over a month ago and that as part of this the Oil Ministry began serious 2D and 3D exploration work in Anbar and the Nineveh at around that time as well. Additional contracts between Saudi and Iraq, Ihsan stated last week, may be done with the Kingdoms ACWA Power to build clean energy, solar, and water desalination plants in the country. Given that Saudi Arabia itself only very recently let it be known that it was interested in receiving bids from local and international companies for the construction of its own desalination plants, it might be inferred that the ACWA Power-led contracts in Iraq is likely to heavily feature the participation of U.S. companies as well. In establishing why the U.S. thinks it is necessary to utilize Saudi Arabia in such a way to prise Iraq away from Iran, rather than just do everything itself, it is essential to note two domestic political points. First, the electorally potent brand of ultra-nationalism practiced by the de facto leader of Iraq, radical Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, is particularly fierce when it comes to the U.S., as he spent years leading a bloody counterinsurgency against the U.S. occupation, as he sees it. Although al-Sadr clearly knows that the U.S. is behind Saudi Arabias sudden willingness to invest in Iraq, he can still say to his supporters in the Sairoon (Marching Forward) faction that the money is coming from a fellow Arab state. In addition, prior to the 2018 parliamentary elections, al-Sadr visited the Sunni Islam state of Saudi Arabia, and also long-standing U.S. ally, the UAE. Second, there has been a sea-change in the past three or four years in particular in the outlook of at least one of the sons of the highly-influential Hakim family in Iraq to wit, the middle son, Ammar. In direct contrast to the pro-Iranian stance of his family, led by his iconic father, Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, who headed the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council before his death in 2009, Ammar al-Hakim withdrew from the Council in 2017 and established a new political party, the National Wisdom Movement. This party was, and remains, based on non-sectarian values and, as al-Hakim put it at the time: To ensure democratic elections that include all of Iraqs spectra, away from sectarian and national polarization and embark on a new political horizon because Iraq should be at peace with itself. Running in tandem with the initiatives from Saudi Arabia, are the swathe of new deals coming from the U.S. itself. These most recently include deals done or pending for Schlumberger and Halliburton, analyzed here by Oilprice.com, and before that, a series of on-again and then off-again deals connected to developing Iraqs gas sector, and specifically aimed at ending the countrys reliance on Iranian power, analyzed here by Oilprice.com. Whether any of these will ultimately succeed in moving Iraq away from Iran, and China and Russia, remains to be seen, although historical precedent would argue not. In fact, the success of the current U.S. initiative in Iraq is inversely correlated to whether or not it strikes a new nuclear deal with Iran. As it stands, with no deal, Irans ability to influence Iraq is severely limited by its lack of dollars or gold to encourage the pro-Iranian activities of Iraqi politicians and to pay pro-Iranian paramilitary groups in the country. With a new nuclear deal though, Iran would see a rapid inflow of cash, the flow of influence money would resume into Iraq, and the U.S. would again become ostracised. By Simon Watkins for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Brent Crude prices could rise to as much as $120 per barrel in the first half of 2022 due to the global gas crisis, booming air travel with international flights returning, and a comeback of Asian demand, Bank of America says. Although the U.S. is not very exposed to the natural gas crisis, Europe and Asia are, and the gas to oil switch will raise demand for crude, Francisco Blanch, global head of commodities and derivatives research at Bank of America, told Bloomberg on Tuesday. The other major driver of higher demand and higher oil prices would be a big return of travelers after the U.S. re-opened borders to international vaccinated travelers on Monday. There will be a booming air travel window for the next six months and presumably youll have Asia coming back with the vaccine rollout there, Blanch said. Amid rising demand, the global oil market faces supply rigidities, according to Bank of America. Those supply rigidities are both the result of the past and the future of the sector. The past supply rigidities lie in the terrible returns for the oil sector in the past six-seven years, Blanch told Bloomberg. Investors are really tired of throwing good money after bad money, he added. The future supply rigidities lie in the uncertainty over how oil demand will fare in the energy transition. We dont know where global oil demand is going, how fast the energy transition will happen and that is a big hurdle to bring money back into the sector, Blanch said. Asked about the possibility that the U.S. Administration release crude from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), Blanch said that releasing SPR and at the same time printing a lot of money to give to the people is a pretty bad idea, suggesting that the U.S. should pare back stimulus before releasing SPR, which is for emergency purposes. Is it an emergency that we have booming demand for oil now that we are coming back from COVID? Not really an emergency, Blanch said. Youll have to let the market do its work, he added. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: The White House is studying the replacement of Line 5a contentious piece of infrastructure that carries crude oil and fuels from Canada to the United States through the Great Lakes regionwhich the governor of Michigan wants to shut down for good. The Biden administration is considering the impact of the pipeline's replacement, a spokeswoman for the White House confirmed, as quoted by the Detroit News. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is studying the environmental impact of the replacement project to "help inform any additional action or position the U.S. will be taking on the replacement of Line 5." The news comes after media reports that the administration was actually planning to kill the Line 5 pipelinea move that sparked an outcry among Republicans who said shutting down the pipeline will send propane sky high for Michigan residents, who are the biggest consumers of the fuel, according to Politico. "As we enter the winter months and temperatures drop across the Midwest, the termination of Line 5 will undoubtedly further exacerbate shortages and price increases in home heating fuels like natural gas and propane at a time when Americans are already facing rapidly rising energy prices, steep home heating costs, global supply shortages, and skyrocketing gas prices," Politico quoted Rep. Bob Lata, a Republican from Ohio, as saying in a letter a group of House representatives sent to the White House earlier this month. The twin pipelines have been in operation for 65 years, which prompted the Canadian pipeline operator to propose a replacement of a section of the pipes with new ones a few years ago. The Michigan Legislature approved it in late 2018. However, the replacement project sparked the outrage of environmentalists and Native American communities in the area. The opponents argued that a proposed tunnel in the Straits of Mackinac to house the pipeline would increase the risk of oil spills in a basin that provides drinking water to some 40 million people. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: When news of Russias export tax on primary aluminum came out in the summer, it caused an increase in LME prices. More significantly, however, physical delivery premiums such as the Midwest premium, the Rotterdam premium and the Main Japanese Port (MJP) premium also increased. Aluminum premiums surge Of the three, the Rotterdam premium arguably had the biggest impact. Some European rolling and extrusion mills beginning to quote the Rotterdam premium either duty paid or duty unpaid as a separate component of their pricing structure. That has long been a feature in the U.S. market, where the Midwest premium has been a sizeable component of the all-in price. However, it had never been a cost broken out for European consumers, with the mills absorbing the Rotterdam premium as part of their conversion premiums. Russian aluminum export tax Russia set its export tax at 15% or U.S. $254 per metric ton, whichever is larger, back in August for an initial six-month period. The move ostensibly aimed to dissuade primary metal exports in an effort to support domestic consumers facing rapidly rising costs in a domestic manufacturing sector that was running hot as it bounced back from pandemic restrictions. The expectation was the tax would likely remain in place well into 2022, as it would provide a welcome revenue stream for the Russian treasury. However, maybe bolstered by bumper oil revenues or faced with strong lobbying by Rusal, a recent Reuters report suggests the probability is the tax will be allowed to end in December. As a result, metal supplies to Europe could increase. Aluminum has already fallen from a high of $3,300 per metric ton to $2,700 in just over a month. The Fast Markets Duty unpaid Rotterdam premium has dropped 20% from $380 per ton in September to $302 today. Meanwhile, U.S. premiums have fallen 20% from an all-time high last month to below $600 per ton, according to the CME today. Market tightness The Reuters post quotes various sources that suggest both the LME price and the physical delivery premiums will fall further (potentially much further if you believe some sources). On the flip side, metal remains tight, including primary metal, billet and downstream products. Some mills in Europe are out to late Q2 on deliveries. Even those able to offer earlier deliveries are still late Q1. For now, demand remains robust. While prices will come down with the underlying metal and delivery premiums, conversion premiums at least are holding up. In part, how conversion premiums fare in the months to come will be a balance between support from mill lead times remaining extended and headwinds from the lower LME/physical delivery premiums. If the latter spooks consumers into delaying purchases, mill lead times could come in and then we will see movement on conversion premiums. Hope for easing prices ahead? One driver of elevated conversion premiums in the European market, at least has been a surge in alloying element costs due to the power constraints in China limiting production and, hence, export volumes of magnesium, silicon and manganese. But that driver, while still present, is now slackening as producers adjust to a constrained but more dependable power supply regime in China. As a result, prices have already fallen substantially since September peaks. Whether we are seeing a pause in aluminums bull run or the early turn toward lower prices for 2022 remains to be seen. Some of the recent drivers are looking much less bullish than they did just a few weeks ago. Consumers have every reason to hope Q1, rather than the previously expected Q2, will see the softening of all-in delivered prices. By Ag Metal Miner ??More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Oil prices would be double what they are today if it wasnt for the concerted actions by OPEC+ to manage supply and demand, the United Arab Emirates said on Monday at the Africa Oil Week Conference in Dubai, Bloomberg reported. The self-congratulatory remarks are similar to those uttered by Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman last week at the OPEC+ meeting presser. According to the Saudi Energy ministry, oil isnt the problem in the energy markets. The double-digit increases in oil prices are nothing compared to the triple-digit increases in the price of natural gas and coal, bin Salman said. OPEC+ agreed last week to increase oil production by another 400,000 bpd in December, drawing backlash from major oil-consuming countries such as India, Japan, and the United States. The White House in particular has been critical of OPEC+s refusal to increase production by more than the agreed upon 400,000 bpd, accusing the group of not caring about the economic recovery. The UAE added that OPEC+ should remain cautious in their approach to the oil market and with adding production back in. This, too, mirrors repeated comments from the Saudi Energy Ministry that warned oil demand still faced many challenges, including COVID lockdowns and jet fuel constrictions. According to the UAE, the oil market will switch to a surplus in Q1 2022 due to softening demand. The UAE reassured the markets, however, that OPEC+ could increase production to respond to market demands should the need ariseand it could do that in a matter of days. We are a phone call away from each other UAEs Energy Minister Suhail Al-Mazrouei said. Mazrouei also said that the OPEC+ group agreed unanimously on capping oil production increases for December at 400,000 bpdthere were no holdouts pining for greater production increases. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: When it comes to phishing emails, you can forward them to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org. Text messages can be forwarded to SPAM (7726). Remember to report the phishing attack to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint. ID Theft Protection FAQ How to report identity theft To report identity theft or an identity theft attempt, you must file a report with the FTC. This can be done through the IdentityTheft.gov website or by calling 1-877-438-4338. For more information, take a look at our section on in this article. What is identity theft? Identity theft is when somebody steals your personal information and uses it to commit fraud -- whether by opening accounts in your name, applying for credit, filing taxes, or getting medical services, to name just a few. How to prevent identity theft Warren Buffetts daughter has joined him on the board of Berkshire Hathaway, a move Buffett says will help preserve the companys unique culture even after he is gone. Susie Buffetts appointment could also carry implications for Omaha, giving her a voice in the company that her father built in Omaha and which he has said should always remain rooted here. Berkshire recently announced that Susie Buffett and investment fund manager Christopher C. Davis had been elected to its board of directors. Susie Buffett became the third Buffett on the board, as her brother Howard Buffett has served for almost three decades. Warren Buffett said in an interview with The World-Herald that he likes to have board members who understand Berkshires distinctive culture and who are invested in the companys long-term success. He said both of the new directors including his daughter fit that bill. All three of my children are devoted to maintaining the culture of the place, said Buffett, Berkshires founder, chairman and CEO. They have an unusual amount of devotion to that. She handed them off to collaborators at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, who worked out an accurate method of finding the viruss genetic material in the samples. Different elements in wastewater can interfere with the tests. And the virus is much more diluted in wastewater than in the samples collected on nasal swabs, the kind the researchers are more accustomed to handling. Bartelt-Hunt and the UNMC researchers also worked together last year on a pilot project with the Omaha Public Schools that combined saliva testing in students and staff with analyzing wastewater, air and surface samples gathered at three South Omaha schools. The pilot project found COVID-19 infections that were not identified by outside testing, suggesting that infections and case rates in schools were higher than what was being reported. The pilot was not extended for the current school year. Bartelt-Hunt said that early work helped put the researchers on the states radar. They were contacted by the state health department to help prepare the proposal to the CDC. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakotas Republican-led House on Tuesday endorsed a new legislative map that creates three new districts in the states fastest-growing areas but erases an equal amount in population-lean rural regions. Representatives voted 73-18 to approve the new map that also separates House districts on two American Indian reservations in the state, a move tribal leaders believe will increase the odds for electing their own members to the Legislature. Several GOP House lawmakers argued against the split districts on reservations, saying it was unfair and not needed. Backers said the state faced a federal lawsuit if the split districts were not included in the plan. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration, where it is expected to be approved with little opposition. A North Dakota legislative district now has one senator and two House members, each elected to represent the entire area. In a subdistrict, the senator would still represent the entire district. It would be split in half for House representation, with one House member representing each half. WASHINGTON (AP) Randal Quarles announced Monday that he will resign from the Federal Reserve's Board of Governors at the end of the year after completing a four-year term as its top bank regulator, opening up another vacancy on the Fed's influential board for President Joe Biden to fill. Quarles has served as the Fed's first vice chair of supervision, which gave him wide-ranging authority over the banking system. In that role, he oversaw a broad loosening of some of the financial regulations that were put in place after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis and recession. Quarles' deregulatory approach prompted criticism from some on the Fed and from many progressives. It has also sparked resistance from progressives to the potential re-nomination of Jerome Powell as Fed chair, who has voted in favor of Quarles' regulatory changes. With Powells term as chair ending in February, an announcement is expected sometime this month on whether Biden will offer him a second four-year term. The president is considered likely to re-nominate Powell, although he could decide instead to elevate Lael Brainard, who is the lone Democrat on the Feds seven-member board, to the position of chair. Environmental groups and Indigenous tribes say that provision means Biden could order an immediate shutdown. Other options include filing a federal court brief supporting Whitmer's position or entering negotiations with Canada, said Mike Shriberg, director of the National Wildlife Federations Great Lakes office. Because Canada has invoked this treaty, the Biden administration is dragged into this whether they want to be or not, Shriberg said. Twelve Indigenous tribes based in Michigan asked for representation at the talks. We possess rights and interests in the integrity of the Great Lakes that date back to time immemorial, and that are protected by solemn treaties with the United States long predating the agreement Canada rests on, the tribes said in a Nov. 4 letter to Biden. Those rights include protection of fish populations and cultural sites in the Straits of Mackinac, said Whitney Gravelle, chair of the Bay Mills Indian Community. Enbridge, based in Calgary, Alberta, and its supporters say a shutdown would cause fuel shortages and higher prices of gasoline and propane in the region while killing thousands of jobs. CHICAGO Chicago Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts has stepped down after nearly four years as the finance chair of the Republican National Committee. Ricketts, who also was finance chair of former President Donald Trumps reelection committee, was replaced by Trumps ambassador to Spain, Richard Duke Buchan III, at a meeting of RNC members on Friday. Ricketts, who lives in Wilmette, Illinois, and is part of his familys ownership of the Cubs, said he was privileged to serve as national finance chair and having been entrusted to advance our partys values and promote our pro-growth, conservative agenda. Im excited by all the Republican candidates we helped elect during my tenure as well as the investments we made and the infrastructure we developed as a party, Ricketts said in a statement. Im confident the RNC will continue to be an outstanding organization to serve Republicans across the country and I look forward to continuing to help the cause. Ricketts took on the party finance role after withdrawing as a potential deputy commerce secretary in the Trump administration because he was unable to unwind his familys complex finances enough to satisfy the federal Office of Government Ethics. The other goals in the HHS business plan include: transitioning the Nebraska Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK) to a 988 crisis line for people experiencing mental health or substance use emergencies, expanding access to treatment for people with opioid use disorder, improving the states Maternal Mortality Review Committee and implementing a federally approved plan to decrease the number of kids who enter foster care. The business plan is about making sure we are laying the foundation to be able to continue to provide a great level of service and help Nebraskans live their lives, Ricketts said. Smith said, What we did was we took the most critical areas that we thought were critical to Nebraska, and those are the initiatives that we put in the plan. While the business plan focuses on the future, it also includes a look back at progress since the last plan was released. According the departments assessment, it accomplished 94% of its goals from the last plan, which was released for the fiscal year that ended in June 2020. There was no plan released for fiscal year 2021 because of the pandemic, according to Ricketts. Chagoury eventually paid a $1.8 million fine and agreed to cooperate with the federal investigation. Baaklini and another Chagoury associate also paid fines and aided the FBI. Fortenberrys motion, filed with the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, claims that the FBI told an informant to call the congressman in 2018 and tell him that a group of campaign donations he had received a few months earlier were illegal. Later, Fortenberry couldnt recall what he was told by the informant during two interviews with federal investigators, which led to a grand jury indictment for two counts of making false statements to investigators and one count of attempting to conceal facts. Fortenberry was not charged with accepting an illegal contribution he claims he didnt know that the money came from a foreigner but with lying to FBI investigators. He was first interviewed during a surprise visit at his Lincoln home in March 2019, and then later that year, at his request, in a more formal setting in Washington, D.C. Even later in 2019, Fortenberry gave away the donations to two Nebraska charities, after apparently becoming convinced that the donations were illegal. KEARNEY, Neb. Since he was a young child, Kellen Skarka has liked watching airplanes. I always loved looking for planes and watching places in the sky, said Skarka, now 35. When he was a child, he and his mother, Lori Skarka of Kearney, often traveled across the Midwest to watch air shows. Once, when he was 15, he met three pilots of the World War II Black Sheep Squadron. That love of flight turned into a desire to fly, and when he turned 16 Skarka started taking flying lessons. He got his pilots license while attending the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where he received a degree in aviation systems management, and in 2009, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. There he became an air-support control officer overseeing aviation operations, including airstrikes, medical evacuations and coordination of artillery and mortar fires. Its kind of like air-traffic control, but not like you see at an airport, Skarka said. I control aircraft. I tell them where to go and how to get there. Its out in the middle of the battlefield with no tower, no radar; were operating out of Humvees or out of tents in the middle of nowhere. Taddicken said he isnt sure why there are so many more birds this fall. It just depends on the weather and all kinds of different things and what the birds like, he said. A reluctance to fly into a strong south wind may have kept them here, but he expects them to head out quickly as colder weather moves in from the north this week. Baasch thinks theyll all be gone by Tuesday. Taddicken said that in the mid-1950s, there were only about 15 whooping cranes left in the world. Lots of work has been done by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and others to protect them since then, he said. The National Audubon Society and Crane Trust have contributed by protecting the Platte River and the habitat surrounding it. A stretch from Lexington to Denman has been designated as critical habitat. Over the years, the USFWS has led efforts in protecting and studying the whooping cranes in an effort to bring them back from the brink of extinction, Taddicken said. Efforts continue today with river land protected and managed by conservation groups like Audubons Rowe Sanctuary, Crane Trust, the Nature Conservancy as well as the efforts of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. Will European churches wake up to what God is doing across the continent? The future of Europe depends on it. This article originally appeared in Lausanne Global Analysis by the Lausanne Movement and is republished here with permission from the Lausanne Movement. Editors Note: This is an edited excerpt republished here with permission from the Lausanne Movement from Jim Memorys recent Europe 2021: A Missiological Report, which theologian Chris Wright has called essential reading for all those who, in any part of the world, are concerned about mission in, from and to the continent of Europe. Read the full report. In many ways, Christianity is what made Europe Europe. No other continent has been exposed to Christianity for such a prolonged period and in such an extensive way. Yet just as Europe was the first continent to be Christianised, it was also the first to be de-Christianised. At the beginning of the 19th century, well over 90% of Christians lived in Europe and North America, whereas by the end of the 20th century, over 60% lived in Africa, Asia, South America and the Pacific. It was the historian and missiologist Andrew Walls, who died just last month, who was among the first to notice and study this shift in the Christian centre of gravity. Many see Europe as thoroughly post-Christian or secular, yet the reality is much more complex than that. And out of the spotlight, an extraordinary re-evangelisation of Europe is taking place. Three dimensions of this can be identified: diaspora churches, church planting movements and platforms, and the next generation. God is using people on the move to reevangelize the continent of Europe. The migration of Christians from other locations and the formation of diaspora churches are nothing new in Europe. European diaspora churches are part of European history. Many towns and cities across Europe have substantial European diaspora communities and historic diaspora churches. However, over the last two generations, migration from the Majority World has seen a significant number of new diaspora churches being planted across Europe, including Spanish-speaking and/or Brazilian congregations, Chinese churches, and Black African churches, which are the most numerous. The Redeemed Christian Church of God alone has over 750 congregations today and continues to plant 25 new churches in Britain every year. And that is just one of many denominations. If there is an African population in a European city, there will almost certainly be an African diaspora church, even if European Christians are not even aware of it. Although the statistics are promising, the presence of diaspora churches in Europe does not automatically lead to the effective reevangelization of Europe. As Harvey Kwiyani has observed: African churches in Europe have so far been very successful only in evangelising fellow Africans. A very small portion of them have made any inroads reaching Europeans. Many say it is too difficult to reach out to Europeans. Many have told me, It forces us to do things differently, and that is too uncomfortable. By doing things differently, they mean such things as having shorter worship services or having to embrace relational evangelism. For these pastors who at least want or try to engage in mission among Europeans, their presence in Europe makes them believe they have to be missionaries to Europeans. As such, they try to contextualize their ministries for Europeans, experiencing very little success along the way. Most of them lack the training that would enable them to understand what cross-cultural mission to Europeans should look like. However, not all the responsibility of this failing is down to diaspora church leaders. Many native European churches have either not wanted or not known how to help diaspora Christians to reach the local population. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, however, there have been signs that diaspora and native European church leaders in towns and cities across the continent have been supporting one another. These connections may prove to be an important stimulus to further collaboration going forward. Furthermore, as second and third generation diaspora Christians come into leadership, they increasingly seek to establish intercultural churches which can more easily reach out to native Europeans. The future of the church in Europe may well depend on the emergence of a truly European intercultural Christianity. It is not only Majority World Christians who are planting churches. Church planting generally has accelerated across Europe, in part because of the emergence of national church planting platforms. For example, the vision of the CNEF (National Council of French Evangelicals) to plant one evangelical church for every 10,000 people has spurred church planting in France. On average over the last few years, one church is planted every seven days or so in France. Similar platforms have emerged in many European countries, some as a result of processes to facilitate church planting like M4 and Multiplication Network, some as the result of catalytic/apostolic individuals like Relational Mission or the Lausanne Church Planting Network, and some through international networks like City-to-City or Acts29. Either way, the gathering of 170 platform leaders from nearly thirty nations in Berlin in early 2018 indicated the arrival of a new dynamic in Europe: National Church Planting Processes (NC2P). Denominational church planting initiatives have seen hundreds of churches planted over the last few years. Mission agencies with a focus on church planting like the European Christian Mission (ECM), Greater Europe Mission (GEM), Operation Mobilisation (OM), and Communitas continue to play their part in initiating new Christian communities, often in partnership with national churches. And the ICP and Mosaik networks are planting churches that explicitly reach out to different ethnicities. Alongside church planting, we have seen the emergence of new forms of Christian community that do not always look like conventional churches. They may be called Fresh Expressions, missional communities, or they may resist classification altogether, but the innovation of new communities of Jesus followers that reach those who might never engage with conventional churches is one of the ways the Holy Spirit is renewing and growing the church in Europe. Then there are disciple-making movements like The Navigators, The Turning, or the Go Movement, that focus on evangelism and the discipling of new Christians. In short, the reevangelization of Europe through church planting movements has many actors. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the necessity of building Christian community in new ways has forced many churches and church plants to face up to their dependence on buildings. This forced innovation may really prove to be part of how God is renewing his church in Europe. Virtual and/or hybrid conferences, such as the forthcoming Lausanne Europe 20/21 Gathering in November 2021, are likely to be the future and may enable even more dynamic collaboration for the reevangelization of Europe than ever before. The long-term impact of the pandemic on the shape of tomorrows churches will become clear in the years to come. The flexibility and lack of infrastructure of missional communities has meant that they have been able to adapt more readily to the new reality, but they have also suffered some of the same issues as diaspora churches in regard to the loss of intense community life. Nevertheless, there is hope that all kinds of churches may have learnt vital lessons about the true essence of Christian community from this past year. God is raising up a new generation of Jesus followers who are taking on the challenge of reaching Europes secularized youth. Much of this is taking place in the youth ministries of local churches across the continent, sometimes supported by organizations like Josiah Venture who work alongside churches across Central and Eastern Europe. Some parachurch ministries have been focused on the next generation for decades: YWAM, The Navigators, and IFES Europe, to name but three. In more recent years, new movements such as 24/7 Prayer or Steiger have brought new energy and fresh ideas about how to reach the largest unreached culture today: global youth culture. And charismatic initiatives like Awakening Europe, Holy Spirit Nights, and The Send are calling on Europes young people to seek revival. In support of all of this, Youthscape is producing ground-breaking research on youth ministry, and a new centre for youth research has opened at the Free Theological University of Giessen in Germany. Even before the pandemic hit, the World Health Organisation was reporting a high and increasing rate of mental and behavioural health problems in adolescents [] 29% of 15-year-old girls and 13% of 15-year-old boys in European countries reported feeling low more than once a week. The report also found that suicide is the leading cause of death among adolescents (1019 years old) in low and middle-income countries and the second-leading cause in high-income countries across Europe. The impact of COVID-19 on the next generation has already been enormous and it could have implications for decades to come. Those in education have suffered school and university closures, in some cases for weeks or months, and much of the teaching continues online. The long tail of the last economic recession means that many European young people are in precarious employment at best, and the pandemic has only exacerbated this situation. Their career prospects, the hope of emancipation from their parents, and of one day starting a family, seem to have receded even further into the distance. Unsurprisingly, all this disruption and uncertainty has had a further heavy toll on the mental health of young people. More positively, the young are digital natives who are better placed to make the most of their technological skills in a post-pandemic world. They have also found it easier than older adults to relate online. Youth ministry leaders were able to move their ministries online seamlessly in most cases, yet this only emphasized what had been lost during lockdown. As one youth ministry leader put it in an article on the impact of Covid-19 on young people: If we do not visit everyone now in their homes or outside somewhere, we will have lost this current generation in church. Europes younger generation seems so fragile and confused, and their future so uncertain. Yet perhaps this is precisely what God needs: a younger generation who are willing to look beyond human politics for the answers to what abundant life looks like. They need our prayers, our encouragement, and the freedom to use their gifts for Gods glory. It will not have escaped your attention that most of the Christian diaspora community in Europe are also young. Most of the revivals in history have been among the young. More to the point, they have been led by the young. The mission agency I work with, European Christian Mission, was founded in a prayer meeting in Estonia in 1903 by Ganz Raud when he was just 25. YWAM, OM, and 24/7 Prayer were started by people in their 20s. The reevangelization of Europe depends on this next generation. We must release them into leadership. Andrew Walls observed that throughout the history of the church, places that had once been the centers of Christianity often declined. Yet through mission, new centers were created at the periphery. By the time Christianity was receding in Europe, the churches of Africa, Asia and Latin America were coming into their own. The movement of Christianity is one of serial, not progressive, expansion. Given the reality of Christian faith in Europe today, this is a moment for humility, but it is also a moment for hope. For it is always on the periphery that Christian revival begins. This is a moment of tremendous opportunity for collaboration between Majority World churches and native European churches, for new churches to be planted, and for the next generation to take their place in leadership. Will European churches wake up to what God is doing in their midst through diaspora churches, church planting movements, and through the next generation? Will we seize the opportunity for collaboration that God has put before us? The future of Europe depends on it. This article originally appeared on Lausanne.org and is reposted here by permission. Sources: LINCOLN Jacilyn Gunderson, who attends Lincoln College and is from Bloomington, was named a student laureate in the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, an honor given to the top college students in the state. The Lincoln Academy names students laureates based on curricular and extracurricular achievements. A student from each four-year college in the state is named, along with one community college student. While Gunderson is the only student whose hometown is in The Pantagraph's area to be awarded, several others from area colleges and universities were also named. These include Chloe Overstreet of Kansas City, Missouri, who attends Eureka College, Luke Madden of Carol Stream who attends Illinois State University and Daniel Maisch of Batavia who attends Illinois Wesleyan. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood 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. The upper echelon of the state agency charged with overseeing Medicaid is peppered with representatives of the for-profit insurance industry state officials are supposed to be policing, a Better Government Association investigation has found. An examination of state contracts, salary data, pension statements, court records and internal correspondence identified more than a dozen top-level Medicaid officials in Illinois who have current or recent financial ties to the giant insurance companies now managing the $16 billion per year taxpayers spend to provide medical care to people who cannot afford health coverage. Officials such as the state deputy administrator who runs Medicaid after a 20-year career as an Aetna senior executive, or the states expert adviser on Medicaid policy, who is also an Aetna lobbyist, or the consultant who advises state officials while taking fees from the insurance companies. The BGA disclosures about potential dual loyalties come at a time when struggling health care providers complain the states faulty oversight of Medicaid brings record-level profits to insurance companies, even as they deny and delay claims. The states top health care official rejects the suggestion that taxpayer money is being mismanaged or that conflicts of interest are undermining the agency's objectivity at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is putting the state's health care system under stress. Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services Director Theresa Eagleson said all potential conflicts are disclosed and vetted, and officials with dual financial interests are required to recuse themselves from agency decisions that affect their bottom line. This is a really big, complex agency, and were proud to employ a diverse array of people who bring a lot of experience with Medicaid, with clinical care, with finance, with insurance, Eagleson said. We are very careful to follow all the rules. HFS officials told the BGA they talk to a wide array of stakeholders, including lawmakers, frontline medical providers and consultants from every industry that is involved in Medicaid. In some cases, they said, state statute requires HFS to talk to industry representatives and their private consultants. While public records reveal no overt acts where these conflicts led to personal financial gain, ethics experts said a bigger concern centers on how the insurance companies have access at the highest levels of government when Medicaid patients do not. State ethics laws require a one-year cooling-off period before former state employees can procure state contracts. But in general, the walls preventing ethical conflicts or their appearance are flimsy, experts say. When the relationships between the government and industry are so cozy, when there are so many financial entanglements, that necessary wall starts to look like Swiss cheese, said Alisa Kaplan, executive director of the watchdog group Reform for Illinois. How is the public supposed to look at that and trust that the government is putting their interests first? Lawmaker blasts interbreeding Revolving doors and conflicts of interest have emerged at virtually every level of American government, from municipal offices to federal agencies. State governments, including Illinois, impose an array of financial disclosure rules and cooling-off periods to stop private interests from co-opting the public sector. The Illinois Medicaid merry-go-round has been whirling under three successive governors Democrat Pat Quinn, Republican Bruce Rauner and current Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat. Its like interbreeding here, said state Rep. Fred Crespo, a Democrat from Hoffman Estates. How can they have their hands out to the insurance companies and at the same time be making Medicaid policy? In the Illinois Medicaid program, officials and industry executives say they carefully vet potential conflicts through frank, top-level discussions. But the BGA found little public disclosure as program leaders toggle between government appointments and top jobs at the for-profit insurance firms. The revolving door and apparent conflicts of interest raise ethical concerns about corruption that damage the publics support for state government in general and the states Medicaid program, said Kent Redfield, a professor emeritus of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield, who reviewed the BGAs findings. Clearly, the appearance of bias is there, and that reduces the effectiveness of the Medicaid program, Redfield said. The overall picture assembled by the BGA is that the states process for managing Medicaid payments is heavily influenced by people and organizations with an insurance industry perspective. Consider: Howard A. Peters III Since 2017, Howard A. Peters III has earned $105,000 per year through the state Office of Medicaid Innovation as an expert adviser to HFS. He also sits on the HFS Medicaid Advisory Committee, as well as the Illinois Medicaid Telemedicine Task Force. At the same time, Peters lobbied the agency and lawmakers on behalf of insurance giant Aetna, one of the four companies hired by the state to run the Medicaid program. His lobbying firm, HAP Inc., which counts Aetna among its handful of clients, also contributed $70,000 to state politicians since Peters joined the state payroll. Contacted by the BGA, Peters said his dual roles were fully disclosed and discussed with former HFS Director Felicia Norwood and current director Eagleson before he accepted the state job. They understood that I had Aetna as a client, Peters said. There is no secret here. I wouldnt say (it was) what you might call a formal process, but it certainly was a very conscious discussion and a conscious decision about how this would work and the importance of not mixing and mingling, if you will not having conflicts, Peters said. The department certainly doesnt want the very issue that youre raising, and I dont, either. Peters said he sees no conflict between his dual roles. State officials are scrupulous about guarding against potential conflicts, he said. I dont think theres a revolving-door concern, Peters said. I think that the state has stringent regulations about what you can do when you leave state government. From what I see in terms of how they conduct their business and what I know about the leadership and their character, I dont have a reason to be concerned as a citizen and as a person who cares about the quality of the government. Eagleson, in a separate interview, said Peters is deliberately excluded from discussions involving the four MCOs, including Aetna. Eagleson said Peters longtime involvement in state government, including Cabinet posts, make him eminently qualified to be a senior adviser at her agency. Everybody is transparent, following the rules, she said. He never participates in any meeting that has anything to do with regulating the managed care companies. The work that I advise the department on is not involved with Aetna or the managed care organizations, Peters said, adding that he advises HFS on a long-term project called health care transformation and on the departments effort to increase staffing and improve conditions in nursing homes. Peters said he has not been paid in his roles as current member and former chairman of the Illinois Medicaid Advisory Committee, a panel that includes insurance industry leaders and counsels HFS with respect to Medicaid policy and planning. Rauner in 2018 appointed Peters as the unpaid co-chair of the states Medicaid telehealth task force. Peters state salary is paid through the University of Illinois Office of Medicaid Innovation, or OMI, an organizational unit within the university that is funded by HFS. The university office operates under HFS direct guidance and through HFS Project Orders, according to records provided to the BGA by the university. Peters was hired at OMI when it was run by Eagleson, who served as OMIs $198,000-per-year executive director at the time. Theresa was head of the Office of Medicaid Innovations, Director Norwood was director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services at the time, so they both were aware of my work, and asked me if I was willing to serve them as part-time capacity, Peters told the BGA. Peters declined to provide details about his lobbying for Aetna. I care about my reputation, and I care about the reputations of the people Im working with, Peters told the BGA. If theres an issue that remotely looks like I can have an interest thats not theirs, Im not involved in that issue. Robert Mendonsa Jr. As deputy administrator at HFS, Robert Mendonsa Jr. has been in charge of managing the states Medicaid contracts with the MCOs since 2015. That state appointment came after his 20-year career as a senior executive at the insurance company Aetna. Mendonsas wife, Kelli, is also a senior project coordinator at Blue Cross, and has held similar positions at two other MCOs. Im responsible for managing the MCO contracts, Mendonsa said in a court deposition last year. Its making sure they are complying with the contract, and we are monitoring their performance, and we are driving continual quality improvement. Mendonsa was the CEO of Aetna Better Health, the companys Illinois MCO, until November 2012, records show. Before that, he was president of the companys 16-state region that included Illinois. Mendonsa declined comment, but in the deposition, he explained why he left his lucrative corporate job for state government service. I was just very intrigued by what I could do working for the state. And I did very well in my prior life, so I was able to not care about the money and do what I really wanted to do, he testified. I believe in managed care. And I think that we can improve quality and improve the quality of life and save money at the same time. Mendonsa also for several years was president of the board of the Illinois Association of Health Plans, an insurance industry advocacy group. Mendonsa first joined the state payroll at HFS in March 2013, records show. Two years later, he was appointed to manage the MCO contracts, his current job. Redfield said Mendonsas extensive background with Aetna prior to joining HFS creates the appearance of a professional bias, and Mendonsas wife working for the MCOs while Mendonsa oversaw the MCO program would appear to create a personal conflict of interest for Mendonsa. HFS officials told the BGA that Mendonsas insurance industry tenure gives him unique expertise and helps HFS hold the MCOs accountable for meeting their contract requirements. He disclosed his wifes current MCO position to the HFS ethics officer, agency officials said, and she does not directly interact with HFS and did not help negotiate the states current contracts. Through an HFS spokesman, Mendonsa told the BGA he emptied his Aetna retirement account before joining the state agency, taking half as a lump sum and placing half in an account unaffected by Aetnas bottom line. Those funds were later divided with a family member, court records show. Eagleson told the BGA she was the Medicaid administrator when Mendonsa was hired. It was my understanding, when Robert was hired, that he had no retirement benefits that were contingent on the performance of Aetna, she said. Mendonsa's 2015 HFS promotion came when Norwood led the agency. Norwood headed Aetna before Rauner appointed her as the HFS director. As the HFS director, Norwood oversaw an acceleration in the privatization of Illinois Medicaid program. A 2017 investigation by the state executive inspector generals office found Norwood engaged in improper communication with a lobbyist when Norwood ran HFS. Norwood and Norwoods deputy, Teresa Hursey, discussed a large Medicaid contract sought by one of the lobbyists clients, that report states. Months later, in 2018, Norwood returned to the MCO industry and by last year earned nearly $8 million as executive vice president and president for insurance provider Anthem Inc.s government business division. Hursey also joined Anthem. Douglas Elwell A former Illinois Medicaid administrator, Douglas Elwell remains an unpaid adviser to HFS Director Eagleson, even as he runs the for-profit national consulting firm Health Management Associates (HMA). Elwell is one of at least 10 top Illinois Medicaid officials who have come from or gone to HMA in recent years. Emails obtained under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act over a yearlong period reveal more than 50 conversations between Eagleson and Elwell ranging from Medicaid provider billing disputes to policy questions. As CEO of HMA, Elwell heads one of the blurriest players in the Illinois Medicaid money game: HMA's clients include the Medicaid MCOs, but it also holds its own state contracts for services to HFS and the state prison system, the BGA found. The correspondence suggests familiarity and professional trust. When Eagleson wanted to gather a team of dependable advisers in August 2020, she invited her chief of staff, a state Medicaid deputy and a top state researcher. Eagleson also included Elwell, according to emails obtained by the BGA through an open-records request. Doug and I were just talking. Could the five of us spend some socially distanced quality time together for a longer dinner and brainstorming in Springfield next Wednesday or Thursday evening? Eaglesons email began. Eagleson suggested an upscale contemporary American restaurant with a Napa Valley-style tasting room. I honestly havent dined out inside yet but am willing to try to find the right place, Eagleson wrote. Elwell has been back and forth through Illinois revolving door. He spent 12 years as a principal, managing principal and interim CFO of HMA. Then Elwell led the Cook County Health and Hospital System from November 2014 through early 2019. He came to HFS for one year as state Medicaid administrator, then in February 2020 rejoined HMA, first as COO and now as CEO of the consulting firm. HMA does not publicly disclose its industry clients, but the BGA found it has included some of the top MCOs operating in Illinois and nationally: Centene Corp., Blue Cross, Aetna Health and, in recent years, Molina Health. In state contract filings, HMA reported that 45% of its corporate stock is owned by funds connected to the Chicago private equity firm Beecken Petty OKeefe also called BPOC which offers health-care-focused investment funds. In Illinois contract disclosures HMA listed 2019 sales revenue of $94.7 million from all sources nationwide. While serving for-profit clients and investors, HMA also wins government contracts in Illinois and numerous other states, as well as in Cook County. HMA since 2018 has held state of Illinois consulting contracts worth $1.3 million with HFS, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services. Redfield called it a troublesome economic conflict of interest that HMA had contracts with state MCO regulators and also with the individual MCOs. Elwell told the BGA that HMA had a very elaborate firewall system to avoid ethical conflicts. We basically train all of our people, we test them, and we are very transparent with the managed care companies, as well as with the Medicaid agencies, Elwell said. We care very deeply about our reputation, and we care very deeply about the reputations of people who work with us. So I understand the appearance, but I can tell you, in fact, we spend a lot of time and a lot of money to make sure were avoiding that conflict and are very transparent. Elwell said HMA has a contract to help Illinois establish its health information exchange and simultaneously advises the MCOs on unrelated issues, such as how to meet quality assurance standards in Illinois or how to team up with local organizations that assist Medicaid patients. I dont feel I have special status, other than as part of a sounding board, he said. These are pretty independent people. Theyre good at it without me. I care what happens to Medicaid in Illinois, and Im always going to care, and sometimes I am sure I am giving them my advice when its not wanted and not followed, Elwell said. But I care enough that, when asked, I am going to give them my best idea. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo left Accra on Monday, November 8, 2021, and arrived in Praia, capital of Cape Verde, where he will attend the inauguration of the island nation's President-elect, Jose Maria Neves. The president in a video shared by the state broadcaster, GBC, is seen being escorted on the tarmac by Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia and other top government officials as he boarded the presidential jet, the Dassault Falcon 900 EXE. The issue of presidential travels has in recent months become topical especially with respect to Akufo-Addo's use of chartered luxury jets for long-haul trips. His last overseas trip was to Glasgow for the Climate Change Conference. According to a Daily Mail report and independent checks by North Tongu MP, the president chartered a luxury jet for his trip to and from Scotland. The government through the Minister of Defense has explained that trips within Ghana and the sub-region will be done with the Falcon but long-haul trips overseas will be done through alternative arrangements. The presidential trips and their cost to the public purse is the subject of an urgent question filed by some Minority Members of Parliament led by North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. Akufo-Addo is in Praia not only as President of Ghana but also in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Cape Verdean President-Elect, 61-year-old Neves had previously served as a Prime Minister of the country between 2000 and 2016. He won the presidential election held last month. VP Bawumia will act as President till Akufo-Addo returns home later today, Tuesday, November 9, 2021. 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 family of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia Monday called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House, Accra, to express their appreciation for his presence at the final funeral rites of Madam Hajia Mariama, mother of the Vice President. The delegation was led by Mba Tarana John Gumah, senior elder of the overlord of Mamprugu Traditional area. The family relayed to the President the gratitude of the overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional area, Nayiri Naa Bohagu Mahami Sheriga, for making time to join the Veeps family to give Hajia Mariama Bawumia a befitting funeral. Your presence made the funeral unique. It showed that you have great concern and committed to Mamprugu and to the Vice President. "When Mamprugu was mourning, you found it necessary to come and mourn with us," Mba Gumah said. On his part, President Akufo-Addo said the late Hajia Mariama was more like a mother to him as well, and he saw it a duty to see that she was seen off in a befitting manner. The lady was a mother to all of us. She treated me impeccably. The few times I got to know her in the later stage of our lives and her treatment of me, I cannot complain at all...so it was important for me also to express my appreciation on the way she was to me and her son with whom I have been working in close quarters these past five years. We are happy that things were done well, he said. The late Hajia Bawumia died on September 13, 2021, in Accra, at the age of 81. She was buried on September 14, 2021 at Walewale, in accordance with Islamic customs. 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 The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it has not sanctioned any paraphernalia or branded T-shirts bearing the inscription; Do or Die. The National Communication Officer of the party, Sammy Gyamfi, in a statement on Tuesday morning, November 9, 2021, said the party's attention has been drawn to branded paraphernalia, including T-shirts with the inscription; Do or Die. He said the said paraphernalia making the rounds on various social media platforms are meant to portray violence under a misguided and malicious misrepresentation of the "Do or Die" statement that former President John Dramani Mahama made sometime ago this year during his 'Thank You tour'. He has, therefore, asked the public to treat such branded paraphernalia, including T-shirts with the party's logos and colours with the needed contempt. "The General Public is hereby urged to disregard such images and treat them with the contempt they deserve," he sated, adding "neither the NDC nor any of its assigns has sanctioned these paraphernalia which are the obvious creation of some faceless individuals who are up to mischief." Below is the statement For Immediate Release 9th November, 2021 DISCLAIMER The attention of the National Democratic Congress has been drawn to some images of branded paraphernalia including T-shirts with the inscription; Do or Die, making the rounds on various social media platforms. These despicable images, some of which bear what looks like the logo and official colours of the NDC, appear to portray violence under a misguided and malicious misrepresentation of "Do or Die". We wish to state without any equivocation that neither the NDC nor any of its assigns has sanctioned these paraphernalia which are the obvious creation of some faceless individuals who are up to mischief. The General Public is hereby urged to disregard such images and treat them with the contempt they deserve. Signed, SAMMY GYAMFI National Communication Officer 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 Two political parties have stressed the need for Members of Parliament (MPs) to be educated on their privileges and immunity as key stakeholders in Ghanas democracy. According to the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) and All Peoples Congress (APC), it appeared there was a clear misunderstanding of what constituted parliamentary immunity and when and how it was applied. The leader of the LPG, Mr Percival Kofi Akpaloo and the founder of APC, Mr Hassan Ayariga stated these in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in Accra yesterday, November 8, 2021. Context The Ghana Police Service and Parliament have been embroiled in a misunderstanding over the release of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Madina, Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu following Mr Sosus failure to respond to the invitation of the police to assist in investigations into alleged breaches of the law by residents of Oyarifa, Ayi-Mensah and surrounding areas. The Parliamentary Service has indicated that it took strong exception to the manner the police were seeking to apprehend the legislator. It said although the immunity of MPs was not absolute, the legislator could not be hounded in a way that was unconstitutional and threatened the countrys democracy. It also said it found it incomprehensible that the police administration failed to secure a certificate from the Speaker of the House before going ahead to attempt to effect the arrest of the MP. Both the Majority and Minority in Parliament are divided over the issue. The Majority Caucus says the speaker appears to be instituting new rules that seem to undermine the rule of law without any prior discussions with the leadership of the house while the Minority has accused their colleagues on the Majority side of deliberately ignoring the facts surrounding the attempted arrest of the MP. LPG Mr Akpaloo suggested that there was the need for the Supreme Court to interpret what those immunities and privileges meant in the Constitution to set the tone for the education of MPs. He said it was important that the immunities of MPs were kept in the law which gave them some privileges in the discharge of their duties. He said with education of MPs on what those privileges meant, when it could be applied and not be applied would help the countrys democracy to grow. APC Hassan Ayariga - APC For his part, Mr Ayariga said having parliamentary immunity did not mean that one had the power to break the rules, regulations and laws of the country. That, he said, justified why the MPs needed to be educated on parliamentary immunity as well as the processes guiding its usage. He stressed the need for Parliament to bring in experts during the orientation of MPs to educate them on the issues that often caused embarrassment to Parliament and the whole nation. Mr Ayariga also challenged the police to be up and doing in the discharge of their duties to avoid creating unnecessary tension in the country. He cited, for instance, that in the Ayi-Mensah demonstration, there were police personnel to protect life and property. He said if there was anything that threatened life and property, the police could have stopped it and not look on only to write to invite the leaders who applied for the permit for the demonstration. 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 Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has questioned the Akufo Addo-led NPP government's empathy towards the plight of Ghanaians, indicting the current administration of ignoring the abject poverty staring in the face of the public by engaging in deals for personal gain. The clerics made this known at their annual conference held at Wa, capital of the Upper West Region, on the theme Fratelli Tutti and Covid-19: Pastoral Challenges and Opportunities in Ghana. They hold the view that the Presidents pledge to protect the public purse has all but become an illusion. Corruption Missing From SoNA? It would be recalled that on March 9, this year during the delivering of his first State of the Nation Address (SoNA) in his second term and his sixth SoNA since he was sworn in as President, concerns were raised when the words corruption, corrupt, anti-graft or graft were noticeably absent from His Excellency Nana Akufo-Addo's speech. According to the FourthEstateGH, a public interest and accountability investigative journalism website - reading from a 26-page document in an over 9,000 word speech, the most crucial variable in the governance and development equation of Ghanacorruptiona word the president was very fond of as opposition leader, was curiously non-existent, thus leading to the perception that corruption in Ghana is rising. Poverty Stares At Us, Yet.... Perhaps, it is in this vein that the clerics felt the need to highlight the issue once again. Speaking at this years plenary assembly of the association, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh decried the wanton dissipation of the countrys resources by politicians and their cronies for personal gains and called for immediate steps to halt the practice. Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the president of the republic to protect the public purse a promise that citizens welcomed seems to be an illusion now. Are those managing the public purse not concerned about [the] waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the lack of compassion and empathy? he asked. .those who are entrusted with power that comes from our collective will must know that what they do with that, shapes what we all will become in the future, Most Rev. Philip Naameh noted. The speech also touched on the challenges confronting key sectors of the economy such as education, health, mobility and transport, fake news and misinformation, cybercrime and prostitution as well as inadequate communication and ICT infrastructure. The Catholic Bishops subsequently called on the government to take immediate steps to mitigate the current economic situation by initiating policies that will lead to the creation of sustainable jobs for the teaming youth in the country. Level Of Clarity Important But in a related development, the ruling party has described the cleric's comments as lacking "clarity." Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa, who questioned the attempt to link financial difficulties with the protection of the public purse. To him, the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Ghanaian economy, cannot be overlooked. Where are the specifics on that? Some level of clarity at that level is important. It is not about enabling the NDC to come in and spout....we are widening the social net, and we believe we are sending the economy in the right direction....The impact of Covid-19 that we are still riding has affected cost of living and prices, and many people worldwide have lost their jobs, he said. 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 Former President John Dramani Mahama has said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has no confidence in Dr. Bossman Asare, the Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission in charge of Corporate Services, as far as fairness in the 2024 election is concerned. However, he says the biggest opposition party has confidence in the Chairperson, Mrs. Jean Mensa because she takes the ultimate responsibility. Mr. Mahama said Dr. Bossman Asare is a governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) member. In his view, Dr. Bossman Asare appears to have a problem with him (Mahama). Dr. Bossman Asare, in October this year, debunked Mr. Mahamas claim that the EC printed one million excess ballot papers; some of which were alleged by the former president to have been thumb-printed and stuffed in favor of the governing NPP during the 2020 polls. He dared Mr Mahama and the NDC to provide evidence to back the claim and also called on the Ghana Police Service to investigate the allegation by the former Ghanaian leader. But speaking in an interview on Accra-based TV XYZ on Monday, 8 November 2021 ahead of his Greater Accra Regional Thank You tour on Tuesday, 9 November 2021, Mr Mahama said the NDC has no confidence in Dr Bossman Asare. He said: Bossman behaves like an NPP person; his posturing, his body language, everything [smacks of NPP]. The way he was arguing with me when he was reading their response was as if he was fighting his rival. The way he responded was as if he has a grudge with me and right from the start, he said the NDC was an existential threat to Ghanas democracy and, so, he has declared his stance. So, we have no hope in him, Mr. Mahama declared. The person we have hope in is Jean Mensa because she is the Chair of the Commission and she bears ultimate responsibility and not Bossman Asare. According to Mr. Mahama, we know he [Bossman Asare] is an NPP man. I know hes an NPP man. We know his track record at the University of Ghana before he became Commissioner. He was an NPP patron, so, we dont talk about him, but Jean Mensa is the Chair and she takes ultimate responsibility and, so, she must put her foot down and make sure that the right thing is done. 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 Ghana is in a state of despair, former President John Dramani Mahama has said. Mr. Mahama said he discovered the hopelessness after touring the country to thank Ghanaians for their votes in the 2020 election. Speaking on Monday, 8 November 2021 ahead of his last tour which is scheduled to be in the Greater Accra region on Tuesday, 9 November 2021, Mr. Mahama said the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the lies of the government. In an interview on Accra-based TV XYZ, he said he observed during his tour across the country that: Were in a state of despair; people are sad, people have regretted because this is not what the government promised them. Before the elections, they did a lot of things, i.e., free water, free light, free this and they spent GHS11.9 billion of the COVID funds from March to December and a lot went into convincing people. They gave small business loans via MoMo of about GHS2,000 but today, we are all paying that back, he stated. According to the 2020 flagbearer of the main opposition NDC, the economy is in tatters. He said: Very soon the finance minister will be presenting the budget and youll realize the economy is in tatters. They said the economy was resilient and the vice-president said if there was any external shock, for six months, Ghana will not need any external intervention. But within two weeks of COVID-19, we went to the IMF for money. What happened to that resilient economy? he quizzed. In his view, everything the government promised and said was lies. The economy had no buffers and, so, within two weeks of a COVID situation, [there was a] lockdown; we were begging the IMF for money, so, it shows theres a certain culture of lying about things and all that to deceive Ghanaians and we can see that it has all unraveled and the truth is here for all to see, he added. 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 Managing Director of the Intercity STC Company, Nana Akomea, has refuted reports attributed to him that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo's promise to reduce fuel prices was only a campaign talk. According to a publication, Nana Akomea said the President's promise should not be held against him emphasizing it was borne out of excitement of the political campaign. Nana Akomea, who was on Metro TVs Good Morning Ghana show last week with the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablawka reportedly stated; Every political leader on campaign makes the same comment. CJA, where Sammy Okudzeto says that is where he got his political influence, they made the same sentiments. All of them. When leaders are campaigning they make these promises but when they come into office, there is a reality check. When you are a political leader and you make certain statements as part of your messaging to the Ghanaian people and you come into office and see that the reality is different, you need to go back to tell them why you made this promise but why it is difficult for you to fulfill that promise. You need to do that. President Kufuor is very famous for that when he talks about some issue that he campaigned against the Rawlings government. When he came into government and realized that the reality of the situation is that he couldnt do much about it, he actually acknowledged and accepted it. He came out and said it is different and acknowledged it. I think leadership should acknowledge it. His comment came on the heels of the current fuel price hikes by some Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). The prices of petrol and diesel at some pump stations have increased to GH6.90. But the NPP stalwart has dismissed the report. Clarifying issues during Peace FM's ''Kokrokoo'', the STC Boss told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that his statements have been misconstrued as the word about the President's promise being a campaign promise didn't emerge from his mouth but rather a conclusion made by some bloggers. He explained his actual remarks stressing what he said was, "every politician use petrol prices to campaign. I remember, during the regime of President Kufour when he was campaigning, we would send gallon to rally but when he came into power, petrol prices went up during his time. When NDC was campaigning, Committee for Joint Action (CJA) led by Kwesi Pratt, they also used it to campaign against President Kufour...but when they came into power, they also experienced petrol price increases...They came to meet 28 pesewas tax on a litre and when they left power, it had increased to 146 pesewas on a litre. So, everyone campaigns with it". "When you're a politician and outside government, you see things differently but when you come into government and the reality dawns on you and you find out you can't fulfill some of your promises, you have to be honest with the people," he added. Nana Akomea warned the bloggers and the media practitioners who enjoy sensationalism to desist from such character. "When you watch the video, I didn't say that and when you read the story too, they quoted what I said exactly but their headline doesn't reflect the quotation. When you read the story, the headline is not part of the story...But they need to watch it because, in journalism, you have to report precisely what the person said," he cautioned. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former President John Dramanai Mahama has accepted the challenge thrown by the Electoral Commission (EC) to the police to investigate a claim he made to the effect that there was one million vote fraud in the 2020 elections done to favour President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Speaking on TV XYZ on Tuesday November 9, he said That is what I want, they said we should have an investigation, lets have an investigation. But I dont know if the police are the best to do that. I dont know what the police are going to investigate. We want an independent inquiry or lets go to ECOWAS. ECOWAS has an electoral body, let them come and investigate Ghanas election of 2020. I will welcome it, I will testify. Under oath, I will swear an oath and testify. I wont run away from the witness box, Mr Mahama said. Mr Mahama had accused the commission of thumb printing one million ballot papers in favour of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the 2020 presidential election. He had alleged when he addressed the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, recently, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region that More than one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favour of the NPP. The Presidential Candidate of the NDC in last years elections added And, so, all these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment, The former President has said the EC thumb-printed one million ballot papers for the President of the Republic. This is untrue; and it is a great matter that undermines the credibility of the electoral system and should not be ignored. But responding to him, Dr Bossman Asare said at a press conference that We see that our silence on this matter has dire consequences on public confidence in the Commission, and we want the police to investigate it, he stressed. Distinguished citizens, in the last few weeks Former President Mahama has made a number of allegations against the EC and the 2020 elections. As Officials charged with the responsibility of conducting elections in Ghana, we owe it a duty to provide Ghanaians with the facts and the truth about the elections and the allegations raised. We are of the view that our silence on these false allegations could have dire consequences as it could undermine citizens confidence our dear country. The Former President has said the EC thumb printed 1million ballots in favor of the president. This is untrue. This is a grave matter that undermines the credibility of our electoral process and should not be ignored. We call on him to provide evidence to support his claim. This is not a matter to be ignored and we call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate this. The Transparency of our process makes it totally impossible for this to happen. At the polling stations, prior to the start of the elections, the empty ballot boxes are opened and displayed in the presence of everyone, and thereafter they are sealed. There are serial numbers on the ballot papers for each region and constituency. This is made known to the Agents before the elections. Our ballot papers also have security features; so any trace of new material will be clearly visible. Again, at the end of the poll, the ballots cast are crosschecked against the voters who were verified and issued the ballot papers. This ensures that over-voting is detected immediately. Nationwide, we had no issue with over-voting at all our 38,622 polling stations except in Savelugu in the parliamentary election where there was one and I repeat one over-voting. The transparency of our processes from the beginning to the end makes this impossible. Ballot Stuffing cannot be done-it is impossible. We call on the Former President in the interest of our democracy to provide evidence of the stuffing of the ballot boxes by the EC. The Police should investigate this as a matter of urgency due to its potential to derail and undermine our democracy, and lead to a lack of confidence in our systems and processes. In a reply to Dr Bossman Asare at a press conference in Accra on Thursday October 28, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia said We take note with satisfaction Bossman Asares call on the Ghana Police Service to investigate the fact put out by President Mahama, given that President Mahama was on solid grounds when making this statement. The NDC stands ever prepared to assist in any credible investigation into the matters raised, We are aware however that Bossman Asares call is only a red herring because he cannot feign ignorance of the fact that the Police Service is already seized with all the evidence on this matter. On the specific printing of 1 million excess ballot papers and arrest of persons with thumb-printed ballot papers, the Ghana Police Service carried out the arrests and therefore should be providing updates on the status of investigations to the population. All that Bossman Asare needs to do is to call on the Attorney General to ask the police to prosecute the offenders. Source: 3news.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 Organic cocoa farming in M'Brimbo, a village in central Ivory Coast, is prospering Cocoa farmers across Ivory Coast, the world's biggest producer of the key ingredient for chocolate, are down in the dumps after prices for their commodity have fallen for the second year running. Not so in M'Brimbo, a village in central Ivory Coast which 11 years ago became a testing ground for organic cocoa farming and today is prospering. The local farmers' collective, the Fair Cooperative Society of Bandama (SCEB), sell their high-quality produce at twice the market rate for non-organic cocoa. "When producers are trained and well-paid, they can make very good cocoa in Ivory Coast," said Arthur Gautier, an agronomist who works for Ethiquable, a French company that specialises in marketing fair-trade products and buys SCEB's harvest. The chocolate made from their cocoa is sold in French supermarkets under the brand "Grand Cru M'Brimbo," a name that resonates with fine wines"Grand Cru" means "vintage." Cocoa growing was massively promoted by Ivory Coast's government following independence in 1960, becoming the backbone of the country's rise as one of West Africa's leading economies. Today, Ivory Coast produces two million tonnes of cocoa per year, equivalent to more than 40 percent of the world's market. But expansion has also come at a grim price for the environment and fuelled a dependency that ratchets up rural poverty whenever prices slump. Workers weigh cocoa bags at the warehouse of the local farmers' collective in M'brimbo Around 90 percent of Ivory Coast's forests have been destroyed, stripping away habitat for elephants and other species, and in some places herbicides and pesticides have lastingly tainted the soil. Using techniques pioneered in Latin America, SCEB farmers weed their fields manually and have developed specific methods to dry and ferment cocoa beans, helping to develop the chocolate's signature rich taste. Traceability Monitoring and certifying the process and ensuring traceability, right down to the individual bag of cocoa, have been key to winning the confidence of consumers who are willing to pay more for a product that has quality and ethical values. Ethiquable claims to sell a quarter of the organic chocolate sold in French supermarkets. Organic chocolate accounts for just eight percent of the national market, but is growing at 18 percent per year. "Doing bio is harder, it requires more work and you need more labour," said Solo Bony, a member of the cooperative. "But at the end of the day, you get a better return." Ethiquable pays the SCEB 1,850 CFA francs (2.82 euros) per kilogram, of which 1,350 francs goes to the producer, which compares with the current official price for non-organic cocoa of 750 francs per kiloa benchmark that in any case is not always respected. Farming organic cocoa is harder work than conventional cultivation but offers better returns Another boon is that this price is guaranteed for a three-year perioda welcome reassurance compared with the rollercoaster conventional market. The "organic" label offers higher rewards than "fair trade" certification, issued for around 10 percent of Ivory Coast's production, which is for cocoa that meets environmental standards and does not involve child labour. An emerging worry in Ivory Coast is about the health impact from farmers who use conventional chemicals to fertilise the soil and kill pests. The cooperative's farmers are testing safer formulas made from residues derived from locally-grown plants. Farmers in the cooperative also get training in sustainable techniques - planting cocoa trees in the shade of bigger trees rather than in the open, diversifying crops by planting fruit trees and by sowing legume plants, which take nitrogen out of the air and fix it into the soil, thus increasing its fertility naturally. "A plantation of cocoa trees drawn from older varieties, grown organically and using sustainable farming, provides better-quality cocoa and higher yields, and produce over a timescale of 50 years compared to 20 years for a conventional plantation," said Gautier. Farmers carry bags of organic cocoa beans at the collective. Prosperity The cooperative's president, Evariste Salo, attested personally to the growth in wealth. "I used to have a bicycle, now I've got a motorbike. I have been able to put my kids through school and build a house." By way of comparison, according to the World Bank, more than half of the five to six million people in Ivory Coast who live on cocoa subsist below the poverty line. The cooperative produced 13 tonnes of cocoa with 33 farmers in 2010, and this year is expected to produce more than 200 tonnes, with 264 growers. It now has six employees and has just built a new headquarters and warehouse with a storage capacity of 300 tonnes, and is pushing ahead with a laboratory to test cocoa quality. It has also funded a rural clinic and a school, and provides financial help for school fees and medical bills. Ten other cooperatives in Ivory Coast now produce organic cocoa and others are expected to follow them. But their production is likely to remain a fraction of the country's conventional output for a long time to come. Explore further Windfall for growers as ICoast posts record cocoa harvest 2021 AFP Ousado, a wild jaguar, was badly burned in devastating wildfires in Brazil in 2020; the destruction of the Amazon is putting many species at risk. Boating slowly upriver through the Pantanal, the world's biggest tropical wetlands, Brazilian biologist Fernando Tortato scans the bank for signs of Ousado, a jaguar badly burned in devastating wildfires last year. A thousand kilometers (600 miles) to the north, at the rapidly receding edge of the Amazon rainforest, conservationist Roberto Eduardo Stofel peers through his binoculars, monitoring a baby harpy eagle sitting alone in a giant nest, its parents apparently out searching for increasingly hard-to-find food. The sleek, majestic jaguar and spectacularly powerful harpy eagle are two of the most iconic species threatened by the accelerating destruction of the Amazon, whose breathtaking biodiversity risks collapsing as the world's biggest rainforest approaches a "tipping point." Scientists say that is the point at which a vicious circle of deforestation, wildfires and climate change could damage the rainforest so badly it dies off and turns to savannahwith catastrophic consequences for its more than three million species of plants and animals. 'Flying rivers' drying up The jaguar and harpy eagle are already feeling the impact. Ousado, a four-year-old, 75-kilogram (165-pound) male, was wounded a year ago when wildfires tore through the Pantanal, fueled by the region's worst drought in 47 years. The harpy eagle is one of the most iconic species threatened by the accelerating destruction of the Amazon. The region, which sits just south of the Amazon, is known for its stunning wildlife, drawing tourists from around the world. But nearly a third of it burned in last year's fires, killing or wounding countless animalsincluding Ousado, who was found with third-degree burns on his paws, barely able to walk. Veterinarians took the big black-and-yellow spotted cat to an animal hospital, treated him, and then reintroduced him to the wild with a tracking collar to monitor his recoverywhich is going well. The destruction of the Pantanal, Tortato explains, is directly linked to that of the Amazon. The rainforest's 390 billion trees generate water vapor that dumps rain across much of South Americaa phenomenon known as "flying rivers." Sometimes appearing as wisps of mist streaking skyward, then gathering into giant clouds that look like streams of cotton, these "rivers" likely carry more water than the Amazon River itself, scientists say. The jaguar Ousado was released back into the wild after being treated for serious burns suffered in wildfires. As humans raze the forest for farms and pastureland, "the rainfall that would normally arrive in the Pantanal via the 'flying rivers' has diminished," says Tortato, 37, of conservation group Panthera. Classified as "near threatened," the jaguar, the biggest cat in the Americas, has its stronghold in the Amazon. Its population declined an estimated 20 to 25 percent over the past two decades. Facing starvation Known for its massive size, fearsome claws and tufts of feathers protruding Beethoven-like from its head, the harpy eagle is, like the jaguar, an apex predator in the Amazon. Weighing up to 10 kilograms, harpies scope their prey from the canopy, and then swoop in with deadly precision, snatching monkeys, sloths and even small deer. But despite their hunting prowess, they are at risk of starvation. Conservationists use an aerial radio to track and locate the jaguar Ousado, after it suffered injuries in wildfires. It takes the gray and white eagles, which mate for life, about two years to raise their young. They fledge just one eaglet at a time, but need enormous territory to hunt enough food. A recent study found harpy eagles are not adapted to hunt for prey outside the forest, and cannot survive in areas with more than 50 percent deforestationincreasingly common at the Amazon's edges. "They are at high risk of extinction in this region because of deforestation and logging," says Stofel, 43, who works on a harpy conservation program in Cotriguacu, in Mato Grosso state. The area sits on the so-called "arc of deforestation." In a poignant snapshot of the harpy's plight, AFP journalists saw one eagle eating food set out for it by conservationists, against the backdrop of a logging truck hauling giant tree trunks from the forest. "We've monitored nests where the eaglets starved to death because the parents couldn't hunt enough food," Stofel says. The harpy eagle is known for its massive size, fearsome claws and tufts of feathers protruding Beethoven-like from its head. One wild Harpy eagle eats food set out for it by conservationiststhe birds are threatened by deforestation, and in the background, a logging truck hauls giant tree trunks from the forest. The jaguar, the biggest cat in the Americas, has its stronghold in the Amazonits population declined an estimated 20 to 25 percent over the past two decades. Matter of survival (our own) For Cristiane Mazzetti of environmental group Greenpeace, it is crucial to protect the Amazon's threatened biodiversityand not just for the plants and animals' sake. Nature's complex interlocking web plays an essential role in the planet's ability to provide food, oxygen, clean water, pollination and myriad other "ecosystem services" on which all life depends. "Biodiversity isn't something that can be resuscitated," says Mazzetti. "It's important to protect it for our own survival." Explore further Forest loss threat to one of world's largest eagles 2021 AFP A group of Guinea baboons at the Simenti field station in Senegal walks through a grassy landscape. Photo: William O'Hearn. Credit: William O'Hearn / German Primate Center The sun rises over the Senegalese savannah. The Guinea baboons have spent the night on their sleeping trees and set off together to forage. In order to depart simultaneously as a group and roam together during the day, the animals have to coordinate well. Researchers from the German Primate Center (DPZ) Leibniz Institute for Primate Research have studied which animals lead the group and how they decide when and in which direction to set off. They observed Guinea baboons (Papio papio) on their forays for two years. The overarching goal was to elucidate which factors favor despotic versus democratic decisions in groups. The authors found that both males and females initiate group departures and that both sexes are similarly successful in doing so. This pattern distinguishes Guinea baboons from hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas), in which group movements are initiated and led exclusively by males. Because both baboon species live in a multilevel society but differ in how males and females relate to each other, the latter is critical in determining which individuals influence the coordination of a group: In Guinea baboons, females are more free and less subordinate to males. This is also reflected in the leadership structure. Guinea baboons are one of six baboon species found in Africa. They differ in appearance and behavior, as well as in their social organization. Chacma, Kinda, olive, and yellow baboons live in uni-level societies. Groups consist of several males, females, and young. There are clear hierarchies between the sexes. Guinea baboons and also hamadryas baboons, in contrast, live in multilevel social organizations. Hamadryas baboons establish one-male units in which a male lives with several females who mate only with him. Several such units form so-called clans, and several clans form bands. Male-male as well as male-female relationships tend to be characterized by competition and subordination in hamadryas baboons. Guinea baboons also live in small units with one 'primary' reproductively active male and up to six associated females and their offspring. Several units form parties and two to three parties form gangs that forage together. Unlike hamadryas baboons, males in Guinea baboons form close friendships with each other and aggression rarely occurs. The females choose their males freely and stay with them for weeks, months, or even years. The video shows a party of baboons filing along one of the dirt roads in the study area. The male in the front is one of the primary males, and he is wearing a radio collar, which is used to locate the animals. Behind it walks a bachelor male, then an adolescent and a young juvenile, followed by a female carrying a baby under her belly. Next, a primary male with radio collar followed by playing juveniles and a third primary male also with a collar. Video: Julia Fischer. Credit: Julia Fischer /German Primate Center "We wanted to find out which individuals in Guinea baboons influence collective decisions like group departures," says William O'Hearn, a Ph.D. student in the Cognitive Ethology Laboratory at DPZ and co-author of the study. "We already know that in chacma, olive and yellow baboons, males and females lead the groups; in hamadryas baboons, it's exclusively males. So it was interesting to ask what the situation is in Guinea baboons." For this purpose, the researchers led by Davide Montanari, a graduate student of the department, observed a group of 131 animals at the DPZ research station Simenti in Senegal over a period of two years. They analyzed 121 group departures and 100 group progressions. They recorded which group members initiated the departures and how the animals were distributed in group progressions, depending on the sex, age and reproductive status of the males. The researchers were able to make three important observations: First, both sexes initiate group departures. Adult and non-reproductive bachelor males did this more often in about 60 percent of all cases than adult females with about 36 percent. However, both sexes were similarly successful, because in over 80 percent of the cases, the other animals followed the initiators, irrespective of whether the initiator was male or female. Second, the researchers found that both primary, reproductive males and females lead the group. However, both sexes were equally likely to be found in the middle or in the rear of the progression. Bachelor males, on the other hand, were more likely to march in the front of the group. They do not belong to any unit, travel faster, and may thus overtake other group members. A third finding of the study is that members of a unit travel together, as they have closer bonds with each other than with members of other units. Guinea baboons live in a multi-level society composed of units, parties and gangs. A gang can include up to 200 animals. Photo: Anais Aviles de Diego. Credit: Anais Aviles de Diego / German Primate Center "The results of the study show that although Guinea baboons live in a similar social system as hamadryas baboons, they have a different leadership structure," explains Julia Fischer, head of the Cognitive Ethology Laboratory at DPZ. "Social organization alone does not determine who leads the group. More important are the inter-sexual relationships among the animals. In Guinea baboons, females have a high degree of social and physical freedom and are less subordinate to males than in hamadryas baboons. This is reflected in their behavior during collective movement decisions." Explore further Guinea baboons grunt with an accent More information: Coordination during group departures and progressions in the tolerant multi-level society of wild Guinea baboons (Papio papio), Scientific Reports (2021). www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-01356-6 Journal information: Scientific Reports Coordination during group departures and progressions in the tolerant multi-level society of wild Guinea baboons (Papio papio),(2021). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01356-6 A busy street in Obalende, Lagos, Nigeria. Credit: Gernot Klantsching, Author provided We were in Obalende: a bustling working-class neighborhood of office buildings, shops and residential areas, on Lagos Island, Nigeria. During the day, the neighborhood teems with small market stalls selling all manner of things, from fruit and vegetables to electronics, tailored clothes and everyday household items. In the evenings, new stalls spring up to cater for commuters queuing for buses, and noisy street-side bars open to provide distraction and refreshment for people coming back from a long day at work. But we weren't there to buy an iPod or have a drink. We were in Obalende, in August 2019, to explore the clandestine world of Tramadol dispensing. Our research examined what happens when previously informaland legalactivities are criminalized, and heavy-handed state regulations blur the lines between what is considered legal and illegal. Specifically, our project looked at how the criminalisation of Tramadol in Nigeria, and stricter rules governing the movement of people and goods in the Sahara region, were affecting people and society. We chose the trade of Tramadol and the transport of migrants in west Africa because they had both attracted widespread policy and media attention. Both activities have also been directly linked to a supposed rise in organized crime, along with other activities, such as sex work or artisanal (small-scale) gold mining. Our aim was to question these media and policy portrayalsand instead provide an insider's view of these activities. In both cases, it seemed new restrictive laws had, almost overnight, turned people once thought to be earning an "honest living" into organized criminals. We discovered that policy changesin particular, criminalisationoften do not have their intended impact and there is little consideration of the wide-reaching effect criminalizing livelihoods has on communities that have sometimes relied on them for centuries. We conducted a total of 40 in-depth interviews in Nigeria and Niger. These included 21 in Lagos, Nigeria, with local sellers of Tramadol, as well as official pharmacists selling the drug legally. We spoke with national and local agency workers, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and Nigeria's National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). In Agadez, Niger, we conducted 19 interviews, including with former migrant transporters (or "passeurs") and local and international humanitarian organizations working in the region, such as the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the International Red Cross and Alarme Phone Sahara. 'Doctor' will see you now Back in Obalende, a contact explained to us that Tramadol was still being sold and consumed openly, despite the restrictions. Tramadol is a synthetic opioid, providing almost immediate relief for moderate to severe pain. It is not illegal to sell Tramadol in Nigeria, but since 2018 it has been heavily regulated by the government, and now should only be available through licensed pharmaciesdoses above 100mg per tablet are also prohibited. As a result, its availability is restricted to only a few licensed medical authorities and pharmaceutical dispensers. This was intended to curb its abuse, turning the informal selling of the drug into a criminal activity. Our contact arranged for us to have a meeting with a Tramadol retailer, known locally as "Doctor." Doctor, aged in his late twenties, agreed to meet us later that evening at his shop. Constructed from a cheap wooden shed, Doctor's shop operated like a kiosk, with a seating area for himself and his customers, from which he sold small retail items, and a variety of pharmaceutical products, including Tramadol. He needed to attend to the throng of customers queueing outside his shop, before he would be able to make time for a conversation. This gave us the opportunity to people-watch and observe him interacting with his regulars. Customers approached Doctor and told him they had particular ailments, after which he would recommend a drug, which they would then buy. So, in one sense, it operated like a lawful pharmacy. But sometimes a customer knew exactly which drug they wanted and we witnessed some requests for illegal Tramadol. Obalende at night, 2018. Credit: Shutterstock/Joshua Akinyemi Nonetheless, Doctor's dispensing of Tramadol and other drugs to buyers was not done surreptitiously. Some of Doctor's patrons even wore shirts that indicated they were employees of the Nigeria Police Force, and the shop itself was near a police barracks. When we finally got a chance to talk, Doctor told us that he had previously worked as a farmer in northern Nigeria, before relocating to Lagos. He had moved in search of better job opportunities, but a lack of stable employment had led him into the drug business. While people like Doctor are being increasingly categorized by the state as criminals, our conversation with Doctor didn't feel like a meeting with a drug dealer, as his work was conducted openly and was regarded as legitimate in the eyes of both him and his customers. Moral panic So how did Nigeria end up in this situation? Despite the fact that Tramadol has been imported into Nigeria for more than two decades, it only recently was propelled into the spotlight, partly because of the opioid crisis in America and partly because of a codeine cough syrup ban by the Nigerian government. The cough syrup ban followed the release of a 2018 BBC documentary, Sweet, Sweet Codeine, which reported that millions of bottles of codeine were being consumed daily across Nigeria. The government's response to the situation was to ban the production of codeine cough mixture. Another 2018 BBC report then claimed that a Tramadol crisis was "fuelling death, despair and Boko Haram" in Nigeria. This echoed reports published by the UNODC and the World Health Organization, as moral panic about Tramadol increased, too. Again, in 2018, the Nigerian government responded with a ban, restricting the sale of Tramadol to only a very limited number of approved dispensers and cracking down on the production of high dosage pills. The state's clampdown on unlicensed Tramadol dispensers was arguably harsh and forced sellers onto the black market. Healthcare and unemployment But the government's Tramadol crackdown didn't account for the fact that Nigeriathe most populous country in Africalacks adequate and affordable healthcare. Indeed, the thriving black market in pharmaceuticals is inextricably tethered to this lack of adequate health infrastructure for the nation's population of 211m, encouraging the normalization of self-medication by a large majority of the country's underprivileged citizens. Then there is the fact that a third of the population is unemployed. So for Tramadol sellers like Doctor, the clandestine work provides a stable source of income. Bashir, Another Tramadol seller we met, told us: "We are just involved in this trade because we want to survive, because there are no jobs in the country" Bashir said he tried to sell only to a loyal group of customers, in order to avoid being arrested, but explained that Tramadol was his most sought-after product. Saharan migrant transport In Agadez, the problems aren't drug-related. But the issues surrounding state regulation were the same. Agadez is the fifth largest city in Niger with a population of approximately 110,000 people. It is located in the Sahara desert, and lies at the crossroads of major Sahelian and Saharan migration routes. Agadez has been an important trading hub in Africa since the 16th century, providing a critical source of income to the Sahelian regionone of the poorest in the world. But Niger's migration policy has dramatically evolved to curtail the movement of people and goods through the region. This was formalized through the passing of a statute in 2015. This change came on the back of growing political and media debates concerning the so-called "migrant crisis" and, in particular, concerns about the trafficking of migrants from west Africa to Algeria, Libya and on into Europe. Niger is a member of the Economic Community of West African States, which supposedly guarantees the free movement of people across its 15 member countries. Yet the new legislation essentially criminalized migration from Niger across the Sahara to north African countries. This has radically transformed the socioeconomic structure of Agadez. Before 2015, migration from Agadez to Algeria and Libya, and for some on into Europe, was commonplace, particularly boosting the local economy in Agadez across various sectors. The economic benefits were felt across the entire country. At the grassroots level, local businesses in Agadez thrived due to the steady flow of travelers through the city. But today, any visitor familiar with its history as a Saharan hub of exchange will regard Agadez as a ghost town. After the fall of Muammar Gaddafi's Libyan regime in 2011, Niger experienced strong external pressure from the European Union to prevent migration northwards. The EU purportedly promised to implement specific initiatives to ameliorate the loss of income to ex-transporters and introduce alternative means of income (as did the Nigerien government). But according to former transporters we interviewed in Niger, these promises have yet to be fulfilled and many informed us of the devastating impact the law has had on their ability to sustain a livelihood. One ex-transporter, Abdul, told us: "There's nothing we can do. We have no activity it has totally destroyed us, we have nothing left." Dying in the desert Like the Tramadol ban in Nigeria, the criminalisation of transporting migrants has not totally ended the practice. In response, transporters have been forced to foster stealthier strategies for remaining in the trade and evading the authorities. This has inevitably resulted in transporters taking more perilous routes through the Sahara to avoid arrest, routes which previously were centered around water points. While transporters we spoke to boasted of their reliability in getting people across the Sahara safely, interviews with humanitarian agencies, including the International Organization for Migration, reported that an increasing number of migrants are being abandoned in the desert, which can be attributed to the use of less-familiar travel routes by transporters. The risks transporters are compelled to take have been significantly compounded by the criminalisation of migration across the Sahara. The director of one humanitarian organization working in the region told us: "Many people disappear in the desert, many people die, and now there are military patrols chasing people in the desert The drivers can throw the passengers outside of the car in case they are arrested." Local initiatives have been implemented to assist with the reintegration of ex-transporters and humanitarian agencies have operations on the ground to assist with extricating stranded migrants in the Sahara. Nevertheless, the region continues to suffer as a result of the legislation and those who do continue in this previously legal activity are now deemed "human traffickers." Another ex-transporter told us: "It wasn't illegal we were taking an official route we paid taxes, we did everything according to the regulation and what we were supposed and then the men came and made this migration criminal. They said we are criminals, that we are trafficking people." Foreign government agencies and NGOs claim they are prioritizing the safety of vulnerable migrants. But we found that these legislative changes actually steer formerly legal workers into more precarious situations and devastate regional economies that have very limited forms of employment. What now? These measures need to be entirely reconsidered. Pressure from international agencies and foreign governments have contributed to the governments of both Nigeria and Niger resorting to harsh, punitive measures in seeking to address the challenges of Tramadol distribution and trans-Saharan migration. But what these impoverished communities need is more protection and less criminalisation. NGOs and local organizations are doing important work in seeking to address these issues on the ground. For example, the International Rescue Committee, International Red Cross and Alarme Phone Sahara help stranded migrants in the Sahara and with the reintegration of ex-transporters. In Nigeria, meanwhile, there are several national initiatives seeking to address substance abuse, including awareness campaigns (Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse) and support groups promoting youth-orientated alternative projects like Youth Rise Nigeria. But uncertainty about future economic survival continues to affect the vast number of people who are unemployed or in precarious employment. And this uncertainty drives them to exploit opportunities to create employment, whether "legal" or otherwise. As Doctor explained before we left him to deal with his customers: "There is nobody to say they will help me and give me money I am just managing myself like this, I am managing and pushing my goods around" All names have been changed to protect the anonymity of those involved. Explore further Nigeria bans codeine cough syrups over addiction fears This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Credit: Wikimedia Commons A timely new report demonstrates how planners and local government decisionmakers can reduce risk from coastal hazards now, ahead of new legislation, thereby speeding up adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The report, "Enabling Coastal Adaptation: Using Current Legislative Settings for Managing the Transition to A Dynamic Adaptive Planning Regime in New Zealand" examines how current legislation can be used to transition to adaptive planning practices so we're ready for new legislation. This will reduce risks and help avoid further 'lock-in' of developments in areas at risk from erosion, flooding and sea-level rise. The report, authored by adaptation expert Dr. Judy Lawrence of Te Herenga WakaVictoria University of Wellington with planning experts Sylvia Allan of Allan Planning & Research and Larissa Clarke of GNS Science, was prepared as part of the Enabling Coastal Adaptation project within the Resilience to Nature's Challenges National Science Challenge. "The report analyzes the current difficulties of planning for ongoing sea-level rise under a planning regime that is largely permissive and enables land-uses with very long timeframes," says Dr. Lawrence. The authors say the report is very timely, with the COP26 UN Climate Conference set to focus on Adaptation, Loss and Damage on Monday 8 November (GMT). "Our observations and research confirm that in Aotearoa New Zealand, developments continue to be located and intensified in areas prone to coastal erosion and flooding." In February, the Government announced it would repeal the RMA and enact new legislation including a Strategic Planning Act and a Climate Adaptation Act. "In the meantime, current council policies, plans and practices are not adequately managing risks from ongoing sea-level rise, rising water tables, and increased flooding," says Dr. Lawrence. "Under current development and planning practices, we're seeing attempts to manage these risks, for example by raising houses or building hard barriers. But these practices are virtually certain to have only a temporary effect and can make problems worse by lulling people into a sense of misplaced security. They transfer large costs to future generations as the sea continues to advance inland," says Dr. Lawrence. The report identifies how greater use of existing legislation can reduce and avoid coastal hazard risks in the period before the legislative reforms are implemented, which may take some time. It also highlights critical issues that require specific attention in the reform process to remove barriers and to facilitate adaptation to climate change impacts in coastal areas. Report recommendations include: Greater collaboration between regional and district councils on consistent use of information and methods, and the application of regional rules that have immediate effect to control land-use change and development. The use of strategic spatial plans across a region, more effective use of subdivision controls, and greater clarity regarding how many legacy subdivision and planning consents are not yet activated. Greater use of Dynamic Adaptive Pathways Planning to enable a shift away from 'mitigation' of climate change effects using hard structures, to 'avoid' and 'remedy' in decisions on consent applications. This will help stop further exposure to sea-level rise. Explore further Understanding social vulnerability is critical for climate change adaptation, says study More information: Enabling Coastal Adaptation: Using Current Legislative Settings for Managing the Transition to A Dynamic Adaptive Planning Regime in New Zealand. Enabling Coastal Adaptation: Using Current Legislative Settings for Managing the Transition to A Dynamic Adaptive Planning Regime in New Zealand. resiliencechallenge.nz/wp-cont tion-FINAL011121.pdf Provided by Resilience to Nature's Challenges National Science Challenge Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A comprehensive new report published today by a team of 20 researchers representing four University of Massachusetts system campuses provides valuable insight into the various climate resilience approaches being undertaken by municipalities across Massachusetts. Led by UMass Amherst economist Marta Vicarelli, and assisted by the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA), the researchers conducted a survey of Massachusetts municipal administrators from Aug. 9Oct. 1. The responses they received from representatives of 111 municipalities and 10 planning agencies shed new light on numerous climate change-related issues facing the Bay State's cities and towns, including the hazards and impacts experienced in coastal and inland municipalities and the resilience strategies adopted to address these challenges, the barriers encountered during the design and implementation of resilience strategies and the data needs of communities and planning agencies to aid implementation of resilience strategies. Among the key findings detailed in the 84-page report: Nearly 90 percent of municipalities indicate that climate adaptation and resilience planning are a priority in their planning documents, and 80 percent have already completed a vulnerability/risk assessment. Climate-related migratory flows seem to have been emerging from coastal to inland municipalities. In coastal municipalities, the most frequently reported strong economic impacts include additional costs related to disaster response, decreases in housing availability and difficulty obtaining home and business insurance. More than 10 percent of respondents reported that their community is already strongly affected by an increase in housing insecurity and outmigration of residents, and respondents in inland municipalities are more likely to anticipate future economic impacts from the in-migration of residents. More than 75 percent of the survey's respondents identified elderly residents, people with disabilities and low-income residents as groups vulnerable to climate change. These groups are also more likely to be the focus of targeted municipal resilience programs. Veterans, African-Americans, other people of color and immigrants are also identified as vulnerable groups by about 30 percent of respondents. Negative impacts on coastal infrastructure, such as shoreline retreat and impacts to ports, and on the blue economy (e.g., commercial fisheries) seem to have noticeable economic ramifications also in inland municipalities Strategies that municipalities most frequently report not having adopted and wanting to adopt in the future include: creation of post-disaster redevelopment plans; the development of adaptive management capacity; changes to building, plumbing, septic and electrical codes; changes to municipal zoning or planning practices; increasing the climate resilience of telecommunication networks; weatherization and retrofitting of buildings; improvement or expansion of stormwater drainage systems; and increasing the resilience of power stations. Limited staffing capacity is the most frequently reported barrier to the implementation of climate change resilience plans, while other frequently reported barriers include a lack of municipal expertise to address complex climate change issues, insufficient resources to mobilize broad community support, difficulties changing regulations and by-laws, the need for more intra-municipal and regional cooperation and a lack of regulatory authority to support enforcement of strategies. The results of the survey will be used to refine the mission of the Northeast Center for Coastal Resilience (NCCR), a knowledge hub involving all campuses of the UMass system. "We will continue monitoring the resilience indicators collected in this baseline study in subsequent studies and expand our analysis to include additional stakeholders," says Vicarelli, assistant professor of economics and public policy at UMass Amherst. "Our goal is to align NCCR's research with the actual regional needs, by developing collaborative partnerships throughout the region with municipalities, planning agencies, public agencies, non-profit organizations, businesses, and other local stakeholders." "The inspiration for NCCR took shape while I was serving on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)," says report co-author Rob DeConto, professor of geosciences and co-director of the School of Earth and Sustainability (SES) at UMass Amherst. "That experience taught me that physical scientists, engineers, and social scientists must work together in a truly integrated way to tackle the complex issues emerging on our coastlines as a result of climate change. It is also paramount that we tailor research to meet the needs of our communities and decision-makers. This survey report is a critical step toward that goal. Without the generous seed funding from the university, this massive effort would not have been possible." "This report demonstrates that the impacts of climate change are of great concern to Massachusetts towns and cities, and that action to mitigate these impacts is already underway," adds Robert Darst, associate professor of political science at UMass Dartmouth and a co-author of the report. "The report also indicates that effective climate action at the municipal level will require more extensive regional coordination and technical assistance to identify and assess the economic costs and benefits of available options." Support for the survey was provided by SES through the use of its center seed grant funds from UMass Amherst. The report, which builds upon important work to engage with regional coastal resilience leaders, was prepared by researchers at the University of Massachusetts' Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses with the support of the MMA. The MMA facilitated the organization of focus groups during the survey's design and helped disseminate the survey online to leaders in all of Massachusetts' 351 municipalities, from which nearly one-third provided responses. Explore further Coastal threats can be tackled with more focus on adapting More information: Climate Resilience: A Survey of Massachusetts Municipalities: Climate Resilience: A Survey of Massachusetts Municipalities: www.umass.edu/ses/research/nor /reports-information The climate stripes graphic has also appeared at rock concerts and London Fashion Week. A striped design showing the impact of global warming on 170 years of world temperatures at a glance has become a hit at the UN's COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. The lined red and blue image, which shows global average temperatures from 1850 to 2020, has been on display at the talks in exhibitions on sustainability, adorned face masks and clothes and even graced the wall of the summit's cafeteria. Professor Ed Hawkins, the climatologist who created the design, told AFP it was "pretty staggering" to see the image across the venue as he attended the talks in Scotland's second city last week. "It's a very stark visual, which communicates very simply and very quickly the fact that the planet has warmed very rapidly," Hawkins said at Reading University in southern England where he created the design. The image, which has become known as the "climate stripes", is created with one line of colour for each year going from left to right. Blue shades indicate colder years and red tones the warmer ones. "It's a striking representation of how the planet has warmed, particularly over the last 30 or 40 years," Hawkins said. The climatologist came up with the design in preparation for a Welsh literary festival. 'It's a very stark visual, which communicates very simply and very quickly the fact that the planet has warmed very rapidly,' Hawkins said. "I could immediately see the audience recognise what was going on," he said. "Many people can understand scientific graphs and axes and numbers. But many people find that difficult. And so having a range of options to communicate to different audiences is absolutely critical." With the help of a viral online campaign, #ShowYourStripes, Hawkins' design has gone on to have a life of its own and has appeared at rock concerts and London Fashion Week. While he admits this kind of exposure for his work is of a kind that "scientists don't expect to see", the graphic has provoked discussion in unusual places. "We need to ensure that the climate crisis is talked about every day, it becomes part of our national conversation, because that is the way that we can get people to respond to the challenges ahead," he said. "And that is why it's so great to see them being used by knitting groups or by rock bands or by fashion designers to start conversations." Explore further #ShowYourStripes: how climate data became a cultural icon 2021 AFP Credit: sulit.photos, Shutterstock If you are undecided about whether social media is truly harmful to young people's mental well-being, you are not alone. Even scientists cannot agree on social media's effect on teenagers' mental health. Some researchers provide evidence that increasing social media usage is linked to rising mental health problems, while others argue social media could have positive effects. Yet others consider most research in this field to be of poor quality and in need of a more effective scientific approach. In light of these conflicting scientific views, researchers supported by the EU-funded TRESCA project decided to find out what ordinary citizens thought about this issue. The response they received was unambiguous: most agreed that social media has a harmful effect. "But the story is more complicated than it might at first seem," writes Dr. Sara Degli Esposti in an article posted on Science|Business. Dr. Degli Esposti is a research fellow at the Institute of Public Goods and Policies of TRESCA project partner Spanish National Research Council. In their survey, the project team asked more than 7,000 people from seven European countries (Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands and Poland) for their opinion on social media. The respondentswho had different ages, genders and socio-economic statuseswere shown a statement that "several studies show" there is a link between screen time and poor mental health. Based on this statement, 83 percent stated that they agreed there is a problem, and 57 percent even said they would consider deleting some of their social media accounts. The importance of fact-checking However, the research team then offered them the opportunity to verify this statement themselves, "to make a more informed opinion," as Dr. Degli Esposti notes. The team was surprised to find that 77 percent were interested in checking the assertion further. Of the respondents who did check, 86 percent expressed an interest in learning more about the effects of social media. The percentage of people who would consider deleting their social media accounts also rose to 62 percent, in other words, by a total of 5 percent. "So it matters how you present this kind of contentious social science data to people," observes Dr. Degli Esposti. "But more important, it shows many people are willing, if given the chance, to look at the facts for themselves. Interestingly, there were some pretty clear national differences in this show-me attitude. Italians were the most likely to want to see the data for themselves. Germans were the least interested, but also those who trusted institutions the most. Why the difference? History, culture, media, politicsthere are all kinds of factors differing from one country to the next that affect how people view contentious data." The team plans to continue its research into social media and misinformation as part of the TRESCA (Trustworthy, Reliable and Engaging Scientific Communication Approaches) project. They are currently developing an appthe Misinformation Widget, or Ms.W.that will help people check scientific claims they read online. It is a rather valuable tool if one considers our experience of the devastating effects of misinformation about vaccines and protection measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. More information: TRESCA project website: TRESCA project website: trescaproject.eu/ Map of the geographic position of Ileret Kenya and locality Area 14. A.) Map of the area of interest for the recovery of elephant cranium KNM-ER 63642 (Loxodonta adaurora), Ileret Region, northeast side of Lake Turkana. The green dot indicates the position of Ileret. B.) Detailed map of fossil localities in the Ileret Region. KNM-ER 63642 was recovered from Area 14 (highlighted). Credit: Carol Abraczinskas, University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology A remarkably well-preserved fossil elephant cranium from Kenya is helping scientists understand how its species became the dominant elephant in eastern Africa several million years ago, a time when a cooler, drier climate allowed grasslands to spread and when habitually bipedal human ancestors first appeared on the landscape. Dated to 4.5 million years ago and recovered from a site on the northeast side of Lake Turkana, it is the only well-preserved elephant craniumthe portion of the skull that encloses the brainfrom that time. It is about 85% intact and holds a wealth of previously unavailable anatomical detail, according to University of Michigan paleontologist William Sanders. Known by its museum number, KNM-ER 63642, the roughly 2-ton cranium belonged to a massive adult male of the species Loxodonta adaurora, an extinct evolutionary cousin of modern African elephants but not a direct ancestor. KNM-ER 63642 is both impressively immense and unexpectedly modern in aspect, displaying adaptations that likely gave L. adaurora an edge when competing with other large mammals for grasses, according to Sanders, lead author of a study published online Oct. 21 in the journal Palaeovertebrata. Co-authors include Meave and Louise Leakey, who led the recovery effort and who are best known for the discovery of early hominid specimens and artifacts from Lake Turkana and elsewhere. Preparators from the National Museums of Kenya at the Ileret research facility of the Turkana Basin Institute, starting manual preparation and supplementing the field consolidation (chemical hardening) of Loxodonta adaurora cranium KNM-ER 63642. From left to right: Cliff Onyango, Robert Moru and Christopher Kiarie. Credit: Steve Jabo, Smithsonian Institution The L. adaurora cranium is striking because it is raised and compressed from front to back, suggesting a novel alignment of chewing muscles well-suited for the efficient shearing of grasses. In addition, the animal's molars are higher-crowned and had thicker coatings of cementum than other early elephants, making the teeth more resistant to the wear common in animals that feed on grasses close to the ground. "The evident synchronization of morphological adaptations and feeding behavior revealed by this study of Loxodonta adaurora may explain why it became the dominant elephant species of the early Pliocene," said Sanders, who has studied fossil elephants and their relatives for nearly 40 years in Africa and Arabia. Eastern Africa was home to seven or eight known species of early elephants at the time, along with horses, antelope, rhinos, pigs and hippos. Many of these animals were becoming grazers and competing for the available grasses. "The adaptations of L. adaurora put it at a great advantage over more primitive elephants, in that it could probably use less energy to chew more food and live longer to have more offspring," said Sanders, associate research scientist at the U-M Museum of Paleontology and in the Department of Anthropology. Meave Leakey, left, and William Sanders examining the Loxodonta adaurora cranium KNM-ER 63642 in its plaster jacket at the Ileret research facility of the Turkana Basin Institute. Credit: Steve Jabo, Smithsonian Institution Recovery, conservation, dating, description and identification of the elephant cranium involved collaborative work between researchers and technicians from the Turkana Basin Institute, National Museums of Kenya, University of Michigan, Rutgers University, Smithsonian Institution and University of Utah. KNM-ER 63642 was discovered in 2013 by a member of the Koobi Fora Research Project from a single molar that was visible at the surface. Excavation revealed the presence of a nearly complete cranium. The tusks and the jawbone were missing, and no other remains from that individual were recovered. The adult male is estimated to have been 30 to 34 years old at death. The fossilized cranium, together with the plaster jacket that protected it and some attached sediment, weighed about 2 tons. Based on a previous study of the skeleton from another L. adaurora adult male with a similar-sized skull, this individual likely weighed about 9 tons and probably stood about 12 feet at the shoulderbigger than average male elephants of modern times. Loxodonta adaurora cranium KNM-ER 63642 upside down in front view, showing tusk sockets and molars, at the Ileret research facility of the Turkana Basin Institute. Credit: William Sanders, University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology "In my opinion, this elephant skull is by far the most impressive specimen that we have in the Kenyan paleontological collection from Lake Turkana, both in its completeness and in its size," said paleontologist and study co-author Louise Leakey of the Koobi Fora Research Project. "When the teeth were seen on the surface, we had no idea that a complete cranium would be uncovered, and the excavation and recovery operation was both challenging and exciting." KNM-ER 63642 is now permanently housed at the Turkana Basin Institute's facility in Ileret, Kenya. It is the only well-preserved elephant cranium from the interval beginning with the origin of elephants 8 million years ago and ending 3.5 million years ago, according to Sanders. Credit: University of Michigan In addition to providing a trove of insights about the anatomy of early elephants, the newly described cranium also deepens our understanding of the connections between those creatures and our earliest human ancestors, the habitually bipedal australopithecines. Loxodonta adaurora and other early elephants coexisted with two well-known australopithecine species in eastern Africa: Australopithecus anamensis, recovered by Meave Leakey in and nearby the Lake Turkana Basin, Kenya, and A. afarensis, found at sites in Hadar, Ethiopia, and Laetoli, Tanzania. Underside of Loxodonta adaurora cranium KNM-ER 63642 being 3D scanned by Timothy Gichunge Ibui. Scanned images of both upper and lower aspects of the cranium were stitched together in a computer program to create a three-dimensional image, permitting the specimen to be comprehensively measured and studied as a single object. The cranium is too heavy to be observed on both sides simultaneously and could not have been adequately described without the creation of the 3D files. Credit: Steve Jabo, Smithsonian Institution In the early Pliocene, as grassy woodlands and grasslands spread across eastern Africa, the australopithecines would have benefited from the presence of elephants. The animals' feeding activities helped keep grasses low to the ground, which would have allowed our upright ancestors to see over the vegetation and to watch for predators. Elephants also disrupt closed woodlands and create open areas by knocking over trees, uprooting shrubs, and trampling paths through dense forest. And they spread nutrients and grass seed in their dung. "The origins and early successes of our own biological family are tied to elephants," Sanders said. "Their presence on the landscape created more open conditions that favored the activities and adaptations of our first bipedal hominin ancestors. "From this perspective, it is ironically tragic that current human activities of encroaching land use, poaching and human-driven climate change are now threatening the extinction of the mammal lineage that helped us to begin our own evolutionary journey." Explore further Scent trails could boost elephant conservation More information: William Sanders et al, Morphological description and identification of an extraordinary new elephant cranium from the early Pliocene of Ileret, Kenya, Palaeovertebrata (2021). William Sanders et al, Morphological description and identification of an extraordinary new elephant cranium from the early Pliocene of Ileret, Kenya,(2021). DOI: 10.18563/pv.44.2.e3 Assa wollumbin, Mount Warning. Credit: Stephen Mahony A new frog species has been discovered in Wollumbin National Park in northern New South Wales, and is one of only two known species that store their tadpoles on their bodies. Researchers from University of Newcastle and the South Australian Museum recently identified the species as distinct from its close relation, another 'hip-pocket' or pouched frog Assa darlingtoni, after genetic analysis. Minister for Environment Matt Kean said the NSW Government took immediate action to protect the tiny frogs, declaring their habitat an Asset of Intergenerational Significance under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. "This incredible discovery shows just how much we don't know about the world around us, with this tiny 16mm frog found on just one isolated mountain in the Wollumbin National Park," Mr Kean said. "The small population size makes this frog more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which is why the NSW Government moved quickly to protect its habitat within days of being formally described. "A conservation action plan will be developed to ensure the survival of this fascinating frog species, which has been living undiscovered high in the cool forest." The tiny frog population is confined to around 2000 hectares on Wollumbin Mountain (Bundjalung name for Mount Warning) in the Wollumbin National Park, and is within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. The new species has been named Assa wollumbin sp.nov. in consultation with Aboriginal Elders of the Wollumbin Consultative Group. University of Newcastle's Dr. Michael Mahony, one of the researchers who described the species, said it was an exciting find. "The hip-pocket frog is not only unique for its amazing breeding biology among Australian frogs, but it is also unique among frogs of the world, since there are only four of the 4000 species worldwide that have male parental care where the male carries its developing tadpoles," Dr. Mahony said. Assets of Intergenerational Significance are areas of exceptional value that warrant special protection and are part of our commitment to zero-extinction within NSW national parks. The research also revealed the new species will likely meet the criteria for listing as critically endangered due to its specific habitat needs and restricted distribution. The new frog species is described in scientific journal Zootaxa. Explore further Chile celebrates successful breeding of endangered frog More information: Michael J. Mahony et al, A new hip-pocket frog from mid-eastern Australia (Anura: Myobatrachidae: Assa), Zootaxa (2021). Journal information: Zootaxa Michael J. Mahony et al, A new hip-pocket frog from mid-eastern Australia (Anura: Myobatrachidae: Assa),(2021). DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5057.4.1 Provided by NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Mountain Chickadee. Credit: Vladimir Pravosudov, University of Nevada, Reno. For the first time, researchers have shown that there is a genetic component underlying the amazing spatial memories of Mountain Chickadees. These energetic half-ounce birds hide thousands of food items every fall and rely on these hidden stores to get through harsh winters in the mountains of the West. To find these caches, chickadees use highly specialized spatial memory abilities. Although the genetic basis for spatial memory has been shown for humans and other mammals, direct evidence of that connection has never before been identified in birds. These findings were just published in the journal Current Biology. The research is a collaboration among scientists from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Nevada, Reno, and the University of Oklahoma. "We all use spatial memory to navigate our environment," says lead author Carrie Branch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "Without memory there's no learning and an organism would have to start from scratch for every task. So, it really is life and death for these birds to be able to remember where they stashed their food. We've been able to show that natural selection is shaping their ability to remember locations." If natural selection (survival of the fittest) is shaping chickadee memory, certain criteria have to be met. There has to be variation in the trait: some chickadees are indeed better than others at re-finding their stores. There has to be a fitness advantage: birds that perform better on a spatial memory task are more likely to survive and produce offspring. Importantly, variation in the trait must have a genetic basis. To test spatial memory, Mountain Chickadees had to find the one feeder out of an array of eight that would give them a seed. Birds who did better at the task showed differences in their genomes when compared to birds who did less well. Credit: Vladimir Pravosudov, University of Nevada, Reno. "Environment does still matter a lot in terms of shaping behavior, but our work here suggests that genes may create the brain structures, and then experience and learning can build on top of that," Branch explains. How do you measure a chickadee's memory? Senior author Vladimir Pravosudov and his team at the University of Nevada, Reno, designed arrays of "smart" feeders to measure memory in a population of wild Mountain Chickadees in California's Sierra Nevada mountains. Each feeder is equipped with radio frequency identification sensors. The 42 birds tested were fitted with leg tags the size of a grain of rice which give off an identifying signal. Each bird was assigned to one of the eight feeders in each array. The feeder sensor reads the bird's ID tag and if it's the matching feeder for that individual, a mechanism opens the door, and the bird gets a seed. The scientists then tracked how many tries it took before the birds consistently went to the correct feeder. "This is an effective system to test spatial learning and memory in hundreds of wild chickadees in their natural environment," said Pravosudov. "We have previously shown that even very small variations in performance are associated with differences in survival." Mountain Chickadee. Credit: Vladimir Pravosudov, University of Nevada, Reno. To understand the connection between spatial memory and genetic architecture, co-authors Georgy Semenov and Scott Taylor at the University of Colorado Boulder, sequenced Mountain Chickadee genomes. "We used two methods to link genetic variation with spatial memory in chickadees," said Semenov. "In the traditional genome-wide approach, we compared genetic data across individuals, from those that performed well on the spatial learning and memory task to those that performed poorly. We did the same comparison with a new machine learning algorithm. Both methods showed hundreds of differences associated with spatial memory. Many of the variations in the genomes turned up in areas known to be associated with learning, memory, and neuron development in the brain." The authors say many questions remain about the influence of spatial memory itself, including what role it may play in the female's choice of a mate. Explore further Natural selection and spatial memory link shown in mountain chickadee research More information: Carrie L. Branch et al, The genetic basis of spatial cognitive variation in a food-caching bird, Current Biology (2021). Journal information: Current Biology Carrie L. Branch et al, The genetic basis of spatial cognitive variation in a food-caching bird,(2021). DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.10.036 The gold nanoclusters in their "molecular envelope." The ligands in blue are the zwitterionic ones while those in red are positively charged ones. They are bound to the Au25 cluster (in brown) via thiol molecules (yellow). Credit: University of Leeds Tiny particles of gold could be the new weapon in the fight against bacterial antibiotic resistance, according to research just published. Scientists have been investigating the use of gold nanoclusterseach made up of about 25 atoms of goldto target and disrupt bacterial cells, making them more susceptible to standard antibiotic treatments. A report from the World Health Organization last year said, "Antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world," and called for greater investment in ways to tackle the problem. For several years, researchers have recognized the antimicrobial properties of specially-adapted gold nanoparticles, but they have struggled to find a way of getting the nanoparticles to the site of a bacterial infection without harming healthy host mammalian cells. Now a study by an international team of scientists from the University of Leeds, Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen and Fudan University, Shanghai, both in China, has identified a way of packaging the gold nanoclusters in a molecular envelope that makes them less toxic to healthy tissue without affecting their antibacterial properties. Laboratory studies have shown that the approach has had a "strong effect" in terms of killing a range of bacteria, some linked to hospital acquired infections and resistant to standard antibiotic treatments. The findings, which are based on laboratory investigations and not patient trials, have been published in the journal Chemical Science. Forces of nature The scientists' solution exploits electrostatic forces in nature. Bacterial cell walls are more strongly negatively charged than the cells of mammals. Using the idea that opposite charges attract, the gold nanoclusters are wrapped in a molecule called a ligand that is positively charged. Like a carrier pigeon, it finds and delivers the nanoclusters to the wall of bacteria cells, where they disrupt the bacterial cell membrane. The disruption to the cell membrane increases the permeability of the bacterial cell to standard antibiotic treatments, giving a new lease of life to antibiotics that are either ineffective or have waning effectiveness against resistant bacteria. The problem, though, is the positively charged molecule wrapped around each nanocluster is also toxic to healthy host mammalian cells. Reducing toxicity To protect host cells, the scientists have added a second ligand to the envelope around each nanocluster. These molecules have both positive and negative charges and are called zwitterionic groups, which are also found in the lipids of cell membranes in mammals. This makes the gold nanoclusters more compatible with host mammalian cells, and easier for the gold nanoclusters to pass through the kidney and be excreted from the body. In laboratory tests, the scientists investigated whether the gold nanoclusters would be effective in reducing the defenses of the bacterial cellsand make them more susceptible to antibiotic treatment. They used a bacterial strain called methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE), which is responsible for some hospital-acquired infections. They tested three antibioticseach representing a class of antibioticsagainst MRSE with and without the gold nanoclusters. In those cases where the antibiotic was used in combination with the gold nanoclusters, there was an improved antimicrobial effect. With one class of antibiotics, there was a 128-fold decrease in the amount of antibiotic needed to inhibit growth of MRSE. Dejian Zhou, Professor at Nanochemistry at the University of Leeds and one of the supervisors of the research, said, "Despite extensive research in antibacterial nanomaterials, most of the research has only focused on boosting antibacterial potency without considering their biocompatibility, stability and ability to be excreted from the body. These are essential requirements for clinical approval. As a result, many of the promising antibacterial nanomaterials will not progress to become therapeutic agents to be used in medicine. "By systematically tuning the ratio of the two ligands, we have identified a way of using gold nanoclusters not only to act as effective antimicrobial agents, but as a mechanism to enhance the potency of antibiotics which have become ineffective because of bacterial drug resistance. "The research has a significance on the way we should be thinking about responding to antimicrobial resistance." Professor Zhou hopes that the research findings will be picked up by the pharmaceutical industry. He believes combing gold nanoclusters with existing antibiotics will be a faster and cheaper alternative to developing a host of new antibiotics in response to bacterial antibiotic resistance. Explore further Atomically precise noble metal nanoclusters More information: Zeyang Pang et al, Controlling the pyridiniumzwitterionic ligand ratio on atomically precise gold nanoclusters allowing for eradicating Gram-positive drug-resistant bacteria and retaining biocompatibility, Chemical Science (2021). Journal information: Chemical Science Zeyang Pang et al, Controlling the pyridiniumzwitterionic ligand ratio on atomically precise gold nanoclusters allowing for eradicating Gram-positive drug-resistant bacteria and retaining biocompatibility,(2021). DOI: 10.1039/D1SC03056F In this photo provided by NASA, from left to right, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide gesture inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft onboard the SpaceX GO Navigator recovery ship shortly after having landed in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. The astronauts returned to Earth on Monday to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Credit: Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via AP Four astronauts returned to Earth on Monday, riding home with SpaceX to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Their capsule streaked through the late night sky like a dazzling meteor before parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. Recovery boats quickly moved in with spotlights. "On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to Planet Earth," SpaceX Mission Control radioed from Southern California. Within an hour, all four astronauts were out of the capsule, exchanging fist bumps with the team on the recovery ship. Their homecomingcoming just eight hours after leaving the International Space Stationpaved the way for SpaceX's launch of their four replacements as early as Wednesday night. The newcomers were scheduled to launch first, but NASA switched the order because of bad weather and an astronaut's undisclosed medical condition. The welcoming duties will now fall to the lone American and two Russians left behind at the space station. Before Monday afternoon's undocking, German astronaut Matthias Maurer, who's waiting to launch at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, tweeted it was a shame the two crews wouldn't overlap at the space station but "we trust you'll leave everything nice and tidy." His will be SpaceX's fourth crew flight for NASA in just 1 1/2 years. In this image taken from NASA video, the crew of the SpaceX Dragon capsule react after splashing down into the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Fla., late Monday Nov. 8, 2021, to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Credit: NASA via AP NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and France's Thomas Pesquet should have been back Monday morning, but high wind in the recovery zone delayed their return. "One more night with this magical view. Who could complain? I'll miss our spaceship!" Pesquet tweeted Sunday alongside a brief video showing the space station illuminated against the blackness of space and the twinkling city lights on the nighttime side of Earth. From the space station, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Heimidway through a one-year flightbid farewell to each of his departing friends, telling McArthur "I'll miss hearing your laughter in adjacent modules." Before leaving the neighborhood, the four took a spin around the space station, taking pictures. This was a first for SpaceX; NASA's shuttles used to do it all the time before their retirement a decade ago. The last Russian capsule fly-around was three years ago. In this image taken from NASA video, parachutes are deployed from the SpaceX Dragon capsule, carrying four astronauts, as it descends before splashing down into the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Fla., late Monday Nov. 8, 2021, to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Credit: NASA via AP It wasn't the most comfortable ride back. The toilet in their capsule was broken, and so the astronauts needed to rely on diapers for the eight-hour trip home. They shrugged it off late last week as just one more challenge in their mission. The first issue arose shortly after their April liftoff; Mission Control warned a piece of space junk was threatening to collide with their capsule. It turned out to be a false alarm. Then in July, thrusters on a newly arrived Russian lab inadvertently fired and sent the station into a spin. The four astronauts took shelter in their docked SpaceX capsule, ready to make a hasty departure if necessary. Among the upbeat milestones: four spacewalks to enhance the station's solar power, a movie-making visit by a Russian film crew and the first-ever space harvest of chile peppers. In this image taken from NASA video, the SpaceX Dragon capsule, carrying four astronauts, parachutes into the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Fla., late Monday Nov. 8, 2021, as it returned to Earth to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Credit: NASA via AP In this image taken from NASA video, the SpaceX Dragon capsule, carrying four astronauts, is recovered after splashing down into the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Fla., late Monday Nov. 8, 2021, to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Credit: NASA via AP In this image taken from NASA video, the SpaceX Dragon capsule, carrying four astronauts, splashes down into the Gulf of Mexico near Pensacola, Fla., late Monday Nov. 8, 2021, as it returned to Earth to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Credit: NASA via AP In this image from video provided by NASA, astronauts in the SpaceX Dragon capsule undock from the International Space Station on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, Credit: NASA via AP In this image provided by NASA, a SpaceX capsule is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Aki Hoshide and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet aboard in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., late Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Credit: Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via AP In this image from video provided by NASA, the International Space Station is seen as astronauts in the SpaceX Dragon capsule undock on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, Credit: NASA via AP In this image provided by NASA, a SpaceX capsule is seen as it lands with NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Aki Hoshide and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet aboard in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Fla., late Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Credit: Aubrey Gemignani/NASA via AP In this image from video provided by NASA, astronauts in the SpaceX Dragon capsule prepare for undocking from the International Space Station on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, Credit: NASA via AP In this image from video provided by NASA, astronauts in the SpaceX Dragon capsule prepare for undocking from the International Space Station on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, Credit: NASA via AP In this image from video provided by NASA, astronauts in the SpaceX Dragon capsule prepare for undocking from the International Space Station on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, Credit: NASA via AP The next crew will also spend six months up there, welcoming back-to-back groups of tourists. A Japanese tycoon and his personal assistant will get a lift from the Russian Space Agency in December, followed by three businessmen arriving via SpaceX in February. SpaceX's first privately chartered flight, in September, bypassed the space station. NASA's Kathy Lueders, head of space operations, said engineers would evaluate the lagging inflation of one of the four main parachutes, something seen in testing when the lines bunch together. Overall, though, "the return looked spotless." "I can't tell you how excited I am to see all four of the crew members back on Earth," she added, "and I'm looking forward to launching another set of four this week." Explore further Astronaut crew prepares to return to Earth 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Amorphous inorganic hollow multishelled structure has been adopted for efficient drinkable water collection. Credit: Yang Nailiang Global drinking water scarcity is a severe problem for humans. Water purification consumes a large amount of fossil energy and generates secondary pollution. Solar-thermal interfacial evaporation has been considered the most promising strategy for addressing this problem. However, developing an optimized material featuring both efficient solar-vapor conversion and good environmental tolerance still remains challenging. Researchers from the Institute of Process Engineering (IPE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed an ultra-stable amorphous Ta 2 O 5 /C nanocomposite with a hollow multishelled structure (HoMS) for solar evaporation, which can improve the efficiency of water purification. The study was published in Advanced Materials on Oct. 29. "The precise atomic and composition control in the building block of HoMS realizes an indirect bandgap structure with abundant energy states around the Fermi level, which enhances nonradiative relaxation to facilitate photothermal conversion," said Prof. Wang Dan, the corresponding author of the study, "The unique hollow multishelled structure can efficiently enhance light absorption like a blackbody." HoMS decreases the energy required for water evaporation. Simulation results show that HoMS establishes a thermal field gradient, thus providing the driving force for vapor evaporation. "HoMS also benefits water transport," said Wang, "The confined cavities in HoMS promote liquid water diffusion owing to the capillary pumping effect, and the nanopores in HoMS induce water molecules to evaporate in the form of clusters, thus enabling evaporation with less enthalpy." With highly efficient photoabsorption and photothermal conversion, a super-fast evaporation speed of 4.02 kg m-2h-1 has been achieved. The evaporation speed barely changed after 30 days, and with no salt accumulation, indicating a long-term stability. Notably, the concentration of pseudovirus SC2-P could be decreased by six orders of magnitude after evaporation. This amorphous Ta 2 O 5 /C composite is readily fabricated, carried, stored, and recycled. It can be applied to the purification of seawater, or to heavy metal- or bacteria-containing water, obtaining drinkable water that meets the standard of the World Health Organization. The scientists from IPE are preparing a prototype of seawater desalination for the residents on isolated islands. Explore further The mechanisms of enhanced evaporation flux through nanochannels More information: Xuanbo Chen et al, Highly Efficient Photothermal Conversion and Water Transport During Solar Evaporation Enabled by Amorphous Hollow Multishelled Nanocomposites, Advanced Materials (2021). Journal information: Advanced Materials Xuanbo Chen et al, Highly Efficient Photothermal Conversion and Water Transport During Solar Evaporation Enabled by Amorphous Hollow Multishelled Nanocomposites,(2021). DOI: 10.1002/adma.202107400 Nasa's new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), in its Block 1 crew vehicle configuration that will send astronauts to the Moon on the Artemis missions. The United States will send a crewed mission to the Moon "no earlier than 2025," NASA chief Bill Nelson told reporters on Tuesday, officially pushing back the launch by at least a year. A target of 2024 was set by the administration of former president Donald Trump when it launched the Artemis program. But the program has since faced numerous development delays ranging from its vehicles to the space suits required. Last week, NASA won a court case brought by Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin which sued after losing a lander contract to Elon Musk's SpaceX. "We lost nearly seven months in litigation and that likely has pushed the first human landing likely to no earlier than 2025," Nelson said on a call. "The good news is that NASA is making solid progress," said Nelson, citing the fact that the mission's Orion crew capsule has since last week been stacked atop the giant Space Launch System rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA is targeting a first uncrewed mission, Artemis 1, in February 2022, and Artemis 2, the first crewed mission that will perform a flyby of the Moon, in 2024. Separately, SpaceX needs to carry out an uncrewed landing to test out the lunar version of its Starship rocket, before the same vehicle is used for the crewed landing. Nelson revealed NASA was committed to a total development cost for Orion of $9.3 billion, which encompasses the period between 2012 and 2024, up from the previous estimate of $6.7 billion. Nasa Administrator Bill Nelson speaks during a visit to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. New space race with China But he warned more funding would be required from Congress to meet the new timelines, adding: "The Chinese space program is increasingly capable of landing Chinese taikonauts much earlier than originally expected." "We are facing a very aggressive and good Chinese space program," he continued. "It's the position of NASA, and I believe the United States government, that we want to be there first back on the Moon after half a century." China, the world's second-largest economy, has put billions into its military-run space program, with hopes of having a permanently crewed space station by 2022. It has already sent rovers to the Moon, including one to the far side, and is aiming for a first crewed lunar mission by 2029. Humans last landed on the Moon in 1972 on America's Apollo 17 mission. NASA says the Artemis program will include the first woman and first person of color to set foot on the surface of Earth's natural satellite. The agency wants to build a sustained habitat on the Moon and use the lessons learned from long expeditions there to develop a crewed mission to Mars by the 2030s. Explore further Bezos offers NASA a $2 billion discount for Blue Origin Moon lander 2021 AFP In this May 8, 2003, file photo, a Northern Spotted Owl flies after an elusive mouse jumping off the end of a stick in the Deschutes National Forest near Camp Sherman, Ore. The Trump administration has slashed more than 3 million acres of protected habitat for the northern spotted owl in Oregon, Washington and northern California, much of it in prime timber locations in Oregon's coastal ranges. Environmentalists are accusing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under President Donald Trump of taking a "parting shot" at protections designed to help restore the threatened owl species. Credit: AP Photo/Don Ryan, File Political appointees in the Trump administration relied on faulty science to justify stripping habitat protections for the imperiled northern spotted owl, U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday as they struck down a rule that would have opened millions of acres of West Coast forest to potential logging. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a decision made five days before President Donald Trump left office to drastically shrink so-called critical habitat for the spotted owl. The small, reclusive bird has been in decline for decades as old-growth forests were cut in Oregon, Washington and California. Government biologists objected to the changes under Trump and warned they would put the spotted owl on a path to extinction, documents show. But Trump's Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and former Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith dismissed those concernsinstead adopting a plan to lift restrictions on more land than even the timber industry had sought. In documents disclosed to The Associated Press prior to their public release, wildlife officials said Bernhardt and Skipwith underestimated the threat of extinction and relied on a faulty interpretation of the science to reach their decision. Bernhardt defended his handling of the matter, telling AP in an email that Congress gave the interior secretary authority to exclude areas from protection. Bernhardt said the agency's "reasonable certainty" the owl would go extinct did not match the law's requirement that habitat be protected lest a species "will" go extinct. If wildlife officials want to change that standard, he said, "they should seek a change from Congress." "Any future Secretary can weigh the benefit factors differently, but they can not change the law or the legal standard," he wrote. Officials twice delayed the changes after President Joe Biden took office and they never went into effect. That puts them among numerous Trump-era policies reversed or struck down by the Interior Department in recent months, on issues from oil and gas drilling on some public lands, to protections for birds from power line and wind turbine collisions. Democratic lawmakers from Oregon, Washington and California in February called for an investigation into the removal of spotted owl protections, citing potential scientific meddling by Trump appointees. Wildlife advocates, government agencies and the timber industry have sparred for decades over the northern spotted owl, which officials said Tuesday is in "precipitous decline" and getting close to disappearing from parts of Washington and Oregon. A Northern Spotted Owl flies after an elusive mouse jumping off the end of a stick in the Deschutes National Forest near Camp Sherman, Ore., on May 8, 2003. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a decision, made five days before President Donald Trump left office, to drastically shrink so-called critical habitat for the spotted owl. U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021, they have struck down the rule that would have opened millions of acres of forest in Oregon, Washington and California to potential logging. Credit: AP Photo/Don Ryan, File Federal habitat protections imposed in 2012 were meant to avert the bird's extinction. They've also been blamed for a logging slowdown that's devastated some rural communities. Of 9.6 million protected acres (3.9 million hectares), federal officials proposed in August 2020 to remove protections for about 2%. The timber industry said the plan didn't go far enough and called for removal of more than 28%. On January 7, Skipwith changed her agency's recommendation and went even further, telling Bernhardt more than one-third of the protected land, or 3.5 million acres (1.4 million hectares), should be excluded from protection. The land has huge swaths of timber and includes 2 million acres (809,000 hectares) spread in a checkerboard pattern across western Oregon. Logging those lands might not have immediately killed off the owls immediatelythey live up to 20 years on individual territories that can stretch across 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares)yet eventually they would have gone extinct, said Paul Henson, the wildlife service's Oregon supervisor. When Henson brought his concerns to superiors last December, Skipwith overrode them. "You can't remove over a third of an endangered species' habitat and not expect it to go extinct," Henson said in an interview. "There wasn't much disagreement about the science. The disagreement was how much that risk constrains the secretary's authority" to remove habitat protections. The logging industry says more thinning and management of protected forests is necessary to prevent wildfires, which devastated 560 square miles (1,450 square kilometers) of spotted owl habitat last fall. Most of that area is no longer considered viable for the birds. Timber interests say much of the land set aside under Tuesday's announcement isn't actually spotted owl habitat or is broken up into parcels too small to support the owl. As such, the smaller habitat designation issued under Trump was "legally and scientifically valid," said Nick Smith, a spokesman for the American Forest Resource Council. The group represents about 100 manufacturing and logging operations in five western U.S. states. "The federal government cannot set aside critical habitat unless it is habitat for the species," Smith said. The logging industry says the larger, non-native barred owl is a much greater threat than cutting trees. Skipwith echoed that contention when she said the most effective way to preserve spotted owls was to control barred owl numbers. "The main threats faced by the northern spotted owl are the barred owl and the devastating forest fires," Skipwith said, adding that she used sound science to reach her conclusion. "It's not an issue of acreage; it's an issue of the management of the land." A northern spotted owl, named Obsidian by U.S. Forest Service employees, sits in a tree in the Deschutes National Forest near Camp Sherman, Ore., in this May 8, 2003 file photo. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a decision, made five days before President Donald Trump left office, to drastically shrink so-called critical habitat for the spotted owl. U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021, they have struck down the rule that would have opened millions of acres of forest in Oregon, Washington and California to potential logging. Credit: AP Photo/Don Ryan, File The barred owls, native to the eastern U.S., began affecting spotted owl numbers in Washington and Oregon about a decade ago as they expanded west and south. The incursion accelerated in recent years, putting spotted owls on a downward trajectory that could prompt them to disappear from some areas within ten years, said U.S. Department of Agriculture research biologist Alan Franklin. Biologists beginning in 2009 studied whether removing barred owls in areas of northern California, Oregon and Washington would help the spotted owl. A pilot program that wrapped up in August showed spotted owl numbers stabilized when barred owl numbers were reduced. They continued to decline in areas without the removals. Study authors cautioned that the results show habitat protections also are critical to the spotted owl's survival. In rejecting the Trump rule, federal officials said the dual threat of wildfires and competition from the barred owl underscore why more forest needs protectionto make sure there's enough "redundancy" of habitat that a large fire won't doom the species. A large-scale barred owl removal program is not in place. Wildlife officials said the best science shows protecting older forestswhere owls nest, roost and huntis crucial. Owl expert R. J. Gutierrez from the University of Minnesota agreed. He said setting aside forest habitat and naming the northern spotted owl as a threatened species in 1990 briefly boosted it before barred owls arrived. Until barred owls are dealt with, "all habitat is critical" so spotted owls can find refuge from the aggressive newcomers, said Gutierrez who has spent several decades studying spotted owls along the West Coast. Environmental groups cheered Tuesday's move but expressed frustration that about 200,000 acres (about 81,000 hectares) of previously protected habitat were excluded under a replacement rule signed by Martha Williams, Biden's nominee to lead the Fish and Wildlife Service. "In the past 20 years, there's been accelerated loss of old-growth forest on state and private lands so it's continued to lose habitat," said Noah Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity. Climate change adds to the threats, he said. In December, federal officials determined that northern spotted owl's continued decline means it merits a more critical listing as "endangered." The agency refused to do so immediately, saying other species took priority. That decision is facing a legal challenge. Explore further Feds to consider endangered species listing for spotted owl 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Figure 1. Global meta, regulatory and forest discourses. Source adapted and developed from Arts et al. (2010) and Pulzl et al. (2014). Credit: DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01643-6 With 20% of the world's forests, Russia has global forest-related potential in bioeconomy development, biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. However, unsustainable forest management based on wood miningvast clear-cut harvesting in wild forestsleads to forest degradation and reduces this potential. Published in a special issue of Ambio, "Global Forest Environmental Frontier," a new study shows how environmental NGOs and forest companies collaborate and position the problems of forest resource depletion and wild forest loss in Russia. The study is based on long term participant observations, policy documents and literature analysis which have been cross-checked by key-informant interviews. The study focuses on constructing and analyzing two intertwined forest discourses driven by a coalition of forest companies and environmental NGOs. The first discourse is the idea to develop a Scandinavian model of intensive forest management in secondary forests, which is positioned as a pathway towards sustained yield in managed forests, and conservation of wild forests. The second discourse is related to a category of intact forest landscapesthe protection of the last large unfragmented wild forests and related biodiversity. The study demonstrates how these two discourses have been integrated into policy debates, institutions and practices of forestry and nature conservation, including government regulation and voluntary standards of non-state forest certification, from the 1990s to the present. Interestingly, in Russia, the development of a Scandinavian model of intensive forestry is advocated by a coalition of environmental NGOs and forest companies as sustainable forest management. While in European countries, forest environmental policy debate tends to criticize the existing Scandinavian model of intensive forestry as unsustainable and leading to overexploitation and biodiversity loss. In European countries, alternative sustainable forest management models, including continuous cover forestry, are currently being developed. However, similar ideas have not been integrated into forest policy debates in Russia so far. In Russia, the exclusion of intact forest landscapes from forestry, driven by market requirements, is not compensated by the development of sustainable forestry in managed forests. The lack of incentives for forest companiesconcession holdersto invest in sustainable forest management in state-owned forests is compared with tenants' lack of motivation to make expensive high-quality repairs in a rented apartment. A recently appeared alternative discourse on sustainable forest management in Russia is related to the development of forestry on privately-owned abandoned agricultural lands. This discourse is conceptualized by environmental NGOs as a pathway towards forest farming, agroforestry, and forest plantations. Thus, in Russia, there is a frontier between sustainable forest management discourses and forestry practices, which are still mainly based on wood mining. Explore further Saving America's forests could help curb climate warming More information: Denis Dobrynin et al, The forest environmental frontier in Russia: Between sustainable forest management discourses and 'wood mining' practice, Ambio (2021). Journal information: AMBIO Denis Dobrynin et al, The forest environmental frontier in Russia: Between sustainable forest management discourses and 'wood mining' practice,(2021). DOI: 10.1007/s13280-021-01643-6 The federally endangered plant Geum radiatum, commonly known as spreading avens, has yellow flowers and kidney-shaped leaves; it is known to occur only on hard-to-access, high-elevation bluffs in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Credit: Will Reckling When an endangered plant's favorite place to live is the side of a mountain, keeping track of its numbers typically requires rappelling down cliff faces with specialized gearno mean feat. Now, a drone-based approach developed by researchers from North Carolina State University is making rare plant monitoring on mountaintops safer and more efficient. Working with collaborators from NC State's Center for Geospatial Analytics, the US Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, doctoral researcher Will Reckling devised a method to both predict where rare mountain plants are likely to grow and then target high-probability areas for flying unmanned aerial systems (UAS, a.k.a. drones) and snapping photos with an onboard camera. "To our knowledge, this is the first study that has used a species distribution model to create targeted UAS flight areas to map locations of rare and endangered plant species," Reckling and his collaborators explain. Creating the species distribution model allowed the team to optimize where to fly their drone to capture imagery with a resolution high enough to identify individual plants. Without this type of data-driven guidance, "planning UAS flight paths is somewhat subjective," the researchers say, "and can result in inefficient usage of limited flight time or overcollection of data." The team tested their technique in the Blue Ridge Mountains, where the federally endangered plant Geum radiatum, commonly known as spreading avens, is known to occur at only 15 sites. The plant favors rocky outcrops at elevations of 14001911 m (4,5936,270 ft) and is one of 47 high-elevation species monitored by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. After securing permission to fly a drone on Roan Mountain, one of North Carolina's highest peaks, the team inspected the collected imagery to verify the known locations of G. radiatum; they also discovered four previously undocumented plants. Finding these rare plants on the ground is notoriously difficult. "Populations may be undercounted because of inconsistent monitoring methods among personnel, and access to the plants often requires skilled rock climbers and equipment," according to the researchers. The advantages of using a drone, however, are many: Not only do UAS keep personnel out of harm's way on high-elevation bluffs and keep monitoring protocols consistent, they also reduce the risk of disturbing sensitive plants during monitoring checks, and they can search a wider area in a shorter amount of time. Pairing drone-based data collection with a predictive model to narrow the search window, though, is also key: "Targeted flight areas allow for faster data collection so that changing weather and lighting conditions do not affect the final imagery products," the researchers say. "This technique reduces battery requirements and data storage needs as well as fight and processing time." A recent open-access publication in the journal Drones details the techniques used by Reckling and his team, including the species distribution model and flight planning software used. Explore further Pollinators contribute to flowering plant diversity More information: William Reckling et al, Efficient Drone-Based Rare Plant Monitoring Using a Species Distribution Model and AI-Based Object Detection, Drones (2021). William Reckling et al, Efficient Drone-Based Rare Plant Monitoring Using a Species Distribution Model and AI-Based Object Detection,(2021). DOI: 10.3390/drones5040110 Credit: Eadweard Muybridge, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons He swayed slightly from side to side, his bare feet slapping the ground with each step. Identified only as Rogers, the lanky young man was one of nine neurological patients in a series of sepia-toned "electro-photographs," captured with novel stop-motion technology in Philadelphia in the summer of 1885. The photographer was Eadweard Muybridge, better known for using his technique to record the movements of galloping horses. His famous images settled a vigorous debate of the Victorian era: whether the animals, at any point in their stride, lift all four hooves off the ground. (They do.) Yet Rogers and the other medical patients in the photos have long been a mystery. Historians knew the images had allowed physicians to make precise measurements of irregular movements caused by disorders of the brain and spinal cord. But what caused the patients' symptoms? How were they treated? Who were they? Geoffrey Noble, a neurologist who spent months combing through yellowing archives at the University of Pennsylvania, has now cracked the case. Working from limited details in an index that accompanied the photos, he matched them with comprehensive, handwritten medical records for each of the nine patientsrevealing their diagnoses, the medicines they took, even where they lived and worked. The clinical histories provide a rich illustration of an era when physicians were just starting to use technology to unlock the secrets of the human brain, said Noble, who did the research while he was a neurology resident at Penn's Perelman School of Medicine. Scientists had begun using microscopes to study brains from autopsies, discovering the structure of neurons and how they were connected. And Muybridge's cameras offered a more precise way to characterize neurological disorders in those who were still livingforeshadowing the MRIs and other high-tech equipment that would come a century later. The patients were photographed walking in front of a grid of white strings, hung at the back of a three-sided wooden studio near 36th and Pine Streets. The grid appeared in the photos like a big sheet of graph paper, allowing Muybridge's collaborator, Penn physician Francis X. Dercum, to measure the motion of their arms and legs. Before then, neurologists had only their eyes and ears. "These doctors had no tests at that time beyond their talking to the patients and examining their patients," said Noble, now a fellow in neuromuscular medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. Noble did not set out to solve the riddle of the photos. His initial goal was more general: to study the early history of his field. Penn neurology professor Geoffrey Aguirre told Noble about the clinic records, which had been rediscovered after a recent renovation, and in November 2020, he started to read. The 20 volumes came from the outpatient clinic of which Dercum was chief: the Dispensary for Nervous Diseases at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. The entries span a period of 12 years, starting in 1878, just three years after the hospital was founded. As Noble began to pore over the fading pages, Penn archivist J.M. Duffin told him the university had copies of Muybridge's photos from the same era. Perhaps some of the subjects were described in the notebooks? Sure enough, Noble was able to find records for all nine, which he described in September's issue of the journal Neurology. "You feel like the patient is coming out of the page at you, 150 years later," he said. Rogers, he learned, was H.V. Rogers: an Iowa-born clerk who came to the clinic on 20 occasions over the course of six years. He gave his address as 18 N. Fifth St., in what is now part of the lawn at Independence Mall. At his first visit, in October 1883, at age 32, Rogers reported suffering from headaches, indigestion, and constipation. Physicians diagnosed him with "general nervousness," attributing it to overwork. On another visit in 1885, he complained of a constricted abdomen and pain in his calves, and was found to have an "ataxic" (unbalanced) gait, which Dercum attributed to a lingering syphilis infection from a decade earlier. At that appointment, Rogers agreed to walk in front of Muybridge's battery of 12 cameras, each one triggered by an electrical mechanism of the photographer's design. From the side, the images show him lifting his feet higher than normal and landing with a slight "slap," Noble said. A second set of images, shot from behind, reveals that Rogers swayed with each step and had a wide stance. Noble said it was impossible to confirm the diagnosis of syphilis, but he agreed that the patient's movements were consistent with such an infectionwhich, in an era with no antibiotics, could spread to the spinal cord and brain. Among the other patients that Noble matched to the photos were a 24-year-old laborer who had fallen into a pit, landing on his head; a 41-year-old homemaker who walked stiffly and experienced jerking movements of the head and torso, attributed to inflammation of the spinal cord; and a 26-year-old "domestic" with a spastic gait, cramps, and numbness, blamed on "hysteria." Women often were saddled with that vague, unhelpful diagnosis in the Victorian era, and it's hard to say the true source of the young woman's complaints. But for one of the other patients, a 64-year-old schoolteacher then diagnosed with Parkinsonism, Noble thinks he can set the record straight. From looking at the man's signature and his family history in the notebooks, Noble says that, instead, it is more likely he had a condition called essential tremor. Many of the treatments prescribed for the patients are now known to be ineffective. In the case of Rogers, physicians administered two that are toxic: strychnine and mercury. "We see over time that he's getting worse," Noble said. "They're trying to treat him, and it's not working." Over the years, Rogers also began to experience problems with his eyes. The Penn physicians found that his right optic nerve had atrophied, the retina was irritated, and the right pupil did not contract as much as the left. After that, the trail goes cold. But a man with the same name, age, and Iowa birthplace can be found in U.S. Census records, living until age 71. That was a fairly advanced age for the time, especially for someone with syphilis, but it is likely the same H.V. Rogers, he said. "The age of death is a little surprising," Noble said. "But these indolent, chronic infections can burn out over time. I think this is entirely within the realm of possibility." Muybridge, the photographer, remained best known for his images of horses. He enlisted an artist to copy them onto a glass disk, which he then projected onto a screen with a device he called the zoopraxiscope. When viewed in rapid succession, the images showed the horse in motionan early forerunner of a movie. The medical patients, on the other hand, were mostly an enigma, though historians tried over the years to glean clues from studies that Dercum published at the time. The patient notebooks were rediscovered at the hospital in 2017 and transferred to university archives, where Duffin's colleague, J.J. Ahern, ensured their safe storage for posterity. The archivists, aware that medical records from the era were a rare find, were intrigued. "I knew they were a goldmine," Duffin said. What they needed was Noble, someone with medical training and a keen appreciation for the past, to extract the nuggets of history from within. Explore further Dementia and COVID: What families and physicians should know 2021 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Glens Falls Hospital had 35 total COVID-related hospitalizations as of Monday as cases continue to rise in Warren and Washington counties. There are 25 virus active cases in the hospital with four in the intensive care unit, according to spokeswoman Katelyn Jensen. Ten more people are out of isolation. Cases continue to rise in both Warren and Washington counties. Warren County on Monday reported 32 new COVID-19 infections and 25 recoveries. Warren County Health Services is monitoring 342 active COVID cases. Twelve Warren County residents are hospitalized, which is one fewer than Sunday. Washington County picked up 119 new cases over the weekend and had 69 recoveries for 336 active cases. Nineteen people are in the hospital, which is an increase of four. All of the new Warren County cases involve community spread. The majority of the cases are arising from exposures in households and workplaces and indoor events and gatherings, according to Health Services. Warren Countys seven-day average positivity rate is 5.8%. The county on Monday released an updated breakdown by ZIP code. Glens Falls had the most active cases with 104 followed closely by Queensbury with 102. Warrensburg had the third most with 26. Health Services continues to recommend all individuals eligible for the vaccines to get inoculated as soon as possible, and that all individuals regardless of vaccination status wear a mask while in public indoor spaces to reduce the spread of the virus. Warren Countys vaccination rate is 69%. A total of 73.4% of residents have received at least one dose. Eight of the new cases involved people who had been fully vaccinated, bringing the number of breakthrough cases to 924, or 2.08%, of the 44,361 Warren County residents who have been fully vaccinated. The vaccines have been proven to dramatically reduce the risk of infection and to lessen the severity of illness in the event a breakthrough cases does occur, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Warren County Health Services will hold the following free COVID-19 vaccination clinics in the coming days: Tuesday, Warren County Municipal Center Human Services Building from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson available. Friday, Johnsburg Central School, Pfizer booster doses, 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 16, Warren County Municipal Center, time and vaccines to be determined. Friday, Nov. 19, Warrensburg High School, times and vaccines to be determined. Washington County Of the new Washington County cases, 53 have ties to other cases and the remaining 66 have no identifiable source of origin. Twenty-one of the new infections involved people who are fully vaccinated. That brings the total number of breakthrough cases up to 661, or 1.86%, out of 35,466 people who have completed a vaccine series. The county has the following upcoming clinics: Wednesday, Granville Central School, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. First doses and boosters are available. Saturday, Nov. 13, Washington County Burgoyne Avenue Campus, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., booster event only. Thursday, Nov. 18, Argyle Central School, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. First doses and boosters available. The countys vaccination rate stands at 58%. A total of 61 % have received at least one dose. Saratoga County Saratoga County has an active caseload stands of 547. In the northern Saratoga county towns, there are 68 active cases in Moreau, seven in Corinth and 10 each in Hadley, Northumberland and Wilton. There were 552 people who tested positivity in the county in the last seven days, an average positivity rate of 4%. There are 22 people in the hospital. Fifteen of the hospitalizations involve people who are not fully vaccinated and the rest are fully vaccinated. The countys vaccination rate stands at 71.6%. A total of 76.8% have received at least one dose. To date, the county has had 2,579 breakthrough cases, which is about 12%. About 1.6% of the cases were in fully vaccinated residents and 0.07% of vaccinated residents required hospitalization. Statewide Statewide, 3,480 people tested positive for the virus on Sunday, the most recent day statewide data is available. Thats a positive test rate of 3.12%, which brings the states seven-day positive test rate average to 2.59%. There are 1,794 people in the hospital. Thirty people died on Sunday. A total of 58,145 vaccine doses were administered in the last 24 hours. 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 8 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 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. ALBANY Six New York state correctional facilities will close next March in a cost-saving move amid declining inmate populations, officials announced Monday. More than 1,700 people work at the six upstate New York facilities, and there are more than 1,400 inmates. The inmates will be sent to other locations, and no layoffs are expected from the closures, which are projected to save $142 million, according to a news release from the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. The corrections agency said it will work with unions to provide staffers with transfer opportunities to other facilities or to other state agencies. The facilities scheduled for closure March 10 are: Ogdensburg Correctional Facility, Moriah Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility, Willard Drug Treatment Campus, Southport Correctional Facility, Downstate Correctional Facility and Rochester Correctional Facility. The governor was authorized by the Legislature this year to close state prisons amid a long-term drop in inmates. There are currently 31,469 inmates in state correctional facilities, down from a system-wide high of 72,773 in 1999. The agency said officials looked at multiple factors before making the decision, including physical infrastructure, program offerings, facility security level, proximity to other facilities and health services. DOCCS carefully reviewed the operations at its 50 correctional facilities for possible closure, the agency said in a release. Local reaction Local lawmakers blasted the states decision. Assemblyman Matt Simpson, R-Horicon, said the decision to close Moriah Shock is reprehensible and a slap in the face to the hard-working correctional employees who make this facility operate in such an effective manner. He said he visited Moriah recently and saw the quality of its rehabilitation programs. They were actively trying to help those who were incarcerated by giving them a pathway to a second chance, he said in a news release. The programming at this facility reduces recidivism and helps turn offenders into productive members of society. Simpson said these inmates will be forced into more crowded facilities at a time when inmate-on-inmate and inmate-on-staff crimes are rising. Correctional officers will have to decide whether to find a new career or relocate their families. U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Schuylerville, called Gov. Kathy Hochuls decision to close the prison an assault on the North Country. Stefaniks district is home to Ogdensburg Correctional Facility as well as Moriah Shock. Stefanik accused Democrats, led by Hochul, of undermining law enforcement. She said it was wrong to close these prisons at a time when crime in the state and violence in prisons has increased. Stefanik said closing the prisons would devastate the region. Targeting multiple North Country prisons is an attack on the hard-working residents of the North Country. Nearly 300 correctional officers and their families will be displaced. This decision is just one more example of Governor Hochul lurching to the left and completely punishing upstate New York. Governor Hochul must reverse course. New Yorkers deserve better, Stefanik said in a news release. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 The Tops Market in Warrensburg will be acquired by a new company as Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops have completed their merger. The regulatory review process by the Federal Trade Commission mandates that the newly combined company divest itself of 12 of the combined stores. GU Markets LLC, an affiliate of C&S Wholesale Grocers, will operate these stores. C&S will continue to recognize the union workforce at these locations, according to a news release. In addition to Warrensburg, the Tops in Saranac Lake, South Watertown and Rutland, Vermont, will also come under C&S. Frank DeRiso, president of the UFCW Local One, said the merger will benefit consumers and union members. We believe that this merger will be a positive for our membership, preserving union jobs and strengthening the companys prospects into the foreseeable future, he said in a news release. We are pleased that we have an agreement with the new owner and they are committed to retaining all of the existing union jobs and contracts. DeRiso thanked Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., the Office of the New York State Attorney General and the UFCW International Union for their assistance in this process. The Tops Market in Corinth will remain under that brand. Price Chopper/Market 32 and Tops Markets will be under a new parent company called Northeast Grocery Inc. The combined markets will have nearly 300 stores in the Northeast, which company officials said in a news release will allow them to leverage increased value for customers, advance shared opportunities for innovation and become more competitive with their expanded workforce, community and trade partnerships. Were appreciative of the FTCs diligence in reviewing this merger and grateful to have received all of the necessary approvals. Now, we can dedicate ourselves to bringing these two storied grocery chains together, leveraging best practices, developing new opportunities and finding efficiencies that will help us continue to deliver distinctive shopping experiences, Scott Grimmett, president and CEO of Price Chopper/Market 32, said in a news release. Blaine Bringhurst will serve as president of the Price Chopper/Market 32 business and John Persons as the president of the Tops Markets business. Dave Langless, the chief financial officer of Tops, will serve as the parent companys chief financial officer. Northeast Grocery will be headquartered in Schenectady, as will Price Chopper/Market 32. Tops Markets will retain its main office in Williamsville, in western New York. Michael Goot covers politics, crime and courts, Warren County, education and business. Reach him at 518-742-3320 or mgoot@poststar.com. Love 3 Funny 3 Wow 3 Sad 2 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. Theres a part of me that doesnt want to make people feel uncomfortable with some kind of material. But at the same time, Im like, they dont need me to be soft or to hold back, she said. So, Im struggling with that. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also attended and said she was committed to ensuring that returning military not fall through the cracks of society. They may not realize that they have PTSD. They may not realize that they have emotional and psychological wounds that theyre almost embarrassed to talk about. We have to make sure we remove the stigma and make services like telehealth services available, Hochul said. Current and former military were at the event, including five members of the Marine company involved in the deadly ambush in Kabul that left 13 American service members killed in August during the Afghanistan withdrawal. Bob Woodruffs own injuries covering the Iraq war has created a bond with wounded members of the military, including one of the evenings honorees, former Staff Sergeant Brad Lang. We dont agree on much, but on this issue of consolidating our municipal court system, we agree that it is needed and needed now, the two said in a statement. This isnt a Democratic or Republican issue. Its about good government and saving money so municipalities can deliver on property tax relief and invest more in roads and infrastructure. Levinson said then it was like Miracle on 34th Street, with Macys and Gimbels speaking to each other. Atlantic Countys plan is to hold the new court in the old courthouse on Main Street in Mays Landing. Gilmore said Egg Harbor Township stands to save more than $450,000 a year and Galloway more than $235,000, based on the participation of 11 towns. When we get this done, we will demonstrate that Atlantic County is the place where Republicans and Democrats can work together to regionalize government for the betterment of all taxpayers, Davis and Suleiman said. Recently retired Superior Court Judge Mark Sandson has said a court system run by the county would be a better and fairer municipal court. There are 15 municipal courts in the county, according to County Counsel Jim Ferguson. Most serve a single municipality. UPPER NYACK, N.Y. (AP) A leading art historian diagnosed with Alzheimers disease was found dead by police in the woods of Nyack Beach State park on Monday after having gone missing on Nov. 3. Neighbors, residents and police had been searching for Richard Kendall, 75, after he went missing from his home in Nyack, the Journal News reported. Orangetown Captain James Brown said Kendall's body was found around 4:30 p.m. on Monday. He thanked everyone that had participated in the search. A statewide Silver Alert had been issued for him. Police said they were investigating the death but did not consider it suspicious. Kendall was a specialist in the impressionist movement and an expert on French artist Edgar Degas, most famous for his paintings of ballet dancers. He published multiple books on the movement with Yale University Press, according to its website. Six of the 13 Republicans who voted for the bill are from New Jersey and New York, Van Drew said, because the bill contains so much to fund needed projects in the two states. More than half of the $1.2 trillion is going to finish projects already underway, he said. It also includes billions in funding for the Gateway Project to build a new tunnel from New Jersey to New York. Thats in addition to money for New Jersey projects, he said. Thats not a South Jersey project, but one third of all commerce goes through those tunnels, Van Drew said. He denied the vote was a victory for Biden. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} I dont think thats what this is, Van Drew said. Its a victory for everybody. But Van Drew said he voted no on raising the debt ceiling, no on funding the government via short-term continuing resolutions, and will fight tooth and nail against the Build Back Better act, saying it would change the nation forever. I have already voted against, spoken out against, and will continue to oppose President Bidens so-called Build Back Better reconciliation bill, regardless of the final price tag, Van Drew said Monday. Cape May: 11 a.m. Nov. 11, the City of Cape May, American Legion Post 193, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 386 and the U.S. Coast Guard Training Center Cape May will join together to honor and remember the men and women who served in the United States military. The public is invited to attend the ceremony at Soldiers and Sailors Park, Columbia Avenue and Gurney Street. Call 609-884-9565 or visit CapeMayCity.com. North Wildwood: 10 a.m. Nov. 11, VFW Post 5941 will honor those living veterans who have served and are now serving in military service at the Veterans Monument located at New York and Spruce Avenue. All are welcome to attend. For more information, call Commander Joe Orlando at 609-729-5832. Sea Isle City: 11 a.m. Nov. 11, the citys 2021 Veterans Day ceremony will be held at Veterans Park, JFK Boulevard and Landis Avenue, where local officials will gather with representatives from VFW Post 1963 and other members of the community to honor all military veterans. The ceremony will feature the laying of wreaths at the base of the parks Memorial Fountain. Music for the ceremony will be provided by the Ocean City High School Marching Band, courtesy of First Bank of Sea Isle City.Call 609-263-8687, ext. 1245. They were worrying and figuring out, OK, Im down to almost my last diaper. What do I do now? Do I go find some cans [to sell]? Do I go sell some things in my house? Who in my social network might have some extra cash right now? I talked to moms who sell blood plasma just to get their infants diapers. Q: What coping strategies stood out to you? Those of us who study diapers often call them diaper-stretching strategies. One was leaving on a diaper a little bit longer than someone might otherwise leave it on and letting it get completely full. Some mothers figured out if they bought a (more expensive) diaper that held more and leaked less, they could leave the diaper on longer. They would also do things like letting the baby go diaperless, especially when they were at home and felt like they wouldnt be judged for letting their baby go without a diaper. And they used every household good you can imagine to make makeshift diapers. Mothers are using cloth, sheets and pillowcases. Theyre using things that are disposable like paper towels with duct tape. Theyre making diapers out their own period supplies or adult incontinence supplies when they can get a sample. 4:52 p.m.: Done for the day. After court today defense attorney Mark Richards said he believes they will finish with presentation of evidence this week. Asked if Rittenhouse would testify he said Whos Rittenhouse? and laughed as he walked away. 3:35 p.m.: DeBruin is now testifying about what he saw after Rosenbaum shooting. "Now I can say (it was) Anthony Huber, it looked like he was trying to subdue Kyle, and thats when everything happened in what seemed like a matter of a second." Next, of Grosskreutz, DeBruin said "he had his firearm out, pointing it at Kyle, and Kyle shot Mr. Grosskreutz." Bit of a crazy interchange in court as Richards asks DeBruin about a meeting DeBruin had with prosecution in which Binger asked him if he wanted to add anything to his statement. DeBruin took that as him wanting to rewrite his police statement. DeBruin said he hired his own lawyer and talked the next day to Richards. As cross examination got a little heated, judge sends the jury out of the room. Back on the stand, ADA Kraus is pointing out differences between DeBruin's statement to police and what was said in court. "Like I said, I'm not a detective," DeBruin said. As a Christian, I know that every person is valued and loved by God. My faith leads me to speak out against the practice of solitary confinement. I encourage you to join me. Human beings are created to be in relationship. We learn who we are from each other. Our relationships teach us how to trust, how to consider other perspectives, how to deepen our empathy. Forcing a person into isolation inflicts psychological and spiritual harm. In Illinois, there is currently no limit on the amount of time someone could be held in solitary. Solitary confinement is widely regarded as a form of torture. As such, it also hurts the people were paying to inflict it. It creates dehumanizing work conditions for corrections officers. It imposes suffering on the parents and children of those who are locked up. It damages communities that struggle to support those who return home after enduring this torture. It has to stop. A Pennington County jury returned a $42 million verdict in a bad faith claim to a Rapid City woman after she was denied medical benefits from her previous employer and the employer's insurer. The United Parcel Service and Liberty Mutual, the worker's compensation insurer, were ordered to pay Fern Johnson $41 million in punitive damages and an additional $1 million in compensatory damages in a verdict Friday. Seventh Circuit Pennington County Judge Jane Wipf Pfeifle presided. Johnson took a worker's compensation claim to court following an injury on the job while working for UPS in 1996. Johnson worked for UPS from 1973 to 1982 and again from 1988 to 1997, according to court documents. "In November 1995, Johnson noticed pain in her right groin area, especially with lifting. On January 4, 1996, Johnson experienced a sharp pain in her groin area at the end of her shift. She saw her gynecologist that day for what she believed was pain from endometriosis, a previously diagnosed medical condition. Following a laparoscopy two weeks later, Johnson learned she had a hernia and reported it to her employer the next day," court records state. "Johnson underwent a combined hysterectomy and hernia repair surgery the following month. She returned to work on March 19, but experienced increased groin pain that kept her off work during a period of time that spring. Johnson subsequently quit working at UPS on December 9, 1997, due to groin and back pain." In August 2002, the South Dakota Department of Labor determined that Johnson's hernia was causally related to her employment at UPS, but her groin pain was not. Johnson appealed that decision to the circuit court, which reversed the decision in March of 2004. Johnson's compensable medical expenses were paid for by the employer up until spring of 2010, at which point the appellants requested their attorney to review the case. "The Appellants hired Dr. Bruce Norback, a board-certified neurologist, to conduct Johnson's independent medial examination," court records state. "Dr. Norback opined that what had been described as Johnson's 'neuroma condition' relating to her groin pain did not remain a major contributing cause of her need for continuing medical treatment. Indeed, Dr. Norback believed 'a definite diagnosis of a neuroma has never been made.' He also thought that Johnson's employment at UPS was no longer a major contributing cause of her need for medical treatment related to her groin pain because she had not worked for UPS for almost 13 years, but still experienced worsening symptoms." The verdict awarding $45 million to Johnson was then reversed by the South Dakota Supreme Court and remanded back to circuit court for retrial. In 2004 and 2006, the Department of Labor and the Circuit Court had ordered Liberty Mutual and UPS to pay for medical benefits in 2009. The South Dakota Supreme Court affirmed those orders making them final judgments that Liberty Mutual and UPS must follow. The attorneys representing Johnson were G. Verne Goodsell, David Barari, and Nate Oviatt of the Goodsell & Oviatt, LLP, law firm in Rapid City. "It is very meaningful to have the second jury confirm the bad conduct of Liberty Mutual and UPS by arriving at a similar verdict," said Barari, the plaintiff's lead attorney. Goodsell also commented in a news release on the case, saying The consistency of the two verdicts confirms that our community will not tolerate bad and reckless behavior by insurance companies who harm our citizens, particularly when the companies pocket the money for medical care that belongs to the injured worker." You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 7 Funny 0 Wow 1 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. Members of CO-OP Architecture, DLR Group and Tallgrass Landscape Architecture delivered presentations to the Douglas School District Board of Education on Monday updating planning for a new high school. The presentations stressed a warmth of design incorporating colors of the surrounding landscape for a school projected to increase capacity in a region expecting significant growth. That expectation of growth crystalized in June, when U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds and John Thune announced that Ellsworth Air Force Base will be the U.S. Air Forces first base to receive the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber. After Mondays presentation, Jared Carda, principal architect for CO-OP Architecture, said the student capacity for the high school was expected to be 1,400, accommodating more than 500 additional students than the current high school, with a size of about 300,000 square feet. The goal for completion is the fall of 2024, Carda said. Were trying to match local aspects, material-wise, by really playing off the Hills, Carda said. He noted that CO-OP Architecture is the architect of record for the project, working with a number of consultants on the high school. Carda also mentioned interior courtyards to be constructed outside the main building courtyards surrounded by walls to create some extra opportunities for learning. He said CO-OP Architecture started working on a master plan for the high school about two years ago. Superintendent Kevin Case talked about funding the work during Mondays meeting. I think everyones familiar with (the fact) that were still continuing to seek the final funding pieces on this, he said. Case noted two options. The first option, which were recommending, is that we continue to move forward and to get construction documents at 100%, he said. That will give us an opportunity to be ready as soon as we get financing to move forward. He presented a second option of shutting the project down for a little bit and wait until we have funding and then we have to restart this process again. Case stressed, during the meeting, the need to be prepared for an influx of residents that will flow from the presence of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber. He noted, too, that such preparation must extend beyond construction of a new high school. Were doing everything we can on our part to be prepared for the next step, he said. And then the other issue is that ... we need to start these same conversations regarding our elementary schools. He said stopping the process at this point would be detrimental to the district, is our opinion. He recommended moving forward on the project. At the next meeting, he said, the board would be asked to do a contract amendment to move forward with the construction documents (for the high school), and then well also have a presentation on that startup on the elementary projects. Case said the entire high school project is expected to cost about $136 million. "A major portion of it will have to be funded outside the district," Case said after the meeting. "We don't have the financial capacity to do it." Case said Trista Olney, the Douglas School District business manager, has been working with Sen. Thune for about two years to seek out federal funding sources. Groundbreaking for construction was originally scheduled for the spring, but Case said that may be a difficult goal to fulfill. "I think that will be a challenge," he said. "We just arent there with the funding mechanism yet. I could be pleasantly surprised, but weve got some ground to cover." Case noted, too, that once the new high school is built, the current high school will be used as a second middle school, ready to absorb a growing population of students in that age group as well. He said he also anticipates, based on recent studies, the need for the district to build two to three elementary schools within the next six years. School district officials have been drawing on projections by the U.S. Department of Defense to anticipate the levels of growth in the area, Case said, and he added that the district has hired RSP and Associates to explore demographic data. "As a district," he said, "we want to feel like weve done everything within our power so that all of the students and families coming here, for whatever reason, receive the education they deserve." You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 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. The city will not disclose nor keep track of employees who have decided to take advantage of a program that pays them $125 to get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to its Human Resources director. We didnt want to single them out or punish them in any way, Human Resources Director Nick Stroot said Monday. Its really important to honor that commitment to keep this anonymous. When Rapid City Mayor Steve Allender proposed the program in September, he wanted to assure city employees that their privacy would be respected, said Stroot, adding that only he and one other city employee know who got vaccinated as part of the incentive program and what departments they work in. Allender proposed giving city employees $125 for getting vaccinated. Employees had to show proof of vaccination by Oct. 15 in order to receive the incentive, which came from American Rescue Plan funds. The city received half of its allocated $13 million from the federal government this year to be distributed to organizations whose bottom line was hurt by the pandemic. Stroot said the city extended the deadline to Dec. 6 to give employees more time to decide if they want to get vaccinated and receive the $125. He said the original Oct. 15 deadline was an arbitrary date that indicated the urgency of receiving the vaccine at the time. He said they heard from employees who said they couldnt get vaccinated by that date for various reasons. Stroot said the program can't be extended past Dec. 6 since all the COVID funds need to be allocated by the end of the year. As of Nov. 5, of the citys 808 full-time employees, 426 have received the vaccine incentive, or 52.7% of the workforce. Of the 25 part-time employees who receive benefits, 13 have used the program, and of the 461 part-time non-benefited employees, 306 have used the program. Overall, of the citys 1,294 employees, 745, or 57.5%, have been paid $125 to get vaccinated. Stroot said that since Oct. 15, the city has seen fewer employees take advantage of the incentive, although new hires are showing interest recently as well as a number of current employees at The Monument. Contact Siandhara Bonnet at siandhara.bonnet@rapidcityjournal.com 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. Boevers cousin Nick Nemec was pleasantly surprised by the high level of public support for removal of Ravnsborg. Im glad to see that the citizens of this state support his removal from office because Ravnsborg is a walking disaster, said Nemec, a Hyde County rancher. According to an investigation, Ravnsborg said he was using his phone just before the crash, and that he thought he had hit a deer. Marks on the pavement show he left the travel lane before impact. He pulled over and called authorities, but Boevers body was not discovered that night. Ravnsborg was allowed to use a local sheriffs personal vehicle to drive home. He found Boevers body in the ditch the next morning when returning the car. Nemec said Ravnsborgs testimony that he didnt know what he had hit was brought into question when investigators pointed out that Boevers glasses were found on Ravnsborgs front seat. Nemec was also outraged that before trial, Ravnsborgs attorney raised the possibility that Boever was suicidal and had thrown himself in front of Ravnsborgs car. Nemec was also upset that Ravnsborg was cited for driving 57 mph in a 35-mph zone in Pierre just before sentencing and has a history of moving violations on his driving record. Yet Nemec said poll results should not weigh into the decision by lawmakers on whether to impeach Ravnsborg. The Legislature should look at the facts of the case, and the facts indicate that Ravnsborg has proven by his actions that he is not qualified to be the attorney general of South Dakota, Nemec said. Hes shown disregard for the laws of the state, and hes gotten special treatment that would not be afforded to any other defendant, so he should be impeached on the facts at hand. In statements made to the public and press, Ravnsborg has expressed sorrow for Boever and his family, but he has also denied culpability. After sentencing, Ravnsborg released a statement saying he was unfairly treated by partisan opportunists who had manufactured rumors, conspiracy theories and made statements in direct contradiction to the evidence. PIERRE | South Dakota's House launched an investigation Tuesday into whether the state's attorney general should be impeached for his conduct surrounding a car crash last year that killed a pedestrian. A sizable majority of the Republican-dominated House voted to have a committee prepare a report and recommend whether Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg should be impeached. It could take weeks for the committee of seven Republicans and two Democrats to delve into the crash investigation. The committee is a mix of Ravnsborgs political allies and those who have called for his ouster. Republicans Taffy Howard and Phil Jensen were among the 10 House members who voted against the investigation. Ravnsborg, a Republican who was elected to his first term as attorney general in 2018, pleaded no contest in August to a pair of misdemeanors in the crash that killed 55-year-old Joseph Boever, who was walking along a rural stretch of highway when Ravnsborg struck him with his car. Ravnsborg has insisted that he did not realize he killed a man until he returned to the scene the next day and discovered his body. House lawmakers said they first wanted to know whether Ravnsborg could be impeached for his misdemeanor convictions, the fact that he killed a man, or that law enforcement associations have said they no longer have confidence in his office. The state constitution stipulates that officials like the attorney general can be impeached for corrupt conduct, malfeasance or misdemeanor in office." A state official has never been impeached in South Dakota. Our first meeting is literally to sit down, go through the constitution, go through case law, to get an idea, said House Speaker Spencer Gosch, a Republican. Gov. Kristi Noem, who has called for Ravnsborg to resign, has delivered a hard drive containing the crash investigation to Gosch, but he said the committee would subpoena the crash investigation from the Department of Public Safety just to ensure accuracy. Ravnsborg's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the House's move. Republican Rep. Will Mortenson, who first called for Ravnsborg's impeachment in February, pushed to allow public access to the material the committee reviews. The House agreed to make public that material with the exception of redacted confidential and nonrelevant information. This is unprecedented in state history, which means we need to be thoughtful, Mortenson said. And keep in mind the public, the family of any victims here, and the subject of impeachment as well. The investigative committee had not scheduled its first meeting, but Gosch said it would meet later on Tuesday or Wednesday. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Looking to bolster health coverage in an under-served area, Western Dakota Technical College has announced the expansion of its Practical Nursing Program with courses to be offered in Philip beginning in the fall of 2022. College officials along with health officials in Philip announced the plan Monday morning in Philip. We struggle with staffing, said Krista ODea, director of nursing for the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital in Philip, in a group telephone interview after the announcement. Weve had tough years with COVID that have really taken a toll on the staff. Officials noted a cluster of other area health facilities, as well, where new licensed practical nurses are needed. The program in Philip will consist of two semesters after students have completed their general education requirements, explained Kristen Hybertson, interim director of nursing at WDT. Hybertson said the program will make use of two classrooms in a former elementary school of the Haakon School district, with the total number of students capped at 16 for the first year. She said about half of the work will involve clinical instruction at area facilities. Ann Bolman, president of WDT, said that board members Brad Heltzel, of Philip, and Dick Johnson, of Wall, helped call attention to the area as a place in need of medical service. We felt like the region was under-served, especially in programs that (allow) people to get jobs in their community, Bolman said. Bolman noted that the plan was pending approval by the Higher Learning Commission. She said it had received approval from the South Dakota Board of Nursing. ODea said the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital serves an area where no other hospital exists for about 90 miles in either direction. Its an 18-bed critical access hospital with a two-bed emergency department, she said. We have become busier and busier, ODea said, noting both the presence of COVID-19 and the scope of a rural hospital serving a wide swath of territory. Denise Buchholz, director of the Scotchman Living Center in Philip, said that facility is in the process of expanding from 30 to 42 beds, sparking the need for increased staffing. Buchholz also noted that many students pursuing their licensed practical nursing degrees are nontraditional students, or adults who already have ties to the community. Somebody who has a family, or who has roots in the area, may find it harder to travel, she said, underlining the importance of nearby courses. Hybertson said WDT is looking to hire one new full-time faculty member to teach classes in Philip. She noted plans to hire adjunct faculty as well. She said students interested in starting in the fall of 2022 should work on their general education requirements in the preceding spring. After general education requirements are met, she said, the program will take two semesters. Jeremy Schultes, CEO at Philip Health Services, said health care providers in the area frequently work with an aging population. Oftentimes that aging population will need care for chronic health conditions, he said. Those (conditions) may be diabetes, strokes, cancers and heart disease. Schultes mentioned dementia as well. Facilities working within Philip Health Services include the Hans P. Peterson Memorial Hospital, the Philip Clinic, the Silverleaf Assisted Living Center, the Scotchman Living Center and the Kadoka Clinic. Hybertson said the coursework in the practical nursing classes includes attention to the kinds of age-related issues Schultes mentioned, and she pointed out that clinical work will allow students to immerse themselves in the medical needs of the community. Schultes noted avenues for tuition reimbursement for students willing to serve in the area after earning their degrees. Others in the community also expressed support for the plan. We are excited to be a part of the development of this program in Philip. Anything that we can do to help our community grow and prosper will only have a positive effect on the school, said Jeffrey Rieckman, superintendent and elementary school principal at the Haakon School District, in a statement. This will be the second satellite program for the WDT's Practical Nursing Program, adding to the colleges offerings in Whitewood. People seeking more information can contact Western Dakota Technical College Admissions by phone at 605-718-2565 or email at Admissons@wdt.edu. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Rapid City Rush announced Monday afternoon the signing of left winger Tanner Schachle. Schachle comes to the Black Hills after playing five games for Long Island University this season. The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Wasilla, Alaska native elected to forgo his fourth and final year of NCAA eligibility. He did not register any goals or assists in his five games, collecting 19 penalty minutes. Schachle, 24, tallied nine goals and 11 assists in 60 games during his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Alaska-Anchorage. After transferring to LIU for the 2020-21 season, he notched one assist in nine games. The Rush are back in action Wednesday to begin a four-game series against the Idaho Steelheads at The Monument Ice Arena. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Listen for bells as they ring throughout the Bitterroot Valley at 11 a.m. Mountain Time on Thursday, Nov. 11, in honor of all who served and sacrificed in WWI and the Armistice. Bells of Peace ring across America in each time zone and were created with the Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS) to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the World War I Armistice, Nov. 11, 2018. The Doughboy Foundation promotes the Bells of Peace annually to remember those who served in WWI, of the moment when the guns fell silent, and bells tolled in Europe on the 11th day of the 11th month, at the 11th hour in 1918. Retired Sgt. Major Greg Marose, also American Legion Ravalli Post 47 adjutant, will ring the bell at the Ravalli County Museum. Hamilton Fire Chief Brad Mohn will ring the bell at the fire hall. Preschool students at the Sapphire Early Learning Center in Stevensville will be ringing the bell in the United Methodist Church at 11 a.m., according to Director LaRee Jessop. All churches or buildings with a bell are invited to participate in the ringing. Veterans Day ceremonies, also on Thursday, Nov. 11, vary throughout the Bitterroot Valley this year. In Corvallis, American Legion Post 91 will host and march in the traditional Veterans Day Parade, designed to honor veterans. Veterans line up around 10:30 a.m., then at 11 a.m., the parade begins with "The Star-Spangled Banner" and a rifle volley. Spokesman Chris Kurinec said no registration is required, veterans come and march as a group down Main Street and back. It takes all of 10-minutes, Kurinec said. We let the schools know and they usually let the kids out to watch. The Ravalli County Museums events will begin at 2 p.m. with an outdoor assembly in front of the Doughboy statue. The program will begin with an invocation and include singing "America the Beautiful," Military Honors, "Taps," a Color Guard by American Legion Post 47, the Marine Corps League Honor Guard and wreath presentations. Post 47 Commander Paul Rosenburg explained the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a eulogy to the dead of all wars but Veterans Day is to commemorate military service, he said. It honors those who have served, those who are serving and those who will be serving. It traces back to Armistice Day and the idea was that it was to be the war to end all wars. Rosenburg said the wreath presentation is special. A lot of time it is the Post Auxiliary and sometimes it is the Marine Corps, he said. They will be doing the rifles and well be doing the colors. Then a program will be held upstairs. The Ravalli County Museum sponsors that, Rosenburg said. Well have music, patriotic songs, the different service songs and the Post will have a ceremony. A lot of times we have a guest speaker but I dont think there is going to be a guest speaker so well have our regular Veterans Day ceremony, where each officer will have a part to read. Often there are representatives from the offices of Senators Steve Daines or Jon Tester. We usually try to have the mayor make a declaration for the day, Rosenburg said. The events are open to the public, we want people to come to the event. Its all about everybody, not just the veterans. Its about veterans and their families and the community who supported the veterans throughout the years and still do, and for those who were left behind. Ravalli County Museum Director Michelle Nowling said hosting the annual Veterans Day celebration is a highlight of the year at the museum. We are excited about a special exhibit being curated just for the occasion, Nowling said. We honor all those who, in times of both war and peace, leave their families and serve their country in the armed forces. We may never fully appreciate their sacrifices, but we strive to learn from them and share their stories as we celebrate Veterans Day. She hopes many community members will attend the special presentations. School celebrations Corvallis students will attend the Veterans Day parade with signs, flags and cheers of appreciation. Corvallis Primary School Principal Lisa Nagel said they are hosting "Donuts for Veteran" relatives of Corvallis Primary School students, 7:45-8:15 a.m. Corvallis Middle School Principal Richie Borden said the fifth grade will study a World War I unit to concur with Veterans Day, the sixth grade will make signs for the veterans, the seventh grade will make posters and send thank you notes to veterans in local assisted-living centers and students in eighth grade are writing letters to the VA hospital in Helena. Borden said he hopes to get back to the traditional Veterans Day soup luncheon next fall. CMS music educator Heidi Schnarr plans to show students in grades 5-7 singing patriotic concerts over Zoom on Friday, Nov. 12, to honor veterans. Darby Schools are presenting a Veterans Day program for veterans and the general public at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11, in the high school gym. Elementary music teacher Brooke Gardner said it will be a wonderful celebration. Well have elementary kids singing and they have put together some cute cards, Gardner said. There will be recognition of service. I dont know how big of a turnout we will get. Some people are probably still nervous about sicknesses that are going around, which is totally fine. Hamilton School District is not hosting a live event for the public to attend this year. According to Communications Director Justine Stewart, the Hamilton Middle School will be writing some essays, she will film some concerts at Daly Elementary School and the high school will have some in-house activities for Veterans Day. There will not be a Veterans Day program in the Florence School District this year. Stevensville Superintendent Bob Moore said the school is not hosting an event this year. Construction is making access to the gym impossible at this time, Moore said. Lone Rock School will be hosting a Veterans Day event from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11, in the gym. There will be a continental breakfast for veterans from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. in the multi-purpose room as well. The American Legion of Stevensville will be in attendance with Jerry Esmay as the keynote speaker. The Lone Rock band, choir and general music students will also be showcasing their work. District Superintendent/Principal Robert DoBell, Ed.D., said it is important to honor those who serve. We live in a great country and state where our veterans have fought to give us our freedoms and we need to honor their work and patriotism so that we all can enjoy our freedom, DoBell said. Our veterans are very important to us and we are looking forward to honoring them next week and sharing the story of their service to our country with our students in grades K-8 here at the Lone Rock School in Stevensville. Communications and Marketing Specialist Jennifer Donovan, of the American Legion Auxiliary National Headquarters, said the American Legion Auxiliary has been supporting veterans, military and their families for 102 years. There are simple things people can do to make a difference in a veterans life on this special day, Donovan said. Suggestions include attending an event, offer to help with household chores or yard work, thank veterans for their service, write a thank or letter to a veteran and ask a veteran about their time in the military and be an engaged listener. The American Legion Auxiliary also recognizes the devoted caregivers and families who give selfless support and dedication to the men and women of the armed forces, Donovan said. 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. Levy indicated this was not her last race, more of a beginning than an end. This has been an extraordinary experience and one that fit me like a glove. I am called to public service and I will not give up on answering that calling, she said. I will not give up on my quest to provide respectful, competent, and empathetic representation or on my goal of helping to enact policies and programs that will make our lives better and our communities stronger. I will continue my work and I will run again. For Us. She said shell also be looking for lessons learned from last weeks results. My team will examine every facet of our campaign and the results, and we will identify how we can improve in the next campaign, she said. In the meantime. . . I am proud of the positive campaign we ran and of the platform we ran on. I am proud of the stands we took. Stan Scott ran against Wyatt in the 97th and said he knew it was an uphill battle when he began, but also noted positive indicators revealed in last weeks election and his motivation for seeking to serve. Embezzlement and computer trespass charges have been dismissed against a retired Virginia Department of Taxation finance manager accused of stealing nearly $1.3 million in public funds after a Richmond judge learned the defendant committed suicide. Steve Hardie Anderson, 67, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Halifax County on Oct. 8 the same day he was due to appear in Richmond Circuit Court for a hearing to review the status of his prosecution on two felony charges of embezzlement of public funds and altering computer data for the purposes of theft. Anderson was indicted on the charges in May after a multiyear investigation by the Office of the State Inspector General that followed an internal probe by the Department of Taxation. The case was being prosecuted by the Virginia Attorney Generals Office. On Oct. 29, Assistant Attorney General Ayesha Meekins filed a motion in Richmond Circuit Court seeking to dismiss the charges. Meekins wrote that she and Andersons attorney, William Dinkin, appeared in court Oct. 8 to decide on a hearing date for Anderson to enter a plea. Matsons lawyers conceded that his conduct was and is inexcusable. Nothing he has done or will do going forward can ever change that fact, and we do not endeavor to suggest otherwise. But, they added, Mr. Matson took immediate steps to atone for his misconduct. He voluntarily resigned from the bar ... he directed [his lawyers] to disclose critical information about his conduct that was not then known to the government, to cooperate fully, and eventually to negotiate a resolution with the Office of the U.S. Attorney. During that process, and beginning prior to pleading guilty, Mr. Matson worked with the government to make certain that all restitution was made. While his extraordinary efforts to pay restitution do not excuse his conduct or lessen the seriousness of the offense, they present a substantial mitigating factor that the Court should consider, his lawyers wrote. Court records show that in 2019, Matson made false statements concerning allegations that he misappropriated funds as a court-appointed trustee in the bankruptcy of LandAmerica Financial Group. A federal investigation found instances of Matsons embezzlement from the LandAmerica Trust between 2015 and 2018, totaling approximately $800,000 in misappropriated funds, prosecutors said. Over 300 people were treated at a field hospital on site and at least 13 others were hospitalized. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said his meeting with Scott before the show included the rapper's head of a security. But Finner did not go into detail about their conversation in a statement released by the police department. I asked Travis Scott and his team to work with HPD for all events over the weekend and to be mindful of his teams social media messaging on any scheduled events, Finner said. The meeting was brief and respectful, and a chance for me to share my public safety concerns as Chief of Police. Investigators were also interviewing witnesses and planned to examine the design of safety barriers and the use of crowd control at the event. Its not the crowds fault at all, because there was no way you could even move, it was just like a mass loss of control, said 19-year-old festivalgoer Ben Castro. He returned to the venue Monday to leave flowers at a makeshift memorial that included notes, T-shirts and candles. He said he didnt know anyone had died until the next day. Medical examiners have still not released the causes of death, which could take several weeks, said Michele Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. The two other parents involved in the alleged mix-up wish to remain anonymous and plan a similar lawsuit in the coming days, according to attorney Adam Wolf, who represents all four parents. The lawsuit claims CCRH mistakenly implanted the other couples embryo into Daphna and transferred the Cardinales embryo made from Daphnas egg and Alexanders sperm into the other woman. The babies, both girls, were born a week apart in September 2019. Both couples unwittingly raised the wrong child for nearly three months before DNA tests confirmed that the embryos were swapped, according to the filing. The Cardinales, including their young daughter, fell in love with this child, and were terrified she would be taken away from them, the complaint says. All the while, Alexander and Daphna did not know the whereabouts of their own embryo, and thus were terrified that another woman had been pregnant with their child and their child was out in the world somewhere without them. The babies were swapped back in January 2020. He said their intimacy decreased and he began considering divorce. He conducted searches on the topic online but did not consult an attorney because, despite their bickering, they wanted to repair their relationship. He said on Oct. 3, 2019, he found messages that Ji was exchanging with a man from China on WeChat, a Chinese-based messaging service. He testified that he translated the messages using Google and found they were sexually explicit. Elledge said he did not confront Ji right away about the messages but said he felt wounded, angry and betrayed when his suspicions about Jis online activity were confirmed. Elledge initially told investigators that he and his wife argued at their apartment on Oct. 9, 2019, and he discovered she was missing when he woke up the next day. During opening statements last week, Rosenblum, acknowledged that Ji died after Elledge pushed her during an argument. He said she fell and hit her head but was able to get up and go to bed, where Elledge found her dead the next day. Climbers are equipped with specially designed safety harnesses that let them ascend an outdoor staircase, from the first lookout known as the Cliff, to the top platform called the Apex, located 1,271 feet (387 meters) above 10th Avenue. There, they can lean out over the edge and look down at the Empire State Building. City Climb will operate rain, snow or shine, but will close if the temperature drops below 23 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 5 degrees Celsius) or if there is dangerous weather in the area. Setting off on our climb, my stomach tightened as soon as the gate saying "Restricted Area" opened onto the Cliff. My hands, tingling with nervous anticipation the night before, were numb in the cold as I walked the 161 steps on the exterior edge of the building's distinctive triangle top. I looked down on the Hudson Yards plaza and the streets next to it, where the cars looked like ants. When I got to the Apex, Barbato, the attraction's manager, welcomed me: "We are at the top of the world." Then, she leaned back, arms stretched out, hanging over the city as a tether kept her from falling to the streets below. "Put your heels on the edge, bend your knees, and push out," one of the guides said, when it was my turn. In her lawsuit, Baskin contends that Royal Goode Productions Inc., which produced Tiger King" for Netflix, led her and husband Howard Baskin to believe their footage would only be used in a single documentary. Baskin also objects to her portrayal in the first series, especially the insinuation she had something to do with the mysterious 1997 disappearance of her previous husband, Don Lewis, who was declared dead in 2002 but whose remains have never been found. The Baskins believed that any sequel, though odious, would not include any of their footage, the lawsuit says. Tiger King I was particularly harsh and unfair in its depictions of the Baskins and Big Cat Rescue. Baskin declined further comment Tuesday on the lawsuit but did speak to The Associated Press recently about at upcoming Discovery+ two-part series called Carole Baskins Cage Fight, intended to call attention to the problem of zoos that allow tiger petting and private ownership of the animals. Baskin has crusaded for better treatment of big cats. Filler-Corn also appeared to temper her concession. The speaker's stance is that there are provisions in place to make sure we can be certain what the outcomes are, and it's always good to check. Were just seeing what the outcome is going to be, Filler-Corn spokesperson Sigalle Reshef said Tuesday. Republicans, who celebrated last week after flipping at least five Democratic-held seats to bring their total to at least 50 giving them at least a tie in the House said they are confident that they will win both races that are now eligible for recounts. Based on past experience and our experience with observers on the ground, we are confident we will have 52 seats when the new General Assembly convenes in January," said Garren Shipley, a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert. Griffiths statement was issued as members of the U.N. Security Council held a closed-door meeting on Myanmar requested by the United Kingdom. Diplomats said Russia and China objected to a proposed press statement that would express concern at recent violence including air strikes and reaffirm the council's support for the country's democratic transition, but discussions were continuing. UK deputy ambassador James Kariuki told reporters before heading into the meeting that Britain is particularly concerned about the buildup of military action in northwest Chin state, and we are concerned that this rather mirrors the activity we saw four years ago ahead of the atrocities that were committed in Rakhine against the Rohingya Muslim minority. So, were very keen to make sure the council is focused, and the military know that were watching, he said. Since Suu Kyis ouster, Myanmar has been wracked by unrest, with peaceful demonstrations against the ruling generals morphing first into a low-level insurgency in many urban areas after security forces used deadly force and then into more serious combat in rural areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been engaging in heavy clashes with government troops. Portsmouth paid a total of $150,000 to 10 of the people arrested and charged after a crowd destroyed and defaced the citys Confederate monument last year. A judge dismissed all charges related to the monument, and several people alleged malicious prosecution by Portsmouth police, according to Interim City Attorney Burle Stromberg and documents obtained under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. In multiple letters, Michael Massie, the attorney representing nine of the people, argued his clients were charged with crimes based on false accusations and little evidence. He said their constitutional rights were violated, hurting their reputations and causing each of them to suffer harm. Jason Dunn, the attorney representing judge and former public defender Brenda Spry, argued the felony arrest would affect her career prospects. He noted her appointment to judge was by a one-vote margin in the General Assembly and said she may face issues because of the arrest if she seeks reappointment to the court. Stromberg said the city settled with the 10 people before any suits were filed in court. The settlement was first reported by WAVY. The Virginia Employment Commission is completing the last phase of a 12-year effort to replace an antiquated computer system that crippled the state unemployment systems ability to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic and prevented tens of thousands of unemployed Virginians from getting timely government assistance during the biggest public health emergency in a century. The old system, which relied on paper forms and manual labor, was scheduled to be shut down at 5 p.m. Monday for a weeklong transition that will prevent anyone from filing new applications for unemployment assistance or updating their continuing claims until the new system goes live early next week. The VEC and Secretary of Labor Megan Healy had urged unemployed Virginians to file their updated claims to reflect their employment status for the prior week by no later than 2 p.m. Monday, but they said all would be credited for the weeks unemployment because of the transition. For individuals who were unable to file a new, additional, or reopened claim, you will be able to request that your claim be made effective for the week that you originally attempted to file, but the system was down, the agency said in a bulletin on its website. Cobbs said the price tag for the project is the result of the complexity of the work that needs to be done. The project will relocate the main, principals, guidance and nurses offices to a part of the building where two classrooms are currently located. That proposal is a very good proposal for Snow Creek, G.B. Washburn, who represents the Snow Creek District on the board, said. The current layout of the building ... once you enter the building youre in a hallway that has access to every part of the school. If we ever had a threat, they would have unlimited access to everything. This change is very well-thought-out and limits that access. The project represents one of two remaining schools that require renovations in order to have secure entrances. The third recommendation sought the appropriation of $104,280 for the completion of a secure entrance project at Burnt Chimney Elementary School. The project has a similar anticipated timeline as Snow Creek. The project will turn an existing workroom into the schools main office. Cobbs said the change will make the school so much more secure. Carletta Whiting has won the Snow Creek District seat on the Franklin County School Board following last weeks election. According to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections, Whiting received 39.19% of the vote with all precincts reporting. Other candidates received 60.81% of the vote as of the last time the departments website was updated Monday afternoon. Kay Chitwood, registrar for Franklin County, confirmed the results. Whiting, a Philadelphia native, moved to Franklin County in 2018. The 50-year-old resident of Snow Creek holds a degree in business management. Whiting, Gregory Maxwell and incumbent G.B. Washburn Jr. all ran as write-in candidates for the seat. Maxwell, 36, is a U.S. Navy veteran and information technology specialist. The Sontag resident holds degrees in advance electronics and business. Washburn, 57, has been director of the federal Farm Service Agency in Franklin County for more than 30 years. None of the candidates were willing to comment on the results on Monday. Write-in results were calculated by the Franklin County Voter Registrars Office as part of the canvassing process that started Wednesday. To protect the family, Maries mother told everyone her husband had died. She secretly communicated through their churchs priest, also a member of the resistance, to keep tabs on her husbands safety. Once the Americans had driven out German troops, Maries father could return home. Marie grew up to be an international businessman. He moved to Indianapolis and was surprised by how little the United States seemed to honor D-Day. At the time, there was no memorial in Bedford and no World War II memorial in Washington, D.C. He began to host his luncheon in the 1980s and more than 500 World War II veterans attended the first event. As Marie moved around the country to North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia he brought the luncheon with him. The annual event began in Roanoke in 2001. Cheek-Messier said Marie recognized the need for the veterans to tell their stories before it was too late. The luncheon became an important event for veterans to come together and share their experiences some for the first time. The luncheon felt like a safe space, Cheek-Messier said. I think it was very cathartic for veterans to do that, and the luncheons were really some of the most important things that Bernard did. But political scientist Jeremy Johnson said that politics in Montana and across the country are shifting, and that more recent elections, including the 2020 election when Trump won the state by 16 points and all statewide Democratic candidates were routed, are a more accurate representation of whats to come in the next decade. The Trump vote is probably a better predictor for future partisanship in Montana, than looking at some of these earlier elections when ticket splitting is more common, said Johnson, a political science professor at Carroll College in Helena. Weve seen in Montana and across the United States that ticket splitting is much less common and theres a lot more straight ticket voting." Johnson said he was surprised by Smiths decision to favor the map put forward by Republicans over the one proposed by Democrats, which would have kept Democrat-leaning Helena in a western district and carved out conservative Kalispell to the east. That proposal would have created a more competitive district in the west that favored neither Democrats nor Republicans and would have forced candidates on both sides of the aisle to campaign more vigorously to win moderates and centrists in order to secure a victory. The name of U.S. 1 is set to change on Jan. 1, and residents and businesses along U.S. 1 in the Fredericksburg area need to adjust their addresses accordingly. The Virginia General Assembly approved a bill earlier this year to change any portion of U.S. 1 named after Confederate President Jefferson Davis to Emancipation Highway. The bill, which was sponsored by Del. Josh Cole, DFredericksburg, and signed into law by Gov. Ralph Northam, allowed local officials to establish another name for the highway, as long as it is done before Jan. 1, 2022. In the Fredericksburg region, U.S. 1 traverses four localities: Fredericksburg and the counties of Caroline, Spotsylvania and Stafford. The highways name will be different in each locality. Fredericksburg: Emancipation Highway Caroline: U.S. 1 Spotsylvania: Patriot Highway Stafford: Richmond Highway (except the Falmouth stretch named Cambridge Street). The localities will change the small green-and-white intersection signs, but the Virginia Department of Transportation will replace the larger highway signs: four in Caroline and 21 each in Stafford and Spotsylvania. I tend to agree, because there are any number of totally innocent explanations for the junior Youngkins actions. First, its possible the 17-year-old mistakenly believed hed already turned 18. After all, everybody has 365 different possible birthdays or 366 if they were born in a leap year. Its hard to keep track of all those dates. Perhaps Youngkins son simply forgot his own birthday. So far, nobodys refuted that simple explanation. Second, theres an unwarranted assumption that Marilynne Jensen seems to be making in voicing her concern. Implicitly, it appears, she believes the younger Youngkin tried to vote twice for his dad. But the evidence of that is woefully lacking. Isnt it at least possible Youngkin junior was instead trying to vote for Democrat Terry McAuliffe? As a former 17-year-old son, I would never have voted for my father for any public office, not even dogcatcher. And it should be no surprise to anyone that teenagers and their parents rarely see eye-to-eye about anything. Maybe junior was upset his dad seems lukewarm on recreational marijuana sales. Or perhaps the boy realized that if father Glenn won, his whole family would have to move from tony Great Falls to inner-city Richmond. Senate Democrats are asking the Virginia Supreme Court to reject three redistricting special master candidates nominated by Republicans on Nov. 1, accusing them of having disqualifying conflicts of interest. We urge the Court to reject the minority leaders nominees and direct them to resubmit new, unbiased nominees. We do not send this letter lightly, but these three nominees cannot lawfully serve and their mere nomination undermines public confidence in these critical, once-a-decade proceedings to redraw Virginias electoral maps, Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw wrote to the clerk of the high court on Monday. A constitutional amendment approved by voters last year called for a bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commission to redraw the states legislative and congressional districts with new census data. The effort ended in a partisan deadlock last month and, under the amendment, the job went to the Virginia Supreme Court. The high court asked leaders of both parties in the House of Delegates and Senate to nominate three qualified special masters from which the court would pick two to assist the justices. Saslaws letter contends that the Democrats nominees have academic backgrounds and experience as redistricting special masters in Virginia and elsewhere unlike the Republican nominees. For example, the number of votes cast in Fairfax County was up 14.6% over the 2017 contest for governor. But in Southwest Virginias Washington County, the tally rose 34%. In Powhatan County it leapt by 42%. Powhatans 12,582 votes for Youngkin were more than it cast for all candidates combined in the 2017 election for governor. Population centers In unofficial returns as of Saturday evening, Youngkin beat McAuliffe by 13,073 votes in Virginia Beach, 6,804 votes in Chesterfield County and 5,172 votes in Chesapeake. Youngkin taking Chesterfield in a contest for governor is a reversion to the norm. In 2017, Democrat Ralph Northam became the first Democrat to carry Chesterfield for governor since Albertis Harrison in 1961. Republican Ken Cuccinelli had carried Chesterfield by 8,249 votes in his 2013 contest with McAuliffe. McAuliffe still put up big numbers Tuesday in Virginias 10 largest counties and cities. He carried Fairfax by 128,542 votes, Arlington County by 51,465, Richmond by 44,993, Henrico County by 25,613, Prince William County by 22,519, Norfolk by 21,315 and Loudoun County by 17,923. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. " " Color guard of African-American engineers, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, 1943. Buyenlarge/Getty Images The Massachusetts Institute of Technology had its first African-American graduate, Robert R. Taylor, in 1892. It was only 25 years later, in 1917, that the university gave its first civil engineering diploma to an African-American. For quite a while throughout history, engineering was almost entirely the domain of white men. Although Caucasian males still dominate the profession in the U.S. (only 5 percent of engineers are African-American, only 13.4 percent are women of any race, according to one 2011 report), it's important to recognize the significant legacies that Black men and women have created in the field [source: Koebler]. Advertisement In this article, we'll head from the copy machines at work to the satellites in space and meet some African-Americans who aren't just pioneers for their race but are trailblazers in their profession. " " The area marked in orange shows unconformity between horizontal Tonto Group rocks of the Cambrian Period on top of tilted Grand Canyon Supergroup rocks. Wikipedia If you're a geochronologist someone who studies the age of our planet and its rock formations you spend a lot of time around zircons. They're durable crystals found in a variety of rocks, and because they preserve crucial data about the deep past, zircons are lovingly called "time capsules." Recently, researchers used zircons to take a crack at one of prehistory's greatest riddles. About 540 million years ago, the Cambrian Period began. An important time for life on Earth, it left a diverse fossil record behind and marked the dawn of our current eon. In many places around the world, such as the Grand Canyon, we find Cambrian rock deposits sitting right on top of rocky layers that are between 250 million and 1.2 billion years older. Needless to say, that's quite an age gap. Called the Great Unconformity, the divide between those two layers is a puzzle to scientists. What's the story there? Did millions of years' worth of rock suddenly go missing? A study in December 2018 set to find out and claims the crust was sheared away by glaciers at a time when most or all of the world's surface was coated with ice. That epic bulldozing session may have also created the right conditions for complex organisms, like our own ancestors, to flourish. The paper, "Neoproterozoic Glacial Origin of the Great Unconformity," was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Advertisement Crystal Gazing University of California, Berkeley geologist C. Brenhin Keller led the study. In an email, he writes that his team drew upon existing literature to compile a huge body of relevant info on geochemistry and rock layers. Keller says the data they amassed represented "many thousand hours of both fieldwork and analytical time, conducted by hundreds of people over many years." Zircons were the main focus. Usually, zircon crystals are created when silica-rich magma cools down. "Like any natural system, magmas are rich brews, full of other elements," study co-author Jon Husson explains via email. "And some of those elements are able to substitute [themselves] into zircon's structure." For instance, zircons often contain uranium, which slowly decays and converts into lead. So when scientists look at the composition of uranium/lead samples inside a zircon, they can figure out how old the crystal is. It's radiometric dating at its finest. Advertisement Curious Elements Keller and company reviewed the data on 4.4 billion years' worth of preserved zircon crystals. Those from early Cambrian rocks had a couple of surprises in store. Earth's crust sits on top of a layer called the mantle. A thick buffer zone that's primarily made of solid rock, the mantle separates us from the inner core of our planet. Certain elements feel more at home down in the mantle than they do on the crust. Lutetium is a good example. Just as uranium decays into lead, lutetium gradually transforms into a certain hafnium isotope over time. Keller says when Earth's solid mantle "partially [melts] ... more lutetium tends to stay in the mantle." In the process, "more hafnium goes into new magma" that's liable to get pushed through a volcano, spill out onto the surface, and become hardened rock. Elizabeth Bell another scientist who worked on the study explained via email, hafnium isotopes can therefore help us figure out just how old "the materials that melted into a magma" were. That's a helpful quality. By looking at hafnium isotope ratios in Cambrian zircons, Bell and her colleagues realized that the crystals came from magma that was once very old, very solid crust. Somehow, this raw material was driven down into the mantle or deeper into the crust, where it melted. Along the way, the well-traveled rock came into contact with cold liquid water as evidenced by a tell-tale oxygen isotope signal found in the same zircons. Advertisement Ice, Rock and Magma Since glaciers are agents of erosion, Keller's team proposes that the Great Unconformity was created when glacial activity drove a huge amount of our planet's crust into the ocean during the snowball Earth years. The so-called "snowball Earth" hypothesis claims that between 750 and 610 million years ago, glaciers periodically coated our planet, extending all the way from the poles to the equator. Wild as it may sound, the basic premise is popular among geologists (though some researchers don't think the oceans froze over at least, not entirely). Keller, Husson and Bell envision the walls of ice behaving like giant scythes. All the world's major landmasses would have been trimmed down; the typical continental crust might have lost 1.8 to 3 miles (3 to 5 kilometers) of vertical rock to the shearing glaciers. After being pushed onto the ocean floor, the displaced crustal rock was eventually subducted into Earth's mantle and later recycled. Or so goes the new hypothesis. (At this point, we should mention that the recently published study contradicts a February 2018 paper published in the journal Earth and Space Science that speculates the snowball Earth period may have happened after a time of mass erosion created the Great Unconformity.) Advertisement Life Goes On If Keller's team is correct in its hypothesis, we might have an explanation for why there aren't many meteorite impact craters that predate the snowball Earth phase. Theoretically, the grating glaciers would've stripped most of the older ones away. En route, the ice may have also opened the door for complex life-forms which didn't start to appear until about 635 to 431 million years ago to evolve. "While the snowball [Earth] itself would have been a pretty harsh environment for life, one implication of [our] study is that the erosion of this much crust could have freed up a lot of phosphorous trapped in igneous rocks," Keller explains. Phosphorous, he notes, is "a critical part of DNA and ATP" and something all contemporary organisms require. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Sir Douglas Mawson was one of the founding fathers of the snowball Earth hypothesis. An adventurer as well as a geologist, he was the sole survivor of a three-man trek across Antarctica that began in the year 1912. At one point, Mawson had to walk alone over 100 miles (161 kilometers) of frigid terrain in order to meet up with his eventual rescuers. " " A delegate attends the third day of the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow on Nov. 3, 2021. The pledge to cut methane emissions 30 percent by 2030 was one of the four big announcements from the summit. DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images There were four big announcements during the first week of COP26, the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow: on coal, finance, methane and deforestation. Of those four, the global methane pledge could have the most immediate impact on Earth's climate provided countries follow through on their pledges and satellite monitoring works as effectively as advertised. More than 100 countries agreed to cut their methane emissions 30 percent by 2030 under the Global Methane Pledge, an initiative launched by the U.S. and European Union. And major foundations and philanthropic groups pledged over $325 million to help countries and industry dramatically reduce methane emissions from multiple sources. Methane is about 84 times more powerful at warming the climate than carbon dioxide over the short term. Since it only stays in the atmosphere for about 12 years, compared to hundreds of years for carbon dioxide, reducing the amount of methane human activities are adding to the atmosphere can have a quick impact on global warming. A 30 percent cut in methane emissions could reduce projected warming by 0.2 degrees Celsius (0.36 F), according to European Union estimates. That buys some time while countries are lowering their harder-to-cut carbon dioxide emissions, but it doesn't mean other efforts can slow down. Advertisement How Big of an Impact Could the Pledge Have? The increase in methane emissions is driven by three anthropogenic sources: leaks from fossil fuel infrastructure methane is the primary component of natural gas and can leak from natural gas pipelines, drilling operations and coal mines and also from agriculture, primarily livestock and rice fields, and from decaying waste in landfills. The technology exists to locate and stop the leaks from pipelines and oil and gas operations, and many landfills already make money by capturing methane for use as fuel. Several recent analyses show the immense potential of the methane pledge to slow warming. In May 2021 the Climate and Clean Air Coalition and U.N. Environment Programme released the Global Methane Assessment, a landmark report that describes how reducing methane can change the climate trajectory within the next 20 years a critical time frame for slowing warming enough to avoid passing dangerous tipping points. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Sixth Assessment Report concluded in August 2021 that methane mitigation has the greatest potential to slow warming over the next 20 years. Human-caused methane emissions are growing at an alarming rate. Data released by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in 2021 shows global methane emissions surged in 2020. Over the last decade methane emissions have reached five-year growth rates not seen since the 1980s. Advertisement An Ambitious Start So, can the new global methane pledge work in time to help governments and industry limit global warming to 1.5 degrees C in the next two decades? In short: yes, it can. The Global Methane Assessment determined that global human-driven methane emissions should be reduced by between 130 and 230 megatons per year by 2030 to be consistent with the Paris climate agreement goal of keeping global warming under 1.5 C compared to pre-industrial times. The Global Methane Pledge announced at COP26 would achieve approximately 145 megatons in annual reductions in 2030, an estimate extrapolated from the International Energy Agency's methane tracking reports. The Biden administration has proposed sweeping new rules on methane emissions, particularly targeting oil and gas operations, to help reach its target. Missing from the pledge's signers, however, are some large methane emitters, including China and Russia. I worked in both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations and have been involved in climate change issues for several years. I see the pledge as a strong first step as the first-ever global commitment to specifically reduce global methane emissions. The 30 percent goal serves as an ambitious floor to start from while countries get better at reducing methane and technologies improve. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. You can find the original article here. Jeff Nesbit is a research affiliate with the Yale Program on Climate Change Communications and executive director of Climate Nexus, a nonprofit organization that works on climate and clean energy issues and solutions. FLORENCE, S.C. The Florence City Council does not have to take any action to meet the one person, one vote requirements of redistricting. Frank Rainwater, executive director of the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, provided information to the Florence City Council on redistricting at the council meeting held Monday afternoon. "The main thing about redistricting is trying to respect one person, one vote," Rainwater told the council. He said one person, one vote is a requirement of cities, counties and states because of the Equal Protection Clause and its applications to states via the 14th Amendment. "What we mean by one person, one vote is that everybody's voice should weigh about the same." Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Rainwater used an example of two districts: one with 100 people and the other with 200. He said the people's in the 100-person district votes would mean more because it only takes 51 people to win. Where as if the districts were evenly divided, it would take 76 votes (300 divided by 2 is 150, half of 150 is 75) to win. He said that the courts have allowed variances in population of 10% between the largest and smallest districts but added that his office recommends no more than a 5% variation between the largest and the smallest district. FLORENCE, S.C. The Rotary Club of Florence Monday presented the Alzheimers Association of South Carolina with a check for $17,226.64 at its meeting in Victors. The contribution is what the club raised at Florences annual Forget Me Not 5K to Beat Alzheimers that took place in August. The ceremonial check was presented to Alexis Watts, director of development for the Alzheimers Association which works to fund research to find a cure for Alzheimers the sixth leading cause of death in the United States and the only one of the top 10 that cant be prevented, cured or slowed at this time. We will be a part of finding a cure, she said. An estimated 95,000 people in South Carolina live with Alzheimers. That number is projected to reach 120,000 by 2025, according the Alzheimers Association in South Carolina website. Some of the warning signs are: Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} He said they dont just hire a soldier, they retain a family. The final priority is to connect the Army to the community. Michaelis said the biggest challenge since he arrived at Fort Jackson has been the pandemic. He said they were first operating on defense with social distancing and other protocols. Then they went on offense with vaccinations. He said they are almost back to where they were pre-COVID in regards to family visits and that visitors still have to be vaccinated or have a recent COVID test. Fort Jackson attracts more than 225,000 visitors each year. Michaelis said Fort Jackson annually contributes $2.3 billon to the South Carolina economy. To become a soldier, Michaelis said individuals need to be physically fit, mentally capable and have a moral compass. Those seeking to join the Army want to be part of something that has a purpose and be a better version of themselves, Michaelis said. Michaelis was introduced by Barry Wingard who also invited everyone to the Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. at Florence Veterans Park, adjacent to the Florence Center. FLORENCE, S.C. Two Florence One Schools have been chosen as 2021 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, Lighthouse Schools Lucy T. Davis and Briggs elementary schools. We are ecstatic to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon Lighthouse School, said Lucy T. Davis Principal Sonya Graves. This is a tremendous acknowledgement of the incredible work of Lucy T. Davis Elementarys students, staff, parents and community. I am bursting with pride seeing the gains our students have made and all of their hard work. Florence 1 Schools is a progressive district that provides the resources and opportunities needed to ensure a high-quality educational experience and we are grateful to be a part of that, Graves said. Briggs Elementary Principal Tara Newton said she could not contain her excitement when she received the news, something the school staff has been anxiously awaiting. First of all, thank you to our students, our staff, our parents and our community for always supporting Briggs, Newton said. They are the reason we are a Lighthouse School with Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence. This is an amazing honor. COLUMBIA, S.C. The South Carolina School Boards Association has withdrawn from the National School Boards Association. Cheryl Burgess, president of the state school boards association, announced the withdrawal in a letter to members of the association sent out Monday. She said the withdrawal was made by the governing board of the association in response to a Sept. 29 letter from the national association to President Joe Biden. The Sept. 29 letter from National Association President Viola Garcia indicates that school board members face increasing threats for their policies regarding COVID-19 and the alleged teaching of Critical Race Theory. As these acts of malice, violence, and threats against public school officials have increased, the classification of these heinous actions could be the equivalent to a form of domestic terrorism and hate crimes, Garcia said in the letter. CONCORD, N.H. (AP) New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Tuesday that he would seek a fourth term instead of running for Senate, dealing a major blow to Republicans who had hoped he could defeat Democratic incumbent Maggie Hassan and help them retake the chamber in next years midterm elections. Sununu, who won reelection last year by more than 30 percentage points, said he could have a bigger and more direct impact as governor than as a senator. In a nod to the slow speed of politics in Washington, he said he didn't want to spend the next six years sitting around having meeting after meeting, waiting for votes to maybe happen. My responsibility is not to the gridlock and politics of Washington its to the citizens of New Hampshire. And Id rather push myself 120 miles an hour delivering wins for New Hampshire than to slow down and end up on Capitol Hill debating partisan politics without results, he said at a news conference in Concord. I like moving. I like getting stuff done. I dont know if they could handle me down there, he said. I think Id be like a lion in a cage, waiting to get something done and effect real change. While their bond is unbreakable, sailing and rum are two pastimes brought together by their connection to the ocean. Mount Gay Rum, founded on the island of Barbados in the Caribbean, has been established as the oldest rum producer dating back to the early 1700's. Rum was more easily transported and shelf stable than wine or beer for long ocean journeys which delighted sailors and their crew. Mount Gay's rum production is unique and infuses characteristics from its island geography into the finished product (sounds like a recycled sail bag company we know). Using coral filtered water from an artesian well and open-air fermentation allows the unique aromas of ocean breezes to be crafted into the final spirit. But it's more than just this heritage of their ties to the ocean that makes this distillery unique. It's also their commitment to sustaining our oceans with a goal to employ 100% sustainable agriculture by 2025. Mount Gay had long admired Sea Bags' sustainability practices from afar, and when they reached out to us to collaborate on a sustainability initiative, the similarities between our brands were undeniable: products imbibed with the scent of the ocean, a heritage tied to sailing, and a commitment to sustainability. We got to work immediately. Collectively, we knew that we wanted Actor-Activist Adrian Grenier as the Tastemaker to help spread the word about this initiative. Adrian has a deep passion for ocean conservation, working with the UN to launch Clean Seas and even starting his own foundation in an effort to improve ocean health. With Adrian on board, the collaboration took off and we embarked on designing a Sea Bags x Mount Gay Ocean Currents Collection that would help clean the oceans. And for that, we needed another collaborator. The 4ocean Pound+ Program's sole purpose is to pull pounds of trash from our oceans and rivers. 4ocean had a long collaborative history with both Sea Bags and Mount Gay, so this made our choice easy. The end result, is a beautiful Tote and Beverage Bucket Bag that will pull pounds of trash from the ocean for each purchase. The design celebrates the movement of the currents in the ocean and illustrates just how connected we all are by our waterways. We're proud of the fact that we've saved 700 tons of sail material from landfills to date and are excited to partner with like-minded brands and activists who can help make our impact on saving the oceans go farther than if we worked alone. Now let's put this all together a Maine-based recycled tote bag company, a Caribbean rum company, a film and television actor, and a company founded to clean the ocean are united by the ocean to save our seas? Affirmative. Plus, Mount Gay Rum, Sea Bags, and 4ocean have teamed up with TripAdvisor for an exciting sweepstakes. One lucky winner will receive a trip to Barbados, three people will win getaways in the USA, and twenty-five winners will win getaway kits featuring an Ocean Currents Tote, Cocktail Kit, and merchandise from 4ocean. Europe Lipid Ingredients Market For Cosmetics by Source (Plant {Vegetable Oil}, Animal, Novel Lipid Sources {Insects, Microalgae}), Application (Haircare), and Geography - Forecast to 2028 Redding, California, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to a new market research report titled Europe Lipid Ingredients Market for Cosmetics by Source (Plant {Vegetable Oil}, Animal, Novel Lipid Sources {Insects, Microalgae}), Application (Haircare), and Geography Forecast to 2028, published by Meticulous Research, the Europe lipid ingredients market for cosmetics is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.9% from 2021 to 2028 to reach $3.6 billion by 2028. Download Free Sample Report Now @ https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5206 Lipid ingredients are used in a wide range of industries, including the food and cosmetics sector. The industry sources like the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI), National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicate that the share of vegetable oils used in cosmetics is growing, compared to food use. Cosmetic manufacturers are increasingly using vegetable oils instead of mineral oils in their products, considering the consumers' positive associations with natural ingredients in beauty products, reflected in the purchase behavior in recent past years. For instance, according to The Cosmetify Companys 2019 study surveying British consumers, the consumer preference/willingness to buy organic products was the highest (68%), followed by natural products (61%) and vegan (49%), being the next popular product type. The high preference for natural ingredients, including natural oils and extracts, has myriad benefits for the skin. The use of vegetable oil on skin offers skin access to powerful sources of vitamins, essential fatty acids, and antioxidants that moisturize, nourish, and protect the skin, which partly increases the demand for vegetable oil in cosmetics. Story continues Further, a key trend in the cosmetic oil market is the shifting preference for vegetable oils over mineral oils in cosmetics products. This trend is most likely to spur the demand for vegetable oils from cosmetics products during the forecast period. This is mainly because the mineral oils are being extracted from a non-renewable resource, which is not sustainable and cannot be used indefinitely in cosmetic products as it damages the environment. Similarly, it is also claimed that mineral oil is impure and contains contaminants and even carcinogens. Because of such widespread protests against mineral oil, there was a shift towards using vegetable oils in cosmetic products instead. The Europe lipid ingredients market for cosmetics is segmented on the basis of source, application, and country. The study also evaluates industry competitors and analyses the market at a country level. Impact of Covid-19 on the lipid ingredients market for cosmetics The lipid ingredients market experienced a negative impact mainly due to the slow cosmetics sales, with a total lockdown in France, Italy, and Spain and strict restrictions in Germany and the U.K in 2020. Further, the lockdown in the first half of 2020 led to a decline in demand for certain categories of products as self-isolation and limited social interactions altered consumers' ordinary purchasing habits. The pandemic has had a profound impact on individuals, communities, and almost every industry. According to Cosmetic Europe, the cosmetic products sales in Europe decreased from USD 89.39 billion in 2019 to USD 87.61 billion in 2020. Also, the consequences of the pandemic will continue to influence the performance of the cosmetics market in the years to come. Hence, the decreasing cosmetic market ultimately restricts the demand for lipid ingredients in the region. The current expectation is that the sector slowly returns to growth as consumer expenditure on cosmetics recovers, new trends emerge, and the industry adapts to change and innovate. Speak to our Analysts to Understand the Impact of COVID-19 on Your Business: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/cp_id=5206 Key Findings in the Lipid Ingredients Market for Cosmetics Study: Based on source, the plants segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the Europe lipid ingredients market for cosmetics in 2021. The large share of this segment is mainly attributed to the rising demand for plant-based lipid ingredients in the cosmetics market, the growing need for organic and natural beauty products, and consumer demand for non-toxic and non-irritating cosmetics. Further, during the pandemic, there has been a significant rise in demand for skincare products, with more consumers becoming conscious about practicing self-care. Ultimately, there also has been a rise in demand for plant-based beauty and skincare products. All these factors are expected to boost the demand for plant oil in the European cosmetic industry. Based on the application, the skincare segment is expected to command the fast growth of the overall Europe lipid ingredients market during the forecast period. The fastest-growing CAGR of the segment is primarily due to the rising demand for skincare products with an increasing aging population, shift in consumer focus towards anti-aging skincare products and acne-reducing solutions, growing demand for natural/organic skincare products, and increasing demand for luxury skincare products. Furthermore, rising skin problems due to the increasing pollution, hormonal imbalances, genetic disorders, and other factors fuel the demand for skincare products in the region. Based on country, Germany is estimated to account for the largest share of the overall Europe cosmetic lipid ingredients market in 2021. This countrys prominent position in this market is primarily attributed to the largest consumer market for cosmetics in Europe and major production centers of conventional and natural cosmetics. For instance, Beiersdorf is the most important cosmetics company. Important natural and organic cosmetics companies include Lavera, Logona (LOreal), Dr. Hauschka, and Primavera Life. The Swiss natural cosmetics company Weleda also has a manufacturing facility in Germany. Quick Buy Lipid Ingredients Market for Cosmetics Market Research Report: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/Checkout/58769287 Key Players Some of the most important cosmetics companies operating in Europe are LOreal S.A. (France), Unilever PLC (U.K.), The Procter & Gamble Company (U.S.), Beiersdorf AG (Germany), Coty Inc. (U.S.) Avon Products, Inc (Subsidiaries of Natura & Co, Holding S.A.) (U.K.), The Estee Lauder Companies Inc. (U.S.), Revlon Inc. (U.S.), Shiseido Company, Limited (Japan), Colgate-Palmolive Company (U.S.), Johnson & Johnson (U.S.), Kao Corporation (Japan), L'Occitane International S.A. (France), LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (France), and Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (U.S.). Important natural and ethical cosmetics companies are Weleda (Switzerland), Neals Yard Remedies (U.K.), Lea Nature (France), Lush (U.K.), Yves Rocher (France), and The Body Shop (U.K.) among others. The key players operating in the Europe lipid ingredients market for cosmetics are KONINKLIJKE DSM N.V./DSM (Netherlands), Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (U.S.), Stepan Company (U.S.), Cargill Incorporated (U.S.), BASF SE (Germany), Croda International PLC (U.K.), Merck Group (Germany), NOF Europe GmbH (Subsidiary of NOF Corporation) (Japan), Neptune Wellness Solutions, Inc. (Canada), ABITEC Corporation (U.S.), Lipoid GmbH (Germany), Polaris (France), Sonic Biochem Extraction Pvt Ltd. (India), Nordic Naturals Inc. (U.S.), and Solutex GC Sl (Spain), among others. To gain more insights into the market with a detailed table of content and figures, click here: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/europe-lipid-ingredients-market-for-cosmetics-5206 Scope of the report Lipid Ingredients Market for Cosmetics, by Source/Type Plants Vegetable Oil Nuts Oil Fruit Seeds Other Plant-sourced Lipid Ingredients Animals Fish Oil Other Animal-sourced Lipid Ingredients Novel Lipid Sources Microalgae Insects Lipid Ingredients Market for Cosmetics, by Application Skincare products Haircare products Others Lipid Ingredients Market for Cosmetics, by Country Germany France U.K. The Netherlands Belgium Poland Norway Sweden Denmark Austria Finland Switzerland Czech Republic The Baltic countries Rest of Europe Download Free Sample Report Now @ https://www.meticulousresearch.com/download-sample-report/cp_id=5206 Amidst this crisis, Meticulous Research is continuously assessing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on various sub-markets and enables global organizations to strategize for the post-COVID-19 world and sustain their growth. Let us know if you would like to assess the impact of COVID-19 on any industry here- https://www.meticulousresearch.com/custom-research Related Reports: European Fragrances Microencapsulation Market for Home and Personal Care Products by Technology/Method [Physico-Mechanical (Spray Drying, Coextrusion); Physico-Chemical; Chemical] Application (Home care and Personal Care); and Geography -Forecast to 2027 https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/european-fragrances-microencapsulation-market-5144 Chlorella Market by Technology (Open Pond), by Product Type (Extract, Capsules) by Source (Chlorella Vulgaris, Chlorella Pyrenoidosa or Sorokiniana) by Application (Nutraceutical, Food and Beverages, Animal Feed), Geography - Global Forecast to 2028 https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/chlorella-market-5162 Spirulina Market by Distribution Channel (Consumer Channel, Business Channel), Product Type (Powder, Tablets, Capsules, Flakes, Phycocyanin Extract), Application (Nutraceuticals, Food and Beverages, Agriculture, Animal Feed) - Global Forecast to 2028 https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/spirulina-market-5070 Edible Insects Market by Product (Whole Insect, Insect Powder, Insect Meal, Insect Oil) Insect Type (Crickets, Black Soldier Fly, Mealworms), Application (Animal Feed, Protein Bar and Shakes, Bakery, Confectionery, Beverages) - Global Forecast to 2027 https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/edible-insects-market-5156 Black Soldier Fly Market by Product (Protein Meals, Biofertilizers {Frass}, Chitin/ Chitosan, Others {Cocoons, Pupa}), Application (Animal Feed, Agriculture, Pet Food, Pharmaceutical, Cosmetic, Biofuel), and Geography Global Forecast to 2030 https://www.meticulousresearch.com/product/black-soldier-fly-market-5074 About Meticulous Research Meticulous Research was founded in 2010 and incorporated as Meticulous Market Research Pvt. Ltd. in 2013 as a private limited company under the Companies Act, 1956. Since its incorporation, the company has become the leading provider of premium market intelligence in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. The name of our company defines our services, strengths, and values. Since the inception, we have only thrived to research, analyze, and present the critical market data with great attention to details. With the meticulous primary and secondary research techniques, we have built strong capabilities in data collection, interpretation, and analysis of data including qualitative and quantitative research with the finest team of analysts. We design our meticulously analyzed intelligent and value-driven syndicate market research reports, custom studies, quick turnaround research, and consulting solutions to address business challenges of sustainable growth. Contact: Mr. Khushal Bombe Meticulous Market Research Inc. 1267 Willis St, Ste 200 Redding, California, 96001, U.S. USA: +1-646-781-8004 Europe : +44-203-868-8738 APAC: +91 744-7780008 Email- sales@meticulousresearch.com Visit Our Website: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/ Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/meticulous-research Content Source: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/pressrelease/425/europe-lipid-ingredients-market-for-cosmetics-2028 CONTACT: Mr. Khushal Bombe Meticulous Research Direct Lines: +1-646-781-8004 (North America) +44-203-868-8738 (Europe) +91 744-7780008 (Asia-Pacific) Email- sales@meticulousresearch.com Visit Our Website: https://www.meticulousresearch.com/ Meticulous Research Blog: https://meticulousblog.org/ Connect with us on LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/company/meticulous-research Nebraska recorded the nations fifth-highest percentage increase in COVID-19 cases last week, part of a surge of infections occurring in the upper Great Plains. For the week ending Wednesday, the state recorded 5,104 new cases, up from 4,177 the previous week, according to a World-Herald analysis of federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. That tally marked the second straight week of increased cases for the state, following weeks of flat and slightly falling cases. Also last week, families began lining up for the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, days after it cleared the last federal regulatory hurdle for emergency use on Tuesday. Adding the nations 28 million children including 186,000 in Nebraska to the list of those eligible to get the shots has been hailed by medical experts as another way of slowing the pandemic. Nebraskas case growth over the past week and the past two weeks both rank fifth-highest in the country. Minnesota ranks second for both of those time periods; Iowa is 10th. All of the states in the upper Great Plains, including the Dakotas, now rank in the top 20 nationally in weekly per-capita cases. Per-capita cases in Nebraska are running about 65% higher than the U.S. average. Nationally, cases were up 5% last week the first weekly increase in the United States after two months of falling cases. Increases in the upper Great Plains and some Western states, including Colorado, California and New Mexico, appear to be offsetting ongoing declines in some Southern states hit hard by the delta variant over the summer. Another sign that the pandemic has not yet been brought to heel: An average of 400 Nebraskans were hospitalized with COVID-19 during the past week, up from 386 the previous week. That is at or close to 10% of the states staffed beds a number the state has used as a trigger for how much data it releases on its public dashboard and how often. Gov. Pete Ricketts on Monday announced that the state would reinstitute daily updates of the states hospital capacity dashboard. Ricketts said the state would not, however, place any limits on elective surgeries, as it did earlier in the fall when hospitalizations topped the 10% threshold. Nebraska Medicine, Methodist Health System and Lincolns Bryan Health continue to limit elective surgeries, as they have throughout much of the fall. Bryan staff is performing only those elective surgeries that require an overnight stay or less and those that do not require an ICU stay. Hospitalizations for COVID-19 have been stuck above 370 a day since early September, with a peak so far this fall of 448 on Sept. 20, according to the state dashboard. That persistently high number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, coming on top of regular care and a backlog of pandemic-delayed treatments, have continued to strain the states hospitals. According to data the state supplied to health care officials last week, Nebraska on Wednesday had 136 COVID-19 patients in intensive care units statewide. That was the highest number so far this year. The majority of people hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated. Meanwhile, the percentage of Nebraskans who are fully vaccinated continues to slowly climb. Nebraska administered nearly 53,000 vaccinations last week, including 40,000 booster doses. Some 56.5% of all Nebraskans now are fully vaccinated, up from 56.2% a week ago. However, thats still below the 58.4% national rate and ranks 24th among states. Nebraska does rank well above average in delivery of boosters. Some 16% of Nebraskans have received the additional shots, which ranks 13th among states. In addition, 36% of the vulnerable 65 and older population have received boosters, ranking 16th. The state reported 26 additional deaths last week, down from 37 the week before. That brings the states total to 3,001, according to CDC data. The state, according to its dashboard, has recorded 290,794 cases of COVID-19 during the course of the pandemic. World-Herald Staff Writer Sara Gentzler contributed to this report. SIOUX CITY -- The Siouxland Humane Society will host its annual Paws 'N Claus fundraiser, that features professional family photographs, with or without Santa and with or without pets. A fundraiser to support homeless and often neglected animals in Siouxland, Paws 'N Claus will be at 823 Gordon Drive from Nov. 17 - 21. Sittings will feature a beautiful background with a holiday theme. Appointments can be made at siouxlandhumanesociety.org. In addition, pet toys, raffle tickets, shirts and hand-dipped decorated dog biscuits will be available for purchase. Established in 1889, the Siouxland Humane Society is a nonprofit organization solely supported by private donations. Money raised by Paws 'N Claus will go directly to care for the thousands of homeless, neglected and abused animals it helps each year. 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. SIOUX CITY -- The Sioux City Council, by approving its consent agenda Monday, green-lighted an agreement with a local electrical contractor to provide and install security cameras at four city parking ramps in effort to curb crime. "I think the write-up is accurate from staff that there isn't a great problem, but there's also a perception of having ongoing safety. I think this council has always put public safety first and foremost on just about every decision we make," Mayor Pro Tem Dan Moore said during the council comments portion of the meeting. Bid notices were sent to five vendors who can provide Avigilon security cameras for Discovery, Heritage, Rivers Landing and Martin Luther King, Jr. parking ramps. Thompson Electric Company submitted the low bid of $87,415.66. Public Works Director Dave Carney told The Journal Friday the ramps are safe, and he described the recent crimes that have occurred as minor, with the worst being drilling into gas tanks and stealing gas. Sioux City Community Policing Sgt. Jeremy McClure told The Journal that concerns about criminal activity have specifically been raised about Rivers Landing, 419 Douglas St. Moore said a growing number of people are using the ramps, because they're finding that they are "convenient, inexpensive and available." "I think it's important that we add to the perception that the safety is there for our users of the parking ramps," he said. "Cameras and lighting will go a long way." Dispatchers fielded 23 criminal-type calls for service at Rivers Landing between Jan. 1 and Oct. 12, according to data provided by the Sioux City Police Department. The data shows that 13 actual crimes occurred at the ramp during that time period -- one burglary, one drug possession, seven thefts from vehicles and four criminal mischief incidents. McClure said most of the crimes that have occurred at Rivers Landing are crimes of opportunity, such as thefts of purses, bags or wallets left in plain view inside of vehicles. Installing an Avigilon system will allow the new cameras to be compatible with existing cameras installed in other city facilities. Carney said the cameras will record the "comings and goings" at the ramps' entrances, but noted that an individual won't be monitoring the system in real time. 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. MADISON, Wis. (AP) A former CIA officer and daughter of a former congressman is joining the Democratic primary for a western Wisconsin congressional seat that's expected to be one of the hardest-fought races in the country next year. Wisconsin Public Radio reported that Deb McGrath, from Menomonie, announced her candidacy on Tuesday. She is seeking to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Ron Kind. Other Democrats already in the race are state Sen. Brad Pfaff, of Onalaska, Eau Claire business owner Rebecca Cooke and U.S. Navy veteran Brett Knudsen. They will square off in the Aug. 9 primary. Kind endorsed Pfaff, who formerly worked for Kind. Republican Derrick Van Orden is running for the district again after being narrowly defeated by Kind in 2020. Former President Donald Trump backs Van Orden. Republicans have targeted the race as one they can flip next year, especially under newly proposed maps that would make the district more favorable to the GOP. McGrath worked in national security positions for 25 years in both the CIA and the Department of State. She also served as a captain in the U.S. Army. Her father, Al Baldus, represented the district from 1975 to 1981 in Congress. If elected, McGrath would be the first woman to represent the district. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Wisconsin Public Radio. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Many Kansas families would save hundreds of dollars a year under a proposal Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly outlined Monday to eliminate the state's unusually high sales tax on groceries. Kelly's proposal, which would save consumers roughly $450 million a year, comes at a time when the state is flush with cash, thanks to tax collections that have exceeded expectations for months. But if a measure reducing or eliminating the tax passes the Republican-controlled Legislature, she'll face a partisan fight over credit as she seeks reelection next year. The governor unveiled her proposal three days after GOP Attorney General Derek Schmidt called on lawmakers to cut or eliminate the 6.5% tax. Schmidt didn't make a specific proposal but told top Republicans in a letter Friday that he is ready to assist them in passing a measure. Kelly made reducing or eliminating the sales tax on groceries a key campaign promise during the governor's race in 2018. She said she's waited until now to push the issue to be sure that the state's finances are stable enough to sustain the tax relief into the future. Tax collections have run 18.9% ahead of expectations from July 1 through Oct. 31 and generated a surplus of $440 million. We can deliver this for families without diverting resources from other state services or agencies, Kelly said. Kelly announced her proposal during a news conference in the produce section of a Dillons grocery store in north Topeka, as curious shoppers looked on. She held up an axe to symbolize her push to axe the tax on groceries and wore an axe pin on her lapel. The proposal would save consumers $6.50 for every $100 spent on groceries. A family that spends an average of $200 a week on groceries would save $676 over a year. Kansas is one of only 13 states with a sales tax on groceries and one of only six that taxes groceries at the same rate as other consumer goods, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators. Kansas' rate of 6.5% is second only to Mississippi's 7%. Eliminating the sales tax on groceries can immediately benefit all Kansans, and it will provide the greatest help to those in greatest need, Schmidt said in his letter to GOP legislative leaders, echoing an argument that lawmakers in both parties have made for more than two decades. Cutting or eliminating the tax is likely to have widespread appeal to consumer-voters. I work hard and I try to eat the right foods and try to eat healthy, said Karen Thornwall, a part-time instructor at Washburn University and substitute teacher in Topeka. A lot of people will say they cant afford to buy even the healthy foods because its expensive but a lot of it is the tax that we pay on the food as well. But the Legislature's debate next year will likely be clouded by election-year politics. Republican lawmakers included proposals for modest reductions in the sales tax on groceries in two tax-cutting bills they approved in 2019, but they tied their proposals to income tax cuts that Kelly called fiscally reckless. She vetoed both bills. They always play politics with it, said House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, who advocated eliminating the sales tax on groceries during his unsuccessful run for governor in 1998. Republicans hope to persuade swing voters that Kelly couldn't deliver on her 2018 promise and that a measure wouldn't pass without Schmidt intervening. Indeed, Schmidt's campaign posted on social media ahead of Kelly's event Monday that, "We need a governor who will get the job done for Kansas families. 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. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Advocates for people with disabilities gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday to protest what they say is the eroding quality of home care services under Pennsylvania's new managed care system, problems being accelerated by the pandemic. Part of the problem, they say, is the increased difficulty in getting direct care workers and the need to pay them more through the state's Medicaid reimbursement system. Gov. Tom Wolf's administration and lawmakers, they say, should use federal dollars approved by Congress, as well as higher federal reimbursement rates, to boost wages for direct care workers. They have new possibilities for using this money in ways that are effective, said Shona Eakin, CEO of Voices for Independence, an Erie-based home care services provider. Wolf's administration is awaiting approval from the federal government on its plan to use a higher Medicaid reimbursement rate for home-based care under the American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden in March. The plan for the money includes increasing reimbursement rates and direct care worker wages while the money lasts, Wolf's administration said. While the administration was unable to give details about the boost in the pay, the administration wants to use state dollars to make the increases permanent, said Jamie Buchenauer, a deputy secretary for long-term living in Wolf's Department of Human Services. Buchenauer could not immediately say how much money that might require, although it would require approval by lawmakers. Low pay and high turnover have long been the reality for the ranks of direct care workers in home care settings and nursing homes. But finding direct care workers is harder now because of the pandemic, they say. The average home care worker makes $12 an hour, and many direct care workers took a break during the pandemic and never returned, Eakin said. Eakin's workforce went from 1,069 before the pandemic to 763 now, while her overtime costs shot up from $227,000 in 2019 to $573,000 this year to care for about 800 people, she said. Overtime costs aren't reimbursed by Medicaid, and neither is personal protective equipment, paid days off or double-time pay on holidays, Eakin said. Meanwhile, direct care workers are so hard to find that Eakin has had to turn away 40% of the people who contact her agency seeking home care services, she said. Wolfs administration, over the past few years, put home care services for tens of thousands of elderly and disabled under managed care contractors in an effort to save money. The plan involved moving thousands of people back into their homes and out of the more expensive settings of nursing homes. But people trying to transition out of nursing homes are enduring months-long waits for a home care worker to be found and assigned to them, advocates for the disabled say. Others are seeing their hours of home care being cut by managed care companies that are now running the program under contract with the state, they say. Wolfs Department of Human Services said that 90% of people in the program are receiving the same level of services or more after they were assessed, which managed care organizations are required to do annually. The department said reviews by its Office of Long-Term Living has generally found that service reductions were appropriate and not a risk to health and safety. Lauren Alden, a manager with Liberty Resources, a Philadelphia-based center for independent living, said the organization is finding legal help for clients who are seeing care hours cut back, and trying to help them appeal. We've seen drastic cuts, and these are folks who have not had any changes in need, Alden said. The community-based program was designed to get people out of institutional care and back into homes, but cutting direct care hours could have the opposite effect, Eakin said. How long before someone buckles and says, I have to get cared for, Eakin said. Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter. 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 suspected Ukrainian hacker has been arrested and charged in the United States in connection with a string of costly ransomware attacks, including one that snarled businesses around the globe on the Fourth of July weekend, U.S. officials said Monday. Yaroslav Vasinskyi was arrested last month after traveling to Poland, according to the Justice Department, which also announced the recovery of $6.1 million in ill-gotten funds from a Russian national who was separately charged and remains sought by the FBI. Both men are alleged to be affiliated with the prolific Russia-based REvil ransomware gang, whose attacks have compromised tens of thousands of computers worldwide and yielded at least $200 million in ransom payments, said Attorney General Merrick Garland. Victims have included the world's largest meat processor, JBS SA, and a technology company called Kaseya, which was hit in a holiday weekend attack last July that the company said affected between 800 and 1,500 businesses that relied on its software. The coordination of multiple agencies across the Biden administration amounted to perhaps the most high-profile response yet to a blitz of ransomware attacks that officials say continues to threaten national security and the economy. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco appeared to foreshadow Monday's announcement in an interview with The Associated Press last week, saying that in the days and weeks to come, youre going to see more arrests" as well as more seizures of illicit ransomware proceeds. Speaking at a news conference Monday, she said, We have been using every tool at our disposal and leveraging every authority we have to hunt down and hold accountable cybercriminals wherever they seek to hide." The indictment accuses Vasinskyi, 22, of deploying REvil ransomware, also known as Sodinokibi, a broad range of victims including the massive Kaseya attack. Yevgeniy Polyanin, a Russian national, is charged in a separate indictment. He's accused of conducting roughly 3,000 ransomware attacks on companies and entities across the U.S., including law enforcement agencies and local governments in the state of Texas. Both indictments were filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, a state where REvil ransomware compromised the computer networks of some two dozen local government agencies in the summer of 2019. The U.S. is seeking Vasinskyi's extradition from Poland. Though it successfully seized $6 million in ransomware payments from Polyanin, the FBI is continuing to seek his arrest, and the State Department on Monday announced a $10 million reward for anyone with information leading to the capture of any leaders of the REvil group. The Treasury Department, meanwhile, announced sanctions against the pair as well as a virtual currency exchange, Chatex, that it said was used to facilitate financial transactions for ransomware gangs. President Joe Biden commended the government's actions, saying he was making good on his commitment to Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the U.S. would hold cyber criminals accountable. He said in a statement that the U.S. was bringing the full strength of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors and to bolster resilience at home. The announcement of the criminal charges came hours after European law enforcement officials revealed the results of a lengthy, 17-nation operation. As part of that operation, Europol said, a total of seven hackers linked to REvil and another ransomware family have been arrested since February, including two last week by Romanian authorities. The Justice Department has tried multiple ways to address a ransomware scourge that has exploded over the last year with attacks against critical infrastructure and major corporations. Arrests of foreign hackers are significant for the Justice Department, and rare, since many of them operate in the refuge of countries that do not extradite their own citizens to the U.S. for prosecution. Theres lots of reasons why people travel, and I cant get into the specific reasons why Mr. Vasinskyi traveled, but boy are we glad he did, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Monday. Even so, ransomware attacks in which hackers seize and encrypt data and demand often-exorbitant sums to release it to victims have been hard to curb. Monaco told the AP last week that since Biden's admonitions to Putin last summer to rein in ransomware gangs, we have not seen a material change in the landscape. Garland did not answer directly when asked if there was evidence that the Russian government was aware of REvil's activities, but said, we expect and hope that any government in which one of these ransomware actors is residing will do everything it can to provide that person to us for prosecution. The $6.1 million seizure in this case builds on a similar success from months ago. Federal authorities in June seized $2.3 million in cryptocurrency from a payment made by Colonial Pipeline following a ransomware attack that caused the company to temporarily halt operations, creating fuel shortages in parts of the country. Justice Department officials also used Monday's news conference to urge Congress to create a national standard for the reporting of significant cyber incidents, and to require that that information be shared immediately with federal law enforcement. Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. 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 WASHINGTON (AP) A suspected Ukrainian hacker has been arrested and charged in the United States in connection with a string of costly ransomware attacks, including one that snarled businesses around the globe on the Fourth of July weekend, U.S. officials said Monday. WASHINGTON (AP) The United States and Egypt put a brave face on strains in their relationship on Monday amid domestic Egyptian developments and regional crises that are testing long-standing ties between the countries. With Egypts human rights record posing a significant irritant that has resulted in the withholding of some U.S. military aid and flashpoint situations in Egyptian neighbors Ethiopia and Sudan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry opened two days of strategic talks in Washington. Aside from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi's government's treatment of dissidents, the Biden administration is wary of the Egyptian role in Sudan, where a coup toppled the civilian-led government two weeks ago. And, the U.S. remains concerned about Cairo's approach to a long-running dispute over a proposed Nile dam project in Ethiopia, which is also beset with political turmoil and a growing rebellion. Both Blinken and Shoukry hailed the decades-old U.S.-Egypt relationship, but only Blinken raised the points of regional contention, pledging that the Biden administration is committed to resolving them. Egypt pointedly did not sign on to a joint statement with the U.S., Britain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates calling on the Sudanese military to restore the civilian-led government, but Blinken said the U.S. and Egypt have a shared interest in getting (Sudan's) democratic transition back on track. The military takeover that began on Oct. 25, has been dangerously destabilizing, he said. A restoration of the civilian-led transitional government is the only path to facilitating the aspirations of the Sudanese people who have demonstrated remarkable bravery in repeatedly coming out in demand for democracy. Egypt is suspected by some Sudanese opposition leaders as having given a greenlight for the Sudan's military leader, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, to oust Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. But Shoukry did not mention Sudan in his comments. Blinken also spoke of deteriorating conditions in Ethiopia, where a yearlong war between the government and ethnic Tigrayans is intensifying with a rebel approach on the capital. He said the situation has a direct bearing on both Egyptian and U.S. national security interests. The crisis in Ethiopia also puts the stability of the Horn of Africa at risk," Blinken said. We continue to engage with all parties to the conflict and with partners in the region to encourage peace negotiations without preconditions in pursuit of a ceasefire. He added that despite the tumult, the U.S. continues to support a negotiated agreement to the dispute between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that addresses the interests of all parties. Egypt has long feared the project will severely impact the flow of Nile waters key to agriculture. Blinken praised Egypt for its work to try to help stabilize Libya, which has been in the midst of chaos and internal unrest for years made complicated by the presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries acting on behalf of Russia, Turkey and Gulf Arab states. On human rights, Blinken said the administration welcomed the launch of an Egyptian national human rights strategy but said the effort would be judged by its results. Making tangible and lasting improvements on human rights is essential to strengthening our bilateral relationship and the United States will continue to support those efforts however we can, he said. The U.S. has complained about Egypts human rights record for years and the Biden administration has withheld $130 million in military aid to the country pending improvements. Shoukry's remarks appeared to acknowledge Egypt's understanding of the concern. ""We also believe that human rights are an interdependent whole, which necessitates that we dedicate equal attention to political rights and civil liberties and economic and social rights," he said. This is an evolutionary process unique to each country, one that reflects and takes into consideration its social specificities, developmental realities, religious background, and cultural characteristics, he said. He added that the new strategy, along with al-Sissi's revocation of a long-standing nationwide state of emergency last month are irrefutable evidence of our determination and resolve to continue to forge our path towards a modern democratic state and for the benefit of our citizens first and foremost. 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 HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Pennsylvania school districts will be allowed to modify or end the mask mandate for K-12 students in January, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday, saying it is time to prepare for a transition back to a more normal setting. The Democratic governor said that, on Jan. 17, he expects to turn over decisions about masking to local school officials. The state's universal masking requirement for early learning programs and child care facilities will remain in place. The Wolf administration imposed a statewide mandate in early September amid a surge in infections and hospitalizations from the highly contagious delta variant of the coronavirus. The order from acting Health Secretary Alison Beam required that students, staff and visitors at K-12 schools and child care facilities wear masks while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. The mandate sparked a fierce backlash among some parents, and two lawsuits seeking to overturn it are pending. The decision to end the statewide masking order comes days after federal officials approved the COVID-19 vaccine for younger children. Now, we are in a different place than we were in September, and it is time to prepare for a transition back to a more normal setting, Wolf said in a statement released by his office. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus is now a part of our daily lives, but with the knowledge weve gained over the past 20 months and critical tools like the vaccine at our disposal, we must take the next step forward in our recovery. The administration did not indicate whether changing public health conditions might stop Wolf from ceding decision-making authority on masking to school districts. We will continue to monitor trends to ensure that students, faculty and staff continue to learn and work in person in a safe environment, Wolf press secretary Beth Rementer said in an email. In a note to school districts, Education Secretary Noe Ortega said Monday his department will provide clarifying guidance in the coming weeks. House Education Chair Curt Sonney, R-Erie, said that Wolf's decision was about time." House Republican caucus spokesperson Jason Gottesman said local choice on masks should be allowed right away, adding that local decision-making had been contentious but productive before the mandate was imposed. The decision today would have the unfortunate impact of forcing these local elected leaders, many of whom are newly elected, into the trying circumstance of relitigating these already-made decisions, Gottesman said. Leonard Rich, superintendent of Laurel School District in Lawrence County, said his district will make masking optional as soon as the statewide mandate is lifted. He said coronavirus cases in his small district have remained low even though mask-wearing has been spotty among students. I think schools will shed these mandates rather quickly, and I think that Jan. 17 is about five months too late to return it to a local decision, he said. Wolf had previously vowed that masking would remain a local decision, but reversed course in late summer. He said then that a universal, statewide order was warranted after nearly 90% of the states 500 districts did not impose their own mask requirement for schools. Two pending lawsuits assert the Wolf administration had no legal right to impose the mask mandate. The plaintiffs among them the top leader of the state Senate, President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre include parents who contend that masks interfere with their childrens breathing and cause other problems. Pennsylvanias Commonwealth Court heard arguments in the suits last month but has yet to rule. Despite many Republican state lawmakers being opposed to the mask mandate, the GOP-majority Legislature has not approved legislation to overturn it. Schools are largely back to offering in-person instruction. Despite the universal masking order, more school-aged children are being infected with the coronavirus this academic year than last, when many schools were teaching remotely or using a hybrid model. Nearly 5,000 children ages 5-18 contracted the virus in the week ending Nov. 2, nearly three times as many as in the same week in 2020, according to the state Health Department. A major teachers union, AFT Pennsylvania, said it was concerned that most districts would quickly abandon masking. Although highly populous school districts like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Allentown had intended to require students to wear masks when the statewide order came down in August, they were among a small minority. We are so close to being out of the woods; sending the decision back to irresponsible, politically motivated school boards will only further lengthen this pandemic and put our kids and educators and their families at risk, said Arthur G. Steinberg, president of AFT Pennsylvania. But the states largest school employees union, the Pennsylvania School Employees Association, said Wolfs announcement was consistent with its view that districts should follow the advice of medical experts. PSEA spokesperson Chris Lilienthal said it makes sense to start planning for a return to greater normalcy, given recent declines in COVID-19 cases among school-aged children and the availability of vaccines. Kaylyn Mitchell, outgoing president of the Quakertown Community School Board outside Philadelphia, said the statewide masking order had created needless division in school districts. Mitchell, an independent who occasionally switches party registration to vote in Democratic primaries, said she knows parents of all political stripes who were concerned about the long-term impact of masking on their children. Beams masking order said school officials who do not enforce it may face criminal penalties and could lose immunity from civil lawsuits. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. SEATTLE (AP) A metallurgist in Washington state pleaded guilty to fraud Monday after she spent decades faking the results of strength tests on steel that was being used to make U.S. Navy submarines. UPPER NYACK, N.Y. (AP) A leading art historian diagnosed with Alzheimers disease was found dead by police in the woods of Nyack Beach State park on Monday after having gone missing on Nov. 3. Neighbors, residents and police had been searching for Richard Kendall, 75, after he went missing from his home in Nyack, the Journal News reported. Orangetown Captain James Brown said Kendall's body was found around 4:30 p.m. on Monday. He thanked everyone that had participated in the search. A statewide Silver Alert had been issued for him. Police said they were investigating the death but did not consider it suspicious. Kendall was a specialist in the impressionist movement and an expert on French artist Edgar Degas, most famous for his paintings of ballet dancers. He published multiple books on the movement with Yale University Press, according to its website. He had served as curator-at-large at Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts, and had worked on exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as well as the Tate Gallery and the National Gallery in England, the newspaper reported. Multiple other local, county and state agencies had participated in the search for Kendall. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Journal News. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Tuesday to allow boosters of its COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 or older, a step that comes amid concern about increased spread of the coronavirus with holiday travel and gatherings. Older Americans and other groups particularly vulnerable to the virus have had access to a third dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine since September. But the Food and Drug Administration has said it would move quickly to expand boosters to younger ages if warranted. Pfizer is submitting early results of a booster study in 10,000 people to make its case that it's time to further expand the booster campaign. While all three vaccines used in the U.S. continue to offer strong protection against severe COVID-19 illness and death, the shots' effectiveness against milder infection can wane over time. Pfizer's new study concluded a booster could restore protection against symptomatic infection to nearly 96%, even as the extra-contagious delta variant was surging. Side effects were similar to those seen with the company's first two shots. A median of 11 months after their last Pfizer vaccination, trial participants were given either a third dose or a dummy shot. Researchers tracked any infections that occurred at least a week later, and so far have counted five cases of symptomatic COVID-19 among booster recipients compared to 109 cases among people who got dummy shots. The Biden administration had originally envisioned boosters for all adults, but faced a stinging setback in September when the FDA's scientific advisers rejected extra Pfizer doses for everyone. The panel wasn't convinced that young healthy people needed another dose, particularly when most of the world's population remains unvaccinated. Still, under today's policies about 2 of every 3 vaccinated adults is expected to qualify within the next few months and many who don't nonetheless can score an extra shot because most vaccine providers don't check qualifications. The current rules: People who initially received Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations are eligible for a booster six months later if they're 65 or older, or are at high risk of COVID-19 because of underlying health problems or their job or living conditions. Because the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine hasn't proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&J recipient can get a booster at least two months later. And regardless of the initial vaccination, the U.S. has cleared getting a booster of a different company's vaccine, what's called mixing and matching. If the FDA authorizes Pfizer boosters for all adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then will make recommendations for how to use them. Globally, boosters also are a hodge-podge. Some countries restrict them to older or medically fragile people while others have few restrictions. Israel, for example, has authorized Pfizer boosters for anyone 12 and older. Read the full story: ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. ___ UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. humanitarian chief urged Myanmars military leaders on Monday to provide unimpeded access to the more than 3 million people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance since government forces seized power on Feb. 1 because of growing conflict and insecurity, COVID-19 and a failing economy. Martin Griffiths warned that without an end to violence and a peaceful resolution of Myanmars crisis, this number will only rise. He also urged donors to respond to the U.N. appeal, saying less than half of the $385 million required has been raised since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Monday was the first anniversary of the 2020 elections in Myanmar, which were deemed free and fair by domestic and international observers, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. They were won by Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party with approximately 80% of the elected seats in the upper and lower houses of Parliament. The military rejects the results, claiming the vote was fraudulent. The United Nations reiterates its call on the military to respect the will of the people and put the country back on track to democratic transition, Dujarric said, stressing that the U.N. remains gravely concerned about the intensifying violence in Myanmar and again urges unimpeded humanitarian access. Griffiths statement was issued as members of the U.N. Security Council held a closed-door meeting on Myanmar requested by the United Kingdom. Diplomats said Russia and China objected to a proposed press statement that would express concern at recent violence including air strikes and reaffirm the council's support for the country's democratic transition, but discussions were continuing. UK deputy ambassador James Kariuki told reporters before heading into the meeting that Britain is particularly concerned about the buildup of military action in northwest Chin state, and we are concerned that this rather mirrors the activity we saw four years ago ahead of the atrocities that were committed in Rakhine against the Rohingya Muslim minority. So, were very keen to make sure the council is focused, and the military know that were watching, he said. Since Suu Kyis ouster, Myanmar has been wracked by unrest, with peaceful demonstrations against the ruling generals morphing first into a low-level insurgency in many urban areas after security forces used deadly force and then into more serious combat in rural areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been engaging in heavy clashes with government troops. On Sept. 7, the National Unity Government, the main underground group coordinating resistance to the military which was established by elected legislators who had been barred from taking their seats when the military seized power, called for a nationwide uprising. Its Peoples Defense Forces operate in many areas and have received training and weapons from some armed ethnic groups. Christine Schraner Burgener told The Associated Press shortly before her 3 year term as the U.N. special envoy for Myanmar ended on Oct. 31 that civil war has spread throughout the country. She said the U.N. has heard that many soldiers are on the ground conducting clearing operations in Chin state, and reminded the world that the militarys clearing operation in Rakhine state in 2017 saw villages burned down, widespread rapes and more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Griffiths also called the situation in the northwest extremely concerning, with an escalation in hostilities between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Chinland Defense Force in Chin state, and with the Peoples Defense Forces in Magway and Sagaing regions. More than 37,000 people, including women and children, have been newly displaced, and more than 160 homes have been burned, including churches and the offices of a humanitarian organization, Griffiths said. Attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian workers and facilities, are clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop immediately. Since Feb. 1, he said, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to violence across the country, and 223,000 people remain internally displaced. This includes 165,000 in the southeast of the country and is on top of a significant population of people who were already displaced in Rakhine, Chin, Shan and Kachin states prior to the takeover, Griffiths said. He noted that 144,000 Rohingya people are still confined to camps or living in camp-like settings in Rakhine, many since their displacement in 2012, and more than 105,000 people have been displaced in Kachin and Shan, many for years. The U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs said he is also increasingly concerned about reports of rising levels of food insecurity in and around urban areas, including in Yangon and Mandalay. 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 As the sun came up Saturday morning, Dave Baasch couldnt believe what he was seeing at the Crane Trust near Alda, Nebraska. Ahead of him in a field were 46 whooping cranes, one of the most endangered bird species in the world. It was the largest group ever documented in the United States outside of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, where they overwinter. This job is the love of my life, and Ill never see it again," said Baasch, the threatened and endangered species specialist for the Crane Trust. Thats a huge moment I will never forget. Those birds were part of an even larger group of 95 whooping cranes that have stopped during their migration south, more than ever before seen at one time in the area around the Platte River in central Nebraska. The Platte River Recovery Program counted the birds between Chapman and Nebraska 10 near the Audubon Rowe Sanctuary on one of the daily flights its been doing during migrations since 2001. Thats a really impressive number, Rowe Sanctuary Director Bill Taddicken said. Thats close to 20 percent of the population. There is only a little over 600 remaining. Usually, about 12 to 16 whooping cranes are spotted moving through central Nebraska from mid-October to early November. Theyre on their way from the Wood Buffalo National Park of Canada, where they nest, to Aransas. Taddicken said he isnt sure why there are so many more birds this fall. It just depends on the weather and all kinds of different things and what the birds like, he said. A reluctance to fly into a strong south wind may have kept them here, but he expects them to head out quickly as colder weather moves in from the north this week. Baasch thinks theyll all be gone by Tuesday. Taddicken said that in the mid-1950s, there were only about 15 whooping cranes left in the world. Lots of work has been done by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and others to protect them since then, he said. The National Audubon Society and Crane Trust have contributed by protecting the Platte River and the habitat surrounding it. A stretch from Lexington to Denman has been designated as critical habitat. Over the years, the USFWS has led efforts in protecting and studying the whooping cranes in an effort to bring them back from the brink of extinction, Taddicken said. Efforts continue today with river land protected and managed by conservation groups like Audubons Rowe Sanctuary, Crane Trust, the Nature Conservancy as well as the efforts of the Platte River Recovery Implementation Program. The more than a million sandhill cranes that come through in the spring are also winging their way south for the winter. Weve had both the last few days. They dont gather in big numbers in the fall, he said. They usually just stop for the night and move on. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) The trial of a Holdrege man charged with killing two men and seriously injuring another in 2019 is underway. The trial of 48-year-old Manuel Gomez began Tuesday in the south-central Nebraska town of Holdrege. Gomez's lawyers said earlier this year that they planned to rely on an insanity defense. Authorities have said Gomez shot and killed 65-year-old Raymond Burton and 54-year-old David Rogers in February 2019 at the Sunrise View Apartments in Holdrege. Prosecutors say he also shot and wounded his attorney at the time, Doyle Morse, at Morse's home. Gomez was found mentally unfit to stand trial in August 2019 after a mental evaluation. In April 2020, he was deemed restored to competency and ordered to stand trial. Gomez has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder, one count assault, three counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of being an habitual criminal. 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 RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) A Pennington County jury has awarded $42 million to a Rapid City woman after she was denied medical benefits from her previous employer and the employer's insurance company. United Parcel Service and Liberty Mutual were ordered to pay Fern Johnson $41 million in punitive damages and $1 million in compensatory damages in a verdict reached Friday. Johnson took a workers compensation claim to court following an injury on the job while working for UPS in 1996. A laparoscopy determined Johnson had a hernia and she underwent surgery. She stopped working for UPS in 1997 due to groin and back pain. Johnsons compensable medical expenses were paid for by the employer up until spring of 2010, at which point the appellants requested their attorney to review the case, the Rapid City Journal reported. UPS hired a neurologist to conduct an independent medical exam. Dr. Bruce Norback said that Johnsons employment at UPS was no longer a major contributing cause of her need for medical treatment related to her pain because she had not worked for UPS for 13 years, but still experienced worsening symptoms. A verdict awarding $45 million to Johnson was then reversed by the South Dakota Supreme Court and remanded back to circuit court for retrial, resulting in the second jury award. One of Johnson's attorneys, G. Verne Goodsell, said "the consistency of the two verdicts confirms that our community will not tolerate bad and reckless behavior by insurance companies who harm our citizens, particularly when the companies pocket the money for medical care that belongs to the injured worker. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Rapid City Journal. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 BANGKOK (AP) A court in Myanmar sentenced two members of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party to 90 years and 75 years in prison on Tuesday after finding them guilty of corruption, their lawyer said. The sentences appeared to be the most severe so far for any of the dozens of members of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy who were arrested after the military seized power on Feb. 1. Former Kayin state planning minister Than Naing was convicted by the state court of six corruption charges and given a 90-year prison term, including labor, lawyer Zaw Min Hlaing said. The second defendant, Nan Khin Htwe Myint, 67, the former chief minister of Kayin state and a top member of Suu Kyi's political party, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on each of five charges, Zaw Min Hlaing said. Suu Kyi is also being tried on corruption and other criminal charges that her supporters say were concocted to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power. Virtually any conviction would prevent her from running in elections that the military-installed government has promised to hold by 2023. Nan Khin Htwe Myin, a member of the partys Central Executive Committee, is a veteran pro-democracy activist who was first arrested in 1974 during a student protest under a previous military government. She was arrested at least two more times before she won election to the state parliament in 2012 and 2015, after which she was appointed state minister. She is known for being a close colleague of Suu Kyi. She was detained by soldiers on Feb. 2 and placed under house arrest, where she made a livestreamed broadcast calling for civil disobedience against the army takeover. She was then arrested on Feb. 8. Myanmar has been mired in violence and civil unrest since the military seized power. Protesters against the takeover who faced beatings, shootings and arrests have turned increasingly to armed resistance, and insurgents are active in many parts of the country. One of Nan Khin Htwe Myin's corruption charges involved alleged misappropriation of state funds for medical treatment after she was injured in a car accident in 2017. In four other cases she and codefendant Than Naing were accused of malfeasance and mishandling funds. Both had already been convicted of inciting unrest after the army takeover and received two-year prison terms. Nang Khin Htwe Myint is in good health at a prison in Hpa-an, the capital of Kayin state, but has lost some weight, her lawyer said. The chief minister sent the message to the people to always to be united, to try together to bring forth a democratic federal union and to participate together in overcoming the evils of the military, the lawyer 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 MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) A day after questioned elections, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government on Monday set about painting as a historic democratic victory what many of the world's democracies condemned as a sham. Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council said that with nearly all the ballots counted, Ortega had won more than 75% of the vote. The outcome was never in doubt after his government jailed seven of the leading potential opposition candidates, clearing the field for Ortega to sweep to a fourth consecutive five-year term. With all government institutions firmly within Ortega's grasp and the opposition exiled, jailed or in hiding, the 75-year-old leader eroded what hope remained the country could soon return to a democratic path. Instead, he appeared poised to test the international community's resolve and continue thumbing his nose at their targeted sanctions and statements of disapproval. Ortega and Vice President and first lady Rosario Murillo celebrated the election results in Managua's Revolution Plaza later Monday, with Ortega unleashing a torrent of abuse on the European Union, which said in a statement earlier that the elections lacked legitimacy. The European Union has a parliament whose majority are fascists, Nazis," Ortega said. The fascist little brothers of Hitler that are governing there, now want to form a a fascist international in our Americas. Ortega also spewed abuse at the United States, which also condemned the elections after Ortega imprisoned all his main potential rivals. Those who are in prison are the sons of the female dog of Yankee imperialism, Ortega said. They should be taken to the United States, because they stopped being Nicaraguans a long time ago, they have no fatherland. Sunday's vote also determined 90 of the 92 seats in the congress and representation in the Central American Parliament. Murillo went so far as to call the elections the first sovereign elections in Nicaragua's history and reported congratulations streaming in from Russia, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. The council put voter turnout at 65%, a figure not observed in lightly attended voting centers Sunday. Open Ballot Boxes, an opposition effort to observe the elections, said that its more than 1,450 monitors around the country estimated an average turnout of about 18%. Murillo cheered the reported turnout, saying more than 2 million votes we receive with infinite gratitude and commitment. But she and Ortega will be ruling a shrinking and more skeptical support base among a general population with rising demands to participate in Nicaragua's politics. Vanderbilt University's Latin American Public Opinion Project polled 2,997 Nicaraguans between June and August as part of their Americas Barometer survey. The phone survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.79 percentage points. The full report on the survey is scheduled to be released later this month. In our survey in the summer of 2021, we were seeing signs of grave doubts in the integrity of elections in the country on the part of people in Nicaragua, said project director Elizabeth Zechmeister. We asked whether or not they believe that votes are counted fairly in the country and what we found is that only 26% of people in Nicaragua believe that their votes are always counted correctly. Interestingly enough, its about the same percentage of people who expressed support for the incumbent administration. The Ortega administration has continued to close avenues for democratic participation with police banning public protests, electoral authorities banning some opposition political parties and potential candidates being arrested. We ask people whether or not they think one can bring about change in politics through elections, through street protests, through either or through neither, Zechmeister said. And weve asked that question in the past. So were able to make comparisons across time, and we see in 2021 a significant decrease in the percentage of people who think that its possible to bring about political change in the country through either elections or through street protests. Maria Acevedo waited at a bus stop in the capital Monday. She said the outcome of the election was clear in advance. "They had it all set up, she said. For me this is a fraud. Inside a Managua hair salon, Leticia Roa, said respecting the results would keep the peace. The people elected him (Ortega) and you have to respect it, she said. So what is there to do? Respect. What remains to be seen is whether the international community will continue to unite to push Ortega to change course. An early chance could come later this week when the Organization of American States holds its annual general assembly in Guatemala. When the regional body voted last month to condemn repression and demand the release of political prisoners, seven members abstained, including Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras, which neighbors Nicaragua. This is the moment of truth for the countries that make up the international community that will have to leave behind ambiguity, said Tiziano Breda, Central America analyst with International Crisis Group. They will have to take a forceful position on one side or the other to recognize or not recognize this electoral process. Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City 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 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) A day after questioned elections, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government on Monday set about painting as a historic democratic victory what many of the world's democracies condemned as a sham. TOKYO (AP) Nissan reported a profit for the July-September quarter, managing to reverse earlier losses despite challenges that include shortages of computer chips and rising costs for materials. The 54.1 billion yen ($479 million) profit for the last quarter compared with a 44 billion yen loss racked up in the same period of 2020. Quarterly sales edged up 1% to 1.94 trillion yen ($17 billion), as Nissan Motor Co. vehicle sales rose in Japan and the rest of Asia, while declining in North America and Europe. Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta began his presentation by apologizing to customers for disruptions to deliveries of products because of the chips crunch, which has affected all the major automakers including Toyota Motor Corp. Our customers are waiting, said Gupta, adding that Nissan hoped to boost its market share. The more we can produce, the more we can sell. Gupta said Nissans performance was better than expected. The company raised its profit forecast for the fiscal year ending in March to 180 billion yen ($1.6 billion) from an earlier 60 billion yen ($531 million). Gupta said the upward revision in Nissan's profit outlook was despite an expectation that sales for the year will total 3.8 million vehicles, down from an earlier estimate of 4.4 million vehicles. The Japanese maker of the Leaf electric vehicle, Z sportscar and Infiniti luxury models has been battling a tarnished brand image after the arrest three years ago of its then-Chairman Carlos Ghosn on charges of under-reporting his future compensation. Ghosn fled Japan for Lebanon while out on bail. He and another executive arrested and tried for his alleged involvement, American Greg Kelly, say they are innocent. A verdict on Kelly's case is expected next year. Nissan, based in the port city of Yokohama, sank into a loss of 448 billion yen for the fiscal year that ended in March 2021, its second straight year of red ink. Nissan's chief executive, Makoto Uchida, said Nissan was headed toward a recovery. Our strong results are the outcome of diligent financial management, improved quality of sales and a continuing product offensive. This has helped us withstand several headwinds, Uchida said. Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama 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 BRUSSELS (AP) Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the metaverse, the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. In reference to the AP story published in the Journal on Nov. 4 titled, "Feds seek tougher penalties for veteran insurrectionists," author Michael Kunzelman made mention of Leonard Gruppo's oath to the United States of America when he first entered the service. I might remind you of what the oath says, "I will defend the Constitution of the United States of America from all enemies foreign and domestic." -- Dennis Hill, Sioux City Iowa and the rest of the United States are experiencing increasing severity of weather patterns, including drought, flooding and derechos in the Midwest, hurricanes in the Southeast, and wildfires in the Pacific Northwest. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report recently released confirms that this dangerous trend will continue and get worse unless urgent action is taken to reduce greenhouse emissions and keep the global temperature increase below 1.5 degrees Celsius. The U.S. House is on the verge of passing a budget reconciliation bill that contains important climate initiatives. Some parts of the bill being considered include subsidies for electric vehicles, funding for EV charging stations, and expansion of the electric energy grid to provide renewable power for EVs. Amid the political wrangling in Congress, it is uncertain what climate initiatives will be contained in the final reconciliation bill, which is likely to be passed soon. How can the reconciliation bill be adapted to confront climate change effectively? The reconciliation bill needs to reduce carbon emissions 50% by 2030, in line with the commitment President Joe Biden made earlier this year and the Iowa City Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. The answer is carbon pricing. A carbon price would impose a fee on oil, coal and natural gas based on how much carbon is released when they are burned. Carbon pricing is the most important climate component of the reconciliation bill, which is needed to meet the U.S. commitment in the Paris Climate Agreement. Why is carbon pricing important? The most effective way to reduce carbon emissions, confirmed by many studies, is a carbon tax assessed on fossil fuels at the source, like a wellhead or mine. This will make fossil fuels less competitive than cheaper green renewable energy alternatives, including wind and solar. A price on pollution will accelerate the shift to climate-friendly energy sources throughout the U.S. economy. It will spur technology to make electric vehicles cheaper and travel farther with better batteries. Wont a carbon tax hurt consumers, especially low-and-middle-income Americans? Energy companies will pass the increased cost of oil production on to consumers. But if all or most of the money from the carbon tax is given back to all Americans as a carbon dividend or carbon cashback, it will offset and compensate for the slowly rising cost of fossil fuels. This monthly carbon cashback will make the carbon tax equitable because most low- and middle-income Americans will come out financially ahead or break even. Many leading economists say a carbon tax and carbon dividend is the most effective way to reduce carbon emissions quickly, according to the Economists Statement on Carbon Dividends. Signatories include 3,623 U.S. economists, four former chairs of the Federal Reserve, 28 nobel laureate economists and 15 former chairs of the Council of Economic Advisers. What specific carbon fee and dividend legislation could be included in the reconciliation bill? The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (H.R. 2703), which has been introduced in Congress, is such a bill. It will reduce Americas carbon pollution 50% by 2030, will add millions of jobs, save many lives by reducing pollution Americans breathe, and is revenue-neutral. What if other countries dont price carbon like the U.S.? The U.S. is one of only two developed countries that does not have some form of carbon pricing. The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act will not disadvantage U.S. businesses in the world market because it has a provision built in to protect trade competitiveness: a carbon border fee adjustment imposed on covered fuels and emissions-intensive trade-exposed goods that cross our border in either direction. These goods include steel, aluminum, cement, glass, certain chemicals, and some agricultural products. Any country without a carbon border fee adjustment and carbon tax will have to pay a stiff tariff for carbon emissions-intensive products they export to trading partners like the E.U., which already has a carbon border fee adjustment. What about China and India? The carbon border fee adjustment prevents energy-intensive U.S. businesses from moving overseas to escape the carbon fee. It will also encourage other countries to put a price on carbon. Carbon pricing is needed in the reconciliation bill Carbon pricing, preferably with a carbon dividend to make it equitable for low- and middle-income Americans, needs to be passed in the reconciliation bill to prevent the ravages of climate change that are bearing down on us. The U.S. must lead the world with big climate legislation at the Glasgow COP26 summit next month, with strong climate commitments and action to cut carbon emissions. World leaders need to act now to limit global warming and stop climate change. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Pablo Larrains Spencer starts off with a title card informing us that it is a fable from a true tragedy, so we understand from the start that liberties may be taken. Like the writer-directors earlier movie Jackie, it explores the inner life of one of the worlds most iconic women during an emotionally intense few days. Spencer takes place at Sandringhamthe royal residence where the queen and royal family traditionally spend Christmasin 1991, when Charles and Dianas marriage is truly headed for the rocks. Ordinary divorcing couples may compete for custody of the children, friends, and dog, but the Waleses were also wrestling over who would come off best in the court of public opinion and in the historical record, both leaking their version of the marriage breakdown through friendly biographers and journalists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Told entirely from Dianas perspective, the film makes no attempt to appear impartial but entirely reflects the Dianaphile interpretation of events. As the invocation of a fable suggests, it can be seen as a reworking of a dark fairy tale of an innocent princess trapped in a vast castle at the mercy of an evil queen. Below, we look at where the myth intersects with reality. The Weighing Machine Arriving (late) at Sandringham, Diana is pressured into sitting on a large, golden, and rather ancient-looking scale to have her weight recorded, informed by Major Alistair Gregory (Timothy Spall), the queens equerry and house majordomo, that her majesty expects everyone to be weighed on arrival and departure to see if theyve put on the 3 pounds that will indicate whether theyve truly enjoyed Christmasnot something somebody with an eating disorder needs to hear. Advertisement According to Ingrid Seward, who has been immersing herself in royal family lore for decades as editor of Majesty magazine, this is indeed a tradition at a Sandringham Christmas. It began with the well-upholstered king and notable gourmand Edward VII, who wanted to be sure his guests had eaten well. Major Gregory (Timothy Spall) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major Gregory is not a real person but seems to be loosely based on Air Marshal Sir David Walker. Walker was the queens equerry (basically an elevated personal assistant) from 1989 to 1992 and later her master of the household, in which capacity he would be responsible for the running of the royal households and managing the below-stairs staff. [Read: How Kristen Stewart Went From Object of Mockery to Best Actress Front-Runner] All That Chanel Diana causes quite a stir when she wanders into the local gas station shop to ask for directions carrying an enormous tote emblazoned with the Chanel double-Cs logo. Later, she is seen driving her Porsche wearing similarly logo-ed sunglasses and appears in a number of Chanel jackets and evening gowns. Advertisement In reality, Diana stopped wearing anything with the Chanel logo after her divorce in 1996 because, according to Australian designer Jayson Brunsdon, who acted as a style consultant to the princess on her last tour Down Under, it triggered a painful memory. I found a pair of Chanel shoes, and I said, well these would look great with the Versace, Brundson recalled, and she said no, I cant wear linked Cs, the double C. So I asked why, and she said, Its Camilla and Charles. However, in the early 90s, Chanel was still part of her wardrobe, if not perhaps to the extent the film would indicate, but star Kristen Stewart is a Chanel brand ambassador and the house re-created some of their designs for Diana in Stewarts size. Dianas Relationships With Her Dressers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dianas clothes become a battleground and a way of asserting her independence. Each outfit is labeled with the occasion it is to be worn for (e.g., Christmas lunch, Christmas Eve drinks). Diana is fine with this when the clothes have been chosen for her by her favorite dresser, Maggie (Sally Hawkins), who also acts as a confidante, but she bristles when the major replaces Maggie with another dresser and takes out her displeasure on the unfortunate replacement and refuses to wear the assigned items. The real Diana played a very active role in choosing her own outfits and was unlikely to have clothes chosen for her, according to Eleri Lynn, who curated an exhibition of Dianas clothes at her former residence, Kensington Palace. Diana reportedly paid close attention to the reaction to her outfits in magazines and newspapers, repeating outfits that were praised, cutting the ones that were panned, and carefully considering every sartorial decision. Advertisement The dressers job was to make sure the clothes were cleaned, pressed, and ready to go and to help the princess into them. If Diana wanted style advice, she was more likely to turn to her personal stylist Anna Harvey, a former Vogue deputy editor, or a favorite designer. In her memoir, Harvey recalls Diana saying, Were going to Balmoral and we have to dress for tea, and then wed have to guess about the style of dress she should wear and find lots of options. Advertisement Diana was close to one of her dressers, Fay Appleby. If the relationship wasnt as intimate as that with Maggie (an imaginary character, if one who reflects the real-life affection for Diana from the queer community), Appleby was nevertheless a confidante. She once said to me her life was like living in a gilded cage. I was there and listened to her when she was down, Appleby recalled in 1997. Appleby was Dianas dresser for six years until she left to start a family. (Diana discreetly attended the wedding and kept in touch with Appleby through the dressers long cancer treatment.) Advertisement Advertisement The princesss relationship with her alternate dresser, a woman called Evelyn Dagley, was indeed fractious, even though Diana herself had hired her. Wendy Berry, who had been a housekeeper for the royal household, broke with the tradition that retired royal servants dont spill the beans and wrote a memoir called The Housekeepers Diary: Charles and Diana Before the Breakup in which she asserted that, contrary to being a downtrodden victim, Diana treated her staff badly. Ev was often reduced to tears because of Dianas outbursts. One morning Evelyn came into Dianas room with the breakfast trayand Diana had a fitGod, Evelyn, What on earth have you been eating. You absolutely stink of curry. Get out and wash your hair, will you? I cannot stand that smell. Dianas Childhood Home In the film, Diana is pining for her childhood home located on the Sandringham estate within walking distance of the main house. The house is now derelict and deserted, but Diana breaks in to relive old memories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diana was indeed born in Park House on the Sandringham grounds, a mile from the main house, and lived there until she was 14. It was originally designed in 1863 for Edward VII but then leased to the Spencer family. The movie suggests Diana returns to relive happy childhood memories there, but in fact, her childhood was notably unhappy, beset by feelings of abandonment after her mother left the family when Diana was 8. After the Spencers moved out, Park House did not become derelict. In 1983, the queen donated it to a charity to provide an accessible country hotel for people with disabilities. Also, unlike the house in the film, it doesnt have a moat. Dianas Eating Disorders The movies most shocking scenes show Diana bingeing and purging, barely touching her food at lavish dinners, then sneaking down to gobble pastries in the vast pantry before regurgitating them.In his 1992 book Diana: Her True Story, Andrew Morton reported the marriage had become so bad that the princess was losing weight from depression and bulimia as early as 1982. After the princesss death in 1997, Morton released tapes that showed his source for the information was Diana herself, tapes she had started making in 1991, although the Buckingham Palace press office continued to deny Diana had cooperated with the author. The bulimia started the week after we got engaged and would take nearly a decade to overcome, the princess says on the tape. My husband put his hand on my waistline and said: Oh, a bit chubby here, arent we? and that triggered off something in me, the princess says on the tape. Dianas Self-Harm In the film, Diana cuts herself with wire cutters and contemplates throwing herself down the stairs of Park House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This also has a basis in reality. When I was four months pregnant with William, I threw myself downstairs, trying to get my husbands attention, for him to listen to me, Diana says on one of the Morton tapes. She also confesses she used a razor blade to slash her wrists, cut herself with the edge of a lemon slicer, cut her chest and her thighs with a penknife during an argument with Charles, and attempted suicide no fewer than five times. Was Diana Related to Anne Boleyn? Major Gregory leaves a biography of Anne Boleyn, to whom the Spencers are related, by Dianas bedside, possibly as a cautionary tale. Later, Diana breaks into Park House one night, where she encounters the ghost of the executed queen, who warns her of danger. Advertisement Diana was indeed Anne Boleyns 13th great-grandniece through an ancestor who married Annes sister, Mary Boleyn. However, there is no evidence Diana felt any special kinship with Anne, and this visitation is probably meant to symbolize Dianas fears that the royal family might go to any lengths to get rid of her. At low moments during the divorce, Diana did express concerns that her life might be at risk to keep her quiet. In a letter to her butler Paul Burrell (though some have questioned its authenticity), Diana wrote, This particular phase in my life is the most dangerous. My husband is planning an accident in my car, brake failure and serious head injury in order to make the path clear for him to marry. Though no factual evidence has emerged to support this claim, that didnt stop it spawning countless conspiracy theories after the princesss death in a car accident. Was Queen Elizabeth II Really So Unfeeling? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larrain depicts the queen as cold and unsmiling, entirely unsympathetic to Dianas plight (unlike the more balanced The Crown, which suggests the queen was worried about Diana but didnt know how to help her, stuck as she was in the idea that royals did not get divorced, come what may). However, in Sewards book The Queen and Di, she maintains Elizabeth had retained some affection for Diana, whom she had known for many years since Dianas grandmother had been her lady-in-waiting, and saw her death as a terrible waste. [Read: Whats Fact and Whats Fiction in The Crown Season 4] Was Charles Really So Awful? Advertisement Similarly, the film depicts Charles as unfeeling and rigid, unwilling to meet Diana halfway or to give up his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. Again, a more neutral observer has a different view. Former New York Times reporter Sally Bedell Smith, a biographer of the queen, Prince Charles, and Diana, said that Diana mocked Charless ideas and declined to read her own briefing material or take the advice of the courtiers assigned to help her. As their marriage frayed, she abused Charles emotionally, taunting him for the medals he wore, for instance, and telling him he would never be king. To his credit Charles did not respond in kind. Moreover, Bedell Smith said, Diana was the first to be unfaithful, having an affair with her bodyguard Barry Mannakee in 1985. After Mannakee was transferred out of her household, she and James Hewitt became lovers the following November. It is clear that, as with so many divorces, there are three sides to the story: his side, her side, and the truth. In Tom Hanks latest movie, the beloved actor plays a man living in isolation from the rest of humanity and making his way through a sometimes-harsh environment, giving the star the opportunity to act opposite an untraditional and unemotive screen partner. The movie is Finch, a sci-fi drama now on Apple TV+, but on paper it sounds a lot like Cast Away, the blockbuster survival drama that netted Hanks a Best Actor nomination in 2001. (Finch is even executive-produced by Cast Aways Robert Zemeckis, a longtime Hanks pal.) But while Finch is probably the closest Hanks has ever come to reviving that particular and distinctive midcareer triumph, its not exactly an anomaly in Hanks filmography, especially when you look at the past two decades. In this late stage, Hanks all-American everyman has increasingly found himself going it alone, replacing the team efforts of Apollo 13 and Saving Private Ryan, and the romantic devotion of Forrest Gump and Youve Got Mail, with stories that deal more explicitly with solitude. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of its release, Cast Away felt like a novelty act, albeit one executed with great skill. The production built in a six-month break to allow Hanks to lose weight and grow a mountain-man beard, and for much of the film, Americas favorite actor was playing a virtuosic yet naturalistic solo, his only screen partner a volleyball with a face painted in blood. (He received an Oscar nomination for his trouble, as is customary; its also one of his best performances.) Finch gives him more, relatively speaking: He shares scenes with a real dog and then, later, a robot, whom his dying title character has engineered to take care of said dog after he dies. The robot is a lifelike motion-capture special effect, played on set by the actor Caleb Landry Jones, and Finch spends much of the back half of the movie teaching his synthetic charge about their postapocalyptic world. Advertisement Initially, Finch looks like he could be the last man on Earth; the movie takes place after solar flares have accelerated a dangerous heating of the planets atmosphere. But eventually it becomes clear that hes deliberately avoiding other survivors. After witnessing a horrific scene earlier in the apocalypse, a spooked and unnerved Finch takes solace in the uncomplicated affections of his dog and, eventually, the restraint of his robot companion, who has been programmed not to cause harm. In last years News of the World, Hanks plays another man with few personal attachments, wandering another barren landscapein this case, the American West after the Civil War who eventually helps a different childlike protege (in this case, an actual child) learn about how the world works. But unlike Cast Aways Chuck Noland, Finch and News of the Worlds Jefferson are engaged in a more voluntary form of solitude. Chuck has the horrors of isolation thrust upon him when he crashes onto an unpopulated island; Finch and Jefferson use isolation to protect themselves from the horrors of humanity. Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. 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. Finch and Jefferson might not think of their isolation as voluntary so much as necessary, but Hanks is choosing his own fate. In recent years, he has repeatedly sought out lonely and isolated characters, and once you start examining other late-period Hanks roles for these qualities, it becomes as clear a running theme as his predilection for playing captain-and-commander types. Even two of those captain-type characters, in Sully and Greyhound must ultimately make life-and-death decisions that create an invisible distance between them and the other characters. In the little-seen but worthwhile A Hologram for the King, Hanks plays a salesman attempting to close a deal in Saudi Arabia and spends much of the movie adrift in another country, trying and failing to gain an audience with his potential customerquite a contrast from the can-do spirit of the similarly themed Larry Crowne. Even Hanks honeyed Mr. Rogers in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood spreads his gentle goodness from a sort of remove, whether hes reaching out through the TV screen, or gnomically conversing with a troubled reporter. Its what makes the movie more intriguing than a traditional biopic. Advertisement Its not unusual to see Hanks play characters with reservoirs of sadness or even a certain opacity. He has always been a more complicated and rangier actor than his good-guy image projects. But his tendency to isolate on screen has been especially noticeable as Hanks has transitioned out of the status he held, from roughly 1993 through 2004, as Americas favorite leading man. (One of the first signs that his star power could no longer guarantee a massive hit: 2004s The Terminal, in which he plays a man cut off from his fictional Eastern European homeland, trapped in airport limbo.) Many of these later-period roleshistorical dramas; stories of Americana; a Western, for gods sakehave an innate dad-ness that feels compatible with his role as a baby boomer carrying a torch for the greatest generation. (Outside of his acting, he produces docudramas about World War II and NASA, and collects and uses old manual typewriters.) Yet these movies dont exactly drape his characters in fatherly glory, even when theyre performing acts of decency or heroism. Instead, later Hanks characters tend to confront both their own mortality, as well as the notion that decency alone may not bring them peace. Think of the nightmares that linger with Captain Sullenberger after his Miracle on the Hudson, or the devastating final scene of Captain Phillips, where Hanks character, following a harrowing confrontation with hijackers, is finally given space away from his responsibilities to sit with the trauma hes experienced, and breaks down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres continuity between these reality-based figures and the fictional lonely guys Hanks has played over the past year, as if the experiences are lingering across his characters. In Finch, his face looks weatherednot particularly with age (he could probably still pass for a decade younger than his 65 years), but with sadness and worry. He does something remarkable with his voice, sounding reedier and more self-conscious as he tries to impart some lessons to his robot companion and cover up his sickness (even though theres sometimes not another human around for miles). This isnt his finest work of the past decade; thats probably Phillips, or his wonderful performance in 2015s Bridge of Spies, where his all-American decency was stricken with shadowy Cold War espionage and a head cold. But the physical transformation of Finchless immediately obvious than Cast Awaysshares with those films a sense of a toll being taken on a familiar face. Advertisement Given how rarely recent Hanks films place him opposite another performer of his stature, one might reasonably scan them for signs of the last-remaining-movie-star vanity sometimes glimpsed in projects from past-their-peak megastars like Tom Cruise or Will Smith, where larger-than-life figures remake their images into weary gods, toiling among us for our betterment. Instead, the failings of News of the World and Finch are more in tune with the classic Hanks sensibility: gentler, soft-spoken, a little old-fashioned. Although both movies trade on the experience of watching Jimmy Stewartish everyman Tom Hanks lose some of his faith in humanity, turning inward in times of strife, and committing himself to projects that exclude human attachments, theyre nonetheless steadfastly unwilling to give in to hopelessness. Two Tom Hanks movies in the space of a year telling us were all doomed might well be a sign of the actual apocalypse. News of the World and Finch back away from the abyss carefully and politely; ultimately, theyre less open-ended than Cast Away, which made its bittersweet dilemmas more personal than sociological. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, theres collective power in these late-period Hanks movies, even when some of them fall short individually. Consciously or not, hes using his star persona to grapple with the limits of the decency hes long been associated with, and recognizing that loneliness and disappointment cant always be overcome with a well-engineered raft and the usual triumphs of the human spirit. Their pervasive sense of isolation even speaks, accidentally, to nearly two years of pandemic disconnectionit dovetails, almost eerily, with the fact that Hanks was an early famous face of COVID-19 infection. Even Americas dad, our turn-of-the-century Jimmy Stewart, isnt immune to lurking despair. When he first tested positive, Hanks put a good face on it, even appearing on an at-home edition of Saturday Night Live to lightly joke about his recent ailment and reassure viewers that we were all in this together. But while thats more or less the underlying tone of Finch as well, there are quiet moments where he allows that sense of comfort to fall away: He retreats into emotional constipation, tinkering with a personal project in the basement rather than confronting his fears head-on. At one point early on, the robot asks a simple question about his job, which is to care for the dog in Finchs absence: When will you be absent? Even though Finch has prompted this question by asking the robot to define absence, Hanks makes it clear that his character still doesnt have an answer at the ready. He quavers his mouth ever so slightly and hesitates before hes saved from the question by the generator cutting off. Rather than acting like an idealized father, soft-spoken and wise, Hanks comes across more like a stereotypically distant dad, muttering shit but secretly relieved to return to his tinkering. Its both instantly recognizable as a familiar sort of older-man insecurity, and a little unnerving to see coming from this longtime beacon of hope, like suddenly realizing how much a close relative has aged. After years of being described as an everyman, Hanks seems more willing than ever to acknowledge the fallibilities this can entail. Finchs big project may have positive ramifications for humanity, but hes mostly interested in ensuring the temporary safety of his pet, a gesture that entwines touching relatability with selfishness. (The world may be left in rough shape, but Finchs dog will be OK.) In News of the World, his taciturn hero is also a haunted, self-exiled ex-Confederate. These are arguably more realistic evocations of the everyman than his characters in Apollo 13 or Saving Private Ryan, who as far as we can see, start off better than decent and then further rise to the occasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hanks has often dismissed those repeated Jimmy Stewart comparisons with humility, but they feel especially instructive now, as he reaches a phase of his career that actors of Stewarts generation more often opted out of. Stewart also complicated his good-guy image with some of his later roles, but receded from starring in movies in his 60s, as was common at the time. Hanks has pressed forward, spending time in the uncertainty of that last shot in Cast Away, the one that depicts him alone, at a literal crossroads. That may be why both News and Finch are more striking before their mildly heartwarming conclusions. They feel like recurring anxiety dreams from an actor who still tries to appeal to our better nature, but fears a lonely void as much as anyone else. After eight people died and hundreds were injured in a suffocating mosh pit at his concert this past Friday nightwith many more undoubtedly traumatized by the eventsTravis Scott is working with the therapy app BetterHelp to offer counseling to those affected by the tragedy. Scott is sponsoring a promotion for free, one-on-one therapy for a limited time, he announced via press release Monday. He will also be working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health America to further provide help for anyone harmed during his headlining performance at Astroworld, the rappers annual festival. These moves follow his prior pledge to cover all funeral costs for the families of those who died. Advertisement Sign up for the Slate Culture Newsletter The best of movies, TV, books, music, and more, delivered to your inbox. 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. Perhaps this olive branch to victims doesnt seem like much, or even seems icky. It doesnt help increase the legitimacy of all this that the release describes Scott as having partnered with BetterHelpthe kind of language used to announce that one is, say, raking in money to lend ones name to a fast food brand, as Scott did with McDonalds in 2020. (Scott will not be paid for the partnership, BetterHelp has clarified: Following the tragic event at Astroworld, Travis Scotts team reached out to us with an initiative to cover the cost of therapy for those who were impacted, reads a statement from the company.) It also doesnt help that BetterHelp is, well, a teeny, tiny bit scammy: The app might be best known for its text-based counseling offerings, which are both appealing on their face and not backed by very much science. The platform does not take insurance, and though it offers financial aid, this amounts to a 25 percent-off coupon that users need to renew every few months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a perfect world, maybe Scott would hand out envelopes of cash to help those who are suffering as a result of the chaotic show, instead of seizing on the chance to be the latest celebrity to get behind an imperfect mental health solution. There is even an easy way to do just that: Many victims families have GoFundMe pages set up. Forming relationships with mental health organizations, including one thats based on an app, should absolutely not be the end of what happens here to make amends. But, even as someone who cringes when I see celebrities partner with mental health orgs (it strikes me as largely a branding move for them) and when I hear my favorite podcast hosts read BetterHelp ads (there are online therapy platforms out there that actually take insurance, for one), I do believe this to be a reasonably good use case of the service. In addition to text therapy, BetterHelp does offer weekly video sessions with a licensed professional as part of its standard package, and the partnerships one-month offer includes four of those sessions. BetterHelp will not automatically bill for more therapy after that month, and will provide extended therapy support after the month is up at no cost to those who need it, according to a statement. Online therapy via a virtual platform, which has become pretty normal during the pandemic anyway, is relatively easy to deploy compared to, say, trying to set people up with individual therapists at private practices. BetterHelp isnt the first company of its kind to jump in in the wake of a tragedy, either; in 2017, AmWell waived its counseling fees for folks affected by Hurricane Harvey. And BetterHelp is just one of a few avenues being established for concert-goers to get help. The NAMI is establishing a dedicated hotline with the initials CJ in the phone number, likely for Scotts foundation (which shares a name with his record label), Cactus Jack, and NAMIs Houston chapter will ensure access to various counseling services, according to the press release Advertisement Advertisement None of this is totally satisfying, even viewed from a distanceafter all, people died and sustained serious injuries during a hyped-up music festival performance, what they need is complex and up to them. The videos detailing taken from those in the crowd look very, very scary. After-the-fact mental counseling servicesand just one month of them at that!are absolutely no substitute for proper safety measures. Its certainly possible for further actions to occur that would turn the Travis Scott-BetterHelp partnership from a social good-slash-PR move into regular old opportunism. Maybe a celebrity jumping into a partnership days after a devastating tragedy just feels plain icky to you, no matter what. It would be far better if mental health care were easy to access all the time, and celebrity partnering to provide therapy were just a total nonsense notion, rather than a somewhat practical one. But what accountability looks like here (and even who owes it) is more than what a weekend news cycle can resolve. Mental healthcare is expensive, and can be difficult to access. Which is why, as those involved continue to work out what a satisfying response to Fridays tragedy truly looks like, free therapy is a start. At the very least, it stands to help some people who receive it. In March, Adm. Philip Davidson, the outgoing commander of U.S. military forces in the Pacific, told a Senate panel that China posed a manifest threat of invading Taiwan in the next six years. No senior official had ever issued such a specific or urgent warning about the fate of the tiny democratic island 100 miles off of Chinas eastern coast. But since Davidsons testimony, boatloads of military officers, active and retired, have sounded similar alarm bells. Some congressmen, such as Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, have even called for recognizing Taiwan as an independent nation and making NATO-like commitments to defend it from invasiona step that would reverse 42 years of U.S. policy, further destabilize relations with China, and possibly precipitate war. Advertisement At the same time, a debate has erupted among more scholarly analysts over whether Chinas Communist leaders really want to invade Taiwanand, if they do, whether the Chinese military is capable of doing so now or in the near future. With few exceptions, the pessimists tend to be military officers, who measure the balance of power by which side has more or less of what sorts of weapons systems, while the less-panicked tend to be experts on Chinas history and politics who view the statistics in a broader context. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is worth noting that Davidson did not clear his March testimony with the secretary of defense (something that officers are supposed to do, especially if theyre about to make provocative statements). Nor did his warning of a Chinese invasion in the next six years reflect any estimate by the U.S. intelligence community. In fact, the Pentagons latest report on Chinas military powerwhile citing accelerating, and worrisome, trends in the production of Chinese ships, missiles, and nuclear weaponsdownplays concerns about Chinas ability or desire to mount and sustain an invasion of Taiwan. 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. Key sections of the Pentagons 173-page reporttitled Military and Security Developments Involving the Peoples Republic of China: A Report to Congress and published just last weekhelp explain why, though many military officers jumped to echo Davidson, no senior Pentagon officials chimed in with Davidsons dire prediction. The report notes that, in the past year, China intensified its diplomatic, political, and military pressure against Taiwan. However, the notion of an actual invasion seems beyond Chinas capabilities. The report elaborates: Large-scale amphibious invasion is one of the most complicated and difficult military operations, requiring air and materiel superiority, the rapid buildup and sustainment of supplies onshore, and uninterrupted support. An attempt to invade Taiwan would likely strain [Chinas] armed forces and invite international intervention. These stresses, combined withthe complexity of urban warfare and counterinsurgencymake an amphibious invasion of Taiwan a significant political military risk. Advertisement Advertisement Not only that, the Chinese military isnt even trying to build the things it would need for an invasion. It has just two amphibious assault ships, with a third under construction. There is no indication, the report states, that China is significantly expanding its force of landing craft, suggesting [that] a traditional, large-scale direct beach assault operationremains aspirationala polite way of saying: They just cant do this. Advertisement But lets assume that China does someday build enough boats and other resources to cross the Taiwan Strait, assault the island, and set up a beachhead. The arriving Chinese troops would still have to move inland, occupy territory, including the capital, Taipei (a modern metropolis of 2.6 million people), and fight off an armed resistance. Advertisement Chinas military is not well equipped to do this either, and its officers seem aware of that fact. According to the Pentagon report, the Chinese armys media outlets have noted shortcomings in military training and education, which have left operational commanders inadequately prepared for modern warfare. The media outlets itemize these shortcomings as the Five Incapables: some commanders cannot judge situations, deploy forces, understand the intentions of higher authorities, make operational decisions in combat, or manage unexpected developments. Advertisement The Chinese military is only beginning to train in combined arms (coordinated fighting by two different types of units, e,g., infantry and artillery) or joint operations (fighting by two military branches, e,g., the army and the navy). Finally, except for a few brief skirmishes, China hasnt fought any wars since 1979 (when a border battle with Vietnam ended in a draw), meaning that its current commanders and troops have no combat experience. Advertisement So where did Adm. Davidson come up with the idea that China will be set to invade Taiwan in the next six years? Bonnie Glaser, director of the Asia program at the German Marshall Fund, says he inferred too much from a recent goal, set by Chinese President Xi Jinping, to achieve national rejuvenation by 2027 (six years from now). That year is the 100th anniversary of the Peoples Liberation Army, Glaser told me, referring to the official name of the Chinese military. There is no evidence of Xi or anyone else tying this date to a takeover of Taiwan. Advertisement M. Taylor Fravel, a China expert and director of M.I.T. s Security Studies Program, agrees. Those who say China can invade Taiwan conflate changed rhetoric with changed capability, Fravel told me. Its a misreading of Chinas emphasis on 2027 as a milestone for PLA modernization. Advertisement Advertisement Glaser and Fravel also note that, even if China improved and expanded its military to the point where it could invade Taiwan, that doesnt mean it would actually do it. China has increased its global presence and influence in the past few years, through the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)a string of loans and investments designed to lure other countries into Chinas financial system and economic orbitand a foreign policy that features (or at least attempts) pressure and intimidation. Using force against Taiwan, Glaser says, would cause backlash from the international communitynot least from the United States, which has sold $23 billion worth of arms to Taiwan since 2015 and has dispatched special forces to train Taiwans armed forces. Advertisement This doesnt mean Taiwan is safe and secure. The subjugation of Hong Kong has shown that China can dominate a small island power without resorting to military force. Chinas military strategywhich the Pentagon report describes as active defenseis designed to keep foreign military forces, especially U.S. forces, as far away as possible from Chinas territory. China has done this in part by building artificial islands in the South China Seathus widening the area of what it regards as Chinese sovereign territoryand then turning the islands into military bases. It has also, in recent years, churned out a staggering number of warships, anti-ship missiles, and air-to-air missiles, as part of a strategy known as A2/AD, which stands for anti-access / area-denial. This could be seen as a purely defensive strategyor as a way to keep U.S. military forces at bay, thus enabling the Chinese military to control vital sea lanes in the South China Sea or to pressure Taiwan into compliance with Chinas desires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, Xi has declared the reabsorption of Taiwan into the People Republic of Chinas sovereign territory as a long-term goal. However, Thomas Fingar, a China specialist, distinguished fellow at Stanford University, and former chairman of the National Intelligence Council, says that this is nothing new. Every leader going back to Chou En-lai Chinas first premier from 1949-76has expressed the goal of liberating Taiwan. Fingar is concerned about Chinas recent military expansion, which at least theoretically could bring Beijing closer to this goal. However, he too thinks the risks of an outright invasion of Taiwan would be too great. The U.S. and the allies should quietly agree that, if China mounts a blockade against Taiwan, no ship registered to China will be allowed into any port in the U.S. or allied countries, Fingar says. Thats 80 percent of Chinas export economy.* Advertisement Most worrisome to Fingar is Chinas lack of transparency. U.S. officials, he says, have asked Chinese counterparts why theyre doing all the things theyre doing, and they give us no answer. This could compound misunderstandings and intensify tensions in a crisis. Accidents could happen more easily, and I blame China for this, he says. Advertisement However, Fingar, Glaser, and Fravel, as well as many other China hands, are also concerned that the overreaction to Adm. Davidsons testimony might trigger new tensions. Some legislators are urging President Biden to drop the longstanding policy of strategic ambiguity and to declare that the U.S. will defend Taiwan against an invasion in the same way that it commits to defend the NATO allies from an armed attack. This would reverse the 42-year-old policy of the Taiwan Relations Act, which allows the U.S. to arm Taiwan without recognizing it as an independent nation.* (No country recognizes Taiwan as an independent nation, and Taiwans current president is very careful to stop short of asserting any such claim.) The Pentagon report states that Beijing views Taiwanese independenceor moves toward independenceas a cause for war. It is, in fact, one of the very few things that would spur China to initiate a war. Advertisement Advertisement To adopt a policy of strategic claritywhich would mean to treat Taiwan as an independent nationwould only push China into a corner, Glaser says. Xi would be severely weakened domestically if he accepted that. He would have to challenge it. Congressmen pushing for this dont understand this. They dont see that reacting this way to exaggerated assessments of Chinas power and intentions will only make things worse. On Minneapolis ballot last week, Mayor Jacob Frey was up for reelection, as were all 13 City Council members. But, Minnesota Public Radio senior reporter Jon Collins says, all anyone wanted to talk about was Question 2, the ballot measure about the police. It was not technically about defunding the departmentinstead, it aimed to dissolve the current force and replace it with a Department of Public Safety. That would include some combination of social workers, mental health practitioners, and, yes, uniformed and armed police. But it was hard to shake the association with the defund movement, especially since nine of the 13 City Councilors did pledge to defund the police last year. Around that time, shortly after George Floyds murder, a recording was released that showed city protesters tracking down Frey and demanding he defund the policeor lose his race. Frey not only didnt commit to doing so, but doubled down on his opposition during his election cycle. Then, last week, he won reelection, and the ballot question around public safety failed: It got 44 percent of the vote, with 56 percent of voters saying no. On Tuesdays episode of What Next, I spoke with Jon Collins about what Minneapolis recent election may say about the limits of police reformor whether a new era of accountability is just beginning. Our conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jon Collins: When I spoke to Jacob Frey, that moment where he was shamed by the protesters became almost a symbol to him of how he sticks to his principles even when he gets heat, especially from the left. Thats a theme that he brought up over and over in his campaign, where he was framing himself as the reasonable candidate, the candidate of stability. There were signs up and down the streets saying Yes or No to Question 2. Everyones mailbox, including mine, was stuffed with mailers about Question 2 from either the campaigns or from outside groups. I got one last week talking about the crime rates here. Its a reference to the mid-90s when Minneapolis had relatively high homicide rates, and the mailer had really striking image of blood running from a stuffed animal essentially saying children are being shotwhich, there have been some children whove been shot. Thats the level of the campaign that people were experiencing. Advertisement Mary Harris: Do you feel like the people opposed to Question 2 were being a little disingenuous in how they talked about it, making it about defund the police when it maybe shouldnt have been? The proposal never talked about defunding the police, but was basically talking about rebranding the police. Advertisement A group that opposed the ballot question went to my bosses, not to me, to ask to adjust a story. The language in the story said that, regarding that a claim they were makingthat the police department would be disbanded after 30 daysnothing in my reporting confirmed that. It was just like a talking point that they wanted to push, and I felt they were misleading in this and I wasnt going to repeat their claims for them. But they pushed back really hard on it. Advertisement Advertisement I think thats an example of how the opponents to this mischaracterized it as abolishing the police or defunding the police. It wouldnt have even done that. But Jacob Freys campaign even referred to his mayoral challengers as the Defund and Abolish Coalition, even though neither one of them had explicitly said those sorts of things. Over the course of the past year and a half, the City Council has tried to intervene when it comes to the police, right? Theyve cut some budgets for the police, but theyve been stymied in doing more structural changes, right? So the Minneapolis City Council has budgetary control over the Minneapolis police. But the citys charterwhich they were trying to change with this ballot questiongives the mayor complete control over the police, essentially. Frey is the head of the police, and a lot of advocates for this ballot question argued like, He hasnt actually done that much. He runs this. He can reprimand cops who acted badly and were caught on video last year, but he hasnt done it. Advertisement Advertisement I talked to a council member, Jeremiah Ellison, whos the son of our state attorney general, Keith Ellison, a former congressman. Jeremiah said, regarding Question 2, that the restructuring wasnt something all the City Council members got elected to office to do. It was something that they realized the city needed as they fought with the police department to get information about what was going on, and as they fought with the mayor. They came to the conclusion that the city needed this restructuring in order to actually make any sort of change. So the City Council did try some things, but its power was limited by the charter. The ballot measures proposed Department of Public Safety wouldve still been controlled by the mayor and the City Council. So what would have changed if this question had passed? Advertisement Advertisement That was a question a lot of people had, even some people who supported it. The City Attorneys Office told council members that they couldnt start setting up the structure for this until it passes. So when voters were looking to council members who supported it for information like, What are you going to do?, they didnt have any good answers because they hadnt been able to start the work, and they wouldnt have been able to until it actually passed. Advertisement I was struck by the fact that even people listeners might think would be natural allies of this ballot question came out against it, like the former head of the local NAACP, Nekima Levy Armstrong. How much should we make of the divisions within activist communities? Advertisement The sort of people we would talk to for stories about police accountability all pretty much came out against Question 2. They essentially said, What use is it renaming the Minneapolis police? We have to up structures of actual accountability and so the police actually change. I think part of it is generational. Many of these people have been doing the work for decades, and they were skeptical not only of the Minneapolis City Councils ability to make change to the police, but of mere restructuring having any impact on how police actually do their jobs. Question 2 came out of new folks who were, for the most part, a lot younger and maybe less experienced with organizing. So when they started to pull together this ballot question, what some activists told me is that the organizers didnt reach out to these people whod been doing the work for a really long time, and didnt bring them on board. And many politicians live in areas where the crime increase has taken a toll on people, like North Minneapolis, which has more Black residents than the rest of the city. Violent crime shootings have gone way up there, and there have been some cases of young kids getting caught in the crossfire. And I think Armstrong was also saying, How is this coalition reaching out to Black people and actually addressing this concern that people have about shootings and violent crime? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your news organization did a poll and found 75 percent of Minneapolis Black likely voters opposed reducing the police force. That seems like a big hurdle for this ballot question to get over. There was also quite a bit of support for reforming the police or for making big structural changes to the Minneapolis Police Department across the board in the city. I think its an indication of how well the people who opposed the ballot question framed the issue for voters. The coalition that supported the ballot question wasnt able to reframe it as anything else than defunding the police in the end. Its interesting that you say some of these activists who had been in the space for a long time were saying, Well, there just isnt a plan, while at the same time, when you talked to City Council members, they said, Well, we couldnt make a plan because the city attorney told us that if we did that, it would be against the rules. So theyre kind of stuck. Advertisement I think you have it exactly. It was a confusing situation for people, and when I talked to political scientists about ballot questions like this, they say confusion typically benefits the people who oppose a ballot question because if theyre unsure about something and cant quite grasp it, voters will say no. Advertisement For what its worth, our city clerk says this was the highest turnout for an off-year election in Minneapolis history. So people werent staying at home. People were not staying at home, and my street is still covered in signs. In a typical off-year election, well get like a quarter to a third of eligible voters. This year saw 54 percent of eligible voters come out. And this year there was no president, no Congress members on the ballot, so that was pretty good. Advertisement Advertisement What were the reactions when Question 2 failed? The people who worked on this and supported it really were upset and disillusioned, saying this just proves that people who run the city of Minneapolismore privileged, more white, typicallyput their finger on the scale and beat this. But a lot of people expected that failure. It was a proposal that was unprecedented. I think its hard to have takeaways from what happened in Minneapolis. We had a few members of the media, including our local newspaper, focus on the fact a couple council members who supported Question 2 lost their seats. But, while that happened, we had three socialists elected to the City Council, and theyre all young folks who are engaged in what theyd call the movement. And even though voters opposed Question 2, they voted for ballot Question 3, which allows rent control. So its not like there was a rightward swing in the city of Minneapolis. You talked about how confusion can lead people to vote no on a ballot measure. I felt like that most stood out to me when read about how George Floyds girlfriend, Courteney Ross, was thinking about Question 2. When she was asked how she would vote on this measure that was sparked by her boyfriends killing, she didnt know. She said, Im not sure it would have prevented his death. Its still a debate in my mind. When I read that, I thought, thats a problem for a ballot measure like this. Its been a year and a half since George Floyd was murdered, and a lot has happened since then. As some activists reminded me this week, a year and a half is not a lot of time to prepare for substantial change to an institution thats existed for a century and a half. So I talked to folks who said, Yeah, the ballot question failed, but there are all these other things we can keep pushing on. I actually talked to another group that is pushing forward a different question about policing that they want to get on the ballot next yearessentially to create an elected body to oversee the police department. That would shift everything once again. Who would have expected that this would have been on the ballot five or six years ago? Years ago, abolishing the police was a fringe idea, but now, 44 percent of people voted for some sort of compromise version of that, saying to restructure and reenvision the police. I think that is pretty stunning. I look at it as part of a long journey that the city and the country are taking with policing and public safety. Subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts Get more news from Mary Harris every weekday. In recent years, the Supreme Court has grown increasingly paranoid about religious discrimination. The Republican-appointed justices see animosity to religion around every corner (unless it emanates from Donald Trump). They have been keen to shield people of faithspecifically, conservative Christiansfrom the faintest whiff of offense. And they have been eager to grant exemptions to religious plaintiffs who insist that complying with the law would violate their beliefs. At no point in any of the courts recent religious liberty cases did these justices even raise the possibility that these plaintiffs had feigned or exaggerated their beliefs. Advertisement Until Tuesday. During arguments in Ramirez v. Collier, several conservative justices expressed serious skepticism toward the sincerity of a religious plaintiffs faith. The difference between Ramirez and every past case? John Henry Ramirez is on death row, and his demand for a Baptist pastor in the death chamber has delayed his execution date. It turns out that these justices do think that courts can assess the authenticity of religious objections but only when the objector is about to be killed by the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The facts of Ramirez are heavily disputed, but the outline goes like this: In 2008, a Texas jury sentenced Ramirez to death for murder. Behind bars, he has received counseling from Dana Moore, a pastor at the Second Baptist Church in Corpus Christi. Moore routinely drives more than 300 miles to minister to Ramirez behind a plexiglass window. Ramirez, a devout Baptist, would like Moore to accompany him in the execution chamber when he is put to death by lethal injection. Specifically, he wants permission for his pastor to pray by his side and lay hands on him when his heart stops. 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. Texas refuses to grant this accommodation. The states lawyers alleged that the active presence of the pastor would imperil the safety of all involved. (They did not address the irony of fretting about safety during a procedure designed to kill someone.) So Moore filed a lawsuit alleging an infringement of his constitutional right to free exercise as well as a violation of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000. This federal law, known as RLUIPA, prohibits the government from imposing a substantial burden on the religious exercise of incarcerated people unless it is the least restrictive means of furthering a compelling governmental interest. Advertisement The justices have grappled with the issue of religious liberty for those condemned to death for several years in a series of contradictory shadow docket orders that failed to establish a clear rule. They seemed to take up Ramirez in order to lay down a standard that would stem the tide of last-minute requests to stay an execution on religious liberty grounds. As soon as arguments began, however, it became clear that Justices Clarence Thomas, Brett Kavanaugh, and Sam Alito had a different goal in mind: to undercut Ramirezs claim altogether by proving that he feigned a religious objection to delay his execution. Their ostensible evidence is the fact that Ramirez raised multiple objections to different restrictions each time the state scheduled his execution. Texas encouraged this narrative in its brief. But the states claims are objectively bogus: The full record reveals that the state itself repeatedly changed the rules to limit the pastors access to the death chamber and concealed these shifting guidelines from Ramirez until just before his execution. Advertisement Advertisement Ignoring these facts, Thomas seemed to buy into Texas highly suspect version of events. He asked Seth Kretzer, Ramirezs attorney: If we think that Mr. Ramirez has changed his request a number of times and has filed last-minute complaints, and if we assume that thats some indication of gaming the system, what should we do with that with respect to assessing the sincerity of his beliefs? Advertisement Remember: It was TEXAS that repeatedly changed its execution rules, forcing Ramirez to file multiple claims to protect his religious liberty. But here Justice Thomas suggests that *Ramirez* tried to game the system and questioned the sincerity of his religious beliefs. pic.twitter.com/qhzJpDQ4OR Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) November 9, 2021 Advertisement Kretzer pointed Thomas toward Ramirezs multiple handwritten pleas repeatedly requesting the same thing, but Thomas sounded doubtful. Can ones repeated filing of complaints, particularly at the last minute, not only be seen as evidence of gaming of the system but also of the sincerity of religious beliefs? he asked. Kretzer responded: I can only speak as Mr. Ramirezs attorney. I do not play games. Theres no dilatory tactics in this case. It wasnt good enough for Alito, who groused to Kretzer that what you have said so far suggests to me that we can look forward to an unending stream of variations. As if to tease out the many ways people could game the system to delay their executions, Alito asked: Whats going to happen when the next prisoner says that I have a religious belief that [my faith adviser] should touch my knee? He should hold my hand? He should put his hand over my heart? He should be able to put his hand on my head? Were going to have to go through the whole human anatomy with a series of cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kavanaugh picked up on Thomas thread, too. People are moving the goal posts on their claims in order to delay executions, he lectured Kretzer. At least, thats the states concern. Later, Kavanaugh added: This is a potential huge area of future litigation across a lot of areassincerity of religious claims. How do we question those? Some things people have talked about are the incentives someone might have to be insincere, behavioral inconsistencies the religious tradition of the practice. What do we look at to check sincerity? Because thats a very awkward thing for a judge to do, to say: I want to look into the sincerity of your claim. But our case law says we must do that. Advertisement Kavanaugh is concerned about death row inmates raising insincere religious liberty objections to execution protocols. He is eager to learn how courts can gauge the sincerity of their beliefsa task that nobody undertook in, say, the religious objection to vaccine mandates. pic.twitter.com/0vw0VsJf2A Mark Joseph Stern (@mjs_DC) November 9, 2021 Advertisement Advertisement Which case law, exactly, is Kavanaugh talking about? Because in recent history, the Supreme Court has emphatically refused to apply the slightest scrutiny to religious objections. When Hobby Lobby claimed that allowing their employees to access IUDs and morning-after pills through their health insurance violated the companys religious beliefs, SCOTUS did not question its sincerity. The conservative majority even adopted Hobby Lobbys position that these forms of contraception cause abortions, which is empirically false. When a pharmacy asserted that selling Plan B violated its religious beliefs based on the same misunderstanding, the conservative justices didnt blink. When religious employers said that filling out a form to exempt them from the contraceptive mandate would undermine their faith, SCOTUS nodded along. When a baker declared that providing a wedding cake to a same-sex couple infringed on his faith, these justices did not ask why, exactly, the sale of baked goods contravened the tenets of his creed. When a Catholic charity claimed that simply certifying LGBTQ people as fit foster parents clashed with the churchs principles, not a single justice probed its sincerity. And when health care workers protested the COVID vaccine on religious grounds, three conservative justices avidly embraced the validity of their objections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hypocrisy goes deeper. In Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, the Supreme Court held that a state official violated the free exercise clause by uttering a banal comment criticizing the use of religion to justify discrimination. If an offhand criticism of someones faith can violate the Constitution, surely a full-on investigation of someones religious beliefs can, too. Indeed, by the standard laid down in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Thomas and Kavanaughs statements on Tuesday might be unconstitutional animus toward Ramirezs faith. The same is true of Texas efforts to refute Ramirezs beliefs. To use the language of Masterpiece Cakeshop, the justices and the states lawyers expressed impermissible hostility toward Ramirezs religion-based objections, failing to pay them the neutral and respectful consideration commanded by the First Amendment. They characterized these objections as insubstantial and even insincere, betraying their solemn responsibility of fair and neutral enforcement of the law. Advertisement Of course, Supreme Court justices dont play by the same rules that they lay down for the rest of the country. Thomas, Kavanaugh, and Alito probably see no inconsistency in their approach to religion: They view death row inmates as inherently untrustworthy, desperate to extend their doomed lives through endless litigation. They arent the right kind of religious objectors, so they dont receive the deference afforded to, say, a Christian arts and crafts store. Whats unclear is whether the other conservative justices will go along with this hypocrisy. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett asked probing questions that didnt tip their hands, while Justice Neil Gorsuch said nothing at all. The liberals have consistently supported religious liberty in the death chamber, and Barrett has sided with them in the past. Whether there are five votes for a strong rule protecting Ramirezand all those who will come after himremains unclear. Whats certain after Tuesday is that some justices commitment to religious freedom ends the moment that religion might briefly halt the machinery of death. This article is part of the Free Speech Project, a collaboration between Future Tense and the Tech, Law, & Security Program at American University Washington College of Law that examines the ways technology is influencing how we think about speech. On Jan. 25, 2011, protests erupted across Egypt against the regime of Hosni Mubarak. As an estimated 2 million people protested at Tahrir Square in Cairo, the government tried to control the narrative by first blocking Twitter and then Facebook. Within a couple of days, Egypts telecom services would go dark. According to reports at the time, the shutdown caused a 90 percent drop in data traffic to and from Egypt, crippling an important communications tool used by antigovernment protesters and their supporters to organize and to spread their message. Advertisement Egypts digital shutdown sent shock waves across the world, leading people to one conclusion: Internet freedom was under threat. In a speech, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that internet freedom is about whether we live on a planet with one internet, one global community, and a common body of knowledge that benefits and unites us all, or a fragmented planet in which access to information and opportunity is dependent on where we live and the whims of censors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A decade later, the picture is quite differentbecause the world and the internet have both changed dramatically. In 2011, it was Facebook that was celebrated for accelerating Egypts awakening; in 2021, Facebook is vilified for seeming to do little to moderate posts in the worlds most violent countries, or for its struggles to contain insurrectionists posts. Todays internet has become one that calls for safety rather than freedom, and governments are ready to step in, as evidenced by privacy-invading legislation in Canada, Australia, the U.K., and beyond. Advertisement Since the Enlightenment, public safety has been seen as the first duty of government. For the governments guarantee of safety and security, Enlightenment thinkers observed, individuals would abandon the free state of nature. Hobbes wrote about this: The end for which one man giveth up, and relinquisheth to another, or others, the right of protecting and defending himself by his own power, is the security which he expecteth thereby, of protection and defense from those to whom he doth so relinquish it. For Enlightenment philosophers, security was central to the concessions people would make for the state. Fighting misinformation (especially during a pandemic) and extremist content, seeking to expose child abusers who use internet servicesall of these issues easily fall under the notion of public safety, and they provide the state with justification for intervention. If sovereignty is conditional upon the sovereigns ability to ensure the safety and security of the people, then the state should have every right to act on any of these issues. Advertisement Advertisement However, in practice, internet safety is opposed to the most fundamental benefits of the internet: empowering citizens, global interconnectedness, and opening new avenues for innovation. Whereas we once sought a more global and open internet, internet safety represents a movement that is inward-looking, fragmentedand often dangerously misguided. Advertisement The Online Safety Bill in the United Kingdom is a prime example. Promising to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online, the broad and unfocused bill contains threats to freedom of expression, privacy, security, and the internet. The bills main goal, to fight illegal and harmful content, would be accomplished by imposing a duty of care on internet service providers. The duty of care would also extend to users, who could face up to two years in prison for sending messages or posting content that causes psychological harm to others. If the bill passes, the U.K. government, in collaboration with the Office of Communication, the bills uberregulator, will need to introduce codes of practice to specify different levels of the duty of care and liability. (At the moment, the scope and reach of the duty of care remain unclear.) Furthermore, the bill would ban end-to-end encrypted communication services in the name of safety. Service providers would be criminally liable for the acts of their users if law enforcement agencies do not manage to get access to encrypted communications data. Finally, the Online Safety Bill would justify the criminal prosecution of tech executives who fail to address how their algorithms cause harm. Remove your harmful algorithms today and you will not be subjectednamed individualsto criminal liability and prosecution, said U.K. culture secretary Nadine Dorries. Advertisement Advertisement In the name of safety, governments are placing conditions that make it increasingly difficult for internet actors to prioritize security. Australia faces a similar situation. Freedom Houses Freedom on the Net 2021 report says that Internet freedom in Australia [has] regressed thanks in particular to the passage of its own Online Safety Act. Enacted in June, the legislation introduces a set of basic online safety expectations that internet service providers, social media platforms, and other online parties are expected to uphold. These include protecting minors from certain content, responding to user complaints about cyberbullying targeting Australian children and the sharing of nonconsensual content, and removing content that is abusive toward Australians in general. Advertisement Finally, in Canada, elections put a temporary pause on a legislative proposal that targets five different categories of harmful content: hate speech, child sexual abuse, terrorism, incitement to violence, and the nonconsensual sharing of intimate images. The main focus is on big platforms (such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Pornhub), which will be required to take reasonable steps to block such content in Canada; once content has been identified as harmful and/or illegal, it will need to be removed within 24 hours. The act also gives law enforcement agencies discretionary powers in identifying public safety threats. On the Mozilla blog, Owen Bannett writes that in its proposal that platforms take down more content in ever-shorter periods of time, the governments approach merely responds to symptoms and not structural causes of online harms. Worse still, the governments proposal includes some suggested policy ideas that would have the opposite effect of making online spaces healthier and more inclusive. For instance, Bannett says, The governments apparent zero-tolerance approach to objectionable content manifests through the proposal that online services must report instances of potentially criminal content to national security agencies. This will incentivize greater and more invasive monitoring of individuals by platforms (e.g. upload filtering; real-name policies) and have a disparate impact on those individuals and communities who already face structural oppression in the criminal justice system. The legislation is slated to return under the new government, and there is nothing to indicate it will not pass when it gets reintroduced. Advertisement Advertisement In the name of safety, governments are placing conditions that make it increasingly difficult for internet actors to prioritize security. Encryption is a clear example. Encryption tools constitute important security building blocks and are a sign of a healthy network. So, when government interventions in the name of safety compromise encryptions integrity, they create islands of insecure networks that will find it difficult to interconnect with secure ones, further fragmenting the internet. Advertisement Safety and freedom are not irreconcilable, and they should not be treated as such. Benjamin Franklin famously said, Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. It is the responsibility of government to find the balance between safety and freedom. In its current application, however, the focus on safety facilitates the creation of central chokepoints that allow the state to intervene. Given that the global nature of the internet is a feature and not a bug, this intervention leads to fragmentation and conflict. Advertisement So why, then, is internet safety such a popular idea? There is a practical reason, and it concerns the markets failure to self-regulate and effectively address issues of safety. The very companies that were seen as beacons of internet freedom around the world 10 years ago are currently depicted as the causes of an unsafe internet environment. Data leaks, ransomware attacks, a wave of misinformation and disinformation, and various cybersecurity incidents have made us all feel less safe and, often, less free. For instance, earlier this year news broke that the Israeli surveillance company NSO Group was selling hacking software to authoritarian governments around the world to target human rights activists, journalists, politicians, and lawyers. With no solution coming from the market, governments had no option but to intervene, mainly through regulations that perpetuate the tension between safety and freedom. In fact, the Freedom on the Net 2021 report found that while some democratic governments have made good faith attempts to regulate the technology industry, state intervention in the digital sphere worldwide has contributed to the 11th consecutive year of global decline in internet freedom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one wants an internet where illegal or harmful acts occur, where networks are accessed without authorization, where phishing and email frauds are rampant, and where sexual abuse and terrorism proliferate. Equally, we should not want an internet that is less global, is insecure, or where basic human rights are not respected. The problem is not with the term internet safety, per se. It is more about the way the phrase is being abused and, often, used as an excuse for control over global communications. We must observe the way internet safety is used and call out the instances it is abused. The future of the internet might depend on it. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. A version of this article first appeared in Emily Osters newsletter, ParentData. The approval of vaccines for 5- to 11-year-old kids last week left a lot of parents very relieved (including this one; both kids had a first dose on Thursday). Its also brought more attention to the ongoing conversation about when it makes sense to dial down some of the other COVID mitigation strategiesnotably, masks. In recent weeks, a number of articles (here, here, here) have been written about the need to articulate off-ramps for masking in schools. These pieces recognize that while in-school masking provides some protection, with lower case rates and vaccines for kids and adults widely available, there will be a time to remove this layer. It goes without saying that the discussion is very fraught and generates a lot of anger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A number of pieces have also been written about the evidence of the protective value of masks in schools. Not everyone agrees on that topic. But today I want to look at what we know about the other side of the coin, which is actually the question I get most frequently from parents: Are there any downsides to mask wearing for kids in school or child care? This is important to consider, since it influences how we think about changes in masking policy. Heres a simple thought experiment. Say that, instead of face masks, you protected against COVID-19 by wearing a friendship bracelet. As unobtrusive as that is, some people would still object to forcing children to wear one, claiming it infringed on freedom of expression, but most people would be willing to continue the practice as long as we believed it had some protective effect. On the other hand, imagine that the protection required kids to wear a blindfold at school. Again, some people would argue for continuing this indefinitely, at least until we reached zero-COVID, but most people would say that wed need to be convinced of significant value to continue it. Advertisement All this is to say that as we contemplate off-ramps, or a move to mask-optional approaches in schools, the question of whether there are downsides to masks and, if so, how large they are matters. We willand shouldthink about it differently depending on whether masks are more like friendship bracelets or blindfolds. Advertisement Interruption to say: By and large, kids have adapted extremely well to masks. They are able to wear them, and they dont complain (much). Which is all great! But it doesnt necessarily mean there are not some possible downsides. When people discuss possible concerns with masks for kids, there are a few key issues that are raised: Advertisement Interference with breathing/respiratory health Advertisement Interference with social development (ability to read emotions and interact with friends) Interference with intellectual development (learning to speak, learning to read, learning in general) Concerns about students with disabilities Answering most of these questions precisely is extremely difficult or impossible. But by triangulating across different pieces of data, we can start to get a picture. Respiratory function In June, JAMA Pediatrics published a study in which the authors suggested that face masks cause children to inhale dangerous levels of carbon dioxide. This was based on laboratory measurements, and it really scared parents. Without going into details, the most important thing you should know is that the study was retracted. The calculations ignored some basic understanding of how breathing works. In fact, at least one other study (not retracted!) evaluated respiratory function in infants and young children while wearing masks and did not find any evidence of impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Theres other work focused on whether face masking would impact respiratory function, even during exercise, that does not suggest negative effects. The bottom line is that while you can certainly find anecdotal evidence of people claiming their child cannot breathe wearing a mask, this isnt a claim that is well supported in the data. Social and intellectual development Im going to lump these together, because the type of evidence we bring to bear on them is roughly the same. Stepping back: The concerns here stem from the observation that seeing the bottom half of the face is important for reading emotions, learning to speak, and learning to read. The theory behind this is compelling. In the study of socioemotional development, the idea of facial expressions conveying emotions goes back to Charles Darwin (in one of his lesser-known books, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals). As adults, it should be obvious from our own experience that we use facial expressions to understand the emotions of others. Advertisement Advertisement This is a skill that develops over childhood (see, for example, this paper on how kids get better at reading emotions from faces between the ages of 3 and 11). Kids differ in the speed at which they develop this ability; there is literature on how childrens reading of facial expressions correlates with their social skills. This starts early: Infants respond to faces, rapidly learning to distinguish between happy, sad, and other emotions, and can distinguish their moms face from others within a short period. Advertisement There is also a potential role for facial expressions in language development. Watching how mouths move is part of learning to speak (see, for instance, this paper). And when kids need help with speech issues, being able to observe the movement of their mouth [and the mouths of others in pronouncing letters is crucial Advertisement A final argument relates to hearing. There is direct evidence that masks make it difficult to hear the speaker, and that this may be exacerbated for kids in loud classrooms. It stands to some logic that if you are trying to teach a young child to reador, really, do anythingit is valuable for them to be able to hear you. And social interactions are better if kids can hear each other and be heard by teachers. Putting all this together, it is reasonable to think that some aspects of learning or social skills may be impacted by masks, and indeed others have argued this. But this isnt quite the same as direct evidence that masking is detrimental, and it doesnt tell us about magnitudes. Maybe seeing half a face is almost as good as a whole face. The impacts of hearing on learning may be small. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Large-scale evidence on the particular question of masking in schools and development is lacking and is unlikely to ever appear. One could imagine exploiting differences across schools in mask policies to look at differences in learning outcomes, but you would rapidly realize in doing so that too many other things vary across these schools. There will never be anything convincingly causal. Advertisement What we can see is a bit of lab-based evidence on masking directly, especially on emotion-reading. There is, for example, this paper showing that children performed worse on a face-perception test when masks were involved versus without. Theres also this paperco-authored by a researcher and a 9-year-oldwhich showed that children had trouble reading emotions from masked faces. Or this one, which showed that masks reduced kids ability to read emotions from pictures (though notably, not more than sunglasses). Advertisement This type of in-lab analysis for studying language development or learning evolution is less feasible, and there is therefore little we can say directly. In the end, what we arrive at is a lot of theoretical reasons to think that masking could be somewhat detrimental to social learning and intellectual progress, with the evidence for the former being somewhat stronger. But it is nearly impossible to be precise about magnitudes. Students with disabilities For students with disabilitiesespecially students with autism, for whom reading emotions is already more challenging, or those who are deafmasks may be a particular barrier. There is some direct evidence among children with hearing impairment of masks impacting their word understanding. A challenge is that these students are also, in some cases, at higher risk for COVID-19. There is a balance, then, between risk and benefit. Summing up It remains extremely difficult to make any concrete statement about possible risks or downsides of masks in kids. Perhaps the strongest evidence is on effects on emotion-reading, but even there we have to ask: How much does it matter in practice? If kids are unmasked at home and when out at recess, is it a big deal to wear a mask while learning to subtract? Advertisement We expect variation in impacts across children. Those who are slightly hearing-impaired, or have more trouble paying attention, may be more affected by the muffled nature of voices through masks. Those kids who struggle more to read emotions may benefit more from getting whole-face information and may struggle more with masks, too. Advertisement None of this is intended to scare parents. Kids are resilient, kind of amazingly so. If your child is in school with a mask, you shouldnt panicand far, far better to be in person at school with masks than at home without. So this isnt a moment to be scared about yet another thing. But what seems quite clear to me in reflecting on this is that masks are not a friendship bracelet. The effects may be small, or mixed across kids, but in the absence of a disease risk, we would not have children mask at school or child care. And these effects are likely larger for younger kids. Which means that there are strong reasons to consider when we will feel the COVID risks are such that we can remove masks, probably even before the youngest kids are vaccine-eligible. Which, basically, means we need to design off-ramps. Future Tense is a partnership of Slate, New America, and Arizona State University that examines emerging technologies, public policy, and society. Cities with the best tap water in Spain The experts have rated the best and worst-tasting water in Spain Drinking water and staying hydrated is vital for good health in Spain, particularly during the scorching summer months, with experts advising that adults should consume around 2 litres a day to replenish the water lost through sweating and other activities. The debate has raged for years about whether the tap water in Spain is safe to drink, with supermarkets cashing in on nervous residents purchasing bottled water by the gallon. Now, the Organisation of Consumers and Users (OCU) has insisted that the best thing is to drink tap water as it is far cheaper, of exceptional quality and is better for the environment as it produces no plastic waste. However, the OCU has acknowledged that in some parts of Spain the tap water doesnt taste as good, and this accounts for the high consumption of bottled water. Best Spanish tap water After analysing the tap water in more than 60 municipalities, the OCU has confirmed that in 19 of them the quality is excellent and in 36 it is good. This means that most of the cities analysed have a quality that is very suitable for consumption. The winners are Burgos, San Sebastian and Las Palmas, cities in which the tap water contains very few minerals and very little lime, contributing to its good taste, according to the OCU. The worst tap water If there is a best, there has to be worst and this ignominous title goes to Palma de Mallorca, Huelva, Barcelona and Ciudad Real. These municipalities have tap water that in some cases contains high levels of harmful substances, while the hygiene quality and presence of contaminants also served to bring the score down. Image: Archive Referendum to decide if Spain should have a monarchy The results of the referendum will be neither official nor binding in Spain In a somewhat unusual move, on May 14 next year the Monarchy or Republic State Peoples Consultation Platform will hold an unofficial referendum to establish how people in Spain think the country should be governed. The move, which is not supported by any public administration and therefore wont be binding, was postponed in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic The referendum, which is backed by several minority parties, will consist of ballot boxes being installed in the streets where citizens can vote on whether they believe Spain should have a monarchy or be a republic. According to the organisers, the majority of the current population did not have the opportunity to vote on the 1978 Constitution, but those who could did not have the option to choose between a monarchy and a republic. However, data from the Sociological Research Centre (CIS) suggest that the Platform may be making more of an issue than it needs to, as only 0.3% of respondents checked the Monarchy box as their main concern during a recent survey. In fact, of the 44 problems listed, Spains Royal Family only featured at number 35. On the other hand, far more citizens expressed dissatisfaction with the current political regime. Political problems in general ranked in fourth position and was voted for by 22.1% of those surveyed. In addition, some 20.3% of people were concerned by the perceived bad behaviour of politicians. Image: Archive Spain allocates 2 million Covid vaccines to refugees Spain plans to work closely with the United Nations to ensure that poorer nations receive the vaccines Speaking on the 70th anniversary of the Convention on the Status of Refugees, the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, announced on Monday November 8 that Spain will reserve two million coronavirus vaccines for humanitarian purposes, while working closely with the United Nations Agency for Refugees (UNHCR) to ensure that the jabs reach the places where they are most needed. The president reiterated how supportive Spain has been in the face of this global evil. Spain is currently among the top ten vaccine donor countries, after it began to offer doses to nations such as Latin America even before 50% of Spaniards were double jabbed. The vaccines destined for refugee camps and other humanitarian efforts will come from the stash already destined for donation and will not impact Spains own vaccination campaign. Mr Sanchez said on Monday that he is very aware that an adequate number of vaccines are not reaching the whole world and that those living in refugee camps have especially suffered. Finally, the president stressed the importance of reaching the goal of vaccinating 70% of the global population by the middle of 2022 as was agreed at the G20 summit in Rome, a feat which Mr Sanchez insisted is "perfectly possible and achievable by the whole of humanity". Image: Archive Take a peek into the world of Elena Odriozola, the Spanish illustrator who won the Bratislava Illustration Biennial 2021 Grand Prix. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled After the success of her illustrations as the runner up, Spanish illustrator ELENA ODRIOZOLA has won the 2021 Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) Grand Prix for her illustrations from the book Mixed Feelings. This innovative childrens book is an illustrated introduction to philosophy, created in collaboration with her longtime friend and publishing partner Gustavo Puerto Leisse. BIB 2021 Six years after she received a Golden Apple at the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava, Spanish illustrator Elena Odriozola has been recently awarded the main prize at the 2021 competition for her illustrations in the book Mixed Feelings. Odriozola, who was born in San Sebastian in 1967, first began to work in advertising before she embarked on her career as an illustrator of childrens books. The Spanish illustrators works and the illustrations of other awarded artists from all over the world are exhibited until early January at Bratislava Castle. For more information visit the BIB website. The San Sebastian-based renowned illustrator spoke with The Slovak Spectator about her work, childrens books, and her experience with Bratislava. What does winning the grand prix of the BIB mean to you? I'm very excited about winning the prize. You never expect it to actually happen, so when they call you and say youve won its very exciting! You had already been featured in the BIB and won the runner up prize, the Golden Apple. How did you like Bratislava? I had the chance to visit Bratislava for a few days back when I won the Golden Apple. I remember dropping the Golden Apple into all the flowers I received. It's a very good memory, Slovakia is so different from Spain but very lovely. Can you say more about the genesis of the winning book? The idea of philosophy for children is very ambitious and pertinent, was it a challenge to bring it to life? Jan Vanco and his family hid insurgents and Jews in their cellars after the 1944 uprising. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Stolpersteine honouring the Keme family are installed on the Slovak National Uprising Square in Banska Bystrica on October 31, 2012. (Source: TASR) Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled In Banska Bystrica, more Stolpersteine, also known as the Stones of the Disappeared in Slovakia, have been laid in front of the home of a family who lost their lives during the Holocaust. The "stumbling" stones with a brass plaque measuring 10 by 10 centimetres show the victim's name, date of birth and their fate, such as arrest, deportation or the place of murder. The European project of the German artist Gunter Demnig has run in Slovakia since 2012. The first Stolpersteine were installed in Banska Bystrica and the nearby town of Brezno. Related article: Related article: More Stolpersteine have been placed into pavements in Banska Bystrica, Bratislava Read more So far, volunteers have laid almost 250 stones in 24 Slovak towns and communities. Vanco family This past weekend, in Banska Bystrica, new Stolpersteine were installed on Lazovna Street, where Vanco's house and mill once stood, as reported by the My Banska Bystrica website. Jan Vanco lived in it with his family. He was a merchant and supporter of the Evangelical Church in Slovakia who helped the anti-Nazi resistance. Gunter Demnig. (Source: TASR) "After the suppression of the Slovak National Uprising, he hid wounded insurgents and Jewish citizens in his cellars," said Banska Bystrica deputy mayor Milan Lichy. Vanco and his family later became victims of Nazi terror. On November 6, 1944, the Sicherheitsdienst intelligence agency detained Vanco and the next day his sick wife Anna and his sons Pavel and Jan. The Vanco family, as well as the people they were hiding, were executed by the Nazis in the village of Kremnicka, now part of the Banska Bystrica borough, shortly before Christmas, on December 19, 1944. The house in which the family used to live burned down in 1972 and was demolished two years later. Only cellars and the ruin of an old tower have been preserved to date, and a parking space replaced the house. Stumbling "The story of the heroism of Jan Vanco and his family deserves to remain forever in the memory of the city," said Lichy, adding that it was necessary to continue building walls against hatred, violence and anger. The stones remind people that the greatest tragedies took place in the streets they walk every day. "Like more than 80 years ago, little is enough today and those tragedies can become the horrifying everyday reality again," said Andrej Cierny from the organisation Antikomplex.sk, which is behind the Stones of the Disappeared project in Slovakia. Related article: Related article: Stumbling stones help remember Read more That is why the project should serve as our common "stumbling" over the fate of people inscribed in the cubes in pavements, so that we will never stumble again as in the period of the Nazi regime, added Cierny. Digitisation In the vicinity of localities with these "stumbling" stones in Slovakia, stickers with QR codes are gradually being added today. After scanning any of them, people can read a story and find out more about the disappeared person on their smartphone. In addition, a map has been launched online, on which the individual stories of Holocaust victims are available to read. More details to be presented after the cabinet session. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled The pandemic alert system, known as the Covid automat in Slovakia, will most likely change. Our paywall policy: The Slovak Spectator has decided to make all the articles on the special measures, statistics and basic information about the coronavirus available to everyone. If you appreciate our work and would like to support good journalism, please buy our subscription. We believe this is an issue where accurate and fact-based information is important for people to cope. The coalition council agreed that people living in black-tier districts who have been fully vaccinated against Covid or have recovered from the disease will be able to enter restaurants or accommodation facilities. Under the current rules, they are closed for everybody. The number of infected people is rising steeply, and Slovakia is turning black, PM Eduard Heger (OLaNO) wrote on Facebook. Thus, we have decided to act motivationally, but also strictly. Apart from introducing benefits, the coalition council agreed on regular controls of whether the rules in place are observed. I believe the operators will be wise and wont risk sanctions by avoiding the rules, Heger added. Health Ministry proposes national emergency for some regions. Final version of measures unknown Read more What should change? Apart from more benefits for the vaccinated and those who have recovered from Covid in the black-tier districts, the coalition council agreed on the following changes that still need to be discussed by the cabinet: if a person refuses to show a Covid pass (containing a confirmation of vaccination, recovery from Covid or negative Covid test result) and prove their identity, the operator of a facility or the organiser of a mass event will be obliged to ban them from entering the premise or attending the event; if the person breaches the measures issued by the Public Health Authority (UVZ), the operator of a facility or the organiser of an event will be entitled to order them to leave the premises; UVZ and the police will have new powers to impose a fine directly on the spot or close the premises immediately; if a person offends medical staff or falsifies a Covid pass, it will be possible to fine them up to 1,000; employers will be allowed to ask their employees to show a Covid pass; unvaccinated employees working in black-tier districts who have not recovered from the disease will have to be tested, at least twice a week. The costs should be covered by the employer; pandemic sickness benefit (PN in Slovak) will be the same as the standard sickness benefit; mandatory vaccination for certain groups will not be introduced for now. Number of patients is rising, but there are not many of us. Medical staff calls on people to get vaccinated Read more More details about the changes will be presented after the cabinet session. Yet, it is already clear that the proposals are milder than what the group of experts advising the Health Ministry recommended late last week. They proposed, among other things, the restriction of movement for unvaccinated people living in black-tier districts. Read more about the coronavirus developments in Slovakia: All hospital beds with lung ventilators occupied by Covid patients in the Zilina Region. Vaccinated people should be able to visit restaurants and accommodation facilities even in the black tier. News: Receive favorite authors articles by email. Try the new feature and turn on the subscription. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Good evening. The Tuesday, November 9 edition of Today in Slovakia is ready with the main news of the day in less than five minutes. We wish you a pleasant read. ELA opens its headquarters in Bratislava ELA headquarters (Source: TASR) PM Eduard Heger and the European Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Nicolas Schmit, ceremoniously opened the headquarters of the European Labour Authority (ELA) on Landererova Street in Bratislava on Tuesday. "Today is a big day for Slovakia and the European Union," said Prime Minister Eduard Heger. According to him, the fact that Slovakia became the headquarters of the ELA is no coincidence. Labour mobility is a widespread phenomenon in Slovakia, as Slovaks used to leave abroad to seek a better life in the past as well as in the present day. As ELA Executive Director Cosmin Boiangiu said, the agency represents a shared commitment to ensure fair and efficient labour market mobility across the European Union. According to him, the ELA will be proactive in ensuring mobility on the labour market in the Union. Easier measures for vaccinated and recovered people PM Eduard Heger (Source: SITA) The coalition has agreed that vaccinated people and those who have recovered from Covid-19 will be able to visit restaurants and accommodation facilities in black-tier districts. PM Eduard Heger wrote on Facebook that compliance with measures will be regularly checked. "I believe that the operations will be wise and not risk harsh penalties for circumventing duties. This means that they will not let unvaccinated people inside," said Heger. The coalition proposes an obligation for the operator and organiser to prevent persons who refuse to show a Covid pass or prove their identity from entering facilities or mass events. The Public Health Authority and the police will have new rights, either to impose a fine on the spot or to close the establishment. If a person offends a health professional or forges a Covid pass, the fine will increase to 1,000. More coronavirus and vaccination news AstraZeneca vaccines against Covid-19 (Source: AP/TASR) 4,958 people were newly diagnosed as Covid positive out of 19,537 PCR tests performed on Monday. The number of people in hospitals has increased to 2,405 people. 45 more deaths were reported on Monday. The vaccination rate is at 45.88 percent, 2,523,310 people having received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here. out of 19,537 PCR tests performed on Monday. The number of people in hospitals has increased to 2,405 people. 45 more deaths were reported on Monday. The vaccination rate is at 45.88 percent, 2,523,310 people having received the first dose of the vaccine. More stats on Covid-19 in Slovakia here. Kosice and the surroundings of Kosice will be in the black-tier from next week , the city announced. , the city announced. Families in Slovakia are either vaccinated or unvaccinated , shows the recent How Are You Slovakia? poll conducted by the Slovak Academy of Sciences, MNFORCE and Seesame communication agencies. In almost 40 percent of households all members older than 18 are vaccinated against Covid and in 30 percent of households nobody in the family is vaccinated. , shows the recent How Are You Slovakia? poll conducted by the Slovak Academy of Sciences, MNFORCE and Seesame communication agencies. In almost 40 percent of households all members older than 18 are vaccinated against Covid and in 30 percent of households nobody in the family is vaccinated. Beds for patients with Covid-19 on lung ventilators are 100 percent occupied in hospitals of the Zilina Region . The overall capacity of beds is filled to more than 80 percent. Hospitals have been transporting critically-ill Covid patients to other regions of Slovakia for two weeks now. . The overall capacity of beds is filled to more than 80 percent. Hospitals have been transporting critically-ill Covid patients to other regions of Slovakia for two weeks now. From Wednesday, all hospitals, including those in the Bratislava region, will be reprofiling beds in the third stage for Covid-19 , said Kamil Szaz, state secretary of the Health Ministry. At this stage, other medical interventions are severely limited. Szaz added that the ministry sent monoclonal antibodies to 36 centres. including those in the Bratislava region, , said Kamil Szaz, state secretary of the Health Ministry. At this stage, other medical interventions are severely limited. Szaz added that the ministry sent monoclonal antibodies to 36 centres. Health Ministry emphasises that the checking of Covid passes and the data it contains is legal, since it is not health documentation. Shops and services do not breach the law by inspecting the pass. Photo of the day Polish President Andrzej Duda visited Slovakia and met with Slovak President Zuzana Caputova. "Relations between our countries have been friendly for a long time, Poland is the third largest partner of Slovakia in terms of foreign trade," said Caputova. The President discussed the rule of law and the implementation of European law in Poland, migration, the current situation at the border Poland shares with Belarus, climate issues and the pandemic. (Source: TASR) Feature story for today This year, talk of Christmas shopping has arrived even earlier, with retailers saying Santa may not be able to make it like he usually does. Too early for Christmas shopping? Sellers advise people to hurry this year Read more If you like what we are doing and want to support good journalism, buy our online subscription. Thank you. In other news Academic painter and illustrator Miroslav Cipar died at age 86 , his family stated. He was not only an artist, but also an important figure during the Velvet Revolution. , his family stated. He was not only an artist, but also an important figure during the Velvet Revolution. In September 2021, total exports of goods amounted to 7 billion, with a year-on-year drop by 5.9 percent . The total imports of goods increased by 6.5 percent to 7.1 billion. . The total imports of goods increased by 6.5 percent to 7.1 billion. Slovenian manager Matjaz Gorjup became new president of the packaging and paper company Mondi SCP . He previously worked for the Italian printing company Viappiani Printing. He replaced Bernhard Peschek in early November. (TASR) . He previously worked for the Italian printing company Viappiani Printing. He replaced Bernhard Peschek in early November. (TASR) Salary growth in Slovakia is lagging behind other countries in the region . While in 2000 the net nominal wages of Slovaks along with the Czechs were the second highest after Slovenes, they are currently among the lowest. In the last 20 years Slovak wages have grown the slowest compared to the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. This follows from a recent study by the Center for Public Policy, which compares the success of the transformation of post-communist countries in terms of wage growth after 2000. . While in 2000 the net nominal wages of Slovaks along with the Czechs were the second highest after Slovenes, they are currently among the lowest. In the last 20 years Slovak wages have grown the slowest compared to the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. This follows from a recent study by the Center for Public Policy, which compares the success of the transformation of post-communist countries in terms of wage growth after 2000. The l egendary carmaker Tatra will produce vehicles in Slovakia again . Apart from passenger cars, it will produce specialised lorries in Trencin, where it plans to employ 150 people in two years. . Apart from passenger cars, it will produce specialised lorries in Trencin, where it plans to employ 150 people in two years. By mid-October this year, almost 110,000 entrepreneurs in Slovakia had submitted income tax returns with zero or negative tax liability. Thus, they paid no income tax to the state coffers for 2020. According to the consulting company Dun & Bradstreet, this represents 46 percent of the total number of companies that submitted a tax return in the given period. Do not miss on Spectator.sk today Every time I read a book, I imagine how to illustrate it Read more New "Stones of the Disappeared" shed light on Holocaust victims in Slovakia Read more If you have suggestions on how this news overview can be improved, you can reach us at editorial@spectator.sk. https://sputniknews.com/20211108/sanctions-threats-on-ethiopia-counterproductive-will-hurt-people-russian-envoy-to-un-says-1090577958.html Sanctions Threats on Ethiopia Counterproductive, Will Hurt People, Russian Envoy to UN Says Sanctions Threats on Ethiopia Counterproductive, Will Hurt People, Russian Envoy to UN Says UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) - Russia believes that the threats of imposing unilateral sanctions against Ethiopia and the refusal to provide aid are... 08.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-08T23:43+0000 2021-11-08T23:43+0000 2021-11-08T23:43+0000 ethiopia russia conflict us sanctions tplf (tigray people's liberation front) /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/08/1090577933_0:0:2859:1609_1920x0_80_0_0_1e8f1b51f2844763fa7cb585aade7851.jpg On September 17, US President Joe Biden issued an executive order authorizing new sanctions on individuals and organizations involved in the escalating conflict in Ethiopia. Last week, Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman said that Washington "is prepared to pursue" the sanctions, "targeting all parties implicated."Northern Ethiopia has been engulfed by the internal conflict since October of last year, when the central government accused the PNLF of attacking a military base and launched a counter operation in Tigray. The hostilities have been going on since despite a June ceasefire.More than 1,000 people have assembled in front of the White House on Monday, including families with children and elderly individuals, to have their voices heard in support of Ethiopias democratically-elected government and the countrys unity and territorial integrity as well as against US-encouraged rebel forces. ethiopia russia 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 ethiopia, russia, conflict, us sanctions, tplf (tigray people's liberation front) https://sputniknews.com/20211109/1090588706.html Emotional Encounters and Joyful Reunions: US Reopens Borders to Vaccinated Travellers Emotional Encounters and Joyful Reunions: US Reopens Borders to Vaccinated Travellers Since 8 November, the United States has lifted restrictions on the entry of tourists from 33 countries. Borders are now open to travellers who have been fully... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T12:45+0000 2021-11-09T12:45+0000 2021-11-09T12:48+0000 photo multimedia us covid-19 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090588717_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_992e950b8313046e1b1704ba0d688396.jpg Foreigners vaccinated with Moderna, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Covaxin, Covishield, Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotec vaccines can come to the country. They will be released from quarantine.Travellers must also have a negative PCR test obtained within the last 72 hours. Only travellers crossing the land border with Mexico or Canada can enter without it.From now on, people can meet with their families and friends. Take a look at these happy moments in the Sputnik gallery. us 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 , photo, multimedia, us, covid-19 https://sputniknews.com/20211109/6-jan-probe-issues-new-batch-of-subpoenas-for-ex--officials-with-pivotal-roles-in-trump-campaign-1090585080.html 6 Jan. Probe Issues New Batch Of Subpoenas For Ex- Officials With Pivotal Roles in Trump Campaign 6 Jan. Probe Issues New Batch Of Subpoenas For Ex- Officials With Pivotal Roles in Trump Campaign The partisan, Democratic-led House select committee investigating the January 6th riot at the US Capitol, established on 30 June and charged by Republicans as... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T07:32+0000 2021-11-09T07:32+0000 2021-11-09T07:32+0000 joe biden donald trump news us michael flynn us capitol /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/14/1083418124_0:83:3072:1811_1920x0_80_0_0_2cc79f387ce6fbff4937c3054a21aaa2.jpg The Democratic-led US House Select Committee investigating the January 6th Capitol riot has issued a batch of new subpoenas to several ex-Trump administration officials, allies and re-election campaign aides. The court-ordered command, which included demands for records and testimony, has been issued to six individuals: Trumps former national security adviser Michael Flynn; attorney John Eastman; chief spokesman for Donald Trumps 2016 presidential campaign and senior adviser to 2020 re-election campaign, Jason Miller; 2020 re-election campaign manager Bill Stepien; former New York Police commissioner and Trump adviser Bernard Kerik; former Trump campaign aide Angela McCallum. The probe, which Republicans have slammed as a witch hunt, alleges the witnesses were involved with Donald Trumps campaign to urge states to delay or deny certification of electoral votes in the November 2020 presidential elections.The committee that comprises seven Democrats and two Republicans believes that Donald Trump's campaign aides and advisers set up a war room that acted, in effect, as a command centre to coordinate efforts to overturn the certification of the results of the November 2020 presidential elections in the country. The six witnesses, according to the panel, had been involved in efforts to promote Trumps claims the 2020 elections had been rigged to favour his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. "All have information that is deeply important to the committee," panel member, California Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff was cited as saying.Dems Flurry of Subpoenas Jason Miller, said the panel, had issued warnings early in 2020 that that Democrats would "steal" the election. He is accused of subsequently coordinating with Trump and the ex-POTUS attorney Rudy Giuliani to promote the claims of fraud. According to the democratic-led committee, Miller joined witnesses Kerik and Eastman, as well as Giuliani and former strategist Steve Bannon at the Willard Hotel near the White House on the eve of the Capitol events to purportedly conceive a plot to overturn the results of the elections. Attorney John Eastman, who spoke at the rally preceding the Capitol attack, is alleged to have participated in a briefing with nearly 300 state legislators ahead of the January 6 events, urging them not to put "some guy who didn't get elected" in office. Michael Flynn is singled out by the committee as having allegedly participated in an Oval Office meeting on 18 December 2020 that is suggested as having weighed the possibility of seizing voting machines and invoking a national emergency. The panel claimed to have in its possession a voicemail recording revealing Angela McCallum asking an unidentified Michigan state representative if the Trump campaign could "count on" them to appoint alternate electors. In his statement, Bennie Thompson urged subpoenaed witnesses to cooperate with the committee. Records and testimony from witnesses are demanded between late November and mid-December. The panel has been working expeditiously, issuing more than two dozen subpoenas targeting former Trump officials and individuals seen as tied to organizers of the rally that preceded the US Capitol siege. Last month, the House voted to hold former White House strategist Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress for refusing to testify, asking the Justice Department to pursue criminal charges. Last month, the Biden administration blocked former President Donald Trump's request to withhold documents about the 6 January events at the Capitol. The decision authorizes the National Archives to hand over documents requested by the US House Select Committee. Trump subsequently sued the House panel for its inquiry, describing it as illegal and charging the panel's requests for documents from the Executive Branch as "unprecedented in their breadth and scope and untethered from any legitimate legislative purpose." The Democrats have insisted that Donald Trumps claims of voter fraud incited the so-called insurrection which had temporarily interrupted the electoral count certifying Joe Biden's victory in the November 2020 presidential elections. As a result of events at the Capitol, five people, including a Capitol police officer, died. Trump has denied any culpability, underscoring that he was among the first to condemn the actions of the rioters, dissatisfied with the election results. Donald Trump, who had repeatedly claimed the rigged 2020 presidential election had been stolen from him, was accused of inciting an insurrection, and impeached by the US House of Representatives. Trump was later acquitted by the US Senate in a trial weeks after he left office. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko 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 Svetlana Ekimenko joe biden, donald trump, news, us, michael flynn, us capitol https://sputniknews.com/20211109/chinese-defense-ministry-condemns-visit-of-us-congressmen-to-taiwan-1090597415.html Chinese Defene Ministry Condemns Visit of US Congressmen to Taiwan Chinese Defene Ministry Condemns Visit of US Congressmen to Taiwan BEIJING (Sputnik) - China condemns the visit of US congressmen to Taiwan and calls on Washington to stop provocations, Chinese Defene Ministry spokesman Tan... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T13:58+0000 2021-11-09T13:58+0000 2021-11-09T13:58+0000 asia & pacific us taiwan strait /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/08/1083337542_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_d67aec6e2e236035d95e7f9fb82c2cee.jpg "We strongly oppose and condemn this. Taiwan is an integral part of China. The US has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, seriously damaged China's territorial sovereignty, and threatened peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We call on the US to immediately cease its provocative actions," the spokesman said on WeChat.Earlier, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that a military plane carrying a delegation of US congressmen had landed on the island of Taiwan on Tuesday evening. STABOU Youssef En pleine Crise Diplomatique Mondiale, les E.U ne trouve que l'ingerence comme diplomatie ! 1 Notta Snowflake It is a bit thick for the U.S.A. to show up playing at the usual 1960's playbook destabilising clown games without pursuing some form of diplomatic politesse or due diligence out of courtesy if only to obtain insight into both sides of the issue. Were I representative of an independent nation-state, the last people I would pursue as allies would be the USA, and especially this particular American regime which is popping its rivets to get a new war going to take the heat off a lame-duck "let them eat cake" baizuo and manifestly incompetent Congress. The Brandon regime could care less if they get a couple of million Asians killed for no reason. 1 2 us taiwan strait 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 asia & pacific, us, taiwan strait https://sputniknews.com/20211109/could-brexit-unite-ireland-quicker-than-all-those-years-of-violence-and-terrorism-1090593911.html Could Brexit Unite Ireland Quicker Than All Those Years of Violence and Terrorism? Could Brexit Unite Ireland Quicker Than All Those Years of Violence and Terrorism? Fresh negotiations are underway between Britain and the European Union over the controversial Northern Ireland Protocol. But how do Irish republicans and... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T16:20+0000 2021-11-09T16:20+0000 2021-11-13T16:42+0000 northern ireland sinn fein democratic unionist party (dup) social-democratic labour party (sdlp) brexit republic of ireland /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/0c/1089854611_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_8484f3fd9275ca6c52a3046a0c18df12.jpg When the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998 it brought to an end 30 years of violence which cost 3,600 lives.But for the Roman Catholic nationalist and republican community in the six counties of Northern Ireland it was never supposed to be the end of the story.They still aspire to a united Ireland - a single state, with its capital in Dublin - as envisaged by the original Sinn Fein and the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916.Is This Peace or Just 'Absence of Conflict'?Paul Gosling, a journalist and author who works as an adviser to SDLP MLA Sinead McLaughlin, said: Since the Good Friday Agreement we have had an absence of conflict, rather than a settled peace.The Provisional IRA - the military wing of Sinn Fein - has largely abided by the terms of the Good Friday Agreement and decommissioned its weapons, as have the two loyalist paramilitaries, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF).Dissident Irish republican groups still exist - the New IRA claimed responsibility for killing journalist and blogger Lyra McKee in Derry in 2019 and also reportedly lent AK-47 rifles to Dublin gangster Gerry The Monk Hutch when he was embroiled in an underworld feud with rival Daniel Kinahan.Gosling said the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), under leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson and First Minister Paul Givan, and Sinn Fein under Deputy First Minister Michelle ONeill were not working together, adding: There is hostility at the political level and a level of dysfunctionality.The Importance of Personalities Ironically power-sharing at Stormont worked when Sinn Fein was led by former IRA commander Martin McGuinness and the DUP by the Reverend Ian Paisley, who were dubbed the Chuckle Brothers because of their working relationship.Gosling said: Personalities reflect their experience. Ian Paisley had personal experience of The Troubles and Donaldson and Givan dont and Michelle ONeill doesnt have Martin McGuinnesss experience.He said: There are people people in Sinn Fein who believe the failure of the institutions in Northern Ireland will support the case for a united Ireland.Sinn Fein Now Focused on DublinBut Sinn Fein came close to winning power in the Republic at last years general election - they gained 15 seats and ended up with one less than Fianna Fail and two more than Fine Gael - and Gosling says the partys strategy has shifted.Earlier this year, Martina Anderson, 59, a former IRA member who was convicted in 1986 for conspiring to cause explosions in England, was forced to stand down as an MLA in Derry and was replaced by Padraig Delargy, 25, and Ciara Ferguson, 50, who have clean resumes.Gosling said: Sinn Fein are cleaning their image in the north. They believe taking power in the south is the way to achieve Irish unity.Governments in Dublin have effected significant changes in recent years with Citizens Assemblies. Sinn Fein still wants to bring about a united Ireland.Under the Good Friday Agreement a united Ireland would only come about with the consent of the majority both in Northern Ireland and in the Republic.A United Ireland Referendum Soon?Border polls - effectively referendums on a united Ireland - would have to be held in Northern Ireland and the Republic.If one were held now it is difficult to know which side would win, although the fiasco of Brexit and the fudged compromise which is the Northern Ireland Protocol have probably increased support for a united Ireland.When Brexit was negotiated with the EU by Boris Johnsons government in 2019 a compromise - known as the Northern Ireland Protocol - was put in place which placed the whole island of Ireland in the single market and introduced a customs border in the Irish Sea.The Problem With the ProtocolThe Protocol has led some firms in Northern Ireland to switch suppliers from companies in England, Scotland or Wales to businesses in the Republic of Ireland.The Brexit Secretary, Lord Frost, has asked for the protocol to be renegotiated amid widespread protests among both the unionist and loyalist community in Northern Ireland.Mr Gosling, who is based in Derry, said: I didnt anticipate the level of dishonesty by the British government. Boris Johnson has been willing to sign an international agreement and then renege on it.But loyalists have been enraged by the Northern Ireland Protocol, which has introduced an obstacle to trade between Ulster and the British mainland.Loyalist paramilitaries, using the UVF cover name Protestant Action Force, have hijacked and set fire to buses in protest at the Northern Ireland Protocol.In October 2019 a former Irish republican paramilitary, who served time for possessing petrol bombs, told Sputnik: The loyalist paramilitaries will start killing Catholics if a united Ireland ever looks likelyWhen their backs are against the wall they always carry out sectarian killings.Loyalist Threat to Good Free AgreementThis week the Progressive Unionist Party, which was originally set up as the political wing of the UVF, withdrew its support for the Good Friday Agreement.Gosling said: Northern Ireland is a difficult and dark place at the moment. When 12-year-olds and 15-year-olds are rioting you can be sure they have been coerced by loyalist paramilitaries.But he said most Irish republicans were not in favour of violence and would resist provocation by the loyalist side.For Sinn Fein - and other supporters of a united Ireland in the north - it would appear the strategy is to bide their time, win political power and bring about a managed process which will eventually bring down the curtain on an entity - Northern Ireland - which came in 1921, exactly 100 years ago. mandrake Its about time to return the northern part of ireland to the irish, falkland islands to argentina, gibraltar to the spanish and the chagos islands to the people the brits deported to allow the moronistan (aka usa) to have base on diego garcia. 4 Alba1970 It's Scottish Independence that London fears ... no more cash cow and the possible loss of it's permanent seat on the UN Security council and nowhere to put it's nukes ... thus NATO will be greatly weakened and Scotland having control of half of the vital North Atlantic gap 3 7 northern ireland republic of ireland Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Chris Summers Chris Summers 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 Chris Summers northern ireland, sinn fein, democratic unionist party (dup), social-democratic labour party (sdlp), brexit, republic of ireland https://sputniknews.com/20211109/dozens-of-us-navy-seals-file-lawsuit-after-being-denied-religious-exemption-for-vaccine-mandate-1090605929.html Dozens of US Navy Seals File Lawsuit After Being Denied Religious Exemption for Vaccine Mandate Dozens of US Navy Seals File Lawsuit After Being Denied Religious Exemption for Vaccine Mandate Dozens of US Navy Seals File Lawsuit For Being Denied Religious Exemption to Vaccine Mandate 2021-11-09T22:38+0000 2021-11-09T22:38+0000 2021-11-09T23:19+0000 us vaccination us pentagon legal action us navy seals covid-19 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/05/1090507294_0:320:3072:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_2c246278bae20222d26a2c7ddabb9131.jpg Around 40 acting US Navy SEALs filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense for not giving them vaccination exemptions on religious grounds, Fox News reported on Monday, citing the legal action.According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs claim that mandatory vaccination violates their constitutional rights, including First Amendment freedoms and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).All servicemen listed in the document and represented by the First Liberty Institute were said to be Christians of various denominations and refuse to get a jab due to "their sincerely held religious beliefs." As a result, the SEALs were reportedly designated as "non-deployable."The religious exemptions for vaccination are mostly based on beliefs against abortion, as the compound is "tested or produced using aborted fetal cell lines."Some younger SEALs are also concerned with the vaccines side effects, which include a higher risk of myocarditis, a potentially fatal disease observed among some younger vaccinated males.None of the plaintiffs have received an exemption on religious grounds, however, some were reportedly allowed to avoid getting the jab for medical reasons. Apart from that, a number of servicemen were officially warned that those unvaccinated on personal or religious beliefs "will be disqualified from [special operator] duty (unless the disqualification is separately waived by BUMED). This will affect deployment and special pays."According to Michael Berry, First Liberty Institute's general counsel and Lt. Col. U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, the vaccine mandate is having a negative impact on national security.Department of Defense spokesperson Patricia Kreuzberger said that all servicemen are able to seek religious exemptions to mandatory vaccinations and the requests are considered in keeping with current Navy policy."Along with other military branches, all US Navy servicemen were required to be fully vaccinated by November 28. The deadline for reserve service was set for December 28. Currently, 99.4 percent of the US Navy is said to be vaccinated. vot tak Those poor, buggering war criminals. Look in my eye... 5 Thomas Turk Some better informed, still in Murika. 1 BitChute. Pfizer Blackmails Govts. 2. Global Research.. 57 Top Scientists and Doctors Release Shocking . Study on COVID Vaccines and Demand Immediate Stop to All Vaccinations 3 Forbidden knowledge. Medical Bombshell: Pfizer Vax Attacks Human Blood Creating Clots Under Microscope within ONE MINUTE! 4. Global Research. Hundreds of Thousands of COVID Vaccine Injury Reports Backlogged in VAERS, says Jessica Rose, Ph.D., a computational biologist and Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) analyst). 5 The LIberty Beacon Nov. 5.. Most shocking, perhaps, is how doctors and administrators refuse to report the rising number of unexplained medical problems in otherwise healthy people as potential adverse reactions to COVID-19 experimental vaccine shots. To suggest that these shots are the cause of any medical problem or that they are contributing to the alarming rise in non-COVID-related hospital populations i 0 2 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Alexandra Kashirina Alexandra Kashirina 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 Alexandra Kashirina us, vaccination, us pentagon, legal action, us navy seals, covid-19 https://sputniknews.com/20211109/family-in-shock-kim-kardashian-kendall-jenner-break-silence-over-travis-scotts-concert-tragedy-1090588467.html 'Family in Shock': Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner Break Silence Over Travis Scott's Concert Tragedy 'Family in Shock': Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner Break Silence Over Travis Scott's Concert Tragedy American rappers Travis Scott and Drake have been sued for "inciting a crowd" and "creating mayhem'" at the Astroworld music festival last Friday in Houston... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T12:20+0000 2021-11-09T12:20+0000 2021-11-09T13:16+0000 kim kardashian society tragedy concert kylie jenner kendall jenner travis scott us viral /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090590818_0:115:2200:1353_1920x0_80_0_0_a4a0043567f5920146e30197e79b9df9.jpg Three days after the deadly crowd surge at Travis Scott's Astroworld Music Fesitval, reality TV star Kim Kardashian and model Kendall Jenner finally have broken their silence by offering condolences to the deceased's families.Kendall, who attended the concert with her pregnant sister Kylie Jenner, said that she's heartbroken for the families who lost loved ones.Kendall and Kylie's eldest sister Kim Kardashian also took to social media to say that her entire family is "in shock" following the festival stampede. Kylie, the girlfriend of Travis, has been heavily criticised for posting a video from the festival showing an ambulance on-site she claimed she wasn't aware of the tragedy when she uploaded it. Grammy-winning rapper Drake, who made a surprise appearance during Scott's performance, also expressed grief on social media on Tuesday. The two-day Astroworld Festival, which was held on Friday in Houston city, Texas, US was attended by over 50,000 people. Scott performed on the opening day. Eight people between the ages of 14 and 27 were killed and several dozen were injured during his performance. While the authorities are investigating what caused the casualties, several concertgoers and victims' families have filed lawsuits against Travis and the organisers, saying that the tragedy was "predictable and preventable." Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Sangeeta Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1b/1080292803_0:121:960:1081_100x100_80_0_0_7490b319dab9611e309056b177265184.jpg Sangeeta Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1b/1080292803_0:121:960:1081_100x100_80_0_0_7490b319dab9611e309056b177265184.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 Sangeeta Yadav https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/1b/1080292803_0:121:960:1081_100x100_80_0_0_7490b319dab9611e309056b177265184.jpg kim kardashian, society, tragedy, concert, kylie jenner, kendall jenner, travis scott, us, viral https://sputniknews.com/20211109/fest-stampede-police-chief-met-with-travis-scott-before-event-to-express-concerns-over-safety-1090580899.html Fest Stampede: Police Chief Met With Travis Scott Before Event to Express 'Concerns' Over Safety Fest Stampede: Police Chief Met With Travis Scott Before Event to Express 'Concerns' Over Safety Scott performed at the opening of the two-day Astroworld Festival, which was attended by about 50 thousand people on Friday. During the performance, the crowd... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T03:50+0000 2021-11-09T03:50+0000 2021-11-09T03:50+0000 society us houston, texas death stampede houston police concert travis scott /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090581129_0:0:3641:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_042d3c716ad579643d61823362ce9e5d.jpg Prior to the music festival that turned into a tragedy, Houston police revealed that its chief Troy Finner conveyed "concerns" to Travis Scott about his Astroworld event."I met with Travis Scott and his head of security for a few moments last Friday prior to the main event," Finner said in a statement shared on Twitter. "I expressed my concerns regarding public safety and that in my 31 years of law enforcement experience I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages, to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation."Finner said he asked the rapper and his team to collaborate with the local police department for his weekend music festival, and also "to be mindful of his team's social media messaging on any unscheduled events."The police chief also noted that the criminal investigation into the incident "continues."Finner said there are "a lot of narratives" circulating around about what unfolded at the event during a press conference on Saturday, but urged individuals following the case to "follow the facts and evidence." Investigators from the Houston police and fire departments have stated that they will examine video shot by event producer Live Nation, as well as dozens of recordings from attendees that have been extensively posted on social media. Investigators plan to speak with representatives from Live Nation, Scott, and concertgoers as well.Scott previously expressed his grief over the incident, stating he was "absolutely devastated."However, that did not stop social media users from putting the blame for the tragedy on the rapper since he appeared to notice the turmoil near the stage but nonetheless continued with the act.This is, in fact, not the first time Scott might have encouraged chaos at his shows: the rapper was arrested for inciting the audience in 2015 and 2017. https://sputniknews.com/20211107/predictable--preventable-tragedy-travis-scott-live-nation-sued-for-astroworld-stampede---report-1090552590.html us houston, texas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Kirill Kurevlev Kirill Kurevlev 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 Kirill Kurevlev society, us, houston, texas, death, stampede, houston police, concert, travis scott https://sputniknews.com/20211109/four-newborns-die-in-fire-at-paediatric-ward-in-india-government-orders-probe-1090581578.html Four Newborns Die in Fire at Paediatric Ward in India, Government Orders Probe Four Newborns Die in Fire at Paediatric Ward in India, Government Orders Probe In the past, India has reported many hospital-related fire incidents that were ultimately blamed on a short circuit or equipment malfunctions. In the latest... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T08:17+0000 2021-11-09T08:17+0000 2021-11-09T08:17+0000 infant mortality madhya pradesh world india bhopal children world hospital fire india /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090585790_0:0:3248:1827_1920x0_80_0_0_f29ae5f85331884a490e742f8f37fbec.jpg Four infants died at a government-run hospital in India's Madhya Pradesh state after a fire swept through the newborn care unit late Monday evening. The incident occurred at the state government-run Kamala Nehru Children's Hospital in Bhopal city. Hospital officials said the fire broke out in a general ward and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) ward. As many as 36 of the 40 infants were rescued, while four infants lost their lives.The fire began on the third floor of the hospital at around 9 p.m. (local time), Juber Khan, the head of the fire station told Indian daily The Hindu."Four children died in the fire that broke out in the special newborn care unit (SNCU) ward probably due to a short circuit. We reached the spot along with others soon after getting information about the incident. It was dark inside the ward. So, we shifted the children to the adjacent ward," State Minister Vishwas Sarang told reporters from the incident site. He also announced an ex-gratia of INR 400,000 ($5,415) for the family members of the victims.Videos shared over social media show newborns' kin blaming hospital authorities and the state government for the incident. Others shared how they fled the hospital.Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh State Chief Shivraj Singh Chouhan in a series of tweets expressed his condolences and announced a high-level investigation into the incident, which is slated to be conducted by state chief secretary (public health and medical education) Mohammad Suleiman.In the past year, several other fires have also taken place at hospitals around the country, with authorities blaming the poor maintenance of machines, equipment malfunctions, and a lack of proper firefighting equipment.In May, at least 18 coronavirus patients died in an incident in India's Gujarat state.In April, at least 14 coronavirus patients who were admitted to a hospital in Maharashtra died after a fire broke out at the medical facility. madhya pradesh india bhopal Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.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 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg infant mortality, madhya pradesh, world, india, bhopal, children, world, hospital, fire, india https://sputniknews.com/20211109/france-sends-frigate-to-med-amid-turkey-tensions-and-ahead-of-kamala-harriss-paris-trip-1090594325.html French Frigate Bristling With Missiles Deployed to Mediterranean Amid Turkey Tensions French Frigate Bristling With Missiles Deployed to Mediterranean Amid Turkey Tensions France and Turkey are lined up on opposite sides of a regional dispute over gas drilling rights. In late 2019, Turkey and Libya signed a contentious maritime... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T12:25+0000 2021-11-09T12:25+0000 2021-11-09T12:45+0000 france cyprus mediterranean sea frigate turkey /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090591349_0:302:3104:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_aa68c7c1a6ec8c43ff22a21f8b0442da.jpg France has deployed its Auvergne frigate to Cyprus, sending a message to Ankara that Paris remains committed to its Cypriot and Greek partners in the ongoing maritime exclusive economic area (EEZ) dispute.The 6,000 tonne Auvergne has complement of 145 officers and seamen, and is decked out with a bristling array of advanced sensors and weapons systems, including a passive electronically-scanned array radar, two sonars, a 76-mm naval gun, dozens of air defence and cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles and torpedoes. The frigate also carries a lone NH90 multirole helicopter.The Cyprus deployment is the twelfth for the Auvergne, with de Vignaux characterizing the eastern Mediterranean island, which has been under partial Turkish occupation since 1974, as the centrepiece of support to efficient and sustainable naval operations by France.The Auvergnes deployment comes on the heels of fresh tensions between Nicosia and Ankara amid Turkish warnings demanding that Greece and Cyprus not make any attempts to send research ships to the Turkish continental shelf, and Greek and Cypriot condemnation of illegal Turkish activities in the eastern Mediterranean. Athens and Nicosia dispute Ankaras continental shelf delineation, pointing out that the claims run into areas close to the islands northern coast, and even jut into Cypriot waters to the west of the island some 250 km from Turkeys coast.The French Warships visit also comes ahead of US Vice President Kamala Harriss trip to Paris as US and French leaders continue to mend ties damaged by the secrecy-laden signature of a new tripartite defence pact between America, Britain and Australia in September which robbed France of a $65 billion submarine contract with Canberra. During her visit, Harris is expected to speak to French President Emmanuel Macron, and other leaders gathered in the French capital to discuss the crisis in Libya.France and Cyprus maintain warm defence ties, and French energy giant Total has teamed up with Italys Eni to conduct offshore drilling in waters off the islands south coast next year. Paris has regularly deployed its warships, including the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, to the region, and Nicosia allows the French Air Force and Navy to use its airbase and port facilities.Turkey does not recognise Cypruss statehood, and in addition to its own continental shelf claims, says part of the waters belong to the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, established in 1983, nine years after the Turkish invasion of 1974.Club Med of Regional TensionsTurkey and its Libyan, Tripoli-based client state ally penned a maritime EEZ agreement in 2019, delineating claims between the two countries. Greece and Egypt took issue with the demarcation, and signed their own EEZ treaty in 2020.France, the European Union and the United States have generally supported Greece and Cyprus during the dispute, basting Turkey with sanctions over its alleged unauthorised drilling activities and military flexing. The French government has been a particularly adamant supporter of Athens and Nicosia, stressing the need to defend EU countries sovereignty, both diplomatically and militarily. Ankara has responded by asking France to mind its own business and accusing Paris of acting like a bully. https://sputniknews.com/20211019/greece-cyprus-egypt-jointly-condemn-turkeys-illegal-activities-in-eastern-mediterranean-1090042358.html https://sputniknews.com/20211029/greece-calls-on-eu-to-pursue-tougher-policy-towards-turkey-1090321051.html mandrake Poor friggin turks, always the enemy of the west even if the west kept turkey in nato for some 60 years or so and a promise to join the EU, which wont happen - time for the turks to think for themselves and expand eastward (after having finished off the jews) - china and russia is the answer to etdogans woes! 5 NthrnNYker59 If your less than human species weren't mostly comprised of cowards, I might agree with you. 3 7 france cyprus mediterranean sea turkey Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov 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 Ilya Tsukanov france, cyprus, mediterranean sea, frigate, turkey https://sputniknews.com/20211109/harris-heads-to-paris-to-follow-up-on-biden-meeting-with-macron-after-aukus-row-1090584746.html Harris Heads to Paris to Follow Up on Biden Meeting With Macron After AUKUS Row Harris Heads to Paris to Follow Up on Biden Meeting With Macron After AUKUS Row WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Vice President Kamala Harris begins a five-day visit to Paris on Tuesday that will include bilateral talks with French President... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T07:13+0000 2021-11-09T07:13+0000 2021-11-09T07:13+0000 world us paris kamala harris /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/1a/1083718544_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_6ac4a00ef9755d52d298b959909e692c.jpg The US sparked a diplomat feud with France by agreeing to sell nuclear-powered submarines to Australia as part of the new AUKUS partnership, which negated a deal Paris had with Canberra. Biden during talks with Macron at last month's G20 summit conceded that the US handled the situation clumsily and the two leaders agreed to launch new initiatives to boost ties.Harris will participate in several key events throughout the week, including in a bilateral meeting with Macron, but will also join the Paris Peace Forum as well as the Paris Conference on Libya.On Tuesday, Harris is scheduled to tour the world renowned Institute Pasteur where she will meet US and French scientists working on the novel coronavirus and on global pandemic preparedness.The following day, Harris and Macron will hold a bilateral meeting at the Elysee Palace where they are expected to discuss a wide-range of issues pertaining to bilateral relations, European security, the Indo-Pacific, global health and space.On Thursday, Harris will attend the opening ceremony of the fourth annual Paris Peace Forum hosted by Macron. This year, the forum will focus on existing global health gaps, the post-COVID-19 recovery and will consider "new principles of action" for the post-COVID-19 world.At the end of her stay on Friday, Harris is scheduled to participate in the Paris Conference on Libya, co-hosted by Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. More than 20 heads of state and government from throughout the region and the world are expected to attend the event. Donald Moore Kamala will fix the row with Australia and France like she fixed the US Border and other things! 2 TruePatriot If anyone thought the French were angry over AUKUS just wait until Giggles gets there. They will be beyond enraged. What a pathetic embarassment she is. 1 2 us paris 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 world, us, paris, kamala harris https://sputniknews.com/20211109/indian-navy-gets-vela-stealth-submarine-as-competition-in-indian-ocean-heats-up-1090599088.html Indian Navy Gets 'Vela' Stealth Submarine as Competition in Indian Ocean Heats up Indian Navy Gets 'Vela' Stealth Submarine as Competition in Indian Ocean Heats up Presently, the Indian Navy operates 15 submarines and is building two Scorpene-class submarines at a shipyard in Mumbai. India's Foreign Secretary on Monday... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T18:46+0000 2021-11-09T18:46+0000 2021-11-09T18:46+0000 indian navy indian ocean south china sea china submarines indo-pacific india /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090598579_0:53:1024:629_1920x0_80_0_0_8138663e35ac3676c6b8166c808c0353.jpg On Wednesday, the Indian Navy received its fourth Scorpene-class submarine from Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL). Christened "Vela," the submarine was launched in May 2019 and has completed all major harbour and sea trials, including weapon and sensor testing. The submarine [Vela] will soon be commissioned and enhance the Indian Navies capability, the statement issued by the Navy reads.The state-owned MDL is assembling six Scorpene submarines in partnership with French shipbuilder Naval Group (formerly DCNS). Three of these submarines are already being used by India's Navy.The submarine has stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimised shape, and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons.The Indian Defence Ministry has revised its submarine construction plan after the Navy said it had detected at least seven Chinese warships in the IOR in recent years.On Monday, Harsh Vardhan Shringla India's foreign secretary highlighted the increased militiarisation of the IOR. He said that the region will face an increasingly complicated, rapidly evolving, and more demanding security situation, with an ever-increasing battery of threats and uncertainties. https://sputniknews.com/20210918/india-keeping-all-options-open-as-china-could-share-nuke-submarines-with-pakistan-says-navy-veteran-1089178775.html indian ocean china indo-pacific Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.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 Rishikesh Kumar https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/04/1080055820_0:0:388:389_100x100_80_0_0_40018ee210946d65d49ffba4f4c008e1.jpg indian navy, indian ocean, south china sea, china, submarines, indo-pacific, india https://sputniknews.com/20211109/injured-man-rescued-from-uks-deepest-cave-after-two-day-ordeal-doing-remarkably-well-1090589448.html Injured Man Rescued From UKs Deepest Cave After Two-Day Ordeal Doing Remarkably Well Injured Man Rescued From UKs Deepest Cave After Two-Day Ordeal Doing Remarkably Well More than 240 people and eight cave rescue teams are reported to have been involved in the operation to rescue a caver in his forties who became trapped in... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T10:24+0000 2021-11-09T10:24+0000 2021-11-09T10:24+0000 wales uk cave /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090588376_0:248:2016:1382_1920x0_80_0_0_dfc6cd495df3b4b301350d9c4376bfb1.jpg The injured man rescued after spending two days trapped in the cave system in the Brecon Beacons, South Wales, was reported to be doing well by emergency services. He added that everyone involved was "delighted" with the outcome.In an effort that involved over 240 people and at least eight cave rescue teams, the man, in his forties, was lifted out on a stretcher from Ogof Ffynnon Ddu near Penwyllt on Monday evening. After his 54-hour ordeal he was rushed to hospital in an ambulance. The cavers injuries, which are not thought to be life-threatening, reportedly include a broken jaw, leg, and possible spinal injuries. According to the South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team, the man, believed to have gone into the cave system in a group, fell while caving in Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (Welsh for Cave of the Black Spring) near Penwyllt on Saturday. Due to the sustained injuries he was unable to climb out of the cave on his own. Other cavers in the group had supposedly managed to get out and call for help. When found, the man was placed on a stretcher, with rescuers using a device that put hot air into his lungs, to prevent him from succumbing to hypothermia. Peter Francis, of the South Wales Caving Club (SWCC), was cited as marvelling at what was probably the longest rescue mission in a cave in Britain. wales Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko 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 Svetlana Ekimenko wales, uk, cave https://sputniknews.com/20211109/iranian-army-says-it-intercepted-us-reaper-global-hawk-drones-during-massive-drills-1090590647.html Iranian Army Says It Intercepted US Reaper, Global Hawk Drones During Massive Drills Iranian Army Says It Intercepted US Reaper, Global Hawk Drones During Massive Drills Iran has plenty of experience dealing with intruding unmanned aerial vehicles operated by the US military. It commandeered, landed, and seized an RQ-170... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T10:46+0000 2021-11-09T10:46+0000 2021-11-09T11:14+0000 united states iran drone /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107633/35/1076333580_0:53:1024:629_1920x0_80_0_0_df970b718f3043e43fe876f78a5b3c3e.jpg Irans military has warded off a pair of US spy drones apparently attempting to spy on its massive Zolfaqar-1400 drills.According to a statement released on Tuesday by the drills media office, the US drones, a General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper and Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk, flew into the countrys Flight Information Region and Air Defence Identification Zone near the countrys southeastern coastal and sea areas, where the exercises were taking place.The military believes the wayward drones intended to gather intelligence on Zolfaqar-1400 a massive two-day drill taking place on Sunday and Monday, covering over a million square kilometres from the eastern Strait of Hormuz to the northern Indian Ocean, and part of the Red Sea. The drills involved units from the army, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defence troops, and were designed to improve the countrys combat and defence capability, strengthen coordination between various branches of the armed services, and reinforce Irans capability to operate in remote international waters.The US military has not commented on the alleged incident.Humbling a SuperpowerThe MQ-9 Reaper drone is the US Air Forces weapon of choice for Washingtons controversial drone strike programme, with the drones used extensively to target mostly poor countries with limited or non-existent air defences in places like Afghanistan, Africa, and Yemen. Although they typically carry weapons, the drones can be configured for reconnaissance operations, and in addition to the military, are used by US Customs and Border Protection on the border with Mexico.The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a whale-headed UAV designed specifically for intelligence gathering operations. Iran knocked one of these large $220 million stealthy drones out of the sky over the Strait of Hormuz in June 2019 after it entered Iranian airspace and refused to heed warnings to leave. A domestically-developed Khordad 3 air defence system was used to shoot the drone down. Iran collected the UAVs wreckage, meticulously put it back together and proudly put it on permanent display at its National Aerospace Park in Tehran last year.The ill-fated Global Hawk is one of two intruding US drones that Iran has managed to take down over the years. In late 2011, a US RQ-170 flying wing-shaped reconnaissance drone was safely brought down in northeastern Iran. The United States initially claimed that the drone had malfunctioned and crashed. However, Iran said that its cyber warfare forces managed to hack into and commandeer the UAV mid-flight, landing it safely. Later, US media reported that the drone may indeed have been captured by jamming its satellite and ground control signals, following a GPS spoofing attack using a Russian-made jamming system. The US later asked Iran to return the drone, with an Iranian company responding by promising to send miniature pink toy versions of the UAV to then-president Barack Obama.Iran later reportedly worked to reverse engineer the UAV into at least two drone designs the Shahed 171 Simorgh and the Saegheh.Iran isnt the only nation to have shot down US drones. In 2019, Yemens Houthi militia, who have been battling a Saudi-led military coalition since 2015, also managed the feat, reportedly dropping two Reaper drones flying over Yemeni airspace in June and August of that year. US Central Command confirmed the first incident and claimed that Iran shot the aircraft down or enabled the Houthis to do so. The Houthis reportedly used a 2K12 Kub, NATO designation SA-6 an ancient Soviet-era surface-to-air missile system hailing from the 1960s, in the June 2019 incident. The USSR provided the former nation of South Yemen with hundreds of millions of dollars worth of military equipment in the 1970s and 1980s, when the country was a Marxist-Leninist one-party socialist republic. The missile system used in the August 2019 incident has not been specified. https://sputniknews.com/20211106/iran-announces-large-scale-drill-in-southern-waters-sending-warning-to-enemies---report-1090532378.html koursk koursk bravo iran, which is increasingly strong against the nato zone *** for support in the red sea region, the houtis, but also eritrea, and ethiopia 6 mandrake Maybe they should aim for the airforce one when biden find time to inspect the troops still in Iraq. Bound to happen when he is ordered by the jews illegally occupying palestine to receive his marching orders. 5 5 iran Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov 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 Ilya Tsukanov united states, iran, drone https://sputniknews.com/20211109/irans-president-calls-for-setting-up-security-system-repelling-cyberattacks---reports-1090604519.html Iran's President Calls for Setting up Security System Repelling Cyberattacks - Reports Iran's President Calls for Setting up Security System Repelling Cyberattacks - Reports MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Tuesday that the country should invest in cybersecurity and create a security system capable of... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T20:48+0000 2021-11-09T20:48+0000 2021-11-09T20:48+0000 israel iran cyberattack irans bushehr nuclear plant ebrahim raisi /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/13/1083189701_0:75:3375:1973_1920x0_80_0_0_3926ea900c6b0941d9d77c593f63f9a3.jpg "We need to invest in cyber security," Raisi said at the meeting of the Supreme Council of Cyberspace, as quoted by the Iranian Fars news agency. "A system must be created that will monitor the situation on the regular basis, resist, and repulse potential attacks."Iran is often cyberattacked. In late October, the network of filling stations was disrupted, which deprived motorists of the chance to buy gasoline for reduced prices. The authorities blamed the United States and Israel for the attack.In July, the computer systems of the Iranian Transport Ministry were also hacked. Earlier, in June, the Iranian Nuclear Energy Agency reported on technical disruptions at the Bushehr nuclear power plant, which resulted in suspended operations for some time. israel iran 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 israel, iran, cyberattack, irans bushehr nuclear plant, ebrahim raisi https://sputniknews.com/20211109/knifeman-injures-police-officer-in-oslo-gets-shot-1090591023.html Half-Naked Knifeman Reportedly Shouting 'Allakhu Akbar' Injures Police Officer in Oslo, Gets Shot Half-Naked Knifeman Reportedly Shouting 'Allakhu Akbar' Injures Police Officer in Oslo, Gets Shot Last month, a man armed with a bow and arrow and a knife killed five people in the town of Kongsberg, outside Oslo. 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T10:57+0000 2021-11-09T10:57+0000 2021-11-10T04:45+0000 oslo norway attack knife attack news terrorism europe islam /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090592666_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_391ceb715cac58118408c5b690ad047e.jpg A man armed with a knife injured a police officer in Bislett, a neighbourhood in north-central Oslo on Tuesday morning and was later shot dead by police, local media reported, citing officials. The officer's injuries were not critical, a spokesman for the local police said.A video has emerged online, showing a half-naked knife-wielding man attacking a person in the patrol car.The identity of the attacker has not been revealed. The newspaper Nettavisen, however, initially identified the perpetrator as a 33-year-old Russian citizen, later to report his as Kazakhstani national, who has previously been convicted of a knife attack on an open street in Grunderlkka district in Oslo in June 2019. He was subsequently sentenced to compulsory mental health care after attempting to kill one person and threatening to kill several others with a knife. The man himself claimed that he does not remember what happened that morning, Nettavisen reported.The police said they have no knowledge of other victims in connection with the incident in Bislett."None other than the police officer and the perpetrator were directly involved. We know that the message that originally went out was that the perpetrator ran after a person with a knife, but there is nothing so far that indicates that there were more injured or more victims," police inspector Egil Jrgen Brekke said at a press conference, as quoted by national broadcaster NRK.According to the police, there is currently nothing that indicates that the incident in Bislett was an act of terror. The motive for the action is unclear, and it is too early to conclude. We investigate broadly. The police don't rule out anything, but so far nothing indicates that terror was the motive, Egil Jrgen Brekke said, while admitting that the perpetrator was known to the police from before.However, Nettavisen reported that the perpetrator quoted the Muslim creed during the attack and shouted Allahu akbar.Norwegian Police Security Service PST has been informed about the case and is in dialogue with the Oslo Police District about this case, PST senior adviser Anett Aamodt told Nettavisen.The Olso police assured that locals don't have to fear for safety after the incident."For us, this appears as a stand-alone act, so that there is no reason to fear for the safety of the city for others. This is a person who is known to us in the past and who has a history. Based on that, we believe that there is nothing to indicate that it is an act of terrorism," Egil Jrgen Brekke said to the press.Barely a month ago, Danish citizen and Muslim convert Espen Andersen Brathen was arrested for killing five people in the Norwegian town of Kongsberg. According to local media, Brathen had converted to Islam and became subsequently radicalised. He has been known to the Norwegian police since 2017 and was described by a close friend as a ticking bomb. Furthermore, he had several convictions, including a restraining order for death threats against family members. However, the media largely presented him as suffering from mental illness, as he was subsequently handed over to health authorities. https://sputniknews.com/20211014/muslim-convert-behind-oslo-bow-and-arrow-shooting-spree-made-threats-before-attack-1089928140.html oslo norway Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Igor Kuznetsov Igor Kuznetsov 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 Igor Kuznetsov oslo, norway, attack, knife attack, news, terrorism, europe, islam Minsk: Poland's Accusations of Belarus Involvement in Border Crisis Unfounded The Belarusian Defence Ministry said that accusations of the involvement of Belarusian servicemen in the crisis on the border of the two countries were unfounded. "On November 8, 2021, at 17:00 Minsk time, on the initiative of the Polish side in the city of Warsaw, a meeting was held between the defense attache at the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Republic of Poland, Col. Alexey Bortnik, with representatives of the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Poland on the issue of alleged 'breach of the Polish border Belarusian servicemen and their involvement in the migration crisis.' At the same time, no evidence, recorded by means of objective control, was presented," the statement says. It is noted that in this context, the Belarusian military representative noted the following: "The Belarusian Defense Ministry has always been committed to the principles of good neighborliness and the importance of maintaining a bilateral dialogue to resolve any conflict and disputable situations. According to the Belarusian Defense Ministry, the deployment of 10,000 Polish military personnel at the Polish-Belarusian border (as announced by the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Poland on October 25, 2021) is a significant military activity." Also, the Belarusian military attache noted that the implementation of this activity without notifying the Belarusian side was a violation of bilateral additional agreements on regional confidence and security measures. These agreements provide for the notification and invitation of observers of military activities, in which 6,000 or more military personnel take part. "Until now, Minsk has not received any notification or invitation of observers from the Polish side. In confirmation of its good intentions, the Polish side was offered to hold a bilateral meeting to discuss the concerns raised on both sides. However, we have not received a response so far," the defense ministry said. The ministry noted that "taking into account the above, the Belarusian Defense Ministry considers the accusations of the Polish side unfounded and unsubstantiated, and also that the Polish Defense Ministry is not aimed at a constructive resolution of the issue and deliberately brings the current conflict situation to the political level." https://sputniknews.com/20211109/neighbouring-states-on-alert-as-indian-city-of-kanpur-reports-over-100-cases-of-zika-virus--1090584186.html Neighbouring States on Alert as Indian City of Kanpur Reports Over 100 Cases of Zika Virus Neighbouring States on Alert as Indian City of Kanpur Reports Over 100 Cases of Zika Virus According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Zika virus is caused by Aedes mosquitoes. The virus was first detected in monkeys in Uganda in 1947 and... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T12:36+0000 2021-11-09T12:36+0000 2021-11-09T12:36+0000 india uttar pradesh zika virus zika zika virus india /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/105543/69/1055436912_0:210:4000:2460_1920x0_80_0_0_35700855f88b0e643739a0cbdd30ff05.jpg Around 105 cases of the mosquito-borne Zika virus have been reported in Kanpur city in the Indian state Uttar Pradesh, news18 reported on Tuesday. The infected include at least 17 children and one pregnant woman.The first Zika case in the state was confirmed on 23 October.The health department is undertaking sanitisation programmes, including anti-larvae spraying, identifying fever patients, and screening seriously ill people and pregnant women. Health officials have been asked to step up surveillance and ensure door-to-door sampling and testing.Meanwhile, Delhi Deputy State Chief Manish Sisodia said the government is on high amid the rise in infections. Indias eastern state of Assam is also monitoring the Zika situation carefully, reported The Times of India. The state has directed its health authorities to test people who recently visited Kanpur and ran a high fever.So far, no other Indian state has reported any case of the mosquito-borne virus. No drugs or vaccine are available to combat the virus. Symptoms include acute onset of fever and maculopapular rash, however, hospitalisation is not required and fatalities are rare. The incubation period is between three and 14 days, and the majority of people infected do not develop any actual symptoms.In India, the first Zika virus outbreak was reported in Ahmedabad city in Gujarat state in January 2017, and the second in Tamil Nadus Krishnagiri district in July 2017. india uttar pradesh Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.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 Deexa Khanduri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/0c/1e/1081607388_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_e9e931b8c1e18fb41f3074e2145d7a3a.jpg india, uttar pradesh, zika virus, zika, zika virus, india https://sputniknews.com/20211109/no-10-sees-no-need-for-standards-watchdog-probe-into-wallpapergate-amid-westminster-sleaze-row-1090587539.html No 10 Sees 'No Need' For Standards Watchdog Probe Into Wallpapergate Amid Westminster Sleaze Row No 10 Sees 'No Need' For Standards Watchdog Probe Into Wallpapergate Amid Westminster Sleaze Row Speculation regarding whether the Conservative Party broke the law on political donations regarding the funding of the lavish refurbishment of Boris Johnsons... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T09:36+0000 2021-11-09T09:36+0000 2021-11-09T10:11+0000 boris johnson owen paterson keir starmer angela rayner uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/07/1083811505_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_954d490d3292a09184585e36b67be558.jpg Downing Street believes there is no need for the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to investigate who paid for the lavish renovation of Prime Minister Boris Johnsons flat, reported The Guardian. The PMs spokesperson argued that the apartment above No 11, Downing Street was not connected to Johnsons role as an MP. The remarks were made ahead of a looming decision by the UK Parliament's sleaze watchdog on a potential probe into whether Boris Johnson properly declared funding for the luxury refurbishment of his 11 Downing Street flat, as an MP. According to the outlet, Kathryn Stone, the independent Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards of the British House of Commons, will decide whether to investigate the controversial funding of the makeover after a separate probe by the Electoral Commission has wrapped up its work. The Commission which scrutinises political party spending and donations has already handed its preliminary findings to the Conservative headquarters. Stone has found herself in Downing Streets crosshairs after her recent conclusion that former Tory MP Owen Paterson had broken lobbying rules unleashed a sleaze row amid a led parliamentary battle over the standards system. The Labour Party has repeatedly urged an investigation by the standards watchdog into whether Boris Johnson should have declared a loan from a Tory donor, David Brownlow, to fund the redecoration of the apartment, the cost of which has never been formally confirmed.Labour leader Keir Starmer accused Boris Johnson of trying to take down the standards watchdog for attempts to investigate the controversy around the flat refurb. Calls for a probe follow a May report by Lord Christopher Geidt, Johnsons standards adviser, who concluded the Prime Minister had acted unwisely by not being more rigorous in finding out who was funding the refurbishment. Geit had cleared the PM of any breach of ministerial conduct rules in an incident dubbed wallpaper-gate, in a reference to the gold wallpaper reportedly used. Prime Ministers are given an annual allowance of 30,000 to make improvements to their residence, yet cited accounts show 52,000 of cost overrun on the refit was funded initially by the Cabinet Office, which invoiced the Conservative Party, before it was covered by Tory donor Lord Brownlow, who was subsequently repaid by Johnson.In response to the statement by Downing Street regarding the possibility of a third probe into the flat issue, Angela Rayner, Labours deputy leader, was cited as saying: It is not for the prime minister or cabinet ministers to decide what the independent anti-corruption commissioner investigates. No 10 Sleaze Scandals Downing Street has been mired in a batch of festering sleaze scandals. The controversy surrounding Boris Johnsons flat refurbishment comes as recently attention turned to Johnsons post-Conservative conference free of charge holiday to southern Spain, funded by ex-MP Lord Zac Goldsmith. Johnson had not declared it on the separate Commons register of MPs interests, which requires details including the value of such a trip. A spokesperson for Downing Street insisted the Prime Minister had met the transparency requirements as he declared this arrangement in his ministerial capacity, given this was hospitality provided by another minister. All this comes as the prime Minister has been under fire of late over the ex-MP Owen Paterson lobbying row, which continues to dominate the Westminster agenda. The row triggered an emergency debate in the Commons on Monday, where Labours Keir Starmer accused Boris Johnson of damaging our democracy over the sleaze scandal, leading the Conservative party through the sewers and the stench lingers, in a pattern of behaviour where the government goes after those charged with enforcing the rules. He told the House of Commons Johnson had corroded trust in the political system with his botched attempt to overhaul rules on parliamentary standards to help the ex-Cabinet Minister dodge a 30-day suspension over breaching Commons lobbying rules. After a massive public backlash, the government U-turned on the plan and Paterson announced he was quitting as MP for North Shropshire. The PM was also accused of running scared after Johnson failed to make a showing at the debate, stating he had a long standing commitment to visit Hexham Hospital, in Northumberland. Boris Johnson underscored that it is "very important" to get the Commons standards system right, saying: What weve got to make sure is that we take all this very, very seriously and that we get it right. We are going to hold MPs to account. MPs should not break the rules." keyboardcosmetics The sinister corrupt now have the brass cheek of complaining that Nicaragua's incoming president is draining the swamp; it needs to be done in the UK too. 2 1 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 boris johnson, owen paterson, keir starmer, angela rayner, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211109/norwegian-authorities-suspicious-after-4-km-long-length-of-surveillance-cable-gets-cut-disappears-1090602852.html Norwegian Authorities Suspicious After 4 km-long Length of Surveillance Cable Gets Cut, Disappears Norwegian Authorities Suspicious After 4 km-long Length of Surveillance Cable Gets Cut, Disappears Oslo operates a sophisticated network of underwater surveillance cables in the Norwegian Sea, keeping a lookout for potential Russian submarines as part of a... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T19:02+0000 2021-11-09T19:02+0000 2021-11-09T19:20+0000 norway surveillance cable /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090602826_0:38:1200:713_1920x0_80_0_0_994ba93b52457d4db0f7eb08109bb334.jpg The Norwegian Institute of Marine Research has reported that a 4.3 km-long strategic Lofoten-Vesteralen (LoVe) offshore observatory fiber optic and electric cable network has been cut and possibly stolen.In a press release last Friday, LoVe project leader Geir Pedersen told media that something or someone has torn out cables in outlying areas of the network, resulting in power to the entire system being lost.According to Norways Dagens Naeringsliv newspaper, the observatory has faced problems since the spring of 2021, with state oil giant Equinor discovering that one of the systems nodes had been dragged from its position and its cable cut and lost. In late September, the company discovered that another node had been moved, its cable also missing and its contacts and connection box torn off.Institute fellow Oystein Brun told DN that the most important thingnow is to find out whether someone has actually attacked the cable, and whether its possible to prosecute whoever has destroyed this cable for us.In addition to sea life, including whales, the area in which the cable is laid is known to be used by submarines including those of Norways NATO allies and Russia, and by commercial vessels.Authorities are reportedly investigating the incident, and have declined to comment on the case. https://sputniknews.com/20210513/moscow-decries-arctic-militarisation-concerned-about-recent-us-submarine-activity-near-russia-1082880043.html https://sputniknews.com/20211104/top-three-naval-commanders-of-us-submarine-that-struck-seamount-relieved-of-duty-service-reveals-1090481794.html NthrnNYker59 "that something or someone has torn out cables in outlying areas of the network, resulting in power to the entire system being lost." ---- Ain't much of a 'surveillance system' if it didn't even hear or see who or what was dismantling it. 20 WhatTheFishIsThis The USS Connecticut , the submarine that struck a seamount in the South China Sea in October 2021 immediately comes to mind as the Culprit .. 13 6 norway Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov 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 Ilya Tsukanov norway, surveillance, cable https://sputniknews.com/20211109/operating-in-grey-zone-india-cant-rely-on-us-to-deal-with-china-says-ex-foreign-secretary-1090587076.html Operating in Grey Zone: India Cant 'Rely' on US to Deal With China, Says Ex-Foreign Secretary Operating in Grey Zone: India Cant 'Rely' on US to Deal With China, Says Ex-Foreign Secretary India has upped its defence purchases from the US over the past five years, buying about $3.4 billion of armaments between 2016 and 2020. The country was... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T12:25+0000 2021-11-09T12:25+0000 2021-11-09T12:25+0000 pla ladakh region russia us china india /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090590600_0:691:1768:1686_1920x0_80_0_0_bb83ecb3452e3cd8919d40a6fdcff22e.jpg Indias former foreign secretary Vijay Gokhale, who retired in January 2020, has warned that New Delhi cant rely entirely on American diplomatic and military support in resolving the ongoing boundary dispute between the two Asian powerhouses.He remarked that India was operating in a grey zone when it comes to the question of forging partnerships with other nations, including with the US.I dont think there is a black and white choice between aligning with somebody to the extent of entering into an unbreakable alliance or shunning a country altogether, said the veteran diplomat.Gokhale remarks came in response to a question whether New Delhi could rely on American support in dealing with China.Besides serving as Indias foreign secretary, Gokhale has also been New Delhis envoy to Beijing and is considered one of the countrys top experts on Chinese affairs.He has also written a new book, The Long Game: How the Chinese Negotiate With India, which was released this year, against the backdrop of an ongoing military standoff between the Indian Army and the Peoples Liberation Army at the disputed eastern Ladakh border.The PLA and the Indian Army have been embroiled in a standoff in the region for more than a year, having held 13 rounds of talks at military commander-level as well as high-level meetings in a bid to resolve the situation.Troop disengagement between the two sides started in February this year. So far, the Indian Army and PLA have disengaged troops in the Galwan Valley, the northern and southern banks of Pangong Tso Lake, and the Gogra Post.The most recent round of military commander-level talks on 10 October between the two nations and aiming to find a solution to the standoff, ended in stalemate. The PLAs western command accused India of persisting with unreasonable demands during the negotiations.India, meanwhile, reiterated that Chinas unilateral attempts to alter the status quo at the LAC were responsible for the present crisis.India Must Continue To Build on Ties With Russia, Says GokhaleGokhale further suggested that as well as the US, New Delhi must also continue to build on its ties with Russia which, he noted, had always stood by New Delhi in times of crisis.Moscows military support was crucial in Indias victory over Pakistan in the 1971 Bangladesh War of Liberation, after the countries entered into a Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation. Recently, Indias outgoing ambassador to Moscow DB Venkatesh Varma described the 1971 pact as the most significant New Delhi has signed.India is also Russias largest arms market, having accounted for 58 percent of overall defence imports between 2014 and 2018, according to figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).However, New Delhis growing reliance on the US, especially in the framework of the Quad (a bloc consisting of Australia, Japan, India and the US) has evoked critical response from Moscow. Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Washington of involving New Delhi in anti-China games and undermining Moscow's "privileged" ties with New Delhi. https://sputniknews.com/20210921/soldiers-killed-in-galwan-valley-clash-with-india-now-part-of-patriotism-lessons-for-kids-in-china-1089269161.html https://sputniknews.com/20201214/russia-india-ties-have-moved-on-but-we-still-need-each-other-ex-india-envoys-respond-to-lavrov-1081428404.html ladakh region us china india 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 pla, ladakh region, russia, us, china, india https://sputniknews.com/20211109/prof-calls-for-abolishing-grade-system-installing-labor-based-one-instead---report-1090603502.html Prof. Calls for Abolishing Grade System, Installing 'Labor-Based' One Instead - Report Prof. Calls for Abolishing Grade System, Installing 'Labor-Based' One Instead - Report In his online talk The Possibilities of Antiracist Writing Assessment Ecologies, the professor reportedly complained that white supremacy "makes up the... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T20:50+0000 2021-11-09T20:50+0000 2021-11-09T20:50+0000 education university us racism institutional racism anti-racism woke university professor white supremacy /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090604309_0:0:2911:1637_1920x0_80_0_0_eb789c1f8faf4a973d77f8fa9177f7e4.jpg A professor at Arizona State University is advocating for the elimination of "White supremacy language" and the replacement of the traditional grading system with labor-based grading that will reallocate "power," The College Fix reported on Tuesday.Inoue proposed introducing labor-based grading to address the problems, which "redistributes power in ways that allow for more diverse habits of language to circulate." He also invented the term "Habits of White Language," which is used to describe how academics and teachers rate papers.Labor-based grading is weighing assignments based on the amount of "labor" students put into their work rather than providing grades based on grammar or work quality.Furthermore, throughout his lecture, Inoue gave participants opportunities to engage in "an important anti-racist practice" of observing how they participate in racism or anti-racism.The Rhetoric, Writing, and Linguistics Speaker Series, sponsored by the Department of English at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, presented Inoue's talk, which lasted 70 minutes. The talk was focused on educators, but students, alumni, and others were welcome to attend, according to the report.Late last month, the professor wrote a rather lengthy blog post, exploring the essence of the phenomenon of the language of white supremacy in teaching. Inoue wrote that the "antiracist use of any model of English languaging should open up our eyes, ears, and hearts to our own and others languaging behaviors."Earlier this year, Inoue and his wife established an anti-racist educational endowment. Its goals are to fund "an antiracist teaching conference for secondary and postsecondary teachers," "support a summer workshop or institute for a smaller group of teachers to learn about and research antiracist teaching approaches," and create "several scholarships for students who wish to focus on antiracist approaches to teaching in a variety of disciplines." GrinOlsson If you research this "professer's credentials out more thoroughly you will find that he is a globalist political-religonist of the Bolshevik-Jewish ideology. He concepts are nonsense and academic stupidity because although America was founded on "white" Protestant Christians, it was the white people who first died to eradicate slavery. And, historically those freed slaves were raised under conditions of Protestant Christianity that is responsible for defining religion as spiritual and secularism as man made laws and the separation thereof. Catholicism, Jewish, Islam, and Hinduism are political-religions that step beyond the red flag by inclusion of their religious beliefs into the secular laws of man. The propaganda that the Jewish media controls in America have erroneously not caculated this added factor into their quest to dominate American goverance. Once both Black and White Protestant Christians become aware of this Jewish deceit - the world will see a new American rebellion. 3 Preterist-ADSeventy Im going to bring down the United States by funding black hate groups. Well put them in a mental trap and have them blame white people. The black community is the easiest to manipulate. George Soros, (interview with Germanys BILD September 2014) 3 5 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Kirill Kurevlev Kirill Kurevlev 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 Kirill Kurevlev education, university, us, racism, institutional racism, anti-racism, woke, university, professor, white supremacy, critical race theory https://sputniknews.com/20211109/russia-creating-new-anti-aircraft-missile-system-s-550-1090601954.html Russia Creating New Anti-Aircraft Missile System S-550 Russia Creating New Anti-Aircraft Missile System S-550 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - New anti-aircraft missile system S-550 is being created in Russia, the Russian Defence Ministry said. 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T18:06+0000 2021-11-09T18:06+0000 2021-11-09T18:06+0000 news russia s-400 s-500 defence /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/08/04/1083528316_13:0:1410:786_1920x0_80_0_0_c4ec0882fc299a40c5d99126d1e9b87b.png The statement indicates that at the meetings in Sochi, which took place on 1-3 November, Russian President Vladimir Putin "made a special emphasis on the importance of the advanced development of domestic air defense-missile defense systems, and deliveries of the S-350, S-500, S-550 to the Armed Forces."The ministry does not provide any details about the new system. Pantygone General It is likely that the S-550 will have practically the same characteristics as the S-500 Prometheus, however, it will be armed with a significantly larger number of missiles to successfully suppress all enemy targets. It is possible that the range of destruction will slightly decrease, however, even if this figure is 400-500 kilometers, it will still be one of the longest-range air defense / missile defense systems. " [link deleted] 8 WhatTheFishIsThis Cruelty to US Flying Pests .. Approved !! 8 4 russia 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 news, russia, s-400, s-500, defence https://sputniknews.com/20211109/russiagate-has-no-rock-bottom-house-progressives-outmaneuvered-in-negotiations-1090580321.html Russiagate Has No Rock Bottom; House Progressives Outmaneuvered in Negotiations Russiagate Has No Rock Bottom; House Progressives Outmaneuvered in Negotiations The Progressive Caucus in the US House of Representatives is losing credibility as the right-wing of the party aligned with the GOP to pass a... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T09:05+0000 2021-11-09T09:05+0000 2021-11-09T09:05+0000 kabul nicaragua infrastructure iraq russiagate drone attack the critical hour assassination attempt radio /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090580196_41:0:1285:700_1920x0_80_0_0_d7a17b3eb0d22b102291d928d4ae3e8e.png Russia Gate Has No Rock Bottom; House Progressives Outmaneuvered in Negotiations The Progressive Caucus in the US House of Representatives is losing credibility as the right-wing of the party aligned with the GOP to pass a corporate-friendly version of President Biden's infrastructure bill. Jim Kavanagh, writer at thepolemicist.net and CounterPunch, joins us to discuss Russiagate. The Russiagate narrative has collapsed to a degree that was previously unimaginable to the handful of investigative journalists who have worked diligently to expose it as both a hoax and a deep state coup attempt. Also, Ray McGovern was a leader in unraveling the dirt behind the intelligence community's involvement in the Russiagate plan and his work should be recognized now that the truth is coming out.Jack Rasmus, professor in economics and politics at St. Mary's College in California, joins us to discuss intra-party fighting amongst the Democrats. The Progressive Caucus in the US House of Representatives is losing credibility as the right-wing of the party aligned with the GOP to pass a corporate-friendly version of President Biden's infrastructure bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi whipped up 13 Republican votes to break the infrastructure bill from the build back better legislation effectively rendering the left flank of her group powerless.Scott Ritter, former UN weapon inspector in Iraq, joins us to discuss the drone program. Scott Ritter has penned an article in which he describes how the Pentagon worked to paper over the murder of ten civilians in a Kabul front attack. Scott argues that "everyone involved, from the President on down, committed a war crime."Dan Lazare, investigative journalist and author of "America's Undeclared War," joins us to discuss the Democrat's dropping approval numbers. Recent polls show that the President and Vice President are currently experiencing historically low polling numbers. Also, Democratic strategist James Carville is voicing the opinion of many observers as he lambasts the party for championing the increasingly unpopular social philosophy of "wokeness."Laith Marouf, broadcaster and journalist based in Beirut, joins us to discuss the Middle East. An attack using explosive-laden drones was perpetrated against the prime minister of Iraq. Iraqi leaders are claiming that they know the identity of the people and or groups involved in the conspiracy. Also, Israel has claimed that many Palestinian NGOs are terrorist organizations but have been unable and/or unwilling to provide any evidence to support their claims.Nick Davies, peace activist and author of "Blood on Our Hands: The American Invasion of Iraq," joins us to discuss the latest US arms deal. President Biden claimed that he would no longer support Saudi Arabia in its offensive actions against the impoverished nation of Yemen. Recent approval for the sale of large numbers of military hardware to the Saudi kingdom appears to show that this promise is being broken.Alexander Mercouris, editor in chief at theduran.com and host of "The Duran" on YouTube, joins us to discuss Ukraine and US Russia relations. CIA Chief William Burns recently visited the Russian Federation and international security analysts are working overtime to dissect the meaning of this anomalous action. Also, NATO and the US are claiming that Russian troop movements near Belarus are indicative of a possible intention to take military action against the neo nazi battalions of the Ukrainian military.Wyatt Reed, Sputnik News analyst, joins us to discuss Nicaragua. Sputnik News analyst Wyatt Reed is on the ground in Nicaragua to cover this week's important election. The US is working to interfere with the free elections of the sovereign state in defiance of international law and its own claims.We'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com Truth 101 Congress being the dictator that rules government, as usual it tells fiction to our progressive population, hides the corrupt intent of the corporate elite and everyone continues to enrich themselves upon the misery of those with less education, less wealth or less whiteness of skin. 0 Truth 101 Christianity was created by a pacifist God, and for 400 years, every ear.ly Christian was a pacifist vegetarian with no more wealth than the poor. Than came the Catholic Church to publish a New Testament that is satanic fiction, with the end result being Christians the most filthy rich humans on earth, and the most deadly as Christians control over 90% of all the nukes on earth. 0 2 kabul nicaragua iraq Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Wilmer Leon https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg Wilmer Leon https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.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 Wilmer Leon https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/12/1082114047_0:-1:238:238_100x100_80_0_0_4e3adef3e334e381bffe19d388f4b776.jpg kabul, nicaragua, infrastructure, iraq, russiagate, drone attack, the critical hour, assassination attempt, , radio https://sputniknews.com/20211109/shamima-begums-husband-raves-about-beautiful-life-under-daesh-despite-beheadings-sex-slaves-1090595399.html Shamima Begum's Husband Raves About 'Beautiful Life Under Daesh Despite Beheadings, Sex Slaves Shamima Begum's Husband Raves About 'Beautiful Life Under Daesh Despite Beheadings, Sex Slaves Shamima Begum fled the UK at age 15, when she was a London schoolgirl, to join her fate with a jihadi soldier in Syria. The ex-Daesh* bride and since... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T13:13+0000 2021-11-09T13:13+0000 2021-11-09T13:13+0000 syria daesh syrian democratic forces (sdf) shamima begum uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/03/11/1082363758_0:21:3072:1749_1920x0_80_0_0_f5acccab754e6eaaaa867367f887a691.jpg Shamima Begum's jihadi husband the man she left the UK for when she and two other east London schoolgirls travelled to Syria to join Daesh* - has refused to condemn the terrorist groups trademark beheadings, the Daily Mail reports. In an interview given from Kurdish-run al-Roj prison in northern Syria, where the convicted terrorist and extremist from the Netherlands is currently incarcerated, Yago Riedijk, 29, raved about the couple's beautiful former life. He also reminisced how they would bake cakes as a family to make money while Begum was pregnant with their second son Jalah.Riedijk left Arnhem, Holland, for Syria in October 2014. The Muslim convert married Shamima Begum in 2015, just days after the 15-year-old arrived in Syria. Riedijk revealed that the two of them had agreed on one condition before they wed.According to the man, he had agreed to Begums request of a dowry in the form of an English translation of the Quran. Yago Riedijk added that while living in the caliphate, he contacted his family back home in the Netherlands more often than Begum spoke to hers in the UK. The couple had three children together, all of whom have died. The husband of the since-denaturalised British-born woman claimed attacks on the West were not Islamicly responsible, as they resulted in the deaths of innocent people something that is prohibited in Islam.In the interview for Alan Duncan, a former Scots soldier who is making a documentary on Daesh, Riedijk stopped short of condemning the extremist group's violence against Yazidi women, who were sold under the terrorists' de facto regime as sex slaves. When asked to comment on the trademark Daesh beheadings as well as attacks on other Muslims, the convicted terrorist responded by saying I can't really comment. Riedijk also refused to comment on how Begum viewed the horrific executions and punishments. He described seeing corpses left on the street as an example for others as not a pleasant picture. Furthermore, weighing in on the future of Daesh, the 29-year-old expressed the hope that the group was not finished and would witness creation of a caliphate which adheres to Islamic traditions. During a 2019 interview with The Times, Shamima Begum had said that the last time she saw her husband was when they fled the village of Baghuz, at the beginning of February that year. Riedijk surrendered to a group of fighters allied to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). He was convicted in a Netherlands court in 2018 for joining the extremist group. While Begum was taken to the al-Hawl refugee camp, Riedijk has been incarcerated at Roj - one of several detention camps in northeast Syria.Stripped of her citizenship in February 2019, Begum has waged a battle to return to the UK, however in February 2021 the UK Supreme Court ruled she had lost her case. Lord Reed, president of the court, said it ruled in favour of then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid and against Begum on all counts. The supreme court unanimously allows the home secretarys appeals and dismisses Ms Begums cross-appeal, Reed said. Yago Riedijk insisted in the interview cited by the Daily Mail that he hopes to one day reunite with Shamima Begum and start a family again.* a terrorist organisation banned in many countries, including Russia. mandrake Of course she should be entitled to have her passport restored, she travelled out on it and should travel back on it. The sodomites in downing str 10 and the pedos in the parlament are guilty of far worse crimes and ought to be swinging from lamppodts all along piccadilly butbthe neutered english population are too scared to do anything about the criminals, the bought and paid politicians - shitty country! 2 Gone I'm interested to know why she gets all this attention? Smells fishy to me. One the one hand, you have terrorists that "have been previously known to police" let back into the country (newsflash: Britain is directly involved in the existence and logistics of ISIS/ISIL). On the other hand, here's this poor woman, who was 15 when she was groomed (crime!) to become a sex slave (what do you think she was, even if she was a "wife"?) and she can't go back. She's known to the police for having had sex with a wrong man when she was 15. Seems very... proportionate. A terrorist and an idiot whom the very state failed to retrieve when she escaped as a minor. 1 3 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko 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 Svetlana Ekimenko syria, daesh, syrian democratic forces (sdf), shamima begum, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211109/taiwans-defense-ministry-reveals-more-than-600-us-troops-visited-island-since-2019-1090605396.html Taiwans Defense Ministry Reveals More Than 600 US Troops Visited Island Since 2019 Taiwans Defense Ministry Reveals More Than 600 US Troops Visited Island Since 2019 A biennial report published by Taiwans defense ministry has for the first time given explicit numbers for how many US troops have visited the autonomous... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T21:56+0000 2021-11-09T21:56+0000 2021-11-09T21:56+0000 china asia-pacific taiwan us military pentagon one china policy /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/06/1083315951_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_b460be3f8be37e84ac7ae9cda5a7b8bb.jpg Hundreds of US troops have traveled to Taiwan over the past two years for more than 100 different training programs, while an almost equal number of Taiwanese forces went to the US for the same, the Ministry of National Defense reported in its 2021 National Defense Report.The report also notes 1,639 personnel from both militaries were involved in 102 other programs, but didnt state where they took place.Thats a significant increase over the roughly two dozen US Special Forces and US Marines operatives the Wall Street Journal revealed last month had been on the island for more than a year. The news, which provoked outrage in Beijing, was unexpectedly confirmed by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, during whose five years in power the autonomous island has grown increasingly close to Washington.On Tuesday evening local time, a US Navy C-40A airliner carrying a US congressional delegation was spotted making a surprise visit to Taipei, too, flying from Clark Air Base in the Philippines. Neither Taiwanese media nor Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said which lawmakers were on the flight, but Kirby told reporters this was the second such congressional trip to Taiwan this year, adding that it's not unusual."We strongly oppose and condemn this, Chinese Defene Ministry spokesman Tan Kefei said of the visit. Taiwan is an integral part of China. The US has grossly interfered in China's internal affairs, seriously damaged China's territorial sovereignty, and threatened peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. We call on the US to immediately cease its provocative actions,"One ChinaFormally calling itself the Republic of China, the government in Taipei is all that remains of that which once ruled all of China between 1912 and 1949. When the communist Red Army won the civil war and conquered all of mainland China, the RoC retreated to defensible Taiwan, which the new Peoples Republic of China was unable to invade. Both governments agree that Taiwan is part of One China, but each claims to be the rightful rulers of all of China.In the decades that followed, the vast majority of the globe switched its recognition of the Chinese government from Taipei to Beijing, including the US, which did so in 1979 amid three joint communiques in which it agreed to end its political and military support for the Taiwanese government. However, the US also passed its own Taiwan Relations Act governing its now-informal relationship with Taipei, and has continued to funnel weapons to them through an informal embassy despite its pledges to Beijing.The PLAs Six Threats to TaiwanMost of the Taiwanese Defense Ministrys report actually concerns possible circumstances for a Chinese move to forcibly reincorporate the island into China, identifying six ways the Peoples Liberation Army poses a threat to Taiwan. They include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities; missile strikes by aircraft, warships, or land-based launch sites across the Taiwan Strait; amphibious landings; area denial using long-range missiles; and observation satellites.It also notes the extensive blockade capabilities the PLA has developed, noting China may try to strangle Taiwan and force it to surrender without a fight - a situation highly preferable, given the massive weapons sales by the US to Taiwan, which has included torpedoes and anti-air systems. koursk koursk indeed, nato zone troops in the service of mobster billionaires occupy part of chinese territory and part of korean territory located south of the 38th parallel *** china and korea will soon be liberated by the current territories occupied by finance *** the fortune of the Chinese state is in great increase, which will very soon put the NATO under pressure 3 Thraxite More evidence that the US is incapable of fulfilling any treaty or MOU or agreement. Why nations still do it (besides corrupt politicians) is a mystery to me. 3 5 china asia-pacific us 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, taiwan, us, military, pentagon, one china policy https://sputniknews.com/20211109/taliban-say-us-support-of-afghan-resistance-would-violate-doha-agreement-1090592805.html Taliban Say US Support of Afghan Resistance Would Violate Doha Agreement Taliban Say US Support of Afghan Resistance Would Violate Doha Agreement KABUL (Sputnik) - Support for the National Resistance Front of Afghanistan (NRF) by the United States would constitute a breach of the 2020 Doha agreement... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T11:42+0000 2021-11-09T11:42+0000 2021-11-09T11:42+0000 asia & pacific us afghanistan /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0a/0c/1089858670_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_9d628eaffd08e36518615d47b91dabd9.jpg In an interview with the Afghan 1TV News broadcaster, Mujahid stated that if the US supports the Afghan resistance, the deal would become null and void.The United States and the Taliban signed the peace agreement in February 2020 in the Qatari capital. Among other things, the deal stipulated the withdrawal of foreign armed forces from Afghanistan in exchange for the Taliban abating violence and guaranteeing that the country will not turn into a safe haven for terrorists.On 15 August 2021, as foreign troops were withdrawing, the Taliban took over Afghanistan by entering Kabul, which led to the collapse of the US-backed civilian government. The last province to resist the group, Panjshir, surrendered on September 6, with NRF leader Ahmad Massoud calling on all Afghans to rebel against the Taliban.*Organization is under UN sanctions over terrorist activities mandrake Backstab you at a milliseconds notion! Just keep getting the country back in order and string them morons and the jews tagging along, up when you get a chance. 5 Ladyshadow Since when does the US obey agreements or treaties that don't support their foreign policies? 4 5 us afghanistan 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 asia & pacific, us, afghanistan https://sputniknews.com/20211109/tory-mp-reportedly-raked-in-over-1-million-while-moonlighting-for-tax-haven-accused-of-corruption-1090581989.html Tory MP Reportedly Raked in Over 1 Million While Moonlighting for Tax Haven Accused of Corruption Tory MP Reportedly Raked in Over 1 Million While Moonlighting for Tax Haven Accused of Corruption UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who skipped the Commons emergency sleaze debate on Monday, insisted his government took allegations of corruption seriously... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T05:48+0000 2021-11-09T05:48+0000 2021-11-10T14:08+0000 boris johnson tax haven british virgin islands owen paterson geoffrey cox uk /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/09/1090582729_0:198:2937:1850_1920x0_80_0_0_a56c4a715adebe2c5f793edf437e970b.jpg A Tory MP has earned hundreds of thousands of pounds moonlighting for a tax haven in the Caribbean that allowed him to continue to vote remotely in Parliament, reported The Daily Mail. The revelation comes amid calls for a reform of the regulations surrounding MPs second jobs, triggered by the current Owen Paterson sleaze row and the backlash it has generated for the government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Sir Charles Geoffrey Cox, QC, a British Conservative politician and barrister, serving as Member of Parliament for Torridge and West Devon, had been hired as consultant global counsel by Withers, an international law firm, to advise the government of the British Virgin Islands on private and overseas government clients. COVID-19 lockdown rules had allowed him to cast votes in the House of Commons by proxy, according to a source cited by the outlet. Cox, whose backbencher salary amounts to 82,000 ($111, 253), earned more than a million pounds ($1,356,700) from outside legal work over the past year, it was revealed. Sir Geoffrey Cox, known to be one of the highest-earning MPs, received almost 900,000 during the past year from Withers as he spent up to a month in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), according to the report. A cited register of financial interests reveals Cox received 156,916.08 from Withers for legal work carried out between 29 April and 31 May 2021. Throughout that period, Cox continued to carry out his duties by proxy as MP for Torridge and West Devon and a privy counsellor. Furthermore, Cox remained a practicing barrister at Thomas More Chambers in London. The MP was recorded as arriving in BVI on 26 April. A press release on the BVI government website for 26 April, cited by the outlet, says the MP was currently in quarantine but intends to hold a series of meetings with government ministers in the next few weeks. Furthermore, other legal outside work allow Cox to pocket over 130,000 in remuneration. Sir Geoffrey Cox has been representing the government of the BVI a British Overseas Territory - in an inquiry into the governance of the islands launched in January by the Foreign Office. The probe, acting on allegations of unaudited spending and contracts being handed out to politically-connected people, was tasked with determining whether there was evidence of corruption, abuse of office or other serious dishonesty that had taken place within BVI public office in recent years. Sir Geoffrey Cox has been accused by a government source of pocketing hundreds of thousands of pounds to help stop the exposure of corruption in a Caribbean paradise. In response to the revelations, Labour MP Karl Turner was cited as asking:The disclosures come as the UK House of Commons standards committee was reported to be mulling plans to restrict MPs from having consultancy jobs to earn extra cash like former Conservative MP Owen Patersons amid calls to clampdown on sleaze. The government of Boris Johnson has been fending off criticism for its handling of the Paterson lobbying row. The Prime Minister on Monday was accused of running scared after he was a no show at the emergency Commons debate following the row over the Governments botched attempt to block the suspension of the disgraced ex-Tory MP. Rumbling Sleaze Row Former Tory MP for North Shropshire Owen Paterson had been facing a 30-day Commons ban over an egregious case of paid advocacy. Kathyrn Stone, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, last week recommended the suspension in a report approved by a group of cross-party MPs on the standards committee. The politician was found to have repeatedly lobbied on behalf of two companies which paid him more than 100,000 annually. However, Boris Johnson's government, instead of endorsing the standards watchdog's call for punishment, attempted to grant Paterson a reprieve from reprisal by turning the spotlight onto the standards process itself. On 3 November it backed the creation of a Tory-led committee to review the Paterson case, while overhauling the Commons standards system.However, after a barrage of criticism, the Government performed a U-turn the following day, scrapping the proposed reforms. After Downing Street indicated on Thursday that Paterson would have to face a fresh vote on the 30-day suspension, the former MP announced he would resign to leave the cruel world of politics. Amid fallout from the sleaze row Labour Party leader Keir Starmer accused Boris Johnson of "corroded trust" in MPs. The Labour leader told the emergency debate in the Commons that the PM had given the "green light to corruption".Johnson, who skipped the debate claiming he had a prior commitment, ahead of the grilling said that it is "very important" to get the Commons standards system right. Questioned on the Own Paterson case, Johnson said: "I don't think there's much more to be said about that particular case, I really don't If there is anything positive to come out of the whole thing, it is that, as far as I can make out, the Speaker is determined to try to move us all forward with a system whereby we have a cross-party approach, which is what we were trying to achieve last week." On the issue of whether MPs should be barred from having second jobs, the PM said: Alba1970 anyone that says Westminster/London is not corrupt is kidding themselves on ... Scotland needs to get out of this vile and corrupt UK ASAP ... the UK is finished 0 1 british virgin islands Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko 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 Svetlana Ekimenko boris johnson, tax haven, british virgin islands, owen paterson, geoffrey cox, uk https://sputniknews.com/20211109/twitter-giggles-as-obamas-slip-up-confuses-scotland-with-ireland-1090580725.html Twitter Giggles as Obamas Slip-Up Confuses Scotland With Ireland Twitter Giggles as Obamas Slip-Up Confuses Scotland With Ireland Twitter Giggles as Obamas Slip-Up Confuses Scotland With Ireland 2021-11-09T03:40+0000 2021-11-09T03:40+0000 2021-11-09T03:41+0000 barack obama glasgow william shakespeare viral cop26 /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/0b/08/1090570315_0:0:3057:1720_1920x0_80_0_0_5032f0e04ad7e5376c205e2d39e362f5.jpg Former US president Barack Obama was roasted on Twitter after calling Scotland the Emerald Isles, an oft-used poetic name for Ireland, which is famed for its bright green landscapes.During his 45-minute address at the COP26 on Monday, the ex-president also quoted William Shakespeare, referring to him as "the bard", even though Shakespeare was in fact English, and in Scotland, Robert Burns is known as "the bard." In his speech, devoted to the problems of global warming, Obama noted that the planet has been wounded by our actions - those wounds won't be healed today, or tomorrow, or the next, but they can be healed by degrees.The gaffe amused netizens, who rushed to flood Twitter with posts mocking Obama's references.Earlier, CNN journalist Wolf Blitzer also mistakenly referred to Edinburgh as the host of the conference while reporting from there, near Edinburgh Castle. glasgow Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2021 Alexandra Kashirina Alexandra Kashirina 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 Alexandra Kashirina barack obama, glasgow, william shakespeare, viral, cop26 https://sputniknews.com/20211109/us-claims-pullout-from-syria-unlikely-but-damascus-based-analyst-says-it-is-inevitable-1090582369.html US Claims Pullout From Syria 'Unlikely' But Damascus-Based Analyst Says It is Inevitable US Claims Pullout From Syria 'Unlikely' But Damascus-Based Analyst Says It is Inevitable Washington has repeatedly stressed that its goal in Syria was purely to fight Daesh*. But with the terror group's presence largely eliminated, the agenda of... 09.11.2021, Sputnik International 2021-11-09T06:11+0000 2021-11-09T06:11+0000 2021-11-09T06:11+0000 syria middle east us /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/07/0a/1083358189_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_18d9998109f71a1fad42a12c7789831f.jpg With the US withdrawal from Afghanistan completed, and with the pullout from Iraq drawing near, speculations have emerged that Syria is next in line.Although officials in Washington have recently refuted those allegations, saying the US military exit from Syria was "unlikely any time soon", Taleb Ibrahim, a Damascus-based political analyst, says the Americans will not stay in his country "forever" and it is only a matter of time until their troops leave the war-torn nation.Fighting Daesh?Officially, there are 900 American military personnel in northeastern Syria. According to official statements, their goal is to help the Kurdish forces fight Daesh, a notorious terror organisation. But Ibrahim says it is "unclear" what Washington's real agenda is.At its peak, the extremist group controlled a third of Syria, but by December 2017 Daesh had lost 95 percent of its territory. Its fighters, who numbered around 35,000 during its heyday, is now reportedly no higher than 8,000 extremists dispersed across the region.The majority of those militants have fled Syria and Iraq and relocated to other locations, primarily in Africa's Sahel region.Political Solution on the Horizon?Now, as the main threat to Syria's stability is gone, Ibrahim says his country is on a course to reach a political solution to its decade-long civil war that has left more than 350,000 people dead and millions of others displaced.Multiple efforts have already been exerted to reach a resolution in Syria. Russia, which has played a pivotal role resolving the conflict, has held numerous talks with President Bashar Al Assad and members of the country's opposition. The most recent round of such negotiations was held last Friday.Iranian officials have also held meetings with their European partners, whereas Egypt intensified its efforts to bring Syria back into the Arab fold.Anti-American sentiment in the region has grown significantly since the infamous US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Those attitudes have only gotten stronger with time. And now as the US keeps decreasing its presence in the area, more and more Middle Eastern nations, says the analyst, want the Americans out.*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Holger H. The foreign Troops should be overwhelmed by daily Terror Attacks... that might change their Minds 1 1 us 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 syria, middle east, us The Scottsbluff Police Department will return to meeting with the public over a cup of coffee this week. Scottsbluff Police Chief Kevin Spencer said that Coffee with A Cop will be held Wednesday, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., at Luna Bean Coffeehouse, 1722 E, 20th St. The coffeehouse is located inside the Route 26 Mart and it will be the second time its owners have hosted the outreach event. Coffee With A Cop events had been a regular part of the community outreach efforts by the Scottsbluff Police Department until the pandemic. In fact, this weeks Coffee With A Cop will be the first one held since March 13, 2020, held as cases of COVID-19 started to be reported in Nebraska. Spencer said he and officers are eager to return to the event, where people can ask questions about law enforcement topics, ask questions about the way officers handle certain calls and more. Oftentimes, he said, discussions will center around news headlines and other topics circulating in the public that are relevant at the time. Coffee with a Cop is a very effective community outreach program that gives us an opportunity to have a conversation with community members. No agenda, just conversation, he said. ...We are there to listen and converse with the public. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukraine on Tuesday hit another record for daily coronavirus deaths amid a spike in infections fueled by public reluctance to get a vaccine. The Health Ministry reported 833 coronavirus deaths over the past day, surpassing the previous high of 793 over the weekend and bringing the country's total confirmed COVID-19 deaths to 73,390. The nation of 41 million people also registered 18,988 new daily infections in the last day. Although four vaccines are available in Ukraine Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Sinovac only 18% of the population has been fully vaccinated. That is Europes second-lowest rate after Armenia. In an effort to speed up vaccine uptake, the authorities required teachers, government employees and other workers to get fully vaccinated by Nov. 8 or have their salaries suspended. On Tuesday, the government also ordered workers of state-controlled companies, including railways and the postal service, as well as social workers to get vaccinated by Dec. 1. Ukrainian authorities also have started requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test results for people boarding planes, trains and long-distance buses. Caribbean T he Bahamas Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville said once the state of emergency expires on November 13, 2021 there will no longer be curfews. The Nassau Guardian reported that the minister tabled new rules in the House of Assembly on Monday to replace the emergency orders. There is no curfew mentioned in these orders, noted Darville when asked about the matter outside Cabinet. As you can see, with our plan youre beginning to see changes where the numbers are falling. Its very important to understand that we are trying to regulate COVID-19 via rules by way of the Health Services Act through amendments to section 29. Days after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in The Bahamas, the governor general declared a state of emergency. Then Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis, who was the competent authority under law, implemented a daily curfew to curb the spread of the virus. Although curfews have since been lifted on some islands, and curfew times adjusted on others, New Providence and Grand Bahama have not had a day without a curfew since the state of emergency was declared in March 2020. While in opposition, Darville had repeatedly said there was no scientific evidence that showed that curfews limit the spread of COVID-19. The guidelines laid out in the recently tabled rules outline protocols for businesses, social gatherings, and other activities. Some mitigation measures like mask wearing and limiting the number of people at social events will remain in place. Darville said adjustments will depend largely on the level of COVID spread in the country. This is a new way, he said. It is very well laid out, but I want to let the country know that the rules are very fluid. As the cases begin to rise and God forbid [that happens], we will have to make additional adjustments to those rules. A second Marion man has pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute 40 or more grams of fentanyl containing substance. Dakota Shadoe Tunnell, 21, was one of three men arrested in late September in connection to the distribution of counterfeit pills containing the deadly substance in Smyth County. According to a release from the U.S. Attorneys Office, Tunnell become known to police earlier this year when counterfeit pressed pills began to show up in Smyth County. Court documents state that counterfeit pills containing fentanyl have been linked to four fatal overdoses in Southwest Virginia. During the investigation, according to the release, law enforcement learned that Tunnell had been purchasing 300 to 500 pills at a time from his supplier and redistributing them in the Marion area. In early September, police conducted a controlled purchase of around 100 pills from Tunnell for $1,700. Tunnell pleaded guilty last Friday and is scheduled for sentencing in January. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison. The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, service members and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. Membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across the country. Today, membership stands at nearly 2 million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide. The posts are organized into 55 departments: one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines. "As for my daughter, she was terribly frightened: she was already experiencing the trauma of her uncle's death, and she is scared of police due to constant headlines about how police treat Black people (she is Black). She began to sob and was inconsolable," her email said. The officers assured her nothing was wrong but said they wanted to question her and her daughter, MacCarthy said. "They said they were here because my daughter and I were reported for suspicious behavior, acting suspiciously before boarding and while boarding," she said. "I took out my phone and immediately started recording. I told (the officer) who we were and that my daughter was crying because she had lost a family member," MacCarthy said. According to a report from the Denver police, "Both Mother and child were cleared." The report also noted that officers were responding to a "possible Human Trafficking reported by South West flight attendant" but MacCarthy says she only found out two weeks later that she was suspected of human trafficking. "I got a call from Denver Police human trafficking unit letting me know they were following up on the incident," she told CNN. Angela Eyer-Harders Longview food truck only mentions two menu items in its name but dont let that fool you. The Dog & Cones all-beef hot dogs and soft-serve ice cream, floats and real fruit shakes arent all the restaurant has to offer. Signature Fare: Woodland wine bar offers seasonal charcuterie boards on the Lewis River WOODLAND RiverHouse is a boutique off Lewis River Road in the front and a wine bar with tapas plates and views of the Lewis River in the back. Eyer-Harder is a longtime restaurant owner and caterer, who turned a former espresso cart on Ocean Beach Highway into a made-from-scratch drive-thru eatery last fall. In addition to dogs and cones, there are homemade sandwiches like Monte Cristos, Ruebens and gyros, with sides like warm homemade German potato salad and tater tots loaded with chili, cheese and jalapenos. I like to think of it as great food fast as it is all prepared from scratch, she said. Eyer-Harder isnt done packing the options into her 360-square-foot cart. In October, she added breakfast items. In November, she brought in espresso. In the upcoming months, she plans to offer barbecue and smoked sausages after purchasing a custom, Texas-made smoker. Food options As early as 6 a.m., weekdays, people can grab breakfast sandwiches or burritos, biscuits and gravy, muffins or bagel and cream cheese with an espresso, latte or cappuccino through the drive thru. Signature Fare: Longview juice bar offers healthy, quick options during cold season At the Raw Juice Bar in Longview, customers can sample the raw food trend in juices, smoothies, shots and acai bowls. Eyer-Harder said customers come for specials like her homemade cheesecake mixed with ice cream in the eaterys take on a blizzard, despite the temperature outside. Anyone can enjoy ice cream year round, she said. But there are warm items for winter too. Her homemade chili with beans and longtime clam chowder recipes are always on the menu, while other homemade options like chicken and dumplings and potato soup rotate. Making a move Eyer-Harder purchased the Ocean Beach Highway business in October 2020 after relocating from Virginia to be closer to family. She brought her 33 years of restaurant and catering experience to her new venture, transforming the once drive-thru espresso shop to a full-blown restaurant, packed inside a 360-foot refurbished train caboose in front of the Town House Motel. Customers cant sit inside the establishment, but seating is provided in a partitioned outdoor space nearby. The Dog & Cone Signature Fare: Chili dog, with homemade chili with beans atop an all-beef hot dog. Cost: $4.59, $0.50 for cheese and $0.25 for onions. Address: 745 Ocean Beach Highway, Longview. Hours: 6 a.m.-6 p.m., weekdays; 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays. Info: 360-200-9363 or www.facebook.com/Thedogandcone. Her Virginia cafe offered similar items as the food truck, including Italian melts toasted sandwiches with ham, salami, provolone, topped with a balsamic mayo spread, tomato and onions. In Virginia, Eyer-Harder said 40% of the business included catering for events like weddings and business meetings. She hopes to offer more catering in Longview with options like barbecue, smoked sausages, sandwiches, cookies and brownies, she added. The restaurants drive-thru also proved to be pandemic-proof. She said the eatery was crazy busy for the first roughly five months and amassed 1,000 Facebook followers in a month by word of mouth alone. The business model continues to be a hit, she added. With or without COVID, people appreciate quickly prepared pick-up meals, Eyer-Harder said. Signature Fare is a series featuring local restaurants signature menu items and prints every other Wednesday. Contact Daily News reporter Hayley Day at 360-577-2541 or hday@tdn.com for possible inclusion in the series. 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. Backlash already is brewing in Woodland after a candidate who described herself on Facebook as a "radicalized progressive witch" is set to join the City Council. Jenn Rowland is leading the heavily contested race for position 6, but is short of a full majority of votes. Rowland was in the race with Aaron Berghaus, a local business owner who suspended his campaign over the summer; and Janice Graham, a councilmember in a different position who launched a write-in campaign against Rowland in August. Rowland said she expected some level of opposition from being a 34-year-old Hispanic woman running for City Council. Since taking the lead in the election results, Rowland said she was surprised by some of the vitriol on the public Facebook groups for Woodland residents. "It's especially hurtful when I see people I know, that I worked with or went to school with, be so angry over the fact that I might win. It feels alienating, but change is uncomfortable," Rowland said. Rowland had roughly 37% of the votes from Woodland residents as of the end of last week. Berghaus received 32% of the votes, while write-in ballots accounted for 31.5% of the votes. Rowland's background and Facebook page Rowland's family moved to Woodland in 2000, when she was a middle schooler. After graduating from high school, Rowland traveled to Moscow, Idaho, with a former boyfriend. She moved back to Woodland around 2012 and is raising her 10-year-old daughter as a single mother. Rowland pursued a later-in-life degree at Lower Columbia College starting in 2018, where she was involved with student government and the college's Multicultural Club. Around the same time, a friend encouraged Rowland to apply for a vacant seat on the City Council. "For any changes that go on in the city, our age group and our children are the ones that will be dealing with it the longest," Rowland said. Much of the opposition has been based on Rowland's personal Facebook page. Her banner illustration depicts a black cat named "Anarkitty" tearing at the throat of a KKK member. Right below the description of herself as a progressive witch, Rowland wrote that she is antifascist and pro-police reform. Amy Tallbut has been one of the most vocal critics of Rowland over the last week. Tallbut lives outside the city limits, so she wasn't able to vote in the City Council elections, but she shared concerns with several others of the public Facebook group Woodland Washington Community Chat about the election results. "It's appropriate to have a diversified council, it's good to have many perspectives, but a radical individual is probably not the type of person who can see things from both angles," Tallbut said. Tallbut said the high number of votes for Berghaus showed how ill-informed many Woodland residents had been about the council race. She said it didn't seem right for a councilwoman to be elected without a majority vote and had concerns about how unwilling to compromise Rowland would be once she joined the City Council. Rowland said her personal page is an exaggerated, heightened version of her beliefs. She supports the City Council's attempt to create a Transportation Benefit District by increasing the retail sales tax. The biggest changes she suggests for the Woodland Police Department was diversifying their ranks and reviewing how they handle domestic violence calls. The "witch" comment was similarly hyperbolic, but based in real beliefs. Rowland calls herself a "kitchen witch," part of a recent online trend that brings elements of spirituality and positive thinking into preparing food and doesn't involve casting spells. "It's positive manifestation. It's you putting your energy in things and believing that your energy is going to do good," Rowland said. Tallbut has talked to Rowland once since Tuesday's election. Tallbut said the conversation was civil, but she was unsatisfied with some of Rowland's answers about her progressive platform. County says few options to stop election Despite the concerns raised by Tallbut and some Woodland voters, Cowlitz County auditor Carolyn Fundingsland said there is no clear way to prevent Rowland from being certified. Berghaus was legally listed on the ballot because he failed to notify the election office of his withdrawal by the state deadline. None of the other complaints raised reached the level of preventing the current result. "These residents have been thorough in reading our elections statute. But what happened in that race, while frustrating to some, is in accordance with the law," Fundingsland said. The recall process also is not suited for disgruntled voters to overturn an election result. Fundingsland said in order for a recall to be considered, residents have to bring forward multiple acts of malfeasance that an elected official has done while holding office. The Nov. 2 election also is set to bring former Woodland City Councilmember J.J. Burke back into office in Graham's current position. Graham said she hopes both of the people joining the council will be able to work with their fellow elected officials. "We take the office seriously and weve worked together well," Graham said. "I hope they listen, learn, and do the best for the city and not just go for a personal agenda." Love 3 Funny 7 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) From Hamtramck, Michigan, to Las Vegas, Nevada, activists are pushing states to ensure growing Asian American and Pacific Islander communities can be equally represented in government during the once-in-a-decade redistricting process. Asian Americans are the fastest growing racial or ethnic group in the United States and now make up more than 10% of the population in Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Washington and Nevada. The demographic group though diverse politically, linguistically and economically has become a powerful voting bloc in these states and elsewhere. Though Republicans made gains in 2020, Asian American and Pacific Islander voters have mostly supported Democratic presidential candidates since 2000. In Nevada, they were a key constituency that candidates courted in the last presidential primary. For nearly two years, anti-Asian discrimination and violence prompted by the pandemic has politically engaged and unified the community, activists and academics said. Historically, the Asian American community hasn't been large or unified enough to challenge political maps in court. But data showing political cohesion among different subsets of the demographic group has amplified calls to consider it a community of interest in redistricting. If we all just identify as our ethnicity in itself, its not significant enough in numbers to negotiate, to build power or to become centered, said Eric Jeng of Nevada's Asian Community Development Council. Our community shares concerns on immigration, health care, and education. And when anti-Asian hate was rising, they werent asking for where youre from. People who looked Asian got attacked. Nevada has more than 400,000 residents who identify as Asian American, Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, according to census data. The majority live in the Las Vegas area and are of Filipino, Chinese, Japanese or Vietnamese descent. The population increased by 47.3% over the past decade more than three times as much as the overall population largely in areas like Spring Valley and southwest Las Vegas. But the growth also exemplifies the competing interests that arise during the redrawing of congressional and state legislative districts. Questions over whether to prioritize drawing compact districts, protecting incumbents or drawing majority Asian American statehouse districts will inevitably confront Nevada's Democratic-controlled Legislature with difficult decisions when they meet to conduct redistricting. At least four Nevada lawmakers identify as Asian American but none represent the areas of southwest Las Vegas where the population is most concentrated. In the Assembly, Speaker Jason Frierson, Assistant Majority Whip Sandra Jauregui and Speaker Pro Tempore Steve Yeager represent neighboring districts where the population is 28% to 30% Asian American, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. In the state Senate, Democrats Dallas Harris and Melanie Scheible's abutting districts are 31% and 27% Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. Groups like the Asian Community Development Council and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada want the Democratic-controlled Legislature to draw AAPI-majority districts to encourage political participation and ensure the demographics voting power isnt diluted or gerrymandered. Jeng said non-Asian politicians who represent districts with large Asian American populations often enjoy broad support and champion issues that matter to the community, but he wants districts to be drawn in a way that ensures Asian American candidates won't be deterred from running. When people that look like them represent them, then the community gets involved more. When they dont see people representing them who look like them, they dont really participate, Jeng said, noting Michelle Wu and Aftab Pureval's victories in mayoral elections last week in Boston and Cincinnati. The communities that fall under the umbrella AAPI which stands for Asian American and Pacific Islander are diverse, but survey data shows the group is relatively united about certain political issues, said University of Maryland professor Janelle Wong. Theres so much discussion about Asian American diversity," said Wong, who also works as co-director of AAPI Data. "But one of the most critical and astounding features of the Asian American community is that, despite this tremendous diversity, theres actually a remarkable level of consensus around particular issues. Asian American Republicans are more likely to support the Affordable Care Act than other Republicans and, across income brackets, they're similarly likely to support increasing taxes on the rich, with those who make more than $250,000 annually almost as supportive as those who make less, Wong said. The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada is lobbying lawmakers to draw at least one district in which a majority of residents are Asian American or Pacific Islander to ensure the growing group's voting power isn't diluted. Were concerned that, if the Legislature were to advance maps that are relatively the same as they stand today, it would result in the dilution of voting power in Nevada's growing AAPI community that has and continues to be woefully underrepresented statewide, Athar Haseebullah, the group's executive director, told lawmakers at an October committee hearing. 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 KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The only eye witnesses to a 1978 triple murder in Kansas City tried to tell prosecutors years before she died that she had identified the wrong shooter, but they told her it was too late to recant and that she could be charged with perjury, her sister testified Tuesday. Cecile Cookie Simmons testified on the second day of a hearing that could lead to the release of Kevin Strickland, who has served 43 years in prison for a triple murder that many people, including current Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, believe he did not commit. In testimony on Monday, Strickland, who is now 62, strongly denied being involved in the crime, which he has maintained since he was arrested and convicted in 1979. Peters Baker announced in May that she and several other legal and political leaders believe Strickland was wrongly convicted. In August, she called for Strickland's exoneration by using a new state law that allows local prosecutors to challenge convictions if they believe the defendant did not commit the crime. The evidentiary hearing was delayed several times after motions filed by the Missouri Attorney General's office. Attorney General Eric Schmidt, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, has said he believes Strickland is guilty. Simmons' sister, Cynthia Douglas, was injured but survived the shootings that killed three of her friends at a home in Kansas City on April 25, 1978. Her identification of Strickland, as being at the scene was a primary factor in his conviction. Simmons said Tuesday that Douglas told her she knew two of four suspects, Vincent Bell, 21, and Kilm Adkins, 19, but did not know the other two suspects, The Kansas City Star reported. She picked Strickland, who was 18 at the time, out of a lineup the next day and later told people she was pressured by police to choose him, Simmons testified. Douglas' mother, sister and a former co-worker gave similar testimony on Monday. Years later, when Douglas told county prosecutors about her mistaken identification, they told her they were not going to go back to court over it and that she could be charged with perjury, according to Simmons. Simmons said Douglas had nightmares and was sickened by her actions but she never took back her recantation before she died in 2015. Bell and Adkins later served prison sentences for their roles in the murders. They both have said that Strickland was not involved in the crimes. "Cindy never got her justice, Simmons said Tuesday, noting that the two suspects Bell and Adkins identified were never arrested. During cross-examination from Gregory Goodwin with the Missouri Attorney Generals Office, Simmons acknowledged she was not with her sister when she contacted various officials. Douglas ex-husband, Ronald Richardson, also testified Tuesday that she told him she had been wrong to identify Strickland. Richardson, who is currently in prison, was with Douglas for 24 years and married to her for 15 years. Douglas told him she was hesitant to revive Strickland's case because other families were involved and she was afraid Strickland might retaliate. Richardson told her said Strickland was more likely to be grateful if she recanted her identification, he testified. Richardson said he and Strickland are imprisoned together but they are not friends and Strickland has never promised him anything for his testimony. Assistant Attorney General Christine Krug noted Richardson's lengthy prison record, which started with stealing in 1994 and include convictions for drugs, forgery and sex charges. She also said the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office did not find him credible when he was prosecuted for sex crimes and robbery. Richardson responded that he didn't understand what his crimes had to do with Strickland's case. And he said he watched Douglas suffer for years because she identified the wrong person, KSHB-TV reported. Ive lived with the girl for 24 years, and Ive seen her slowly deteriorate and Ive seen the hurt and the pain that the girl went through for 24 years, Richardson said. So dont tell me all the things I did. I broke her heart. With the things Ive done, I broke the girls heart. Yall broke her spirit. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Kansas City Star. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 With the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for younger children, many elementary schools around the U.S. are preparing to offer the shots, which educators see as key to keeping students learning in person and making the classroom experience closer to what it once was. Some district leaders say offering vaccine clinics on campus, with the involvement of trusted school staff, is key to improving access and helping overcome hesitancy particularly in communities with low overall vaccination rates. Still, many school systems are choosing not to offer elementary schools as hosts for vaccination sites after some middle and high schools that offered shots received pushback. More than 250 families signed up for vaccinations that began Thursday at elementary schools in Duluth, Minnesota, which organized clinics immediately after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the final signoff to Pfizers kid-size COVID-19 shot for children ages 5 to 11. Superintendent John Magas called the vaccines a game changer. This brings us one step closer to moving from pandemic to endemic, Magas said. It allows us to reconsider things like social distancing and masking and things like that as safety permits. The Biden administration plans to send a letter to U.S. elementary schools in the next week asking them to host clinics. The Education Department is also urging schools to host town halls and webinars at which parents can talk to doctors about the vaccine. Districts that have held or are planning clinics for younger children span Alaska to Vermont, said Hayley Meadvin, an Education Department senior adviser. Where schools choose not to host clinics, families can turn to doctors offices, hospitals and other sites. There are many points of access, and theres no wrong door, honestly, Meadvin said. In Ohio, some school districts offered on-site clinics for older students, but Rick Lewis, director of the Ohio School Boards Association, said they haven't heard from any districts planning them for younger students. He noted the CDC encourages districts to consider factors like local needs for school clinics and adequate community support. School vaccine drives have faced pushback and protests in Ohio and elsewhere, and some opponents say they plan to keep up pressure as the focus of the vaccination effort shifts to younger students. Sarah Kenney, who represents the group Mainers for Health and Parental Rights, argues that schools should not be getting involved or even talking to young children about the vaccine. She worries about its newness and potential for long-term side effects. 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. Kenney also expressed concern about stigma against children who do not get vaccinated. These conversations and personal decisions have been difficult enough to navigate for adults, we shouldnt be putting this on our kids," she said. Parents are required to give authorization for their children's shots. The vaccines are typically administered before or after school in partnerships with local hospitals and government health officials. Chicago Public Schools, the country's third-largest district, canceled school Nov. 12 to give parents an opportunity to get their children vaccinated by a healthcare provider or at a school-based site. In Portland, Oregon, vaccines will be offered in eight elementary schools starting next week in high poverty districts, where families are more likely to face barriers such as access to health care or transportation, Superintendent Guadalupe Guerrero said. On the heels of California's decision to make vaccines for children mandatory, Portland is among districts considering the same. A recent board of education meeting to discuss that possibility was disrupted by a group of protesters. For that reason, security will be present at the vaccine clinics, and their times and dates wont be publicized outside the local community, said Courtney Westling, the districts director of government relations. Schools are a trusted community hub, she said. Families, in general, feel very safe at these school sites. Were also not asking for identification or insurance cards. We dont want people to fear ICE showing up or something. We are just trying to get people vaccinated so we can get some of this behind us and get back to some semblance of normalcy. In Hartford, Connecticut, schools superintendent Leslie Torres-Rodriguez said the vaccination clinics it is planning along with local hospitals will include school nurses, trusted by families. Only a third of the district's students 12 and older are vaccinated. We take an equity stance here and think about the access and removing any barriers that our families might have, she said. In nearby Tolland, Connecticut, school superintendent Walter Willett said his district also is teaming with health providers, including UConn Health, to offer vaccines at school sites to younger students. He said vaccines are important, not just for keeping kids in school, but for teachers, janitors and other staff who tend to be more at risk. They can more effectively do their job when kids aren't bouncing in and out of the classroom in quarantine, he said. Liz Hamel, the vice president of opinion and survey research at KFF, a nonprofit that studies health care issues, said their recent surveys show parents are more likely to accept vaccine information from their pediatrician than from government or educational sources. And one thing we found with teens is that most parents didn't want their school to require the vaccine, but if their school provided information or encouraged students to get vaccinated, those parents were more likely to say that their child was getting the vaccine, she said. Sam Valle, a 9-year-old in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, said he's been bugging his parents for months, asking when he can get the vaccine. Right now, I can't go into a restaurant without it, he said. I can't go into a store without wearing a mask. I can't do a lot of things. Sam's quest will soon be over. His mother says his shot is now scheduled for Wednesday. Associated Press writers Collin Binkley in Boston and Michael Melia in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed to this report. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. NEW ORLEANS (AP) A Louisiana appeals court has thrown out the 90-year prison sentence for a drunken driver who struck nine bicycle riders near a Mardi Gras parade route in March 2019, killing two of them. The state 4th Circuit Court of Appeal said the judge who sentenced Tashonty Toney failed to sufficiently spell out the reasons for handing out the maximum sentences following Toneys guilty plea. Therefore, the ruling said, appellate judges could not adequately review Toneys argument that the total sentence was excessive. The ruling, dated Wednesday, sent the case back to the criminal court in New Orleans for what the panel requested to be a meaningful sentencing hearing. Blood tests showed Toney was driving with a blood-alcohol level above .21 percent as he sped down New Orleans' prominent Esplanade Avenue, which was bustling with auto, bicycle and pedestrian traffic after the popular parade of the Krewe of Endymion. Driving at speeds reaching 80 mph (nearly 130 kph), Toney veered at times into the bicycle lane, sending bicycles and their riders flying, court records show. Authorities said he sideswiped other cars and eventually collided with another vehicle before coming to a stop in the median. He ran away but was followed and held by witnesses until police arrived, according to court records. The two killed were Sharree Walls, 27, of New Orleans and David Hynes, 31, a Seattle man and Tulane Law School graduate who was visiting during Mardi Gras. The two died not far from where the Endymion parade an annual spectacle of huge, brightly lit floats and marching bands had just passed. Witnesses said at the time that a festive scene was turned to one of bedlam and carnage as bystanders sought to give first aid to those struck. Toney pleaded guilty in October 2019 to 16 criminal counts, including two counts of vehicular homicide, each of which carried a maximum 30-year sentence. His plea agreement did not include a sentencing agreement. After a hearing featuring emotional testimony from relatives of those killed, and from some of the injured, Judge Laurie White's sentence included maximum 30-year sentences on each of the negligent homicide counts, and six maximum 5-year sentences for vehicular negligent injuring, according to the appeal court opinion. While White ordered that some of the sentences for other counts be served concurrently, the total sentence for Toney was more than 90 consecutive years, 60 of those without possibility of parole. Certainly, the pain and suffering caused by defendants actions are deserving of a harsh penalty of imprisonment, the appeals court ruling said. This Court also acknowledges that retribution and deterrence are worthy considerations when imposing sentence in a case such as this. But the opinion also noted that the 90-year-plus sentence was, in effect, a life sentence for Toney, 34. It said the trial court must hold a hearing where Toney's lawyers can present evidence. Then the court must give reasons if it again imposes maximum sentences on each count and requires that all sentences be served consecutively. 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 MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) A day after questioned elections, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government on Monday set about painting as a historic democratic victory what many of the world's democracies condemned as a sham. Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council said that with nearly all the ballots counted, Ortega had won more than 75% of the vote. The outcome was never in doubt after his government jailed seven of the leading potential opposition candidates, clearing the field for Ortega to sweep to a fourth consecutive five-year term. With all government institutions firmly within Ortega's grasp and the opposition exiled, jailed or in hiding, the 75-year-old leader eroded what hope remained the country could soon return to a democratic path. Instead, he appeared poised to test the international community's resolve and continue thumbing his nose at their targeted sanctions and statements of disapproval. Ortega and Vice President and first lady Rosario Murillo celebrated the election results in Managua's Revolution Plaza later Monday, with Ortega unleashing a torrent of abuse on the European Union, which said in a statement earlier that the elections lacked legitimacy. The European Union has a parliament whose majority are fascists, Nazis," Ortega said. The fascist little brothers of Hitler that are governing there, now want to form a a fascist international in our Americas. Ortega also spewed abuse at the United States, which also condemned the elections after Ortega imprisoned all his main potential rivals. Those who are in prison are the sons of the female dog of Yankee imperialism, Ortega said. They should be taken to the United States, because they stopped being Nicaraguans a long time ago, they have no fatherland. Sunday's vote also determined 90 of the 92 seats in the congress and representation in the Central American Parliament. Murillo went so far as to call the elections the first sovereign elections in Nicaragua's history and reported congratulations streaming in from Russia, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. The council put voter turnout at 65%, a figure not observed in lightly attended voting centers Sunday. Open Ballot Boxes, an opposition effort to observe the elections, said that its more than 1,450 monitors around the country estimated an average turnout of about 18%. Murillo cheered the reported turnout, saying more than 2 million votes we receive with infinite gratitude and commitment. But she and Ortega will be ruling a shrinking and more skeptical support base among a general population with rising demands to participate in Nicaragua's politics. Vanderbilt University's Latin American Public Opinion Project polled 2,997 Nicaraguans between June and August as part of their Americas Barometer survey. The phone survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.79 percentage points. The full report on the survey is scheduled to be released later this month. In our survey in the summer of 2021, we were seeing signs of grave doubts in the integrity of elections in the country on the part of people in Nicaragua, said project director Elizabeth Zechmeister. We asked whether or not they believe that votes are counted fairly in the country and what we found is that only 26% of people in Nicaragua believe that their votes are always counted correctly. Interestingly enough, its about the same percentage of people who expressed support for the incumbent administration. The Ortega administration has continued to close avenues for democratic participation with police banning public protests, electoral authorities banning some opposition political parties and potential candidates being arrested. We ask people whether or not they think one can bring about change in politics through elections, through street protests, through either or through neither, Zechmeister said. And weve asked that question in the past. So were able to make comparisons across time, and we see in 2021 a significant decrease in the percentage of people who think that its possible to bring about political change in the country through either elections or through street protests. Maria Acevedo waited at a bus stop in the capital Monday. She said the outcome of the election was clear in advance. "They had it all set up, she said. For me this is a fraud. Inside a Managua hair salon, Leticia Roa, said respecting the results would keep the peace. The people elected him (Ortega) and you have to respect it, she said. So what is there to do? Respect. What remains to be seen is whether the international community will continue to unite to push Ortega to change course. An early chance could come later this week when the Organization of American States holds its annual general assembly in Guatemala. When the regional body voted last month to condemn repression and demand the release of political prisoners, seven members abstained, including Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras, which neighbors Nicaragua. This is the moment of truth for the countries that make up the international community that will have to leave behind ambiguity, said Tiziano Breda, Central America analyst with International Crisis Group. They will have to take a forceful position on one side or the other to recognize or not recognize this electoral process. Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City 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 Caption:MIT professors Jacopo Buongiorno and John Lienhard describe their research suggesting the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant could provide multiple benefits for California, including desalinated water and clean hydrogen fuel. Credit: Tracey Adams, CC-BY-2.0 The Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in California, the only one still operating in the state, is set to close in 2025. A team of researchers at MIT's Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, Abdul Latif Jameel Water and Food Systems Lab, and Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research; Stanford's Precourt Energy Institute; and energy analysis firm LucidCatalyst LLC have analyzed the potential benefits the plant could provide if its operation were extended to 2030 or 2045. They found that this nuclear plant could simultaneously help to stabilize the state's electric grid, provide desalinated water to supplement the state's chronic water shortages, and provide carbon-free hydrogen fuel for transportation. MIT News asked report co-authors Jacopo Buongiorno, the TEPCO Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering, and John Lienhard, the Jameel Professor of Water and Food, to discuss the group's findings. Q: Your report suggests co-locating a major desalination plant alongside the existing Diablo Canyon power plant. What would be the potential benefits from operating a desalination plant in conjunction with the power plant? Lienhard: The cost of desalinated water produced at Diablo Canyon would be lower than for a stand-alone plant because the cost of electricity would be significantly lower and you could take advantage of the existing infrastructure for the intake of seawater and the outfall of brine. Electricity would be cheaper because there's not an electrical transmission chargeyou're right at the plant, and the power doesn't have to be sent across the grid. Depending on the scale at which the desalination plant is built, you could make a very significant impact on the water shortfalls of state and federal projects in the area. In fact, one of the numbers that came out of this study was that an intermediate-sized desalination plant there would produce more fresh water than the highest estimate of the net yield from the proposed Delta Conveyance Project on the Sacramento River. You could get that amount of water at Diablo Canyon for an investment cost less than half as large, and without the associated impacts that would come with the Delta Conveyance Project. And the technology envisioned for desalination here, reverse osmosis, is available off the shelf. You can buy this equipment today. In fact, it's already in use in California and thousands of other places around the world. Q: You discuss in the report three potential products from the Diablo Canyon plant: desalinatinated water, power for the grid, and clean hydrogen. How well can the plant accommodate all of those efforts, and are there advantages to combining them as opposed to doing any one of them separately? Buongiorno: California, like many other regions in the world, is facing multiple challenges as it seeks to reduce carbon emissions on a grand scale. First, the wide deployment of intermittent energy sources such as solar and wind creates a great deal of variability on the grid that can be balanced by dispatchable firm power generators like Diablo. So, the first mission for Diablo is to continue to provide reliable, clean electricity to the grid. The second challenge is the prolonged drought and water scarcity for the state in general. And one way to address that is water desalination co-located with the nuclear plant at the Diablo site, as John explained. The third challenge is related to decarbonization the transportation sector. A possible approach is replacing conventional cars and trucks with vehicles powered by fuel cells which consume hydrogen. Hydrogen has to be produced from a primary energy source. Nuclear power, through a process called electrolysis, can do that quite efficiently and in a manner that is carbon-free. Our economic analysis took into account the expected revenue from selling these multiple productselectricity for the grid, hydrogen for the transportation sector, water for farmers or other local usersas well as the costs associated with deploying the new facilities needed to produce desalinated water and hydrogen. We found that, if Diablo's operating license was extended until 2035, it would cut carbon emissions by an average of 7 million metric tons a yeara more than 11 percent reduction from 2017 levelsand save ratepayers $2.6 billion in power system costs. Further delaying the retirement of Diablo to 2045 would spare 90,000 acres of land that would need to be dedicated to renewable energy production to replace the facility's capacity, and it would save ratepayers up to $21 billion in power system costs. Finally, if Diablo was operated as a polygeneration facility that provides electricity, desalinated water, and hydrogen simultaneously, its value, quantified in terms of dollars per unit electricity generated, could increase by 50 percent. Lienhard: Most of the desalination scenarios that we considered did not consume the full electrical output of that plant, meaning that under most scenarios you would continue to make electricity and do something with it, beyond just desalination. I think it's also important to remember that this power plant produces 15 percent of California's carbon-free electricity today and is responsible for 8 percent of the state's total electrical production. In other words, Diablo Canyon is a very large factor in California's decarbonization. When or if this plant goes offline, the near-term outcome is likely to be increased reliance on natural gas to produce electricity, meaning a rise in California's carbon emissions. Q: This plant in particular has been highly controversial since its inception. What's your assessment of the plant's safety beyond its scheduled shutdown, and how do you see this report as contributing to the decision-making about that shutdown? Buongiorno: The Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant has a very strong safety record. The potential safety concern for Diablo is related to its proximity to several fault lines. Being located in California, the plant was designed to withstand large earthquakes to begin with. Following the Fukushima accident in 2011, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission reviewed the plant's ability to withstand external events (e.g., earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes) of exceptionally rare and severe magnitude. After nine years of assessment the NRC's conclusion is that "existing seismic capacity or effective flood protection [at Diablo Canyon] will address the unbounded reevaluated hazards." That is, Diablo was designed and built to withstand even the rarest and strongest earthquakes that are physically possible at this site. As an additional level of protection, the plant has been retrofitted with special equipment and procedures meant to ensure reliable cooling of the reactor core and spent fuel pool under a hypothetical scenario in which all design-basis safety systems have been disabled by a severe external event. Lienhard: As for the potential impact of this report, PG&E [the California utility] has already made the decision to shut down the plant, and we and others hope that decision will be revisited and reversed. We believe that this report gives the relevant stakeholders and policymakers a lot of information about options and value associated with keeping the plant running, and about how California could benefit from clean water and clean power generated at Diablo Canyon. It's not up to us to make the decision, of coursethat is a decision that must be made by the people of California. All we can do is provide information. Q: What are the biggest challenges or obstacles to seeing these ideas implemented? Lienhard: California has very strict environmental protection regulations, and it's good that they do. One of the areas of great concern to California is the health of the ocean and protection of the coastal ecosystem. As a result, very strict rules are in place about the intake and outfall of both power plants and desalination plants, to protect marine life. Our analysis suggests that this combined plant can be implemented within the parameters prescribed by the California Ocean Plan and that it can meet the regulatory requirements. We believe that deeper analysis would be needed before you could proceed. You would need to do site studies and really get out into the water and look in detail at what's there. But the preliminary analysis is positive. A second challenge is that the discourse in California around nuclear power has generally not been very supportive, and similarly some groups in California oppose desalination. We expect that that both of those points of view would be part of the conversation about whether or not to procede with this project. Q: How particular is this analysis to the specifics of this location? Are there aspects of it that apply to other nuclear plants, domestically or globally? Lienhard: Hundreds of nuclear plants around the world are situated along the coast, and many are in water stressed regions. Although our analysis focused on Diablo Canyon, we believe that the general findings are applicable to many other seaside nuclear plants, so that this approach and these conclusions could potentially be applied at hundreds of sites worldwide. Explore further Q&A: A look behind the deal to shutter California nuke plant More information: An Assessment of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant for Zero-Carbon Electricity, Desalination, and Hydrogen Production: An Assessment of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant for Zero-Carbon Electricity, Desalination, and Hydrogen Production: energy.stanford.edu/publicatio ity-desalination-and Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the "metaverse," the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. In an interview with The Associated Press, Haugen said her former employer rushed to trumpet the metaverse recently because of the intense pressure it is facing after she revealed deep-seated problems at the company, in disclosures that have energized legislative and regulatory efforts around the world to crack down on Big Tech. "If you don't like the conversation, you try to change the conversation," the former product-manager-turned-whistleblower said. The documents she has turned over to authorities and her testimony to lawmakers have drawn global attention for providing insight into what Facebook may have known about the damage its social media platforms can cause. She is in the midst of a series of appearances before European lawmakers and regulators who are drawing up rules for social media companies. Meta, the new name for the parent company of Facebook, denied it was trying to divert attention away from the troubles it faces by pushing the metaverse. "This is not true. We have been working on this for a long time internally," the company said in a statement. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo It stressed that it's working to responsibly build the metaverseessentially a series of interconnected virtual communities that will merge online life with real life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that users will, for example, be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes in the metaverseand he refocused the entire company on creating it, including renaming the business Meta. Launching that new brand, in fact, draws attention to the company, it said in a statement, adding that if it didn't want the scrutiny it would have delayed or scrapped the launch altogether. But the new focus on the metaverse creates a whole new set of dangers, Haugen said. In "Snow Crash," the 1992 sci-fi novel that coined the phrase, "it was a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible," she said. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo "So beyond the fact that these immersive environments are extremely addictive and they encourage people to unplug from the reality we actually live," she said, "I'm also worried about it on the level ofthe metaverse will require us to put many, many more sensors in our homes and our workplaces," forcing users to relinquish more of their data and their privacy. In a presentation last month, Zuckerberg described how the metaverse would allow for mixed-reality business meetings where some participants are physically present while others beam in as avatars. The company has launched virtual meeting software called Horizon Workrooms for use with its virtual reality headsets, so co-workers can (hopefully) better communicate, brainstorm and socialize virtually, instead of, say, looking at one another on a Zoom call grid. But Haugen said employees of companies that use the metaverse would have little option but to participate in the system or leave their jobs. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo "If your employer decides they're now a metaverse company, you have to give out way more personal data to a company that's demonstrated that it lies whenever it is in its best interests," she said. And she cautioned the public not to expect more transparency. "They've demonstrated with regard to Facebook that they can hide behind a wall. They keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritize their own profits over our safety," she said. Haugen has said Facebook's systems amplify online hate and extremism, fail to protect young people from harmful content, and that the company lacks any incentive to fix the problems, in revelations that shed light on an internal crisis at the company that provides free services to 3 billion people. To back up her allegations, she has made a series of disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission that were also provided to Congress in redacted form by her legal team. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including the AP. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo In Tuesday's interview, she expressed astonishment that the company would shift focus to a whole new realm while it is under such intense criticism about the areas where it is already working. "They're going to hire 10,000 engineers to work on video games when they haven't actually gotten safety right on their main product," Haugen said. For that, she faulted Zuckerberg personally, saying he has exhibited a pattern of prioritizing growth over making sure Facebook is good for users. "I think that is a failure of leadership," she said. "Unless he wants to prioritize the safety of the platform, he should step aside and let someone else focus on that." The company denied that it's putting profits over safety. "Yes, we're a business and we make profit, but the idea that we do so at the expense of people's safety or well-being misunderstands where our own commercial interests lie," it said, adding that it plans to spend more than $5 billion in 2021 on safety and security and employs more than 40,000 people who work on keeping users safe. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. Credit: AP Photo/Virginia Mayo Zuckerberg has previously dismissed Haugen's claims as a "coordinated effort" to paint a false picture of the company. But officials in Washington and European capitals are taking her claims seriously. European Union lawmakers questioned her intensely Monday, before applauding her at the end of the 2 1/2 hour hearing. The EU is drafting new digital rules for the 27-nation bloc that call for reining in big "digital gatekeepers," requiring them to be more transparent about algorithms that determine what people see on their feeds and making them more accountable for the content on their platforms. Facebook has said it largely supports regulations, with legislative efforts in the EU and United Kingdom much further along than those in the U.S. New rules could squeeze advertising revenue, but Meta's stock price appears to have so far weathered the recent storm. Haugen has made stops in London and Berlin to speak to officials and lawmakers and spoke at a tech conference in Lisbon. She also will address French lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday. Explore further Whistleblower blasts Facebook's Meta rebrand 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. These images have been hashed, so that they look different to detection algorithms but nearly identical to us. Credit: Imperial College London Proposed algorithms that detect illegal images on devices can be easily fooled with imperceptible changes to images, Imperial research has found. Companies and governments have proposed using built-in scanners on devices like phones, tablets and laptops to detect illegal images, such as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). However the new findings from Imperial College London raise questions about how well these scanners might work in practice. Researchers who tested the robustness of five similar algorithms found that altering an 'illegal' image's unique 'signature' on a device meant it would fly under the algorithm's radar 99.9 percent of the time. The scientists behind the peer-reviewed study say their testing demonstrates that in its current form, so-called perceptual hashing based client-side scanning (PH-CSS) algorithms will not be a 'magic bullet' for detecting illegal content like CSAM on personal devices. It also raises serious questions about how effective, and therefore proportional, current plans to tackle illegal material through on-device scanning really are. The findings are published as part of the USENIX Security Conference in Boston, U.S.. Senior author Dr. Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye, of Imperial's Department of Computing and Data Science Institute, said: "By simply applying a specifically designed filter mostly imperceptible to the human eye, we misled the algorithm into thinking that two near-identical images were different. Importantly, our algorithm is able to generate a large number of diverse filters, making the development of countermeasures difficult. "Our findings raise serious questions about the robustness of such invasive approaches." Apple recently proposed, and then postponed due to privacy concerns, plans to introduce PH-CSS on all its personal devices. There are also reports that certain governments are considering using PH-CSS as a law enforcement technique by passing end-to-end encryption. Under the radar PH-CSS algorithms can be built into devices to scan for illegal material. The algorithms sift through a device's images and compare their signatures with those of known illegal material. Upon finding an image that matches a known illegal image, the device would quietly report this to the company behind the algorithm and, ultimately, law enforcement authorities. To test the robustness of the algorithms, the researchers used a new class of tests called avoidance detection attacks to see whether applying their filter to simulated 'illegal' images would let them slip under the radar of PH-CSS and avoid detection. Their image-specific filters are designed to ensure the image avoids detection even when the attacker does not know how the algorithm works. They tagged several everyday images as 'illegal' and fed them through the algorithms, which were similar to Apple's proposed systems, and measured whether or not they flagged an image as illegal. They then applied a visually imperceptible filter to the images' signatures and fed them through again. After applying a filter, the image looked different to the algorithm 99.9 percent of the time, despite them looking nearly identical to the human eye. The researchers say this highlights just how easily people with illegal material could fool the surveillance. For this reason, the team have decided to not make their filter-generation software public. Co-lead author Ana-Maria Cretu, Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Computing, said: "Two images that look alike to us can look completely different to a computer. Our job as scientists is to test whether privacy-preserving algorithms really do what their champions claim they do. "Our findings suggest that, in its current form, PH-CCS won't be the magic bullet some hope for." Co-lead author Shubham Jain, also a Ph.D. candidate from the Department of Computing added: "This realization, combined with the privacy concerns attached to such invasive surveillance mechanisms, suggest that even the best PH-CSS proposals today are not ready for deployment." "Adversarial Detection Avoidance Attacks: Evaluating the robustness of perceptual hashing-based client-side scanning" by Shubham Jain, Ana-Maria Cretu, and Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye. Published 9 November 2021 as part of USENIX Security Conference in Boston, U.S.. Explore further Apple can scan your photos for child abuse and still protect your privacy More information: Shubham Jain, Ana-Maria Cretu, Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye, Adversarial Detection Avoidance Attacks: Evaluating the robustness of perceptual hashing-based client-side scanning. arXiv:2106.09820v1 [cs.CR], Shubham Jain, Ana-Maria Cretu, Yves-Alexandre de Montjoye, Adversarial Detection Avoidance Attacks: Evaluating the robustness of perceptual hashing-based client-side scanning. arXiv:2106.09820v1 [cs.CR], arxiv.org/abs/2106.09820 Credit: muratart, Shutterstock Flocks of birds can destroy up to 25% of harvested areas, both by eating the crops and by trampling young seedlings. The BIRD RELEASE (REpelLEnt Auto-SystEm) project focused on advancing the commercialisation of the AVIX Autonomic bird deterrent system. This can decrease bird nuisance by more than 70%, offering customers increased safety, profitability and sustainability. The device at the heart of the AVIX system contains a camera which constantly scans a protected area. When birds appear, software automatically recognizes whether they are a threat to the site, and if so, flashes a laser which startles the bird, causing it to flee. The device drastically reduces bird mortality by removing the need for nets and pesticides. Since the advent of the EU-funded project, Bird Control BV, based in the Netherlands, has continued to develop its technology and expand its customer base. They now count more than 8,000 users across more than 100 countries, mostly focused on agricultural users in North America and Australia. But it has grown beyond simply protecting farmland, and the company has also installed devices at offshore oil and gas platforms. "Those locations are always a challenge," says Henskes. "Our technicians need special training to access the site, and you need to bring everything you think you might need. As our technicians put it: "At sea, there is no hardware store around the corner.'" He adds that future versions of the AVIX system will boast enhanced weatherproofing to better resist the harsh maritime conditions. The company also carried out a case study at Chicago Executive Airport in the United States. Members of the airport's wildlife control team (employed by partner Wild Goose Chase) used a handheld version of the AVIX to more precisely manage birds near the runways. "You can imagine scaring away sitting birds while aircraft are landing is not always a good idea," says Henskes. "You could scare away the birds into the aircraft path. Therefore the human element is important to make judgements on when to scare birds and when not to scare them." Now, Bird Control BV are advancing the connectivity and manufacturing efficiency of their system by removing the need for a physical SIM card and instead using a worldwide eSIM solution. Henskes adds: "EU funding was crucial to develop our second-generation laser system, and propelled our company from start-up to scale-up." Explore further France orders poultry lockdown due to bird flu risk The new energy-saving material for electrochromic (EC) windows blocks ray without compromising views through the window, as it allows up to 90 per cent of visible light to pass through. Credit: Nanyang Technological University An international research team led by scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has invented a 'smart' window material that controls heat transmission without blocking views, which could help cut the energy required to cool and heat buildings. Developed by NTU researchers, the new energy-saving material for electrochromic (EC) windows that operates at the flick of a switch is designed to block infrared radiationwhich is the major component of sunlight that emits heat. The new material has a specifically designed nanostructure and comprises advanced materials like titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ), neodymium-Niobium (Nd-Nb), and tin (IV) oxide (SnO 2 ). The composite material is intended to be coated onto glass window panels, and when activated by electricity, users would be able to 'switch on and off' the infrared radiation transmission through the window. The invention, which featured alongside the front cover of the journal ACS Omega, could block up to 70 percent of infrared radiation according to experimental simulations without compromising views through the window since it allows up to 90 percent of visible light to pass through. The material is also about 30 percent more effective in regulating heat than commercially available electrochromic windows and is cheaper to make due to its durability. An improvement over current electrochromic (EC) window Electrochromic windows are a common feature in 'green' buildings today. They work by becoming tinted when in use, reducing light from entering the room. Commercially available electrochromic windows usually have a layer of tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) coated on one side of the glass panel, and the other, without. When the window is switched on, an electric current moves lithium ions to the side containing WO 3 ,and the window darkens or turns opaque. Once switched off, the ions migrate away from the coated glass, and the window becomes clear again. However, current electrochromic windows are only effective in blocking visible light, not the infrared radiation, which means heat continues to pass through the window, warming up the room. Another drawback of the current technology is its durability, as the performance of the electrochromic component tends to degrade in three to five years. In lab tests, NTU's electrochromic technology was put through rigorous on-off cycles to evaluate its durability Results showed the properties of the window retained excellent stability (blocked more than 65% ofinfrared radiation) demonstrating its superior performance, feasibility and costs saving potential for long-term use in sustainable buildings. Lead author of the electrochromic window study, Associate Professor Alfred Tok of the NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering, said, "By incorporating the specially designed nanostructure, we enabled the material to react in a 'selective' manner, blocking near infrared radiation while still allowing most of the visible light to pass through whenever our electrochromic window is switched on. The choice of advanced materials also helped improved the performance, stability and durability of the smart window." The new electrochromic technology may help conserve energy that would be used for the heating and cooling of buildings and could contribute to the future design of sustainable green buildings, say the research team. The study reflects the university's commitment to address humanity's grand challenges on sustainability as part of the NTU 2025 strategic plan, which seeks to accelerate the translation of research discoveries into innovations that mitigate human impact on the environment. Seeking to improve the performance of their smart window technology, the NTU team, in a separate work to that reported in the journal, created a switch system that helps to control conducted heat, which is the heat from the external environment. The patented NTU switch comprises magnetic carbon-based particles and thin films that are good conductors of heat. When the switch is turned off, conducted heat cannot transfer through the window. When switched on, the heat will be allowed to pass through the glass window. When integrated with the newly developed electrochromic material, the team's smart window can control two types of heat transmission: infrared radiation and conduction heat, which is the main mode of heat transfer through matter. First author of the study, Dr. Ronn Goei, senior research fellow at the NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering, said, "By integrating both the new electrochromic material we invented and the patented switch in a window, we can create a smart window with unique capabilities. With the ability to control both infrared radiated heat from the sun and conducted heat passing through the window, we expect this technology to be particularly useful in temperate climates, as building occupants can use it to regulate heat loss or gain according to the needs of the changing seasons, while still enjoying much of the view." Co-author Professor Shlomo Magdassi from the Institute of Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said, "The research outcome is expected to enable fabrication of unique windows that will result in energy savings. This is an excellent example of scientific collaboration between the researchers at NTU and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, enabled by the CREATE program of Singapore's National Research Foundation." Exploring commercial potential Moving forward, the research team hopes to take the invention from lab to market. It has partnered with glass manufacturer iGlass Asia Pacific for further tests, and to look at potentially incorporating the smart window into its projects for improved efficiency and sustainability. Jeremy Sani, Director at iGlass Asia Pacific, a Singapore-based company specializing in innovative glass manufacturing, and the industry collaborator of the research study said, "It is our privilege and honor to take this innovation journey with NTU. While we have the commercial and application knowledge, NTU in-depth knowhow from a technical perspective has taken the execution of the project to the next level that is beyond our expectations." Explore further Smart material switches between heating and cooling in minutes More information: Ronn Goei et al, NdNb Co-doped SnO2/-WO3 Electrochromic Materials: Enhanced Stability and Switching Properties, ACS Omega (2021). Journal information: ACS Omega Ronn Goei et al, NdNb Co-doped SnO2/-WO3 Electrochromic Materials: Enhanced Stability and Switching Properties,(2021). DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03260 The decision comes after months of tumult for Toshiba. Storied Japanese conglomerate Toshiba will split into three companies, it said Friday, following a campaign by investors to boost the firm's shares after a period of enormous upheaval. The move is the first spin-off by a Japanese firm of Toshiba's size and analysts said it could be a test case for other domestic conglomerates. The plan approved by the board will spin two companies off from the rest of Toshiba's operations within two yearsone focused on infrastructure and the second on deviceswith both eventually being listed. "It is an extremely big change, but there is a chance for each business to achieve growth," CEO Satoshi Tsunakawa told reporters. "Toshiba has changed its form and evolved throughout its long history of over 140 years," he added. "We have reached a conclusion that this strategic realignment is the best option." The plan must still be approved by shareholders, some of whom reportedly would have preferred a buyout, with a vote expected in the first quarter of 2022. Toshiba said the move would allow each sector of its business faster decision-making and slimmer cost structures that would "deliver sustainable profitable growth and enhanced shareholder value". That is what investors pushing for the move are hoping, said LightStream Research analyst Mio Kato, who publishes on Smartkarma. They want "moves to shake the company up and get investors to reevaluate it and hopefully get a higher share price," he told AFP. The decision caps a period of tumult at the firm, once a symbol of Japan's advanced technological and economic power. In June, shareholders voted to oust the board's chairman after a series of scandals and losses, in a rare victory for activist investors in corporate Japan. The move followed the damaging revelations of an independent probe that concluded Toshiba attempted to block shareholders from exercising their proposal and voting rights. It also detailed how the firm had pursued an intervention from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry to help sway a board vote. Japan test case? In April, an unexpected buyout offer from a private equity fund associated with then-CEO Nobuaki Kurumatani stirred uproar, with allegations it was intended to blunt the influence of activist investors. Other offers emerged subsequently, and Kurumatani resigned in April, though he insisted it was not related to the buyout controversy. Hideki Yasuda, an analyst with Ace Research Institute, said it would take time to assess the consequences of the split. "Corporate value is maximised by individual segments working on their own, so the plan is a good one if you look at that aspect of it," he told AFP. But coordination between the business sectors could be hampered and "it's conceivable that in reality their efficiency might decline as a whole," he added. Kato said the move also risks failing to address issues facing Toshiba, including governance reform, with management focused on responding to investor pressure instead. "I think you still need probably another three, four years to really put Toshiba where it should be but I don't think they're willing to wait," he said. The firm's shares ended the day 1.32 percent down at 4,872 yen, having fallen as much as 3.6 percent earlier in the day. Yasuda said the move would be closely watched in Japan, with its success or failure likely to influence others. "If it ends well, I think shareholder pressure may increase for other conglomerates to take similar steps. But if it fails, then business managers may feel that being conglomerates reduces risks." Explore further Toshiba shareholders vote to oust board chair 2021 AFP South Hills (15301) Today Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. The field of eight candidates vying to be Brunswicks next mayor was reduced to two on Nov. 2 with Cosby Johnson and Ivan Figueroa emerging from the pack to qualify for the runoff. Looking for in-depth reporting on labor issues? You're in the right place. Subscribe to The Chief and get stories that cover every side of civil service in New York City and beyond. You can sign up in minutes for immediate access. This years volunteer of the year was Bryan Broadcastings Mary Mike Hatcher, who joined WTAW in 1977 and in 2017 was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. A Jefferson Award winner, Hatcher said in a video clip that she first joined the Chamber to help her business at the radio station and her involvement grew from there. I think thats pretty much the backbone of every Chamber member, she said. They join to increase their business and their awareness of the community, and then they fall in love with what they do, and from that point forward, many doors are opened. The final award presented was to Brazos County Precinct 4 Commissioner Irma Cauley as the Chambers citizen of the year. Thanking the Chamber and the community for allowing her to serve, Cauley said, My heart is full. Thanks, gratitude and unending appreciation for all of you and your acts of service and servant leadership. I am honored to be counted among you. Thank you for allowing me to serve and allowing me to use the passion about our community that I have come to represent. I just want to thank God for the opportunity to serve. Abbott told education officials Monday that the Texas Association of School Boards had attempted to wash its hands clean of the issue by abdicating any and all responsibility in the matter. Given this negligence, the State of Texas now calls on you to do what the Texas Association of School Boards refuses to do, Abbott wrote, saying that the standards the entities develop must ensure transparency about the materials being taught in the classroom and offered in school libraries. In statements Monday, heads of the TEA and SBOE said they would work alongside the other to develop those statewide standards as requested by the governor. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said the TEA takes seriously Abbotts call for action on this mater of great importance to families of Texas public school students. And Keven Ellis, SBOE chair, said Texas public school families should have the reassurance that their children are not at risk of being confronted with pornographic and obscene material when they are in school. We plan and budget for 31 days of racing because our purse money account is very tight and requires a crucially delicate balance, he said. But whenever we have an opportunity to help Nebraska horse racing, we will. And so this is us pitching in for the greater good, he said. The last few weeks of racing, Fonner attendance usually drops off. The weather starts to get nicer, and people have other things to do, he said. Plus, some horsemen leave Grand Island for other tracks. But Fonner decided it could adapt. Just looking at the schedule, we thought we could tolerate starting a week earlier than we typically do, he said. The Grand Island racing season normally begins on a Friday. But in 2022, the opening post will be on a Saturday. Because of the peculiar circumstances, We thought Lets just open on Saturday for a bigger bang, Kotulak said. Coincidentally, this years racing meet also began on Feb. 19. Fonner Park has had an 11-week meet since the early 1980s, Kotulak said. But back then, racing was offered four days a week. 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. LINCOLN The story and lasting impact of the Genoa U.S. Indian Industrial School in Genoa will be the topic of a panel hosted by the Center for Great Plains Studies and the University of Nebraska State Museum at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11. The panel will convene at the Center for Great Plains Studies, 1155 Q St., Lincoln. It will also be livstreamed. In this presentation, team members from the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project and community members will share the lasting impact of the school, new research and deep insights into the personal stories of those who attended. The Genoa School was one of more than 300 Indian boarding schools established by the government and churches in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. By 1900, nearly 21,000 Indian children, or about 78% of all Indian children who attended school, were living apart from their families at one of these schools. In many cases, officials forced children to attend the schools against the wishes of their families and tribes. To assimilate Indian children and break their ties to their families, tribes and homelands, most teachers and administrators forbade students from speaking their native languages and required Christian conversion. The award is to not only recognize safety in wastewater facilities, but also to promote it. Obviously its important in every workplace, and its something we want to support within these facilities and to recognize the ones that do a superior job of it, Walker said. WWTF Storm Water Program Manager Jeremy Rogers attributes the continued recognition to making safety a priority for all of our employees. We want to make sure we maintain a safe work environment and that everyone has a say in their own safety, Rogers said. If they have an issue, theyre more than able to bring it up. Its discussed and its talked about, and steps are taken to mitigate those issues. Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Rogers called the honor validating. We do take these things seriously and we are a proud group who takes pride in our work and our work center, he said. It shows our day-to-day efforts of maintaining a clean, safe facility. Its what were here for, to keep the environment clean and safe. It validates that were doing the job that were entrusted to do. According to Collins, one of the ways this is achieved is by keeping worksites clean. A fellow House Democrat, Ted Lieu of California, referred to Gosars tweet as sick behavior and said in a tweet of his own: In any workplace in America, if a coworker made an anime video killing another coworker, that person would be fired. Gosar, a Republican, posted the video Sunday afternoon with a note saying: Any anime fans out there? Late Tuesday, he issued a statement saying the video wasn't meant to depict harm or violence, calling it instead a symbolic portrayal of a fight over immigration policy. The roughly 90-second video is an altered version of a Japanese anime series, interspersed with shots of Border Patrol officers and migrants at the southern U.S. border. During one roughly 10-second section of the video, animated characters whose faces have been replaced with Gosar and fellow Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado are seen fighting other animated characters. In one scene, Gosar's character is seen striking the one made to look like Ocasio-Cortez in the neck with a sword. Twitter later attached a warning to the tweet saying it violated the Twitter Rules about hateful conduct. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible. Gosar is known as an ardent ally of former President Donald Trump. He was among the lawmakers whose phone or computer records a House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection asked social media and telecommunications companies to preserve as they were potentially involved with efforts to challenge, delay or interfere with the certification or otherwise try to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. KEARNEY The American Red Cross urges blood donors to give now to combat the lowest blood supply levels at this time of year in more than a decade. Paired with busy holiday schedules, winter weather and ongoing COVID-19 concerns, the already struggling blood supply could be further affected throughout winter. All who come to donate Nov. 1-23 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. Those who come to give Nov. 24-28 will receive a pair of Red Cross socks, while supplies last. There is no waiting period for those who have received a flu shot or any COVID-19 vaccine or booster as long as they are symptom free. Prescheduled appointments are required. Use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Face masks for donors and staff are required. Donors can save up to 15 minutes by completing a RapidPass from a mobile device or computer. A blood donor card or drivers license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Blood donation opportunities in this area Nov. 16-30 are: Amherst: noon-6 p.m. Nov. 29, Amherst Community Center, 110 N. Main St Free babysitting will be provided at the York High School Aces. Contact the various offices to arrange for babysitting. There will be a silent auction along with a live auction during the evening along with dinner. What the heck? This past weekend we spent the time in the Kansas City area, visiting my sister and her husband along with a visit to the Auschwitz Exhibit which has been at Kansas Citys Union Station since June of this year. With an high interest in history as a whole, this has been on my bucket list ever since I saw that it was going to be in this area. It has been described as a groundbreaking exhibition that brings together more than 700 original objects and 400 photographs from over 20 institutions and museums around the world. Auschwitz, not long ago, not far away, is the most comprehensive exhibition dedicated to the history of Auschwitz and its role in the Holocaust ever presented in North America. It is an unparalleled opportunity to confront the singular face of human evilone that arose not long ago and not far away. KEARNEY The Kearney City Council on Tuesday will place its stamp of approval on the purchase of property adjacent to the Kearney-Buffalo County Law Enforcement Center and police impound lot. The property is at 2010 Ave. B, and its current owner is Buffalo Outdoor Power LLC, which has signed an agreement to sell the property to the city for $250,000. This property is located directly east of the Law Enforcement Center and north of the impound lot, both of which are already owned by the city of Kearney, City Attorney Mike Tye said in a memo to the City Council. Once the city of Kearney acquires this property, it will allow for the potential expansion of either the impound lot or the Law Enforcement Center. Before the City Council approves the land purchase it will conduct a public hearing in case anyone wants to protest the purchase. The hearing is a formality required by Nebraska statute, Tye said. The property will be purchased using the citys special sales tax fund. In other business Tuesday, the council will be asked to accept the bid of a Florida company to paint the citys two water towers. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greece accused Turkey on Tuesday of acting like a pirate in waters between the two regional rivals, claiming that its coast guard escorted and tried to push into Greek waters a boat of migrants who were trying to illegally reach Greece. The Greek coast guard posted a video of a large Turkish patrol vessel and what seems to be a smaller one beside an inflatable dinghy containing dozens of people. A coast guard statement said the Turkish vessels accompanied the migrant boat off the Greek Aegean Sea island of Lesbos which is near Turkey's coast early Tuesday. It said Greek coast guard vessels at the scene prevented the dinghys entry, and the Turkish coast guard boats eventually picked up the migrants after initially refusing to do so. (The video) shows, beyond any doubt, the clear attempts by Turkish coast guard craft, using dangerous maneuvers, to direct the dinghy that they are escorting towards Greek territorial waters so that they could illegally enter, the statement said. Greece's minister for merchant marine, Yiannis Plakiotakis, said Turkey once again, behaved like a pirate state in the Aegean. The European Union must exert much greater pressure on Turkey to comply with its international obligations, he said. Grants & Awards Deadline Extended for 'Solve for Tomorrow' Classroom Grant Program Samsung has extended the deadline by one week for its 12th-annual Solve for Tomorrow contest, which will award $2 million in technology and supplies to classrooms across the United States. The new deadline is November 15. The program calls on students to use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to "tackle local issues of national importance in a sustainable way." This year's contest has been updated with an added focus on sustainability. According to Samsung: "Samsung is furthering its commitment to sustainability through several company initiatives this year, and the Solve for Tomorrow Contest is no different. This years applicants are encouraged to use responsibly sourced materials in their prototypes and align their project ideas with the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs). The judging rubric for this years contest will also include a component that will evaluate factors such as the sustainability of the project idea over time." A total of 112 prizes will be awarded, including: 100 state-level winners, who will be awarded $6,500 in Samsung technologies and supplies, as well as a kit to help them complete the next phase of the contest; 10 national finalists, of which seven will receive $50,000 in technology and supplies; 3 national winners (of the 10 finalists), who will receive $100,000 in technology and classroom supplies; 1 Community Choice winner, which will receive an additional $10,000 in prizes; and 1 Employee Choice winner, chosen by Samsung employees, which will also receive an additional $10,000 in prizes. Teachers from public schools are eligible to enter. Entries are due by November 15. Complete details can be found on the 2021 Solve for Tomorrow site. The best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option. Theres been increasing confusing over the legality of delta-8, a cannabis derivative that can be found in vape cartridges, tinctures and candy at smoke shops and CBD stores in Texas. While the Texas health department maintains that delta-8 is a controlled substance and is on the states list of unlawful drugs, the 2018 federal Farm Bill legalized the production of hemp, which naturally contains delta-8 and has less than 0.3% THC. In 2019, Texas also legalized hemp growing. Delta-8 retailers believed the substance was as legal to sell as hemp. Delta-8 is legal in Texas for now after a Travis County judge blocked the state from criminalizing it. Should delta-8 continue to be legal in Texas? You voted: Always be kind. One of the best things in life is being able to make someone else smile. Spread positivity today. That was one of the many inspirational messages that students in Carbondale Community High School Key Club and Circle K of SIU added to backpacks they collected in the Backpacks for Success project this year. On Monday afternoon, about 16 students from both organizations met at the CCHS to add inspirational messages and general school supplies to the backpacks and have pizza. Jenna Jamieson, sponsor of the project and business and health sciences teacher, said the Key Club started collecting backpacks during the 2016-2017 school year. They were joined by Circle K at SIU. When Jamieson first taught, it was at an elementary school in Carbondale. There, she learned many students did not have a backpack or supplies they needed to finish the school year. When she moved to the high school, she discovered it was also a problem for older students. In addition to needing supplies, the students often carried their books in their backpack all day to get to classes on time. The backpack was even more important. She teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Illinois to give backpacks to students and the high school guidance counselor to help high schoolers. Last year, they gave away 105 backpacks. One of the things they did Monday afternoon was count the number of backpacks that had been donated this year in October. This years total was 171, more than 150% of the number they gave away last year. This years backpacks will have a folder, some paper, a highlighters, pens and pencils, along with the inspirational quotes that were decorated by high school and SIU students. Jamieson said Amy Prudencio, a social worker at CCHS, told her about one student who received a backpack three years ago. He carried that inspirational note in his pocket every day the rest of the year. It means a lot to Jamieson because she also started with nothing. As an infant, Jamieson was dropped off in an orphanage in Calcutta, India. She was adopted and ended up in Carbondale. Its a fantastic way to get the students involved in their own community while giving back to those that need it. Its all about helping others, and when you help others it gives you a purpose beyond what a job will do. Theres just something great about volunteering without getting something in return, Jamieson said. For more information about the project or to make a donation, contact Jamieson at jennarpjamieson@gmail.com or 618.967.2691. 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. On Saturday, Boy Scouts will be out across Southern Illinois delivering grocery bags to homes for the groups annual Scouting for Food program. This is the Greater St. Louis Area Councils 36th annual Scouting for Food Good Turn, and it continues to be the largest single-day canned food drive in the United States. Scouting for Food was started in 1985 by the Greater St. Louis Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. During its 35-year history, Scouts have collected more than 52 million cans of food. Approximately 35,000 Scouts will go door-to-door Saturday distributing custom-made plastic grocery bags. On Saturday, Nov. 20, Scouts will return to collect the bags filled with canned goods. The timing of the campaign coincides with the spirit of giving and appreciation associated with the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday season. Paul Beckmeyer, Big Muddy District Executive, said the event was changed last year to drop-off food drives due to COVID-19. People who wanted to donate drove and dropped off food at those drives. The food went to St. Louis Area Food Bank to redistribute to local food pantries. This year, we will be pretty close to normal. The district is respecting anyones wish to not be involved, he said. Beckmeyer added that safety measures have been put into place to keep Scouts and residents safe. Anytime Scouts will have to travel by vehicle, they will be inside and have to wear masks and be mindful of who is inside. All procedures have been created and approved from a panel of physicians to adapt to the changes brought about by the pandemic. Local packs and troops are excited to get back to what its been, but safety comes first, Beckmeyer said. Food needs to be on your doorstep before 8 a.m. Nov. 13 to make sure it will be collected. We are also doing a virtual option this year, Beckmeyer said. To donate virtually, text SCOUTFOOD to 91999. All monetary donations will go directly to the St. Louis Area Foodbank and Operation Food Search. Each $1 donation will provide four meals for people who are hungry. Money donated purchases food items at the central food bank and flows back to the area food bank associated with the donors zip code. For additional information, visit https://stlbsa.org/scouting-for-food/. 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. CARBONDALE Multimedia artist Kean OBrien will present his work during a discussion next week at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. OBrien will present Tracing Trauma Through the Landscape of Trans Bodies at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 10, in Morris Librarys John C. Guyon Auditorium. Admission is free and the event, a visiting artist lecture sponsored by the College of Arts and Media and the School of Media Arts, is open to the public. SIU is committed to protecting the community, so all those attending this event must wear masks and follow current campus and state pandemic safety protocols. Interdisciplinary artist OBrien works between video, photography, found images, installation and writings where he focuses on queer strategies of survival in end times, the nuance of gendered construction, whiteness, the body as landscape for survival, death, grief and trauma, according to the artists website. Tracing Trauma, the website states, holds space for the way trauma traces upon the body, upon OBriens own body. Using sculptures and photos, he creates an index of the trauma that is both positive and negative. Heather M. OBrien, an assistant professor in cinema who is not related to the artist, teaches several courses in the School of Media Arts where we often discuss topics of gender identity and artistic practice. She noted that several students identify as queer/nonbinary so this talk comes at a timely moment that offers a connection for these students, as well as others to understand the importance of inclusion and diversity as it comes to gender identity. Presenting the trajectory of his work, Kean OBrien will discuss his evolution with conceptions of gender, trauma on the trans body both individually and collectively, and the role of artists in activism and social justice, she said. Kean OBrien has a Master of Fine Arts from the School of Photography at the California Institute of the Arts and a bachelors degree from the School of Photography and Performance from The School of Art Institute of Chicago. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 There was an empty seat Monday in Bridget Lescelius's advertising copywriting class at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. A desk usually occupied by Jacob Jurinek. Instead, a grief counselor sat at the front of the room, helping the class in remembering and mourning the SIU junior following his death. Jurinek, 21, has been identified as one of the eight people killed Friday during Travis Scotts performance at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston, Texas. According to published reports, many of the sell-out concert crowd of 50,000 surged toward the stage not long after the rapper appeared on stage, overwhelming security as well as trapping and crushing some in the audience. Originally from Naperville, Jurinek was reportedly attending the event with his best friend, Franco Patino, 21, a student at the University of Dayton, who also was killed. In an interview with The Southern, Lescelius rememberd Jurinek as a main character. There are students that come through any program and then there are students who have a real impact; Jacob was one of those, Lescelius, a lecturer in the SIU School of Journalism, said. He loved graphic design and was finding his niche. He was trying to figure out how to make his passion his lifes work. She explained that Jurinek approached his work with what she called a mix of wonderment and curiosity. She said class was not the same without him. Im glad we had a counselor there, because to walk into class with his friends and peers without someone to help us through it all would have been really hard. We are just realizing how much we missed him this morning, she said. Jurinek will be remembered at a candlelight vigil at SIUs Faner Hall Monday at 7 p.m. We are brokenhearted to lose a member of the Saluki family, Jacob Jurinek, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends, SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane said in a statement Sunday. Jacob was a creative, intelligent young man, with a promising career in journalism and advertising. We understand this comes as a shock to many of our students. If they have mental health concerns, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available to help them. As we mourn this loss in our community, we will keep Jacobs family and friends in our thoughts. Lescelius said Jurinek will be deeply missed. He had a huge future ahead of him. I cant articulate just how passionate he was and we all realized that we were part of his journeying to what life was going to have for him, she said. We are devastated. Photos 'The Southern Illinois 100' Iconic symbols of our region Local News alert top story Watch Now: 'The Southern Illinois 100' Part 1 Over the next several weeks, reporter Les O'Dell will be taking readers through "The Southern Illinois 100" a list of items, places, people Quatro's Yellow Cup Quatro's Pizza in Carbondale has distributed more than 2 million yellow cups. Today, they iconic cups can be found all around the world. Candy Cane Lane Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse play volleyball in one of the displays along Candy Cane Lane in West Frankfort. Saluki The Saluki -- a ancient breed of Egyptian hunting dogs -- is the mascot for Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Appleknocker Pride Jeannie Britt holds an item showing her Appleknocker Pride. The Appleknocker is the mascot of Cobden High School. Southern Illinois Peaches Southern Illinois peaches are a prized in-season treat. Gen. John A. Logan Murphysboro native Gen. John A. Logan was a Civil War hero, a legislator and established what is now known as Memorial Day. Popeye A statue of Popeye the Sailor welcomes visitors to Chester as they cross the bridge from Missouri into Illinois. Elzie Crisler Segar, the crea River-to-River Relay Runners Members of the Has Beens cross the finish line at the River to River Relay in 2018. The annual race covers 80 miles across Southern Illinois a A view like no other A fisherman tests the waters of Crab Orchard Lake from a pier last November as the sun begins to set at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. Little Grand Canyon Little Grand Canyon is located on the east bank of the Big Muddy River south of Murphysboro. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An eight-month Southern Illinois Community Foundation program to train future leaders for non-profit organizations in the region culminated last week with a graduation and pinning ceremony as well as a promise to continue efforts to equip more area residents to serve. The first-ever cohort of Southern Illinois Leadership Institute participants completed eight six-hour Saturday training sessions where they learned about the unique challenges and structure of not-for-profit organizations, developed leadership skills and networked with community, organizational and civic leaders from across the region. At the ceremony, 13 individuals were honored for completing the program. Byrum Fager, executive director of the Southern Illinois Community Foundation, a network of more than 100 not-for-profits in 17 counties, said the purpose of the institute was not only to provide leadership training but also to provide are non-profits with potential board members. You are trained and ready to be future leaders on boards and leaders of our nonprofits, he told the graduates during a ceremony Thursday at Southern Illinois University Carbondales Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center. I look forward to working with each of you as you find your passion and you continue to serve the communities. SICF Program Manager Michelle Snyder said a primary focus of the institute was to recruit, train and equip the current and future generations of non-profit leaders with an emphasis on increasing diversity and capacity for the area non-profit sector. Most of our participants have a background in non-profit work, but maybe they hadnt quite reached a leadership level yet. Our goal was to help them build on their experiences and to help them feel confident in joining a board of directors of a non-profit, for example, she said. One of those who completed the institute is Karla Grathler, of Murphysboro, who works with Shawnee Health Service as a farmworker program coordinator. She said the institute will help her in any future role as a non-profit board member as well as in her current position. It is crucial for me to be equipped with these leadership skills, not only to head the program, but to serve and discover what tools and resources I should utilize in order to benefit the people we serve, she said. Grathler said the she now feels more comfortable in working with a wide variety of non-profit activities. Ive learned about grant writing, how to structure a board of directors and to establish roles and develop relationships with stakeholders, she added. Snyder said the institute was funded with a Healing Illinois grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services. She said the SICF is now accepting applications to participate in the institutes second cohort. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The Chicago Police Department has 35 officers on no-pay status for refusing to enter their vaccination status into the citys portal, police Superintendent David Brown said Monday. In a news conference Monday morning, Brown said the number of officers on no-pay status has fluctuated and is down from about 50 officers at one point The increase means almost 78% of the more than 12,000 department employees, a number that includes sworn officers and civilian employees, has disclosed their vaccination status, Brown said. Of those in the portal, 77.6% are vaccinated, down from about 80% at one point, Brown said, meaning as more people enter the portal, the percentage of those who have gotten the COVID-19 vaccine has decreased. Brown said the departments main priority is to get full compliance with the citys COVID-19 vaccine mandate that requires everyone employed by the city to report whether theyve gotten the vaccine and, if they havent, to get a coronavirus test twice a week. He said his leadership will also continue to encourage officers to get the vaccine if they havent already, telling them it can save their lives, their co-workers lives and the lives of people in the community they interact with. Michael Warner, an attorney for the city, said officer compliance with the vaccine mandate continues to tick up even though Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara posted videos last week that advised officers to not update their vaccine status in the citys portal. Last month, a judge issued a temporary restraining order against Catanzara, prohibiting him from making public statements that encourage members not to report their COVID-19 vaccine status to the city. Currently we dont see the need for immediate injunctive relief, but the situation is fluid, Warner said. BAMBERG About 130 volunteers collected more than 170 bags of trash during Bamberg Countys Countywide Cleanup. Laura J. McKenzie, coordinator of the Be Bamberg campaign, reported on the Oct. 23 cleanup during the Bamberg County Council meeting held Nov. 1. More than 131 volunteers collected 174 bags of trash across 15.6 miles of the countys roadways, she said. We had 13 teams who pre-registered, plus a few people who worked individually around their neighborhood. The large team of 30-plus volunteers was from Denmark-Olar High School, whose entire football team turned out early Saturday morning following a Friday night football game! McKenzie said. T-shirts, bottled water and bags were provided for volunteers. SCDOT also picked up the bags on Monday following the event. Keep Bamberg County Beautiful provided the long-handled grippers, gloves and assistance. Bamberg County helped monitor the teams to make sure everyone was safe and had enough supplies, McKenzie said. She said she was grateful for the support of the countys new KBCB coordinator and public information officer, ShKur Francis, along with County Operations Director Bill Johnson. I am extremely grateful to all the volunteers who turned out for the clean day and those who helped me with organization and support. While it is an investment of time and effort, it was truly an investment in Bamberg County with dividends of pride for everyone, McKenzie said. In other matters: Council gave first reading approval in title only to a redistricting ordinance. Council is preparing to hammer out a plan to redefine the boundaries of the county council districts. This is in title only. Youre not voting on a map tonight. I want everyone to understand that. Youve seen your districts, and theyve changed very little, County Administrator Joey Preston said. Second reading of the ordinance will be held during a special called meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18, at the Bamberg County Courthouse Annex. The county is redrawing council districts to reflect changes in population, as noted in the last Census. Preston read an email from county resident Miriam Beard, who said the lack of animal control services is a problem affecting residents' health and safety. If upgrades can be made to an airport, monies can be (used to) fund improvements to existing facilities in this department, Beard said. Council approved a resolution authorizing the expansion of Quad-County Industrial Park III for the inclusion of Evanesce, which designs, develops and manufactures sustainable packaging solutions. The $17 million investment will create 78 jobs in Hampton County. Under the revenue-sharing agreement among Bamberg, Barnwell, Hampton and Allendale counties, the host county for an incoming industry in Quad-County Industrial Park III will receive 70 percent of the tax revenues, with the remaining three counties receiving 10 percent. County Treasurer Alice Johnson gave the September financial report, stating the county had $803,095.15 in income and expenditures of $712,086.67, leaving a positive balance of $91,008.48. When the negative bank balance at the end of August ($237,711.30) was added, the countys regular account stood at a negative $146,702.82. County Controller Gina Smith later explained that Johnsons report was just the cash balance for one of the countys many bank accounts. We are not short because there are other bank accounts with money in them. This is why on my cash report, I show all the other accounts to demonstrate that the county has money in the bank, she said. That includes $821,379 in its property tax rollback account as of the end of September. The county's cash balance from September 2020 as compared to September 2019 actually showed an increase of $596,820. Smith said, Thats due to the $500,000 transfer we did from the American Rescue Plan funds over to the general fund. ... Part of the allowed usages of those funds was to replace lost revenues that counties and municipalities had incurred during the pandemic. County Finance Director T.M. Thomas reported that the countys general fund had year-to-date revenues as of the end of September of $1,009,991, with expenses coming in at $1,559,287, for a negative general fund balance of $549,296. Smith later said, Because the bulk of our revenue is taxes and those mostly come in during the months of December and January, we have to have a fund balance on hand, which we do have. Most counties will have a negative cash flow the first six months of the year. This is normal. To compensate for that, all counties have cash or fund balances which they use to pay their bills and to make payroll during the first six months. In his report, Preston reported that 60.8 percent of Bamberg County residents have had at least one COVID-19 vaccination, up from 58.7 percent in August. Fifty-four percent have completed vaccination, up from 50 percent since the last report. Bamberg County has achieved the milestone of having 50 percent of eligible residents vaccinated, but its still under the state and national average, the administrator said. Preston also reported that the countys first fire service banquet will be held 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Andrew Jackson Academy gymnasium. Well be recognizing a couple of chiefs that are retiring that evening. Of course, well have a program, too, for that evening, he said. SouthernCarolina Alliance Project Manager Garrett Dragano also attended the Nov. 1 meeting, with his report indicating that are currently 15 active projects in the county, with nine site visits from 37 project submittals. Two promising projects for Bamberg County include Project Canvas, which could make a $400,000 investment and create 80 jobs, and Project Superior, which could invest $1.5 million and create 25 jobs. Contact the writer: dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com or 803-533-5534. Follow "Good News with Gleaton" on Twitter at @DionneTandD. 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. DENMARK Voorhees College will induct nine new members into the hall of fame during the 19th annual Alumni Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 12, at 7 p.m. via the institutions Facebook and YouTube live streams. Celebrating Our Next Level of Excellence is the theme of Homecoming 2021 at Voorhees College and the ceremony will occur during the virtual celebration, which is being held Nov. 7-14. Voorhees alumni, John Dunmyer, III, Peggy Saxon Faust, Eartha M. Johnson-Hammond, Tywana Chenault Hemby, Tishiro P. Inabinet, Nancy Reed Jones, Willow Dean Haigler Mathis, Francenia N.G. Talley and Marian Lynn Greene Thompson have been selected for induction into the Hall of Fame based on their outstanding contribution and service to their communities. John Dunmyer, III, mayor of Hollywood, South Carolina, is a native of Charleston. He was a commissioned officer in the ROTC and received his bachelors degree from Voorhees College in 1977. He also received a masters degree from Central Michigan University. Dunmyer served more than 20 years in the U.S. Army, was a decorated officer and held many key assignments before retiring at the rank of major. He has dedicated his life to his country, youth and the citizens of Hollywood as an elected official where he served as a council member before becoming mayor. The recipient of numerous awards, Dunmyer is a husband, father and grandfather. Peggy Saxon Faust, a native of Denmark, graduated from Voorhees High School and Voorhees Junior College. After a year at Saint Augustines College, now university, she returned to Voorhees College to complete a bachelors degree in 1968 and later a masters degree at the University of South Carolina. Faust is a lifelong servant leader who has spent a career serving others in the areas of mental health and social services. She is an active member of the Denmark Alumni Chapter of Voorhees College and High School Alumni. She is a mother, grandmother to twins and the godmother of two. She also is a grandmother to a furry pet named Jax. Eartha M. Johnson-Hammond received her associate degree from Denmark Technical College, her bachelors degree from Voorhees College in 1997 and her masters degree from Leslie University and Grand Canyon University. She has served as an academic professional as well as in administrative roles at Voorhees for more than 30 years. She is a wife, mother of three and grandmother of two. Tywana Chenault Hemby, a native of Columbus, Georgia, has a bachelor's degree from Voorhees College in 2000, a masters degree from Troy University and doctoral degree in psychology. Hemby is a lifelong educator at every level of academia: elementary, middle grades, high school and higher education. She is a professor and currently serves as dean of the School of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences at Voorhees. The wife and mother of three has received numerous awards for teaching and has presented at many workshops focused on teaching and learning. Tishiro P. Inabinet has spent most of his life in South Carolina though he was born in Bronx, New York. He earned a bachelors degree from Voorhees College in 1996 and a masters degree from South Carolina State University. Inabinet decided in high school that he would continue his familys legacy of military service. He has spent 25 years in service to his country, serving in numerous leadership roles. His current role is sergeant first class with the South Carolina Army National Guard. The husband and father of two is also active, serving in many student-support roles at Voorhees. Nancy Reed Jones, a native of Bamberg County, is a graduate of Voorhees Normal and Industrial High School and Voorhees Junior College in 1948. She also completed a degree in elementary education at Claflin and a counseling degree and educational administration studies at South Carolina State University. Jones is a lifelong educator and entrepreneur. She also is a proud mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Willow Dean Haigler Mathis, a native of Orangeburg, moved to New York City for work after high school. In 1972, she returned to South Carolina, got a job at Voorhees, continued her education and met her husband. Mathis would leave Voorhees and enjoy a 20-year career as a correctional officer. However, her yearning for a college degree was not to be denied. Thirty years after first attending Voorhees, she returned to complete her degree in 2008, fulfilling her dream and a promise to her late husband. She is a servant-leader, mother and grandmother. Francenia N.G. Talley hails from Moncks Corner, where she was educated in the Berkeley County school system. She earned her bachelors degree from Voorhees in 1974. The lifelong educator taught school in Moncks Corner and in Philadelphia, retiring in 2006. She is a wife, a mother of three, including twins, and a grandmother of three. Marian Lynn Greene Thompson earned her bachelors degree from Voorhees College in 1973, a masters degree from South Carolina State University, a school counselor certification (K-12) from North Carolina A&T State University and a doctor of philosophy degree from New Vision University. She also received a degree in School Administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Thompson spent more than 40 years as an education professional in the school system, the social service system, youth services and higher education. Her community service is extensive. Thompson, is a daughter, sister, mother and grandmother. To view the induction ceremony, subscribe and follow the Voorhees YouTube channel@VoorheesCollege1897 and the Facebook page @VoorheesCollege, or for more information about virtual 2021 Homecoming events and to watch them, visit https://www.voorhees.edu/alumni/2021-homecoming. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 No one can dispute the important nature of computers and technology in today's world. It is debated often just what balance of teachings are needed in schools, from mathematics to history, from personal finance to physical education. There can be no debate on the importance of today's students learning computer science. And South Carolina is doing a good job on that front. Code.org and its partners released the 2021 "State of Computer Science Education: Accelerating Action Through Advocacy." Published annually, the report provides the most comprehensive analysis of national progress in computer science education. It includes descriptions of policy trends, an in-depth view of each state's policy and implementation, and data on disparities in access to and participation in computer science. Careers that require computer science knowledge and skills continue to grow in South Carolina and across our nation," S.C. Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman said. I am proud of the foundation we have laid that has made us a national leader and is helping to prepare our graduates for future success in this field. The 2021 report reflects South Carolinas emergence as a national leader in computer science education with the highest rate (21%) of students enrolled in foundational computer science courses and 92% of high schools offering computer science coursework, tied with Arkansas for the highest percentage in the nation. Additional highlights from the report include: A 12% growth in the percentage of high schools in South Carolina offering computer science courses from 2020 (80%) to 2021 (92%). Since 2017, the percentage of high schools offering computer science has increased 49%. Students of all racial and ethnic groups have equal access to attend a school that offers computer science, and no participation disparities exist for students from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Computer science student enrollment by gender is close to parity, with 46% female students. South Carolina is one of just three states with a full year, one credit graduation requirement in computer science. In 2017, South Carolina became one of just six states to adopt computer science standards with the passage of the South Carolina Computer Science and Digital Literacy Standards for grades K-8. In 2018, South Carolina adopted high school computer science standards making the standards span the full K-12 spectrum. South Carolina has adopted seven of the nine policies recommended by the Code.org Advocacy Coalition and is in the process of creating a state plan to satisfy the eighth recommendation. To prepare our children for an ever-changing, 21st century economy, it is imperative we actively adapt our curriculum to changes in technology, and that is exactly what we have done with computer science education, Gov. Henry McMaster said. Our early action in recognizing this need will provide our students with the necessary groundwork to thrive at the highest levels both academically and professionally following graduation." The states climb to prominence in computer science education is testament to the focus that has been put on the career field in recent years by state and local leaders including McMaster, who serves as a member of the Governors Partnership for K-12 Computer Science. In each of the last three executive budgets, McMaster has recommended an increase in computer science education funding and the General Assembly has adopted the majority of those recommendations. The money spent on fostering computer science education is a wise investment for South Carolina. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 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. Today Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High near 60F. Winds light and variable. Tonight Rain. Low 46F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies. High 53F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. The Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Commission selected Tom Kropatsch as the next oil and gas supervisor on Tuesday. Kropatsch has served as interim supervisor since the previous supervisor, Mark Watson, retired in July. The commission has been hard at work looking for a new supervisor, Jennifer Scoggin, director of the Wyoming Office of State Lands and Investments and acting chair of the commission, said during Tuesdays hearing. We have received applications from many qualified candidates. Weve done all of our due diligence and done our deliberations internally. Gov. Mark Gordon moved to offer Kropatsch the permanent role. Kropatsch accepted, and the motion passed unanimously. A registered professional geologist, Kropatsch spent a decade in the environmental consulting industry before joining the commission. He has worked as the deputy oil and gas supervisor for seven of his 11 years with the agency. 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. Harriet Hageman, an attorney and U.S. House candidate, will serve as co-counsel on a class-action lawsuit against the federal government over one of the Biden administrations vaccine mandates. President Joe Biden issued an executive order in early September mandating all federal employees be vaccinated against the virus. The plaintiffs consist of federal employees who previously had COVID-19 and say they have acquired natural immunity. The suit claims the vaccine mandate is a violation of the plaintiffs constitutional and statutory rights. That said, the CDC still recommends that those who had the virus and test positive for antibodies get vaccinated. The agency does not recommend antibody testing be used to assess the need for vaccination in an unvaccinated person. Hageman is one of three lawyers from the firm she works at, the New Civil Liberties Alliance, who are representing the plaintiffs. She has served as senior litigation counsel at NCLA since 2019. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas by the New Civil Liberties Alliance, with the Texas Public Policy Foundation as co-counsel. There are a number of high-level defendants listed on the case, including the surgeon general, the director of the CDC and Dr. Anthony Fauci. President Biden has ordered federal employees with natural immunity to be vaccinated, even though it is not medically necessary, and despite the fact that such a mandate is a clear violation of their constitutional and statutory rights and personal autonomy, Hageman said. The vaccine mandate is unconstitutional, unlawful, and will have no impact on public health because these people have already acquired natural immunity. This suit comes at Hageman seeks to unseat Rep. Liz Cheney in Augusts Republican primary. She recently entered the U.S. House race with former President Donald Trumps coveted endorsement. She and several other Republicans are challenging Cheney, who has become one of Trumps top enemies for her continued rebukes of his actions and false claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Since she entered the race, Hageman has been campaigning across the state. She recently visited the Wyoming Capitol at the start of the special session that lawmakers convened to fight back against a different Biden vaccine mandates. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis 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. An increase in people seeking care for a variety of illnesses strained Cheyenne Regional Medical Center staff last week. More than 20 patients Thursday were stuck in Cheyennes emergency department waiting for an inpatient bed, according to a Monday release from the hospital. The patient surge was caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as an increasing number of medical emergencies like heart attacks, strokes and complications from diabetes. The facility activated contingency plans to surge beyond normal capacity, according to the hospitals release. The hospital noted that emergency wait times will also likely increase amid the influx of patients. Monday morning, 11 patients were waiting in the emergency department for an inpatient bed. We anticipate this situation will be short lived , reads the hospital statement, signed by CEO Tim Thornell. We are sharing this news so that our community understands why emergency wait times are increasing and why inpatient rooms are not readily available. Wyomings COVID-19 hospitalization dashboard was not updated Monday, but the latest data shows Cheyennes facility was treating nearly 40 active virus patients Friday, with nine of 25 intensive care unit beds available. Dr. Mark Dowell, Natrona County health officer and infectious disease expert, said treating patients in the emergency room while waiting for inpatient space is part of the new pandemic normal. That has been the case at any time when the hospital has been full, Dowell said of Caspers Wyoming Medical Center, adding that it is not new information. Wyoming Medical Center, the states largest hospital, is also still dealing with a high number of patients, with COVID-19 patients still making up more than a quarter of the facilitys beds. Just one of the hospitals 20 intensive care unit beds was available Friday. While the states largest hospitals are dealing with a high number of virus patients, the statewide number of people being treated for COVID-19 has dropped significantly from mid October. Fewer than 170 Wyomingites were hospitalized Friday down from nearly 250 people in late October. That is still much higher than the lows seen this spring and summer. In May, the number of Wyomingites hospitalized with COVID-19 hovered around 20. State data indicates September and October have been among the deadliest months for the virus since its March 2020 arrival in Wyoming. Health officials have said the recent decline likely does not indicate that the delta variant is behind us. I absolutely do not think that the delta variant is running its course right now at all, Dowell said via text message last week. We are still in the middle of it. Follow health and education reporter Morgan Hughes on Twitter @m0rgan_hughes 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. The daily rate of the recently completed special legislative session cost taxpayers about $8,000 more than originally projected, the Legislative Service Office told the Star-Tribune this week. Critics of the special session latched onto the cost estimated to be about $25,000 per day as a reason not to hold it. That argument did not prevail, and the Legislature was in session for seven days at a rate of about $33,000 per day. Under the original estimate, the total session would have cost about $175,000. But after it was all said and done, the session cost taxpayers more than $233,000 excluding security. Those costs included: $104,775 for salary; $88,399 for per diem; $17,868 for mileage; $15,127 for part-time session staff; and $6,977 for logistics. Lawmakers are paid $150 per day in salary no matter the number of hours they work. They also receive $109 per diem for expenses like lodging and meals. Lawmakers are paid whenever the Legislature is in session, even if they are not physically in the building. That said, legislators have the ability to waive their wages or per diem, which some told the Star-Tribune they did this session. Lawmakers were also reimbursed for mileage, consistent with the federal rate, during the session when travelling back and forth to Cheyenne. Depending on where they live, that can equate to several hundred dollars a trip. Security is provided by the Wyoming Highway Patrol and is present in the Capitol whether or not the body is in session. On the first two days of the special session, however, WHP provided additional security with a price tag of almost $7,000 because authorities got word that demonstrators would be traveling to the Capitol. We knew there were a lot of emotions attached to the issues related to the session, said Michael Pearlman, director of communications for Gov. Mark Gordon. The session was originally supposed to last a couple days, but lawmakers balked at rules to that effect, resulting in the seven-day session. Lawmakers convened the session to fight back against a Biden administration vaccine mandate that requires inoculation against COVID-19 for companies with 100 or more employees. Even before the higher cost of $233,000 was released, there were comments that the price tag did not match the outcome of the session. After 7 days, 1,200 person hours, $175,000+ tax payer money, and a whole bunch of debate, we have passed one bill that does effectively nothing, Rep. Karlee Provenza, D-Laramie, said in an Instagram post. Provenza was referring to House Bill 1002, the only one of the original 20 pieces of legislation to survive both chambers. HB 1002 allocates $4 million to fight the vaccine mandate in court and includes a strongly worded resolution of Wyomings rights. Besides allocating money for a legal challenge, the bill does not do anything to directly fight back against the federal vaccine mandate. Even after HB 1002 was the only bill to survive, Senate President Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, stood by the need for the session. We have positioned the state with the resources needed for an Attorney General response, Dockstader previously told the Star-Tribune. It was a direct response to what Legislators were hearing across the state, he later added. The process and decisions of this session will continue in a short time at the new session this winter. Progress doesnt come all at once. The work, both legislatively and in the courts, will continue. Follow state politics reporter Victoria Eavis on Twitter @Victoria_Eavis Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 6 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. Fifty-five more Wyomingites have died from COVID-19, the Wyoming Department of Health reported Tuesday. Last week, the state announced 69 deaths the single highest weekly update reported in 2021. This fall has been among the most deadly periods for COVID-19 related illnesses since the pandemic arrived in Wyoming. There have now been 1,298 coronavirus-caused deaths in Wyoming since the pandemic arrived here in March 2020. Thirty percent of those deaths were reported after Sept. 1 of this year. Fifty of the new deaths occurred in October. Four happened within the last week. The state does not include a death in its COVID-19 count unless the virus is listed on the patients death certificate as either the cause of death or a contributing factor. There is often a lag between when deaths occur and when deaths are reported because of the time it takes for death certificates to be processed. Forty-five of the 55 people were hospitalized prior to their deaths, 12 out of state. Thirty-six people had underlying health conditions increasing their risk to COVID-19. Of the 18 counties that experienced an increase in deaths, Fremont, Natrona and Park counties bore the brunt with nine new deaths each. Campbell County added five new deaths. Laramie and Sweetwater counties each added three. Big Horn, Crook, Niobrara, Sheridan and Uinta counties each added two new deaths. Albany, Converse, Goshen, Lincoln, Platte, Sublette and Weston counties each added one. Deaths declined dramatically this spring, with the number reported each week in the single digits since mid-March. But the trend hasnt held. Figures have reached what they were in early winter, when the state was recording more than 50 deaths per week. COVID-19 infections, too, had plummeted since the winter surge. But hospitalizations have remained high since September. On Monday, 172 people were hospitalized for COVID-19 in Wyoming. That number peaked in October at 249 hospitalizations. In comparison, there were periods in early spring with fewer than 20 hospitalizations a day. Officials have said they anticipate more deaths in coming weeks. The state health department is not releasing the vaccine status of each hospitalized patient but has said roughly 95% of recent hospitalizations have been among the unvaccinated. A more contagious variant of the virus has led federal and state officials to again recommend face masks be worn in areas with low vaccine uptake and moderate-to-high virus transmission. Wyoming hospitals are still reporting strains on staff and resources. Twelve hospitals reported critical staffing shortages to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Tuesday. Gov. Mark Gordon has said his office will not implement any more mandates or lockdowns. Gordon said he encourages residents to get vaccinated but that the decision is intensely personal and he is not planning any interventions to increase uptake. Wyomings vaccination rate remains the second-lowest in the nation with 44% of the state fully inoculated against COVID-19. Only West Virginia has a worse rate at 41%. Unvaccinated Wyomingites are also the most hesitant in the country to accept the shots, or to give them to their children, according to U.S. Census Bureau polls. More than 268,000 residents have so far received at least one vaccine dose as of Monday. Nearly 45,000 booster doses have been given. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A female Montana Army National Guard soldier graduated from the U.S. Army Sniper Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, on Nov. 5, becoming the first woman in history to complete the course, officials said. Military officials said in a news release Monday they are not identifying her by name. That was done at the request of the soldier, who is a native Montanan. The accomplishment prompted praise from Gov. Greg Gianforte. What a remarkable feat for this soldier and incredible milestone reached for our U.S. Armed Forces! he said on social media. Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, adjutant general for Montana, offered congratulations as well. This soldier had to volunteer several times to reach this goal, which is a demonstration of her dedication and commitment to service, he said in a news release. The soldier enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in December 2020. She was sent to Fort Benning to complete Infantry One Station Unit Training, a 22-week course that combines Army basic training with advanced individual training in infantry skills. She was recommended by her training staff and chain of command for the Sniper Course due to her superior performance, which included qualifying as an expert shooter, military officials said. She began the U.S. Army Sniper Course in September 2021. This intensive seven-week course trains those assigned to sniper positions in the skills necessary to deliver long-range precision fire and the collection of battlefield information. She met every standard required to graduate the U.S. Army Sniper Course, Capt. David Wright, battalion commander, U.S. Army Sniper School, said in a news release. We are proud of the results of her efforts and the quality training provided by the Sniper Course Cadre, he said. We wish her luck as she heads back to her unit as a U.S. Army Sniper Course qualified Sniper. Attending the Sniper Course graduation ceremony were Command Sgt. Maj. John Sampa of the Army National Guard, and Command Sgt. Maj. Claudena Brady of the Montana Army National Guard. The soldier will join her unit. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 TWO cousins were ambushed and shot dead and then the body of one of them, a young girl, was 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. The Court of Appeals has shot down the latest bid by Cyber Ninjas to keep secret the records it has related to the audit of the 2020 election. In an eight-page ruling Tuesday, the judges rebuffed claims by the company that the documents, emails and other items it has are beyond the reach of Arizonas public records law. The court said once the company started doing the Senates work, it became the custodian of any documents related to the audit which, by definition, was a public function. What that means, the judges said, is that anyone seeking those documents is entitled to request them directly from Cyber Ninjas rather than have to go through the Senate. More to the point, it also means Cyber Ninjas can be sued and presumably, sanctioned for refusing to comply. Tuesdays ruling drew a sharp response from Jack Wilenchik, the attorney who represents the company. The government cannot force private contractors to produce things the government does not own, he told Capitol Media Services. He said thats equivalent to a violation of the Fourth Amendment protections against search and seizure. But the three-judge panel, with its unsigned opinion, rejected the argument that it was opening the files of all government contractors to public inspection. Statewide, still about 62% of the eligible population has been fully vaccinated, according to data from ADHS. This is a call to the community that people need to vaccinate, Cullen said. COVID continues to be a disease primarily of the unvaccinated and it is a very good finder of people that are unvaccinated. Those eligible also need to get their COVID-19 vaccine boosters, Cullen said. If they are six months after the completion of their series, we know that there is a drop-off in antigenicity, which means you have less protection. Adults who received Pfizer or Modernas vaccine are eligible six months after getting fully vaccinated if they are 65 or older, or if they fall into other high-risk categories. All adults who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are eligible for a booster two months after receiving the initial shot. Even though vaccine protection wanes after a certain amount of time, researchers still dont know just how many breakthrough cases are contributing to the latest wave of cases in Arizona, Gerald said. This is because the ADHS has not linked vaccination data with data on cases for researchers to examine, he said, although he hopes state health officials will do so in the coming weeks. All Amber Allen wants for the holidays is 10,000 pounds of pet food. Tucsonans can make that dream a reality with donations of pet food or cash at the Pack the Pod Pet Food Drive in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Codys Friends, a local nonprofit on a mission to feed animals in need. Donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13 at Codys Friends, 4702 N. Flowing Wells Road, and at Hermitage Cat Shelter, 5278 E. 21st St. I would say that 99.9 percent of those we serve are food insecure, and if they dont have pet food, they will share their own food with their pets, so this pet food is a lifeline, said Allen, executive director of Codys Friends. Each week, the organization provides free pet food to almost 50 human service agencies including local shelters, Gospel Rescue Mission, Casa Maria Soup Kitchen, Caridad Kitchens, Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Interfaith Community Services and Marana Food Bank and more. Pima County hosted a grand reopening on the Historic Pima County Courthouse on Tuesday, the 157th birthday of Pima County, after an extensive renovation that began in 2016. The building was designed by Roy Place and built in 1929. The opening of the new Pima County Consolidated Justice Court building in 2015 and relocation of several county offices allowed workers to do extensive interior renovations. In abstract, the turnout figures from last weeks city election look pretty bad. Out of 284,181 registered voters in Tucson, only 90,138 voted. Thats a turnout rate of 31.72% for an election that chose three City Council members and decided two ballot issues. Pretty poor, right? In context, actually no. That figure is OK its within Tucsons usual range for non-mayoral elections, and better than or equivalent to some other cities with odd-year elections. Albuquerque, for example, had a hotly contested mayoral race that ended last week and still had about the same turnout as ours 32.53%. Albuquerque City Clerk Ethan Watson even said he was thrilled by the historic turnout for this election. But the question is do we still want to accept this context and these low turnout figures? Because, as a city we have some control over turnout and have chosen to run elections in a way that keeps it low. The context is, we run our elections differently than the rest of the state. And weve vigorously and victoriously defended our right to keep doing things differently, against repeated state efforts to force us to change. Our biggest electoral quirks: I feel more optimistic on the development of an RTA Next plan happening than at any time since taking office 10 months ago, said Supervisor Rex Scott, who represents Pima County on the RTA Board. We can do so much more together than any of us can do alone. Scott proposed a new plan that could give Tucson one extra representative on the Citizens Advisory Committee, a group of 35 community members who are tasked with developing the plan for RTA Next. Board members voted to adopt proposed numbers as a guideline rather than a rule, however. The move was intended to allow smaller communities to have more advisory committee members and create flexibility if the number of committee applicants falls short for any one jurisdiction. Despite that caveat, Scotts plan still has potential to address one of Tucsons complaints: It makes it more likely that the city will have a level of representation on the advisory committee that is on par with its large population and may give the city more say in the RTA Next planning process. But, while Brnovich is suing on behalf of the state, he also has arranged to sue jointly with a private attorney who represents the unnamed federal worker, one who is not eligible for a religious exemption and says he believes his request for a medical exemption will almost certainly be denied. He will either be subject to dismissal from his employment, or will suffer serious violations of his constitutional rights to bodily integrity and to refuse medical treatment, the lawsuit states. DeMott told Liburdi that, at least for the moment, Does claims of harm are conjectural. Doe is at no risk of being forced to receive medical treatment, he said. If he did lose his job, thats not sufficient grounds to hold up enforcement of the executive order, as he could later seek financial compensation, DeMott said. But that presumes the worker can sue without being identified. The government takes seriously any concern that a plaintiff would be subject to retaliatory physical or mental harm by participating in litigation, DeMott told the judge. But he gave no credence to the claim that somehow the employee is at risk because of a host of ominous and threatening comments by the president. But the U.S. Travel Association predicted in June that international travel would not return to 2019 levels of nearly 80 million visitors until 2024. Foreign travelers dropped to 19 million in 2020 and is expected to rise a bit this year, to more than 26 million; it will more than double, to about 57 million, in 2022 but still fall far short of its pre-pandemic heights. The U.S. isnt alone in trying to jump-start travel as more people get vaccinated. Some countries that closed their borders have begun easing back, like Australia, India and Thailand; Europe opened its doors to Americans months ago. Others, like China and Japan, remain essentially closed, which makes it difficult for their own citizens to leave and come back because of mandatory quarantines. In 2019, the two countries were among the top five biggest sources of overseas visitors to the U.S., along with the U.K., South Korea and Brazil, according to U.S. government data. Sylvia Li, who is from China and lives in the U.S., just married her partner in a small ceremony in New York a few weeks ago without her family there because she had no idea when theyd be able to come or when shed be able to go to China. Security camera footage, shell casings and a small but distinctive tattoo played pivotal roles in the arrest of a man suspected in at least six killings over the past two months in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office on Tuesday charged Perez Deshay Reed in the shooting deaths of two people in the city in September. Reed was charged Saturday in two other fatal shootings in September in St. Louis County. He is also suspected of killing two people in Kansas City, Kansas, and the FBI has labeled him a suspected serial killer. Reed, who turns 26 years old Wednesday, remained jailed on $2 million bond Tuesday and didn't yet have an attorney. Surveillance video in Kansas helped lead to Reed's arrest. Images captured by the cameras showed the distinctive crescent moon-shaped tattoo on Reed's forehead. Another key factor was evidence left behind at each of the St. Louis-area shootings. The commonality among them were handgun casings, Rich Quinn, special agent in charge of the FBI office in St. Louis, said. We knew they came from the same handgun. WASHINGTON (AP) Conservative Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism Tuesday about a Texas death row inmate's demand that his pastor be allowed to pray out loud and touch him during his execution. Executions in Texas, the nation's busiest death penalty state, have been delayed while the court considers the question. The outcome won't take anyone off death row but could make clear what religious accommodations officials must make for inmates who are being put to death. Members of the court's conservative majority suggested during arguments Tuesday that requiring Texas to grant the inmate's request could lead to a string of cases asking for other accommodations. A lawyer for the inmate said the man would be content to have his pastor touch his foot during his execution, but justices questioned what requests might come next. What's going to happen when the next prisoner says that I have a religious belief that he should touch my knee. He should hold my hand. He should put his hand over my heart. He should be able to put his hand on my head. We're going to have to go through the whole human anatomy with a series of cases, Justice Samuel Alito said. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) NASA on Tuesday delayed putting astronauts back on the moon until 2025 at the earliest, missing the deadline set by the Trump administration. The space agency had been aiming for 2024 for the first moon landing by astronauts in a half-century. In announcing the delay, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Congress did not provide enough money to develop a landing system for its Artemis moon program and more money is needed for its Orion capsule. In addition, a legal challenge by Jeff Bezos rocket company, Blue Origin, stalled work for months on the Starship lunar landing system under development by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Officials said technology for new spacesuits also needs to ramp up, before astronauts can return to the moon. NASA is still targeting next February for the first test flight of its moon rocket, the Space Launch System, or SLS, with an Orion capsule. No one will be on board. Instead, astronauts will strap in for the second Artemis flight, flying beyond the moon but not landing in 2024, a year later than planned. That would bump the moon landing to at least 2025, according to Nelson. The photos were just one of a half-dozen reasons Jones' lawyers want his conviction and sentence tossed out. They also said a judge should have told jurors that being found not guilty by reason of insanity didn't mean Jones would walk out of the courthouse a free man. Instead, he would be kept in custody for several months or up to the rest of his life if his mental condition never improved. Attorneys for Jones said a judge should have allowed jurors to see a videotape of Jones' mother, who had been ordered to remain in an out-of-state mental hospital for decades because of her schizophrenia, a diagnosis her son was aware of and made him angry and nervous. Jones' lawyers also said the case should be overturned because Circuit Judge Eugene Griffith refused to allow testimony from a defense expert witness who planned to say a prosecution witness erred when scoring a physiological test that found Jones was exaggerating his symptoms of mental illness. But much of the arguments Tuesday centered around the photos of the dead children. Defense attorneys tried to show them to the jury before they found Jones guilty, saying the condition of the bodies helped show he was insane. Prosecutors objected, and the judge agreed. RENO, Nev. (AP) A Nevada state regulatory board has narrowly voted against banning contests that give cash or other awards to hunters for killing coyotes. The regulation was rejected by the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commission on a 5-4 vote Friday. It would have prohibited organizing, promoting or participating in contests or other competitions to capture or kill coyotes or other predatory or furbearing animals. What are we regulating? questioned Commissioner Tom Barnes. Theyre really not doing anything illegal. All 16 advisory panels to the nine-member board supported continuing to allow the contest, the Reno Gazette Journal reported. Commissioner David McNinch, who introduced the language to end the competitions, said outlawing the events wasn't a biological issue but a response to changing societal views on sportsmanship. I fully support people protecting their livestock, their pets, their family. I just disagree that the best way to do it is through these contests, he said. Its not the act of killing the coyotes that bothers me, its how its done. MOSCOW (AP) Russian authorities named a prominent LGBT rights group and several lawyers as foreign agents on Monday night, continuing a months-long crackdown on activists, opposition supporters and independent media. The Justice Ministry added the Russian LGBT Network, prominent lawyer Ivan Pavlov and four of his former colleagues to its registry of foreign agents. The designation implies additional government scrutiny and carries strong pejorative connotations that can discredit recipients. The Russian LGBT Network has advocated for civil rights in Russia since 2006 and has 17 branches across the country. The group is well-known both in Russia and abroad for its effort to rescue gay men and lesbians from Chechnya, a predominantly Muslim region in the Russian south where local authorities were reported to have unleashed a violent crackdown on LGBT people. Pavlov and four other activists added to the list used to be part of Team 29, an association of lawyers and journalists specializing in treason and espionage cases and freedom of information issues. Team 29 shut down earlier this year, fearing prosecution of its members and supporters, after authorities accused the group of spreading content from a Czech nongovernmental organization that had been declared undesirable in Russia. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Police officers in Serbia's capital were deployed Tuesday to a large wall painting of convicted Bosnian Serb wartime commander Ratko Mladic that activists wanted to paint over. Police in Belgrade, citing the need to prevent possible clashes between the activists and right-wing nationalists who consider the Serb general a hero, had banned the activists from holding a gathering by the mural to mark the International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism. An international war crimes court sentenced Mladic to life in prison for genocide in the Bosnian enclave of Srebrenica in 1995, when some 8,000 Bosniaks, who are mostly Muslims, were killed by his troops during the war in Bosnia. Serbian officials have persistently denied that genocide was committed in Srebrenica, and the country's nationalist authorities have tolerated the portrayal of convicted Serb war criminals, including Mladic, as freedom fighters. Small groups of rights activists tried to gather at the downtown mural but were kept away by several uniformed and plainclothes police officers. One activist, Aida Corovic, was taken away in a police van after hurling a few eggs at the mural. The attacks were similar, and the DNA Kurtz gave as a part of that rape investigation was a match for that recovered from Robertsons body. Elmore said Kurtz maintains that he was never in the area where Robertsons body was found and swears he did not know her, but he never provided any kind of alibi, either. He could not explain how not only his DNA was on her body but was on the instrument of her death, Elmore said. Six women testified that they had survived similar stranglings, beatings and sexual assaults by Kurtz dating back to his youth. When arrested, Kurtz had failed to register as a sexual offender for a third-degree sexual assault conviction in Wisconsin, which revealed similar behavior, Elmore said. Kurtz had strangled his ex-girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, to the point of unconsciousness. When she awoke, he had his fingers inside her and threatened to pull the baby out. Kurtz is currently serving three concurrent five-year sentences for the rape and forcible sodomy that connected him to Robertsons case as well as for his failure to register as a sex offender. The community is invited to share in the celebration of Native American Heritage Month with activities planned through Tulsa Public Schools Indian Education Program. Every day is a day to value the culture and heritage of our Native American community here in Tulsa, Superintendent Deborah Gist said in a news release. We are thrilled to be celebrating Native American Heritage Month again this year. Our Indian Education team has worked together to prepare many activities, and (we) are excited to bring students, parents, and community members together to celebrate the rich heritage of Indigenous people. The Indian Education Program at Tulsa Public Schools provides critical resources and services to more than 3,000 students representing 52 Native American nations, according to the release. Tribal flag ceremonies kick off the month of events, which also include a pinch pot activity, weaving, medal research and moccasin making. On Monday, students at Edison Preparatory Middle and High School helped honor the Muscogee Nation, with flag ceremonies honoring the Osage Nation and Cherokee Nation set for Nov. 18. Tribal leaders and local school officials will speak during these events. At the same time, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona are sending a letter to school districts across the country calling on them to organize vaccine clinics for their newly eligible students. The officials are reminding school districts that they can tap into billions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief money to support pediatric vaccination efforts. The Biden administration is providing local school districts with tools to help schools partner with pharmacies to administer shots. And it's asking schools to share information on the benefits of vaccines and details about the vaccination process with parents, to counter disinformation surrounding the shots. The White House is encouraging schools to host community conversations and share fact sheets on the vaccines and is working with the American Academy of Pediatrics to partner local physicians with schools aiming to share science-based information about the shots. Parenthood and worrying go hand-in-hand its just what we do, the first lady told parents. So, I cant promise you that the dangers of the world will become any less frightening. Just wait until your kids start driving! But with this vaccine, we can take away at least one of those worries. A big one. MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) Santa may have fewer eyes in homes this Christmas season after a Georgia judge jokingly banned the Elf on the Shelf. Cobb County Superior Court Chief Judge Robert Leonard posted a mock order on Twitter Thursday banishing these elves. "Tired of living in Elf on the Shelf tyranny? Not looking forward to the Elf forgetting to move and causing your kids emotional distress? I am a public servant and will take the heat for you. My gift to tired parents," Leonard tweeted. According to the holiday tradition, the elves hide in homes for weeks before Christmas and report back to Santa on who's been naughty and nice. The elf dolls are supposed to move to a different location each night. "Inexplicably, Elves sometimes move and don't move overnight. When those Elves do not move, it leaves our children of tender years in states of extreme emotional distress," Leonard wrote in his order. He recalled a "horrific incident" in his own home when "three children were sent to school in tears, with one child being labeled an 'Elf Murderer' and accused of making the elf 'lose his magic.'" With the ability for children as young as 5 to get the COVID-19 vaccine, the pandemic has the potential to take a serious dive in community spread. In Oklahoma, about 375,000 children are eligible to receive the inoculations. Vaccines are continuing to arrive at pediatricians offices, health departments, pharmacies and hospitals. Forget the politics wrapped up in the issue and information floating around the internet and flooding into your social media feeds and email. Go to your trusted pediatrician to get answers. Go to doctors. Local pediatricians say about a third of their patients parents want the vaccines immediately for their children, according to a story from reporter Andrea Eger. Another third have questions or concerns or plan to wait until other children get the shots. And about a third wont get it at all. Its a myth that children are not harmed by COVID-19. The delta variant has been particularly harsh on children, being much more transmissible with more severe symptoms. A variety of made-in-Vietnam Christmas cards have been capturing a lot of attention after making their appearance at shopping malls and souvenir shops in the United States and Europe. To secure on-time delivery, Vietnamese companies have tried various ways to boost production capacity during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At Quilling Card Vietnam Company in Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City, the design team had come up with Christmas card ideas and designs at the beginning of the year so that their clients could select and place their orders. The firm offers hundreds of Christmas card designs each year, said Pham Thi Tuyet Ngan, a designer. An experienced employee is able to produce about ten finished products a day, Ngan added. The company previously had to send materials to its employees homes during social distancing periods so that the Christmas orders could be completed on schedule. Nguyen Pham Thi Diem Huong director of Quilling Card Vietnam told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that the companys Christmas cards based on famous cartoon characters have been quite a hit in the U.S. market. Several partners wanted to place additional orders, but the company is unable to produce more at this point, Huong elaborated. The enterprise usually exports more than one million greetings cards every Christmas over the past ten years, she continued, adding that it was only able to churn out 500,000 cards due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year. The company also had to incur expensive transport costs so that the products could be delivered on time. Products of Quilling Card Vietnam Company are sold at a store in the United States. Photo: N.H. / Tuoi Tre Hectic operations At the factory of Lovepop Vietnam Company in the central city of Da Nang, nearly 700 staff members have been exerting their full efforts to complete the final phases of the production chain. The production process for the firms 3D Christmas cards began in early August, said Ha Trinh Quoc Bao, founder of Lovepop Vietnam. The company can make approximately 27,000 cards a day, of which 95 percent are exported to the U.S. while the rest to Europe, Bao elaborated, adding that the firm has been working with these foreign partners over the past six years. The products will be exported by air instead of by sea because of urgent demands, he continued. Nguyen Le Thi deputy director of sales and design at Paper Art Viet Company stated that the business had received Christmas orders equal to 70 percent of last year's despite the pandemic. Half of these orders have been finished and shipped to the U.S. and Europe, while the remaining will be delivered within this month. Paper Art Viet has eight years of experience in producing and exporting Christmas cards to the U.S., Germany, Italy, France, and Japan, Thi elaborated. Vietnam has a lot of opportunities to expand its market in the production of Christmas cards, according to some experts. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Ninth-grade students in Hanois Ba Vi District, which is currently at low risk of COVID-19 transmission, were allowed to return to school on Monday following a six-month hiatus due to an outbreak. The students arrived at Tay Dang Middle School in Ba Vi District early on Monday morning, wearing face masks and having their body temperature measured. They attended their first in-person class since May 4, when Hanoi authorities ordered the shutdown of educational facilities for pandemic prevention and control, at 7:30 am, following a flag-raising ceremony. Studying online at home means no contact with friends, which was very sad and greatly affected my psyche, said Tran Ha Phuong, a ninth grader at Tay Dang. I feel much happier in face-to-face class. I also find that remote learning is not as effective as in-person learning. Students use hand sanitizer before entering Tay Dang Middle School in Ba Vi District, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre In the same excitement as Phuong, Nguyen Thi Thu Nhan, however, remained cautious about possible coronavirus transmissions. Right at the entrance, we were asked to keep a distance, with each of us staying two meters apart, have our body temperature measured, and use hand sanitizer, Nhan said. Were also asked to neither talk in class nor take off face masks and keep a safe distance apart. Not only Nhan, but her literature teacher, Nguyen Thi Hanh, and school principal Dang Thuy Ha also shared similar mixed feelings. Both teachers and students are happy to return to school, but were also quite worried about ensuring COVID-19 prevention, said Ha. Ha added that the schools management board arranged for students from three out of its six ninth-grade classes to go to school in the morning while those from the other three study at another building of the campus in the afternoon. Students cycle to school in Ba Vi District, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Last week, the Peoples Committee of Hanoi decided to let students in certain grades in 18 districts and towns return to in-person classes on Monday, having carefully considered COVID-19 developments in each locale. The permitted returnees include fifth, sixth, ninth, tenth, and 12th graders in low- and medium-risk areas while other graders in the same neighborhood and students in other areas will stick to the online learning mode. Teaching and learning activities for kindergarteners will remain suspended. City authorities, however, changed the back-to-school plan on November 6, allowing only fifth, sixth, ninth, tenth, and 12th graders in Ba Vi District to return to school before scaling down to just ninth-grade students owing to the new complicated COVID-19 situation. Well welcome back other students in the near future, depending on the local coronavirus situation, said Phung Ngoc Oanh, head of the bureau of education and training in Ba Vi District. Students attend a class at Tay Dang Middle School in Ba Vi District, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Hanoi authorities also plan to vaccinate over 95 percent of local children aged 12 to 17 from the remaining months of this year to the end of the first quarter of 2022, with those from 16 to 17 years old getting the shots first. The capital city, whose population is over eight million, has recorded 5,314 local infections since the fourth coronavirus wave flared up in Vietnam on April 27. Over 6.1 million people of the city have received the first doses of COVID-19 vaccine, with more than 4.3 million of them fully vaccinated, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal. Students attend a class at Tay Dang Middle School in Ba Vi District, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Vietnam has found 976,672 infections since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it early last year and 971,711 community transmissions in all of its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave broke out. More than 29.3 million people of the 98 million population in the Southeast Asian country have been fully inoculated against the coronavirus. The central government has relaxed pandemic control curbs over the past month as transmissions have slowed down, due partly to larger vaccine coverage. However, the number of infections has appeared to rebound in several locales in recent days. Students attend a class at Tay Dang Middle School in Ba Vi District, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Students and their teacher attend a flag-raising ceremony at Tay Dang Middle School in Ba Vi District, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre A student has her body temperature measured at Tay Dang Middle School in Ba Vi District, Hanoi, November 9, 2021. Photo: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Oral antiviral pills from Merck & Co and Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE have been shown to significantly blunt the worst outcomes of COVID-19 if taken early enough, but doctors warn vaccine hesitant people not to confuse the benefit of the treatments with prevention afforded by vaccines. While 72% of American adults have gotten a first shot of the vaccine, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, the pace of vaccination has slowed, as political partisanship in the United States divides views on the value and safety of vaccines against the coronavirus. Vaccine mandates by employers, states and the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden have helped increase vaccinations but also fueled that controversy. Some disease experts fear the arrival of oral COVID-19 treatments may further impede vaccination campaigns. Preliminary results of a survey of 3,000 U.S. citizens by the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health suggest the drugs could "hamper the effort to get people vaccinated," said Scott Ratzan, an expert in health communication at CUNY, who led the research. Ratzan said one out of every eight of those surveyed said they would rather get treated with a pill than be vaccinated. "That is a high number, Ratzan said. The concern follows news on Friday from Pfizer, maker of a leading COVID-19 vaccine, that its experimental antiviral pill Paxlovid cut the risk of hospitalization and death from the disease by 89% in high-risk adults. Pfizer's results followed news from Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics on Oct. 1 that their oral antiviral drug cut hospitalization and death by half. That drug, known as molnupiravir, won conditional approval in the UK on Thursday. Both need clearance from U.S. health regulators but could be on the market in December. "By relying exclusively on an antiviral drug, it's a bit of a roll of the dice in terms of how you will do. Clearly, it's going to be better than nothing, but it's a high-stakes game to play," said Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. The Merck logo is seen at a gate to the Merck & Co campus in Rahway, New Jersey, U.S., July 12, 2018. Photo: Reuters Six infectious disease experts interviewed by Reuters were equally enthusiastic about the prospect of effective new treatments for COVID-19 and agreed they were no substitute for vaccines. Even in the face of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus, the vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech remain effective, cutting the risk of hospitalization by a combined 86.8%, according to a government study of U.S. veterans. They said some unvaccinated people have already relied on monoclonal antibodies - drugs that need to be delivered through intravenous IV infusions or injections - as a backstop in case they become infected. "I think the Pfizer news is terrific news. It goes hand in hand with vaccination. It doesn't replace it," said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University and Baltimore's former health commissioner. Choosing not to get vaccinated "would be a tragic mistake," said Albert Bourla, chief executive officer of Pfizer Inc. "These are treatments. This is for the unfortunate who will get sick," Bourla told Reuters in an interview on Friday. "This should not be a reason not to protect yourself and to put yourself, your household and society in danger." Antiviral challenges One main reason not to rely on the new pills, the experts said, is that antiviral medications, which stop the virus from replicating in the body, must be given in a narrow window early in the disease because COVID-19 has different phases. In the first phase, the virus rapidly replicates in the body. A lot of the worst effects of COVID-19, however, occur in the second phase, arising from a defective immune response that gets triggered by the replicating virus, said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease expert and the CEO and founder of Just Human Productions, a non-profit multimedia organization. "Once you develop shortness of breath or other symptoms that would lead you to be hospitalized, you are in that dysfunctional immune phase where the antivirals are really not going to provide much benefit," she said. Hotez agreed. He said getting treated early enough could be challenging because the window when the virus transitions from the replication phase to the inflammatory phase is fluid. "For some people, that will happen earlier; for some, later," Hotez said. Hotez said many people in the early phase of the illness feel surprisingly well and may be unaware that their oxygen levels are dropping, one of the first signs that the inflammatory phase of the disease has started. "Oftentimes, you're not going to realize that you're getting sick until it's too late," he said. Denmark's government on Monday proposed reinstating the use of a digital "corona pass" to be presented when Danes visit indoor bars and restaurants, as the country is entering a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Denmark was one of few countries to lift almost all remaining restrictions in September after having avoided a third wave of infections over spring and summer due to broad lockdown measures imposed since Christmas. But the number of daily infections has risen steadily to around 2,300 in recent days from a low of just over 200 in mid-September. The positivity rate, the share of total tests made that were positive, has also risen steadily in the past weeks from 1.2% in mid-September to 2.3% by the end of October. "Several European countries are now in the middle of their fourth wave of corona. In Denmark we are heading into our third corona wave," health minister Magnus Heunicke said during a televised briefing on Monday. The corona pass, which is usually presented via an app on Danes' phones, is used to verify that the holder is vaccinated or has tested negative for the coronavirus. The measure presented by the government, which is subject to parliamentary approval, will also require the pass to be presented for indoor gatherings over 200, such as in cinemas and museums. Germany's coronavirus infection rate has risen to its highest level since the start of the pandemic, public health figures showed on Monday, and doctors warned they will need to postpone scheduled operations in coming weeks to cope. The seven-day incidence rate - the number of people per 100,000 to be infected over the last week - rose to 201.1, higher than a previous record of 197.6 in December last year, the figures from the Robert Koch Institute showed on Monday. The number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose to 4,782,546 from 4,767,033 a day earlier. The number of deaths increased by 33 to a total of 96,558. Christian Karagiannidis, scientific director at the DIVI association for intensive and emergency medicine, said an expected rise in coronavirus cases in coming weeks meant some scheduled operations would have to be postponed. "We will only be able to cope with the burden of all emergencies if savings are made somewhere else, though definitely not with surgical cancer treatments," he told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. Germany has already had to relocate some patients from regions with overburdened hospitals. The three German parties in talks to form a coalition government by early December have agreed not to extend a nationwide state of emergency. Instead, they presented a draft law late on Monday that would amend existing legislation to allow for measures such as compulsory face masks and social distancing in public spaces to continue to be enforced until March next year. The draft law is due to be presented to the Bundestag lower house of parliament on Thursday and voted on in a special session a week later. Bavaria state premier Markus Soeder earlier called for more decisive action in view of the new peak in the incidence rate. More needs to be done "than a little compulsory testing in old people's homes", he told Deutschlandfunk radio. He called for tests to be offered free of charge again, vaccination centres to be reactivated and for states and the federal government to coordinate their strategies. Germany has abolished free testing to incentivise people to get vaccinated. Here are todays leading news stories: Politics -- Vietnamese Minister of National Defense General Phan Van Giang and his Australian counterpart Peter Dutton held online talks on Monday to discuss measures to bolster bilateral defense ties, the Vietnam News Agency reported. Society -- It will remain sunny in southern Vietnam on Tuesday, with the highest temperature reaching 34 degrees Celsius, while showers and occasional thunderstorms will occur in the evening, the southern hydro-meteorological station reported, adding that high tide will continue inundating Ho Chi Minh City and some other localities. -- Authorities in the southern province of Binh Phuoc have established three more makeshift COVID-19 hospitals, raising the provinces treatment capacity to 3,000 beds, to cope with rising cases over the past days. -- The Ministry of Transport on Monday proposed that the prime minister allow the resumption of regular international flights in three phases, with the first starting in the first quarter of 2022. -- Doctors in the central province of Quang Ngai have performed a surgery to remove over 0.5 kilograms of hair from the intestines of a seven-year-old girl who suffers from Rapunzel syndrome. -- Three eighth graders drowned after having a swim in a water pit in the north-central province of Thanh Hoa on Sunday afternoon, local authorities confirmed on Monday. Education -- Ninth-grade students in Hanois Ba Vi District, which is currently at low risk of COVID-19 transmission, were allowed to return to school on Monday following a five-month break due to an outbreak. Business -- Denmark's Specter Real Estate A/S has begun construction of a garment factory in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang at a cost of VND253 billion (US$11 million), according to the Vietnam News Agency. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The director of a hospital in Ho Chi Minh City has been arrested for allegedly violating regulations on bidding that led to serious consequences. Officers under the Ministry of Public Security are investigating and clarifying the violations of the accused at Thu Duc City Hospital, Nguyen Tam Production Service Trading Company, and relevant units. On Saturday, they arrested and initiated legal proceedings against 48-year-old Nguyen Minh Quan director of Thu Duc City Hospital for violating regulations on bidding, which resulted in serious consequences. Nguyen Van Loi, 35, director of Nguyen Tam Company, was also detained on the same charge. Police investigation showed that Quan and Loi had colluded to commit acts against the Bidding Law in the procurement of medical supplies and equipment at Thu Duc City Hospital, causing serious losses to the state budget. Further investigation is ongoing. Quan was appointed director of Thu Duc District Hospital, which is currently Thu Duc City Hospital, in 2007, when he was 34 years old. He was praised for his contributions to many achievements of the institution. In 2015, it was the only district-level hospital in the country to be recognized by the Ministry of Health as a first-grade hospital. In 2016, the institution was one of the 10 leading hospitals in Ho Chi Minh City in terms of treatment quality and patient satisfaction. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Three eighth graders drowned after having a swim in a water pit in the north-central Vietnamese province of Thanh Hoa on Sunday afternoon, local authorities confirmed on Monday. The funerals of the victims, all of whom were residents of Xuan Sinh Commune in Thanh Hoas Tho Xuan District and studied at Xuan Son Middle School, took place on Monday. While hanging out together on Sunday afternoon, the three students took a swim in a water pit in the same commune to mitigate the impacts of sun heat, according to Le Huy Nhi, head of the local bureau of education and training. Functional forces said they drowned possibly because they were incapable of swimming. Local administration and education officials visited the victims houses and extended condolences to their families following their deaths. After the accident, the education bureau in Tho Xuan District has requested schools across the locale to address the task of child drowning prevention, Nhi said. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A U.S. citizen formerly residing in Vietnam has been sentenced to 108 months in prison for molesting an 11-year-old Vietnamese boy in 2015, the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City confirmed in a press release on Monday. Joseph Ricky Park, a.k.a. Joseph Demasi, received the prison term for attempting to engage in illicit sexual conduct with the young boy during a trial in the U.S. on October 28. He was also handed a lifetime of supervised release. The case was previously prosecuted by the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in Washington, D.C.. In January 2015, Park invited three Vietnamese boys to his apartment under the guise of offering English language instruction. He later initiated inappropriate sexual contact with one of the boys, who was 11 at the time. The victim reported the abuse to police officers in Vietnam and later to the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) during a subsequent forensic interview at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City. In January 2016, Park was indicted by a U.S. federal court for engaging or attempting to engage in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and was arrested in the following month. He pleaded guilty in February 2021. The court documents showed that Park has multiple prior convictions for offenses against minors. This case demonstrates that when U.S. and international law enforcement partners collaborate to investigate those seeking to exploit children, there is nowhere in the world criminals can go to escape justice, said Charge dAffaires Marie Damour. The HSI is a critical investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and plays a critical role in combating criminal organizations illegally exploiting America's travel, trade, financial, and immigration systems. With over 200 domestic offices and more than 80 offices overseas, HSI has the ability to follow a case wherever in the world it may lead. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnam will fully vaccinate its population aged 18 and older by year end and then start giving them booster jabs, with 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses having been contracted so far, the Ministry of Health has said. Vietnam has so far signed contracts to secure a total supply of 200 million COVID-19 vaccine jabs, Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long told the National Assembly (NA) at its discussion session on Monday. Of the contracted volume, around 125 million vaccine doses have been delivered to Vietnam and the ministry is urging future delivery to ensure the full immunization of the countrys adult population within the last months of this year, Minister Long added. The vaccine supply will ensure the full vaccine coverage by the end of this year, and at that time, the third booster shots will begin to be offered to fully vaccinated people. Vietnam is one of the 20 countries with the highest number of administered vaccine shots in the world, the minister said. The country ranks second in Southeast Asia, after Indonesia, and seventh in Asia in this criterion. In terms of daily and weekly numbers of vaccine doses administered, Vietnam is among the top three countries with the fastest vaccination pace around the globe. By November 7, more than 90 million COVID-19 vaccine doses had been given to people in the target age range nationwide, with 83.8 percent of them receiving at least one shot and more than 40 percent jabbed twice, Minister Long said. The development and production of domestic vaccines are being sped up, with two vaccines now in their late-stage trials and another in its second testing phase, in addition to vaccine technology transfers from abroad, the minister added. These positive results came as the country eased COVID-19 restrictions last month and reopened its economy in accordance with the governments strategy of living safely with the coronavirus through flexible and effective epidemic prevention measures. Addressing lawmakers' complaints about the weaknesses of the national healthcare system, Minister Long said his ministry will improve its capabilities by restructuring healthcare networks, strengthening human resources training, renovating financial mechanisms, and expanding and improving grassroots health services. The pandemic's fourth wave, which erupted in late April with the highly contagious Delta variant dominating most infection cases, has caused serious impacts on peoples health and life, but the country has managed to basically put it under control, Minister Long told the session. The ministry is finalizing its overall strategy for COVID-19 prevention and control in the near future, the official said. Since breaking out in Vietnam in early 2020, the pandemic has caused 976,672 infection cases, including 841,475 recoveries and 22,598 deaths, according to the health ministrys data. Recently, the countrys daily new infections and deaths have sharply fallen, to 7,988 and 67 on Saturday from 12,680 and 335 two months earlier. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Ministry of Health recorded 8,133 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, along with 1,325 recoveries and 88 deaths. The latest cases, including four imported and 8,129 local transmissions, were logged in 55 provinces and cities, the ministry said, noting that 3,952 patients were detected in the community. Ho Chi Minh City reported 1,276 of the domestically-transmitted infections, Dong Nai Province 923, Binh Duong Province 619, Soc Trang Province 572, An Giang Province 557, Kien Giang Province 291, Binh Thuan Province 279, Hanoi 268, Dak Lak Province 197, Can Tho City 163, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province 154, Khanh Hoa Province 99, Quang Nam Province 39, Da Nang 32, and Hai Phong City four. Vietnam had confirmed 7,954 locally-infected patients on Monday. The country has documented 979,840 community-based transmissions in all its 63 provinces and cities since the fourth virus wave emerged on April 27, 839,983 of them having recovered from the respiratory disease. Ho Chi Minh City is the largest epicenter with 441,216 patients, followed by Binh Duong Province with 240,347, Dong Nai Province with 74,065, Long An Province with 35,917, Tien Giang Province with 18,703, An Giang Province with 14,510, Tay Ninh Province with 13,251, Kien Giang Province with 12,744, Dong Thap Province with 11,518, Khanh Hoa Province with 9,435, Can Tho City with 8,673, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province with 5,671, Hanoi with 5,582, and Da Nang with 5,101. Vietnam detected only 1,570 locally-transmitted infections in total in the previous three waves. The health ministry registered 1,325 recovered patients on Tuesday, raising the total to 842,800. The toll has mounted to 22,686 deaths after the ministry logged 88 fatalities on the same day, including 38 in Ho Chi Minh City, 11 in Binh Duong Province, seven in An Giang Province, and the rest in 15 other provinces and cities. Vietnam has found 984,805 infections since the COVID-19 pandemic first hit it early last year. Health workers have given over 92.2 million vaccine doses, including 1,536,448 shots on Monday, since inoculation was rolled out on March 8. Upwards of 30.3 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! Doctors in Vietnam performed a surgery on Monday to remove over 0.5 kilograms of hair from the intestines of a seven-year-old child who suffers from Rapunzel syndrome. The family of P.T.K.N., a seven-year-old girl in Binh Son District, Quang Ngai Province took her to the Quang Ngai Hospital for Children and Women for signs of incontinence. Her ultrasound results revealed that the child had a large tumor in the upper central location of the abdomen. After performing endoscopy and related examinations on the child, doctors determined that the tumor in her stomach was a large hair mass occupying most of the organ. The patient was diagnosed with Rapunzel syndrome, an extremely rare intestinal condition in humans resulting from ingesting hair. Rapunzel syndrome is named after the long-haired girl Rapunzel in the eponymous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm and is characterized by a compulsive disorder of pulling ones own hair and ingesting it. The syndrome is often accompanied by abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and weight loss, causing intestinal perforation and peritonitis in some cases, according to Dr. Pham Xuan Duy, deputy head of the surgery department at the Quang Ngai Hospital for Children and Women. N.s family did not know that the child had been eating hair until her hospitalization. The medical team in charge of N.s case performed a gastric bypass surgery to remove the foreign object. The surgery, which took more than half an hour, was a success. N. is currently being monitored by medical staff at the Quang Ngai Hospital for Children and Women. Following surgery, treatment for cases like N.s requires psychological therapy and micronutrient supplementation, according to Dr. Duy. The doctor advises parents to pay attention to their childrens behavior to early detect signs of hair ingestion for timely and effective intervention. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police officers from An Giang Province in Vietnams Mekong Delta have recently put a local man in temporary detention as he allegedly strangled a drinking friends daughter to death. Tran Phuoc Tan, 39, had been arrested on charges of murder after admitting his criminal act, the provincial Department of Public Security said on Tuesday. Tan got to know a friends 12-year-old daughter, V., in a drinking party at his accquaintances house earlier last week in Phu Tan District, according to initial investigation. He then managed to lure V. out with a promise to buy her a smartphone for online learning before driving her to a motel in a nearby district where he rented a room for an overnight stay. Tran Phuoc Tan is seen in police detention in An Giang Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tien Vu / Tuoi Tre At around 10:00 am the next day, Tan took V. back home after going out to drink with some friends. On the way back, she started crying out to urge the purchase of a phone, which drove Tan mad. As his anger intensified, Tan led the child to a nearby mountain and strangled her to death. The criminal record reveals that Tan was previously sentenced to 11 years behind bars for child rape. Responding to conjecture about V. being molested before the murder, An Giang's police said they would conduct further investigation to confirm the issue. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Microsatellite NanoDragon, a product of the Vietnam National Space Center (VNSC), was smoothly launched into orbit from Japan on Tuesday morning after two postponements, VNSC reported. More than an hour after blast-off, the NanoDragon satellite separated from the Epsilon 5 rocket at 9:07 am (Vietnam time) and has flown in outer space by itself, becoming Vietnams third satellite to go to space. Earlier at 7:57 am, NanoDragon, along with eight other satellites of Japan, was carried by the rocket from the Uchinoura Space Center in Japans Kagoshima Prefecture. The launch was broadcast live on the information channels of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), which manages the Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program that includes this satellite launch. After the successful separation, the Vietnamese satellite, a nano-class cubesat satellite with standard dimensions of 3U (100 x 100 x 340.5 millimeters), will operate in orbit at an altitude of about 560 kilometers from the earth. Vietnams NanoDragon satellite is seen when it was handed over to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Photo: Xuan Huy / Tuoi Tre A ground station was already built at the VNSC headquarters at Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park in Hanoi to operate the satellite after the launch. The satellite serves the tracking and observation of activities at sea by using micro-satellite beam technology to receive Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals. NanoDragon was delivered to Japan on August 11 for test before Tuesday's launch. The lift-off had been put on hold twice, the first happening on October 1 on account of a technical problem and the second on October 7 because of bad weather conditions. The Vietnamese satellite passed all quality tests in Japan after being created from a nano-scale satellite project under the national space technology program during the 2016-20 period. All stages of the project were completely carried out in Vietnam by VNSC researchers. VNSC previously blasted off two other satellites, including one-kilogram PicoDragon in August 2013 and 50-kilogram MicroDragon in January 2019. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Batten down the hatches. Preppers is as kooky as they come. If all your doomsday prophecies were bundled up into one bunker, it might look a little something like ABCs new comedy -except that this comes with an Indigenous lens. Having survived 40,000+ years so far whats a few hundred years between last drinks? Landing as an absurdist yarn in the bush, the 6 part comedy stars Nakkiah Lui, who is also co-creator with Gabriel Dowrick. Lui plays a WakeUp Australia TV host Charlie engaged to her phone-obsessed producer (Grant Denyer) whom she suspects is cheating with her co-host (Brooke Satchwell). While shes surrounded by success, morning television and all its corporate trappings constantly frustrate her, especially when it comes to celebrating sausage sizzle Australia Day. Bewdy. The series opens with Charlie awakening in Eden 2, a cluster-camp of doomsday preppers preparing for the end, on land belonging to her grandmother. And what a motley crew they are. Theres alpha-male Bear Grylls wanna-be Guy (Meyne Wyatt), Christian converts Kelly (Ursula Yovich) and Lionel (Chum Ehelepola), defiant anti-colonist Jayden (Aaron McGrath) and theory-obsessed podcaster Kirby (Eryn Jean Norvill). Leading them all to salvation, oblivion or something in between is the all-knowing raconteur Monty (Jack Charles) who has negotiated a 10,000 year lease for the land with Charlies grandmother -a deal he insists is as fair as a black fellas bum. What has driven them all to Eden 2 is a collective fear of zombies / the rapture / global warming / white people / asteroids take you pick, really, although pandemics dont rate a mention on this richter scale. Charlie is thrust into a boot camp of audacious doomsday exercises, in readiness for the end whenever it may be. While its deliberately bizarro stuff, the key to it all lays in the words of the wise Jack Charles: Were always trying to survive something, Charlie. Honestly the man could make a take-way menu sound mellifluous. There are constant flashbacks to Charlies career in television before it veered off course, and its hard not to draw parallels with Indigenous subjects that have been badly handled in the genre (the orange strap at the bottom of the screen is a dead ringer for Sunrise). Brooke Satchwell could easily double for Sam Armytage / Melissa Doyle / Georgie Gardner etc. Luke Arnold also appears in the first episode as a mostly-shirtless white recruit trying too hard for acceptance while episode 2 sees Kate Miller-Heidke as herself, at least until a dream sequence as theatrical as Eurovision. The melting pot of ideas, conspiracy theories and disenfranchisement stirs with anger, cynicism, but also the ability to laugh at oneself. Preppers may not be as scary as the real rednecks in Doomsday Preppers, and you may not always know quite what to make of it, but if the end really is nigh at least youll die with a smile on your face. Preppers screens 9:10pm Wednesdays on ABC. Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. (Psalm 95:1-2) Sixteen Ethiopian staff working for the United Nations were in detention Tuesday after government raids targeting ethnic Tigrayans, the United Nations said, as foreign envoys scramble to end the countrys year-long war. The detentions in Addis Ababa followed the declaration of a six-month nationwide state of emergency last week after Tigrayan and Oromo rebels claimed major advances on the ground, raising fears of a march on the capital. Some UN staff members were taken from their homes, humanitarian sources said, shortly after a senior UN envoy visited Tigray to plead for more aid to civilians. Sixteen UN staffers, all Ethiopian nationals, remained in detention while another six were freed, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters at the world bodys headquarters. We are of course actively working with the government of Ethiopia to secure their immediate release, Dujarric said. There has been, as far as I know, no explanation given to us on why these staff members are detained, he said. Lawyers say arbitrary detentions of ethnic Tigrayanscommonplace during the warhave spiked in the last week, ensnaring thousands, with the new measures allowing the authorities to hold anyone suspected of supporting terrorist groups without a warrant. Tensions between the Ethiopian government and the UN have been high throughout the war, which has killed thousands of people and, according to the UN, pushed hundreds of thousands into famine-like conditions due to a de facto humanitarian blockade on Tigray. In September, Ethiopias foreign ministry announced it was expelling seven senior UN officials for meddling in the countrys affairs. Foreign envoys and the UN are now hoping that a fresh push led by the African Union will lead to a ceasefire. UN emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths on Tuesday called for peace following a weekend visit to Tigrays regional capital Mekele where he met leaders from the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) rebel group. Story continues I implore all parties to heed the UN Secretary-Generals appeal to immediately end hostilities without preconditions, and reiterate the (UNs) full support for the AUs efforts, he said. Jeffrey Feltman, US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, held late-night talks on Monday with his AU counterpart, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, after meeting top Ethiopian officials last week, the State Department said. We believe there is a small window of opening to work with (Obasanjo), spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington. We have engaged with the TPLF as well, Price said. Window of opportunity Briefing the AUs 15-member security body on Monday, Obasanjo expressed optimism that progress was in the offing. All these leaders here in Addis Ababa and in the north agree individually that the differences opposing them are political and require political solution through dialogue, he said in a copy of his statement seen by AFP. This, therefore, constitutes a window of opportunity that we can collectively tap. The TPLF and its allies, the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), have claimed several victories in recent weeks, taking towns about 400 kilometres (250 miles) from the capital, and they have not ruled out marching on Addis Ababa. The government says the rebels are greatly exaggerating their gains but has ordered the capital to prepare to defend itself. Much of the conflict-affected zone is under a communications blackout and access for journalists is restricted, making battlefield claims difficult to verify. Nevertheless, a number of countries have urged their citizens to leave Ethiopia while commercial flights are still available. The US embassy has also ordered non-essential staff to leave and the UN has suspended non-essential missions to Addis Ababa. Britain on Tuesday advised nationals to leave Ethiopia, citing a deteriorating security situation. The conflict has potential to escalate and spread quickly and with little warning, the advisory said. Among African nations, Zambia repatriated 31 workers from its embassy in Addis Ababa, following an order by President Hakainde Hichilema to evacuate citizens. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops into Tigray in November 2020 to topple the TPLF, the former regional ruling party that dominated national politics before Abiy took over in 2018. Winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, Abiy promised a swift victory, but by June the TPLF had retaken most of Tigray before expanding into the neighbouring regions of Amhara and Afar. (AFP) On Tuesday, France returned 26 artworks to Benin from the royal treasures of Abomey looted in the 19th century by colonial troops and kept until now at the Paris' Quai Branly Museum. On this occasion, President Emmanuel Macron received his Beninese counterpart, Patrice Talon, at the Elysee Palace to "formally validate their transfer of ownership". The works will be sent to Benin on Wednesday. Among these artefacts are totem statues from the ancient kingdom of Abomey and the throne of King Behanzin, which were looted when the Abomey palace was sacked by colonial troops in 1892. The Ministers of Culture of both countries, Roselyne Bachelot and Jean-Michel Abimbola, will sign the deed of transfer of ownership from France to Benin, allowing the works to return to their country after nearly 130 years of absence. This solemn ceremony marks the final stage of an unprecedented process that began with Emmanuel Macron's promise in 2017 to proceed with the restitution of African heritage in France. A law passed in December 2020 in France made these restitutions possible in Benin by allowing derogations to the principle of "inalienability" of works in public collections, because they had been subject to clear looting. Before being returned, the 26 works were shown together one last time at the Parisian Quai Branly museum, seen by "15,000 people in seven days". Ronan Sweeney Leads Pack in partpoker Irish Poker Masters KO Main Event Day 1A November 09 2021 Calum Grant Ireland's Ronan Sweeney topped the list of the 39 survivors from Day 1A in the Irish Poker Masters KO 1M GTD Main Event on partypoker. The first starting flight saw a total of 259 entries which contributed 259,000 to the seven-figure prize pool. Sweeney will be looking to go the distance to add to his $1,387,530 online earnings, which was boosted by a further $41,894 thanks to his fifth-place finish in WCOOP-01-H: $109 NLHE. The Irishman also boasts $130,032 in live tournament earnings with a career-high score coming in the 2017 partypoker LIVE Grand Prix Killarney Main Event. Sweeney secured the 38,393 ($45,777) payday after being thwarted by Thomas Gallagher in heads-up play. Notables joining Sweeney in Day 2 include partypoker ambassador Patrick Leonard, Rui Ferreira and online crusher Jans Arends. Daniel Dvoress and partypoker ambassadors Matthew Staples and Louise Butler were among the big names who failed to advance to the second day of Main Event action. Day 1B kicks off on November 14, 7:05 p.m. GMT. The remaining players from that flight will join the 39 other players from Day 1A for Day 2 on November 22, 8:05 p.m. GMT. 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Top 15 Irish Poker Masters KO 1M GTD Main Event Chip Counts Name Country Bounty Chip Count Ronan Sweeney Ireland 1,125 2,062,173 Rui Ferreira Brazil 1,437 2,029,204 Sergei Denisov Russia 1,875 1,940,680 Boris Kuzmanovic Croatia 625 1,654,521 Gianni Paul Sabini United Kingdom 2,750 1,615,716 Jans Arends Austria 3,015 1,613,181 Aliaksei Boika Belarus 375 1,548,976 Mario Navarro Arrocha Spain 1,437 1,544,621 Bruno Bernardino Portugal 1,406 1,540,023 Thomas Hueber Austria 1,562 1,518,438 Luigi Knoppers Netherlands 500 1,389,344 Daniel Custodio Brazil 1,312 1,369,818 Jamie Walden United Kingdom 1,375 1,164,559 Tomi Brouk Finland 250 978,233 Patrick Leonard United Kingdom 750 938,741 Irish Poker Masters KO Schedule Dates Event Buy-in November 4-8 Irish Poker Masters KO #01 Opener: 250K Gtd 320 November 4-15 Irish Poker Masters KO #02 IPM50: 200K Gtd 55 November 4-15 Irish Poker Masters KO #03 The Big 4 PLO8: 50K Gtd 44 November 7-22 Irish Poker Masters KO #04 Main Event: 1M Gtd 1,100 November 8-15 Irish Poker Masters KO #05 JP Masters: 300K Gtd 530 November 8 Irish Poker Masters KO #06 6-Max Hyper: 20K Gtd 109 November 10 Irish Poker Masters KO #07 7-Max PLO8: 10K Gtd 109 November 11 Irish Poker Masters KO #08 6-Max Big Bounty: 50K Gtd 215 November 14 Irish Poker Masters KO #09 PLO8 High Roller: 40K Gtd 530 November 15-22 Irish Poker Masters KO #10 IMP100: 250K Gtd 109 November 15-22 Irish Poker Masters KO #11 The Big 4 PLO: 50K Gtd 44 November 15 Irish Poker Masters KO #12 7-Max Turbo: 30K Gtd 215 November 17 Irish Poker Masters KO #13 7-Max PLO: 20K Gtd 215 November 18 Irish Poker Masters KO #14 High Roller: 100K Gtd 2,100 November 18 Irish Poker Masters KO #15 Mix-Max Big Bounty: 50K Gtd 215 November 16 Irish Poker Masters KO #16 PLO High Roller: 75K Gtd 1,050 November 22 Irish Poker Masters KO #17 Second Chance Turbo: 50K Gtd 530 November 22 Irish Poker Masters KO #18 Mini Second Chance Turbo: 200K Gtd 55 Irish Poker Masters KO Satellites and SPINS The series features a varied selection of buy-ins, meaning those with modest bankrolls can still get involved. 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You need to accumulate four times as many loyalty points as the bonus amount for it to fully release into your account. Loyalty points are earned at a rate of 1 per $1 contributed to the cash game rake or paid in tournament fees. The bonus releases into your playable account balance in 10% increments when you accumulate 10% of the total loyalty points required. Today, at a meeting in Baku with his Azerbaijani counterpart Zakir Hasanov, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar claimed that Ankara is ready to mobilize all its capabilities to solve any problem to occur in Azerbaijan since both countries share a common history and the brotherhood of peoples is of eternal nature. The concept of One Nation-Two States of Turkey and Azerbaijan has a long history based on a common history, culture, and language, The Hurriyet Daily News writes. Turkey was the first country to recognize Azerbaijans independence from the Soviet Union. Today, the concept of One Nation-Two States has very broad support in Azerbaijani society, especially since the countrys victory in the 44-day Second Karabakh War last year. Turkey made the normalization of relations with Armenia conditional on its withdrawal from occupied Azerbaijani lands. The concept of One Nation-Two States become more clarified culminating in the June 2021 Shusha Declaration signed by Turkish and Azerbaijani Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Ilham Aliyev. In the last decade, Turkey has become the main conduit for the export of Azerbaijani oil and gas, Azerbaijan became a major investor in Turkey, the number of Azerbaijani officers training in Turkish military colleges increased, and the number of joint military exercises grew. Azerbaijan purchased modern Turkish military equipment, such as drones The concept of One Nation-Two States is not unique to the South Caucasus. Romania and Moldova and Albania and Kosovo are the closest analogies of two countries from the same ethnic group and speaking the same language. But of these two examples, only Romania and Moldova share the same blue, yellow, and red flags. Turkey and Azerbaijan, like Albania and Kosovo, have different flags. Another example is two states on the Korea peninsula that resemble the two parts of Germany until they were reunited in 1990. Unfortunately, not all cases of the concept of One Nation-Two States are benevolent. Serbia and Montenegro are in conflict over whether Montenegrins are Serbs or a separate nation. A separate Macedonian identity appeared in Communist Yugoslavia, much to the annoyance of Serbs. Since Macedonia became an independent state in 1991, Greece and Bulgaria have continued to remain reluctant to recognize the existence of a Macedonian nation. Greece denies the existence of its Macedonian minority while Bulgaria declares them to be Bulgarians. Some Russian nationalists have always denied the existence of Belarusians and Ukrainians believing they are Great Russian, White Russian (Belarusian) and Little Russian (Ukrainian) branches of a pan-Russian nation. Azerbaijanis credit both their own authorities and Turkey with the liberation of occupied lands held by Armenia for nearly three decades. The Shusha Declaration was the first occasion where two countries, one from the former USSR and a NATO member, signed a strategic partnership which amounts to a de facto security pact. President Erdogan has stated that Turkey will not hesitate to stand against those who attack Azerbaijan. The Shusha Declaration states that if there is a threat or an act of aggression from a third state or states against their independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, the inviolability or security of their internationally recognized borders, the parties will hold joint consultations. After determining through urgent discussions the volume and form of such possible assistance, a decision will be made to secure defense needs for the adoption of joint measures and coordinated activities will be organized of power-wielding and administrative agencies of the Armed Forces. Since last years 44-day war, military, security, and economic cooperation has expanded between Turkey and Azerbaijan. Turkish companies are involved in rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure of Western Azerbaijan destroyed during three decades of Armenias occupation. The Shusha Declaration spells out many areas for future cooperation in developing military technology, joint military exercises, enhancing cyber security and combatting terrorism against Turkey. Closer integration and development of the strategic partnership outlined in the Shusha Declaration will continue to grow, nevertheless, the establishment of an Azerbaijani-Turkish confederation is unlikely in the near future. The concept of One Nation-Two States will therefore remain and will not be replaced by One Nation-One State. Azerbaijans capital city of Baku has been named city of the month by the World Jewish Travel, an influential non-profit organization promoting Jewish cultural heritage sites and helping discover those overseas. Caspian News reports that the organization granted Baku the title shortly after adding Azerbaijan to its official website earlier this month. Azerbaijan was added to the site earlier this month with detailed information available about Jewish heritage sites in Baku, Oghuz, and Guba, Azerbaijan Tourism Board, the national tourism organization, wrote on its Facebook page. Ashkenazi Jews, who first arrived in Baku in 1832, account for the largest share of the Jewish population of the Azerbaijani capital city. In the mid-19th century, the oil boom attracted a wave of fortune-seeking industry experts to Baku, including Ashkenazi Jews. In addition, a small group of Georgian Jews has also moved to Baku from various cities of Georgia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1913, the census data confirmed 9,689 ethnic Jews living in Baku. Jews contributed significantly to the development of the industrial, intellectual, and scientific life of Baku. Rothschilds, a wealthy Jewish family and the most famous of European banking dynasties, have predominantly funded the construction of the Baku-Batumi oil pipeline. Another great example is Baku-born engineer David Landau and his wife, doctor Lyubov Veniaminovna Landau, who were acclaimed members of the scientific society of Baku. Their son Lev became one of the most prominent scientists of the 20th century and got nominated for the Nobel Prize in Physics. With the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918, which followed the fall of the Russian Empire, Azerbaijani authorities granted equal rights to all ethnic minorities, including Jews. Moisey Gukhman, chairman of the Jewish National Council, represented the interests of Jews in the newly created Azerbaijani parliament. According to the Azerbaijani Jewish community, around 24,000 Jews live in Azerbaijan, including Mountain Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, and Georgian Jews. Mountain Jews primarily settled in Baku and the northern Guba district. Ashkenazi Jews mostly live in the cities of Baku and Sumgait. Historical sources identify Mountain Jews living in the Caucasus as descendants of the Lost Tribes that left Israel after the destruction of the First Temple in 587 BC. Caucasian Mountain Jews, as they are called, have been living in Azerbaijan for around two millennia, since Jews from Persia and possibly the Byzantine Empire were thought to have moved northeastward and settled in the region. In Azerbaijan, where 97 percent of the population is Muslim, the life of Jews flourished. The only all-Jewish town, Gyrmyzy Gasaba (or Krasnaya Sloboda meaning red village) outside of Israel and the United States is located in Azerbaijan. The name of the village comes from the use of red tiles on many of the roofs. Around 3,200 Mountain Jews settled in this village, which is considered the worlds last surviving shtetl. A shtetl was a small town populated by Jews in Central and Eastern Europe before the Holocaust. There are three Jewish synagogues in Gyrmyzy Gasaba (Krasnaya Sloboda). While synagogues in Europe, the United States, and Muslim-majority countries around the world are secured like a fortress, such measures are not necessary for those in Azerbaijan where armed guards or high-tech security solutions could barely be seen. Last February, the Museum of the History and Culture of Mountain Jews opened in Krasnaya Sloboda. It is located in the Karchog synagogue, closed during the Soviet years, and restored to its original appearance before becoming a museum. The art center exhibits multiple items such as clothes, jewelry, ritual utensils, manuscripts, books, and old household items donated by Jews living in different corners of the world. 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 last, forty-fourth day of the war, November 9, Armenia's occupation troops continued to resist the counter-offensive of the liberation Azerbaijani army, however, a mass exodus of the invaders from the Khojavend region began. Shelling of Azerbaijan's border regions has intensified. During 43 days of the war, 93 Azerbaijan civilians were killed under the shelling of Armenian war criminals, 407 civilians were wounded. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in an interview with the BBC reiterated that Baku is ready to cease hostilities any time. The first structures of the Ministry of Emergency Situations were formed on the liberated lands. By 13:00, the liberation of 23 villages in six regions of Azerbaijan, including Khojaly, was announced. In response, the remnants of the occupation forces subjected the Askipara village of the Terter district to artillery shelling, about 100 houses were damaged. While trying to retreat from Khojaly to Khankendi, a military column of occupiers was liquidated. The Azerbaijani liberation army launched a counteroffensive in the direction of Khojavend, in particular, one of the last Armenian air defense systems in this sector of the front was destroyed. In the afternoon, the first footage of the liberated Shusha was published. Armenia acknowledged that its occupation forces had been thrown out of Shusha and that the Azerbaijani liberation army was near Khankendi. A mosque desecrated by the invaders turned into a cowshed was discovered in the Fizuli region. By 19:00, the liberation of 49 more villages in seven regions of Azerbaijan was announced. Late in the evening Terter was fired upon by the invaders for the last time. In the evening, news came of the crash of a Russian military helicopter in Armenia, near the village of Yeraskh. Baku immediately admitted the guilt of the Azerbaijani military, the Prosecutor General's Office of the Azerbaijan Republic launched an investigation, the head of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defense expressed condolences to the Russian Minister of Defense. The Russian Foreign Ministry positively assessed the fact that Baku immediately admitted guilt. On the night of November 10, Armenia surrendered - this was first unofficially reported by a representative of the Armenian opposition, and then officially confirmed by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan: the full ceasefire was announced from midnight on November 10 (MSK). Pashinyan explained that he had no other choice. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the signing of a trilateral peace statement by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Russia and Armenia to end the Karabakh war. During the videoconference, Vladimir Putin and President Ilham Aliyev signed this document, Pashinyan signed it later. Aliyev also apologized to Putin for the tragic incident with the downed helicopter. At that moment, a crowd of angry nationalists broke into the building of the Armenian government. In front of the parliament building, the crowd caught and beat the speaker of the National Assembly, and also broke into the parliament building. Pashinyan promised to punish the rioters According to the signed trilateral statement, Yerevan pledged to withdraw the occupation troops from the Aghdam, Kelbajar and Lachin regions of Azerbaijan within three weeks, and Russia deployed its peacekeepers in Karabakh. The Armenian Defense Ministry promised to strictly abide by the terms of the statement. The Kremlin said that the text of the statement had been drawn up for several days. The document was published on the morning of November 10. Thus, on the last day of the war, the Azerbaijani army liberated a record number of settlements - 71 villages and one settlement. Deprived of communication with Armenia, the invaders left their positions and fled to Khankendi. Thanks to the liberation of Shusha, the occupying Armenian forces were surrounded. Therefore, Yerevan agreed to capitulate -in order to save about 20 thousand lives of the invaders. Thus, the Karabakh war ended with the victory of Azerbaijan. On Tuesday, November 9, Azerbaijani engineering equipment, paving the way to the positions of the Azerbaijani army in the direction of the settlement of Yellidzha, Kelbajar region, came under fire from the Armenian Armed Forces. This is stated in a message posted on the page of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan on the social network Facebook. The shelling was carried out from small arms from positions in the village of Yukhari Shorja in the Basargechar region. The ministry stressed that the units of the Azerbaijani army took immediate and adequate response measures. Nobody was injured as a result of the incident. The Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov, left for Moscow to participate in the regular meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the CIS member states, according to the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan. According to the ministry, the meeting will take place on November 10. The illegal visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to the territories of Azerbaijan is a military-political provocation, according to the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. According to the ministry, the Armenian media reported on the illegal visit of the Minister of Defense of Armenia Arshak Karapetyan to the territory of Azerbaijan, Khankendi, where the Russian peacekeepers are temporarily deployed. "The unauthorized visit of the Armenian Defense Minister to Azerbaijani lands, holding meetings with illegal Armenian formations and expressing an opinion about their combat readiness is a military-political provocation," the ministry reports. The ministry stressed that this provocative visit of the Armenian Defense Minister was deliberately carried out on the eve of the anniversary of the signing of the trilateral statement by the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Russia and the Prime Minister of Armenia. The military-political leadership of Armenia, grossly violating the provisions of the trilateral statement, intentionally destabilizes the situation in the region and endangers the activities of the Russian peacekeepers, the message says. The ministry added that the Armenian military leadership, instead of drawing conclusions from the total defeat in the second Karabakh war in 44 days, adapting to the new geopolitical situation in the region, strengthening peace and security, is making attempts at cheap military adventures with the expectation of an internal audience. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan congratulated Azerbaijan on occasion of November 8 - Victory Day, by posting a message on Twitter. "I sincerely congratulate Azerbaijan on the glorious victory that marked the liberation of the lands in Karabakh," Erdogan wrote. I honor the memory of the heroes who gave their lives in the name of the Motherland, I thank the veterans," he added. Georgia's United National Movement (UNM) opposition party is holding a rally in front of the building of the Ministry of Justice in Tbilisi, following yesterday's transfer of former president Mikheil Saakashvili to Gldani prison hospital against his will. The party is demanding the transportation of Saakashvili to a civil clinic, his release from prison and the annulment of recent municipal election results. UNM head Nika Melia says that rallies will be held regularly in Tbilisi and regions, in accordance with the law and without breaking into state buildings, until all the goals are reached. The Georgian Justice Ministry stated yesterday that Saakashvili, who has been on hunger strike for 39 days, was transferred to Gldani Prison No.18 hospital from Rustavi Prison No.12 to prevent a deterioration in his health due to increased risks. The ministry said that Saakashvili attacked Gldani prison personnel and damaged medical equipment while in the prison hospital. The ministry further also released a video to dismiss allegations that Saakashvili was transferred to the prison hospital against his will. Saakashvili, however, said that he was told he would be transferred to a civil clinic and not to the prison hospital, adding that the prison staff attacked him, Agenda.ge reported. Saakashvili, who is a citizen of Ukraine and is chairing the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian National Reforms Council, returned to Georgia after eight years in political exile to remove the Georgian Dream government from power. He was arrested in Tbilisi on October 1, a day before Georgian municipal elections, and has been on hunger strike since then. However, the government officials claim that Saakashvili is eating certain food while on hunger strike and is staging a show. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has stated that Saakashvili and his United National Movement party have plans to cause unrest if the former president is brought to a civil clinic. Saakashvili was convicted in Georgia in absentia back in 2018 for abuse of power and was sentenced to six years in prison. On Wednesday, November 10, three protests will take place in Tbilisi. This was announced today at a rally on Rustavi Avenue by the chairman of the United National Movement (UNM) Nika Melia. All of them will start at the same time - at 11:00. The first protest will take place at the building of the Ministry of Justice, the second - at the Ministry of Health, and the third - near the so-called module. Melia emphasized that the gathering points and the location of the rallies will gradually increase. According to him, if the trial of former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, scheduled for 13:00, is held in the Tbilisi City Court, the rally will move to the courtyard of the court building. "Now is not the time to sit at home," said the UNM chairman. Let us remind you that Mikhail Saakashvili was detained in Tbilisi on October 1. On the same day, he went on a hunger strike. Commenting on his detention, the ex-head of state noted that he did not admit the charges brought against him and considered himself a political prisoner. On November 8, he was taken to the hospital at the prison in Gldani. During Irans army military drill entitled 'Zolfaghar 1400', American MQ-9 and RQ4 drones that had entered the FIR and the ADIZ (Air Defense Identification Zone) areas of Iran were intercepted by Irans Army Air Defense. These trans-regional drones changed their course from approaching Iran's bordersafter being intercepted and alerted by Iran's air defense. It should be noted that joint Zolfaghar 1400 Army military exercise was at the focal attention of trans-regional forces especially the United States, since the beginning of the drill, and in this regard, American MQ-9 and RQ4 drones intended to obtain information in the vicinity of the military exercise, Mehr News Agency reported. The joint military exercise of Iran's Army entitled "Zolfaghar 1400" kicked off on Sunday under the command of the Armys Zolfaghar base. Moscow and Washington realize that contacts between Presidents Vladimir Putin of Russia and Joe Biden of the United States must persist, but theres no definite time set for a new meeting between the leaders yet, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Tuesday. "Theres an understanding that the meeting is necessary, that contacts between the two presidents are needed, and that the contacts must be continued. But theres no definite time yet," he said in response to a question about a potential new summit between Putin and Biden. Peskov earlier said that both Moscow and Washington are interested in setting up direct contacts between the presidents in the near future. However, he said the options for the timing of the meeting were yet to be fixed. The White House isnt ready to say yet if the new meeting between the two leaders will take place this year. Putin and Biden last met for talks in Geneva on June 16. It was their first meeting as heads of state and the first Russian-US summit since 2018. The leaders said in a joint statement that the sides were going to start a comprehensive bilateral dialog for strategic stability that would be substantive and vigorous. Moscow and Washington also agreed to start consultations on cybersecurity, prisoner exchange and arms control. Foreign Minister of Belarus Vladimir Makei will discuss with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov the situation on the border of the republic with Poland. This was reported by the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. The ministry stressed that the situation on the border between Belarus and Poland is still tense, RIA Novosti reports. "For the first time in the history of modern Belarus, we face something like this...Tomorrow, I believe, we will not ignore this topic with Sergey Viktorovich Lavrov within the framework of joint meeting of the collegiums of the Foreign Ministries of the two countries," Makei said. Let us remind you that the day before the State Border Committee of Belarus reported that a large group of refugees from the countries of the East and Africa went to the border of the republic. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov held phone talks on Monday, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry's website. On the eve of the anniversary of the trilateral statement signed on November 10, 2020, the ministers discussed the implementation of the joint statement. The parties also exchanged views on the agenda of bilateral cooperation. Lavrov also had a telephone conversation with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan. "The top diplomats discussed certain issues on the bilateral and regional agenda," the statement reads. The top diplomats also touched upon key issues of Russian-Armenian cooperation, as well as certain aspects of the regional and international agenda. Lithuanias cabinet of ministers has declared the introduction of a state of emergency in the regions bordering Belarus. The decision was made at the Tuesday meeting of the government. "The decision was made taking into account the aggravation of the situation in the border region, we are submitting it for the parliaments approval," Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said. According to the current procedure, a state of emergency can be declared by the Seimas (parliament) at the petition of the government. According to the proposal of the Ministry of the Interior, the state of emergency will be effective beginning at midnight on November 10 in the border area and within 5 kilometers from it as well as at the places of accommodation for migrants from African and Asian countries who penetrated into Lithuania through Belarus. This regime is proposed to be declared for one month. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev will arrive in Istanbul, his press secretary Berik Uali said. It is noted that the Kazakh leader will take part in the summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking countries. "On November 11-12, President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev will pay a working visit to Istanbul to participate in the VIII summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic-speaking States. It is planned that during the summit the prospects for strengthening multifaceted interaction within the Turkic Council with an emphasis on the development of trade, digitalization, green technologies and other relevant areas will be considered, "Uali wrote in his social networks. He also added that Tokayev will hold a number of bilateral meetings during the visit. Turkey will swiftly start preparations for second and third nuclear power plants, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday. These will follow the countrys first nuclear power plant, Akkuyu, which is being built in the southern Mersin province. "We are carrying out our studies considering the growing energy needs. We plan to commission the first unit of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) in 2023," Erdogan told an opening ceremony of power plants via video link from the capital Ankara. "After Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant, we will swiftly begin preparations for our second and third power plants," Daily Sabah cited the Turkish leader as saying. Akkuyu is being built by Russias state nuclear energy firm Rosatom. The two countries signed a cooperation agreement in 2010 and began the construction in 2018. The initial unit of the plant is aimed to be completed by May 2023. Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in March launched the construction of the plants third reactor, out of a total of four. The three remaining units are due to start operation by the end of 2026, at a rate of one per year to ultimately have a total installed capacity of 4,800 megawatts (MW). The construction of the second unit started in June last year. The groundbreaking ceremony of the fourth reactor will take place next year. Once completed, the plant is expected to produce 35 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually and will meet about 10% of domestic electricity needs. It will have an estimated service life of 60 years with an extension of another 20 years and will produce carbon-free energy around the clock. Following a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in September, Erdogan said Russia could also be involved in the construction of Turkeys second and third nuclear power plants. "We spoke to Mr. Putin about building two more nuclear plants, besides Akkuyu. He agreed to work on the issue," Erdogan had said. As a baseload plant, Akkuyu NPP will play a leading role in reducing dependence on imported energy resources, especially natural gas. "It is impossible for those who have the slightest sensitivity in their hearts about the economic independence of Turkey and the well-being of the Turkish nation to oppose nuclear energy, Erdogan said Tuesday. "We will look for ways to make more use of our renewable energy sources." The total amount of investment in the plant is estimated to be around $20 billion. The giant project is expected to employ around 15,000 people during its peak construction period, and about 4,000 people during its operations. The Turkish armed forces have eliminated four militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in the Metin area in northern Iraq. This is stated in the message of the Turkish Ministry of National Defense. The operation was carried out jointly with the Turkish National Intelligence Service (MIT). "As a result of the joint operation of the Turkish Armed Forces and MIT in the Metin area, 4 terrorists were neutralized by an air strike," Anadolu agency reports. The United States has imposed sanctions against Russian national Yevgeniy Polyanin and Ukrainian citizen Yaroslav Vasinskyi on charges of their involvement in cybercrimes against American companies and manipulations with crypto currencies, the US Department of the Treasury said in a statement. According to the department, Polyanin and Vasinskyi were part of a hackers group, REvil, which is also known as Sodinokibi. "OFAC [the Office of Foreign Assets Control] is designating Ukrainian Yaroslav Vasinskyi (Vasinskyi) and Russian Yevgeniy Polyanin (Polyanin) for their part in perpetuating Sodinokibi/REvil ransomware incidents against the United States," the statement reads. "Vasinskyi deployed ransomware against at least nine US companies. Vasinskyi is also responsible for the July 2021 ransomware activity against Kaseya, which caused significant disruptions to the computer networks of Kaseyas customer base," the document continued. "Polyanin also deployed ransomware, targeting several US government entities and private-sector companies. These two individuals are part of a cybercriminal group that has engaged in ransomware activities and received more than $200 million in ransom payments paid in Bitcoin and Monero," according to the statement. "OFAC is also designating a company owned by Polyanin, pursuant to E.O. 13694 as amended. Malicious cyber activities against the US government and private sector will be aggressively investigated and pursued. Companies are encouraged to report all ransomware incidents to law enforcement, as well as any payments with a potential sanctions nexus to OFAC, and strengthen their cyber defense posture," the statement added. On the occasion of the anniversary of the signing of the trilateral ceasefire declaration by the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia, the U.S. State Department urged Baku and Yerevan to intensify contacts, including through the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), in order to resolve all remaining issues related to the conflict. "This week, the United States and the international community recognize the one-year anniversary of the ceasefire declaration that ended 44 days of intense fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the South Caucasus," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in the statement. "We urge Armenia and Azerbaijan to continue and intensify their engagement including under the auspices of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs to find comprehensive solutions to all outstanding issues related to or resulting from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," the statement reads. The U.S. State Department extended its deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured during the hostilities last year, calling for the return of all remaining detainees, a full accounting of missing persons, the voluntary return of displaced persons to their homes, comprehensive humanitarian de-mining of conflict-affected areas, and access by international humanitarian organizations to those in need. "The United States remains committed to promoting a secure, stable, prosperous, and peaceful future for the South Caucasus region," Price stressed. This year, 4.8 million Russians can visit Turkey, according to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), the previous forecast was 4.5 million. ATOR Executive Director Maya Lomidze said that 4.35 million Russians have already visited Turkey since the beginning of the year, which makes it necessary to revise the forecasts for the annual tourist flow to this country. "Previously, the maximum estimate was at the level of 4.5 million tourists for the entire 2021. Now it is obvious that this figure will be higher and may approach 4.7-4.8 million tourists," she said. The total tourist flow from Russia to Turkey since the beginning of the year was 35% lower than in the same period of the pre-pandemic 2019. However, in October 2021, 887 thousand Russians visited Turkey, which is 11.8% more than in October 2019. In addition, Istanbul this year turned out to be more popular than before the pandemic. Since the beginning of 2021, Istanbul has received 3.5% more Russians than in 2019. Out of 4.35 million Russians who have been on vacation in Turkey this year, 3.4 million have chosen Antalya. Russia ranks first in terms of tourist flow to Turkey this year. Earlier, the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Mehmet Nuri Ersoy reported that Turkey expects at least 4 million tourists from Russia in 2021. As Yevgeny Itsakov, Head of the Management and Entrepreneurship Department, School of Economic and Social Sciences, noted in an interview with the Vestnik Kavkaza correspondent, Turkey managed to almost completely restore the previous tourist flow from Russia (in 2019 it amounted to 6 million people), first of all due to the recognition of "Sputnik V". Turkey receives Russians vaccinated with the Russian vaccine, and this fundamentally distinguishes it now as a tourist destination from Europe, which Sputnik V does not recognize. it is impossible to graft in Russia), were pushed to Turkish resorts. Anyone who wants a warm sea and foreign exoticism is now much easier to go to Turkey, "he explained. In addition, vacationing in Turkey is still much cheaper than most other foreign resorts. "The pandemic hit the economic condition and the ability to pay. Regardless of the requirements for vaccines, many who would like to travel to Spain or Italy can only afford Turkey for financial reasons now ," Yevgeny Itsakov emphasized. Also, those who were forced to vacation in Russia last year due to epidemiological restrictions are actively returning to Turkey. "Some people have a strong desire to go somewhere abroad, because they had to vacation in the country for several years. Again, this group of tourists travels wherever possible, and Turkey is one of the obvious destinations. The alternative is resorts in the Indian Ocean and Egypt,, where the tourist flow has grown. In general, there is a feeling that the tourist market has returned to the situation of the early 2000s, when Turkey and Egypt dominated, "the expert concluded. The official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia Maria Zakharova said on the air of the program "Evening with Vladimir Solovyov" on the TV channel "Russia 1", that the West could be creative about the migrant crisis on the EU border with Poland and Lithuania. "Those who usually lecture everyone else, call for something, massively reproach (I'm talking about the older brothers of Poland and Lithuania), could well show their creativity. Including in public space," the diplomat said. Answering the question about the possibility of providing humanitarian assistance to migrants from the EU, Zakharova stressed that for this there are all international legal mechanisms, including those related to humanitarian law. "Usually, everything that should now be put into action should be set in motion, <...> is used to criticize those countries that the Western community considers uncivilized for some reason," TASS quotes the Foreign Ministry official spokesperson. She recalled that the European Court of Human Rights demanded that Poland and Latvia provide assistance to migrants who are on the borders of the countries with Belarus. Zakharova stressed that these requirements were partially met, but these people still need food and warm clothes. Let us remind you that it was reported yesterday that several thousand illegal migrants from the Middle East and Africa, including women and children, who are in Belarus, moved towards the border with Poland. They tried to break down the fence and cut the barbed wire. In response, the Polish security forces sprayed tear gas. The Polish authorities stressed that this is "the largest so far attempt of mass penetration by force" into the country. Currently, there is a concentrations of migrants at the border posts, waiting in the hope of accessing the EU countries. Vietnams pepper export prices are soaring, causing domestic material selling prices to double. Experts believe that the golden days of black gold are returning. After a long slump, the export price has skyrocketed. In October, exporters sold black pepper 550g/l at $4,500 per ton, and white pepper at $6,290. A report from the Ministry of Rural Development (MARD) showed that the average pepper export price in the first 10 months of the year increased by 71.3 percent to $3,434 per ton, the highest level since 2018. The export value increased by 44.2 percent over the same period last year, despite the 5.7 percent decrease in export volume to 783,000 tons. Pepper exporters confirmed that their export volume fell sharply, but revenue was 30-70 percent higher. Vietnams pepper is now present in 110 countries and territories, making up 60 percent of total output worldwide. Instead of exporting raw pepper, businesses now sell diverse products such as black green and white pepper, pepper powder and vinegar pickled pepper. According to MARD, the export price surge has caused the domestic price to increase twofold. In January, raw pepper was collected at VND50,000 per kilogram, while the price exceeded VND90,000 per kilogram in October and reached VND100,000 per kilogram sometimes. In October alone, the price rose by VND8,000-9,000 per kilogram. The price slightly decreased in early November, but is still high, at VND86,500-89,000 per kilogram in the pepper metropolises of DakLak, DakNong, BaRia-VungTau and DongNai. MARD predicted that the export volume in the last two months of the year may reach 40,000-45,000 tons. With the price increases in the world market, exports are expected to bring turnover of $1 billion this year. According to VPA, since the pepper output in Vietnam and other countries has decreased sharply because of climate change and demand increases in the year-end sale season, pepper prices will continue the upward trend. If so, the inventory pepper will sell out. With the strong rebound, experts believe that Vietnams pepper will see its golden days coming back. Le Hoang Tai, Deputy Director of Vietrade, said Vietnams spice and flavor industry is witnessing an impressive transformation, which is turning the country into an important source of spice and flavor supplies. The demand in the world is increasing rapidly, while some supply sources are decreasing, which means a great opportunity to boost exports. Hoang Phuoc Binh, Deputy Chair of Vietnam Pepper Association, believes that pepper prices will be better in late 2021 and the following years, predicting that the price would reach VND100,000 per kilogram later this year. If pepper can go for good prices, many farming households will resume pepper cultivation. Tam An Vietnam at risk of losing pepper export markets due to high freight costs Vietnam is at risk of losing out on major pepper export markets due to increasing logistics costs, according to the Vietnam Pepper Association (VPA). The share price increases last week helped rich businesspeople become even richer. Boss Duc (left) and Boss Hien Three bosses earn big money Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) owned by Doan Nguyen Duc, or Boss Duc, has released its Q3 financial report which showed revenue of VND554 billion in the third quarter of the year, the same as Q2 and a 20 percent reduction compared with the same period last year. The noteworthy feature of the report is the 58 percent decrease in revenue in Q3 to VND220 billion, as HAGL no longer has revenue from HAGL Agrico. Meanwhile, pig sales were VND183 billion in Q3 and VND442 billion in the first three quarters of the year. The group is preparing farming facilities to raise 15,000 sows in 2022 and sell 300,000 pigs a year. It also earned revenue from cow sales, VND27 billion, after 10 consecutive quarters of no revenue from this sector. Soon after releasing its Q3 financial report, HAG shares soared to the ceiling level on November 1 trading session to VND5,510 per share, a 4-month high. The November 3 trading session witnessed the strong rise of bank shares. LPB of LienViet Post Bank was at the ceiling level of VND22,850 per share, despite the information that Thaiholdings of Boss Thuy (Vice President of the bank) registered to sell all the 22.3 million LPB shares the company is holding, though it had incurred a loss of VND89 billion. Prior to that, Thaiholdings held LPB when the price was over VND28,000 per share. The newly released Q3 financial report showed that 22.4 million LPB held by Thailholdings have the original price of VND563 billion. Boss Thuy holds 34.2 million LPB, or 2.85 percent. Meanwhile, Saigon Hanoi Commercial Bank (SHB) of Boss Hien saw the bank share price rise by 3.3 percent with the closing price at VND31,500 per share. As such, the price of the share increased by 27 percent after 9 consecutive increases since October 26. SHB led the banking sector in terms of liquidity with 45.4 million units traded. Prior to that, on November 4, SHB also witnessed the sharp increase of 6.46 percent and huge trading volume of 44 million units. Thao richer than ever After a long period of struggle, VJC shares of Vietjet Air, whose CEO is Nguyen Thi Phuong Thao, have bounced back since early June. VJC now is traded at over VND130,000 per share, the 2-year high. Prior to that, the share price tumbled to below VND100,000 because of Covid-19. Thao has the total assets of $2.7 billion as reported by Forbes and she is the richest businesswoman in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Thaos Sovico Group in early November signed an MOU with Linacre College on Sovicos donation of 155 million pounds for education development. Steelmaker makes a breakthrough Hoa Sen Group (HSG), owned by billionaire Le Phuoc Vu, continued reporting post-tax profit of trillions of dong. In 2020-2021 (from July 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021), HSG reported consolidated post-tax profit of VND4.3 trillion, or 3.7 times higher than the year before. Le Phuoc Vu The estimated amount of products sold was 2.25 million, an increase of 39 percent over the previous fiscal year which brought turnover of VND48.727 trillion, up by 77 percent. Its post-tax profit was at a record high, at VND4.313 trillion, or 3.74 times higher. In Q4 (from July 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021) of the fiscal year alone, the consumed output was 600,000 tons, revenue VND15.8 trillion and consolidated post-tax profit VND940 billion, increasing by 9 percent, 89 percent and 109 percent, respectively, over the same period last year. Mobile World collects $4 billion The Gioi Di Dong (MWG) owned by Nguyen Duc Tai has approved a resolution on establishing a VND100 billion subsidiary specializing in storage and cargo transportation service. MWG has approved a plan to increase its charter capital by VND800 billion, and increase Bach Hoa Xanh Trading JSC by VND3.2 trillion. It is experiencing the restructure of capital at An Khang Retail, and planning to transfer all the shares it holds to Bach Hoa Xanh. MWG still performed well at the most difficult moment of the pandemic. It reported a positive growth rate in the first 9 months, net revenue of VND86.8 trillion and post-tax profit of VND3.338 trillion, up by 7 percent and 12 percent, respectively. The sales via online channel increased significantly with VND9.3 trillion worth of revenue. Quoc Cuong Gia Lai reports small profit The company reported that the net revenue in Q3 dropped by 57 percent over the same period last year to VND223 billion, while revenue from real estate dropped by 64 percent to VND174 billion. While revenue decreased, the gross profit margin of the real estate firm improved significantly, reaching 21.5 percent, higher than the 16.9 percent in Q3 2020. The company of Nguyen Thi Nhu Loan reported a post-tax profit of VND10 billion in Q3, down by 50 percent. Bao Anh Vietnam's No. 1 billionaire expands investment Vingroup, the company of Vietnams richest man, billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong, has expanded investment in major projects in the fields of electric cars and technology but has not neglected its traditional businesses. China is no longer an easy market and if Vietnamese businesses dont change their business strategies, it will be more difficult to enter the huge market. China is no longer a market that is easy to please, said Ngo Xuan Nam, Deputy Director of SPS Vietnam, amid a series of new regulations set by China on selling farm produce and food to the Chinese market. According to Nam, China released 42 notices on the changes with regulations on food safety and plant and animal quarantine in the first 10 months of 2021. Most recently, China released the new standard GB 2763-2021, setting 10,092 limits on maximum residue levels for 564 plant protection products on a list of 376 foods. As such, there are 81 more plant protection chemical products in the new standard and 2,985 more plant protection residue limits (42 percent). Huynh Tan Dat, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department (PPD), said China has changed many regulations on plant quarantine and food safety applied to imports. They are tightly controlling imports across border gates, and negotiating opening the door for each category of products. In addition, China now controls imports under the protocol mode, and asks exporters to declare growing area codes and packaging facilities. Notably, China's list of plant pests has 500 species, including many common pests, often associated with Vietnams fresh fruit exports. According to Pingxiang International Fruit Association in Guangxi, China, 100 percent of Vietnams fruit exports to China have to undergo inspection, while the proportion is just 30 percent for Thai products. NAFIQADs (National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department) Deputy Head Le Ba Anh said that China inspects for coronavirus on live and frozen seafood packs and means of transport. This causes difficulties for export companies as they have to pay for storage fees while waiting at ports. The number of seafood consignments exported to China being given warnings is increasing rapidly, he said, advising companies to be cautious about the food additives and seafood diseases. Local authorities, businesses confused Nguyen Lan Duong, President of Hoa Viet International Agriculture, said there should be a specific strategy on branding Vietnams farm produce. However, she said, the building of brands should start from managing the quality of farm produce, from the cultivation, harvesting, processing to the packing and transportation. State agencies need to set up centers and taskforces in charge of guiding enterprises, cooperatives and local agencies to follow necessary procedures as required by the Chinese market. Businesses are willing to pay for specific guidance. For the immediate time, Huong asked SPS, PPD and relevant agencies to release documents on how to follow the required procedures for every market and every product. Dinh Thi Phuong Khanh, Deputy Director of the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development of Long An, which grows dragon fruit for export, said the province has granted 69 growing area codes to serve exports to China. We hope we can have documents and illustrated images to disseminate policies to businesses, Khanh said. Deputy Director of Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Phan Van Tan said enterprises are confused about the new regulations, and so are officers. Le Thanh Hoa, Director of SPS Vietnam, said a lot of changes have been made in the last years to regulations on food safety and biosafety applied to food and farm imports to China. Decrees 248 and 249 are two new legal documents. However, he thinks the two decrees dont have a big impact on agricultural enterprises. Decree 249 says enterprises have to take responsibility for food safety even when products have entered China. Vietnams businesses need to choose reliable partners to help with keeping records for at least six months. Chinese requirements, analysts said, are closer to that of developed countries. Therefore, Vietnams businesses need to strictly observe the new regulations to ensure uninterrupted exports. Tam An China resumes importing Vietnamese dragon fruit, bananas China has agreed to resume importing Vietnamese dragon fruit and bananas through the Kim Thanh International Border Gate in Lao Cai province following a hiatus due to COVID-19. Part 3: To bring submarines to Vietnam only one at a time, Vietnamese soldiers had to cross three oceans for 45 days. The submarines were carried by the Dutch Rolldock Sea vessel. To bring submarines to Vietnam only one at a time, Vietnamese soldiers had to cross three oceans for 45 days From late 2013 to early 2017, Vietnam safely brought six submarines from Russia to Vietnam, a voyage which lasted 270 days and 100,000 nautical miles. On April 3, 2014, at Cam Ranh Military Port, the Navy held a national flag raising ceremony for the first two submarines, 182 - Hanoi and 183 Ho Chi Minh City. Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Quan, Political Commissar of Brigade 189, said in December 2013, No1 and 2 teams completed the training course two years before the deadline and left for Vietnam to prepare for the reception of two submarines 182 and 183, and for technology transfer training. The submarines were carried by Rolldock Sea vessel, accompanied by five sailors with excellent learning achievements. Trans-ocean shipments Departing from Kaliningrad, the province in the westernmost part of Russia, Rolldock Sea carried first shipment, Submarine 182 - Hanoi, took a voyage on the Baltic Sea, crossing through the strait between England and Germany in the Atlantic Ocean. After that, it docked at the Island of Canaria in Spain for three days. The next journey was crossing the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean, passing through the Strait of Malacca and then anchoring at the port of Changi in Singapore. After refueling and getting food, Rolldock Sea left Changi Port to enter the East Sea to reach Vietnam. The total voyage was about 16,000 nautical miles. Despite unfavorable weather conditions and frozen water surface, five submarines named HCM City, Hai Phong, Khanh Hoa, Da Nang and Ba Ria - VungTau, one after another, docked at Cam Ranh Port safely. During the submarine transportation, the Captain of the Rolldock Sea held an ocean crossing ceremony and issued badges to those who crossed the ocean for the first time. This is an unforgettable memory for us, Quan said. According to Colonel Vu Quang Viet, Deputy Commander of the brigade, while the Vietnamese crew were trained in Russia, the building of barracks and shore facilities to prepare to receive submarines were carried out in Vietnam at the same time. In just over a year, the system of barracks, wharfs, power assurance stations, general repair stations, training centers and warehouses was built. The trainees, after finishing the training course and returning to Vietnam, set to translate documents, build documents and plans, and get ready to put the submarines into operation. Putting submarines into combat formation According to the Minister of Defenses decision dated June 20, 2011, the brigade is fully staffed with functional rooms, submarine crews and shore facilities to ensure weapons, technical equipment and logistics conditions for operations. Recalling the day of receiving the first ship, Major Nguyen Trong Khoi, Captain of Submarine 182 - Hanoi, said there was much work that needed to be done then, from preservation, maintenance, arrangement of technical equipment in the ship to shore wiring and mooring lines, and of course, training. Sailors then learned how to use equipment by their specialization. Each of them brought documents with them about submarines, block diagrams and schematic diagrams when working. They collated each pipe and each valve to learn carefully about the equipment. We regularly organized seminars and studies in groups by majors in submarine. The commander assigned tasks to every combat position. In the evening, heads of majors (there are five majors in the submarine) convened meetings to exchange experience and suggest more effective learning methods, Khoi recalled. The cadres and sailors of the Brigade 189 excellently fulfilled the task of receiving, technology transfer training and mastering submarine six months before schedule. And they put the submarine into the combat formation of the Navy. Vietnamese teams of sailors were recognized by Russian specialists as meeting requirements to use weapon and technical equipment in the submarine. The technology transfer training finished. Following the Ministry of National Defences decision, four months after the first submarine arrived in Vietnam, in May 2013, at Cam Ranh Military Base, the Navy organized a ceremony to announce the establishment of the Submarine Brigade 189. Nearly 200 cadres and solders were present at the event that marks a milestone of Vietnam mastering the ocean black holes Kilo 636. These are the soldiers who laid down the foundation of the brigade. In May 2016, when visiting the brigade, Party Committee Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong, Secretary of the Central Military Commission, said: "Cadres and sailors must always improve their political stuff, master submarines and master modern weapons; make every effort to study, train and build clean and strong units; master combat plans; ready to fight and defeat all enemies, contributing to firmly defending the country's sovereignty over sea and islands. Minh Thuy - Quang Thang Submarine sailors learn to master oceans black holes Vietnamese submarine sailors are especially admired by specialists and lecturers at the Russian Naval Academy for fulfilling their training course two years ahead of schedule. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh's business trips to the UK and France have contributed to strongly promoting foreign relations; strengthening the trust of international friends and partners; and affirming the position and role of Vietnam. On November 6, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and a high-ranking delegation of Vietnam arrived at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, ending the Prime Ministers first business trip to Europe. During this trip, the Prime Minister attended the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), and paid a working visit to the United Kingdom (October 31 to November 3) and an official visit to France (November 3 to 5). Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh arrived in Hanoi, successfully ending his trip to Europe. Photo: Nhat Bac During his stay in the UK, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh participated in dozens of bilateral and multilateral activities, contributing to enhancing Vietnam's position and prestige in the international arena. The Prime Minister attended and delivered an important speech at the COP26; attended and spoke at events announcing initiatives of important partners on the sidelines of COP26 such as announcing commitments to reduce global methane emissions, forest and land use action. He also met with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Crown Prince Charles, and other UK officials. In addition, the Vietnamese Prime Minister had more than 20 bilateral meetings with leaders of countries such as the United States, Germany, Japan, Canada, Australia, India, Korea, Thailand... and leaders of international organizations such as the Secretary-General of the United Nations, President of the European Commission (EC), Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)... He also attended dialogues and meetings with leaders of more than 30 economic groups, universities, leading organizations in the world and the UK. He attended the seminar "Creating a Sustainable and Prosperous Future Through Private Investment"; witnessed the launching, signing and awarding ceremonies of nearly 30 cooperation agreements of the Government, ministries, sectors, organizations and domestic enterprises with UK and international corporations, businesses and organizations, including economic - trade agreements worth billions of US dollars. The Prime Minister worked with leaders of AstraZeneca and promoted important content related to investment and technology transfer for drug and vaccine production. During the trip to the UK, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh conveyed a strong message to all international friends at COP26 about a responsible, proactive and active Vietnam in dealing with climate change. He emphasized two main messages. The first is that climate change is a global issue, so a global approach is required. This problem affects everyone, so a people-wide approach must be taken. Secondly, he called for equity and justice in climate change, and developed countries support developing countries in terms of finance, technology and capacity building to be able to successfully implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. Crown Prince Charles met with the Vietnamese Prime Minister on the sidelines of COP26. The Prime Minister's strong commitment related to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 has been shared and appreciated by many countries and partners. The international community has clearly seen Vietnam's policy, determination, efforts and strong commitment in responding to climate change. Regarding bilateral relations between Vietnam and the UK, although it had to focus on COP26, the UK gave the Prime Minister and the Vietnamese delegation a respectful welcome. The host country attached importance to the role and position of Vietnam and wishes to deepen and elevate the strategic partnership with Vietnam. Leaders of the two sides agreed on major orientations to promote cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral fields. The Prime Minister's meetings on the sidelines of COP26 also promoted cooperation between Vietnam and other countries and partners, and actively contributed to the consolidation of a solid and favorable foreign policy for maintaining peace, stability and development of the country. The trip to the UK has opened up many opportunities to strengthen cooperation between Vietnam and other countries and partners in finance, technology transfer and capacity building to support Vietnam in responding to climate change. Relations with France During his official visit to France, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh also had a dense working program with outstanding activities. Specifically, the Prime Minister met with French President Emmanuel Macron, French Prime Minister Jean Castex, President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher, President of the French National Assembly Richard Ferrand, and National Secretary of the French Communist Party Fabien Roussel. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at COP26. Photo: VNA In addition, the Prime Minister worked with leaders of a number of major international organizations based in France such as the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) The Prime Minister received the Managing Director of the COVAX Facility; visited and worked with Sanofi pharmaceutical corporation, and the Pasteur Institute in Paris; and met with Vietnamese and French doctors and medical experts. In addition, he witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding between the two governments, international organizations and businesses, attended the Vietnam - France Business Forum; worked with leaders of many large French economic groups and leaders of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF) The host country France gave Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation a respectful welcome. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and French leaders had an in-depth exchange of directions and cooperation measures in the coming time to strengthen strategic trust, helping the two countries' relations continue to achieve many more practical results. Vietnam and France are determined to further deepen cooperation between the two countries in many fields, and at the same time adapt to changes in the region and the world. The two sides agreed to jointly develop an annual plan with specific tasks, in order to bring Vietnam-France relations to a new height. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh met with French President Emmanuel Macron. Jose Vinals, Chairman of Standard Chartered presented Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh a jersey of Liverpool FC. Photo: Thu Hang Notably, the Prime Minister's trip has strengthened the confidence of investors and the business community, and promoted exciting economic and trade cooperation activities after a period of disruption and due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Prime Minister's message is that Vietnam has moved to a stage of safe and flexible adaptation, effectively controlling the epidemic, accompanying and creating all the most favorable conditions for businesses to invest and do business in a long term business in Vietnam. Health cooperation and vaccine diplomacy, and calling for partners to support Vietnam to control the epidemic are also a focus of this visit. Many international partners announced additional support, and promised to speed up the handover and signing of new agreements on the supply of Covid-19 vaccines as well as medical equipment for Vietnam. Another meaningful activity during this visit was the Prime Ministers meetings with overseas Vietnamese in the UK and European countries. During these meetings, the Prime Minister always affirmed that the overseas Vietnamese community is a driving force for the development of the country. The Prime Minister emphasized the spirit of solidarity, and praised the contribution of overseas Vietnamese to the homeland, especially in the prevention of the Covid-19 epidemic. Thu Hang PM Pham Minh Chinh's trip to Europe and Vietnams responsibility for global issues Attendance at COP26 has been a good opportunity for Vietnam to express its views on climate change, and to affirm its determination to contribute responsibly to global efforts. Some National Assembly (NA) deputies said that Vietnam should reconsider the GDP growth target of 6.5% in 2022 because the country needs a period of time for recovery. Deputy Le Thanh Van. At an NA discussion on November 8, deputy Le Thanh Van said it is difficult for Vietnam to reach the expected economic growth rate of 3-3.5% this year. To achieve this goal, according to Van, GDP must grow by 8.6% in the last three months of the year. "This is a challenging figure. Last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic was not as strong as today, we only achieved a growth rate of 2.91%. Given this years context, I am afraid that it is difficult to achieve 3-3.5 percent," said Van. He said that the GDP growth target set for 2022 - 6.5% - should be assessed more carefully because the time from now until June 2022 will be the time for economic recovery, and after that it can develop. Deputy Vu Tien Loc said that many big cities still focus on the processing and assembly industries, with low added value and a lot of labor. This causes overloading in the centers. He proposed new centers and urban chains in different urban areas, to create many new growth poles. Deputy Trinh Xuan An. Regarding public investment, he proposed: It is necessary to promote public investment in the form of public-private partnership. The state does not do it alone. State agencies are pushing difficulties towards people and businesses to keep themselves safe, he commented. Deputy Pham Van Thinh said that, in the current Covid-19 context, businesses proposed raising the ceiling of extra working time to 400 hours/year to help them fulfil orders for foreign clients in time, stabilize the global supply chain, and increase income for employees. "Businesses earnestly want the Government and the National Assembly to approve this proposal soon. Otherwise, businesses will be very worried about being administratively sanctioned or having production suspended," Thinh said. Deputy Trinh Xuan An said that spending on epidemic prevention and control and welfare has so far been nearly 100,000 billion VND. He proposed a mechanism to mobilize maximum resources from society, from people into economic activities, and to have stronger and direct support policies to deal with labor shortage. Huong Quynh - Tran Thuong 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. Its fair to say everything that was installed in this park has served the community well, has been loved to death and has now exceeded its usefulness, Balk said. In an interview after the meeting, Balk said the parks service area extends for a half-mile radius and includes approximately 6,000 residents. However, the park is the closest one for more than 9,000 people in the surrounding area. This park is kind of doing double duty, Balk said. Whereas we would typically plan park coverage that serves a half-mile radius. ... The nearest park is maybe three-quarters of a mile. Theres also a vacuum, a void in the downtown area. Balk said the park is larger, which means its more likely to have an onsite bathroom, but he could not guarantee that will be the case. Debbie Miller, director of the Waco Child Development Center next to the park, was part of the small public meeting last Thursday. She said if the park had a public pool in place of the Sun Pool, South Waco kids would definitely use it. We use to walk our kids to the Boys Club, and we called them the Deep End Crew because they all learned to swim there, Miller said. Now we have to take them to Hawaiian Falls, but theres not really a pool there for them to learn to swim in. Sessions said he is opposed to the federal government or any government mandating what people will do. It is not our business to do that. I still believe that is between the person and their physician, Sessions said. I think that it is a personal responsibility and that children and their parents should make a decision about what they are going to be doing. We are in our third year of this and for people to be mandating things as people are doing the best they can is a mistake. So I am not for these school mandates. As you know, only now has the shot become available to children. That doesnt mean that they wont get COVID. It means they might not be in the hospital suffering cataclysmic circumstances. Sessions said he voted against the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that passed Friday because there is a lot about it that is wrong. Specifically, Sessions said, the bill calls for spending $65 billion to rebuild public housing in New York City and provides $100 billion which he said the administration will decide how to spend instead of Congress. ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistani authorities Monday announced a month-long cease-fire with a key militant group behind numerous attacks on security forces and civilians over the last 14 years. Government spokesman Fawad Chaudhry said on Twitter that the Taliban government in Afghanistan helped facilitate the cease-fire between the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. In a statement, TTP spokesperson Mohammad Khurasani confirmed the cease-fire beginning Nov. 9 will remain in place until Dec. 9, during which both sides will form a committee to continue talks. He said both sides will adhere to the cease-fire. The agreement was reached amid ongoing peace talks between the government and the TTP that began last month. Chaudry said the truce could be extended if talks continue to make progress. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan is an umbrella group and is a separate organization from Afghanistans Taliban, who seized power in August. The TTP has been emboldened by the return to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Chaudhry provided no details about the ongoing talks, during which he said both sides agreed on the cease-fire. USAID unveils plan for climate change support contract The U.S. Agency for International Development is setting up a new contract to help it prepare for the impact of climate change on its operations. In a new request for information, USAID explains its views on how climate change will change the way it operates around the world. USAID is setting up a new Climate Adaption Support Activity, or CASA, as an organization to offer a suite of services and products to USAID and its partners when climate change issues impact their operations. CASA is intended as a base of knowledge on adaption activities to help decision makers take informed actions, USAID says in the RFI. The support will include assessments, analytical work, thought leadership, capacity development and coalition strengthening. USAID is currently working on a climate strategy that CASA will support. The strategy will focus on continuing development gains and mitigate the risk of backsliding. The strategy and CASAs work will recognize that women, youth, indigenous peoples, and marginalized populations as particularly vulnerable to climate risks, the RFI states. Some objectives laid out in the RFI include increasing the actionable information need to design and implement impactful adaption approaches, interventions and systems shifts. For example, how will climate change impact food production and what kind of changes need to be made to maintain production? A second objective is to look at resilience. USAID is also looking to expand inclusive capacity building, partnerships and coalitions. Responses are due Nov. 19. The RFI is specifically targeting companies on Pool 1 of the governmentwide OASIS professional services vehicle. WATERLOO Authorities are seeking a man who fled from a work release program while serving time for a 2003 knife-point robbery in Waterloo that ended in an officer-involved shooting. Corrections officials said Andrew Lee Stephens, 39, failed to report back to the Waterloo Residential Correctional Facility on Monday. He had served time in prison for a charge of first-degree robbery and was placed on work release on July 26. Stephens is described as a white male, 6 feet tall and weighing about 270 pounds. Authorities allege Stephens grabbed cash from a Kum and Go convenience store on May 12, 2003, and about an hour later he and another man were at the 3 Star Mart, 127 Jefferson St., threatening a clerk with knives. Police were tipped off to the 3 Star Mart robbery and arrived as the assailants started to exit. The accomplice, Willie Carl Jackson, allegedly threw his knife, and they both rushed back inside as police fired. No one was injured. One bullet struck a door to the mens room near the hallway between the store and the neighboring Burger King, and a second shot hit the glass door near the restaurant entrance. Stephens and Jackson and Stephens were detained a short time later. Stephens later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison. Love 0 Funny 1 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. WATERLOO A Waterloo man is recovering after he was shot inside his home early Monday. Officers were called to a home at 302 French St. around 7:05 a.m. and found 38-year-old Jason Fowler with a gunshot wound to his upper chest, according to Waterloo police. Paramedics with Waterloo Fire Rescue took Fowler to a nearby hospital for treatment. Witnesses told police the assailant forced entry into the house, fired twice and then drove off in a black vehicle. No arrests have been made in the shooting. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 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. WAVERLY A Tripoli woman has been sentenced to probation for neglect charges in connection with the death of her elderly mother. Debra Kleppe, 58, was granted a deferred judgment, meaning the case will come off her record if she completes a year of supervised probation. She was also ordered to follow recommendations for mental health treatment and complete 40 hours of community service. Prosecutors had sought jail time. The sentence was handed down Oct. 23 in Bremer County District Court. Kleppes mother, 77-year-old Sylvia Schwerin, suffered scalding injuries at her rural Sumner home May 10, 2019. She wasnt seen by a doctor until May 29, 2019, and she died the following day. Kleppe, a nurse at a rehab center who had medical power of attorney for her mother, was charged with a felony, but she pleaded to a reduced charge of wanton neglect of a dependent adult in September. Love 0 Funny 0 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. MOLINE, Ill. More than 50 UAW picketers lined John Deere Place waving homemade signs at honking cars on Monday afternoon, Day 26 of the strike, outside the headquarters of Deere & Co. in Moline. With music playing out of the bed of a pick-up truck and children running around in the field behind the picket line, UAW workers from across the United States stood in solidarity with Deere workers advocating for an improved tentative agreement across from the main entrance to Deeres corporate offices. The informational picket was sponsored by brothers Brian and Shannon Olsson, who both work at John Deere Engine Works in Waterloo, independent from the UAW. The brothers said they organized the event to facilitate unity between locals. We really united three weeks ago, and it seems as if theres a little bit of division going on, and we need to stand united for all blue collar workers across America, Shannon said, resting a sign that read dont bring back the second TA on his legs. I think that that brings unity by getting people together, talking about our plans, our goals, you know, our futures, and that that will create unity. The UAW rejected the second tentative agreement 55% to 45%, despite gaining majority support from some Quad-City union locals. The contract, which offered improved benefits, was rejected by locals in Waterloo and Dubuque. Quad-City workers reported last week that the close margin was creating tension within the UAW and local chapters. Both brothers said that they are against another vote on the same agreement. Its been turned down, Brian said, referencing the second agreement, you got to come up with a better offer if you want us back to work. Brian said that although the workers were directly advocating for themselves, the outcome of the strike could shift the wages and benefits of all workers in the manufacturing industry. The reason why were here today is to raise the standard of living for not just John Deere workers, but all blue collar workers, Brian said. For standard raises for everybody in our community. And that community includes our dads, moms and aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters. We have an opportunity to raise their standard of living. Traveling over an hour to get to the headquarters was an easy decision, according to the brothers. They wanted to unite the movement near the CEO and other company leaders. Multiple signs that read post retirement healthcare, quality employees deserve quality pay for quality work, and we are essential were held feet away from the large corporate John Deere sign. Were all under one roof, even though were in different locals, Brian said. Its important to get all these people together because were all fighting for the same thing. Love 4 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 2 Angry 1 WASHINGTON (AP) Conservative Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism Tuesday about a Texas death row inmate's demand that his pastor be allowed to pray out loud and touch him during his execution. Executions in Texas, the nation's busiest death penalty state, have been delayed while the court considers the question. The outcome won't take anyone off death row but could make clear what religious accommodations officials must make for inmates who are being put to death. Members of the court's conservative majority suggested during arguments Tuesday that requiring Texas to grant the inmate's request could lead to a string of cases asking for other accommodations. A lawyer for the inmate said the man would be content to have his pastor touch his foot during his execution, but justices questioned what requests might come next. What's going to happen when the next prisoner says that I have a religious belief that he should touch my knee. He should hold my hand. He should put his hand over my heart. He should be able to put his hand on my head. We're going to have to go through the whole human anatomy with a series of cases, Justice Samuel Alito said. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh also expressed concerns about what a ruling for the inmate would mean for requests in the future, with Kavanaugh asking whether all states would have to offer equivalent accommodations. What if, he asked, one state allows bread and wine in the execution room right before the execution" or allows the minister to hug the inmate." Do other states have to do the same? The case before the justices involves John Henry Ramirez, who is on death row for killing a Corpus Christi convenience store worker during a 2004 robbery. Ramirez stabbed the man, Pablo Castro, 29 times and robbed him of $1.25. Texas says an inmate's spiritual adviser may pray with and counsel him until he is taken into the execution chamber and restrained on a gurney. But Texas says that after that, while the spiritual adviser is nearby, he can't speak to or touch the inmate. "An outsider touching the inmate during lethal injection poses an unacceptable risk to the security, integrity, and solemnity of the execution," Texas told the justices in briefs filed with the court. Arguing for Texas, state Solicitor General Judd Stone II also told the justices that Ramirez's request is just an attempt to delay his execution. Justice Clarence Thomas seemed to agree, asking what the justices should do if they believe Ramirez has changed his requests a number of times and filed last minute complaints and if we assume that's some indication of gaming the system. Ramirez's attorney Seth Kretzer told Thomas that is not the case. He has argued that a federal law that protects the religious rights of prisoners requires the state to accommodate Ramirez's requests. The court's three liberal justices seemed more open to Ramirez's arguments, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggesting that where Ramirez wants his spiritual adviser to stand is far away from the restraints Texas uses or IV lines for the lethal execution drug. And both Justices Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer noted Texas had allowed chaplains to touch inmates in the past. The justices also heard from a lawyer for the Biden administration about the experience of the federal government in carrying out a number of executions recently. Under the Trump administration the federal government resumed executions for the first time in 17 years, carrying out 13 of them at the federal execution chamber in Terre Haute, Indiana. During 11 of those executions, which also made news for likely acting as coronavirus superspreader events, religious advisers were present and sometimes prayed aloud with inmates. In at least one case there was brief physical contact before the administration of the lethal injection drug. Arguing for the government, Eric Feigin told the justices that the federal government believes Texas has a strong argument for not allowing a spiritual adviser to touch an inmate during the administration of the lethal injection drug itself. He said federal officials had not allowed that and it would likely give them very, very substantial concerns. He also said it's hard to know how a spiritual adviser might react during that time. That person could faint or stumble and jostle the IV lines, he said. Anything going wrong here would be catastrophic, he said. Feigin also said spiritual advisers stood about 9 feet away as the lethal injection drug was being administered during recent executions. And he noted that the federal death chamber is about twice the size of the one in Texas. As the court has grown more conservative in recent years it has been less open to last-minute challenges to death sentences. But issues surrounding ministers in the death chamber have been one area where the justices have had some openness to stopping an execution. In 2019, two inmates asked the justices to halt their executions over states' refusal to allow their spiritual advisers in the execution chamber. Wrestling with the issue, the high court let one execution go forward but blocked the other, of Texas inmate Patrick Murphy. At the time of Murphy's scheduled execution, Texas allowed state-employed religious advisers to be present in the execution chamber but only employed Christian and Muslim advisers, not anyone who was Buddhist, Murphy's faith. Justice Kavanaugh wrote that Murphy wasn't being treated equally. Texas responded by barring all clergy from the execution chamber, but inmates filed additional lawsuits. Texas ultimately changed its policy in 2021 to allow both state-employed chaplains and outside spiritual advisers who satisfy certain screening requirements to go into the execution chamber. The current Supreme Court case has delayed the final two executions scheduled this year in Texas. Last month judges rescheduled the executions of Kosoul Chanthakoummane, who was to die Nov. 10, and Ramiro Gonzales, who was set for Nov. 17. Gonzales new execution date is July 13 of next year, while Chanthakoummanes is Aug. 17. Approximately 2,500 people are on death rows nationwide according to the Death Penalty Information Center. A total of 17 people were put to death by five states and the federal government last year. The Biden administration announced earlier this year it would halt federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review of its policies and procedures. Still, just last month the administration argued before the Supreme Court for the reinstatement of the death penalty in the case of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. 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 TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) Authorities in Florida have determined that the fatal shooting of a teenager who pointed what turned out to be an air rifle at passing cars and responding officers was justifiable homicide. An investigation found that all the officers involved in the Oct. 16 shooting of Alexander King acted within their legal duties after the 16-year-old repeatedly refused their orders to put down the weapon, Pinellas-Pasco County State Attorney Bruce Bartlett said in a letter released Monday. Officers were responding to reports that the teen was pointing the rifle at passing cars in Tarpon Springs, near St. Petersburg on Florida's Gulf Coast. King was carrying an airsoft rifle that appeared to be a deadly weapon except for a faded orange tip" that the officers couldn't distinguish from a distance, according to Bartletts letter, which was addressed to Tarpon Springs Police Chief Jeffrey Young. The names of the two officers who shot King, along with five other officers at the scene, won't be released because they invoked their right to remain anonymous under Florida's Marsy's Law. According to the investigation, King pointed the rifle at the first officer who arrived at the scene that night. The officer took cover behind a vehicle and called for backup. The officer said he heard King yelling, Shoot me, shoot me, the letter said. Two of the responding officers said they were afraid King was going to shoot them or someone else, so they shot him, four times, the investigation found. He was pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital. Cellphone video taken by a witness corroborates the officers' account, the letter said: It shows King pulling the slide back and charging the rifle. The letter also details the teen's troubled history, including multiple incidents of battery involving students, employees and school resource officers. In 2019, he was removed from Tarpon Springs High School due to a sheriff's office threat assessment. The report said he was seen drawing pictures of knives, guns, German soldiers and swastikas, and seemed to enjoy the uneasiness his behavior caused some students. King had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depression and bipolar disorder, and had been hospitalized against his will for mental health reasons seven times. He also previously confronted police while carrying knives and was subdued with non-lethal pepper balls. His sister, Kelly Greenawald, apologized in a Facebook post to anyone King may have scared, but she believes he never intended to hurt anyone. She said he had battled mental illness since he was 3, a year after being adopted, the Tampa Bay Times reported. She told investigators that King was upset on the evening of Oct. 16, and left home after threatening to kill himself, the letter 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 If you're in the market for an over-the-top estate with high society pedigree, the Vallejo Street address once home to Billy and Vanessa Getty checks off all the right adjectives: polished, palatial, and unattainableat least for you, you silly plebeian. Built in 1912 by the Bay Area architect Louis M. Uptona favorite among Pac Heights mansion dwellers back in the daythe Italian Renaissancestyle estate is pretty much the ultimate in lavish living: Not only can you sleep where Vanessa slept and bathe where Vanessa bathed, you can luxuriate in knowing that your abode also has much sought-after flourishes by the luxury design firm, Chartwelland, apparently, in the knowledge that you could afford to overpay. The 9,700-square-foot house is for sale off market with an asking price of $30 millionBilly and Nessy only fetched $12.5 million for it back in the summer of 2015. (And that's just a measly mil more than the couple paid for it in 2002, three years after they wed.) But in 2015, developer Enrique Landa began renovations, leaving no interior corner untouched, though the original architectureincluding carved pilasters, stone balustrades, and alfresco balconies with views of the Golden Gate Bridgeremain. First, the old castle got a seismic retrofit so that all five levels (yes, all five levels) would be connected by steel to the bedrock. Then the more than century-old floor plan was reimagined, elliptical stairs were added, and a staggering retractable glass awning was installed over the sky lounge (because of course there is a sky lounge). In the kitchen, a full calacatta ora slab was used for the updated island, custom mill work cabinets by Phoenix were installed, as well as custom lighting and a Wolf appliance suit. In a house like this, you'd expect a grand foyer and even the snobbiest among you will not be disappointed. The dramatic entry here leads to a gallery hall and a balcony overlooking the surrounding neighborhoods. Because you are a wannabe Getty, you are sure to host the most lavish of parties and you'll need a nice backdrop for your soirees. Will the Golden Gate Bridge do? We hope so, because there's a panorama of it through the bay windows in the spacious dining room. Before dinner, you'll likely invite your guests to join you through the French doors for glasses of Krug on the terrace. (The kitchen, from we can tell, is kind of whatever. But since you'll be eating dinner most nights at Gary Danko and can afford to hire help to prepare those home-cooked meals, you'll never go in there anyway.) The lords and ladies of the house must, of course, seek refuge from the madding crowd of the entertainer's first floor, and so the master suite is located in the northern wing of the second floor, which also has vistas of the bridge and bay. Swathed in natural light, the airy living quarters have a fireplace, hers-and-hers walk-in closets (c'mon, you know Nessy got both closets), and a pair of white marble bathrooms lit with alabaster chandeliers. The second story also has its own cozy living room with a wood-burning fireplace and massive picture windows (again with the views). Two bedrooms with en suite baths take up the third floor, where you'll also find a sprawling family room where, warmed by the fireplace, you can tuck in to watch something interesting on Fx. There are also guest quarters with their own living room, dining area, and kitchenette, as well as a fitness room and wine cellar. A house like this scoffs at street parking, so t here are two garages to hold a total of four cars. And the four upper levels are accessible by elevator, as well as by an opulent spiral staircase. But the piece de resistance is the pent room. (Don't bother to look up the wordit's a fancy San Francisco thing.) With windows wrapping around two walls and a magical retractable skylight, this space provides the ultimate in indoor/outdoor living. Just roll back the roof like a drop-top and soak in the sun from the sofa. When it gets chilly, snuggle up by the fireplace across the room. Location: 2900 Vallejo St. (Pacific Heights) Size: 9,700 sq. ft. Bedrooms: 6 Bathrooms: 8.5 Asking price: $30,000,000 // For more information, contact Ludovico Mazzola, ludovico@mazzolaproperties.com, 415.652.7483; or Michelangelo Mazzola: michelangelo@mazzolaproperties.com, 408.373.6320; mazzolaproperties.com. The Intrepid Story The third of 24 Essex-class carriers built by the United States in the 1940s, Intrepid entered service on Aug. 16, 1943, and served in the U.S. Navy through the height of the Cold War. The ship played a critical role in the Pacific theater during World War II, carrying 3,200 officers and enlisted men and nearly 100 aircraft. Throughout its deployment, Intrepid survived five kamikaze attacks and a torpedo strike while destroying 650 enemy planes and sinking or damaging 269 enemy ships. The aircraft carrier later plied the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic as an anti-submarine warfare carrier, did three tours of duty in Vietnam, and served as a recovery vessel for NASAs Mercury 7 and Gemini 3 missions in the early 1960s. Following decommissioning of the storied warship in 1974, the Navy sent Intrepid to the Philadelphia Navy Yard to await the scrap heap, but New York City real estate developer and philanthropist Zachary Fisher had a better idea. A longtime supporter of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Brooklyn native and his wife, Elizabeth, spearheaded a campaign to transform the battle-scarred carrier into a world-class naval museum, which opened in 1982. The carrier was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. What Youll See Youll enter Intrepid on the Hangar Deck, a massive space that once served as a garage for Navy aircraft. Now its home to the museums permanent exhibits a thoughtfully curated array of vintage artifacts, interactive displays, restored aircraft and historic video footage designed to lead guests chronologically through the carriers storied deployment. The vast majority of the collection consists of items donated to us by former crew members and their families, says Williams. There are uniforms, pilot gear, diaries and letters. Some guys took photographs or slides or 35-millimeter films when they were onboard. Those things really help lend a personal connection to the people who served onboard this ship. One of the decks most powerful exhibits Kamikaze: Beyond the Fire, a dramatic multimedia experience, tells the story of Japans special attack suicide bombers known as kamikazes, the terrifying new weapon it launched in October 1944 as the Allied advantage grew in the Pacific. On the Line details the role Intrepid played in the Vietnam War through artifacts, interviews and film clips, including the Triple Stix Log, a diary kept by four junior pilots who shared bunk room 111 (aka Triple Stix) that describes their Vietnam missions and antics while onboard the ship in 1967. Its one of the most comprehensive accounts of pilots time in Vietnam, says Jennifer Elliot, the museums manager of youth leadership and alumni programs. On the lighthearted side, Navy Cakes: A Slice of History celebrates the Navys long tradition of using cake as a morale booster. Featuring recipes, photographs and kitchen paraphernalia required to create confections that could feed thousands of sailors, the exhibit spotlights life at sea through a sweet lens. The men onboard Intrepid were here from six months to a year at a time, so they looked for any opportunity to celebrate and bake cakes, says Elliot. Anthill Mine Development and Mt Kelly Plant Refurbishment Brisbane, Nov 9, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Copper Cathode producer Austral Resources Australia Ltd ( ASX:AR1 ) is pleased to provide shareholders with an operational and exploration update.The Company is focussed on developing its new Anthill Mine and ramping production to 10,000t of copper cathode by mid 2022. Site activities are building momentum with an additional 23 personnel onsite bringing the total to 50 personnel to develop the Anthill Mine and prepare key equipment at the Mt Kelly processing plant.Anthill Mine DevelopmentFinal approval to commence mining at Anthill was received on 25 October 2021. Plant and equipment are being mobilised to site with surface clearance works underway. The pit areas are being cleared with vegetation and topsoil stockpiled for mine rehabilitation prior to the commencement of pre-stripping. Thiess is mobilising its fleet in November whilst clearing and site infrastructure is installed. Bulk overburden mining is planned to commence early January. The first planned blast of ironstone capping over the east pit is scheduled mid November.Mt Kelly processing plant refurbishmentThe Mt Kelly heap leach and SX-EW processing facility is operational and continues producing copper cathode from a 2020 mining campaign. In preparation for Anthill Mine ore deliveries in Q2 next year, sections of the plant are being refurbished to ensure high plant availability to stack and process a planned 5,000tpd of oxide ore. The crushing, agglomeration and stacking system is being upgraded with new conveyor rubber, rollers and safety equipment. The SX-EW plant is being restocked for critical spares and being prepared to increase copper cathode production from the current 200t/month to 1,000t/month. The camp is being prepared to cater for 150 employees and contractors when in full production.Summary- Site works are underway at the new Anthill Mine and Mt Kelly plant with bulk earthmoving planned to commence in January 2022- Ore deliveries are scheduled to commence in March/April 2022- Planned nameplate capacity of 10,000tpa of copper cathode production is anticipated by mid 2022- Anthill has a four year mine life, expected to deliver 40,000 tonnes of copper cathode- Exploration and development work is underway to extend mine life and evaluate options to commercialise copper sulphide resourcesSteve Tambanis, Chief Executive Officer said:"It's exciting to see that site works are proceeding as planned with bulk earthmoving to commence in January 2022 and first ore deliveries expected in April 2022. Both Anthill Mine development and Mt Kelly plant refurbishment are progressing to plan. The exploration team is being mobilised with a regional structural review and geophysical studies commencing in November 2021.Our goal is to achieve planned copper production of 10,000tpa by mid 2022.Exploration work is underway in preparation for planned drilling to commence Q2 2022.We look forward to updating investors as key milestones are achieved over the next few months."To view photographs, please visit:About Austral Resources Australia Ltd Austral Resources Australia Ltd (ASX:AR1) is a copper cathode producer operating in the Mt Isa region, Queensland, Australia. Its Mt Kelly copper oxide heap leach and solvent extraction/electrowinning (SXEW) plant has a nameplate capacity of 30,000tpa of copper cathode. Austral is developing its Anthill oxide copper mine which has an Ore Reserve of 5.06Mt at 0.94% Cu. The Company expects to produce 40,000t of copper cathode over a four-year period from mid-2022. Austral owns a significant copper inventory with a JORC compliant Mineral Resource Estimate of 60Mt at 0.7% Cu and 1,940km2 of highly prospective exploration tenure in the heart of the Mt Isa district, a world class copper and base metals province. The Company is implementing an intensive exploration and development programme designed to extend the life of mine and increase then review options to commercialise its copper resources. Sydney, Nov 9, 2021 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Magnis Energy Technologies Limited ( ASX:MNS ) ( FRA:U1P ) ( OTCMKTS:MNSEF ) is pleased to announce that Charge CCCV (C4V) has been selected to participate in the United States Government funded USCAR program. Magnis has a 9.65% stake in C4V.The US$2 Million program was awarded by The United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC, in collaboration with The United States Department of Energy. The Program lead is American Battery Technology Company with BASF and C4V being selected. C4V will be providing the lithium-ion battery cells for the program.USCAR is the collaborative technology company of Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Stellantis. The goal of USCAR is to further strengthen the technology base of the domestic auto industry through cooperative research and development.To view the announcement made by USCAR and American Battery Technology Company, please visit:About Magnis Energy Technologies Limited Magnis Energy Technologies Limited (ASX:MNS) (OTCMKTS:URNXF) (FRA:U1P) is involved in and has strategic investments in several aspects of the electrification supply chain including manufacturing of green credentialed lithium-ion battery cells, leading edge battery technology and high quality, high performance anode materials. The company's vision is to enable, support and accelerate the green energy transition critical for the adoption of Electric Mobility and Renewable Energy Storage. LONDON European lawmakers have pioneered efforts to rein in big technology companies and are working to strengthen those rules, putting them ahead of the United States and other parts of world that have been slower to regulate Facebook and other social media giants facing increasing blowback over misinformation and other harmful content that can proliferate on their platforms. While Europe shares Western democratic values with the U.S., none of the big tech companies Facebook, Twitter, Google that dominate online life are based on the continent, which some say allowed European officials to make a more clear-eyed assessment of the risks posed by tech companies largely headquartered in Silicon Valley or elsewhere in the U.S. But thats only part of the explanation, said Jan Penfrat, senior policy adviser at digital rights group EDRi. The question, Penfrat said, should also be: Why is the U.S. so much lagging behind? And that may be because of the immense pressure from the homegrown companies arguing to officials in Washington that stricter rules would hobble them as they compete with, for example, Chinese rivals. Drawing up a new package of digital rules for the 27-nation European Union is getting a boost from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, who answered questions Monday in Brussels from a European Parliament committee. Its the latest sign of interest in her revelations that Facebook prioritized profits over safety after the former data scientist testified last month to the U.S. Senate and released internal documents. If the EU rules are done right, you can create a game-changer for the world, you can force platforms to price in societal risk to their business operations so the decisions about what products to build and how to build them is not purely based on profit maximization, Haugen told lawmakers. And you can show the world how transparency, oversight and enforcement should work. Since Haugen left Facebook, the company has renamed itself Meta as it focuses its business on a virtual reality world called the metaverse. Im shocked they picked this name, she said. In the book that inspired the term, the metaverse is a dystopian thing, that peoples lives are so unpleasant that they need to hide in the system for half of their day. Haugen has been on a European tour, meeting lawmakers and regulators in the EU and United Kingdom who are seeking her input as they work on stricter rules for online companies amid concerns that social media can do everything from magnify depression in teens to incite political violence. A wider global movement to crack down on digital giants is taking cues from Europe and gaining momentum in the U.S. and Australia. Europe has been a trailblazer in applying more scrutiny for big tech companies, most famously by slapping Google with multibillion-dollar fines in three antitrust cases. Now, the European Union is working on a sweeping update of its digital rulebook, including requiring companies to be more transparent with users on how algorithms make recommendations for what shows up on their feeds and forcing them to swiftly take down illegal content such as hate speech. The rules are aimed at preventing bad behavior, rather than punishing past actions, as the EU has largely done so far. France and Germany also are bringing in legislation requiring social media platforms to take down illegal content quicker, though these rules would be superseded by the EU ones, which are expected to take effect no earlier than 2023. Meanwhile, the U.S. has only recently started cracking down on big tech companies, with regulators fining Facebook and YouTube over allegations of privacy violations and the government suing over their huge share of the market in the last couple of years. American lawmakers have proposed measures to protect kids online and get at the algorithms used to determine what shows up on feeds, but they all face a long road to passing. While Haugens testimony and the documents she has provided have shed light on how Facebooks systems work and spurred efforts in the U.S., European lawmakers may not be that surprised by what she has to say. The fact that Facebook is disseminating polarizing content more than other kinds of content is something that people like me have been saying for years, said Alexandra Geese, a European Union lawmaker with the Green party. But we didnt have any evidence to prove it. European lawmakers have been interested in digging in to algorithms, as they work on requiring platforms to be more transparent with users on how artificial intelligence makes recommendations on what content people see. Its rather about looking under the hood and regulating the kind of mechanisms that a company, a platform established to disseminate content or to direct people down rabbit holes into extremist groups, Geese said. What Haugen is doing is shifting the focus, and I think this is something that many other people before didnt see. In the U.K., which left the European Union last year, the government also is working on raft of digital regulations, including an online safety bill that calls for a regulator to ensure tech companies comply with rules requiring them to remove dangerous or harmful content or face big financial penalties. For the European Union, theres still a lot of wrangling over the final details of the rules, two packages known as the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, which the EU Commission hopes to get approved next year. Free speech campaigners and digital rights activists worry that EU rules requiring platforms to swiftly remove harmful content will lead to overzealous deletion of material that isnt illegal. In a bid to balance free speech requirements, users will be given the chance to complain about what content is removed. In London, theres been a similar debate over how to define harmful but illegal content. Both the EU and U.K. rules call for hefty fines worth up to 10% of a companys annual global turnover, which for the biggest tech companies could amount to billions of dollars in revenue. WASHINGTON He has been here before. President Joe Biden doesnt need to look any further back than his time as vice president to grasp the challenges that lie ahead in promoting his new $1 trillion infrastructure deal to the American people and getting the money out the door fast enough that they can feel a real impact. When President Barack Obama pushed through a giant stimulus bill in 2009, his administration faced criticism that the money was too slow to work its way into the sluggish economy, and Obama later acknowledged that he had failed to sell Americans on the benefits of the legislation. Obamas biggest mistake, he said in 2012, was thinking that the job of the presidency was just about getting the policy right rather than telling a story to the American people that gives them a sense of unity and purpose. Biden began his own effort to fashion such a story when he took a victory lap Saturday after his infrastructure bill cleared the Congress, notching a hard-fought win on a $1.2 trillion piece of legislation that he says will tangibly improve Americans lives in the months and years to come. The Democratic president called it a a once-in-a-generation investment to tackle a range of challenges crumbling roads and bridges, gaps in access to affordable internet, water tainted by lead pipes, homes and cities ill-prepared to cope with increasingly frequent extreme weather conditions. Coming at the end of a particularly difficult week in which his party suffered surprise losses up and down the ballot in elections nationwide, passage of the legislation was a respite from a challenging few months for an embattled president whose poll numbers have dropped as Americans remain frustrated with the coronavirus pandemic and an uneven economic recovery. But the legislative win sets up a series of challenges for Biden, both in promoting the new deal and at the same time continuing to push for a long-argued-over $1.85 trillion social safety net and climate bill, which would dramatically expand health, family and climate change programs. The stakes for Biden are clear in his sagging poll numbers. Priorities USA, a Democratic big money group, warned in a memo this past week that voters are frustrated, skeptical, and tired of COVID, of economic hardship, of school closings, of higher prices and stagnant wages, of unaffordable prescription drugs and health care and more. Without results (and effectively communicating those results), voters will punish the party in power, chairman Guy Cecil said. While polls broadly suggest Americans support the infrastructure package, some indicate the nation is still not certain whats in it. About half of adults surveyed in a Pew Research Center poll conducted in September said they favor the infrastructure bill, but a little over a quarter said they werent sure about it. In an effort to correct past messaging mistakes, the White House is planning an aggressive sales campaign for the infrastructure bill, with Biden planning trips across the U.S. to speak about the impacts of the legislation. Hell visit a port in Baltimore on Wednesday and promises a splashy signing ceremony for the infrastructure bill when legislators are back in town. The administration is also deploying the heads of the Transportation, Energy, Interior and Commerce departments, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency administrator and top White House aides to speak about the bill on national and local media and African American and Spanish-language press. And theyre putting out explainers across the departments digital platforms to help Americans better understand whats in the bill. But even as White House officials speak about whats in the bill, theyll also have to ensure the money gets spent. Its a challenge with which Biden is intimately familiar, having overseen the implementation of the 2009 stimulus as vice president. Then, despite promises to prioritize shovel-ready projects, challenges with permitting and other issues led to delays, prompting Obama to joke in 2011 that shovel-ready was not as shovel-ready as we expected. Democrats felt at the time that the party didnt do enough to remind Americans how they had improved their lives, and ultimately allowed Republicans to frame the election conversation around government overreach. The next year, Democrats faced massive losses in the midterm elections, losing control of the House and a handful of seats in the Senate. Biden, for his part, says Americans could start to see the effects of the infrastructure bill in as little as two to three months. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Monday that once Biden signs the measure into law, his department will start doling out the first of about $660 billion in federal money, with some projects just waiting for funding, but others, like investments in new electric vehicle chargers, promoting safer streets for bicyclists and pedestrians and efforts to reconnect communities divided by highways, taking longer. In contrast to the 2009 stimulus, Buttigieg said, Bidens infrastructure bill is short term, but its long term. This is about many many years ahead, starting now, he said. This is how we do right by the next generation. While hes selling the infrastructure bill as evidence that Democrats can deliver, Biden still will have to contend with ongoing dickering on the other big item on his agenda the social spending bill. Unlike the infrastructure bill, which passed with the support of 19 Republicans in the Senate, the social spending package is facing unified GOP opposition, which means Biden will need every Democratic vote in the Senate to get it across the finish line. With the partys moderate and progressive factions squabbling over the details of the final bill, and two centrist holdouts Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona opposed to many key progressive priorities, winning final passage of the second part of his agenda may be a much tougher puzzle to solve. Everybody agreed on infrastructure. You can always agree on whether or not build the roads and the bridges and create the water and sewage that you need and fix your rail and your ports, said Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., on Foxs Fox News Sunday. But its something else again when you start getting into new stuff, Clyburn said. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Police say a 19-year-old suspected of gunning down a young man he mistook for someone else turned himself in on Monday. Asad Moody is charged with an open count of murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and other crimes. According to a criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court, Moody, Jonathan Martinez, 21, and Darryus Chavez, 22, were driving up and down Central the night of July 10 looking for a Black man with dreadlocks who had beaten Moody up the week before. Thats when they spotted Trevonte Robbins, 19, and Kevin Johnson in a parking lot at Second and Central and apparently believed Johnson was that man. They stopped the car. Moody exited the right rear seat of the vehicle, and fired gunshots toward Robbins and Johnson, said Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman. Robbins was fatally struck with a bullet and succumbed to his injuries. Johnson was struck by gunfire and was later transported to the hospital. Moody, Martinez and Chavez drove away from the scene at a high rate of speed. An APD officer responding to the shooting suffered minor injuries when gunfire struck his patrol unit, shattering the windshield. Gallegos said Robbins and Johnson do not appear to be connected to those who beat up Moody. Martinez and Chavez have not been arrested. A fourth suspect, Isney Lafirme, who is charged with conspiracy, has also not been arrested. Gallegos said the investigation highlights the work of a new Digital Intelligence Team, led by Deputy Cmdr. Kyle Hartsock, that is the states first centralized and court-recognized expert analysis of cellular devices and social media. Under the old model of investigations, individual detectives were asked to do this advanced analysis, including going through thousands of pages of records, Gallegos said. The new Digital Intel Team, comprised of three civilian Digital Forensic Examiners, allows homicide detectives to spend more time locating and interviewing witnesses and securing evidence and less time going over these records. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Reacting to a recent spike in violence that pushed Albuquerque over 100 homicides for the year, Police Chief Harold Medina said that the department has already been trying several avenues to address the issue but that many of the initiatives take time. In a question-and-answer session with reporters Monday afternoon, Medina said detectives are seeing high numbers of homicides related to parties, motels and road rage. He urged members of the public to take steps to protect themselves by not posting on social media if theyre having a party so uninvited guests dont show up and start fights not honking at people who cut them off so as not to provoke a road rage incident, and not frequenting certain motels in the middle of the night to buy or sell drugs. Were at one of those points where we have to be honest, and truthful in our assessment of situations, Medina said. We have to give the community the information that we know, so that they know, to make the best educated choices. I dont want citizens in the city of Albuquerque to live in fear. I want them to live their lives and I want them to know whats truly occurring, and what the trends are were seeing. So its not about blaming victims; its about educating the rest of the community. Medina also cited a twofold increase in detectives on the homicide unit 13 currently, with three more available as well as the detective academy he said will improve the quality of investigations and a digital intelligence unit to assist with working cases. The Albuquerque Police Department has investigated 99 suspected homicides this year, while the New Mexico State Police has investigated three within the city limits. Outside city limits, the Bernalillo County Sheriffs Office has investigated 11 homicides. Detectives have determined nine homicides to be justifiable done in self-defense which APD will report in a separate category to the FBI for its annual report. The clearance rate is 48%, which includes justifiable homicides and cases from previous years that were solved in 2021. According to Journal records, there has been an arrest or charges filed in 30 of APDs cases. APD says 81% of the homicides its investigating this year have been committed with a firearm. Its peaks and valleys, theres times that, you know, things are going in a really good direction for us you feel good, Medina said. And then theres times that, you know, youre waking up early to see if that alert is out there that we had a homicide from the previous night. Were going through one of those valleys right now, and hopefully we can get up on a peak and then we could look down and see that things are getting better. But right now were in a canyon, and its really dark. In August, when Albuquerque surpassed its previous record number of homicides eight months into the year, police touted a plan to increase patrolling and partnership with motels that have high levels of violence. Medina said Monday that the city has been working with the businesses particularly Motel 6 on Avenida Cesar Chavez and other locations as recently as over the weekend to come up with a comprehensive plan to bring in new technology such as license plate readers to identify stolen vehicles. The tools couldnt come soon enough. On Monday morning, a man was shot and killed at the motel. An APD spokesman said there were reports of yelling at the motel, then that a man had been shot and was lying face down. A dark colored SUV, possibly a Nissan Pathfinder fled the scene with an unknown and not identified offender in the vehicle, Officer Chase Jewell wrote in an email. Officers arrived, and the male was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. Medina said the Motel 6 has to take some ownership for their property and whats going on there, and they need to safeguard the community and work with us, but he also acknowledged that it takes time to get new technology up and running. Its just unfortunate that theres always a lag time between we start seeing results of who were working with somebody; its not like the next day theyre going to have the funding, he said. Deadly violence at parties is not new to Albuquerque, but Medina said that as the initial concerns about COVID-19 and the pandemic have started to wane, shootings are surging in those circumstances again. He said one of the recent cases a party where four were injured in Northwest Albuquerque occurred in his own neighborhood, and he called officers to check if they were responding after he heard the gunfire. Weve seen some of the video of how, you know, literally we have a standoff at doorways and individuals pointing firearms at each other, Medina said. And thats one of the biggest trends were seeing is just the sense of individuals going and they feel they have this entitlement to enter any home they want. Its a lack of respect for all the other people in the community. Medina would not say if detectives believe that a recent spate of shootings at parties leaving a total of three dead and nine injured in and outside city limits are connected. In response to violence at parties in the fall of 2019, city councilors allocated $280,000 for a party intervention team at APD to combat underage drinking, drug use and party violence. Medina said the department had a hard time filling those overtime positions initially and then when the pandemic and associated public health lockdown orders came to the state in spring of 2020, parties pretty much stopped for a time. Now, he said, parties and associated violence are surging again but those involved are older, which means officers arent being called to stop underage drinking and instead have to rely on noise complaints. He said the department has a group of officers finishing their on-the-job training in the next three months that he hopes can fill some of those positions. If this continues, then well devote the resources to it at a sooner time, Medina said. Well just see how it pans out. I mean, many times weve seen this; we have a rash. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Kirtland Air Force Base accounted for about 10% of the greater Albuquerque metro areas entire economy in the 2020 fiscal year, base commander Col. Jason Vattioni announced Monday. Vattioni revealed the bases 2020 Economic Impact Statement, which is done biennially, during the Kirtland Partnership Committees annual breakfast Monday morning. All told, KAFB contributed about $4.6 billion to the local economy in the 2020 fiscal year, which was from Oct. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2020. That marked a slight increase from $4.5 billion in the 2018 fiscal year. More than 23,000 work on KAFB and the bases annual payroll is about $2.3 billion, according to the economic analysis. Of those employees, about 3,500 are military. So the vast majority of people who work on base are civilians. The Department of Energy and Sandia National Laboratories account for about 12,700 of those employees and about $1.4 billion in payroll. The presence of Kirtland and the professionals employed on the base have a big influence on the Albuquerque metro area, Vattioni said. These employees buy homes, pay taxes, and support local businesses, generating billions of dollars in local economic impact. Vattioni said that the KAFB workforce grew by about 400 employees in the last two years. There are plans to add about 2,000 jobs in the coming years. Kirtland the fifth-largest Air Force Base in the country accounts for about 13% of jobs in the Albuquerque area. KAFB also reported about $960 million in local expenditures in the 2020 fiscal year. The impact statement also said that the base entered into $287 million in contracts with businesses owned by women, minorities or veterans. The total economic footprint of KAFB is about $7.4 billion nationally, so more than half of that impact is felt locally, Vattioni said. Brad Steward, the chairman of the KPCs board of directors, said officials are working to improve reciprocal licenses for lawyers and other professions in order to make New Mexico more appealing to families considering relocating here for work at Kirtland. He asked those in attendance to continue to advocate for such policies on behalf of the base. These numbers are massive, he said of the bases economic impact. Its phenomenal. Copyright 2021 Albuquerque Journal Freshta Ahrar, a young Afghanistan woman who has worked for the U.S. government and the United Nations, said the sudden takeover of her country by the Taliban in August turned normal life into hell especially for women. But Ahrar, 29, considers herself lucky. She and her immediate family were among thousands of Afghan refugees who were evacuated and now make their temporary home at Holloman Air Force Base. She said she has no idea what is in store for her friends and family back home. For several years, Ahrar worked in policy development in the country, which has fallen back under Taliban control. The Islamic fundamentalist group quickly overthrew the government in August while American troops were leaving the country after a 20-year war. You know, to be honest, at the moment, I have no idea what is going to happen, Ahrar said in a phone interview with the Journal. The moment I will say is a crisis. And life as a woman, before this situation we were being threatened or intimidated. We were targeted. But now that the entire country has been taken over (by the Taliban), I cannot imagine being a female there. Ahrar is one of roughly 4,400 Afghanistan evacuees currently staying in southern New Mexico at Holloman, said Angelo Fernandez, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. He said the DHS, along with the defense and state departments, are some of the federal agencies working with those Afghans on resettlement. They have different types of visas and work authorizations. He said Holloman is one of eight safe haven locations around the country. About 2,400 Afghans have already relocated from Holloman to other cities, he said. The U.S. government is working around the clock to conduct security screening and vetting of vulnerable Afghans before they are permitted entry into the United States, consistent with the dual goals of protecting national security and providing protection for our Afghan allies, a DHS spokeswoman said in an email. As with any population entering the United States, DHS, in coordination with interagency vetting partners, takes multiple steps to ensure that those seeking entry do not pose a national security or public safety risk. Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Secret Service were among the agencies that processed, screened and vetted the Afghan nationals, many of whom worked directly for the U.S., according to DHS. Ahrar and her family plan to settle in California, where the family has personal connections. Ahrars husband is currently in Italy, waiting to meet his wife in America. She was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1992 at a time when Islamic guerrillas were fighting for control of the country. Ahrar and her family fled to Pakistan, where she was educated before returning to Afghanistan as a high school student in 2007, after the Taliban had been removed from power during Americas longstanding war in the country. She earned a bachelors degree in English before attending the American University of Afghanistan, where she graduated with a masters in business administration. Ahrar worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, and then for the United Nations Childrens Fund, UNICEF. She currently works remotely for the agency from Holloman. Part of her focus for those agencies was on policy development in her native country. She received a humanitarian civil service award from the United Nations. Afghanistan was in its peak of development, she said of her time working in the country. It was amazing. Her job for both those agencies was to try to empower women, who face restrictions under Islamic law. Ahrar said that, as a woman working in Afghanistan, she often kept her career a secret. Ahrar was shopping with her sister in August when the Taliban took control of Kabul. She said it happened suddenly banks and businesses started closing down and ATMs stopped working in the middle of the day. It was a normal life changing to hell, she said. So this happened within just a glimpse, you know, it was so palpable. A normal life going on. And then all of a sudden, something like that. Ahrar said she received an email from the U.S. embassy that contained an attachment that would give her and her family access to the airport. They were part of a sea of humanity who converged on the airport in August. They surrendered to the Taliban at a checkpoint at one point, but they ultimately made their way inside the airport. Once inside, Ahrar said she and her family had to wait several days under direct sunlight and through cold nights before boarding a plane to Abu Dhabi on Aug. 22. They stayed in Abu Dhabi for nearly two months before being flown to Holloman, arriving on Oct. 22. Ahrar said she worries about those back in Afghanistan, including her in-laws and her friends. She said she is especially concerned for her former classmates and teachers at the American University, which she said will make them vulnerable under Taliban control. She said she still stays in contact with those friends, who dont know when or if they will be able to evacuate. I am lucky that, out of millions of people, I was able to get myself out of the situation over there, she said. WARSAW, Poland Poland reinforced its border with Belarus with more riot police on Tuesday, a day after groups of migrants tried to storm through a razor-wire fence on the eastern frontier where thousands have camped on the Belarusian side in the tense standoff. The European Union accuses Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of using the migrants as pawns in a hybrid attack against the bloc in retaliation for imposing sanctions on the authoritarian government for a brutal internal crackdown on dissent. Thousands were jailed and beaten following months of protests after Lukashenko won a sixth term in a 2020 election that the opposition and the West saw as rigged. Polish authorities said all was calm overnight on the border which is also the eastern edge of the 27-nation EU but they were bracing for any possibility. The Defense Ministry said a large group of Belarusian forces was moving toward the migrant encampments. During a special session of parliament, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described the situation at the border as part of an effort by Russia to disrupt a region that it controlled during the Soviet era that ended three decades ago. It must be strongly emphasized that the security of our eastern border is being brutally violated. This is the first such situation in 30 years when we can say that the integrity of our borders is being tested, Morawiecki said. Speaking during a U.N. Security Council meeting, Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected similar accusations, and noted that the migrants are not seeking to stay in Belarus but to get to Europe. So who is creating the crisis, building fences with barbed wire and concentrating troops at the border? Nebenzia said, adding that the EU doesnt want to accept the migrants, and it is time to stop playing the blame game. Polish Maj. Katarzyna Zdanowicz estimated 3,000-4,000 migrants were along the border, including about 800 near the makeshift camps. Belarusian security services also were there to control, steer and direct these people, she added. She said Polands assessment came from aerial observations, alleging that Belarus authorities were taking journalists to the area to promote their version of events. Independent journalists have limited ability to operate in Belarus, and a state of emergency in Poland kept reporters and others away from its side of the border. The scene was quiet as night fell, and migrants were seen getting water and other supplies on the Belarusian side, according to Zdanowicz, based on what observations from across the frontier. She said guards prevented some small groups from crossing, part of hundreds of such attempts Tuesday. The Belarusian Defense Ministry summoned the Polish military attache to protest what it called unfounded and unlawful Polish allegations against the Belarusian military at the border. It also voiced concern about the buildup of Polish troops there, saying Warsaw did not notify or invite Belarusian observers per international rules for activity involving more than 6,000 troops. Speaking on Belarusian state television, Lukashenko threw the allegation of a hybrid war back at the EU, pointing at its sanctions against Belarus and adding: And you, bastards, madmen want me to protect you from migrants. I am afraid that this confrontation at the border because of migrants might lead to an active phase. These are grounds for provocations. All provocations are possible, he said, accusing Polands military of flying its helicopters low at the border, frightening the migrants. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the West bore responsibility for triggering the flows of migrants through their aggressive wars in the Middle East and North Africa. The migrants, he said, dont want to stay in Belarus and want to get to Europe that has advertised its way of living for many years. The crisis has simmered for months after Poland, Lithuania and Latvia accused neighboring Belarus of encouraging thousands of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, to illegally enter those nations. Many of the migrants often end up stuck in a forested area of swamps and bogs, pushed back and forth between Belarusian and Polish forces. The Belarusian opposition urged the West to strengthen its sanctions on Minsk. Its necessary to introduce tough sanctions, trade embargo and a full stop of transit of goods between the EU and Belarus, Pavel Latushka, a leading opposition figure, said on a messaging app, urging Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, as countries on the front line of a hybrid attack launched by the regime, to stop transit. On Tuesday, the EU tightened visa rules for Belarus officials, saying it was partially suspending an agreement with Minsk. The move affects Belarusian government officials, lawmakers, diplomats and top court representatives by requiring them to provide additional documents and pay more for visas. Lawmakers in Lithuania voted to declare a state of emergency for a month along the Belarus border, restricting the movement of vehicles and banning all entry, except for residents, in a zone reaching 5 kilometers (3 miles) inland. Guards can check vehicles and people, and gatherings also are banned. It also applies to migrant accommodations in the capital of Vilnius and elsewhere. At least 170 migrants were stopped from entering Lithuania on Tuesday. In videos posted on Twitter by Polish police, the migrants were seen in tents and cooking over campfires in near-freezing temperatures. The police blared announcements that border crossing is allowed only at official posts, with visas, and the nearest crossing point in Kuznica was closed early Tuesday. Refugee agencies UNHCR and International Organization for Migration called the situation alarming, and said they contacted governments in both Poland and Belarus to urge them to ensure that those in the makeshift camp get humanitarian assistance. A man in the Polish village of Bialowieza told The Associated Press he has met many migrants who often are thirsty, hungry and in need of boots or medical care. He is among volunteers distributing food and other aid, and spoke on condition of anonymity because Polish authorities discourage such help. They are in really bad condition and the situation is getting worse as temperatures drop, he said. Some of the migrants believed they were in Germany and appeared to have been very disinformed by Belarusian soldiers and guards, the man said. At least eight migrant deaths have been recorded by Polish and Belarusian authorities, most of them in Poland. Morawiecki went to the border Tuesday, accompanied by Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, to meet with border guards and other security officials. We do not know what else Lukashenkos regime will come up with this is the reality, Morawiecki said, praising the guards. Poland has received strong signals of solidarity from the EU and Washington in the confrontation with Belarus. Germanys outgoing interior minister, Horst Seehofer, said all EU countries must stand together, because Lukashenko is using peoples fates with the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin to destabilize the West. Many migrants have flown to Minsk on tourist visas and travel by taxi to the border. The EU is seeking to pressure airlines not to facilitate such trips. Although direct flights from Iraq were suspended in August, migrants have been arriving in Belarus from Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and even Russia, according to recent internal EU reports seen by the AP. Smugglers use social media to advertise transportation from Belarus to Germany by car. Pavel Usau, head of the Center for Political Analysis and Prognosis, said Lukashenko expects the West to make concessions. Lukashenko is provoking the West to take aggressive action, but, on the other hand, he expects that Western countries will yield to pressure and will be forced to engage in negotiations, Usau said in an interview from Warsaw. ___ Geir Moulson in Berlin, Lorne Cook and Samuel Petrequin in Brussels, Vladimir Isachenkov and Daria Litvinova in Moscow, Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. ___ Follow all AP stories on global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration. MANAGUA, Nicaragua A day after questioned elections, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortegas government on Monday set about painting as a historic democratic victory what many of the worlds democracies condemned as a sham. Nicaraguas Supreme Electoral Council said that with nearly all the ballots counted, Ortega had won more than 75% of the vote. The outcome was never in doubt after his government jailed seven of the leading potential opposition candidates, clearing the field for Ortega to sweep to a fourth consecutive five-year term. With all government institutions firmly within Ortegas grasp and the opposition exiled, jailed or in hiding, the 75-year-old leader eroded what hope remained the country could soon return to a democratic path. Instead, he appeared poised to test the international communitys resolve and continue thumbing his nose at their targeted sanctions and statements of disapproval. Ortega and Vice President and first lady Rosario Murillo celebrated the election results in Managuas Revolution Plaza later Monday, with Ortega unleashing a torrent of abuse on the European Union, which said in a statement earlier that the elections lacked legitimacy. The European Union has a parliament whose majority are fascists, Nazis, Ortega said. The fascist little brothers of Hitler that are governing there, now want to form a a fascist international in our Americas. Ortega also spewed abuse at the United States, which also condemned the elections after Ortega imprisoned all his main potential rivals. Those who are in prison are the sons of the female dog of Yankee imperialism, Ortega said. They should be taken to the United States, because they stopped being Nicaraguans a long time ago, they have no fatherland. Sundays vote also determined 90 of the 92 seats in the congress and representation in the Central American Parliament. Murillo went so far as to call the elections the first sovereign elections in Nicaraguas history and reported congratulations streaming in from Russia, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. The council put voter turnout at 65%, a figure not observed in lightly attended voting centers Sunday. Open Ballot Boxes, an opposition effort to observe the elections, said that its more than 1,450 monitors around the country estimated an average turnout of about 18%. Murillo cheered the reported turnout, saying more than 2 million votes we receive with infinite gratitude and commitment. But she and Ortega will be ruling a shrinking and more skeptical support base among a general population with rising demands to participate in Nicaraguas politics. Vanderbilt Universitys Latin American Public Opinion Project polled 2,997 Nicaraguans between June and August as part of their Americas Barometer survey. The phone survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.79 percentage points. The full report on the survey is scheduled to be released later this month. In our survey in the summer of 2021, we were seeing signs of grave doubts in the integrity of elections in the country on the part of people in Nicaragua, said project director Elizabeth Zechmeister. We asked whether or not they believe that votes are counted fairly in the country and what we found is that only 26% of people in Nicaragua believe that their votes are always counted correctly. Interestingly enough, its about the same percentage of people who expressed support for the incumbent administration. The Ortega administration has continued to close avenues for democratic participation with police banning public protests, electoral authorities banning some opposition political parties and potential candidates being arrested. We ask people whether or not they think one can bring about change in politics through elections, through street protests, through either or through neither, Zechmeister said. And weve asked that question in the past. So were able to make comparisons across time, and we see in 2021 a significant decrease in the percentage of people who think that its possible to bring about political change in the country through either elections or through street protests. Maria Acevedo waited at a bus stop in the capital Monday. She said the outcome of the election was clear in advance. They had it all set up, she said. For me this is a fraud. Inside a Managua hair salon, Leticia Roa, said respecting the results would keep the peace. The people elected him (Ortega) and you have to respect it, she said. So what is there to do? Respect. What remains to be seen is whether the international community will continue to unite to push Ortega to change course. An early chance could come later this week when the Organization of American States holds its annual general assembly in Guatemala. When the regional body voted last month to condemn repression and demand the release of political prisoners, seven members abstained, including Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras, which neighbors Nicaragua. This is the moment of truth for the countries that make up the international community that will have to leave behind ambiguity, said Tiziano Breda, Central America analyst with International Crisis Group. They will have to take a forceful position on one side or the other to recognize or not recognize this electoral process. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report. NEW YORK The U.S. says that its inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries. In reality, however, it will still be difficult if not impossible for much of the globe to enter the country and experts say it will take years for travel to fully recover. For starters, half the world isnt vaccinated and therefore doesnt meet the U.S. requirement for visiting foreigners. So while many Europeans may now be able to come in, people from poorer countries where vaccines are scarce remain cut off, with limited exceptions. For some public health experts, that raises ethical questions about the policy. The concern is not limiting access based on vaccination status, said Nancy Kass, deputy director of public health in the Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins University. It is that its systemically making it impossible for people, generally from poor countries, whose governments have been unable to secure anything near the supply they need, to be able to come and see their loved ones. Even if youve gotten the jab, that might not be good enough. Non-immigrant adults need to have received vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or which received an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, otherwise they, too, are prohibited from entering the U.S. That sidelines anyone whos received Russias Sputnik V or the China-produced CanSino jab. Then there are the months-long delays in some places to get a visa. The U.S. Travel Association says that, on average, theres a six-month visitor visa appointment backlog as many U.S. consulates and embassies have yet to resume normal operations. Meanwhile, other countries have their own strict rules, which complicates foreign travel. Experts do expect a wave of travelers at U.S. airports, which will go a long way to boost the overall industry. The 28 European countries that up until Monday were barred under the U.S. policy made up 37% of overseas visitors in 2019, the U.S. Travel Association says. Travelport, which analyzes airline bookings data, says that by region, the greatest number of international travelers to the U.S. since mid-2020 has come from Latin America, but new travelers booking flights since late September, when the Biden administration said it would end the travel bans, are mainly European. The reopening of the land borders with Canada and Mexico should also help restore travel, since they are typically the top two sources of international visitors to the U.S. But the U.S. Travel Association predicted in June that international travel would not return to 2019 levels of nearly 80 million visitors until 2024. Foreign travelers dropped to 19 million in 2020 and is expected to rise a bit this year, to more than 26 million; it will more than double, to about 57 million, in 2022 but still fall far short of its pre-pandemic heights. The U.S. isnt alone in trying to jump-start travel as more people get vaccinated. Some countries that closed their borders have begun easing back, like Australia, India and Thailand; Europe opened its doors to Americans months ago. Others, like China and Japan, remain essentially closed, which makes it difficult for their own citizens to leave and come back because of mandatory quarantines. In 2019, the two countries were among the top five biggest sources of overseas visitors to the U.S., along with the U.K., South Korea and Brazil, according to U.S. government data. Sylvia Li, who is from China and lives in the U.S., just married her partner in a small ceremony in New York a few weeks ago without her family there because she had no idea when theyd be able to come or when shed be able to go to China. I was able to convince them, its really nothing, its just a party, Li said. But her mom didnt fall for it. I think my mom felt she was missing out. She felt like she was actually missing something big. Edgar Orozco, who owns two restaurants, both called Chelitos, in El Paso, Texas, was excited for the land border with Mexico to reopen on Monday, and he hopes that helps fill the streets of downtown El Paso with shoppers and customers at his restaurants this holiday season, unlike last year, when he said streets were empty. Now that non-essential travelers are going to be able to come back, were looking forward to going back to those good old days, he said. But hes heard of people who have visa issues, like a vendor in Mexico who he says cant renew his visa until 2023. The appointment wait time for a U.S. visitor visa in Cuidad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, is 676 days, or nearly two years, according to the State Department. In New York, the countrys biggest tourist destination, businesses are gearing up for more international travelers. Hudson Yards, a shopping complex, is expanding its concierge services to include a wider array of foreign languages. City Experiences, a tour company that sends ferries to the Statue of Liberty and other sites, is increasing marketing abroad. In the past two weeks, 75% of new bookings at three Moxy hotels in Manhattan have come from Europe, mostly the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany, said Mitchell Hochberg, president of the hotels operator, Lightstone. Still, Hochberg thinks it will take until at least spring for international bookings to be back to their pre-pandemic levels. Travel can be cumbersome, he said. The flights are somewhat limited right now. Worry about getting COVID-19 also continues to put a damper on travel plans for many, even if theyre now allowed in. Mehek Khera doesnt want her parents in India to visit her in Santa Clara, California, even though they could now theyre vaccinated and have visas. But the risk of getting sick is too high. Her father has a heart condition, and they dont have health insurance in the U.S. We dont feel comfortable adding on another risk on top of that, Khera said. They dont feel very excited to travel. PORTLAND, Ore. Political appointees in the Trump administration relied on faulty science to justify stripping habitat protections for the imperiled northern spotted owl, U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday as they struck down a rule that would have opened millions of acres of West Coast forest to potential logging. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a decision made five days before President Donald Trump left office to drastically shrink so-called critical habitat for the spotted owl. The small, reclusive bird has been in decline for decades as old-growth forests were cut in Oregon, Washington and California. Government biologists objected to the changes under Trump and warned they would put the spotted owl on a path to extinction, documents show. But Trumps Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and former Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith dismissed those concerns instead adopting a plan to lift restrictions on more land than even the timber industry had sought. In documents disclosed to The Associated Press prior to their public release, wildlife officials said Bernhardt and Skipwith underestimated the threat of extinction and relied on a faulty interpretation of the science to reach their decision. Bernhardt defended his handling of the matter, telling AP in an email that Congress gave the interior secretary authority to exclude areas from protection. Bernhardt said the agencys reasonable certainty the owl would go extinct did not match the laws requirement that habitat be protected lest a species will go extinct. If wildlife officials want to change that standard, he said, they should seek a change from Congress. Any future Secretary can weigh the benefit factors differently, but they can not change the law or the legal standard, he wrote. Officials twice delayed the changes after President Joe Biden took office and they never went into effect. That puts them among numerous Trump-era policies reversed or struck down by the Interior Department in recent months, on issues from oil and gas drilling on some public lands, to protections for birds from power line and wind turbine collisions. Democratic lawmakers from Oregon, Washington and California in February called for an investigation into the removal of spotted owl protections, citing potential scientific meddling by Trump appointees. Wildlife advocates, government agencies and the timber industry have sparred for decades over the northern spotted owl, which officials said Tuesday is in precipitous decline and getting close to disappearing from parts of Washington and Oregon. Federal habitat protections imposed in 2012 were meant to avert the birds extinction. Theyve also been blamed for a logging slowdown thats devastated some rural communities. Of 9.6 million protected acres (3.9 million hectares), federal officials proposed in August 2020 to remove protections for about 2%. The timber industry said the plan didnt go far enough and called for removal of more than 28%. On January 7, Skipwith changed her agencys recommendation and went even further, telling Bernhardt more than one-third of the protected land, or 3.5 million acres (1.4 million hectares), should be excluded from protection. The land has huge swaths of timber and includes 2 million acres (809,000 hectares) spread in a checkerboard pattern across western Oregon. Logging those lands might not have immediately killed off the owls immediately they live up to 20 years on individual territories that can stretch across 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) yet eventually they would have gone extinct, said Paul Henson, the wildlife services Oregon supervisor. When Henson brought his concerns to superiors last December, Skipwith overrode them. You cant remove over a third of an endangered species habitat and not expect it to go extinct, Henson said in an interview. There wasnt much disagreement about the science. The disagreement was how much that risk constrains the secretarys authority to remove habitat protections. The logging industry says more thinning and management of protected forests is necessary to prevent wildfires, which devastated 560 square miles (1,450 square kilometers) of spotted owl habitat last fall. Most of that area is no longer considered viable for the birds. Timber interests say much of the land set aside under Tuesdays announcement isnt actually spotted owl habitat or is broken up into parcels too small to support the owl. As such, the smaller habitat designation issued under Trump was legally and scientifically valid, said Nick Smith, a spokesman for the American Forest Resource Council. The group represents about 100 manufacturing and logging operations in five western U.S. states. The federal government cannot set aside critical habitat unless it is habitat for the species, Smith said. The logging industry says the larger, non-native barred owl is a much greater threat than cutting trees. Skipwith echoed that contention when she said the most effective way to preserve spotted owls was to control barred owl numbers. The main threats faced by the northern spotted owl are the barred owl and the devastating forest fires, Skipwith said, adding that she used sound science to reach her conclusion. Its not an issue of acreage; its an issue of the management of the land. The barred owls, native to the eastern U.S., began affecting spotted owl numbers in Washington and Oregon about a decade ago as they expanded west and south. The incursion accelerated in recent years, putting spotted owls on a downward trajectory that could prompt them to disappear from some areas within ten years, said U.S. Department of Agriculture research biologist Alan Franklin. Biologists beginning in 2009 studied whether removing barred owls in areas of northern California, Oregon and Washington would help the spotted owl. A pilot program that wrapped up in August showed spotted owl numbers stabilized when barred owl numbers were reduced. They continued to decline in areas without the removals. Study authors cautioned that the results show habitat protections also are critical to the spotted owls survival. In rejecting the Trump rule, federal officials said the dual threat of wildfires and competition from the barred owl underscore why more forest needs protection to make sure theres enough redundancy of habitat that a large fire wont doom the species. A large-scale barred owl removal program is not in place. Wildlife officials said the best science shows protecting older forests where owls nest, roost and hunt is crucial. Owl expert R. J. Gutierrez from the University of Minnesota agreed. He said setting aside forest habitat and naming the northern spotted owl as a threatened species in 1990 briefly boosted it before barred owls arrived. Until barred owls are dealt with, all habitat is critical so spotted owls can find refuge from the aggressive newcomers, said Gutierrez who has spent several decades studying spotted owls along the West Coast. Environmental groups cheered Tuesdays move but expressed frustration that about 200,000 acres (about 81,000 hectares) of previously protected habitat were excluded under a replacement rule signed by Martha Williams, Bidens nominee to lead the Fish and Wildlife Service. In the past 20 years, theres been accelerated loss of old-growth forest on state and private lands so its continued to lose habitat, said Noah Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity. Climate change adds to the threats, he said. In December, federal officials determined that northern spotted owls continued decline means it merits a more critical listing as endangered. The agency refused to do so immediately, saying other species took priority. That decision is facing a legal challenge. ___ Brown reported from Billings, Montana. ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter: @MatthewBrownAP PHOENIX A suspect has been arrested after he allegedly killed his ex-girlfriend and a man at a north Phoenix apartment, authorities said Tuesday. Phoenix police said 27-year-old Steven Marshawn Love-Mason is accused of shooting 28-year-old Trystan Benallie and 23-year-old Martin Louis at Benallies apartment Monday morning. According to witnesses, Love-Mason allegedly asked a neighbor to knock on the apartment units door and then forced his way in before fatally shooting the victims and fleeing the scene on foot. Love-Mason was later located at his Tempe home by police and arrested without incident. They said Love-Mason was booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, burglary, possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, aggravated domestic violence and failure to comply with a court order. Court paperwork showed Benallie had an order of protection against Love-Mason last month that prohibited him from going on her property. Love-Mason did not have an attorney at his initial court appearance Tuesday and his cash-only bond was set at $2 million. He has a Nov. 16 status conference and a Nov. 18 preliminary hearing in the case. Albuquerque police have identified four of the six people who were killed since last Tuesday. Gilbert Gallegos, an Albuquerque Police Department spokesman, said 28-year-old Erick Vargas was found shot to death in the 600 block of Grove SE, near Pennsylvania and Southern on Nov. 2. Vargas death was the second of that day. Gallegos said the family of the first person who was found fatally shot in the parking lot of a West Central strip mall has not yet been notified of the death. The following morning, around 1:40 a.m. on Nov. 3, Anastacio Amador was killed in the Barelas neighborhood. Gallegos said officers had been called for reports of a shooting and nearby residents had seen a man lying in the street. When officers arrived, they found 43-year-old Amador dead. Early Sunday morning, a man was killed and another injured in a shooting on East Central near Pennsylvania. Gallegos said detectives have not yet notified the family of the man who was killed. Later that day, 62-year-old Mohammad Ahmadi was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head on San Mateo NE, near Mountain, Sunday evening. Police had said around 6:45 p.m. officers had been called to the area after a witness heard gunshots and then saw a man face down on the ground. Ahmadi died at the scene. Gallegos said Jeremy Matthew Garcia, 21, was killed at the Motel 6 on Avenida Cesar Chavez early Monday morning. Officers had been called to the motel the site of two other homicides this year around 5:20 a.m. for reports of yelling and a shooting. An APD spokesman said a dark-colored SUV, possibly a Nissan Pathfinder, had fled the scene. Garcia was taken to the hospital, where he died. No arrests have been made in any of the cases and police have not released any information on suspects. The recent spate of shootings means APD detectives have investigated 99 suspected homicides so far this year, not counting those determined to be justified. The New Mexico State Police has investigated three homicides within city limits, pushing the total number in the city to 102. KYIV, Ukraine An American who faces criminal charges from the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is seeking asylum in Belarus, the countrys state TV reported, in a move that could further heighten tensions between the turbulent former Soviet nation and the United States. Evan Neumann of Mill Valley, California, acknowledged in an interview with the Belarus 1 channel that he was at the Capitol that day but rejected the charges, which include assaulting police, obstruction and other offenses. The channel aired excerpts of the interview on Sunday and Monday, and promised to release the full version on Wednesday. I dont think I have committed some kind of a crime, said Neumann, 48, according to a Belarus 1 voiceover of his interview remarks. One of the charges was very offensive; it alleges that I hit a police officer. It doesnt have any grounds to it. Neumann spoke in English but was barely audible under the dubbed Russian. Both Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin have used the Jan. 6 riot as a way to accuse the U.S. of a double standard in criticizing other countries, including Russia and Belarus, for cracking down on antigovernment protests Belarus was rocked by months of protests after election officials gave Lukashenko a sixth term in the 2020 balloting that the opposition and the West have denounced as a sham. The government unleashed a violent crackdown on the protesters, arresting more than 35,000 people and badly beating thousands of them. The crackdown elicited widespread international outrage. Putin likewise has come under criticism from the West over the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the detention of thousands of demonstrators protesting his arrest, and the outlawing of Navalnys organizations as extremist. In an interview with NBC in June, Putin suggested that the hundreds of people arrested for rioting at the U.S. Capitol were being subjected to persecution for political opinions. U.S. court documents state that Neumann stood at the front of a police barricade wearing a red Make America Great Again hat as supporters of President Donald Trump tried to force past officers. Prosecutors say Neumann taunted and screamed at the police before putting a gas mask over his face and threatened one officer, saying police would be overrun by the crowd. Im willing to die, are you? prosecutors quoted Neumann saying to the officer. Police body camera footage shows Neumann and others shoving a metal barricade into a line of officers who were trying to push the crowd back before he punched two officers with his fist and then hit them with the barricade, according to court papers. Neumann was identified by investigators after someone who said they were a family friend called an FBI tip line with Neumanns name and hometown. He was charged in a U.S. federal criminal complaint, meaning a judge agreed that investigators presented sufficient probable cause that Neumann had committed the crimes. Messages left for family members of Neumann in Northern California were not returned Tuesday. Neumann is one of more than 650 people who have been charged for their actions on Jan. 6, when pro-Trump rioters attacked the Capitol building and delayed Congress certification of Joe Bidens Electoral College victory. Neumann told Belarus 1 that his photo had been added to the FBIs most wanted list, after which he left the country under the pretense of a business trip. Neuman, who owns a handbag manufacturing business, traveled to Italy in March, and then through Switzerland, Germany and Poland before arriving in Ukraine and spent several months there. He said he decided to illegally cross into neighboring Belarus after he noticed surveillance by Ukraines security forces. It is awful. It is political persecution, Neumann told the TV channel. Belarusian border guards detained him when he tried to cross into the country in mid-August, and he requested asylum in Belarus. Belarus doesnt have an extradition treaty with the U.S. Weve seen Belarusian state media reporting about this individual Evan Newman, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington. Due to U.S. privacy laws, were limited in what we can say about individual U.S. citizens, he added, and referred questions to the Justice Department, which said it doesnt comment on the existence or nonexistence of requests for apprehension to foreign governments. The Belarus 1 anchors described Neumann as a simple American, whose stores were burned down by members of the Black Lives Matter movement, who was seeking justice, asking inconvenient questions, but lost almost everything and is being persecuted by the U.S. government. In a short preface to the interview, the Belarus 1 reporter also said that something made Neumann flee from the country of fairytale freedoms and opportunities an apparent reference to the U.S., which has levied multiple sanctions against Belarus over human rights abuses and its violent crackdown on dissent. Associated Press writer Mike Balsamo in Washington contributed. WENN/Adriana M. Barraza Celebrity Months after Miles claimed to be accosted by two men he had never met before, Russell Nielsen is accused of intentionally, knowingly or recklessly caused bodily injury to the 'Whiplash' star. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - The man who allegedly attacked Miles Teller has been charged with third-degree assault. The "Whiplash" star claimed he was accosted by two men he had never met before while enjoying a night out with his wife, Keleigh Sperry, at the Monkeypod Kitchen in Maui, Hawaii back in May 2021. According to TMZ, Russell Nielsen has been charged following the incident, with prosecutors insisting he intentionally, knowingly or recklessly caused bodily injury to Miles. Footage obtained by the outlet following the incident showed Miles being held back after initially getting punched, and he can be seen and heard calling the guys who allegedly jumped him "losers." Although it was initially believed the attackers were complete strangers, subsequent reports suggested Nielsen is married to the woman who planned Teller and Sperry's Maui wedding in 2019. The wedding planner's lawyer, Tre Lovell, previously told TMZ, "It is my understanding that the altercation was a dispute over money pertaining to the couple's wedding. We are currently evaluating my clients' legal claims that may exist surrounding the incident, statements made about the incident and the parties previous business dealings. [sic]" Teller denied claims he owed the woman $60,000 (42,000) in unpaid fees and Keleigh took to her social media account to back up her husband, insisting at the time, "The story reported about Miles being punched in the face by @TMZ over "money" is completely false. "Miles was jumped by 2 men we have never met after they trapped him in a bathroom. It seems these same men have done this to many people and we appreciate your support Maui. This is now a criminal investigation." Instagram Celebrity The Script frontman, who split from model Anne de Paula back in 2018, reveals in a new interview that he met Anais Naing on the street because they lived in the same part of London. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Danny O'Donoghue is dating an events manager called Anais Naing. The music star, who split from model Anne de Paula back in 2018, has been quietly dating Anais for the last two years and managed to remain tight-lipped about their low-key romance until recently. Danny - who is the frontman of The Script - told Britain's The Sun newspaper, "This is my girlfriend Anais - she's from Brittany in France. We met on the street because we lived in the same part of London." Danny also revealed he's already introduced Anais to his family. He shared, "My mum loved her. They offered her lots of tea." Danny recently explained that he used the coronavirus lockdown as a chance to reflect and recalibrate his life, and came to the realization that he'd stopped liking himself amid the health crisis. Reflecting on his lockdown experience, he explained, "One of the only good things to come out of COVID - and I know I'm saying this from a place of privilege - was the chance to reflect because all you've got in a situation like that is your four walls." "I got to sit back and actually say, 'Do I f**king like myself?' And the answer was, 'No, not really.' I realized that I'd learned to fake loving my life. My whole time in The Script I've actually been f**king terrified of the day when it naturally starts slowing down or stops altogether." "It's like Usain Bolt; there's a day when you realise you're not as fast as you used to be. It's nothing to do with being 'relevant' because that's such a stupid word to apply to music and it's never mattered to me." "What scared me s**tless was waking up one day and seeing that natural decline. I didn't want to be the guy in the bar going, 'Oh, I used to be in a band...' " ABC/Nick Agro TV Despite being called out by co-star Cassandra James for his social media post, the actor, who has played Jasper Jacks on the soap drama for 25 years, stands by the message behind the meme. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - U.S. soap star Ingo Rademacher is to exit "General Hospital" after his castmates turned on him for resharing a transphobic meme on social media. The actor, who has played Jasper Jacks on the show for 25 years, will make his final appearance on November 22. One of the cast members who called him out was Cassandra James, who is transgender. Ingo posted a video on Instagram on Monday, November 8 explaining he didn't like the wording of the meme he reshared, but he stood by the message behind it, stating he doesn't "really think it's OK to call a trans an 'empowered woman,' because where does that leave women?" He added, "Women have fought so hard to get on a level playing field with men... So I don't agree with that. I do apologize for not crossing out 'dude' and putting 'transgender.' Me, personally, I wouldn't have written it that way." Ingo then offered an apology to Cassandra, adding, "I apologize to you as well, sincerely. I think you're an absolute talent and you're very beautiful as well. I don't think a transphobic man would say that." Cassandra herself has voiced her disappointment at Ingo's post by writing on a tweet, "You have some serious unlearning and education to do. I feel deeply disappointed that such a public display of ignorance could come from our GH family." "Misgendering trans folks is violence and if you come for one of us, you come for all of us. The cis world doesn't get to decide which of us is valuable," she continued in a following tweet. "I am so proud of the fans for always holding us to a high standard, for calling out transphobia and violence." Cassandra James called out Ingo Rademacher. Ingo has also been vocal about not taking the COVID vaccine, and therefore ignoring the TV show's on-set mandate. Instagram Celebrity The California-based hip-hop star is assigned to a diversion program for which he must complete three Manhattan Justice Opportunities sessions after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - G-Eazy has avoided jail after striking a plea deal in his New York City bar assault case. The "No Limit" rapper pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct which made the officials reduce his initial charge of misdemeanor assault. When making an appearance in an NYC courtroom on Monday, November 8, the California-based hip-hop star, whose real name is Gerald Earl Gillum, was assigned to a diversion program for which he must complete three Manhattan Justice Opportunities sessions, per TMZ report. The program involves attending meetings with social workers and case managers, which is designed to "help offenders move towards positive directions in life." G-Eazy was arrested on September 13 after he allegedly got into a fist fight with two other men at a VIP section inside the exclusive Boom Boom Room at the Standard, Highline hotel. He was accused of striking the alleged victim in the face, causing pain and redness. However, he was released from the arrest without bail but had to appear in court at a later date. Of the incident, a source claimed that G-Eazy entered a VIP section of the nightspot around 12:40 A.M. on September 10. However, it turned out that it wasn't his room as it had been set aside for a private party involving the Lacoste clothing company. G-Eazy was then asked to move out of the Lacoste room, but he didn't want to go and an argument erupted. The performer and his entourage allegedly "attacked" the party goers, socialite Daniel Chetrit, whose famous pals include Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid, and a 32-year-old man. It's also reported that the rapper punched and kicked them to the ground. The police explained further that neither of the people he allegedly punched was hospitalized. Though so, multiple sources claimed that Daniel had to get stitches in his head as he was hit with a bottle. After his arrest, G-Eazy was spotted looking unbothered at a New York Fashion Week event while belting out an "impromptu" performance for the crowd. An insider shared, "It was totally impromptu. He took the mic and was singing over his own track. Girls ran over all excited." WENN/Avalon Music Houston Police Chief Troy Finner says in a statement that he had a 'brief and respectful' meeting with the 'Sicko Mode' rapper to ask him to work with HPD for all events before the festival. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Houston Police Chief had indeed warned Travis Scott (II) of the danger that might arise during his concert prior to the mass casualty. Chief Troy Finner has released a statement confirming a report that he met with the rapper to express his concern about "public safety" prior to the Astroworld Festival that left 8 people dead and many others injured. "I met with Travis Scott and his head of security for a few moments last Friday prior to the main event," Finner said in the statement posted on the Houston Police's official Twitter account on Monday, November 8. He went on to shed light on what was discussed, "I expressed my concerns regarding public safety and that in my 31 years of law enforcement experience I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation." He continued, "I asked Travis Scott and his team to work with HPD for all events over the weekend and to be mindful of his social media messaging on any unscheduled events. The meeting was brief and respectful, and a chance for me to address my public safety concerns as Chief of Police." The police chief also stressed that "our criminal investigation continues" and asked the public "to be considerate for the grieving families during this incredibly difficult time. Please continue to lift them up in prayer." The New York Times was the first to report that Finner visited Travis in his trailer to express concern over the "energy in the crowd." The chief reportedly attributed the energy to the pandemic, the fact that tickets went for hundreds of dollars and the event itself had a history of crowds that were difficult to control. The chief may have grown anxious about the crowd because some people who wanted to get in before the concert started knocking down barricades. The chief, however, never told Travis to pull the plug on the show. Furthermore, the "Antidote" spitter was never told to stop the show prior to 10:10 P.M., despite police and firefighters having declared a "mass casualty" event at 9:38 P.M., 32 minutes after his set began, according to TMZ. Sources told the site the fire marshal was also mum. Instagram Celebrity The former South African Olympic swimmer, who shares two children with Prince Albert, has been forced to stay in the country for over six months after contracting a sinus and ear pressure infection. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Princess Charlene has returned to Monaco after a series of health issues forced her to extend a visit to her native South Africa for over six months. The royal was helicoptered to Monaco early on Monday morning, November 8 from Nice, where she was reunited with her husband, Prince Albert, and their six-year-old twins, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella. "Happy day today," the 43-year-old wrote in an Instagram post that saw her posing with Prince Albert and their twins. "Thank you all for keeping me strong !!" In the photo, she was wearing a protective face mask. Charlene has been in South Africa since she contracted a sinus and ear pressure infection in early May 2021, which required a series of corrective surgeries. Doctors warned her of the risks of flying back to Monaco. The drama forced Prince Albert to react to speculation his marriage was in trouble. After returning from a trip to see the former Olympic swimmer, Albert said, "She didn't leave Monaco in a huff! She didn't leave because she was mad at me or at anybody else. She was going down to South Africa to reassess her foundation's work down there and to take a little time off with her brother and some friends." "It was only supposed to be a week-long, 10-day maximum stay. She had this infection and all these medical complications arose," he further stressed. "She didn't go into exile. It was absolutely just a medical problem which had to be treated." In October, Charlene expressed her eagerness to go back to Monaco. "I cannot wait to get home to my children, who I miss terribly," she said in an interview she shared on Instagram. "I think if there is any mom out there who has been separated from her children for months, [she] would feel the same way I feel." WENN/Avalon Celebrity Less than a week away from tying the knot with fiance Carter Reum, the 'Cooking with Paris' star comes to the event wearing what looked a lot like a custom made wedding dress. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Paris Hilton is practising looking like a bride ahead of her Thursday, November 11 wedding day - she rocked a white tulle gown to a fancy Los Angeles event on Saturday. The socialite, DJ, and reality TV star will marry fiance Carter Reum at her late grandfather Barron Hilton's former estate in Bel-Air, and she arrived at the 2021 Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) Art + Film Gala wearing what looked a lot like a custom made wedding dress, by designer Pamela Rolland. The star-studded gala was also attended by Leonardo DiCaprio, Lil Nas X, Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish, Jared Leto, and Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, among others. The event honored influential American artists Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley, along with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg. Reports, meanwhile, suggest the "Cooking with Paris" star has still not decided on her dress for the big day, with gowns by designers Oscar de La Renta and Valentino still in contention, according to Page Six. The outlet also reveals Paris' wedding festivities will take place over three days, with a Friday carnival on the pier at Santa Monica, as the bride-to-be's mum Kathy previously spilled, and a black tie event on Saturday. Previously, an invited guest claimed that Paris' wedding venue had changed several times before it was settled on her late grandfather's former estate. "Originally, they were going to get married in the church, but they switched it about a week or so ago," so the guest told New York Post's Page Six column. WENN/Apega Celebrity While she looks back on her experience on the hit TV series with 'great fondness and pride,' the actress portraying Yara Greyjoy wants 'to do what Olivia Colman did.' Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Gemma Whelan's "Game of Thrones" WhatsApp group is still "highly functional." The 40-year-old actress starred in the hit TV series alongside the likes of Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams, and even though the show ended in 2019, the cast have remained in touch with each other. "It was a long time. We knew each other for a span of about 10 years and it was a family I just loved every single moment it was very, very special," she told Britain's The Independent newspaper. Gemma looks back on her "Game of Thrones" experience with "great fondness and pride." But she's now keen to try her hand at something distinctly different. Speaking about her career ambitions, she said, "I want to do what Olivia Colman did. I want to be Olivia Colman." Meanwhile, Gemma recently revealed she doesn't miss performing "squishy-squishy, huggy-huggy stuff" on camera. The actress - who played Yara Greyjoy in "Game of Thrones" - admits her professional life has changed markedly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic and the rise of the #MeToo movement. She explained, "All the squishy-squishy, huggy-huggy stuff has stopped. But I don't miss it. You have to be a bit more genuine now if you're saying hello. You can't hide behind a big hug. And there's no question mark over it: Do we double kiss? Do we hug? Clasp hands? No, we just say hello to each other." In another interview with The Guardian, Gemma opened up about filming R-rated scenes for "GoT". She spilled, "They used to just say, 'When we shout action, go for it!', and it could be a sort of frenzied mess. But between the actors there was always an instinct to check in with each other." "There was a scene in a brothel with a woman and she was so exposed that we talked together about where the camera would be and what she was happy with," she further recalled. "A director might say, 'Bit of boob biting, then slap her bum and go!', but I'd always talk it through with the other actor." Instagram/Facebook Celebrity After attempting to criticize the iconic 'Sesame Street' character's vaccination status, the Texas senator is called out by 'Family Guy' creator Seth MacFarlane, who says that the giant yellow bird is 'smarter' than the politician. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Ted Cruz has landed in hot water. The Texas senator attempted to criticize the iconic "Sesame Street" character Big Bird's vaccination by labeling the act "government propaganda," but it has since backfired. Big Bird took to Twitter on Saturday to announce that he'd gotten the shot, which is now available for American children between the ages of 5 and 11. "I got the COVID-19 vaccine today!" Big Bird wrote on his official Twitter account. "My wing is feeling a little sore, but it'll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy." Big Bird also mentioned that CNN host Erica Hill had told him that he had been getting vaccines since he was little and said he had no idea. 'Sesame Street' character Big Bird announced that he'd gotten the vaccine COVID vaccine. It didn't take long for Ted to respond to the tweet. "Government propaganda...for your 5 year old!" he wrote. In the meantime, President Joe Biden applauded Big Bird for his decision, writing, "Good on ya, @BigBird. Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep your whole neighborhood safe." Shortly after Ted replied to the tweet, he was clowned and slammed by social media critics for calling out the giant yellow bird. One person who came after him was "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane. "No surprise Big Bird is smarter than Ted Cruz," Seth tweeted. "So is Kermit, Ernie, Bert, Grover, Oscar, Cookie Monster, The Count, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Rowlf, Dr. Teeth, The Swedish Chef, Scooter, Janice, Gonzo, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, and Animal." Ted then replied to Seth's comment as saying, "Well, every one of those is a puppet, most with a hand inserted up their backside." He added, "@SethMacFarlane is 1 of the funniest souls on the planet. Am sorry to see him shilling for petty authoritarians who would deny you the right to make your own medical choices. #YourBodyYourChoice." Ted Cruz criticized Big Bird's vaccination post, alleging it's 'Government propaganda.' In a separate Twitter post, Ted stated, "Liberals are weird." The senator continued, "They don't care about open borders. ... Or rising inflation. ... Or schools covering up sexual assaults. ... Or the disaster of Afghanistan. ... Or tyrannical Dems violating medical privacy & freedom. ... But criticize Big Bird? And they lose their s**t." WENN/Instagram/WENN/Judy Eddy/Avalon Music Also speaking up in the wake of the fatal festival are Kendall Jenner, who attended the show with Kylie Jenner, and Megan Thee Stallion, who pledges her support after the tragedy struck her hometown. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Drake has finally broken his silence on the fatal Astroworld 2021 Festival that left eight people killed and many others injured. The Canadian star, who performed at the Saturday, November 6 event, released a statement via Instagram two days after the tragedy. "I've spent the past few days trying to wrap my mind around this devastating tragedy," Drake began writing on his Story on late Monday. "I hate resorting to this platform to express an emotion as delicate as grief but this is where I find myself." "My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone who is suffering," he added. "I will continue to pray for all of them, and will be of service in any way I can, May God be with you all." Also taking to the social media platform to express her grief was Kim Kardashian. "Absolutely heartbroken for the lives who were lost and anyone who was hurt at Astroworld," so the reality TV star, whose sister Kylie Jenner was at the event in support of her on-and-off boyfriend Travis Scott (II), posted. "Just like all of you, our family is in shock by the tragedy," she continued, before showing her support to the "Sicko Mode" rapper as adding, "We are keeping all of the victims, families and loved ones impacted in our prayers for healing as well as Travis who we know cares so much about his fans and is truly devastated." Kendall Jenner, who attended the festival with Kylie, released her own statement at around the same time. The model wrote, "I'm still at a loss for words over the news from Astroworld. I'm truly broken for the families that have lost loved ones and my prayers go out to everyone involved. Sending everyone who has been affected all my love and wishing them strength during this incredibly devastating and sensitive time." Meanwhile, Megan Thee Stallion has revealed how the tragedy, which hit her hometown, affected her. "Houston is my hometown. It has a special place in my heart. I feel terrible," she told ET while attending Glamour's Women of the Year Awards on Monday night. The "WAP" emcee went on pledging her support to those affected by the tragedy as saying, "Whatever we can do, I want to help. I want to support. Always. That's my duty. That's what I gotta do. And we're just sending prayers and we're sending condolences. And we're sending positive energy to everybody and their family." Travis and Live Nation have been hit with lawsuits by several concertgoers, who called the tragedy "predictable and preventable." Drake is named as a co-defendant in one of the lawsuits. WENN/Instar/Nicky Nelson TV In a new social media statement, the daytime diva announces that she will return to her iconic purple chair 'as soon as' she and her doctors agree she's ready. Nov 9, 2021 AceShowbiz - Wendy Williams' fans seemingly are not happy with Michael Rapaport guest hosting "The Wendy Williams Show". Showing their disappointment, they demanded Sherri Shepherd return to "save the show." The 51-year-old actor will be filling in all week as Wendy continues to recover from her health issues. "I'm so glad to be here, I am so excited to be here," the "Prison Break" actor told the audience on Monday, November 8. "Wendy, thank you so much for trusting me with your show." Fans quickly took to social media to express their disapproval for Michael. "Bring back Sherri!!!!!," one user commented on the show's official Instagram account, while another said, "Come back Wendy and save the show or Sherri How you doin." One disgruntled viewer asked, "Why is michael rapaport guest hosting wendy williams show?" before adding, "And why am i being subjected to this nonsense." Another person commented, "Today's show was not it! Come back Sherri," while a separate critic chimed in, "@sherrisherpherd is the PERFECT guest host for @WendyWilliams... Nobody else should be doing it." Since season 13 began, Wendy has been unable to host in her iconic purple chair due to health difficulties. On Monday, the 57-year-old daytime diva broke her silence and issued a statement about her wellbeing via Instagram, noting she'd be back on the screen "as soon as" she's ready. "HOW YOU DOIN'? I MISS YOU ALL! As everyone knows, my health has been a hot topic. I'm making progress but it's just one of those things that's taking longer than we expected," her social media statement began. "I'm a woman of a certain age, and I know enough to listen to my doctors and will return to my purple chair as soon as we all agree I'm ready." Wendy, who was spotted being escorted in a wheelchair recently, continued, "I want to thank all of my staff and our guest hosts for stepping up and stepping in while I can't be there." She added, "I also want to thank Debmar-Mercury and our stations for being so understanding and supportive while I work my way back." "Most of all, I want to thank my fans. I have heard your prayers and comments and feel all the love! You are everything to me," Wendy concluded. "I love spending my mornings with you all and I'm doing everything I can to get back to work, but right now Wendy has to focus on Wendy. I love you for watching." Instagram/WENN/Adriana M. Barraza Celebrity The Amazon founder seemingly responds to a viral video that captured his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez looking besotted with the 'Revenant' star during their meeting at LACMA Art + Film gala. Nov 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Jeff Bezos clearly has something to hash out with Leonardo DiCaprio following their now-viral encounter that involved his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez. When meeting at Los Angeles County Museum of Art's 10th Art + Film gala, the news anchor was caught looking infatuated with the actor while her boyfriend was by her side. Now, the second-wealthiest person in the world has seemingly responded to the video that has become the talk of the town. On Monday, November 8, the Amazon founder jokingly sent an ominous message to Leo via Twitter. "Leo, come over here, I want to show you something," the 57-year-old entrepreneur tweeted. While the caption didn't sound threatening at all, it came with a picture of the computer engineer standing over a sign that read. "Danger! Steep cliff. Fatal drop." Leo has not responded to Jeff's tweet. Per usual, the environmental activist is making use of his social media account to raise awareness of wildlife preservation and climate change. "The Okavango River Basin is home to many wildlife, but they are leading a precarious existence as oil and gas drilling could threaten the ecosystem. #SaveTheOkavango," so read his latest tweet posted on Monday. The viral encounter took place on Saturday, November 6 at the star-studded LACMA Art + Film gala. In a video which circulated online, Lauren looked besotted with Leo as she couldn't keep her eyes off of him while the couple greeted the actor. The "Don't Look Up" star appeared to keep things cordial as he seemed to ignore her flirty body language, but occasionally took a glance at her to talk to her. He also alternately looked at Jeff's direction while speaking with the pair before walking ahead of them. WENN Music The 'Astroworld' rapper has been replaced by the 'Congratulations' hitmaker at the Las Vegas music event after backing out of gig following fatal tragedy at his festival. Nov 10, 2021 AceShowbiz - Post Malone has stepped in to replace Travis Scott at the Day N Vegas Festival in Las Vegas this Saturday (13Nov21), after the rapper cancelled his scheduled performance following the Astroworld tragedy. The "Sicko Mode" rapper pulled out of the festival as he is reportedly "too distraught to play" the gig, after eight people were killed and hundreds more injured when fans pushed towards the stage at his event last Friday. Day N Vegas organisers announced on Monday that Scott was no longer going to perform, writing in a statement, "The security and safety of all attending Day N Vegas has been and is always top of priority in our festival planning." "We continue to work hand in hand with law enforcement, medical personnel and public safety agencies on our protocols for the weekend." They then added that Malone had stepped in to perform in his place, writing, "We are excited that Post Malone has been added to close out Saturday night." Other performers due to take to the stage during the weekend festival include Roddy Ricch, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler, the Creator. Travis Scott has been under fire following the fatal tragedy at his event as he was accused of ignoring pleas to shut down the festival when things got out of control. The rapper said he was "absolutely devastated" by the tragedy but insisted he was unaware of what really happened among the crowd. "Anytime I could make out, you know, anything that's going on, you know I stop the show and, you know, help them get the help they need," he claimed. "My fans really mean the world to me. I always just want to leave them with a positive experience. I could just never understand the severity of the situation." SHASTA COUNTY, Calif. - A man was arrested on Monday in connection to a missing persons body that was found in the area of Keswick Lake near the Chappie/Shasta Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation area, according to the Shasta County Sheriff's Office. On Oct. 17, deputies began investigating a missing report of 35-year-old Christopher Allen Catterson of Redding. Deputies located Cattersons body in the area of Keswick Lake and they ruled his death suspicious. Detectives learned that Catterson was fishing with his cousin, 35-year-old Clayton Allen Stearns of Klamath Falls, Oregon, on Oct. 16. Days later, deputies learned Stearn was in Klamath Falls and responded to the area to work with detectives with the Klamath County Sheriffs Office. RELATED: Detectives investigating suspicious death of missing person Detectives served several search warrants and located evidence connecting Stearns to Cattersons death. An arrest warrant was issued and Stearns was arrested at 9:45 a.m. on Monday in Shasta County. He was booked into the Shasta County Jail and is facing one count of first-degree murder. He is being held without bail. Stearns is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Shasta County Superior Court. Detectives are asking anyone who may have seen a 2010 black GMC Sierra Pickup or a gray 2010 Toyota Tacoma in the area where the body was found on Oct. 16 to contact the Major Crimes Unit at (530) 245-6135. OROVILLE, Calif. - The City of Oroville is getting national attention for a resolution they recently passed. The council has decided to not follow controversial orders issued by the state or federal governments. In a 6-1 vote, the city council declared Oroville a Constitutional Republic City. "This mandate is not saying we are against laws or for anarchy," said Oroville Vice Mayor Scott Thomson. Vice mayor Thomson says it's the city's effort to send a strong message to federal and state leaders. "I think it's a time for us to draw a line in the sand, enough is enough," Thomson said. The resolution resolves to not enforce "any executive orders issued by the state of California or by the United States Federal Government that are overreaching or clearly violate our constitutionally protected rights." The move comes amid the controversy over closing businesses during the pandemic along with mask and vaccine mandates. "We're not talking about one mandate that's been pushed on us recently, it's a barrage of mandates," Thomson said. "This is disgusting, it makes me mad," said Liza West, an Oroville resident. West is among the residents who oppose the resolution. "I think that we all believe in applying the law and agree in following the law, and this is just ridiculous," West said. So does Oroville have the right to disregard state and federal orders? "Ultimately this would be determined by a court," said Lisa Pruitt, a UC Davis law professor. Pruitt says the resolution may not have any binding legal authority. My sense is the strong presumption would be that the city of Oroville does not have the power to do this, I see this primarily as a gesture," Pruitt said. A constitutional conflict with these city leaders fighting for more local control. "It makes a statement that says 'you know, enough is enough, we're done, we're tired,' said a city councilman. A lawsuit protesting the governor's emergency powers has already been filed by two Republican lawmakers. REDDING CALIF. -The supply chain problem still hitting local businesses hard Action News Now spoke to one Redding business owner. Michael Karns has owned Boundary Waters Screen Printing for 10 years. He says his regular suppliers tell him they dont have what he needs in stock. Or they have the items but not in the colors his customers want. A lot of issues with inventory; a lot of stuff is floating on the water customers have been very cool about switching up colors because if you want a black shirt, and we got locations all across the county that are sending. There will be extra larges missing well where are the extra larges they are floating on the water," Karns said. According to CNBC, the reason for the supply chain backlog is a combination of things, worker shortages to lack of materials, to manufacturers not being able to produce as much as they did pre-pandemic. Karns says he gets shipments from all over the county. Meanwhile, even though it is tough to get inventory, he says his customers are loyal and keep coming back. Karns tells Action News Now his business has been dealing with the supply-demand shortage for about 16 months now. Joy Personal Care, a skincare brand from RSH Global, announced a new campaign for its popular winter-care product Honey and Almonds Body Lotion.The newly launched television commercial featuring Kriti Sanon emphasizes the importance of the two ultimate desi ingredients, Honey and Almonds in skincare products. Mimi Chakraborty, a popular Bengali actress will be seen endorsing the same campaign, targeted at the Bengal market. With this campaign, Joy Personal Care highlights the need for embracing desi ingredients and to not look at the West for answers in personal care needs. It aims to break the stereotypical idea within the beauty industry that products with ingredients from the west are of superior quality. Indians have a specific skin type which is accustomed to Indian weather conditions. Hence, relying on ingredients sourced from our own country, are not only best suited for our desi skin but are also highly nourishing in nature. In the TV commercial, we see Kriti watching a commercial for products with exotic, foreign ingredients. In the middle of the commercial, Kriti is seen turning off the TV with a confused expression, where she highlights that one need not look for exotic but exact Indian ingredients that are best suited for our skin types. Later, Kriti is seen using the lotion and encourages everyone to depend on Indian ingredients for their daily skincare routine. Honey and almonds have stood the test of time and have managed to be relevant amongst new age specialized skincare regimens as well. Sunil Agarwal, Chairman, RSH Global said: Winter-time is extremely crucial for skincare routines as the air is dry and our skin requires nourishment along with moisturizing. Honey & Almonds body lotion is our flagship product and is loved by our customers as well. This is why the lotion is a giant in the body lotion category in India. Kriti and Mimi are beloved faces in their industries and will help us drive the message of using desi ingredients. With life returning back to normalcy, we are expecting demand to be strong in this category during the upcoming winter season. RSH Global Poulomi Roy, Chief Marketing Officer said: Honey and Almonds hold a special place in Indian culture and households due to their immediate relation with nourishment. These special ingredients have stood the test of time and still stand relevant despite the new-age esoteric ingredients brought in by the western influence. Through this campaign we break another stereotype that exists in beauty and personal care, that not everything exotic and westernized is superior for skin. As the movement for supporting local products and ingredients gains more momentum by the day, we believe our audiences will resonate with the idea. We are glad both Kriti and Mimi believe in this thought and support the same. Kriti Sanon added: I would like to thank Joy Personal Care for providing me with the opportunity to be a part of such an interesting campaign so relatable and very much prevalent. With the winter season just around the corner, our skincare routine and product with nourishing components becomes an important consideration. Two such ultimate desi ingredients that stand for purity, nourishment and are intrinsic to every Indian are honey and almonds. Hence, this winter season, Joy Honey & Almonds Body Lotion is my pick and recommendation for all. Literature is a means by which we may ask questions, said Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket at The Hindu Lit For Life 2019. This is something that the festival has espoused over the 10 years of its existence by asking questions on stage and off it. Literature also did not mean just fiction (both literary and popular). It encompassed travel, science, politics, art, memoirs, biographies, autobiographies, poetry, food, health, theatre, films and more. After a two-year hiatus, thanks to the pandemic, the festival which began as a celebration of 20 years of The Hindus literary supplement, Literary Review now returns in a digital format with a carefully curated programme that reflects our much-changed world with sessions on the virus and its impact with leading scientists and medical practitioners, conversations between thinkers and writers on a variety of topics such as films, art and literature, as well as an important conversation on how to navigate these complex times, says Dr. Nirmala Lakshman, Festival Director and Curator and Director, The Hindu Group. With COVID-19 still dominating the world, it cannot be ignored. In Lessons of the Pandemic, moderated by Kamini Mahadevan Dr. Gagandeep Kang, Dr. Srinath Reddy and Prof. Arun Kumar take stock of the impact on healthcare, society and the economy and what we need to do to go forward. Mind Matters: An exploration of lifespan mental health in COVID-19 times will have Dr. Pratima Murthy, Dr. Shekhar Seshadri, and Dr. Soumitra Pathare and Dr. Ennapadam S. Krishnamoorthy discuss what the past two years have meant for our mental well-being. In a related session titled A Viral World, Pranay Lal and Ramya Kannan explain why viruses are indeed necessary and why we need to relook our relationship with them. The other important issue that looms large over our world is the environment. Climate change and human-animal conflict have been in focus for some time and In the Wild: Conversations about Conservation has Neha Sinha, Dr.Sanjay Gubbi and Dr. Mahesh Rangarajan talking about the imperatives of co-existence. This theme also underlies Amitav Ghoshs verse adaptation of the legend of Bon Bibi. In Jungle Nama: A story for our times, the author tells Somak Ghoshal about the challenges of writing in the dwipodi-payar metre of Bengali folk literature, the timelessness of the story, and the lesson one can draw from it: of finding a balance and living in harmony with Nature. What does it mean to be a woman in a mans world? From mythology to the modern world, three sessions consider this question: Beginning with Indra Nooyis sharing her lifes journey and the larger takeaways in a conversation with Vinay Kamath (My Life in Full: Work, Family and Our Future) through filmmaker Sudha Kongara talking to Chithra Mahesh about her experiences in the world of cinema in This is My Story to highlighting the Pandava queens place vis-a-vis the other women in the epic in The Song of Draupadi (Ira Mukhoty in conversation with Pankaja Srinivasan). Books form just one part of the festival. Its also about people and the world around them. This is what comes to the fore in Shashi and Sashi, as Shashi Tharoor and Sashi Kumar have a candid chat about life, literature, politics and more. Art is one of the aspects that light up life. How, then, can we ignore it in Lit For Life? In Reclaiming Gandhi, artist Subodh Kerkar revisits his lifelong engagement with the Mahatma and examines how art can help spread his ideas. In Sense Smell Touch: Collaborating in Theatre Making, Anuradha Kapur and Deepan Sivaraman suggest that the process of production is both collaborative and individual. The festival concludes with Running Towards Mystery in which the Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi talks to N. Ravi about transforming ourselves and the world in a positive manner by using ethics and values as tools for now and later. As Dr. Lakshman said: The festival extends The Hindu's commitment to engaging directly with its readers by bringing important and enriching perspectives to them from pre-eminent minds. It is our hope that this years digital programme is a precursor to an on ground literary festival in the near future. Wunderman Thompson Singapore has announced the appointments of Jaimesha Patel as Managing Partner, Client Services and Mark Teal as Head of Growth. Both roles are newly created roles to reflect the agencys growth plans for 2022. As Managing Partner Client Services, Patel will lead the account team to drive growth for local clients as well as lead the Johnson & Johnsons account regionally. Prior to joining Wunderman Thompson, Patel led the regional hub for one of Omnicom's digital experience, CRM and creative consultancy brand's RAPP. Patel brings to agency 15+ years industry experience. Over the years, Patel has worked with global and local clients across a range of verticals including Technology, Oil & Gas, High-end Luxury Fashion, Real-Estate, Healthcare and Sports. Jaimesha Patel said: With our core and ever-evolving strengths in creative, data and technology, Wunderman Thompson is well positioned to deliver consumer-focused business solutions for brands. I am excited to lead our team in inspiring growth for our clients. Patel will be working hand-in-hand with Mark Teal, who joins Wunderman Thompson Singapore as Head of Growth. The role will see Teal leading growth in the agencys martech category both through new business and partnerships. Teal brings with him 19 years of experience. Previously, Teal was Head of Business Development ASEAN in Digitas. In 2019, he moved to join Mezzo Labs, a startup data analytics consultancy as General Manager, building its business in Singapore. Over the course of his career, Teal has led key regional accounts, run consumer businesses, and achieved new business wins contributing to the three-fold increase in agency headcount. Teal said:Wunderman Thompsons ability to marry e-commerce, CRM, marketing, and customer insights puts us in a unique position to help companies grow their market share and profits. I look forward to bringing our expertise together to help ensure success for all our clients. Were thrilled to have Patel and Teal join our office. Weve been relatively quiet in the press throughout 2021, outside of new hires, but weve had a stellar year between new business wins and creative awards. Our bringing on Patel and Teal further signifies our commitment to our clients and people alike of our ambitions to remain on this same trajectory into 2022 and beyond. says Nimesh Desai, CEO at Wunderman Thompson Singapore. Desai added: Not only will Patel and Teal bring their diverse experience and strategic knowledge to drive genuine business growth for our clients, but their fresh perspective and empathetic leadership will also serve as a spark of inspiration for our office. Both Patel and Teal will report to Desai. Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Bern, 09.11.2021 - The head of the FDFA, Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis, met his Belgian counterpart Sophie Wilmes for a virtual exchange on 9 November 2021. In addition to the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, the exchange focused on Switzerland's relationship with the EU. Federal Councillor Ignazio Cassis and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sophie Wilmes discussed bilateral relations, focusing on research, development and innovation, and Switzerland's European policy. In discussing Switzerland's EU policy Mr Cassis underscored Switzerland's commitment to remaining a reliable partner and maintaining good and stable relations with the EU based on the bilateral approach. He also stressed that it is in the shared interests of Switzerland and the EU to safeguard their well-established approach to cooperation and to systematically retain the agreements already in force. The Federal Council therefore wishes to launch a political dialogue with the EU on continued cooperation. During the virtual exchange, the head of the FDFA also highlighted the importance of cooperation and the work of international organisations in dealing with the COVID-19 crisis. 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 Developed as a leadership program to help empower, educate, and build confidence in Montana Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) members, the ACE program which stands for Advocate. Communicate. Educate. has now opened the application period for those interested in participating in classes for 2022. About five years ago, then MFBF Director of Governmental Affairs Chelcie Cargill realized there was an air of hesitation across the membership. Although MFBF is a grassroots policy development organization by agriculturalists and for agriculturalists, Cargill noticed members seemed reserved and hesitant to stand in front of people and advocate for their industry, especially during a legislative session. Cargill contemplated this dilemma and ultimately created a program that works at building foundational leadership and advocacy skills in individuals. This is a leadership program that develops personal and professional skills so people can not only better serve their county Farm Bureaus, but on a broader stage, better serve rural Montana and the ag industry, Cargill said. The ACE program focuses its teachings around three foundational pillars: grassroots engagement, issue advocacy, and leadership development. The one-year program is broken down into six seminars addressing these pillars. To encourage a more intimate interaction, the program is also capped at 10 participants. Cargill has designed the ACE program to encourage personal growth through contemplation and introspection. Those in the ACE program develop as leaders because they discuss the tough questions. When it comes to advocacy, participants grow as leaders because they learn how to navigate difficult and uncomfortable situations. Rouhani: Biden can just sign the "good piece of paper" Iranian President Hassan Rouhani this week called for President-elect Joe Biden to reenter the Iranian nuclear deal by reversing sanctions imposed by the United States after the Donald Trump administration withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the deals formal name, in May 2018. Rouhani told a Cabinet meeting Wednesday that the next president "can put a good piece of paper on the table and sign it nicely so that we could return to the first place, and it does not take time at all." His message echoes that of his Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who said last month that if the incoming Biden administration revokes only three executive orders that imposed sanctions on Iran, there is no need for preconditions or negotiations. During the US presidential campaign, Biden assailed Trumps withdrawal from the JCPOA as a setback for US nonproliferation efforts and has called for a return to the Iran nuclear deal, if Iran is in compliance with its terms. Iran, however, is not in compliance. In response to Trump's "maximum pressure" policies, Iran has increased its enrichment of uranium, a necessary step toward a nuclear weapon, bypassing JCPOA-imposed levels. Iran has not yet reached weapons-level stockpiles or even the pre-JCPOA levels. Iran has also expanded its use of centrifuges, in violation of the JCPOA, as we reported here last month. Zarif has made clear these actions are all reversible. If the United States revokes the executive orders which imposed the sanctions, Zarif said, Iran will carry out its obligations too." Guardian Council gives Rouhani two months to get the old deal Rouhani is under pressure from hard-liners in Irans Islamic Consultative Assembly (the official name for its parliament, or Majles) which passed a law Dec. 1 to suspend UN inspections of its nuclear facilities and further increase enriched uranium production unless the terms of the JCPOA are reinstated. Iranian hard-liners hold the majority in the parliament after elections in February. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo issued a statement Friday that "the international community must not reward the regimes dangerous gamesmanship with economic appeasement." The legislation was sparked by the assassination of leading nuclear scientist and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) Gen. Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on Nov. 27. Iran has blamed Israels intelligence services and the exiled opposition group Peoples Mujahedeen of Iran (Mujahedeen-e-Khalq) for the assassination, which it claims may have occurred via satellite and possibly using facial recognition technologies. The buzz in Tehran is that the United States may have also had a role. That would make it harder for Washington to strike a deal with Tehran, as if the issue of sanctions werent burden enough on Bidens options in dealing with Iran. Neither Israel nor the United States has taken responsibility for Fakhrizadehs assassination. Irans Guardian Council, a constitutionally mandated oversight body with influence on legislation and government decisions, tweaked the Majles bill to offer a two-month window for the other JCPOA signatories to act before Iran would do so. Rouhani has been protective of the sensitive diplomatic opening that may be his last chance to put Irans economy and foreign policy back on the track it was on before Trump took office. The Iranian president told his Cabinet on Wednesday that the conduct of diplomacy is the domain of the government, which needs to speak with a "single voice" to the world. With the Guardian Council amending the period to two months," writes Ali Hashem, "the most conservative body in the Islamic Republic is tweaking the message to Biden, in what could be described as an act of aggressive pragmatism that is aimed at getting a quick answer from Washington: it is either the old deal or no deal. The Guardian Council's timeline in a way tracks with the constraints on Rouhani and Zarif, and provides an opening, according to Hashem. "Iran as an establishment is willing to engage as far as the United States is willing to return without preconditions to the nuclear deal," he writes. This would also have implications on the chances of a moderate candidate having chances in winning the next presidential election that is planned for June 2021. Still, any president in Tehran will have to deal with an ultra-conservative parliament that is likely to create a lot of headaches, whether or not the path of engagement is restored." Biden: "A starting point for follow-on negotiations" Biden told New York Times columnist Tom Friedman this month that "the United States would rejoin the agreement as a starting point for follow-on negotiations, and lift the sanctions on Iran that Trump imposed. While there may be arguments for using the Trump sanctions as leverage in the opening diplomatic bid, Friedman reports that the prevailing view among the Biden team is to get Iran back into full JCPOA compliance first. Biden told Friedman that his administration, in consultation with our allies and partners, will then seek subsequent agreements to "tighten and lengthen Irans nuclear constraints, as well as address the missile program. US regional partners, such as Israel, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were mostly content with Trumps maximum pressure policies on Iran and worry that they could be left behind in another new round of diplomacy with Iran. Israel believes Iran will accept a US proposal, if one is made, that would include a lifting of some sanctions and a full return by Iran and the United States to the nuclear agreement, writes Ben Caspit. Biden is making consultation a priority and will have an advantage in subsequent negotiations with Iran of working with regional partners more openly and closely than in the past, thanks to the Trump-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. In an Al-Monitor event this week, both Alon Ushpiz, director general of Israel's Foreign Ministry, and Omar Ghobash, the UAE's assistant minister for culture and public diplomacy, reiterated their countries concerns about Iran. They also stressed optimism about continued strong consultations with a Biden administration on Iran and all regional and security matters, as Adam Lucente reports. A quick return to the nuclear deal might also undercut the ability of Russian President Vladimir Putin to leverage his role as middleman in a sustained US-Iran diplomatic standoff, as Micky Aharonson said in a podcast this week. While Russia is a signatory to the JCPOA, it also enjoys the role of spoiler. Rouhani: "A new opportunity for diplomacy" Rouhani cant commit to negotiations with the United States or other signatories on the terms of the JCPOA, given the political constraints in Iran. As Hashem writes, the best Rouhani can do, for now, is the old deal or no deal. But that may be an opening bid to keep the diplomatic door ajar, if the Biden administration reenters the deal in good time. Israeli strategists believe Iran may refrain from retaliating for Fakhrizadehs assassination to keep open the prospect of talks. Rouhani has also backed off his previous demands for compensation and an apology from the United States for the sanctions caused by Trump, as Bijan Khajehpour explained in a recent podcast. We should make use of the new opportunity for diplomacy, Rouhani said Wednesday. News featured Air Force veteran making his mark at UGA ATHENS Caleb Ray slides into the cockpit of an F-16 at the Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. He pulls his helmet down and adjusts the GoPro mount facing him one that he helped engineer in his first year as an aircraft technician and welder for the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. Special Photo: UGA Caleb Ray, a third-year financial planning major at the University of Georgia, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2013. Even though Ray isnt a pilot, the familiarization flight is one of the perks of joining the Thunderbirds crew. He practices the breathing techniques the team doctor taught him to combat the effects of peak G-force hes about to experience for the first time. The aircraft taxis around the airstrip. Ray pulls his arms in tight and presses up on the balls of his feet. The engines roar and the fighter jet rushes down the runway. In seconds, Ray is airborne. The takeoff pulls 5-Gs, which is about what youd feel on a rollercoaster. Mid-flight, the jet accelerates into a 9-G maneuver, the equivalent of 2,000 pounds of pressure on the body. Ray is jammed into his seat. They can tell you all about it, but theres no prepping until you experience it, he says. His training holds up, and he remains conscious the entire flight. Ray, a third-year financial planning major at the University of Georgia, enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 2013. Surviving 9-Gs was one of many extraordinary experiences throughout Rays seven-year military career. Before joining the Thunderbirds in 2017 for his final three years of service, Ray was stationed in Minot, N.D., where he worked as an aircraft metals technologist servicing B-52s. Thats where he decided on another experience he wanted to pursue: Becoming a Georgia Bulldog. I remember very clearly sitting in my dorm room in Minot, Ray said. I got a Military Friendly magazine, and I looked at it, and its like top careers and top schools for military vets. And the University of Georgia was right there in the top 10. The Tampa native knew it would be a good fit. With family in north Georgia, UGA was an ideal location. When he enrolled in fall 2020, Ray realized that UGAs commitment to veterans went beyond the Military Friendly ranking. Its all about making connections, Jon Segars, the director of UGAs Student Veterans Resource Center, said. We want to be a constant asset for our student veterans. Transitioning from the military to college presents unique challenges. The SVRC focuses on making that transition easier and helping student veterans find resources to complete their education and embark on their post-military careers. I was dumbfounded when I attended orientation in summer and they said you have to get your resume right if you want an internship, if you want to get experience, Ray said. [The internships] go fast in August, September, October at the very latest. That woke me up. The SVRC offers a readiness program to help veterans translate their experience into a resume, explore academic and internship opportunities, and meet mentors. Ray knew he not only wanted to connect with the SVRC, he also wanted to get involved. Photo by Andrew Davis Tucker/UGA Caleb Ray, a third-year financial planning major at the University of Georgia, served in the U.S. Air Force for seven years. During his first semester, Ray landed a job as a student worker with the center. While university instruction remained virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ray was able to work in the SVRC office in person, once that was permitted. Working at the Student Veterans Resource Center was very crucial for me, he said. Coming to campus every day to get a feel for what its like, even though there was hardly anybody on campus. To know what to expect when I was going to be in person. I knew that this day was going to come around soon, so I just wanted to prepare myself. Through the SVRC, Ray learned about the Student Veterans Association, UGAs chapter of Student Veterans of America. And when a position opened on the SVAs leadership team, he jumped at the opportunity. As the SVA president, Rays says his goal is to create a student-centered home for veterans on campus to help them find their purpose and be a listening ear. I really take it upon myself to try to get to know everybody that comes through our doors, he said. I want to learn their story and see how I can help. Whether they need help with VA certification, navigating the G.I. Bill, connecting with a tutor or mentor, or just getting to know other student veterans, the SVA and the SVRC are there to point veterans in the right direction. Special Photos Caleb Ray (right) and Nicholas Sesing stand before 650 flags planted in honor of Veterans Day in 2020. Finding unity through diversity About 220 student veterans currently engage with the SVRC. But for Segars, its not about the numbers. Its about engagement, he said. Problem-solving begins with listening to every veterans story, easing the transition and then helping our student veterans make the most of their experiences at UGA. And its often within those different stories that many student veterans find common ground. That shared life experience is what drew Ray to want to get involved. Special Photo Caleb Ray gets his first military haircut in April 2013. I am incredibly honored to have served and to now serve the veterans here at the University of Georgia, he said. Doing something thats not just for yourself, but to help other people, is huge. And thats what the world needs, people helping other people. As we finish 18 months of COVID-19 pandemic, what will we see in the next six months? There will be a massive push to get everyone vaccinated with more battles and punishments for noncompliance. Government, public health authorities, the media, and big pharma will lead the charge. Experimental vaccination will be pushed because those in power can feel their narrative of fear slipping away and they don't have much time left to push the vaccines. People are beginning to realize that COVID-19 is not extremely dangerous to the healthy below age 70. Cases and deaths are going down in spite of attempts to inflate cases with faulty tests and inflate deaths with a faulty definition of who dies from COVID-19. More people are understanding that Dr. Fauci was involved with the creation of the virus in Wuhan and is not telling the truth. Many states are doing better with no lockdowns, masking, or vaccine mandates. The understanding is growing that the experimental vaccines do not prevent infection or transmission of the now prevalent Delta variant. Breakthrough infections and possible vaccine injury are now showing that even the fully vaccinated can be hospitalized and die. Sweden, England, and Israel report that the vaccinated have more serious illness and death. The vaccinated who thought getting their two shots would be the end of it, are realizing they will be fired from their job if they don't take booster #3, #4, #5, etc. People are beginning to realize that mRNA vaccine safety is not as good as they were told. If children are vaccinated ( not a good idea ) it is likely there will be more vaccine injuries than any prevention of illness and death from COVID-19. Information is coming out about safe ways to treat COVID-19 early and thus avoid hospitalization with Ivermectin and monoclonal antibodies. Our country needs a change in strategy to get through the next six months regarding COVID-19 measures. It is obvious now that more vaccination will not end COVID-19 and is not necessary to get us to herd immunity. More vaccination into the pandemic will lead to more variants and endless boosters that have not worked well and have side effects. The shift that needs to be made is away from universal vaccination as the only answer and toward early treatment. COVID-19 will become endemic (sporadic cases without massive spikes) and both the unvaccinated and vaccinated need to be ready to treat those cases. Unfortunately, our public health authorities, the mainstream media, the medical community, and the pharmaceutical companies are not going to lead this change. We, the people, must lead this change. So how to survive the winter of 2021-22? Remember, I am a doctor, but I am not your doctor. All these recommendations must be taken to your doctor for actual treatment. Do not treat yourself at home based only on what I say! If you have already had a COVID-19 infection you do not have to worry. Studies from Israel show it is very unlikely you could catch COVID-19 again. I would not get the vaccine as there are some observational studies that say you might be at more risk for side effects from the vaccine and you are protected from COVID-19 anyway -- your natural immunity is the best defense . If you are not vaccinated for whatever reason, you can be ready to treat yourself at home especially if you are at high risk. If you are fully vaccinated (whatever that means now), please don't be complacent and believe you are protected completely. Look at the studies cited above and be ready to treat yourself at home. Please investigate the side effects that are being seen with the vaccines currently, before you take more boosters. Those who choose to treat at home must get their medicine before they get sick. There can be long waits now for oral medications that, unfortunately, are not readily available in the United States. Consider these protocols from Frontline Critical Care Alliance : 1) Have a conversation with your primary care doctor about treatment of COVID-19. If you were ill with COVID-19, would he/she treat you with Ivermectin? There are over 60 studies on the flccc.net website showing that Ivermectin works and is the favored early treatment right now. If they would not, then I would find a way to get this medication in your house before you get ill. America's Frontline doctors and Dr. Stella Emmanuel can help you with a phone visit and mail order pharmacy. Frontline Critical Care Alliance has a list of doctors in your area that prescribe Ivermectin. Vladamir Zelenko has treatment and prevention protocols on his website. Ivermectin is available over the counter in many countries. If you know someone traveling or living overseas, they may be able to get it for you. Again, take this only under a doctor's care and supervision. If you decide not to take this oral treatment early, then call your doctor when you get ill with COVID-19 and get monoclonal antibody IV for treatment. This outpatient IV treatment can reduce your symptoms and chances of being in the hospital with very few side effects. Treatment is not with Ivermectin alone but can include: 2) Make sure your Vitamin D level is good before you get ill. Several studies show Vitamin D can help your immune system fight off COVID-19. Your doctor can check this level with a blood test. Vitamin D 5,000 units a day for a week if you get ill. 3) Vitamin C 1,000-2,000 mg daily for a week when ill 4) Aspirin 325 mg a day provided no other contraindications (talk with your doctor) when ill 5) Melatonin 10 mg at bedtime (may make you drowsy) for a week when ill 6) Zinc 100 mg a day for a week when ill 7) Anti-viral mouthwash from provodine-iodine or others 8) Quercetin 250 mg a.m. and p.m. (may interact with Ivermectin check with your doctor). Full protocols on flccc.net . Other second and third-line medications can be used under a doctors care. Take charge of your medical care and don't walk in fear of COVID-19! Despite what you have heard from the "experts," COVID-19 is treatable early in the disease course. Image: PxFuel To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. A group of young students in France is under severe threat from Muslims. An Oct. 14, 2021 report has the details: Several Nantes high school students have been subjected to harassment and threats online for several days It all started with a video shot in January in a private setting and which was not intended to be broadcast. [T]he 17-second film made during a birthday party shows young people, then in third grade, laughing as they imitate Muslims praying. The images nonetheless ended up on Twitter and Instagram in early October, prompting a torrent of insults and death threats. On being asked if the students were behaving maliciously, one source acquainted with the incident said it was more of a very stupid game, adding, we can see that things are already going wrong. Indeed, since then, the death threats to the students have reached the point that police patrols had to be deployed around the high school frequented by the victims. The deja vu nature of this otherwise unremarkable account is especially interesting. As documented in these two articles, in 2015, a group of Christian students in Egypt made a 30-second iPhone video mocking the Islamic State; they appear laughing and joking, as they pretend to be members of the Islamic State praying to Allah before they pretend to slit the throats of each other, an ISIS trademark. Rather than doing what Frances Muslims are currently doingthreatening that nations young jokestersEgypts Muslims went into full-blown attack mode. One Christian shop owner recounted their wild reaction to learning about the video in 2015: There were three or four marches in different places in the village, as our village is a very big village. They were chanting slogans against Christians and Christianity. They were chanting: With our souls and blood, we will defend you, oh Islam! We will not leave you; we will take revenge for you! They were pelting Christian homes with stones, pounding threateningly on doors and windows, attacking shops owned by Coptic Christians. They destroyed the door of my shop and they destroyed a photo studio owned by the father of one of the boys. For three days we were living in terror and panic. We stayed in our homes and our children didnt go to their schools. We also couldnt go to church to attend the masses for [Coptic] Holy Week. Another local Copt described how his home was attacked: On Thursday evening [4/9/2015], the Muslim demonstrators attacked our home. They pelted it with stones and insulted us. They were shouting, Oh kafirs (infidels), we cant let you live here. We will oust you from our village. They also stole the windows from our home. We were unable to go to the church during these events. Also, we didnt go to the church on Saturday to attend the Easter mass. Until now, we have been staying at our homes and are afraid that the attacks against us will be renewed. After the Muslim mob had had its fill, it was the Muslim authorities turn: at least four of the teenagers were arrested on the charge of insulting Islam, detained for 45 days, and subjected to ill-treatment, according to one human rights group. Then, in early 2016, three of these Christian teenagers were sentenced to five years imprisonment. The fourth defendant, 15, was handed a juvenile detention for an indefinite period. They have been sentenced for contempt of Islam and inciting sectarian strife, explained their defense lawyer, Maher Naguib: The judge didnt show any mercy. He handed down the maximum punishment. In other words, mocking the Islamic Statewhich we are regularly assured is an extremist group that has little to do with true Islamis, according to Egypts judiciary (to say nothing of the people) tantamount to expressing contempt of Islam, and therefore deserving of punishment without mercy. What can be learned from these two cases of non-Muslims miming Muslimsthe one from Egypt the other from France? First, any claims that those Muslims currently threatening students in France are extremists or radicals, or that they do not represent Islamas we are often and forever told whenever a Muslim misbehavesmust be rejected out of hand: when the same exact thing happened in Egypt, Muslims everywhere rose in violence and the authorities themselves arrested, abused, and sentenced the blasphemers to prison. Thats because if you want to know how Islam truly behaves, especially vis-a-vis the infidel, see how it behaves on its own turf, where it is in a position of power and authority, as opposed to where it is a minority faith (e.g., France). Nor is Egypt alone; most Muslim nations exhibit such wild reactions to and have severe laws against blasphemy. It seems to be a near-weekly occurrence in Pakistan. Here, then, is yet another example that the sort of behavior Westerners find extremely distastefulthreatening to kill children or teenagers because you find their private jests offensiveis 100 percent Islamic. 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. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. On August 7, 2021, I wrote about how states along our southern border could thwart the Biden (*) administrations material support for the drug cartels and the crimes being committed by invoking the RICO Statute. The statute seems to address directly the various activities in which the administration has engaged over the last ten months at our Southern border. Here, from NOLO, is the meat of that statute: Passed in 1970, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) is a federal law designed to combat organized crime in the United States. It allows prosecution and civil penalties for racketeering activity performed as part of an ongoing criminal enterprise. Such activity may include illegal gambling, bribery, kidnapping, murder, money laundering, counterfeiting, embezzlement, drug trafficking, slavery, and a host of other unsavory business practices. Please note my added emphasis on federal law. Since August, I have spoken to several people with legal expertise, and each said RICO would be the wrong approach because federal prosecutors would be needed, and that will not happen in Bidens DOJ. There might be a ray of hope, however. Within the past week on 3 November, John Solomon, at Just The News, reported the following story: Texas plots new legal attacks on Biden agenda: migrant trafficking and environmental destruction. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been relentlessly taking on every manner of illegality by the Biden (*) administration and, as the headline teases, one of the two new lawsuits in the making will take on an apparently clandestine effort to bring illegal immigrant families to the United States. AG Paxton is quoted: The Biden administration now is working on flying other family members, minors, up at taxpayer expense, flying them to the United States to reunite with the rest of their family, he told the John Solomon Reports podcast. One, thats completely illegal. Theres nothing that allows for that in the federal law. In effect, its a complete violation of law. So were looking at that as a potential lawsuit, because its just another way for the Biden administration to accomplish this goal of getting, I think their goal is to get 10 million illegals in the country in four years. And were going to do our best to hold them accountable to following federal law. AG Paxton seemed to be buoyed (my interpretation) by election gains on Tuesday in Virginia and in other states where Republican Party candidates were running for office: It was a great win for us, he said. And I think its a repudiation of this president who says, Im not for America. Im going to do what I want. I run the show, and I do what I think is best. It doesnt matter what the law says. It doesnt matter what the courts say. It doesnt matter if the entire country doesnt want it. Were gonna shove it down your throat. Thats what hes doing. Something tells me most of us who are regular consumers at American Thinker would agree with AG Paxtons characterization of Bidens shove it down your throat approach to governance. That very succinctly and ingeniously frames the entire Democrat Partys and the Lefts modus operandi, which can be summed up as We are in power now, and we are going to use that power to our sole advantage. You dont have to like it, you just have to sit down, shut up, and take it. But what encourages me the most is that the Texas Attorney General is drawing the map and charting the path to how every state negatively affected by the current regimes (alleged) criminal behavior can hold them accountable. Based on what John Solomon has reported, and how AG Paxton cited the issueBidens policies mean every state will soon be drastically affected and will become a border state. This is arguably the most under-reported story of 2021. The installed (*) regime has been busily undermining every possible means for Americas success, and her citizens desire for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Meanwhile, there has been a sustained effort to traffic millions of immigrants into the country, something that has been accurately and truthfully reported only when the situation rises to crisis level. Crisis, indeed. Ha! For American citizens who live within 100 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, it has been one crisis, one tragedy, after another since January 20, 2021. On August 7, I chronicled events with the following list: Scores of immigrants corpses have been found in the county adjacent to where I live every year, a pattern dating back several years. A simple internet search (take your pick of search engine) will review the years of accumulating documentation. Here is one from two months ago: It is hardly a secret, but is instead a well-known and established fact, that the Mexican drug cartels are profiting from the human trafficking that takes place on the border. Law enforcement is discovering and shutting down stash houses with increasing frequency. It doesnt take a wild imagination to guess what happens when dozens of these people are crammed into these houses, or what they may be experiencing at the hands of the Mexican cartel-allied gangs on our side of the border. The criminal enterprise of human trafficking is exploiting and endangering children. Even the hard-left American Civil Liberties Union cannot escape the truth that the illegal immigrants crossing our borders will be subjected to years of exploitation and indentured servitude. The ACLU rightly calls it what it isSLAVERY. While the chaos at the border facilitates human trafficking, dont forget the drugs that are still coming across in record numbers. More fentanyl has been seized in the first six months of 2021 than in years past, including this record-breaking seizure in Arizona. If what AG Paxton alleges is truenamely, that the Biden (*) administration is illegally flying the citizens of Central and South American countries directly to a reunion with their family members, who themselves are here illegallyone would think that ought to be enough to encourage many more states Attorneys General to join the fight. One lesson that all Americans have learned over the past five years is the scope of the Deep States dishonesty, and its reach to ensnare anyone its members choose to target. Therefore, we are reminded that the great American actor John Waynes quote is still appropriate: Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway. For crimes against the people of the United States, and for crimes against humanity for the unspeakable evil that has been unleashed along our southern border, we must implore those whom we have elected to serve and protect us to saddle up. Now! Jeff M. Lewis is a Christian, a husband and father, a Veteran, and a small business owner who resides with his family in South Texas. Image: A small number of the almost 2 million illegal aliens Biden welcomed into America. YouTube screen grab. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Once upon a time, President Joe Biden was against vaccine mandates. As president-elect in December 2020, he was asked, "Do you want vaccines to be mandatory?" His answer at the time seemed clear, "No I don't think it should be mandatory, I wouldn't demand it be mandatory." But that was then, and this is now. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi agreed. Last April, when asked about vaccine mandates, she made her position clear, "Soso here is the thing. We arewe cannot require someone to be vaccinated. That's just not what we can do. It is a matter of privacy to know who is or who isn't." Yet here we are, with Big Brother issuing this new edict, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued an emergency temporary standard (ETS) to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission in the workplace. The ETS establishes binding requirements to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers (100 or more employees from the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace. Their rationale is to protect workers from themselves, Unvaccinated workers are much more likely to contract and transmit COVID-19 in the workplace than vaccinated workers. Maybe, or maybe not. According to CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky in August, Vaccines no longer prevent you from spreading COVID. This leads to several questions, which the corporate media seems uninterested in exploring or asking. Why is this now suddenly an emergency? The vaccines have been available for almost a year and COVID has been with us for two years, yet now OSHA sees mandatory vaccination as an emergency. Why are workers at companies with 100 employees at such risk while similar companies with 99 employees are not, such that the mandate does not apply to them? Does that one extra employee turn a business from a safe enterprise into a superspreading workplace? Not to worry though. The Surgeon General suggests federal vaccine mandate could expand to small businesses. Are all businesses equal? Obviously, a business with all employees working in a single large room is different from one where employees are distant from each other, working outdoors or working remotely with little close contact. YouTube screen grab One can go from work, with a vaccine mandate, to a crowded health club, grocery store, airplane, or mall, in contact with even more people, but without a vaccine mandate. If a mandate is life-saving, why does it only apply in select circumstances? Its much like telling people to eat healthily and not smoke when at work but, after work, they are free to do whatever they want to. The leaders, who enforce such mandates, of these larger companies should know the vaccination status of their employees, perhaps not individually but collectively. Yet the CDC director, heading the organization at the forefront of Americas COVID response, does not know what percent of CDC staffers, in the bureaucracy she leads, have been vaccinated. Director Walensky could not answer this question posed to her last week by a U.S. senator. Another do as I say, not as I do moment from our government. President Biden insists his administrations vaccine mandates are popular, asserting there is broad public support. With such support, it would be easy for Congress to pass legislation mandating vaccines, rather than leaving the decision to an unelected and unaccountable bureaucracies and courts. Perhaps these mandates are not as popular as Biden claims, including in the halls of Congress. Members of Congress and their staffers are not subject to Bidens vaccine mandate. How rich if Congress required vaccines for you and me, but not for themselves. Are average Americans behind these vaccine mandates? Rasmussen Reports says no, More than half of voters support workers refusing to comply with mandatory vaccination against COVID-19, and believe that firing workers for non-compliance would hurt the U.S. economy. America is now mostly vaccinated. For working-age adults, 18 years and older, 80 percent have had at least one dose and 70 percent are fully vaccinated. What about the rest? This is the small subgroup that the mandates are directed toward. There was a surge in vaccinations last spring when vaccines were readily available to the general public. By summer, the vaccination rate flattened, with about 1.3 million doses given per day currently in the U.S., and it's unclear if these are newly vaccinated or booster doses. We are now in the zone of diminishing returns, where despite pushes for vaccination, most of those willing or interested in being vaccinated have already received the jab. Those still unvaccinated, for whatever reason, are far less inclined to change their minds at this point. I must add the standard and necessary disclaimer that I am not anti-vaccine, having been personally vaccinated. Nor am I offering medical advice, only an analysis of this newsworthy issue. Those unvaccinated by now are unlikely to reverse course. As reported by the Daily Mail, a survey of 6,000 adults found that half of the unvaccinated would not change their minds. These vaccine hesitant, despite media claims to the contrary, are not knuckle-dragging Trump-supporting deplorables waiting for JFK Jr.s return, but instead include two-Democrat leaning groups: the most highly educated as well as people of color. So, what now? Vaccine passports and QR codes are already balkanizing the world, creating a new group of socio-economic pariahs, blocking the unalienable rights of many for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Other countries are taking an even more extreme approach. Unvaccinated Australians in the state of Victoria will remain in virtual prison until at least 2023, their key freedoms eliminated. Similar restrictions are in place in Germany, and America is following suit. Will this all be temporary or permanent? Eventually, herd immunity will be reached via natural infection and vaccinations and such draconian restrictions will no longer be necessary. Or will they? Power is addictive, an aphrodisiac to those charged with representing their people. Now its vaccines, but what next? Once a population is compliant, beaten down by fear and shame, they are less likely to resist present and future controls, regardless of founding documents or natural law. Law enforcement and the military can squash any pockets of rebellion, as we know from history, whether Hitlers Germany, Stalins USSR, or Maos China. The courts may temporarily halt the mandates, but there will be appeals, likely all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and there is no way of predicting how that will end. Do mandates even matter if companies are taking it upon themselves to enforce vaccinations with the non-compliant being fired? If most are vaccinated or cowed into submission by the time the courts or Congress settles the issue, it wont matter anymore. At least until the next pandemic or public emergency. There may also be selective enforcement, backing off when resulting economic pain becomes too much, affecting the ruling class in their day-to-day lives. The Department of Labor has now decided that most truckers will not fall under the mandate. Perhaps Biden and Pelosi are concerned about delays in receiving their favorite gourmet ice creams. Putting hope in elected Republicans may be wishful thinking, as we learned during the Trump presidency. While Trump pushed back against the deep state during his first two years, Paul Ryan and the GOP establishment worked to undermine him every step of the way. Will a new Republican Congress in 2022 matter? COVID will likely be over by then, but the governments appetite for tyranny will only be whetted. Voters will push back, as they did last week, but will it matter in the big picture? As Ronald Reagan said in 1964, its a time for choosing, with the vaccine mandates bringing this issue to the forefront. Elections and compliance have consequences, at least for the time being. Choose wisely. Brian C. Joondeph, M.D., is a physician and writer. On Twitter as @retinaldoctor. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. With virtually every aspect of life under assault from progressives, Republican successes on Election Day were a much-needed shot in the arm. Lets capitalize on that energy. Instead of sitting idly by waiting for lawsuits to make vaccine mandates go away, OSHA just handed us an opportunity to drive a stake through those very mandates. On November 5, OSHA published its COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS (Emergency Temporary Standard) in the Federal Register. It goes into effect immediately and companies with 100+ employees have 30 days to comply, plus 60 days for certain testing requirements. However, because this ETS also functions as a proposed rule for a permanent standard, the public has 30 days to comment. Most of us have never commented on a proposed rulemaking for any agency, let alone OSHA. But if standing up to vaccine mandates is something you feel strongly aboutand you shouldthis is another avenue of attack we should exploit in the vaccine wars. Administrative agencies are creatures of the executive branch. They make copious rules and regulations that govern our lives but are not directly accountable to the people through elections. Requirements for public comment under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) are a way to make fully unaccountable administrative agencies somewhat accountable to the people. Since every American is affected by these vaccine mandates, we all have a right to comment, which is why I am asking every American Thinker reader to take some time in the next week or two to submit a comment to OSHA on any aspect of the ETS and on any topics related to this rulemaking. And then ask your like-minded friends to do the same. Whats extremely important for you to know is that OSHA brazenly states its intention to expand the 100+ employee rule to include all businesses. If you have a small business, you must tell OSHA how such a regulation would affect you. Last Tuesday, we just saw the power of participation, whether at school board meetings or the polls. There is no guarantee that we can change minds at Bidens OSHA, but every comment is part of the public record and, in terms of future legal and political remedies, it is critical that we are heard in massive numbers with compelling arguments. Although dozens of lawsuits have been filed challenging the mandate on myriad constitutional and statutory grounds, we cannot be lulled into a false sense of security that all will be resolved by courts laden with activist judges and a Supreme Court that is the ultimate crapshoot. We must first try to stop OSHA in its tracks from applying this mandate to all businesses while continuing to fight on all administrative, judicial, and political fronts in the hopes that something sticks. In its summary of the mandate and fact sheet on participation, OSHA maintains that COVID poses a grave danger to the unvaccinated in the workplace and those who have been infected but are not vaccinated, completely ignoring natural immunity, tests for immunity, and data proving that the vaccinated also transmit and contract the infection. According to OSHAs fact sheet, Given scientific uncertainty and limitations in testing for infection and immunity, OSHA is concerned that it would be infeasible for employers to operationalize a standard that would permit or require an exception from vaccination and asks for additional scientific information on this topic that OSHA should consider. OSHA ignores that studies show natural immunity is at least as robust as vaccine immunity and up to 27 times more robust than vaccine immunity. Providing proof that you had an infection or getting results from one of several available tests for immunity easily refute OSHAs argument. OSHA also ignores that healthy, working-age people are at minimal risk from COVID. And it ignores the fact that vaccinated people give, get, and die from COVID. A significant factor in COVID deaths, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, is comorbidities or advanced age. Another thing OSHA ignores is that we now have treatments for COVID. A recent meta-analysis showed that Ivermectin use resulted in large, statistically significant reductions in mortality, time to clinical recovery, and time to viral clearance. Additionally, Pfizer has a promising pill that allegedly cuts the risks of serious illness and death by 90%. Its up to laypeople to inform the experts. An army of armchair activists at 75M & Rising has already begun submitting comments to OSHA. If youd like to join us, sign up here. It doesnt cost you anything more than a few minutes of your time. You can also submit a comment to OSHA here. Its easy to get overwhelmed trying to address every argument. Limit your comments to one or two points. Include supporting evidence. Alex Berensons books and his writings at Substack are helpful. This document, prepared by the Center for Renewing America, is also instructive. Here are some important things to remember: Do not include any private information such as your SSN or birth date, as these comments become part of the permanent public record. Also, avoid snark and inappropriate language, which weaken your position. Make your points with logic, facts, stats, and common sense. Conservatives are being silenced on so many fronts. Lets not give the authoritarians the upper hand by ignoring this unique opportunity to be heard. This is another Lets Go Brandon moment. Dont let it slip through your fingers because of apathy or indifference. Image: No vaccine mandate sign. By Andrea Widburg editing a Markus Spiske photo. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Joe Biden's insentience and incompetence are pretty obvious these days but he's also showing some delusions of grandeur. Here's what he had the nerve to put out when he didn't like a judge's stay on his vaccine mandate: The White House on Monday said businesses should move forward with President Joe Bidens vaccine and testing requirements for private businesses, despite a federal appeals court ordering a temporary halt to the rules. People should not wait, White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during a briefing. They should continue to move forward and make sure theyre getting their workplace vaccinated. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, considered one of the most conservative appellate courts in the country, halted the requirements Saturday pending review, writing that the petitions give cause to believe there are grave statutory and constitutional issues with the Mandate. So everybody employed in a company with more than 100 people either gets vaxxed or gets fired as Biden's vax mandate insists. Never mind if the judge moves to uphold the court challenge. Maybe the forcibly vaccinated under Biden's 'your vax or your job' can get unvaxxed or something. Maybe they can just ignore those heart problems they get as a result of vaccine injuries they got when they took the vax as a condition of remaining employed. But I kind of doubt it works out that way. Biden appears to be issuing an illegal order in defiance of a federal judge who has already stated that his court can see "grave statutory and constitutional issues" in this Biden diktat. To force those with natural immunity, or those who have a history of bad responses to vaccines, or those who are likely to have a higher risk of vaccine complications than any problems from COVID (such as the very young) to take a shot they don't want is outrageous, particularly since Biden has spread tens of thousands of unvaxxed, unvetted illegals and refugees throughout the country with zero vaccine mandates. It's also part of a tapestry of Biden's wanton disregard for court orders in multiple cases. Last August, there was this: President Joe Bidens administration admits in court filings that illegal aliens were mistakenly approved for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in violation of a court order that deemed the program illegal. On July 16, Judge Andrew Hanen ordered the Biden administration to effectively shut down the DACA program by blocking the federal government from allowing new applicants, illegal aliens who have not previously been enrolled, onto the programs rolls. In a court filing, first reported by the Washington Times Stephen Dinan, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Acting Director Tracy Renaud admitted that in violation of the court order, the agency mistakenly approved nine illegal aliens for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and collected biometric data from 52 illegal aliens seeking enrollment. In August, there also was this: Famed constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley described Joe Bidens decision to re-implement a 60-day moratorium on evictions chilling after the president acknowledged that doing so was very likely unconstitutional. Biden admitted that the bulk of the constitutional experts consulted said that extending the moratorium would be unconstitutional, Turley, who teaches constitutional law at George Washington University, began in a short Twitter thread posted Tuesday afternoon. He knows something is illegal and goes ahead and does it anyway, counting on the delays of the court to enable him to get done what he wants to get done. AT founder and editor in chief, Thomas Lifson, wrote about that here. Another one is Bidens refusal to enforce U.S. immigration law or maintain the integrity of the U.S. border in defiance of his own oath of office. Biden doesn't do laws and he doesn't heed courts. Worst of all, he now tells others to obey him over the courts as if there's no three-branch system of government. In his addled mind, he believes 'L'etat c'est moi,' as Louis XIV used to say. His casual defiance of checks and balances in government follows from the Obama era, where another judicial order was blatantly defied by the Obama-Biden White House in defiance of a court ruling. I wrote about that here: If so, it would be part of a pattern dating from the Obama administration: in 2011, a Louisiana judge smacked down the Obama administration for ignoring a judicial ruling over offshore drilling, holding it in contempt of court and ordering it to pay plaintiff fees. Can you imagine the reaction from the left and the establishment if President Trump ignored a judge and his stays the way Biden does? This is the kind of crap the left accused Trump of, back when Gen. Mark Milley was calling up his Chinese counterpart warning them that he'd ensure there would be no invasion, and Democrats and Pentagon brass were paranoia-ing among themselves about President Trump refusing to leave office, despite the stolen 2020 election. They've repeatedly accused Trump of what Biden is doing right now. Obviously, they were projecting. Lawlessness is familiar turf to the Democrats of Biden's ilk and it's high time employers say 'no' and the judge issues a huge smack to put a stop to this threat to rule of law. Image: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0 To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Does Anthony Fauci see the handwriting on the wall? His boss and enabler, the immensely hypocritical Francis Collins, apparently can take a hint. He's getting out while he can. He'll ride off into the sunset with a hefty government pension and the adoration of his sycophants. But Fauci? He must see the storm clouds gathering. No one, not even a true dictator, can stand in front of the cameras as many times as Fauci has, can pontificate to and manipulate a nation the way Fauci has, and get away with it indefinitely. Remember the Ceausescus, Tony? Remember Colonel Gaddafi? Sure, they held on a lot longer than two years, but then, they had secret police. Fauci has been caught repeatedly lying about his role in the coronavirus research done at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Despite Fauci's misdirection and obfuscation from the very start, by now everyone with a lick of sense, from Rand Paul to Jon Stewart, knows that the SARS-CoV-2 virus originated in that Fauci-funded communist Chinese lab, supported with our tax dollars. Only the willfully ignorant and terminally demented (Let's go, Brandon!) still believe otherwise. The evidence is overwhelming that Fauci, the NIAID (his agency), and his cronies at the EcoHealth Alliance funded gain of function research at Wuhan, failed to follow protocols, and have lied about doing so. Fauci still denies, denies, denies, but his last remaining excuse essentially, that the experiments he funded, strictly speaking, weren't exactly, not quite gain of function grows more tiresome and implausible every day. Add to this the multiple acts of unimaginable animal cruelty repeatedly perpetrated by Fauci's NIAID. The "experiments" he ran in the Tunisian desert weren't science; they were sadism. Starving sandflies to eat the faces off of beagles? Really, Tony? That's your idea of science? In his treatment of man's best friend, Fauci makes Michael Vick look like Doctor Doolittle. And remember: Vick did hard time. Pro-tip, Tony: If you value your public image, don't torture Snoopy. A vital and often ignored point about BeagleGate is that, when viewed alongside Fauci's Wuhan shenanigans, it reveals his modus operandi. Want to perform some nefarious experiment that would never pass institutional review in the United States? Easy! Farm it out to foreign countries where research ethics are lax or nonexistent, and pay for it with U.S. tax dollars. It's the evil scientist's equivalent of the old hobo's meme this scientific drifter moves wherever the ethical climate suits his clothes. Worse than BeagleGate, though less well known to the public so far is Fauci's role in the AIDS drug trials at the Incarnation Children's Center in New York City in the early 1990s. The U.S. government later admitted that those trials, conducted under Fauci, done on so-called "AIDS orphans," violated federal rules to protect vulnerable research subjects. They also resulted in the deaths of dozens, and perhaps hundreds, of impoverished, orphaned minority children. How did Fauci, America's hero two years ago, get to this point? Let's review. First, his constant camera-seeking presence; his imperious, overbearing personality; his idiotic flip-flopping; and his never-ending falsehoods eventually wore thin. When you're a complete phony, overexposure is the kiss of death. Second, increased scrutiny into his actions and statements surrounding COVID-19 has unearthed disturbing facts that involve him with the origins of the virus. Third, his duplicity surrounding COVID-19, once unearthed, prompted further investigation into his past, and now the skeletons and Anthony Fauci has a lot of skeletons are tumbling out of his closet. This type of narrative never ends well. Witness Andrew Cuomo. Fauci isn't a young guy. He'll be 81 by Christmas. He's famously the highest-paid federal employee there is. Just imagine his pension. Combine that with everything he's managed to extract from the Medical-Industrial Complex all these years, and surely the guy is financially secure. He's received more awards than anyone could actually deserve, from the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Ordine al merito della Repubblica Italiana. Hell, in 2020, he was named the U.S. government's Federal Employee of the Year (which, quite frankly, he ought to be, given his salary). Why should he stick around? He can walk away now, and not face a Cuomo-esque ending. Why doesn't he? Does Fauci think he's riding a tiger, and he's afraid to get off? Well, he isn't, not quite yet. Even Cuomo who, let's remember, did resign voluntarily, no matter how much pressure he was under will ultimately skate. He'll cop a plea on the sexual misconduct charges, and off he'll go with a misdemeanor at worst. If Fauci leaves now, he's probably in the clear. But the longer he stays on, each additional time he lies to Congress, each time he promotes yet another abusive policy, the more the hot coals accumulate over his head, and the more he pushes his luck. Someday soon, the charges are coming. Regardless of the tradition, human wisdom proclaims the same warning to men like Fauci: hubris begets nemesis, karma's a you-know-what, and pride goeth before destruction. Always has been that way, always will. And the end result be it Julius Caesar or Richard Nixon is not pretty. Not for nothing, it's called the bitter end. If Anthony Fauci had any sense, he'd resign, retire, and repent, while time and fate still allow. If not, well, he has sown the wind. Let him reap the whirlwind. Image: National Archives, no known restrictions To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. As a nation, we have a lot of problems. And many of them do not have legislative remedies. But some do. And a red tsunami is headed our way for 2022. We should start now getting our state and federal legislatures ready. Perhaps the most important thing is to fix education because the battle for education is the battle for America. The public has been alerted and many are enraged. This is the battle for patriots to ride to the sound of the guns. Clarice Feldman applauded the fact that anti-Critical Race Theory (CRT) moms have U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and the National School Boards Association backing away from their threat to treat the moms as domestic terrorists. That is wonderful, but the prescient Feldman makes clear that this is not enough. John Green agrees that theres more to be done, urging people to act because Nows the time to finish off the leftists in our school systems. He recommends stepping up the peaceful protests but theres actually more we can do and pushing our lawmakers for new legislation is the place to start. While CRT energized the mothers, most CRT does not originate with the school boards. Thats because school boards are agents of the state, in particular, of each states education department. A school district is regarded in law as a municipal corporation, alongside cities and counties. Specifically, a school district is a special district, alongside water districts, sewer districts, fire districts, irrigation districts, etc. What this means is that a local school board is but a cog in a much larger machine. While it is true that the school board sets school policy, that policy must comport with state law, which consists of statutes, administrative regulations, and court decisions. Much of a school boards work is maintaining compliance with state law. Every state has a state department of education, and that department has a state school board and a state superintendent of schools (or some such title). Statutes authorize the education department to promulgate administrative regulations. To see the state statutory law for your state, just ask your search engine for [Name of state] state school law or similar wording, and you will be astonished at the quantity of statutory law binding school boards. Similarly, search for your states department of education, and there you will find the administrative regulations binding on all local school boards. There are two evident fixes to the problem: one retail, one wholesale. The retail fix is homeschooling, which is done one family at a time. The wholesale fix is legislation. Census Bureau data reports that homeschooling has doubled since the pandemic began. This is great news! Perhaps where a childs parents agree about home schoolings importance the financial challenges will not be as daunting as feared and will be offset by other rewards. Just imagine what would happen if, at the stroke of midnight tonight, every mother with school-age children decided that she would begin homeschooling tomorrow morning. In the morning there would be no traffic congestion, the schools would be empty, and the system would collapse, along with the massive tax structure that feeds the beast. Since families would have only a single breadwinner, they would have less discretionary money to spend and merchants would adjust their pricing to remain competitive. There would be an uptick in pain, and a corresponding uptick in joy. Alternatively, the legislative remedy is meant to unbutton the lefts grip on the system. What is necessary here is to repeal the laws that compel school boards to hire only certified teachers and to revoke the state department of educations authority to promulgate administrative regulations. The latter step would restore that departments function to its original role of distributing state funding to local school districts according to daily attendance records. The certification requirement is the central knot that ties the school boards hands and keeps the system under the lefts control. Eliminate the certification requirement, thus allowing school boards to hire whomever they damn well please, pursuant to the rubric qualified, not certified, under the watchful eye of the parents, and most of the problems affecting education will dissolve. I had a personal experience with this. I was a mathematics major in college. In the fall of my senior year, I had the curriculum of my final year all planned out with five math courses each semester. A friend inquired, What job are you going to get when you graduate? Poor naive me: I had never thought about that. Some soul searching led me to decide I would become a high school math teacher. The college education department then burst my bubble. To become a high school math teacher, I had to be certified, the required education coursework for which would consume my entire senior year. Hello education courses; goodbye mathematics. (What did I do? I chose mathematics.) Through legislation, we can set school boards free to administer their districts, empowering their constituents to control their childrens education. So, look up the law and let your state legislators know what you want. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. Last week, Kyle Rittenhouse's case finally went to trial. He is accused of murdering two men and attempting to murder a third. From the beginning, he has asserted that he acted in self-defense, and the available video footage supports his contention. Last week, his defense got a boost when the prosecution's witnesses testified that Kyle avoided conflict and was running away from one of the dead men, Joseph Rosenbaum, who had sworn to kill Kyle, had cornered him, and was trying to seize Kyle's gun. The prosecution's case took an even bigger hit on Monday when Gaige Grosskreutz, the prosecution's star witness, admitted that he was aiming a loaded gun at Kyle when the latter shot him. I must give Grosskreutz points for testifying honestly, although he could hardly do otherwise, given the video evidence showing two important things: (1) when Grosskreutz held his hands up in the universal surrender position, Kyle did not fire, and (2) when Grosskreutz aimed a loaded gun at Kyle from three feet away, Kyle fired a shot disabling Grosskreutz's gun arm: Grosskreutz had other useful testimony for Kyle Rittenhouse's defense. Once again, Andrew Branca has a splendid summary, with lots of video footage. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants the important details from a full day of testimony. Here are the top notes from that summary: Grosskreutz admitted that Kyle never fired an offensive shot at anybody. His only shots were fired defensively. His control was such that he held fire if people attacking him backed off. Grosskreutz also testified that he was concerned that Kyle might be injured when Anthony Huber, whom Kyle shot fatally, swung his skateboard at Kyle's head testimony that contradicted Assistant District Attorney Binger's attempt to ridicule the idea that skateboards could be a lethal weapon. It emerged that Grosskreutz had told the police that Huber was swinging the board with his grip on the metal fixtures, making the board itself exceptionally lethal. When shown the footage of the "jump kick man" attempting to bash Kyle's head in with a flying jump, Grosskreutz first tried to deny that the man was aiming lethal force at Kyle's head. Eventually, though, Grosskreutz was forced to concede that, yes, it could have been a lethal attack. Tellingly, writes Branca: Grosskreutz was compelled under cross-examination to concede that in every one of his own interactions with Rittenhouse until, of course, his attack on the fallen 17-year-old with the Glock pistol that Kyle was far from volatile or provocative, but was instead non-confrontational, and simply seeking to help people. And this was true even when it was Grosskreutz himself acting in a provocative manner towards Kyle[.] Branca also comments on one of the ironies of the case, regarding who had a right to carry a gun which, in this case, was nobody. It turns out that while Kyle was openly carrying his weapon, which is legal in Wisconsin, although it wasn't a weapon to which he was legally entitled, Grosskreutz was illegally carrying a concealed weapon. Kyle, though, is facing life in prison plus five years for that unlawful gun possession charge, while Grosskreutz hasn't faced any charges. While Grosskreutz couldn't help but admit that Kyle didn't shoot when Grosskreutz appeared harmless but did shoot when Grosskreutz aimed a loaded gun at his head because the video was right there Branca writes that the remainder of Grosskreutz's testimony showed him to be an out-and-out liar: For example, despite the voluminous video evidence of Grosskreutz chasing down a fleeing Kyle Rittenhouse, video that was repeatedly shown to the jury during cross-examination, Grosskreutz repeated[ly] lied and said he was not chasing Kyle. I mean, who are we supposed to believe, the felon who tried to gun down a fallen 17-year-old in the street, or our own lying eyes? I'll end with the best video footage of the day, because of the reaction you'll see and hear from the three lawyers listening to the testimony when Grosskreutz admits that he had a loaded gun aimed at Kyle's head when Kyle finally shot him: Rittenhouse trial should be over immediately. pic.twitter.com/PHZnHS5rD9 Viva Frei (@thevivafrei) November 8, 2021 At this point, a clear picture is emerging: Kyle avoided confrontation; sought to help people; ran away from Rosenbaum after the latter threatened to shoot him, and pulled the trigger only when Rosenbaum had him trapped and lunged for Kyle's gun; that Kyle shot Huber when Huber was trying to bash Kyle's head in or decapitate him with a skateboard swung in the most lethal way possible; and that Grosskreutz was aiming a loaded gun at Kyle's head when Kyle disabled his gun arm. On those facts, all elicited during the prosecution's case, the defense should move for a directed verdict, ending the case immediately. To continue would be an even greater travesty of justice. Image: Gaige Grosskreutz. To comment, you can find the MeWe post for this article here. The year 1967 held special significance for Soviet Unionit was the 50th anniversary of the Russian Revolution, as well as the 10th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik, the worlds first artificial satellite. Leonid Brezhnev, the leader of the Soviet Union, wanted to celebrate this historic triumph by staging another historic accomplishmenta spectacular rendezvous between two Soviet spaceships in space. The plan of the mission, named Soyuz 1, was to launch a capsule with a cosmonaut on board. The next day, a second vehicle would take off, Soyuz 2, with three more crewmen aboard. The two Soyuz vehicles would meet and dock, following which the first cosmonaut would climb into the docked vehicle, exchange his place with a colleague, and then come home in the second ship. The Soyuz did not yet include an airtight docking tunnel, so the swapping of crewmen between the capsules would have to be done externally via a spacewalk. Vladimir Komarov was chosen to fly the Soyuz 1 mission. An awardee of the title Hero of the Soviet Union which he received after his first spaceflight in October 1964, Vladimir Komarov was perhaps the most respected cosmonaut after Yuri Gagarin, who was to be his backup for Soyuz 1. Both Vladimir Komarov and Yuri Gagarin were close friends. They socialized, hunted and drank together. The Brezhnev administration wanted the docking to take place on or around May Day. They put immense pressure on the Soyuz development team to get the two Soyuz ready on time for the expected launch. But the Soyuz vehicle was far from being done. In fact, it was riddled with exactly 203 structural problems that made this machine unworthy of space travel. But who would tell Leonid Brezhnev? Yuri Gagarin and Vladimir Komarov. Some launches were made almost exclusively for propaganda purposes, confessed Victor Yevsikov, an engineer on the Soyuz development team who helped design the heat-shield. The management of the OKB-1 Design Bureau knew that the Soyuz vehicle had not been completely debugged, and more time was needed to make it operational, but the Communist Party ordered the launch, despite the fact that four preliminary unmanned tests had revealed faults. Yuri Gagarin, who was closely involved with the technicians, assessed the craft and produced a formal ten-page document in which all the problems were outlined in detail. He entrusted this document to his KGB friend Venyamin Russayev, who tried to pass the memo up the chain of command. But everyone he approached shirked away. In the Soviet society, bad news always reflected badly on the messenger, and nobody wanted to face the wrath of Leonid Brezhnev. Russayev was directed by one of his seniors to Georgi Tsinev, a close personal friend of Leonid Brezhnev. If anyone could deliver an important message straight into the hands of the First Secretary, it was Tsinev. Unfortunately, Tsinev decided that such an explosive document could disrupt his relationship with Brezhnev and jeopardize his own rise within the KGB. Tsinev destroyed the memo, and everyone who had seen or handled it was fired or demoted. Russayev was stripped of any responsibility for space affairs, and transferred to an insignificant staff training department outside Moscow. Vladimir Komarov Later, Komarov met with Russayev, and said, I'm not going to make it back from this flight. When Russayev asked why didnt Komarov refuse the fly the mission, Komarov replied: If I dont make this flight, theyll send the back-up pilot instead. Thats Yura, and hell die instead of me. Weve got to take care of him. Komarov then burst into tears. On the morning of the launch, April 23, 1967, journalist Yaroslav Golovanov reported that Gagarin showed up at the launch site and demanded to be put into a spacesuit. It was already clear that Komarov was perfectly fit to fly, and there were only three or four hours remaining until lift-off time, but he suddenly burst out and started demanding this and that. It was a sudden caprice, Golovanov reported. Some believe that either Gagarin was trying to muscle onto the flight to save his friend, or trying to disrupt the preparations somehow, but without any clear plan of action. The Soyuz lifted off with Komarov on board. As soon as he reached orbit, the failures begun. One of the solar-power vanes refused to deploy and his guidance computers ran short of power. Ground controllers worked on Komarovs power deficit throughout the night. By next day, when Komarovs problems had not been resolved, launch of the second Soyuz was cancelled and the entire mission was terminated. Now they had to bring Komarov back. Without assistance from the computers, however, navigation proved difficult and Komarov had great difficulty lining up his capsule for re-entry. This devil ship! Nothing I lay my hands on works properly, he complained. The US National Security Agency had a facility at an Air Force base near Istanbul, from where they were listening to communications between Komarov and the ground control. According to an account by a former NSA analyst named Perry Fellwock, Soviet premier Alexei Kosygin called Komarov on a video phone: They had a video-phone conversation, and Kosygin was crying. He told him he was a hero . . . The guys wife got on too, and they talked for a while. He told her how to handle their affairs, and what to do with the kids. It was pretty awful. Towards the last few minutes, he was falling apart . . . The strange thing is, we were all pretty bummed-out by the whole thing. In a lot of ways, having the sort of job we did humanizes the Russians. You study them so much, and listen to them for so many hours, that pretty soon you come to know them better than your own people. As the capsule began its descent, the parachute failed to open and Komarov plunged to his death, and as he did, the American intelligence picked up his cries of rage as he cursed the people who put him inside a botched spaceship. The space capsule crashed somewhere near Orsk in Orenburg Oblast. It was flattened and burst into flames. All that remained of Komarov's body was an irregular lump of cauterized flesh and bones, about two feet long. Vladimir Komarov's remains in an open casket. In an obituary published in Pravda, Komarov's fellow cosmonauts wrote: For the forerunners it is always more difficult. They tread the unknown paths and these paths are not straight, they have sharp turns, surprises and dangers. But anyone who takes the pathway into orbit never wants to leave it. And no matter what difficulties or obstacles there are, they are never strong enough to deflect such a man from his chosen path. While his heart beats in his chest, a cosmonaut will always continue to challenge the universe. Vladimir Komarov was one of the first on this treacherous path. Komarovs death left Gagarin profoundly depressed for his failure to talk properly to Brezhnev, and save his friends life. The episode also left him immensely bitter and angry. Ill get through to him [Brezhnev] somehow, and if I ever find out he knew about the situation and still let everything happen, then I know exactly what Im going to do, Gagarin told Russayev. I dont know exactly what Yuri had in mind. Maybe a good punch in the face, Russayev said. Rumor has it that Gagarin eventually caught up with Brezhnev and threw a drink in his face. Valentina Komarov, the widow of Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, is consoled by her friends during his official funeral, held in Moscow's Red Square on April 26, 1967. References: # Robert Krulwich, Cosmonaut Crashed Into Earth 'Crying In Rage', NPR # Jamie Doran, Piers Bizony, Starman: The Truth Behind The Legend Of Yuri Gagarin Pets hold a special place in our hearts. For a flat rate of $50 along with a photo, celebrate their life and a special message through placing a Pet Obituary today. Pet Obits are published once a week in the Anchorage Press and on AnchoragePress.com. Our customer service team will contact you directly if there are any questions during our regular business hours. Thank you and please accept our deepest sympathies for your loss. Click here to submit iAnthus Reports Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results and Provides Update on U.S. Class Action Complaint and Complaint Filed by Hi-Med, LLC (By Alessandra Briganti) (ANSA) - BRUSSELS, NOV 9 - Cohesion policy has an immediate impact on the Green transition in Europe's less developed regions, while its effect on setting political priorities is marginal and limited in more advanced ones, according to the results of the 'Locate' study done as part of the ESPON research programme specialized in regional analysis. In both cases, the success of the use of European structural funds depends on the coherence of European, national and regional policies, the study said. Specifically, the researchers compared the EU funding programmes of 2007-2013 and 2014-2020, focusing on the financing of projects and measures that promote the Green transition. The researchers observed that EU policies stem from guidelines and stimulus, while the impact on the ground depends largely on national and regional actions. In the 2014-2020 period, for example, the EU introduced minimum quotas for Green investments: 20% of the European Regional Development Fund for more developed regions, 15% for those in transition and 12% for the less developed ones. This change enabled countries such as Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, Croatia, Latvia and Lithuania to double the funding devoted to the environmental transition, although in percentages terms the EU's more developed regions financed more Green projects and measures, in particular France, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom and Austria. According to the researchers, the difference regards the national strategies implemented for the Green transition, which reflect the States' different economic and energy structures. National policies are of the utmost importance to implement effective strategies to transition towards a low-carbon-emissions economy, the researchers wrote. If actively pursued and directed towards the future, these strategies can contribute to 'Green growth' in a significant way. Finally, the impact of cohesion policy and, in particular, funds for the Green transition, varies according to the level of the development of the EU regions and their governance. The less developed regions are benefiting in a significant way from the allocation of funds for the transition. The researchers observed that, in these regions, cohesion policy has an immediate impact as it sets where and how to allocate local, public or private funding. Inversely, in more developed regions the importance of cohesion policy resides in the setting of the priorities of the political agenda and in the promotion of more rigorous and effective energy strategies. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, NOV 9 - Italy's has dropped to 30th out of 63 countries in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2022, down from 27th last year. The index gave Italy medium ratings in most categories but it scored low for its 2030 greenhouse gas targets. "The country's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), submitted in 2021, envisages an economy-wide emissions reduction target of 51% by 2030," said the index, prepared by Germanwatch, the Climate Action Network (CAN) and the New Climate Institute, in collaboration with Legambiente for the section on Italy. "Environmental NGOs criticise this goal in two ways. "On the one hand, it is too low in view of the EU's 55% target, which is mandatory for Italy. "On the other, it is too low in view of the 1.5C target of the Paris Agreement. "These are why environmental NGOs call for a steeper reduction path". The report also took issue with Italy over energy policy and called for a phase-out of the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines by 2030. "In the area of renewable energy, the CCPI experts criticise long authorization processes for renewable plants, which block faster expansion. "They also criticise the conditionality of the coal phase-out in 2025 on development of new gas plants and related infrastructure. "The experts point to the possibility of skipping gas power and still reaching the 2025 coal phase-out if renewable energies are expanded more quickly. "In February 2021, the government adopted the 'superbonus' for building renovations, it continued. "This is a tax reduction equal to 110% of investments to make buildings more efficient. "Experts criticise the absence of stringent efficiency criteria for receiving these incentives. "More ambitious and stringent efficiency requirements are, therefore, demanded". Although Italy did jot shine, the report said that no country performed well enough in all CCPI index categories to achieve an overall very high rating. "The first three positions in the overall ranking therefore remain empty," it said. (ANSA). (ANSA) - ROME, NOV 9 - On January 1, 2021, 5,652,080 Italian nationals were living abroad, according to a report released on Tuesday by the Migrantes association. The report said that this compares to Italy's resident population of 59.2 million people. It said that, while national statistics agency ISTAT reported a decrease of almost 384,000 residents in Italy last year, the number of Italian residents abroad actually increased by 166,000, or 3%, in the year the COVID-19 emergency exploded. The report said that, while the pandemic and the related restrictions held back the number of people leaving the country, the number of children born to Italians living abroad increased. "It is estimated that the community of Italian descendents around the world numbers 180 million people," President Sergio Mattarella said in a message for the presentation of the report, stressing that this number did not include the close to six million Italian nationals residing abroad. "The human, cultural and professional scale of this presence has a priceless value within the sphere of soft power, which makes it possible to position our country among those whose life model enjoys the most appeal and consideration". (ANSA). Poland: Belarus migrant crisis threatens security of EU Minsk denied the charges (ANSA-AFP) - WARSAW, NOV 9 - Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said Tuesday that an unprecedented wave of migrants trying to illegally enter Poland from Belarus threatened the security of the entire European Union. "Sealing the Polish border is our national interest. But today the stability and security of the entire EU is at stake," Morawiecki said on Twitter. "This hybrid attack of (Belarusian President Alexander) Lukashenko's regime is aimed at all of us. We will not be intimidated and will defend peace in Europe with our partners from NATO and EU." Belarus denied the charges that it was coordinating the attempted crossings. The Belarusian defence ministry called the allegations "unfounded and unsubstantiated" and accused Poland of "deliberately" escalating tensions. On Monday Poland blocked a bid by hundreds of migrants -- mostly from the Middle East -- to breach the razor-wire border fence as thousands more massed in the area. The latest grim chapter of Europe's migrant crisis saw Washington and Brussels call on Minsk to stop what they describe as an orchestrated influx. NATO on Monday also hit out at Minsk, accusing the government there of using the migrants as political pawns, while the European Union called for fresh sanctions against Belarus. (ANSA-AFP). Copyright ANSA - All rights reserved 'Arte in Nuvola' art collector fair in Rome, focus on Israel Includes 'Israel Landscape' show sponsored by Israeli Embassy (ANSAmed) - NAPLES, 09 NOV - 'Arte in Nuvola', the international modern and contemporary art fair, is taking place from 18 to 21 November at the Fuksas Cloud in EUR, featuring Israelis among its international guests. The fair was supposed to start with its first edition in May 2020, but it was postponed to this year. It aims to become the reference point for collecting in central and southern Italy, with the assistance of the art historian Adriana Polveroni and the general management of Alessandro Nicosia. All disciplines are represented, including painting, installations, sculpture, performance, video art, digital art, and street art, bringing together the most important and renowned Italian and international galleries. Israel is the fair's guest country, with a dedicated pavilion that will host the exhibition 'Israel Landscape', sponsored by the Israeli Embassy in Italy and curated by Ermanno Tedeschi and Vera Pilpoul. The works of 17 artists born or active in Israel and from various parts of the world, in a testament to the value of integration, will be on display, including works of sculpture, painting, photography and embroidery. The fair will also host a series of talks with guests from the art world, including one on Sunday 21 November at 16:30 with the great Israeli critic and scholar Gideon Ofrat, who will speak on the topic of the influences of Italian art on Israeli art. The convention centre is also scheduled to host Italian and international art galleries, which will present important names and movements in art as well as a programme of special initiatives with installations and shows. (ANSAmed). Tunisia: more teargassing of protesters in Agareb (ANSAmed) - TUNISI, 09 NOV - The situation remains tense in Agareb, a town in the Sfax governorate, where Tunisian police once again on Tuesday morning used tear gas to disperse a group of demonstrators protesting against the decision by the environmental ministry to reopen the El Gonna landfill. The young protesters tried to set a Tunisian National Guard barracks on fire, local media said. (ANSAmed). ROME - The General Union of Tunisian Workers (Ugtt) called a general strike for Wednesday in Agareb, following violent clashes at a protest on Monday in which a young activist lost his life. The clashes took place between police and demonstrators who were protesting the reopening of the local landfill. The situation remains tense on Tuesday in Agareb, a town in the Sfax governorate, where Tunisian police once again on Tuesday morning used tear gas to disperse a group of demonstrators protesting against the decision by the environmental ministry to reopen the El Gonna landfill. The young protesters on Tuesday set a Tunisian National Guard barracks on fire, local media said. To monitor public order, army reinforcements arrived in Agareb later on Tuesday, local sources reported. Meanwhile, the Sfax prosecutor's office ordered an investigation into the circumstances of the death of the young demonstrator during Monday night's clashes in Agareb, Sfax courts spokesman Mourad Triki told TAP news agency. According to the account provided by some demonstrators, the young man died of asphyxiation from tear gas fired by the police. In a statement, Tunisia's interior ministry said the young man died after a "sudden illness in his home, which is located 6 km from the place of the demonstrations" and was taken "by a relative to the hospital where died". Tunisia: parliament speaker ready to leave Ghannouchi says if it would resolve country's political crisis (ANSAmed) - ROME, 09 NOV - The speaker of the Tunisian parliament, Rached Ghannouchi, said in a statement to Arab-language daily Assabah that he would be ready to step down from his post if that could solve the country's political crisis. Parliament has been suspended since 25 July, due to extraordinary measures ordered by Tunisian President of the Republic Kais Saied. Ghannouchi, who is also leader of the Islamic party Ennadha, the one most damaged by the suspension of Parliament, said jokingly that he was "not born speaker of Parliament". "Like any political office, the Parliament speakership can only be temporary," he said. (ANSAmed). Second Turkey-Italy Innovation Day in Ankara Digitisation and green transition focus of forum (ANSAmed) - ROME, 09 NOV - The green transition and digitisation will be the focus of future collaboration between Italy and Turkey, according to Italian Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Manlio Di Stefano at the start of the second Turkey-Italy Innovation Day in Ankara on Tuesday. "Our economic relations are based on strong industrial interdependence," said Di Stefano. He said Ankara and Rome will work together in the green transition to increase investments in technologies with low environmental impact, to promote new development models for the reducing emissions, and to collaborate in the renewable energy sector, especially at the hydroelectric level. This cooperation is in line with Turkey's goal of reaching zero emissions by 2053, said Hasan Mandal, president of Tubitak, Turkey's Scientific and Technological Research Council, which is organising the forum together with the Italian Embassy in Ankara. Tuesday's event is a "tangible sign of the ties between Turkey and Italy in every sector" said Italian Ambassador to Turkey Massimo Gaiani. Gaiani said the goal is to create "a bilateral platform of permanent cooperation between our two countries". The tie between the countries is also shown by the approximately 1,500 Italian companies that regularly work with Turkey, said Turkish Deputy Industry Minister Mehmet Fatih Kacir. He said the two countries have had an economic exchange of 22 billion dollars in the last 12 months and Italy has made three billion dollars of direct investments in Turkey. (ANSAmed). The campaign group of survivors and bereaved relatives from the Grenfell Tower disaster has urged the Government to take action after Michael Gove said there are still people in buildings at significant risk. The Housing Secretary was speaking during his first appearance at the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee since taking on the job in Septembers reshuffle. Grenfell United said the Government needs to put its money where its mouth is and stop lining its pockets with cash made at the cost of 72 lives. Michael Gove (Peter Byrne/PA) Mr Gove told MPs on Monday: We collectively the department, some in local government, others in the private sector failed people at Grenfell and there are people who were and still are in buildings where there is a significant risk. He went on to say that, as the Grenfell Inquiry turned its attention to the Governments role in the disaster, his department will be seen to have, on a couple of occasions, not necessarily appreciated the importance of fire safety and not necessarily done everything in the wake of the Lakanal House tragedy that it should have done. The 2009 fire at Lakanal House in Camberwell, London, resulted in six deaths and at least 20 injuries. The first report from the Grenfell Inquiry being conducted by retired judge Sir Martin Moore-Bick found that lessons from the Lakanal House fire had not been learned by the time of the Grenfell disaster eight years later. Grenfell United said: Its convenient timing for the Government that its finally saying all the right things before its role in the Grenfell fire is soon going to be uncovered in the public inquiry. Its been four and a half years since Grenfell and, four housing secretaries later, we are still in a building fire safety crisis. The Government were unwilling to learn lessons from the Lakanal House fire, and are failing to learn from Grenfell. Not a single recommendation from the public inquiry has been implemented. Buildings across the country are still unsafe and another Grenfell remains in the pipeline. It has been exposed that the Governments relationship with the construction industry is based on financial gain to turn a blind eye at any expense. As long as the Governments intentions are purely driven by relationships for cash, people will not be safe in their homes. If the Government is serious, it needs to put its money where its mouth is and stop lining its pockets with cash made at the cost of 72 lives. End Our Cladding Scandal posted a statement on Twitter saying they welcome Mr Goves comments with cautious optimism. The statement said: Leaseholders across the country are now all too aware that it is deeds and decisive actions that matter and not solely kind words until Mr Gove delivers a solution that truly ends this scandal for once and for all, leaseholders will continue to suffer and will continue to consider bankruptcy and potential forfeiture amidst the wider mental health crisis we are still facing. The group added: Simply put, Mr Goves words must now be the beginning of the end of our cladding scandal and not only the end of the beginning. Metropolitan Police officer James Geoghegan was cleared of rape following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court (Joe Giddens/PA) A Metropolitan Police officer has been cleared of an allegation of rape that saw him suspended from his duties. There were gasps and weeping from the public gallery at Chelmsford Crown Court as a jury found James Geoghegan not guilty by a unanimous verdict. A woman had accused the 27-year-old officer of raping her at her home in December 2018, saying she told him No and Stop. Mr Geoghegan, of Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, said he had consensual sex with the woman and that it was a complete shock to him when she made the allegation. Jurors accepted the officers account and returned their verdict after less than a day of deliberation. As the judge said he may leave the dock, Mr Geoghegan said: Thank you, your honour. The trial had heard that, when interviewed by police, Mr Geoghegan gave a prepared statement which set out his account of what happened. He said the woman had asked him after he awoke at her home: Did you not hear me say no? It was a complete shock, I didnt know what she was on about, he said. 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. 'A cuddle and a spoon' He said he and the woman had taken a taxi to her home together and they danced and talked. 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. Mr Geoghegan, whose mother was in court, wiped away tears as defence barrister Nicholas Corsellis QC said the response officer had waited a long time for the case to be heard. He is currently suspended from being a police officer because of this, Mr Corsellis said. Mr Geoghegan 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, Mr Geoghegan replied: No, definitely not. People in Wales will have to show a Covid pass to enter cinemas, theatres and concert halls. Since October 11 people have had to show they are fully vaccinated or have tested negative for Covid-19 to enter nightclubs and similar venues. From November 15 the pass will also be needed to enter cinemas, theatres and concert halls after members of the Welsh Parliament approved the extension. Members have voted to extend the places where a COVID pass is required. The changes will mean that people will also need to show the NHS COVID Pass, or proof of a recent negative test, to enter cinemas, concert halls and theatres. pic.twitter.com/vHPvda6Dji Welsh Parliament (@SeneddWales) November 9, 2021 The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, said: I am pleased the extension has been agreed today following the vote. Covid has not gone away and cases remain high and we need to continue to take steps to keep Wales safe. The NHS Covid pass is one measure among many to help to keep businesses open while also helping to control the spread of the virus. The decision to introduce them has not been taken lightly and the venues that will be covered are indoors and see large numbers of people being closely together for prolonged periods of time. Since 11 October, people have been required to show an NHS Covid pass or recent negative lateral flow test result to enter nightclubs, similar venues and events and the service is working well. We have received positive feedback from a range of businesses and organisers of major events, including following the recent rugby internationals. We will continue to work with the sectors who are implementing the scheme to best support them. Big Brother Watch said it is initiating a legal challenge against the authoritarian, invasive and unevidenced scheme. Wearing a facial covering can be tough for kids, but parents and experts say there are ways to make masking up a bit more manageable. (Photo: Getty Creative) Face coverings have been a part of our daily lives for nearly two years in an attempt to protect ourselves and those around us and slow the spread of COVID-19. Despite that, getting children to wear their masks can still be a battle, something that can be frustrating for everyone involved. For moms and dads who still hear, "This mask is too tight," and, "Why do I have to wear this?" on a daily basis, Yahoo Life spoke with parents and medical professionals who understand that the struggle is real. From convincing kids to put on coverings that fit snugly over their nose and mouth to reminding the entire family why masks are important to keep others safe, here's what experts say about how to address kids' mask-wearing concerns while still getting them to cover up. Explain why mask-wearing is important According to Dr. Harvey Karp, a pediatrician and founder of Happiest Baby, the reason we wear masks is twofold. "It's important for children to wear masks to keep themselves and their families healthy," Karp tells Yahoo Life. "Little kids don't get as sick as older kids or adults so that's a good thing, but they can bring it home and make everyone else in the family sick." Video: Should schools keep mask requirements? Masking up also helps kids see we're all in this together. "Wearing a face covering signals to your community that you recognize this isn't a personal health issue, it's a public health issue," Karp says. "It shows we're doing our part and we're helping others do the right thing by showing them." While your child's age and developmental level may determine how you explain these concepts, Karp says understanding why masks are important is the first step in helping children overcome any issues. Devon Breithart, an occupational therapist in Seattle, Wash., says power struggles with kids like whether or not to put on that mask often come from them being asked to do things without knowing the rationale behind them. When a child becomes frustrated with a directive they do not understand, problems arise. To prevent this type of stand-off, Breithart recommends parents say something as simple as, "We're wearing these so we don't get sick and so we don't get other people sick." "Telling them why they're doing this can really help," she says. Find a mask that fits correctly The American Academy of Pediatrics says it's safe for kids ages 2 and older to wear a facial covering and suggests face masks fit over the mouth and nose, snugly along the side of the face without any gaps. Karp echoes these guidelines and shares a few tips for finding that perfect fit regardless of your child's age or size. The The Happiest Baby on the Block author compares shopping for the perfect face mask to trying on various pairs of shoes until you find a pair that works. "If it doesn't quite fit the first time or it's uncomfortable for your child, try something else rather than trying to force them into something uncomfortable," Karp suggests. "You want the mask to cover from the bridge of the nose down to the chin and it should be snug, but not so tight it leaves a mark on the face." Test different styles and fabrics to find their favorite Breithart says parents may need to try various styles of masks to get the correct fit. For example, if your child finds masks with ear loops are always too tight or irritating, try a style that ties in the back. Similarly, if their mask is itchy, try a softer fabric. She also recommends a bit of empathy. "If you are an adult and you can wear your mask without a problem, it seems like it's no big deal," she explains, "but it might be annoying or even painful for your kid." Andrea Johnson, a mom from Vista, Calif., knows this all too well. "Something I've learned that helped us get our daughter to wear masks was to get fabrics she liked," Johnson, who learned to make masks by hand at the start of the pandemic, says. Johnson says the key to mask-wearing success in her home was being able to choose fabrics her 3-year-old loved like Frozen and Baby Shark prints and any fabric in her favorite color, pink. At school, however, what works best for Johnson's daughter is wearing store-bought cloth masks that she can easily put on and take off by herself. After some trial and error, Jessica Stephens of Charlestown, Ind. found her oldest daughter prefers disposable masks to cloth ones. "For her, they are easier to breathe in and they fit better," Stephens explains. "They don't tug on her ears and they dont feel as thick." The 8 year old also found she prefers variety packs of masks packages that come with several masks in different colors so she can match her mask to her outfit. Stephens adds that, even when your child finds a mask they love, it's easy for those masks to get lost or dropped on the ground. The Indiana mom now buys mask lanyards so she no longer has to worry about her kids' favorite masks falling on the floor and getting lost when they remove them. Give kids choices, and some control Breithart says emphasizing that you're giving your kids choices about their masks where you can allows them to feel some control in a situation where they have very little. "Even just helping them pick from a few different styles so they can decide what's comfiest can be helpful," she says, "especially when they don't have much of a say over where or when they have to wear a mask." Johnson has tried this tactic in her own home and says it really does work. "I give [my daughter] a choice between two or three masks each day and she picks one to wear and packs one so she has an extra," she shares. "Letting her pick helps her feel like a big girl." Get kids excited about mask-wearing (Yes, really!) Karp offers a number of suggestions for getting kids excited to put (and keep) their masks on. Allowing kids to decorate their mask, getting extra facial coverings to put on stuffed animals, using a reward chart to track successful mask-wearing or even giving your child's mask a quirky name are all ways to make a challenging task a bit more fun. "If you call it 'Protecto Mask' or something like that, it gives the mask a little bit of personality," Karp says, "anything that makes a mask more fun and normalizes it so it isn't such a big deal." Breithart suggests writing a social story a story that talks through an experience a child may encounter in real life in advance about mask-wearing with your child. In the story, Breithart suggests including details about why people wear masks and when they wear them, as well as photos of yourself or other people your kids know wearing their own masks. "Social stories are a technique we often use with children who have autism," Breithart explains regarding the tool, which child therapists often use to provide guidance about future circumstances to their patients, "but it can be really effective for typically developing kids or kids with other disabilities, too." Set a good example For parents, Karp says modeling mask-wearing by putting on your own face covering, even if you are vaccinated, can help get kids on board. "Wearing your own mask sets an example for your kids," he says, "and helps them recognize that they can set an example for others, too." Johnson says that's one of her biggest tactics. "Even though we are both fully vaccinated, my husband and I still wear our masks all the time," she shares. "I don't think our daughter would be as receptive to wearing a mask if we didn't do it, too. She sees us do it, so she knows to do it." Video courtesy NBCU/NBC News A new poll has found that Americans who consume more right-wing media are far more likely to believe misinformation about COVID-19 and the vaccine against it. In a survey released Monday by the Kaiser Family Foundation, respondents were asked about eight different misconceptions about the pandemic, ranging from The government is exaggerating the number of COVID-19 deaths to The COVID-19 vaccines can change your DNA. The survey found that 78 percent of Americans either believe or arent sure about at least one of the statements. However, the numbers varied greatly depending on party affiliation, vaccination status and source of news. Employees and supporters of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in California protest vaccine mandates on Nov. 8. (Will Lester/MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Getty Images) Some 64 percent of unvaccinated respondents believed or were unsure about four or more of the false statements, compared with 19 percent of the vaccinated. Only 6 percent of Republicans surveyed believed or were unsure of none of the statements, versus 22 percent of independents and 38 percent of Democrats. Some of the largest discrepancies came from where Americans got their news. Those who received their information from the right-wing outlets Newsmax, One America News Network and Fox News were far more likely to believe or be unsure about the false statements than those who received their news from local TV news, NPR, MSNBC, network news or CNN. Only 12 percent of those who considered Fox News a trusted news source believed none of the false statements, versus 40 percent of those who trusted CNN, 38 percent who trusted network news and 32 percent who trusted local news. The other COVID-19 statements presented by Kaiser in the order of whether people believed or were unsure about them were Pregnant women should not get the COVID-19 vaccine, Deaths due to the COVID-19 vaccine are being intentionally hidden by the government, The COVID-19 vaccines have been shown to cause infertility, Ivermectin is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19, You can get COVID-19 from the vaccine and The COVID-19 vaccines contain a microchip. Since the onset of the pandemic in 2020, conservative media has downplayed the virus and questioned methods recommended by public health experts in combating it, from masking to the vaccine. Fox News hosts have elevated anti-vax voices while promoting drugs like hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin, a drug that is prescribed as an antimalarial in humans but also as a dewormer in livestock. Ivermectin tablets. (Soumyabrata Roy/NurPhoto via Getty Images) In July, the White House said it was in regular contact with Fox News and understood the importance of reaching Foxs audience about the COVID-19 vaccines and their benefits. According to tracking by Kaiser, as of last month 40 percent of Republicans said they probably or definitely wouldnt get the vaccine, versus 9 percent of Democrats and 24 percent of independents who said the same. The misinformation about the virus and vaccine has proved increasingly deadly. On Monday, the New York Times published data showing that the gap in deaths between counties that voted heavily for Donald Trump in 2020 versus those that voted heavily for Joe Biden has continued to grow. In October, the death rate in the Trump counties was three times that of the Biden counties, the fifth straight month the gap had widened. The partisan gap between new COVID cases, however, has shrunk from its high earlier this year as cases across the country decline. Explore how the Delta variant correlates with the national political landscape in this 3D experience from the Yahoo immersive team. Authorities released photos Monday seeking the publics help identifying home-invasion suspects who allegedly stole about $1 million in valuables last month from Dorit Kemsley, star of the Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Two male suspects wearing dark hoodies allegedly broke into Kemsley's Encino home shortly before 11 p.m. on Oct. 27, Los Angeles police said in a statement. The suspects made off with high-end handbags, jewelry, and watches, police said. They threatened to physically harm a female inside the home after breaking a sliding glass door to get inside the residence, police said. The female victim who was allegedly threatened was not named by police. The victim was inside the residence at the time and was confronted by the suspects. Both suspects threatened to kill her as she pleaded for her life and the lives of her young children, police said. In fear for her safety, the victim complied with the suspect's demands and directed them to valuables. Image: The two male suspects (LAPD) The stolen items, police said, were wrapped in bedding. The two suspects then met up with a third suspect, and they fled in a black, four-door pickup truck, police said. The suspects are described as men between the ages of 20 and 30. In addition to photos of the two suspects, police also released a video, a sketch of one of the suspects and a picture of a stolen handbag. Image: The police released a picture of a stolen handbag. (LAPD) NBC News reported last month that the suspects stole about $1 million in valuables, according to multiple law enforcement sources. The victim told police the men claimed to be armed, ordered her out bed and demanded her to lead them to jewelry and other valuables, sources said. A Los Angeles police spokesperson declined to provide additional details about the case Tuesday, other than saying there were no updates from Mondays statement. A representative for Kemsley and Bravo did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. Bravo is owned by NBCUniversal. Safety has been an ongoing concern for the cast of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, as so much of their wealth is broadcasted on the popular franchise. Kyle Richards Encino home was burglarized in 2017 while she and her husband were vacationing in Aspen, Colorado, TMZ reported at the time. An estimated $1 million in jewelry and accessories were taken, including a ring that once belonged to her mother and diamond earrings given to her by her husband on television. SEOUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. auto safety regulator announced on Tuesday its first-ever whistleblower award, handing out more than $24 million to a former Hyundai Motor Co employee who provided key information about safety lapses at the South Korean carmaker. The award to former Hyundai Motor engineer Kim Gwang-ho is the biggest ever in a whistleblower case in the auto sector globally, according to law firm Constantine Cannon, which represented the whistleblower. It comes as the U.S. regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and the U.S. Department of Transportation prepare to propose regulations related to an automotive whistleblower program Congress created in 2015. Kim reported to NHTSA in 2016 that Hyundai was failing to address a design flaw linked to its Theta II engines, which were prone to seizing up and even catching fire. "This award is the maximum percentage allowed by law ... and is the first award NHTSA has issued under its authority," NHTSA said in a statement announcing the award. Whistleblowers play a crucial role in bringing information to NHTSA about serious safety problems that are hidden from the agency, said Steven Cliff, NHTSAs Deputy Administrator. (Reporting by Heekyong Yang and David Shepardson; Editing by Susan Fenton) Express your opinion! Fill out this form to submit a Letter to the Editor. Submit Feature Your News Online $25.00 / for 30 days Highlight your business' news for just $25! We'll feature your content on our News From Local Business section & our Marketplace front page to give it maximum exposure for the next 30 days. Theres something to be said for doing things that give you joy or doing things that you have been putting off that now pop up occasionally to remind you that you havent done them. Read more YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. A battalion commander is under arrest on charges of dereliction of duty concerning his actions which authorities say led to nine troops being killed, two taken captive and multiple combat positions being taken over by Azerbaijani military during 2020 December 11-12 clashes. The battalion commander was charged with aggravated dereliction of duty back in April 2021 and investigators asked a court to remand him in pre-trial detention, but the motion was rejected. The supervising prosecutor appealed the decision to a higher court, which eventually ordered a renewed examination. Subsequently, a Yerevan court of general jurisdiction approved the pre-trial detention, the Investigative Committee said in a press release. The officer, who was the commander of a rifle battalion, was ordered after the 2020 November 9 ceasefire to ensure the security of 12 combat positions of the eastern border of Hin Tagher, a district of the Hadrut region in Artsakh. However, during combat operations which took place between 2020 December 11-12, he committed actions amounting to dereliction of duty which led to grave consequences: 12 combat positions of the Hin Tagher districts eastern border were taken over by enemy troops, the servicemen deployed in one of these combat positions were besieged, of whom nine servicemen were killed and two were taken captive, the investigators said. Editing and Translating by Stepan Kocharyan Kanye West wants to put his feud with Drake "to rest". The 44-year-old rapper has invited his fellow musician to perform with him next month as he opened up on his desire to help free Gangster Disciples gang co-founder Larry Hoover from prison. In a video shared by J Prince, Kanye said: "I'm making this video to address the ongoing back-and-forth between myself and Drake. "Both me and Drake have taken shots at each other and it's time to put it to rest. "I'm asking Drake on December 7 to join me on stage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year live in Los Angeles with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover. "I believe this event will not only bring awareness to our cause but prove to people everywhere how much more we can accomplish when we lay our pride to the side and come together." Sharing the video on Instagram, J Prince revealed he and Ye met at the Rothko Chapel and said Hoover wanted "peace" between Kanye and Drake. He wrote: "I met with Ye to pass on the message from my brother Larry Hoover who said he would like to see peace between the two of them. "Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did. "Im looking forward to all of us working together in unison to elevate our communities around the world." Kanye and Drake have been embroiled in a feud for years, and things intensified earlier this year when West dropped 'Donda' and the latter released 'Certified Lover Boy'. Reflecting on their rivalry, the Canadian star previously said: "I could never ever ever ever turn my back on the things that I've said about him in a positive light, and I still feel all those same things. "He's still my, obviously with the exception of Lil Wayne and if I look at Hov as the guy who truly shaped the majority of my thinking, skill set, all those things, Kanye West would be my favorite artist all around. "And that's just facts. I have no problem saying that. Things have changed. I'm not just some kid that's a fan anymore. "Now we have personal situations, and like I said, a lot of his issues with me, I can't fix them for him." Chief metropolitan magistrate Pankaj Sharma also imposed a fine of Rs 2.25 crore each on the Ansals New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday sentenced real estate barons Sushil and Gopal Ansal to a seven-year jail term for tampering with evidence in the 1997 case of Uphaar cinema fire which claimed 59 lives. Chief metropolitan magistrate Pankaj Sharma also imposed a fine of Rs 2.25 crore each on the Ansals. The court also awarded a seven-year-jail term each to former court staff Dinesh Chand Sharma and two others -- P.P. Batra and Anoop Singh and imposed a fine of Rs 3 lakh each on them. After thinking over nights and nights, I have come to the conclusion that they deserve punishment, the judge said. The convicts, out on bail, were taken into custody after the order was pronounced. The case is related to tampering with evidence in the main fire tragedy case in which the Ansals were convicted and sentenced to a two-year jail term by the Supreme Court. The apex court, however, released them taking into account the prison time they had served on the condition that they pay Rs 30 crore fine each, to be used for building a trauma centre in the national capital. The fire had broken out at the Uphaar cinema during the screening of the Hindi film Border on June 13, 1997, claiming 59 lives. The judge said the circumstances during which the crime of tampering was committed showed the deep disrespect which the convicts had for law, the judicial process and the victims. The foundation of judiciary is premised on the trust and confidence of the people and any action which is aimed to thwart the said foundation cannot be permitted and is required to be dealt with utmost strictness, it said. It added that the sentencing in the case must respond to the cry of the society. While imposing fine on the convicts, the court noted that the DSLSA (Delhi State Legal Services Authority) had suggested in the Victim Impact Report (VIR) that victims had suffered "incalculable harm" and the quantum of compensation also proposed was "incalculable". The fine was imposed after analysing the income proofs submitted by the convicts. The court held that the Ansals were better placed in terms of financial capacity than others to provide compensation to the victims and added that the amount of fine imposed on each convict will be paid as compensation to the victim AVUT, after disbursing the cost incurred by the prosecution. Since no amount of compensation can alleviate the agony, trauma and the pain suffered by the family members of the victims, however, compensation in the form of money can provide some succour to them, the judge said. Rejecting convicts' plea seeking mercy, the court said that misplaced sympathy or unwarranted leniency will send a wrong signal to the public, giving room to suspect the institutional integrity and would affect its credibility. Inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and would undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of the law as society could not long endure such assaults on the justice system, it said. According to the charge sheet, the documents tampered with included a police memo giving details of recoveries immediately after the incident, Delhi Fire Service records pertaining to repair of transformer installed inside Uphaar, minutes of managing director's meetings, and four cheques. Out of the six sets of documents, a cheque of Rs 50 lakh, issued by Sushil Ansal to self, and minutes of the MD's meetings, proved beyond doubt that the two brothers were handling the day-to-day affairs of the theatre at the relevant time, the chargesheet had said. It also said the Ansals had taken the defence in the main case that they had no involvement in the day-to-day functioning. The tampering was detected for the first time on July 20, 2002, and a departmental inquiry was initiated against Dinesh Chand Sharma. He was suspended and terminated from services on June 25, 2004. This is the fifth incident of fratricidal killing in Bastar in the last two years A total of seven CRPF jawans were injured in the incident. (Representational Image. PTI) Raipur: A CRPF jawan opened fire on his colleagues in their camp in Chhattisgarhs south Bastar district of Sukma early on Monday morning, killing four security personnel and injuring three others. This is the fifth incident of fratricidal killing in Bastar in the last two years. A total of 14 security personnel have lost their lives in these fratricidal cases. A CRPF jawan opened fire on his colleagues in the Linganpali camp of 50th CRPF battalion killing four security personnel and injuring three others. The incident took place at around 3.15 hours. The immediate provocation for the incident was yet to be ascertained, Bastar range inspector general of police Sunderraj P. told this newspaper. According to him, the accused jawan, Reteesh Ranjan, was supposed to do his sentry duty from 0400 hours onwards. After getting ready for the duty he indiscriminately opened fire on other jawans sleeping in the barrack. A total of seven CRPF jawans were injured in the incident. They were rushed to a hospital in Bhadrachalam in the neighbouring state of Telangana where the doctors declared four of them "brought dead". Of the three injured, two were airlifted to Raipur in Chhattisgarh by an Indian Air Force chopper. The four slain jawans have been identified as Dhanji, Rajib Mondal, Rajmani Kumar Yadav and Dharmendra Kumar. Those injured in the incident were Dhananjay Kumar Singh, Dharmatma Kumar and Malay Ranjan Maharana. A senior police officer described the incident as case of "emotional stress leading to sudden psychological misbalance. The accused jawans leave application was already sanctioned and he was to go on leave on November 13, a senior CRPF officer said, requesting not to be quoted. This was the fifth incident of fratricidal killing in Bastar in the last two years. In January this year, a jawan of 241st Bastariya Battalion opened fire on his colleagues in Sedma security camp in Bastar district, killing a jawan. In May 2020, an assistance platoon commander of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF)s ninth battalion shot dead two security personnel, including his platoon commander, in his camp Aamdai in south Bastar district of Narayanpur. In December 2019, a jawan of Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP)s 45th battalion opened fire on his colleagues in their camp in Kedanar in Narayanpur district killing five jawans and injuring two others. In June 2019, a CAF jawan shot dead his two colleagues in their camp in Mingachal in south Bastar district of Bijapur. Chhattisgarh director general of police (DGP) D.M. Awasthi in June 2020 issued a directive to district police authorities concerned in Bastar division comprising seven districts to launch "Spandan campaign" to "de-stress" the jawans by redressing their personal grievances, forcing the jawans who are found to be under stress to go for counselling and medical treatments and ensuring the jawans practise yoga. The submarine was launched on May 6, 2019, and has completed all major harbour and sea trials including weapon and sensor trials Christened 'Vela', the submarine was launched on May 6, 2019, and has completed all major harbour and sea trials including weapon and sensor trials despite COVID restrictions. (PIB Image) New Delhi: The fourth Scorpene submarine of Project - 75, Yard 11878 was delivered to the Indian Navy on Tuesday. The Project - 75 includes the construction of six submarines of Scorpene design. These submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai, under collaboration with Naval Group, France. Christened 'Vela', the submarine was launched on May 6, 2019, and has completed all major harbour and sea trials including weapon and sensor trials despite COVID restrictions. Three of these submarines have already been commissioned in the Indian Navy. WHO, which co-leads COVAX, has been urging India to restart supplies for the programme COVAX officials have started planning allocations of the Covishield shot for various countries. (Photo: PTI/File) New Delhi: India could resume deliveries of COVID-19 shots to global vaccine-sharing platform COVAX in a few weeks for the first time since April, two health industry sources said, ending a suspension of supplies that has hurt poor countries. The World Health Organization (WHO), which co-leads COVAX, has been urging India to restart supplies for the programme, especially after it sent about 4 million doses to its neighbours and partners in October. Based on an informal approval from India, COVAX officials have started planning allocations of the Covishield shot for various countries, said one of the sources, both of whom declining to be identified pending a final agreement. Covishield is a licensed version of the AstraZeneca shot made by the Serum Institute of India (SII), the world's biggest vaccine maker. SII has nearly quadrupled its output of Covishield to up to 240 million doses a month since April, when India stopped all exports in order to inoculate its own people during a surge of cases. "There will need to be purchase orders confirmed to SII, labelling and packing, export authorisation granted for each of these shipments," said the source. "So the first deliveries, assuming the Indian government grants export authorisation, won't happen until a few weeks from now." SII, the health ministry and the WHO did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The ministry said in a statement earlier in the day that Indian states had more than 159 million unutilised doses of various vaccines, as inoculations have slowed after 79% of the country's 944 million adults got one dose and 37% got two doses. SII CEO Adar Poonawalla told Reuters last month that the company could send 20 million to 30 million doses a month to COVAX in November and December, which would increase to "large volumes" from January once India's own needs were met. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday that COVAX had the money and the contracts to buy vaccines for low-income countries but "manufacturers have not played their part". COVAX in September cut its 2021 delivery target by nearly 30% to 1.425 billion doses. This will be the second review meeting called by the CM after at least 31 people died due to the consumption of spurious liquor in Bihar Mr Nitish Kumar said the prohibition law was implemented in Bihar on the demand of women. (PTI) Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that he has called a high-level meeting on November 16 to review the effectiveness of the liquor ban in the state. This will be the second review meeting called by the CM after at least 31 people died due to the consumption of spurious liquor in dry Bihar within a span of three days. The deaths have been reported from Gopalganj, West Champaran and Samastipur districts. I have asked the chief secretary and the DGP to keep a tab on every aspect related to the violation of liquor prohibition. They have been asked to assess the loopholes and find out how the violators are slipping away from the administration, Mr Nitish Kumar said on the sidelines of his janata darbar. He had earlier said that situations like this occur if people consume wrong things. On Monday, he reiterated his earlier statement and said those who are speaking against the prohibition must remember that the act was passed unanimously by the legislature. He also stressed the need to spread awareness about the prohibition law and the consequences of liquor consumption. Mr Nitish Kumar said the prohibition law was implemented in Bihar on the demand of women. Liquor prohibition was the first major announcement by Mr Kumar after he was sworn in as chief minister for the fifth time after his emphatic victory in 2015. The ban was imposed on April 5, 2016, but the stringent excise law was brought into force in October 2016. Consumption, dealing and conniving to sell liquor were made a criminal offence under Bihars prohibition law. Mr Kumar faced sharp criticism from the Opposition parties after the death toll jumped recently. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, in a series of statements, declared the liquor prohibition policy a complete failure. The twist in the controversy came after the BJP, an ally of Mr Kumars Janata Dal (UUnited), recently called for a review of the prohibition policy. Liquor prohibition was implemented six years ago with good intentions but I think that there is a need to review the act, BJP state president and Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Jaiswal said. A bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh expressed concern over the state of affairs New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over eight state governments all non-BJP ruled states -- not granting general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to carry out investigation in their respective states, describing it as not a desirable position. Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Kerala and Mizoram have withdrawn their general consent to the CBI to investigate cases within their territory, alleging that the Central agency was being misused by the BJP-ruled Centre for political witch-hunt and vendetta. Referring the issue to the Chief Justice of India, Justice N.V. Ramana, for consideration, a bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M.M. Sundresh expressed concern over the state of affairs as the investigating agency informed the court that it has sent 150 requests to eight state governments from June 2018 to June 2021 for the grant of specific consent to investigate cases in their respective states. The CBI in its affidavit, which is rooted in the top court's order passed in a matter relating to inordinate delay in filing an appeal in a case concerning two lawyers of J&K, says, It is noteworthy to mention that CBI has sent over 150 requests to the governments of Maharashtra, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Kerala and Mizoram during the period 2018 to June, 2021 for grant of specific consent for investigation of cases in the territory of these states. The aforesaid requests were made for investigating Trap cases, Disproportionate Assets cases, cases relating to allegation of cheating, forgery, misappropriation and loss of foreign exchange and also bank fraud cases. Requests were granted in less than 18 per cent cases, which were related mainly in cases of Trap of corrupt Central public servants. Initially, in the J&K matter, the top court was irked over CBI seeking condonation of inordinate delay of 542 days in filing appeal against J&K High Court order in a case against two lawyers Mohammad Altaf Mohand and Sheikh Mubarak relating to threatening of witnesses and fabricating false evidence. The appeal was filed in 2019 and came up for hearing in January 2020. Noting that the time taken by the investigating agency to even take the decision to file an appeal after obtaining the certified copy of the order was more than 10 months -- from April 26, 2018 to March 7, 2019 -- the court said that there were delays at every step in the consideration of the case within the agency. The court asked the CBI to explain these delays. Not satisfied with its explanation, the top court by its February 7, 2020, order directed the CBI Director to file an affidavit as to what steps are being taken or have been taken and what system has been put in place to facilitate a proper functioning of prosecution of legal cases. In the subsequent hearing, on September 3, 2021, the court ordered the CBI to furnish details on the steps taken or proposed to be taken over the inadequacies in existence. Such inadequacies extend to the manpower, infrastructure facility and the quality of investigation. Referring to the common perception that the success rate of the cases being prosecuted by the investigating was low, the court directed the CBI to place before it the year wise data on the cases under prosecution, the time period over which they are pending before the trial courts and the percentage of conviction rendered by the courts at different levels. It was in response to this order; the CBI in its affidavit voiced its grievance over eight non-BJP ruled states in not granting general consent to it (CBI) to investigate cases in their respective states. You are the owner of this article. AWD PHEV BEV There is nothing architectural preventing an AWD hybrid variant, said Mazur, which is another way of saying that Ford can - and probably will - offer the all-wheel-drive option for the refresh of the Maverick.On the subject of plug-in hybrid electrification, there are no plans for a plug-in hybrid or all-electric version. As Ford drives down the cost to deliver fully electric vehicles, Maverick could be a great candidate for full electrification, signed off Mazur on the r/FordMaverickTruck subreddit.Lets analyze these scenarios one at a time, shall we? The most obvious hybrid powertrain would be adapted from the Escape Hybrid, which combines a 2.5-liter engine with two motor-generator units, an eCVT, and a liquid-cooled battery packaged below the second-row seats. The Escape Hybriduses a traditional mechanical prop shaft to send power to the rear wheels. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD features an electric motor, which is the simpler and lighter solution of the two, something that Ford should take into consideration for its future hybrids.As for plug-in hybrid and zero-emission options, guess what? Ford can easily borrow the plug-in system of the Escape, although thats a front-wheel-drive affair. Whats more, the Mustang Mach-E is based on the GE1 platform, a heavily reworked C2 platform from the third-gen Escape.Obviously enough, all of these options are on the table as long as theres sufficient demand for such powertrains. If you ask me, the plug-in hybrid would be too heavy for this application, while theis likely to be introduced in due time with the GE2 that will replace the GE1.In the meantime, Ford has to work its magic on that 2.5-liter hybrid AWD to keep customers interested in the Maverick . If they dont act quickly, Hyundai may roll out a Santa Cruz with hybrid all-wheel drive from the Tucson before them, thus stealing valuable customers from the Blue Oval. First, you must consider the kind of driving that you do on a day-to-day basis and occasionally. Then, consider the climate of the area you are driving in. Do you get heavy snow often, or has that never happened? Does winter just mean cold and wet roads or snowy and icy ones?If you tend to drive in the city all the time and winter is just a season when temperatures go near the freezing point, but that is it, you do not need studded winter tires. But you knew that already, didn't you?However, if you happen to drive from city to city frequently, or you drive to mountainous regions during the winter, it is recommended to get winter tires fitted to your vehicle instead of all-season tires. This is especially true if you drive between cities at night when temperatures take a dive, and you are sure to find ice under the snow.Jonathan Benson of Tyre Reviews has made a video where he compiled a list of recommended tire brands and models , which is split into four categories. The recommendations made by Jonathan rely on independent testing and reviews, but you should review those tests before making a purchase decision.The video starts with the best all-season and all-weather tires (the latter are only sold in the U.S., and not recommended on snow and ice). The second category is budget and performance winter tires, followed by Nordic or extreme winter tires, and the last category is studded winter tires.In the case of studded winter tires , you should know that they are illegal in many countries and the countries that do allow them only permit their use in certain conditions.Do not try to get studded winter tires if they are not allowed in your area, as you may receive a hefty fine. If you drive on ice all winter, then these recommended brands are the ones to go for.Regardless of what tires you fit your vehicle with this winter, be sure to have them filled to the recommended pressure , inspect them once a month (or every fill-up if you drive hundreds of miles per week). When something is common, that generally means people get tired of it in one way or another, but for some reason, not the same can be said about the F-16 . Despite the large numbers and the constant presence overhead, the Lockheed Martin machine is still impressive enough to turn curious heads every time it shows up.The American military contributes to the general publics appetite for the plane by constantly releasing new images of it, doing things ordinary civilians do not usually get to see. Like, say, taking off from a military base.Thats exactly what we see here, an F-16 deployed with the U.S. Air Force in South Korea, its landing gear in the process of being retracted and the afterburner of the single engine running hot as it pushes the airplane into the sky, apparently transforming the landscape behind it into a melting blur. The plane was on its way, says the USAF, to bolster the U.S.-Republic of Korea alliance.When fully engaged, the airplanes engine, afterburner included, can power the F-16 to speeds of up to 1,535 mph (2,470 kph), which is Mach 2, or two times the speed of sound. The distance the airplane can cover in a single outing is 2,620 miles (4,217 km).Two elements conspire in making the F-16 one of the most constant presences in the sky over our world. Having been introduced in the 1970s and produced in over 4,000 examples across countless variants, the Fighting Falcon already clocked close to 20 million flight hours, achieved at the end of over 13 million sorties. Jay Leno is the first person outside GM to drive the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Having taken a whiff of McLaren territory, the new 2023 Z06 is looking to bully more than a few supercar owners on track day. With its engine neatly tucked at the back, the Corvette Z06 comes with a new supercar-inspired exterior signature. Its chunkier, with bigger intakes, and a newly designed rear wing.Thanks to a new engine, the Z06 has a new roar thats throaty enough to make the raging Italian bull steal a glance. It comes with a bespoke naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission making 670 hp.The 2023 Corvette Z06 features a flat-plane crank revving up to 8,600 rpm with the grunt of a Ferrari. While idling, the Z06 sounds like a small block V8 but switches to an exotic tone once the revs start building. It can do a quarter mile in 10.6 seconds and zero to 60 miles per hour in 2.6 seconds.Leno feels the new Z06 is the very best America has to offer and competes with the best in Europe for a third of the price.According to Aaron Link, Lead Development Engineer, the Z06 is 6.8-inches wider than the C8 and comes with 345 mm tires that are the widest ever put on a Corvette.The 2023 Corvette Z06 is hand-built at the Performance Build Center. Each unit comes with a plack on top of the intake manifold signed by the builder. The unit Leno was driving is a prototype vehicle, but Link confirmed it's production-ready.The 2023 Corvette Z06 will turn things around for American motorsports. Its a good shot at having a supercar without breaking the bank. In an interview with Automotive News , Napolitano said again that the new Ypsilon will arrive in 2024 with two powertrain options: electric and hybrid. In 2026, the company will have its new flagship, the compact crossover. Purists will weep: it will probably be called Aurelia.Although it is a suitable name for a Lancia flagship, thats not the package we would expect to see it labeling. To be fair, Aurelia was the name of a series of vehicles, such as a sedan, a coupe, a convertible, and a spider, but the berlina was the Aurelia par excellence.If the name is confirmed, the new Aurelia will arrive at the same time the Ypsilon with a combustion engine will die. With the fully electric Aurelia or whatever Lancia decides to call it the Italian company will only sell EVs from 2026 on. For the Delta fans, they will have to wait two more years before the Italian brand releases its compact hatchback. If you want the electric Delta, it will only happen in 2028.Apart from its first lineup in quite some time, Lancia will also change how it sells cars. Like Volkswagen, it will move to an agency model, which will make dealers mere extensions of the carmaker, with no say in car prices but also fewer expenses. Thats what moving to a direct sales strategy will require in a not-so-distant future. For Lancia, it will start on June 1, 2023. Napolitano believes in about 100 agencies in 60 European cities. If youre here, you must know that Manny Khoshbin has one of the biggest car collections. The famous real estate mogul has worked very hard to get to where he is today and owns several limited editions. But that doesnt stop him from flexing his wealth by working out next to his Rolls-Royces. 8 photos National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA NHTSA Makes Its First Ever Whistleblower Award https://t.co/bjnBUtGNVJ nhtsagov (@NHTSAgov) November 9, 2021 First of all, premature wear and damage are unacceptable in regular driving scenarios. But more importantly, a failed bearing may be catastrophic because the connecting rod is capable of puncturing the block, allowing oil to leak onto the hot exhaust manifold. Hyundai is aware of multiple fire claims over this problem. By April 2017, 572,000 more vehicles with the 2.0- and 2.4-liter engines were added to the recall. Kia is also affected by this condition, and all told, the recall population exceeds 1.6 million cars.Over the years, both companies have inaccurately reported crucial information to the federal watchdog about the aforementioned callback. Had it not been for Kim Gwang-ho, a former engineer at Hyundai who reported valuable information to thein 2016, the NTHSA may have never found out the truth.For his valiant effort, Kim has been awarded $24 million by the federal agency. Whistleblowers play a crucial role in bringing information about serious problems that are hidden from the agency, said Steven Cliff, the deputy administrator at the. This information is critical to public safety and we are committed to rewarding those who bring information to us. Whats more, this award is the maximum percentage allowed by law of the $81 million in cash penalties collected by the government.The combined penalties in the consent orders amounted to $210 million.Protected by the law, whistleblowers who collaborate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can play a tremendous role in enhancing automotive safety. Those who have dirt on whatever automaker they work for should refer to the agencys Whistleblower Program portal. Folks, the renderings before you are of the conceptual vehicle known as the BAX MOTO MK3 , an electric motorcycle design by Shane Baxley, a creative polymath out of West Hollywood, California. Judging by his Behance and Artstation pages, a love of motorcycles is evident.For the MK3, no information about what the designer tried to do with this concept has been revealed; all we have is the visual work. However, it does seem to be more than enough to get the old daydreaming gears moving.When I first laid eyes on the MK3, it caught my attention because of that massive rear wheel; I thought it might be a rear-wheel hub motor. This component alone gave me the impression that the MK3 is electric, not to mention the lack of exhaust pipes.However, this rear wheel does not include a motor, as the bike seems to be driven by a mid-mounted motor that connects the rear wheel with a classic chain. If someone ever makes something like this in real life, you bet it's going to yield a mid-mounted motor.From the rear construction, my eyes were then led to the body of the MK3. That massive bar frame or chassis brings a slight Ducati feel because of the way it juts out of the frame, but that's about the only resemblance to any real brand. As for the inner components the MK3 may include, nothing is mentioned. After all, it is just a visual work meant to showcase the designer's abilities Even as a visual exploration of electric motorcycle design, there are a few cues that can be seen on real machines. One of which is the low and dropped body, similar to Moto GP bikes; it's meant to help offer a lower center of gravity.The second aspect I found odd and slightly out of place on its own is the seat; it seems as if it brings a cafe racer feel and has no business on the MK3. However, the end product does appear to be visually balanced , and the shortness of the seat only boosts the menacing look of the rest of the bike.A feature that is also a bit odd on the MK3 is the rear suspension system. Personally, I haven't come across a real bike that flaunts this sort of suspension system, with an inverted spring to activate the swingarm. How well it works is yet to be tested. The fork suspension looks normal but does feature a styling to match the bike. Oh, and Brembo brakes can also be spotted, although Brembo doesn't seem to have their finger in this pie.The final area where I feel Baxley decided to show his abilities is on the front end design. A simple LCD display sits mounted above a headlight lamp with handlebars extending to the sides. To help keep the menacing look and feel of MK3, the side mirrors have been dropped. The only thing missing is a windshield. But until the MK3 becomes a real toy, there's no need for one.As for the paint job that Baxley expresses, it's a raw, banged up , dropped, and raced look; that of a veteran. Now, I've got a question for you: what are the chances you'll ever see this bike on the streets? Probably zero. What are the chances you'll ever see the MK3 in some CGI movie or short? Quite high. After all, it looks ripped right out of some dystopian setting only seen in movies. Steve Harvey was the talk of the Internet recently, as he just received a major makeover, and self-proclaimed a Style Icon. Dropping the oversized suits for bold ensembles, Steve Harvey wont stop there.Like every celebrity out there, he has to put his name on something, and he just announced his clothing line, H by Steve Harvey, which will soon present his tie collection. The news comes just a few weeks after his stepdaughter, model Lori Harvey, launched her skincare line, SKN by LH. She pulled up at the event in a rented Rolls-Royce Ghost , and she turned heads and made jaws drop.Now Steve Harvey puls a page out of her book, showing up in a Rolls-Royce Phantom , matching his outfit to the white luxurious vehicle. However, he wasnt as successful as Lori in terms of matching, because he had a very unfortunate choice of footwear, wearing some black leather shoes that didnt do much to the overall look. But he wore a cool emerald-green jacket on top, so that evens out... Sorta.The Rolls-Royce Phantom he drove is powered by the 6.75-liter V12 engine, with 563 horsepower and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm) of torque. When it comes to figures, the Phantom has an acceleration from 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph) in 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph (249 kph).Coming back to his new clothing line, Steve Harvey filmed the promo in another vehicle, but that one time, he turned to the classics. The former stand-up comedian posed in what seems to be a first-generation Cadillac Series 40-62 Convertible and showed what a true "style icon" he was. How else could you convey the style, if not in a classic car? So the two systems come standard on several new models launched by the Japanese carmaker, in some cases even supporting the wireless connectivity mode.But unfortunately, while both Android Auto and CarPlay come in so handy to pretty much everyone out there, Honda drivers sometimes figure out themselves that using the two isnt necessarily as straightforward as they would expect it to be.And whats worse is that nobody seems to know precisely what happens, so the recommendations theyre provided with make little to no difference at all.The struggles Honda drivers are forced to deal with when trying to run Android Auto and CarPlay are extremely varied. And they include everything from app crashes to random disconnects, all happening for apparently no good reason.For example, in April 2020 we covered a widespread Android Auto bug hitting Honda cars and causing app crashes and freezing for the likes of Google Maps. Surprisingly, when reaching out to Honda dealerships, some owners were told they needed to replace the head units Today I brought my car to the dealership and they just called me to say the head unit will need to be replaced. They said it is defective so I am not sure who to trust anymore, one user said at that point.Earlier this year, Honda owners came across other similar problems, this time causing Android Auto to no longer launch at all when connecting phones to the head units. The affected models included the 2019 CR-V and the new Accord. And after reaching out to Honda support and dealerships, some people eventually decided to go for the most extreme solutions: buy a new car where Android Auto was working properly.These problems, however, arent exclusive to Android Auto. Not a long time ago, Honda owners who were using CarPlay behind the wheel noticed a bug that caused the head unit to completely crash in the middle of the drive. This triggered an automatic reboot, and it goes without saying this isnt something youd like to happen while driving.In almost all cases, Hondas customers had no other option than to turn to the generic workarounds. On Android Auto, these include clearing the cache and the data, reinstalling the apps, and resetting the mobile devices. For CarPlay users, the most common recommendations were to re-pair the iPhone and the head unit.It goes without saying all of these made little to no difference, so at the end of the day, Honda owners had no other option than to reach out to dealerships.And in many cases, not even Hondas engineers could find a way to fix the Android Auto and CarPlay nightmare, eventually spreading not necessarily accurate information suggesting Apple is the one to blame for the whole thing.One of our readers recently pointed me to a long thread on reddit where Honda owners are complaining of all of the above, discussing just how difficult it is to get a stable and reliable Android Auto and CarPlay experience behind the wheel of their cars.Several Honda technicians emphasize that the cable that drivers use to connect their smartphones to head units makes a huge difference. In other words, you should just stick to high-speed cables, and if possible, to those provided by the mobile device manufacturer in the first place.Of course, this doesnt mean all the problems are gone, but this way, you can at least eliminate the cable from the list of possible culprits.If nothing works, theres no other option than to just reach out to Honda itself for help. Whereas the Ton Up was meant to honor the namesake British motorcycle subculture as a whole, and a high-speed run around the Isle of Man, the Street Twin EC1 Special Edition we have here is a more specific tribute, being meant to remind people of the custom-classic motorcycle culture of Londons East End.To send the right message across, the company named the bike EC1, which is nothing more than a London postcode in the area. It also wrapped the two-wheeler in a unique paint scheme, with Matt Aluminium Silver and Matt Silver playing on the body parts with touches of special graphics on the tank and side panels.The heart of the motorcycle is the usual 900cc twin engine of the range, rated at 65 ps and 80 Nm of torque. A Brembo 4-piston front brake caliper and 41 mm cartridge forks complete the rides mechanical prowess.At the time of writing, there is no info available on when the bike should become available, or how much Triumph will be charging for one. We do know it will only be available for a year, just like the Thruxton RS Ton Up Edition.Whats more, to make sure the EC1 feel expands to other motorcycles of the family, a Matt Silver Ice fly screen has been added to the existing range of over 120 genuine Triumph accessories.You can find the full list of available items for the Street Twin EC1 Special Edition in the press release section attached below. kWh This is just a first step in Volcon ePowersports global expansion plan, as the startup intends to use the U.S. model internationally in the coming years. As stated by Melissa Coffey, the companys Director of International Sales and Business Development, Volcon has already begun discussions with established powersports dealers and over the course of the next 12 months, it plans to approach the biggest ones in all 50 states.More than 200 dealership inquiries have been received from the United States and over 50 internationally since the electric Grunt has been introduced to the public in 2020.Volcons Grunt is a rugged two-wheeler designed for the off-road enthusiast but also works great for farm work if you need something to haul hay bales with. It can tackle any terrain and its much quieter than its appearance would have you think. The bike is also IP67 rated, which means the Grunt is fully waterproof.With one 2.0battery and an optional additional one available, the Grunt promises ranges of up to 75 miles (120 km). It reaches a top speed of 40 mph (64 kph) and has a load capacity of 400 lb (181 kg). Pricing for the 2022 Volcon Grunt starts at $7,995.This year, Volcon also announced a mini-companion for the flagship Grunt. Also designed for all-terrain use, the Runt comes with a 35-mile (56-km) range and is quite similar to the Grunt in terms of features, but smaller and less powerful. Recharging the Runt at 100 percent takes two hours. The Runt mini-bike starts at around $3,000. ICE The Wolfsburg-based brand has already rejected those demands and stated the following to Reuters : Volkswagen stands for climate protection and decarbonizing the transport sector, but it cannot tackle this challenge alone, said a spokesperson.The task of designing appropriate measures belongs to Parliament. Civil court disputes through lawsuits against singled-out companies are not the place or way to do justice to this task for great responsibility.This is a similar lawsuit to the one filed back in September by German environmental organization Deutsche Umwelthilfe against BMW and Daimler both those carmakers also rejected demands to end production of their internal combustion engine cars by 2030.There are however multiple precedents that should give NGOs like Greenpeace Germany hope in their battle for a cleaner environment.In May of last year, a German court ruled that the country was failing to protect future generations from the consequences of climate change . Perhaps an even stronger example was set in the Netherlands, with a Dutch court ordering Shell to reduce its emissions. It was the first time that a private company was being held responsible for the way its been impacting the climate.The European Union has already proposed anban for 2035, but some NGOs feel as though thats not good enough, especially if youre going by the goals of the Paris climate accords and German climate law. As of right now, wed be surprised if either BMW, Daimler or VW managed to completely ditch their internal combustion engines within the next 9 or so years. 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. Bakersfield, CA (93308) Today Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon. High 67F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Clear skies. Low 42F. Winds light and variable. Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Lois Henry is the CEO and editor of SJV Water, a nonprofit, independent online news publication dedicated to covering water issues in the San Joaquin Valley. She can be reached at lois.henry@sjvwater.org. The website is sjvwater.org. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued an ultimatum to California oil and water agencies that have fallen years behind schedule i Another high school football season is winding down in Iowa. Conference titles have been decided, and the top teams have been battling for the right to compete for state championship trophies. The game and the uniforms have changed a lot since Bloomfield High School started its football prog Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Periods of rain. Low 39F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 39F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. A chance meeting at Houston's Rothko Chapel between Kanye West and Rap-A-Lot Records CEO J. Prince may end up being what squashes the beef between Ye and Drake. According to Prince, he ran into Kanye West, who legally changed his name to Ye last month, at the non-denominational chapel in Houston's Museum District on Sunday night and the two talked about ways to settle Ye's feud with Drake. On Monday, Prince posted a video to social media of him standing alongside Ye as the Chicago rapper read a statement from his phone. "Yo, this is Ye and J. Prince, Im making this video to address the ongoing back and forth between myself and Drake," Ye says in the video. "Both me and Drake have taken shots at each other, and it's time to put it to rest. I'm asking Drake on Dec. 7 to join me on stage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year, live in Los Angeles, with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover. I believe this event will not only bring awareness to our cause, but prove to people everywhere how much more we can accomplish when we lay our pride to the side and come together." Drake and Ye both released albums in the last three months that hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Ye's "Donda" debuted at No. 1 when it came out on Aug. 29, but Drake's "Certified Lover Boy" claimed the top spot the next three weeks when it was released Sept. 3. Both rappers have expressed love for Larry Hoover, the co-founder of the Chicago gang Gangster Disciples who has been serving a life sentence in federal prison since 1973. "I met with Ye to pass on the message from my brother Larry Hoover who said he would like to see peace between the two of them," Prince posted on social media. "Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did. Im looking forward to all of us working together in unison to elevate our communities around the world." Elizabeth Felicella In 2018, Ye met with President Donald Trump to advocate for Hoover's release. He also had Hoover's son Larry Hoover Jr., make an appearance on "Donda." Last month, Prince posted an Instagram photo with Ye, Larry Hoover Jr., and Larry Hoover's wife Winndye Jenkins with a hint that he would be working with Ye and Drake to "free our brother Larry Hoover." A couple weeks later, Prince posted a photo of him sitting ringside at a Shakur Stevenson fight with the caption, "Fight Night and making plans to free our brother Larry Hoover." The family of former Jasper businessman Ed Few was recently presented with the Silver Bucket Award for his achievements in business in Jasper County. The award was presented at the Forest Country Economic Development Summit held in Nacogdoches. Few, who passed away in 2018, began as a truck driver for a Jasper area fuel distributor before opening his own business the Jasper Oil Company in 1973. Jasper Oil Company became a wholesale fuel distributor and operated a string of retail outlets known as JOC Stops. Father Duc Duong, a native of Vietnam, trapped by war but protected in spirit by his Catholic faith and who succeeded in escaping his homeland and emigrating to the United States where he became a priest, died Saturday of COVID-19. He was 63. He was attended by family and friends. Duc served in several parishes across the Diocese of Beaumont during his 21 years as a priest. Before that, he served nearly three decades as a seminarian, mostly in secret, while still in Vietnam until he managed his escape to Hong Kong in a small boat in 1991, said his lifelong friend, Father Khanh Ho, pastor of Holy Trinity Church in Mont Belvieu. Duc attended seminary from 1971 to 1979 about four years after the communist takeover of Vietnam when his seminary was closed by the communist government, Khanh said. Khanh and Duc were about 13 when they began studying for the priesthood. Duc, was born Nov. 2, 1958 in the ancient capital of Hue the site of a month-long terrible battle in early 1968 during the Tet Offensive in which U.S. Marines and South Vietnamese eventually repulsed the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong. More than 5,000 Vietnamese civilians perished during the battle and the city was destroyed. Khanh said Duc was a year ahead of him in seminary when they were boys, but Khanh managed to escape to the United States where he entered the priesthood in 1990. "(Duc) spent years as a catechist (a teacher for those intending to be confirmed in the Catholic faith) and as a music director in his parish," Khanh said. "He had to do everything in secret from 1979 to 1991, when he decided to escape. He went to Hong Kong in a small boat. Those were dark, very challenging years." Khanh said he finally was able to visit his family in Vietnam once normalization of diplomatic relations became possible in the early 1990s. He also visited Duc in Hong Kong, and Khanh sponsored his immigration to the United States, along with five other seminarians. More Information Services for Father Duc Duong are as follows: At St. Anthony Cathedral, 700 Jefferson St. Reception of Body, 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov 11. Sharing of Memories, 4 p.m. Thursday Wake Service, 5 p.m. Thursday Funeral Mass, 10 a.m. Friday, Nov 12 Meal after funeral at St. Anthony Burial at Greenlawn Cemetery, Groves See More Collapse At the time, Bishop Bernard Ganter led the Diocese of Beaumont and gave his blessing to bringing Duc to Beaumont in 1993, but Khanh had nothing in writing and Ganter died soon after. "I had to send him to a different parish in Raleigh, North Carolina, and then he went to Chicago. I was pastor of St. Joseph in Beaumont. I brought Duc to Beaumont to sing and Bishop Joseph Galante was there and he invited Duc to come here," Khanh said. "Bishop sent him to Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans where Duc earned his master's of divinity and then he came back here and was ordained on June 10, 2000, after 29 years as a seminarian." Khanh said Duc was assigned to be associate pastor of St. Catherine of Siena in Port Arthur, then as pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Beaumont and back to St. Catherine as pastor. He later served as chaplain at Baptist Hospital of Beaumont and was parochial vicar of Infant Jesus in Lumberton and St. Mark the Evangelist in Silsbee. "He was always happy and loved to meet people. People were drawn to him because of his joy," Khanh said. "He loved to sing karaoke and he loved fishing. He told people he was a fisher of men (the mandate given by Jesus to his first disciples, referring to their souls). He liked to be called 'The Duke,' like John Wayne." Khanh said he knew Duc was not vaccinated against COVID, but he had promised Bishop David Toups a few months ago during a convocation a few months in Galveston that he would be vaccinated soon. Khanh, who said he is vaccinated, agreed to travel with Duc to the convocation so they could spend time together. "I suspected he was sick then," Khanh said. "Bishop Toups told him he could not force him to get vaccinated, but Father Duc promised he would. He spent three months in the hospital until he died. He had been very healthy, but he just did not get vaccinated." Bishop Toups said he has encouraged all priests to get vaccinated because "indeed, we are on the front lines" as people continue to practice their faith with one another in their churches. "Father Duc was a wonderful priest and he will be sorely missed in the community of priests, the Vietnamese community and in his parishes in Lumberton and Silsbee. Let's continue to pray that this is the end of any pandemic deaths in our area," Toups said in a written statement to The Enterprise. Duc is the fourth Catholic Diocese of Beaumont priest to die since August. Last month, a fifth priest was recalled to Spain. Dan Wallach is a freelance writer. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Renee Irvin, University of Oregon (THE CONVERSATION) The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea Family foundations significantly shift their priorities as times change and new generations take over their leadership. That was our main finding when my graduate research assistant and I studied records from 424 family foundations operating as far back as 1955 that lasted at least a decade, looking at what they funded and where. Although ranging widely in size, they had an average of just over US$6 million each in assets and spent an average of $560,000 annually on grants to nonprofits. There are more than 40,000 family foundations in the U.S., all established either by an individual donor or several members of a single family. They are required by law to pay out at least 5% of their assets annually in the form of grants to charitable organizations. We found that 65% of the foundations kept supporting organizations near where their founders lived, a quarter-century after our first observation of their grant-making. Often, this meant that long after the original donor had died, the foundation still made grants in the local area. Eventually, however, the foundations gave less money away in their founders community. This makes sense because succeeding generations of trustees and board directors typically including the original donors adult children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren often have fewer and looser connections to the founders hometown. Thats because those board members probably live somewhere else. We also observed that these family foundations gradually made religious causes less of a funding priority. One foundation in our data, for example, reported giving grants to Catholic churches and schools in 1964, but by the 1990s it no longer listed this emphasis in its grant-making. The decline, particularly notable among foundations supporting Christian causes, is part of a national trend: Americans are becoming less likely to worship regularly or belong to a church, mosque, synagogue or other faith-based institution. Support for Jewish religious and cultural institutions declined to a smaller degree. At the same time as those declines, many family foundations were gradually giving more to charities involved with social movements. Foundations that made donations to local hospitals, literacy and care for older people a high priority in the 1950s, for example, adopted new priorities over the following decades. They increasingly funded causes tied to conservation, civil rights and womens rights. In the past 20 years or so, we noticed that foundations began to support groups that help the homeless, fight racial inequality, address mental health concerns and seek solutions to climate change, along with organizations focusing on several other issues that have gained public attention in recent years. In general, we saw that the longer a foundation existed, the more its priorities changed. Why it matters One reason why wealthy people create their foundations is a desire for their fortune to support their ideals for a long time, even after they are gone. But as time passes, others including the original funders own descendants will make funding decisions. And they may go in different directions. Several prominent large foundations, such as those Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie established, have grown more liberal over time. Our data shows that smaller family foundations as well have shifted to new grant-making priorities, including support for progressive goals such as racial inequality. The opposite situation shifting rightward to focus more on conservative priorities over time was not evident in our data. Some conservative philanthropists, such as Kim Dennis, executive director of the Searle Freedom Trust, have publicly encouraged foundations led by people who share their ideology to speed up the distribution of their assets. Thats the best way, they argue, to stop more liberal trustees and staff members from drifting leftward in the future. What still isnt known When foundations make grants that help new kinds of organizations launch, they are playing a catalytic role. But foundations may wait until after a social movement makes a previously radical or unfamiliar issue come to the publics attention. In that case, they arent changing whats on the agenda. New research would be needed to compare the historical grant-making trends to indicators of social movements gathering popularity and impact. [Like what youve read? Want more? Sign up for The Conversations daily newsletter.] This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/family-foundations-change-their-priorities-over-time-as-new-generations-call-the-shots-169517. A female migrant-worker breaks down in tears while talking about her experience of being abused abroad, during an interview in Satkhira district, Bangladesh, Nov. 8. 2021. The men raped her every night for months, Nazma Begum recalls. She went off to Saudi Arabia for her second stint as a housemaid last year, expecting a decent work-life. But only 10 months later, the mother-of-two returned home traumatized after enduring months of what she described as physical abuse and sexual assault. The owner of my new house started sexually abusing me just a few days after I arrived, Nazma told BernarNews, saying she did not know which was the city in the kingdom where the middleman had sent her. I was forced to work the whole day, and at night, I got no sleep. One to three men used to rape me every night. They used to beat me if I refused them, she said, alleging that the men drugged her with an unknown substance, which made her almost unconscious before the nightly assaults. At one point, I became very sick. Then the men brought me to an airport with a ticket in my hand. I dont know how I got back home, said Nazma, 38, who now lives in Sunamganj, a district in northeastern Bangladesh. Nazma is among Bangladeshi women who have suffered abuse while trying to scratch out a living in menial jobs abroad but who need support after returning home, victims and non-government agencies told BenarNews in a series of interviews. But despite the crucial role that migrant workers play in Bangladeshs economy they are an overseas workforce of millions who send home billions of dollars in remittances per year there are no formal government-led rehabilitation programs or trauma centers to help returnees heal mentally from and overcome such trauma no matter whether theyre women or men. In Nazmas case, she is making a slow recovery from mental trauma with the help of her husband and children, but says every day is an ordeal. Nazma returned home looking like a living corpse, compared with the lively person she was before she went to Saudi Arabia, according to Sanur Mia, her brother-in-law. Her mental condition was terrible. She even could not recognize her two children. We found several signs of injury in her body, he told BenarNews. Nazma was one of at least 25 women interviewed for this report. They all said they were still dealing with severe mental health issues after traumatic experiences abroad. Rehana Khatun, a migrant worker from Manikganj district, said she was trafficked to Jordan at age 15, where she was trapped by a Bangladeshi middlemen and forced to work in the sex trade, she alleged. Rehana was six months pregnant when she came home after a year of torment abroad. She was a mess, mental health-wise, and lost everything, Rehana said, adding that her family also faced problems because of her. I find no reason to stay alive if I remember the one year of pain when I was forced to work as a sex worker, said Rehana, now the mother of a three-year-old girl. According to 2017 statistics from the government, out of 1 million Bangladeshi workers who migrated overseas for jobs, 121,935 were women about 12 percent of the expatriate migrant workforce. The majority of Bangladeshi women labor migrants remain in traditional roles such as housekeeping in countries in the Gulf region, the International Organization for Migration, U.N. agency, said in a 2019 report. Horrible experiences, including physical abuse and sexual assaults, are common among Bangladeshi female migrant-workers, many of whom travel abroad for work via legal means and at their own will. Others are trafficked aboard and exploited in slave-like working conditions. According to a recent report by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit, a Dhaka-based grassroots action group, at least 35 percent of female migrant-workers face physical abuse in the workplace, 52 percent face mental torture, and 11 percent face sexual harassment. The report, released in August, also said that more than a fifth of the female workers faced some type of illness or social stigma and got divorced after returning from overseas. The mother of a female migrant-worker said that her daughter came home with a six-month-old baby after being raped overseas. She gave the baby to another couple since we can never let others in the community know what happened. It is very tough to give your baby to others. But we had no alternative, the mother, who asked not to be named, told BenarNews. After my daughter returned home, some government agencies and NGOs provided some support for us following media reports. But such assistance has been now stopped, she said. Shahidul Alam, director-general of the Bureau of Manpower Employment and Training (BMET), said the government had no program or initiative in place to provide mental health services to migrant workers who have suffered abuse abroad, regardless of whether they are men or women. But a plan for a rehabilitation project is underway, he told BenarNews. He was referring to a nearly U.S. $50 million program to distribute financial aid and provide skills-training to 200,000 migrant workers who have returned home. Salma Khatun, a migrant-worker from Bangladeshs Pirojpur district, carries her child near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka after arriving on a flight from Saudi Arabia, March 26, 2021. [Sabrina Yasmeen/BenarNews] NGOs help women to heal In Bangladesh during the past few years, some non-governmental organizations meanwhile have started providing psycho-social support to female migrant-returnees. Eight women who have received such support said they had benefitted from such counseling and assistance. A trafficking victim, Alea Khatun, returned home from India with the support of Justice and Care, an NGO which provided her with psychological counseling as well as with training in tailoring and how to use a computer. Instead of attempting suicide, now I am preparing to give support to my family, Alea told BenarNews. Now, she is also learning how to drive a car. According to a report published in April by Ovibashi Karmi Unnayan Program (OKUP), a community-based migrants organization, at least 60 percent of 226 women who were surveyed in four districts after returning home had faced some type of abuse abroad. Sixteen percent had faced sexual harassment. Normally, women expatriates face some form of social [ostracism] after the return. Their family also hesitate to receive them if they were abused sexually or physically, said Abdullah Al Mamun, a program manager at OKUP. So, there is a need for a complete rehabilitation center for the migrant victims. Trauma relief support is critical for them to restart their normal lives and work, he said, adding that his organization had arranged such programs for 66 women and 25 men since January. Shariful Hasan, who directs the migration program at BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee), an international non-governmental organization and the countrys largest NGO, said that psycho-social counseling and economic rehabilitation are a must for the expatriates who returned home after experiencing abuse. BRAC provided such socio-psychological counseling support to about 5,000 expatriates in the past few years, he said. Jonaki Begum, 40, a migrant returnee in Faridpur district, said she was abused sexually and physically by her employer in Lebanon for months. Her husband died when she was still abroad. OKUP helped her by providing some financial aid and arranging for psychological counseling after she returned home. My employer tortured me for eight months. I returned home in a traumatized condition. The OKUP provided me with necessary treatment and provided some cash incentives, she said. I have procured a cow and arranged the wedding for my two daughters through this amount. It helped hugely. Editors note: Victims names have been changed throughout to protect their identities. This story was written and produced as part of a media skills development program delivered by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The content is the sole responsibility of the author and the publisher. Surendra Kumar Sinha, who was serving as chief justice of Bangladesh, answers questions from reporters outside his home in Dhaka before leaving the country, Oct. 13, 2017 A special court here sentenced former Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, who fled Bangladesh in 2017, to 11 years on money-laundering and graft charges Tuesday, the first time an ex-Supreme Court leader has been convicted in the South Asian nation. Sheikh Nazmul Alam, a special court judge in Dhaka, announced the conviction and sentencing against Sinha, according to prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam. The court has awarded former Chief Justice S.K. Sinha four years imprisonment for criminal breach of trust and seven years for money laundering. We are happy with the verdict, the prosecutor told BenarNews. This is the first instance of conviction of a former chief justice. The former chief justice is living in self-imposed exile in Canada after he resigned in protest saying he was forced to leave his homeland because of his opposition to a constitutional amendment, which empowered the legislature to remove judges from the Supreme Court bench. A leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the leading opposition party, called the verdict politically motivated. If he surrenders, he would get the opportunity to appeal against the judgment, Salam said, adding the judge fined Sinha 4.5 million taka (nearly U.S. $52,500). Salam also said the court ordered authorities to confiscate 7.8 million taka ($91,000) from Sinhas bank account. On Tuesday, Sinha, the first Hindu to serve as Bangladeshs chief justice, did not immediately respond to a BenarNews request for comment. At the time charges were filed in July 2019, he told BenarNews that he would not hire attorneys to represent him in court. Sinhas brother, Narendra Kumar Sinha, spoke to BenarNews after the verdict. I am not sure what he will do next. Actually, he will decide about it. I am not involved, Narendra Kuman Sinha said. Charge sheet The charge-sheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission accused Sinha of conspiring with six officials of Farmers Bank, which has been renamed Padma Bank, and four bank clients to divert 40 million taka ($467,000) into the former chief justices bank account by using counterfeit credit documents. The commission charged Sinha with withdrawing more than 21 million taka (USD $245,000) from that account and transferred the money to his brothers account in another bank. It said the transfer constituted money laundering. The court sentenced eight other defendants to between three and four years while two were acquitted. Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, a central leader of the BNP, spoke out against the verdict. S.K. Sinha had to leave the country due to his disagreement over the 16th Amendment to the Constitution the Awami League passed to impeach the High Court judges, Alal told BenarNews. The way a sitting chief justice was forced to leave the country on the pretext of treatment is unprecedented. The amendment passed in 2014 empowered parliament to impeach Supreme Court judges if allegations of misconduct were proven. On Oct. 13, 2017, Sinha left Bangladesh for Australia for what he termed better treatment. Before leaving for the airport, he said he was not sick but was forced to leave the country while promising to return. Nearly a month later, he sent his resignation letter from Singapore. He later traveled to the United States before settling in Canada. Sinha later penned a book alleging that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, some Awami League ministers and government agencies had forced him to go abroad because he had declared the 16th Amendment, which allows lawmakers to sack Supreme Court justices, unconstitutional. After Sinhas sentencing, Law Minister Anisul Huq told journalists that everybody was equal in the eyes of law. This proved that the rule of law exists in Bangladesh. The judiciary and law follow its own course, he said. Nagaentharan Dharmalingam holds his nephew in Ipoh, Malaysia, in an undated photograph. Singapores highest court on Tuesday indefinitely stayed the execution of a convicted Malaysian drug smuggler with an intellectual disability, after he tested positive for COVID-19, his lawyer said, as U.N. human rights experts joined a growing chorus of calls for clemency in the case. The Court of Appeal was about to begin hearing a last minute appeal from a lawyer representing 33-year-old Nagaentharan K. Dharmalingam on Tuesday, a day before his scheduled execution, when it was informed that he was COVID-19 positive, his lawyer M. Ravi said on Facebook. The Court of Appeal has ordered an indefinite stay of execution. Nagaentharan was hit by COVID as the court was about to rise, Ravi wrote. The case has shined a spotlight on Singapores use of the death penalty and its drug laws, which are among the harshest in the world. Its Misuse of Drugs Act mandates the death penalty for any individual found smuggling drugs in excess of 15 grams (0.5 ounces) into the country. Nagaentharan was arrested for smuggling in 42.72 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin. The city-state executed 35 people from 2014 to 2019, most of them for drug offenses, according to official data. International outcry A group of U.N. human rights experts said on Tuesday that under international law, countries that have retained the death penalty may only impose it for the most serious crimes, such as those involving intentional killing. Drug-related offenses do not meet this threshold, they said in a statement. Resorting to this type of punishment to prevent drug trafficking is not only illegal under international law, it is also ineffective. There is a lack of any persuasive evidence that the death penalty contributes more than any other punishment to eradicating drug trafficking. Rights watchdog Amnesty Internationals Singapore researcher, Rachel Chhoa-Howard, on Tuesday echoed the view that the punishment meted out to Nagaentharan was unlawful. There is wide evidence of multiple human rights violations including deep concerns about Nagaentharans mental capacity and current mental health condition, which would render his execution unlawful, and must be fully assessed, Chhoa-Howard said in a statement. Nagaentharan was arrested by Singapore authorities on April 22, 2009 when he was 21. He was sentenced to death on Nov. 22, 2010. His lawyer appealed the sentence, saying his client had an IQ of 69 a level said to indicate an intellectual disability. A request for a presidential pardon was rejected on June 1, 2020. Amnestys Chhoa-Howard noted that medical experts who assessed Nagaentharan found that his cognitive deficits may have contributed to diminished responsibility for the drug smuggling offense. Nagaentharans execution must be completely called off, his sentence commuted and these violations addressed, Chhoa-Howard said. Logic, common sense and humanity Nagaentharan, though, has only gained a temporary reprieve. According to media reports, Tuesdays court proceedings began at 2:30 p.m. local time, as Nagaentharan was taken to the offenders cage in the courtroom to face a panel of three Court of Appeal judges, Andrew Phang Boon Leong, Judith Prakash and Kannan Ramesh. Nagaentharan was taken away from the courtroom almost as soon as he was brought in, and Phang announced the unexpected development that the Malaysian man had contracted COVID-19. The prosecution then asked for further instructions and Phang said it would be inappropriate to continue the hearing. Execution of the sentence is scheduled for tomorrow. If the applicant has been infected with COVID-19we are of the view that execution of the sentence cannot be carried out, Phang said, according to media reports. I think here, we need to use logic, common sense and humanity. Singaporean rights activist Kirsten Han said she was happy Nagaentharans execution had been stayed, but she questioned the judges reasoning for the stay. Im so relieved about the stay, but the absurdity of capital punishment is the state insisting someone of borderline intellectual functioning and cognitive impairment can be executed, then the moment he tests COVID-positive its suddenly about logic, common sense and humanity, she said on Twitter. Nagaentharans sister Sarmila said she was relieved, but added that the main worries still remain. The Malaysian mans family is also worried that he will be alone after having tested positive for COVID-19. Im only a little bit happy because I know they havent stopped the execution, only given it a temporary stay, Sarmila said in a statement that was tweeted by a Singaporean activist Han. I am happy now, but as Nagens sister, I need to think about the future. Fishermen paddle their boat as smoke rises from chimneys at the Suralaya coal power plant in Cilegon, Indonesia, Sept. 22, 2021. The Philippines and Indonesia, two of Southeast Asias biggest economies, are embarking on efforts to phase out coal-fired electricity plants, including through a pilot project launched by the Asian Development Bank that some environmental activists say favors power companies over victims of climate change. Under the so-called Energy Transition Mechanism project, which ADB unveiled last week at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Scotland, the regional inter-governmental agency is looking to accelerate the transition to clean energy in Indonesia and the Philippines mainly, as well as in Vietnam. Led by Indonesia, the three nations were among the top four consumers of coal in Southeast Asia in 2019, according to statistics from the International Energy Agency. The ETM will set up two multibillion-dollar funds one for retiring coal-fired power plants or converting them for other uses, and another for pushing investments in clean energy, according to a news release from the Manila-based bank. The ETM has the potential to accelerate the retirement of coal plants by at least 10 to 15 years on average, Philippine Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said. The time for debate and merely discussing climate change theories is over. Today, we are focusing on applied solutions and workable programs to quickly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Dominguez said at the programs launch in Glasgow, according to a government statement. We have a planet to save and we do not have much time to do it, said Dominguez, who was heading the Philippine delegation to COP26. Dominguez said the Philippines was upgrading its Agus-Pulangi hydropower plant on the southern island of Mindanao. Mindanao will showcase an Earth-friendly future that can be replicated in other areas in the Philippines and even countries around the world, Dominguez said. Together with the Asian Development Bank, the Philippines is pioneering an innovative model that will set a global standard in transitioning to a cleaner energy future. Touted as possibly the worlds largest carbon reduction program, the mechanism is expected to draw from public and private investments to finance country-specific ETM funds to retire coal power assets on an earlier schedule than if they remained with their current owners, the ADB said. The Japanese government has donated U.S. $25 million toward the project. Speeding up the retirement of coal-fired electricity will increase the demand for clean energy by two to three times, lowering overall energy generation costs in the long run, the bank said. In Indonesia, the government-run electricity provider PLN signed a memorandum of understanding with the ADB for public-private financing to speed up efforts to move on from coal, said Erick Thohir, Jakartas minister for state-owned enterprises. The Ministry welcomes the collaboration of SOEs with various stakeholders which marks the first step toward a just and affordable transition to promote carbon-neutral development, Thohir said, referring to state-owned enterprises. Septian Hario Seto, deputy minister for investment and mining at the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment, also welcomed the MoU. I think this will be a good thing to help us transition to low-emission new and renewable energy, he said. This can also make the government think again about building coal-fired power plants because a lot of funding has already been stopped. Meanwhile on Nov. 4, a day after the ADBs announcement, the World Banks Climate Investment Funds (CIF) released details of its nearly $2.5 billion Accelerating Coal Transition Investment Program, which aims to wean emerging economies, including Indonesia and the Philippines, off coal power. The countries were selected on advice from an independent panel of experts, who assessed country candidates based on potential for transformational change and private sector mobilization, among other metrics, CIF said in a news release announcing the program. Indonesia, with the support from CIFs Accelerating Coal Transition Investment Program, is committed to reduce and replace our coal power plants with renewables as part of our efforts in energy transition, said Arifin Tasrif, the Indonesian minister of Energy and Mineral Resources. Environmentalists react Some climate activists, however, allege that the ETMs focus is on bailing out coal companies without consulting with communities that have suffered the effects of carbon emissions from coal plants. ADBs coal retirement plan is absurd and off-tangent to effectively address the urgent climate action needed, Ian Rivera, national coordinator for the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice, told BenarNews in a statement. The ADB was more interested in helping perpetrators of the climate crisis than helping communities, he said. The scheme is essentially a bail-out for those who committed the crime of killing the planet, he said. Gerry Arances, executive director of the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development in Quezon City, said the project basically rewarded coal financiers who helped create the crisis. Coal companies should be made to shoulder their proper part in early closure expenses, including reparative and just transition costs, on top of any penalties that those who incurred complaints or violations are required to pay, Arances told BenarNews. Other environmentalists supported the programs despite concerns. Fabby Tumiwa, executive director of the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), a green group based in Jakarta, said the programs were practical because old coal plants were expensive to run. Coal-fired power plants supply 65 percent of Indonesias electricity needs. But a commitment from the government is needed, for example in the form of a presidential regulation on coal transition as a legal framework, Tumiwa said as he urged the government to prepare for the transition so funding for new and renewable energy could be increased. Khevin Yu, an energy campaigner at Greenpeace Philippines, also welcomed the efforts but warned that they might lack the necessary safeguards to push coal power-dependent countries to quickly embrace renewable energy. We believe that the decommissioning rate should be faster, said Yu, adding that Manilas current goal to operate on 50 percent renewable energy by 2040 is a decade too late. Based on Greenpeaces estimates, the Philippines should have at least 50 percent renewable energy by 2030. Thats the target where the Philippines can contribute to the global target of reducing global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, Yu told BenarNews. But, he added, the ETM should rule out transition fuels such as natural gas in favor of renewable sources including wind and solar power. When the ETM describes clean energy, it should be categorically mentioned that it should be renewable energy, not only clean energy, Yu said. Since we are in the context of a crisis in which we need to accelerate and make more ambitious commitments, we should go straight to the promotion of renewable energy, and there should be no transition fuels in the process. Before the ADBs announcement at COP26, more than 60 international civil society organizations wrote an open letter criticizing the ETM for its lack of prior consultation with stakeholders other than power companies and governments. We urge ADB not to gamble with our lives, the realities of the climate crisis at hand, or the possibility of ending coal in a swift, just, and genuinely transformative manner with a premature buy-out scheme that remains shrouded in uncertainty, said the Nov. 1 letter signed by Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace Indonesia, Growthwatch India, Indonesian Center for Environmental Law and dozens of other organizations. Bennington, VT (05201) Today Rain likely. Low 42F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 42F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. FILE - The General Electric logo appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, June 26, 2018. General Electric is splitting itself into three public companies that concentrate on aviation, healthcare and energy. The company said Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, that it plans a spinoff of its healthcare business in early 2023 and of its energy segment in early 2024. Former U.S. President Barack Obama has dropped in on U.N. climate talks to urge young climate activists to stay in the fight Investigations editor Larry Parnass joined The Eagle in 2016 from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he was editor in chief. His freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, CommonWealth Magazine and with the Reuters news service. The Lanesborough Select Board on Wednesday will interview two finalists vying to become the next town administrator, after Kelli Robbins suddenly left the post June 30. The planned Nov. 19 closing of a fingerprinting office at St. Luke's Square, 505 East St. in Pittsfield, could leave a gap locally in a specialized employment service. The company that oversees the IdentoGO program says it is looking for an alternative location in Pittsfield or Berkshire County. The Pittsfield VA clinic moved into the second floor of the Silvio Conte building. The new space underwent a $4.1 mil renovation to implement WILLIAMSTOWN By resolving issues with a longtime police sergeant, Williamstown can focus on the steps it is taking, after more than a year of upheaval, to restore confidence in public safety, officials say. In the towns first public statement about the departure of Sgt. Scott E. McGowan, two leaders called Monday for a new era of cooperation between police officials and residents, 15 months after allegations leveled by McGowan rattled community trust in the Williamstown Police Department. A week ago, McGowan ended a two-decade career with the department by resigning in the face of a move by the town to end his employment. He had spent eight months on paid administrative leave after all fellow members of the department assailed his conduct in a written manifesto of alleged misconduct. Sources say embattled Williamstown police sergeant is off the force as of midnight Two sources tell The Eagle that Sgt. Scott E. McGowan's 19-year full-time career with the Williamstown Police Department was to end as of midnight Monday. On Monday, Andrew Hogeland, chair of the Select Board, and Interim Town Manager Charles Blanchard confirmed McGowans resignation, as of Oct. 31, and said the agreement reached with McGowan prevents further distraction from progress they say the town has made to rebuild trust in law enforcement. We hope that all residents and the Police will cooperate with each other and move the Town forward, said a statement released Monday by Hogeland and Blanchard. The officials said that by resolving an employment dispute with McGowan, the Town can move forward to address the challenging issues confronting the Town. It avoids the expense and distraction of protracted legal proceedings and helps the Town and the Williamstown Police Department to concentrate its resources on a number of projects for the improvement of the entire community. In an August 2020 federal lawsuit, McGowan alleged that some members of the police department, including its chief, Kyle Johnson, had engaged in racial and sexual harassment. Officers would later say McGowan participated in the behavior he criticized and was guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer. A series of stories in The Eagle detailed misconduct by McGowan over the course of his career. This fall, in a move that reignited old arguments, McGowan filed a second complaint against the town with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Newly retired Williamstown sergeant will drop his retaliation complaint against the town The bias complaint a police sergeant filed last month against Williamstown will be withdrawn, in light of his resignation this week. As part of the recent settlement, McGowan agreed to drop that complaint, as has been reported, and the town cancelled a planned Civil Service hearing at which it was expected to make a case to remove McGowan from his position, based on findings from outside investigations into complaints about his conduct on the force. McGowan issued a statement last week saying he had been an exemplary member of the force. Blanchard and Hogeland said that with McGowan no longer a point of dispute, the town can focus on these continuing projects: Having the police department, now led by Interim Chief Mike Ziemba, engage further with the Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships program developed by the U.S. Department of Justice. The program seeks to help residents in any community overcome barriers in their relationships with police. Since July, a community council Ziemba created has been meeting. The group includes residents who, the statement said, had been critical of police practices. The police department will take additional steps toward securing certification under the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program. That project, which could take years, has already involved revising and updating the departments written policies, the statement said. Meantime, officers are enrolled in a variety of specialized training programs to lift their level of professionalism. Separately, the Williamstown Community Assessment and Research program continues to study the towns public safety needs, using a team of voluntary social workers. The program is conducting interviews with residents. The goal, Mondays statement said, is to create a better sense of safety and well-being and improved policing practices. Blanchard announced Monday that Jen James, the projects research director, has resigned. Her work will be continued by Abby Reifsnyder, a licensed independent clinical social worker who has been involved with the project since it began. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 46F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 38F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Sometimes there is nothing better than a good worship song to help focus the mind and the spirit on the things of the Lord. Music connects people with their emotions. It also helps concentrate the mind on God. Both of these things can improve the relationship with the Lord if used in partnership with prayer and regular Bible reading. Another benefit of worship music is that it can be a way to meditate on things the Holy Spirit is bringing to mind or a fruit of the Spirit in which someone may want to grow. One of the fruits of the Spirit that often features in worship music is gratitude, or thankfulness. Whether it is an old-fashioned hymn or a contemporary and up-beat tune, song-writers have expressed their gratitude to God for their life, for Creation, for their salvation, for blessings, and even for the lessons learned during trials and tribulations. Focusing on gratitude is a good way to create a mentality that does not easily fall into despair, and a heart that is open to helping others to share their gifts and blessings. Here are ten worship songs about being thankful. 1. Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart - Henry Smith Lyrics We Love: Give thanks with a grateful heart / Give thanks to the Holy One / Give thanks because Hes given Jesus Christ, His Son Written in 1978, this simple song focuses on the basics, but expresses a depth of feeling. Smith wrote the lyrics after going through several different difficulties, something to which everyone can relate. No matter our circumstances, we can be grateful for our hope in Jesus Christ for eternal salvation. Click here to listen to this song. To help you in thanking God, we created a 30 Days of Gratitude Prayer Guide HERE. Download and print this guide to keep with you as a reminder of God's love and promises. 2. 10,000 Reasons - Matt Redman Lyrics We Love: Youre rich in love and Youre slow to anger / Your name is great and Your heart is kind / For all Your goodness I will keep on singing / Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find. This worship song has become a staple in churches because of how it connects the countless blessings of God in this life, as well as looks forward to an eternity of infinite blessings. Click here to listen to this song. 3. Hills and Valleys - Tauren Wells Lyrics We Love: On the mountains, I will bow my life / To the One who set me there / In the valley, I will lift my eyes to the One who sees me there / When I'm standing on the mountain, I didn't get there on my own / When I'm walking through the valley I know I am not alone / You're God of the hills and valleys Tauren Wells reminds everyone that God is sovereign in the hardest times in life as much as He is when everything is going well. More importantly, He deserves praise and gratitude no matter how life seems now, because the future is in Gods hands. Click here to listen to this song. 4. Thank You Lord - Israel & New Breed featuring BJ Putnam Lyrics We Love: Im grateful for who you are / And all youve done / Thank you, Lord, for saving me / Thank you, Lord, for saving me. This songs simple lyrics keep it focused on what matters. It lifts up praise to God for salvation, reaching down into the soul to cry out in thankfulness for being redeemed from sin. Click here to listen to this song. 5. To God Be the Glory - Fanny Crosby Lyrics We Love: Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord / Let the earth hear His voice / Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord / Let the people rejoice Fanny Crosby was one of the most prolific hymns writers in documented history, so it would be hard to have a list about Christian music and not include one of her songs. This song expresses thankfulness for the gift of Jesus Christ by lifting up praise, and calling others to praise Him too. Click here to listen to this song. 6. How Can It Be - Lauren Daigle Lyrics We Love: You gave Your life to give me mine / You say that I am free, how can it be? Yeah, how can it be? Sometimes gratitude comes out in waves of overwhelming awe, and Daigles lyrics focus on this strong emotion. It is a feeling of confusion, awe, and humility at the idea that God Himself would take on the sins of the world in order to make a way for sinners to have a relationship with Him. Click here to listen to this song. 7. You Know My Name - Tasha Cobbs Leonard Lyrics We Love: And oh how you comfort me / And oh how you counsel me / Yet it still amazes me / That I am your friend / So now I pour out my heart to You / Here in Your presence I am made new. The longer a believer has a relationship with the Lord, the more the Spirit sanctifies that individual, and they become new creations. Tasha Leonards song revels in the gratitude Christians feel when they realize they are becoming more like the Lord. Click here to listen to this song. 8. Thank You God for Saving Me - Chris Tomlin Lyrics We Love: I called your name, you heard my cry / Out of the grave, and into life / My heart is yours, my soul is free / Thank you God for saving me / Thank you God for saving me Reaching out to the Lord in honesty can be hard, so when someone finally does it, that can be a big deal. Tomlins song addresses how big a deal that is to a sinner, transformed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Click here to listen to this song. 9. Gracias A Mi Salvador - Alex Zurdo Lyrics We Love: Jesus respiras y yo me la paso / Alabandole, adorandole, exaltandole / Mi proposito lo se solo atreves de El / Y que otra cosa si es en lo que estoy supuesto hacer / Pues existimos gracias a su gran puposito This Spanish-language song exalts Jesus for His sacrifice above all other gods, idols, and superstitions. Zurdo lifts up thanks in praise and by making Jesus His priority. His passion and love for the Lord translates in any language. Click here to listen to this song. 10. Let Us Break Bread Together - Spiritual Lyrics We Love: Let us praise God together on our knees / Let us praise God together on our knees / When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun, O Lord have mercy on me. This traditional spiritual is focused on the basic act of going to God. Sometimes it is important to just get on our knees in prayer and thank the Lord for food, for drinks, for the fellowship of the church, and do it with praise. Click here to listen to this song. Worshipping God is not just engaging with Him in song, but it is a simple and universal way to spend time with the Creator. Thankfulness is more than just a quick and simple thank you expressed in haste, it is a state of being. Find worship songs that highlight the Lords blessings, and meditate on how He has put them in your life. Create a playlist of these and other songs that fill your home with an attitude of gratitude. Photo credit: Getty Images/MangoStar_Studio Bethany Verrett is a freelance writer and editor. She maintains a faith and lifestyle blog graceandgrowing.com, where she muses about the Lord, life, culture, and ministry. Have you ever heard someone say they have an abundant life? Did their words make you pause and wonder about your own life or the life of a loved one? Or maybe they are thankful to have eternal life with God? What is written about abundant life in the Bible? When I say there is an abundance of paper towels in the pantry, that means there are many rolls of towels. When I say I have eternal life with God, I am sharing my faith. Is abundant life in the Bible different from eternal life? What Is Abundant Life in the Bible? Scripture shares how Jesus said He came to give an abundant life to those who believe and place their faith in God (John 10:10 NIV). That abundant life Jesus promised is one filled with meaning, purpose, joy, and strength for the spirit, soul, and the body. Jesus gives us a life filled with the love of the Father. Does that mean we wont have trials? No. We all have trials and times of stress. However, the overflowing love that the Father has for His children is more than we could ever comprehend. Having many possessions or accolades does not mean having an abundant life. An abundant life is promised to us the moment we accept Christ. Not possessions, not praises. We are loved by the Father. Our spiritual abundance comes from God, not from things. Jesus shared that He came so we might have life and have it more abundantly. When we accept Christ into our lives, when those troubles arise, we are comforted knowing we can go to Him at any time. Our bodies may fail, but our spirit can be comforted with the Lord. We can be filled with the hope of Christ and live an abundant life (Romans 15:13 NIV). Reading Scripture daily can help us understand abundant life in the Bible. What Are the Characteristics of Abundant Life? Have you ever met someone who was overflowing with the joy of the Lord? Did you pause and consider how the life of that person was abundant with His blessings? The Bible shares the source of abundant life. Can you think of stories that help answer the question about abundant life in the Bible? Scriptures share about the poor people and the rich people. Have you noticed if there were differences in how each person handled their situation? Jesus was not considered to be rich in belongings. Often, people helped Him along his journeys. The people gave Jesus food to eat. His physical nourishment was given by friends and strangers. His spiritual nourishment was provided in abundance by the Father. Scripture tells that abundant life is given by the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:23-23 NIV). The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. There are times when we may have an abundance of love and joy and peace. Other times we may lack joy and peace. Yet because of God, we are given an abundant life. The abundance given to us by God is special. We are called to rely on God and not ourselves. We are called to live our faith in action. The way we express our gratitude to God for His love and forgiveness is important. He has given us abundant life and eternal life with Him. Sharing His love and glory with others will help them and help us to have a deeper relationship with God. Why Does God Promise Believers This? We are created by God. We are His children. He loves us more than we could ever imagine. His love is eternal. His love is forever. Yes, we fall short at times and sin. God sent His only Son to save us so that we could have eternal life with the Father (John 3:16 NIV). God never goes back on a promise. He doesnt say one thing and does another. His Word stands firm. God cares about our souls, not how many possessions we have or how many awards sit on a mantle. Seek Him first and always. Think of the way Jesus entered Jerusalem. He rode on a donkey, not a prize horse. Scripture tells us that the meek and humble will inherit the earth. God promises eternal life with Him when we make the choice to accept Him into our hearts and souls. I want to live an abundant life in Christ, not a life filled with too many things. When I have extra supplies, I want to share them. Donating food and clothing to the local shelter is one way to help people in need. Sharing my testimony or listening while someone shares their faith journey are ways to show the love of Christ. I love God so much that I want others to know Him, too. God promises believers that we will have abundant life with Him because He loves us. Is There a Difference between Abundant Life and Eternal Life? Recently, a dear friend passed away. This precious woman of God showed faith in all her words and actions. She lived an abundant life, a life filled with the promises of God. Knowing her eternal life was with God, she shared her faith journey as part of her daily walk with the Lord. From checking on sick neighbors, to taking flowers to new friends, to sharing a beautiful smile and kind words with everyone, this friend had an abundant life. Her life on this earth ended and now, she is with God. Her family and friends rest in knowing the love she had for the Father and the love He has for her. At the memorial service for our friend, many tears were shed. Yet in our sorrow for losing a friend and loved one, we rested in Gods assurance and His plan. When we have abundant life, we recognize the love and gifts God gives. When we accept Him, we recognize this life on earth is temporary. Our eternal home is with the Father. Scripture tells how David wrote about joy being found in the Lord. David experienced many twists and turns in his life. His decisions were based on selfishness at times. Can we all relate to making poor decisions? When we go to the Lord and ask for forgiveness, we are given forgiveness. Abundant life comes when we accept Jesus. Eternal life comes because we accept Jesus and acknowledge the Father. Have you been at a church service when the pastor asked if anyone would like to come forward and accept Jesus? Sometimes people go forward. Other times, people may wait until they are alone with the clergy. When we accept Jesus, we are humbling ourselves and recognizing the need for Him. Do you have an abundant life? Do you know Jesus? When my pantry is full, I thank God. When I am able to help others, I thank God. I am thankful to know an abundant life does not mean I have extra towels. An abundant life means I am filled with the hope and joy of the Lord. That abundant life also means I have an eternal home with God. Thank You Father for loving us and providing the opportunity to know You and have abundant and eternal life with You. Amen. In His Name, Amen Photo credit: GettyImages/stockimagesbank Award-winning author Melissa Henderson writes inspirational messages sometimes laced with a bit of humor. With stories in books, magazines, devotionals, and more, Melissa hopes to encourage readers. Melissa is the author of Licky the Lizard and Grumpy the Gator. Her passions are helping in the community and church. Melissa is an Elder, Deacon, and Stephen Minister. BOISE - Patty Sanchez, the Idaho State Board of Educations academic affairs program manager, received national recognition Tuesday as the winner of an annual award presented by the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) Association. Sanchez is the recipient of this years David L. Wright Memorial Award, named in honor of a former leader in higher education both in Tennessee and in Florida and is given to only one person in the entire country. The award recognizes Sanchezs exceptional commitment, her strong work ethic, and her outstanding contributions to the Idaho State Board of Education. Sanchez has worked at the Board office for nearly 30 years, serving in a number of positions. She was named academic affairs program manager 13 years ago. Her duties include ensuring that program proposals, academic planning and policy processes are followed and properly managed. She also supports Board members and colleagues in the State Board office, and in the higher education institutions. I started my career working in a Head Start program for the children of migrant workers and realized then how education can improve and change lives. I developed a passion for education because of what I witnessed and experienced there, Sanchez said. When I moved to the Board office, I wanted to expand on what I had learned and effectively support various education-related initiatives to make education accessible for all. Im overwhelmed to have received this award and humbled by what it stands for. I am truly honored. Patty is deeply committed to the power of education to change lives, State Board Executive Director Matt Freeman said. She has a prodigious work ethic and is a gentle and humble leader. She is also incredibly generous with her time and resources volunteering to lead various philanthropic campaigns that give back to our community. I cannot think of a person more worthy to receive this prestigious award in recognition of Pattys extraordinary service to Idaho. Patty was nominated for the award by the Boards current and three past chief academic officers, with whom she worked with over the span of nearly a decade. Shortly after I was hired, I contacted a former chief academic officer for advice, Board Chief Academic Officer TJ Bliss said. Her main suggestion to me was to rely on Patty, she will make our life easier and your work more successful. I have found this to be true, on nearly a daily basis. Patty is the epitome of what it means to be a dedicated public servant. Looking for something to do? Heres a list of local community and nonprofit events. Please check with your club or organization to be certain of meetings, outings and classes, as they may be canceled due to bad weather or COVID-19. If any listing is inaccurate or to submit an event, contact Julie Norwood at 231-592-8358 or julie.norwood@pioneergroup.com. Our Town: 7-9:30 p.m. Thursday-Friday, Nov. 11-12, and 2-4:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at Big Rapids High School, 21175 15 Mile Road, Big Rapids. The Big Rapids High School Theatrical Arts Department presents "Our Town," a Pulitzer Prize winning play by Thornton Wilder. Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students, available at brhsmi.booktix.com. VETERANS DAY WEEK EVENTS Big Rapids Elks Veterans Dinner: 4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 8, at Big Rapids Elks Lodge, 203 E. Pine St, Big Rapids. Cost: Free. Contact: 231-796-5451. General Fuller Monument Dedication Ceremony: 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, at Holland Park-Veterans & Homefront Heroes Memorial, West Spruce Street, Big Rapids. Contact: 231-796-6998. Meet and Greet the Admiral, Marine Corps Birthday: Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, at AMVETS Post 1941, 320 S. 4th Ave., Big Rapids. Cost: Free. Contact: 231-796-6998. Ferris State Veterans Day Breakfast: 7:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, at Ferris State University Center's Ballroom 202, 805 Campus Drive, Big Rapids. Cost: Free.. S.O.S. Veterans Day Breakfast: 9-10:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, at AMVETS Post 1941, 320 S. 4th Ave., Big Rapids. Cost: Free. Contact: 231-796-6998. Veterans Day Parade: 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, along Michigan Avenue, in downtown Big Rapids. Veterans Day Post-Parade Luncheon: Noon on Thursday, Nov. 11, at AMVETS Post 1941, 320 S. 4th Ave., Big Rapids. Cost: Free, donations accepted. Contact: 231-796-6998. American Legion Post #473 Veterans Day Dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, at Fork Township Hall, 3265 20 Mile Road, Barryton, Free for veterans. There will also be a Blind Auction. Contact: 989-382-8742. Annual Veterans Tribute: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Mecosta County Genealogical Society, 424 N. Fourth Ave., Big Rapids. The Mecosta County Genealogical Society asks area residents to honor veterans who lived in the Mecosta County area. They have several military scrapbooks, binders with newspaper clippings and photos. Help add to the collection by dropping off material at 424 N. Fourth Ave., Big Rapids, that day or call Maureen Nelson 231-250-5555 for pickup. Annual Veterans Day Concert: 4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14, at Williams Auditorium, 901 S. State St. STR205, Big Rapids. Featuring the FSU West Central Concert Band with Dr. Richard Scott Cohen, musical director and conductor. Free admission, and open to the public. RECURRING EVENTS Swiss Steak Dinner: 4-6:30 p.m. the last Friday of every month, April-October, at the Barryton Senior Center, 71 Northern Ave., Barryton. Includes dinner and dessert. Everyones welcome. Mecosta Co. Genealogical Society: Open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. every second Saturday, at 424 N. Fourth Ave., Big Rapids, next to Recycle, or by appointment. Volunteers needed to help with sorting and indexing. Call Maureen Nelson at 231-250-5555 for more information. Mecosta County Sheriff Posse: 7 p.m. the second Thursday of each month at the Mecosta County Jail basement training room, 225 S. Stewart Ave., Big Rapids. This volunteer group is always looking for more members. For more info call 231-250-9241 Morley Community Center: The center, at 151 7th St., Morley, hosts weekly pickleball, open gym, indoor garage sales and outdoor market, in addition to monthly ancestry class, craft night and blood drive. For a list of activities, visit morleycenter.org/events or call 231-856-4496. ARTWORKS ONGOING CLASSES, EXHIBITS 106 N. Michigan Ave. in Big Rapids / 231-796-2420 / artworksinbigrapids.org After School Arts: 3:45-5:15 p.m. Wednesdays. Drop-ins welcome on a first come, first serve basis, but registration recommended. Register at Artworks gift shop or by calling 231-796-2420 the Monday before each session. Open Pottery: 5-8 p.m. Tuesdays. Cost: $10 per session, $60 for an eight-session punch card. (Additional firing fees apply. Clay may be purchased in bulk for $20 per 25 lbs.) Call 231-796-2420 to schedule your session. Forged in Fire for Beginners: 8 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 5-Nov. 9, at The Forge, 5710 18 Mile Road, Barryton. Learn the basics of bladesmithing by doing. Everything will be provided. Closed toe shoes are required. Cost: $150. Register at artworksinbigrapids.org/specialty-workshops. Fundamentals of Photography, Intermediate: 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Nov. 9-Dec. 14, at Artworks 106 N. Michigan Ave Big Rapids. Cost: $75. Register at www.artworksinbigrapids.org/photography. Exhibit Art in the Time of COVID: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Oct. 12-Nov. 14. Featuring creations from Dan Kaminsky, Kym Nicolas and other artists. Chris Carr With the effects of the Flint water crisis still fresh in the Michigans memory, the issue of lead contaminated water is finding its way to other communities in the state. Benton Harbor is currently undergoing a lead crisis. The southwest Michigan town first saw the issue arise three years ago and has recently received national attention. Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com Okay, here's the deal - the Democratic Party, and much of the national press, want to produce evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russian government in defeating Hillary Clinton. There is no question about that. Because of the Russia hacking - a serious issue - there were hearings held in Congress. And by extension, when Senator Jeff Sessions testified at his confirmation hearing for attorney general, the Russian issue came up: SEN. AL FRANKEN (D-MN): If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do? THEN-SEN. JEFF SESSIONS, (R-AL): Senator Franken, Im not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians and Im unable to comment on it. Last night, the Washington Post published a story that said then-Senator Sessions did meet with the Russian Ambassador twice last year. But if you were listening closely, the question was about the Trump campaign, not the former senator's duties on the Armed Services Committee. Today in a press conference, the attorney general reiterated that. He was answering the Russian question in the context of the Trump campaign. He said he did nothing wrong, told the truth but is recusing himself from the case: JEFF SESSIONS, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: My staff recommended recusal. They said that since I was involved with the campaign I should not be involved in any campaign investigation. I have studied the rules and considered their comments and evaluation. I believe those recommendations are right and just. Therefore, I have recused myself in the matters that deal with the Trump campaign. Talking Points believes that Mr. Sessions did the right thing. The FBI is currently investigating whether Russians influenced the presidential vote and who was involved. The investigation has to be above reproach, and that's why the attorney general is out of it. One footnote - not one single Democrat in Congress called for then Attorney General Loretta Lynch to recuse herself from the Hillary Clinton investigation after she met with Bill Clinton at a Phoenix airport. There was no call for recusal by the Democrats. So, once again, hypocrisy is on full display. Now here's what should happen going forward. The FBI should continue its investigation, and Director Comey should testify in front of Congress. If, during that testimony, there is evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with the Russians, then a special prosecutor should be appointed. That's what should happen. A methodical investigation by the FBI and a determination by Congress whether a special independent probe is necessary. I think that is a fair, honest and efficient game plan in this political climate. Finally, even though the press does want to destroy President Trump, the American people should want to know if there were any secret dealings with the Russians during the campaign. That's an important story that should be defined. And that's the memo. Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly First off, a clarification. "Talking Points" is not linking the IRS scandal to the White House. We are not implying, insinuating, hinting or doing anything else other than reporting the facts. And so far, we have been dead on. Last week we told you that former IRS Chief Douglas Shulman visited the White House 157 times far more than any other department head. And it wasn't even close. Logically we asked the White House to explain those meetings with whom did Mr. Shulman chat and what was the subject on all 157 occasions? Any honest reporter would ask that question and the White House should provide the answer immediately. Incredibly before my analysis last Thursday, there were no mentions last week of Mr. Shulman's abundant visits to the White House on CNN, on ABC, on CBS, or on NBC. None, nada, zip. That is what's called a news blackout. Because everybody knows the IRS is under scrutiny for admitting it targeted conservative groups and individuals. So if the IRS boss visits the White House 157 times, that's a big story. Now, it would be wrong for any honest reporter to lay the IRS scandal at the feet of President Obama. To this point, there is no evidence that he's involved. But there is evidence that his deputies are involved. And we could be repeating history. On June 17th, 1972, some thugs broke into the Democratic National Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington. Two days later, "The Washington Post" began reporting on the Watergate story. 26 months later, President Richard Nixon was forced to resign. It took more than two years to flush out the entire Watergate mess. Again, I'm not saying the current IRS scandal is Watergate. But I am saying we should aggressively investigate the story and not come to the conclusion that the Tom Brokaw has. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TOURE, MSNBC HOST: With the AP and IRS scandals we hear the word "Watergate" thrown around a lot. Are these actually Watergate-esque? BROKAW: No, we're not. Watergate was a constitutional crisis of the highest order. A lot of the President's men went to jail. The President himself lied. He destroyed tapes. It's pretty clear to me. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: The sad truth is that some supporters of President Obama don't want to know the truth, and it was the same way back in 1972. Even when Nixon quit about 30 percent of the country didn't want him to. But it all comes back to honest reporting. And in 2013, the situation is much bleaker on that front than it was in 1972. Back then, the press reviled President Nixon. Today much of it reveres President Obama. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Bill O'Reilly There is no question, no question at all that the American media is not reporting the black, white crime situation accurately. Last night Bernie Goldberg said this about the reportage. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOLDBERG: They paint this picture of white people hunting black people. Here's an inconvenient fact. Any time there is interracial crime, there is an overwhelming chance that the victim is going to be white and that the criminal is going to be black. O'REILLY: Do you have a stat on that, Bernie? Do you have a stat on that? We'll have it tomorrow. (END VIDEO CLIP) O'REILLY: And here it is. According to the FBI between the years 1976 and 2005, the latest stats available; 91 percent of homicides on black Americans were committed by other blacks... 91 percent. Also, 14 percent of homicides on white Americans were committed by blacks twice as many as the other way around. So the truth is that black men are not being "hunted" down by whites as some hysterical commentators charge after the Zimmerman acquittal. But the lie was not challenged by the national media. In fact, the horrendous black-on-black murder rate is virtually ignored by the press. The reason is that any exposition of violence in the black community is bad for business. The liberal media wants no part of exposing problems in the minority precincts, best to blame the white power structure and look the other way. 70 percent of black babies born out of wedlock, no problem; a rap culture directed at black youth that's violent and crude, no sweat. Rampant drug use in the inner city, attack the cops trying to solve the problem. The same thing with carrying guns. Most liberals oppose the stop-and- frisk strategy that tries to deal with the gun violence. Big time TV commentators working on politically correct networks well understand that any skepticism towards minorities is unacceptable. And those in the race business, the Congressional Black Caucus, race leaders like Jackson and Sharpton well know they will be finished if they don't toe the party line. No matter what the evidence, no matter what facts are presented, the liberal line will be the same. It's society's fault. Past racial injustice is the real story not present social chaos. It is long past time to stop the madness and hold all Americans accountable for their actions, George Zimmerman was held accountable. The State of Florida prosecuted him to the fullest extent of the law but the evidence was not there to convict and most honest folks know that. Zimmerman is not blameless and his life will not be easy because of his mistakes. But the judicial system worked the way it was designed to work. However, the media system is not working the way the founding fathers designed. It is not an honest arena in the press. There is far too much money at stake for any journalist to tell you the truth. If it's bad for business, we'll spin it or ignore it. The result is anger, confusion, and a collapsing confidence in the American way of life. Many black Americans sincerely feel aggrieved and some whites believe blacks are using the race card to portray themselves as victims. An honest media might be able to cut through all the bitterness and report the truth. But we don't have an honest media in America because that would be bad for business. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor Watch the latest video at FoxNews.com By Laura Ingraham The same week our government took the unprecedented action of shuttering 19 of our embassies in response to what we've been told was a serious and credible threat of terrorism, the President sat down with funny man Jay Leno. Bypassing the White House Press Corps he used the popular late night show to make his first public comments on the new global terror threat. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) OBAMA: For all progress we have made, getting bin Laden, putting al Qaeda between Afghanistan and Pakistan back on its heels, that you know, this radical, you know, violent extremism is still out there. And we've got to -- you know, we've got to stay on top of it. Terrorists depend on the idea that we're going to be terrorized. And we - - we're going to live our lives and the odds of people dying in a terrorist attack, obviously are still a lot lower than in a car accident, unfortunately. LENO: Sure. Sure. (END VIDEO CLIP) INGRAHAM: That's reassuring. And of course, Jay Leno is an entertainer and a darn good one. His job isn't to ask a logical follow up to that like maybe saying, "Wait during the election you said al Qaeda was on the run, sir." Or "Are these embassy closings an overreaction, perhaps, spurred by the lingering questions over your handling of Benghazi, Mr. President?" Well, the President also spoke about Russia's potential mistreatment of gays at the Olympics and about Edward Snowden. And it was Leno whose job again is to entertain not to grill elected officials the President knew he would not be asked about the failed reset with Russia or maybe about why a contractor like Snowden ever had access to information like this in the first place. If they weren't still so enamored with Mr. Obama, Washington journalists would be kicking up a huge fuss about this. The President has submitted to fewer press conferences than every President since Reagan. In his first term, check this out. George W. Bush had done 89 press conferences, Clinton 133 and Obama, only 79. The fact is, President Obama never stopped being in campaign mode and that was evident last night. It's the only thing he's really done well. So shall we look forward to another slow jam with Jimmy Fallon during the debt ceiling debate? Anything he says in this type of forum, as entertaining as it might be, ends up being trivialized. Part of a nonstop "celebutaiment" industry that dumbs-down serious issues and insulates the President from proper journalistic inquiry. And that's "The Memo." - You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com. Transcript Show Name: O'Reilly Factor Last night I watched the lead story on Fox, CNN, and MSNBC - I sampled their 8 pm broadcasts. FNC rightly began with the President's plummeting poll numbers and they put forth two reasons why: proposed payments to migrants who illegally crossed the border and Biden's continued attacks on the oil industry. There is a third reason that we spotlighted last night and that is the Covid mandates. Fox News is hesitant to take that on. CNN and MS both led with the January 6 situation. No surprise. To prop up the failing Biden, you've got to bring in Trump. This cynical, corrupt game is the reason I rarely watch cable news. No insights, mostly boring. Tonight on the No Spin News, we'll report on whether or not the nightly network news even mentioned the USA Today poll that has the President's job approval rating at 38 percent. Kind of a big story. See you beginning at six eastern time this evening. Sign up to watch the No Spin News every weeknight beginning at 6:00 pm Eastern.] Celebrates her 104th birth anniversary Google Doodle honoured Dr Kamal Ranadive for her groundbreaking cancer research. Marking her 104th birth anniversary, the doodle was illustrated by India-based artist Ibrahim Rayintakath and shows Dr Ranadive looking at a microscope. Kamal Samarath also better known as Kamal Ranadive was born in 1917 in Pune. In 1949, she received a doctorate in cytology, the study of cells, while working as a researcher in the Indian Cancer Research Center (ICRC). After a fellowship at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, she returned to Mumbai (then Bombay) and the ICRC, where she established the countrys first tissue culture laboratory. Ranadive proposed a link between breast cancer and heredity and to identify the links among cancers and certain viruses. In 1973, Dr Ranadive and 11 colleagues founded the Indian Women Scientists Association (IWSA) to support women in scientific fields. Kayembe Ilunga joins Wunderman Thompson SA's (WTSA) Consulting Centre of Excellence this month as a consulting director following a career in FMCG and financial services. About Wunderman Thompson Equipped with qualifications in management (WITS Business School: Management Advancement Programme) and agile leadership (Namibia University of Science and Technology), and working towards completing his masters in digital business (WITS Business School), Ilunga looks forward to sharing his knowledge within his business unit. Whats more, his experience in data and analytics, digital transformation, CX strategy and digital product innovation reinforces the value Ilunga brings to the team.He harnessed these skills working as the lead who rolled out Old Mutuals new public digital distribution and engagement channels across SADC and paved the way for the digital operations capability comprising digital adoption, service availability, and digital fraud risk. He led the strategy to take Old Mutuals fraud risk capability from reactive to proactive with a digital and data analytics lens. Back in 2016, he developed, communicated and implemented the one app strategy app-worthiness framework and a year earlier, he led the mobile team that developed the Telkom freemium insurance capability.As a self-confessed people person, Ilunga aims to demonstrate his love for leading, growing and engaging with people. He believes that this trait, combined with his self-awareness, are the foundation of his leadership style. He shared, Having been a refugee twice, growing up in a house with eight kids and having to immigrate twice for work, Ive built up tenacity that has helped me push through bad times in life. It naturally flows into my work and has helped me grow and better understand people and help identify their strengths in the workplace. I believe one should inspire people; dont show them your superpowers, show them theirs!Tshego Tshukutswane, WTSAs chief strategy officer, commented: From our conversations during the interview process, it was clear that we were aligned on our purpose. Ilunga understands how to contribute to making a positive impact, and he brings his all to the table. His experiences will feed into our future success, and we are delighted to have him on our team.The agencys Consulting Centre of Excellence is driven to inspire growth by accelerating the transformation of brands and business with technology, design and data. Ilungas career history lends itself to bolstering this service offering and promises to be an asset to both our team and clients.At Wunderman Thompson we exist to inspire growth for ambitious brands. Part creative agency, part consultancy and part technology company, our experts provide end-to-end capabilities at a global scale to deliver inspiration across the entire brand and customer experience.We are 20,000 strong in 90 markets around the world, and in South Africa we are one of the largest integrated marketing services agencies with over 600 professionals. Our people bring together creative storytelling, diverse perspectives, inclusive thinking, and highly specialised vertical capabilities, to drive growth for our clients. We offer deep expertise across the entire customer journey, including communications, commerce, consultancy, CRM, CX, data, production and technology.Wunderman Thompson is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP).For more information, please visit us at www.wundermanthompson.com and follow Wunderman Thompson on our social channels via Twitter LinkedIn , and Instagram Businesses such as pubs, mobile DJs, clubs, restaurants, and shopping malls that are not complying with protected rights will face action from the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (Samro). Compliance with laws governing the use of protected music rights in South Africa needs to improve, says Mark Rosin, Samro chief executive.Samro is responsible for collecting royalty fees and distributing them to nearly 20,000 authors, composers, and publishers who rely - to some degree - on royalties for their livelihoods.Rosin says pubs, mobile DJs, clubs, restaurants, shopping malls, and other such businesses must obtain the requisite licence to play copyrighted music for public consumption.He says there is a tendency by business owners in South Africa to view such transgressions as minor with little to no consequences for breaches.Samro is going to take steps against businesses that are found to be non-compliant, warns Rosin.Purchasing a music usage licence from Samro permits users to play music publicly at their businesses or venues.Rosin says the licence fees collected by Samro are passed on to the creators that composed the music as royalty income.He says playing music that attracts royalties in a public setting without meeting the required licensing agreements is unauthorised use. Its a tough term to use, but this could be interpreted as theft.Details of the music rights law are laid out in the Copyright Act.We dont make the rules," says Rosin."If you play any music to a public audience that isnt written, created, performed, published, and recorded by you, then it belongs to the music creator and you need a licence. People dont mind paying for stock and music has to be seen as part of the stock of a business that uses itRosin says apart from this being a law that businesses must observe, the music industry depends on adherence to these rules.By supporting music creators, you are helping to create a healthy music industry, ensuring that people who create music reap the benefits of creating a song that you played at your establishment, explains Rosin.During the financial year ended June 2020, amounts available for distribution collected by Samro amounted to R400m, says Rosin.These figures clearly demonstrate that we are making progress in maximizing value for our members, however, we would like to see other businesses contribute their fair share, says Rosin. Grindstone Ventures has launched a $6.5m (R100m) fund dedicated to seed funding predominantly South African innovative technology startups who have completed, or are part, of its Grindstone Accelerator programme, which is a growth engineer for participating startups, and acts as an early due-diligence mechanism for the new fund. Grindstones team: L to R: Andrea Bohmert, Rapelang Rabana, Catherine Young and Grace Legodi. South Africa: a startup nation A vote of confidence The female-led African venture capital fund will focus on post-seed investments, where there is currently a major gap in the South African funding landscape. The fund will invest primarily in early-stage innovation driven and/or technology companies that are female-led.Grindstone Ventures will target SMEs that have a sustainable impact and are able to create meaningful jobs.The funds launch is in line with President Ramaphosas vision to position South Africa as a startup nation. In October, Grindstone participated in a deep dive session with the President and the South African startup industry, to determine a roadmap for the countrys vision of becoming a startup nation.The fund will target between 30 and 50 early-stage companies that possess strong intellectual property, demonstrate high growth potential and have the ability to raise follow-on funding from credible funders in the ecosystem, or deliver sustainable cash yields over the long term. The typical investment structure will be via a SAFE (simple agreement for future equity) to align speed of negotiation and execution with the investment stage.Grindstone Ventures is led by Catherine Young, Andrea Bohmert, Rapelang Rabana and Grace Legodi, an all-female team with exceptional depth of experience across value chain funding, and a proven track record in scaling startups. Leading venture capital firm, Knife Capital, is overseeing certain of the fund management elements.Catherine Young, managing partner at Grindstone Ventures says: Our aim is to provide superior returns to investors and to create sustainable yields over the long term. While the tech ecosystem deal space across Africa has shown exceptional growth over recent years, there remains a gap in the market for post-seed, pre-Series A funding across the continent. Our vision is to fill this gap and prepare these businesses for larger funding rounds, exponential growth and to ultimately exit.Our secret sauce lies in our robust Grindstone Accelerator, which enables innovation-driven tech startups to access knowledge, networks, funding and markets. Typically an accelerator follows a fund, but Grindstone Ventures is turning this model on its head. Grindstone Ventures was launched as a result of the excellent pipeline of businesses emerging from Grindstone Accelerator, which provide investors with a de-risked opportunity for returns.Young said the fund received its first investment from the SA SME Fund.We were very excited about the vote of confidence the SA SME Funds investment showed in our vision for the fund, and our team. The SA SME Fund is known for its ability to spot and act on viable, exciting investment opportunities and as a first mover, we believe the confidence that they have shown will pave the road for other investors, says Young.Ketso Gordhan, CEO of the SA SME Fund, said: We chose to support this fund because we believe it will fill a vital gap in the post-seed market. As a fund, it is as innovative as the startups that it will fund. The team is deeply experienced, has a proven track record and we are excited about the opportunity and impact that they will have on this market. Watch this space.Grindstone Accelerator is a structured entrepreneurship development programme that is jointly owned by Knife Capital and market access specialist Thinkroom Consulting. It takes South African SMEs with proven traction through an intensive year-long review of their strategies and provides them with the necessary support to build a foundation for growth in becoming more investable, sustainable and exit-ready.Some of South Africas best scale-up companies have been through Grindstone, including radar startup iKubu (acquired by Garmin); augmented reality animation and gaming company SeaMonster (recently secured a $1m investment from FirstRands Vumela Fund); online payment gateway Payfast (last year acquired by DPO Group); financial inclusion business Picsa; and on-demand grocery delivery service OneCart. Knife Capital invested in ticketing solutions provider Quicket and warehouse management software company Granite via its SARS Section 12J Venture Capital Company: KNF Ventures. Tania Habimana becomes host of CNBC Africa's Closing Bell CNBC Africa has appointed an experienced entrepreneur and speaker as host of its daily Closing Bell show, Tania Habimana. Presented daily at 5pm CAT, Closing Bell takes viewers through one of the most important hours of trading. The show gives an overview of South African markets and what's driving them. Prior to her new role at the news outlet, she won the Brand Summit's SMME Brand Contributor of the Year award in recognition of her dedication to developing the SME landscape in South Africa. Through her new position, she will be able to gather the latest market information and insights to assist entrepreneurs in making better decisions. Just in time for the UNs policy push for 30 x 30 30% of the earth to be conserved by 2030 a new Wall Street asset class puts up for sale the processes underpinning all life. A month before the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (known as COP26) kicked off in Scotland, a new asset class was launched by the New York Stock Exchange that will open up a new feeding ground for predatory Wall Street banks and financial institutions that will allow them to dominate not just the human economy, but the entire natural world. So writes Whitney Webb in an article titled Wall Streets Takeover of Nature Advances with Launch of New Asset Class: Called a natural asset company, or NAC, the vehicle will allow for the formation of specialized corporations that hold the rights to the ecosystem services produced on a given chunk of land, services like carbon sequestration or clean water. These NACs will then maintain, manage and grow the natural assets they commodify, with the end goal of maximizing the aspects of that natural asset that are deemed by the company to be profitable. The vehicle is allegedly designed to preserve and restore Natures assets; but when Wall Street gets involved, profit and exploitation are not far behind. Webb writes: [E]ven the creators of NACs admit that the ultimate goal is to extract near-infinite profits from the natural processes they seek to quantify and then monetize. Framed with the lofty talk of sustainability and conservation, media reports on the move in outlets like Fortune couldnt avoid noting that NACs open the doors to a new form of sustainable investment which has enthralled the likes of BlackRock CEO Larry Fink over the past several years even though there remain big, unanswered questions about it. BlackRock is the worlds largest asset manager, with nearly $9.5 trillion under management. That is more than the gross domestic product of every country in the world except the U.S. and China. BlackRock also runs a massive technology platform that oversees at least $21.6 trillion in assets. It and two other megalithic asset managers, State Street and Vanguard (BlackRocks largest shareholder), already effectively own much of the world. Adding natural asset companies to their portfolios could make them owners of the foundations of all life. A $4 Quadrillion Asset The Earth Itself Partnering with the New York Stock Exchange team launching the NAC is the Intrinsic Exchange Group (IEG), major investors in which are the Rockefeller Foundation and the Inter-American Development Bank, notorious for imposing neo-colonialist agendas through debt entrapment. According to IEGs website: We are pioneering a new asset class based on natural assets and the mechanism to convert them to financial capital. These assets are essential, making life on Earth possible and enjoyable. They include biological systems that provide clean air, water, foods, medicines, a stable climate, human health and societal potential. The potential of this asset class is immense. Natures economy is larger than our current industrial economy . The immense potential of Natures Economy is estimated by IEG at $4,000 trillion ($4 quadrillion). Webb cites researcher and journalist Cory Morningstar, who maintains that one of the aims of creating Natures Economy and packaging it via NACs is to drastically advance massive land grab efforts made by Wall Street and the oligarch class in recent years, including those made by Wall Street firms and billionaires like Bill Gates during the COVID crisis. The land grabs facilitated through the development of NACs, however, will largely target indigenous communities in the developing world. Morningstar observes: The public launch of NACs strategically preceded the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the biggest biodiversity conference in a decade. Under the pretext of turning 30% of the globe into protected areas, the largest global land grab in history is underway. Built on a foundation of white supremacy, this proposal will displace hundreds of millions, furthering the ongoing genocide of Indigenous peoples. The UNs 30 x 30 The land grab of which Morningstar speaks is embodied in a draft agreement called the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, currently being negotiated among the 186 governments that are signatories to the Convention for Biological Diversity. Part I of its 15th meeting (COP15) closed on October 15, just ahead of COP26 (the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties) hosted in Glasgow from October 31 through November 12. COP26 focuses on climate change, while COP 15 focuses on preserving diversity. Part II of COP15 will be held in 2022. The draft text for the COP 15 nature pact includes a core pledge to protect at least 30% of the planets land and oceans by 2030. In September 2020, 128 environmental and human rights NGOs and experts warned that the 30 x 30 plan could result in severe human rights violations and irreversible social harm for some of the worlds poorest people. Based on figures from a paper published in the academic journal Nature, they argued that the new target could displace or dispossess as many as 300 million people. Stephen Corry of Survival International contended: The call to make 30% of the globe into Protected Areas is really a colossal land grab as big as Europes colonial era, and itll bring as much suffering and death. Lets not be fooled by the hype from the conservation NGOs and their UN and government funders. This has nothing to do with climate change, protecting biodiversity or avoiding pandemics in fact its more likely to make all of them worse. Its really all about money, land and resource control, and an all out assault on human diversity. This planned dispossession of hundreds of millions of people risks eradicating human diversity and self-sufficiency the real keys to our being able to slow climate change and protect biodiversity. 30 x 30 in the United States The 30 x 30 target was incorporated in President Bidens Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad dated January 27, 2021, which includes at Sec. 219 the goal of conserving at least 30 percent of our lands and waters by 2030. How that is to be done is not clearly specified, but proponents insist it is not a land grab. Critics, however, contend there is no other way to pull it off. Only about 12% of land and water in the U.S. is now considered to be in conservation, including wilderness lands, national parks, national wildlife refuges, state parks, national monuments, and private lands with permanent conservation easements (contracts to surrender a portion of property rights to a land trust or the federal government). According to environmental expert Dr. Bonner Cohen, raising that figure to 30%, adding 600 million acres to the total, means putting this land and water (mostly land) off limits to any productive use in perpetuity. To accomplish this goal, the federal government will have to buy up through eminent domain or other pressures on landowners making them willing sellers of their property millions of acres of private land. In July 2021, 15 governors wrote to the Administration opposing the plan, led by Gov. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. Ricketts said in a press release: This requires restricting a land area the size of the State of Nebraska every year, each year, for the next nine years, or in other words a landmass twice the size of Texas by 2030. This goal is especially radical given that the President has no constitutional authority to take action to conserve 30% of the land and water. The Real Threat to Mother Nature The federal government may have no constitutional authority to take the land, but a megalithic private firm such as BlackRock could do it simply by making farmers and local residents an offer they cant refuse. This ploy has already been demonstrated in the housing market. According to a survey reported in The Guardian on October 12, 2021, nearly 40% of U.S. households are facing serious financial problems, including struggling to afford medical care and food; and 30% of lower income households (those earning under $50,000 per year) said they had lost all their savings during the coronavirus pandemic. In the first quarter of 2021, 15% of U.S. home sales went to large corporate investors including BlackRock, which beat out families in search of homes just by offering substantially more than the asking price. Sometimes whole neighborhoods were bought up at once for conversion into rental properties. BlackRocks chairman Larry Fink is on the board of the World Economic Forum, which until recently featured a controversial promotional video declaring You will own nothing, and youll be happy. We all want a clean environment, and we want to preserve species biodiversity. But that includes human biodiversity acknowledging the rights of rural landowners and Indigenous peoples, the lands natural stewards. The greatest threat to the land is not the people living on it but those well-heeled investors who swoop in to buy up the rights to it, financializing the earth for profit. Not just private property but those public lands and infrastructure once known as the commons are now under threat. We face an existential moment in our economic history, in which accumulated private wealth is acquiring carte blanche control of the essentials of life. Whether that juggernaut can be stopped remains to be seen, but the first step in any defensive action is to be aware of the threat at our doorsteps. _________________________ This article was first posted under a different title on ScheerPost. Ellen Brown is an attorney, chair of the Public Banking Institute, and author of thirteen books including Web of Debt, The Public Bank Solution, and Banking on the People: Democratizing Money in the Digital Age. She also co-hosts a radio program on PRN.FM called Its Our Money. Her 300+ blog articles are posted at EllenBrown.com. 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. A woman says she wont return to a Brandon bar after she was allegedly drugged there Saturday night. Advertisement Advertise With Us A woman says she wont return to a Brandon bar after she was allegedly drugged there Saturday night. "Ive always felt safe there, but I wont be going back," said the woman who believes she was roofied at Houstons Country Roadhouse over the weekend. The Sun is not naming her to prevent re-victimizing her. Now, a petition is calling for improved safety measures at the bar. According to the petition, four women were drugged, leaving them "defenseless and vulnerable." Shaelyn Moulson, who started the petition, said she was at the bar with her friends that night. One of her friends flagged her down to tell her someone spiked a womans drink at approximately 12 a.m. "She all of a sudden fell to the group and could not move, basically was paralyzed. They ended up getting her out of there and taking her to the hospital," Moulson told the Sun. She said she believes she and a friend were also targets of someone trying to spike their drink as a man was wrapping his arm around them and wouldnt leave their sides. Moulson said she wants to see the bar provide lid toppers or put plastic over drinks to make it harder to spike them. The petition had more than approximately 2,050 signatures as of Monday afternoon. "I would personally love to see the bar do something to get everyone to be safe," she said. Late Monday afternoon, Houstons nightclub manager Kelsey Bell said the bar has purchased drink lids, which will now be available for free at the bar for customers if they want one. She said security removed the man who allegedly spiked the drinks on Saturday and flagged his identity in the bars identification scanner. Staff will also continue to help police in the investigation. "Our mission is to cultivate [a] safe and positive atmosphere for all guests and will continue to uphold our policies and procedures to ensure the safety of all guests," she said. "We openly support the petition for the safety of all the guests at our establishment and all establishments." The woman who believes she was drugged said she was on the dance floor at Houstons when she felt her chest burning after taking a sip of her drink. "I remember going to the washroom, and I remember being able to hear everything. My brain was working but my body wasnt," she said. "My body was paralyzed. I thought I was answering, but I wasnt. My eyes were apparently rolling into the back of my head." A friend of the woman, who the Sun also spoke to, said she texted their group chat at 11:45 p.m. saying she fell down the stairs and couldnt see well. A few minutes later, some of her friends carried her out of the bathroom. They were at the hospital by approximately 12:15 a.m. Sunday. The woman said the next thing she remembers is being in a wheelchair at the hospital. An emergency room doctor told her the drinks of several women may have been spiked that night. The woman said she didnt have many alcoholic drinks that night, so she doesnt believe she was drunk. On Monday, she said she is doing "OK," but her body is sore and is having difficulty mentally. Going forward, she said, she wants to see the bar provide cup covers to prevent drink tampering. Sadie Yanyk, who was also at Houstons on Saturday, said she would like to see the bar put up posters raising awareness about the signs a drink could have been tampered with. The Brandon Police Service is aware of two women who allegedly had their drinks spiked in the 3100 block of Victoria Avenue early Sunday morning, public information officer Sgt. Kirby Sararas said. "This was reported to BPS in the early morning hours of Nov. 7, 2021. I cannot confirm any more details other than that as the investigation is in the early stages," she said. Incidents of people having their drinks spiked are not common in Brandon, Sararas said, especially over recent months when public health orders closed many bars. "Its definitely something I think people need to be aware of when theyre having drinks out and meeting with others," she said, adding people should only accept drinks directly from bartenders. People can also help protect themselves by ordering drinks that come in their original container instead of in an open glass, she said. dmay@brandonsun.com Twitter: @DrewMay_ In her first official visit to Brandon as Manitobas 24th premier, Heather Stefanson connected with local leaders in an effort to set the tone for her new administration. Advertisement Advertise With Us MATT GOERZEN/THE BRANDON SUN Premier Heather Stefanson was in Brandon Monday. In her first official visit to Brandon as Manitobas 24th premier, Heather Stefanson connected with local leaders in an effort to set the tone for her new administration. In a Monday morning interview with the Sun, Stefanson said the meetings with local groups and people gave her a better idea of the obstacles the Westman region is facing right now in terms of health care, education, economic development and Indigenous reconciliation. "So there [are] certainly some challenges out there, and I think the important thing is that we need to be working together with our municipal partners in coming up with some of the solutions to these challenges," she said. Stefanson met with Mayor Rick Chrest over dinner, alongside Westman PC MLAs Reg Helwer (Brandon West), Len Isleifson (Brandon East) and Cliff Cullen (Spruce Woods), Sunday evening. On Monday, she met with high-ranking members of various community groups, including Brandon Police Service, CFB Shilo, Brandon University, Assiniboine Community College, the Brandon Friendship Centre and the Brandon Chamber of Commerce. This visit to Brandon follows a string of recent high-profile meet-and-greets that Stefanson has taken part in, including a sit-down with Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman on Sunday and a phone conversation with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday. Stefanson is hoping that these meetings will cement her "different approach" to governing that strikes a much more conciliatory tone compared to past Tory administrations, including the one lead by Brian Pallister up until Sept. 1. "Im hearing from Manitobans that they want us to work more collaboratively with other levels of government, with other stakeholders in the community," she said. "They dont want to see a kind of combative approach to things. So I think thats certainly who I am and the way Ive always been and thats the way I would continue to lead." Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson speaks with Brandon Sun reporter Kyle Darbyson during a sit-down meeting at the Sun's 501 Rosser Avenue location on Monday morning. (Matt Goerzen/The Brandon Sun) Stefanson is looking for this increasingly collaborative approach to take root in a variety of areas, including education reform. While the new premier publicly opposed the changes outlined in the now-defunct Bill 64, the Educational Modernization Act, she wants to go back to the drawing board and come up with a plan that is more in line with the wants and needs of parents and teachers. "I think what we have been hearing is that Manitobans want reform in education, but maybe Bill 64 wasnt the ideal way to go about it," she said. "And, obviously, were going back and listening to communities and talking with stakeholders in those communities to see what the next, best steps are." Indigenous reconciliation is another area where Stefanson is hoping to "press reset," given that Pallister left his role as premier under less-than-friendly terms with First Nations leaders. After making comments about how European settlers "didnt come here to destroy anything" in July, Pallisters Indigenous relations minister, Eileen Clarke, quickly resigned from her cabinet position as a direct result. While Pallister has been out of office for two months, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Arlen Dumas recently told the Winnipeg Free Press that this open wound remains and that Stefanson isnt as attuned to Indigenous issues compared to former PC leadership rival Shelly Glover. "What we need from the premier is to actually shake up the status quo," Dumas said in an article published Sunday. However, Stefanson maintains that her administration is committed to negotiating with Indigenous communities in good faith, having already reached out to all three grand chiefs and Manitoba Metis Federation president David Chartrand for future consultation. "What I would like to see is that were sitting down at a table having these discussions, not necessarily through the media," she said. "And I think its really important that everyone comes together to ensure that were listening." Stefanson also vows to listen to chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin when it comes to protecting Manitobans against COVID-19, as the province endures the fourth wave. When asked if she would ever impose lockdowns on specific health regions, like Prairie Mountain Health, Stefanson wouldnt answer directly, not wanting to contradict her previous statements about striving to get businesses back up and running at 100 per cent capacity. "I think were going to do everything we can to ensure that we dont have to go down that route [with lockdowns]," she said. "But I will always seek the advice of public health." Stefanson also recognizes that certain areas of the health-care system need to be streamlined, including the backlog of elective surgeries that has jumped to around 130,000 cases, according to a recent report from Doctors Manitoba. "Its absolutely critical that we deal with backlogs," she said. "So were in the process of setting up that task force that Doctors Manitoba has asked for and others have asked for to ensure that there are doctors and nurses at the table." The premier wouldnt directly comment on the legal action that Glover is bringing to the Court of Queens Bench later this month, which aims to declare Stefansons PC leadership election victory invalid due to alleged voting irregularities. Instead, Stefanson said shes going to dedicate all of her energy to governing, since these first couple weeks are absolutely critical to building a well-organized administration. "I was sworn in last week and Ive had our caucus and cabinet meetings. Weve set a throne speech date," she said. "Were going to continue to focus on what Manitobans want us to focus on and thats governing our province and making sure that their priorities are brought to the forefront." Stefanson was first elected to the Manitoba legislature in 2000 as the MLA of Tuxedo in Winnipeg and has held high-ranking positions ever since, including deputy premier, minister of justice, minister of families and, most recently, minister of health. She is the first woman premier in the provinces history. kdarbyson@brandonsun.com Twitter:@KyleDarbyson Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Amy Grant to present at The 55th Annual CMA Awards | the media collective NASHVILLE - 6-time Grammy-winner Amy Grant has been announced as a presenter for Country Musics Biggest Night, The 55th Annual CMA Awards. Hosted by Luke Bryan, The 55th Annual CMA Awards will broadcast LIVE from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Wednesday, Nov. 10 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on ABC. Recently inducted into the prestigious Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame, 2021 has been an incredibly busy and exciting year for Grant, who has spent the year celebrating the 30th anniversary of her iconic, 5x platinum album, HEART IN MOTION, including a special anniversary edition that released July 9th. She just wrapped her 42 city summer/fall tour, and beginning December 1st, will do several Christmas shows with Michael W. Smith, followed by her and husband Vince Gill's annual Christmas at the Ryman Residency. For all tour details and information, please visit AmyGrant.com. Also in December, Grant will join a star-studded line-up of fellow artists Billy Ray Cyrus, Clay Walker, Pam Tillis, Sara & Olivia Evans, Steve Wariner, Tracy Lawrence and Wynonna for CMTs A TENNESSEE KIND OF CHRISTMAS." Premiering Wednesday, December 8th at 9p/8c, the artists will share holiday traditions, personal memories and unforgettable performances of all-time favorite Christmas songs from numerous iconic venues and outdoor locations in and around Nashville. The CMT original special will re-air during CMTs Christmas Week, running December 20-25; exact encore timing to be announced at a later date. For updates and more information, visit CMT.com. News Source: the media collective Jordan Feliz featuring Mandisa and Jonathan Traylor - Jesus is Coming Back | Hoganson Media / Centricity Worship / Jordan Feliz Gold-selling, Dove Award-winning pop recording artist and songwriter Jordan Feliz releases today (Nov. 5) a remixed version of fan favorite Jesus Is Coming Back from his third, full-length album Say It. Available now from Centricity Music at digital and streaming outlets internationally, the song will begin spinning at radio this month and features both GRAMMY Award-winning Mandisa and Motown Gospel/Capitol CMG artist Jonathan Traylor. Following Felizs No. 1 radio hit Glorify and the Parade-premiered multi-format Top-10 single Next To Me, the celebratory CBN News, Studio 5-premiered Jesus Is Coming Back becomes Felizs third radio single from Say It. Set to receive an out of the box K-LOVE Radio add, the song points to the hope of Christians around the world, giving voice to those longing for a home other than ones built on earth. We were meant to thrive here, but were not meant to be here forever, Feliz asserts. Its OK to feel out of place. Its OK to feel like youre not OK right now. Its OK to have all those feelings, because were human, and were meant for heaven; we were created for that. (so) Keep your head up Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back No dont you give up Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back And when the world gets complicated Gonna keep on celebrating, cause we know Jesus is coming back, Jesus is coming back (From the Jesus Is Coming Back chorus) With CCLI SongSelect, MultiTracks and PraiseCharts offering worship leaders resources for the song, Jesus Is Coming Back sets the tone for Say It as the opening track. Co-produced by Jordan Mohilowski and Felizs longtime collaborator Colby Wedgeworth, the album combines pop, Gospel and soul along with some of Felizs most transparent and personal lyrics to date. In addition to the aforementioned singles, the album features Felizs vulnerable Wounds and When I Say My Prayers, the latter song written in part about the miscarriage Feliz and his wife suffered before they had their daughter Jolie and son Judah. The song explores the universal sentiment of loss. Along with the studio album, Feliz released new Christmas music last month, both the original, Joy To Our World, and cover, Feliz Navidad. Jordan Feliz - Joy to Our World | Hoganson Media / Centricity Worship / Jordan Feliz All the Scrooges are about to have a field day with this one. It's too earlyI KNOWbut in the Feliz household, we have been caught rocking some Christmas jams in July...get over it, razzes Feliz on his Instagram. And I'm insanely excited to announce to all you who are like us, you got two new Christmas jams to add to that playlist! Taking his new music and bevy of hits and fan favorites on tour, Feliz continues his Next To Me Tour this month and embarks on the The Feliz Navidad Tour next month. Stephen Stanley joins Feliz on select dates. See below for the full tour itinerary: Nov. 6 Myrtle Beach, SC Next To Me Tour Tickets Nov. 13 Social Circle, GA Next To Me Tour Tickets Nov. 14 Oak Ridge, TN Next To Me Tour Tickets Nov. 19 Mansfield, OH Next To Me Tour Tickets Nov. 20 Manheim, PA Next To Me Tour Tickets Nov. 21 Bellefontaine, OH Next To Me Tour Tickets Dec. 4 Marshalltown, IA The Feliz Navidad Tour Tickets Dec. 9 Springfield, MO The Feliz Navidad Tour Tickets Dec. 10 Waukesha, WI The Feliz Navidad Tour Tickets Dec. 11 Eden Prairie, MN Teen Challenge Minnesota Christmas Event Tickets For all the latest Jordan Feliz album, tour and more news, visit https://jordanfeliz.com/, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. News Source: Hoganson Media Village Lights - KINGDOM | Merge PR / Village Lights Running Club Records' multi-cultural worship collective, Village Lights is comprised of Sarah Kroger, Ike Ndolo, and Ricky Vazquez and are based out of Nashville and Arizona. Earlier this year, the band released their debut self-titled EP, which introduced their heartbeat; one of unity, inclusivity, and reconciliation wrapped in worshipful devotion. Seeing themselves as more than a band, but rather a movement for those who seek justice in our world and Church. Their full-length debut, KINGDOM, promises to offer poignant lyrics, exploratory sonorities blending the bands multi-ethnicity and fresh poetic approaches to liturgical worship. The forthcoming album is produced by Matt Maher, a longtime mentor to the band. Music is always best when made in a community," shares multiple GRAMMY-nominated worship leader Matt Maher, producer for the Village Lights' album and mentor to the group. "This requires such a level of trust. Every great artist knows this fundamental truth. Art is something best shared. I love this group and their willingness to include so many in their journey of creativity and am honored to help them as a producer bring this treatment of the end of the liturgical year into a collective work of song for the Church and for the pilgrimage of the believer. Recently released from the forthcoming project are the songs and official music videos for the songs "Here Is Our Hallelujah," "Christ Our King," and "Promised Land." Each of the official music videos were captured in the stunning Sedona area. News Source: Merge PR If children can invest in their future, whats stopping students? While an individual retirement account (IRA) may sound ludicrous to those in their twenties, older generations have reason to be jealous of people who start saving early. At its core, thinking about retirement sooner means more pay down the road. From rags to riches Despite their retiree-focused name, IRAs are available even to minors as long as theyre earning money. The principle doesnt change with adulthood. Students working part-time or in a work-study program can begin putting savings into the account and allowing the investments to compound with time something young people are able to build on for decades. When choosing the type of IRA, budding investors conscious about their financial future should look at Roth IRAs. Its the ideal option for a few reasons. According to SmartAsset, based on historic trends, the average annual return for a Roth IRA is between 7-10%. This means that, if one was to invest $6,000 a year currently the maximum contribution after 30 years, they could end up with over $500,000. Simply put, this type of savings account allows for the investment of earned income. As this money has already been taxed, the savings can accumulate without the burden of being diminished later. This is unlike most other accounts, in which earned interest is considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and must be reported, Investopedia explains. Theyre also different from a typical 401k, which is only offered by ones employer later in life and comes with less investment options. Instead, the money placed in a Roth account can be used in stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, CDs, REITs and more, according to the IRA Financial Group. Its a large number of choices for real growth. Not only do students have decades ahead to watch their savings grow, but because of their income, they begin in a lower tax bracket. This is to their benefit: According to Investopedia, unlike traditional versions of IRAs, Roths are designed to benefit those wholl achieve higher brackets in coming years a bachelors degree would surely help with that. Sign up for the Madison Business Review Email Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Money matters: budgeting tips for college students As students navigate the struggles of college life, personal finance doesn't always get much attention. Yet, lack of awareness could build poor habits and limit future choices when it comes to spending. Here's how to fix that. Invest now, profit later But, for those who consider retirement too far of a concern, the Roth IRA comes with some extra incentives for students. Namely, early withdrawals. According to IRA Financial Group, unlike other versions, the Roth offers the most qualified distribution options. For instance, students who are planning to become property owners after graduation can withdraw up to $10,000 when purchasing their first home, completely tax-free. Other qualified withdrawals allowed under Roth IRAs include free withdrawals after the age of 59-and-a-half, or in case of disability and after the holders death. Additionally, though not qualified, money retractions used to finance higher education aren't usually taxed, either. While some of this may hamper the long-term benefits of investing, the extra money Roths accumulate can provide relief in moments of need especially for students. Setting up an IRA doesnt have to be complicated. In fact, its easy. As outlined by NerdWallet, one should begin by deciding on their investment preferences, choosing between a broker or robo-advisor automated companies that make investments for you with a small fee. A simple Internet search will provide countless options. Contact Filip at demottf@dukes.jmu.edu. Filip is a junior and international affairs senior. The anti-money laundering regulator is warning banks against large-scale debanking of customers for dealing in cryptocurrencies and remittance services, saying it expects deposit takers to have systems in place to differentiate good operators from bad ones. Austrac issued the stern warning against debanking - where a bank stops dealing with a customer - amid concerns from operators in the cryptocurrency sector that they had been exiled from the Australian banking system because they ran businesses dealing in the blockchain-based currencies. Austrac says the banks need better systems to deal with assessing risk rather than simply debanking customers. Credit:AP The regulator said the debanking of account holders can have a devastating impact on individuals and small businesses. The effect of debanking of legitimate and lawful financial services businesses can increase the risks of money laundering and terrorism financing and negatively impacts Australias economy, Austrac said in its statement. The big issue here is that Berkshire was a net seller of stocks again this quarter, Jim Shanahan, an analyst with Edward Jones, said in a telephone interview. Thats the primary culprit of the cash pile continuing to rise. The selling streak indicates Buffett has struggled to find bargains with the stock market hitting all-time highs. A big, splashy acquisition also eluded the conglomerate, as the 91-year old and his investing deputies confronted a combination of sky-high price tags and fierce competition from the wave of special purpose acquisition companies. Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway was a net seller of equities for the fourth straight quarter, a trend not seen in data going back to 2008. The company ended up selling almost $US2 billion ($2.7 billion) more in stocks than it purchased during the period, adding to a cash pile that climbed to a record $US149.2 billion. Berkshires sales appear to have largely come from cutting holdings in banks, insurance and financial investments, according to its third-quarter regulatory filing released Saturday. Berkshire has been paring certain stocks in recent periods, spending the second quarter trimming its investment in General Motors and pulling back on some of its pharmaceutical bets. The company is set to release its third-quarter stock tweaks later this month. While Buffetts been a consistent net seller these past four quarters, those sales have been relatively small compared with the massive size of his stock portfolio. Over the past nine months, hes sold almost $US7 billion more of stocks than hes bought, roughly 2.2 per cent of the fair value of Berkshires stock portfolio at the end of September. Buffett warned investors in May that Berkshire might not have much luck striking deals as SPACs gripped the market though he also predicted the boom probably wouldnt last. Compounding the challenge, his most recent big acquisition, the $US37 billion deal for Precision Castparts five years ago, resulted in a writedown that Buffett laid squarely at his own door. Berkshire isnt alone in extending a cash pile amid the pandemic. Amazon, Google and American Airlines were among companies that amassed significant holdings during the health crisis in a step analysts have said would likely lead to some acquisitions. And the rising cash pile is better than the alternative in the eyes of investors including Cheviot Value Managements Darren Pollock. Even though Buffetts cash pile still increased to a record despite the $US7.6 billion of buybacks in the third quarter, Pollock says its a good sign about the health of Berkshire. This air of seriousness has carried certain risks. With his long upper lip and reluctance to crack a smile, he could have made his mark as the only grumpy Bond, but the pulsing intelligence behind the gloom has transformed it into gravitas without slowing down his performance. He may be a New Age sensitive Bond but he still has to save humanity. Back in the beginning, the idea of Sean Connery doing such a thing would have been unthinkable but Craigs Bond has spent his past four films brooding about his lost love, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), killed at the end of Casino Royale. Now hes come to the end of his run, Daniel Craigs James Bond will be remembered as the first and possibly only 007 to grieve so intensely and for so long over a woman. When Ian Fleming and John le Carre began writing in the 1950s and 60s, their books sat at spy fictions opposite poles. Le Carre was interested in moral ambiguities while Fleming was about glamour, gadgetry and the god-like qualities of a certain breed of debonair Englishman. As Britains geopolitical powers declined, Fleming grew a little more reflective but the Bond movies stayed on the lighter side of his imaginings. It wasnt until Craig slipped into the tuxedo and the Aston Martin that the mood changed. His Bond has been distinguished by his misgivings. And the series has adjusted its attitude to women to suit the contemporary mood. For a while, the old ruthlessness clung on. Gemma Arterton was allowed only a token appearance as one of his conquests in Quantum of Solace before coming to a sudden sticky end by being drowned in crude oil but in No Time to Die, Craigs fifth and final outing, the three women who share his adventures can look after themselves. Paloma (Ana de Armas) dispatches several villains without losing control of the evening dress shes barely wearing. Credit:Nicola Dove When we pick him up at the start of this film, hes still with his new love, Lea Seydouxs Madeleine Swann. Hes retired from the service and theyre holidaying in a mountain town in southern Italy. Its here that Vesper Lynd is buried and he has decided to make peace with his memories by visiting her grave. But peace is hard to come by in a Bond movie and the visit turns into yet another fight for his life. A hundred years ago Pier 2 and 3 were built for deepwater ships, their timber piles driven into the seafloor up to a depth of 39 metres, or about the height of a 12-storey building. Since November 2019 the cavernous wharf shed, central to Sydneys maritime history at Walsh Bay, has been a busy work-site as the final section of the flagship cultural precinct, designed by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, is finished. Inside the new auditorium of Australian Theatre for Young People at Pier 2/3 Credit:Wolter Peeters For these two years, the lone witness to the stunning transformation has been a curious harbour seal the sites unofficial mascot, according to Richard Crookes Constructions senior project manager Peter Fulton. Hes a real show-off, much like a little dog, Fulton says of the playful visitor who is well known to the carpenters, engineers and glaziers on site. He comes by every couple of weeks. At a glance, the announcement at United Nations climate talks last week that the United States along with the United Kingdom and other European nations would channel US$10 billion to South Africa to help it shut down its fleet of coal-power generators is unvarnished good news for the world. And it is good news. It is an example of how wealthy nations might help emerging economies skip faster past the carbon-heavy period of their development. Former US president Barack Obama speaks during day nine of COP26. Credit:Getty But its more than that. It is also an example of the geostrategic intrigue attendant to the climate talks. One of the long-standing voting blocs in the Conference of the Parties has been BASIC, made up of Brazil, India, South Africa and China. As bushfires burnt through the native forests of eastern Victoria in the black summer of 2019-20, the states zoo staff watched nervously, knowing many native animals were in danger. In Mallacoota, a significant number of injured animals were rescued from the fire zones including injured koalas found beside roads and taken to veterinary hospitals at the Healesville, Melbourne and Werribee zoos. Healesville Sanctuary senior vet nurse Sarah Kaiser with the new Wildlife response unit van. Credit:Chris Hopkins We realised pretty quickly that, while we had space for two or three koalas, when there was an emergency with 15 or 20 koalas coming in, we didnt have a lot of facilities to handle them. The number of animals [was] quite overwhelming, said Zoos Victoria chief executive officer Dr Jenny Gray. And it wasnt just koalas. Many birds and reptiles were also found heat-stressed or injured, and suffering from a lack of water and food. It was estimated nearly three billion animals were killed or displaced by that summers devastating bushfires. Aishwaryas parents believe their daughter would still be alive had she been seen earlier. Health Minister Roger Cook said the tragedy continued to be felt deeply at PCH and across the entire health system. He said there had been changes made at the hospital and there were more to come. Director General of Health David Russell-Weisz said he could not imagine the grief Aishwaryas parents felt and would continue to feel at the loss of their child. He said the report made 30 recommendations, including recognising parental input to escalate care, the need to improve patient flow processes and ensuring adequate nursing and medical staffing. Loading These would be implemented across all WA hospitals. Perth Childrens Hospitals new board chairwoman Dr Rosanna Capolingua said Aishwaryas name was spoken and remembered at all meetings on safety at the hospital. This is not an instance of blame, she said. Its an instance of collective responsibility and understanding the responsibility of a health service in its entirety, staffing, quality and safety, infrastructure, everything in between. When its looking after a patient in our care. I commit, on behalf of the Child and Adolescent Health Service, to make every change recommended we accept the report and all the recommendations. Dr Capolingua acknowledged Aishwaryas parents were not heard on the night they brought her to hospital and felt unsupported after her death. So we know our service has to do much better, she said. We have to be inclusive and responsive. We must honour the memory of Aishwarya and deliver the very best of care that we can. The damning initial internal report into Aishwaryas death, known as a root cause analysis, was praised by the panel as being robust. That report laid bare a litany of staffing, equipment and policy failures at the hospital the night she died, including recording parental concern as zero. The panel found there were a cascade of missed opportunities to address parental concerns and incomplete assessments, with a delay in escalation, which may have contributed to the patients outcome, the report found. That report made 11 recommendations, including improving ways for parents to escalate their concerns to the hospital and improving sepsis recognition procedures. Child and Adolescent Health Service chair Debbie Karasinski stood down from her role while chief executive Aresh Anwar said he had verbally offered his resignation, but it was rejected by Mr Russell-Weisz. Dr Anwar said in May he could not endorse the root cause analysis until the independent investigation was completed. This move, as well as a move to refer two nurses and a doctor to the federal health regulator, was criticised by the panel, which said it exacerbated poor morale in the hospital. The extraordinary handling of the [root cause analysis] report, most notably the absence of executive team endorsement, along with the later referrals of staff to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, the unexpected release to the media and the public scrutiny did much to damage trust and morale at PCH. Lead panellist Emeritus Professor Les White said Aishwarya did not receive the care she should have on the night but said there was no person or single factor to blame. Did she receive the right care on the night? No, she didnt. Are there a lot of causes for that? Yes, there are. It is not our purpose to identify are blame individuals. It is a complex series of causes and contributing factors across the spectrum, all of which are equally important and to their credit, the system is taking this very seriously. Despite resourcing and staffing forming a significant portion of their investigations, Professor White said the information they received from authorities suggested it the ED had its regular rostered complement of staff on the evening Aishwarya died. The information we received on the evening of Aishwaryas death is that it wasnt a particularly busy night and the staff rostered and available were adequate, he said. Professor White said the panel did not challenge the staffing information provided to them but found staffing was an issue in a broader sense because of the design of the ED in Perth Childrens Hospital. We did not challenge the information given to us in the context of are you telling us the truth? because the truth always comes out in the end, he said. Loading Australian Nursing Federation WA secretary Mark Olson highlighted the aspects of the report that said the triage and waiting areas were particularly vulnerable and sub-optimally staffed. Now let me translate that: we didnt have enough nurses and of those nurses we did have, too few were experienced, and that means dangerous understaffing, he said. The report tells us that PCH had along identified issues of recruitment, that recruitment times were abjectly too long that it was taking months and months and months to get people from the time you advertise the job to the time you get them in. Aishwaryas death also prompted an outpouring of grief from the WA community and sparked protests from doctors and nurses over under resourcing of the health system. Her parents were so desperate for this internal review they started a hunger strike. On May 25, Mr Cook announced the 10-week independent review by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. The terms of reference said the panel would look at general failures in the hospital as well as matters raised by Aishwaryas family. At the time, Mr Cook said the inquiry was about better understanding what happened to Aishwarya and making sure it did not happen again. No inquiry will reduce the loss suffered by Aishwaryas family nor the distress of staff involved but is vital we all get answers, he said. As we reported earlier today, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has taken aim at the federal government over its electric vehicles policy, saying it doesnt go far enough to encourage consumers to make the switch to cleaner technologies. The last thing we want is Australia or NSW to be dumping ground for the vehicles the rest of the world [doesnt want], Mr Kean told the ABCs Patricia Karvelas this afternoon. NSW Treasurer Matt Kean has taken aim at the federal governments electric vehicles policy. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Thats what will happen if we dont modernise our policies, and dont put in place the right settings that will encourage the investment in new technologies and opportunities that EVs [electric vehicles] have to offer. At the centre of the Morrison governments policy, announced yesterday, is a plan for the government to join with the private sector to help fund electric vehicle charging infrastructure in homes, businesses and public places, to help manage the transition towards an anticipated 1.7 million electric cars on the road by 2030. Loading The plan has been criticised by the Labor Opposition and questioned by industry, in part because it does not offer more tangible incentives to consumers to switch to electric cars. In Norway, which leads the world in ownership of electric vehicles, consumers are offered incentives including waived sales tax and registration fees. Britain, Japan, France and Germany are set to ban sales of combustion engines between 2025 and 2030. In addition to investing in charging infrastructure, NSW is already offering incentives to consumers such as waiving stamp duty for eligible electric vehicles under $78,000, and $3000 rebates on the first 25,000 eligible vehicles sold after September 1 this year. We know that one of the biggest barriers to people buying an EV is the current price points. What we have done in NSW is provide support to make it more affordable for people to purchase an EV ... which is why we are giving [incentives like] ... waiving stamp duty, Mr Kean said. We are spending $600 million to ensure that NSW consumers can enjoy all the benefits that this new technology has to offer. Compare that to the Commonwealth who are spending $250 million across the entire country. So the proof is in the pudding. We want to ensure people can get access to better vehicles that are cheaper to run [and] good for the environment, and we know thats what manufacturers are providing. We are embracing the future. Mr Kean said it was in Australias interests that we lead the world when it comes to tackling carbon emissions; weve got an abundance of renewables that will help meet our energy needs in a clean way, and it will help also lower our energy bills right across the country. That will lead to a boom in manufacturing for this country and it will ensure that we can also help the rest of the world meet their carbon objectives. A member of the Obeid family was already touting the development potential of a beachfront street during a neighbourhood meeting months after moving to the NSW North Coast, amid community fears it would be turned into another Gold Coast. Six years later an application for almost 70 apartments has sprung up next door to Gerard Obeids Port Macquarie home, after a company with near-invisible shareholders secured a secret deal with the council over a chunk of prime coastal land. An aerial view of the proposed coastal development next to Gerard Obeids home. Credit:Laurus Projects One of the directors of the company, Pacific Drive Pty Ltd, and a quarter per cent shareholder, is a Sydney tiler named Merwin Ibrahim, a man known to the Obeids. Mr Ibrahim has repeatedly ignored questions from the Herald about his new next door neighbour. There are now questions over whether the council should have agreed to sell the public land without putting it to tender, while the planning clause relied on by the developers is one that is being reviewed by the state government because of its lack of transparency and oversight. Tensions have reignited between the West Australian government and Commonwealth, with Premier Mark McGowan defending his 90 per cent vaccination target following criticism that being so ambitious would do more harm than good. On Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said federal modelling that informed the national COVID transition plan backed opening state borders at 80 per cent and to do so any later would hurt the states economy. The McGowan and Morrison border fued has been reignited. But Mr McGowan rubbished the Prime Ministers comments and said WA had one of the freest societies in the world which needed protecting. We continue to follow the health advice and as the WA Health modelling is clear and shows the significant benefits of a 90 per cent double-dose coverage it will save hundreds of lives, he said. Choice has also called for a mandatory industry code and an industry ombudsman to handle complaints. Loading The travel industry has strenuously rejected suggestions such wide-ranging reform is needed. The Australian Federation of Travel Agents (AFTA) stressed that agents had secured $8 billion in refunds and travel credits from suppliers to be passed back to Australian consumers. Three former travel agents have told the Herald it was routine in the industry to add significant mark-ups to bookings which were not disclosed to customers. They did not wish to be identified as they are still working with or connected to the industry. Mark-ups are a process where an agent manually increases the cost of a flight, tour or hotel booking to increase their commission. One former agent said mark-ups were very encouraged by superiors. I didnt like doing it, she said. I was in the minority. The woman also had concerns about excessive cancellation fees. She was uncomfortable to see a customer charged a cancellation and rebooking fee after their trip was disrupted by a hurricane, even though the airline had waived the fees. The woman said of a colleague: She was profiting in people getting caught up in hurricanes. Another industry source said agents would trade mark-up strategies and had responses ready if customers complained. The way I was trained, I said if you can find a better price, Ill beat it, the man said. That circumvents the mark-up conversation. A third agent said she was paid a salary instead of the commission-based model, which meant you didnt have to rip someone off to benefit yourself. For such a great industry, it feels like its gone backwards, she said. She questioned why agents did not have to be licensed, given the sums of money involved in transactions. Consumer Advocate Adam Glezer said the pandemic had exposed a series of systemic issues plaguing the industry. Consumer advocate Adam Glezer. Credit:Eddie Jim He argued customers should be given a guaranteed refund where travel was cancelled for reasons outside their control, and an itemised fee schedule, disclosing any mark-ups. We are calling for full transparency from travel agents, he said. He said trust accounts could better protect consumers in the event a travel agent became insolvent. Real estate agents and lawyers need to be licensed and use trust accounts. Why dont travel agents? Mr Glezer said many good agents had been trying hard to help consumers during challenging times. However there have also been a lot really letting the team down. What we are trying to do is get consistency across the board. AFTA chief executive Dean Long said the majority of problems with refunds had been caused by the withholding of funds by the suppliers, rather than agents. Those customers who have gone through that process have been overwhelmingly satisfied, he said. He said there was no proof of excessive cancellation fees charged by agents or widespread use of mark-ups, rejecting the need for trust accounts, fee schedules or a licensing scheme. No one has been able to demonstrate theres been any breakdown in industry practice that requires changes, he said. Loading Weve got an industry code and the overwhelming part of industry is part of that. Mr Long welcomed the reforms regarding terms and conditions in NSW, saying customers needed absolute clarity. An ACCC spokesperson said it was aware of the call for national reforms but said it was ultimately a question for government. Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman said the matters were discussed at a recent joint meeting of Australias consumer affairs ministers. It was agreed that this issue needs to be progressed, Ms Fentiman said. I have written to the Commonwealth urging them to take urgent action to provide better protections under Australian Consumer Law. Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar, who oversees consumer law in Australia, said: If a consumer is having difficulty understanding their rights or dealing with a business, they should speak with their state or territory consumer affairs regulator or the ACCC. The ACCC is engaging with travel businesses in relation to their approach to travel cancellations in response to COVID-19. Fugitive and alleged drug kingpin Mostafa Baluch has been found hiding inside a Mercedes being transported in a truck travelling to Queensland, after more than two weeks on the run. Police say the 33-year-old was desperate to leave Australia after he broke off his ankle monitor and fled just days after being granted bail. He was last seen at Bayview, on Sydneys northern beaches, on October 25. Mostafa Baluch, charged over his alleged role in a drug importation syndicate, was wanted for allegedly breaching bail. He was the target of a domestic and international manhunt before Queensland Police stopped a truck as it crossed the border into Queensland, at Tweed Heads, about 1am on Wednesday. Officers searched the container on the back of the truck, where they located the 33-year-old man hiding inside a grey Mercedes, NSW Police said in a statement. Warning: This article contains an image of an Aboriginal person who has died. A man shot dead during a confrontation with police in Sydneys north-west on Tuesday morning has been identified as Stanley Russell, a Gomeroi man from Walgett in northern NSW. The family of Mr Russell say they are devastated by the death of the 45-year-old, who was described as a good man with problems that led to run-ins with police and time in prison. Stanley Russell has been identified as the man killed in a confrontation with police on Tuesday in Seven Hills. Mr Russell was shot dead by police on Tuesday morning after he allegedly confronted four officers with a knife and axe at a home on Bulah Way, Seven Hills, where he was staying with his aunt. A three-year-old girl who died from influenza complications at a Sydney hospital might have been saved if there had not been several missed opportunities in her care, including a heart scan being delayed because the machine had a flat battery, a coroner has found. Caitlin Cruz died at the Childrens Hospital at Westmead on the morning of October 23, 2016, after she developed pericarditis, the inflammation of the sac surrounding her heart, which was caused by the influenza B virus. Caitlin Cruz died in hospital in 2016. An inquest was told Caitlin had been taken to a GP on the afternoon of October 22 by her father because she had been unwell for several days. While waiting to see a doctor she vomited and collapsed, with her lips turning blue. One of the GPs who ran to Caitlins aid said she was breathing very slowly and a pulse could not be detected. An ambulance was called, with the toddler regaining consciousness by the time paramedics attended. Interstate travel into Queensland has changed as the state hit 70 per cent fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk on Monday announced the milestone had been reached and 3 million Queenslanders were fully vaccinated. Border changes came into effect from 5pm on Monday, meaning people in Australian coronavirus hotspots can apply online to travel into Queensland and quarantine at home. Travellers must be fully vaccinated and have had a negative COVID test 72 hours before travel. Detectives have released images of two men they believe were involved in a hit-and-run that killed one person and left another with life-threatening injuries after a car struck two workers in Melbournes south-east. Major collision unit investigators are looking for the driver of a red Holden Commodore sedan that hit two traffic control workers setting up a roadworks site in Carrum Downs about 7.15am on Tuesday. They are also seeking a driver who later picked that man up in a black Hyundai and helped him leave the scene. Police are looking for this man, and the driver of the black Hyundai, to assist them with their inquiries. Emergency services said they attended the crash at the corner of Hall Road and Lats Avenue and that a 44-year-old man died at the scene. The Bayswater traffic control worker - identified as Timmy Rakei - is being remembered as a beloved family man and a loving father. A second person injured in the collision, a 38-year-old Traralgon man, was airlifted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital with multiple injuries. He remained in a stable condition as of 7pm on Tuesday. Loading Its just a two-tiered society [and] its not just. The protesters later marched through the streets of Melbournes CBD, chanting kill the bill and sack Dan Andrews. The governments proposed pandemic legislation will replace state of emergency powers that expire on December 15, curtail the chief health officers powers, give the premier the authority to declare a pandemic, and the health minister the role of making public health orders. The legislation passed the lower house late last month, and will most certainly be subject to crossbench amendments when it reaches the upper house in a few days. The rally came after Mr Andrews confirmed on Tuesday that Victorian shoppers had two weeks to be fully vaccinated, with non-essential retail outlets to close their doors to those who had not had their COVID-19 jab on November 24. Mr Andrews said that was the day he expected 90 per cent of eligible Victorians would be double vaccinated. Only fully vaccinated shoppers will be allowed into non-essential outlets from November 24. Credit:Penny Stephens The date was set as Victoria recorded 1069 COVID-19 cases and 10 deaths, and as Mr Andrews resisted calls to resume a full program of elective surgeries in hospitals. All 10 Victorians who died on Monday were aged 60 and above. Casey, Wyndham, Brimbank, Hume, Greater Dandenong, Port Phillip, Frankston, Whittlesea, Melton, and Glen Eira are the local government areas with the highest case numbers. More than 85 per cent of Victorians aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated, putting the state on track to further ease restrictions on those whove had their jab later this month. There were 47,794 coronavirus tests processed on Monday, and 11,269 people received a coronavirus jab at a state-run vaccination hub. There are now 15,607 active coronavirus cases in the state. Of those, 579 were in hospital, 90 were in intensive care and 55 patients were on a ventilator. The Department of Health said 77 per cent of COVID-positive patients in hospital and 87 per cent in intensive care hadnt received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine. The lockout of unvaccinated patrons was flagged at a press conference on October 22, when Mr Andrews foreshadowed that those who hadnt had two jabs would be allowed to visit other peoples homes but would be barred from most other venues. But a shopping window opened for those Victorians who werent fully immunised on October 29, when 80 per cent of the states population was fully immunised and non-essential retail stores were allowed to open their doors to all comers. With the 90 per cent milestone approaching, that window is about to close. Mr Andrews said the vaccinated economy was here to stay, and it was too early to say when the window might re-open and restrictions on the unvaccinated would lift. Its a bit challenging for us to answer that because we have to see what role boosters play, he said. The feedback I get is that people dont want to sit at the pub or in a restaurant next to people who have not [had their vaccine]. Monday marked the start of Australias coronavirus vaccine booster program for the broader population. To date, about 173,000 booster shots have been administered to aged care residents and frontline health workers across the country. Loading There are about 1.7 million Australians who will become eligible for their third shot of the vaccine before Christmas, with 25 per cent of those to get vaccinated in Victoria. Elderly people, frontline workers and aged care staff will be among the first to get the jab. We want to see a very strong take-up of boosters, the vaccinated economy and its continuation, and the formalisation of the extension into non-essential retail is a big part of that, Mr Andrews said. The prospect of vaccines for Australian children aged under 12 continues to be assessed, with federal Health Minister Greg Hunt revealing Pfizer has made a submission to the Therapeutic Goods Administration. Meanwhile, several schools across the Victoria say they are still waiting for the state government to distribute 51,000 air purifiers it promised them in September. To date, only 6000 devices have been delivered. Education Minister James Merlino said the rollout had been stymied by global demand for air purifiers. The full order has been made for those 51,000 air purifiers, theyre being delivered by air freight, so as quickly as possible. The moment it lands in the state we are getting it distributed to schools, he told Radio 3AW. Contact tracing ongoing, despite dwindling Victoria exposure site list Mr Andrews has dispelled speculation Victoria is winding down its contact tracing efforts after only one new exposure site was added to Victorias list since Saturday. The list, which once included 1000 locations, has now dwindled to fewer than 20 sites as the government shifts its focus to the most at-risk venues across the state. There are currently more than 78,300 close contacts of confirmed COVID-19 cases isolating across Victoria. One new exposure site was added to the list on Tuesday: Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha Australia at Campbellfield. It was declared a close contact site on Thursday, November 4 between 4.30pm and 8pm. Other locations recently added to the list were Hidden Minx Hair Studio in Geelong West and Wyncity Morwell in Morwell after confirmed COVID-positive Victorians visited the venues. Mr Andrews said some coronavirus clusters would become well-known because of their high-profile nature such as an outbreak at the Melbourne Cup victory party while others would go unnoticed. There is contact tracing going on, Mr Andrews said. Loading Some of that will be high profile, some of it well never hear about, but theres lots of people still getting tested because theyve got symptoms. Health authorities continue to monitor the virus outbreak linked to a Melbourne Cup celebration party at Society restaurant on Collins Street attended by winning jockey James McDonald. To date, three of more than 100 guests at the event, all of whom were fully vaccinated, have tested positive for COVID-19. Multiple guests were pictured on social media drinking out of the Cup. McDonald said he was shocked to hear the news and had since undergone additional testing. I dont think anyone there at the party knew they had COVID, he told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Elective surgeries remain on hold Mr Andrews says the government will not bring back all elective surgeries until it can guarantee they wont be scrapped again. Mr Andrews acknowledged the states health system was under pressure as a result of the pandemic. He said while the government resumed some operations, it was too early to go back to 100 per cent capacity. It is very painful for people to miss their elective surgery no matter what category they are in, he said. We are building, and well get back to full [capacity] as quickly as we can as safely as we can, but the objective is to resume elective surgery, and then keep it going. Loading Mr Andrews said hospitalisation rates for COVID patients had remained stable around the 500 mark for the past few days which was encouraging. We have been increasing the amount of elective surgery, well continue to do that. We just have to calibrate that, get that sequence that right so that were not starting and stopping any more than we have to, he said. The Premiers comments came after doctors sounded the alarm about urgent category one elective surgeries being postponed because of a worsening bed shortage in Victorian hospitals last month. Intensive care wards in Melbourne and Sydney are caring for more than 130 critically ill COVID-19 patients in intensive care beds, with fears that figure is set to rise. Health workers arent just fighting a war against the coronavirus; they are also battling a never-ending scourge of misinformation about the disease. The vast majority of ICU patients with COVID-19 are unvaccinated, and some remain convinced that COVID-19 isnt real even as they succumb to it. Today on Please Explain, health reporter Melissa Cunningham joins Bianca Hall to shed light on the intensive care wards caring for some of the countrys most critically ill COVID-19 patients. NAB has posted a 76% rise in profits for FY21, topping out at a massive $6.56 billion in total New Profits After Tax (NPAT). Dividends grew to 67c, more than twice what the bank paid out to shareholders last year. It continued a strong reporting season for the Big Four, after ANZ posted their own NPAT rise of 72% last week. The mortgage sector was front and centre in the strong results at NAB, with the bank recording $98 billion in new home lending, a 4% rise on FY20. READ MORE: Mortgage brokers react as RBA ditches cash rate target NAB attributed its success in the mortgage space to streamlined lending policies and increased investment in tech, with features such as Simple Home Loans cited as strong drivers of proprietary growth. 41% of NAB home loans are now written by the broker channel, up from 37.2% last year, representing a strong investment in third party partnerships. The bank also announced that application processes currently only available on proprietary channels will be extended to brokers in FY22. NAB also marked $102bn in new business lending, a 7% year-on-year rise, supporting their claim to be the biggest SME lender in Australia through increased market share in FY21. The success in the SME sector was linked to greater investment in people, with 550 new customer roles creased in FY21, as well as investment in tech via the Quickbiz system. Our results this year demonstrate we have navigated a challenging environment while delivering better experiences for customers and colleagues, resulting in safe growth across our business, said NAB chief executive Ross McEwan. Our bank has momentum, our strategy is clear and as lockdown restrictions ease, a pick-up in activity is expected. While some uncertainties exist in the outlook including the impact of tapering support, our balance sheet settings are strong and we are well positioned for the expected economic rebound in Australia and New Zealand. (M&M) has crafted an aggressive plan for the next six years for its automotive and farm equipment businesses as it seeks to enter the next phase of growth amid heightened competition and disruption from new technologies and trends. As part of the plan, the automaker plans to launch 13 new sport utility vehicles (SUVs) by 2027. This will include eight (EVs). By then, it also sees at least 20 per cent of the total SUV volumes coming from EVs, the companys executives said at an earnings call on Tuesday. M&M will also have a new brand for electric (e-SUVs). Most of the upcoming internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered models will get a Bolero, Scorpio, Thar, and XUV moniker, said Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director, auto & farm sectors at Mahindra Group. Of the eight new EV models, four will be pure electric, the rest will be the electrified version of the existing ICE models. Mahindra plans to invest Rs 3,000 crore in the EV business till 2023-24. This includes development of e-SUVs, e-quadricycle, and electric small and light commercial vehicles. It is looking at a total of 16 EV launches by 2027. Anish Shah, MD and CEO, said, M&M is now open to looking at funding coming in from outside. Apart from Tata Motors, Mahindra is the only manufacturer in the mass segment to set a target for EV penetration. Mahindra, one of the early entrants to the EV space, had to recast its EV strategy after its EV models first as Mahindra Reva and then as e2o failed to make any headway due to high cost of acquisition, poor range, underdeveloped charging infrastructure, and an absence of a policy push by the government. In August 2019, it pulled the plug on the e2o a four-door hatchback based on the Reva platform amid flagging sales and tightening safety regulations. Seizing the opportunity of the white space and a growing thrust on EVs by policymakers, Tata Motors launched the e-Nexon in January 2020. Since then, there has been no looking back for Mahindras arch rival. Selling close to 1,000-plus units of the e-Nexon a month, Tata Motors now corners close to 70 per cent share in the personal EV segment. Encouraged by its success, it launched the spruced-up e-Tigor in August this year. The Tata group flagship plans to have 10 EVs in its portfolio by 2025. It recently raised Rs 15,000 crore for its EV arm. In India, its the home-grown manufacturers who are leading the EV charge by launching products at affordable prices and setting milestones. The multinationals have a foot in the door by launching premium offerings, said Ravi Bhatia, president and director, JATO Dynamics a global supplier of auto business intelligence with headquarters in Uxbridge, London. Meanwhile, the company is looking at a 10x growth for the farm machinery business by 2027. It plans to achieve this by launching 15 products, exploring partnerships and alliances, 3x expansion in its dealer network by 2025, and setting up manufacturing facilities in Pithampur by 2023. M&M earnings M&M, excluding subsidiaries, reported a multifold rise in net profit for the July-September quarter. It rose to Rs 1,432 crore, from Rs 162 crore in the year-ago period. Its revenue for the quarter also went up 15 per cent to Rs 13,305 crore, from Rs 11,590 crore in the corresponding period. A high input cost however, singed margins, pulling down the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation by 19 per cent. Commodity prices have impacted our margins in both the auto and farm business, but our focus on cost management and optimisation has helped mitigate some of the impact, said Manoj Bhat, chief financial officer, M&M. Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd expects shortage to persist in 2022 but with lesser severity as compared to the previous year, and is open to raise funding for its electric vehicle (EV) business, the Indian carmaker said on Tuesday. The automaker also said with better availability of semiconductors, it hopes to maintain volume growth momentum from the third quarter onwards. While the industry has seen a strong recovery in demand for passenger vehicles in the past two quarters, with chip shortages hurting carmakers globally, companies have scrambled to make up for the production hit. "Q2 was the worst of the chip shortage that we have seen... the shortage cut across the company's entire portfolio," said Rajesh Jejurikar, executive director at Mahindra. Chaired by billionaire Anand Mahindra, the company said it faced a production loss of 32,000 vehicles in the second quarter due to the shortage, yet managed to record 9% growth in sales. Jejurikar said the company was continuously adjusting production plans as per availability of chips, and expects the crunch in 2022 will not be as acute as 2021. In a post earnings call, Jejurikar said that by 2027, Mahindra plans to launch 13 new sport-utility vehicles and expects to comprise about 20% of its volumes in India. The company is open to raising money from investors for its EV business and could consider carving it out as a separate unit, Mahindra's managing director Anish Shah said. "It is not just for capital but also expertise... that will help us grow faster. We see EVs being a major play for us going forward," Shah added. For the reported quarter, consolidated net profit jumped to 19.29 billion rupees($260.01 million) from 1.36 billion rupees a year ago, when it had booked a one-time charge. The company's shares rose 5.24% to 904.50 rupees at market close. ($1 = 74.1900 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Shivani Singh in Bengaluru and Aditi Shah in New Delhi; Editing by Shailesh Kuber) Drug firm Pharma India on Tuesday reported a 54.65 per cent decline in its net profit to Rs 11.94 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 26.33 crore for the corresponding period of the previous financial year, it said in a filing to the BSE. Its revenue from operations during July-September 2021 stood at Rs 197.70 crore. It was Rs 209.47 crore for the same period a year ago, it added. Shares of Pharma India on Tuesday closed at Rs 3,023.35 per scrip on BSE, up 0.61 per cent from its previous close. (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 country's first publicly traded real estate investment trust (REIT) Real Estate Trust (BIRET) has declared a Rs 180-crore dividend payout for the September 2021 quarter, taking its total profit distribution to Rs 360 crore since listing in February. BIRET has generated net distributable cash flow of Rs 190 crore or Rs 6.43 per unit for the reporting quarter, totalling Rs 390 crore or Rs 12.85 per unit since listing, the company said in a statement on Tuesday. The Rs 180-crore planned dividend payout is Rs 6 per unit this quarter, with 35 per cent of the distributions tax free for unitholders. This takes total distribution to Rs 12 per unit since listing. It has a strong balance sheet with only 18.7 per cent loan-to-value ratio. Income from operating lease rentals was stable at Rs 160 crore, a marginal 10 bps (basis points) growth over the same period previous year, due to lower profit from the common area maintenance as the committed occupancy has been low since the pandemic. Accordingly, net operating income, adjusted for income from identified assets, was slipped by 7.8 per cent on-year to Rs 160 crore. During the reporting quarter, BIRET has collected 99 per cent of contracted rentals and effected an eight per cent rental hike on 8 lakh sqft of leased area. It has leased 47,000 sqft in the quarter, including 38,000 sqft leased to a leading healthcare company, and another 1.64 lakh sqft is being signed now. "We've leased and renewed 7.51 lakh sqft space of which 2.16 lakh sqft is in our assets and 5.35 lakh sqft in identified assets, this fiscal. Higher demand is being driven by tenants looking to relocate and expand in grade A assets," Alok Aggarwal, chief executive of Brookprop Management Services, which is the manager of Its assets, in key gateway cities, account for over 50 per cent of the net absorption in their micro-markets before the pandemic and are well-positioned to benefit from the uptick in the post-pandemic demand for office space, Aggarwal added. BIRET's identified assets had robust rental collections of 99 per cent in the quarter. One of its key projects, Candor N2 in Noida, is fast nearing stabilisation with 77,000 sqft of new leasing in October, taking the new leasing to 5.35 lakh sqft so far this financial year, he said. Sounding optimistic about the demand for high-quality workspaces, Aggarwal said they are already seeing an uptick in physical occupancies. The ongoing vaccination drive coupled with the faster than forecast economic recovery will further strengthen this trend, he said. He added that low leverage, long interest only period and undrawn credit lines provide the company with ample liquidity to further our organic and inorganic growth plans. BIRET, the country's only institutionally managed Reit, and the first to go public, last February, had a 99 per cent collection and 85 per cent same-store occupancy. During the quarter, the same-store committed occupancy stood at 85 per cent and the overall committed occupancy at 82 per cent. It also got fire approvals for the Amenity Block III in Candor N1, Noida, with the expected delivery from next month. Tower 11 at Candor N2 has achieved 80 per cent leasing within six months of completion. BIRET comprises four large campus format office parks located in key gateway markets of Mumbai, Gurgaon, Noida, and Kolkata. Its portfolio consists of 14 million sqft of space, comprising 10.3 million sqft of completed area, 0.1 million sqft of under-construction area and 3.7 million sqft of future development potential. BIRET has rights to acquire an additional 8.3 million sqft and rights of first offer on an additional 6.7 million sqft, both currently owned by members of the Brookfield Group. (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 Good Glamm Group, South Asias largest content-to-commerce conglomerate, has raised $150 million in its Series D round, including both primary and secondary sales, co-led by marquee tech and private equity investors Prosus Ventures (Naspers), Warburg Pincus. There was participation from Alteria Capital and existing investors LOccitane, Bessemer Venture Partners, Strides Ventures, Amazon, Ascent Capital and the Mankekar Family Office. The Mumbai-based firm has been valued at $1.2 billion in the latest round of funding, up from $310 million in the previous round, making it the newest member of the coveted unicorn club. It is the 35th startup to achieve unicorn status in 2021 alone and the first direct-to-consumer (DTC) beauty and personal care company to reach such status in the country. You are going to see the Good Glamm Group emerge as one of the largest FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) conglomerates from this part of the world. That is our vision, said Darpan Sanghvi, Group founder and CEO, Good Glamm Group. This Series D investment, the arrival of Prosus and Warburg and our entry into the unicorn club, all of this just gives us a great foundation to fulfil that vision. I think there is an opportunity to build a $10 billion FMCG conglomerate out of India. Today marks the beginning of that journey. The Good Glamm Group comprises a portfolio of proprietary beauty and personal care brands that are powered by a digital ecosystem of content, community and creator assets. The firm will be utilising its latest to invest in product development, support data science and technology research, increase offline expansion and fund working capital requirements. The Group will also continue to make investments in more beauty and personal care brands. The is also expected to help the company compete with traditional players and new-age beauty platforms such as Sugar, Nykaa, Plum, Purplle and Wow Skin Science. According to data platform Statista, Indias BPC (beauty and personal care) market, estimated at $25.9 billion in 2020, is projected to reach $32.7 billion by 2023, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1 per cent. Priyanka Gill, co-founder, Good Glamm Group, said the company has been growing 8X year-over-year. She said half of this growth is organic and the other half is inorganic. We are at a $120 million revenue run rate (annual recurring revenue or ARR) right now and expect to cross $250 million revenue run rate by March 2022, said Priyanka Gill, co-founder, Good Glamm Group. Also offline (business growth) has doubled for us from last year. brands owned by the Good Glamm Group include MyGlamm (cosmetics), MomsCo ( mother and baby), POPxo (cosmetics for tweens) and Baby Chakra ( baby products co-created with mothers). POPxo is the largest female content platform with 88 million users and ScoopWhoop is the largest male content platform with 100 million users. BabyChakra is a leading parenting platform with 20 million mothers and a network of 10,000 doctors) and Plixxo is a leading creator and influencer management platform with 220,000 influencers onboarded. There are over 220,000 influencers who are part of the Good Glamm Group and they are growing, said Gill. That's the sales and volume driver for us today. This is an India first concept for the world as the content to commerce strategy (playout) in the beauty and personal care category at this level has not happened before. This unparalleled digital reach, combined with over 30,000 offline retail points of sale of the Groups flagship beauty brand, MyGlamm, gives all the brands under the Good Glamm Group an unprecedented opportunity to scale both online and offline. About 25 per cent of the Group's revenues actually come from offline. So, we're actually where the consumer is. This is very unique when you talk about other brands in the ecosystem. I think we're one of the few brands who have been able to scale up our offline and online (presence) with such a magnitude, said Naiyya Saggi, co-founder, Good Glamm Group. About 60 per cent of our consumers come from tier-2, tier-3 and tier-4 (cities and towns). So the aspiration is universal. You are seeing the millennials and Gen Z coming online and having these conversations on beauty and personal care, in a very unprecedented way. This is further amplified by the Groups deep expertise in DTC growth, new product development and technology and data science. Access to these value engines are attracting Indias leading new age, innovative and fast-growing beauty and personal care brands to join the Good Glamm Group. Towards this, the Group has already made acquisitions and investments worth $270 million to date. With a strong portfolio of D2C brands and proprietary content assets, the Group is well-positioned to scale rapidly and create a large digital-first business in the beauty and personal care space, said Vishal Mahadevia, managing director and India Head at Warburg Pincus, about its investment in Good Glamm Group. Ashutosh Sharma, head of Investments, India, Prosus Ventures said the funding marks the organisations first investment in the DTC category. The Good Glamm team has paired desirable, homegrown brands with compelling content, building an incredibly engaged community and positioning them well for future growth in India and beyond, said Sharma. on Tuesday reported a seven-fold rise in consolidated profit after tax (PAT) to Rs 67.53 crore for the quarter ended September. The company had posted a consolidated profit after tax and share of profit of JV/Associates of Rs 9.12 crore in the year-ago period, said in a BSE filing. Revenue from operation during the July-September period increased to Rs 464.46 crore as compared to Rs 294.67 crore in the year-ago period, the filing said. The profit after tax was Rs 67.53 crore during the current quarter as compared to Rs 9.20 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, the company said. "...the revenue from operations of Rs 464.46 crore were 25 per cent and 58 per cent higher respectively compared to that of corresponding period of the last year," it said. Ltd (HCL) also celebrated its 54th Foundation Day on November 9. HCL Chairman and Managing Director Arun Kumar Shukla on the occasion said growth prospect of HCL is tremendous. "With Copper in limelight, it is time to seize the opportunity and strive hard to create value for our stakeholders," he asserted. To encourage copper usage and improve livelihoods of the metal craftsmen, HCL has decided to promote micro enterprises at its mining units. (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.) Meta, the recently rebranded parent company of Facebook, said Tuesday it has strengthened its commitment to small businesses in India by launching the inaugural edition of the Grow Your Business Summit, an event focused on the growth agenda of the countrys small and medium businesses (SMBs). The summit saw emerging and small businesses from distinct verticals, and from across the country, including small towns and rural India, attend the event and share their stories of how they transformed their business using digital technologies and Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Meta also announced the launch of "Grow Your Business Hub", a one-stop destination for the micro, small, and medium businesses to find relevant information, tools, and resources curated to cater to their business goals based on their growth stage. Small businesses are the engines of growth for Indias economy, and the role of Meta is more important than ever in unlocking growth opportunities for them as many of them move online and use digital to grow. From curated and customized business skilling programmes to launching initiatives that enable working capital for small businesses, we have been building for the growth of Indias with a localized, India-first approach," said Sandeep Bhushan, Director and Head, Global Marketing Solutions, India. One way Meta benefits from more joining its platforms is building a healthy ecosystem and consumer engagement. "The other of course is, some of these businesses advertise, and that's our revenue. So on both sides, it creates consumer engagement and its revenue for us," said Bhushan. Some of the small businesses that were showcased at the event are skincare products brand Juicy Chemistry from Coimbatore, Two Brothers Organic Farms from Bhodani, Maharashtra, and Phool from Kanpur, which makes products like incense sticks from floral temple waste. Globally, more than 300 million active users have liked or are following an active small business page on in India, the firm said at the event launch. Over the past three months, people in India have created more than 1.2 million posts and comments on Instagram to show their support for small businesses and buying local. Some of the most popular hashtags related to small and local businesses in India are #fashion, #vocalforlocal, and #onlineshopping. Over the past 90 days, #smallbusiness has been mentioned over 1.4 million times on Instagram, while #smallbusinessindia has been mentioned over half-a-million times and #vocalforlocal over 400,000 times respectively. More than half-a-million Indian small businesses on Instagram are listing WhatsApp, phone number, or email in their bio, or encouraging potential customers to contact them directly via direct messages, helping them to connect directly with their customers. Over 45,000 small businesses in India are using Instagram to reach out to international customers by announcing worldwide shipping in their bios. This shows the emerging trend of even small businesses being able to expand their business outside of India. Social commerce businesses like Meesho and others also help small businesses reach a wider audience through and its apps. Bhushan said are free to decide how and which Meta platform they want to use and how. For instance, last year, Maruti said its dealers, most of whom are small businesses,used hyperlocal ads for lead generation during the pandemic. In India, 434 million people access Facebook every month. Of these, 265 million people access Facebook every day. More than 200 million businesses, mostly small businesses use Meta's tools to connect with customers. Of the 200 million, a significant share of these are in India. More than 15 million WhatsApp for Business app users are based in India. Globally, the company has more than 10 million active advertisers across its services. M&M Q2 standalone net surges over 8-fold to Rs 1,432 cr; revenue rises 15% Homegrown auto major (M&M) on Tuesday reported an over eight-fold increase in its standalone profit after tax (PAT) at Rs 1,432 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2021, riding on the back of robust sales. The Mumbai-based company had posted a standalone PAT of Rs 162 crore in the July-September period of previous fiscal. Read more IPO half covered on Day-2 on interest from retail investors The by parent One97 Communications was subscribed nearly 48 per cent at 4 pm on Tuesday the second day of the issue. The company is eyeing bids worth at least Rs 5,000 crore on the final day. While most of the bids in any IPO come on the final day, the response so far is nevertheless subdued, said market watchers. Read more RBI lifts restrictions on Diners Club, allows onboarding of fresh customers The (RBI) on Tuesday lifted its restrictions on credit card issuer Diners Club International, allowing it to onboard fresh customers, in view of the satisfactory compliance of RBI norms on local data storage as stipulated by the central bank. The RBI had barred Diners Club from onboarding fresh customers from May 1, through an order on April 23, and said the restrictions would remain in place till the card issuer met RBI norms on local data storage. Read more market cap hits $3 trn mark for 1st time, on fire The global market has hit the $3 trillion mark for the first time, taking and Ethereum values to an all-time high. and Ether created a new all-time high of $68,641.57 and $4,857.25 on Tuesday. Read more Tyre maker on Tuesday reported 53.99 per cent decline in consolidated net profit at Rs 189.06 crore for the second quarter ended September 30, 2021. The company had posted a net profit of Rs 410.92 crore in July-September period of the previous fiscal year. Revenue from operations rose to Rs 4,907.81 crore in the second quarter as compared with Rs 4,244.43 crore in the year-ago period, said in a regulatory filing. The company said its board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 3 per equity share (30 per cent) for the financial year ending March 31, 2022. The interim dividend will be paid on or after December 3, 2021, it added. The company's shares were trading 1.79 per cent down at Rs 78,427.25 apiece on the BSE. (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.) Ninety-six countries have agreed to mutual recognition of COVID-19 certificates with India, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. The government continues to be in communication with the rest of the world so that beneficiaries of the world's largest COVID-19 programme are accepted and recognised, thereby easing travel for education, business and tourism purposes, Mandaviya said in a statement. "At present, 96 countries have agreed to mutual recognition of certificates and also those who recognise Indian vaccination certificates of travellers fully vaccinated with Covishield/WHO approved/nationally approved Covid vaccines," Mandaviya stated. Consecutively, persons travelling from these countries are provided certain relaxations as enunciated in the Union Health Ministry's guidelines on international arrivals issued on October 20, 2021. For those who wish to travel abroad, the international travel vaccination certificate can also be downloaded from the CoWIN portal, the ministry said. Among the 96 countries are Canada, the US, the UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain, Bangladesh, Mali, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Angola, Nigeria, Benin, Chad, Hungary, Serbia, Poland, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece, Finland, Estonia, Romania, Moldova, Albania, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Sweden, Austria, Montenegro, and Iceland. Eswatini, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Malawi, Botswana, Namibia, Kyrgyz Republic, Belarus, Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Georgia, Andorra, Kuwait, Oman, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Maldives, Comoros, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Peru, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Brazil have also agreed to mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates with India. Guyana, Antigua & Barbuda, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Columbia, Trinidad & Tobago, Commonwealth of Dominica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Nepal, Iran, Lebanon, State of Palestine, Syria, South Sudan, Tunisia, Sudan, Egypt, Australia, Mongolia, and Philippines are the other countries. "The Ministry of Health along with the Ministry of External Affairs is in continuous communication with all countries for mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, and WHO and nationally approved vaccines to facilitate hassle-free international travel across countries," the minister said. "The Union government's commitment to accelerate the pace and expanding the scope of COVID-19 vaccination throughout the country has resulted in crossing the 100 crore milestone in administration of doses on October 21, 2021," he stated. The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country so far under the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive has exceeded 109.08 crore. (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.) Samajwadi Party president on Tuesday hit out at the over the Supreme Court's observations on the probe into the Lakhimpur Kheri case, charging that the saffron party decides whom to implicate and where to take the investigation. He also charged that the BJP's three engines -- Delhi engine, Lucknow engine and Lakhimpur engine -- are destroying law and order in The Supreme Court on Monday suggested that a former judge of a different high court should monitor the SIT probe on day-to-day basis in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case to infuse "independence, impartiality and fairness, saying the investigation was not going the way it expected Yadav said there is no hope of justice in the Lakhimpur case till the is in power in the state "The Supreme Court is saying that efforts are being made to save the accused in the Lakhimpur case. The courts have raised questions on the law and order of the state many times in the past. Why is the government not accepting the matter of monitoring of probe? We are already saying that as long as the is in government here, there is no hope of justice in this case," he told a press conference. "Three engines of BJP are destroying law and order. First is the Delhi engine, then the Lucknow engine and Lakhimpur engine," Yadav said while pointing fingers at the Centre, State and Union Minister of state Ajay Mishra whose son Ashish Mishra is named as an accused in the case. "The Minister of State for Home (Ajay Mishra), whose son was arrested in this case, has not been sacked yet," the former chief minister said, adding that the Supreme Court has raised questions on the SIT. "BJP decides whom to implicate, whom to follow, where to take the investigation. When will the SIT finally itself be probed?," he said. Four farmers were mowed down by an SUV in the convoy at Lakhimpur Kheri when a group agitating against the Centre's three new farm laws was holding a demonstration against the visit of Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on October 3. Two BJP workers and a driver were beaten to death allegedly by the angry protesters, and a local journalist was killed in the violence Regarding Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's allegation of patronising of crime and criminals in the previous SP government, the SP chief said, "Which chief minister is speaking this after all. He should tell what sections were imposed on him, which he himself withdrew after becoming the CM". Referring to the demonetisation carried out by the BJP government at the Centre in November 2016, Yadav said that despite so many years of this decision, the BJP was not telling what benefits it has given "What was called a masterstroke turned out to be a brain stroke. It was done deliberately to harass the public," he alleged. Yadav said after demonetisation, the assurance was given that black money stashed in foreign banks will be bought back. "There was talk of ending corruption but corruption has increased on a large-scale. BJP's wrong policies are responsible for the plight of the economy," he said. Alleging that a large number of youths, traders and farmers have committed suicide due to demonetisation, he said, "Does the government have any answer for this? This government did demonetisation to benefit big people. Today more cash has come in the market than it was in circulation earlier. BJP is master in doing propaganda". Referring to Rakesh Pratap Singh, two-time MLA from Gauriganj seat, who is on a fast to protest against non-construction of two roads in his constituency, Yadav said, "One of our MLAs is on dharna. There is an appeal to him that to end the hunger strike against the 'deaf and blind' government. I appeal you to end the dharna and get healthy and fight with this government." He said that Leader of the Opposition Ram Govind Choudhary would visit Singh and persuade him to end his fast. Singh, who was fasting to death in the capital, was forcibly admitted to Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital by the police on Friday after his health deteriorated. During the press conference, birthday of a boy, who was born in a bank queue in Kanpur after demonetisation, was celebrated with party leaders giving him gifts. (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.) Amit Mitra, whose tenure as finance minister ended, has been appointed Principal Chief Advisor to Chief Minister and finance department of Mitra will hold the rank of a cabinet minister of the state, a notification on Tuesday said. According to a government notification, he will advise and aid the Chief Minister and finance department on all matters relating to management of state finance. His responsibilities will also include representing the state government on and international events/meetings /committees as per the desire of the state government. He will also examine important proposals/files and policy issues relating to all financial matters which are referred to him for advice/views. The finance department is likely to be retained by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Chandrima Bhattacharya is likely to take charge as MoS finance, government sources indicated. Mitra did not contest the assembly elections held in April-May and, like Banerjee, who lost in Nandigram by a narrow margin, had to be re-elected as an MLA to continue in office. That window closed on Tuesday. Questions about his continuance in office started surfacing around February when Banerjee presented the budget in the assembly. Mitra stayed away from the assembly on health grounds, but later fielded questions on the budget at a virtual press conference. Post-elections, too, the budget was tabled by industry minister, Partha Chatterjee. A PhD in economics from Duke University, USA, it is well known in business and political circles that there is hardly anyone in the Trinamool who can replace Mitra. According to sources, the party had reached out to other economists, but that did not yield success. A two-time MLA from Khardah, near Kolkata, Mitra has been with the Trinamool since it came to power in in 2011. In fact, Mitras association with Banerjee goes back to 2009 when she was Railways minister at the Centre. In the last 10 years, however, Mitra has walked a tightrope between debt repayment and budgeting for social and welfare schemes that have been largely credited for the win of his party. The governments social service expenditure stood at around 50 per cent in the last budget. Mitra who has been advocating demand side stimulation especially during Covid-19 pandemic believes that the various schemes have put money in the hands of people. Mitras performance as the finance minister had got him the industry portfolio in 2013. In 2018, he was also given charge of information technology. He held the two portfolios till the elections. But perhaps, his biggest achievement was to increase the states tax collection on the back of better administration and e-governance. In 2010-2011, state tax collection had stood at Rs 21,128.74 crore and is estimated to increase to Rs 75,416 crore in 2021-2022. Even as his tenure as finance minister comes to an end, from the notification it is clear that he will continue to play an important role in the Banerjee government. Army Chief Gen MM Naravane on Tuesday held extensive talks with his Nepalese counterpart Gen Prabhu Ram Sharma, focusing on ways to expand bilateral military cooperation in the backdrop of evolving security scenario in the region. Gen Sharma's four-day visit to India comes amid increasing concerns over the possible impact of the Taliban's takeover of Afghanistan on the regional security scenario. Officials said Gen Naravane and Gen Sharma exchanged views on further strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries besides deliberating on the regional security scenario. Ahead of the talks, the Nepalese Army Chief laid a wreath at the War Memorial. He was also given a Guard of Honour at the South Block lawns. Gen Sharma called on Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and discussed a range of issues relating to bilateral defence cooperation, the officials said. is important for India in the context of its overall strategic interests in the region, and leaders of the two countries have often noted the age-old "Roti Beti" relationship. Land-locked relies heavily on India for the transportation of goods and services. Nepal's access to the sea is through India, and it imports a predominant proportion of its requirements from and through India. Gen Naravane had visited Kathmandu in November last year during which he held extensive talks with the top civilian and military brass of (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 day after the death of four infants in fire at a hospital in Bhopal, Chief Minister on Tuesday ordered for the fire safety audit of all government and private in the state. The chief minister said the fire at the hospital in the state capital on Monday was a result of "criminal negligence", and the guilty will not be spared. It was our (government's) responsibility to save these children as they were under our protection. This is a serious incident," he said addressing state ministers and government officials before the cabinet meeting. "This is criminal negligence. Whoever is guilty will not be sparedwe need to prevent such unfortunate incidents in future. All necessary arrangements should be made to avoid such incidents, he said. The CM also said fire safety was now more important as oxygen plants and their supply lines were installed at various in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. A major fire broke out on Monday in the special newborn care unit (SNCU) located on the third floor of the government-run Kamla Nehru Children's Hospital building here, killing four infants. I had directed earlier also to conduct the fire safety audit of Now, I am telling the chief secretary to submit a report about in which hospitals fire safety audit was conducted and which were left out, Chouhan said before the state cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Chouhan also ordered for the fire safety audit of all government and private hospitals of the state again to prevent such incidents in future. He praised state Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang, who immediately rushed to the hospital here after the blaze on Monday and took care of the relief works. The doctors, nurses, ward boys and other people who saved 36 infants by putting their lives in danger will be feliciated, the CM said. Chouhan also said he was keen to visit the spot on Monday night, but "I was stopped so that the relief work could go on smoothly". The CM said he was issuing directives to the officials throughout the night and taking stock of the situation. After the fire in the hospital here on Monday, Chouhan had ordered a high-level probe into it, to be conducted by Additional Chief Secretary, health and medical education, Mohammad Suleiman. Meanwhile, state Urban Administration Minister Bhupendra Singh, who is in-charge minister of district, also visited the fire-hit hospital here on Tuesday along with Sarang. A big tragedy was averted as the infants were timely shifted to another place. At present, we have information of four deaths. The inquiry will reveal what led to their deaths. This is a sad incident and measures are being taken to avoid such incidents in future, Singh said. According to Sarang, a total of 40 children were admitted to the SNCU of the Kamla Nehru Children's Hospital. Out of them, 36 were undergoing treatment in different wards, he said. Four children died in the fire that broke out probably due to a short circuit, he said. The chief minister earlier announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the family members of the victims. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid a spike in targeted civilian killings by terrorists in Kashmir, over 5,500 additional central armed police forces (CAPFs) personnel have been sent to the Valley, officials said on Tuesday. The fresh companies were moved into the valley as part of the strategy of "enhancing security and visibility" of the forces on the ground following the killings, they said. The Union home ministry had last month directed that about 55 fresh companies of the central forces should be deployed in the Kashmir valley in the wake of targeted killings of civilians, the officials said. The last five companies of this lot will be in position by next week, they said. While 25 of these companies are drawn from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the rest belong to the Border Security Force (BSF). A CAPF company has about 100 personnel. The CRPF is extensively deployed in for law and order and counter-terrorism duties with around 60 battalions, comprising about 1,000 personnel each, based in Kashmir as regular deployment in the summer capital of Srinagar and other parts of the valley. The BSF guards the India-Pakistan Line of Control (LoC) under the operational command of the army and some of its units are deployed for law and order duties in the towns too. New bunkers have emerged in the valley as people were being frisked and vehicles scanned by the central and state police personnel. Even women CRPF personnel have been deployed in areas around Lal Chowk for frisking females. At least 14 people have lost their lives since October 1 in shootings that targeted civilians in Five of those killed were labourers from Bihar, while three, including two teachers, belonged to minority communities in Kashmir. Officials said a total of 112 terrorists were killed and 135 apprehended in the Union Territory this year by the CRPF and other security forces during joint operations. (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.) Coming down heavily on the state government for its unpreparedness in handling and water shortage in Chennai, the (HC) on Tuesday said that it may take up suo motu the case against Greater Corporation if waterlogging does not improve by the end of the week. For half the year we are made to cry for water. The other half, we are made to die in it, observed the Madras HC, while hearing a public interest litigation for directing the state government to maintain adequate width for roads. The courts scathing view comes at a time when rainfall-related incidents have claimed five lives so far. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has sounded a red alert in the state for the next two days. The IMD has warned that due to a low pressure area over Bay of Bengal, light to moderate rainfall is expected in most places in the state; other areas could receive heavy to extremely heavy showers. The current have damaged 538 huts and inundated several homes. The court also said the Corporation should have learnt its lesson from the 2015 that wreaked havoc in the area (500 people had died in and Andhra Pradesh). Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P D Audikesavalu, who were part of the hearing, also pointed out that the encroachment of water bodies was a major reason for the flood situation. authorities dont seem to learn lessons from the past. floods are yet another testimony of human-induced climate change ravaging lives and livelihoods. The Council on Energy, Environment and Waters (CEEWs) recently released Climate Vulnerability Index ranks Chennai as one of the most climate-vulnerable districts. Flawed urban planning and large-scale destruction of natural ecosystems like mangroves and wetlands have compounded the impact of these extreme rainfall events, said Abinash Mohanty, programme lead, CEEW. Enhancing community action with impact-based public warning, restoring natural ecosystems across sensitive zones, and a renewed focus on risk-financing can build local resilience and avert the extent of loss and damage, added Mohanty. According to a study by Anna University, the main reason for groundwater shortage in Chennai was due to a decline in water bodies by 75 per cent from 12.6 square (sq.) kilometre (km) in 1893 to 3.2 sq. km in 2017. (UGC) chairman Prof Dhirendra Pal Singh on Tuesday said the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the implementation of the New Education Policy 2020 (NEP), and if the situation in the country had been normal, it would have been implemented at a faster pace. The Centre had announced the new NEP on July 29, 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Speaking to reporters here, Singh said due to the lockdown, academicians got a lot of time to discuss the new policy. The timing of the new NEP's announcement was good. However, the pandemic has affected its implementation. If the situation had been normal, then it would have been implemented at a faster pace, Singh said. The Centre has been interacting with the state governments and vice-chancellors of universities, and efforts are on to constitute regulatory mechanisms at different levels in this regard, the UGC chairman said. Some of the activities related to the NEP have already commenced from the current academic year, Singh said, adding that arrangements are being made to ensure that the policy gets implemented in the entire country from the July 2022 academic session. Earlier, Singh has delivered a lecture on the topic Changing face of education in Independent India in context with the new education policy, organised jointly by the English daily Free Press and Devi Ahilya Vishwa Vidayalaya (DAVV). The NEP will not only connect students with their cultural roots, but will also inspire them to become the world's best citizens, Singh said. The NEP is a unique amalgamation of the ancient cultural values and the modern knowledge and science, he added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The countrys responded very well to the Covid pandemic which has led to an increased dependence and trust of global corporations in it, Infosys co-founder and former CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan said at the curtain-raiser of the Tech Summit 2021 (BTS 2021) on Tuesday. The summit will be held from November 17 to November 19 in the city and will see thought leaders of information technology, biotechnology and the startup sector deliberate on the future of these sectors. India will of course become a $5 trillion and it is just a question of when. Karnataka has a very important role to play in this as it is the technology and innovation centre of the country, added Gopalakrishnan. Nobel laureate Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, World Economic Forum founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab, Bookmyshow founder and CEO Ashish Hemrajani, and top executives from Intel, Tesco, Kyndryll, among others will speak at the hybrid event. Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw said We are at a stage when the worst of the Covid pandemic is behind us and what the pandemic has done is that it has unleashed innovation. This year's theme of driving the next is very relevant and points to what we need to do as an economy. Over the years we have showcased the best of what and Karnataka at the summit. BTS 2021, organised by the Karnataka government, is in its 24th year currently. One of the aims of the summit is to highlight Mysuru, Hubli and Mangalore as upcoming centres for technology startups. BV Naidu, chairman of Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, said: We need to bridge the gap between and other areas in the state in terms of tech innovation. I have been telling businesses that you have already established a hub in the capital city and now it is time to build the spokes. Ganesh Krishnan, founder and managing director of healthtech start-up Portea Medical, said that startups have the responsibility now to emulate what the likes of Biocon and Infosys did for the country 2-3 decades back in terms of employment generation. We have to seize the opportunity, he said. Steel, cement and fertilisers are all major exports of developing countries, and their production is highly polluting. Should rich countries impose a carbon border tax to penalise emissions by these industries in developing countries, hopefully encouraging them to adopt greener technologies? Or will it merely impose a cost on developing countries and leave them stranded without the money or technology to green these industries? Questions such as these are being debated at the ongoing 26th Conference of Parties, where world leaders are negotiating on rules on carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. These rules would put a price on carbon emissions and allow international sales of carbon credits. A carbon border tax is one of the tools of carbon pricing that developed countries have suggested. But unless rich countries help developing economies like India access the funds and technology needed to transition to clean alternatives, a carbon border tax penalising the export of carbon-intensive products such as steel and cement would be unfair, say experts. It would impact growth and employment opportunities in developing countries, they point out. Decarbonising international trade Why did decarbonising of global trade become imperative? Around 27% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2015 were linked to international trade, according to an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) paper published in 2020. These emissions are concentrated in exports from seven industries--mining and extraction of energy producing products; textiles and apparel products; chemicals and non-metallic mineral products; computers, electronic and electrical equipment; machinery and equipment; and motor vehicles. There are already carbon taxes on domestically manufactured goods. The European Union (EU), for instance, has an Emissions Trading System (ETS) where it caps greenhouse gas emissions for industrial units and those that fail to cap their emissions can buy "allowances" from those who have made deeper cuts. However, domestic differs between EU countries. For instance, Sweden's costs about $137 (Rs 10,191) per metric tonne of carbon dioxide while Switzerland charges $101 (Rs 7,521). 'Burdening poor countries' The is a fee imposed on burning of carbon-based fuels while producing a product. When a country sells carbon-intensive products, these are taxed at the border of the importing country. In July 2021, the EU imposed a border tax on imports of carbon-intensive products as part of its strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. But the move drew criticism from India, Brazil, South Africa and China for being "discriminatory". The EU is India's third largest trading partner and accounted for 62.8 billion ($74.5 billion) worth of trade in goods in 2020, or 11.1% of India's total global trade. By increasing the prices of Indian-made goods in the EU, this tax would make Indian goods less attractive for buyers and could shrink demand, we reported in July 2021. The idea of a carbon border tax imposed by developed countries was criticised in October 2021 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development for potentially burdening developing economies that still depend heavily on coal, limiting their exports and constraining their budget for climate action. If imposed, taxed countries could face a substantial loss of revenue from tariffs imposed on exports, lose their competitive edge and be forced to remain net importers with poor production capacity, stated the report. In 2019, export tariff revenues earned by developing countries amounted to $15 billion. Pros of carbon tax Domestic carbon tax, as opposed to one imposed at the global level, has a problem as the EU experience has shown. It leads to carbon leakage: This means that given how expensive it is for some businesses to operate within the EU, they relocate to countries with more relaxed emission limits. It was to deal with this that the EU suggested the extension of the carbon tax to cross-border trade because this would allow countries to hold on to their competitive edge. The strength of a carbon border tax is its potential ability to shift the burden for mitigating the damage caused by to market players who are actually responsible for it, according to the World Bank. It would encourage producers to adopt clean technologies and market innovation. The carbon tax can also help deal with the complications created by the difference between produced and consumed emissions in an interconnected global economy, said Aman Srivastava, fellow at the Centre for Policy Research. The tax would pinpoint the exact origin of the emissions and reduce instances of exported emissions. Cons of a carbon border tax The carbon border tax expects developing countries to stick to the environmental standards set by developed countries and this violates the principle of 'common but differentiated responsibility' (CBDR) in the Paris Agreement, said the October 2021 UNCTAD report. The principle acknowledges and compensates for the fact that wealthy nations have historically emitted far more carbon than poorer nations, who also suffer far more from the impacts of climate crises. For developing countries, a carbon trade tax has several pitfalls, as we said earlier. In countries whose economic structures depend on energy-intensive activities, as is the case with major steel and cement exporters, competitive disadvantages in international markets could result in job losses, according to the July 2021 UNCTAD report. The report analysed the implications of Europe's carbon border tax on developing countries. "With the EU's carbon border tax, countries, including developing countries, stand to be taxed for emissions that aren't even contributing to their own domestic consumption. It adds an element of unfairness, in addition to the trade and other climate equity concerns," said Srivastava of CPR. There are no protocols in place yet on how a carbon border tax would look like but they would need to take into consideration the needs of developing economies, said experts. "The developing world has already suffered from the failure of the rich countries to both reduce their emissions fast enough, and their failure to live up to their finance commitments," said Ashish Fernandes, chief executive officer at Climate Risk Horizons, a Bengaluru-based organisation working on the impact of the climate crisis on financial systems. "A carbon border tax that will hurt exports and employment in developing countries would be rubbing salt in the wound." As we reported in October, in 2009, developed countries had pledged to deliver to developing countries an annual climate fund of $100 billion by 2020. But only about 65% of the $100 billion promised has been delivered by developed countries on average between 2013 and 2019 and most of it in the form of expensive loans. Alternative approaches The one-size-fits-all approach would not be effective in carbon taxing, said Srivastava of CPR, adding that countries have different capabilities in dealing with competition. The October 2021 UNCTAD report has also suggested a differential approach for developing and developed countries that would be more equitable. This requires developed countries to make clean technology more accessible--doing away with intellectual property rights or patents on it, for instance, or providing financial support to help poor countries cover the incremental cost of sourcing it, the report said. Countries could also develop a carrot-and-stick carbon tax system, said Fernandes of Climate Risk Horizon. For instance, developed countries could set gradual emissions reduction targets on products imported from developing countries, based on which they could provide access to finance. New clean technologies like cheaper solar panels, green hydrogen technology and methods of extracting energy from ocean tides need to be prioritised for climate action because global emissions cannot be stabilised with existing technologies, say experts. In developed countries, where most technological developments occur, patents are used to incentivise innovation but these also end up making them unaffordable for poorer economies. For instance, green hydrogen based steel is already being developed by European companies like ArcelorMittal and Thyssenkrupp, we reported in September 2021. But, in India, the challenge is to make this transition economically competitive and commercially viable, we said. We reached out to the Ministry of Trade and Commerce for their comments on the EU's carbon tax on November 3. We will update when we receive a response. Toxic air enveloped Delhi for the fifth consecutive day, making it the most polluted city across the planet and prompting the authorities to hold an emergency meeting. The (AQI) of Delhi was at '372', in the 'very poor' category at 8 am, according to the state-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). Readings below 50 are considered safe, while anything above 300 is considered hazardous or 'severe'. Levels surged after people violated a ban on bursting firecrackers on Diwali last week and stubble burning by farmers spiked in areas adjoining Delhi. Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Monday said he will meet his advisors on Tuesday as he blamed stubble burning for the pollution. Many other places in north India recorded an AQI between 'very poor' and 'severe'. Delhi topped the list of the worlds ten most polluted cities, according to IQAir, a website which monitors air pollution. Mumbai and Kolkata were other Indian cities in the list. The toxic air pollution levels underline the risks faced by India as it discusses climate priorities at the global negotiations at the COP26 summit in Glasgow. Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledged last week that the worlds third-worst emitter will aim to reach net-zero by 2070. Air pollution costs Indian businesses $95 billion or roughly 3 per cent of its GDP every year, according to UK-based non-profit Clean Air Fund and the Confederation of Indian Industry, Bloomberg reported. Indians topped the list of holidaymakers in Sri Lanka in the month of October, officials here said on Tuesday, as the island nation is showing a gradual revitalisation of leisure tourism after being impacted by the pandemic. The total number of international tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka during October was 22,771. A modest improvement in the month of October can be noticed following the sharp contraction in arrivals after the month of April. This reflects the improvement in international arrivals owing to factors such as vaccination advances around the world, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority said. India, the UK, Pakistan, Russia and Germany were the top five international tourist generating during October, it said. India was the largest source of tourist visits to Sri Lanka with 37 per cent of the total traffic in October. The UK and Pakistan accounted for 10 per cent and 9 per cent of the total traffic respectively. As of October 31, a total number of 60,695 had visited Sri Lanka, this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Amidst raging debates continuing over the Mullaperiyar Dam, the LDF government on Tuesday made it clear that they are firm on their demand for a new reservoir considering the safety of the existing one and a Chief Minister level meeting would be held next month to arrive at a consensus with over the issue. Power Minister K Krishnankutty, who spoke on behalf of Water Resources Minister Roshy Augustine in the Assembly, said that has always put forward the suggestion for a new dam with an aim to ensure the safety of life and property of the people of the state. Water for and safety for was the state's motto in this regard, he said during question hour. For the construction of a new dam, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study should be conducted and the union ministry of environmental and forests had given conditional clearance for the Terms of Reference submitted by the state in this regard on November 14, 2018. "Based on that, an environmental impact assessment study is progressing," the minister said while answering a question raised by legislator Eldose P Kunnappillil (Congress). The minister admitted that the matter of the construction of a new dam was considered in various government and bureaucratic level meetings held between and "However, the meetings had failed to reach a consensus. A decision has been taken now to conduct a Chief Minister level meeting in December to resolve various issues regarding Mullaperiyar, including the construction of the new dam," Krishnankutty said. As per the existing rules and regulations, the clearance from the union ministry of environmental and forests, the permission of Tamil Nadu and the nod of the apex court are needed for the construction of the new dam in Mullaperiyar, the minister added. The decades-long issue came to the fore again in recent days after Kerala had issued an order granting permission to Tamil Nadu for felling 15 trees downstream of Baby Dam at Mullaperiyar reservoir. As the matter snowballed into a political controversy, the Kerala government froze the order, claiming that it was a bureaucratic level decision and the ministers had no knowledge about it. It also maintained that the Left government would never do anything against the interests of the state. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With several parts of Chennai continuing to be under water after Sunday's rains, affecting thousands of people, the Madras High Court on Tuesday warned the Greater Chennai Corporation that it would start a suo moto public interest litigation if the situation does not improve. Hearing a case, a division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice P.D. Audikesavalu asked counsel for the Chennai Corporation as to what the civic body was doing since 2015. It was in 2015, Chennai suffered its worst-ever floods, killing several hundreds and rendering several homeless and propertyless. The court pointed out that Tamil Nadu is not a backward state but a developed one and its state of affairs cannot be like this. It also said it would take suo moto case if the water logging situation does not improve, lamenting that for one half of the year, there is water scarcity and during the other half, there is flooding and people dying. --IANS vjv/d (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 book serves as a revisionist exploration of India's first and longest-serving prime minister and investigates the overlooked role of his contemporaries and opponents in shaping his political vision. "Nehru: The Debates that Defined India" is co-authored by Tripurdaman Singh and Adeel Hussain. Slated to release on Thursday, it claims to re-examine the "ideological contests through which the Nehruvian consensus - and modern India - was forged". "Looking at Nehru's debates with his contemporaries gives us an incisive glimpse of the man and his ideas. As the questions that Nehru and his contemporaries debated have now been reopened as political fault-lines in contemporary discourse, we thought it important to return to origins of these political and ideological conflicts," the authors told PTI. Going beyond the imposed labels of contemporary discourse, the book illuminates "four encounters" that Nehru had with contemporaries from across the political spectrum - Muhammad Iqbal, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Sardar Patel and Syama Prasad Mookerjee - that are "critical to understanding his ideas, and his long afterlife and impress on the present". "The shape these debates took represent critical junctures in Indian history that determined which way the pendulum of events would swing," they added. From being elected as Congress president in 1929 till his death in 1964, Nehru remained a towering figure in Indian politics, a man who left an indelible stamp on the history of South Asia. According to publisher HarperCollins India, the intellectually combative Nehru whom the readers would meet in this book voicing ideological disagreements, forging political alliances, moulding political opinion, offering visions of the future and staking out the political field was a key figure in the debates that defined India. "Nehru may no longer be alive to answer his critics today, but there was a time when he pitted himself vigorously against his opponents in the marketplace of ideas, debating the most profound questions in South Asian history and decisively influencing political events," it said in a statement. While Singh is the author of "Imperial Sovereignty and Local Politics" (2019) and much-acclaimed "Sixteen Stormy Days: The Story of the First Amendment to the Constitution of India" (2020), Hussain's next book "Law and Muslim Political Thought in Late Colonial North India" will release in 2022. (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.) Ahead of a regional security dialogue on Afghanistan, NSA and his Uzbek counterpart Victor Makhmudov on Tuesday held that the new Afghan regime should first seek legitimacy within that country before looking for international recognition, official sources said. Doval held separate bilateral talks with Makhmudov and Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, the secretary of Tajikistan's security council, with a broad focus on developments in including the looming humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country and the possible threat of terrorism from Afghan soil. Makhmudov and Mahmudzoda are in Delhi to attend the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on that will be chaired by Doval on Wednesday. India is hosting the dialogue to firm up a common approach for practical cooperation in confronting increasing threats of terrorism, radicalisation and drug trafficking following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. Apart from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on is also being attended by top security czars of Russia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan. China was invited to the dialogue but it has already communicated that it would be unable to attend it because of scheduling issues while Pakistan too decided to skip it. In their bilateral talks, Doval and Mahmudzoda had a detailed exchange of views on Afghanistan, with significant convergence of assessments, the sources said. They said concerns were expressed on the sharp increase in terrorist threats from Afghanistan in the recent past and that the Tajik side highlighted the gravity of the situation in Afghanistan. The looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan also figured in the talks. "On the bilateral side, discussions took place on deepening cooperation in areas like defence, border management and border infrastructure development," a source said. On Doval's talks with his Uzbek counterpart, the sources said Afghanistan was the major focus of discussions with both sides agreeing that the future of the country must be decided by the Afghan people. "They felt that the legitimacy of any Afghan government within Afghanistan was important before the issue of its international recognition," the source said. "Both sides emphasised the need for Afghanistan's neighbours to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan," it said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar too met Makhmudov. "Glad to receive Victor Makhmudov, Secretary of the Security Council of Uzbekistan. Appreciated the exchange of perspectives on Afghanistan. Noted the progress in our bilateral ties," Jaishankar tweeted. About the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue, sources said earlier that all the participating countries have a "very high degree of convergence" on the security implications of the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan and the focus of the deliberations will be to have cooperation on practical terms to deal with the challenge. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People breathe in up to 7,000 microplastic particles every day from clothes, toys and furnishings, revealed a research. The total is 100 times higher than expected -- posing a potential health threat that could rank alongside asbestos or tobacco, the Daily Mail reported. The study led by Portsmouth Hospitals Trust in the UK, used highly sensitive equipment to count tiny particles less than 10 microns in size -- just a tenth of the width of a human hair. Bedding, carpet and soft toys made from synthetic materials, as well as polyester and nylon could be major contributors, they found. Microplastics were dangerous because they did not break down, Professor Anoop Chauhan, a respiratory specialist with Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, was quoted as saying. "Having these particles in your body can cause stress and changes in metabolism, it can affect immunity, the ability to fight infections, it can affect your reproductive capacity and potentially it could be carcinogenic -- causing cancer," Chauhan said. The study was carried out at the home of a British reporter in Beckenham, south-east London. Up to 28 plastic particles were found every minute in children's bedroom compared with two a minute in the kitchen, the report said. The team found that when children play with soft toys, the family is likely to each breathe in between 2,000 and 7,000 microplastics a day. "Things in an occupational setting -- asbestos, coal or cigarette smoke or anything you inhale -- has dangers and microplastics are a hidden danger in people's homes," Chauhan said. "And this is the first study that highlights the level of these that we breathe in everyday life." He said microplastics did not degrade in the body leaving them to potentially cause inflammation and stress to cells. "To date, the bulk of research has centred around pollutants outside of the home such as car emissions, but as this initiative proves, it's essential we widen our focus on the dangers in our homes," Chauhan added. Very small microplastics that are less than 10 microns in size, such as those measured in the new study, can float in the air making them harder to count. --IANS rvt/arm (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 Tuesday accused the Modi government of trying to "cover-up" corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal and demanded a probe into it, asking why it did not investigate the role of a middleman despite recovering incriminating documents from him. The remarks came after French investigative portal Mediapart in fresh revelations alleged bogus invoices were used that enabled French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to pay at least 7.5 million euros in secret commissions to a middleman to help it secure the with India. The report claimed that commissions were paid between 2007 and 2012 for securing the with India. leader Rahul Gandhi told party leaders to not stop or be afraid of fighting against the "corrupt" central government as the truth was with them at every step. "When the truth is with you in every step, then what is there to worry about? My colleagues - keep fighting like this against the corrupt central government. Don't stop, don't get tired, don't be afraid," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, using the hashtag "#RafaleScam". Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera also alleged that the government has sacrificed security, jeopardised the interests of the Indian Air Force and caused loss worth thousands of crores of rupees to the state exchequer. French investigative journal Mediapart in fresh revelations in a report has exposed how middleman Sushen Gupta got hold of confidential documents belonging to the Indian Negotiating Team (INT) in 2015 from the ministry of defence and bribe was paid in lieu, he said. The documents detailed the stance of Indian negotiators during the final lap of negotiation and in particular how they calculated the price of the aircraft. This gave clear advantage to Dassault Aviation (Rafale), Khera claimed, citing the Mediapart report. "The 'operation cover-up' by the Modi government to bury the melting pot of corruption, kickbacks and collusion in the is once again exposed," he said. "The government undermined security, jeopardised the interests of the Indian Air Force and caused loss worth thousands of crores to our exchequer," Khera said at a press conference. Citing the French media report, the on Tuesday said the INC (Indian Congress) should be renamed as "I Need Commission" and alleged that the Congress' dissatisfaction with the cut that was offered was behind the failed negotiations when it was in power. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra launched a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi who has been alleging corruption in the purchase of the fighter aircraft by the Modi government, and accused him of spreading "canard, disinformation and lies". Patra also sought Rahul Gandhi's response to the fresh revelation by French investigative journal Mediapart, alleging that he should respond from Italy, since he is currently not in India as per reports. Congress leader K C Venugopal said the only answer to the charges is to conduct a inquiry into the Rafale issue. "If kickbacks have been given, then there has to be an inquiry. Why are you running away from the inquiry? It is very clear that there is a need for a inquiry for which we are asking the government," he said. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said despite all evidence, why did the government agencies not investigate corruption in Rafale. "Not just parts of the deal, the entire deal is suspect," he alleged. Khera alleged that a note of June 24, 2014, sent to Dassault by Gupta, offering a meeting with "the political high command" was also recovered and asked if such a meeting had taken place with the "high command" in the Modi government. He alleged that each revelation in the "murky affair in the last five years, every single allegation and each piece of the puzzle leads right up to the topmost leadership of the country- the prime minister's doorstep". The Congress leader asked whether it is not correct that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) recovered "secret defence ministry documents" from the middlemen in a raid conducted on March 26, 2019. "This is nothing short of endangering national security, sedition and a gross violation of Official's Secrets Act," he alleged. "Why did the ED not pursue this evidence further to investigate the scam? Why did the Modi government then not take action against Dassault, the political executive or the defence ministry officers who leaked the documents? Which 'Chowkidar' sold India's national secrets," Khera asked. "Why was the deletion of anti-corruption clauses approved by the prime minister and the Modi government in September 2016, despite the defence ministry's insistence upon including it in the inter-governmental agreement in July 2015," Khera asked. Khera claimed that on October 4, 2018, two former BJP Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and a senior lawyer submitted a complaint to the director of the CBI citing massive corruption in the Rafale deal. But, on October 23, 2018, CBI Director Alok Verma was removed in a "midnight coup" after the CBI headquarters was raided by the Delhi Police, Khera said, alleging that this was part of a concerted conspiracy to bury the Rafale ghost through the CBI. "Why has the Modi government and the CBI not acted upon the evidence of commission and corruption for the last 36 months? Why has it been buried? Why did the Modi government remove the CBI Chief in a midnight coup," the Congress leader asked. Khera said the Supreme Court has never said no to a JPC. "We have been demanding JPC. Now, we want this truth to come out... Why isn't the BJP asking for a JPC?" 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.) A fresh political war of words erupted on Tuesday over the issue as the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and the Congress went at it over a French media report with the former accusing the latter of taking commission and the latter responding with the allegation of a cover up. spokesperson Sambit Patra launched a scathing attack on Rahul Gandhi, who has consistently alleged corruption in the purchase of the fighter aircraft by the Modi government, accusing him of spreading canard, disinformation and lies and asked for his response on the French media report that claimed that commissions were paid between 2007 and 2012 for securing the deal with India. He said the Congress should change its name from Congress to I need commission party. The Congress highlighted the report's claim of the CBI and the ED having information in 2018 related to the secret commissions paid by French aviation firm Dassault to a middleman to ask why the Modi government did not initiate an investigation and accused it of a cover-up. The opposition party also renewed its demand of a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) and asked why the was not asking for it. While tweeting on the issue, Rahul Gandhi said: When the truth is with you in every step, then what is there to worry about? My Congress colleagues keep fighting like this against the corrupt central government. Don't stop, don't get tired, don't be afraid. Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal said that the only answer to the charges is to conduct a JPC inquiry into the issue. If kickbacks have been given, then there has to be an inquiry. It is very clear that there is a need for a JPC inquiry for which we are asking the government, he said. According to Mediaparts investigation, Dassault Aviation paid kickbacks to the tune of 7.5 million euros to an intermediary in Mauritius between 2007 and 2012. The Congress-led UPA was in power between 2004 and 2014. The report gave ample ammunition to launch an aggressive counter to the Congress attack. Corruptions address has been 10 Janpath, Patra alleged, referring to the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, and claimed that it has become homeless after the BJP came to power. However, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera claimed that on October 4, 2018, two former BJP Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie and a senior lawyer submitted a complaint to the director of the CBI citing massive corruption in the Rafale deal. But, on October 23, 2018, CBI Director Alok Verma was removed in a midnight coup, Khera said, alleging that this was part of a concerted conspiracy to bury the Rafale ghost through the CBI. Why has the Modi government and the CBI not acted upon the evidence of commission and corruption for the last 36 months? Why has it been buried? Why did the Modi government remove the CBI Chief in a midnight coup," the Congress leader enquired. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Mumbai crime branch on Tuesday told a local court that the Enforcement Directorate, which has sought custody of dismissed police officer Sachin Waze to record his statement in a PMLA case involving former home minister Anil Deshmukh, is "sabotaging" the investigation by the police and that Waze is just a "puppet" in the hands of the Central agency. After hearing the arguments of the ED and the crime branch, the court rejected the ED's plea. Waze was remanded in the custody of the crime branch till November 13 in connection with an extortion case registered at suburban Goregaon in Mumbai. The ED is probing a money laundering case based on the allegations levelled by former commissioner Param Bir Singh against the then home minister Anil Deshmukh. Waze is accused in that case. The ED recently arrested Deshmukh, who was remanded in the agency's custody till November 12. In its plea, the ED said they have recorded Deshmukh's statement which needs to be confronted with Waze. It is imperative to record the statement of Waze as early as possible under relevant provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on an urgent basis and make him confront the documents/evidence collected during the investigation, the ED told the court. However, special public prosecutor Shekhar Jagtap, appearing for the crime branch, argued that no person or agency can interfere in the investigation being conducted by a probe agency. The grounds mentioned in the ED's application don't show any urgency, he said. "The application for two hours or two days doesn't stand legally.... legally speaking it's not maintainable in any form," he said. "Our investigation is in progress. They (ED) are trying to sabotage our investigation...the so-called accused (Waze) is a puppet in their hands," Jagtap said. The ED had launched the investigation against Deshmukh and his associates after the CBI filed an FIR against the NCP leader on April 21 on the charge of corruption and the misuse of his official position. Deshmukh's private secretary Sanjeev Palande (an additional collector rank official) and his assistant Kundan Shinde were arrested by the ED. The agency earlier submitted its prosecution complaint (equivalent to a charge sheet) against the duo before a special court. (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.) To observe one year of the movement against the Centre's three agri laws, 500 farmers will participate in a peaceful tractor march to Parliament every day during Winter Session starting November 29, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha said on Tuesday. Farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been protesting against the laws, which were stayed by the Supreme Court in January, at the Delhi borders since November 26 last year. The SKM, an umbrella body of 40 farmer unions leading the stir, announced the tractor march after it held a meeting here. In a statement, the amalgam said that it will observe one year of the movement on and after November 26 in a massive way all over India. The SKM decided that from November 29 until the end of this Parliament session, 500 selected farmer volunteers will move every day to Parliament in tractor trollies peacefully and with full discipline, to assert their rights to protest in the capital, the statement said. This will be done to "'increase the pressure" on the central government "to force it to concede the demands for which farmers across the country have launched a historic struggle", it said. Earlier in March too, farmers had taken out foot march to Parliament to oppose the contentious three farm laws. On January 26, a tractor rally had turned violent with protesters breaking barricades, attacking security personnel and storming the Red Fort, where they hoisted a religious flag. The SKM statement said that on November 26, there will be huge mobilisations from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Rajasthan at all the Delhi borders All farm unions in the SKM will mobilise farmers in strength for this occasion. Huge public meetings will be held there (at borders) that day. Homage will be paid to more than 650 martyrs in this struggle so far, it said. The SKM has also called for massive mahapanchayats in state capitals on November 26. The Winter session of Parliament will begin on November 29 and go on till December 23rd. (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.) Britain said it would recognise Covid-19 vaccines on the World Health Organization's Emergency Use Listing. India's government is examining a proposal to tax the blockchain ecosystem. More on those stories in our top headlines this morning. India plans to tax blockchain ecosystem With the wide adoption of non-fungible tokens (NFT) in the country, the government is again examining the proposal to tax the blockchain ecosystem, which includes cryptocurrencies and such digital tokens. Read more. The Great Return to office begins in IT After a long Covid-induced hiatus, the information technology (IT) services sector is slowly opening up, with employees making a staggered return to their desks and executives travelling for in-person meetings with clients. Read more. UK to add India's Covaxin to approved vaccine list Britain said it would recognise Covid-19 vaccines on the World Health Organization's Emergency Use Listing later this month, adding India's Covaxin and China's Sinovac, Sinopharm to the country's approved list of vaccines for inbound travellers. Read more Bumper festive season for e-commerce firms The month-long festive season, which kicked in with Navratri on October 7 and concluded with Bhai Dooj on Saturday, has reinforced the widening gap between premium and less affluent consumers in India after the pandemic set in. Read more. Future moves SC in latest round in fight with Amazon The on Monday moved Supreme Court to appeal against a Delhi High Court, which had endorsed a Singapore arbitration panels decision to freeze the ~24,700 crore transaction with Reliance Retail. Read more. The government has said that India's Covaxin will be added to its list of approved COVID-19 vaccines for international travellers from November 22, meaning that those inoculated with the Bharat Biotech-manufactured jab will not have to self-isolate after arrival in England. The move follows the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Emergency Use Listing for Covaxin, which is the second most used formulation in India. Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, was added to the UK's approved list last month. "More good news for Indian travellers to the From 22 November travellers fully vaccinated with a COVID19 vaccine recognised by for Emergency Use Listing, including Covaxin, will not have to self-isolate; so joining those fully vaccinated with Covishield," Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said on Twitter on Monday. The changes will come into effect at 4 am on November 22. Besides Covaxin, China's Sinovac and Sinopharm, both on the Emergency Use Listing, will be recognised by the government as approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting fully vaccinated people from the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. These fully vaccinated passengers will not be required to take a pre-departure test, day-8 test or self-isolate upon arrival. "As we continue to recover from the pandemic and expand our recognition of international vaccines, today's announcements mark the next step in our restart of international travel," said UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. "The red list and quarantine system remain vital in protecting our borders and as we've said, we will not hesitate to take action by adding countries to the red list if necessary," UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. The UK government has also simplified the travel rules for all under-18s coming to England. They will now be treated as fully vaccinated at the border and will be exempt from self-isolation requirements on arrival, day-8 testing and pre-departure testing. They will only be required to take one post-arrival test and a confirmatory free PCR test if they test positive. (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.) minister Nawab Malik on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court the defamation suit filed against him by Dhyandev Wankhede, father of NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede, was only an attempt to cover-up the "illegalities" committed by the IRS officer and claimed none of his statements against them was false. Malik submitted an affidavit in the HC in response to the defamation suit filed by Dhyandev Wankhede, seeking damages to the tune of Rs 1.25 crore and also an order restraining the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader from making any false or incorrect statements against the Wankhede family that would defame or harm their reputation. The minister, in his affidavit, however, said none of the statements made by him was incorrect and that the evidence produced by him has in fact helped the government machinery take corrective steps against Sameer Wankhede, who had been handling some high-profile drugs case till recently, including the one in which Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan is an accused. Sameer Wankhede is facing vigilance inquiry and the Director of the (NCB) has transferred a total of six cases from its Mumbai unit headed by zonal director Sameer Wankhede to its unit in Delhi, the affidavit said. Thus, initiation of action against Sameer Wankhede shows the authenticity of evidence produced by the defendant (Malik), the NCP leader said, adding being a public representative he was only trying to expose the "illegalities" committed by Sameer Wankhede, a civil servant. The plaintiff (Dhyandev Wankhede), by filing the present suit, is trying to curtail the freedom of expression granted to the defendant under Article 19 of the Constitution of India, which the defendant uses for public good, the affidavit said. It added that the defamation suit was nothing but an attempt to cover up the "illegalities" committed by the plaintiff Dhyandev Wankhede's son Sameer Wankhede. Malik sought dismissal of the defamation suit and said it was not maintainable as the plaintiff was seeking reliefs not just for himself but also his family members. The NCP leader, who has levelled a series of allegations against Sameer Wankhede - ranging from forgery to lying about his religion - said the plaintiff cannot file a representative suit on behalf of his family members. The family members of the plaintiff have not initiated any legal proceedings controverting the evidence produced by the defendant (Malik), the affidavit said. The 62-year-old politician said he has not made any false statements and has produced documentary evidence to support his claims. In the circumstances, it is humbly submitted that the authenticity and admissibility of the evidence produced by the defendant can be decided only at the stage of trial, the affidavit said. It added that Dhyandev Wankhede has failed to produce any documentary evidence in support his claims in the suit that the statements made by Malik are incorrect. I (Malik) have produced the birth certificate of Sameer Wankhede, son of the plaintiff to show that Sameer Wankhede is a Muslim by birth and that he has secured a government job by falsely claiming to be from a Scheduled Caste, the affidavit said. It added that as per the birth certificate, which has been issued by the municipal corporation, the name of Sameer Wankhede's father is shown as Dawood Wankhede and religious identity as Muslim. I say that if the said birth certificate issued by the municipal corporation is false then it is for the plaintiff or Sameer Wankhede to take corrective steps and pursue it with the civic authorities. If the birth certificate is false then the plaintiff should have produced the correct birth certificate, the affidavit said. It further said the plaintiff has failed to show as to how the statements made by Malik were derogatory or defamatory. The minister further said several other persons, including a witness in the drugs-on-cruise case, have made allegations of attempts of extortion against Sameer Wankhede, a 2008-batch IRS officer. A vacation bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar is scheduled to hear the suit on Wednesday (November 10). The suit has sought an order declaring Malik's statements as defamatory in nature and a permanent injunction restraining the NCP leader from publishing or making statements before the media, including his social media accounts. The suit has stated that the statements by Malik that Wankhede is a Muslim amounted to questioning the religious beliefs of the family by disputing they are not Hindus. It claimed that Malik's statements caused an irreparable loss, damage, harm, prejudice to the name, character, reputation and societal image of the Wankhede family. The suit also sought directions to the state minister to take back all defamatory statements made by him so far and also to delete his tweets posted against the plaintiff and his family members. Sameer Wankhede had last month led a raid on a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast after which the NCB claimed to have seized drugs onboard. Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan and 19 others were later arrested in connection with the cruise drugs case. Some of the accused, including Aryan Khan, are currently out on bail. Malik has repeatedly termed the cruise drugs case as "fake" and levelled a string of allegations against the IRS officer, who has denied his charges. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA and Jal Board Vice Chairman on Tuesday said that the toxic foam found floating on the was a "gift" to from the governments in and While speaking to ANI, the AAP leader said that the BJP government in and should be blamed for the toxic foam in the "The foam in the Yamuna is at Okhla Barrage area, which comes under irrigation government, it's Uttar Pradesh government's responsibility. But like every year, they failed this year too. The polluted water is not Delhi's, it's a 'gift' to by Uttar Pradesh and government," said Chadha. The leader said that about 105 million gallons per day of MGD wastewater from the Yamuna in Haryana and about 50 MGD wastewater from the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh merged into Okhla Barrage and this water had industrial waste, untreated detergents and ammonia that led to the formation of the dirty frothing. He further said the AAP government had been writing to its counterpart in UP to use irrigation technology and bioculture method. "BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana should be blamed for this. Year after year we have written to Uttar Pradesh governments to use irrigation technology, bioculture method, but BJP governments did not pay any heed," the AAP leader added. Days after Delhi's air quality deteriorated post-Diwali, the in the national capital has been witnessing a thick layer of toxic foam. The capital's water supply has also remained affected since Saturday evening due to a rise in ammonia levels in the Yamuna. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) For several years Swiss Alps and beaches in Mauritius have lured Indian cinema makers. The locales have also become popular destinations for Indian holiday makers. Now to boost domestic tourism, the central government will encourage cinema makers to film in India. The government will frame a model film facilitation policy and also encourage states to set up film promotion offices to facilitate timely permissions for shoots. This is a part of a joint initiative by Information & Broadcasting and ministries. While the cost of shooting a film is lower in India than overseas, producers opt for foreign locales because of friendly policies and easier permissions. Fourteen states have their own film facilitation policy while 18 states give incentives to film makers. Speaking at an industry symposium on Monday, secretary (Information & Broadcasting ministry) Apurva Chandra said the central government is planning to come out with a draft model film policy based on some of the state policies. The draft model policy will be circulated with other states so that they too can adopt it. While incentives are important, ease of shooting and ease of clearances are more essential, he said. Since 2015 the Film Facilitation Officer under the National Film Development Corporation has facilitated 120 film makers from 27 countries to shoot in India, he added. Secretary (ministry of tourism) Arvind Singh said Most of the issues regarding approvals are localized and within the purview of state governments. Accordingly, there is a need for the state governments to consider establishing a film promotion office at the highest level which can coordinate with the various departments and institutions and get permissions processed in time. The film promotion office should also have the authority to intervene and sort out issues at the local level when required. The two ministries have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop synergies between film makers and sector and enable partnerships between Indian and global filmmakers. Over 450 of the worlds have committed to a new initiative at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference which is designed to decarbonise their investments. Overseen by former Bank of England supremo Mark Carney, the banks and other financial institutions signing up to Gfanz (the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero) are pledging to report annually on the linked to the projects they lend to. They are also aiming to provide trillions of dollars in green finance, while committing to net zero emissions across the board by 2050. Major signatories to the initiative, which was originally unveiled in April, include Citi, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America. While its very encouraging to see many of the worlds leading committing to sustainable lending, its hard not to feel apprehensive. It certainly isnt the first opportunity that they have had to decarbonise their loan books, and so far the results have not been impressive. In 2019, the UN General Assembly exuberantly launched its principles of responsible banking (PRBs) with similar goals in mind. The banks that signed up agreed, among other things, to work with their clients to encourage sustainable practices and to align their business strategy to the UN sustainable development goals and the Paris climate agreement. So far, many of the biggest in the world have not signed the PRBs, even though the principles have been the gold standard until now for committing to decarbonising lending. Leading signatories are also a long way from satisfying their requirements not to mention those of Gfanz. Greening finance Banks can contribute to solving the climate crisis from two angles: their lending and their investments. On the investment side, we saw a tipping point in 2020 when BlackRock, the largest asset manager in the world, announced that it would concentrate its investments on securities that were focused on sustainability. Lending is still in the nascent stages of its green transition, however. And since it is well accepted that it makes up the majority of corporate finance, this area is make or break for decarbonising the industry. Well over 200 international banks have signed the principles of responsible banking in the past two years, but, many of the biggest banks are not among them. Of the top ten banks (by market capitalisation), only Citi, Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), Bank of China and Agricultural Bank of China are signatories. A further six JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, China Construction Bank, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley and China Merchants Bank are not on the list. I should stress that being a signatory to the PRBs is a limited commitment. Signatories have four years to comply with the principles. Even then, everything is voluntary and non-binding, so signatories are not penalised or even named and shamed for failing to live up to the principles. To get a sense of the status quo, I looked at the lending practices of three major signatory banks Citi, ICBC and Japans MUFG for the years 2016-19. This covers the period directly after the Paris Agreement to the year the PRBs were signed. You might have expected banks that were serious about their commitments to have been cutting back on carbon-heavy lending in this period. I focused on banks lending to fossil fuels extraction, because data is readily available and because this is very much the top of the pyramid when it comes to I also compared three other major banks who are not signatories to the PRBs: Wells Fargo, JPMorgan Chase and HSBC. I found that Wells Fargo and JP Morgan were the worlds largest financiers of such companies during that period (though Wells Fargo dropped to third in 2020). Neither signed the PRBs, though both are now members of Gfanz. Both state in their annual reports that they are committed to the Paris climate agreement. Both did reduce their total fossil fuels lending each year from 2018 to 2020, by 57% and 23% respectively. Citi, meanwhile, was the third-biggest fossil fuel lender in 2016-19 despite being a signatory to the PRBs (and Gfanz), and reached second place in 2020. And MUFG and ICBC, who are also signatories to the PRBs, both grew their fossil-fuel lending over the period. MUFG is also a Gfanz member, though neither ICBC nor any of the other Chinese banks are part of the new initiative. Also note that HSBC was not a major lender to fossil fuel projects despite not being a signatory to the PRBs (though it too has signed up to Gfanz). Six banks and fossil-fuel finance 2016-19 From this, I see no discernible sign that the PRBs have so far made any difference to lending in this area. Despite the roar at the UN General Assembly, my worry is that this tiger is proving toothless and there is reason to fear that Gfanz will go the same way. The way forward When signatories to the PRBs are lending money, they are supposed to carry out environmental-impact assessments and to measure the greenhouse gas emissions of projects. This is not a minor issue considering that such work is beyond the traditional competences of banks and will significantly affect their operational costs. Signatories are also supposed to ensure that loans go to projects that are carbon neutral. This means that borrowers have to commit to mitigation actions that last for the whole life-cycle of the project. It is part of each signatorys obligation to ensure that such mitigation actions are carried out, by monitoring the project throughout its duration. Yet the suspicion is that very little of this is happening on the ground at present. To change this, we would probably need to move to a scheme by which the PRBs are compulsory and binding. Unfortunately, Gfanz does not look like that scheme. Though the annual reporting requirements on are a step forward, nothing in the initiative is mandatory either. It was also criticised in the weeks leading up to COP26 because the members refused to agree to end lending to fossil fuel projects this year. Instead they aim to halve their carbon emissions in a decade. My own view is that it wouldnt make sense to abruptly forbid lending to non-green projects now, since we need to avoid hitting hardest the banks that are traditionally most involved in carbon-heavy sectors. Instead, loan books need to be treated as a portfolio of projects in different tones of green, with a defined trajectory towards greener but it needs to be mandatory for signatories. Its a pity that Mark Carney and other banking leaders did not work towards strengthening the PRBs rather than come up with yet another initiative. I also worry that Gfanz muddies the waters by combining investing and lending rather than focusing purely on lending. We dont need more roaring; we need a tiger that actually has some teeth. We invited the banks referred to in the article to comment on their lending activities in this area. MUFG sent us links to its carbon neutrality declaration and environmental and social policy framework. JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, Citi and ICBC declined to comment. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. With the wide adoption of non-fungible tokens (NFT) in the country, the government is again examining the proposal to tax the blockchain ecosystem, which includes cryptocurrencies and such digital tokens. The use of NFTs has picked up at a large scale, with celebrities endorsing them and they have been been commercialised, an official said. Investment in cryptocurrencies has also increased lately and there is a need to tax them, he added. The tax department wants the framework to tax the use of blockchain for commercial purposes to be implemented even before the government brings ... The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Tuesday lifted its restrictions on credit card issuer Diners Club International, allowing it to onboard fresh customers, in view of the satisfactory compliance of norms on local data storage as stipulated by the central bank. had barred Diners Club from onboarding fresh from May 1, through an order on April 23, and said the restrictions would remain in place till the card issuer met norms on local data storage. On April 23, 2021, the central bank had barred Diners Club and American Express together from onboarding fresh Subsequently, it also barred Mastercard from on-boarding new from July 22 for non-compliance with its local data storage norms. The RBIs ban on American Express and Mastercard continues. There is no separate data available for how many cards Diners Club has in India, but it works through a collaboration model. In India, its primary partner is HDFC Bank. At the end of February, American Express had credit cards outstanding of 1.56 million and was the seventh-largest credit card issuer in the country. Its cards were used for transactions worth Rs 2,325 crore, according to the RBI data. Mastercard is the second largest credit card issuer in the country. SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) -Kaisa Group Holdings needs help to pay investors, workers and suppliers, the developer told a meeting of a Chinese government think-tank, banks and property firms, according to a source with direct knowledge of the matter. China's real estate sector has been hit by a liquidity squeeze, exacerbated by the troubles of Evergrande Group, the world's most indebted developer. That has resulted in offshore defaults, credit rating downgrades and sell-offs in some developers' shares and bonds in recent weeks. Underscoring the crunch, Fitch downgraded Kaisa on Tuesday, citing a deteriorating liquidity situation. The developer said separately it was trying to solve its liquidity problems, was consulting in wealth management products about better payment solutions and pleaded for more breathing space. "We sincerely ask to give Kaisa Group more time and patience," it said in a statement on its official WeChat account late on Monday. Earlier on Monday, Kaisa attended a meeting with the Development Research Center of the State Council, other developers and lenders in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, the source said. The think-tank makes policy proposals on China's national development and its economy, but is not a decision-making body. At the meeting, Shenzhen-based Kaisa urged state companies to help private firms improve liquidity through project acquisitions and strategic purchases, the source added. Participants at the meeting included Vanke, Ping An Bank, Citic Bank, China Construction Bank, CR Trust, Southern Asset Management and developer Excellence Group, according to the source. Kaisa, China's 25th largest developer by sales, told those at the meeting it is facing significant difficulties amid rating downgrades and banks curbing loans, the source said. The developer said some financial institutions had transferred funds from its accounts inappropriately and it urged all lawsuits seeking a freeze of its assets to be handled centrally in a Shenzhen court, the source added. Kaisa, Vanke and Citic Bank declined to comment. Excellence and the other banks that participated in the meeting did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The State Council Information Office also did not respond to a request for comment. The source declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. China's property sector troubles have kept global markets on tenterhooks and led to a string of Beijing officials speaking out in a bid to reassure the crisis will not spiral out of control. Underlining global concern on the situation, the U.S. Federal Reserve said on Monday in its latest report on financial stability that stresses in China's real estate sector, caused in part by regulatory focus on leveraged institutions, as well as a sharp tightening of global financial conditions could pose some risks to the U.S. financial system. UPCOMING DEADLINES Trading in shares of Kaisa, which has been looking to sell some of its assets to raise cash, and three of its units was suspended last week, a day after an affiliate missed a payment to onshore investors. Kaisa has the most offshore debt of any Chinese developer, after Evergrande. Evergrande is grappling with liabilities of more than $300 billion, which, if not managed, could pose systemic risks to China's financial system. Beijing has been prodding government-owned firms and state-backed property developers to purchase some of Evergrande's assets, people with knowledge of the matter previously told Reuters. Some holders of offshore bonds issued by a unit of Evergrande had not received interest payments due on Nov. 6 by Monday evening in Asia. Twice in October, Evergrande narrowly averted catastrophic defaults on its $19 billion worth of bonds in capital markets by paying coupons just before the expiration of their grace periods. One such period expires on Wednesday, Nov. 10, for more than $148 million in coupon payments that had been due on Oct. 11. Evergrande is also due to make coupon payments totalling more than $255 million on its June 2023 and 2025 bonds on Dec. 28. Shares of Evergrande rose as much as 4% on Tuesday. Separately, shares of small developer China Aoyuan jumped over 6%. Infini Capital told Reuters on Tuesday it had accumulated shares of China Aoyuan's property management unit, Aoyuan Healthy Life Group, continuously in the past few weeks to become its second-largest shareholder. Aoyuan Healthy said last week it was in preliminary discussions with several independent third parties regarding the possible disposal of a stake in certain units. Infini said it hopes Aoyuan Healthy will sell the whole company rather than its assets. (Reporting By Samuel Shen, Cheng Leng and Tony Munroe; Additional reporting by Joy Leung and Clare Jim in Hong Kong; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Kim Coghill and Muralikumar Anantharaman) (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.) Chinese regulators moved to tighten oversight of the nations 23.9 trillion yuan ($3.7 trillion) mutual fund market, banning product recommendations by unlicensed firms and individuals. Those without an advisory license will be prohibited from giving fund recommendations or publishing performance numbers, according to a notice from the Securities Regulatory Commissions Beijing bureau seen by Bloomberg. The move cracks down on widespread recommendations by unregulated bloggers and agencies seeking to tap growing demand for even as authorities limit licences to a handful of firms. Regulators have also banned brokerages from hiring social media influencers to attract new customers while the nation has tightened controls over broad swathes of its economy in other areas to limit risks. The CSRC didnt immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Distributors without an advisory licence need to comply with the new rules by June 30, according to the document from the CSRC. The regulators Shanghai and Guangdong branches issued similar directives earlier this month, the official Shanghai Securities News reported. Over the years, regulators have cracked down on opaque shadow-banking products, brought more rigor to stock investing by introducing registration-based initial share sales and opened up to global fund houses from Vanguard Group to BlackRock. Dozens of securities firms and MFs have been granted licenses in a trial that began more than two years ago, as regulators encourage the nations retail investors to tap the capital through professional institutions. Competition has been intensifying as participants cut advisory fees to win clients, miring Vanguard, the only global asset manager that has been included in the trials through its partnership with Ant Group, in a price war. BlackRock and Fidelity are among money managers that have won licenses to sell through wholly-owned units. Chinas higher-quality dollar bonds are suffering their worst sell-off in about seven months as property woes spill into the broader credit market. Spreads on the investment-grade notes which account for the bulk of offshore dollar securities from Chinese issuers widened about 8 to 10 basis points Tuesday, traders said. That would be the biggest daily expansion since April after a widening of 7 basis points Monday, according to a Bloomberg index. The selloff has moved well beyond Chinas higher-quality property names. Tencent Holdings dollar bond spreads widened 12 basis point to 137 basis points Tuesday, set for the biggest jump since July. Financial issuers are also slumping, with the yield premium on a Bank of Communication Hong Kong note widening about 10 basis points. Signs are spreading of contagion from debt crises in Chinas property sector, which has been grappling with a clampdown on excessive leverage and liquidity woes at real estate giant Evergrande Group. The fallout had until recent days been largely contained to junk-rated developers. But investors have since grown increasingly concerned about the impact on larger property firms and the broader economy. We believe some form of government policy easing or intervention is ultimately inevitable, at which time Chinese dollar bonds should rebound strongly, said Mark Reade, head of fixed-income desk research at Mizuho Securities Asia. Large rifts remain as United Nations climate talks tick down to a Friday deadline. A lot of the divide comes down to money, which nations have it and which do not. So it's time for the diplomatic cavalry to ride in. The two-week climate conference in Glasgow first saw heads of government talking about how curbing is a fight for survival. The leaders focused on big pictures, not the intricate wording crucial to negotiations. Then, for about a week, the technocratic negotiations focused on those key details, getting some things done but not resolving the really sticky situations. Now, it's time for the high level negotiations, when government ministers or other senior diplomats swoop in to make the political decisions that are supposed to break the technical logjams. The United Nations has three goals out of Glasgow, which so far are all out of reach: cutting carbon dioxide emissions in half by 2030; rich nations giving poor countries $100 billion a year for combating climate change; and ensuring that half of that money goes to adapting to climate change's increasing harms. To forge compromise, they have a big gap to bridge. Or more accurately, multiple gaps: there's a trust gap and a wealth gap. A north-south gap. It's about money, history and the future. On one side of the gap are nations that developed and became rich from the Industrial Revolution fuelled by coal, oil and gas that started in the UK. On the other side are the nations that haven't developed yet and haven't gotten rich and are now being told those fuels are too dangerous for the planet. The key financial issue is the $100 billion a year pledge first made in 2009. The developed nations still haven't reached the $100 billion a year mark. This year the rich nations increased their aid to $80 billion a year, still short of what's promised. As the head of the conference briefed countries Monday on the progress - and the lack of it, in some ways - in the talks, developing country after developing country responded by noting how unfulfilled rich nations' financial pledges were. Everybody here is livid, said Saleemul Huq, a climate science and policy expert who is director of the Centre for and Development in Bangladesh. It's not as if that $100 billion alone would make a big difference because trillions of dollars worldwide in payments, not pledges, would be needed to combat climate change, not $100 billion," Huq said. Providing the money is important to bridge the gap in trust between rich nations and poor nations, he argued. They reneged on their promise. They failed to deliver it, Huq said. And they seem not to care about it. And, so why should we trust anything they say anymore? While the crowd at the conference Monday cheered on former US President Barack Obama when he urged nations to do more and rich nations to help poor, young Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate tweeted: I was 13 when you promised $100B #ClimateFinance. The US has broken that promise, it will cost lives in Africa. Earth's richest country does not contribute enough to life-saving funds. You want to meet #COP26 youth. We want action. Obama & @POTUS #ShowUsTheMoney. Nakate told The Associated Press she wasn't criticising Obama, who targeted young climate activists with his message, but speaking the truth...The money was promised, but hasn't been delivered. Huq said rich, polluting nations also had failed the rest of the world by not delivering on emission targets that would limit to 1.5 degrees Celsius. As things stand, it's the poor who pay for the destruction caused by climate change, he said. Studies have shown that poorer nations, like Bangladesh, are hit harder by than rich nations, which also have more resources to adapt to extreme weather. There have long been trust issues in the annual UN climate talks, said Niklas Hohne, a climate scientist at the New Climate Institute in Germany who has attended the conference for more than 20 years and tracks pledges and actions to translate how much they mean for curbing projected warming. Hohne said poor countries have good reasons to be wary, but nations are gathering "at this conference to build that trust. And the trust can only be built by showing real action. While China is now the No. 1 carbon polluter and India is No. 3, carbon dioxide stays in the air for centuries. Based on historical emissions -- the stuff still in the atmosphere trapping heat -- the United States and European nations are most responsible for climate change, Hohne said. Hohne said it is normal for high-level ministers to ride to the rescue in the second week of climate talks. There are certain issues which go to the ministers and those are the tricky bits and only the ministers can solve them. And once they solve them, they go to the technical level again for the implementation, Hohne said. I think we have the normal amount of tricky bits right now. US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brought her climate-celebrity star power to the UN climate talks on Tuesday as part of a congressional delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Ocasio-Cortez told reporters her chief hope is to see the United States establish itself as a world leader in cutting climate-damaging fossil fuel pollution. Asked if she had a message to young activists who have instrumental in pressing governments to cut climate-damaging fossil fuel pollution, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters inside the conference site: Well, I would say, Stay in the streets. Keep pushing. The is planning to ban payment for order flow, paralleling potential US moves to stem a practice that hit the headlines during the meme-stock mania. A forthcoming review of the in Financial Instruments Directive will include a ban amid other measures to increase transparency, such as a consolidated tape of information about transactions, people familiar with the matter said. The US Securities and Exchange Commission is separately weighing a ban on payment for order flow, in which trading firms pay retail brokerages to execute their trades. Regulators are concerned that video-game like prompts have encouraged excessive trading on app-based brokerages that fueled a explosive surge in value for GameStop and other stocks this year. While the day-trading frenzy is far more muted in Europe than the US, the practice of zero-commission trading is starting to cross the Atlantic. That prompted the blocs watchdog to warn firms and investors in July of the risks arising from payment for order flow. A spokesperson for the declined to comment. Mairead McGuinness, the EUs financial services commissioner, said this month regulators were closely monitoring payment for order flow. It was difficult to assess how problematic the practice is because there is no consolidated view of all liquidity and prices of financial instruments traded across execution venues in the European The Bill & Melinda has announced an initial commitment of USD 50 million to support science and in low- and middle-income countries. "We need the ideas and leadership of the people who are closest to the global health challenges we're working to address," CEO Mark Suzman was quoted as saying in a statement. The announcement of an initial commitment of USD 50 million to support science and in low- and middle-income countries was made at the 17th Grand Challenges Annual Meeting. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The British government says all health care staff who work with the public will have to be vaccinated against the starting in April, despite concerns the move could drive thousands of people to quit their jobs. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said Tuesday that 90% of staff in the state-funded National Health Service have already received two doses of a vaccine. But that leaves more than 100,000 health workers unvaccinated. Javid told lawmakers in the House of Commons that, while vaccination is not compulsory for most people, health workers carry a unique responsibility because they are in contact with those most vulnerable to illness. He said the mandate won't take effect until April 1, which will give all staff time to receive two doses. There will be exceptions for those who are medically exempt and staff who don't meet members of the public. The change applies in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own health rules. Trade unions had opposed making vaccinations compulsory, saying it could drive some staff to quit the already stretched health system. Labour Party health spokesman Jonathan Ashworth said there was a risk that a policy, however laudable in principle, could exacerbate some of these chronic understaffing problems. The government already requires nursing home staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with Thursday the deadline. Javid said that since the rule was announced, the number of unvaccinated care workers had fallen from 88,000 to 32,000. Britain was one of the first countries in the world to start vaccinations, but, as in many countries, the campaign has slowed to a crawl after a strong start. About 80% of people over 12 in the UK have had two doses of vaccine. Britain also is offering third booster doses to people at heightened risk from the virus, including everyone over 50. The UK has recorded almost 142,000 deaths, the highest total in Europe after Russia. (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 Alex Lawler LONDON (Reuters) -Oil rose towards $84 a barrel on Tuesday, gaining for a third session, as the U.S. lifting of travel restrictions and more signs of a global post-pandemic recovery lifted the demand outlook, while supply remained tight. On Monday, travellers took off for the again, while the passing of U.S. President Joe Biden's infrastructure bill and better-than-expected Chinese exports helped paint a picture of a recovering global economy. Brent crude rose 50 cents, or 0.6%, to $83.93 a barrel by 0920 GMT, after gaining 0.8% on Monday. U.S. oil advanced 41 cents, or 0.5%, to $82.34, also after a 0.8% rise the previous day. "With the re-opening of U.S. borders for vaccinated travellers, jet fuel demand ought to receive a healthy ... boost," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. "The passage of the $1 trillion U.S. infrastructure bill in Congress is also expected to provide additional help." The price of Brent has risen over 60% this year and hit $86.70, a three-year high, on Oct. 25, supported by supply restraint by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+, and recovering demand. At a meeting last week, OPEC+ decided to stick to its existing pace of easing of record output cuts and rebuff U.S. pleas to pump more - helping to keep supply tight for the near term in the view of some analysts. JPMorgan Chase said global demand for oil in November was already nearly back to pre-pandemic levels of 100 million barrels per day (bpd), following last year's collapse. Biden, however, may take measures as early as this week to address soaring gasoline prices, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said on Monday. Despite a tight global market, U.S. crude inventories are expected to have risen for a third straight week, possibly helping to cap further gains in prices. [EIA/S] The first of this week's two supply reports, from industry group the American Petroleum Institute, is due at 2030 GMT. (Additional reporting by Aaron Sheldrick; Editing by Susan Fenton) (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 Scott DiSavino NEW YORK (Reuters) -Oil prices edged up on Tuesday as the U.S. lifting of travel restrictions and more signs of a global post-pandemic recovery boosted the demand outlook, while supply remained tight. The rally came ahead of the U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) release of oil and gasoline price predictions in its Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO), which U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has said it would use to determine whether to release oil from the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Brent futures rose 61 cents, or 0.7%, to $84.04 a barrel by 11:16 a.m. EST (1616 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose $1.04, or 1.3%, to $82.97. That puts both Brent and WTI on track for their highest closes since Nov. 2. The price of Brent has gained over 60% this year and hit a three-year high of $86.70 on Oct. 25, supported by recovering demand and supply restraint by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies, known as OPEC+. "The (Biden) administration has said they will use data from (EIA's STEO) report to decide what to do about high energy prices that they blame on OPEC+," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York. OPEC+ added 400,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil to global supply at last week's OPEC+ meeting. President Biden wanted them to add more. OPEC+ is scheduled to add 400,000 bpd a month through June 2022, Yawger said. In its October STEO report, EIA projected WTI would average $68.48 per barrel in 2021 and $68.24 in 2022, while retail regular grade gasoline would average $2.97 per gallon in 2021 and $2.90 in 2022. Global oil spare production capacity could diminish next year as air passengers return to the skies, removing an important cushion that the market is currently enjoying, Saudi Aramco Chief Executive Amin Nasser said. Travelers took off for the United States again, while the passage of Biden's $1 trillion infrastructure bill and better-than-expected Chinese exports helped paint a picture of a recovering global "With the re-opening of U.S. borders for vaccinated travelers, jet fuel demand ought to receive a healthy ... boost," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. JPMorgan Chase said global demand for oil in November was already nearly back to pre-pandemic levels of 100 million bpd, following last year's collapse. Despite a tight global market, analysts forecast that U.S. crude inventories rose for a third straight week, possibly helping to cap further gains in prices. [EIA/S] The first of this week's two supply reports, from industry group the American Petroleum Institute, is due later Tuesday. Another factor weighing on crude was a drop in wholesale natural gas prices in Europe on Tuesday after Russian gas flows resumed to Germany. France's foreign minister, meanwhile, told his Iranian counterpart on Tuesday that when talks with world powers on reviving a nuclear accord resume at the end of November, they must continue where they left off in June. Success in those talks would allow Iran to boost oil exports. (Additional reporting by Alex Lawler in London and Aaron Sheldrick in Tokyo; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Mark Potter and Steve Orlofsky) (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.) ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss federal prosecutors are set to drop a nearly five-year criminal investigation into Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal after concluding they did not have a strong enough case to file charges, they said on Tuesday. The Office of the Attorney General said it had informed the German carmaker and its Swiss dealership arm this month "that it considers the investigation to be complete and intends to drop the case," it said in a statement, confirming a report by broadcaster SRF. The defendants and private plaintiffs can still review the case file and submit more evidence before the case is closed officially, it said. VW admitted in September 2015 it had installed secret software in hundreds of thousands of U.S. diesel cars to cheat exhaust emissions tests and make the cars appear cleaner than they were, and that as many as 11 million vehicles could have similar software installed worldwide. Swiss prosecutors opened criminal proceedings after a court ruled they must conduct their own investigation into hundreds of complaints lodged in The case centred on the potential damage to around 175,000 customers who bought or leased VW group vehicles with diesel motors that at least some VW officials must have known had been manipulated. SRF said Swiss plaintiffs could still claim damages through civil law, noting VW has already paid out billions abroad. "But without official culprits, such proceedings in are very costly and difficult for individuals," it added. Contacted by Reuters on Tuesday, VW had no immediate comment. (Reporting by Oliver Hirt, additional reporting by Jan Schwarz; Writing by Michael Shields; editing by Barbara Lewis) (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.) has delivered its largest and most advanced warship to as it seeks to beef up the navy of its all-weather ally in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, where it has increased its own naval presence in recent years. Designed and built by State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, the CSSC announced in a statement on Monday. The Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril, state-run Global Times reported on Tuesday. Pakistani Ambassador to Moin ul Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ensures balance of power in the In the context of the overall security paradigm of the region, Tughril-class frigates will strengthen Navy's capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defence, maintain peace, stability and balance of power in the region, he said, according to the Global Times report. The PNS Tughril is the first hull of four Type 054 frigates being constructed for the Pakistan Navy and the vessel is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and underwater firepower, besides extensive surveillance potentials, the daily quoted a Pakistan Navy's statement. Being equipped with state-of-the-art combat management and an electronic warfare system along with modern self-defence capabilities, the Type 054A/P frigate can simultaneously execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, it said. The frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, CSSC said. China which shares all-weather strategic ties with Pakistan has emerged as the biggest weapons supplier for the Pakistani military. Besides the advanced naval ships, China also partners with the Pakistan Air Force to build JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft. Observers say the military cooperation in recent years focussed more on the as China gradually stepped up its naval presence in India's backyard, the Besides building its first military base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean, China has acquired Pakistan's Gwadar port in the Arabian Sea which connects with China's Xinjiang province by land in the USD 60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China is also developing Sri Lanka's Hambantota port after it acquired it on 99 years' lease. The modernisation of the Pakistan Navy coupled with the acquisition of the naval bases was expected to shore up the Chinese Navy's presence in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Besides acquiring four modern naval frigates from China, Pakistan will also be getting eight Chinese submarines as part of the modernisation of Pakistan Navy, its Chief Admiral M Amjad Khan Niazi told the daily in February this year. The Pakistan Navy has contracted the construction of four Type 054A/P frigates from China since 2017. The head of the Pakistan Navy Mission overseeing construction of the 054A/P frigate, Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, said that the PNS Tughril, being a multi-mission capable frigate, will form the mainstay of the Pakistan Navy fleet while bolstering the Pakistan Navy's maritime defence capabilities. Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Research Academy, told the Global Times earlier that Type 054A, on which the Type 054A/P is based, is China's most advanced frigate. Compared to previous Chinese frigates, the new ship has better air defence capability, as it is equipped with an improved radar system and a larger number of missiles with a longer range, Zhang said, noting that the Type 054A frigate also has world-class stealth capability. (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.) Primary market investors are spoilt for choice as three companies are collectively looking to raise about Rs 21,000 crore via initial share sale this week. Of these, two companies -- One97 Communications-owned and Sapphire Foods, the owner of and chain of stores-- are alone looking to raise about Rs 18,000 crore and Rs 2,000 crore, respectively. Touted as Indias biggest public offer, Paytms share sale was launched yesterday and has been subscribed less than 20 percent so far. It comprises a fresh issue of Rs 8,300 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 10,000 crore and the company has already raised Rs 8,235 crore from anchor investors ahead of its share sale. The price band of the three-day share sale, which concludes on November 10, has been fixed at Rs 2,080-2,150 per share. But, analysts arent very bullish given its extremely stretched valuation. According to Manan Doshi, co-founder of Unlisted Arena, may fail to deliver on listing gains while long-term outlook also looks challenging. He says: The revenue growth isnt very exciting Loss has been narrowed by curtailing advertising expenses is well-diversified but lacks clear leadership Sales to m-cap at 49x looks expensive Road ahead looks challenging Paytm may continue to incur losses to safeguard market share IPO date: November 9-11Issue size: Rs 2,073 crorePrice band: Rs 1,120-1,180 per shareOn the other hand, Sapphire Foods is planning to raise Rs 2,073 crore through its public issue at the higher end of the price band of Rs 1,120-1,180 per share. The company will launch its IPO today and the issue will close on November 11. Its valuation is around 7 times FY21 sales which is lower than recently listed Devyani International (14 times FY21), Westlife Development (9.3 times), Burger King (12.5times) and Jubilant FoodWorks (15times). According to Ajit Mishra, VP-Research at Religare Broking: Sapphire Foods stands to gain from industry growth Looks to benefit from popularity among youngsters, good consumer experience Turnaround of financial performance holds key Paytm has diversified business model It has 35 crore customers, of which 5 crores are active users Valuations look expensive Listing gains could be limited; subscribe from long-term perspective Sapphire Foods per store revenue is more than peers Listing gains could be decent Earnings today BHEL Hindustan Copper M&M Petronet LNG Against this backdrop, which IPO looks best for listing gains? And which one might offer good returns from a long-term perspective? Gaurav Garg, head of research at CapitalVia Global, said:Hence, as both the companies are near pioneers in their sectors, investors with high risk-taking appetite and long-term view can subscribe to both these issues. Short-term investors, meanwhile, who are only interested in listing gains, may invest in Sapphire Foods.Apart from these IPOs, stock-specific action will continue to dominate the market trend on Tuesday amid the last leg of corporate earnings.Among the 160 companies that are set to report their September quarter earnings today, the prominent ones that will be on investor radar include BHEL, Hindustan Copper, M&M, and Petronet LNG. FII trends over the next few days will also hog the limelight as the stock exchanges and other market infrastructure institutions have come out with a roadmap for the implementation of T+1 settlement cycle. The settlement cycle will be implemented in a phased manner and will apply only to the bottom 100 companies starting February 25. And from March 2022 onwards, the next bottom 500 stocks will be available for introduction to T+1 settlement. Former was awarded the by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan on Tuesday. Veteran politician Mahajan was the Speaker of Lok Sabha from 2014 to 2019. She belongs to Bharatiya Janata Party and represented the Indore constituency of Madhya Pradesh from 1989 to 2019. is the country's third-highest civilian award, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), (distinguished service of the highest order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognise achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved. 119 Padma Awards will be presented by President this year. The list comprises seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan and 102 Padma Shri Awards. 29 of the awardees are women, 16 Posthumous awardees and one transgender awardee. The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union Minister was awarded the posthumously on Tuesday at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The award was received by his son passed away on October 8, 2020, from a heart ailment. was Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the Narendra Modi government. He was also a minister in the previous NDA government. Paswan was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1977 on a Janata Party ticket from Hajipur in Bihar. President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday posthumously honoured former Union Ministers George Fernandes, Arun Jaitley and Sushma Swaraj with Padma Vibhushan, the country's second-highest civilian award. At the event, a total of 119 persons were conferred with Padma awards 2020 which include seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 and 102 Padma Shri, in an event which was organised in Rashtrapati Bhavan here in the capital today. This year's list of Padma Awards includes seven Padma Vibhushan, 10 Padma Bhushan, and 102 Padma Shri Awards, of which 29 awardees are women, 16 posthumous awardees, and one transgender awardee. The Padma Awards are one of the highest civilian honours of India announced annually on the eve of Republic Day. The Awards are given in three categories: Padma Vibhushan (for exceptional and distinguished service), (distinguished service of higher order) and Padma Shri (distinguished service). The award seeks to recognize achievements in all fields of activities or disciplines where an element of public service is involved. The Padma Awards are conferred on the recommendations made by the Padma Awards Committee, which is constituted by the Prime Minister every year. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharat Forge Ltd is quoting at Rs 827.9, up 1.63% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 59.3% in last one year as compared to a 42.84% gain in NIFTY and a 44.64% gain in the Nifty Auto index. Bharat Forge Ltd is up for a third straight session in a row. The stock is quoting at Rs 827.9, up 1.63% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.14% on the day, quoting at 18042.45. The Sensex is at 60398.7, down 0.24%. Bharat Forge Ltd has added around 4.27% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Bharat Forge Ltd is a constituent, has added around 3.34% in last one month and is currently quoting at 11645.75, up 0.94% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 19.06 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 17.34 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark November futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 833.8, up 1.88% on the day. Bharat Forge Ltd is up 59.3% in last one year as compared to a 42.84% gain in NIFTY and a 44.64% gain in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 64.53 based on TTM earnings ending June 21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Japan stock market finished in the negative territory for second straight session on Tuesday, 09 November 2021, weighed down by the shares of export-oriented companies after yen's appreciated to upper 112 level against the greenback. At closing bell, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average tumbled 221.59 points, or 0.75%, to 29,285.46. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange dropped 16.45 points, or 0.81%, to 2,018.77. Trading volume turnover on the main section stood at 1.2 billion shares worth 2.75 trillion yen. Shares of export-oriented companies declined as yen's appreciation to upper 112 level against the greenback fuelled concerns that strong yen erodes Japanese companies' overseas profits when repatriated. Canon shed 1.6%, while Hitachi declined 1.3%. Mazda Motor sank 1.4%. ECONOMIC NEWS: Japan Posts Y1,033.7 Billion Current Account Surplus In September- Japan posted a current account surplus of 1,033.7 billion yen in September, the Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday, down from 1,665.6 billion yen in August. Imports jumped 41.6% on year to 7.137 trillion yen, while exports gained an annual 16.1% to 6.907 trillion yen for a trade deficit of 229.9 billion yen. The capital account had a deficit of 187.7 billion yen in September and the financial account saw a surplus of 2,760.3 billion yen. CURRENCY NEWS: The Japanese yen appreciated to upper-11 level against greenback on Tuesday. The Japanese yen traded at 112.82 per dollar, stronger than levels above 113.5 seen against the greenback yesterday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and 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 Reliance Eagleford Upstream Holding, LP (REUHLP) a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of Reliance Industries (RIL), announced the signing of agreements with Ensign Operating III, LLC (Ensign), a Delaware limited liability company to divest its interest in certain upstream assets in the Eagleford shale play of Texas, USA. With this transaction, Reliance has divested all its shale gas assets and has exited from the shale gas business in North America. Aurobindo Pharma reported 2.1% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 696.70 crore on 2.1% fall in revenue from operations to Rs 5941.90 crore in Q2 FY22 over Q2 FY21. Britannia Industries reported 22.9% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 384.22 crore despite a 5.5% rise in total revenue from operations to Rs 3,607.37 crore in Q2 FY22 over Q2 FY21. Zydus Cadila has received an order to supply one crore doses of ZyCoV-D, the world's first Plasmid DNA Vaccine, to the Government of India at Rs. 265 per dose and the needle-free applicator being offered at Rs. 93 per dose, excluding GST. National Aluminium Company said that the meeting of the board of directors of the company scheduled to be held on 12th November 2021 to consider interim dividend, if any, for the financial year 2021-22. Route Mobile said the company has launched its Qualified Institutions Placement (QIP) issue of equity shares to qualified institutional buyers on Monday and approved the floor price of Rs 1,949.24 per share. FDC has received Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certificate. It continues with its approved status from UK MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency), for the Ophthalmic facility located at Waluj, Aurangabad, Maharashtra, based on the recent GMP inspection held remotely between 06th to 09th September, 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Eagleford Upstream Holding has signed agreement for the sale of its assets in the Eagleford shale play in Texas USA. Reliance Eagleford Upstream Holding, ("REUHLP") a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of Reliance Industries ("RIL"), announced the signing of agreements with Ensign Operating III, ("Ensign"), a Delaware limited liability company to divest its interest in certain upstream assets in the Eagleford shale play of Texas, USA. With this transaction, Reliance has divested all its shale gas assets and has exited from the shale gas business in North America. A purchase and sale agreement ("PSA") has been signed between REUHLP and Ensign on 5 November 2021 for this sale. The sale is at a consideration higher than current carrying value of the assets. On 23 June 2010, Reliance Eagleford Upstream Holding LP ("Reliance LP") executed definitive agreements to enter into a joint venture with Pioneer Natural Resources USA, Inc. (Pioneer) under which Reliance LP acquired a 45% interest in Pioneer's core Eagle Ford Shale acreage position in two separate transactions for a total of $264 million in cash and $1.05 billion of drilling carry obligations. The drilling carry obligation provided for 75% of the other joint venture partners' capital costs over an anticipated six-year development program. In addition, Reliance LP was to fund its share of the development plan. Pioneer and Newpek LLC, Pioneer's then-current partner in the Eagle Ford Shale, simultaneously conveyed 45% of their respective interests in the Eagle Ford Shale to Reliance LP. The LP became a partner in 262,683 net acres. In December 2012, Reliance LP fully met its $1.05 billion drilling carry commitment. Effective 1 January, 2019, Pioneer sold its entire working interest in the joint venture to Ensign Operating LLC (Ensign), a Delaware limited liability company. On a consolidated basis, RIL reported 46% increase in net profit to Rs 15,479 crore on 50.7% rise in net sales to Rs 1,67,611 crore in Q2 September 2021 over Q2 September 2020. RIL is the largest private sector corporation in India. Its activities span hydrocarbon exploration and production, petroleum refining and marketing, petrochemicals, retail and digital services. Shares of RIL were almost flat at Rs 2500.90 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The issue received bids for 47.11 lakh shares as against 96.63 lakh shares on offer. The initial public offer (IPO) of Sapphire Foods India received bids for over 47.11 lakh shares as against 96.63 lakh shares on offer on Tuesday (9 November 2021), according to stock exchange data at 17:00 IST today. The issue was subscribed 0.49 times. The IPO opened for bidding on 9 November and it will close on 11 November. The price band is set at Rs 1120 to Rs 1180. Ahead of the IPO, Sapphire Foods finalized allocation of 79,06,473 equity shares to anchor investors at Rs 1,180 per equity share, aggregating to Rs 932.96 crore. The IPO is a complete offer for sale of shares worth Rs 2,073.25 crore by existing shareholders - Sapphire Foods Mauritius, QSR Management Trust, WWD Ruby, Amethyst, AAJV Investment Trust, Edelweiss Crossover Opportunities Fund and Edelweiss Crossover Opportunities Fund- Series II. The company will not directly receive any proceeds from the offer, and all the offer proceeds will be received by the selling shareholders, in proportion to the offered shares sold by them. The promoters of the company are Ravi Sapphire Foods Mauritius and QSR Management Trust. The promoters and promoter group held an aggregate of 38,173,680 equity shares, aggregating to 60.08% of the pre-offer issued and paid-up equity share capital. The post IPO shareholding for the same is expected to be around 49.97%. Sapphire Foods is one of YUM's franchisee operators in the Indian subcontinent. The company is also Sri Lanka's largest international QSR chain in terms of revenue for the financial year 2021 as also number of restaurants operated as of 31 March 2021. As of 30 June 2021, company owned and operated 209 KFC restaurants in India and the Maldives, 239 Pizza Hut restaurants in India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, and 2 Taco Bell restaurants in Sri Lanka. The company reported a net loss of Rs 26.09 crore and sales of Rs 303.05 crore in the three months ended on 30 June 2021. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A divergent trend was seen among key indices in early trade. At 9:21 IST, the barometer index, the S&P BSE Sensex, was down 17.53 points or 0.03% to 60,528.54. The Nifty 50 index rose 5.45 points or 0.03% to 18,074.50. In the broader market, the S&P BSE Mid-Cap index gained 0.61% while the S&P BSE Small-Cap index added 0.47%. The market breadth was strong. On the BSE, 1628 shares rose and 741 shares fell. A total of 93 shares were unchanged. Stocks in Spotlight: Britannia Industries slumped 4.67%. The FMCG company reported a 22.9% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 384.22 crore despite a 5.5% rise in total revenue from operations to Rs 3,607.37 crore in Q2 FY22 over Q2 FY21. Profit before tax in Q2 FY22 stood at Rs 522.84 crore, down by 22% from Rs 670.18 crore in Q2 FY21. Inventory turnover ratio was 40.87 in Q2 FY22 as against 47.75 in Q2 FY22. Operating margin fell to 14.09% in Q2 FY22 as against 18.34% in Q2 FY22. Reliance Industries rose 0.16%. Reliance Eagleford Upstream Holding, LP (REUHLP) a wholly owned step-down subsidiary of RIL announced the signing of agreements with Ensign Operating III, LLC (Ensign), a Delaware limited liability company to divest its interest in certain upstream assets in the Eagleford shale play of Texas, USA. With this transaction, Reliance has divested all its shale gas assets and has exited from the shale gas business in North America. Cadila Healthcare gained 1.45%. Zydus Cadila said it received an order to supply one crore doses of ZyCoV-D, the world's first Plasmid DNA Vaccine, to the Government of India at Rs. 265 per dose and the needle-free applicator being offered at Rs. 93 per dose, excluding GST. Global Markets: Asian stocks were trading lower on Tuesday despite of overnight gains on Wall Street that took the major indexes to record closing highs. Wall Street stocks ended slightly higher on Monday, rising early after passage of a US infrastructure spending bill but paring gains late as sliding Tesla shares weighed the indexes down. The U.S. House of Representatives late Friday passed a more than $1 trillion infrastructure bill, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden for his signature. First passed by the Senate in August, the package would provide new funding for transportation, utilities and broadband, among other infrastructure projects. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shyam Metalics and Energy reported 157% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 410.3 crore in Q2 FY22 from Rs 159.6 crore in Q2 FY21. Revenues in the second quarter increased by 87% to Rs 2,494.3 crore from Rs 1,335.2 recorded in the same period last year. EBITDA in Q2 FY22 was Rs 624 crore, up by 140% from Rs 260.3 crore in Q2 FY21. EBITDA margin was 25% in Q2 FY22 as against 19.5% in Q2 FY21. Brij Bhushan Agarwal, vice chairman & managing director said: We are pleased to inform that the board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 2.25 per equity share. SMEL continues to leverage its competitive strengths of raw material security, operational excellence, integrated business model with a strong distribution network to expand our presence and gain higher market share. We enjoy an extensive presence in our country's steel value chain. We have progressively de-risked and are working towards expanding our high value product portfolio. The company has reduced its debt by approximately Rs 467 crore in the first half of the year. This has resulted in reduced interest costs going ahead. As on date, SMEL is a net cash company. SMEL has a net cash and cash equivalents of Rs 757 crore as on 30th September 2021. We have taken some planned shutdown in our plants at Jamuria and Sambhalpur in our pellets, sponge and finished steel units. We are continuously investing in advanced technologies to enhance production and are exploring opportunities to obtain synergies in our existing manufacturing plants. This will keep our operating costs low, which we believe is critical for remaining profitable. Shyam Metalics and Energy (SMEL) is an integrated metal producing company based in India with a focus on long steel products and ferro alloys. It is amongst the largest producers of ferro alloys, one of the leading players in terms of pellet capacity and the fourth largest player in the sponge iron industry in terms of sponge iron capacity in India. The scrip shed 0.36% to currently trade at Rs 358.95 on the BSE. Shares of SMEL debuted on the bourses on 24 June 2021, at a price of Rs 367 per share. It was listed at a premium of of 19.93% as compared with its issue price of Rs 306 per share. The IPO of Shyam Metalics and Energy had received bids for 256.11 crore shares as against 2.10 crore shares on offer, according to the stock exchange data. The issue was subscribed 121.43 times. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Motors Ltd is quoting at Rs 515.15, up 2.74% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The stock is up 252.84% in last one year as compared to a 42.84% jump in NIFTY and a 44.64% jump in the Nifty Auto index. Tata Motors Ltd is up for a third straight session today. The stock is quoting at Rs 515.15, up 2.74% on the day as on 12:54 IST on the NSE. The benchmark NIFTY is down around 0.14% on the day, quoting at 18042.45. The Sensex is at 60398.7, down 0.24%. Tata Motors Ltd has gained around 23.91% in last one month. Meanwhile, Nifty Auto index of which Tata Motors Ltd is a constituent, has gained around 3.34% in last one month and is currently quoting at 11645.75, up 0.94% on the day. The volume in the stock stood at 377.93 lakh shares today, compared to the daily average of 587.75 lakh shares in last one month. The benchmark November futures contract for the stock is quoting at Rs 516.95, up 2.66% on the day. Tata Motors Ltd is up 252.84% in last one year as compared to a 42.84% jump in NIFTY and a 44.64% jump in the Nifty Auto index. The PE of the stock is 0 based on TTM earnings ending September 21. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mexican prosecutors said they have arrested a businessman on charges he used the Pegasus spyware to spy on a The software marketed by the Israeli spyware firm Group has been implicated in government surveillance of opponents and journalists around the world. Mexico had the largest list about 15,000 phone numbers among more than 50,000 reportedly selected by clients for potential surveillance. Federal prosecutors announced the arrest on Monday, but did not name the suspect under rules aimed at protecting presumption of innocence. A federal official not authorised to be quoted by name said the suspect is Juan Carlos Garca Rivera, who has been linked to the company Proyectos y Diseos VME and Grupo KBH. He was detained on November 1. In July, Mexico's top security official said two previous administrations spent USD 61 million to buy the Pegasus spyware. Public Safety Secretary Rosa Icela Rodrguez said records had been found of 31 contracts signed during the administrations of President Felipe Caldern in 2006-2012 and President Enrique Pea Nieto in 2012-2018. Some contracts may have been disguised as purchases of other equipment. The government said many of the contracts with the Israeli spyware firm Group were signed with front companies, which are often used in Mexico to facilitate kickbacks or avoid taxes. Last week, the government's top anti-money laundering investigator said officials from the two previous administrations had spent about USD 300 million in government money to purchase spyware. But that figure may reflect all spyware and surveillance purchases, or may include yet-unidentified contracts. Santiago Nieto, the head of Mexico's Financial Intelligence Unit, said the bills for programmes like the Pegasus spyware appear to have included excess payments that may have been channelled back to government officials as kickbacks. Nieto said the amounts paid, and the way they were paid, suggested government corruption in an already questionable telephone tapping programme that targeted journalists, activists and opposition figures, who at the time included now President Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador and his inner circle. Lpez Obrador took office on December 1, 2018, and vowed never to use spyware. Nieto said no transactions had been detected in the current 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.) COP is the acronym for the conference of parties thats now in its 26th round. (Photo: Shutterstock) India on Tuesday dismissed reports that it had signed up to the Action Agenda on Sustainable Agriculture at the ongoing COP26 climate summit in Glasgow as baseless and factually incorrect. The Sustainable Agriculture Policy Action Agenda for the Transition to Sustainable Agriculture and Global Action Agenda for Innovation in Agriculture' was pegged as a highlight over the weekend at the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) of the United Nations Framework Convention on (UNFCCC). "All continents were represented, with countries including India, Colombia, Vietnam, Germany, Ghana, and Australia, noted the UK's COP26 release around the announcement. "Certain media reports have stated that India has signed the COP26 Action Agenda on Sustainable Agriculture at the ongoing Climate summit at Glasgow. It is clarified that such statements are baseless and factually incorrect, said Gaurav Khare, official spokesperson of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, who is part of the Indian delegation at the COP26 summit. "A Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) is one of the Missions within the Action Plan on (NAPCC) that is operational in the country to deal with the issue of The mission aims to evolve and implement strategies to make Indian agriculture more resilient to the changing climate, he said. The spokesperson noted that the NMSA was approved for three major components Rainfed Area Development (RAD); On Farm Water Management (OFWM); and Soil Health Management (SHM). Subsequently, four new programmes were introduced namely Soil Health Card (SHC), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) and Sub Mission on Agroforestry (SMAF). "During 2015-16, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) was operationalised and subsumed under Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component of PMKSY. In addition to aforementioned programmes under NMSA, Restructured Bamboo Mission (NBM) was launched in April 2018. Several steps are being taken to ensure that Indian agriculture remains on the path of sustainability, he highlighted. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra)/ Gurugram (Haryana) [India], November 9 (ANI/BusinessWire India): StarAgri Warehousing & Collateral Management Ltd, one of Asia's leading post-harvest solutions companies, today announced the appointment of Dr Bibhuti Bhusan Pattanaik as an Independent Director to its Board of Directors. Dr Pattanaik, in his last role, held the position of Chairman of WDRA, the statutory authority under the Department of Food & Public Distribution, Government of India; he is one of India's most respected and knowledgeable agri-professionals. Having served several public sector agri-companies in leadership positions during his career spanning over four decades, Dr Pattanaik brings extensive experience in agri-businesses focusing on post-harvest and supply chain management. He specializes in policy formulation & implementation, training & human resource development, general administration and management, sales & marketing, logistics & supply chain management, corporate governance, risk management and corporate social responsibility. Welcoming him to the Board, Amit Khandelwal, Co-founder & Member of the Board, StarAgri, said, "The StarAgri Board of Directors and its leadership team is excited to welcome Dr Pattanaik as its third Independent Director. His rich experience will be a major asset for us to build the future of StarAgri. As the Indian agri-warehousing and collateral finance sector evolves, we look forward to his guidance in purposefully navigating the future." StarAgri will benefit from Dr Pattanaik's experience and expertise to augment its commercial and operational strategy. Dr Pattanaik, Independent Director, StarAgri said, "I am delighted to join the board of StarAgri, a company that pioneered professional agri-warehousing in India. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow Directors to enhance and build an effective and active board-room oriented culture. Together, we look forward to contributing to building a company that has the best corporate governance, risk management and professional leadership. As part of the company, being able to contribute in empowering the Indian farmer and India's food security program is a matter of great individual pride and satisfaction." Dr Pattanaik has served as the chief executive of two large-sized Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) - the National Seeds Corporation and the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) during his illustrious career. He has also held board level positions in both these organizations for over a decade. In addition, he has also served on the board of various public-sector enterprises, including the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Central Railside Warehouse Company (CRWC), National Multi-commodity exchange of India (a company promoted by CWC), Fertilizer Association of India (FAI) and SCOPE. Dr Pattanaik has completed his Masters in Agriculture Sciences from the Banaras Hindu University in 1978. He was the gold-medallist of his batch. With his appointment, StarAgri's board expands from two to three independent directors. This story is provided by BusinessWire India. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/BusinessWire India) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi (India), November 9 (ANI/PNN): Fintech start-up Zenpay Solutions has raised an undisclosed amount of funding led by AngelBay and The StartupLab with participation from investors such as Pavitra Walwekar and Naresh Vigh of Kudos Finance, Ashish Mittal - founder of Smart Kitchen, Nitin Agarwal - founder of B21, Anant Aggarwal, Managing Director Viney Equity Market & Raghav Singhal, Director Om Logistics Ltd. in their latest round of funding. The company had earlier raised their friends and family round in May 2020. Founded in 2018, In a short period, Zenpay has benefitted over 150,000 customers across India by increasing its reach and targeting customers, especially from the semi-rural and rural sectors who do not have access to banking services. Over the next six months, the company aims to expand its reach by creating 2,00,000 new customers across India and plans to create a customer base of 1 million customers by 2022. According to the start-up, it has processed over INR 600 cr in transaction volume, supporting over 150,000 blue-collar workers in the process. According to Zenpay Solutions, the fresh capital will be used to expand its technology and sales team and to build its services to serve and support its rapidly expanding customer and corporate base. Commenting on the successful closing of the funding round, Ankit Bhargava, founder & CEO of Zenpay Solutions, said: "Zenpay Solutions is driving the development of a much richer, broader financial technology ecosystem that goes well beyond banking to include Rural and Blue Collared Workforce. Our products will create the much-needed affordability for blue-collar workers and allow us to build digital banking solutions for individuals who may not have had access otherwise." This story is provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Panjim (Goa) [India], November 9 (ANI/PRNewswire): With the vision of creating ethical, spirited and committed Political Leadership for the country from the grassroots and from all walks of life, MIT School of Government (MIT-SOG) collaborated with Goa Legislative Assembly to celebrate the occasion of 60th year of liberation of Goa from Portuguese rule. This event is in line with the school's vision to develop a pool of dedicated young leaders committed to nation building, infusing in them sense of national pride, democratic values and empathy for people coming from various walks of life. The event also marks 75 years of progressive India and the glorious history of its people, culture and achievements as the nation observes Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav. Through this momentous event the MIT-SOG and Goa Government aims to highlight the strides Goa has made since 1961. Goa's journey post 1961 is breathtaking! The character, patience and resilience shown by the Goans is commendable. The five-day mega event commenced on 8th November 2021 comprises of thought provoking conclaves on mainstreaming women in policy making through National Women's Parliament, strengthening active participation of youth in policy making through National Youth Parliament, and reiterating the strength and utility of local governance through National Panchayat Parliament. The Conclaves are being organized by Goa Legislative Assembly, conducted by MIT School of Government (MIT SOG), Pune and supported by Bharatiya Chhatra Sansad. The MIT School of Government in the past have collaborated with State Legislative Assemblies of Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala to organise similar youth and women parliaments to inspire, motivate and engage them to take the baton of democracy, leadership and governance forward. MIT School of Government aims to strengthen the democratic systems and governments that will pave the way for world peace by training young minds of the country in electoral systems and governance. Dr. Pramod Sawant, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Goa who also is the Patron and Chief Convenor of the event said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the slogan of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and on the theme of Goa at 60, the Government of Goa is working towards giving more emphasis on women empowerment. To make women self-reliant, all the schemes of the central government and CM employment scheme have been implemented. Similarly, the government is providing employment to women by promoting the products made by various women self-help groups. On one hand we are working towards contributing to a self-reliant India and on the other we are working on a self-sufficient Goa. We thank MIT School of Government for giving us strength by organizing National Women's Parliament along with National Youth Parliament and National Panchayat Parliament. Going forward we plan to organise such events every two years." Rajesh Patnekar, Hon'ble Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly in his welcome address said, "The events on Women, Youth and Panchayat are part of diamond jubilee celebration of liberation of Goa. The events will focus on three important pillars of women, youth and local self-government bodies and will focus on increasing their participation in the democratic and electoral processes at various levels." He further stressed that the "Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by UNGA emphasizes on the need for gender equality, women participation in decision making process, and representation in legislature which lead to women empowerment in social, political, and economic context. Women participation in legislations is critical to achieving democracy in the true sense which in turn will help in creation of an inclusive society." Rahul V. Karad, Managing Trustee & Executive President, MAEER's MIT and Executive President, MIT World Peace University & Chief Initiator, MIT School of Government, addressed the audience on the vision behind having conclaves such as National Women's Parliament. He said, "MIT School of Government was established in 2005 to give a new direction to politics and to bring educated youth into politics. Through this organization activities like Indian Student Parliament, National Women's Parliament and Sarpanch Sansad are being implemented. Democracy is being celebrated on the occasion of 60th anniversary of Goa and Amrit Mahotsav of the country. Therefore, WomenParliament, Youth Parliament and Panchayat Sansad are being organized in collaboration with the Government of Goa for empowerment of women, youth and panchayats." Shripad Naik, Hon'ble Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Govt. of India was the Special Guest of Honor for the event along with Shri Rajesh Patnekar, Hon'ble Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Shri Chandrakant Babu Kavlekar, Hon'ble Deputy Chief Minister of Goa, Smt. Nirmala Sawant, Former Power Minister, Government of Goa, Shri Churchill Alemao, MLA, Benaulim Constituency, Alina Saldanha, MLA, Cortalim Constituency, and Shri Govind Gawde Hon'ble Minister for Art & Culture, Government of Goa. The first day of the National Women Parliament saw the presence of eminent dignitaries including Dr. Rama Jayasundar - Professor & Head, Department of NMR, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Devi. Vaibhavishri Alekar - Shrimad Bhagvat Katha Exponent (Pune, Maharashtra), Adv. Manasi Pradhan - Founder, Nirbhaya Vahini, Nirbhaya Samaroh and OYSS Women, Smt. Laxmi Agarwal - Campaigner, Stop Acid Attacks Mission, Smt. Shovana Narayan - Padma Shri, Renowned Indian Kathak Dancer, Ms. Shital Mahajan - Padma Shri, Arjun Awardee, Indian Skydiver, Founder, Phoenix Skydiving Academy, Neli Rodrigues- Principal, MES College, Ex. Zilla Parishad, President, South Goa, Zilla Panchayat , Ch. Hima Bindu - Senior Associate Director, Indian School of Business, Shri. Nanik Rupani - Chairman, Neutron Electronic Systems Pvt. Ltd. & Chairman Emeritus, Priyadarshni Academy, Former President, Indian Merchants Chamber,Dr. Dilip Chenoy - Secretary General, FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and Pratima Dhond- Ex Chairman Goa Women's Bank, Vice President GOA Chamber of Commerce and Industries. The themes of the post-inaugural session revolved around evocative topics that stressed upon the need for a greater participation of women in politics and policy making. Women are dynamic leaders of change, who can galvanize the society for achieving higher ideals, strengthen the community bonds, and protect the family system. Their participation is fundamental to decision making at all levels of democratic and inclusive governance. Goa began its journey towards glory and a better life for its citizens with high hopes and strong resolve. Today, Goa is considered to be a very mature state with a stable economy, able political leadership, an ever increasing tourism industry as well as having the best quality of life in India. This journey would have been incomplete without the three strong pillars - women, youth and panchayats. With these conclaves the participation of the three groups will be further strengthened and will act as models of excellence for other states to replicate. This story is provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PRNewswire) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 9 (ANI/NewsVoir): Lawyers are now again in huge demand. Talent searching is seeing huge demand in Fertilizer business, Agro Chemicals, Infrastructure, Real Estate, Pharmaceuticals and Media. While speaking to Ameet Mehta, Managing Partner of Law Firm Solicis Lex Advisory, he stated that, "The firm had recently recruited more than 25 lawyers in just 3 days. The firm also hired an Ex-Judge, 3 new Solicitors apart from a Senior Lawyer from another law firm." He stated that "The firm has also taken fresh graduating lawyers from leading Law colleges such as Jitendra Chauhan College of Law, GLC, KES, Pravin Gandhi Law College and KC Law College." The Law firm had recently taken up mergers and demerger business of few hotels with their client and counter-part in USA. Neha Raval, a leading Hotelier in USA, who is associated with Solicis Lex Advisory since many years, stated that the hotel business is now picking up and there is huge Merger, Demerger and acquisition scope in hotel industry post pandemic. She owns Best Western Plus at Marion Illinois, Quality Inn & Suites at city Marion in State of Illnois, USA and Corporate East Hotel in Ulysses City in State of Kansas. R B Malik, an Ex-Judge & an Ex-Principal of Government Law College, who joined Solicis Lex recently, informed that, "Due to business transformation post-pandemic, there is huge demand for various consulting and retainer lawyers but unfortunately, there is not much increase in salaries. Though promotions may happen to deserving candidates, but the salary increment may not commensurate at this stage post-pandemic scenario." Ms. Amisha Shah, a Solicitor who recently joined Solicis Lex, stated that "The roles are challenging now and expectations of lawyers in such growing businesses are also equally rising.'' Nirav Marjadi, another Lawyer with 10 plus years of experience and a newly joined Senior Associate Partner in Solicis Lex Advisory stated that, "The mainstream legal roles are incredibly rewarding, but many lawyers may also shift to corporates in this fast-paced requirement of lawyers even though the markets are disruptive for the time being." Solicis Lex is a leading Law firm having multiple branches within India and in 7 countries internationally, having diverse practice areas such as Mergers and Acquisitions, NCLT, Criminal, RERA, Immigration and Civil matters. The Firm has strong bonding and alliances in Bahrain - Boston (USA) - Dubai (UAE) - Hong Kong - Israel - Oman - Singapore Denver - Colorado (USA), Los Angeles (USA), Sydney, Beijing (China), Houston, Texas (USA) - Tokyo (Japan) - New Zealand, Toronto (Canada) & U.K. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 9 (ANI/PNN): With a legacy of over 140 years, Mumbai Textile Merchants' Mahajan (Estd. 1881) has organized Mumbai's largest B2B Fabric Fair on 10th & 11th January 2022 at Sapphire Banquet Hall in Hotel Sahara Star, Vile Parle (East). Hotel Sahara Star will have a dazzling display of various kinds of latest fabrics, spread over 180 stalls. The fabrics on display in MTMM's fabric fair shall include a wide range of fabrics for formals, casuals, ethnic, kids wear, shirting, suiting, dress materials, as well as a wide range of dhotis and saris. Besides, there will be a huge range of cotton fabrics, polyester fabrics, blended fabrics, art silk fabrics and silk in a never before seen range of dyed, printed as well as with value addition. These fabrics will represent changing scenario of fashion as Mumbai is considered as Fashion Capital of the country. Mumbai is also considered as the birthplace of value-added fabrics. The Mega Fair will also display fabrics of composite mills, art silk mills, woollen mills, decentralized power loom sector, as well as fabrics made out of newly invented fibers and yarns like Bamboo, Tencel etc. The B2B Fabric Fair will remain open free of cost to traders, garment manufacturers, retailers, fashion designers, buying agent houses, importers - exporters, brokers, tailors, boutiques and students of fashion institutes. The entry will be with registration only. The general public will not be permitted to the fair as there will be no retail sale in the Fair. A large number of traders from outstation are expected to visit the fair. A footfall of around 10,000 visitors is expected during the two days of the fair. The timings of the fair will be 9.30 AM to 7.30 PM. Kanubhai P. Narsana, President of Mumbai Textile Merchants' Mahajan, informed that The Mahajan plans to hold 2 such fairs every year. The Mahajan Fair Committee consists of Emeritus Chairman Dhiraj Kothari, Sunil J. Majithia, Bhavesh H. Goradia, Divyesh M. Panchmatia, Anand Sarda and others. Mumbai Textile Merchants' Mahajan mainly consists of traders of MuljiJetha Cloth Market (MJ Market) and surrounding markets, including Bhiwandi. Email:(https://mtmm.co.in/) This story is provided by ATK. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/PNN) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi [India], November 9 (ANI/NewsVoir): TVS Credit releases a heart-warming video with a message of #SabkiTarakki to ring in the festive season. The video campaign talks about 'Progress for All' that resonates with the brand's aim of empowering its customers and fulfilling their aspirations. The video depicts a father explaining to his children the real meaning of #SabkiTarakki, with a closing line of 'Tarakki sabki honi chahiye'. The digital film, #SabkiTarakki has been conceptualised by De Works Communications. Link to Video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftt097qJ4K8) As part of this campaign TVS Credit also commenced the fourth season of its flagship consumer promotion #MagicalDiwali. Through this promotion the brand engages with its customers through digital channels and offers exciting rewards to them. A selfie with their recent loan purchase can win customers daily prizes like smart phones and attractive shopping vouchers. Few lucky winners will also win gold coins, international and domestic holidays. Charandeep Singh, Head - Marketing & CRM, TVS Credit, says, "As the festive fervor is back, after a subdued period of the pandemic, our campaign aims to spread the message of progress and hope. TVS Credit as a brand has always stood for the empowerment of its customers and this campaign perfectly brings out our message of #SabkiTarakki. With our customer promotion of Magical Diwali we have tried to engage with customers and make this festival extra special for them with exciting prizes and lucrative offers." The festive offers will be available for a period of three months. During which customers can avail special loan offers like Low EMI schemes and Cashback schemes on products offered by TVS Credit. TVS Credit Services Limited is a leading Non-Banking Financial Company with over 32,000 points-of-presence across India. The number one financier for TVS Motors Limited and one of the leading tractor financiers, TVS Credit also has a fast-growing footprint in used car, consumer durable, used commercial vehicle and business loans segment. Over 6.5 million happy customers have been served with the help of 19,000+ motivated employees and robust Tech and Analytics powered processes. Driven by a mission to empower Indians to dream bigger, secure in knowledge that we are partners in the fulfillment of their aspirations. With new products on the anvil, and an unwavering commitment to customer service and constant improvement, TVS Credit creates value for the customers, employees and partners. Know more about TVS Credit at (https://www.tvscredit.com/). This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 9 (ANI/NewsVoir): WhiteHat Jr, a leading live online learning platform, will host (https://creatorspace.in/) AI Accelerator, a free virtual event that aims to shine a light on the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in today's tech enabled world. The event will feature subject matter experts, including Gokul V. Subramaniam (Vice President, Client Computing Group and General Manager of Client Platform and Systems at Intel Corporation) and Alex Atanasov (Physicist and PhD student in theoretical physics at Harvard University). CreatorSpace: AI Accelerator will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 5 PM IST and is open to children between 6-18 years of age and their parents. The event is a part of WhiteHat Jr's flagship virtual interactive learning series, CreatorSpace, which addresses a new topic each month with the support of world-renowned experts. During the intensive, action-packed two-hour sessions, children will learn from experts about the importance, benefits and applications of Artificial Intelligence. Children will also get to participate in live quizzes and Q & A sessions. "In just over 6 months, CreatorSpace has established itself as our most popular monthly educational event, bringing together tens of thousands of kids and their parents from around the world. Such traction motivates us to identify and curate immersive sessions with a wide array of renowned speakers to enlighten the young generation," said Trupti Mukker, CEO, WhiteHat Jr. "With AI Accelerator, the attempt is to further feed the curiosity of students by introducing them to the fascinating ways in which technology is changing our lives today and how it can potentially shape our tomorrow." The event will be moderated and hosted by Samir Kochhar, a model, an actor and a television presenter known for being the host of the pre-match Indian Premier League. The event is complimentary for all enthusiastic learners globally and their parents. Register for free at (https://creatorspace.in/). WhiteHat Jr was launched in the year 2018 with the singular mission of empowering kids to become creators versus consumers of technology. The company has channeled students' natural creativity through an engaging curriculum and personalized, live teacher attention. WhiteHat Jr's 11,000+ strong teacher workforce conducts thousands of live Coding, Math and Music online classes every day on its proprietary platform. Cumulatively, the company has conducted more than 8.7 million classes to date. Gokul V. Subramaniam, vice president in the Client Computing Group (CCG) serves as general manager of Client Platform and Systems at Intel Corporation. He leads the global organization which is responsible for delivering validation platforms, reference designs, and system technologies for the client roadmap. Subramaniam is the author of seven publications in the areas of software engineering, mobile phones, and semiconductor system design. He is a former Technical Steering Council member of the Linaro, a collaborative open source software and engineering organization and holds six patents with an additional five filed in the area of compute, wireless, power management, camera/audio/speech/touch, industrial design, system and software. Alex Atanasov is a PhD student in theoretical physics at Harvard University. He is driven by the prospect of applying tools from physics to study a diverse set of complex systems in the real world. He is currently studying how artificial neural networks process and learn from information. He published a book on complex analysis at age seventeen. Since then, he has published papers in fields ranging across string theory, quantum field theory, and neuroscience. Atanasov has worked as a software intern at Google, a neuroscience researcher at Yale, and a visiting researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. He graduated magna cum laude from Yale with a BS in Physics and MS in Mathematics. He is also a classical guitarist with a passion for Bach. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) DISCLAIMER (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) When lockdown was imposed and schools were shut, scores of reports about students climbing to the top of trees to attend virtual classes on their phones poured in from various quarters of the country. In this age and time, children risking their lives to get education shocked many. A majority of students in rural areas could not attend the online classes at all during the pandemic as they had no Internet connectivity. But one technology is promising to change all this -- satellite-based broadband connectivity. What challenges does it face? Here is a peek into this new technology which promises to bridge the digital divide: Indias rural Internet connectivity so far 70% of Indias rural population does not have Internet access Union government had launched Digital India scheme to connect rural areas with Internet 1.78 lakh gram panchayats connected with optical fibre so far The target is to provide broadband connectivity to 2.5 lakh gram panchayats Internet penetration in the country stood at around 50% in 2020 Starlink is a subsidiary of Elon Musks rocket company SpaceX OneWeb is owned by Sunil Mittals Bharti Group along with the British government Leading the race, Starlink has already deployed more than 1,700 satellites in low-earth orbit India had launched project in 2011 to ensure that every village panchayat in the country has broadband Internet connectivity. But, according to a report in 2020, half of Indias population still does not have Internet access. And 70% of the countrys rural population is yet to log in to the Internet.Till date, connections have been provided to 1.78 lakh gram panchayats. In June this year, the Union Cabinet approved the implementation of the project in 16 states through the Public Private Partnership Model (PPP). When it comes to wired broadband, India had only 24.3 million customers at the end of August, most of whom are urban subscribers.How satellite-based internet service worksStarlink and OneWeb are among a number of companies which use Low-Earth Orbit satellites to provide high-speed broadband Internet services around the world, with a special focus on remote areas where deploying mobile towers or fiber optic cables are difficult. These satellites can beam the Internet to virtually anywhere on the earth.Sensing the opportunity, Starlink and OneWeb are looking to provide the unserved areas with the Internet. Starlink is a subsidiary of Elon Musks rocket company and OneWeb is owned by Sunil Mittals Bharti Group along with the British government. Starlink is one of a growing number of companies launching small satellites as part of a low-Earth orbiting network to provide low-latency broadband Internet services around the world, with a particular focus on remote areas that terrestrial Internet infrastructure struggles to reach.Starlink has already deployed more than 1,700 satellites in low-earth orbit, against a target of having 12,000 satellites in its constellation. Meanwhile, OneWeb has put 322 satellites into orbit and plans to have 648 of them by the middle of next year. Starlink currently serves about 100,000 users in 14 countries. Recently, Starlink established a subsidiary in India headed by former PayPal executive Sanjay Bhargava as it gears up to launch its services in the country. It has already received over 5,000 pre-orders for its devices in India. But there are some factors which could hit its Indian venture, its the high cost is one of them The roadblocks Starlink may cost $99 or Rs 7,300 per month Starlink kit will cost Rs 37,000 Indias rural consumers will not be able to afford it Like TVs, its services will also be affected by cloudy sky Indian satcom market not fully evolved Mode of spectrum allocation not decided Initial costs to set up constellation of satellites very high Cost is a big impediment Financial viability of satellite broadband not proven yet Government trying to provide rural connectivity with BharatNet Starlinks service at the moment costs about Rs 7,300 per month. This is in addition to Rs 37,000 that customers have to shell out for the Starlink kit, which contains an antenna dish, a stand, its power supply, and a WiFi router. Moreover, the antenna requires a clear view of the sky. Rural consumers in India cannot be expected to pay such huge sums for the Internet. Perhaps, keeping this in mind, Starlink is seeking collaboration with Indian telcos like Jio and Vodafone Idea as well as and RailTel.Starlink is planning to have 200,000 connections in India by December 2022, of which 80% will be in rural areas. It has started applying for licences though there is no regulatory clarity over broadband in India. There is uncertainty around the mode of spectrum allotment and the licensing framework. Things also get complicated as Starlink will make use of foreign satellites for its Internet services in India.Ankit Jain, Assistant Vice President of ICRA, said about this Indias satellite broadband space:The Indian government is in the final stages of approving a new spacecom policy that will underscore the role of Low Earth Orbit satellite systems in increasing Internet coverage. Only once this policy is finalised, companies like Starlink will get some clarity over their future in India. Starlink is initially looking to give 100 devices for free to schools in Delhi and nearby rural districts as part of a pilot project. For this, it is seeking limited approval from the government. Sun Air Jets has announced the appointment of James Evans as the new director of safety and FBO operations for the expanding organization. As the director, Evans will support the company as it further develops its fleet and its dedicated team. ') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // --> Evans has almost ten years of aviation industry experience in various roles within different organizations. His unique skills and industry experience will amplify Sun Air Jets established reputation for quality in private aviation and management services, providing another critical ingredient in its successful growth and client satisfaction strategy. Evans has held multiple positions within the operational management divisions at a Big Four airline spanning across three major international airports. Most recently, Evans oversaw QA/ QC, safety, record keeping and compliance before transitioning to business aviation. The Sun Air Jets team welcomes Evans to the leadership team as the newest in a series of corporate enhancements and initiatives that will reinforce the stability of the Sun Air Jets brand as it continues to grow and flourish. Sun Air is thrilled to add James to the management team, said Brian Counsil, President of Sun Air Jets. His diverse experience has already made a positive impact on the organization and will bolster Sun Airs continued pursuit of industry-leading safety excellence. His operational prowess will only further enhance our customer experience. Evans said, I am excited to transition into this new role as director of safety. Sun Air Jets prides itself in operating one of the safest rated private fleets in the nation, with accreditations in all four of the major safety audit standards. I look forward to furthering our impeccable safety and risk management culture and building upon our decades long foundation of exemplary standards. Evans possesses a Bachelors degree in Public Relations/Business from The University of Texas and hes currently working to complete his private pilots license. Stephanie Sell, the mother of infant Xavier Russell, recently gave a victims impact statement during the sentencing of the deceased babys father Tyler Russell after he pleaded no contest in September to attempted involuntary manslaughter in 28th Circuit Court. Stephanie Sell, the mother of infant Xavier Russell, recently gave a victims impact statement during the sentencing of the deceased babys father Tyler Russell after he pleaded no contest in September to attempted involuntary manslaughter in 28th Circuit Court. Timothy Joseph Kowalski, 34, of Onaway, was sentenced in 28th Circuit Court to serve 36 months probation and between six to nine months on a Michigan Department of Corrections tether for a no contest plea to operating while intoxicated causing serious injury for his connection with an incident on Sept. 8, 2020, in Antioch Township. (Bloomberg) Hong Kong could open up to global travel in roughly six months, after officials have successfully navigated the introduction of quarantine-free borders with the Chinese mainland and boosted the local vaccination rate, a government adviser said. The Chinese territory needs to finish negotiating open borders with the mainland, while using the next few months to increase the flagging Covid-19 inoculation rate among the citys elderly, Lam Ching-choi, a member of Hong Kong leader Carrie Lams advisory Executive Council, said in an interview on Monday. We maybe need half a year or so to develop an adequate vaccination rate, especially among the older people, said Lam Ching-choi, who is also part of the governments working group on vaccinations. Hopefully by then, we have opened up the border with China and we might have conditions favorable to open up the border to other places. Despite procuring enough vaccines when they first became available, Hong Kong has struggled to inoculate its population of about 7.4 million people. Vaccine hesitancy, fueled by fears of side effects particularly among the elderly, has hampered their use. Only 17% of those aged 80 and above in Hong Kong have gotten at least one shot, compared with 69% of the entire eligible population. And efforts by the government, including targeted pop-up vaccination sites at malls and public housing estates, have not yet boosted the take-up among older Hong Kongers. As other countries continue opening up, Hong Kong and China remain the only places left in the world still pursuing a Covid Zero strategy that seeks to eliminate local transmission of the virus through strict measures including long quarantines, rigorous contact tracing and targeted testing blitzes. The approach, however, has been unable to totally stamp out the virus in China. It is currently struggling to suppress its fourth outbreak of the more-transmissible delta variant in the past five months. In more cosmopolitan Hong Kong, the measures have led to rising frustration for international companies and residents who face mandatory hotel quarantines of as long as 21 days if they leave and return to the city. Foreign business chambers have warned the government the travel rules risk ruining Hong Kongs reputation as a global finance hub, and have complained that there is no end game or exit strategy. On Tuesday, Hong Kongs leader reiterated that opening the border with China remained the priority over liberalizing travel with the rest of the world. She said Hong Kong officials will soon meet with mainland authorities again to discuss a formal reopening of the border. Lam said they havent yet figured out how many virus cases would trigger the reopening to be suspended, but added that they didnt want the threshold to be too harsh. We are making good progress, Lam, the citys chief executive, said at a regular weekly briefing. The central government and the Hong Kong SAR fully understand that the top priority in Hong Kong is to gradually resume cross border travel between Hong Kong and the mainland for business purposes and other urgent needs. However, if Hong Kong cant open the border with the Chinese mainland, then it should begin looking at reestablishing ties with other countries, University of Hong Kong epidemiology professor Benjamin Cowling told Bloomberg TV on Monday. He also warned that any travel bubble with the mainland could prove fragile if the delta variant crosses over into Hong Kong. It is one of the densest cities in the world and the only one that hasnt experienced a delta outbreak. Look at Singapore, Australia, New Zealand they all had trouble stopping delta, Cowling said. We dont have the same tools at our disposal as the mainland. Lam Ching-choi, the adviser, said that only once the citys vaccination rate is higher and Hong Kong has again opened to the outside world can officials talk about the endgame scenario, which could include taking a more laissez-faire approach to the virus. Even if we want to live with the virus, as many other places are doing, we dont have the vaccination rate to do that, he said. Contact 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. Become A Subscriber A subscription opens up access to all our online content, including: our interactive E-Edition, a full archive of modern stories, exclusive and expanded online offerings, photo galleries from Caledonian-Record journalists, video reports from our media partners, extensive international, national and regional reporting by the Associated Press, and a wide variety of feature content. The Facebook Papers project represents a unique collaboration among 17 American news organizations, including The Associated Press. Journalists from a variety of newsrooms, large and small, worked together to gain access to thousands of pages of internal company documents obtained by Frances CAMEROUN :: Upper Sanaga: Environmental disaster looms as Chinese grab over 6,000 ha of forests land :: CAMEROON Peasant farmers in some villages in the Upper Sanaga division of the Centre region have continued jostling, hoping to regain their farming land government leased to an Asian investor for the development of an agricultural project years back. Chinese firm, Shaanxi Agriculture Group, through local subsidiary, China-Cameroon Yingkao Agricultural Development Co. Ltd. (also known locally as Sino-Cam IKO), acquired land through a 99-year lease in the villages along the banks of the Sanaga river for the cultivation of rice and other crops. According to the deal, Sino-IKO agreed to begin by rehabilitating around 100 hectares of rice fields at Nanga-Eboko, an abandoned Taiwanese aid project and the government promised to arrange for another 2,000 hectares of land close to Nanga-Eboko to grow rice. The government had also promised 4,000 hectares in the nearby Ndjore for cassava. Another 4,000 hectares would be in Santchou, in the Western region of the country. Works started in 2006 in the locality of Bifogo in Nanga Eboko and by 2009, at the behest of the company, the government created a committee to go and demarcate land in the other localities, but the team of surveyors and representatives from the company met with stiff resistance from the locals. Villagers who were accustomed to customary land ownership say they did not understand how foreigners came demarcating their land for a project they are not aware of. The forest is our only source of livelihood. We are mainly farmers and hunters here in Biwoung. So, when our land is given out for such a project, what does the government expect us to do, questioned Adem Joseph Platini, a youth of Biwoung, one of the villages within the concession. Platini says he is a famer while his brother is a hunter. Both of them live in Biwoung with their families and depend on the forest which is now within the Sino IKO concession and will be cleared for the implementation of the project. We use this land for various purposes. My brother sited there is a hunter while I am a farmer. Some of us here cultivate 10 hectares of land per year while others plan to do more. Where are we going to work when they have seized a large portion of the forest? Platini questioned further. Locals protest project Protests rocked the localities of Mbandjock, Akak, Bifogo, Ndokoti and Boundja in Nanga Eboko sub division over the ceding of their land to the agro-industrial company at the threshold of the implantation of the project. Within the forest, Platini says are patches of land for subsistence farming. Some of those who opposed the project paid a heavy price. One of them is Faa Embolo Joseph, a native of Wala who claimed customary rights to over 1,000 hectares of land in Nanga-Eboko. He had fell down trees to block the road for the team of surveyors that was going for the demarcation. He said the project partly overlapped his lands in block 5 of his Village Akak. He will later be arrested, detained for two years, then handed a one-year suspended sentence for his action in protest against the governments decision to allocate what he says is part of their land to the Chinese investor. In Mengang, another village within the concession, the chief launched a procedure to know from local administrative authorities if they were aware of what was happening and why people had demarcated their farm lands without their consent. The former Divisional Officer for Upper Sanaga told us that he was aware of the exercise that was being carried out in our villages and assured us that what the Chinese were doing was legal. He told us not to worry that the Chinese had passed through the main door. In other words, the Chinese were acting on instructions of the government, disclosed Bessala Jean Ngono Charles, son of the chief of Mengang. He added that the Divisional Officer also assured them that they would be compensated at the right time. Rights groups have faulted the demarcation process which according to their findings was plagued with irregularities. According to reports by Yaounde-based Center for the Environment and Development (CED) and Network for the Fight against Hunger in Cameroon (RELUFA), that worked with victims of what is now known locally as Chinese land grab in Nanga Eboko, the Chinese company unjustifiably benefitted from land in the localities of Biwoung, Wala, Nkoambang, Mengang and Minkouma that were not concerned by the deal passed with the state. We can not tell what transpired in the field for the Chinese to end up with over 6,000 hectares of land. The only available document in that concession (a ministerial decree) grants them only 100 hectares of land explained Samuel Nguiffo Secretary General at CED. His peer of RELUFA Guy Lebrun Ambomo (Programs Assistant), observed that the procedure of expropriation as defined by the 1974 land ordinance in Cameroon was not respected in this particular case creating grounds for revandications from the population. With an unfulfilled promise to compensate them for their land lost, inhabitants of the localities have never ceased to hope that, their farm sites will one day be given back to them. Our problem now is for the government to give us back our land. That is why as family head I plan to sue the state before the Nanga Eboko administrative court for our land to be given back to us, Faa Embolo stated. The Cameroonian land ordinance of 1974 in its article 12 states that for the achievement of objectives of general interest, the state may resort to the procedure of expropriation it further states in its article 13 that organizations benefiting from the expropriation are required to compensate the victims on their budget. Environmental disaster looms Environmentalists are afraid that Cameroon risk being hit by one of the worst ecological disasters in its history should just half of the Sino IKOs concession be cleared for agricultural purposes. The forest is critical in contributing to global climate change mitigation and biodiversity preservation according to Ghislain Fomou, head of program at the Local Initiative Development Support Services (SAILD). He says the forest helps to regulate the level of carbon dioxide (C02) in the atmosphere by trapping what humans exhale and pumping out oxygen. The environmentalist explains that by falling down trees or destroying the forest in the guise of setting up an agricultural project, excess C02 will be released into the atmosphere and temperatures will flare. Destroying the forest will also affect the water cycle, causing low rain fall and excess heat, Fomou said. Besides, the environmental expert also adds that should the Chinese rice cultivation project continue as planned, certain plants and animal species may be extinguished. The forest is a natural habitat for different species of animals and plants destroying it for agricultural purposes means wiping out the fauna and flora, Fomou explained. On the social domain, Fomou highlights that the forest is a source of livelihood for the population who pick herbs for health purposes, cultivate food for feeding, and perform their cultural rites. Cutting down over 6,000 ha of forest will have a negative impact on the way of life of the population. The mortality rate may increase for lack of medicinal plants, and land disputes will erupt amongst villagers for lack of land, lamented the environmentalist. Background of the project The Upper Sanaga division is known for its fertile soil. Because of the fertility of its soil, suitable for agriculture, the area, part of an agro-industrial zone that stretches to the East region of the country has attracted several agro-industrial projects. It is the fertility of the land that in 2006 attracted Yang Haomin, chairman of Chinese firm, Shaanxi State Farm Agribusiness Corporation to the country. By Decree N00475 of March 24, 2009 of the Ministry of State Property and Land Affairs (MINDCAF), works of an agricultural project, rice farming were declared of public utility on an area of about one hundred (100) hectares, covering the localities of Nkoteng, Ndjore, Akak, Bifogo, Ndokoti and Boundja. However, the agro industry finally ended up with 6,181 hectares of land divided in 3 blocks in the villages of; Biwoung, wala, Nkoambang, mengang and minkouma, according to activists and locals who have not ceased questioning the lease process. At the Delegation for state Property, Surveys and Land Tenure, all efforts to get clarifications on the surplus land given to the Chinese yielded no fruits. Meanwhile at the Divisional Delegation for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Delegate Zeh Efouda Jean Marie rather rejected allegations of a problem, but failed to justify the 6,181 ha of land that is source of trouble. This article was produced with financial assistance from the Congo Basin Rainforest Journalism Fund/Pulitzer Center. Mazda has unveiled the first of its five all-new SUVs slated to arrive in the next two years the first-ever CX-50. Designed to meet the req... Attorney General Merrick Garland, center, accompanied by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, left, and FBI Director Christopher Wray, right, speaks at a news conference at the Justice Department in Washington, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) This map of Carteret County, divided by postal code, shows active COVID-19 cases in each zip code as of Monday afternoon. (Carteret County map) Carroll, IA (51401) Today Windy with a mix of clouds and sun. High 39F. Winds NNW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 21F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Re: Jacinta Jays letter Why spend to help others? (Castanet, Nov 8) I could not agree more with Jacinta Jay. However, I think the problem goes much deeper than just the neglect that our veterans face from the short funding by the government. What about resolving the land and fairness issues facing our Indigenous peoples. Little things, like the much-promised clean drinking water for every community? Pity we cant find the money for that. While were spending money we dont have, why not spend more on education? Improve our school systems and institute free post-secondary education (to the first diploma/degree/trade ticket). We could also increase the pay of our serving military (not just the top ranks) to make it a viable option for younger Canadians. Looking to the future, we should invest in our own infrastructure, like improving our rail system and maybe building and enhancing our northern bases. As one of the newest nations in the world, with a massive land mass and incredible shorelines, we simply have no way to defend ourselves when the major super powers decide they would rather own what we have rather than just control it financially. I hope (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau and his cabinet will finally realize that the ramifications of climate change can possibly call for a shortage of food, arable land and sustainable off-shore fisheries throughout the world. Weve got it all. Lets start planning on how to rebuild it here, protect it here, and continue to thrive here. Gary Lynch Photo: CTV News Vancouver Two Vancouver police officers have been suspended for their conduct after a video surfaced of them posing by a dead body back in February. Deputy Police Complaint Commissioner Andrea Spindler told CTV News the Vancouver Police Department suspended the officers without pay. The length of the suspension is unknown. Zac Ratcliffe took the video of the officers and posted it to social media. "The fact they thought it was OK to publicly and openly take pictures of one another in front of a deceased person, to me, seemed insensitive," Ratcliffe told CTV Vancouver. -With files from CTV Vancouver Photo: The Canadian Press A judge on Tuesday again refused to let British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell trade a jail cell for home detention, citing previous rulings that the nature of charges alleging Maxwell recruited teenage girls for Jeffrey Epstein to sexually abuse and her ability to flee make it impossible to let her out. It was the fourth time that U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan has rejected a bail application for Maxwell, 59. Previous applications were also twice rejected by a Manhattan federal appeals court. Nathan made the rejection in a two-page order in which she also promised that Maxwell will be transported from her Brooklyn federal jail to her trial in a way that is humane, proper, and consistent with security protocols. The judge said lawyers for the Metropolitan Detention Center assured these protocols in a sealed letter. One of Maxwell's lawyers complained that she was brought to the courthouse last week for a hearing nearly six hours before its scheduled start and was poked by a guard to force her to wake up when she briefly fell asleep in a cold holding cell. The jury selection process began Thursday to find a dozen people willing to fairly decide whether prosecutors can prove that Maxwell helped Epstein recruit and sexually abuse teenage girls from 1994 to 2004. Maxwell has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Prospective jurors answered written questions in advance of oral questioning of them by the judge next week as a pool of hundreds of individuals is reduced to 12 jurors and six alternates. Opening statements at a trial expected to last six weeks are scheduled for Nov. 29. In the latest bail request, Maxwell lawyer Bobbi Sternheim said her client has been subjected to physical and emotional abuse by jail guards. She also cited poor and unsanitary living conditions, insufficient nutrition, difficulties reviewing millions of legal documents and sleep deprivation. In arguing against bail, prosecutors wrote that the latest bail application turns to rhetoric and anecdotes better suited to tabloids than briefs. Where legal arguments can be found, they are cursory and unpersuasive. Epstein, a wealthy financier, was found dead in August 2019 in his cell in a Manhattan federal jail where he awaited a sex trafficking trial. Photo: The Canadian Press Quebec Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette, left, speaks on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at the legislature in Quebec City. A Quebec bill that would have allowed only people who have undergone surgery to change their sex on identification documents will be changed. The bill introduced Oct. 21 by Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette was criticized by transgender-rights activists. The law would have allowed people who identify as transgender to change their "gender" designation on official documents. However activists said they were worried that would force people to reveal that they are transgender every time they showed their ID, because they would be the only ones with a "gender" as opposed to a "sex" designation on those documents. A spokeswoman for Jolin-Barrette says in an email today that the government has listened to the critics, and the surgery requirement will be dropped from the bill. Elisabeth Gosselin says the bill is intended to comply with a court ruling that ordered the government to allow transgender and non-binary people to adequately change their sex and gender identification on civil documents and to better reflect the realities faced by LGBTQ families. The proposed law, known as Bill 2, is a wide-ranging update to the province's Civil Code that includes other changes to family law. Ex-Hyundai Motor engineer Kim Gwang-ho reported to NHTSA in 2016 that Hyundai was failing to address a design flaw linked to its Theta II engines, which were prone to seizing up and even catching fire. The whistleblower was awarded a record $24 million. 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 few showers this evening, becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight A few showers this evening, becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Mike Bell (R-Riceville) announced Monday that he will not be a candidate for re-election in 2022. He was first elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 2006 before moving to the State Senate in 2010 where he represents Bradley, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe and Polk Counties in Senate District 9. Also, Rep. Mark Hall of Bradley County said he will seek his seat. It has been the highest honor of my life to serve in the Tennessee General Assembly, said Senator Bell. I am incredibly thankful for the continued support, friendship and kindness of my constituents who have entrusted me to represent them for the past 15 years. Just as I knew it was time for me to run for office in 2006, I feel it is now time to move to the next chapter of my life and pass the leadership mantle for this district to a new state senator. He said he is making the announcement early enough to provide prospective candidates plenty of time to come forward and meet with the people of the district. I love representing the people of this district, added Senator Bell who regularly attends community and school functions in the district. It has truly been a joy to get to know members of our civic, business, school, volunteer firefighters, sportsmen, veteran groups, and other community organizations. Their input has been a tremendous asset to me while serving in the General Assembly and I will miss that constant contact very much. I also couldnt have done this job without the encouragement of my wife and children and am very appreciative of their support. This is a tremendous loss for the Senate and the State, said Lt. Governor Randy McNally. Mike has brought a true working-class perspective to the Senate that has been simply invaluable. An authentic citizen legislator, Mike has served with distinction as chairman of both the Judiciary and Government Operations committees while at the same time owning and operating his own small business. A consistent conservative and a true friend, Mike Bell has championed the cause of Life and the Second Amendment with impassioned advocacy. His commitment to those two issues, in particular, has resulted in successful legislative victories on multiple occasions. I have always considered him a very close friend and hope to continue to call on him for advice and counsel. I congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement from the legislature and wish him the best of luck on what comes next. Senator Bell has served in several leadership positions during his legislative tenure. In addition to chairing the Senate Judiciary Committee, he led the Senate Government Operations Committee from 2012 to 2018 where he pushed for greater accountability of Tennessees boards and commissions to make them more effective and customer-friendly. In the House of Representatives, he chaired the Children and Family Subcommittee and was Freshman Leader in the Republican Caucus. In addition, he currently serves as chairman of the General Assemblys Sportmens Caucus and is a member of the Executive Council for the National Assembly of Sportsmens Caucuses (NASC), receiving several awards on behalf of his efforts to preserve hunting and fishing. He serves as Chairman of Tennessees Asian Carp Advisory Commission to study and provide advice regarding the best methods for mitigating the invasion of Asian carp into the state's lakes and river systems. During his legislative tenure, Senator Bell has been a strong advocate of Second Amendment rights, including sponsoring the law establishing the right to carry a firearm without a permit. Other key laws sponsored by Bell include: Legislation revamping the states Textbook Commission to provide for greater transparency and more public input in the textbook selection process; Several bills removing unfair restrictions concerning the eligibility of home school students for Tennessees lottery scholarships; Legislation to protect Tennesseans access to healthcare through telehealth services; The Broadband Accessibility Act to improve access to broadband through investment, deregulation and education, spurring development in rural areas to open them up to job growth; Legislation creating volunteer firefighter grants for equipment and the new law to provide them with an annual $600 payment upon completion of training; Numerous laws strengthening penalties for human trafficking and providing support for victims; Legislation to make the Board of Judicial Conduct more responsive to the public; and Several laws protecting unborn children, including legislation excluding facilities in Tennessee that perform abortion from receiving Tennessee taxpayer money. He was also was a strong legislative supporter for the Bradley County Tennessee Veterans Home. Senator Bell will continue to serve until a new state senator is elected in the regular general election on November 8, 2022. Senator Bell and Rep. Hall discussed their political plans on WCLE Radio in Cleveland. Click here to listen. Retired radio broadcaster Earl Freudenberg was guest speaker for the November meeting of the Chattanooga Area Historical Association. Hey Earl, as he is known, shared a collection of his short radio programs including Earl Winger who co founded WDOD in 1925. Mr. Winger said the first radio program on WDOD was broadcast on WDOD from the historic First Presbyterian Church on April 13, 1925. Mr. Winger and Norman Thomas had a small studio located in a house near the church. The speaker said Mr. Winger related that he ran a long microphone cable from the house to the church pulpit located at 554 McCallie Ave. Mr. Freudenberg also shared interviews with Bill Hall from the former Town and Country Restaurant and a conversation between Luther Masingill and Cindy Messenger of the Mount Vernon Restaurant. Mr. Freudenberg started in radio in 1962 and retired in 2016, although he does volunteer work for WDYN. Among those in attendance were Ben Cagle, retired broadcast executive with WDEF radio and TV, Johnny Eagle, WFLI radio and City Court Judge Russell Bean, longtime Chattanooga radio fan. The Chattanooga Area Historical Association is now meeting in the First Presbyterian Church Chapel. Their next meeting is Jan. 10 with Judge Neil Thomas the speaker. His topic is Ed Johnson and Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan, the Great Dissenter. For information on the organization go to www.chattahistoricalassoc.org. Second Presbyterian Church at 7th and Pine streets in downtown Chattanooga has long been appealing to lovers of both architecture and historic buildings. With its cream-colored stone and its tower, turrets and arches, the building hints of medieval, Richardsonian Romanesque and Victorian influences typical of the era in which it was built. It is such an unusually interesting building architecturally, said the churchs pastor, the Rev. Cathy Meyer, of the church structure. And I have never been in a sanctuary like it. While R.H. Hunt in recent decades has been credited with being the architect, a Chattanooga Times story written when it opened in 1891, the same year the Walnut Street Bridge was completed, said L.B. Valk and Son of Brooklyn, N.Y., was the church designer. Like the Hunt firm was in the South, the Valks were also prolific architects throughout the nation and were also known for their praised structures. One of their Southern buildings built also in the early 1890s was the former First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, N.C., which in a photograph found online does look somewhat like Second Presbyterian, with a tower in one corner. And two separate listings of Mr. Hunts numerous acclaimed structures on file at the Chattanooga Public Library do not mention Second Presbyterian Church as one of the firms projects, although that is not believed to be a complete list. Of course, I cant verify one way or the other for sure, and I do not want to dispel any pride the church members have of a connection to Mr. Hunt, who was Chattanoogas most praised and prolific pre-World War II architect. Perhaps the design was a joint project, or Mr. Hunt helped supervise construction or provided finishing details. And it should be noted that a survey of Hunt buildings done in connection with a successful National Register of Historic Places nomination around 1980 lists Mr. Hunt as the architect of Second Presbyterian. Also, the official church historical summary written and among the displays the church has used to celebrate its 150th anniversary says that Mr. Hunt was engaged to design it. Whoever the architect was created a handsome stone exterior that has long been a familiar and eye-catching landmark to Chattanoogans and others, including passersby on the freeway who enjoy a balcony-like view of it. Lesser known to the general populace, however, is the interior, and that piqued my interest. So, as a lover of historic architecture and with the church celebrating a landmark anniversary as a congregation this year, I decided to try and see the interior for only the second time and first since attending a wedding there more than 20 years ago. Like the exterior, the inside is also appealing, not only for its decorative features and layout, but also for what most people would call all the positive programs that take place there, from worship, to outreach and use by the community. A Community Kitchen-coordinated mens shelter is housed there, as is an office for the non-profit Beloved Women group that helps financially challenged women. Music groups like the Chattanooga Boys Choir and the Choral Arts Society use its facilities for practice and performances. I had contacted the church about seeing the building, and one day recently office manager Susan Vance and maintenance sexton Andrew Wilson spent nearly an hour giving me a VIP tour without any prompting. Rev. Meyer was out of town at the time, but I caught up with her later over the phone. Ms. Vance and Mr. Wilson ended up showing me the sanctuary, of course, and I even got to see the 1923-24 building next door, which has terrazzo flooring and looks like Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences but surprisingly becomes narrower behind the entrance facade. Perhaps Mr. Hunt had something to do with that addition, as he did for sure design CSAS when it was opened as Chattanooga High School less than five years earlier. I also saw a basement area below the sanctuary that shows how the worship space was elevated, possibly to prevent flooding. I also got to inspect a small gymnasium that has received little public attention over the years, as well as another basement room with a well, where water collects from a spring and is periodically pumped out. The closed-off remains of an old coal chute can also be seen there. I even got to climb up in the tower, which features a spiral staircase that resembles a vertical Fat Mans Squeeze from Rock City due to its narrowness. The tower also has three landings with old and now-vacant rooms on each level. But the sanctuary is the main draw of the church visually, and even acoustically, as it is by all accounts a great place to showcase music. It is similar to the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City with its ceiling, and that makes choirs sound really good, said Mr. Wilson, adding that the ceiling of Second Presbyterian is made of corrugated metal. Music ministry director Dr. Kevin Ford also brings his choral musicians from UTC there for recording sessions, Mr. Wilson said. The sanctuary formerly had an organ that sat in a pit in the chancel area behind the pulpit and in front of the choir steps, but about six years ago, the new organ console built by Barger and Nix in McDonald was placed in the back. Some pipes are hidden behind screens in the front sides. The sanctuary has a single level sitting area that is circular, fans out from the front and slopes down like an amphitheater. It is a look not necessarily expected, based on the appearance of the exterior. Ms. Vance believes this sanctuary interior is more in the style of newer churches. Column-like adornments, arch-like features and other architectural touches can be found throughout the sanctuary, and this gives the church the look of being artistically eye pleasing without being too gaudy. Among the other features of Second Presbyterian are some large stained-glass windows, including a rose window. Another feature of the interior that catches the eye, as much for its uniqueness as visual appeal, is the set of very tall sliding doors that opens into a chapel area in the back. They almost appear to be the Paul Bunyon of doors due to their mammoth size, and they feature stained glass within them. A 2006 remodeling took away the sliding tracks, and the doors were permanently set in the open position stacked behind each other. Ms. Vance said the Presbyterian Church USA-affiliated church had a big 150th celebration over Labor Day Weekend to celebrate and give praise for everything from the churchs various ministries over the years to the history of the building. Concerning the churchs history, a May 30, 1890, Times article after the cornerstone was laid the day before said that a large audience was on hand. Dr. J.W. Bachman of First Presbyterian Church said during formal remarks that the church under construction looked better and was more handsome than the Second Presbyterians current structure at Chestnut and Eighth streets, according to the article. During the cornerstone ceremony, church member and First National Bank president T.G. Montague deposited a copper box into the cornerstone. It contained newspapers, periodicals, a sheet mentioning the population of the city, a church membership roll, and materials related to the local schools, among other items. The article also said that the general contractor was church member D.J. Chandler, and that the layout of the church was to include a pastors room on the north side of the entrance to the pulpit area, and a choir room on the south side. Two parlor classrooms were to be on either side of the main Sunday school room, which was evidently the main room behind the giant doors and to the rear of the sanctuary, and which later became a chapel. Below the main level was a kitchen and dining room and restrooms. The church was also described in the 1890 article as possessing the first amphitheater style sanctuary or nave in Chattanooga. The stone was described in one of the early articles as being Kentucky bluestone. Both at the cornerstone laying and the first service in the new building on Nov. 15, 1891, the pastor was the Rev. William J. Trimble, who had served the church since 1879 and would serve until 1899. The current pastor, the Rev. Meyer, is only the 11th minister in the churchs long period of existence, and first woman minister. As a result, she has added some history to the church. Ms. Meyer said she had initially gotten to know some of the Second Presbyterian members through some area Hospice chaplaincy work, and she felt honored to become the interim minister and later regular pastor. It truly was the hand of God, she said. I felt like God wants me here. She said she has drawn close to the church through her work and by learning such historical facts as that members Hattie Ackerman and Dr. R.N. Barr are memorialized in a stained-glass window at the church for their courageous medical aid during the yellow fever epidemic of 1878. You have a sense of being in the presence of all the saints who have walked through the doors, she said of them and others. Like 1890s minister Rev. Trimble, she spent time in Pennsylvania, too. She is a lifelong Presbyterian, and her father was the president of what is now Waynesburg University in the Keystone State. The church also has another connection to the North in that several of its initial members had come down after the Civil War, Rev. Meyer said. All that information and the churchs appearance are very appealing to her and make Second Presbyterian a great church to serve, she added. All of that is present and here and valuable to us and lends itself to worshiping in this space, she said. The church hopes to move strongly into its future as well, with the 130-year-old structure still there to serve as an inanimate church greeter and help draw people in along with the programs and offerings. We have really good members and attendees and have visitors every week, said Ms. Vance of the church during the tour. That is wonderful for us here. * * * * * Jcshearer2@comcast.net A new event, the Cranberry Jam, is providing an opportunity for individuals to gather and give back leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday. The event will be hosted in Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. in Chattanooga, on Monday, Nov. 22 from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. The event will feature music by Love, Peace & Happiness, whose repertoire includes Soul, R&B and standard favorites, along with bins for people to donate goods to the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. While Gratefull, the beloved Thanksgiving event where everyone gathered around one long table on Martin Luther King Boulevard, is not taking place this year, River City Company is offering an opportunity for the community to still come together safely and give back to those in need in our community, said Emily Mack, president & CEO of River City Company. Individuals attending the event are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items like canned goods or other supplies needed this time of year by the Chattanooga Community Kitchen, including hand warmers, used plastic bags, umbrellas and ponchos. "Food drives at this time of year not only help us prepare daily meals, but also allow us to provide delicious and nutritious meals with all the trimmings for the holidays. As temperatures continue to drop, donations that help protect those we serve from the elements are also appreciated," said Trish King, volunteer and church coordinator for the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. While supplies last, free lunch and refreshments will be served to the public at the event. Full event details can be found here. The Cranberry Jam Food Drive & Concert is made possible by: Benwood Foundation, Lyndhurst Foundation, Robert Finley Stone Foundation, Chattanooga Tourism Company, Made in Tennessee, EPB, Elliott Davis and presented by River City Company. Area residents looking for an opportunity to brighten the lives of hospitalized children this holiday season can celebrate the return of the Childrens Hospital at Erlanger Tiny Trees program, coordinated by CHEs Child Life and Erlanger Volunteer Services."CHE is collecting miniature Christmas trees to decorate the rooms of our young patients in December, officials said. These small decorated trees will add a little brightness during difficult times for children and their families.Child life specialists will deliver the trees to childrens rooms and when patients leave the hospital, they may take their trees home."Those wishing to contribute miniature trees may drop them off either Thursday, Dec. 9, or Friday, Dec. 10, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the table near the main entrance of the CHE Emergency Room on Blackford Street. Limit donations to two per organization. If your group would like to make a large donation, contact Ann Oliver prior to starting.Instructions for trees are as follows: Trees must be 3 feet tall or smaller; No live trees; they must be artificial; Pick a theme for a child or teenager; Ornaments may be purchased or handmade; Toys, such as dolls or cars, may be wired onto trees; No food items on trees; Securely tie or wire ornaments onto trees; no loose ornaments. Please be sure ornaments do not include glass, sharp objects or anything that could be a choking hazard. Lights are great, but battery-powered lights are best.For more information, contact Ann Oliver at 423-778-7478 or email ann.oliver@erlanger.org. The East Tennessee Symphony Orchestra welcomes a change in seasons with its Fall Concert on Sunday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. The free family-friendly event will take place in the Founders Hall at The Commons, at 4950 Swinyar Dr. in Collegedale. ETSO Music Director Jeremy Francisco leads the all-volunteer orchestra with a Concert Repertoire featuring Antonin Dvorak - Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, and Moritz Moszkowski - Piano Concerto in E major, Op. 59, with Dr. J. Bruce Ashton on piano. The concert will conclude the day-long Hope Twinkles 2021 play-a-long benefit for The Zan Young School of Music and Hope. Visit etsomusic.org/events or follow the ETSO on Facebook and Instagram to learn more about the symphony's upcoming events. For more information, contact Mathew Miller at 580-4999. The 16th Annual Moccasin Bend Lecture Series concludes with a presentation on Monday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m. featuring Rivers, Rails & Roads: Transportation During the Cherokee Removal. Guest speaker, Amy Kostine, the National Trails Program coordinator for the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee University, will introduce audiences at the IMAX and via the virtual broadcast, to the role different modes of transportation played in the Chattanooga area and beyond during the Cherokee Removal. This culminating event in the 2021 series will take place live at the IMAX Theater with an accompanying live broadcast via Zoom, offering all guests the opportunity to participate in the Q&A with Ms. Kostine following her presentation. Register to attend the Nov. 15 lecture in person at the IMAX here. Register for the accompanying virtual broadcast here. Registration is required for each event separately, for either in-person or virtual participation. For more information, please visit nppcha.org. Organizers will follow all appropriate CDC policy and local health guidelines at the time of the events to provide a safe experience for all guests. The History Department of UTC will once again co-sponsor the third and final installment of the annual series, a tradition that builds upon the strong relationship between National Park Partners and UTC. "The Moccasin Bend Lecture Series is a wonderful way to introduce our students to the tremendous historical resources of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park," said Dr. Michael Thompson, department head and UC Foundation associate professor of History. "Working with National Park Partners to bring this important series into the community is exactly the type of partnership that deepens UTC's connections to the greater Chattanooga area." In the summer of 1838, following the Indian Removal Act, three groups of Cherokee left, traveling from present-day Chattanooga by rail, boat, and wagon, primarily on the Water Route. River levels were too low for navigation and, with 15,000 captives still awaiting removal, the Cherokee were granted a postponement until the fall if they voluntarily remove themselves. The delay was granted, provided they remain in internment camps until travel resumed. Today, the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail passes through nine states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee. There are museums, interpretive centers and historic sites along the route that provide information and interpretation for the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Additional information, including interpretive maps and resources, can be found online here. The Moccasin Bend Lecture Series is presented each fall with speakers and topics related to National Parks and conservation; Indigenous culture and history; and Chattanoogas place in the U.S. Civil War. The series was founded by in 2006 by Tennessee Representative Greg A. Vital and has been sustained into our 16th year through his sponsorship. All installments of the series are on Monday evenings and are free and open to the public. Audiences can enjoy previous events in the lecture series online here. Ms. Kostine is the National Trails Program coordinator for the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee University, a position she has held since 2012. Over the years, she has worked on a variety of projects, including National Register of Historic Places nominations, architectural surveys and assessments, historic structure reports, preservation plans, exhibits, brochures, and cultural landscape inventories. Most of these projects have been in partnership with the National Trails office of the National Park Service and focused on the Trails of Tears National Historic Trail. More recently, she has worked on projects on the Santa Fe and Mormon Pioneer national historic trails. Ms. Kostine is the recipient of a Tennessee Native American Eagle Award. She received her A.S. in photography from Onondaga Community College, B.A. in history from LeMoyne College, and M.A in history with an emphasis in public history and historic preservation from Middle Tennessee State University. Korean drama fans are gearing up for the return of actor Woo Do-hwan from his mandatory military enlistment. The 29-year-old actor entered the military on July 6, 2020. After almost a two-year service, Woo teased his return on social media during his last vacation leave. The actor will be discharged from the military on Jan.5, 2022. Before his enlistment, Woo was a rising actor, having starred in many fan-favorite K-dramas. An actors return to the small and big screen is a monumental event for fans. Woo is already scheduled to star in a new K-drama titled Hounding Dogs for Netflix. Before K-drama fans get their beloved actor back, it is a good idea to binge-watch his most recognized dramas. Woo Do-hwan as Jo Yeong in The King: Eternal Monarch K-drama | via SBS Mad Dog star Woo Do-hwan as a former swindler with an agenda in the K-drama (Viki) In 2017, Woo starred alongside actor Yoo Ji-tae in action K-drama titled Mad Dog. Choi Kang-woo (Yoo) is a former cop and leads a team that investigates insurance fraud. After a tragic plane crash that took his wife and child, Kang-woo developed his own team. His past comes back to haunt him when the pilots younger brother, Kim Min-joon (Woo), appears. Min-joon returns to South Korea to prove his brothers innocence no matter the cost. He challenges Kang-woo for control of his company, Mad Dog. The tensions are never fully at ease until Min-joons ulterior motive of wanting Mad Dog is revealed. His intertwined past with Kang-woo fully unites them with a very daunting enemy, explained Soompi. My Country: The New Age takes viewers to the political turmoil of the Goryeo dynasty (Netflix) RELATED: 3 Dark Crime K-Dramas to Watch After Netflixs My Name One of Woos most acclaimed historical K-dramas on Netflix is My Country: The New Age. The country is at a turning point as it shifts from the Goryeo period into the Joseon era. The shift causes two life-long friends to become enemies. Seo Hwi (Yang Se-jong) is a warrior and sone to a famous commander. He is righteous and does not turn a blind eye to injustice. His best friend is Nam Sun-ho (Woo). Sun-ho was born to a low-class mother and has been ridiculed since birth. A scandal involving his father ruins his chances to enter the military. But Sun-ho and Seo Hwi part ways after a grave misunderstanding and different opinions on how politics need to be run in the new era. Tempted K-is one of Woo Do-hwans most recognized romance K-dramas (Viki) RELATED: Three 2PM K-Pop Idols Will Star in Upcoming November K-Dramas The 2018 K-drama Tempted is also titled under The Great Seducer. Its storyline was loosely based on the 1782 French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. K-drama fans call Tempted one of the most well-recognized romance dramas and a must-watch for new fans. Woo stars as the male lead Kwon Si-hyeon. Si-hyeon and his best friends live a luxurious life with no consequences. When his female best friends boyfriend, Lee Ki-young (Lee Jae-kyun), humiliates her, they make a bet. Eun Tae-hee (Joy) is Ki-youngs first love. Si-hyeon must seduce and have Tae-hee fall in love with him and break her heart. Tae-hee is a hardworking student who gets caught up in their childish game. As the fake romance develops, neither Si-hyeon nor Eun-hee expected to really fall in love. Differences in their social class and disapproval by the people around them cause a heartbreaking romance. Tempted is Woos first claim to fame and helped cement the bad boy character in K-dramas. Woos character appears to be jaded by life and has built walls around him. He distances himself from everyone until he meets Eun Tae-hee, a pure-hearted woman who makes him feel truly loved for the first time, according to Soompi. The King: Eternal Monarch K-drama had fans praise Woo Do-hwan for portraying two different characters (Netflix) RELATED: Dr. Brain: Episode 1 Has a Gifted Scientist Delve Deep Into the Minds of the Dead for Answers Squid Game is not the only successful K-drama by Netflix. One of their successes was The King: Eternal Monarch. The K-drama stars Yumis Cells actor Kim Go-eun, Lee Min-ho, and Woo in the leading roles. For the fantasy-romance drama, two versions of South Korea exist in a parallel universe. Lee Gon (Lee) is a modern-day Emperor of the Kingdom of Corea. He ascended the throne when his uncle betrayed his father and escaped to an alternate reality. Now into adulthood, Lee Gon ventures to an alternate reality to stop his uncle and meets detective Jung Tae-eul (Kim). Tae-eul is the answer to Lee Gons past. Woo played the role of Jo Yeong and Jo Eun-sup in the K-drama. Jo Yeong is Captain of the Royal Guard of the Kingdom of Corea and Lee Gons best friend. He is cold, calculated, meticulous, and takes his job seriously. In the alternate reality, he is a mediocre officer who is joyous and free-willed. Fans praised Woos ability to portray two very distinct characters in multiple scenes together. Hip hop music lovers are still processing by the murder of Run DMC disc jockey, Jam Master Jay. Nearly 20 into the investigation, the mystery of the death of a rap legend appears to be coming to a close. The two suspected killers are finally behind bars. Now, prosecutors will have to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. There has been a major update in the case with what sentence prosecutors will be able to offer at trial. Run-DMC 1985 | Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images Jam Master Jays case went unsolved for nearly 20 years Jay was killed on a rainy day on Oct. 30, 2002 at his recording studio in Jamaica, Queens. According to witnesses, Jays longtime business partner and manager, Lydia High, buzzed in two assailants. High alleges that one gunman held her at gunpoint as another shot Jay. Source: YouTube Related: How 1 of The Monkees Reacted to Run-DMCs Cover of Mary, Mary Jay was shot at point-blank range in his head and died instantly. Another man in the studio was shot in the leg. There were two other people present, one who was in the control room and another in the recording booth. The shooters reportedly casually walked out of the studio in the immediate aftermath. Investigators allege that surveillance footage did not helo the case They also say witnesses were less than cooperative as witnesses feared for their own safety. Two people are arrested; investigators say its a drug deal gone bad The case went cold for nearly 20 years. Two people were finally arrested in 2020. Prosecutors say Jays murder is the result of a drug deal gone bad. They believe Ronald Washington and Karl Jordan Jr. are guilty of fatally shooting the hip-hop icon. Jay, Washington, and Jordan were reportedly in the drug business together. Jay allegedly acted as the middle man and orchestrated cocaine distribution from New York to Maryland. Prosecutors believe the two defendants sought revenge after Jay allegedly cut them out of a major deal in a last-minute decision. According to investigators, Jordan got into a heated exchange with a connect in Baltimore and word got back to Jay, leading him to cut the two out of the deal. Source: YouTube Related: Run DMCs Jam Master Jay Had a Negative Net Worth at the Time of His Death, Alluding To Previous Money Troubles The investigation also reportedly reveals that Jay was having money issues and owed hundreds of thousands of dollars to the IRS. They believe his financial debts are what led him to get into the drug business. Jay reportedly began drug trafficking around 1997. The details of the investigation were explored in the 2020 ABC documentary, Set the Record Straight: The Jam Master Jay Case. The two men have pleaded not guilty. According to Jays family members, the suspects were close friends of his. They claim Jay saved Washington from street life and was helping him get on his feet. Jordan, who was barely an adult at the time of the murder, was reportedly like a godson to Jay. Prosecutors wont seek the death penalty against the accused The prosecution initially sought the death penalty, explaining that any drug trafficking-related killing could qualify for capital punishment. But the decision to not pursue such in this case comes after a moratorium on federal executions imposed earlier this year. In September of this year, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said they would review the charges to determine whether theyd pursue capital punishment against Washington and Jordan. Our internal guidance on that is that our review policy has not changed; that we are still to go through our procedure, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Artie McConnell at the time the case was under review. Now, Washington and Jordan face a minimum of 20 years in prison, and a maximum life sentence. A trial date for the two men is not yet set. Nicki Minaj has been at the center of controversy throughout 2021. The Starships rapper has been implicated in a high-profile court case that alleges wrongdoing on the part of Minaj as well as her husband, Kenneth Petty. Nicki Minaj | Getty Images Kenneth Petty was accused of rape by Jennifer Hough In September 1994, Kenneth Petty was charged with attempted rape, when both he and a woman named Jennifer Hough were teenagers. In an interview on The Real in September 2021, Hough described in detail the horrific events of that day nearly three decades prior. She claimed that he held her at gunpoint and forced her to walk to his house, where he attempted to rape her before she freed herself. Petty was convicted and served four years in prison. Hough also alleged that Minaj tried to get her to recant her story. In March of 2020, [Minaj] called me and said she got word I was willing to help them out in the situation, Hough said. I didnt understand what she was referring to, and she offered to fly me and my family to L.A. I turned it down. I told her, woman-to-woman, this really happened and I havent spoken to her since. Hough claimed that Minaj sent associates to pay her large sums of money to help change her mind. [They were] sending people to negotiate numbers as far as money is concerned with family members, and Nicki is the one who personally reached out to me in regard to helping her, helping them in this situation, she said. And then the threats that I received because I kept saying no to every offer, to every suggestion. The last incident was when one of their associates put $20,000 on my lap, and I still kept saying no. The last message I received was that I should have taken the money cause theyre going to take that money to put on my head. Kenneth Zoo Petty (L) and Nicki Minaj | Johnny Nunez/Getty Images RELATED: What Is Nicki Minajs Husband Kenneth Zoo Pettys Net Worth? Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty allegedly worked with the Bloods gang Hough and her lawyers are suing Minaj and Petty for $20 million. In court documents obtained by All Hip Hop, Houghs lawyer, Tyrone Blackburn, cited a recent trip to Queens, New York as evidence of Minaj and Pettys continued threats. Hough and her lawyers claimed a man named Black associated with Minaj and Petty threatened her life on social media after refusing his offer of $20,000 in cash. They said members of the Makk Balla Brims gang part of the Bloods gang in New York have been threatening to retaliate against Hough, to the point she was forced to move to another state. [Kenneth] Petty and [Nicki] Maraj were both in this district, in Jamaica, Queens, New York, Blackburn told the judge. As seen on an Instagram Live video currently up on Marajs Instagram page, both Maraj and Petty were seen associating with members of the Makk Ballers set of the Bloods Gang. Petty and Maraj are both members of this gang. Shortly after Petty and Maraj are spotted with their gangster colleagues, a member of the gang posted a death threat to Ms. Hough on Twitter, stating: Jennifer, if you see this, the Makks are coming to get you.' Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty | Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Marc Jacobs RELATED: Who Is Jennifer Hough, and What Are Her Allegations Against Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Petty? Nicki Minaj and Kenneth Pettys court cases Petty first reemerged in the spotlight in 2018 when he started dating Minaj. The two were childhood sweethearts. In 2020, he was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender in California. Minaj herself hasnt spoken publicly about the allegations against herself or her husband. But shes still courted controversy regardless: in October 2021, for example, she defended Little Mix star Jesy Nelson for blackfishing and called out her former groupmates. An international research team from the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat-Complexity and Topology in Quantum Matter has demonstrated a completely novel state of matter in a metal. It is created by the combination of four electrons-until now, only electron pairs were known. This discovery could lead to a new type of superconductivity, an entirely new research direction, and revolutionary technologies such as quantum sensors. Dissipationless electric energy transportalso known as superconductivityis seen as a beacon of hope for the energy industry. Since its discovery more than 100 years ago, scientists around the world have been investigating this well-known quantum phenomenon, which, however, requires the electrons in metals to be cooled to ultra-low temperatures. A team of scientists from the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmatComplexity and Topology in Quantum Matter at the Universities of Dresden and Wurzburg has now made a remarkable discovery: In certain superconducting metals, a compound of four electrons ensures that a completely new state of matter is created. Until now, only electron pairs were known to play a role in superconductivity. The discovery by the research team led by Prof. Hans-Henning Klauss of Technische Universitat Dresden is therefore considered a milestone for materials research. The research results have been published in the journal Nature Physics. Electron family surprises researchers In quantum physics, superconductivity, discovered as early as in 1911, is probably the best-known phenomenon to date. Its theoretical foundations are understood since the 1950s. It is essential that electrons at ultra-low temperatures no longer move through a metal individually, but as pairs. Electron pairs do not collide with the atomic lattice, so that they can transport their charge without any loss of energy. When the Dresden researchers led by Henning Klauss experimentally investigated the superconducting metal Ba 1-x K x Fe 2 As 2 from the class of iron pnictides, they initially suspected a mistake: "When we discovered that suddenly four electrons instead of two were forming a bond, we first believed it was a measurement error. But the more methods we used to confirm the result, the clearer it became that this had to be a new phenomenon: all data are consistent with the same result. Now we know that the four particle electron family in certain metals creates a completely new state of matter when cooled to ultra-low temperatures. What this will lead to in the future will become clear over the next few years," comments Dresden physicist Hans-Henning Klauss. Results tested for more than two years Already about ten years ago, it was theoretically predicted that there could be an unusual state of matter in certain superconducting metals, in which four instead of two electrons play a role. The international research team of the Cluster of Excellence ct.qmat has now provided the first experimental evidence. It was scrutinized for two years using seven different methods. "We first discovered the new state of matter in a Swiss particle accelerator. We were then able to confirm our results with six other methods on site in Dresden and at Stockholm University. The great location advantage of Dresden is the short distances: I can bring my sample almost on foot to a Leibniz Institute or Helmholz Center," emphasizes the project's lead experimenter, Dr. Vadim Grinenko of TU Dresden. The theoretical interpretation of the measurement results comes from the Swedish physicist Prof. Egor Babaev. New type of superconductivity possible The discovery of iron pnictides as a class of materials particularly suitable for superconductivity already triggered a worldwide research boom in physics and materials science starting in 2008. The energy industry has high hopes for the popular quantum phenomenon because up to 15 percent of energy is lost in conventional energy transport due to transport resistance. "If you could actually transport electricity across the country in superconducting metals at room temperature, about ten large power plants would be superfluous right away," says Klauss. However, basic researchsuch as Prof. Klauss'is concerned with understanding the underlying physics and can at best speculate about future applications. "One can assume that our results will lead to a whole new line of research, looking for other metals with four connected electrons, for example, or exploring how materials need to be changed to create an electron family," Klauss explains. "In purely theoretical terms, a whole new type of superconductivity would also be possible with our electron family. The only thing that is certain is that iron pnictides are well suited for technologies such as quantum sensors due to their new aggregate state." Rosaliegha Fantauzzi, 3, is crowned Grand Supreme Queen in her age category at the Wizard of Oz pageant on Oct. 30 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Meyer has always been able to work a crowd, a talent he honed in classes at Second City. It's a good thing Alexander Meyer likes to travel. He spends much of his time flying to Rwanda, Tunisia, Morocco and other far-flung places drumming up business for software giant SAP. The think-on-his-feet job, which Meyer created, blends his varied skills and international background. Born in Azerbaijan, he moved to Rogers Park when he was 3. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied engineering, he backpacked around Europe before getting an MBA at Harvard University. Since then, he has launched a Chicago chapter of Harvard Business School Alumni Angels, as well as an HBS Alumni New Venture business-plan competition that has expanded to 15 cities. Meyer always has been able to work a crowd, a talent he honed in classes at Second City. "I've always been a clown," he says. And while he never seriously considered leaving consulting for acting, in 2009 he helped launch Stage 773, a theater in Lakeview, at the worst point of the recession. "Alex is the guy behind the curtain," says artistic director Brian Posen, who taught Meyer improv. "No way would we have been here without him." Bonus Points Up next: Launching an acting school at Stage 773. Places that make me happy I'm a Chicagoan: "The Green Mill and Second City." How I unwind: "See live music and theater whenever I can." John Pletz Memorial service for Kevin Hair, 65, of Chickasha, OK will be held at 2:00pm, Saturday, November 13, 2021 at the Southern Oaks Church of Christ in Chickasha. Floyd Kevin Hair was a well loved father, son and brother. He was such a good brother-in-law that he just had to be called "brother." In the heart of Port-au-Prince, Peterson* goes to bed after a long and busy day in the orphanage. He has eaten well, engaged in some schooling, finished a few chores, and played games with other children. He misses his mother, but it is better, he believes, than the alternative of living on the street. This is how many of us may envision orphanages in Haiti and around the world. However, this image is a misconception for the vast majority of children. Today, over 30,000 children are living in orphanages in Haiti, primarily due to poverty, not the loss of a parent. You see, 80% of these children have parents who are still alive. Most parents would be willing to care for their children if given support do to so, but they have been told their children would be better off in an orphanage. Promised a better life, they believe these facilities will give them food, shelter, education, and even the hope of a different future. The grim truth is that parents are often promised lies and their children are not receiving the quality of care promised, some even experiencing abuse and neglect. Even children in the nicest orphanages with caring staff suffer the devastating consequences of living separated from family, something science has proven over the last five decades to be detrimental to the development of a child. A truer picture is that too many children living in Haitian orphanages are the unfortunate victims of a broken system, fueled by heaps of foreign funding and support, which has turned orphanages into businesses and therefore children as commodities. Another blow to an already-struggling country A little over a month ago, Haiti was struck a huge blow when an earthquake left over 2,000 dead and thousands more without shelter and access to everyday needs. Already dealing with a crisis of leadership and poverty, families with children are teetering on the brink of sustainability and asking the question countless others have asked before them: Can we stay together? This is not dissimilar to 2010, when over 20,000 children were separated from their parents because of an earthquake. While relatives and neighbors were able to care for many children, others were left destitute, dangerously roaming the streets. Aid organizations tried to reunify children and families, but the flood of international attention and donations to the poorest country in the Western hemisphere overwhelmed normal systems and processes. Orphanages became the answer. Orphanages became the answer. Hundreds of miles away, well-intending American Christians generously supplied money, time, and much-needed awareness. Mission teams were deployed, and benefit concerts were planned. However, in their attempts to help children, they unintentionally contributed to the separation of children from their families. What should have been a short-term emergency response to help vulnerable children separated from their families became a permanentand devastatingsolution. The money pouring into orphanages created a dangerous situation, where children were seen as commodities. And yet, there are glimmers of hope if we slow down enough to see them. Stop and take a look around Seven years ago, Mica was raped. Ostracized from her community for being an unwed mother, Mica believed that she and her unborn baby had no future together. And then she met some staff at Heartline Ministries, which focuses on keeping families together by addressing issues of maternal healthcare, economic empowerment, childrens education, and community outreach. Only a few months later, Mica gave birth to her son. Today, Mica tears up when she thinks about the future that could have beenthe one where she believed the best and only option for her son was an orphanage. As Christians, we are impulsive to do good. We mean well. When we see a crisis on the news like that which just occurred in Haiti, we erringly believe that faster is always better. Too often, in fact, our sense of urgency leads us to make rash decisions as we hear of a church or ministry raising money to help. The problem comes in when some of these churches or ministries dont know where the money is actually going or when the opportunity for fast funds usurps the need for long-term healing and hope for all involved. For decades, we have taken a band-aid approach to addressing the orphan crisis in Haiti, which has further deteriorated the child welfare system. But when we stop and look around, we can find long-term solutions founded in the belief that children and families do best when they are kept together. The not-quite $1 million question Eight in ten orphaned children in Haiti have a living parent. Many of these families arent togethernot due to a lack of love or desire, but due to a lack of finances. They simply cant generate $30-90 a day to provide for their children. But what if they could? The solution for Haiti lies in our ability to attack the poverty problem. The solution for Haiti lies in our ability to attack the poverty problem. Scripture is clear that we must give generously without a grudging heart. And yet nearly 25% of Haitians live in extreme poverty (less than $1.25/day), according to the United Nations Development Program. Additionally, 59% of Haitians live on less than $2/day. Poverty in and of itself is not a detriment to having a loving and happy home and raising children who believe they can make our world better. When a crisis hits (or even before), our goal as generous Christians must be to invest in long-term, calculated, systemic solutions. For families facing the difficult question of Can we stay together?, the answer is a resounding YES, but only if we all forgo the band-aids and focus on true healing. Without the proper support systems in place such as healthcare, access to education, and economic empowerment, it becomes difficult for families to remain together. Unless we address the root causes of why children are separated in the first place, they may remain at risk within the home. At Heartline, weve seen how a four-pillar model can keep families together. The solution to poverty, and thus to the orphan crisis in Haiti, starts with the ability to have happy, healthy babies (maternal healthcare). It also includes equipping and empowering parents and caregivers with the skills they need to earn money (economic empowerment) and partnering with schools for the younger generations (childrens education). Finally, it looks at the whole community (community outreach), caring for those in all places of marginalization (e.g., prisons, senior centers, children with disabilities). Subscribe to email digests from the Better Samaritan. Once we stop long enough to help well, children like Peterson wont believe there is no better alternative to living in an orphanage. They will know without a shadow of a doubt that the best place is in a home defined by safety and the love of family. *Peterson is a compilation of multiple childrens stories and hopes. Tara Livesay and her husband Troy are executive directors of Heartline Ministries Haiti. If you give a man in a Texas execution chamber the right to a prayer, is he entitled to two? Or three? Can he ask for candles? Or Communion? If the United States Supreme Court says a condemned man has the religious right to have his pastor touch his foot while the state injects a lethal dose of chemicals into his veins, then will the court also have to allow a pastor to touch a mans hand, his head, or even the place where the needle pierces the skin? The justices quizzed attorney Seth Kretzer about the slippery slope of death penalty prayer on Tuesday morning, as they weighed whether the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), passed by Congress in 2000, give 37-year-old John Henry Ramirez the right to have his pastor lay hands on him and pray aloud when the state of Texas puts him to death. Ramirez committed a brutal murder in 2004. He stabbed a convenience store clerk 29 times and slashed his throat to steal $1.25 in a drug-related robbery. Before a jury sentence him to death, Rarmirez was asked whether there were any mitigating circumstances he wanted them to consider. He submitted Psalm 51:3: For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me (KJV). Today, Ramirez does not argue that he should be spared execution, but he has entrusted his life to Jesus; become a member of the Second Baptist Church of Corpus Christi, Texas; and accepted the spiritual guidance of pastor Dana Moore. He would like Moore to be with him when he dies, touch him, and pray aloud. The Texas prison allowed this from 1982, when the death penalty was reinstated, until 2019. A former spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, filing a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of Ramirez, said that she personally witnessed about 300 executions between 2000 and 2012. In all but a few cases, a chaplain touched the condemned at the time of death. The state of Texas changed the rules after the Supreme Court ruled in Murphy v. Collier in 2019 that a person is entitled to have a spiritual advisor from the religion of their choice present at time of death, even if the state does not have any official chaplains from that religion. According to the Texas prison officials, a state chaplain could be trusted to touch a dying person without interfering with the execution. An outside person, even though they have been vetted and have agreed to terms and safety protocols, raises unacceptable security risks. According to a friend-of-the-court brief filed by several Christian organizations, however, including the National Association of Evangelicals, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and the Anglican Church in North America, it is not clear what those security risks are. The State has not provided specific evidence of how audible prayers or touching the condemned prisoner would necessarily create security problems implicating compelling governmental interests, says the brief written by attorneys Thomas Berg and Kimberlee Wood Colby. Throughout its filings, the State has asserted concerns about order and security in an array of generalized terms rather than identifying specific problems. The attorneys general and solicitors general for nine states argue, on the other hand, that the Supreme Court should not get involved in micromanaging executions, given the always compelling state interest in safety and security. During oral arguments, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said religious accommodation might hinge on the acceptability of risk. I think the states compelling interest is challenging for us to analyze, because I think its in reducing risk, risk of something going wrong in in the execution chamber. And I think the state is saying, We want the risk to be zero. We want the risk to be as close to zero as possible. Why isnt that a compelling interest? Kretzer answered that there is no statistical evidence of risk, since no spiritual advisor in Texas history or in other states has interrupted an execution or caused something to go wrong during an execution. The state has also already agreed that Ramirezs pastor can be in the room at the time of death but required that he stay silent and not lay hands on Ramirez. According to Kavanaugh, however, people are moving the goal posts on their claims in order to delay executions, or at least thats the states concern. Justice Samuel Alito asked Kretzer whether he could say anything to us to relieve of us of the fear that we are going to get an unending stream of these types of things, about touching different parts of the body, about the type of prayer, singing, chanting, number of people in the room? Is this just whats going to happen? The lower courts are going to have to deal with this on the eve of every execution? Kretzer respond that condemned people are entitled to accommodations if the rules place a substantial burden on their religious practices and their beliefs are sincere. After that, the burden is on the state to show a compelling interest and demonstrate that the restrictions on religion are as light as they can possibly be. Justice Sonya Sotomayor underscored that point in a follow-up question. RLUPIA whether we like it or not, requires the state to address each individual persons need and a risk analysis that talks about generally about a compelling need is not the standard that RLUPIA sets, she said. Congress has told us thats what petitioners are entitled to. Correct? Yes, Kretzer said. And prisons have to work in good faith to accommodate those needs? Theyre supposed to. Yes. The court will consider the arguments and is expected to issue a ruling on Ramirez v. Collier in 2022. When I went on pastoral calls with my dad as a little girl, Id see the same picture in many homes: a white-bearded man praying over a loaf of bread, a bowl, and a very large Bible. A caption often accompanied it: Give us this day our daily bread. This petition from the Lords Prayer is deeply pastoral. Not in the seminary sense, but in an older understanding of the word pastoral, bringing to mind scenes of grazing sheep near fields of wheat. This line resonates with people who grow and produce their own food, but not necessarily with American suburbanites who live within a stones throw of five grocery stores. My suburban congregation prays the Lords Prayer together each week. Historically, this prayer has had a foot in the liturgy and a foot in the catechism, as its often used as a jumping-off point for teaching (for example, in Luthers Shorter, the Heidelberg, both Westminsters, and the new Anglican Church in North America catechism). Using the prayer within a sermon series is a wise way to unpack these familiar words of Christ and point Gods people to our Father who art in heaven. This is a prayer that prays, teaches, and preaches. In a team sermon series on the Lords Prayer (Matt. 6:913; Luke 11:24), I assigned this particular line to myself because I love the biblical theme of food. But once I was in the weeds of sermon preparation, the challenge of this line became evident. While the rest of the Lords Prayer easily captures the felt needs of congregations, this line doesnt, at least not as readily. Its easy to observe the need for Gods name to be hallowed in a rapidly secularizing society. We want Gods kingdom to come in its fullness as we witness the violence and pain of the world. We seek Gods will to be done. We yearn for forgiveness and for the ability to forgive. We long to be rescued from temptation and evil. These petitions can capture the minds and hearts of listeners in many times and places. But Give us this day our daily bread? Looking out at the well-dressed congregation at the corner of Fourth and Garfield is certainly different from Jesus view of his disciples and the crowds when he first taught these words. Around 90 percent of Jesus listeners lived hand to mouth, while most of my congregation has high-end pantries full of food and memberships at Costco. Today, almost 90 percent of the American population is food secure. Yes, food deserts exist and many Americans do experience hunger; for pastors serving in those church contexts, the connection to this petition is apparent. But in congregations where this petition has, seemingly, already been answered, how ought we preach this passage? More Than Spiritual One historical tack for preaching this text is to emphasize the spiritual nature of bread. Break thou the bread of life, we may sing, opening the pages of the Bible to be fed. We can also connect it to Christ who said, I have food to eat that you know nothing about (John 4:32) and to Jesus identity as the Bread of Life (John 6:35). But within the contexts of Matthew and Luke where the Lords Prayer is recorded, Jesus tangibly cares for the physical needs of hungry people. He feeds the 5,000 and the 4,000. So though this text can rightly be spiritualizedemphasizing Christ as our daily spiritual nourishmentthere is also an essential earthy reality to this prayer: Our Father in heaven, provide for my daily needs! This message of physical provision must go hand in hand with the emphasis on spiritual needs because of our embodied reality of being human. Our Father in heaven cares about our souls and our bodies, and this prayer points toward both types of provision. Because a sermon cant be about everything, when I preached on this passage, I decided to point toward the theme of physical sustenance. I did so by emphasizing different words in the petition: us, pointing to the participatory nature of Gods provision; this day, underscoring the quotidian nature of our needs; and bread, emphasizing the simplicity of the request in a world of excess. All these emphases can help lead a congregation who experiences excess to begin to view their own provisions through a new lens: Gods. Us: An Invitation for Participation In preaching the Lords Prayer, we can emphasize its plural nature: us and our, not me and my. When we pray this, were praying with our brothers and sisters around the world. This isnt just for me and my family; this is about the family of God. And so we pray in concert with our brothers and sisters in the majority world where the luxuries of suburban life are distant and unimaginable. This petition can lead us to ask how were serving as the hands and feet of Jesus, participating in Gods work by providing food for the hungry to meet the physical needs inside and outside the church. When I preached on this text, I connected it to a church weve partnered with in Chopda, India, inviting the congregation to participate as the body of Christ by helping to provide food and medicine for the physical needs of our brothers and sisters across the world. After our congregation responded generously to this invitation, we received video reports about how the Hindustani Covenant Church experienced a miraculous multiplication of food and medical kits. It has served as a powerful example for us of praying for our daily bread. Perhaps, as we preach this prayer, the Spirit will engage our hearts toward compassion for those who pray this when their cupboard is bare. God might call us to participate by partnering with him in answering others prayers. This Day: An Invitation to Focus on Needs In preaching, we can also emphasize the difference between needs and wants. We trust our heavenly Father to provide for all our daily needs, not our desires. In a world that teaches us to confuse wants and needs for the sake of marketing, this line of the prayer can lead us to wisdom to know the difference. Martin Luther summarized this petition in his shorter catechism, stating: Daily bread is everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like. There is much on this list that we truly need that we cant provide for ourselves. As we pray Give us this day our daily bread, were interceding for the true daily needs of ourselves and our neighbors: clean air, water, food, shelter, sleep, love (relationships), and purpose. And we entrust all these needs to our good Father. Bread: An Invitation to Simplicity Bread is simple food. Its food of the everyday. In a sense, we could fill in the word bread with any healthy staple a community of people depends on for food, such as rice, millet, or corn. We all need daily sustenance. Not fancy food, just food. In emphasizing bread, this prayer points us toward the Christian practice of simplicity. We need to be reminded of this in a world where we can easily spend less than a minute on our phones ordering pad thai or fish tacos to be delivered immediately. When we say Your kingdom come, we are joining King Jesus mission of the proclamation of the kingdom of God. This is an upside-down kingdom where wesons and daughters of the most high Lordseek daily bread. Not extravagant or fine foods, but simply food for life. Preaching on simplicity can lead to clear applications for people whose cupboards are full, including the practice of eating simply and reducing or avoiding food waste. In Matthew 15:37, after Jesus feeds the 4,000, his disciples collect the leftovers! Imagine what they did with these: passed them out to those with longer journeys home, gave some to widows, snacked on some for several days. Nothing was wasted. In preaching, we can invite listeners to consider: How might we embrace simplicity and wisely steward food as a gift of God? On Earth as it Is in Heaven When I preached this message, I baked flatbread to distribute at the end, inviting the congregation to eat, recognizing bread as a gift of God, and remembering the 4,000 who ate food Jesus provided in Matthew 15. Eating when hearing a passage about bread helps capture our hearts, minds, and bodies attention, so that each act of eating will ultimately lead us back to our God who daily gives us all types of bread. My hope is that as we open ourselves to the Spirits leading, whatever our economic context, this prayer will transform us and help us to eat and share in alignment with Gods coming kingdom. Joy-Elizabeth Lawrence is associate pastor of spiritual formation at Hinsdale Covenant Church. She has studied at Regent College (Master of Christian Studies) and Calvin Theological Seminary (MDiv) and lives with her family in the Chicago suburbs. This article is part of our CT Pastors fall issue Giving Our All: How Pastors Can Cultivate and Model Generosity. You can download a free pdf of the issue here [ This article is also available in ] Evangelical leaders urge pastors not to forsake teaching Bible prophecy, talk End Times Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Pastors who refuse to preach about Bible prophecy are failing to "teach 20 to 40 percent of the Bible, said Jack Hibbs, pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in Southern California. Hibbs' remarks came as part of the Prophecy Q&A event held at Calvery Chapel where the pastor was joined by Jan Markell, the director of Olive Tree Ministries, Pastor Barry Stagner of Calvary Chapel Tustin in Costa Mesa, California, and Amir Tsarfati, the founder of the nonprofit organization Behold Israel. Hibbs urged pastors not to forsake teaching prophecy, adding that The book of Revelation, Chapter 19 tells us that Jesus Himself is the Spirit of prophecy. Jesus said, I give you these things in advance, so when they happen you will know that I Am the self-existing eternal God. He added that at some seminaries, Bible prophecy is no longer being taught, which he said is problematic because courses in eschatology teach about the prophetic Word given by God, about the Messiah and about salvation. People are going to go pay $100,000 to go get their doctorate in theology and come out expected to become a pastor of a church and the world around them is being prophetic, whether they like it or not, Hibbs said at the Oct. 19 event. Its happening and they dont know what to do. They dont know what to say, so they avoid it because they have never been taught in the seminaries. Thats not a good start. Watch out where youre going to seminary if youre going. Its sad, Hibbs lamented. Even Jesus rebuked His disciples when they didn't believe in prophets and prophecy, Tsarfati said, because they missed out on the plan of the God of salvation who is the Messiah. As far as Im concerned, when they leave prophecy out its the number one sign of the woke and progressive and thats the progression of the world, Tsarfati added. The progression of the believer is when they realize it was Jesus. The progression of the church that is not into Jesus is [going] down to the road of shame, embarrassment and sadness. While he stressed that pastors should be teaching prophecy, Tsarfati said people shouldn't stop attending a particular church simply because it doesn't teach about prophecy. Because, he added, being around other Christians is important. Christians in these scenarios, he said, should seek out knowledge about biblical prophecy and prophets from other avenues if their churches do not offer that information. How many times have you encountered people who say, we dont have any church around 10, 20 miles [of us]? Im saying this: if thats the only church around, go there and take food supplements. And the supplements are online watching others teaching Bible prophecy because you dont get that in your church, Tsarfati advised. If they're the only church around, you dont want to not go to church. You need that fellowship. When asked about his thoughts on progressive preachers, Stagner said he avoids listening to preachers that deny the existence of prophecy and prophets. I dont listen to this nonsense. It takes me too quickly to the phrase shut up, Stagner responded. If you hear [in church] more about improving your this-life-situation and solving society's woes, than you are hearing about being equipped to get people into the Kingdom of God, leave. Stagner said that, unfortunately, all throughout the world, many people are forced into the only available churches in their communities that have pastors who are intimidated by the idea of teaching about prophecy and prophets. He said there should be no excuse for pastors avoiding parts of the Bible, and every pastor should put in the effort to study the Scriptures to fully understand all parts of the Bible. Prophecy and prophets are part of the Book. It needs to be taught as you come upon it in Scripture. You cant just skip over those things because they're hard, Stagner advised. If we skipped over everything that was hard or difficult, we would be teaching John 3:16 every week because everybody knows that. But there are things in Scripture that are hard to deal with. These things require a lot of study and homework to understand them fully and completely especially in light of times that we live in today. And it takes that effort to get in there and mine those things out. And not everyone is willing to do that. But they should be, Stagner continued. As the event came to a close, the panelists discussed how they view the End Times and how in the last days, the anti-Christ will come on Earth. Hibbs predicted that the U.S. dollar will collapse. Scripture says [the anti-Christ] is going to deceive the world. Something economically has to collapse: the U.S. dollar soon, with whats happening, and theres going to be a need for a new economy, Hibbs estimated. The anti-Christ is going to have the answer and hes going to bring peace because theres going to be Mayhem. If a believer is not eagerly awaiting the expectation of Jesus return, Tsarfati said, there is something terribly wrong with their understanding of the Scriptures. The believer has to have that expectation for the return of Jesus to take him out of here. And if he doesnt have it, he never probably studied [Scriptures] to understand how important it is and [theres] a big problem with your Christian understanding if you dont have that, he said. The speakers all agreed that the world wont stay the same during the tribulation. The whole geopolitical landscape is going to change during the tribulation. Everythings going to change during the tribulation, Stagner said. Everythings going to change in a moment," he added. "If youre heavenly-minded, you will want to do more good because youll want to take people with you. We have a mandate from God: the Great Commission. Rescue those who are drawn toward death. We are here to save souls. Thats exciting. To act on behalf of God. Christians will be able to handle whatever comes their way during the End Times. While echoing predictions of End Times events, Tsarfati added that the world will welcome the anti-Christ to bring peace amid chaos. Christians, he said, should recognize that Jesus said He is coming back and He wants to find his followers doing His business. People will celebrate the death of the people of God. The moral standard is going to change so dramatically. Its going to be horrific. In the future, beheading will be the practice of the governments of the world, he predicted in reference to the tribulation period. He who will not take that Mark of the beast when the beast will be here ruling the world, his head will be chopped off. Its not going to be a crime. Hibbs stressed that Christians, however, won't have to face the tribulations associated with biblical End Times: Can we be clear that if youre a born again Christian and believer you wont see that. Illinois amends religious freedom law to prevent people from skirting vaccine mandates Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment The governor of Illinois has signed a new law designed to prevent people from using a decades-old religious liberty law to avoid complying with coronavirus vaccine mandates. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1169 into law Monday to clarify that the states Health Care Right of Conscience Act cant be used to challenge coronavirus vaccination requirements or other actions taken by employers or businesses to prevent contraction or transmission of COVID-19. In a statement, the Democrat indicated that the measure, which takes effect June 1, is designed to ensure that the law cannot be abused or misinterpreted to jeopardize workplace safety. Pritzker described masks, vaccines, and testing requirements as lifesaving measures that keep our workplaces and communities safe. He praised the General Assembly for ensuring that the Health Care Right of Conscience Act is no longer wrongly used against institutions who are putting safety and science first. The leadership of the Illinois General Assembly pushed back on the idea that the amended law would make it more difficult for people to claim a religious exemption to vaccine mandates. Despite deliberate attempts to misinform the public, nothing about this law takes away anyones rights to claim religious or medical exemption, which are protected by federal law, asserted State House Speaker Chris Welch in a statement shared by the governors office. State Rep. Robyn Gabel, a Democrat, agreed. While this law will not take away anyones right to claim exemptions based on religious or medical need, it prevents a small group of people from distorting the meaning of the Health Care Right of Consciousness Act and putting some of our most vulnerable members of society in danger, Gabel said. The Democrat-controlled Illinois Senate approved the measure by a 31-24 vote on Oct. 28, with six Democrats joining all Republicans in opposing the bill. Four Democrats abstained from the vote. The Democrat-controlled Illinois House of Representatives passed the bill in a 64-52 vote a day earlier. Seven Democrats joined all Republicans in voting against, and two Democrats abstained from the vote. The Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act, which went into law in 1998. The act requires the state to respect and protect the right of conscience of all persons who refuse to obtain, receive or accept particular health care services and medical care. The legislation also bars all forms of discrimination, disqualification, coercion, disability or imposition of liability on such persons or entities by reason of their refusing to act contrary to their conscience or conscientious convictions by obtaining such medical care. According to The Chicago Tribune, the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act was initially enacted to protect healthcare professionals from providing abortions against their will. One frequently cited conscientious objection to the coronavirus vaccine stems from concerns about the use of cell lines derived from aborted fetal tissue in the development of the vaccines. Others point to concerns about side effects and previous infection with coronavirus as reasons they do not want to receive the vaccine. Some studies have shown that those previously infected with coronavirus have stronger protection from future infection than those offered by the vaccines. Denmark and Sweden have paused the administration of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine to those younger than 30 due to concerns about the development of heart inflammation among young people. Younger people tend to face less risk of serious illness or death from the coronavirus than the elderly. According to the Illinois Department of Health, more than 7.7 million Illinois residents are fully vaccinated, accounting for 71.1% of the states total population over the age of 12. Data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows Illinois has the 21st-highest vaccination rate of the 50 states. The amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act comes as the Biden administrations directive requiring businesses with 100 or more employees to mandate their workers either take the coronavirus vaccine or undergo weekly testing faces legal challenges from private organizations and elected officials at the state level. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit temporarily halted the mandate Saturday, citing grave statutory and constitutional issues and granted the request of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to put the federal mandate on hold. Coronavirus vaccine mandates issued at the state level have also faced litigation. Last month, a federal judge in New York ruled that the states vaccine mandate for healthcare workers must allow religious exemptions. While states like Illinois and New York have implemented vaccine mandates for certain employees, other states have taken the opposite approach. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, issued an executive order proclaiming that no company in the state can mandate that its employees take a coronavirus vaccine. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, signed an executive order instructing state agencies not to impose penalties on those who decline to take the coronavirus vaccine. 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." Chris Pratt gives all glory to God after post honoring wife receives backlash Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Actor Chris Pratt glorified God after being accused of insulting his ex-wife, Anna Faris, and their son in an Instagram post in which he praised his current wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt. The drama unfolded last week after the "Guardians of the Galaxy" actor took to Instagram to honor his wife, who recently gave birth to their daughter. Guys. For real. Look how shes looking at me! I mean. Find you somebody that looks at you like that!! You know!? We met in church. Shes given me an amazing life, a gorgeous healthy daughter, she chews so loudly that sometimes I put in my earbuds to drown it out, but thats love! he captioned a photo in which he's seen sitting next to his wife. The post sparked backlash, with some accusing the actor of being insensitive to his former wife, as the son they share together, Jack, was born with health issues. Some critics claimed that Pratt was a horrible human being because his post highlighted that his current wife gave him a daughter without health issues knowing his son with Anna Farris has had health issues since birth." According to People, Jack was born nine weeks premature in 2012. Faris has also opened about her son's health issues. In a 2018 episode of her podcast Unqualified," she explained that Jack had a few hernia surgeries, he's had a few eye surgeries, and he had a little heart issue as well. In an Instagram story Friday, Pratt shared how he felt about the negative responses. "I went to bed last night really kind of upset and depressed," Pratt said. "And I woke up feeling crappy and I didn't want to work out." "I knew though that if I put on my Christian music playlist, and I got out of the woods and ran that I'd feel better, but I just didn't want to," he continued. "And I did it anyways and, gosh, was I right. It felt amazing. I got out of the woods, got my blood pumping." He revealed that once he spent time listening to Christian music out in the woods, he felt better. "That moment, it really captured me and so I just want to say, all glory to God," he said. The actor advised anyone else feeling down to connect with God through worship music or the Bible. "Get some exercise, maybe listen to some good worship music and or maybe get the word in because it really helped me this morning, he concluded. TODAY correspondent, Maria Shriver, who is Pratts mother-in-law, also addressed the negative attention surrounding Pratt. "I want to remind you today what a good man you are and what a great father you are to Jack and Lyla, she commented on his Instagram. What a great husband you are to Katherine what a great son-in-law you are to me and what a great sense of humor you have!! She continued, I love you Chris keep being your wonderful self rise above the noise your kids love your family loves you your wife loves you what a beautiful life Im proud of you xo. Thank God that it went well: Franklin Graham undergoes heart surgery at Mayo Clinic Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Noted evangelical leader the Rev. Franklin Graham underwent surgery on Monday at the Mayo Clinic for a heart problem and said the procedure was a success. In a statement shared with The Christian Post, Samaritan's Purse said: Franklin Graham successfully underwent a specialized heart surgery today at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. In recent months, Franklin had developed constrictive pericarditis, inflammation, and hardening of the sac around the heart that compresses the heart and prevents it from working properly. The surgery involved removing the pericardium. His doctors expect a full recovery and assured him that he should be able to return to his normal activity and ministry schedule. Mr. Graham said that he is looking forward to multiple opportunities across the globe in 2022 to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invite people to put their faith in Him. He is also eager to resume riding his motorcycle by springtime. He and his family appreciate everyones prayers. The 69-year-old president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritans Purse posted an update on his Facebook page Tuesday morning. Graham explained that he had developed constrictive pericarditis, an inflammation and hardening of the sac around the heart, which involves compressing of the heart. The surgery involved removing the pericardium, and we thank God that it went well, wrote Graham. The team here at Mayo Clinic does such an incredible job I couldnt speak more highly of them. Graham went on to note that doctors expect the evangelist to make a full recovery and will eventually be able to return to my normal ministry schedule. I look forward to many opportunities around the world in 2022 to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and invite people to put their faith and trust in Him, he added. Im also looking forward to being able to ride my motorcycle by the time warm weather hits! I appreciate everyones prayers. The son of the late Rev. Billy Graham has taken up his fathers mantle as a traveling preacher and evangelist. From Sept. 19 to Oct. 2, Graham launched an eight-city evangelism campaign known as the God Loves You tour, which included approximately 56,000 attendees, among whom approximately 5,000 people indicated a decision to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. Cities on the recently completed tour included: Flagstaff, Arizona; Joliet, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Springfield, Missouri; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Amarillo, Texas; and San Bernardino, California. Franklin shared the Good News at each stop, offering the hope of Jesus Christ during a time when many are struggling with the death of loved ones, loss of employment, or fear of what lies ahead, explained the tours website. He invited those who dont know Christ to surrender their lives to Him and discover His lasting peace. In addition to Graham speaking at the tour, there were also musical groups involved in the events, including the Newsboys and Marcos Witt. "Times change, culture changes, but people's need for a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, doesn't change," Graham said last month. "With all the bad news around us day in and day out, people need hope. I want people along Route 66 and the rest of this nation to know that God loves them." Liberty University files restraining order against 'whistleblower' suing for wrongful firing Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Liberty University is asking a federal court to stop a former employee from disclosing confidential information and documents amid a legal battle over claims that the evangelical Christian school wrongfully fired him for speaking out about how it handled sexual assault allegations. Scott Lamb, formerly the schools senior vice president of communications, sued the Lynchburg-based university and claimed that he was dismissed because he expressed concern over how Liberty officials handled sexual assault claims. Liberty filed a request for a temporary restraining order last Friday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia against Lamb, arguing that he is still bound to his confidentiality agreement with the university. The motion also asks for Lamb to, among other things, deliver all documents or other information, including all privileged, confidential, and/or trade secret information to Liberty and to disclose all the people to whom he has sent such sensitive documents or information. In a memorandum of law filed in support of the motion, a copy of which was emailed to The Christian Post on Monday, Liberty argued that Lamb promised not to disclose any confidential information without Liberty approval and to return all confidential Liberty information upon his departure when he signed a confidentiality agreement in 2018. Although many of these materials were likely protected trade secrets, privileged communications or attorney work product protected information, Lamb has admitted that he disclosed them to the media, general public and commercial enemies of Liberty without privilege or prior permission as contractually required, the memorandum reads. Perhaps most shockingly, Lamb has demonstrated no regard for the attorney-client privilege, freely discussing privileged advice regarding litigation strategy and other matters on national media. Liberty filed a counterclaim to Lambs lawsuit, denying certain statements made in his filing last month. Liberty contends that Lamb was fired "for insubordination, expense mismanagement, and overall poor performance." In a statement emailed to CP, the university said that while it made every possible effort to avoid taking this action, it believes that Lamb simply continues to make egregious, false claims and to violate the law. We simply had to act to protect the institutions mission. We will let the lawsuit speak for itself. It speaks clearly and factually. We have absolutely no doubt that in court our claims will be irrefutable, Liberty maintained. Lamb directed CP to a statement he posted to Twitter on Monday in which he explained that he tried to change Liberty from within regarding alleged abuses. He claimed that Liberty is lying about the reason for my termination. Because Liberty University has neither the law nor the facts on its side, its strategy is to pound on the one who sought to reform from within the whistleblower, tweeted Lamb. As I allege in my lawsuit, I spoke about abuses at Liberty during my entire duration of employment. I spoke out loudly, often, and with little regard for hanging to my job, because I spoke as one who will give an account to God. In his statement, Lamb said that he gave over 20 hours of testimony when the Baker Tilly firm interviewed him during an independent investigation in 2021. Before my first minute of testimony, I was given a 2-page letter of whistleblower protection, signed by interim president Jerry Prevo, instructing me to speak honestly, forthrightly, thoroughly, and without any regard to the reputation of the school, its leadership, or its board. And Prevo promised that there would be no retaliation for my honest testimony, he wrote. I indicted the former president, the Board of Trustees for negligence and Jerry Prevo as the chairman of the trustees during the entire presidency of Jerry Falwell Jr. Baker Tilly presented their report to Jerry Prevo and the Board of Trustees on September 29. Seven days later, Jerry Prevo fired me. Lamb further added that he has enough documentary evidence to prove his claims in court and would be happy to give testimony under penalty of perjury to federal agencies or U.S. Congress. Lamb added that while Liberty can hire every lawyer and PR firm in the land to attempt to silence me, this will not stop the truth from breaking out of Libertys conspiracy of silence. God help me if I do anything else but speak up for the true heroes of this story those who were silenced previously but now are shouting from the rooftops, he concluded. Last month, ProPublica published an investigative piece titled, The Liberty Way: How Liberty University Discourages and Dismisses Students Reports of Sexual Assaults. ProPublica interviewed former Liberty students who detailed experiences in which the university allegedly mishandled sexual assault allegations and claimed the school even threatened accusers. The article mentioned how Lamb was allegedly fired for expressing concerns over how the university was handling the allegations of sexual misconduct. Concerns about sexual assault would go up the chain and then die, Lamb told ProPublica, adding that he believed Liberty engaged in a conspiracy of silence regarding allegations. In July, 12 unnamed women filed a class-action suit against Liberty, claiming the school violated Title IX federal discrimination law by failing to process allegations properly. Liberty University has intentionally created a campus environment where sexual assaults and rapes are foreseeably more likely to occur than they would in the absence of Libertys policies, stated the lawsuit. The suit claimed The Liberty Way, the schools honor code, was used to silence accusers by not clarifying if a woman who reports being sexually assaulted will be punished for violating the code if she admits to breaking other aspects of the code, such as the ban on drinking, when reporting an alleged assault. Liberty President Jerry Prevo issued a statement declaring that The Liberty Way should never be misused to cover up wrongdoing. It is also the case that as a Christian university we will remain unwavering in our commitment to cultivating a culture in our Liberty community that honors Gods Word and embraces Gods principles for life, stated Prevo. While The Liberty Way must never be used to discourage victims from reporting wrongdoing, we also believe that we do not have to choose between embracing our code of conduct as a Christian university and in complying with our legal Title IX obligations. Franklin Graham hails Meghan McCain for warning that Biden is doing grave spiritual harm over abortion Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Franklin Graham expressed his support for Meghan McCain who warned that President Joe Biden is doing grave spiritual harm to himself and the country by walking a fine line by supporting abortion despite being a member of the Catholic faith, which considers abortion a cardinal sin. On Monday's episode of The View, McCain, a co-host on the daytime talk show and daughter of the late Republican Senator and former presidential candidate John McCain, said Biden must choose between his Catholic faith and stance on abortion. If he is for the federal funding of abortion as far as Im concerned, abortion is murder. And as far as government funding of [the] killing of the unborn we have to as pro-lifers, fight for the rights of the unborn. And thats a doctrine thats as old as the Catholic Church itself, so [Biden] has to choose, she asserted in a debate with her co-hosts, all of whom are supportive of abortion. CATHOLIC BISHOPS PLANNING REBUKE OF BIDEN? American Bishops voted to move ahead with guidance that could deny Pres. Biden from receiving Holy Communion because of his presidential support of women having the right to choose @sunny, @MeghanMcCain, and @SaraHaines discuss. pic.twitter.com/CsRjcn4XCf The View (@TheView) June 21, 2021 Catholic bishops voted last week to move forward to draft a document that would advise Catholic politicians who support abortion, like Biden, to refrain from taking communion. McCain further argued that Bidens official stance is contradictory because he's personally opposed to it but is politically supportive of it. For someone who claims to be pro-life, I never understand this argument. Its like saying, Im personally opposed to murder, but if you want to murder a little bit its fine and its not my problem. It doesnt register with me, she said. I dont get it. So its ultimately up to the Church, so hes walking a very fine line here. And all of these issues are literally life and death for Catholics, for devout Christians, and hes just going to have to ultimately talk to his Creator when the time comes, as we all do, and reconcile his politics with his personal faith, she maintained. And I believe hes doing grave spiritual harm to himself and harm to this country," McCain declared. Graham, who's president of Samaritans Purse, posted a statement on Facebook showing his support for McCains comments and said his hope is that Biden will reconsider his stance on abortion. I have disagreed with Meghan on a number of political issues, but I think she is absolutely right on this issue, Graham said in a post on Tuesday regarding McCain who is a pro-life Republican but does not always align herself with socially conservative views. ... I appreciate that Meghan isnt afraid to state the truth and that she is willing to defend life even if it isnt politically correct to some, Graham said. I pray that President Biden will reconsider his position on abortion in this country. As part of her comments on Monday, McCain added: When it comes to the separation of Church and State, the onus is on the government, not the Church. The Church is always going to try and impede in every possible way they can and influence in every possible way they can. Everybodys spiritual journey is their own personal journey, and I dont try to proselytize my spirituality on other people, but if you are a devout Catholic, as President Biden claims to be, abortion is a cardinal sin that can do deep spiritual harm to you. McCain also mentioned Bidens stance of the Hyde Amendment, which bans federal tax dollars from paying for abortions. Biden was once supportive of the Hyde Amendment until he decided to run for president in 2019. Nearly two dozen Republican attorneys general have called on congressional leaders to reject Bidens proposal that excludes the Hyde Amendment from the federal budget, Fox News reported. "But because one cannot move to avoid federal taxes," the letter from the GOP attorneys general read, "there would be nowhere for a pro-life, or even a moderately pro-choice, American to go to avoid violating the moral or religious conviction that their hard-earned dollars not be used to fund abortions. The administrations decision here is merely the most recent illustration of its having lost all sense of accountability to the taxpayer." Nashville pastor saves congregants from gunman who attacked during prayer Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A potential massacre at Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal in Nashville, Tennessee, was averted Sunday when the congregations pastor tackled a man who pointed a gun at the congregation from the pulpit while they were in prayer. He wanted to kill, thats what first came to my mind, Pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana told WKRN about the attack through his interpreter, Nzojibugami Noe. A 55-second surveillance video shows the tense moments when the gunman police later identified as Dezire Baganda, 26, is tackled by the quick-thinking pastor before he could do any damage in the 10 a.m. service. The video shows Baganda, who was sitting in the front pew of the church next to the musicians, getting up and pulling a gun from his person with his right hand while holding what appears to be a Bible in his left hand. He then quickly moved to the pulpit, where he began to wave and point the gun at the congregation. Police say Baganda told worshipers to get up as he waved the gun at them until Pastor Ndikumana was shown to slip from under his watch. The pastor then used the opportunity to go around the podium to tackle Baganda from behind. In the video, a few congregants quickly joined the pastor in subduing Baganda as others rushed to the exit. The gunman was held at the church until police arrived. The Nashville Tennessean reports that Baganda faces 57 counts of aggravated assault. He is jailed in Davidson County on a $375,000 bond. He was standing in the front of almost everybody. No one was behind him yet, so he could have done anything, Noe told WKRN. Pastor Ndikumana strongly believes God used him to save his church. I would say that God used me because I felt like I was going to use the back door as an example as going on by trying to go behind him. And then I felt the feeling that I would go and grab him and thats what happened, he said. And his congregants agreed. We were so shocked seeing him come in the front and pull out a gun, the whole church was calm, church member Akimana Charite told News Channel 5. [W]e thank God if we started panicking, he may have started shooting around. But we all stayed calm. Thats when one of the pastors, I would say its God using him, he went around on both sides, Charite said. [T]he guy with the gun was not paying attention to him. So he went around. And thats when... he jumped on top of him and put him on the ground. The pastor told WKRN that while Baganda was not a church member, he had visited before. Baganda was asked not to come back to the church last February because he kept interrupting the sermons. He was never, however, known to be violent. An affidavit cited by WKRN said Baganda claimed to be Jesus as he was being arrested and declared that there should be mass shootings at all schools and churches. God had other plans, Ndikumana said. God wanted to show that hes a powerful God, Ndikumana told WRKN. One main thing I said, we had faith. Tim Tebow teams up with Samaritan's Purse to provide relief to Afghanistan evacuees Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Days after getting cut from the Jacksonville Jaguars, popular Christian athlete Tim Tebow teamed up with Samaritan's Purse and Billy Graham's grandson to aid people evacuated from Afghanistan. As the Aug. 31 deadline approached for all remaining U.S. troops to withdraw from Afghanistan, the Christian humanitarian aid organization Samaritans Purse is committed to continuing rescue and relief efforts of those trying to escape the Taliban. Samaritans Purse, known for its worldwide humanitarian work, has been airlifting critical relief supplies to aid families who were evacuated from Afghanistan many who fled with just the clothes on their backs. Samaritans Purse is partnering with organizations on the ground in Afghanistan to get men, women and children out of the country that has been taken over by The Taliban since the U.S. military began its withdrawal. One of the ministrys partners made three trips that rescued 700 people in one day. We have been able to sponsor flights, bringing hundreds to safety, a Samaritans Purse representative told The Christian Post. Our DC-8 cargo plane carried hygiene kits, medical kits, and members of our Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART), including medical personnel to provide additional capacity to medical facilities that are treating the sick and suffering, the representative added. Samaritan's Purse President and CEO Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, took to social media to share photos of the latest efforts to help the people of Afghanistan. Graham's son Edward Graham and Tebow flew on the Samaritan's Purse plane to assist relief efforts. In addition to helping with evacuation flights from Afghanistan through partners on the ground, we sent our @SamaritansPurse DC-8 loaded with supplies and a team to aid evacuees who have been able to get out of the country, Franklin Graham wrote on Instagram on Sunday. The elder Graham said supplies have already been able to help thousands in several rescue locations. Protocols changed and evacuees werent even allowed to bring a suitcase when they left," Graham wrote. "Our medical team was able to deliver a baby by C-section as soon as they arrived in one location. We thank God they were there to help. The proud father shared that both his son and Tebow assisted in the efforts. Tim was a great encouragement to everyone on the ground, Graham ended his post. A huge thank you to our military who are doing such an incredible job in the toughest of circumstances. We plan to do more in the coming days." Following his trip to an undisclosed location to help the Afgan refugees, Tebow penned a note on Instagram about how he feels concerning everything going on in the world in this season. We have been heartbroken over the crisis in Afghanistan, the loss of our brave servicemen and women, and the loss of so many other precious lives, the newly married athlete wrote. With so much suffering around the world, we ask that you join us in prayer. Prayer for the country of Afghanistan, the evacuees, the families of those lost, Louisiana & Mississippi, Haiti, the flooding in TN, the fires out west, Covid-19, and so much more. We ask you to pray alongside TTF as we try to help fight for those who are hurting. Tebow, who runs The Tim Tebow Foundation, offered hope in Christ and guidance for believers in these times of great crisis. With so many challenges, we, the body of Christ have many opportunities to impact those directly affected by these crises," he continued. "In the dark, the light of Jesus shines brightest. As we pray over each of these crises, lets all seek ways to serve those affected and be ready when God calls us to step in to make a difference in the life of another." Tebow concluded his message by quoting Romans 12:21. He said the scripture calls us to not be over come by evil, but to overcome evil with good." "We are made for these moments," Tebow, the son of missionaries, said. "Lets pray always and serve strong together those in great need. To God be all the glory. We are praying over you! Edward Graham shared thoughts on his experience with Tebow online after their trip. On the trip: I was so encouraged by the volunteers and military personnel I saw loving the Afghans fleeing from the evils of the Taliban. Edward Graham testified. After all the discouragement, know that America will rally and work together to help those suffering. Proud of our military and their families. To aid the relief efforts, click here. Top US Catholic bishop calls 'wokeness,' social justice movement 'pseudo-religions' Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A top Catholic bishop is slamming wokeness and social justice movements as pseudo-religions that directly contradict the teachings of Christianity. Archbishop Jose Gomez, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressed the Congress of Catholics and Public Life in a video message Thursday. The Congress of Catholics and Public Life is an annual event spearheaded by the Catholic Association of Propagandists, a Spanish group, and the San Pablo CEU Foundation in Madrid, Spain. The annual gathering is designed to provide a forum for people to meet and reflect on how to adapt society to humankind and all its dimensions and promote participation in the public forum, so that faith is not relegated to the private sphere only. Gomez opened his remarks, which were delivered a week before the 2021 conference, saying that he was asked to talk about the rise of new secular ideologies and movements for social change in the United States and the implications for the Church. Gomez characterized the new social justice movements sweeping the United States and western civilization as pseudo-religions, and even replacements and rivals to traditional Christian beliefs. He said those new movements include wokeness, identity politics, intersectionality and successor ideology. He warned that, like Christianity, these ideologies provide people with an explanation for events and conditions in the world and offer a sense of meaning, a purpose for living, and the feeling of belonging to a community. The archbishop expressed particular concern that these new movements tell their own story of salvation. To illustrate his point, he contrasted the Christian story of salvation with that of the ascendant pseudo-religions. Under the Christian story of salvation, he said that people are created in the image of God and called to a blessed life in union with him and our neighbors. Human life has a God-given telos, an intention and direction, he stated. Through our sin, we are alienated from God and from one another, and we live in the shadow of our own death. By the mercy of God and His love for each of us, we are saved through the dying and rising of Jesus Christ, he continued. Jesus reconciles us to God and our neighbors, gives us the grace to be transformed in His image, and calls us to follow him in faith, loving God and our neighbor, working to build His Kingdom on earth, all in confident hope that we will have eternal life with him in the world to come. By contrast, the story of salvation as proclaimed in the pseudo-religions asserts that we cannot know where we came from, but we are aware that we have interests in common with those who share our skin color or position in society. We are also painfully aware that our group is suffering and alienated, through no fault of their own, Gomez added of the pseudo-religion ideology. The archbishop further argued that the story of salvation embraced by the pseudo-religions also teaches that the cause of our unhappiness is that we are victims of oppression by other groups in society. We are liberated and find redemption through our constant struggle against our oppressors, by waging a battle for political and cultural power in the name of creating a society of equity, he remarked. Gomez elaborated on how the critical theories and ideologies are profoundly atheistic, specifically alleging that they deny the soul, the spiritual, transcendent dimension of human nature; or they think that it is irrelevant to human happiness. They reduce what it means to be human to essentially physical qualities the color of our skin, our sex, our notions of gender, our ethnic background, or our position in society, he maintained. The church leader compared the movements to some of the heresies that we find in Church history that see the world as a struggle between the forces of good and the forces of evil, reject creation and the body and believe that redemption can be accomplished through our own human efforts, without God. According to Gomez, the leaders of these movements seem to really believe that we can create a kind of Heaven on earth, a perfectly just society, through our own political efforts. The Catholic leader argued that those movements have had the opposite effect. Because these movements deny the human person, no matter how well-intentioned they are, they cannot promote authentic human flourishing, he contends. In fact, as we are witnessing in my country, these strictly secular movements are causing new forms of social division, discrimination, intolerance, and injustice. Gomez attributed the rise of pseudo-religions to the secularization and de-Christianization of the U.S. and the world. With the breakdown of the Judeo-Christian worldview and the rise of secularism, political belief systems based on social justice or personal identity have come to fill the space that Christian belief and practice once occupied. The archbishop concluded his remarks by declaring that the world does not need a new secular religion to replace Christianity. Instead, he believes the world needs you and me to be better witnesses. We are at risk right now of sliding into a new tribalism, a pre-Christian idea of humanity as divided into competing groups and factions, he concluded. We need to live and proclaim the Gospel as the true path to liberation from every slavery and injustice, spiritual and material. In our preachings and practice, and especially in our love for our neighbors, we need to bear witness to Gods beautiful vision of our common humanity our common origin and common destiny in God. Gomez insisted that we should not be intimidated by these new religions of social justice and political identity because the Gospel remains the most powerful force for social change that the world has ever seen. He suggested that the Church has been antiracist from the beginning because all are included in her message of salvation. Gomez lamented the deliberate effort in Europe and America to erase the Christian roots of society and to suppress any remaining Christian influences. He cited the conferences concern about cancel culture and political correctness, noting that often what is being canceled and corrected are perspectives rooted in Christian beliefs about human life and the human person, about marriage, the family, and more. In your society and mine, the space that the Church and believing Christians are permitted to occupy is shrinking, he warned. Church institutions and Christian-owned businesses are increasingly challenged and harassed. The same is true for Christians working in education, health care, government and other sectors. Holding Christian beliefs is said to be a threat to the freedoms, and even to the safety, of other groups in our societies. 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. Durham grand jury indicts source in Trump-Russia probe for lying to FBI Email Print Img No-img Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment More than five years after the FBI first began investigating then-presidential candidate Donald Trumps purported illicit ties to Russia, a key source for the report containing allegations of misconduct by his campaign has been charged with making false statements to the federal law enforcement agency. Igor Danchenko was charged in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia Wednesday with making false statements to the FBI. The grand jury indictment, filed Wednesday, noted that Danchenko was one of the primary sources used by former British intelligence official Christopher Steele, referred to as U.K. Person-1, when constructing the information that ultimately formed the core of the allegations found in the Company Reports, also known as the Steele Dossier. In addition to listing the occasions where Danchenko lied to the FBI, the indictment mentions that the campaign of Hillary Clinton, Trumps rival in the 2016 presidential election, played an instrumental role in the creation of the Steele Dossier: A U.S.-based international law firm (Law Firm-1), acting as counsel to the Hillary Clinton Presidential campaign (the Clinton Campaign), had retained a U.S.-based investigative firm (U.S. Investigative Firm-1) to conduct research on Trump and his associates. Steele was recruited to conduct the research on Trump and submitted information to the FBI containing derogatory information on then-candidate Donald J. Trump beginning in July 2016. That month, the FBI launched an investigation known as Crossfire Hurricane that probed whether officials within the Trump campaign were coordinating with the Russian government. The FBI repeatedly spoke to Danchenko as part of the investigation. As part of its efforts to determine the truth or falsity of specific information in the Company Reports, the FBI conducted several interviews of Danchenko regarding, among other things, the information that Danchenko provided to U.K. Person-1, the indictment stated. Specifically, Danchenko falsely told FBI agents that he had never communicated with a particular U.S.-based individual who was a long-time participant in Democratic Party politics and was then an executive at a U.S. public relations firm about any allegations contained in the Company Reports. As it turns out, the individual was identified as a source of at least one of the allegations in the Steele Dossier. The longtime Democratic Party operative, identified by The New York Times as Charles Dolan, worked on both of former President Bill Clintons presidential campaigns as well as both of Hillary Clintons presidential campaigns. Dolan was not the only person Danchenko lied about to authorities. According to the indictment, Danchenko stated falsely during the interviews that, in or about late July 2016, he received an anonymous phone call from an individual who Danchenko believed to be a particular U.S. citizen and who was then president of the Russian-American Chamber of Commerce (Chamber President-1). Danchenko also falsely stated that, during this phone call, (i) the person he believed to be Chamber President-1 informed him, in part, about information that the Company Reports later described as demonstrating a well-developed conspiracy of cooperation between the Trump Campaign and Russian officials. The assertion that Danchenko spoke with and later met with the aforementioned individual was later determined to be false. The indictment illustrated that the false assertion served as the basis for conducting surveillance on one of the Trump campaigns advisors, Carter Page. Danchenko was also accused of lying about his friends, associates and sub-sources knowledge about his relationship with Steele. The Steele Dossier contained salacious allegations about Trumps behavior and dealings with Russia, most notably that he rented the presidential suite of the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Moscow where he knew President and MRS OBAMA (whom he hated) had stayed on one of their official trips to Russia, and defiling the bed where they had slept by employing a number of prostitutes to perform a golden showers (urination) show in front of him. The charges against Danchenko stem from former U.S. Attorney John Durhams investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe. Durham was appointed as a special counsel by then-Attorney General William Barr to investigate whether any federal official, employee, or any other person or entity violated the law in connection with the intelligence, counter-intelligence, or law-enforcement activities directed at the 2016 presidential campaigns, individuals associated with those campaigns, and individuals associated with the administration of President Donald J. Trump, including but not limited to Crossfire Hurricane. Former Clinton campaign attorney Michael Sussman and former FBI attorney Kevin Clinesmith have also been indicted for making false statements as a result of the Durham probe. Accusations of collaboration with Russia continued throughout the Trump presidency and eventually resulted in a special counsel investigation that lasted for approximately two years. Stephen Miller, who worked in the Trump administration, responded to the indictment in an appearance on Fox News Tucker Carlson Tonight Thursday. Miller restated the opinion widely held throughout the Trump administrations inner circle that the Russia probe and the special counsel investigation were used to hamstring the Trump presidency, specifically that the deep state was using the Russia probe to overthrow the elected president of the United States. This was a theft from the American people. They elected their president. His time, his energy and that of his staffers were stolen. Thousands upon thousands of hours were stolen by rogue bureaucrats working in our intelligence services, in the FBI and across the government to impose their will over the will of the American people, he asserted. Wall Street Journal opinion writer Kimberly A. Strassel asserted that "The Clinton dossier should go down as one of the biggest scandals in U.S. political history. Not just for the breadth of the con, but for the time it has taken to expose it." 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. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Some of us who struggle with our waistlines have concerns that we will still be overweight in Heaven. We are worried about having to choose the low-calorie option at the wedding supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9) and wearing a tight white robe for all eternity. Actually, its not a trivial question. It raises very important issues: What will we look like in Heaven? Will we have crooked teeth, bald heads, and knobbly knees? And what about those with lost limbs, scars, or deformities? These are important and sensitive issues, but they are also tricky ones. The Bible talks a lot about believers being raised from the dead and going to be "with the Lord" forever but it offers us few details. Our best information comes from the descriptions of Jesus after the resurrection and from teaching in the letters, especially by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. Given our limited data, the safest answer to most questions to do with Heaven is simply "we dont know". Nevertheless, some things can be said, and let me suggest five certainties that I find in the Bible that are helpful. First, Heaven is going to be a joyful place of fulfillment and perfection where we who have followed Christ will experience the full presence of God and spend an eternity safe from any form of anxiety, pain, grief, suffering, or evil. And "evil" includes fear, shame, disgust, and self-loathing. Second, Heaven is a real, solid place, and we who, thanks to Jesus, get there are going to be equally real and solid. Any idea of faint, transparent spirits holding harps and sitting on fluffy clouds should be ignored. In Heaven, we will have bodies that are more solid than those we have at the moment. Third, in Heaven we will be very different from what we are now; as different, Paul says, as a seed and the plant or tree that it grows into (1 Corinthians 15:3637). That extraordinary change may explain why we are told so little about the resurrection body: It would be hard to explain to a tadpole what its like to jump like a frog, or to a caterpillar what its like to fly like a butterfly. Fourth, our new bodies will be perfect and glorious. Now although thats an idea that greatly appeals to me when I look in the mirror, step on the scale, or go to the doctor, neither I nor anybody else, knows exactly what that means. Nevertheless, what we will have will be a definite improvement on the disintegrating bodies we have now. Those of us who follow Christ are not going to merely get some cosmetic makeover, but a whole-body upgrade! Fifth, despite this extraordinary change we will, however, keep our identity in Heaven. If you have put your faith in Jesus, then it is you personally who will be in Heaven. The disciples were in no doubt that the Jesus who met with them after the resurrection was the same man they had followed for three years. The same principle will apply in Heaven: Despite our upgraded bodies, you will still be you and I will still be me. Because Heaven is a place of perfection, I think we will each have a perfect body in shape and size. We definitely wont be visiting Weight Watchers. We will be whole and healthy, no pains, aches, no diseases, and with 20:20 vision as there will be so much to see. Will I be fat in Heaven? No! I will be happy and content with everything. This is an excerpt from J.Johns latest book, Will I be Fat in Heaven? And Other Curious Questions, which is now available for pre-order. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment A verse in the Bible seems at first blush to be at odds with the biblical doctrine of justification by faith. The atypical sentence in question was written by James. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone (James 2:24). Does James teach that salvation can be earned? And if so, can one verse possibly overturn hundreds of verses that clearly teach that man is justified by faith? In order to understand James 2:24, we must interpret it in the context of the entire New Testament, and also in the context of the book of James. There are almost 8,000 verses in the New Testament, consisting of roughly 138,000 words. Here is one way to think about that enormous number of words. Imagine a young woman writing a 276-page letter (500 words per page) to her fiance filled with hundreds of expressions of unconditional love and affection. What if one sentence in the letter seemed to contradict everything else she had written? You would need to interpret that sentence in light of the entire 276-page letter. When seeking to understand Christianity, it is critical that we allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. We cannot cherry-pick individual verses, thereby creating doctrines that are inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. The Bible is Gods love letter to His children. The New Testament reveals that believers in Jesus are justified on the front end of their relationship with God. Justification is not a process. It is complete the moment a soul is converted by the power of the Holy Spirit (John 3:6). The Apostle Paul wrote, God justifies the man who has faith in Jesus for we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the Law (Romans 3:26,28). Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand (Romans 5:1,2). Notice that the verb justified is in the past tense. We have been justified through faith. This is true for every Christian. Justification is complete the moment a believer trusts Jesus for salvation. Since we have now been justified by Christ's blood, how much more shall we be saved from Gods wrath through Him! (Romans 5:9) Here again, justified is in the past tense. Paul wrote, A man is not justified by observing the Law, but by faith in Jesus Christ (Gal. 2:16). Clearly no one is justified before God by the Law, because, The righteous will live by faith (Gal. 3:11). It is crucial that we do not redefine faith in an attempt to build a works-based system of salvation. The biblical definition of faith is simply: trust, firm persuasion; a conviction based upon hearing. Faith involves believing something; works involve doing something. What does Scripture say about those who rely upon their works for salvation? All who rely on observing the Law are under a curse (Gal. 3:10). A believer is forgiven, saved, justified, born again, and redeemed on the front end of his relationship with God. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast (Eph. 2:8,9). If our works could earn us eternal life in Heaven, there would have been no need for the sinless Son of God to be sacrificed on the cross for our sins. Paul wrote, I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the Law, Christ died for nothing! (Gal. 2:21). Paul frequently elucidated the theological distinction between justification and sanctification. Justification is like the concrete foundation for a house. Once the foundation is laid, the house can be built. Faith in Christ provides the foundation, while our good works are the materials God uses to build the house of sanctification. God works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13). Justification occurs at the moment of conversion through a living faith that has yet to produce even one good work. Did you catch that? Believers are forgiven of their sins and made alive with Christ before they do their first good work. God made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions it is by grace you have been saved (Eph. 2:5). Dead souls have dead faith and dead works, whereas those alive in Christ have a living faith that produces good works that please God. James was concerned about those whose so-called faith was not alive. Faith without works is dead (James 2:26). As a believer, you were converted when you trusted Christ to forgive your sins. The Holy Spirit entered into your life at that moment (1 Cor. 6:19). Paul wrote to folks in Galatia who had become very confused about their conversion and about justification by faith: You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?... Did you receive the Spirit by observing the Law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Gal. 3:1-3). Paul presented a systematic explanation of Christianity and the Christian life. James, on the other hand, was interested in comparing dead faith to biblical faith. James wanted his readers to know that Christian faith is a living thing, and it results in good works. But this does not mean that man is justified by his works. Quite the contrary. Good works do not add an ounce of concrete to the foundation of justification by faith. After all, No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 3:11). While James did not teach that salvation can be earned, he did teach that good works are the fruit of a living faith in Jesus Christ. Email Whatsapp Menu Whatsapp Google Reddit Digg Stumbleupon Linkedin Comment Do you know what bewrayeth means? Or haply? What about chambering? These are all perfectly good words in the English language. And they have one thing in common theyre all in the Bible. They represent just a few of the archaic and mostly obsolete words found in the King James Version much beloved by generations of Christians. As president of Bible League International (BLI, www.bibleleague.org), Im obviously a big fan of the Bible, and that includes the King James Version (KJV). But its often a struggle for people in the 21st century to read the old English and make sense of it. Coming from Holland, Im not a native English speaker, so for me its doubly challenging. In my home country, we have a Dutch equivalent thats also difficult to read. So many words we no longer hear in conversation. In places, it feels like a foreign language! I believe the Bible should be a bridge not a barrier in any language for those seeking God and desiring to know Him more fully. Thats why Im on a mission: to give everyone, everywhere, the opportunity to read the Bible in a faithful translation they can easily understand in their own language; one that speaks to their heart. In Dallas-Fort Worth on International Day of the Bible on Nov. 21, were embarking on an exciting new project to introduce people to the Bible for the first time and help them understand what God has to say to them. Of course, the DFW area as a migrant hub is the ideal place to launch this effort to reach out to English-speakers, Spanish-speakers, and immigrants from all over the world. Turning the lights on My wife grew up in a conservative Dutch home where the traditional old Dutch Bible was always read. She never really understood what God was saying through his Word because the verses were in an outdated language. When she first opened a version of the Bible that was easier to read, much like Bible Leagues Easy-to-Read Version (ERV), the lights came on! The Holy Spirit revealed to her heart the truths that for so long were hidden all because of words she didnt understand. That easy-to-read version completely revolutionized the devotional time and spiritual life of her entire family. I ask you is that a bad thing? Keeping it simple When I arrived in America, I thought I knew English pretty well. But, boy, was I wrong. Ill never forget the first time someone greeted me with the phrase: Whats going on? My mind was racing to think of something significant going on in my life. But before I could reply, theyd moved on leaving me totally bewildered! Language and its cultural quirks are complicated enough. And for non-native speakers in any country, it needs to be kept simple. I approach the Bible the same way. We should make the path to Gods grace as easy as possible. Are we willing to be humble and make sure everyone understands Gods love letter to them? A Bible that is not understood is not a Bible at all What do I mean by that? If you dont understand what youre reading and arent brought into a closer, deeper relationship with God, in effect you dont have a Bible. It might as well be in ancient Mayan script. In Acts 8, Philip asks the Scripture-reading Ethiopian official: Do you understand what you are reading? In concert with the Holy Spirit, Gods Word was unveiled the lights came on and the mans excitement for Jesus exploded. Its really that simple. Like the Ethiopian official people need a Philip someone to come alongside them in genuine friendship, to help them understand what theyre reading and grow in their relationship with God. Will you be a Philip to someone whos waiting for Gods Word and his amazing grace to illuminate their mind and transform their life? 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. WASHINGTON (AP) A suspected Ukrainian hacker has been arrested and charged in the United States in connection with a string of costly ransomware attacks, including one that snarled businesses around the globe on the Fourth of July weekend, U.S. officials said Monday. Yaroslav Vasinskyi was arrested last month after traveling to Poland, according to the Justice Department, which also announced the recovery of $6.1 million in ill-gotten funds from a Russian national who was separately charged and remains sought by the FBI. Both men are alleged to be affiliated with the prolific Russia-based REvil ransomware gang, whose attacks have compromised tens of thousands of computers worldwide and yielded at least $200 million in ransom payments, said Attorney General Merrick Garland. Victims have included the world's largest meat processor, JBS SA, and a technology company called Kaseya, which was hit in a holiday weekend attack last July that the company said affected between 800 and 1,500 businesses that relied on its software. The coordination of multiple agencies across the Biden administration amounted to perhaps the most high-profile response yet to a blitz of ransomware attacks that officials say continues to threaten national security and the economy. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco appeared to foreshadow Monday's announcement in an interview with The Associated Press last week, saying that in the days and weeks to come, youre going to see more arrests" as well as more seizures of illicit ransomware proceeds. Speaking at a news conference Monday, she said, We have been using every tool at our disposal and leveraging every authority we have to hunt down and hold accountable cybercriminals wherever they seek to hide." The indictment accuses Vasinskyi, 22, of deploying REvil ransomware, also known as Sodinokibi, a broad range of victims including the massive Kaseya attack. Yevgeniy Polyanin, a Russian national, is charged in a separate indictment. He's accused of conducting roughly 3,000 ransomware attacks on companies and entities across the U.S., including law enforcement agencies and local governments in the state of Texas. Both indictments were filed in federal court in the Northern District of Texas, a state where REvil ransomware compromised the computer networks of some two dozen local government agencies in the summer of 2019. The U.S. is seeking Vasinskyi's extradition from Poland. Though it successfully seized $6 million in ransomware payments from Polyanin, the FBI is continuing to seek his arrest, and the State Department on Monday announced a $10 million reward for anyone with information leading to the capture of any leaders of the REvil group. The Treasury Department, meanwhile, announced sanctions against the pair as well as a virtual currency exchange, Chatex, that it said was used to facilitate financial transactions for ransomware gangs. President Joe Biden commended the government's actions, saying he was making good on his commitment to Russian leader Vladimir Putin that the U.S. would hold cyber criminals accountable. He said in a statement that the U.S. was bringing the full strength of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity and actors and to bolster resilience at home. The announcement of the criminal charges came hours after European law enforcement officials revealed the results of a lengthy, 17-nation operation. As part of that operation, Europol said, a total of seven hackers linked to REvil and another ransomware family have been arrested since February, including two last week by Romanian authorities. The Justice Department has tried multiple ways to address a ransomware scourge that has exploded over the last year with attacks against critical infrastructure and major corporations. Arrests of foreign hackers are significant for the Justice Department, and rare, since many of them operate in the refuge of countries that do not extradite their own citizens to the U.S. for prosecution. Theres lots of reasons why people travel, and I cant get into the specific reasons why Mr. Vasinskyi traveled, but boy are we glad he did, FBI Director Christopher Wray said Monday. Even so, ransomware attacks in which hackers seize and encrypt data and demand often-exorbitant sums to release it to victims have been hard to curb. Monaco told the AP last week that since Biden's admonitions to Putin last summer to rein in ransomware gangs, we have not seen a material change in the landscape. Garland did not answer directly when asked if there was evidence that the Russian government was aware of REvil's activities, but said, we expect and hope that any government in which one of these ransomware actors is residing will do everything it can to provide that person to us for prosecution. The $6.1 million seizure in this case builds on a similar success from months ago. Federal authorities in June seized $2.3 million in cryptocurrency from a payment made by Colonial Pipeline following a ransomware attack that caused the company to temporarily halt operations, creating fuel shortages in parts of the country. Justice Department officials also used Monday's news conference to urge Congress to create a national standard for the reporting of significant cyber incidents, and to require that that information be shared immediately with federal law enforcement. ___ Suderman reported from Richmond, Virginia. Associated Press writer Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. ____ Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/etuckerAP. EL PASO The Solis sisters were excited to return to El Paso nearly two years since their last visit. After waiting 30 minutes to cross the international bridge that connects Ciudad Juarez to El Paso on Monday, 23-year-old Elizabeth Solis took out her iPhone to begin recording her experience walking onto the American side, 20 months after her last visit. Before the COVID-induced travel restrictions, she said they would go to El Paso every weekend to visit aunts, uncles and cousins. She and her sister, Adamaris Solis, 22, were heading to McDonalds to get coffee and egg McMuffin and McGriddle sandwiches. Then they planned to shop in downtown El Paso, where they used to buy all their clothes before the pandemic started. They said what they missed the most of El Paso were the people. Theres a lot of insecurity [in Juarez] so people are a bit more defensive there, the younger Solis said. And people here are just more polite. As people crossed the international bridge from Mexico by foot or vehicle, three people with a local radio station held signs that read Happy to see you again and We missed you. U.S. Customs and Border Protection had warned there would be long waits for pedestrians and vehicles, but the Solis sisters and others said they waited less time on Monday than before the pandemic began. After 19 months of closure, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday reopened ports of entry to vaccinated travelers from Mexico, a long-awaited event for business owners who depend on tourists and Mexican nationals who had not been able to visit family on the American side for more than a year and a half. In March 2020, in an effort to fight the spread of COVID-19, the Trump administration closed the land borders to all but U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents and any other travelers considered essential, such as health care workers or students. Mexican nationals with tourist visas were barred from entering the U.S. From Brownsville to El Paso, pedestrian crossings at ports of entry dropped drastically, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation statistics. On Monday, some ports of entry that are operated 24 hours a day reopened at midnight. Others reopened at their previously scheduled hours of operation. Liliana Trujillo said she couldnt wait for the border to reopen. After crossing the pedestrian bridge holding her 8-year-old sons hand, Trujillo put her Mexican passport back in her purse. She was in a hurry, she said, because she was getting picked up by a relative on the American side who was going to take her to buy materials for her business. She sells nail salon products in Juarez and used to buy her materials in El Paso. But when the border closed, she couldnt buy enough to keep up with the demand of clients in Mexico. She tried flying to Mexico City to buy what she needed but said it was too expensive. She said she was able to maintain the business because friends or relatives would buy the materials and take them across the bridge to her, but that wasnt always consistent. Gracia Prieto-Torres, a 64-year-old retired factory worker, was also happy to cross the bridge again. Before the restrictions, the widowed mother of two adult sons said she would come to El Paso from Juarez every three days or so to shop, eat and pass the time. With winter coming, she was shopping for jackets, sweaters and blankets. Thats what El Paso business owners have been waiting for: Mexican tourists coming to spend their money. Kim Indock, who owns a shoe store near the bridge and was sweeping the front of the store Monday morning, said she lost a lot of customers because of the pandemic travel restrictions. While her store wasnt bustling on Monday, she expects business to pick up more this weekend as Christmas shoppers start coming across. Gisel Barraza, 23, who has worked at Sunrise Wigs for the past five years, said the past nearly two years have been slow because of COVID-19 restrictions and the store has reduced staffing from five employees at a time on the floor to two. Were expecting for the store to be busy this weekend, she said as she sat on a stool by the stores cash register. To enter the U.S., Mexican nationals with visas will need to prove they have received a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The proof, such as a vaccination card, can be in English or Spanish and in physical or electronic format. Travelers need to have the proof of vaccination with them at all times. The requirements do not apply to children 17 years old or younger, Customs and Border Protection officials said. Starting in January, non-U.S. citizens and non-permanent residents traveling for essential purposes will also have to start showing proof of vaccination at land crossings to enter the U.S. El Paso, which operates some of the busiest points of entry into the U.S., reported 3 million pedestrian crossings in 2020, a 60% drop compared with the year before. In Brownsville, pedestrian crossings plunged 53% from 2019 to 2020. Both cities saw vehicle crossings drop by roughly half over the same period. Border Patrol officials said they expect longer lines at the border as the holidays approach and asked potential travelers to have their documentation ready to ease the process. We do anticipate more travelers, especially as we head into the holiday season. Everybody should expect longer wait times. Thats the reality of what were going to see, Ray Provencio, acting El Paso port director, said Friday in a statement. By being prepared to the point where every traveler can save just a few seconds in the process will add up into real-time savings for all travelers at our local border crossings. Many who crossed the border on Monday said they waited between 15 minutes to half an hour, compared to significantly longer waits pre-pandemic. In Laredo, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, Laredo Mayor Peter Saenz and some Mexican elected officials held an event at the international bridge connecting the city with Nuevo Laredo on Monday to welcome Mexican shoppers and tourists back. On a personal note, I feel an immense amount of joy for those who will finally reunite with family and friends after 19 months. This is a true celebration especially with the holidays right around the corner, said Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz. The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. The Return of the Pharaoh by Nicholas Meyer (Minotaur Books) A missing duke, the tomb of Thutmose IV and Sherlock Holmes all converge in The Return of the Pharaoh, the newest installment of Nicholas Meyers take on the adventures of the world-renowned detective. Meyers book brings readers to early 20th century Egypt, when Watson and his second wife, Juliet, travel to the arid country to combat her tuberculosis. Through the sanitarium at which Juliet is staying, Meyer creates a reflection of present-day COVID-19 protocols: Not only must patients wear masks and gloves, but they are also required to sit at least 6 feet away from visitors. A month into their stay, Watson bumps into none other than Sherlock Holmes, who is posing as a colonel. Holmes soon reveals that the Duchess of Uxbridge has employed his services to find her husband after he suddenly stopped responding to her letters during his stay in Egypt. Known to be in great debt, the Duke of Uxbridge appears to have pinned his hopes on egyptology and unearthing the yet-to-be-discovered, treasure-filled tomb of a pharaoh (expected to be filled with treasures and gold) in order to settle his financial shortcomings. In their efforts to get to the bottom of the case, Watson and Holmes stumble upon a murder, discover a spy, expose an affair and survive a deadly sandstorm. Meyer paints a vivid picture of a former and less established Egypt, acknowledging the pillaging of artifacts by Western countries like Britain and France. Written in the style of Arthur Conan Doyles original books, Meyers take on the Sherlock Holmes adventures blends old with new, giving readers familiar stories with parallels to and hints of more modern takes. NEW YORK (AP) Long before Bruce Springsteen took the stage at the annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit in New York, Bob and Lee Woodruff joked about how they get The Boss to perform so frequently. Sometimes, I have done things Im not proud of, joked Lee Woodruff. Wait a minute, what is that? Bob asked while laughing. Ill tell you later, Lee shot back. During the 15 years that the event has taken place, Springsteen has only missed it once, in 2017 when he was performing his Broadway show. We dont have to ask him. He comes to us, Bob Woodruff said about the event that raises money to help injured veterans and their families. This year's event at Lincoln Center raised $4.6 million. The Bob Woodruff Foundation was started by the 60-year-old ABC journalist after he was seriously injured by an improvised explosive device while covering the war in Iraq in 2006. Mondays show also included Jon Stewart, Brandi Carlisle, Grace Gaustad and the group Sing Harlem. Comedians Jim Gaffigan, Nate Bargatze and Donnell Rawlings also performed. The organization raised money from tickets and an auction and is part of the New York Comedy Festival. Nikki Glaser, who was also in the lineup, says she was honored to support the charity but worried that her brand of sharp, attack humor wasn't always appropriate. Theres a part of me that doesnt want to make people feel uncomfortable with some kind of material. But at the same time, Im like, they dont need me to be soft or to hold back," she said. "So, Im struggling with that. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also attended and said she was committed to ensuring that returning military not fall through the cracks of society. They may not realize that they have PTSD. They may not realize that they have emotional and psychological wounds that theyre almost embarrassed to talk about. We have to make sure we remove the stigma and make services like telehealth services available, Hochul said. Current and former military were at the event, including five members of the Marine company involved in the deadly ambush in Kabul that left 13 American service members killed in August during the Afghanistan withdrawal. Bob Woodruff's own injuries covering the Iraq war has created a bond with wounded members of the military, including one of the evenings honorees, former Staff Sergeant Brad Lang. Lang lost his legs in 2011 after an IED went off, and spent nine months recovering at the Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Washington D.C. He sees Woodruff as someone who does more than run a foundation, but as someone who understands the plight of wounded veterans. I think its great. Its somebody that can relate to us as we can relate to him. And I think its an intimacy that you dont share with a lot of other organizations, Lang said. And who was he most excited to see perform? Bruce Springsteen, of course. I mean, come on, Lang said. President Biden is expected this week to sign a new infrastructure bill which, though short of what some Democrats had pressed for, still provides $1.2 trillion for a range of projects covering everything from aging water and sewage pipes to high speed Internet for rural and urban communities, as well as improvements to the U.S. electrical grid. A significant share of the funds will be directed towards transportation projects, including upgrades to the nations increasingly dilapidated highways and bridges, along with struggling rail operations run by Amtrak. The bill approved Friday by the U.S. House of Representatives follows through on the presidents pledge to earmark billions to accelerate the switch from internal combustion to battery-electric vehicles. More chargers should help increase the penetration of electric cars. They are about 3% of sales in the U.S. now and about 10% in California. A separate bill that includes higher tax credits, up to $12,500, for buying electric cars, still awaits action. Were going to build out the first-ever national network of charging stations all across the country over 500,000 of them, said Biden, So, youll be able to go across the whole darn country, from East Coast to West Coast, just like youd stop at a gas station now. $110 Billion for Roads and Bridges In terms of transportation-related projects, heres what the infrastructure bill will provide: $110 billion goes to repairing, replacing and adding new roads and bridges. The White House says this will include the single-largest investment in bridge-building since the launch of the national highway system. $66 billion will go into passenger and freight rail improvements, helping reverse years of delayed maintenance and upgrades by Amtrak. While short of the $80 billion Biden sought, it marks the biggest injection of money since Amtrak was formed 50 years ago. $39 billion is for public transit, including a long-sought series of projects in New York City. This money will go for repairs to buses, rail cars, tracks and stations and add new, cleaner rolling stock. $25 billion goes to airports to address repairs and maintenance, and address delays and congestion. $17 billion is for work on the nations ports, a move that could address some of the underlying causes of shortages facing both consumers and manufacturers including automakers. $15 billion is for vehicle electrification programs. A centerpiece of this will be the creation of a nationwide network of charging stations something seen as critical to convincing Americans to switch from internal combustion vehicles to those running on battery power. $11 billion goes the Safe Streets for All program aimed at reversing the recent increase in U.S. highway deaths, including those involving pedestrians and bicyclists. The major parts of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill are the $550 billion for transportation of all kinds and $240 billion for utilities including power infrastructure, broadband and water systems. In the spring, the Biden administration had sought $2.3 trillion. While its a cutback, the bill still represents one of the largest U.S. infrastructure projects ever. U.S. Ranks 13th in Quality of Infrastructure Former President Donald Trump actively campaigned to block passage of the infrastructure bill but, in the end, a number of Republicans joined Democrats in approving the measure in the House. The final wording of the bill won widespread support among those who felt it was time to invest in infrastructure work after decades of delay. Trump himself had promised to address such problems during his term but did not so. Once a world leader, the U.S. currently is ranked 13th in the world when it comes to infrastructure quality, according to the World Economic Forum, behind, not only France, Germany and Japan, but China, India and the UAE. The American Society of Civil Engineers graded the countrys infrastructure as a C-minus this year. The infrastructure bill won over skeptics when House Democratic leaders came up with a formula to fund it while avoiding new taxes. Among other things, lawmakers agreed to redirect $250 billion in Covid-19 relief funds, and recoup another $50 billion in fraudulent unemployment benefits provided during the pandemic. Yet to be considered by Congress: Raising the tax benefit to as much as $12,500 for buying EVs and reinstating the eligibility of Tesla, above, and General Motors electric cars. Bill Howard Credits for EV Buyers Awaits Action by Congress Separate legislationtagged Build Back Better by the administrationnow contains provisions that would increase the tax benefits on new EVs to as much as $12,500. The current rules provide a tax credit for plug-in vehicles, including some plug-in hybrids, with a battery of at least 16 kilowatt-hours. Most EVs have batteries of 50 to 100 kilowatt hours. The credits are for the first 200,000 vehicles sold by an automaker. Tesla and General Motors are already past the cap. The EV tax savings proposal has these provisions, including penalties on buyers of electric cars not made in the U.S. or not made in union factories: 200,000-vehicle tax cap per automaker removed, putting Tesla and GM back in play. The main, $7,500, tax benefit shifts from tax credit to refund and is for vehicles with batteries of more than 40 kilowatt hours, meaning virtually every EV on sale now. Families with tax bills of less than $7,500 in the year they bought EVs now only get back as much as they owed. Only a $4,000 credit for vehicles with smaller batteries, mostly plug-in hybrids. $4,500 additional benefit for vehicles built in U.S. factories with union labor. Example: The Ford Mustang Mach- E would get no credit because its made in Mexico. E would get no credit because its made in Mexico. $500 extra for EVs with 50% of battery components made in the U.S., including the battery cells. After five years, the core $7,500 benefit applies only for U.S.-made EVs. Price caps on EVs eligible for the incentives is currently proposed as $55,000 for sedans, $80,000 for SUVs, pickups and vans. The cap amounts have changed several times. The BMW iX midsize SUV would get no cash back because two of the three trim lines list for more than $80,000; the entry BMW iX xDrive40 is under $80,000 but would get no refund because all BMW EV SUVs are built outside Munich even if virtually all gas-engine BMW SUVs for the world are built in South Carolina. Tesla Model X and Model X would be above the price ceiling, too, along with many other premium EVs. Income caps on tax benefits would mean no benefits for single-filer taxpayers with adjusted gross incomes (AGI) of $250,000, $500,000 for joint filers. Thats roughly 2% of the population. The infrastructure bill passed in the House of Representatives 228-206 only because 13 Republicans sided with the Democrats, who needed the votes after six liberal Democrats refused to vote in favor if the Congress didnt simultaneously vote on a $1.9 trillion social safety net / climate change bill. Its likely some legislators in the new South who voted for the infrastructure bill wont support a bill that rules out full EV tax benefits for plants in their region. About half the cars in the U.S. are now built in southern states. This article, $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Bill Has Funds For Cars, Planes and Trains, originally appeared on Forbes Advisor. NEWARK, N.J. (AP) Two New Jersey men and a Florida man pleaded guilty Tuesday to running a health care fraud scheme involving orthotic braces. Nicholas Defonte, 73, and Christopher Cirri, 63, both of Toms River, New Jersey, and Pat Truglia, 53, of Parkland, Florida, pleaded guilty to commit health care fraud, which carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence. The U.S. attorney's office alleged that the three and other defendants had hidden financial interests in companies that made the devices, and also owned and operated call centers that processed orders. Prosecutors alleged that the call centers bribed telemedicine companies, which in turn bribed doctors to prescribe the devices for patients who didnt need them. Companies owned by the defendants that made the devices fraudulently billed Medicare and other federal health care programs, prosecutors alleged in a criminal complaint. Truglia, Defonte and Cirri, accused of causing losses of approximately $50 million to the health care programs, are scheduled to be sentenced in March. Two other New Jersey residents pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme in April. Messages seeking comment were left Tuesday with attorneys representing Truglia, Defonte and Cirri. DOVER, Del. (AP) Lawmakers have enlisted the help of a retired Delaware Supreme Court justice as they explore their options in responding to public corruption charges against the state auditor. Legislative leaders announced Tuesday that Randy Holland, the longest-serving justice in Delaware history and an expert on the state constitution, has agreed to help guide them as they develop findings and recommendations for the General Assembly regarding the criminal charges against Auditor Kathy McGuiness. In making the announcement, lawmakers canceled a Tuesday afternoon Senate session to consider a resolution asking Delawares Supreme Court for an advisory opinion on a provision in Delawares constitution regarding the removal of officials from public office. The provisions of the Delaware constitution related to removing an elected official from office have serious legal ramifications, Holland said in a statement issued by the General Assembly. I understand the gravity of what is being asked of me, and I am prepared to work impartially with the legislature to help forge a better understanding of case law, and the legislative record so the General Assembly has the information needed to make an informed decision about its path forward. McGuiness, who is responsible for rooting out government fraud, waste and abuse, was indicted on Oct. 11 on felony counts of theft and witness intimidation, and misdemeanor charges of official misconduct, conflict of interest and noncompliance with state procurement laws. McGuiness, 58, has maintained that she is innocent and has rejected calls by fellow Democrats to resign or take a leave of absence pending resolution of the criminal case. But Democrats who control both chambers of the General Assembly have been reluctant to exercise their powers under a provision in the state constitution regarding the removal of officials from public office. That provision which has never been used states that the governor may for any reasonable cause remove any officer, other than the lieutenant governor or a member of the General Assembly, if two-thirds of the members of both the House and Senate ask him to do so. The provision provides little other guidance, however, other than that the cause of removal must be entered in legislative journals, and that the person being targeted must be notified of alleged cause for his or her removal, at least 10 days before either chamber of the General Assembly acts. Holland also will assist lawmakers in researching a separate provision in the constitution regarding the impeachment powers of the General Assembly. The findings are due before lawmakers return to session on Jan. 11, months before any trial in the criminal case against McGuiness is expected to begin. The decision to seek Hollands help came after the Senate voted along party lines last week to approve a resolution asking the Delaware Supreme Court for an advisory opinion on the language in the constitutional provision. Among other things, resolution asked whether reasonable cause could include an indictment, and whether the authority to remove a public official implies that there also is authority to take a lesser action, such as suspension. They also wanted to know whether lawmakers would be required to conduct a hearing by one or both chambers before voting on asking the governor to remove a public official, and whether that official could attend any such hearing and offer evidence and testimony in his or her defense. The Senate plan was thwarted when the House passed its own version of the resolution adding language asking the Supreme Court to provide answers by Dec. 17. The House resolution also called for the judiciary committees of both chambers meet on or before that date to determine the process to be used to decide if reasonable cause exists for removing a public official. Senators, who had left Legislative Hall after approving a redistricting bill, were not around to consider the House resolution last week. They scheduled Tuesdays special session to consider the measure before announcing Tuesday morning that no session would be held and that Holland would instead help guide lawmakers decision-making. No one knows more about the Delaware constitution and its interpretation than Justice Holland and I have full faith in his ability to provide us with the best possible legal analysis and advice when it comes to this unprecedented issue, House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf said in a statement. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Political appointees in the Trump administration relied on faulty science to justify stripping habitat protections for the imperiled northern spotted owl, U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday as they struck down a rule that would have opened millions of acres of West Coast forest to potential logging. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a decision made five days before President Donald Trump left office to drastically shrink so-called critical habitat for the spotted owl. The small, reclusive bird has been in decline for decades as old-growth forests were cut in Oregon, Washington and California. Government biologists objected to the changes under Trump and warned they would put the spotted owl on a path to extinction, documents show. But Trump's Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and former Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith dismissed those concerns instead adopting a plan to lift restrictions on more land than even the timber industry had sought. In documents disclosed to The Associated Press prior to their public release, wildlife officials said Bernhardt and Skipwith underestimated the threat of extinction and relied on a faulty interpretation of the science to reach their decision. Bernhardt defended his handling of the matter, telling AP in an email that Congress gave the interior secretary authority to exclude areas from protection. Bernhardt said the agencys reasonable certainty the owl would go extinct did not match the laws requirement that habitat be protected lest a species will go extinct. If wildlife officials want to change that standard, he said, they should seek a change from Congress. Any future Secretary can weigh the benefit factors differently, but they can not change the law or the legal standard, he wrote. Officials twice delayed the changes after President Joe Biden took office and they never went into effect. That puts them among numerous Trump-era policies reversed or struck down by the Interior Department in recent months, on issues from oil and gas drilling on some public lands, to protections for birds from power line and wind turbine collisions. Democratic lawmakers from Oregon, Washington and California in February called for an investigation into the removal of spotted owl protections, citing potential scientific meddling by Trump appointees. Wildlife advocates, government agencies and the timber industry have sparred for decades over the northern spotted owl, which officials said Tuesday is in precipitous decline and getting close to disappearing from parts of Washington and Oregon. Federal habitat protections imposed in 2012 were meant to avert the bird's extinction. They've also been blamed for a logging slowdown that's devastated some rural communities. Of 9.6 million protected acres (3.9 million hectares), federal officials proposed in August 2020 to remove protections for about 2%. The timber industry said the plan didn't go far enough and called for removal of more than 28%. On January 7, Skipwith changed her agency's recommendation and went even further, telling Bernhardt more than one-third of the protected land, or 3.5 million acres (1.4 million hectares), should be excluded from protection. The land has huge swaths of timber and includes 2 million acres (809,000 hectares) spread in a checkerboard pattern across western Oregon. Logging those lands might not have immediately killed off the owls immediately they live up to 20 years on individual territories that can stretch across 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) yet eventually they would have gone extinct, said Paul Henson, the wildlife service's Oregon supervisor. When Henson brought his concerns to superiors last December, Skipwith overrode them. You cant remove over a third of an endangered species habitat and not expect it to go extinct, Henson said in an interview. There wasn't much disagreement about the science. The disagreement was how much that risk constrains the secretary's authority" to remove habitat protections. The logging industry says more thinning and management of protected forests is necessary to prevent wildfires, which devastated 560 square miles (1,450 square kilometers) of spotted owl habitat last fall. Most of that area is no longer considered viable for the birds. Timber interests say much of the land set aside under Tuesday's announcement isn't actually spotted owl habitat or is broken up into parcels too small to support the owl. As such, the smaller habitat designation issued under Trump was legally and scientifically valid, said Nick Smith, a spokesman for the American Forest Resource Council. The group represents about 100 manufacturing and logging operations in five western U.S. states. The federal government cannot set aside critical habitat unless it is habitat for the species, Smith said. The logging industry says the larger, non-native barred owl is a much greater threat than cutting trees. Skipwith echoed that contention when she said the most effective way to preserve spotted owls was to control barred owl numbers. "The main threats faced by the northern spotted owl are the barred owl and the devastating forest fires," Skipwith said, adding that she used sound science to reach her conclusion. "Its not an issue of acreage; its an issue of the management of the land." The barred owls, native to the eastern U.S., began affecting spotted owl numbers in Washington and Oregon about a decade ago as they expanded west and south. The incursion accelerated in recent years, putting spotted owls on a downward trajectory that could prompt them to disappear from some areas within ten years, said U.S. Department of Agriculture research biologist Alan Franklin. Biologists beginning in 2009 studied whether removing barred owls in areas of northern California, Oregon and Washington would help the spotted owl. A pilot program that wrapped up in August showed spotted owl numbers stabilized when barred owl numbers were reduced. They continued to decline in areas without the removals. Study authors cautioned that the results show habitat protections also are critical to the spotted owl's survival. In rejecting the Trump rule, federal officials said the dual threat of wildfires and competition from the barred owl underscore why more forest needs protection to make sure there's enough redundancy of habitat that a large fire won't doom the species. A large-scale barred owl removal program is not in place. Wildlife officials said the best science shows protecting older forests where owls nest, roost and hunt is crucial. Owl expert R. J. Gutierrez from the University of Minnesota agreed. He said setting aside forest habitat and naming the northern spotted owl as a threatened species in 1990 briefly boosted it before barred owls arrived. Until barred owls are dealt with, all habitat is critical so spotted owls can find refuge from the aggressive newcomers, said Gutierrez who has spent several decades studying spotted owls along the West Coast. Environmental groups cheered Tuesday's move but expressed frustration that about 200,000 acres (about 81,000 hectares) of previously protected habitat were excluded under a replacement rule signed by Martha Williams, Biden's nominee to lead the Fish and Wildlife Service. In the past 20 years, theres been accelerated loss of old-growth forest on state and private lands so its continued to lose habitat, said Noah Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity. Climate change adds to the threats, he said. In December, federal officials determined that northern spotted owl's continued decline means it merits a more critical listing as endangered." The agency refused to do so immediately, saying other species took priority. That decision is facing a legal challenge. ___ Brown reported from Billings, Montana. ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter: @MatthewBrownAP WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden is extending the federal government's 100% reimbursement of COVID-19 emergency response costs to states, tribes and territories through April 1, 2022, the White House is announcing Tuesday. On a conference call Tuesday morning, White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients informed governors that Biden is approving the extension of Federal Emergency Management Agency support to help continue FEMA-backed efforts like vaccination clinics and public education campaigns surrounding the shots. The extension also continues 100% federal reimbursement for National Guard personnel deployed to help combat the virus, including those tasked with assisting local hospitals treating coronavirus cases. The extension into early 2022 is an indication that after premature declarations of victory over the pandemic in July, the Biden administration is preparing for continued COVID-19 disruptions well into next year. A White House official detailed the announcement to The Associated Press on Tuesday in conjunction with the private call to governors. This is an extension of the order the president signed on his second day in office and will ensure you continue to have the resources you need to get shots in arms and fight the virus, Zients told the governors, according to the official. On his second day in office Biden signed an order directing FEMA to cover 100% of state emergency costs related to the virus through September 2021. In August, as the more transmissible delta variant of the virus caused a spike in cases, Biden extended the coverage through the end of the year. Over the summer, governors complained that Biden waited until mid-August to approve the first extension. The White House hopes the seven-week notice that federal support will continue will provide states with more flexibility in using FEMA resources and the National Guard to support vaccinations, particularly now that more than 100 million Americans are eligible for booster doses and 28 million 5-11 year-olds are newly approved for shots. BANGOR, Maine (AP) Maine's Republican senator said Tuesday that she's joining with dozens of others in calling for an immediate transition of federal workers back to in-person service. Sen. Susan Collins is part of a group of 43 senators, all of whom are Republicans, calling for the change. The senators have made the request to the heads of three federal departments, including the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Colombian President Ivan Duque has high hopes for the medical marijuana industry in a country that has been waging a costly war against a different drug cocaine for decades. But in an interview with The Associated Press during a visit to Israel, he said the promotion of cannabis for medical and other purposes is a different story than cocaine, which among other things is terrible for the environment. In order to plant one hectare of coca in Colombia, two hectares of tropical jungle are destroyed, he said. The other thing is that to produce cocaine you have a very high carbon footprint. You use a lot of gasoline, a lot of cement," and processing chemicals get dumped in the forest. There's also the murderous drug kingpins one of whom was nabbed just last month on a U.S. warrant cartel violence and the scattered remnants of the FARC rebel group who have fought on despite a landmark peace agreement reached five years ago. But fresh from the U.N. climate summit, where Colombia pledged to be carbon-neutral by 2050, and the opening of a Colombian innovation center in Jerusalem, Duque was keen to discuss how Colombia and Israel self-styled start-up nations could collaborate to make the world a better place. Innovation is probably the solution to most of our problems. Even those created by innovation, they will still need to be solved by innovation," said Avi Hasson, the CEO of Start-Up Nation Central, which connects governments and international businesses to Israeli entrepreneurs, and which hosted Duque for a panel discussion on Tuesday. One opportunity is cannabis. In July, Colombia lifted an export ban on dried cannabis flower. Duque said his country is looking to harness derivatives for everything from medical treatments and food production to cosmetics. Were seeing a lot of international investment coming to Colombia, said Duque, who will be replaced following a presidential election next year. Israel might be able to lend a hand. Medical marijuana was legalized years ago, and more than 100,000 Israelis out of a population of over 9 million are licensed users. Israel approved marijuana exports in 2019, becoming only the third country to do so. Israel boasts more than 110 cannabis tech companies, mostly in the health sector, that have attracted nearly $350 million in investment since 2015, according to Start-Up Nation Central. Israel is also among the largest importers of medical cannabis flower. Duque says there's a difference between harnessing beneficial components from drugs and lifting prohibition completely. Were not using cannabis for recreational purposes. Were using it for medical purposes, he said. For Duque, who fashions himself a law-and-order conservative, standing up for cannabis in a country that has been the linchpin of the U.S.-led drug war for decades is more than a little out of character. He took office decrying how drugs destroy families and as president signed a decree banning possession of drugs in public spaces, challenging a ruling by the nations top court that allows Colombians to carry small amounts of marijuana, cocaine and other drugs. Hes also committed to resuming aerial eradication of coca crops that are behind a record surge in cocaine production, although legal challenges and protests by farmers in remote areas have prevented him from realizing that goal. In the years since the peace deal, newly disarmed rebels have abandoned the remote areas where they sheltered for decades under the jungle canopy. Cattle ranchers, loggers, miners, subsistence farmers and criminal groups have moved into the void, according to a report earlier this month from the International Crisis Group. Colombia lost 747,000 hectares (2,885 square miles) of forest during the four years that followed the 2016 peace deal an area about 10 times the size of New York City, according to the National Institute for Environmental Studies. That compares to approximately 562,000 hectares (2,170 square miles) of forest loss in the four years leading up to 2016, when many parts of the country where the FARC was active were off limits. Colombia is also among the most dangerous countries in the world for environment defenders. Some 65 were killed in 2020 alone, accounting for nearly a third of the global total of 227, according to Global Witness, a human rights group. Duque defended his record on the environment, noting that he created the country's first national anti-deforestation council, supported a bill increasing sanctions for environmental crime and has committed to zero deforestation by 2030. At the U.N. climate change summit in Glasgow, he promised to turn 30% of the countrys land into protected areas by the end of his administration. National parks and government-run reserves currently make up around 15% of the country's territory. He blamed the attacks on environmental defenders on the cartels, including the one led by Dairo Antonio Usuga, a drug lord known as Otoniel whom Duque has likened to Pablo Escobar. One of the most dangerous criminals in the world, and especially in Colombia, who had ordered the killing of environmental leaders, was Otoniel, the kingpin we captured two weeks ago," he said. ___ Associated Press writers Joshua Goodman in Miami and Manuel Rueda in Bogota, Colombia contributed. VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) A Vancouver, Washington woman who was stabbed to death Sunday was denied a permanent restraining order against her estranged husband before he was charged with her murder, according to court records. Monica Murrah received a temporary restraining order against Michael Murrah in 2020, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. She told the court at the time that he had threatened, hit and choked her multiple times, court documents say. HONOLULU (AP) COVID-19 vaccinations for 5-to 11-year-olds started at some Hawaii public schools on Monday. Kalihi Uka Elementary in Honolulu was to hold a vaccination clinic. It got underway at 8:30 a.m. with a group of first graders. About 60 students, or a quarter of the schools eligible children, signed up. Parents need to sign consent forms for their children to be vaccinated. It's up to individual schools whether parents will be allowed to accompany their child. Shots are also available at some doctors offices, pharmacies and larger vaccination sites. Parent Elizabeth Lugo was excited to have her child vaccinated. Like every family, we all have our elderly parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, said Lugo. Getting vaccinated and having my children vaccinated gave us that extra protection. When I get sick, I will be protected from the virus. added Elizabeths daughter, Milena Lugo. The clinics come about a week after U.S. health officials gave final approval to Pfizers COVID-19 shot for children ages 5 to 11. State Department of Health spokesman Brooks Baehr said the department hopes most of Hawaii's 5- to 11-year-olds will get vaccinated in the next three weeks so they can be inoculated before the year-end holidays. The department said 160 schools have expressed interest in holding clinics. NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Cypriot police have formally charged an Azeri man on suspicion that he planned to carry out the contract killings of Israelis living in Cyprus, a law enforcement official said on Tuesday. The official said that the 38-year-old suspect will go on trial next month on eight charges including conspiracy to commit murder, belonging to a criminal enterprise and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The suspect also faces a terrorism-related charge. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release details about the case, said the Azeris arrest last month during which a pistol was found in his possession came in the nick of time as police believe he was about to carry out the killings. Police had acted on a tip-off about the suspect's activities from a foreign agency," the official said. The alleged targets were said to be businessmen working in Cyprus. According to the official, the suspect had five other alleged cohorts he recruited on the island nation four Pakistani fast food delivery drivers and one Lebanese man who will also stand trial on the same charges. At least two pistols seized by police have been linked to the Azeri man. One of the weapons was handed over to police by the Lebanese suspect. The Azeri man had been living on both sides of Cyprus' ethnic divide and would often shuttle between the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north and the internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south, the official said. The official said the suspect has denied any involvement in the case. Authorities have kept court proceedings under wraps, barring journalists from attending and releasing no information about the case. The trials of all six suspects will be held behind closed doors. Last month, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the Azeri's alleged actions "an act of terror that was orchestrated by Iran against Israeli businesspeople living in Cyprus. COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) Denmark wants to again consider COVID-19 as a socially critical disease, paving the way for the reintroduction of a digital pass months after the label was removed and restrictions were phased out. The move, which still needs approval in parliament, will also allow Denmark to reintroduce other restrictions if deemed necessary. A majority seems to be backing the suggestion of the minority Social Democratic government. The pass was introduced on July 1 but removed on Sept. 10, when Denmark declared that the outbreak no longer was to be considered a socially critical disease, citing the high rate of vaccination. However, Denmark has like many other countries seen an uptick in cases, with health authorities saying the number of infections and hospitalizations has risen faster than expected. On Monday, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said the COVID pass must apply to nightclubs, cafes, party buses and indoor restaurants but also outdoor events where the number of people exceeds 2,000. The Danish pass app shows a QR code with a green banner if the holder is fully vaccinated or received a first dose at least two weeks ago, has recently recovered from COVID-19 or has had a negative test in the past 72 hours. A paper version is also available. The call to reintroduce the pass was immediately welcomed by the industry. Kristian Noergaard, a senior member of Horesta, the employers' organization for the hotel, restaurant and tourism business, said that to them the most important thing is that we avoid more shutdowns. It will be a disaster for a business that will have to pay off the debt from previous closures for a long time to come. At the same time, we expect that the initiative can create security around the running of many Christmas events, he said in a statement. Brian Mikkelsen, head of the Danish Chamber of Commerce, said they too backed the reintroduction of the pass because new shutdowns must and should be avoided." Heunicke said Tuesday that following the announcement, 37,015 online bookings were made in 24 hours, more than three times as many as the previous day. Thank you to all of you who accept the offer. We can do this, he wrote on Twitter. According to the latest figures, 86% of people over the age of 12 in Denmark have received two shots, while 87.4% have been given the first jab. ___ Follow all of APs pandemic coverage a t https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Tinglong Dai, Johns Hopkins University and Christopher S. Tang, University of California, Los Angeles (THE CONVERSATION) If you own stocks, chances are good you have heard the term ESG. It stands for environmental, social and governance, and its a way to laud corporate leaders who take sustainability including climate change and social responsibility seriously, and punish those who do not. In less than two decades since a United Nations report drew attention to the concept, ESG investing has evolved into a US$35 trillion industry. Money managers overseeing one-third of total U.S. assets under management said they used ESG criteria in 2020, and by 2025 global assets managed in portfolios labeled ESG are expected to reach $53 trillion. These investments have gained momentum in part because they cater to investors growing desire to have a positive impact on society. By quantifying a companys actions and outcomes on environmental, social and governance issues, ESG measures offer investors a way to make informed trading decisions. However, investors trust in ESG funds may be misplaced. As scholars in the field of supply chain management and sustainable operations, we see a major flaw in how rating agencies, such as Bloomberg, MSCI and Sustainalytics, are measuring companies ESG risk: the performance of their supply chains. The problem with ignoring supply chains Nearly every companys operations are backed by a global supply chain that consists of workers, information and resources. To accurately measure a companys ESG risks, its end-to-end supply chain operations must be considered. Our recent examination of ESG measures shows that most ESG rating agencies do not measure companies ESG performance from the lens of the global supply chains supporting their operations. For example, Bloombergs ESG measure lists supply chain as an item under the S (social) pillar. By this measure, supply chains are treated separately from other items, such as carbon emissions, climate change effects, pollutants, and human rights. This means all those items, if not captured in the ambiguous supply chain metric, reflect each companys own actions but not their supply chain partners. Even when companies collect their suppliers performance, selective reporting can arise because there is no unified reporting standard. One recent study found that companies tend to report environmentally responsible suppliers and conceal bad suppliers, effectively greenwashing their supply chain. Carbon emissions are another example. Many companies, such as Timberland, have claimed great successes in reducing emissions from their own operations. Yet the emissions from their supply chain partners and customers, known as Scope 3 emissions, may remain high. ESG rating agencies have not been able to adequately include Scope 3 emissions because of a lack of data: Only 19% of companies in the manufacturing industry and 22% in the service industry disclose this data. More broadly, without accounting for a companys entire supply chain, ESG measures fail to reflect global supply chain networks that todays big and small companies alike depend on for their day-to-day operations. Amazon and the third-party-supplier problem Amazon, for example, is among ESG funds largest and favorite holdings. As a company bigger than Walmart in terms of annual sales, Amazon has reported emissions from shipping that are only one-seventh of Walmarts. But when researchers for two advocacy groups reviewed public data on imports, they found only about 15% of Amazons ocean shipments could be tracked. In addition, Amazons figure does not reflect emissions generated by its many third-party sellers and their suppliers who operate outside the U.S. This difference matters: Whereas Walmarts supply chain relies on a centralized procurement strategy, Amazons supply chain is highly decentralized a large percentage of its revenue comes from third-party suppliers, about 40% of which sell directly from China, which further complicates emissions tracking and reporting. Another important ESG metric concerns consumer protection. Amazon prides itself as Earths most customer-centric company. However, when its customers have been injured by products sold by third-party sellers on its platform, Amazon has argued that it should not be held liable for the damage, because it functions as an online marketplace matching buyers and sellers. Amazons foreign third-party sellers are often not subject to U.S. jurisdiction so cant be held accountable. Yet major ESG rating agencies do not appear to reflect the supply chain implication on customer protection when measuring Amazon supply chain performance. For example, in 2020, MSCI, the largest ESG ratings agency, upgraded Amazons ESG rating from BB to BBB, reflecting its strength in areas such as corporate governance and data security, despite its consumer liability risk. These gaps are also concerns for ratings of companies such as 3M, ExxonMobil and Tesla. Other countries are adding pressure Currently there is no unified reporting standard, so different companies may cherry-pick certain ESG performance measures to report to boost their sustainability and social ratings. To improve consistency, the next step would be for ESG rating agencies to redesign their methodology to take into account what may be environmentally harmful and unethical operations across the entire global supply chain. ESG rating agencies could, for example, create incentives for companies to collect and disclose their supply chain partners activities, such as Scope 3 emissions. In June 2021, the German Parliament passed the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, which will become effective in 2023. Under this new law, large companies based in Germany will be responsible for social and environmental issues arising from their global supply chain networks. This includes prohibitions on child labor and forced labor, and attention to occupational health and safety throughout the entire supply chain. Those who violate the law face a fine of up to 2% of their annual revenues. The European Unions new Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, which went into effect in March 2021, adds pressure in a different way. It requires funds to report details on how they integrate ESG characteristics into their investment decisions. That has led some money managers to drop the phrase ESG integrated from some of their assets, Bloomberg reported. Without similar laws in the U.S., we believe ESG rating agencies could fill an important gap. To be sure, surveying a companys entire supply chains ESG performance is far more complex. Yet by tying all the ESG dimensions to a companys supply chain end-to-end operations, rating agencies can nudge corporate leaders to be responsible for actions across their supply chains that would otherwise be kept in the dark. [Over 115,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.] This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/esg-investing-has-a-blind-spot-that-puts-the-35-trillion-industrys-sustainability-promises-in-doubt-supply-chains-170199. WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A 26-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison for stabbing a Wichita psychiatrist more than 160 times and running him over with a car four years ago. Umar Dutt pleaded guilty in September to first-degree murder in the Sept. 13, 2017 death of Dr. Achutha Reddy. Prosecutors said Dutt was a client of Reddy's. YADKINVILLE, N.C. (AP) Officials in a North Carolina school district are trying to determine what caused more than 40 students to get sick on Monday. Sixth-grade students at Starmount Middle School in Boonville complained of various symptoms on Monday, including headache, nausea and abdominal discomfort, news outlets reported. Yadkin County Schools Superintendent Todd Martin said emergency services and firefighters along with school nurses evaluated and took care of the students. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) NASA on Tuesday delayed putting astronauts back on the moon until 2025 at the earliest, missing the deadline set by the Trump administration. The space agency had been aiming for 2024 for the first moon landing by astronauts in a half-century. In announcing the delay, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Congress did not provide enough money to develop a landing system for its Artemis moon program and more money is needed for its Orion capsule. In addition, a legal challenge by Jeff Bezos rocket company, Blue Origin, stalled work for months on the Starship lunar landing system under development by Elon Musk's SpaceX. Officials said technology for new spacesuits also needs to ramp up, before astronauts can return to the moon. NASA is still targeting next February for the first test flight of its moon rocket, the Space Launch System, or SLS, with an Orion capsule. No one will be on board. Instead, astronauts will strap in for the second Artemis flight, flying beyond the moon but not landing in 2024, a year later than planned. That would bump the moon landing to at least 2025, according to Nelson. The human landing system is a crucial part of our work to get the first woman and the first person of color to the lunar surface, and we are getting geared up to go, Nelson told reporters. NASA is committed to help restore Americas standing in the world." Nelson made note of Chinas ambitious and aggressive space program, and warned it could overtake the U.S. in lunar exploration. NASA's last moon landing by astronauts occurred during Apollo 17 in 1972. Altogether, 12 men explored the lunar surface. During a National Space Council meeting in 2019, Vice President Mike Pence called for landing astronauts on the moon within five years by any means necessary. NASA had been shooting for a lunar landing in 2028, and pushing it up by four years was considered at the time exceedingly ambitious, if not improbable. Congress will need to increase funding, beginning with the 2023 budget, in order for NASA to have private companies competing for the planned 10 or more moon landings by astronauts, Nelson said. The space agency also is requesting a bigger budget for its Orion capsules, from $6.7 billion to $9.3 billion, citing delays during the coronavirus pandemic and storm damage to NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, the main manufacturing site for SLS and Orion. Development costs for the rocket through the first Artemis flight next year stand at $11 billion. Vice President Kamala Harris will convene her first National Space Council meeting, as its chair, on Dec. 1. Nelson said he updated her on the latest schedule and costs during their visit to Marylands Goddard Space Flight Center on Friday. ___ 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. BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) North Dakotas Republican-led House on Tuesday endorsed a new legislative map that creates three new districts in the states fastest-growing areas but erases an equal amount in population-lean rural regions. Representatives voted 73-18 to approve the new map that also separates House districts on two American Indian reservations in the state, a move tribal leaders believe will increase the odds for electing their own members to the Legislature. Several GOP House lawmakers argued against the split districts on reservations, saying it was unfair and not needed. Backers said the state faced a federal lawsuit if the split districts were not included in the plan. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration, where it is expected to be approved with little opposition. A North Dakota legislative district now has one senator and two House members, each elected to represent the entire area. In a subdistrict, the senator would still represent the entire district. It would be split in half for House representation, with one House member representing each half. The split districts are on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in northern North Dakota and the Fort Berthold reservation, in the heart of the states oil patch in the western part of the state and home to the Three Affiliated Tribes. Turtle Mountain and Three Affiliated were the only tribes of the five that occupy American Indian reservations in the state that had the needed population to qualify under the federal Voting Rights Act for split House districts, which is about 8,450 people at present for each divided district. During the Legislatures redistricting effort in 1991, the Three Affiliated Tribes filed a federal lawsuit seeking to force lawmakers to create subdistricts on the Fort Berthold reservation. A judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying a subdistrict would lack a majority of American Indian voters. Finley GOP Rep. Bill Devlin, chairman of the committee that drew the new legislative maps, said the split districts were necessary under the Voting Rights Act. Im firmly convinced we have no choice, Devlin said. South Dakota already has special subdistricts aimed at giving American Indians a better chance at additional representation in its state Legislature. One of them includes all of the Cheyenne River and part of the Standing Rock Sioux Indian reservations. Another includes the Rosebud Indian Reservation. The new redistricting plan was required due to population shifts shown by the 2020 federal census, and was drafted over several weeks earlier this year. Each district is supposed to include approximately the same number of people, although small variances are allowed. The principle is called, one person, one vote, and is intended to give each district similar voting power in the Legislature. The new map keeps 47 districts, rather than increasing or reducing the size of the Legislature. Population shifts within North Dakota have made it necessary to redraw the boundaries of most of the existing districts. North Dakotas population is estimated at a record 779,000, up almost 16% during the last decade, but most of the states rural legislative districts lost residents, according to census data. Lawmakers added three new districts in and around the states biggest city of Fargo, and Williston and Watford City, where the population has grown with the explosion of oil development in the past decade. The new map eliminates a pair of districts in northeastern North Dakota, and one in the southeastern part of the state. SACRAMENTO, Calif (AP) A California parole panel on Tuesday recommended for the fifth time that Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten be freed from prison, decisions previously rejected by two governors. Van Houten, 72, is serving a life sentence for helping Manson and other cult members kill Los Angeles grocer Leno LaBianca and his wife, Rosemary, in August 1969. She was 19 when she and other followers fatally stabbed the LaBiancas and smeared their blood on the walls. The slayings came the day after other Manson followers, but not Van Houten, killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others. A two-person panel of parole commissioners first recommended in April 2016 that she be freed. But her release has been consistently blocked, twice by then-Gov. Jerry Brown and twice by Gov. Gavin Newsom, both Democrats. The latest recommendation is likely headed back to Newsom after a 120-day procedural review. Van Houten is still challenging Newsom's rejection of her parole a year ago in two courts, said her attorney, Rich Pfeiffer. Pfeiffer said the commissioners on Tuesday addressed every reason governors have given for blocking her release the first four times, which will make it more difficult for Governor Newsom to do it again, but he wants votes so I predict he will reverse this grant as well. Newsom said last year that Van Houten still poses an unreasonable danger to society if released from the California Institution for Women in Riverside County outside Los Angeles. Van Houten and her boyfriend ran away to San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury District during the citys Summer of Love when she was 17. She was traveling along California's coast when friends introduced her to Manson, who was living at an abandoned movie ranch on the outskirts of Los Angeles. There he recruited what he called a family to survive what he predicted would be a race war that he planned to start by committing a series of random, terrifying murders. Manson died in 2017 of natural causes at a California hospital while serving a life sentence. BOSTON (AP) Three Boston police officers were shot and a suspect shot and killed Tuesday during a standoff in the citys Dorchester neighborhood, police said. The standoff began with the suspect barricaded in a home and had gone on for more than five hours when gunfire erupted in the afternoon. The suspect died, acting Police Commissioner Gregory Long said during a press conference. The three officers suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to a hospital. Long said officers first responded to the apartment building at about 9:30 a.m. for a report of a person with a gun. Police were told an individual had threatened people inside the building with a firearm. Officers tried to talk with the individual who barricaded himself, according to Long. Negotiations went on for about five to six hours with the suspect to try to get him to surrender. The individual fired at the officers, striking three officers on scene as a result of being fired upon, Long said. Officers on scene returned fire, striking the suspect. He said the individual was pronounced dead at the scene, having suffered several gunshot wounds. Police have not identified the individual. Mayor-elect Michelle Wu said she was briefed on the situation. My prayers tonight are with the injured officers, their loved ones, and those in our community who have repeatedly had to face violence and trauma in our neighborhoods in the past week, Wu said in a statement. The Boston Police Patrolmens Association, the union representing patrol officers, asked the public to pray for the officers. The violence against police officers must stop," the union tweeted. The standoff comes just days after police in Boston say an officer shot and killed a man after he allegedly stabbed another police officer in the neck on Saturday. RIVERDALE PARK, Md. (AP) A police officer from a Maryland town was shot and wounded during an exchange of gunfire after a pursuit on Monday night, police said. Riverdale Park police said the shooting happened around 10 p.m. when the officer tried to stop a vehicle with at least one person inside who was suspected of being involved in an earlier shooting, news outlets reported. The driver fled the scene. WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) A 16-year-old boy was arrested Monday after bringing a handgun to a Wilmington high school, Delaware State Police said. The school resource officer at John Dickinson High School was notified around 1 p.m. that a student might have a handgun, police said in a news release. The trooper escorted the student to an empty classroom and found a 9 mm handgun in his waistband, police said. The student was taken into custody and a computer search revealed that the gun was stolen, police said. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The chairman of Dubai-based real estate developer Union Properties was dismissed from the company's board on Tuesday, a day after the firm disclosed that a top prosecutor in the United Arab Emirates had called for his detention amid an investigation into alleged financial wrongdoing. Khalifa Hassan al-Hammadi, who had served as chairman of the board of directors of Union Properties, and three other board members were dismissed, leaving in place just three of the company's seven board members. The company, one of the biggest real estate developers in the emirate, is known for building Dubai Motor City. The decision was announced in a disclosure on the Dubai Financial Market stock exchange website. It comes after a late Monday night disclosure on the same site of an Arabic letter from the public prosecutor for public funds ordering the detention of al-Hammadi pending investigation. The letter added that the case remains under investigation. Trading on the company's stock was suspended Monday until resolutions are disclosed, according to a brief statement on the stock exchange's website. Last month, Emirati prosecutors announced they had launched a major investigation into Union Properties over allegations the company had committed fraud and other offenses while trying to claw its way out of debt. The investigation involved allegations that the firm sold property at less than its real value and hid the name of the beneficiary of the sale, as well as allegations of forging documents and other violations. A stock market filing by Union Properties identified a March 2020 transaction in which Amna al-Hammadi purchased a property for 30 million dirhams ($8.1 million) that had been earlier valued at 49.5 million dirhams ($13.4 million). Previous filings on the London Stock Exchange identified Amna as Khalifa al-Hammadis sister. Union Properties filing sought to explain the sale by noting it came amid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying negative effects and in light of the companys commitment to settle its debt towards its lenders. Union Properties piled on some $2 billion of debt during Dubais financial crisis over a decade ago. The company had nearly $500 million in debt at the end of last year, according to their financial filings. KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) Two leading international rights groups urged Sudans military in a joint statement Tuesday to release government officials, activists and others detained during the army's coup last month. The wife of a detained former minister, meanwhile, expressed concerns about the health of her husband, whose whereabouts, like others, remain unknown. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also appealed for an end to further arbitrary arrests and the crackdown that has been taking place on anti-coup protests. It was the first time the two prominent groups issued a joint statement on Sudan. They had separately appealed to Sudan's military to free those arrested during and after the coup. On Oct. 25, the Sudanese military seized power, dissolving the countrys transitional government and detaining more than 100 government officials and political leaders, along with a large number of protesters and activists. The army also placed the countrys prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, under house arrest in his residence in the capital of Khartoum. Since the takeover, at least 14 anti-coup protesters have been killed due to excessive force used by the countrys security forces, according to Sudanese doctors and the United Nations. On Sunday, security forces tear-gassed demonstrators and rounded up more than 100 people, most of them anti-coup teachers in Khartoum. The coup has drawn international criticism and massive protests in the streets of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country. Moez Hadra, a defense lawyer for the deposed officials, said half are believed to be held in Khartoum and the others are scattered across the countrys provinces. Hadra said he and other defense lawyers have not been allowed to communicate with some of their clients or know their whereabouts. Twenty-five of those detained face charges of inciting troops to rebel against their leaders, he said. If convicted, they would likely face up to life imprisonment, he said. One of the 25 is Ibrahim al-Sheikh, the minister of industry in the deposed government. Al-Sheikh was a prominent figure in the pro-democracy movement that led the opposition against longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in his final months in power. Armed forces took al-Sheikh from his house in Khartoum early on Oct. 25, hours before coup leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan announced the disbanding of the government, his wife Amani Malik Ibrahim said. He was arrested in front of his family, including children and older women, she told The Associated Press from the familys home in Khartoums Bahri district. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown and he has only been allowed to speak by phone briefly one time with his family. That call alarmed his wife because he was sick at the time of his detention. I felt like he was not well. This was not Ibrahims normal voice. I asked him where he was detained and he didnt answer because it is clear there is someone on the phone with him, she said. Al-Tahir Maki Idris, another defense lawyer, said attorneys have sent requests to the military seeking the whereabouts of those arrested and the legality of their detention. There is no one that is helpful on what is happening to those detained or even their locations and their treatment, he said. Mohamed Osman, Human Rights Watch's researcher on Sudan, said that since the coup, the Sudanese military "has resorted to its well-trodden and brutal tactics, undermining small but important progress on rights and freedoms that Sudanese from all walks of life have fought for. The coup has upended the countrys fragile planned transition to democratic rule, more than two years after a popular uprising forced the removal of al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. Sundanese have taken to the streets in masses against the coup. The protest movement insists on a full civilian government to rule Sudan during the transition. But military leaders have maintained they were compelled to take over because of alleged quarrels among political parties that they claimed could lead to civil war. International mediation efforts have been underway to find a way out of the crisis or at least return Sudan to its pre-coup status with little headway. The protest movement has rejected internationally backed initiatives to return to a power-sharing arrangement with the military. Ambassadors of the U.S., the U.K. and Norway met Tuesday with Burhan and warned against unilateral action by the military, according to a joint statement from the three Western nations. The ambassadors urged the return of the transitional government and Hamdok to office as the basis for discussions on how to achieve a civilian-military partnership and civilian-led transitional government. Tuesdays joint statement quoted Sarah Jackson, Amnestys deputy regional director, who called for a joint, coordinated, and strong regional and international response to rights violations in Sudan. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) A lawsuit that could result in drastic changes to how Pennsylvania funds public education goes to trial Friday in a Harrisburg courtroom, seven years after a handful of the states districts first went to court to challenge a system they consider unfair. The case centers on spending disparities among Pennsylvanias 500 districts and the comparatively low percentage of K-12 education that is paid for by the state government the plaintiffs say it is about 38%, compared to 47% nationally. Spending figures and test scores are among a dizzying array of statistics and studies expected as evidence. The trial could last well into January. The plaintiffs, a handful of districts in neighborhoods with comparatively lower property values and family income, argue the reliance on property taxes and what they consider inadequate state subsidies means richer districts spend much more per student, calling it a system of haves and have nots." The result is that underfunded districts are more likely to have larger class sizes, less qualified faculty, outdated textbooks and other shortcomings, they claimed in the 2014 complaint. But Republican legislative leaders, who are defendants in the case, say Pennsylvania's educational spending compares favorably to other states and student achievement backs them up. Petitioners misleadingly attempt to create a dystopian view of Pennsylvania's education system, referring to the purportedly dismal state of public education in Pennsylvania and warning that 'without a change of course, the future is bleak, wrote attorneys for House Speaker Bryan Cutler, R-Lancaster, in a June pretrial filing. Such grave assessment is disconnected from the actual facts. The trial, expected to take several weeks, pits six districts, several parents, the state conference of the NAACP and the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools against the governor, Education Department, education secretary, state Board of Education and the highest-ranking Republican leaders of the House and Senate. Senate President Pro Tempore Jake Corman, R-Centre, one of the defendants, said in a statement last week that the Legislature has always met our constitutional mandate to provide a thorough and efficient system of public education. He said the most recent budget raised K-12 education spending by $300 million, and noted the state has received billions in pandemic relief funds designated for schools. Pennsylvania currently ranks 7th in the nation in terms of per-pupil spending on education, and school districts are sitting on reserves totaling approximately $4 billion, Corman said. The idea that the Legislature isnt properly supporting public schools is patently false. Lawyers for Cutler, another defendant, wrote in a June filing that school spending disparities are not due to the state spending an unusually (let alone unconstitutionally) small amount of on education in lower-wealth districts, but rather because some high wealth districts simply chose to raise and spend large amounts of local revenues to support their public schools. The lawsuit does not seek a specific dollar amount or a particular means of funding schools. No matter which side prevails, an appeal to the state Supreme Court is very likely. Democratic Gov. Tom Wolfs spokeswoman said the administration has worked to increase school funding but said those efforts still weren't enough to fix the various difficulties schools face. We acknowledge that the current system of school funding results in some districts whose per-pupil allocations are significantly lower than students in other districts, with resulting inequities in the current system, said Wolf press secretary Beth Rementer. A June brief filed by lawyers for Wolf, Education Secretary Noe Ortega and the Department of Education said they did not intend to call any witnesses beyond those identified by other parties. It outlined increases in education spending under Wolf but said more was needed. Some schools still struggle with basic structural needs such as heat, asbestos remediation and building maintenance, the executive branch defendants wrote, adding that although there is no checklist of items that make up an adequate education, it costs money to hire quality teachers and staff. Executive respondents believe that every child, regardless of income or zip code, has a right to an effective education, which includes effective educators, they wrote. Mimi McKenzie of the Public Interest Law Center in Philadelphia, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said a ruling in their favor that the existing funding scheme is unconstitutional would put the issue before the Legislature with guidance from the court about what lawmakers should do. And the guidance will be that you cant have these wide disparities between districts, McKenzie told reporters late last week. That you have to provide resources so that districts can get children college and career ready. That you cant have a system that relies so much on local wealth, such that our underfunded districts, they cant even tax themselves out of this situation because theyre already paying relatively high taxes. In July, the plaintiffs hailed a decision by the presiding judge, Commonwealth Court Judge Renee Cohn Jubelirer, that allows evidence that the existing system results in racial discrimination or has a disparate impact on racial or ethnic groups in terms of academic achievement, or what she called spending gaps. She rejected arguments by Cutler and Corman that that topic should be out of bounds because the lawsuit's original complaint had not contained explicit racial discrimination claims. Jubelirer sided with the plaintiffs assertion that racial data reflects realities about the system and the data is needed to analyze its fairness. The districts and other plaintiffs argue that inadequate state support violates the state constitutions Education Clause, which requires lawmakers to provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education. They also cite the constitutions Equal Protection Clause, saying the system represents an irrational discrimination against children in districts with fewer financial resources. The case had been dismissed by Commonwealth Court, ruling that school funding was a political question that should not be resolved by the courts, but was revived in 2017 by the state Supreme Court. NEW YORK (AP) Now that eccentric real estate heir Robert Durst has been indicted in the death of his first wife, who vanished nearly four decades ago, her family has some questions. Namely, what took so long? Kathie Dursts brother, James McCormack, on Tuesday urged the suburban New York prosecutor who secured Durst's indictment to investigate why he wasn't charged sooner. Now more than ever it is important to ask why it took so long to get to this point, said McCormack, speaking at a news conference with his lawyer, Robert Abrams. My family and I have serious questions and we deserve answers. Among other things, they want to know whether evidence was ignored and whether Dursts family wealth influenced the decades-long investigation. Durst was charged in Kathie Durst's death just weeks after he was sentenced in California to life in prison for killing a confidante, Susan Berman, who prosecutors said helped him cover up the slaying. Durst was hospitalized with COVID-19 after the Oct. 14 sentencing and has since been transferred to a state prison hospital. In a letter Monday, Abrams asked Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah to acknowledge and correct the mistakes made by your predecessors" and asked her to investigate whether Robert Durst's family or his allies hid Kathie Durst's killing. Abrams accused former Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro of punting the investigation, after a private meeting with Robert Durst's brother Douglas in 2003. Rocah's spokesperson declined comment. In a statement released through Fox News, where she hosts the weekly program Justice with Judge Jeanine, Pirro said Abrams' allegations about her are not only inaccurate they are utterly false. I am proud of the investigation I started as Westchester County District Attorney on the, then-closed, decades-old case of Kathleen McCormack Durst, Pirro said. "The task force I created worked tirelessly to establish Robert Dursts guilt and I am pleased that now, two homicides later, the McCormack family will finally have closure. Pirro described her meeting with Douglas Durst in her 2015 book, He Killed Them All: Robert Durst and My Quest for Justice. She said she wanted to speak with him to find out what he knew. Durst told Pirro he considered his brother a dangerous psychopath who should be locked up, but there was nothing he could do to help. Pirro wrote that given the lack of hard evidence at the time, she didn't think she'd be able to convince a jury to convict Robert Durst of murder. Douglas Durst testified against his brother for six hours at Robert Durst's California trial in June. He denied allegations that he aided in a coverup and, when discussing his strained relationship with his brother, said: Hed like to murder me. In a statement in response to questions from The Associated Press, a spokesperson for the Durst family said that Abrams has a long history of leveling hollow, baseless attacks without ever providing a single shred of documentation to substantiate his wild claims. In the last two years, Abrams has named the Durst Organization or Douglas Durst more than 30 times in court filings," the Durst family statement said. "Time and time again, these accusations have been summarily dismissed and thrown out by the courts. The Durst family owns more than 16 million square feet of real estate in New York and Philadelphia. Family members bought out Robert Dursts stake in the business for $65 million in 2006. Kathie Dursts 1982 disappearance garnered renewed public interest after HBO aired a documentary in 2015 in which Robert Durst appeared to admit killing people, stepping off camera and muttering to himself on a live microphone: Killed them all, of course. Rocah took a fresh look at the case when she took office in January. Kathie Durst was 29 and in her final months of medical school when she was last seen. She and Robert Durst, who was 38 at the time, had been married nearly nine years and were living in South Salem. Her body was never found. In December 2000, Durst shot and killed Berman, his best friend, as she was preparing to tell police about her involvement in Kathie Dursts death. She had told friends she provided a phony alibi for him after his wife vanished, prosecutors said. Durst was convicted in September of killing Berman. Afterward, Los Angeles prosecutor John Lewin described him as a narcissistic psychopath, saying Durst killed his wife and then he had to keep killing to cover it up. ___ Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak WITHAMSVILLE, Ohio (AP) A woman driving a Tesla died in fiery crash near Cincinnati after going off the side of the road and hitting a landscape boulder and two trees, according to authorities. Another driver who called 911 early Monday said he heard an explosion and then saw the fire quickly grow. He said he was unable to get near the burning car. BRUSSELS (AP) Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the metaverse, the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. In an interview with The Associated Press, Haugen said her former employer rushed to trumpet the metaverse recently because of the intense pressure it is facing after she revealed deep-seated problems at the company, in disclosures that have energized legislative and regulatory efforts around the world to crack down on Big Tech. If you dont like the conversation, you try to change the conversation, the former product-manager-turned-whistleblower said. The documents she has turned over to authorities and her testimony to lawmakers have drawn global attention for providing insight into what Facebook may have known about the damage its social media platforms can cause. She is in the midst of a series of appearances before European lawmakers and regulators who are drawing up rules for social media companies. Meta, the new name for the parent company of Facebook, denied it was trying to divert attention away from the troubles it faces by pushing the metaverse. This is not true. We have been working on this for a long time internally, the company said in a statement. It stressed that its working to responsibly build the metaverse essentially a series of interconnected virtual communities that will merge online life with real life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that users will, for example, be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes in the metaverse and he refocused the entire company on creating it, including renaming the business Meta. Launching that new brand, in fact, draws attention to the company, it said in a statement, adding that if it didnt want the scrutiny it would have delayed or scrapped the launch altogether. But the new focus on the metaverse creates a whole new set of dangers, Haugen said. In Snow Crash, the 1992 sci-fi novel that coined the phrase, it was a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible, she said. So beyond the fact that these immersive environments are extremely addictive and they encourage people to unplug from the reality we actually live, she said, Im also worried about it on the level of the metaverse will require us to put many, many more sensors in our homes and our workplaces, forcing users to relinquish more of their data and their privacy. In a presentation last month, Zuckerberg described how the metaverse would allow for mixed-reality business meetings where some participants are physically present while others beam in as avatars. The company has launched virtual meeting software called Horizon Workrooms for use with its virtual reality headsets, so co-workers can (hopefully) better communicate, brainstorm and socialize virtually, instead of, say, looking at one another on a Zoom call grid. But Haugen said employees of companies that use the metaverse would have little option but to participate in the system or leave their jobs. "If your employer decides theyre now a metaverse company, you have to give out way more personal data to a company thats demonstrated that it lies whenever it is in its best interests, she said. And she cautioned the public not to expect more transparency. Theyve demonstrated with regard to Facebook that they can hide behind a wall. They keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritize their own profits over our safety, she said. Haugen has said Facebooks systems amplify online hate and extremism, fail to protect young people from harmful content, and that the company lacks any incentive to fix the problems, in revelations that shed light on an internal crisis at the company that provides free services to 3 billion people. To back up her allegations, she has made a series of disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission that were also provided to Congress in redacted form by her legal team. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including the AP. In Tuesday's interview, she expressed astonishment that the company would shift focus to a whole new realm while it is under such intense criticism about the areas where it is already working. Theyre going to hire 10,000 engineers to work on video games when they havent actually gotten safety right on their main product," Haugen said. For that, she faulted Zuckerberg personally, saying he has exhibited a pattern of prioritizing growth over making sure Facebook is good for users. I think that is a failure of leadership, she said. Unless he wants to prioritize the safety of the platform, he should step aside and let someone else focus on that." The company denied that its putting profits over safety. Yes, were a business and we make profit, but the idea that we do so at the expense of peoples safety or well-being misunderstands where our own commercial interests lie, it said, adding that it plans to spend more than $5 billion in 2021 on safety and security and employs more than 40,000 people who work on keeping users safe. Zuckerberg has previously dismissed Haugens claims as a coordinated effort to paint a false picture of the company. But officials in Washington and European capitals are taking her claims seriously. European Union lawmakers questioned her intensely Monday, before applauding her at the end of the 2 1/2 hour hearing. The EU is drafting new digital rules for the 27-nation bloc that call for reining in big digital gatekeepers, requiring them to be more transparent about algorithms that determine what people see on their feeds and making them more accountable for the content on their platforms. Facebook has said it largely supports regulations, with legislative efforts in the EU and United Kingdom much further along than those in the U.S. New rules could squeeze advertising revenue, but Meta's stock price appears to have so far weathered the recent storm. Haugen has made stops in London and Berlin to speak to officials and lawmakers and spoke at a tech conference in Lisbon. She also will address French lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday. ___ Chan reported from London. GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) The Latest on the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow: LONDON British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is heading back to COP26 to press negotiators from around the world to turn promises into action in the summits closing days. Johnson attended a world leaders summit that kicked off the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow last week, and will return to the Scottish city Wednesday. So far the conference has produced headline-grabbing announcements in areas including ending coal power, funding green technology and reversing deforestation. But the almost 200 nations attending remain far from sealing a deal that could limit global warming to the internationally agreed goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. Johnsons office says issues still being hammered out include a common time frame for national commitments on emissions reductions and agreed methodology for countries to report on their climate action -- mechanisms that can be used to hold countries to their commitments. There is also an unkept promise from rich nations to give more money to the countries most vulnerable to climate change -- often developing nations that have done least to cause it. Johnson, along with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres, will meet with government officials, negotiators and civil-society groups in an attempt to inject momentum into the talks. Johnson said climate change is bigger than any one country and it is time for nations to put aside differences and come together for our planet and our people. We need to pull out all the stops if were going to keep 1.5C within our grasp. COP26 is due to end Friday, though the talks could stretch on longer. ___ BRUSSELS The European Union's executive arm has pledged 100 million euros ($116 million) to the United Nations' fund for helping developing countries adapt to climate change. The European Commission said the additional contribution from the EU budget is by far the biggest pledge to the fund made by donors at the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow. Frans Timmermans, the EU Commission vice-president in charge of the European Green Deal, said in Glasgow: Financing adaptation is critical. We all repeated that mantra endlessly. But the rhetoric, sadly, is not followed by action. We all need to get cracking, and we all need to do it now. According to the 27-nation EU, the adaptation fund has committed nearly $868 million for climate change adaptation and resilience projects and programs since 2010. ___ GLASGOW, Scotland Russia said protecting its forests is a key element of the countrys effort to stop adding carbon to the atmosphere by 2060. Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk said Tuesday that Moscow wants to achieve that carbon reduction target by cutting greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously managing and improving greenhouse gas absorption capabilities of our natural ecosystems. Overchuk said at the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow that Russia was focusing on improving our forest management practices, enhancing wildfire prevention response capabilities, increase wilderness areas, introducing new farming practices, as well as engaging in transformation toward cleaner energy. Russia may even reach carbon neutrality before 2060, he said. In the meantime, the country will remain a reliable supply of energy to international markets and consumers, Overchuck added. Russia is one of the worlds top fossil fuel exporters. ___ GLASGOW, Scotland Efforts leading up to and in climate talks have trimmed a couple tenths of a degree off future warming, but still not near enough to reach any of the international goals, according to an analysis by an authoritative independent group of scientists. Climate Action Tracker, which for years has monitored nations emission cutting pledges, said based on those submitted targets the world is now on track to warm 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times by the end of this century. Thats a far cry from the 2015 Paris climate deal overarching limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees) or even its fall-back limit of 2 degrees Celsius. The world has already warmed 1.1 to 1.2 degrees Celsius (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. Given whats been pledged we are likely to be in that area 2.4 degrees, which is still catastrophic climate change and far, far away from the goals of the Paris Agreement, said climate scientist Niklas Hohne of the New Climate Institute and the Climate Action Tracker. And his group's estimate is more optimistic than a United Nations Environment Program update Tuesday that has future warming still at 2.5 to 2.7 degrees. Hohnes group also looked at how much warming there would be if other, less firm national promises were put into effect. If all the submitted national targets and other promises that have a bit of the force of law are included, future warming drops down to 2.1 degrees. And in the optimistic scenario if all the net-zero pledges for mid-century are taken into account and they have little substance in them warming would be 1.8 degrees, Hohne said. Thats the same figure as the International Energy Agency came up with for that optimistic scenario and a tenth of a degree warmer than an independent Australian climate scientist calculated. ___ GLASGOW, Scotland Countries must come together urgently to find political consensus on issues like the promise of money from rich countries for poor countries to combat climate change or to adapt to climate shocks, says Alok Sharma, who is chairing the two-week climate talks in Glasgow. We have only a few days left, he said. Sharma said that the commitments made by countries in the first week of the talks narrowed the gap but werent enough. He said that countries now have to shift immediately to making good on those promises. He said that with the commitments the world is bending the curve to limit warming to 2 degrees Celsius. But of course, that isnt good enough, he said, reiterating that the target for these talks was to try to ensure that warming is less than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Archie Young, the U.K.s lead negotiator, said that there have been three main areas where there have been disagreements during the negotiations: a mechanism for helping countries with the losses they suffer from climate change, how the progress on countries' own climate targets would be tracked and the support that poor countries need to become more transparent. But Sharma maintained that there remained an opportunity to succeed, adding that the transition to a zero-carbon economy isnt just possible technologically. It is economically attractive, and its accelerating everywhere. And if we successfully manage this, we deliver immense benefits for the world. ___ GLASGOW, Scotland A United Nations analysis of the latest national climate pledges indicates the ongoing U.N. talks in Glasgow made some serious toddler steps toward cutting emissions but far from the giant leaps needed to limit global warming to internationally accepted goals. United Nations Environment Programme Director Inger Andersen said Tuesday that the new analysis found that the commitments from the last week weren't enough to trim future warming scenarios and reduced the emissions gap by a few tenths of a percentage point. To get to the 2015 Paris climate accord goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit), the world can only emit 12.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2030. The latest pledges have the world on track for 51.5 billion metric tons by 2030, down from 53 billion metric tons before this month's climate talks began. Theres some serious toddler steps, Andersen said in an interview with The Associated Press a few minutes after the analysis was finished. But they are not the leaps we need to see by any stretch of the imagination. Andersen acknowledged that none of the three main U.N. goals for the two-week climate talks have been achieved so far. The goals are cutting greenhouse gas emissions by about half by 2030, securing $100 billion a year in aid from rich countries to poor nations because of climate change, and having half of that money go for developing nations to adapt to global warmings worst harms. No, were not done yet. We still have a couple of days, Andersen said. And so were certainly from our side, from the United Nations side, we're going to try to hold everyones feet to the fire. This item has been corrected to show that latest pledges would reduce emissions to 51.5 billion metric tons from 53 billion metric tons before Glasgow talks. ___ GLASGOW, Scotland Denmark has come out on top, more or less, of a regular review tracking countries efforts to combat climate change. Thanks to its ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the Nordic country bumped Sweden off the top in the ranking published by Germanwatch and the New Climate Institute. But Denmark's performance was still only good enough for fourth place. The non-governmental organizations said none of the 64 countries reviewed met all conditions for a place on the winners podium. Morocco, Chile and India were the top countries outside of Europe, taking places 8 to 10 respectively. Germany, Europes biggest economy, was ranked 13th, while the United States came in 55th place, one ahead of Russia. The U.S. was weighed down by its heavy reliance on fossil fuels, high emissions and energy use per capita, the groups said, but gained six places since the last ranking was published for announcing more ambitious climate targets. ___ GLASGOW, Scotland U.S. House speaker Nancy Pelosi has called for putting women and girls at the center of efforts to fight climate change, saying they are disproportionately affected by the impacts of a warming planet. Pelosi is leading a delegation of congressional Democrats to the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow this week to send a message that the United States has rejoined international initiatives to curb climate change after the Trump years. Global warming is a threat multiplier, amplifying and accelerating existing inequities in our economies and societies, Pelosi said during a Tuesday meeting focused on gender and climate change. A report by the U.N. Development Program has estimated that 80% of those displaced by climate change are women. Pelosi said a a $1.85 trillion package of measures focused on health, family and climate change reflected the Biden administrations goal to build back better with women. Democratic holdouts have the bill currently stalled in Congress. Echoing President Joe Biden, Pelosi said: America is back together for the planet, for the women, for our children ___ LONDON The leader of one of Englands few Green Party-run local councils has apologized for taking a plane to the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. Phelim Mac Cafferty, who heads the Brighton and Hove City Council, flew from London to Glasgow, Scotland where he made a speech. He also attended a large Saturday protest where participants urged world leaders to act urgently to curb carbon emissions. Brighton, a city on Englands south coast, is about 460 miles (740 kilometers) from Glasgow, or around six hours by train. Mac Cafferty told The Argus newspaper in his home city that the decision to fly was a major failure of my judgement which goes against my political groups pledges and principles, and I unreservedly apologize. ___ GLASGOW, Scotland U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez brought her climate-celebrity star power to the U.N. climate talks, saying she hopes to see the United States reestablish itself as a world leader in the fight against global warming. Asked if she had a message to young activists who have pressed governments to cut climate-damaging fossil fuel pollution, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters inside the conference site: Well, I would say, Stay in the streets. Keep pushing. Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat elected to Congress in 2018 on a platform of greatly ramping up U.S. efforts to cut emissions and otherwise deal with Earths warming, was accompanying a delegation led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Members had their first morning at the Glasgow, Scotland talks on Tuesday. One of the things we want to achieve is ensuring that the United States really reestablishes itself as a leader, and drives down our emissions, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters. And to encourage our partners to do the same. ___ LONDON Britain is investing some 210 million pounds ($285 million) in small nuclear reactor research as the government seeks alternatives to fossil fuels amid fears over rising gas prices. The investment, which will be matched with some 250 million pounds($340 million) from the private sector, comes amid hope the small modular reactors could be in use by the 2030s. Such reactors would have the potential to be less expensive and more easily moved, supporters say. The recipient of the government funds, Rolls-Royce SMR, estimates that each small modular reactor it hopes to build could be capable of powering 1 million homes. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the U.K. to deploy more low-carbon energy than ever before and ensure greater energy independence, Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said. Interest in atomic power has grown along with concerns that the world is reducing greenhouse gas emissions too slowly. But environmentalists have long eschewed nuclear power, citing the lingering issue of what to do with nuclear waste. ___ BERLIN Environmental group Greenpeace says it filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen alleging that the automaker has failed to do its part to fulfill the goal of limiting global warming. Greenpeace said it filed the suit Tuesday at the regional court in Braunschweig, Germany. It said it acted after Volkswagen late last month rejected its demand for a legal commitment to phase out vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2030. The group said the plaintiffs are asserting civil liability claims for the protection of their personal liberties, health and property rights." The claims take a cue from a May ruling in which a Dutch court ordered Royal Dutch Shell to cut its carbon emissions by net 45% by 2030 compared to the 2019 level. Greenpeace said that by suing Volkswagen, it is enforcing an April ruling by Germanys top court that said the government must set clear goals for reducing emissions after 2030. The court said the legislation at the time risked placing too much of a burden for curbing climate change on younger generations. ___ LONDON Environmental groups are pressing the British government not to approve drilling in an undersea oilfield north of Scotland, saying it threatens marine species and will add to global warming. Siccar Point Energy, in which oil company Shell has a stake, wants to extract oil from the Cambo field, west of the Shetland Islands. A collection of 16 marine protection and climate groups, including Greenpeace U.K., WWF U.K., the Marine Conservation Society and Friends of the Earth, are urging the British government to refuse the application. The Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide says pipelines to export oil from the area could jeopardize hundreds of species, including rare deep-sea sponges, known and ocean quahogs, a type of clam, in a part of the ocean designated a Marine Protected Area. Plans for new oil extraction and a proposed new coal mine in northern England are overshadowing U.K. government efforts to persuade other countries to take stronger action to cut carbon emissions at the ongoing United Nations climate conference in Glasgow. The British government says U.K. oil and gas regulators will make the decision, after an environmental impact assessment and a public consultation. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. HOLDREGE, Neb. (AP) The trial of a Holdrege man charged with killing two men and seriously injuring another in 2019 is underway. The trial of 48-year-old Manuel Gomez began Tuesday in the south-central Nebraska town of Holdrege. Gomez's lawyers said earlier this year that they planned to rely on an insanity defense. MIAMI (AP) A United States federal judge has certified the extradition of a former Mexican governor accused of embezzling millions of dollars in state funds. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will make the final call on sending Cesar Duarte back to Mexico to face corruption charges stemming from his time as governor of the border state of Chihuahua, but it appears likely. Last month, Mexican Foreign Affairs Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said before the High-Level Security Dialogue with U.S. counterparts that extradition was a two-way street and Mexico wanted to see more from the U.S. Extraditions should have the same speed from there to here as from here to there, something that is not the case right now, Ebrard said. A statement Monday night from the Foreign Affairs department noted pointedly that the ruling from District Judge Lauren Louis came 10 months after she said she would analyze the evidence presented against Duarte. Lawyers for Duarte did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The State Department declined to comment, citing its policy of not discussing extradition requests. U.S. prosecutors argued there is evidence that Duarte committed crimes in Mexico and was eligible for extradition. His lawyers had countered that the charges were politically motivated an assertion rejected by Louis. Mexico requested Duartes extradition in late 2019. The former governor from the long-dominant Institutional Revolutionary Party had sought asylum in the U.S. shortly before he was arrested in Miami in July 2020. Duarte served as Chihuahuas governor from 2010 to 2016 and moved to the U.S. with his family after leaving office. HARTFORD, Vt. (AP) A Vermont soldier who was exposed to smoke from pits used to burn waste while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq has died of cancer, just months after reaching a settlement with the federal government over his diagnosis. Wesley Black, 36, of Hartford, died Sunday. Black, a Vermont National Guard veteran and local firefighter, had sued the White River Junction VA Medical Center for failing to diagnose him with colon cancer after he lost 75 pounds and suffered from severe intestinal issues, the Valley News reported. While serving overseas, Black said he frequently breathed in smoke from pits used to incinerate human and medical waste, plastic water bottles, ammunition and chemicals on military bases. Doctors incorrectly diagnosed him with irritable bowel syndrome but when he later ended up being taken to the emergency room, a colonoscopy revealed he had stage 4 cancer, the lawsuit said. According to the lawsuit, a physician with the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston wrote in a 2018 letter that Black's symptoms were early signs of cancer that developed as a result of the burn pit exposure and if further investigation had been done, the cancer could have been detected sooner, the newspaper reported. Black reached a $3 million settlement this summer. The case closed on Oct. 19. An email was sent to the VA seeking comment. "He used the tragic hand he was dealt as a platform from which to raise awareness about the harmful effects of burn pit exposure, Dan Perrone, one of Blacks attorneys, said by email to the newspaper on Monday. His heroics and advocacy have and undoubtedly will continue to save lives. Two years ago, Black advocated for a Vermont bill to raise awareness about the health impacts of burn pits and Gov. Phil Scott signed the measure into law in June 2019. After 9/11, open pits were the predominant method of waste disposal on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010, Congress banned the pits except where there arent feasible alternatives. The Department of Defense has now closed out most burn pits and is planning to close the remainder, the VA website states. A federal court ruled in 2018 that military veterans who claim that the use of open burn pits during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan caused myriad health problems could not move forward with dozens of lawsuits against a military contractor, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal the following year. SEATTLE (AP) The Washington Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday in a case that will decide whether the identities of Seattle police officers who attended events in the nation's capital on the day of the insurrection are protected under the state's public records law. The justices must also decide whether those officers can continue their court filings anonymously. The high court took the case under advisement and said it would rule at a later date. Lawyers for Sam Sueoka, who filed a public records act request for the city's Office of Police Accountability investigation into the officers' activities on Jan. 6, said the public has a right to know who they are. But the officers' attorneys said they had a First Amendment right to attend a political rally and releasing their names could subject them to harassment and potentially violence. But Chief Justice Steven Gonzalez and Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis asked the lawyers whether they should expect to maintain privacy rights after attending very public events in D.C. Montoya-Lewis said she didn't disagree that a person's political views are an intimate aspect of life. The question is if you go to a public event where there's press and the president is there and there is widespread national discussion about this event, how is participation in that event an intimate aspect of life?" Montoya-Lewis asked. I don't understand that part of your argument." Six Seattle officers were in Washington D.C. to attend President Donald Trumps Stop the Steal rally. Their trip became public after one officer posted a photo on Facebook of herself and her husband, a fellow officer, at the demonstration. Four other officers later admitted they were there, too, but said they were not involved in the riot. The officers filed a lawsuit in February against Sueoka and others who filed public records requests seeking the officers identities. A judge ordered the release of their names in March. The officers appealed. Sueoka asked the state Supreme Court to decide the issue. Two of the officers, Caitlin and Alexander Everett, were identified and fired in August after an investigation found they broke the law by crossing barriers set up by the Capitol Police. The Everetts, a married couple, were standing next to the Capitol Building during the riots. Investigators said the four other officers did not violate laws or police department policies. Those four have continued to fight against the release of their names. There's a clear First Amendment right to remain anonymous in public even when you're exercising your First Amendment rights in plain sight, said Aric Bomsztyk, one of the officers' lawyers. The Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press, representing dozens of media organizations, filed a brief in the case saying full transparency will help restore public trust and provide assurance to the public that its law enforcement officers and agencies remain accountable to the communities they serve. Neil Fox, one of Sueoka's lawyers, said the court should deny the officers' request to litigate these questions anonymously. That would force the release of their names and end the public records case. This is a case where they are public employees," Fox said. "Their names are already public record. There is a recognized public interest in knowing the identities of public employees who are the subject of investigations. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The only eye witnesses to a 1978 triple murder in Kansas City tried to tell prosecutors years before she died that she had identified the wrong shooter, but they told her it was too late to recant and that she could be charged with perjury, her sister testified Tuesday. Cecile Cookie Simmons testified on the second day of a hearing that could lead to the release of Kevin Strickland, who has served 43 years in prison for a triple murder that many people, including current Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, believe he did not commit. In testimony on Monday, Strickland, who is now 62, strongly denied being involved in the crime, which he has maintained since he was arrested and convicted in 1979. Peters Baker announced in May that she and several other legal and political leaders believe Strickland was wrongly convicted. In August, she called for Strickland's exoneration by using a new state law that allows local prosecutors to challenge convictions if they believe the defendant did not commit the crime. The evidentiary hearing was delayed several times after motions filed by the Missouri Attorney General's office. Attorney General Eric Schmidt, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, has said he believes Strickland is guilty. Simmons' sister, Cynthia Douglas, was injured but survived the shootings that killed three of her friends at a home in Kansas City on April 25, 1978. Her identification of Strickland, as being at the scene was a primary factor in his conviction. Simmons said Tuesday that Douglas told her she knew two of four suspects, Vincent Bell, 21, and Kilm Adkins, 19, but did not know the other two suspects, The Kansas City Star reported. She picked Strickland, who was 18 at the time, out of a lineup the next day and later told people she was pressured by police to choose him, Simmons testified. Douglas' mother, sister and a former co-worker gave similar testimony on Monday. Years later, when Douglas told county prosecutors about her mistaken identification, they told her they were not going to go back to court over it and that she could be charged with perjury, according to Simmons. Simmons said Douglas had nightmares and was sickened by her actions but she never took back her recantation before she died in 2015. Bell and Adkins later served prison sentences for their roles in the murders. They both have said that Strickland was not involved in the crimes. "Cindy never got her justice, Simmons said Tuesday, noting that the two suspects Bell and Adkins identified were never arrested. During cross-examination from Gregory Goodwin with the Missouri Attorney Generals Office, Simmons acknowledged she was not with her sister when she contacted various officials. Douglas ex-husband, Ronald Richardson, also testified Tuesday that she told him she had been wrong to identify Strickland. Richardson, who is currently in prison, was with Douglas for 24 years and married to her for 15 years. Douglas told him she was hesitant to revive Strickland's case because other families were involved and she was afraid Strickland might retaliate. Richardson told her said Strickland was more likely to be grateful if she recanted her identification, he testified. Richardson said he and Strickland are imprisoned together but they are not friends and Strickland has never promised him anything for his testimony. Assistant Attorney General Christine Krug noted Richardson's lengthy prison record, which started with stealing in 1994 and include convictions for drugs, forgery and sex charges. She also said the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office did not find him credible when he was prosecuted for sex crimes and robbery. Richardson responded that he didn't understand what his crimes had to do with Strickland's case. And he said he watched Douglas suffer for years because she identified the wrong person, KSHB-TV reported. Ive lived with the girl for 24 years, and Ive seen her slowly deteriorate and Ive seen the hurt and the pain that the girl went through for 24 years, Richardson said. So dont tell me all the things I did. I broke her heart. With the things Ive done, I broke the girls heart. Yall broke her spirit. Last week was big for the Midland chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly. When there was news being made the RNHA was usually celebrating it. It started as Dan Corrales captured one of the two at-large seats on the 2022 Midland City Council. Corrales is the Legislative Affairs representative for the RNHA Midland Chapter, which also endorsed Corrales in the city-wide race. Then on Friday, the RNHA was front and center at the Bush Convention Center, hosting Gov. Greg Abbott. It was a huge get for the Midland Chapter, six months in the making, and it showed how quickly the Midland chapter has grown and established itself as a player in Midland politics. -- A little more than two years ago, Lucy Sisniega-Hoyos started the Midland Chapter of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly to provide education for Hispanics. That included information about issues, opportunities to register voters and serious messages about what happens if people dont get involved. Sisniega-Hoyos, a commercial Realtor in Midland and tequila distillery operator, said Texans and Americans deserve better than the problems in government seen in places like her native Mexico. In September 2019, the Midland chapter was born. Just more than two years later, membership has climbed to more than 140. The organization has the attention of more. Already this year, RNHA has brought gubernatorial candidate Allen West and attorney general candidate Eva Guzman to Midland. The local leadership has done fantastic job of building a local organization, said longtime local Republican stalwart Ernie Angelo. Jerry Morales, a former Midland mayor, said the RNHA has succeeded at building at the grassroots level. Morales said that impact is not just with the growing Hispanic population but all of Midland. Even before Corrales win or the Abbott event last week, RNHAs Midland chapter was having an impact with Adrian Carrasco, its fundraising representative, winning a seat on the Midland College board. Both Carrasco and Sisniega-Hoyos also serve as on the citys Planning and Zoning Commission Sisniega-Hoyos the commission chair. With 50 percent of the population, Hispanics need to be represented on all boards, said Morales, Midlands first Hispanic mayor. Those efforts are paying off now. -- The governors appearance at the RNHA event, included a bill signing for Daniels Law. Pushed by Midlander Kathleen Kirwan-Haynie, House Bill 119 prevents the discrimination of people with special needs from getting life-saving organ transplants. Daniel Kirwan is Kathleens brother. Last week also was notable as RNHA Midland chapter members also helped with phone banks for John Lujan, who flipped a state House race in the San Antonio area. Sisniega-Hoyos said that Hispanic areas of Texas are turning red. Growing Hispanic support for GOP figures, including along the border, seem to make her case. The same can be said for Abbott, who has garnered more than 40 percent of the Hispanic vote in his last two runs for governor. Sisniega-Hoyos said that more Hispanics are supporting conservative issues, including people immigrating into the country legally. Sisniega-Hoyos said the message is resonating beyond Hispanics as locals from Vietnam and the Philippines are connecting with the RNHA Midland chapter. I want to make sure we make a difference, Sisniega-Hoyos said. We are trying to deliver the message. Now is not the time to lose. We need to make time to get this accomplished. Growing up in a military family and working in education for over 25 years, Ive remained dedicated to supporting our military veterans and their families in their pursuit of obtaining a degree or credential to help them transition into the civilian workforce. At Palo Alto College, we embody this commitment by dedicating an entire Veterans Affairs program towards helping students achieve success. This is why Im excited to announce that Palo Alto College was honored with the Veteran Education Excellence Recognition Gold Award from the Texas Veterans Commissions Veterans Education Program. The award recognizes universities and colleges that provide excellence in education and related services that significantly contribute to the academic success of student veterans and military-connected students. The City of Danbury has a long and proud history of providing for those who are unable to provide for themselves. It is a part of who we are as a community, and it is rooted in our shared morals, values and ethics. In the Jewish tradition, the Prophet Isaiah proclaims that what God desires of humanity is to break the bonds of injustice and to remove the heavy yoke; to let the oppressed go free and to release all the enslaved; to share your bread with the hungry, and to take the homeless poor into your home; and never to neglect your own flesh and blood. In the Christian tradition, the Book of Matthew teaches, Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me ... Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me. In the Buddhist tradition, the Buddhas personal experience with homelessness led him to relate, If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way. In the Muslim tradition, there is a hadith that declares, The basic rights of people are three: a house to live in, enough cloth to cover the body, a loaf of bread and water. As leaders of our respective religious communities, we are united in our belief that Danbury needs to provide a shelter for our homeless population, and that shelter must be the Super 8 Hotel run by Pacific House. In the middle of the winter Danbury typically has as many as 100 people in desperate need of shelter. This year, that number is expected to increase, as the lifting of the eviction moratoria is expected to flood our increasingly expensive housing market. Now that the shelters at New Street, Dorothy Day and Jericho have all been shut down, there really is no other place sufficient to shelter Danburys growing homeless population when the snows begin to fall. Due to the pandemic, religious congregations arent even able to offer their facilities as warming stations and shelter overflow. Without the shelter, Danburys homeless population would be out on the streets, at grave risk to their lives, in the dead of winter. There simply is no Plan B or positive alternative to permitting Pacific House to run the Super 8 Hotel as a Shelter for Danburys homeless. Further, we are troubled by the outcry against the use of this facility as a shelter. We are dismayed by misguided concerns about the potential for moderately reduced property values, when concerns ought to be focused on what we can do for those who have not a single possession in the world. Let us focus our energy instead on supporting Danburys only remaining homeless shelter. Let us show gratitude to Pacific House for stepping up to assume this heavy responsibility in the midst of a pandemic. And let us have faith that Pacific House has the ability to improve this much needed service to our community. Let support for Danburys homeless shelter be interfaith, ecumenical, apolitical, and grounded in Danburys proud history of compassion for those who need our help. Pastor Silvani Dasilva, Assembleia De Deus; the Rev. Michael Dunn, Saint Gregory the Great Church; Rabbi Cantor Jon Haddon, Association of Religious Communities; the Rev. Peter Karloutsos, Assumption Greek Orthodox Church; Cantor Penny Kessler, United Jewish Center; Shazeeda Khan, Baitul Mukarram Masjid; Rev. Pat Kriss, First Congregational Church of Danbury; the Rev. Gregg Mecca, Saint Peter Catholic Church; Rabbi Rhonda Nebel, Congregation Bnai Israel; Pastor John Parille, Long Ridge United Methodist Church; Rabbi Ari Rosenberg, Association of Religious Communities; the Rev. Dr. Kathleen Rudoff, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury; Ven. Ocean-of Wisdom Sakya, Middle-Way Meditation Center; the Rev. Stephen Tickner, Central Christian Church; the Rev. Dr. Dustin Trowbridge, St. James Episcopal Church; Pastor Brandon Whitfield, The River Church of God. 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 Canadas employment remained steady in October Labour shortages persist in hard-hit industries despite upward trends in overall employment rates. Shelby Thevenot Aa Accessibility Font Style Serif Sans Font Size A A Canada added 31,000 jobs to the economy this past October, as unemployment fell for the fifth consecutive month. Statistics Canadas latest Labour Force Survey results reflected the week of October 10 to 16. That week, many provinces had implemented proof-of-vaccine initiatives. Ontario, B.C., and Quebec had lifted capacity limits and replaced them with proof-of-vaccination requirements. Employment gains in a number of industries were offset by declines in others. For example, the retail trade industry grew for the first time since June, but losses of employment in accommodations and food services slowed some of the growth. Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration Unemployment fell for the fifth month in a row, down to 6.7 per cent in October. It was the lowest it has been in 20 months, but not quite down to the pre-pandemic rate of 5.7 per cent in February 2020. While it appears the economy is headed in the right direction, some experts are saying ongoing labour shortages are stunting economic recovery. Nathan Janzen, senior economist at RBC, said the number of unemployed workers is less than what it would take just to get employment in accommodation and food services back to pre-pandemic levels. The strong growth in industries like professional, scientific, and technical jobs, makes it seem there may not be enough workers to fill positions in hard-hit industries. Also, fewer workers returned to their jobs in accommodation and food services, manufacturing, and retail trade after facing a period of unemployment. This suggests that not all industries have recovered equally from the pandemic. [Labour markets] have still not fully recovered from the shock of 2020, but they are getting closer, and reports of labour shortages are not likely to dissipate any time soon. Janzen wrote in a report. Leah Nord, senior director of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, also says the job vacancies will be difficult to fill, and there is no silver-bullet-fix to shortages of talent. We wont reach sustainable economic growth without building inclusive and sustainable talent pipelines, Nord said in a media release, Canada needs a serious plan to address its structural workforce challenges, which were well entrenched before COVID, before we can find reason to celebrate. Employment rate for very recent immigrants remains high The number of very recent immigrants to Canada has increased in recent months, after slowing to a near standstill in 2020. Although last year Canada only welcomed 184,000 newcomers, this year Canada has already admitted 267,000 new permanent residents. Statistics Canada considers very recent immigrants to be those who have lived in Canada for five years or less. By October, there were more very recent immigrants compared to 2019, and they were more likely to be employed. The employment rate among this group of immigrants was at 71 per cent, which is nearly six percentage points higher than October 2019. Immigrants who had been in Canada for more than five years had an employment rate of nearly 60 in October, which is down less than one percentage point from October 2019. The Canadian-born population had an employment rate of 61 per cent on the dot. Discover if Youre Eligible for Canadian Immigration CIC News All Rights Reserved. Visit CanadaVisa.com to discover your Canadian immigration options. Wilkes-Barre, PA (18701) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 42F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Barkhamsted, Connecticut 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: 3,799. Population change since 2000: +8.7% 3,799.+8.7% Males: 1,932 (50.9%) Females: 1,867 (49.1%) Median resident age: 44.8 years Connecticut median age: 39.2 years Zip codes: 06063. Estimated median household income in 2019: $95,189 (it was $65,972 in 2000) Barkhamsted: $95,189 CT: $78,833 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $47,658 (it was $28,961 in 2000) Barkhamsted town income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $268,762 (it was $163,800 in 2000) Barkhamsted: $268,762 CT: $280,700 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $363,329; detached houses: $383,384; townhouses or other attached units: $198,496; in 2-unit structures: $212,262; in 3-to-4-unit structures: $196,233; in 5-or-more-unit structures: $153,829; mobile homes: $218,132; occupied boats, rvs, vans, etc.: $131,123 $95,189 ($65,972$47,658 ($28,961$268,762 ($163,800$363,329;$383,384;$198,496;$212,262;$196,233;$153,829;$218,132;$131,123 March 2019 cost of living index in Barkhamsted: 124.1 (high, U.S. average is 100) Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: 3,662 96.4% White alone 57 1.5% Hispanic 38 1.0% Two or more races 23 0.6% Asian alone 10 0.3% Black alone 9 0.2% Other race alone Races in Barkhamsted detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of Connecticut and other state lists, there were 2 registered sex offenders living in Barkhamsted, Connecticut as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Barkhamsted is 1,900 to 1. The ratio of registered sex offenders to all residents in this city is much lower than the state average. Latest news from Barkhamsted, CT collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations Barkhamsted, CT City Guides: Barkhamsted, CT Guides 3 Ancestries: Irish (27.5%), English (20.2%), German (14.9%), Italian (13.1%), French (7.6%), Polish (6.6%). Current Local Time: EST time zone Elevation: 1060 feet Land area: 36.2 square miles. Population density: 105 people per square mile (very low). 152 residents are foreign born (2.0% Europe, 1.5% North America, 0.6% Asia). This town: 4.4% Connecticut: 10.9% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000: Barkhamsted town: 1.8% ($2,874) Connecticut: 1.8% ($2,961) Latitude: 41.93 N, Longitude: 72.98 W Area code commonly used in this area: 860 Single-family new house construction building permits: 1997: 23 buildings , average cost: $137,100 23 $137,100 1998: 26 buildings , average cost: $151,400 26 $151,400 1999: 19 buildings , average cost: $148,600 19 $148,600 2000: 16 buildings , average cost: $114,400 16 $114,400 2001: 24 buildings , average cost: $144,000 24 $144,000 2002: 23 buildings , average cost: $134,100 23 $134,100 2003: 16 buildings , average cost: $161,000 16 $161,000 2004: 17 buildings , average cost: $150,600 17 $150,600 2005: 8 buildings , average cost: $229,100 8 $229,100 2006: 8 buildings , average cost: $237,500 8 $237,500 2007: 9 buildings , average cost: $261,800 9 $261,800 2008: 10 buildings , average cost: $199,900 10 $199,900 2009: 3 buildings , average cost: $237,600 3 $237,600 2010: 4 buildings , average cost: $440,100 4 $440,100 2011: 3 buildings , average cost: $359,300 3 $359,300 2012: 1 building , cost: $224,400 1 $224,400 2013: 4 buildings , average cost: $357,100 4 $357,100 2014: 6 buildings , average cost: $387,900 6 $387,900 2015: 3 buildings , average cost: $345,100 3 $345,100 2018: 2 buildings , average cost: $276,000 2 $276,000 2019: 3 buildings, average cost: $308,100 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 5.0% Connecticut: 7.7% Most common industries in Barkhamsted, CT (%) Both Males Females Finance & insurance (15.1%) Educational services (13.2%) Health care (8.2%) Professional, scientific, technical services (7.3%) Construction (6.6%) Accommodation & food services (3.9%) Transportation equipment (3.0%) Construction (12.3%) Finance & insurance (10.9%) Educational services (8.9%) Professional, scientific, technical services (6.4%) Transportation equipment (4.7%) Administrative & support & waste management services (3.8%) Repair & maintenance (3.6%) Finance & insurance (19.9%) Educational services (18.3%) Health care (15.5%) Professional, scientific, technical services (8.4%) Accommodation & food services (7.0%) Food & beverage stores (4.5%) Social assistance (3.1%) Most common occupations in Barkhamsted, CT (%) Both Males Females Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (5.4%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (4.5%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (3.9%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (3.9%) Computer specialists (3.5%) Engineers (3.0%) Carpenters (2.8%) Engineers (5.6%) Carpenters (5.2%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (5.0%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (4.6%) Computer specialists (4.5%) Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (3.9%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (3.8%) Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (8.9%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (5.4%) Registered nurses (4.5%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (4.0%) Waiters and waitresses (4.0%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (3.8%) Customer service representatives (3.7%) Average climate in Barkhamsted, Connecticut Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations Air pollution and air quality trends (lower is better) AQI CO NO 2 SO 2 Ozone PM 10 PM 2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 77.3. This is about average. City: 77.3 U.S.: 74.2 Carbon Monoxide (CO) [ppm] level in 2018 was 0.245. This is about average. Closest monitor was 17.7 miles away from the city center. City: 0.245 U.S.: 0.267 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2018 was 10.6. This is significantly worse than average. Closest monitor was 11.2 miles away from the city center. City: 10.6 U.S.: 5.6 Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2018 was 0.247. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 11.2 miles away from the city center. City: 0.247 U.S.: 1.789 Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 31.4. This is about average. Closest monitor was 11.0 miles away from the city center. City: 31.4 U.S.: 33.3 Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 13.4. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 11.2 miles away from the city center. City: 13.4 U.S.: 19.6 Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 6.59. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 17.7 miles away from the city center. City: 6.59 U.S.: 8.46 Tornado activity: Barkhamsted-area historical tornado activity is slightly above Connecticut state average. It is 14% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 10/3/1979, a category F4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 16.6 miles away from the Barkhamsted town center killed 3 people and injured 500 people and caused between $50,000,000 and $500,000,000 in damages. On 5/29/1995, a category F4 tornado 19.2 miles away from the town center killed 3 people and injured 24 people and caused between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000 in damages. Earthquake activity: Barkhamsted-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above Connecticut state average. It is 70% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 155.9 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) earthquake occurred 182.2 miles away from Barkhamsted 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 180.7 miles away from the city center On 1/19/1982 at 00:14:42, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 MD, 4.5 LG, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 129.5 miles away from the city center On 10/16/2012 at 23:12:25, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 ML, Depth: 10.0 mi) earthquake occurred 165.2 miles away from Barkhamsted center On 8/23/2011 at 17:51:04, a magnitude 5.8 (5.8 MW, Depth: 3.7 mi) earthquake occurred 382.3 miles away from the city 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 Litchfield County (23) is greater than the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 13 Emergencies Declared: 10 Causes of natural disasters: Storms: 7, Hurricanes: 5, Floods: 4, Snowstorms: 4, Blizzards: 3, Snows: 2, Tropical Storms: 2, Winter Storms: 2, Snowfall: 1, Tornado: 1, Wind: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers near Barkhamsted: FOOTHILLS VN HOME CARE INC (Home Health Center, about 5 miles away; WINSTED, CT) FOOTHILLS VISITING NURSE AND H (Hospital, about 5 miles away; WINSTED, CT) C R I - SPENCER HILL ROAD (Hospital, about 5 miles away; WINSTED, CT) HIGHLAND ACRES R H (Nursing Home, about 5 miles away; WINSTED, CT) LAUREL HILL HEALTHCARE (Nursing Home, about 5 miles away; WINSTED, CT) C R I BOYD STREET (Hospital, about 6 miles away; WINSTED, CT) CHERRY BROOK HEALTH CARE CENTE (Nursing Home, about 8 miles away; COLLINSVILLE, CT) Amtrak stations near Barkhamsted: 19 miles: WINDSOR LOCKS (S. MAIN ST. (RTE. 159)) . Services: public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. WINDSOR LOCKS (S. MAIN ST. (RTE. 159)) . public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. 19 miles: WINDSOR (41 CENTRAL ST.) . Services: enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. WINDSOR (41 CENTRAL ST.) . enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. 20 miles: HARTFORD (1 UNION PLACE) . Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, full-service food facilities, snack bar, vending machines, ATM, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, taxi stand, intercity bus service, public transit connection. Local government website: www.munic.state.ct.us/Barkhamsted Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Barkhamsted: Tunxis Community College ( about 17 miles; Farmington, CT ; Full-time enrollment: 2,787) 17 ; 2,787) University of Hartford ( about 17 miles; West Hartford, CT ; FT enrollment: 6,398) 17 ; 6,398) Westfield State University ( about 18 miles; Westfield, MA ; FT enrollment: 5,548) 18 ; 5,548) Capital Community College ( about 20 miles; Hartford, CT ; FT enrollment: 2,609) 20 ; 2,609) Trinity College ( about 20 miles; Hartford, CT ; FT enrollment: 2,355) 20 ; 2,355) Central Connecticut State University ( about 20 miles; New Britain, CT ; FT enrollment: 9,989) 20 ; 9,989) Goodwin College (about 22 miles; East Hartford, CT; FT enrollment: 3,017) Public elementary/middle school in Barkhamsted: BARKHAMSTED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 327, Location: 65 RIPLEY HILL ROAD, Grades: KG-6) See full list of schools located in Barkhamsted Litchfield County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Moderate Potential Drinking water stations with addresses in Barkhamsted and their reported violations in the past: WHITE PINES CAMPSITES-WELL #1 & WELL #2 (Population served: 100, Groundwater): Past health violations: MCL, Monthly (TCR) - Between JUL-2008 and SEP-2008, Contaminant: Coliform. Follow-up actions: St Compliance achieved (DEC-31-2008), St Public Notif requested (JAN-21-2009), St Violation/Reminder Notice (JAN-21-2009), St Public Notif received (MAR-13-2009) Past monitoring violations: 4 routine major monitoring violations One minor monitoring violation WEST HILL BEACH CLUB, INC. (Population served: 25, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: 4 routine major monitoring violations 2 regular monitoring violations WHITE PINES CAMPSITES-WELL #1 & WELL #2 (100Groundwater):WEST HILL BEACH CLUB, INC. (25Groundwater): Average household size: This town: 2.6 people Connecticut: 2.5 people Percentage of family households: This town: 76.3% Whole state: 66.3% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This town: 5.4% Whole state: 6.6% Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 0.2% of all households 0.2% Gay men: 0.2% of all households Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009: This town: 3.0% Whole state: 7.9% Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009: This town: 2.7% Whole state: 3.9% 5 people in group homes for juveniles (non-correctional) in 2010 5 people in group homes intended for adults in 2010 2 people in other noninstitutional group quarters in 2000 For population 15 years and over in Barkhamsted: Never married: 19.7% 19.7% Now married: 68.1% 68.1% Separated: 0.4% 0.4% Widowed: 4.6% 4.6% Divorced: 7.2% For population 25 years and over in Barkhamsted: High school or higher: 92.7% 92.7% Bachelor's degree or higher: 36.4% 36.4% Graduate or professional degree: 14.4% 14.4% Unemployed: 2.5% 2.5% Mean travel time to work (commute): 30.8 minutes Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 9.5 Connecticut average: 12.8 Religion statistics for Barkhamsted, CT (based on Litchfield County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 50,354 30 Mainline Protestant 20,681 87 Evangelical Protestant 4,483 39 Other 4,420 16 Orthodox 175 2 Black Protestant 160 2 None 109,654 - 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: 43 Litchfield County : 2.29 / 10,000 pop. Connecticut : 2.21 / 10,000 pop. Number of supercenters and club stores: 1 This county : 0.05 / 10,000 pop. State : 0.07 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 12 Litchfield County : 0.64 / 10,000 pop. Connecticut : 1.02 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 56 Litchfield County : 2.98 / 10,000 pop. State : 2.27 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 208 Here : 11.07 / 10,000 pop. State : 9.19 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: This county : 6.9% Connecticut : 7.3% Adult obesity rate: Litchfield County : 21.1% Connecticut : 21.5% Low-income preschool obesity rate: This county : 11.8% State : 15.8% 4.94% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($60,621 average adjusted gross income) Here: 4.94% Connecticut average: 4.51% 0.03% of residents moved from foreign countries ($410 average AGI) Litchfield County: 0.03% Connecticut average: 0.04% Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from New Haven County, CT 1.18% ($53,686 average AGI) from Hartford County, CT 0.92% ($57,673) from Fairfield County, CT 0.83% ($91,557) 5.38% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($70,960 average adjusted gross income) Here: 5.38% Connecticut average: 5.34% 0.03% of residents moved to foreign countries ($478 average AGI) Litchfield County: 0.03% Connecticut average: 0.07% Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to New Haven County, CT 0.95% ($51,717 average AGI) to Hartford County, CT 0.90% ($56,439) to Fairfield County, CT 0.60% ($78,338) Businesses in Barkhamsted, CT Name Count Name Count Ford 1 Sears 1 RadioShack 1 Subway 1 Strongest AM radio stations in Barkhamsted: WTIC (1080 AM; 50 kW; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WNNZ (640 AM; 50 kW; WESTFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WLAT (910 AM; 5 kW; NEW BRITAIN, CT; Owner: MEGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW BRITAIN LICENSEE, LLC) MEGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW BRITAIN LICENSEE, LLC) WDZK (1550 AM; 5 kW; BLOOMFIELD, CT; Owner: ABC, INC.) ABC, INC.) WCRN (830 AM; 50 kW; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WHYN (560 AM; 5 kW; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WDRC (1360 AM; 5 kW; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WVNE (760 AM; daytime; 25 kW; LEICESTER, MA; Owner: BLOUNT MASSCOM, INC.) BLOUNT MASSCOM, INC.) WACE (730 AM; 5 kW; CHICOPEE, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORP.) CARTER BROADCASTING CORP.) WSNG (610 AM; 1 kW; TORRINGTON, CT; Owner: BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF) BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF) WFAN (660 AM; 50 kW; NEW YORK, NY; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WALE (990 AM; 50 kW; GREENVILLE, RI; Owner: NORTH AMERICAN BROADCASTING CO., INC.) NORTH AMERICAN BROADCASTING CO., INC.) WGY (810 AM; 50 kW; SCHENECTADY, NY; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) Strongest FM radio stations in Barkhamsted: WRCH (100.5 FM; NEW BRITAIN, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WTIC-FM (96.5 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WCCC-FM (106.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: MARLIN BROADCASTING, LLC) MARLIN BROADCASTING, LLC) WWUH (91.3 FM; WEST HARTFORD, CT; Owner: UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD) UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD) WJMJ (88.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ST. THOMAS SEMINARY) ST. THOMAS SEMINARY) WAQY (102.1 FM; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) WHYN-FM (93.1 FM; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WAPJ (89.9 FM; TORRINGTON, CT; Owner: NUTMEG CONSERVATORY FOR THE ARTS, INC.) NUTMEG CONSERVATORY FOR THE ARTS, INC.) WPKX (97.9 FM; ENFIELD, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WWYZ (92.5 FM; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WKSS (95.7 FM; HARTFORD-MERIDEN, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WHCN (105.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WZMX (93.7 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WZBG (97.3 FM; LITCHFIELD, CT; Owner: LOCAL GIRLS & BOYS B/CASTING CORP.) LOCAL GIRLS & BOYS B/CASTING CORP.) WRNX (100.9 FM; AMHERST, MA; Owner: WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS RADIO COMPANY) WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS RADIO COMPANY) WAMC-FM (90.3 FM; ALBANY, NY; Owner: WAMC) WAMC) WMRQ (104.1 FM; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WPKT (90.5 FM; MERIDEN, CT; Owner: CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC) CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC) WDRC-FM (102.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WAMQ (105.1 FM; GREAT BARRINGTON, MA; Owner: WAMC) TV broadcast stations around Barkhamsted: WTIC-TV ( Channel 61; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: TRIBUNE TELEVISION COMPANY) 61; HARTFORD, CT; TRIBUNE TELEVISION COMPANY) W11BJ ( Channel 11; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: COMMUNICATIONS SITE MANAGEMENT LLC) 11; HARTFORD, CT; COMMUNICATIONS SITE MANAGEMENT LLC) WUVN ( Channel 18; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) 18; HARTFORD, CT; ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) WTXX ( Channel 20; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: WTXX INC.) 20; WATERBURY, CT; WTXX INC.) WVIT ( Channel 30; NEW BRITAIN, CT; Owner: OUTLET BROADCASTING, INC) 30; NEW BRITAIN, CT; OUTLET BROADCASTING, INC) WEDH ( Channel 24; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) 24; HARTFORD, CT; CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) WFSB ( Channel 3; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: MEREDITH CORPORATION) 3; HARTFORD, CT; MEREDITH CORPORATION) WHCT-LP ( Channel 38; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC) 38; HARTFORD, CT; VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC) WWLP ( Channel 22; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: WWLP BROADCASTING, LLC) 22; SPRINGFIELD, MA; WWLP BROADCASTING, LLC) WYDN ( Channel 48; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: EDUCATIONAL PUBLIC TV CORPORATION) 48; WORCESTER, MA; EDUCATIONAL PUBLIC TV CORPORATION) WTNH ( Channel 8; NEW HAVEN, CT; Owner: WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) 8; NEW HAVEN, CT; WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) WCTX ( Channel 59; NEW HAVEN, CT; Owner: WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) 59; NEW HAVEN, CT; WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) WEDY ( Channel 65; NEW HAVEN, CT; Owner: CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) 65; NEW HAVEN, CT; CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) WHTX-LP ( Channel 10; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) 10; HARTFORD, CT; ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) WRDM-LP ( Channel 13; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ZGS HARTFORD, INC.) 13; HARTFORD, CT; ZGS HARTFORD, INC.) W67DF ( Channel 67; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) 67; SPRINGFIELD, MA; TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) WMLD-LP ( Channel 6; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: HARVARD BROADCASTING, INC.) 6; HARTFORD, CT; HARVARD BROADCASTING, INC.) WDMR-LP ( Channel 65; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: ZGS HARTFORD, INC.) 65; SPRINGFIELD, MA; ZGS HARTFORD, INC.) WUTH-CA (Channel 47; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) Barkhamsted fatal accident statistics for 1975 - 2019 See more detailed statistics of Barkhamsted fatal car crashes and road traffic accidents for 1975 - 2019 here National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 13 Number of bridges Number of bridges 167ft / 50.9m Total length Total length 57,627 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 2,940 Total average daily truck traffic Total average daily truck traffic 85,629 Total future (year 2034) average daily traffic New bridges - historical statistics 1 1920-1929 3 1930-1939 4 1940-1949 4 1950-1959 1 1970-1979 See full National Bridge Inventory statistics for Barkhamsted, CT 2002 - 2018 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) incidents According to the data from the years 2002 - 2018 the average number of fire incidents per year is 22. The highest number of reported fire incidents - 49 took place in 2011, and the least - 11 in 2004. The data has a growing trend. Fire incident types reported to NFIRS in Barkhamsted, CT 225 61.3% Structure Fires 80 21.8% Outside Fires 35 9.5% Mobile Property/Vehicle Fires 27 7.4% Other When looking into fire subcategories, the most reports belonged to: Structure Fires (61.3%), and Outside Fires (21.8%). See full National Fire Incident Reporting System statistics for Barkhamsted, CT Houses and condos Apartments 83.9% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 8.1% Electricity 4.4% Wood 3.0% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 0.6% Utility gas 44.5% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 36.8% Electricity 7.7% Utility gas 6.6% Wood 4.4% Bottled, tank, or LP gas Barkhamsted compared to Connecticut state average: Unemployed percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Black race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Median age above state average. above Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Renting percentage significantly below state average. significantly 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. 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 Burlington, Connecticut 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: 9,301. Population change since 2000: +13.6% 9,301.+13.6% Males: 4,702 (50.6%) Females: 4,599 (49.4%) Median resident age: 42.4 years Connecticut median age: 39.2 years Zip codes: 06013. Estimated median household income in 2019: $122,839 (it was $82,711 in 2000) Burlington: $122,839 CT: $78,833 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $57,389 (it was $36,173 in 2000) Burlington town income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $338,742 (it was $198,400 in 2000) Burlington: $338,742 CT: $280,700 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $275,948; detached houses: $296,342; townhouses or other attached units: $203,802; in 2-unit structures: $198,718; in 3-to-4-unit structures: $175,983; in 5-or-more-unit structures: $134,322; mobile homes: $115,071 $122,839 ($82,711$57,389 ($36,173$338,742 ($198,400$275,948;$296,342;$203,802;$198,718;$175,983;$134,322;$115,071 March 2019 cost of living index in Burlington: 104.2 (near average, U.S. average is 100) Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: 8,784 94.4% White alone 246 2.6% Hispanic 136 1.5% Asian alone 72 0.8% Two or more races 55 0.6% Black alone 4 0.04% Other race alone 3 0.03% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone 1 0.01% American Indian alone Races in Burlington detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of Connecticut and other state lists, there were 5 registered sex offenders living in Burlington, Connecticut as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Burlington is 1,860 to 1. The ratio of registered sex offenders to all residents in this city is much lower than the state average. Latest news from Burlington, CT collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations Burlington, CT City Guides: Burlington, CT Guides 2 Ancestries: Italian (20.7%), Irish (20.0%), Polish (15.6%), English (15.5%), German (14.6%), French (10.7%). Current Local Time: EST time zone Elevation: 840 feet Land area: 29.8 square miles. Population density: 312 people per square mile (very low). 390 residents are foreign born (3.3% Europe, 0.6% North America, 0.5% Asia). This town: 4.8% Connecticut: 10.9% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000: Burlington town: 1.8% ($3,486) Connecticut: 1.8% ($2,961) Latitude: 41.76 N, Longitude: 72.95 W Area code commonly used in this area: 860 Single-family new house construction building permits: 1997: 52 buildings , average cost: $149,300 52 $149,300 1998: 51 buildings , average cost: $162,900 51 $162,900 1999: 71 buildings , average cost: $161,800 71 $161,800 2000: 64 buildings , average cost: $163,500 64 $163,500 2001: 56 buildings , average cost: $187,500 56 $187,500 2002: 64 buildings , average cost: $176,000 64 $176,000 2003: 65 buildings , average cost: $218,600 65 $218,600 2004: 54 buildings , average cost: $226,300 54 $226,300 2005: 35 buildings , average cost: $257,800 35 $257,800 2006: 23 buildings , average cost: $242,100 23 $242,100 2007: 28 buildings , average cost: $298,200 28 $298,200 2008: 11 buildings , average cost: $237,900 11 $237,900 2009: 21 buildings , average cost: $210,500 21 $210,500 2010: 25 buildings , average cost: $200,800 25 $200,800 2011: 13 buildings , average cost: $237,000 13 $237,000 2012: 23 buildings , average cost: $212,300 23 $212,300 2013: 31 buildings , average cost: $231,500 31 $231,500 2014: 24 buildings , average cost: $237,900 24 $237,900 2015: 17 buildings , average cost: $278,100 17 $278,100 2016: 20 buildings , average cost: $245,100 20 $245,100 2017: 25 buildings , average cost: $362,800 25 $362,800 2018: 16 buildings , average cost: $318,900 16 $318,900 2019: 17 buildings, average cost: $328,700 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 5.3% Connecticut: 7.7% Most common industries in Burlington, CT (%) Both Males Females Health care (12.4%) Finance & insurance (11.7%) Educational services (10.7%) Construction (7.9%) Professional, scientific, technical services (5.5%) Metal & metal products (4.1%) Social assistance (3.3%) Finance & insurance (11.8%) Construction (11.4%) Professional, scientific, technical services (6.5%) Educational services (5.7%) Metal & metal products (5.6%) Transportation equipment (4.6%) Food & beverage stores (4.4%) Health care (22.2%) Educational services (16.4%) Finance & insurance (11.5%) Social assistance (5.8%) Professional, scientific, technical services (4.4%) Public administration (4.1%) Construction (3.8%) Most common occupations in Burlington, CT (%) Both Males Females Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (6.3%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (5.0%) Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (3.9%) Computer specialists (3.3%) Top executives (3.1%) Sales representatives, services, wholesale and manufacturing (3.1%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (2.9%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (7.8%) Top executives (5.4%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (5.4%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (4.8%) Operations specialties managers, except financial managers (4.6%) Sales representatives, services, wholesale and manufacturing (4.0%) Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (3.9%) Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (7.5%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (5.9%) Registered nurses (5.8%) Health technologists and technicians (5.0%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (4.6%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (4.6%) Other office and administrative support workers, including supervisors (4.0%) Average climate in Burlington, Connecticut Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations Air pollution and air quality trends (lower is better) AQI CO NO 2 SO 2 Ozone PM 10 PM 2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 82.0. This is about average. City: 82.0 U.S.: 74.2 Carbon Monoxide (CO) [ppm] level in 2018 was 0.265. This is about average. Closest monitor was 10.4 miles away from the city center. City: 0.265 U.S.: 0.267 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2018 was 10.8. This is significantly worse than average. Closest monitor was 0.6 miles away from the city center. City: 10.8 U.S.: 5.6 Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2018 was 0.119. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 0.6 miles away from the city center. City: 0.119 U.S.: 1.789 Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 30.0. This is about average. Closest monitor was 9.2 miles away from the city center. City: 30.0 U.S.: 33.3 Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 14.6. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 0.6 miles away from the city center. City: 14.6 U.S.: 19.6 Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 7.36. This is about average. Closest monitor was 10.4 miles away from the city center. City: 7.36 U.S.: 8.46 Tornado activity: Burlington-area historical tornado activity is slightly above Connecticut state average. It is 18% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 10/3/1979, a category F4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 16.5 miles away from the Burlington town center killed 3 people and injured 500 people and caused between $50,000,000 and $500,000,000 in damages. On 7/10/1989, a category F4 tornado 26.3 miles away from the town center injured 40 people and caused between $50,000,000 and $500,000,000 in damages. Earthquake activity: Burlington-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above Connecticut state average. It is 70% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 167.5 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) earthquake occurred 194.2 miles away from Burlington 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 192.7 miles away from the city center On 1/19/1982 at 00:14:42, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 MD, 4.5 LG, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 138.6 miles away from the city center On 8/23/2011 at 17:51:04, a magnitude 5.8 (5.8 MW, Depth: 3.7 mi) earthquake occurred 375.5 miles away from Burlington center On 10/16/2012 at 23:12:25, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 ML, Depth: 10.0 mi) earthquake occurred 172.4 miles away from the city 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 Hartford County (24) is greater than the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 13 Emergencies Declared: 11 Causes of natural disasters: Storms: 7, Hurricanes: 5, Floods: 4, Snowstorms: 4, Blizzards: 3, Snows: 3, Tropical Storms: 2, Winter Storms: 2, Snowfall: 1, Tornado: 1, Wind: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers in Burlington: C I B: CARRIAGE DRIVE (8 CARRIAGE DRIVE) Other hospitals and medical centers near Burlington: COUNTRYSIDE MANOR OF BRISTOL (Nursing Home, about 4 miles away; BRISTOL, CT) GREATER BRISTOL VNA (Home Health Center, about 5 miles away; BRISTOL, CT) C R I: PLAINVILLE AVE GR HOME (Hospital, about 5 miles away; FARMINGTON, CT) AVON HEALTH CENTER (Nursing Home, about 5 miles away; AVON, CT) APPLE REHAB AVON (Nursing Home, about 5 miles away; AVON, CT) CHERRY BROOK HEALTH CARE CENTE (Nursing Home, about 6 miles away; COLLINSVILLE, CT) SHERIDEN WOOD HEALTH CARE CENTER (Nursing Home, about 6 miles away; BRISTOL, CT) Amtrak stations near Burlington: 13 miles: BERLIN (KENSINGTON, DEPOT RD.) . Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. BERLIN (KENSINGTON, DEPOT RD.) . ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. 14 miles: HARTFORD (1 UNION PLACE) . Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, full-service food facilities, snack bar, vending machines, ATM, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, taxi stand, intercity bus service, public transit connection. HARTFORD (1 UNION PLACE) . ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, full-service food facilities, snack bar, vending machines, ATM, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, taxi stand, intercity bus service, public transit connection. 17 miles: WINDSOR (41 CENTRAL ST.) . Services: enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. Local government website: www.munic.state.ct.us/BURLINGTON/burlington.htm Library in Burlington: BURLINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $276,218; Location: 34 LIBRARY LANE; 50,264 books; 18 e-books; 1,912 audio materials; 2,401 video materials; 30 state licensed databases; 1 other licensed databases; 64 print serial subscriptions) Birthplace of: Elijah W. Bacon - Medal of Honor recipient, Leonidas Lent Hamline - Methodist bishop. Hartford County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Low Potential Drinking water stations with addresses in Burlington and their reported violations in the past: FARMINGTON LINE WEST CONDOMINIUMS (Population served: 51, Groundwater): Past health violations: MCL, Monthly (TCR) - Between JAN-2014 and MAR-2014, Contaminant: Coliform. Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (APR-03-2014), St Violation/Reminder Notice (APR-03-2014), St Public Notif received (APR-07-2014) Past monitoring violations: One routine major monitoring violation 12 regular monitoring violations FARMINGTON LINE WEST CONDOMINIUMS (51Groundwater): Average household size: This town: 2.8 people Connecticut: 2.5 people Percentage of family households: This town: 81.5% Whole state: 66.3% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This town: 5.0% Whole state: 6.6% Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 0.4% of all households 0.4% Gay men: 0.5% of all households Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009: This town: 1.1% Whole state: 7.9% Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009: This town: 0.7% Whole state: 3.9% 18 people in group homes intended for adults in 2010 12 people in homes for the physically handicapped in 2000 Banks with branches in Burlington (2011 data): Farmington Bank: Burlington Green Branch at 253 Spielman Highway , branch established on 1993/10/16 . Info updated 2009/10/20: Bank assets: $1,615.5 mil , Deposits: $1,256.2 mil , headquarters in Farmington, CT , positive income , Commercial Lending Specialization , 21 total offices , Holding Company: First Connecticut Bancorp, Inc. 253 Spielman Highway 1993/10/16 2009/10/20: $1,615.5 mil $1,256.2 mil Farmington, CT , Commercial Lending Specialization 21 First Connecticut Bancorp, Inc. The Torrington Savings Bank: Burlington Branch at 258 Spielman Highway, branch established on 1973/02/14. Info updated 2006/11/03: Bank assets: $799.6 mil, Deposits: $660.7 mil, headquarters in Torrington, CT, positive income, Mortgage Lending Specialization, 8 total offices For population 15 years and over in Burlington: Never married: 18.3% 18.3% Now married: 72.6% 72.6% Separated: 0.7% 0.7% Widowed: 2.2% 2.2% Divorced: 6.1% For population 25 years and over in Burlington: High school or higher: 93.8% 93.8% Bachelor's degree or higher: 43.5% 43.5% Graduate or professional degree: 16.2% 16.2% Unemployed: 1.7% 1.7% Mean travel time to work (commute): 27.1 minutes Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 10.1 Connecticut average: 12.8 Religion statistics for Burlington, CT (based on Hartford County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 278,203 100 Mainline Protestant 73,522 183 Evangelical Protestant 50,619 214 Other 28,183 94 Black Protestant 8,446 26 Orthodox 3,665 13 None 451,376 - 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: 215 Hartford County : 2.46 / 10,000 pop. Connecticut : 2.21 / 10,000 pop. Number of supercenters and club stores: 5 This county : 0.06 / 10,000 pop. State : 0.07 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 92 Hartford County : 1.05 / 10,000 pop. Connecticut : 1.02 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 203 Hartford County : 2.32 / 10,000 pop. State : 2.27 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 755 Here : 8.63 / 10,000 pop. State : 9.19 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: This county : 7.4% Connecticut : 7.3% Adult obesity rate: Hartford County : 22.1% Connecticut : 21.5% Low-income preschool obesity rate: This county : 16.0% State : 15.8% 3.91% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($66,102 average adjusted gross income) Here: 3.91% Connecticut average: 4.51% 0.04% of residents moved from foreign countries ($650 average AGI) Hartford County: 0.04% Connecticut average: 0.04% Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from New Haven County, CT 0.53% ($52,965 average AGI) from Tolland County, CT 0.43% ($58,256) from Middlesex County, CT 0.32% ($63,792) 4.91% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($81,622 average adjusted gross income) Here: 4.91% Connecticut average: 5.34% 0.07% of residents moved to foreign countries ($2,656 average AGI) Hartford County: 0.07% Connecticut average: 0.07% Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to Tolland County, CT 0.51% ($59,435 average AGI) to New Haven County, CT 0.43% ($54,707) to Middlesex County, CT 0.37% ($71,069) Businesses in Burlington, CT Name Count Name Count CVS 1 Ethan Allen 1 Dunkin Donuts 1 Subway 1 Strongest AM radio stations in Burlington: WTIC (1080 AM; 50 kW; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WLAT (910 AM; 5 kW; NEW BRITAIN, CT; Owner: MEGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW BRITAIN LICENSEE, LLC) MEGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW BRITAIN LICENSEE, LLC) WNNZ (640 AM; 50 kW; WESTFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WSNG (610 AM; 1 kW; TORRINGTON, CT; Owner: BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF) BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION OF) WPOP (1410 AM; 5 kW; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WDRC (1360 AM; 5 kW; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WDZK (1550 AM; 5 kW; BLOOMFIELD, CT; Owner: ABC, INC.) ABC, INC.) WPRX (1120 AM; 1 kW; BRISTOL, CT; Owner: NIEVEZQUEZ PRODUCTIONS, INC) NIEVEZQUEZ PRODUCTIONS, INC) WXCT (990 AM; 3 kW; SOUTHINGTON, CT; Owner: THE ADD RADIO GROUP, INC.) THE ADD RADIO GROUP, INC.) WCRN (830 AM; 50 kW; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WATR (1320 AM; 5 kW; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: WATR, INC.) WATR, INC.) WFAN (660 AM; 50 kW; NEW YORK, NY; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WFNW (1380 AM; 5 kW; NAUGATUCK, CT; Owner: CANDIDO DIAS CARRELO) Strongest FM radio stations in Burlington: WJMJ (88.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ST. THOMAS SEMINARY) ST. THOMAS SEMINARY) WRCH (100.5 FM; NEW BRITAIN, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WTIC-FM (96.5 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WWUH (91.3 FM; WEST HARTFORD, CT; Owner: UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD) UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD) WCCC-FM (106.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: MARLIN BROADCASTING, LLC) MARLIN BROADCASTING, LLC) WWYZ (92.5 FM; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WKSS (95.7 FM; HARTFORD-MERIDEN, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WHCN (105.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WZMX (93.7 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) WMRQ (104.1 FM; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WPKT (90.5 FM; MERIDEN, CT; Owner: CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC) CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC) WDRC-FM (102.9 FM; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) BUCKLEY BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WKCI-FM (101.3 FM; HAMDEN, CT; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WPLR (99.1 FM; NEW HAVEN, CT; Owner: COX RADIO, INC.) COX RADIO, INC.) WZBG (97.3 FM; LITCHFIELD, CT; Owner: LOCAL GIRLS & BOYS B/CASTING CORP.) LOCAL GIRLS & BOYS B/CASTING CORP.) WAQY (102.1 FM; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) WAPJ (89.9 FM; TORRINGTON, CT; Owner: NUTMEG CONSERVATORY FOR THE ARTS, INC.) NUTMEG CONSERVATORY FOR THE ARTS, INC.) W218AV (91.5 FM; WARREN, CT; Owner: MONROE BOARD OF EDUCATION) MONROE BOARD OF EDUCATION) WHYN-FM (93.1 FM; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WAMC-FM (90.3 FM; ALBANY, NY; Owner: WAMC) TV broadcast stations around Burlington: WTIC-TV ( Channel 61; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: TRIBUNE TELEVISION COMPANY) 61; HARTFORD, CT; TRIBUNE TELEVISION COMPANY) W11BJ ( Channel 11; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: COMMUNICATIONS SITE MANAGEMENT LLC) 11; HARTFORD, CT; COMMUNICATIONS SITE MANAGEMENT LLC) WTXX ( Channel 20; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: WTXX INC.) 20; WATERBURY, CT; WTXX INC.) WVIT ( Channel 30; NEW BRITAIN, CT; Owner: OUTLET BROADCASTING, INC) 30; NEW BRITAIN, CT; OUTLET BROADCASTING, INC) WEDH ( Channel 24; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) 24; HARTFORD, CT; CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) WUVN ( Channel 18; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) 18; HARTFORD, CT; ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) WFSB ( Channel 3; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: MEREDITH CORPORATION) 3; HARTFORD, CT; MEREDITH CORPORATION) WHCT-LP ( Channel 38; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC) 38; HARTFORD, CT; VENTURE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC) WTNH ( Channel 8; NEW HAVEN, CT; Owner: WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) 8; NEW HAVEN, CT; WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) WCTX ( Channel 59; NEW HAVEN, CT; Owner: WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) 59; NEW HAVEN, CT; WTNH BROADCASTING, INC.) WEDY ( Channel 65; NEW HAVEN, CT; Owner: CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) 65; NEW HAVEN, CT; CONNECTICUT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) WHTX-LP ( Channel 10; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) 10; HARTFORD, CT; ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) WRDM-LP ( Channel 13; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ZGS HARTFORD, INC.) 13; HARTFORD, CT; ZGS HARTFORD, INC.) WMLD-LP ( Channel 6; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: HARVARD BROADCASTING, INC.) 6; HARTFORD, CT; HARVARD BROADCASTING, INC.) WUTH-CA ( Channel 47; HARTFORD, CT; Owner: ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) 47; HARTFORD, CT; ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) WYDN ( Channel 48; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: EDUCATIONAL PUBLIC TV CORPORATION) 48; WORCESTER, MA; EDUCATIONAL PUBLIC TV CORPORATION) WHPX ( Channel 26; NEW LONDON, CT; Owner: PAXSON HARTFORD LICENSE, INC.) 26; NEW LONDON, CT; PAXSON HARTFORD LICENSE, INC.) WWLP ( Channel 22; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Owner: WWLP BROADCASTING, LLC) 22; SPRINGFIELD, MA; WWLP BROADCASTING, LLC) W12BH (Channel 12; WATERBURY, CT; Owner: CONN.PUBLIC BROADCASTING, INC.) Medal of Honor Recipients Medal of Honor Recipient born in Burlington: Elijah W. Bacon. Burlington fatal accident statistics for 1975 - 2019 See more detailed statistics of Burlington fatal car crashes and road traffic accidents for 1975 - 2019 here National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 8 Number of bridges Number of bridges 66ft / 19.9m Total length Total length $1,737,000 Total costs Total costs 183,307 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 21,211 Total average daily truck traffic Total average daily truck traffic 272,376 Total future (year 2035) average daily traffic 2002 - 2018 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) incidents Based on the data from the years 2002 - 2018 the average number of fires per year is 24. The highest number of reported fires - 41 took place in 2016, and the least - 14 in 2012. The data has a constant trend. Fire incident types reported to NFIRS in Burlington, CT 193 47.8% Structure Fires 133 32.9% Outside Fires 51 12.6% Mobile Property/Vehicle Fires 27 6.7% Other When looking into fire subcategories, the most reports belonged to: Structure Fires (47.8%), and Outside Fires (32.9%). See full National Fire Incident Reporting System statistics for Burlington, CT Houses and condos Apartments 75.5% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 15.4% Electricity 3.5% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 3.4% Wood 1.0% Coal or coke 0.6% Utility gas 0.3% Other fuel 0.3% No fuel used 76.2% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 23.8% Electricity Burlington compared to Connecticut state average: Median household income above state average. above Unemployed percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Black race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Renting percentage significantly below state average. significantly 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. significantly below Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher above state average. Burlington on our top lists: #5 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: operations specialties managers except financial managers (population 5,000+)" #6 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: supervisors of construction and extraction workers (population 5,000+)" #20 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: librarians, curators, and archivists (population 5,000+)" #20 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: occupational and physical therapist assistants and aides (population 5,000+)" #26 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: media and communication equipment workers (population 5,000+)" #27 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: other financial specialists (population 5,000+)" #34 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: hardware, plumbing and heating equipment, and supplies merchant wholesalers (population 5,000+)" #44 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: broadcasting and telecommunications (population 5,000+)" #71 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: food and beverage stores (population 5,000+)" #72 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: metal and metal products (population 5,000+)" #77 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: health care (population 5,000+)" #90 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: motor vehicle and parts dealers (population 5,000+)" #96 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: broadcasting and telecommunications (population 5,000+)" #98 (06013) on the list of "Top 101 zip codes with the largest percentage of Lithuanian first ancestries (pop 5,000+)" #2 on the list of "Top 101 counties with highest percentage of residents voting for Obama (Democrat) in the 2012 Presidential Election" #17 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the most Catholic congregations" #19 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the lowest Particulate Matter (PM 10 ) Annual air pollution readings in 2012 (g/m 3 )" #24 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents that visited a dentist within the past year" #29 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the most Mainline Protestant congregations" 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 Campton Hills, Illinois Submit your own pictures of this village and show them to the world OSM Map Google Map MSN Map OSM Map General Map Google Map MSN Map OSM Map Google Map MSN Map OSM Map Google Map MSN Map Please wait while loading the map... Population in 2019: 11,091 (91% urban, 9% rural). Males: 5,722 (51.6%) Females: 5,369 (48.4%) Median resident age: 41.7 years Illinois median age: 38.6 years Estimated median household income in 2019: $84,368 Campton Hills: $84,368 IL: $69,187 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $37,919 Campton Hills village income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $247,100 Campton Hills: $247,100 IL: $209,100 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $483,226; detached houses: $476,478 $84,368$37,919$247,100$483,226;$476,478 Median gross rent in 2019: $2,544. March 2019 cost of living index in Campton Hills: 108.0 (more than average, U.S. average is 100) Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2019: 3.1% Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: Most recent value % change since 2k Data: Median household income ($) Median household income (% change since 2000) Household income diversity Ratio of average income to average house value (%) Ratio of average income to average rent Median household income ($) - White Median household income ($) - Black or African American Median household income ($) - Asian Median household income ($) - Hispanic or Latino Median household income ($) - American Indian and Alaska Native Median household income ($) - Multirace Median household income ($) - Other Race Median household income for houses/condos with a mortgage ($) Median household income for apartments without a mortgage ($) Races - White alone (%) Races - White alone (% change since 2000) Races - Black alone (%) Races - Black alone (% change since 2000) Races - American Indian alone (%) Races - American Indian alone (% change since 2000) Races - Asian alone (%) Races - Asian alone (% change since 2000) Races - Hispanic (%) Races - Hispanic (% change since 2000) Races - Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (%) Races - Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (% change since 2000) Races - Two or more races (%) Races - Two or more races (% change since 2000) Races - Other race alone (%) Races - Other race alone (% change since 2000) Racial diversity Unemployment (%) Unemployment (% change since 2000) Unemployment (%) - White Unemployment (%) - Black or African American Unemployment (%) - Asian Unemployment (%) - Hispanic or Latino Unemployment (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Unemployment (%) - Multirace Unemployment (%) - Other Race Population density (people per square mile) Population - Males (%) Population - Females (%) Population - Males (%) - White Population - Males (%) - Black or African American Population - Males (%) - Asian Population - Males (%) - Hispanic or Latino Population - Males (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Population - Males (%) - Multirace Population - Males (%) - Other Race Population - Females (%) - White Population - Females (%) - Black or African American Population - Females (%) - Asian Population - Females (%) - Hispanic or Latino Population - Females (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Population - Females (%) - Multirace Population - Females (%) - Other Race Coronavirus confirmed cases (Nov 21, 2021) Deaths caused by coronavirus (Nov 21, 2021) Coronavirus confirmed cases (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) Deaths caused by coronavirus (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) Daily increase in number of cases (Nov 21, 2021) Weekly increase in number of cases (Nov 21, 2021) Cases doubled (in days) (Nov 21, 2021) Hospitalized patients (Nov 21, 2021) Negative test results (Nov 21, 2021) Total test results (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses distributed (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses administered (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses distributed (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses administered (Nov 21, 2021) Likely homosexual households (%) Likely homosexual households (% change since 2000) Likely homosexual households - Lesbian couples (%) Likely homosexual households - Lesbian couples (% change since 2000) Likely homosexual households - Gay men (%) Likely homosexual households - Gay men (% change since 2000) Cost of living index Median gross rent ($) Median contract rent ($) Median monthly housing costs ($) Median house or condo value ($) Median house or condo value ($ change since 2000) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 1, detached ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 1, attached ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 2 ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure by units in structure - 3 or 4 ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 5 or more ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - Boat, RV, van, etc. ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - Mobile home ($) Median house or condo value ($) - White Median house or condo value ($) - Black or African American Median house or condo value ($) - Asian Median house or condo value ($) - Hispanic or Latino Median house or condo value ($) - American Indian and Alaska Native Median house or condo value ($) - Multirace Median house or condo value ($) - Other Race Median resident age Resident age diversity Median resident age - Males Median resident age - Females Median resident age - White Median resident age - Black or African American Median resident age - Asian Median resident age - Hispanic or Latino Median resident age - American Indian and Alaska Native Median resident age - Multirace Median resident age - Other Race Median resident age - Males - White Median resident age - Males - Black or African American Median resident age - Males - Asian Median resident age - Males - Hispanic or Latino Median resident age - Males - American Indian and Alaska Native Median resident age - Males - Multirace Median resident age - Males - Other Race Median resident age - Females - White Median resident age - Females - Black or African American Median resident age - Females - Asian Median resident age - Females - Hispanic or Latino Median resident age - Females - American Indian and Alaska Native Median resident age - Females - Multirace Median resident age - Females - Other Race Commute - mean travel time to work (minutes) Travel time to work - Less than 5 minutes (%) Travel time to work - Less than 5 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 5 to 9 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 5 to 9 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 10 to 19 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 10 to 19 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 20 to 29 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 20 to 29 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 30 to 39 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 30 to 39 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 40 to 59 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 40 to 59 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 60 to 89 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 60 to 89 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 90 or more minutes (%) Travel time to work - 90 or more minutes (% change since 2000) Marital status - Never married (%) Marital status - Now married (%) Marital status - Separated (%) Marital status - Widowed (%) Marital status - Divorced (%) Median family income ($) Median family income (% change since 2000) Median non-family income ($) Median non-family income (% change since 2000) Median per capita income ($) Median per capita income (% change since 2000) Median family income ($) - White Median family income ($) - Black or African American Median family income ($) - Asian Median family income ($) - Hispanic or Latino Median family income ($) - American Indian and Alaska Native Median family income ($) - Multirace Median family income ($) - Other Race Median year house/condo built Median year apartment built Year house built - Built 2005 or later (%) Year house built - Built 2000 to 2004 (%) Year house built - Built 1990 to 1999 (%) Year house built - Built 1980 to 1989 (%) Year house built - Built 1970 to 1979 (%) Year house built - Built 1960 to 1969 (%) Year house built - Built 1950 to 1959 (%) Year house built - Built 1940 to 1949 (%) Year house built - Built 1939 or earlier (%) Average household size Household density (households per square mile) Average household size - White Average household size - Black or African American Average household size - Asian Average household size - Hispanic or Latino Average household size - American Indian and Alaska Native Average household size - Multirace Average household size - Other Race Occupied housing units (%) Vacant housing units (%) Owner occupied housing units (%) Renter occupied housing units (%) Vacancy status - For rent (%) Vacancy status - For sale only (%) Vacancy status - Rented or sold, not occupied (%) Vacancy status - For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use (%) Vacancy status - For migrant workers (%) Vacancy status - Other vacant (%) Residents with income below the poverty level (%) Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level (%) Children below poverty level (%) Poor families by family type - Married-couple family (%) Poor families by family type - Male, no wife present (%) Poor families by family type - Female, no husband present (%) Poverty status for native-born residents (%) Poverty status for foreign-born residents (%) Poverty among high school graduates not in families (%) Poverty among people who did not graduate high school not in families (%) Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - White Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Black or African American Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Asian Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Hispanic or Latino Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Multirace Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Other Race Air pollution - Air Quality Index (AQI) Air pollution - CO Air pollution - NO2 Air pollution - SO2 Air pollution - Ozone Air pollution - PM10 Air pollution - PM25 Air pollution - Pb Crime - Murders per 100,000 population Crime - Rapes per 100,000 population Crime - Robberies per 100,000 population Crime - Assaults per 100,000 population Crime - Burglaries per 100,000 population Crime - Thefts per 100,000 population Crime - Auto thefts per 100,000 population Crime - Arson per 100,000 population Crime - City-data.com crime index Crime - Violent crime index Crime - Property crime index Crime - Murders per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Rapes per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Robberies per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Assaults per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Burglaries per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Thefts per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Auto thefts per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Arson per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - City-data.com crime index (5 year average) Crime - Violent crime index (5 year average) Crime - Property crime index (5 year average) 1996 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Clinton) 1996 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Dole) 1996 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2000 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Gore) 2000 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Bush) 2000 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2004 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Kerry) 2004 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Bush) 2004 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2008 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Obama) 2008 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (McCain) 2008 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2012 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Obama) 2012 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Romney) 2012 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2016 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Clinton) 2016 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Trump) 2016 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2020 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Biden) 2020 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Trump) 2020 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other Ancestries Reported - Arab (%) Ancestries Reported - Czech (%) Ancestries Reported - Danish (%) Ancestries Reported - Dutch (%) Ancestries Reported - English (%) Ancestries Reported - French (%) Ancestries Reported - French Canadian (%) Ancestries Reported - German (%) Ancestries Reported - Greek (%) Ancestries Reported - Hungarian (%) Ancestries Reported - Irish (%) Ancestries Reported - Italian (%) Ancestries Reported - Lithuanian (%) Ancestries Reported - Norwegian (%) Ancestries Reported - Polish (%) Ancestries Reported - Portuguese (%) Ancestries Reported - Russian (%) Ancestries Reported - Scotch-Irish (%) Ancestries Reported - Scottish (%) Ancestries Reported - Slovak (%) Ancestries Reported - Subsaharan African (%) Ancestries Reported - Swedish (%) Ancestries Reported - Swiss (%) Ancestries Reported - Ukrainian (%) Ancestries Reported - United States (%) Ancestries Reported - Welsh (%) Ancestries Reported - West Indian (%) Ancestries Reported - Other (%) Educational Attainment - No schooling completed (%) Educational Attainment - Less than high school (%) Educational Attainment - High school or equivalent (%) Educational Attainment - Less than 1 year of college (%) Educational Attainment - 1 or more years of college (%) Educational Attainment - Associate degree (%) Educational Attainment - Bachelor's degree (%) Educational Attainment - Master's degree (%) Educational Attainment - Professional school degree (%) Educational Attainment - Doctorate degree (%) School Enrollment - Nursery, preschool (%) School Enrollment - Kindergarten (%) School Enrollment - Grade 1 to 4 (%) School Enrollment - Grade 5 to 8 (%) School Enrollment - Grade 9 to 12 (%) School Enrollment - College undergrad (%) School Enrollment - Graduate or professional (%) School Enrollment - Not enrolled in school (%) School enrollment - Public schools (%) School enrollment - Private schools (%) School enrollment - Not enrolled (%) Median number of rooms in houses and condos Median number of rooms in apartments Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities (%) Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities (%) Density of houses Urban houses (%) Rural houses (%) Households with people 60 years and over (%) Households with people 65 years and over (%) Households with people 75 years and over (%) Households with one or more nonrelatives (%) Households with no nonrelatives (%) Population in households (%) Family households (%) Nonfamily households (%) Population in families (%) Family households with own children (%) Median number of bedrooms in owner occupied houses Mean number of bedrooms in owner occupied houses Median number of bedrooms in renter occupied houses Mean number of bedrooms in renter occupied houses Median number of vehichles in owner occupied houses Mean number of vehichles in owner occupied houses Median number of vehichles in renter occupied houses Mean number of vehichles in renter occupied houses Mortgage status - with mortgage (%) Mortgage status - with second mortgage (%) Mortgage status - with home equity loan (%) Mortgage status - with both second mortgage and home equity loan (%) Mortgage status - without a mortgage (%) Average family size Average family size - White Average family size - Black or African American Average family size - Asian Average family size - Hispanic or Latino Average family size - American Indian and Alaska Native Average family size - Multirace Average family size - Other Race Geographical mobility - Same house 1 year ago (%) Geographical mobility - Moved within same county (%) Geographical mobility - Moved from different county within same state (%) Geographical mobility - Moved from different state (%) Geographical mobility - Moved from abroad (%) Place of birth - Born in state of residence (%) Place of birth - Born in other state (%) Place of birth - Native, outside of US (%) Place of birth - Foreign born (%) Housing units in structures - 1, detached (%) Housing units in structures - 1, attached (%) Housing units in structures - 2 (%) Housing units in structures - 3 or 4 (%) Housing units in structures - 5 to 9 (%) Housing units in structures - 10 to 19 (%) Housing units in structures - 20 to 49 (%) Housing units in structures - 50 or more (%) Housing units in structures - Mobile home (%) Housing units in structures - Boat, RV, van, etc. (%) House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago) Renter moved in on average (years ago) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1999 to March 2000 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1995 to 1998 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1990 to 1994 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1980 to 1989 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1970 to 1979 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1969 or earlier (%) Means of transportation to work - Drove car alone (%) Means of transportation to work - Carpooled (%) Means of transportation to work - Public transportation (%) Means of transportation to work - Bus or trolley bus (%) Means of transportation to work - Streetcar or trolley car (%) Means of transportation to work - Subway or elevated (%) Means of transportation to work - Railroad (%) Means of transportation to work - Ferryboat (%) Means of transportation to work - Taxicab (%) Means of transportation to work - Motorcycle (%) Means of transportation to work - Bicycle (%) Means of transportation to work - Walked (%) Means of transportation to work - Other means (%) Working at home (%) Industry diversity Most Common Industries - Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining (%) Most Common Industries - Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (%) Most Common Industries - Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (%) Most Common Industries - Construction (%) Most Common Industries - Manufacturing (%) Most Common Industries - Wholesale trade (%) Most Common Industries - Retail trade (%) Most Common Industries - Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (%) Most Common Industries - Transportation and warehousing (%) Most Common Industries - Utilities (%) Most Common Industries - Information (%) Most Common Industries - Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (%) Most Common Industries - Finance and insurance (%) Most Common Industries - Real estate and rental and leasing (%) Most Common Industries - Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (%) Most Common Industries - Professional, scientific, and technical services (%) Most Common Industries - Management of companies and enterprises (%) Most Common Industries - Administrative and support and waste management services (%) Most Common Industries - Educational services, and health care and social assistance (%) Most Common Industries - Educational services (%) Most Common Industries - Health care and social assistance (%) Most Common Industries - Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (%) Most Common Industries - Arts, entertainment, and recreation (%) Most Common Industries - Accommodation and food services (%) Most Common Industries - Other services, except public administration (%) Most Common Industries - Public administration (%) Occupation diversity Most Common Occupations - Management, business, science, and arts occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Management, business, and financial occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Management occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Business and financial operations occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Computer, engineering, and science occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Computer and mathematical occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Architecture and engineering occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Life, physical, and social science occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Education, legal, community service, arts, and media occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Community and social service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Legal occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Education, training, and library occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Health diagnosing and treating practitioners and other technical occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Health technologists and technicians (%) Most Common Occupations - Service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Healthcare support occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Protective service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Fire fighting and prevention, and other protective service workers including supervisors (%) Most Common Occupations - Law enforcement workers including supervisors (%) Most Common Occupations - Food preparation and serving related occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Personal care and service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Sales and office occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Sales and related occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Office and administrative support occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Construction and extraction occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Production, transportation, and material moving occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Production occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Transportation occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Material moving occupations (%) People in Group quarters - Institutionalized population (%) People in Group quarters - Correctional institutions (%) People in Group quarters - Federal prisons and detention centers (%) People in Group quarters - Halfway houses (%) People in Group quarters - Local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups) (%) People in Group quarters - Military disciplinary barracks (%) People in Group quarters - State prisons (%) People in Group quarters - Other types of correctional institutions (%) People in Group quarters - Nursing homes (%) People in Group quarters - Hospitals/wards, hospices, and schools for the handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Hospitals/wards and hospices for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Hospices or homes for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Military hospitals or wards for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Other hospitals or wards for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Hospitals or wards for drug/alcohol abuse (%) People in Group quarters - Mental (Psychiatric) hospitals or wards (%) People in Group quarters - Schools, hospitals, or wards for the mentally retarded (%) People in Group quarters - Schools, hospitals, or wards for the physically handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Institutions for the deaf (%) People in Group quarters - Institutions for the blind (%) People in Group quarters - Orthopedic wards and institutions for the physically handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Wards in general hospitals for patients who have no usual home elsewhere (%) People in Group quarters - Wards in military hospitals for patients who have no usual home elsewhere (%) People in Group quarters - Juvenile institutions (%) People in Group quarters - Long-term care (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for abused, dependent, and neglected children (%) People in Group quarters - Residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed children (%) People in Group quarters - Training schools for juvenile delinquents (%) People in Group quarters - Short-term care, detention or diagnostic centers for delinquent children (%) People in Group quarters - Type of juvenile institution unknown (%) People in Group quarters - Noninstitutionalized population (%) People in Group quarters - College dormitories (includes college quarters off campus) (%) People in Group quarters - Military quarters (%) People in Group quarters - On base (%) People in Group quarters - Barracks, unaccompanied personnel housing (UPH), (Enlisted/Officer), ;and similar group living quarters for military personnel (%) People in Group quarters - Transient quarters for temporary residents (%) People in Group quarters - Military ships (%) People in Group quarters - Group homes (%) People in Group quarters - Homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for the mentally ill (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for the mentally retarded (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for the physically handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Other group homes (%) People in Group quarters - Religious group quarters (%) People in Group quarters - Dormitories (%) People in Group quarters - Agriculture workers' dormitories on farms (%) People in Group quarters - Job Corps and vocational training facilities (%) People in Group quarters - Other workers' dormitories (%) People in Group quarters - Crews of maritime vessels (%) People in Group quarters - Other nonhousehold living situations (%) People in Group quarters - Other noninstitutional group quarters (%) Residents speaking English at home (%) Residents speaking English at home - Born in the United States (%) Residents speaking English at home - Native, born elsewhere (%) Residents speaking English at home - Foreign born (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home - Born in the United States (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home - Native, born elsewhere (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home - Foreign born (%) Residents speaking other language at home (%) Residents speaking other language at home - Born in the United States (%) Residents speaking other language at home - Native, born elsewhere (%) Residents speaking other language at home - Foreign born (%) Class of Workers - Employee of private company (%) Class of Workers - Self-employed in own incorporated business (%) Class of Workers - Private not-for-profit wage and salary workers (%) Class of Workers - Local government workers (%) Class of Workers - State government workers (%) Class of Workers - Federal government workers (%) Class of Workers - Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business and Unpaid family workers (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Utility gas (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Bottled, tank, or LP gas (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Electricity (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Coal or coke (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Wood (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Solar energy (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Other fuel (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - No fuel used (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Utility gas (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Bottled, tank, or LP gas (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Electricity (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Coal or coke (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Wood (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Solar energy (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Other fuel (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - No fuel used (%) Armed forces status - In Armed Forces (%) Armed forces status - Civilian (%) Armed forces status - Civilian - Veteran (%) Armed forces status - Civilian - Nonveteran (%) Fatal accidents locations in years 2005-2019 Fatal accidents locations in 2005 Fatal accidents locations in 2006 Fatal accidents locations in 2007 Fatal accidents locations in 2008 Fatal accidents locations in 2009 Fatal accidents locations in 2010 Fatal accidents locations in 2011 Fatal accidents locations in 2012 Fatal accidents locations in 2013 Fatal accidents locations in 2014 Fatal accidents locations in 2015 Fatal accidents locations in 2016 Fatal accidents locations in 2017 Fatal accidents locations in 2018 Fatal accidents locations in 2019 Alcohol use - People drinking some alcohol every month (%) Alcohol use - People not drinking at all (%) Alcohol use - Average days/month drinking alcohol Alcohol use - Average drinks/week Alcohol use - Average days/year people drink much Audiometry - Average condition of hearing (%) Audiometry - People that can hear a whisper from across a quiet room (%) Audiometry - People that can hear normal voice from across a quiet room (%) Audiometry - Ears ringing, roaring, buzzing (%) Audiometry - Had a job exposure to loud noise (%) Audiometry - Had off-work exposure to loud noise (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Has high blood pressure (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Checking blood pressure at home (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Frequently checking blood cholesterol (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Has high cholesterol level (%) Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on food at supermarket/grocery store Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on food at other stores Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on eating out Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on carryout/delivered foods Consumer Behavior - Income spent on food at supermarket/grocery store (%) Consumer Behavior - Income spent on food at other stores (%) Consumer Behavior - Income spent on eating out (%) Consumer Behavior - Income spent on carryout/delivered foods (%) Current Health Status - General health condition (%) Current Health Status - Blood donors (%) Current Health Status - Has blood ever tested for HIV virus (%) Current Health Status - Left-handed people (%) Dermatology - People using sunscreen (%) Diabetes - Diabetics (%) Diabetes - Had a blood test for high blood sugar (%) Diabetes - People taking insulin (%) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Diet health (%) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Milk product consumption (# of products/month) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Meals not home prepared (#/week) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Meals from fast food or pizza place (#/week) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Ready-to-eat foods (#/month) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Frozen meals/pizza (#/month) Drug Use - People that ever used marijuana or hashish (%) Drug Use - Ever used hard drugs (%) Drug Use - Ever used any form of cocaine (%) Drug Use - Ever used heroin (%) Drug Use - Ever used methamphetamine (%) Health Insurance - People covered by health insurance (%) Kidney Conditions-Urology - Avg. # of times urinating at night Medical Conditions - People with asthma (%) Medical Conditions - People with anemia (%) Medical Conditions - People with psoriasis (%) Medical Conditions - People with overweight (%) Medical Conditions - Elderly people having difficulties in thinking or remembering (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever received blood transfusion (%) Medical Conditions - People having trouble seeing even with glass/contacts (%) Medical Conditions - People with arthritis (%) Medical Conditions - People with gout (%) Medical Conditions - People with congestive heart failure (%) Medical Conditions - People with coronary heart disease (%) Medical Conditions - People with angina pectoris (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever had heart attack (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever had stroke (%) Medical Conditions - People with emphysema (%) Medical Conditions - People with thyroid problem (%) Medical Conditions - People with chronic bronchitis (%) Medical Conditions - People with any liver condition (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever had cancer or malignancy (%) Mental Health - People who have little interest in doing things (%) Mental Health - People feeling down, depressed, or hopeless (%) Mental Health - People who have trouble sleeping or sleeping too much (%) Mental Health - People feeling tired or having little energy (%) Mental Health - People with poor appetite or overeating (%) Mental Health - People feeling bad about themself (%) Mental Health - People who have trouble concentrating on things (%) Mental Health - People moving or speaking slowly or too fast (%) Mental Health - People having thoughts they would be better off dead (%) Oral Health - Average years since last visit a dentist Oral Health - People embarrassed because of mouth (%) Oral Health - People with gum disease (%) Oral Health - General health of teeth and gums (%) Oral Health - Average days a week using dental floss/device Oral Health - Average days a week using mouthwash for dental problem Oral Health - Average number of teeth Pesticide Use - Households using pesticides to control insects (%) Pesticide Use - Households using pesticides to kill weeds (%) Physical Activity - People doing vigorous-intensity work activities (%) Physical Activity - People doing moderate-intensity work activities (%) Physical Activity - People walking or bicycling (%) Physical Activity - People doing vigorous-intensity recreational activities (%) Physical Activity - People doing moderate-intensity recreational activities (%) Physical Activity - Average hours a day doing sedentary activities Physical Activity - Average hours a day watching TV or videos Physical Activity - Average hours a day using computer Physical Functioning - People having limitations keeping them from working (%) Physical Functioning - People limited in amount of work they can do (%) Physical Functioning - People that need special equipment to walk (%) Physical Functioning - People experiencing confusion/memory problems (%) Physical Functioning - People requiring special healthcare equipment (%) Prescription Medications - Average number of prescription medicines taking Preventive Aspirin Use - Adults 40+ taking low-dose aspirin (%) Reproductive Health - Vaginal deliveries (%) Reproductive Health - Cesarean deliveries (%) Reproductive Health - Deliveries resulted in a live birth (%) Reproductive Health - Pregnancies resulted in a delivery (%) Reproductive Health - Women breastfeeding newborns (%) Reproductive Health - Women that had a hysterectomy (%) Reproductive Health - Women that had both ovaries removed (%) Reproductive Health - Women that have ever taken birth control pills (%) Reproductive Health - Women taking birth control pills (%) Reproductive Health - Women that have ever used Depo-Provera or injectables (%) Reproductive Health - Women that have ever used female hormones (%) Sexual Behavior - People 18+ that ever had sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had vaginal sex with a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever performed oral sex on a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had anal sex with a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had any sex with a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had vaginal sex with a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever performed oral sex on a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had anal sex with a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had any kind of sex with a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Average age people first had sex Sexual Behavior - Average number of female sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of female vaginal sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average age people first performed oral sex on a woman (18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of woman performed oral sex on in lifetime (18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male anal sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average age people first performed oral sex on a man (18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male oral sex partners in lifetime (18+) Sexual Behavior - People using protection when performing oral sex (%) Sexual Behavior - Average number of times people have vaginal or anal sex a year Sexual Behavior - People having sex without condom (%) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male sex partners in lifetime (females 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male vaginal sex partners in lifetime (females 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of female sex partners in lifetime (females 18+) Sexual Behavior - Circumcised males 18+ (%) Sleep Disorders - Average hours sleeping at night Sleep Disorders - People that has trouble sleeping (%) Smoking-Cigarette Use - People smoking cigarettes (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ having problems with smell (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ having problems with taste (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had wisdom teeth removed (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had tonsils teeth removed (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had a loss of consciousness because of a head injury (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had two or more sinus infections (%) Weight - Average height (inches) Weight - Average weight (pounds) Weight - Average BMI Weight - People that are obese (%) Weight - People that ever were obese (%) Weight - People trying to lose weight (%) Settings Get link Loading data... Based on 2000-2020 data Loading data... 123 Hide US histogram 9,988 90.6% White alone 318 2.9% Hispanic 261 2.4% Asian alone 225 2.0% Two or more races 154 1.4% Black alone Races in Campton Hills detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of Illinois and other state lists, there were 2 registered sex offenders living in Campton Hills, Illinois as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Campton Hills is 5,806 to 1. The ratio of registered sex offenders to all residents in this city is much lower than the state average. Crime rates in Campton Hills by year Type 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Murders (per 100,000) 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) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Rapes (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 2 (14.8) 1 (7.4) 0 (0.0) 1 (9.0) 1 (8.9) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (17.6) 3 (26.3) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Robberies (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 1 (7.4) 1 (7.4) 2 (20.5) 10 (89.6) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (8.9) Assaults (per 100,000) 6 (57.1) 39 (289.3) 4 (29.7) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 5 (44.5) 0 (0.0) 2 (17.6) 2 (17.6) 1 (8.8) 0 (0.0) 1 (8.8) 0 (0.0) Burglaries (per 100,000) 2 (19.0) 33 (244.8) 12 (89.0) 12 (123.2) 25 (223.9) 32 (284.6) 5 (44.1) 9 (79.3) 15 (132.0) 8 (70.2) 5 (44.1) 2 (17.7) 5 (44.6) Thefts (per 100,000) 8 (76.2) 92 (682.3) 77 (571.1) 50 (513.4) 28 (250.8) 12 (106.7) 42 (370.8) 23 (202.6) 20 (176.0) 27 (237.1) 13 (114.6) 15 (132.7) 1 (8.9) Auto thefts (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (14.8) 4 (41.1) 1 (9.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (17.6) 1 (8.8) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (8.9) Arson (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (9.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (8.8) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) City-Data.com crime index 15.8 116.4 44.4 38.6 60.5 40.2 17.9 18.6 34.6 37.2 7.7 8.3 6.9 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 Campton Hills detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson Full-time law enforcement employees in 2019, including police officers: 5 (5 officers). Officers per 1,000 residents here: 0.45 Illinois average: 2.31 Ancestries: German (21.0%), Italian (11.9%), European (10.7%), Irish (10.0%), Polish (8.0%), American (7.7%). Current Local Time: CST time zone 387 residents are foreign born (1.2% Latin America, 1.0% Europe, 0.4% North America). This village: 3.5% Illinois: 14.1% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2019: $9,949 (2.3%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2019: $10,263 (2.3%) Latitude: 41.95 N, Longitude: 88.42 W Area code commonly used in this area: 630 Single-family new house construction building permits: 2013: 2 buildings , average cost: $550,000 2 $550,000 2014: 6 buildings , average cost: $596,700 6 $596,700 2015: 10 buildings , average cost: $450,000 10 $450,000 2016: 9 buildings , average cost: $550,000 9 $550,000 2017: 10 buildings , average cost: $550,000 10 $550,000 2018: 23 buildings , average cost: $258,500 23 $258,500 2019: 22 buildings, average cost: $258,500 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 6.1% Illinois: 6.5% Air pollution and air quality trends (lower is better) AQI SO 2 Ozone PM 2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 86.5. This is about average. City: 86.5 U.S.: 74.2 Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2000 was 3.23. This is significantly worse than average. Closest monitor was 10.1 miles away from the city center. City: 3.23 U.S.: 1.79 Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 27.7. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 9.9 miles away from the city center. City: 27.7 U.S.: 33.3 Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 9.89. This is about average. Closest monitor was 9.9 miles away from the city center. City: 9.89 U.S.: 8.46 Tornado activity: Campton Hills-area historical tornado activity is slightly below Illinois state average. It is 47% greater than the overall U.S. average. On 8/28/1990, a category F5 (max. wind speeds 261-318 mph) tornado 19.0 miles away from the Campton Hills village center killed 29 people and injured 350 people and caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages. On 4/21/1967, a category F4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 15.7 miles away from the village center killed one person and injured 100 people and caused between $500,000 and $5,000,000 in damages. Earthquake activity: Campton Hills-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above Illinois state average. It is 51% greater than the overall U.S. average. On 4/18/2008 at 09:36:59, a magnitude 5.4 (5.1 MB, 4.8 MS, 5.4 MW, 5.2 MW, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 243.6 miles away from the city center On 6/10/1987 at 23:48:54, a magnitude 5.1 (4.9 MB, 4.4 MS, 4.6 MS, 5.1 LG) earthquake occurred 218.2 miles away from Campton Hills center On 4/18/2008 at 09:36:59, a magnitude 5.2 (5.2 MW, Depth: 8.9 mi) earthquake occurred 243.6 miles away from the city center On 6/28/2004 at 06:10:52, a magnitude 4.2 (4.2 MW, Depth: 6.2 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 42.1 miles away from Campton Hills center On 2/10/2010 at 09:59:35, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 MW, Depth: 6.2 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 4.4 miles away from the city center On 6/18/2002 at 17:37:15, a magnitude 5.0 (4.3 MB, 4.6 MW, 5.0 LG) earthquake occurred 276.2 miles away from the city center Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB), surface-wave magnitude (MS), moment magnitude (MW) Natural disasters: The number of natural disasters in Kane County (15) is near the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 10 Emergencies Declared: 4 Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 7, Storms: 7, Snowstorms: 2, Tornadoes: 2, Winter Storms: 2, Blizzard: 1, Hurricane: 1, Snow: 1, Wind: 1, Other: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers near Campton Hills: VISTA AMBULATORY SURGERY CTR (Hospital, about 5 miles away; SAINT CHARLES, IL) DELNOR COMMUNITY HOSPITAL-ST CHARLES (Hospital, about 6 miles away; SAINT CHARLES, IL) PROVENA PINE VIEW CARE CENTER (Nursing Home, about 6 miles away; ST CHARLES, IL) DELNOR COMMUNITY HOSPITAL Acute Care Hospitals (about 6 miles away; GENEVA, IL) Acute Care Hospitals TRI CITIES DIALYSIS LLC (Dialysis Facility, about 6 miles away; GENEVA, IL) CARE FOR LIFE HOME HEALTH (Home Health Center, about 7 miles away; ELGIN, IL) LEDMAN HEALTH CARE, INC (Home Health Center, about 7 miles away; GENEVA, IL) Amtrak station near Campton Hills: 19 miles: NAPERVILLE (E. 4TH & ELLSWORTH AVE.) . Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for taxi service, public transit connection. Local government website: www.villageofcamptonhills.org Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Campton Hills: Elgin Community College ( about 7 miles; Elgin, IL ; Full-time enrollment: 8,173) 7 ; 8,173) Waubonsee Community College ( about 11 miles; Sugar Grove, IL ; FT enrollment: 7,698) 11 ; 7,698) Aurora University ( about 14 miles; Aurora, IL ; FT enrollment: 4,596) 14 ; 4,596) Wheaton College ( about 18 miles; Wheaton, IL ; FT enrollment: 2,948) 18 ; 2,948) Universal Technical Institute of Illinois Inc ( about 18 miles; Glendale Heights, IL ; FT enrollment: 2,281) 18 ; 2,281) Northern Illinois University ( about 18 miles; Dekalb, IL ; FT enrollment: 18,126) 18 ; 18,126) North Central College (about 19 miles; Naperville, IL; FT enrollment: 2,860) Kane County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Highest Potential Average household size: This village: 3.2 people Illinois: 2.6 people Percentage of family households: This village: 90.4% Whole state: 65.8% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This village: 2.5% Whole state: 6.3% Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 0.2% of all households 0.2% Gay men: 0.3% of all households For population 15 years and over in Campton Hills: Never married: 22.2% 22.2% Now married: 69.0% 69.0% Separated: 0.3% 0.3% Widowed: 3.1% 3.1% Divorced: 5.4% For population 25 years and over in Campton Hills: High school or higher: 99.0% 99.0% Bachelor's degree or higher: 60.5% 60.5% Graduate or professional degree: 22.7% 22.7% Mean travel time to work (commute): 35.0 minutes Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 7.9 Illinois average: 12.0 Religion statistics for Campton Hills, IL (based on Kane County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 155,391 28 Evangelical Protestant 50,728 184 Mainline Protestant 36,576 72 Other 19,744 30 Black Protestant 3,679 10 Orthodox 1,630 2 None 247,521 - 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: 80 Kane County : 1.61 / 10,000 pop. State : 2.24 / 10,000 pop. Number of supercenters and club stores: 4 This county : 0.08 / 10,000 pop. State : 0.08 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 27 Here : 0.54 / 10,000 pop. Illinois : 0.75 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 97 Kane County : 1.95 / 10,000 pop. State : 2.61 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 294 Kane County : 5.90 / 10,000 pop. State : 6.86 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: Kane County : 7.2% Illinois : 8.3% Adult obesity rate: Kane County : 27.2% Illinois : 25.2% Low-income preschool obesity rate: This county : 15.1% Illinois : 14.5% Local government employment and payroll (March 2019) Function Full-time employees Monthly full-time payroll Average yearly full-time wage Part-time employees Monthly part-time payroll Police Protection - Officers 5 $28,834 $69,202 11 $16,795 Financial Administration 1 $4,898 $58,776 1 $1,581 Totals for Government 6 $33,731 $67,462 12 $18,376 Expenditure Revenue Campton Hills government finances - Expenditure in 2017 (per resident): Current Operations - Police Protection: $1,100,000 ($99.18) General - Other: $778,000 ($70.15) Central Staff Services: $634,000 ($57.16) $1,100,000 ($99.18) General - Interest on Debt: $16,000 ($1.44) $16,000 ($1.44) Other Capital Outlay - Central Staff Services: $44,000 ($3.97) $44,000 ($3.97) Total Salaries and Wages: $815,000 ($73.48) Campton Hills government finances - Revenue in 2017 (per resident): Local Intergovernmental - Other: $149,000 ($13.43) $149,000 ($13.43) Miscellaneous - Fines and Forfeits: $46,000 ($4.15) General Revenue - Other: $32,000 ($2.89) Interest Earnings: $13,000 ($1.17) $46,000 ($4.15) State Intergovernmental - General Local Government Support: $1,264,000 ($113.97) Highways: $301,000 ($27.14) $1,264,000 ($113.97) Tax - Other Selective Sales: $757,000 ($68.25) Other License: $385,000 ($34.71) Property: $10,000 ($0.90) Campton Hills government finances - Debt in 2017 (per resident): Long Term Debt - Beginning Outstanding - Unspecified Public Purpose: $456,000 ($41.11) Outstanding Unspecified Public Purpose: $386,000 ($34.80) Retired Unspecified Public Purpose: $70,000 ($6.31) Campton Hills government finances - Cash and Securities in 2017 (per resident): Other Funds - Cash and Securities: $2,870,000 ($258.77) 6.42% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($76,434 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.42% Illinois average: 4.69% 0.01% of residents moved from foreign countries ($284 average AGI) Kane County: 0.01% Illinois average: 0.03% Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from Cook County, IL 1.97% ($55,835 average AGI) from DuPage County, IL 1.42% ($132,588) from McHenry County, IL 0.45% ($56,017) 6.78% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($63,423 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.78% Illinois average: 5.50% 0.20% of residents moved to foreign countries ($1,313 average AGI) Kane County: 0.20% Illinois average: 0.06% Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to Cook County, IL 1.40% ($51,932 average AGI) to DuPage County, IL 0.95% ($55,548) to McHenry County, IL 0.52% ($55,231) Strongest AM radio stations in Campton Hills: WSCR (670 AM; 50 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WGN (720 AM; 50 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WGN CONTINENTAL BROADCASTING CO.) WGN CONTINENTAL BROADCASTING CO.) WBBM (780 AM; 50 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WMVP (1000 AM; 50 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: ABC, INC.) ABC, INC.) WYLL (1160 AM; 50 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: SCA LICENSE CORPORATION) SCA LICENSE CORPORATION) WLS (890 AM; 50 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WLS, INC.) WLS, INC.) WTMJ (620 AM; 50 kW; MILWAUKEE, WI; Owner: JOURNAL BROADCAST CORPORATION) JOURNAL BROADCAST CORPORATION) WSPY (1480 AM; 1 kW; GENEVA, IL) WRMN (1410 AM; 1 kW; ELGIN, IL; Owner: ELGIN BROADCASTING CO., INC.) ELGIN BROADCASTING CO., INC.) WISN (1130 AM; 50 kW; MILWAUKEE, WI; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WNVR (1030 AM; 5 kW; VERNON HILLS, IL; Owner: POLNET COMMUNICATIONS, LTD.) POLNET COMMUNICATIONS, LTD.) WMBI (1110 AM; daytime; 5 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: THE MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO) THE MOODY BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO) WVIV (1200 AM; 20 kW; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WLXX-AM LICENSE CORP.) Strongest FM radio stations in Campton Hills: WJKL (94.3 FM; ELGIN, IL; Owner: ELGIN BROADCASTING CO., INC.) ELGIN BROADCASTING CO., INC.) WERV-FM (95.9 FM; AURORA, IL; Owner: NM LICENSING, LLC) NM LICENSING, LLC) WZCH (103.9 FM; DUNDEE, IL; Owner: ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) ENTRAVISION HOLDINGS, LLC) WCKG (105.9 FM; ELMWOOD PARK, IL; Owner: INFINITY HOLDINGS CORPORATION OF ORLANDO) INFINITY HOLDINGS CORPORATION OF ORLANDO) WLIT-FM (93.9 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) WJMK (104.3 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING CORP. OF ILLINOIS) INFINITY BROADCASTING CORP. OF ILLINOIS) WNUA (95.5 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) WTMX (101.9 FM; SKOKIE, IL; Owner: BONNEVILLE HOLDING COMPANY) BONNEVILLE HOLDING COMPANY) WBBM-FM (96.3 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WGCI-FM (107.5 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) WKSC-FM (103.5 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) WFMT (98.7 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS) WINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS) WLEY-FM (107.9 FM; AURORA, IL; Owner: WLEY LICENSING, INC.) WLEY LICENSING, INC.) WZZN (94.7 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: ABC CHICAGO FM RADIO,INC.) ABC CHICAGO FM RADIO,INC.) WDEK (92.5 FM; DEKALB, IL; Owner: SPANISH BROADCASTING SYSTEM OF ILLINOIS, INC.) SPANISH BROADCASTING SYSTEM OF ILLINOIS, INC.) WBEZ (91.5 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: THE WBEZ ALLIANCE, INC.) THE WBEZ ALLIANCE, INC.) WKQX (101.1 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: EMMIS RADIO LICENSE CORPORATION) EMMIS RADIO LICENSE CORPORATION) WLUP-FM (97.9 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: BONNEVILLE HOLDING COMPANY) BONNEVILLE HOLDING COMPANY) WNND (100.3 FM; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: BONNEVILLE HOLDING COMPANY) BONNEVILLE HOLDING COMPANY) WOJO (105.1 FM; EVANSTON, IL; Owner: TICHENOR LICENSE CORPORATION ("TLC")) TV broadcast stations around Campton Hills: W57DN ( Channel 57; ELGIN, IL; Owner: TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) 57; ELGIN, IL; TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) W34CK ( Channel 34; ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL; Owner: FIRST UNITED, INC.) 34; ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL; FIRST UNITED, INC.) WLS-TV ( Channel 7; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WLS TELEVISION, INC.) 7; CHICAGO, IL; WLS TELEVISION, INC.) WMAQ-TV ( Channel 5; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: NBC SUBSIDIARY (WMAQ-TV), INC.) 5; CHICAGO, IL; NBC SUBSIDIARY (WMAQ-TV), INC.) WTTW ( Channel 11; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) 11; CHICAGO, IL; WINDOW TO THE WORLD COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) W24AJ ( Channel 24; AURORA, IL; Owner: NELSON TV, INC.) 24; AURORA, IL; NELSON TV, INC.) WGN-TV ( Channel 9; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WGN CONTINENTAL BROADCASTING COMPANY) 9; CHICAGO, IL; WGN CONTINENTAL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WGBO-TV ( Channel 66; JOLIET, IL; Owner: WGBO LICENSE PARTNERSHIP, G.P.) 66; JOLIET, IL; WGBO LICENSE PARTNERSHIP, G.P.) WBBM-TV ( Channel 2; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: CBS BROADCASTING INC.) 2; CHICAGO, IL; CBS BROADCASTING INC.) WPWR-TV ( Channel 50; GARY, IN; Owner: FOX TELEVISION STATIONS, INC.) 50; GARY, IN; FOX TELEVISION STATIONS, INC.) WXFT ( Channel 60; AURORA, IL; Owner: TELEFUTURA CHICAGO LLC) 60; AURORA, IL; TELEFUTURA CHICAGO LLC) WCIU-TV ( Channel 26; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: WCIU-TV LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) 26; CHICAGO, IL; WCIU-TV LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WCPX ( Channel 38; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: PAXSON CHICAGO LICENSE, INC.) 38; CHICAGO, IL; PAXSON CHICAGO LICENSE, INC.) WFLD ( Channel 32; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: FOX TELEVISION STATIONS, INC.) 32; CHICAGO, IL; FOX TELEVISION STATIONS, INC.) W68DO ( Channel 68; PALATINE, IL; Owner: TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) 68; PALATINE, IL; TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) WFBT-CA ( Channel 23; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: CHANNEL 23 LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) 23; CHICAGO, IL; CHANNEL 23 LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WSNS-TV ( Channel 44; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: TELEMUNDO OF CHICAGO, INC.) 44; CHICAGO, IL; TELEMUNDO OF CHICAGO, INC.) WJYS ( Channel 62; HAMMOND, IN; Owner: JOVON BROADCASTING CORPORATION) 62; HAMMOND, IN; JOVON BROADCASTING CORPORATION) W64CQ ( Channel 64; ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL; Owner: TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) 64; ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL; TRINITY BROADCASTING NETWORK) WOCH-LP ( Channel 28; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: KM LPTV OF CHICAGO-28, L.L.C.) 28; CHICAGO, IL; KM LPTV OF CHICAGO-28, L.L.C.) WYCC ( Channel 20; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: COLLEGE DIST. #508, COUNTY OF COOK) 20; CHICAGO, IL; COLLEGE DIST. #508, COUNTY OF COOK) WOCK-CA ( Channel 13; CHICAGO, IL; Owner: KM LPTV OF CHICAGO-13, L.L.C.) 13; CHICAGO, IL; KM LPTV OF CHICAGO-13, L.L.C.) WSPY-LP ( Channel 30; PLANO, IL; Owner: WSPY-TV, INC.) 30; PLANO, IL; WSPY-TV, INC.) W54BE (Channel 54; SUGAR GROVE, IL; Owner: WAUBONSEE COMMUNITY COLLEGE) National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 9 Number of bridges Number of bridges 39ft / 12.4m Total length Total length 42,500 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 5,534 Total average daily truck traffic Total average daily truck traffic 52,047 Total future (year 2032) average daily traffic FCC Registered Amateur Radio Licenses: 6 Call Sign: WA9YKK, Licensee ID: L00968813, Grant Date: 12/03/2014, Expiration Date: 02/17/2025, Registrant: Daniel B Harmon, 6n801 Brierwood Dr, Campton Hills, IL 60175-8403 WA9YKK, L00968813, 12/03/2014, 02/17/2025, Daniel B Harmon, 6n801 Brierwood Dr, Campton Hills, IL 60175-8403 Call Sign: KC9SYQ, Licensee ID: L01586272, Grant Date: 06/16/2020, Expiration Date: 08/05/2030, Certifier: Lawrence P Gallagher, Registrant: Lawrence P Gallagher, 3n462 Curling Pond Ct, Campton Hills, IL 60119 KC9SYQ, L01586272, 06/16/2020, 08/05/2030, Lawrence P Gallagher, Lawrence P Gallagher, 3n462 Curling Pond Ct, Campton Hills, IL 60119 Call Sign: KD9CGR, Licensee ID: L01897422, Grant Date: 10/10/2014, Expiration Date: 10/10/2024, Certifier: Thomas E Stutesman, Registrant: Thomas E Stutesman, 39w285 Silver Glen, Campton Hills, IL 60175 KD9CGR, L01897422, 10/10/2014, 10/10/2024, Thomas E Stutesman, Thomas E Stutesman, 39w285 Silver Glen, Campton Hills, IL 60175 Call Sign: K2POG, Previous Call Sign: KD9GQJ, Licensee ID: L02040138, Grant Date: 09/13/2016, Expiration Date: 09/13/2026, Certifier: Terrence R Pogge, Registrant: Terrence R Pogge, 6n126 Evergreen Drive, Campton Hills, IL 60175 K2POG, KD9GQJ, L02040138, 09/13/2016, 09/13/2026, Terrence R Pogge, Terrence R Pogge, 6n126 Evergreen Drive, Campton Hills, IL 60175 Call Sign: KD9MAZ, Licensee ID: L02227268, Grant Date: 11/20/2018, Expiration Date: 11/20/2028, Cancellation Date: 12/27/2018, Certifier: Robert J Peters Iii, Registrant: Robert J Peters Iii, 39w620 Norton Lake Dr, Campton Hills, IL 60175 KD9MAZ, L02227268, 11/20/2018, 11/20/2028, 12/27/2018, Robert J Peters Iii, Robert J Peters Iii, 39w620 Norton Lake Dr, Campton Hills, IL 60175 Call Sign: N9RJP, Previous Call Sign: KD9MAZ, Licensee ID: L02227268, Grant Date: 12/27/2018, Expiration Date: 12/27/2028, Certifier: Robert J Peters Iii, Registrant: Robert J Peters Iii, 39w620 Norton Lake Dr, Campton Hills, IL 60175 FAA Registered Aircraft: 1 Aircraft: DAVID A WEAVER PULSAR SUPER 100 (Category: Land, Seats: 2, Weight: Up to 12,499 Pounds), Engine: Reciprocating N-Number: 912GR, N912GR, N-912GR, Serial Number: KIT 911, Certificate Issue Date: 04/24/2019 Registrant (Individual): David A Weaver, 6n100 Margie Ln, Campton Hills, IL 60175 Deregistered: Cancel Date: 04/23/2019 Houses and condos Apartments 93.3% Utility gas 6.2% Electricity 0.5% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 100.0% Utility gas Campton Hills compared to Illinois state average: Median house value above state average. above Unemployed percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Black race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Renting percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Number of rooms per house significantly above state average. significantly above House age significantly below state average. significantly below Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher significantly above state average. Campton Hills on our top lists: #7 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the lowest city-data.com crime index (population 5,000+)" #15 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: management occupations (population 5,000+)" #15 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the lowest number of thefts per 100,000 residents (population 5,000+)" #25 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the lowest number of police officers per 1000 residents (population 5,000+)" #32 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the highest percentage of family households, population 10,000+" #47 on the list of "Top 100 safest cities (lowest city-data.com crime index) (pop. 5,000+)" #57 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the smallest city-data.com crime index per police officer (population 5,000+)" #66 on the list of "Top 100 cities with biggest houses (pop. 5,000+)" #70 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the most people living the same house as 1 year ago (population 5,000+))" #79 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the least people driving a car to work alone (population 5,000+)" #8 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the largest decrease in the number of births per 1000 residents 2000-2006 to 2007-2013 (pop 50,000+)" #58 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the lowest number of deaths per 1000 residents 2007-2013 (pop. 50,000+)" #65 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the largest increase in the number of infant deaths per 1000 residents 2000-2006 to 2007-2013 (pop. 50,000+)" #76 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest ground withdrawal of fresh water for public supply" #84 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the largest number of children under 18 without health insurance coverage in 2000 (pop. 50,000+)" no other airmen in this city. There is 1 pilot andother airmen in this city. 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Population in 2010: 2,357. Population change since 2000: +32.1% Males: 1,151 (48.8%) Females: 1,206 (51.2%) Median resident age: 44.6 years New Hampshire median age: 43.9 years Zip codes: 03827. Estimated median household income in 2019: $102,307 (it was $65,197 in 2000) East Kingston: $102,307 NH: $77,933 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $54,068 (it was $28,844 in 2000) East Kingston town income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $419,255 (it was $184,100 in 2000) East Kingston: $419,255 NH: $281,400 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $389,306; detached houses: $426,651; townhouses or other attached units: $310,390; in 2-unit structures: $460,741; in 3-to-4-unit structures: $419,218; in 5-or-more-unit structures: $243,946; mobile homes: $98,803 $102,307 ($65,197$54,068 ($28,844$419,255 ($184,100$389,306;$426,651;$310,390;$460,741;$419,218;$243,946;$98,803 March 2019 cost of living index in East Kingston: 125.2 (high, U.S. average is 100) Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: 2,294 97.3% White alone 22 0.9% Hispanic 17 0.7% Asian alone 17 0.7% Two or more races 3 0.1% Black alone 3 0.1% Other race alone 1 0.04% American Indian alone Races in East Kingston detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of New Hampshire and other state lists, there were 4 registered sex offenders living in East Kingston, New Hampshire as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in East Kingston is 589 to 1. The ratio of registered sex offenders to all residents in this city is near the state average. Crime rates in East Kingston by year Type 2017 2018 2019 Murders (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Rapes (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Robberies (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Assaults (per 100,000) 1 (41.7) 0 (0.0) 1 (41.2) Burglaries (per 100,000) 2 (83.5) 1 (41.0) 0 (0.0) Thefts (per 100,000) 4 (166.9) 0 (0.0) 7 (288.1) Auto thefts (per 100,000) 2 (83.5) 0 (0.0) 1 (41.2) Arson (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) City-Data.com crime index 27.5 2.9 23.0 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 East Kingston detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson Full-time law enforcement employees in 2019, including police officers: 5 (5 officers). Officers per 1,000 residents here: 2.06 New Hampshire average: 2.05 Latest news from East Kingston, NH collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations Ancestries: Irish (25.3%), English (20.5%), French (11.5%), United States (11.2%), French Canadian (9.4%), Italian (8.3%). Current Local Time: EST time zone Elevation: 124 feet Land area: 9.99 square miles. Population density: 236 people per square mile (very low). 62 residents are foreign born (1.2% Asia, 1.0% Europe, 1.0% North America). This town: 3.5% New Hampshire: 4.4% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000: East Kingston town: 2.1% ($3,882) New Hampshire: 2.3% ($2,946) Latitude: 42.93 N, Longitude: 71.01 W Area code commonly used in this area: 603 Single-family new house construction building permits: 1997: 10 buildings , average cost: $106,200 10 $106,200 1998: 10 buildings , average cost: $99,000 10 $99,000 1999: 8 buildings , average cost: $122,900 8 $122,900 2000: 26 buildings , average cost: $131,100 26 $131,100 2002: 14 buildings , average cost: $140,200 14 $140,200 2003: 27 buildings , average cost: $152,300 27 $152,300 2004: 52 buildings , average cost: $161,700 52 $161,700 2005: 36 buildings , average cost: $173,600 36 $173,600 2006: 20 buildings , average cost: $193,200 20 $193,200 2007: 18 buildings , average cost: $200,300 18 $200,300 2008: 5 buildings , average cost: $220,200 5 $220,200 2009: 6 buildings , average cost: $225,300 6 $225,300 2010: 5 buildings , average cost: $214,600 5 $214,600 2011: 2 buildings , average cost: $110,000 2 $110,000 2012: 5 buildings , average cost: $234,000 5 $234,000 2013: 10 buildings , average cost: $184,900 10 $184,900 2014: 5 buildings , average cost: $174,000 5 $174,000 2016: 5 buildings , average cost: $286,000 5 $286,000 2017: 4 buildings , average cost: $281,300 4 $281,300 2018: 3 buildings , average cost: $226,700 3 $226,700 2019: 2 buildings, average cost: $246,200 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 3.3% New Hampshire: 3.5% Most common industries in East Kingston, NH (%) Both Males Females Construction (9.9%) Educational services (8.4%) Health care (7.7%) Professional, scientific, technical services (6.7%) Computer & electronic products (6.2%) Public administration (5.5%) Finance & insurance (4.5%) Construction (15.0%) Computer & electronic products (7.5%) Professional, scientific, technical services (7.1%) Repair & maintenance (4.8%) Public administration (4.6%) Metal & metal products (4.4%) Finance & insurance (3.3%) Educational services (15.6%) Health care (13.3%) Public administration (6.8%) Finance & insurance (6.1%) Professional, scientific, technical services (6.1%) Computer & electronic products (4.4%) Accommodation & food services (4.0%) Most common occupations in East Kingston, NH (%) Both Males Females Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (6.8%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (5.6%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (4.8%) Top executives (3.5%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (3.4%) Computer specialists (3.4%) Engineers (3.3%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (9.9%) Top executives (5.5%) Engineers (5.1%) Computer specialists (4.6%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (4.4%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (4.4%) Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers (4.0%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (11.0%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (7.2%) Registered nurses (5.4%) Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (4.4%) Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists (3.7%) Bookkeeping, accounting, and auditing clerks (3.7%) Health technologists and technicians (3.3%) Average climate in East Kingston, New Hampshire Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations Air pollution and air quality trends (lower is better) AQI CO NO 2 SO 2 Ozone PM 10 PM 2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 60.2. This is better than average. City: 60.2 U.S.: 74.2 Carbon Monoxide (CO) [ppm] level in 2018 was 0.179. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 15.9 miles away from the city center. City: 0.179 U.S.: 0.267 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2018 was 2.50. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 10.5 miles away from the city center. City: 2.50 U.S.: 5.56 Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2018 was 0.788. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 10.5 miles away from the city center. City: 0.788 U.S.: 1.789 Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 27.5. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 10.7 miles away from the city center. City: 27.5 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 15.9 miles away from the city center. City: 9.96 U.S.: 19.64 Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 5.26. This is significantly better than average. Closest monitor was 12.3 miles away from the city center. City: 5.26 U.S.: 8.46 Tornado activity: East Kingston-area historical tornado activity is slightly above New Hampshire state average. It is 48% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 6/9/1953, a category F3 (max. wind speeds 158-206 mph) tornado 3.1 miles away from the East Kingston town center injured 5 people and caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages. On 9/29/1974, a category F3 tornado 23.8 miles away from the town center injured one person and caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages. Earthquake activity: East Kingston-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above New Hampshire state average. It is 73% smaller than the overall U.S. average. 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 173.1 miles away from East Kingston center On 1/19/1982 at 00:14:42, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 MD, 4.5 LG, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 49.2 miles away from the city center On 10/16/2012 at 23:12:25, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 ML, Depth: 10.0 mi) earthquake occurred 49.1 miles away from East Kingston center On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML) earthquake occurred 181.6 miles away from East Kingston 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 172.9 miles away from East Kingston center On 8/22/1992 at 12:20:32, a magnitude 4.8 (4.8 MB, 3.8 MS, 4.7 LG, Depth: 6.2 mi) earthquake occurred 267.2 miles away from East Kingston 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 Rockingham County (26) is a lot greater than the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 17 Emergencies Declared: 9 Causes of natural disasters: Storms: 12, Floods: 9, Winter Storms: 5, Hurricanes: 4, Snowstorms: 4, Snows: 2, Winds: 2, Blizzard: 1, Snowfall: 1, Tornado: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers near East Kingston: RIVERWOODS AT EXETER (Nursing Home, about 3 miles away; EXETER, NH) ROCKINGHAM VNA AND HOSPICE (Home Health Center, about 5 miles away; EXETER, NH) EVENTIDE HOME INC (Nursing Home, about 5 miles away; EXETER, NH) EXETER HOSPITAL INC Acute Care Hospitals (about 6 miles away; EXETER, NH) Acute Care Hospitals EXETER HEALTHCARE (Nursing Home, about 6 miles away; EXETER, NH) FMC DIALYSIS SERVICES OF EXETER (Dialysis Facility, about 6 miles away; EXETER, NH) SEACOAST HOSPICE (Hospital, about 6 miles away; EXETER, NH) Amtrak stations near East Kingston: 5 miles: EXETER (60 LINCOLN ST.) . Services: ticket office. EXETER (60 LINCOLN ST.) . ticket office. 12 miles: HAVERHILL (WASHINGTON ST. @ RAILROAD SQUARE) . Services: ticket office. HAVERHILL (WASHINGTON ST. @ RAILROAD SQUARE) . ticket office. 15 miles: DURHAM (3 DEPOT RD.) . Services: ticket office. Operable nuclear power plant near East Kingston: 9 miles: Seabrook in Seabrook, NH. Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to East Kingston: Northern Essex Community College ( about 10 miles; Haverhill, MA ; Full-time enrollment: 4,737) 10 ; 4,737) University of New Hampshire-Main Campus ( about 15 miles; Durham, NH ; FT enrollment: 15,243) 15 ; 15,243) Merrimack College ( about 20 miles; North Andover, MA ; FT enrollment: 2,734) 20 ; 2,734) North Shore Community College ( about 24 miles; Danvers, MA ; FT enrollment: 5,195) 24 ; 5,195) Mount Washington College ( about 24 miles; Manchester, NH ; FT enrollment: 2,187) 24 ; 2,187) Southern New Hampshire University ( about 24 miles; Manchester, NH ; FT enrollment: 16,552) 24 ; 16,552) University of Massachusetts-Lowell (about 26 miles; Lowell, MA; FT enrollment: 12,341) Public elementary/middle school in East Kingston: EAST KINGSTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Students: 177, Location: 5 ANDREWS LN., Grades: KG-5) See full list of schools located in East Kingston Library in East Kingston: EAST KINGSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $81,010; Location: 47 MAPLEVALE ROAD; 21,940 books; 760 audio materials; 1,150 video materials; 22 state licensed databases; 30 print serial subscriptions) Rockingham County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Moderate Potential Drinking water stations with addresses in East Kingston and their reported violations in the past: BRANDYWINE (Population served: 72, Groundwater): Past health violations: MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In SEP-2013 , Contaminant: Coliform . Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (SEP-16-2013) , St Violation/Reminder Notice (SEP-16-2013) , St Public Notif received (NOV-08-2013) , St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) SEP-2013 Coliform St Public Notif requested (SEP-16-2013) St Violation/Reminder Notice (SEP-16-2013) St Public Notif received (NOV-08-2013) St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In JUN-2013 , Contaminant: Coliform . Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (JUN-25-2013) , St Violation/Reminder Notice (JUN-25-2013) , St Public Notif received (JUL-22-2013) , St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) JUN-2013 Coliform St Public Notif requested (JUN-25-2013) St Violation/Reminder Notice (JUN-25-2013) St Public Notif received (JUL-22-2013) St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In FEB-2013 , Contaminant: Coliform . Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (FEB-07-2013) , St Violation/Reminder Notice (FEB-07-2013) , St Public Notif received (MAR-05-2013) , St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) FEB-2013 Coliform St Public Notif requested (FEB-07-2013) St Violation/Reminder Notice (FEB-07-2013) St Public Notif received (MAR-05-2013) St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In JAN-2013 , Contaminant: Coliform . Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (JAN-22-2013) , St Violation/Reminder Notice (JAN-22-2013) , St Public Notif received (FEB-25-2013) , St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) JAN-2013 Coliform St Public Notif requested (JAN-22-2013) St Violation/Reminder Notice (JAN-22-2013) St Public Notif received (FEB-25-2013) St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In DEC-2012 , Contaminant: Coliform . Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (DEC-26-2012) , St Violation/Reminder Notice (DEC-26-2012) , St Public Notif received (JAN-17-2013) , St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) DEC-2012 Coliform St Public Notif requested (DEC-26-2012) St Violation/Reminder Notice (DEC-26-2012) St Public Notif received (JAN-17-2013) St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) MCL, Monthly (TCR) - In NOV-2012 , Contaminant: Coliform . Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (NOV-29-2012) , St Violation/Reminder Notice (NOV-29-2012) , St Formal NOV issued (DEC-20-2012) , St Public Notif received (JAN-17-2013) , St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) NOV-2012 Coliform St Public Notif requested (NOV-29-2012) St Violation/Reminder Notice (NOV-29-2012) St Formal NOV issued (DEC-20-2012) St Public Notif received (JAN-17-2013) St Compliance achieved (MAR-31-2014) 6 other older health violations Past monitoring violations: Failure To Address Deficiency - In NOV-01-2013, Contaminant: GROUNDWATER RULE. Follow-up actions: St Public Notif requested (DEC-06-2013), St Violation/Reminder Notice (DEC-06-2013), St Public Notif received (JAN-09-2014), St Compliance achieved (MAY-09-2014) BRANDYWINE (72Groundwater): Average household size: This town: 2.7 people New Hampshire: 2.5 people Percentage of family households: This town: 81.1% Whole state: 66.3% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This town: 6.4% Whole state: 8.3% Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 0.3% of all households 0.3% Gay men: 0.2% of all households Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009: This town: 4.4% Whole state: 6.5% Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009: This town: 3.1% Whole state: 2.8% For population 15 years and over in East Kingston: Never married: 15.5% 15.5% Now married: 70.7% 70.7% Separated: 0.6% 0.6% Widowed: 4.2% 4.2% Divorced: 8.9% For population 25 years and over in East Kingston: High school or higher: 91.3% 91.3% Bachelor's degree or higher: 32.3% 32.3% Graduate or professional degree: 10.5% 10.5% Unemployed: 1.9% 1.9% Mean travel time to work (commute): 31.6 minutes Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 10.0 New Hampshire average: 10.9 Religion statistics for East Kingston, NH (based on Rockingham County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 84,697 24 Mainline Protestant 19,072 78 Evangelical Protestant 7,456 61 Other 3,490 20 Orthodox 200 1 None 180,308 - 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: 47 Rockingham County : 1.59 / 10,000 pop. State : 2.14 / 10,000 pop. Number of supercenters and club stores: 5 Rockingham County : 0.17 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 0.15 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 55 This county : 1.86 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 1.78 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 98 This county : 3.31 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 4.02 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 283 This county : 9.56 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 9.70 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: Here : 7.6% New Hampshire : 7.6% Adult obesity rate: Rockingham County : 23.3% New Hampshire : 24.4% Low-income preschool obesity rate: Rockingham County : 16.8% New Hampshire : 15.9% 7.23% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($84,203 average adjusted gross income) Here: 7.23% New Hampshire average: 6.87% 0.04% of residents moved from foreign countries ($696 average AGI) Rockingham County: 0.04% New Hampshire average: 0.04% Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from Essex County, MA 1.37% ($74,166 average AGI) from Hillsborough County, NH 1.32% ($68,726) from Middlesex County, MA 0.75% ($85,602) 6.92% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($74,046 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.92% New Hampshire average: 6.70% 0.06% of residents moved to foreign countries ($512 average AGI) Rockingham County: 0.06% New Hampshire average: 0.06% Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to Hillsborough County, NH 1.37% ($54,619 average AGI) to Strafford County, NH 0.88% ($52,198) to Essex County, MA 0.74% ($57,814) Strongest AM radio stations in East Kingston: WGIP (1540 AM; 5 kW; EXETER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WRKO (680 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WDER (1320 AM; 10 kW; DERRY, NH; Owner: BLOUNT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. OF NH) BLOUNT COMMUNICATIONS, INC. OF NH) 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.) WWZN (1510 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ROSE CITY RADIO CORPORATION) ROSE CITY RADIO CORPORATION) WGIN (930 AM; 10 kW; ROCHESTER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WKOX (1200 AM; 50 kW; FRAMINGHAM, MA; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WBIX (1060 AM; 40 kW; NATICK, MA; Owner: LANGER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) LANGER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WCEC (1110 AM; daytime; 5 kW; SALEM, NH; Owner: COSTA-EAGLE RADIO VENTURES LTD PARTNERSHIP) COSTA-EAGLE RADIO VENTURES LTD PARTNERSHIP) WCRN (830 AM; 50 kW; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WGIR (610 AM; 5 kW; MANCHESTER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WTSN (1270 AM; 5 kW; DOVER, NH; Owner: GARRISON CITY BROADCASTING, INC.) Strongest FM radio stations in East Kingston: WNEF (91.7 FM; NEWBURYPORT, MA; Owner: UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS) UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS) WSAK (102.1 FM; HAMPTON, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WXRV (92.5 FM; HAVERHILL, MA; Owner: BEANPOT BROADCASTING CORP.) BEANPOT BROADCASTING CORP.) WERZ (107.1 FM; EXETER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WHEB (100.3 FM; PORTSMOUTH, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WGIR-FM (101.1 FM; MANCHESTER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WKLB-FM (99.5 FM; LOWELL, MA; Owner: GREATER BOSTON RADIO, INC.) GREATER BOSTON RADIO, INC.) WQLL (96.5 FM; BEDFORD, NH; Owner: SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) WLMW (90.7 FM; MANCHESTER, NH; Owner: KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE) KNOWLEDGE FOR LIFE) WZID (95.7 FM; MANCHESTER, NH; Owner: SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) SAGA COMMUNICATIONS OF NEW ENGLAND, LLC) W227AM (93.3 FM; ANDOVER, MA; Owner: GREATER BOSTON RADIO, INC.) GREATER BOSTON RADIO, INC.) WUBB (95.3 FM; YORK CENTER, ME; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WOKQ (97.5 FM; DOVER, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WSCY (106.9 FM; MOULTONBOROUGH, NH; Owner: NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) WFEX (92.1 FM; PETERBOROUGH, NH; Owner: FNX BROADCASTING OF NEW HAMPSHIRE LLC) FNX BROADCASTING OF NEW HAMPSHIRE LLC) WXKS-FM (107.9 FM; MEDFORD, MA; Owner: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) WMJX (106.7 FM; BOSTON, MA; Owner: GREATER BOSTON RADIO, INC.) GREATER BOSTON RADIO, INC.) WHOB (106.3 FM; NASHUA, NH; Owner: TELE-MEDIA COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, L.L.C.) TELE-MEDIA COMPANY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, L.L.C.) WQSX (93.7 FM; LAWRENCE, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WBMX (98.5 FM; BOSTON, MA; Owner: INFINITY RADIO OPERATIONS INC.) TV broadcast stations around East Kingston: WHDN-LP ( Channel 26; BOSTON, MA; Owner: GUENTER MARKSTEINER) 26; BOSTON, MA; GUENTER MARKSTEINER) WFXZ-CA ( Channel 24; BOSTON, MA; Owner: BOSTON BROADCASTING CORP.) 24; BOSTON, MA; BOSTON BROADCASTING CORP.) WMEA-TV ( Channel 26; BIDDEFORD, ME; Owner: MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORP.) 26; BIDDEFORD, ME; MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORP.) WENH-TV ( Channel 11; DURHAM, NH; Owner: UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE) 11; DURHAM, NH; UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE) WCVB-TV ( Channel 5; BOSTON, MA; Owner: WCVB HEARST-ARGYLE TV, INC.) 5; BOSTON, MA; WCVB HEARST-ARGYLE TV, INC.) WGBH-TV ( Channel 2; BOSTON, MA; Owner: WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION) 2; BOSTON, MA; WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION) WHDH-TV ( Channel 7; BOSTON, MA; Owner: WHDH-TV) 7; BOSTON, MA; WHDH-TV) WMFP ( Channel 62; LAWRENCE, MA; Owner: WSAH LICENSE, INC.) 62; LAWRENCE, MA; WSAH LICENSE, INC.) WSBK-TV ( Channel 38; BOSTON, MA; Owner: VIACOM INC.) 38; BOSTON, MA; VIACOM INC.) WBZ-TV ( Channel 4; BOSTON, MA; Owner: VIACOM INC.) 4; BOSTON, MA; VIACOM INC.) WGBX-TV ( Channel 44; BOSTON, MA; Owner: WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION) 44; BOSTON, MA; WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION) WLVI-TV ( Channel 56; CAMBRIDGE, MA; Owner: WLVI, INC.) 56; CAMBRIDGE, MA; WLVI, INC.) WUTF ( Channel 66; MARLBOROUGH, MA; Owner: TELEFUTURA BOSTON LLC) 66; MARLBOROUGH, MA; TELEFUTURA BOSTON LLC) WFXT ( Channel 25; BOSTON, MA; Owner: FOX TELEVISION STATIONS INC.) 25; BOSTON, MA; FOX TELEVISION STATIONS INC.) WBPX ( Channel 68; BOSTON, MA; Owner: PAXSON BOSTON-68 LICENSE, INC.) 68; BOSTON, MA; PAXSON BOSTON-68 LICENSE, INC.) WNDS (Channel 50; DERRY, NH; Owner: CTV OF DERRY, INC) East Kingston fatal accident list: Feb 8, 2013 11:31 AM, East Road, Lat: 42.919200, Lon: -70.979972, Vehicles: 1, Persons: 2, Fatalities: 1 Mar 22, 2009 03:28 PM, Sr-108s, Sr-107a N, Lat: 42.908967, Lon: -71.015742, Vehicles: 2, Persons: 5, Fatalities: 1 Dec 29, 2004 07:49 PM, Sr-108, Sr-107a, Vehicles: 1, Persons: 1, Fatalities: 1, Drunk persons involved: 1 Jun 6, 2003 05:48 PM, Sr-108, Vehicles: 2, Persons: 4, Fatalities: 1 Jun 20, 1997 08:50 PM, 108, Vehicles: 1, Persons: 1, Fatalities: 1, Drunk persons involved: 1 Jun 8, 1991 10:51 PM, Sr107a, Vehicles: 1, Persons: 1, Fatalities: 1, Drunk persons involved: 1 National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 3 Number of bridges Number of bridges 20ft / 5.7m Total length Total length $9,426,000 Total costs Total costs 4,830 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 193 Total average daily truck traffic Total average daily truck traffic 7,148 Total future (year 2038) average daily traffic FCC Registered Broadcast Land Mobile Towers: 2 Fire Station Rt 108 & 107 ( Lat: 42.922861 Lon: -71.008111), Call Sign: KRI737, Licensee ID: L00008549, Assigned Frequencies: 31.9000 MHz, Grant Date: 08/08/2001, Expiration Date: 09/18/2011, Cancellation Date: 11/19/2003, Registrant: The State Of New Hampshire, Department Of Resources And Economic Development, 172 Pembroke Road, Concord, NH 03302-1856, Phone: (603) 271-2217, Fax: (603) 271-6488, Email: 42.922861 -71.008111), KRI737, L00008549, 31.9000 MHz, 08/08/2001, 09/18/2011, 11/19/2003, The State Of New Hampshire, Department Of Resources And Economic Development, 172 Pembroke Road, Concord, NH 03302-1856, (603) 271-2217, (603) 271-6488, 5 Andrews Lane (Lat: 42.916167 Lon: -70.991306), Call Sign: WQPQ993, Assigned Frequencies: 159.652 MHz, 160.072 MHz, Grant Date: 07/24/2012, Expiration Date: 07/24/2022, Certifier: Jim Eaves, Registrant: National License, 12591 Brompton Road, Carmel, IN 46033, Phone: (317) 564-8018, Email: FCC Registered Amateur Radio Licenses: 15 ( FAA Registered Aircraft: 2 Aircraft: BOEING A75N1(PT17) ( Category: Land, Seats: 2, Weight: Up to 12,499 Pounds, Speed: 93 mph), Engine: LYCOMING R680 (215 HP) (Reciprocating) N-Number: 469RH, N469RH, N-469RH, Serial Number: 75-2252, Year manufactured: 1941, Airworthiness Date: 04/29/1976, Certificate Issue Date: 10/04/2016 Registrant (Individual): Thomas E Shaughnessy, 10 North Rd, East Kingston, NH 03827 BOEING A75N1(PT17) ( Land, 2, Up to 12,499 Pounds, 93 mph), LYCOMING R680 (215 HP) (Reciprocating) 469RH, N469RH, N-469RH, 75-2252, 1941, 04/29/1976, 10/04/2016 Thomas E Shaughnessy, 10 North Rd, East Kingston, NH 03827 Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-180 (Category: Land, Seats: 4, Weight: Up to 12,499 Pounds, Speed: 107 mph), Engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER (180 HP) (Reciprocating) N-Number: 5159S, N5159S, N-5159S, Serial Number: 28-7105013, Year manufactured: 1970, Airworthiness Date: 09/29/1970, Certificate Issue Date: 08/13/2020 Registrant (Co-Owned): Justin B Lyons, 52 Willow Rd, East Kingston, NH 03827, Other Owners: Douglas M Mbatia, Jared T Debernardo 15 ( See the full list of FCC Registered Amateur Radio Licenses in East Kingston 2003 - 2018 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) incidents According to the data from the years 2003 - 2018 the average number of fire incidents per year is 8. The highest number of reported fires - 24 took place in 2008, and the least - 0 in 2006. The data has a constant trend. Fire incident types reported to NFIRS in East Kingston, NH 58 45.0% Outside Fires 50 38.8% Structure Fires 11 8.5% Other 10 7.8% Mobile Property/Vehicle Fires When looking into fire subcategories, the most incidents belonged to: Outside Fires (45.0%), and Structure Fires (38.8%). See full National Fire Incident Reporting System statistics for East Kingston, NH Houses and condos Apartments 87.8% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 4.7% Wood 4.3% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 1.9% Electricity 1.2% Utility gas 69.8% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 13.2% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 9.4% Electricity 3.8% Utility gas 3.8% Wood East Kingston compared to New Hampshire state average: Unemployed percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Black race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Foreign-born population percentage below state average. below Renting percentage significantly below state average. significantly 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. 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 Hartford, Vermont 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: 9,952. Population change since 2000: -4.0% 9,952.-4.0% Males: 4,733 (47.6%) Females: 5,219 (52.4%) Median resident age: 43.3 years Vermont median age: 45.8 years Zip codes: 05001. Estimated median household income in 2019: $65,506 (it was $42,990 in 2000) Hartford: $65,506 VT: $63,001 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $38,139 (it was $22,792 in 2000) Hartford town income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $236,281 (it was $115,200 in 2000) Hartford: $236,281 VT: $233,200 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $306,901; detached houses: $323,335; townhouses or other attached units: $267,298; in 2-unit structures: $268,878; in 3-to-4-unit structures: $197,610; in 5-or-more-unit structures: $208,338; mobile homes: $146,934 $65,506 ($42,990$38,139 ($22,792$236,281 ($115,200$306,901;$323,335;$267,298;$268,878;$197,610;$208,338;$146,934 March 2019 cost of living index in Hartford: 99.3 (near average, U.S. average is 100) Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: 9,390 94.4% White alone 175 1.8% Asian alone 159 1.6% Two or more races 116 1.2% Hispanic 77 0.8% Black alone 28 0.3% American Indian alone 5 0.05% Other race alone 2 0.02% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone Races in Hartford detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of Vermont and other state lists, there were 5 registered sex offenders living in Hartford, Vermont as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Hartford is 1,990 to 1. The ratio of registered sex offenders to all residents in this city is much lower than the state average. Crime rates in Hartford by year Type 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Murders (per 100,000) 1 (9.2) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (20.1) 1 (10.2) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Rapes (per 100,000) 1 (9.2) 1 (9.3) 0 (0.0) 4 (37.2) 2 (20.1) 7 (70.4) 3 (30.6) 5 (51.1) 4 (40.8) 5 (51.3) 7 (72.7) 12 (125.4) 12 (124.3) Robberies (per 100,000) 2 (18.4) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 3 (30.1) 0 (0.0) 3 (30.6) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (20.5) 5 (51.9) 0 (0.0) 4 (41.4) Assaults (per 100,000) 7 (64.3) 13 (121.1) 5 (46.6) 7 (65.1) 7 (70.3) 11 (110.6) 11 (112.2) 8 (81.8) 4 (40.8) 13 (133.4) 10 (103.9) 13 (135.9) 22 (227.9) Burglaries (per 100,000) 25 (229.5) 51 (474.9) 42 (391.4) 28 (260.4) 59 (592.2) 47 (472.6) 37 (377.4) 26 (265.8) 17 (173.4) 23 (236.0) 21 (218.1) 25 (261.3) 30 (310.8) Thefts (per 100,000) 96 (881.4) 172 (1,602) 127 (1,184) 112 (1,042) 127 (1,275) 140 (1,408) 116 (1,183) 119 (1,217) 48 (489.7) 99 (1,016) 90 (934.8) 92 (961.6) 132 (1,367) Auto thefts (per 100,000) 6 (55.1) 14 (130.4) 6 (55.9) 4 (37.2) 10 (100.4) 7 (70.4) 7 (71.4) 3 (30.7) 4 (40.8) 4 (41.0) 7 (72.7) 10 (104.5) 6 (62.2) Arson (per 100,000) 2 (18.4) 1 (9.3) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 4 (40.2) 0 (0.0) 1 (10.2) 0 (0.0) 1 (10.3) 1 (10.4) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) City-Data.com crime index 99.8 139.4 88.5 105.6 139.6 213.7 156.0 127.0 75.8 134.3 153.0 192.6 238.9 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 Hartford detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson Full-time law enforcement employees in 2019, including police officers: 28 (19 officers). Officers per 1,000 residents here: 1.97 Vermont average: 2.19 Latest news from Hartford, VT collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations Ancestries: English (19.4%), Irish (16.0%), French (11.4%), German (8.6%), Italian (7.1%), United States (6.9%). Current Local Time: EST time zone Elevation: 420 feet Land area: 45.2 square miles. Population density: 220 people per square mile (very low). 280 residents are foreign born (1.0% North America, 0.9% Europe, 0.6% Asia). This town: 2.7% Vermont: 3.8% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000: Hartford town: 2.3% ($2,622) Vermont: 2.0% ($2,196) Latitude: 43.66 N, Longitude: 72.37 W Area code commonly used in this area: 802 Single-family new house construction building permits: 1997: 39 buildings , average cost: $125,400 39 $125,400 1998: 39 buildings , average cost: $146,100 39 $146,100 1999: 41 buildings , average cost: $165,100 41 $165,100 2000: 28 buildings , average cost: $149,900 28 $149,900 2001: 44 buildings , average cost: $143,300 44 $143,300 2002: 74 buildings , average cost: $116,100 74 $116,100 2003: 54 buildings , average cost: $178,100 54 $178,100 2004: 66 buildings , average cost: $197,300 66 $197,300 2005: 54 buildings , average cost: $214,700 54 $214,700 2006: 41 buildings , average cost: $157,800 41 $157,800 2007: 28 buildings , average cost: $256,500 28 $256,500 2008: 12 buildings , average cost: $396,800 12 $396,800 2009: 8 buildings , average cost: $201,000 8 $201,000 2010: 4 buildings , average cost: $193,700 4 $193,700 2011: 5 buildings , average cost: $185,400 5 $185,400 2012: 7 buildings , average cost: $241,200 7 $241,200 2013: 19 buildings , average cost: $283,700 19 $283,700 2014: 10 buildings , average cost: $232,300 10 $232,300 2015: 7 buildings , average cost: $188,600 7 $188,600 2016: 16 buildings , average cost: $286,800 16 $286,800 2017: 18 buildings , average cost: $215,800 18 $215,800 2018: 10 buildings , average cost: $245,400 10 $245,400 2019: 14 buildings, average cost: $282,200 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 2.4% Vermont: 2.8% Population change in the 1990s: +943 (+10.0%). +943 (+10.0%). Most common industries in Hartford, VT (%) Both Males Females Health care (17.1%) Educational services (13.1%) Accommodation & food services (6.1%) Professional, scientific, technical services (6.1%) Construction (4.9%) Public administration (3.6%) Food & beverage stores (3.4%) Educational services (9.4%) Construction (9.3%) Health care (8.6%) Accommodation & food services (7.3%) Professional, scientific, technical services (5.7%) Public administration (4.3%) Motor vehicle & parts dealers (3.9%) Health care (25.5%) Educational services (16.8%) Professional, scientific, technical services (6.4%) Accommodation & food services (5.0%) Food & beverage stores (3.9%) Social assistance (3.3%) Public administration (3.0%) Most common occupations in Hartford, VT (%) Both Males Females Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (5.3%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (4.5%) Registered nurses (4.1%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (3.7%) Retail sales workers, except cashiers (3.2%) Other office and administrative support workers, including supervisors (3.1%) Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (2.7%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (5.4%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (4.3%) Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (3.7%) Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair workers, including supervisors (3.7%) Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (3.6%) Metal workers and plastic workers (3.5%) Carpenters (3.4%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (7.4%) Registered nurses (7.2%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (5.2%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (4.8%) Other office and administrative support workers, including supervisors (4.7%) Preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school teachers (4.3%) Nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides (4.0%) Average climate in Hartford, Vermont Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations Air pollution and air quality trends (lower is better) AQI SO 2 Ozone PM 2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 57.3. This is better than average. City: 57.3 U.S.: 74.2 Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2001 was 4.62. This is significantly worse than average. Closest monitor was 20.9 miles away from the city center. City: 4.62 U.S.: 1.79 Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 24.6. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 2.9 miles away from the city center. City: 24.6 U.S.: 33.3 Particulate Matter (PM 2.5 ) [g/m3] level in 2018 was 6.34. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 4.0 miles away from the city center. City: 6.34 U.S.: 8.46 Tornado activity: Hartford-area historical tornado activity is slightly above Vermont state average. It is 67% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 8/20/1968, a category F3 (max. wind speeds 158-206 mph) tornado 44.6 miles away from the Hartford town center injured one person and caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages. On 7/9/1962, a category F2 (max. wind speeds 113-157 mph) tornado 21.0 miles away from the town center caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages. Earthquake activity: Hartford-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above Vermont state average. It is 70% smaller than the overall U.S. average. 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 88.2 miles away from Hartford center On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML) earthquake occurred 100.3 miles away from Hartford 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 87.8 miles away from the city center On 1/19/1982 at 00:14:42, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 MD, 4.5 LG, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 40.3 miles away from Hartford center On 10/16/2012 at 23:12:25, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 ML, Depth: 10.0 mi) earthquake occurred 86.0 miles away from the city center On 6/16/1995 at 12:13:11, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 48.6 miles away from the city 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 Windsor County (20) is greater than the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 16 Emergencies Declared: 2 Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 14, Storms: 13, Tropical Storms: 2, Heavy Rain: 1, Hurricane: 1, Ice Storm: 1, Landslide: 1, Snowstorm: 1, Wind: 1, Winter Storm: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers near Hartford: BROOKSIDE HEALTH AND REHABILITATION (Nursing Home, about 3 miles away; WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT) WHITE RIVER JCT VA MEDICAL CENTER (Hospital, Acute Care - Veterans Administration, about 3 miles away; WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT) VNA AND HOSPICE OF VERMONT AND NH (Hospital, about 4 miles away; WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT) HANOVER TERRACE HEALTHCARE (Nursing Home, about 7 miles away; HANOVER, NH) FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE OF LEBANON (Dialysis Facility, about 7 miles away; LEBANON, NH) KENDAL AT HANOVER (Nursing Home, about 7 miles away; HANOVER, NH) MT ASCUTNEY HOSPITAL Critical Access Hospitals (about 13 miles away; WINDSOR, VT) Amtrak stations near Hartford: 3 miles: WHITE RIVER JUNCTION (RAILROAD ROW) . Services: ticket office, fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. WHITE RIVER JUNCTION (RAILROAD ROW) . ticket office, fully wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection. 13 miles: WINDSOR-MOUNT ASCUTNEY (WINDSOR, DEPOT AVE.) . Services: public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, intercity bus service. Local government website: www.hartford-vt.org Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Hartford: Dartmouth College ( about 5 miles; Hanover, NH ; Full-time enrollment: 6,030) 5 ; 6,030) Plymouth State University ( about 35 miles; Plymouth, NH ; FT enrollment: 4,838) 35 ; 4,838) Norwich University ( about 36 miles; Northfield, VT ; FT enrollment: 4,221) 36 ; 4,221) Castleton State College ( about 41 miles; Castleton, VT ; FT enrollment: 2,079) 41 ; 2,079) Middlebury College ( about 47 miles; Middlebury, VT ; FT enrollment: 3,077) 47 ; 3,077) Keene State College ( about 52 miles; Keene, NH ; FT enrollment: 5,098) 52 ; 5,098) NHTI-Concord's Community College (about 53 miles; Concord, NH; FT enrollment: 2,865) Private high school in Hartford: POTTER S HOUSE SCHOOL (Students: 21, Location: 1615 MAPLE ST, Grades: UG-9) Library in Hartford: HARTFORD (Operating income: $82,632; Location: 1587 MAPLE ST.; 10,184 books; 543 audio materials; 579 video materials; 1 local licensed databases; 19 state licensed databases; 30 print serial subscriptions) Birthplace of: William Babcock Hazen - Union Army general. Windsor County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Moderate Potential Average household size: This town: 2.2 people Vermont: 2.3 people Percentage of family households: This town: 58.9% Whole state: 62.5% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This town: 8.0% Whole state: 9.2% Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 0.7% of all households 0.7% Gay men: 0.5% of all households Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009: This town: 8.5% Whole state: 9.4% Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009: This town: 4.3% Whole state: 3.6% 57 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities in 2010 20 people in emergency and transitional shelters (with sleeping facilities) for people experiencing homelessness in 2010 60 people in nursing homes in 2000 12 people in other noninstitutional group quarters in 2000 For population 15 years and over in Hartford: Never married: 24.2% 24.2% Now married: 54.9% 54.9% Separated: 0.9% 0.9% Widowed: 7.8% 7.8% Divorced: 12.2% For population 25 years and over in Hartford: High school or higher: 88.7% 88.7% Bachelor's degree or higher: 32.4% 32.4% Graduate or professional degree: 11.9% 11.9% Unemployed: 3.2% 3.2% Mean travel time to work (commute): 19.3 minutes Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 11.0 Vermont average: 11.7 Religion statistics for Hartford, VT (based on Windsor County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 6,485 10 Mainline Protestant 4,700 45 Other 1,964 17 Evangelical Protestant 1,750 21 Orthodox 55 1 None 41,716 - 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: 28 Windsor County : 4.93 / 10,000 pop. Vermont : 3.84 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 7 Windsor County : 1.23 / 10,000 pop. Vermont : 1.95 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 45 Here : 7.93 / 10,000 pop. Vermont : 6.40 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 85 This county : 14.97 / 10,000 pop. Vermont : 11.52 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: Here : 7.1% State : 6.8% Adult obesity rate: Windsor County : 22.8% State : 22.3% Low-income preschool obesity rate: This county : 9.7% Vermont : 13.3% 6.86% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($56,226 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.86% Vermont average: 5.96% 10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries between 2015 and 2016. Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from Grafton County, NH 1.00% ($55,796 average AGI) from Orange County, VT 0.52% ($35,195) from Rutland County, VT 0.41% ($42,971) 6.92% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($54,435 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.92% Vermont average: 6.30% 10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries between 2015 and 2016. Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to Grafton County, NH 0.80% ($72,721 average AGI) to Orange County, VT 0.59% ($33,513) to Sullivan County, NH 0.48% ($55,320) Strongest AM radio stations in Hartford: WNHV (910 AM; 1 kW; WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT) WTSL (1400 AM; 1 kW; HANOVER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WDCR (1340 AM; 1 kW; HANOVER, NH; Owner: TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE) TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE) WNTK (1020 AM; 10 kW; NEWPORT, NH; Owner: KOOR COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) KOOR COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) WRKO (680 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WNNZ (640 AM; 50 kW; WESTFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WCRN (830 AM; 50 kW; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WGY (810 AM; 50 kW; SCHENECTADY, NY; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WNBX (1480 AM; 5 kW; SPRINGFIELD, VT) WEEI (850 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WCHP (760 AM; 35 kW; CHAMPLAIN, NY; Owner: CHAMPLAIN RADIO, INC.) CHAMPLAIN RADIO, INC.) WSYB (1380 AM; 5 kW; RUTLAND, VT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WKOX (1200 AM; 50 kW; FRAMINGHAM, MA; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) Strongest FM radio stations in Hartford: WWOD (104.3 FM; HARTFORD, VT; Owner: FAMILY BROADCASTING, INC.) FAMILY BROADCASTING, INC.) W232AP (94.3 FM; WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WXXK (100.5 FM; LEBANON, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WMXR (93.9 FM; WOODSTOCK, VT; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WGXL (92.3 FM; HANOVER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WVPR (89.5 FM; WINDSOR, VT; Owner: VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO) VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO) WEVH (91.3 FM; HANOVER, NH; Owner: NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO INC) NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO INC) W294AB (106.7 FM; HANOVER, NH; Owner: GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) WFRD (99.3 FM; HANOVER, NH; Owner: TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE) TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE) WRJT (103.1 FM; ROYALTON, VT; Owner: LISBON COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) LISBON COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) WHDQ (106.1 FM; CLAREMONT, NH; Owner: GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) W272AU (102.3 FM; HANOVER, ETC., NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) W280CS (103.9 FM; HANOVER, ETC., NH; Owner: CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES, INC.) CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES, INC.) WSSH (95.3 FM; WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, VT; Owner: GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) WJJR (98.1 FM; RUTLAND, VT; Owner: 6 JOHNSON ROAD LICENSES, INC.) 6 JOHNSON ROAD LICENSES, INC.) WZRT (97.1 FM; RUTLAND, VT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WEBK (105.3 FM; KILLINGTON, VT; Owner: 6 JOHNSON ROAD LICENSES, INC.) 6 JOHNSON ROAD LICENSES, INC.) W261CB (100.1 FM; NORWICH(WEST LEBANON, VT; Owner: HARVEST TRANSLATORS, INC.) HARVEST TRANSLATORS, INC.) WGLV (91.7 FM; WOODSTOCK, VT; Owner: CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES INC) CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES INC) WHDQ-FM1 (106.1 FM; RUTLAND, VT; Owner: GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) TV broadcast stations around Hartford: W15BK ( Channel 15; HANOVER, NH; Owner: UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE) 15; HANOVER, NH; UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE) WVTA ( Channel 41; WINDSOR, VT; Owner: VERMONT ETV, INC.) 41; WINDSOR, VT; VERMONT ETV, INC.) WNNE ( Channel 31; HARTFORD, VT; Owner: HEARST-ARGYLE STATIONS, INC.) 31; HARTFORD, VT; HEARST-ARGYLE STATIONS, INC.) W17CI ( Channel 17; CLAREMONT, NH; Owner: UPPER VALLEY BROADCASTING, LLC) 17; CLAREMONT, NH; UPPER VALLEY BROADCASTING, LLC) W65AM (Channel 65; LEBANON, ETC., NH; Owner: HEARST-ARGYLE STATIONS, INC.) National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 52 Number of bridges Number of bridges 823ft / 251m Total length Total length $51,941,000 Total costs Total costs 476,694 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 54,651 Total average daily truck traffic New bridges - historical statistics 1 1910-1919 1 1920-1929 1 1950-1959 42 1960-1969 2 1980-1989 2 2000-2009 3 2010-2018 See full National Bridge Inventory statistics for Hartford, VT 2004 - 2018 National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) incidents According to the data from the years 2004 - 2018 the average number of fire incidents per year is 15. The highest number of reported fire incidents - 31 took place in 2017, and the least - 2 in 2011. The data has a rising trend. Fire incident types reported to NFIRS in Hartford, VT 121 53.8% Structure Fires 54 24.0% Outside Fires 30 13.3% Mobile Property/Vehicle Fires 20 8.9% Other When looking into fire subcategories, the most reports belonged to: Structure Fires (53.8%), and Outside Fires (24.0%). See full National Fire Incident Reporting System statistics for Hartford, VT Houses and condos Apartments 63.6% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 16.4% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 8.1% Electricity 5.7% Wood 4.7% Utility gas 1.4% Other fuel 0.2% Solar energy 56.8% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 20.3% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 14.5% Electricity 6.5% Utility gas 1.2% Wood 0.4% Other fuel 0.4% No fuel used Hartford compared to Vermont state average: Unemployed percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Black race population percentage below state average. below Hispanic race population percentage below state average. below Foreign-born population 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. Hartford on our top lists: #10 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: petroleum and petroleum products merchant wholesalers (population 5,000+)" #16 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: u. s. postal service (population 5,000+)" #19 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: health care (population 5,000+)" #24 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: other food preparation and serving workers including supervisors (population 5,000+)" #33 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: book stores and news dealers (population 5,000+)" #37 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: vending machine operators (population 5,000+)" #43 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: librarians, curators, and archivists (population 5,000+)" #44 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: paper and paper products merchant wholesalers (population 5,000+)" #45 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: health care (population 5,000+)" #47 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the lowest number of robberies per 100,000 residents (population 5,000+)" #48 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: special education teachers (population 5,000+)" #49 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: other transportation workers (population 5,000+)" #55 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in occupations: supervisors and other personal care and service workers except personal appearance, transportation, and child care workers (population 5,000+)" #57 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in occupations: registered nurses (population 5,000+)" #74 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: data processing, libraries, and other information services (population 5,000+)" #85 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: sewing, needlework, and piece goods stores (population 5,000+)" #93 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of females in industries: fuel dealers (population 5,000+)" #93 on the list of "Top 101 cities with largest percentage of males in industries: motor vehicle and parts dealers (population 5,000+)" #99 on the list of "Top 101 cities with the largest city-data.com crime index increase from 2002 to 2012 (population 5,000+)" #39 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents that keep firearms around their homes" #40 on the list of "Top 101 counties with highest percentage of residents voting for Obama (Democrat) in the 2012 Presidential Election (pop. 50,000+)" #47 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the highest percentage of residents that smoked 100+ cigarettes in their lives" #54 on the list of "Top 101 counties with the lowest surface withdrawal of fresh water for public supply (pop. 50,000+)" #61 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 Northumberland, New Hampshire 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: 2,288. Population change since 2000: -6.2% 2,288.-6.2% Males: 1,144 (50.0%) Females: 1,144 (50.0%) Median resident age: 44.3 years New Hampshire median age: 43.9 years Zip codes: 03582. Estimated median household income in 2019: $44,952 (it was $31,570 in 2000) Northumberland: $44,952 NH: $77,933 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $24,768 (it was $15,101 in 2000) Northumberland town income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $120,754 (it was $60,800 in 2000) Northumberland: $120,754 NH: $281,400 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $166,782; detached houses: $179,898; townhouses or other attached units: $333,284; in 2-unit structures: $154,670; in 3-to-4-unit structures: $193,469; in 5-or-more-unit structures: $291,182; mobile homes: $61,109 $44,952 ($31,570$24,768 ($15,101$120,754 ($60,800$166,782;$179,898;$333,284;$154,670;$193,469;$291,182;$61,109 March 2019 cost of living index in Northumberland: 101.1 (near average, U.S. average is 100) Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: 2,246 98.2% White alone 20 0.9% Two or more races 15 0.7% Hispanic 3 0.1% Asian alone 2 0.09% Black alone 2 0.09% American Indian alone Races in Northumberland detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of New Hampshire and other state lists, there were 8 registered sex offenders living in Northumberland, New Hampshire as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Northumberland is 286 to 1. Crime rates in Northumberland by year Type 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Murders (per 100,000) 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) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Rapes (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 1 (41.7) 1 (42.8) 1 (43.4) 3 (133.8) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 4 (181.0) 4 (180.5) 2 (91.6) 2 (93.2) 2 (94.3) 1 (47.3) 1 (47.4) Robberies (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (43.6) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (45.1) 1 (45.8) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Assaults (per 100,000) 3 (123.7) 0 (0.0) 3 (128.4) 5 (217.2) 1 (44.6) 4 (174.6) 2 (88.3) 5 (226.2) 7 (315.9) 2 (91.6) 1 (46.6) 1 (47.1) 2 (94.7) 3 (142.1) Burglaries (per 100,000) 7 (288.5) 7 (292.0) 7 (299.5) 12 (521.3) 19 (847.5) 14 (611.1) 12 (530.0) 12 (543.0) 15 (676.9) 9 (412.1) 4 (186.5) 3 (141.4) 1 (47.3) 2 (94.7) Thefts (per 100,000) 14 (577.1) 26 (1,085) 31 (1,326) 30 (1,303) 38 (1,695) 25 (1,091) 23 (1,016) 34 (1,538) 17 (767.1) 19 (870.0) 14 (652.7) 19 (895.4) 22 (1,042) 21 (994.8) Auto thefts (per 100,000) 3 (123.7) 1 (41.7) 2 (85.6) 5 (217.2) 1 (44.6) 1 (43.6) 1 (44.2) 1 (45.2) 0 (0.0) 1 (45.8) 1 (46.6) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (47.4) Arson (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 1 (41.7) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (44.6) 0 (0.0) 2 (88.3) 0 (0.0) 1 (45.1) 0 (0.0) 1 (46.6) 1 (47.1) 1 (47.3) 0 (0.0) City-Data.com crime index 77.9 100.5 140.8 184.2 246.7 137.9 98.9 293.2 299.2 172.6 126.8 130.5 101.8 116.5 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 Northumberland detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson Full-time law enforcement employees in 2018, including police officers: 1 (1 officers). Officers per 1,000 residents here: 0.47 New Hampshire average: 2.05 Latest news from Northumberland, NH collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations Ancestries: French (29.7%), United States (18.5%), English (17.2%), Irish (12.3%), French Canadian (4.9%), Scottish (4.2%). Current Local Time: EST time zone Elevation: 863 feet Land area: 36.2 square miles. Population density: 63 people per square mile (very low). 79 residents are foreign born (2.3% North America, 0.5% Europe, 0.4% Asia). This town: 3.2% New Hampshire: 4.4% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000: Northumberland town: 2.1% ($1,283) New Hampshire: 2.3% ($2,946) Latitude: 44.59 N, Longitude: 71.51 W Single-family new house construction building permits: 1997: 4 buildings , average cost: $91,700 4 $91,700 1998: 5 buildings , average cost: $91,700 5 $91,700 1999: 4 buildings , average cost: $109,200 4 $109,200 2000: 2 buildings , average cost: $118,000 2 $118,000 2002: 3 buildings , average cost: $130,700 3 $130,700 2004: 5 buildings , average cost: $142,400 5 $142,400 2005: 9 buildings , average cost: $233,300 9 $233,300 2006: 7 buildings , average cost: $216,700 7 $216,700 2007: 2 buildings , average cost: $150,500 2 $150,500 2008: 2 buildings , average cost: $246,200 2 $246,200 2010: 5 buildings , average cost: $132,000 5 $132,000 2011: 4 buildings , average cost: $168,200 4 $168,200 2012: 6 buildings , average cost: $144,700 6 $144,700 2013: 1 building , cost: $184,000 1 $184,000 2014: 2 buildings , average cost: $226,300 2 $226,300 2016: 4 buildings , average cost: $71,300 4 $71,300 2017: 2 buildings , average cost: $87,500 2 $87,500 2018: 4 buildings, average cost: $125,000 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 3.7% New Hampshire: 3.5% Most common industries in Northumberland, NH (%) Both Males Females Paper (19.3%) Health care (7.2%) Accommodation & food services (7.1%) Construction (6.3%) Educational services (6.3%) Food & beverage stores (4.8%) Truck transportation (4.1%) Paper (27.2%) Construction (9.9%) Truck transportation (6.4%) Motor vehicle & parts dealers (4.4%) Educational services (4.2%) Agriculture, forestry, fishing & hunting (4.1%) Wood products (4.1%) Health care (15.6%) Accommodation & food services (11.3%) Paper (9.2%) Educational services (8.8%) Food & beverage stores (7.6%) Social assistance (5.5%) Department & other general merchandise stores (4.7%) Most common occupations in Northumberland, NH (%) Both Males Females Other production occupations, including supervisors (11.0%) Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (6.5%) Laborers and material movers, hand (5.1%) Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (4.6%) Cashiers (4.0%) Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (4.0%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (3.6%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (15.5%) Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (11.1%) Laborers and material movers, hand (6.7%) Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair workers, including supervisors (6.0%) Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (5.2%) Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers (5.0%) Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (4.1%) Cashiers (8.2%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (8.2%) Registered nurses (6.2%) Other production occupations, including supervisors (5.3%) Other teachers, instructors, education, training, and library occupations (4.5%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (4.3%) Child care workers (4.1%) Average climate in Northumberland, New Hampshire Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations Air pollution and air quality trends (lower is better) AQI SO 2 Ozone Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 64.3. This is about average. City: 64.3 U.S.: 74.2 Sulfur Dioxide (SO 2 ) [ppb] level in 2002 was 1.47. This is better than average. Closest monitor was 0.3 miles away from the city center. City: 1.47 U.S.: 1.79 Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 37.1. This is about average. Closest monitor was 18.5 miles away from the city center. City: 37.1 U.S.: 33.3 Earthquake activity: Northumberland-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above New Hampshire state average. It is 74% smaller than the overall U.S. average. 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 107.7 miles away from Northumberland 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 108.8 miles away from the city center On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML) earthquake occurred 146.8 miles away from Northumberland center On 1/19/1982 at 00:14:42, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 MD, 4.5 LG, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 75.7 miles away from Northumberland center On 10/16/2012 at 23:12:25, a magnitude 4.7 (4.7 ML, Depth: 10.0 mi) earthquake occurred 81.0 miles away from the city center On 6/16/1995 at 12:13:11, a magnitude 3.8 (3.8 LG, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: II - III) earthquake occurred 29.0 miles away from Northumberland 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 Coos County (22) is greater than the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 11 Emergencies Declared: 9 Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 9, Storms: 9, Hurricanes: 3, Snows: 2, Winter Storms: 2, Blizzard: 1, Ice Storm: 1, Snowfall: 1, Snowstorm: 1, Tropical Storm: 1, Wind: 1, Other: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers near Northumberland: NORTHWOODS HOME HEALTH AND HOSPICE (Home Health Center, about 6 miles away; LANCASTER, NH) COUNTRY VILLAGE CENTER, GENESIS HEALTHCARE (Nursing Home, about 7 miles away; LANCASTER, NH) MCKERLEY HEALTH CARE CENTER (Nursing Home, about 8 miles away; LANCASTER, NH) FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE OF LANCASTER (Dialysis Facility, about 8 miles away; LANCASTER, NH) WEEKS MEDICAL CENTER Critical Access Hospitals (about 8 miles away; LANCASTER, NH) Critical Access Hospitals MORRISON NURSING HOME (Nursing Home, about 16 miles away; WHITEFIELD, NH) Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Northumberland: Plymouth State University ( about 59 miles; Plymouth, NH ; Full-time enrollment: 4,838) 59 ; 4,838) Norwich University ( about 65 miles; Northfield, VT ; FT enrollment: 4,221) 65 ; 4,221) University of Maine at Farmington ( about 68 miles; Farmington, ME ; FT enrollment: 2,036) 68 ; 2,036) Dartmouth College ( about 73 miles; Hanover, NH ; FT enrollment: 6,030) 73 ; 6,030) Saint Joseph's College of Maine ( about 74 miles; Standish, ME ; FT enrollment: 2,010) 74 ; 2,010) Saint Michael's College ( about 82 miles; Colchester, VT ; FT enrollment: 2,336) 82 ; 2,336) Community College of Vermont (about 83 miles; Winooski, VT; FT enrollment: 3,394) Coos County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Moderate Potential Average household size: This town: 2.3 people New Hampshire: 2.5 people Percentage of family households: This town: 65.4% Whole state: 66.3% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This town: 8.9% Whole state: 8.3% Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 0.2% of all households 0.2% Gay men: 0.0% of all households Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009: This town: 11.4% Whole state: 6.5% Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009: This town: 4.2% Whole state: 2.8% 3 people in group homes intended for adults in 2010 Banks with branches in Northumberland (2011 data): Passumpsic Savings Bank: Groveton Branch at 40 State Street, branch established on 1985/09/30. Info updated 2008/07/16: Bank assets: $571.1 mil, Deposits: $460.4 mil, headquarters in St. Johnsbury, VT, negative income in the last year, Commercial Lending Specialization, 13 total offices, Holding Company: Passumpsic Bancorp For population 15 years and over in Northumberland: Never married: 22.6% 22.6% Now married: 52.0% 52.0% Separated: 1.7% 1.7% Widowed: 9.8% 9.8% Divorced: 13.9% For population 25 years and over in Northumberland: High school or higher: 73.0% 73.0% Bachelor's degree or higher: 4.0% 4.0% Graduate or professional degree: 1.3% 1.3% Unemployed: 5.2% 5.2% Mean travel time to work (commute): 18.9 minutes Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 8.3 New Hampshire average: 10.9 Religion statistics for Northumberland, NH (based on Coos County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 12,710 5 Mainline Protestant 2,105 23 Evangelical Protestant 966 14 Other 323 7 Orthodox 26 1 None 16,925 - 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: 14 Coos County : 4.33 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 2.14 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 3 Here : 0.93 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 1.78 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 30 This county : 9.28 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 4.02 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 41 This county : 12.68 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 9.70 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: Coos County : 9.7% State : 7.6% Adult obesity rate: Coos County : 26.9% New Hampshire : 24.4% Low-income preschool obesity rate: This county : 9.7% State : 15.9% 5.70% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($47,826 average adjusted gross income) Here: 5.70% New Hampshire average: 6.87% 10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries between 2015 and 2016. Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from Grafton County, NH 0.79% ($53,202 average AGI) from Hillsborough County, NH 0.46% ($41,017) from Carroll County, NH 0.33% ($33,333) 5.86% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($52,604 average adjusted gross income) Here: 5.86% New Hampshire average: 6.70% 10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries between 2015 and 2016. Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to Grafton County, NH 1.08% ($35,684 average AGI) to Merrimack County, NH 0.32% ($45,500) to Hillsborough County, NH 0.31% ($25,897) Strongest AM radio stations in Northumberland: WTME (780 AM; 10 kW; RUMFORD, ME; Owner: MOUNTAIN VALLEY BROADCASTING, INC.) MOUNTAIN VALLEY BROADCASTING, INC.) WCHP (760 AM; 35 kW; CHAMPLAIN, NY; Owner: CHAMPLAIN RADIO, INC.) CHAMPLAIN RADIO, INC.) WRKO (680 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WTWN (1100 AM; daytime; 5 kW; WELLS RIVER, VT; Owner: PUFFER BROADCASTING, INC.) PUFFER BROADCASTING, INC.) WNNZ (640 AM; 50 kW; WESTFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WEEI (850 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WMOU (1230 AM; 1 kW; BERLIN, NH; Owner: JERICHO BROADCASTING COMPANY, L.L.C.) JERICHO BROADCASTING COMPANY, L.L.C.) WCRN (830 AM; 50 kW; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WDEV (550 AM; 5 kW; WATERBURY, VT; Owner: RADIO VERMONT, INC.) RADIO VERMONT, INC.) WGY (810 AM; 50 kW; SCHENECTADY, NY; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WICY (1490 AM; 50 kW; MALONE, NY; Owner: CARTIER COMMUNICATIONS INC.) CARTIER COMMUNICATIONS INC.) WBZ (1030 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WMTW (870 AM; 10 kW; GORHAM, ME; Owner: RADIO PARTNERS OF MAINE, L.P.) Strongest FM radio stations in Northumberland: WPKQ (103.7 FM; NORTH CONWAY, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WHOM (94.9 FM; MT. WASHINGTON, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WGMT (97.7 FM; LYNDON, VT; Owner: VERMONT BROADCAST ASSOCIATES, INC.) VERMONT BROADCAST ASSOCIATES, INC.) WXXS (102.3 FM; LANCASTER, NH; Owner: BARRY P. LUNDERVILLE) BARRY P. LUNDERVILLE) WMTK (106.3 FM; LITTLETON, NH; Owner: VERMONT BROADCAST ASSOCIATES, INC.) VERMONT BROADCAST ASSOCIATES, INC.) WVFM (105.7 FM; CAMPTON, NH; Owner: DEVON BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.) DEVON BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.) WLKC (103.3 FM; WATERBURY, VT; Owner: RADIO BROADCASTING SERVICES, INC.) RADIO BROADCASTING SERVICES, INC.) WVPS (107.9 FM; BURLINGTON, VT; Owner: VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO) VERMONT PUBLIC RADIO) WEZF (92.9 FM; BURLINGTON, VT; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WCVT (101.7 FM; STOWE, VT; Owner: RADIO VERMONT CLASSICS, L.L.C.) RADIO VERMONT CLASSICS, L.L.C.) WCKJ (90.5 FM; ST. JOHNSBURY, VT; Owner: CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES, INC.) CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES, INC.) WLOB-FM (96.3 FM; RUMFORD, ME; Owner: ATLANTIC COAST RADIO, LLC) ATLANTIC COAST RADIO, LLC) WSCY (106.9 FM; MOULTONBOROUGH, NH; Owner: NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) WKXH (105.5 FM; ST. JOHNSBURY, VT; Owner: VERMONT BROADCAST ASSOCIATES, INC.) VERMONT BROADCAST ASSOCIATES, INC.) WDOT (95.7 FM; DANVILLE, VT; Owner: MONTPELIER BROADCASTING INC) MONTPELIER BROADCASTING INC) WTOS-FM (105.1 FM; SKOWHEGAN, ME; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WTBM (100.7 FM; MEXICO, ME; Owner: MOUNTAIN VALLEY BROADCASTING, INC.) MOUNTAIN VALLEY BROADCASTING, INC.) WLTN-FM (96.7 FM; LISBON, NH; Owner: PROFILE BROADCASTING CO., INC.) PROFILE BROADCASTING CO., INC.) W243AE (96.5 FM; ORLEANS, VT; Owner: CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES, INC.) TV broadcast stations around Northumberland: WLED-TV (Channel 49; LITTLETON, NH; Owner: UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE) Northumberland fatal accident statistics for 1975 - 2019 See more detailed statistics of Northumberland fatal car crashes and road traffic accidents for 1975 - 2019 here National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 5 Number of bridges Number of bridges 69ft / 20.8m Total length Total length $15,710,000 Total costs Total costs 11,309 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 714 Total average daily truck traffic Total average daily truck traffic 16,735 Total future (year 2038) average daily traffic FCC Registered Broadcast Land Mobile Towers: 2 Fire Station Church St ( Lat: 44.597556 Lon: -71.512861), Call Sign: KNAF221, Assigned Frequencies: 154.445 MHz, Grant Date: 03/22/2011, Expiration Date: 01/02/2021, Cancellation Date: 03/06/2021, Registrant: Business Radio Licensing, 30251 Golden Lantern, Suite E #501, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677, Phone: (949) 348-8510, Fax: (949) 348-8514, Email: 44.597556 -71.512861), KNAF221, 154.445 MHz, 03/22/2011, 01/02/2021, 03/06/2021, Business Radio Licensing, 30251 Golden Lantern, Suite E #501, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677, (949) 348-8510, (949) 348-8514, Northumberland Police Dept State St (Lat: 44.597278 Lon: -71.513972), Call Sign: KTZ230, Assigned Frequencies: 155.910 MHz, Grant Date: 05/03/2012, Expiration Date: 07/09/2022, Registrant: Nh Dept. Of Safety/Emergency Services And Communications, 33 Hazen Dr (Mailing), Concord, NH 03305, Phone: (603) 528-7541, Fax: (603) 271-6629, Email: FCC Registered Microwave Towers: 1 Northumberland, 385 Morse Mtn Summit (Lat: 44.625056 Lon: -71.523972), Type: Ltower, Structure height: 59.4 m, Overall height: 61 m, Call Sign: WQVC574, Assigned Frequencies: 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, 10775.0 MHz, Grant Date: 12/30/2014, Expiration Date: 12/30/2024, Cancellation Date: 07/24/2020, Certifier: Jessica B Lyons, Registrant: At&t Services, Inc., 208 S. Akard Street, Room 2100, Dallas, TX 75202, Phone: (855) 699-7073, Email: FCC Registered Maritime Coast & Aviation Ground Towers: 1 Morse (Lat: 44.625056 Lon: -71.524083), Type: Ltower, Structure height: 54.9 m, Overall height: 59.4 m, Call Sign: WQUU890, Assigned Frequencies: 217.000 MHz, 219.000 MHz, Grant Date: 02/20/2015, Expiration Date: 10/19/2015, Cancellation Date: 08/17/2015, Certifier: James Ahrens, Registrant: Keller And Heckman LLP, 1001 G Street Nw, Suite 500 West, Washington, DC 20001, Phone: (202) 434-4100, Fax: (202) 434-4646, Email: Houses and condos Apartments 90.9% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 6.3% Wood 2.5% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 0.3% Electricity 95.0% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 3.3% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 0.8% Coal or coke 0.8% Wood Northumberland compared to New Hampshire state average: Median household income below state average. below Median house value significantly below state average. significantly below Unemployed percentage below state average. below Black race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Foreign-born population 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. significantly below Number of college students below state average. below Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher significantly below state average. 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 Ossipee, New Hampshire 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: 4,345. Population change since 2000: +3.2% 4,345.+3.2% Males: 2,178 (50.1%) Females: 2,167 (49.9%) Median resident age: 47.4 years New Hampshire median age: 43.9 years Zip codes: 03814. Estimated median household income in 2019: $55,645 (it was $34,709 in 2000) Ossipee: $55,645 NH: $77,933 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $31,885 (it was $18,092 in 2000) Ossipee town income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $191,929 (it was $86,600 in 2000) Ossipee: $191,929 NH: $281,400 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $353,918; detached houses: $379,039; townhouses or other attached units: $417,310; in 2-unit structures: $399,549; in 3-to-4-unit structures: $335,357; in 5-or-more-unit structures: $152,567; mobile homes: $83,212 $55,645 ($34,709$31,885 ($18,092$191,929 ($86,600$353,918;$379,039;$417,310;$399,549;$335,357;$152,567;$83,212 March 2019 cost of living index in Ossipee: 103.5 (near average, U.S. average is 100) Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: 4,188 96.4% White alone 59 1.4% Two or more races 45 1.0% Hispanic 25 0.6% Asian alone 15 0.3% American Indian alone 10 0.2% Black alone 3 0.07% Other race alone Races in Ossipee detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of New Hampshire and other state lists, there were 12 registered sex offenders living in Ossipee, New Hampshire as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Ossipee is 362 to 1. Crime rates in Ossipee by year Type 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Murders (per 100,000) 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) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) Rapes (per 100,000) 1 (21.5) 1 (21.2) 1 (21.2) 1 (21.1) 0 (0.0) 2 (46.0) 1 (23.1) 0 (0.0) 1 (23.5) 3 (70.6) 1 (23.6) 4 (94.2) 2 (46.1) 3 (68.2) Robberies (per 100,000) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 1 (21.2) 1 (21.1) 1 (21.2) 0 (0.0) 2 (46.1) 0 (0.0) 3 (70.5) 0 (0.0) 2 (47.3) 1 (23.6) 0 (0.0) 1 (22.7) Assaults (per 100,000) 4 (85.9) 3 (63.5) 7 (148.1) 4 (84.5) 4 (85.0) 13 (298.8) 4 (92.2) 13 (302.6) 11 (258.5) 7 (164.8) 7 (165.5) 5 (117.8) 6 (138.4) 1 (22.7) Burglaries (per 100,000) 23 (494.1) 36 (762.2) 23 (486.6) 41 (866.3) 15 (318.7) 26 (597.6) 5 (115.3) 5 (116.4) 6 (141.0) 13 (306.1) 29 (685.7) 15 (353.3) 11 (253.7) 4 (90.9) Thefts (per 100,000) 94 (2,019) 60 (1,270) 106 (2,242) 69 (1,458) 84 (1,785) 126 (2,896) 91 (2,098) 98 (2,281) 78 (1,833) 53 (1,248) 52 (1,230) 50 (1,178) 46 (1,061) 27 (613.5) Auto thefts (per 100,000) 8 (171.9) 5 (105.9) 12 (253.9) 5 (105.6) 9 (191.2) 6 (137.9) 9 (207.5) 3 (69.8) 3 (70.5) 9 (211.9) 3 (70.9) 7 (164.9) 2 (46.1) 4 (90.9) Arson (per 100,000) 1 (21.5) 2 (42.3) 1 (21.2) 1 (21.1) 1 (21.2) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (47.0) 1 (23.5) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 0 (0.0) 2 (45.4) City-Data.com crime index 163.5 142.3 197.0 167.5 132.4 265.2 159.3 165.5 180.5 177.8 169.1 191.0 128.5 104.1 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 Ossipee detailed stats: murders, rapes, robberies, assaults, burglaries, thefts, arson Full-time law enforcement employees in 2019, including police officers: 10 (9 officers). Officers per 1,000 residents here: 2.04 New Hampshire average: 2.05 Latest news from Ossipee, NH collected exclusively by city-data.com from local newspapers, TV, and radio stations Ancestries: English (21.4%), Irish (19.8%), United States (13.2%), French (11.4%), German (7.2%), French Canadian (6.8%). Current Local Time: EST time zone Elevation: 581 feet Land area: 71.1 square miles. Population density: 61 people per square mile (very low). 46 residents are foreign born This town: 1.1% New Hampshire: 4.4% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units in 2000: Ossipee town: 2.1% ($1,825) New Hampshire: 2.3% ($2,946) Latitude: 43.74 N, Longitude: 71.14 W Area code commonly used in this area: 603 Single-family new house construction building permits: 1997: 16 buildings , average cost: $91,700 16 $91,700 1998: 22 buildings , average cost: $64,500 22 $64,500 1999: 23 buildings , average cost: $109,200 23 $109,200 2000: 18 buildings , average cost: $77,700 18 $77,700 2001: 42 buildings , average cost: $121,400 42 $121,400 2002: 59 buildings , average cost: $130,700 59 $130,700 2003: 51 buildings , average cost: $130,000 51 $130,000 2004: 83 buildings , average cost: $133,300 83 $133,300 2005: 48 buildings , average cost: $151,500 48 $151,500 2006: 28 buildings , average cost: $133,900 28 $133,900 2007: 34 buildings , average cost: $176,500 34 $176,500 2008: 12 buildings , average cost: $169,200 12 $169,200 2009: 9 buildings , average cost: $170,600 9 $170,600 2010: 15 buildings , average cost: $178,200 15 $178,200 2011: 6 buildings , average cost: $155,800 6 $155,800 2012: 9 buildings , average cost: $176,700 9 $176,700 2013: 11 buildings , average cost: $81,400 11 $81,400 2014: 18 buildings , average cost: $158,300 18 $158,300 2015: 18 buildings , average cost: $226,800 18 $226,800 2016: 24 buildings , average cost: $247,900 24 $247,900 2017: 16 buildings , average cost: $300,000 16 $300,000 2018: 11 buildings , average cost: $249,800 11 $249,800 2019: 19 buildings, average cost: $282,200 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 4.9% New Hampshire: 3.5% Most common industries in Ossipee, NH (%) Both Males Females Construction (12.4%) Accommodation & food services (8.9%) Health care (8.8%) Educational services (6.5%) Social assistance (5.2%) Public administration (4.9%) Food & beverage stores (4.8%) Construction (22.3%) Public administration (5.4%) Accommodation & food services (5.1%) Administrative & support & waste management services (4.2%) Food & beverage stores (4.1%) Machinery (4.1%) Repair & maintenance (4.0%) Health care (15.9%) Accommodation & food services (13.0%) Educational services (9.9%) Social assistance (8.8%) Department & other general merchandise stores (6.2%) Food & beverage stores (5.6%) Finance & insurance (4.6%) Most common occupations in Ossipee, NH (%) Both Males Females Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (5.9%) Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (5.1%) Retail sales workers, except cashiers (4.0%) Information and record clerks, except customer service representatives (3.7%) Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (3.6%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (3.5%) Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair workers, including supervisors (3.4%) Other sales and related occupations, including supervisors (9.0%) Material recording, scheduling, dispatching, and distributing workers (6.6%) Carpenters (6.5%) Electrical equipment mechanics and other installation, maintenance, and repair workers, including supervisors (6.5%) Driver/sales workers and truck drivers (4.2%) Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (4.2%) Other management occupations, except farmers and farm managers (4.0%) Information and record clerks, except customer service representatives (6.2%) Retail sales workers, except cashiers (5.9%) Cooks and food preparation workers (5.8%) Secretaries and administrative assistants (5.0%) Cashiers (4.9%) Waiters and waitresses (4.9%) Registered nurses (4.9%) Average climate in Ossipee, New Hampshire Based on data reported by over 4,000 weather stations Air pollution and air quality trends (lower is better) AQI Ozone PM 2.5 Air Quality Index (AQI) level in 2018 was 58.7. This is better than average. City: 58.7 U.S.: 74.2 Ozone [ppb] level in 2018 was 31.6. This is about average. Closest monitor was 16.3 miles away from the city center. City: 31.6 U.S.: 33.3 Tornado activity: Ossipee-area historical tornado activity is below New Hampshire state average. It is 69% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 7/18/1963, a category F2 (max. wind speeds 113-157 mph) tornado 10.5 miles away from the Ossipee town center caused between $5000 and $50,000 in damages. On 6/22/1981, a category F2 tornado 21.8 miles away from the town center caused between $500,000 and $5,000,000 in damages. Earthquake activity: Ossipee-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above New Hampshire state average. It is 72% smaller than the overall U.S. average. 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 137.8 miles away from the city center 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 26.1 miles away from the city center On 1/19/1982 at 00:14:42, a magnitude 4.7 (4.5 MB, 4.7 MD, 4.5 LG) earthquake occurred 28.7 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 138.1 miles away from Ossipee center On 10/7/1983 at 10:18:46, a magnitude 5.3 (5.1 MB, 5.3 LG, 5.1 ML) earthquake occurred 160.5 miles away from Ossipee 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 32.2 miles away from the city 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 Carroll County (29) is a lot greater than the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 17 Emergencies Declared: 9 Causes of natural disasters: Storms: 12, Floods: 11, Winter Storms: 5, Hurricanes: 4, Snows: 4, Snowstorms: 2, Blizzard: 1, Heavy Rain: 1, Ice Storm: 1, Snowfall: 1, Tornado: 1, Tropical Storm: 1, Wind: 1, Other: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers in Ossipee: MOUNTAIN VIEW NURSING HOME (93 WATER VILLAGE ROAD) Other hospitals and medical centers near Ossipee: HUGGINS HOSPITAL Critical Access Hospitals (about 12 miles away; WOLFEBORO, NH) Critical Access Hospitals VNA HOSPICE OF S CARROLL CO AND VICINITY (Hospital, about 12 miles away; WOLFEBORO, NH) WOLFEBORO BAY CARE AND REHABILITATION CENTER (Nursing Home, about 13 miles away; WOLFEBORO, NH) MOULTONBORO VNS (Home Health Center, about 14 miles away; MOULTONBOROUGH, NH) Local government website: communities.msn.com/AllAboutOssipeeNewHampshireUSA Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Ossipee: Plymouth State University ( about 28 miles; Plymouth, NH ; Full-time enrollment: 4,838) 28 ; 4,838) Saint Joseph's College of Maine ( about 34 miles; Standish, ME ; FT enrollment: 2,010) 34 ; 2,010) NHTI-Concord's Community College ( about 42 miles; Concord, NH ; FT enrollment: 2,865) 42 ; 2,865) University of New England ( about 43 miles; Biddeford, ME ; FT enrollment: 4,539) 43 ; 4,539) University of Southern Maine ( about 44 miles; Portland, ME ; FT enrollment: 6,647) 44 ; 6,647) University of New Hampshire-Main Campus ( about 44 miles; Durham, NH ; FT enrollment: 15,243) 44 ; 15,243) Southern Maine Community College (about 46 miles; South Portland, ME; FT enrollment: 4,666) Private elementary/middle school in Ossipee: CORNERSTONE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 85, Location: 129 ROUTE 28, Grades: PK-7) See full list of schools located in Ossipee Birthplace of: Fred H. Brown - Lawyer, Chester Earl Merrow - Politician. Carroll 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 Ossipee and their reported violations in the past: CARROLL COUNTY COMPLEX (Population served: 210, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: 24 regular monitoring violations SUNNY VILLA RESTAURANT (Population served: 100, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: 3 routine major monitoring violations CARROLL COUNTY COMPLEX (210Groundwater):SUNNY VILLA RESTAURANT (100Groundwater): Average household size: This town: 2.3 people New Hampshire: 2.5 people Percentage of family households: This town: 63.8% Whole state: 66.3% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This town: 9.5% Whole state: 8.3% Likely homosexual households (counted as self-reported same-sex unmarried-partner households) Lesbian couples: 0.3% of all households 0.3% Gay men: 0.4% of all households Residents with income below the poverty level in 2009: This town: 10.0% Whole state: 6.5% Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 2009: This town: 4.4% Whole state: 2.8% People in group quarters in Ossipee in 2010: 103 people in nursing facilities/skilled-nursing facilities 55 people in local jails and other municipal confinement facilities 19 people in group homes intended for adults People in group quarters in Ossipee in 2000: 115 people in nursing homes 23 people in local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups) 9 people in other noninstitutional group quarters Banks with branches in Ossipee (2011 data): RBS Citizens, National Association: Ossipee Branch at 930 Route 16 , branch established on 1982/03/15 . Info updated 2007/09/19: Bank assets: $106,940.6 mil , Deposits: $75,690.2 mil , headquarters in Providence, RI , positive income , 1135 total offices , Holding Company: Uk Financial Investments Limited 930 Route 16 1982/03/15 2007/09/19: $106,940.6 mil $75,690.2 mil Providence, RI 1135 Uk Financial Investments Limited Northway Bank: West Ossipee Branch at Routes 16 And 25 , branch established on 1982/02/08 . Info updated 2006/04/17: Bank assets: $814.2 mil , Deposits: $619.0 mil , headquarters in Berlin, NH , positive income , Commercial Lending Specialization , 17 total offices , Holding Company: Northway Financial, Inc. Routes 16 And 25 1982/02/08 2006/04/17: $814.2 mil $619.0 mil Berlin, NH , Commercial Lending Specialization 17 Northway Financial, Inc. Laconia Savings Bank: Ossipee Branch at Route 16, branch established on 1966/06/06. Info updated 2009/02/12: Bank assets: $1,107.3 mil, Deposits: $876.1 mil, headquarters in Laconia, NH, positive income, Commercial Lending Specialization, 23 total offices, Holding Company: Lsb Financial For population 15 years and over in Ossipee: Never married: 21.1% 21.1% Now married: 57.0% 57.0% Separated: 1.6% 1.6% Widowed: 8.8% 8.8% Divorced: 11.5% For population 25 years and over in Ossipee: High school or higher: 81.9% 81.9% Bachelor's degree or higher: 16.1% 16.1% Graduate or professional degree: 5.8% 5.8% Unemployed: 6.2% 6.2% Mean travel time to work (commute): 25.8 minutes Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 10.2 New Hampshire average: 10.9 Religion statistics for Ossipee, NH (based on Carroll County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 4,304 2 Mainline Protestant 4,266 30 Evangelical Protestant 1,241 14 Other 366 5 None 37,641 - 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: 20 Here : 4.23 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 2.14 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 12 Carroll County : 2.54 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 1.78 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 40 Carroll County : 8.47 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 4.02 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 114 Here : 24.13 / 10,000 pop. New Hampshire : 9.70 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: This county : 8.8% State : 7.6% Adult obesity rate: Here : 21.2% New Hampshire : 24.4% Low-income preschool obesity rate: Carroll County : 16.9% State : 15.9% 6.65% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($75,215 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.65% New Hampshire average: 6.87% 0.09% of residents moved from foreign countries ($486 average AGI) Carroll County: 0.09% New Hampshire average: 0.04% Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from Strafford County, NH 0.71% ($48,471 average AGI) from Belknap County, NH 0.53% ($41,867) from Rockingham County, NH 0.46% ($72,404) 6.48% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($70,102 average adjusted gross income) Here: 6.48% New Hampshire average: 6.70% 10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries between 2015 and 2016. Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to Strafford County, NH 0.75% ($37,119 average AGI) to Belknap County, NH 0.46% ($58,343) to Rockingham County, NH 0.36% ($65,532) Businesses in Ossipee, NH Name Count Name Count Circle K 1 Lane Furniture 1 Dunkin Donuts 1 Rite Aid 1 GNC 1 U-Haul 1 Strongest AM radio stations in Ossipee: WASR (1420 AM; 5 kW; WOLFEBORO, NH; Owner: RADIO WOLFEBORO, INC.) RADIO WOLFEBORO, INC.) WMTW (870 AM; 10 kW; GORHAM, ME; Owner: RADIO PARTNERS OF MAINE, L.P.) RADIO PARTNERS OF MAINE, L.P.) WGIN (930 AM; 10 kW; ROCHESTER, NH; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WRKO (680 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) ENTERCOM BOSTON LICENSE, LLC) WEZS (1350 AM; 5 kW; LACONIA, NH; Owner: GARY W. HAMMOND) GARY W. HAMMOND) WEEI (850 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) WPNH (1300 AM; 5 kW; PLYMOUTH, NH; Owner: NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) WCRN (830 AM; 50 kW; WORCESTER, MA; Owner: CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) CARTER BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WBZ (1030 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WKOX (1200 AM; 50 kW; FRAMINGHAM, MA; Owner: CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) CAPSTAR TX LIMITED PARTNERSHIP) WNNZ (640 AM; 50 kW; WESTFIELD, MA; Owner: CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) CLEAR CHANNEL BROADCASTING LICENSES, INC.) WWZN (1510 AM; 50 kW; BOSTON, MA; Owner: ROSE CITY RADIO CORPORATION) Strongest FM radio stations in Ossipee: WSCY (106.9 FM; MOULTONBOROUGH, NH; Owner: NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) WPKQ (103.7 FM; NORTH CONWAY, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WHOM (94.9 FM; MT. WASHINGTON, NH; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WMEA (90.1 FM; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION) MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORPORATION) WVFM (105.7 FM; CAMPTON, NH; Owner: DEVON BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.) DEVON BROADCASTING COMPANY, INC.) 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.) WVMJ (104.5 FM; CONWAY, NH; Owner: MT. WASHINGTON RADIO & GRAMOPHONE, L.L.C.) MT. WASHINGTON RADIO & GRAMOPHONE, L.L.C.) WBLM (102.9 FM; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WMWV (93.5 FM; CONWAY, NH; Owner: MT. WASHINGTON RADIO & GRAMOPHONE, L.L.C.) MT. WASHINGTON RADIO & GRAMOPHONE, L.L.C.) WPNH-FM (100.1 FM; PLYMOUTH, NH; Owner: NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) WMEX (106.5 FM; FARMINGTON, NH; Owner: WIMMEX, LLC) WIMMEX, LLC) WNHI (93.3 FM; BELMONT, NH; Owner: CONCORD BROADCASTING, L.L.C.) CONCORD BROADCASTING, L.L.C.) WHDQ (106.1 FM; CLAREMONT, NH; Owner: GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) GREAT NORTHERN RADIO, L.L.C.) 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) WLNH-FM (98.3 FM; LACONIA, NH; Owner: WLNH RADIO, INC) WLNH RADIO, INC) WJBQ (97.9 FM; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WBHG (101.5 FM; MEREDITH, NH; Owner: WLNH RADIO, INC) WLNH RADIO, INC) WFTN-FM (94.1 FM; FRANKLIN, NH; Owner: NORTHEAST COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION) TV broadcast stations around Ossipee: WMTW-TV ( Channel 8; POLAND SPRING, ME; Owner: WMTW BROADCAST GROUP, LLC) 8; POLAND SPRING, ME; WMTW BROADCAST GROUP, LLC) WCSH ( Channel 6; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: PACIFIC AND SOUTHERN COMPANY, INC.) 6; PORTLAND, ME; PACIFIC AND SOUTHERN COMPANY, INC.) WMEA-TV ( Channel 26; BIDDEFORD, ME; Owner: MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORP.) 26; BIDDEFORD, ME; MAINE PUBLIC BROADCASTING CORP.) WGME-TV (Channel 13; PORTLAND, ME; Owner: WGME LICENSEE, LLC) Ossipee fatal accident statistics for 1975 - 2019 See more detailed statistics of Ossipee fatal car crashes and road traffic accidents for 1975 - 2019 here National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 23 Number of bridges Number of bridges 154ft / 47.0m Total length Total length $69,124,000 Total costs Total costs 99,550 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 6,582 Total average daily truck traffic Total average daily truck traffic 140,524 Total future (year 2038) average daily traffic New bridges - historical statistics 1 1920-1929 2 1930-1939 2 1940-1949 6 1950-1959 3 1960-1969 2 1970-1979 3 1990-1999 3 2000-2009 1 2010-2018 See full National Bridge Inventory statistics for Ossipee, NH 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 19. The highest number of reported fires - 35 took place in 2003, and the least - 6 in 2006. The data has a dropping trend. Fire incident types reported to NFIRS in Ossipee, NH 163 54.0% Structure Fires 72 23.8% Outside Fires 41 13.6% Mobile Property/Vehicle Fires 26 8.6% Other When looking into fire subcategories, the most reports belonged to: Structure Fires (54.0%), and Outside Fires (23.8%). See full National Fire Incident Reporting System statistics for Ossipee, NH Houses and condos Apartments 65.9% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 22.6% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 10.0% Wood 1.5% Electricity 55.4% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 18.9% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 12.9% Electricity 9.4% Wood 2.0% Utility gas 1.4% No fuel used Ossipee compared to New Hampshire state average: Unemployed percentage below state average. below Black race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average. significantly 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. significantly below Institutionalized population percentage above state average. above Number of college students below state average. below Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher below state average. Snover, Michigan Submit your own pictures of this place and show them to the world OSM Map Google Map MSN Map OSM Map General Map Google Map MSN Map OSM Map Google Map MSN Map OSM Map Google Map MSN Map Please wait while loading the map... Population in 2010: 448. Males: 188 (42.1%) Females: 260 (57.9%) Median resident age: 45.4 years Michigan median age: 39.8 years Zip codes: 48472. Estimated median household income in 2019: $49,708 Snover: $49,708 MI: $59,584 Estimated per capita income in 2019: $26,833 Snover CDP income, earnings, and wages data Estimated median house or condo value in 2019: $121,753 Snover: $121,753 MI: $169,600 Mean prices in 2019: all housing units: $109,052; detached houses: $109,228; mobile homes: $93,457 $49,708$26,833$121,753$109,052;$109,228;$93,457 Median gross rent in 2019: $830. March 2019 cost of living index in Snover: 83.0 (low, U.S. average is 100) Percentage of residents living in poverty in 2019: 16.4% Business Search - 14 Million verified businesses Search for: near: Most recent value % change since 2k Data: Median household income ($) Median household income (% change since 2000) Household income diversity Ratio of average income to average house value (%) Ratio of average income to average rent Median household income ($) - White Median household income ($) - Black or African American Median household income ($) - Asian Median household income ($) - Hispanic or Latino Median household income ($) - American Indian and Alaska Native Median household income ($) - Multirace Median household income ($) - Other Race Median household income for houses/condos with a mortgage ($) Median household income for apartments without a mortgage ($) Races - White alone (%) Races - White alone (% change since 2000) Races - Black alone (%) Races - Black alone (% change since 2000) Races - American Indian alone (%) Races - American Indian alone (% change since 2000) Races - Asian alone (%) Races - Asian alone (% change since 2000) Races - Hispanic (%) Races - Hispanic (% change since 2000) Races - Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (%) Races - Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone (% change since 2000) Races - Two or more races (%) Races - Two or more races (% change since 2000) Races - Other race alone (%) Races - Other race alone (% change since 2000) Racial diversity Unemployment (%) Unemployment (% change since 2000) Unemployment (%) - White Unemployment (%) - Black or African American Unemployment (%) - Asian Unemployment (%) - Hispanic or Latino Unemployment (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Unemployment (%) - Multirace Unemployment (%) - Other Race Population density (people per square mile) Population - Males (%) Population - Females (%) Population - Males (%) - White Population - Males (%) - Black or African American Population - Males (%) - Asian Population - Males (%) - Hispanic or Latino Population - Males (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Population - Males (%) - Multirace Population - Males (%) - Other Race Population - Females (%) - White Population - Females (%) - Black or African American Population - Females (%) - Asian Population - Females (%) - Hispanic or Latino Population - Females (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Population - Females (%) - Multirace Population - Females (%) - Other Race Coronavirus confirmed cases (Nov 21, 2021) Deaths caused by coronavirus (Nov 21, 2021) Coronavirus confirmed cases (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) Deaths caused by coronavirus (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) Daily increase in number of cases (Nov 21, 2021) Weekly increase in number of cases (Nov 21, 2021) Cases doubled (in days) (Nov 21, 2021) Hospitalized patients (Nov 21, 2021) Negative test results (Nov 21, 2021) Total test results (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses distributed (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses administered (per 100k population) (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses distributed (Nov 21, 2021) COVID Vaccine doses administered (Nov 21, 2021) Likely homosexual households (%) Likely homosexual households (% change since 2000) Likely homosexual households - Lesbian couples (%) Likely homosexual households - Lesbian couples (% change since 2000) Likely homosexual households - Gay men (%) Likely homosexual households - Gay men (% change since 2000) Cost of living index Median gross rent ($) Median contract rent ($) Median monthly housing costs ($) Median house or condo value ($) Median house or condo value ($ change since 2000) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 1, detached ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 1, attached ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 2 ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure by units in structure - 3 or 4 ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - 5 or more ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - Boat, RV, van, etc. ($) Mean house or condo value by units in structure - Mobile home ($) Median house or condo value ($) - White Median house or condo value ($) - Black or African American Median house or condo value ($) - Asian Median house or condo value ($) - Hispanic or Latino Median house or condo value ($) - American Indian and Alaska Native Median house or condo value ($) - Multirace Median house or condo value ($) - Other Race Median resident age Resident age diversity Median resident age - Males Median resident age - Females Median resident age - White Median resident age - Black or African American Median resident age - Asian Median resident age - Hispanic or Latino Median resident age - American Indian and Alaska Native Median resident age - Multirace Median resident age - Other Race Median resident age - Males - White Median resident age - Males - Black or African American Median resident age - Males - Asian Median resident age - Males - Hispanic or Latino Median resident age - Males - American Indian and Alaska Native Median resident age - Males - Multirace Median resident age - Males - Other Race Median resident age - Females - White Median resident age - Females - Black or African American Median resident age - Females - Asian Median resident age - Females - Hispanic or Latino Median resident age - Females - American Indian and Alaska Native Median resident age - Females - Multirace Median resident age - Females - Other Race Commute - mean travel time to work (minutes) Travel time to work - Less than 5 minutes (%) Travel time to work - Less than 5 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 5 to 9 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 5 to 9 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 10 to 19 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 10 to 19 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 20 to 29 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 20 to 29 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 30 to 39 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 30 to 39 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 40 to 59 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 40 to 59 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 60 to 89 minutes (%) Travel time to work - 60 to 89 minutes (% change since 2000) Travel time to work - 90 or more minutes (%) Travel time to work - 90 or more minutes (% change since 2000) Marital status - Never married (%) Marital status - Now married (%) Marital status - Separated (%) Marital status - Widowed (%) Marital status - Divorced (%) Median family income ($) Median family income (% change since 2000) Median non-family income ($) Median non-family income (% change since 2000) Median per capita income ($) Median per capita income (% change since 2000) Median family income ($) - White Median family income ($) - Black or African American Median family income ($) - Asian Median family income ($) - Hispanic or Latino Median family income ($) - American Indian and Alaska Native Median family income ($) - Multirace Median family income ($) - Other Race Median year house/condo built Median year apartment built Year house built - Built 2005 or later (%) Year house built - Built 2000 to 2004 (%) Year house built - Built 1990 to 1999 (%) Year house built - Built 1980 to 1989 (%) Year house built - Built 1970 to 1979 (%) Year house built - Built 1960 to 1969 (%) Year house built - Built 1950 to 1959 (%) Year house built - Built 1940 to 1949 (%) Year house built - Built 1939 or earlier (%) Average household size Household density (households per square mile) Average household size - White Average household size - Black or African American Average household size - Asian Average household size - Hispanic or Latino Average household size - American Indian and Alaska Native Average household size - Multirace Average household size - Other Race Occupied housing units (%) Vacant housing units (%) Owner occupied housing units (%) Renter occupied housing units (%) Vacancy status - For rent (%) Vacancy status - For sale only (%) Vacancy status - Rented or sold, not occupied (%) Vacancy status - For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use (%) Vacancy status - For migrant workers (%) Vacancy status - Other vacant (%) Residents with income below the poverty level (%) Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level (%) Children below poverty level (%) Poor families by family type - Married-couple family (%) Poor families by family type - Male, no wife present (%) Poor families by family type - Female, no husband present (%) Poverty status for native-born residents (%) Poverty status for foreign-born residents (%) Poverty among high school graduates not in families (%) Poverty among people who did not graduate high school not in families (%) Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - White Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Black or African American Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Asian Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Hispanic or Latino Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - American Indian and Alaska Native Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Multirace Residents with income below the poverty level (%) - Other Race Air pollution - Air Quality Index (AQI) Air pollution - CO Air pollution - NO2 Air pollution - SO2 Air pollution - Ozone Air pollution - PM10 Air pollution - PM25 Air pollution - Pb Crime - Murders per 100,000 population Crime - Rapes per 100,000 population Crime - Robberies per 100,000 population Crime - Assaults per 100,000 population Crime - Burglaries per 100,000 population Crime - Thefts per 100,000 population Crime - Auto thefts per 100,000 population Crime - Arson per 100,000 population Crime - City-data.com crime index Crime - Violent crime index Crime - Property crime index Crime - Murders per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Rapes per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Robberies per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Assaults per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Burglaries per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Thefts per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Auto thefts per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - Arson per 100,000 population (5 year average) Crime - City-data.com crime index (5 year average) Crime - Violent crime index (5 year average) Crime - Property crime index (5 year average) 1996 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Clinton) 1996 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Dole) 1996 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2000 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Gore) 2000 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Bush) 2000 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2004 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Kerry) 2004 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Bush) 2004 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2008 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Obama) 2008 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (McCain) 2008 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2012 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Obama) 2012 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Romney) 2012 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2016 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Clinton) 2016 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Trump) 2016 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other 2020 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Democratic Party (Biden) 2020 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Republican Party (Trump) 2020 Presidential Elections Results (%) - Other Ancestries Reported - Arab (%) Ancestries Reported - Czech (%) Ancestries Reported - Danish (%) Ancestries Reported - Dutch (%) Ancestries Reported - English (%) Ancestries Reported - French (%) Ancestries Reported - French Canadian (%) Ancestries Reported - German (%) Ancestries Reported - Greek (%) Ancestries Reported - Hungarian (%) Ancestries Reported - Irish (%) Ancestries Reported - Italian (%) Ancestries Reported - Lithuanian (%) Ancestries Reported - Norwegian (%) Ancestries Reported - Polish (%) Ancestries Reported - Portuguese (%) Ancestries Reported - Russian (%) Ancestries Reported - Scotch-Irish (%) Ancestries Reported - Scottish (%) Ancestries Reported - Slovak (%) Ancestries Reported - Subsaharan African (%) Ancestries Reported - Swedish (%) Ancestries Reported - Swiss (%) Ancestries Reported - Ukrainian (%) Ancestries Reported - United States (%) Ancestries Reported - Welsh (%) Ancestries Reported - West Indian (%) Ancestries Reported - Other (%) Educational Attainment - No schooling completed (%) Educational Attainment - Less than high school (%) Educational Attainment - High school or equivalent (%) Educational Attainment - Less than 1 year of college (%) Educational Attainment - 1 or more years of college (%) Educational Attainment - Associate degree (%) Educational Attainment - Bachelor's degree (%) Educational Attainment - Master's degree (%) Educational Attainment - Professional school degree (%) Educational Attainment - Doctorate degree (%) School Enrollment - Nursery, preschool (%) School Enrollment - Kindergarten (%) School Enrollment - Grade 1 to 4 (%) School Enrollment - Grade 5 to 8 (%) School Enrollment - Grade 9 to 12 (%) School Enrollment - College undergrad (%) School Enrollment - Graduate or professional (%) School Enrollment - Not enrolled in school (%) School enrollment - Public schools (%) School enrollment - Private schools (%) School enrollment - Not enrolled (%) Median number of rooms in houses and condos Median number of rooms in apartments Housing units lacking complete plumbing facilities (%) Housing units lacking complete kitchen facilities (%) Density of houses Urban houses (%) Rural houses (%) Households with people 60 years and over (%) Households with people 65 years and over (%) Households with people 75 years and over (%) Households with one or more nonrelatives (%) Households with no nonrelatives (%) Population in households (%) Family households (%) Nonfamily households (%) Population in families (%) Family households with own children (%) Median number of bedrooms in owner occupied houses Mean number of bedrooms in owner occupied houses Median number of bedrooms in renter occupied houses Mean number of bedrooms in renter occupied houses Median number of vehichles in owner occupied houses Mean number of vehichles in owner occupied houses Median number of vehichles in renter occupied houses Mean number of vehichles in renter occupied houses Mortgage status - with mortgage (%) Mortgage status - with second mortgage (%) Mortgage status - with home equity loan (%) Mortgage status - with both second mortgage and home equity loan (%) Mortgage status - without a mortgage (%) Average family size Average family size - White Average family size - Black or African American Average family size - Asian Average family size - Hispanic or Latino Average family size - American Indian and Alaska Native Average family size - Multirace Average family size - Other Race Geographical mobility - Same house 1 year ago (%) Geographical mobility - Moved within same county (%) Geographical mobility - Moved from different county within same state (%) Geographical mobility - Moved from different state (%) Geographical mobility - Moved from abroad (%) Place of birth - Born in state of residence (%) Place of birth - Born in other state (%) Place of birth - Native, outside of US (%) Place of birth - Foreign born (%) Housing units in structures - 1, detached (%) Housing units in structures - 1, attached (%) Housing units in structures - 2 (%) Housing units in structures - 3 or 4 (%) Housing units in structures - 5 to 9 (%) Housing units in structures - 10 to 19 (%) Housing units in structures - 20 to 49 (%) Housing units in structures - 50 or more (%) Housing units in structures - Mobile home (%) Housing units in structures - Boat, RV, van, etc. (%) House/condo owner moved in on average (years ago) Renter moved in on average (years ago) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1999 to March 2000 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1995 to 1998 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1990 to 1994 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1980 to 1989 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1970 to 1979 (%) Year householder moved into unit - Moved in 1969 or earlier (%) Means of transportation to work - Drove car alone (%) Means of transportation to work - Carpooled (%) Means of transportation to work - Public transportation (%) Means of transportation to work - Bus or trolley bus (%) Means of transportation to work - Streetcar or trolley car (%) Means of transportation to work - Subway or elevated (%) Means of transportation to work - Railroad (%) Means of transportation to work - Ferryboat (%) Means of transportation to work - Taxicab (%) Means of transportation to work - Motorcycle (%) Means of transportation to work - Bicycle (%) Means of transportation to work - Walked (%) Means of transportation to work - Other means (%) Working at home (%) Industry diversity Most Common Industries - Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining (%) Most Common Industries - Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting (%) Most Common Industries - Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (%) Most Common Industries - Construction (%) Most Common Industries - Manufacturing (%) Most Common Industries - Wholesale trade (%) Most Common Industries - Retail trade (%) Most Common Industries - Transportation and warehousing, and utilities (%) Most Common Industries - Transportation and warehousing (%) Most Common Industries - Utilities (%) Most Common Industries - Information (%) Most Common Industries - Finance and insurance, and real estate and rental and leasing (%) Most Common Industries - Finance and insurance (%) Most Common Industries - Real estate and rental and leasing (%) Most Common Industries - Professional, scientific, and management, and administrative and waste management services (%) Most Common Industries - Professional, scientific, and technical services (%) Most Common Industries - Management of companies and enterprises (%) Most Common Industries - Administrative and support and waste management services (%) Most Common Industries - Educational services, and health care and social assistance (%) Most Common Industries - Educational services (%) Most Common Industries - Health care and social assistance (%) Most Common Industries - Arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services (%) Most Common Industries - Arts, entertainment, and recreation (%) Most Common Industries - Accommodation and food services (%) Most Common Industries - Other services, except public administration (%) Most Common Industries - Public administration (%) Occupation diversity Most Common Occupations - Management, business, science, and arts occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Management, business, and financial occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Management occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Business and financial operations occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Computer, engineering, and science occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Computer and mathematical occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Architecture and engineering occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Life, physical, and social science occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Education, legal, community service, arts, and media occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Community and social service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Legal occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Education, training, and library occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Health diagnosing and treating practitioners and other technical occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Health technologists and technicians (%) Most Common Occupations - Service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Healthcare support occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Protective service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Fire fighting and prevention, and other protective service workers including supervisors (%) Most Common Occupations - Law enforcement workers including supervisors (%) Most Common Occupations - Food preparation and serving related occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Personal care and service occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Sales and office occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Sales and related occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Office and administrative support occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Natural resources, construction, and maintenance occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Construction and extraction occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Production, transportation, and material moving occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Production occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Transportation occupations (%) Most Common Occupations - Material moving occupations (%) People in Group quarters - Institutionalized population (%) People in Group quarters - Correctional institutions (%) People in Group quarters - Federal prisons and detention centers (%) People in Group quarters - Halfway houses (%) People in Group quarters - Local jails and other confinement facilities (including police lockups) (%) People in Group quarters - Military disciplinary barracks (%) People in Group quarters - State prisons (%) People in Group quarters - Other types of correctional institutions (%) People in Group quarters - Nursing homes (%) People in Group quarters - Hospitals/wards, hospices, and schools for the handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Hospitals/wards and hospices for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Hospices or homes for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Military hospitals or wards for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Other hospitals or wards for chronically ill (%) People in Group quarters - Hospitals or wards for drug/alcohol abuse (%) People in Group quarters - Mental (Psychiatric) hospitals or wards (%) People in Group quarters - Schools, hospitals, or wards for the mentally retarded (%) People in Group quarters - Schools, hospitals, or wards for the physically handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Institutions for the deaf (%) People in Group quarters - Institutions for the blind (%) People in Group quarters - Orthopedic wards and institutions for the physically handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Wards in general hospitals for patients who have no usual home elsewhere (%) People in Group quarters - Wards in military hospitals for patients who have no usual home elsewhere (%) People in Group quarters - Juvenile institutions (%) People in Group quarters - Long-term care (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for abused, dependent, and neglected children (%) People in Group quarters - Residential treatment centers for emotionally disturbed children (%) People in Group quarters - Training schools for juvenile delinquents (%) People in Group quarters - Short-term care, detention or diagnostic centers for delinquent children (%) People in Group quarters - Type of juvenile institution unknown (%) People in Group quarters - Noninstitutionalized population (%) People in Group quarters - College dormitories (includes college quarters off campus) (%) People in Group quarters - Military quarters (%) People in Group quarters - On base (%) People in Group quarters - Barracks, unaccompanied personnel housing (UPH), (Enlisted/Officer), ;and similar group living quarters for military personnel (%) People in Group quarters - Transient quarters for temporary residents (%) People in Group quarters - Military ships (%) People in Group quarters - Group homes (%) People in Group quarters - Homes or halfway houses for drug/alcohol abuse (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for the mentally ill (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for the mentally retarded (%) People in Group quarters - Homes for the physically handicapped (%) People in Group quarters - Other group homes (%) People in Group quarters - Religious group quarters (%) People in Group quarters - Dormitories (%) People in Group quarters - Agriculture workers' dormitories on farms (%) People in Group quarters - Job Corps and vocational training facilities (%) People in Group quarters - Other workers' dormitories (%) People in Group quarters - Crews of maritime vessels (%) People in Group quarters - Other nonhousehold living situations (%) People in Group quarters - Other noninstitutional group quarters (%) Residents speaking English at home (%) Residents speaking English at home - Born in the United States (%) Residents speaking English at home - Native, born elsewhere (%) Residents speaking English at home - Foreign born (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home - Born in the United States (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home - Native, born elsewhere (%) Residents speaking Spanish at home - Foreign born (%) Residents speaking other language at home (%) Residents speaking other language at home - Born in the United States (%) Residents speaking other language at home - Native, born elsewhere (%) Residents speaking other language at home - Foreign born (%) Class of Workers - Employee of private company (%) Class of Workers - Self-employed in own incorporated business (%) Class of Workers - Private not-for-profit wage and salary workers (%) Class of Workers - Local government workers (%) Class of Workers - State government workers (%) Class of Workers - Federal government workers (%) Class of Workers - Self-employed workers in own not incorporated business and Unpaid family workers (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Utility gas (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Bottled, tank, or LP gas (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Electricity (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Coal or coke (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Wood (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Solar energy (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - Other fuel (%) House heating fuel used in houses and condos - No fuel used (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Utility gas (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Bottled, tank, or LP gas (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Electricity (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Coal or coke (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Wood (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Solar energy (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - Other fuel (%) House heating fuel used in apartments - No fuel used (%) Armed forces status - In Armed Forces (%) Armed forces status - Civilian (%) Armed forces status - Civilian - Veteran (%) Armed forces status - Civilian - Nonveteran (%) Fatal accidents locations in years 2005-2019 Fatal accidents locations in 2005 Fatal accidents locations in 2006 Fatal accidents locations in 2007 Fatal accidents locations in 2008 Fatal accidents locations in 2009 Fatal accidents locations in 2010 Fatal accidents locations in 2011 Fatal accidents locations in 2012 Fatal accidents locations in 2013 Fatal accidents locations in 2014 Fatal accidents locations in 2015 Fatal accidents locations in 2016 Fatal accidents locations in 2017 Fatal accidents locations in 2018 Fatal accidents locations in 2019 Alcohol use - People drinking some alcohol every month (%) Alcohol use - People not drinking at all (%) Alcohol use - Average days/month drinking alcohol Alcohol use - Average drinks/week Alcohol use - Average days/year people drink much Audiometry - Average condition of hearing (%) Audiometry - People that can hear a whisper from across a quiet room (%) Audiometry - People that can hear normal voice from across a quiet room (%) Audiometry - Ears ringing, roaring, buzzing (%) Audiometry - Had a job exposure to loud noise (%) Audiometry - Had off-work exposure to loud noise (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Has high blood pressure (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Checking blood pressure at home (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Frequently checking blood cholesterol (%) Blood Pressure & Cholesterol - Has high cholesterol level (%) Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on food at supermarket/grocery store Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on food at other stores Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on eating out Consumer Behavior - Money monthly spent on carryout/delivered foods Consumer Behavior - Income spent on food at supermarket/grocery store (%) Consumer Behavior - Income spent on food at other stores (%) Consumer Behavior - Income spent on eating out (%) Consumer Behavior - Income spent on carryout/delivered foods (%) Current Health Status - General health condition (%) Current Health Status - Blood donors (%) Current Health Status - Has blood ever tested for HIV virus (%) Current Health Status - Left-handed people (%) Dermatology - People using sunscreen (%) Diabetes - Diabetics (%) Diabetes - Had a blood test for high blood sugar (%) Diabetes - People taking insulin (%) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Diet health (%) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Milk product consumption (# of products/month) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Meals not home prepared (#/week) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Meals from fast food or pizza place (#/week) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Ready-to-eat foods (#/month) Diet Behavior & Nutrition - Frozen meals/pizza (#/month) Drug Use - People that ever used marijuana or hashish (%) Drug Use - Ever used hard drugs (%) Drug Use - Ever used any form of cocaine (%) Drug Use - Ever used heroin (%) Drug Use - Ever used methamphetamine (%) Health Insurance - People covered by health insurance (%) Kidney Conditions-Urology - Avg. # of times urinating at night Medical Conditions - People with asthma (%) Medical Conditions - People with anemia (%) Medical Conditions - People with psoriasis (%) Medical Conditions - People with overweight (%) Medical Conditions - Elderly people having difficulties in thinking or remembering (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever received blood transfusion (%) Medical Conditions - People having trouble seeing even with glass/contacts (%) Medical Conditions - People with arthritis (%) Medical Conditions - People with gout (%) Medical Conditions - People with congestive heart failure (%) Medical Conditions - People with coronary heart disease (%) Medical Conditions - People with angina pectoris (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever had heart attack (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever had stroke (%) Medical Conditions - People with emphysema (%) Medical Conditions - People with thyroid problem (%) Medical Conditions - People with chronic bronchitis (%) Medical Conditions - People with any liver condition (%) Medical Conditions - People who ever had cancer or malignancy (%) Mental Health - People who have little interest in doing things (%) Mental Health - People feeling down, depressed, or hopeless (%) Mental Health - People who have trouble sleeping or sleeping too much (%) Mental Health - People feeling tired or having little energy (%) Mental Health - People with poor appetite or overeating (%) Mental Health - People feeling bad about themself (%) Mental Health - People who have trouble concentrating on things (%) Mental Health - People moving or speaking slowly or too fast (%) Mental Health - People having thoughts they would be better off dead (%) Oral Health - Average years since last visit a dentist Oral Health - People embarrassed because of mouth (%) Oral Health - People with gum disease (%) Oral Health - General health of teeth and gums (%) Oral Health - Average days a week using dental floss/device Oral Health - Average days a week using mouthwash for dental problem Oral Health - Average number of teeth Pesticide Use - Households using pesticides to control insects (%) Pesticide Use - Households using pesticides to kill weeds (%) Physical Activity - People doing vigorous-intensity work activities (%) Physical Activity - People doing moderate-intensity work activities (%) Physical Activity - People walking or bicycling (%) Physical Activity - People doing vigorous-intensity recreational activities (%) Physical Activity - People doing moderate-intensity recreational activities (%) Physical Activity - Average hours a day doing sedentary activities Physical Activity - Average hours a day watching TV or videos Physical Activity - Average hours a day using computer Physical Functioning - People having limitations keeping them from working (%) Physical Functioning - People limited in amount of work they can do (%) Physical Functioning - People that need special equipment to walk (%) Physical Functioning - People experiencing confusion/memory problems (%) Physical Functioning - People requiring special healthcare equipment (%) Prescription Medications - Average number of prescription medicines taking Preventive Aspirin Use - Adults 40+ taking low-dose aspirin (%) Reproductive Health - Vaginal deliveries (%) Reproductive Health - Cesarean deliveries (%) Reproductive Health - Deliveries resulted in a live birth (%) Reproductive Health - Pregnancies resulted in a delivery (%) Reproductive Health - Women breastfeeding newborns (%) Reproductive Health - Women that had a hysterectomy (%) Reproductive Health - Women that had both ovaries removed (%) Reproductive Health - Women that have ever taken birth control pills (%) Reproductive Health - Women taking birth control pills (%) Reproductive Health - Women that have ever used Depo-Provera or injectables (%) Reproductive Health - Women that have ever used female hormones (%) Sexual Behavior - People 18+ that ever had sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had vaginal sex with a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever performed oral sex on a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had anal sex with a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Males 18+ that ever had any sex with a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had vaginal sex with a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever performed oral sex on a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had anal sex with a man (%) Sexual Behavior - Females 18+ that ever had any kind of sex with a woman (%) Sexual Behavior - Average age people first had sex Sexual Behavior - Average number of female sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of female vaginal sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average age people first performed oral sex on a woman (18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of woman performed oral sex on in lifetime (18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male anal sex partners in lifetime (males 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average age people first performed oral sex on a man (18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male oral sex partners in lifetime (18+) Sexual Behavior - People using protection when performing oral sex (%) Sexual Behavior - Average number of times people have vaginal or anal sex a year Sexual Behavior - People having sex without condom (%) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male sex partners in lifetime (females 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of male vaginal sex partners in lifetime (females 18+) Sexual Behavior - Average number of female sex partners in lifetime (females 18+) Sexual Behavior - Circumcised males 18+ (%) Sleep Disorders - Average hours sleeping at night Sleep Disorders - People that has trouble sleeping (%) Smoking-Cigarette Use - People smoking cigarettes (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ having problems with smell (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ having problems with taste (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had wisdom teeth removed (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had tonsils teeth removed (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had a loss of consciousness because of a head injury (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had a broken nose or other serious injury to face or skull (%) Taste & Smell - People 40+ that ever had two or more sinus infections (%) Weight - Average height (inches) Weight - Average weight (pounds) Weight - Average BMI Weight - People that are obese (%) Weight - People that ever were obese (%) Weight - People trying to lose weight (%) Settings Get link Loading data... Based on 2000-2020 data Loading data... 123 Hide US histogram 358 97.3% White alone 7 1.9% Hispanic 2 0.5% Asian alone Races in Snover detailed stats: ancestries, foreign born residents, place of birth According to our research of Michigan and other state lists, there were 5 registered sex offenders living in Snover, Michigan as of November 21, 2021. The ratio of all residents to sex offenders in Snover is 96 to 1. Ancestries: German (44.2%), Irish (10.9%), English (9.1%), Italian (3.6%), Scottish (3.6%), American (1.8%). Current Local Time: EST time zone Elevation: 775 feet 3 residents are foreign born This place: 0.8% Michigan: 6.9% Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with mortgages in 2019: $1,014 (0.9%) Median real estate property taxes paid for housing units with no mortgage in 2019: $991 (1.0%) Latitude: 43.46 N, Longitude: 82.97 W Area code: 810 Unemployment in November 2020: Here: 4.1% Michigan: 6.3% Tornado activity: Snover-area historical tornado activity is slightly below Michigan state average. It is 20% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 6/8/1953, a category F5 (max. wind speeds 261-318 mph) tornado 30.3 miles away from the Snover place center killed 116 people and injured 844 people and caused between $5,000,000 and $50,000,000 in damages. On 6/8/1953, a category F4 (max. wind speeds 207-260 mph) tornado 24.0 miles away from the place center injured 23 people and caused between $50,000 and $500,000 in damages. Earthquake activity: Snover-area historical earthquake activity is significantly above Michigan state average. It is 60% smaller than the overall U.S. average. On 9/25/1998 at 19:52:52, a magnitude 5.2 (4.8 MB, 4.3 MS, 5.2 LG, 4.5 MW, Depth: 3.1 mi, Class: Moderate, Intensity: VI - VII) earthquake occurred 189.3 miles away from Snover center On 1/31/1986 at 16:46:43, a magnitude 5.0 (5.0 MB) earthquake occurred 158.3 miles away from the city center On 5/2/2015 at 16:23:07, a magnitude 4.2 (4.2 MW, Depth: 2.8 mi, Class: Light, Intensity: IV - V) earthquake occurred 150.7 miles away from the city center On 7/12/1986 at 08:19:37, a magnitude 4.5 (4.5 MB) earthquake occurred 214.7 miles away from the city center On 6/10/2019 at 14:50:45, a magnitude 4.0 (4.0 MB, Depth: 1.2 mi) earthquake occurred 145.4 miles away from the city center On 7/27/1980 at 18:52:21, a magnitude 5.2 (5.1 MB, 4.7 MS, 5.0 UK, 5.2 UK) earthquake occurred 367.1 miles away from Snover center Magnitude types: regional Lg-wave magnitude (LG), body-wave magnitude (MB), surface-wave magnitude (MS), moment magnitude (MW) Natural disasters: The number of natural disasters in Sanilac County (11) is smaller than the US average (15). Major Disasters (Presidential) Declared: 6 Emergencies Declared: 4 Causes of natural disasters: Floods: 6, Storms: 5, Snowstorms: 2, Tornadoes: 2, Blizzard: 1, Hurricane: 1, Winter Storm: 1, Other: 1 (Note: some incidents may be assigned to more than one category). Hospitals and medical centers near Snover: ASSOCIATED HOME CARE (Home Health Center, about 8 miles away; SANDUSKY, MI) FMC - SANDUSKY (Dialysis Facility, about 8 miles away; SANDUSKY, MI) MCKENZIE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL Critical Access Hospitals (about 8 miles away; SANDUSKY, MI) Critical Access Hospitals SANILAC MEDICAL CARE FACILITY (Nursing Home, about 8 miles away; SANDUSKY, MI) MARLETTE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (Hospital, about 11 miles away; MARLETTE, MI) MARLETTE COMM HOSP LTCU (Nursing Home, about 11 miles away; MARLETTE, MI) AUTUMNWOOD OF DECKERVILLE (Nursing Home, about 13 miles away; DECKERVILLE, MI) Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Snover: St Clair County Community College ( about 44 miles; Port Huron, MI ; Full-time enrollment: 3,057) 44 ; 3,057) Mott Community College ( about 47 miles; Flint, MI ; FT enrollment: 7,394) 47 ; 7,394) University of Michigan-Flint ( about 48 miles; Flint, MI ; FT enrollment: 6,284) 48 ; 6,284) Kettering University ( about 49 miles; Flint, MI ; FT enrollment: 2,044) 49 ; 2,044) Baker College Center for Graduate Studies ( about 50 miles; Flint, MI ; FT enrollment: 3,405) 50 ; 3,405) Baker College of Flint ( about 50 miles; Flint, MI ; FT enrollment: 3,877) 50 ; 3,877) Saginaw Valley State University (about 51 miles; University Center, MI; FT enrollment: 9,021) Sanilac County has a predicted average indoor radon screening level between 2 and 4 pCi/L (pico curies per liter) - Moderate Potential Drinking water stations with addresses in Snover and their reported violations in the past: MEMORIAL PARK (Population served: 25, Groundwater): Past monitoring violations: 2 routine major monitoring violations Drinking water stations with addresses in Snover that have no violations reported: HERITAGE UNTD METH CHRCH (Population served: 225, Primary Water Source Type: Groundwater) MEMORIAL PARK (25Groundwater): Average household size: This place: 2.6 people Michigan: 2.5 people Percentage of family households: This place: 77.8% Whole state: 66.0% Percentage of households with unmarried partners: This place: 7.8% Whole state: 6.4% No gay or lesbian households reported 8 people in group homes intended for adults in 2010 Banks with branches in Snover (2011 data): Independent Bank: Snover Branch at 1504 Main Street, branch established on 1967/01/16. Info updated 2010/10/20: Bank assets: $2,304.7 mil, Deposits: $2,092.2 mil, headquarters in Ionia, MI, negative income in the last year, Commercial Lending Specialization, 107 total offices, Holding Company: Independent Bank Corporation For population 15 years and over in Snover: Never married: 20.3% 20.3% Now married: 56.9% 56.9% Separated: 0.0% 0.0% Widowed: 5.9% 5.9% Divorced: 16.9% For population 25 years and over in Snover: High school or higher: 84.7% 84.7% Bachelor's degree or higher: 8.8% 8.8% Graduate or professional degree: 1.1% Education Gini index (Inequality in education) Here: 7.4 Michigan average: 10.8 Religion statistics for Snover, MI (based on Sanilac County data) Religion Adherents Congregations Catholic 7,460 10 Evangelical Protestant 5,233 40 Mainline Protestant 4,222 31 Other 813 7 None 25,386 - 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: 13 Sanilac County : 2.99 / 10,000 pop. Michigan : 2.34 / 10,000 pop. Number of supercenters and club stores: 1 Here : 0.23 / 10,000 pop. Michigan : 0.18 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (no gas): 12 Sanilac County : 2.76 / 10,000 pop. State : 1.52 / 10,000 pop. Number of convenience stores (with gas): 19 Here : 4.37 / 10,000 pop. State : 2.99 / 10,000 pop. Number of full-service restaurants: 27 Sanilac County : 6.20 / 10,000 pop. State : 6.80 / 10,000 pop. Adult diabetes rate: Sanilac County : 9.7% Michigan : 9.7% Adult obesity rate: Sanilac County : 30.9% State : 29.7% Low-income preschool obesity rate: Here : 10.5% Michigan : 13.4% 5.43% of this county's 2016 resident taxpayers lived in other counties in 2015 ($39,495 average adjusted gross income) Here: 5.43% Michigan average: 5.43% 10 or fewer of this county's residents moved from foreign countries between 2015 and 2016. Top counties from which taxpayers relocated into this county between 2015 and 2016: from St. Clair County, MI 1.32% ($36,251 average AGI) from Macomb County, MI 0.67% ($41,776) from Lapeer County, MI 0.55% ($39,138) 5.33% of this county's 2015 resident taxpayers moved to other counties in 2016 ($36,353 average adjusted gross income) Here: 5.33% Michigan average: 5.69% 10 or fewer of this county's residents moved to foreign countries between 2015 and 2016. Top counties to which taxpayers relocated from this county between 2015 and 2016: to St. Clair County, MI 1.22% ($36,026 average AGI) to Lapeer County, MI 0.50% ($38,975) to Macomb County, MI 0.49% ($40,641) Strongest AM radio stations in Snover: WMIC (660 AM; daytime; 1 kW; SANDUSKY, MI; Owner: SANILAC BROADCASTING COMPANY) SANILAC BROADCASTING COMPANY) WWJ (950 AM; 50 kW; DETROIT, MI; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) INFINITY BROADCASTING OPERATIONS, INC.) WOAP (1080 AM; 50 kW; OWOSSO, MI) WXYT (1270 AM; 50 kW; DETROIT, MI; Owner: INFINITY BROADCASTING CORP. OF DETROIT) INFINITY BROADCASTING CORP. OF DETROIT) WJR (760 AM; 50 kW; DETROIT, MI; Owner: ABC, INC.) ABC, INC.) WFDF (910 AM; 50 kW; FLINT, MI; Owner: ABC, INC.) ABC, INC.) WDFN (1130 AM; 50 kW; DETROIT, MI; Owner: AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) AMFM RADIO LICENSES, L.L.C.) WCHB (1200 AM; 50 kW; TAYLOR, MI; Owner: RADIO ONE OF DETROIT, LLC) RADIO ONE OF DETROIT, LLC) WSGW (790 AM; 5 kW; SAGINAW, MI; Owner: NM LICENSING LLC) NM LICENSING LLC) WLSP (1530 AM; daytime; 5 kW; LAPEER, MI; Owner: REGENT BROADCASTING OF FLINT INC.) REGENT BROADCASTING OF FLINT INC.) WKNR (850 AM; 50 kW; CLEVELAND, OH; Owner: CARON BROADCASTING, INC.) CARON BROADCASTING, INC.) WTCM (580 AM; 35 kW; TRAVERSE CITY, MI; Owner: WTCM RADIO, INC.) WTCM RADIO, INC.) WLDR (1210 AM; daytime; 50 kW; KINGSLEY, MI; Owner: FORT BEND BROADCASTING COMPANY) Strongest FM radio stations in Snover: WTGV-FM (97.7 FM; SANDUSKY, MI; Owner: SANILAC BROADCASTING COMPANY) SANILAC BROADCASTING COMPANY) WHNN (96.1 FM; BAY CITY, MI; Owner: CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) CITADEL BROADCASTING COMPANY) WBGV (92.5 FM; MARLETTE, MI; Owner: GB BROADCASTING COMPANY) GB BROADCASTING COMPANY) WIDL (92.1 FM; CARO, MI; Owner: EDWARDS COMMUNICATIONS LC) EDWARDS COMMUNICATIONS LC) WNFR (90.7 FM; SANDUSKY, MI; Owner: ROSS BIBLE CHURCH) ROSS BIBLE CHURCH) WWBN (101.5 FM; TUSCOLA, MI; Owner: REGENT BROADCASTING OF FLINT, INC.) REGENT BROADCASTING OF FLINT, INC.) WLEW-FM (102.1 FM; BAD AXE, MI; Owner: THUMB BROADCASTING, INC.) TV broadcast stations around Snover: WDCP-TV ( Channel 35; BAD AXE, MI; Owner: DELTA COLLEGE) 35; BAD AXE, MI; DELTA COLLEGE) WEYI-TV ( Channel 25; SAGINAW, MI; Owner: WEYI BROADCASTING, LLC) 25; SAGINAW, MI; WEYI BROADCASTING, LLC) WNEM-TV ( Channel 5; BAY CITY, MI; Owner: MEREDITH CORPORATION) 5; BAY CITY, MI; MEREDITH CORPORATION) W52CU (Channel 52; PINCONNING, MI; Owner: NTN/SAGINAW, INC.) Snover fatal accident list: Aug 2, 1980 09:27 AM, Vehicles: 1, Persons: 2, Fatalities: 1 National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Statistics 19 Number of bridges Number of bridges 121ft / 36.9m Total length Total length $961,000 Total costs Total costs 14,745 Total average daily traffic Total average daily traffic 1,929 Total average daily truck traffic Total average daily truck traffic 23,711 Total future (year 2018) average daily traffic New bridges - historical statistics 1 1900-1909 3 1930-1939 2 1950-1959 1 1960-1969 1 1970-1979 4 1980-1989 4 1990-1999 3 2000-2009 See full National Bridge Inventory statistics for Snover, MI FCC Registered Antenna Towers: 8 ( FCC Registered Broadcast Land Mobile Towers: 3 Lat: 43.497333 Lon: -82.975556, Call Sign: WQNR911, Assigned Frequencies: 157.680 MHz, 158.385 MHz, Grant Date: 03/10/2021, Expiration Date: 05/03/2031, Certifier: Constance A Kreger, Registrant: Federal Licensing Inc, 1588 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325, Phone: (717) 334-9262, Fax: (717) 334-6440, Email: 43.497333 -82.975556, WQNR911, 157.680 MHz, 158.385 MHz, 03/10/2021, 05/03/2031, Constance A Kreger, Federal Licensing Inc, 1588 Fairfield Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325, (717) 334-9262, (717) 334-6440, Lat: 43.457028 Lon: -82.971694, Call Sign: WQPH676, Assigned Frequencies: 464.325 MHz, Grant Date: 05/22/2012, Expiration Date: 05/22/2022, Certifier: Duane S Grant, Registrant: Archer Daniels Midland Company, 4666 Faries Parkway, Decatur, IL 62526, Phone: (217) 424-4200, Email: 43.457028 -82.971694, WQPH676, 464.325 MHz, 05/22/2012, 05/22/2022, Duane S Grant, Archer Daniels Midland Company, 4666 Faries Parkway, Decatur, IL 62526, (217) 424-4200, A, Lat: 43.493944 Lon: -82.973139, Call Sign: WRKG228, Licensee ID: L02396810, Assigned Frequencies: 451.187 MHz, Grant Date: 12/30/2020, Expiration Date: 12/30/2030, Certifier: Brian Martin, Registrant: B & M Welding Inc, 2635 Wheeler Rd, Snover, MI 48472, Phone: (810) 837-0742, Email: FCC Registered Microwave Towers: 1 Argyle, 5317 Patterson (Argyle - 050701) (Lat: 43.573222 Lon: -82.957750), Type: Ltower, Structure height: 76.2 m, Overall height: 82.3 m, Call Sign: WQVJ339, Assigned Frequencies: 10735.0 MHz, 10815.0 MHz, 10815.0 MHz, 10815.0 MHz, 10815.0 MHz, 10935.0 MHz, 10935.0 MHz, 10935.0 MHz, 10935.0 MHz, Grant Date: 03/02/2015, Expiration Date: 03/02/2025, Cancellation Date: 08/31/2020, Certifier: John A Ogren, Registrant: Law Office Of Suzanne S. Goodwyn, Pllc, 1234 Tottenham Court, Reston, VA 20194, Phone: (703) 444-5475, Fax: (703) 991-0629, Email: FCC Registered Amateur Radio Licenses: 11 ( FAA Registered Aircraft: 3 Aircraft: QUICKSILVER MXIIA ( Category: Land, Seats: 2, Weight: Up to 12,499 Pounds), Engine: ROTAX 503 SERIES (52 HP) (2 Cycle) N-Number: 7500Q, N7500Q, N-7500Q, Serial Number: 0700, Year manufactured: 2006, Airworthiness Date: 11/09/2009, Certificate Issue Date: 08/25/2006 Registrant (Individual): George L Smith, 2318 Deckerville Rd, Snover, MI 48472 QUICKSILVER MXIIA ( Land, 2, Up to 12,499 Pounds), ROTAX 503 SERIES (52 HP) (2 Cycle) 7500Q, N7500Q, N-7500Q, 0700, 2006, 11/09/2009, 08/25/2006 George L Smith, 2318 Deckerville Rd, Snover, MI 48472 Aircraft: PIPER PA-28-181 ( Category: Land, Seats: 4, Weight: Up to 12,499 Pounds, Speed: 105 mph), Engine: Reciprocating N-Number: 75AD, N75AD, N-75AD, Serial Number: 28-7790324, Airworthiness Date: 01/20/1977, Certificate Issue Date: 06/13/2019 Registrant (Individual): Neil R Zimmerman, 3259 Deckerville Rd, Snover, MI 48419 PIPER PA-28-181 ( Land, 4, Up to 12,499 Pounds, 105 mph), Reciprocating 75AD, N75AD, N-75AD, 28-7790324, 01/20/1977, 06/13/2019 Neil R Zimmerman, 3259 Deckerville Rd, Snover, MI 48419 Aircraft: CESSNA 172F (Category: Land, Seats: 4, Weight: Up to 12,499 Pounds, Speed: 105 mph), Engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER (145 HP) (Reciprocating) N-Number: 8416U, N8416U, N-8416U, Serial Number: 17252316, Year manufactured: 1964, Airworthiness Date: 12/12/1964, Certificate Issue Date: 07/11/1986 Registrant (Individual): J Boyd King, 2845 Germania Rd, Snover, MI 48472 8 ( See the full list of FCC Registered Antenna Towers in Snover 11 ( See the full list of FCC Registered Amateur Radio Licenses in Snover Houses and condos Apartments 37.8% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 27.9% Wood 13.5% Electricity 8.1% Fuel oil, kerosene, etc. 4.5% Utility gas 4.5% Other fuel 3.6% No fuel used 92.1% Bottled, tank, or LP gas 7.9% Electricity Snover compared to Michigan state average: Median house value below state average. below Unemployed percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Black race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Hispanic race population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Median age below state average. below Foreign-born population percentage significantly below state average. significantly below Renting percentage below state average. below House age above state average. above Number of college students significantly below state average. significantly below Percentage of population with a bachelor's degree or higher significantly below state average. no other airmen in this city. There are 3 pilots andother airmen in this city. 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 FILE - Rep. Ryan Martinez, R-Edmond, chair of the House Redistricting Committee, answers a question at a news conference announcing new state House and Senate districts, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, in Oklahoma City. Republican leaders in the Oklahoma House and Senate released new congressional district maps on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021, that show major changes to the competitive 5th Congressional District that Democrats narrowly won in 2018. Kevin Calvey seeks to be the next Oklahoma County District Attorney. Pictured is Calvey with his wife Toni and their seven children. GLASGOW At 2pm UK time on Monday, shortly before Barack Obama took the stage at the COP26 climate summit for a speech that was beamed around the world, an organization called the Earth Journalism Network started a live broadcast of its own from its makeshift, white-paneled cubicle on the top floor of the conferences media center. EJN, which was founded in 2004 to support environmental journalism in developing countries, organized and paid for more than twenty reporters from four continents to come to Glasgow alongside a number of staffers, one of whom, Nadiah Rosli, opened the broadcast. It is critical for low- and middle-income countries to have the opportunity to report live from COP26, Rosli said, but of course, this year, it is a bit more difficult because of COVID-19 and also the travel restrictions, so this broadcast we hope will help journalists covering COP-26 remotely. The broadcast focused on loss and damage caused by the climate crisis, a keyand historically marginalizedissue for many poorer nations that was Mondays main theme at COP. Rosli asked Saleemul Huq, a Bangladeshi climate expert, how journalists ought to think about the topic. Theres a lot of non-economic costs, Huq said. Loss of cultures. Loss of temples and graveyards of peoples families. EJNwhich is itself a project of Internews, an international media nonprofitselected the journalists it brought to Glasgow in partnership with the Stanley Center for Peace and Security, a foundation based in Iowa. Around four hundred people applied for the fellowship; the reporters who were selected collectively represent news organizations in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tunisia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Brazil, and Colombia. James FahnEJNs executive director, who himself covered the second COP on a fellowship while working for a newspaper in Thailand in 1996told me that his organization began taking reporters to climate conferences starting with the 2007 COP, in Indonesia. The logistics, he said, are always complicated, but the pandemic piled on additional challenges this year. Almost all of the journalists selected were already vaccinated and at least one was able to take up the British governments offer (which has broadly had mixed success, at best) to send vaccines to COP delegates, but Fahn and his colleagues still had to reckon with the UKs ever-shifting red list of countries, visitors from which would be required to quarantine in a hotel. Theres a lot of risk involved, Fahn said. We dont want people getting sick. Previously at COP26: Inside the biggest story in the world Early last month, British officials took nearly fifty countries off the red list, with the seven that remained, including Colombia, scratched three weeks after that. Maria Monica Monsalve, an EJN fellow who covers climate for the Colombian newspaper El Espectador, was checking in at the airport when the latter announcement was made, but it took effect too late to save her, and she spent the next five days in a London hotel room with a window that didnt open. (She was occasionally permitted fifteen minutes of fresh air under strict supervision; after her quarantine ended, she got straight on a train crammed with unmasked passengers.) Monsalve covered the first days of COP, when world leaders including Colombian President Ivan Duque showed up, from her hotel room; when she finally got into the venue, she found it a challenge to know where to look amid the hustle and bustle and technical talks, but was able to ask for help from EJN staffers who have covered COPs before. Im really glad my first COP was with this fellowship, because COPs are crazy, she told me. Otherwise, I think I would be crying in a corner. Shes since covered stories around gender and access to the event, with activists blasting COP26 as historically exclusionary. This is kind of personal because I had to quarantine, she said. Throughout the conference, The Scotsman newspaper has been publishing stories that the EJN journalists have written, billing them as reports from the frontline of climate change. One was a dispatch by Elfredah Kevin-Alerechi for the Peoples Gazette, a Nigerian news site, about multinational corporations practice of gas flaring in the Niger Delta region, where she grew up and still lives. Kevin-Alerechi told me that she got hooked on journalism as a kid, when her dad would make her watch CNN and Nigerias NTA network. (She didnt always want to change the channel, she said, but each time I watched people talking on TV, it captured my interest.) She worked in radio before jumping to the Gazette when it launched last year, covering a regional beat to which climate is central. Shes written four stories from COP so far while also continuing to work on an investigation about devastating recent flooding in Nigeria. When I asked if her perspective on the climate crisis differs from that of a typical Western journalist, she said it doesnt really. The flooding, she said, is similar to what is happening around the world. Kevin-Alerechi said that being at COP has given her an opportunity to connect with journalists and activists from across Western Africa while also holding power to account. Sometimes, when you go to communities, they will ask you, what is the international community doing about our issues? she said, noting that at COP, she can put their questions directly to international power brokers. Shes also tried to chase down Nigerian officials; theyve so far given her the runaround, but she reckons her odds of speaking to them at COP are better than at home, and she intends to keep trying. (In its short existence, Peoples Gazette has already faced official legal threats and web blockages.) Sim Kok Eng Amy, EJNs Asia-Pacific program manager, told me that some of its journalists at COP have close relationships with their home countrys delegation; others dont, but are at least able to corner officials at public-facing events, to remind them of who they are here for. Delegates negotiations, of course, are only one part of COPindeed, many of the most interesting stories to come out of the conference so far have focused on activists and others in civil society, who actively want media attention. Being present on the ground, Monsalve said, you get to see the whole picture, not only the official side of it. Sign up for CJR 's daily email On Monday, during EJNs live broadcast, Rosli spoke with another one of its journalist fellows: Rishika Pardikar, an independent journalist who has been covering the conference for The Wire, an Indian news site. As Pardikar started to speak, the background hum of journalists in neighboring cubicles (Bloomberg to the left of them, Reuters to the right) gave way to Obamas speech blaring out from speakers in the media center. It wasnt really audible to those watching the EJN broadcast over Facebook or Zoom, fortunately; still, sitting only a few feet away in EJNs cubicle, I had to lean in to hear Pardikar talk about covering COP. The way things have been going in terms of outcomes, or lack of outcomes, is not surprising to me, because many people have told me before that this is how it works, Pardikar said. But what I have been surprised by is how much happens hereand how much you can learn just by observation. Other notable stories, by Mathew Ingram: Employees of the Kyiv Post, the main English-language newspaper in Ukraine, were told when they came to work on Monday that they were all fired and the newspaper is shutting down, according to a report from Illia Ponomarenko, the papers defense reporter. A statement written by the Posts newsroom staff said that Adnan Kivan, the wealthy businessman who bought the paper in 2018, planned to start up a Ukrainian-language paper under the same brand name, and had hired an editor to oversee it, something existing staff saw as an attempt to infringe on our editorial independence. In retaliation, they said, Kivan fired all the papers editors and reporters, and now has plans to restart the paper with all new employees. We see this as the owner getting rid of inconvenient, fair, and honest journalists, the statement said. Journalists at Wirecutter, the product-review site owned by the New York Times, plan to go on strike during the sites peak traffic period on Black Friday, according to a report from Bloomberg on Monday. Over ninety percent of Wirecutter union members have voted to authorize a work stoppage lasting one or more days in late November, according to the NewsGuild, the news site reported. The NewsGuild represents around 1,300 other editorial and business workers at the Times, and gained the right to represent staffers at Wirecutter two years ago. Black Friday, which is typically one of the biggest shopping days of the year, occurs the day after the Thanksgiving holiday; this year, it falls on November 26. We know what were worth, Wirecutter writer Katie Okamoto said. We feel that its appropriate for us to, if we have to, demonstrate how worth it we are. In the current environment of political turmoil, economic change and a pandemic-driven focus on how we work, labor has become a hot news beat, writes Ben Smith, media columnist for the Times. One sign of the increase in interest, he says, is the attention being paid to The Chief-Leader, a broadsheet founded for firefighters in 1897 that has covered the public service in New York ever since. Ben August, an entrepreneur who sold his human resources business, bought the paper this summer from the family who had owned it for more than a century, and says he wants to transform it into a national voice of public and private-sector labor, Smith writes. Meanwhile, Vice noted that this is the fourth time Smith has written about the NewsGuild without mentioning that he opposed the unionization of the BuzzFeed newsroomwhich was represented by the NewsGuildwhen he was the editor-in-chief there, before he joined the Times. Eoin Higgins, an investigative reporter who writes a newsletter called The Flashpoint, says management of the Guardian newspaper in the UK tried to intimidate him after he reported on episodes of transphobic behavior by certain members of the papers newsroom. The Guardians Director of Editorial Legal Services Gill Phillips just contacted me this morning to demand a retraction, Higgins reported on November 5. Thats not going to happen. I stand by my reporting. Laws in the UK on defamation and libel are quite strict. Its very easy to silence critical voices through the countrys legal system. But Im based in the US, so these veiled British threats mean nothing. Higgins said the paper accused him of defamation for noting that workers at the paper described lead opinion writer Susanna Rustin as a militant and obsessive anti-trans activist. Emilie Friedlander writes for Vice about a new cryptocurrency-based writing platform called Mirror, which used to hold an online popularity contest to determine who would get access to the platform, but recently opened up its services to everyone. On one level, Mirror is a simple blogging platform like Substack or Medium. But it also offers an ever-expanding suite of crowdfunding tools made possible by blockchain technology that pushes the act of raising money on the Internet into psychedelic new shapes, she writes. Through Crowdfunds, a writer can issue financial backers a custom token that gives them fractional ownership of an essayand a future cut of the proceeds if the writer decides to auction it off as an NFT. Some writers have raised tens of thousands of dollars to finance their writing, Friedlander says. The Collaborative on Media & Messaging for Health and Social Policya project that is affiliated with Wesleyan University in Connecticut, the University of Minnesota, and Cornell Universityhas launched a new website it says is designed to help explore the question of how journalists can build healthy and equitable communities. The site features a resource library that collects research work relevant to media and messaging for health policy, and the group of institutions says that this body of evidence can provide a road map for shifting opinions and changing narratives to advance health equity, while identifying potential obstacles and pitfalls to avoid along the way. The resource library is searchable by focus area, research methodology, type of media, and specific topics, the collaborative project said in a statement. McClatchy says that since last month, it has been experimenting with a service that allows readers to play auto-generated audio versions of its news stories by clicking on a widget on the story page. The publisher of newspapers such as the Sacramento Bee and the Miami Herald said that clickthrough rates on the audio player have ranged from one to five percent across all of its news pages, depending on the length of the story and the section of the paper theyre in, according to a report in Digiday. Last month, the McClatchy sales team ran its first advertising campaign based on the audio feature, which included both pre-roll and mid-roll spots. The paper said that about seventy-five percent of readers completed the mid-roll ads, and almost one hundred percent of the pre-roll ads. ICYMI: McClatchy to decline future Report for America participation, following hedge-fund critiques Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Jon Allsop is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Review of Books, Foreign Policy, and The Nation, among other outlets. He writes CJRs newsletter The Media Today. Find him on Twitter @Jon_Allsop. HOUSTON Phillips 66 on Monday said it would convert its Alliance refinery in Belle Chasse, Louisiana, to an oil terminal, after a short-lived attempt to sell the hurricane-damaged facility. The 50-year-old oil refinery was severely damaged after several feet of water flooded it during Hurricane Ida in August. The complex sits about 20 miles (32 km) south of New Orleans on the Mississippi River and has its own docks to receive and ship petroleum. The conversion will further reduce U.S. oil-processing capacity, which shrank by 4.5% last year as demand for motor fuels tumbled. U.S. motor fuel demand has largely recovered from last years drop, with jet fuel about 20% below pre-pandemic levels. The conversion to an oil storage and export facility is expected to occur in 2022, the company said. Phillips 66 last month wrote down the plants value by $1.3 billion. Alliance employs about 900 workers including 400 outside contractors. About 425 Phillips employees likely will lose jobs, a person familiar with the matter said. Phillips had years ago considered shutting the facility because of poor profit margins but the U.S. shale oil boom gave it a temporary reprieve, said Garfield Miller, an investment banker at Aegis Energy Advisors. They went back to the original thinking, said Miller. A Phillips spokesperson was not available for immediate comment. Phillips had begun marketing the 255,600 barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery before Idas flood waters swamped the facility, causing tens of millions of dollars in damage to its electrical and oil processing equipment. Potential buyers including Hilcorp, Valero Energy and Saudi Aramcos Motiva Enterprises had looked at the facility, people familiar with the matter have said. Our decision was a difficult one, and we understand it has a profound impact on our employees, contractors and the broader Belle Chasse community, said Phillips 66 Chief Executive Greg Garland. Three other U.S. Gulf Coast refineries have been offered for sale this year. The conversion brings to six the total number to have stopped processing oil or that have closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. refining capacity is about 17.9 million barrels per day, down about 5.8% since 2019 from closures, according to a Reuters tally. Refinery closings in the United States are drawing to a end, said Andrew Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates. A few more could shutter because of new regulations or where they see the cost of a turnaround and they shut down, said Lipow. A U.S. federal judge on Monday ruled United Airlines Holdings Inc can impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on its employees that only provides unpaid leave for workers who are exempted for medical or religious reasons. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman in Fort Worth, Texas, rejected arguments by employees that the airline was improperly putting them in an impossible position by forcing them to choose a vaccine or unpaid leave. Pittman was critical of United Airlines approach toward employees seeking religious exemptions, but said in the end, human resources policy was up the company and no employee was forced to accept a vaccine. An attorney for the employees did not respond to a request for comment. The ruling comes as U.S. employers are gearing up to comply with rules issued by the Biden Administration that require companies with at least 100 employees to get their workers vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing. Employer mandates, which include exemptions for religious and medical reasons, have generally been upheld by courts. United Airlines was the first major air carrier to impose a vaccine requirement and others have since followed. United provided around 2,000 exemptions. But employees in roles including pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents had to take unpaid leave until the pandemic ended. United said in a statement it was pleased with the ruling and would try to find non-customer facing roles for exempted employees. If they refuse they will be placed on leave, United said. The plaintiffs alleged United violated its legal obligations by not accommodating exempted employees as most companies have by allowing them to continue in their role while submitting to regular testing and wearing a mask. They also said they would lose seniority and other benefits if placed on leave. The company said allowing unvaccinated employees in the workplace would undermine safety of its flights, although Pittman noted the company acknowledged there was almost no chance of COVID-19 outbreaks on its planes. Pittman said he was disturbed by Uniteds seemingly thoughtless approach to its employees concerns about taking the vaccine. Uniteds mandate thus reflects an apathy, if not antipathy, for many of its employees concerns and a dearth of toleration for those expressing diversity of thought. Legal claims relating to exemption accommodations are usually addressed through an administrative process with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before a lawsuit is filed. Avis "Darlene" Searan, age 75, formerly of California, passed away at Restwell Home Plus in Oskaloosa, KS, on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. She was born the daughter of Leo Abraham and Avis Amelia (Gabbert) Searan in Claremore, OK, on June 25, 1946. Darlene loved watching baseball, especially, Billy Dwane Faris passed away Oct. 30, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Faye Reed Faris. He was father to Scott Patterson, Mark Ferguson and Jarred Faris. He was brother to Herbert Faris, James Faris (deceased) and Kay Faris. He was born in San Angelo, Texas, to father Aaron Wright Under different circumstances, it might have been the stuff of a modern fairy tale with two principal characters. The story of a Jewish Holocaust survivor living in a Paris housing project a grandmother with a reputation for endless acts of kindness and her neighbor, a cute little kid from an Arab immigrant family who helps the elderly lady out with domestic chores and carries her groceries home from the market. Two different worlds and two vastly different experiences finding a simple bond across the boundaries of age, religion and social background. Sadly, what transpired, in reality, was the stuff of pure horror. The Holocaust survivor 85-year-old Mireille Knoll, who suffered from Parkinsons disease was murdered by two men in her own apartment on March 23, 2018. One of the accused is 32-year-old Yacine Mihoub, the neighbor whom Knoll took under her wing when he was a small boy of 8. The other is 25-year-old Alex Carrimbacus, a fellow petty criminal Mihoub befriended during one of his many prison sentences, including one for a sexual assault on a minor that occurred in Knolls apartment. The murder was brutal: Knoll was stabbed 11 times before she was set alight. When firefighters arrived to answer an emergency call, they discovered her lifeless body sprawled on the apartment floor, her features charred beyond recognition. The murder was also antisemitic: Mihoub and Carrimbacus picked out Knoll not just because she was an easy target for Mihoub to access (her door was always open to him, despite his long history of drug-dealing and violence, as well as his penchant for far-right and Islamist websites) but because she was Jewish, and therefore both wealthy and likely to have a store of cash and other valuables in her home. The actual truth was that monthly welfare checks were Knolls main source of income. This is the reasoning, if thats what you want to call it, which has under-girded many of the antisemitic assaults on French Jews during the last decade like the ordeal of the Pinto family, who were taken hostage, badly beaten and robbed in their own home by a gang of antisemitic thugs in September 2017. Many of those victims were ignored by the French media and the wider public, but the case of Knoll, perhaps because of its shocking details, has become well-known inside and outside France. When the trial of Mihoub and Carrimbacus began recently at the Court of Assizes in Paris, several of the worlds major news organizations joined French reporters in the media huddle outside. The trial, which closed Nov. 10, has already shone a powerful light on the hours immediately before and after Knolls murder, though the key question of whether it was Mihoub or Carrimbacus who wielded the knife used to kill her remains unanswered. Both men blame the other for the murder. Carrimbacus claims that it was Mihoub who presented Knoll as an ideal target because she was Jewish and that he yelled the words Allahu Akbar (God is great) as he allegedly plunged the knife into his victim. For their part, Mihoubs lawyers have strenuously denied that antisemitism was a motivating factor in the killing, which they say was carried out by Carrimbacus as he robbed Knolls apartment. Some of the testimony has been harrowing, particularly from Knolls two sons, Alain and Daniel, both of whom paid moving tributes to their mother from the witness stand. The two monsters, as Daniel called the defendants, had willfully targeted his mother because, in the end, she was just a youpine (French pejorative slang for yid), as Alain put it, in the eyes of her accused killers. Several witnesses at the trial emphasized that both of the accused are pathological liars whose accounts of what happened are stained with inconsistencies. The role of Mihoubs relatives is also a disturbing factor, with his brother giving a confused account to the court of Mihoubs movements, and his mother, Zoulikha Khellaf, facing charges for having cleaned the knife that was used in the murder. The expectation is that Mihoub and Carrimbacus will be found guilty of murder aggravated by antisemitic hatred and that they will receive appropriately severe sentences. Indeed, an attempt last year by their lawyers to have the antisemitism aspect dropped from the charge sheet failed in an appeal court, whose judges deemed it perfectly plausible that Knolls Jewish origin was emphasized by Mihoub in his conversations with Carrimbacus. Yet even if French justice does deliver in the case of Knoll, it wont be forgotten that the trial of her killers took place in the shadow of a judicial scandal. In April this year, Frances highest court ruled that Kobili Traore accused of the violent antisemitic murder of a 65-year-old Jewish woman, Sarah Halimi, in April 2017 in eerily similar circumstances to Knoll one year later would be excused from a criminal trial. That decision was based on the opinion of a court-appointed psychiatrist who insisted that Traores intake of cannabis on the night he murdered Halimi had rendered him temporarily insane. The outcry from French Jews that followed was expected, and the hurt and anger generated by the judiciarys abject failure to deliver justice to the Halimi family have not evaporated. In that regard, there was a telling moment in the Knoll murder trial last week when the court heard from a psychiatric expert who assessed Mihoub and Carrimbacus. Both of them are addicts in Mihoubs case to alcohol, and in the case of Carrimbacus, to crack cocaine and other narcotics. Both of them drank several glasses of port wine in Knolls apartment before they killed her. In addition, both have a history of incarceration, while Carrimbacus has spent much of his life begging on the streets to feed his drug habit. Theirs is an unhappy story, of course, but as the psychiatric expert stressed, there is no question that their criminal responsibility is full and complete. As to whether their behavior could have been suddenly and radically altered by imbibing liquor or drugs, the expert pointed out that was unlikely, precisely because both men are addicts and have therefore built up strong tolerance through years of abuse. If that logic applies to Mihoub and Carrimbacus, then why not to Traore? How is it that a cannabis habit leads to a legal status of criminal irresponsibility, but not crack, a much stronger and much more devastating drug? And how can French justice live with such a glaring inconsistency justice for Mireille Knoll, but not for Sarah Halimi? A modicum of justice for Knoll will have been achieved in the event that Mihoub and Carrimbacus pay for their grotesque crime, but it will remain partial and compromised for as long as Halimi remains out of the frame. The Knoll family has said as much, having regularly pointed to the echoes of Halimis killing in Knolls suffering, and arguing that true justice for one has to mean justice for the other. France has yet to face up to that. Ben Cohen, senior editor of TheTower.org & The Tower Magazine, writes a weekly column for JNS.org on Jewish affairs and Middle Eastern politics from New York. Maybe you know her from Broadways Yentl or as the overbearing Jewish mother from the film, Kissing Jessica Stein. Perhaps youve seen her on television on Law and Order or The Walking Dead. Beachwood, OH (44122) Today Cloudy with light rain this evening. Low around 30F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy with light rain this evening. Low around 30F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. 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. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 10) Social media surveys are unreliable in studying voters' sentiment since not everyone has online access, an analyst told CNN Philippines. "The problem with things on social media, not everyone is connected to the net. Not everybody even knows how to Google. You are not getting a good reading of the country. That's a coverage error," Dr. Jose Ramon "Toots" Albert of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies told Politics as Usual on Tuesday. Albert said the public should instead trust probability surveys. He mentioned the Social Weather Stations and Pulse Asia as his trusted polling bodies due to their "very good" track records. The analyst explained that polls should have protocols in selecting respondents who would represent a certain group of people throughout the country. "When you're randomly (picking a) man on the street, the question there is how sure are you you're really doing something random? Or, you think it's random, but it's actually not," Albert said. "A survey is supposed to be a way by which you collect data on a target population." "For instance, to a hospital - you don't need to extract all the blood to know if you're okay or not, just a blood sample would be good enough, provided that the sample is representative," he explained. Some surveys can also allow a multitude of flaws that complicate the data. Examples of which are when respondents do not understand the question, or when the interviewer may be forcing them to answer a certain way, Albert added. However, these polls may still play a key role in providing a sense of what could happen in the elections. "If they're designed well, they can be able to give you a very good information on what you're trying to get a picture of...whether it's the economy, whether it's voter sentiment, poverty, hunger," Albert said. "We cannot always wait until election day to figure out who's going to win." Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 10) It is legal for employers to refuse to hire people still unvaccinated against COVID-19, according to President Rodrigo Duterte himself. "I think it is legal. You have the right to refuse to accept as an employee somebody who is not vaccinated and would go and join the rest of the employees in a factory or whatever workplace that you have," Duterte said during his weekly taped address that aired Tuesday night. The President explained that employers have the right to protect their businesses and vaccinated employees. "You're just protecting business and other people. What could be the legal argument against it?" Duterte said. The President also reiterated the importance of getting vaccinated against COVID-19. "Everytime it (COVID-19) visits your body and you have the bakuna (vaccine) already, the attack...the severity of damage to your health is lessened progressively," Duterte said. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra earlier said there is no legal basis for businesses to force employees to receive coronavirus shots. The Department of Labor and Employment also said employees cannot be terminated just because they are unvaccinated. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 10) President Rodrigo Duterte told senators on Tuesday they can imprison or even kill executives of the Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. for not paying taxes last year. "'Yung mga Pharmally dyan na hindi nagbayad (ng tax), dapat talaga pagbayarin yan. 'Yung sabi nilang hindi bumabayad, ikulong ninyo yan, gusto nyo patayin pa ninyo, Duterte said in his taped address on Tuesday. [Translation: Those in Pharmally not paying taxes, they should be made to pay... Those they said who did not pay, put them in prison, if you want kill them.] He added that those not paying taxes are considered criminals. The President reiterated that the controversial medical supplier is not his concern, but his Cabinet members attending hearings amid the ongoing probe of senators regarding deals the company made with the government. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Oct. 28 presented a summary of tax records from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, which showed Pharmally claimed a tax credit worth over 96 million last year but did not pay any tax. Meanwhile, income tax return of Pharmally president Twinkle Dargani and corporate secretary Mohit Dargani were considered very low considering their purchase of luxury cars, the senator added. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque later told a briefing that the government will pursue the company if the non-payment of taxes is proven. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 10) President Rodrigo Duterte is calling on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to give 2022 candidates a place where they can campaign. During his taped address Tuesday night, the President said the poll body should do this since not all bets have the capacity to spend on other modes of political advertising. "I'd like to remind the Comelec that you must give the candidates really the space and whatever modality there because there can never be an election without a campaign and...some candidates cannot afford the expenses of TV exposures," he noted. Duterte said the campaign cannot be done "by just shouting at one corner." What the poll body can do is designate a place for face-to-face events, but limit the number of people who can attend, he added. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the banning of big social gatherings to prevent "superspreader" events. With this, the Comelec formulated "new normal" guidelines, which include requiring attendees of in-person campaigning to be limited to 10% of venue capacity. This may still be raised if the pandemic situation improves, poll officials said. READ: Comelec may raise 10% limit for physical campaign rallies if pandemic situation improves Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) The country on Tuesday received another batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by Germany through the COVAX facility. The shipment containing 793,900 AstraZeneca doses arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 Tuesday afternoon. "[This] will be distributed in different areas in preparation also for booster dose and third dose this coming next week," Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. told reporters. Galvez also urged local government units to ramp up their immunization. "This is a race against time [] While we are decreasing our cases, we cannot slow down our vaccination," he said. "We are really appealing for your sense of urgency, we are in the midst of the pandemic. We need to move faster," Galvez added. The country already received 844,800 AstraZeneca shots from Germany last Oct. 15. To date, government data showed a total of 64.95 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered nationwide. Nearly 30 million are already fully vaccinated against COVID-19 while over 35 million have received their first dose. The national government seeks to inoculate at least 54 million Filipinos by year end. Meanwhile, at least 9.72 million or 99.40% of Metro Manila residents have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 8.8 million people or 90.35% in the capital region are already fully vaccinated. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday downplayed the opposition of over 150 lawyers to his nomination to the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC). Tinututulan nila tayo dahil sa pagiging spokesperson natin ay meron tayong guilt by association kay Presidente. Unang-una, wala pong ganun. Theres no such thing as guilt by association, he said during a Palace briefing. [Translation: They are opposing my nomination because they believe I have guilt by association for being the spokesperson of the President. First of all, theres no such thing.] In a letter of objection released on Monday, more than 150 lawyers said Roque is unqualified for a seat in the ILC as he repeatedly justified President Rodrigo Dutertes unacceptable positions on human rights, justice, pandemic response, and good governance. The lawyers also noted that Roque openly undermined international mechanisms on accountability, such as the International Criminal Courts (ICC) probe into the Duterte administrations drug war. Roque argued that expertise on international law is the basis for having a seat in the ILC, and the objections against his nomination are just political noise. Ang kailangan lang pong qualification sa International Law Commission ay napatunayang kakayahan bilang eksperto sa international law. Tatanggapin ko ang husga ng ibat-ibang estado ng buong mundo pagdating ng Biyernes, he said. [Translation: The only qualification needed in the International Law Commission is proven expertise on international law. I will accept the decision of different states around the world on Friday.] The ILC elections are scheduled on Nov. 12, according to National Union of Peoples' Lawyers president Edre Olalia. Roque also said that Duterte is not convicted for any crime, noting that the ICC is investigating the countrys anti-illegal drugs campaign and not the President. Ang preliminary investigation po ay laban sa drug war sa Pilipinas, ni hindi po ito laban kay Presidente Duterte...Lahat ng mga paratang ay paratang pa lamang, he added. [Translation: The preliminary investigation looks into the countrys drug war, not President Duterte...All accusations remain as accusations.] Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Malacanang said on Tuesday the public may no longer follow health protocols set by the national government if local government units will impose their own set of rules. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said mayors should wait for the final decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force over the face shield mandate. Kapag hindi natin sinunod ang IATF resolutions, baka isipin ng lahat ng ating mamamayan ay pupwede ng balewalain ang mga IATF policies. Paano ngayon susunod ang mga mamamayan, kung ang mga mayor mismo ay hindi sumusunod? he said in a Palace briefing. [Translation: If we do not follow the IATF resolutions, the public might think they can disregard the IATF policies. How would the people follow if the mayors themselves do not adhere to the protocols?] The Palace said Monday that Manilas new ordinance limiting face shield use to medical facilities is null and void pending an IATF recommendation. Iloilo and Davao cities also ditched the mandate. Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano on Tuesday defended the move of the mayors. Roque, however, said there should be a unified pandemic response. Hindi kasi puwedeng nagkakanya-kanya sa panahon ng pandemya. Siguro po, kung hindi po batas ang pinaguusapan, respeto na lang po sa ating Presidente...Ang sa akin po ay idaan sa proseso, he said. [Translation: We cannot do things on our own in this time of pandemic. I think we should act accordingly as respect to the President...For me, everything should undergo the right process.] Roque said the IATF will meet on Thursday to discuss the face shield mandate. The IATF requires wearing of face shields indoors and in crowded spaces. The Department of Health on Monday said the wearing of goggles to replace face shields is part of discussions with health experts. Experts said face shields are an added protection as coronavirus droplets can enter through the eyes. However, a wind engineer from the University of the Philippines earlier said face shields would only trap COVID-19 airborne particles. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Vice President Leni Robredo is confident recent changes in the political plans of President Rodrigo Duterte's children will not affect her bid for the country's top post "As far as our ticket is concerned, I don't think it will affect us at all. If at all when that happens, the lines will be clearer," Robredo said at an online event hosted by the Rotary Club of Makati on Tuesday. Robredo made the comment just before it was announced that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte withdrew her reelection bid and that her younger brother Sebastian who earlier in the day pulled out of the vice mayor race would take her place. The Vice President was responding to a question on the effect to her campaign strategy of a scenario where the younger Duterte would substitute for his sister and the mayor would run for a national post. Sebastian earlier said Atty. Melchor Quintain Jr. was his nominee for substitute candidate. Quitain has accepted the nomination to run for vice mayor of Davao City. In his statement, Quitain said he has withdrawn his candidacy as 1st District City Councilor. Neither of the Duterte siblings has explained the change in plans. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) The National Bureau of Investigation has started its own investigation into 52 cases of deaths in the government's drug war referred by the Department of Justice, NBI spokesman Ferdinand Lavin said Tuesday. "Gumugulong na ito, imiikot na ito," Lavin said in a Laging Handa briefing. [Translation: This is already underway.] He added the bureau earlier created investigating teams from across the country, including Mindanao, Metro Manila, Laguna, and Quezon. The DOJ previously found "possible criminal liability" of police officers involved in the drug war cases it reviewed. Possible sanctions include murder or homicide charges, if proven there was really an intention to kill the drug suspects, DOJ Undersecretary Adrian Sugay said. He added the NBI will file criminal complaints if warranted by the evidence. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) The one-seat apart rule inside cinemas in Metro Manila applies to family members, too, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said on Tuesday. Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2. Under this alert status, movie houses can reopen to fully vaccinated adults and minors, even if unvaccinated, up to 50% of their indoor capacity and 60% for those safety seal stickers, according to the Inter-Agency Task Force guidelines as of Nov. 4. "Right now, I understand that it will be one seat apart even if they are family members, for easy implementation," MMDA general manager Don Artes told CNN Philippines' New Day. The Department of Trade earlier said moviegoers can remove their face shields inside the cinemas but must always keep the masks on. Meanwhile, eating and drinking inside the theaters are not allowed, Artes said. Several cinemas in and outside the capital region will reopen their doors starting Nov. 10, according to a group of cinema owners. The running list can be found here. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Presidential aspirant and Senator Panfilo Lacson has officially withdrawn his authorship of a measure seeking to reinstitute death penalty in the country. In his letter dated Nov. 8 to Senate Secretary Atty. Myra Villarica, Lacson requested that Senate Bill 27, or "An Act Reinstituting the Death Penalty in the Philippines," no longer be considered for deliberations by the committees on justice and human rights, and constitutional amendments and revision of codes. Lacson filed SB 27 on July 1, 2019. Last week, he took back his support for the reimposition of death penalty for heinous crimes, noting the innocent may be executed just "because of wrong judgment." Instead, the presidential hopeful pushed for life imprisonment and penal reforms as the "better" alternatives. Lacson also supported the suggestion of Senate President Vicente Sotto III, his vice presidential running mate, to confine "drug lords" in a "super max penitentiary, with no means of communication with the outside world." The Commission on Human Rights earlier hailed Lacson and Sotto for "abandoning" their long-standing push for the reinstitution of death penalty, which it deemed as a "win for the sanctity of life." It expressed hope this will encourage other lawmakers to reconsider their position on the measure. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 9) Senators are seeking higher special risk allowances (SRA) for COVID-19 health workers as the proposed 2022 national budget reaches the plenary. Senator Sonny Angara, who sponsored the proposed 2022 General Appropriations Act, said funding for the allowances and benefits of medical frontliners are not included in the National Expenditure Program submitted by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to Congress. This prompted senators to introduce an amendment that will include a nearly 52-billion budget allocation for SRAs and other related benefits. Angara said their proposed SRA allocation for health workers are 3,000 for those with low-risk exposure to COVID-19, 6,000 for medium-risk and 9,000 for high-risk exposure. The senator added that there will be also additional funds to support medical workers who contracted or died of the coronavirus disease while performing their duties: 15,000 for mild and moderate cases, 100,000 for severe and critical cases, and 1 million for those who died of COVID-19. "These are for the medical frontliners, the doctors, the midwives, nurses, and other health-related workers who have tirelessly fought against the virus and did the best they could to treat and care for those who have been stricken with disease," Angara said in his sponsorship speech. Under the Bayanihan 2 Law, SRAs are given to healthcare workers who directly cater to COVID-19 patients, ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 per month. The DBM earlier said in a Senate committee hearing that it did not allot any SRA funding for health workers in the 2022 budget amid the country's continuing fight against the pandemic. The Budget department has released around 1.2 billion in total to compensate medical frontliners who attended to infected patients from Dec. 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021, after some medical groups complained they haven't receive their SRAs. While scrolling for hours on end across social media platforms, some may come across sped-up skits of mom and teacher impressions. These impressions have gained popularity across TikTok, and Penn State alumna JessVal Ortiz happens to be the creative mind behind the content. Ortiz is a 2020 Penn State graduate with a degree in musical theatre. And, she said Penn State was literally the best four years of [her] life. However, Ortizs senior year was cut short due to the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Little did Ortiz know, this time spent hunkered down indoors would kick start her career as a TikToker. Ortizs original plans after graduating college were to find a theatrical agent, move to New York City and pursue a career in Broadway. Theatre has basically felt like my calling, Ortiz said. But once the pandemic hit and Ortiz was sent home from school, she, like many others, downloaded TikTok to pass the time stuck indoors. Ortiz originally got a taste of TikTok prior to going home when she would watch her two theatre friends Jimin Moon and Jack Maloney perform the TikTok dance to Say So by Doja Cat during rehearsals. At first, Ortiz said she could not help but wonder What are these children doing? Eventually, Moon (junior-musical theatre) and Maloney (senior-musical theatre) suggested Ortiz join TikTok, which led to her decision to download the app. When Ortiz mentioned to Moon she had downloaded the app, Moon said it was obvious shed start making TikToks. She was also really into comedy and doing things... to make people laugh and all that kind of stuff, and I was like Oh this is the perfect vessel [for her], Moon said. Ortiz said her friends encouragement was the main reason she downloaded the app. Upon first using the app, Ortiz said she felt as though she was too old for [TikTok], and she felt way past her time using the platform. Despite these worries, Ortiz said she knew there was definitely a spot for [her] on this platform, and she began making her own videos. Ortiz said many of the skits she posted on the app were inspired by interactions she had with her mother. MORE LIFESTYLE CONTENT Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State spring events tickets to go on sale The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State announced it will sell tickets for its spri My mom is a pretty bold woman A lot of my inspiration comes from my mother, Ortiz said. As Ortiz began to gain more followers, she said her inspiration for her ideas then became a mixture between fan recommendations and personal experiences. From March to November 2020, Ortiz said she gained one million followers on TikTok. For the next six months, she said her follower count plateaued, until June of this past year when her TikTok career began to skyrocket. In roughly the three months after June, Ortiz went from one million to six million followers. Ortiz credited this fast rise of popularity to one thing she finally found her niche. My humor has always been an acquired taste, Ortiz said. Ortiz said she knew she was a funny person but said she knew not everyone would relate to her. It almost feels wrong that me doing something that I love to do can turn into a living, Ortiz said. In some ways, Ortiz said she feels like she doesnt deserve profiting from a career she enjoys so much. For a time after graduating, Ortiz worked for an online university admissions office, and she claimed this was her survival job to help pay for the bare necessities. This past August, Ortiz took a chance and quit the normal job for social media. [This was the] most life-changing decision Ive ever made I didnt know it was going to be life-changing, but here we are, Ortiz said. At the end of the day, Ortiz said shes glad she took the risk. Now, Ortiz makes a living not only from making TikToks but also by working with well-known brands such as Kentucky Fried Chicken. Ortiz said she aspires to branch out beyond TikTok and get into vlogging on YouTube. She said she wants to prove to herself she can be diverse in her talents and skills. YouTube tends to be where social media influencers skyrocket in their careers, and Ortiz said she thinks itll be a great next step for her. Maloney said its not a surprise that Ortiz found success. Shes such a hard worker, Maloney added. I knew she would find success in that realm. Moon said Ortiz is who she is, and no one else can be that. [She was] a TikToker waiting to happen, Maloney said. MORE LIFESTYLE CONTENT Penn State First Gen Advocates hosted a virtual webinar Monday night to celebrate National First-Generation College Week with Eric Thomas a motivational speaker, author, educator and pastor as the keynote speaker. You are here and you are important, Thomas said, as he opened by asking the audience why they were in school. Despite being done over Zoom, audience members were able to provide answers via chat. Answers as to why attendees were in college ranged from "in order to become Speaker of the House" to " to help underrepresented groups succeed." It doesnt matter if school is difficult or not," Thomas said. "It doesnt matter if something is difficult or not. What matters is whats pushing you. Thomass keynote consisted of three key parts resilience, persistence and managing transitions. Embrace challenges as growth opportunities, Thomas said. Challenges are not meant to make us quit or give up, they are meant to be embraced challenges are a part of the success journey. Thomas then discussed the importance of persistence by referring to toughness as a "mindset" and "journey." "Success is not the absence of failure, young people, it doesnt mean that because you are successful you are not going to fail," Thomas said. Discussing his own experience with failure in the form of homelessness at a young age and working his way to earning his Ph.D., Thomas said he is "successful not because [he] met failure, but because [he] persisted through it. You might have to bounce back," Thomas said. "You might have to bounce back several times. Thomas also discussed the journey of receiving his degrees. The four-year degree plan turned into a 12-year plan after he was kicked out of college on academic probation. Dr. Thomas went back to college and "killed it." Then, however, the person who was providing him his scholarship left, which meant Dr. Thomas had to leave as well. The loss of a scholarship had him working until he was able to pay for his degree. It doesnt matter if school is difficult or not," Thomas said. "It doesnt matter if something is difficult or not. What matters is whats pushing you. Thomass final slide was about managing transitions. Using an example of losing a computer, Thomas said it is important to maintain the thought process of I will focus on all of the beauty and not allow life to get all out of wack as a way to combat feelings of being overwhelmed or depressed. The event concluded with a Q&A session. The audience was active and asked Dr. Thomas questions regarding the struggles of earning his degrees, what motivates him and his future goals, which included winning a Nobel Prize. Thomas ended his speech with advice for students. What do you do on the days when youre not as excited about getting up for school, you dont feel the greatest," Thomas said. "You go back and look at your why. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE Penn State President Eric Barron hosted a virtual town hall Monday to address sexual misconduct in the university community. Sexual assault, misconduct and harassment are complex national issues especially on college campuses, Barron said. There are no easy solutions to this issue. The town hall was in response to an increase in reported sexual violence for the fall 2021 semester. Penn State reported its 19th known forcible sex offense of the fall semester on Nov. 1, according to University Park-issued Timely Warnings. Barron highlighted steps the university has taken to address sexual violence on campus, including establishing a Task Force on Sexual Assault and Harassment in 2014 intended to conduct regular surveys every three years on the climate of sexual assault at the university. He also mentioned the Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response's hiring of a full-time Title IX coordinator, strengthening [of] sanctions against perpetrators and expansion of educational, prevention and intervention programs. Additionally, the university has provided support services and improved mechanisms for reporting," Barron said, along with conducting the aforementioned climate surveys. Members of the Penn State community were encouraged to submit questions prior to the event, which Barron read to a panel of department members and a student. The panelists were Suzanne Adair, associate vice president for affirmative action, Danny Shaha, assistant vice president of Student Affairs, Nora Van Horn, Schreyer Honors College scholar and member of the Schreyer Gender Equity Coalition, Yvette Wilson, interim director of the Gender Equity Center, Tamla Lewis, associate general counsel and Stephanie Delaney, executive deputy chief of Penn State University Police and Public Safety. Barron began by asking the panel about efforts the university has made to prevent sexual misconduct and if there has been progress made. We have made significant progress, Adair said. Weve made a number of improvements to our investigative process. According to Adair, concerns raised by students contributed to the addition of in-person and witness testimony to sexual violence hearings. She spoke about how in 2018, the university increased" resources for those who were impacted by sexual misconduct, resulting in additional staffing and the Affirmative Action Office at Penn State, which helped with investigations and managing the case load. Adair added the university has continued to shorten the time frame for sexual misconduct cases and moved data to a centralized database. We have added a tremendous amount of resources, Shaha said. Its a good-sized staff... and that staff is dedicated to providing immediate and ongoing resources and support to students. Shaha said an area where Penn State needs to "continue to improve is educating" the university community on what it's doing to improve these issues. Students believe that the university is not doing all that it can, Van Horn said. She listed three key changes the university needs to make. First, I think that the university must define sexual violence correctly, Van Horn said. Sexual violence is a manifestation of structural problems like sexism and the normalization of violence... these structuralized problems are embedded in Penn States culture." Van Horn said the university must take "accountability" and "stop framing sexual and relationship violence as an interpersonal and inevitable issue. The second thing... that the university must do is the university leadership must invest in true prevention efforts," Van Horn said. "We need to use peer-reviewed, educational efforts aimed at preventing sexual violence." Van Horn also said many students believe Penn State needs to be "more transparent with and accountable to students. She is a member of the Schreyer Gender Equity Coalition, a student organization with the goal of [advocating] for just policies and [educating] students to create a more equitable Penn State, according to its website. Wilson, who directs Penn State's Gender Equity Center on campus, said she agrees with the need to establish a definition. We have the right and the obligation to become a leader on this issue, Wilson said. Delaney spoke about improving reporting mechanisms and making them more anonymous. The uniform is very intimidating, Delaney said of University Park police. Weve fostered advanced training for our officers... making sure were trauma-informed, making sure were sensitive to victims so that process is as comfortable as it can be moving forward. Shaha and Willson answered a question about current efforts to change the culture at Penn State of which many similar questions were received, Barron said. Danny said individuals on all levels need to be involved because of the need to keep this conversation "prominent." We need impactful... relevant and ongoing education, Wilson said. All of our efforts have to also.... take into consideration different communities that might be affected by these types of crimes differently, such as our trans community, our LGBT people, people of color because when you start building those different identities on top of issues, it makes it even more complex. Barron paused after reading the question What will you be doing to stop sexual assault on our campus? I must admit, I've been guilty of [the] wrong answer, Barron said. I go, Stop all sexual assault and really that isnt the answer. The answer is we have to do better. Barron then asked for a student's perspective on the issue. If students arent invited to participate in conversations about Penn State's culture and policy, students will be prevented from contributing to real changes, Van Horn said. We can't just expect students to just do programming and attend events... current efforts focus on preventing sexual assault happening between two adults in private, and without a cultural or systemic lens... This isnt [the] reality of sexual violence. As an example, she mentioned Penn State Safe & Aware, a series of learning modules for first-year Penn State students about relationship and sexual violence awareness and alcohol safety. Panelists then spoke about ways to make progress in the fight against sexual misconduct. Improving our data analysis and dissemination, Adair said. We know that we need to do a better job... so that we can determine what are the patterns, what are the trends? How can we assess the effectiveness of the... structures we have in place? Lewis emphasized the importance of education in combating sexual misconduct. Its very important for us to not just educate the community but make sure that were educating our decision-makers, Lewis said. As part of the Office of General Council, Lewis said she is responsible for overseeing all legal affairs of the university. A recent change to our Title IX regulations involves the addition of gender identity and sexual orientation as a form of sex discrimination, Lewis said. Title IX is a federal law barring harassment and sex discrimination in education, according to OSMPR. Many questions were received addressing the increased number of sexual assault reports on campus, Barron said. This is unacceptable, one said. Why are there so many? The panelists said there are numerous answers to this, which also led to more questions. We are constantly trying to determine 'Is this because we have better and easier reporting mechanisms or because there are more incidents?' Shaha said. Its hard to compare this years with last years because COVID did alter the landscape. Adair said panelists share the frustration. We didnt have enough student input in the previous iterations of the Sexual Misconduct Climate Surveys, Adair said. We have tried to take steps this year to make sure we have more student input. These steps include focus groups and a website for the community to provide feedback about the survey, according to Shaha. The next Sexual Misconduct Climate Survey is set to occur in spring 2022. "Please know that is not something that you have to go through alone, well work with you step by step... theres options available on the law enforcement front... but we can also navigate the other systems," Delaney said to survivors. Willson added the Gender Equity Center has Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, which is a confidential resource. If a student ever wants to know what their options are they can reach out to our office, and we will go through those options with them and then help them decide what is best for them, Willson said. Barron closed the town hall by thanking the panelists and addressing survivors. We encourage reporting, Barron said. I know the decision to speak up is difficult. When you are ready, we have a caring, compassionate team who [is] here to help and guide you through this difficult time. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State spring events tickets to go on sale The Center for the Performing Arts at Penn State announced it will sell tickets for its spri Penn State will host the Swipe Out Hunger drive from Nov. 13-21 to help fight student hunger at campuses across the state, according to a release. Collaborating with the national organization, Swipe Out Hunger, the drive will operate during the national Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Students at every Penn State campus will have the ability to directly donate to the drive when they pay for their meals at residential dining facilities. With donation amounts including $5, $10 or $15, students will also be able to donate through mobile ordering, the release said. Donated money will go directly toward the Student Emergency Fund, which helps support students facing food insecurity at every Penn State campus. The fund also provides support with housing insecurity, homelessness and unexpected emergencies, according to the release. During the 2019 spring semester, Penn State launched its own pilot campaign to encourage students to donate funds to fight student food insecurity. In February 2020, Penn States Task Force on Food and Housing Insecurity was charged by President Eric Barron to further uncover challenges and find solutions to student food and housing insecurities. Building off of the 2019 campaign, the university collaborated with Swipe Out Hunger for the first time in spring 2020, raising more than $29,000 for the Student Emergency fund. Jim Meinecke, associate director for residential dining at the University Park campus, said the university is looking to expand the drive into two separate campaigns that would occur once during the fall and once during the spring semester. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE A Penn State assistant professor charged with simple assault, disorderly conduct and harassment after allegedly getting into a physical altercation with a counter protester was found not guilty Monday. Walter Oliver Baker, assistant professor of English and African American studies, was charged on Sept. 7 after he allegedly engaged in an altercation during the second vaccination mandate rally held by Penn States Coalition for a Just University on Aug. 27. Baker was found not guilty under the Honorable Steven Frederic Lachman on one count of harassment. The other two charges of disorderly conduct and simple assault were previously withdrawn, according to court documents. According to court documents, Baker entered a not guilty plea on Oct. 7. According to university spokesperson Wyatt DuBois, Baker was placed on paid administrative leave during the investigation. University spokeswoman Lisa Powers said via email Monday Baker remains on administrative leave while internal processes are concluded. MORE CAMPUS COVERAGE The State College Borough Council voted unanimously to appoint nine members to the Community Oversight Board for the State College Police Department during its meeting Monday. The State College Borough announced the opening of recruitment for applicants to be part of the Community Oversight Board on Aug. 31. The review process, which formally began Sept. 20, had many applicants apply, according to council member Theresa Lafer. Lafer then thanked all applicants, calling each applicant fully capable of seeing the position through. I look forward to seeing this group of nine people make a difference, Lafer said. In how our community functions, in how people feel in terms of their relationship to the borough and to our police department. Council member Evan Myers said as part of his role in the board selection process, he will have to sign nine letters [officially appointing each member to the board] and said he cannot think of nine letters [he] will enjoy signing more. The council looked for individuals who are involved in community advocacy and understand the role of system racism in society, have knowledge of law enforcement, a background in behavioral health or an understanding of children in the State College Area School District related to policing, according to Borough Manager Thomas Fountaine who said there were 16 applicants in total. Seven board members live in the State College borough, while two live in College Township and Harris Township respectively. Due to the staggered appointment process as part of the ordinance passed on Aug. 31, three members were appointed for one year, three members were appointed for two years and three members were appointed for three years. The full list of the nine-member Community Oversight Board is below: Robyn Markowitz Lawler Loretta Jeffreys Kate Heizel Ron Madrid Charles Noll Vilmos Misangyi Barrett Marshall Cynthia Young Nalini Krishnankutty MORE BOROUGH COVERAGE Joey Bunch: "In the upcoming session, legislators will again try to hammer out a way to encourage people to save their own treasure, so I don't have to give them more of mine." Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. What's your breakfast choice? Are there any rules? | Live Well This year our dine and drink business locations throughout the Gorge have suffered with closures. You can help support your favorites by purchasing take out and gift cards. Many of these business will offer curb-side delivery and some will deliver to your home. Lets keep the Gorge going strong! Grace Nieland is a general assignment reporter at the Missourian. She has reported on public health and safety, judicial proceedings and breaking news. She can be reached at grace.nieland@mail.missouri.edu or in the newsroom at 573-882-5720. Follow this search Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The 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 Janet May True, 82, from Covington, IN, a former Danville resident went to be with the Lord at 9:45 P. M. Thursday November 18, 2021 at the home of her daughter in Champaign. She was born December 17, 1938 at Los Angles, CA the daughter of Jack and Vera Mary (Branch) Guyer. She was a homemak What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 319-352-3334 or email legals@waverlynewspapers.com. 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 We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Community News PTK members attend Kansas/Nebraska Region Fall Conference On Thursday, October 7, Phi Theta Kappa members of the Cowley College Alpha Gamma Upsilon chapter left for Wichita, Kansas to attend the Kansas/Nebraska Region Fall Conference. Officers Carolina Pruss de Abreu and Shelby Fuqua and advisors Julianna Smarsh and Jennifer Rupp met with PTK members from all over Kansas and Nebraska to listen to motivational speakers, form connections with new people, and participate in regional projects. The regional PTK officers presented on their Honors in Action research project, focusing on the environmental impact of humans on the bee population and actions communities can take to help support their local bees. As part of this project, all the participants visited Botanica Wichita to spend time learning about pollinators and enjoy a honey tasting session. They then went to Tanganyika Wildlife, where they participated in a hands-on program with the chance to feed at least one animal. On Saturday, attendees built environmentally friendly mason bee houses. Cowley PTK members plan to put the houses in the courtyard they have been renovating on the Arkansas City campus upon return. In addition, PTK members visited with representatives from a dozen transfer colleges and had the chance to meet with seminar groups composed of students from other institutions. The seminar groups met regularly throughout the conference, allowing students the opportunity to bond and make lasting connections across the region. Each of these groups produced a presentation highlighting career readiness. Members also attended breakout sessions about the history of PTK, fundraising, scholarships, and PTK Edge, a program to increase soft skills and make students more competitive in the workforce. On Saturday night, they then visited The Alley in Wichita, where students went bowling, drove go-karts, and fought zombies in a virtual reality game. Shelby Fuqua, Cowley College PTK Vice President of Communication, said, I really enjoyed meeting new people and to have fun with them during all the activities, especially the VR game! The conference provided many wonderful speakers who motivated students to feel confident in their choices and take advantage of opportunities. The first speaker on Thursday night was Liz Nead, an adventure speaker. Nead emphasized the heart of go and how to use grit and optimism to get what you want and inspire others along the way. On Friday, Sadokat Khakimova, the PTK International Vice President, gave a talk about her experiences and growth within PTK. She also provided tips to build PTK chapters and personal successes to enhance a resume. Kim Bartelli, a seasoned teacher with experience in leadership and Special Education, spoke on Saturday. She encouraged the audience to choose their own academic and career paths. She said, Make the decision to take power over your life and who can control it. Bartelli counseled that it is also important to be flexible with plans because new opportunities may come up when people least expect them. To finish the conference, Holly Hoffmann provided a moving and energetic speech titled Never Give Up The Survivor Way. Hoffman was a contestant on Season 21 of Survivor on CBS. Using her own experiences with the show, she advised students to jump to opportunities faster than we jump to conclusions. She told students that the only way to get experience is to say yes when given the choice. Dont let other peoples opinions or the odds of success keep you from trying. Overall, the weekend was full of learning, fun, and fellowship. Cowley College PTK President, Caroline Pruss de Abreu, said, The PTK conference was an amazing experience. We met a lot of interesting people, listened to many motivational speeches, learned so much about PTK itself and its opportunities, as well as getting to know a lot about transfer colleges. I would very much recommend the conferences for other PTK members. Upon returning to campus, Cowley PTK members are motivated to finish their own Honors in Action project on how Career and Technical Education programs have changed over time. Advisor Jennifer Rupp commented, Our students had an amazing time. They came back to campus with not only new friends but new possibilities for their futures. Welcome to ComedyNerd, Cracked's daily comedy superstore. For more ComedyNerd content, and ongoing coverage of that venerable 80s hilarity-that-turned-dark-knight, the Iran/Contra Affair, please sign up for the ComedyNerd newsletter below. SIGN ME UP Michael Keaton is another one of those Boomers who just won't retire. In the next few months, hes got The Protege, a sexy thriller with Maggie Q, Netflix 9/11 flick Worth, and Dopesick, a Hulu series about opioid addiction. Its all pretty heavy stuff -- except for a reprise of perhaps his most famous role. Warner Bros. I'm Batman. Well, I'm one of the Batmen. Have you heard of the multiverse? At nearly 70 years old, Keaton is returning as Batman (or at least, an alternate universe version of him) in the upcoming DC superhero movie The Flash. "(It was) weirdly and ironically easy, says Keaton of his Flash-back. A little bit emotional. Just a rush of memories." Most probably don't remember but Keaton was a controversial choice for Tim Burtons Batman, and not just because he wasnt the stereotypical action-hero type. You see, before he was Batman, Keaton spent a decade as one of Americas preeminent jokers. The man who disappointed Cher I met him standing on line at Catch a Rising Star in 1974, remembers Curb Your Enthusiasms Larry David. Isn't that something? I saw him here and there doing stand-up. We now know that the surveying party made a mistake. Rather than place the border at 35 degrees north, they put the border at about 34 degrees and 59 minutes north (about a mile off). Managing Editor Helen Robinson is a graduate of The University of Queensland, Australia. She worked in print media in Australia, Canada and the U.S. before joining the Business Journal in 2016. She became managing editor in 2019. STAMFORD Philip Morris International shipped more than 628 billion cigarettes around the world in 2020 but the Connecticut-bound company said it is committed to a future focused on smoke-free tobacco products. On Monday, PMI officials visited their future headquarters in downtown Stamford to explain why they believe an office complex that once housed the local operations of international banking giant UBS is the right place to anchor that transition. It is a message that found a receptive audience from Gov. Ned Lamont and other elected officials who gathered at 677 Washington Blvd., to welcome one of the worlds largest tobacco producers. Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media PMI is a company thats reinventing itself, Lamont said during the press conference. Im just so proud that theyll call Connecticut home. The meeting Monday followed PMIs announcement last week that it had signed a 12-year lease for 71,484 square feet, covering the entire 11th and 12th floors, at 677 Washington. Now based at 120 Park Ave., in midtown Manhattan, the company plans to open the Stamford offices next summer and bring about 200 jobs to the state, including positions in sales and marketing, finance, legal affairs and communications. For us to succeed, our employees need to be in a place that is personally and professionally enriching and we believe Stamford is just that place, said Deepak Mishra, president of the Americas region for PMI. Tyler Sizemore / Hearst Connecticut Media PMI will become the 15th Fortune 500 company headquartered in Connecticut. As the No. 101 firm on this years Fortune list, PMI produced revenues of nearly $29 billion in 2020. It employs more than 71,000 worldwide, with other sites including an operations center that will remain in Lausanne, Switzerland. PMI is not receiving any state subsidies to relocate to Connecticut. But extensive discussions between Lamonts administration and PMI officials preceded the companys announcement in June that it would relocate to the state. Its no surprise, I think, why theyre here, Lamont said. (There is) easy access to the rail station, (were) upgrading that, lots of affordable housing in and around the region. Its a walkable city going forward, (with) a lot of young people moving into this state. After PMI made the announcement in June, many public health advocates lamented that state officials were welcoming the company. Tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year globally, according to the World Health Organization. But PMI officials said the firm is moving away from cigarettes and pointed to the growth of the smoke-free heated tobacco products sold under its IQOS brand. Smoke-free products accounted for nearly 30 percent of PMIs net revenues in the third quarter of 2021, and the company said its aiming to become a majority smoke-free company in net revenues by the end of 2025. In the third quarter, PMI further diversified with transactions that included a takeover of asthma-inhaler maker Vectura, a deal reportedly worth about $1.5 billion; an acquisition of nicotine gum maker Fertin Pharma for approximately $820 million; and the $51 million purchase of OtiTopic, which develops respiratory drugs. At PMI, were making rapid progress toward our smoke-free future, Mishra said. A lot of that innovation will be driven right from here in terms of coming up with and then commercializing products that can change the lives of smokers. While it sells brands such as Marlboro abroad, PMI does not sell or market tobacco products in the U.S. Philip Morris USA a subsidiary of Altria Group, from which PMI was spun off in 2008 dominates the American cigarette market. Marlboro ranks as Philip Morris USAs top-selling brand. After the press conference, Lamont and the other elected officials joined executives of PMI and George Comfort & Sons, which is part of 677 Washingtons ownership team, on a walk-through of its office space. Now empty, the 11th and 12th levels of 677 Washingtons tower offer sweeping vistas of Stamford and Long Island Sound. I want to say a big thank you to Deepak (Mishra) and Philip Morris International for choosing Stamford, said Mayor-elect Caroline Simmons, a Democrat who was elected on Nov. 2. We welcome you here. I may be biased, but you chose the best city in the country to move to. Were thrilled to have you here. Simmons will be sworn in as mayor on Dec. 1. Since 2015, she has represented Stamfords 144th District in the state House of Representatives. Also attending Mondays meeting were most of the other members of Stamfords delegation at the state Capitol: state Rep. Daniel Fox, state Rep. Corey Paris, state Sen. Ryan Fazio and state Sen. Patricia Billie Miller. Revitalization of 677 Washington Last week, George Comfort & Sons announced several other new leases at 677 Washington, a three-building complex that covers more than 12 acres and stands yards from Interstate 95 and the downtown Metro-North Railroad station. It includes the 13-story office tower, a seven-story pavilion and a three-story retail-and-ancillary building. XL Global Services, a provider of property-and-casualty insurance services, signed an 11-year lease for 21,879 square feet on the 10th floor. It plans to move from its current Stamford location at 70 Seaview Ave., in the third quarter of 2022. Investment firm General Atlantic, which decided to take a portion of the eighth floor earlier this year in a relocation from Greenwich, expanded its planned presence to a total of 21,879 square feet. Another financial-services firm, Sandbrook Capital, signed a 10-year lease for 4,995 square feet on the eighth floor and plans to take occupancy in the first quarter of 2022. The 677 Washington complex is now 95 percent leased, according to George Comfort & Sons. WWE, which is still headquartered at 1241 E. Main St., will be the largest tenant at 677 Washington. It has leased about 415,000 square feet for offices in the tower and a production center in the pavilion. Tenants that have already completed their moves to 677 Washington include professional-services firm KPMG and architectural firm Perkins Eastman. Those recruits have contributed to a striking recovery for 677 Washington. Four years ago, it languished as the citys largest vacant office property after UBS moved in 2016 its local offices to smaller space across the street at 600 Washington Blvd., amid major job losses. While based at 677 Washington, UBS had operated one of the worlds trading floors. The propertys fortunes started to improve after Manhattan-based George Comfort & Sons joined Beverly Hills, Calif.-based AVG Partners on the propertys ownership team in early 2018. George Comfort & Sons two other Connecticut properties are also in Stamford: the office complexes at High Ridge Park and Shipping Landing. Stamford has been always a great place to operate in. We find tremendous help, both from the city and the governors office, said Peter Duncan, George Comfort & Sons CEO and president. Its been a terrific joint-venture, public-private partnership. pschott@stamfordadvocate.com; twitter: @paulschott 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. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greece on Tuesday hit a record high in new COVID-19 cases for a second day running, with the government ruling out a lockdown or school closures but warning that it might need to mobilize private doctors in badly hit areas. A total 8,613 new infections were recorded, marking a substantial leap from Monday's 7,300. Another 46 deaths were registered, bringing the total in the country of 11 million to about 16,400. The surge over the past week has put pressure on Greece's health system, with hospitals filling up in parts of the country. Health Minister Thanos Plevris said the situation was manageable, but very pressing. Plevris said private clinics in Greece's worst-hit northern areas were providing extra beds for state hospital patients, while medical staff were being transferred to struggling areas. He said private doctors have been invited to voluntarily assist the state health system where needed. If there is no response within this week ... then their services will be requisitioned, he told private Skai TV. Plevris ruled out a new lockdown or an end to in-person school classes, and the government insists that vaccinated people will not face significant restrictions again. About 61% of Greeces population has been fully vaccinated, which is below the European Union average of 75%. But health ministry officials said Monday that over the past seven days theres been an 185% increase in first vaccination appointments and a 200% surge in booster shot appointments. They linked the increases with new measures that took effect Saturday under which unvaccinated people can enter banks, government departments and most shops only if they show a recent negative COVID-19 test. The same applies to outdoor restaurant and cafe areas, while vaccinated people are allowed indoors at such establishments. Unrestricted access is still allowed for supermarkets, food shops and pharmacies. ___ Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic Early signs point to a robust demand for COVID-19 vaccinations among 5- to 11-year-old children in Connecticut during their first few days of eligibility, public health officials and local hospitals said Friday. Roughly 278,000 children under the age of 12 became eligible for the first time on Tuesday to receive a modified dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Almost immediately, the state said 96,600 doses had been ordered, though that number did not include doses shipped to local pharmacies. By Friday, some officials began to provide a clearer albeit incomplete accounting of the demand for those doses. Chris Boyle, a spokesman for the state Department of Public Health, said his agency has yet to complete a full analysis of demand for childhood vaccinations, though he said anecdotal signs indicated very strong demand around the state. For instance, one provider booked more than 3,000 appointments within hours of opening their scheduling for appointments, Boyle said in an email Friday. Several of our local health departments have clinics with 100-plus people signed up this weekend. And, our department has received several requests for additional orders of the pediatric Pfizer product from providers across the state. The states two largest health care providers, Yale New Haven Health and Hartford HealthCare, did not provide data on pediatric vaccinations. Neither did Walgreens or CVS. At Stamford Health, 600 vaccination slots for pediatric vaccines were opened on Wednesday that were quickly booked, according to spokeswoman Andie Jodko. We are working hard to expand appointment availability as soon as we add more resources and have additional vaccine supply on hand, likely within the next week. We recognize this is an exciting and important next step in ending the pandemic and we are honored to provide this service to our community, Jodko said in a statement. Pediatric Healthcare Associates, a practice with six locations in Bridgeport, Fairfield Shelton, Stratford and Trumbull, announced on its website Friday that its appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations were completely booked. At Connecticut Childrens Medical Center in Hartford, spokeswoman Monica Buchanan said 5,200 patient families were notified electronically to sign up for one of the hospitals 384 available slots over the first three days of eligibility this week. By Friday morning, 365 of those slots had been filled by medically complex patients receiving their first dose, Buchanan said, slightly less than the hospitals expected response rate. Buchanan said the slower-than-expected response was likely due to vaccines being more readily available now than earlier in the pandemic. She added that the hospital received an overwhelming response, to its community vaccine clinics scheduled in Hartford on Nov. 13 and 14. A total of 2,420,969 Connecticut residents have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, according to the latest weekly report from the state Department of Public Health. The percent of residents who are fully vaccinated ranged from over 95 percent for those over the age of 65, to 71 percent for those aged 12 to 15 and 18 to 24. As of Friday, Boyle said 276,041 Connecticut residents had received a third COVID shot or booster. State officials have reported 19,474 breakthrough cases among fully vaccinated residents, though those cases represent a fraction of the total number of infections identified since vaccines became widely available. The state reported another 320 cases of the virus on Friday, with a daily positivity rate of 1.33 percent. Hospitalizations fell by 12, and more than three-quarters of the 197 COVID patients in Connecticut on Friday were not fully vaccinated, the data showed. Pfizer announced on Friday that it would seek emergency authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its antiviral pill used to treat COVID-19, after the company said clinical trials showed the pill reduced the risk of hospitalization or death by 89 percent among a study group. The Associated Press reported that approval from the FDA could come within weeks or months of the companys formal application. Pfizer partially developed its COVID-19 vaccine at the companys sprawling research center in Groton. A spokesman for the company on Friday declined to say what role the Groton facility played in the development of its antiviral pill, called Paxlovid. Groton has a hand in almost everything at Pfizer usually in a supporting capacity, Pfizer spokesman Steven Danehy said in an email. Since late summer we have been inundated with headlines and breaking news stories about Gabby Petito, a young woman who had gone missing while traveling cross country with her boyfriend. Photos of Gabby were, and still are, everywhere. So many of us anxiously awaited any small update about the case. We came to learn that for more than a year Gabby had been separated from her family and friends in New York and was living with her boyfriend and his parents in Florida. We learned that she really only had one friend and confidante in Florida, and that her friend had concerns about Gabbys relationship. Like how her boyfriend would get upset when Gabby made plans with this friend and without him, how he would hide her identification to prevent her from going out; and how he would show up, uninvited, when the girls went to the beach. Rather than joining them, he would set up a chair several feet away and just watch them. We learned that the relationship was tumultuous, that Gabby would often call her friend crying about arguments shed with her boyfriend, and that he deliberately made it difficult for her to make new friends. In hindsight, its easy to see the many red flags and to recognize her boyfriend as controlling and abusive. On Oct. 1, new legislation went into effect in Connecticut redefining domestic violence to include coercive control. Coercive control is not a new phenomenon. Victims and survivors have always been trapped by abusers with tactics such as isolation, gaslighting, manipulation, controlling finances and monitoring activities; preventing their autonomy and independence. Abusers skillfully create an environment of deference and constant fear, without ever using physical violence. The court system, intended to ensure justice for all, can be overwhelming for survivors and is often manipulated by abusers to further control and harass their victims. Public Act 21-78 provides survivors with enhanced tools to increase safety for themselves and their children. Now, victims can be granted orders of protection for a pattern of non-physical acts of abuse such as threats, intimidation and verbal abuse all of which are well established precursors to physical violence. Looking back on the history of Gabbys relationship, we can now clearly see that her murder was the punctuation mark at the end of a long pattern of coercive control. Gabbys story is not unique, but it captured the attention of the county. So what is it about this case, that resulted in mass media coverage? What was it about Gabby that made us all pay so much attention? It could be that she already had a large presence on social media, with images of herself readily available for public consumption. It could also be what those images depicted a beautiful, enthusiastic and creative woman who was also young, blonde and white. The media frenzy over Gabby Petito is not unlike that of other white female victims of domestic violence who have been sensationalized. Weve been captivated by the stories of Laci Peterson, Shannon Watts and, most recently, Jennifer Dulos. But what about the thousands of other women in the United States who have been murdered by a current or former intimate partner? What about the victims who dont look like Gabby? Its clear, our society values some victims more than others. On average, three women a day are murdered by current or former intimate partners in this country. Women of color are disproportionally victimized by domestic violence. Native American women face murder rates more than 10 times the national average. Black women are 2 1/2 times more likely to be murdered by men than white women are. Yet, we rarely learn these womens names, see their faces or know their stories. As we continue to mourn the loss of Gabby, we must also commit to increasing our understanding of the underlying dynamics of domestic abuse, including coercive control. How we respond to domestic violence matters, and it is imperative that we examine when and why there are differences between which victims capture our collective attention and sympathy. The mission of YWCA Greenwich includes eliminating racism and empowering women. Our Domestic Abuse Services team has worked diligently every day, for 40 years, to bring that mission to life by raising our voices for those who have been silenced and by delivering comprehensive, client-centered services to those impacted by domestic violence. Anyone, and everyone, who has been impacted by domestic violence. Please call our 24-Hour Hotline for more information or to get help 203-253-6274. Meredith Gold is director of domestic abuse services and Leslie Coplin is training and community engagement coordinator of YWCA Greenwich. 99 cent introductory offer Includes everything we offer online for 24-7 news. This option allows you to read unlimited stories at ctnewsonline.com, and access our e-Edition (digital replicate of the daily newspaper). $7.99 per month after the introductory offer. This service comes with a complimentary CT Select Card allowing for local discounts. Rates are subject to change. As corporate environmental and social practices come under greater scrutiny, a Norwalk company is getting a $500 million buyout with tools to help investment managers better steer client funds with those criteria in mind. Investment Metrics will become part of Confluence Technologies, a Pittsburgh company that sells financial applications and data to investment firms. The Atlanta private equity investment firm Resurgens has owned Investment Metrics since 2017, installing Brent Burns as CEO in 2019. Sanjoy Chatterjee founded Investment Metrics in 2010 as a spinout from Dariens Rogerscasey, which is now a division of Segal Marco Advisors. Investment Metrics now has its headquarters in the 800 Connecticut Ave. building that is home to Booking Holdings and subsidiary Priceline. A Confluence spokesperson did not offer any immediate outlook Monday on whether the company plans to keep Investment Metrics staffing intact in Norwalk, or otherwise add Connecticut jobs. Confluence has a New York City office in lower Manhattan. Investment Metrics systems help more than 400 institutional investors analyze markets and portfolios as they invest client assets, with mutual fund giants Fidelity Investments and Vanguard listed among those using its platform. Throughout the financial industry, portfolio managers are reassessing how to incorporate ESG environmental, social and governance as criteria in stock investments. Ratings agencies have also applied ESG methodology for bonds and other debt instruments, including the Fitch Group subsidiary of Hearst Corp. as part of its Sustainable Fitch initiative. Were already beginning to experience the generational transfer of wealth from the boomer parents to their millennial children, said Damian Handzy, head of research and applied analytics for Investment Metrics, in a May podcast on the topic. The relevance of ESG investing in the U.S. will increase very quickly just because of these demographic shifts adding societal pressure and governmental policies on top of that just gives me more reason to believe that the change is going to be fast. Investment Metrics main office is five miles from the headquarters of FactSet, which offers Investment Metrics tools as part of its market information and analysis platform that competes with those of Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters. FactSet had 10,700 employees at last report, including about 2,450 in the United States. A FactSet spokesperson did not say Monday whether the company was presented any opportunity to acquire Investment Metrics, but said FactSet already has a suite of portfolio analysis tools that overlap with some of those offered by Investment Metrics. Speaking last summer, CEO Phil Snow said FactSet remains open to additional acquisitions, with two deals to date this year in purchase agreements for Boston-based Cobalt Software and BTU Analytics, a Colorado firm focused on energy market data. The company has yet to top the $265 million it paid in 2015 for New York City-based Portware. Were very good at doing tuck-in acquisitions for a unique content and technology which we demonstrated this year so were really happy with our platform and our ability to be a central player in the ecosystem, and be really agnostic to the data thats on our platform whether its ours or us integrating third-party content, Snow said during a July conference call. If the right transaction comes around thats larger, were in a position to execute on it but we dont feel that its something we need to do to be successful. Includes prior reporting by Paul Schott. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-842-2545; @casoulman Contributed /Ansonia Police Department ANSONIA A local man was charged with stealing several thousand dollars from a bank last month, city police said Monday. Michael Tallo, 37, was charged with first-degree robbery, third-degree larceny and first-degree threatening, Ansonia police said. He was held on $250,000 bond. BRIDGEPORT A person suffered a non-life-threatening injury in a shooting Monday afternoon, according to police. Shortly before 3 p.m., officers responded to St. Vincents Medical Center on a report from the emergency department regarding a shooting victim. Police said the victim showed up at the hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The department did not indicate where the shooting may have happened. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the tips line at 203-576-TIPS. BRIDGEPORT Police are investigating a reported stabbing in the city Tuesday morning, according to police. Officers were dispatched to the area of Connecticut Avenue around 7:30 a.m. for a report of a person stabbed. Police said the severity of the individuals injuries was not immediately known. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the tips line at 203-576-TIPS. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. BRIDGEPORT A science teacher at Bridgeport Military Academy had been charged with sexually assaulting two of her students. Samantha Peck, a teacher at the high school for six years, surrendered to police Tuesday after learning there was a warrant for her arrest. She was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and was released after posting $100,000 bond pending arraignment in Superior Court on Nov. 23. It would be inappropriate to comment at this time, said her lawyer, John R. Gulash. Superintendent of Schools Michael Testani did not return calls and emails for comment. Peck is listed on the school staff as a science teacher with a specialty in forensics. Police said she is married. On Oct. 29, a memo from Testani was sent to parents of students at the school that a school staff member was under investigation for allegations of inappropriate behavior. The memo did not identify the staff member. At the time Testani said they were cooperating with the investigation. Police said Peck, of Thomaston, is accused of sexually assaulting the two students, a male and female, on separate numerous occasions in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Police said the assaults took place both in the school during school hours and at various locations after school including a party of other students. Peck texted the male student explicit photos of herself and a description of sex acts she wished to perform with him prior to the sexual assaults, police said. When detectives confronted Peck with the allegations, she admitted that she had a sexual relationship with both the students, police said. LOS ANGELES (AP) Two California couples gave birth to each others' babies after a mix-up at a fertility clinic and spent months raising children that weren't theirs before swapping the infants, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles. Daphna Cardinale said she and her husband, Alexander, had immediate suspicions that the girl she gave birth to in late 2019 wasn't theirs because the child had a darker complexion than they do. They suppressed their doubts because they fell in love with the baby and trusted the in vitro fertilization process and their doctors, Daphna said. Learning months later that she had been pregnant with another couple's baby, and that another woman had been carrying her child, caused enduring trauma, she said. I was overwhelmed by feelings of fear, betrayal, anger and heartbreak, Daphna said during a news conference with her husband announcing the lawsuit. I was robbed of the ability to carry my own child. I never had the opportunity to grow and bond with her during pregnancy, to feel her kick. The Cardinales' complaint accuses the Los Angeles-based California Center for Reproductive Health (CCRH) and its owner, Dr. Eliran Mor, of medical malpractice, breach of contract, negligence and fraud. It demands a jury trial and seeks unspecified damages. Yvonne Telles, the office administrator for the center, declined to comment on Monday. Mor could not be reached for comment. The two other parents involved in the alleged mix-up wish to remain anonymous and plan a similar lawsuit in the coming days, according to attorney Adam Wolf, who represents all four parents. The lawsuit claims CCRH mistakenly implanted the other couples embryo into Daphna and transferred the Cardinales embryo made from Daphnas egg and Alexanders sperm into the other woman. The babies, both girls, were born a week apart in September 2019. Both couples unwittingly raised the wrong child for nearly three months before DNA tests confirmed that the embryos were swapped, according to the filing. The Cardinales, including their young daughter, fell in love with this child, and were terrified she would be taken away from them, the complaint says. All the while, Alexander and Daphna did not know the whereabouts of their own embryo, and thus were terrified that another woman had been pregnant with their child and their child was out in the world somewhere without them. The babies were swapped back in January 2020. Mix-ups like this are exceedingly rare, but not unprecedented. In 2019 a couple from Glendale, California, sued a separate fertility clinic, claiming their embryo was mistakenly implanted in a New York woman, who gave birth to their son as well as a second boy belonging to another couple. Wolf, whose firm specializes in fertility cases, called for greater oversight for IVF clinics. This case highlights an industry in desperate need of federal regulation, he said. Breaking the news to their older daughter, now 7, that doctors made a mistake and that the new baby wasn't actually her sister was the hardest thing in my life, Daphna said. My heart breaks for her, perhaps the most, she said. Since the mix-up came to light, both babies have been returned to their biological families. All four parents have since made an effort to stay in each others lives and forge a larger family, Daphna said. They were just as much in love with our biological daughter as we were with theirs, Alexander said. Connecticuts compensation fund for victims of crime is on track to receive more requests for aid than in any previous year on record, the director of the Office of Victim Services said Tuesday. Linda Cimino, the director of Office of Victim Services, told officials on the Advisory Council for Victims of Crime on Tuesday that her office received 1,686 applications for crime victims benefits between January and October. Ciminos office has received 550 more applications this year than in all of 2020 and just nine fewer than the previous record set in 2018. The reason for the spike in applications likely has to do with both an increasing number of victims who are eligible for compensation, Cimino said, as well as greater awareness of the availability of benefits after decades of public outreach by her office. The addition of coverage for emotional injury benefits in 2018 has also created some confusion, Cimino said, and a spike in applications that do not meet the criteria for coverage. For example, Cimino said a victim of a carjacking who was not in the vehicle or physically threatened during the theft would not be eligible for benefits. There are advocates who are across the state, not any particular agency, but theyre encouraging or assisting victims to apply for benefits from us where the crime is nowhere near anything we can cover, Cimino said. The increasing number of applications is also putting a strain on the staff who evaluate those claims, with caseloads currently approaching 200 for each evaluator, Cimino said. She added that her office was seeking to hire two additional staff members to handle claims. The budget for the states Victim Compensation Program this fiscal year is $2.8 million, Cimino said. Benefits from the program are capped at $5,000 for emotional injury, $15,000 for personal injury and $25,000 in survivor benefits. The program does not cover regular living expenses, property loss or damages for pain and suffering. The number of family members of murder victims seeking survivors benefits during the first 10 months of 2021 126 has remained flat over the same time period last year, Cimino said. Crime rates fluctuated widely in Connecticut during the pandemic, with the FBI reporting that car thefts and homicide spiked over previous years while overall rates of violent crime decreased. That has led to dueling political narratives in Hartford, where Republicans describe crime as out of control and Democrats point to the statistics showing that Connecticut remains one of the safest states in the country. Members of the Advisory Council for Victims of Crime said Tuesday that those statistics are further complicated by a growing number of crime victims who they said are reaching out for help without reporting crimes to police. Sexual violence for example, sexual assault, is down 25 percent, said Beth Hamilton, the executive director of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Thats not what were seeing in any service delivery. Connecticut law does not require victims to report crimes to police in all cases in order to receive benefits from the state. Cimino said that her office has also experienced a growing number of applicants who are hesitant to involve police, especially in cases of sexual assault and domestic violence. SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (AP) A former staffer at a Rhode Island Boy Scout camp has been charged with sexually assaulting a male camper who was under the age of 13 in 1986, prosecutors said Monday. Richard McGrath, 58, of Charlton, Massachusetts, was indicted recently and arraigned Monday in Washington County Superior Court on a charge of second-degree child molestation, according to a statement from state Attorney General Peter Neronha. Bail was set at $5,000 personal recognizance. The court also ordered McGrath to have no contact with the alleged victim. He is due back in court on Jan. 4. No defense attorney was listed for McGrath in online court records. McGrath was on the staff at the Yawgoog Scout Reservation at the time of the alleged assault, the statement said. This office is committed, in partnership with the Rhode Island State Police, to the thorough investigation of all allegations of child sexual abuse, whether those allegations involve recent conduct or conduct dating back decades, Neronha said in a statement. Yawgoog, founded in 1916, is situated on 1,800 acres (728 hectares) in the Rockville section of Hopkinton and is operated by the Narragansett Council of the BSA. Hundreds of scouts attend the camp every summer. The allegation against McGrath is reprehensible and opposed to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands," Narragansett Council CEO Tim McCandless said in a statement. Upon learning of the allegations, we took immediate action to prohibit him from participation in scouting. We also made the referral to law enforcement authorities which, after an investigation, resulted in his indictment. We have added Mr. McGrath to the BSAs Volunteer Screening Database which will prevent him from any future participation in scouting." Safety remains a top priority for the scouts, the statement said. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Many Kansas families would save hundreds of dollars a year under a proposal Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly outlined Monday to eliminate the state's unusually high sales tax on groceries. Kelly's proposal, which would save consumers roughly $450 million a year, comes at a time when the state is flush with cash, thanks to tax collections that have exceeded expectations for months. But if a measure reducing or eliminating the tax passes the Republican-controlled Legislature, she'll face a partisan fight over credit as she seeks reelection next year. The governor unveiled her proposal three days after GOP Attorney General Derek Schmidt called on lawmakers to cut or eliminate the 6.5% tax. Schmidt didn't make a specific proposal but told top Republicans in a letter Friday that he is ready to assist them in passing a measure. Kelly made reducing or eliminating the sales tax on groceries a key campaign promise during the governor's race in 2018. She said she's waited until now to push the issue to be sure that the state's finances are stable enough to sustain the tax relief into the future. Tax collections have run 18.9% ahead of expectations from July 1 through Oct. 31 and generated a surplus of $440 million. We can deliver this for families without diverting resources from other state services or agencies, Kelly said. Kelly announced her proposal during a news conference in the produce section of a Dillons grocery store in north Topeka, as curious shoppers looked on. She held up an axe to symbolize her push to axe the tax on groceries and wore an axe pin on her lapel. The proposal would save consumers $6.50 for every $100 spent on groceries. A family that spends an average of $200 a week on groceries would save $676 over a year. Kansas is one of only 13 states with a sales tax on groceries and one of only six that taxes groceries at the same rate as other consumer goods, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators. Kansas' rate of 6.5% is second only to Mississippi's 7%. Eliminating the sales tax on groceries can immediately benefit all Kansans, and it will provide the greatest help to those in greatest need, Schmidt said in his letter to GOP legislative leaders, echoing an argument that lawmakers in both parties have made for more than two decades. Cutting or eliminating the tax is likely to have widespread appeal to consumer-voters. I work hard and I try to eat the right foods and try to eat healthy, said Karen Thornwall, a part-time instructor at Washburn University and substitute teacher in Topeka. A lot of people will say they cant afford to buy even the healthy foods because its expensive but a lot of it is the tax that we pay on the food as well. But the Legislature's debate next year will likely be clouded by election-year politics. Republican lawmakers included proposals for modest reductions in the sales tax on groceries in two tax-cutting bills they approved in 2019, but they tied their proposals to income tax cuts that Kelly called fiscally reckless. She vetoed both bills. They always play politics with it, said House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, who advocated eliminating the sales tax on groceries during his unsuccessful run for governor in 1998. Republicans hope to persuade swing voters that Kelly couldn't deliver on her 2018 promise and that a measure wouldn't pass without Schmidt intervening. Indeed, Schmidt's campaign posted on social media ahead of Kelly's event Monday that, "We need a governor who will get the job done for Kansas families. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna HOUSTON (AP) The Houston police and fire departments were deeply involved in safety measures for the music festival where a surging crowd killed eight people, playing key roles in crowd control measures, on-site security staffing and the emergency response. The police chief even says he met with the headlining performer before the show. Now the city's police department is leading the criminal investigation into how the deadly chaos erupted during Friday night's performance by rapper Travis Scott. While a prominent local official is calling for a separate, independent review of the tragedy, experts in crowd safety say an investigation by neutral outsiders could help the city avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency. Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva declined to comment on questions about whether its close involvement in the event created a conflict or if it considered handing the probe off to an outside agency. Such decisions are often made in investigations like police shootings. All of the information we have available to put out at this time has been placed out on Twitter, Silva said. The police department's probe would be separate from any independent investigation ordered by County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris Countys top elected official, according to Rafael Lemaitre, a spokesman for the county judge's office. Hidalgo hasn't decided who would conduct such an independent review or how it would be done, Lemaitre said Monday. She wants to know if this could have been prevented in any way, Lemaitre said. Its also entirely possible that it was not preventable for whatever reason, and thats something we would like to know, as well. Key questions remained unanswered after the Astroworld festival at the Harris County-owned NRG Park. Some of the lingering questions involve what the Houston police and fire departments did before, during and after a crowd surged toward the stage, killing eight people and injuring may more, with over 300 people treated on site and at least 13 others hospitalized. Other questions center on the actions of event organizers. Officials with the Houston police and fire departments have said that part of their investigation will include reviewing whether the concert promoter and others behind the festival adhered to the plans that were submitted for the event. Astroworlds organizers laid out security and emergency medical response protocols for the festival in plans filed with Harris County. The 56-page operations plan, obtained by The Associated Press, says that a decision to evacuate the event would be made by the festival director after consultation with other individuals, including the security director. Such plans were filed with Harris County and Houston and have to be reviewed by Houston police officials. Christopher Slobogin, director of the criminal justice program at Vanderbilt University, said an independent criminal investigation into what happened in Houston could be beneficial to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. But acknowledged that this case is different from typical situations where authorities are confronted with decisions over whether to step away from a case because of a conflict of interest. The actual crime was probably not committed directly by the fire department or the police department, he said. But at least for appearance purposes, if an independent body did the investigation I think that would be the better practice. Officials have said a private company was primarily responsible for providing security at the festival, but Houston police were also assigned to the event. The plan says medical care at the festival was provided by ParaDocs, a private company based in New York. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena had said during a news conference on Saturday that the injuries and size of the crowd quickly overwhelmed the private companies providing security and medical services. Pena said even though the medical operations plan did not require that the fire department have units pre-positioned around the festival, his agency decided to have those units in place in case this incident escalated. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on Monday that he had a "brief and respectful" meeting with Scott and the rappers head of security on Friday before his performance. The chief said he asked them to work with the police department. I expressed my concerns regarding public safety and that in my 31 years in law enforcement experience I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages, to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation, Finner said. G. Keith Still, a visiting professor of crowd science at the United Kingdoms University of Suffolk, said his independent investigations of similar tragedies typically begin with an evaluation of an events safety permitting process. He evaluates how a permit was issued and whether the event organizer adhered to permit conditions. Police can sometimes get too caught up in trying to take eyewitness accounts, he said. With 50,000 potential eyewitnesses, by the time they get done through with all of that, theyre left with a huge, confused mass. Houston police and fire officials said their investigation will include reviewing video taken by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show. Officials also planned to review the events security plan and determine whether its organizers properly followed permit requirements. Steven Adelman, vice president of the industry group Event Safety Alliance, said in an email that he sees no issue with public safety authorities authorizing an independent investigation of the Houston tragedy. I would hope and assume the investigation will be conducted by an outside person who is not subject to influence by the agencies that were involved with Astroworld. This is not an uncommon scenario in complex situations like this one, wrote Adelman, whose organization was formed after the collapse of a stage killed seven people at the Indiana State Fair in 2011. Adelman said private forensic analysis experts independently investigated the Indiana stage collapse, examining the stage roof engineering and crowd management. A good example of what I hope we see here, Adelman said of the investigation in Houston. Finner has defended how long it took for the concert to be called off after the first signs of trouble. The police chief said his department immediately notified concert organizers after noticing that attendees were going down. The event was called off 40 minutes later after discussions that included the fire department and NRG Park officials. You cannot just close when youve got 50,000 over 50,000 individuals, OK? Finner said. We have to worry about rioting riots when you have a group thats that young. Pena said city officials limited the attendance to 50,000 even though the venue could have held 200,000 based on fire codes. It was the crowd control at the point of the stage that was the issue, especially as the crowd began to surge toward the stage, Pena said. Live Nation said in a statement that it is cooperating with local authorities "so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time." Hidalgo tweeted on Saturday that she was calling for an objective and independent investigation into what happened. She also said her office was grateful for the work done by the police and fire departments. It may well be that this tragedy is the result of unpredictable events, of circumstances coming together that couldnt possibly have been avoided, Hidalgo said. But until we determine that, I will ask the tough questions. Hidalgos office isnt a law-enforcement agency and doesnt have authority over criminal investigations. ___ This story has been updated to correct the name of the county judges spokesman to Rafael Lemaitre, not Maitre. ___ Kunzelman reported from College Park, Maryland. Associated Press reporters Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) Further expanding its probe, the U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection has issued subpoenas to six additional associates of former President Donald Trump who were closely involved in his efforts to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election. The committee's chairman, Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, said in a statement Monday that the panel is demanding testimony and documents from former Trump campaign officials and others who participated in a war room ahead of the siege and strategized about how to halt the certification of Joe Bidens victory. Thompson said the committee had issued new subpoenas to Bill Stepien, manager of Trumps 2020 reelection campaign; Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the campaign; Angela McCallum, national executive assistant to the campaign; John Eastman, a lawyer who advised the former president; Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to Trump who talked with Trump ahead of the insurrection; and Bernard Kerik, who the committee says paid for hotel rooms that served as command centers ahead of Jan. 6. In the days before the January 6th attack, the former presidents closest allies and advisers drove a campaign of misinformation about the election and planned ways to stop the count of Electoral College votes," Thompson said. "The Select Committee needs to know every detail about their efforts to overturn the election, including who they were talking to in the White House and in Congress, what connections they had with rallies that escalated into a riot, and who paid for it all." The subpoenas come after the panel has already demanded documents and testimony from several other Trump advisers some who have cooperated and some who have not. The House voted last month to hold longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon in contempt after he refused to comply with his subpoena. Trump himself is fighting the probe in court. The rioters who violently pushed back police to break into the Capitol and interrupt the electoral count repeated Trump's false claims of widespread fraud, and the committee says the six newly subpoenaed witnesses helped amplify the misinformation in the days ahead of the attack. Trump's false claims came as election officials and courts across the country verified Biden's win, and as his own attorney general said there was no evidence of significant fraud. Thompson says in the letters to the Trump associates that the panel has uncovered credible evidence of their participation in the former president's efforts to overturn the election and cites ways that they individually tried to further his cause. In Stepien's subpoena, Thompson cites the testimony of an unnamed witness in saying he oversaw the conversion of Trump's presidential campaign to a Stop the Steal effort. In letters to Miller and McCallum, Thompson cites specific efforts to spread the false claims, including a phone call from McCallum to an unidentified Michigan state legislator asking if the Trump campaign could count on them and urging the person to push for the appointment of new state electors. Thompson detailed several efforts by Eastman, a lawyer and professor, to persuade Vice President Mike Pence to try to overturn the election as he presided over the congressional certification a power Pence did not legally have. Thompson also cites Eastman's outreach to states, including a briefing to state legislators, and his participation in the so-called war room at the Willard Hotel where he, Bannon, Kerik and others strategized ahead of the siege about how to overturn Trump's defeat. Kerik, a former New York City police commissioner who was pardoned by Trump after serving time in prison for tax fraud and other charges, responded to his subpoena with a lengthy statement on Monday evening. He said that he was not hired to overturn the will of the people, only to look into the integrity of the process and that his focus after the election was on looking for evidence," not public relations. As to the events of January 6th, I was not involved, he said. The others contacted by The Associated Press did not respond to requests for comment. In the letter to Flynn the former national security adviser who twice pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and was also pardoned by Trump Thompson cited a December Oval Office meeting with the then-president. Citing media reports, Thompson said Flynn and other participants discussed seizing voting machines, declaring a national emergency, invoking certain national security emergency powers and continuing to spread the message that the Nov. 2020 election had been tainted by widespread fraud. The panel is working with other close Trump advisers to gain testimony, including former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and administration aides Kashyap Patel and Dan Scavino. Members of the committee said they have been engaging with those witnesses but may move to hold them in contempt, as well, if they don't comply soon. Trump's own opposition has prompted some of his advisors, including Bannon, to say they can't speak publicly about their roles. The former president's lawsuit argues that he can assert executive privilege, or a presidential claim to keep some information private, in an effort to block the government from releasing a tranche of internal White House documents to the panel. The committee has argued that privilege doesn't apply. President 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. In his subpoena to Eastman, Thompson sought to preemptively attack any attorney-client privilege that he may attempt to cite to avoid testifying. The letter noted that Eastman has already made extensive public comments" regarding his legal advice and direct discussions with Trump. Former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, who aligned himself with Trumps efforts to overturn the election as other department leaders pushed back, appeared for a deposition on Friday but declined to cooperate, presenting the committee with a letter saying he would not answer questions based on Trumps assertions of privilege, including in the ongoing court case. Thompson said afterward that he had rejected the claims of privilege and said Clark has a very short time to reconsider and cooperate. The committee has already interviewed more than 150 people across government, social media and law enforcement, including some former Trump aides who have been cooperative. The panel has subpoenaed more than 20 witnesses total, and most of them, including several associates who helped plan the massive Stop the Steal rally the morning of the 6th, have signaled they will cooperate. ___ Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report. SHELTON A Milford man is facing a weapons charge after allegedly threatening a woman with a knife at a local hotel, police said. Peter Anthony Zelinsky was arrested for second-degree threatening, carrying a dangerous weapon, risk of injury to a child and second-degree breach of peace in connection with the incident that police said occurred Nov. 3 around 3 p.m. at Extended Stay America, 945 Bridgeport Ave. Police said officers responded to the hotel on a report of a man - later identified as Zelinsky - threatening people with a knife. While at the scene, police said officers located Zelinsky at the rear of the building. Police said Zelinsky was patted down by officers and a knife was found in his back pocket. The victim, who was with her 4-month-old granddaughter at the time of the incident, said Zelinsky asked her for crack, then began threatening to stab her, according to police. Zelinsky was held on a $50,000 bond and was due in court Nov. 4. While in custody, he was also arrested on four separate second-degree failure to appear charges, police said. He was to appear in court on Nov. 4 to answer those charges as well, according to police. brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com SINGAPORE (AP) Singapore's top court on Tuesday postponed the appeal hearing for a Malaysian man on death row who is believed to be mentally disabled, after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, in a case that has drawn international attention. Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, 33, was scheduled to be executed by hanging on Wednesday for trying to smuggle less than 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into the country. The Malaysian national was sentenced to death in November 2010 under Singapore's strict anti-drug laws. Previous attempts to reduce his sentence to life in prison or receive a presidential pardon failed, despite pleas from the international community and rights groups. The Court of Appeal's Judge Andrew Phang said Nagaenthran had tested positive for COVID-19, after the defendant had been brought into dock but was then abruptly taken away. The court dismissed a prosecutors suggestion to have Nagaenthran testify via video. We have to issue a stay of the execution until all proceedings are concluded. That is the proper order of things, Phang said. The stay on the execution followed a court ruling on Monday that had already granted a stay pending the result of the appeal at Singapore's highest court. Nagaenthrans defense lawyer, M. Ravi, has argued that executing a mentally disabled person is a violation of Singapores Constitution. Death penalty opponents say Nagaenthrans IQ of 69 was disclosed during an earlier lower court hearing, a level that is internationally recognized as an intellectual disability. But the court ruled that Nagaenthran knew what he was doing and upheld the death sentence. Defense lawyer Ravi told reporters that he was pleasantly surprised by Tuesday's development and will use the extra time to bolster his case. A state-sanctioned murder ... has been averted by a COVID disease. That seems to be the irony of this development today, he said. The Singapore Prison Service said it only received the positive result of Nagaenthran's test after he had arrived in court. The court was immediately informed and he was isolated. Nagaenthran is well and asymptomatic. He did not report any illness prior to his court hearing. He is not vaccinated as he had opted not to receive any COVID-19 vaccine, it said in a statement. Several inmates and staff of the prison block where he is housed also tested positive for the virus. The block has since been locked down. The agency said that as of Sunday, 97% of Singapore's eligible inmates have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 90% had received two doses. Nagaenthrans mother, two younger siblings and cousin were not present in the courtroom Tuesday, but have been allowed daily prison visits since traveling from their hometown of Ipoh in northern Malaysia last week. His older sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, who didnt make the trip, said these visits will be replaced by phone calls, given the news. While she worries about her brother's condition, she said she is relieved that his execution has been stayed. "But Im only a little bit happy, because I know they havent actually stopped the execution, only given it a temporary stay, Sarmila said. Legal experts including with the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network and Amnesty International have called the execution of an intellectually disabled man inhumane and a violation of international law. Members of the international community, representatives of the European Union, and global figures such as British business magnate Richard Branson have also called for Nagaenthrans life to be spared, and used the case to draw attention toward anti-death penalty advocacy. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly asked for leniency purely on humanitarian grounds in a letter addressed to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, dated Nov. 3. Malaysias anti-drug laws are similarly harsh, with the majority of people on death row in the country due to drug offenses. Singapore's home affairs ministry said the country takes a zero-tolerance stance against illicit drugs," in response to media queries on Friday. The penalties, including the death penalty, for the illegal trafficking, importation or exportation of drugs are made clear at our borders, to warn traffickers and syndicates of the harsh penalties they potentially face, the ministry said. The prison service said Nagaenthran will be given medical attention, and the appeal hearing will be held after he recovers. Anyone found with over 15 grams (0.5 ounces) of heroin faces the death sentence in Singapore, although judges can reduce this to life in prison at their discretion. The last execution in Singapore was in 2019. ___ Associated Press writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report. Ned Gerard / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo STRATFORD A recount of three closely contest Election Day races flipped two seats from Democratic to Republican winners, while confirming the results of a third race. The Monday recount took place at Town Hall, and included a review of more than 1,900 ballots. Contributed / Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice NEW LONDON A Norwich man accused of firing an assault-style rifle at a police officer last month on pleaded not guilty during a court appearance Monday, officials said. Norwich police said 28-year-old Andrew OLone fired numerous shots at Officer Scott Dupointe during the Oct. 26 incident while the officer was responding to a 911 call. Body camera footage released from the incident shows Dupointe rolled or fell out of the drivers seat after bullets struck the front of his cruiser and returned fire at the fleeing shooter. Cecilia Munoz had worked as the director of intergovernmental affairs for President Barack Obama for three years when she was promoted to director of domestic policy and something happened that made her doubt her abilities. An outgoing chief of staff said things to the pressthat were then publishedthat suggested she was only promoted because of who she was (a Latina) and not because of what she could do. This was very distressing, she said, during her session at the 2021 Diligent Modern Governance Summit. It cost me, frankly, a couple years of confidence. I would walk into the room with the senior staff in the White House every morning and think, If thats what the last chief of staff thought, how do I know thats not what everybody in this room thinks about me and how prepared I am for this job? Want to help? A capital fundraising campaign is now underway to raise the remaining $350,000 needed for the project. To donate to the "Washington Shelter Construction" capital campaign, visit app.donorview.com/jnn9Y. Fortitude will host a pair of community informational meetings on Nov. 15 for those who have questions or would like more information. The first meeting will be held at noon and the second session is set for 5:30 p.m. Local Parker won't seek third term as EC mayor jeure / The Daily Advance Elizabeth City Mayor Bettie Parker, shown speaking in April at the dedication of a mural celebrating 100 years of women winning the right to vote, announced Monday she will not seek a third term as the citys top elected leader. jeure / Photo courtesy Bettie Parker Parker Mayor Parker Bettie Parker announced Monday that she will not seek a third term as Elizabeth Citys top elected official, citing concerns about her husbands health. Parker said her husband, Melvin, is experiencing some health complications and she needs to spend more time with my family. I have been married 50 years to a United States Marine Corps veteran who is a Purple Heart recipient and also a disabled veteran, Parker said. When he enlisted in the military, he served his country well. Now, it is time for me to serve him. Parker, who was first elected mayor in 2017, said in June that she would seek a third term in part to see the city through a pair of crises a surge in COVID-19 cases and the civil unrest following the shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr. by Pasquotank Sheriffs Office deputies in April. At the time, I did not feel it would be appropriate for me to leave office with those two crises concurrently underway, Parker said. But Parker noted Monday that the peaceful protests surrounding Browns death have ended and that new COVID cases have dropped in recent months. Since that time, the 100-plus days of protests in the streets that resulted from the civil unrest have ended, thanks to the cooperation of the peaceful protesters and their organizers and the assistance of several other entities, Parker said. According to last weeks report from the Albemarle Regional Health Services, COVID-19 cases in the region have fallen to a 3-month low, which is good news for all of us. Parker, a Pasquotank native and retired high school math teacher, was elected in 2017 as the citys first female mayor. At the time, she was serving her first four-year term as the first Black woman elected to the Pasquotank County Board of Commissioners. Parker ran unopposed for re-election as city mayor in 2019. It has been an honor and a pleasure to have been elected to serve as the first female mayor of the city of Elizabeth City, Parker said. I am humbled by all of the support that I have received from the citizens of our town. The people of Elizabeth City are resilient and are willing to support anyone who has the best interest of all the people at the forefront of their agenda. While Parker will not be on the ballot in March, she said she will continue to remain active in the city. I will continue to seek ways to serve the citizens of my community in a capacity that will be less demanding of my time, Parker said. The Harbor of Hospitality has served me well through the years and I look forward to it becoming an even better place to live and visit. Parkers announcement follows First Ward Councilwoman Jeannie Youngs announcement on Friday that she will run for mayor in the citys delayed election on March 8. Her announcement also came on the same day that the mayor who immediately preceded her, Joe Peel, announced that he plans to run for a City Council seat in the First Ward. Dalton, GA (30720) Today Rain. Low 47F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain. Low 47F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Ashland, KY (41101) Today Cloudy with a drenching rain ending overnight. Low 34F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with a drenching rain ending overnight. Low 34F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Week by week, and month by month, the perils posed by plastic pollution are becoming ever clearer, and more alarming. When the Daily Mail began campaigning on the issue years ago, the main concern was that the plastic was increasingly littering our towns, countryside and beaches. Then research showed how much it was contaminating and endangering Earth systems, especially the life of the oceans. Now evidence is beginning to build up on how plastic is threatening our health, including the well-being of babies and the unborn, after breaking down into microplastic particles. As the Mail reported yesterday, a new study suggests that we all breathe in up to 7,000 microplastic particles a day 100 times more than had been previously thought. Week by week, and month by month, the perils posed by plastic pollution are becoming ever clearer, and more alarming, writes Geoffrey Lean (stock image) Threats Other research suggests that babies take in 14 times as much of them as adults, partly as a result of sucking dummies and drinking from plastic bottles. And there is also growing evidence that microplastics aggravate conditions like allergies and diabetes, lower sperm counts and may even cause cancer. Some experts are even starting to compare them to asbestos. Whatever their effects, it is clear that we have managed to achieve constant exposure to microplastics without realising either what we were doing or what threats they pose. It all originates in our ubiquitous use of plastic, which has multiplied 20-times over in the past half century. Every year, we churn out more than 380 million tonnes of it outweighing the combined mass of all 7.9 billion people alive today. And worse, this is expected to more than double over the next 30 years. Much, of course, ends up as waste. Every year, 12 million tonnes reaches the oceans where it forms enormous floating garbage patches one in the Pacific is three times the size of France and kills mammals, birds and fish. None of it disappears: every ounce ever produced still remains. Instead it just breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually creating microplastics, which range from the size of a grain of rice down to complete invisibility. Other microplastics are deliberately manufactured and incorporated in products from paints to medicines, to nappies and pesticides. Much, of course, ends up as waste. Every year, 12 million tonnes reaches the oceans where it forms enormous floating garbage patches one in the Pacific is three times the size of France and kills mammals, birds and fish (stock image) Still more result from wear and tear, produced as car tyres hit the road or washing machines toss about the two-thirds of clothes made of synthetic materials. By one estimate, 700,000 plastic microfibres can result from a single wash. They are also given off by almost all the 11 billion wet wipes used in Britain each year. Irrespective of their origin, most microplastics are so tiny that they are picked up from the ground or sea spray by the wind and blown around the globe. They even fall in rain. They have been found at the North Pole and on tropical island beaches, on the top of Everest and at the bottom of the Mariana Trench the highest and lowest spots on Earth and 3.5 km up in the atmosphere, where they may affect the climate. Research has linked 'pervasive' microfibre pollution of the Arctic with clothes-washing in Europe and North America. In all, some 125 trillion minuscule particles are thought to be sloshing around in the world's oceans, and there are even more on land. Worse, they are 60 times more prevalent indoors than in the open air. So the University of Portsmouth study reported in yesterday's Mail which used special equipment to measure the air in a home in Beckenham, London found that each member of the family living there was likely to be breathing in between 2,000 and 7,000 microplastic particles every day. So the University of Portsmouth study reported in yesterday's Mail which used special equipment to measure the air in a home in Beckenham, London found that each member of the family living there was likely to be breathing in between 2,000 and 7,000 microplastic particles every day. Pictured: Michelle Morrison and her daughter, whose home was the subject of the study That is up to a staggering 2.5 million a year, which is many times more than what had been estimated in previous studies. One, published in the journal Environmental Science And Technology, had put it about a hundred times lower, at 24,000 annually. The highest levels were found in the bedroom of the eight-year-old daughter of the house, where her carpet, bedding and toys were made of synthetic materials. This is, of course, just one study. But it is of a piece with others that suggest our exposure to microplastics is much greater and much more serious than has ever been thought. A New York University School of Medicine study, for example, found that babies produced 14 times as many microplastic fibres in their faeces as adults. It concluded this 'can be attributed to extensive use of plastic products/articles such as baby feeding bottles, sippy cups, utensils such as spoons and bowls, teethers and toys.' Inflamed 'Infant formula prepared in bottles can release millions of microplastics, and many processed baby foods are packaged in plastic containers that constitute another source of exposure,' it went on. And it added that infants chew and suck cloths and clothing, and crawl around on carpets, all often made from synthetic materials. Nor is that all. One-third of all fish caught by British boats contain microplastics, and they have also been found in over four-fifths of all samples of tap water surveyed on every continent (bottled water usually has much more). So what harm is all of this doing to us? The short answer is that we don't know. Research is only now getting seriously under way. Scientists are most worried about us breathing in microplastics, as in the Beckenham home. Swallowing them in food and water causes less concern because most will be excreted out of the body. 'Infant formula prepared in bottles can release millions of microplastics, and many processed baby foods are packaged in plastic containers that constitute another source of exposure,' it went on (stock image) But the smaller the particle is, the more likely it is to penetrate very deep into the lungs, and to stay there. Early findings from a landmark 5 million study at Utrecht University found that adding microplastics to human tissue caused it to become inflamed, partly because the immune system cannot cope with them. The researchers compared that to the effect of asbestos and are concerned that it could exacerbate arthritis, diabetes, allergies and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Campaign There is also increasing concern about babies in the womb. An Italian-led study found microplastics on both sides of human placentas, and a recent study of rats found that mothers did pass them to their foetuses, where they ended up in their brains, hearts, lungs, livers and kidneys. They also appeared to reduce birth weight. Other studies have shown them to reduce sperm counts in mice. And there are fears they may disrupt cells, causing cancer. Perhaps ominously, they have been found in malignant lung tissue biopsies. Unfortunately, there is no way of removing microplastics from the environment. Indeed, they will increase as more and more existing plastic pollution breaks down. The campaign has scored many successes, including a dramatic reduction in plastic bags following the imposition of a charge (file photo) The only solution is to reduce our use of plastic as much as possible which has long been the aim of the Mail's campaign. The campaign has scored many successes, including a dramatic reduction in plastic bags following the imposition of a charge, and the banning of single-use plastic straws, plastic-stemmed cotton buds and stirrers, and plastic microbeads in cosmetics. But there is still a long way to go. Ministers should accelerate plans to tax plastic packaging and put refundable deposits on plastic bottles (to encourage their return), and look to do more still. For this is no longer a matter of reducing litter, or even preventing damage to the environment. It is a matter of safeguarding our own- and our children's- health. Few would dispute that both the NHS and the care homes sector have faced almost unimaginable challenges in recent times and so it pains me to say that I fear the worst is yet to come. This week in particular will prove critical since, as the Mail revealed yesterday, health trusts across England are already reporting peak winter levels for bed occupancy long before the dreaded flu season gets into full swing. Many wards are already at 94 to 96 per cent capacity. A great number of those beds are taken up by the nations elderly, many of whom no longer require immediate medical attention but who are unable to leave and live independently because their care needs have changed. Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee Jeremy Hunt, pictured in September Yet finding a place in a care home (or sending them home with a care package) is proving increasingly difficult. The care sector is in a desperate state with dangerously low staffing levels. Unison has found that 97 per cent of care homes have staff shortages, with a third of care workers quitting their jobs every year because of stress and low pay. This dire situation is set to deteriorate further with Thursdays looming deadline after which it becomes mandatory for care home staff to have received two doses of the Covid vaccine. Given the terrible impact of coronavirus on the elderly, most Daily Mail readers will think this is an eminently sensible policy and I agree. But the short-term impact will be severe. At the time of writing, NHS data suggests that more than 60,000 care home workers will not meet the criteria. Many are already migrating from the care sector to the NHS, where staff are not required to be double vaccinated until April next year. Either way, this perfect storm of circumstances could mean some care homes closing their doors by the end of the week because they do not have enough staff to operate safely. Mike Padgham, chairman of the Independent Care Group, has warned that as many as 500 homes in England may be impacted. In the longer term, this crisis in social care and there is no other word for it will be compounded by the demographic time-bomb hurtling down the track. Last year was the first in human history where there are more over-65s than under-18s globally. In the UK, the number of people aged 65 and over is growing three times faster than the number aged under 65. This is a success story on one level, a tribute to our ever-improving healthcare. But it also has dramatic consequences for public spending. It was Tony Blairs Labour government which, almost two decades ago, first identified the evolving funding gap for social care. Labour also recognised that asking the state to bear the growing burden was not realistic and that the issue required permanent solutions, not simply higher taxes. In a country with a taxpayer-funded health system like ours, we must accept that an ageing population requires us to spend more on our health. Healthcare now accounts for 40 per cent of our public spending and I am proud that, during my time as health secretary (2012-2018), I campaigned hard for extra NHS funding, calling for an extra health tax to help tackle the backlog in operations and recruit extra doctors and nurses. Critical: Care for elderly has put enormous strain on NHS It makes no difference which country you are in when it comes to healthcare spending just as we are seeing taxes rise to meet the costs, Americans will see their insurance premiums go up, while the Dutch and Germans will see their social insurance premiums rise. And as it happens, our taxpayer-funded system will probably cost us less because the NHS negotiates some of the cheapest drug prices in the world. Nevertheless, I strongly believe we must resist attempting to tackle the rapidly rising costs of social care simply through more taxation or borrowing. If we do, we risk the tax burden rising to levels that will damage the dynamic and entrepreneurial economy we depend on not least to fund public services like the NHS. I support the 1.25 percentage point increase on national insurance and dividends announced by the Prime Minister in September to help fund social care reforms and deal with the NHS Covid backlog. However, it can only be part of the solution. We cannot go on taxing younger working people more and more to help pay for the needs of a growing and ageing population. What is needed is a bold and radical overhaul of the way we view our social care system, one in which we take collective responsibility for our future. Thanks to the Mails tenacious campaigning, the Government has finally tackled the injustice of people being forced to sell their home to fund their care in old age and proposed a cap on care costs for an individual of 86,000 from October 2023. But while this is welcome, the fact remains that we must all play our part in shoring up our future social care defences. My suggestion and it is personal to me, as other members of the health committee I am chairman of will have their own views is that we should set up an automatic enrolment scheme for a personal social care fund, similar to the way our pension pots work. It should be phased in over the next few years to encourage people, perhaps via tax incentives, to save for future care costs they may face. Under such a plan, as with pensions, each participant would then have their own personal account to be managed in the private sector without the dead hand of government. Our pension system is one of our greatest post-war success stories, coupling state support with personal responsibility the latter encouraged by tax incentives and auto-enrolment. Its borne out by the statistics. At the end of last year, some 88 per cent of employees were participating in the workplace scheme, the highest level of provision in the UKs history. And some 90billion and rising is being paid into the system each year. Saving early and systematically for your pension is now a strong part of the British psyche we want to be certain our housing, food and other living expenses will be covered when were no longer in a position to earn a living. The Mail revealed yesterday, health trusts across England are already reporting peak winter levels for bed occupancy long before the dreaded flu season gets into full swing So why not do the same for our care costs? It would not be mandatory a decent safety net should always be available for those unable to provide for themselves and if those costs were not needed they could, potentially, be passed on to their family. But by default, people should be enrolled in a scheme that would effectively be an add-on to their pension, probably run by the same organisation. Presumed consent is a powerful force, shown by the increase in organ donation in Wales, where a simple change requiring people to opt-out of such a scheme in 2015 has seen donation consent rates rise by a third. Lets do the same for social care. We need to make doing the right thing all of us taking as much responsibility as we can for our own care the easy thing. Saving for yourself and your family means there is less pressure on the state. And the harsh truth is that depending wholly on the state will be unsustainable. It will also lead to a decline in standards. Short-term help is urgently needed, especially for local authorities, to help them provide for their communities needs. But ultimately, what could be more Conservative than encouraging people to make provision for themselves where they can? It is not new taxes but courage and imagination that are needed to address the needs of an ageing population and give hope to a battered care system in desperate need. Jeremy Hunt is the Conservative MP for South West Surrey and chairman of the health and social care committee. The Tories are in the grip of a crisis of sleaze. Yet the Prime Minister seems not to have noticed. Or is it that he doesnt care? The latest episode in this unedifying saga concerns Sir Geoffrey Cox, a former Conservative Attorney General. It would be hard to think of actions more damaging to his party than the crop of revelations published in yesterdays and todays Mail. Sir Geoffrey has long been one of the highest earners in the Commons. Over the years he has trousered enormous amounts from his work as a barrister, raising eyebrows even on his own benches. In the past year alone he was paid more than 1 million for outside legal work on top of his 82,000 salary as a backbencher. If the size of his extra earnings is stunning, the manner in which he made some of them is even more mind-boggling. The Tories are in the grip of a crisis of sleaze. Yet the Prime Minister seems not to have noticed. Or is it that he doesnt care? Corruption During April and May last year, Sir Geoffrey is believed to have been holed up 4,000 miles away in the British Virgin Islands, a notorious tax haven. There he proffered expensive legal advice to the territorys government, which has been accused of corruption. In particular, the Foreign Office has launched an inquiry to establish whether there is evidence of corruption, abuse of office or other serious dishonesty that has taken place in public office in recent years. Lets just say that this former officer of the Crown wasnt obviously working in the interests of Her Majestys Government while he was abroad. His behaviour was entirely legal and he was paid stupendously well. Sir Geoffrey who is both rotund and orotund, and looks as though he might have wandered out of the Edwardian era pocketed 156,916.08 for 140 hours work. That amounts to 1,121 an hour. As a result, the good folk of Torridge and West Devon, emerging as they were from the tribulations of lockdown, were deprived of his services for several weeks, though he is said to have kept in touch via Zoom. They may have grown used to his absences as he is so often engaged in highly paid legal work. It could hardly look worse. A tax haven. A dodgy government at odds with our own. Vast sums of money paid to a sitting MP. A prolonged sojourn close to sun-kissed beaches while his neglected constituents cope with Covid. Sir Geoffrey may be a fine man, but he would seem to personify what many detest most about the Tories. Oh I nearly forgot. Despite his vast earnings, he didnt scruple to claim 629 for an Apple iPad plus 419 for accessories from the taxpayer so that he could work while travelling. He may not have broken any rules, but here is a man not overburdened with a sense of shame. The latest episode in this unedifying saga concerns Sir Geoffrey Cox, a former Conservative Attorney General. It would be hard to think of actions more damaging to his party than the crop of revelations published in the Daily Mail Should MPs be allowed second jobs? Sir Geoffrey is only the most egregious example. Some 200 out of 650 MPs have received payments in addition to their parliamentary salary in the past year, but in many cases these are tiny, sometimes as little as 50. A much smaller number of MPs have significant earnings, most of whom are Tories. Theresa May notched up more than 750,000 from speaking engagements, usually given remotely, between April 2020 and May 2021. Perhaps that is uncontroversial, since all ex-prime ministers do the same, though why anyone would want to fork out 11,700 an hour to listen to her making virtual speeches is a mystery. Former Tory ministers with lucrative consultancies greater than their parliamentary salaries include Andrew Mitchell (182,000 a year), Julian Smith (144,000) and Mark Garnier (90,000). Labour's leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has banked 25,934 in legal fees in the past year for work he did before becoming Labour leader Among Labour MPs making substantial sums are David Lammy, who was paid 140,000 over three years for speeches and media appearances. Even the partys leader, Sir Keir Starmer, has banked 25,934 in legal fees in the past year for work he did before becoming Labour leader. One objection to MPs earning large sums from beady-eyed businesses is that they may be tempted to bend the rules in service of their financial masters. Large firms may expect some sort of return if they pay politicians whopping amounts. That is what happened to Owen Paterson, who was in receipt of more than 100,000 a year from two companies, and broke parliamentary rules by lobbying, though he continues to deny any infringement. It was his refusal to accept a relatively minor punishment that precipitated the current crisis for the Tories. A second objection is that MPs who spend too much time working for outside interests risk ignoring the Commons and neglecting their constituents problems. Since February 2020, Sir Geoffrey Cox has spent ten days in court, either in person or remotely, on behalf of the British Virgin Islands government. During the same period he has spoken just once in the chamber. Favours Compare that lamentable record with that of Sir David Amess, the Tory MP recently murdered at his constituency surgery. His lifelong focus was on his responsibilities as an MP, and he showed how much influence a committed and hard-working parliamentarian can have. There are many others like him across all parties. I believe there is a respectable argument for MPs having second jobs, provided these do not distract them from their duties or entail lobbying on behalf of self-interested companies. Outside work can broaden the mind, and some MPs, especially those who enter Parliament at a young age, have too narrow an experience of life. But there must be recognised limits, and someone in authority needs to draw a line. That must ultimately come from the top. For this to happen for Sir Geoffrey Cox and other miscreants to accept that their conduct isnt acceptable Boris Johnson must demonstrate a greater awareness. Alas, he appears unwilling or unable to do so. He has a cavalier attitude towards his own conduct, repeatedly failing to register gifts or favours. He has, for example, refused to declare in the register of MPs interests a free holiday which he has just enjoyed in the luxurious Spanish villa belonging to the Goldsmith family. The Mail reports today that Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski, who earned more than 250,000 from a second job with a mining company, has used his role as the PMs trade envoy to Mongolia to boost his links with the industry. Apologise Why? Few would begrudge him a few days in a lovely house after all his hard work. It is the secrecy which grates. Boris seems to regard such matters as purely his private concern. But rules are not a private matter. Similarly, his refusal to apologise for the idiocies of last week proposing to tear up the rules which had ensnared Mr Paterson, and then reversing the policy gives the impression of a Prime Minister who doesnt feel bound by standards that constrain lesser mortals. He even avoided Monday afternoons emergency debate about the imbroglio he had whipped up, giving the excuse that he was otherwise engaged. Yet he was back at Londons Kings Cross at 4.41pm, nearly two hours before the debate ended. It was careless and high-handed not to attend. Meanwhile, instances of alleged sleaze continue to mount up. The Mail reports today that Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski, who earned more than 250,000 from a second job with a mining company, has used his role as the PMs trade envoy to Mongolia to boost his links with the industry. Throughout his life Boris Johnson has escaped numerous personal scrapes and controversies. If he thinks he can extricate a Tory Party engulfed in sleaze with the same easy charm and obfuscation, I see only disaster ahead. Princess Charlene was 'desperate' to 'show her love for Prince Albert is stronger than ever' in photographs showing the couple and their two children reunited in Monaco, according to a body language expert. Charlene, 43, arrived back in Monaco yesterday morning after flying by private jet from the South African city of Durban to Nice, France, and posed for snaps with Albert, 63, and their two children Jacques and Gabriella. The mother-of-two, who underwent several surgeries while in South Africa and was taken to hospital after collapsing in September, still looked frail on her return to Monaco yesterday And body language Judi James told FEMAIL Charlene was using overexaggerated gestures of closeness with Albert and appeared 'needy' in the images - while Prince Albert did 'not reflect' his wife's body language. Among a series of snaps shared to Instagram, the mother-of-two can be seen posing for a family photograph as she places her hand around her husband Prince Albert's neck, while wrapping an arm around their six-year-old twins Jacques and Gabriella. Princess Charlene was 'desperate' to 'show her love for Prince Albert is stronger than ever' in photographs showing the couple and their two children reunited in Monaco, according to a body language expert In a second photograph, Charlene, who was presumably on the school run with her husband, waved to the cameras as Prince Albert holds onto the hands of their twins. Meanwhile, a third snap shows her exiting a car as she places a protective hand on her son, Jacques. The absence of Charlene from the principality, which has involved missing a string of high-profile events, has led to speculation around the state of her marriage, after news emerged that Albert is facing a paternity suit over a love child born in the early years of their relationship. Here, expert Judi explains the body language of Charlene and Albert in their latest reunion snaps... Clinging to Albert In the first image released by Princess Charlene, the royal was captured hugging Albert closely. Body language expert Judi said she was 'clinging' to her husband, saying: 'Charlenes announcement rituals here suggest she wants to send out a very emphatic message that she is now back with her family and that her love for her husband is stronger than ever. 'Just as in South Africa when Prince Albert came to visit, Charlene performs what look rather like over-kill signals to make her message clear to the rest of the world, putting in much more effort than her husband to look excitedly re-united and joyous.' Princess Charlene was 'desperate' to 'show her love for Prince Albert is stronger than ever' in photographs showing the couple and their two children reunited in Monaco, according to a body language expert Keen to suggest level of trust Judi suggested Charlene's torso and the position of her heard indicated she wanted to suggest a level of trust with her husband. She said: 'With her right arm clutching her twins in a protective gesture, Charlene leans her torso right across them in order to encircle her husband with her left arm and to press her body against his. 'She uses an exaggerated head-pressing gestures of closeness here, just as she did in South Africa, and with head touch being a sign of trust it looks as though she is keen to suggest mutual levels of trust and affection between them. 'Her effort here makes her look emotionally needy though and perhaps a little insecure as well as suggesting she is celebrating an exciting reunion.' Imbalance of emotion...and Prince Albert registers no response to Charlene While Judi said Charlene appeared to be 'clinging' to her husband, she said there was an 'imbalance' of emotion with Albert. Calling Charlene 'frail', she said: 'There is a clear imbalance in the body language mood of the posing with her husband. 'While she throws herself over her husband to cling to him he looks keen to adopt a rather less uninhibited pose, standing straight on to the cameras with his head upright and with a partly-formed smile on his face. 'His pose appears to register no response to his wifes efforts here, with a lack of mirroring or head tilting to make the look more congruent and the emotions more shared. 'Albert does have one arm around Charlenes waist but even that gesture is less reciprocal than her tight clasp of him, which involves her fingers clutching him at the neck and shoulder in a gesture associated with possession and pride.' In a second photograph, Charlene, who was presumably on the school run with her husband, waves to the cameras as Prince Albert holds onto the hands of their twins Over-kill signals to appear excited In a second image of Charlene with Prince Albert, Jacques and Gabriela, she said Charlene was using 'over-kill' signals. She said: 'Its clear from both this family pose and the one in SA that Charlene is desperately keen to stress the enduring love between herself and Albert and her affection for her family group as a whole.' 2. More active role The body language expert explained: 'Charlene's clutching and grasping rituals of him place her in the more active role in both and her clinging behaviour suggests she is desperate to avoid letting her family go from her clasp again.' Princess Charlene of Monaco opted for a beige jumper dress and knee high boots as she put on a united display with her family following 10 months living alone in South Africa. Pictured, with son, Jacques 1. Appears solitary and tense Earlier in the day, Charlene was snapped as she arrived at Nice airport ahead of her reunion with her family in Monaco. The body language expert said the royal portrayed a significantly different character in the images. She said: 'Walking through the airport with her dog, Charlene cut a much more solitary and less happy-looking figure. 'Her eye expression suggests some tension and the rest of her face covered by her mask. ' The Princess arrived back on European soil after spending much of the year away from Prince Albert and their two children, six-year-old twins Jacques and Gabriella While the couple appeared to put on a united front yesterday, Charlene's stay in South Africa sparked rumours of a rift between the royal couple, which they both vehemently denied. She has been in her native South Africa for much of this year after contracting a 'serious sinus infection' which made her unable to travel and forced her to miss key events including her 10-year wedding anniversary and her children's first day of school. But Albert, 63, insisted in October that his wife would return home 'way before [Monaco's National Day] on November 19', adding 'she's in good form and much better spirits'. A royal spokeswoman said: 'The princess is in a good mood and is looking forward to returning home, while Charlene's father, Mike Wittstock, was overjoyed that his daughter is returning to Monaco. 'Thank God she is back home,' he said. Princess Charlene of Monaco is finally back in the principality after spending 10 months living alone in South Africa (pictured: Charlene exiting the private jet that flew her from Durban, South Africa, to Nice, France, this morning) The royal could be seen holding the leash of a dog while walking across the tarmac after landing in Europe following months of speculation about her marriage Charlene is pictured exiting the jet on the tarmac of Nice airport and taking a dog for a short walk, before being whisked away to Monaco via a royal helicopter There seemed to be a new addition to the family in the form of a light brown Vizsla, who Priness Charlene could be seen holding on a lead On October 8, Zimbabwean-born Charlene underwent a final operation to deal with an ear, nose and throat infection she contracted in May - with a palace source telling AFP that the procedure 'went very well'. Albert told the publication at the time that all the family miss her and 'obviously she misses the children', noting that Charlene was simply awaiting the final sign-off from her medical team before she could make the flight back to Monaco. Charlene's doctor gave the green light for her long-awaited journey home following the completion of her final medical examination last Monday. It comes after the ex Olympian underwent a 'four-hour operation under general anaesthesia' in August - although it was not made clear whether this was linked to the sinus infection. Charlene, whose love of animals is well documented, was pictured walking a dog at Nice airport immediately after having landed around 8:45am local time this morning The dog was seen leaping around in excitement, though it is unclear whether the dog belongs to the royal family Charlene's return to the principality comes just weeks after she posted a photo in which many of her fans thought she looked particularly frail. The post attracted an outpouring of well-wishes from social media users, with one writing: 'Get well soon, you look so frail, take care, hope you get back to Monaco to your lovely family.' But in her latest interview with press in South Africa, the Princess made no reference to her health and simply said she 'can't wait to get home to her children'. Charlene, who wed Prince Albert II of Monaco in 2011, has been living in her home country of South Africa for much of this year, and the extended stay has stoked speculation that the royal couple may be headed for divorce. In a video shared by her foundation, Princess Charlene made no reference to her husband Prince Albert and instead said she was looking forward to reuniting with her children In the clip, the mother-of-two said it had been 'a very challenging time' but also revealed it had been 'wonderful being back in South Africa Charlene (L), who wed Prince Albert II of Monaco (R) in 2011, has been living in her home country of South Africa for much of this year, and the extended stay has stoked speculation that the royal couple may be headed for divorce In an interview which took place in early October which was shared on Charlene's Instagram page, the royal said she 'misses her children, Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, terribly', adding: 'Any mother out there who has been separated from her children for months would feel the same way I feel.' In the clip, she said: 'I came to South Africa to oversee some foundation projects. I was unwell at the time, unknowingly, with an infection. It was addressed immediately. Unfortunately, it grounded me for some months in South Africa. 'I had my one procedure - it was very successful. I'm well, I'm feeling much stronger. I have one more procedure. Then I cannot wait to get home to my children, who I miss terribly. Elsewhere in the interview she touched on community in South Africa, saying she would like to impart 'unity and strength.' She said: 'Obviously I would never like to touch on anything politically. But what can be done, is people need to set their differences aside and think of the generations to come and less of themselves. How Charlene and Albert made solo outings in South Africa and Monaco during nine months apart January 27 - Charlene is pictured with Albert for the Sainte Devote Ceremony in Monaco. March 18 - Charlene is pictured at the memorial for the late Zulu monarch, King Goodwill Zwelithini at the KwaKhethomthandayo Royal Palace in Nongoma, South Africa April 2 - Charlene posts an Instagram picture of herself, Albert and their twins Jacques and Gabriella for Easter. It is unknown where the image was taken. May 8 - Albert, Jacques and Gabriella attend a Grand Prix event in Monaco without Charlene May 10 - Albert attends Monaco Gala Awards in Monaco without Charlene May 18 - Charlene shares her first picture from her conservation trip in South Africa June 1 - Prince Albert II, Jacques and Gabriella attend event at Oceanic Museum in Monaco June 3 - New photos emerge of Charlene on her conservation trip June 5- Charlene puts on a united front as she shares a photo with her family to mark her niece's fifth birthday with her brother's family and Albert and the twins in South Africa June 7 - Albert and the twins attend the World Rugby Sevens without Charlene June 17 - Prince Albert attends Red Cross Summer concert in Monte Carlo with his sister Princess Caroline of Hanover June 18 - Prince Albert appears alone Monte Carlo TV Festival June 24 - Charlene's foundation releases a statement saying the royal is unable to travel and is undergoing procedures for an ear, nose and throat infection July 2 - Charlene and Albert mark their 10th anniversary separately. 'This year will be the first time that I'm not with my husband on our anniversary in July, which is difficult, and it saddens me,' Her Serene Highness Princess Charlene said in a statement. July 3 - Albert appears with glamorous niece Charlotte Casiraghi at the 15th international Monte-Carlo Jumping event, which is part of the Longines Global Champions Tour of Monaco, July 27 - Prince Albert attends Olympics alone in Tokyo August 13 - Charlene undergoes a four-hour operation. The reason is not announced August 25 - Charlene shares photos of Prince Albert, Gabriella and Jacques visiting her in South Africa August 31 - Speculation mounts in the media about couple's relationship September 1 - Charlene is admitted under an alias to the Netcare Alberlito Hospital after suddenly 'collapsing' September 2 - She is discharged, with a statement from the Palais Princier reading: 'Her Highness is closely monitored by Her medical team who said that Her condition was not worrying' September 23 - Prince Albert attends the 2021 Monte Carlo Gala for Planetary Health September 29 - Prince Albert is joined on the red carpet by actress Sharon Stone for a first look at the eagerly anticipated James Bond release September 30 - Charlene releases a stylish video promoting her anti-poaching campaign from her South African bolthole October 3 - Princess Charlene shares a photograph of herself smiling in front of a bible in her first snap since being discharged from hospital following her health scare October 5 - Prince Albert attends Sportel Awards Ceremony in Monte Carlo with nephew Louis Ducruet October 6 - Albert tells RMC radio Charlene is 'ready to come home' October 8 - Princess undergoes surgery in South Africa November 8 - Charlene arrives back in Monaco Advertisement 'Too much emphasis is put on ourselves and less on the future generations to come. What do they have to look back on? Who is their guide? That needs to be installed.' Speaking about the anti-poaching work she has been undertaking while in South Africa this year, she said: 'I am determined to come back and continue the work I set out to do as I have done in many countries over Africa and in South Africa. 'Conservation, preservation, restoration and education. That is what my foundation stands for. We save lives.' The release of the interview came days after a palace source said her final operation to deal with an ear, nose and throat infection she contracted in May 'went very well'. The operation in South Africa was performed under general anaesthetic, and 'is the last she had to undergo following her ENT infection. She will be under observation for 48 hours,' the source told French news agency AFP. It comes amid reports that Albert 'applied for sovereign immunity' in his court battle to fight claims he fathered a third love child before marrying Charlene. The 63-year-old prince, who already supports two illegitimate children, is alleged to have had a relationship with a Brazilian woman which resulted in a daughter in 2005. The claim, which his lawyers dismissed as a 'hoax', is particularly painful as he was dating Charlene at the time, having met the former Olympic swimmer in 2000. It was reported last year that the case would go to court in Milan in February, however according to Town&Country, the prince's lawyers pleaded sovereign immunity and the case has been delayed. Lawyer Erich Grimaldi, who is acting on behalf of the woman, said he hopes the judge will reject Albert's plea and he is waiting for the case to come back to court, which he believes will happen 'imminently'. The 34-year-old claimant who cannot be named for legal reasons says she had a passionate affair with Albert, leading to the birth of their daughter whose name is also classified on July 4, 2005. Albert received a handwritten letter from the child, who is now 16, in September last year reading: 'I don't understand why I grew up without a father, and now that I have found you, you don't want to see me.' Last December, legal papers were also filed, as lawyers for the claimant called on Albert to undergo a DNA test just as he did before finally being identified as the father of two illegitimate children born in the 1990s and early 2000s. 'This was before Charlene and Albert were an item, but the latest case covers a time when she was already in love with him,' a source who works closely with the Monaco Royal household revealed at the time. 'Charlene has had a terrible year, with one family crisis after another including Albert going down with coronavirus, and now she's gearing herself up for this hell.' The princess, whose maiden name was Charlene Wittstock, was an Olympic swimmer for South Africa when she first met Albert at a Monaco aquatic competition in 2000. They began dating soon afterwards, before Charlene married into the House of Grimaldi at a star-studded wedding in July 2011. Their twins daughter Gabriella and son Jacques were born three years later and are seen as the family's official heirs. By this time, Charlene had come to terms with Albert's hard fought legal battles with women who eventually won financial settlements over children they had with Albert even though he originally denied their claims. In May 2005, just before he was enthroned as Prince of Monaco, Albert confirmed he was the biological father of Alexandre, whose mother was Nicole Coste, a former Air France flight attendant from Togo. A DNA test in May 2006 also confirmed Albert was the father of Jazmine Grace, the result of an affair with Tamara Rotolo, an American estate agent he met while she was on holiday in the South of France. Jazmine was born in the 1990s and Alexandre in 2003. The Brazilian woman says she travelled around the world with the Prince in the 2000s. Lawyer Grimaldi said he had filed papers with specific details of his client's love affair with Albert, including trips to Brazil, the USA, France and Russia. While in Moscow, the lovers are even said to have had a meeting with Russian president Vladimir Putin, who gave the Brazilian 'a warm hug', according to court papers. Albert's lawyer, Thierry Lacoste, has described the allegations as a 'a hoax', saying: 'There are no intimate photos, no tangible facts surrounding a possible relationship.' Neither Albert's daughter Jazmin Grace Grimaldi, now 28, nor his son, Alexandre Grimaldi-Coste, 17, can claim the throne of Monaco, according to negotiated financial agreements. The line of succession instead favours Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella, six, and who frequently appear in their parents' social media posts. The former Olympian underwent a 'four-hour operation under general anaesthesia' in August - although it was not made clear whether this was linked to the sinus infection. In recent months, lifestyle magazines across Europe have speculated feverishly that the royal couple could be headed for divorce. French magazine Madame Figaro stated the images 'failed to convince the Monegasques' amid reports Charlene is looking for a house in Johannesburg. The magazine asked: 'How long can she remain away from her children, her duties?' How long will the fight against rhinoceros poaching remain the Princess of Monaco's top priority? 'How long will Albert II of Monaco go on bearing this affront, which is becoming ridiculous?' Historian Philippe Delorme said that 'lots of people got the impression it was an arranged marriage' between Charlene and Albert, adding: 'Albert chose a wife who resembled his mother, and Charlene clearly felt very ill at ease in this Grace Kelly role they wanted her to play'. Meanwhile Prince Albert also hit back at rumours of marital woes insisting Charlene 'didn't leave in a huff' and remains in South Africa only because of 'medical complications' following a 'severe ear, nose and throat infection'. The royal told People that the speculation over the state of his relationship with the Olympic swimmer has 'affected' them both, but that he didn't address it early because he 'was concentrating on taking care of the kids'. Charlene and Albert reunited for the first time in months this summer after the monarch and their children - six year old twins Jacques and Gabriella - flew to South Africa, but photographs of the pair embracing were branded 'awkward' by a body language expert. The mounting speculation about the couple's marriage comes after Charlene shared professional photographs of her reunion with Prince Albert online, saying she was 'thrilled' to have her family back. She shared a series of photos cuddled up with her kids in South Africa with the caption: 'I am so thrilled to have my family back with me (Gabriella decided to give herself a haircut!!!) Sorry my Bella I tried my best to fix it,' referring to her daughter's choppy fringe. However a body language expert told FEMAIL Charlene showed 'no emotional bond' towards her husband Prince Albert in the images. Judi James said that rather than being the loved-up reunion photo one would expect of a couple surrounded by split rumours, the royals' poses suggested 'no signs of connection between awkward-looking Albert and Charlene'. A woman has revealed how she was slammed by fellow concertgoers after she took issue with a man using a gender neutral toilet at a concert venue. Posting on Mumsnet, the woman revealed she took issue with the man using the woman's bathroom after noticing there was a lengthy queue for the restroom but nobody waiting to use the gents. However after she said she should be able to use the bathroom ahead of him, others in the queue 'turned on her' and said he was 'perfectly entitled' to use the toilets. Other Mumsnet users leapt to her defence, with many suggesting the man was 'a creep' and one adding: 'I'm sure there were other women in the queue silently agreeing with you.' A British woman has revealed how she was slammed by fellow concertgoers after she took issue with a man using a gender neutral toilet at a concert venue Posting on the website, she wrote: 'Went to a live music venue last night. In a very woke seaside town on the south coast for context. 'At the end of the night, I popped to the loo before leaving for home. As so often happens, the queue for ladies was lengthy, no real queue for the gents. 'I joined the queue and noticed the person in front of me wasn't a man just keeping his partner company while she waited as I first thought, but a man waiting to use the toilet. He was not a trans woman, he was a man and a drunk one at that.' She continued: 'I told him he was in the wrong queue and pointed to the gents. He said he wanted to use these toilets. Posting on Mumsnet, the woman revealed she took issue with the man using the woman's bathroom after noticing there was a lengthy queue for the restroom but nobody waiting to use the gents 'I asked why, he said they are gender neutral so he can. (I don't know if they are - they probably are as they had a multitude of arrows on the door.) 'I said I am a woman needing to use the woman's facilities and I would do so, ahead of him.' However she said others in the queue immediately criticised her for her comments, revealing: 'The queue of women turned on me and said I couldn't block him, repeating these are gender neutral toilets. 'I said I cannot use a urinal and indeed went in front of him to use the loo first. When I had finished, I called the woman behind him to come forward and use the loo, which she did. Other users on the site gave a mixed response to her comments, with some branding the man 'a creep' for trying to use the bathroom 'The other women very cross with me for blocking him and asserted he was perfectly entitled to use these toilets. Men and women will keep their separate toilets under Government plans to move away from 'gender neutral' facilities Men and women will keep their separate toilets under Government plans to move away from 'gender neutral' facilities. Recent years have seen single sex cubicles ripped out and replaced with facilities where males and females mix together. But in a blow to transgender lobbyists, The Mail on Sunday has learnt that public toilets and office spaces would be required to keep separate loos as standard but can also provide another 'safe space' for those who want it. A Whitehall source told the MoS: 'For dignity, security, and safety the proper provision of separate men's and women's toilets is important. 'That's why we are looking at options to ensure separate toilets remain the standard.' The move is part of a review into publicly-accessible toilets. As well as disabled bathroom provision, the proposals involve providing a standalone loo for all people seeking privacy. The issue of gender neutral toilets has become a battleground between transgender rights campaigners and feminists, who argue they can 'disadvantage' women. A YouGov poll this summer found that fewer than one in 20 women supported the replacement of men's and women's lavatories with gender-neutral ones. Advertisement 'Did I do the wrong thing?' She continued: 'I've thought about contacting the venue to understand what their loo provision is and asking was it right to have a man in the ladies (or are they gender neutral? Can anyone use the "gents")?' However other Mumsnet users were less convinced that she had done anything wrong. One outraged person wrote: 'How sad the women turned on you. We really need to stand together and help each other. That man was a creep.' Meanwhile another commented: 'Good for you. By your description, the toilets don't meet the requirements for being gender neutral and the fact the men had their own toilets is sex discrimination. This needs to stop.' A third wrote: 'Sounds like a weird set-up. Why are men so deserving of segregated loos but women just have to use gender neutral ones? 'Shouldn't they all be gender neutral? Is this a common set up? (Don't go out much.' A fourth added: 'Well done. The man sounds like a creep. I'm sure there were other women in the queue silently agreeing with you.' Others criticised the woman for pushing in front of the man however. One wrote: 'You pushed in front of someone who was perfectly entitled to use the gender-neutral facilities and also encouraged someone else to do the same too? 'And you're asking us how come all the others in the line were p****** at you?' The Old Vic theatre scrapped its men and women toilets and replaced them with 'self-selection' facilities that can be used by both genders in October 2019. The historic London theatre in Waterloo had previously promised to double the number of women's toilets to help tackle the industry-wide problem of long queues for female loos. However, instead, all male and female toilets have been replaced with cubicles or urinals, which can be used by both men and women. The move prompted criticism on social media especially because the theatre had in 2018 run a 100,000 fund-raising campaign featuring Joanna Lumley and Glenda Jackson that specifically promised more women's loos at the venue. Under the new system women have access to 24 toilets, which would have to be shared with men. In contrast, men have access to 42 facilities, including urinals that only they would use. Feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez said on Twitter: 'Just scanned back through my pics because I remember approvingly Tweeting about @oldvictheatre crowdfunder for specifically more 'ladies loos'. And yep. They did not specify that there would in fact be no ladies loos at all.' She added that the theatre had 'ended up giving men 18 facilities practically speaking just for them, plus 24 they share with women. 'So that's 42 men have access to. Meanwhile women have access to 24 that they share with men. This is an improvement how?' A woman was in for a major shock when she heard a radio host ranting about how annoying his new neighbor was live on-air - only to discover that he was talking about her. Sabina Hunsicker, 23, who recently moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Chicago, Illinois, has gone viral on TikTok after she posted a clip of herself listening to the Brian, Ali and Justin radio show on 101.1 WKQX, and realized that one of the radio hosts - Justin - was totally dissing her. 'Me finding out my neighbor is a radio host,' she captioned the clip, which has gotten more than 13 million views since it was posted on October 28. 'I don't want to make small talk. Like, I'm that way. I have a neighbor and all she wants to do is talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk, talk,' Justin could be heard saying during the segment. A woman was in for a major shock when she heard someone ranting about how annoying his new neighbor was on the radio - only to discover he was talking about her Sabina Hunsicker, who recently moved from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Chicago, Illinois, called out a 101.1 WKQX radio host for dissing her on the air 'I'm like, "No, no, no, no, no." That's not what this is, I live here.' One of the other hosts then added, 'She got the wrong neighbor when she came next to you on that one.' 'You know, it's so funny. She literally said that,' Justin continued. 'She goes, "I was so excited. I just moved here from Philly. I was excited to move in the building, get to know my neighbors and then I got you." Yeah, my bad, girl. Don't talk to me.' After the video blew up, Justin revealed in another episode of his show that Sabina sent him a DM and apologized after he received thousands of hate messages over it. 'She said, "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. You don't deserve any of this. I seriously did not think it would blow up in this way. I'm so sorry, I can delete this if you want me to,"' he revealed. He explained that people contacted the radio station and his advertisers in an attempt to end his career, and that someone even called him a 'serial killer.' Justin admitted that because he works a lot - sometimes 10 to 12 hours a day - when he comes home, he's just not in the mood to talk to anyone. Her TikTok video has gone viral, gaining more than 13 million views since it was posted on October 28 The radio host, named Justin, explained that because he works 10-12 hours a day, when he comes home, he's just not in the mood to talk to anyone In a follow-up video, Sabina shared another clip of Justin talking about the overwhelming response to her video, revealing that she offered to delete the post after it went viral 'Sometimes, when I get home after working all day, and I'm talk, talk, talk, talk, talking, I don't feel like talk, talk, talk, talk, talking. I kind of just want to go up to my apartment, pet my dog and go to outer space,' he explained. 'I'm not the type of person who wants to have a conversation with my neighbor about nothing.' He said he told Sabina after she first moved in that small talk 'isn't for him' and that he just wants to enjoy his private time - but if she ever needed anything important she could knock on his door (as long as it's before 7 PM when he goes to bed). 'Also, I'm 34 years old. She is 23 and hot. I have a girlfriend. I think there should be a line there. I don't want to be too flirty or too nice. I'm trying to be respectful to my girlfriend and to her,' he added. Later on in the episode, Sabina called into the show so they could talk it out, live on the air. 'I'm young, I'm 23. I came in thinking I was going to make so many friends in my building. And I see this guy who lives across the hall and he has a dog so I was like, He looks like a nice guy,"' she recalled. He also said that out of respect for his girlfriend, he wanted to steer clear of Sabina - who he described as young and 'hot' In the end, she told Justin: 'You don't have to be friends with me. It's really not that deep. I'll see you around' 'But you wanted nothing to do with me. I kept bothering you because I was just bored.' Sabina explained that she has a 'flirty' and 'outgoing' personality, and that she meant no harm by her friendliness. She posted one more video about the situation, and she explained that she apologized to him because she didn't think he deserved all the hate he was getting over it. 'I heard him talk about me on the radio but he never said my name. So me making that TikTok - I was blowing my own spot up,' she said. 'I basically said, "Okay, this is about me." The only people who knew it was about me in the beginning were me and him, that's it. And then it blew up and you guys were sending him hate, which he doesn't deserve. 'He was just talking about how he doesn't want to be friends with me, which is fine. You don't have to be friends with me Justin. 'I heard what you said about me on the radio and I was upset about it so I made a video. That's it. It's really not that deep. I'll see you around. And for everyone watching this video, stop sending him hate.' Huma Abedin has opened up about why she stood by her husband Anthony Weiner's side in a press conference following his 2013 sexting scandal, saying she felt like she 'owed it' to him because she had 'encouraged him to run for office' again. Hillary Clinton's top aide, who is promoting her new memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds, explained on Monday's episode of the Tamron Hall Show that she doesn't regret publicly supporting him amid his failed bid for New York City mayor. 'I just want to put a little bit in context because I think a lot of people look at my relationship with Anthony from a 2021 perspective,' Abedin, 45, said, noting they were just a year into their marriage when Weiner's first sexting scandal broke in 2011. Candid: Huma Abedin opened up about standing by her husband Anthony Weiner's side after his 2013 sexting scandal during her appearance on Monday's episode of the Tamron Hall Show United front: Weiner was running for New York City mayor when Abedin told reporters she forgave him for sending explicit photos and messages to another woman The New York congressman was forced to resign in disgrace after a photo of him in his boxer briefs was posted on his personal Twitter account. Weiner accidentally shared the photograph on his feed instead of sending it as a direct message to a woman he'd been flirting with on the platform. He initially claimed it was the work of a hacker, but he later held a press conference confessing that he had sent sexual photos and messages to women online over the course of a few years. 'We were newlyweds. I had just discovered I was pregnant. I was carrying his child. I wasn't even 12 weeks pregnant,' Abedin recalled. 'I mean, we were living this sort of amazing life. He was my first love. He was the first man I had ever been with. 'And the shock when the first scandal broke was such that I did not understand what was going on. I did not understand what he was struggling with. Now, sure, all these years later it's a different story.' Looking back: Hillary Clinton's top aide told Hall that she doesn't regret her decision to stand by his side at that moment, saying she felt like she 'owed it' to him Point of view: Abedin explained that she had 'encouraged him to run for office' and felt it was her 'responsibility' to support him during the election, which he later lost Two years later, Weiner unsuccessfully ran for New York City mayor. He was leading in the polls when a young woman from Indiana named Sydney Leathers shared explicit photos and messages he sent her using the alias 'Carlos Danger.' Still, his wife stood by his side, making a public appearance in a rare press conference on July 23, 2013, telling 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.' Abedin, who shares a nine-year-old son, Jordan, with Weiner, told Hall that she was the one who had urged him to put himself in the public spotlight again. 'The reason I stood with him at that press conference, and it's a decision even today I can't say I regret because I not only encouraged him to run for office, we had a conversation about it and I felt like I owed it...it was my responsibility, that I encouraged him to run,' she said. 'I dont believe he would have run for mayor in 2013, but we had done the work,' she added. 'We've been surprised by all the conversations we've had from people who thought, you know, he was doing well, and, you know, I didn't think it precluded him from having a life where he could be back in public service.' Happier times: Weiner had been a congressman from New York when he and Abedin first met in 2007. They wed in an elaborate ceremony in 2010 First scandal: In 2011, Weiner accidentally tweeted a crotch-shot of himself in his underwear to the public on his official page Disgraced: Shortly after the Twitter photo scandal, Weiner announced that he was resigning from Congress In August 2016, Abedin was working as Clinton's top aide in her presidential campaign against Trump when the New York Post released a disturbing photo that Weiner had sent to another woman while he was in bed with his son. The selfie showed Weiner's erection clearly outlined through his white underwear as he laid in bed with Jordan, who was four at the time. Not only did that mark the end of the couple's marriage, according to Abedin, but she also had to persuade New York state's Administration for Childrens Services (ACS) to let her keep her son after the photo sparked an investigation. In September 2016, a month after the scandalous selfie was published, DailyMail.com revealed that Weiner had been sending lewd text messages to a 15-year-old girl that included more explicit photographs. Several months later Weiner became involved in another scandal, this time involving emails found on his laptop that led to FBI director Jim Comey reopening the investigation into Clinton just days before the 2016 presidential election. More scandals: In August 2016, it was reported that Weiner sexted a photo of his erection that he took while his then four-year-old son, Jordan, was sleeping next him Caught: DailyMail.com later 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 Breaking the law: In 2017, Weiner was sentenced to 21 months in prison for sending obscene material to a minor. He served 15 months in federal prison and three more in a halfway house Abedin admitted to Hall that she feels partially responsible for Clinton losing to Trump, saying: 'I mean as it relates to the 2016 campaign, I'm going to carry that to my grave.' She wrote about her fear that her husband's scandals would ruin Clinton's run for president in her memoir. 'Thats how I felt in that moment when the investigation was reopened 10 days before, the shocking reopening of the investigation and I felt at the time that even feeling anything was selfish,' she said of that scene in her book. 'I just shut myself down and guarded myself, and the goal was to get Hillary Clinton elected. We had to make it through the 10 days. Now we know that there were many factors, obviously, that cost her the election. But there was no doubt that it was a factor,' she added. 'There is plenty of evidence that it was a factor and that was very, very hard for me to have to deal with and live with and Ill tell you why: Because every day I wake up and see something that is bad for this country or that wouldnt have happened if she was president, I think of that a lot.' Hard to handle: Abedin insisted that her estranged husband was 'disciplined' in every aspect of his life, including their marriage, which made his scandals so shocking Parallels: Abedin's boss Hillary Clinton also weathered a public sex scandal after her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had an affair with 22-year-old intern Monica Lewinsky Private: However, when asked during her interview if Hillary had ever talked about the analogies in their personal stories, Abedin replied: 'Zero' Abedin's long-time boss also weathered a sex scandal in the public eye after her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had an affair with a 22-year-old White House intern Monica Lewinsky. He denied having intercourse with Lewinsky, saying in a televised speech in January 1998 that he 'did not have sexual relations with that woman.' 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, Clinton 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 not to me the same. I still had to decide whether I wanted to stay in the marriage, whether I thought it was worth saving.' Wound: Abedin admitted that she feels partially responsible for Clinton losing the presidential election, saying: 'I mean as it relates to the 2016 campaign, I'm going to carry that to my grave' Co-parents: Abedin and Weiner (pictured in 2020) are now on good terms. She recently confirmed that they are in the final stages of their divorce Despite Weiner's many scandals and extramarital affairs, Abedin still remembers why she fell in love with him. 'When I met him, he was this dynamic, brilliant, smart, public servant, and I did find him captivating, as I detail in the book,' she told Hall. 'We sort of accidentally fell in love. He was my best friend, and that's why I write the lines in the book: "When I was with him, I thought nothing bad could happen to me." 'He really was a protector, a provider. He was deeply loyal to people and causes he cared about, and that's what I fell in love with.' When asked about Weiner's 'lack of discipline' in their marriage, Abedin pushed back and argued that he is an incredibly regimented person. Not holding back: Abedin's highly anticipated memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds was released on November 2 'It was actually the opposite, I would counter, and that's why I write the reason it was such a hard thing to process is he was disciplined about everything, including in our marriage,' she said. 'I mean, he was the one who took care of our household. I would often have conversations with girlfriends who were in marriages or in relationships, you know, complaining about their partner leaving their laundry on the floor or coming home after a long trip and the fridge was empty,' she continued. 'That's not the experience [I had]. 'Anthony was disciplined about everything in our lives. He was disciplined, as I write, reading the New York Times cover to cover every day, going to the gym.' Abedin seemed to imply that Weiner's downfall was the result of him being able to connect with strangers on social media, which was fairly new at the time. 'At the time these social media portals were these new things introduced to the world. It gave him access to a much broader array of communications,' she explained, recalling how she went 'paint shopping' through his emails. 'He was getting all of these adoring messages, all these people were able to reach him, strangers,' she continued, noting her husband was incredibly popular in New York at the time. 'I mean there's no reason you would remember this or even know this, but in 2010, when I was first married to Anthony Weiner, I could not walk down the street in New York City without somebody stopping him on every block, saying, "Thank you for what you're doing and thank you for fighting for us." There was a very active healthcare debate going on at the time.' Abedin said other women have talked to her about what it is like to have partners who lead double lives. 'I really think with him, you know, he would say, "It's like I would go on to the computer, and I'd play a game and then I'd come back to reality,"' she said. 'The Anthony I knew in the world we inhabited, he was disciplined about everything.' An organised Australian mother-of-two has revealed three simple life hacks she wished she knew sooner. Melbourne mum Chantel Mila recommended the tips to more than half a million people in a recent TikTok video. In the clip, Mila dampened a paper towel to make green vegetables last longer in the fridge, used a wine glass to scoop out mango pieces and placed facial masks in the fridge prior to using. Scroll down for video Melbourne mum Chantel Mila recommended the tips to more than half a million people in a recent TikTok video To make the fresh vegetables last longer, she spritzed a few drops of water onto a paper towel then placed it on top of the greens in a fridge-safe container To make the fresh vegetables last longer, she spritzed a few drops of water onto a paper towel then placed it on top of the greens in a fridge-safe container. Next, she sliced two mango halves and used the edge of a wine glass to scoop the fruit out and minimise wastage. For the third and final tip, she placed a Go To Skincare sheet mask in the fridge for 15 minutes before applying it for a 'cooling boost' to promote glowing skin. 'You'll never use your sheet mask the same way again,' she wrote. Next, she sliced two mango halves and used the edge of a wine glass to scoop the fruit out and minimise wastage For the third and final tip, she placed a Go To Skincare sheet mask in the fridge for 15 minutes before applying it for a 'cooling boost' to promote glowing skin The short clip has since gone viral receiving more than 42,000 views and several positive comments. 'All your videos help me so much, thank you!' one person wrote. 'Love it!' another added. And this isn't the first time Chantel has shared clever home hacks with thousands on social media. Earlier this year she revealed three home hacks she uses to keep her home sparkling clean for a longer amount of time. Earlier this year she revealed three home hacks she uses to keep her home sparkling clean for a longer amount of time Mila then buffed the clean kitchen sink with baby oil. This second tip repels water and keeps the steel shiny for longer In another video she placed old newspapers on top of wall cabinets and 'buffed' mirrors with shaving foam. Mila claims lining old newspapers on top of high, tall surfaces makes it easier to remove dust from hard to reach places. She then 'buffed' the clean kitchen sink with baby oil to repel water and keep the stainless steel shiny. Similarly 'buffing' bathroom mirrors with a generous amount of shaving foam also helps keep the surface clean and fog-free. When Justin Duggar announced his engagement to his now-wife Claire the day after his 18th birthday last year, social media users found the timing suspicious and now Claire has confirmed that Justin did, in fact, propose when he was just 17. On November 5 of this year, the 20-year-old bride said that it had been exactly a year since Justin popped the question meaning he was ten days shy of being legally allowed to wed when he asked her to be his wife. Though Claire has limited Instagrammers' ability to comment on her post, Redditors have called it 'insane' that the youngsters were planning their wedding before Justin was even old enough to vote. Made up his still-developing mind! Justin's wife Claire, 20, revealed on November 5 that it was the one-year anniversary of Justin, now 18, popping the question Children in love: That was ten days before his 18th birthday, when he became legally eligible for marriage in Texas and Arkansas Well THAT's not from a Cracker Jack box! Teen groom Justin managed to swing a bit of bling for his missus Fans and critics had previously speculated that the timing was incredibly close, with many guessing that they'd already been engaged for some time when they announced last year The couple had first announced their engagement on November 16, 2020, a day after Justin who was born in 2002 turned 18, the legal age to marry without parental permission. In Arkansas, children can marry at age 17 with parental consent, while only emancipated minors can marry at 16 or 17 in Texas. Fans and critics speculated that the timing was incredibly close, with many guessing that they'd already been engaged for some time but waited to share the news publicly because they knew the optics weren't good. But now Claire has officially confirmed what so many guessed: Her baby-faced husband was, indeed, still legally a child when he got down on one knee. 'Hard to believe it has been one year since our engagement! Such a whirlwind day filled with joy!' Claire wrote on Instagram, captioning a slideshow of photos of the the two of them. Family members including Justin's sisters Jessa, Jinger, and Joy Anna liked the post, and supportive comments have poured it. And they called it puppy love: Claire has officially confirmed what so many guessed, that her baby-faced husband was, indeed, still legally a child when he got down on one knee Countdown 'til he's legal! In Arkansas, children can marry at age 17 with parental consent, while only emancipated minors can marry at 16 or 17 in Texas As long as they're married, it's OK! The revelation is a particularly eyebrow-raising one given the family's questionable record on protecting minors when it comes to sex But on Reddit, some critics have voiced shock and concern that Justin and Claire would be encouraged to tie the knot at their ages. 'No 17-year-old should be engaged... that's not even a legal adult. Insane,' wrote one. 'Aren't most 17-year-old boys thinking about how to ask someone to prom? Gah...' wrote another. 'Man, their families just remind me how grateful I am that my parents were normal and let me date who I wanted at my own pace and didn't creepily involve themselves in my sex life,' wrote one more. Others called it 'gross' and 'unsettling.' 'This is sad,' said one. 'You've barely experienced life at that age. You hardly understand yourself, never mind a partner.' Though Justin who would have been a high school senior at the time of his proposal if he had not been homeschooled was an adult by the time he officially wed, the revelation about his age at the time of the engagement is a particularly eyebrow-raising one given the family's questionable record on protecting minors when it comes to sex. Predator: Justin's brother Josh goes on trial this month for child pornography charges, and has documented incidents of sexually abusing minors when he was a teenager Protecting their kids? Their parents, Jim Bob and Michelle, have strict rules governing contact between boys and girls - but still allowed Josh to be around his sisters after he molested them Josh went on to have seven children and was allowed complete access to other children after he sexually abused his sisters Justin's oldest brother, Josh, is about to go on trial this month for child pornography charges, and has documented incidents of sexually abusing minors when he was a teenager. In 2016, it was revealed that Josh had molested five girls, including four of his sisters. After going to a faith-based rehab facility in Little Rock, Arkansas in 2003, he returned home and lived with his minor siblings, and has since gone on to have seven children with his wife, Anna. In April, he was arrested and charged with federal counts of receiving and possessing child pornography. According to the indictment against Josh, he is alleged to have downloaded child sexual abuse material online in May 2019. When the raid was carried out and before Josh knew what authorities were investigating, he had allegedly asked agents: 'What is this about? Has someone been downloading child pornography?' Josh was asked about having child porn in his possession and he allegedly responded: 'I'd rather not answer that question.' Some of the material he is accused of possessing shows children under the age of 12, and Homeland Security special agent Gerald Faulkner described some of the content as 'in the top five of the worst of the worst that I've ever had to examine.' Getting handsy! Justin and Claire 'met at a family conference,' but their families have known each other since before they were born Just kids! On Reddit, some critics have voiced shock and concern that Justin and Claire would be encouraged to tie the knot at their ages No time to waste! Though the pair had announced their courtship in September 2020, they had officially met on April 27, 2019 Justin had confirmed his engagement on TLC's website last November. 'There is nothing comparable to finding the one you are meant to spend your life with. We know we have found that in each other,' the couple said in a joint statement. 'We cannot wait to be married and are looking forward to a life together of faith in Christ, love for one another, and happiness!' 'So excited to announce that we are engaged!!' Justin wrote on Instagram. 'I will never forget the look on her face when I slid the ring on her finger. We look forward to the day that we get to begin the rest of our lives together!' Though the pair had announced their courtship two months before, they had actually officially met on April 27, 2019, and had over a year and a half of getting to know each other before getting engaged. Speaking to Us Weekly at the time, Justin said: 'God brought Claire in my life and I wasnt really expecting it, but he brought her along right when I needed her. 'Ever since then, I just knew that she was the one. Claire has a lot of good qualities and I can sit here and tell you all of them, but there are so many good things that Is see in her. Im so blessed to have her in my life.' Claire added: 'Justin and Is families have known each other for over 20 years so before he or I were even born, and then we got connected last year. Gettin' frisky! The teen groom and his bride shared a kiss at the altar at their February wedding Never been kissed! If they followed Duggar traditions, shared their first kiss ever at the altar Victory! The pair is seen walking back down the aisle after saying 'I do,' with some of Justin's older brothers seen as groomsmen in the background Full-frontal at last! The Duggars adhere to strict rules when it comes to dating, limiting their physical contact to brief side-hugs - so as to avoid full-body contact - before marriage 'Im really looking forward to the memories to come spent with him. Im excited to see what the Lord holds for us in the near future.' Meanwhile, Claire shared another message about their courtship on Instagram, writing: 'Words will never express the depth of my love and admiration for this amazing man! He is the most tenderhearted person, and every moment spent with him is treasured. 'Im so thankful for the man of God that he is. Whether we are in person, or long distance, he cherishes and loves me unconditionally. His example to me and all he meets, is unlike any other. I am the most blessed woman on earth to be in a relationship you. Ill love you forever.' The puppy love pair wasted no time making it down the aisle, and got married in front of at least 100 guests in Texas on February 26, 2021. Photos and video show Justin a navy suit, a moss green tie, and a white rose boutonniere. They did it! The couple announced their newlywed status on Friday shortly after they said 'I do' Canceled: Unlike some of Justin's older siblings, Justin won't see his wedding on TV, as the family reality show as canceled this summer On camera: However, they did hire a videographer to document the occasion Claire, meanwhile, wore a tiered A-line lace gown by Allure bridals, which she appears to have had fitted with an additional modesty panel of lace above the neckline. Her hair was done in a loose braid woven with roses. A video by videographer Gabriel Johnson captures the pair walking arm-in-arm outside at sunset and posing together with Claire's hand on Justin's chest and Justin's hand on the small of her back a sexually tempting position they'd have been banned from taking just hours before. But the real thrill came inside, seconds after a pastor officially wed the couple: Allowed to kiss for the fist time, Justin put his hands on either side of Claire's face and went in for the prize. Claire, who had her arms around his back, followed up the quick smooch with a hug. The Duggars, who are fundamentalist Christians, adhere to strict rules when it comes to dating, limiting their physical contact to brief side-hugs so as to avoid full-body contact until they are engaged. Once engaged, many of them graduate to hand holding, but still save any more touching including full-frontal hugs first kisses until they are married. Though Justin and Claire haven't confirmed that they, too, followed those rules, fans assume that they remained equally chaste until their nuptials. 'Today we have started a journey together that God crafted long before we ever knew it was meant to be. We are so thankful for the love of Christ that has brought our lives together and teaches us what real love looks like,' the couple said in a statement shared by People. Home sweet home: The baby-faced husband and wife have purchased a 737-square-foot two bedroom, one bathroom house estimated to be worth $134,700 in Fort Worth, Texas Price: The home was purchased on September 9, with the deed listing a a general purchase price of just $10. According to The Sun, sale amounts are not public record in Texas 'There is no greater joy than marrying your best friend. We are thankful for the prayers and support so many have shown us through our engagement and look forward to this new chapter of our lives together as husband and wife.' According to The Sun, they have since gone on to purchase a 737-square-foot two bedroom, one bathroom house estimated to be worth $134,700 in Fort Worth, Texas, a short drive from Claire's parents, the Spiveys. The home was purchased on September 9, with the deed listing a a general purchase price of just $10. According to The Sun, sale amounts are not public record in Texas. However, Realtor.com estimates the home to be worth $134,700, while Zillow puts the number at $133,300. It was last listed in 2015-2016 for $74,500. The house has what appears to be a one-car garage and a backyard and looks like it needs a bit of work, but Justin seems up for the challenge, having flipped at least one home already. Advertisement A quirky home made from more than 100,000 red bricks oozes a factory-like feel to pay tribute to the industrial past of the neighborhood. The four-bedroom, three bathroom property down Forrest Street in Mount Lawley, Western Australia aptly named 'Brick House' replicates the warehouse aesthetic through the exposed brick, sawtooth roof, concrete floors and steel beams. The home sits on a small block of 308sqm but offers a generous 484sqm of space with 360 degree views from the roof terrace, a jacuzzi and hanging net for comfortable reading. The four-bedroom home in Mount Lawley, Western Australia aptly named 'Brick House' replicates the warehouse aesthetic through the exposed brick, sawtooth roof, concrete floors and steel beams As you step through the front doors you're welcomed into the open-plan living, dining and kitchen area A reading net awaits upstairs on the second floor to enjoy a book under natural lighting entering through the circular window The home sits on a small block of 308sqm but offers a generous 484sqm of space with 360 degree views from the roof terrace, a jacuzzi and hanging net for comfortable reading The extraordinary home made from more than 100,000 reclaimed red bricks sits in the inner-west a short drive from the CBD Selling agent Danielle Geagea, from Zsa Zsa Property, told Daily Mail Australia the house is 'incredibly unique' and designed in the context of the location. 'Mount Lawley traditionally has a lot of red brick homes and was once an industrial area,' she said. Architecture graduate and co-director of the commercial design and construction business, State of Kin, Ara Salomone designed the residence, which has gone under offer for more than the asking price of $2.5million. As you step through the front doors you're welcomed into the open-plan living, dining and kitchen area. The kitchen features black cabinets, walk-in pantry, European appliances, gas cooktop, integrated fridge, dishwasher and substantial storage. Selling agent Danielle Geagea, from Zsa Zsa Property, told Daily Mail Australia the house is 'incredibly unique' and designed in the context of the location The kitchen features black cabinets, walk-in pantry, European appliances, gas cooktop, integrated fridge, dishwasher and substantial storage 'Mount Lawley traditionally has a lot of red brick homes and was once an industrial area,' she said 'It's also a multigenerational home with a built-in life, which is an great feature,' Ms Geagea said. Outside awaits a north-facing courtyard with large electronic louvered window leading from the main living area. The main living area also features a gorgeous fireplace. A reading net awaits upstairs on the second floor to enjoy a book under natural lighting entering through the circular window. The remarkable home would be ideal for families and couples alike to enjoy Outside awaits a north-facing courtyard with large electronic louvered window leading from the main living area The main living area also features a gorgeous fireplace (left), while the dining space would be perfect for entertaining guests The red brick and black features continue throughout the home and into the bathrooms. 'The vision for Forrest Street was to create a renovated heritage factory turned house, belying the reality that it is a brand new structure,' State of Kin told realestate.com.au. 'It is an awfully deceptive project - combining cutting edge new materials with older, traditional techniques and vice-versa truly embracing history with the contemporary.' 'It's also a multigenerational home with a built-in life, which is an great feature,' Ms Geagea said The red brick and black features continue throughout the home and into the bathrooms 'The vision for Forrest Street was to create a renovated heritage factory turned house, belying the reality that it is a brand new structure,' State of Kin told realestate.com.au Despite the factory-like design, the result offers a rich, warm environment with textural features and contemporary spaces Previously Brick House and State of Kin has been featured in Vogue Top 50 Australian Designers 2021, Grand Designs and Open House Perth On top of the roof is a seating area and jacuzzi Despite the factory-like design, the result offers a rich, warm environment with textural features and contemporary spaces. The huge basement space can also be used for a variety of purposes - such as an extra living area, home gym or office or store room. Previously Brick House and State of Kin has been featured in Vogue Top 50 Australian Designers 2021, Grand Designs and Open House Perth. A clever mum has revealed how she transformed a pair of $7 Kmart sneakers into retro Nike look-alikes for a costume party. The mum-of-three from Western Australia couldn't find any vintage kicks to complete her outfit so decided she would have to make her own. To create the vintage replicas the busy mum used a sharpie, highlighters and a pair of fluro green shoe laces, with stunning results. A clever mum has shown off her 80s Nike look-alikes - which she made from $7 high tops She shared pictures of the shoes in a popular Kmart hack group where more than 5000 people congratulated her for her efforts. The shoes feature fluro green, yellow and pink panels and a white tick, all outlined in black to create a 3D effect. 'I actually thought these were retro Nikes for a second, takes me back,' one woman wrote on the post. Many of the Kmart shoppers said they would consider buying custom shoes from the mum and told her to 'go into business'. 'These are amazing they look like $200 shoes people buy for the same look,' one woman said. 'You should do this as a business, people would pay heaps for custom shoes and hats and this looks like the real deal,' said another. Others said the shoes were the 'coolest Kmart hack' they had seen. The mum transformed the cheap sneakers using highlighters and black permanent markers Kmart no longer sell the exact shoes used in the hack but have a variety of white canvas shoes to choose from. They range between $5 and $30. Other budget retailers like Big W have a similar range starting from $3.50. Some of the DIY fanatics on the Kmart hacks page suggested people use acrylic paint to help the colour last. Others recommended spraying the shoe with a sealer to stop the ink from running. Bear Grylls said it was a 'privilege' to give Prince George his first ant to eat at the age of six after the pair were introduced by the Carole Middleton. The British adventurer met George, now eight, after being invited by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to skipper a yacht during the King's Cup regatta, a three day charity sailing race off the Isle of Wight in August in 2019. Grylls, who ended up winning the Cowes Week race, says it was Kate's mother who asked the presenter to meet the young royal after revealing he was a big fan of Bear's interactive Netflix special. The 47-year-old says that George looked at him with 'amazing wide eyes' after he asked him whether he had ever eaten an insect, and hailed him a 'hero' for 'facing his fears'. The British adventurer met George, now eight, after being invited by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to skipper a yacht during the King's Cup regatta, a three day charity sailing race off the Isle of Wight in August in 2019 When asked about feeding the then six-year-old his first ant on Good Morning Britain today, he said: 'I didn't really mean to. 'We were doing something for Prince William's Kings Cup event. We were down and the royal family were there and it was the Duchess of Cambridge's mother who said "Will you come and say hello to George? He's a big fan of your Netflix interactive show." 'We were chatting and just as we were chatting a stream of ants went across his feet and we looked at them, he looked at me with those amazing wide eyes and I said "Come on", and he said "Really!" Bear has previously recommended eating ants as a survival technique in his shows. 'We ate and it was a privilege to give the future king his first ant,' Bear recalled. 'His eyes lit up as they do with anyone when they're out in the wild and face a few fears and overcome them. Good for him, what a hero.' Bear Grylls said it was a 'privilege' to give Prince George his first ant to eat at the age of six after the pair were introduced by the Carole Middleton during an appearance on Good Morning Britain today It was Kate's mother who asked the presenter to meet the young royal at the Cowes Week event (pictured) after revealing he was a big fan of Bear's interactive Netflix special Bear detailed the encounter in his latest memoir, Never Give Up, revealing that George had given a look of 'trepidation and excitement' when a stream of insects walked past their feet. 'I knew that look well', he wrote. 'I smiled at him and said, 'Have you ever eaten an ant?' He shook his head nervously. 'You want to? Just you and me?' He looked around, then back at me, and nodded. I grabbed one ant for him and got him to hold it between his fingers, then got one for myself. 'One, two, three, and in it goes ready?' 'He looked more nervous now. I smiled reassuringly. 'It'll be fine. We can do this OK? One, two, three, here we go!' I will never tire of that wonderful grimace on people's faces as they eat something from the survivor menu for the first time. Grylls, who ended up winning the Cowes Week race (pictured being awarded the Kings Cup), said George had given a look of 'trepidation and excitement' when a stream of insects walked past their feet 'Whoever they are, it's always priceless. But I don't think I will ever see wider eyes than Prince George's, nor a broader grin. It was a fun moment that I hope, when he is king one day and I am an old man, he might still remember. After all, who can ever forget eating their first ant?' The adventurer also told the story of when he fed former President Barack Obama a salmon that had been ravaged by a bear - despite the best efforts of the secret service. The pair were filming an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls in 2015 and had found a salmon carcass along the side of the road which he picked up and preserved in between two pieces of moss in his bag. The adventurer also told the story of when he fed former President Barack Obama a salmon that had been ravaged by a bear - despite the best efforts of the secret service The pair were filming an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls in 2015 and had found a salmon carcass along the side of the road which he picked up and preserved in between two pieces of moss in his bag Appearing on GMB this morning he said: 'We'd done a scout the day before to find a good route and found all these half eaten carcasses along the river where the bears had been eating them. 'So I thought that's going to be perfect for us to have for lunch, secret service went "no", first of all he never eats on camera or drinks. If we do that we'll have to have special salmon ready. 'But the President was great , we sat down and had a cup of tea. I started cooking it, I could see the White House chef with a platter behind the camera, but he never asked for it. 'So we sat down and had the salmon and the crew then had the fancy salmon later that night.' InStyle magazine has come under fire for its 'awful retouching' of Reese Witherspoon in a new cover shot, with fans saying the 45-year-old actress looks 'unrecognizable'. The Oscar-winning star was photographed in a 'super sexy' shoot for the cover of the US magazine's December/January edition, out November 19. The image, taken by Australian photographer Emma Summerton, shows Reese in a black bodice-style dress with a big, bouncy hairstyle and a dark smoky eye. Criticism: InStyle magazine has come under fire for its 'awful retouching' of Reese Witherspoon in a new cover shot, pictured, with fans saying the actress looks 'unrecognizable' Spot the difference: The 45-year-old actress modeled the same makeup look and hair in a video interview for InStyle (right), however she looked drastically different to her cover image Backlash: Dozens of readers were quick to criticize the post-production on Instagram, with one commenting: 'Did she approve this edit? This does not look like her' It marks a dramatic change for the Oscar-winning actress, who typically presents a wholesome, all-American image. Dozens of readers were quick to criticize the post-production on Instagram, with one commenting: 'Did she approve this edit? This does not look like her.' Another posted: 'This is an awful retouching! I thought it was her daughter.' A third wrote: 'Honestly, it's painful to see. she's gorgeous irl [in real life]. Leave her face alone. It's harmful - and sends the wrong message [sic].' Another reader agreed: 'She doesnt look like herself AT ALL. Such empowerment. Much airbrush.' The backlash prompted a response from editor-in-chief Laura Brown, who defended the shoot and said the apparent change in Reese's appearance was down to styling. Down to styling? The cover shot marks a dramatic change for the Oscar-winning actress, who is typically presents a wholesome, all-American public image (as seen in a recent photo) Like mother, like daughter: Some fans said Reese looks more like her daughter Ava, 22, pictured, on the InStyle cover and questioned why she needed so much editing Ruining her natural beauty: Some Instagram commenters noted she doesn't need retouching She wrote: 'Hey team, for those commenting on retouching, the brief was super sexy, a heavy eye and big hair. You rarely see Reese like this - which was the point. We are not in the business of embalming women at @instylemagazine. Feel free to look at Reese's in-human-form video post, following. All the best, L.' Reese appeared happy with the final result and took to Instagram to share the cover shot with the caption: 'Thanks for putting me on this months cover! 'HUGE thanks to the creative team that made me feel like a Real Sassy Bad**s Biz Woman and biggest hug saved for my fellow bad**s biz lady @gayleking, who helped me unpack @themorningshow, what it means to be a journalist today, the sale of @hellosunshine and why women should learn to flex more! Check it out.' In the interview Reese discussed how she was flattered to be mistaken for her 22-year-old daughter Ava Phillippe. Defending the shoot: The backlash prompted a response from editor-in-chief Laura Brown, who said the apparent change in Reese's appearance was down to 'super sexy' styling The editor-in-chief urged people to watch a video interview that Reese did while modeling her cover look - however the clip sees the actress looking much more natural than her cover 'It makes me feel so young. I'm so proud of her. She really rolls with it. I'm sure it's not easy looking exactly like your mother,' she said in the magazine, which hits newsstands November 19. 'We talk to Zoe Kravitz a lot. Because she and her mother [Lisa Bonet] look exactly alike, so whenever Ava is frustrated, I go, "Call Zoe, text Zoe, she knows what to talk about." I mean, that's another mother-daughter combo that's like identical twins.' Witherspoon, who also has sons Deacon, 18, and Tennessee, nine, said the hardest part of parenting was 'this little piece of doubt that you're messing up all the time. I work really hard to get rid of it, but it's always there.' 'My first, most important priority is my kids. If I told you how much space in my brain they take up every day do you even think they know? I don't even think they know,' The Morning Show producer-star gushed. 'I'm 45. I know who I want to spend time with and who I don't. And that is one of the great things about getting older it just clears out so much space. I want to be with my mom, my kids, and the people who fill my tank. And everybody else, I wish them well.' Advertisement Newlywed Jennifer Gates has shared a new photo from her 'fairytale' wedding to Nayel Nassar that took place last month, which shows her flashing her garter as she posed with her 'radiant' bridesmaids. The 25-year-old posted the throwback picture to Instagram on Monday, November 8. She captioned it, 'One of many fairytale moments. Strolling amongst the fall foliage with some of my favorite women before the ceremony. Thank you @dolcegabbana, @verawanggang, @lauraspinellalovett, and all the artists who made us all feel so radiant.' The snap shows Jennifer walking with a big smile on her face as her nine bridesmaids - including her 19-year-old sister, Phoebe - stood behind her and held the long train of her dress and veil. The bridesmaids wore green, floor-length gowns and held floral arrangements. Newlywed Jennifer Gates has shared a new photo from her 'fairytale' wedding to Nayel Nassar that took place last month, which shows her flashing her garter as she posed with her 'radiant' bridesmaids Jennifer and Nayel tied the knot on October 16, 2021, at the couple's farm in Westchester, New York. The snap shows Jennifer walking with a big smile on her face while surrounded by her nine bridesmaids - including her 19-year-old sister, Phoebe The heiress dressed up in two custom-made Vera Wang bridal gowns for the special occasion. Wang, known for previously creating wedding dresses for stars including Gwen Stefani and Issa Rae, shared two photos taken by wedding photographer Allan Zepeda and published by Vogue alongside a sweet message wishing Jennifer and Nayel, 30, 'a lifetime of happiness and joy'. Sharing details of one of the dresses, Wang wrote: 'Jennifer wore a custom light ivory long sleeve A-line gown with hand applique French macrame lace on the bodice, sleeves and flowing onto a diaphanous light ivory and champagne Italian tulle skirt. The gown was worn with a light ivory Italian tulle chapel length veil trimmed in hand applique French macrame lace.' In response, Jennifer gushed: 'Both dresses were beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you, thank you, thank you!' The young woman had her makeup done by Kim Kardashian's former makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic. She kept her auburn hair half up and half down for the ceremony and wore a pair of earrings to accent her dress. For the party, she had it slicked back in a tight bun. The 25-year-old shared another pic from the lavish wedding over the weekend, in honor of her mother-in-law, Iman's birthday. 'Happy birthday to my beautiful inside and out mother-in-law. Iman, your grace and spirituality inspire me and I can't wait for all that's to come,' she captioned a shot that showed her and Nayel's mom hugging and grinning from ear to ear. It's unclear where they went for their honeymoon, but Jennifer did post a pic of Nayel on what appeared to be some type of safari last week, which she captioned, 'Husband.' She shared another pic from the lavish wedding over the weekend, in honor of her mother-in-law, Iman's birthday 'Happy birthday to my beautiful inside and out mother-in-law. Iman, your grace and spirituality inspire me and I can't wait for all that's to come,' she captioned a shot that showed her and Nayel's mom hugging and grinning from ear to ear It's unclear where they went for their honeymoon, but Jennifer did post a pic of Nayel, 30, on what appeared to be some type of safari last week (left), which she captioned, 'Husband.' She also shared a pic of a rainbow over a tropical island (right) Since they said 'I do' last month, Jennifer has been giving her followers little glimpses of the beautiful day - sharing a few photos here and there. On October 28, she posted a one of her and her dad, Bill Gates, in honor of the Microsoft billionaire's 66th birthday. 'Happy happy 66th @thisisbillgates,' she wrote alongside the photo, which showed him smiling up at his daughter. 'Grateful to learn from your example of endless curiosity, constant exploration and desire to help humanity. Excited to hear about what you learn in this next turn around the sun. 'Thank you for your support of our union and dream day recently these memories will last a lifetime.' Bill had shared his own well wishes for his daughter on her wedding day, writing on Instagram last month: 'Jenn and Nayel, its impossible to put into words how happy it makes me to see you filled with joy on your wedding day. Im so proud of you both for everything youve accomplished in your lives so far and everything you will do with your future together.' Father-daughter: Last month, Jennifer shared a photo of her and her dad, Bill Gates, on her wedding day - in honor of the Microsoft billionaire's 66th birthday Jennifer, the eldest child of business magnate Bill and philanthropist Melinda French Gates, appears to be taking no sides in her parents' split. 'Happy happy 66th @thisisbillgates,' she captioned it. 'Grateful to learn from your example of endless curiosity, constant exploration and desire to help humanity. Excited to hear about what you learn in this next turn around the sun' The couple, who had been married for 27 years, announced their split in May and had finalized the divorce in August. Melinda had reportedly been uncomfortable with her husbands connection to Jeffrey Epstein, while Bill acknowledged that he'd had an extramarital affair with a Microsoft employee in the year 2000. Both Bill and Melinda were there to walk Jennifer down the aisle on her big day. The couple reportedly had 300 guests at the wedding. The ceremony was performed by a longtime family friend, and the bride and groom wrote their own vows. Two days after the nuptials, Jennifer shared a photo that showed the moment she and Nayel walked back up the aisle after being pronounced husband and wife. In it, Jennifer beamed, holding an elegant bouquet of white flowers in one hand while her other wrapped around Nayel's waist. Nayel, looking sharp in a suit, grinned at applauding onlookers as they made their way down the floral-lined aisle. 'My universe. 10.16.21.' Jennifer captioned it. They do! Jennifer and Nayel tied the knot on October 16, 2021, at the couple's farm in Westchester, New York. She wore two custom Vera Wang gowns for the big day The young woman also had her makeup done by Kim Kardashian's former makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic. She kept her auburn hair half up and half down for the ceremony and for the party, she had it slicked back in a tight bun. Since they said 'I do' last month, Jennifer has been giving her followers little glimpses of the beautiful day - sharing a few photos here and there Both her of her parents Bill and Melinda - who divorced in August - posted photos from the wedding on Instagram along with messages for the happy couple Meanwhile, Jennifer's mother also shared a photo from the special day. 'What a joy to celebrate the light and love of @jenniferkgates and @nayelnassar this past weekend. So grateful we were able to find a way to safely gather for this special day,' she wrote, alongside a photo of Jennifer and Nayel posing together outdoors. The shot, taken from behind, showed Nayel admiring his new bride and Jennifer looking back over her shoulder, her long veil fanned out in the wind. During the party, Jennifer and Bill danced to Elton John's Can You Feel The Love Tonight, while her first dance with her new husband was to Yellow Lights - a song 'which was written and performed by their friend and artist Harry Hudson.' Coldplay also performed at the reception. Saturday's guest list mostly consisted of friends and family, but a few celebrities and politicians were invited too. Georgina Bloomberg, the daughter of billionaire Michael Bloomberg and a fellow professional equestrian who owns a horse farm nearby, was one of the few famous faces that made an appearance. In paparazzi photos, Jennifer was seen clutching a bouquet ahead of the ceremony, her veil lifted over her face. There were 300 guests in total at the wedding, which cost an estimated $2 million The bride had nine bridesmaids dressed in dark green, floor-length gowns. All appeared to be smiling and laughing as they posed for pictures, and one of the bridesmaids was seen holding up Jennifer's long veil Both Bill and Melinda were there to walk Jennifer down the aisle on her big day The wedding weekend also involved a wind-down brunch, catering by renowned New York City restaurants, and performances by Coldplay Event planner Marcy Blum took the reins for the weekend The outdoor wedding was held on Saturday afternoon on the family's 142-acre estate in North Salem, New York Friday night's rehearsal dinner which secretly served as a religious Muslim ceremony was catered by Jean-Georges and included a lobster dish and pasta. The extravagant two-day event, costing an estimated $2 million, was orchestrated by famed wedding planner Marcy Blum, whose elite client list includes Kevin Bacon, LeBron James, and Billy Joel. In an interview with Vogue that was published Monday, Jennifer or 'Jenn' said it had been 'challenging' planning the event through 'the pandemic' and while her family was 'going through transitions.' 'Its been a challenging year, both collectively with the pandemic and for our families going through transitions. But our love for one another has been a constant. Being able to celebrate our wedding with our closest friends and family was a dream come true,' she said. Jennifer, who is in medical school, said it was 'no small feat' putting it all together. 'Planning a wedding while I was in medical school rotations and Nayel was preparing for the Olympics was no small feat,' she said. Nassar competed for Egypt during this year's Olympics. Jennifer also told Vogue she required all 300 of their wedding guests to be vaccinated and take COVID tests, she said, in order to ensure everyone's safety. 'We made the decision that all guests must be fully vaccinated and receive a negative test result prior to the wedding. We also made masks available. We feel incredibly fortunate to be able to gather with our loved ones safely. We know others aren't as lucky, especially as the pandemic continues to devastate communities in the United States and around the world,' she said. 'One piece of advice we were given [throughout the planning process] was to remember that this day is about us and our love,' she went on. 'I think we really kept that at the center of our minds while planning, and we also tried to ensure that our families and friends were able to enjoy themselves.' A man has gone viral for his uncanny video impression of Her Majesty. Julian Sewell, from Auckland, New Zealand, took to TikTok and shared a video where he can be seen giving his impeccable imitation of the Queen's annual Christmas message. The short clip, captioned 'This is my prediction', shows Julian sitting in an upright position on the sofa as he puts on the monarch's distinct English accent to perfectly recreate her possible 2021 festive message. And the speech - which included references to the 'ghastly Delta variant' and 'looking ahead to the future' - wowed social media users, with one branding it 'spot on.' 'I just know there is a speech writer shaking and crying as they delete pages of drafts,' wrote one, while a second joked: 'Queen is 100% going to lip sync her speech to this audio.' Julian Sewell, from Auckland, New Zealand, has gone viral for his uncanny video impression of Her Majesty Taking to social media, one person penned: 'I just know there is a speech writer shaking and crying as they delete pages of drafts' (pictured) In the amusing video, which has so far received over 170,000 likes and 2,500 comments, Julian - in Her Majesty's voice - begins: '2021 has been a year like no other.' 'Ever since the coronavirus pandemic started in March of last year, we've had to adjust to living at home, reducing our social interaction as way of combatting transmission. The introduction of the next scene life was looking hopeful until of course, the ghastly Delta variant was born and forced many of us back into lockdown. But now, and as always, we look ahead to the future and wish you and your family, wherever you may be, a very happy Christmas.' Julian (pictured), who boasts over 120,000 followers on TikTok, has taken social media by storm thanks to his other impressions - including Margaret Thatcher, Prince Charles and Princess Diana In the amusing video Julian - in Her Majesty's distinct English accent - begins: '2021 has been a year like no other. Ever since the coronavirus pandemic started in March of last year, we've had to adjust to living at home, reducing our social interaction as way of combatting transmission Julian, who boasts over 120,000 followers on TikTok, then ends the video with a pitchy rendition of Christmas carol, Once in Royal David's City. Taking to the comments, social media users were full of praise for Julian's very incredibly accurate impression. 'The accent is perfect,' noted one, while a second wrote: 'Spot on. The tightly rolled Rs got me at the end.' A third added: 'The pronunciation of "Femly" - spot on,' while a fourth commented: 'Didn't know the queen pre-recorded her Christmas speeches.' Elsewhere, another wrote: 'The Crown producers will be contacting you shortly'. And fans will be delighted to hear that Julian's other impressions include Margaret Thatcher, Prince Charles and Princess Diana. CEO of Lightning Travel Recruitment, Chris King, attended one of the world's biggest travel trade shows last week in London wearing a cream dress The CEO of a travel recruitment company who identifies as non-binary and uses the pronouns 'she' and 'they' says they were constantly referred to as 'the man in the dress' at a major trade show in London last week. Chris King, who founded Lightning Travel Recruitment in 2019, criticised some colleagues in the travel industry on LinkedIn saying they'd been branded a 'trouble-maker' and 'attention-seeker' for highlighting the discrimination. King attended one of the industry's largest travel shows, World Travel Market, held in the first week of November at ExCel, wearing a cream knee-length belted dress and black ankle boots with a front zip detail. Scroll down for video CEO of Lightning Travel Recruitment, Chris King, attended one of the world's biggest travel trade shows last week in London wearing a cream dress - they say they were referred to frequently as 'the man in the dress' In an emotive post shared on LinkedIn, the business owner said there was some irony to the abuse they'd received, saying: 'Imagine asking an industry that thrives by promoting diverse destinations to acknowledge and support minority groups. What a horrible 'man in a dress'.' Calling for better inclusivity within the travel industry, King wrote: 'It's not f****** okay to comment on how another person dresses, to assume their gender and to outwardly think it's okay to call me a 'man in the dress'. We march on.' One travel industry professional denied there was a problem with inclusivity, suggesting King was 'grandstanding' in a move that was 'more for attention than for actual change'. Responding to negative reactions in a blog on the recruitment consultant's website, King wrote: 'The problematic one. The one who is only highlighting things for attention. The one who is riding on others coat-tails. The one who shouldn't point fingers. The one who is out to get everyone. The 'man in the dress'. 'All of these things have been said to me directly either in person, via DM or in comments on our posts.' King slammed colleagues in the industry who chastised them for speaking out, saying they'd been branded a 'trouble-maker' who wanted to 'ruffle feathers' Praise: Many commented on King's post to thank them for speaking out on gender King did praise some of their colleagues for a more inclusive attitude though, saying: 'The UTTER JOY y'all brought myself and Ciaran at WTM and the various events we attended is priceless. 'We had conversations with diversity team leads, with senior male board members, with black industry activists, with instagram and Linkedin followers and it was truly incredible.' The half-sister of King Philippe of Belgium is to appear on the country's version of Strictly Come Dancing - a year after she was finally recognised as former king Albert II's daughter following a lengthy legal battle. Princess Delphine de Saxe-Cobourg Gotha, 52, formerly known as Delphine Boel, is thought to be the result of an 18-year affair between the former monarch, 86, and Belgian aristocrat Sybille de Selys Longchamps, 79, that began in the 1960s. Speaking after a court officially recognised her as the love child of Belgium's former king on last October, Delphine said her battle to be recognised as a royal was not about money or status. However it has now been revealed she has signed up for Belgium's Dancing with the Stars - with her appearance fee going to the charity, Make-a-Wish. Princess Delphine de Saxe-Cobourg Gotha, 52, is to appear on the country's version of Strictly Come Dancing - a year after she was finally recognised as former king Albert II's daughter following a lengthy legal battle (pictured) The Belgian palace was informed of the news last week, with RoyalCentral reporting it was a 'surprise' for the organisation. However officials described it as a 'private' initiative which they wouldn't be commenting on it. Delphine is set to be paired with Dutch professional dancer, Sander Bas. However it is not clear how likely she is to be lifting the glitter ball trophy - after she said her dancing was limited to 'a few often uncomfortable, dance steps at weddings and receptions.' Delphine is set to be paired with Dutch professional dancer, Sander Bas, on the dancing programme (pictured together) Delphine met her half-brother, King Philippe of Belgium for the first time last October, with the pair having a 'warm meeting' which took place at the Castle of Laeken Delphine may be the first princess to compete in the show, but other royals have spoken out about being fans of the programme. The Duchess of Cornwall made a video cameo on last year's Strictly Come Dancing finale, as she praised the show for 'uplifting the nation' during the Covid pandemic. Camilla is said to be a 'massive fan' of the show and even 'votes every week' for her favourite dancing duo. And in 2018, Sophie Wessex and Lady Louise were in the Strictly audience as a treat for the teenager's 15th birthday, host Tess Daly has revealed. Both Sophie and Louise are also said to be 'big fans' of the programme. Delphine was recognised as former king Albert II's daughter following a lengthy legal battle last year (pictured) The Belgian palace was informed of the news last week, with RoyalCentral reporting it was a 'surprise' for the organisation Delphine met her half-brother, King Philippe of Belgium for the first time last October, with the pair having a 'warm meeting' which took place at the Castle of Laeken. It came after Delphine was recognised as former king Albert II's daughter following a lengthy legal battle last year. At the time, she explained that her mother's husband, wealthy industrialist and aristocrat Jacques Boel, is 'much richer than the royal family'. Delphine also revealed she will not be using the 'Her Royal Highness' prefix, adding: 'I just wanted to be the same as my brother and my sister.' She told Belgian radio show Matin Premiere: 'I feel like I have a right to exist. Not to exist in the royal family but as me. 'My decision to call for help through the law, I feel today that it was the right thing to do... The judicial system said that I was right and that I had the right to exist.' Speaking at the time, Delphine revealed she last spoke to Albert in 2001 and 'expects nothing more'. The Countess of Wessex and her daughter Lady Louise were in the Strictly audience three years ago as a treat for the teenager's 15th birthday, host Tess Daly has revealed Meanwhile Camilla is also a fan of the programme (pictured dancing with former Strictly professional Brendan Cole at a charity tea dance) 'I tried to solve the problem behind the walls, in secret, for years,' she added, but said Albert's repeated denials forced her to go public. Describing her life before the judgement, she called herself 'a black sheep' adding that her existence was 'unpleasant and unlivable'. She added that she now wants to go back to focusing on her art, while moving on from the scandal of her birth. 'It is not [the child's] fault, they do not ask to be born,' she said. 'The child who comes from a love affair outside of marriage should not be treated any differently.' Delphine, pictured at a press conference in Brussels last year after she won the legal battle to be confirmed as a princess, said her battle to be recognised as a royal was not about money or status The alleged affair between Albert II and Sybille de Selys Longchamps is believed to have begun in 1966 when Albert was not yet king but was married to Italian aristocrat and later queen Donna Paola Ruffo di Calabria, whom he wed in 1959. The couple lived apart for a large part of their early marriage, amid rumours that she disliked living in Belgium, finding it too cold and rainy. Delphine was born in 1968, and the affair is thought to have ended in 1984. Albert's other children - Philippe, who assumed the throne after Albert's abdication, Princess Astrid and Prince Laurent - were born in 1960, 1962 and 1963 respectively. Albert ascended the throne in 1993, following the death of his elder brother, King Baudouin, from heart failure. Albert (left) confirmed in January 2020 that he was no longer contesting Delphine's claim of paternity, after taking a DNA test (pictured right, her mother Sybille de Selys Longchamps) Delphine - an aristocrat in her own right and an artist - first said in 1999 that she believes she is Albert's child. Her statement was made shortly after the publication of an unofficial biography of Queen Paola which alluded to an affair the King had which produced a lovechild. Albert acknowledged problems with his marriage in his Christmas speech the same year, referring to a 'crisis' which nearly ended his marriage 30 years before, but said he and his wife 'surpassed those difficulties to find a deep understanding love'. But Albert never addressed the issue of a child, and for years the palace neither confirmed nor denied the reports, merely saying that it was a 'private matter'. Delphine (left, with her mother in 2000) first claimed to be Albert's lovechild in 1999, after an unofficial biography of the Queen claimed he had an affair and a child born out of wedlock Despite years of private lobbying, Ms Boel was unable to get Albert to recognise her true identity. After years of questions over her identity, which Delphine claimed stopped her from opening bank accounts, she went to the courts in 2013 in an attempt to prove her biological father was Albert. The same year the legal case began, Albert abdicated for 'health reasons', passing the throne to son Philippe - Delphine's half-brother. After several early setbacks, the breakthrough for Ms Boel came in November last year when a court ruled that Albert must provide a DNA sample for testing. Failure to comply would result in a 5,000 fine for each day the sample was missing. Albert is thought to have undergone the DNA test shortly afterwards, which proved he is the father. Delphine Boel, now 52 (pictured in Paris in 1999) has been recognised as the illegitimate lovechild of Albert II, former King of Beligum, after a seven-year legal battle In January 2020, he issued a statement confirming that he is no longer contesting paternity. The court ruled that Delphine should be recognised as part of the royal family, putting her 15th in line to the throne and entitling her to a share of Albert's estate when he dies. A statement released by Delphine's lawyers last year said: 'Delphine de Saxe Cobourg has taken note of the judgment... which gives her full satisfaction. 'Her other requests for it to be dealt with on the same footing as her brothers and sister have also been satisfied. 'She is delighted by this court decision which ends a long process which is particularly painful for her and her family. A legal victory will never replace the love of a father but offers a feeling of justice, further reinforced by the fact that many children who have gone through the same ordeals will find the strength to face them.' Shelter today released a poignant Christmas advert asking Brits to use its virtual log fire online - with all ad revenue from the YouTube clip providing housing for rough sleepers. The homeless charity's festive offering shows a woman relaxing inside her cosy and comfortable home while watching a video of a fire on a TV, before the camera pans out to reveal a second woman sleeping rough outside in the snow. Meanwhile Shelter urged Brits who might usually watch a virtual fire on YouTube to instead search the site for 'The Good Fire', a 10 hour long video of a fireplace. All the advert revenue from the YouTube video will be donated straight to Shelter, going towards the charity's efforts to provide housing for rough sleepers. Shelter today released a poignant Christmas advert asking Brits to use their virtual log fire online - with all ad revenue from the clip providing housing for rough sleepers The homeless charity's festive offering shows a woman relaxing inside her cosy and comfortable home while watching a video fire on a TV, before the camera pans out to reveal a second woman sleeping rough outside in the show Virtual log fires have become increasingly popular in recent years, with some people relying on the flames to create a cosy atmosphere in their homes. They can be accessed through YouTube on a smart TV and come in all sorts of style, with or without sound on. According to the charity, YouTube has thousands of hours of fireplace videos which are played daily across homes in the UK, which in turn generate millions of views and considerable ad revenue. Shelter have said that putting on their Good Fire for as little as one minute will provide funds which will go directly to the charity. Meanwhile Shelter urged Brits who might usually watch a virtual fire on YouTube to instead look to ' The Good Fire' , a 10 hour long video of a fireplace Shelter will be working throughout the Winter to provide help to rough sleepers with free expert support and advice and hope the Good Fire will generate enough funds to support their efforts. Andy Harris, director of fundraising at Shelter, said: This will be an especially tough winter for many, for thousands of families it will mean Christmas spent in cold, cramped temporary accommodation, and for some people it will even mean freezing nights spent sleeping on the streets. 'Shelters frontline services will continue to work tirelessly to help as many people faced with the trauma of homelessness as we can, but we need the publics help. 'Just by watching "The Good Fire" from the comfort of your own home this Christmas you can help us fight for a safe home for everyone without one, this winter and beyond,' he added. Zaid Al-Zaidy, CEO at creative agency Above+Beyond, who created the virtual fire, said: 'Working with the YouTube team at Google has been fantastic. This Good Fire is a great example of technology and creativity coming together to deliver wonderful things.' The Good Fire was first introduced in 2020, and returns this year in hopes of raising even more fun. All the advert revenue from the video will be donated straight to Shelter, going towards the charity's efforts to provide housing for rough sleepers It is available at this address and can be found by searching 'The Good Fire' on the video sharing platform. Figures in August showed that less than a quarter of homeless people that were given help at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic have been given settled accommodation. Thousands of rough sleepers and those at risk of homelessness were rapidly brought to safety at the start of the Covid outbreak by the Government's Everyone In scheme. The Government claimed 37,000 people have been helped from the initiative, but council figures suggest that just 23 per cent of those helped have moved into settled accommodation, somewhere they could stay for at least six months, as of February. More than one fifth were still living in emergency accommodation such as hostels and B&Bs, according to council responses to a freedom of information request by Shelter. The Government claimed the analysis is 'misleading', adding that 26,000 people have already moved into longer-term accommodation. Ivana Trump has kept half of her fourth ex-husband Rossano Rubicondi's ashes following his death, according to his parents, who revealed she cared for him while he was secretly ill. Claudio and Rosa Rubicondi, opened up about their late son's death on a recent appearance on the Italian talk show Pomeriggio Cinque, saying hardly anyone knew he was battling cancer until he was found dead in late October at age 49. It has been widely reported that Rossano died of melanoma, but a translation of the television interview stated he had liver cancer and suffered a lung aneurysm in the bathtub. He was found the next morning. 'He had liver cancer. He didn't tell anyone except Ivana. She supported him until he died,' host Barbara d'Urso said. Mourning: Ivana Trump, 72, has kept half of fourth ex-husband Rossano Rubicondi's ashes, according to the late actor's parents Candid: Claudio and Rosa Rubicondi opened up about their late son's death and his bond with his ex-wife Ivana on the Italian talk show Pomeriggio Cinque The Rubicondis admitted their son's death was a complete shock because they weren't aware he was severely ill. 'He rarely called us and we didn't know he had health issues,' Claudio explained. 'I've been told a vein broke in his lung and he fell in the bathtub. He was alone at home and stayed there for several hours.' Ivana, 72, had an on-again, off-again relationship with Rossano following their brief marriage in 2008, but they shared a bond up until his death. When the Czech socialite learned of her ex's passing, she called his parents to offer her condolences. She also promised to send them his ashes after he was cremated. 'She called us to express her sorrow and said she will send us Rossanos ashes,' Claudio said, while Rosa added: 'Ivana asked if she could keep half the ashes. I said yes.' Rossano's death was announced on Twitter by Italian television presenter Simona Ventura on the evening of October 29. Reports: Host Barbara d'Urso (left) said no one knew Rossano (center) had liver cancer except for Ivana, who 'supported him until he died' Connected: Ivana and Rossano (pictured walking near her apartment in New York City on July 23) had an on-again, off-again relationship following their brief marriage in 2008 'RossanoThanks for the journey we made together, for the good times and the bad, and also the tears and laughter, so many, and everything that we did together. Farewell. RiP,' she tweeted. She later shared a video of her late friend on a beach with Ivana and captioned it: 'This video, which I found from my personal archive, will always remain in my heart.' Ivana has yet to comment on Rossano's death. The Italian actor had reportedly been suffering from health issues over the course of the past year and was diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer. It's unclear if the cancer had spread. Other outlets reported he had liver cancer. Ivana and Rossano dated for six years before they tied the knot in 2008 during a lavish $3 million ceremony at Mar-A-Lago, the Palm Beach estate owned by none other than Ivana's second ex-husband, Donald Trump. She was 59 at the time, while he was 36. Gesture: The Rubicondis shared that Ivana (pictured with Rossano in March) called them personally after their son's death Reports: It has been widely reported that the actor died of melanoma. However, a translation of the television interview stated Rossano had liver cancer and suffered a lung aneurysm The wedding was set to the theme of Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream and 400 guests attended, including her second husband. Ivanka's only daughter, Ivanka, was her maid of honor. But just eight months after their nuptials, Ivana and Rossano announced their upcoming divorce. They reconnected a number of times over the years, and while they most recently broke up in 2019, that didn't stop them from spending time together. Rossano was Ivana's fourth husband after Alfred Winklmayr, Donald with whom she shares three children and Riccardo Mazzucchelli. Roberto Alessi, an Italian film director, recently revealed that friends of Rossano and Ivana thought they might get back together while he was battling melanoma. 'Lately he got closer to Ivana Trump and many thought they also wanted to remarry,' he told the Italian website Corriere della Sera. Saying goodbye: Ivana was seen for the first time after Rossano's death last Wednesday when she visited Frank Campbell Funeral Home on Manhattan's Upper East Side Support system: She was seen exiting a vehicle in an all-black outfit with assistance from an unidentified woman Apple of her eye: The next day, she enjoyed lunch with her youngest son Eric, 37, at Altesi, her favorite Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side He added: 'I met him a year ago for dinner with friends. He had a band-aid on his hand. I know he faced heavy treatment.' Ivana was seen for the first time after Rossano's death last Wednesday when she visited Frank Campbell Funeral Home on Manhattan's Upper East Side. She was bundled up in a weather-proof black coat with a fur neckline and a black winter hat with a lace bow as she got out of the vehicle with assistance from an unidentified woman. The businesswoman looked downcast as she entered the funeral home around 3 p.m. that day. She was later seen leaving the service almost two hours later. The next day, she enjoyed lunch with her youngest son Eric, 37, at Altesi, her favorite Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side. Ivana appeared to be in better spirits as she walked arm-in-arm with her son, but she was still wearing all black while mourning Rossano's death. Famed gymnast Simone Biles has revealed she is ready to quit gymnastics once and for all - just weeks after she testified at a senate hearing about the lasting trauma of the horrific abuse she endured at the hands of pedophile doctor Larry Nassar. Simone, 24, has wracked up seven Olympic medals over the years - four gold, two silver, and one bronze - making her one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time. But despite a disappointing run at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which saw her drop out of five event finals because of struggles with her mental health, Simone has now revealed that she is prepared to 'step away' from the sport once and for all, forgoing a chance to achieve further gold medal success at the Paris 2024 Games. The Olympian told US Weekly in a new interview that she has 'suffered and continues to suffer' because the organization USA Gymnastics didn't do 'what was necessary to protect her.' Simone Biles said it may be time for her to quit gymnastics - years after she spoke out at Larry Nassar's sexual assault case, and months after she withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics Legendary: Simone, 24, has wracked up seven Olympic medals over the years - four gold, two silver, and one bronze. But now, it may be time for her to 'step away' Speaking out: In a new interview, she said she has 'suffered and continues to suffer' because the organization USA Gymnastics didn't do 'what was necessary to protect her.' 'Everything that Ive been through with the organization of USAG just makes for a sticky situation,' she told the outlet. 'It just sucks. And its, like, I love the sport so much, but I feel like its just a hit to the gut every time something comes out or new information has been revealed. 'We suffered and continue to suffer, because no one at FBI, USAG, or the USOPC did what was necessary to protect us.' Back in 2015, it was revealed that Larry, who had worked as the USAG doctor for 18 years, had sexually assaulted at least 150 women, including Simone, and fellow Team USA Olympians Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Jordyn Wieber. He was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison in 2018. However the scandal surrounding the abuse case - and its handling by USAG and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee - has continued to spark controversy and outrage, with dozens of gymnasts blasting the organizations over the Nassar case. In September of this year, Simone spoke out against USAG and the FBI for failing to promptly investigate allegations against Nassar during a powerful speech to the Senate, in which she opened up about the lasting trauma she has suffered as a result of the abuse she endured. Now, although Simone said she still 'loves the sport' and the 'girls that she trained with,' she has confessed that she doesn't know if she can move forward with the organization. Back in 2015, news hit the web that Larry (pictured), who had worked as the USAG doctor for 18 years, had sexually assaulted 150 women. He was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison Simone previously slammed USA Gymnastics and the FBI for not promptly investigating allegations against Larry during a powerful speech to the Senate 'I love the sport. I love the people that I work with. I love the girls that I trained with, but those organizations, its just like - ugh,' Simone said in the new interview. 'Its just like a huge dumpster fire that were trying to get rid of and that Im trying to stay as far away from so that my mental health can be intact and if I do decide to train again that I have a clean slate.' When the gold medalist headed to Tokyo to compete in the 2020 Olympics over the summer, she stunned everyone after she announced that she was withdrawing from four out of five event finals to focus on her mental health. At the time, she said she was suffering from something called 'the twisties' - a mental block that causes gymnasts to feel like they are 'lost in the air.' 'The mental aspect obviously got me during Tokyo and its, like, some of those things you cant ignore and my body didnt ignore. If we can keep that under control, I would love to train again,' she added. 'But then, at the end of the day, if it costs me my peace, Im going to step away. And Im completely fine with stepping away because Ive been through so much. Ive accomplished so much.' When Simone competed in the 2020 Olympics over the summer, she stunned everyone when she withdrew from four out of five event finals to focus on her mental health Despite her love for the sport, the gold medalist said in the new interview that she feels like she's constantly being 'hit in the gut' She explained: 'At the end of the day, if it costs me my peace, Im going to step away. And Im completely fine with stepping away because Ive been through so much' Simone is happily dating a guy named Jonathan Owens (pictured). They made their relationship Instagram official in August 2020 She recently shared an adorable picture of them rocking matching sneakers to her Instagram Stories When she's not competing, Simone is doing what any any normal 24 year old does - including playing with her dog and getting matching sneakers with her boyfriend, Jonathan Owens, which she showcased on Instagram hours after the interview hit the web. She and Jonathan made their relationship Instagram official in August 2020, and have been pretty much couple goals since then. Most recently, she revealed that he bought her a new Apple Watch because hers broke. During a previous interview for Athleta, Simone said that pulling out of the Olympics made her 'feel human' for the 'first time.' 'Over the years, because I've been so dominant, everybody [has supported] the gymnastics and praised me for what I've done in the gym and not really outside [of it],' she said. 'Once I took a step back, I obviously was expecting to feel a lot of backlash and embarrassment. But it's the complete opposite. And that's the first time I felt human. Besides "Simone Biles," I was Simone - and people kind of respected that.' Lady Kitty Spencer might be a married woman, but she still had time for a girls' night out tonight with her friends Emma Weymouth and Jade Holland Cooper. Princess Diana's niece, 30, was spotted at Superdry's flagship store opening party in London with the Marchioness of Bath, 35, this evening. The two women made a striking pair as they arrived at the shop on Oxford Street, alongside designer and mother-of-one Jade. Kitty, whose summer wedding to business tycoon Matthew Lewis, 62, in July was the social event of the year, beamed in an all-black look, while Emma, a mother-of-two, donned animal print from head-to-toe. Lady Kitty Spencer might be a married woman, but she still had time for a girls' night out tonight with her friends Emma Weymouth and Jade Holland Cooper Earl Spencer's daughter looked stylish in a black mini dress with balloon sleeves and vinyl boots. Kitty, who is a brand ambassador for Dolce and Gabbana, wore a striking silver belt from the brand that cinched in the waist of her dress. Styling it mostly with black accessories, she wore here hair down to inject a touch of tousled glamour. Finishing the look off with a choker necklace, Kitty opted for neutral toned makeup to complete the ensemble. Earl Spencer's daughter looked stylish in a black mini dress with balloon sleeves and vinyl boots, which she paired with a dramatic black D&G belt Emma looked equally as stunning as she attended the flagship event and wore dazzling gold chain earrings with a slicked back hairstyle. The mother-of-two opted for a leopard print co-ord, with a slinky midi skirt paired with a matching bralet top. Meanwhile she wrapped up a little against the cold by donning a cropped black tuxedo jacket for the outing. And mother-of-one Jade looked equally glamorous for the event, donning a stunning black suit with a dramatic neckline and an over-the-top necklace. The socialites could be seen cuddling up for a snap as they attended the event in the Superdry store tonight (pictured) Jade married the fashion tycoon and boss of clothing brand Superdry, Julian Dunkerton, 55, who is worth an estimated 441million, in a lavish ceremony in the Cotswolds in August 2018. She was serenaded at the ceremony by Idris Elba and Craig David. It has been a busy few weeks for Lady Kitty, who last month dazzled in an array of Dolce & Gabbana outfits when posing up a storm during a photoshoot for the brand in Italy. Princess Diana's niece looked effortlessly elegant as she showcased several lavish ensembles when at a Villa in Portofino. In one outfit, the socialite and model stunned in a yellow dress, boasting a cinched waist, a dropped hem and lace and ruffled features. She teamed the garment with a D&G embellished bag. Emma looked equally as stunning as she attended the flagship event and wore dazzling gold chain earrings with a slicked back hairstyle Elsewhere, she appeared radiant in a white and red striped frock, which she teamed with brown sandals while keeping her locks down. Her appearance alongside Emma comes after the Strictly Come Dancing star returned to the UK after attending the nuptials of Lady Kitty in Italy followed by a short break in France with her children. Princess Diana's niece wedded her long-term boyfriend Michael at a 17th century Italian castle last month. Lady Kitty's father Earl Spencer, 57, did not attend and she was walked down the aisle by her brother Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, 27, and half brother Samuel Aitken, whose father is businessman Jonathan Aitken. During her time aboard she was spotted exploring Venice with her hunky Serbian model pal Alessandro Egger this month. The Duchess of Cornwall cut an elegant figure as she attended the annual Journalists' Commemorative Service in London today. Camilla, 72, received a warm welcome before she made her way into St Bride's Church in Fleet Street to honour the journalists, camera-crew and support staff who had lost their lives on the front line. Wrapping up warm for the chilly weather conditions, she looked chic in a blue dress which she layered underneath a smart cape style jacket - and completed her outfit with a trendy pair of knee-high suede boots. The Duchess was in attendance to pay her respects to those who had put themselves in grave danger while trying to deliver the news to the world. The Duchess of Cornwall cut an elegant figure as she attended the annual Journalists' Commemorative Service in London today Camilla, 72, received a warm welcome before she made her way into St Bride's Church in Fleet Street to honour the journalists, camera-crew and support staff who had lost their lives on the front line During the annual service, candles were lit for those who had lost their lives in the field of battle and an address was given by Director general of the BBC Tim Davie. Meanwhile others who gave readings included Daily Mirror editor Alison Phillips. It comes after a busy few weeks for the Duchess, who earlier this month visited the set of ITV's adaptation of Grace in West Sussex. Camilla was in chilly Shoreham-by-Sea where she joined the crew and stars including John Simm, who plays the troubled Brighton policeman, as well as the writer of the best-selling Roy Grace series, Peter James. Wrapping up warm for the chilly weather conditions, she looked chic in a blue dress which she layered underneath a smart cape style jacket - and completed her outfit with a trendy pair of knee-high suede boots The Duchess donned leather gloves for the occasion and could be seen receiving a warm welcome as she arrived at the event And last week she joined Prince Charles in Glasgow to attend the Cop26 summit, at which the Prince of Wales demanded a 'military-style campaign' to mobilise trillions of dollars of private sector cash to 'save our precious planet'. The Duke of Cornwall said the pandemic had taught the world 'timelines can be sped up dramatically' when everyone 'agrees on the urgency and the direction'. The future king said top CEOs and businesses he had spoken to confirmed they were ready to do their part to protect the globe from climate change. It comes after sources said that Camilla, who was praised for a speech earlier this month, in which she called for more urgent action to tackle sexual violence against women, will be asked to help manage the Queen's workload. War correspondent Anthony Loyd was among those in attendance at the service in London tonight Meanwhile the director-general of the BBC, Tim Davie, also gave a speech at the event this evening Another attendee who spoke a few words was Alison Phillips, editor of the Daily Mirror (pictured) Under rules enshrined in law and detailed on the official Royal website, four members of the family are currently entitled as 'Counsellors of State' to take over from the Queen if she is unable to perform her duties if, for example, she were abroad or unwell. These Counsellors are Prince Charles, Prince William, Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, chosen because they are the four next in line to the throne and at least over the age of 18. This rules out William's children George, Charlotte and Louis. But neither Prince Andrew who is fighting sex claims lodged in the US nor Prince Harry, who has quit official duties and now lives in California, are currently working members of the Royal Family. Dr Craig Prescott, a constitutional expert at Bangor University, explained: 'The Counsellors of State are a Plan B from a constitutional point of view, but what happens when Plan B isn't quite ideal? The Queen may look to add the Duchess of Cornwall, who would become a Counsellor of State when Charles is King anyway.' Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked breathtaking as she and King Willem-Alexander attended a gala dinner with the Norwegian royal family at the Royal Palace in Oslo today. The mother-of-three, 50, and her husband, 54, began a whirlwind three day trip to visit the country earlier today, and were spotted stepping off the plane at Oslo Gardermoen airport this morning. And this evening the royals looked dazzling as they arrived at gala dinner at the Royal Palace, with Queen Maxima walking into the event arm-in-arm with the Norwegian King Harold, 84. Maxima was elegant in a glittering floor-length gown that transitioned from a dark navy to a pearl blue. The pair were also joined at the event by King Willem-Alexander, as well as members of the Norwegian royal family including Queen Sonja, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Martha Louise of Norway. Queen Maxima of the Netherlands looked breathtaking as she and King Willem-Alexander attended a gala dinner with the Norwegian royal family at the Royal Palace in Oslo today (pictured, Maxima with King Harald) The royal couple were dazzling as they joined members of the royal family including King Harald, Queen Sonja, Princess Mette-Marit of Norway and Princess Martha Louise Queen Maxima was in high spirits at the dinner at the Royal Palace in Oslo tonight, and couldbe seen chuckling during a speech by King Harald The dress was adorned with slight sparkles that shimmered as she moved and acted as a highlight for her matching tiara and diamond earrings. Around her shoulders was a sheer draped cloak that complemented her dress which a royal red sash was tucked under and pinned together with a sparkling brooch. Opting for a more dramatic makeup look, the Netherlands Queen sported a smokey eye that emulated the colours of her dress. King Willem-Alexander looked especially dashing too, as he adorned white tie formal attire for the occasion that consisted of a black coat and tails and red royal sash that matched his wife's. The Netherland's royal couple smiled as they talked with Norwegian royalty and officials at the State dinner Queen Sonja joined her husband, King Harald, in welcoming the royal couple from the Netherlands He walked into the event arm-in-arm with Queen Sonja, who opted for a vibrant lime green floor length gown for the occasion. Meanwhile Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore a stunning floor length white gown for the outing tonight. And Princess Martha Louise, the only daughter and elder child of King Harald V and Queen Sonja, wore a lilac off-the-shoulder dress. The royal visit started earlier on in the day despite the rain and their majesties were greeted by the public including children from a Dutch school in Oslo. Quests of the dinner looked on as speeches were given and esteemed royals were welcomed to Oslo The mother-of-three and her husband were earlier spotted stepping off the plane at Oslo Gardermoen airport as they prepared to undertake a whirlwind state visit to the country at the invitation of King Harald of Norway. Proving her fashion prowess, Maxima put on a stylish display in a stunning emerald green silk gown and completed her outfit with dangling earrings, beige pointed stiletto heels and a pair of chic gloves. The Dutch royals could be seen posing alongside Norway's King Harald and Queen Sonja for an official photograph during a welcoming ceremony at Slottsplassen, in Oslo. Queen Maxima's locks were styled in an elegant up-do tucked underneath a dainty beige hat, which perfectly coordinated with her accessories. Queen Maxima wore a glittering tiara and matching diamond earrings that went with her sequined gown Crown Princess Mette-Marit looked on as speeches were given during the State Banquet at The Royal Palace The natural beauty, who kept her makeup subtle, opted for a light dusting of blusher and a layering of mascara for the occasion, and was seen sheltering from the rain underneath an umbrella. Meanwhile, King Willem-Alexander looked dapper in a smart black suit, crisp white shirt and yellow tie. Later, Queen Maxima and her husband attended a wreath laying ceremony at the national monument at Akershus Fortress. The Dutch royals, who were received by Norway's Queen Sonja and Crown Princess Mette-Marit, will visit Oslo and Trondheim during their whistle-stop top, which will take place from 9-11 November. Queen Sonja opted for a stunning vibrant green gown for the appearance, while Queen Maxima wore navy Meanwhile Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Martha Louise walked along behind the Norwegian and Dutch King and Queen According to the Dutch Royal House, the state visit will affirm 'the outstanding relations between Norway and the Netherlands. The main themes of the visit will be bilateral and international cooperation, climate change, the energy transition and sustainability.' It will mark the second outgoing state visit by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima in 2021 after they visited Germany in July for a three-day trip that was delayed from last year due to Covid-19. The royal couple last visited Indonesia from 10-12 March 2020, shortly before the global pandemic closed borders and forced lockdowns. It's been a busy few weeks for the Dutch royals, who returned from their trip to the Middle East last week to visit the Expo 2020 Dubai. It is the first state visit to Norway since the pandemic began, though Crown Prince Haakon did undertake a virtual visit to California in April to discuss ways of collaborating on green initiatives and sustainability. KitKat has got the adults-only treats well and truly sorted for Christmas after unveiling a special range of rum-infused chocolate bars. KitKat Chocolatory has joined forces with Sydney's trendy rum distillery BRIX in a collaboration to create three new artisanal flavours - mojito, caramelised pecan and spiced Christmas pudding. Shoppers can now get their hands on the three bespoke eight-finger bars for $20 each - and they are perfect for gifting a festive break or enjoying a luxurious moment of solitude. KitKat has got the adults-only treats well and truly sorted for Christmas after unveiling a special range of rum-infused chocolate bars Mojito features the famous KitKat crisp wafer with creamy white chocolate, infused with 'white' rum, lime, grapefruit and mint for a refreshingly tropical treat. For the caramel fans out there, caramelised pecan consists of luscious golden chocolate infused with 'gold' rum, pecans, ginger and biscuit with crisp wafer. A classic Christmas dessert reimagined, the pudding has crisp wafers with spiced milk chocolate infused with 'spiced' rum, crumbled pudding, currants and macadamias. Mojito features the famous KitKat crisp wafer with creamy white chocolate, infused with 'white' rum, lime, grapefruit and mint for a refreshingly tropical treat For the caramel fans out there, caramelised pecan consists of luscious golden chocolate infused with 'gold' rum, pecans, ginger and biscuit with crisp wafer A classic Christmas dessert reimagined, the pudding has crisp wafers with spiced milk chocolate infused with 'spiced' rum, crumbled pudding, currants and macadamias 'We're always exploring new ways to surprise and delight KitKat fans over the holiday season, with exciting flavour combinations and collaborations,' Nestle head of marketing - confectionery Joyce Tan said. 'So, we're thrilled to partner with BRIX Distillery to bring Aussies the break we've all been waiting for. 'With rum trending and tipped to be at holiday celebrations far and 3/3 wide, we couldn't look past local distillery to bring a little party to this year's limited edition KitKat bar.' 'The three new flavours are available to purchase at the KitKat Chocolatory at Sydney's Mid City Centre or online. More than half of women experienced changes to their menstrual cycle in the first year of Covid, a study has found. And the majority have also suffered a reduced sex drive. Irish researchers, who quizzed 1,000 women, believe the stress of the pandemic is likely to blame. They said they 'unprecedented psychological burden' caused by the Covid crisis increased anxiety and depression and reduced sleep quality, which has knock-on effects on reproductive health. Health chiefs are currently investigating reports of tens of thousands of women in the UK suffering heavier periods than usual after getting a Covid jab. Some women have complained of earlier or later periods. A survey of more than 1,000 women by researchers in Ireland found women reported more missed periods, worse pre-menstrual symptoms and a reduced sex drive since the beginning of the pandemic British study assessing whether Covid vaccines can disrupt periods 'may not find anything because it is too small' A British study assessing whether Covid vaccines can disrupt periods may not find anything because it is too small, scientists say. Reproductive experts based at Imperial College London are currently monitoring the menstrual cycles of 250 women before and after inoculation. But lead researcher Dr Victoria Male said the tiny number of participants means the study won't pick up a potential link unless it is 'really common' affecting more than one in ten women. To prove a link, scientists need to untangle normal period changes from those which may have been sparked by inoculations. But because period issues, which are often transient, affect approximately one in ten women every year, thorough investigations are needed to spot whether the jab may really be to blame. Advertisement Period issues, which are transient in nature, affect approximately one in ten women every year. But vaccines and viruses are known to disrupt the menstrual cycle, although experts insist they have no impact on fertility. The study will be presented at the Society for Endocrinology's annual conference in Edinburgh. Researchers at Trinity College Dublin surveyed 1,300 women in April 2021, asking about their menstrual disturbances including irregular, missed, painful or heavy periods and premenstrual symptoms. They also gathered information on their sleep quality, anxiety and depression levels. Some 56 per cent of participants said their menstrual cycle had changed since the beginning of the pandemic. The average length of a cycle (28 to 30 days) and period (four to five days) stayed the same but number of days between the women with the shortest and longest cycles grew significantly. Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds said their premenstrual symptoms were worse, and 54 per cent said they had a reduced sex drive. The changes were more prevalent among women who reported mental distress and poor sleep. And rates of severe anxiety, depression and poor sleep were more than double those from pre-pandemic levels among 'women of reproductive age'. Researchers said the findings indicate high stress levels and disruption to sleep can interfere with menstrual cycles, in line with other studies. Stress indirectly suppresses female bodily mechanisms by stopping sex hormones from being released, the researchers said. The academics plan to conduct the survey every six months to determine whether the disruption continues. They will also measure participants blood pressure, weight and sex hormone levels. Dr Michelle Maher, study author, said: 'Our findings highlight a real need to provide appropriate medical care and mental health support to women affected by menstrual disturbance, given the unprecedented psychological burden associated with the pandemic. 'This study was conducted at a relatively early stage of the Covid vaccination programme, so the length of the pandemic and effectiveness of the vaccine may influence future findings, further investigation with objective, measurable data is needed.' She added: 'We would encourage women experiencing any reproductive disturbances such as irregular, missed periods, painful or heavy periods, PMS or reduced sex drive as well as mental health disturbances including symptoms of low mood, anxiety, stress and poor sleep to see their GP for advice. A separate study by Imperial College London is monitoring the menstrual cycles of 250 women before and after they got their Covid jab. But lead researcher Dr Victoria Male said the tiny number of participants means the study won't pick up a potential link unless it is 'really common' affecting more than one in ten women. Because period issues affect one in ten women every year, thorough investigations are needed to spot whether the jab may really be to blame. School shutdowns in Japan last year did not prevent the spread of coronavirus during the first wave of the pandemic, a new study finds. Researchers from the U.S. and Japan compared municipalities that closed schools in spring 2020 with schools that did not. They found there was no differences in the number of Covid cases per 100,000 between the two groups of municipalities. The team - from Harvard University in Massachusetts; Gakushuin University in Tokyo; and Shizuoka University in Shizuoka - says the findings show how closing classrooms disrupted children's lives without helping the public health crisis. A new study from the U.S. and Japan looked at municipalities in Japan that did and did not close schools in spring 2020 during the first Covid wave. Pictured: School pupils study at a community center after schools closed in Osaka, Japan, March 2020 Researchers found no statistical difference in the number of cases per 100,000 between areas that did (black) and did not (red) close classrooms 'We do not find any evidence that school closures in Japan reduced the spread of COVID-19,' the authors wrote. 'Our null results suggest that policies on school closures should be reexamined given the potential negative consequences for children and parents.' When the COVID-19 pandemic first struck in March 2020, schools quickly closed and pivoted to remote learning. Over the past year, scientists have found that attending school online was harmful for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade, detrimental for K-12 students. Research has shown that Zoom school was bad news for both students' academic abilities and mental health. For the new study, published in Nature Medicine, the team looked at 847 municipalities in Tokyo and Osaka within 25 prefectures, half of Japan's 47 prefectures. Next, researchers looked at the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the municipalities between March and June 2020. Results showed that there was no statistical difference in the number of cases between the two. 'School closures reduce children's learning opportunities, negatively affect their physical and mental development and make it difficult for their parents to leave for work in the daytime,' co-researcher Dr Kentaro Fukumoto, a professor of polimetrics at Gakushuin University, told The Ashahi Shimbun. 'The central government should carefully consider whether to ask schools to close in the future.' This is not the first study to find that school closures did not prevent the spread of the virus. Researchers from City University of Hong Kong and the Institute of Automation at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing found that preventing in-person learning only lowered the number of infections among young people by four percent in New York City. By comparison, social distancing of the entire population in public places lowered the number of cases and deaths by as much as 50 percent. Vaccines are one of medicines most powerful weapons against the spread of infectious diseases but could their protection extend beyond the specific virus or bacteria theyre designed to block? Mounting evidence suggests certain jabs given every year in the UK may also reduce the risk of seemingly unrelated illnesses, from ear infections to strokes. Last month, scientists from Saint Louis University School of Medicine in the U.S. released a study which showed that getting the flu vaccine every winter for several consecutive years could significantly reduce the risk of dementia. They tracked nearly 70,000 people aged over 60 and found that once people had been vaccinated for six years or more, their dementia risk dropped by an average of 14 per cent. One theory is that repeated annual jabs gradually strengthen the ageing immune system to the point where it can prevent, or even repair, the underlying damage in the brain that causes dementia. Vaccines are one of medicines most powerful weapons against the spread of infectious diseases but could their protection extend beyond the specific virus or bacteria theyre designed to block? A woman is pictured getting her booster jab in September This benefit probably comes from regular exposure to any type of vaccine, not just the flu one, later in life, when the risk of dementia is greatest. Studies suggest that pneumonia jabs given to those over 65, or with chronic conditions that affect the heart, lungs, liver or kidneys, also reduce the risk of dementia by firing up the immune system enough to halt the damage to the brain. A study by Duke University in the U.S., presented last year at the Alzheimers Association International Conference, showed that those aged over 65 who had the pneumonia jab were up to 30 per cent less likely to develop Alzheimers than those not vaccinated. Animal research shows that vaccines increase the activity of microglia, cells in the central nervous system that remove damaged nerve cells from the brain. One study by scientists in China, published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation in 2020, also found that injecting the flu vaccine into mice in the early stages of Alzheimers removed amyloid beta the harmful deposits of protein thought to cause symptoms such as memory loss, confusion and agitation from the brain. Yet this phenomenon of vaccines lowering the risk of apparently unrelated illnesses is not new. For more than 40 years, the BCG vaccine once given to 14-year-olds in the UK to protect them against tuberculosis has also been used to combat bladder cancer. Its given to prevent tumours recurring after surgery and works in more than two-thirds of cases. Put directly into the bladder via a catheter, it turns on local immune system cells which attack and destroy any lingering cancer cells. Studies suggest that pneumonia jabs given to those over 65, or with chronic conditions that affect the heart, lungs, liver or kidneys, also reduce the risk of dementia by firing up the immune system enough to halt the damage to the brain BCG is a live vaccine, containing weakened traces of the bacterium itself, whereas the majority of UK vaccines are inactivated made with bacteria or viruses that have been killed. Live vaccines, such as the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab, tend to put the whole immune system on high alert rather than just the parts needed to see off a particular bug, as happens with inactivated ones. This means the immune system is more inclined to attack anything it thinks is foreign, including cancer cells. Indeed, there are numerous other examples of jabs with broader benefits. The shingles vaccine, offered to everyone aged 70 to 79, has been shown to reduce the risk of a stroke by up to 20 per cent, while the same pneumonia jab that appears to ward off dementia also prevents severe ear infections. Meanwhile, a 2017 study by the University of Padova in Italy found that the yellow fever vaccine, recommended for travellers to Trinidad and parts of Africa and the Americas, reduced the risk of breast cancer by up to 54 per cent. The researchers monitored cancer rates in more than 12,000 women given the vaccine. They said it could be suppressing inflammation that promotes tumour growth, or blocking the formation of blood vessels needed to feed a tumour. Sometimes, there is a fairly straightforward explanation for why vaccines protect against other illnesses, says Dr Andrew Easton, a virologist at the University of Warwick. He adds: With respiratory infections such as pneumonia, there is a high risk of developing a secondary infection in the ears because bacteria there take advantage of the immune system already being under attack. Shingles jabs may ward off a stroke because adults infected with the varicella-zoster virus, which causes shingles and chickenpox, are up to four times more likely to experience a clot or brain bleed during the infection. This may be due to inflammation in tiny blood vessels in the brain. So if you are vaccinated against shingles later in life, you may well reduce your risk of stroke as well, adds Dr Easton. After eight years of campaigning for patients whove become dependent on their medicines, I was pleased to be asked to join a committee drawing up new official guidelines to tackle the problem in 2019. The committee was supposed to produce evidence-based recommendations for doctors and prescribers covering the safe prescribing and withdrawal of medicines that can cause dependence. These include widely prescribed drugs such as sleeping pills, painkillers and antidepressants, taken by millions of people in this country. But earlier this year I resigned from the committee because I believe it has ignored key evidence and, as a result, many patients wont be able to come off their drugs safely. After eight years of campaigning for patients whove become dependent on their medicines, I was pleased to be asked to join a committee drawing up new official guidelines to tackle the problem in 2019 Its an issue that matters to me personally, as I spent more than three years unable to function after withdrawing from sleeping pills and antidepressants. When I was 19, I was admitted to hospital for a sinus operation and suffered from post-operative headaches and other side-effects, likely caused by the anaesthetic. However, this was incorrectly diagnosed, and I was prescribed a series of antidepressants and sleeping pills. I remained on these for years with very little monitoring, until I eventually went cold turkey in 2009 on the advice of my doctor at the time. I experienced devastating withdrawal symptoms and was unable to work or leave the house for years. The suffering was indescribable: symptoms included severe memory and cognitive problems, sensory distortions, extreme anxiety, insomnia, tinnitus and nerve pain. Somehow I dragged myself through each day until things improved, though the nerve pain and tinnitus continued more than ten years later. I sued my doctor as he should never have withdrawn the drugs so quickly you must always taper off these medicines very slowly. During this time, I discovered online forums and Facebook groups where thousands of others were suffering in a similar way, invisible to the health system and without any NHS-funded services to help. The only life-saving support they received was from others in these online communities. But for some people the suffering is so severe it leads to suicide. Yet this was supposed to change after Public Health England (PHE) published a review in 2019 showing that around 25 per cent of adults had been prescribed one or more of these drugs in the previous year, with huge numbers taking them for years, often contrary to the prescribing guidelines. The review was undertaken in response to pressure from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Prescribed Drug Dependence (which I helped to establish), patient groups and the Daily Mail. The review made various recommendations, including the provision of a national 24-hour helpline as well as local withdrawal support services. But so far none of these has materialised. The guidelines state that doctors should not write a prescription at the first appointment; highlight the importance of shared decision-making; and make clear the risks of the medicines must be discussed It also recommended improved clinical guidance for doctors. This is a task for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and specifically the committee I joined in 2019. Six months after I resigned, NICE has just published draft guidelines for public consultation. And as I feared, they are missing essential information to help doctors and patients withdraw from these drugs safely. I should stress that there are many good things to say about the new guidelines. For example, they recommend that patients should always be offered alternatives to these drugs. The guidelines state that doctors should not write a prescription at the first appointment; highlight the importance of shared decision-making; and make clear the risks of the medicines must be discussed. Most importantly, they recommend that a written management plan is given to the patient, to include their diagnosis, the proposed duration of treatment, the risks of overdose and the next review date. Too often, patients have been given these medicines for too long without being told about the risks; it is a very positive step that prescribers will now be told to document all of this. But this guideline is also supposed to support safe withdrawal from these drugs to avoid the crippling symptoms that thousands of patients like me have experienced. They can be entirely avoided with a slow, safe taper. And withdrawal symptoms are not just devastating in terms of the suffering caused they can be misinterpreted as a new condition for which additional dependency-forming medicines are prescribed, or misdiagnosed as a return of the old problem. The new withdrawal guidelines were expected to provide clear instructions to help avoid this, but unfortunately fail to do so. NICE guidelines are developed using a hierarchy of evidence. At the top is the gold standard of systematic reviews of randomised controlled trials, which compare two groups of patients where one receives the treatment while the other does not. Below randomised controlled trials are other acceptable forms of evidence. As NICE says on its website: This can include qualitative and quantitative evidence, from the literature or submitted by stakeholders. It can also include observational data and testimonies from experts. In other words, it can include reports from patient groups and experts themselves. It was clear from the beginning that there were very few randomised controlled trials that would be relevant. Drug companies have little incentive to study safe ways to take patients off their drugs they profit when more people consume them. Yet the NICE researchers wasted months trawling through the evidence, hauling up long-forgotten randomised controlled trials from the murky depths of largely industry-sponsored research. More than 1,500 pages of evidence review were written up, most of which widely missed the mark. Thats because none of these studies covered slow, hyperbolic tapering, the most important intervention for safe withdrawal. It has been developed over many years based on the experience of thousands of people and is backed by articles published in journals. Hyperbolic tapering means reducing the dose by a small percentage of the previous dose rather than the same fixed amount each time. It is the basis of recent guidance on withdrawal from antidepressants issued by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and features in the current edition of the Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines (the UKs bible for psychiatric prescribing). And yet perhaps because this method has not been subject to a randomised controlled trial the draft of the new NICE guidelines fails to include any details, such as how to taper, how frequently to reduce and by how much. These are supposed to be guidelines on safe withdrawal, and yet they fail to cover the most basic principles. Its like publishing a recipe for roast chicken without giving either the oven temperature or the cooking time. On its website NICE claims it takes a comprehensive approach to assessing the best evidence that is available. Yet for the draft of these guidelines it has not done so. It failed to review the many articles on hyperbolic tapering. It has not invited withdrawal experts to give testimony, nor reviewed submissions from patient groups and withdrawal charities. It is shocking that these guidelines and the original PHE review only happened because of the campaigning of patients and yet now, at the critical moment, their experience is being ignored. As a result, these guidelines will not provide doctors and patients with the simple recipe they desperately need for people to withdraw from these drugs safely. I raised these issues with the NICE committee and unfortunately the other members did not agree with my concerns. I therefore decided to resign as I could not support the guidelines. We must ensure these new guidelines include all the best evidence including patient-developed evidence in order to reduce the terrible harms of prescribed drug dependence. A chin plaster that monitors facial movements during sleep has been developed to detect sleep apnoea a snoring condition that raises the risk of heart disease and stroke. The plaster contains sensors that pick up tell-tale jaw movements that occur during sleep in those affected. The device wirelessly transmits the data it collects to a smartphone app, allowing patients and their doctors to spot signs of the condition literally overnight. An estimated two million Britons have sleep apnoea, where the muscles and soft tissue in the throat relax and collapse during sleep, causing a total blockage of the airway for up to ten seconds. Air is then forced through the narrowed throat, causing the characteristic rasping sound snorers make. Nearly 1,000 sleep apnoea patients are using the plaster in a clinical trial at 14 French hospitals and medical centres. A stock image is pictured above [File photo] The lack of oxygen triggers the brain to wake the sufferer, reopening the airway so that normal breathing resumes. Obesity is a major risk factor excess weight around the neck puts added pressure on the airways during sleep. Alcohol worsens the problem, as it acts as a muscle relaxant. Left untreated, sleep apnoea can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke because every time oxygen intake is shut off, blood pressure spikes. Broken sleep also leads to drowsiness, with sufferers who drive 12 times more likely to be involved in an accident than people without sleep apnoea. Patients are advised to lose weight and can be offered a treatment called continuous positive airway pressure. This involves wearing a mask over the face at night, attached to a pump, to deliver a continuous supply of compressed air into the mouth to keep the airway open. But spotting sleep apnoea in the first place can be difficult, especially in those who dont have a partner to alert them to their snoring. Symptoms can be intermittent and some, such as daytime fatigue, wrongly blamed on stress or lifestyle. Currently, diagnosis involves overnight monitoring of brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and breathing in a high-tech sleep laboratory, costing up to 1,000 per patient NHS waiting times can be up to six months. The 50 chin plaster, made by Belgian tech firm Sunrise, is a disposable, figure-of-eight shaped device. In sleep apnoea, the brain restores air circulation by contracting the muscles of the upper respiratory tract, also triggering tiny movements of the jawbone. The plaster records data on these movements, automatically downloading it to the app for analysis the next morning. Nearly 1,000 sleep apnoea patients are using the plaster in a clinical trial at 14 French hospitals and medical centres. The results of the three-month study will be compared with those from normal sleep lab testing in a similar group of people. Professor Jaydip Ray, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the high-tech plaster could allow thousands more people with sleep problems to be tested at home instead of in costly sleep labs. This simple device could mean we can test large populations for sleep apnoea, he said. A combination of two existing drugs more than halves breathing interruptions caused by sleep apnoea. Researchers at San Luca Hospital in Milan found that reboxetine, an antidepressant, and oxybutynin, used for overactive bladders, reduced airway blockages from an average of 49 a night to just 18. Theyre thought to work by helping the muscles that contract soft tissue in the airway, stopping them collapsing, reported the journal Chest. Eat more Blackcurrants for your heart. Older adults who took a blackcurrant extract supplement had reduced artery stiffness and blood pressure, reports the journal Clinical and Experimental Hypertension. The fruit is rich in anthocyanins which help protect cells. Older adults who took a blackcurrant extract supplement had reduced artery stiffness and blood pressure, reports the journal Clinical and Experimental Hypertension An olive oil pill to banish the agony of facial nerve pain Olive oil may help soothe the severe facial pain of trigeminal neuralgia. Often described as an electric shock in the jaw, it is not known what causes the condition. But it is thought that compression of the trigeminal nerve the main nerve responsible for sensation in the face plays a part. This can happen when the protective sheath around the nerve is damaged, as a result of pressure from an artery or vein. Attacks can be a few seconds long or last for up to two minutes. Pills containing concentrated olive oil have been shown to help the pain in animal studies. Now U.S. doctors from the University of Florida will offer this to 70 patients to see if it provides the same relief. Newborn infection risk that could be cut by swab tests A new trial is looking at whether the risk of a life-threatening infection in newborn babies can be slashed by early testing. One in four pregnant women carries Group B Strep (GBS) bacteria, which is harmless to the mother but can cause infant death or serious disability if ingested in the birth canal. Currently the only preventative measure is checking for risk factors in these women, which includes previous GBS or urine infections. Now scientists from the University of Nottingham will look at whether specialist swab testing can help, identifying those women who are infected so they can be offered antibiotics before giving birth, and so preventing the infection from being passed on. Around 320,000 women will be offered the tests, either at 35 to 37 weeks of pregnancy, or when they go into labour. Gut bugs that determine how well your drugs work Bacteria in our gut can make common medications less effective, say scientists from the University of Cambridge. They exposed 15 drugs, including the antidepressant duloxetine and the asthma medication montelukast, to 25 common bacteria species found in the gut microbiome. Some of the bacteria trapped the drugs, stopping them being absorbed into the bloodstream. Writing in the journal Nature, the researchers said doctors may in future need to consider how each patients gut microbiome might interact with drugs before prescribing them. An aspirin a day may help those with bipolar disorder. Scientists at the Danish Capital Region Mental Health Services are studying the painkillers effect on 250 people with the mental health condition in addition to their existing treatment. Its thought aspirin may reduce brain inflammation. Tiny needles may help to heal problem skin Could a device that pricks the skin with tiny needles help clear acne? Thats the thinking behind a new pen, which is used to apply 1.5mm-long needles to affected skin. U.S. inventors at Crown Laboratories believe tiny wounds created by the sterile needles will trigger the bodys natural repair process, causing the production of collagen, a protein in skin involved in healing. It is believed this will help treat acne as well as repair the wounds. The technology has been used for wrinkles and stretch marks on the theory that more collagen makes skin firmer and smoother. Existing acne treatments include antibiotics, but these can take several months to work. Simple things Simple changes to your everyday routine can boost your health. This week: Keep moving at your desk Sitting for long periods is linked with a higher risk of obesity and heart problems but moving away from your desk for even just two minutes every half hour could reduce your sitting time by around an hour a day, according to 2017 research in the Cochrane Library. Scientists from institutions in Britain, Belgium and Finland reviewed 34 studies on ways to reduce sitting in traditionally sedentary workplaces. One of the best solutions was using standing desks, which can also reduce early signs of heart-related damage. In a study by the Medical College of Wisconsin, U.S., 15 overweight office workers were asked to use a standing desk and after 24 weeks, their cholesterol levels improved and their insulin resistance was significantly lower, they reported in research this year. Do this Avoid buying diabetic foods these contain at least as many calories as ordinary varieties. Its much better to cut back on sugar and total consumption than to opt for speciality foods, suggests Roy Taylor, a professor of medicine and metabolism at Newcastle University, in his book Your Simple Guide To Reversing Type 2 Diabetes (Short Books). Tools of the trade The instruments used by doctors and how they work. This week: Peak flow meter A peak flow meter is used to assess lung function. The patient blows as hard as possible into the tube-shaped device with measurements marked up one side and a marker that flies up the scale as they exhale. The reading, called your peak expiratory flow, is measured as litres of air breathed out per minute. The test should be repeated three times in a row the highest measurement is taken as accurate. A healthy score depends on various factors, including age. It was invented in 1956 by Dr Martin Wright, a pathologist at the Medical Research Council, who studied lung disease and needed a standard lung function measure. It is now used internationally. Seeking help for sexual health problems can not only be embarrassing but is also increasingly difficult, with the number of face-to-face appointments now halved as a result of the pandemic. A host of new products in pharmacies and online promise to help. Caroline Jones asked the experts to assess some of the latest options available. We then rated them. Men's Fertility Test Spermcheck Male Fertility Test 29.99, boots.com Spermcheck Male Fertility Test Claim: This test promises to be as accurate as the test youd have at a clinic but in the privacy of your own home. You collect a sperm sample in the provided cup and mix it with a solution in a small bottle, then add six drops to a pregnancy-style test window. A positive result means a healthy sperm count; negative equals a low count. Expert verdict: This works by detecting a protein found only in sperm and will adequately assess a mans sperm count, says Professor Pacey. However, it is a less accurate method than that used in a clinical laboratory, where sperm are manually counted using a microscopic lens to magnify them. Nor will this test be able to tell if the sperm are swimming normally or whether they are the right size and shape both of which are important for egg fertilisation. However, if it helps overcome the initial anxiety or embarrassment of having a fertility test then it will have served a good purpose as a first-line investigation for men to try at home themselves. 5/10 Male Libido Capsules Male Boost 59.99 for 180 capsules, lamuscle.com Male Boost Claim: Containing a blend of the herbs ginseng and maca root, plus vitamin E and zinc, this supplement promises to be a natural testosterone booster. Take one or two capsules, three times a day. Expert verdict: I cant find any robust research to suggest that any of these ingredients actually boost testosterone levels, although there is some evidence that getting enough vitamin E and zinc is important for healthy male fertility, says Allan Pacey, a professor of andrology (male fertility and sexual health) at the University of Sheffield. Taking six capsules a day will be expensive and men would be better off buying some fresh fruit and vegetables. Men with a low libido should see their GPs to rule out medical problems it can be an indicator of diabetes, heart disease or a side-effect of depression. Also, increased testosterone levels wont help men who are trying to start a family because taking testosterone in any form decreases sperm production. 2/10 Women's Fertility Test Medichecks Female Hormone Blood Test 79, hollandandbarrett.com Claim: For this hormone MOT test, take a fingerprick blood sample at home and send it to a lab for a report on levels of oestrogen, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH, a useful indicator of ovarian health) and thyroid function. This can identify imbalances that could be causing period problems, says the maker. Expert verdict: Hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, so a one-off blood test reading is just a snapshot of what is going on during that particular day, says Dr Adib. I would be concerned that this test could either worry a patient unnecessarily or give a false sense of security. Hormone tests are complex and best done in consultation with your GP. 1/10 Medichecks Female Hormone Blood Test Sex Drive Supplement NHP Libido Support For Women 21.69 for 60 capsules, amazon.co.uk NHP Libido Support For Women Claim: A blend of the herbs damiana, maca, ginseng, ginger and rhodiola, plus vitamin B3 and the amino acid L-arginine, which claims to put the passion back and create an enjoyable sex life. Take two capsules per day. Expert verdict: Maca root powder is from a South American herb thought to be helpful for male and female libido, although a 2010 review found there were not enough robust studies to prove this benefit, says Dr Adib. Vitamin B3, L-arginine and ginseng are thought to help with energy and blood circulation, while rhodiola root (from a flowering plant) may help ease stress, which is known to improve female libido. Its safe to take and may boost your energy a bit, but is quite expensive for a monthly supply. 4/10 Pelvic Floor Exerciser Vivify Rejuvenating Pelvic Floor Toner 349.99, stressnomore.co.uk Vivify Rejuvenating Pelvic Floor Toner Claim: This wand uses vibrations to strengthen pelvic floor muscles, helping to combat incontinence. It promises to rejuvenate vaginal tissue by emitting red LED light, and uses blue LED light to kill any harmful bacteria. Use it for ten minutes per day. Expert verdict: There is evidence that red LED light stimulates the production of skin-strengthening collagen inside the vagina, which could have a mild effect on vaginal elasticity. Blue light is antibacterial, which could improve the general health of the vagina, says Dr Tania Adib, a consultant gynaecologist at The Lister Hospital in London. But the effect of the vibration on toning the pelvic floor muscles will be minimal compared to devices used in clinics by physiotherapists trained to help women with incontinence or prolapse. This gadget is also expensive. If you have weak pelvic muscles, then it could be used alongside proper physiotherapy treatments. 5/10 Premature ejaculation spray Stud 100 Desensitizing Spray For Men 5.99 for 12g, boots.com Stud 100 Desensitizing Spray For Men Claim: This spray contains a numbing ingredient and, when used on the penis just before intercourse, is thought to reduce sensitivity to delay ejaculation. Use three to eight sprays, five to 15 minutes before sex. A health questionnaire must be completed and checked by a pharmacist when buying online. Expert verdict: Premature ejaculation is a common problem, particularly in younger men who may have penis hypersensitivity or performance anxiety, says Dr Amr Raheem, a consultant in andrology at International Andrology London. This spray contains lidocaine a local anaesthetic and first-line treatment for premature ejaculation. However, its important that online pharmacies use a health questionnaire to rule out other causes, such as hormonal disturbances or chronic prostatovesiculitis (inflamed prostate and semen tubes). It can also be caused by psychosexual problems and relationship issues, in which case patients may need to be referred to their GP or a specialist to treat any underlying problem. 7/10 Fertility Tracker App Glow Period Fertility Tracker Free to download from App Store on iPhone Glow Period Fertility Tracker Claim: This app is designed to help women track their menstrual cycles and fertility by recording period dates, weight, plus symptoms such as mood changes or headaches. Its claimed this can help pinpoint when women are most fertile. Expert verdict: Apps like these are great for helping women get to know their body rhythms, says Dr Adib. Hormones fluctuate throughout the month and this can dictate mood and energy levels. Recording daily information and identifying patterns can help you plan your life around your period. However, this cannot reliably predict fertility. If trying for a baby, youre better off using the ovulation sticks that you pee on to detect levels of luteinising hormone (which is released by the ovaries when women ovulate). This is a far more accurate way to identify when youre at your most fertile. 4/10 Pills you can now get without a prescription Hana Daily Contraceptive 8.95 for a one-month supply, chemistdirect.co.uk Claim: Known as the mini pill, this is a daily contraceptive tablet to prevent pregnancy, containing progesterone only (75mg of desogestrel). Its up to 99 per cent effective when taken correctly, says the maker. No prescription needed. Expert verdict: Because this contraceptive pill contains only the hormone progesterone, it has none of the risks of developing a blood clot that the combined (oestrogen and progesterone) pill has, says Dr Adib. Many women feel uncomfortable asking their GPs for the contraceptive pill, so buying it online can be invaluable. However, the same pill would be free on prescription from your GP. Seeing a GP also provides the opportunity to talk through other contraceptive options which may better suit your needs. To be effective, the progesterone-only pill has to be taken at the same time every day and many women may not realise this. There may also be side-effects such as irregular bleeding, acne and bloating. 7/10 Hana Daily Contraceptive Liberize (sildenafil) 14.99 for four 50mg tablets, boots.com Claim: This helps men achieve and maintain an erection. Take one tablet an hour before sex. An online questionnaire must be completed before this can be dispensed. Liberize (sildenafil) Expert verdict: This is the same drug (sildenafil) as Viagra, which is still considered the gold standard treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED), says Sultan Dajani, a pharmacist in Hampshire. Buying it online makes it easy to lie or forget to include information about other medication that could interact with it. More worryingly, ED may have a more serious cause, such as diabetes, heart problems or even cancer. Sildenafil doesnt work for everyone some men find tadalafil (brand name Cialis) has a longer-lasting effect and is less likely to cause headaches, which are a common side-effect. 6/10 A premature baby born with her intestines outside of her stomach defied slim odds to survive, her parents say. Autumn Warner, from Kamloops, Canada, was delivered nine weeks early on July 5 by emergency C-section, weighing just 2lbs 12oz. Her birth defect a condition called gastroschisis which stops the abdominal wall from forming completely kills up to 10 per cent of affected babies. Despite doctors finding it more challenging to treat Autumn because she was born prematurely, they were able to feed her intestines back into her stomach during an intense operation. Autumn, who is now four months old, was able to return home after a 110-day stint in hospital following the procedure and a string of complications. Her laboratory assistant mother Holly Striloff, 33, said: 'It was incredibly tough to see Autumn in that condition when all we wanted to do is hold her. 'It's unnatural to not be able to hug your baby or take her home to be with her family, so a lot of it was just getting over the fact that although she was right by us, we couldn't do anything with her yet.' She praised the 'incredible' team of surgeons and nurses, saying that without them 'Autumn would not be as happy and healthy as she is today'. Autumn Warner (pictured after surgery) was born in Kamloops, Canada nine weeks early on July 5 by emergency C-section Her birth defect a condition called gastroschisis causes the intestines to form on the outside of the body Her lab assistant mother Holly Striloff, 33 (pictured with her partner and Autum's father Travis Warner, 32,) said she had been 'dreaming of the day' she could take Autumn home for the whole of their 110-day stay in hospital. She said: 'It was 110 days of sleepless nights, mental exhaustion, trauma, defeat and tears. Yet at the same time, it was 110 days of milestones met, love at first sight, excitement and pure joy' What is gastroschisis? Gastroschisis is a type of abdominal wall defect. It occurs when a childs abdomen does not develop fully while in the womb. Early in all pregnancies, the intestine develops inside the umbilical cord and then usually moves inside the abdomen a few weeks later. In gastroschisis, the abdominal wall does not form completely so the intestines develop outside and are open to the air when the child is born. Doctors don't know what causes the condition. But it is commingle increasingly common, aseptically in mothers aged under 20-years-old. But the incidence rate is still low, with one in 3,000 babies born with the condition each year in the UK. It is usually diagnosed through routine prenatal ultrasound scans. Many children with gastroschisis are born prematurely, usually at around 35 weeks. Most babies with the birth defect are born naturally, but some may need a caesarean. The outlook for children with gastroschisis is good, with the majority growing up to live normal lives, working and raising a family. Research shows that children with simple gastroschisis, where no damage occurred to the intestines stay in hospital for about a month and start to feed normally within a few weeks of treatment. Source: Great Ormond Street Hospital Advertisement Ms Striloff and her partner Travis Warner, 32, found out Autumn had the condition in April, when she was 18 weeks pregnant. She said: 'I was shocked because it was not something I had ever really heard of before. 'At the time, it was incredibly overwhelming because we were just concerned for her safety.' Ms Striloff was admitted to hospital on July 2 and gave birth at 31 weeks to Autumn whose low birthweight made her gastroschisis even more difficult to treat. The condition occurs when muscles of the abdominal wall do not form properly, leaving a hole near the belly button for vital organs to find their way outside of the body. Around one in 3,000 babies born in the UK each year have gastroschisis, while around 1,800 babies born in the US per year have the condition. Gastroschisis is usually diagnosed through routine prenatal ultrasound scans. It is still relatively unknown what causes the condition but the survival rate is more than 90 per cent. Ms Striloff said: 'There are a lot of complications that come with the condition, but she was also not growing and was in the third percentile. 'It has been a chaotic and stressful journey and meant that neither of us really rested much with everything happening.' There are two surgery treatments for the condition. One option called full closure is performed immediately after birth and involves feeding the intestines back into the body and sewing up the hole. In the second option, called the silo procedure, doctors place a bag over the baby's intestines and hang them on a bar, which gradually feeds the intestines into the body over a few days. Autumn's tiny size meant that the silo procedure was preferred by the medical team at Women's and Children's Hospital, in Vancouver, British Columbia, and her procedure began on July 5 and lasted over 12 days. The procedure is trickier and makes it more likely the intestines will be damaged, as they are outside the baby for longer. Ms Striloff said: 'It requires very well trained hands to perform the necessary surgeries, but we were put slightly at ease by the assurances made by the team that there was a way to help her. 'I actually found out more about the condition myself through various support groups on Facebook.' Ms Striloff said: 'It was incredibly tough to see Autumn in that condition when all we wanted to do is hold her' Ms Striloff and Mr Warner, who are already parents to their son Kohen, five, (pictured with Autum) and found great support online by reaching out to families who have also been affected by gastroschisis Autumn also suffered a multitude of different complications due to the condition, such as a 4cm obstruction in her small intestine which required a second surgery, four blood transfusions and catheters placed into her body to administer medication. Her parents spent 110 days in hospital, before being able to leave on October 23. Ms Striloff said: 'I had been dreaming of the day for the whole time we were there, and it will now always be a really special day for us. 'It was 110 days of sleepless nights, mental exhaustion, trauma, defeat and tears. 'Yet at the same time, it was 110 days of milestones met, love at first sight, excitement and pure joy. 'She now weighs 8lbs 4oz and is happy and healthy thanks to the incredible care we received.' The U.S. government will buy another $1 billion worth of Merck & Co's experimental pill to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 patients. The drug, called molnupiravir - made by Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics - stops the virus from making copies of itself, which prevents it from spreading throughout the body. In June, the Biden administration agreed to buy 1.7 million courses of molnupiravir for $1.2 billion and is now exercising options to buy 1.4 million more, the companies said in a press release on Tuesday. That brings the total secured courses to 3.1 million and worth $2.2 billion. Merck said the government has the right to buy two million more courses as part of the contract. Molnupiravir has been closely watched since clinical trial data last month showed that when given early in the illness it could halve the chances of dying or being hospitalized for those most at risk of developing severe COVID-19. The U.S. government is buying 1.4 million more courses of Merck's antiviral Covid pill, called molnupiravir(pictured) worth $1 billion This means the Biden administration has secured 3.1 million total course worth $2.2 billion according to the contract signed in June. Pictured: Merck corporate headquarters in Kenilworth, New Jersey 'We're honored that the U.S. government has chosen to purchase more than three million courses of molnupiravir,' Frank Clyburn, president of Merck's human health business, said in a statement. 'Molnupiravir, if authorized, will be among the vaccines and medicines available to fight COVID-19 as part of our collective efforts to bring this pandemic to an end.' The drug is an antiviral developed at Emory University, in Atlanta, by its drug innovation company, Drug Innovation Ventures at Emory (DRIVE), which was licensed by Ridgeback Biotherapeutics LP, who partnered with Merck. It was originally meant to treat influenza and prevents the virus from making copies of itself by creating errors during viral RNA replication. Animal studies conducted last year found molnupiravir could completely suppress viral transmission and prevent and reduce severe lung damage. Clinical trial data released last month found molnupiravir can cut hospitalizations and deaths by up to 50% The new study tracked 775 adults with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 who were considered higher risk for severe illness due to health problems such as obesity, diabetes or heart disease. Among patients taking molnupiravir, 7.3 percent were either hospitalized or died at the end of 30 days, compared with 14.1 percent of those getting the dummy pill. There were no deaths in the drug group after that time period compared with eight deaths in the placebo group, according to Merck. An independent group of medical experts monitoring the trial recommended stopping it early because the interim results were so strong. With limited options to treat people with COVID-19, the U.S government has also secured millions of doses of Pfizer Inc's rival antiviral drug. Last week, Pfizer's pill was shown to cut by 89 percent the chance of hospitalization or death for adults at risk of severe disease. Merck's application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will be taken up by a the agency's panel of independent experts on November 30, following which the regulator is expected to make a decision. Last week, the UK became the first country in the world to clear the use of molnupiravir. Merck expects to produce 10 million courses of the treatment by the end of this year, with at least 20 million set to be manufactured in 2022. The drugmaker's shares rose nearly one percent to $83.41 in premarket trading. Depressed Britons suffered a rapid decline in their memory over lockdown, research claims. Exeter University and King's College London academics looked at the mental health and cognition of 6,300 over-50s. Depressed and anxious adults performed worse on short-term memory tests, which experts blamed on spending a third of the year in lockdown. Scientists claimed the lower scores were the equivalent of between five to six years of natural aging. Attention spans also took a hit. But over-50s who were not suffering from mental health problems did not see any significant drop in their cognition. Exeter University researchers found older people saw their mental health decline during lockdown (stock image) Do lockdowns make mental health worse? When lockdowns were declared scientists came forward to say they represented a 'ticking timebomb' for mental health. Some said they would rip people from their support networks, leaving them along and vulnerable. They also said being unable to visit the workplace, or placed on furlough, could increase the chance of depression. But others said the shutdowns could benefit mental health because they gave people more time with their families and could reduce stress. Official figures show that rates of depression in Britain rose to 70 per cent above pre-Covid levels by August. But they suggested that once restrictions were lifted they began to fall again. Advertisement Lead researcher Dr Helen Brooker, from Exeter, said: 'It's likely key factors were the unprecedented impact of worsening mental health caused by widespread anxiety over the pandemic, and long periods of lockdown. 'We need to understand this better so we can create effective strategies to support people and preserve both mental health and brain health in future pandemics.' Scientists used data from the PROTECT study, a cohort of over-40s who take annual cognitive tests and fill in questionnaires. This study aims to understand how healthy brains age and why people develop dementia. The period studied covered No10's first lockdown from late March, and the second shutdown last November. It also covered the period in autumn last year when the tier system was brought in amid concern over rising Covid cases, hospitalisations and deaths. Professor Dag Aarsland, a psychiatrist at KCL who was also involved in the research, said tests had enabled them to 'pinpoint' the decline. 'We will continue to monitor how this plays out over time, so our insights can help us fully understand the impact of this pandemic.' The research was presented today at the conference Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease held in Boston, US. It has not yet been published in a journal or peer-reviewed, meaning other scientists have not had a chance to check and challenge its conclusions. Charity Age UK has warned that millions of adults are still suffering from the harms of lockdown. A poll of almost 15,000 elderly Britons it conducted found 22 per cent were finding it harder to remember things, equivalent to 3.2million people nationally. Telling patients with coughs to stay away from NHS facilities during Covid led to a 'devastating' reverse in progress fighting the disease, MPs were told today. Experts lined up to give evidence about how cancer treatment suffered during the pandemic to the Health and Social Care Committee. Politicians were told how patients with lung cancer, one of the UK's biggest killers, was likely missed and left to die without a diagnoses. They claimed it mirrored the situation in the late 1990s before medical breakthroughs, where people with lung cancer were being spotted when it was too late. Professor David Baldwin, chair of the Lung Cancer Clinical Expert Group, said No10's guidance discouraged people with a hallmark symptom of the disease from seeking medical help. Professor David Baldwin chair of the Lung Cancer Clinical Expert Group said lunch caner diagnosis and treatment had gone back 25 years over the Covid pandemic due to the impact of catching lung cancer too late Cancer treatment times were already lagging before the pandemic but fell off a cliff when Covid disruption ripped through the health service, and are still yet to recover 'The Covid pandemic has shown us what happens when we turn off the access to early diagnosis and scanning,' he said. 'It kept lung cancer patients at home more often so we saw a 69 per cent reduction in referrals. The message was stay at home if you have a cough, so we saw a 30 per cent reduction in to lung cancer incidents, and no recovery. 'These poor people were never diagnosed with lung cancer, they probably had lung cancer, were never diagnosed and died with another diagnoses. Early diagnosis is a key factor for surviving lung cancer, which has five-year survival rate of 57 per cent if caught early but this drops to 3 per cent if found late. Professor Baldwin likened the situation to working 25 years ago, in terms of seeing patients whose cancer had only been spotted at a late stage. 'It was like working 20 to 25 years ago...late stage disease, horrible presentations, all sorts of things that we'd actually forgotten about because we'd made so much progress on this early diagnoses pathway,' he said. Some MPs said the fact that lung cancer care standards had reversed to such an extent during the pandemic was 'socking'. (Pictured chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, and former health secretary, Jeremy Hunt) WHAT IS LUNG CANCER? Lung cancer is one of the most common and serious types of cancer. Around 47,000 people are diagnosed with the condition every year in the UK. There are usually no signs or symptoms in the early stages of lung cancer, but many people with the condition eventually develop symptoms including: - a persistent cough - coughing up blood - persistent breathlessness - unexplained tiredness and weight loss - an ache or pain when breathing or coughing You should see a GP if you have these symptoms. Types of lung cancer There are two main forms of primary lung cancer. These are classified by the type of cells in which the cancer starts growing. They are: - Non-small-cell lung cancer. The most common form, accounting for more than 87 per cent of cases. - It can be one of three types: squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma or large-cell carcinoma. - Small-cell lung cancer a less common form that usually spreads faster than non-small-cell lung cancer. - The type of lung cancer you have determines which treatments are recommended. Who's affected Lung cancer mainly affects older people. It's rare in people younger than 40. More than four out of 10 people diagnosed with lung cancer in the UK are aged 75 and older. Although people who have never smoked can develop lung cancer, smoking is the most common cause (accounting for about 72 per cent of cases). This is because smoking involves regularly inhaling a number of different toxic substances. Treating lung cancer Treatment depends on the type of mutation the cancer has, how far it's spread and how good your general health is. If the condition is diagnosed early and the cancerous cells are confined to a small area, surgery to remove the affected area of lung may be recommended. If surgery is unsuitable due to your general health, radiotherapy to destroy the cancerous cells may be recommended instead. If the cancer has spread too far for surgery or radiotherapy to be effective, chemotherapy is usually used. There are also a number of medicines known as targeted therapies. They target a specific change in or around the cancer cells that is helping them to grow. Targeted therapies cannot cure lung cancer but they can slow its spread. Source: NHS Advertisement 'It's been devastating, to see all of the work we've done over the last few years been undone.' He added that the crisis was possible to 'fix', saying: 'We cannot let this pass without something positive coming out of this.' Professor Baldwin said patients needed better access to CT scans through diagnostic centres, saying these scans were responsible for detecting the most cancers across the board. He added that early diagnose initiatives, such as campaigns urging people with symptoms to come forward, need to be taken seriously and linked to the referral process that will get a patient a CT scan and on to the appropriate care. 'Scan them, that's the first thing and once they are scanned straight through the pathway as fast as possible,' he said. MPs described Professor Baldwin's description of patients' experience as 'shocking'. Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK, with almost 50,000 people diagnosed every year the equivalent of 130 every day. Cancer screening, referrals and treatment services were all disrupted by the Covid pandemic as the NHS was forced to turn over wards to treat virus patients and specialist staff were drafted in to help. Over the course of the pandemic tens of thousands fewer people with suspected cancers were referred to a specialist than expected, with the number of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments also radically reduced. At the event today, MPs asked witnesses from the NHS and charitable sector why there was so much variation in the quality and speed of cancer care in England. They heard how there was 'unacceptable variation' in what kind of treatment cancer sufferers were offered across England. Anna Jewell, chair of the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce, also warned of 'really concerning levels of variation' in cancer care in England Ms Jewell said there was a 40 to 65 per cent difference for pancreatic cancer patients being offered chemotherapy after surgery which can reduce the chance of the cancer returning, depending what area of England they lived in. She also highlighted the inconsistency in enzyme replacement therapy for pancreatic cancer suffers, a treatment designed to keep them well enough for further care. 'Only 50 per cent of patients receive enzyme replacement therapy when that should really be close to 100 per cent,' she said. MPs also heard from 34-year-old mother Katy Hall, who detailed her cancer battle to the committee. Ms Hall's cancer treatment was disrupted by the pandemic with a critical scan into what doctors thought was a benign growth was delayed by three months. 'I was called into the hospital and the first words from the doctor were "It's not what we thought it was", and it was at that point I was diagnosed with cancer. 'My little boy is now only two, and ultimately my life goal is to see him start school.' Asked by MPs what her message to Government and the NHS was, Ms Hall urged those responsible for care to stop treating cancer as a 'one size fits all'. 'Because I wasn't male and over a certain age...the right scans and the right tests weren't done in the beginning when my tumor was found,' she said. 'Cancer doesn't have a one size fits all approach and if someone is going to the GP, someone is going to hospital and something if found, do the test, get that early diagnoses. 'That could be the difference between someone living to see their little boy or children start school.' Kidney cancer is about twice more common in mean and is women with majority of cases occurring in people aged in their 80s. There are about 13,300 new kidney cancer diagnoses in the UK every year, about 36 a day. The Health and Social Care Committee is planning to report its findings about cancer care in England early next year. France has joined the growing list of European countries to recommend against using the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in young people. The nation's Public Health Authority (Haute Autorite de Sante) says those under age 30 should get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine instead of the Moderna jab due to concerns over rare heart inflammation. France joins five Nordic nations that have either restricted or recommended against the use of the Moderna vaccine in young adults. Despite rising concerns about the vaccine in Europe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stood by its authorization of the shots. France public health officials are warning people under the age of 30 not to get the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, but instead to opt for the Pfizer jab due to heart inflamation concerns. It is the fifth nation to make such a move (file photo) The Moderna vaccine has been tied to cases of heart inflammation, particularly in young people, leading to officials in some European countries restricting or recommending against use of the jabs. Pictured: A man in Lille, France, receives a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine on July 30 'Within the population aged under 30, this risk appears to be around five times lesser with Pfizer's Comirnaty jab compared to Moderna's Spikevax jab,' Haute Autorite de Sante wrote on Monday in an opinion published on Monday. The health department does not have any authority to ban drugs but can recommend against using them. Last month, Sweden became the first country to pause use of the Moderna COVID-19 shot in everyone born after 1990. The decision came after health officials viewed data that found the shots were causing cases of myocarditis in young people who got the vaccine. Sweden's Public Health Agency says that the unpublished data signals 'an increased risk of side effects such as inflammation of the heart muscle or the pericardium' - the double-walled sac containing the heart and the roots of the main vessels. It added: 'The risk of being affected is very small.' That data is still not publicly available. Denmark followed Sweden's lead, and restricted access to the vaccine to anyone under the age of 18 as well. The Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare said earlier this month that authorities won't give the vaccine to males under age 30, and they will be offered the Pfizer-BioNTech immunization instead, also citing the heart inflammation data. Iceland also paused use of the vaccine citing concerns from the same data. Norway, another Nordic country, has not taken as drastic action as its neighbors, with health officials urging people under 30 to opt for the Pfizer vaccine instead. Myocarditis and pericarditis, both types of inflammation of the heart, are known side effects of the Covid vaccines, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) even warns that the condition may develop in young males after vaccination. Heart inflammation is also a symptom of many viral infections like COVID-19, though, and the likelihood of developing the inflammation after infection is much higher than it is after vaccination. Those conditions involve an inflammation of the heart or its lining. Last month, data on the Moderna vaccine's likelihood to cause heart inflammation was presented to a CDC advisory panel. The presentation showed that males were much more likely to develop the condition than females - with those aged 18 to 24 at most risk, and the 25 to 29 group at risk as well. The second dose of the vaccine is also the one that usually causes the condition. Myocarditis risk falls off after age 30, though. Malesunder the age of 29 who receive the Pfizer (right) or Moderna (left) vaccine are at an increased risk of developing myocarditis after the second dose Females do not share the same risk of developing heart inflammation as males do, even among the younger age groups Researchers found that in both males and females, the risk of myocarditis is higher in people that receive the Moderna vaccine than the Pfizer. There are approximately 13.3 excess cases of heart inflammation per every one million shots of the Moderna vaccine than there are of the Pfizer shot The data also shows that people who receive the Moderna shot are more likely to develop myocarditis. For every one million doses of the Moderna shot administered, there are 13.3 more cases of myocarditis detected compared to every one million of the Pfizer jab. The reason for this is now yet known. The increased risk seems to appear for both males and females. 'The connection is especially clear when it comes to Moderna's vaccine Spikevax, especially after the second dose,' the Swedish health agency said. A Moderna spokesperson said in an email last week that the company was aware of the decisions by regulators in Denmark and Sweden to pause the use of its vaccine in younger individuals because of the rare risk of myocarditis and or pericarditis. 'These are typically mild cases and individuals tend to recover within a short time following standard treatment and rest,' they wrote. 'The risk of myocarditis is substantially increased for those who contract COVID-19, and vaccination is the best way to protect against this.' According to one U.S. study that has yet to undergo peer review, young males under agr 20 are up to six times more likely to develop myocarditis after contracting COVID-19 than those who have been vaccinated. Denmark said that, while it used the Pfizer vaccine as its main option for people aged 12 to 17 years, it had decided to pause giving the Moderna vaccine to people below 18 according to a 'precautionary principle'. In June, the CDC issued a warning that young males were at an increased risk of myocarditis after receiving the vaccine. The label for both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were changed in the U.S. to reflect the warning, though usage was never paused. Cases of inflammation after vaccination are rare, though they do occur often enough to concern regulators. A recent study from Kaiser Permanente Southern California found that around seven out of every one million people that receive a two-shot COVID-19 vaccine will develop myocarditis. People who receive the Covid vaccine are seven times as likely to develop heart inflamation after the second dose of the jab when compared to the first, finds a recent study by KPSC. Those who are unvaccinated are significantly more likely to develop myocarditis, however The same study found that 47.5 out of every one million Covid patients experience heart inflammation. While myocarditis will often resolve itself, it can be dangerous. Heart inflammation can often lead to fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain for patients. People with inflamed hearts are at a higher risk for heart failure, heart attacks and strokes. Attempting strenuous physical activity with an inflamed heart could also potentially lead to sudden cardiac arrest, or even death. About 362,000 U.S. children under age 12 have received one dose of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine as of Tuesday, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized the low-dose shot for kids between ages five and 11 on October29 and the CDC recommended use on November 2. Children have rushed to get vaccinated in pediatricians' offices, schoolyards, and other locations around the country - leading to long lines in some places, such as school clinics in New York City. But some parents are opting not to get their children vaccinated, or to 'wait and see' whether the vaccine causes long-term side effects - even though pediatricians say the shots are safe - due to kids' low risk of severe illness and death. More than 360,000 children under age 12 have received a Covid vaccine dose. Pictured: A child receives her first dose at a wellness center in Louisville, Kentucky, November 2021 Vaccinations among children have contributed to a spike in daily vaccinations in the U.S., with more than one million shots given a day in the past week More than 223 million Americans have now received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 194 million are fully vaccinated. This represents over two-thirds of the U.S. population who have received at least one dose, according to the CDC. And, for the first time since America's vaccine rollout started in December 2020, the number now includes children younger than age 12. Younger children became eligible for vaccination on November 2, when the CDC followed the FDA in approving the shot. Vaccinations started that very evening at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. One week later, 362,000 children in the five to 11 age group have received their first Pfizer doses, according to CDC data. Children under 12 have made up more than five percent of first-dose vaccinations in the last two weeks. So far, the CDC has yet to release vaccination numbers by state for this age group, or any other demographic information. The federal government has 'already secured enough vaccine supply for every single child in America ages five through 11,' President Biden said in a speech on November 3, the day after the authorization. Local public health departments, pharmacies, pediatricians' offices, school districts, and other institutions already have plans in place to administer those doses to children. Over 6,000 school vaccination clinics have been planned in districts across the country, Biden said. In the past week, some of those school clinics have seen high demand from parents eager to get their children vaccinated. The federal government has secured enough vaccine doses for all children ages 5 through 11 in the U.S., Biden said. Pictured: Vaccination at a government center in Annandale, Virginia, November 2021 New York City, for example, offered vaccine clinics at about 200 public schools on Monday. Many of the parents who went to these clinics reported waiting in long lines, or even being turned away when the clinic ran out of doses, according to local news site Gothamist. 'It was pretty disappointing to wait in line for two hours and not receive the vaccine,' one parent who brought her five-year-old to a school clinic told Gothamist. The elementary school was reportedly only provided with 50 doses even though the parent teacher association requested 200. At another school, a vaccination van arrived after a three-hour wait - only for parents to learn that the van only had shots for adults, not kids. NYC parents eager to vaccinate their children are following guidance from public health experts who say the shots are a crucial way to protect kids from potential severe impacts of Covid. But many parents have been hesitant to vaccinate their children due to the low risk of severe illness. The risk of death is even lower with children making up less than 0.1 percent of all Covid fatalities in the U.S. Because of the low risk of severe illness, more than one-third of parents with children in the 5-11 age range are not planning to get their kids vaccinated against Covid, an October survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation found New survey data published last week from the Kaiser Family Foundation found 27 percent of parents with kids aged five to 11 say that their children will get vaccinated as soon as it's available. Meanwhile, 33 percent say they will 'wait and see' how the vaccine is working before deciding whether or not to immunize their kids. Another five percent of parents say they will only get their children vaccinated if it is required by their schools and 30 percent say they will not get their kids vaccinated at all While severe Covid cases among children are rare, the disease has been a leading cause of death for children under age 12 in the past two years. In addition, it's difficult to predict which children infected with the coronavirus may develop severe symptoms. About 30 percent of kids hospitalized with the disease have no underlying health conditions, according to one analysis. 'Now, I know that many parents have been anxiously waiting for this day, but I also know that some families might have questions,' Biden said in his November 3 speech. 'So, trusted messengers - like your pediatricians, family doctors = will be able to answer your questions, talk to parents about the importance of getting their kids vaccinated, and put your mind at ease,' he said. Pfizer Inc's CEO said people who spread misinformation about his company's COVID-19 vaccine are 'criminals.' Albert Bourla made the comments while speaking to the Atlantic Council, a Washington D.C.=based think-tank with a focus on foreign policy. His company is the distributor of the most commonly used Covid vaccine in the U.S., and has negotiated vaccine sales worth millions of dollars with nations around the world. Vaccine misinformation has become rampant in the U.S., with millions of Americans believing false claims about the jabs such as them causing infertility and that they contain a microchip. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told a small group on Tuesday that people who publish misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccines are 'criminals', according to a CNBC report. Pictured: Bourla speaks at at opening ceremony for a new Pfizer facility in Thessaloniki, Greece on October 12 The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the most commonly used jab in the United States, and has been used to fully vaccinated 104 million out of 194 million fully immunized Americans (file image) 'Those people are criminals,' Bourla told Frederick Kempe, Atlantic Council CEO, and a 'very small' group, according to CNBC. 'They're not bad people. They're criminals because they have literally cost millions of lives.' While a majority of Americans have received the COVID-19 vaccine, misinformation is likely playing a role in decisions made by the remaining unvaccinated people. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80 percent of American adults have received at least one dose of a Covid vaccine, and 70 percent are fully vaccinated. More than half, 107 million, of the 194 million fully vaccinated Americans have received two shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech jab. While the number of fully vaccinated Americans continues to slowly increase, the number of U.S. residents who do not plan to get the jab is rising as well. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) Vaccine Monitor, 16 percent of American adults will 'definitely not' get vaccinated, as of October. That is the highest total since the vaccines were first approved by regulators last December. Part of the reason for many Americans' hesitancy to getting jabbed is the misinformation Bourla speaks of. According to a recent survey by KFF, nearly 80 percent of Americans believe at least one common piece of misinformation about the Covid pandemic or the vaccines. Common falsehoods believed about the vaccines include that it harms pregnant women, that deaths from the jabs are being covered up, that they shots cause infertility, they contain a microchip and that the shots can change DNA. Much of this misinformation is frequently spread on social media channels, scaring many out of getting a shot that has been deemed safe and effective at preventing severe illness or death from Covid. Another KFF analysis found that around 90,000 COVID-19 deaths from June to September could have been prevented by the jab. Nearly 80% of Americans believe or are unsure about at least one falsehood about Covid, with the most common being that the government is exaggerating overall death totals A KFF analysis finds that more than 90,000 deaths in the U.S. between June and September of 2021 - 80% of total deaths - could have been prevented by the COVID-19 vaccines Bourla told his audience that not only can the vaccine prevent these deaths, but also help the world return to the previous way of life. 'The only thing that stands between the new way of life and the current way of life is, frankly, hesitancy to vaccinations,' he said. Pfizer also soon hopes to gain authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine booster shot for all Americans aged 18 or older and submitted a request to the FDA on Tuesday/ The additional shot is already available to all Americans aged 65 or older, with a underlying condition or with a job that puts them at an increased risk of Covid exposure. Pfizer has submitted data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking authorization for its Covid booster shot for all American aged 18 and older. The company issued a joint statement on Tuesday with its German partner BioNTech announcing the submission. If authorization is given, the Pfizer booster will be the second to receive authorization for all American adults. Currently, anyone who received their second vaccine dose six months ago - or two months ago for those who got the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine - and is over 65, has an underlying condition or a job that puts them at risk of Covid exposure is eligible for the Pfizer booster shot. Pfizer has submitted data to the FDA in hopes of getting its Covid booster shot authorized for use in all American adults. Pictured: A vial of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, November 2021 The Phase 3 clinical trial data submitted to the FDA found that the Covid booster shots reduced the likelihood of infection by 96%. Pictured: A man in Lille, France, receives a shot of a COVID-19 vaccine 'In October, the companies announced positive topline results from the trial showing that a booster dose administered to individuals who previously received the Pfizer-BioNTech primary two-dose series demonstrated a relative vaccine efficacy of 95 percent when compared to those who did not receive a booster,' a statement released by the companies reads. 'Thus far, these are the first and only efficacy data disclosed from any randomized, controlled COVID-19 vaccine booster trial.' The statement notes that there were no changes to the number of adverse events that occurred following the booster compared to the original vaccine. It also notes that the booster has received approval from European Union regulators for all residents over the age of 18. The Phase 3 clinical trial data being submitted to regulators is from a study conducted in the U.S., Brazil and South Africa. More than 10,000 people aged 16 or older were included in the trial, and each were previously fully vaccinated using Pfizer's shot - being marketed as Comirnaty. Half of participants were given a 30 microgram dose of the booster, and the others were given a placebo. After following up with each participant around two months later, researchers determined the booster reduced risk of infection of people of all age groups by 96 percent. The Pfizer booster is the most popular among Americans so far, with more than half of the 25 million Americans who have received booster shots thus far opting for the jab. More than 98 percent of Pfizer recipients for their first two shots decided to receive the same shot again for their booster, along with 32 percent of J&J recipients. Pfizer is likely to receive authorization for the booster shots, according to a Washington Post report earlier this week. Booster shots were first made available to the immunocompromised in August. Shortly after, the White House laid out plans for the additional shots to be available to all U.S. adults in late September. At the time, Pfizer said its early data suggested people who received booster doses between six and 12 months after their final dose had high levels of protection. The company filed for emergency use authorization for booster doses in late August and submitted data to the FDA, which was made public last week. The documents suggest that protection from two doses of the Pfizer vaccine declines from 96.2 percent at seven days after dose 2 to 90.1 percent two months later to 83.7 percent up to six months later. What's more, they cited data from Israel showing people fully vaccinated in January 2021 had a 2.26-fold increased risk for breakthrough infections compared to those fully vaccinated in April 2021. Another Israeli study discussed in the documents showed that effectiveness against infection was 39 percent and against symptomatic disease was 40 percent from June 20, 2021 to July 17, 2021, when the Delta variant was the dominant strain. Comparatively, between January and April, these rates were at 95 percent or higher. The team also released data from a clinical trial involving 23 participants who participated in Pfizer's early-stage trials last year. Each had received two doses of the vaccine and were given a booster dose at least six months later. Of the participants, 11 were in the younger adults group of those aged 18 to 55 and 12 were aged 65 to 85. The booster jabs failed to clear regulatory hurdles, though, leading to an over-one month long delay on the boosters rolling out for all Americans. The reason the White House is so eager to get booster shots rolling across America is the declining efficacy of the jabs. Recently published data by the Public Health Institute finds that the overall effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines fell below 50 percent in September, the first month where that had occurred. 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% The efficacy of the Pfizer vaccine had declined all the way 43 percent by September, the research found. 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. 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. Experts hope that the wider eligibility of booster shots will help boost the overall effectiveness of the vaccines, and help curb future Covid outbreaks. British motorists could collectively be saving 2.3million each year if they renewed their driving licences online, according to the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency. It said that between April 2020 and March 2021 almost a quarter of the two million renewal applications it received were sent either by post or via the Post Office, when its dedicated online service is both quicker and cheaper. Renewing a photocard driving licence on the official Gov.uk website costs 14 and the driver will receive their new one in just five days. Posting an application to DVLA costs 17 and will take longer, especially with a third of DVLA staff working still from home. Motorists spending extra millions: The DVLA has revealed that almost a quarter of driving licence renewal applications sent between April 2020 and March 2021 were via post Julie Lennard, chief executive of the DVLA, said: 'Our online services are the quickest and easiest way to deal with DVLA, and customers usually receive their driving and vehicle documents in just five days.' Lennard also pointed out that there are a number of rogue online sites that will charge more than the flat-rate 14 fee when using the Gov.uk service and for motorists to use only the official channel when renewing online. The highlighted additional cost associated with sending applications to the DVLA via post comes just a week after the Mail on Sunday revealed that one in three staff at the agency's Swansea headquarters are back in the office. Motorists are warned to avoid other online services, which will likely charge more than the 14 flat-rate fee to process a licence renewal application Co-op Insurance has also recently urged drivers not to delay in renewing their licences after it was told by the DVLA that 2.5million motorists will see theirs expire before 31 August 2022. These drivers represent over six per cent of the total 40.7million registered motorists in Britain today. Data provided to the insurer shows that over 450,000 driving licences expired during the last 12 months, with concerns that this could be a result of delayed postal applications being processed and motorists who are driving less frequently since the pandemic simply forgetting to check the expiry date on their photocards. Many drivers might also be unaware that the Government's 11-month extension to licence renewals put in place last year has almost come to an end. The extension was available to those with licences that expired between 1 February and 31 December 2020, meaning the 11-month period for the latter is due to terminate at the end of this month and all drivers eligible for the extension should have renewed. Renewing a photocard driving licence on the official Gov.uk website costs 14 and the driver will receive their new one in just five days Driving without a licence is a legal offence and can result in three to six penalty points and a fine of up to 1,000. Also, not holding a valid driving licence could lead to an insurance claim being rejected. Paul Evans, head of Co-op Motor Insurance, said: 'Due to last years national lockdown, motorists with driving licences which expired between February and December received an automatic 11-month extension to renew their licence. 'However, over 450,000 motorists whose driving licence expired between September 2020 and August 2021 need to be sure theyve definitely renewed, as they run the risk of facing a serious fine. Were urging all drivers to check their licence and renew quickly if they need to.' Photocard driving licences must be renewed every ten years, and a recent photo must be used. The Gov.uk online service offers the most transparency, allowing motorists to track their licence renewal application progress on the website. If you are unable to use the online services, you can do this quickly and easily at participating Post Office branches. By using this service, you can expect your driving licence to be issued within 5 days. Elon Musk is known for his bizarre posts on social media and has often fallen foul of financial regulators with his controversial tweets. But the Tesla chief executive made possibly his most unusual move yet over the weekend. The world's richest man with a total net worth of 251billion asked his Twitter followers to decide whether he should sell a massive 10 per cent chunk of his holding in the electric car company. Tesla chief exec Elon Musk (pictured) asked his Twitter followers to decide whether he should sell a massive 10% chunk of his holding in the electric car company Around 3.5m users of the social media site cast their vote in the poll, and 57.9 per cent said yes. If Musk honours their decision, as he has promised, he will have to sell around 17m shares which are worth 15billion at today's price. With that many shares coming onto the market, Tesla stock slumped nearly 7 per cent before recovering to a 3 per cent drop. It was the latest example of Musk, 50, causing shockwaves with his tweets. Over the years his comments on social media have caused wild swings in Tesla's share price, shaken up the value of crypto-currencies such as bitcoin and dogecoin and provoked US regulators to launch lawsuits against him. The eccentric entrepreneur and father-of-six, who has run Tesla since 2008, said at the weekend that 'much was being made' of the fact that most of his wealth is stored in shares, meaning he pays little in tax. Musk tweeted: 'I do not take a cash salary or bonus from anywhere. 'I only have stock, thus the only way for me to pay taxes personally is to sell stock.' Running a poll on Twitter, he added: 'Much is made lately of unrealised gains being a means of tax avoidance, so I propose selling 10 per cent of my Tesla stock. 'Do you agree?' It seemed that Twitter users did as the vote closed on Sunday night. And asked whether it had gone the way he wanted it to, Musk said: 'I was prepared to accept either outcome.' The bizarre vote came weeks after he slammed President Biden's plan to launch a tax on billionaires in the United States, which would leave Musk with a mammoth bill. Under the proposals, the US president will levy a tax held on the assets of the country's very richest even if they do not take a cash income. Referring to the reform, Musk tweeted last month: 'Eventually, they run out of other people's money and then they come for you.' Earlier this year, it was revealed that Musk and his rival, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, have in recent years paid nothing in federal income tax. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat and chairman of the Senate finance committee who has led the plans for the tax reform, dismissed Musk's poll as a stunt. He said: 'Whether or not the world's wealthiest man pays any taxes at all shouldn't depend on the results of a Twitter poll. 'It's time for the Billionaires Income Tax.' Musk responded with a crude tweet referring to Wyden's genitals. He also changed his Twitter name to 'Lord Edge' an apparent reference to the term 'edgelord', which according to Oxford Languages is used to describe 'a person who affects a provocative or extreme persona, especially online'. The Twitter poll was the latest example of Musk who recently split from pop star girlfriend Grimes using the social media platform in a way which has raised eyebrows. In 2018, he baselessly branded a British cave explorer who had been trying to rescue a group of boys stuck in a Thai cave 'pedo guy'. Musk won a lawsuit when the explorer tried to accuse him of defamation. The billionaire's lawyers claimed in court that the phrase 'pedo guy' was clearly meant as an insult which is considered protected speech and that Musk had never actually meant to imply the rescuer was a paedophile. Musk has also become known as a vocal backer of various crypto-currencies. He tweeted in support of bitcoin several times, pushing up the price of the digital asset. He even said Tesla would start accepting bitcoin payments for its cars, but later rolled back stating the crypto-currency was too energy intensive, which saw its value tumble. Musk now seems to be throwing his weight behind dogecoin, a crypto-currency based on a dog which was initially launched as a joke. Since he tweeted about the coin in early March, its value has rocketed by 460 per cent. Car trouble: Tesla's valuation has already been destabilised by Musk's Twitter activity This is still a way off the peaks it hit in May on the back of Musk's support meaning any traders who had bought dogecoin at its heights may now be smarting. But it wouldn't be the first time Musk has angered investors. An April fool's joke in 2018 backfired when he tweeted that Tesla had gone 'completely and totally bankrupt'. While many shareholders recognised the post as a joke, others were fumed when Tesla shares slumped 7 per cent as the stock market opened the following day. That same year, Musk locked horns with US financial regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), after tweeting that he planned to take Tesla private and had the funding to do so a move which sent the shares soaring. A deal never materialised. After a lengthy lawsuit, which was eventually settled for 15million each from Musk and Tesla, the SEC ordered that all of Musk's tweets must be approved by his company in future. But the slap on the wrist failed to deter Musk and the SEC wrote to Tesla in 2019 and 2020 about more tweets which supposedly violated the settlement. And on Twitter just last month, Musk said he would sell Tesla stock and donate it to the UN's World Food Program if leaders at the organisation could describe exactly how the money would 'solve world hunger'. It was unclear whether he actually planned to give away any of the money he will raise from his proposed share sale after the Twitter poll. AJ Bell's investment director Russ Mould added: 'Some investors might be taking Musk's comments with a pinch of salt. 'He has often made comments on Twitter, implying one thing and then doing the opposite soon after.' But his actions could irritate shareholders whose interests he is supposed to protect, Mould warned, because 'the incident has already destabilised the company's valuation.' The City watchdog has come under fire over its handling of the US private equity takeover of LV. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) yesterday received a letter from the chairman of a group of MPs demanding that it release details about the circumstances surrounding the historic British mutual insurer's 530million sale to Bain Capital. The deal would see LV, formerly Liverpool Victoria, lose its mutual status. It would no longer be owned by its members but run by a profit-hungry investor. Questions: The FCA has received a letter from the chairman of a group of MPs demanding it release details about the circumstances surrounding LV's 530m sale to Bain Capital MPs are interested in a rival offer from fellow British mutual Royal London, which would have saved the 178-year-old insurer from private equity barons. They also quizzed the FCA on what it knows about the potential rewards being offered to LV bosses. In a letter seen by the Mail, the chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Mutuals Gareth Thomas asked the watchdog to confirm Royal London offered more money than Bain. For legal reasons Royal London cannot confirm if its offer was higher, but it has been reported that it offered 540million for LV 10million more than Bain. A panel representing 340,000 with-profits LV members was said to have favoured the Royal London offer, initially rejecting Bain Capital. Now MPs are demanding the FCA fulfils its 'crucial obligation' to protect consumers and publish what it knows about the rival offer. Bosses 'devious' in forcing deal LV bosses have been accused of being devious in trying to force through Bains 530m takeover. The mutuals 1.16m members will be asked to vote on the 178-year-old mutuals sale in two votes between now and December 8 or at an online meeting on December 10. One will be to approve the sale, another will allow LV bosses to override their constitution, which requires 75 per cent of members to back a private equity takeover, with a minimum turnout of 50 per cent. Chairman Alan Cook has admitted it is frankly impossible that so many members will vote. To get around this problem those that do take part will be asked to vote to drop the turnout requirement. Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge described it as devious and underhanded. The letter said: 'It is now clear that the two most valuable bids received by the Liverpool Victoria board were from Bain Capital and crucially, another mutual, Royal London. Will you confirm what many have explicitly suggested; that Royal London offered more money than Bain Capital?' Thomas said the 1.16m members who own LV cannot make a 'complete assessment' of the bids without seeing the report. Bain's bid for LV has garnered criticism across the political spectrum. Pay rise: LV chief exec Mark Hartigan (pictured) Tory MP Kevin Hollinrake said: 'The FCA needs to set out clearly the evidence and basis on which it has considered the consumer interest of the sale to Bain Capital.' Members will be able to vote on the deal between now and December 8 or at a special meeting on December 10. If it is approved, ordinary members will receive a 100 payout while with-profits members will be given an additional boost when their policies mature. The deal has been slammed by members, who have called the 100 offer a 'bribe' and a 'paltry' sum. Thomas also urged the FCA to release any information it has about how much chief executive Mark Hartigan and chairman Alan Cook will be paid if the deal passes. Hartigan has claimed he will gain nothing. But it is understood he will receive a stake in the company and a pay rise potentially worth millions if members vote for the takeover. Cook will stay in post earning 210,000 a year. Both would likely have lost their jobs under a deal with Royal London. It is thought Royal London is waiting in the wings and could return with its own offer for LV if members reject the Bain deal. LV bosses claimed 'Bain Capital was the only option that offered both an excellent financial outcome for members and gave unrivalled support for the LV brand, our people and UK-based locations'. An American satellite group has swooped on British rival Inmarsat in a 5.4billion deal. Viasats approach comes just two years after Inmarsat was taken over by private equity firms Warburg Pincus and Apax Partners with the help of Canadian pension giants for 4.4billion. Inmarsat has backed the deal. The quick turnaround which has netted investors 1billion is likely to anger opponents of the 2019 takeover who argued Inmarsat could be put up for sale again to another foreign buyer. Viasat has pounced on Inmarsat in a 5.4bn deal just two years after the British satellite operator was taken over by private equity firms Warburg Pincus and Apax Partners for 4.4bn It is one of a string of hi-tech British firms that has been targeted by overseas companies in the last two years, alongside the likes of Cobham, Meggitt and Ultra Electronics. Inmarsat is one of the worlds leading mobile and satellite communication specialists. It has major contracts with the UK and US militaries. Inmarsat boss Rajeev Suri said in July that the firm was in the sweet spot for an expected deal-making frenzy in the sector. Viasat has pledged to keep Inmarsats headquarters in London and plough investment into its UK work. Stepping aside: Clarks chief exec Victor Herrero Clarks' boss has stepped aside after helping it bounce back from the pandemic quicker than expected. The historic British shoemaker made Victor Herrero chief executive in February to help it bounce back from huge losses as lockdowns shut its stores. The 196-year-old firm was hammered by the coronavirus crisis and was bought in November last year on the cheap by Hong Kong-based private equity company Lion Rock Capital. In the year to January it lost 82.5million, more than five times as much as its 15.7million loss a year earlier. But it said last month the easing of restrictions and cost-cutting measures had cut its debt and boosted its cash levels. Clarks said it is 'on track to meet or exceed its forecast revenue goals' after Herrero did an 'incredible job'. Chairman Johnny Chen will now also assume the role of chief executive. A spokesman said Herrero will stay on the board of the shoemaker and take on 'broader responsibilities' with the company's new owners. Takeover fever gripped the market as two major firms targeted competitors while a third found itself in the crosshairs of a bid battle. Investment manager Abrdn confirmed reports over the weekend that it could gatecrash the plans of online stockbroker Interactive Investor (II) to list on the London Stock Exchange next year. The firm is in talks to make a bid for II worth over 1.5billion, with a formal offer to be announced within the next two weeks, according to Sky News. Takeover talk: Investment manager Abrdn has confirmed reports that it could gatecrash the plans of online stockbroker Interactive Investor to list on the London Stock Exchange next year The news lifted Abrdn shares 3.2 per cent, or 8.2p, to 263.9p. FTSE 250 property investor Sirius Real Estate was also on the acquisition trail, expanding into the UK market after snapping up office space provider Bizspace for 245million in cash. Sirius, which focuses more on the German market, said the purchase will increase its rent roll to over 131million. To help finance the acquisition, the firm raised 137million by issuing around 105m new shares at a price of 130p each, a 5.8 per cent discount to its closing price last Friday. The shares fell 3.9 per cent, or 5.4p, to 132.6p. Stock Watch - Yu Group Utility firm Yu Group surged higher after it took on thousands of customers from one of its failed rivals. The group was appointed supplier of last resort by the sector regulator Ofgem after Ampower went bust over the weekend, transferring 8,158 electricity and gas customers on to its books. Most of Ampowers clientele were business sites. The customers are expected to immediately improve the companys earnings and increase its monthly revenues by over 7.5million. Yu Groups shares jumped 15.5 per cent, or 32.5p, to 242.5p in the wake of the news. Meanwhile, gambling software group Playtech was on the other side of the divide as major shareholder Gopher Investments contemplated a rival bid to a 2.7billion offer from Australian firm Aristocrat Leisure. The firm confirmed weekend reports that Hong Kong-based Gopher, which owns 4.97 per cent of the group, is carrying out due diligence with a view to making a possible 3billion bid. Playtech shares bounced 2.5 per cent, or 18p, to 726p. Elsewhere, THG, also known as The Hut Group, was back in focus following a tirade over the weekend from its embattled founder Matt Moulding. In an interview with GQ magazine, Moulding said he regretted listing the company in London, saying the process had just sucked from start to finish. The billionaire also indicated that he may take the company private if its share price performance did not improve. His threats, however, did little to convince investors, with THGs shares down 2.5 per cent, or 5.1p, at 198.7p having risen in early trading. The FTSE 100 inched down 0.05 per cent, or 3.56 points, to 7300.4 while the FTSE 250 dipped 0.2 per cent, or 56.87 points, at 23539.92. Uncertainty in the markets came amid mixed economic data out of China, which suggested a potential slowdown in domestic demand. One blue-chip riser was cyber-security outfit Darktrace, which rose 12.5 per cent, or 72p, to 649.5p as buyers re-emerged following a bruising few weeks for the share price caused by bearish broker commentary and stock sales from major investors. British Airways-owner IAG descended 1.5 per cent, or 2.78p, to 177.38p despite the end of US travel restrictions, allowing it to restart flights across key transatlantic routes. Other carriers were also in the red, with Easyjet down 1 per cent, or 6.8p, to 650.4p while Ryanair dropped 0.8 per cent, or 0.14, to 17.97. Shares in mid-cap banking and wealth management firm Investec were up 6.8 per cent, or 471p, at 7443p after it hiked its guidance for the six months to the end of September 2021. The group now expects earnings for the period to be between 24.5p and 24.9p per share, up from previous forecasts of between 20.2p and 22.7p. Cake Box served up a treat for investors after its profits more than doubled. For the six months to the end of September, profits rose 122 per cent year-on-year to 3.7million, while its interim dividend was hiked 35 per cent to 2.5p per share. The shares rose 4.7 per cent, or 18p, to 398p. Funeral director Dignity posted a 10 per cent decline in profits to 43.4million in the 39 weeks to September 24 amid a 3 per cent fall in deaths year-on-year. The group also flagged that it was seeing a decline in its market share for both funerals and cremations. The shares edged up 1 per cent, or 7p to 726p. British Airways could recruit 4,000 employees by next summer in a huge hiring spree. Boss Sean Doyle said it was planning to add pilots, cabin crew, ground staff and back-office staff as it prepares for a rebound in flights and holidays. The airline, which is owned by FTSE 100 company IAG, has around 30,000 employees now. Hiring spree: British Airways said it was planning to add pilots, cabin-crew, ground staff and back-office staff as it prepares for a rebound in flights and holidays BA cut around 10,000 jobs last year at the height of the pandemic, when planes were grounded for months on end. It was one of the worst-hit airlines because it relies on transatlantic travel particularly the lucrative London to New York route. This week the US lifted travel restrictions on UK passengers for the first time since March 2020. BA's flights to the US this week are thought to be nearly sold out. IAG has warned that the pandemic would send it to a loss of 2.6billion in 2021. Doyle said: 'We're actively recruiting. It's exciting to be rebuilding the airline and to be creating opportunities again after two years when we haven't been able to fly much.' Kwasi Kwarteng is facing calls to intervene in the 5.4billion takeover of British satellite specialist Inmarsat. US rival Viasat has swooped on the London company just two years after it was sold to foreign private equity groups in a controversial 4.7billion deal. In an attempt to win over regulators, Viasat has already said it intends to keep Inmarsat's headquarters in the UK, plough investment into its British operations and create more jobs. Life saving: Inmarsat's Sailor communications system is used in the Volvo Ocean Race (pictured) Viasat, which briefly counted Priti Patel as a paid adviser before she became Home Secretary in 2019, has not yet said how long it intends its pledges to last for. Inmarsat's current owners Apax and Warburg Pincus alongside two Canadian pensions giants made similar promises when they bought the firm in 2019. The Mail understands UK officials want to secure additional, firmer commitments to avoid the need to intervene. The Business Department said it is 'monitoring' deal talks closely. But critics have hit back, urging Business Secretary Kwarteng to launch a full investigation to scrutinise the deal and whether it has implications for national security. From SOS to tech success Inmarsat was founded in 1979 by a UN agency, the International Maritime Organisation, to help distressed sailors send SOS signals. It now has 1,800 staff across the world, including around 860 at its headquarters in London. Inmarsat is the largest provider of in-flight wifi for airlines. Its Sailor communications system is used in the Volvo Ocean Race . The firms technology is also used to track climate change and connect rural farmers to the internet. Inmarsat's technology is cutting-edge. It is the largest provider of in-flight wifi for airlines, and the top provider of internet connections for ships worldwide. It has 14 satellites in orbit, and plans to launch another seven. These are counted as critical national infrastructure. Lord Sikka, who is also a trained accountant and a professor at the University of Sheffield, said the deal should be investigated. He said: 'If we want to build hi-tech companies then the Government needs to intervene. The US and France are happy to step in. 'I think the real problem is that the Government doesn't really have an industrial strategy, and if it had one it would be building up champions. 'Private equity firms do not have long-term interests, and that's a tragedy for the country.' Inmarsat was delisted from the London Stock Exchange after Apax, Warburg Pincus and Canadian pensions groups bought it in 2019. The private equity firms will still hold more than a third of Inmarsat when it is sold to Viasat. But the swift sale has confirmed the worst fears of those who opposed the 2019 deal. An industry source told the Mail that Inmarsat had been in talks with the Government for some time about the possibility of a sale because the industry is thought to be so ripe for deal making. In July, Inmarsat chief executive Rajeev Suri said the company was in the 'sweet spot' for this expected mergers frenzy and that it was 'likely to have many interested dance partners'. Kwasi Kwarteng is facing calls to intervene in the 5.4bn takeover of British satellite specialist Inmarsat Professor Malcolm Macdonald, a space technology expert at the University of Strathclyde, said: 'It is disappointing to see yet another UK technology firm being acquired by a foreign rival. 'It is striking that the UK does not seem to be able to provide the business environment for such acquisitions to be in the opposite direction, and it does seem that the vector of transmission is very much via a private equity firm.' In January more stringent legislation on foreign buyouts the National Security and Investment Act comes into force and will allow ministers to call in deals for companies that play a key role in Britain's infrastructure and national security. The debate over Inmarsat follows interventions into takeover approaches on fellow hi-tech firms Ultra Electronics, which makes sonobuoys for the navy, and aerospace components maker Meggitt. Jonathan Sinnatt, a spokesman for Inmarsat, said: 'The Inmarsat-Viasat combination is pro-UK and will bring added jobs and investment to the critical space sector.' A Government spokesman said: 'While we welcome the initial commitments both Inmarsat and Viasat are making to the UK, the Government will continue to monitor the proposed acquisition closely. 'The Business Secretary has powers under the Enterprise Act 2002 to intervene in acquisitions which raise public interest concerns.' Advertisement Daily coronavirus infections in the UK fell for the eighth day in a row today while deaths and hospital admissions also seen a downturn. There were 33,117 new Covid cases across the country in the last 24 hours, the Department of Health said, marking a small 2 per cent fall on last week. Infections have dropped week-on-week on all but one day since October 24. Another 262 Covid deaths were also registered, a 11 per cent decrease compared to the number last Tuesday. Latest hospital data shows that there were 834 admissions on November 5, down 17 per cent in a week. The country is believed to be enjoying a spell of high natural immunity following a summer in which there was very high transmission. Booster vaccines and strong protection in younger groups from the original two-dose rollout are contributing to the falling case numbers, experts say. It comes as Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed all frontline NHS workers in England will need to be fully-vaccinated against Covid by April 1 or they will be sacked. Announcing the controversial policy in the Commons, the Health Secretary said it was the 'first duty' of everyone working in the NHS to 'avoid preventable harm to people that they care for'. But he has been warned by unions and fellow Tory MPs that there could be a mass exodus of staff now, with 100,000 workers in England still not vaccinated. Announcing the controversial policy in the Commons, the Health Secretary said it was the 'first duty' of everyone working in the health service to 'avoid preventable harm to people that they care for' because they 'carry a unique responsibility'. Mr Javid said the 'scales clearly tipped to one side' in favour of compulsory jabs following a Government consultation. He claimed the measure had the blessing of NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard. 'I'm not having a Covid vaccine, I'm going to become a dog trainer': Nurses threaten to quit over NHS 'no jab, no job' rule Unvaccinated NHS staff today threatened to revolt over No10's 'ethically wrong' vaccine mandate which will force all frontline workers to get two Covid jabs by April or face the sack. One trainee nurse blasted the 'no jab, no job' policy as a 'kick in the teeth' today after working tirelessly on wards through almost two years of the pandemic. Ryan Balment, 38, was set to graduate as a nurse in two years, but says he will now become a dog trainer. The Devon-based hospital worker told MailOnline: 'I would rather leave the health service than be told to have something that I don't know is 100 per cent effective.' And a nurse, writing anonymously in a blog, said she wanted 'no part' in the health service if it forced people to be vaccinated. Health Secretary Sajid Javid revealed today that all frontline NHS staff including doctors, nurses, receptionists and cleaners will need to get two doses of the Covid vaccine by April or lose their jobs. But unions slammed the policy as 'heavy-handed' and said it will only worsen the 'crushing' staffing crisis, while experts said it could 'backfire' and lead many to be less likely to get the vaccine. Tory MP Mark Harper warned tens of thousands of NHS staff are likely to quit on the back of the move. Some 103,000 NHS employees equivalent to eight per cent of the workforce are yet to get a single dose of the Covid vacicne despite being eligible since last December. It's not clear how many unvaccinated are frontline, and how many are 'medically exempt'. The move brings the NHS into line with care homes, where employees have until Thursday to get two doses of the Covid vaccine or be made redundant. Unions warned care sites which are already dealing with 100,000 vacancies face a mass exodus. Defending the Government's stance this morning, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said vulnerable people being treated in hospitals and care homes deserved to be 'properly protected'. Advertisement Mr Sajid concluded: 'We must avoid preventable harm and protect patients in the NHS, protect colleagues in the NHS and of course protect the NHS itself.' All workers who come into contact with patients including medics as well as cleaners, porters and receptionists will be required to have both Covid jabs by April 1 or lose their job. Mr Javid said around 103,000 staff eight per cent of the entire workforce in England still haven't had their first jab, despite being eligible since last December. It's not clear exactly how many unvaccinated are 'frontline' or how many are medically exempt. The health service already had around 100,000 vacancies before Covid struck, including a shortfall of 10,000 doctors and 35,000 nurses. Trade union GMB warned the 'heavy-handed' policy will only worsen the 'crushing' staffing crisis, while Tory MP Mark Harper warned tens of thousands of NHS staff are likely to quit on the back of the move. Unvaccinated staff have already confessed they will leave because of the 'ethically wrong' mandate. Mr Javid told MPs the decision to make Covid jabs compulsory for NHS staff did not mean the Government does not recognise concerns about 'workforce pressures' this winter. Some trusts preempted the Government's announcement when the direction of travel became clear. Officials at Southampton General Hospital ordered frontline workers in September to get vaccinated or face the sack. Nationally, only the Covid vaccine will be compulsory with the flu jab strongly recommended but not required for staff on hospital wards. Mr Javid was urged by his predecessors Jeremy Hunt and Matt Hancock to also make the influenza shot a requirement of employment but he said he was 'not convinced' it was necessary yet. The move will bring the NHS in line with care homes, where employees have until Thursday to get their second Covid jab or face the sack. Unions warned care sites which are also dealing with 100,000 vacancies face the same mass exodus. Critics have blasted the 'heavy-handed' plans, warning they are neither 'necessary nor proportionate' given that more than 90 per cent of health workers have already been double-jabbed. This is significantly higher than the 80 per cent uptake rate in the adult population. Defending the Government's stance this morning, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said vulnerable people being treated in hospitals and care homes deserved to be 'properly protected'. One trainee nurse blasted the 'no jab, no job' policy as a 'kick in the teeth' today after working tirelessly on wards through almost two years of the pandemic. Ryan Balment, 38, was set to graduate as a nurse in two years, but says he will now become a dog trainer. The Devon-based hospital worker told MailOnline: 'I would rather leave the health service than be told to have something that I don't know is 100 per cent effective.' And a nurse, writing anonymously in a blog, said she wanted 'no part' in the health service if it forced people to be vaccinated. Mr Balment is a trainee nurse working on mental health wards at a hospital in Devon, but has been in healthcare for almost 20 years doing jobs including deliveries and helping people with eating disorders. He said he has never had Covid, but has always made sure to observe social distancing, PPE and cleansing rules to avoid catching or spreading the virus to others. A trainee nurse has said they would rather become a dog trainer than get the Covid vaccine. Ryan Balment, 38, (left) told MailOnline he was currently training to be a nurse but would not get the vaccine. He is on wards at a hospital in the South West. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said today frontline NHS staff will need to get two doses of the Covid jab by April Slamming forcing NHS staff to have two doses of the Covid vaccine, he said: 'I am quite disappointed because I feel that I have worked throughout the pandemic and a lot of people I know have worked throught the pandemic. Making Covid vaccines compulsory ISN'T best method of improving uptake, data shows ONS data showed wanting to protect yourself and others from Covid was the biggest motivator to get jabbed among un-vaccinated Britons Compulsory Covid vaccines are not the best way to boost jab uptake, a survey revealed today. An Office for National Statistics survey of 4,000 people asked un-vaccinated Britons what could motivate them to get their shots. Respondents said protecting themselves and others from Covid was the most likely reason they would get the vaccine at a later date (19 per cent gave this answer). Helping restrictions ease and life to return to normal, and making it easier to go on holiday (16 per cent) was the second most likely motivator. But being told by an employer they needed the shots to keep working for them dropped to the third most likely motivator (13 per cent). It was at the same level as being offered a voucher was to get vaccinated (also 13 per cent). Frontline NHS workers will be required to get two doses of the Covid vaccine to keep their jobs from spring, reports suggested today. Experts have warned this policy could 'backfire' by making vaccine resistant employees less likely to get the jab and health chiefs say it could spark a mass exodus of employees. Advertisement 'To suddenly be told that unless you have this vaccine we are not going to keep you employed, you are no longer of value, it is a bit of a kick in the teeth.' He said the mandate was more likely to push NHS staff to 'rebel against' being vaccinated than take up the jabs. Asked what he would do if ministers followed through on their threat to sack unvaccinated staff, he said: 'I recently set up a company on the basis that this [compulsory vaccination] was going to happen, which is dog training with my partner so we are looking at going down that route. I felt like it was needed so that we had an option there to fall back on.' Mr Balment said he was not an anti-vaxxer, but that he was worried about getting the jab because it had only recently been developed. An unvaccinated hospital porter in the Midlands, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline that he was not planning to get the Covid vaccine. He said about 10 per cent of the workers on his team were still to be jabbed. 'We had the clap for carers on Thursday evening and now we are being told that if we have not had a jab by April they will sack us,' he said. 'But if the situation was really that dire then why wait until April? It just feels like we will make use of you until April to get us through the winter, then discard you in the spring.' He told MailOnline that today's mandate would make him less likely to get the Covid jab. 'You aren't going to convince me by hardballing me,' he said. 'No one [in the NHS] has actually asked me if I've had it, and no one has tried to persuade me yet to have it.' The porter said he was not aware that he had had Covid, but that he could have been asymptomatic because many people on his team previously had the disease. He said he would not get the vaccine because he felt natural immunity would offer better protection against the virus. He added: 'I have been lucky and never had any major problems with my own health, which is why I want to rely on my own natural immunity really.' On the consultation regarding making vaccines mandatory for NHS staff, Mr Javid added: 'Ive carefully considered the responses and the evidence and Ive concluded that the scales clearly tip to one side. 'The weight of the data shows our vaccinations have kept people safe and they have saved lives.' He added: 'Allow me to be clear that no-one in the NHS or care that is currently unvaccinated should be scapegoated, singled out or shamed. 'That would be totally unacceptable. This is about supporting them to make a positive choice to protect vulnerable people, to protect their colleagues. And of course to protect themselves.' NHS staff can be exempt from the double-vaccine requirement if they have a medical reason, such as an allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine or previously experienced a serious side-effect. No similar proposals have been announced for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which set their own policy on whether Covid vaccination is required. Shamima Begum's jihadi husband has refused to condemn ISIS beheadings or the use of sex slaves and said he still hopes to see a caliphate established. Speaking in an interview from detention centre in northern Syria, Yago Riedijk, 29, described the couple's 'beautiful' former life under the extremist group. He said ISIS-claimed attacks on the West were not 'Islamicly responsible' because they involved killing innocent people which is 'prohibited in Islam' but refused to condemn the group's violence against Yazidis, who were sold as sex slaves, and other Muslims. Riedijk also stayed silent on ISIS beheadings, saying only 'I can't really comment' when pushed to condemn the extremist group's brutal punishments. The 29-year-old later said he did not believe ISIS was finished and said he still hoped to see a caliphate which adheres to 'Islamic traditions' established. He smiled as he spoke about married life with Begum in the caliphate and described 'beautiful memories' of baking cakes as a family. The Dutch extremist married Begum days after she arrived in Syria from East London, aged 15, in 2015 and the couple had three children together, all of whom have died. Begum is being held in Kurdish-run refugee camp al-Roj in northern Syrian amid an ongoing battle to return to the UK after she was stripped of her citizenship in February 2019. Riedijk is being held in a detention centre in the same region. He was convicted in a Netherlands court in 2018 for joining the extremist group and will face a six-year jail term if he ever tries to return to Europe. Riedijk married Shamima Begum (pictured with her son Jerah in 2019), days after she arrived in Syria from East London, aged 15, in 2015 and the couple had three children together, all of whom have died Begum (pictured) is being held in Kurdish-run refugee camp al-Hol in northern Syrian amid an ongoing battle to return to the UK after she was stripped of her citizenship in February 2019 Speaking to Alan Duncan, a former Scots soldier who is making a documentary on ISIS, Riedijk said he did not agree with ISIS-claimed terror attacks on Germany, France and the UK because they involved killing 'innocent people'. 'Personally, I don't agree with these attacks for a couple of reasons. The prohibition of killing innocent people in Islam, women and children. 'I see these attacks as not being Islamicly responsible [sic],' he said. However, questioned about attacks on other Muslims and Yazidis - who were sold to ISIS fighters as sex slaves - Riedijk shook his head and said 'no comment'. More than 2,800 Yazidi women and children are still missing and are thought to be being held by ISIS. Riedijk also revealed he discussed marriage directly with Begum when she arrived in Syria in 2015 and agreed on conditions before they tied the knot. 'It was not really anything big. Small things like going out shopping - stuff like this. She asked for some freedoms which I agreed to give her. Going shopping, seeing friends. Basic stuff,' he said. He said Begum asked for a dowry of an English translation of the Quran, which he agreed to. He smiled on camera as he recalled the family baking cakes to make money while Begum was pregnant with their second son Jalah. 'There were some nice days with my wife and kids at home. Some beautiful memories,' he said. Riedijk has said he wants to reunite with Begum and 'start a family again'. Last year he urged Begum to 'do whatever you can to build a future for us' as she fought against the Home Office decision to strip her of her British citizenship. The Dutch husband of Shamima Begum, Yago Riedijk, (pictured) has described 'beautiful memories' of their family life under the ISIS caliphate in an interview from prison Riedijk (pictured in the Netherlands in 2011) also revealed he discussed marriage directly with Begum when she arrived in Syria in 2015 and agreed on conditions before they tied the knot Riedijk said he found it hard to take that Begum had two miscarriages, before giving birth to their three children. Talking about the first miscarriage, he said: 'It was difficult to take. I'm a family man, I love family, I love children.' He added Begum got pregnant immediate after the first miscarriage but lost the baby for the second time. The 29-year-old added that while living in the caliphate he contacted his family back home more often than Begum spoke to hers, but declined to elaborate. Riedijk also refused to comment much on how Begum viewed ISIS's beheadings and punishments. But he described seeing corpses left on the street as an example as 'not a pleasant picture', but refused to condemn the act as wrong. 'I can't really comment', he said. He went on to describe death as part of daily life, blaming coalition bombing for the killing of innocent Muslims. Asked if ISIS was finished, Riedijk said 'no', later adding when questioned that he would like to see a caliphate which adheres to 'Islamic traditions' established. Begum was one of three schoolgirls from Bethnal Green Academy who went to join ISIS, shortly after Sharmeena Begum, who is no relation, travelled to Syria in December 2014. Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase, then 16 and 15 respectively, joined Begum on a flight from London to Istanbul before making their way to Syria. Shamima Begum (centre) was one of three schoolgirls (pictured) from Bethnal Green Academy who went to join ISIS in 2015 Begum and two girls flew to Istanbul from Gatwick then helped by ISIS traffickers through Turkey to Syria Aged 19 and heavily pregnant, Begum resurfaced at a Syrian refugee camp in early 2019 and said she wanted to return to Britain. In an extraordinary interview she admitted she did not regret going to join ISIS, saying the experience had made her 'stronger and tougher'. She acknowledged she knew the group was carrying out beheadings and executions before she left, adding that she was 'OK with it at first'. 'I had my kids, I did have a good time there. It's just that then things got harder and I couldn't take it any more and I had to leave,' she said. She also revealed she had left Raqqa in January 2017 with her husband, but her children, a one-year-old girl and a three-month-old boy, had both since died. The baby boy she was carrying later died in a camp in northern Syria, with reports suggesting he had suffered from breathing difficulties. In September, a dolled-up Begum appeared on Good Morning Britain and begged the UK public for forgiveness and to be allowed to return Begum is being held at the al-Roj refugee camp in northern Syria, where she is faced with 'dire conditions', according to her legal team Begum's case became a major political controversy in Britain, resulting in then-home secretary Sajid Javid revoking her British citizenship on national security grounds in February 2019. She challenged the government's decision, and in 2020, the Court of Appeal ruled that 'the only way in which she can have a fair and effective appeal is to be permitted to come into the United Kingdom to pursue her appeal'. The supreme court later overturned the ruling and said Begum could not return to the UK to contest the case. In September, a dolled-up Begum appeared on Good Morning Britain and begged the UK public for forgiveness and to be allowed to return. She also made a surprising direct offer to help Boris Johnson's government tackle extremism and terrorism. Faltering gunmaker Remington Firearms will cut its 205-year-old ties to New York and move the company's upstate headquarters to Georgia - the latest iconic weapons manufacturer to flee the restrictive Northeast for more gun-friendly laws in the South. The company announced Monday that it would invest $100 million in a new facility in LaGrange, Georgia, southwest of Atlanta, and hire 856 people over five years. Remington, which was founded in 1816 in Ilion, was bought out of bankruptcy for the second time in June 2020 after being weighed down by lawsuits and retail sales restrictions following the Sandy Hook massacre and other school shootings. The move to Georgia comes slightly more than a month after famed gunmaker Smith & Wesson announced it will leave its historic 165-year-old headquarters in Massachusetts for a new home base in gun-friendly Tennessee, saying proposed legislation in the deep Blue state to ban manufacturing of assault weapons would devastate its bottom line. A man walks past the Remington Arms Company in Ilion, New York, in a file photo Remington shotguns are displayed during the annual National Rifle Association (NRA) convention in Dallas, Texas in 2018 Remington CEO Ken DArcy Investors doing business as the Roundhill Group purchased the Remington-branded gun-making business, including operations in Ilion, New York, and Lenoir City, Tennessee, for $13 million. Remington, the country's oldest gun maker, began making flintlock rifles in 1816. It swelled into a firearms conglomerate, but faced slumping sales, complaints about quality, and legal pressure over the Sandy Hook school massacre. The current company no longer makes the Bushmaster AR-15 rifles used to kill 20 first-graders and six educators in the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut in 2012. Gunmakers have been leaving their traditional home bases in the northeast as laws become more hostile toward guns and moving to more politically welcoming settings in the South and West. 'We are very excited to come to Georgia, a state that not only welcomes business but enthusiastically supports and welcomes companies in the firearms industry,' Remington CEO Ken DArcy said in a statement. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp famously pointed a shotgun at another person in a campaign commercial when the Republican was seeking his current office in 2018. 'Georgias firearms industry is responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in our communities,' Kemp said in a statement. 'I am a proud owner of some of Remingtons first-class product, and now, I am excited to welcome them to their new home in the Peach State.' Scott Malone, the economic development director for the city of LaGrange, said Remington has already secured at least one building in the city, and will operate from a combination of new and renovated facilities. He said local governments would offer property tax abatements, plus utility and infrastructure improvements. Remington could claim various state tax breaks, including an income tax credit allowing it to annually deduct $3,000 per job from state income taxes, up to $12.8 million over five years, as long as workers make at least $28,000 a year. The state will also pay to train workers, but declined to detail the entire incentive package, saying it was not complete yet. Phil Smith, a spokesperson for the United Mine Workers of America, which represents some workers at a factory in Ilion, said the union had no information about whether workers in New York would be affected. The new owners recently restarted operations there, calling back more than 200 workers who had been laid off. The local government in New York offered 10 years of tax breaks in exchange for the restart and upgrades. Smith & Wesson's current HQ in Springfield Massachusetts, where it has been based since its founding in 1856 Smith & Wesson announced Thursday that it was moving its headquarters from Massachusetts to Tennessee in 2023 (pictured a mockup of the new HQ) In addition to the shuttering its Massachusetts headquarters, and moving 550 jobs out of Springfield, it will also close facilities in Connecticut and Missouri as part of a consolidation plan. Specifically, the company's plastic injection molding, pistol and long gun assembly and distribution will be moved to the new Tennessee facility, while its metal forging, machining, finishing and revolver assembly capacity will remain in Massachusetts. The first Remington rifle was made in 1816 by Eliphalet Remington Jr., who handcrafted the barrel at his father's forge, the company said on its website. This Remington advertisement for a pump gun appeared in magazines in 1931 An 1871 Remington ammunition advertisement is shown He moved his burgeoning barrel-making business from the forge site to its current Ilion location in 1828, The company began manufacturing complete guns in 1845 after Remington signed his first firearms contract to manufacture 5,000 rifles for the U.S. Army's ordnance department. Remington's armory began supplying a variety of guns - including pistols, carbines, rifles and muskets - for the army and navy at the start of the civil war in 1861. Remington will move its headquarters from Ilion, New York, to LaGrange, Georgia (shown) By the time the civil war ended in 1865, Remington's army business was producing firearms for hunters, settlers, and sportsman. The country's oldest gun maker's fortunes have turned in more recent years. Despite gun sales reaching historic highs, it sought bankruptcy for the second time in June 2020 after being weighed down by lawsuits and retail sales restrictions following the Sandy Hook massacre and other school shootings. A Connecticut State Police detective holds up a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, produced by Remington Arms and the same make and model of gun used in the Sandy Hook School shooting, for a demonstration during a hearing about gun laws Connecticut State Police lead a line of children from the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012. Remington faces a lawsuit from victims' families Sandy Hook families claimed Remington violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act by marketing its Bushmaster XM15-E2S, an AR-15 style weapon, to civilians. The weapon was used to kill 20 children and six adult staff at the school It was legally purchased by the shooter's mother, an investigation found. Meanwhile, Smith & Weston announced September 30 that it will build a new $120million facility in Maryville by 2023 and eventually shutter the Springfield location that forged famed firearms like the .357 magnum - used by Clint Eastwood in the Dirty Harry movies. Brooke Vitnell will run for the Liberals in the battleground NSW seat of Paterson - three years after she was subjected to a lewd online comment from Queensland's former opposition leader A glamorous lawyer who was subjected to a lewd online comment from a top state politician will run for the Liberals in a crucial battleground seat. Family law solicitor Brooke Vitnell was on Monday chosen as the Liberal candidate for the NSW electorate of Paterson a tightly-contested seat north of Newcastle. Ms Vitnell hit the campaign trail with Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday three years after being dragged into a tabloid brouhaha when ex-Queensland Opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek posted a suggestive comment about her cleavage on social media. In 2018, Mr Langbroek posted a comment with the symbols '(.)(.)' next to a photo of her with her husband at the Parliament House Midwinter Ball. The post by Mr Langbroek - whose sister is the radio host and Project panellist Kate Langbroke - sparked outrage. He later deleted the comment and admitted it was 'inappropriate'. Former LNP opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek caused a stir in 2018 after commenting about Ms Vitnell's (second from right) breasts. She is pictured with her husband Julian (right) who is Scott Morrison's adviser Ms Vitnell with her husband. Mr Langbroek later deleted the comment and admitted it was 'inappropriate' 'I removed it this morning without being prompted, and I apologise for any offense caused,' he said at the time. In a later interview, he admitted his wife had chastised him about the comment. 'She said to me, 'You're an old man, you can't do things like that',' he told The Gold Coast Bulletin. 'She said, "A bit silly, you can think it, but don't write it".' Ms Vitnell's husband Julian Leembruggen is Mr Morrison's communications adviser. The prime minister appeared alongside Ms Vitnell on Monday, adding he was 'thrilled' that women had stepped forward to take up roles in politics. Liberal candidate for Patterson Brooke Vitnell and Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday. The Australian leader said he was 'thrilled' that women had stepped forward to take up roles in politics Former LNP opposition leader John-Paul Langbroek (left), posted a comment with the symbols '(.)(.)' 'I want to see Paterson be a better place for people to have economic opportunities, jobs, and more jobs for our most precious resource, our young people,' she said. The Liberal Party was earlier this year heavily criticised for its treatment of women after ex-parliamentary staffer Brittany Higgins went public with allegations she was raped by a colleague in a minister's office. Paterson - which covers large parts of the Hunter Valley including the towns of Kurri Kurri, Williamtown and Port Stephens - is held by Labor by a margin of only five per cent. A 16-year-old boy has been shot dead at a 15th birthday party after gatecrashers fired into the crowd in a drive-by shooting. Connor Whiteland was standing talking to his friends outside the house in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday night when he was hit. A man allegedly drove into the Heaphy Place cul-de-sac and sprayed gunfire into a crowd, seemingly at random, killing Connor. Christchurch police arrested the alleged killer, and three other suspects due to appear in court charged with being accessories after the fact to murder. Connor Whiteland (pictured: Facebook) was shot dead at a friends' birthday party on Friday Another suspected accomplice is still at large. 'This person is aware he is being sought and we urge him to hand himself into police,' police said. Connor convinced his parents to let him attend the 15th birthday party and, was allegedly the victim of random gunfire. Police believe uninvited guests arrived and after a parent was phoned to calm things down about 11pm local time, an altercation took place that allegedly led to gunshots. The alleged gunman fired several times, witnesses said, seemingly at random. Connor was standing, talking to some friends when he was struck by gunfire on the front of his body. Armed police searching the scene that Mr Whiteland was killed Armed police arrived at the scene of Mr Whiteland's death after an emergency call made at 11.03pm on Friday evening last week His friends attempted emergency first aid while another made an emergency call. Police arrived at the scene and attempted emergency CPR, followed by the St John ambulance paramedics 10 minutes later, but Connor was declared dead at the scene. Police said the alleged killer was in custody and is assisting police with their investigation into Connor's murder. He has not yet been charged. 'We are devastated by Connor's death and still trying to come to terms with what has occurred,' Connor's family said in a statement. 'We are in shock and want answers about what happened to our beloved son, brother, and friend. Mr Whiteland's family said they are still coming to terms with what has happened 'The magnitude of this senseless loss hasn't begun to sink in. 'Connor was dearly loved, and his passing has left a huge hole in our lives. 'He was a kind, talented and deeply loyal young man who had such a bright future ahead of him. 'Connor was in no way connected to, or affiliated with, the people who are [believed to be] responsible for his death.' Students and friends of Connor have started gathering at the scene to mourn their loss at what they now refer to as 'Connor's Corner'. Flight Centre has again threatened to sue Western Australia to open its borders months early once it reaches 80 per cent vaccination. Premier Mark McGowan has refused to follow the rest of the country and allow entry to NSW and Victoria residents until at least February. Even then, visitors will need an expensive privately administered Covid test within three days of arrival, despite very high vaccination rates in other Australian states. Chief executive Graham Turner said the Australian Constitution allowed freedom of movement for all citizens and the Covid vaccine removed all impediments. 'It seems a wasted opportunity to have been living Covid-free for the past year and a half and not have a plan out of Covid-19 for reopening back up for business, our community, and our families,' he said. WA Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) says Western Australia's border will stay closed until at least late January 'I think it is our right [to challenge it]. Luckily in Australia, we are a democracy and we have a Constitution and Section 92 of the Constitution allows freedom of movement and freedom of trade between states.' Mr McGowan insists he will only open the border, with testing, after WA reaches 90 per cent vaccination for 12 and over, which is not expected until February at least. Australia's national reopening plan, to which Mr McGowan agreed and then tried to back out of, calls for state borders to open at 80 per cent of over 15s. All other states will open before Christmas, but the Northern Territory is waiting until January 13. WA is the only state not to have a detailed plan to live with Covid. Mr McGowan is the last zero-Covid holdout, having previously made dire predictions about cases and deaths if the virus made its way to WA. At the state election last April, the WA opposition was reduced to just six seats - four Nationals and two Liberals. The Labor Party won an unprecedented 53 seats in its landslide victory. WA Opposition leader Mia Davies is worried about the state's preparation for the future handling of Covid-19 With such low representation in parliament, opposition leader Mia Davies has not had much success in holding Mr McGowan to account. Mr Turner said Flight Centre was looking into seeking a judicial review in the Federal Court, but had not yet made a definite decision to proceed. 'We will be deciding this week as we talk to our legal team a look at the milestones we need to achieve for that,' he told Seven News. He said Flight Centre had a lot of backing from other companies, mainly travel and tourism, but also from a Western Australian chemical company. Mr Turner said mining billionaire Clive Palmer failing to bring down WA's hard border last year did not mean his potential case was doomed. 'That was very different circumstances, there was no vaccination,' he said. 'This is really about expert witnesses basically appearing for us to basically say 80 per cent vaccination was agreed, as I think you just heard them say, by WA. 'There is science behind this that at 80 per cent, it is quite safe in the community to open up.' Airport workers are looking forward to getting back to work as state borders open up after Covid closures. The WA border could remain closed until late January, though Mr McGowan claimed if WA waited until 90 per cent of people aged 12 and above are vaccinated, it would save 200 lives compared to 80 per cent. His plan depends on another 250,000 West Australians getting vaccinated amid one of the slowest rollouts in the country. Mr Turner said WA was a 'divided state' and he has seen a lot of messages from people both very supportive and very unsupportive of Flight Centre's stance. 'It is totally divided and people do want to travel overseas and get their overseas relatives in, and interstate relatives for Christmas,' he said. 'I think the modelling that you have seen there, it doesn't seem to stack up very well from what I see, but that will be up to the experts to show in the end, assuming we go ahead with this Federal Court challenge.' Mr Turner said Covid had a huge affect on Flight Centre's business. 'Obviously, we do want a bit of interstate travel, particular mining companies and that, but we have been down there probably around 70 per cent most of the time in our travel,' he said. 'It's just one of the states but it represents quite a big business... it has an impact on us, as it does on a lot of businesses.' Flight Centre's boss Graham Turner said he will begin a legal challenge to open WA's borders Mr Turner said it is the same all over the world and Flight Centre operated in 23 countries. 'Mostly all of them have come out of this now, but Australia and New Zealand are lagging. We will survive and it's just part of business. I have been in business a long time and is just one of the things that happen,' he said. WA is about 67 per cent vaccinated, well behind the national average and every other state except Queensland. Mark Duncan-Smith, president of the WA branch of the Australian Medical Association, said if Flight Centre took legal action against the state government, he would never again use their services. 'The threats constitute a company that has a focus on profits and not people, and would damage their business reputation in WA immeasurably,' he said. 'The arrogance that the people who run Flight Centre think they know better than the government, when they have all the modelling, is to me unbelievable they need to pull their head in.' The limo driver believed to have sparked Australia's deadly Covid-19 outbreak has hit back at trolls who once again blamed him for catching the virus and accidentally spreading it. A social media account understood to belong to Michael Podgoetsky fired up after a troll lashed out at him over the epic scale of the Delta spread, which claimed more than 500 deaths in five months. The Azerbaijan-born father of two was widely believed to have been 'patient zero' in the so-called 'Bondi cluster' after he caught the deadly strain of the virus from infected FedEx crew arriving onboard flight FX77 in Sydney on June 9 - before the virus spread. 'The moronic limo driver responsible for our COVID situation. I hope you are feeling proud for what you have caused,' a troll commented on Mr Podgoetsky's instagram account. Mr Podgoetsky (pictured) has hit back at Instagram trolls and has always denied he was the 'index case' for the devastating Delta outbreak Mr Podgoetsky fired back saying he was blameless and actually the victim. 'What have I done? Why do you think I am proud?' he said. 'Remember I was the one who caught this terrible disease. 'Police checked, investigated and found nothing wrong that I have done. Why are you blaming me?' He last spoke about how Delta had changed his life in September after being slapped with a $500 public infringement notice while sitting at a bus stop bench near his home in Sydney's eastern suburbs. Other than that fine, Mr Podgoetsky has been cleared of any wrongdoing and has always maintained he wore the recommended personal protective equipment. 'I don't want to be known for COVID-19,' he told 7News. 'It's in my head like I did something wrong ... the bio-weapon was introduced to our state and I'm blamed for it.' Mr Podgoetsky is convinced he caught the virus from Belle Cafe in Vaucluse. Limo driver Michael Podgoetsky, 63 (pictured), is considered to be the Delta outbreak's patient zero - unknowingly visiting the busy Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre while infected An urgent health alert was issued for Westfield Bondi Junction on June 18 leading to the outbreak being dubbed the 'Bondi Cluster' He and his wife opened up about the devastating toll the public attention has had of them. Within days of becoming infected, the unknowingly infected Mr Podgoetsky had visited several busy shops and eateries across the city's east, most notably at Westfield Bondi Junction. From there, it spread like wildfire after a Bondi Junction worker unknowingly took the virus to a birthday party with 40 other people in West Hoxton. Within seven days, the entire city was in lockdown - one they would not leave for many gruelling days. The impressive vaccine take-up in Australia, especially in NSW and Victoria, is believed to have dramatically reduced the potential devastation of the Delta spread - which ravaged other nations. Australia's Covid death toll is 1,448, with over a third of those - 538 - dying since Delta was first detected here in June. Dozens of family members of American soldiers remain trapped in Afghanistan and at the mercy of the Taliban more than two months after the Biden administration's botched withdrawal from the country. Those stranded include children, siblings and parents of US service members, as well as more than 100 extended family members. The Pentagon does not have a 'good accounting' of how many family members of DOD civilians remain trapped in Afghanistan since the last US flight left Kabul airport at the end of August, NBC News reported 'The federal government has turned their backs on them. If we abandon the family members of our service men and women in Afghanistan, they will certainly be slaughtered by the Taliban,' Texas Rep. Michael McCaul said. Congress members have been pressuring the Pentagon to help those stranded since the withdrawal fiasco, which included the deaths of 13 troops in a terror attack at Kabul airport. Dozens of Americans remained trapped in Afghanistan more than two months after the United States pulled troops out of Taliban-controlled nation (Pictured: Evacuation efforts in August) Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl, (pictured) asked any military personnel and defense department civilians with immediate family members stuck in Afghanistan to contact the government In September, McCaul sent a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking them to assist in the escape efforts. 'Over the past month, I have been contacted by hundreds of Texans who are desperately trying to get friends and family members safe out of the country,' he wrote. 'That includes the family members of several Texans who currently serve in the military.' Pentagon officials have claimed that many of services members whose family remain trapped were Afghan born. In an effort to launch a rescue mission, the Pentagon has created a database of those who can't get out of the Taliban-controlled country. Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl, in a memo Thursday, asked any military personnel and defense department civilians with immediate family members stuck in Afghanistan to contact the government and have their loved ones added to the database. 'Any US military personnel or DoD civilian employees with immediate family members still in Afghanistan who desire assistance departing should contact the OUSD(P) Afghan Referrals mailbox,' he wrote. Kahl instructed citizens to email a specific address with the subject 'immediate family member' and include their loved one's location, contact, personal information and passport data in the body of the message. The defense department previously said it was tracking cases of Americans stuck in Afghanistan. However, Kahl's memo demonstrated a 'more deliberate effort at the DOD level' to get military family members out. Until now, said defense officials, the individual military services had been tracking cases of U.S. military personnel with family still stuck in Afghanistan. 'There is an increased desire to make sure that as we make this push that we have every situation accounted for,' he wrote, adding that the department its working 'expand its reach'. In a memo Thursday, Kahl instructed citizens to email a specific address with the subject 'immediate family member' and include their loved one's location, contact, personal information and passport data in the body of the message The US military took over the Kabul airport in August in the last days of its 20-year war in Afghanistan, evacuating tens of thousands of foreigners and Afghans who feared the return of the Taliban Since then the Pentagon has been working with the State Department to use the information gathered in their database and extract family members who want to leave Afghanistan (Pictured: Taliban security patrolling Afghanistan on November 8) The US military retreated to Kabul airport in August in the last days of its 20-year war in Afghanistan, evacuating tens of thousands of foreigners and Afghans who feared the return of the Taliban. Since then the Pentagon has been working with the State Department to use the information gathered in their database to extract family members who want to leave Afghanistan. Officials note, however, that the US military will not have a role in actually removing people from the country. Meanwhile, US officials are warning that Afghanistan's harsh winter will create new difficulties for people wishing to leave. Thomas West, the US pointman on Afghanistan, said Monday that the Taliban has largely made good on promises to let US citizens and US long-term residents leave. 'I think the real challenge we face,' West told reporters, 'is potentially logistical especially as we head into the winter months.' 'Many runway lights are damaged and not functioning and the airport's ability to operate in the winter months is in question,' he said. A Who's Who of 'canceled' academics, journalists and entrepreneurs are teaming up to change the oppressive 'wokeness' on college campuses by launching their own right-minded university in the progressive Texas capital of Austin. The newly-envisioned University of Austin will be led by Panos Kanelos, who stepped down as president of St John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, in June, and include controversial figures such as playwright David Mamet, fired Harvard president Larry Summers, booted New York Times op-ed columnist Bari Weiss, historian Niall Ferguson and journalist Andrew Sullivan on its 31-person board of advisors. 'I left my post as president... to build a university in Austin dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth,' Kanelos wrote on Bari Weiss's Substack on Monday in making the announcement. A website for the new venture lists an address near the University of Texas but Kanelos said the school is in the process of securing land in the Austin area for a physical campus. It is also seeking millions in donations for scholarships and to help establish its programs as it seeks to get accredited. Panos Kanelos, who resigned from St John's College and left in June, announced on Monday that he was founding a new university Journalist Bari Weiss is among those appointed to the board of the new academic institution The University of Austin will launch in 2022 with a summer school for students at other institutions, entitled 'The Forbidden Courses' The school does not plan to offer undergraduate courses until 2024, but will begin in the summer of 2022 with a program entitled 'The Forbidden Courses'. 'Our summer program invites top students from other universities to join us for a spirited discussion about the most provocative questions that often lead to censorship or self-censorship in many universities,' they state on the website. 'Students will become proficient and comfortable with productive disagreement. 'Instructors will range from top professors to accomplished business leaders, journalists, and artists.' Ferguson, who wrote an op-ed in Bloomberg on Monday announcing the university's founding, described the course as offering 'the kind of content and instruction no longer available at most established campuses, addressing the kind of provocative questions that often lead to cancelation or self-censorship.' Niall Ferguson, the historian and a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, is also on the board. He was previously a professor of history at Harvard, New York University and Oxford Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a founding faculty member. The Somali-born American activist and writer is known for her criticism of Islam He wrote: 'With a growing number of Republicans calling for bans on critical race theory, I fear the illiberalism is metastasizing. 'Trigger warnings. Safe spaces. Preferred pronouns. Checked privileges. Microaggressions. Antiracism. All these terms are routinely deployed on campuses throughout the English-speaking world as part of a sustained campaign to impose ideological conformity in the name of diversity. 'As a result, it often feels as if there is less free speech and free thought in the American university today than in almost any other institution in the U.S.' Both Ferguson and Kanelos cited statistics showing how repressive the overwhelmingly liberal US academic institutions have become in their monolithic thinking. 'Nearly a quarter of American academics in the social sciences or humanities endorse ousting a colleague for having a wrong opinion about hot-button issues such as immigration or gender differences,' Kanelos wrote. 'Over a third of conservative academics and PhD students say they had been threatened with disciplinary action for their views. 'American PhD students are willing to discriminate against right-leaning scholars, according to a report by the Center for the Study of Partisanship and Ideology.' Dorian Abbot, a geophysicist with the University of Chicago, was disinvited from giving a speech at MIT because he has disagreed with affirmative action Kathleen Scott left the University of Sussex after she was hounded and sent death threats for her work on gender and sex Playwrite David Mamet, seen in December 2014 attending the Blithe Spirit opening night in Los Angeles, is another board member Larry Summers, treasury secretary from 1999 to 2001, is another part of Kanelos' team Ferguson cited Heterodox Academy's 2020 Campus Expression Survey, in which 62 percent of sampled college students agreed that the climate on their campus prevented them from saying things they believed, and 41 percent said they were reluctant to discuss politics in a classroom. Peter Boghossian, who resigned from Portland State University over allegations of censorship, is another faculty member Some 60 percent of students said they were reluctant to speak up in class, the survey found, because they were concerned other students would criticize their views as being offensive. Kanelos said that academics were being 'treated like thought criminals' - referencing Dorian Abbot, a University of Chicago scientist who has objected to aspects of affirmative action; Peter Boghossian, a philosophy professor at Portland State University; and Kathleen Stock, a professor at University of Sussex, who resigned amid accusations of being transphobic for her work on sex and gender. All are members of the board of his new institution. Fees for his courses have not been published. 'At some future point, historians will study how we arrived at this tragic pass,' Kanelos wrote. 'And perhaps by then we will have reformed our colleges and universities, restoring them as bastions of open inquiry and civil discourse. 'But we are done waiting. We are done waiting for the legacy universities to right themselves. And so we are building anew.' Online brokerage company Robinhood revealed Monday that nearly a third of its more than 22 million customers had their personal information hacked - including 310 users whose dates of birth, emails and names were stolen. The Silicon Valley upstart said hackers gained access to five million customer email addresses and the full names of an additional two million customers in a breach on November 3. In a blog posted after trading closed Monday, Robinhood claimed that an 'unauthorized party' had demanded a ransom. The company was able to patch the breach and assured its hacked customers that social security, bank account, and debit card numbers were not exposed and none of them had funds taken from their accounts. Online brokerage app Robinhood announced on Monday that seven million of their users had their personal information breached - including 310 people whose dates of birth, email and names were exposed The company said in a statement that an 'unauthorized party' had gained access to the information and even demanded an extortion payment after they contained the intrusion The statement claimed that the unauthorized party had obtained access to the information by manipulating a customer support employee on the phone. A limited number of customers - 310 people - had their names, dates of birth and zip codes exposed, with an additional ten customers having further details breached. The company, based in Menlo Park, Calif., contacted law enforcement, which is working with security firm Mandiant to investigate the incident. 'As a Safety First company, we owe it to our customers to be transparent and act with integrity,' Robinhood Chief Security Officer Caleb Sima said in the company statement. 'Following a diligent review, putting the entire Robinhood community on notice of this incident now is the right thing to do.' Robinhood Chief Security Officer Caleb Sima Robinhood's shares dipped three percent on Monday following the announcement The company has more than 22 million customers with funded accounts, with 19 million active since September. Since the after-hours announcement, Robinhood's shares dropped three percent to 36.84. This breach is not the first time that Robinhood has dealt with security issues. In October 2020, hackers stole funds from nearly 2,000 users after gaining access to their accounts. Robinhood claimed that particular breach was not due to a hack in the system. They also said that in that incident that a 'limited' number of their customers were affected because the email addresses used for their accounts had been exposed outside of the company's app. Customers launched complaints that there was a lack of support service because there was no one to call during the crisis. 'We fully understand potential fraudulent or suspicious activity in a financial account can cause concern and we always respond to customers reporting fraudulent or suspicious activity and work as quickly as possible to complete our investigation, resolve any account issues and process any refund,' a Robinhood spokesperson had said in a previous statement. Robinhood was launched as a free stock trading app in 2013 by Vlad Tenev and Baiju Bhatt to allow users to easily load cash and buy and sell stocks and options. Robinhood creators Vlad Tenev (left) and Baiju Bhatt (right) founded the company in 2013 During the pandemic, the app had added about 13 million users, with the median age range being 31, as it was found to be easy and accessible for young and upcoming investors. Despite the company's rising success, it also faced criticism for allowing young, inexperienced users to trade on the app. Nebraska college student Alexander E. Kearns, 20, committed suicide in June 2020 after discovering a negative balance of over $730,000 in his account. The app also faced controversy after freezing trade on GameStop during an internet-fueled frenzy over the stock in January, which prompted several lawsuits to be filed against the company. Robinhood was fined $57 million in late June by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority for technical failures and ordered to pay $13 million in restitution to thousands of customers. Convicted child murderer Robert Arthur Selby Lowe has died in prison while serving a life sentence for the murder of six-year-old Sheree Beasley. The evil paedophile, 84, died last week in the Hopkins Correctional Centre near Ararat in western Victoria. Lowe abducted Sheree on June 29, 1991, while she was riding her bike home from the local shops in Rosebud, on the Mornington Peninsula. She was choked to death and her body found dumped in a storm drain weeks later. Convicted paedophile and murderer Robert Arthur Selby Lowe (pictured) has died in prison while serving a life sentence for the murder of six-year-old Sheree Beasley in 1991 Lowe, who had a history of crimes against children, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1994, aged 57. Supreme court judge Phillip Cummins said Lowe stalked Beasley before he abducted and murdered her. 'What you did was every child's fear and every parent's worst nightmare,' he said in his judgment. 'Your sexual interests, fuelled by an interest in the Karmein Chain abduction led you to Rosebud to abduct this little girl. 'From terrifying fear and the acts she was forced to do, she choked to death.' The paedophile was a Sunday school teacher and travelling salesman. Six-year-old Sheree Beasley (pictured) was riding her bike home from the local shops when Lowe abducted her 'Deaths in custody have an impact on family members, friends and corrections staff, as well as victims of crime, and we're working to ensure they are provided with the support they need,' Corrections Victoria said. 'The next of kin of the man were notified with our condolences.' In 2010, Lowe was linked to a depraved sex ring operating out of Hopkins jail. Inmates were smuggling pornographic material containing children to the prison and Lowe was allegedly found in possession of USB drives and memory cards. Hopkins Correctional Centre holds some of the country's worst sex offenders, who are kept away from other inmates for their own safety. Facebook has again been accused of censorship - this time by an alleged victim of sex-pest former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo - after the social media giant banned an ad from its site for her new book because it contains the word 'penis' in the title. Karen Hinton, a former Cuomo aide who accused the disgraced governor of bullying and 'inappropriately' hugging her 20 years ago, writes about sexism experienced in government in her book, Penis Politics: A Memoir of Women, Men and Power. Hinton's publisher had planned to place ads for the book on Facebook, but the word for male genitalia appeared to set off alarm bells and the postings were rejected, she said. Karen Hinton, pictured with a selection of her favorite books, was planning on launching an ad campaign on Facebook for her memoir but the ads have been rejected because the title of the book has the word penis in it Hinton aired her grievances with Facebook online saying the actions were 'not surprising' Facebook has banned ads on its site for Hinton's book, which is about sexism in government rather than anything sexual 'Today Facebook banned ads for my upcoming book Penis Politics because the company objects to the title,' Hinton told Page Six. 'Facebook should be ashamed. My book is about toxic power relationships in schools, the media and politics. It's not about sex. 'Facebook's actions are not surprising. The company has a documented history of promoting misogynistic content and sexual violence against women. Yet they are afraid of the word 'penis' in a book about sexual harassment. 'Facebook also employs a double standard which is mind-boggling in 2021. Facebook features pages and pages about the highly acclaimed play, Vagina Monologues. 'They embrace 'vagina' but appear to be scared off by a little 'penis.' The advertising campaign on Facebook for my book was supposed to start today. 'I am calling on Facebook to reverse this decision and stand for free speech, not banning books,' Hinton railed. Hinton, who also was an aide to outgoing New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, had previously coined the term 'penis politics' to describe ways in which powerful men assert control over women subordinates. Her memoir is about 'the toxic brew of ego, entitlement, and bro-culture' in politics. Facebook has come under fire for the company's decision-making on what is suitable for its site, most notably for its ongoing ban of former President Donald Trump. Karen Hinton, who was an aide for outgoing NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, says her memoir is about 'the toxic brew of ego, entitlement, and bro-culture' in politics Hinton accused Andrew Cuomo of groping her 20 years ago The company changed its corporate name to Meta last month after whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former product manager at the firm, leaked thousands of internal documents that revealed its inner workings and became known as the Facebook papers. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has rejected her assertions, saying the attacks on the company were 'misrepresenting' the work it does. The tech giant claims it removes 97 per cent of hateful posts from the platform, but leaked research showed its own staff estimated that it only took down posts that generated around 3 to 5 percent of hate speech and 0.6 percent of content that breached its rules on violence and incitement. Last month, an investigation detailed how Facebook's algorithms actively promoted content that was misogynistic to certain users. Both Facebook and Instagram platforms would have pages suggested to users in their feed which referenced sexual violence and disturbing memes about sex acts if they shows signs of hostility toward women online. Haugen claimed the tech giant was 'subsidizing hate' because its business model made it cheaper to run angry and divisive adverts. She said there was 'no doubt' the platform's systems would drive more violent events because its most extreme content is targeted at the most impressionable people. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (pictured) has previously rejected the claims made by Frances Haugen, saying her attacks on the company were 'misrepresenting' the work it does She said Facebook was 'very good at dancing with data' to make it seem as though it was on top of the problem but was reluctant to sacrifice even a 'slither of profit' to make the platform safer. Zuckerberg spoke about the issue on October 6, saying: 'The argument that we deliberately push content that makes people angry for profit is deeply illogical. 'We make money from ads, and advertisers consistently tell us they don't want their ads next to harmful or angry content. And I don't know any tech company that sets out to build products that make people angry or depressed. The moral, business and product incentives all point in the opposite direction.' Earlier this year, Facebook was accused of promoting misogyny and sexual violence. Female members of Congress together with politicians from the European Union implored Facebook to 'step up and protect women in politics' from threats of violence and sexism on its platform. 'We are imploring Facebook to do more to protect the ability of women to engage in democratic discourse and to foster a safe and empowering space for women,' read a letter by California Democrat US Rep. Jackie Speier who is also co-chair of the Democratic Women's Caucus. Jacinda Ardern's adorable daughter has stolen the show by staying up past her bedtime to gatecrash her mum's Covid-19 briefing. The New Zealand Prime Minister uploaded a Facebook Live video from home on Monday night to update Kiwis on changes made by cabinet as the Delta outbreak eases. Restrictions will be eased in Covid-ravaged Auckland from Wednesday with lockdown measures expected to be phased out within weeks. Less than three minutes into Ms Ardern's Facebook Live update, three-year-old Neve can be heard calling out 'Mummy'. Three-year-old Neve, pictured with her mum, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern stayed up past her bedtime on Monday night 'You're meant to be in bed darling,' Ms Ardern says while turning away to speak to Neve as the camera continues rolling. 'It's bedtime darling, pop back to bed, I'll come and see you in a second. I'll come and see you in a minute, OK? Nanny will take you down to bed.' The tot is taken back to bed by Ms Ardern's mum. The Prime Minister apologised to viewers and laughed off the interruption as a bedtime fail. 'Sorry everyone, I thought 'Here's a moment, I'll do a Facebook Live, we're nice and safe,' she said. 'Does anyone else have kids who escape three or four times after bedtime? Thankfully, my mum's here.' Jacinda Ardern (pictured) did a Facebook Live video on Monday night but was interrupted twice by her three-year-old A few minutes later, Neve returns to interrupt her mum a second time, demanding what the hold up was from coming to say goodnight. 'I'm sorry darling, it is taking so long, okay,' Ms Ardern replied. She then turns her attention back to viewers to wrap up the briefing. 'I'm sorry everyone, I'm just going to pop Neve back to bed because this is way past her bedtime,' she said. Ms Ardern hopes to do "extended, uninterrupted version" of the Facebook Live chat in the coming days. New Zealand's biggest city has been in lockdown for nearly three months with almost 4500 cases recorded since August. Ms Ardern and her partner of eight years Clarke Gayford welcomed daughter Neve Te Aroha in June 2018. She's only the second elected female leader to have a child while in office and the first since Benazier Bhutto in 1990. The New Zealand Prime Minister (pictured) laughed off the incident as a bedtime fail Jacinda Ardern posted a Covid briefing from home, thinking daughter Neve was fast asleep Last week, Mr Gayford shared details about their upcoming wedding. The couple remain tight-lipped about the actual date of but have previously announced they will marry this summer in Gisborne on the North Island. The Fish of the Day television host and keen angler hinted a seafood feast will be served at the reception, depending on the weather and his catch of the day. 'I hope so. We will see how it goes,' Gayford told the AM show. 'I think so. I think it's all still happening.' He confirmed the wedding will be held in Gisborne and ruled out the New Years long weekend which coincides with Rhythm and Vines, New Zealand's biggest music festival. 'I think so. I think it's all still happening' Gayford added. 'We are all worried about R&V and events and we've got a goal to work towards so fingers crossed.' A Gold Coast childcare centre has been fined after two toddlers escaped the facility and were found alongside a busy road. Queensland Education Department took legal action against Coomera's Okeedokee Early Learning Centre over the October 2020 incident in which the two-year-olds left the premises undetected and were seen running towards traffic. The childcare centre was fined $15,600 in Southport Magistrates Court on Monday. Dashcam footage from multiple cars show both young girls walking along the busy road after 'escaping' from the Okeedokee Coomera Rivers childcare centre Dash cam footage of the incident circulated on social media showed the children running towards Foxwell Road before being intercepted by pedestrians. Queensland Education Department took legal action, alleging the centre failed to provide children with adequate supervision and had not taken every reasonable precaution to protect children from harm and hazards. It also said the centre failed to ensure the children did not leave the premises and had not taken reasonable steps to ensure staff followed safe environment policies and procedures. 'The penalties imposed reflect the seriousness of these offences under the National Law and National Regulations and the prosecution sends a strong message to all approved providers about their responsibilities to closely supervise and protect the children in their care from risk of harm,' Queensland Education Department said of the fine in a statement. A spokesman from Okeedokee Coomera Rivers said they were not making a comment while the matter is investigated 'In particular...(the magistrate) noted there is a high level of trust placed in a service by parents and this incident could have resulted in death or serious injury. 'It is critical that everyone involved in the provision of education and care to children is aware of the importance of active supervision, and this case shows the serious consequences that can result when children are not adequately supervised.' A nurse has described the horrific moment she was savagely attacked by a five-foot kangaroo in her own backyard. Kerry Muller, 55, was rushed to Frankston Hospital with cuts and bruises to her body after being mauled by the kangaroo at her Cranbourne South home in Melbourne last month. 'All I saw was claws coming at me,' she told 9News. Kerry Muller, 55, (pictured) described the moment she was attacked by a 5-foot kangaroo in her own backyard at her Cranbourne South property last month Ms Muller suffered puncture wounds to her arms, legs and back and was rushed to Frankston Hospital where she underwent three hours of treatment for her injuries (pictured) 'So I pivoted and dived into some bushes so quickly, but by that stage he was already on me. 'I was shocked at how quickly he ripped apart my jacket.' The Cranbourne South nurse made a desperate dash back inside her home to hide from the beast. The kangaroo eventually left her backyard. Suffering puncture wounds to her arms, legs and back, Ms Muller spent three hours being treated in hospital and four days off work recovering. She said it was common to see kangaroos on her property and they usually have a 'respectful relationship'. But the vicious attack has left the nurse in 'total shock' after the kangaroo seemingly changed its mind. Wildlife Victoria told Daily Mail Australia kangaroo attacks on humans were very uncommon and may be an indication the animal was sick or hurt. She said it was not uncommon to see kangaroos in her backyard and they usually had a 'respectful relationship' 'They're flight animals rather than fight but if a kangaroo feels threatened they will attack,' it said. 'If a kangaroo comes onto your property it may be sick or injured and looking for a safe place.' Wildlife Victoria advised residents to keep their distance if they do encounter a kangaroo on their property as they are an 'unpredictable animal'. It also urged people not to approach the animal or attempt to feed them. Pauline Hanson has developed a South Park-style cartoon featuring caricatures of Australian politicians to win over younger voters. The One Nation leader will release a 20-episode series called 'Please Explain', after her famous 1996 quote, over her social media accounts from as early as this week, The Australian's Nick Tabakoff first revealed. The project - which cost a six-figure sum to produce - will make fun of Australian politicians as she seeks to appeal to 18-35 year-olds at the federal election. The storyline centres on Senator Hanson as the teacher of a rowdy class featuring all of the big players in the federal government, both past and present. One Nation Party leader Pauline Hanson (pictured) has developed a South Park-style cartoon alongside a Melbourne animation company in a bid to win over young voters before the federal election Key figures will include Scott Morrison, Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Greens leader Adam Bandt, and Defence Minister Peter Dutton. South Australia Senator Sarah Hanson-Young, Member for Kennedy Bob Katter, and Hughes MP Craig Kelly will also make appearances, while former prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Kevin Rudd will feature as 'miserable ghosts'. The series will stream on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter and mock the quirks of its characters and notable moments in their careers. Mr Morrison will be dressed in a Hawaiian shirt - a nod to his infamous holiday to the island during the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires, which sparked outrage across the nation. The satirical clips will also include a beetroot-headed Joyce, in reference to his often red face, a 'blustering' Albanese, 'politically correct' Bandt, and some of Katter's famed outbursts. Former opposition leader Bill Shorten is depicted with a knife in reference to his role in bringing down multiple prime ministers on his own party. Also taking an' educational' approach, Senator Hanson, who will voice herself, will discuss political topics like donations, cigarette taxes, and preferential voting. Please Explain - a 20 episode series - will take the mickey out of the big players in federal politics, including Scott Morrison, Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce (pictured together), Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, and Greens Leader Adam Bandt Scott Morrison will appear in a Hawaiian shirt (pictured), while Barnaby Joyce will be portrayed with a tomato head Scott Morrison said he did not mind how he will be portrayed. 'Im pretty happy with that, I'm the tallest,' he told Fifi, Fev & Nick on 101.9 radio on Tuesday. 'For an Australian prime minister to be depicted in shorts and thongs, she's got it pretty right. That is me on the weekend.' Mr Morrison said his caricature was much better than Barnaby Joyce, and it seemed a bit 'mean' he was drawn with a vegetable head. The prime minister also revealed he plans to call the election sometime between January and May next year. Senator Hanson commissioned Melbourne firm Stepmates Animation to create the two-minute episodes, with the first three parts to be launched in coming days. The parody will form part of Hanson's election campaign, which will also include traditional television ads, particularly in regional areas where One Nation polls better. The distraught mother of twin girls who died in a fire at a commune near Byron Bay is struggling to cope with the reality of never seeing them again. Akira Garton shared a sweet photo alongside Ophelia and Tarrow on Tuesday morning, three days after they died from smoke inhalation while visiting their father and his girlfriend in a Goonengerry commune in northern NSW. 'No more mumma... no more hands... no more smiles, dancing, moments like this,' she wrote. The picture, which shows Ms Garton smiling as both of her twins lean into her, was taken just four weeks before their tragic deaths. Ms Garton has been in touch with a law firm and hopes to get to the bottom of why her young daughters were left in the home alone near an open flame. It's understood a candle was burning atop a piano next to the girls throughout the night, while their father attended a communal bonfire nearby. Akira Garton shared a sweet photo alongside Ophelia and Tarrow on Tuesday morning, three days after they died from smoke inhalation while visiting their father and his girlfriend in a Goonengerry commune Mr Wright (pictured in 2019) ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party The picture, which shows Ms Garton smiling in the middle of the twins, was taken just four weeks before their tragic deaths He and his girlfriend arrived back to the home just before 4am and noticed smoke billowing from the room. They called emergency services, but the twins could not be revived. 'Words cannot express waking up to day three of these beautiful bunnikins not here,' Ms Garton said. 'I'm devastated. It was too early.' The mother-of-three has struggled to respond to messages or answer calls in the days since the tragedy because she 'has no words beyond disbelief' and is still processing the loss. Ms Garton's father, the twins' grandfather, described Tarrow and Ophelia as 'bright, playful identical twins that had a sparkle in their eye and angelic features. 'Akira and her family are shattered to the core; they have an unbearable amount of grief to carry and heartbreaking pain to endure. 'A loss of this magnitude is almost unimaginable, and to even try is quite unbearable. A sorrow this complete takes away even the ability to breathe.' Ms Garton and the twins' father, political activist James Wright, also share seven-year-old Maitreya, who was not injured in the fire Residents who choose to live off-grid at the Nunkeri Multi Occupancy commune (pictured) consider each other family, and were enjoying a collective bonfire well into the early hours of Sunday morning when tragedy struck 'I'm told Jimmy's in a bad way, when he was canvassing as a candidate for Keep Sydney Open in the Lower House, the girls were always with him,' Tyson Kho, CEO for Keep Sydney Open, said Ms Garton and the twins' father, political activist James Wright, also share seven-year-old Maitreya, who was not injured in the fire. Mr Wright ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party in 2019. 'I'm told Jimmy's in a bad way, when he was canvassing as a candidate for Keep Sydney Open in the Lower House, the girls were always with him,' Tyson Kho, CEO for Keep Sydney Open, told The Daily Telegraph. 'He was the most loving father, he's really cut up over this.' A woman from the commune said: 'He was on the floor on his knees, he was crying "no, no", he was inconsolable. 'Our hearts are broken for him. Jimmy loved his girls, he took them everywhere with him. He's in a bad state. He blames himself. He's really shaken up.' Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing on the part of the girls' father. A GoFundMe appeal created to help Mr Wright financially as he plans for the girls' funerals and has already raised $40,000. Friends have also set up an appeal on behalf of Ms Garton, which has raised $8,000. A member of the public weeps while holding a bouquet of flowers outside the home where the twin four-year-old girls died following a house fire The girls were sleeping together in a bedroom within close proximity to a piano. Sitting on the piano, police believe, was a lit candle which caused the fire Mr Wright ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party in 2019 Aerial footage of the remote bush commune shows several dwellings scattered among the trees. There are no driveways and no fences to separate one home from the next. Cars park haphazardly wherever their drivers can find space. The community relies on a water tank at the centre of the property and it's understood they pool resources wherever possible. 'They're like a family,' one local told Daily Mail Australia. 'They're all grieving so much right now.' The commune is just 35 minutes' drive from the hustle and bustle of Byron Bay central - but for locals, it feels a world away. The 20-home commune has existed for 30 years and sits on 40ha of farmland just 30 minutes drive from Byron Bay Police are investigating whether a candle was left burning inside the home overnight (pictured, investigators at the scene) While Byron Bay has been gentrified and flooded with holidaymakers and celebrities, Goonengerry and similar tiny towns nearby still consider themselves 'locals only'. Residents embrace alternate ways of living and, put simply, 'enjoy a simple life'. Those living within the commune were all together the moment the twins' father realised smoke was billowing from the room. They were still there, shocked and confused, as emergency services arrived and tried to save the girls. A woman was also treated for shock at the scene. Neighbours dropped off flowers to the grieving family as the tightknit community mourns The home is within a 'multiple occupancy' community down this street, 30km west of Byron Bay (pictured, police at the scene) Another woman fought back tears on Sunday as she delivered a bouquet of flowers, leaving them in the letter box. A hand written note was left on one of the bouquets reading: 'Mourning with you.' Byron Shire deputy mayor Sarah Ndiaye said locals, especially people living in these types of hinterland communities, were particularly tightknit. 'The loss will be felt by the entire community,' she said. Detectives will work with fire investigators, who remain on the scene, to determine the exact cause of the blaze. There was little damage to the home itself, but it's believed the toxic fumes from the smoke caused the twin's death. Horrified neighbours arrived at the home later on Sunday to drop bouquets of flowers to the family The hero cop who rescued Cleo Smith from her alleged abductor's home has revealed the heartwarming moment he took her to hospital in the moments after her rescue. Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine, who was captured on police bodycam vision rescuing four-year-old Cleo 18 days after she went missing, has opened up on the aftermath of the ordeal to Daily Mail Australia. Det Snr Sgt Blaine said one of the most incredible moments for him was when he took Cleo to the hospital in the early hours of the morning after her rescue, cradling her in his arms. As they were waiting at the hospital entrance, Cleo saw a poster of herself on the wall and exclaimed, 'that's me!' and he choked back tears. Moments later, when the hospital staff came to the door, they saw her and all burst into tears, too. Meanwhile, Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed on Tuesday that a mystery woman could be key to the Cleo Smith investigation - after the little girl told investigators a female would come to her accused kidnapper's house to 'look after her'. Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine (pictured) has opened up on the aftermath of the rescue of Cleo Smith to Daily Mail Australia Cleo Smith has since been reunited with mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon (pictured) Police investigating the alleged kidnapping of four0-year-old Cleo Smith remove items for forensic testing from Terry Kelly's residence in Carnarvon, WA As they were waiting at the hospital entrance, Cleo saw a poster of herself on the wall and exclaimed, 'that's me!' The new development came to light during delicate police interviews with the four-year-old, who allegedly spent 18 days locked up inside a house in Carnarvon, in Western Australia's northwest. Local man Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, has been charged with kidnapping and remains in a Perth jail, as a team of elite detectives returned to the remote town on Monday in the hunt for more clues. Sources close to the investigation told Daily Mail Australia Cleo has mentioned that a woman visited the Tonkin Crescent duplex during the time she was allegedly held captive, and helped care for her. Cleo allegedly told investigators the woman helped to dress her and brush her hair. Local man Terence Darrell Kelly, 36 (pictured), has been charged over the kidnapping off Cleo Smith - but police are now probing the possibility of a 'mystery woman' also being involved Forensic police have been scouring Terence Kelly's duplex in Carnarvon, Western Australia (pictured) for the past six days searching for evidence Cleo Smith (pictured with her police rescuers) was allegedly found in a room in Kelly's home by detectives who used mobile data to track down her alleged abductor Cleo was found in the early hours of last Wednesday morning after being missing since October 16, when she was allegedly abducted from her family's tent at the remote blowholes campsite about 75km away. The preschooler was awake and 'playing with toys' when detectives broke down the door of the house, just after 1.30am. Bodycam footage shows the brave little girl being carried out the Tonkin Crescent address with her hair clean and brushed and her pyjamas appearing freshly washed. Police had initially stated no other suspects were being sought in relation to the matter, alleging that Kelly acted alone. With the landmark case appearing to be wrapped up, a team of detectives who helped track down Cleo have since raced back to Carnarvon from Perth as they probe the possibility another person was involved. The investigators are expected to remain in the small town for at least another week as forensic specialists continue to scour the alleged abductor's home for evidence another suspect may have been there. Pictured: Detective Sergeant Cameron Blaine tells Cleo: 'We're gonna take you to see your mummy and daddy'. He has since revealed police were trying to 'ascertain whether there was anyone else involved Detective senior sergeant Cameron Blaine, who was captured on police bodycam vision rescuing Cleo from her ordeal, has remained tight-lipped about the latest developments in the case but said police have 'more work to do.' 'Our focus this week is for us to ascertain whether there was anyone else involved. That's why we are still here,' he said after stepping off the plane. 'So, we just ask that if there was anyone that had any contact with Mr Kelly, whether you saw him, whether you met with him, whether you spoke to him on the phone during the relevant period to please make yourself known to police.' Daily Mail Australia sought comment from the WA Police about the mystery woman. A spokesperson said investigators would not comment specifically claims another person could be involved, but added 'inquiries are continuing'. Cleo Smith's alleged kidnapper Terry Kelly, 36, is pictured with Bratz dolls on his social media Bizarre details have emerged about the accused's strange obsession with toys as numerous social media account's linked to Kelly show a room full of children's dolls Specialist child interview officers attached to the child abuse squad in Perth began the delicate task of sitting down with Cleo on Thursday. The process of uncovering what happened could take several weeks. For a sixth straight day forensic officers have combed through Kelly's house and gathering evidence for laboratory examination which could indicate the presence of another person. Trailer-loads of evidence have been bagged up and removed from the alleged abductor's property during that time with the top-to-bottom search of the roped-off commission house likely to go on for several weeks as prosecutors build their case against Kelly. Since his arrest, it's been revealed he had an obsession with collecting dolls and boasted about his love for girl's toys on various social media pages. One photograph he posted shows Bratz and Disney princess dolls stacked from floor to ceiling. Two trailer-loads of evidence were bagged up and removed from the alleged abductor's home on Sunday The top to bottom search of the roped-off commission house is likely to go on for several weeks The bagged up items will be sent away for forensic testing as prosecutors build their case against Kelly It comes as audio emerged of an Aboriginal elder who raised Kelly calling him a gift from God and a 'beautiful little boy'. Respected Gascoyne elder Penny Walker revealing how Kelly, now 36, was 'thrown away' by his drug-addict biological mother. She handed him over to her 'Aunty Penny', who had all six of her own children taken into care because of an alcohol problem when she was younger. 'I looked down at him and this little boy - God was giving me something back into my life what the welfare took off me - my children,' said Ms Walker, who died in 2020. 'His mum didn't want him and she threw him away.' Kelly lived alone at Ms Walker's dilapidated home after her death last year at the age of 77. The tapes reveal he was brought up with Ms Walker's two other grandsons after her daughter died from multiple sclerosis. 'God was giving my children back to me in a different way. So I have this little boy beautiful little boy, Terry,' she said. 'Two year old, jet black curly hair.' Kelly's early upbringing has been revealed in snippets of oral history archives in an interview she gave in May 2019 for the State Library of Western Australia. She had her own troubled early life a as part of the Stolen Generation and spent her childhood in the Moore River Native Settlement and New Norcia Mission. Ms Walker suffered sexual abuses and floggings, she said, and later slept in toilets as an adult while enduring domestic violence. Authorities put her on a bus to Carnarvon, 1000km north of Perth, and she said in the tapes: 'I never looked back.' After her own problems with drink and her six children being taken by the state, she turned her life around and became a respected member of the community. Penny Walker talked about Terry Kelly (pictured) being a 'beautiful little boy' with 'jet black curly hair' in audio recordings for the oral history archive at Western Australia's State Library Our living rooms alone can expose us to more than 24,000 microplastic particles a day, a study has found. Family homes are filled with thousands of tiny plastic fibres, which are likely to come from clothing, curtains and carpets. Researchers measured microplastic levels in 20 British living rooms, finding an average of 1,414 individual pieces per square metre per day. Family homes are filled with thousands of tiny plastic fibres, which are likely to come from clothing, curtains and carpets A typical living room is around 17 sq m, so that space alone could contain more than 24,000 microplastic particles over 24 hours. The study team, from the University of Hull, say more research is needed on whether people being at home more, or household activities such as vacuuming, release more plastics from soft furnishings and carpets. Yesterday the Daily Mail revealed microplastic particles are so rife that we breathe in up to 7,000 a day in our homes. Samples were taken from the household of a reporter for ITVs Good Morning Britain. The new study, in the Atmospheric Environment journal, looked at 20 homes in Hull and the Humber and found microplastics in every living room and in 98 per cent of samples over six months. Senior author Professor Jeanette Rotchell, from the University of Hull, said: Now so many people are working from home, these levels of microplastics in the living environment may be even more concerning. Dr Fay Couceiro using the new MicroRamen technology to test for microplastic contamination A typical living room is around 17 sq m, so that space alone could contain more than 24,000 microplastic particles over 24 hours Researchers put a glass beaker in the living rooms of the houses for a week every month between July and December 2019. They found almost a quarter of particles floating in the rooms were microplastics. Of these, 90 per cent were made of PET, the flexible plastic used in drinking bottles and cleaning product containers. The rest included plastic films, which could have come from carrier bags and nylon, also used in textiles. Microplastics effect on human health is unknown, but there are concerns about how they act in the body when we breathe them in. A confronting video captured by a marine biologist highlights the struggles seagulls and other animals face to rid themselves of disposable face masks. In her clip uploaded to YouTube, scientist Sheree Marris from Victoria said it was heartbreaking to see the bird in distress on a beach in Rosebud last month. She attempted to throw her jacket over the seagull so she could cut off the mask from its foot - but sadly was unable to get close enough. A confronting video uploaded online by a marine biologist highlights the struggles seagulls face to rid themselves of disposable face masks in their living environments Victoria based scientist Sheree Marris said it was heartbreaking to see the bird in distress on a beach in Rosebud last month 'You can see the straps are already cutting off the circulation to the bird's leg,' Ms Marris said. 'It will eventually drop off, risk infection and make the bird more vulnerable to predators and no doubt cut short its life.' Ms Marris also revealed she is frequently seeing this type of pollution during her daily walks and drives along the coastline. According to Science Daily studies estimate 129 billion face masks are used globally every month. There are also growing fears dumped face masks could become the 'next plastic problem'. In Australia anti-waste campaigners are begging the public to consider more sustainable alternatives to the familiar blue and white surgical masks, warning of an ecological disaster. 'People need to remember that whatever we drop on a footpath or on a roadside is likely to end up in a waterway,' Clean Up Australia chair Pip Kiernan told the ABC. 'They (face masks) are made up of a variety of plastics they can take up to 450 years to break down if they are dropped in the environment.' Ominously, an estimated 1.6 million tonnes of plastic waste has been generated worldwide daily since the start of the pandemic. The seagull was unable to free itself of the discarded face mask in the clip uploaded to YouTube A Colorado police officer who mistakenly shot and killed a man moments after the good Samaritan had bravely gunned down a cop killer will not face any criminal charges in the tragic case. Officer Kraig Brownlow avoided prosecution for killing 40-year-old Johnny Hurley on June 21 after a thorough investigation, Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King said Monday. Hurley was shopping in a store in suburban Arvada, when Ronald Troyke, 59, - dressed all in black and carrying and AR-style rifle - shot and killed police officer Gordon Beesley. Hurley rushed out of the store to grab his gun and killed Troyke. He then picked up the killer's military rifle as Brownlow arrived on the scene and mistook him for an active shooter. 'The officer here had objectively reasonable grounds to believe, and did believe, he and other people were in imminent danger of being killed that day,' said King at a news conference. 'The officer saw a mass shooter, heard many rounds of gunfire in broad daylight in the heart of Olde Town Arvada. Thus, the decision to shoot Johnny Hurley was legally justified despite his heroic actions that day.' Johnny Hurley, 40, was shot dead by Kraig Brownlow after the cop mistook him for a gunman who had just killed a fellow officer Shooter Ronald Troyke, 59, is pictured at the age of 32 after he was arrested for a DWI in Black Hawk, Colorado Brownlow, who was identified in the DA's decision letter, was finishing lunch with two other officers at a police outpost near Olde Town when they heard a series of gunshots. Through a window on a door of the building, the officers saw Troyke, dressed in head-to-toe black and wielding the AR-style rifle Scroll down for video 'The officer here had objectively reasonable grounds to believe, and did believe, he and other people were in imminent danger of being killed that day,' said Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King (second from left) in a news conference on Monday Brownlow has been on paid administrative leave since the incident. It is unclear when or if he will be allowed to return. 'Right now, we dont know,' David Snelling, spokesman with the Arvada Police Department, told the Gazette. 'Thats up to him.' A four-page screed written by Troyke and found at his home after the mass murder attempt stated that his intention was to 'kill as many Arvada officers as [he] possibly [could].' Hurley's tragic death lead to an investigation by outside agencies, which then handed the evidence over to the District Attorney's office. More than 3,200 photos and 1,180 documents were reviewed, King said, to determine that Brownlow should not face charges. Brownlow was finishing lunch with two other officers at a police outpost near Olde Town when they heard a series of gunshots. They looked out window saw the black-clad Troyke. Only three minutes elapsed between the moment the three officers saw Troyke through the window and the moment that Hurley was mistakenly shot dead. Officer Kraig Brownlow (left) mistakenly shot and killed 40-year-old Johnny Hurley on June 21. Officer Gordon Beesley, 51 (right) was killed by gunman Ronald Troyke before Hurley killed Troyke Gunman Ronald Troyke on CCTV moments after he had ambushed and killed Officer Beesley Pictured is a police rendering of Officer Kraig Brownlow's vantage point from the door where he took aim at Johnny Hurley The AR-15 rifle used by cop killer Ronald Troyke lays on the ground. Hurley picked up the weapon after killing Troyke They watched the man turn toward the Olde Town Square, lined with restaurants and shops, but couldn't get a clear shot at the man. One officer, the District Attorney wrote in her decision letter, was wearing soft body armor that he determined wouldn't stop a round from the man's gun. Brownlow ran to another door in the building to follow the gunman from inside, telling a female office worker to hide. From the vantage point of another door, he saw Troyke walking with the rifle before vanishing behind a set of trees before another round of shots could be heard. Then, the officer spotted a man in a red shirt, later identified as Hurley, carrying Troyke's AR-15 and his own handgun, which he had used to stop the shooter in his tracks. Hurley was fiddling with the rifle, and Brownlow thought he was reloading or fixing it while holstering his pistol, the decision letter said. The officer could see shattered glass from patrol cars in the parking lot, and saw the man in the red shirt walking toward businesses and shops. He stuck his foot in the door to hold it open and took his shot. 'At that moment, from the information available to Officer Brownlow, Johnny Hurley was armed with a powerful rifle and handgun in a populated area amidst an active shooting,' read King's letter. 'Johnny Hurley was still, highly visible, with a wall of bricks behind him. If Officer Brownlow engaged before Johnny Hurley had a chance to fix or reload his rifle or turn his attention on the lesser-armed Brownlow, Brownlow would fire towards a safe backdrop that would not jeopardize others.' Police officers investigate the scene the shooting in Arvada on Monday, which left Beesley, Hurley and the gunman dead At the Monday press conference, Kind hailed Hurley as a hero: 'had he survived, we would have praised his bravery in engaging a mass shooter before anyone else was killed,' she said. 'He acted to defend others and we will remember him for his selflessness.' In a statement, Hurleys mother said she imagined many people would be angry about the decision. Instead of acting on their anger she encouraged them to 'use that energy to be the change you wish to see in the world.' 'I pray none of us will have to face a situation such as Johnny did, but as we pull ourselves together to move forward in life, consider using Johnnys commitment to doing the right thing even at the greatest cost to inspire your own actions,' she wrote. Surveillance footage from the incident shows Troyke parking his dark-colored pick-up truck in Arvada on the day of the incident, just minutes before he shot and killed Officer Beesley. The video clearly shows Troyke exit the vehicle at 1.35 pm dressed in a black shirt and shorts, openly brandishing his AR-15. He then runs towards an unsuspecting Officer Beesley before shooting him dead. Shortly afterward, he was shot dead by Hurley, who removed the AR-15 from his body. Eyewitness Bill Troyanos told The Denver Channel he was working in a nearby store at the time, and Hurley was inside the premises doing some shopping. The pair heard he gunfire, before Hurley - who was armed with his own concealed carry - ran out of the shop towards the scene. 'He did not hesitate; he didn't stand there and think about it,' Troyanos told the station. 'I just want to make sure his family knows how heroic he was.' According to Troyanos, Hurley confronted Troyke and fired five or six shots at him, causing the gunman to collapse against a parked car. A manager at another nearby business told the station that prior to the shooting, he heard Hurley urging bystanders to seek shelter. 'He turned back and looked towards everybody at the restaurant and told us that he [the gunman] is coming, that he is coming back and that we should get inside,' the manager said. Hurley, described as 'humble,' 'hardworking' and 'super respectful' by his coworkers, was a Golden resident who worked as a chef at the Rocky Mountain Commissary kitchen facility for several years before its closed in 2020, The Gazette reported. According to his Facebook page, he was a classically trained cook. After the Commissary declared bankruptcy, Hurley took on jobs at a piano-moving company and an arcade, reported Fox 31. Hurley was shot dead after picking up rifle used by cop killer Long-time friend Cody Soules described him in a statement as 'an outspoken activist' who wanted to help people in his community. Hurley's former co-worker Cole Crocker told Fox 31 that he was dedicated, passionate and caring. 'Johnny was the kind of guy that would think of everyone but himself first, always,' he said. Officer Beesley was a school resource officer with a reputation for taking a compassionate approach with students. Police in Arvada, Colorado, were called to reports of gunfire at around 1:30pm on June 21 Beesley was a 19-year veteran of the Arvada Police Department, working as a patrol officer and as a motorcycle traffic officer before working as a school resource officer. He is survived by wife Karen and their two children. In the four-page letter written by Troyke before the shooting, the gunman set out on June 21 with the intention to kill police officers. 'My goal today is to kill Arvada PD officers,' reads the letter uncovered in Troyke's home . 'Hundreds of you pigs should be killed daily,' he added. 'I just hope I don't die without killing any of you pigs.' The letter continues: 'Today I will kill as many Arvada officers as I possibly can'. It also featured the sentence: 'This is what you get, you are the people who are expendable'. It's unclear what sparked Troyke's hatred of local law enforcement. According to court records cited by The Denver Post, Troyke was convicted of third-degree assault in 1992 and DWI in 1994. There is no indication that Troyke had had any major run-ins with the law over the past 17 years. Queensland will scrap all Covid restrictions for fully vaccinated people in venues once it reaches 80 percent of residents with two doses of vaccine on December 17. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced social distancing requirements would end in pubs, clubs, stadium, theatres, restaurants, music festivals and other venues once the milestone was reached. It followed her announcement early on Tuesday that masks would no longer be needed in venues such as schools, cafes, pubs, hairdressers and workplaces when 80 per cent of eligible Queensland residents had received one dose of the vaccine. Ms Palaszczuk said Queensland was at 79.63 per cent of people with a first dose but expected it to reach the 80 per cent milestone some time on Tuesday. 'We have decided to take this step to keep Queenslanders safe, Millions of Queenslanders have gone and got vaccinated and they deserved to be rewarded for their efforts,' Ms Palaszczuk said. 'Families want to know they are safe when they're out in public settings and that's why we've announced these measures today.' Use of Queensland's check-in app to prove vaccination status would be required to enter venues. A person's vaccination status can be registered on the app by November 17, the premier said. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will end Covid restrictions in venues once the state hits 80 per cent of fully vaccinated people on December 17. She also announced Queensland would scrap indoor mask rules this week when the state hits the 80 per cent single-dose vaccination mark this week New Covid rules for Queenslanders from December 17 Fully vaccinated people, once Queenslanders reaches 80 per cent of eligible (16 and over) residents with two doses of a Covid vaccine, can enter the following without social distancing requirements: - Pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes - Nightclubs, live music venues and cinemas - Sporting stadiums and theme parks - Indoor and outdoor festivals - Government-owned galleries, museums and libraries - Aged care, hospitals, prisons and disability services. Unvaccinated people will only be excepted in end-of-life or emergency situations. Advertisement 'People want to continue to know they are safe and the best way we can protect you and your family is, when you're coming up especially for the Christmas holidays, you will be going in and out of venues where you will have to show your vaccination on your check-in app and you will have to be fully vaccinated, and so will the staff,' Ms Palaszczuk said. The new rules will be more relaxed than NSW and Victoria, where residents must still wear a face covering in public indoor settings - with the latter yet to set a date for removing the rule. In NSW, masks are compulsory in all public indoor settings until December 15 or the state hits the 95 per cent double-dose milestone - whichever comes first. The announcement comes after the Sunshine State recorded no new Covid cases on Tuesday amid concerns about potential exposure in recent days at opposite ends of the state. One overseas case was detected in hotel quarantine. Deputy Chief Health Officer Peter Aitken said it was relieving no new infections had emerged in the far north or in Goondiwindi, after a case who triggered a lockdown in the Northern Territory was also infectious in Cairns and Mission Beach two weeks ago. However, concerns remain about potential exposure at Toowoomba Hospital linked to an outbreak in Goondiwindi in southern Queensland. Darling Downs Health restricted visitors on Sunday afternoon and Ms D'Ath said limits will remain in place indefinitely. Queensland Health has also listed two new low risk exposure sites at Brisbane Airport domestic terminal, both on Friday. As the state approaches the milestone of 80 per cent of eligible Queenslanders having a first vaccine dose, businesses and the opposition have been calling for clarity on rules in premises and venues. The government's roadmap is for quarantine to be scrapped for fully-vaccinated domestic travellers who test negative once the state reaches 80 per cent. Queensland recorded no new Covid cases on Monday amid concerns about potential exposure at opposite ends of the state. Pedestrians are pictured wearing masks in the Brisbane CBD on September 28 Businesses want to know how restrictions such as face masks, density limits and social distancing rules will change. Health minister Yvette DAth said today's announcement was 'good for business, allowing them to operate at full capacity again once 80 per cent or more of eligible Queenslanders were fully vaccinated. 'We are days away from being able to remove masks across the 11 LGAs in Queensland and only needing to wear them at airports and in planes in Queensland,' Ms D'Ath said. 'We have listened to business, we have responded. The key issue here is that the virus is coming, At 70 per cent double dose we will have people on planes arriving who could be carrying the virus from NSW, Victoria and the ACT. That's only a couple of weeks away.' Pedestrians are pictured out and about enjoying a drink in Sydney for their first Friday night of freedom on October 15. Residents in NSW must still wear a face covering in public indoor settings until December 15 or the state hits the 95 per cent double-dose milestone - whichever comes first Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said it would not be the role of venues to be the police in terms of enforcing compliance with the vaccination rules. 'We will do that for you,' she said. 'We have seen bad behaviour in other states, that will not be tolerated here. If people do not comply, there will be enforcement action.' Deputy Police Commissioner Steve Gollschewski said the process for interstate visitors applying for border passes into Queensland would be streamlined. 'We will focus on making sure we keep it moving. What you see today and what you'll see at 90 per cent [vaccination] will evolve considerably,' he said. 'We're automating our online border pass system so people can upfront get their passes. As we go forward and get beyond 80 per cent, they won't even necessarily be intercepted.' Ms D'Ath said that Doherty Institute modelling and the experiences of other states on the need for lockdowns and quarantine, including for international travellers, will be considered by the government. Queensland is waiting until 90 per cent of residents are fully vaccinated before quarantine is scrapped for international arrivals, while NSW and Victoria have already done so. Lockdowns are also less likely in regions where vaccination rates have passed 80 per cent. 'When we have really high vaccination rates like Goondiwindi we know that we don't necessarily have to go into a lockdown,' Ms D'Ath said. Overall, 67.4 per cent of eligible Queenslanders are fully vaccinated, and 79.6 per cent have had one dose on Monday. White British people who have cancerous brain tumours are more likely to die within one year than patients from at least four other ethnic groups, a new study has found. Researchers from King's College London who looked at whether ethnicity could impact the chance of survival from a malignant brain tumour, have found that white British people are more likely to die within one year of being diagnosed. The study, which is the first of its kind, found that people who categorised themselves as 'other ethnic' were 30 percent less likely to die within one year. The results also showed that patients from three other ethnic categories had a decreased risk of death when compared to white British patients. For example, the researchers found that those from an Indian background were 16 per cent less likely to die from a cancerous brain tumour. White British people who have cancerous brain tumours are more likely to die within one year than patients from at least four other ethnic groups, a new study has found (stock image) Ms Hiba Wanis, a PhD student and research assistant within the Centre for Cancer, Society & Public Health at King's, found that brain tumours were diagnosed more often in white British people. But even so, a higher percentage of white patients died within one year, when compared to people from other ethnic groups. Ms Wanis looked at data from 24,319 adult patients living in England, who had been diagnosed with a malignant primary brain tumour between 2012 and 2017. She then calculated the risk of death for each ethnic category including, white British, any other white (including white Irish), other ethnic, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese, black African, and black Caribbean patients, up to one year following their diagnoses. Ms Wanis found that within the five year period, a total of 13,339 (64 percent) white British people had died from brain tumours. The study made the comparison between 19 people of Bangladeshi origin (63 percent) who died from brain tumours, 166 (52 percent) of Indian origin, 533 (52 percent) of other white origins, 95 (51 percent) of Pakistani origin, and 280 (41.5 percent) of other ethnic groups. Ms Wanis, who was particularly interested in this area of research because it hadn't been explored in detail before, said: 'Brain tumours are under-researched compared to other cancers, and until now, no study has investigated the impact of a person's ethnicity on brain tumour survival using the information on patients in the whole of England. 'The improved and detailed cancer data captured by the National Disease Registration Service now within NHS Digital provided a good opportunity to explore the impact of varied ethnic groups on brain tumour survival for the whole of England.' While the results of the study show an undeniable link between ethnicity and survival rates, there are other factors to consider that may play a role in such notable death rates. Ms Wanis explained: 'It is probably too early to speculate on what may lie behind these differences, but a number of factors may be involved. 'These include how early people ask their doctors about symptoms, how early in the disease a diagnosis is made, better reporting, lifestyle and cultural factors, deprivation, tumour characteristics and behaviour, and treatment options.' Ms Wanis is now in discussion with her colleagues about how they can investigate these factors in more detail, including how they can incorporate data from patient representatives to explore areas like the accuracy of death registration for patients in ethnic minority groups compared to others. The study, which is the first of its kind, found that people who categorised themselves as 'other ethnic' were 30 percent less likely to die within one year (stock image) She added: 'These findings inform investigations of whether death is equally well-reported between the different groups, or whether better prognostic factors are operating to improve survival.' Ms Wanis and her collaborators hope that these findings will help doctors to provide relevant and accurate information on a patient's prognosis while helping them to understand why they could be at a higher or lower risk of survival than other groups of people. Michael Jenkinson, a professor of Neurosurgery and Surgical Trials at the University of Liverpool, UK, commented on the study's findings. He said: 'This new study is not only the first to investigate the impact of ethnicity on brain tumour survival but also the first to consider the different types of brain tumours across patients in England. 'As the quantity and quality of data have significantly improved in recent years, the researchers have been able to carry out a detailed analysis, and the results help to fill in the gaps in what is currently an under-researched area of cancer.' Professor Jenkinson, who is also the chairman of the NCRI Brain Group added: 'However, further research is needed to consider other factors that may play a role in these differences such as a patient's lifestyle and how early they received their diagnosis. 'Once explored further, the findings could be vital for doctors to provide appropriate information to patients on their prognosis.' The study's findings were presented at the NCRI Festival. Some of the first Australian tourists to arrive on US soil in two years have touched down in California after the country reopened to vaccinated travellers. The US started welcoming international visitors on Monday, allowing families and friends to reunite for the first time since Covid-19 broke out in early 2020. Tourists arrived in the US just days after Australia lifted a ban on November 1 that prevented its citizens from leaving the country without an exemption. Holiday-starved Aussies quickly seized the chance to take a trip across the Pacific, arriving at San Francisco International Airport just hours after the international border reopened. Australian Claire Power (pictured) said she was very excited to be on her first international holiday in more than two years after touching down in the US on Monday 'This is my first time going overseas in over two years. It's very exciting,' a Australian tourist Claire Power told reporters in the arrival terminal. 'It was so great to get on the plane and travel.' Matt Pontoles said he was stoked by the regained travel freedoms and was excited to reunite with American friends. '[It's great] to have the opportunity to see people I haven't seen for a long time,' he said. Nick Lincoln said he was delighted to finally be on a business trip abroad after leaving his suitcase sitting idle for the past 18 months. 'It's great to be here,' he said. 'I travel a lot for work, [but] this is the first time in a year and a half, so it is very exciting.' The US shut its international border to 'non-essential' travellers on March 18, 2020, closing the nation to millions of people for nearly two years. The US has reopened its international borders to fully-vaccinated travellers after they slammed shut in March 2020. Pictured: San Francisco airport Matt Pontoles (pictured) said there was a 'lot of excitement' to have the freedom to travel American citizens and permanent residents were always allowed to enter the US, but the travel bans grounded tourists, thwarted business travellers, and often kept families far apart. Countries including France, Spain, Britain, Cambodia, and Canada, have started to reopen as they seek to boost their pandemic-crippled tourism industries. However, many are only accepting vaccinated travellers from specific countries, and some require proof of a negative Covid test before entering. Australians can now leave the country without an exemption, but travel rules differ between the states. As of last week, vaccinated Australians and their immediate family are permitted to travel overseas from any state - but only NSW and Victoria will let them come back without any quarantine. Australia has also started allowing vaccinated citizens who were overseas to return home without having to quarantine, but international tourists from other countries are still barred. A third Aussie, Nick Lincoln, said it was 'fantastic' that fully-vaccinated Australians could now leave the country for holidays Scott Morrison last month announced vaccinated tourists will be allowed into the country for quarantine-free travel by the end of the year, but is yet to set a date. The national re-opening plan agreed by all states and territories in August states that once 80 per cent of over 15s are vaccinated there would be a 'gradual opening of inward and outward travel with safe countries'. Australia reached the 80 per cent target on Saturday, but the plan is in jeopardy after some state leaders strayed from the agreement, pledging to maintain restrictions until vaccination rates are higher. Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan plans to keep the state's borders shut to the rest of the country - and the world - until 90 per cent of the state is vaccinated, a milestone that is not expected to be reached until February next year. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palasczcuk has similarly vowed to maintain border restriction until the same jab rate is achieved early in 2022, despite modelling showing it is safe to reopen at 80 per cent. A doctor contacted police after noticing an 'anti-vax' nurse always closed her door while giving out Covid-19 vaccinations and had a huge influx in patients, a court has heard. Western Australia Police allege Christina Hartmann Benz, 51, faked giving a Covid jab to a 15-year-old boy by sticking the needle in the teen's arm - but failing to inject the life-saving inoculation. Ms Benz clashed with reporters outside a court in Perth on Tuesday, fending off a camera with her palm before shoving past journalists, after being granted bail with strict conditions. She was accompanied by her chiropractor husband Gordon, who is not suggested to have done anything wrong. Christina Hartmann Benz and her husband Gordon were pictured clashing with reporters outside Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning Ms Hartmann Benz, 51 (pictured), is accused of sticking the needle in the teen's arm but not injecting the life-saving vaccine Ms Hartmann Benz was working as a registered nurse at the time of her alleged crimes while her husband is a doctor of chiropractic On Monday, the Perth Magistrates Court heard on Monday that up to 25 people allegedly requested Ms Hartmann Benz personally administer their dose behind closed doors after she started working at the clinic on November 2. A doctor who thought something was wrong insisted on being in the room to oversee the registered nurse administering a jab. The court was told she tried to obscure the doctor's view and threw the needle in the medical bin with the vaccine dose still inside, WA Today reported. The doctor also accused her of falsifying medical documents surrounding the injections and fired her on the spot before calling police, the court heard. About 20 minutes later, after being contacted by Ms Benz, the teen's father came back complaining his son was suffering side effects from the jab, the prosecutor said. Ms Hartmann Benz spent the night in custody after police stormed her home at Byford home on Sunday and placed her in cuffs. She was granted bail yesterday. The 'anti-vaxxer' nurse (pictured) allegedly faked giving a 15-year-old a Covid jab and has been charged with a fraud offence Mr Benz refused to answer questions from reporters outside their Byford home Ms Hartmann Benz (pictured) was allegedly caught out when a doctor at the Victoria Park respiratory clinic in Perth became suspicious and asked to sit in on jab The doctor also accused her of falsifying medical documents surrounding the injections and fired her on the spot before calling police Australian Medical Association President Dr Omar Khorshid praised the 'vigilant' doctor in a TV interview. 'There were suspicions within the practice that something wasn't quite right,' Mr Khorshid told the Nine Network. 'You wouldn't expect large numbers to be coming and saying "I want that nurse." That's very unusual.' Dr Khorshid said other people working at the clinic started to be concerned when there was a long queue of patients specifically requesting she perform their jabs. He paid tribute to the 'vigilant' doctor who 'did the right thing' by requesting to sit in on the vaccines she was performing, which ultimately led to her arrest. Ms Hartmann Benz has been linked to the anti-vaxxer platform Australian Vaccination Network, which spouts misinformation about safe and effective inoculations online. She is due back in court next month. Ms Hartmann Benz (pictured) was charged with gaining benefit by fraud and prosecutors strongly opposed bail fearing she would contact witnesses in an attempt to influence the case, the court heard Counter-terror police will be urged to probe fears of a campaign against Tory MPs after the Owen Paterson affair. Vandals daubed Corrupt scum on the windows of Clwyd West MP David Joness base in Colwyn Bay at the weekend. Days earlier the words Tory sleaze were sprayed outside the office of Wellingborough MP Peter Bone. Counter-terror police will be urged to probe fears of a campaign against Tory MPs after the Owen Paterson affair The attacks follow fury at Labour deputy leader Angela Rayners Tory scum outburst last month. Mr Jones was among 248 Tories who last week voted in favour of putting aside Mr Patersons suspension for lobbying on behalf of firms which paid him 500,000. The MP declined to comment. But sources told the Mail police would be urged to examine if the attacks are linked. Following last weeks storm over the the PMs short-lived bid to prevent Mr Paterson being suspended from Parliament for lobbying on behalf of two firms which paid him more than 500,000, Labour leader Keir Starmer accused the Government of corruption. Vandals daubed Corrupt scum on the windows of Clwyd West MP David Joness base in Colwyn Bay at the weekend Meanwhile former Tory prime minister Sir John Major branded Mr Johnsons Government politically corrupt at the weekend. Last week Mr Bone linked the attack on his Northamptonshire office to his vote for shaking up the standards watchdog, telling the BBC: Trying to intimidate me and particularly intimidate my staff is wrong. Saying he had previously been attacked before and subjected to death threats, Mr Bone later told fellow MPs that some of us should remember what happened to Sir David Amess and perhaps our language needs to be a little temperate. MP Mr Jones voted to put aside Owen Paterson's suspension and review standard system Days earlier the words Tory sleaze were sprayed outside the office of Wellingborough MP Peter Bone Last year Conservative MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale David Morris condemned the actions of a minority of unhealthily politically-driven people after the words Tory scum were spray-painted on the wall of his constituency office. He said the words appeared after he was abused online for voting against a motion to offer free school meals during holidays. Meanwhile Rev Mark Coleman, 62, is due in court charged with criminal damage after admitting spraying messages demanding action on the climate on the windows of a Conservative Heywood and Middleton MP Chris Clarksons office last March. North Wales Police said it had received a report of criminal damage on Sunday afternoon and that inquiries were ongoing. It said the incident would be recorded by the Welsh Extremism and Counter-Terrorism Unit as part of its protocol on Operation Bridger, the nationwide police protection programme for MPs set up following Jo Coxs murder. The Home Office said MPs security in their constituencies was a matter for their local police force. Britain could be flooded with books using US spellings and words if ministers push ahead with changes to copyright rules, say publishers. Book rights are currently sold in a way that allows them to sell titles at different prices in different territories. This supports the British book industry and authors. But the Government is looking at an international exhaustion regime which could open the way for internet retailers to flood the market with cheap imported editions. Stephen Lotinga, chief executive of the Publishers Association, said: We will see an influx of cookies, sweaters and sidewalks instead of biscuits, jumpers and pavements as well as the missing us and zs instead of ss that drive Brits bonkers The Publishers Association fears this would lead to the Americanisation of books in Britain. We will see an influx of cookies, sweaters and sidewalks instead of biscuits, jumpers and pavements as well as the missing us and zs instead of ss that drive Brits bonkers, said Stephen Lotinga, chief executive of the Publishers Association. A survey by the association showed that 63 per cent of Britons agreed it would annoy them if US spellings were used in a book set in Britain. The author of Any Human Heart, William Boyd (pictured), said it was 'utterly disgraceful' that the Government might 'seek to undermine' the 'conventions that guard copyright' Only 25 per cent agreed that it was more important to get a cheap book rather than pay a bit more to support the UK book industry. It also found 69 per cent agreed it was important for the Government to support the industry and authors. Hilary Mantel and William Boyd are among authors who have warned that the book industry and the livelihoods of writers are at risk if the rules are changed. Dame Hilary Mantel (pictured) pointed to the importance of copyright when 'most writers live and earn precariously' The Government is expected to announce the outcome of its consultation on the matter in the next few weeks. Book rights are currently sold in a way that allows publishers to sell titles at different prices in different territories. The Publishers Association survey carried out by Savanta ComRes also found that 61 per cent of Brits felt proud when a British book does well around the world. It also found that 69 per cent agreed it was important for the UK Government to support the book industry and authors. Police shot a man dead after he approached them with a knife and axe while they were executing a warrant at a home in Sydney's north-west. In a statement, NSW Police said officers attended a home in Bulah Way, Seven Hills about 11.20am on Tuesday when a 'physical confrontation' broke out. Armed with a knife and axe, police claim the man 'approached them' as they made inquiries about the outstanding warrant. He was subsequently shot. The same officers performed CPR until paramedics arrived, but the man could not be revived. Witnesses and neighbours milled outside the housing commission home on Tuesday afternoon, trying to come to terms with the incident. A crime scene has been established at the scene on Bulah Way, Seven Hills in Sydney's west Dale McPherson, who lives on the street, said the victim did not live at the home and was visiting an aunt at the property. Nearby streets have been closed all afternoon and a crime scene established. Dozens of police and other emergency service personnel remain at the scene. Police were seen speaking with a woman in a distressed state near the home. Witnesses said a CareFlight helicopter landed in a park behind homes in the street where the shooting occurred. It's not yet clear if the man's body has been removed from the home. NSW Police said officers attended a home in Bulah Way, Seven Hills about 11.20am on Tuesday when a 'physical confrontation' broke out before the man was then shot by officers Dozens of police and other emergency service personnel are in attendance at the scene A critical incident team from the NSW homicide squad will investigate the circumstances surrounding the man's death. The investigation will also be subject to an independent review. The Seven Hills street had been the scene of a number of incidents in recent years, including a stabbing in December 2019 where a 37-year-old man was charged. In October 2018 a man who escaped from Goulburn Jail was also discovered in a house on Bulah Way, while in November last year a man was charged after a home invasion on the street. Police officers performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived, however he could not be revived Advertisement More than 11,000 patients died after catching Covid in NHS hospitals while being treated for other illnesses, a damning investigation has found. Freedom of Information data collected from NHS trusts across England revealed that 11,688 patients who died in hospital probably caught the virus while on a ward. This accounted for one in eight of all Covid deaths in hospital. Former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, the Tory chairman of the health select committee, said the numbers 'are truly shocking'. He told The Daily Telegraph: 'Hospital infections have been the deadliest silent killer of the pandemic it surely strengthens the case for mandatory vaccination for frontline healthcare staff.' The Government is expected to confirm that Covid vaccines will be compulsory for frontline NHS staff in England by next spring, mirroring the controversial 'no jab, no job' policy imposed on care homes. Unions today said it was wrong to 'leap to the law' by making vaccines compulsory instead of trying to persuade staff to get inoculated, warning the move could 'backfire'. More than 100,000 doctors, nurses and administrative staff in the health service are yet to get their first vaccine despite being eligible since December. It means roughly eight per cent of the workforce face losing their jobs by April, piling even more pressure on a system that has around 100,000 vacancies before Covid struck. This chart shows the number of Covid cases that were found in hospitals (not from wider community) within NHS trusts in England between April and the start of November this year. The green line shows the proportion of the total number of Covid cases that were caught in the community. An investigation has found that more than 11,000 people died in NHS hospitals after catching the virus while they were in hospital, likely catching the virus from other patients or hospital staff Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative chairman of the health select committee, told The Daily Telegraph: 'These numbers are truly shocking' Figures from University Hospitals Birmingham, obtained by the Telegraph, show it recorded as many as 484 deaths of patients who were thought to have caught the virus on wards during the pandemic. But the hospital trust said it was one of the 'largest' in the country and had 'treated over 18,000 Covid patients significantly more than any other hospital trust'. Meanwhile, at four acute NHS trusts, more than a quarter of patients who died with the virus had likely got infected while in hospital. And 34 trusts said that one in five patients who had died after a positive Covid test had become infected in their care. Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust saw 213 patients die after catching Covid on its wards, accounting for a third of all its Covid deaths. Care staff forced out over two-jab rule Britain's social care crisis deepened yesterday as it emerged that just 3,000 people replied to a major recruitment drive to tackle staff shortages. Hundreds of care homes say they may have to close and evict residents amid a potential shortage of 170,000 staff. The problem is being made much worse by the new rule insisting that everyone working in the sector must be double-jabbed by Thursday. Around 60,000 unvaccinated social care staff in England are losing their jobs this week. Among them is Louise Akester, 36, seen weeping in an online video after she was fired from Alderson House, an NHS care home in Hull. Concerned about potential long-term side effects from the vaccine, she said: 'This choice should be my basic human right. I genuinely love my job with all my heart.' Even before the rule came in, homes were struggling to recruit enough staff and the sector is teetering on the verge of collapse as staff leave for better-paid jobs in supermarkets, retail or hospitality. It is feared that as many as 500 care homes may have to close in the coming weeks, leaving thousands of vulnerable people in urgent need of new places. Advertisement The Countess of Chester said Covid patients made up 'more than 70 per cent of [its] general and acute beds at one point' meaning it was 'one of the most seriously affected trusts in the North of England'. Victims may have been in hospital for a range of reasons, including an operation, treatment for an underlying condition or an accident. The spread of the virus on wards has been a problem for the NHS throughout the crisis, with hospitals that have more infected patients finding it harder to manage. Although staff must wear protective equipment at all times and Covid and non-Covid patients are segregated, the virus still spreads from people who have no symptoms or who get false negative test results. While the vaccines significantly reduce the chance of a person spreading the virus, the Delta variant has made the jabs weaker at stopping transmission. Barbara Keeley, the Labour MP and a member of the health select committee, told The Daily Telegraph: 'We have to learn the lessons so that scandals like this don't happen again.' A NHS spokesperson said: 'Covid hospital infection rates account for less than one per cent of all cases since the pandemic began and cases have reduced significantly since the NHS vaccination rollout.' Hospital acquired Covid, also called nosocomial Covid, is likely to have been spread by infected patients, staff, or visitors mixing with uninfected patients. Affected patients would have been in hospital for all manner of reasons, from emergency care for a heart attack or stroke, to planned surgeries such as a hip replacement. Faulty or incorrectly worn personal-protective-equipment, failing to follow infection-control measures and other human errors are likely to have been some of the causes of hospital-acquired infections. Today's data will likely bolster calls for NHS staff to be fully vaccinated against Covid to help stop the spread of the virus in hospital. But it has emerged today that unvaccinated NHS staff will be given an amnesty until spring next year to get their Covid jabs under Government plans to make them mandatory for health workers. The extension comes despite calls for NHS staff to be fully vaccinated before the onset of Winter, with experts predicating rough months ahead for the health service which will be dealing with both flu and other normal seasonal disease as well as Covid for the first time, as well as backlog of operations disrupted by the pandemic. After a few weeks of talking tough on mandatory jabs Health Secretary Sajid Javid backed down over the prospect of bringing in a 'no jab no job, policy for the NHS, similar to the one the Government has already introduced for care homes. The U-turn came among fears that with chronic staff shortages, the NHS could ill-afford to lose even the minority of health staff who are refusing to take the Covid vaccine, similar to the staffing problems that are now currently blighting the care sector after the introduction of mandatory vaccines. Some 110,000 doctors, nurses and administrative staff in the health service are yet to get their jabs equivalent to eight per cent of the workforce , and there are more than 100,000 vacancies. Some 100,000 NHS workers are yet to get at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, figures show. The above graph shows the percentage that have got their first dose (blue line) and the percentage that have got both doses (orange line) The above map shows the 20 hospital trusts with the lowest proportion of staff fully jabbed in England. The data is up to September 30, the latest available In the care sector, care home workers must be fully vaccinated against Covid by Thursday or face redundancy, after ministers controversially announced they would make jabs compulsory for the sector in June. Industry leaders last night issued a desperate plea for ministers to delay or even cancel the plans, saying they would leave homes struggling to get through the winter. Up to 60,000 workers are set to be made redundant this week roughly a tenth of the workforce forcing hundreds of homes to close or limit their bed numbers. NHS staff can be exempt from the double-vaccine requirement if they have a medical reason, such as an allergy to an ingredient in the vaccine or previously experienced a serious side-effect. No similar proposals have been announced for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which set their own policy on whether Covid vaccination is required. A Tory MP could become bankrupt for unpaid taxes, leaving open the possibility of another by-election if he is forced to resign. Court documents show that HMRC has filed for bankruptcy against Adam Afriyie in a dispute over his past business interests. The 56-year-old, who has represented Windsor since 2005, could step down from his seat because any MP declared bankrupt must stand aside under parliamentary rules. Adam Afriyie, 56, will need to step down from his seat as MP of Windsor if he's declared bankrupt Mr Afriyie, who grew up on a council estate in south London, became an entrepreneur. But his IT firm went into insolvency in 2017 apparently due to a 1.7million tax debt. The Tories are already facing three by-elections, including one for the Shropshire North seat of Owen Paterson who was forced to resign in a lobbying scandal. The petition arises for complex reasons related to Adams past business interests, his spokesman told The Guardian. Court documents show that HMRC has filed for bankruptcy against Adam Afriyie in a dispute over his past business interests Negotiations have been ongoing for several years and the petition is subject to legal challenge as his advisers are working towards reaching an agreement. Mr Afriyie said: I will of course pay any tax that is due. Mr Afriyie set up the multi-million-pound IT firm Connect Support Services in 1993. But the firm went into insolvency in 2017 - due to mounting up in debt with HMRC and becoming the main cause of Mr Afriyies bankruptcy case. This comes as Mr Paterson, 65, resigned his North Shropshire seat following a backlash over the Tories plan to override the standards committees initial findings in Mr Patersons lobbying scandal. The White House wouldn't rule out a vaccine mandate for domestic air travel as the U.S. reopened airports to fully vaccinated international travelers Monday - after nearly two years of restrictions. 'We say this all the time everything is on the table,' White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a briefing Monday after she was asked about potential vaccine requirements for domestic travel. 'We just don't have an announcement to preview right now on this,' she continued. 'So I don't have anything more to share on the domestic travel.' The comment is concerning for people who oppose the administration imposing vaccine mandates on private industry. It's especially a sore spot after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration last week imposed widespread vaccine mandates on private companies and businesses with 100 or more employees. White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wouldn't rule out on Monday implementing a vaccine mandate for domestic travelers The comments come as the U.S. reopened border and international flight to fully vaccinated travelers on Monday. A man carrying a British passport arrives to applause at JFK on Monday morning on one of the first tourist flights from the United Kingdom The rule already faces backlash, and several lawsuits and legal challenges from Republican states. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals over the weekend temporarily suspended the vaccine mandate. On Monday, international travelers got a win after the U.S. reopened travel to those fully vaccinated. Many who have been separated for months were reunited on Monday at airports across America as COVID travel restrictions for international travelers finally lifted after 20 months. The first flights were British Airways Flight 001 carrying 331 passengers and Virgin Atlantic Flight VS3 carrying another 350 arrived at JFK in New York City shortly after 11am at Terminals 4 and 7 from London's Heathrow. An Air France flight from Paris arrived at JFK around 10:30 a.m. and others from Mumbai and Delhi flew into Newark, New Jersey, reuniting couples who have not seen each other for nearly two years. As they landed, hundreds more were checking in at KLM and Lufthansa desks at airports in Munich and Amsterdam. Others flew in from Germany and India, meeting grandchildren for the first time and reuniting with their expat kids. Dutch entrepreneur Mark Ogertsehnig lifts up his fiancee Natalia Abrahao at Newark Airport on Monday morning after flying in from Amsterdam on the first tourist flight. The couple got engaged last March but have not been able to be together full-time Paul Campbell (L) who has not seen his fiancee Patricia Bittag (R) of Hamburg, Germany for over 23 months, embrace outside the Customs and Border Protection gate at Boston's Logan International Airport on Monday Lai Wi, 31, and his wife, Hui Ling, have been married for the last three years. However, they've gone two years without seeing one another due to travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Huiling travelled from Shanghai and Wi drove from Charlottesville, Virginia, to collect her. As he waited for her at Terminal 1 at JFK, he told DailyMail.com: 'I'm holding my tears back while waiting for my wife. I drove all the way from Charlottesville to pick her up Until now, the only people who have been able to enter the US from those countries are American citizens, green-card holders or those who obtained national interest exemptions. Starting Monday, international travelers can visit the US again so long as they prove they are fully vaccinated and have a negative COVID-19 test. The only exemptions to the vaccination requirement are for kids under 18, who also need a negative COVID test if they are aged over two, diplomats, US military personnel, people with medical exemptions and a small number from countries where the vaccine rate is less than 10 percent. Religious exemptions are not permitted. The vast majority of those arriving today are expected to be British or European travelers, visiting family in the US for the first time. British Airways had 26 flights to the U.S. on Monday, including six to JFK from Heathrow, bringing 8,600 passengers who were previously banned. Virgin has 10 flights to the US from the UK today, carrying 4,500 people, and Delta is operating three from the UK to land at Detroit, Atlanta and JFK. The travel ban lifting does not just reunite families and friends again - it will start to fill a $300billion hole that was left in the economy when international travel came to a grinding halt. 'After nearly two years of restrictions, Monday begins in earnest the return of international travel, when long-separated families and friends can safely reunite, travelers can explore this amazing country, and the U.S. is able to reconnect with the global community. Five-year-old Bowie Erebara waits for his aunt and uncle to arrive at JFK on Monday from Heathrow. They have been separated for nearly two years by the travel ban that was finally lifted Jill Chambers (R) of Manchester, England is reunited with her sister Louise as passengers arrive from the first British Airways flight to arrive since the U.S. lifted pandemic travel restrictions on November 08, 2021 in New York City Jill and Stephen Brownbill react as they meet their newly born grandson Rocco while arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport 'It is a monumental day for travelers, for the communities and businesses that rely on international visitation, and for the U.S. economy overall,' said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. The countries that were banned account for just 17 percent of the world but a huge 53 percent of US tourism in 2019. It will take until 2024 for travel income to return to what it was. Over 1million jobs were lost as a result of the travel ban, including those at airports and among airlines. In 2019, 371,912 international travelers were processed by Customs and Border Patrol agents on an average day. That number fell to 169,842 in 2020. It's unclear how many CBP agents and TSA agents will now be brought back to work as a result of the ban being lifted. A spokesman told DailyMail.com that there are 25,000 spread across the whole country's ports and airports. They wouldn't say how many were at each port or airport, or how the numbers had changed over the last two years. Passengers arrive at JFK from Heathrow on board Virgin Flight VS3. It is the first tourist flight from the UK to arrive in 20 months A family from Wales arrives at JFK on Monday morning after taking Virgin Atlantic Flight VS3 from Heathrow on Monday morning British Airways put balloons in the terminal and New York City street signs to welcome tourists back after 20 long months THE NEW TRAVEL RULES - WHO CAN COME TO AMERICA AND WHAT MUST THEY PROVE Travelers from any country are permitted entry to the US if they are; 1) Fully vaccinated 2) Have a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of arriving in the US Which vaccines are recognized? Johnson & Johnson Pfizer Moderna AstraZeneca Covaxin Covishield BIBP/Sinopharm Sinovac Who is exempt from having to be vaccinated? Children Under-18 children o not need to be vaccinated but those over the age of two must have a negative test taken within 3 days of arrival Kids under the age of two do not need to be vaccinated or have a negative test Exempted countries A limited number of travelers from countries where vaccination is less than 10 percent can enter but they have to get vaccinated if they're still in America within 60 days The countries include; Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Armenia, Myanmar, Iraq, Nicaragua, Senegal, Uganda, Libya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen, Haiti, Chad and Madagascar Medical exemptions Diplomats People in COVID-19 vaccine trials Those with National Interest Exemptions * Religious exemptions are NOT accepted * Advertisement The land border from Mexico, which remained closed while air travel was allowed, is now reopen, and there are snaking lines of trucks and cars at it already. Canadian travelers can now drive across the border too for the first time but they must return home with a negative COVID-19 test. Travel across land borders from Canada and Mexico has been largely restricted to workers whose jobs are deemed essential after Donald Trump imposed the ban in March 2020 as Covid-19 spread around the world. At the San Ysidro crossing port at Tijuana, Mexico, street vendors were taking food to drivers stuck in the line-ups overnight as thousands of Mexicans, many of them separated from their families for months, are set to pour across the frontier today. The astonishing backup of cars and trucks comes amid the worst migrant crisis at the southern border since 1986 with more than 1.7 million illegal entrants into the US between October last year and September 2021. Illegal crossings began skyrocketing in the months after President Joe Biden was inaugurated, with his administration accused of encouraging a humanitarian catastrophe after breaking from Trump's tough border policy. At Niagara Falls, there was a trail of cars and RVs stretching across the Rainbow Bridge as Canadians head over from Ontario to New York state for some long-awaited American tourism. The long lines to get into the US from Mexico come amid a continuing crisis at the border, as the number of migrants arrested at the southern border in the 2021 fiscal year is the highest since 1986, new Customs and Border Protection data shows. The data, which is still unpublished but was obtained by The Washington Post, shows that border authorities detained more than 1.7 million migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border between October 2020 through September 2021. The data is expected to be released publicly late this week. Illegal crossings began skyrocketing in the months after President Joe Biden was inaugurated and while the administration initially tried to blame Trump's policies for the increase, migrants have repeatedly said they made the trek to the U.S. with the belief the new administration would allow them to stay. 'They weren't wrong,' North Carolina Representative Dan Bishop tweeted of migrants' assumptions about being able to stay in the U.S. illegally under Biden's leadership. Another pull, migrants said, was the labor shortages in the U.S. exhibiting to them a need for workers. In another dismissal of the growing crisis, Biden described the rise in spring 2021 as consistent with seasonal norms. That, however, did not remain true as the highest-levels of illegal crossings came during the hottest months of the year, July and August. More than 200,000 migrants were taken into CBP custody each month. Biden's team has continued to dismiss the crisis at the southern border, refusing to call it just that a crisis even as humanitarian issues emerged with overflowing holding and processing centers that reportedly served undercooked or spoiled food to unaccompanied minor migrants, as well as limited outdoor time and shower use. Cars wait in line at the San Ysidro Port of Entry as the Mexico-US border reopens in Tijuana, Mexico November 8, 2021 MEXICO: Isabel Gonzalez, 63, (third from left) a Tijuana resident and one of the firsts non essential travelers to cross to the United States, queue at San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-United States border in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on November 7, 2021 MIDNIGHT AT MEXICO BORDER: Monica Lozano (c) hugs her sister and niece after the U.S. reopens its border in El Paso, Texas CANADA: People stand by a border-crossing point, as the U.S. reopens air and land borders to fully vaccinated travellers for the first time since restrictions were imposed, in Niagara Falls, New York, U.S. November 8, 2021 CANADA: Cars line up at a checkpoint after crossing the Peace Bridge from Canada to the United States on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. The US is bracing for a flood of vaccinated international visitors from all countries after COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted on Monday - but tourists should expect to be turned away if the were inoculated with a shot of the Russia or China versions. Foreign travelers are being warned of long lines and crammed conditions as US airports expect a swell of tourists who haven't been allowed to visit since the pandemic lockdowns began in March 2020. 'It's going to be a bit sloppy at first,' Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Ed Bastian warned. 'I can assure you, there will be lines unfortunately,' Bastian said, adding that 'we'll get it sorted out.' Incoming visitors must also have received a vaccine that was approved by the FDA or WHO - which excludes shots such as the Sputnik V from Russia or the CanSino from China. In terms of travel conditions, airlines such as United are expecting about 50 percent more total international inbound passengers on Monday as compared with the week before. Delta also said it has seen a 450 percent increase in international point-of-sale bookings, compared to the six weeks prior to the announcement that the US was reopening. 'As we expect high demand when the US lifts its existing air and land travel restrictions Monday, we are taking critical steps to be prepared by providing additional resources,' White House spokesman Kevin Munoz said on Twitter. For passengers, the lifted restrictions will allow them to visit family members, friends, and loved ones who they have been apart from since the start of the pandemic. The rules have barred most non-U.S. citizens who within the prior 14 days have been in 33 countries -- the 26 Schengen countries in Europe without border controls, China, India, South Africa, Iran, Brazil, Britain and Ireland. Trade group U.S. Travel said the countries accounted for 53 per cent of all overseas visitors to the United States in 2019 and border communities were hit hard by the loss of tourists crossing from Mexico and Canada. The group estimates declines in international visitation 'resulted in nearly $300 billion in lost export income' since March 2020. In fiscal year 2021, more than 1.7 million migrants were taken into U.S. custody, new numbers being released later this week reveal. Here a group of migrants are process by immigration officials after crossing illegally from Mexico into Roma, Texas on September 30 The total encounters in FY 2021 are the highest since 1986 and far surpass any migration numbers in the surge during Donald Trump's presidency Haitian migrants wait on Tuesday to board a boat that will take them to Colombia as they trek from South America to the U.S. in a sign the migration crisis will not cease any time soon U.S. airlines are boosting flights to Europe and other destinations that were impacted by the restrictions. Airlines are planning events on Monday with executives meeting some of the first flights. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and United Airlines President Brett Hart are holding an event at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Monday to mark the reopening. U.S. officials also are planning an Instagram live chat on Nov. 9 to help answer questions. Many international flights are expected to operate close to full or full on Monday, with high passenger volume throughout the following weeks. Airlines will check vaccination documentation for international travelers as they currently do for COVID-19 test results. At land border crossings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will ask if travelers have been vaccinated and spot check some documentation. Children under 18 are exempt from the new vaccine requirements. Non-tourist travelers from nearly 50 countries with nationwide vaccination rates of less than 10 per cent will also be eligible for exemption. Also Monday, new contact tracing rules will take effect requiring airlines to collect information from international air passengers if needed 'to follow up with travelers who have been exposed to COVID-19 variants or other pathogens.' In addition, hopeful foreign travelers who have received the unapproved Sputnik V and CanSino shots are now pushing to get US-approved vaccines to gain access into the country. The Sputnik V vaccine has been used in about 70 countries worldwide. Both vaccines became one of the first registered for their respective countries during summer 2020 only months after the global COVID outbreak. The WHO has yet to approve the Sputnik V vaccine for an emergency list using despite mass worldwide distribution. US Homeland Security Border Patrol agents on horseback patrol the area near where the US-Mexico border fence meets the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach, California 'There are exactly zero reasons for such decisions,' Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the foreign relations committee in the Russian Duma said, according to Associated Press. 'The effectiveness and safety of the Sputnik V vaccine has been proven not only by specialists, but also by its practical application.' Russia was added in the high-risk travel category this week by the CDC as a surge of cases have been reported. The country also only has a 34 per cent vaccination rate. China has yet to ease travel restrictions, despite 75 per cent of the population being vaccinated. Other Asian Pacific countries, however, have began the process of opening their borders to foreign travelers. The inquest findings into a three-year-old Sydney girl deemed the 'sickest child one doctor had ever seen before dying from flu complications have found multiple failures by medical staff. Caitlin Cruz died at Westmead Children's Hospital less than 24 hours after arriving in October 2016. Her inquest was told if proper medical therapy had been implemented earlier it may have prevented the serious complications that arose and ultimately took her life. Caitlin Cruz (pictured) and her younger sister Chloe both fell ill at daycare in Sydney in 2016 Caitlin's condition worsened and so her father Mitch took her to the doctors on a Saturday morning. Pictured: Caitlin before she fell ill Deputy State Coroner Derek Lee handed down his findings at the NSW Coroners Court in Lidcombe on Tuesday. They detail Catilin's death of 'natural causes, in circumstances where a number of critical factors contributed to the tragic outcome'. 'These factors include the inaccurate and unreliable transfer of information from a pre-hospital setting to a hospital setting, the inability to perform an electrocardiogram in a timely manner,' the coroner found. 'The absence of adequate documentation, and the absence of appropriate escalation of Caitlin's care for review.' Caitlin was three years and nine months when she and her younger sister returned from preschool to their Lidcombe home with fevers. A picture of Caitlin was shown at her funeral On October 22 at Myhealth Rhodes Medical Centre, Caitlin collapsed in her father's arms before GP Sumeena Qidwai screamed at her assistant to call an ambulance. 'She was floppy and blue and her face and body looked pale,' she told the court. 'I was extremely concerned she's probably the sickest child I have ever seen.' After Caitlin was taken to hospital she presented with seizure-like activity and an electrocardiogram was organised. The ECG could not be performed until three-and-a-half hours later because the machine was out of battery, and the results were misinterpreted by a junior doctor with no oversight from a senior practitioner. By the time Caitlin was rushed into the intensive care unit Dr Nicholas Pigott remembers her looking very "unwell, shutdown", and "relatively unresponsive". 'As we got her onto the bed in the ICU her heart rate slowed down (she) looked to me like she was going to have a cardiac arrest, which we wanted to prevent happening,' Dr Pigott said. Caitlin's condition got worse and she was taken to intensive care where she collapsed. Pictured: The coffin at her funeral With a large amount of fluid around Caitlin's heart her condition rapidly deteriorated and an aggressive resuscitation was begun. The reason for Caitlin's collapse was not obvious to Dr Pigott but he suspected it was a neurological cause. After she died her ambulance medical record paramedics say they delivered to her bedside was never found. Caitlin's mother earlier said many people had been fighting for answers and hoped the inquest would shed some light on what happened to her daughter. 'We are not doing this just for Caitlin, we're doing this for her little sister who will never know her,' she told reporters outside Lidcombe Coroners Court in August last year. Caitlin's father Mitch said he wanted due processes to be examined so no other child "falls through the cracks". Advertisement The schoolboy murderer was expelled from primary school aged just ten for threatening a girl with a knife. Killer child Marcel Grzeszcz stabbed classmate Roberts Buncis more than 70 times on December 12 last year, after luring him to woodland in Fishtoft, near Boston, Lincolnshire, after believing he was a 'snitch'. The 15-year-old schoolboy drug dealer was unmasked by a High Court judge at Lincoln Crown Court and sentenced to a minimum of 16 years in jail after he murdered his 12-year-old friend before trying to decapitate him in a brutal attack. Young murderer Grzeszcz, a pupil at Haven High Academy, was still only just 14 when he was arrested by police at his family home. It has been revealed he was also expelled from his previous primary school, St Nicholas Primary School in Boston, Lincolnshire, after threatening a girl with a knife. A mother, who took Roberts to primary school with her children, said: 'Its not his first incident with a knife. 'When he was at primary school he took one into class to threaten other kids.' 'He threatened a girl with it and was excluded,' she told the Sun. The trial previously heard that Grzeszcz was forced to leave St Nicholas Primary after bringing a knife on to the premises, and was sent to a pupil referral unit. The defendant then moved to Haven High Academy, where he stayed for around three years, but was excluded for selling drugs both in and out of school. Grzeszcz was then sent to a pupil referral unit where he started the day before Roberts was found dead. Killer child Marcel Grzeszcz can now be named after a ruling from a High Court judge today which lifted reporting restrictions Roberts, who was killed just two days before his 13th birthday, was found with injuries to his right side, shoulders, arms and three severe stab wounds to his head with the tip of the blade lodged in his skull. The murderer had come armed to the spot with a large knife and latex gloves to try and conceal his involvement. The Latvian-born victim lived with his single-parent father, who urged calm in the aftermath of his death. Before Grzeszcz was detained he had sent messages to other friends on Facebook Messenger admitting 'things went wrong'. He also wrote: 'This wasn't supposed to go down like this'. And 'Bro I have done something bad.' Police searching the killer's home found a knife under a plant pot that had Roberts' blood on it. A partially burnt Nike top was also found with latex gloves in the pocket. Grzeszcz was the school drug dealer at Haven High Academy and was constantly in trouble. It was never explicitly detailed in court, but it is understood he viewed his victim as 'a liability' because his friend knew so much about his illegal activities. Sentencing Mr Justice Jeremy Baker told him: 'Marcel Grzeszcz, in the early hours of December 12, 2020, you lured Roberts Buncis to a wooded area of Boston where you carried out a savage and brutal attack upon him with a knife which you had brought to the scene, in the course of which you made a determined effort to remove his head, before leaving his body for others to find later that same morning. 'Although it is less easy to discern the precise motive for your actions that night, if indeed they extended beyond the excitement which the infliction of violence had caused you to experience in the past, it would appear that you viewed the deceased as something of a liability. Roberts Buncis, 12, who was found dead on common land at Fishtoft, near the town of Boston, Lincolnshire on December 12 Flowers left at the scene where police had searched through undergrowth in Fistoft, Boston, Lincolnshire, after the murder 'There was a significant degree of planning and premeditation, including luring the deceased to the scene and taking the knife with you when you met up with him. 'When the two of you met up in the wooded area, I'm satisfied while the deceased was unarmed and unaware of what was to take place, you came armed with a large knife and with latex gloves intending at that time, at the very least, to cause him serious bodily harm. 'I should make clear that, although when you commenced the attack upon the deceased you may not have intended to kill him, as opposed to intending him to suffer really serious bodily injury, I am sure that as the attack progressed, given the number and nature of the injuries which you inflicted upon the deceased, there came a time when you did intend to kill him and proceeded to do so.' The judge lifted a reporting restriction barring the naming of Grzeszcz following an application by the media. In a short victim impact statement read to the court on behalf of Roberts's father, Edgars Buncis, he said: 'How do I put into words how I feel? Marcel Grzeszcz has been convicted of murdering 12-year-old Roberts (pictured with his father) after luring him to woodland and attempting to decapitate him Pictured: Fishtoft, Lincolnshire where the body of Roberts Buncis was found in December after the 'incomprehensible' attack Roberts' father urged community to remember his son 'with a smile' At the time of the murder Roberts' brave single-parent father Edgars paid tribute to his son: In a short victim impact statement read to the court today he said: 'How do I put into words how I feel? 'This is all wrong. No father should ever have to bury their son. 'Nothing is a reason for this. I have lost my destination and my purpose. 'My life is in a cemetery. I feel empty and nothing will change this.' Advertisement 'This is all wrong. No father should ever have to bury their son. 'Nothing is a reason for this. I have lost my destination and my purpose. 'My life is in a cemetery. I feel empty and nothing will change this.' Grzeszcz's trial at Lincoln Crown Court earlier this year heard that the defendant 'intended at the very least to inflict serious violence' on his young victim because 'he was a snitch'. The teenager claimed Robert had taken the knife to the scene and he 'lost control' when the youngster attempted to stab him. But jurors dismissed Grzeszcz's account after under two hours of deliberations, and instead concluded he was 'motivated by anger and tried to punish the deceased rather than losing self-control'. The youth admitted manslaughter mid way through his trial but denied murder. The teenager's trial was told he stabbed Roberts 'in excess of 70 times', with a wound to the neck that was 'consistent with a decapitation attempt.' Roberts was lured to the area by the defendant before he was subjected to a 'savage prolonged attack' with a knife and left to die on the village green before his body was found at around 10am the next day. Acting on behalf of the Grzeszcz, defence QC Brendan Kelly admitted the violence was 'extraordinary' but submitted it indicated a 'loss of control' from the defendant. A JustGiving page had been set up last year to support tragic Roberts' single father Edgars (pictured) in the wake of his death Police searched undergrowth in Fistoft, Boston, Lincolnshire after the boy, 12, was found dead in December late last year Killer is underage, but can now be named thanks to judge - due to serious nature of murder case Children accused anonymity in court proceedings, except if that protection is lifted by a judge. Giving his ruling on the decision to lift the no-naming order today, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker said: 'I have no doubt that the circumstances of the offence are not only of proper interest to the public at large and within the local area, but also as forming part of the necessary public debate on knife crime in general, including the investigation of its causes and prevention. 'In this respect, not only do I accept that, without the press's ability to identify the accused, the reporting of this offence would be less likely to be read by members of the public, but there is a significant risk that appropriate investigative reporting of its causes, responsibilities and preventative measures would be likely to be less effective, due to the risk of 'jigsaw' identification. 'Indeed, it seems to me that the submission on behalf of the accused, that the causes of the accused's offending is multi-factorial, enhances rather than detracts from the need for appropriate investigative reporting in this case. 'Furthermore, I also accept that the naming of those guilty of such serious crimes has a significant part in promoting effective deterrence.' Advertisement Addressing the jury during the trial, the prosecution told the jury the murder was 'brutal', 'sustained' and 'gratuitous'. Outside court today Detective Chief Inspector Richard Myszczyszyn, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: 'This is an utterly tragic case. I would like to pay tribute to the people who loved Roberts, and had to deal with losing him in such brutal and horrific circumstances. 'Their support for our investigation has been unwavering, and their bravery has been an inspiration. 'Nothing could bring Roberts back, but our commitment was to try to find some semblance of justice for a grieving family and community. 'The act was utterly senseless and the consequences, devastating. It will be remembered by Officers and Staff as one of the worst and saddest cases we have ever dealt with. The level of violence, and that it involved children, makes it almost incomprehensible. 'The diligence and dedication displayed by the team who responded and investigated was a credit to our Force and hopefully of some reassurance to the community as they continue to come to terms with this distressing and disturbing incident. 'Roberts' future was stolen and that is an injustice that cannot be undone. We hope today's sentence might at least offer some closure to those affected. 'It's a stark and chilling lesson on the potential devastation of knife crime. If you, as a parent or a child, have any concerns about knives, please talk to us. 'We can all play a part in building a future free of such desperately sad and unnecessary loss of life. We will educate and engage on knife crime and we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for victims; as we do so, we will remember Roberts.' The mother of teen murderer Marcel Grzeszcz refused to comment on her son being jailed today for stabbing his 12-year-old friend 70 times. Elzbieta Grzeszcz opened the door of her 150,000 two bedroom semi-detached home in Boston, Lincolnshire but when asked if she had anything to say about her 15-year-old son replied, 'no, sorry'. The house is on a smart close in the east of the historic market town and close to woodland where schoolboy drug-dealer Grzeszcz knifed Roberts Bunzis in a frenzied attack in December 2020. A neigbour tonight told MailOnline: 'This is a nice, quiet street. 'Up until the murder last year, nothing had ever really happened around here. You don't see the police here often at all.' 'In fact I can't remember seeing the police around here before or after that day. It was such a horrific thing to happen and such a shock.' Another local resident said he did not know Grzeszcz or his mother but said he understood they came to Boston from Poland. At the time of the murder Roberts' brave single-parent father Edgars said people should remember his so with a smile. In a statement issued through Lincolnshire Police he said: 'I am comforted by the community support that has been shown and I understand that friends want to show their support by getting together on Saturday. 'I will not be attending, I will remember Roberts in private and celebrate his life at his funeral. 'Please remember Roberts with flowers and a smile. Be safe and please do not do anything stupid. I want you to continue with your lives and do the things that Roberts can no longer do. 'I do not want any other family to go through what I have, please do not make me more sad. 'Do not judge before we know the truth, let the police do their investigation. 'I do not judge the family of the boy involved, I am not God, for this we have court.' A teacher's aide killed in a horror head-on smash has been remembered as a bright ray of sunshine who touched everyone's lives. Tributes are pouring in Yatala mum-of two Julia May, 47, after she died in a high speed collision on Gold coast's outskirts on Monday night. Her teen daughters Taylah, 15, and Caitlyn, 17, were airlifted to Brisbane in critical conditions, while husband Jason, 46, was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a serious condition. The couple celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary just last week while their eldest daughter was days away from sitting her final ATAR exam. The family were travelling along a semi-rural road at Cedar Creek 12 kilometres away shortly before 6.30pm when their four-wheel drive collided with another 4WD travelling in the opposite direction. Rivermount College has been devastated by Ms May's death where she has worked as a prep teacher's aide since 2010, a year after her eldest daughter started at the school. The Yatala community has been rocked by the death of Julia May (left). Daughters Taylah (second left) and Caitlyn (second right) and husband Jason (right) were also injured in the crash The prep school teacher's aide (pictured) has been described by the school community as a ray of sunshine 'Julia was the most amazing and wonderful supportive person who touched many lives in a precious way,' principal Richard Young told Daily Mail Australia. 'It's been a pretty sad day here to lose not only a employee but a member of a close knit community who has had a 12 year association with the school. 'A lot of the community have been impacted. Julia touched a lot of students.' 'Some of Julia's colleagues are devastated and have gone home for the day. 'But everyone is rallying around and supporting one another.' Mr Young has been regular contact with the family since he received the devastating news on Tuesday morning. 'Julia's dad are with the the girls, who have suffered broken limbs,' Mr Young said. 'They've got a long road to recovery ahead of them but they'll pull through. I've been told their father is now conscious but confused. 'I live in the local area and heard the helicopters last night so I knew something had happened and there had been a fatality.' Julia (right) and her husband Jason (left) celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary last week The Yatala community has been rocked by the tragic death of Julia May (pictured) The school has rallied around Ms May's family and will likely hold a memorial service in due course. Year 12 student Caitlyn was days away from sitting her last exam. 'She had one exam left so we'll work through that with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority to ensure she gets an ATAR,' Mr Young said. 'We'll also work with with other year 12 students, who have been left devastated that one of their classmates has been seriously injured.' Ms May proudly posted a family photo at Caitlyn's year 12 formal and throwback photos of her girls just a few weeks ago. 'Wow - where has that time gone?' her final post read. 'From a cute little girl in Prep January 2009 with her proud little (just as cute) sister by her side - to a gorgeous young lady in year 12 October 2021 with her proud younger (just as gorgeous) sister still by her side and still just as proud.' She also celebrated Caitlyn getting her Ps on her first attempt in another post. 'Julia (left) was the most amazing and wonderful supportive person who touched many lives in a precious way,' college principal Richard Young (right) told Daily Mail Australia The mother-of-two was killed in a horror head-on collision between two 4WDs travelling in opposite directions A farmer on a nearby property heard the impact of the crash and called triple zero. The driver of the other 4WD, a Yarrabilba man, 44, was rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition. Eleven Queensland Ambulance crews were deployed to the scene, including the high acuity response unit and two rescue helicopters. The head-on collision occurred on Plunkett Road, which is described by locals as 'like a rollercoaster'. The semi-rural road has previously been the scene of a number of serious accidents. Emergency service responders described the scene as horrific and confronting. 'It was impactful for the staff involved as there were two teenage girls with a whole family in one car,' paramedic Scott Brown told reporters on Tuesday. 'It was quite confronting, especially with a death on scene and it took a long time to get that person out of the car.' 'The two cars were very badly damaged, one of the cars had been pushed off the road into the bush, so it made the rescue even more complex.' The horror crash (pictured) happened on a semi-rural road described as like a rollercoaster Police Acting Inspector Mark Procter issued a desperate plea for motorists to slow down. 'Two very large four wheel drives have hit at a great rate of speed,' he said. 'It will have an effect on everyone who has been here tonight and every one of these accidents we'll go to in the coming weeks, months and years.' 'They'll just keep rolling on and on as people won't slow down.' Investigators from the Forensic Crash Unit spent the night examining the scene and will prepare a report from the coroner. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has dash cam footage of either vehicle is urged to contact police. Billionaire Gerry Harvey is trying to evict a dying woman from a house she shared with her late de facto husband who was a friend of the entrepreneur for 50 years. Peggy Luker lived rent-free on a property at Kurrajong, 75km north west of Sydney, for eight years with her long-time partner Garry Dent until he died aged 80 in 2017. Mr Dent had worked as a contractor for Mr Harvey for 15 years before his death and the Harvey Norman co-founder, now worth an estimated $2.8billion, delivered a eulogy at his funeral. Ms Luker claims she believed until Mr Dent's death the house they shared belonged to her partner but that shortly after the funeral Mr Harvey told her to 'move out and get the pension'. She is fighting an eviction notice issued on Mr Harvey's behalf by suing G Harvey Nominees Pty Ltd, the trust listed as owning the property, in the New South Wales Supreme Court. Billionaire Gerry Harvey is trying to evict a dying woman from a house she shared with her late de facto husband who was a friend of the entrepreneur for 50 years. Mr Harvey, the co-founder of Harvey Norman, is pictured with wife Katie Page Peggy Luker lived rent-free on a property at Kurrajong, 75km north west of Sydney, for eight years with her long-time partner Garry Dent until he died aged 80 in 2017. Ms Luker and Mr Dent are pictured She is terrified of being turfed out of the house and fears she will end up living on the street. Mr Harvey, while sympathetic to Ms Luker's circumstances, says in an affidavit he never gave the house to Mr Dent and he now wishes to sell the property. Ms Luker states she learnt the property was still in the name of the trustee only after Mr Dent's death - the same time Mr Harvey says he learnt Ms Luker believed it was hers. After years of dispute Mr Harvey visited the property in June last year in an attempt to convince Ms Luker to move out, The Age newspaper reported. According to Mr Harvey's affidavit he told Ms Luker: 'Maybe you can get into a housing commission or something. Surely you have a Plan B?' Ms Luker had a failed kidney transplant seven years ago and developed skin cancer from medication she took to stop the organ's rejection. Doctors have told the 67-year-old there was no more they could do to prevent the cancer spreading to other parts of her body. Mr Harvey had asked Mr Dent to help him subdivide 40 hectares of land (pictured) he had bought with his first wife in 1972 and wanted to sell as 15 individual lots Ms Luker is suing Mr Harvey in the NSW Supreme Court after he attempted to evict her from this property at 467 Greggs Road, Kurrajong, where she has lived for more than ten years Ms Luker states in an affidavit sworn on her behalf that Mr Dent was a property developer who had been a friend of Mr Harvey for about 50 years years. 'The deceased worked for the Harvey Norman group of companies and in the general interests of Gerry's various corporations until he was 80 years old when he died unexpectedly,' the document says. Ms Luker and Mr Dent - who had three children from a previous marriage - had lived together for 23 years and to her knowledge he had died without a will. According to her affidavit, Mr Dent had solved a problem for Mr Harvey in 2001 when poor car park access to a Harvey Norman store at Penrith was causing the business to lose money. Mr Harvey had then asked Mr Dent to help him subdivide 40 hectares of land he had bought with his first wife in 1972 and now wanted to sell as 15 individual lots. The land at Kurrajong had a 28 hectare sanctuary in the middle which was fenced off to protect wildlife and featured nature walks and a bicycle track. An agent acting of behalf of Gerry Harvey sent Ms Luker this eviction notice in June last year. 'There is no written lease or licence agreement between You and the Landlord in relation to your occupation of the Property' According to Ms Luker's affidavit Mr Dent advised Mr Harvey he could attract buyers by building a luxury home on one of the larger vacant blocks. The old friends allegedly agreed Mr Harvey would spend $800,000 on that house, which Mr Dent and Ms Luker would then live in and maintain until all the lots were sold. When that first house on Patterson Lane was sold the couple would keep whatever difference there was between $1,300,000 and the sale price, according to Ms Luker. Mr Harvey states in his affidavit there was no legal agreement to share profits from the sale and Mr Dent never complained about the situation. Ms Luker says Gerry Harvey told her partner Garry Dent the couple could live on this property rent free and then take a slice of the profit when it was sold A spokesman for Mr Harvey (pictured) told The Age: 'There will be no comment whilst the case is before the court. Any comment by either party could prejudice the proceedings' When the house sold for $1,700,000 about four years after it was built, Mr Harvey built another house on a smaller block for Mr Dent and Ms Luker instead of paying the couple $400,000. In her affidavit Ms Luker says Mr Harvey never increased Mr Dent's salary from $5,000 a month in 15 years but her partner told her, 'He won't agree to a raise, don't forget, we have the house'. Ms Luker states Mr Harvey rang to express sympathy when Mr Dent died and delivered a eulogy at his funeral in the Trinity Grammar School Chapel at Summer Hill. Two weeks later, according to her affidavit, Ms Luker rang Mr Harvey to 'clarify about the house situation' and he told her the original alleged deal was 'nonsense'. Mr Harvey allegedly told Ms Luker that Mr Dent 'was not his responsibility and she was to move out and get the pension.' Ms Luker states Mr Harvey rang to express sympathy when Mr Dent died and delivered a eulogy at his funeral in the Trinity Grammar School Chapel at Summer Hill Mr Harvey - 'representing Harvey Norman where Garry worked for 15 years' - is listed as one of two speakers who gave eulogies at Mr Dent's funeral Ms Luker states in her affidavit she tried to resolve all her issues with Mr Harvey for three years before receiving a notice to leave the property on June 18, 2020. 'You have occupied the Property rent free as a tenant at will,' that letter said. 'The Landlord requires You to vacate the Property on or before 10:00am on 20 August 2020.' Ms Luker's solicitor said his client was too ill to comment on Monday. A spokesman for Mr Harvey told The Age: 'There will be no comment whilst the case is before the court. Any comment by either party could prejudice the proceedings.' Mr Harvey is chairman of Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd which owns the retail giants Harvey Norman, Domayne and Joyce Mayne. He is also a noted race horse owner and breeder. The case is listed in the Supreme Court later this month for mediation. China and Saudi Arabia have been accused of blocking efforts to make progress on a deal at the Cop26 conference by refusing to agree that they must be transparent about their greenhouse gas emissions. Negotiators at the Climate Change conference said the countries had opposed proposals to require countries to report their emissions amid concerns that some nations hide the extent of their output. Saudi Arabian negotiators have also been accused of trying to block the 'cover decision' - a final statement from Cop26 that could include a commitment to accelerate action to limit global warming to 1.5C to avoid the worst impacts of rising temperatures. Saudi Arabia is concerned about divulging information about the performance of its oil giant Saudi Aramco, which is a major contributor to the country's emissions Country national plans for action this decade currently leave the world far off track on meeting the 1.5C goal which countries agreed to pursue under the Paris Agreement on climate change secured in 2015. China is understood to object to reporting their greenhouse gas emissions as it is concerned about revealing data on its economic growth, reports The Times. Its climate target is based on a reduction in emissions per unit of GDP. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is concerned about divulging information about the performance of its oil giant Saudi Aramco, which is a major contributor to the country's emissions. Greenpeace also said Saudi Arabia was blocking efforts to make progress on supporting poorer countries to adapt to the changing climate. Greenpeace International executive director Jennifer Morgan said: 'Saudi Arabia is making its play. They're at the chess board, manipulating the pieces in an effort to stop an outcome that keeps 1.5C within reach. 'The push on Friday night to block a cover decision was a textbook effort to strip ambition from the final text while the move to dilute substance on the adaptation goal was designed to ensure vulnerable countries don't get the support they need and therefore can't sign up to a meaningful agreement at the end of this week.' China is understood to object to reporting their greenhouse gas emissions as it is concerned about revealing data on its economic growth Greenpeace has called on other country delegations to isolate Saudi Arabia, whose economy is based on oil exports. It comes as UN climate talks entered their final week on Monday with experts warning that many disputes remain unresolved. These include ratcheting up ambition on national carbon reduction plans, providing a long-promised $100 billion annually to developing nations and rules governing carbon markets. 'All countries are playing hardball,' Stephen Leonard, climate law and policy specialist and veteran COP observer said. 'The EU want the highest ambition possible. The African countries want as much finance for adaptation as possible. Australia and Japan want to be able to trade as much carbon as possible.' A first formal 'stocktake' on Monday will see countries and negotiating blocs air any views or grievances they have after the first week of talks. COP26 is taking place a year late due to the Covid-19 pandemic and against a backdrop of ever-stronger drought, flooding and storms supercharged by higher temperatures battering countries across the globe. Its first week saw around 100 nations commit to slash their emissions of methane - a powerful greenhouse gas - by at least 30 percent by 2030. In another development likely to dent emissions, India - the fourth largest polluter - said it would achieve carbon neutrality by 2070. Experts said these announcements, along with countries' latest emissions cutting pledges, could have a real impact on future temperature rises. But a UN assessment late last week found emissions were still on course to increase 13.7 percent by 2030. To keep warming to 1.5C, they must fall 45 per cent this decade. All summit decisions require a consensus. The UK Government has said keeping 1.5 alive is a key Cop26 aim Tens of thousands of people thronged the streets of Glasgow on Saturday demanding faster action from governments after environmental activist Greta Thunberg branded the summit 'a failure'. 'Last week saw a flurry of announcements, from halting deforestation to reducing methane emissions,' said Tracy Carty, head of Oxfam. 'Yet, for some of these announcements there is a glaring lack of detail. They must not be a distraction from the urgent issue of countries needing to increase the ambition of their national emission reduction targets by 2030.' Dozens of nations have signed up to a COP26 initiative to end their use of coal - the most polluting fossil fuel - within decades, including major users South Korea and Vietnam. But the pact excluded the top consumers China, India and the United States. Major exporter Australia, which also declined to join the initiative, said Monday it would continue to sell coal for 'decades into the future'. 'We have said very clearly we are not closing coal mines and we are not closing coal-fired power stations,' Australian Minister for Resources Keith Pitt told national broadcaster ABC. Australia has been among the countries to recently unveil 2050 net zero plans criticised by scientists and green groups for lacking detail and relying heavily on as-yet-unrealised technologies to suck CO2 out of the air. A manhunt is underway for a hooligan photographed drinking a beer while bonnet-surfing on a speeding ute in a jaw-droppingly 'stupid' act. Western Australian police have posted images to Facebook of the baffling incident, captured on Indian Ocean Drive at Gabbadah, about two hours drive north of Perth, at 2.23am on Saturday, October 23. Police data showed the ute was travelling at 119 kilometres per hour as the beer-swilling man continued drinking despite the obviously life-threatening risk involved. 'This was a stupid act,' a WA Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. A manhunt is underway for a hooligan photographed drinking a beer while bonnet-surfing on a speeding ute in a jaw-droppingly 'stupid' act in Western Australia. The police photo of the incident is above Police data showed the ute was travelling at 119 kilometres per hour as the beer-swilling man continued drinking despite the obviously life-threatening risk involved. The police photo of the incident is above 'He was risking his own life, and for what?' Western Australian Police want to hear from anyone with information about the incident, adding that the license plates did not belong to the vehicle bearing them. The plates belong to a Victorian vehicle. Facebook commenters reacted with a mix of horror and cruel detachment. 'I was an ambulance officer who had to attend to a person who did this and came off,' one wrote. 'They did survive, but only because the volunteer ambulance officers were highly trained and knew what to do. Otherwise this fool would have died. 'It's not funny, it is heartbreaking for everyone who has to clean up the mess. Don't do it.' Others were less sympathetic: 'Where I come from, that's called natural selection' one wrote. 'Some don't have much of a brain cell,' said another. Two men were bonnet surfing on a car in Hillston, NSW. One fell under the car and the driver returned a positive breath test, according to police (stock image) 'State Traffic officers are seeking information regarding a Ford utility which was detected by a speed camera on Indian Ocean Drive, Gabbadah on Saturday 23 October 2021 travelling at 119km/h with a person riding on the bonnet of the vehicle,' a WA Police statement said. 'The Ford ute was displaying Victorian registration ZKG 264, number plates that belong to a different make and model vehicle.' In 2018 a 19-year-old man was taken to Orange Base Hospital in New South Wales after being run over by the car he had been bonnet-surfing on. Two men were riding on the bonnet of a car in High Street, Hillston, 100 kilometres north of Griffith. According to police two men were riding on the bonnet of a car in High Street about 2am April 15, when they told the driver to stop. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says Labor is 'deeply regretful' of the red shirts affair, and he will appear before an anti-corruption inquiry into branch-stacking if he is asked to. Former government minister Adem Somyurek accused the premier of dismissing his concerns about red shirts, on his first day of evidence before an Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) inquiry on Monday. Somyurek quit the Labor Party last year before he was expelled following a Nine Network investigation, which allegedly caught him handing over cash and using parliamentary staff to create fake branch members. Mr Somyurek, who is appearing before IBAC again on Tuesday, claimed he went to Mr Andrews with concerns about red shirts before the 2014 election, and the premier replied 'words to the effect of, 'Do you want to win the election or not?'' He described the red shirts scheme as 'a gold standard rort' and criticised the Victorian Ombudsman for not coming down harder, saying she could have used 'stronger language' to get the message across. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews says the Labor government is 'deeply regretful' of the now infamous red shirts scheme for political staff in the lead up to the 2014 state election Former government minister Adem Somyurek claims he raised his concerns about the red shirt scheme ahead of the 2014 state election - he alleges the premier replied with 'words to the effect of, 'Do you want to win the election or not?'' The scandal was a $388,000 scheme involving the misuse of parliamentary allowances to pay Labor's political campaign staff ahead of the 2014 election. Asked about the claims on Tuesday morning, Mr Andrews said Labor had made 'a number of important rule changes' since the ombudsman's investigation into the scheme. 'We've taken unprecedented action. I have indicated to you and I will again that if we have to go further, we absolutely will,' he told reporters. The premier said Labor was 'deeply regretful' of red shirts affair and had already accepted responsibility for it and that he would appear before IBAC if asked to. 'Every Victorian should participate fully if they're asked to. But as to who's been asked, who's been there, who's going to go there - that's a matter for IBAC,' Mr Andrews said. Tuesday's hearing was played recordings of Mr Somyurek speaking to a factional ally about getting electorate staff to do factional work during work hours. But he denied they were only given jobs to do that work. 'The purpose of these gentleman needing a job is that they got sacked for crossing over to our faction,' he said. 'Then, I guess there are additional benefits, other things they want to do.' Mr Somyurek is appearing as a witness over four days this week, as the inquiry before IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich continues. An Illinois teacher who refused to show proof of her vaccination status and was about to be placed on unpaid leave has revealed to the school district she got vaccinated over the summer. Kadence Koen, 43, who teaches business and math at Southeast High School in Springfield, refused to inform her superiors on whether she was vaccinated or not - in defiance of state mandates introduced by Governor JB Pritzker. Educators are otherwise expected to show proof or be tested for COVID weekly. Kadence Koen, 43, taught math and business at a school in Springfield, Illinois, but had refused to show her vaccination card forcing her to take unpaid leave from the classroom On Monday, Koen finally uploaded a copy of her vaccination card to Gina McLaughlin-Schurman, Springfield School District 186's assistant superintendent of human resources. The card revealed that Koen received her first dose of the vaccine on June 29, with a second dose about three weeks later on July 19, long before the mandate had been introduced. Koen had until Wednesday to work out a 'remediation plan' and is currently on unpaid leave until November 17. The teacher said she was moved to resolve the issue because she missed her students. 'Anti-mandate does not mean anti-vaccination,' she wrote. 'It means pro-freedom, pro-medical autonomy, pro-liberty. Shouldn't all Americans agree with freedom of choice?' 'I didn't want to have to produce a vaccination card because I don't think that's legal or appropriate, but if you ask me to choose between my personal beliefs and my students, my students will win,' Koen said to the State Journal-Reigster. 'My mother said that I was a round peg in a round hole and I do well with kids there and that's where I belong. I know I make a difference there. I can't imagine my life not teaching.' It has now been revealed Koen was already vaccinated having received her first dose in June and second three weeks later in July - months before the mandate Koen said that she had received messages of support from students and teachers alike. 'Most agreed with me, some of them disagreed with me, but all were in support of me standing up for what I believe in and me teaching students to stand up for what they believe in.' She explained her decision of refusing to prove her vaccination status in order to comply with state requirements as 'always about liberties and freedoms and medical autonomy.' Koen said she was pleased that her position 'created conversation in the community. I am glad it's getting people to think. I am glad it's getting people to look into what's going on. 'Whether people agree or disagree with my methods or agree or disagree with my stance, I'm glad people are talking. I'm glad people are no longer just accepting things as this is the way it has to be.' A major Australian company is set to offer huge perks for new and existing staff to entice employees as the country re-opens - including 'heartbreak leave', 'paw-ternity pay' and extended benefits for parents. With employers listing tens of thousands of roles around Australia as vaccination rates skyrocket and border closures end, businesses are looking for ways to separate themselves, with ingenuitive perks an avenue being explored by a household name. Fintech company Finder are offering a range of new 'life leave' benefits for staff that cover everything from a child's first day at school, time away to mentally recover after a breakup and even a period off to look after a new dog. 'At Finder we hire the whole person and not just someone for the job. Work-life balance is a myth, this is about work-life integration and we want to support our crew both inside and outside of work,' Finder's recently appointed Chief People Officer Shanyn Payne said. 'We encourage our crew to bring their authentic selves to work knowing that Finder will support them during life's ups and downs.' A major Australian company is set to offer huge perks for new and existing staff to entice employees as the country re-opens - including 'pawternity pay' after adopting a pet Fintech company Finder are offering a range of new 'life leave' benefits for staff that cover everything from a child's first day at school and time away to mentally recover after a breakup Finder's 'life leave' is a new policy the company are introducing from December 1 as Australia looks to finally move away from the restrictions and lockdowns that have plagued the world over the past 18 months. With businesses moving to re-fill the positions they let go, many as far back as March last year, Finder are looking to offer alternative ways to connect with its 500 employees. They are bringing in five days of paid 'life leave' for special occasions and wellbeing, including new pets, relationship drama and other important moments. Finder are extending parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers to 20 weeks. They're also offering miscarriage, stillbirth, adoption, IVF and foster care leave for all workers. Finder employees are able to take as much as five days 'life leave' per year in case of things that include breaking up with a partner The fintech company are also improving its wellbeing program, including paid mental health training and a day off for wellbeing separate from its 'life leave' or sick leave. The additions come in place from December 1 and refresh at the start of each financial year. 'You get the most out of people when they feel supported and looked after,' Ms Payne said. 'By continuing to pay retirement benefits throughout paid and unpaid parental leave, we assist to close the gender pay gap that we know exists. 'By offering more flexibility and financial stability in what are the most important and uncertain times in our crew members' lives, we are supporting the whole person and not just the employee.' There is no qualifying period of employees, with new staff to receive the same benefits. The changes come as experts predict under-appreciated Australian workers could soon walk out on their jobs en masse in a phenomenon being referred to as The Great Resignation. Aussie workers haven't had a real pay rise since 2011 if you factor in cost of living increases. Pictured: Workers at a Sydney cafe Workers at a Nebraska Burger King in the US announced their mass resignation on a sign earlier this year. Workers are quitting their jobs at record rates The pandemic trend which has taken economists by surprise, has already turned the labour market upside down in the US with 4.3 million Americans, or 2.9 per cent of the entire workforce, quitting their jobs in August. While the job market Down Under is vastly different to the US, new data shows the same thing is likely to happen in Australia with up to 25 per cent of the workforce now actively considering a change of scenery. The country is now bracing for thousands of workers to quit their jobs in coming months to travel the world. The alleged mastermind behind the assassination of Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin has been unmasked as a rival gang leader. Comancheros bikie member David James Pye is accused of ordering the $300,000 hit on Mr Martin and was charged with murder on Monday. Mr Martin, 51, was gunned down at a drag race at Kwinana Motorplex south of Perth on December 12 last year from 300m away as he sat with his wife and stepdaughter. Pye allegedly paid a 35-year-old former special forces soldier to take out his underworld rival, who has confessed to being the triggerman. Detectives questioned Mr Pye in March after the gunman was charged, but did not arrest him until Monday. David James Pye has been charged over the sniper murder of Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin at Kwinana Motorplex in Western Australia last December David James Pye (right) leaves the Perth District Court with Rebels president Nick Martin (left) in Perth on Friday, October 18, 2013. Mr Pye has now been charged with ordering the killing of Mr Martin $300,000 BIKIE HIT The $300,000 fee allegedly agreed for the killing of Perth bikie boss Nick Martin is thought to be one of the biggest murder contracts ever purportedly offered in Australia. WA Police Deputy Commissioner Col Blanch told reporters that detectives attached to Operation Ravello also charged a second man in relation to the murder of Mr Martin at Perth Motorplex last December. 'The charges relate to the [alleged] payment of that murder,' he said. 'And also [an alleged] payment for the murder of another outlaw motorcycle gang member that was not carried out.' Mr Blanch said payments made during Melbourne's 'underbelly' gangland wars were much lower. 'We've seen matters over east, certainly during the underbelly period, where amounts were far lower than that, during their 36 murder spree of gangland figures,' he said. 'And, you know, having $300,000 plus being [allegedly] paid for a murder - we'll be looking into the source of those funds as well.' Advertisement Pye is also accused of ordering hits on a 35-year-old woman and a 35-year-old bikie from another gang who lives overseas. He is charged with one count of murder, two counts of inciting another to commit murder, one count of intent to endanger the life, health or safety of any person and two counts of dealing with property used in connection with a crime. During a hearing in Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday, state prosecutor Nick John, acting on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, brought forward an application seeking to suppress Mr Pye's identity for his safety, The West Australian reported. However, Chief Magistrate Steven Heath reportedly asked if there was 'any point' in suppressing his name. 'The media have already done the investigative work and are to identify Mr Pye, so what do I achieve now [by suppressing his name],' he said. 'Do I tell everyone to forget about the front page and media reports because we are now going to make it suppressed?' Mr Pye, who is in custody, appeared in court via video link wearing an orange jumpsuit with his hands shackled in cuffs and chains. He did not speak as his lawyer, Paul Holmes, argued for his name to be suppressed. Mr Holmes said the right to a fair trial was another reason to suppress his identity, but Mr Heath did not grant the suppression order. 'It has also been suggested it would be appropriate to suppress to ensure a fair trial,' he said. Nick Martin (pictured) was shot in the back at the Perth Motorplex on December 12 in front of horrified families who were trying to watch the nitro cars high-octane drag racing Pye allegedly paid a 35-year-old former special forces soldier (pictured) to take out his underworld rival, who has confessed to being the triggerman One of the possible shooter locations previously identified at the Perth Motorplex. A long shot would indicate a sniper, experts say 'There are many matters that receive attention in the media and in my view juries which are properly instructed are able to address the element of offences and place any media reporting to one side. 'The time to trial in any event will be quite long,' he added. But Mr Heath did allow the suppression on the name of a woman Pye is also alleged to have ordered a hit on. Mr Pye is codenamed 'The Baker' and allegedly the man who sought out the former soldier who fired the fatal shot. The mercenary sharpshooter admitted to gunning down Mr Martin at a crowded drag racing event from 300m away. The shooter, whose name is suppressed, pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrates Court to the assassination. Mr Martin was watching drag races at Kwinana Motorplex with his family when he was shot through the torso and bled to death. Nick Martin (pictured) died in the arms of his wife Amanda as she tried to give him CPR. His last words were: 'babe, I've been shot' A $1 million reward was offered for information leading to the arrest of the shooter who killed Nick Martin, 51, (pictured with wife Amanda) The assassin also pleaded guilty to injuring Ricky Chapman, the boyfriend of Mr Martin's stepdaughter, who was wounded by bullet fragments. The man was part of soldier of fortune outfit Shadows of Hope, which calls itself 'the world's most dangerous and fearless charity'. The ex-soldier is yet to enter a plea on other charges including possessing a silencer, inadequately storing firearms, and drug possession. He appeared via video link in his prison greens and in handcuffs and only spoke to confirm his name and to plead guilty. Mr Martin was assassinated in front of hundreds of onlookers including his wife Amanda and stepdaughter. After being hit, he told his wife 'babe, I've been shot', as she tried to give him CPR while he died in her arms. Nick Martin assassination timeline November 24, 2020 Nick Martin is beaten up by Hells Angel Dayne Brajkovich in a Perth bar. Brajkovich is charged and fined over the fight. Martin was not charged. December 12 Martin is shot dead by the sniper at the Perth Motorplex in Kwinana with his wife Amanda. The bullet also hits Ricky Chapman, the boyfriend of Martins stepdaughter Stacey Schoppe. December 14 Police announce Taskforce Ravello, with 100 officers investigating the murder and cracking down on bikie gangs. December 15 A $1 million reward is offered to helps catch Martins killer. December 23 Martins funeral is held at Pinnaroo cemetery amid a massive police presence. January 26, 2021 A man is charged over a burglary at the home of relatives of Martin, carried out as his funeral took place. March 15 An ex-soldier and mercenary is arrested and later charged with Martins murder. April 26 Martins killer is charged with five more offences including possessing a silencer and driving a vehicle with false number plates. September 29 The killer, who cannot be named, pleads guilty to murder. September 30 It is revealed that one of the men police are investigating for ordering the hit on Martin is codenamed 'The Baker'. October 9 David James Pye is revealed to be The Baker's real name. He is accused of ordering a $300,000 hit on Martin. Advertisement Police spent months on the investigation with 100 officers on the job, while the WA Government offered a $1 million reward to anyone who had information on the shooter. His death also sparked a crackdown on bikies by police who conducted raids and charged more than 100 people. Mr Martin's funeral was held on December 23 with 200 police officers watching the proceedings. A police sniper also watched on from a helicopter as the patched gang members headed south to say their final farewells. Mr Martin's coffin was covered in pictures of $100 bills and Bob Dylan's All Along the Watchtower played as bikies took turns to walk up and touch it as it was brought in under a marquee for the service. Last year, Shadows of Hope shared a post online paying tribute to the soldier for his service in Iraq, describing him as their 'resident thrill-seeker and heartbreaker'. 'When the way to save lives is illegal or cast in the shadow of bureaucracy, it takes unorthodox attributes and attitudes to get the job done,' the group wrote. Mr Pye is expected to appear in Stirling Gardens Magistrates in Perth next month. The chaos at the racetrack on December 12 in Perth after Nick Martin was executed is pictured The NSW government has funded its first project from a $750 million program to reduce emissions with a $13 million grant for a company at one of the state's biggest industrial sites in Newcastle. Commercial explosives maker Orica will use the money to install emissions reduction systems that NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean says are expected to cut emissions at the company's nitric acid plants by up to 92 per cent. It is the 'first of many' projects to receive funding from the net zero industry and innovation program 'which will help businesses accelerate their transition to net zero while remaining competitive and creating jobs', Mr Kean says. He expects the project to cut nitrous oxide emissions equivalent to 567,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, which is similar to the emissions of 50,000 homes. Orica's ammonium nitrate plant on Kooragang Island, Newcastle, will be the first beneficiary of the new emissions fund from the NSW Government (above) The Orica plants sit in one of the state's biggest industrial sites at Kooragang Island in northern Newcastle. NSW parliamentary secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin says 'a small number of existing high emitting industries, including manufacturing' present one of the biggest decarbonisation opportunities in the state. The $13 million grant from NSW will add to $25 million Orica borrowed from the commonwealth's Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to upgrade processing plants used to produce ammonium nitrate. The CEFC says Orica will install nitrous oxide abatement technology highlighted in the commonwealth's technology investment roadmap discussion paper, the first time the technology will be used in Australia. Federal Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor says the investment at the Orica site 'will be one of the largest single abatement project to be financed by the CEFC... and is a great example of how governments and industry can work together to reduce emissions and grow industries in our regional communities'. Orica CEO Sanjeev Gandhi says the project will 'allow us to look at longer-term investments in technologies' including renewable hydrogen and ensure the company's domestic manufacturing 'remains competitive in a low carbon economy'. The project is expected to take three months to complete and begins next year. 'This is a massive abatement at one of the state's largest heavy industrial sites, which will help New South Wales meet its target of halving emissions by 2030,' Mr Kean said. NSW also has a further target to reach net zero emissions by 2050. On Saturday, Opposition Leader Chris Minns said Labor would introduce a bill to have the targets written into law. Mild-mannered ABC TV news presenter Joe O'Brien has shocked fans after revealing he was once a very buff back-up dancer at Sydney's famed Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. The soberly dressed newsreader, who generally presents the morning segment of ABC TV news, posted a picture of himself dancing at the 1999 event to social media, with a link to the YouTube clip of the performance. 'ABC gonna be broadcasting Mardi Gras again. Takes me back to 1999 when I got to be a backup dancer in a Danni show,' he Tweeted. Revealing a ripped physique and dressed only in tiny gold shorts, a sweaty looking O'Brien is pictured on stage with other dancers at the Danni Minogue performance. 'REVIVE ME. This should have come with a warning,' one fan wrote underneath the Twitter post. 'Yes please!' RocKwiz host Julia Zemiro posted. 'Honestly incredible,' fellow ABC journalist Avani Dias commented. 'OMG is this what's behind the desk? Made my day Joe,' one person said. 'OMG is this what's behind the desk? Made my day Joe,' one person responded to Joe O'Brien's Twitter post O'Brien most recently caught the attention of social media when he posted a picture while receiving his second Covid vaccine in July. Many commented on the newsreader's buff arms, not usually seen underneath the suits. 'Jacked Joe O'Brien,' wrote an admirer underneath the post. 'Going to need a fan for myself every time you tweet now,' wrote another. O'Brien (right) has been a journalist for more than 20 years and with the ABC since 1995 O'Brien responded with a follow-up Tweet with the hashtag #newprofilepic, to acknowledge the well received picture. O'Brien has been a journalist for more than 20 years and with the ABC since 1995. He was first based for the ABC in Rockhampton and later in Brisbane as a reporter and presenter. He later presented the 7pm ABC News programs in both Queensland and New South Wales before moving to mornings on the national broadcaster's new channels. The comparative experience of Olivia Bortolussi attending a Sydney all girls school, and Afghan women barred from education, was not lost on the year 11 student. Olivia is one of 700 school children across the country who have written to Immigration Minister Alex Hawke calling on him to raise the number of Afghan refugees that can come to Australia. 'Attending a school of 1000 girls, what really concerns me is seeing other girls denied their basic human rights of safety and education under Taliban rule in Afghanistan,' she said. 'It is both appalling and heartbreaking.' The open letter echoes the call from Australian humanitarian organisations to bring an additional 20,000 Afghan refugees to Australia after the Taliban took over the country four months ago. Taliban fighters display their flag while on patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August The government says a minimum of 3000 humanitarian visas are set aside for Afghan refugees following the takeover. 'As fellow students, we believe that we must raise our voices against the targeted violence and discrimination directed at women and girls and support universal education for all Afghan citizens,' the letter reads. The students also raised concerns about the Taliban removing violence against women laws and banning women from sport and music. 'Women and girls are now powerless and vulnerable to abuses such as child marriage and domestic violence with no recourse. 'Why are we currently standing as onlookers while children from Afghanistan are denied their rights?' Federal health authorities are working urgently to roll out rapid antigen testing to schools, following new modelling recommending it be used in the event of an outbreak on a campus. Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said the commonwealth was moving quickly to secure large number of rapid tests for schools, particularly in eastern jurisdictions hard hit by COVID-19 cases. It comes after new Doherty Institute modelling presented to national cabinet indicated rapid tests were as effective as 14-day quarantine in reducing COVID cases at schools should a student test positive. 'I have been working closely with colleagues in NSW, ACT and Victoria over the last few weeks to prepare for exactly the issues that have been faced, and that is a rapidly moving space,' Professor Kelly told ABC News on Tuesday. Firbank Grammar student Holly Fletcher (right) receives a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen test in Brighton, Melbourne, Australia, 14 October 2021. 'The Doherty Institute modelling is clear, there are some things we can do to prevent (school outbreaks) and respond in ways that have an important outcome, which is about keeping schools open and having kids at school.' The institute's epidemiologist Jodie McVernon indicated widespread antigen testing at schools could be rolled out as early as the beginning of next year. It comes as the chief medical officer indicated Pfizer vaccines for children as young as five could be approved by the end of the year. Prof Kelly said the approval was imminent and medical regulators were going through the data. Health experts have warned as adult vaccination rates surge, infections among young children not yet eligible for the COVID jab could rise. 'In the (five to 11-year-old) age group, even though the cases are in large numbers, it is a very small percentage of that age group that gets severe disease,' he said. Of the estimated 40,000 children that have contracted the virus this year, about 0.1 per cent have had severe symptoms. It comes as NSW recorded 222 new local cases on Tuesday, with four deaths, as the state approaches a 90 per cent fully vaccinated rate. In Victoria there were 1069 infections reported and 10 deaths. Meanwhile, the ACT will bring forward the easing of its last round of restrictions, which will see visitor limits scrapped, nightclubs reopen and density caps wound back. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palascczuk announced restrictions for fully vaccinated people would be scrapped once the state's vaccination rate hits 80 per cent double dosed. More than 80 per cent of Australians aged 16 and older are double-dosed, while nearly 90 per cent have received one jab. A woman who ritualistically dismembered a hardware store clerk she met on Tinder after her sex-cult boyfriend fatally strangled the female victim was handed a life sentence on Monday - avoiding the prospect of becoming the first Nebraska woman to get the death penalty. Bailey Boswell, 27, was spared a death sentence after one of the judges on the three-person panel at the county courthouse in Wilber ruled Monday that prosecutors failed to prove that the case merited the ultimate punishment. Boswell will spend the rest of her life at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women for her role in the 2017 death and dismemberment of 24-year-old Sydney Loofe. The cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln was strangled with an extension cord before being chopped up into 14 pieces and left in ditches along country roads in rural Clay County. 'The murder was coldly calculated, Boswell relished the murder, there was needless viewed mutilation of the body. The murder was senseless and Sidney Loofe was a helpless victim,' Judge Vicky Johnson said as she read the decision. '[She] was needlessly mutilated by Trail and Boswell as part of the plan to satisfy her sexual desire. The mutilation was not done as an afterthought to hide the body.' Bail Boswell, 27, (pictured in court on November 8) ritualistically dismembered a hardware store clerk she met on Tinder with her boyfriend after he strangled her to death. She was handed a life sentence on Monday, avoiding the prospect of being the first Nebraska woman to get the death penalty Prosecutors said Boswell (pictured right) and Trail had planned to kill someone before Boswell met Loofe, 24, on the dating app Tinder and lured her to them Sydney Loofe (pictured), a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, was strangled with an extension cord. Her body parts were later found in garbage bags, cut into 14 pieces and left in ditches along country roads in rural Clay County 'The murder was coldly calculated, Boswell relished the murder, there was needless viewed mutilation of the body. The murder was senseless and Sidney Loofe was a helpless victim,' Judge Vicky Johnson (pictured) said as she read the court's verdict on Monday Her boyfriend during the murder, 54-year-old Aubrey Trail, was sentenced to death in June for fatally strangling Loofe before the pair dismembered her body. No execution date has been set. During his 2019 trial, three women testified how Trail would lure victims into his sex cult via the dating app Tinder, then convince them he was a vampire who could fly and read minds. Prosecutors said Boswell and Trail had planned to kill someone before Boswell met Loofe on the dating app on Nov. 15, 2017. Johnson noted that the couple chose Loofe because she showed sexual interest in Boswell and lived far away from her other family members, and therefore 'wouldn't immediately be missed.' The last time anyone heard from Sydney Loofe was on November 15 when she posted a picture of herself to Snapchat, captioning the image: 'Ready for my date' Boswell's court-appointed attorney, Todd Lancaster, said he was aware of at least two other cases in Nebraska where a three-judge panel split over whether to impose the death penalty, resulting in a default life sentence. 'I can say that Bailey is grateful for the sake of her family and particularly her [7-year-old] daughter, Nahla, that she did not receive a death sentence, and so am I,' said Lancaster, of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy. In earlier court hearings, Boswell had implored the court to spare her life for her daughter's sake: ''[Nahla] needs a mommy and I know I can contribute to her life. For my sake, for my daughter's sake please don't take my life.' In a statement, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson did not directly address the ruling but thanked local law enforcement and the jury that convicted Boswell for their work. 'With the criminal cases coming to a close and the anniversary of [Loofe's] death approaching, our thoughts are with the Loofe family during this difficult time,' Peterson said. Judge Peter Bataillon, the lone dissenter in Monday's ruling, called the crime horrible and said Boswell should spend the rest of her life in prison, but he said he wasn't convinced that she had shown 'exceptional depravity,' the legal standard required for a death sentence. He did not elaborate but has voted to impose death sentences in the past. Boswell's boyfriend during the murder, 54-year-old Aubrey Trail (pictured left), was sentenced to death in June for fatally strangling Loofe on November 15 of 2017 with an extension cord before he and Boswell (right) dismembered her body Judge Vicky Johnson described Loofe (pictured) as a 'helpless victim' who was targeted in a cold, calculating manner The family of Sydney Loofe, from left, brother Levi, sister MacKenzie, mother Susie and father George - listen as Bailey Boswell is sentenced to life in prison Judges Johnson and Darla Ideus disagreed and ruled in favor of capital punishment. Both judges concluded that Boswell deserved death because she helped lure Loofe back to the apartment where she and Trail lived and bought power tools ahead of time that were used to cut up Loofe's body. They also pointed to statements at trial that Boswell was sexually aroused by thoughts of people being tortured and killed. 'Boswell's actions and words demonstrate that she had no regard for the life of Sydney Loofe beyond her own pleasure,' Johnson said. Johnson described Loofe as a 'helpless victim' who was targeted in a cold, calculating manner. As she read her ruling aloud in court, several members of Loofe's family lowered their heads and one woman dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. The family left the courtroom after the sentencing without taking questions. Boswell was convicted in October 2020 of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and improper disposal of human remains. In July, prosecutors presented graphic autopsy photos to bolster their case that Boswell, 27, deserves to die for the crime. Parts of Loofe's dismembered body were shown to the panel of judges, including several photos of her arms, head, torso and thighs. The women who testified at Trail's trial in 2019 said they were all recruited via Boswell's Tinder account between July and November 2017. They described how Trail made them call him 'daddy' and how they engaged in group sex with him, Boswell and other women. Aubrey Trail, 54, was sentenced to death last month for the 2017 murder of Sydney Loofe, a young woman he lured on Tinder Bailey Boswell, right, listens during a hearing in August 2018 Saline County Court in Nebraska The women said Trail also referred to Boswell as the 'queen witch'. One woman testified that Trail had a group of witches and that for her to become one of them she had to kill someone and 'take their last breath', the Omaha Herald reports. She would gain more 'powers' if the person killed was tortured for hours beforehand, the woman testified. The woman described going to a Walmart with Trail and Boswell to grocery shop. She said they asked her if she was ready for her first 'kill'. A potential Tinder date showed up but they ended up leaving her at the grocery store and Trail later said they would 'save her for another time'. 'It all sounded like it was real, very convincing,' she told the court. The woman said she left the group before Loofe was killed, and said Trail and Boswell threatened to kill her family if she told anyone about what had happened. Another woman testified that Trail and Boswell made her follow strict rules, including making contact every three hours to let them know where she was. She also wasn't allowed to wear clothes in Trail's home. The woman told the court she was punished if she broke the rules, including once where he choked her with a belt and another time where he slapped her in the head more than 10 times. She testified that Trail and Boswell would often speak about killing and torturing other victims because they needed to strengthen their powers. They allegedly spoke of cutting out people's eyelids, scalping them, cutting holes in people during sex, pouring acid on them and setting them on fire. Trail was convicted of the same charges in 2019 and sentenced in June to death. A scar on his neck is visible from a hearing where he slashed his own neck in the courtroom, yelling 'Bailey is innocent, I curse you all!' One woman testified that Trail and Boswell had a killing bag - which they called 'Bailey's killing bag' - that included a sauna suit, hammer and pliers. The woman said she initially agreed to take part in a killing. She also left the group before Loofe was killed. Another part of being involved in Trail's sex cult helping the couple swindle others by buying and selling antiques. The third woman testified that she was only interested in the antiques side of it and was never wanted to have sex with the couple. She said she never believed Trail when he spoke about vampires and witches but testified that they regularly spoke about killing and torture. Although Trail has changed his story numerous times, he admitted at his sentencing that he strangled Loofe with an electric cord, as prosecutors had alleged. He said he tied up Loofe and killed her because she 'freaked out' when he told her about his lifestyle with Boswell and other young women, which included defrauding antique dealers and rough group sex. 'I had no doubt she would tell people if I let her go,' said Trail, who was handcuffed, clad in orange jail garb and in a wheelchair throughout his sentencing. Trail acknowledged that he repeatedly lied to authorities and plotted to kill Loofe two to three hours before her slaying. He asserted that Boswell wasn't in the room and didn't know he was going to do it - a claim that Judges Johnson and Ideus didn't believe. Trial did not apologize to the victim's family (pictured in court on Monday), saying it would be an 'insult' to do so Trail tried to kill himself in custody by slitting his own throat but was unsuccessful. He was sentenced to death after telling the court that he 'couldn't care less' what kind of punishment he received. He did not apologize to the victim's family, saying it would be an 'insult' to do so. He also repeated earlier claims that Boswell is innocent and didn't take part in the killing. Trail became the 12th man on death row in Nebraska, a state that rarely carries out executions. He missed much of his own trial after slashing his neck in the courtroom and yelling, 'Bailey is innocent, I curse you all.' The states most recent execution was of convicted murderer was Carey Dean Moore in 2018, after Moore dropped all of his appeals and asked to be killed. Before that, Nebraskas last execution was in 1997. Boswell will now become the 16th woman serving a life sentence in Nebraska for first-degree murder, according to a Nebraska Department of Correctional Services spokeswoman. The men on death row are awaiting execution at the all-male Tecumseh State Correctional Institution. Little Cleo Smith and her family have met with detectives after Daily Mail Australia revealed a mystery woman may have been involved in the toddler's alleged abduction. The little girl told investigators a female would come to her accused kidnapper's house to 'look after her'. The new development came to light during delicate police interviews with the four-year-old, who allegedly spent 18 days locked up inside a house in Carnarvon, in Western Australia's northwest. On Tuesday, Cleo and mother Ellie arrived with stepfather Jake Gliddon at Carnarvon police station to be given the latest update on the hunt for a possible accomplice. Little Cleo Smith and her family (here with mum Ellie) have been briefed by detectives after Daily Mail Australia revealed a mystery woman may have been involved in the toddler's alleged abduction The family later left weighed down with crates of gifts from well-wishers across Australia and the world who have been touched by the brave toddler's plight, as seen here They later left weighed down with crates of gifts from well-wishers across Australia and the world who have been touched by the brave toddler's plight. Local man Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, has been charged with kidnapping and remains in a Perth jail, as a team of elite detectives returned to the remote town on Monday in the hunt for more clues. Sources close to the investigation told Daily Mail Australia Cleo has mentioned that a woman visited the Tonkin Crescent duplex during the time she was allegedly held captive, and helped care for her. Stepfather Jake Gliddon (pictured) was seen laden down with boxes of goodies from the public as he exited the police station On Tuesday, Cleo and mother Ellie (pictured) arrived with stepfather Jake Gliddon at Carnarvon police station to be given the latest update on the hunt for a possible accomplice Cleo allegedly told investigators the woman helped to dress her and brush her hair. Cleo was found in the early hours of last Wednesday morning after being missing since October 16, when she was allegedly abducted from her family's tent at the remote blowholes campsite about 75km away. The preschooler was awake and 'playing with toys' when detectives broke down the door of the house, just after 1.30am. Bodycam footage shows the brave little girl being carried out the Tonkin Crescent address with her hair clean and brushed and her pyjamas appearing freshly washed. Local man Terence Darrell Kelly, 36 (pictured), has been charged over the kidnapping off Cleo Smith - but police are now probing the possibility of a 'mystery woman' also being involved Forensic police have been scouring Terence Kelly's duplex in Carnarvon, Western Australia (pictured) for the past six days searching for evidence Cleo Smith (pictured with her police rescuers) was allegedly found in a room in Kelly's home by detectives who used mobile data to track down her alleged abductor Police had initially stated no other suspects were being sought in relation to the matter, alleging that Kelly acted alone. With the landmark case appearing to be wrapped up, a team of detectives who helped track down Cleo have since raced back to Carnarvon from Perth as they probe the possibility another person was involved. The investigators are expected to remain in the small town for at least another week as forensic specialists continue to scour the alleged abductor's home for evidence another suspect may have been there. Pictured: Detective Sergeant Cameron Blaine tells Cleo: 'We're gonna take you to see your mummy and daddy'. He has since revealed police were trying to 'ascertain whether there was anyone else involved Detective senior sergeant Cameron Blaine, who was captured on police bodycam vision rescuing Cleo from her ordeal, has remained tight-lipped about the latest developments in the case but said police have 'more work to do.' 'Our focus this week is for us to ascertain whether there was anyone else involved. That's why we are still here,' he said after stepping off the plane. 'So, we just ask that if there was anyone that had any contact with Mr Kelly, whether you saw him, whether you met with him, whether you spoke to him on the phone during the relevant period to please make yourself known to police.' Daily Mail Australia sought comment from the WA Police about the mystery woman. A spokesperson said investigators would not comment specifically claims another person could be involved, but added 'inquiries are continuing'. Cleo Smith's alleged kidnapper Terry Kelly, 36, is pictured with Bratz dolls on his social media Bizarre details have emerged about the accused's strange obsession with toys as numerous social media account's linked to Kelly show a room full of children's dolls Specialist child interview officers attached to the child abuse squad in Perth began the delicate task of sitting down with Cleo on Thursday. The process of uncovering what happened could take several weeks. For a sixth straight day forensic officers have combed through Kelly's house and gathering evidence for laboratory examination which could indicate the presence of another person. Trailer-loads of evidence have been bagged up and removed from the alleged abductor's property during that time with the top-to-bottom search of the roped-off commission house likely to go on for several weeks as prosecutors build their case against Kelly. Since his arrest, it's been revealed he had an obsession with collecting dolls and boasted about his love for girl's toys on various social media pages. One photograph he posted shows Bratz and Disney princess dolls stacked from floor to ceiling. Two trailer-loads of evidence were bagged up and removed from the alleged abductor's home on Sunday The top to bottom search of the roped-off commission house is likely to go on for several weeks The bagged up items will be sent away for forensic testing as prosecutors build their case against Kelly It comes as audio emerged of an Aboriginal elder who raised Kelly calling him a gift from God and a 'beautiful little boy'. Respected Gascoyne elder Penny Walker revealing how Kelly, now 36, was 'thrown away' by his drug-addict biological mother. She handed him over to her 'Aunty Penny', who had all six of her own children taken into care because of an alcohol problem when she was younger. 'I looked down at him and this little boy - God was giving me something back into my life what the welfare took off me - my children,' said Ms Walker, who died in 2020. 'His mum didn't want him and she threw him away.' Kelly lived alone at Ms Walker's dilapidated home after her death last year at the age of 77. The tapes reveal he was brought up with Ms Walker's two other grandsons after her daughter died from multiple sclerosis. Cleo Smith has since been reunited with mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon (pictured) 'God was giving my children back to me in a different way. So I have this little boy beautiful little boy, Terry,' she said. 'Two year old, jet black curly hair.' Kelly's early upbringing has been revealed in snippets of oral history archives in an interview she gave in May 2019 for the State Library of Western Australia. She had her own troubled early life a as part of the Stolen Generation and spent her childhood in the Moore River Native Settlement and New Norcia Mission. Ms Walker suffered sexual abuses and floggings, she said, and later slept in toilets as an adult while enduring domestic violence. Authorities put her on a bus to Carnarvon, 1000km north of Perth, and she said in the tapes: 'I never looked back.' After her own problems with drink and her six children being taken by the state, she turned her life around and became a respected member of the community. Penny Walker talked about Terry Kelly (pictured) being a 'beautiful little boy' with 'jet black curly hair' in audio recordings for the oral history archive at Western Australia's State Library Police have described a hit-run driver as a 'coward' after a horrific crash in Melbourne that claimed the life of a road worker and critically injured another. At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Detective Acting Senior Sergeant Jarrod Dwyer described the actions of the driver as 'cold and callous'. The two workers were setting up traffic cones in front of a work ute on Hall Road at Carrum Downs in Melbourne's south-east shortly after 7am when the driver of a red Holden struck them head on travelling on the two-lane road. 'They [the workers] were blocking off one lane of that road at the time that the Commodore has come straight through the cones and struck the road workers,' Snr Sgt Dwyer said. He said that despite a 40km/h speed limit due to the roadworks, it appeared the Commodore driver was moving at 'excessive speed'. 'Eyewitness accounts indicate that he was travelling at speed in the right-hand lane and at the last moment he made an attempt to avoid colliding with the ute and the road workers by veering left at the very last second but it was too late.' Investigators are searching for a man they believe to be the driver of the red Holden The driver of the red Commodore escaped in a black Hyundai SUV, driven by another man (above), who police are also searching for The deceased, a 44-year-old man from Bayswater, was wedged between the ute and the red Commodore. Snr Sgt Dwyer said eyewitnesses reported the driver got out of the car and looked at the victims before running off. 'It is just a callous, cold act. The act of a coward.' The driver of the vehicle fled the scene on foot but was chased and photographed by a member of the public who came to the aid of the road workers. He escaped to a nearby street where he got into a black Hyundai SUV. Police said the SUV was then discovered around 7.45am in nearby Bollarto Road, south-east of the original collision scene. 'At that point police attempted to intercept and the black SUV has driven at the police members and they were unable to engage further pursuit at that point.' The tragic incident at Carrum Downs in Melbourne's south-east occurred around 7.15am when the driver of a red Holden struck a group of workers on Hall Road, near the intersection of Lats Avenue Victoria Police released a statement saying a search for the offender had been launched after he escaped in a black Hyundai SUV Police said the registered owner of the Holden Commodore was cooperating with investigators and it was not known how the driver came to be in possession of the car. The deceased's co-worker, a 38-year-old man from Traralgon, is currently in hospital receiving treatment. Victoria Police released a statement saying a search for the offender had been launched. He is believed to be Caucasian in appearance and aged in his 30s. Police said the registered owner of the Holden Commodore was cooperating with investigators and it was not known how the driver came to be in possession of the car Another witness, Rick, told 3AW in Melbourne that two people working on the median strip were struck. 'They were either council workers or arborists and they'd put their cones out and the car had gone though them and into the back of the truck,' he told Neil Mitchell. 'Someone was helping one of the arborists across to the nature strip and he looked in a pretty bad way, but the other poor fella he was deceased. 'It was pretty hectic, everyone was pretty much in shock seeing that first thing in the morning.' Rick said cars in the area were travelling about 60km/h at the time as they approached a roundabout. One witness, Rick, told 3AW in Melbourne that two people working on the median strip were struck. 'They'd put their cones out and the car had gone though them and into the back of the truck,' he told host Neil Mitchell 'You're also driving straight into an easterly sun and the sun is straight in your eyes,' he told Mitchell. 'I said to my wife when I got home, and I was pretty shaken up, this poor guy, he probably kissed his wife and kids goodbye as he left home and suddenly, you're not home.' Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are investigating at the scene of the incident. Hall Road was earlier closed between Cadles Road and Rowellyn Avenue as a result of the incident. Police appealed to anyone who witnessed the collision or who has dashcam footage to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. The father of a 16-year-old boy brutally shot dead at a birthday party has issued an emotional plea asking for the fifth suspect to hand himself in. Connor Whitehead was talking to his friends outside a house in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday when a man fired shots into the crowd in a drive-by shooting. Christchurch police arrested the alleged killer, and three other suspects and are actively seeking another person they believe is involved in Connor's death. Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Connor's father James Whitehead said the family were 'shocked and heartbroken' while begging for the fifth suspect to come forward. James Whitehead, (pictured) the father of a 16-year-old boy shot dead at a party has made an emotional plea asking for those involved to come forward 'He should have been safe and he should be home with us,' Mr Whitehead said. 'While we have many questions that need answers right now we want to remember and celebrate Connor for the amazing son, brother and friend he was.' 'We will always be so proud of him,' he tearfully added. Mr Whitehead said his son didn't know his killer and his family didn't have any connection to the people involved in the shooting. Connor Whitehead (pictured: Facebook) was shot dead at a friends' birthday party on Friday Mr Whitehead said his son (pictured) was an amazing kid who enjoyed making music with his friends on Tuesday He also thanked the community for supporting his family including emergency staff, police officers and police dogs who attended the scene. Described as 'an amazing kid' who loved making music, Mr Whitehead used the conference to send a message to the suspect still wanted for questioning. 'Do the right thing hand yourself in,' he said. Police said they have made significant progress in 'Operation Stack' - the taskforce involved in the investigation into Connor's death. Detective Senior Sergeant Nicola Reeves said they were continuing to make inquiries and were actively seeking one other person involved in the murder. She said the suspect is aware he is being sought and encouraged him to come forward as well as appealing for information from the public. Armed police searching the scene where Connor was shot dead by gatecrashers Armed police arrived at the scene after an emergency call was made at 11.03pm on Friday evening last week 'Connor had his whole life ahead of him and this brutal and sensless incident has robbed that from him and his family,' Ms Reeves said. She also reiterated Mr Whitehead's earlier pleas of encouraging the suspect to 'do the right thing'. Connor convinced his parents to let him attend the 15th birthday party and, was allegedly the victim of random gunfire. Police believe uninvited guests arrived and after a parent was phoned to calm things down about 11pm local time, an altercation took place that allegedly led to gunshots. The alleged gunman fired several times, witnesses said, seemingly at random. Connor was standing, talking to some friends when he was struck by gunfire on the front of his body. His friends attempted emergency first aid while another made an emergency call. Police arrived at the scene and attempted emergency CPR, followed by the St John ambulance paramedics 10 minutes later, but Connor was declared dead at the scene. A 32-year-old man has been charged with murder. Three people, a 46-year-old man and two women, aged 36 and 43 were charged with accessories after the fact to Connor's murder. All applications for bail refused and they were remanded in custody without plea to appear in the High Court in Christchurch on November 26. Students and friends of Connor have started gathering at the scene to mourn their loss at what they now refer to as 'Connor's Corner'. NSW has hit 90 per cent fully vaccinated a day after slashing Covid restrictions to allow unlimited house parties and roaring nightclub dance floors. The fastest-vaccinating state in Australia is surging towards the 95 per cent of residents aged 16 and over needed to ditch masks indoors. Residents with one dose hit 94 per cent on the same day, according to data from the federal government's Operation Covid Shield. 'I want to pay tribute to the health minister and the health teams as we lead the nation out of this pandemic,' Premier Dominic Perrottet told the state parliament. Dr Jamal Rifi (pictured right) administers the Pfizer vaccine to a client at the Belmore Sports Ground vaccination hub. NSW passed 90 per cent fully vaccinated on Tuesday Hospitalisations, intensive care admissions and deaths were all far lower among fully vaccinated, NSW Health boss Kerry Chant (pictured) has revealed World-beating vaccination rates have kept new Covid cases per day in NSW below 350 for weeks and avoided hospitals being overwhelmed with infected patients. A new report revealed hospitalisations, intensive care admissions and deaths were all far lower among fully vaccinated Covid-19 patients during the peak of NSW's latest outbreak. Data released on Monday revealed that unvaccinated people in NSW were 16 times more likely to die, or end up in intensive care, during the Delta outbreak. Covid ICU admissions or deaths peaked between September 8 and September 21, with just 0.9 per 100,000 fully vaccinated people, compared to 15.6 per 100,000 who were unvaccinated. Infection rates among the unvaccinated were 10 times higher compared to those who rolled up their sleeves to get both vaccinations, the report said. Of the 61,800 locally acquired cases across NSW between June 16 to October 7, the majority had received no vaccine, 9.2 per cent had received one dose while just 6.1 per cent of cases were fully vaccinated. The state's chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant said data clearly shows fully vaccinated people were significantly less likely to become infected with the virus. The state is now closing in on reaching the 95 per cent vaccination target as NSW recorded 222 new cases and four deaths on Tuesday. 'This report shows vaccination has been key in protecting ourselves, our families and the community from the harmful effects of the virus,' Dr Chant said. Infection rates among the unvaccinated were 10 times higher compared to those who rolled up their sleeves (pictured a drive through vaccination clinic) Of the 8660 hospitalised cases, only 5.7 per cent were people who were fully vaccinated. Just three per cent of intensive care admissions were fully vaccinated. The report was released just hours after it was revealed an unvaccinated man in his 30s with no significant underlying health conditions was one of seven Covid-19 deaths recorded in NSW on Monday. Father-of-three Mohamed Khaldoun Obeid, 38, from Padstow in Sydney died at Royal North Shore Hospital. The other six deaths recorded on Monday include two women who died at an Albury aged care facility where they acquired their infections, and a Sydney man in his 80s who died at Prince of Wales Hospital where he caught the virus. Fully-vaccinated people can now gather in bigger numbers indoors and outdoors. School children were allowed assemblies and excursions from Monday under the state's revised road map. Teachers who aren't fully vaccinated will be suspended. NSW businesses now have density restrictions of one person for every two square metres, and fully-vaccinated diners can book without number limits. As many as 1000 people can gather outdoors, while stadiums, racecourses, theme parks, zoos, cinemas and theatres can operate at 100 per cent of their fixed-seated capacity. All unvaccinated NSW residents will have to wait until December 15 or when the state reaches a 95 per cent double-vaccination to enjoy greater freedoms, whichever comes first. Just three per cent of intensive care admissions were fully vaccinated. Pictured is a critically ill patient in St Vincent's Hospital's ICU unit in July Mohamed Khaldoun Obeid was 38 when he died from Covid-19 on Saturday. He is pictured with his wife Rayan People who attended a large funeral and wake in Sydney's west on the weekend are being urged to get tested for Covid after several positive cases were linked to the events. The funeral was held at the North Chapel of Pinegrove Memorial Park in Minchinbury on Saturday from 10am and the wake was held at a private residence in Llandilo on Saturday and Sunday. 'Anyone who attended either the funeral or the wake is a close contact and must immediately get tested, self-isolate and follow the close contact advice regardless of the result,' a NSW Health alert said on Monday night. A Victorian man who stabbed an intellectually disabled person in the heart with a kitchen knife after the other man attacked him with a chisel has been described in court as a 'lost soul'. Ismail Yassin, 25, on Tuesday faced the Victorian Supreme Court after earlier admitting the manslaughter of 35-year-old Mohammed Osman on Dorcas Street at South Melbourne in June 2020. Yassin's barrister Phillip Dunn said his client had pleaded guilty to an 'unplanned, spontaneous and unfortunate event'. The two men, Mr Dunn said, became entangled in a brawl after Mr Osman repeatedly asked Yassin if he had any drugs or money and 'would not leave him alone'. Mr Osman punched the accused man in the head and attacked him with a chisel. Yassin then produced a kitchen knife and stabbed the victim, leaving an eight-centimetre deep wound, as they fell to the ground. Ismail Yassin, 25, on Tuesday faced the Victorian Supreme Court after earlier admitting the manslaughter of 35-year-old Mohammed Osman on Dorcas Street at South Melbourne in June 2020 Mr Dunn said Yassin had been a drug-addicted, nomadic couch-surfer when he killed Mr Osman, an intellectually disabled man who also faced drug problems and had not been seen by his family for about four months. The barrister described both men as 'forgotten people'. 'There's something empty and sad about these two men,' Mr Dunn told the court. 'These were homeless, disorganised and lost souls.' Mr Dunn also said his client's killing of Mr Osman was a sliding doors moment that eventuated through a chance combination of circumstances. 'I'm not sure the production of a knife is something that happens by chance,' Justice Richard Niall responded. The accused's sister, Filsan Yassin, said her brother was distraught about what he had done and committed to turning his life around. 'I don't think it will ever leave him - he thinks about it every day,' Ms Yassin said. 'He knows what drugs can do to somebody. He wants to prevent it in the future and help out other youth in our community. 'We come from a large family and we're all here to support him, we all want him to be happy.' Mr Osman's sister Katye Omar said the death of her older brother had left a 'permanent crack' in their family. 'Watching my mother deteriorate before my eyes has been unimaginably painful,' Ms Omar said in a statement. 'Mohammed made troubling decisions at times but he had a heart of gold. We will grieve his absence for as long as live. 'I pray no family, no sister, no mother ever has to endure the heartbreak of such an appalling incident.' Mr Osman was born in Somalia and his father and two other siblings were killed when a bomb exploded at their home in 1992, the court was told. His mother was badly injured and says that Mr Osman, though not hurt by the explosion, was 'never the same'. Yassin will be sentenced at a later date. Former President Donald Trump took credit for the GOP's surprise showing in last week's elections as he reasserted his claim as kingmaker - and told his party that it cannot win back the presidency in 2024 without his MAGA supporters - during a speech at the National Republican Congressional Committee in Florida on Monday. Trump boasted to attendees at the dinner in Tampa that Glenn Youngkin would have lost the Virginia governor's race if his red-hatted army did not turn out to vote for the Republican, according to the New York Times. Youngkin, aware that he needed to focus the race on local issues to have a shot at winning in Democratic-leaning Virginia, publicly kept his distance from Trump - with the two never appearing together. President Trump spoke to loyal Republicans at a NRCC dinner in Tampa, Florida Youngkin never campaigned with Trump keeping him at arms length during his race for the governorship Trump had enthusiastically endorsed Youngkin and privately spoke with the candidate by phone, but the former president never went to the state to endorse Youngkin nor showed up at any rally despite at one point him teasing a trip to Arlington to appear with the candidate. Instead, Trump monitored the campaign from his Mar-a-Lago headquarters in Florida. Still, it did not stop Trump from sucking up some of the credit Monday, stating Youngkin 'probably would have lost big without him. And Glenn probably knows this.' One Republican supporter doesn't believe that Trump is ready to step back and raise funds for other candidates, instead believing he may want another shot at the presidency himself. 'If Trump was serious about cementing his role as kingmaker he would be raising and contributing tons of money to his chosen candidates. A hug at a rally or positive tweet is still very important in some races. But that alone does not ensure victory. On the contrary,' wrote Janet Mullins Grissom on Twitter. Youngkin's victory came in a state filled with suburban voters whose loathing of Trump prompted them to flee the GOP in significant numbers in 2018 and 2020. Joe Biden carried the state by 10 points in his win over Trump. It is a forbidding signal for Democrats gripping paper-thin congressional majorities and facing midterm elections in which the party holding the White House historically loses droves of seats, particularly in the House. During Trump's speech, the former president spoke briefly of last weeks bipartisan passing of the $1.2trillion infrastructure bill. 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. It gives Biden and Democrats a much-needed jolt of good news after poll numbers had fallen for the president. Trump said the bill gave Biden a victory at a time when his numbers are soft but he excoriated the 13 Republicans who crossed the aisle to vote with the Democrats. 'No thank you goes to the Republicans who voted for the bill,' he said. Later, Trump began to speak of the January 6 riots at the Capitol for which he has faced the blame for inciting his followers to march on Congress. Supporters of former President Trump have argued they were merely doing what they thought the nations leader had asked. But Trump pivoted on the issue, telling Republican lawmakers the real 'insurrection' took place on November 3 - the day he lost the 2020 presidential election by 7 million votes. A 'hard-working' father-of-two is fighting for life after being coward-punched while trying to help a woman who was allegedly being assaulted. Kairan Mahia, 29, was hit from behind when several fights broke out between a large crowd at Sorrento Quay, at Hillary's Boat Harbour, in Perth, about 4.30am on Sunday. Mr Mahia suffered serious head injuries and was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital, where doctors immediately placed him into an induced coma to stem bleeding on his brain. Western Australian Police made a desperate appeal for witnesses and asked the public to upload any mobile phone or dash cam footage of the incident directly to their website. 'Hard-working' father-of-two Kairan Mahia, 29, is fighting for life after being coward-punched while trying to help a woman who was being assaulted. He pictured above with his wife Lisa Mr Mahia's wife Lisa is 'in shock' and has not left her husband's side since receiving a shock call that he was rushed to hsopital The personal trainer's wife Lisa is 'in shock' and has not left his side as his family pray for his recovery. Friend and colleague James Clarke said Mr Mahia, who has two daughters aged five and ten, was on a rare night out to catch up with his brother when the tragedy unfolded. 'He saw an altercation between a guy and a girl and he went to her aid and was hit,' Mr Clarke told Daily Mail Australia. It is understood Mr Mahia was king-hit during the incident from behind and fell heavily. Police report finding him on the scene with 'serious head injuries'. 'I'm not sure if it was the male that was assaulting the girl or someone else in the group,' Mr Clarke said. 'He is a very quiet, softly spoken man. He is a family man through and through and everything he does is for his kid and wife,' he added. Mr Clarke received a phone call saying Mr Mahia is in ICU in Royal Perth and that he had bleeding on the brain and would be getting monitored.' It is understood Mr Mahia will be monitored for 48 hours and either keep in the induced coma or bring him out of it 'to assess' his condition. 'I am devastated for him, his wife and kids. I am still in disbelief that it has happened.' Police were called to a disturbance at Sorrento Quay in Perth at 4,.30am and are appealing for witnesses and video evidence to be uploaded to a WA police website Mr Mahia was placed in an induced coma and has bleeding on his brain. His condition is being constantly monitored A WA Police statement said 'Joondalup Detectives' want to hear from the public to assist with investigations. 'Around 4.30am, police were called to the carpark area of Sorrento Quay after reports of a large number of people creating a disturbance and several people fighting,' the statement said. 'On arrival, police located a 29-year-old man with serious head injuries. He was conveyed by ambulance to Royal Perth Hospital and remains in a critical but stable condition.' Mr Clarke has launched a GoFundMe page to help the family financially as they brace for Mr Mahia's long road to recovery ahead. Over $25,000 of a $50,000 target had been raised by more than 300 contributors as of Tuesday afternoon. John Henry Ramirez, 37, was sentence to death after killing Corpus Christi convenience store worker Pablo Castro, 46. He sued the state of Texas for not allowing him to have a religious minister touch and pray aloud over him during the execution. He was supposed to receive lethal injection in September Conservative Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism on Tuesday about a Texas death row inmate's demand that a chaplain be allowed to pray out loud and touch him during his execution. John Henry Ramirez, 37 - who is on death row for killing a Corpus Christi convenience store worker Pablo Castro, 46, by stabbing him 29 times over $1.25 - sued Texas after it would not allow him to have a minister pray audibly or touch him during his lethal injection. The lower courts have sided with Texas, but the Supreme Court halted his September 8 execution to hear his case. Texas - the nation's biggest death penalty state - says an inmate's spiritual adviser may pray with and counsel Ramirez until he is taken into the execution chamber and restrained on a gurney. However, Texas said that after that, while the spiritual adviser is nearby, he can't speak to or touch the inmate. 'An outsider touching the inmate during lethal injection poses an unacceptable risk to the security, integrity, and solemnity of the execution,' Texas has told the justices. Texas also said Ramirez's request is just another attempt to delay his execution. Ramirez's attorneys told the court that a federal law that protects the religious rights of prisoners requires the state to allow his pastor to audibly pray and lay hands on him as he is put to death. Pablo Castro (pictured) was stabbed 29 by Ramirez over $1.25 after he and two women went on a string of robberies after a three-day drug binge 'These ministrations are deeply rooted in petitioner's sincere religious beliefs and reflect the fundamental importance of prayer, song, and human touch as powerful expressions of Christian faith. To deny them imposes a substantial burden on petitioner's free exercise of religion,' they have told the court. Seth Kretzer, one of Ramirez's attorneys, believes a trial court will be needed on the 'touch issue,' but the convict will 'win on prayer.' 'I think we will ultimately get a reman to the trial court to make that determination about touch,' Kretzer told DailyMail.com 'We will win on prayer in the Supreme Court and they will let the trial court decide to touch issue.' Members of the court's conservative majority suggested that requiring Texas to accommodate the inmate's request could lead to a string of cases asking for other accommodations. A lawyer for the inmate said he would be content to have his spiritual adviser touch his foot during his execution, but justices questioned what requests might come next. 'What's going to happen when the next prisoner says that I have a religious belief that he should touch my knee. He should hold my hand. He should put his hand over my heart. He should be able to put his hand on my head. We're going to have to go through the whole human anatomy with a series of cases,' Justice Samuel Alito said. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh also expressed concerns about what ruling for the inmate would mean for requests in the future, with Kavanaugh asking whether all states would have to follow a single state's accommodations. What if, he asked, one state 'allows bread and wine in the execution room right before the execution' or allows the minister to 'hug the inmate.' He questions if other states would have to do that as well. The Biden administration has also weighed in. It noted that under the Trump administration, the federal government carried out 13 executions in six months at the federal execution chamber in Terre Haute, Indiana. During those executions - which also made headlines for likely acting as coronavirus super-spreader events - at least six religious advisers spoke or prayed audibly with inmates in the execution chamber. In at least one case there was brief physical contact. 'The federal government has long sought to accommodate inmates' religious practices when carrying out capital sentences,' said the administration, which has halted all federal executions. The administration says its practices are consistent with those of other states including Alabama, Georgia, and Oklahoma. It also says news reports and other evidence show Texas itself long allowed chaplains to engage in audible prayer and sometimes physical contact with inmates during executions. Ramirez joined the Marines to escape an abusive father and the gang activity in his Texas neighborhood Kavanaugh suggested that if the justices rule for the Texas inmate, 'this is going to be a heavy part of our docket for years to come.' Ramirez joined the Marines to escape an abusive father and the gang activity in his Texas neighborhood. During his 2009 trial he was convicted by a jury after less than an hour of deliberations. He was condemned for the 2004 killing of Castro, who was taking out the trash from a Corpus Christi convenience store. Prosecutors say Ramirez stabbed Castro 29 times during a series of robberies in which the inmate and two women sought money following a three-day drug binge. In a 2018 BBC interview from prison, Ramirez said he, Angela Rodriguez and Christina Chavez were smoking weed, taking cocaine, prescription pills and drinking vodka that night. He told BBC that Rodriguez was fighting with a man, and he got involved in the altercation to try to separate them. 'I had stabbed him in the neck,' Ramirez said. 'There was like real aggressive gurgling sound. That's what kind of snapped me out of it, and I saw how hurt he was and he was bleeding everywhere. I was just like, "Oh man. I went too far."' Growing up, Ramirez said he had an abusive father who stabbed his mother multiple times when he was younger. He said in the BBC interview that he was surrounded by gang activity, so he joined the Marines. Ramirez claimed that during his drug-fueled blackout, the military training took over. 'They teach you to kill a person in the fastest way possible. They teach you kill shot. That's what we call it, which is a lot of places I ended up hitting Pablo,' Ramirez said. 'I hit him in the heart. I hit him in the neck. I hit him in the groin. I hit him in the lung.' Ramirez fled to Mexico but was arrested three-and-a-half years later. The Supreme Court also confronted the issue of ministers in the death chamber on several occasions in recent years. In 2019, two inmates asked the justices to halt their executions over states' refusal to allow their spiritual advisers in the execution chamber. Wrestling with the issue, the high court let one execution go forward but blocked Texas inmate Patrick Murphy's. At the time of Murphy's scheduled execution, Texas allowed state-employed religious advisers to be present in the execution chamber but only employed Christian and Muslim advisers, not anyone who was Buddhist, Murphy's faith. Justice Kavanaugh wrote that Murphy wasn't being treated equally. Texas responded by barring all clergy from the execution chamber, but inmates responded with additional lawsuits. Texas ultimately changed its policy in 2021 to allow both state-employed chaplains and outside spiritual advisers who satisfy certain screening requirements to go into the execution chamber. The unresolved legal debate over whether spiritual advisers can touch inmates and pray aloud as condemned individuals are being put to death has delayed the final two executions scheduled this year in Texas. Last month judges rescheduled the executions of Kosoul Chanthakoummane, who was to die November 10, and Ramiro Gonzales, who was set for November 17. Advertisement Times Square really was the Crossroads of the World again on Monday as thousands of tourists arrived back in NYC and headed to Manhattan's beating heart after COVID restrictions were lifted for the first time in 20 months. Smiling under the neon jumbotrons of NYC's Midtown commercial district, passengers from all over the world told DailyMail.com of their joy at being reunited with loved ones or just soaked up the sights of the Big Apple - which had been off-limits for so long. Excited French couple Eva and Frederick said they were simply happy to be back in one of their favorite cities and shrugged off worries about vaccinations in the NYC. 'Not everyone in Europe is vaccinated,' Frederick jokingly remarked. Indeed, while American citizens and permanent residents were always allowed to enter the US the travel bans grounded tourists, thwarted business travelers and kept families apart. French couple Eva and Frederick arrived through Delta Airlines on Monday after COVID travel restrictions were lifted Algerian national Nasira arrived in New York from Dubai and is celebrating the end of the COVID restrictions in the Big Apple Tourists gather around the Charging Bull statue following the lift of restrictions on the entry of non-US citizens imposed to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease A family is seen on the TKTS stairs in Times Square with a 'Welcome Back World' sign following a long period of COVID travel restrictions New York City-themed cookies were handed out to passengers arriving on the first British Airways flight to arrive in the US As NYC tourism continues to grow back following a lengthy hiatus, investments in travel have also begun to increase. Governor Kathy Hochul announced plans to invest $450 million into the tourism industry for the state of New York. 'I want to make New York fun again,' Hochul said. 'I want people to feel that vitality, that energy, that all of us knew before the pandemic, that we just embraced as part of our DNA.' Love-sick couples and ecstatic family members were also seen reuniting in airports across the country in Monday. The first flights were BA Flight 001 carrying 331 passengers and Virgin Atlantic Flight VS3 carrying another 350 arrived at JFK in New York City shortly after 11am at Terminals 4 and 7 from London's Heathrow. An Air France flight from Paris arrived at JFK at around 10.30am and others from Mumbai and Delhi flew in to Newark, reuniting couples who have not seen each other for nearly two years. As they landed, hundreds more were checking in at KLM and Lufthansa desks at airports in Munich and Amsterdam. At Newark Airport in New Jersey, Dutch entrepreneur Mark Ogertsehnig, 45, lifted his fiancee, 40-year-old mother-of-two Natalia Abrahao off the ground as they embraced. He proposed during a trip to the US on March 12, 2020 - the day the borders closed - then their romance was thrown into chaos; he couldn't get in from Europe, and Brazilian-born Natalia couldn't leave the country while her green-card application was in process. After they reunited today, Mark told DailyMail.com: 'I am the happiest man in America!' Lai Wi, 31, drove from Charlottesville, Virginia, to collect his wife Hui Ling after she arrived on a plane from Shanghai. They had not seen each other for two years until today because her work permit was being processed. Others flew in from Germany and India, meeting grandchildren for the first time and reuniting with their expat kids. Dutch entrepreneur Mark Ogertsehnig lifts up his fiancee Natalia Abrahao at Newark Airport on Monday morning after flying in from Amsterdam on the first tourist flight. The couple got engaged last March but have not been able to be together full-time. Natalia is originally Brazilian and her green-card application had been submitted when the ban hit, meaning she couldn't leave the country to visit Mark in Europe or her parents in Brazil, and the ban kept him out. Paul Campbell (L) who has not seen his fiancee Patricia Bittag (R) of Hamburg, Germany for over 23 months, embraces HER on her arrival outside the US Customs and Border Protection gate at Boston's Logan International Airport, in Boston Lai Wi, 31, and his wife, Hui Ling, have been married for the last three years. However, they've gone two years without seeing one another due to travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Huiling travelled from Shanghai and Wi drove from Charlottesville, Virginia, to collect her. As he waited for her at Terminal 1 at JFK, he told DailyMail.com: 'I'm holding my tears back while waiting for my wife. I drove all the way from Charlottesville to pick her up. MaKensi Kastl kisses her boyfriend, Thierry Coudassot, after he arrived from France at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. The couple has not seen one another in person for over a year due to pandemic travel restrictions Waiting for her man: Kastl held a sign in French that translated to: 'Once upon a time, a handsome, tall and strong knight named Thierry came to the United States on a horse named LH79 to claim his princess. The two hadn't seen each other for 22 months and now, she was waiting impatiently for him' Jolly Dave, right, makes a phone call after arriving from India and being reunited with her boyfriend, Nirmit Shelat, at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. The couple has not been able to see one another for nine months due to pandemic travel restrictions 'THE HAPPIEST MAN IN AMERICA!' DUTCH BUSINESSMAN, 45, WHO PROPOSED ON THE DAY THE BORDERS CLOSED FINALLY RETURNS TO SEE HIS FIANCEE AND NEW STEPKIDS Among those who were the first arrivals at Newark Airport in New Jersey on Monday morning was 45-year-old Dutch entrepreneur Mark Ogertsehnig, who proposed to 40-year-old fiancee Natalia Abrahao on March 12 2020 the day the borders closed, and hasn't been able to be with her properly ever since. The pair were photographed embracing at the airport on Monday after he touched down at Newark from Amsterdam on a packed flight full of parents, boyfriends, girlfriends, fiancees and friends, eager to return to their loved ones in the US. Speaking to DailyMail.com afterwards, Mark revealed how he and Natalia first met 10 years ago as colleagues then reunited after the breakdown of their previous relationships. They reconciled three years ago but by then, she'd moved from Brazil to New Jersey with her two daughters and was applying for a green card. He was still in the Netherlands. Dutch entrepreneur Mark Ogertsehnig lifts up his fiancee Natalia Abrahao at Newark Airport on Monday morning after flying in from Amsterdam on the first tourist flight. The couple got engaged last March but have not been able to be together full-time. Natalia is originally Brazilian and her green-card application had been submitted when the ban hit, meaning she couldn't leave the country to visit Mark in Europe or her parents in Brazil 'We were back in touch and thought why don't we go for a drink, but she was living in New York. We met and it sparked again,' Mark said during an interview on Monday. The pair committed to a long distance relationship that involved Mark flying over as much as he could. During a trip to Miami in March 2020, he proposed and she accepted. The day he popped the question was March 12 - the same day President Trump closed the borders and the world went into a meltdown. Mark was stuck in New Jersey for five months initially, scared to fly to the Netherlands because of COVID but separated from his parents and business. 'We flew back to New Jersey, Mark was stuck here because all of the flights to the Netherlands weren't going out. He was stuck here with me for five months. He couldn't go back, then he finally flew back to the Netherlands. 'We hoped it wouldn't last, but we got separated for 8 months,' Natalia, 40, said. Mark and Natalia on the night they were engaged, March 12, 2020, the day the borders closed. The pair were in Miami. Natalia had submitted a green card application for her and her two daughters when the borders closed, which meant she couldn't leave the country to visit Mark in Europe or anywhere else The pair were then separated until August this year, when he flew over for her 40th birthday, quarantining in Mexico for two weeks along the way - a luxury he says not everyone who has been separated has been able to enjoy. Natalia couldn't leave the US to visit him because her green card application was pending. It only came through last month - when Biden announced the restrictions were being lifted after 20 long months. Now, we have freedom 'Today, I am one of the happiest men in America, to be with my beautiful fiancee again and our children,' Mark said. The couple will now spend a week together in New Jersey before she leaves for a business trip. She will then fly to the Netherlands for Thanksgiving, and he will return to the US for Christmas. 'That's the beauty of this, now we have the freedom,' she said. 'Her kids are going to see my parents for the first time in real life after two years, it's crazy,' Mark added. He is excited for his parents in the Netherlands to meet his parents, their new step-grandparents. Natalia had not been able to return to Brazil to see her family or go to Europe to see Mark because her green card was pending until last month. Advertisement Until now, the only people who have been able to enter the US from those countries are American citizens, green-card holders or those who obtained national interest exemptions. Starting Monday, international travelers can visit the US again so long as they prove they are fully vaccinated and have a negative COVID-19 test. The only exemptions to the vaccination requirement is for kids under 18, who also need a negative COVID test if they are aged over two, diplomats, US military personnel, people with medical exemptions and a small number from countries where the vaccine rate is less than 10 percent. Religious exemptions are not permitted. Lai Wi, 31, and his wife, Huiling, have been married for the last three years. However, they've gone two years without seeing one another due to travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic. Huiling travelled from Shanghai and Wi drove from Charlottesville, Virginia, to collect her. As he waited for her at Terminal 1 at JFK, he told DailyMail.com: 'I'm holding my tears back while waiting for my wife. I drove all the way from Charlottesville to pick her up. 'We got married and then I moved here for my job and she couldn't come with me so we have not seen each other for the last two years.' The vast majority of those arriving today are expected to be British or European travelers, visiting family in the US for the first time. British Airways has 26 flights to the US today alone, including six to JFK from Heathrow, bringing 8,600 passengers who were previously banned. Virgin has 10 flights to the US from the UK today, carrying 4,500 people, and Delta is operating three from the UK to land at Detroit, Atlanta and JFK. Among those waiting for the flights to come in at Terminal 7 was Louise Erebara, 52, who emigrated to the US from Manchester 34 years ago. She and her kids have not seen her sister Jill Chambers, or her brother-in-law Mark, for nearly two years. Jill and Mark traveled from Darwen, near Manchester, to London on Sunday. They spent the night at a hotel before boarding their plane at 8am at Heathrow. Her 13-year-old daughter Demaine told DailyMail.com at the airport how excited she was to be reunited with her aunt and uncle. Reunited at last: Relatives hug at JFK Terminal 7 on Monday morning after the first flight of unrestricted travelers arrived from London Heathrow, 20 months after the restrictions were put in place Joy: Families reunite on Monday morning at JFK after 20 months of COVID restrictions. Those who arrived had to prove they were fully vaccinated and have a negative COVID-19 test British Airways flight BA 001 and Virgin Atlantic flight VS take off in tandem from Heathrow on Monday as the first US bound flights from the UK carrying tourists since March 2020. The planes carry 331 passengers each and are expected to land at JFK shortly before 11am Louise Erebara, 52, waits for her sister and brother-in-law from Darwen, near Manchester. She has lived in the US for 34 years but has been separated from her British family throughout the pandemic. Her sister Jill and brother-in-law Mark will stay with her for three-and-a-half weeks. She has not yet flown to the UK to visit them because her young son has not been vaccinated yet. 'You FaceTime, but it's not the same,' she told DailyMail.com on Monday A man carrying a British passport arrives to applause at JFK on Monday morning on one of the first tourist flights from the UK Five-year-old Bowie Erebara waits for his aunt and uncle to arrive at JFK on Monday from Heathrow. They have been separated for nearly two years by the travel ban that was finally lifted Demaine Erebara and her younger brother wait for their aunt and uncle to arrive from London on Monday morning after two years apart Jill Chambers (R) of Manchester, England is reunited with her sister Louise as passengers arrive from the first British Airways flight to arrive since the U.S. lifted pandemic travel restrictions on November 08, 2021 in New York City Bhavna Patel reunites with her son, Kushal, daughter-in-law Anisha (left) and meets for the first time her grandson, Kai. Kai, Kushal and Anisha live in America whereas Bhavna lives in the UK with her daughter Bindiya (right) . They flew over on the first BA flight on Monday and told DailyMail.com at the arrivals hall how happy they were to be together again. 'We've been trying to get my mother here from London after a year of FaceTime, sending pictures of Kai. This is a breath of fresh air for all us, especially that we all normally see each other 2-3 times per year. My mother had yet to meet my son, Kai, until today and it feels so good to her again too. She's going to be here for the next 10 days along with my sister,' Kushal said Kushal Patel and wife Anisha and son Kai and sister Bindiya and mother Bhavna. Kushal lives in the US and hasn't been home for a year and half 'You FaceTime but it's not the same,' she said, eagerly clutching a Union Jack flag in her hand and a sign in the other for her younger brother to hold up. 'It's all so overwhelming and emotional... it feels as if we've won the lottery,' Louise said. They have not gone to visit the couple in the UK because Louise's five-year-old son Bowie remains unvaccinated, and they do not wish to travel internationally until he has received the shot. Kushal Patel was waiting patiently for his elderly mother Bhavna and sister Bindiya to arrive on the BA flight. The family were last together in 2018, before his son Kai was born. He told DailyMail.com: 'We've been trying to get my mother here from London after a year of FaceTime, sending pictures of Kai. 'This is a breath of fresh air for all us, especially that we all normally see each other 2-3 times per year' 'My mother had yet to meet my son, Kai, until today and it feels so good to her again too. She's going to be here for the next 10 days along with my sister.' The travel ban lifting does not just reunite families and friends again - it will start to fill a $300billion hole that was left in the economy when international travel came to a grinding halt. 'After nearly two years of restrictions, Monday begins in earnest the return of international travel, when long-separated families and friends can safely reunite, travelers can explore this amazing country, and the U.S. is able to reconnect with the global community. Til Wagenaar greets her son, Joost Wagenaar, after she flew from the Netherlands at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, N.J., Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Til has not been to see her son in two years, and this trip will be the first time she can meet her 1-year-old grandchild GERMANY: Timothy Liston, US Consul General in Munich smiles with a Lufthansa Crew in traditional Bavarian costume next to her Airbus A 350-900 prior to a Lufthansa flight bound non-stop for Miami at Munich Airport Jill and Stephen Brownbill react as they meet their newly born grandson Rocco while arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport 'It is a monumental day for travelers, for the communities and businesses that rely on international visitation, and for the U.S. economy overall,' said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. The countries that were banned account for just 17 percent of the world but a huge 53 percent of US tourism in 2019. It will take until 2024 for travel income to return to what it was. Over 1million jobs were lost as a result of the travel ban, including those at airports and among airlines. In 2019, 371,912 international travelers were processed by Customs and Border Patrol agents on an average day. That number fell to 169,842 in 2020. It's unclear how many CBP agents and TSA agents will now be brought back to work as a result of the ban being lifted. A spokesman told DailyMail.com that there are 25,000 spread across the whole country's ports and airports. They wouldn't say how many were at each port or airport, or how the numbers had changed over the last two years. Passengers arrive at JFK from Heathrow on board Virgin Flight VS3. It is the first tourist flight from the UK to arrive in 20 months Allison patiently waits for her in-laws to come off the London Heathrow flight Her in-laws are from Somerset, England and had not been allowed to visit in 20 months A family from Wales arrives at JFK on Monday morning after taking Virgin Atlantic Flight VS3 from Heathrow on Monday morning British Airways put balloons in the terminal and New York City street signs to welcome tourists back after 20 long months THE NEW TRAVEL RULES - WHO CAN COME TO AMERICA AND WHAT MUST THEY PROVE Travelers from any country are permitted entry to the US if they are; 1) Fully vaccinated 2) Have a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of arriving in the US Which vaccines are recognized? Johnson & Johnson Pfizer Moderna AstraZeneca Covaxin Covishield BIBP/Sinopharm Sinovac Who is exempt from having to be vaccinated? Children Under-18 children o not need to be vaccinated but those over the age of two must have a negative test taken within 3 days of arrival Kids under the age of two do not need to be vaccinated or have a negative test Exempted countries A limited number of travelers from countries where vaccination is less than 10 percent can enter but they have to get vaccinated if they're still in America within 60 days The countries include; Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Armenia, Myanmar, Iraq, Nicaragua, Senegal, Uganda, Libya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen, Haiti, Chad and Madagascar Medical exemptions Diplomats People in COVID-19 vaccine trials Those with National Interest Exemptions * Religious exemptions are NOT accepted * Advertisement The land border from Mexico, which remained closed while air travel was allowed, is now reopen, and there are snaking lines of trucks and cars at it already. Canadian travelers can now drive across the border too for the first time but they must return home with a negative COVID-19 test. Travel across land borders from Canada and Mexico has been largely restricted to workers whose jobs are deemed essential after Donald Trump imposed the ban in March 2020 as Covid-19 spread around the world. At the San Ysidro crossing port at Tijuana, Mexico, street vendors were taking food to drivers stuck in the line-ups overnight as thousands of Mexicans, many of them separated from their families for months, are set to pour across the frontier today. The astonishing backup of cars and trucks comes amid the worst migrant crisis at the southern border since 1986 with more than 1.7 million illegal entrants into the US between October last year and September 2021. Illegal crossings began skyrocketing in the months after President Joe Biden was inaugurated, with his administration accused of encouraging a humanitarian catastrophe after breaking from Trump's tough border policy. At Niagara Falls, there was a trail of cars and RVs stretching across the Rainbow Bridge as Canadians head over from Ontario to New York state for some long-awaited American tourism. The long lines to get into the US from Mexico come amid a continuing crisis at the border, as the number of migrants arrested at the southern border in the 2021 fiscal year is the highest since 1986, new Customs and Border Protection data shows. The data, which is still unpublished but was obtained by The Washington Post, shows that border authorities detained more than 1.7 million migrants along the U.S.-Mexico border between October 2020 through September 2021. The data is expected to be released publicly late this week. Illegal crossings began skyrocketing in the months after President Joe Biden was inaugurated and while the administration initially tried to blame Trump's policies for the increase, migrants have repeatedly said they made the trek to the U.S. with the belief the new administration would allow them to stay. 'They weren't wrong,' North Carolina Representative Dan Bishop tweeted of migrants' assumptions about being able to stay in the U.S. illegally under Biden's leadership. Another pull, migrants said, was the labor shortages in the U.S. exhibiting to them a need for workers. In another dismissal of the growing crisis, Biden described the rise in spring 2021 as consistent with seasonal norms. That, however, did not remain true as the highest-levels of illegal crossings came during the hottest months of the year, July and August. More than 200,000 migrants were taken into CBP custody each month. Biden's team has continued to dismiss the crisis at the southern border, refusing to call it just that a crisis even as humanitarian issues emerged with overflowing holding and processing centers that reportedly served undercooked or spoiled food to unaccompanied minor migrants, as well as limited outdoor time and shower use. TEXAS: Oralia Perez sees her mother Lorena Hernandez and sister Guadalupe Perez for the first time since March 2020, after the U.S. reopens its border for people from Mexico Cars wait in line at the San Ysidro Port of Entry as the Mexico-US border reopens in Tijuana, Mexico November 8, 2021 MEXICO: Isabel Gonzalez, 63, (third from left) a Tijuana resident and one of the firsts non essential travelers to cross to the United States, queue at San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-United States border in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on November 7, 2021 MIDNIGHT AT MEXICO BORDER: Monica Lozano (c) hugs her sister and niece after the U.S. reopens its border in El Paso, Texas CANADA: People stand by a border-crossing point, as the U.S. reopens air and land borders to fully vaccinated travellers for the first time since restrictions were imposed, in Niagara Falls, New York, U.S. November 8, 2021 CANADA: Cars line up at a checkpoint after crossing the Peace Bridge from Canada to the United States on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Buffalo, N.Y. The US is bracing for a flood of vaccinated international visitors from all countries after COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted on Monday - but tourists should expect to be turned away if the were inoculated with a shot of the Russia or China versions. Foreign travelers are being warned of long lines and crammed conditions as US airports expect a swell of tourists who haven't been allowed to visit since the pandemic lockdowns began in March 2020. 'It's going to be a bit sloppy at first,' Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Ed Bastian warned. 'I can assure you, there will be lines unfortunately,' Bastian said, adding that 'we'll get it sorted out.' Incoming visitors must also have received a vaccine that was approved by the FDA or WHO - which excludes shots such as the Sputnik V from Russia or the CanSino from China. In terms of travel conditions, airlines such as United are expecting about 50 percent more total international inbound passengers on Monday as compared with the week before. MEXICO: Long lines at the United States-Mexico border as travel for vaccinated, non-essential workers returns CANADA: A line of Canadian travelers in their cars or motor homes, stretches across the Rainbow Bridge between Niagara Falls, Ontario, and Niagara Falls New York, on Sunday night MEXICO: Cars lining-up to cross the border at San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-United States border in Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on Sunday night MEXICO: The Biden administration warned of long lines and told travelers to have their paperwork ready at the border MEXICO: Travel across land borders from Canada and Mexico has been largely restricted to workers whose jobs are deemed essential for the past 20 months due to the pandemic MEXICO: Customs and Border Protection also urged people traveling for non-essential reasons to avoid crossing at peak times MEXICO: Cars lining-up to cross the border at San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-United States border in Tijuana Delta also said it has seen a 450 percent increase in international point-of-sale bookings, compared to the six weeks prior to the announcement that the US was reopening. 'As we expect high demand when the US lifts its existing air and land travel restrictions Monday, we are taking critical steps to be prepared by providing additional resources,' White House spokesman Kevin Munoz said on Twitter. For passengers, the lifted restrictions will allow them to visit family members, friends, and loved ones who they have been apart from since the start of the pandemic. Bhavna Patel is booked on a Monday flight from London to New York to see her first grandchild after watching him grow up on FaceTime for more than a year. Another passenger, Anna Zwing, 28, is flying from Frankfurt to Chicago to see her boyfriend for the first time in over two years. 'My boyfriend and I are super excited and are counting down the hours til we're finally reunited again!' Zwing said in an email, according to CNN. 'He keeps telling me that he can barely sleep out of excitement. CANADA: A pedestrian walks past a line of Canadian travelers in their passenger cars or motor homes on the Rainbow Bridge between Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York in the early hours of Monday CANADA: Canadian cars stretch across the Rainbow Bridge between Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York CANADA: Cars wait to cross the US border on Sunday night ahead of Biden's announcement on Monday Janet Simoni, of London, Ontario, embraces her husband her husband Lincoln at his home after the U.S. reopened its land borders to fully vaccinated travellers for the first time since coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions were imposed, in Keego Harbor, Michigan CANADA: Canadian travelers wait in line to cross the border into the United States across the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, Ontario 'For me it's still so surreal that it's actually about to happen! So I'll believe it when I land in Chicago.' The rules have barred most non-U.S. citizens who within the prior 14 days have been in 33 countries -- the 26 Schengen countries in Europe without border controls, China, India, South Africa, Iran, Brazil, Britain and Ireland. Trade group U.S. Travel said the countries accounted for 53 per cent of all overseas visitors to the United States in 2019 and border communities were hit hard by the loss of tourists crossing from Mexico and Canada. The group estimates declines in international visitation 'resulted in nearly $300 billion in lost export income' since March 2020. U.S. airlines are boosting flights to Europe and other destinations that were impacted by the restrictions. Airlines are planning events on Monday with executives meeting some of the first flights. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and United Airlines President Brett Hart are holding an event at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport Monday to mark the reopening. U.S. officials also are planning an Instagram live chat on Nov. 9 to help answer questions. In fiscal year 2021, more than 1.7 million migrants were taken into U.S. custody, new numbers being released later this week reveal. Here a group of migrants are process by immigration officials after crossing illegally from Mexico into Roma, Texas on September 30 The total encounters in FY 2021 are the highest since 1986 and far surpass any migration numbers in the surge during Donald Trump's presidency Haitian migrants wait on Tuesday to board a boat that will take them to Colombia as they trek from South America to the U.S. in a sign the migration crisis will not cease any time soon Foreign travelers are being warned of long lines and crammed airport conditions when they are finally allowed to visit the US on Monday In addition to vaccinations, visitors must also provide proper documentation to enter into the US Many international flights are expected to operate close to full or full on Monday, with high passenger volume throughout the following weeks. Airlines will check vaccination documentation for international travelers as they currently do for COVID-19 test results. At land border crossings, U.S. Customs and Border Protection will ask if travelers have been vaccinated and spot check some documentation. Children under 18 are exempt from the new vaccine requirements. Non-tourist travelers from nearly 50 countries with nationwide vaccination rates of less than 10 per cent will also be eligible for exemption. Head of The Points Guy UK travel experts Nicky Kelvin told MailOnline: 'At the start of the pandemic, the USA made a big sweeping decision to ban certain people from defined countries from travelling into the US. 'Throughout the pandemic, the US did not make any adjustments to the restrictions imposed; they kept the strict rules in place and made no attempt to adjust or ease the restrictions based on Covid numbers falling in the UK or elsewhere. 'This would suggest that the latest announcement to the opening up of its borders is a fixed decision and there shouldn't be any risk for the US to backtrack in the short term and close their borders to travellers. 'That said, what the pandemic has taught us is anything could happen and we advise anyone looking to travel to America to keep an eye on Government websites and to monitor updates from their chosen airline.' Also Monday, new contact tracing rules will take effect requiring airlines to collect information from international air passengers if needed 'to follow up with travelers who have been exposed to COVID-19 variants or other pathogens.' In addition, hopeful foreign travelers who have received the unapproved Sputnik V and CanSino shots are now pushing to get US-approved vaccines to gain access into the country. The Sputnik V vaccine has been used in about 70 countries worldwide. Both vaccines became one of the first registered for their respective countries during summer 2020 only months after the global COVID outbreak. The WHO has yet to approve the Sputnik V vaccine for an emergency list using despite mass worldwide distribution. A US Homeland Security Border Patrol agent on horseback patrols the area near where the US-Mexico border fence meets the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach, California on Sunday Pedestrians and cars queue to cross the border at San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-United States border in Tijuana A street vendor stands between cars queueing to cross the border at San Ysidro crossing port on the Mexico-United States border in Tijuana US Homeland Security Border Patrol agents on horseback patrol the area near where the US-Mexico border fence meets the Pacific Ocean in Imperial Beach, California 'There are exactly zero reasons for such decisions,' Leonid Slutsky, chairman of the foreign relations committee in the Russian Duma said, according to Associated Press. 'The effectiveness and safety of the Sputnik V vaccine has been proven not only by specialists, but also by its practical application.' Russia was added in the high-risk travel category this week by the CDC as a surge of cases have been reported. The country also only has a 34 per cent vaccination rate. China has yet to ease travel restrictions, despite 75 per cent of the population being vaccinated. Other Asian Pacific countries, however, have began the process of opening their borders to foreign travelers. Organisers of a viral social media campaign that promised to plant a tree every time Instagrammers posted a photo of the pet have been forced to make a grovelling apology after millions of pooches were uploaded to the platform. The trend began on Monday with the original post promising participants: 'We'll plant 1 tree for every pet picture.' It was initially unclear who started the movement as nearly five million people around the globe flooded their Instagram Stories with photos of their furry friends. On Tuesday, organisation Plant A Tree Co claimed responsibility for the original post but explained they had been forced to delete it after only ten minutes. The creators behind a viral campaign that pledged to post a tree for every pet photo posted have admitted they don't have the resources (pictured, a user takes part in the trend) US group Plant A Tree Co posted a statement taking responsibility for the original post that started the viral trend but said they deleted it after only ten minutes 'We immediately understood the potential this post had and we believed we didn't have the capabilities and resources to keep our end of the post,' they said. 'Though we deleted the post, it continued to spread through people's stories, and through the power of the internet is now at four million shares.' The US-based group claimed Instagram had 'stripped' them of the credit of starting the global campaign and was hiding their original message. 'Though we don't have the ability to plant four million trees, we can use this awareness to make a lasting impact,' a statement promised. Plant A Tree Co encouraged users who posted a photo of their pet to raise awareness of the fundraiser, so four million trees could actually be planted. The group will aim to raise over $1.3million to plant the saplings after nearly five million internet users and counting got involved in the tree-planting campaign. The organisation has only planted 6,500 trees since it was founded. The campaign was participated in by nearly five million Instagram users worldwide The organisation has since pledged to raise $1.3million to follow through on their promise to plant millions of saplings Several users called on Instagram to plant the trees themselves. 'Instagram, you definitely have the ability to get four million trees planted. Get it done,' one woman commented. 'Why doesn't Instagram just plant the trees with all of the engagement they just earned instead?' another agreed. The trend came after the social media platform introduced a new feature called 'Add Yours' where users can reply directly to an Instagram Story with a photo. The function allows users to add their own content to an existing sequence of photos and was only introduced to Instagram last week. The trend came after the social media platform introduced a new feature called 'Add Yours' where users can reply directly to an Instagram Story with a photo (pictured) A spokesman for the Facebook-owned social media platform said in a statement: 'The 'plant 1 tree for every pet picture' Add Yours thread was disabled to limit misunderstanding around who authored the original post. 'We're working on ways to make authorship clearer and minimise confusion moving forward.' It comes as the COP26 Climate Change Conference continues in Scotland, prompting rallies in most capital cities across Australia. Attendees of the protests are demanding their leaders act decisively on climate change to prevent cataclysmic global warming. Attendees of protests held across Australia are demanding their leaders act decisively on climate change to prevent cataclysmic global warming (pictured, attendees in Melbourne) Demonstrators have burned an Australian flag on the steps of the Victorian Parliament and a giant koala in a mock funeral held in Melbourne (pictured) Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pledged Australia will reach net-zero emissions by 2050 however vocal environmental group Extinction Rebellion argue more needs to be done. Demonstrators burned an Australian flag on the steps of the Victorian Parliament as well as a giant koala in a mock funeral held in Melbourne on Saturday. 'UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that it's code red for humanity. But Australia has gone to the last-ditch COP26 climate negotiations as a laggard and a wrecker,' Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman Jane Morton said. 'We are approaching the point of no return for out of control warming and billions of deaths. Today we are conducting a funeral.' Advertisement Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg was spotted for the first time since re-branding the social media giant's parent company as Meta, as the tech mogul was pictured soaking up some sun and enjoying some waves at a beach with his wife Priscilla Chan. Zuckerberg was photographed riding a jet-ski with his wife, enjoying his hydrofoil surfboard and going on a charming stroll through the sandy beaches. While it was not immediately clear which beach Zuckerberg and his wife were vacationing at, in April of this year, Beat of Hawaii reported that Zuckerberg purchased 600 more acres on the isle of Kauai, where he had been pictured hydrofoiling over the summer. The property was apparently sold a month prior for over $50 million by a local family which can trace its ownership back to the Kingdom of Hawaii. With the 600 additional acres, Zuckerberg now currently owns total of over 1,300 acres on Kauai. Pictured: Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, enjoy some time out on the water in a jet-ski Zuckerberg and his wife seem to not have a care in the world as they swam and went boating despite recent criticism he faced after changing Facebook's parent company name to Meta While it was not immediately clear which beach Zuckerberg and his wife were vacationing at, in April of this year, he purchased 600 more acres on Kauai The social media giant and his wife pictured vacationing at the beach amidst an onslaught of criticism against Facebook from privacy concerns to the parent company name change Facebook announced on October 28 that its rebranding its parent company under the name Meta and the new name quickly became the butt of jokes and internet memes. Meanwhile, the rebrand meant that Zuckerberg, as CEO and chairman of Meta, officially stepped into a new job title for the first time in 17 years, according to The Verge. But instead of being congratulated on the position Zuckerberg was the was the main character of a slew of memes that made fun of the name change. Meta refers to 'metaverse' - Zuckerberg's vision for the company's transition into shared augmented reality where uses work and play in virtual world environments. The 37-year-old billionaire has said he believes the metaverse to be the future of the internet and so the move is to presumably solidify Zuckerberg's top position in the shift. The 37-year-old billionaire has said he believes the metaverse to be the future of the internet and so the move is to presumably solidify Zuckerberg's top position in the shift Zuckerberg was seen for the first time since launching Meta on a beach with his wife and a friend But instead of being congratulated on the position Zuckerberg was the was the main character of a slew of memes that made fun of the name change Zuckerberg enjoying his hydrofoil surfboard (complete eFoil setups vary in price anywhere from $4,000 to $12,000) Users on Twitter were quick to quip that the name suggests that the company is looking to steal 'literally all' of its users' metadata while another made light of a bleak future where society is even more addicted to devices and social media thanks to an all-consuming 'metaverse'. In another the letters of Meta were rearranged to read 'meat' as Zuckerberg seemingly held onto a raw steak while a different meme cited the fiber supplement Metamucil. Yet another meme-maker added an 'L' to the company's new name and superimposed a long-haired wig and logo onto Zuckerberg's shirt to so fittingly transform him into a heavy metal-esque character. Meanwhile, the rebrand meant that Zuckerberg, as CEO and chairman of Meta, officially stepped into a new job title for the first time in 17 years, according to The Verge Meta Platforms is the parent organization of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and is one of the the most valuable companies in the world Zuckerberg, the social media behemoth's founder, said in a Facebook Connect augmented and virtual reality conference that the renaming is an effort to distance Facebook from mounting scandals after a whistleblower leaked documents claiming that the platform harmed users and stoked anger. Meta Platforms is the parent organization of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, and is one of the the most valuable companies in the world. The company generates a most of its revenue from the sale of advertisement placements to marketers. British Army soldiers and officers will receive sexual consent training under plans to tackle bullying and harassment after showdown talks between the Defence Secretary and top generals. The Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, said there were 'core and cultural issues' in the Army which needed addressing following a 'full and frank' discussion with Ben Wallace. Yesterday's meeting with members of the Army Board, the first of its kind to be called by the Defence Secretary, followed a report into the treatment of women in the Armed Forces led by Tory MP Sarah Atherton. Ms Atherton, a former soldier, found that almost two thirds of women had experienced bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination while serving in the Army, and that nearly 40 per cent of 993 asked reported that their experience of the complaints system was 'extremely poor'. There are more than 20,000 women currently serving in the Armed Forces. UK forces are also under pressure after the murder of a Kenyan sex worker in 2012, which was reportedly committed by a British soldier and covered up. According to an Army briefing paper, the Royal Military Police will carry out sexual consent training for recruits, including at Sandhurst, to ensure they start their careers 'under no illusion of what is unacceptable'. British Army soldiers and officers will receive sexual consent training under plans to tackle bullying and harassment (stock image) Left, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace arriving at Downing Street on October 27, 2021. Right, the Chief of the General Staff, General Mark Carleton-Smith, on September 15, 2021 Gen Carleton-Smith wants the training to be mandatory for all soldiers and officers, army sources told The Times. The newspaper cited internal documents which state that the aim is understood to be to eradicate offending and 'educate on the complexities of consent'. The first part of the training will concern sexual offences and consent, aimed at helping personnel to understand what consent is and 'when it can truly be given'. The second part will deal with 'indecent and extreme images' and looks at revenge porn and voyeurism. Jonathan Codd, a captain in the Royal Military Police who delivers the training to military police instructors, said: 'The army is committed to eradicating sexual offending. It's a wholly intolerable thing. 'Anything we can do to drive down these behaviours is a positive move and that's why we do it.' In a joint statement following the meeting, Mr Wallace and Gen Carleton-Smith said: 'We had a full and frank discussion about a range of issues. The Defence Secretary met senior generals to address concerns around the treatment of women in and by the British military A report into the bullying and sexual harassment of female soldiers found that almost two thirds had experienced bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination while serving in the Army 'The British Army is only as good as the people who serve in it and the leadership exhibited by officers and senior non-commissioned officers. Recent events have brought to light important issues that require all our people to play their part in resolving. 'We agreed that together we will address these core and cultural issues. Later this month the Army will set out exciting new plans for its future structure and deployments. It is an exciting offer and the Army should be proud of the work it has done.' Ahead of the meeting, Mr Wallace said he would also be raising the issue of delays to the new Ajax armoured vehicle programme. Only a dozen of 589 vehicles have been delivered, despite more than 3.2billion being spent already. It comes as Ms Atherton's report, made up of the findings of interviews with more than 4,000 servicewomen and female veterans, found six out of 10 women in the Armed Forces said they had not reported bullying, harassment or discrimination due to a lack of faith in the system. The report, made up of the findings of interviews with more than 4,000 servicewomen and female veterans, also included accounts of rape or sex for advancement. Kenyan police have reopened their investigation into the murder of a young mother who was last seen with a British soldier from a nearby military base. Ms Wanjiru, a prostitute, had reportedly been partying with soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment on the night she went missing. The Sunday Times last month reported that a British soldier - named only as Soldier X - confessed to killing Ms Wanjiru and showed comrades where he dumped her body, and the crime was reported but dismissed by military officials. Mother-of-one Agnes Wanjiru, 21, was found in a septic tank behind the Lions Court Hotel in Nanyuki, close to the British Army Training Unit Kenya camp, two months after she disappeared in March 2012. Ms Wanjiru, a prostitute, had reportedly been partying with soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment on the night she went missing. The Sunday Times last month reported that a British soldier - named only as Soldier X - confessed to killing Ms Wanjiru and showed comrades where he dumped her body, and the crime was reported but dismissed by military officials. Armed Forces minister James Heappey arrived in Nanyuki last 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. A twist in the case of Cleo Smith has seen detectives scour the car of her accused abductor for clues as officers sift through crucial phone records to identify an alleged 'accomplice' to her kidnap. Forensic officers were seen suiting up at Terrence Kelly's Tonkin Crescent home on Wednesday to take evidence for the seventh day since little Cleo was rescued. Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine - one of the four detectives who busted down the door of Kelly's Carnarvon duplex during the early hours of November 2 - was also seen the scene. Police paid particular attention to a silver Mazda SUV parked in the driveway of the rented duplex following suspicions a woman could be involved in Cleo's alleged abduction. Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine (pictured, middle) visited Terrence Kelly's rented duplex for the first time on Tuesday since liberating Cleo from a locked room in the home Little Cleo Smith and her family (here with mum Ellie) have been briefed by detectives after Daily Mail Australia revealed a mystery woman may have been involved in the toddler's alleged abduction Forensic officers were seen paying particular attention to a silver Mazda SUV (pictured) parked in the driveway of the Tonkin Crescent home Forensic officers were seen photographing and examining the car as well as performing various tests on the vehicle's interior. Det Sgnt Blaine flew in from Perth to Carnarvon on Monday to join his officers on the ground following the dramatic arrest of local man Terrence Kelly last Wednesday. He was pictured suiting up in blue forensic overalls around 10am on Tuesday, his visit marking the first time he has returned to the home since liberating little Cleo. The hero detective told reporters the focus of the investigation had shifted to finding out if 'anyone else was involved' in the alleged kidnapping of the four-year-old. 'Our focus this week is for us to ascertain whether there was anyone else involved, that's why we are still here,' he said. Det Sgnt Blaine was pictured suiting up in blue forensic overalls around 10am on Tuesday, his visit marking the first time he has returned to the home since liberating little Cleo The hero detective (pictured, right) told reporters the focus of the investigation had shifted to finding out if 'anyone else was involved' in the alleged kidnapping of little Cleo 'We just ask that if there was anyone that had any contact with Mr Kelly, whether you saw him or met him or spoke to him on the phone, during the relevant period to please make yourself known to police.' Police had initially stated no other suspects were being sought in relation to the matter, alleging that Kelly acted alone. Officers have combed through data from a mobile phone seized from Kelly with the records to reveal exactly who he contacted and when in the lead-up to Cleo's alleged kidnapping on October 16 and the days following. Police consider the mobile a vital piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation, with a second phone seized at Kelly's duplex also of interest to cops. Police have not yet established if Terrence Kelly acted alone in Cleo's alleged abduction, making the data from phones owned by the local man extremely important The focus on Terrence Kelly's car and mobile phone records comes after Cleo told investigators a female would come to her accused kidnapper's house to 'look after her' (pictured, Det Sgnt Blaine in Carnarvon) Detectives have also flagged a detection from a mobile phone tower near the Blowholes campground little Cleo vanished from, The Australian reports. The tower detected a phone owned by Kelly at around 3am, just hours before the four-year-old's mother awoke to find her daughter had vanished. It comes after it was revealed a mystery woman may have been involved in Cleo's alleged abduction after the four-year-old told investigators a female would come to her accused kidnapper's house to 'look after her'. On Tuesday, Cleo and mother Ellie arrived with stepfather Jake Gliddon at Carnarvon police station to receive the latest update on the hunt for an alleged accomplice. The family later left weighed down with crates of gifts from well-wishers across Australia and the world who have been touched by the brave toddler's plight, as seen here They later left weighed down with crates of gifts from well-wishers across Australia and the world who have been touched by the brave toddler's plight. Local man Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, has been charged with kidnapping and remains in a Perth jail, as a team of elite detectives returned to the remote town on Monday in the hunt for more clues. Sources close to the investigation told Daily Mail Australia Cleo has mentioned that a woman visited the Tonkin Crescent duplex during the time she was allegedly held captive, and helped care for her. Stepfather Jake Gliddon (pictured) was seen laden down with boxes of goodies from the public as he exited the police station On Tuesday, Cleo and mother Ellie (pictured) arrived with stepfather Jake Gliddon at Carnarvon police station to be given the latest update on the hunt for a possible accomplice Cleo allegedly told investigators the woman helped to dress her and brush her hair. The four-year-old was found in the early hours of last Wednesday morning after being missing since October 16, when she was allegedly abducted from her family's tent at the remote blowholes campsite about 75km away. The preschooler was awake and 'playing with toys' when detectives broke down the door of the house, just after 1.30am. Bodycam footage shows the brave little girl being carried out the Tonkin Crescent address with her hair clean and brushed and her pyjamas appearing freshly washed. Local man Terence Darrell Kelly, 36 (pictured), has been charged over the kidnapping off Cleo Smith - but police are now probing the possibility of a 'mystery woman' also being involved Forensic police have been scouring Terence Kelly's duplex in Carnarvon, Western Australia (pictured) for the past six days searching for evidence Cleo Smith (pictured with her police rescuers) was allegedly found in a room in Kelly's home by detectives who used mobile data to track down her alleged abductor With the landmark case appearing to be wrapped up, a team of detectives who helped track down Cleo have since raced back to Carnarvon from Perth as they probe the possibility another person was involved. The investigators are expected to remain in the small town for at least another week as forensic specialists continue to scour the alleged abductor's home for evidence another suspect may have been there. Pictured: Detective Sergeant Cameron Blaine tells Cleo: 'We're gonna take you to see your mummy and daddy'. He has since revealed police were trying to 'ascertain whether there was anyone else involved Detective senior sergeant Cameron Blaine, who was captured on police bodycam vision rescuing Cleo from her ordeal, has remained tight-lipped about the latest developments in the case but said police have 'more work to do.' Daily Mail Australia sought comment from the WA Police about the mystery woman. A spokesperson said investigators would not comment specifically claims another person could be involved, but added 'inquiries are continuing'. Specialist child interview officers attached to the child abuse squad in Perth began the delicate task of sitting down with Cleo on Thursday. The process of uncovering what happened could take several weeks. Cleo Smith's alleged kidnapper Terry Kelly, 36, is pictured with Bratz dolls on his social media Bizarre details have emerged about the accused's strange obsession with toys as numerous social media account's linked to Kelly show a room full of children's dolls Forensic officers have combed through Kelly's house and gathered evidence for laboratory examination which could indicate the presence of another person. Trailer-loads of evidence have been bagged up and removed from the alleged abductor's property during that time with the top-to-bottom search of the roped-off commission house likely to go on for several weeks as prosecutors build their case against Kelly. Since his arrest, it's been revealed he had an obsession with collecting dolls and boasted about his love for girl's toys on various social media pages. One photograph he posted shows Bratz and Disney princess dolls stacked from floor to ceiling. Cleo Smith has since been reunited with mother Ellie Smith and stepfather Jake Gliddon (pictured) Advertisement Boris Johnson is facing fresh Tory demands to make a personal apology for the Owen Paterson sleaze shambles amid claims he dodged a showdown in parliament last night despite being back in London from a visit to the North East. The PM is at the mercy of a storm over the extraordinary bid to save his all from punishment for lobbying, with outrage that he ghosted an emergency Commons debate on the row. Instead he travelled 300 miles to Northumberland, near the Scottish border, on a visit to a hospital that No10 claimed was 'long-planned'. Even so, pictures suggest Mr Johnson still managed to get back to London before 5pm - in time to have come to the House, as the session ran until after 7pm. In a brief interview from Hexham, a bad-tempered premier refused to say sorry and stoked rising anger by suggesting there was 'not much more to say' on the controversy. Justice Secretary Dominic Raab was asked seven times why Mr Johnson had not apologised in one bruising interview this morning, merely stressing that he did not 'speak directly' for the PM. Downing Street again refused to offer a full-hearted apology, merely saying trying to pause the standards system had been 'a mistake and regrettable'. Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay was sent to bear the brunt of the backlash in parliament last night, as a series of Conservative MPs condemned the behaviour of the government and Mr Johnson himself. Former Tory chief whip Mark Harper said: 'If the team captain gets it wrong I think he should come and apologise to the public and this House. That's the right thing to do in terms of demonstrating leadership.' Worryingly for the PM, members of the 2019 intake - often seen as owing their careers to his electoral landslide - added their voices to the criticism. Mark Fletcher, a Tory member of the standards committee that recommended Mr Paterson be suspended for 30 days, said he 'would have been found to have broken the rules under any process you could create'. He said MPs should be able to tell 'right from wrong'. The government has agreed to a call from Labour standards committee chair Chris Bryant that MPs get another vote formally to approve its report on Mr Paterson's activities. The motion will also formally axe the separate committee that was created last week to reform the standards system, but has now been rendered obsolete. Speaker Lindsay Hoyle told Times Radio today that the debacle had led to a 'dangerous and volatile' atmosphere around politics. 'Of course I have got deep concerns about where it has left the House. Everybody is tarnished. We need to learn from this. We need to rescind the decision from last week as quickly as possible,' he said. However, Sir Lindsay sounded a note of caution on knee-jerk restrictions on work outside the Commons, saying he is 'not convinced' by the idea of a cap on MPs' earnings because they are 'judged by electorate'. He also suggested that Tory MP Geoffrey Cox having voted remotely from the Caribbean during lockdown, as the QC was doing a lucrative legal job for the British Virgin Islands, showed that 'technology works'. Meanwhile, Mr Johnson appears to have bolstered his No10 team amid fears it is 'failing', bringing back former close aide Ben Gascoigne as a deputy chief of staff. Pictures suggest Mr Johnson still managed to get back to London in time to have come to the House, but chose not to. He was snapped arriving at King's Cross shortly before 5pm (right) Instead of attending the Commons debate, Boris Johnson travelled 300 miles to Northumberland, near the Scottish border, on a visit to a hospital (pictured) that No10 claimed was 'long-planned' Former chief whip Mark Harper (centre) and Red Wall MPs Aaron Bell (left) and Mark Fletcher (right) were among those criticising the government over the sleaze debacle last night Lib Dem Wendy Chamberlain (right) secured the emergency debate last night and said events had been more reminiscent of the 'Duma in Moscow' than Westminster. Left, Owen Paterson (file picture) No10 warns MPs politics is their 'primary role' amid row over Tory Geoffrey Cox's 1m legal earnings Boris Johnson today warned Tory MPs that politics must be their 'primary role' as former attorney general Geoffrey Cox came under mounting pressure over a second job based in the Caribbean. Downing Street said today that the Prime Minister would not back an 'outright' ban on MPs having other forms of employment, as he battles a sleaze row engulfing Westminster. Sir Geoffrey who has earned around a million pounds from legal work over the past year, took advantage of lockdown rules to cast votes in the Commons by proxy as he worked 4,000 miles away during the pandemic. The eminent QC and former top UK government legal adviser was facing calls to quit as MP for Torridge and West Devon after it was revealed he is advising the government of the British Virgin Islands, earning 400,000 to work up to 41 hours a month. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Mr Johnson believed an 'MP's primary job is and must be to serve their constituents and to represent their interests in Parliament'. He said: 'They should be visible in their constituencies and available to help constituents with their constituency matters. 'If they're not doing that, they're not doing their job and will rightly be judged on that by their constituents.' Labour has called on the Prime Minister to launch an urgent investigation into Sir Geoffrey role in advising the tax haven in a corruption probe. Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said: 'The people of Torridge and West Devon must be wondering if Geoffrey Cox is a Caribbean-based barrister or a Conservative MP.' Advertisement Tom Hancock, a Lib Dem activist and election candidate in Berwick at the 2019 election, spotted Mr Johnson with his entourage waiting for the same 1.30pm train he was catching from Newcastle to London. He said it arrived at King's Cross on time at 4.41pm, and snapped the PM disembarking at the station. Grilled repeatedly on the premier's refusal to apologise, Mr Raab told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4: 'We've been clear, Steve Barclay was the responsible minister in the Commons yesterday, I'm clear now, and the whole government all ministers are that it was a mistake to conflate two issues, the individual case with the wider system and the due process that should be in place, and we regret that.' Pushed on whether Mr Johnson was sorry for conflating the two, he added: 'Well, I don't answer for or speak for the Prime Minister directly. 'I've just been very clear on what the Government has said, including Steve Barclay, the Cabinet Office minister, and I'm saying it as Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary as well.' On BBC Breakfast, Mr Raab said: 'I don't think the politicisation by the Labour Party, given how much money that they take from the unions, is a particularly attractive look for Keir Starmer. 'I think we ought to actually be coming together to make sure that there's public confidence in our institutions, including how we do our job as MPs, and that we've got a robust system for complaints or impropriety, but also a fair system. That's what we should all be working towards.' The Government will bring forward a motion to unpick the amendment passed last week which would have set up a committee to review standards procedures. The No10 spokesman said: 'We recognise the strong views on this particular point and having listened to those again yesterday afternoon, we will table a motion tonight for next week to formalise the change of approach by unpicking the amendment.' The motion will rescind the Leadsom amendment and the proposed committee, and Downing Street said it would allow for the Commons to approve the standards report, while also recognising Mr Paterson is no longer an MP. During the debate last night, Bolsover MP Mr Fletcher said the 'vast majority of colleagues on all sides of this House are desperate to stay within the rules and are well intentioned'. He added: 'But for those who do break the rules, the punishment must be fitting. I had no problem voting for the report that was discussed last week, I would do the same again today. 'I say with the greatest of respect to those colleagues that I think that two years here is more than enough to know the difference between right and wrong.' Aaron Bell, one of 50 Tory MPs to defy a three-line whip on the issue last week, said colleagues had been placed in an 'invidious position' by the Government. Mr Bell said he feared the 'overzealous application' of loyalty from Mr Paterson's allies had help lead the Commons 'into the extremely unfortunate decision it took last Wednesday'. He said he is 'proud' to be part of the 2019 intake of Conservative MPs, dubbed the '109', adding: 'There is nothing like a shared experience to bond people together and I think we've all been through quite the experience over the last two years. 'I know many of my friends within that group have endured a miserable time since last Wednesday's vote. 'I know many wished they had chosen to vote differently and are beating themselves up about that, but I say to them that loyalty to one's party is also an admirable trait. This place, indeed our entire political system, couldn't function without that either. 'But the reality is that my friends should not have been put in such an invidious position.' Mr Bell quoted a WhatsApp message sent by Conservative MP Jill Mortimer, who was elected to represent Hartlepool in May. He told the House: 'She said ''this was a colossal misjudgement, it should not have been whipped, you should have been allowed to vote with your conscience on this''. 'I couldn't agree more and I hope the Treasury bench is listening. Let us return to the convention where House business is not whipped.' On rebelling, Mr Bell said: 'It churns you up beforehand and leaves you a little shell-shocked afterwards. 'Perhaps next time it will be easier.' Conservative MP Andy Carter, another member of the Standards Committee, defended its decision on Mr Paterson but acknowledged some parts of the standards system are 'confusing'. He said: 'I do have concerns that the current set of rules and codes are complicated, although, I'm afraid, not the system that is related to paid advocacy. That, I'm afraid, is very straightforward.' Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast today that everyone should be working for a 'robust' standards system. 'I don't think the politicisation by the Labour Party, given how much money that they take from the unions, is a particularly attractive look for Keir Starmer,' he said. 'I think we ought to actually be coming together to make sure that there's public confidence in our institutions, including how we do our job as MPs, and that we've got a robust system for complaints or impropriety, but also a fair system. That's what we should all be working towards.' During his visit to Hexham General Hospital yesterday, Mr Johnson refused to be drawn on the chaotic events of last week. Asked whether he would apologise, the PM said: 'I don't think there's much more to be said about that particular case, I really don't.' One Tory MP last night told The Daily Mail he was close to sending in a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson's leadership - the first step towards a possible contest to replace him. The MP said: 'This is resonating with the public and I have had enough of it. Boris is not going to change, so we are going to trundle on until there is a critical mass to get rid of him.' Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said MPs now had to 'sort out the mess we're in'. Mr Barclay said there was a legitimate case for reforming the Commons standards system, but acknowledged the Government had been wrong to link it to Mr Paterson's case. 'I'd like, first and foremost, to express my regret and that of my ministerial colleagues over the mistake made last week,' he said. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the PM was 'running scared' having given 'the green light to corruption' by arguing that rules to stop vested interests did not apply to his friends. 'He does not even have the decency either to defend or to apologise for his actions,' he said. 'His concern, as always, is self-preservation, not the national interest.' Tory MPs were whipped to vote last week to create a new committee to reform the anti-sleaze rules, only for the Government to backtrack after the Opposition parties refused to cooperate. In the bitter aftermath of the row, Mr Paterson, who denies wrongdoing, announced he was quitting as MP for North Shropshire blaming the 'cruel world of politics'. It followed a recommendation by the Commons Standards Committee that he should be suspended from Parliament for six weeks after committing an 'egregious' breach of the centuries-old ban on paid lobbying by MPs. Dominic Raab dodged today as he was asked seven times why Mr Johnson had not apologised for the Owen Paterson saga or whether he was sorry Mr Johnson chatted to patients at Hexham Hospital during his visit yesterday Many Tory MPs stayed away from the debate as the party counts the cost of the decision to target the standards system An Ipsos MORI poll for the Evening Standard yesterday showed that the Tories have lost their lead and slipped behind Labour A Sydney man looked at his murderer and said 'what are you doing in my house' moments before he was fatally stabbed, a court has been told. Erol Tokcan, 38, was stabbed in the chest in his Dharruk home in March 2018 after Jake Burns and two other men stormed in, in a quest for marijuana. Burns, then 22, had arrived at the door, demanded 'more than a 50, motherf***er' and grabbed a friend of Mr Tokcan by the shoulder to force himself inside, the friend told the NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday Erol Tokcan (pictured), 38, was stabbed in the chest in his Dharruk home in March 2018 after Jake Burns and two other men stormed in, in a quest for marijuana The friend broke free when the lights went out momentarily before Mr Tokcan verbally confronted Burns' crew. 'Erol said ... what are you doing in my f***ing house and then he and Mr Burns went into a wrestle,' friend David Lapika said. Despite suggestions otherwise by Burns's lawyer, Mr Lapika was positive the knife-wielding intruder said 'I will stab you' to both him and the eventual victim. A court has been told that Mr Tokcan said to the group: 'What are you doing in my f*****g house,' before he was fatally stabbed As Mr Tokcan wrestled Burns, he gained the upper hand. But he maintained his grip of Burns - a factor Mr Lapika put down to Mr Tokcan's brain injuries. After stabbing Mr Tokcan once, Burns and his two mates fled to a car with a waiting driver. All four men were arrested and charged over the murder in March 2020. Burns, now 25, pleaded guilty to murder on October 5 while the others admitted lesser charges. Burns, now 25, pleaded guilty to murder on October 5 while the others admitted lesser charges (Pictured: Mr Tokcan's grieving family in 2018) The driver, Bradley Daniel Farrell, testified on Tuesday that he agreed to drive his cousin, Burns and the third man to a marijuana dealer's home. The others had been drinking and his cousin wanted weed, Farrell said. Burns was turned away from the home initially, and the group drove away, only for Burns to say 'the guy's got some, go back'. Burns was turned away from the home initially, and the group drove away, only for Burns to say 'the guy's got some, go back' (Pictured: Victim Erol Tokcan) Farrell denied a suggestion the murderer actually said: 'We ought to go back and take it all and rob him.' After driving away, Burns told the group he 'stabbed a guy'. No one responded, the driver said. '(I) sort of didn't even believe it, I just kept driving,' Farrell said. The disputed facts hearing resumes on Thursday. Portugal is set to introduce a new law that will ban employers from contacting workers outside of their contracted office hours. Companies will face penalties if they call or email their employees during evenings and weekends in new rules approved in parliament on Friday. The new labour laws have been introduced by the country's ruling socialist party in a response to the increase in remote working since the Covid-19 pandemic. Portugal is set to introduce a new law that will ban employers from contacting workers outside of their contracted office hours (stock image) Companies will also have to help to pay for workers expenses incurred as a result of working from home, such as electricity and internet bills, which employers can write off as a business expense. Parents will now also have the right to work from home until their child turns eight, without having to arrange it in advance with their employers. However, the amendments to Portugal's labour laws will not apply to companies with fewer than ten employees. Portuguese MPs also rejected a 'right to disconnect' proposal, that would have given employees the legal right to switch off work-related messages and devices outside office hours. Companies will face face penalties if they call or email their employees during evenings and weekends in new rules approved in the Portuguese parliament on Friday (stock image) Portugal's Minister of Labour and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, said last week that the pandemic exposed the need for government regulation of remote working (pictured, at the Web Summit conference in Lisbon) Portugal's Minister of Labour and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, told the Web Summit conference in Lisbon last week, that while the pandemic has accelerated remote working, it exposed the need for government regulation. She said: 'The pandemic has accelerated the need to regulate what needs to be regulated. Telework can be a 'game changer' if we profit from the advantages and reduce the disadvantages.' Similar laws exist in several European countries, with workers in France allowed the 'right to disconnect' as well as other labour laws in place in Germany, Italy and Slovakia. And in the UK, a proposed law change leaked earlier this year revealed that ministers were considering legislating to give employees the right to request flexible working when they start new jobs. However, there are no plans to introduce a legal right to work from home, with the goverment insisting on the benefits of employees being in the office. Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe has spoken for the first time on 'Hannity' after his New York home was raided by FBI agents on Saturday over a stolen diary said to belong to President Joe Biden's daughter Ashley. O'Keefe, who was joined by attorney Paul Calli on the Fox News broadcaster's show, slammed the Department of Justice for authorizing the raid which he said was 'an attack on the First Amendment' and called upon all journalists to take a stand against the infringement of confidentiality. 'I've heard ''the process is the punishment.'' I didn't really understand what that meant until this weekend. I wouldn't wish this on any journalist,' O'Keefe said. 'If they can do this to me, if they can do it to any journalist.' O'Keefe went on to describe how he was woken abruptly by FBI agents and handcuffed while they ransacked his home. 'I woke up to a pre-dawn raid, banging on my door. I went to my door to answer the door and there were ten FBI agents with a battering ram, white blinding lights, they turned me around, handcuffed me and threw me against the hallway. 'They confiscated my phone. They raided my apartment. On my phone were many of my reporters' notes. A lot of my sources unrelated to this story and a lot of confidential donor information to our news organization.' Authorities raided O'Keefe's Westchester County residence in Mamaroneck just a day after O'Keefe himself acknowledged Project Veritas was being probed. Project Veritas CEO O'Keefe (left), who was joined by attorney Paul Calli (right) on the Fox News broadcaster's show, described how he was woken abruptly by FBI agents and handcuffed while they ransacked his home. He called the raid 'an attack on the First Amendment' and warned: 'If they can do this to me, they can do it to any journalist.' O'Keefe spoke out about Saturday's raid for the first time in an exclusive interview with Fox News broadcaster Sean Hannity (pictured) O'Keefe's apartment in this block in Westchester County, NY, was raided early on Saturday morning. O'Keefe said FBI agents spent over two hours going through his home and confiscated two iPhones containing confidential information Saturday's raid came hours after a Friday raid on two other properties connected to the group, including an apartment in a Midtown Manhattan block, and a home in Mamaroneck, close to the location of Saturday's raid at O'Keefe's apartment. 'They spent over two hours in m apartment and confiscated two of my iPhones which contained a lot of source information and reporter notes - these are serious first amendment issues,' O'Keefe said. 'I was kind of in a state of shock.' The investigation, ordered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and carried out by both federal investigators and federal prosecutors in Manhattan, concerns a 'stolen' diary said to belong to Ashley Biden that went missing just days before the 2020 presidential election. O'Keefe's attorney Calli pushed back against the suggestion that diary may have been stolen, telling Hannity 'nobody knows if that's the case.' 'An anonymous source contacted Project Veritas and indicated that it had, in its lawful possession, a copy of a diary that the source said belonged to Ashley Biden,' Calli said. Project Veritas has not published the handwritten diary, as O'Keefe said in a video released Friday that the group could not confirm the authenticity of the diary, whether it does indeed belong to Ashley Biden, or that the contents of the diary are truthful. The diary was obtained by Project Veritas just a week before the 2020 Presidential Election, and later published by a right-wing website days before America went to the polls. It says it obtained the diary from a 'tipster' who'd obtained it after staying in a location that Ashley Biden had previously visited. Project Veritas bills itself as a journalism nonprofit, and uses undercover tactics to expose mainstream media bias against conservatives. The investigation, ordered by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and carried out by both federal investigators and federal prosecutors in Manhattan, concerns a 'stolen' diary said to belong to Ashley Biden that went missing just days before the 2020 presidential election (pictured: O'Keefe (L), Calli (C) and Hannity (R) during the exclusive interview Ashley Biden, 40 (R), is the only daughter of Joe and Jill Biden. A copy of her diary is believed to have been obtained by Project Veritas just a week before the 2020 Presidential Election O'Keefe (pictured August 2020) is Founder and CEO of Project Veritas, which bills itself as a journalism nonprofit and uses undercover tactics to expose mainstream media bias against conservatives The FBI searched two locations in New York on Friday linked to Project Veritas as part of an investigation into how Ashley Biden's diary was stolen and published online, before ransacking O'Keefe's home on Saturday (pictured: Ashley Biden, center, at her father's 2021 inauguration) A spokesperson for the FBI said that agents had 'performed law enforcement activity' at the building, but did not give any details of the investigation. O'Keefe said Friday that 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. He claimed 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 hold 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. O'Keefe, who is suing the New York Times for defamation, claimed the raids were politically-motivated. 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 were set upon by former President Trump at the time of the diary's publication. Last year, the DOJ launched an investigation into Hunter Biden's taxes. On Friday the FBI raided two other locations linked to Project Veritas in pursuit of information concerning the diary. 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, which is close to O'Keefe's home raided on Saturday 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.' Heavily-armed officers busted down the door of an alleged commercial-sized drug lab, seizing $3million dollars in meth and heroin, as well as seven firearms and $153,000 in cash. Three men allegedly linked to the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang were arrested near the East Brisbane facility on November 4 and charged with a litany of offences including drug trafficking. But it was one very strange detail that had seasons drug detectives scratching their heads. A 2kg candle which looks identical to items sold at stores like Kmart was taken from the alleged drug lab and found to be infused with the street drug ice. The bizarre Mexican Cartel tactic to conceal the dangerous drug was first identified on America's east coast several years ago and has been a growing problem ever since as the waxy texture perfectly hides the dangerous substance. Candles that look identical to items sold at stores like Kmart were taken from the alleged drug lab and found to be infused with the street drug ice (pictured) The targeted organised crime investigation was probing the production and trafficking of methamphetamine. It involved the Australian Federal Police, Queensland National Anti-Gangs Squad, Queensland Police Service Organised Crime Gangs Group and the Australian Crime and Intelligence Commission. A Gold Coast man, 45, and an East Toowoomba man, 30, were arrested were both charged with one count each of 'production of a dangerous drug, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of property suspected of being the proceeds of crime, possession of relevant things and two counts of possession of a dangerous drug.' They were remanded in custody after appearing in Brisbane Magistrates Court and could each face 25 years behind bars. A Rockhampton man, 31, was also intercepted by police at nearby Miriam Vale with a search of his vehicle allegedly uncovering $151,000 in cash. National Anti-Gangs Squad Commander Andrew Donoghoe said the raid which seized 8.5kg of drugs is a major breakthrough which will save lives. Three men allegedly linked to the Hells Angels outlaw motorcycle gang were arrested near the East Brisbane facility on November 4 and charged with a litany of offences including drug trafficking. Pictured: One of the arrests unfolding The targeted organised crime investigation was probing the production and trafficking of methamphetamine. Pictured: One of the suspects is seen handcuffed 'Meth and heroin cause horrendous damage to the community through addiction and family violence, all in the name of greed for organised crime,' he said. 'There's nowhere to hide for groups who seek to produce or peddle drugs like meth, the full force of the Australian Federal Police and our partners is coming for you.' Queensland Police Service Detective Acting Superintendent Craig McGrath said 'The seizure of the firearms, also greatly reduces the risk of harm to the community, by removing them from the hands of gang members.' The US Drug Enforcement Agency uncovered over $1million dollars worth of meth-infused candles in a single drug raid in 2017 and warned that candles infused with methamphetamine would become a growing issue for police and border agents. Seven rifles and handguns (pictured0 were seized in the raid at the Brisbane facility Heavily armed officers busted down the door of an alleged commercial-sized drug lab (pictured), seizing $3million dollars in meth and heroin, as well as seven firearms and $153,000 in cash 'DEA has seen drugs smuggled in numerous ways: concealed in puppies, lollipops, furniture, and produce,' the drug agency said at the time. 'But secreting a million dollars' worth of methamphetamine in wax candles of various shapes is shocking.' The Toowoomba man due to appear in court on November 16 and the Gold Coast man is scheduled for December 6. The Rockhampton man charged with possession of tainted property is expected to appear in Gladstone Magistrates Court on November 22. Advertisement Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff toured the Institut Pasteur in Paris on Tuesday to talk with scientists about global preparedness for pandemics in the vice president's third overseas trip since taking office. Upon arriving at the institute on Monday afternoon Paris time, Harris and her husband met with a French virologist and immunologist James Philip Di Santo and an American researcher. Di Santo said they were working on understanding why people have differing symptoms and outcomes from the coronavirus and were relying heavily on nasal swabs in their research. Harris joked she is 'intimately familiar' with nasal swabs the easiest and most common way to test for a positive COVID-19 case. During her trip to France, Harris will meet with President Emmanuel Macron. attend a peace forum with other world leaders and join commemorations for the anniversary of the end of World War I. She will also participate in a conference on strengthening Libya's borders. Upon landing in Paris on Tuesday morning, Harris was asked by a reporter: 'What's your message for President Macron?' Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff toured the Institut Pasteur in Paris on Tuesday. The duo are pictured meeting with American and French scientists working on COVID-19 worldwide preparedness Harris told the researchers she is 'intimately familiar' with nasal swabs, which the scientists are heavily relying on to further understand why people have differing symptoms and outcomes from the coronavirus The vice president's trip to Paris comes as the U.S. tries to ease tensions with France after President Emanuel Macron was stunned by Washington's new AUKUS security pact with Australia and Britain in September 'It is good to be in France and I am looking forward to many many days of productive discussions reinforcing the strength of our relationship,' she dodged, remaining unresponsive with a question on how she will 'ease tensions' with the French president. Harris' four-day trip to Paris is a charm offensive aimed at Macron after President Joe Biden 's 'clumsy' handling of the row over the new US-British submarine deal with Australia. During the trip to the research institute, Harris suggested that politics should be more like science when she was asked about rising tensions with Macron. A French reporter questioned Harris on reconciliation with France following the AUKUS rift, claiming that the institute was showing collaboration between Washington and Paris. Harris agreed and spoke at length about the scientific process and how it's better than politics because it involves hypothesis and inquiry instead of just presenting a big plan. 'Scientists operate with a hypothesis. I love that. They start out with a hypothesis and they test it out,' she said, adding that if it doesn't work out 'everyone gets together and no one gets beat up about it.' 'With us in government we campaign with the plan uppercase T uppercase P,' Harris added, claiming there's not much room for innovation and fixes if there are 'glitches.' She said that was a general statement and not overall comments on Bidne's Build Back Better agenda failing to pass last month in a $3.5 trillion social spending and welfare package in Congress. 'There will be glitches and there will be mistakes,' she said of policy making. 'If you don't make the same mistake twice that's a good process and we should encourage it.' Harris touched down aboard Air Force Two with Emhoff, a lawyer, ahead of a meeting with Macron at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday. There is pressure on the VP to smooth over the cracks after Macron was stunned by Washington's new AUKUS security pact with Australia and Britain in September. Macron furiously recalled the US ambassador over the snub which saw Australia shred a submarine contract with the French worth AU$90million in favor of a new deal with the US and the UK. Harris will sit down with Macron to discuss how the two nations can coordinate efforts in the Indo-Pacific, where the Aukus alliance is also focused. The high-level meeting comes less than two weeks after Biden met Macron on the margins of the Group of 20 summit in Rome and acknowledged that his administration had handled the submarine deal in a 'clumsy' way. Harris, 57, (waving with her husband Doug Emhoff as they depart) touched down at Orly aboard Air Force Two ahead of a meeting with Macron at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday Harris chats with reporters briefly before getting into her armored Chevrolet suburban and heading into town Kamala Harris and First Gentleman Douglas Emhoff walk down the stairs after arriving in Paris Orly on Air Force Two on Tuesday morning Harris and Emhoff are welcomed for their four-day trip after disembarking Air Force Two upon their arrival at the Orly airport Harris and Emhoff are greeted by (LtoR) Whitney Baird, Charge daffaires at the US Mission to OECD, Brian Aggeler, Charge d'affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Paris, Pierre Marchand-Lacour, Sous-Prefet and Director of the Cabinet of the Governor of Val-de-Marne and Stephen Duso-Bauduin, Deputy Head of Ceremonial, State Protocol and Diplomatic Events Directorate at Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Paris-Orly Airport in Orly Harris and Emhoff are greeted by Whitney Baird (2ndL), Charge daffaires a.i. at the US Mission to OECD, and Brian Aggeler (R), Charge d'affaires ad interim at the US Embassy in Paris Harris and Emhoff meet with the American diplomatic staff and French officials before getting into their armoured car for transportation into the city Air Force Two, the Vice President's plane, on the runway at Paris Orly airport on Tuesday morning A French officer salutes the jet as it arrives carrying the US Vice President Harris on Tuesday morning Harris is accompanied by a US Air Force officer as she makes her way to the plane at the airport in Maryland last night Harris and Emhoff wave for the cameras as thy prepare to jet off for Paris from Maryland last night Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff wave as they board Air Force Two en route to Paris The U.S. and Britain's agreement to provide Australia with submarine technology has been framed as opportunity for the U.S. to bolster a key Pacific ally's naval capacity as the Biden administration has become increasingly concerned about China's military aggressiveness in the region. But France was livid, saying it was kept in the dark about the deal and its interests were ignored despite having territories in the Indo-Pacific with 2 million people and 7,000 troops. The French also complained that the episode undercut Biden's message that he would stabilize and strengthen the trans-Atlantic alliance after four years of President Donald Trump's 'America first' approach to foreign policy. France even briefly withdrew its ambassador from the U.S. in protest, the first time it had done so in some 250 years of diplomatic relations between the nations. 'The alliance between the United States and France is America's oldest, and among our strongest,' Harris said in statement about her trip. 'I look forward to discussing with President Macron our work together on the most urgent challenges of our time - including the climate crisis, the global health crisis, and regional security concerns.' Harris said she and Macron would also discuss new opportunities for collaboration in the area of space. On Tuesday, she is scheduled to tour the renowned Institut Pasteur to meet with American and French scientists working on COVID-19 preparedness worldwide. Officials said the visit will underscore the longstanding scientific exchanges between the US and France, and the determination to tackle global challenges, especially to to end the pandemic. But the institute also has a personal symbolism for Harris. Her late mother, who was a scientist, conducted breast cancer research with the institute's scientists in the 1980s. Harris and her husband shake hands with USAF staff as they arrive at Air Force Two for their flight to Paris Harris and Emhoff chat with USAF staff as bodyguards standing by the stairway keep watch Harris and her husband are accompanied by USAF officers as they prepare to board their jet to Paris last night Harris will deliver a speech on Thursday at the annual Paris Peace Forum and participate the following day in the Paris Conference on Libya. The vice president is looking to pick up where Biden left off in Rome in efforts to make clear that that he sees the relationship with France as critical to the U.S. To that end, she and Emhoff will visit Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial just outside Paris. The 7.5-acre (3 hectare) cemetery contains the remains of 1,559 Americans who died in World War I and 23 unknown dead of World War II. Harris will also participate in a ceremony to mark Armistice Day, the French commemoration of the end of World War I. Thursday is also Veterans Day in the United States. Advertisement An incredible photo of a Hercules plane climbing vertically into the sky is among the RAF's most spectacular images of the year, honoring the top photographers in the service. The RAF Photographic Competition 2021 announced its winners after nearly 1,500 images and more than 50 videos were submitted across the competition. The competition has sky-rocketed to seven categories, up from last year's four, including Personnel, Current Equipment, Operations and Exercise and finally, Video. The best nine images chosen by the judges going head-to-head in the Peoples' Choice category. The winner of the RAF Association sponsored Personnel category was SAC Craig Williams with 'Pandemic'. His powerful image of a RAF medic conducting Covid-19 testing in Derbyshire as part of Government efforts to fight the pandemic scooped top spot. The winner of the prestigious Current RAF Equipment category was Cpl Lee Matthews - titled 'Griffin' - sees an awe-inspiring shot of vertical manoeuver. Cpl Matthews captured a mesmerising photo of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft conducting a 'nose-up break into the flying circuit' over the runway at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. Judge Hilary Roberts said: 'This year's entries reflect the RAF's huge contribution to British life as well as its core role of keeping our skies safe. 'Congratulations to all winners and entrants on an excellent standard of photography in an exceptionally challenging year.' Co-judge WO2 Jamie Peters added: 'Picking the top images from the many submitted was a real challenge, the standard of entries were as technically excellent as they were varied, showing the diverse range of tasks the RAF and its photographers do all over the world. 'From support with the Covid pandemic at home to operations abroad the photographers have captured it all, as a fellow military photographer I looked for images that made me wish I had taken them, there were many that fell into that bracket which made my job all the more difficult. Well done to everyone who entered.' The winner of the prestigious Current RAF Equipment category was Cpl Lee Matthews - titled 'Griffin' - sees an awe-inspiring shot of vertical manoeuver. Cpl Matthews captured a mesmerising photo of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft conducting a 'nose-up break into the flying circuit' over the runway at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. It made the move, flying in support of Operation Fortis, after returning from Jordan Pictured are Royal Air Force Chinooks performing underslung load trials of F-35 Support Equipment and ASRAAM containers at MOD Boscombe Down. The photo was taken by SAC Kirwan-Taylor and was Highly commended in Category C, Section Portfolio 'Mind over Matter' by Cpl Lee 'Matty' Matthews. The photo shows a refuelling sortie supporting Operation SHADER conducted at night from a Royal Air Force Voyager, refuelling a pair of RAF Typhoons over the Middle East. The wave included two Royal Air Force Typhoons, followed by an Airbus Defence Voyager which provided the Typhoons with fuel throughout their missions. The aircraft operated all day and night throughout the year in support of Op Shader as the UK and allied nations fought to defeat ISIS The winner of the RAF Association sponsored Personnel category was SAC Craig Williams with 'Pandemic'. His powerful image of a RAF medic conducting Covid-19 testing in Derbyshire as part of Government efforts to fight the pandemic scooped top spot. Some 130 personnel from across the RAF have been conducting community COVID testing in South Derbyshire 'Follow Me' by Corporal Ben Tritta, which was the runner-up in the Personnel category at the 2021 Royal Air Force Photographic Competition. Cpl Ben Tritta picked up his gong for this mind-blowing photo of parachute instructors exiting an aircraft over California, USA. Image of an RAF F-35B Lightning, BK19, at 617 Squadron during sunset. RAF Marham is the home of the F-35B Lightning, a 5th Generation, multi-role, stealth fighter. The photo was runner-up in the Current RAF Equipment category of the 2021 Royal Air Force Photographic Competition The RAF Typhoon Display Team aircraft, BLACKJACK, piloted by Flt Lt Sainty flying over the iconic White Cliffs of southern British coastline ahead of the anniversary of the Battle of Britain. It was entered in the People's Choice category of this year's awards Red Arrows chase over the Negroponte Datum in Greece. Seen here while in Feathered Arrow formation at the top of a loop. The photo was highly commended in category E, current RAF equipment at the 2021 Royal Air Force Photographic Competition British Army soldiers from 13 Air Assault Support Regiment work closely with Royal Air Force's 84 Squdron, Search and Rescue during an exercise at RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus. The exercise involved several heavy loads, such as supplies, a quadbike and a trailer being underlung to the Bell HAR2 Griffin Helicopter. The exercise was part of Op FORTIS A Royal Air Force Puma delivers Covid tests to the Folkestone area of Kent for British Soldiers to provide testing to awaiting European lorry drivers. British Army soldiers supported civilian agencies in their response to pandemic-related congestion in Kent, where European lorry drivers were left stricken while waiting for Covid tests allowing them to return to mainland Europe An image of a UK Typhoon conducting a sortie which involved flying alongside the French Armee De L'Air and Space as they conducted a joint intercept of long Range Aviation, scrambling both countries' Quick Reaction Alerts. Typhoons from RAF Coningsby met with Armee De L'Air Rafale and mirage 2000 to meet a simulated non-NATO military aircraft entering the UK Airspace. They were supported by RAF Voyager from RAF Brize Norton providing air-to-air refuelling Pictured is an RAF chinook conducting dust landings training while part of Exercise NOCTEM WARRIOR 2021. RAF Odiham personnel and chinook aircraft have been operated out of Naval Air Facility El Centro, California during of the exercise. The terrain and climate are typical of overseas operations and therefore provide realistic scenarios for training Image shows RAF Regiment and RAF Chinook Force working together to demonstrate a Joint Personnel Recovery exercise (JPR). RAF Regiment located the recovery personnel and provided an all round defence until air support arrived in the form of an RAF Chinook from 18(B) Squadron at RAF Odiham Aerial imagery captured of the Operation SHADER wave from an 84 Squadron Griffin Helicopter. This including flying over a taxing Voyager along with two Typhoons and a Hercules departing the runway of RAF Akrotiri. The snap won first place in the Portfolio section of the competition Royal Air Force Odiham celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Chinook helicopter entering RAF service with a commemorative new colour scheme. The tail art was unveiled earlier this year as the aircraft departed RAF Odiham on a routine training sortie Royal Air Force Chinooks from 28 Sqn RAF Benson deliver aggregate onto Pewit Island in the Portmouth Harbour. Pewit Island currently has no birdlife and it was hoped aggregate would make it more attractive to nesting birds. Due to shallow water and amount of aggregate required, air delivery by helicopter is the only viable method Image of Royal Air force Typhoons from RAF Lossiemouth flying alongside their counterparts from the German Air Force over Eastern Europe. The photo was highly commended in the Portfolio category of the 2021 Royal Air Force Photographic Competition Advertisement Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko has angrily described the EU as 'b*****ds' and accused Warsaw of 'conducting war' on migrants trying to illegally enter Poland from Belarus. Lukashenko also blamed Europe and the US for the unprecedented wave of migrants attempting to cross the border after expressing 'special concern' over the deployment of Polish troops near the border with his ally Russian President Vladimir Putin. The EU has accused Lukashenko's regime of using migrants as pawns in a 'hybrid war' against the bloc in retaliation for imposing sanctions on the authoritarian state. The EU also accused Belarus of shipping migrants to the border under 'false pretences' and encouraging them to enter the bloc illegally. But Lukashenko threw the allegation of a 'hybrid war' back at the EU, pointing at its sanctions against Belarus, adding: 'And you, b*****ds, madmen want me to protect you from migrants.' Lukashenko also accused Poland starting a war and said: 'To conduct a war with these unfortunate people on the border of Poland with Belarus and move forward columns of tanks - it's clear this is either a training exercise or it's blackmail. 'We will calmly stand up to this.' 'I am afraid that this confrontation at the border because of migrants might lead to an active phase. These are grounds for provocations. All provocations are possible,' Lukashenko said, accusing Poland's military of flying its helicopters low at the border, frightening the migrants. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki on Tuesday accused Putin of orchestrating the unprecedented wave of migrants at the border and threatening to destabalise the European Union. 'This attack which Lukashenko is conducting has its mastermind in Moscow, the mastermind is President Putin,' Morawiecki told an emergency session of the Polish parliament. Morawiecki's comments come after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier today that the EU should pay Alexander Lukashenko to help end a migrant crisis on Poland's border that he is accused of creating. Lavrov suggested that Europe should pay to Belarus to take the migrants back - pointing out that it also pays Turkey to take back migrants turned away from the Greek border. But Peter Stano, a spokesman for the EU Commission, accused Lukashenko of engaging in an 'inhuman and gangster-style' plot to lure vulnerable people to his country where they are 'pushed to the border and forced to make an illegal entry into the European Union' via Poland. Once at the border the migrants become stuck, blocked from going further by Polish guards but also prevented from returning to Belarus. There are now thought to be 2,000 people - many of them young men but also women, elderly people and children - trapped in this freezing no-man's land with little food or water. At least 10 have died. European leaders accuse Lukashenko of trying to destabilise the bloc as revenge for them backing pro-democracy protests against his rule and sanctioning his regime for hijacking a Ryanair plane to arrest a journalist. The crisis has been simmering for months but ramped up on Monday as around 1,000 migrants suddenly arrived at the border and attempted to cross, some using shovels and trees to destroy a barbed wire fence. Belarus, with the backing of Moscow, denies the claims and says the people are legitimate asylum seekers. Poland has accused Belarus of 'attacking' its border and the EU using migrants as a weapon, a day after thousands tried to storm across the border using trees as battering rams (pictured) There are now thought to be 2,000 migrants trapped at the border - unable to enter Poland but also blocked from getting back into Belarus in freezing cold conditions with little water or food Poland says it has an 'obligation' to block the migrants and defend the EU's border, while accusing Belarus of 'attacks' using desperate migrants as its weapon Poland says it has an 'obligation' to defend the EU's eastern border by blocking the migrants, accusing Alexander Lukashenko of preventing them from returning to Belarus (pictured, Polish guards reinforce the border fence) Polish guards are pictured reinforcing the border with Belarus on Tuesday, in anticipation of another attempt to cross by thousands of people gathered on the Belarusian side Polish special services troops use a digger to reinforce border defences today as they attempt to stop thousands of migrants crossing over from Belarus Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visited the border zone on Tuesday, where thousands of troops are now deployed in an attempt to stop the migrants from crossing Mr Morawiecki (pictured alongside defence minister Mariusz Blaszczak) has said it is Poland's 'obligation' as a member of the EU to keep migrants from entering the bloc, and accused Belarus of an 'attack' Polish troops and police stand guard at the border zone today, hours after thousands of migrants tried to cross in a major escalation of a crisis that has been brewing for months A migrant on the Belarusian side of the border uses an axe to hack a branch off a tree to burn on a campfire, with temperatures in the region dropping below freezing overnight Thousands of migrants are now camped along the border, having been blocked from getting into the EU and barred from returning back into Belarus Poland accuses Belarus of manufacturing the crisis by luring in migrants with promises of a passage into Europe, before marching them to the border and dumping them there with no path forwards or backwards (pictured, camps on the border) Poland's president said the migrants a 'mostly' young men, though images also showed a large number of women and children among crowds at the border Two women speak to a young girl at a camp close to Poland's border with Belarus after failing to cross on Monday Migrants have resorted to camping in the woods near the Polish border with little access to food or water, where they have been burning wood to keep warm Temperatures have been falling below freezing in the border region overnight, with at least 10 migrants having died in recent weeks - many of them from hypothermia Where are the migrants on Poland's border coming from? The EU is applying political pressure to 13 countries to prevent people flying from their territory to Belarus, where it is thought they will try to cross into Poland. Those countries are: 1. Cameroon 2. Democratic Republic of Congo 3. Congo 4. Egypt 5. Georgia 6. Guinea 7. Iraq 8. Jordan 9. Kazakhstan 10. Lebanon 11. Pakistan 12. Tajikistan 13. Turkey The EU is also 'monitoring' another 20 countries on suspicion their citizens could travel to Belarus, or that they are being used as transit points for migrants looking to enter the bloc. Those countries are: 1. Algeria 2. Azerbaijan 3. India 4. Iran 5. Ivory Coast 6. Libya 7. Morocco 8. Nigeria 9. Qatar 10. Russia 11. Senegal 12. Somalia 13. South Africa 14. Sri Lanka 15. Syria 16. Tunisia 17. The UAE 18. Uzbekistan 19. Venezuela 20. Yemen Advertisement 'We are not seeking a fight,' Lukashenko told the state news agency Belta. 'I am not a madman, I understand perfectly well where it can lead. But we will not kneel.' Poland has reacted angrily, with President Andrzej Duda accusing Lukashenko of 'attacking' the border and the EU in an 'unparallelled manner' - saying his country has an obligation as an EU member to turn the migrants back. Poland has rushed some 10,000 troops and guards to the area in anticipation of another mass attempt to cross, while accusing Belarusian soldiers of trying to prompt a confrontation by firing blank ammunition. The Belarusian Defense Ministry summoned the Polish military attache to protest what it called 'unfounded and unlawful Polish allegations' against the Belarusian military at the border. It also voiced concern about the buildup of Polish troops there, saying Warsaw did not notify or invite Belarusian observers per international rules for activity involving more than 6,000 troops. Video filmed today by one of the migrants captured the sound of gunfire at the border, which Belarus insisted had come from the Polish side. But Poland denied this, saying the Belarusians had been 'simulating dangerous events' in an attempt to destabilise the situation further. On Tuesday, Poland reinforced its border with more riot police, a day after groups of migrants tried to storm through a razor-wire fence on the eastern frontier where thousands have camped on the Belarusian side in the tense standoff. Separately, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has vowed to keep blocking the migrants while warning that the 'security of the entire EU is at stake'. He was backed by German interior minister Horst Seehofer who said the migrants are being used as part of a 'nasty tactic' to 'destabilise the EU and especially Germany'. 'This hybrid attack of Lukashenko's regime is aimed at all of us. We will not be intimidated and will defend peace in Europe with our partners from NATO and EU,' Mr Morawiecki tweeted. 'It is a very nasty tactic,' he told German newspaper Bild. 'A political tactic that must be stopped.' Mr Seehofer also praised the actions of Polish border guards, saying they have acted 'absolutely correctly' in using tear gas and shields to force the migrants back. Meanwhile, the EU said it is pressing more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries to prevent their nationals leaving on flights bound for Belarus that it believes are being used to transport migrants. The EU has already successfully leaned on Iraq to halt flights from Baghdad to Minsk, and is now in talks with Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Egypt, Georgia, Guinea, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Tajikistan, and Turkey. It said another 20 countries, including the likes of Iran, Libya, Morocco, Qatar, Russia, Somalia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Yemen are being monitored as 'potential' sources of migrants. Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas was to visit several of those countries to raise awareness of Minsk's migration gambit and the risks to people tempted to take it. Russia - Lukashenko's strongest ally - was being watched 'very carefully', spokesman Stano added. 'In Russia, we are observing the situation for its potential to manipulate people or instrumentalise migration, or for its potential for abuse from the Lukashenko regime,' he said. Stano added that the EU was working towards a fifth set of sanctions on Lukashenko's regime, saying: 'We are trying to explore all the possible means we have at our disposal to deal with the situation.' Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that the EU was in particular looking how it might sanction airlines deemed to be 'active in human trafficking' by flying migrants to Belarus. The EU on Tuesday suspended an agreement under which Belarus officials used to be able to get EU visas more easily, adopting a Commission proposal announced in September as part of its raft of restrictions on Lukashenko's regime. A Polish soldier carries reels of barbed wire to the border to reinforce a fence that came under attack on Monday from crowds of migrants, some armed with chopped-down trees used as battering rams Migrants gather wood to burn on fires in order to keep warm as they wait at the border between Poland and Belarus Men are seen cutting down wood to make fires at migrant camps along the Poland-Belarus border on Tuesday Migrants say they have been stopped going back into Belarus by soldiers but cannot get into Poland, leaving them trapped Migrants on the Belarusian-Polish border, where several thousand are now trapped with little food or water Thousands of migrants have spent a freezing cold night camped on the border between Poland and Belarus, a day after they tried to force their way across but were blocked Thousands of migrants, many of them Kurds fleeing violence in the Middle East inlcuding families and pregnant women, are now trapped on the border as Belarus blocks them from reentering its territory and Poland stops them going any further Around 1,000 migrants are now trapped in woods near the Polish border in freezing conditions with little water or food and no route forwards into Europe or backwards into Belarus Migrants are seen camped close to the fence that Polish border guards have erected to keep them out of the EU Morning in one of the migrant camps, as people attempt to keep warm around a fire after temperatures dropped to -2C Poland has been accusing Belarus of trying to force migrants across its border for months, but the crisis ratcheted up this week with the sudden arrival of around 1,000 people including women and children A sign in Polish that says 'state border crossing is forbidden' lies among barbed wire at the border with Belarus President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen demanded that Belarus 'must stop putting people's lives at risk.' She accused Lukashenko of using migrants ' for political purposes' and vowed the move would not see Brussels cave in. 'I have spoken to Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte and Latvian Prime Minister Arturs Krisjanis Karins to express the EU's solidarity and discuss with them the measures the EU can take to support them in their efforts to deal with this crisis. 'I am calling on Member States to finally approve the extended sanctions regime on the Belarusian authorities responsible for this hybrid attack.' Lawmakers in Lithuania voted to declare a state of emergency for a month along its border with Belarus, restricting the movement of vehicles and banning all entry, except for residents, in a zone reaching 5 kilometers (3 miles) inland. The emergency measures will allow border guards to use 'mental coercion' and 'proportional physical violence' to prevent the migrants from entering Lithuania. Guards will be able to check vehicles and people, and gatherings will also be banned. It also applies to accommodations for migrants in the capital of Vilnius and elsewhere. At least 170 migrants were stopped from entering Lithuania on Tuesday. German interior minister demanded stronger action amid concerns that the would-be asylum seekers aim to head to Germany if they gain access to the EU. 'We must help the Polish government secure their external border,' said the minister. 'This would actually be the task of the European Commission. I'm now appealing to them to take action.' Poland has sent 12,000 soldiers to stop hundreds of would-be asylum seekers entering its territory. 'Interior ministry forces and soldiers managed to stop the first mass attempt to breach the border,' said the country's defence ministry. 'Migrants have set up a camp in the Kuznica region. They are constantly guarded by Belarusian services.' Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller estimated 3,000 to 4,000 migrants were massing near the border. 'We expect that there may be an escalation of this type of action on the Polish border in the near future, which will be of an armed nature,' he warned. 'Nato stands ready to further assist our allies and maintain safety and security in the region,' said a spokesman for the Alliance. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Monday called on member states to impose new sanctions against Belarus and said the use 'of migrants for political purposes is unacceptable'. She added that the EU would also look at how to sanction 'third-country airlines' that bring migrants to Belarus. Warsaw called Monday's action 'an invasion' and declared it was sending 12,000 troops to reinforce 10,000 already stationed along the frontier. German interior minister Horst Seehofer (left) has accused Belarus dictator Alexander Lukashenko (right) of manufacturing the crisis as part of a 'nasty tactic' designed at 'destabilising the EU' A migrant was seen hacking at the barbed wire barrier with a spade while a Polish guard sprayed him with pepper spray Small children are held up by desperate migrants along with frontier faced down by Polish forces A surge of 'illegal immigrants' preparing to cross the border from dictatorship Belarus into NATO-EU state Poland has sparked fears of a major crisis in the region (pictured: immigrants making their way along the highway to Poland) A helicopter flies low overhead as thousands of migrants mass on the Polish border with Belarus on Monday One of the migrants takes a pair of pliers to the barbed wire fence at the Polish border with Belarus on Monday These extraordinary scenes are the most serious yet in a dispute that has seen the West accuse Belarusian autocrat Alexander Lukashenko of 'weaponising' immigration and engaging in a 'hybrid war' Polish forces are seen standing guard at the border to block the passage of migrants from Belarus Videos today show an enormous procession of migrants near the Bruzgi-Kuznitsa frontier checkpoint, on a highway that links Belarus to Poland. Migrants have been gathered in the forests close to the checkpoint for weeks (countries in blue are part of the EU - Lithuania and Latvia have also reported a major influx of migrants in recent months from Belarus) EU Chief calls for new sanctions on Belarus European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called on the bloc's 27 nations to approve extended sanctions on the Belarusian authorities 'responsible for this hybrid attack.' The use 'of migrants for political purposes is unacceptable', she said in a statement, adding that the EU would also look at how to sanction 'third-country airlines' that bring migrants to Belarus. She said two top EU officials - EU Commission vice president Margaritis Schinas and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell - will travel to the main countries of origin for the migrants to 'ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities.' 'We will not hesitate to adopt sanctions if necessary against companies and countries that play into the hands of smugglers,' EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell warned in mid-October. 'The migrants are provided with visas, plane tickets and an aircraft is ready to transport them to Minsk from where they are taken to the borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland,' he said. Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas will visit 'the main countries of origin and transit in the coming days to ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities,' the statement said. The EU said it hoped that Poland would finally accept help from Frontex, the bloc's border agency, a step Poland's ruling nationalists have so far refused to do. Frontex would not comment on the border situation. Stanislav Zaryn, Minister-Coordinator of the Polish Intelligence Service, accused Belarusian President Lukashenko of acting to destabilize Poland and other EU countries to pressure the bloc into dropping its sanctions on Minsk. Those sanctions were put into place after Belarus cracked down brutally on democracy protests. Advertisement The U.S. State Department also called for Belarus to stop 'orchestrating' an influx of migrants at the Polish border, blaming strongman Lukashenko for the 'coercion of vulnerable people.' Poland's ambassador to the UN Krzysztof Szczerski said: 'Due to the situation on the eastern border of Poland, I am in contact with the ambassadors of the USA, Great Britain, France, Ireland and Estonia to the United Nations in New York - members of the Security Council.' The pledge comes as deputy head of Poland's Interior Ministry said: 'At the moment, a regular battle is taking place near Kuznice. 'The Border Guard, the Police and the Polish Army are defending our border against the attack of migrants inspired and prepared by Lukashenko.' Poland said it had withstood the first attempts on Monday by the migrants to force their way across the border, but that thousands more were on their way. 'We expect that in the coming hours attacks on our border will be renewed by groups of several hundred people,' Pawel Soloch, the head of Poland's National Security Bureau, told reporters. The Polish Border Guard announced that as of 0600 GMT on Tuesday the crossing at Kuznica, near the site where migrants tried to force their way through, would be closed. 'We have three border crossings with Belarus,' Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Wasik told private broadcaster Polsat News. 'The closure of one of them can... be treated as a kind of economic sanction.' Poland's Secret Service minister Stanislaw Zaryn said: 'Migrants, and subsequent transports arrive in Belarus from Arab countries. - Polish borders are attacked in an organized manner, we will strengthen forces,' he said. The former President of the European Community has now called upon NATO to help with the mounting crisis on Poland's border with Belarus. Donald Tusk said Poland should consider triggering Article 4 of the Nato treaty, under which all member states are obliged to meet to examine issues of mutual concern including threats to territorial integrity, political independence or security. Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Tusk who is the leader of Poland's main opposition party Platforma Obywatelska said he was 'very concerned about what is happening today and what will probably happen in the hours to come on our eastern border.' He added: 'Our relations with our eastern neighbour are about to deteriorate even further. 'What is most important is perhaps to consider whether we should trigger Nato's Article 4 if our border is under direct threat from physical pressure with Belarusian involvement, and I mean Belarusian state services.' Charities say the migrants face gruelling conditions while trying to cross the border from Belarus, enduring freezing weather and a lack of food, water and medical attention. Poland said seven migrants had been found dead on its side of the border, with reports of more deaths in Belarus. Humanitarian groups accuse Poland's ruling nationalists of violating the international right to asylum by pushing migrants back into Belarus instead of accepting their applications for protection. Poland says its actions are legal. There are more than a thousand people in the group of refugees near the border with Poland, including many women and children, reported RIA Novosti after speaking with Belarusian border guards. The border guards said that migrants 'do not pose a threat yet,' but their statements came amid reports that Lukashenko was sending heavily armed riot police towards the border. 'At the moment, a large group of refugees with belongings are moving along the road to the border with Poland,' said the Belarusian border committee in a statement. A grotesque game of human ping-pong: IAN BIRRELL reveals how Belarus has flown in thousands of migrants from the Middle East and Africa then sent them into Poland en route to a new life in the West... But the Poles don't want them By IAN BIRRELL IN BIALOWIEZA FOREST, POLAND FOR THE MAIL ON SUNDAY We met deep inside Europe's last remaining primeval forest, where bison and wolves roam beneath ancient towering oaks. 'I am an IT professional and I had a good life,' Hussan told me. 'But now I am standing in the woods with bare feet and dirty hands.' Hussan, 41, lived happily in the Syrian city of Homs before it was shattered by bombs, bullets and feuding militia, forcing him to flee to Turkey. Tears flowed down his face when I asked about his family, then he spoke in English of his dream to find sanctuary in Britain. Instead, he finds himself in Bialowieza Forest, a fearful refugee hiding from Polish security forces seeking to send him back over the nearby border to Belarus. For this is the latest front line in Europe's migration crisis. Hussan is just one of many bedraggled pawns in a cruel global power game being played by Belarus's sinister dictator Alexander Lukashenko, who has 'weaponised' migration by luring people from the Middle East and Africa to his country, then despatching them to next-door EU nations. This policy is designed to stoke divisions and destabilise the EU in retaliation for sanctions imposed after the autocrat sparked world outcry by forcing a Ryanair passenger jet carrying an opposition activist to divert to the Belarusian capital Minsk, where he was seized and then paraded on television. Pictured: Hussan, 41, from Syria and his pregnant wife Sarah, who spent 28 days in the Bialowieza forest Politicians across Europe accuse Lukashenko of launching a 'hybrid war' backed by Moscow. 'Refugees and asylum-seekers are being brought to the border with the aim of intimidating Brussels and Poland,' said Marcin Swiecicki, an MP and former mayor of Warsaw. 'The situation is a tragedy.' True. But Lukashenko's cynical tactics seem to be working, with EU countries spending millions of euros on border walls, bickering about how best to respond and the far-Right seeking to exploit the human misery for its own ends. Taxi drivers in the Polish city of Bialystok, close to the border, told me of seeing even cars with UK licence plates arriving to pick up arrivals from Belarus. 'We see so many migrants and traffickers,' said one, called Pawel. 'You can see English, French and German plates on cars coming to collect people.' In Germany, where police say up to 1,000 people are arriving every day, armed vigilante patrols of Right-wing extremists have been found operating at the frontier. A record 200 crossings into Lithuania were attempted on one day recently. Others have begun trying to reach Europe via Ukraine. Two months ago I reported in The Mail on Sunday about the surge into Lithuania, but focus has shifted to Poland. Officials logged 16,800 efforts at illegal entry last month four times more each day than for the whole of last year. Hussan was in a group of 20 people from Iraq, Egypt and Syria whom I found sitting around small fires, craving food and dry clothes while drinking water from a small stream. Pictured: Ali Abd Alwareth, 24, from Lebanon sits in the woods outside the Emergency State zone at the Polish-Belarusian border and waits for arrival of Border Guard patrol, October 22, 2021 He said he had been pushed back and forth over the frontier four times in a fortnight in a grotesque game of human ping-pong being played by Polish and Belarus guards. Others said they were bounced over the border 20 times. There are reports of beatings, injured migrants ejected from Polish hospitals and families trapped in a militarised no-man's land on the Belarus side. At least ten people have died and many more lives are at risk as winter temperatures plummet. 'I'm so tired and it's so cold that I am shaking,' said Hussan. 'We are scared at night because of the wild animals so we hide our heads under our clothes.' He spent all his 1,000 savings to get here. 'Life is a disaster. We've gone from our home in Syria to being trapped between two borders because no one wants us in their country. But we are human too.' Hussan left his wife and four children in Turkey. But his group included an Iraqi man with his nine-year-old son. Elsewhere in the forest, I met a woman called Sarah who is five months pregnant. The 26-year-old claimed to have spent 28 days in the forest with her husband Hassan, after flying to Belarus. Officials then took them to the country's border with Lithuania. They were caught after crossing the frontier, then taken across to the Polish border on the other side of the country. They had been pushed back nine times, she said, despite asking each time for asylum. This sudden influx of migrants is stirring tensions in Poland, a divided country currently run by an ultra-conservative government at loggerheads with Brussels on gay rights, pollution and the supremacy of EU law. There is even talk that the country might follow Britain and leave the union. 'We put the security of our fatherland above everything,' said Poland's defence minister, Mariusz Blaszczak. The defence ministry said that on Wednesday, Belarusian soldiers threatened to open fire on Polish forces who found a group of 250 migrants and refugees at the border. Nato says it is concerned about the 'escalating' situation. Poland is one of ten countries that asked Brussels to pay for 'barriers' to block migrants a request denied by EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, who says Brussels should not fund 'barbed wire and walls'. In defiance, Poland is spending 300 million on a wall along the 260-mile border with Belarus. Critics say it will be a costly failure, taking years to construct in forests and swamps. Lithuania has also started building an 11ft-high steel fence topped with razor wire on its frontier. The Polish government has declared a state of emergency, sent 10,000 troops to assist frontier guards and banned outsiders from coming within 3km (1.9 miles) of the border. An Iraqi migrant child (pictured centre) stands as he and others are surrounded by border guards and police officers after they crossed the Belarusian-Polish border during the ongoing migrant crisis, in Hajnowka In a war of words against Lukashenko, whose international pariah status has pushed him into the embrace of Vladimir Putin, ministers claim Belarus is giving migrants 'strange pills' and the heroin substitute methadone to help them survive the border crossings. After arriving in the border area, I received a text message saying: 'The Polish border is sealed. BLR [Belarus] authorities told you lies. Go back to Minsk! Don't take any pills from Belarusian soldiers.' My car was stopped several times at checkpoints in the region. Piotr Mazuruk, a border police commander, said: 'These migrants are like stones. The Belarusians throw them over the border to us. And we throw them back again.' A plea from Catholic church leaders to let medical volunteers enter the emergency area was rejected by ministers last week. Activists and opposition figures argue that such decisions, and forcing people back over the border, flout international treaties and so plays into Lukashenko's hands. Karolina Czerwinska, project co-ordinator for the Polish Migration Forum, told me about a refugee who was treated for a broken leg in a Polish hospital and then applied for asylum. But she said that 24 hours later, the Polish authorities had sent him back to Belarus. I accompanied volunteers from Grupa Granica who take food, drink and clothing to groups who send details of their location in the forests to family and friends as they play cat-and-mouse with the border forces hunting them down. One volunteer told me that many people crossing from Belarus thought they could happily stroll across borders through Poland to Germany, thus arriving utterly unprepared to be stuck in a freezing forest. Pictured: Polish soldiers build a fence on the border between Poland and Belarus near the village of Nomiki She had found a Syrian family with elderly grandparents and children as young as three. 'It was so sad. They had no idea they were in a forest hundreds of miles from the German border. They thought it would be so easy.' Poland claims it is respecting international obligations to migrants as it tries to stem the flow of people. Under EU rules, people should apply for asylum in the first safe country they enter. But many of the migrants, hoping to head further west, do not want asylum in Poland. A former minister in the Polish government said: 'The pushback is not 100 per cent legal but it has become common practice on many European borders such as Greece and Italy.' He said Poland was being targeted by Belarus in revenge for its strong support of the democratic anti-Lukashenko movement in Belarus, but was powerless to stop the regime without wider diplomatic support. Although Belarus has promised to suspend flights from Iraq that are used by migrants, the winter schedule for Minsk airport shows 55 flights a week from the Middle East, including the launch of daily flights from Damascus, the Syrian capital. Some refugees have told of being taken directly to Belarus's borders after arriving in Minsk. But one local journalist describes the city centre as being 'Little Baghdad' as there are so many migrants, while a human-rights worker told me the capital's hotels are packed with Middle Eastern visitors. Most want to go to Germany, where Angela Merkel agreed in 2015 to allow one million refugees and migrants to come and stay. Although the numbers making the journey are far smaller than six years ago, the Berlin government rapidly moved thousands of police to the Polish border to intensify checks. The police union, however, is warning of another 'collapse' if tougher action is not taken. Horst Seehofer, the interior minister, backs Poland's plan to build a border wall, but other politicians have condemned the responses that could results in people freezing to death in forests. 'This is a disgrace for Europe,' said Gerhart Baum, a former interior minister. 'We have a moral obligation towards these people that we are not abiding by.' Gaith, 20, is a Syrian who has just applied for asylum in Germany. He told me he paid $7,000 (5,200) in Lebanon for a fake passport but it was rumbled when he tried to enter Turkey. So his smuggler flew him to Minsk to ensure that he could enter Europe. 'I was stuck in the forest for 11 days it was like a game of ping-pong. The Polish police send you back to Belarus, then the Belarus police send you back to Poland. It happened to me about 20 times. The Poles were friendly, giving us food and water, but the Belarusians beat people and let their dogs bite you. I was scared since the forest was cold and dark. There were so many people from all over the world from Syria, Iraq, Sudan, Lebanon.' Pictured: In this aerial view trucks and cars cross a bridge over the Oder River between Germany (L) and Poland as a railway bridge stands farther behind on November 05, 2021 near Swiecko, Poland (stock image) Eventually, Belarusian officials took them to a spot on the border where there were no Polish frontier police, and five of his 16-strong group made it through, They were met by taxis hired by his people-traffickers and taken to Berlin. The explosive nature of this crisis became clear two weeks ago when it emerged that more than 50 far-Right German vigilantes armed with batons, machetes, pepper sprays and a bayonet were stopped by police on anti-migrant patrols. They had responded to a call from Third Way, a small extremist group which broke away from the neo-Nazi National Democratic Party. That group told me it was sending 'sympathisers' on border patrols to find illegal entrants. Sascha Rossmueller, chairman of the party in Bavaria, said their unarmed patrols kept within laws that allow people to 'physically hold' anyone suspected of a crime. 'The crucial aspect is not that we will prevent mass migration but it allows us to attract attention,' he admitted. There have also been protests outside centres for asylum-seekers near the border. 'This is evil genius but we all play Lukashenko's game,' says Greta von der Decken, legal adviser for a refugee group working in Eisenhuttenstadt, a town by the Polish border. 'I am sad because Lukashenko is winning.' Claudia Williams, 42, was arrested Monday by Florida law enforcement A woman who allegedly walked up to single mom and shot her in the back of the head point blank was captured Monday by cops more than 1,000 miles away, after she was suspected of going on the run for three months. Claudia Williams, 42, was arrested Monday by Florida law enforcement in Jacksonville after she was wanted in connection with the August killing of single mother Delia Johnson, also 42, in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, 1,012 miles away. The shooting was caught on camera and shows the moments before and after Johnson was shot while she chatted to her friends, who sitting on a sidewalk stoop. Johnson's mother Delia Berry said they knew Johnson's assassin as a 'family friend' and the 42-year-old mom of a 17-year-old girl was lured to her death by a phone call. 'I know her,' Berry said when she saw the picture, according to the New York Post. 'Oh my God, oh my God, she used to stay with us. 'She slept in my bed, ate my food.' 'She was one of my babies too,' Berry told PIX 11 news. Johnson was talking to a group of people in Crown Heights at around 9.40pm on August 4 when a blonde woman dressed in all black walked up to her from behind and shot her in the back of the head. Delia Johnson, 42, (right) was a single mother killed in Brooklyn when she was allegedly shot in the back of the head by a person her mother claimed was a family friend. New York Police Department issued an image of the female shooter (left) Shocking video shows the female assassin raising a gun to a woman on a Brooklyn sidewalk and shooting her dead. The victim, named by police as Delia Johnson, 42, was speaking to a group on a stoop in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, when she was shot in the head It was alleged the killer and Johnson (pictured) had been at a funeral together on the same day she was shot Delia Berry says she's 'very angry' but 'doesn't hate' the woman who fatally shot her daughter - Delia Johnson - in an execution-style shooting and will 'continue to pray' for her and her family Johnson is seen on the video collapsing to the ground in front of horrified onlookers as her killer calmly makes her way toward a parked white car, gets in the driver's seat and takes off from the scene. One of Johnson's younger sisters, Hadjah Pendley, called the suspect 'a family friend who came to our family events, celebrations, holidays - whatever you want to call it, she came.' Berry reportedly noted to PIX 11 that the suspect and Johnson had a tumultuous friendship in recent weeks in which they would 'argue about everything.' She now says she wants to know why the suspect, who has not yet been named, would murder her daughter. 'Why did you slaughter her like that?' she asked. 'I just want to know why. 'What could she have done to you that you couldn't come and knock on my door and tell me? I would have straightened it out for both of you all. 'You are hurting families,' Berry told the Post. 'I'm in so much pain, I don't know what to do. 'She was my baby,' Berry said, adding: 'This person that shot my daughter, may God have mercy on your family, because we put curses on ourselves when we do things.' Delia Johnson, 42 (left and right), was shot and killed on a Brooklyn street after attending a funeral for a friend. She was raising a 17-year-old daughter as a single mom Footage shows the assassin, her purse slung over her shoulder, turn and casually walk to an SUV as her victim lays dead on the sidewalk Delia Johnson lays dead on the sidewalk after onlookers scattered for shelter when the shots were fired. Her assassin is shown getting into a getaway car After shooting Johnson multiple times, the blonde suspect calmly returned to a parked car She was last seen getting into the driver's seat and speeding away from the scene Mathis Johnson, Delia's brother, told the New York Daily News that his sister had attended a funeral for an old friend earlier that day. The service drew hundreds of mourners, and Mathis claims the suspected killer was among them. Mathis said he saw the black-clad woman with long blonde hair at the Sealy Culyer Funeral Home, about four blocks away. Johnson was reportedly talking to some friends afterwards when she received a phone call. 'She said 'I'll be right back,'' longtime friend Shawn Johnson, 43, told the New York Post. 'Twenty minutes later, somebody called me and told me she got shot. I told him he was lying. I was just standing here with her.' Delia Berry, Johnson's mother, said she now wants to know why the suspect killed her daughter Berry, left, said Johnson, right, her first-born child, helped take care of her after she underwent surgery and would bring her food Another of Johnson's sister, Khadyah Berry, 28, told the Post she was looking for a parking space when she saw an ambulance passing that night, not realizing it was for her sister. 'I ran down the street trying to get to her, but by the time I got to her, they took her,' Khadyah recounted, claiming she 'knew in my heart that somebody called her and knew what it was and set my sister up. Nobody can tell me otherwise.' She added: 'My sister didn't deserve that all.' Delia's family members said she was an entrepreneur who was raising her 17-year-old. Her mother also described her as her first-born child who excelled in piano and tap dancing, and later took care of her as she became ill. 'I will never forget when I was in so much pain and she was right there for me,' Berry recalled to the Post about a surgery she underwent, and how Johnson was the first one at the hospital to help her. 'I am going to miss her bringing me some food when I wasn't feeling well,' she said, adding: 'When a child can wash and clean their own mother, that's love. 'She'd say 'You know you get [on] my nerves sometimes, Mommy, but you know I love you,'' Berry told the Post. 'I'd say, 'You get on my nerves too, but I love you too.' Advertisement Hundreds of passengers were left waiting for hours at JFK airport yesterday when three planes reportedly arrived at once on the day the US border reopened. Furious travellers blasted officials for the 'disgraceful' planning as the aircraft landed from Manchester and weary customers flooded into customs. One flyer posted footage of the chaos on social media as masked people queued in sprawling lines as they waited to be let into the country for the first time in 600 days. It is not clear if airports brought in more staff for the big reopening, but it comes amid warnings they were not ready for the huge influx of tourists. More than 10,000 passengers flew from London to New York City yesterday on the day the US border was open to international travellers since the coronavirus crisis. British Airways took 8,600 travellers on 26 aircraft while Virgin Atlantic ferried a further 4,500 customers on ten shuttles into JFK as figures soared back to pre-pandemic levels. Britons burst into tears as they were reunited with friends and family in the US, with some running off the planes to tell stories of the past 20 months apart. Passengers were forced to queue for two hours upon landing at JFK Airport, after three flights from Manchester landed at the same time, according to a frusrated visitor from the UK city. Passenger fumed on Twitter how operators at JFK Airport have had '20 months to get thigns right' ahead of US authorities lifting the Covid travel ban - which saw more than 10,000 passengers jet into JFK on BA and Virgin Atlantic planes yesterday THE NEW TRAVEL RULES - WHO CAN COME TO AMERICA AND WHAT MUST THEY PROVE Travelers from any country are permitted entry to the US if they are; 1) Fully vaccinated 2) Have a negative COVID-19 test taken within 3 days of arriving in the US Which vaccines are recognized? Johnson & Johnson Pfizer Moderna AstraZeneca Covaxin Covishield BIBP/Sinopharm Sinovac Who is exempt from having to be vaccinated? Children Under-18 children o not need to be vaccinated but those over the age of two must have a negative test taken within 3 days of arrival Kids under the age of two do not need to be vaccinated or have a negative test Exempted countries A limited number of travelers from countries where vaccination is less than 10 percent can enter but they have to get vaccinated if they're still in America within 60 days The countries include; Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Armenia, Myanmar, Iraq, Nicaragua, Senegal, Uganda, Libya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Congo, Kenya, Yemen, Haiti, Chad and Madagascar Medical exemptions Diplomats People in COVID-19 vaccine trials Those with National Interest Exemptions * Religious exemptions are NOT accepted * Advertisement But on the first day of the new dawn in US travel, JFK faced fury on social media from travellers stuck in huge queues due to an apparent mix up with flights. One Twitter user shared a video of the backlog of traffic and blamed three planes landing at once from Manchester Airport in the UK. He wrote: '20 months closed lots of time to get things right and JFK Airport queues are a disgrace, three planes landing at the same time from Manchester is ridiculous.' Asked how long he had been waiting, he added: 'Two hours mate, pathetic. We were all sweating. Just approaching Manhattan now.' Paul Richards, 58, who is head of safeguarding for Stoke City FC, also said he waited two hours after his Virgin Atlantic flight from London. He told USA Today: 'No point in getting irate, the queue will still be there.' Policeman Marc Evans, 42, who flew from Manchester, with his wife and two children waited for over an hour. He said: 'It was apparently a PR stunt to show the USA was back open but seems they weren't concerned about the queues at customs.' Rob Walsh added on his Twitter page: 'Great. Queues are JFK are bad enough without two planes touching down at the same time.' Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Ed Bastian had earlier warned: 'It's going to be a bit sloppy at first. I can assure you, there will be lines unfortunately.' But he added: 'We'll get it sorted out.' It is unclear how many Customs Border Patrol and Transportation Security Administration agents were at each separate airport to deal with the crowds, but a spokesman confirmed there were 25,000 across the US. Heathrow also received numerous complaints on social media for long queues, waiting times and 'appalling service'. Dr Esther Clift from Southampton wrote on Twitter: 'Beside myself with appalling service of @BritishAirwaysT trying to get my lovely mum on a flight! @HeathrowAirport waiting 2 hours now!' The consultant practitioner added: 'She's gone through security. But we are both in tears this is not a good experience!' Aviation professional Adam Thompson said online: '@HeathrowAirport someone needs to inform your airport assistance personnel that a long connection is nice license to leave a customer sitting and waiting.' And Puja Bhatia added: 'Opting to fly by @airvistara was no less than a nightmare for me. Absolutely no support at @HeathrowAirport. 'Staff doesn't care about medical conditions of passengers, no assistance and largely mismanaged. I hope @TataCompanies do not make @airindiain into a Vistara now.' Long queues also reportedly formed at Heathrow's Terminal 3 as eager travellers checked in to their flights but faced waits. Meanwhile there was disappointment for flyers when they crossed the border, as the supply chain crisis continued to spark shortages in the food and drink sectors amid warnings it was not ready for the influx of tourists. Owner of Ilili, a Lebanese restaurant on 5th Avenue, Philippe Massoud told the BBC: 'Cutlery, plateware, glassware, take-out containers, paper products you name it, it's across the board, even toilet paper.' Allison patiently waits for her in-laws to come off the London Heathrow flight Her in-laws are from Somerset, England and had not been allowed to visit in 20 months An advert at Waterloo station in central London says the US is open and calls for Britons to 'get your sexy accents back to America' The flights to the US that left the UK yesterday There were a total of 66 flights leaving UK airports for the US yesterday. Some 63 were from Heathrow (plus two from Gatwick and one from Manchester). The highest number of flights were 20 to New York - including 17 to JFK and 3 to Newark. The next highest were Chicago (7), Los Angeles (6) and San Francisco (4). FROM HEATHROW New York JFK - 14 Chicago - 7 Los Angeles - 6 San Francisco - 4 Newark - 3 Atlanta - 3 Boston - 3 Dallas - 3 Miami - 3 Washington - 3 Greenville - 2 Houston - 2 Philadelphia - 2 Seattle - 2 Charlotte - 1 Denver - 1 Detroit - 1 Las Vegas - 1 Orlando - 1 San Diego - 1 TOTAL - 63 FROM GATWICK New York JFK - 2 FROM MANCHESTER New York JFK - 1 Advertisement Despite the chaotic scenes, the chiefs of BA and Virgin Atlantic sounded a positive tone. Chief Executive of Virgin Atlantic Shai Weiss said: 'It's been 600 days that the US border has been shut down for UK nationals. 'To see passengers coming in early in the morning, grandparents going to see grandchildren they've never met, families reuniting, people going to care for elderly people and businesses reconnecting is really a day of celebration for all of us in the industry and, of course, for Virgin Atlantic.' He called the transatlantic route 'one of the most important in the world'. 'For us at Virgin Atlantic, we say it wouldn't be Virgin without the Atlantic,' he said. Mr Weiss' counterpart at British Airways, Sean Doyle, earlier said the reopening of the US borders was a 'moment to celebrate' after 'more than 600 days of separation'. And passengers were generally in high spirits, as loved ones and friends wept as they embraced for the first time in 20 months at JFK. Others help up placards with adorable messages such as 'we missed you for two years' as they waited at the arrivals exit. Bhavna Patel took off from London to see her first grandchild Kai after watching him grow up for the past two years over Facetime. Ms Patel and her daughter Bindiya were met off the BA plane by her son Kushal, having not seen each other since 2018. Kushal told DailyMail.com: 'We've been trying to get my mother here from London after a year of FaceTime, sending pictures of Kai.' He continued: 'This is a breath of fresh air for all us, especially that we all normally see each other 2-3 times per year. 'My mother had yet to meet my son, Kai, until today and it feels so good to her again too. She's going to be here for the next 10 days along with my sister.' Christian Marcelia, 26, said he was 'excited and a bit nervous' to fly to New York to visit his girlfriend there for the first time. He said: 'My girlfriend lives over there, so we've been sort of long distance for two years. I'm going there to meet her family for the first time.' They have been a couple for nearly two years, he said, spending most of that time on different continents due to pandemic-induced travel restrictions. Richard Clark was looking forward to seeing his American colleagues before jetting off to San Francisco on business. The Briton, who works in software for an American company, said it was the first time in two-and-a-half years that he was heading to the US office. He said: 'Having worked at home for so long and being at home for so long for somebody that travels quite a lot historically, a bit apprehensive, I guess, with all the hoops you have to jump through to travel, but otherwise it's going to be a good change of scenery.' Demaine Erebara and her younger brother wait for their aunt and uncle to arrive from London on Monday morning after two years apart Jill Chambers (right) of Manchester, England is reunited with her sister Louise as passengers arrive from the first British Airways flight to arrive since the U.S. lifted pandemic travel restrictions on November 8 in New York City Bhavna Patel reunites with her son, Kushal, daughter-in-law Anisha (left) and meets for the first time her grandson, Kai. Kai, Kushal and Anisha live in America whereas Bhavna lives in the UK with her daughter Bindiya (right) . They flew over on the first BA flight on Monday and told DailyMail.com at the arrivals hall how happy they were to be together again. 'We've been trying to get my mother here from London after a year of FaceTime, sending pictures of Kai. This is a breath of fresh air for all us, especially that we all normally see each other 2-3 times per year. My mother had yet to meet my son, Kai, until today and it feels so good to her again too. She's going to be here for the next 10 days along with my sister,' Kushal said Kushal Patel and wife Anisha and son Kai and sister Bindiya and mother Bhavna. Kushal lives in the US and hasn't been home for a year and half Passengers arrive at JFK from Heathrow on board Virgin Flight VS3. It is the first tourist flight from the UK to arrive in 20 months Louise Erebara, 52, who emigrated to the US from Manchester 34 years ago, was among those waiting at JFK's Terminal 7 for flights to arrive. She and her children had not seen her sister Jill Chambers - or her brother-in-law Mark - for nearly two years due to Covid. Jill and Mark travelled from Darwen, near Manchester, to London on Sunday. They spent the night at a hotel before boarding their plane at 8am at Heathrow. Her 13-year-old daughter Demaine told DailyMail.com at the airport how excited she was to be reunited with her aunt and uncle. 'You FaceTime but it's not the same,' she said, eagerly clutching a Union Flag and a sign for her younger brother to hold up. It's all so overwhelming and emotional. It feels as if we've won the lottery.' They have not gone to visit the couple in the UK because Louise's five-year-old son Bowie remains unvaccinated, and they do not wish to travel internationally until he has received a shot. Husband and wife Ben and Becca Akhurst said they 'can't believe this is actually happening', ahead of flying to Orlando, Florida. The pair, both aged 31 and from Ashford, Kent, said: 'This trip has been a long time coming - after five cancellations we finally get to return to Orlando. 'This is going to be an emotional trip and the relief once we had our negative test results a couple of days ago was an amazing feeling. 'We can't believe this is actually happening but look forward to savouring every moment and sharing it with our friends and family.' Relatives hug at JFK Terminal 7 on Monday morning after the first flight of unrestricted travelers arrived from London Heathrow, 20 months after the restrictions were put in place Families reunite on Monday morning at JFK after 20 months of Covid restrictions. Those who arrived had to prove they were fully vaccinated and have a negative COVID-19 test Louise Erebara, 52, waits for her sister and brother-in-law from Darwen, near Manchester. She has lived in the US for 34 years but has been separated from her British family throughout the pandemic A man carrying a British passport arrives to applause at JFK on Monday morning on one of the first tourist flights from the UK Five-year-old Bowie Erebara waits for his aunt and uncle to arrive at JFK on Monday from Heathrow. They have been separated for nearly two years by the travel ban that was finally lifted Airlines have ramped up UK-US flight schedules to meet the increased demand for travel. A total of 3,688 flights are scheduled to operate between the countries this month, according to travel data firm Cirium. That is up 21 per cent compared with October, but remains 49 per cent down on the pre-pandemic levels of November 2019. Around 3.8million British nationals visited the US every year prior to the pandemic, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. But since Covid the only people who have been able to enter are American citizens, green-card holders or those who obtained national interest exemptions. The countries that were banned account for just 17 percent of the world but a huge 53 percent of US tourism in 2019. It will take until 2024 for travel income to return to what it was. Over 1million jobs were lost as a result of the travel ban, including those at airports and among airlines. In addition to being fully vaccinated, foreign travellers must provide proof of a negative result from a test taken no more than three days before travel, or that they have recovered from the virus in the previous three months. There are limited exemptions for travellers who are not fully vaccinated. Children are exempt from the vaccination requirement but those aged between two and 17 must take a coronavirus test three to five days after arrival. Fully vaccinated people travelling from the US to the UK must take a test on or before the second day after their arrival. Head of travel experts the Points Guy UK Nicky Kelvin told MailOnline: 'At the start of the pandemic, the USA made a big sweeping decision to ban certain people from defined countries from travelling into the US. 'Throughout the pandemic, the US did not make any adjustments to the restrictions imposed; they kept the strict rules in place and made no attempt to adjust or ease the restrictions based on Covid numbers falling in the UK or elsewhere. 'This would suggest that the latest announcement to the opening up of its borders is a fixed decision and there shouldn't be any risk for the US to backtrack in the short term and close their borders to travellers. 'That said, what the pandemic has taught us is anything could happen and we advise anyone looking to travel to America to keep an eye on Government websites and to monitor updates from their chosen airline.' This is the shocking moment Asda staff desperately tried to break up a vicious fight between a female employee and a customer. The altercation occurred after the woman allegedly 'assaulted' the supermarket worker. The disturbing incident was filmed at the Asda supermarket in Tollgate Road in Beckton, London at around 8.50pm on Friday, November 5. In the footage, the two women furiously fight with one another, as a horde of Asda workers and customers attempt to separate the pair. The female employee and the customer can be seen wrestling and grabbing at one another in the middle of the busy supermarket. Amidst the chaos a tearful child can be heard screaming in the background of the clip. The disturbing incident was filmed at the Asda supermarket in Tollgate Road in Beckton, London at around 8.50pm on Friday, November 5 In the footage, the two women furiously fight with one another, as a horde of Asda workers and customers attempt to separate the pair After the staff break up the fight, the female customer emerges disheveled from the brawl yelling. 'Where's the F****** police? Where's my daughter?'. The video was widely shared on social media this weekend, leading many to speculate the cause of the fight. One false claim suggested that the altercation erupted after the Asda employee picked up the customer's daughter, who was sitting on a self-checkout conveyer belt. However, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) said officers were called to the scene after the customer allegedly assaulted the Asda employee, and denied the story involving the customer's daughter. In a statement the MPS said: 'At 20.50pm on Friday, November 5, police were called to a supermarket in Tollgate Road, Beckton following an allegation that a customer had been assaulted by a member of staff. 'Officers attended and conducted enquiries, including viewing CCTV of the incident. 'It was established that the member of staff had acted in self-defence having been assaulted by a customer. 'A 30-year-old woman was identified and will be interviewed in due course in relation to an allegation of common assault. 'We are aware of a video that has been shared on social media with a version of events inconsistent with what was established at the scene. 'We would ask the public to refrain from sharing it further.' A retired Ofsted inspector killed one neighbour and seriously injured another when she stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake while moving her automatic car, a court has heard. Judith Pearson, then 81, intended to reverse her car into her driveway in Coleorton, near Coalville in November last year when she ploughed into cancer-sufferer Martin Bust and grandfather Albert Attfield. Mr Attfield, 79, was sweeping up leaves and talking to Mr Bust and his wife when he was run over by Ms Pearson. He was left with multiple fractures and died in hospital with chest injuries and pneumonia. His neighbour Mr Bust was thrown across the road by the force of the impact and left with serious leg injuries. Pearson admitted causing death by careless driving. She wept in the dock as she was given a 10 month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay 500 costs. Shortly after the incident, she surrendered her driving licence to the DVLA and said she has no intention of driving again. Sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Ebrahim Mooncey said: 'The case shows how powerful motor cars are and that even at relatively modest speeds the impact cars can have is immense.' Judith Pearson, then 81, intended to reverse her car into her driveway in Coleorton, near Coalville in November last year when she ploughed into cancer-sufferer Martin Bust and grandfather Albert Attfield He added he accepted that Pearson was clearly remorseful and would have to live with the knowledge of what she had done, which would have a 'more significant effect' than any penalty he could impose. At Leicester Crown Court, Mr Attfield was described as a 'well liked, respected, generous and compassionate' man, whose family and his wife Margaret have been left 'devastated' by his death. His daughter Sarah Riley added her father was a much loved 'fit and healthy man who had many years ahead of him.' Mr Bust had surgery to repair his leg with metal plates, which interrupted his cancer treatment. He is receiving physiotherapy to help him relearn to walk but fears he never will be able to regain his former mobility, the court heard. Prosecuting, Jonathan Dunne said the Crown accepted the defendant did not deliberately drive in that manner. Pearson wept in the dock as she was given a 10 month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, banned from driving for two years and ordered to pay 500 costs Sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, Judge Ebrahim Mooncey said: 'The case shows how powerful motor cars are and that even at relatively modest speeds the impact cars can have is immense' Kevin Waddingham, mitigating, said Pearson was formerly a teacher, then a head teacher and became an Ofsted inspector, before retiring with 'exemplary' career and driving records. He said: 'She was performing a routine manoeuvre and the panic took the situation out of her rational control. 'She can't explain what happened.' He described her shock and distress as acute and said: 'Her first thoughts are for those who were hurt, physically and emotionally, by her actions. She wishes to express her remorse and sorrow - she's devastated. 'It's the first thing she thinks of when she wakes and the last thing when she goes to sleep.' Boris Johnson today warned Tory MPs that politics must be their 'primary role' as former attorney general Geoffrey Cox came under mounting pressure over a second job based in the Caribbean. Downing Street said today that the Prime Minister would not back an 'outright' ban on MPs having other forms of employment, as he battles a sleaze row engulfing Westminster. Sir Geoffrey who has earned around a million pounds from legal work over the past year, took advantage of lockdown rules to cast votes in the Commons by proxy as he worked 4,000 miles away during the pandemic. The eminent QC and former top UK government legal adviser was facing calls to quit as MP for Torridge and West Devon after it was revealed he is advising the government of the British Virgin Islands, earning 400,000 to work up to 41 hours a month. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said Mr Johnson believed an 'MP's primary job is and must be to serve their constituents and to represent their interests in Parliament'. He said: 'They should be visible in their constituencies and available to help constituents with their constituency matters. 'If they're not doing that, they're not doing their job and will rightly be judged on that by their constituents.' The Prime Minister himself is no stranger to second jobs, having at one point earned 250,000 a year as a newspaper columnists on top of being MP for Uxbridge when between ministerial jobs. Labour has called on the Prime Minister to launch an urgent investigation into Sir Geoffrey role in advising the tax haven in a corruption probe. Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds said: 'The people of Torridge and West Devon must be wondering if Geoffrey Cox is a Caribbean-based barrister or a Conservative MP.' Geoffrey Cox pictured with his wife Jeanie. He has been paid almost 900,000 by an international law firm over the past year and received more than 130,000 for other legal work Dominic Raab insisted it is 'legitimate' for Geoffrey Cox, an eminent QC and former attorney general, to advise the government of the British Virgin Islands Cox once 'too busy' working in Dubai to declare 400,000 income - but claimed 49p expenses for a pint of milk Geoffrey Cox has been critisised for his legal career before. In 2016, he was forced to apologise to the House of Commons for failing to declare 400,000 of outside income. He hit the headlines as one of the highest earning politicians in 2014, reporting an income of more than 800,000 from his legal work. But he referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in October the following year after it emerged he had repeatedly missed the 28-deadline for reporting outside earnings. Between January and August 2015 he received 11 payments of more than 400,000 in total, but did not register them until the end of September when he became 'fully aware of the scale of my oversight'. Parliament's Standards Committee found that the QC had committed a 'serious' breach of rules, but accepted he had not 'intended to hide' the payments. The Conservative MP for Torridge & West Devon spent just one minute apologising to his colleagues in the Commons chamber and blamed the oversight on being too busy launching 'an entirely new international law chambers based in Mauritius and Dubai'. He told the chamber: 'I fully acknowledge that this was not acceptable and I have taken all necessary steps to ensure that it does not happen again.' The oversight was surprising as Sir Geoffrey has a keen eye for accounting. In January 2016 he blamed his staff after it emerged he had claimed for a 49p bottle of milk on expenses. The claim was rejected by Commons authorities, as was a 2 claim for teabags in his constituency. Advertisement Earlier Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab defended Sir Geoffrey, insisting it was 'legitimate' for him to take a second role . But Mr Raab said 'voters will decide' whether their MP is spending enough time on parliamentary duties. Mr Raab said: 'I think it's first of all important to say that all of any outside interests have to be properly declared. 'In relation to the British Virgin Islands, I was the foreign secretary that commissioned a commission of inquiry, given the allegations of misgovernance and very serious ones, including criminal wrongdoing. 'Now, I'm not going to get dragged into what individual MPs do, but actually having the former attorney general and it wasn't my decision, he was hired by the government of the BVI to advise them on how to correct and deal and address those allegations actually, is a legitimate thing to do as long as it's properly declared. 'And of course, it's quite important in that Parliament, which is responsible residually for some areas of our relationship with the overseas territories, we've got some knowledge of what's going on in those territories.' In her letter Ms Dodds told Mr Johnson: 'It appears that your former Attorney General is profiting from advising an administration accused of corruption and tax avoidance.' She added: 'The irony is not lost on me that he arrived in the Caribbean on the day that those MPs who actually feel a sense of duty to their constituents were debating global anti-corruption standards.' Mr Raab told BBC Breakfast that 'there are very strict rules' on second jobs and that it was 'respectable and legitimate' for MPs to hold other roles. 'I think that people do want to see MPs and politics have exposure and experience that comes (from) outside the political world,' he said. He insisted the latitude 'makes sure we don't become ever more secluded and out of touch with the priorities of what's going on in the world outside the House of Commons'. However, Mr Raab said: 'Ultimately, voters will decide on their MP and whether they're spending enough time doing the job for them as their constituents.' Asked on Radio 4's Today programme whether he was comfortable with Sir Geoffrey's outside work, Mr Raab said: 'As I made very clear, it's not for me to get comfortable or otherwise with it. 'It's for the voters in any individual constituency to look at the record of their MP and decide whether they got the right priorities.' Devon Tories back absent Sir Geoffrey Conservative Party councillors in Geoffrey Cox's Torridge and West Devon constituency have said they have no concerns over reports that their local MP was paid up to 900,000 to work in the British Virgin Islands. The former attorney general was hired to defend the islands in an inquiry launched by the Foreign Office. But Tory councillors in his constituency spoke up in support of him and said they are not concerned. Debo Sellis, who represents Tavistock on Devon County Council, said she has worked 'very closely' with Sir Geoffrey and described the work he does for local residents as 'phenomenal'. She said: 'I can say that I have contact with the majority of people in my area and it is quite remarkable how many single mums will say they are voting for Geoffrey because he has helped them. 'I have stood in for him at his surgeries and there is a lot of people that go there with many sensitive and tricky cases. What he can do for them is phenomenal. He is very passionate about the community.' Bere Ferrers ward councillor Peter Crozier added: 'Sir Geoffrey is excellent with his constituents. He is visible for those in need of help and is probably one of the best MPs with his constituents, and that's probably why he increases his majority every time. I doubt the reports will affect the by-election.' However, Steve Hipsey, Independent councillor for Tavistock North, told the PA news agency he has concerns about the amount of time Sir Geoffrey spends in Parliament. He said: 'The only times I have had anything to do with him was before I was a councillor and I asked him about his attendance in Parliament, where he gave me a ''dog ate my homework'' answer, and then during lockdown about the spread of Covid from tourists. 'If I have any beef with him at all it is about the time he spends in Parliament representing his constituents. As a local councillor I am very concerned that we seem to be getting so little value for money out of him in Whitehall. I have no real gripe with him in terms of constituents.' Advertisement The revelation about Sir Geoffrey is likely to prompt fresh calls for reform of the regulations surrounding MPs' second jobs. It came as Boris Johnson was accused of 'running scared' after he snubbed a fiery Commons debate yesterday following the row over the Government's botched attempt to block the suspension of disgraced Tory MP Owen Paterson. Sir Geoffrey, who is known for being the highest-earning MP, spent up to a month in the British Virgin Islands working for Withers, an international law firm, while voting by proxy in the Commons, a source said. He has been paid almost 900,000 by Withers over the past year and received more than 130,000 for other legal work. He is thought to have been in the BVI in April and May this year. He was recorded as arriving on April 26, while the Commons was debating global anti-corruption sanctions. A press release on the BVI government website for that day stated that Sir Geoffrey was 'currently in quarantine' but 'intends to hold a series of meetings with government ministers in the next few weeks'. He was listed among MPs eligible for a proxy vote that day. There is no suggestion that Sir Geoffrey has broken any rules. A Whitehall insider told the Daily Mail: 'While he should have been in the UK working for his constituents he's been over in the British Virgin Islands doing his second job working as a barrister and advising those accused of trousering cash for their mates.' The register of financial interests shows he received 156,916.08 from Withers for work undertaken between April 29 and May 31, 2021, totalling 140 hours. Sir Geoffrey, who was sacked as attorney general last year, has been representing the government of the BVI, a British Overseas Territory, in an inquiry into the governance of the islands. It was launched in January by the Foreign Office to establish whether there was evidence of 'corruption, abuse of office or other serious dishonesty that has taken place in public office in recent years'. The inquiry has heard allegations of unaudited spending and contracts being handed out to politically-connected people. The hearings have exposed tensions between the BVI's local government and its governor, who is appointed by the UK. A senior Whitehall source accused Sir Geoffrey of 'pocketing hundreds of thousands of pounds to help stop the exposure of corruption in a Caribbean paradise'. At the time, coronavirus restrictions meant MPs could participate in Commons debates via Zoom and vote by a proxy meaning they did not have to come to Westminster. Sir Geoffrey was hired by Withers in September last year as its 'consultant global counsel' to advise on private and overseas government clients, according to the firm's website. A post announcing his appointment noted that he remained MP for Torridge and West Devon and a privy counsellor, and would still practise as a barrister at Thomas More Chambers in London. According to a source Sir Geoffrey, who is known for being the highest-earning MP, spent up to a month in the British Virgin Islands working for Withers, an international law firm Sir Geoffrey is advising the government of the British Virgin Islands, a tax haven accused of corruption Appledore in Geoffrey Cox's Devon constituency. The Tory MP yesterday revealed he has earned more than 1million from outside legal work over the past year on top of his 82,000 salary as a backbencher The British Government is funding the 'core cost' of the commission of inquiry in the BVI, but will not pay the fees associated with legal counsels appointed by individuals or organisations. Liberal Democrat chief whip Wendy Chamberlain said she was 'gobsmacked' by the claims about Sir Geoffrey. 'Why was a Tory MP apparently spending time on the other side of the world advising a known tax haven instead of supporting his constituents? 'For the Justice Secretary to defend this behaviour as legitimate is frankly astonishing. 'The bigger irony here is that the government has ordered an inquiry into corruption and political cronyism in the British Virgin Islands, while refusing to carry one out at home.' Labour MP Karl Turner said yesterday: 'How does Geoffrey Cox find time to do his job as a constituency MP?' It comes amid growing calls for MPs to be banned from having second jobs that involve consultancy work. Sir Geoffrey was providing legal work, but many of his colleagues take on paid positions as consultants. Sir Geoffrey did not respond to a request for comment last night. A woman tried to blackmail a magistrate out of 15,000 by claiming he sexually abused her more than 30 years ago. Hospice worker Michelle Webster, 42, sent the man a letter alleging he had kissed her and touched her leg during an encounter in the 1990s and demanded money to not go to police. The victim was said to be 'utterly distraught' by the letter but after taking advice from friends, showed it to police officers the next day. Detectives investigated the mother-of-two's allegations against the magistrate but took no further action against him. He cannot be named for legal reasons. Michelle Webster, 42, tried to blackmail a magistrate out of 15,000 by claiming he sexually abused her more than 30 years ago It emerged Webster had debts of almost 7,000 at the time of the blackmail. In a statement, the magistrate said: 'This was a truly horrific experience which exacerbated my anxiety and at times I was unable to get out of bed. Detectives investigated Webster's claims against the magistrate but took no further action against him 'It left me feeling utterly distraught and it was a truly vile episode. I just want it over and done with and am very keen for the matter to be concluded.' At Manchester Crown Court, Webster, from Litherland, near Liverpool, admitted blackmail and wept as she was given an 18 month sentence suspended for two years. She was also ordered to be electronically tagged as part of a 8pm-6am curfew. The police investigation began in April 2019 after the magistrate received the letter at his home. Prosecutor Gwen Henshaw said: 'The defendant said there was a witness and stated she knew a specialist police officer who, she said, knew she had a strong case of conviction and that his wife would be informed as he is a magistrate. 'After seeking advice, the complainant handed over the letter to the police. 'The defendant was arrested at her home address on suspicion of blackmail and her response to the police was, "I admit it". 'It is said the motivation for this offence was because of debt she accrued over the years as she was out of work. There was no trial of issue over the matter.' Webster has no previous convictions and in mitigation, her counsel Natalia Cornwall said it was an 'unusual case'. Ms Cornwall stated: 'She has never sought to deny what she did was wrong. She saved him from coming to court for a trial and she has not dug her heels in. This offence took no longer than 24 hours. No money was actually given to the defendant. 'The financial motivation is denied by the defendant but she accepts the offence on the basis that that was her motivation. 'Character references detail she is a kind and caring individual who would do nothing to hurt anybody. All have said the matter of this offence was out of character for her. 'She is remorseful for what has happened. She recognises what she has done is wrong and how it was an absolutely stupid thing for her to do and she knows it.' Webster, from Litherland, near Liverpool, admitted blackmail and wept as she was given an 18 month sentence suspended for two years Sentencing Webster, Judge Suzanne Goddard QC told her: 'Blackmail is a very serious offence which the criminal justice system deals with very seriously. 'He said this was a truly horrific experience for the victim which exacerbated his anxiety and he was unable to get of bed. He said he was distraught by your behaviour. 'You sent a single letter and asked for a significant amount of money when you were in debt at the time. You admitted the matter when you were first spoken to by the police just 24 hours after receiving the letter. No money changed hands. 'You are a woman of positive good character. You have worked hard in your life and give support to your friends and the people you work with. You have a number of health issues which would make custody hard for you. I am able to step back from immediate custody today.' Advertisement Meghan Markle's claims a letter she sent to Thomas Markle was private and for 'her father's eyes only' have been proved 'false' by texts she sent to a royal aide that reveal the former Suits star wrote it with 'public consumption in mind', the Court of Appeal heard today. The Duchess of Sussex's denials that she cooperated with the authors of Finding Freedom - the controversial biography that unleashed a new wave of revelations about the Sussexes' strained relationship with the Royal Family and Megxit, were contradicted by evidence from her former communications chief at Kensington Palace, Jason Knauf, it was alleged. The publisher of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline this morning began its challenge of a High Court judgment that found that their decision to publish extracts of Meghan's 2018 letter was 'unlawful'. The Duchess successfully sued the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline for making public parts from the handwritten note, which she insists was private correspondence sent to her estranged father after he had a heart attack and was unable to attend the royal wedding. The publisher told the Court of Appeal in London there is new evidence showing the privacy case before the judge Lord Justice Warby had been based on a 'false' premise. Andrew Caldecott QC, for ANL, told judges that the new evidence from Mr Knauf in the form of texts raises questions about Meghan's 'credibility'. He argued the letter 'was written with public consumption in mind as a possibility'. Far from being 'an intimate communication for her father's eyes only', Meghan wrote the letter knowing Thomas Markle 'might disclose it to the media', he said, adding: 'The fundamental point turns out to be false on the new evidence. The letter was crafted specifically with the potential of public consumption in mind'. ANL also believes that Thomas Markle had the right to reveal the contents of the letter to 'correct some inaccuracies ' contained in an article in People magazine, published days before ANL's five articles, which featured an interview with five friends of Meghan who spoke in detail about the same note. Meghan Markle sued Associated Newspapers Limited [ANL] over a series of articles which reproduced parts of the letter she sent to Thomas Markle (pictured together) in August 2018 ANL have appealed and claim the former actress wrote it with 'public consumption in mind'. ANL has also said that new evidence from the Duchess of Sussex's former royal communications chief Jason Knauf (pictured left behind the couple) who now works for Harry's brother Prince William, 'contradicts' the pleadings before the judge when he ruled in her favour earlier this year Mr Caldecott QC has said that ANL's defence to the Duchess of Sussex's privacy claim should have gone to a trial. The publisher argues that Meghan co-operated with the authors of the book 'Finding Freedom', citing evidence from her former aide Jason Knauf He told the Court of Appeal that Meghan's claim was 'diminished and outweighed' by her father's right to reply following 'false or misleading' allegations published in People magazine in the US. He said: 'The claimant's letter and the People article both make allegations against Mr Markle of cruelly cold-shouldering the claimant in the pre-wedding period... The article, or its gist, was reported worldwide.' The barrister added: 'We say there was a difference between what Mr Markle said and what he was presented as saying.' He concluded: 'The defendant submits it has a strongly arguable case that by the time of the publication of the articles, the claimant no longer had a reasonable expectation of privacy of the text of the letter.' ANL has also said that new evidence from the Duchess of Sussex's former royal communications chief Jason Knauf, who now works for Harry's brother Prince William, 'contradicts' the pleadings before the judge when he ruled in her favour earlier this year. Five friends had decided to 'help' by giving interviews anonymously to People magazine, which has 35million readers worldwide. Meghan insists she knew nothing about it Mr Knauf also alleges that Meghan co-operated with the authors of Finding Freedom, which she also previously denied in the High Court case. Mr Caldecott said: 'At or about the same time as the People article appeared, the claimant co-operated with the authors of a book, later entitled Finding Freedom, through her communications secretary Jason Knauf in Autumn and Winter 2018. 'The claimant has expressly denied any such cooperation with one minor concession which we say is now contradicted by the evidence of Mr Knauf. 'The book was not published until August 2020, long after the articles she complained about, but it substantially reproduces the claimant's case about her father's bad behaviour prior to the wedding. 'Against this background, the defendant [ANL] submits it has a strongly argued case that by the time of the publication of the articles, the claimant no longer had a reasonable expectation of privacy, given it was written with public consumption in mind at least as a possibility. Or if it [didn't, it was] diminished and outweighed by Mr Markle's right of reply, the need for correction and wider public interest those three concepts all being distinct and all engaged. 'Lastly, the claimant's pleaded case can be shown to be materially false by contemporaneous documents. Subject to one limited admission, the claimant denied any co-operation with the authors of the book (Finding Freedom). She also denied that she even suspected that Mr Markle would leak the letter and therefore was written as an entirely private document. 'We say this raises questions about her credibility'. The Sussexes are pictured in a preview of their Oprah 'tell-all' interview Meghan, 40, had sued Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL), also the publisher of MailOnline, over a series of articles which reproduced parts of a 'personal and private' letter to Mr Markle, 77, in August 2018. She claimed the five articles, published in print and online in February 2019, misused her private information, infringed her copyright and breached the Data Protection Act. Meghan won her claim that the Mail on Sunday breached her privacy by publishing extracts from a letter she sent her estranged father Thomas Markle Meghan won her case earlier this year, after Lord Justice Warby ruled that ANL's publication of Meghan's letter to her father was 'manifestly excessive and hence unlawful' because it was a 'personal and private letter'. Mr Caldecott added that Meghan 'made no effort to correct' an article in People magazine in the US, which featured an interview with five friends of the Duchess of Sussex, adding that Mr Markle had 'considered the article to be a serious attack on him'. He told the Court of Appeal in London that Mr Knauf's new evidence, yet to be made public, allegedly proves she had personally co-operated with the authors of Finding Freedom, which she had denied. The High Court case heard she had indirectly advised them only about her relationship with her father, via a friend He said that the case of the Mail on Sunday and MailOnline is that Thomas Markle deserved a right of reply, in light of Mr Knauf's evidence and how the letter was put together with the help of her Kensington Palace team. Mr Caldecott said: 'The claimant's letter and the PEOPLE article both make allegations of cruelly cold shouldering the claimant in the pre-wedding period which are demonstrably false or misleading in the light of the text messages. We challenge the judge's legal reasons for dismissing the case'. Meghan's legal team are opposing the appeal and argue that the judge reached the right conclusions on the evidence before him. They also object to the introduction of Mr Knauf's new evidence and say that, if the court accepts his statement, Meghan will also wish to put forward new evidence. Giving a ruling in February, Lord Justice Warby said: 'It was, in short, a personal and private letter. 'The majority of what was published was about the claimant's own behaviour, her feelings of anguish about her father's behaviour, as she saw it, and the resulting rift between them. 'These are inherently private and personal matters.' The judge said 'the only tenable justification for any such interference was to correct some inaccuracies about the letter', contained in an article in People magazine, published days before ANL's five articles, which featured an interview with five friends of Meghan. But Lord Justice Warby added: 'The inescapable conclusion is that, save to the very limited extent I have identified, the disclosures made were not a necessary or proportionate means of serving that purpose. 'For the most part they did not serve that purpose at all. 'Taken as a whole, the disclosures were manifestly excessive and hence unlawful.' In March, the publisher was ordered to print a statement on the front page of the Mail On Sunday and a notice on page three of the paper stating it 'infringed her copyright' by publishing parts of the letter to Mr Markle. But the front-page statement about Meghan's victory has not been published yet as it is on hold pending the outcome of the appeal. In a further ruling on copyright issues in May, the judge said ANL must 'use its best endeavours' to locate any copies of the draft of Meghan's letter to Mr Markle and provide them to the publisher's lawyers, who will destroy them 'at the end of the action, so long as the claimant ultimately succeeds'. The judge concluded he could make the rulings without the need for a full trial of the issues involved. The publisher's appeal is being heard by Sir Geoffrey Vos, Dame Victoria Sharp and Lord Justice Bean over three days, and the judges are expected to give their ruling at a later date. London commuters and shoppers 'face Christmas chaos' as a union is eyeing the festive period for strike action after almost 99 per cent of Tube drivers voted for industrial action over pensions and working conditions. Members of Aslef have voted overwhelmingly in favour of striking if Transport for London's (TfL) proposed changes to their working conditions and pensions are forced through without negotiation. The union has said TfL and the Government are trying to 'plug' a funding gap caused by the Covid pandemic and falling passenger numbers by 'slashing staff pensions and tearing up our agreed working conditions'. No date has yet been set for potential strike action, but it is understood the union may be eyeing up the festive period to ramp up pressure on TfL to back down - just as the nation's capital gets back on its feet after the pandemic and during the retail sector's busiest and most lucrative time. Finn Brennan, Aslefs organiser on the Tube, said: 98.8 per cent of our Tube train drivers on London Underground have voted in favour of strike action. Commuters wait to board a tube train in Clapham Common station. There are fears commuters and shoppers alike could face chaos after Aslef voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action Christmas shoppers line Oxford Street over the festive period. Shoppers could face chaos if industrial action goes ahead Finn Brennan, Aslefs organiser on the Tube, said the vote was a 'staggering mandate' as he cited a financial crisis at TfL 'Thats an extraordinary figure and a staggering mandate from our members that sends a clear message to Transport for London. Government cuts to its funding, together with a fall in passenger numbers since the Covid pandemic, have led to a financial crisis at TfL. 'Management and government now want to plug that funding gap by slashing staff pensions and tearing up our agreed working conditions. But this ballot result shows that our Tube train drivers arent prepared to let them get away with it. Management should be in no doubt that if they try to force through changes to our agreements, working conditions, or pensions, there will be hard-hitting and sustained industrial action across London Underground.' Just under 1,400 Tube drivers took part in the vote, with just 16 voting against strike action. A union source claimed the proposed changes to pensions and working conditions would see drivers 'working harder and longer for less'. The RMT has also previously described the proposals as 'just a pay cut in disguise'. Mr Brennan added: Last year Boris Johnson stood on the steps of Downing Street and applauded essential workers. Now his government wants to cut our pensions and attack our working conditions. 'London needs a well-funded public transport system with staff who are properly rewarded for the work we do. The government needs to provide proper long-term funding for TfL and stop trying to cut services or make staff pay for the problems they have caused.' A busy Oxford Street in central London in the run-up to Christmas. Shoppers could be badly affected by strike action from Tube drivers The Government has paid TfL nearly 4 billion in bailouts to keep it afloat during the pandemic. Despite rail commuters returning to London at a slower rate than the rest of the country, passenger numbers on the Tube were recorded at around 80 per cent of pre-pandemic figures on October 23 and October 24. However, weekday numbers remain significantly down, at around 60 per cent, according to the Rail Delivery Group. The group said the so-called 'London lag' in the return of train commuters is making it harder for shops and restaurants to reopen. Rail commuters brought an estimated 16.7bn a year to London pre-pandemic, but this figure is now understood to be around 6.8bn. Earlier this year, London Mayor Sadiq Khan launched the 'Let's Do London' campaign to increase consumer spend and footfall in the capital. It came as international and domestic visitors to London spent nearly 11bn less year-on-year in 2020 due to the pandemic. Seven-day average estimates for seated diners at London restaurants are also currently around 80 per cent of the level seen pre-pandemic in 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics. Mick Whelan, general secretary of Aslef, said: The funding gap on the Underground is not the fault of the men and women who, every day, help passengers move around the capital. 'So there is no reason why the terms on which they are employed should be ripped up. Pensions, for which we pay, are deferred wages. And we are not prepared to have our pensions looted.' The Government has handed TfL a series of short-term funding deals, but these arrived with conditions that included reviewing staff pensions and looking at a move towards driverless trains. Reacting to the vote, TfL urged Aslef to continue working to resolve the dispute. A TfL spokesperson said: 'This mandate relates to ongoing discussions with our trade unions. 'We urge Aslef to continue working with us to resolve these matters without having to resort to industrial action.' A brothel in Austria has provided Covid-19 vaccinations for customers - and offered free entry to a 'sauna club' for anyone who agrees to have the jab. Funpalast brothel in Vienna offers clients a 30-minute session in the sexual 'sauna club' with the 'lady of their choice' if they get the vaccine at the on-site clinic. The brothel said the project, which started on November 1, is part of a drive to increase revenue after a fall in the number of clients because of low vaccination rates. Only around 65 per cent of Austrians are fully vaccinated and those who have not had the jab are barred from restaurants, hotels, hairdressing salons and large public events. The rules, which were announced on Friday night, are a response to a rapidly rising infection rate which yesterday stood at 635 new cases per 100,000 residents over the past seven days - over three times the level in neighboring Germany. Funpalast, a brothel in Vienna, Austria has provided Covid-19 vaccinations for customers - and offered free entry to a 'sauna club' for anyone who agrees to have the jab (pictured, a women dressed as a nurse sits with a client as he gets the jab) Funpalast brothel in Vienna offers clients a 30-minute session in the sexual 'sauna club' with the 'lady of their choice' if they get the vaccine at the on-site clinic Vaccines will be on offer every Monday from 4pm to 10pm through the month of November in an effort to encourage men to get the jab in exchange for a sauna club voucher worth 40 euros. Boys as young as 14 are reportedly allowed to use the clinic, provided they are accompanied by an adult. Women are also being encouraged to visit the brothel for the vaccine, to comply with Austria equality laws. 'Due to the pandemic, we have registered a 50 per cent decrease [in clients], with this initiative we hope that the number of customers will rise again', the brothel said, announcing the clinic. Funpalast's owner added the brothel is located near a monument of painter Gustav Klimt and told potential clients to use the statue 'as an excuse for the delay... when you return home'. Funpalast's owner said they came up with the idea after seeing the number of clients fall because of low vaccination numbers Boys as young as 14 are reportedly allowed to use the vaccination clinic, provided they are accompanied by an adult, to comply with Austria equality laws Vaccines will be on offer every Monday from 4pm to 10pm through the month of November at the Funpalast brothel in Vienna (pictured) in an effort to encourage men to get the jab Clients are handed an 'International Certificate of Vaccination' after receiving the jab at Funpalast brothel in Vienna, Austria It comes as Austrian authorities said yesterday they would step up police checks to enforce new rules for unvaccinated people. The government foresees a four-week transition period to encourage the unvaccinated to get shots. During that time, anyone who has received one vaccine dose and has a negative PCR test will be allow to attend events and enter the listed locations and events. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said that 800 police officers tasked with checking compliance with the Covid-19 rules will be added to some 4,000 officers who are already on regular patrols. 'For those who keep to all the measures, it's more than unfair if there are people who think they can simply circumvent or even fool health authorities, the health ministry and experts' guidelines,' Nehammer said. A customer who flouts the rules can face a fine of up to 500 euros, while a business can be fined up to 30,000 euros if customers aren't certified as vaccinated or having recovered from Covid-19. The government has said that, if the situation continues to worsen, further restrictions for unvaccinated people could follow. Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said that 800 police officers tasked with checking compliance with the Covid-19 rules will be added to some 4,000 officers who are already on regular patrols A former United States Marine locked up in a Russian jail has gone on hunger strike to protest against being kept in solitary confinement for months, according to his family. Former presidential guard Trevor Reed, 30, was handed a nine-year prison sentence in July 2019 after allegedly assaulting two Russian police officers while drunk. The Texas native's family has said he has been left in solitary for the past three months, while his Russian girlfriend declared he has not eaten since beginning a hunger strike on November 4. His protest not only aims to appeal to prison guards, but also stacks further pressure on the Biden administration to negotiate his release after the former soldier's family accused the President of not doing enough to bring him home. They say the charges brought against him, which were upheld in a Russian court in 2019, are bogus accusations manufactured to keep the US citizen as a 'political bargaining chip'. 'While we are immensely proud of our son's strength of character, we are also extremely worried about his health,' parents Joey and Paula said along with sister Taylor. The U.S. embassy in Moscow has labelled Reed's trial as 'absurd' after it transpired the two police officers struggled to recall the alleged incident in court and told contradictory stories, but nothing has yet been done to bring the former marine home. Russian authorities this morning declined to comment on Reed's case, according to RIA Novosti. 'I can't comment on this,' said Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov. 'We're talking about a prisoner. His sentence will be overseen and regulated by all of us. I have nothing more to tell you.' Former presidential guard Trevor Reed, 30, was handed a nine-year prison sentence in July 2019 after allegedly assaulting two Russian police officers while drunk, but his family and the U.S Embassy believe the charges are trumped up The ex-marine has not eaten since November 4 according to his Russian girlfriend, in a protest which aims not only to appeal to prison guards, but also to stack pressure on the Biden administration to negotiate his release 'While we are immensely proud of our son's strength of character, we are also extremely worried about his health,' parents Joey and Paula (pictured) said along with sister Taylor. Reed has been confined to a labor camp in the Mordova region of Russia for months, where he resides in a cell in extremely poor conditions. His parents, who have been prevented from contacting their son for nearly four months, said his cell does not even include a toilet and that he did not receive any items brought to him by U.S. ambassador John Sullivan. His family confirmed the news of Reed's hunger strike via his Russian attorney, and released a statement yesterday saying the strike is to protest 'his arbitrary detention and Russian authorities' numerous and flagrant violations of his basic human rights and his rights under Russian law.' 'Our concern is magnified by Russian authorities' decision to hold Trevor incommunicado which makes it impossible for us or the Embassy to monitor his health,' they said. 'This ordeal has gone on 815 days with no end in sight and we have been patient. 'Trevor's job in the Marines was to take a bullet for president Biden and his family. We hope that when we return to Washington next month that both the President we voted for, and his national Security Advisor will find the time to see us.' 'Trevor's job in the Marines was to take a bullet for president Biden and his family. We hope that when we return to Washington next month that both the President we voted for, and his national Security Advisor will find the time to see us,' said Trevor's parents (pictured: Trevor detained during a court hearing in Moscow, August 2020) The family expressed hope last June that the ex-marine would be returned home after President Joe Biden said he raised Reed's plight during a summer meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. There was talk of a potential prisoner swap, but nothing materialized and the family is now concerned that there has been no further talks around a potential swap for their son. The Reed family yesterday urged the Biden administration to consider a prisoner exchange once again and cited two names of Russian prisoners in the US who have been discussed publicly by Russian state media. Viktor Bout, known as the 'Merchant of Death' thanks to his prolific work as an arms dealer, is currently serving a 25-year sentence, while Konstantin Yaroshenko, a drug smuggling pilot, is serving a 20-year sentence. A Mexican-born Spanish teacher gave a prophetic newspaper interview about mortality at a Day of the Dead exhibition the day before she was allegedly killed by two students from her high school. Nohema Graber, 66, spoke about the inevitability of death just one day before Willard Noble Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale, both 16, from Fairfield High School, Iowa, allegedly killed her. Cops said the pair plotted to murder Graber as she took one of her regular strolls through Chautauqua Park last week and they were accused of dumping her remains under a wheelbarrow, tarp and railroad ties. The Mexican native taught her Spanish classes about how the Day of the Dead was celebrated in Mexico and said she adored having food associated with the holiday, like pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, and tamales. The Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1 and 2 each year in Mexico. Graber taught Spanish at Fairfield High School for nine years. A day before she was killed Graber spoke at Fairfield Library's Day of the Dead exhibition. 'We know we're all going to die,' she told The Union. 'It's our way of laughing at death.' Nohema Graber, 66, spoke about the inevitability of death just one day before Willard Noble Chaiden Miller and Jeremy Everett Goodale, both 16, from Fairfield High School, Iowa, allegedly killed her 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 Fairfield High School (pictured), where Graber taught for the last nine years, cancelled classes after learning about the tragedy. However, the school's counseling services will remain open for impacted students Pictured: The Mexican-born Spanish teacher (right) at a Day of the Dead exhibition the day before she was allegedly killed by two students from her high school She gave a prophetic newspaper interview about mortality at the exhibition, which celebrated the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday Cops and prosecutors have yet to reveal a motive for her murder, although police said were investigating whether the suspects were upset about a bad grade, suggesting they may have had classes with Graber. 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, called Nohema Marie, both took to Facebook in the aftermath of their mom's killing to say they forgave her alleged murderers. Graber was last seen alive on November 2 and was reported missing by her concerned family the next morning. Her remains were found on November 3. After her remains were recovered, Graber's son Christian memorialized his mother on Facebook: 'I'm sorry I can't respond to the all of the messages', he wrote, 'but I'll just say what I've 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. There's 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 alleged 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 they saw Miller at the park. 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: 'I'm sorry I can't respond to the all of the messages but I'll just say what I've 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. 'There's 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 (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: 'We've 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, it is clear they need more love and light in their hearts. '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, it's 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: 'We've 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 $1million 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. 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. Making Covid vaccines compulsory is not the best way to boost uptake, official data suggested today. An Office for National Statistics survey asked almost 200 unvaccinated people what could motivate them to get jabbed. Being reminded of how it could protect them and their loved ones from the virus was most likely to motivate them to get the vaccine, with a fifth saying that would be the biggest factor that could sway them. Some 16 per cent said the main reason they would get jabbed would be to ease restrictions and get life back to normal, and to go on holiday. But being told to get the vaccine by employers would only be a key motivator for 13 per cent of unvaccinated people. This makes it just as persuasive as being offered vouchers or shopping discounts to get inoculated. The above graph shows what unvaccinated people said would motivate them to get the Covid jab in September. Being told by an employer to get jabbed to keep their job was least likely to encourage them to get the jab The survey also included unvaccinated people who had since got the vaccine. The most common reason for getting the jab was to allow restrictions to be eased and for life to return to normal NHS staff WILL need to be double jabbed Frontline NHS staff in England must get two doses of the Covid vaccine by next spring or they will lose their jobs, the Government is expected to announce today. Whitehall sources claim the April deadline first mooted last week will give unvaccinated employees enough time to get their jabs without risking a mass exodus heading into winter. Only the Covid vaccine will be compulsory with the flu jab strongly recommended but not required for staff on hospital wards, the BBC reports. The move will bring the NHS in line with care homes, where employees have until Thursday to get their second Covid jab or they will be sacked. Ex-Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt backed the policy last night after an investigation found 11,000 patients have died in NHS hospitals after catching the virus on a ward while getting treated for another condition. But unions have blasted the 'heavy-handed' plans, warning they are neither 'necessary nor proportionate' given that more than 90 per cent of health workers have already been double-jabbed. Defending the Government's stance this morning, Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said vulnerable people being treated in hospitals and care homes deserved to be 'properly protected'. Advertisement Experts today called for a renewed emphasis on campaigns promoting the benefits of getting vaccinated to boost uptake. They said making jabs compulsory 'may be less successful' at encouraging people to get jabbed and make those who are vaccine-hesitant even more resistant. Ministers are set to confirm compulsory vaccines for frontline NHS workers today, mirroring the same controversial move taken for care home workers. But unions have warned it could backfire and exacerbate staffind crises in both sectors. Professor Helen Bedford, a children's health expert at University College London who was not involved in the research, told MailOnline the ONS report was 'important'. She said: 'It clearly shows messaging about Covid vaccination needs to emphasise the benefits of being vaccinated for ourselves and others. 'Requiring people to be vaccinated may be less successful and may have important downsides, such as making people with doubts even more resistant.' The ONS survey was carried out in September, two months before Covid jabs were to become compulsory for care home workers. It included 4,000 volunteers who revealed they didn't want to get the vaccine when quizzed earlier in the year. But when the latest survey was carried out, four in ten of previously hesitant adults revealed they had since decided to get the Covid vaccine. Care home staff will need to have two doses of the Covid vaccine from Thursday in order to keep their jobs. But with up to 60,000 employees yet to be fully inoculated roughly a tenth of the workforce health want the deadline to be delayed or even ditched. They warn it will lead hundreds of homes to close or limit the number of beds they have because of low staffing levels. Frontline NHS workers are also expected to be told they must get two doses of the Covid vaccine to keep working in the sector. But unions and health leaders today blasted the policy as 'heavy-handed', warning it is neither 'necessary nor proportionate'. Some added it would be a 'real problem' if it led to a mass exodus of employees. Around 110,000 doctors, nurses and administrative staff in the NHS are yet to get their jabs equivalent to eight per cent of the workforce. Some 100,000 NHS workers are yet to get at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, figures show. The above graph shows the percentage that have got their first dose (blue line) and the percentage that have got both doses (orange line) The above map shows the 20 hospital trusts with the lowest proportion of staff fully jabbed in England. The data is up to September 30, the latest available Health Secretary Sajid Javid said last month he was 'leaning towards' making Covid vaccines compulsory for people working in the NHS. But health leaders called on him to delay the plans until April to ensure that the health service could get through what is expected to be a very difficult winter. A source involved in the discussion said last week Mr Javid had been 'genuinely split' over the decision. Australias east coast is set to be battered by a three-day rain bomb with some areas expected to be hit with a months worth of rainfall in a matter of hours, bringing flash flooding and dangerous storms. The Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning on Tuesday night urging people across parts of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria to prepare for severe weather from Wednesday, as heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected all week. Meteorologists are expecting Queensland and NSW to be hit with daily rainfalls of 150 mm or higher. Sydney and Melbourne will cop a lashing of rain throughout the week, which downpours unlikely to relent until at least Sunday. Brisbane will endure days of storms, before the skies finally clear on Saturday for a sunny 27C day. BoM issued a warning on Tuesday night urging people across parts of New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria to prepare for severe weather from Wednesday (Pictured: Sydneysider caught in heavy rain in the CBD) Meteorologists are expecting Queensland and NSW to be hit with daily rainfalls of 150 mm or higher (pictured, above average rainfall expected across swathes of Australia) Northeastern parts of NSW are forecast to receive a months worth of rain in just three days, with heavy rainfalls also likely for central and southern NSW. 60-100mm of rain is expected to fall, with a possibility of localised pockets of up to 200mm around Inverell, Ashford and Forest Hill. The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that many catchments are already wet, which is increasing the risk of flooding. The key areas of concern are the river catchments in northeast NSW close to the Queensland border and also those along the western slopes of NSW. Northeastern parts of NSW are forecast to receive a months worth of rain in just three days, with heavy rainfalls also likely for central and southern NSW In Queensland, the western part of the state is set to receive three times their November rainfall over the same period. Southwest and southern Queensland have been put on alert with significant flooding around the Darling Downs and Granite Belt region. Victoria, which recently faced damaging storms, may see some gusty south-easterly winds, especially across southern and mountain areas. The bureau has said it is an unusual wind direction, and in combination with the ground, will be more likely to bring down trees and powerlines as well as causing minor damage to properties. Pictured: Map showing the severe weather that is expected to hit Australia's east coast from Wednesday until the end of the week Victoria, which recently faced damaging storms, may see some gusty south-easterly winds, especially across southern and mountain areas (Pictured: A woman walking with her shopping across a street in the rain in Melbourne) Jane Golding from the Bureau of Meteorology said they were issuing an alert to residents from the three states early to prepare for the severe weather system. This kind of heavy rainfall over a short period of time can cause dangerous flash flooding and combined with the fact that many river catchments down the east coast are already quite wet, there is a very real risk that we may see some rivers flood too, she said. Please make sure youre staying up to date with current forecasts and warnings and be careful when you are out and about this week. NSW SES acting commissioner Colin Malone said we are only at the beginning of the storm season and has warned residents to be aware of what is occurring and to have a plan ready. Residents and visitors in areas of concern are advised to closely follow any warnings and updates over the next several days (Pictured: A woman walking at Bondi Beach in the wet weather) Residents and visitors in areas of concern are advised to closely follow any warnings and updates over the next several days. Perth and other southwest parts of Western Australia were recently hit with torrential rain that saw the city receive twice as much rainfall as it would typically receive in the entire month of November. Heavy rainfall and storms struck on Tuesday morning, with the region experiencing more than 100,000 lightning strikes. Perth set a new daily rainfall record for November as the Bureau of Meteorology recorded 40.4mm of rainfall in the city. Perth set a new daily rainfall record for November as the Bureau of Meteorology recorded 40.4mm of rainfall in the city The daily rainfall was almost double the citys monthly average of 24.2mm. It is believed the wet weather and severe thunderstorms being experienced across the nation is due to a La Nina event, which is influenced by many climate drivers. The climate outlook is still at a La Nina alert, resulting in a 70 per cent chance of the phenomenon occurring in the next few months for the second year in a row. The weather event means increased rainfall across most of the nation, a shift in temperature extremes and greater tropical cyclone numbers. Sky News senior meteorologist Tom Saunders said to NCA NewsWire that weather associated with the event has already been seen. About 50 per cent of La Ninas become back to back events so its not surprising, he said to the publication. We are already feeling the impacts with major rain and storms event this November. Mr Saunders said that these conditions are expected to extend over the summer period for most of Australia. He also stated that the eastern states of Australia would experience severe flooding during summer and in the early parts of autumn next year. These are the fresh faces of some of the heroic 'boy soldiers' who fought for their country in the First World War. Boys as young as 13 served overseas as a patriotic fervour swept over Britain in the war with Germany. Many who joined up believed that the war would be over in a matter of months, but it in fact lasted for more than 4 years. The fresh-faced boys participated in some of the war's bloodiest battles, including Ypres, the Somme and Gallipoli. It is believed that more than 400,000 underage soldiers signed up to 'do their duty', with quarter of a million entering battle and thousands dying. Their inspiring stories are told by historian Richard Van Emden in his new book, Boy Soldiers of the Great War. Whilst some of the boys mentioned in Mr Van Emden's book were among the more than 800,000 Britons to die in the conflict, others survived the war. On the outbreak of war in 1914, Britain was was the only major power to not begin with a mass conscripted army. When it became clear that the professional but very small British Army was not large enough, thousands of men joined up in a wave of patriotic fervour. These new units were known as 'Pals Battalions' due to the fact the men saw themselves as belonging together because of their loyalty to the areas they came from and the men whom they worked with. These are the fresh faces of some of the heroic 'boy soldiers' who fought for their country in the First World War. Left: Frank Lindley, who joined up at the age of just 14 to avenge the death of his brother. He survived the war. Right: Private James Alex Thomas, who died aged 15 Mr Van Emden has uncovered the tragic story of Britain's youngest war casualty, Private Aubrey Hudson. Private Hudson, of the City of London Regiment, served in France aged 14 and was killed in action on the Western Front on July 28, 1916, aged 15 years and 28 days. He also sheds light on the poignant tale of Private James Thomas, of the 17th King's Regiment, who perished aged 15 years and one month near Guillemont. Sixteen-year-old Private Thomas Bull, of the 8th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, lost his life 12 hours before the final evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula in January 1916. He was aged 16. Second Lieutenant Reginald Battersby (left) was commissioned into the army at the age of 15. He led his platoon, the 11th East Regiment, into battle at the Somme and was shot in the leg by a German machine gun. His leg was then amputated. Sixteen-year-old Private Thomas Bull, of the 8th Royal Welsh Fusiliers, lost his life 12 hours before the final evacuation of the Gallipoli Peninsula in January 1916. He was aged 16 The youngest soldier to serve overseas was 13-year-old Private Sidney Lewis, of 106 Company, Machine Gun Corps, who saw action at the Somme. Because of his age, his family later did not believe his story that he had served until his medals were found after his death in 1969. Second Lieutenant Reginald Battersby led his platoon, the 11th East Regiment, into battle at the Somme and was shot in the leg by a German machine gun. His leg was then amputated. Private Frank Lindley enlisted aged 14 to avenge the death of his older brother. William Swift was sentenced to three years in youth detention for theft before being released on license into the army. He was sent to France underage and was killed in action in 1917 Thomas Clarke was another young offender who was later allowed to join the army. He was sent to France aged 18 and deserted before being captured, court-martialled and sentenced to death. However he was reprieved and was killed in action on the Somme in November 1916 These young soldiers are seen with their older counterparts at Etaples camp, northern France, in July 1918 A second image shows the young men with their uniforms removed. It is evident how they were still physically immature compared to one older man (pictured centre) On July 1, 1916 he went over the top on the Somme and saw his battalion cut down. He was wounded in the leg by shrapnel as he took shelter in a shell hole. Private Walter Williams served on the Somme aged 17. Images of him taken at the start of his service in 1916 and the end of the conflict show he aged dramatically, with the strain of battle etched on his face. At the outbreak of war, boys falsified their ages to volunteer at recruiting offices. Great Yarmouth, February 1918. At eighteen, Harold Lawton (far left) and his friends were sent to France. Lawton was captured just seven weeks after the image was taken. However, he survived the war and, when he died aged 106, he was the last surviving PoW of the Great War Private Walter Williams enlisted in the 8th Northumberland Fusiliers aged sixteen. He served on the Somme in 1916 at seventeen and was wounded in September 1918. He is pictured left shortly after joining up, and right after just two years of service at the front. The strain of war is evident Even though it was often apparent that they were underage and physically immature, they were still accepted by the British Army who needed more boots on the ground as casualty numbers soared. In 1915, over 130,000 boys were in the army and serving overseas, about 20 per cent of its ranks. Had they been withdrawn on mass for being underage, it likely would have lost Britain the war. Private Leonard Cooper, of the South Staffordshire Regiment, who enlisted aged 15, was visited by King George V in hospital after he was wounded in battle. Major Hugh Cardinal-Harford (middle left) with some of the young soldiers at Etaples. He had been badly wounded in the Boer War. He had fought in the trenches but was then ordered to look after 1,000 boys who had been removed from the line in 1917 The youngest soldier to serve overseas was 13-year-old Private Sidney Lewis (pictured left in contemporary press coverage and right in the 1950s with his son Colin and wife), of 106 Company, Machine Gun Corps, who saw action at the Somme. Because of his age, his family later did not believe his story that he had served until his medals were found after his death in 1969 When the King asked the baby-faced Tommy 'how old are you?', Private Cooper responded '19, your majesty'. To this, the King said, with a twinkle in his eyes: 'But that is your military age.' Many underage soldiers distinguished themselves in battle, including Private Jack Pouchot, who won the Distinguished Conduct Medal aged 15. Private George Lewis, of the Cheshire Regiment, received the same accolade aged 16 after helping the wounded in No Man's Land in 1915. The first Pals batallion was raised from the stockbrokers of the City of London in August 1914. After only a few days of the start of the recruitment, around 1,600 men had joined what became the 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. The phrase 'battalion of pals' was first coined by Lord Derby, who recruited enough men to form the battalions which made up the King's (Liverpool) Regiment in only a week. The battalions also became synonymous with other towns and cities in Britain, including Cambridge, Cardiff, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle and Glasgow. Private James Walters (left) had previously served at Gallipoli and died on the Somme aged 16. His mother had already begun the process of applying for her son to be discharged when he was killed. Ernest Steele, 17, is pictured right shortly after enlisting into the Queen's Westminster Rifles in 1914. He was killed during fighting in September 2018 Many Pals battalions did not see major action until the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. Many of the units sustained heavy casualties, meaning that many communities lost nearly all of their younger male residents. Mr Van Emden, in the book's introduction, writes: 'However passionately I feel about the boy soldiers in the Great War, this book has no hidden agenda. Boy Soldiers of the Great War, by Richard Van Emden 'Such an emotive story does not necessitate an attack either on the political elite of the time, who might have turned a blind eye to underage enlistment, or on the military or civil officers who frequently overlooked a boy's palpable youth so that he could fight. 'The connivance needed to enlist the number of underage soldiers who fought was required at all levels, including the boys' own parents and, not least, the lads themselves, who were willing to go. 'This book... is the boys' own stories, told in their own words, about what inspired them to enlist and what made them continue to serve when the full horror of warfare became apparent.' Boy Soldiers of the Great War 2021 Hardback Edition, by Richard Van Emden, is published by Pen & Sword and costs 25. Two doses of Pfizer's Covid vaccine is safe, effective and produces a strong immune response in five to 11-year-olds, according to trial data. Researchers from the drug giant, working in tandem with academics at several top universities, calculated the jabs were 90.7 per cent effective at preventing infection. Publishing the results in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine, scientists said policies to vaccinate under-12s were 'urgently needed'. The US and a handful of other nations have already pressed ahead with the rollout to under-12s but the UK has yet to follow suit, despite mounting pressure from certain corners of the medical community. Experts today warned the trial, of just 2,000 children, was too small to spot serious adverse reactions to the jab. Dr James Doidge, a statistician based at the Intensive Care National Audit & Research Centre, called for clearer data on the precise risks and benefits on giving youngsters the jabs. Fears over a very rare heart condition side effect called myocarditis led British health chiefs to opt against routinely jabbing healthy 12 to 15-year-olds, who face a tiny risk of getting seriously ill. Eventually No10 went ahead with the move after modelling showed it would prevent tens of thousands of school absences. But only one dose if offered to the cohort currently because myocarditis was most common after the second jab. The Government's vaccine advisers on the JCVI, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, will soon debate jabbing over-fives. But the panel, which didn't recommend vaccinating healthy teens, is even less likely to green light the move for younger children, insiders say. American researchers said jabs for children aged below 12 are 'urgently needed'. Their study of more than 2,000 children, funded by Pfizer, showed the injections had a similar effect to that seen in 16 to 25-year-olds The graphs show the side effects at the site of the injection recorded among 1,500 children who received two doses of the Pfizer jab, compared around 750 children who received two placebo injections. The researchers said all side effects relating to the arm redness, swelling and pain were mild to moderate and went away within two days. But those who received the Pfizer jab reported worse arm-related side effects than those who did not get the vaccine, with three-quarters of the group experiencing them The graphs show the prevalence of other side effects including fever, tiredness and headaches recorded among the two groups after each dose. Overall, 10.9 per cent of children vaccinated with Pfizer reported side effects, compared to 9.2 per cent of placebo patients. Tiredness and headaches were the most common side effects. And severe fatigue (0.9 per cent), headaches (0.3 per cent) and muscle pain (0.1 per cent) were reported after the first and second dose of Pfizer's injection. And 8.3 per cent of Pfizer recipients had a fever after the first or second jab. One person vaccinated with Pfizer had a fever exceeding 40C two days after their second jab, but this went away the following day. No myocarditis, pericarditis or anaphylaxis was reported among any Pfizer recipients The graph shows the number of Covid cases recorded among the five to 11-year-olds who received a placebo injection (blue line) compared to those who were double-jabbed with Pfizer (red line). Just three Covid cases were recorded among the group of 1,500 children who received Pfizer, while 16 were recorded among the 750 who got the placebo jab. The researchers used this data to calculate that the injection was 90.7 per cent effective at preventing infection Data for children 12 to 15-year-olds showed up to one in 30,000 would be struck down with myocarditis after the second dose, according to the JCVI. Health chiefs insist cases are mild but warn its long-term effects are still a mystery. If the rate stood true for infants, the trial would need to be twenty times bigger for one case to be spotted. Chile, Cuba, Bahrain and now America are among small number of countries vaccinating children under age 12 The US has joined Chile, Cuba and six other countries as some of the only nations in the world vaccinating children under age 12 against Covid. Last week, Pfizer's Covid vaccine was authorised for American children between ages five and 11. Parents have been split 50/50 over vaccinating children because kids rarely get severely ill and make up less than 0.1 per cent of all Covid deaths. Because of it controversial nature, very few nations have made the move yet to vaccinate youngsters with only eight other countries doing so. In El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador and Indonesia, children aged six and older have begun receiving their first shots. In Argentina, Bahrain, China and the United Arab Emirates, vaccines have been authorized for kids under age three. Meanwhile, in Cuba, kids as young as age two are receiving the jabs. Advertisement The latest Pfizer-funded trial only gave around 1,500 children two 10g doses a third of the amount given to adults. It's not clear if this will cut the risk of myocarditis because the trial was too small. The injections, dished out between June and September in the US, Finland, Spain and Poland, were given three weeks apart. Results were then compared to around 700 children also aged between five and 11 who weren't given the vaccine. Three double-jabbed children had caught Covid seven days after their second jab, compared to 16 among those who got a placebo. Academics led by Emmanuel Walter at Duke University said the jab had a 'favourable safety profile' no serious vaccine-related side effects were recorded. Tests showed five to 11-year-olds given the jab had slightly more Covid neutralising antibodies after a month, compared to older teenagers and young adults. In a phase 1 'dose-finding' trials, which took place in March, the researchers gave 48 children aged give to 11 a 10g, 20g or 30g dose of the vaccine. The scientists selected the 10g dose based on its immune response and the fact it had fewer side effects. The phase two and three trial, from which today's results were plucked from, is still administering two doses to children as young as six months. Critics say children are better off catching Covid and getting protection naturally because the risk of being admitted to ICU is about one in 500,000, according to the JCVI. Top scientists have said natural immunity among children means the virus is running out of people to infect and driving down cases. But some studies have suggested myocarditis is even more common after Covid infection itself, which complicates the matter further. Professor Jonathan Ball, a molecular virologist at the University of Nottingham, said the findings show the jab is 'highly effective' in young children. He added: 'Importantly, none of the children recruited into the trial reported serious adverse effects. 'Whilst severe Covid is rare in young people, it can happen, and cases and ensuing isolation has severely disrupted childrens education. The US last week approved vaccinating five to 11-year-olds with the Pfizer jab. Pictured: Christopher Reyes, nine, receives a jab at a vaccination pop-up site at on November 8 in the Lower East Side in New York City In September, the JCVI said it could not recommend Covid jabs for healthy 12 to 15-year-olds because the direct benefit to their health was only marginal. It also looked at the risk of health inflammation - known as myocarditis - in young people given the Pfizer vaccine, which was still very small but slightly more common after a second dose 'Vaccination is an effective way to interrupt virus spread and reduce the overall disease burden.' Dr Doidge said: 'Questions about the risks and benefits of vaccinated children against Covid are currently weighing heavily on the minds of most parents. 'Unfortunately, this trial does not provide the answers we seek. 'The reason for this is that severe outcomes of Covid among children and severe complications from vaccination are both thankfully rare too rare to be measured even in this study of over 2,000 children. Sajid Javid confirms all NHS frontline staff need to be double vaccinated against Covid by April 1 Sajid Javid today confirmed all frontline NHS workers in England will need to be fully-vaccinated against Covid by April or they will be sacked, despite being warned the 'no jab, no job' move could trigger an exodus of up to 100,000 employees and cripple an already under-staffed health service. Announcing the controversial policy in the Commons, the Health Secretary said it was the 'first duty' of everyone working in the health service to 'avoid preventable harm to people that they care for'. Mr Javid said the 'scales clearly tipped to one side' in favour of compulsory jabs following a Government consultation. He claimed the measure had the blessing of NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard. Mr Sajid concluded: 'We must avoid preventable harm and protect patients in the NHS, protect colleagues in the NHS and of course protect the NHS itself.' All workers who deal with patients face-to-face including medics as well as cleaners, porters and receptionists will be required to have both Covid jabs by April 1 or lose their job. Mr Javid said around 103,000 staff eight per cent of the entire workforce in England still haven't had their first jab, despite being eligible since last December. It's not clear exactly how many unvaccinated are 'frontline' or how many are medically exempt. The health service already has around 100,000 vacancies, including a shortfall of 10,000 doctors and 35,000 nurses. The GMB union warned the 'heavy-handed' policy will only worsen the 'crushing' staffing crisis while Tory MP Mark Harper warned tens of thousands of NHS staff are likely to quit on the back of the move. Advertisement 'All that this study tells us is the Pfizer vaccine induces a similar immune response in children and provide similar protection against infection as in adults, which was to be expected. 'How much benefit this translates into with respect to serious illness, and at what cost that comes in terms of serious adverse reactions, will only be answered with much larger studies that are unlikely to be feasible as randomised controlled trials.' Dr Doidge said emerging real-world data and the protection offered by previous infection should be considered to determine the likely risks and benefits of jabbing younger children. Dr Peter English, former chair of the BMA Public Health Medicine Committee, said the trial was too small to detect rare vaccine side effects, but 'it provides fairly good estimates of vaccine safety'. He said: 'Taken together with the large amount of data from countries who are already vaccinating children of this age group, the evidence is much stronger. 'We should not procrastinate in starting to vaccinate children of this age group in the UK as we did with older children.' But Dr English noted it was a small trial of around 2,000 children, compared to around 40,000 for the adult Pfizer trials, so is unlikely to record many Covid cases. This means there is more uncertainty around the vaccine efficacy estimate of 90.7 per cent, so a more accurate figure would not be available until it was rolled out in the population, he said. It comes after the US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention last week approved Pfizer's vaccine to immunise children aged five to 11, concluding the benefits outweighed the risk. Members of its advisory committee unanimously voted 14-0 to approve the move. CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky later signed off on the decision, meaning roughly 28million children in the US are now eligible for the shots. Countries including Argentina, Bahrain, China and the UAE have even authorised Covid vaccines for under-threes. And children aged six and older are already receiving their first doses in El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador and Indonesia. Meanwhile, in Cuba, children as young as age two are receiving the jabs. Professor Johnathan Van-Tam, England's deputy chief medical officer, said last week that the UK is unlikely to follow in the US' footsteps in the near future. He said the US 'are in a different position to us' because they had already licensed the Pfizer vaccine in five to 11-year-olds. Professor Van-Tam said: 'I would anticipate but don't know that the manufacturer Pfizer may well file in Europe and the UK in the next few months. 'But that's not a matter that I can influence in any way, it's up to the manufacturers. 'Then at that point, were it to be the case that the vaccine became licensed in five to 11-year-olds, there would need to be a JCVI consideration of this point. 'But that decision is some way down the tracks and the big priority is the people who need the boosters, the partially vaccinated and unvaccinated adults. But the JCVI will get to that in due course.' Professor Van-Tam said he is sure the JCVI 'will be considering' whether to follow the US. But he said they first need to monitor the effect of the booster campaign and decide whether any other Britons should be eligible for it. A serving Labour MP who threatened to throw acid over her love rival will continue to collect her 81,000 salary while she attempts to overturn her conviction and sentence for harassment in March. Claudia Webbe, 56, called Michelle Merritt a 'slag' and said she would send naked photos of her to her family, a court heard. Webbe, who was expelled from Labour when she was convicted after a trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court, was sentenced to 10 weeks jail, suspended the term for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work. But she is still receiving her 81,000 MP salary due to her launching her appeal. If she loses that in March, she could be forced to fight a by-election if at least 10% of her constituents supported it. It means Webbe will remain as an MP until up to the end of April which is nearly six months away. Webbe's conviction also saw her ordered to pay 1,000 to Ms Merritt, 59, in compensation by District Judge Paul Goldspring last week. Claudia Webbe, 56, made a string of threatening calls to 59-year-old Michelle Merritt. She is seen with hand in hand outside court today with her partner, Lester Thomas Lester Thomas with Claudia Webbe in a Christmas picture taken before the court case He told Webbe: 'I am sure you intended to cause real alarm and distress to her. 'I find that contact, in particular the threat to acid her and to share intimate photographs, were designed to cause significant distress and in particular the threat to acid Ms Merritt amounts to very serious violence.' She was warned today by Judge Deborah Taylor told Webbe's counsel, Raj Chada: 'No doubt the appellant has been told sentences can go up as well as down.' Webbe began her harassment campaign after becoming suspicious of Ms Merritt's relationship with her partner Lester Thomas, a Chelsea FC scout. A judge described Webbe (seen today) as 'vague, incoherent, illogical and untruthful' and said she had 'made up evidence on the spot' Ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn described Webbe (both pictured above) as a 'warm-hearted person' who is particularly 'dedicated' to issues of social justice He had dated Ms Merritt some 15 years ago. Webbe entered the Commons in December 2019, winning the seat formerly held by Britain's longest-serving Asian MP Keith Vaz, who retired from Parliament in the wake of a sex scandal. She was a councillor in Islington from 2010 to 2018 and was a member of Labour's National Executive Committee. Webbe previously worked as a political adviser to then-London mayor Ken Livingstone. The MP for Leicester East was suspended by her party last year and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for her to resign following her harassment conviction. Webbe, of Islington, denied but was convicted of one count of harassment, between 1 September 2018 and 26 April 2020. She will face a three day appeal hearing at Southwark Crown Court on 9 March. A female British Army instructor allegedly told junior recruits, 'you're mine now bitches' and demanded to know 'who thinks they're hardest?' before punching them, a court martial heard. Witnesses claim Corporal Kimberley Hey ordered teenage trainees who answered questions wrong in tests to raise their arms and loosen their belt buckles before hitting them in the stomach. The 34-year-old, who has boxed throughout her army career, is accused of dishing out regular punches to soldiers half her age - both male and female and all under 18 - as they underwent training. The court heard one young male soldier was once hit so hard in the gut he became 'winded' and began crying. Cpl Hey, of 3rd Regiment Royal Logistics Corps, denies eight counts of battery involving five junior soldiers. Corporal Kimberly Hey, 34, pictured outside Bulford Military Court, is accused of eight counts of battery against five junior soldiers Craftsman Jonathan Bryan (pictured outside court) said Cpl Hey jabbed him in the stomach one time but described her as 'strict but fair' She insists her actions were 'banter' and amounted to 'bonding' with her fellow soldiers. Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, heard Cpl Hey worked at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, where junior soldiers undergo training for around six months, split into three terms of around six weeks. Signaller Hannah Harwood, who gave evidence via video link from the Falkland Islands, said: 'We were all standing on the company lines in the corridor. She said something along the lines of, "you're mine now, bitches". 'At the start of the second term, Cpl Hey addressed the platoon again. She asked us, "who thinks they're hardest?". Three people put their hands up and Cpl Hey punched them all in the stomach. 'If she was in a bad mood she would punch us. She did punch me on one occasion... just a quick jab to my stomach. I didn't have any warning but I had seen it happen to other people so I was expecting it, and she didn't hit me as hard as she hit the males.' Another incident occurred at the beginning of the trainees' third term at AFC Harrogate. Signaller Harwood added: 'There was one event that stuck out in the third term. Cpl Hey punched another male trainee and winded him to the point where he cried. 'He started crying and I think Cpl Hey felt really bad after as she was very apologetic. Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire heard that Cpl Hey dished out stomach punches while working as an army instructor 'After pass out parade, during the last speeches before we left, Cpl Hey addressed us again while we were on the line. She said, 'I'm going to punch you all one last time', and she did punch some people.' Prosecuting, Wing Commander Michael Saunders told the court that Cpl Hey would dish out punches to the gut when soldiers got questions wrong. Wg Cdr Saunders said: 'She would call them to a line through the corridor, walk up and down the corridor and, on occasion, tell them to loosen their belt buckle before hitting them. 'Cpl Hey had no business behaving in this way.' Craftsman Joseph Wiggin told the court that Cpl Hey had punched everyone in the platoon on their first day in training, when he was just 16 years old, but insisted it was part of 'bonding' in the platoon. Craftsman Jonathan Bryan added: 'Cpl Hey gave me a jab in the stomach on one occasion. She was strict but fair.' The trial continues. A semi-naked knifeman has stabbed a police officer in the streets of Oslo before being shot dead by cops - a year after he committed the same crime and was sectioned. Police initially suggested that passers-by had been wounded, but later said that only one police officer was slightly hurt. Footage showed a police patrol car driving into a building in the Bislett neighbourhood of northern Oslo to stop the man. The semi-naked man, thought to be in his 30s, then attacked the vehicles and managed to open the car door before being shot, police spokesman Torgeir Brenden said. 'Several shots' were fired at the man, he added, without specifying whether it was the police officers in the car who opened fire. Brenden said the perpetrator was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died. The knifeman was convicted in December 2020 for another semi-naked knife attack in Grunerlokka, Oslo, and was sectioned for compulsory mental health care. A semi-naked knifeman (pictured) has stabbed multiple people in the streets of Oslo before being shot dead by police - a year after he committed the same crime and was sectioned A semi-naked knifeman stabbed multiple people in the streets of Oslo before being halted by a patrol car which drove into a building. The knifeman then attacked the vehicle and managed to open the car door (pictured) before he was shot dead The knifeman (pictured today) was convicted in December 2020 for another semi-naked knife attack in Grunerlokka, Oslo, and was sectioned for compulsory mental health care Norwegian media today published footage of the alleged attacker, naked from the waist up and wielding a knife. 'We have so far no information that this is terror-related,' Senior Police Chief Egil Joergen Brekke told a news conference. 'To us, this appears to be a stand-alone act, so that there is no reason to fear for the safety of the city for others. This is a person who is known to us in the past and who has a history,' Brekke told reporters. The first reports to the police shortly before 9 am were about a man with a knife running after another person, Brekke said. A nearby patrol car in the Bislett neighborhood of northern Oslo rushed to the scene and first tried to stop the man by running him down before it drove into a building between a flower shop and a cafe to halt the man's progress. The man managed to open the car door before 'several shots' were fired. Norwegian media said up to six shots were heard, citing witnesses. Brekke could not give detailed information, saying the Norwegian Bureau for the Investigation of Police Affairs is probing the events - which is customary in Norway when police officers use firearms. 'To my knowledge, there are no other injured,' Brekke, the police chief, said. A man reportedly armed with a knife attacked passers-by on the streets of the Norwegian capital, Oslo, on Tuesday, before being shot dead by police, officials said (pictured, police at the scene) Police officers cover the police car that was involved in the attack in Norway's capital, Oslo, on Tuesday The attacker was convicted over a similar semi-naked June 4, 2019 rampage where they stabbed a passer-by several times in the upper body. He had reportedly set fire to his clothes before charging five people with a knife. The victim resisted and was aided by passersby who distracted the knifeman, helping the man survive the brutal attack. The attacker, who reportedly shouted 'allahu akbar' during the 2019 assault, was shot by police with a stun gun as he was arrested. At trial, court-appointed mental health experts disagreed over whether he suffered from paranoid schizophrenia or drug-induced psychosis, but both the prosecution and the defence agreed he should be sectioned to compulsory mental health care. Local media reported he was also convicted for attacking two police officers in 2015 in an assault in which he told cops 'you are going to die' and called them 'fascist b*******'. Last month a man armed with a bow and arrow and a knife killed five people in a small town southwest of Oslo. Advertisement The 'sweet' and 'fun-loving' 10-year-old boy who was mauled to death by an American Pitbull-style dog in South Wales while playing with a friend has been pictured. Jack Lis was attacked in a friend's house in a nearby street after school in Caerphilly at around 3.55pm yesterday. Neighbours and Welsh Ambulance Service paramedics desperately tried to save him but he died at the scene. Armed police destroyed the dog on site. In an emotional tribute on Facebook today, his mother Emma Whitfield, 32, wrote: 'I have to announce our beautiful boy Jack was taken so tragically yesterday. It was not our dog nor did it happen at our family home. He was out to play. We love you so much our sweet, sweet boy.' Chief Superintendent Mark Hobrough of Gwent Police said in a statement: 'My condolences and thoughts are with Jack's family, friends, school friends and everyone affected by this within the community. 'We can confirm that the attack did not happen in the house owned by Jack's family, but inside another property on a nearby street. Officers are continuing to make further enquiries at this time and will remain at the scene as the investigation progresses.' Jack was described as 'fun-loving and full of life' by shocked parents and residents. Those living on the street say they have been appalled by the incident. Ricky Willis, 70, said: 'The first I heard of it my neighbour knocked on my door, it's a big shock. I've lived on this road for 46 years and I've never seen anything like this happen.' Another neighbour, who asked not to be named, described the scene as 'chaos'. Forensic crime scene investigators are now at the scene of the attack, and police officers are conducting door-to-door inquiries. Pictured: Jack Lis, the 10-year-old killed by an American Pitbull-style dog in South Wales while playing with a friend In an emotional tribute on Facebook this morning, Jack's mother Emma Whitfield (pictured) wrote: 'I have to announce our beautiful boy Jack was taken so tragically yesterday. It was not our dog nor did it happen at our family home. He was out to play. We love you so much our sweet sweet boy' Police officers at the scene where a 10-year-old boy has died after reportedly being attacked by a dog in Caerphilly on November 9, 2021 Flowers left outside a house where a 10-year-old boy died after being attacked by a dog on November 9, 2021 Neighbours tried to save Jack Lis after he was attacked by the American Pitbull-style dog (stock picture) at a house in Caerphilly at around 3.55pm yesterday Police at the scene in Pentwyn, Penyrheol, near Caerphilly. Armed police killed the dog after the attack This maps shows Caerphilly in South Wales, where Jack Lis was mauled to death by an American-Pitbull-style dog While another said: 'I feel sick to my stomach thinking about what happened to that boy. We went out to see what was going on but the police asked us to go back inside while they put the child in the ambulance. 'So we did, out of respect.' Neighbour Tracey Lawrence said the alarm was raised by tragic Jack's friend who ran out of the house as the animal attacked in the hallway. She said: 'The little boy that lives there ran over to the neighbour and said: 'My dog has killed my friend.' My neighbour went and tried to push the door open but the dog had latched on to the boy's leg. 'Everyone was out on the street crying. It was awful here. Everyone was upset.' The dog was about 15 months old - and described as being 'trouble' by other villagers. Tracey said: 'The boys were very young to be home alone. Especially with a dog like that. 'Last time I saw the dog it was only a small puppy but seeing him yesterday it was like: 'Oh my God.' 'The police were distracting the dog to get it away from the boy and it was up on the sink with huge muscles in his shoulders.' Crime officers at the scene where a 10-year-old boy was killed by a dog. Police were today conducting house-to-house inquiries Crime officers at the scene where a 10-year-old boy was killed by a dog. Police confirmed Jack was not killed in his own house Crime officers at the scene where a 10-year-old boy was killed by a dog. Jack was described as 'fun-loving and full of life' by shocked parents and residents Neighbour Kirk Wiegold battled to pull the dog off little Jack - but described the animal as 'just being too fierce to do anything.' A family member said: 'He just wishes he could have done more but thinks it was too late. He's feeling really upset about it - it was horrible thing to see.' One mother on the school run said: 'It was an American bulldog. It had snapped at neighbours before and had been seen running down the street. The little boy didn't live there. He had just been on the school bus and had gone to visit his friend. I couldn't live with that knowing somebody else's child has died in my care.' School head Gareth Rees held special talks with 'shocked' staff and pupils over the tragedy. He said: 'It is a very difficult day.' The dog was shot by police marksmen and it's owner is being interviewed by police. Neighbours said the dog was 'known to be trouble' - and rumoured to have bitten another man and killed a cat in recent weeks. One mother, who lives just a few doors away from the scene, said: 'I had no idea what happened until I came home and saw the police. I can't imagine what the family are going through.' Flowers left outside the house in Pentwyn, Penyrheol, near Caerphilly where Jack was mauled to death Police standing outside a home in Penrhyl, Caerphilly after Jack Lis was mauled to death by a dog A 10-year-old boy died after being attacked by a dog at an address in Caerphilly yesterday A cordon remained in place around several houses in Caerphilly late on Monday evening Cllr Lindsay Whittle, chairman of governors at Cwm Ifor Primary School, said: 'It is just too tragic for words. I'm in tears just thinking about what happened. I've spoken to the head and it is going to be very difficult to tell all his friends and classmates what has happened. 'This is an entre village in shock. I'm heartbroken for his poor parents and we are all devastated.' A Gwent Police spokesman said: 'We were called to an address in Pentwyn, Penyrhoel, Caerphilly at around 3.55pm on Monday 8 November, following reports of a dog attack. 'Officers attended, including specially-trained firearms officers, alongside paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service, who confirmed that a 10-year-old boy had died at the scene. 'The dog was destroyed by firearms officers and no other animals were involved in the attack.' Police said investigations into the incident were continuing. Cllr Steve Skivens said: 'Our thoughts go out to the family and friends of the young man who has lost his life. We would also like to extend our thoughts to all the emergency services who attended the incident. Unfortunately an animal had to be put down 'We await the details from the police. It's a tragic, tragic loss of a young life.' Forensics officers were at the scene late into Monday evening, with another police car also present and several houses cordoned off as officers controlled access to the scene. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis today revealed he is self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19. The Cabinet minister tweeted this morning disclosing he has a confirmed case but 'thanks to the vaccine' is 'so far only experiencing mild symptoms'. He is the latest in a long line of politicians to come down with coronavirus recently. Keir Starmer only emerged from isolation over the weekend, while science minister George Freeman is missing the COP26 summit this week due to a 'bad attack'. Mr Lewis was in Belfast visiting a Women's Aid and Victim Support centre on Friday, but said he has been staying away from others since symptoms appeared over the weekend. Brandon Lewis tweeted this morning disclosing he has a confirmed case but 'thanks to the vaccine' is 'so far only experiencing mild symptoms' Mr Lewis was in Belfast visiting a Women's Aid and Victim Support centre on Friday, but said he has been staying away from others since symptoms appeared over the weekend 'I have tested positive for coronavirus,' he tweeted. 'Thanks to the vaccine I am so far only experiencing mild symptoms. 'I have been self-isolating since I first experienced signs of symptoms and following my positive PCR result I will continue to do so in line with Government regulations.' The Great Yarmouth MP is expecting to be out of isolation next Tuesday. Infection rates for the virus have remained high in Northern Ireland in recent months with more than 1,000 cases a day notified in the region since July. Earlier this year deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill contracted Covid-19. In September, she revealed she had suffered a 'quite severe' dose of the virus, and at one stage had contemplated going to hospital. Mr Freeman disclosed his struggles with the illness yesterday. He said: 'Sorry to report Ive had a bad attack of Covid over last 3 days w difficulty breathing on Fri/Sat (thanks to @EastEnglandAmb team for your help). 'Confined on DRs orders to bed for another few days & then quarantine til next Monday, when I hope to be back fighting fit.' The Cambridge Union has drawn up a 'Stalinist' blacklist of banned speakers, reports say. President Keir Bradwell fired an email out to members infoming them who would be blocked from future events, although the list has not been made public. It is said to include an art historian who was blasted by students for doing an impression of Adolf Hitler during a speech last week Andrew Graham-Dixon was slammed for mimicking Adolf Hitler and using racial slurs during a debate on free speech to 'show how offensive the dictator was'. Soviet spy biographer Andrew Lownie - who was a previous president of the Cambridge Union - branded the blacklist 'Stalinist'. President Keir Bradwell (pictured) fired an email out to members to tell them who would be blocked from events It is said to include an art historian who was blasted by students for doing a Nazi impression last week (pictured) Soviet spy biographer Andrew Lownie (right) - who was a previous president of the Cambridge Union - branded the blacklist 'Stalinist' (left, the Russian) Who COULD be on the 'blacklist'? Speakers who have caused the biggest backlash at Cambridge Union The Cambridge Union has not made public its 'blacklist' - but prominent speakers who could be on the banned list are as follows: In May 2011 then Government Minister Eric Pickles faced furious student protests where they banged drums and blocked the entrance to the chamber where he was due to speak; In November 2011 Universities Minister David Willetts was stopped from speaking by angry students at the university when he got on the podium; In February 2013 the leader of France's Front National party Marine Le Pen was met with 200 baying demonstrators as they claimed she was promoting fascist views; In January 2015 Australian writer Germaine Greer faced protests over her views on transgender people, which she said 'seem to us ghastly parodies'. There were calls for her never to be invited back to speak. In October 2015 Julian Assange was invited to the Union via video link from his bolthole in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London despite a huge uproar from campaigners; In March 2019 Cambridge University withdrew its offer of a visiting fellowship to Professor and author Jordan Peterson amid a furious backlash from some students who questioned his views on gender. In July 2019 former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage was no platformed by then union president Abdullah Shah, who claimed the politician 'says controversial things for the sake of it'. Advertisement Mr Bradwell's email said he would 'create a blacklist of speakers never to be invited back, and we will share it with other unions too', adding: 'Andrew will be on that list.' His message, seen by the Telegraph, said he would 'institutionalise firm definitions of racism including anti-black racism and the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism' and vow to 'intervene in debates whenever, if ever, these are contravened'. He added: 'More widely, I will intervene if and when I feel it part of my duty to our members and audience to do so.' The blacklist is only believed to be for speakers who students claim harmed them after already performing at the union. Mr Lownie, who has written about Soviet spy Guy Burgess, branded the move as 'Stalinist'. He said: 'I think this is appalling. There have always been controversial speakers and indeed the presidents invite controversial speakers to get attention for their programme. 'But the point is they are allowed to debate in open debate and make their case, and undergraduates are able to challenge it. I think it's a very depressing development. 'This sounds rather Stalinist, and goes against the whole ethos of the union and why it was set up and, until recently, flourished.' Mr Bradwell said as president he had to balance free speech with the welfare of union members. He said: 'One way I am keen to make it easier, and help future presidents draw the line, is by ensuring that the speakers who have come here and caused students or the institution great difficulty (whether that's by placing very young adults at the heart of national media controversies as a result of their conduct, or in the worst instance making students feel physically uncomfortable after an event) are kept on record.' It comes after he was forced to apologise for Mr Graham-Dixon's 'crass and deeply insensitive' impression of Hitler during a debate on 'good taste'. The guest speaker, 60, impersonated the German dictator as part of his argument against the motion 'this house believes there is no such thing as good taste'. The historian said his lengthy impression, which included racial slurs and voiced anti-Semitic and racist views, was to 'show how offensive the Nazi leader was'. Mr Bradwell, who had said it was the 'longest Hitler impression' the chamber had ever heard, issued an apology for his failure to intervene. Bradwell had been filmed admitting he was 'quite drunk' during the debate, but later said he had two glasses of wine and denied it impacted his ability to chair the discussion Bradwell had admitted he was 'quite drunk' during the debate, but later said he had two glasses of wine and denied it impacted his ability to chair the discussion. He said his failure to intervene was 'solely a question of lacking the the courage to stop someone in front of a room of 400'. Mr Graham-Dixon said during the debate: 'The romantic tradition of German art was rejected by this modern art. 'This modern, horrible art that was promoted by the Jews... and the modern art, it was cubist - inspired by the art of the ne***s. 'This tribal art, urgh, how horrible is that? We must expunge this from our Deutschland. 'We are the pure, Aryan people. Our genetics is pure, our hearts must be pure, our tastes must be pure.' Despite the offence caused, Mr Graham-Dixon's side against the motion won the debate on Thursday evening. In an open letter, Mr Bradwell wrote: 'I would like to offer my unreserved apology for the comments made by a speaker in our debate on Thursday night. 'Neither I nor the society condones the thoughtless and grotesque language used by the individual in question, and I am sorry for my failure to intervene at the time. 'The speaker in question employed a crass and deeply insensitive impression of Hitler to make the point in opposition that there is such a thing as bad taste [...] It was inexcusable, and I regret not intervening.' Mr Bradwell, who had said he was 'quite drunk' during the debate, later said in the open letter it did not affect his abilities to chair the talk. He said: 'I had two glasses of wine over dinner beforehand, as did our speakers, and I drew attention to that fact, prior to the speech in question, in order to add to what was at that stage still a convivial debate. 'I was not impeded in my ability to chair the debate; my failure to intervene was solely a question of lacking the the courage to stop someone in front of a room of 400.' Union Equalities officer Zara Salaria said art historian Mr Graham-Dixon's impression was 'absolutely unacceptable' and 'utterly horrifying' Union Equalities officer Zara Salaria said Mr Graham-Dixon's impression was 'absolutely unacceptable' and 'utterly horrifying.' Former President of the Cambridge Union Joel Rosen tweeted he felt 'physically sick' from what he saw at the event. Mr Graham-Dixon also released a statement saying: 'The intention of my speech was to underline the utterly evil nature of Hitler and his regime. 'He caricatured Jewish people and black people and homosexuals in all kinds of terrible ways and curated a huge art exhibition - called Degenerate Art - as propaganda for his poisonous views. 'In my speech I caricatured him, briefly, paraphrasing HIS crass and insensitive statements about art and race. I'd hoped this was crystal clear to all present. 'My point was that evil ideas in the sphere of art can have untold and even atrocious consequences in the rest of life. 'Those familiar with my work will know that I have always spoken out against racism or any form of discrimination. 'I apologise sincerely to anyone who found my debating tactics and use of Hitler's own language distressing; on reflection I can see that some of the words I used, even in quotation, are inherently offensive. 'It was not my intention to upset anybody, merely to persuade them that bad taste and bad morality often go hand in hand.' A Green council leader has apologised for a 'major failure of judgement' after flying from Brighton to COP26 - hours after criticising the government over climate change. Councillor Phelim Mac Cafferty, the leader of Brighton and Hove City Council's Green group said he took the one hour and 20 minute jet because he was worried about trains being delayed. After completing his 460-mile journey, Cllr Mac Cafferty made a speech on cutting carbon emissions and appeared at a protest march, led by Greta Thunberg, calling for world leaders to stop temperatures rising. The politician, who co-chairs BHCC carbon neutral working group, yesterday admitted the blunder. Cllr Mac Cafferty, leader of the Green Party which controls the council, unreservedly apologised, saying he had been worried his train might be cancelled. He said: 'In the Friday evening just gone, I took a flight from London to Glasgow to attend COP26 where I had been invited to represent the city at a presentation of the Glasgow Declaration on Saturday morning. 'This decision to fly was a major failure of my judgement which goes against my political group's pledges and principles and I unreservedly apologise.' Councillor Phelim Mac Cafferty, Brighton and Hove City Council, took jet to COP26 He then appeared at a protest march, led by Greta Thunberg, during his visit to Scotland Conservative councillor Dawn Barnett told the Brighton Argus he was a 'hypocrite' and called on the Greens to relinquish control of the city council She added: 'Well I think it is absolutely disgusting. 'He stands there preaching and bleaching and saying what we should do but he doesn't follow the rules. It is very hypocritical of him. 'I would like to see the Greens step down as a party.' Labour Councillor Daniel Yates took to Twitter in the early hours of this morning to say: 'It's not a failure of judgement. It's a total lack of principles... one rule for us...another for them...as he won't resign the greens should sack him. 'An embarrassment for the whole city.' In a later post, the Cllr Yates added: 'I hope he will consider his position while contemplating his air miles...' The blunder comes just days after Cllr Mac Cafferty claimed Brighton and Hove was leading the way on climate and social action. Cllr Mac Cafferty said he had been concerned about the reliability of the rail network which left people struggling to get to COP26. At the end of last month, operators from the east and west coast mainlines advised against people travelling from London to Glasgow amid stormy weather across the UK. The march the politician attended called for world leaders to stop temperatures rising Cllr Mac Cafferty added: 'I reluctantly took this very difficult decision because I was concerned about the unreliability of the rail network following the well-publicised difficulties experienced by many people wanting to travel by train to Glasgow the week before, when trains were cancelled. 'I was concerned that this would happen again and I felt it was important not to miss the opportunity to attend the important presentation on behalf of the city, lobby world leaders and share with others the innovative work taking place in Brighton and Hove. 'I paid for my own transport and all associated costs. I am not getting paid for any of the speeches I am making or meetings I am attending and I am otherwise working from Glasgow. 'Transport contributes a large portion of carbon emissions, all significant journeys we make have an effect on our climate. I will be offsetting the carbon cost of my journey. 'I will be taking my return journey on train. Again, I apologise unreservedly.' Cllr Mac Cafferty has been leader of the city's ruling administration since July 2020. On Saturday, Cllr Mac Cafferty spoke at a presentation of the Glasgow Food and Climate Declaration - which was officially presented by 100 local governments including Brighton and Hove City Council. During the event, he talked about the importance of capping carbon emissions from food and farming. Cllr Mac Cafferty also took to the streets alongside thousands of protesters demanding stronger climate action from leaders at the COP26 talks. Protesters braved pouring rain and wind to march through Glasgow, with Cllr Mac Cafferty sharing photographs on Twitter from the demonstration. Green MP Caroline Lucas confirmed she had travelled to Glasgow by train. Advertisement The Queen today returned to Windsor Castle by helicopter following a short break at Sandringham as she continues her rest ahead amid her determination to be fit for Remembrance Sunday this weekend. The 95-year-old monarch was photographed taking off in a Sikorsky S76C, known as The Queen's Helicopter Flight, at about 11.15am this morning - five days after arriving at her Norfolk country estate on Thursday last week. Witnesses said the helicopter landed at Sandringham at around 10am, before the Queen was driven through the estate towards it. A Notam (notice to airmen) was put in place, meaning no one else was allowed to fly in the area. Then, this afternoon, the helicopter worth around 5million was then seen landing at Windsor Castle and the Queen was driven through the grounds of her Berkshire residence in a Range Rover following her return. It comes after the head of state was pictured being driven through Sandringham in a Range Rover A-Bio Sdv8 diesel vehicle over the past several days including yesterday, last Saturday and last Friday. She flew to the country estate by helicopter last Thursday from Windsor, where she has been resting following her overnight stay in hospital last month as she continues her recuperation. The Queen visited Wood Farm at Sandringham, which she used to visit annually with Prince Philip around this time of year, while she has some time off after doctors advised her to cancel all official visits for a fortnight. Buckingham Palace previously said it is the Queen's 'firm intention' to attend the annual Remembrance Sunday wreath-laying service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall this Sunday to honour Britain's war dead, which is one of the most sacred events in her annual calendar. It would be her first in-person event since a reception on October 19. A fortnight ago Her Majesty pulled out of a planned visit to the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow and instead recorded a video message from Windsor, which was played to world leaders on Monday of last week. And her 105-mile flight back to Windsor today comes after insiders said the Queen was determined to host her family at Sandringham for Christmas this year after the pandemic forced them to scrap last year's event. Buckingham Palace has refused to comment officially on the Queen's long weekend away, although a royal source confirmed to MailOnline today: 'The Queen has returned to Windsor Castle from her private weekend away.' The Queen is photographed leaving Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate this morning to return to Windsor by helicopter The Queen is seen taking off in a Sikorsky S76C, known as The Queen's Helicopter Flight, at about 11.15am this morning The 95-year-old monarch is seen being driven through Sandringham today, five days after arriving there last Thursday Witnesses say the helicopter landed at Sandringham today, before the Queen was driven through the estate towards it The Queen takes off in a Sikorsky S76C helicopter this morning from Sandringham following her stay at the estate The Sikorsky S76C helicopter is later seen arriving at Windsor Castle today following the journey from Sandringham The Queen is later seen being driven through the grounds of Windsor Castle today after landing there in a helicopter A Range Rover drives through the grounds of Windsor Castle today as the Queen returns to her Berkshire residence And a royal source told Mirror Online today: 'The Queen was delighted to have been able to make the trip to Sandringham, which she had been planning for some time. 'Her doctors cleared her for the short helicopter flight, on the agreed understanding she would continue to rest. 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 'Her Majesty is determined to make the Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the Cenotaph this week, a date that is cemented in her diary. 'It will be a huge boost for both herself and the veterans for the Queen to make the event.' 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. 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. 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 two weekends ago, the Prime Minister said that the Queen was in good spirits when they held their regular weekly audience. 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. 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. MONDAY -- The Queen is photographed enjoying an afternoon drive through her Sandringham estate yesterday SATURDAY -- The Queen is pictured three days ago enjoying a Saturday morning drive through her Sandringham estate FRIDAY -- The Queen is photographed being driven back to Wood Farm at Sandringham in Norfolk on Friday of last week 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 of last week, 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 the same day, which was recorded the Friday before, 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. 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.' NOVEMBER 1 -- The Queen is pictured driving close to Windsor Castle on Monday of last week after being instructed to rest OCTOBER 29 -- The Queen in a a Cop26 video message recorded on October 29 and played in Glasgow on November 1 The monarch spent a long weekend at her Norfolk estate of Sandringham (file picture) after flying there by helicopter 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'. 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. The Queen has been staying at Windsor Castle (file picture) for rest following her recent overnight hospital stay 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 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.' A woman who survived the Manchester Arena attack but suffered nighty visions of the terrorist atrocity overdosed on a fatal cocktail of prescription-only drugs, an inquest has heard. Eve Aston, 20, consumed the drugs after struggling for years to come to terms with the tragic bombing during an Ariana Grande concert on May 22, 2017. The suicide bomb attack, perpetrated by 22-year-old Salman Abedi, resulted in the deaths of 22 victims, while a further 139 people were injured. Ms Aston, described as a 'bubbly' Ariana Grande superfan, was traumatised by thoughts of Abedi every time she went to sleep, the inquest at Black Country Coroner's Court heard on Thursday. She had attended the concert with father Anthony Aston, but they were caught in a 'crush' as thousands attempted to flee the scene. Eve Aston was described as a 'bubbly' Ariana Grande superfan. The inquest heard she struggled for years to come to terms with the Manchester Arena terror attack Eve Aston had attended the concert with father Anthony Aston, but they were caught in a 'crush' as thousands attempted to flee the scene. The inquest heard she had become haunted by thoughts of Abedi every time she went to sleep Ms Aston, 20, was found 'unresponsive' in her bedroom by her father on July 23. A conclusion of drug-related death was recorded at Black Country Coroner's Court Emergency services at Manchester Arena after reports of an explosion at the venue on May 22, 2017 Despite surviving the horrific incident, she was found 'unresponsive' in her bedroom by her father on July 23 - just hours after they had lovingly said good night. Mr Aston, from Wolverhampton, told the court: 'We could see a change in her, she wasnt the person she used to be. She turned to drugs. 'She was the life and soul of the party, so happy, so full of life. Thats why it was such a shock. 'She kept getting flashbacks - I, myself, I still suffer. She was affected by it. She said every time she was closing her eyes to go to sleep, she could see the bomber.' Toxicology tests found 'very high concentrations' of an antidepressant and another drug in Ms Astons blood, which had been prescribed to family members. The inquest heard that 'one or both drugs resulted in her death', with concentrations found to be at a level 'normally associated with fatalities. Mr Aston added: 'Recently we started seeing signs of the old Eve coming back. The last six weeks of her life, she was more of the bubbly Eve, happier. 'She was looking forward to see KSI a Youtuber who was playing in Birmingham in October. She even had a countdown on her phone for that.' On the night of her death, Ms Aston had gone to bed at 11pm after spending the evening watching television with her family. The inquest heard that her father recalled hearing her on the phone at around 2am, but did not see her during the day. As a result, her parents decided to check on her in the evening. They entered the bedroom expecting to pull her out of bed, but discovered she was dead at around 8.30pm. Mr Aston, who cares for his wife Amanda, continued: 'The night before, she was acting normally. We were watching a programme we like watching. 'At 11pm, she said she was going to bed. She said goodnight and love you like she always did.' He said it was 'not unusual' for the family to go period of time without seeing Eve as she had her own routine. Salman Abedi was the suicide bomber responsible for the explosion which killed more than 20 people Armed police at Manchester Arena following reports of the explosion at the Ariana Grande concert 'I went upstairs, I was expecting to say come on Eve, wake up, you need to get into some kind of routine and thats when I saw her', Mr Aston added. 'I knew straight away.' Ms Aston had been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and was referred to mental health services following the terrorist attack, but the court heard she did not follow up on appointments. The aspiring mechanic had cut her arm before and flippantly claimed she would kill herself, her father told the inquest. However, her family scoured her bedroom following her death and found no evidence she had intended to kill herself, the inquest heard. Mr Aston, who said his wife could not bear to attend the inquest as the death had knocked her for six, said his daughter was a normal girl before the bombing. Describing the attack, he recalled 'quite a lot of people came running towards us' and there was a 'bit of a crush'. He added that the pair had seen 'people outside with bloody legs', but it was not until the drive home that they heard details of what had taken place on the radio. Black Country Coroner Zafar Siddique recorded a conclusion of drug-related death after declaring he could not be sure Ms Aston had intended to kill herself. He told the court: 'She had some difficulty coping with what happened. She used a number of recreational drugs, including cannabis, and was open with her family about that. 'She talked flippantly about taking her own life but the family believe she did not really mean that and it wasnt said with any intent. 'These were drugs that were not prescribed to her but other family members. It appears, on balance, she has taken these from other family members. Hundreds gather at Victoria station in Manchester to remember those who died on the fourth anniversary of the attack 'Based on the evidence, I cant say whether she intended to take her own life, whether this was a deliberate overdose or accidental overdose. Its not clear on the evidence. 'She clearly was planning ahead. It doesnt look like there was any intention to take her own life at that stage.' In the wake of her death, more than 8,000 was raised for Ms Aston's funeral. During a tribute at Wolverhamptons Bantock Park, loved ones also released dozens of balloons in her memory to Ariana Grandes song One Last Time Her heartbroken mother Amanda said at the time: 'From the moment she was born she was a jolly soul, she had a very funny sense of humour and was a daddys girl. 'She went to the Ariana Grande concert with her father and was made up to be there, Ariana was her idol. She could sing every note.' Abedi blew himself up at Manchester Arena, while his brother Hashem is serving life in prison for helping build the bomb. Anyone seeking help can call Samaritans free on 116 123 or visit Samaritans.org A 'trusted family friend' who strangled a 16-year-old schoolgirl and stabbed her stepfather over a 14,000 gambling debt has today been found guilty of murder. Chun Xu, 32, killed Wenjing Lin - also known as Wenjing Xu - at the Blue Sky takeaway in the village of Ynyswen in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales, on March 5. Wenjing lived at the takeaway in Baglan Street with her mother, Meifang Xu, and stepfather, Yongquan Jiang. Merthyr Crown Court previously heard how Xu was a heavy gambler and owed the family 14,000. After killing the teenager, Xu is said to have lured her stepfather into the basement before repeatedly stabbing him in the neck and body. When Mr Jiang asked Xu why he was attacking him, Xu replied: 'Money, money, money.' Xu, later told police he wanted 'revenge' against his victim's mother Meifang Xu after falling into debt. He admitted the manslaughter, but not the murder, of Wenjing. But a jury today found him guilty of murder. He was also found guilty attempting to murder Yongquan. The defendant, who is of no fixed abode, will be sentenced on Friday, November 12, date. He was told by Judge Paul Thomas QC he will be serving a term of life imprisonment. Chun Xu (pictured), 31, has been accused of murdering Wenjing Lin, 16, in an alleged attack at her family's Blue Sky Chinese in Ynyswen, Rhondda, South Wales, in March Wenjing Lin - also known as Wenjing Xu - lived at the property in Baglan Street with her mother and stepfather Michael Jones QC, prosecuting, previously told the court Xu visited the family armed with a kitchen knife, and an hour before the attacks had Googled 'can fingerprints be destroyed by fire'. When he was later questioned by a psychologist about his fitness to be questioned by police, he said: 'I didn't mean to hurt the little girl. I wanted revenge on her mother. 'She upset me on many times and didn't listen to what I say.' Xu, also known as Little Gang, was regarded as a nephew to the mother, Ms Xu, as their parents had lived next door to each other in China, but they were not blood relations, Mr Jones said. In December 2020, the family entrusted Xu with 20,000 that he said he would send back to China for them to pay a friend who had loaned them money to start their business in the UK. However, Xu only sent some of the money back and gambled away 14,000, which he had then begun paying back. On March 4, 2021, he rang Ms Xu and asked if he could come to see them, but told her not to tell anyone about his visit. That night they ate food together and went to bed. Police at the Blue Sky Chinese take-away in Treorchy, Wales, March 6 Chun Xu appeared at Merthyr Crown Court wearing grey tracksuit bottoms and a jumper today for the beginning of a two-week hearing The next morning, Mr Jones said, he 'strangled to death 16-year-old Wenjing'. An hour before the attack he is said to have Googled different variations of whether 'finger prints on knife will still exist if burnt by fire'. After killing Wenjing, Xu is said to have lured her stepfather, Mr Jiang, into the basement by asking whether he could have a piece of fish from the freezer. In the basement, Xu began attacking Mr Jiang with two knives, stabbing him in the neck and body. Ms Xu then came down the basement stairs and saw the two fighting. She tried to ring a friend, and Xu bit her. Mr Jiang fought Xu off and went upstairs to find his stepdaughter, Wenjing. He discovered her lying on her back by the takeaway counter. Despite attempts by the family and then paramedics to resuscitate the teenager, she was pronounced dead at the scene at 12.59pm. March 6: Police outside The Blue Sky Chinese takeaway in Baglan Street in Treorchy Police found Xu in the kitchen, having cut his own throat. He was treated at University Hospital of Wales before being arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Mr Jones described how 900 was found in Xu's pockets, as well as Wenjing's mobile phone and keys. He said: 'The defendant therefore had taken from Wenjing in death her purse, keys and mobile phone.' Mr Jiang was also taken to hospital with 'significant and multiple injuries'. A statement from Wenjing's teacher Rhiannon Davies was read to the court. Ms Davies, who oversaw Wenjing's Year 11 at Treorchy Comprehensive School, described her as an 'exceptional' and 'hard working' student. 'Even on the day of her death I was made aware she had logged in for a maths lesson early in the morning,' Ms Davies said. 'She was a fantastic student and is sorely missed.' A local man jumped down 18-feet to save a mother and her two-year-old daughter who both narrowly survived with their lives after falling 100 feet while hiking the Multnomah Falls outside Portland on Sunday. Shane Roundy, 33, was waiting for his daughter outside the public restrooms when he heard yelling coming from the 620 foot falls. He ran over to the small crowd of people to ask what happened when he was told two people fell off the bridge into the water. Roundy, a mechanic, quickly sprung into action. Without thinking he jumped over the railing, hopped over fallen trees, and jumped into the icy water following the screams: 'Someone help my daughter.' Roundy found Olivia, who he believes is in her late 20s and her two-year-old daughter Katie in the water. Olivia begged Roundy to help Katie first and he took the crying toddler and hugged her tight trying to warm her up. Putting Katie down for a moment he rushed back to pull Olivia, who was injured, from the water. He told Katie he would be back for her and ran back to the wall to bring the crying toddler to safety. Shane Roundy, a 33-year-old mechanic from Oregon, quickly came to the rescue jumping down an 18-foot wall to rescue Olivia, the mother, and Katie, the daughter The mother and her toddler were 'alert and conscious' after their 100 ft fall along the hike at Multnomah Falls on Sunday. They were taken to the hospital to recover from non-life threatening injuries 'The wall I jumped over was 18 feet tall but I didnt notice until later,' he told DailyMail.com. When he made it back to the wall where a group of about six hikers had gathered to help he noticed it was an 18-foot drop. Roundy's stepmother, girlfriend, daughter, and others held the feet of another man who hung over the railing to catch the toddler. Roundy tossed the child up to the man who caught her. Roundy then ran back to Olivia to tell her that Katie was safe. He tried to help Katie but she asked that he go back to keep her daughter safe. When Roundy returned to Katie, a woman ran down the trail screaming for help. Jean, Olivia's mother and Katie's grandmother, had run down the trail trying to get help for eight minutes. When Jean was reunited with Katie, the toddler was surrounded by nearly half a dozen good Samaritans who removed their layers and took blankets and jackets from the gift shop nearby to warm the child. After Roundy, an off-duty paramedic rushed to help Olivia until authorities arrived. Emergency services eventually made it to the scene and helped Katie to safety. Both Olivia and Katie were rushed to Oregon Health & Science University with non-life threatening injuries and are expected to make a full recovery. The pair fell into the water of the bottom pool of the falls after the toddler first slipped near the Benson Bridge that straddles the popular trail and her mother lost her balance trying to save her. 'I just remember thinking someone needs help I need to get to them,' Roundy said to DailyMail.com. He didn't stop to think or stumble when making the 'miraculous' rescue. 'I felt light I felt like someone was lifting me over the trees,' he said. 'I just ran as fast as I could and jumped and leaped and didnt fall miraculously because normally I would have.' Julia Hariri (left), Erica Klein (center) and Hope Monaghan (right) were beginning their hike when they heard screams for a help a woman frantically searching for her daughter and grandbaby Jill Willis, Vice President of Multnomah Falls Company, said fellow hikers quickly jumped into action to take care of the baby as the mother was being treated for her injuries by an off-duty paramedic who was along the trail 'It was very clear like the baby was like injured,' witness, Ericka Klein recounted to KATU. 'Someone had grabbed the baby from the mom, and then somebody else was down there with the mom, making sure she was okay. She had a broken leg, I think.' A state park ranger warned of slippery terrain, uneven footing, and potential landslides while hiking in the area during this time of year Kanyon Reams, a paramedic with the Corbett Fire Department, was sent to the scene where he found the mother with a fractured leg and injuries to her face and abdomen. 'There was a ton of manpower down there because of those off-duty medical personnel,' Reams said to Fox 12. 'We were quickly able to extricate the patient.' Employees at the falls called 911 and helped to clear a path for emergency services. 'That could be a challenge out here, making sure that emergency vehicles can get down the highway because it can get very congested,' explained Willis. Multnomah Falls, located about 30 miles northeast of Portland, is the state's tallest waterfall and the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It is listed as a moderate trail with the bridge being reached the first few minutes of the hike. Roundy said although the full hike can he difficult: Theres always kids there. State Park Ranger Jamen Lee explained: 'It's always challenging in the gorge for us to prepare visitors for the terrain and the conditions.' He warned of slippery terrain, uneven footing, and potential landslides during this time of year. Attorney Caroline J. Polisi (pictured), bashed the Kelly for having Dustin Hice on her show An attorney for CNN's Don Lemon is slamming radio host Megyn Kelly for allowing a man who claims the newsman sexually assaulted him three years ago to appear on her show this week, where she conducted a 'lopsided and inaccurate' interview because she has a 'vendetta' against the anchor. In a scathing letter addressed to Kelly and obtained by DailyMail.com on Tuesday, Lemon's lawyer, Caroline J. Polisi, bashed the journalist for having Dustin Hice on her SiriusXM program, The Megyn Kelly Show, Monday morning, saying the 40-year-old accuser's claims are 'fabricated.' In the letter, which was accompanied by an October 1 court filing pertaining to Hice's case against Lemon, Polisi takes aim at Kelly's abilities as a journalist, saying she willfully ignored facts that had been uncovered during the case's proceedings during her interview with Hice in order to satisfy her own agenda. 'Given that you are a journalist,' Polisi's letter begins, 'I would have expected, at a minimum, that you would have reviewed the filings on the public docket, such as the attached motion papers, which, citing to supporting evidence, substantially undermines Mr. Hices credibility and as well as the outlandish story he fabricated about Mr. Lemon.' 'You did not pose any questions to Mr. Hice about these matters,' Polisi goes on to discern in the correspondence, which was sent to Kelly via email on Monday. 'Instead,' Polisi continues, Kelly 'accepted his narrative wholesale, leaving your listeners with a lopsided and inaccurate understanding of Mr. Hices allegations or the strength of the evidence he has against Mr. Lemon. 'You permitted Mr. Hices statements to go unchallenged during your broadcast, clearly out of a vendetta you have against Mr. Lemon.' Hice, 40, appeared on Monday's installment of The Megyn Kelly Show on SiriusXM as Lemon's attorneys aggressively attempt to discredit his lawsuit in court filings, charging the ex-bartender with withholding critical texts, deleting social media posts and hiding a witness that disputes his claims. Hice has claimed he saw Lemon, 55, at Murf's Backstreet Tavern in Long Island's upscale Hamptons in July 2018 and decided to offer to buy him a shot, going over to the newsman and ordering lemon drops - an attempt at humor, he said, claiming he 'didn't mean anything derogatory.' Hice sensationally claimed in his suit, filed in 2019, that Lemon, who is gay, seemingly rejected the cocktail and walked away - but then came back over minutes later and allegedly put his hand down his own pants, rubbing his private parts and then shoving his fingers into Hice's face while asking the then-37-year-old, 'Do you like p**** or d***?' In Polisi's letter emailed to Kelly Monday, accompanied by an October 1 court filing pertaining to Hice's case against Lemon, the lawyer criticized the host of The Megyn Kelly Show's abilities as a journalist, saying she willfully ignored facts that had been uncovered during the case's proceedings during her interview with Hice in order to satisfy her own agenda Accuser Hice, 40, detailed his alleged encounter with Lemon on The Megyn Kelly Show Monday, even as the anchor's attorneys have aggressively attempted to discredit his lawsuit in court filings, charging the ex-bartender with withholding critical texts, deleting social media posts and hiding a witness that disputes his claims 'Anybody that acts like that in public without any fear of what it might it do to somebody or the consequences it might have, that's a pattern,' Hice told host Megyn Kelly Monday after she asked if the anchor's actions seemed like something he had done before. Lemon's legal team has repeatedly denied the allegation. 'I wouldn't be surprised,' Hice added. 'He's protected by the fact that he's African American, a gay man, on television, and I'm just some nobody.' Lemon, a longtime fixture at the liberal news network, is openly gay and has been wed to 37-year-old real estate agent Tim Malone since 2017, and was married when the alleged altercation took place. Hice told Kelly, 50, during Monday's interview that he is straight. Lemon, a longtime fixture at the liberal news network, is openly gay and has been wed to a man, 37-year-old real estate agent Tim Malone, since 2017, and was married when the alleged altercation took place He also claimed to the former Fox News host that CNN has apparently tried to pay him off three times - to the tune of $500,000 - in order to settle the lawsuit. In her letter, Polisi hit back at Hice's claims concerning the alleged hush money, while pointing out Kelly's hypocrisy by giving Lemon's accuser a platform, since she advertises her Sirius show as 'featuring "honest" conversations without "BS" or "agenda."' 'The big headline from your podcast today is the false and misleading allegation that Mr. Lemon offered substantial sums of money to settle Mr. Hices claims against him,' Polisi pointed out. The attorney went on to clarify that Lemon offered to settle Hice's 'claims for a nuisance value of $8,000' - but revealed that Hice demanded $1.5 million to not go public with the claims before Lemon was set to host a Democratic Presidential Primary debate on national television in 2020. The anchor, however, 'refused to be blackmailed with Mr. Hices meritless claims and declined them,' according to Polisi. Per Hice's lawsuit, '[Lemon] put his hand down the front of his own shorts, and vigorously rubbed his genitalia, removed his hand and shoved his index and middle fingers into Plaintiff's mustache and under Plaintiff's nose.' However, Polisi refuted Hice's account of the events that night with her client at Murf's, claiming he 'cynically and opportunistically fabricated a "sexual assault" out of a brief, unremarkable encounter with Mr. Lemon one evening at a bar during the summer of 2018.' Polisi went on to claim that the pair's alleged interaction that night was 'preceded by Mr. Hices unprovoked verbal harassment and taunting of Mr. Lemon. 'Given that Lemon did not engage or acknowledge his accuser's "nonstop harassment,' she adds, 'Mr. Hice spent the rest of the summer repeatedly trespassing and littering on Mr. Lemons residence.' Polisi went on to emphasize that Hice has no eyewitness to the alleged assault - with one observer of Lemon's alleged misdeeds being Hice's buddy, mentioned in the interview with Kelly, who took back his initial statement made to the press that said he saw Lemon harassing Hice. 'The supposed eyewitness to the event in questionwhom Mr. Hice and his counsel paraded before the media shortly after filing this frivolous lawsuitrecanted the statements he previously made to the press during his sworn deposition testimony, and admitted that he may not actually recall seeing the events as Mr. Hice has (falsely) described them,' the letter read. What's more, the court filings detailing the sordid case include screenshots of messages Hice sent to his friend, the witness, regarding the lawsuit filed against the CNN anchor, in which Hice jokes about being able to retire after eventually winning the case - despite claims in the Kelly interview that the lawsuit 'isn't about me trying to get money.' In the screengrabs, Hice assures his pal that he will 'take care' of him after scoring the prospective windfall. In the recorded messages, Hice also joked about how Lemon's fiance Malone was handling the allegations, speculating to his friend: 'I'm sure he and [Tim] probably had a little tiff over this one.' In the Monday interview, Hice, 40, described to Kelly how CNN's Don Lemon allegedly asked him 'Do you like me?' and if he liked 'p**** or d***' A bartender at The Old Stove Pub in Sagaponack, a village in Southampton, Hice detailed to Kelly during their Monday interview how he and a few of his coworkers ended up at Murf's on or around the evening of July 15, 2018. Hice said that upon entering the establishment, he recognized the CNN stalwart. 'So I walked in, and I saw him right out of the corner of my eye and sitting in the over to the right,' Hice recalled to Kelly of the encounter, saying he was then accompanied by his boss, George. 'He was with a group of a couple other men,' Hice continued, 'and I said to George, I said, 'Look that's Don Lemon right there.' 'I decided to approach him, and I said, 'Hey, Don let me buy you a drink,' Hice then detailed how, before Lemon could respond, he quickly called to the bartender for a pair of drinks for him and the celebrity - asking for two lemon drops, a play on the host's last name, Hice explained, saying the cheeky offer was just him 'being cordial.' 'I didn't mean anything derogatory,' he told Kelly. According to Hice, Lemon did not seem amused by the off-duty bartender's attempt at humor, brushing Hice off by saying, 'I'm just trying to have a good time.' 'As soon as he said I'm just trying to have a good time, I just walked away,' Hice told Kelly. Lemon's attorneys, however, argued in a court filing that Hice taunted Lemon and 'repeatedly yelled' across the bar, but that the host declined. Hice charges that Lemon came up to him mere minutes later and started speaking to him before launching the alleged assault - which Hice described in detail to Kelly. 'So I walk around the bar, um, and about five minutes goes by and he walks, he comes around the bar, and comes up to me, and he says, um, pardon my language, but he says, Do you like me? Is that why you're f***ing with me? 'And I said, No, I just wanted to say what's up. And I was just like, What's this guy's problem?' The ex-bartender also claimed that Lemon made a lewd statement several times during the alleged encounter. Hice claims that he was out with co-workers at Murfs Backstreet Tavern (above) in Sag Harbor on or around July 15, 2018, when he spotted Lemon Hice then described in detail how Lemon allegedly fondled his own genitals at the Hamptons bar and used two of his fingers on that same hand to push Hice's head back while harassing him. 'I look at my boss, and I look back, and he has his hand in his pants rubbing himself aggressively, and he shoves his two fingers up underneath my moustache, thrusts my head back, and says, Do you like p**** or d***? 'And he said it like two or three times after that, and I just said, What the hell, man, and I just ran out the back door.' Hice claimed the anchor was visibly intoxicated during the encounter. CNN did not immediately return DailyMail.com's request for comment regarding the alleged incident on Tuesday. A network spokesperson has previously publicly slammed Hice as a dishonest opportunist and extortionist looking to capitalize on the chance meeting. 'The plaintiff in this lawsuit has previously displayed a pattern of contempt for CNN on his social media accounts,' the spokesperson told USA Today in 2019. 'This claim follows his unsuccessful threats and demands for an exorbitant amount of money from Don Lemon.' Over the past three years, lawyers for Lemon have outlined a lengthy discovery process in court filings that saw Hice allegedly admit to deleting numerous social media posts. Hice described in detail how Lemon allegedly touched his own genitals at the Hamptons bar and used two of his fingers on that same hand to push Hice's head back while harassing him Lemon's attorneys also added that Hice indicated in text messages to a key witness in the case - one of his coworkers who was at Murf's during the alleged altercation - that the two could potentially score some cash for a collaborative testimony that corroborated his account of the incident. However, according to Lemon's legal team, the witness revealed in a court deposition that he did not know if Lemon actually had any physical contact with Hice or not. What's more, text messages provided by a third witness showed Hice posing with a Lemon in front of his crotch in front of Lemon's home. A second photo in a recent court filing shows Hice and the key witness rolling on Lemon's driveway. That witness, who didn't back up Hice's account of the alleged altercation, was not put forth as a potential witness by Hice's attorneys, Lemon's court filings revealed. Lemons lawyers added that their client is innocent and deny that any instance of assault took place, citing that the anchor 'is often subjected to racist and homophobic harassment.' A potent chemical cocktail has been sprayed into the derelict house where Cleo Smith was allegedly held captive for more than two weeks. Daily Mail Australia exclusively revealed how the brave four-year-old told detectives a mystery woman came to the house to dress her and brush her hair, with police now investigating the possibility another person was involved in her alleged kidnapping. So far, Terence Darrell Kelly, 36, has been charged with Cleo's kidnapping and remains in a Perth jail after his dramatic arrest last Wednesday. But the bombshell claim of an alleged accomplice prompted police to return to the remote town in northwest Western Australia, spraying Kelly's rented duplex on Tuesday with a forensic substance in a hunt for fingerprints. Cleo Smith (pictured with her mother Ellie) was miraculously rescued from a home on Tonkin Crescent last Wednesday, 75km from the campsite she was allegedly kidnapped from Police stormed the house after a tip, but no one is expected to claim the $1 million reward offered for information leading to Cleo being found. But WA Premier Mark McGowan disregarded an idea from an opposition MP to donate the reward to her hometown of Carnarvon in the state's northwest. The small community is still reeling after the bombshell revelation some lived just streets away from the local man accused of kidnapping the four-year-old. A covert forensics expert told Daily Mail Australia the chemical sprayed into Kelly's home was likely Superfume, a superglue sprayed into rooms with humidifiers to obtain fingerprints, possibly those belonging to an alleged accomplice. Mark McGowan (pictured) has disregarded calls for the unclaimed $1million reward money for information on Cleo's disappearance be donated to the town of Carnarvon The small community is still reeling after the bombshell revelation some lived just streets away from local man Terence Kelly (pictured) who is accused of kidnapping the four-year-old The chemicals are so potent that investigators must wait two days to re-enter properties where it's deployed. The substance was sprayed into the dilapidated home on Tuesday and cannot be touched until noon on Thursday. Daily Mail Australia sought comment from the WA Police. Nationals MLA Vince Catania suggested the $1 million reward be donated to locals to help heal and rebuild following a tough couple of weeks. WHAT IS SUPERFUME? Superfume is a cyanoacrylate fuming system for developing latent fingerprints in situ at major scenes of crime. Designed to treat domestic rooms, offices, garages and vehicles, it involves a type of superglue being sprayed and then evaporated. It is used for large volumes of space, such as whole rooms and their contents at crime scenes. The substance is so potent that it must be left for 48 hours before it's safe to re-enter the room. Advertisement The local politician recommended in Parliament on Tuesday the unclaimed $1million could be used for counselling and better security measures in the town. Mr Catania also advocated for CCTV cameras to be installed in remote campsites, similar to the one Cleo Smith was allegedly abducted from on October 16. The reward money is understood to sit unclaimed, as the breakthrough that led to the four-year-old's miraculous recovery came from police rather than the public. Following a lead from surrounding mobile towers, officers arrested Kelly and recovered Cleo from a home on Tonkin Crescent, 75km from the Blowholes campground where the little girl was allegedly snatched. Four detectives busted down the door just after 1.30am and found Cleo awake and 'playing with toys' before being reunited with family. Mr McGowan said he would prefer the substantial sum be put towards supporting Cleo and her family, rather than the township as a whole. Forensic officers sprayed Kelly's rented duplex (pictured) with a chemical substance on the seventh day of investigations following Cleo's recovery Forensic officers paid particular attention to a silver Mazda SUV parked in the driveway of the Tonkin Crescent residence (pictured) 'The main thing here is, and I made this offer in person, we want to support the family with what they might need,' the premier said. 'And so the Government will obviously provide that support to that family.' Mr McGowan said he already had plans to invest in infrastructure in the remote town, adding he didn't believe recent events would deter tourists from visiting. 'Can I just say to everyone out there, a town is not responsible for the actions of an individual, a city is not responsible for the actions of an individual,' he said. 'I don't think people will say: "I'm not going to visit Carnarvon".' Mr Catania slammed the premier's decision and said Mr McGowan is neglecting an opportunity to help a small regional town in need. Earlier in the day Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine (pictured) was seen joining officers scouring the home of Cleo's alleged abductor for clues Officers have been packaging up evidence from Kelly's home since his arrest last Wednesday Earlier on Tuesday Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine was seen joining his officers and suiting up in blue forensic overalls to scour the alleged abductor's home for clues. Police paid particular attention to a silver Mazda SUV parked in the driveway of the rented duplex following suspicions a potential female 'accomplice' could have been involved in Cleo's alleged abduction. Forensic officers were seen photographing and examining the car as well as performing various tests on the vehicle's interior. Det Sgnt Blaine told reporters on Monday the focus of the investigation had shifted to finding out if 'anyone else was involved' in the alleged kidnapping. 'Our focus this week is for us to ascertain whether there was anyone else involved, that's why we are still here,' he said. Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine (left) led the team of detectives who found little Cleo 'playing with toys' inside a brightly lit room in a locked house last Wednesday 'We just ask that if there was anyone that had any contact with Mr Kelly, whether you saw him or met him or spoke to him on the phone, during the relevant period to please make yourself known to police.' Police had initially stated no other suspects were being sought in relation to the matter, alleging that Kelly acted alone. Officers have combed through data from a mobile phone seized from Kelly with the records to reveal exactly who he contacted and when in the lead-up to Cleo's alleged kidnapping on October 16 and the days following. Police consider the mobile a vital piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation, with a second phone seized at Kelly's duplex also of interest to cops. Cleo Smith is carried inside a friend's house by her mother the day after she was found in a locked home 75km from the campsite she had vanished from 18 days prior It comes after Daily Mail Australia revealed a mystery woman could have been involved in Cleo's alleged abduction after the four-year-old told investigators a female would come to her accused kidnapper's house to 'look after her'. Cleo allegedly told investigators the woman helped to dress her and brush her hair. Detectives from Perth are expected to remain in the small town for at least another week gathering clues as forensic specialists continue to scour the alleged abductor's home for evidence another suspect may have been there. On Tuesday, Cleo and mother Ellie Smith arrived with stepfather Jake Gliddon at Carnarvon police station to be given the latest update on the hunt for a possible accomplice. They later left weighed down with crates of gifts from well-wishers across Australia and the world who have been touched by the brave toddler's plight. Cleo and mother Ellie Smith arrived with stepfather Jake Gliddon at Carnarvon police station and emerged with crates of gifts from well-wishers touched by their story (pictured) Cleo Smith's alleged kidnapper Terry Kelly, 36, is pictured with Bratz dolls on his social media pages Specialist child interview officers attached to the child abuse squad in Perth began the delicate task of sitting down with Cleo on Thursday. The process of uncovering what happened could take several weeks. Since Kelly's arrest, it's been revealed he had an obsession with collecting dolls and boasted about his love for girl's toys on various social media pages. One photograph Kelly posted shows Bratz and Disney princess dolls stacked from floor to ceiling. Bag loads of evidence have been removed from his roped-off commission house as prosecutors build their case against the 36-year-old. The devastated mother of twin girls who died in a fire at a commune near Byron Bay has opened up about her 'monumental pain', saying the loss of her 'sweet angels' is 'too much to bear'. Akira Garton broke her silence after the horrific tragedy which saw little Ophelia and Tarrow, 4, choke to death on toxic smoke at the 'off-grid' Goonengerry commune home on Sunday morning, police believe. The girls had been visiting their father James Wright, a political activist who was reportedly outside at a bonfire when a candle was left burning on top of a piano. A fundraiser set up on behalf of the heartbroken family has now raised more than $75,000, as the tightknit northern NSW community struggles to come to terms with the loss. Akira Garton (pictured) broke her silence after the horrific tragedy which saw little Ophelia and Tarrow, 4, choke to death on toxic smoke at the 'off-grid' Goonengerry commune home on Sunday morning, police believe The twins (pictured) had been visiting their father James Wright, a political activist who was reportedly outside at a bonfire when a candle was left burning on top of a piano 'Words cannot express waking up to day three of these beautiful bunnikins not here,' she posted to Instagram. 'No more mumma no more hands, no more smiles, no more dancing, no more moments like this, happy, so happy.' Later speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Ms Garton said the 'monumental pain of waking up' without her twins was 'too much to bear'. 'There are no words to describe the immense loss of our dear little Ophelia and sweetest Tarrow. I'm still in immense shock and disbelief,' she said. 'You are so very dearly loved by both parents, eldest sister, family, neighbours and the entire community. 'You will never leave our hearts, sweet angels.' She recounted how the sisters born two months premature were 'rarely separated' and had 'fighting spirits'. The twins loved dancing and drawing, their mother said, and looked up to their seven-year-old sister. 'The monumental pain of waking up without you both is too much to bear,' Ms Garton posted to Instagram along with picture of her twins (pictured, Tarrow) 'There are no words to describe the immense loss of our dear little Ophelia and sweetest Tarrow (pictured). I'm still in immense shock and disbelief', their mother said She recounted how the sisters, born two months premature, were 'rarely separated' and had 'fighting spirits' (pictured, Ophelia) The former couple's eldest daughter, Maitreya, 7, was also at the commune on the night as part of parenting arrangements but was not affected by the blaze. Ms Garton earlier shared a sweet photo alongside Ophelia and Tarrow on Tuesday morning, smiling as both of her twins lean into her. The picture was taken just four weeks before their tragic deaths. Ms Garton has been in touch with a law firm and hopes to get to the bottom of why her young daughters were left in the home alone near an open flame. It's understood a candle was burning atop a piano next to the girls throughout the night, while their father attended a communal bonfire nearby with his girlfriend. Akira Garton shared a sweet photo alongside Ophelia and Tarrow on Tuesday morning, three days after they died from smoke inhalation while visiting their father and his girlfriend in a Goonengerry commune Mr Wright (pictured in 2019) ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party A sweet picture, which shows Ms Garton (pictured) smiling in the middle of the twins, was taken just four weeks before their tragic deaths He and his girlfriend arrived back to the home just before 4am and noticed smoke billowing from the room. They called emergency services, but the twins could not be revived. The mother-of-three has struggled to respond to messages or answer calls in the days since the tragedy because she 'has no words beyond disbelief' and is still processing the loss, friends said. Ms Garton's father, the twins' grandfather, described Tarrow and Ophelia as 'bright, playful identical twins that had a sparkle in their eye and angelic features'. 'Akira and her family are shattered to the core; they have an unbearable amount of grief to carry and heartbreaking pain to endure,' he said. 'A loss of this magnitude is almost unimaginable, and to even try is quite unbearable. 'A sorrow this complete takes away even the ability to breathe.' Ms Garton and the twins' father, political activist James Wright, also share seven-year-old Maitreya, who was not injured in the fire Residents who choose to live off-grid at the Nunkeri Multi Occupancy commune (pictured) consider each other family, and were enjoying a collective bonfire well into the early hours of Sunday morning when tragedy struck 'I'm told Jimmy's in a bad way, when he was canvassing as a candidate for Keep Sydney Open in the Lower House, the girls were always with him,' Tyson Kho, CEO for Keep Sydney Open, said (pictured, the twins' father) Mr Wright ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party in 2019. 'I'm told Jimmy's in a bad way, when he was canvassing as a candidate for Keep Sydney Open in the Lower House, the girls were always with him,' Tyson Kho, CEO for Keep Sydney Open, told The Daily Telegraph. 'He was the most loving father, he's really cut up over this.' A woman from the commune said: 'He was on the floor on his knees, he was crying "no, no", he was inconsolable. 'Our hearts are broken for him. Jimmy loved his girls, he took them everywhere with him. He's in a bad state. He blames himself. He's really shaken up.' Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing on the part of the girls' father. A GoFundMe appeal created to help Mr Wright financially as he plans for the girls' funerals and has already raised $66,000. A second appeal was created for the twins' mum, raising $78,000 so far. A member of the public weeps while holding a bouquet of flowers outside the home where the twin four-year-old girls died following a house fire The girls were sleeping together in a bedroom within close proximity to a piano. Sitting on the piano, police believe, was a lit candle which caused the fire Mr Wright ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party in 2019 Aerial footage of the remote bush commune shows several dwellings scattered among the trees. There are no driveways and no fences to separate one home from the next. Cars park haphazardly wherever their drivers can find space. The community relies on a water tank at the centre of the property and it's understood they pool resources wherever possible. 'They're like a family,' one local told Daily Mail Australia. 'They're all grieving so much right now.' The commune is just 35 minutes' drive from the hustle and bustle of Byron Bay central - but for locals, it feels a world away. The 20-home commune has existed for 30 years and sits on 40ha of farmland just 30 minutes drive from Byron Bay Police are investigating whether a candle was left burning inside the home overnight (pictured, investigators at the scene) While Byron Bay has been gentrified and flooded with holidaymakers and celebrities, Goonengerry and similar tiny towns nearby still consider themselves 'locals only'. Residents embrace alternate ways of living and, put simply, 'enjoy a simple life'. Those living within the commune were all together the moment the twins' father realised smoke was billowing from the room. They were still there, shocked and confused, as emergency services arrived and tried to save the girls. A woman was also treated for shock at the scene. Neighbours dropped off flowers to the grieving family as the tightknit community mourns The home is within a 'multiple occupancy' community down this street, 30km west of Byron Bay (pictured, police at the scene) Another woman fought back tears on Sunday as she delivered a bouquet of flowers, leaving them in the letter box. A hand written note was left on one of the bouquets reading: 'Mourning with you.' Byron Shire deputy mayor Sarah Ndiaye said locals, especially people living in these types of hinterland communities, were particularly tightknit. 'The loss will be felt by the entire community,' she said. Detectives will work with fire investigators, who remain on the scene, to determine the exact cause of the blaze. There was little damage to the home itself, but it's believed the toxic fumes from the smoke caused the twin's death. Labour MPs including members of Keir Starmer's front bench are coming under increased scrutiny over their additional earnings from second jobs on top of their taxpayer provided salaries. David Lammy, the Secretary of State for Justice, is among the party's top earners - pocketing more than 140,000 over three years including fees for speeches at Google, Facebook and City giants including Deloitte, Citibank and Swiss pharma giant Novartis. A MailOnline analysis of receipts which Mr Lammy publishes regularly in accordance with Commons' rules found his biggest earner was presenting a regular LBC show, which brought in more than 40,000. And Labour leader Keir Starmer is also in on the act, banking 25,934.10 in legal fees that he earned before becoming Labour leader in the last year alone despite standing on a manifesto pledging to end MPs' second jobs in 2019. The fees were for 106 hours' work, equating to 247 per hour. Mr Starmer considered taking a consultancy job at law firm Mishcon de Reya in 2017 but turned it down. The year before, he was paid 18,000 for just 24 hours work with the firm. That same year, he receved 10,000 for advising the government of Gibraltar. A spokesman for the British Overseas Territory insisted the brief involved non-political matters unrelated to Brexit. Mr Starmer has carried out consulting work for Mishcon before, in 2014 and 2015, but stopped when he was appointed to the Shadow Cabinet by Jeremy Corbyn. David Lammy, the Secretary of State for Justice, has earned more than 141,000 over three years for speeches at Google, Facebook and Deloitte. He is seen at the Labour conference How Labour MPs are cashing in Sir Keir Starmer - 25,934.10 in legal fees earned before becoming Labour leader in the last year alone. The money was for 106 hours' work, equating to 247 per hour. Khalid Mahmood, Birmingham Perry Bar - Advises think-tank the Policy Exchange on issues including extremism for 25,000 a year. Margaret Hodge, Barking - 20,000-a-year role at Royal Holloway University. Dan Jarvis, Barnsley Central - 79,000 to serve as Metro Mayor of the Sheffield City Region. Christ Bryant, Rhondda - 2,000 for speaking at an event for Goldman Sachs. Advertisement Other Labour MPs with second jobs include Khalid Mahmood, MP for Birmingham Perry Bar, who advises think-tank the Policy Exchange on issues including extremism for 25,000 a year. Margaret Hodge has a 20,000-a-year role at Royal Holloway University and Dan Jarvis is paid 79,000 to serve as Metro Mayor of the Sheffield City Region. Meanwhile, Christ Bryant received 2,000 for speaking at an event for Goldman Sachs. Today it emerged that former attorney general Geoffrey Cox QC has earned hundreds of thousands of pounds advising the government of the British Virgin Islands, a tax haven accused of corruption. There have been fresh calls to reform the regulation surrounding MPs' second jobs after a botched attempt by the government to block the suspension of disgraced Tory MP Owen Paterson over a lobbying scandal. In the latest revelation today, it emerged that former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell is paid 182,000 on top of his MPs salary of just under 82,000 for six different consultancy jobs. He is one of 30 MPs earning thousands of pounds extra a year for work as consultants prompting calls for the practice to be banned. The ex-international development secretary is paid for working for wealth manager Investec for two days a year and strategic consultancy Montrose Associates for eight days a year. He also advises consultants Ernst & Young for up to five days a year, investment managers Arch Emerging Markets Partners Ltd for 2.5 days, investment bank SouthBridge for nine days and private equity firm Kingsley Capital Partners for eight days. Nice work if you can get it! Mr Lammy's most lucrative speeches 4,100 from City University for delivering its anniversary lecture on September 26 last year, for which he allocated 12 hours of work. This worked out at 342 an hour. 2,500 from law firm Mischon De Reya for a function lasting two hours on February 16, 2018. 2,500 from Citibank for speaking at a Black History Month event on October 7, 2019. 3,280 from Lloyds of London for a discussion and Q&A for Black History Month on October 12, 2020. 2,460 from Google UK for speaking with employees about diversity and inclusion on September 28, 2020. 4,100 from Deloitte for speaking at two events on 19 and May 26, 2021. This took just four and a half hours including preparation, working out at more than 900 per hour. 2,870 from Facebook for speaking at an event on June 22, 2021. Advertisement Tory MP and former Cabinet minister Owen Paterson quit the Commons last week after a row over a report that found he committed an egregious breach of a centuries-old ban on paid lobbying by MPs. He repeatedly lobbied ministers and officials for two firms, Randox and Lynns Country Foods, that paid him more than 100,000 a year. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party had long called for the MPs code of conduct to ban paid directorships and consultancy roles for serving members. Sir Keir added: A change along these lines has been recommended by the independent Committee for Standards in Public Life. It recently emerged that the senior Tory MP Geoffrey Cox took advantage of lockdown rules to cast votes in the Commons by proxy as he worked 4,000 miles away on the lucrative contract earlier this year, a source disclosed. Sir Geoffrey yesterday revealed he has earned more than 1million from outside legal work over the past year on top of his 82,000 salary as a backbencher. A Whitehall insider said: While he should have been in the UK working for his constituents hes been over in the British Virgin Islands doing his second job working as a barrister and advising those accused of trousering cash for their mates. Today Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab insisted the role was 'legitimate' and said 'voters will decide' whether their MP is spending enough time on parliamentary duties. Sir Geoffrey, who is known for being the highest-earning MP, spent up to a month in the British Virgin Islands working for Withers, an international law firm, while voting by proxy in the Commons, a source told the Daily Mail. He has been paid almost 900,000 by Withers over the past year and received more than 130,000 for other legal work. He is thought to have been in the BVI in April and May this year. He was recorded as arriving on April 26, while the Commons was debating global anti-corruption sanctions. Keir Starmer banked 25,934.10 in legal fees in the last year alone despite standing on a manifesto pledging to end MPs' second jobs in 2019 Boris DID make it back to London in time for Commons sleaze showdown By James Tapsfield, Political Editor for MailOnline Boris Johnson is facing fresh Tory demands to make a personal apology for the Owen Paterson sleaze shambles amid claims he dodged a showdown in parliament last night despite being back in London from a visit to the North East. The PM is at the mercy of a storm over the extraordinary bid to save his ally from punishment for lobbying, with outrage that he ghosted an emergency Commons debate on the row. Instead he travelled 300 miles to Northumberland, near the Scottish border, on a visit to a hospital that No10 claimed was 'long-planned'. Even so, pictures suggest Mr Johnson still managed to get back to London before 5pm - in time to have come to the House, as the session ran until after 7pm. Pictures suggest Mr Johnson still managed to get back to London in time to have come to the House, but chose not to Mr Johnson was snapped arriving back in King's Cross before 5pm last night Advertisement A press release on the BVI government website for that day stated that Sir Geoffrey was currently in quarantine but intends to hold a series of meetings with government ministers in the next few weeks. He was listed among MPs eligible for a proxy vote that day. The register of financial interests shows he received 156,916.08 from Withers for work undertaken between April 29 and May 31, 2021, totalling 140 hours. Sir Geoffrey, who was sacked as attorney general last year, has been representing the government of the BVI, a British Overseas Territory, in an inquiry into the governance of the islands. It was launched in January by the Foreign Office to establish whether there was evidence of corruption, abuse of office or other serious dishonesty that has taken place in public office in recent years. The inquiry has heard allegations of unaudited spending and contracts being handed out to politically connected people. The hearings have exposed tensions between the BVIs local government and its governor, who is appointed by the UK. A senior Whitehall source accused Sir Geoffrey of pocketing hundreds of thousands of pounds to help stop the exposure of corruption in a Caribbean paradise. At the time, coronavirus restrictions meant MPs could participate in Commons debates via Zoom and vote by a proxy meaning they did not have to come to Westminster. Sir Geoffrey was hired by Withers in September last year as its consultant global counsel to advise on private and overseas government clients, according to the firms website. A post announcing his appointment noted that he remained MP for Torridge and West Devon and a privy counsellor, and would still practise as a barrister at Thomas More Chambers in London. The British Government is funding the core cost of the commission of inquiry in the BVI, but will not pay the fees associated with legal counsels appointed by individuals or organisations. Labour MP Karl Turner said yesterday: How does Geoffrey Cox find time to do his job as a constituency MP? It comes amid growing calls for MPs to be banned from having second jobs which involve consultancy work. Sir Geoffrey was providing legal work, but many of his colleagues take on paid positions as consultants. Sir Geoffrey did not respond to a request for comment last night. A whistleblower will be paid $24 million after providing key information about safety lapses at Hyundai Motor Co, The US auto safety regulator announced on Tuesday. The reward to ex-Hyundai Motor engineer Kim Gwang-ho is the first-ever to a whistleblower under the US Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act, and the biggest ever in a whistleblower case in the auto sector globally. 'I am pleased that I have been justly compensated for the risks I took to protect owners of these defective cars, and grateful that the USs legal system had a program in place to make this possible,' Kim said in a statement on Tuesday. Kim worked as an engineer for the automaker in South Korea. In 2016, he reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that Hyundai was failing to address a design flaw linked to its Theta II engines, which were prone to seizing up and even catching fire. In 2020, Hyundai and affiliated Kia's US units agreed to a record $210 million civil penalty after NHTSA said they failed to recall vehicles for engine issues in a timely fashion. The reward to ex-Hyundai Motor engineer Kim Gwang-ho (pictured) is the first-ever to a whistleblower under the US Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act, and the biggest ever in a whistleblower case in the auto sector globally In 2016, Kim reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that Hyundai was failing to address a design flaw linked to its Theta II engines, which were prone to seizing up and even catching fire 'I am pleased that I have been justly compensated for the risks I took to protect owners of these defective cars, and grateful that the U.S.s legal system had a program in place to make this possible,' he said on Tuesday 'This award is the maximum percentage allowed by law,' NHTSA said in a statement announcing the award. News of the award comes as NHTSA's and the US Department of Transportation prepare to propose regulations related to the automotive whistleblower program Congress created in 2015. 'Whistleblowers play a crucial role in bringing information to NHTSA about serious safety problems that are hidden from the agency,' said Steven Cliff, NHTSAs Deputy Administrator. Citing an internal report from Hyundais quality strategy team to management, Kim had told NHTSA the company was not taking enough action to address an engine fault that increased the risk of crashes. NHTSA found that Hyundai and its Kia subsidiary had delayed recalling affected vehicles, and that the automaker had provided inaccurate information about the problems. More than 4.7 million vehicles have been recalled, while another 3.7 million had installed software alerting drivers of possible engine failures as part of a 'product improvement campaign' by Hyundai and Kia 'Whistleblowers play a crucial role in bringing information to NHTSA about serious safety problems that are hidden from the agency,' said Steven Cliff, NHTSAs Deputy Administrator 'I hope my reporting leads to real safety improvements, both at Hyundai and throughout the industry,' Kim said. In 2017, US safety regulators began to investigate if the recalls had covered enough vehicles and were done in a timely fashion. That followed the concerns reported by Kim to the US auto safety regulator. In 2018, NHTSA reportedly received complaints of more than 3,100 fires, 103 injuries, and one death. More than 4.7 million vehicles have been recalled, while another 3.7 million had installed software alerting drivers of possible engine failures as part of a 'product improvement campaign' by Hyundai and Kia. The payout to Kim is the first under the US Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act by Congress in 2015 to create a whistleblower reward program in the Department of Transportation for industry insiders who provide information to safety regulators about defects in vehicles. In a statement to FOX News, Hyundai maintained that the safety of their customers was their priority and that after the $210 million civil penalty the company had made efforts to regulate and enforce safety standards. 'Hyundai takes safety seriously and fosters a culture of transparency and accountability. In late 2019, Hyundai Motor North America created the role of Chief Safety Officer (CSO),' the statement read. 'The CSO is responsible for infusing and enforcing the highest standards of motor vehicle safety throughout the organization. We value our collaborative and cooperative relationship with the U.S. Department of Transportation and NHTSA, and are committed to a best-in-class U.S. safety office,' it concluded. Advertisement Covid has slashed life expectancy in four-fifths of industrialised nations and erased a decade of progress in extending Britons' lifespans, according to a major report which lays bare the pandemic's impact on global health. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Covid 'contributed, directly and indirectly' to a 16 per cent rise in average deaths among its 38 member countries. Overall life expectancy has taken a hit in 24 out of the 30 nations (80 per cent) for which there was reliable data in the year-and-a-half of the pandemic so far, the report found. It fell the most in the US, with Americans losing 1.6 years of life per capita, followed by Spain where it fell one-and-a-half years, Lithuania and Poland (both 1.3 years), as well as in Belgium and Italy (1.2). In the UK, life expectancy dropped by a whole year during the pandemic, with Britons now living to an average age of 80.4 the lowest figure since 2010. The findings put the UK and the US in the bottom 10 countries for overall life expectancy, despite being among the richest in the OECD. The only nations which did not take a hit to life expectancy were Norway, Denmark, Finland and Latvia, as well as Japan and Costa Rica. In terms of confirmed Covid deaths, the US and UK had the 10th and 11th highest tolls, respectively, both recording around 2,000 deaths per million people. The vast majority of countries have seen their average life expectancy plunge due to the Covid pandemic. The UK falls just below the OECD average to 80.4 years Life expectancy took a hit in 80 per cent of the OECD nations. The US was the biggest loser, shedding 1.6 years of per capita, followed by Spain where it fell one-and-a-half years, Lithuania and Poland (both 1.3years), as well as in Belgium and Italy (1.2) This graph shows the number of confirmed Covid deaths in ,most of the OECD nations and the number of excess deaths recorded at the same time. Due to differences in reporting and availability of diagnostic tools to detect the virus scientists have also used excess deaths as indicator of potential Covid fatalities The UK falls below the OECD average in terms of total excess mortality between January 2020 and the end of June 2021 which the report suggests could be due to the sheer volume of testing done in Britain Hungary had the highest rate at around 3,000, with the Czech Republic and Brazil (both around 2,800), Colombia (2,500) and Slovenia (2,300) rounding out the worst five. But when looking at excess mortality during the pandemic, the UK falls below the OECD average, which the report suggests could be due to the sheer volume of testing done in Britain. Deaths from any cause rose by 11.7 per cent in the UK in 2020 and the first six months of 2021, compared with the 2015 to 2019 average. Statisticians say excess mortality is the most accurate way to measure the toll of the pandemic on health because it accounts for testing disparities between countries and includes knock-on fatalities. Like the UK other OECD nations experienced a drop in face-to-face GP consultations during the pandemic, falling by 66 per cent in Portugal, 40 per cent in Australia, 18 per cent in Austria and 7 per cent in Norway in May 2020, compared with the same month the year prior In the UK the number of GP appointments taking place face-to-face dropped dramatically at the beginning of the pandemic, as virtual appointments were encouraged in an attempt to keep social mixing low and hospitals virus-free. In-person appointments began to increase last summer, before dropping again during the second wave. Despite being on the rise, the figures are still much lower than pre-pandemic levels Anxiety and depression has doubled in some countries over the course of the pandemic. Mental health, and the impact of loneliness and isolation, was one of the key concerns during national lockdowns On average health spending in OECD nations rose during the pandemic while the disruption caused by Covid to economies caused GDP to fall Even when looking at excess mortality, however, the US ranks fifth worst behind only Mexico, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Meanwhile, the report also revealed the knock-on effect of the pandemic on wider healthcare, with people waiting up to 88 days on average across the OECD for elective surgeries compared to pre-Covid. Face-to-face primary care appointments including GP consultations have fallen globally by up to 30 per cent in the worst hit countries Spain and Chile. Emergency attendances to hospital dropped by a fifth in the UK in 2020 compared to the previous year, the report found, and separate UK data show face-to-face GP appointments are still 20 per cent lower than pre-pandemic. Mental health has also taken a toll, with depression rates doubling in the UK and US, as well as France and Belgium on the back of numerous lockdowns. The UK was found to have the second lowest number of doctors and hospital beds in Europe per population size, with just three doctors and two-and-a-half beds per 1,000 people. Only Poland had fewer doctors and Sweden less beds. Yet health spending in Britain as a share of national income was the highest on the continent, rising from 10.2 per cent to 12.8 per cent during the pandemic. Google parent company Alphabet Inc. briefly hit a $2trillion market cap for the first time on Monday joining the ranks of tech giants Apple and Microsoft. Analysts say the $2trillion milestone which is double the company's pre-pandemic value of $1trillion in January 2020 is fueled by an increase in digital ad spending and growth in the Google Cloud platform. 'It's just a number, but I think it demonstrates that these are leading companies,' Kim Forrest, founder and chief investment officer at Bokeh Capital Partners, told Bloomberg. 'It really is that simple that the market rewards their growth, and their prospects for growth, with big valuations.' Google parent company Alphabet Inc. hit a $2trillion market cap for the first time on Monday joining the ranks of tech giants Apple and Microsoft Alphabet crept over the $2trillion mark Monday after its Class A shares gained as much as 1.2 percent, hitting an all-time high before closing out at $2,987.03 per share or a market cap of $1.98trillion The milestone market cap puts Alphabet into the same bracket as Apple Inc. and Microsoft Inc., which hit a $2trillion value in August 2020 and June 2021 respectively. US companies in the $2T market cap club Apple Inc. Apple hit the $2trillion market cap on August 19, 2020. As of November 2021, Apple has a market cap value of $2.08trillion. Microsoft Inc. Microsoft joined the $2trillion club on June 20, 2021. As of November 2021 Microsoft has a market cap value of $2.53trillion. Alphabet Inc. Google parent company Alphabet briefly crossed the $2trillion threshold on November 8, 2021. By close of day, the company 's valuation dropped to $1.98trillion where it currently remains. Advertisement Alphabet crept over the $2trillion mark Monday after its Class A shares gained as much as 1.2 percent, hitting an all-time high before closing out at $2,987.03 per share or a market cap of $1.98trillion. Experts predict Alphabet's stock to rise further because of its 'cheaper valuation and higher growth rate' than its fellow market leaders. Alphabet's average 12-month price target for the stock is $3,321, suggesting an 11 percent return from the current share price. Earnings per share are expected to reach $130 in 2023. The company's stock is reportedly a 'near-unanimous favorite' on Wall Street, with every analyst except one recommending a purchase of Alphabet shares. 'Given the especially attractive Covid rebound exposure, ever-rising YouTube engagement and monetization, and GCP's march toward profitability, we see solid reasons to own the name,' RBC Capital Markets analyst Brad Erickson said. 'Its cloud segment seems to be hitting a sweet-spot amid recent enterprise wins while Waymo could add another catalyst for expanding its total addressable market in the medium to long-term,' echoed Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Mandeep Singh, commenting on Alphabet's self-driving car development company. Alphabet had a record third quarter this year, earning $65.1billion and reporting revenue soaring by 41 percent. The company's profits jumped almost 69 percent, according to its earnings statement. Google Search saw a slight profit increase, growing to $37.9billion from $35.8billion in the previous quarter. YouTube, also owned by Alphabet, earned $7.2billion during the third quarter. Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney argues that Alphabet's results are 'some of the most impressive' seen in recent years. Meanwhile, Alphabet announced Thursday that it invested $1billion in Chicago-based exchange operator CME Group and struck a deal to move the company's trading systems technology infrastructure to Google Cloud next year. Analysts say the $2trillion milestone is fueled by an increase in digital ad spending and growth in the Google Cloud platform The agreement, a 10-year partnership, is a big win for Google Cloud, which competes with Amazon and Microsoft for large, lucrative contracts from blue-chip Fortune 500 companies. Analysts note the deal also gives Google a foothold in the financial services sector. 'This is really a demonstration by Google and CME, that we're really committed to the long-term journey necessary to take the hardest elements of the financial services industry to the cloud,' Philip Moyer, VP of strategic industries at Google Cloud told TechCrunch on Thursday. The move is positive for Alphabet, especially as analysts allege its cloud platform growth largely fueled its market cap growth. The EU is drawing up a retaliation package in a bid to stop Boris Johnson making good on threats to suspend the Northern Ireland protocol, it was claimed today. Brussels insiders say the bloc is preparing measures that could be implemented quickly, intending to present them in talks with the UK to gain 'leverage'. The proposals being circulated include blocking British fishing vessels from EU waters, and suspending 'preferential' tariffs on goods. Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney turned up the heat at the weekend by warning that the entire post-Brexit trade deal could be 'set aside' if the UK triggers Article 16 to prevent checks between mainland Britain and Northern Ireland. However, that process would potentially take a long time and Brussels is looking at ways of inflicting reprisals more quickly. Mujtaba Rahman, a former EU commission and Treasury aide who now advises on geopolitical risk, said one senior official had told him: 'In order to avoid escalation, you have to demonstrate escalation dominance.' A meeting between Lord Frost (right) and the EU's Maros Sefcovic (left) failed to break the impasse last week. The pair are due to hold more talks in London on Friday An anti-protocol sign on a lamppost in the Rathcoole housing estate of Newtownabbey, County Antrim Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, deputy first minister at Stormont, urged the UK to 'dial down the rhetoric' after a virtual meeting with Lord Frost today The options could apparently be laid out to Lord Frost by Maros Sefcovic when the pair meet on Friday. 'To dissuade UKG from triggering Article 16, EU is drawing up a package of short/medium term retaliatory measures which cd be put to @DavidGHFrost by @MarosSefcovic on Fri,' Mr Rahman said. The threats would include 'short-term tariff retaliation before arbitration proceedings'. Mr Rahman said Mr Sefcovid was originally convinced being more flexible would work, but was now 'advocating a much tougher approach' and had backing from commission president Ursula von der Leyen. Downing Street revealed today that Lord Frost has spoken to the French Europe minister Clement Beaune. A No 10 spokesman said the conversation covered the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and post-Brexit fishing rights. The two men are expected to speak again later this week, the spokesman added. Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill, deputy first minister at Stormont, urged the UK to 'dial down the rhetoric' after a virtual meeting with Lord Frost today. Two buses have been hijacked and burned out in loyalist areas in Northern Ireland this month in incidents linked to protocol opposition. Police were also attacked in clashes at a community interface in west Belfast involving youths from the nationalist Springfield Road and loyalist Shankill Road/Lanark Way on two nights last week. Ms O'Neill said Lord Frost did not confirm to her that the Government would definitely suspend the protocol, by triggering Article 16 of the mechanism. However, she linked the Government's repeated threats to trigger a suspension as a factor in heightening tensions that have seen the outbreaks of disorder. 'I've made it very clear to him that it's time to dial down the rhetoric, that the wider community here want solutions, they want to make the protocol work, they want us to iron out the issues that need to be resolved but they certainly don't want to see the spill out of the language, the incendiary language actually from the British Government and the DUP, that's now spilling out on to our streets and we now see street disorder none of us want that,' said Ms O'Neill. Mr Coveney said on Sunday that there will be 'very serious' consequences if the Article 16 mechanism is triggered. Although he stressed Brussels could go a 'little further' to ease the implementation of the rules, Mr Coveney said the trade agreement was 'contingent' on the divorce terms being honoured. A meeting between Lord Frost and Mr Sefcovic failed to break the impasse last week. The bloc says it has already 'bent over backwards' to make concessions on the implementation of the protocol, which was part of the Withdrawal Agreement. 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. Mr Coveney insisted the EU was in 'solutions mode' and wanted to do whatever it could to streamline checks required on goods moving from the British mainland to Northern Ireland. However, he told RTE Radio there was a limit to the EU's flexibility and criticised the UK's hard line, after Lord Frost insisted suspending the protocol is still 'on the table'. He complained that Britain was asking for a lot while offering nothing in return. Mujtaba Rahman, a former EU commission and Treasury aide who now advises on geopolitical risk, said one senior official had told him: 'In order to avoid escalation, you have to demonstrate escalation dominance.' Two former Oklahoma police officers have been found guilty of murder for using a Taser on an unarmed man 53 times, resulting in his death, during a 2019 arrest. After four hours of deliberations, a Carter County jury on Friday convicted Brandon Dingman, 35, and Joshua Taylor, 27, of second-degree murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, stemming from the killing of 28-year-old Jared Lakey, and recommended a 10-year prison sentence for each defendant. Dingman and Taylor are scheduled to be sentenced on December 2. Prosecutors argued during the trial that the repeated tasering was 'dangerous and unnecessary.' Scroll down for video Former Wilson, Oklahoma, police officers Brandon Dingman, 35 (left), and Joshua Taylor, 27 (right), were convicted Friday of second-degree murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon stemming from Jared Lakey's death Bodycam and dashboard camera videos from the July 4, 2019, arrest, showed the cops Tasering Lakey 53 times Prosecutors said the repeated tasering, which lasted more than 3 minutes, was 'dangerous and unnecessary' The fired officers' defense lawyers claimed that Lakey died from a neck restraint that was applied by a colleague. They also alleged that the victim had heart problems that contributed to his death, reported KXII. Lakey, 28, died of multiple heart attacks in the hospital two days after his arrest Wilson police officers Dingman and Taylor first came into contact with Lakey on July 4, 2019, after responding to a call that he was acting in a disorderly way by running naked outside and screaming. Body camera footage that was released last year by a law firm representing Lakey's family showed the two cops firing three stun guns a total of 53 times into Lakey's body in a span of less than four minutes as he lays shrieking in pain in a ditch. Lakey died in the hospital of multiple heart attacks two days later. Court documents stated that the officers use of Tasers was a 'substantial factor' in Lakeys death, and that the number of times they used their stun guns on the man 'greatly exceeded what would have been necessary or warranted.' Video shows Lakey failing to comply with the officers' commands to put his hands behind his back, but family's lawyers say he was not resisting Defense argued that Lakey died from a neck restraint that was applied by a third officer (pictured). He is heard in the video struggling for breath A medical examiner's report that was cited by the former officers' lawyers stated that Lakey had an enlarged heart and suffered from critical coronary artery disease, according to The New York Times. Oklahomas chief medical examiner, who performed Lakeys autopsy, testified that the use of Tasers and the neck restraint contributed to the man's death. 'Its just a tragedy for everybody,' Shannon McMurray, who represented Dingman at trial, told The New York Times. 'In my opinion, they acted within policy.' Wilson Police Chief Kevin Coley said from the stand that his officers had been deploying their Tasers to cause Lakey's muscles to freeze up so that they could handcuff him, but it did not work because he kept moving on the ground, which is why they continued using the stun guns. District 20 District Attorney Craig Ladd, however, noted that Taser training requires users to avoid deploying multiple devices on the same person for more than 15 seconds. In Lakey's case, Ladd said, Dingman and Taylor used two stun guns on the man for more than 3 minutes. 'They clearly failed to adhere to these safety guidelines,' Ladd told the jury. Attorneys for both officers said they would appeal their convictions. Lakey's family said in a statement that they were 'grateful to the jury and prosecution for taking these officers off the streets.' Lakey's (second from left) family said in a statement that they were 'grateful to the jury and prosecution for taking these officers off the streets' Attorneys for the Lakey family have argued that the officers' body camera video showed that the 28-year-old unarmed, naked man was not combative. One of the cops repeatedly orders Lakey to put his hands behind his back, the video shows. The nude man does not comply with the commands, but it seems in the video that he does not actively resist either. Lakey lays face down on the ground as the cops repeatedly tase him in the back. He is heard screaming, breathing heavily and begging for help. One of the officers radios in that Lakey 'is attempting to fight with us' and is 'still combative.' Later in the video, a county deputy arrives on the scene and puts Lakey in a chokehold for 40 seconds until he loses consciousness, allowing the cops to handcuff him. When Lakey wakes up, an officer presses his head to his chest as he sits on the ground wheezing. Later, officers are heard talking among themselves about the incident and speculating that based on his behavior, Lakey must be high of the drug PCP - a claim that proved to be unfounded. Lakey stopped breathing a short time later, but according to the attorneys, the officers on the scene failed to render medical aid for more than 3 minutes. He was eventually hospitalized and died on July 6. A medical examiner concluded that the 28-year-old died from a heart attack coupled with police use of an electrical weapon.' His toxicology report found that Lakey had no illegal drugs in his system. Following Lakey's death, Dingman and Taylor returned to work and had remained on the force until their arrests in July 2020. A soldier in Prince Harry's former regiment was repeatedly passed over for promotion and felt he had been bullied in the months before he hanged himself, a coroner heard today. Lance Corporal Joel Robinson served with The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, also known as the Blues and Royals, based at Combermere Barracks in Windsor, Berkshire. He was found dead in the barracks on March 25, 2019. Today, a coroner heard that the 24-year-old felt he had been repeatedly left behind by the Army, despite glowing reports suggesting he should be promoted. The inquest at Reading heard that LCpl Robinson was at one time drinking around 58 units of alcohol a week - four times the NHS recommended amount - according to his medical records. LCpl Joel Robinson had joined the army straight from school in 2010 Lance Corporal Joel Robinson (pictured) had been serving with The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment based at Combermere Barracks His mother, Angela Robinson, told Senior Berkshire Coroner Heidi Connor, that LCpl Robinson felt he was being bullied while on a posting in Germany. The coroner said the young man's cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging Her barrister, Adam Payter, told the coroner: 'In messages, he described a number of occasions from 2017 onwards that his boss, LCpl Joyce, was 'literally bullying' him and that he would 'fly off the handle at him' and threaten him. 'He made references to "surviving" this process.' The hearing was told that despite glowing reports which said LCpl Robinson was 'graded fifth in his squadron overall' and that he was 'often seen and judged as if he was a Corporal', he was never promoted. The inquest was told he eventually decided to file a service complaint to the regiment about what he felt was bullying that targeted him. However, he was worried this could cause him to be further overlooked. His mother told the inquest: 'Joel thought that he would have been overlooked if he went through with the service complaint. 'He did not want to grass on his mates and he thought it would be badly looked upon by his peers. There was one thing that Joel wanted and that was to be promoted. 'He felt his self-esteem was low when people got promoted over him when he should have been promoted. He felt he was being overlooked because of the service complaint.' The inquest, expected to last three days, heard that the young man had repeatedly drafted the service complaint but he felt that his superiors were trying to talk him out of it and that they would not take it seriously. Mr Payter added: 'LCpl Robinson said there was a very definite threat that he would never be promoted if there was a service complaint made. At the opening of his inquest in May, the coroner said the young man's cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging 'He felt there was no other choice but to go ahead with the complaint because no one else was listening.' The inquest heard from Dr William Wall, a former medical officer in LCpl Robinson's regiment, who revealed that the soldier had 'a difficult history with alcohol'. Dr Wall, who now works as a GP, told the coroner that LCpl Robinson had been offered a number of services to help him during the grieving period after his father's death in 2016, including counselling support and his experience with Alcoholics Anonymous. Asked if LCpl Robinson received the same level of mental health support in the military as he would have had as a civilian, Dr Wall said: 'The mental health care was much better than he would have seen in civilian life.' Dr Wall told the coroner that he was not aware of any bullying allegations or rumours relating to the soldier's time at Combermere Barracks. He said that LCpl Robinson had never brought up the issue with him. 'I think he was, at that point, drinking too much and I think it would be put down as "binge-drinking". In terms of risk, there was no concern raised other than a person who was drinking more than the recommended amount of alcohol.' Earlier, the inquest heard that LCpl Robinson had joined the army in 2010 straight out of school and his mother, who is herself an army veteran, thought it was a safe place for him to have a career. Mrs Robinson, who is a retired mental health nurse, told the coroner that she believed her son had not meant to kill himself that evening, adding: 'I don't think that he meant to take his life that night. Prince Harry marches for the presentation of Afghanistan war campaign medals to officers and soldiers of the Household Cavalry Regiment at Combermere Barracks on May 5, 2008 Combermere Barracks at Windsor where both LCpl Robinson and Prince Harry served 'There were plenty of opportunities in his room to place a ligature, there were all sorts of places he could have used if he wanted to. 'I think that he did what he did... because he wanted to be helped. He took a dog with him and that dog was noisy and had a collar that clanged.' The inquest continues. For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. A Texas teenager who plowed into six cyclists in his modified pick-up truck has been charged with aggravated assault six weeks after the incident. The 16-year-old, who has not been named as he is a juvenile, is accused of 'rolling coal,' or billowing smoke from his exhaust pipe, as he passed the cyclists in Waller City on September 25, before he swerved into the crowd and stuck six of them. He is accused of hitting them after accelerating too fast in his Ford F150 to produce more exhaust fumes before he could hit the brakes. Four were sent to the hospital in the aftermath - two by airlift. Three of the victims continue to face serious injuries six weeks later. But the suspect was not arrested at the scene, sparking statewide criticism of the police department, as residents accused the officers on the scene of preferential treatment for the teenager's unspecified connection to Waller City officials. The teenager, seen right in the white cap and obscured by the door of his Ford F150, is accused of striking six cyclists with his Ford F150 on September 25 The police department has denied these claims, and on Monday, the Waller County District Attorney's Office announced that the driver would be charged with six counts of aggravated assault, one count for each cyclist injured. He surrendered after the charges were brought, the District Attorney's Office noted, and was detained by representatives from the juvenile justice department, where he 'will be held in custody until further orders of the juvenile court.' Witnesses say the teenage driver was billowing smoke at the cyclists as they were training for the Ironman Texas triathlon on September 25. The driver swerved over to the cyclists and 'got within feet' of cyclist Chase Ferrell, he told FOX 26 at the time, before he proceeded down the road and swerved over to another group of cyclists in front of Ferrell. The cyclists were reportedly training for the Ironman Texas triathlon when the teen plowed into them Four of the cyclists were rushed to the hospital in the aftermath, and two had to be airlifted from the scene on Old Highway 290 in Waller City, Texas He said the teenager 'was accelerating to blow more diesel fuel on these cyclists,' and added that the driver 'ended up hitting three people before his brakes even started.' 'There was no reason for this to happen,' Ferrell said. 'It wasnt like he was on his phone. [He] definitely meant to try and scare these people [or] intimidate them in some way. [Maybe he then] made a mistake and ran them over.' The driver was pictured talking on the phone, wearing a white hat, outside of his modified Ford F150 after the crash, as victims were pictured bleeding on the side of the road. He reportedly stayed on the scene to speak with police after the incident, but was not charged at the time. In a statement to KHOU, an attorney for the teenager, Rick DeToto said: 'My client is a young man in high school with college aspirations. He is a new and inexperienced driver. 'Immediately after the accident, police did an investigation at the scene. This included speaking with eye witnesses to the accident. 'After their investigation, they decided not to charge my client, and did not issue him a traffic ticket. 'My client stopped immediately, called 911, attempted to render aid and cooperated with police,' De Toto added. 'The family prays for a quick recovery for the injured drivers.' He also said in a statement to Chron following the boys' arrest: 'My client and his family continue to pray for the quick recovery of the injured bikers. 'Due to the confidentiality laws surrounding juvenile cases, we have no further comment at this time.' DailyMail.com has reached out to De Toto for more information. The driver was reportedly 'rolling coal,' or billowing smoke from his exhaust pipes, at the cyclists before he struck them. Trucks have to be modified to 'roll coal,' like the one scene in this stock image Waller County District Attorney Elton R. Mathis accused the police department of showing the boy preferential treatment for his 'connections' to city officials The Waller County District Attorney's Office announced on Monday that the teenager has been charged with assault in the But the driver was reportedly not given a sobriety test following the accident, as the cops reportedly failed to question the victims and other cyclists at the scene. They had planned to file a lawsuit against the driver, KHOU reports, as the victims suffered from traumatic brain injuries and broken bones. 'I don't understand,' Ferrell told FOX 26. 'If it was me who had struck someone else, I would be in jail.' Three days after the crash, the Waller County District Attorney's Office posted that it was investigating the police department's handling of the case. It noted that the district attorney's office has 'no authority over the decisions made by the City of Waller Police Department regarding who to arrest or not to arrest.' It added: 'We are also aware of the identity of the juvenile and can guarantee that from the perspective of this office he will receive no favorable or unfavorable treatment based upon who his family may or may not be.' The office later confirmed the teenager had 'connections' to Waller City officials, and claimed the Waller City Police Department did not properly handle the investigation and failed to alert the District Attorney's office about the crash in the immediate aftermath. 'This case was not handled appropriately by the investigating agency. PERIOD,' District Attorney Elton R. Mathis wrote, adding: 'All sides of this matter (the juvenile, the adult passenger, their families, the victims and their friends/families) can be assured that this case is not being swept away as the days pass, and attorneys for both boys are being cooperative at this time. 'This will not be a lynching and likewise it will not be a case of small county politics making problems just go away.' Mathis noted, however, he did not find evidence that the boy's connections had anything to do with the officers' decisions not to charge him. Waller City Police Chief Bill Llewellyn agreed that the situation was mishandled, but denied it had anything to do with the drivers' connections. He asserted he had 'not received any influence from any member of city administration regarding this incident,' according to The Drive, and told KHOU the mistakes that were made at the scene 'were due to the lack of knowledge on our part and those shortcomings are being dealt with internally and will not be repeated.' It is unclear what the boy's connection to city officials are. Llewellyn also denied that Mathis' claims that the District Attorney's Office was not notified about the incident, saying a police officer at the scene tried to call two people from his office, but no one answered. 'My sergeant was counseled regarding failing to leave a message,' Llewellyn said. 'But I would also recommend that if the office head wishes to decrease his frustration, he should recommend to his employees that they answer their phone when "on call."' Opha May Johnson was the first woman known to have enlisted in the United States Marine Corps 1918 - First woman to enlist the Marines, Opha May Jackson In 1918, the Secretary of Navy allowed women to enroll for clerical duty in the Marine Corps. Officially, Opha May Johnson is credited as the first woman Marine. Johnson enrolled for service on August 13, 1918; during that year some 300 women first entered the Marine Corps to take over stateside clerical duties from battle-ready Marines who were needed overseas. The Marine Corps Women's Reserve was established in February 1943. June 12th, 1948, Congress passed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act and made women a permanent part of the regular Marine Corps. Staff Sgt. Esther McGowin Blake was the 'first woman in the Air Force' 1948 - First woman in the Air Force, Esther McGowin Blake Staff Sgt. Esther McGowin Blake has the distinction of being the 'first woman in the Air Force.' She enlisted in the first minute of the first hour of the first day regular Air Force duty was authorized for women on July 8, 1948. Blake originally enlisted in March 1944, in Miami in the Army Air Forces, served one year in the Alaskan division and was discharged in November 1945. She reenlisted in April 1947 and was assigned to the ground force but seized the first opportunity to return to the Army Air Forces. CSM Michelle Jones was the first woman to become top enlisted advisor of the Army Reserve 2002 - First woman Command Sergeant Major, Michelle Jones Michelle Jones was the first woman in the US Army Reserve to reach the position of command sergeant major and was at one time the highest-ranking female enlisted person in any branch of the United States military, as well as the highest-ranking enlisted African American in the Army Reserve. 2003 Private First Class Lori Ann Piestewa was the first Native American woman in history to die in combat while serving in the U.S. military and the first woman in the U.S. military killed in the Iraq War. SGT Leigh Ann Hester is one of the few women to be awarded for valor in close-quarters combat 2004 - First woman to be awarded the Silver Star since World War II SGT Leigh Ann Hester becomes the first woman to be awarded the Silver Star since World War II and the first ever to be awarded the Silver Star for direct combat action. Leigh Ann Hester was a sergeant with the National Guard's Kentucky-based 617th Military Police Company when she was deployed to Iraq, and in 2005, she was scanning and clearing a route for a supply convoy near Baghdad when her squad was ambushed by enemy fire. Monica Lin Brown is a United States Army sergeant and medic who became the first woman during the War in Afghanistan 2007 - First woman in Afghanistan, Monica Brown SPC. Monica Brown becomes the first woman to serve in Afghanistan and the second woman since World War II to be awarded the Silver Star. Monica Lin Brown was born on May 24, 1988 in Lake Jackson, Texas. She joined the United States Army at the age of 17. She became a Combat Medic and has risen to the rank of Sergeant. Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody becomes the first woman four-star general in military history and the first woman to lead a major Army command 2008 - First woman to earn the rank of four-star general in the entire armed forces, Ann E. Dunwoody Ann E. Dunwoody is the first woman to earn the rank of four-star general not only in the Army, but the entire U.S. armed forces. General Dunwoody joined the Army in 1974, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Women's Army Corps in 1975 and her first assignment was as supply platoon leader, 226th Maintenance Company (Forward, Direct Support), 100th Supply and Services Battalion (Direct Support), in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. 2010 Sergeant Sherri Gallegher becomes first woman to win Best Warrior Soldier of the Year. 2011 LTG Patricia Horoho becomes first woman and first nurse to lead the U.S. Army Medical Command. BG Gwen Bingham becomes the first woman to serve as quartermaster general and the first African-American woman Quartermaster Corps general. 2012 Brig. Gen. Margaret W. Burcham is the first woman to be promoted to general officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 2013 Brig. Gen. Flora D. Darpino is promoted to three stars, and becomes the Army's 39th Judge Advocate General. She is the first woman in the JAG 236 year history to serve as the top lawyer. 2015 Two women graduate Ranger school for the first time, Kristen Griest and Capt. Shaye Haver. Ranger School graduate CPT Kristen Griest is Army's first woman infantry officer; she is assigned to Fort Benning 2016 - First woman Infantry Officer, Kristen Griest In 2011, Kristen Griest was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Military Police branch an option available to women where she felt would give her experience closest to the infantry. She was assigned to the 4th Brigade Combat Team 'Currahee' of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) where she served as an MP Platoon Leader from 2012-2014. She also deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 where she led over 100 missions outside the wire performing convoy escorts and working with the Afghan Army during Operation Enduring Freedom. During this deployment, she was awarded a Bronze Star Medal. 2021 An unnamed female sailor has successfully completed the grueling 37-week training course to become a Naval Special Warfare combatant-craft crewman. An unidentified soldier successfully completed the seven-week Army Sniper Course. Source: Foundation for Women Warriors China has been hit by freezing temperatures and the first snowstorm of the year Footage shows the bears rolling around on their backs and falling down a slide Qi Qiao and Qi Xi played in the snow at a wildlife park in Ordos, Inner Mongolia This is the adorable moment that playful twin giant pandas were seen frolicking and rolling around in deep snow in northern China after the first blizzards of the year. Heartwarming video footage, taken on November 6, shows female twin pandas, called Qi Qiao and Qi Xi, clumsily playing in the snow at the Ordos Animal Park in Ordos, Inner Mongolia. The clip begins with one of the pandas adorably falling on its back in the blanket of fresh snow, as the fun-loving animal seems to be enjoying the snowstorm. The seven-year-old pandas also roll down a snow-covered slide as they make the most of the icy weather at the wildlife park. Heartwarming video footage, taken on November 6, shows twin pandas Qi Qiao and Qi Xi clumsily playing in the snow at a wildlife park in Ordos in Inner Mongolia The playful bears end up with their fur covered in a layer of snow after the twin pandas enjoyed doing roly-polys in the snow. Last year, Qi Qiao and Qi Xi were also filmed playing in the snow during the freezing climes of Inner Mongolia. It comes as an early-season snowstorm has blanketed much of northern China, including the capital Beijing and Inner Mongolia, with snow as deep as 11in (30cm) being forecast in some areas. By contrast, summer temperatures can soar to 100F (38C), with keepers at the Ordos Animal Park known to freeze fruit in ice to help them cool down. Thankfully the sisters share a 3,200sq m (0.70-acre) covered 'villa' at the park, where conditions are controlled to ensure they remain comfortable during the extreme seasons. Qi Qiao and Qi Xi were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwestern China's Sichuan province. In 2016 at the age of two, the pandas were transported by plane to Ordos. At the park they are cared for by a team of three breeders and two veterinarians. The clip begins with one of the pandas adorably falling on its back in the blanket of deep snow, as the fun-loving animal seems to be enjoying the snowstorm The pandas also roll down a snow-covered slide as they make the most of the icy weather at the wildlife park Their father is a giant panda in Atlanta, US, and their mother, named Qifu, still lives at the Chengdu Research Base. On average, giant pandas live to the age of 20 so the sisters, seven, are still youngsters. Northern China has been hit by freezing temperatures and the first snowfall of the year, which has sparked highway closures and flight and train cancellations. China's weather agency issued the winter's first snowstorm orange alert, the second-highest level, while forecasters said the winter weather struck around a month earlier than usual due to the climate phenomenon known as La Nina. The China Meteorological Administration (CMA) has forecast major snowfalls in the coming days, with cold waves that will move southwards and engulf most of China. The National Meteorological Centre forecast blizzards in northeastern China at the weekend, with some regions getting 45 millimetres (1.8 inches) of snow over 24 hours and heavy snow across the northern part of the country. The playful bears end up with their fur covered in a layer of snow after the twin pandas enjoyed doing roly-polys in the snow A cold snap also swept from Beijing to Shanghai to Guangzhou, pushing down temperatures by as much as 14C (25F) on Sunday, the weather agency said. Beijing was hit hardest on Sunday morning. Several sections of road were closed, bus services were suspended on more than 160 routes and flights were reduced at the city's two major airports, state media said. In Inner Mongolia, flights were cancelled on Saturday at the airport in Hohhot, the capital of the Chinese region, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The snowstorm also saw an avalanche of fresh snow collapse onto a woman's head as she walked up to her front door in in Langfang, Hebei province, on November 7. In the footage, she was about to open the door when a huge slab of snow slid down from the roof and almost crushed her. She was reportedly uninjured but needed to go back inside to recover from the shock and change clothes. A mother-of-four accused of killing her son and daughter in a crash on the M1 in Buckinghamshire has appeared in court today. Mary McCann, from Derby, who is charged with two counts of death by dangerous driving, made a brief appearance at Aylesbury Crown Court via a video link from HMP Bronzefield. The 35-year-old, of Derby, was driving a white Vauxhall Astra when it collided with a Scania HGV at approximately 11.30pm on Monday, August 9. Her son Smaller, 10, and daughter Lilly, 4, were killed in the crash on the northbound carriageway between junctions 14 and 15, near Milton Keynes. She and another child passenger survived the crash and were taken to hospital with minor injuries. The lorry driver was unhurt, but the motorway was closed for 12 hours. Mary McCann (pictured), 35, of Derby made a brief appearance at Aylesbury Crown Court via a video link from HMP Bronzefield, charged with two counts of death by dangerous driving She is set to stand trial over the deaths of her son Smaller (pictured), 10, and daughter Lilly, four, after slamming her Vauxhall Astra into a Scania HGV while driving on the M1 on August 9 She and another child passenger survived the crash on the M1 in Buckinghamshire, and were taken to hospital with minor injuries. Pictured: Ms McCann's children Lilly and Smaller According to a family member, McCann was driving back from a party in London. McCann's Facebook page showed an image of son Smaller next to a birthday cake and 10th birthday balloon which was uploaded on Monday, August 9, the day of the crash. The defendant was not required to enter any pleas in front of Judge Francis Sheridan during a short hearing on Tuesday. She was remanded back into custody to appear before the same court on December 10. Two months ago, McCann failed to appear before court, but surrendered herself a few days later at Aylesbury Police Station where she was arrested. Their mother's Facebook page showed an image of son Smaller next to a birthday cake and 10th birthday balloon which was uploaded on Monday, August 9, the day of the crash Her son Smaller (left), 10, and daughter Lilly, four, died after Ms McCann slammed her white Vauxhall Astra into a Scania HGV while driving on the M1 near J14 and J15 on August 9 After the crash, devastated family members paid heartbreaking tributes to the children on social media. One wrote: 'Life is cruel to take them away from my lovely brother. Best old father in the world, he put them first no matter how hard he hit they were his life please god give him the strength.' The children's aunt said: 'RIP my perfect little niece and nephew. Aunt Elizabeth's old pet Smaller and me little frilly Lilly. 'Love you always and forever and never in this lifetime will you ever be forgotten, always loved.' A family friend put: 'Mortal divine RIP beautiful angels. So sorry for your loss, their poor mommy and daddy.' A cousin wrote: 'Can't believe I'm even writing this but rest in peace to my two beautiful little cousins Smaller and Lilly. 'I love you with all my heart. I love you so much this don't even feel real. What has this world come to, hearts in bits. RIP my babies.' Marie Antoinette's two diamond bracelets, that were sent away for safekeeping before her execution, are expected to sell for 3million at an auction today. The stunning bracelets in silver and yellow gold, which are both made up of three strands and contain 112 diamonds, are being sold by Christie's auction in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday. They were among her few surviving possessions sent from France two years before she and her husband, King Louis XVI, were captured during the French Revolution and beheaded in 1793. Marie Antoinette's two diamond bracelets, that were sent away for safekeeping before her execution, are expected to sell for 3million at an auction in Geneva today Marie Antionette bought the matching bracelets for 250,000 livres in 1776, just two years after taking the throne with her husband King Louis XVI, paying for them partly with gemstones from her personal collection and with funds provided by her husband. The king's personal papers dated at the time state: 'To the queen: down payment of 29,000 livres for the diamond bracelets she bought in Boehmer.' As the French Revolution gathered pace, the French queen placed the bracelets in a wooden chest which she entrusted to Austrian ambassador and personal friend, Count Mercy-Argenteau, in Brussels in 1791. The stunning bracelets in silver and yellow gold, which are both made up of three strands and contain 112 diamonds, are being sold by Christie's auction house on Tuesday They were among her few surviving possessions sent away from France two years before Antoinette (pictured) and her husband, King Louis XVI, were captured during the French Revolution and beheaded in 1793 After the royal couple were executed in 1793 the jewellery was presented to their eldest daughter, 17-year-old Marie-Therese, known as Madame Royale - the only surviving member of the French royal family. She was exiled to Britain and when she died in 1851, her jewellery collection was divided among her three nieces and nephews, the Count and Countess of Chambord and the Duchess of Parma. In a portrait by Antoine-Jean Gros, painted in 1816, Marie-Theresa is wearing a pair of diamond bracelets remarkably similar to those she received from her mother. The bracelets were presented to British auction house, Christie's, by a mystery member of European royalty who is now selling them almost 250 years after Marie-Therese's death. After her death, the stunning jewellery was given to their eldest daughter, 17-year-old Marie-Therese, known as Madame Royale, the only surviving member of the French royal family In a portrait painted in 1816, Marie-Theresa is wearing a pair of diamond bracelets remarkably similar to those she received from her mother. Above: Marie-Therese is seen wearing the jewellery in the portrait painted by Antoine-Jean Gros The two matching bracelets have been presented to Christie's auctioneers by a mystery member of European royalty who is selling them almost 250 years after Marie-Therese's death They have been billed as one of the last remaining possessions of Marie Antoinette's rich jewelry collection that are still available for sale. The head of Christie's jewelry department in Geneva, Max Fawcett, said: 'To find a historic piece that can be traced back over 200 years is incredibly rare.' The bracelets will be joined at Tuesday's auction by a ruby and diamond Cartier bangle that once belonged to Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor and is expected to reach up to 1.62 million. Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee, married the Duke of Windsor, the former British King Edward VIII, after he abdicated the throne in December 1936 in order to marry her. The bracelets will be joined at Tuesday's auction by a ruby and diamond Cartier bangle that once belonged to Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor and is expected to reach up to 1.62 million The Duke of Windsor, the former British King Edward VIII, gifted Simpson with the bracelet on their first anniversary in June 1938 while they were living in France, inscribed with the words, 'For our first anniversary of June third He gifted Simpson with the bracelet on their first anniversary in June 1938 while they were living in France, inscribed with the words, 'For our first anniversary of June third.' The duchesss jewelry collection was first put up for auction in 1987 after her death, where it sold for far more than originally estimated. Christie's Mr Fawcett, said: 'She [Simpson] was really influential figure that people looked to as an icon in the jewelry world. 'She had an incredible jewels and when they do come up for sale, it's something that collectors are looking for.' Advertisement Exuberant and adorable polar bear cubs have been snapped playing in the snow with their mothers in a series of breathtaking new images. Wildlife photographer Isabel Jauss, from Hamburg, Germany, followed several families of polar bears for weeks to capture the pics featuring the cuddly critters and their fierce mamas. The cute cubs can be seen clambering all over their mothers as they frolic together in the snow, while other cubs snuggled up into their mom's warm fur coat as she lay down to rest. Isabel took the incredible images at various locations around the Arctic circle, including Wapusk National Park and Baffin Island in Canada, as well as the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, but did not specify where each image was taken. She even managed to capture a family of what appear to be triplets - a rare occurrence as most polar bear litters typically feature one or two cubs. 'The polar bear is one of my favorite animals,' said Isabel. 'When I saw the rare triplets, I couldn't believe my luck. They were just playing with their mother. 'I learned where I might find a mum and her cubs leaving their dens, so I got myself a warm coat, some solid boots, and went up there in the Arctic climate.' A mama bear looks over a snowy ridge and snuggles with one of her cubs as the other clambers playfully over her One mother bear was pictured during a snowy snooze as her cub lay sprawled out on top of her nestled in her thick fur The stunning images were captured by wildlife photographer Isabel Jauss, from Hamburg, Germany, who travelled around the Arctic circle searching for the amazing beasts (isaphotography.com/@isawildlife) Isabel also managed to capture a family of what appear to be triplets - a rare occurrence as most polar bear litters typically feature one or two cubs. One of the cubs can be seen playfully biting the ear of their sibling Like other predators at the top of the food chain, polar bears have a low reproductive rate. One or two cubs are born in midwinter and stay with their mother for two years. Consequently, females breed only every three years, and the bears don't reproduce until they are five or six years old. Isabel's shots of each polar bear family are stunning - but her snaps of polar bear triplets are particularly impressive given how rare it is for a mother to give birth to three babies at once. Majestic, increasingly hungry and at risk of disappearing, the polar bear is dependent on something melting away on our warming planet: sea ice. In the harsh and unforgiving Arctic, where frigid cold is not just a way of life but a necessity, the polar bear stands out. But where it lives, where it hunts, where it eats - it's disappearing underfoot during the summertime. 'The polar bear is one of my favorite animals,' said Isabel, who trekked around Canada and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in pursuit of the stunning animals A polar bear mom wraps one of her cubs in a tight, snuggly embrace while the other fluffball peeks at the camera over her belly Two adorable polar bear cubs copy their mother as the bears look out on their habitat from a snowy peak. The loss of Arctic ice in the summertime due to climate change is causing polar bears to struggle to find food 'They have just always been a revered species by people, going back hundreds and hundreds of years,' said longtime government polar bear researcher Steve Amstrup, now chief scientist for Polar Bear International. 'Theres just something special about polar bears.' Scientists and advocates point to polar bears, marked as 'threatened' on the endangered species list, as the white-hot warning signal for the rest of the planet - 'the canary in the cryosphere.' Twila Moon, a National Snow and Ice Data Center scientist, said: 'It's near impossible for us to see a place where we dont reach an essentially sea ice-free Arctic, even if were able to do the work to create much, much lower emissions' of heat-trapping gases.' 'Sea ice is one of those things that well see reach some pretty devastating lows along that path. And we can already see those influences for polar bears.' In the harsh and unforgiving Arctic, where frigid cold is not just a way of life but a necessity, the polar bear is an incredible predator. But the Arctic ice that is their home and hunting ground is disappearing underfoot during recent summers amid global warming Freedom! A polar bear mom manages to extricate herself from her babies just for a moment and takes the opportunity for a stretch and a roll in the snow as one of her cubs looks on Advertisement Alec Baldwin was spotted back in New York dining with wife Hilaria, weeks after retreating to Vermont following his accidental shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last month. The couple were spotted Sunday evening as they ate outdoors at their favorite Italian restaurant and celebrity hotspot Il Cantinori in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. Baldwin, 63, looked tired and a bit worse for wear as he talked with his yoga instructor wife at their outdoor table around 9pm, according to onlookers. He wore a black coat and had his hair unkempt, while mom-of-six Hilaria looked casual in a patterned flannel sweater. Alec Baldwin was spotted dining in New York with wife Hilaria Sunday evening - weeks after the couple escaped to Vermont with their six children The couple were spotted out in plain sight as they dined outdoors at celebrity hotspot Il Cantinori in Manhattan's Greenwich Village According to onlookers, Baldwin looked 'very rough' and 'sullen' during the outing - which comes on the heels of his accidental on-set shooting that left a cinematographer dead The embattled actor has been keeping a low profile after accidentally firing the gun that killed the cinematographer on the set of his film Rust in New Mexico on October 21. 'We were very surprised to see him out because we knew he hasn't been seen in public [in New York] since the accident,' an onlooker at the restaurant told DailyMail.com. 'He looked very rough and not very polished. He seemed very sullen.' The eyewitness said the couple were not approached during their meal since the restaurant was largely empty. The outing marks the first time the Baldwins have been seen together in New York since retreating to Manchester, Vermont, where they were staying in a hideaway rental with their six children while the investigation in Santa Fe continues. On Tuesday the actor was back to promoting his podcast, Here's the Thing, which appeared to be on hiatus due to the tragic accident. Baldwin took to Instagram to ask followers to tune into his latest episode with children's author and illustrator Marla Frazee. 'She is also the true talent behind Boss Baby, the business-suit-wearing, hard-charging infant who changed my life. In this episode, Marla tackles serious topics such as babies, birthday cake, boxer shorts, boys, and roller coasters. Listen now at the link in my bio,' he wrote. Baldwin, who had been shooting the upcoming western film in New Mexico, was told the prop gun he was rehearsing with on set was 'cold', or safe to use, according to the Santa Fe county sheriff's office. He wore a black coat and had his hair unkempt, while mom-of-six Hilaria looked casual in a patterned flannel sweater The outing marks the first time the Baldwins are seen in New York after they retreated to Vermont with their kids after coming under intense scrutiny But tragedy unfolded when he fired the weapon and it turned out to be loaded with live rounds, killing Hutchins and injuring film director Joel Souza. Baldwin released a statement expressing his 'shock and sadness regarding the accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours.' Halyna Hutchins (pictured) died on October 21 after Alec Baldwin pointed and fired a Colt pistol at her during a scene 'I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family,' he said. 'My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.' The Hollywood actor has since urged film and TV productions to hire police officers to monitor weapons and ensure guns used in filming are safe. Unionized workers had walked off the set hours before the fatal shooting, after they complained about long hours, shoddy conditions and another safety incident days earlier involving 'two misfires' of a prop weapon. Alec has since told reporters he doesn't think production will resume. No one has been charged over the fatal accident but Santa Fe County Sheriff's office said 'no one' had been ruled out. Last week the Baldwins were spotted numerous times as they tried to lay low in New England in the midst of the controversy and heightened scrutiny. But the couple faced further backlash on Halloween after Hilaria posted what critics called 'tasteless' and 'inappropriate' holiday photos of their family on the heels of the tragic shooting. 'Parenting through this has been an intense experience, to say the least,' Hilaria, 37, wrote on Instagram Sunday. 'Today, we rallied to give them a holiday. Last min costumesa little hodge-podgebut they were so happy and that warmed my mama heart.' The Baldwins had been staying at a hideaway rental in Manchester where they were spotted going into town a few times last week DailyMail.com spotted Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria stepping out for a coffee run in Manchester Alec - dressed in all-black with a mask around his chin - held his coffee and a pastry in a bag as he got into his car to head back to the couple's six-bedroom Manchester home The family most recently were forced to deal with another mishap after their beloved cat Emilio went missing last Tuesday while they were in Vermont. Hilaria, 37, took to Instagram to ask the public to keep an eye out for the furry feline which had joined the family as a kitten in April. 'We can't find our cat, Emilio. If anyone sees him, please help him get home. We are all so upset. He's microchipped but no collar,' she wrote, sharing a photo of the cat alongside infant daughter Maria Lucia. She updated followers later that afternoon, confirming they have been reunited with the furry feline, which seemed to have suffered a broken leg. Hilaria, 37, last week took to her Instagram to post a snap of their beloved pet named Emilio with infant daughter Maria Lucia in hopes of tracking down the cat Alec, 63, and his wife, Hilaria, 37, celebrated Halloween with their six children on Sunday - days after Halyna Hutchins' death on the Rust movie set 'We found him. Thank you to all of those who helped. I'm so grateful, beyond words,' she wrote alongside a photo of the cat in a travel carrier. 'Emilio seems to have a broken leg, but he is alert. Fingers crossed he will pull through.' Hilaria gave a shoutout to those who helped bring their missing pet home, but not without taking a dig at 'the paparazzi' and the media, who she accused of chasing and hounding the couple. 'I won't mention you because the paparazzi and tabloid media are calling every single connection to us, and I don't want you to be harassed too, in their frenzy to make more money,' she continued. Advertisement China now has the world's largest navy and is preparing to launch a new high-tech aircraft carrier by February, the Pentagon has revealed. Beijing has 'numerically the largest navy in the world with an overall battle force of approximately 355 ships and submarines,' the Defense Department said last Wednesday in its annual report on China. That compares with 296 warships at the US Navy's disposal, 69 vessels operated by the Royal Navy and 295 boats deployed by the Russian Navy. Beijing is expected to add a third aircraft carrier in early 2022, dubbed Type-003, with satellite images from the shipyard published today indicating that it will rival the American super carriers. Pictures of Jiangnan Shipyard from September to October show that significant progress has been made to the carrier's external components and that works on other vessels in the yard appear to have slowed, perhaps because the Type-003 has taken precedence. Washington-based think-tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says that the carrier could be ready as early as February, stating that it 'will launch in roughly three to six months.' The US currently leads the world with 11 aircraft carriers, Britain operates two, including its brand new HMS Queen Elizabeth, while Russia owns a single carrier. China's growing threat was underscored further as satellite pictures emerged of mock-ups of a US aircraft carrier and destroyer in its northwestern desert, believed to be used in wargames amid rising tensions between the nuclear-armed nations. Pictures of Jiangnan Shipyard from September to October show that significant progress has been made to the carrier's external components and that works on other vessels in the yard appear to have slowed, perhaps because the Type-003 has taken precedence. The Type-003 under construction in Jiangnan Shipyard in September. The vessel is expected to launch in February A number of People's Liberation Army Naval vessels are visible at various times in the floodable basin at Jiangnan Shipyard China has built mock-ups of US aircraft carriers (pictured) in the country's northwestern desert, possibly in preparation for future naval strikes Satellite images captured by Colorado-based satellite imagery company Maxar Technologies dated Sunday show China has built a mock-up of a US destroyed in Ruoqiang, Xinjiang The independent US Naval Institute said on its website that the mock-ups of US ships (pictured, a rail terminus and target storage) were part of a new target range developed by the People's Liberation Army Images captured by Colorado-based satellite imagery company Maxar Technologies dated Sunday show the outlines of the vessels sitting on sitting on a railway track. Maxar identified the location as Ruoqiang, a Taklamakan Desert county in the northwestern Xinjiang region. The independent U.S. Naval Institute said on its website that the mock-ups were part of a new target range developed by the People's Liberation Army (PLA). The USNI said it could identify features on the destroyer including its funnels and weapons systems. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at a daily briefing Monday that he had no information about the images, saying, 'I'm not aware of the situation you mentioned.' China's massive military upgrade has emphasised countering the US and other countries' naval forces. That includes the development of land, sea and air-launched missiles to repel and possibly sink opposing vessels, expressed most emphatically by the land-based DF-21D ballistic missile known as the 'carrier killer.' Recent months have also seen a substantial increase in Chinese military flights just southwest of Taiwan, the self-governing island republic claimed by Beijing and which it threatens to annex by force. Washington provides Taiwan with much of its weaponry and US law requires that it ensures the island can defend itself and treats threats to it as matters of 'grave concern.' The images released by Maxar come amid growing concerns over the possibility of military conflict between the world's two biggest economies, who are at odds over a litany of political and economic issues. The Pentagon this month issued a report saying China is expanding its nuclear force much faster than U.S. officials predicted just a year ago. China's second aircraft carrier, the Shandong, was officially launched in 2020. It is the country's first domestically-built carrier China's new Type-003 is believed to compete in size with America's super carriers (pictured: the USS Gerald R. Ford, constructed in 2017 and then-America's first new aircraft carrier design for 40 years) That appears designed to enable Beijing to match or surpass U.S. global power by mid-century, the report said. US defense officials have said they are increasingly wary of China's intentions, largely with regard to the status of Taiwan. 'The PLA's evolving capabilities and concepts continue to strengthen (China's) ability to `fight and win wars' against a `strong enemy' - a likely euphemism for the United States,' the report said. China's navy and coast guard are also adding new vessels at a record pace, concentrating them in the South China Sea, the strategic waterway that China claims virtually in its entirety. While the US Navy remains predominant, its resources are divided between the Indo-Pacific, the Persian Gulf, the Mediterranean and other regions where American interests lie. Tensions have soared with the United States in recent weeks after Washington announced the new Aukus security pact with the UK and Australia, which is designed to counter China's threat in the Indo-Pacific. Despite China's overall numerical naval advantage, the number of aircraft carriers is crucial as these vessels act as floating fortresses and represent a formidable strategic obstacle for the enemy to overcome. Beijing's latest carrier, the second it has built domestically, is reported to possess electromagnetic catapults for launching jets off the deck and to be powered by hybrid electric propulsion. Its launch early next year will be keenly watched by Washington which was recently caught off guard after it emerged that China had launched a hypersonic nuclear missile in August. The hypersonic missiles can reach speeds of up to 21,000mph and can strike anywhere on Earth from space within minutes. 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 at the weekend by security analysts assigned to work out its purpose Pictured: China launches the Shenzhou-13 spacecraft on October 16, carried on the Long March-2F carrier rocket, to Chinese Tiangong space station China is thought to have carried out two tests of a hypersonic orbital nuke - the first on July 27 and the second on August 13 this year. Observers believe the 'weapon' is an updated version of a Soviet concept called a 'Fractional Orbital Bombardment System', or FOBS The Pentagon's report said that the Communist Party has set out to achieve a 'great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation' by 2049 and that investment in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) was a cornerstone of this nationalist ambition. President Xi Jinping says he wants 'basically complete' PLA modernization by 2035 and to transform the PLA into a 'world class' military by 2049. Beijing is investing heavily not just in conventional warfare but also 'focusing on information, cyber, and space and counterspace operations,' the report states. 'Throughout 2020, the PLA continued to pursue its ambitious modernization objectives, refine major organizational reforms, and improve its combat readiness in line with those goals,' it adds. 'This includes the PLA developing the capabilities to conduct joint long-range precision strikes across domains, increasingly sophisticated space, counterspace, and cyber capabilities, and accelerating the large-scale expansion of its nuclear forces.' Mark Esper was fired as Defense Secretary last year after Trump loyalists drew up a memo setting out what they saw as his transgressions against the president, according to a new book. In 'Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show,' ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl details the last months of the administration and the figures pulling strings behind the scenes. In some cases, he writes, they were young and inexperienced but were promoted for their loyalty and wielded considerable influence. They included Johnny McEntee, who rose from being the president's body man and aide, to director of the Presidential Personnel Office. He installed Josh Whitehouse as the administration's liaison to the Department of Defense. 'Im going to the Pentagon to fire [Defense Secretary Mark] Esper and those deep-state bastards,' he told friends, according to Karl's account. President Trump fired Mark Esper as Defense Secretary by tweet, six days after the election - in line with a memo drafted by loyalists at the Presidential Personnel Office John McEntee (l) with then White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows in May 2020 Once there he helped the Presidential Personnel Office write memos identifying almost two dozen Pentagon officials they thought should be fired. The new book details the memo on Esper, which has never before been made public. Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show by Jonathan Karl is published Nov 16 by Dutton 'It includes bullet points outlining Espers sins: He bars the display of the Confederate flag on military bases; opposed the Presidents direction to utilize American forces to put down riots; focused the Department on Russia; was actively pushing for diversity and inclusion; and so on,' according to Karl. 'The memo recommended that Esper be fired immediately after the election and replaced by Christopher Miller, then the director of the National Counterterrorism Center.' Esper was fired six days after last year's election, dismissed by a presidential tweet. Miller replaced Esper, just as the Whitehouse memo suggested. 'Chris will do a GREAT job!' Trump tweeted. 'Mark Esper has been terminated. I would like to thank him for his service.' Esper had pushed back on Trump's demands to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and disagreed with the president's wish to send soldiers to put down demonstrations that erupted after the police killing of George Floyd. The move - a lame duck president dismissing the civilian leader of the armed forces, and a key figure in the chain of command - sent shockwaves around Washington. McEntee also selected Millers senior adviser, Douglas Macgregor, a retired Army colonel and regular guest on Tucker Carlsons show, writes Karl. And he gave Macgregor a handwritten to-do list for his new team at the Pentagon. It said: '1. Get us out of Afghanistan; 2. Get us out of Iraq and Syria; 3. Complete the withdrawal from Germany; 4. Get us out of Africa.' 'This is what the president wants you to do,' McEntee told him, according to the account. Further details of how Esper clashed with Trump loyalists emerged recently. Stephen Miller, the architect of Mr. Trumps immigration agenda, hatched a plan with the Department of Homeland Security to send 250,000 troops to the border wall to secure the frontier with Mexico during the pandemic, an idea dismissed by Esper. The New York Times reported that the plan, mooted in spring 2020, would have involved more than half the active duty Army. It would have been the largest use of military force within the U.S. since the Civil War. But the idea never made it to Trump's desk but it reportedly enraged Esper, who believed it would undermine American military readiness around the world. Nicola Sturgeon said that climate change is a 'feminist issue' as she joined US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Cop 26 today. Scotland's First Minister told the UN climate summit in Glasgow that the voices of women must be at the centre of helping to tackle environmental damage. She demanded more women and girls are involved in decision-making roles, saying the fact that a minority of the 120 world leaders earlier who addressed the event in Scotland were female 'must change'. Women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, as they form a large majority of the world's poor, often depend on small-scale farming for their livelihoods and can comprise 80 per cent of those displaced by climate-related disasters. Speaking today as she chaired a panel at an event focusing on advancing gender equality in climate action, Ms Sturgeon said: 'There is no doubt we must ensure that climate change is a feminist issue. 'We must make sure that the experiences of women and girls across the world, so often disproportionately impacted by climate change, are understood as we devise the solutions. Scotland's First Minister told the UN climate summit in Glasgow that the voices of women must be at the centre of helping to tackle environmental damage. Ms Sturgeon was introduced by US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who said has said dealing with climate change is a matter of 'justice and equality'. 'And we must make sure that the voices of women are at the centre of creating and implementing the solutions to climate change.' Ms Sturgeon was introduced by US Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, who said has said dealing with climate change is a matter of 'justice and equality'. Ms Sturgeon added: 'When world leaders gathered here this time last week, of the 120 or so a tiny minority were women. 'That needs to change and it needs to change quickly.' Ms Pelosi led a group of more than 20 US politicians who have travelled to the conference in Glasgow. Addressing the conference on Tuesday, she said this was the largest congressional delegation ever to have attended a climate change conference. She said: 'Eighty per cent of the people displaced in climate change globally are women. 'Addressing the rapidly changing climate is a matter of justice and equality, with the most vulnerable most affected, including indigenous communities and our focus today - and every day - on women. 'We come here fresh from advancing the most ambitious and consequential climate and energy legislation of all time in our country.' Among those speaking on the panel was the climate activist Fatou Jeng from Gambia. She explained how her country is being affected by climate change, despite contributing 'very little' greenhouse gases. Ms Jeng said the impacts - including flooding, sea-level rises, drought and desertification - mainly affect agriculture, where women dominate as they use agricultural proceeds to support themselves and their children's education. She said: 'I am a daughter of a farmer and my mum sells vegetables, but climate change has basically affected severely this particular activity that my family has been engaged in.' Ms Jeng said through her community work she had seen girls forced into child marriage due to family poverty caused by climate change and others forced to stay at home through flooding. She said scientists had warned that the capital city, Banjul, where she lives would be 'inundated' if the sea level rises by a metre. She added: 'We are sitting here in the negotiation rooms making policies about climate crisis but are we really considering the gender aspect of it? 'Because the climate change issue is a human rights issue because of how it has been affecting people.' She called for gender equality to be prioritised, saying in previous years there had been a lot of talk but little progress. 'We have the opportunity to sit and negotiate about the climate crisis and think we really need to consider those people that are left behind that are facing the daily challenges they continue to face,' she added. 'And if we want to achieve and get to a fairer planet we really need to make sure that women and girls are put at the heart and the centre of the discussions that we have been having today.' The First Minister said the words of the panel speakers were 'incredibly powerful', adding: 'Climate change is a human rights issue, gender equality is a human rights issue, the impact of climate on women is a human rights issue and that is how we must see it.' The event followed the UK Government announcing that 165 million would go towards boosting equality for women and climate action. An official said addressing the inequalities faced by women and girls could help action to tackle climate change. Ministers said the 165 million included 45 million to help groups in Asia and the Pacific challenge gender inequalities and adapt to the impacts of climate change. And 120 million would be used to build resilience to climate change, prevent pollution, protect wildlife, boost renewable energy and manage waste, as well as support women's leadership, access to finance, education and skills in Bangladesh. International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan, who chaired the event, said: 'It is women, girls and those who are already most marginalised, that will be most severely impacted by climate change. 'But they also have a critical role to play to address the climate crisis. 'The UK is committed to addressing this dual challenge head-on, committing new funding to empower communities and women's groups to take locally led adaptation action, to build local, national and global resilience.' Hertz customers are attempting to sue the rental car company after being falsely arrested and sometimes jailed for months after the company listed the rental cars they paid for as stolen. More than 165 people from several states have filed legal complaints against Hertz for 'egregious business malpractices,' according to civil litigation ongoing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington. The news made national headlines last week bringing forward another hundred claimants, lead attorney Francis Alexander Malofiy told DailyMail.com. Each customer claims they were falsely arrested for driving a stolen vehicle despite having receipts confirming their rentals. The furious claimants say that Hertz used an unreliable computer system and filed false police reports which lead to them being falsely arrested and sometimes jailed for months. While imprisoned under false pretenses some of the claimants suffered heart attacks, panic attacks, seizures, and strokes as some lost custody of their children or lost their homes, Malofiy said. Hertz filed for bankruptcy during the pandemic putting the claims on hold. Bankruptcy court judge Mary Walrath heard arguments on Thursday to decide whether the claims will be heard in court. Scroll for video More than 165 customers have filed complaints against Hertz for allegedly being 'falsely' arrested and sometimes jailed after the company listed their approved rental cars as stolen Hanna 'John' Ayoub was arrested for three months and hit with felony charges in New Jersey and Delaware for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle Hertz reported Ayoub's rental car stolen on May 28, 2019 despite previously approving his rental and charging him $2,309.44 charge the next day The felony charges against Ayoub were eventually dropped after he presented bank statements and recorded calls with Hertz associates approving his rental Attorneys argued there could be hundreds, if not thousands, more cases. Philadelphia based contractor Hanna 'John' Ayoub was arrested outside his home on June 1, charged with a felony, and jailed for three months for driving a 'stolen' vehicle despite having receipts of his payments and rental agreement with Hertz. 'How do you have a receipt in your pocket and still get arrested for stealing car?' he questioned. Ayoub needed an extra truck for a project in Delaware in April 2019 so he booked a long term with Hertz. Every week he called and paid $300 to extend his rental. 'By the third week, just after the extension, when they (Hertz) said everything was good and charged me for it, I received a call the following day saying that I am not authorized to use the vehicle anymore, even though I had been charged,' Ayoub told Delaware Online. On May 29, 2019 Hertz charged the contractor $2,309.44 for his continued rental but on May 28, 2019 the company filed a theft report claiming the car was stolen. Four days later he was arrested outside his home in New Jersey and charged in Delaware and New Jersey criminal courts with crimes related to stealing the vehicle. 'They said that they had no record of the extension on the vehicle despite speaking to them a day before and receiving confirmation,' Ayoub said. 'Everything just turned into a nightmare from that point onward.' Despite having receipts of his charges from Hertz he was jailed for three months. The felony charges were finally dropped by both courts after receiving bank statements and call recordings of Ayoub's conversations with Hertz associates confirming his rental. 'I lost everything, my life, my reputation, everything,' said Ayoub. 'I have not been able to work,' said Ayoub told the Philadelphia Inquirer. 'I take on odd jobs. I live with my parents. I don't even have a vehicle right now.' Hertz told the Philadelphia Inquirer last year that they either did not have a record of his rental extensions or some were not approved. James Tolen was arrested for allegedly driving a stolen vehicle on December 23, 2019 He was eventually let go when he showed officers his rental agreement which listed him as the authorized driver Remembering being pulled over Tolen said: 'I was actually really thinking that I wasn't going to make it home' Another contactor across the country has also filed a claim against Hertz after being falsely arrested for driving a stolen vehicle which he rented from the company. Houston contractor James Tolen wasn't sure why he was pulled over on December 23 as he drove home after finishing a job around 10 pm. He heard officers on a loud speaker ordering him to exit his vehicle, lift his shirt, and back up toward them. 'When I turned around I see both the officers trained their guns on me' Tolen told CBS News. 'It was just terrifying. It was bad. I was actually really thinking that I wasn't going to make it home.' After being handcuffed, Tolen said officers told him the pickup truck he was driving had been reported stolen which is when he showed officers his rental agreement which listed him as the authorized driver. 'I was like, 'That's impossible. I rent from Hertz. I'm a contractor,'' he told police. According to reports, the vehicle had been reported stolen three months earlier- prior to Tolen renting from Hertz. After seeing his rental agreement, an officer called Hertz. Tolen said he overheard the officer questioning Hertz: 'Do you know what you put this guy through?...This guy could have lost his life.' The officer condemned Hertz telling them they needed a better system and that Tolen had an authorized rental agreement and would be allowed to drive the truck home. Tolen's partner, Krystal Carter, said that they had rented vehicles for Tolen's renovation company about 12 times that year. 'I was hot. Hot,' Carter said. 'Like, we rented several times from them that year. Several.' Hertz has not commented on Tolen's claims. Attorney Malofiy told CBS Hertz is 'trying to hide' what he calls 'a corporate disaster.' 'They've been aware of this for years, and instead of doing the right thing and addressing it, they're trying to sweep this under the rug, even through bankruptcy.' Malofiy first worked on a similar case in 2015 when a friend of a friend spent 12 days in jail. At first he thought it was a one off but during the trial he discovered this is a systemic issue affecting people across the country. He has been helping people fight Hertz ever since. 'Hertz can't keep hiding anymore,' he said. The Philadelphia attorney claimed that when Hertz loses track of their vehicles instead of working to locate the vehicle themselves they file a theft report with the police. 'Hertz is bacially using the police as a tax paid repo service and shifting private matters to the community,' Malofiy claimed, 'instead of taking necessary steps they just file a police report shifting responsibility to police.' The attorney explained that Hertz has especially aggressive standard operating procedures compared to their competitors because they were the first care rental company to rent to 'less credit worthy individuals' and allow renters to use debit cards. But he believes these aggressive policies 'goes to destroying human lives.' Hertz has claimed the attorneys representing the claimants 'have a track record of making baseless claims that blatantly misrepresent the facts. Lead attorney Francis Alexander Malofiy has been building his case against Hertz since 2015 Hertz allegedly has a secret database logging false police reports despite claiming to be unaware of an on-going problem During Thursday's hearing to decide whether the claims will be allowed to continue. Attorneys for Hertz argued certain claims should be dismissed based on when they were filed, but the judge allowed those claims to move forward as long as the plaintiffs file individual amended and more specific details about each claim. The hearing also worked to determine what relevant records the company maintains. Malofiy said Hertz records false arrests in an a secret internal database. He pointed to a similar case filed against Hertz in South Carolina in which the company shared the database with attorney Fritz Jekel under a confidentiality agreement, according to court correspondence. Jekel said, 'They produced in less than a week, a dataset, compiled by three third-party administrators that precoded to be information on false arrests and theft or conversion claims made by renters against Hertz from 2008 through 2016,' but due to a protective order he is barred from sharing the data. The South Carolina attorney is currently in the process of filing a motion to modify the protective order to bring this information to light, Malofiy told DailyMail.com. If a person files a false police report, they can be charged with a misdemeanor and go to jail. But Malofiy claimed Hertz is using a loophole filing these theft reports as a corporation. Then once the vehicles have been returned or proof of the rental payment has been confirmed the theft report should be dropped but Malofiy said in many times it is not, which is why so many of his clients remain unjustly jailed for months. 'Hertz points to the police and the police point to Hertz,' while his clients remained behind bars Malofiy explained. A spokesperson told the Philadelphia Inquirer the company had no procedure to withdraw a police report as it aims to maintain a relationship of 'integrity and responsibility' with law enforcement. However, certain law enforcement agencies, such as the regional airport in Louisville, Kentucky in 2015 and Indianapolis Airport police in 2016, have put a limit on the number of stolen vehicles Hertz can report. Judge Walrath agreed to continue discussions to consider potential access to the database, which Malofiy claimed proves that Hertz was well aware of the problem and deliberately failed to fix it. 'We are encouraged by today's important ruling, which enables us to proceed with our efforts to hold Hertz accountable for the damage it has inflicted upon the lives of so many victims,' Malofiy said after Thursday's hearing. Another filing will be sent to the court next month before the next hearing in January. Former high level inventory control employees from Hertz have reached out to Malofiy's team as they plan to file declarations and join the claimants next filing to speak out against Hertz's policies, the attorney told DailyMail.com. Former Vice President Mike Pence was hiding in the 'bowels of the Capitol' - a loading dock in underground parking garage - as rioters breached security on Jan. 6, ABC's Jonathan Karl has claimed. Karl claimed on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show that Pence had been hiding with a White House photographer, who took photos of the bizarre five hours that the vice president was in hiding. 'I got ahold of the photographer, saw all of the photographs - by the way, it is wild to see - he was in a loading dock in an underground parking garage, beneath the Capitol complex, no place to sit, no desk, no chairs.' 'With his family, this is the vice president of the US. He's like holed up in a basement,' Karl continued. The reporter was promoting his new book, 'Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show.' 'They refused to let me publish the photographs but I have a suspicion the January 6 Committee is going to want to see those photos,' Karl said. 'Those aren't his photos, we paid for those photos.' Former Vice President Mike Pence was hiding in the 'bowels of the Capitol' - a loading dock in underground parking garage - as rioters breached security on Jan. 6, ABC's Jonathan Karl has claimed Karl claimed on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show that Pence had been hiding with a White House photographer, who took photos of the bizarre five hours that the vice president was in hiding Karl said that one of the images depicted Pence's chief of staff Marc Short showing the vice president his phone, where President Trump had tweeted that Pence 'didn't have the courage' to overturn the election. Pence was removed from the Senate chamber at 2:14 p.m., according to video footage from that day. He was hidden in a room nearby, with his wife Karen and daughter Charlotte. Trump sent his tweet at 2:24 p.m. 'Mike Pence didnt have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution,' he wrote. At 2:26 p.m., Pence was moved again - this time from the room he was in near the Senate chamber to a more secure location in the Capitol complex. The rioters had broken into the Capitol at 2:11 p.m., prompting the removal of Pence and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was presiding in the House. Meanwhile, Donald Trump is lashing out against ABC News' chief Washington reporter on Monday after an excerpt from the journalist's new book detailed allegations of a stunning stand-off between the former president and the very political party that got him to the White House. 'ABC Non News and 3rd rate reporter Jonathan Karl have been writing fake news about me from the beginning of my political career,' Trump said. 'Just look at what has now been revealed about the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax. It was a made up and totally fabricated scam and the lamestream media knew it. It just never ends!' The confrontation reportedly took place on January 20, his last day in office, according to an excerpt from the new book Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show by Jonathan Karl. A furious Trump told the Republican National Committee chair that he was 'done' with the GOP and would start a new party- adding that Republicans would 'lose forever' without him. 'This is what Republicans deserve for not sticking up for me,' he reportedly said. Trump told Karl the idea he wanted to start a new party was 'bulls**t,' the author wrote. 'You mean I was going to form another party or something?...Oh, that is bulls**t, it never happened,' the ex-president reportedly said. The excerpt, published by ABC, details the allegedly 'unpleasant conversation' between Trump and RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel when she called to 'wish him farewell.' Trump reportedly had a 'very unpleasant conversation' with RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel when he boarded Air Force One for his last flight as president What ensued was a tense four-day window in which the RNC played 'hardball' with the leader of its own party - threatening to withhold legal defense funds and a list of donor names that's estimated to be worth $100 million. Per the account, Trump was aboard Air Force One for his last flight out of the national capital and 'was in no mood for small talk or nostalgic goodbyes,' Karl writes. Book author Jonathan Karl wrote that Trump told him reports he wanted to start a third party are 'bulls**t' He told McDaniel over the phone, 'I'm done. I'm starting my own party.' 'You cannot do that,' she reportedly replied. 'If you do, we will lose forever.' Trump acknowledged her point. Karl described the ex-president's attitude as 'if he had lost, he wanted everybody around him to lose as well.' 'Exactly,' Trump told McDaniel. 'You lose forever without me. I don't care...This is what Republicans deserve for not sticking up for me.' A witness to the conversation reportedly described Trump as viewing the Republican Party's downfall as 'punishment' for those who he didn't think fought hard enough to overturn his 2020 election loss and even more so for those who voted to impeach him. He viewed their perceived lack of action as a betrayal, the witness claimed in the book. McDaniel - whose uncle, Utah Senator Mitt Romney, was one of the Republicans who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment - allegedly warned Trump that he risked destroying his legacy if he broke off to start a new party. 'This isn't what the people who depended on you deserve, the people who believed in you,' she reportedly said. 'You'll ruin your legacy. You'll be done.' His son, Donald Trump Jr., meanwhile, was also reportedly fighting with Republican officials. The alleged conversation was detailed in ABC News journalist Jonathan Karl's book 'The younger Trump had been relentlessly denigrating the RNC for being insufficiently loyal to Trump. In fact, at the January 6 rally before the Capitol Riot, the younger Trump all but declared that the old Republican Party didn't exist anymore,' Karl wrote. He also claimed Trump was so 'adamant' about leaving the party that a seemingly alarmed McDaniel enlisted RNC officials for a four-day stand-off with the ex-president. 'The RNC played hardball,' the book states, while Trump was 'morose in defeat and eager for revenge.' An RNC official told the author that 'there were a lot of things they still depended on the RNC for,' and that they made clear to Trump's team that 'if this were to move forward, all of it would go away.' One of the perks on the chopping block was Trump's mounting legal fees over his flurry of 2020 election lawsuits. 'McDaniel and her leadership team made it clear that if Trump left, the party would immediately stop paying legal bills incurred during post-election challenges,' Karl wrote. Both Trump and McDaniel denied the report. Trump said it was 'bulls**t' and McDaniel said she and the ex-president have a 'great relationship' (pictured at the RNC winter meeting in 2018) What was 'more significant,' according to Karl, was a valuable list of 40 million email addresses belonging to Trump supporters that his campaign would rent to other GOP candidates at a high price. 'The list generated so much money that party officials estimated that it was worth about $100 million,' Karl wrote. It was when 'the RNC threatened to render Trump's most valuable political asset worthless,' that after five days he reportedly backed off. Both McDaniel and the former president denied the allegations in Karl's book. McDaniel said of the allegations, 'This is false, I have never threatened President Trump with anything.' She added that they share a 'great relationship' and continue to work together to get more Republicans elected. Monday's report is not the first time allegations that Trump wanted to break off from Republicans have surfaced. On his last full day in office the Wall Street Journal published a report that claimed Trump had been having conversations with aides and advisers about starting a new political party. One of the names floated for the new group was the 'Patriot Party,' people in the ex-president's orbit told the outlet at the time. Advertisement Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew huge crowds during her appearance at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow to push her Green New Deal and tell activists to 'take to the streets', but not everyone was sure who she was. The Democratic member of 'The Squad' told a panel on the conference's Gender Day the United States needed to get to get back the 'moral authority' it lost under Donald Trump in the flight against global warming. She revealed that her proposed Civilian Climate Corps is still part of President Joe Biden's massive social and climate spending plan - though like other agenda items it was slashed in size after moderate Democrat opposition shrunk the package from its original $3.5 trillion price tag. She also attracted throngs of onlookers - despite not everyone in her audience not quite knowing why they were crowding the room. 'Even in Glasgow, @AOC draws crowds, including some folks unsure exactly why they are trying to snap pics of her,' Bloomberg reported from the event. 'It is AOC, explains one person to another puzzled onlooker. She is a member of the House in America who is quite famous.' At one point summit organizers had to issue a crowd capacity warning on their live blog, instead urging people to use its virtual platform when possible. It's unclear if the update was linked to the popular young lawmaker's appearance. 'COP26 is currently experiencing a high level of attendance at the venue. In order to ensure compliance with Covid-19 measures in place for all of our safety, we encourage you to consider making use of the COP26 Platform where possible, in line with your badge type,' the website read. Ocasio-Cortez spoke at a panel with fellow Democrat lawmakers on the climate summit's tenth day, which is focused on how women and girls fit into the climate fight Ocasio-Cortez was accompanied by Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Colo., Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., and Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., from left, at the US Climate Action Center She and the other panelists took turns removing their masks when speaking, but otherwise wore face coverings throughout The firebrand lawmaker was a highly-anticipated presence at the summit, after sailing to an unprecedented electoral victory in 2018 on a largely environmentally-focused campaign During her panel on Tuesday Ocasio-Cortez reminded her audience that she was on the ground with protesters standing against the now-defunct Keystone XL pipeline. 'I think what we saw, throughout the uprisings during the Trump era, through the increased sophistication of mobilization of climate grassroots, was an alternative path, an alternative framework for how we pursue climate justice,' she said. She later added, 'With the election of President Biden, who during his pursuit of election invited grassroots organizations to the table... we have seen the successful translation of that grassroots frame into federal policy.' The framework has since been translated into Biden's $1.75 trillion progressive-backed Build Back Better act, she said, which still includes funding for a Civilian Climate Corps plan that she and Senator Ed Markey unveiled in April. Like many other parts of that bill however, it's since been shrunk from a planned 1.5 million-strong workforce to about 300,000. 'We're seeing now, especially with the Build Back Better act before Congress, enormous, unprecedented amounts of spending in not just emissions drawdown, but investments in frontline communities,' Ocasio-Cortez said. 'And Congressman Neguse and I have worked very hard on advancing the Civilian Climate Corps, which is now successfully in the Build Back Better act, and we'll seek to mobilize over 300,000 jobs for young people in emissions drawdown and environmental injustice,' she finished without mentioning her original partner in the Senate. Some people in the audience outside the panel room were snapping photos without quite knowing who she was Summit officials issued a crowd capacity warning on their live blog the same day the lawmakers joined the event Later on in the panel, a reporter asked whether the US has 'fully recovered its moral authority in the fight against climate change' after four years during which the Trump administration took a more hostile stance against global environmental cooperation. 'No, we have not recovered our moral authority, but we are making steps' she answered decisively. 'We have to actually deliver the action in order to get the respect and authority nationally, to get the credit.' 'When we pass the Build Back Better act, we will then absolutely become - and regain our position.' At one point she appeared to take a jab at her moderate Democrat colleagues over their hesitation to support progressives' measures. 'The president very much has put very high stakes on getting this agenda through...even the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill, as we know it took a very long time to get the votes in the House to get that, the votes were secured on a promise for the Build Back Better act and for a vote for the Build Back Better act,' she said, despite being one of the six Democrats who voted 'no' on the bipartisan bill. She said in passing the smaller bill and promising to vote on the other Democrats are staking their 'credibility and ability to lead not just to the world but internally and domestically' The lawmaker argued the moves 'really dramatically increases the pressure and the momentum, especially when you have members willing to hold their own party accountable on that and call them on that.' Ocasio-Cortez told the New York Times shortly after arriving in Glasgow that 'We're here to push.' 'Its time for us to re-examine our first-world and global governments, to re-examine their priorities about what is possible, and really try to push them on the boundaries of that,' she said. The firebrand lawmaker added that 'it would be a dream' to spend some time with those protesting outside the summit. She spoke to reporters on the sidelines of the summit, drawing a link between climate change and violence against indigenous women. 'In the United States we have an absolute and utter crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. and those missing and murdered women oftentimes disappear near fossil fuel extraction sites. and so it's very important for us to... identify where the climate crisis and fossil fuel extraction intersects with gender violence and sexual assault,' Ocasio-Cortez said in a video posted by a reporter at The National. 'I think there is a path forward, that is a US-centered perspective, but similar injustices and patterns exist around the world and it's very important that we call much greater attention to that than just, you know for example...differences between NGOs, founders, etcetera.' The congresswoman also raised alarm bells over possible 'greenwashing' of the global environmental agenda by lobbyists that think climate change reforms are bad for business. 'There's 30,000 people here, which means that there's a lot of different vested interests, which means there's certainly a lot of fossil fuel interests that are trying to sway this to be in the direction of greenwashing. The question is if our political leadership is going to fall for it,' she told the UK's Channel 4 News. 'I don't think that hope is lost, but it does absolutely elevate the stakes and I'm looking forward to seeing how those commitments pan out from the results of COP.' AOC said it would be a 'dream' of hers to go speak to protesters outside in the streets of Glasgow She received a warm reception, with activists, environmental leaders and other admirers flocking for selfies She revealed during her panel remarks that her planned Civilian Climate Corps is still part of Biden's agenda - though its size has been cut significantly At one point she appeared to take a jab at her moderate Democrat colleagues over their hesitation to support progressives' measures (pictured arriving at the summit venue) She and the 22 lawmakers she arrived in Glasgow with are expected to attend a number of different events at the summit today Despite a few blank faces, Ocasio-Cortez was one of a few global superstars stirring excitement at the summit. Former President Barack Obama got similar treatment when he spoke at the summit on Monday, and again was mobbed by admirers and journalists when he returned on Tuesday. Earlier today Ocasio-Cortez called out a Republican lawmaker who shared a violent video depicting him killing her on Monday night after she and 22 other lawmakers including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived at the summit in Glasgow. She called it 'creepy' and claimed that 'neo-Nazi fundraiser' Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, 62, will 'face no consequences' because he was backed by the House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. She also called him 'a collection of wet toothpicks.' The clip shows a sword-wielding character with Gosar's superimposed face using a jetpack to soar onto a rooftop before attacking the young Democrat. He slashes the New York liberal across the back of the neck, drawing a spray of blood, and then goes on to lunge toward President Joe Biden. Meanwhile the Democrat firebrand and her colleagues landed in Scotland, courtesy of a government jet, to tout their legislative accomplishments in passing part of Biden's agenda last week. They're attending the event as it shifts focus to how climate change affects women and gender equality. Pelosi spoke just hours after the group's arrival. She said they made up the largest collection of Congressional lawmakers to attend an international climate meeting. 'We come here fresh from advancing the most ambitious and consequential climate and clean energy legislation of all time in our country,' the California Democrat said as the room broke out in applause. A crowd of journalists, activists and admirers swarm former President Barack Obama as he arrives for COP26 Gender Day A grab taken from a video of Obama fist bumping staff during a visit to the US Pavilion at Cop26 in Glasgow on Tuesday (From left to right) Nancy Pelosi sits alongside former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon at the United Nations climate summit Pelosi took to the stage on Tuesday to tout the House's advancement of Biden's infrastructure, social and climate agendas She said it was the largest Congressional delegation to attend a global climate summit Late Friday night, Pelosi secured a compromise after months of gridlock that allowed a Senate-approved $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal to pass the House, along with a motion to vote on a larger progressive-backed social and climate spending bill next week. Pelosi said both bills that make up Biden's agenda acknowledge 'the interconnectedness of climate change and gender justice, and enables women and girls to lead a just transition to a clean energy economy of the future.' 'It also is an investment in our care economy - child care, family medical leave, its about home health care, universal pre-k - all the things that liberate women to play a more important role in our economy,' she said. Meanwhile Gosar is facing calls to resign after he posted the disturbing video of him killing Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter. The clip, which had received more than 3 million views, has remained on Twitter despite the social media platform slapping it with a 'hateful content' warning on Monday. AOC, 32, (pictured at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, on Tuesday) called it 'creepy' and claimed that Gosar, 62, will 'face no consequences' because he was backed by the House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy. Ocasio-Cortez responded to his video from Scotland, where she's attending a climate summit Gosar's character then drops down from the air to cut open AOC's anime character She's slashed with a sword before Gosar jets away and later lunges toward President Joe Biden Gosar's violent tweet has since been deleted by Twitter for 'violating rules about hateful content' Ocasio-Cortez tweeted: 'So while I was en route to Glasgow, a creepy member I work with who fundraises for Neo-Nazi groups shared a fantasy video of him killing me. And he'll face no consequences bc @GOPLeader cheers him on with excuses. Fun Monday! Well, back to work bc institutions don't protect woc [women of color].' 'This dude is a just a collection of wet toothpicks anyway,' she added. 'White supremacy is for extremely fragile people & sad men like him, whose self concept relies on the myth that he was born superior because deep down he knows he couldn't open a pickle jar or read a whole book by himself.' A Gosar staffer stood by the video last night, dismissing claims it glorifies violence. 'Everyone needs to relax,' Gosar's digital director, Jessica Lycos, told The Washington Post. 'Gosar can't fly and he does not own any light sabers.' Gosar, a close ally of QAnon lawmaker Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene, has faced previous criticism for spreading conspiracy theories about the January 6 riot on Capitol Hill and for a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville in 2017. Ocasio-Cortez also tweeted about Greene and other lawmakers Monday night. 'Remember when [Rep. Ted] Yoho accosted me on the the Capitol and called me a fing b,' she said. 'Remember when Greene ran after me a few months ago screaming and reaching Remember when she stalked my office the 1st time w/ insurrectionists & ppl [sic] locked inside All at my job & nothing ever happens.' Some Twitter users are calling for 'lunatic' Gosar to be removed from the platform and booted from Congress. 'Under [no] circumstances should his fantasies of killing people be swept away,' tweeted @fred_guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed during a Parkland, Florida, school shooting. 'We know he is a lunatic. America, we better vote in 2022 for Democrats or he will be in leadership.' Democratic strategist Kaivan Shroff tweeted: 'Republican @RepGosar has shared a photoshopped animated video that depicts him killing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. 'Absolutely disgraceful. He should be removed from committee assignments just as Marjorie Taylor Greene was.' One Twitter user called Gosar's video 'absolutely disgraceful' and said he should be removed from committee assignments Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter Jaime was killed during a Parkland, Florida, school shooting called Gosar a 'lunatic' and said he should be kicked out of Congress User @DHStokyo said he doesn't want 'radicalized Republicans who get off on fantasies towards their colleagues' anywhere near his government Another Twitter user called @DHStokyo said: 'I am here to say that I don't want radicalized Republicans who get off on fantasies of violence towards their colleagues, nor their party leaders who ignore it, anywhere near my government.' It's no secret that Gosar, a staunch Donald Trump supporter, and Ocasio-Cortez with her socialist leanings don't see eye-to-eye. The politicians from the opposite sides of the political spectrum disagree on just about everything, from vaccine mandates and immigration to universal health care and the Capitol riots. Ocasio-Cortez who frequently draws the ire of right-leaning pundits and politicians has previously detailed safety concerns related to her high-profile job. She revealed in a 2019 Time magazine interview that enough people have threatened to kill her that her staff has been trained to evaluate visitors to her Capitol Hill office even people who just leave Post-It notes on the plaque in the hallway. Earlier this year, she recalled hiding in her office's bathroom during the January 6 Capitol riots after hearing that someone was after her. 'I just hear these yells of 'Where is she? Where is she?' Ocasio-Cortez said. 'This was the moment where I thought everything was over. I thought I was going to die.' The congresswoman then revealed it was a Capitol Police officer who was there to secure her office - but claimed that the cop 'was looking at me with a tremendous amount of anger and hostility.' 'I didn't know if he was there to help us or hurt us,' she said. She ended up sheltering in place in her colleague Rep. Katie Porter's office. Former President Donald Trump late on Monday suffered another legal setback in his effort to keep documents from the final weeks of his term away from the House committee investigating Jan. 6th. Trump's legal team wanted federal district court judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing the case, to issue a 'stay' of her decision on the matter even though the judge has yet to rule. Trump has sued the National Archives, and is asserting executive privilege in an effort to keep the government from handing over logs, documents, and other information that the House Select Committee on Jan. 6th is seeking. The White House is not claiming such a privilege on behalf of President Joe Biden. Lawyers for former President Donald Trump are trying to keep the National Archives from handing over White House documents to a the House select committee on Jan. 6th A decision could come within days and the Archives plans to hand over the information by the close of business Friday if a court doesn't intervene. Trump lawyer Jesse Binnall sought an administrative 'stay' and fears the former president will get boxed in by the calendar. He indicated that if the judge didn't rule by Wednesday, Trump would seek to appeal even though a ruling would not yet have been issued. Veterans' Day is Thursday, leaving the potential Trump would not have time to appeal after a late ruling. Judge Tanya Chutkan 'This case should be decided after thorough but expeditious consideration pursuant to America's judicial review process, both before this Court and on appeal, not by a race against the clock. Afterall, this is not a game, especially given the weighty questions at issue,' Binnall wrote, Politico reported. The judge, an Obama appointee, said she would rule expeditiously, but cited federal judicial rules that allow for a stay only 'while an appeal is pending' but not before. The legal skirmish, which all took place within a span of two hours Monday, came at the end of a day where the Jan. 6th Committee issued new subpoenas. The panel subpoenaed former Trump aide Jason Miller, former campaign manager William Stepien, pardoned former national security advisor Michael Flynn, Angela McCallum, Trump lawyer John Eastman and former New York City Police Commissioenr Bernard Kerik. Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), chair of the select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the Capitol, released another batch of subpoenas Monday The National Archives plan to provide the documents Friday unless ordered not to by a court 'These six individuals include staff members of the former President's campaign and individuals associated with the so-called 'war room' that drove efforts to halt the counting of electoral votes in the run-up to the violence of January 6th,' the committee wrote in announcing the subpoenas. 'In the days before the January 6th attack, the former President's closest allies and advisors drove a campaign of misinformation about the election and planned ways to stop the count of Electoral College votes,' wrote panel chair Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi. He added: 'The Select Committee needs to know every detail about their efforts to overturn the election, including who they were talking to in the White House and in Congress, what connections they had with rallies that escalated into a riot, and who paid for it all.' The Trump team appears to be anticipating an adverse ruling. Judge Chutkan in a hearing last week sounded skeptical when Trump's lawyers argued the House committee lacked jurisdiction requiring it to obtain documents related to Jan. 6th. 'The Jan. 6 riot happened in the Capitol. That is literally Congress house,' Judge Chutkan said. A paedophile who molested a little boy was spared jail as he is no longer 'the same man' after a brain injury he suffered in a car crash. John Brady, formerly of Toxteth, Liverpool but now of Southport, sexually abused a vulnerable six-year-old child, when he was aged 18, in the 1990s. The young victim suffered psychological damage and has battled depression as a result. But his abuser was then involved in a car crash, which left him with a 'life-altering' brain injury, and now lives in adult foster care. Judge David Swinnerton said: 'The man that stands in front of me is not the man that committed this offence.' Brady, now 45, denied four counts of indecency with a child and two counts of indecent assault on a male person, relating to a three-year period. He was found guilty of one count of indecency with a child, but acquitted of all the other allegations after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court. John Brady, now 45, sexually abused a vulnerable six-year-old child when he was 18 in the 1990s Judge Swinnerton told Brady he was young at the time of the abuse, but his victim was 'much younger and therefore vulnerable'. The judge said the boy walked into a room 'to discover you were standing there, with the door open, masturbating'. He said: 'You asked him "if he would like a go", I quote, and you caused him, persuaded him, to masturbate you.' Judge Swinnerton added: 'He had no idea what he was doing, what this was, as a small child, and you told him he would know when he got older. 'Well he did of course get older and what you did caused him a great deal of distress and psychological difficulties.' Arthur Gibson, prosecuting, said the now adult victim - sitting in the public gallery - didn't want his victim personal statement read out. Judge Swinnerton said: 'It describes his struggles as he's grown up, this having happened to him, and issues and problems he's had with depression and the way he's dealt with that and has struggled to trust people.' The maximum sentence for indecency with a child at the time the offence was committed was two years in prison. Under British law, you cannot receive a sentence greater than you could have received at the time of an offence. But Brady was then involved in a car crash, which left him with a 'life-altering' brain injury, and now lives in adult foster care Mr Gibson said not long after the abuse, the maximum sentence was increased to 10 years in prison. The equivalent offence today - inciting a child to engage in sexual activity - carries a maximum sentence of 14 years. Sarah Holt, defending, said her client was 'just 18' at the time and his background was set out in pre-sentence, intermediary and medical reports. Ms Holt said: 'Whether he was as mature as some are at 18 is something perhaps we will never know fully, but there were clearly difficulties in childhood - there have obviously been many more difficulties subsequently.' Urging the judge to spare him jail, she said her client didn't have any previous convictions. Judge Swinnerton said if he was sentencing Brady for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, then guidelines indicated a starting point of three to four years in prison. However, he said the maximum he could give Brady for indecency with a child was two years and applying the guidelines in a 'measured way', he had to come down from 'the very top end of the range'. He said Brady was 18 at the time, experienced difficulties as a child, and hadn't committed any offences before or since this incident. Settling on 18 months in jail, Judge Swinnerton said he had to decide whether or not to suspend this sentence. He said: 'The man that stands in front of me is not the man that committed this offence, in the sense that you had had a road traffic accident in March of 2004, which caused you a traumatic brain injury. 'Since then you have been cared for by your mother, while she was still alive until 2014, and you're in what was described to me basically as a sort of adult foster care. 'So you live with adults who help to look after you now, because you can't live on your own as a result of both physical and mental effects of a traumatic brain injury.' Judge Swinnerton added: 'At the time you committed that offence, you had not suffered that injury. 'It doesn't affect your culpability, it doesn't affect your blameworthiness, but it affects the man I am sentencing now, it affects issues such as rehabilitation, and whether you present any risk of danger.' He added: 'You no longer present any risk of danger because you struggle to care for yourself, let alone abuse anybody else. 'It's perhaps an act of mercy for you, but I am going to suspend the sentence. 'Were it not for both the maximum at the time and the level of injury, which I know you've sustained, which I know is permanently life-altering, you would have gone to prison.' Some of the victim's supporters shook their heads as Judge Swinnerton gave Brady 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, with a 30-day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and four-month home curfew, from 8pm to 8am daily. Brady must sign on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. After Brady left court, the judge told the victim: 'In many, many ways he deserved to go straight to prison for what he did to you as a child. 'But I hope I explained sufficiently, the maximum sentence when he did that was much, much lower, and the real issue is I'm not sentencing the same man who did it, because of the catastrophic effects of the brain injury he suffered subsequently. 'Can I thank you for your courage in coming forward and reporting this and wish you all the best in the future.' A son who beheaded his mother because he thought her to be the devil has been sentenced to an indefinite hospital order. Ernest Grusza, 41, killed his mother Wiesslawa Mierzejeska, 59, in her flat in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, before cutting her into 11 pieces and wrapping her body parts in clingfilm, Cambridge Crown Court was told. He then entered a corner shop covered in blood on February 22 before the shopkeeper dialled 999 and the police arrived to Ms Mierzejeska's flat to discover a 'nightmarish scene'. As officers searched the property, Grusza unwrapped some of the body parts, which he had placed in a cupboard and a fridge, and held up his mother's head through the kitchen window. He was arrested on the scene. Today Grusza was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order under the Mental Health Act. Ernest Grusza, 41, who beheaded his mother Wiesslawa Mierzejeska, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order under the Mental Health Act The defendant's mother Wiesslawa Mierzejeska, 59, had attempted to have her son sectioned under the Mental Health Act and had sought help for him from a variety of sources including the GP, the police and social services The Honourable Mr Justice Fraser said: 'One of (Grusza's) most compelling delusions was that his mother was the devil; he was told by God to kill her, and dismember her body, in order to destroy the devil. 'He was convinced she would resurrect if he poured holy water and blood upon her dismembered body parts.' Describing the case as 'extremely tragic', he said the two Polish nationals were both hard-working people who had lived in the UK for a 'number of years'. He said witnesses described Grusza as a 'quiet and private man, with no hint of violent behaviour at any time', but that his mental health deteriorated from January this year onwards. Psychiatrist Professor Keith Rix said that the defendant has bipolar affective disorder, also known as manic depressive illness, and that the killing occurred 'in the course of a manic episode'. The judge said that Grusza's awareness of what had happened was 'limited' and that he had no previous convictions. The defendant went to a corner shop in St Ives covered in blood on the morning of February 22 this year and the shopkeeper dialled 999, the judge said. Police attended and went with Grusza to his mother's flat where they discovered 'what can only be described as an utterly nightmarish scene'. 'These officers realised fairly quickly that there were assorted human body parts in the flat,' the judge said. 'The defendant told them they belonged to his mother. 'Other officers, including firearms officers, attended, the reason for this was the defendant had both a meat cleaver and a wooden bat in his hands at times. 'The defendant spent some time in the flat, showing the police officers, through the kitchen window, what he had done. 'He unwrapped some of the body parts, and held up her head to show them. He was arrested.' Grusza's mother had attempted to have him sectioned under the Mental Health Act, the judge said, and she 'sought help for him from a variety of sources, the GP, the police, social services and first response services'. Grusza cut his mother into 11 pieces in her flat in St Ives in Cambridgeshire, before wrapping her body parts in clingfilm. Pictured: Forensic teams at the scene Ms Mierzejeska was discovered by police in her flat in St Ives in Cambridgeshire 'Tragically, nobody provided the help that she tried to obtain,' the judge said. Addressing Grusza, the judge said: 'Any trial involving the death of a person is always tragic. 'However, here, the very person seeking to obtain the help you so desperately needed, who no doubt loved you deeply, was the person who met their end at your hands.' He said that letters Grusza sent from prison, before the trial, made it clear that he did not 'understand that you had killed your mother, who I have no doubt that you loved as you describe in those letters'. A jury found Grusza not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. The judge sentenced Grusza to an indefinite hospital order under the Mental Health Act. He told the defendant: 'Your detention is likely to be for a considerable period of time, but that is a matter for the mental health professionals and the Secretary of State. 'It is not possible to say for how long you will require treatment, or for how long you will be detained. 'The question of whether and, or when you are released is a matter for the Secretary of State.' Grusza listened to the judge's remarks via a video-link from a secure unit. It is a drawing of a cowboy which could easily have been produced by a proud school child. But the crayon depiction was in fact drawn by gangster Reggie Kray after he and his brother Ronnie had been sentenced to life in prison for murder. Now, the drawing is among three lots related to the notorious Kray twins which are being sold by an anonymous seller later this evening. The cowboy image is expected to sell for between 1,000-1,500 at Chiswick Auctions in West London. Also included in the sale is an oil painting of a crucifixion scene which Ronnie painted when also behind bars. It could fetch 3,500. A third lot is a typed letter sent by famous painter Francis Bacon to Ronnie, after the gangster had sent him a drawing from his cell. It is expected to sell for between 4,000 and 6,000. Writing in September 1989, Bacon thanked Kray, who was imprisoned at Broadmoor hospital, for the drawing and said that he was 'glad to hear' that he was well but added that he had been 'ill for some time'. He died less than three years later aged 82. In 2015, Bacon's long-time friend Michael Peppiatt revealed that the painter had told him how both Kray twins repeatedly sent him 'very odd' drawings from behind bars even though they had earlier ordered the theft of some of his works from his London studio. It is a drawing of a cowboy which could easily have been produced by a proud school child. But the crayon depiction was in fact drawn by gangster Reggie Kray after he and his brother Ronnie had been sentenced to life in prison for murder. Now, the drawing is among three lots related to the notorious Kray twins which are being sold by an anonymous collector today Also included in the sale is an oil painting of a crucifixion scene which Ronnie painted when also behind bars. It could fetch 3,500 Ronnie and Reggie became famous for being involved in murder, armed robbery, assault and arson, as well as running protection rackets. The nightclub owners mixed with politicians and prominent entertainers including Barbara Windsor and Frank Sinatra. Their misdeeds finally came to an end when they were arrested in 1968 before being convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment a year later. After their convictions, they were sent to separate prisons. Reggie Kray's cowboy drawing was produced when he was in HMP Wayland, in Norfolk. It is on headed paper which bears Reggie's picture, along with a quote which reads: 'Life is not a rehearsal, make the most of it'. He was transferred there in 1997 after serving time at Maidstone Prison in Kent. Reggie died in 2000 aged 66. The Kray twins were among the most notorious gangsters in the East End of London A third lot is a typed letter sent by famous painter Francis Bacon to Ronnie, after the gangster had sent him a drawing from his cell. It is expected to sell for between 4,000 and 6,000 In 2015, Bacon's long-time friend Michael Peppiatt revealed that the painter had told him how both Kray twins repeatedly sent him 'very odd' drawings from behind bars Although it is not clear exactly when Ronnie painted the crucifixion scene, he was committed to Broadmoor secure hospital in 1979 after serving the first decade of his sentence in ordinary prisons. He had been a Category A prisoner and, suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, was eventually certified as insane. He died in 1995 aged 61. Bacon told friend Michael Peppiatt that he had gained the unwanted attention of the Krays after meeting them in the 1950s. 'I had lots of rooms so I agreed, and after that I never saw the end of him. He always seemed to be there,' he said. Ronnie and Reggie became famous for being involved in murder, armed robbery, assault and arson, as well as running protection rackets The nightclub owners mixed with politicians and prominent entertainers including Barbara Windsor and Frank Sinatra However, a few years later, Bacon is said to have been forced to buy back his own paintings at auction after they were stolen from his studio by one of the Krays' associates. Then, speaking after the pair were sent to prison, he added: 'I still hear from them,' he told me. 'They send me these paintings they do there. They're very odd, always of these soft landscapes with little cottages in them.' Bacon's letter to Ronnie reads: 'Thank you for you letter and for the drawing. I am glad to hear you are well. I wish I could say the same about myself as I have been ill for some time.' Ronnie Kray (left) toasting the future happiness of his brother Reggie Kray and Frances Shae after their marriage, which lasted only eight weeks before Frances left him Advertisement Amazon founder Jeff Bezos just purchased a $78million private Hawaii estate that spans 14 acres and is surrounded by dormant lava fields. Bezos, 57, purchased the three-building estate on La Perouse Bay on Valley Isle in Maui, Hawaii, recently for an estimated $78million, adding to his $500 million property portfolio which includes property in New York City, the District of Columbia, Washington state, California, and Texas. He is the latest internet billionaire to snap up a waterfront property, despite local discontent. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 37, recently bought a sprawling 600-acre property for a cool $53million on the island of Kauai. He also reportedly owns a 700-acre property on one of the islands that he acquired for more than $100million in 2014. Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison owns most of the property 141-square-mile island Lanai, located eight miles off the coast of Maui. It is unclear when Bezos purchased the property, but he donated to the Hawaii Land Trust in mid-September, which is responsible for the environmental conservation in Maui. He and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez, 51, reportedly donated to several local charities to feel a part of the community. Despite donating to an trust, his investment in the island will be unlikely to improve his carbon footprint, given his use of private jets. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos purchased a $78million secluded estate surrounded by luscious greenery, palm trees, and a marine fishing reserve The ultra-secluded estate sits on a marine fishing reserve, which is rare to have access too and even fishing boats are not allowed in the waters Bezos and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez, 51, (pictured) recently donated to the Hawaii Land Trust in mid-September, which is responsible for the environmental conservation in Maui to feel a part of the community The property was sold to Bezos in an off-market deal. He purchased the estate from Colorado-based holding company Lochland Holdings, which is owned by the Schatz family. Doug Schatz, an energy businessman, was the previous owner, having bought it for $4.2million in 1996. The property is home to three buildings, including the main structure, which is 4,450 square feet and has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, according to the New York Post confirmed. The second building is 1,839 square feet guesthouse with two-bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms. And the third is 1,815 square feet with three bedrooms and one bathroom. The entrepreneur's new dig sits on a marine fishing reserve, the New York Post reported. It is also surrounded by dormant lava fields where the Haleakala volcano - which is eight times larger than the Empire State Building in New York City and its hotspots can reach up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit - last erupted in 1790, according to Haleakala Ecotours. It is expected to erupt again within 500 years, according to scientists. Bezos is also reportedly scouting more off-the-market properties in Maui to expand his real estate portfolio in the Aloha State and is reportedly searching for a home for his parents in Montage Kapalua Bay, where he often stays at a luxury resort, according to the New York Post. It seems Bezos isn't the only internet billionaire who thinks drinking mai tais on their own private resort and hula dancing to the sway of the palm trees sounds fun. Both Bezos and Zuckerberg have faced backlash from locals for their extravagant purchases from raising housing costs to purchasing property on sacred land. The three-building estate is located on La Perouse Bay on Valley Isle in Maui, Hawaii, and is surrounded by dormant lava fields. It is located west of Haleakala volcano - which is eight times larger than the Empire State Building in New York City - and last erupted in 1790 The waterfront compound is located on the southwest trip of the Hawaii island Bezos has so far only faced backlash for driving up housing costs - which sit around $1million on average, a local told the New York Post. 'It is tough being born and raised here, seeing these real estate transactions and how it can drive up prices,' a source told the New York Post. 'On the island, an average home now costs $1million - way above what most blue-collar workers can afford, so I always struggle with that.' Zuckerberg, who often finds himself embroiled in controversy, purchased his newest Hawaiian estate from Waioli Corporation - a local nonprofit that preserves historic locations throughout the island, according to Business Insider. The CEO of the corporation Sam Pratt said Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan would be 'responsible stewards' of the land and had shown dedication to the island. Other locals, however, are happy billionaires are buying up property. The three-building estate includes the main property (pictured top), which is 4,450 square feet and has three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The second building (pictured bottom middle) is 1,839 square feet guesthouse with two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathrooms. And the third (pictured to right of the second building with a green roof) is 1,815 square feet with three bedrooms and one bathroom Bezos' new sweet dig won't be the hot party spot around town, as it is allegedly barricaded with several security gates and has around-the-clock security Ellison, 77, has helped improve infrastructure and parks, including the Pineapple Plantation on Lanai. 'On the other side of the coin, you have Ellison. He improved so much of the infrastructure, like the Pineapple Plantation,' a source told the New York Post. 'You had parks deteriorating, infrastructure was in decay and he bought it back to life, essentially. It's hard to know what Bezos' intentions are this early on.' Ellison owns 98 percent of Lanai and employs the majority of its residents in his resorts and stores after purchasing his majority stake for $300million in 2012. The Amazon-founder-turned-astronaut has a $500million property portfolio across several states, including Texas - where Blue Origin is centered out of - New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington DC, among others. Bezos owns the second most expensive home in the Los Angeles area with the Jack Warner Estate, which he paid $165million for. He also paid $23million for the old Textile Museum in DC and has five properties in the historic 212 Fifth Avenue building in New York City's Flatiron District Bezos owns five units worth more than $100million in 212 Fifth Avenue in New York City's Flatiron District overlooking Madison Square Park Bezos purchased a three-floor penthouse flat and two units below it in 2019 before purchasing two more condos in 2019 and 2021 The units are expected to be conjoined into one giant and luxurious mansion in the heart of New York City Bezos owns the second most expensive home in Los Angeles with the Jack Warner Estate (pictured), which he paid $165million for and another $10million in renovations The 2018 listing photos show the home features a large kitchen and several spacious living areas complete with original fireplaces Although Bezos' new sweet dig won't be the hot party spot around town, as it is reportedly barricaded with several security gates and has around-the-clock security - a local real estate agent did describe it as 'very unique.' 'At the time, it was rustic. It has since several renovations,' real estate agent Anthony Sayles told the New York Post. Sayles used to frequently roam the lands as a little kid. 'My main memory is the coral floors and walking around barefoot. It felt like you were outside living Gilligan's Island style.' Bezos' new property adds his $500million dollar property portfolio. The entrepreneur has more than $100million invested in New York City's Flatiron District at the luxurious 212 Fifth Avenue. The billionaire purchased five properties in the same building from 2019 to 2021 and is expected to merge them into one giant mansion. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 37, recently bought a sprawling 600-acre property for a cool $53million on the island of Kauai. He also reportedly owns a 700-acre property on one of the islands that he acquired for more than $100million in 2014 Pictured: Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, enjoy some time out on the water in a jet-ski in Hawaii Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, 37, owns the land above Pilaa Beach, on the north shore of Kauai on November 7 Zuckerberg bought the Kahu'aina Plantation first, then the 700-acre Pila'a Beach plot, and now a new 600-acre area He also has the second most expensive home in the Los Angeles area. He purchased the Jack Warner Estate - president of Warner Bros. Studios - for a $165million that ended up costing him $175million with renovations. The most expensive home went for $177million. The Blue Origin founder also has an estate in the middle of a Texas desert dubbed 'Corn Ranch,' which went for an undisclosed amount in the millions. Bezos also has at least one property in DC, the old Textile Museum, which he paid $23million for and $12million to renovate, and is suspected of having purchased a smaller home across the street for $5million. However, it isn't just large properties in great locations Bezos' is after. The billionaire - who is estimated to be worth $203billion - also enjoys the fun gadgets that come with being a part of the ultra-rich. He reportedly owns a $65million jet, as well as is building a $500million superyacht. And he wouldn't be a billionaire without a weird purchase or two, Bezos also owns a $42million clock that is being constructed inside a Texas mountain and designed to run for 10,000 years. The hollowed-out mountain is also intended to be a part of the Blue Origin spaceport. Larry Ellison, the 77-year-old co-founder of Oracle, owns 98 percent of the island of Lanai JoAnn Fiedler was the second witness the defense called and claimed Rittenhouse said 'My God my life might be over 'after the killings Rittenhouse smirked and put his hand over his nose and mouth when Judge Schroeder spoke of the distance between Rittenhouse and his victims Perhaps most disturbing was the picture of Rosenbaum's head and back with swirls of purple bruising, blood and stippling around the fatal wound Next the state turned their attention to Joseph Rosenbaum shot four times by Rittenhouse Dr. Kelly told how the bullet, shot at close range, had torn through both of his lungs before causing devastating damage to his heart Huber was killed by a single shot to the chest, the court heard today from forensic pathologist Dr. Doug Kelly Images of Anthony Huber were the first to be shown on the sixth day of the trial The prosecution rested its case Tuesday morning, on the sixth day of trial Jurors at Kyle Rittenhouse's trial were shown gruesome images of the wounded bodies of the two men he shot dead the night of August 25, 2020 Kyle Rittenhouse stammered, 'My God my life might be over,' as he admitted that he had 'shot someone' on the night of August 25, 2020. Stammering, shaking, sweating and pale, Rittenhouse hammered on the door of a local business that he and armed vigilantes had been protecting that night, before 'falling in' and making his confession. This was the testimony of JoAnn Fiedler Tuesday afternoon as the defense began their case. Fiedler was the second witness they called. She told the court that Rittenhouse had 'fallen into her' as she had opened the door to the Car Source business that she and others were protecting that night. Amid powerful testimony she explained that she was there as a member of United Citizens for Patriotism, a group that she had founded in the wake of the civil unrest last summer. She said, 'I understood BLM and we were all with them and then they started destroying their own communities and there was a 71-year-old shop owner beaten downwell I wasn't for that at all.' She said she had formed United Citizens for Patriotism to show support for the police, emergency workers and 'the country.' She said, 'We just stood with our flags and let everybody know we were thinking of them.' Rittenhouse smirked and put his hand over his nose and mouth when Judge Schroeder spoke of the distance between Rittenhouse and his victims Kyle Rittenhouse stammered, 'My God my life might be over,' as he admitted that he had 'shot someone' on the night of August 25, 2020 JoAnn Fiedler was the second witness the defense called. She told the court that Rittenhouse had 'fallen into her' as she had opened the door to the Car Source business that she and others were protecting that night According to Fiedler earlier that evening she had witnessed Joseph Rosenbaum, 'just bi***ing' and making threats to 'kill all you mother-f*****s' and 'cut out your hearts,' and that she believed that he threw some sort of chemical bomb. She said, 'His arm went up and he threw something and within seconds my eyes started watering.' She said that Rittenhouse had stumbled into the Car Source building after what she now knows to have been his shooting of Huber, Rosenbaum and Grosskreutz and said that he had 'shot someone' and that he 'had to do it.' Nicholas Smith was the first witness called by the defense and took the stand ahead of Fielder. Both Smith and Fielder gave testimony that directly contradicted evidence given by two state witnesses. Last week the jury heard from Sahil 'Sal' and Amnol 'Sam' Khindri owners of Car Source, the property that Rittenhouse and others claim they were asked to protect on August 25 last year. Both brothers denied any contact with the so-called vigilantes despite the fact that one of them was photographed posing up with the group on the night of the shootings. In often conflicting, evasive testimony Amnol Khindri denied seeing a text sent to his cell by Rittenhouse in which the teen volunteered his services to protect one of his businesses following fires and looting the previous night. And he frequently defaulted to claiming to not understand questions. In increasingly testy cross-examination Corey Chirafisi flat out accused 'Sam' of being untruthful when he claimed to have been covered by insurance and resigned to letting events take their course without resistance. Khindri also denied Chirafisi's contention that he feared legal repercussions if he admitted to having invited armed men to protect his property when a man was ultimately shot dead on it. Today the court was told by both Smith and Fiedler that not only were they asked to protect the property, they were greeted by tearful and grateful owners when they did so. Former Car Source employee Smith, 23, stated categorically that 'Sam' had called him more than once, first to ask him to help put out fires on August 24 and second to protect his businesses August 25. He said that Khindri left the back door of the business open on the night of August 24 and met and handed him keys to the front door August 25. Nicholas Smith was the first witness called by the defense and took the stand ahead of Fielder Kyle Rittenhouse is accused of gunning down three people with a military-style semi-automatic rifle last year, killing two and injuring one Khindri denied giving anybody keys but could not explain how the men had accessed his properties without there being any signs of a break in. Smith said, 'He [Sam] gives me a hug and says thank you for comingHe was very grateful for our presence.' Smith claimed that Khindri promised to give him money to 'split with the other guys' but that he never saw a dime of it. Smith recounted the events of the night of August 25 and explained that he himself was not armed that night though at one point he accepted a pistol from Ryan Balch who handed it to him 'just in case.' He explained that he had intended to be on the roof of the Car Source property and so he did not believe he would need a firearm. He said that he had met Rittenhouse and his friend Dominick Black earlier in the day and that Rittenhouse offered to lend him his body armor as he did not plan to be armed but wanted some level of protection. According to Smith the three met at the Car Source later that afternoon with the plan to protect the property. Smith recalled seeing Rittenhouse directly after the shootings which he did not witness. He said, 'He was sweating and pale and saying over and over, 'I shot someone,' and I believe at some point he did say, 'I had to shoot someone.' Smith testified that he told Rittenhouse to turn himself into the police believing it to be the 'safest' option. Fiedler doubled down on this testimony saying that she met Sahil 'Sal' Khindri on the evening of August 25 and that he was crying. She said, 'He was happy to see us. He was crying and he was thanking us and I even commented, 'I heard you had cars that burned down' and he told us that he had over 100 cars that were burned [the previous night]. 'I don't know if it was happy or sad [crying]. I know he was happy to see us but I know he was sad about his 100 cars.' Freelance photographer Nathan De Bruin captured many images of the night of August 25 and the violence that included dumpsters being set on fire. He told the court that he saw Rosenbaum wielding a chain at one point in the evening Freelance photographer Nathan De Bruin captured many images of the night of August 25 and the violence that included dumpsters being set on fire. He told the court that he saw Rosenbaum wielding a chain at one point in the evening and that he believed that he had just got out of prison because he was carrying a small plastic bag and boasted, 'I'm not afraid to go back to jail.' De Bruin reiterated the image of Rosenbaum's agitated and aggressive behavior that has emerged over the previous days of testimony. He said that he had to be held back by the crowd, was saying 'f*** the police' many times over, 'I'm not afraid to go back to jail' and 'Shoot me N-word.' He said he saw Rosenbaum take a heavy chain from an upturned trailer that had been set no fire and 'swing it around,' 'keeping it for a while.' He told the court that later that evening he witnessed Huber swing his skateboard and hurl it at Rittenhouse's head before being shot in the chest. And he said that from his vantage point he saw Grosskreutz approaching Rittenhouse with a gun in his hand, 'pointed at him,' less than three feet away. His testimony took an unexpectedly controversial turn when defense attorney Mark Richards revealed to the court that De Bruin was originally subpoenaed as a witness for the state but, he said to De Bruin, 'they weren't happy with what you were telling them were they?' Judge Schroeder silenced the state's objections and allowed Richards to proceed. According to De Bruin he felt pressured by Binger to 'alter his original statement' when he me with the Assistant District Attorney. He claimed that Binger asked him if he knew the identity of a male. He did not. Binger then showed him video told him that the man in question was Joshua Ziminski then asked again, if he knew the identity of the male. De Bruin said he did not want to alter his statement to reflect the detail he had not known. Binger is bringing an arson case against Ziminksi whose name was frequently mentioned in the state's case against Rittenhouse despite there being no apparent link between him and the charges against the defendant. Standing to cross examine the witness Assistant District Attorney Kraus became increasingly aggressive in his attempts to get De Bruin to retract his statement that he felt pressured to alter his statement. Instead De Bruin held fast telling the court that his sense of unease was so great following his meeting with prosecutors that he hired an attorney. As tensions rose Kraus accused the bemused witness of 'having an interest in how this case comes out.' DeBruin replied, 'No. I'm just a photographer.' Kraus, 'Would you describe our meeting as cordial and uneventful?' He responded, 'Beside the uneasy feeling that I had it was pretty much like any other meeting.' In a brutal cross-examination of the man whom the state had once considered calling as their own witness Kraus seemed determined to suggest that, while he had refused to add detail to his statement on their suggestion, he had added to his original recollections as a witness for the defense. At one point, under extraordinarily aggressive questioning over details he had supposedly omitted from his original statement to detectives, De Bruin was moved to defend himself, 'I had just witnessed someone dying and someone getting their arm blown off. It was very traumatic.' He added, 'I'm not a detective. I don't know what you guys are looking forThis is the first time I ever had to do anything like this.' Rittenhouse fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum (left), 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. Moments later, as Rittenhouse was running down a street, he shot and killed Anthony Huber (right), 26, a protester from Silver Lake, Wisconsin Jurors at Kyle Rittenhouse's trial were shown gruesome images of the wounded bodies of the two men he shot dead the night of August 25, 2020. Huber's body is pictured The prosecution rested its case after a morning during which the jury saw gruesome images of the bodies of the two men killed by Rittenhouse. Prosecutor Binger made his announcement after the jury had been dismissed for lunch and at the close of testimony from forensic pathologist Dr. Doug Kelly who performed autopsies on both Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber. Images of Anthony Huber, the skateboarder who attempted to wrestled Rittenhouse's gun from him as he lay on his back on the street, were the first to be shown on the sixth day of the trial. Huber was killed by a single shot to the chest, Dr. Doug Kelly said. He told how the bullet, shot at close range, had torn through both of his lungs before causing devastating damage to his heart. The bullet did not exit his body, Dr. Kelly told the court, but lodged in his right collar bone having entered his body by his left nipple. The stark pictures showed Huber as he lay after medics' failed attempts to resuscitated him the defibrillator pads still stuck to his chest and side, a plastic gel patch put in place in a futile bid to stem the fatal hemorrhaging that flooded his body cavity. Next the state turned their attention to Joseph Rosenbaum shot four times by Rittenhouse. According to Dr. Kelly two of the bullets that hit Rosenbaum exited and two did not. Images of Anthony Huber were the first to be shown on the sixth day of the trial. Next the state turned their attention to Joseph Rosenbaum shot four times by Rittenhouse The pathologist recovered a bullet from Rosenbaum's right buttock where a bullet that had entered next to his right groin, fracturing his pelvis, had nearly exited. He explained that from the stippling the residue of soot and unburned gun-powder emitted by a gunshot visible on Rosenbaum's abdomen he estimated Rosenbaum's distance from the muzzle of the weapon as approximately four feet. Rosenbaum was also hit on the left hand, his palm torn up, his index finger shattered and middle finger torn up its ligament exposed. The doctor said this was associated with a superficial wound to his left thigh, speculating that the bullet hit Rosenbaum's hand, ricocheted off the pavement then rebounded to graze his thigh. Rosenbaum also sustained a superficial graze to his head. But the lethal shot was one that entered his chest, downward right to left and back to front and traveled down through his lung, diaphragm, liver and finally his right flank where the bullet was collected. This, Dr. Kelly said, was the fatal wound. As the doctor spoke the jurors were shown an array of grizzly pictures of Rosenbaum's pale and lifeless body and the wounds that he sustained that night. His neck was supported by a surgical brace. His bloody and damaged hand was frozen in a partial grasp, the exit wound between his index finger and thumb clearly visible. They were also shown the entrance wound to his right groin, surrounded by stippling and murky with blood. Perhaps most disturbing was the picture of Mr. Rosenbaum's head and back with swirls of purple bruising, blood and stippling around the fatal wound at his midline clearly visible. Huber was killed by a single shot to the chest, the court heard today from forensic pathologist Dr. Doug Kelly Mark Richards, lead attorney for Kyle Rittenhouse, left, with help from Kenosha Police Department Detective Ben Antaramian, right, gets help demonstrating how the late Joseph Rosenbaum could have gotten shot in the hand by Kyle Rittenhouse Standing to cross examine Dr. Kelly, defense attorney Mark Richards refocused the jury on the proximity of both Huber and Rosenbaum to Rittenhouse and the speed with which both incidents occurred. He pointed Dr. Kelly back to the stippling he had found on the wounds of both men, drawing out a reiteration that Huber was closer than four feet, to within touching distance of the muzzle of Rittenhouse's weapon, and that Rosenbaum went from 'at furthest four feet to touching distance,' of Rittenhouse's gun. The time that elapsed from the first to the fourth shot that struck Rosenbaum, Richards reminded the court, was just one seventy-sixth of a second. 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 Circling back to the order of those shots as set down by the doctor with the first to his pelvis, then hand, head then back - Richards asked, 'So if I was charging like a bull and diving that would be consistent?' The doctor answered, 'It would be.' Under re-direct the state tried to elicit an admission that the injury to Rosenbaum's hand was caused by him swiping the muzzle away rather than trying to grab for it as the defense has contested. The effort failed as Dr Kelly said, 'I can tell you the trajectory [of the bullet through the hand] but I can't tell you what he was doing at the time and I certainly can't see it on the video. The video's not good enough for that.' In an unusual move Judge Schroeder called pool photographers up as both the state and the defense attempted to recreate the position in which Rosenbaum's hand could have been to result in the injuries he received. Assistant District Attorney James Kraus asked Detective Antaranian who testified yesterday to point Rittenhouse's gun at him. 'Check it and check it again,' Judge Schroeder instructed. Both the judge and Richards called Kraus out when he claimed to be standing approximately four foot away the distance away from Rittenhouse that the state contends Rosenbaum was. Rittenhouse smirked and put his hand over his nose and mouth as Judge Schroeder said, 'I don't have a ruler but that's further than four feet.' Later he stood to watch as the attorneys attempted to stage some sort of reconstruction of the moments the first shots were fired. The trial was delayed Tuesday morning after it emerged that a person had been covertly videoing jury members. Judge Bruce Schroeder addressed the issue ahead of testimony continuing in the high-profile trial after a Kenosha Sheriff Deputy alerted him to the fact that an unnamed person had been videoing jurors 'at the bus pick up' Tuesday morning. Security has been high during the trial which has so far passed with remarkably little incident and only the occasional protester for the most part pro-Rittenhouse visible on the steps of Kenosha County Courthouse on any given day. Despite this, safety concerns have been paramount and heightened at the courthouse and Rittenhouse's own family members, mother Wendy and sister McKenzie, are flanked by personal security as they attend court each day as the family has received death threats since the events of August 25, 2020. Reassuring the jurors Tuesday morning, Judge Schroeder informed the court that the footage had been taken and deleted and that should anyone be caught attempting to film jurors again their phone would be taken from them and confiscated by the court. The judge did not identify the man and it is unknown whether or not he had been in the court's public seating during the trial. Concluding the matter Judge Schroeder said that he was shocked and, 'frankly surprised that such a thing happened at all.' The trial was delayed Tuesday morning after it emerged that a person had been covertly videoing jury members. Judge Bruce Schroeder addressed the issue ahead of testimony continuing in the high-profile trial after a Kenosha Sheriff Deputy alerted him to the fact that an unnamed person had been videoing jurors 'at the bus pick up' Tuesday morning The court was shown images of the shooting that clearly showed Grosskreutz grimacing and screaming in agony while he cradled his right arm on Monday Images of Grosskreutz's injuries on the night of the riot were shown to the jury on Monday Yesterday, jurors were shown graphic video of the devastating injury sustained by Gaige Grosskreutz when he was shot by Rittenhouse. The images were screened to a hushed court and clearly showed Grosskreutz grimacing and screaming in agony while he cradled his right arm - his right bicep almost entirely blown away having been shot at close range by Rittenhouse. Gaige Grosskreutz was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse on August 25, 2020 and his right bicep was almost entirely blown away. Grosskreutz, the state's star witness, took the stand Monday morning Grosskreutz took the stand Monday morning. In often emotional testimony the clearly harrowed Grosskreutz told the jury how he pulled his own gun because he thought Rittenhouse was an 'active shooter' having witnessed him shoot at two men in front of him killing one and on learning that he had already shot another man. But in the moments before he was shot, he said he raised his arms in surrender only for Rittenhouse to 're-wrack' his AR-15 and fire on him. Grosskreutz is the sole survivor of the three men shot by Rittenhouse that night. Questioned by Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, Grosskreutz recalled, 'I thought I was going to die,' and told how he watched Rittenhouse re-wrack his weapon and take aim at him as he approached him. He said, 'I put my hands up and then the defendant essentially re-wrackedin my mind it meant that the defendant had pulled the trigger while my hands were in the air, but the gun didn't fire so he was re-wracking. During a fierce cross examination, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi claimed Grosskreutz lied to police officers in his statement by omitting the fact that he had a Glock in his hand when he was shot by Rittenhouse. This was one of several allegations made by defense Chirafisi as he attempted to undermine the star witness's credibility. The court heard that Grosskreutz is an experience and qualified paramedic and saw images of him in action that night administering aid Defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said Grosskreutz lied to police officers in his statement by omitting the fact that he had a Glock in his hand when he was shot Chirafisi revealed to the court that Grosskreutz has filed a civil suit against Kenosha City for $10million as well as a federal lawsuit and that he fails to mention that he himself was carrying a firearm in either document. 'You stand a better chance of getting $10million bucks if Mr. Rittenhouse is convicted don't you?' Chirafisi hectored. Reading from Grosskreutz's original police statement made on August 26, Chirafisi said, 'You said, 'I told multiple officers that I dropped my firearm.' You didn't drop your firearm. You were chasing Mr Rittenhouse with your gun [drawn] right?' Throughout direct examination Grosskreutz had been portrayed as a non-partisan participant, there only to administer medical aid. Under cross-examination Chirafisi drew an admission that he has affiliations with a group called The People's Revolution and played footage during which Grosskreutz can be heard telling Rittenhouse and his fellow 'militia' medics, 'You can go home. F***ing stooge.' Grosskreutz claimed that he did not 'purposefully' omit the information that he was armed and blamed it on the fact that he had just come out of surgery, had been sedated, was on pain medication and had just undergone 'the most traumatic experience' of his life 'physically and emotionally.' Chirafisi was not satisfied, 'You understand it's the only information you appear ot have forgotten that puts you with a gun directly in front of him.' Where the state had sought to portray Grosskreutz as a co-operative witness Chirafisi presented a very different image to the court. Under cross examination Grosskreutz admitted that he did not give permission for officers to look through his cell phone, failed to mention that he had been carrying a gun when questioned the day after the shooting and refused to answer homicide detectives' questions on the advice of his lawyer when re-interviewed in September 24. A boy aged 14 and two other teenagers will go on trial next year charged with grievous bodily harm after a dad was allegedly battered within an inch of his life as he tried to protect his young son. Alan Willson, 46, a care worker, allegedly stepped in after his son Ashley, 11, was confronted by youths at a popular park. But as he intervened to help his son the father of three, from Worthing, West Sussex was allegedly beaten by three youths. Mr Willson suffered serious brain injuries, fractures to his spine, lung trauma and several broken bones in the alleged attack at Longcroft Park on Easter Sunday (April 4). He was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery on his brain before spending months recuperating. Police said the care worker suffered 'life-changing injuries' in the alleged attack and is now continuing his rehabilitation in a specialist facility. Sussex Police launched a major investigation into the incident and initially arrested the youths before releasing them on conditional bail while officers carried out their enquiries. Alan Willson, 46, (pictured with wife Annie) a care worker, allegedly stepped in after his son Ashley, 11, was confronted by youths at a popular park Mr Willson was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery on his brain before spending months recuperating (Pictured: Longcroft Park, scene of alleged attack) Police on the scene of the alleged assault in Longcroft Park on April 4. Three teenagers, aged 14, 15 and 17, have now been charged and will face trial Mr Willson suffered serious brain injuries, fractures to his spine, lung trauma and several broken bones in the alleged attack at Longcroft Park on Easter Sunday (April 4) (Pictured: Taped off scene) Last month (OCT) three youths, aged 17, 15 and 14 years, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were charged with 'unlawfully and maliciously' attacking Mr Willson. Today they appeared at Lewes Crown Court where all three denied a single charge of causing grievous bodily harm to Alan Willson with intent at Longcroft Park in Worthing, West Sussex, on Easter Sunday (April 4). All three spoke only to confirm their dates of birth and to plead not guilty to the charge. They will all go on trial next year and were released on conditional bail. In a statement released at the time by the victim's wife, Annie Willson, she said: 'I am so grateful to everybody for their well-wishes and donations in the weeks and months following the assault on my husband. 'We have been overwhelmed and touched by the kindness and generosity people have gone out of their way to show to me and my family. 'I would like to thank the medical staff who did such an amazing job looking after my husband in hospital, and my children for being so supportive at what has been such a difficult time for us all. The trio accused of attacking Mr Willson appeared at Lewes Crown Court (pictured) where all three denied a single charge of causing grievous bodily harm to with intent 'While the investigation is still ongoing, we will not be commenting or speaking any further and we continue to ask that our privacy is respected during this time so we can focus on my husband's recovery.' A fundraising page was set up by pal Cheryl Edwards to help raise money for his family. Friends and well-wishers inundated the appeal with donations and it soared to nearly 37,000 before being closed in August. The victim's daughter, Becky Willson, thanked supporters for their generosity. She wrote: 'Words can not describe (how grateful) I am of how much has been given to help my mum and family out at this time. 'I'm so so shocked this will help my mum out so much while my dad is in hospital thank you so so much every one.' Mr Wilson's older brother Barrie, 52, said: 'It's awful. It has left our whole family devastated. We are broken and in pieces. 'He's such a kind, lovely chap and he did absolutely nothing wrong.' A woman who has come to be known as 'SoHo Karen' for falsely accusing a black teenage of theft in Manhattan on Monday walked back her now-infamous televised non-apology to the 14-year-old boy and his jazz musician father. 'I just wish I had apologized differently,' Miya Ponsetto, 23, told the New York Post before her status hearing in the Manhattan Supreme Court. Ponsetto previously pleaded not guilty to charges of unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a child, which could see her facing up to 10 years in prison. Ponsetto's attorney, Paul D'Emilia, informed the court that his client, who lives in California, has been seeing a therapist and trying to schedule anger management classes. She went viral last year after attacking 14-year-old Keyon Harrold Jr. in the lobby of upscale boutique hotel Arlo Soho on December 26, 2020 and falsely accusing him of stealing her iPhone. Harrold Jr. is the son of jazz musician Keyon Harrold. She later discovered that she forgot her phone in an Uber, and the driver returned it to her. Miya Ponsetto, 23, also known as 'SoHo Karen,' on Monday expressed regret for her previous non-apology to the black teen whom she had falsely accused of theft Ponsetto, who was charged after falsely accusing a black teen of stealing her cell phone inside a boutique hotel last December, appeared at Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday She remained defiant during ensuing media interviews, telling Gayle King earlier this year that she only regretted making the boy 'feel inferior.' She also denied that race played a role in the incident because she is a 'woman of color.' Ponsetto did offer a roundabout apology to the boy, saying: 'I'm sorry. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. He is honestly - he's 14? That's what they're claiming? Yeah. I'm 22. I've lived probably just the same amount of life as him. Like, honestly. I'm just as a kid at heart as he is,' she said. 'I feel sorry that I made the family go through, like, all of that stress. But at the same time, it wasn't just them going through that. 'I don't feel like this one mistake does define me,' Ponsetto said. 'I consider myself to be super sweet. I'm a 22-year-old girl... how is one girl accusing a guy about a phone a crime?' The CBS sit-down was marked by Ponsetto, wearing a black cap emblazoned with the word 'Daddy,' snapping at King and telling her, 'Alright Gayle, enough' as she was pressed on the incident and told she was 'old enough to know better.' Sitting outside the courtroom in a head-to-toe black ensemble on Monday, a seemingly humbled Ponsetto told the Post: 'I feel like I made a mistake.' In the course of the brief hearing, Ponsetto's lawyer told the judge that he is trying to 'resolve' the hate crime charge in the case within the next few months. D'Emilia also said he was waiting for a progress report - and a 'possible diagnosis' - from Ponsetto's therapist. The judge scheduled Ponsetto's trial for January 10, 2022. Speaking to DailyMail.com outside the courtroom, D'Emilia said he believed his client was 'grossly overcharged'. 'She was charged with crimes that were greatly enhanced, if I could say that,' he said. 'We don't feel those charges are appropriate, but hopefully there's something that we can reach that will be satisfactory to everybody.' She was joined by lawyer Paul D'Emilia, who later said his client was 'grossly overcharged' Ponsetto's actions inside the boutique hotel were filmed by Grammy-winning African American jazz artist Keyon Harrold as he approached his son, Keyon Jr. In the recording, Ponsetto is seen pushing and grabbing at the father and son, allegedly even scratching Keyon Sr.'s hands as she attempted to snatch his cell phone, wrongly believing it to be hers. Ponsetto, who lives in Los Angeles, was initially charged with assault and was permitted to fly back to California on bail, where she remains. She was arraigned via video conference in June with three new counts: unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a child. Ponsetto was initially charged with assault following the hotel scuffle, but was in June arraigned on three new counts: unlawful imprisonment as a hate crime, aggravated harassment and endangering the welfare of a child Ponsetto's actions inside the boutique hotel were filmed by Grammy-winning African American jazz artist Keyon Harrold (right) as she approached his son, Keyon Jr. (left) D'Emilia said the situation has left his client feeling shaken. 'Obviously she gets a lot of unwanted attention. She gets a lot of inappropriate calls and letters and things like that,' he said. 'She's just trying to get our life together. She's working and just trying to get by and make the best of the situation. It's a little frightening for her.' Ponsetto remained unapologetic during ensuing media interviews, telling Gayle King that she only regretted making the boy 'feel inferior' Ponsetto was flown from her California home in January and charged for the alleged attack Ponsetto claimed in interviews she'd been stopping everyone in the hotel lobby during the search for her missing phone. 'I was approaching the people that had been exiting the hotel - because in my mind, anybody exiting might be the one trying to steal my phone,' she said. Moments after the hotel scuffle, an Uber driver reportedly returned the missing phone to Ponsetto. Harrold and Keyon Jr.'s mother, Kat Rodriguez, staged a rally in Manhattan shortly after the incident alongside their attorney Ben Crump and the Reverend Al Sharpton. She is reportedly hoping to have the charges 'resolved' within the next few months 'When I saw this story, I thought about how I was one of those kids whose father never took him anywhere for Christmas, never had brunch with my father,' Sharpton said. 'And for this Black man to take his Black son, put him in a hotel during a pandemic, and spend Christmas with him, raising him, and to be assaulted because of the color of their skin, I wanted to stand with this man and this woman who provided for their son, and they're being criminalized for it. The arrogance and audacity of this woman.' Facebook has unblocked the #SaltBae hashtag after it became unavailable when footage of a senior Vietnamese Communist Party official being fed gold-covered steak sparked fury online. Meta, Facebook's parent company, announced the hashtag had been unblocked today but refused to comment on whether Vietnam had demanded the video be deleted. The footage showed Vietnam's Minister of Public Security To Lam being fed a 1,450 tomahawk steak at celebrity chef Nusret Gokce's Nusr-Et Steakhouse in London. The original video was removed from Gokce's TikTok account shortly after it was uploaded, and further copies have been removed from the app for violating 'community standards', Vietnamese users told Reuters. It was not immediately clear why the video led to the tag being blocked and a Meta spokesperson declined to comment on potential reasons. While it was blocked, a search for the hashtag generated a message saying community standards had been violated. 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 'We've unblocked this hashtag on Facebook and we're investigating why this happened,' a spokesperson for Facebook operator Meta said, confirming the tag had been blocked for all Facebook users around the world, not just in Vietnam. In a US Congress hearing earlier this year, Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said artificial intelligence plays a major role in 'content moderation', responsible for taking down more than 90 per cent of content deemed to be against Facebook guidelines. Lam, 64, was in Britain during a visit by senior Vietnamese officials to the UN climate conference, COP26, in Glasgow. But images of him chewing on the gilded beef caused a stir both on and offline in Vietnam, with many questioning how such a high-ranking Party official allowed himself to be caught on camera indulging in food carrying such a high price tag amid a state crackdown on corruption. In one Facebook post, user Nguyen Lan Thang, with nearly 150,000 followers, changed his profile picture to a screenshot of the video, and pointed out that local media had been staying quiet over the incident. 'Security officers following this account, have you seen the video of minister To Lam eating salt-sprayed beef? Do you know how many months salary you'd have to spend for just one piece of that steak?' Thang wrote in one post. It was not clear who paid for the meal. To Lam did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Vietnam's foreign ministry, which handles foreign media enquiries. TikTok and Gokce declined to comment. 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, 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.' Nguyen Huu Truong said: 'Where did he get the money? His annual salary can't 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. The footage also sparked outrage in Vietnam, where a customer at one cafe in northern Vietnam who declined to be named, citing safety concerns, said: 'It's not unusual that a government official is super-rich in Vietnam, but a minister seen widely opening his mouth to bite a golden steak is shameful'. Vietnam is defined as a lower middle income country by the World Bank. A minister in the country is paid an official monthly salary of around 16 million dong ($705.47). Vietnam routinely asks social media companies to censor content it deems to be 'anti-state'. Last year, Vietnam threatened to shut down Facebook in the country if it did not remove more local political content from its platform. Facebook declined Reuters' requests for comment on whether the Vietnamese government had requested that the video be removed and had not responded to MailOnline requests at the time of publication. 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' Vietnam operates one of the largest and most sophisticated online influence networks in Southeast Asia. Earlier this year, Facebook said it had removed some groups identified by Reuters as being part of a government influence operation for 'coordinating attempts to mass-report content'. To Lam is one of the most powerful officials in Vietnam, his ministry containing both Vietnam's police and the agencies tasked with suppressing dissent and investigating corruption. He had been touted as a potential candidate for state president in January's leadership reshuffle, and has in his capacity as security minister worked to arrest Vietnamese officials accused of corruption and overt displays of opulence. Earlier last week, To Lam had led a delegation of officials to the grave of Karl Marx to 'remember the source of the water we drink', the Communist-ruled country's state media reported, citing a Vietnamese proverb about paying respects, 'General To Lam's visit to Karl Marx's grave affirms the Vietnamese people's tradition of 'remembering the source of the water we drink' for the figures who contributed to the direction of a dominated and suppressed nation,' the security ministry's official mouthpiece said. 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 The restaurant has hit the headlines since it opened as a popular venue for celebrities including the Beckhams, Leonardo DiCaprio and Wayne Rooney. Gokce, 38, revealed last week it would be his last in London, with the restauranteur switching his attention to his new venue in Riyadh. 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 totaling 4,829.10. The mother of a hero marine has slammed the 'casual and incompetent' care he received from the Armed Forces before his suspected suicide. Alison Tostevin told an inquest into former Special Boat Service Corporal Alexander Tostevin, 28, how he spiralled into drink and drugs. She wept as she said his mental health deteriorated and he became a 'shell' of himself mired in debt. She claimed the Ministry of Defence failed to provide adequate support when they knew he had sat in a darkened flat with a 'noose around his neck', the hearing heard. Corporal Tostevin remained a serving marine until he was found dead at an address in Poole, Dorset, on March 18, 2018. He had been mentioned in despatches for his gallantry fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. But he was permanently scarred by the horrors he witnessed during his first tour of duty in 2010, including seeing children with bombs strapped to them. Alison Tostevin told an inquest into former Special Boat Service Corporal Alexander Tostevin (pictured), 28, how he spiralled into drink and drugs Corporal Tostevin (pictured) remained a serving marine until he was found dead at an address in Poole, Dorset, on March 18, 2018 Mentioned in despatches for saving troops pinned down by Taliban despite being shot in head: Who was hero SBS soldier Alex Tostevin? Corporal Alex Tostevin, 28, was decorated for bravery after saving the lives of troops in battle against the Taliban. He received a Mention in Dispatches (MiD) after continuing to fire his machine gun in Sangin, Helmand Province, even after he had been shot in the head. His heroic actions in July 2010 allowed two other soldiers - who had been pinned down by gunmen - to escape and his citation revealed he 'remained steadfast at his sentry position'. At the time Corporal Tostevin said he was 'over the moon' to receive the award. But the Special Boat Service operative is understood to have taken his life at the unit's headquarters in Poole, Dorset. Corporal Tostevin is one of 12 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans feared to have killed themselves in 2018. Advertisement Mrs Tostevin, a teacher, said: 'I didn't know there was a problem with Alex's care before I got the files I could read. 'We were going to have the inquest and when I read the file I contacted your office (the coroner) and corresponded to you about some of the things that disturbed us. 'The thing that disturbed me and traumatised me the most is that everyone knew for two days before my son died, the MOD knew, the welfare officer knew, that my son had sat in his flat in a darkened room with a noose around his neck contemplating whether to kick away the chair. 'Welfare officer 1 reminded you in an email confirming that everyone knew that's what my son had done. 'I think that life must be cheap to people who think that it's ok to leave someone with their dog and 999 and the Samaritans and that all boxes are ticked and that's a fine job of care. 'I don't know anyone for whom that would be good enough. Our precious son is gone and his care was casual and incompetent and careless and you have destroyed us.' Mrs Tostevin said the wife of a serving officer said at his funeral he had been put on an informal 'suicide watch' in February 2018 but the support was 'not good enough'. She told the inquest: 'The wife of a serving member said to me at Alex's funeral that he had been on an informal suicide watch and it was not enough. 'He was staying with herself and her husband and their two children sleeping on their couch after her husband found him crying and rolling around in a gym. 'She said it was not good enough as they were not qualified to look after him and he was couch surfing without privacy and felt he was intruding.' Corporal Tostevin (pictured), from Guernsey, survived being shot in the head when a bullet skirted the inside of his helmet in a firefight in Sangin, Helmand Province, in 2010 Corporal Tostevin, from Guernsey, survived being shot in the head when a bullet skirted the inside of his helmet in a firefight in Sangin, Helmand Province, in 2010. He was knocked to the ground but got to his feet and - dismissing the wound as a 'scratch' - returned fire, enabling two soldiers who were pinned down to escape. His citation said: 'Tostevin remained steadfast at his sentry position. He only sought medical assistance once the patrol was out of danger, by which time he was suffering with deep shock.' Mrs Tostevin said what he was not ready for were the 'awful things' he saw on his first tour. She said: 'It was really awful. Lots of people lost their limbs and people lost their lives.' She added: 'Children had bombs strapped to them. He was frightened of children after that.' Describing how her 'kind, fun-loving and generous' son's personality changed from then on, she added: 'He was very volatile and doing things out of character. 'He was not respectful. He was doing silly things with money and girls. He was not the Alex I knew. He was a shell of himself.' She said Corporal Tostevin had been suffering 'behavioural changes' for years when he went on an overseas operation in 2016. He was in heavy debt to 'pay day' loan companies and went to court in 2017 for an incident at a bar. She said he once told her that he had spent all his money on 'cocaine and prostitutes'. The inquest, which is being held at Bournemouth Town Hall, heard he had been taken into hospital on March 14, 2018, but was allowed to go home to his flat. The case continues. A Japanese hospital accidentally used toilet water for drinking for almost 30 years after the pipes were wrongly connected. The shocking mistake was discovered at Osaka University hospital in Suita, Japan last month when it found some tap water pipes were connected to the toilet. The hospital announced on October 20 that some of the tap water pipes in the medical department were connected incorrectly, a local media outlet Yomiuri Shimbun reported. However, upon further investigation, around 120 taps were declared faulty and it was found the issue dated back nearly 30 years to when the hospital opened in 1993. The Osaka University hospital (pictured) in Suita, Japan discovered last month water pipes had been wrongly connected to the toilet for almost 30 years Hospital staff and patients have been using the unsafe toilet water for drinking, washing hands, and gargling without knowing its source. The mistake had never been flagged and was not noticed until the hospital management started construction of a new water treatment plant. The unsafe water was discovered during an inspection of the new building. The university said it is investigating the matter and though the water quality is being checked, no health hazard has been confirmed. Aound 120 taps were declared faulty and hospital staff and patients had used the unsafe toilet water for drinking, washing hands, and gargling without knowing its source (stock image) Hospital authorities also said they will check the piping and get the error rectified, according to the publication. Reports have claimed that the hospital checks the colour, smell, and taste of water at least once a week and no problems had been reported since records began in 2014. At a press conference, Osaka University researcher and hospital's vice president Kazuhiko Nakatani issued an apology, saying: 'I am very sorry that the university hospital that provides advanced medical care has caused anxiety.' He added that the school will regularly check the connection of their water pipes. A 75-year-old leading art historian with Alzheimer's disease was found dead by police in the woods of an upstate New York park five days after he was reported missing. Richard Kendall was last seen walking near his home at Pizza Bistro in Nyack on November 3, according to police. His wife reported him missing by 1.19pm that afternoon. Police asked the community for help in a Facebook post describing Kendall as standing 5-foot-7-inches tall and weighing 140 pounds with blue eyes, grey hair and a British accent. Nearly a week later after a Silver Alert had been issued, Orangetown Police Department detectives posted an update that they had found Kendall's body in a 'heavily wooded area in Nyack Beach State Park' on Monday around 4:30pm. Richard Kendall (pictured), a 75-year-old leading art historian with Alzheimer's disease was found dead by police in the woods of an upstate New York park on Monday - five days after he was reported missing He was reported missing by his wife Jill DeVonyar (left with Kendall in 2010), who was a fellow art historian and Degas expert - on November 3 Kendall was last seen walking near his home at Pizza Bistro (pictured) in Nyack on November 3, according to police A cause of death has yet to be announced and police have said that they don't know why Kendall was in the woods, as reported by the Hudson Valley Post. The department's captain, James Brown, said they were investigating the death but did not consider it suspicious. Born in the UK in 1946, Kendall was a renowned English art historian and impressionist movement expert specializing in the works of French painter Edgar Degas, who was most famous for his paintings of ballet dancers. He curated exhibits at major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Tate Modern and National Gallery in London, as well as the Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts, where he was a curator-at-large. Kendall's role at the Clark Art Institute meant he assisted in writing, editing and producing catalogs and publications sold at the museum. A close friend and former colleague of Kendall's Carole Perry described him as a 'charming Englishman (and) an intellectual with sharp wit'. He was 'extremely articulate and well read,' she added, noting that 'as recently as a year ago he talked passionately about a book on impressionism that he was writing.' Kendall curated exhibits at major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and the Tate Modern and National Gallery in London, as well as the Clark Art Institute in Massachusetts, where he was a curator-at-large Kendall was a renowned English art historian and impressionist movement expert specializing in the works of French painter Edgar Degas, who was most famous for his paintings of ballet dancers (pictured: Degas's famous The Ballet Class on oil canvas) He published multiple books on the movement with Yale University Press, according to its website, and authored books titled Degas By Himself, Picasso Looks At Degas and Degas And The Dance - which he co-wrote in 2002 with his wife Jill DeVonyar, who was a fellow art historian and Degas expert. 'This authoritative volume presents much new material about Degas as an artist and his relationship with the ballet of his day,' a description of the book read on Amazon. Kendall also gave lectures at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University, the University of Washington, J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Dallas Museum of Art, among many others. He attended Manchester School of Art from 1965 to 1966 and then the Central School of Art and Design from 1966 to 1969. He graduated from Courtauld Institute of Art in London with a Master of Arts in 1971. A fugitive 46.5million wine fraudster who fled the UK before he was sentenced to 14 years escaped the majority of his sentence - after birth country Italy slashed his term. Livio Mazzarello, 61, skipped bail during his Old Bailey trial in 2017 and managed to get to the Italian port city of Genoa. Mazzarello, of Cricklewood, sent an email addressed to 'the most illustrious judge' claiming he needed to go and see his mother but had been missing since. He was found guilty of one count of fraudulent evasion of of VAT and jailed for 14 years in his absence in July that year. Today at a Proceeds Of Crime Act hearing at London's Old Bailey the mystery of what happened to him was finally solved. Judge Philip Katz, QC,was told an Italian court 'took over enforcement of the sentence' and reduced the fraudster's term to just eight years. It meant Mazzarello was released from a prison in Genoa in June after serving less than four years behind bars. Prosecutor David Hughes told the judge: 'They took over the enforcement of the sentence but at the time of the indictment the money laundering he was convicted of here was not an offence in Italy. Livio Mazzarello, 61, had been sentenced in his absence over 46m London wine fraud The Italian Wine Company Ltd, based in Neasden was where Mazzarello carried out the fraud The sentence for money laundering was knocked off and the sentence for VAT was less in Italy than in the United Kingdom. It transpires that Mr Mazzarello was released from prison in the Genoa region on the 21st of June 2021 and his release under Italian law is with conditions. There are conditions as to an address that he is to reside at in a placed called Lerma in the Alessandria region. There are conditions to live and sleep there with a curfew. He has also a condition not to leave the province of Alessandria without the leave of the sentencing supervising judge. It has been discovered that tomorrow, the 10th of November, in Genoa, there is a hearing before the sentencing supervisory judge to either confirm his release provision or to return him to prison. So long as he has not been a bad boy since his release on the 21st of June the feedback I am getting is that it is more likely than not that the sentencing conditions will be confirmed and the sentence supervisory position will transfer from Genoa on Wednesday to Turin. Mazzarello pictured outside the Old Bailey back in 2017 before he fled from the UK He sold cases under the counter for cash, which he then hid in the roof of the property Mazzarello was the frontman of a plot to dodge paying excise duty for nearly five years by covering up the importation of millions of bottles of wine from Europe. He avoided paying VAT on an 'industrial scale' by selling cases under the counter for cash at The Italian Wine Company based in Neasden, northwest London. The fraud enabled the Italian Wine Company to avoid paying both excise duty and VAT in the UK on wine sold on to shops such as Star and Bestbuy. The total loss to HMRC between June 2008 and March 2013 was 46,579,257.32. Mazzarello now faces a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act as prosecutors try to claw back any cash or assets he has. Mr Hughes added that, since his release, Mazzarello would have been able to apply for leave to travel to the United Kingdom as there are no outstanding warrants for his arrest. Judge Katz adjourned the confiscation hearing until Friday to hear further evidence about any assets he may have. Mazzarello was convicted of fraudulent evasion of duty, one count of fraudulent evasion of VAT and one count of money laundering. Crew members of the ill-fated movie Rust, where Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a loaded prop gun last month, say the set had an 'armorer mentor' who supplied the gun but was not seen during filming. Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, was recommended for the job by Seth Kenney, a 51-year-old prop expert who's been in the movie business for at least a decade, crew members told the Los Angeles Times. A crew sheet leaked to the newspaper lists Kenney as an 'armorer mentor,' a title that film crew veterans say is rarely used. Six people familiar with the filming say Kenney, who owned the PDQ Media Arm & Prop rental company in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, supplied the guns used on set, including the FD Pietta Colt .45 that killed Hutchins. On October 21, Baldwin fired the gun - which he believed to be 'cold' but was instead loaded with a live bullet - while rehearsing a scene, hitting Hutchins in the chest and piercing director Joel Souza in the shoulder. Rust armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, 24, was recommended for the film by 'armorer mentor' Seth Kenney, who sources say supplied all the guns for the film Sources tell the Los Angeles Times that they never saw Kenney at the New Mexico movie set Alec Baldwin accidentally shot and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on October 21., Above, Baldwin after being questioned at the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Office Hutchins' last words were, 'That was no good. That was no good at all,' eyewitnesses say The incident is still being investigated by the Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office. Much has been reported about Gutierrez-Reed's lack of experience, though it appears she wasn't solely responsible for the film's weapons. A key grip on The Old Way, the last film she worked on, said he told the assistant director that Gutierrez-Reed needed to be fired after the second time she fired a gun without a warning. The film's star, Nicolas Cage, reportedly yelled: 'Make an announcement, you just blew my f**king eardrums out!' before storming off set, according to grip Stu Brumbaugh. Kenney was added to the Rust crew in late September, the Los Angeles Times reports, though multiple crew members say they never saw him on set. The armorer has only one other movie credit to his name, serving as a 'weapons consultant' in the 2015 Shia LaBeouf film Man Down, according to IMDb. Before switching to films, he was an entrepreneur who owned businesses with his wife in San Clemente, California, including a a stationery store, Cheers; a gift shop, Summer House; and the Del Mar Bicycle Co. Weapons for the independent western film were supplied by Kenney, 51, who is credited as a weapons consultant in the 2015 film Man Down. Above, the entrance to the set of Rust Much has been reported about Gutierrez-Reed, who was reportedly the source of complaints at her previous job, the upcoming Nicolas Cage-helmed film The Old Way From 2011 to April 2016, he worked at the Hand Prop Room in Los Angeles, where he helped stock the prop rooms of shows like The Walking Dead and films like Django Unchained. 'He rolled into Hollywood from Orange County in 2011. I met him for the first time when he was working at the Hand Prop firm,' said Django property master Hope M. Parrish. 'I came in to look at their weapons for Django and he was a sales person in the weapons room there. Nice kid.' The Hand Prop Room eventually sued Kenney in May 2016, claiming he had taken some of their weapons and began stealing their clients for his own business. He had formed PDQ Media Arm & Prop in Georgia four months earlier, though the company eventually dissolved in 2017, according to state records. The Hand Prop Room alleged in its tortious interference lawsuit that Kenney was trying to poach the prop master for The Walking Dead, a zombie show that requires a large amount of weapons. 'What the f**k just happened?' Baldwin reportedly asked cast and crew members after the shot went off, and Hutchins suddenly stumbled back into head electrician Serge Svetnoy's arms Halyna Hutchins, 42, is survived by her son Andros Hutchins, 9, and her husband Matthew The Hand Prop Room moved to dismiss the case in Mach 2017. Another source, who dealt with Kenney at the Hand Prop Room told the LA Times: 'He's very knowledgeable in the field. He's a personable person, very good at educating individuals who aren't so good at weapons. 'He customized the weapons for whatever load you're needing, which is very precise, hes one of the very few who know how to do that. He provided weapons to hundreds of productions when he worked there.' After shooting Hutchins on October 21, Baldwin reportedly asked, 'What the f**k just happened?' Hutchins stumbled back into head electrician Serge Svetnoy's arms. Director Joel Souza also hit the deck after being grazed, according to Los Angeles Times interviews with the cast and crew Kenney, the 'mentor armorer' on Rust, worked at Hand Prop Room in Los Angeles from 2011 to 2016 The prop shop later sued him for allegedly poaching their clients and taking inventory for his own business, though they later dropped the lawsuit The actor, perplexed by the incident, had been prepping for a scene that involved him drawing and firing the prop gun. 'So,' Baldwin said to Souza before firing the shot, 'I guess I'm gonna take this out, pull it, and go, "Bang!"' The actor then drew the gun - which he had been assured was safe to use by the film's first assistant director, David Halls, being told it was a 'cold gun' - and fired. But instead of a blank, a live bullet flew out of the barrel, fatally striking Hutchins in the chest, and exiting her body to also pierce Souza. 'What the f*** was that? That burns!' the director reportedly screamed during the ensuing confusion. Baldwin, shocked, then proceeded to put the gun down, cast members revealed, and looked at his two savaged colleagues. 'What the f**k just happened?' the actor repeated again. Then, pandemonium ensued. 'Medic!' someone on the set screamed, The Times Reported, as staffers gathered around Hutchins, who was carefully set to the ground by Svetnoy and was bleeding profusely from her chest. 'I can't feel my legs,' the cinematographer told Svetnoy. Cast and crew members struggled to stop the bleeding. At this point, the Times reveals, Hutchins, still conscious at the time, looked up at one of the staffers trying to save her, a boom operator. 'Oh, that was no good,' the sound guy said, taking in the severity of his colleague's injury. 'No,' Hutchins replied, knowingly. 'That was no good. That was no good at all.' The cinematographer, 42, succumbed to her wounds mere hours later. She is survived by her son Andros Hutchins, 9, and her husband Matthew. Warrants detailed how during a scene rehearsal, an assistant director on the film, David Halls, allegedly handed Baldwin a loaded .45 revolver. Gutierrez-Reed explained to detectives she had checked that dummy rounds were in the weapon earlier in the day adding 'no live ammo is ever kept on set.' The bullet hit Hutchins in the chest and went on to strike director Joel Souza in the shoulder A cameraman who quit Rust due to safety concerns said that armorer Gutierrez-Reed 'seemed like she was also under a lot of pressure to rush' Santa Fe Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed that a mix of dummy rounds, blanks and real bullets were all found on set. Dummies and live rounds can sometimes appear almost identical. Authorities have been attempting to work out who handled the gun before Baldwin fired the fatal shot on October 21. It's believed the gun came into contact with at least four people in the hours prior to the firing and included Baldwin, Gutierrez-Reed, Halls and the film's prop master Sarah Zachry. Cameramen Lane Luper, who left the production due to safety concerns, said the armory crew working alongside Gutierrez Reed were 'three inexperienced people'. 'It's fine on a [low-budget production] to have inexperienced people, but your department heads shouldn't be, or people handling firearms shouldn't be,' he told the Hollywood Reporter. 'It seemed like she was also under a lot of pressure to rush.' Luper Lane has criticized the film's production as one that created the perfect storm for the tragic shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins 'I think with Rust, it was the perfect storm of the armorer, the assistant director, the culture that was on set, the rushing. It was everything,' he also told Good Morning America about the events that led up to the fatal shooting. Days after the Rust shooting, Stu Brumbaugh, the key grip on The Old Way, told TheWrap that Gutierrez-Reed failed to abide by basic gun safety protocols during the shooting of that film, which took place just two months before Rust. He said that after Gutierrez-Reed discharged a weapon for the second time in three days without warning, Cage yelled: 'Make an announcement, you just blew my f**king eardrums out!' before reportedly storming off set. Brumbaugh said he told the assistant director on the Montana set that Gutierrez-Reed needed to be fired: 'After the second round I was pissed off. We were moving too fast. She's a rookie.' After raising his concerns to his superiors, he learned that The Old Way was the young woman's very first movie. The Santa Fe County Sheriffs Office is still investigating how live rounds ended up on the set of Rust. Above, Hutchins in an unknown set A producer for The Old Way denied Brumbaugh's claims: 'I have no such recollection of this event on our set. I asked my partners the same.' They said: 'The details on some of these accounts specifically when it pertains to The Old Way have been blown out of proportion.' The Old Way producer said that Gutierrez-Reed worked under veteran property master, Jeffrey W. Crow. But Brumbaugh and another source who was on the set claimed that Gutierrez-Reed: 'put the cast and crew in several unnecessary and dangerous situations.' Last week, a lawyer for Gutierrez-Reed defended her role as an armorer on Rust. 'Hannah was very well trained by her father, Thell, who worked with her on sets from the time she was 10-years-old. She did everything she could to ensure safety on the set.' Referring to the fact a real bullets were found on set, the attorney said 'never in a million years did Hannah think that live rounds could have been in the 'dummy' round box.' In a statement to the LA Times, her attorney added: 'Hannah was hired for two positions on this film, which made it extremely difficult to focus on her job as an armorer. She fought for training, days to maintain weapons and proper time to prepare for gunfire but ultimately was overruled by production and her department.' A sheriff's deputy has died in hospital from gunshot wounds she sustained while responding to a domestic dispute in a rural Georgia village. Jackson County Sheriff's Deputy Lena Nicole Marshall, a mother of four, was fatally wounded about 9.20pm last Friday while responding to a call for help removing a non-resident from a Hoschton home. When deputies arrived at the front door, a gun-wielding woman later identified as Jessica Worsham - emerged and pointed the weapon toward the cops, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said in a release. The woman ignored orders to drop the gun and shot Marshall, whose colleague returned fire and killed Worsham. Marshall was rushed to hospital, where she later died. Lena Nicole Marshall was fatally wounded last Friday while responding to a call for help removing a non-resident from a Hoschton, Georgia home When she arrived at the home, she was shot by an occupant. Another deputy returned fire, killing the gunwoman. Marshall was rushed to a hospital, where she later died Friends and relatives memorialized the fallen officer online, with one saying Marshall's death left him feeling 'crushed and broken beyond repair.' 'Lena Marshall embodied everything good in the world,' her friend Rob Peladeau said on Facebook. 'She overcame so many adversities, she raised 4 beautiful children. Her heart had no limits when it came to her kids and her care for them. The adversities Lena endured but yet she raised such amazing humans is a testament to her beauty.' Others turned to Facebook to offer their condolences to Marshall's children. 'I cant even imagine what yall are going through,' said Danelle Yasko. 'Your mom was most definitely a HERO! She will never be forgotten! I am praying for you and your family so hard!' Other police agencies, including North Carolina's Oakboro Police Department, shared their condolences online. The officer had been trying to help the residents of this Hoschton home, about 50 miles northeast of Georgia, when she was fatally injured Jessica Worsham shot Marshall before another deputy returned fire, killing Worsham 'Please keep the Jackson County Sheriffs Office, Georgia in your thoughts and prayers,' the department posted on Twitter. 'Deputy Lena Nicole Marshall was shot multiple times three days ago. Deputy Marshall has passed from her injuries.' Hoschton is about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. Its population was 1,916 during the 2018 census. QAnon followers who flocked to Dallas last Tuesday under the impression that JFK Jr. - who died in a plane crash in 1999 - was going to 'appear' and announce a vice presidential run with Donald Trump have refused to leave, now calling the Texas city their 'promised land.' QAnon rapper Pryme Minister has reportedly offered property for the conspiracy theorists to set up a permanent headquarters near the infamous grassy knoll at Dealey Plaza - the site of the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vice News first reported. The group expected JFK Jr. to appear at 12.29 p.m. on November 2 - the time his father was shot dead - but when he failed to arrive, followers dashed off to the Rolling Stones concert at the Cotton Bowl instead. The group now believes that JFK Jr. did, in fact, appear to them last Tuesday, apparently disguised as Keith Richards performing on stage. Dozens of QAnon followers have been stationed at the site of JFK assassination in Dallas for a week after congregating on November 2 with the belief that the president's late son JFK Jr. - who died in 1999 - would return to announce a presidential run with Donald Trump in 2024 The group's leader Brian Protzman (pictured above) maintains that JFK Jr. did, in fact, appear to them that night in the form of Keith Richards during a Rolling Stones concert QAnon rapper Pryme Minister has reportedly offered property for the group to set up a new headquarters in Dallas and called it the QAnon 'promised land' Pictures posted to social media by Steven Monacelli, the publisher of Protean magazine, show QAnon followers congregated on the infamous grassy knoll. At one point, the group stands in the shape of a giant Q' Social media videos show Michael Brian Protzman, one of the group's leaders, explaining to a crowd of his supporters after the concert that a number of dead celebrities appeared to them that night in the form of the famous rock band. 'So at the Rolling Stones concert, Elvis was in the building,' Protzman says in a Twitter video, addressing a group that responds with raucous applause. 'So Michael Jackson was Mick Jagger. Keith Richards was John John, JFK Jr. ... Elvis was playing keyboard, piano, Prince was playing drums.' Members of the group are still stationed at Dealey Plaza a week after the concert, though in much smaller numbers than the hundreds who gathered there on November 2. Much of the group, including Protzman, have been staying in the Hyatt Regency and have been meeting there as a group regularly. Protzman, known to his followers as Negative48, helped organize the gatherings and told his 105,000 Telegram followers that QAnon rapper Pryme Minister, whose real name is Randell Moody, has offered the use of a property in the city that could act as a permanent headquarters for the group, according to Vice News. In an audio chat on a Telegram channel called Occupy Dealey Plaza, someone asks Protzman how long the group was going to stay in Dallas, to which he reveals that they seek to maintain a base in there because it is 'the promised land.' Believers think that JFK Jr. will help Donald Trump to take back power The Rolling Stones were indeed in fine voice at the Cotton Bowl that night, with Mick Jagger gyrating on stage in front of legions of fans. But there was no sign of JFK Jr. Protzman claimed that a number of dead celebrities appeared to the conspiracy theorists that night in the form of the famous rock band, including Michael Jackson as Mick Jagger. Mick Jagger posted a picture outside the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Tuesday ahead of the concert Pictures posted to social media by Steven Monacelli, the publisher of Protean magazine, show Protzman with what appears to be a parrot perched on his shoulder, talking to QAnon followers congregated on the infamous grassy knoll one at a time. At one point, the group stands in the shape of a giant Q. One Twitter video reveals Protzman pointing to the tip of a skyscraper that was visible behind the Texas School Book Depository, the building Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK from in 1963. The tip of the skyscraper is shaped like a pyramid, which Protzman told his followers represents the Illuminati and said that they place pyramids where they kill people. Although there is no official leader of QAnon, Protzman has create his own cult-like group within the movement that recognizes him as a godlike figure, Vice News reported. He uses his devoted following on Telegram to spread his own conspiracy theories and lore JFK Jr. is the Archangel Michael and Donald Trump is the Holy Spirit. Protzman makes predictions and touts theories based on his own interpretation of gematria, the ancient Jewish numerology code that assigns a numerical value to letters, words and phrases and translates them to create a new meaning. Anyone who shared doubt about Protzmans claims in Dallas was quickly shut down, Vice reported, adding that one follower asked, Are we putting too much faith in this man? before she was immediately slammed for having a lack of faith. JFK Jr., who was an actor and magazine publisher, is a popular figure within the QAnon conspiracy movement, with some believing that he is in fact Q, the group's anonymous leader. The hundreds of followers in Dallas last Tuesday underline the allure the Q theory still holds. The crowd was seen reciting the pledge of allegiance as they waited for the former president's son. A crowd began to form on the infamous grassy knoll on November 2 as they waited for JFK Jr. to make a big announcement Sizeable turnout in Dallas on November 2 serves to underline the allure the Q theory still holds Twitter photos showed scores of people gathered outside the AT&T Discovery Plaza in Dallas at around 8 p.m. on Monday, demonstrating the staggering lure of QAnon. Most were wearing shirts proudly displaying their support for Trump, with one women seen wearing a campaign-style T-shirt emblazoned with the words: 'Trump/JFK Jr.' The QAnon crowd recited the Pledge of Allegiance at 12.29pm, expecting JFK Jr. to make his announcement at 12.30pm, and chanted, 'Let's Go Brandon,' a euphemism for ''F*** Joe Biden,' as they held a Trump/Kennedy flag. As Monacelli writes, they were there due to a 'popular QAnon theory recently' that 'JFK Jr., of the Kennedy family, will be making a big announcement at Dealey Plaza by the grassy knoll.' When he did not show, they stuck around even as a torrential downpour drenched their signs and banners which said: 'Trump / JFK JR 2020.' Some envisioned that he would arrive triumphantly. 'We're expecting a parade,' said a woman named Ginny who had travelled 700 miles from Nebraska. 'JFK is going to be here,' she told Rolling Stone magazine. JFK Jr. was the son of former President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy Onassis He died in a plane crash off the coast of Massachusetts with his wife Carolyn in 1999 A popular QAnon theory claims that he faked his death JFK Jr. died in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts in 1999, along with his wife, Carolyn Bessette and her sister, Lauren. Navy divers found their bodies still strapped into their seats in the wreckage 18 hours after his plane, which he was piloting, disappeared. In 2019, Forbes reports, some believers expected JFK Jr. to return on July 4, again as Trump's running mate. The conspiracy theorists now reportedly believe JFK Jr., the son of former President John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, will reveal he switched political affiliations and faked his own death to avoid retribution, according to Gizmodo. According to the theory, he would announce that he was running with former President Donald J. Trump in the 2024 presidential election, but Trump would step down and let JFK Jr. step in as president and appoint former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn as his vice president. Trump would then 'most likely' become the king of kings, a popular QAnon Telegram account with more than 100,000 subscribers wrote about the conspiracy in a post on Monday. It did not specify what becoming the 'king of kings' would entail. They also believed that after JFK Jr. would appear, the clocks would go back an hour, people would adopt the Julian calendar, and the date would go back to October 20, according to Newsweek. JFK Jr., the theory posits, will then help usher in a new age American prosperity, as his father did in the 1960s. Protzman also offered the theory that JFK, JFK Jr. and Jackie Kennedy would all reappear, after which JFK would tour the world for seven days, transfer the presidency back to Trump and die, Gizmodo reports, even though that is not how presidential power works. It is unclear why the QAnon followers thought JFK Jr. would appear at the location where his father was famously murdered in 1963. One person on Telegram wrote afterwards: 'I'm sad for everybody. We now look like a bunch of liars, but let's keep the faith,' BBC Journalist Shayan Sardarizadeh said. Pictures posted to social media by Steven Monacelli showed scores of people gathered outside the AT&T Discovery Plaza in Dallas at around 8pm on Monday, many of whom were wearing pro-Trump shirts One of the shirts appeared to be a campaign-style T-shirt reading 'Trump/JFK Jr. 2024' John F. Kennedy Jr: The lawyer and journalist who died in a 1999 plane crash JFK's son, John F. Kennedy Jr, was killed in 1999 when his plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. He died alongside his wife, Carolyn and his sister-in-law Lauren just off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. JFK Jr was on his way to the wedding of his cousin Rory. He had almost been alone that night after Carolyn threatened to skip the nuptials. JFK's son, John F. Kennedy Jr, was killed in 1999 when his plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. He died alongside his wife, Carolyn and his sister-in-law Lauren just off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. JFK Jr was on his way to the wedding of his cousin Rory He had almost been alone that night after Carolyn threatened to skip the nuptials. Carolyn had a change of heart at the last second however, and the two set off with her sister Lauren. An image from 1999 shows Carolyn (top right) leaving a building with her sister Lauren (left, front) JFK Jr had taken off from Essex County Airport in Fairfield, New Jersey, at 8.39pm that night, bound for the airfield in Martha's Vineyard. Beachgoers watch as the US Coast Guard searches the waters following the crash Carolyn had a change of heart at the last second however, and the two set off with her sister Lauren. JFK Jr had taken off from Essex County Airport in Fairfield, New Jersey, at 8.39pm that night, bound for the airfield in Martha's Vineyard. The air traffic controller at the island airport alerted the regional Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) office in Connecticut just after 10pm when the plane had failed to arrive. In the end, it was the conditions that evening most likely caused the tragedy. The air traffic controller at the island airport alerted the regional Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) office in Connecticut just after 10pm when the plane had failed to arrive. Members of the Kennedy and Bessette families gather for JFK Jr's burial at sea Tuesday marks the 20th anniversary of the fatal plane crash that killed John F Kennedy Jr, his wife Carolyn and his sister-n-law Lauren just off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. A file image shows Massachusetts State Police searching for wreckage in July 1999 Three days later, parts of the plane were detected on the ocean floor. On July 21, 1999, five days after the plane went missing, the three bodies were found and removed from the underwater wreckage. The ashes of John, 38, his wife Carolyn, 33, and Lauren, 34, were scattered at sea on July 22 just off of Martha's Vineyard by friends and family. Advertisement But not every member of the QAnon movement believes that JFK Jr. will come back, Newsweek reports. John Sabal, who organized the QAnon for God and Country: Patriot Double Down convention in October said the belief would make the movement 'look absolutely insane.' He shared the prophetic post on his own Telegram page, writing: 'Here's another example of new-age blasphemous hot garbage propaganda that's currently in circulation. 'None of this is of our true movement or was ever mentioned in a single drop. Not ever,' he wrote about the belief. 'There is only one king of kings and that is our Lord and Savior Yeshua/Jesus Christ. 'This couldn't be more wrong.' In another post shared on Tuesday as the crowds descended on the grassy knoll, Sabal implored his followers to spread their message at public meetings and added 'JFK Jr. dead or alive won't help us. 'Get involved in your community, go to every meeting, let your voice be heard,' he wrote, according to Newsweek. 'Help people wake up. Be nice about it.' Q, the group's leader, has also explicitly spoken out against the JFK Jr. conspiracy, according to Travis View, a conspiracy theory researcher and co-host of the QAnon Anonymous podcast. 'Q has repeatedly denied that JFK Jr. is alive, but some of the QAnon community insist that he will return despite that,' he told Gizmodo. The QAnon conspiracy theory movement is a wide-ranging conspiracy theory that Trump is waging a secret war against a global cabal of elite Satan worshipping pedophiles in government, business and the media. Its followers believe Trump will expose the pedophiles, order its members be arrested and sentenced to death. It is believed that the conspiracy began in October 2017 with a post on an obscure, rightwing 4Chan chatroom titled Calm Before the Storm and written by someone using the name Q Clearance Patriot. Since then, it has grown with thousands of followers, some of whom were involved in the Capitol riots on January 6. The QAnon conspiracy movement has grown in recent years. Here a man wearing a QAnon t-shirt was seen waiting in line for a rally featuring former President Donald Trump on September 25, 2021 in Georgia A 'shameless' mother-of-three who claimed she had terminal cancer and shaved off her hair to defraud her insurer out of over 130,000 has been spared jail. Gemma Goodwin, 38, forged medical documents stating she had breast, lung and cervical cancer. She claimed she only had a year to live and a friend set up a fundraising page online called: 'Gemma's treatment in America'. It read: 'As you all know Gemma has sadly been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, stage 2 breast and cervical cancer. 'We initially only intended on making the most of what time she had left as treatment in America seemed impossible but after a lot of consideration and numerous calls from consultants Gemma has decided to fight for more time with her 3 beautiful kids. 'The treatment will potentially give her another three years. The NHS will fund the actual treatment but we need to raise the money to get here there. The total is for insurance, flights and accomodation. Please, please share and donate as much as you can, every little bit will help get Gemma the treatment she is so desperate for. Thank you to everyone that has so far donated and shared our page, your kindness means so much to Gemma.' The fundraising page raised 2,000 which she withdrew and blew on a holiday with her kids, Woolwich Crown Court heard. Gemma Goodwin (pictured above), 38, forged medical documents stating she had breast, lung and cervical cancer. She claimed she only had a year to live and a friend set up a fundraising page online called: 'Gemma's treatment in America' Goodwin took out a life insurance policy which included a terminal illness benefit in 2015 worth 130,000. It meant the holder was compensated in the event of being diagnosed with a condition carrying a life expectancy of less than twelve months. Three years later, Goodwin emailed the insurer to report that she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and had about a year to live. She also sent a letter asking how she could claim in order to support her children and to make funeral arrangements. Goodwin contacted the insurance company again two months later stating that she did not wish to proceed with the claim. But she then said she wanted to nominate a beneficiary to manage the claim upon her death and nominated a friend from work. Goodwin submitted the relevant forms for the claim to her insurer, including a letter from a local hospital confirming her diagnosis and prognosis. The insurer then requested details of her medical condition and history directly from the NHS, prompting Goodwin to cancel her claim. Five months after the insurers discovered that her records had been forged, in January 2019, Goodwin contacted the company to claim she had just two to three months left to live. Goodwin then repeatedly tried to alter the policy but in late 2019 the firm wrote back to say the police had been cancelled due to evidence it was fraudulent. The nominated beneficiary was interviewed by a detective from the City of London Polices Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) and explained she had met Goodwin in 2012 through work. They became friends and during their seven-year friendship, Goodwin repeatedly lied to her friend about the state of her health, claiming to have lupus and various forms of cancer. The fundraising page raised 2,000 which Goodwin withdrew and blew on a holiday with her kids, Woolwich Crown Court heard The friend revealed Goodwin had even shaved her head and discussed travelling to the US to receive treatment. Detectives discovered an online fundraising page had been set up by another acquaintance of Goodwin and raised 2,033. Goodwin, of Brent Way, Dartford, Kent, withdrew the cash and take her children on holiday. She admitted fraud and was sentenced to two years imprisonment suspended for two years with a six-month electronically-tagged curfew at Woolwich Crown Court. Two years ago at Maidstone Crown Court the mum of three was spared jail after claiming she was dying of cancer to con 19,000 in benefits. Detective Constable Kim Negus, from IFED said: 'Goodwin is a deceitful and shameless individual, exploiting a devastating illness for personal financial gain. 'Whats worse is that this is not the first time she has attempted to cheat the system, having previously been convicted for fraudulently claiming housing and long-term illness benefits. 'Goodwin clearly has no remorse when it comes to her fraudulent activity, but she should know by now that the truth will always be uncovered in the end.' A father has been jailed after he tried to use his three children as cover for an international 2m heroin smuggling plot. Michael Sloan, 42, from Ormskirk, Lancashire was stopped as he drove his partner and three children - aged between one and six - through Dover Eastern Docks in December 2019. He told Border Force officers they were driving back from a family holiday to see German Christmas markets in the German city of Cologne. But suspicious officers brought in a drug detection dog who discovered 20kgs of heroin in a secret compartment. Michael Sloan told Border Force officers he was driving back from a family holiday to see German Christmas markets But suspicious officers brought in a drug detection dog who discovered 20kgs of heroin in a secret compartment The Class A drugs were hidden in a specially built compartment in the back of the Volkswagen van. The purity of the heroin was found to be between 44% and 59% and, once adulterated, would have had a street value of 1.98m. The discovery of the drugs led to the National Crime Agency's involvement and investigators identified that the compartment the drugs were hidden in had been built into the van after Sloan had bought it. Yesterday, Sloan pleaded guilty to smuggling Class A drugs at a hearing at Canterbury Crown Court and was sentenced to six years and four months in prison. The Class A drugs were hidden in a specially built compartment in the back of the Volkswagen van NCA Branch Commander Mark Howes said: 'This was a cynical attempt to bring dangerous class A drugs into the UK, which saw Sloan use his partner and young children as cover for his drug smuggling exploits. 'I've no doubt that the concealment in the van was built specifically for the purpose of smuggling, and that Sloan thought that travelling with his family would make it less likely they would be stopped. 'Heroin is closely linked to county lines type exploitation and violence, which is why we are working closely with partners like Border Force to target those trying to bring it in.' A Washington state scientist who specializes in steel and other metals who was once employed by a foundry that provides steel for U.S. Navy submarines admitted in federal court Monday that she spent decades faking strength test results, calling the criteria for the safety tests 'stupid.' Washington metallurgist Elaine Marie Thomas, 67, of Auburn, falsified results over the course of 32 years while the woman was employed at a steel foundry in Tacoma, according to prosecutors. The company that owns the foundry, Bradken Inc., is the U.S. Navy's leading supplier of steel for naval submarines. 'She regrets that she failed to follow her moral compass - admitting to false statements is hardly how she envisioned living out her retirement years,' Thomas' lawyer, John Carpenter, said, acknowledging that she 'took shortcuts.' A metallurgist in Washington state pleaded guilty to fraud Monday in federal court after she spent decades faking the results of strength tests on steel that was being used to make US Navy submarines, such as the one pictured, the nuclear-powered attack sub USS Vermont During Monday's proceedings, Thomas pleaded guilty to major fraud after striking a deal with prosecutors, which sees her facing up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine. She will be sentenced in February. Thomas falsified the results of strength and toughness tests for at least 240 productions of steel - about half the steel the foundry produced for the Navy, from 1985 through 2017, according to the agreement. The tests that Thomas oversaw at the foundry, owned by Bradken Inc., were intended to measure the strength and toughness of the metal used in the all-important underwater crafts - and to show that the steel would not fail in a collision or in certain 'wartime scenarios,' the Department of Justice (DOJ) - the body that oversees the Navy - noted. Elaine Marie Thomas, 67, of Auburn, Washington, was the director of metallurgy at a foundry in Tacoma owned by Bradken Inc., which supplied steel castings used by Navy contractors Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding to make submarine hulls Prosecutors argued that Thomas, who had been employed by Bradken since 1977 until she was dismissed after the fabrications came to light in 2017, instead put sailors and submariners at risk by fudging numbers to get the results she wanted. According to the indictment against her, between 1985 and 2017, Thomas 'knowingly devised and executed a scheme with the intent to defraud the United States Navy, and to obtain money and property by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses and representations.' The indictment further stated that Thomas would sometimes alter the first digit of the test results meant to determine the toughness of steel building materials and the 'amount of dynamic force' it can withstand. For more than 30 years, Thomas altered test results determining the safety for more than 240 steel productions while working for a foundry that provides metal for US Navy subs. Pictured: the Seawolf-class fast-attack submarine USS Connecticut The falsified results 'caused the United States Navy to make contract payments that the Navy would not have made if it had known the true characteristics of the steel,' the indictment added. Prosecutors further noted Monday that the productions whose tests were falsified made up 'a substantial percentage of the castings Bradken produced for the Navy.' During the proceedings, Thomas suggested that she changed the tests to passing grades because she thought it was 'stupid' that the Navy required the tests to be conducted at negative-100 degrees Fahrenheit - or negative-73.3 degrees Celsius, arguing that the testing conditions were too extreme and not practical when garnering useful results. The Bradken Inc. foundry is the US Navy's leading supplier of steel for naval submarines On Monday, Carpenter argued that his client had no malintent with her testing and was merely trying to save time, admitting in a statement that she 'took shortcuts.' 'Ms. Thomas never intended to compromise the integrity of any material and is gratified that the governments testing does not suggest that the structural integrity of any submarine was in fact compromised,' Carpenter wrote in the statement filed Monday in the Tacoma U.S. District courthouse. 'This offense is unique in that it was neither motivated by greed nor any desire for personal enrichment. During the proceedings Monday at Tacoma Courthouse (pictured) in Washington, Thomas suggested that she changed the tests to passing grades because she thought it was 'stupid' that the Navy required the tests to be conducted at negative-100 degrees Fahrenheit Thomas' conduct came to light in 2017, when a fellow metallurgist who was being groomed to replace the senior scientist noticed suspicious test results and alerted the company, Bradken Inc., which acquired the foundry in 2008. Bradken fired Thomas and initially disclosed its findings to the Navy, but then wrongfully suggested that the discrepancies were not the result of fraud. That hindered the Navys investigation into the scope of the problem as well as its efforts to remediate the risks to its sailors, prosecutors said. In June 2020, the company agreed to pay $10.9 million in a deferred-prosecution agreement. When confronted with the doctored results, Thomas told investigators, 'Yeah, that looks bad,' the Justice Department said. There were no allegations that any of the hulls who materials were signed off on by Thomas failed - but authorities said the Navy had incurred increased costs and maintenance to ensure they remain seaworthy. The government did not disclose which subs were affected. The Justice Department said it would recommend a prison term for Thomas at the low end of her suggested sentence - which could see the 67-year-old scientist behind bars until 2032. Boris Johnson is travelling to Glasgow to take stock of the discussions on a final package that could help limit potentially disastrous climate change The world will heat up by 2.4C despite the pledges being made by leaders at the Cop26 climate summit, a report has warned. The Climate Action Tracker analysis, published yesterday, also warns that, based on action countries are currently taking, temperatures could climb to 2.7C over the century. Under the Paris Agreement secured in 2015, countries committed to keeping temperature rises to 'well below' 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit them to 1.5C and provide finance for poorer countries to help them cope with the crisis. But experts have found that domestic action pledged by countries in plans known as 'nationally determined contributions' under the Paris deal was not enough to meet the goals. And despite a requirement countries come back ahead of Cop26 with more ambitious plans for action up to 2030, the world is still far off track, the report warned. Bill Hare, the chief executive of Climate Analytics, one of the organisations behind CAT, told the Guardian: 'We are concerned that some countries are trying to portray [Cop26] as if the 1.5C limit is nearly in the bag. 'But it's not, it's very far from it, and they are downplaying the need to get short-term targets for 2030 in line with 1.5C.' It comes as Boris Johnson is heading back to the COP26 summit tomorrow to urge negotiators to be 'ambitious' in the frantic last few days. The PM is travelling to Glasgow to take stock of the discussions on a final package that could help limit potentially disastrous climate change. Mr Johnson has been targeting pledges on 'coal, cars, cash and trees' at the UN gathering, with officials behind the scenes pleased with the way things have been going. Downing Street will be hoping that the premier's return can get more measures over the line, as well as allowing him to take credit for progress. However, COP26 President Alok Sharma tried to play down expectations insisting there is still 'a mountain to climb'. A No10 spokesman said: 'The Prime Minister is going up to meet negotiators, to get an update on progress in the talks and encourage ambitious action in the final days of the negotiations.' The first draft of the 'cover decision', to be published overnight, aims to address the gap between action by countries and what is needed to tackle the crisis in line with the global climate treaty, the Paris Agreement. It could set out a path for accelerating action to cut greenhouse gases in this decade to keep global warming to 1.5C, with countries potentially revisiting their emissions-reduction plans in the next few years. Nicola Sturgeon says climate change is a 'feminist issue' Nicola Sturgeon said that climate change is a 'feminist issue' as she joined US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Cop 26 today. Scotland's First Minister told the UN climate summit in Glasgow that the voices of women must be at the centre of helping to tackle environmental damage. She demanded more women and girls are involved in decision-making roles, saying the fact that a minority of the 120 world leaders earlier who addressed the event in Scotland were female 'must change'. Women are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, as they form a large majority of the world's poor, often depend on small-scale farming for their livelihoods and can comprise 80 per cent of those displaced by climate-related disasters. Speaking today as she chaired a panel at an event focusing on advancing gender equality in climate action, Ms Sturgeon said: 'There is no doubt we must ensure that climate change is a feminist issue. 'We must make sure that the experiences of women and girls across the world, so often disproportionately impacted by climate change, are understood as we devise the solutions. Advertisement There are also likely to be moves to increase finance for developing countries to help them adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. It will be published after new analysis suggests plans by countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade put the world on track for 2.4C of warming. The Climate Action Tracker analysis also warns that, based on action countries are actually taking, temperatures could climb to 2.7C over the century. Under the Paris Agreement secured in 2015, countries committed to keeping temperature rises to 'well below' 2C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit them to 1.5C and provide finance for poorer countries to help them cope with the crisis. But domestic action pledged by countries in plans known as 'nationally determined contributions' under the Paris deal was not enough to meet the goals. And despite a requirement countries come back ahead of Cop26 with more ambitious plans for action up to 2030, the world is still far off track. The next 'ratchet' for increasing ambition under the Paris Agreement comes in 2025, though nations can set out new, enhanced plans at any time, and would see countries setting out action for post-2030. With scientists warning that emissions must be cut by nearly half in the 2020s to curb temperature rises to 1.5C in the long term, leaving further action to the 2030s would mean letting the target slip away and putting the world at risk of more dangerous sea level rises, storms, droughts, crop damage and floods. Vulnerable countries are pushing for nations to submit national plans which are in line with limiting temperatures to 1.5C in the next year and long term plans to meet the target by 2023, though there is pushback from other countries. Negotiators are also trying to hammer out the last parts of how the Paris Agreement will function, on carbon markets, transparency and common timeframes for action plans, to make it effective and operational. And while countries have made pledges at Glasgow on a number of areas such as phasing out coal, cutting methane and halting deforestation, concerns have been raised about how they will be held to account on their promises. Climate change activists in Glasgow today dressed as world leaders, from left to right: Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Boris Johnson, Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro, and US President Joe Biden Ahead of the publication of the draft cover decision, Mr Sharma said: 'The time has now come to find political consensus on the areas of divergence and we have only a few days left.' He added: 'We are making progress at Cop26 but we still have a mountain to climb over the next few days. 'And what has been collectively committed to goes some way, but certainly not all the way, to keeping 1.5C within reach. The gap in ambition has narrowed. 'Now the world needs confidence that we will shift immediately into implementation, that the pledges made here will be delivered, and that the policies and investment will swiftly follow.' He said the cover decision was likely to require negotiating teams to consult their leaders and capitals, and asked them to do so with urgency. The head of the British armed forces said is too early to say the Nato alliance suffered a defeat in Afghanistan. General Sir Nick Carter said in evidence to the Commons Defence committee that the Taliban authorities who took over after the collapse of the Afghan government in August were very different to the previous Taliban government. Under their rule he said it was possible Afghanistan could become a more inclusive country than would otherwise have been the case. General Sir Nick Carter (pictured) said in evidence to the Commons Defence committee that the Taliban authorities who took over after the collapse of the Afghan government in August were very different to the previous Taliban government He said: 'Taliban 2.0 is different. There are a lot of people in Taliban 2.0 who who would like to govern in a more modern way, but they are divided among themselves, as political entities so often are. 'If the less repressive elements end up gaining control... then I think there is no reason to suppose that Afghanistan over the next five years might not turn out into a country that is more inclusive than it might have otherwise. 'I think it is too early to say that defeat has occurred. Victory here needs to be measured in the results and not some great military extravaganza.' British forces were never defeated on the battlefield in Afghanistan, the head of the UKs armed forces said. He said: 'What unravelled the whole effort was the political context in which all of this was conducted. 'I am very proud of what our armed forces achieved on the battlefield. They were never defeated by a very cunning, ruthless and innovative opponent.' He defended 'bullish' comments he made predicting the Afghan government would survive, despite his fears morale was being undermined by the withdrawal of foreign forces. The army chief said: 'The plan was to try to get the Afghan government to hang in and hold it together. 'I am one of the voices they listen to, more so probably than any other foreigner other than the odd American. 'If I had said that, then definitely I would have undermined them even more than they were undermined.' He also defended comments he made saying Britain had to be 'very careful using the word enemy' when referring to the Taliban. The army chief also defended comments he made saying Britain had to be 'very careful using the word enemy' when referring to the Taliban. Pictured: A Taliban military parade of the Al-Badr unit in Kandahar on November 8, 2021 When questioned on why he called the Taliban 'country boys', he told Defence Committee MPs: 'Just to put a couple of things straight on that quote. 'I was quoting from (former Afghanistan) president (Hamid) Karzai, which I said in the interview. 'And the second point I'd like to put on record is that I suspect people will be quite surprised to hear me say they are not the enemy. 'The reason I said that was that I had 1,000 troops on the ground and we were trying to evacuate what turned out to be 15,000 Afghans, and I wasn't exactly, at that particular point in time, going to call out the people who could have quite easily made my life very uncomfortable on the ground.' When discussing the success of the military effort in evacuating Afghans to reach the UK since British forces withdrew, he said: 'The answer is that there are still, I'd guess, about 300-odd who we'd like to see leave Afghanistan but the challenge is how you achieve that.' Police failed to follow up two different leads that could have led them to serial killer Stephen Port before his last two victims died, an inquest has heard. Port, now 46, will be in jail for the rest of his life after killing Anthony Walgate, 23, Gabriel Kovari, 22, Daniel Whitworth, 21, and Jack Taylor, 25, between June 2014 and September 2015. Inquests are being held into the men's deaths to determine whether lives could have been saved had police acted differently. Mr Kovari was found dead in a graveyard in Barking, east London, on August 28 2014, while Mr Whitworth was found just over three weeks later on September 20. Inquest jurors at Barking Town Hall on Tuesday heard that investigators were told after Mr Kovari's death that his boyfriend Thierry Amodio had received messages from a man called Jon Luck claiming to have had sex with him before he died. Police failed to follow up two different leads that could have led them to serial killer Stephen Port (pictured) before his last two victims died, an inquest has heard An inquest heard if police had followed up leads, Port could have been caught before the deaths of Daniel Whitworth (left) and Jack Taylor (right) Mr Kovari had also sent photos and the address of Port's flat to a friend called Carl, explaining that he was staying there. Henrietta Hill QC, for the men's families, told Acting Detective Inspector Rolf Schamberger, who supervised the investigations into Mr Kovari and Mr Whitworth's deaths, that had the leads been followed up Port could have been caught earlier. She said: 'If the police had either followed up who Jon Luck was or followed up who Carl was, either one of those routes would have taken them to Stephen Port before Daniel died. Do you understand?' Mr Schamberger replied: 'Yes, I understand.' Port planted a fake suicide note on Mr Whitworth's body, falsely confessing to the murder of Mr Kovari in order to cover his tracks. But the jury heard that the similarities between the deaths of first victim fashion student Mr Walgate, who was found outside Port's flat on June 19 2014, and Mr Kovari and Mr Whitworth should have aroused the suspicions of police. Anthony Walgate (left) and Gabriel Kovari (right) were also victims of Port As well as this, Ms Hill outlined a series of failings by investigators, including: Failing to carry out key forensic tests including on the bed sheet on which Mr Whitworth was found, his clothes, so-called sex swabs taken from his body, the drugs bottle planted on him, and Mr Kovari's sunglasses; Failing to properly examine Mr Kovari's social media accounts to see if friends could provide useful information; Not obtaining full phone data that would have shown Mr Whitworth was not in Barking on the night of Mr Kovari's death; Failing to properly verify the handwriting on the fake suicide note; Failing to follow up information provided by the men's loved ones about their movements before their deaths. The inquests heard that three detective constables had 'batted away' concerns raised by friends and family that the deaths of Mr Walgate, Mr Kovari and Mr Whitworth may be linked. 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 Ms Hill asked the witness: 'Your team ignored sensible suggestions from members of the public that there was a link, isn't that right?' Me Schamberger replied: 'It definitely seems that way.' She went on: 'Every single one of those members of the public had cracked this in a way that none of you had.' He answered: 'Those links ultimately were true.' Ms Hill said: 'They were all right, and you were all wrong.' Mr Schamberger said: 'We had not considered them.' He admitted that there had been 'shocking failings' in the investigations, that were 'significantly incompetent'. Ms Hill put to him: 'Had any one or any combination of these failings not occurred, Jack Taylor would not have been killed?' He replied: 'That is very possible.' The officer then apologised for the failings, saying: 'It's hugely regrettable and I'm very sorry for how things transpired. 'It must have been very difficult for those involved to try to come to terms with very difficult facts that then turned out not to be the case.' The jury had earlier heard that Mr Schamberger felt the way teams were working was not safe because they were so understaffed. On Monday, Mr Whitworth's boyfriend Daniel Waumsley said he felt 'pushed out' by police investigating his death ' because the pair were an unmarried gay couple'. He told jurors he felt excluded by investigators and was not allowed to see an apparent suicide note left by Mr Whitworth until the year after he was found dead. Mr Waumsley said: 'If it was a straight couple I wouldnt have been pushed out as much as I was at the time. 'They dismissed me in every single way. I believe and I stand by it, it was because we were a gay unmarried couple.' Mr Whitworths body was discovered in Barking, east London, on September 20, 2014, after he was given a fatal overdose of the drug GHB by Port. The serial killer left a fake suicide note on Mr Whitworths body falsely claiming that he had taken his own life after accidentally killing another Mr Kovari. Mr Waumsley said the police should have verified the handwriting on the note more carefully, rather than just asking the 21-year-olds grieving parents. He said: 'I just felt that they took the suicide note at face value. I believe they didnt do any more than that. That was my thought on it. 'I thought they could have done more, they could have at least checked the handwriting and made sure that it was correct, and not just asked people at the time who were grieving and who are not in that profession looking at handwriting.' Ricky Waumsley (pictured) was speaking at Barking Town Hall on Monday at the inquest into his boyfriend Daniel Whitworths death In the days after the young chefs death, the police refused to show Mr Waumsley the suicide note. He said: 'I was really angry because he was my partner of four years and I wanted to see what he had to say for himself.' On September 30, 2014, Mr Waumsley visited the site where Mr Whitworth had been found with his father Adam and stepmother Amanda. Police officers took the parents off to discuss the investigation privately without Mr Waumsley, which he said 'really p***ed me off and made me feel pushed out by the police'. In the days after the young chefs death, the police refused to show Mr Waumsley the suicide note (pictured) It was only in the following year at the first inquest into Mr Whitworths death when Mr Waumsley saw the note for the first time, and said it was 'really impersonal', did not mention any family members and he could not be sure it was his partners handwriting. During the 2015 inquest it also emerged that officers had not DNA tested the bed sheet on which Mr Whitworth had been found or the drugs bottle that was discovered with his body. There was also some bruising on his chest that suggested manual handling but this had not been investigated. Outside the hearing, Mr Waumsley told officers Paul Slaymaker and Rolf Schamberger 'You didnt do your f****** job properly.' He told the police that Mr Whitworth had never done drugs apart from one joint in Amsterdam and he had never heard of the drug GHB before Daniel died. But when Mr Whitworths stepmother Amanda had asked the police what the drug was they had told her to ask Mr Waumsley 'because he should know'. 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 Jurors were read part of a witness statement he gave to the police watchdog in 2017, then called the Independent Police Complaints Commission, that said: 'I didnt understand how they could just brush her question off and say that a typical gay person would know about drugs like that. 'I believe the police made too many assumptions from the content of the letter and not just because Daniel was gay. 'I think they must have looked at the letter and taken it at face value and thought that was job done.' Inquests into the mens deaths are now being heard to determine whether lives could have been saved had police acted differently. A U.S. Air Force serviceman struggling with depression and reeling from a breakup has died after shooting himself in the head near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and being airlifted to a hospital on Monday. The incident took place at around 7:25 p.m. The U.S. Park Police confirmed the shooting, which is now being investigated by the D.C. Metropolitan Police. The victim, identified by the police as 31-year-old Kenneth Omar Santiago, was found suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head on the steps leading to the Reflecting Pool. Air Force member Kenneth Omar Santiago, 31, shot himself in the head on the steps leading to Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Monday night. He was pronounced dead hours later He was described as wearing a green T-shirt with an American flag design. Witnesses told The Washington Post that a gun was found nearby and later removed by police. Two nurses who happened to be in the area attempted to administer CPR to the shooting victim. Video showed a medical helicopter landing on the Mall to evacuate Santiago, who was then transported to a hospital for treatment. A spokesperson for the D.C. Metro Police told DailyMail.com in an email that Santiago succumbed to his injuries just before 1:20 a.m. on Tuesday. A medical helicopter landed on the Mall at around 7.30pm to airlift Santiago, who was found suffering from a gunshot wound. A gun was recovered from the scene Witnesses reported seeing him dressed in a green shirt with an American flag design Santiago was flown to an area hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries early Tuesday 'This is currently a death investigation, preliminarily an apparent suicide with a self-inflicted gunshot wound,' wrote Brianna Burch, a public affairs specialist for the police. According to Santiago's recent social media posts, he had served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 12 years. His current rank appeared to have been technical sergeant. Just hours before his death, Santiago took to his Facebook page and wrote a detailed and lengthy suicide note, which was accompanied by a slideshow of photos showing the Air Force serviceman with his family and friends during happier times. 'Nobody ever knows when their time will come,' he wrote. 'Even less, ever get to choose that moment. Life always has ups and downs, sometimes you don't always come out on top. With a heavy heart, If you're reading this, its because my time has come to an end at my own hands. (Not a joke) this is the last message to my friends and family.' Santiago (right) had served in the US Force for more than 12 years Hours before his death, Santiago posted a suicide note on his Facebook page. He blamed his decision to end his life on his chronic depression and a recent breakup A day before his tragic death, Santiago shared this photo on Instagram and wrote in the caption: 'ever life has a measure of hidden sorrow Santiago cited his chronic depression, a recent split from his fiancee, career setbacks and pervasive loneliness as the main reasons behind his decision to take his own life. Santiago shared this quote from Michael B Jordan in his Instagram Stories 'For a long time (years) Ive [sic] known I would take my own life,' he wrote. 'When [my fiancee] and I split, life changed for me.' He added: 'It was a sickness of the mind that defeated me. Throughout my life I heard how much of a coward move it is to kill yourself. I would argue it took tremendous courage to pull the trigger, it's a scary process.' Santiago then addressed his loved ones individually, including his mother, younger sister and a host of friends. To his former fiancee he wrote, in part: 'I just couldn't move on with life if you weren't part of it. A life of emptiness is an eternity of suffering for me.' Santiago asked the US Air Force to have him laid to rest in the Arlington National Cemetery. DailyMail.com reached out to the Air Force seeking comment on Santiago's death and was awaiting a reply. For confidential support, call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255 A rogue antique dealer deliberately targeted elderly homeowners in the poshest parts of London, flogging their valuable collectibles without permission or simply keeping them, a court heard yesterday. Peter Taylor, 61, printed convincing looking flyers and business cards, presenting himself as a legitimate expert, who could obtain good prices at auction for the victims' property, the jury were told. Isleworth Crown Court heard the estimated loss to the 14 customers was approximately more than 195,920. Trading under his previous legal name of Peter Tillott he operated in and around Kensington; Fulham; Chelsea; Notting Hill and West Brompton in West London. Peter Taylor, 61, presented himself as a legitimate expert, who could obtain good prices at auction for the victims' property, the jury were told Taylor, from Twickenham, pleaded not guilty to 14 counts of fraud relating to each individual complainant between March 2016 and February 2019. The prosecutor said: 'This case involves the targeting of elderly and vulnerable complainants. 'He posted flyers and business cards, purporting to be from an established auction house, offering to collect, value and sell items.' Taylor operated under the company name 'Chelsea Auction House' and 'Muck2Brass', listing his 23-year-old son as a director. 'The defendant changed his name for a fresh start because the reputation attached to Peter Tillott had become a liability,' the prosecutor added. One customer, company director Sheila Newsum, 83, who lives in a 1million West Brompton apartment, responded to Taylor's business card, which he shoved through her letterbox, the court heard. The Chair and Managing Director of Hunters Associates, an international events company, allowed Taylor to remove valuables from her home and said she suffered a 11,340 loss. Prosecutor Katrina Charles said: 'She felt she was dealing with a knowledgeable professional.' Also replying to his business card was Austrian-born psychoanalyst Karin Syrett, 79, who lives in a 800,00 apartment in Royal Crescent, Notting Hill. Taylor deliberately targeted elderly homeowners in the poshest parts of London, flogging their valuable collectibles without permission or simply keeping them, a court heard yesterday She complained her things were sold by Taylor without her permission. Also swindled, said the prosecution, was businesswoman Caroline Shamash, 50, boss of Saffron interior arts, which provides 'luxury items' to high-end interior designers. She says Taylor disappeared with 5,295 worth of her property, including an expensive chandelier which she discovered he was selling on eBay. The businesswoman hunted the evasive Taylor down to his business unit, where she met his son. 'He told her the defendant was either out, unwell or in hospital,' explained Ms Charles. Arnold Rosen also said he lost 2,285 worth of furniture Taylor removed in a hire van from his garage to sell at auction, the trial heard. Isleworth Crown Court heard the estimated loss to the 14 customers was approximately more than 195,920 Another customer Roy Turner allowed Taylor and two assistants to walk out of his home with a treasured collection of thirty watercolours and prints, resulting in an estimated loss of 5,000-10,000. He said he made repeated attempts to contact the defendant, but did not hear anything. French restauranteur Eric Payet, 44, allowed Taylor to clear his two old premises of all their contents and fixtures and fittings, resulting in an estimated loss of 112,000, he claims. Taylor also cleared the home of a Helen Ford's deceased mother and she found a clock, mink coat, silver coffee pot, music centre, tankards and pair of glass carafes on his eBay account. He had claimed the possessions were worthless and the complainant estimated the loss at 2,500, Ms Charles added. Another woman, Gill Miller, contacted Taylor after he put his business card through her letterbox and later saw her property for sale online, estimating her loss at 2,500. Veteran antiques dealer Maria Gabriela Ponce de Leao, under pressure from her children to relieve pressure on space, allowed Taylor to walk out of her home with 83 antique items. She had already handed him over her 'best antiques' earlier and claims valuables, including bookcases, chairs and a bureau were sold for rock-bottom prices at Lots Road Auctions Chelsea, resulting in a 30,000-50,000 loss. A Fulham property businessman, 72, plus two more men and a woman also say they were defrauded by Taylor. The trial continues and is expected to last six weeks. A secret tape released this week has revealed that National Rife Association (NRA) leaders mocked their activist members as 'hillbillies' and 'fruitcakes' who might go off-script and embarrass them after the Columbine shooting. One day after the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado - where two students opened fire and shot dead 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves - NRA's top executives and lobbyists had a meeting about the gun violence-related crisis. The private conference call was secretly recorded by an unidentified participant, who publicly published parts of the 2.5-hour conversation on Tuesday, more than two decades after it happened. The National Rifle Association's lobbyist and former president Marion Hammer (pictured) was heard scoffing at the association's members - calling them 'hillbillies and idiots' - during a conversation that was secretly recorded after the Columbine shooting in 1999 The same day of the massacre, the NRA was set to commence its annual World-Class Guns & Gear Expo meeting. Billboards advertising the 12-day meeting were already plastered throughout the city (pictured) Longtime NRA lobbyist Marion Hammer was heard scoffing at the association's members, who she claimed might embarrass them, according to NPR, which obtained the recordings. 'If you pull down the exhibit hall, that's not going to leave anything for the media except the members meeting, and you're going to have the wackos with all kinds of crazy resolutions. With all kinds of - dressing like a bunch of hillbillies and idiots. And it's gonna be the worst thing you can imagine,' she said. NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre agreed: 'You know, the other problem is holding a member meeting without an exhibit hall. 'The people you are most likely to get in that member meeting without an exhibit hall are the nuts.' NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre (pictured in May 1999) called members 'nuts' on the secretly-recorded call Protesters rallied outside of the NRA's convention in Littleton, Colorado, days after two students from Columbine High School went on a killing spree in 1999 'Made that point earlier. I agree. The fruitcakes are going to show up,' PR consultant Tony Makris chimed in. Conservative politicians and gun industry representatives were also dismissed as weak as NRA officials harshly described how they would do whatever the association proposed, as reported by NPR. A current NRA spokesperson told NPR: 'It is disappointing that anyone would promote an editorial agenda against the NRA by using shadowy sources and "mystery tapes" in order to conjure up the tragic events of over 20 years ago.' The April 20, 1999 shooting at the high school in Littleton, Colorado, resulted in the death of 13 people - at the hand of students Eric Harris, 18, and Dylan Klebold, 17- and was the deadliest since the late 1960s. Twenty-four others were injured in the attack. The same day, the NRA was set to commence its annual World-Class Guns & Gear Expo meeting. Billboards advertising the 12-day meeting were already plastered throughout the city and after news of the massacre broke, hate mail was immediately sent to NRA's offices. 'At that same period where they're going to be burying these children, we're going to be having media... trying to run through the exhibit hall, looking at kids fondling firearms, which is going to be a horrible, horrible, horrible juxtaposition,' NRA lobbyist Jim Baker was heard saying at the time. Other members can be heard brainstorming ways out of the dilemma, and NRA official Jim Land said the organization couldn't 'tuck tail and run' because then they would 'be accepting responsibility for what happened out there.' In 1999, Eric Harris (left), 18, and Dylan Klebold (right), 17, opened fire at Columbine High School in Colorado, killing 12 students and a teacher before killing themselves 'Is there something concrete we can offer? Not because guns are responsible, but because we care about these people?' NRA's Kayne Robinson asked during the secretly recorded call. Makris replied: 'Like a victims fund' before backtracking, saying that the fund 'can be twisted too,' and people would ask: 'Why are you giving money? You feel responsible?' The officials eventually decided not to cancel their convention and justified it as a platform to respond to criticism. Hammer, who once served as NRA's president, was a fierce supporter of ensuring that the meeting wasn't cancelled. 'You have to go forward. For NRA to scrap this and the amount of money that we have spent...' she said on the recordings released by NPR. 'The message that it will send is that even the NRA was brought to its knees, and the media will have a field day with it,' Hammer added. Republican Gov. Chris Sununu announced on Tuesday he will seek a fourth term rather than running for the U.S. Senate - dealing a blow to Republican hopes that he would spearhead efforts to retake the upper chamber. Sununu's popularity in the state had seen him emerge as a key player in efforts to win back the Senate, and party leaders hoped he would run against Democratic incumbent Maggie Hassan. 'I appreciate everything they've said and the confidence they have in me, but this is about New Hampshire, not about Washington,' he said at a press conference. Democrats hold the thinnest of possible majorities in the 50-50 Senate, leaving Vice President Kamala Harries with the casting vote. Winning back the Senate in next year's midterm elections is a top priority for Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who could then derail what is left of President Biden's domestic agenda. Republican Governor of New Hampshire Chris Sununu announced on Tuesday he would run for a fourth term rather than stand for a Senate seat, dealing a blow to Republicans who hoped his popularity in the state would help them retake the upper chamber Republicans suggested they had not been warned in advance of Sununu's decision Sununu won reelection last year by more than 30 percentage points suggesting he would be well placed to win a senate seat from one of the more vulnerable Democratic senators. McConnell lobbied Sununu to run. But the governor's announcement appeared to take the Republican hierarchy by surprise. 'Unbelievable,' tweeted Josh Holmes, McConnell's former chief of staff. He told the New York Times that McConnell was not warned of the decision and that the Republican Governors Association 'had no idea either.' For his part, Sununu said Republicans would win But he said he thought Republicans can win back the Senate without him. 'It's not just Chris Sununu who can win that race,' he said. 'Just being a placeholder for a couple of years, there's a role for that... but that doesn't fit the skillset and the responsibility I have to New Hampshire.' Minority Leader Mitch McConnell needs to win just one seat to regain control of the Senate in next year's midterm elections but now must do without Sununu The fight for the Senate has shifted in one direction and then the other in recent months. The 2022 map is thought to favor Democrats, with their most vulnerable senators running in states won by Biden last year. But any optimism faded last week with disappointing gubernatorial results in Virginia and New Jersey. On top of that, narrow wins in elections in Arizona and Georgia may be difficult to defend. Sununu made a well-received appearance at the Republican Jewish Coalition's annual leadership conference in Las Vegas last weekend. He stoked speculation of a Senate run. 'I might run for governor. I might run for Senate. I dont know,' he said. Minutes later Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, urged attendees to persuade him to run. " 'Every person here needs to come up to Chris and say "governor is great but you need to run for Senate,"' he said. 'Because this man could single handily retire Chuck Schumer as majority leader of the Senate.' Ghislaine Maxwell was refused bail for the fourth time on Tuesday after a judge ruled that she groomed underage girls for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and cited her 'ability to flee,' which would make it impossible to allow her out on home detention while she awaits trial. U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan rejected Maxwell's bail application in a two-paged order where she also promised that the 59-year-old would be transported from her Brooklyn federal jail cell to her trial 'in a way that is humane, proper and consistent with security protocols.' The judge said lawyers for the Metropolitan Detention Center assured these protocols in a sealed letter. Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured in court sketch last Monday) was refused bail for the fourth time on Tuesday after US District Judge Alison J Nathan ruled that she groomed underage girls for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein and cited her 'ability to flee,' which would make it impossible to allow her out on home detention while she awaits trial In a two-paged order Nathan rejected Maxwell's bail application and promised that the 59-year-old would be transported from her Brooklyn federal jail cell to her trial 'in a way that is humane, proper and consistent with security protocols' A graying and shackled Maxwell appeared at a pretrial hearing at federal court in New York Monday November 1, ahead of jury selection later this month Previously, one of Maxwell's lawyers complained that she was brought to the courthouse for a hearing nearly six hours before its scheduled start time and was poked by a guard to force her to wake up when she briefly fell asleep in a cold holding cell. Maxwell was pleading - yet again - to trade her jail cell for home detention, but Nathan rejected. Two of Maxwell's earlier applications were also shot down by a Manhattan federal appeals court. The jury selection process began Thursday to find a dozen people willing to fairly decide whether prosecutors can prove that Maxwell helped Jeffrey Epstein recruit and sexually abuse teenage girls from 1994 to 2004. Maxwell is being held at the Manhattan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, and has pleaded not guilty for her role in the sex ring. She faces up to 80 years if convicted of the charges, which she has consistently denied. Maxwell, 59, who is accused of procuring underage girls for pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, has pleaded not guilty to all charges The Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn where Ghislaine Maxwell, the alleged accomplice of the late financier, is awaiting trial Prospective jurors answered written questions prior to a series of oral questioning by the judge scheduled for next week as a pool of hundreds of individuals is reduced to 12 jurors and six alternates. Opening statements at a trial expected to last six weeks are slated for November 29. In the latest bail request, Maxwell's lawyer Bobbi Sternheim said that her client has been subjected to physical and emotional abuse by jail guards. She also cited poor and unsanitary living conditions, insufficient nutrition, difficulties reviewing millions of legal documents and sleep deprivation. In arguing against bail, prosecutors wrote that the latest bail application 'turns to rhetoric and anecdotes better suited to tabloids than briefs.' Maxwell's legal team also rehashed claims about her alleged mistreatment behind bars (Maxwell pictured earlier this year with 'a black eye') 'Where legal arguments can be found, they are cursory and unpersuasive,' they added. In the most recent developments of the case, one of the four accusers in Maxwell's sex trafficking trial could potentially be excluded from the case after federal prosecutors failed to address whether the woman could actually be considered a 'victim,' Nathan ruled. The judge noted in court last Monday that the age of consent in the UK is 16 and that 'Minor Victim-3' could not recall if she was 17 or 18 when she was allegedly groomed for pedophile Epstein by the British socialite. The inconsistencies could mean that the accuser's testimony may not be used for the three counts of conspiracy-related charges against Maxwell. There are four accusers mentioned in the indictment, identified only as Minor Victims 1-4. While Minor Victim-3 is understood to be British, her identity has not been publicly revealed. The prosecution was asked to 'provide its position' as to whether the accuser 'could be considered a "victim" of the crimes charged in the indictment for any legal purpose...' But they were presented with a potential legal setback over the weekend when Nathan said she was not satisfied with their letter opposing Maxwell's motion to exclude evidence. In a court order filed in New York on Saturday, Nathan wrote that the prosecution's submitted letter did 'not address this issue.' Such a development so close to the start of the trial could also be a significant boost to Maxwell. 'At the November 1, 2021 conference, the Court asked the Government to provide its position as to whether Alleged 'Victim-3' could be considered a 'victim' of the crimes charged in the indictment for any legal purpose,' Judge Nathan wrote in Saturday's filing. 'The Government's supplemental letter does not address this issue,' she added. The judge acknowledged that the court's request 'may have been unclear' before giving prosecutors another chance to file a supplemental letter responsive 'on or before' 12pm Sunday Nathan acknowledged that the court's request 'may have been unclear' before giving prosecutors a second chance to file a supplemental letter responsive to the question 'on or before' 12pm Sunday. Maxwell is charged with three counts of conspiracy-related charges including, enticing minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, enticement of a minor to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, and conspiracy to transport minors with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. As the judge saw it, the victim's evidence could be used to establish whether Maxwell was aware of the 'sexual nature of the massages,' performed on Epstein. The remaining counts are: transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, sex trafficking conspiracy, and sex trafficking of a minor. Judge Alison J Nathan (pictured) gave prosecutors a second chance to file a letter responsive to the question Two counts of perjury will be tried separately. According to the indictment, Maxwell 'groomed and befriended' Minor Victim-3 in London between approximately 1994 and 1995 when she knew that the girl was under the age of 18. The indictment states that Maxwell discussed Minor Victim-3's 'life and family' with her and introduced her to Epstein, a wealthy financier. 'During those interactions, Maxwell encouraged Minor Victim-3 to massage Epstein, knowing that Epstein would engage in sex acts with Minor Victim 3 during those massages,' the indictment states. 'Minor Victim-3 provided Epstein with the requested massages and during those massages, Epstein sexually abused Minor Victim-3,' it added. Maxwell had previously filed a motion asking for Minor Victim-3's evidence to be excluded because she had 'not alleged any illegal conduct whatsoever.' Her filing stated that the woman was 'not a minor' in the UK and that she 'cannot establish' whether Maxwell or Epstein sought to ask her to travel while she was underage. Maxwell's lawyers said that prosecutors only included the woman's claims in the indictment because they 'did not know that she was above the age of consent in the UK.' The defense has also listed a number of experts that they plan to call to the witness stand, including Elizabeth Loftus, who testified at the Weinstein trial about sex crime victims creating fake memories. She could also call Park Dient, a forensic psychologist who has previously evaluated the Unabomber Jeffrey Dahmer and John Hinckley, who shot Ronald Reagan, according to court filings. Bennett Gershman, one of the top authorities on prosecutorial misconduct, may be called upon too. Meanwhile, Epstein died by suicide in August 2019 while being held in jail as he faced sex trafficking charges. He served 13 months in a Florida prison after pleading guilty in 2008 to soliciting a minor for prostitution. A fertility clinic that was sued this week for allegedly impregnating a California woman with the wrong embryo also previously lost the sperm of another woman's late husband, used the sperm on other women, lied to the widow and tried to impregnate her with other men's sperm, a lawsuit claims. On Monday Daphna Cardinale filed a lawsuit against fertility firm In Vitro Tech Labs Inc and other connected companies, claiming they mixed up her and her husband Alexander's embryo with another couple's leaving the four parents raising infants who weren't theirs for months, before swapping them in January 2020. DailyMail.com can reveal In Vitro Tech and its owner, Dr. Peyman Saadat, were previously sued for allegedly mixing up sperm and lying to patients to cover up their bungles. In 2016 by Los Angeles resident Sarah Robertson, 46, claimed that she had six vials of her dying husband Aaron's sperm preserved by the company in 2004 to be able to bear his child after he passed away from genetic condition Marfan Syndrome. Robertson claims that In VitroTech lost some of the sperm and impregnated other women with it without her knowledge or consent and despite it leaving them at risk of their babies also having the genetic defect. California woman Sarah Robertson (pictured) sued In VitroTech labs in 2016 claiming doctors lost some of her late husband's (left) sperm and used it on other women without her consent The case was alluded to in a new lawsuit filed Monday by Alexander Cardinale, 41 (left), and Daphna Cardinale, 43, (right) who discovered they had been raising someone else's child due to a 'nightmare' IVF mix up by the same lab The widow, who married her high school sweetheart in 1995, says Dr. Saadat and his firm also tried to pass off other men's sperm as her late husband's to impregnate her, and lied that five of the six vials had been destroyed in a fire at their facility. The shocking allegations were hinted at in the Cardinale's Monday lawsuit, which claims their doctor and business partner of Dr. Saadat, Dr. Eliran Mor, has a 'sordid history of allegedly mixing up, mislabeling, and/or outright losing clients' genetic material.' Robertson wrote in her May 2016 legal complaint that in 2004 her 29-year-old husband suffered a 'severe stroke as a result of his Marfan Syndrome, causing him to fall into a coma from which he would never recover.' With the permission of his parents, she had surgeons extract his sperm and doctors told her 'they were able to confidently ensure that said sperm would not transmit Marfan Syndrome to any resulting child,' the lawsuit said. The sperm was stored by Tyler Medical Clinic, which was later bought by Dr. Saadat's company, the documents said. Aaron Robertson (pictured with his wife) died in 2004 after suffering a 'severe stroke as a result of his Marfan Syndrome' - a genetic disorder that affects connective tissue. Sarah said she preserved some of his sperm in order to have his children after his death and that the lab allegedly impregnated other women with it without her knowledge or consent and despite it leaving them at risk of their babies also having the genetic defect Her lawsuit claimed owner Dr. Saadat Peyman allegedly lied that five of the six vials of Aaron's sperm were destroyed in a fire. He is also accused of trying to pass off other men's sperm as her husband's during her fertility treatments In April 2014 she contacted the company and said she was ready to start fertility treatment, but was told the lab 'could only account for one vial of her original six vials of sperm and tissue and could offer no explanation as to what occurred with the other five vials.' Dr. Saadat allegedly told her that the vials had been destroyed in a fire but the lawsuit said in fact the fire occurred one year before Aaron's sperm extraction. The court filings further claimed that Dr. Saadat and In VitroTech 'intentionally and knowingly lied to Plaintiff Sarah Robertson about the destruction of her dead husband's sperm and tissue in a fire.' According to the suit, Dr. Peyman Saadat (pictured) allegedly told her that the vials had been destroyed in a fire but the lawsuit said in fact the fire occurred one year before Aaron's sperm extraction In a shocking claim, the suit added that Saadat and the lab 'had already misappropriated Aaron Robertson's Marfan infected sperm for use with other patients of Defendants' practice without consent of knowledge of Plaintiffs or the other patients.' 'Plaintiffs are informed, believe and thereon allege that this ineptly conceived bold-faced lie by Dr. Saadat was purposely done in concert by the Defendants so as to discourage Plaintiffs from investigating the true facts regarding the disappearance of Aaron Robertson's sperm and tissue,' the court documents said. Robertson claimed Dr. Saadat made 'repeated and unsolicited efforts to coerce and intimidate' her to let him implant an embryo in her, telling her: 'I give you a baby, I give you a baby.' But in fact, she claims, the sperm they were proposing to use on her was from an 'unknown individual'. 'At the time Defendants were insisting that Sarah Robertson undergo treatment with Defendants, [they] knew or should have known they no longer had possession of Aaron Robertson's sperm and could have only proceeded through the non-consensual use of sperm belonging to an unknown individual without the knowledge of this individual or Plaintiff Sarah Robertson,' the lawsuit said. The Los Angeles court found that Robertson 'was not legally entitled to use her husband's sperm for posthumous conception, and therefore suffered no injury from its loss,' according to an appeal ruling. The appeals judges sided with the trial court's ruling, writing that Robertson failed to establish that her late husband wanted his wife to conceive his child after he died. 'The only allegations regarding plaintiff's husband's intent were that plaintiff, at the time she requested her husband's sperm be extracted, represented to his physicians that she and her husband had always wanted to have children together, and provided letters and cards written by her husband similarly indicating a desire to have children with his wife. Mixup: Alexander and Daphna welcomed a baby girl in September of 2019 after undergoing IVF (pictured with their older daughter, Olivia center) Swapped: The couple eventually learned that their IVF clinic had swapped their embryo with another one. The two babies are pictured together 'Although those allegations, if true, would establish that the husband wished to have children with his wife while he was alive, they fail as a matter of law to establish that the husband intended his wife to conceive a child with his sperm posthumously.' Meanwhile, Daphna, 43, and Alexander Cardinale, 41, of Los Angeles, are now suing In VitroTech labs, the California Center for Reproductive Health, and owner Dr. Eliran Mor, for medical malpractice, negligence, and fraud. The parents say they spent months raising another couple's child before they discovered that their little girl was not, in fact, biologically theirs - and learned that the couple she did belong to had been raising their biological daughter as well. They made the harrowing decision to swap babies when they were four months old, and on Tuesday shared video of the emotional moment they met their actual daughter, Zoe, for the first time. In addition to mourning the child they'd raised for months and given away - and missing the first four months of Zoe's life - the Cardinales say they are also coping with how their five-year-old daughter, Olivia, has handled the traumatic situation. The pair had desperately wanted another child and had been trying naturally for years when they turned to IVF. Though their first rounded failed, their second was a success, and Daphna thought: 'I'm settled, I'm done. My life is perfect.' The Cardinales are suing the LA IVF clinic for medical malpractice, negligence, and fraud The Cardinales say they are also coping with how their five-year-old daughter, Olivia, has handled the traumatic situation She gave birth in September 2019, and Alexander says he immediately had a 'gut feeling' that the child wasn't theirs. He told People magazine that he had a 'primal reaction' to seeing the baby, for the first time, noticing right away that she didn't look like either of them. The Cardinales are also suing the California Center for Reproductive Health and its owner, Dr. Eliran Mor (pictured) Though he shook it off in the hospital room, he couldn't get past the feeling that something wasn't right. At first, Daphna tried to convince Alexander and herself that there was nothing wrong. 'She looked really different than us. But she felt so familiar to me because I carried her and I birthed her,' she said. But Alexander admitted his 'brain started going to the dark place' because they'd used IVF, and he became 'incredibly concerned.' Their suspicions only grew as other people began commenting on how little the baby girl looked like them, with some even remarking that she appeared to be of a different ethnicity. But nagging doubts aside, the couple fell in love with the little girl, describing their time with her as 'sheer bliss.' Then something strange happened that only bolstered their feelings that something was amiss: Their IVF clinic called asking for a photo of their baby. Soon, Daphna had purchased a DNA test, and by the time the baby was almost two months old, they'd learned that she wasn't genetically related to them. The couple hired a lawyer, who eventually heard from the IVF clinic confirming that the lab they used had mixed up the embryos. They had ended up with another couple's embryo, and that couple had wound up with theirs something they confirmed with DNA testing. Though their doctor, Dr. Mor, had told them he did everything 'in house,' they also learned that he actually outsources to In VitroTech Labs Inc., which is where the mix up occurred. An infant school has faced a backlash after asking children to wear extra layers - so it can save money on rising heating costs. Summerhill Infants has told parents it faces bills of more than 30,000 for heating and therefore would be forced to make some changes. In an email sent to parents, staff at the school in Bristol said it will limit the time the heating is on in the day, turn down thermostats for hot water and turn off lights when not in use. And it also asked parents to send their children into school wearing warmer clothes so it could limit bills as fuel costs skyrocket. In response, one anonymous parent told the BBC she was concerned the decision could affect her child's asthma. She said: 'Being in the cold can really affect her, so I think that she can potentially get ill. Summerhill Infants school (pictured) in Bristol has faced a backlash after asking children to wear extra layers when they're in class - because it is facing energy bills of more than 30,000 'If she starts getting ill I will take her out because I can provide her heating at home, as much as that's expensive. 'If it was something that they asked me to pay 10 [towards] I would pay some money. I would happily provide money.' Another woman called the proposal a 'ridiculous idea' and added: 'I should imagine the absences will go through the roof. 'And what about asthmatic children and teachers. People with lung conditions need higher ambient temperatures as breathing cold air can cause asthma attacks and hypothermia. 'I also imagine that children and teachers will find it hard to concentrate in cold classrooms.' The school hit headlines in 2016 after teachers banned its students from running. Teachers said too many children were 'bumping their heads' and warned that anyone caught running would be punished by standing against a wall for a minute. The latest plea comes during a 'bloodbath' of small energy providers which have collapsed, shifting the burden of costs onto larger providers due to rising natural gas prices and the energy price cap. Parents have been split on the appeal with some saying it was reasonable while others have raised concerns about the health of those with breathing conditions such as asthma It was reported this week that 22 of the 47 UK energy providers have now gone into administration since the start of the year. The National Education Union said it demonstrates the fact that schools still do not have enough financial support, with representative Robin Head saying the lack of money and rising fuel costs is to blame. He added: 'It uncovers the sad, hard truth that schools aren't funded properly enough. Teachers have not had a pay rise this year. Schools are really struggling budget wise.' Other parents said they would accept the change as long as the school only made it slightly cooler. One said: 'If they need to wear a thick jumper that's fine. I trust the school to not make it freezing. They're putting the kids first.' Another parent added: 'We should all be doing our bit to save energy and subsequently money anyway. 'Can you imagine the outcry if the school HAD sent out a begging letter for 10 towards costs?' Bristol City Council said it was trying to support schools affected by the energy crisis, aiming to extend energy contracts, while the Department for Education has said that core funding for schools will rise by 4.7bn between 2024-2025 to address concerns. A council spokesperson said: 'To support schools, our energy services are working on trying to extend current energy contracts.' Summerhill Infants School has been contacted for further comment. A Missouri man accused of killing his wife and burying her body in a park testified at trial Tuesday about their turbulent relationship, saying that they often fought over misunderstandings. Joseph Elledge is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Mengqi Ji, whom he reported missing in October 2019. Her remains were found in March of this year at a park near Columbia, Missouri. Prosecutors rested their case Monday after presenting a week of evidence that detailed the couple's troubled and deteriorating relationship before Ji's death. They argued that Elledge killed his wife to avoid a costly divorce and to stop her from fleeing to China with the couples young daughter. Ji moved from China to Missouri to study at the University of Missouri and stayed after marrying Elledge in 2017. Joseph Elledge is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing Ji, 28, and burying her body in a park, where the woman's remains were unearthed in March 2021 Elledge testified on Tuesday during his murder trial in Missouri about his rocky relationship with wife Mengqi Ji prior to her disappearance in October 2019 Elledge looks at a computer screen displaying some of the numerous text messages he and his late wife exchanged before her death Elledge looks at a photo of himself and his late wife Mengqi Ji, when they took a trip to China to visit her family Elledge has pleaded not guilty to murder, domestic assault and child abuse charges related to the couple's young daughter. On the stand Tuesday, Elledge said his wife had a temper and they often argued as a way to control the other person's emotions. Elledge said he and Ji met in 2015 and began dating the following year. They eventually traveled to China and he asked Ji's father for permission to marry her. The couple planned to have three to five children and Ji wanted them to grow up in the Chinese culture, which Elledge said he supported. Elledge said he initially got along well with Ji's parents but tension arose after they moved in with the couple when their daughter was born on Oct. 3, 2018. He said Ji's parents began interfering with their child's care and often spoke Chinese with their daughter, while she translated for him. Elledge initially told investigators that he and his wife argued at their apartment on Oct. 9, 2019, and he discovered she was missing when he woke up the next day. During opening statements last week, Elledge's attorney, Scott Rosenblum, acknowledged that Ji died after his client pushed her during an argument over the wife's suspected infidelity after discovering her sexually explicit exchanges with a man on a Chinese messaging app, but he argued that it was a 'tragic accident.' He said Ji fell and hit her head but was able to get up and go to bed, where Elledge found her dead the next day. Rosenblum attributed her death to a subdural hematoma, which is a build-up of blood on the brain. Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Knight on November 5 asks former Columbia police officer Kyle Gilliam if he recognizes photos of Elledge's arrest in October 2019 Columbia police officer Thomas Quintana shows Knight where Elledge's car was parked the day Elledge was arrested Rosenblum conceded that Elledge made a series of bad decisions when he decided not to call for help, instead putting his wifes body in the trunk of his car. But he said the evidence will show Elledge did not intend to kill his wife. Elledge reported Ji missing on October 10, 2019, prompting numerous searches before her remains were found March 25 this year in a remote area of Rock Bridge State Park about 5 miles south of Columbia. Boone County Prosecutor Dan Knight said in his opening statement that Elledge mistreated his wife throughout their marriage and on the night she died. He said Elledge and his mother worked together to ensure that Ji did what Elledge wanted, KRCG-TV reported. Knight told the jury they would hear more than nine hours of recordings of the couple arguing, some that were made by Elledge and others by Ji. The first recording was played last week. The nearly hour-long recording of a phone conversation included Elledge chastising Ji for eating 'like a pig' and repeatedly swearing at her and criticizing her mother. Ji is heard sobbing. Elledge testified that Ji had a temper and the two often argued. They even recorded some of their heated conversation so they could later listen back to them Prosecutors said Elledge recorded reasons why he hated his wife (pictured above during her pregnancy) in a journal titled 'Grievances' A defense attorney argued that Ji died as a result of a 'tragic accident,' after Elledge pushed her during an argument over the wife's suspected infidelity Elledge also asked: 'Do you want me to leave? Ill leave and never come back. Im not happy here. Do you want me leave here? Tell me.' Ji responded, 'No.' In his opening statement, Knight said Elledge recorded reasons why he hated his wife in a journal titled 'Grievances.' And he said Elledge had a notebook that outlined how he should behave toward the media concerning his wifes disappearance. The prosecutor also said Elledge spent 30 minutes digging a grave in Rock Bridge State Park, where Jis body was found. The grave was a half a mile from where he had proposed to her, Knight said. Ji came to the U.S. from China and earned a masters degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Missouri in December 2014. She previously attended the East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai. She stayed in Columbia and married Elledge, who was a student at the University of Missouri, in 2017. Advertisement Are YOU a frontline NHS worker who doesn't want a Covid vaccine? Email: luke.a.andrews@mailonline.co.uk Ring: 020 3615 0537 Advertisement The new 'no jab, no job' rule in the NHS might only spur on around 20,000 workers to get vaccinated against Covid, according to the Government's own estimates. A white paper into the impact of the policy was published by the Department of Health tonight after Sajid Javid announced that all frontline NHS workers in England need to be double-jabbed against Covid by April 1 or they will be sacked. The document estimates that just 22,000 of the 125,000 currently unvaccinated staff including medics, cleaners, porters and receptionists will get their Covid jabs by that deadline. It also shows that ministers expect 73,000 not to come forward for the vaccines and by default lose their job. The remaining 30,000 are medically exempt. Mr Javid said the 'scales clearly tipped to one side' in favour of compulsory jabs, but critics say they are unnecessary given that 90 per cent of staff are already fully jabbed and 93 per cent have had their first dose. Trade union GMB warned the 'bulldozing' policy will only worsen the 'crushing' staffing crisis. The health service already had around 100,000 vacancies before Covid struck, including a shortfall of 10,000 doctors and 35,000 nurses. Unvaccinated staff have already threatened to quit on the back of the announcemnet, with one trainee nurse telling MailOnline it was a 'kick in the teeth' after working tirelessly on wards through the pandemic. Ryan Balment, 38, was set to graduate as a nurse in two years, but says he will now become a dog trainer. But advocates of the move including former Tory health secretaries Matt Hancock and Jeremy Hunt argue health workers have a duty of care to their patients. Figures published last night showed that more than 11,000 patients died from Covid after catching the virus in NHS hospitals while being treated for other illnesses. The move brings the NHS into line with care homes, where employees have until Thursday to get two doses of the Covid vaccine or be made redundant. A white paper into the impact of the plan was published by the Department of Health tonight after Sajid Javid announced that all frontline NHS workers in England need to be double-jabbed against Covid by April 1 or they will be sacked. The document estimates that just 22,000 of the 125,000 currently unvaccinated staff including medics, cleaners, porters and receptionists will get their Covid jabs by that deadline. It also shows that ministers expect 73,000 not to come forward for the vaccines and by default lose their job. The remaining 30,000 are medically exempt A trainee nurse has said they would rather become a dog trainer than get the Covid vaccine. Ryan Balment, 38, (left) told MailOnline he was currently training to be a nurse but would not get the vaccine. He is on wards at a hospital in the South West. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said today frontline NHS staff will need to get two doses of the Covid jab by April Some 100,000 NHS workers are yet to get at least one dose of the Covid vaccine, figures show. The above graph shows the percentage that have got their first dose (blue line) and the percentage that have got both doses (orange line) The above map shows the 20 hospital trusts with the lowest proportion of staff fully jabbed in England. The data is up to September 30, the latest available Unveiling the plans in the Commons today, Mr Javid said: 'I've carefully considered the responses and the evidence and I've concluded that the scales clearly tip to one side. 'The weight of the data shows our vaccinations have kept people safe and they have saved lives.' He added: 'Allow me to be clear that no-one in the NHS or care that is currently unvaccinated should be scapegoated, singled out or shamed. Covid infections on wards kill 11,000 More than 11,000 patients have caught Covid and died in NHS hospitals while being treated for other illnesses. Freedom of Information data from NHS trusts in England revealed that 11,688 patients who died in hospital after testing positive for Covid probably caught the virus there. This accounted for one in eight Covid deaths in hospital. Figures from University Hospitals Birmingham show it recorded as many as 484 deaths of patients who were thought to have caught the virus on wards during the pandemic. But the hospital trust said it was one of the 'largest' in the country and had 'treated over 18,000 Covid-19 patients significantly more than any other hospital trust'. Meanwhile, at four acute NHS trusts, more than a quarter of patients who died with the virus had caught it while in hospital. And 34 trusts said that one in five patients who had died after a positive Covid test had become infected in their care. Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust saw 213 patients die after catching Covid on its wards, accounting for a third of all its Covid deaths. The Countess of Chester said Covid patients made up 'more than 70 per cent of [its] general and acute beds at one point' meaning it was 'one of the most seriously affected trusts in the North of England'. Jeremy Hunt, the Conservative chairman of the health and social care select committee, told The Daily Telegraph: 'These numbers are truly shocking hospital infections have been the deadliest silent killer of the pandemic It surely strengthens the case for mandatory vaccination for frontline healthcare staff.' Advertisement 'That would be totally unacceptable. This is about supporting them to make a positive choice to protect vulnerable people, to protect their colleagues. And of course to protect themselves.' But NHS staff have said they fear colleagues 'will simply leave' over the move. Mr Balment, from Devon, told MailOnline: 'I would rather leave the health service than be told to have something that I don't know is 100 per cent effective.' He added: 'I am quite disappointed because I feel that I have worked throughout the pandemic and a lot of people I know have worked throught the pandemic. 'To suddenly be told that unless you have this vaccine we are not going to keep you employed, you are no longer of value, it is a bit of a kick in the teeth.' He said the mandate was more likely to push NHS staff to 'rebel against' being vaccinated than take up the jabs. Asked what he would do if ministers followed through on their threat to sack unvaccinated staff, he said: 'I recently set up a company on the basis that this [compulsory vaccination] was going to happen, which is dog training with my partner so we are looking at going down that route. I felt like it was needed so that we had an option there to fall back on.' Mr Balment said he was not an anti-vaxxer, but that he was worried about getting the jab because it had only recently been developed. An unvaccinated NHS nurse who said she manned Covid wards in Greater Manchester last winter, and asked not to be named, told this website she will apply to work in Homebase because she refuses to be vaccinated. The mother-of-three claimed she does regular lateral flow tests to protect patients after catching the virus in March 2020. She told MailOnline: '[Making vaccines compulsory] just seems pointless, and I feel so disappointed and let down. 'I have worked so hard to get my job, I have been working for 13 years now and it seems ridiculous to lose it over something that is well getting a vaccine that doesn't stop you from getting the virus.' A nurse from Yorkshire, who wished to remain anonymous, said she feared the impact the measures could have on care. 'We cannot afford for NHS staff to be reprimanded or taken off the frontline for not having a mandatory vaccine in the middle of a national crisis and during the winter period,' the 38-year-old told the PA news agency. 'I would encourage all staff to have the vaccines but do not agree that it should be compulsory staff will simply leave and we cannot take that risk.' A doctor from London, who also wished to remain anonymous, said the announcement could lead to staff 'not taking up shifts, even if they're not actually quitting'. The doctor, in his 30s, expressed particular concern that agency staff would be affected by the policy, saying: 'They already have quite tenuous requirements and experience in order to do the job anyway I think if there was another hurdle that required vaccination, I suspect many of them wouldn't take up the shifts.' 'We as doctors have the idea of consent for any medical procedure, any medication, it is the underpinning arch to everything we do. 'It is therefore odd we're in a situation where we're having something that we cannot consent or say no to, and a mitigation of our normal healthcare rights.' Making Covid vaccines compulsory ISN'T best method of improving uptake, data shows ONS data showed wanting to protect yourself and others from Covid was the biggest motivator to get jabbed among un-vaccinated Britons Compulsory Covid vaccines are not the best way to boost jab uptake, a survey revealed today. An Office for National Statistics survey of 4,000 people asked un-vaccinated Britons what could motivate them to get their shots. Respondents said protecting themselves and others from Covid was the most likely reason they would get the vaccine at a later date (19 per cent gave this answer). Helping restrictions ease and life to return to normal, and making it easier to go on holiday (16 per cent) was the second most likely motivator. But being told by an employer they needed the shots to keep working for them dropped to the third most likely motivator (13 per cent). It was at the same level as being offered a voucher was to get vaccinated (also 13 per cent). Frontline NHS workers will be required to get two doses of the Covid vaccine to keep their jobs from spring, reports suggested today. Experts have warned this policy could 'backfire' by making vaccine resistant employees less likely to get the jab and health chiefs say it could spark a mass exodus of employees. Advertisement The doctor added that focusing on mandatory vaccines, rather than issues such as sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), was an attempt to 'pretend you're back to normal'. A union representative at an NHS hospital trust in Sheffield also raised concern, saying: 'I want to see all staff having the vaccine if they are able, but the prospect of colleagues losing their jobs and livelihoods as a result of refusing it is alarming. 'Vaccine uptake among NHS staff is much higher than among the general workforce and yet, along with care workers, we are being singled out for a vaccine mandate at a time when we already face significant staff shortages. 'This from the same Government that has consistently refused to continue with measures that effectively reduce the transmission of Covid across society, like mask-wearing in public places. 'Both are operating under extreme pressures, after a decade of austerity and cuts, with an exhausted and demoralised workforce who are fearful of what is to come as we head through winter. 'Staff are already leaving their employment and this will certainly force many more to go, as we are currently witnessing in adult residential social care as a result of this legislative change to their employment.' A poll carried out by the union found only four in ten healthcare workers supported making jabs compulsory. Professor Helen Bedford, a children's health expert at Great Ormond Street Institute of child health, warned that making vaccines compulsory could 'backfire'. 'When there is concern about less than optimal vaccine uptake rates, making vaccination mandatory can seem the obvious solution but it can backfire. It may make people who are just unsure about vaccination more resistant. 'There is plenty of evidence showing that it is preferable to provide opportunities to discuss vaccine concerns openly and non-judgementally with people who have doubts and to ensure there are adequate opportunities to access vaccination.' Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers which represents hospital trusts, said making vaccines compulsory in the NHS may result in the health service losing 'significant numbers of staff'. He said: 'The problem for both social care and the NHS is we run these systems incredibly hot on very, very fine margins. Both of us have got around 90 to 100,000 vacancies. 'We are completely reliant on our staff to work extra shifts in order to do the work that needs to be done. 'So losing significant numbers of staff, particularly given the pressure that both of the systems are under at the moment, is a real, real problem. 'And that's why we're very clear with the Government they need to help us manage this risk.' But Mr Hopson added that the rule could help to boost uptake of the Covid vaccine, and encourage hospitals to open conversations with vaccine hesitant employees. He said: 'If you look at other nations that have done this, there is no doubt that if you do it carefully, at the point when you announce the fact that you are going to have mandatory vaccinations in the sector, it does provide quite a useful opportunity to then have those kind of further conversations. 'So if we get it right, actually, it could be quite a useful spur in some senses to drive the take-up up, but the bit that we just need to be careful of, as I said, is avoiding scapegoating people.' Dominic Raab defended the decision this morning ahead of the announcement, saying it would offer society's most vulnerable the protection that they deserved. Although he refused to confirm reports that the jabs would be made compulsory for the NHS, he told Sky News that it was important to boost jab uptake by 'any means necessary'. Mr Raab said: 'I think it is critically important in those vulnerable settings, care homes and the NHS and particularly as we go through winter, that the vulnerable people there are properly protected. 'I think we need to get by any means necessary the level of jabs up.' He added on ITV's Good Morning Britain: 'Ultimately we've got to make sure that the lives of those people in those vulnerable settings are safeguarded, and that's a difficult choice, that's one of the many difficult choices that we've got in Government. 'But I think we'd be getting a lot of criticism if we weren't taking those difficult decisions, and we were leaving people more and unnecessarily exposed than before.' The above graph shows the proportion of staff working in care homes for the over-65s who have received their first and second doses of the vaccine. It reveals that there was no sharp surge in uptake when the jabs were made compulsory The above map shows the five areas where more than one in five care home employees are still yet to get two doses of the Covid vaccine Meghan Markle insisted she is not playing politics with her royal title by calling for paid family leave for all, which she says is a 'humanitarian issue', during an appearance at the New York Times DealBook summit on Tuesday. The Duchess of Sussex appeared for a 30-minute panel to discuss her efforts to enforce paid family leave in America at the event in New York City. Meghan was interviewed by Andrew Sorkin, who edits DealBook, the Times' financial newsletter, and appeared alongside Mellody Hobson, co-C.E.O. and President of Ariel Investments, a Chicago-based investment firm, who she said she had become friends with. During the session, she also said she uses online discount codes to shop, after growing up 'clipping coupons' to find bargains, and that it gave her a sense of pride and worth. Her appearance comes three weeks after she stepped outside of royal protocol with a letter to US Congress, asking them to consider making paid family leave law for all Americans. Asked about criticism she was intervening in politics, Meghan gave a quote she attributed to Prince Harry about how 'with great privilege comes great responsibility'. Meanwhile, Harry used a separate appearance at an event organised by Wired magazine to demand 'honest journalists' stand up to 'pirates with press cards who have hijacked the most powerful industry, the freest industry in the world'. And he suggested the term 'Megxit' - used the describe the Sussexes' decision to abandon the Royal family for America - was 'misogynistic' and aimed at his wife. Meghan Markle appeared at the New York Times DealBook Summit in New York City on Tuesday for a panel on gender pay equity and paid family leave Meghan said on Tuesday that she doesn't see the move as a political issue, and that with her privilege comes 'great responsibility'. 'I don't see this as a political issue frankly. There is a precedent among my husband's family, the royal family, of not having any involvement in politics. From my standpoint, this is a humanitarian issue. 'My husband has always said with great privilege comes great responsibility and before I had ay kind of privilege, I always stood up for what was right. I've been gone from the US for a really long time, I was in Canada for seven years then I went to the UK. I've come back and I'm a mother of two. 'The US is one of only six countries in the world that didn't offer any kind of paid national level. I said "let me put pen to paper and make some calls." To me it seems like a really logical and obvious thing to do,' she said. During the calls, Meghan says lawmakers are often 'surprised' to hear from her but that they generally are receptive. 'I introduce myself - these calls are not planned calls, right - I just get the phone number and I call. Yes, people are pretty surprised, I think. This is one of those issues that's not red or blue, we can all agree that people need support.' Three weeks ago, Meghan lobbied congress for paid family leave for all in a letter. She says it is a humanitarian issue She added: 'I still see myself as the same as I have always been. I've always been a hard worker, people that know me well some of whom are here today know that, I've just always been the same. 'If you are grounded in who you are... I show up in the same way that I always have.' The Duchess of Sussex went on to speak about women's sense of worth and purpose, and how mothers ought to be paid for staying at home when they have children. Harry is expected at a gala at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum 'Both my parents have a very strong work ethic, it was when I was about eight or nine, I started making scrunchies to sell. I'd go downtown, have my mum take me to get the scraps then I'd make them and I'd sell them. I remember the feeling of knowing I had done something, invested in myself, done this labor, and been compensated for it and there's a sense of pride in that. 'There is a sense of purpose especially for women at home. They are working but it's unpaid labor and it needs to be recognized. 'Men need to be a part of the conversation. I think it takes strong men and modern men frankly to understand that they benefit from it as well,' she said. She also suggested changes to social media to quell bullying, including adding a 'dislike button' on Instagram that would replace negative comments. 'The entire environment of social media, not just social media... it becomes a race to the bottom. Clickbait ends up being monetized and feeds the environment of the media because it is so quick and rapid... now it's about creating the news and not reporting the news and the damaging effects for young girls are impossible to quantify. 'If you get paid for the most clicks and people click for the most hateful things... in lockdown too let's say someone had five hours a week just scrolling online, during lockdown maybe they were spending 50 hours a week, becoming indoctrinated. 'There has to be a responsibility that lands somewhere. It's really concerning. 'There are ways to make changes with social media and the media in general but people have to be brave enough to do it. 'Instagram, for example, there's a like button or there's a comment. You have to, if you disagree with something, comment in a vitriolic way as opposed to pressing a dislike button. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and their baby son Archie during their royal tour of South Africa on September 25, 2019. They have since welcomed a daughter, Lilibet 'It adds to a cycle that is having an effect on women across the board. ' She spoke about Archewell, the organization she and Harry have founded that is both a production company and charity, and said they run it as bosses in a way that they would appreciate as employees. 'We are a small company and we have the policies we would like if we were employees. We have 20 weeks of paid leave, if it's not being provided by the government at this stage you want to be a company doing it. 'It is multicultural because we want a diversity of opinions and points of view, both on the production side and our foundation side.' Meghan wore black pants, a black sweater, a Ferragamo belt and black stilettos, with a large poppy pinned to her sweater, as is customary in the UK in November in commemoration of the war dead. One of the men who chased Ahmaud Arbery (pictured) before he was fatally shot in a Georgia suburb in 2020, bloodied himself as he searched the 25-year-old jogger's body for a weapon An officer who responded to the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery revealed that Gregory McMichael would have shot the black jogger had his son not done so. 'To be perfectly honest with you, if I could have gotten a shot at the guy, I'd have shot him myself,' McMichael said, according to a transcript of Glynn County police Officer Jeff Brandeberry's body-camera footage that was read aloud in court Tuesday. McMichael added: 'This ain't no shuffler. This guy's an a**hole.' Glenn County Police Detective Parker Marcy also took the stand on Tuesday, alleging that hours after the incident, McMichael admitted he was carrying a pistol and prepared to shoot Arbery, 25. 'I said, "Stop, you know, I'll blow your f*****g head off or something,"' McMichael said, according to a transcript of the conversation of his conversation with Marcy. 'I was trying to convey to this guy we were not playing.' But the jury were also told Greg McMichael's account changed in two interviews with cops after the shooting. The suspect first told police he believed the 25-year-old black man running in his neighborhood was a criminal because Arbery had been recorded by security cameras 'breaking in all these houses out here'. But in a second interview with a Glynn County detective at police headquarters later the same day McMichael claimed Arbery had targeted a single home as opposed to numerous properties. During the hearing, the jury was also presented with several photos police took of McMichael's son, Travis McMichael, 35, in the moments after he shot Arbery. The pictures show the younger McMichael with the jogger's blood on his hands and arms as well as spattering his shirt, face and neck. On Tuesday, the jury was presented with several photos police took of Travis McMichael after the shooting (pictured) Travis McMichael (pictured) had Arbery's blood on his hands and arms as well as spattering his shirt, face and neck The jury was shown a pictured of Travis McMichael covered in Ahmaud Arbery's blood Gregory McMichael also had Arbery's blood on his right hand, Brandeberry testified. The officer said, when he arrived on the scene shortly after the fatal shooting, that McMichael told him he got the blood on himself because he moved Arbery's arm - as he lay prone on the ground - to check him for a weapon. 'I didn't know if he (Arbery) had a weapon or not. I don't take any chances,' McMichael told the officer, explaining why he touched the body, Brandeberry recalled. Brandeberry also told the jury that McMichael quickly changed his story about why he suspected the 25-year-old black man running in his neighborhood was a criminal. The officer claims McMichael at first told him that Arbery had been recorded by security cameras 'breaking in all these houses out here.' 'Well, he makes frequent trips to the neighborhood and gets caught on video cameras every third or fourth night breaking into places and no on's been able to catch him,' McMichael told Brandeberry, who read in open court from a transcript of the conversation recorded by his body camera. The suspect's account shifted when he spoke with a Glynn County detective at police headquarters late the same day, at which point he told Detective Parker Marcy the intruder had targeted a single home - one that was still under construction with no doors or windows - as opposed to numerous properties. Marcy testified that McMichael told him he had seen 'two or three videos' that showed 'this guy breaking into or being or wandering around into this house.' McMichael noted: 'It's been in that state with no doors, with no windows for over a year now.' Glynn County police Officer Jeff Brandeberry (pictured in court on Nov. 9) testified Tuesday that he saw Gregory McMichael, 65, with blood on his right hand when he arrived on the scene shortly after the fatal shooting McMichael, his son Travis McMichael, 35, and neighbor William 'Roddie' Bryan, 52, have pleaded not guilty to charges of murder, aggravated assault and false imprisonment for their deadly pursuit of Arbery on Feb. 23, 2020. They face life in prison if convicted by the jury, which prosecutors alleged is disproportionately composed of 11 white people and one black person. Prosecutors have said the men 'assumed the worst' of Arbery as he ran through the Satilla Shores neighborhood just outside Brunswick, which had experienced some recent break-ins of cars. After Arbery was trapped by the three men, he was seen on video reaching out for Travis McMichael's shotgun. He was shot three times. None of the men were arrested in the slaying until more than two months later, when cellphone video of the shooting leaked online and sparked an outcry amid a national reckoning over racial injustice. Marcy, who took photos of Travis McMichael after he arrived at the Glynn County police headquarters following the shooting, was questioned about the images in court on Tuesday Brandeberry said Greg McMichael (pictured in court Tuesday) also had blood on his right hand, which he told police he had used to check Arbery for a weapon after the shooting Prosecutors say the men had no legal reason to pursue Arbery with guns, as there's no evidence Arbery committed any crimes in the Satilla Shores subdivision outside the port city of Brunswick. The defense says the defendants had reason to suspect Arbery was a burglar. Greg McMichael said the chase began when he saw Arbery 'hauling a**' past his home on a Sunday afternoon. He claimed to recognized Arbery from security camera videos shown to him by a neighbor, who wasn't charged in the case. McMichael ran inside and grabbed a .357 magnum handgun. His son, Travis McMichael, armed himself with a shotgun before the pair went after Arbery in a pickup truck. Bryan joined the chase in his own truck and recorded the video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at close range. Travis McMichael's attorneys say he opened fire in self-defense. Brandeberry testified that Greg McMichael told him at the scene: 'He attacked my son. He came at him. He tried to get the damn shotgun away.' Defendant Travis McMichael sits with his attorney Tuesday before the start of Day 3 of the trial for Ahmaud Arbery's shooting death This image from video posted on Twitter in May 2020, purports to show Ahmaud Arbery stumbling and falling to the ground after being shot by Travis McMichael Marcy testified that Greg McMichael said he armed himself because he suspected Arbery may have stolen a handgun from his son's truck several weeks earlier, though he acknowledged he had no proof. The detective said he asked whether the videos of Arbery inside the home under construction showed him picking up or taking anything. 'You know, not that I recall,' Greg McMichael answered, according to the interview transcript that the detective read in court. 'I don't think the guy has actually stolen anything out of there, or if he did it was early in the process. But he keeps going back over and over again to this damn house.' A Metropolitan Police car has crashed into a pedestrian near Westfield in London this afternoon. The man who was hit has been taken to hospital and officers from the Met said his condition is not believed to be life-threatening. Video from the scene shows a man lying in the road near Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush just before 2pm this afternoon. Two women appear to be comforting the man who was seen lying on his side. An unmarked police car was filmed at the scene with its blue flashing lights. A male pedestrian was rushed to a London hospital after he was hit by a Metropolitan Police car outside the Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherd's Bush (pictured) this afternoon The force's traffic officers have launched an investigation and it is unknown at this stage if the police car was on lights and sirens responding to a call when the crash occurred. The road was closed in both directions after the crash and two ambulances and the air ambulance were pictured at the scene this afternoon. A spokesman for the force told MailOnline: 'Officers from the Roads and Transport Policing Command are investigating after a police collision. 'The incident happened at 13:36hrs on Tuesday, 9 November at Wood Lane, W12. Pictured: An unmarked police car was pictured at the scene immediately after the crash but it is unknown if it was responding to an incident on flashing lights and sirens at the time The man, who was comforted by fellow pedestrians in the immediate aftermath of the crash, was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries and an investigation was launched 'A police car collided with a pedestrian. 'The male pedestrian was taken to a central London hospital. His condition has been assessed as non life-threatening. 'The Met Directorate of Professional Standards has been informed as a matter of course. 'Enquiries continue.' Coffee lovers could soon be forking out more for their daily caffeine hit. Prices are set to go up by as much as $1 a cup as cafes try to bounce back following the Covid-19 pandemic. The price hike is due to a sharp increase in freight and shipping costs with cafes in urban areas expected to be hit the hardest. The Cafe Owners and Baristas Association of Australia has warned coffee lovers to 'definitely' expect a rise of anywhere from 50 cents to up to $1. Australians could be soon paying up to $1 more for their daily cup of coffee. Pictured is a barista at a Melbourne cafe 'As things start to open back up again, I think we'll see it,' spokesman Sean Edwards told NCA NewsWire. He estimates the pandemic and consequent lockdowns have forced up to 25 per cent of cafes to close their doors. 'That's gonna level things out a bit so that the competition, especially in the inner city, probably wont be as high so you'll probably see $1 a cup going up,' Mr Edwards said. Australians who can't live without their daily caffeine hit will be out of pocket by up to $360 a year. It's due to the skyrocketing costs of importing coffee beans as freight prices have almost doubled in the last year. The proposed price hike is due to the skyrocketing freight and shipping costs of imported coffee beans during the pandemic. Pictured, cafe patrons following the recent end of Sydney lockdowns Bean production has also been affected in Brazil due to severe drought. Some cafes have already hiked up costs, including Bread Social in northern NSW, which has increased prices by five per cent for the first time in five years. 'We're having to make some quick and drastic changes to make sure that we aren't going backwards ourselves,' director Sam Saulwick told the ABC. 'I think that's something you're going to see across the board. 'I just don't think long term people are going to be able to weather that ongoing costs without passing it on.' The family of Robert Dursts first wife Kathie is demanding to know why it took prosecutors nearly four decades to indict the eccentric millionaire for Kathies 1982 disappearance and presumed murder. James McCormack, her older brother, called prosecutors out publicly Tuesday for failing to pursue justice in the case until November 1, when Durst was indicted for second-degree murder in New York. McCormack thanked current Westchester County District Attorney Mimi Rocah for pursuing the charge, he slammed predecessors for letting the case slide. To be clear, our family and our attorneys have provided DA Rocah - and several of her predecessors - with witnesses and evidence that prove Robert Durst murdered Kathie, McCormack told reporters gathered outside James McCormack, whose little sister Kathie vanished in 1982, is demanding to know why it took prosecutors nearly 40 years to indict her husband Robert Durst for her disappearance. He spoke to reporters November 9 in White Plains, New York. Durst (right) initially claimed he last saw Kathie (left) as she was boarding a train to New York City on the night of January 31, 1982 Durst, 78, was convicted in California ast month for murdering his best friend Susan Berman 'Yet it took the Office of the Westchester County District Attorney nearly 40 years to indict,' McCormack continued. Now more than ever, it is important to ask why it took so long to get to this point. My family and I have serious questions and we deserve answers. Dursts indictment for Kathies death only came after he was sentenced in California last month to life in prison for the 2000 murder of his best friend Susan Berman. He shot Berman dead in a gangland-style execution so that she couldn't reveal what she knew about Kathies disappearance. Prosecutors said Berman knew too much about what happened to Kathie and so she was silenced. Berman is thought to have helped Durst cover his tracks after his wife's disappearance, posing as Kathie to phone her medical school to say she was sick on the morning after she was last seen alive. Relatives of Kathie say they've provided numerous prosecutors with evidence that would help land a conviction for her presumed murder This led investigators to believe Durst's version of events that he saw her board a train to New York City on the night of January 31, 1982 after they spent the weekend at their home in South Salem, Westchester County. He claimed he spoke to his wife when she arrived at their Manhattan penthouse and had cocktails with his neighbor later that night. Investigators later found no evidence of Kathie ever boarding the train or arriving into New York and Durst later confessed to lying about their phone call and his drinks with a neighbor. Westchesters top prosecutor said she made the case a priority when she took office in January. He killed Berman (pictured together) in a gangland-execution style murder in her Los Angeles home in 2000 'When Kathleen Durst disappeared on January 31, 1982, her family and friends were left with pain, anguish and questions that have contributed to their unfaltering pursuit of justice for the last 39 years,' Rocah said. Kathies brother said he and his family have serious concerns about why a series of prosecutors in Westchester and Manhattan appeared to protect Durst throughout the years. He also questioned why the New York Police Department failed to conduct a thorough and competent investigation into her disappearance. These questions and so many others need to be answered, McCormack said. Not just for Kathy and the McCormack family, but for every family that has been victimized by prosecutorial cowardice. misconduct, and corruption. We want both closure and justice for Kathy and our family, which has suffered from her disappearance, murder and the concealment of her remains. The McCormack's family attorney Bob Abrams (right) called for an investigation on how the case was handled while speaking to reporters in White Plains, New The McCormack familys attorney Bob Abrams called for an investigation on how the case was handled and questioned whether Durst was being protected from persecution. As much as we appreciate what District Attorney Rocah has done by indicting Robert Durst for Kathie's murder, what she did is what her job requires her to do,' Abrams said. She indicted a murderer for killing somebody. Kudos to her because that was not done for the past 40 years. The real estate heir was hospitalized on a ventilator with COVID-19 after his October 14 sentencing in the Los Angeles case It's not known whether Durst will live to be tried on the latest charge. The real estate heir was hospitalized on a ventilator with COVID-19 after his October 14 sentencing in the Los Angeles case and was transferred last week to a state prison hospital. His medical condition was not released but a mug shot showed him appearing frail. A six-foot tall Tesco worker has won just almost 50,000 in a sex discrimination case after he was trapped in a room and 'intimidated' by his 5ft 4ins female boss. Toby King's complaints that manager Jo Francis 'falsely imprisoned' him at work were ridiculed by bosses who thought 'a big man' couldn't be frightened by a 'little pregnant woman'. But a tribunal ruled he was a victim of sex discrimination as his bosses didn't take Mr King's complaint seriously because of the difference in size. The supermarket giant has now been ordered to pay him a total of 47,690.61 in compensation, including more than 31,000 for 'injury to feelings'. Ms Francis, who was five months pregnant at the time, put her 'foot against the door' and 'physically prevented' Mr King from leaving the room during a discussion about him working extra hours, an employment tribunal heard. Mr King was 'vulnerable' as he suffered from PTSD after he was 'held hostage' while working for the Prison Service - and Tesco managers including Ms Francis knew about his condition. Toby King, a six-foot tall Tesco worker has won just almost 50,000 in a sex discrimination case after he was trapped in a room and 'intimidated' by his 5ft 4ins female boss (file picture) He was later sacked after he continually failed to show up for work, saying the incident had triggered a 'relapse' and meant he couldn't leave the house 'without crying'. The Watford tribunal heard Mr King began working as a customer assistant at a Tesco store in Aylesbury, Bucks, in May 2018. It was told he also had another job with Aylesbury Fire Service and was studying to become an electrician. Mr King had periods of absence at work due to a change in his PTSD medication and Ms Francis knew he suffered from the condition after his 'bad experience' with the Prison Service, the tribunal was told. In December 2018, Mr King was 'berated' on the shop floor by her for being 'inflexible' in offering 'additional hours in the run up to Christmas'. He told the tribunal this was 'a slap in the face' as he had tried to be 'as flexible as he could be' whilst balancing his other commitments. Later that day Mr King agreed to talk with Ms Francis in a staff room to discuss his attitude in regards to working additional shifts. But during the meeting, Mr King told his line manager he felt 'uncomfortable' staying in the room with her and went to 'open the door to leave'. Toby King said manager Jo Francis, who is 5ft4 and was pregnant at the time, prevented him from leaving a meeting about Christmas shifts at the Tesco branch in Aylesbury, Bucks Ms Francis 'put her hand out towards the door' to prevent it from opening and put her foot 'against the door', before 'putting her hand' on Mr King's arm and 'holding him' as he tried to exit through the 'partially open door'. CCTV stills of the incident were provided to the tribunal. A tribunal report said: 'The way that Mr King seems from the photos to squeeze out of the door is consistent with him having become increasingly anxious and borderline desperate to get out of the room.' An 'upset' Mr King went to another manager after leaving the room, asking 'what gave Ms Francis the right not to let me go?'. A meeting was later held with another manager, who 'dismissed' Mr King's claims because he thought 'Ms Francis, as a pregnant woman, would not have behaved that way'. Manager Joe O'Halloran didn't bother checking the CCTV as he presumed 'as a heavily pregnant woman Ms Francis was quite vulnerable and would have avoided any form of physical altercation at all costs to protect her baby'. Mr O'Halloran told the tribunal: 'I'm merely saying that [it was] someone who is a larger person, Mr King, versus a smaller person... 'Ms Francis was in a vulnerable position... [It is] reasonable to assume that someone wouldn't want to put herself in harm's way.' Employment Judge Judith George said: 'It is clear... that Mr O'Halloran did not regard Mr King's complaint seriously.' Store manager Lee Murphy claimed he did not think Ms Francis was 'threatening at all'. Judge George ruled that managers were 'influenced' by 'relative size' - 'by Mr King being a big man and Ms Francis a small pregnant woman'. The judge added: 'Ms Francis did not think Mr King would be intimidated by her or 'would take seriously' her actions in the room because he was a 6ft man and she a 5ft 4ins woman. Mr King was signed off as 'unfit to work' by his GP in February 2019 and despite providing Tesco with sick notes, he was dismissed the following month for unauthorised absences and 'failure to keep in touch' after he didn't attend a disciplinary meeting. Tesco claimed notes weren't received. Judge George ruled Tesco had not reasonably investigated Ms Francis' conduct and the allegations of intimidation and harassment against her, and had subjected Mr King to harassment related to sex by dismissing him. Judge George said a female employee in the same situation as Mr King would not have been dismissed. 'There was no gross misconduct such as to justify a summary dismissal', the judge concluded. Special Counsel John Durham's probe into the origins of the Russian investigation moved closer to the White House on Tuesday with a report that National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan was the 'foreign policy adviser' mentioned in the indictment of former Hillary Clinton presidential campaign lawyer Michael Sussmann. Sussmann was charged in September with allegedly lying to the FBI, and has pleaded not guilty. The 27-page indictment says Sussmann told then-FBI General Counsel James Baker that he was not working for a client when he asked for a meeting in which he offered evidence of what he claimed was a secret communication channel between Donald Trump and a Russian bank. But the document goes on to allege in fact he was being paid by at least two clients - a U.S. technology executive and the Clinton presidential campaign. It goes on to set out communications between Sussman and other figures. 'On or about September 15 , 2016, Campaign Lawyer-1 exchanged emails with the Clinton Campaign's campaign manager, communications director, and foreign policy adviser concerning the Russian Bank-1 allegations that SUSSMANN had recently shared with Reporter1,' it says. The foreign policy adviser is Sullivan, 44, according to Fox News, which cited two well-placed sources. He has been a key figure in Democratic circles since 2008 when he was foreign policy adviser to Hillary Clinton's presidential run, before joining Barack Obama's general election team. The Durham investigation appears to have entered a critical phase. A grand jury indictment was returned last week for Igor Danchenko, a Russian analyst accused of being a key source in the Steele dossier. He is charged with five counts of making false statements to the FBI. President Joe Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, is the 'foreign policy adviser' mentioned in the indictment of a former Hillary Clinton campaign lawyer, according to Fox News. There is no suggestion that Sullivan is a target of Special Council John Durhams investigation into the origins of the Russia probe Special Counsel John Durham (l) is investigating the origins of the Russia probe. Michael Sussman was indicted in September. He denies lying to the FBI When Clinton became Secretary of State, Sullivan joined as her deputy chief of staff, before becoming Vice President Joe Biden's national security adviser in 2013. There is no suggestion that Sullivan is a target of Durhams investigation, only that he received information from Sussmann. The White House referred requests for comment to the Department of Justice. 'I'm not going to comment on that from here, from the podium,' said White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. 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. 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. White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre referred questions about Sullivan and the Durham Former President Donald Trump this week praised Durham's work, claiming 'it all leads back to the Democrats, Hillary [Clinton] and the dirty lawyers' during an interview with Fox News Igor Danchenko was arrested last week by US federal agents Last week, a key source who provided information to British ex-spy Christopher Steele for his 'dirty dossier' of allegations against Donald Trump was been arrested in the US. Igor Y. Danchenko, a Russian-born analyst living in the United States, was arrested on Thursday in Virginia by federal agents assigned to Durham's 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'. 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. Trump himself praised Durham's effort this week. The former president, 75, predicted that Durham's investigation, which he was first assigned to in April 2019, will show that 'it all leads back to the Democrats, Hillary [Clinton] and the dirty lawyers.' 'It really has come out,' Trump said to Fox after Durham produced his second of two indictments late last week. 'In all fairness, while it has taken a long time, hats off to John Durham.' 'Hats off, because, its coming out, and it is coming out at a level - Durham has come out with things that are absolutely amazing.' Advertisement In honor of its centennial celebration, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier will be open for the public to pay their respects and lay flowers on the plaza for the first time in nearly 100 years. The Tomb has been blocked off to the public and guarded by a solider 24 hours a day since 1925 but it will reopen to the public for two days this week. An unidentified coffin was sealed in the white marble tomb on November 11, 1921 to honor all U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified and has remained an a important national monument ever since. The Tomb's plaza at the Arlington National Cemetery opened on Tuesday and will remain open on Wednesday in honor of its centennial commemoration. Members of the public will be allowed to pay their respects and lay a flower at the Tomb between 9am and 4pm during the two-day ceremony. Visitors to the sacred memorial site, who were required to register online, will be required to provide a government-issued ID for entry. A tomb guard of the 3rd US Infantry Regiment, known as 'The Old Guard,' walks before a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington National Cemetery People place flowers during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia Members of the public pay their respects by placing flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia A woman places yellow and pink flowers among a colorful offering of bouquets at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia Two young girls take their turn laying flowers on the plaza at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia A young boy carrying a single white flower waits his turn to honor the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia People pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near it's 100 year anniversary at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia Karen Durham-Aguilera, Executive Director of Arlington National Cemetery speaks in front of the Grand Staircase during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Passes for both days of the event were sold out on Tuesday. The official centennial marker of the opening of the sacred Tomb comes on Thursday, November 11, 2021, the National Veterans Day Observance with an invite-only wreath laying ceremony. President Joe Biden is scheduled to attend the historic ceremony. The public is invited to observe a joint service full honors procession that will closely resemble the first ceremony opening the Tomb 100 years to the date along with a joint service flyover with aircraft from all branches of the armed forces. Karen Durham-Aguilera, the executive director of Army National Military Cemeteries and Arlington National Cemetery, said: 'The next two days will truly be a historic and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' according to CNN. Opening the two-day flower ceremony Tuesday morning, members of Crow Nation were honored with being the first people to lay flowers atop the Tomb. They began the ceremony with a smudging ceremony and a prayer. The leader of Crow Nation laid a war bonnet and a coup stick on the coffin 100 years ago at the first ceremony opening the monument. The invitation to Native Americans was meant to recognize 'the significant role of American Indians in the military during World War I, and the possibility that the Unknown Soldier could have been an American Indian,' Allison Finkelstein, senior historian at Arlington National Cemetery, explained to the New York Times. An estimated 8,000 to 15,000 Native Americans served in the war, she said. The inclusion of Crow Nation's Chief Plenty Coups in the 1921 ceremony was most likely the first time a Native American was featured on a national political stage broadcast to the nation in a way other than Wild West shows, Aaron Brien, the tribal historic preservation officer for the Crow Tribe, told the Times. A tomb guard of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as 'The Old Guard', walks in front of members of the Crow Nation during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Members of the Crow Nation gather in front of the Grand Staircase during a centennial commemoration event in Arlington, Virginia Members of the Crow Nation perform in the Memorial Amphitheater during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Members of the Crow Nation performed a smudge ceremony and a prayer during a centennial commemoration event Young members of the Crow Nation place flowers during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in Arlington National Cemetery Members of the Crow Nation line up to place flowers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to100 years of the monument honor Since the first coffin from World War I was laid in the Tomb, two other unidentified coffins have been added from later wars. In August 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower approved the selection and interment of unidentified soldiers from both World War II and the Korea War. Both coffins arrived in Washington, D.C. on May 28, 1958 and lay in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for two days before being moved placed in the Tomb. A fourth soldier, from the Vietnam War, laid in the Tomb for almost 14 years before being identified as Air Force 1st Lt. Michael Joseph Blassie, a pilot who had been shot down in 1972. 'As you lay your flower, we at Arlington encourage you to reflect on the meaning of the Tomb. By the simple act of laying a flower, you are not only honoring the three unknowns buried here but all unknown or missing American service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation,' Tim Frank, the Arlington National Cemetery's historian, said during Tuesday's ceremony, according to CNN. The sacred monument was originally opened to the public with no restrictions but the somber intention became overlooked by members of the public as the Tomb was treated as a public park. At times couples were found 'getting excessively romantic on top of the tomb,' Beth Bailey, a professor of history at the University of Kansas, told the New York Times. Their watch will never end : History of 'The Old Guard' Sentinels of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment or 'Old Guard' is the oldest active-duty regiment in the U.S. Army, now best known for its ceremonial duties guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The regiment was formed in 1784 as the 1st American Regiment under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Josiah Harmar fighting in the Ohio frontier campaigns. Currently serving as the Army's official ceremonial unit, The Old Guard is assigned with escorting the president and providing security for Washington, D.C., during a national emergency or civil disturbance. On April 6, 1948, The Old Guard assumed funeral support to Arlington National Cemetery, guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 24 hours a day, and ceremonial support to the Military District of Washington. There are six specialty platoons: Caisson Platoon, Continental Color Guard, Fife and Drum Corps, Presidential Salute, Battery, U.S. Army Drill Team, and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier The Tomb Guards work on three rotational shifts- 24 hours on, 24 hours off, 24 hours on, 24 hours off, 24 hours on, 96 hours off. On their time off, the Sentinel's have to complete Physical Training, Tomb Guard training, haircuts, and get into their uniform (which takes an average of eight hours to prep) before their next shift. The average Sentinel is assigned to guard the Tomb for about 18 months, although there is no set time required for their service at the cemetery. The Tomb Guard Identification Badge (TGIB) is awarded after the Sentinel passes a series of tests to earn them the exclusive honor. The TGIB is permanently awarded after a Sentinel has completed nine months on tour at the Tomb. Over 600 have been awarded since its creation in the late 1950's, averaging to 10 per year. Advertisement U.S. Senator Tom Cotton, and his family, wait to place flowers during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Cotton, an Army combat veteran, and his family stand after placing flowers during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier A group of US Navy sailors hold flowers to be placed during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier People line up in the National Cemetery in Arlington to place flowers during a centennial commemoration event at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Members of the public stood in line Tuesday morning to pay their respects to unidentified soldiers killed in combat Since it was closed to the public in 1925, this week's opening of the sacred monument 'is a rare opportunity for the public to walk next to the Tomba privilege otherwise given only to the Sentinels of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, 'The Old Guard,'' according to the release from Arlington National Cemetery. Following the ceremony, members of the public and Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, an Army combat veteran, lined up to lay a flower at the Tomb. As the most iconic monument at Arlington National Cemetery, the white marble sarcophagus overlooking Washington D.C., has become the heart of the military graveyard which honors those who have served the nation. Arlington National Cemetery conducts between 27 and 30 funeral services each weekday and between six and eight services on Saturday, according to its site. Today, an estimated 400,000 veterans their eligible dependents are buried among the 624 acres of land. Marie Antoinette's two diamond bracelets were sold for 6million after being expected to fetch up to 3million at an auction yesterday, 228 years after her death. The pair of silver and yellow gold bracelets are both made up of three strands and contain 112 diamonds. The stunning jewellery was sold by a mystery European royal family member at Christie's auction in Geneva, Switzerland. Marie Antoinette originally bought the bracelets for 250,000 livres in 1776, just two years after taking the throne with her husband King Louis XVI The two bracelets contained 112 diamonds and sold for 6million after being expected to fetch up to 3million at an auction today The bracelets were hidden once she and her husband King Louis XVI were taken as prisoners in Paris during the French Revolution and were found after her beheading in 1793. Marie Antionette placed the bracelets in a wooden chest entrusted to Austrian ambassador and friend Count Mercy-Argenteau, in Brussels in 1791. She originally bought the bracelets for 250,000 livres in 1776, just two years after taking the throne with her husband King Louis XVI, paying for them partly with gemstones from her personal collection and with funds provided by her husband. Marie Antoinette's two diamond bracelets were sold for 6million after being expected to fetch up to 3million at an auction today, 228 years after her death But surprisingly a ruby and diamond Cartier bangle owned by Wallis Simpson the Duchess of Windsor, gifted to her by the Duke of Windsor for their first wedding anniversary, did not sell. It had been estimated to fetch up to 1.62 million. Tobias Kormind, the managing director of Europe's largest online jeweller 77 Diamonds, said: 'This evening's auction was both shocking and fantastic. The bracelets were hidden once she and her husband King Louis XVI were taken as prisoners in Paris during the French Revolution and were found after her beheading in 1793 Marie Antionette placed the bracelets in a wooden chest entrusted to Austrian ambassador and friend Count Mercy-Argenteau, in Brussels in 1791 The stunning bracelets were sold by a mystery European royal family member at Christie's auction in Geneva, Switzerland 'An amazing result for bracelets owned by Marie-Antoinette, who was confirmed as true royalty, while the Duchess of Windsor, who appeared more of an impostor royal, whose bracelet seemed to have lost its lustre, despite being fashioned from prized Burmese rubies and commissioned from jeweller to royalty Cartier. 'Whichever way you look at it, being able to own a piece of history from someone you can read about in books is so powerful. 'If you can't make history then the next best thing is to own a piece of it. Newly uber-wealthy collectors still aspire to the magic and halo effect of royal provenance. The bracelets were joined by a ruby and diamond Cartier bangle (above) that once belonged to Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor and was expected to reach up to 1.62 million The Duke of Windsor, the former British King Edward VIII, gifted Simpson with the bracelet on their first anniversary in June 1938 'The three regal bracelets which went on the block today once belonged to two of the most legendary and controversial royals in history, both self-proclaimed jewellery addicts. 'Marie Antoinette's pair of diamond bracelets boast a total of 112 diamonds, while the Duchess of Windsor's extravagant diamond and ruby Cartier bracelet, was a gift from the Duke of Windsor on their first wedding anniversary.' The duchess' jewellery attracted record-breaking attention in 1987 with some pieces exceeding expected prices ten times. A ruby and diamond Cartier bangle owned by Wallis Simpson the Duchess of Windsor (pictured) gifted to her by the Duke of Windsor for their first wedding anniversary, did not sell A 1957 emerald, ruby and diamond Cartier brooch from the Duchess of Windsor's jewellery collection which was auctioned in 1987 That auction of her collection fetched $50m, setting a new record at the time as the most pricey auction of a single-owner jewellery collection. Buyers included the likes of her high society friends Elizabeth Taylor. Mr Kormind added: 'While many women might expect a paper-themed gift to mark a first wedding anniversary, the Duke had famously abdicated the throne in order to wed the twice-divorced Wallis Simpson and the rubies on this cuff bracelet are said to mark the passion, love and courage shared between these disgraced royals - it's shocking they didn't sell.' An environmental activist was sexually assaulted and threatened with rape by the Iranian authorities as part of the Islamic state's brutal crack-down on a popular uprising in 2019, an international human rights tribunal will hear. Fatemeh Khoshrou was among tens of thousands of ordinary men, women and teenagers who took part in spontaneous demonstrations across Iran in protest at rising cooking gas prices, that became known as 'Bloody November'. But the 32-year-old environmentalist was sexually assaulted, threatened with rape and forced to confess on TV that she was an American spy after she was arrested by the fanatical Revolutionary Guards in her home town of Khorramabad. An estimated 1,500 demonstrators, including 17 teenagers and 400 women, were killed and thousands of others injured in clashes with Iran's security forces during the uprising. The tribunal will also hear claims that hospital doctor Ershad Rahmanian was kidnapped, tortured and beaten to death by members of the Revolutionary Guard in another part of the country. Fatemeh Khoshrou was sexually assaulted and threatened with rape by the Iranian authorities as part of the Islamic state's brutal crack-down on a popular uprising in 2019, an international human rights tribunal will hear Now their cousin have come to London to tell the world of the heartache of the families that have suffered at the hands of Tehran's brutal regime at the Iran Atrocities Tribunal. The tribunal will be the first time the killing and wounding of thousands during the two-month-long protests in 2019 at the orders of leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei and President Ebrahim Raisi, will be investigated as possible crimes against humanity. In a moving testimony Fatemeh, who has waived her right to anonymity, told MailOnline: 'The door of my cell opened and five stout men like giants entered the cell. I was completely naked. Those five men started touching my body. 'I don't know how long it lasted. For me it was an eternity. I only remember that I screamed and pleaded. I told him [the interrogator]: "I will do whatever you want me to do".' The following day Fatemeh was shown a photo of her American fiance and ordered to trick him into coming to Iran or her parents would suffer. She said: 'They asked me to make a confession in front of the cameras. They told me to say that I was the US had sent me to create disturbances in Iran and given me money to bring people on to the streets. 'I said everything they wanted in front of the camera. I didn't do it willingly. I did it under duress. I accepted to make this forced confession as I was afraid that those men might rape me.' Fatemeh Khoshrou was among tens of thousands of ordinary men, women and teenagers who took part in spontaneous demonstrations across Iran in protest at rising cooking gas prices, that became known as 'Bloody November' Fatemeh, who had been living in Turkey with her American fiance, had only come back to Iran to visit her family and attend a hospital appointment, when the protests broke out. She explained: 'One week before the demonstrations I returned to Iran to visit my mother and to follow up a medical procedure. 'I heard noises coming from the street because our house is located close to the main square of the city. I knew that the demonstrations may occur due to the hike in the price of cooking gas. For that reason I went out of the house.' Fatemeh told how the crowd grew from hundreds to thousands and marched to the government offices chanting anti-regime slogans. But before the demonstrators could air their grievances they were surrounded by armed plain-clothed members of the feared Republican Guard and she was arrested. She spent the next three and a half months in jail as a political prisoner in terrible conditions. Following her forced confession Fatemeh remained locked up until she went on hunger strike and was only freed when she agreed to work for the Iranian secret service as a spy. Fatemeh told how the crowd grew from hundreds to thousands and marched to the government offices chanting anti-regime slogans Once released she returned to Turkey where she told her fiance, who works for the US Armed Forces, what had happened and he contacted the US Embassy. Fatemeh refused to work for the Iranian state and the Revolutionary Guard continue to threaten her and her parents. Another victim of Tehran's brutal crackdown on Bloody November protesters was Ershad Rahmanian, a doctor who had recently qualified as a hospital anesthetist. Ershad, 23, from Marivan, was returning home after taking his mother to hospital a week after he took part spontaneous demonstrations when he disappeared. His battered body, riddled with marks of torture, was discovered in a river three weeks later. The tribunal will also hear claims that hospital doctor Ershad Rahmanian was kidnapped, tortured and beaten to death by members of the Revolutionary Guard in another part of the country Despite initially admitting to orchestrating Ershad's arrest the feared Revolutionary Guard denied any involvement in his death and tried to force his devastated family to claim the doctor had committed suicide. Now his cousin Kamyar Ahmadi has come to London to tell the Iran Atrocities Tribunal the truth. Mr Ahmadi told MailOnline: 'When Ershad's body was found it was clear that the wrists were tied. From the blue spots on his face and under his eyes and the cut in his eyebrows it was clear that he had been tortured. His shirt was entirely blood-soaked. His face was bruised and deformed. 'Ershad's brother who saw the body say that his skull was broken and that there was a hole in it. His cousin told me it was likely from a bullet. 'However on the death certificate the cause of death reads 'being investigated'. 'After Ershad's body was found the Revolutionary Guards took his father to the Ministry of Intelligence. 'They told him to say that Ershad had mental health issues and had committed suicide. 'His family refused. They are sure that he was arrested and did not cooperate with them and they killed him under torture.' Mr Ahmadi explained how during their frantic search for the Ershad his parents were twice told he had been arrested and was being held by Revolutionary Guards. He told MailOnline: 'When Ershad did not come home his family searched for him in many places the police, the hospital, the security services. They even visited the Imam. 'During this period to phone were made to Ershad's parents telling them that their son was in detention at the Ministry of Intelligence.' He added: 'On the day of Ershad's burial security agents threatened his family and told them not to speak to the media. 'Over the past year Ershad's father has been arrested five or six times and asked why the family speaks to the media. 'All of the interviews have been given by me. The family has done nothing.' The Iran Atrocities Tribunal, which opens tomorrow [10 November] at Church House, Westminster, is chaired by leading human rights lawyer Wayne Jordash QC. He said: 'The Iran Atrocities Tribunal is an international people's tribunal for the investigation of crimes against humanity and gross violation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding alleged atrocities that took place in November 2019 during nationwide protests. 'To date, the Islamic Republic of Iran has failed to investigate its own responsibility, or the responsibility of its own security forces, or otherwise facilitate any independent international adjudication for any of this violence or alleged crimes. 'The Iran Atrocities Tribunal consists of independent and impartial jurists who will investigate these events to reveal the truth and to determine where the responsibility lies in light of general principles of law and human conscience with the aim of ending impunity for any international crimes and seeking redress for the victims.' WeWork's Adam Neumann, who was ousted as CEO in 2019 after allegations of drug use, gender discrimination and excessive spending, says he's done a 'tremendous amount of giveback' with the money he earned after stepping down. Neumann walked away from the company with stocks worth a reported $1.7 billion after reports of his behavior and the possible over-valuation of the company, then worth $47 billion, were made public. Asked whether he should share some of that money with his former employees, some of whom lost their jobs and stocks during the downfall, he replied: '[Co-founder] Miguel [McKelvey] and I, actually, over the past few months have done multiple things, but not stuff that we feel obligated to share. 'I have thought about that. We do a tremendous amount of giveback.' It's not clear where Neumann donated the money, when he decided to do it, or how much he parted with, though he admitted that the shared workspace company's high valuation may have blurred his overall vision for the brand. Adam Neumann, 42, founded WeWork in 2010 and was ousted as CEO in 2019 after reports of excessive spending, discrimination and drug use tanked the company's first IPO attempt WeWork, which finally went public in a merger deal finalized in October, is worth an estimated $9 billion, down from the $47 billion valuation it held before Neumann's ouster 'We had bankers coming to us, showing us, I'm embarrassed to say, pieces of paper saying we may be an extremely highly valued company, way more than $47 billion,' he told CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin at The New York Times DealBook online summit on Tuesday. The interview is the Israel-born entrepreneur's first since leaving the company. 'So when the whole world is telling you that, yes, we believed it and we thought it was really happening. So that valuation was real,' he said. Despite having been ousted from the company, Neumann still holds around an 11 percent share in WeWork, which is valued at around $722 million, Forbes reports. The company's $9 billion valuation, with shares opening at $11.28, represents a marked drop from the $47 billion the company reportedly reached in 2019, when it first attempted to go public. On Tuesday, Neumann admitted that the high valuation may have 'gone to his head.' 'You lose focus on really the core of your business and why this business was what it meant to be,' he said. Neumann, 42, is currently worth $1.6 billion, according to Forbes, though he dropped off the billionaire's list last year after the failed IPO, or initial public offering, which offers public investors shares in a previously private company as a way to raise money and pay off early investors. That attempt blew up in spectacular fashion in August of that year, resulting in Neumann's ousting after investors grew wary of the eccentric CEO's exorbitant spending and increasingly erratic behavior. On Tuesday, Neumann recalled the moment that JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon suggested he stepped down. Neumann defended some of the company's spending, including the amount spent on private travel, saying the international demands required it. Above, a WeWork in Tokyo in 2018 Neumann, above in 2019, admitted that the high valuation may have gone to his head: 'You lose focus on really the core of your business and why this business was what it meant to be.' 'He told me, "Adam, you've done a great job until now, but you're gonna have to put the company first." He said, "I think you should step down." "Without you there, we'll help you raise the money. We'll make it all happen, the company will be saved, and in the future, things will work out well.'" The losses spurred by that failure were then exacerbated by the pandemic. The workspace real-estate giant finally became a public company last month, merging with blank-check firm BowX Acquisition Corp. On Tuesday, Sorkin pressed Neumann on his tumultuous time at the helm of WeWork. While riding in a private jet to Israel, there was reportedly so much marijuana smoke in the cabin that the crew felt the need to put on their oxygen masks. Upon landing, the crew found a cereal box that was packed full of marijuana that had been stuffed into a closet. 'Smoking on board was one thing, but transporting marijuana an illegal drug in New York and Israel across borders might expose Gulfstream to serious risks,' according to The Cult of We: WeWork, Adam Neumann, and the Great Startup Delusion. Gulfstream ended up bringing the plane back to the US without Neumann and his cohorts, who already had built up quite the reputation. Shortly before leaving his post as CEO in 2019 after the first failed IPO, he was alleged to have smoked marijuana with friends on his private jet during a flight from New York to Israel The entrepreneur and his time at WeWork have been the subject of numerous books, articles and documentaries. Above, Neumann and his wife Rebekah at the Time 100 gala in 2018 The company operated 110 locations at its peak. Above, a WeWork in New York City in 2019 During another trip in 2015 to Mexico City, passengers were 'spitting tequila on each other'. One passenger vomited 'throughout the cabin and lavatory,' and the 'crew was not tipped.' Neumann conceded that the company could have matured 'sooner,' saying, 'We had a fun culture.' He said he was only aware of marijuana use, and that other tales simply 'make good stories for movies and television shows.' He also said he needed the plane to reach the 110 cities where WeWork operated locations. 'Because we could do all those things we became very attractive to these enterprise clients. Needing a plane was very needed,' he said, adding that the company could have used a cheaper service. Neumann also pushed back on earlier reports that he had received a $ 1.7 billion 'golden parachute' to leave the company. 'This perception that as the company went from a $47 billion valuation down to $9 billion, that I profited somehow while the company was going down, is completely false,' he said. Last year, WeWork Executive Chairman Marcelo Claure, also a SoftBank executive and executive chairman of Sprint, told CNBC that the claim is 'totally false.' In April 2021 Neumann, 41, and his wife Rebekah Paltrow Neumann sold their 11-acre California estate shaped like a guitar for $22.4 million The ornate home sold 10 months after it was put on the market with a $27.5 million price tag He said that Neumann had only the 'right to participate' in a tender along with other shareholders. 'We have no idea how much he plans to sell,' he said, according to the New York Post. 'Thats why people speculate how much he can potentially walk away with, but Adam has not walked away with a billion dollars.' WeWork and Neumann have been the subject of various reports into the company's perceived downfall. In April, Hulu released the documentary WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn. In a 2018 lawsuit, former WeWork employee Ruby Anaya alleged Neumann 'plied [her] with tequila shots during her interview with the company,' according to CNN. She also claimed that a male employee grabbed her, pulled her into his body and tried to forcibly kiss her. She says she was fired in August 2018 in what she believes was an act of retaliation. Neumann's chief of staff, Medina Bardhi, filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in New York in 2019, claiming that Neumann referred to her maternity leave as 'vacation' or 'retirement' and that she was repeatedly 'derided and marginalized by Mr. Neumann and other WeWork officials,' according to the New York Times. Neumann also shot back at claims that he sold the trademark 'We' back to his company for $5.9 billion before the company tried to go public in 2019. He told Sorkin at Tuesday's DealBook summit that the sale was a legally required maneuver to please the Securities and Exchange Commission. Accused drug kingpin Mostafa Baluch was arrested by police in a dramatic sting on the NSW/Queensland border using intelligence gathered by cops as his former underworld colleagues turned on him after a series of raids. Police had stopped the truck as it crossed the border and searched the container on the back of the vehicle, where they located the 'shocked and surprised' 33-year-old man hiding inside a grey Mercedes SUV. However, as the net closed around Baluch, police also exposed a whole new complex drug network as they raided his friends and associates in a desperate attempt to ensure he didn't flee overseas where big-time gangsters were waiting for him. The fugitive, who allegedly cut his ankle monitor after being granted bail for a drug importation charge and spent 16 days on the run, was captured by NSW Police at Tweed Heads near the Queensland border at 1am. Organised Crime Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Rob Crichlow described the capture of Baluch as a 'very happy day' as he revealed the extraordinary details of how they captured Australia's most wanted man. 'They noticed some suspicious items with the container that wasn't properly locked and other things that caught their attention,' he told reporters on Wednesday. 'Famously, there was a knock on the side of the truck and he knocked back. He was a bit shocked and ultimately good police work secured his arrest. 'We suspect that the person ... thought it was a drop off point - that he was being signalled that it is safe. 'Of course, he didn't realise it was a constable.' Mostafa Baluch (pictured sitting) has been captured by police after a two week manhunt A photo released by police shows Baluch dressed in a T-shirt and shorts sitting on the side of the road moments after his dramatic arrest. Baluch was taken to Southport Watch House, where he remains in custody and will appear in Southport Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Organised Crime Squad detectives have travelled to Queensland to seek Baluch's extradition to NSW. Det Supt Crichlow paid tribute to investigators who have spent the last two weeks working around the clock to track Baluch down. 'He had a lot of help but there were a lot of people against him,' Det Supt Crichlow said. 'The community have turned the criminal element against him. He attracted a lot of attention and it's caused impacts for people he knows. 'We will look at everybody he knows and everybody he talks to and we have and we've achieved excellent results. We'll continue with that.' Mostafa Baluch (pictured) has been captured by NSW Police after a two-week manhunt Baluch was found in the boot of this grey Mercedes (pictured) in a shipping container on the back of a truck crossing the NSW/Queensland border at Tweed Heads The driver of the truck that was intercepted at the border was detained eight hours later more than 200 kilometres away in Grafton. John Kitanovski, the owner of trucking company Kit Bros, is currently being questioned by officers. Police sources claim Kitanovski is believed to have previous links to Baluch. 'That gentleman has been detained by police and will be charged in relation to conveying the wanted person out of the jurisdiction,' Det Supt Crichlow said. 'He will also face further inquiries about other related offences. We're going through that trucking company with a fine-toothed comb. 'We understand they'll have few trucks left on the road tomorrow when they finish. 'This gentleman has a trucking company, he is involved in transportation but also he transports other commodities from time to time, so he's somebody who's been of interest to us. 'Mr Baluch has given us opportunities we didn't have before and this is very exciting for us because it's given us great potential. He revealed police were quick to act after receiving new information on Baluch's whereabouts. 'This information was quite fresh and was acted upon as soon as it came in,' he said. 'We knew there was a truck. There was a lot of police work and diligence to find it.' Police knew they were closing in after officers raided two homes in Sydney's south-west last Thursday. Organised Crime Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Rob Crichlow has revealed the extraordinary details of how Mostafa Baluch was found hiding in the boot of a Mercedes in a shipping container on the back of the truck 'We searched a number of houses last week and seized several hundred thousand dollars and other items connected with drug trafficking,' Det Supt Crichlow said. 'We know for sure he had been at some of those addresses. 'We were close behind him all the way. We've identified what we will allege is a drug trafficking syndicate, which we're now dismantling as a result of this investigation. 'He was certainly, we'll allege, connected to that group.' NSW police minister David Elliott has publicly apologised to international law enforcement agencies and for the extensive resources spent on the 16 day manhunt. 'Can I apologise to the international law enforcement agencies whose work led to the arrest, assisted us in the arrest originally of this individual?' He said. 'And of course the anxiety that's been caused over the last two weeks because of the very questionable decision to give him bail in the first place. 'As I said from day one, I was embarrassed for the Australian Federal Police, because they had to go and tell our international law enforcement partners that we had lost one of the big ones and it was embarrassing that a suburban magistrate was responsible. 'I was embarrassed because of the cost to investigate in the first place, let alone the cost of the last two weeks.' NSW Police Minister David Elliott (pictured) apologised for the anxiety that's been caused over the last two weeks after Baluch went on the run three days after he was granted bail The minister also described Baluch's arrest as a great morning for policing, just days after youngster Cleo Smith was found alive and well after a 18 day disappearance. He also paid tribute to the constable who knocked on the truck. 'I'm tracking down the constable that did the famous knock on the side of the truck,' Mr Elliott said. 'He'll get a beer and a hug from me when the borders open and if that's not an enticement for Queensland to open the borders, I don't know what is.' Police left no stone unturned in their quest to ensure Baluch didn't flee the country. 'We didn't want to leave any opportunities for this man to flee,' Det Supt Crichlow said. 'We knew people overseas were waiting for him to come and join with them. That was a great concern. As the commander said, high-end targets live overseas and that causes enormous harm to Australians. So we were determined he wouldn't leave Australia.' The $4 million Bayview home Baluch's family had put up as bail surety is expected to be seized, along with 'a number' of other properties linked to Baluch. 'I think Matt Kean (the NSW treasurer) will be very happy today because the Treasury will now get access to that money,' Mr Elliott said. State Crime Commander Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith said police celebrated when they heard the good news shortly after Baluch's arrest. 'This is an extensive operation. We have thrown everything at it, human resources, intelligence, international agencies, technologies from multiple agencies, that has brought us to the position of this apprehension,' he said. Baluch pictured outside his home in Mona Vale on October 25, just hours before the alleged international drug lord disappeared The arrest of the man dubbed as 'Australia's Pablo Escobar' comes after police seized cocaine and more than $250,000 in cash after raiding homes in Yagoona and Potts Hill in Sydney's south-west on Thursday night as part of national and international efforts to find Baluch. Baluch was last seen in Bayview on Sydney's northern beaches on October 25, just days after he was granted bail and released from custody under strict conditions. His ankle monitor tracker was found at a nearby golf course in Mona Vale, on Sydney's northern beaches. He had been charged with a string of drug offences related to a 900kg shipment of cocaine into Australia that had a street value of $270million. A day after he went missing, police believe they spotted Baluch in the backseat of a black Range Rover as it travelled east on the M4 at Croydon. The vehicle was later found and seized by police. Police seized more than $250,000 cash, about 200 grams of cocaine, 485 grams of an unknown substance, mobile phones, and an electronic money counter at the two Sydney homes raided last Thursday night. Officers from NSW Police, the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force were involved in the investigation. Detective Superintendent Robert Critchlow addresses the media after Footage of a furious 'Karen' exploding at her neighbour for chopping down a tree branch hanging over her property has divided opinion online. Video shared on TikTok showed the woman ordering her neighbour and the tradesmen she hired not 'to cut her f***king tree down'. The workers said they were only trimming the woman's tree back to the fence line, but the furious resident claimed they had gone beyond that point and were chopping down branches on her side of the fence. 'We're just doing the fence line,' one of the workers in hi-vis clothing said. 'No you're not - it's coming over the edge,' the neighbour replied as she pointed at branches she claimed had been cut down on her side of the fence. 'You are cutting my tree down.' The patronising worker replied that he was 'sorry to hear' she was upset, prompting the woman to angrily chastise him and demand they stop cutting down the tree. 'You're sorry to hear that or you're sorry to do that?' she asked. 'Don't cut my f**king tree down.' A second video showed the tradesmen offering to come into her backyard and remove the tree trimmings. A furious 'Karen' has exploded at her neighbour for chopping down a tree branch hanging over her property 'No you're not - you're not taking the rubbish. It's fallen into my yard,' she said before throwing a tree branch back over the fence. 'I'm throwing it now so get out of the way.' Some viewers sided with the resident who hired the workers, claiming her neighbour was being rude and unreasonable. 'I don't see the problem?' one person wrote. 'Whenever my neighbours cut back my trees in their yards I always yell out and let them know they can chuck it over the fence!' 'More on this story on A Karen Affair tonight at 7pm,' another said. Some viewers sided with the resident who hired the workers, but others thought the workers should have been more respectful to the concerned neighbour Others though said it was clear from the video the workers had trimmed over the fence line and that they should have been more respectful to the woman. 'She has a point - you could have dealt with this in a better way,' one said. 'On further inspection it does look like they were cut beyond the fence line and into her yard,' another added. In NSW, the law allows neighbours to cut each other's trees down if they become a nuisance to their own property. The pruner though incurs the cost of any work to cut any branches back, regardless of who owns the tree. The state's Tree Disputes Between Neighbours Act 2006 legislation states neighbours should then return the tree waste to the owner as it is their property. Sinaloa Cartel Founded in 1989 by Hector Palma, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman and Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada, the Sinaloa Cartel today stands as one of the most established transnational drug trafficking organizations. While it has carved out a presence in 15 of the 32 Mexican states, the cartel also expanded its operations into the United States, Europe, Asia and South America. With El Chapo in prison, the cartel has been plagued by internal fighting between Zambada and three of El Chapo's four sons, known as 'Los Chapitos'. The Drug Enforcement Administration views the Sinaloa Cartel as one of the top two criminal organizations along with its rival, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. The DEA said the Sinaloa Cartel 'exports and distributes wholesale amounts of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana in the United States by maintaining distribution hubs in various cities.' How they get drugs into the US: 'Illicit drugs distributed by the Sinaloa Cartel are primarily smuggled into the United States through crossing points located along the [south west border]. The cartel employs gatekeepers assigned to Ports Of Entry and controls Arizona and California area smuggling corridors into the United States.' Jalisco New Generation Cartel The Jalisco New Generation Cartel was once allied to the Sinaloa Cartel as El Chapo depended on its firepower to combat Los Zetas. Commandeered by Nemesio 'El Mencho' Oseguera, the group set itself apart from other cartels in the country butchering its enemies and today is considered by the Mexican government as the most dangerous group in the country. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel is spread out across 23 of the Mexico's 32 states and currently finds itself at war with at least ten cartels. The group has been known to have increased the power that its members have by purchasing military weapons and parts from the United States. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, according to the DEA, specializes 'in manufacturing and distributing large amounts of fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine.' How they get drugs into the US: 'The CJNG smuggles illicit drugs into the United States by accessing various trafficking corridors in northern Mexico along the SWB including Tijuana, Juarez, and Nuevo Laredo. The CJNG also has influence over the busiest port in Mexico, the Port of Manzanillo, and utilizes that influence for the distribution of large quantities of drugs.' Beltran-Leyva Organization For a while, the Beltran-Leyva Organization [BLO] was born out of the Sinaloa Cartel and became one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico led by the Beltran Leyva brothers: Marcos Arturo, Carlos, Alfredo, Mario Alberto and Hector. The Beltran-Leyva Organization was involved in a deadly war with the Sinaloa Cartel after the brothers accused their cousin, El Chapo, of being responsible for the January 2008 arrest of Alfredo. The brothers retaliated by reportedly plotting the murder of El Chapo's 22-year-old son, Edgar Guzman, in May 2008. Alfredo's arrest sparked one of the worst periods in Mexico's war on drugs as the BLO's new ally, the Juarez Cartel, went to war with the Sinaloa Cartel in Ciudad Juarez, a border town across from Texas. The BLO also expanded its might by going toe-to-toe with the Gulf Cartel, Sinaloa Cartel and La Familia Cartel in the northeastern border city of Reynosa. While the cartel remains viable today, the organization's members over time split into 11 factions. How they get drugs into the US: 'BLO relies on its loose alliances with larger cartels for access to drug smuggling corridors along the [south west border].' Los Zetas and the Cartel del Noreste [Northeast Cartel] Los Zetas were created by Mexican military deserters who formed an alliance with the Gulf Cartel in 1999 and based its operations in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, across from Laredo, Texas. The group quickly carved out a named for itself through its savage killings. By 2010, Los Zetas split from the Gulf Cartel. Los Zetas at one point dominated more cities across Mexico than the Sinaloa Cartel, with whom it clashed amidst a threat from the Gulf Cartel to eliminate it completely. Like some of the other Mexican cartels, Los Zetas saw some of its members split and form their own groups. Los Zetas role play in the drug trade is enforced by one of its factions, the Cartel del Noreste [Northeast Cartel]. Together, the criminal groups have set up its small, but lucrative, drug trade business into the Texas border cities of Laredo and Eagle Pass while controlling routes and turfs in the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo Leon, Coahuila, San Luis Potosi and Zacatecas. How they get drugs into the US: 'Members smuggle the majority of their illicit drugs through the [south west border] in the areas of Laredo, Texas; Eagle Pass, Texas; and the Mexican states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, and parts of Tamaulipas.' Guerrero Unidos Operating in central Mexico, the Guerrero Unidos broke away from the Beltran-Leyva Organization and formed an alliance with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel to traffic drugs into the United States and bring back its profits into Mexico. The cartel is accused of being behind the September 2014 disappearance of 43 students, who were kidnapped by local police in Iguala, a city in the southern state of Guerrero. How they get drugs into the US: 'The cartel has a working partnership with the CJNG and uses the same transportation networks to move drug shipments into the United States and to return drug proceeds back to Mexico.' Gulf Cartel The Gulf Cartel is considered to be one of the oldest active criminal organizations in Mexico and is believed to have close ties to other gangs in Europe, West Africa, Asia, Central America, South America, and the United States. The organization started off by smuggling alcohol into the United States during the Prohibition Era. It was not until the 1980 that it got itself immersed into the drug trade. The DEA believes the Gulf Cartel has been working closely with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel as it ships heroin and cocaine to the Texas border cities of McAllen and Brownsville. How they get drugs into the US: 'The Gulf Cartel focuses its drug trafficking activities on heroin and cocaine by transporting loads into the United States near the McAllen and Brownsville, Texas, areas.' Juarez Cartel and La Linea The Juarez Cartel cemented itself as one of the mayor players in the drug trade business back in the 1970s. It founder, Amado Carrillo, was known as 'El Senor de los Cielos' or 'The Lord of the Skies' due to the massive fleet of planes he owned to transport drugs, especially cocaine from Colombia and other countries in Latin America. The cartel was once allied to El Chapo before that relationship fell apart after the notorious drug lord declined to pay the Juarez Cartel for the right to use its drug smuggling routes. The Juarez Cartel has depended on its armed wing, La Linea, to transport heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas. How they get drugs into the US: 'These cartels' greatest territorial influence is in the state of Chihuahua near the [south west border]. This area has profitable smuggling opportunities between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas.' La Familia Michoacana La Familia Michoacana was once linked to the Gulf Cartel before it went on its own in 2006. Between 2009 and 2010, the cartel proposed to the Mexican government that it had plans of laying down its arms as long as its home state of Michoacan was granted protection. However, President Felipe Calderon shot down their offer, which led to the cartel becoming increasingly involved in the funding of political candidates. La Familia Michoacana today maintains a relationship with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel and other criminal groups as part of its drug smuggling operation. How they get drugs into the US: 'LFM has some ties to the CJNG and also works with other smaller groups to further the cartel's drug trafficking activities.' Los Rojos Just like Guerreros Unidos, Los Rojos was formed as an armed wing and broke away from the Beltran-Leyva Organization. According to a 2020 Congressional report, Los Rojos 'operates in Guerrero and relies heavily on kidnapping and extortion for revenue as well as trafficking cocaine, although analysts dispute the scope of its involvement in the drug trade.' How they get drugs into the US: 'Los Rojos is involved in heroin trafficking' Nearly 40,000 people took to the streets of Belgium's capital Brussels on Sunday to protest against new anti-Covid measures banning the unvaccinated from entering restaurants and bars (pictured). Some protesters were seen throwing projectiles at police officers and in response, police fired water cannon and tear gas at the group. The protest came just hours after it emerged Germany is set to follow Austria's example in making vaccinations compulsory with ministers admitting that the move is 'unavoidable' amid a fourth wave of the pandemic which is crippling the country's hospitals. Last night also saw similar demonstrations against virus restrictions take place in Austria, Switzerland, Croatia, Italy, Northern Ireland, Austria and North Macedonia on Saturday, a day after Dutch police opened fire on protesters and seven people were injured in rioting that erupted in Rotterdam. Europe has become the epicentre of the pandemic once again, with the World Health Organisation warning that the Continent was the only region in the world where deaths had increased as Covid-related fatalities spiked by five per cent just this week. In Belgium, cases have been surging, with infections reaching 13,836 on Sunday. In response, the government has introduced restrictions including a ban on the unvaccinated from venues such as restaurants and bars. Police said 35,000 protesters marched from the North Station in Brussels on Sunday afternoon against a fresh round of Covid measures announced by the government on Wednesday. The demonstration, called 'Together for Freedom', saw some protestors clash with riot police near the Belgian capital's EU and government district. Many of the protestors caught up in the clash were wearing hoods and carried Flemish nationalist flags. Most charges filed against a pregnant Florida teacher accused of having sex with a 15-year-old student - who denied ever being raped - were dropped today by the Miami-Dade's Attorney General Office. On Tuesday, the state of Florida only filed one charge against Heiry Calvi, 41, at her arraignment, dropping seven out of eight formal charges, including one for lewd and lascivious battery. Calvi is now facing only one felony of unlawfully soliciting or engaging in sexual conduct and/or a relationship of a romantic nature, according to court documents. The investigation began in March and Calvi was arrested in October, after school staff members reported that a 15-year-old student was showing classmates phone video of him having sex with an adult woman. Police said Calvi was the teens former teacher at John I. Smith K-8 Center in Doral. At first, the teen told police she was only his teacher but when more evidence, including text messages between the boy and Calvi were found on his phone, he admitted they had sex. The teen, however, told police he was not a victim and that he was not raped. 'The charges against Ms. Calvi this entire investigation have been entirely based on junior high school rumors,' her attorney, Orlando Rodriguez, said Tuesday. The Miami-Dade State Attorneys Office on Tuesday announced it would not file seven out of eight formal charges, including lewd and lascivious battery, against 41-year-old teach Heiry Calvi Teacher Heiry Calvi, 41, was released from jail on October 9th on bond, two days after her arrest, after posting bail. There were rumours at the time as to whether she was carrying the teenager's child, but it now appears to be confirmed that the baby belongs to her husband FIRST ON 10: 41-year-old Heiry Calvi stays silent while being released from Miami-Dade jail on bond. The Doral teacher is accused of committing sex crimes against a 15-year-old former student. Her husband says she is 8 months pregnant. @WPLGLocal10 pic.twitter.com/1XpahXmgED Trent Kelly (@TrentKellyWPLG) October 9, 2021 The decision means Calvi will no longer face the possibility of becoming a registered sex offender. It also decreases her prison sentence, although the crime committed is a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Prosecutor Jacob Castineira, of the sexual battery unit, said the decision to drop all counts except one was made 'based on the conversation with the victim,' according to the State Attorney's Office. Rodriguez praised the judicial system, also mentioning that he previously denied his client did anything wrong. He went as far as saying that the teen denied having sex with his teacher to police since day one. 'The allegations against Ms. Calvi were based on middle-school rumors. This is why it is so important to let the process play out before a person is crucified in the media,' defense lawyer Orlando Rodriguez said. 'Thankfully, before formal charges are filed, our legal system provides a process in which a prosecutor reviews the evidence and interviews the witnesses.' Rodriguez said the retracement of charges show Calvi has 'already been vindicated' and he expected the last charge 'will ultimately be dismissed as well.' Calvi is shown leaving jail on Saturday holding her bump. She and the boy are said to have grown 'close' last year Calvi was released from jail on Saturday on bond, two days after her arrest. She also was accused of sending the teen explicit photos over WhatsApp and he showed them to other kids, which prompted a police investigation. Police say Calvi also gave the boy one of her credit cards and that the pair attended parties together, but told other guests they were aunt and nephew. Calvi is married, and is expecting her husband's child after rumors that she was carrying the teenage boy's baby. She revealed her condition to prison guards when she was initially booked into jail in October, according to CBS Miami. When police first became aware of the allegations in March, and Calvi was put on administrative duties where she had no contact with students. Doral Police said that the John. I Smith K-8 Center removed Calvi from the classroom and put her on administrative duties where she had no contact with students prior to her arrest Calvi had been previously charged with lewd and lascivious battery; electronic transmission harmful to minors; unlawful use of a communications device; child neglect; offenses against students by authority figures; contributing to delinquency and possession of a firearm on school property. She tried to cover her face as she left jail with a bump on her stomach during her last public appearance in October, after posting bond. A status hearing will now be held in 30 days. The death of an Indigenous man who was shot by police at a home in Sydney's west may have been a 'suicide by cop' incident, detectives believe. Stanley Leonard Russell, 45, was fatally shot at a home in Bullah Way, Seven Hills, when officers arrived to execute an arrest warrant at about 11.20am on Tuesday. Police say he approached them with a knife and an axe before 'a physical confrontation ensued' and officers opened fire. Stanley Leonard Russell, 45, (pictured) was shot by police as they carried out an arrest warrant on Tuesday Russell was a no show in court on arson charges and damaging property after allegedly setting a relative's house on fire, the Daily Telegraph reports. He allegedly assaulted police, assisted arrest, and carried out a sexual act without consent in the time after his missed court date. The warrant, issued on October 5, was for Russell, who had multiple children and grandchildren, to be brought before Newtown Court for sentencing. NSW Acting Assistant Commissioner Julie Boon said four officers were in attendance and the shots were fired inside the home. But she was unable to confirm how many officers discharged their weapon or how many times the 45-year-old man was shot. 'Officers let out a number of shots, unfortunately the man collapsed,' Ms Boon said. They conducted CPR until ambulance paramedics arrived, but Mr Russell could not be revived. 'I believe the man was the only person inside the premises at the time, that will come out as part of a critical incident investigation,' she said. NSW Police declared the a critical incident as homicide squad detectives arrived on the scene to begin an investigate the circumstances surrounding the man's death. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission is also independently monitoring a review by the NSW Police Professional Standards Command. Russell was known to have a series of mental health issues and had a history of attacking polices, with police sources saying detectives will probe whether the death was 'suicide by cop'. Devastated loved ones could be seen hugging and consoling each other outside the Seven Hills property on Tuesday Russell pictured with his partner of 29 years, who have five kids together and six grandkids His death has sparked outrage within the Aboriginal community as his furious family question why he was shot and not tasered. Devastated friends and relatives rushed to the scene on Tuesday, where they gathered to hug and console one another outside the home. They blasted police and media, clashing with police as anger hit boiling point over the grandfather's death. A local elder arrived at the scene to diffuse the tensions, after relatives at one point threw objects at camera crews. 'This is terrible for his mother, it's the second son she's lost his (Stanley's) brother Edward died in Long Bay Jail in 1999,' he said. Russells distraught partner of 29 years was emotional as she was held back from entering the house. 'Weve got five kids, six grandkids and I still cant get up there,' she said, 7News reports. NSW Police said officers attended a home in Bulah Way, Seven Hills about 11.20am on Tuesday when a 'physical confrontation' broke out before the man was then shot by officers A crime scene has been established at the scene on Bulah Way, Seven Hills in Sydney's west Loved ones have begun posting tributes online for Russell, who had multiple children and grandchildren Greens MLC David Shoebridge, who spoke to Russell's family, said the fatalities are the latest reminder that the number of Indigenous deaths in custody is a 'national crisis'. 'This is the second Aboriginal death in custody in just three days and it sends another wave of pain and hurt across communities,' he told AAP. 'It never seems to have an end. 'Indifference, platitudes and empty gestures from politicians who could create change only allow these killings to continue.' Witnesses and neighbours milled outside the housing commission home on Tuesday afternoon, trying to come to terms with the incident. Dale McPherson, who lives on the street, said the victim did not live at the home and was visiting an aunt at the property. Nearby streets have been closed all afternoon and a crime scene established. Dozens of police and other emergency service personnel remain at the scene. Police were seen speaking with a woman in a distressed state near the home. Witnesses said a CareFlight helicopter landed in a park behind homes in the street where the shooting occurred. Dozens of police and other emergency service personnel are in attendance at the scene Mr Russell's death is the second in the past week after an Indigenous man also died in custody on Sunday. The 26-year-old was found unresponsive at Shortland Correctional Centre in Cessnock on Sunday morning, and pronounced dead, Corrective Services NSW have confirmed. Corrective Services and police are investigating the incident. Both deaths will be subject to a coronial inquest. The NSW government defines a death in custody to include prison inmates, people under arrest or anyone attempting to escape custody or arrest, mirroring the parameters set by a 1991 royal commission that investigated indigenous deaths in custody. The Seven Hills street had been the scene of a number of incidents in recent years, including a stabbing in December 2019 where a 37-year-old man was charged. In October 2018 a man who escaped from Goulburn Jail was also discovered in a house on Bulah Way, while in November last year a man was charged after a home invasion on the street. Police officers performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived, however he could not be revived A woman reportedly linked to a Covid-19 outbreak in Darwin is suffering mental health problems after being called a sex worker. The 21-year-old, who is from Cairns in Queensland, is 'livid' after a social media post made from Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner's account said she was a sex worker. The young woman was questioned by NT Police after her Covid infection was confirmed. Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner's Facebook page referred to a young woman as 'sex worker' 'The NT Police interrogate(d) me asking if I was a sex worker 100 times over which I'm not,' she told the NT News. She was shocked when this accusation was repeated by Mr Gunner on Facebook on Monday evening. In the now deleted post, Mr Gunner's page - which has 40,000 followers - said 'she is a sex worker, she should not be judged for this'. The woman said: 'I am so f**king livid at the moment.' Mr Gunner's office said the information given at a press conference on Monday was correct, but the statement posted on Facebook later that day was not. 'There was a process failure which later led to information which was factually incorrect and had not been approved by the Chief Minister being published to the Chief Minister's Facebook page,' the spokesman said. A Covid-19 outbreaks in the Northern Territory capital Darwin has led to a rouge post on the NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner's Facebook account 'As soon as we were aware of the error, this was rectified immediately and the incorrect information was removed. 'The Chief Minister and his office unreservedly apologise for the publication of this incorrect information and any hurt or distress that this caused.' On Sunday, Mr Gunner said the woman flew from Cairns to Adelaide and then drove to Melbourne on October 21. She reportedly drove back to Adelaide on October 25, the flew to Cairns and from there to Darwin on October 29. The woman told said she was in Victoria to see her father who has cancer, but did not tell Northern Territory border officials about the trip. Victoria is considered a Covid hotspot by the NT. The woman said she was in Darwin for a holiday, and visited tourist sites and late-night venues. She tested positive for Covid on Friday, November 5 after being identified as a close contact to another case. But she said she did not show any symptoms of an infection. She is in the Howard Springs quarantine facility and faces big fines for breaching border restrictions. '[It's] not good for my mental health being in here,' she said. MPs face a crackdown on second jobs after Boris Johnson yesterday declared they should focus on their constituencies. A review by the standards committee is looking at banning them from working as consultants. Ministers also are considering options such as limiting the number of hours that MPs can work outside the Commons. Second jobs have been in the spotlight since the resignation of Owen Paterson who was found to have broken lobbying rules while working for two firms that paid him more than 500,000. Dozens of MPs including Chris Grayling (L) and Julian Smith (R) could be banned from taking second jobs as consultants under a revision of rules by the Commons Standards Committee Fresh scrutiny has been applied after the Daily Mail revealed yesterday former attorney general Sir Geoffrey Cox has earned hundreds of thousands of pounds from a second job that saw him vote in Parliament remotely from the Caribbean. Chris Bryant, Labour chairman of the Commons standards committee, yesterday confirmed that a report on the MPs code of conduct this month is set to make recommendations on second jobs. He said the report would consider a recommendation from the committee on standards in public life that MPs should be banned from taking consultancy jobs that involve lobbying. In a finding three years ago, the watchdog said: Where MPs are engaging in paid political or parliamentary advisory or consultancy work, they are potentially perpetuating the public concern that MPs are using their public office for personal gain by taking on roles which they have only been awarded because they are an MP. A No 10 spokesman yesterday said Mr Johnson did not support an outright ban on second jobs, as it would catch those who still work in roles such as doctors and nurses. But they added that Mr Johnson expected MPs to treat representing their constituents as their primary role. MPs Mark Garnier (L) and Andrew Mitchell (R) could lose 90k and 182k a year respectively under proposed new rules banning members from taking high-paying jobs as consultants A Government source later said ministers were open to possible reforms, such as limiting the hours an MP can work on a second job. They said: Ideally people would not need rules to force them to focus on their job as an MP, but unfortunately we can see that is not always the case. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle yesterday said he would not favour the introduction of a cap on how much MPs can earn outside the Commons. He told Times Radio: Im not convinced by a cap, but the House needs to look at it itself and what kind of MP we want representing us. MPs who work as consultants for private businesses must declare any earnings over 100. They are banned from asking questions, approaching ministers or introducing legislation in return for payment. A No 10 spokesman yesterday said Mr Johnson did not support an outright ban on second jobs but that he expected MPs to treat representing their constituents as their primary role MPs who were ministers must also seek the approval of the advisory committee on business appointments if they take up a job outside Parliament less than two years after leaving office. Some 30 MPs earn thousands of pounds extra a year for work as consultants. The outside earnings of several dwarf their Commons salary of 81,932 a year. Former Cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell is paid 182,000 on top of his MPs salary for six consultancy jobs, while Tory former chief whip Julian Smith earns 144,000 for three firms. Conservative former transport secretary Chris Grayling earns 100,000 advising operator Hutchison Ports Europe, and Tory Mark Garnier earns 90,000 a year advising two companies. April was hectic for MPs, as the Government attempted to vaccinate Britain out of lockdown while simultaneously navigating the choppy waters of Brexit, the death of Prince Philip, and scandals over Boris Johnsons Downing Street flat and David Camerons lobbying. The three days before Parliament rose for Easter saw a flurry of votes, on everything from national security and immigration to abortion and fire safety. Afternoons took in dozens of debates, some lasting several hours. On the busiest evening, Monday April 26, business was not adjourned until 1.30am. Throughout this period, Sir Geoffrey Cox QC, the Tory MP for Torridge and West Devon, was on paper beavering away at the coal-face. While his distinctive booming voice wasnt actually heard in the chamber, he certainly gave every appearance of justifying that juicy 81,932 MPs salary (plus expenses), turning out to vote six times that day, three times more on the 27, and a further three times on the 28. Thats what Commons records say, at least. But the reality seems rather different. For on each of those 12 occasions that he exercised his democratic mandate, the 61-year-old former attorney general avoided having to actually troop through the lobby. Instead, he took advantage of temporary Covid rules that allowed MPs to appoint a proxy in his case Deputy Chief Whip Stuart Andrew to vote on his behalf. The system, now abolished, had been created to allow Parliamentarians to minimise travel and social contact in the pandemic. In other words, it was designed to allow them to work from home. And therein lies what Sir Geoffreys great oratorical hero William Shakespeare might call the rub. For the Conservative grandee was neither at his rambling constituency home near Tavistock, where he and wife Jeanie raised their three children, nor the 1.5million flat overlooking a Thames-side park in Battersea in London. Instead, he could be found some 4,000 miles away, on a sun-drenched holiday isle named Tortola, the administrative centre of British Virgin Islands [BVI]. Attorney General Geoffrey Cox in the House of Commons on 25 September 2019 Sir Geoffreys trip at a time when most ordinary Britons were banned from taking holidays was designed for business rather than pleasure. For as the Daily Mail yesterday revealed, hed actually adjourned to the Caribbean tax haven to carry out a highly paid second job for the international law firm Withers. Specifically, the MP who was sacked as the Governments top legal officer in February 2020 was acting on behalf of the British Overseas Territorys government in a courtroom inquiry, ordered by the UK Foreign Office, into allegations of corruption, abuse of office, or other serious dishonesty by its political class. The work, which we shall explore in detail later, was nothing if not highly lucrative. Commons disclosures show that Cox, who charges almost 1,000 an hour (or 16 a minute) for his legal services, earned almost 300,000 from Withers between late March and the end of May, working for 311 hours in the process. In other words, in the weeks immediately before, during and after his visit, he was devoting an average of 36 hours a week to his legal work. In the past six months, meanwhile, Sir Geoffrey spent an astonishing 680 hours toiling away for Withers (26 hours a week, on average), raking in some 637,235.11 in the process, and taking his total annual earnings from outside work well over 1million a year. Side hustle: Geoffrey Cox (bottom left and centre) appears at the BVI inquiry on June 22 During that period, I can further reveal that he made a second trip to the BVI, this time in June. Court records, along with a video, show Sir Geoffrey was present at a day-long hearing at the International Arbitration Centre in Tortola. Wearing a suit, he sat in front of two watercolour paintings of palm trees at the venue, on a pier overlooking the islands superyacht-filled marina. Constituents in Devon, whom he appears to have briefly graced with his presence in late May, are entitled to wonder how, exactly, their MP has managed to find sufficient time to properly represent them. After all, he certainly hasnt been raising important issues in the Commons Chamber. Hansard records show that Sir Geoffrey didnt make so much as a single speech in Parliament during the 18 months after Boris Johnson sacked him from the Cabinet in February 2020. In fact, the only time he spoke in that period was on September 13 this year, shortly after 6.30pm, when he uttered a total of 839 words during a debate over a bill involving the changes to the rules for dissolving Parliament. For a man whose distinctive voice and ubiquity at the despatch box saw him nicknamed The Tory Gandalf during his time in Theresa Mays post-Brexit administration, its quite the comedown. In contrast to his silence in Westminster, he found sufficient time to appear at the BVI inquiry on ten full days, speaking extensively on each one of them. He appeared in person on May 15 and 20 (having arrived in the country three and a half weeks earlier to begin preparation for the case), on June 22, and according to public records contributed via video link on May 13, June 21, September 14 and October 19-22. That Parliament was sitting on every single one of these days has only added to the growing sense of outrage. As has the fact that according to Commons expense claims, he billed taxpayers 629 late last year for an iPad to enable effective working while travelling etc and another 419.95 for tablet accessories to help with remote working. Cox has appeared at Caribbean court for ten days while MPs are sitting in Commons (file image) Yes, this is allowed, but as one Westminster source puts it: On every side of the house, people are, obviously, livid. The rules of proxy voting were designed to allow MPs to isolate and stop the spread of Covid. They were not designed to let you piss off abroad and line your pockets, particularly when normal people have been banned from going on holiday. Its a terrible, terrible look. Further ratcheting up public anger is the nature of the work Cox has chosen to carry out: Representing the BVI government against allegations of corruption being investigated at the behest of the UK Government. His involvement started in January, when the outgoing governor of the Caribbean tax haven appointed Sir Gary Hickinbottom, a senior British judge, to formally investigate allegations of institutional corruption among its ruling class. Members of the BVI government are (among other things) accused of giving 29million of Covid relief funds in cash handouts to political allies, misusing 70million of taxpayers money that was supposed to be spent on infrastructure projects, and wasting 23million building a pier after awarding construction contracts to cronies. The wide-ranging inquiry is also examining a 5.1million grant given to an airline for flights to the US which never took off, and 730,000 handed to alleged political cronies in return for building a single wall at a high school. Cox was hired in January to represent the BVI as it battled these extensive corruption allegations. He actively chose to take the job because the cab rank rule, which means barristers have little choice over the clients they represent in UK courts, does not apply to international cases. His very appointment was something of a PR coup for the tax haven, which issued press releases crowing about the former Cabinet ministers arrival in the country on April 26. The subsequent hearings resulted in the bizarre spectacle of a sitting British MP being paid to help undermine representatives of his own country in an international court case. At one point, Cox appeared to turn on the UK by complaining that the Foreign Office-ordered inquiry amounted to a judicial review of almost every major decision taken by the BVI cabinet in the last 12 to 15 years. Its safe to say that the whole thing went down like a lead balloon back in London. The Foreign Office is absolutely furious, says a Whitehall insider. Here they are, trying to take on corruption in a far-flung territory, and they find a British MP being paid a fortune to fly out there, in lockdown, and earn a small fortune attempting to get the subject of this inquiry off the hook. What is all the more scandalous to critics, at least is that all of Coxs lucrative outside work is entirely legal. Commons rules place no limits on the outside work MPs can take on, or the amount of cash they can earn from second or even third jobs, provided they declare them. On that front, during his 16 years in Parliament, Cox has managed to occasionally fall foul of the rules. In February 2016, for example. MPs on the Standards Committee found that he had committed a serious breach of rules by failing to declare more than 400,000 of outside earnings from legal work. His work in Caribbean tax havens has also made awkward headlines. In 2014, taxpayers were forced to stump up 1,800 to fly him home from the Cayman Islands when Parliament was unexpectedly recalled during a recess to discuss an emergency in Iraq. And in 2018, Cox provided support to the governments of both the British Virgin Islands and the Caymans in Parliament in 2018, when he spoke repeatedly against a proposal to increase transparency in tax havens. He said such a move would involve interfering in the domestic affairs of other countries in a way that was beneath the dignity of Parliament. How ironic that the globe-trotting Sir Geoffrey should today stand accused of compromising that very dignity. The Biden administration has been compiling records of 54 million gun owners to possibly create an unlawful database of Americans who possess a firearm, according to a Saturday report. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon are keeping tabs on U.S. citizens who have purchased firearms to make sure their personal information is in the hands of the federal government. The agency was able to obtain the information by using a process where the ATF can collect and store records on private gun transactions from licensed gun stores when they go out of business. The information is stored at a federal site in West Virginia. There are so many records stored at this location that several years ago, The New York Times reported, the floor collapsed. The practice of collecting these records has drawn criticism from Pro-Second Amendment groups who say the Biden administration is using the information to create a national database of gun owners, which is against U.S. law. The Biden administration has been collecting information of 54 million U.S. gun owners in an apparent attempt to create an unlawful national database of firearms owners The move concerns pro-Second Amendment advocates who fear Joe Biden unveiling new restrictions on purchasing and owning a firearm in the U.S. It also comes as the Biden administration prepares to propose a series of firearms-related regulations. In fiscal year 2021, the ATF processed 54.7 million out-of-business records, according to the internal documents obtained by firearms advocacy group Gun Owners of America and provided to the Free Beacon. The internal documents show that 53.8 million were paper records and another 887,000 were electronic from locations that went out of business. A spokesman told the outlet that ATF's 'National Tracing Center processes millions of out of business records each month,' but liamed 'those out of business records do not constitute an initiation or continuation of any federal gun registry,' the spokesman said. The Gun Owners of America's director of federal affairs, Aidan Johnston, said: 'As if the addition of over 50 million records to an ATF gun registry wasn't unconstitutional or illegal enough, the Biden administration's misuse of 'out-of-business' records doesn't end there.' 'Instead of maintaining the right of [licensed firearm dealers] to destroy Firearm Transaction Records after 20 years,' he continued, 'buried within Biden's proposed regulations is a provision that would mean every single Firearm Transaction Record going forward would eventually be sent to ATF's registry in West Virginia.' The Gun Control Act of 1968 mandates licensed firearm dealers who close down must provide their record to the ATF to be processed and maintained in a database that cannot be searched by the name of the person who purchased the gun. The agency says after the record is created, the physical records are destroyed. But this practice has faced a new line of scrutiny as President Joe Biden prepares to implement new restrictions on purchasing and owning a firearm. One proposal from the administration is requiring gun owners to register or destroy certain sizes of pistol braces, which are stabilizers used on popular firearms like AR-15s. Other proposals include red flag laws that could prevent people from purchasing a gun in the first place. Johnston told the Free Beacon: 'The Biden administration has forced ATF to undertake the rule-making process in record timeresulting in faulty argumentation and demonstrating that neither ATF nor Biden's anti-gun appointees know anything about the firearms and accessories they seek to regulate.' The ATF's registry site for closed locations has been a battleground between gun advocates and the federal government for years. For example, those in favor of more restrictive gun measures want the ATF to digitize this registry and create a federal database of gun owners in the U.S. The takeover of a historic insurer by private equity predators was facing a furious backlash last night. Politicians from all parties united to condemn the 530million buyout of LV by US firm Bain Capital. The takeover means the 178-year-old insurer founded to help Liverpools poor bury their dead will no longer be owned by its 1.2million members. Private equity predators have become notorious for taking quick profits while slashing jobs and leaving behind long-term problems. In an impassioned plea, Lord Heseltine urged LV members to vote against the deal next month. You can vote for the original concept and remain as owners yourselves, said the Tory peer. Private equity firms spent an unprecedented 33billion snapping up British firms on the cheap during the pandemic in the first half of this year. Ed Miliband, Labours business spokesman, also urged members to oppose the deal. I am deeply concerned at the details of the proposed takeover and demutualisation of LV by Bain Capital, he said. Bosses Mark Hartigan and Alan Cook (pictured above) plan to stay on if the deal goes through other offers would have seen them lose their jobs I urge members to make their voices heard during this process and protect their best interests. The Government should be doing everything it can to grow our mutual and co-operative sector. Instead, its another example of leaving our firms dangerously exposed to takeovers that strip assets, lose jobs and weaken our national economy. Critics of the Bain takeover of LV have raised concerns over: Job losses among LVs 1,500 staff in Bournemouth, Exeter and Hitchin; LV refusing to disclose details of a rival offer from fellow mutual Royal London, believed to have been 10million more; Bosses Mark Hartigan and Alan Cooks repeated claims that they will not profit personally from the sale; A rule change that will see LV bosses try to scrap an article of their mutual constitution to make it easier to force through the sale; Mr Cooks role in the Post Office scandal where he oversaw the first prosecutions of sub-postmasters who were wrongly accused of theft. LV members can vote against the deal online before December 8 or at a special meeting on December 10. While LV bosses line up for bumper pay packets after the deal, the policyholders who own the company will get just 100 each. LVs board agreed the 530million deal with Bain in December last year after sounding out offers from 12 potential buyers. Bosses said the private equity firm offered an unrivalled commitment to LVs future. But it emerged they had planned a change in the rules to secure members approval, which Lord Heseltine called reprehensible. LV members can vote against the deal online before December 8 or at a special meeting on December 10. While LV bosses line up for bumper pay packets after the deal, the policyholders who own the company will get just 100 each (file photo of company's Bournemouth offices) Bosses admitted they would not meet the 50 per cent voter turnout required by LVs constitution so will put forward a second vote at the same time asking them to scrap the rule. Mr Hartigan and Mr Cook plan to stay on if the deal goes through other offers would have seen them lose their jobs. The former is likely to be handed an equity stake potentially worth millions and his salary would be significantly higher than the 1.2million he was paid last year. Mr Cook has said he will receive no bonuses or incentives as part of the deal, but he will retain his 205,000-a-year role for at least two more years. Bain has made no guarantees about jobs, but has said it will keep a presence in all three current bases. Gareth Thomas, who chairs parliaments cross-party group on mutuals, urged members to block the deal. The Labour MP said: If members do not get out and vote against this deal in huge numbers, we could see another historic British firm fall to private equity vultures. In an impassioned plea, Lord Heseltine urged LV members to vote against the deal next month. You can vote for the original concept and remain as owners yourselves, said the Tory peer Sarah Olney, Lib Dem business spokesman, said: This potential takeover is highly concerning, both for LV itself and for what it means for British business. Its even more worrying that the deal seems to rely on the rewriting of company rules. The Green Party said that LV bosses were acting like carpet-baggers. Finance spokesman Molly Scott Cato said: Whether or not they stand to gain personally, it looks as if they have a strategy of bribing current owners with their own money. An LV spokesman said: While none of the bids would have allowed LV to remain as a standalone mutual, this deal provides the highest distribution to with-profits policyholders compared to continuing with business as usual or closing to new business. In a letter to LV members, Bains Matt Popoli said: We are looking forward to investing in LV and its people for the long term, to preserve and grow the LV heritage into the future for the next generation of customers. Australia could soon be getting a new anti-viral drug to fight Covid-19 after it was recently approved in the United Kingdom. British health authorities will soon roll out the pill molnupiravir from manufacturer Merck later this month as part of a drug trial. Australia has put out a contract out for the treatment, but it has not been approved by the country's medical regulator. However, infectious diseases expert at the Australian National University Professor Peter Collignon said the drug looked promising. 'I think we will get it here,' Prof Collignon told the Seven Network on Tuesday. Drug manufacturer Merck has developed a new anti-viral pill called molnupiravir (pictured) to help fight Covid-19 Pictured: Scientists at Merck at work in the lab to produce the drug 'It looks like they decrease the chance of you dying and decreasing hospitalisation if you get it early.' Meanwhile, AstraZeneca will ask regulators to approve an antibody treatment to give vulnerable adults extra protection against Covid-19. The company's Evusheld has been granted provisional determination by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, meaning the company can apply to have the treatment registered for use in Australia. The long-acting antibody is not a vaccine. AstraZeneca cites data showing treatment with Evusheld led to a reduction of up to 67 per cent in severe illness or death in mild-to-moderate infections. It also estimates its vaccine given to 585 million people has prevented more than 105,000 deaths and 620,000 hospitalisations. Meanwhile, Australia will provide an additional 2.7 million vaccine doses to Vietnam. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the new doses comes on top of the 1.5 million already delivered this year. The drug has been approved in the UK and will be rolled out across Britain in a trial later this month. Pictured: A scientist at Merck developing the anti-viral drug 'We are delivering a $60 million package of support for COVID-19 vaccine access,' Senator Payne said. About 81 per cent of Australians aged 16 and older are double-dosed as restrictions tighten for the unvaccinated. Queensland is preparing to drop restrictions for double-dosed residents at 80 per cent jab coverage, while rules and lockouts tighten for those holding out. The state's 'carrot and stick' attempt to boost a lagging full vaccination rate of 67.8 per cent comes as NSW surpasses 90 per cent. Scott Morrison has blasted Melbourne's 'extreme lockdowns' and declared freedom 'must never be taken from us again'. Five million Melbourne residents were last month released from the longest cumulative lockdown in the world, having been confined to their homes for 262 days, or nearly nine months, since March 2020. Premier Daniel Andrews imposed some of the toughest restrictions across the globe including a one-hour-a-day exercise limit, a 5km movement restriction and an 8pm curfew. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews speaks to the media during a press conference in Melbourne on Sunday Mr Morrison had been careful not to criticise Mr Andrews at the time - but in a speech in Melbourne on Wednesday he revealed his true feelings by describing the rules as 'extreme'. In a message to struggling small businesses, he said: 'You're the ones who've managed the heartache, complexity and frustration of extreme lockdowns and restrictions and staying Covid safe. 'And you are the ones who are now opening your doors again.' 'I also want to thank the people of Victoria,' he added. 'You have had to endure what no-one else in this country has had to endure.' Scott Morrison (pictured giving a speech at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday) has blasted Melbourne's 'extreme lockdowns' Revellers at Monkeys bar in Prahran as Melbourne opens up after lockdown last month. Mr Morrison said 'freedom must never be taken from us again' The Prime Minister said his national re-opening plan, which progressively removes restrictions once vaccination thresholds are met, allows Australia to avoid future lockdowns as long as premiers abide by it. 'The human face of reopening, recovery and renewal is everywhere to see,' he said. 'You see it in the smiles on the faces of small business people, as they pull up the shutters in the morning on their deli, their newsagent or their coffee shop. 'You see it in the hugs at airports, as families reunite across geographies and across generations. 'And you see it in the simplest of pleasures. Friends catching up. Having a beer. Going to restaurants. Strolling around the shops.' Melbourne was heavily policed during its lengthy lockdowns. Pictured: Police make arrests at a protest in the city in October 2021 And in a stark sentence that appeared to blame premiers for taking away Australians' freedoms - even though he prevented them from leaving their own country for 18 months - he added: 'The taste of freedom. It must never be taken from us again.' 'That is why I put the national plan together. A plan based on the best possible medical science and economics to ensure we open safely and stay safely open. 'Australians have kept their side of this deal by getting vaccinated. 'Governments must now keep theirs and return to Australians their freedoms.' It comes after Mr Morrison criticised Western Australia premier Mark McGowan who has vowed to keep his state border closed until 90 per cent of over 12s are fully vaccinated, expected in late January or early February. The Prime Minister is furious the rouge Labor leader is not adhering to the National Plan which calls for states to do away with border closures once the jab rate hits 80 per cent. 'The modelling done by the Doherty Institute makes it very clear, and that was what was agreed in the National Plan, not just once but twice, and that is once you reach 80 per cent vaccination rates, then you're able to move forward,' Mr Morrison said on Monday. 'The advice we have from the Secretary of Treasury from Dr Kennedy is once you go over 80 per cent and you keep things locked down, you are doing more harm than good to your economy. 'You are actually putting a price on Australians, when you continue to put heavy restrictions on your economy, once you get 80 per cent vaccination rates.' When you go round a great art gallery, such as the National Gallery in London, it is sometimes easy to take it for granted. Of course, there is great art and we, the public, are entitled to see it. But, as a matter of fact, these great collections are no accident and we owe their existence to rich people in the past who owned many of the pictures and donated them, so that those less fortunate than themselves could enjoy them. Yet, rather than feeling grateful to its benefactors, the National Gallery has been investigating the 19th-century donors who first assembled the collection as if they were criminals. Had the rich collectors not given paintings by Titian, Raphael, Rubens and John Constable to the National Gallery, there would have been no chance for most people to see them at all. This, however, is not the way that the gallery is thinking. Rather, it has put the original donors on trial, and found them guilty for their (often very remote) association with the slave trade. Yet, rather than feeling grateful to its benefactors, the National Gallery has been investigating the 19th-century donors who first assembled the collection as if they were criminals. Pictured: The Virgin of the Rocks painting The powers that be are so intent on putting these donors in the dock, and absolving themselves from any possible guilt, that they have made themselves ridiculous. Many who love the National Gallery are feeling understandable fury at this latest piece of gesture politics. Take an example of one of the most beautiful paintings in England Raphael's Saint Catherine of Alexandria, now hanging in the National Gallery. Raphael lived 500 years ago. For some 20 years of this picture's existence one-25th of its lifetime it was owned by a famous rake and ne'er-do-well novelist called William Beckford, who derived some of his wealth from owning plantations in the West Indies. Yet the National Gallery has labelled this picture as something tainted merely because it was briefly owned by someone whose money was derived from the work of slaves. Thirty-eight of the first paintings in the gallery were given in 1824 by John Julius Angerstein, whose wealth 'flowed from broking and underwriting in marine insurance, of which an unknown proportion was in slave ships and vessels'. That may be true, but it does not mean Angerstein actually derived money directly from slavery, nor that the art he collected had anything to do with the slave trade. The Rev William Holwell Carr bequeathed 32 priceless paintings to the gallery Rembrandts, Titians, Tintorettos. Thirty-eight of the first paintings in the gallery were given in 1824 by John Julius Angerstein, whose wealth 'flowed from broking and underwriting in marine insurance, of which an unknown proportion was in slave ships and vessels'. Pictured: The Hay Wain Some researcher in the gallery has discovered that Carr had a sister-in-law, some of whose money derived from plantations where slaves worked. In what sense could that possibly taint either Carr or his generosity in giving some of the collection's greatest pictures? Edmund Higginson donated Constable's most famous work, The Hay Wain. But he is tarnished because he inherited money from an uncle who traded goods made by slaves in South Carolina. Rather than our being encouraged to be thankful to the founders of the National Gallery for their public spiritedness and their generosity, we are being told to vilify them, as if they were moral idiots, and as if we, from our great vantage point of moral superiority, are entitled to look down at them. Possibly the most famous picture in the gallery, Leonardo da Vinci's Virgin Of The Rocks was bought by the gallery from Henry Charles Howard, 18th Earl of Suffolk. We are now expected to be horrified that the gallery bought this picture, since the 18th Earl's ancestor, the 7th Earl, had 'owned an enslaved person'. That is 11 generations separating the two people! How far back are we expected to go in our attempts to put our ancestors on trial? While we are right to recognise how evil slavery was, the National Gallery is displaying an almost imbecilic confusion of mind. The implication of its actions on this occasion is that the paintings themselves are somehow tainted; even, that we, who delight in the heritage of art that is so richly on display, are somehow colluding in the sins of our ancestors. Looking at the past, and considering ourselves morally superior to the benighted figures of history, is not an original occupation. Charles Dickens, in his study at Gad's Hill, had a false bookcase lined with titles of his own invention. One was a seven-volume set titled The Wisdom Of Our Ancestors Vol I: Ignorance. II. Superstition. III. The Block. IV. The Stake. V. The Rack. VI. Dirt. VII. Disease. It is perfectly understandable and, in my view, perfectly just to recognise that our ancestors did the most appalling things, and that their scale of values was very different from our own. Pictured: Saint Catherine of Alexandria It is perfectly understandable and, in my view, perfectly just to recognise that our ancestors did the most appalling things, and that their scale of values was very different from our own. Their attitudes to race, gender and social class were completely at variance from the modern liberal outlook. Henry VIII endowed Trinity College, Cambridge, which has educated people from all walks of life are they supposed to feel guilt for the torture of monks, the beheading of wives, the murder and mayhem of Henry's reign? Of course, the National Gallery is not saying that Titian or John Constable or Leonardo da Vinci were (necessarily) wicked people. But by this display of its own virtue, it is trying to make you shudder slightly as you stand beside these works of art shudder at the idea of the Rev William Carr's sister-in-law owning shares in a plantation more than 200 years ago! My difficulty, as I visit the National Gallery (which I do every month, with joy and gratitude) is knowing what to do with the information. Am I meant to feel absolved from any collusion in the sordid way in which John Julius Angerstein and the city merchants of the 18th century made their money? So why not place, next to every artwork commissioned by a patron, some account of the nauseating behaviour of the original owner? Nearly all the popes, kings, queens, earls and dukes in history did things which we should consider utterly repellent. Pictured: The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michaelangelo Now, when I look at the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, I could consider myself diminished by the brutality and nastiness of Pope Julius II, who paid for it to be painted. It would be an absurd reaction to say I could not enjoy the paintings in the Royal Collection because Charles I was a tyrant, or that George IV, one of the greatest art collectors, would if his treatment of women was under investigation today by a social worker undoubtedly have been put on probation by the council. To feel misplaced guilt when we see the architecture and art acquired by wicked people with tainted money is looking at the whole story the wrong way round. Surely, the right thing to do is to feel that out of the evils of the past, and all the innocent sufferings endured by the human race, there at least came these objects of beauty, which uplift the heart, and elevate the mind. In any event, all human beings, to this day, are capable of great acts of brutality, but they are also capable of producing awe-inspiring beauty beauty which I passionately believe elevates us, and is why we enjoy going to concerts and art galleries. In this context, it is hard not to remember Harry Lime's speech in Graham Greene and Carol Reed's masterpiece The Third Man: 'In Italy, for 30 years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. 'In Switzerland they had brotherly love, they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock.' Some of Melbourne's most rich and famous face public scrutiny after the arrest of an alleged drug dealer to the stars. Victoria Police's Major Drug Squad swooped on Nicholas Ross Clark at his St Kilda East mansion on Friday amid allegations he has been dealing cocaine to Melbourne's privileged. Sources have told Daily Mail Australia Clark's alleged customers included a who's who of Melbourne's elite in and around Toorak, Brighton and everywhere in between. 'There will be a few people sweating over his arrest,' the source said. Clark faces 30 drug trafficking and related charges. Nicholas Ross Clark had already suffered a panic attack a day after being locked up for allegedly dealing cocaine Brighton is the home to Melbourne's rich and famous. Some who dwell there are believed to enjoy the odd sniff of white powders George Balot, of Balot Reilly Criminal Lawyers, is well known for getting alleged drug dealers off the hook The 46-year old appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Sunday - and was already feeling the pressure. High profile criminal lawyer George Balot, of Balot Reilly Criminal Lawyers, told Magistrate Alan Spillane his client had already suffered a severe panic and anxiety attack while caged behind bars. Clark, who the court heard was also withdrawing from cocaine, appeared in court via video link from the Melbourne Custody Centre. Police had opposed bail fearing he was too great of a risk to the community. Detectives had been watching Clark for months, listening to his calls and monitoring his alleged operation before pouncing. He had allegedly just offloaded 10 ziplock bags stuffed with cocaine to a family member, who was picked up by cops in Armadale - one suburb south of Toorak. The woman, believed to be a well known socialite within the leafy inner suburbs, told police she had planned to sell the drugs at a BBQ and had just picked them up from her dealer in St Kilda East. That dealer, police allege, was the unemployed Clark. Her phone was seized where a text message allegedly revealed she was offloading the drugs for $400 a bag. Aerial view of St Kilda Road with Albert Park Lake in view. It is an area not unfamiliar with the scourge of cocaine Clark was believed to be peddling his alleged illicit product across Melbourne's inner east, including Toorak (above) When police raided Clark's St Kilda East rental, which he had been paying $5000 a month for, they allegedly found imitation handguns, cannabis, more cocaine and other drug dealing equipment. All up, detectives were confident they had taken 401 grams of cocaine from Clark set to be snorted up the noses of rich inner-eastern suburbs toffs. They also relieved him of a $6000 emerald, a computer and a large amount of cash - all the alleged proceeds of crime. Detectives told the court they believed Clark had 'high level contacts' within the illicit cocaine trade who could provide him with large quantities of product. 'If granted bail, he is highly likely to re-offend in order to support his luxurious lifestyle through drug trafficking as he has no lawful employment,' police stated. Mr Balot did not make an application for bail and instead asked his client be seen to by a prison nurse. Clark was remanded in custody to reappear in court again later this year. Advertisement Four diaper-wearing astronauts aboard a SpaceX capsule splashed back down to Earth on Monday night after a 200-day stay aboard the International Space Station. NASA's Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with the European Space Agency's Thomas Pesquet and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's astronaut Akihiko Hoshide separated from the ISS at 2:05pm ET, as scheduled, and landed at 10:33pm ET off the Florida coast. Fast boats were deployed to retrieve the four from their capsule, bobbing in the sea. The recovery team was awaiting three nautical miles away. At 10:38pm the green light was given for the rescue crews to approach the capsule. 'We were on the helipad watching the crew members streak through the atmosphere, and it looked like a meteor - it was truly incredible,' said Leah Cheshier, a NASA spokesman. 'We couldn't ask for better conditions and things are moving really smoothly here and happening as planned.' The four crew members returned to Earth on Monday at 10:33pm ET, and were out of the capsule by 11:33pm, all smiling and waving after a successful mission The astronauts are pictured being helped out of the capsule and to a waiting stretcher on Monday evening Commander Shane Kimbrough (pictured) waved at the cameras and could not stop smiling as he was wheeled away Megan McArthur was all smiles as she was wheeled away to be medically assessed The Dragon capsule splashed down off the coast of Florida at 10:33pm on Monday, exactly as planned The capsule is seen bobbing in the water, as a rescue vessel approaches The capsule is seen bobbing at sea, with the recovery platform close by. One worker can be seen standing on the capsule, to help guide it to the recovery vessel Staff members wait as the capsule is tended to at sea The capsule is pictured being winched on to the recovery platform off the coast of Florida Four parachutes opened as the capsule returned to Earth, granting a soft landing in a calm sea The capsule could be seen bolting through the night sky, burning at a temperature of 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere A rescue boat, which had been waiting three nautical miles away, then approached the capsule as it bobbed in the sea Scientists at Mission Control are seen monitoring the capsule's return on Monday evening The crew are seen inside the capsule, returning from space on Monday evening At 11:14pm ET, the side hatch was opened, and the crew disembarked. Megan McArthur, the captain, was the first to leave, at 11:26pm ET. She was followed by Commander Shane Kimbrough, beaming as he was carried out of the capsule and put on the stretcher to be wheeled away. He waved for the cameras and made a V for Victory sign. All four were out of the capsule by 11:33pm, with smiles and fist-bumps all round. Their return was initially set for Sunday afternoon, but high winds delayed the trip by a day. The SpaceX capsule, named Endeavour, was without a bathroom, due to a faulty toilet design, forcing the crew to wear diapers for the trip back to Earth. However, the rescheduled mission cut the trip from space by 12 hours - it was only eight hours long instead of the expected 20 hours - due to the path from the ship to Earth, so the team did not have to sport the protective undergarments for as long as previously expected. Four diaper-wearing astronauts undocked from the International Space Station on Monday and have embarked on their journey home following a 200-day stay in space. The capsule (pictured) is without a bathroom, due to a faulty toilet design, and all four crew members are wearing diapers on the return-trip ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet giving a thumbs up after being helped out of the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft onboard the SpaceX GO Navigator recovery ship 'Bittersweet feeling to leave ... a magical place in the sky that grants superpowers like floating and seeing [Earth] at a glance,' Pesquet tweeted Monday morning. 'It gives me hope that humans can achieve anything, with good intentions, when we want to.' The hatches of Endeavour closed, with the astronauts inside, at 12:13pm ET on Monday and less than two hours later, the crew conducted a series of short burns to push away from the ISS. Endeavour was perfectly on schedule as it parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico, off the Florida coast. NASA's Shane Kimbrough (2nd left) and Megan McArthur (2nd right), along with the European Space Agency's (ESA) Thomas Pesquet (right) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide (left) are all wearing diapers for their return trip These astronauts are the third crew launched into orbit under NASA's fledgling public-private partnership with SpaceX, the rocket company formed in 2002 by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk. The returning team was designated 'Crew 2' because it marks the second operational space station team that NASA has launched aboard a SpaceX capsule since resuming human spaceflights from American soil last year. Previously, there was a nine-year hiatus at the end of the U.S. space shuttle program in 2011. Before leaving the space around the ISS, the four took a spin around the space station to take pictures. NASA's shuttles used to do it all the time before their retirement a decade ago to allow for a deeper look at the ISS's aging structure and determine if maintenance is needed. However, this was the first time SpaceX attempted a flyaround like this. Less than 48 hours after Crew-2 leaves the ISS, the Crew-3 mission will launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on November 10. Frictional heat generated as the capsule plunges through the atmosphere typically sends temperatures surrounding the outside of the vehicle soaring to 3,500 degree Fahrenheit. Having Crew-2 come back to Earth before Crew-3 launches is referred to as an 'indirect' handover, according to NASA. 'It's been great to be part of your team,' NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who remained aboard the station, told the Crew-2 astronauts as they departed. 'Get home safely.' 'We learned a lot from you and know you're going to treat Crew-3 really well and let us know if we can do anything for you,' Kimbrough radioed back. 'Take care and fly safe.' The American space agency prefers a direct handover, where Crew-3 arrives before Crew-2 leaves, allowing for an overlap on the station. A direct handover was planned on October 31, but poor weather and a minor medical issue with a Crew-3 astronaut caused a delay. The initial launch was set for Sunday afternoon, but high winds pushed the return back a day. Pictured is a shot taken by the astronauts on the SpaceX return capsule after they left the International Space Station Astronaut Megan McArthur shared a post in her twitter account ahead of the crew's return to Earth. They have spent 200 days on the International Space Station since launching to the ship in April Pictured is a shot inside the SpaceX return capsule The toilet issue started in September when the commode aboard the Inspiration4 mission, the first all-civilian mission in space, leaked and spilled urine underneath the floor of the capsule. Engineers, however, did not notice the trouble until the crew - Jared Isaacman, Sian Proctor, Haley Arceneaux and Christopher Sembroski returned from their three-day journey around the Earth. The issue stemmed from a tube that had become unplugged, which was also found aboard the Endeavour capsule, which flew SpaceX's Crew-2 mission to the ISS back in late April. The crew investigated the return capsule docked to the ISS 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. Pools of urine were spotted during the investigation. Steve Stich, NASA's Commercial Crew Program manager, told reporters at an October 29 press conference after the investigation: 'Our intent is to not use the system at all for the return leg home because of what we've seen with the fluids we are talking about.' The rescheduled mission cuts the trip from the station to Earth by 12 hours - it is only eight hours long, compared to 20 hours - due to the path from the ship to Earth, so the team will not have to sport the protective undergarments as long as previously expected The string of delays also pushed the Crew-3 mission until Wednesday, which will see NASDA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron, along with ESA's Matthias Maurer fly aboard the Dragon spacecraft to begin a six-month stay in orbit on the ISS Pictured is a map showing the location of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida However, diapers, or undergarments are commonly used by astronauts to relieve themselves in spacesuits for launches, landings and spacewalks. The Crew-2 return capsule is scheduled to do a fly-around maneuver after undocking. This entails them circling the space station in the Dragon capsule while taking photos of the ISS, which has been done since the deployment of the ship. The string of delays also pushed the Crew-3 mission until Wednesday, which will see NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron, along with the ESA's Matthias Maurer, fly aboard the Dragon spacecraft to start a six-month stay on the ISS. Vets have revealed the dog breeds most affected by aural haematoma, also known as a 'blood blister of the ear', a painful disease that may require treatment. The distressing canine condition consists of a pocket full of blood that develops if a blood vessel bursts inside the earflap. One in every 400 dogs in the UK suffers from the condition each year, although fortunately it's usually very obvious and easy to diagnose. Symptoms include a swollen and droopy earflap that develops very suddenly, redness, head shaking, ear scratching and holding the head to one side. According to the results of a study led by Royal Veterinary College, breeds with folded ears (those that drop in a V-shape or have ears with semi erect ear carriage) have higher risk of developing it compared to breeds with erect ear carriages. In particular, the research revealed 14 dog breeds that are particularly prone to aural haematoma, including Bull Terrier, Saint Bernard, French Bulldog, Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier and English Bull Terrier. Breeds that are the least at risk, meanwhile, are Greyhound, Chihuahua and Miniature Dachshund and Pomeranian. According to the RVC, dog breeds with the highest risk of aural haematoma are Bull Terrier, Saint Bernard and French Bulldog. Those with lowest risk are Greyhound, Chihuahua and Miniature Dachshund BLOOD BLISTER OF THE EAR An aural haematoma, also known as a 'blood blister of the ear', is a pocket full of blood that develops if a blood vessel bursts inside the earflap. Symptoms include a swollen and droopy earflap that develops very suddenly, redness, head shaking, ear scratching and holding the head to one side. It's been though the condition results from blood vessels that burst when dogs shake their head or scratch their ear too hard. But Royal Veterinary College (RVC) claims it's to do with repeated folding of the ear flap. Aural haematomas occasionally develop after an injury or knock to the ear, but this is much less common, according to People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). Source: PDSA/RVC Advertisement The research was led by the Veterinary Companion Animal Surveillance System (VetCompass) RVC's research project that aims to investigate the range and frequency of health problems in pets. 'Based on some prior evidence, the current study hypothesised that pendulous-eared breeds had greater odds of aural haematoma compared to breeds with other types of ear carriage,' the authors say. 'However, the results did not support this hypothesis breeds with pendulous [loosely-hanging] ears had lower odds than the other types of ear carriage. 'Conversely, breeds with V-shaped drop ears and semi-erect ears had the highest odds of aural haematoma.' It was previously thought aural haematoma resulted from blood vessels that burst when dogs shake their head or scratch their ear too hard, but the RVC team have proposed a new theory to explain the condition's cause. They think repeated folding of the ear flap within certain types of ear carriages leads to chronic damage and weakness along this fold line. This damage eventually triggers a bleeding episode into the ear flap, according to RVC. The college's study included an overall population of 905,554 dogs under veterinary care in 2016 at 887 veterinary clinics in the UK. After following the clinical records of the dogs for a one-year period, the researchers identified that 0.25 per cent (2,249 dogs) were affected by the disease. An aural haematoma is a pocket full of blood that develops if a blood vessel bursts inside the earflap. Symptoms include a swollen and droopy earflap that develops very suddenly, redness, head shaking, ear scratching and holding the head to one side Crossbreeds were used as the baseline (the point of comparison) in order to work out the risk of getting the disease for each breed, although they were not at lowest risk. 'Crossbreds are the most common breed type around 20 per cent of dogs so statistically they are a reliable group to use as the baseline,' study author Dr Dan O'Neill at RVC told MailOnline. 'There is also a widespread perception that crossbreds are somehow healthier than most purebreds so these results allow owners of pure breeds to compare their breed against the crossbred.' Ear carriage categories were also separated into either 'erect' (also known as prick or upright e.g. German Shepherd), 'semi-erect' (also known as cocked or semi-pricked e.g. Rough Collie), 'V-shaped drop' (also known as folded e.g. Hungarian Vizsla) and 'pendulous' (also known as drop or pendant, e.g. Basset Hound). In all, 14 breeds showed an increased risk of ear aural haematoma compared with crossbred dogs. The German Shepherd, pictured, is a dog breed with erect ear carriage. Breeds with V-shaped drop ears had higher odds of aural haematoma compared with breeds with erect ear carriage, while breeds with pendulous ear carriage had reduced odds The Basset Hound, pictured here, is a breed with 'pendulous' ears - those that hang loosely. Dog breeds with pendulous ears had lower odds than the other types of ear carriage The breeds with the highest risk included Bull Terrier (x7.4 the risk of crossbred dogs), Saint Bernard (x7.3), French Bulldog (x7.0), Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier (x5.5) and English Bull Terrier (x5.4). Twenty breeds showed a reduced risk of ear aural haematoma compared with crossbred dogs. The breeds with the lowest risk included Greyhound (x0.1 the odds of crossbred dogs), Chihuahua (x0.1), Miniature Dachshund (x0.1) and Pomeranian (x0.1). DOGS AT MOST AND LEAST RISK OF AURAL HAEMATOMA Highest risk 1. Bull Terrier 2. Saint Bernard 3. French Bulldog 4. Irish Staffordshire Bull Terrier 5. English Bull Terrier 6. Golden Retriever 7. American Bulldog 8. Staffordshire Bull Terrier 9. Bedlington Terrier 10. British Bulldog 11. Boxer 12. Dogue de Bordeaux 13. Labrador Retriever 14. Weimaraner 15. Dalmatian Lowest risk 1. Greyhound 2. Chihuahua 3. Miniature Dachshund 4. Pomeranian 5. Lhasa Apso 6. Siberian Husky 7. Bichon Frise 8. Beagle 9. Border Terrier 10. Shih Tzu 11. Cockapoo 12. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel 13. West Highland White Terrier 14. English Cocker Spaniel 15. Jack Russell Terrier 16. Pug 17. Yorkshire Terrier 18. Rottweiler 19. Lurcher 20. Labradoodle Note: These rankings take other differences between the breeds into account, like age-related factors. 'Aural haematoma is more common in older dogs and some breeds may on average be older than other breeds,' Dr O'Neill explained. 'So they may have higher risk just because they live longer rather than that they are intrinsically at higher risk. 'These results are after accounting for these effects.' Advertisement Compared with breeds with erect ear carriage, breeds with V-shaped drop ear carriage had twice the risk of ear aural haematoma and breeds with semi-erect ear carriage had 1.6 times the risk. Conversely, breeds with loose-hanging ear carriage had a x0.6 reduced risk. Meanwhile, purebred dogs were not at greater risk than crossbred dogs. 'Even though there were lots of individual breeds with higher risk than crossbreds, there were also lots of breeds with reduced risk,' Dr O'Neill said. 'So the story here is that it is breed itself (and especially the ear carriage of the breed) that largely defines the risk, and not whether a dog is purebred or crossbred.' The Hungarian Vizsla (pictured here) is an example of a dog breed with a 'V-shaped drop' (also known as folded) ear cartilage Rough Collie, pictured, has 'semi-erect' (also known as cocked or semi-pricked) ear cartilage The researchers also identified other factors that increased the risk of the condition age and body weight. Dogs weighing 88lbs (40kg) or more were at 8.5 times the risk compared with dogs weighing less than 22lbs (10kg). Meanwhile, dogs aged 10 to 12 years were at the greatest risk of ear aural haematoma (x5.6) compared with dogs under one year. RVC said the study will be key for helping owners recognise the problem and seek appropriate veterinary care faster. The study has been published in Nature Scientific Reports. Advertisement NASA has revealed a stunning mosaic of fake space images used to train its astronomical algorithms but has hidden within it is a single image of a genuine cosmic marvel. The mosaic below consists of 225 images, 224 of which are fake, created by artificial intelligence (AI). But one shows a real interstellar phenomenon, taken by NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. NASA uses computer algorithms to crunch digital images of the real night sky taken by robotic telescopes, in order to find stars and galaxies and measure their properties. This mosaic consists of 225 images, 224 of which are fake. One is real - but can you spot which one? If you're having trouble finding it, MailOnline reveals the answer below But to calibrate these algorithms, it is useful to test them on fake images of fake universes. NASA said: 'Why would you want to fake a universe? For one reason to better understand our real universe. 'The featured mosaic of fake images was created to specifically mimic the images that have appeared on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD).' A new Twitter bot account and webpage are posting regular photos of these fake Astronomy Picture of the Day, AI-generated shots, which range from murky splodges to impressively realistic panoramas. Pictured are four fake, AI-generated space images. Michael J. Smith, a PhD student at the University of Hertfordshire behind the project, said: 'Top left looks a bit like a galaxy (distant perhaps since it is pixelated); top right is a landscape with star trails (like you get in a long exposure shot), bottom left looks to be some sort of nebula, and bottom right is a globular cluster' Michael J. Smith, a PhD student at the University of Hertfordshire, is behind the project, which is called 'This Is Not An APOD'. Smith told MailOnline that there are around 700 pictures on the This Is Not An APOD webpage, and around 3,000 ready to go for the Twitter Bot meaning there are tens of hundreds that aren't included in NASA's mosaic. Creating fake images of cosmic phenomena using AI is also the subject of a new pre-print research paper led by Smith. The technique is based on a score-based generative model, a type of AI that can produce high quality image samples. But did the AI have you fooled? In case you're still searching for the only real image and you're not quite ready for spoilers, it's circled in red below. Did you spot it? The only real image in the mosaic shows the Crab Nebula, a nebula located 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus. All the others are fake The real image actually really sticks out when you know which one it is (although admittedly so do a few of the fake ones). Close to the bottom on the right hand side of the mosaic is an amazing shot of the elaborately-patterned Crab Nebula, taken by Hubble. Nebulae are enormous clouds of dust and gas occupying the space between stars that act as a nursery for new stars. They are formed when a star larger than our Sun starts to die and gives off a solar-wind of gas. Located 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus, the Crab Nebula is the remnant of a supernova, a powerful stellar explosion. The nebula can be spotted with a small telescope and is best observed in January. Located 6,500 light-years from Earth in the constellation Taurus, the Crab Nebula can be spotted with a small telescope and is best observed in January. The nebula was discovered by English astronomer John Bevis in 1731, and later observed by Charles Messier who mistook it for Halleys Comet NASA said: 'The Crab Nebula, the result of a supernova seen in 1054 AD, is filled with mysterious filaments. 'The filaments are not only tremendously complex, but appear to have less mass than expelled in the original supernova and a higher speed than expected from a free explosion.' The nebula, which spans about 10 light-years, was first spotted by astronomers in China over 1,000 years ago. In 1731, it was discovered by English astronomer John Bevis, before being later observed by French astronomer Charles Messier, who mistook it for Halleys Comet. In its very centre lies a pulsar, a neutron star as massive as the Sun but with only the size of a small town. This pulsar rotates about 30 times each second. A bright light streaked across the sky over parts of the southern U.S. on Monday evening that had some bystanders questioning if they saw a UFO. Instead, it was the SpaceX return capsule. The cosmic light show was a result of the Endeavour craft soaring through Earths atmosphere as it headed towards its designated splashdown zone in the Gulf of Mexico, off the coast of Florida. Carrying four astronauts, the capsule splashed down on time at 10:33pm ET, bring the, Crew-2 mission back to Earth after spending the last 200 days aboard the International Space Station. The astronauts NASAs Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with the European Space Agency's Thomas Pesquet and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's astronaut Akihiko Hoshide not only made headlines for coming home, but for having to complete the journey in diapers due to a faulty toilet in the capsule. Sightings of the SpaceX capsule were reported in Louisiana, Alabama and several other states along the gulf. Scroll down for video The light show was a result of the Endeavour craft soaring through Earths atmosphere as it headed towards its designated splashdown zone in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida Matt Kroschel, an anchor for a local news outlet in Huntsville, Alabama, urged residents to not call the newsroom with UFO reports if they spotted a streak of light in the night sky. Twitter user Christopher of Mandeville, Louisiana shared a great image of the event on Twitter. Holy cr** that was awesome, he included with the tweet. The capsule traveled at least 17,000 miles per hour during deorbit as it fell towards the ocean. It eventually slowed down and released parachutes to help stop it from crashing. One spectator joked on Twitter about the capsule potentially being a UFO when it streaked through the night sky At 10:38pm ET on Monday, the green light was given for the rescue crews to approach the capsule that had just landed in the Gulf of Mexico. 'We were on the helipad watching the crew members streak through the atmosphere, and it looked like a meteor - it was truly incredible,' said Leah Cheshier, a NASA spokesman. 'We couldn't ask for better conditions and things are moving really smoothly here and happening as planned.' At 11:14pm ET, the side hatch was opened, and the crew disembarked. Carrying four astronauts, the capsule splashed down on time at 10:33pm, bring the Crew-2 mission back to Earth after spending the last 200 days aboard the International Space Station The astronauts NASAs Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with the European Space Agency's Thomas Pesquet and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's astronaut Akihiko Hoshide not only made headlines for coming home, but for having to complete the journey in diapers due to a faulty toilet in the capsule McArthur, the captain, was the first to leave, at 11:26pm ET. She was followed by Commander Kimbrough, beaming as he was carried out of the capsule and put on the stretcher to be wheeled away. He waved for the cameras and made a V for Victory sign. All four were out of the capsule by 11:33pm, with smiles and fist-bumps all round. Their return was initially set for Sunday afternoon, but high winds delayed the trip by a day. Matt Kroschel, an anchor for a local news outlet in Huntsville, Alabama urged residents to not call the newsroom with UFO reports if they spot a streak of light in the night sky Another sighting was reported over Gulf Shores, Alabama. The capsule traveled at least 17,000 miles per hour during deorbit as it free-falls toward the ocean, all the while slowing its speed before releasing parachutes to help stop it from crashing before splashing down The SpaceX capsule, named Endeavour, was without a bathroom, due to a faulty toilet design, forcing the crew to wear diapers for the trip back to Earth. However, the rescheduled mission cut the trip from space by 12 hours - it was only eight hours long instead of the expected 20 hours - due to the path from the ship to Earth, so the team did not have to sport the protective undergarments for as long as previously expected. The Endeavour capsule is not the first SpaceX craft to spark UFO reports upon returning to Earth. In September, SpaceX's Cargo Dragon C208-2 was spotted streaking through the night sky over parts of Georgia and Florida. The Cargo Dragon C208-2 undocked from the ISS at 9:12am Thursday, following a supply run to the ship, and splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean around 11pm ET on September 30. In September, Cargo Dragon C208-2 was spotted streaking through the night sky over parts of Georgia and Florida The Cargo Dragon C208-2 undocked from the ISS at 9:12am Thursday, following a supply run to the ship, and splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean around 11pm ET on September 30 SpaceX tweeted that the capsule may be visible in parts of Georgia and Florida and the firm was correct. Many residents shared the event on Twitter, showing images of the glowing craft with a long, illuminated tail as it soared over highways and neighborhoods. Local news stations in Florida received numerous reports of a loud boom on Thursday night, which was heard by residents in the Jacksonville area and all the way down to St. Augustine. Residents said the loud boom rattled dishes and windows, along with entire homes. The loud noise was a sonic boom released from the capsule, Newsweek reports. According to NASA, a sonic boom is the thunder-like noise that someone on the ground hears when an aircraft or spacecraft overhead flies faster than the speed of sound. Comcast, an American telecommunications conglomerate, is back online in the US, following at three-hour outage that left tens of thousands of customers without internet, phone or television service. More than half of the reports posted on DownDetector, a site that monitors online outages, noted a total blackout, while the rest were unable to use landline internet or email. The crash appeared to have started around 8:12am ET and is hitting costumers along the West Coast and Midwest and some reports are surfacing on the East Coast. Xfinity, which is owned by Comcast, is the service provider for those impacted by the outage, which appeared to be restored around 12:30pm ET. DailyMail.com has reached out to Comcast for more information. Comcast, an American telecommunications conglomerate, is back online in the US, following at three-hour outage that left tens of thousands of customers without internet, phone or television service DownDetector showed more than 55,000 Americans without service at the peak of the outage - at a time when many were just starting their workday. Many users flocked to Twitter to share their frustrations about not having service. One Twitter user joked that Comcast going down means no work for the day, while another is angered by the event saying: 'why is Comcast xfinity so **** expensive yet always down??????????? Worst service provider ever!' Although the outage was blanketing the entire US, the map on DownDetector showed San Francisco as being hit the hardest. The crash appears to have started around 8:12am ET and is hitting costumers along the west coast and mid-west and some reports are surfacing on the east coast Many users flocked to Twitter to share their frustrations about not having service Other areas that were hit hard include Los Angeles, Chicago, parts of New Jersey and other locations in the Midwest. Comcast Xfinity was reported to be down for thousands of Bay Area customers Monday night, something that has carried over into the next day. This region included major cities like San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Fremont. According to Oakland News Now, the outage stemmed from a major storm that hit the region that brought intense winds at speeds of more than 40 miles per hour, which may have impact Comcast Xfinity service. Many users in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - where Comcast is headquartered - and southern New Jersey were also reporting outages, along with those in the Chicago area. One Twitter user joked that Comcast going down means no work for the day Another user asked if that outage is hitting the entire US Comcast, which owns the popular Xfinity internet, phone and television service, has yet to reveal what is causing the outage or when issues will be fixed Xfinity's own outage tracker is currently down, displaying the error message: 'We are experiencing abnormal traffic to our network or the service or servers on it are not currently available.' The company is also redirecting users to its status page, where local outages are displayed. It also includes tips, including restarting the modem and cable boxes, as well as ensuring they are plugged in, to try and make the connection work. However, many users reported being unable to access the website due to their internet being down. Comcast reported about 18.96 million paying television subscribers as of the second quarter of 2021, along with more than 31 million broadband internet subscribers. A rare Apple 1, the first computer ever built by Apple and its co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, is going up for auction on Tuesday. The 45-year-old computer could sell for as much as $600,000 when the sale is finished, according to John Moran Auctioneers, the organization handling the sale. Known as the 'Chaffey College' Apple 1 (due to the fact it was first owned by a Chaffey professor), it is encased with koa wood. It also comes with the original Apple 1 'NTI' motherboard, power regulators and a blue Sprague 39D capacitor. The winner of the Apple 1 will also receive a 1986 Panasonic video monitor, a Xerox copy of the Apple-1 Basic manual, the operations guide and a MOS 6502 programming manual. The lot also contains two Apple-1 software cassette tapes, with 'hand-written index card with memory locations for the Apple-1 loading software,' the auction house wrote in its description. An Apple 1 computer is going up for auction on Tuesday and could sell for as much as $600,000, John Moran Auctioneers said It is encased with koa wood, now a high-priced commodity and comes with a host of accessories The winner of the Apple 1 will also receive a 1986 Panasonic video monitor, a Xerox copy of the Apple-1 Basic manual and the operations guide The winner of the auction will also receive two Apple-1 software cassette tapes (pictured) A hand-written index card with memory locations for the Apple-1 loading software is also included Steve Jobs, who died in 2011, came up with the idea to sell 'something like 50' Apple 1's to Byte Shop for $500 each It was eventually sold at retail in July 1976 for $666.66 due to Steve Wozniak's (right) fascination with repeating numbers The Apple 1 helped springboard the rise of the Cupertino, California-based tech giant, with Wozniak selling off his HP-65 calculator to finance and manufacture the item. Jobs, who died in 2011, came up with the idea to sell 'something like 50' Apple 1's to Byte Shop for $500 each. It was eventually sold at retail in July 1976 for $666.66 due to Wozniak's fascination with repeating numbers. It was eventually bought from the professor by a Chaffey student for $650 in 1977, according to the Los Angeles Times. It also comes with the original Apple 1 'NTI' motherboard, power regulators and a blue Sprague 39D capacitor Approximately 200 Apple-1 units were assembled, with 175 of them eventually sold. Only 60 of them are still in existence and approximately 20 of them are in working order The student, who is remaining anonymous until after the sale is final, held on to the Apple 1 for the next four decades. 'This is kind of the holy grail for vintage electronics and computer tech collectors,' Corey Cohen, an Apple-1 expert told the Times. 'That really makes it exciting for a lot of people.' So far, there have been two bids, with the highest coming in at $225,000, but a live auction is happening on Tuesday. Approximately 200 Apple-1 units were assembled, with 175 of them eventually sold. Only 60 of them are still in existence and approximately 20 of them are in working order, Cohen added. Most Apple-1s were not sold with cases, potentially making this particular computer more valuable. Koa wood is now an expensive commodity, selling for as much as $50 per board foot, and there are only a handful of Apple-1s with cases, Cohen explained. 'It has all the pieces and it has some really good provenance,' Cohen explained to the news outlet. 'We can pretty much track it back to the original professor who owned it.' The unit was in the student's possession until Noelle Valentino, John Moran's department manager trusts and estates, gave a talk to financial advisors to see if any of their clients had hidden treasures. One client of an anonymous wealth advisor said they had a computer they kept for 40 years and the rest is history. 'At first I really wasn't sure what it even was,' Valentino told the Times. 'But I was intrigued enough by the sounds of it, the first Apple computer.' 'I thought, 'I'm going to just ask about this to some other colleagues.' They were the ones that really almost fell over when they heard that we have this opportunity,' she added. Several Apple 1s have gone up for auction in recent memory and sold for huge sums. In February, an Apple-1 with a wooden case sold for over $1 million on eBay. In August, an Apple 1 motherboard - complete with an original user's manual - went up for auction for $450,000. The Apple-1 was discontinued in October 1977, with Jobs and Wozniak offering discounts and trade-ins for the more advanced Apple II The Apple-1 was discontinued in October 1977, with Jobs and Wozniak offering discounts and trade-ins for the more advanced Apple II. The world record for an Apple-1 computer is $905,000 for one sold at auction in New York in 2014. In August, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay paid more than $787,000 at auction for Apple II manual signed in 1980 by Steve Jobs. NASA's Artemis mission that will send the first woman and first person of color to the moon has now been pushed to no earlier than 2025. During the briefing, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the crewed test flight of Origin and Space Launch System (SLS) on Artemis II are now targeting May 2024 thus pushing the lunar landing to the following year. Nelson says the seven months of litigation over the Blue Origin lawsuit, the coronavirus pandemic and unexpected cost increases have all played a roll in the schedule change. The rescheduled date was announced Tuesday during a live update from the American space agency. Scroll down for video During the live briefing, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said the crewed test flight of Origin and the Space Launch System (SLS) (pictured) on Artemis II are now targeting May 2024 thus pushing the lunar landing to the following year The NASA Administrator also called out Congress during the briefing for not providing enough funds to build the human landing system and 'the Trump administration target of a 2024 human landing was not grounded it technical feasibility,' Nelson explained. The 2024 deadline was first unveiled by then-Vice President Mike Pence during a 2019 meeting of the White Houses space council. 'Going forward, Congress has made it clear that there must be competition for the 10 plus moon landings in the future. There will be the need of a significant increase of funding for the competition and that is going to be starting with the 2023 budget,' said Nelson. 'After all, the Chinese space program is increasingly capable of landing Chinese taikonauts much earlier than originally expected.' Nelson says the seven months of litigation over the Blue Origin lawsuit, the coronavirus pandemic and unexpected costs increases have all played a roll in the schedule change. Blue Origin sued NASA for choosing on SpaceX (pictured) to build the human lunar lander The Biden administration proposed an increase for NASA's fiscal 2022 budget to $24.8 billion, up seven percent from fiscal 2021. However, Nelson pledged that NASA has promised to be aggressive in all ways possible to beat other nations from putting boots on the moon. Much of the delay is because of Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos, which sued NASA in August, citing NASA had originally intended to award multiple contracts for the lunar lander - but instead, only awarded Elon Musk's SpaceX as the sole provider for the $2.91 billion award. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson also said increased costs and the coronavirus pandemic also caused the schedule change On November 4, a federal judge ruled against Blue Origin - putting an end to the litigation once and for all. However, Nelson said 'NASA was forbidden to collaborate with SpaceX for seven months, but the Musk-led company kept on working without payment. 'Since the court ruling last week we have resumed work with SpaceX through a series of meetings that continue this week,' Jim Free, NASA's associate administrator of Exploration Systems Development, said during the briefing. The change in schedule is also due to an updated Orion development cost of $9.3 billion, from fiscal year 12 through the first crewed flight test and no later than May 2024. This encompasses the period between 2012 and 2024, up from the previous estimate of $6.7 billion. NASA 's Artemis mission that will send the first woman and first person of color to the moon has now been pushed to no earlier than 2025 The last Artemis update was released on October 22, which said NASA's uncrewed Artemis 1 mission would not launch until February 2022, but the delay still kept the agency on track for the 2024 human lunar landing Nelson was appointed by President Joe Biden to lead the space agency. Biden had agreed to continue a program, known as Artemis, that began under former President Donald Trump to put astronauts on the moon by 2024, intended as a prelude to an even-more-ambitious human Mars landing in the future. During the briefing, Nelson also revealed there would be an uncrewed landing sometime before humans set foot on the lunar surface. 'The good news is that NASA is making solid progress,' said Nelson, citing the fact that the mission's Orion crew capsule has now been stacked atop the giant Space Launch System rocket at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The last Artemis update was released on October 22, which said NASA's uncrewed Artemis 1 mission would not launch until February 2022, but the delay still kept the agency on track for the 2024 human lunar landing. The Artemis I mission will see the Orion spacecraft (pictured), the SLS and the ground systems at Kennedy combine to launch the Orion 280,000 miles past Earth around the moon over the course of a three-week mission The Artemis I mission will see the Orion spacecraft, the SLS and the ground systems at Kennedy combine to launch the Orion 280,000 miles past Earth around the moon over the course of a three-week mission. This spacecraft, primarily built by Lockheed Martin, will stay in space 'longer than any ship for astronauts has done without docking to a space station and return home faster and hotter than ever before,' NASA has said previously. In June, NASA finished assembling the $18.6 billion SLS rocket, after having announced the project in 2011. However, during the Tuesday's briefing, NASA said it is still targeting the February 2022 deadline - and will keep the public up-to-date on developments. The Artemis II mission plans to send four astronauts in the first crewed Orion capsule into a lunar flyby for a maximum of 21 days. Both missions are tests flights to demonstrate the technology and abilities of Orion, SLS and the Artemis mission before NASA puts human boots back on the moon. The Artemis mission will be the first to land humans on the moon since NASA's Apollo 17 in 1972. A former Manchester City youth player who took his own life after he was released felt the club had badly let him down, an inquest heard on Monday. Jeremy Wisten, 18, a thriving City youth team player before a serious knee ligament injury cut short his progress, learned in June 2019 that he would be released within six months. After a five-year career with them, he was told he must find a new club. The teenager's father, Manila, said his son felt City did not give him the help he needed to continue his career. He told the inquest: 'He did not believe he was receiving the right support from Manchester City to find a new club. It should have been that City did more. I know they did more for others.' An inquest has been heard into the death of former Man City youth player Jeremy Wisten City had promised his son they would arrange matches for other clubs to come to watch him. Trials were arranged with Bolton Wanderers and Cardiff City but Jeremy was so unhappy with the club's efforts that he approached an agent to help him find a club. After he was released, Manila and Jeremy's mother, Grace, pleaded with him to see that he was young, talented and personable and there could be a life beyond City. But he had invested his life in the dream of making it. He had looked up to City captain Vincent Kompany since he was a child. The couple would hear him grieving in his room. 'We could see the suffering in him,' Manila told coroner Zak Golombek. There was hope he had found a new path. He was on course for distinctions in his college studies and was applied for university. It wasn't to be. Manila broke down as he described the moment his wife, concerned that Jeremy had not come downstairs for dinner, found their son's body in their daughter's bedroom, on October 24 last year. 'I was watching TV,' he told the inquest. His father said Wisten (left) felt he didn't get the right support by Man City to help him continue his career after being released from the club 'His mum checked in his room. He was not there. She went into the second room which had been locked. She ran downstairs to get the key. Then I heard a scream I would never forget.' City academy director Jason Wilcox told the hearing that Jeremy's knee injury would have had 'no impact' on the decision for them to end his contract. He said: 'Jeremy's injuries had halted his development and other players had progressed at a different rate.' City say mental health screenings are carried out both before and after deciding to release a young player. No concerns were raised about Jeremy's mental wellbeing. Wilcox added: 'My understanding is that Jeremy was offered nine trials (at other clubs).' The coroner concluded that Jeremy had intended to take his own life. Wilcox expressed his condolences on City's behalf. Advertisement Astronomer Nuno Pereira Santos looks like hes about to fire a missile to set off World War III. Hes jabbing buttons as twin projectile-like machines whir into action. But this is not the onset of Armageddon. These are the heavyweight telescopes of the Dark Sky Observatory in the village of Cumeada in Portugals Alentejo region, just over 100 miles inland from Lisbon. To boost its dark sky credentials, five years ago the village replaced all its public lights with LEDs that point towards the ground and can be dimmed to ten per cent or totally switched off. Pictured is the starry night sky over Da Orado convent in Monsaraz in the Dark Sky Alqueva reserve Santoss observatory is within the Dark Sky Alqueva reserve, 3,900 square miles around Lake Alqueva in which local municipalities have committed to clear night skies. The result is one of the most spectacular windows to the universe in Europe. Through Santoss ultra lens, Jupiters stripes look like a gobstopper and you can clearly make out the Milky Way with the naked eye. On a 90-minute solar observation there are plenty of mind-blowing moments. The Deneb supergiant star were shown, for example, may no longer exist, being 2,600 light years away. The activities dont stop after dark. True night owls can also choose astrophotography lessons, nighttime tours on horseback or by canoe, nocturnal bird-watching and even blind wine-tasting. The Dark Sky Alqueva reserve makes up 3,900 square miles around the manmade Lake Alqueva, pictured above The medieval walled city of Evora, pictured, is between Lisbon and the Dark Sky Alqueva reserve Dark Sky Alqueva reserve is about a two-hour drive south from Lisbon with the medieval walled city of Evora en route. Its not all about darkness, though. As a yolk-like sun blazes across the landscape, the rays warm my bones as I bob on Alqueva Lake with boatman Francisco Guerreiro. The rolling shoreline opens on to plantations of olives, grape vines and cork trees. Two decades ago, this expanse of water wasnt here. A 295 ft dam built in 2002 realigned the river that snakes down the Spanish-Portuguese border. This is Europes biggest manmade lake. Its perimeter, 684 miles, is longer than Portugals entire coast. Pretty in pink: Monsaraz village - also known as the balcony of the Great Lake - overlooking Lake Alqueva TRAVEL FACTS Doubles from 123 B&B at Monte da Estrela hotel (montedaestrela.pt/en). Doubles from 93 B&B at Heaven Inn Evora (heaveninnhostels.com). Stansted-Lisbon flights from 22 return (ryanair.com). Further information: visitalentejo.pt/en. Advertisement The creation of the lake was a surreal experience for the people of Luz, whose homes, windmills and even the once-prominent castle now dwell in the gloomy depths. An exact replica was built and the people moved. Guerreiro once witnessed a family of boars, including ten paddling piglets, swimming between islands that used to be hilltops. Monsaraz, on the lakes north-west shore, deserves its nickname, the balcony of the Great Lake. The ground seems to drop away from my feet at the villages edges. The population of around 50 all know each other, and greetings fly over my head. The only vehicle belongs to the baker, who leaves bags of bread hanging on the doors of those not in. The homely feel extends to my hotel, the Monte da Estrela, at the east of the lake. The design is set up for starry-eyed romance, with a lounge firepit and outdoor cushions for stargazing. No matter that Im travelling solo a free-standing tub beside sheer curtains means literally bathing in moonlight. As I throw open my window to see that dawn sun, I realise my cosmic experience has renewed my reverence for our own remarkable planet. Simon Louagie dreaded losing Talbot House, a World War I soldiers' club that has become an institution in remembrance tourism on the Western Front where soldiers from all corners of the globe fought amid untold carnage just over a century ago. For months last year, a Covid-19 lockdown closed the club that had always been an open house. Once it was for Commonwealth soldiers who fleetingly shed the fear of battle in Flanders fields that was within earshot. For generations since, people found history, solace, wisdom and an understanding at Talbot House about why the motto of this region in western Belgium is 'Never into war again'. Since the end of World War I in 1918, millions of visitors - from as far away as the United States, New Zealand, and South Africa - have flocked to memorials in northern France and Belgium to pay tribute to the fallen. A lone bugler plays the nightly Last Post under the World War I monument, Menin Gate, in Ypres, on April 25, 2020. During the pandemic there has been only one bugler, instead of six, playing in the Menin Gate in front of the names of 55,000 soldiers Now, closing in on two years of the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions, the tourist industry welcoming them is crippled. Lockdowns and travel restrictions, of which many remain in place, are keeping foreign visitors away. Another Armistice Day beckons on November 11 and the outlook remains bleak. Talbot House manager Louagie remembers that when funds were running low and doors were closed, only one thought ran through his head: 'Not on my watch.' From as many as 500 guests a day, he sometimes found himself alone. He said: '[The house] needs noise. It needs piano music. It needs visitors, schoolchildren, people playing chess. Cups of tea, rattling in the kitchen, to make it come alive. I need to hear the kettle whistle. Volunteer Libby Madden, from Bath, England, sets a table in the breakfast room at Talbot House in Poperinge, Belgium 'We cannot disappoint all those generations before us by letting it close down.' The thought has echoed around the region where hundreds of thousands lost their lives during the four years of fighting that finally led to the victory of allied forces over Germany. Nick Benoot, who runs the small Hooge Crater Museum not far from Poperinge, could not believe it when at the end of 2019, schools started to cancel trips because of reports of a virus in Wuhan, China. Like Louagie, he had plunged money into the business and needed any income he could get. 'Seriously, do you mean that? This is in China. This is far, far away from us,' he remembers saying. But the reality of the pandemic, which has since claimed at least five million dead across the globe, soon sank in and he had to close on March 13, 2020 - a sombre day he remembers well. British RAF veteran George Sutherland, 98, right, leaves Lijssenthoek war cemetery with his son Alex Sutherland as he takes part in a VE Day charity walk on May 8, 2020, to raise funds for Talbot House in Poperinge. Sutherland walked from the Lijssenthoek war cemetery to Talbot House, which closed due to Covid-19 lockdown regulations. The club, founded in 1915, was a place for British soldiers to rest during both the First and Second World Wars From 65,000 paying visitors in 2017 to just 3,000 last year, the numbers demonstrated how remembrance tourism slumped throughout the region. 'It was like we went bankrupt. We had to close everything down,' he said. But each man dealt with it in his own way and is still around to tell his story. Libby in the kitchen at Talbot House on Thursday, November 4, 2021 Red paper poppies fall from the ceiling during an Armistice Day ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres on November 11, 2014. Since the end of World War I in 1918, millions of visitors, from as far away as the U.S, New Zealand, and South Africa, have flocked to memorials in northern France and Belgium to pay tribute to the fallen Crowdfunding was the answer for Louagie. Last year, a 98-year-old World War II veteran raised money by walking from a war graves cemetery to Talbot House, cheered on by locals who pulled money out of their wallet when they were not applauding. When a local died, the family asked that instead of flowers, mourners donate money to Talbot House. 'It became very emotional when I saw how many people cared so deeply,' Louagie said. As virus measures eased recently thanks to Belgium's vaccination drive, some visitors enjoyed their breakfast at Talbot house. And just like old times, praise was heaped on English volunteer Libby Madden for her Victoria sponge cake. 'You know, we very much want to keep the spirit of this wonderful place alive,' she said. A photo, badge and uniform of a Canadian World War I soldier on display in a presentation case at Hooge Crater Museum in Ypres A man casts a shadow as he looks at names of World War I missing on a wall at the Menin Gate Flanders' fields were once so war-scarred that churches and castles simply vanished as rubble under the mud. Much around Ypres has been restored to its former splendour and imbued locals with an unshakeable sense of optimism. Benoot was looking at an empty parking lot last year and had missed the din of spoken English from heaps of British tourists that resounded in the museum and cafe. Yet this week, 'we have had the first British (bus) in two years'. Even as his income dwindled in the middle of the pandemic, Benoot understood that the message of 'the war to end all wars' still needed to be passed on to younger generations. Drawings made by Belgian schoolchildren placed in front of World War I graves at Tyne Cot cemetery in Zonnebeke, Belgium Nick Benoot at a reconstructed World War I trench at the Hooge Crater Museum in Ypres, which he runs At 37, he thought himself too old to convey the message to kids, so he left it to his sons Louis and Arthur, 10 and eight, who are now YouTube whizzes, to teach kids about gas masks, helmets and medical kits. The Hooge Boys are a hit now. 'We don't do what all the rest does. So I think we have a way to survive,' Benoot said. Even the Last Post ceremony in nearby Ypres - a daily, mournful bugle call harking back to 1928 that had only briefly stopped during World War II - was at risk of being silenced. The tradition has the bugle playing under the Menin Gate, where some 55,000 names of soldiers whose remains were never found are engraved. A waitress wears a protective facemask to curb the spread of Covid-19 as she serves beverages at the Hooge Crater Museum Adult visitors wearing facemasks view an exhibit at the Hooge Crater Museum. Nick Benoot, who owns the museum, could not believe it when, at the end of 2019, schools started to cancel trips because of reports of a virus. The lockdown lasted for months. He had 65,000 paying visitors in 2017, and just 3,000 last year, a trend that's indicative of the remembrance tourism slump seen throughout the region Yet it pulled through. Volunteers refused to stop and pulled strings all the way up to the top political posts to ensure its continuation, even if it had to be scaled down. 'During Covid, there was only one bugler and the names of 55,000 soldiers,' said Benoit Mottrie, the head of the Last Post Association. On Thursday, there should be the full complement of six buglers again, backed up by a piper, a choir, a band and several hundred invitees and poppy promenade walkers. Even the Belgian prime minister will show up. Advertisement These pictures show one of the most unusual temples in the world - built, the creator claims, on the orders of Jesus. The Temple Of All Religions incorporates multiple religions into its architecture, combining the design tropes of a Jewish synagogue, an Orthodox and Catholic church, a mosque, a Chinese pagoda, and a Buddhist temple as well as symbols of ancient religions. Its located in Staroye Arakchino, a district along the banks of the Volga River beside the Russian city of Kazan, which is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. The Temple Of All Religions, pictured above, incorporates multiple religions into its architecture The temple integrates the architectural styles of a Jewish synagogue, an Orthodox and Catholic church, and a mosque, among others The exterior of the temple which is still under construction - is brightly coloured, with stained-glass windows, vivid mosaics, twirling Russian onion domes and a Greek Orthodox dome. Atop each dome is a gold symbol, ranging from stars of David to crescent moons. Once inside, visitors wander through interconnected rooms with different religious themes, such as the Catholic and Egyptian halls, the 'Hall of Jesus Christ', a theatre and an art gallery. The walls of the temple are embellished with portraits of Christian saints and Hindu murals, and tables of religious figurines feature in certain rooms. The temple is located in Staroye Arakchino, a district beside the Russian city of Kazan The late Russian artist Ildar Khanov began constructing the temple in 1994, enlisting the help of volunteers to carry out the build. Pictured on the left is a pillar decorated with a mosaic of Egyptian symbols inside the temple Visitors can wander through interconnected rooms with different religious themes The late Russian artist Ildar Khanov is behind the fascinating construction. Khanov said Christ appeared to him in a dream, instructing him to dig a hole and build a universal temple. In 1994, he enlisted the help of volunteers in carrying out the build, and it slowly started to take shape over the next two decades. Despite appearances, the temple was never intended as a place of worship. In a 2012 interview with Le Figaro, he revealed that the aim behind the design was to bring all religions together, 'to give them a meeting and communication place'. The idea is not to merge into one all religions, each of which has its own history and cultural necessity, he said, adding: It is not a place of worship, but of culture. Each room is embellished with tables of religious figurines or portraits, but despite appearances, the temple was never intended as a place of worship Ildar Khanov said the aim behind the design was to bring all religions together, 'to give them a meeting and communication place' Ildar Khanov's brother and sister took over the running of the temple after his death in 2013 Ildar Khanov died in 2013 aged 74, and his brother, Ilgiz, and sister, Flura Galeeva, took over the running of the temple. With the help of artists and volunteers, they are continuing to bring his vision to life as the construction continues. They suffered a setback in 2017 when the decorative features inside the temple were damaged by a fire. However, work has been carried out in recent years to restore the building, and it continues to draw in tourists from around the world. One Tripadvisor user, who visited the temple earlier this year, wrote: 'The temple is very unusual. I cannot remember seeing such a building anywhere else - therefore I'm glad I've visited it. It's on the very edge of kitsch, yet interesting. With the help of artists and volunteers, the Khanov family are continuing to bring the late Ildar Khanov's vision to life 'Under one roof, you'll see all religions - Islam, Orthodox, Judaism, Hindu, Buddhist, old Egyptian,' observed one Tripadvisor reviewer Pictured is the entrance. The entry fee to the temple is around 1 (100 rubles), and it is a 20-minute bus or taxi ride from the centre of Kazan 'Under one roof, you'll see all religions - Islam, Orthodox, Judaism, Hindu, Buddhist, old Egyptian... etc. Each Temple is decorated authentically and they're all interconnected. Have in mind it is still under construction, and while wandering the interiors you'll encounter several live workshops where enthusiastic artists are working on new decorations.' A second reviewer wrote: 'The brothers who have worked on its construction are geniuses (only one is still alive and I was privileged to meet him) - incredible visionaries and artists. The inside is chaotic and constantly under construction, but I felt such optimistic energy there.' The entry fee to the temple is around 1 (100 rubles), and it is a 20-minute bus or taxi ride from the centre of Kazan. She is known for her business acumen and sharp sense of humour as owner of jewellery brand ToniMay and host of the Life Uncut podcast. But despite her many talents, Laura Byrne is not renowned for being a particularly good driver. The former Bachelor star, 35, shared a photo to Instagram of her dreadful parking job after rushing to a long lunch with her staff in Sydney on Sunday. Whoops! Former Bachelor star Laura Byrne has shared a photo to Instagram of her dreadful parking job after rushing to a long lunch with her staff in Sydney on Sunday After returning to her car later that afternoon, she took a picture of her vehicle, which was almost a metre away from the kerb. 'When you walk back to the car after a three-hour lunch and realise you parked in the middle of the road,' the mother of two wrote. Her BMW SUV was indeed parked awkwardly in the middle of the street. It comes after Laura and her fiance Matty Johnson recently bought a $1.87million home in Bangalow, in Byron Shire. Dodgy driver: After returning to her car later that afternoon, the mother of two took a picture of her vehicle, which was almost a metre away from the kerb The couple met with a real estate agent on Friday and posed for photos in front of the 'sold' sign with their children, Marlie-Mae, two, and Lola, nine months. They are believed to have purchased the three-bedroom, two-bathroom property in September. The home features hardwood floors, high white ceilings, a lush lawn, and a garage with space for two cars. New digs! It comes after Laura and her fiance Matty Johnson recently bought a $1.87million home in Bangalow, in Byron Shire In 2018, Laura revealed the pair were 'saving hard' to buy their own home together. She told The Daily Telegraph: 'Currently, we're trying really hard to save up so that we can buy a place of our own. That's the next step in the coming months. 'I'll get more say in the decor of the house we buy than where we rent. For us, we want to settle in our home first but we're on the same page about getting married one day and having kids.' The pair met on The Bachelor in 2017 and became engaged in 2019. One of the Real Housewives of Melbourne's newest cast members has been accused of faking a crying scene on camera. Kyla Kirkpatrick broke down in tears during a conversation with rival Janet Roach that many viewers suspected was staged. Even Janet called BS on Kyla's tears, with the 63-year-old walking off mid-conversation while branding the emotional display 'fake'. The real deal? Real Housewives of Melbourne star Kyla Kirkpatrick has been accused of faking a crying scene on the reality show 'Oh I can't do this,' she said as she got up and strutted away from a crying Kyla. Turning to face the cameras as she walked off, Janet continued: 'I can't. I can't, now we're crying and I'm the bad girl.' Later, in a confessional, Janet said: 'She was crying and it looked fake to me. Kyla, stop pulling the crying act. Don't do this to try and bury me.' Viewers seemed to back Janet up, with one commenting on social media: 'OMG, crocodile tears!' 'Oh I can't do this!' Even Janet Roach called BS on Kyla's tears, with the 63-year-old walking off mid-conversation while branding the emotional display 'fake' Another wrote: 'Lmao I love Janet! She cant stand the fakery and leaves.' However, a few viewers took Kyla's side, with one writing: 'Here goes Janet again, trying to stay relevant again.' Another added: 'Wow how petty and childish is Janet? Brings up the drama but wont talk about it.' Later, in a confessional, Janet said: 'She was crying and it looked fake to me. Kyla, stop pulling the crying act. Don't do this to try and bury me' In October, Janet claimed that some of the new Housewives on the show this season were actors. 'They all had managers or publicists - some were even actors,' she told New Idea magazine. 'Cherry [Dipietrantonio], she's an actress... Kyla even thought she could play director along the way and would yell "cut" during filming - you just don't do that. You just don't do that.' Fake it till you make it! Janet previously said in an interview that Kyla (pictured) would yell 'cut!' while filming scenes on the show Cherry and Kyla are two of RHOM's newest Housewives, along with newsreader Anjali Rao and socialite Simone. While Janet has previously heaped praise on newbie Simone, she seems to have clashed with both Kyla and Anjali. The Real Housewives of Melbourne's fifth season is currently airing on Foxtel Khloe Kardashian is under fire for being 'tone deaf' and 'uncaring' after posting a thirst trap series of photos just days after Travis Scott's mass casualty Astroworld set in Texas. The 37-year-old reality star shared three sultry images of herself where she showed off her curves in a sheer catsuit, causing social media to erupt with a flurry of scathing comments. 'People are dead Khloe,' wrote one after she seemed to go back to regularly scheduled programming despite the tragedy which left eight dead. Read the room: Khloe Kardashian is under fire for being 'tone deaf' and 'uncaring' after she posted a sultry thirst trap series of photos just days after Travis Scott's Astroworld tragedy which left eight dead Khloe's post seem to ruffle feathers in more ways than one, as she additionally has not offered any condolences to the victims on social media, despite the fatal situation being centered around half-sister Kylie Jenner's baby daddy. And her other siblings Kourtney, Kendall, Kylie and Kim have gone dark on social media with regards to self promotional content, since the catastrophic incident on November 5. In the trio of images the Good American founder was seen smoldering for the camera with expert glam. She was also striking a series of seductive poses while modeling a sheer catsuit. Her comment section immediately lit up with disapproving statements with multiple calling her 'tone deaf.' No condolences? Khloe has not offered any condolences to the victims on social media, despite the fatal situation being centered around half-sister Kylie Jenner's baby daddy 'Tone deaf': Her other siblings have yet to post anything on their grid since the fatal incident on November 5, making her move a bit audacious given the severity of the circumstances 'Your brother in law is involved in a mass casualty tragedy and you're posting thirst traps? Bye,' wrote one. 'People are dead, Khloe' read another while others continued to say it was neither 'appropriate' nor 'the time' for such self-centered posts. 'Ppl died at a concert and the Kardashians can't stop making s**t about themselves.' 'Posting a nonchalant pic while 8 people died at your brother in law's concert over the weekend....classy,' read another comment. And another person called her 'uncaring' and asked how she could even post after the tragic turn of events. Self-centered: 'People are dead, Khloe' read another while others continued to say it was neither 'appropriate' nor 'the time' for such self-centered posts With the exception of Kylie who is obviously closest to the situation involving Scott as he is soon-to-be the father of her two children none of the Kardashians have spoken out publicly about the tragedy. Kendall Jenner who was also present with her sister and a group of close friends, did decide to delete a post from Astroworld which was shared on her feed. And Kylie was also slammed previously for unknowingly sharing a video of an ambulance making its way through the crowd before she deleted the post. A source told TMZ that though she was captured in a video looking on, she 'had no idea as to what was happening in the crowd and to think otherwise is both unfair and inaccurate.' She released a statement on behalf of the Houston born rapper which read in excerpt that they were 'broken and devastated' and sending 'thoughts and prayers to all who lost their lives.' In addition, she added: 'I want to make it clear we weren't aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show and in no world would have continued filming or performing. Deleted: Kendall Jenner who was also present with her sister and a group of close friends, did decide to delete a post (pictured above) from Astroworld which was shared on her feed At the event: Kylie, Stormi and Kendall all looked on during the rapper's Astroworld set with a source telling TMZ 'Kylie had no idea as to what was happening in the crowd and to think otherwise is both unfair and inaccurate' On stage during the crazy event: Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 5 in Houston, Texas Though eight people have been confirmed dead other reports have said that three more have died from complications in the hospital. At least 23 people were hospitalized with a whopping 300 people also being treated on site by medics according to police. Scott's set began at 9:04PM and the situation turned fatal around 9:38PM when a 'mass casualty incident' was triggered said Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pena. 'The crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, and people began to panic,' Pena said in a new briefing. Cops said 367 police officers and 241 security officers were working the event prior to the crush. Speaking out: The 24-year-old makeup mogul released a statement on behalf of the Houston born rapper which read in excerpt that they were 'broken and devastated' and sending 'thoughts and prayers to all who lost their lives' Harrowing accounts from concert-goers had described the show as 'hell,' with one eyewitness saying it was a 'floor of bodies.' Others had even described the show as having 'demonic energy' as a whole. TMZ reported that a 'key person' connected to Astroworld said that the situation was the result of a 'targeted attack' after 'someone in the crowd went crazy and began injecting people with some sort of drug, which caused panic and then a surge'. As of November 7 two lawsuits had been filed against the rapper, with a whopping 11 more pouring in on Monday November 8. The first two were filed by two concert goers: a man name Manuel Souza and another named Kristian Paredes. Deadly: Scott's set began at 9:04PM and the situation turned fatal around 9:38PM when a 'mass casualty incident' was triggered according to Houston Fire Department Chief Samuel Pena who said: 'The crowd began to compress toward the front of the stage, and people began to panic' Souza filed a lawsuit this weekend in Harris County District Court, suing Scott himself, as well as organizer ScoreMore and concert giant Live Nation. Paredes filed a civil lawsuit against both he and Drake, blaming the rappers for negligently inciting 'a riot and violence,' and is currently seeking $1 million in damages. The Goosebumps rapper has now pledged to cover all funeral expenses for the victims and also announced he would be partnering with BetterHelp (a tele-therapy company) to supply free one-on-one counseling to any concertgoers in need. He also added that the cost of all tickets would be refunded. She became a first time mother after giving birth to her daughter Grace Warrior seven months ago. And on Tuesday, Bindi Irwin shared an inspiring message with fellow mums. The 23-year-old wildlife conservationist posted a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the words 'stronger as a mother' as she cradled her tiny tot at Australia Zoo. Strong mums! on Tuesday, Bindi Irwin shared an inspiring message with fellow mums. The 23-year-old wildlife conservationist shared a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with 'stronger as a mother' as she cradled her tiny tot at Australia Zoo In the picture, Bindi's cherubic child snuggled into her while dressed in a cute onesie. Her motivational message comes after she enjoyed a sweet vacation in Tasmania with Grace and her husband Chandler Powel. On Sunday, the mother and daughter duo hit the beach together in the island state. Family trip: Her motivational spiel reminder comes after she enjoyed a sweet vacation in Tasmania with baby Grace and her husband Chandler Powel Bindi had rolled-up jeans and a t-shirt on, while Grace was dressed in sun-smart swimmers and a large wide-brim hat. 'Our little sunshine absolutely loved beach day,' she captioned an Instagram post at the time. It comes after a series of photos were shared from their family getaway on Instagram on Friday. Robert Irwin, 17, and her mother Terri Irwin, 57, joined the young family as they enjoyed the sights of Cradle Mountain. Family time: The Irwin clan headed off for a Tasmanian getaway, sharing images from their vacation to Instagram on Friday. Chandler Powell, Bindi Irwin and baby Grace pictured Bindi and Chandler also brought along their friends Luke and Mitch. The family posed with stunning vistas in the background including a vast mountain range. They also took some cheerful selfies alongside a lake, as well as on wooden walkways along the route. Stunning: The family posed with stunning vistas in the background including a vast mountain range The new mother was delighted to share her baby daughter's first hiking trip to the mountains. Bindi wrote in her caption: 'I'm tremendously grateful that we were able to share the wild beauty of Tasmania with Grace. 'She had the best time hiking with us and exploring Cradle Mountain National Park.' She added: 'Thank you @cradlemountainlodge for making our stay extra special.' Moments: Grandmother Terri bonded with little Grace during a hike Bindi and Chandler welcomed their daughter on March 25, which coincidentally was their one-year wedding anniversary. Grace's middle name Warrior is a tribute to her late grandfather Steve Irwin, who coined the term 'Wildlife Warrior' to promote wildlife conservation. The couple announced they were expecting their first child together in August last year. Back to the Outback has been touted as 'a love letter to Australia' after the animated film was announced last year. And a trailer for the family flick was released on Tuesday, promising a movie filled with adventure and plenty of heart. Isla Fisher voices Maddie, a poisonous snake who leads a group of Australia's deadliest creatures on a daring escape from their zoo - where humans gawk at their scales and fangs - and back to the outback. Family fun: Netflix has released the trailer for animated film Back to the Outback, starring Aussie actors Isla Fisher (pictured), Guy Pearce and Eric Bana She leads an all-star cast including Miranda Tapsell, who plays Zoe the thorny devil lizard; Guy Pearce, who voices Frank the hairy spider; and Angus Imrie, who plays Nigel the scorpion. Joining them on their great escape is their nemesis, Pretty Boy the Koala, voiced by comedian Tim Minchin, who the zoo's biggest attraction. But the rag-tag group's journey out of Sydney to the outback is not without pursuit. Role: Isla Fisher voices Maddie, a snake who leads a group of deadly creatures on a daring escape from their zoo - where humans gawk at their scales and fangs - and back to the outback Aussie cast: She leads an all-star cast including Miranda Tapsell (right), who plays Zoe the thorny devil lizard, and Guy Pearce (left), who voices Frank the hairy spider Hot on their tails to get them back into their enclosures is Crocodile Dundee-esque zookeeper Chaz, played by Eric Bana, and his mini-me partner Ben, voiced by child star Diesel La Torraca. The film will also feature the voices of Keith Urban, Celeste Barber and Jacki Weaver. Tim Minchin spoke to The Daily Telegraph about how the film challenges stereotypes about Australia's native fauna. Adventure: The rag-tag group's journey out of Sydney to the outback is not without pursuit Chase: Hot on their tails to get them back into the zoo is Crocodile Dundee-esque zookeeper Chaz, played by Eric Bana, and his mini-me partner Ben, voiced by child star Diesel La Torraca He said: 'I find it irritating that Australia is known as a country where you get killed, because obviously the vast majority of Australians have never seen a snake in their life outside of the zoo or [been] bitten by a spider. 'What Harry [Cripps] and Claire [Knight, the directors] are doing so beautifully is they're mucking around with those tropes and using them to bring out what we see as ugly and what we see as beautiful,' he added. Back to the Outback will be released in selected cinemas and available to stream on Netflix from December 10 Ben Fordham has officially established himself as Sydney's number one radio host. Fordham and 2GB came close to recording an all-time best result for the Sydney breakfast radio market in the latest survey, which also saw KIIS 106.5's The Kyle and Jackie O Show still leading the FM airwaves. 2GB registered a 19.8 per cent audience share - a one-point jump from the previous survey and a result Fordham was more than thrilled by. Top of the leaderboard: Ben Fordham has cemented 2GB's position as Sydney's number one radio station, while Kyle and Jackie O topped the FM charts in the latest radio survey 'We love doing what we do and we love knowing that people are listening. Its a top result for 2GB and all of our presenters and producers,' he told The Daily Telegraph. 'We spend a lot of time advocating on behalf of our listeners and we appreciate their loyalty,' he added. It comes as more listeners tune into AM over FM due to rolling news coverage and analysis of the Covid-19 pandemic, lockdowns, restrictions and travel bans. 'Its a top result': 2GB registered a 19.8 per cent listener share - a one point jump from the previous survey and a result Fordham was more than thrilled by 2GB's 19.8 per cent share has been the best result for the talkback station in more than a decade. It is just behind the previous 20.3 per cent record held by Alan Jones in 2010. AM rival ABC Sydney came in a distant second place with a 15.9 per cent share. ABC Sydney recently announced the departure of long-serving hosts Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck. Second place: AM rival ABC Sydney came in a distant second place with a 15.9 per cent share. ABC Sydney recently announced the departure of hosts Wendy Harmer and Robbie Buck KIIS 106.5's Kyle and Jackie O continued its lead in the FM market. The duo saw a slight dip in their latest ratings, down 0.1 per cent to 10.7. Kyle and Jackie O famously beat Fordham in the ratings in July, achieving both a historic win over 2GB and their best result in 21 years. The eighth and final radio ratings survey of 2021 will be published on December 14. Russian bombshell Irina Shayk donned the latest Burberry accessories to visit a clinic and two different spas in Manhattan on Monday. The 35-year-old Lions Model toted a $1,950 Burberry 'Quilted Lambskin Lola Bucket' bag with yet-to-be released chained sunglasses from the British brand. The stylish outing comes after her ex Kanye West - who she was thought to be dating over the summer - revealed his new romance with girlfriend Vinetria, 22. Russian bombshell Irina Shayk donned the latest Burberry accessories to visit a clinic and two different spas in Manhattan on Monday Shayk joked her 'Monday work out' was a 30-minute, body-shaping Emsculpt Neo session with Dr. Arash Akhavan at the Dermatology and Laser Group in Midtown. Shayk - who who boasts 24.7M social media followers - then shared snap from IMD Beauty Spa, where she got a magnesium thermal wrapped infrared sauna session on her thighs. The Isabel Marant catwalker ended her day of pampering with a two-hour facial at the Nolita day spa Daphne where skincare products like MBR 'The Best Face' cream costs $1,595 per tube. Muse: The 35-year-old Lions Model toted a $1,950 Burberry 'Quilted Lambskin Lola Bucket' bag with yet-to-be released chained sunglasses from the British brand New love: The outing comes after her former flame Kanye West - who she was thought to be dating over the summer - revealed his new romance with girlfriend Vinetria, 22 (pictured) Memberships at Daphne cost between $1K and $10K and their six-month 'Haute Couture' program costs an eye-popping $16K. Irina has been a regular of esthetician Yulia 'Julie' Gerchik at Daphne as far back as January 23. Kanye has reportedly been romancing model Vinetria 'for a while now' before they went public over the weekend. According to Page Six, the rapper has been 'hooking up' with the model but no timeline was given of when their relationship officially started. West and Vinetria took the romance public this weekend as they attended his Donda Academy's debut basketball game in Minneapolis, where they were sitting together photographed courtside. Money can buy anything! Irina joked that her 'Monday work out' was a 30-minute, body-shaping Emsculpt Neo session with Dr. Arash Akhavan at the Dermatology and Laser Group 'My fav wrap!' Shayk then Instastoried a snap from IMD Beauty Spa where she got a magnesium thermal wrapped infrared sauna session on her thighs 'And two hours later...': The Isabel Marant catwalker ended her day of pampering with a facial at the Nolita day spa Daphne where skincare products like MBR 'The Best Face' cream costs $1,595 per tube The move comes just a week after Kanye stunned fans by voicing hopes of a reconciliation with estranged wife Kim Kardashian and denying he was divorced from the star, who is said to be dating SNL star Pete Davidson. On Thursday November 4, the Donda rapper opened up about his situation with Kim where he repeatedly referred to her as 'my wife' (in the present tense) during an appearance on Drink Champs. '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 seen the papers; we're not even divorced. That ain't no joke to me. My kids want their parents to stay together. I want ... us to be together.' One week on, Kanye and Vinetria looked very much like a couple as they sat side by side at his Donda basketball game in Minnesota on Saturday evening. Before dating Vinetria, Kanye was most recently linked to Shayk following his high profile split from wife Kim Kardashian. He was linked to Shayk beginning in March just one month after Kardashian filed for divorce after seven years of marriage. Their romance lasted until August, with a PEOPLE source saying that 'it was never a serious thing that took off,' and that West did not have bandwidth to be dating. 'Such a pleasure pampering you today!' Irina has been a regular of esthetician Yulia 'Julie' Gerchik at Daphne as far back as January 23 Shayk (born Shaykhlislamova) just returned from Los Angeles where she celebrated Halloween in Brentwood with her ex-fiancee Bradley Cooper and their four-year-old daughter Lea De Seine. The Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 3 and the 46-year-old Oscar nominee stunner share 50/50 joint legal and physical custody of Lea after amicably ending their four-year relationship in 2019. '[Bradley] is a full-on, hands-on dad - no nanny. Lea went on holiday with him for almost two weeks - I didn't call them once,' Irina told Highsnobiety in September. Wild life: Shayk just returned from Los Angeles where she celebrated Halloween in Brentwood with her ex-fiancee Bradley Cooper (R) and their four-year-old daughter Lea De Seine Amicable exes: The Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 3 and the 46-year-old Oscar nominee stunner (R, pictured in 2019) share 50/50 joint legal and physical custody of Lea after ending their four-year relationship in 2019 'Me and her father are very strict. When she finishes eating, she gets up from the table, takes her plate, says "thank you." Without "please" or "thank you" she's not getting anything. It's hard, because she has so many toys. 'I had one doll, and I still have this doll. Blonde, blue eyes, big Russian doll. My grandma used to make clothes for her. And I always explain, "Look, this is my doll. I had only one." Or sometimes, "You have this candy. I used to have candy only for Christmas."' Career-wise, Shayk currently fronts the Burberry 'Open Spaces' campaign designed by Riccardo Tisci and shot by Danko Steiner. Former Bachelorette Elly Miles has been accused of a social media gaffe after she advertised an alcoholic drink with her 200,000 Instagram followers. The 26-year-old recently shared a sponsored post for Captain Morgan rum but was accused of only pretending to sip from the pre-mix can. Elly's video was reposted by snark account Celeb Spellcheck, alongside the caption: 'Fake sip and I'll advertise it here @captainmorgan you're welcome.' 'There's a new actor in town!' Former Bachelorette Elly Miles has been accused of a social media gaffe after she advertised an alcoholic drink with her 200,000 Instagram followers 'I genuinely don't understand. Probably got paid more than my monthly salary to sip a drink and couldn't even do it,' one fan commented Another wrote: 'Surely she could've tried harder than that.' 'Why fake drink? This makes no sense. If someone is giving me free drinks I'm downing them,' a third added. One of Celeb Spellcheck's followers asked: 'If it's so bad, wouldn't you replace it with water, so it actually looks legit?' Post: The 26-year-old recently shared a sponsored post for Captain Morgan rum but was accused of only pretending to sip from the pre-mix can 'Honestly, influencers should be fined for fake advertising. Companies do, so influencers shouldn't be let off so easy,' another wrote. 'Somebody call Home and Away - there's a new actor in town!' one said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Elly Miles for comment. Hmm! In the video, Elly held the can towards the camera and said: 'It's that time of day... beverage o'clock.' She then appeared to take a sip from the can before giggling, but it seems she was just sucking air rather than consuming the drink In the video, Elly held the can towards the camera and said: 'It's that time of day... beverage o'clock.' She then appeared to take a sip from the can before giggling, but it seems she was just sucking air rather than consuming the drink. 'I'm having my favourite drink at the moment. The Captain Morgan's tropical in a can,' she added. She's made quite the impression on Instagram, racking up 38.5 million followers since joining the app in 2019. And like many celebrities with a massive platform, Jennifer Aniston uses social media as a way to sell a variety of products to her fans. However, the Friends actress, 52, was called out by the popular Celeb Spellcheck account on Tuesday for an apparent 'influencer fail'. Spot the mistake? Jennifer Aniston (left) was called out by the popular Celeb Spellcheck Instagram account on Tuesday for an apparent 'influencer fail' The Cake actress took to Instagram to promote a Vital Proteins product called 'collagen creamer'. The video showed someone with red nails making a cup of coffee to the tune of Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham! But when the video cut back to Jennifer drinking the coffee, her fingernails were a different colour. Morning ritual: The video showed someone with red nails making a cup of coffee to the tune of Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham! Continuity issues: However, when the video cut back to Jennifer drinking the coffee, her fingernails were a different colour Celeb Spellcheck captioned its post: 'Sleep paralysis but it's A-list movie stars advertising collagen powders on Instagram and not even using their own hands to make the coffee. 'RIP pop culture. Celebrities are so f**king boring these days.' Fan weighed in with their own opinions, with one commenting: 'OMG the naillsss! Its so obvious!' On blast: Celeb Spellcheck captioned its post: 'Sleep paralysis but it's A-list stars advertising collagen powders on Instagram and not even using their own hands to make the coffee' 'Clearly her account has been hacked right?' asked another. However, some suggested Jennifer had likely shot the video over multiple days and forgotten to match her nail polish between shots. One fan pointed out that the unseen woman's wrist tattoo bore a striking resemblance to one sported by The Morning Show star. Several users wondered why a Hollywood A-lister would need to flog coffee creamer on Instagram, with one commenting: 'She's down to her last $300M.' Wealthy: Several fans wondered why a Hollywood A-lister would need to flog coffee creamer on Instagram, with one commenting: 'She's down to her last $300M'. Pictured with Reese Witherspoon on The Morning Show Another criticised her coffee-making ability, writing: 'Oh, the foam and the pouring technique of a footy club canteen lady.... That's too much!' Jennifer officially partnered with Vital Proteins in 2020, and was named by the company as its Chief Creative Officer. She was ranked fifth in Forbes' list of highest paid actresses in 2019, with earnings of $28million. She has an estimated net worth of about $300million as of this year. She rose to fame as a social media star and glamor model. And Demi Rose, 26, showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a slew of sizzling snaps shared with her 18.5 million Instagram followers on Monday. The model posed in front of a stunning sunset above the clouds and flaunted her perky derriere in a sheer night dress. Wow! Demi Rose , 26, showcased her jaw-dropping figure in a slew of sizzling snaps shared with her 18.5 million Instagram followers on Monday Demi wowed in a pink lingerie set as she made a love heart symbol with her hands above her head. Her brunette locks were styled in a chic bun while the stunner posed for the sizzling snaps. She captioned the breathtaking post: 'A touch of Heaven.' It comes after the beauty looked sensational in a red leather top which she paired with matching gloves last week. Pose: The stunner rose to fame as a social media star and glamor model Gorgeous: The model posed in front of a stunning sunset view above the clouds and flaunted her perky derriere in a sheer night dress She completed her ensemble with black leggings and a red leather Chanel handbag. The star- who appeared to be in a bar in San Diego- captioned the post: 'Jazz night.' Her brunette locks were slicked back into a chic neat ponytail and her neutral makeup enhanced her pretty features. It comes after Demi wore a figure-hugging red satin dress last week to The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Work it: Demi wowed once again in snaps shared to her Instagram page last week Stunning: The beauty looked sensational in a red leather top which she paired with matching gloves Designer: She completed her ensemble with black leggings and a red leather Chanel handbag Jazz: The star- who appeared to be in a bar in San Diego- captioned the post: 'Jazz night' The internet personality's curled brunette hair tumbled down onto her shoulders and back, with her dress leaving some skin on show between its straps. Demi teetered on a pair of high-heeled shoes as she walked and held a rose-shaped bag packed full of belongings in her hand. She could be seen glancing over hers shoulder as she walked up the steps while she wore lashings of make-up to highlight her pretty features. Showstopper: It comes after Demi wore a figure-hugging red satin dress last week to The Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles , California In style: Demi teetered on a pair of high-heeled shoes as she walked and held a rose-shaped bag packed full of belongings in her hand The star captioned her post: 'Miss Rose,' along with red rose emoji. Last week, Demi playfully placed her hands over her assets, wowing her millions of followers in the two-piece which included sheer, fishnet inspired detailing. The star's makeup was generously yet effortlessly applied and she also flashed a peek of her svelte waist. Sensational: Demi put on a daring display last week as she paraded her hourglass figure in a busty ensemble Her hair was coiffed into a trendy bun on top of her head but she opted for two waved segments around her face. Demi is a social media sensation with over 18 million fans on Instagram, and teases her OnlyFans page where she has ditched her profile's subscription fee for a limited period. OnlyFans is an online platform, known for its X-rated content, that allows a public figure to charge fans a fee to their profile, where they often share pictures and videos deemed too provocative for other social media sites. Pout: The model playfully placed her hands over her assets, wowing her 18.3million followers in the two-piece Demi previously charged fans for access to her content - with costs ranging from $22.22 (16) a month or $119.99 (around 86) for six months. She's not the only famous face who uses the platform, with celebrities including Bella Thorne, Cardi B and Danniella Westbrook signing up to the service. The Birmingham-born star has been modelling for eight years and credits her career for being a 'blessing' after being subjected to bullying when she was younger. Speaking to Radio 1 Newsbeat, Demi previously revealed: 'I always wanted to get into modelling and when I eventually got there I classed it as a blessing because I grew up being bullied and didn't have many friends at all.' Victoria Beckham revealed her rarely-heard singing voice as she returned to the microphone in a hilarious Instagram post on Monday. The former Spice Girl, 47, put a hilarious spin on The Beatles' 1963 chart-topper Twist & Shout while plugging her latest lipstick range. 'Twist and pout, twist and pout,' she can be heard belting out alongside her hairdresser Ken Paves, who uploaded the amusing clip. Wow! Victoria Beckham revealed her rarely-heard singing voice as she returned to the microphone in a hilarious Instagram post on Monday Looking ever-sensational in a little black dress, she waved an item from her beauty range in the air before saying: 'Oh my god!' Ken wrote in his caption: 'At least one of us can sing on this beauty duo @victoriabeckham and it aint me. Twist and Pout @victoriabeckhambeauty. The Wannabe hitmakers - consisting of Emma Bunton, Mel B, Melanie C and Geri Halliwell - famously toured the UK as a four-piece in 2019, after Victoria decided not to partake, and raked in a cool 4million between them. Talented: The former Spice Girl, 47, put a hilarious spin on The Beatles' 1963 chart-topper Twist & Shout while plugging her latest lipstick range Glam: Looking ever-sensational in a little black dress, she waved an item from her beauty range in the air before saying: 'Oh my god!' Funny: Ken wrote in his caption: 'At least one of us can sing on this beauty duo @victoriabeckham and it aint me. Twist and Pout @victoriabeckhambeauty' Posh Spice was the only member of the band not to take part. She told Vogue Germany at the time: 'It took me a lot of courage not to go on tour with the Spice Girls again, but to be the one who says, "You know, I'm not doing it because things feel different now than they used to." 'I'd rather concentrate on my family and my company.' Reunion: The Wannabe hitmakers famously toured the UK as a four-piece in 2019, after Victoria decided not to partake, and raked in a cool 4million between them (L-R, Mel B, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell and Melanie C pictured in 2019) The fashion designer also reportedly turned down the recent opportunity to 'record pieces in front of the camera' for an online game alongside her former band members. The girls met for the first time in a year but Victoria was said to have 'no interest' in the project. The remaining four members headed to Black Island Studios in London while Victoria remained in America with her daughter Harper. No thanks: 'It took me a lot of courage not to go on tour with the Spice Girls again,' she said (pictured in 1997) A source told The Sun: 'The Spice Girls are exploring a whole manner of new projects but this one was really exciting to them their very own Spice game. They continued: 'The hope is that it won't be too long before they get to show it to the fans because it's something they've had in the pipeline for a while. 'It is one of several things they are working on, including an animated film, and they hope it will help celebrate the Spice Girls' legacy.' More than 40 years after leading over 900 of his cult leaders to their deaths via suicide, Jim Jones' story is heading to the big screen, with Leonardo DiCaprio. The 46-year-old actor has signed on to star in and produce Jim Jones, a self-titled biopic centering on Jones' life, according to Deadline. The actor-producer will produce through his Appian Way production company, alongside Jennifer Davisson. Leo: More than 40 years after leading over 900 of his cult leaders to their deaths via suicide, Jim Jones' story is heading to the big screen, with Leonardo DiCaprio Biopic: The 46-year-old actor has signed on to star in and produce Jim Jones, a self-titled biopic centering on Jones' life, according to Deadline MGM picked up the project which has a script by Scott Rosenberg (Venom, Jumanji: The Next Level), in a seven-figure deal for the writer, who will also executive produce. Jones was the founder of the People's Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1955, where he promoted Christian Socialism. He joined forces with the Disciples of Christs in 1964, and a year later moved his group to California, ultimately settling in San Francisco. Founder: Jones was the founder of the People's Temple in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1955, where he promoted Christian Socialism By the 1970s, he started rejecting Christianity, even being so bold to claim that he was God himself. He also started building his Jonestown settlement in Guyana in 1974, and ultimately started convincing his followers to come and live there with him, since it was free from the 'oppression' of the United States government. By 1978, reports started surfacing about human rights violations within the compound, which lead the government to send a delegation to investigate. God: By the 1970s, he started rejecting Christianity, even being so bold to claim that he was God himself The delegation was lead by U.S. Representative Leo Ryan in November 1978, which ended in bloodshed, with Ryan and four other Jonestown defectors gunned down by Jones' followers, while they were boarding an outgoing flight home. That same day, on November 18, 1978, Jones then orchestrated a mass suicide of his followers, which took the lives of 918 followers - 304 of them children - by drinking Flavor Aid spiked with cyanide. The mass suicide was the largest loss of American lives in history - before the 9/11 terrorist attack - with a 45-minute audio recording of the mass suicide recovered from the scene. Mass suicide: The mass suicide was the largest loss of American lives in history - before the 9/11 terrorist attack - with a 45-minute audio recording of the mass suicide recovered from the scene Jones was also found dead at Jonestown on the stage in the central pavilion, of a gunshot wound consistent of suicide. DiCaprio will next be seen in director Adam McKay's Don't Look Up with Jennifer Lawrence, debuting in theaters and on Netflix in December. He also has Killers of the Flower Moon in post-production, slated for release in 2022, along with The Black Hand and Roosevelt. Coming soon: DiCaprio will next be seen in director Adam McKay's Don't Look Up with Jennifer Lawrence, debuting in theaters and on Netflix in December Two years after his teenage daughter died in a quad bike accident, her loss is as raw as ever for Ben Goldsmith. Now, however, the financier is determined to create a positive legacy from the tragedy by launching a new 'Nobel prize for nature' in Iris Goldsmith's memory. The son of late billionaire tycoon Sir James Goldsmith tells me he's setting up the Iris Project to 'identify and empower the most impressive teenagers we can find who are doing great things to protect and restore nature where they live'. The winning youngsters will be given cash grants to support their eco-ventures, and the scheme will launch next year. He adds: 'The Iris Project will seek to build over time a global community of empowered, effective teenage environmentalists.' Two years after his teenage daughter Iris died in a quad bike accident, her loss is as raw as ever for Ben Goldsmith. Pictured: Iris with her father Ben Goldsmith Iris, 15, was a nature lover who had a particular interest in cleaning up plastic pollution from beaches Iris, 15, was a nature lover who had a particular interest in cleaning up plastic pollution from beaches. Her father, 41, is also writing a 'nature manifesto' in her memory, with guidance from Isabel Oakeshott, who co-authored the infamous David Cameron biography with Lord Ashcroft. 'I've written a book about the most vulnerable time in my life,' he tells me. 'The only person who's seen it so far is Isabel Oakeshott, who I've got to read it through and help with her insights.' Of the book, he says: 'I've gone quite deep into what I think about death, but it ends on the thought about how there's a greater magic to nature than we can see with our senses. 'That's as close as I get to religion. It's about loss and a year of magical thinking.' Iris who was one of three children from Ben's first marriage to banking heiress Kate Rothschild was riding around the family's farm in Somerset when her all-terrain buggy overturned. Her friend immediately raised the alarm but she couldn't be saved. Getty bride Ivy proves a glass act Most brides shine on their wedding day, but heiress Ivy Getty was especially luminous. The great-granddaughter of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty married photographer Toby Engel at the weekend in a four-layered 'cracked mirror' dress designed by John Galliano. Most brides shine on their wedding day, but heiress Ivy Getty was especially luminous. The great-granddaughter of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty married photographer Toby Engel at the weekend in a four-layered 'cracked mirror' dress designed by John Galliano For her rehearsal dinner Ivy Getty wore an equally eye-catching dress with a butterfly theme (pictured) 'My grandmother [Ann] always wore Galliano,' explains artist Ivy, 26, daughter of the late John Gilbert Getty and jewellery designer Alyssa Boothby. 'I knew I wanted him to create the dress for my wedding.' She exchanged vows with Toby, 29, son of former Coronation Street actress Cheryl Prime and businessman Peter Engel, at San Francisco City Hall. For her rehearsal dinner she wore an equally eye-catching dress with a butterfly theme. Raymond Blanc has won two Michelin stars for his celebrated restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons where the seven-course dinner menu costs 194 per head but the haute cuisine left the Queen's bridesmaid, Lady Pamela Hicks, hungry. 'Dinner was sensational,' says Lady Pamela's daughter, India Hicks. 'My mother was not so convinced. 'Is there any bread?' she asked.' Now diver Daley hopes to make a splash in LA Olympic hero Tom Daley is taking the plunge into Hollywood. I hear the gold medal-winning diver has signed up with Tinseltown's biggest agency, CAA. Daley, 27, already had a profile in Los Angeles through his husband, the Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. Tom Daley, 27, already had a profile in Los Angeles through his husband, the Oscar-winning Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black 'Tom is a natural for TV,' an LA industry source says. 'Not only does he have a very great natural gentle manner, but his look and British accent give him a competitive edge in Hollywood.' Daley was a mentor on ITV's diving competition series Splash!. He recently insisted retirement was not in his mindset: 'I always said that I'll keep going until my body gives up or until I get the gold medal. And I've got the gold medal. 'But my body's getting better. So there are lots of decisions to be made in the next year or so.' Why you won't see Sienna in a skimpy number... Don't expect to see Sienna Miller in the type of dresses worn by actress and model Emily Ratajkowski. 'I've never been someone that likes to be overtly sexy,' claims Sienna, 39, who's known for her 'boho chic' style. 'I don't think I would wear a wrap dress that has bits cut out of it and was all made of Lycra.' She adds, loftily: 'I don't feel the need to be on display that way that's not interesting to me.' 'I've never been someone that likes to be overtly sexy,' claims Sienna Miller, 39, who's known for her 'boho chic' style. 'I don't think I would wear a wrap dress that has bits cut out of it and was all made of Lycra' Don't expect to see Sienna Miller in the type of dresses worn by actress and model Emily Ratajkowski (pictured) Born Free McKenna blasts off at billionaire Jeff Bezos For Born Free star Virginia McKenna, Netflix just isn't green enough. So the celebrated actress and wildlife campaigner is launching a rival streaming service, Ecoflix, aimed at getting young people excited about nature. 'I hope it becomes a rival to Netflix,' she tells me, adding: 'We are excited by what it sets out to achieve, that it moves young people to become activists.' Today, the actress, whose husbands were the late actors Denholm Elliott and Bill Travers, will release Free Billy, a documentary about an elephant at LA zoo, on the site. Though she is making a foray into tech, she is unimpressed by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos: 'How can people spend all that money on self-gratification by going to space on something that is amazing but not necessary to us all? The planet will curl up and die at this rate before we find another one to destroy.' Her husband Chris Hemsworth was spotted enjoying a fancy dinner with his brothers Liam and Luke and parents in Los Angeles over the weekend. But Elsa Pataky looked anything but festive as she emerged in Byron Bay with the couple's children on Friday. Going barefoot as usual, the 45-year-old appeared somewhat downcast as she took her twin sons, Tristan and Sasha, seven, for a trip to the local park. Missing someone? Elsa Pataky, 45, (pictured) looked somewhat downcast as she took her children to the park in Byron Bay on Friday - after her husband Chris Hemsworth jetted to Los Angeles Elsa failed to crack a smile as she wandered around the playground with her phone and a bag of take-away Mexican food in one hand. The Tidelands star dressed down for the occasion, sporting a loose-fitting navy T-shirt, paisley-print mini skirt and oversized square sunglasses. Her look was completed with delicate gold necklaces, matching bangles and a statement cocktail ring. A tale of two cities: Elsa (left) failed to crack a smile as she wandered around the playground with her phone and a bag of take-away Mexican food in one hand. Her husband Chris (right) meanwhile enjoyed a dinner with his brothers and parents in Los Angeles over the weekend Casual: The Tidelands star dressed down for the occasion, sporting a loose-fitting navy T-shirt, paisley-print mini skirt and oversized square sunglasses Bohemian style: Her look was completed with delicate gold necklaces, matching bangles and a statement cocktail ring Elsa appeared to go makeup free for the low-key outing and allowed her wavy locks to cascade loosely by her shoulders. At one stage, the Spanish-born stunner was seen sitting next to one of her sons on a log bench next to the playground. In homage to his superhero actor father, the long-haired child wore an adorable T-shirt emblazoned with a cartoon depicting Thor. All natural: Elsa appeared to go makeup free for the low-key outing and allowed her wavy locks to cascade loosely by her shoulders Mummy and me! At one stage, the Spanish-born stunner was seen sitting next to one of her sons on a log bench next to the playground Sons of Thor! In homage to his superhero actor father, the long-haired child wore an adorable T-shirt emblazoned with a cartoon depicting Thor The sighting came after Chris flew from Australia to Los Angeles without his wife and children to continue working on his new Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder. On Sunday, Chris and his brothers Liam and Luke made a rare public appearance together as they stepped out for dinner with their father Craig and Liam's girlfriend Gabriella Brooks. Chris and his family were all smiles as they left the Via Veneto restaurant in Santa Monica. Chris and Elsa met in early 2010 and married in December that year. The family of five spend most of their time living in Byron Bay, on the NSW North Coast, in a mega-mansion estimated to be worth $30million, after relocating from Los Angeles in 2014. High-flying lifestyle: The sighting came after Chris flew from Australia to Los Angeles without his wife and children to continue working on his new Marvel film Thor: Love and Thunder Television supremo Michael McKay believes Australia should be striving towards more drama co-productions with Asia. The veteran producer has an extensive history in the industry, working on shows like The Amazing Race, Carols in the Domain, Good Friday Appeal and Ultimate Fighter. McKay lives in Singapore and is well aware of the stellar productions being filmed in Asia after he established the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2018. International growth: Television supremo Michael McKay believes Australia should be striving towards more drama co-productions with Asia 'I think Australia needs to look at doing more co-productions, which means immersing themselves more, not necessarily just the US or the UK,' he told TV Tonight. McKay says some of the most well-received shows and films from the Asian market have come out of South Korea alone. 'The stuff coming out of South Korea is interesting. There's been a lot of rom-coms and things like Crash Landing on You was an award winner last year.' TV and film hotspot: McKay lives in Singapore and is well aware of the stellar productions being filmed in Asia after he established the Asian Academy Creative Awards in 2018 The producer says Korean productions tend to add levity to serious dramas, which strikes a chord with audiences. 'Most of the Korean dramas have comedy in them. They are a little bit softer and that seems to have gone well around the world. It's worth thinking about. You don't have to be always so heavy,' he explained. McKay listed Move to Heaven and Sweet Home as two examples of Korean dramas that have garnered nominations and praise at the Asian Academy Creative Awards. One of the South Korea's most famous productions, Squid Game, recently became Netflix's most-watched series of all time. High praise: McKay says some of the most well-received shows and films from the Asian market have come out of South Korea alone McKay will be returning to Australia soon for Carols in the Domain, which is headed by his production company activeTV. Before his return, however, he will be overseeing the Asian Academy Creative Awards in Singapore from November 29 to December 3. 'The Asian Academy Creative Awards is in its fourth year. The industry's embraced it for a lot of reasons, especially up here because it's a serious award,' he said. 'We run it as an academy not just the awards, but training for the next generation.' Filming continues on the highly-anticipated Paramount Plus mini-series The Offer, with stars Miles Teller and Juno Temple spotted on set. Teller, 34, and Temple, 32, were spotted in their 1970s costumes on the Los Angeles set of the upcoming mini-series. The actor portrays producer Albert S. Ruddy, with the show based on his experiences in putting the 1972 classic The Godfather together. On set: Filming continues on the highly-anticipated Paramount Plus mini-series The Offer, with stars Miles Teller and Juno Temple spotted on set Teller was spotted wearing a dark grey dress shirt with the collar folded over the shoulders of his black suit coat. He was seen removing his black face mask to take a sip from his coffee as he walked through the set on Monday. The actor completed hiss look with a black belt and gold buckle, grey pants and black shoes as he walked through the set. Miles' look: Teller was spotted wearing a dark grey dress shirt with the collar folded over the shoulders of his black suit coat Temple was also spotted on the set with a black blouse and a black and grey flannel skirt for her look on the set. Her blonde hair covered her forehead and fell past her shoulders as she also wore gold hoop earrings with a gold necklace seen peeking out from her blouse. She was carrying a white bowl and black knee-high boots while walking through the set in black fuzzy slippers. Juno's look: Temple was also spotted on the set with a black blouse and a black and grey flannel skirt for her look on the set The Offer will give fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the making of The Godfather, considered by many to be among the greatest films of all time. Temple plays Bettye McCart, Ruddy's assistant who would go on to be a longtime talent agent and manager for stars such as Tom Selleck, Maureen O'Hara and George Clooney, to name a few. The cast also includes Matthew Goode as The Godfather producer Robert Evans, Giovanni Ribisi as real-life mobster Joe Colombo, Dan Fogler as The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppolla and Patrick Gallo as The Godfather author Mario Puzo. Glimpse: The Offer will give fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the making of The Godfather, considered by many to be among the greatest films of all time Teller signed on to replace controversial Armie Hammer as Ruddy in May, but he became the subject of controversy himself. Teller reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 in early September, which caused production to shut down, according to a DailyMail.com exclusive report. Sources claimed that Teller was not vaccinated and refused to get a vaccine or even a COVID-19 test, though his publicist denied the report, stating, 'Your facts are incorrect,' though declined to elaborate further. Katie Holmes looked nice and warm despite the bitter cold on the set of Rare Objects. The actress, 42, wore jean jacket with a matching pair of blue jeans and an orange beanie on the set. She also donned a dark blue face covering and a brown purse slung over her shoulder. All bundled up: Katie Holmes looked nice and warm despite the bitter cold on the set of Rare Objects Concentration: She looked in the zone as she stood behind the camera Holmes' hair, though covered by the beanie, still fell to the top of her shoulders. As she stood off to the side, she was surrounded by a number of flags including ones from the United States, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. It was daytime as she plugged away on the feature, which is coming to fruition via her production company Lafayette Pictures. Holmes has put a lot of effort into Rare Objects including adapting the novel for the screen, directing the project and starring in the film. The book follows Maeve, who wants to be more than just the child of Irish immigrants something made more difficult by the Great Depression. However, despite her attempts Maeve cannot keep herself away from the fast men and easy alcohol that ends up landing her in a mental asylum. It's there that she meets Diana, a young woman with an equally large hunger for freedoms not usually allowed women of the era. Lots of denim: The actress, 42, wore a jean jacket, matching pants and an orange beanie Cosy: She opted for a casual but practical look for the chilly day On Friday night, Katie made a rare appearance on Instagram as she showed her 2.3 million followers a look at her work. In two images posted via Instagram Stories the mom-of-one shared a behind-the-scenes perspective from the set. Taking a break: Holmes stood and chatted with members of the crew in between takes Sneak peek: A festive scene was being shot and the next outtake showed a cameraman operating film equipment in the middle of the take Happy! She was all smiles on set as she sipped a drink 'It's a party,' she wrote over the first snapshot and tagged stylist Brie Welch and creative producer Jesse Korman. Rare Objects isn't the only film she's been working on either. She's also been busy with a number of projects recently including an untitled project currently in post-production and set to come out next year. The untitled film will center around two strangers who meet at an Air BnB while their relationships are not going well. Many different roles: Holmes has many different jobs on Rare Objects including adapting the book for the screen, directing the picture and starring in the film Precautions: She wore a face mask Warm: She wore a bright orange beanie 'It's a party': On Friday night Katie made a rare appearance on Instagram as she showed her 2.3 million followers a look at her work The Logan Lucky actress has been focusing much more on her professional life than her personal life over the past few months. An insider told E! that the star has been focusing on herself rather than her dating life. 'It's not something she's spending a ton of time working on,' the source told the publication. Holmes broke up with her boyfriend Emilio Vitolo Jr. in May. She previously dated Jamie Foxx from 2013 to 2019 and was married to Tom Cruise from 2006 to 2012. They share their 15-year-old daughter Suri. Busy: She happily chatted away to the crew Will Smith's new YouTube series Best Shape of My Life is full of laughable, uplifting, and vulnerable moments. But perhaps the most remarkable piece of Monday's two premiere episodes was his climb to the top of the highest building in the world, Dubai's Burj Khalifa. The structure stands at 2,722ft and is 160 floors. In episode two, My Secret Shame, the 53-year-old made it his mission to reach the peak after a disappointing start to his weight loss and book-writing journey. Fearless: The most remarkable piece of the first two episodes of Will Smith's new YouTube show Best Shape of My Life was his climb to the top of the highest building in the world Success! When he was fully out of the edifice he stretched out both his arms and took it the view with a big smile on his face The episode kicked off with the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum reading a chapter of his forthcoming autobiography in which he recalls his childhood with his militant father Willard Carroll Smith, Sr. 'My father was my hero,' he began when describing his parent. 'He demanded rigid perfection from himself and the people around him.' Will revealed in the written work, 'I grew up with the double-edged gift of discipline.' He relayed an anecdote about the time he was 11-years-old and his father enlisted him and his brother to construct a new wall at the front of his shop. 'He thought it would be a good project for my brother Harry and me,' Will explained. 'There were so many times I remember looking at that hole totally discouraged.' Record-breaking: Dubai's Burj Khalifa stands at 2,722ft and is 160 floors But his dad, who he called Daddy-O, kept him on his brother on a path forward, telling them: 'Stop thinking about the damn wall. Your job is to lay this brick perfectly then move on to the next brick.' After nearly a year the brothers were proud to have completed the challenging task, and they learned perseverance. Now, as the ambitions the comedian set for himself as a middle-aged adult seemed daunting, he thought back to the lesson he learned as a child. Following two weeks of working with a trainer and very slowly dropping pounds, Will professed, 'I've never looked this bad. I'ma fix it though.' Determined: In episode two, My Secret Shame, the 53-year-old made it his mission to reach the peak The performer's remedy was to fly to Dubai, twelve hours away from his home in Los Angeles. 'Dubai fits my personality. It just speaks to how I see the world, how I see life,' he noted. 'If you're gonna build a building, are you really not gonna try to build the Burj Khalifa?' And he laid out his line of thinking: 'I wanna get my body and my mind in the best shape they can be so I can feel good and look good, and be in a headspace that allows me to get this book done.' Admirable: 'Dubai fits my personality. It just speaks to how I see the world, how I see life,' he noted. 'If you're gonna build a building, are you really not gonna try to build the Burj Khalifa?' The star, who's married to Red Table Talk host Jada Pinkett-Smith, walked up the over one hundred floors as his cardio workout on the day he summited the erection. In the footage Will got sweaty and tired as he forged ahead. When he finally got to the 160th floor, he realized there was more he could accomplish. Although he'd gotten to the highest indoor level, he learned he could go even higher, to the very tip of the building. Strapped into a harness and a helmet, the I Am Legend actor climbed a ladder to enter the spire, the 'individual highest point that a human being can be in a man-made structure on Earth.' Drone footage showed the Hollywood hunk emerging triumphantly from the building's cap. When he was fully out of the edifice he stretched out both his arms and took in the view with a big smile on his face. Amazing! Drone footage showed the Hollywood hunk emerging triumphantly from the building's cap Shocker: In May Smith posted a shocking photo to Instagram that went viral. It showed the longtime entertainer in the worst shape of his life In May Smith posted a shocking photo to Instagram that went viral. It showed the longtime entertainer in the worst shape of his life. Will set two goals: to lose 20 pounds and finish writing his autobiography in 20 weeks. It spurred him to create the YouTube series Best Shape of My Life. Biggest he's been! Will Smith set two goals: to lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks and to finish writing his autobiography in 20 years The Pursuit of Happyness star was in poor shape for good reason. His role as Venus and Serena Williams' father in the movie King Richard called for him to pack on pounds. But the intentional weight gain was exasperated by the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. Now he's ready to share the recent ups and downs of his life in as he's worked hard to keep his eye on the prize and get back on a healthy track. Personal goal: His weight loss ambitions spurred him to create the YouTube series Best Shape of My Life The heartfelt series shows intimate real-life scenes as the writer and producer struggles through bad days and laughs through light-hearted moments. Will's children - Trey, 28, whom he shares with ex-wife Sheree Zampino; Jaden, 23; and Willow, 21 - are also included in the show. And a sneak peek of the next episode shows his longtime partner Jada entering the plot. Inside The Care Crisis With Ed Balls Rating: The cost of dying is criminal. For Frank Petch, a former haulage company boss and vintage lorry enthusiast, the price was more than 580,000. At 15,000 a month for one-to-one care in a nursing home, Franks long illness consumed all the proceeds from the sale of his house in less than four years. When Ed Balls met him, filming for Inside The Care Crisis (BBC2) earlier this year, Frank was 90 and could no longer talk or feed himself. Ed Balls, pictured with Phyllis, spent a week working at a Scarborough care home, fumed that the NHS provides free treatment for some fatal illnesses such as cancer but for others in care homes, sufferers are left to pick up the bill themselves His family could also no longer afford one-to-one care for him. Ed, who spent a week working at a Scarborough care home, was both exhausted and frustrated. The NHS, he fumed, provides free treatment for some fatal illnesses such as cancer. With others, in particular the myriad varieties of dementia, sufferers are left to pick up the bill themselves. In many thousands of cases, that wipes out every penny the patient possesses and can still leave them without sufficient medical support a shocking injustice that the Daily Mail has campaigned to overturn. The former Labour secretary of state for families, Ed didnt try to deny his own slice of responsibility for the crisis. The former Labour secretary of state for families, Ed didn't deny his own slice of responsibility for the crisis We promised to fix the care system but we failed, he said. I feel guilty that as a government minister I couldnt do more. He was keen to make sure the residents at St Cecilias knew he was not to blame now. This is Ed, one carer announced in the communal lounge. He used to be a politician. Oh dear, came a quavering voice. Ed is no novice at coping with dementia. His mum has suffered for 15 years, eventually going into full-time care three years ago. For nearly 18 months during the pandemic, Ed was unable to visit her, and their reunion on camera was sweet but pitifully sad. Personal experience, and his ease as a presenter with serious issues as well as light-hearted chit-chat, made him the ideal celebrity to front this show. He was game for sitting in a hoist, getting his teeth brushed by a carer and helping the residents to eat and wash. But he was also unflinching as he coaxed the staff to vent their frustrations. Im just a carer that gets said so much, and I hate it, raged one. Ed Balls with Aaron Padgham (centre) and Mike Padgham (right) at St Cecilia's Nursing Home All too often, private sector carers are valued less than NHS workers. For a few weeks at the height of the Covid catastrophe, when tens of thousands of elderly people were dying in homes that were sealed off from the world, Britain woke up and realised what we owe our carers. Now, were in real danger of forgetting again. Eds first-rate documentary could not be more timely. Embarrassing dad of the night: Gino DAcampo was making his children cringe as they went kayaking, on his Italian Family Adventure (ITV). Your problem is your breastage, he told wife Jessica. I can see your difficulties. Jessica giggled. Oh guys . . . sighed the boys. The Tower Rating: DC Steve Bradshaw and DS Sarah Collins in ITV's The Tower Theres a real danger Ill have forgotten every word of the improbable plot-by-numbers of The Tower (ITV) before tonights second episode. Gemma Whelan plays a detective sergeant, investigating the death of a popular police officer and a teenage refugee who fell from the roof of a tower block. All the coppers colleagues, and her own boss, are deliberately obstructive, which only makes her more determined etc, etc. Its adapted from a novel, and it feels like it the pace is wrong for a TV drama, and almost every scene is plucked from a different day. From left to right: Jimmy Akingbola as DC Steve Bradshaw, Gemma Whelan as DS Sarah Collins, Tahirah Sharif as PC Lizzie Adams and Emmett J. Scanlan as DC Kieran Shaw DS Sarah Collins, embittered towards her parents and sulking over a long-dead romance, might seem vulnerable on the written page. On screen, shes just stroppy and unlikeable. She appears willing to jeopardise another major investigation, into sex trafficking, and put a young female PCs life in danger, simply to get her own way. Usually a powerful actress, Whelan deserves better than this. Blake Lively looked utterly glamorous as she celebrated the end of the United States travel ban on Monday November 8 at an event held at the Empire State Building in New York City. The 34-year-old actress wowed in a scarlet mini dress fashioned by Georges Chakra with a dramatic shoulder bow and ruby red heels for the event hosted with British Airways, NYC & Company and the British Consulate General in NYC. On Monday the US ended a pandemic travel ban that was in place for more than a year and a half, which now allows international travelers to come to the country with proof of full vaccination. American classic: Blake Lively wowed in a scarlet mini dress as she celebrated the end of the United States travel ban on Monday November 8 at an event held at the Empire State Building in New York City The Gossip Girl alum looked a pretty present in the beaded cocktail dress which glistened bright and showed off her phenomenal legs. Her hair was styled in a half ponytail and adorned with a big red bow and she paired the look with garnet earrings and a series of rings. At the celebratory event which focused namely on UK travelers Blake gave a welcome speech where she spoke about her joy at the end of the ban. 'It's an honor having you all here, just as like a mama and a human, and a New Yorker,' she said. 'I've never felt more like a New Yorker than I do tonight, so thank you all for giving me this feeling selfishly this is what I'm taking out if it,' she continued to joke. Welcome! At the event Blake gave a welcome speech as she celebrated the arrival of UK travelers and the allowance of international vaccinated travelers back to the US Big honor: She along with others had the honor of flipping the switch which controls the building's lights which were set to red white and blue in honor of the British flag for the evening Ready, set go! Blake was pictured with (left to right) Sean Doyle (CEO of British Airways), Emma Wade Smith (Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for North America and Her Majesty's Consul General New York) and Fred Dixon (President & CEO of NYC & Co.) Additionally she had the honor of flipping the switch which controls the lights on the Empire State Building. She was joined by Sean Doyle (CEO of British Airways), Emma Wade Smith (Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for North America and Her Majesty's Consul General New York) and Fred Dixon (President & CEO of NYC & Co.) as all four lit up the skylight. To commemorate the end of the travel ban, the iconic city structure's lights on Monday were blue, red, and white with the building even posting about it on their Instagram account. 'Spilling the tea...the #BritsareBack! Celebrating the return of our friends from across the pond by lighting up blue red and white,' the buildings official count said. Overjoyed: 'I've never felt more like a New Yorker than I do tonight, so thank you all for giving me this feeling,' Lively said in her speech at the event Cheers: (left to right) Dixon, Lively, Jean-Yves Ghazi (president of the Empire State Building Observatory), Wade-Smith and Doyle were all seen toasting the end of one era and the beginning of another Celebration: The Empire State Building held event was hosted with British Airways, NYC & Company and the British Consulate General in NYC After the welcome portion of the event, the iconic building hosted a booming cocktail party and afterwards attendees were allowed up to the top of the building to take in the skyline. Blake slipped a matching scarlet coat over her dazzling dress and even took a few selfies on the observation deck. Dixon announced during his welcome speech that in honor of the ban being lifted NYC & Co. New York Citys official marketing, tourism and partnership organization would be launching a new partnership with British Airways. As a way to spur travel from the UK's main hub London, the airline would be scheduling up to eight flights daily to NYC's LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports. Skyline selfie: She slipped a matching scarlet coat over her dazzling dress and even took a few selfies on the observation deck Ushering in a new day: On Monday the travel ban which was first put in place by former US President Donald Trump on account of the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted by President Joe Biden after 20 months What a view! Lively was seen posing for a semi-cheesy photo as she pretended to hold balloons on the window of the observation deck On Monday the travel ban which was first put in place by former US President Donald Trump on account of the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted by President Joe Biden after 20 months. The old rules had barred international visitors from 33 countries, including the U.K., South Africa, Brazil and much of Europe from visiting the US. The end of the ban comes just before the holiday season a huge time for tourism recovery, as international travelers account for 50% of all the tourism spending, at 20% of the volume in NYC alone. Under the new rules, visitors can fly into the US with proof of full vaccination, though there are some exemptions for travelers under the age of 18, and passengers hailing from countries with low vaccine availability. Kal Penn shared on Monday night's Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC about how Cardi B offered to officiate his wedding to his fiance and boyfriend of 11 years Josh. The 44-year-old actor told Jimmy, 53, that while the news of his engagement was just recently announced that they actually got engaged three years ago. He said they met over a conversation over NASCAR and beers. Kal said their wedding plans have been on pause because of COVID but added, 'we will see.' Wedding plans: Kal Penn shared on Monday night's Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC about how Cardi B offered to officiate his wedding to his fiance and boyfriend of 11 years Josh The actor told Jimmy about how he was on an early morning flight with Cardi B. He said he wanted to go to say hello to her, but instead fell asleep. He dreamed that Cardi officiated their wedding on the plane and the they walked off the plane all holding hands. He said he tweeted about it when he woke up, but didn't tag Cardi. She somehow found out about it and Cardi tweeted back that he should have come over and said hi and that she was actually more than willing to marry them. 'I'm down,' Cardi B tweeted back at him. 'I'll get my suit.' 'So is she going to marry you guys?' asked Jimmy. Long engagement: he 44-year-old actor told Jimmy, 53, that while the news of his engagement was just recently announced that they actually got engaged three years ago 'I hope so,' said Kal. ' We need to set a date.' Jimmy said that it would be amazing to have her do that and Kal agreed. Kal appeared on Jimmy's show to discuss his new memoir You Can't Be Serious. Twitter messages: Cardi B posted on Twitter that she would love to officiate the wedding The Harold and Kumar actor described to Jimmy how he got a job as a White House staff member in the Barack Obama administration after Michelle Obama intervened. Jimmy said he would have loved to have seen his resume mentioning his movie Harold & Kumar. 'Yeah like line one I smoked a ton of weed with a fake president Bush,' Kal said. Kal said the joke was when he had to do the FBI background check and they asked him if he had ever smoked weed and he was like 'literally two movies ago.' Lara Worthington has lent her support to the grieving family of twin girls who died in a Byron Bay house fire over the weekend while visiting their father and his girlfriend in a Goonengerry commune in northern NSW. Ophelia and Tarrow Wright, four, tragically died from smoke inhalation. The wife of actor Sam Worthington took to Instagram to encourage her followers to donate to a GoFundMe account set up for the girls' grieving father, James Wright. Lara Worthington has lent her support to the grieving family of twin girls who died in a Byron Bay house fire over the weekend by encouraging her followers to donate to a GoFundMe account set up for the girls' grieving father, James Wright She posted a link to the page with a photo that showed the twins with their mother, Akria Garton, along with the caption 'Unthinkable tragedy.' Garton had shared the sweet photo alongside Ophelia and Tarrow on Tuesday morning, three days after the horrific tragedy. 'No more mumma... no more hands... no more smiles, dancing, moments like this,' Garton wrote. She posted a link to the page with a photo that showed the twins with their mother, Akria Garton, along with the caption 'Unthinkable tragedy' The picture, which shows Ms Garton smiling as both of her twins lean into her, was taken just four weeks before their tragic deaths. The GoFundMe appeal created to help Mr Wright financially as he plans for the girls' funerals has already raised over $50,000. Friends have also set up an appeal on behalf of Ms Garton, which has raised $8,000 Ms Garton has been in touch with a law firm and hopes to get to the bottom of why her young daughters were left in the home alone near an open flame. It's understood a candle was burning atop a piano next to the girls throughout the night, while their father attended a communal bonfire nearby. Akira Garton shared a sweet photo alongside Ophelia and Tarrow on Tuesday morning, three days after they died from smoke inhalation while visiting their father and his girlfriend in a Goonengerry commune Mr Wright (pictured in 2019) ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party The picture, which shows Ms Garton smiling in the middle of the twins, was taken just four weeks before their tragic deaths He and his girlfriend arrived back to the home just before 4am and noticed smoke billowing from the room. They called emergency services, but the twins could not be revived. 'Words cannot express waking up to day three of these beautiful bunnikins not here,' Ms Garton said. 'I'm devastated. It was too early.' The mother-of-three has struggled to respond to messages or answer calls in the days since the tragedy because she 'has no words beyond disbelief' and is still processing the loss. Ms Garton's father, the twins' grandfather, described Tarrow and Ophelia as 'bright, playful identical twins that had a sparkle in their eye and angelic features. 'Akira and her family are shattered to the core; they have an unbearable amount of grief to carry and heartbreaking pain to endure. 'A loss of this magnitude is almost unimaginable, and to even try is quite unbearable. A sorrow this complete takes away even the ability to breathe.' Ms Garton and the twins' father, political activist James Wright, also share seven-year-old Maitreya, who was not injured in the fire Residents who choose to live off-grid at the Nunkeri Multi Occupancy commune (pictured) consider each other family, and were enjoying a collective bonfire well into the early hours of Sunday morning when tragedy struck 'I'm told Jimmy's in a bad way, when he was canvassing as a candidate for Keep Sydney Open in the Lower House, the girls were always with him,' Tyson Kho, CEO for Keep Sydney Open, said Ms Garton and the twins' father, political activist James Wright, also share seven-year-old Maitreya, who was not injured in the fire. Mr Wright ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party in 2019. 'I'm told Jimmy's in a bad way, when he was canvassing as a candidate for Keep Sydney Open in the Lower House, the girls were always with him,' Tyson Kho, CEO for Keep Sydney Open, told The Daily Telegraph. 'He was the most loving father, he's really cut up over this.' A woman from the commune said: 'He was on the floor on his knees, he was crying "no, no", he was inconsolable. 'Our hearts are broken for him. Jimmy loved his girls, he took them everywhere with him. He's in a bad state. He blames himself. He's really shaken up.' Daily Mail Australia does not suggest any wrongdoing on the part of the girls' father. A member of the public weeps while holding a bouquet of flowers outside the home where the twin four-year-old girls died following a house fire The girls were sleeping together in a bedroom within close proximity to a piano. Sitting on the piano, police believe, was a lit candle which caused the fire Mr Wright ran as the Ballina candidate for the Keep Sydney Open independent state political party in 2019 Aerial footage of the remote bush commune shows several dwellings scattered among the trees. There are no driveways and no fences to separate one home from the next. Cars park haphazardly wherever their drivers can find space. The community relies on a water tank at the centre of the property and it's understood they pool resources wherever possible. 'They're like a family,' one local told Daily Mail Australia. 'They're all grieving so much right now.' The commune is just 35 minutes' drive from the hustle and bustle of Byron Bay central - but for locals, it feels a world away. The 20-home commune has existed for 30 years and sits on 40ha of farmland just 30 minutes drive from Byron Bay Police are investigating whether a candle was left burning inside the home overnight (pictured, investigators at the scene) While Byron Bay has been gentrified and flooded with holidaymakers and celebrities, Goonengerry and similar tiny towns nearby still consider themselves 'locals only'. Residents embrace alternate ways of living and, put simply, 'enjoy a simple life'. Those living within the commune were all together the moment the twins' father realised smoke was billowing from the room. They were still there, shocked and confused, as emergency services arrived and tried to save the girls. A woman was also treated for shock at the scene. Neighbours dropped off flowers to the grieving family as the tightknit community mourns The home is within a 'multiple occupancy' community down this street, 30km west of Byron Bay (pictured, police at the scene) Another woman fought back tears on Sunday as she delivered a bouquet of flowers, leaving them in the letter box. A hand written note was left on one of the bouquets reading: 'Mourning with you.' Byron Shire deputy mayor Sarah Ndiaye said locals, especially people living in these types of hinterland communities, were particularly tightknit. 'The loss will be felt by the entire community,' she said. Detectives will work with fire investigators, who remain on the scene, to determine the exact cause of the blaze. There was little damage to the home itself, but it's believed the toxic fumes from the smoke caused the twin's death. Horrified neighbours arrived at the home later on Sunday to drop bouquets of flowers to the family Kanye 'Ye' West is requesting Drake to help him in an effort to free Larry Hoover from prison. Ye, 44, was seen in an Instagram clip uploaded by music executive and promoter J. Prince, 57, in which he spoke about the rivalry with Drake, 35, and his wish to put it behind them to help 'with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover.' J. Prince said the clip was filmed at the Rothko Chapel in Houston, adding, 'It wasnt in my plans to meet him there but I must say Im glad I didnt allow a worship place for God to detour our meeting.' The latest: Kanye 'Ye' West, 44, is requesting Drake, 35, to help him in an effort to free Larry Hoover, 70, from prison with a collaboration next month in LA In the clip, Ye stood alongside J. Prince and said, 'This is Ye and J. Prince. I'm making this video to address an ongoing back-and-forth between myself and Drake. Both me and Drake have taken shots at each other and it's time to put it to rest.' Ye referenced the commercial success of his album Donda and Drake's Certified Lover Boy in extending the invitation for his event planned for next month. 'I'm asking Drake on December 7 to join me onstage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year live in Los Angeles,' he said. Ye said that he thinks the event 'will not only bring awareness to our cause, but prove to people everywhere how much more we can accomplish when we lay our pride to the side and come together.' Ye was seen in an Instagram clip uploaded by music executive and promoter J. Prince in which he spoke about the rivalry with Drake and his wish to put it behind them to help 'with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover' In the clip, Ye stood alongside J. Prince and said, 'This is Ye and J. Prince. I'm making this video to address an ongoing back-and-forth between myself and Drake' Ye referenced the commercial success of his album Donda and Drake's Certified Lover Boy in extending the invitation for his event planned for next month In his Instagram post, J. Prince said that Hoover was hoping to end the unrest between Ye and Drake. 'I met with Ye to pass on the message from my brother Larry Hoover who said he would like to see peace between the two of them,' he wrote. 'Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did. Im looking forward to all of us working together in unison to elevate our communities around the world.' The ongoing rift between Ye and Drake escalated this year as the pair geared up for the releases of their respective albums. The back-and-forth included Ye leaking Drake's home address online, after which Drake seemingly insulted him on the track 7am on Bridle Path. Drake also leaked an unreleased collaboration between Ye and Andre 3000 titled Life of the Party. West last week had positive sentiments about Drake while appearing on the Drink Champs podcast on Revolt TV. 'Man, I love Drake,' he said. 'I love all artists, period, but not even to mention, I love Drake. I love all this. Let's have Drake just have his spot of what he meant in my life, specifically, and what he's meant to rap, you know, over the past decade, specifically.' In his Instagram post, J. Prince said that Hoover was hoping to end the unrest between Ye and Drake West last week had positive sentiments about Drake while appearing on the Drink Champs podcast on Revolt TV Ye has past sought to free Hoover, the founder of Chicago's Gangster Disciples street gang who in 1973 received a life sentence in prison following a murder conviction. Hoover was subsequently sentenced to six additional life sentences in 1997 after he was found guilty in connection with ongoing gang involvement. Ye collaborated with Hoover's son, Larry Hoover Jr. on the song Jesus Lord earlier this year, in which Hoover Jr. showed his gratitude for West's continued efforts. In his October 11, 2018 meeting with former President Donald Trump in the Oval Office, Ye lobbied the president to free Hoover 'because he started doing positive for the community' in Chicago. 'Its very important for me to get Hoover out because in an alternate universe, I am him and I have to go and get him free,' he said at the time. This past July, a federal judge denied a motion to grant Hoover, 70, an abridged sentence under the FIRST STEP Act, a law that grants prisoners sentence leniency based on good behavior and training for a job. Sunrise hosts Natalie Barr and David Koch have fired back at anti-vaxxers who criticised Sesame Street's Big Bird for sharing a tweet about getting the Covid vaccine. The beloved children's character revealed in a post last weekend that he had 'got the Covid-19 vaccine' before promoting its effectiveness against Coronavirus. The post was criticised by several anti-vaxxers and conservative politicians in the US, but Barr and Koch later slammed the critics on Tuesday's Sunrise. 'Calm the farm people': Natalie Barr has rolled eyes at anti-vaxxers whingeing about Sesame Street's Big Bird getting the Covid vaccine Barr could be seen rolling her eyes and said: 'Oh for goodness sake. Calm the farm people.' 'Sums up American society doesnt it,' Kochie chimed in. The tweet from the fictional Sesame Street character read: 'I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but itll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy.' Vaccinated: Big Bird revealed in the post last weekend that he had 'got the Covid-19 vaccine' before promoting its effectiveness against Coronavirus The tweet from the fictional Sesame Street character read: 'I got the COVID-19 vaccine today! My wing is feeling a little sore, but itll give my body an extra protective boost that keeps me and others healthy' 'Ive been getting vaccines since I was a little bird. I had no idea!' Several anti-vaxxers and right-wing politicians lambasted the message, labelling it as 'brainwashing' children to get the shot and 'propaganda'. Texas Senator Ted Cruz was among those unhappy with Big Bird's medical disclosure, and quote tweeted the comment with 'Government propaganda for your 5 year old.' Critic: Texas Senator Ted Cruz was among those unhappy with Big Bird's medical disclosure, and quote tweeted the comment with 'Government propaganda for your 5 year old' Big Bird issued the tweet days after the FDA (the Food and Drug Administration in the US) approved Pfizer's COVID vaccine for children aged five to 11, with critics accusing the character of trying to foist shots on children. However, the character of Big Bird has always been active in child immunization campaigns and promoting public health measures since the 1970s. Many parents in the US are currently divided on whether or not to vaccinate their kids after the United States became one of the first countries in the world to approve vaccinations for children aged 5 to 11. Public health advocate: The character of Big Bird has always been active in child immunization campaigns and has promoted public health measures since the 1970s In Australia, only children aged 12 years and over can get the Covid vaccine. The Therapeutic Goods Administration is currently waiting for more data over child vaccinations before approving the Pfizer shot for kids under the age of 12. Vaccinations for children aged between 5 to 11 in Australia won't be available until 2022. This year will mark Bindi Irwin's first Christmas as a mother to baby Grace Warrior. In the lead up to the festive season, the proud mum shared an adorable family photo alongside her husband Chandler, their tiny tot, her mum Terri and brother Robert Irwin. 'Clearly Robert didnt get the memo' the 23-year-old cheekily captioned the picture. Christmas with the Irwins! In the lead-up to the festive season, Bindi Irwin shared an adorable family photo whereby the majority of them were wearing Christmas-themed sweaters which were branded in Australia Zoo logos In the image, the whole family besides Robert donned Christmas-themed sweaters and T-shirts which were branded in Australia Zoo logos. Each family member smiled from ear to ear, particularly baby Grace, who waved at the camera. Bindi also spruiked the merchandise by telling fans that more information can be found in her Instagram bio. The items from the Australia Zoo Christmas clothing range from $24.95 to $59.95. It comes after a series of photos were shared from their family getaway in Tasmania on Instagram on Friday. Family time: The Irwin clan headed off for a Tasmanian getaway, sharing images from their vacation to Instagram on Friday. Chandler Powell, Bindi Irwin and baby Grace pictured Robert Irwin, 17, and her mother Terri Irwin, 57, joined the young family as they enjoyed the sights of Cradle Mountain. Bindi and Chandler also brought along their friends Luke and Mitch. At the time, the family posed with stunning vistas in the background including a vast mountain range. They also took some cheerful selfies alongside a lake, as well as on wooden walkways along the route. Stunning: The family posed with stunning vistas in the background including a vast mountain range The new mother was delighted to share her baby daughter's first hiking trip to the mountains. Bindi wrote in her caption: 'I'm tremendously grateful that we were able to share the wild beauty of Tasmania with Grace. 'She had the best time hiking with us and exploring Cradle Mountain National Park.' She added: 'Thank you @cradlemountainlodge for making our stay extra special.' Moments: Grandmother Terri bonded with little Grace during a hike Bindi and Chandler welcomed their daughter on March 25, which coincidentally was their one-year wedding anniversary. Grace's middle name Warrior is a tribute to her late grandfather Steve Irwin, who coined the term 'Wildlife Warrior' to promote wildlife conservation. The couple announced they were expecting their first child together in August last year. They came in second-to-last place on Sunday night's finale of The Block, despite being firm favourites to win the show for weeks. And while Kirsty Lee Akers and Jesse Anderson aren't disappointed with their $301,000 profit, they revealed on Monday that they certainly weren't impressed with the way the auction went down. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Kirsty, 34, revealed: 'We weren't disappointed with the result, we were disappointed with the lead up of it. Not impressed: The Block stars Kirsty Lee Akers and Jesse Anderson said they were 'disappointed' with the way the auction ran during the show's finale - but are very happy with their $301,000 profit 'Not knowing the reserves, the reserve being really high in the beginning, then finding out that we were going last in the auction order... 'It felt like we had everything against us going into it. It was a weird feeling.' All of the contestants were surprised with the reserve prices this season, with host Scott Cam also admitting he believed they were too high. The contestants' disappointment resulted in their reserves eventually being reduced by $100,000 per person - taking Kirsty and Jesse's from $4.2 to $4.1million. 'Not knowing the reserves, the reserve being really high in the beginning, then finding out that we were going last in the auction order... it felt like we had everything against us going into it. It was a weird feeling,' Kirsty said. Pictured on auction day 'For the last six months, we've been sort of under the impression that the price guide was $3.2 to $3.4million, and then they dropped $4.2million on us,' Jesse added, with Kirsty echoing: 'It's just unheard of. It was a big shock to our system. 'It wasn't like $100,000 or $200,000 - it was nearly a million dollars. So our opening bid was $3million. Our agent had to work his butt off just to get it up to reserve. 'Watching that all play out - it was heartbreaking thinking, "this is going to get passed in".' But luckily, the whopping house did sell for a cool $4,401,523.67 - leaving the childhood sweethearts with a profit of $301,523.67. Shocked: 'For the last six months, we've been sort of under the impression that the price guide was $3.2 to $3.4million, and then they dropped $4.2million on us,' Jesse added, with Kirsty echoing: 'It's just unheard of. It was a big shock to our system' 'A lot of people have sent us messages saying they feel so sorry for us, and that we should have won more. But we've won $300,000,' Kirsty said. They only placed about Ronnie and Georgia Caceres, who had made the decision for the couple's huge house to go last in auction. 'I am really disappointed that we went last,' Kirsty added. 'You would never normally put the most expensive house last. We still managed to walk away with a great amount.' Revealing how they planned to spend their cash, Kirsty said: 'Obviously we've got a mortgage - our mortgage is a bit over $300,000, so that will really help. Plans: Revealing how they planned to spend their cash, Kirsty said: 'Obviously we've got a mortgage - our mortgage is a bit over $300,000, so that will really help' 'We definitely need a new car, that's for sure, and we need to finish renovations on the house. We really need to be smart about it I guess, and try and turn that $300,000 into a $1million.' Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie were crowned the winners of The Block Fans v Faves on Sunday night. The Sydney couple made the largest sum over reserve of all five Block houses at Bronte Court at auction, selling their home for $4,044,444 with a profit of $644,444. Mitch, 59, and Mark, 60, also took home an additional $100,000, taking their total prize money to $744,444, with the stylish pair understandably in complete shock. Winners and losers: Mitch Edwards and Mark McKie (right) won the show during Sunday's finale, while Ronnie and Georgia Caceres (left) came last Coming in second at auction was Josh and Luke Packham, selling their property for $3,930,000 with a $530,000.00 profit. The former Love Island stars created a modern four-bedroom, three-bathroom property with one of the biggest drawcards being the master bedroom and outdoor bathtub. Tanya and Vito Guccione placed third with a profit of $400,000.01 after selling their home for $3,800,000.01. Kirsty and Jesse finished fourth, selling their property for $4,401,523.67 with a $301,523.67 profit. Placing last was Ronnie and Georgia Caceres, selling their property for $3,696,000.00 with a $296,000.00 profit. Nice work: Tanya and Vito Guccione sold their property for $3,800,000.01 with a $400,000.01 profit at auction She's reportedly worth a cool $63 million thanks to her swimwear empire. And Natasha Oakley, 31, certainly proved the money doesn't come easy on Tuesday. The stunning entrepreneur stripped down to a skimpy lavender bikini as she did a beach shoot for her brand, Monday Swimwear. Skimpy: Natasha Oakley showcased her famous figure in a skimpy lavender bikini as she posed for a photo shoot on Tuesday- after making it onto the Financial Review Young Rich list Tash looked like a goddess as she moved around on the sand to promote the stunning swimwear. She wore her sandy hair down as she posed on a rock by the beach. It comes after Tash ranked 71 out of 100 on the Australian Financial Review Young Rich List last week. Toned and tanned: The stunning entrepreneur stripped down to a skimpy lavender bikini as she did a beach shoot for her brand, Monday Swimwear 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. 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. Striking it rich: It comes after Tash ranked 71 out of 100 on the Financial Review Young Rich list last week 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. '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.' 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 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. '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!' Advertisement Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe joined the cast and crew of their Oscar-buzzed film Belfast at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on November 8. The handsome 39-year-old actor and his stunning 42-year-old co-star were seen beaming as they walked the red carpet ahead of the screening. The film is set in the 1960s, and is based on the mind of writer-director Kenneth Branagh who chronicles his childhood in Northern Ireland during a period of intense political and religious conflict. Premiere: Belfast leads Jamie Dornan and Caitriona Balfe attended the premiere of their highly talked about film at the at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on November 8 Gritty film: The film is set in the 1960s, and is based on the mind of writer-director Kenneth Branagh who chronicles his childhood in Northern Ireland during a period of intense political and religious conflict For the premiere, the 50 Shades Of Grey hunk was seen in a navy suit and a simple black turtleneck with TODS brown leather lace-up shoes with perforations and wingtip. He showed off a tasteful amount of facial hair and looked brooding on the red carpet before flashing more smiles while in the company of his various co-stars. Caitriona of Outlander fame looked simple yet stunning in a black dress with bedazzled trimming on the collar and sleeves which also lined the ruffled accents on the dress. A matching embellished belt cinched her waist and she paired the frock with chunky platform boots and added an orangey-red lip for a pop of color. Going solo: Both Dornan (left) and Balfe (right) attended the premiere without their respective spouses . He wore TODS brown leather lace-up shoes with perforations and wingtip Best buds: As the two leads in the film who play characters Ma and Pa they were seen getting cozy for a few photos on the red carpet Daring touch: The Irish born actress edged up the red carpet look with sky high platform boots Award season: The film first premiered in Northern Ireland on November 4 and was also screened at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2 She and Dornan were seen walking the red carpet solo without their respective spouses and posed for some photos together. In the film they star as the characters Ma and Pa, parents to a son named Buddy (played by Jude Hill) who is a sensational breakout star in the Oscar contended film. Jude, 11, looked adorably handsome in a velour tux as he smiled big on his big night. With the acclaim of the film there has been talk that he could be the youngest actor to snag an Oscar nominee. He snagged the role when he was just nine-years-old and was chosen out of a whopping 300 kids. Recalling the moment he got the good news, he told the Irish publication BelfastLive: 'As soon as the email came through that I was accepted into Belfast, I ran around my house screaming.' Breakout star: At the center of Branagh's semi-autobiographical film is Jude Hill, 11, (pictured) who plays the character Buddy, a child of a working class family in Northern Ireland during a tumultuous time and there has been talk of an Oscar nod Personal: In the film Ciaran Hinds (left) plays the role of Pa, Buddy's grandfather, a character also loosely based on Branagh's (right) family life By his side: By Branagh's side his his wife of 18 years Lindsay Brunnock Buddies: Hinds (left) recently dismissed the mass amounts of Oscar chatter Also present: Brett Gelman (pictured) was recently cast in Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, and was also at the premiere of Belfast despite not being in the film Wow factor: Katherine McNamara put on quite the leggy display in an LBD Simply stunning: Her wavy strawberry blonde locks were worn down as she oozed of old Hollywood glam Ciaran Hinds who plays Pa in the film has also been the subject of chatter about a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He however dismissed the chatter telling the same Belfast publication that sometimes talk is 'nonsense.' 'Sometimes you never know. And also there's so many great films still to come. But what's nice is that people are really appreciating it.' Also present was Branagh who walked the red carpet with his wife Lindsay Brunnock, as he enjoyed yet another screening of his semi-autobiographical film. The Focus Features picture chronicles the life of a working class family and their young son's childhood during the tumult of 1960s in the Northern Ireland capital which is loosely based on his life. Core group: The main cast and film's creator Branagh are pictured; (left to right) Branagh, Hinds, Balfe, Hill, Dornan Accolades: A majority of the cast and Kenneth are on track to receive nominations for personal roles and the possibility of getting the honor of best picture Trio: In the film Dornan and Balfe star as the characters Ma and Pa, parents to a son named Buddy (played by Jude Hill) who is a sensational breakout star who may also receive an Oscar nod; (left to right) Balfe, Dornan and Hill (center) Big year: As Branagh also serves as a producer on the film he himself is eligible to be nominated for best picture, along with director and original screenplay One of a kind: If Branagh was in fact to be nominated for best picture and best screenplay, he could make history as the first person in Oscar history to pick up nominations in seven individual categories based on his five other nominations in different categories over the years Multiple outlets have hinted that the film very well could receive at least half a dozen Oscar nominations. As Branagh also serves as a producer on the film he himself is eligible to be nominated for best picture, along with director and original screenplay. If both were to happen he could make history as the first person in Oscar history to pick up nominations in seven individual categories. The actor has already snagged five nominations across different categories: director, actor, supporting actor (My Week with Marilyn), adapted screenplay (Hamlet) and live action short (Swan Song) throughout the course of his career. Letting loose! Once inside Dornan surprised as he took the stage and performed with a full band Musical chops: All eyes were on him as he belted out a few jazzy tunes Bloody good time: He looked totally at ease on stage during the very fun surprise performance After-party: The rocking after party saw a handful of industry vets and other connected attendees enjoying a celebratory gathering He's received five nominations during his career, all across different categories director, actor, supporting actor (My Week with Marilyn), adapted screenplay (Hamlet) and live action short (Swan Song). Ahead of the premiere, Branagh gave a bit of a speech ahead of the screening and later the whole cast looked to unwind. And at an after-party, Dornan took the stage as he sang accompanied by a full band while the likes of Hill, Balfe and others in attendance looked on in glee. Belfast enjoyed a Northern Ireland premiere on November 4 and was also screened at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2. It is set to hit theatres in the US on November 12. Close bond: As Balfe played Hill's mom in the film, the two looked to share a sweet maternal-like bond as she wrapped her arms around her tiny co-star at the gathering Ulrika Jonsson has paid tribute to her daughter Bo on her 21st birthday, admitting she didn't know she 'would live'. The TV presenter, 54, shared several snaps of Bo, who was born with a congenital heart defect, taken throughout the years. In a heartfelt message, Ulrika said she was told by doctors they 'hoped' Bo would live to be a teenager. Family: Ulrika Jonsson has paid tribute to her daughter Bo on her 21st birthday, admitting she didn't know she 'would live' She wrote: 'Happy 21st, my darling, Bo Eva Coeur. Well, this was a day I never thought I'd see. 'They said they hoped you'd live to be a teenager - but here you are in all your glory. 'You found your vocation and you're working so hard at Norland to become the very best @nannybojonsson there is. 'You're stubborn. You're very nice. But like all Scorpios, you have a sting in the tail. Memories: The TV presenter, 54, shared several snaps of Bo, who was born with a congenital heart defect, taken throughout the years 'You're determined and willful. You're a loyal, fun friend. You have the best laugh. You're also a bit stoopid at times. 'But you're savvy and sassy; an emotional mess; energetic, needy, dramatic, obsessive and sensible: all in one day. 'Happy Birthday, my four-seasons-in-one-day child. Happy birthday, my daughter I didn't know would live. Happy Birthday to my ugly duckling who actually turned into a beautiful swan.' Bo has been in and out of hospital over the years as a result of her condition - she was born with double inlet left ventricle defect, a congenital defect that affects the valves and chambers of the heart. As a baby, she had to undergo life-saving surgery on her heart. Health: In a heartfelt message, Ulrika said she was told by doctors they 'hoped' Bo would live to be a teenager Ulrika wrote: 'Happy 21st, my darling, Bo Eva Coeur. Well, this was a day I never thought I'd see' Ulrika wrote: 'You're stubborn. You're very nice. But like all Scorpios, you have a sting in the tail' (Bo pictured with Joe Sugg) Ulrika has previously spoken about Bo's health condition and was delighted when they were reunited in December, weeks after Bo was admitted to A&E with medical issues. Sharing a family picture, a smiling Ulrika posed a picture with Bo, who was casually flipping the bird in her pyjamas in the background. Ulrika wrote: 'She's back home, full of the joys of spring.' The doting mother-of-four revealed her heartache in November when Bo was hospitalised and she was unable to visit her amid the coronavirus pandemic. Ulrika is also mother to Cameron, 25, Martha, 14 and Malcolm, 11. Health scares: Bo has been in and out of hospital over the years as a result of her condition Condition: She was born with double inlet left ventricle defect, a congenital defect that affects the valves and chambers of the heart Surgery: As a baby, she had to undergo life-saving surgery on her heart While Ulrika didn't specify what was wrong with her daughter at the time, in September Ulrika admitted Bo was 'terrified' before Britain went into lockdown and was taking risks by going to university. The TV star's daughter has a compromised immune system and began her second year of university amid the pandemic. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Ulrika said: 'At the beginning of Lockdown, Bo was terrified and went into lockdown a week before the nation went into lockdown. 'As time went by I became increasingly concerned about her mental health because she was basically locked up in her room. Ulrika wrote: 'Happy Birthday, my four-seasons-in-one-day child. Happy birthday, my daughter I didn't know would live. Happy Birthday to my ugly duckling who actually turned into a beautiful swan' 'She had contact with her friends on FaceTime but that social thing they thrive on became a concern for me.' She said: 'After three months, she decided when she was allowed, to bubble with another family and her present situation is that the college is doing a mix of lectures and virtual. 'She also does a lot of placements and those are constantly under review. I think Bos approach now is, strangely, a lot more relaxed than she was initially. 'She feels like she's had a taste of normal life and is having to take some risks.' She is never shy showing off her incredible figure. And Summer Monteys-Fullam, 26, took to the shower to pose for a series of racy photos clad in skimpy red lace lingerie on Tuesday. The model, who previously dated The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, flaunted her peachy posterior in the plunging red top and matching bottoms as she posed for the sexy snaps. Wow! Summer Monteys-Fullam, 26, took to the shower to pose for a series of racy photos clad in skimpy red lace lingerie on Tuesday The halterneck lace bra featured a plunging key-hole design and small metal heart detailing in the centre. She paired the busty top with matching red lacy high-waisted knickers as she flaunted her taught abs. Summer ensured that all eyes were on her as she took to the shower for the revealing shoot and gave a glimpse of her pert derriere. Incredible: The model, who previously dated The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood, flaunted her peachy posterior in the plunging red top and matching bottoms Racy: Summer slipped in to a lace top which featured a plunging key-hole design and small metal heart detailing in the centre as she put on a busty display The influencer flashed a smile as she accentuated her features with a glamorous full face of makeup. She wore her red hair down in a loose curl with a sweeping fringe and she added a coat of bubblegum polish to her nails. The beauty split from her TV ex Paul, 55, in August 2019 after he asked her to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and she briefly dated TOWIE star Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell later that year. Oh my: The influencer gave a glimpse of her pert derriere as she posed for the camera in the steamy shower shoot and ensured that all eyes were on her Beaming: The influencer flashed a smile as she posed in the revealing red two-piece for another sexy shoot Ex: The beauty split from her TV ex Paul, 55, two years ago and has now revealed that she is still single after a brief romance with TOWIE's Liam 'Gatsby' Blackwell Summer said: 'Loyalty is a huge, key factor for me. I want someone nice. I don't have a type, as such it's how I get on with that person Paul has since moved on from their relationship and has now moved in with new girlfriend, pub landlady Melissa Spalding, 37. The couple are living together in the countryside home that he bought with his former flame. Summer, who is single, recently spoke to The Sun about what she is looking for in her next relationship. Summer said: 'Loyalty is a huge, key factor for me. I want someone nice. I don't have a type, as such it's how I get on with that person. Moving on: Summer admitted 'age isn't really a problem but this time I would definitely put a cap on it' She added: 'Age isn't really a problem but this time I would definitely put a cap on it so thirties or younger and I would definitely be open to dating someone not in the public eye. 'What I'm not looking for in a man this time around is someone who's self-obsessed or eats Rice Krispies for dinner.' Summer insisted she had never been on any dating apps and described herself as an 'old-fashioned chick'. Christmas day is a whopping 46 days away - but that hasn't stopped early revellers getting in the festive mood. Leading the celebrity early tree erecters were Georgia Kousoulou and the Humes family, who have kicked things off early with their lavish arrangements. Defending her decision to start things off before even entering December, the TOWIE star posted a stunning shot of her tree to Instagram and added the caption: 'If you put your tree up early , Christmas lasts longer. Too good not to post on here'. Wow! Leading the celebrity early tree erecters were Georgia Kousoulou and the Humes family, who have kicked things off early with their lavish arrangements Georgia was clearly bubbling with pride at her tree, as she shared a shot of the bold design complete with vast red bows and dazzling designs. Rochelle and Marvin Humes meanwhile had enlisted the help of professional organisers to erect their tree and place the stunning decorations. On Tuesday, Marvin shared a video of the vast tree standing tall in their hallway. Opting for similar colours to Georgia, the Humes tree featured huge burgundy and red colours and garlands wrapped around their staircase. Amazing: Rochelle and Marvin Humes meanwhile had enlisted the help of professional organisers to erect their tree and place the stunning decorations At work: David Beckham was also getting in the festive spirit as he went shirtless to film a new Christmas advert for his Haig Club whiskey David Beckham was also getting in the festive spirit as he went shirtless to film a new Christmas advert for his Haig Club whiskey. Aside from Christmas, Georgia and her family have plenty to celebrate as it was revealed that her boyfriend Tommy Mallet has become one of TOWIE's wealthiest cast members as his trainer business raked in 2.3 million in one year. The reality TV star, 29, launched Mallet.Footwear Limited in 2015 and the company has gone from strength to strength. The entrepreneur's company value rocketed to more than 6 million despite the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. According to The Sun, Tommy and his business partner Evren Ozkarakasli could share a 1.2 million dividend payout. The star previously revealed that as a child he could not afford trainers, however now he has cash reserves of 4.8 million and 8.8 million in total assets. Incredible: Aside from Christmas, Georgia and her family have plenty to celebrate as it was revealed that her boyfriend Tommy Mallet has become one of TOWIE 's wealthiest cast members as his trainer business raked in 2.3 million in one year In 2017 speaking to Real Business he said: 'It started in June 2015. I was doing a modelling shoot and I loved the shoes they gave me to wear, but they were 1,200 I'd just started on the show and didn't?t have much money. 'I did a drawing and messaged it to a friend who worked in fashion and asked if he knew anywhere that could make it. It comes after Tommy and Georgia, 30, welcomed their first child, Brody Fordham, in May. Kate Garraway had to be rushed to her Smooth Radio shift on the back of a motorbike on Tuesday morning after revealing she had overslept. The presenter, 54, took to her Instagram to share a video as she whizzed through the capital to get to her show and told fans she was 'feeling late but great.' Kate made it in time for her slot and arrived at Global Studios in Leicester Square in a stylish camel coat and flared jeans. Oh dear! Kate Garraway had to be rushed to her Smooth Radio shift on the back of a motorbike on Tuesday morning after revealing she had overslept In the funny clip Kate had on her bike helmet as she shouted over the traffic noise that she was late but happy that the sun was shining. She captioned the post: 'Aargh overslept for @smoothradio!! But the sun is shining & mick from @limobikelondon has got his skates on. So feeling late but great!!! See you at 10!' Arriving at the studios and waving for fans, she teamed her coat and jeans with white leather boots and a large black bag. Looking good: Kate made it in time for her show and arrived at Global Studios in Leicester Square in a stylish camel coat and flared jeans Funny: The presenter, 54, took to her Instagram to share a video as she whizzed through the capital to get to her show as she told fans she was 'feeling late but great' It comes after it was revealed that Kate's award-winning documentary Finding Derek is set to get a sequel, and it is coming to ITV this winter. The first documentary gave a raw account of Kate coming to terms with her husband Derek Draper, 54, falling into a coma following Covid-19 complications. The virus wreaked havoc throughout his entire body, resulting in kidney failure, liver and pancreatic damage. On more than one occasion his heart stopped beating, he battled pneumonia and fought infections which punctured holes in his lungs. Happy: Arriving at the studios and waving for fans, she teamed her coat and jeans with white leather boots and a large black bag Making her arrival: She looked in great spirits as she made her way into the building Off we go! In the funny clip Kate had on her bike helmet as she shouted over the traffic noise that she was late but happy that the sun was shining The follow-up will document her family facing the challenges of Derek's long awaited return home following his stay in hospital. The Good Morning Britain presenter - who now acts as a carer for Derek -picked up the National Television Award for Authored Documentary in September for the first film. Kate recently admitted that her family will have to adjust to a 'new normal' at Christmas this year following Derek's return. Coming soon: It comes after it was revealed that Kate's award-winning documentary Finding Derek is set to get a sequel, and it is coming to ITV this winter Sad: The first documentary gave a raw account of Kate, 54, coming to terms with her husband Derek Draper, 54, falling into a coma following Covid-19 complications Speaking to Woman's Own magazine the star told how things will be different this year but she hope she can take him to Chorley to see his family. She said: 'This year, we have got him home - and fingers crossed we can keep him home. 'Of course, he's not going to be putting on his Santa costume, going out with [daughter] Darcey for a father-and-daughter Christmas shop or the same with [son] Billy. Tough: The follow-up will document her family facing the challenges of Derek's long awaited return home following his stay in hospital (pictured in 2019) 'None of those things are on the horizon at the moment so it's adjusting to a new normal but also grateful he's here at all. Which we didn't have at all last year and feared would never happen.' Kate added: 'The dream would be to get Derek to Chorley [with the Draper side of the family]. At the moment, moving him is a big problem: it's exhausting for him.' It comes after last week Kate appeared to confirm the identity of the mystery Royal who helped support her during her husband Derek's Covid battle. Prince Charles tested positive for coronavirus in March last year, just days after Kate met him at the 2020 award show. aAfter which she voiced fears over the meeting and later leading to both her and Derek's contraction of the virus. Kate initially wrote about the gesture in her book, yet did not confirm the Royal's name - leading to the revelation over the identity being Charles, who battled the virus himself last year. Joanne Froggatt has hit out at the sexism she has faced since turning 40 while in the public eye. The actress, 41, told how she has often been asked how she feels about getting older and when is she going to have children. Speaking on the Reign With Josh Smith podcast, she said: 'From the age of about 38, 37, whenever I've been doing publicity for my work or anything else, I've been constantly asked, "oh are you going to have children? When are you having children? Or how are you feeling about turning 40?" 'Also about my looks and, "how I feel about the way I look constantly and do I feel I'm attractive enough?"' Speaking out: Joanne Froggatt has hit out at the sexism she has faced since turning 40 while in the public eye Joanna - who has not had children with her husband James Cannon - said she frequently asks her male co-stars are they asked these types of questions but has found this isn't the case. She said: 'Honestly with men and I'm not just saying this as a sweeping statement, I can guarantee it, I don't think any man I've ever worked with - because I ask them all the time, all my male colleagues think this is ridiculous - they never get asked those questions. 'I haven't found a man yet that has been asked those questions. What do you want me to do? Stick a paper bag on my head and never leave the house as soon as I turn 40? I'm so happy in my own skin. 'I'm definitely the most comfortable with myself I've ever been after turning 40. I'm proud of it. I'm wiser. I've had so many wonderful and not so wonderful life experiences and so many more things to hopefully pass on. I feel good about that.' Candid: The actress, 41, told how she has often been asked how she feels about getting older and when is she going to have children The star said she is 'more than' her looks and said she would rather be judged on the things she has achieved. She said: 'I don't know why that's a negative? It's like as women, we still have to be reduced to whether we're attractive to other human beings or not because really when it comes down to it, when you get over 40, will you still be attractive? 'Well, you know what, I'm more than that actually. I'd like to be judged on my sense of humour, my personality, my intelligence, my talent, the things I've achieved. And if someone thinks I'm nice to look at, great. 'I just find it constantly amazing that we still shrink women down in the media to purely their looks or how old they are or how well their ovaries are doing. I think it's crazy that people think it's okay to ask that. Double standard: Joanna said she frequently asks her male co-stars are they asked these types of questions 'I never ask people when I meet them, are you menopausal? Or you wouldn't say to a man, are you struggling with one or two things in the bedroom? And to me it's the same kind of level of personal question, but for some reason, it's okay to ask.' The Angela Black star also opened up about her financial struggles in the early days of her career, saying she was once one mortgage payment away from quitting acting. She said: 'I've managed to support myself financially since the age of 16 just through acting. But my goodness, there were a few points where I was doing it by the skin of my teeth. 'I remember in my early twenties, I think I had one mortgage payment left in the bank and I just thought, "all right, I'm going to have to bite the bullet and get another job and I can't do anything else." I landed a job just by the skin of my teeth.' Role: Joanne currently stars in the thriller series Angela Black which sees her star as a woman trapped in an abusive relationship Joanne currently stars in the thriller series Angela Black which sees her star as a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. Speaking about the storyline she said: 'Going through the pandemic, domestic abuse has been an issue that has been at the forefront again If you're living in a confined environment, that's also a dangerous environment, there's no escape from it, and to have to go through a lockdown in that kind of abusive relationship, to me is just beyond brave and heroic 'The tactics of coercive control and a lot of the mind games that have been played are the same that terrorists use when they have hostages. For people to actually understand that it's like living with a terrorist in your own home, that extreme cycle of violence. 'You're terrified if you leave, there's also financial pressures. If you haven't got an income, if you're not the breadwinner of the household, how do you leave with your children? How do you support your children? 'And they're just going to come after you and follow you and make you come home. And then you'll be in much more trouble than you were to start with. So it's such a complex issue. And I think people can be very blase about this.' Joanne said: 'I'd like to be judged on my sense of humour, my personality, my intelligence, my talent, the things I've achieved. And if someone thinks I'm nice to look at, great' Joanne advocates for teaching in school to combat domestic abuse and coercive control for teens. She said: 'Unfortunately speaking to the advisors from Women's Aid (who advised Angela Black) it doesn't seem to be changing for the younger generation. 'I was hoping, you'd be seeing less cases like this from our late teens, early twenties generation and they said, 'no it's becoming prevalent again especially the coercive control side of things.' 'And so I'm a big advocate of education in schools, which I know Women's Aid have been pushing for legislation on the issue because we have sex education for kids at the appropriate age but why aren't we doing it alongside that? 'It's absolutely essential that we do relationship education alongside that - you can't just teach somebody the birds and the bees. And if they're not getting a good example at home, where else are they going to learn it?' Billionaire heiress Ivy Getty married Tobias Alexander Engel at the weekend. And by her side as she tied the knot was none other than A-list actress Anya Taylor-Joy, who acted as her maid of honour during the big day. The Queen's Gambit star, 25, shared a selection of snaps from a 60s themed pre-wedding bash, where guests were dolled up in fashion of the era. Party on! Anya Taylor-Joy shared snaps from best friend and heiress Ivy Getty's wedding Anya and Ivy, 26, looked incredible as they posed with a group of pals on a New York rooftop together in their vintage finery. The Last Night in Soho actress cut a stylish figure in a black and pink sequin mini dress, which she teamed with white knee-high boots. Anya wore her platinum blonde blocks in a bouffant style and accessorised with a black headband. Meanwhile, Ivy sported a green crop top with a pair of purple flared trousers and a floral robe, which she accessorised with a gold bodychain. Caption: Alongside the snaps, she wrote: 'My baby girl got married yesterday. Being by your side all these years and your maid of honour has been nothing short of a privilege and your existence' Anya wrote: 'I am so PROUD of the woman youve become. If youre ever in any doubt- I have loved you and will love you, forever' Anya also shared a video from inside a limo on the night out, where the group were singing and dancing to the Bee Gees' Night Fever Anya also shared a video from inside a limo on the night out, where the group were singing and dancing to the Bee Gees' Night Fever. Alongside the snaps, she wrote: 'My baby girl got married yesterday. Being by your side all these years and your maid of honour has been nothing short of a privilege and your existence, nothing short of a miracle. 'I am so PROUD of the woman youve become. If youre ever in any doubt- I have loved you and will love you, forever. CONGRATULATIONS LIL SPICE MONKEY! You truly were the most beautiful bride.' Cute! Ivy responded to the post, saying: 'I love you so much Ans. Always and forever' Ivy responded to the post, saying: 'I love you so much Ans. Always and forever. 'You were the best maid of honor I could have ever imagined and we had SO much fun. Unforgettable and an incredible weekend full of love and magic.' A week before the big day, Ivy, Anya and there pals celebrated the lead up to the nuptials with a fun-filled weekend in fancy dress looks. One of them included Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen's New York Minute. Dancing Queen: Anya also shared a video from inside a limo on the night out, where the group were singing and dancing to the Bee Gees' Night Fever New York Minute: A week before the big day, Ivy, Anya and there pals celebrated the lead up to the nuptials with a fun-filled weekend in fancy dress looks Bath time! Another snap saw the two pals posing together in the bath Ivy and Tobias tied the knot in a lavish wedding in San Francisco this weekend, where she was surrounded by glitterati and dressed to the nines in a custom John Galliano gown. She said 'I do' to photographer Tobias at San Francisco's City Hall on November 7, but this was no quickie justice of the peace affair: The newlyweds held their nuptials in the rotunda of the historic Beaux-Arts building and partied the night away. Ivy was certainly the picture of glamour in her bespoke gown, which was covered in glittering mirror fragments and topped with a veil embroidered with guitars for her late father and walnuts for her late grandmother. Gang! Another snap shared from the weekend saw the group don similar mini dresses Wow! Ivy and Tobias tied the knot in a lavish wedding in San Francisco this weekend, where she was surrounded by glitterati and dressed to the nines in a custom John Galliano gown Among the guests at the A-list event were members of Ivy's family, including her aunt Vanessa Getty and her first cousin, transgender model and activist Nats Getty. Ivy is the great-granddaughter of oil tycoon Jean Paul Getty and granddaughter of Gordon Peter Getty, who was on the Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans before his passing. Her father, John Gilbert, died of a fentanyl overdose and heart complication last year at age 52. Also at the exclusive event was designer Wes Gordon, designer Mimi Wade, influencer Marta Mae, musician Petite Meller, fashion editor Hamish Bowles, activist Marsha Molinari, model Laura Hanson Sims, British TV host Fletcher Cowan, and filmmaker (and Kiernan Shipka's boyfriend) Christian Coppola. Eden Taylor-Draper described the pain of watching her younger sister Francesca go through a gruelling cancer battle on Tuesday's episode of Lorraine. The Emmerdale star, 24, was in the middle of filming when her dad called her to reveal the devastating diagnosis last year, and took a break from the soap for a month to be at her sister's side. Appearing on the morning show with her - now recovered - sibling by her side, Eden reflected: 'It was so tough to see someone you love so much and so tiny go through all of that and as much as youre there supporting them, you cant fix it and you cant help.' 'You cant fix it and you cant help': Emmerdale's Eden Taylor-Draper described the pain of watching her younger sister Francesca battle cancer on Monday's episode of Lorraine Francesca, now 17, was just 14 when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and endured months of chemotherapy. Looking back on the day her dad called her with the sad news, Eden - who plays Belle Dingle on the soap - said: 'They [the Emmerdale team] were amazing. We were on tea break and they just said, "Go, anything you need were here" 'I was just in shock. They gave me a month off, so while Ches was in intensive chemo, I could be there. Theyre amazing.' Detailing her diagnosis, Francesca explained: 'I had acute lymphoblastic lymphoma which is a form of blood cancer and at the time of my diagnosis, my cancerous cells were at 97 per cent, so there was only three per cent of my blood that was classed as healthy.' Brave: Francesca, now 17, was just 14 when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and endured months of chemotherapy She continued: 'I felt tired and I lost quite a bit of weight but the most telling thing was I was having these really bad leg pains, like excruciating to the point where I couldnt walk and I was having to leave school early, and I also had this massive rash on my legs which was when doctors starting thinking it could be something more serious. 'But a lot of the symptoms were quite generic, which I think is the scary thing about it because feeling tired and a little bit under the weather, your mind would never go to cancer. Francesca explained that the illness affected her both physically and mentally, she said: 'Being a teenage girl is hard anyway, and adding cancer to that, I think my mental health took a massive toll.' Eden explained to Lorraine of her sister's cancer battle: 'It was so tough to see someone you love so much and so tiny go through all of that' She added: 'I didnt want to say to my mum and dad that I really couldnt keep going with treatment - that was one of the things I could speak to the psychologist about. 'Everyone is affected by it. It wasnt just me. I saw my family get so upset about it and I think you dont want to feel like a burden... 'Not that they would see me in that way, but definitely having a psychologist there or having someone there who isnt immediate family to speak to is so so helpful.' Sad: The actress revealed she was in the middle of filming as Belle Dingle when her dad called her to reveal the devastating diagnosis Francesca had to endure four rounds of chemotherapy, lost her hair and even contracted sepsis during her treatment. She stayed on the Teenage Cancer Trust ward at Leeds General Infirmary during her treatment and is now backing the charity's latest campaign with her sister. Eden was also written out of Emmerdale for a month so she could be with her family, and recalled spending hours cuddling Francesca and watching films at her bedside. Francesca finished her chemotherapy in December 2018, and was still undergoing maintenance treatments and taking daily tablets until September. Hopeful: Francesca finished her chemotherapy in December 2018, and was still undergoing maintenance treatments and taking daily tablets until September Rebel Wilson split with Jacob Busch earlier this year. But the pair appear to have remained friendly exes, as the actress showed her appreciation for the millionaire's latest selfie on Monday. The 29-year-old shared a sultry photo to Instagram, in which he was posing shirtless, and his 41-year-old former girlfriend was quick to hit 'like'. Pals: Rebel Wilson split with Jacob Busch earlier this year. But the pair appear to have remained friendly exes, as the actress showed her appreciation for the millionaire's latest selfie on Monday. Both pictured The image showed the ripped stud showing off his chiselled chest while wearing spooky Halloween makeup. In the caption, Jacob wrote: 'Being comfortable!! Being open!!! #lovelife #truth'. The Pitch Perfect actress and the Anheuser-Busch brewery heir split at the start of February. Pals: The 29-year-old shared a sultry photo to Instagram, in which he was posing shirtless, and his 41-year-old former girlfriend was quick to hit 'like' Rebel first revealed she was dating Jacob in September last year, posting a series of loved-up photos with her new beau on Instagram. According to People, they were introduced by a mutual friend in 2019, but didn't start dating until Rebel returned to the USA after spending time in Australia last year. 'They are officially boyfriend and girlfriend. He's a gentleman, has very old school manners and treats her well,' a source said at the time. Smitten: The actress met businessman Jacob through a mutual friend in 2019, and made their red carpet debut at the 2020 Monte Carlo Gala for Planetary Health last September (pictured) Rebel and Jacob enjoyed a series of romantic holidays during their whirlwind relationship, travelling to far-flung places such as Mexico and Monaco. She hinted at their break-up on Instagram on January 16, writing: 'Been a rough week for so many reasons... but I'm so grateful to have such loving friends and family.' They were last pictured together on December 24 when they embarked on a pre-Christmas ski trip with friends in Colorado. The way they were: They were last pictured together on December 24 when they embarked on a pre-Christmas ski trip with friends in Colorado A source told Page Six earlier this month the relationship had 'just run its course'. In an interview with People in November, Rebel said she was determined to find love, and 'deliberately went out and dated a lot of different people' before Jacob. 'I wasn't very experienced in love and relationships... and so I went out and just gave it my all, tried really hard to find love and stuff,' she added. Hugh Jackman has described the new Ghostbusters: Afterlife film as 'incredible'. The 53-year-old Australian actor took to social media to urge fans of the original film to watch the new fantasy/comedy when it comes out in theatres. Sharing a video of his reaction to the film, Jackman said: 'I recommend watching the new Ghostbusters directed by the incredible Jason Reitman.' 'You won't be disappointed': Hugh Jackman, 53, (pictured) has urged his followers to watch the new Ghostbusters film when it's released and says that it 'delivers on every single level' 'If you love Ghostbusters and the '80s, like I loved Ghostbusters in the '80s Yep. I'm of that age, you are going to be obsessed with this movie.' Hugh went on to say that he was impressed with lead actor Paul Rudd's work in the film and that every single character was spot on. 'I had high expectations and my expectations were exceeded. Honestly, I promise you ... It just delivers on every single level. Who are you going to call? You know.' 5 Stars: Hugh went on to say that he was impressed with lead actor Paul Rudd's work in the film and that every single character was spot on The Jason Reitman directed film was produced by his father, Ivan, who worked on the original cult classic film. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is slated to hit Australian cinemas on January 1 and will see original cast members Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson join newcomers Finn Wolfhard and McKenna Grace. Hugh's movie recommendation comes just days after the actor sparked speculation that his famous Wolverine character was making a big comeback. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is slated to hit Australian cinemas on January 1 and will see original cast members Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson join newcomers Paul Rudd (pictured), Finn Wolfhard and McKenna Grace Lead: Finn Wolfhard (pictured) rose to fame after his portrayal of Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series Stranger Things Uploading a photo of himself working out at the gym, Hugh flaunted his bulging biceps and ripped torso as he pumped iron while wearing a weightlifting belt. Hugh almost looked unrecognisable as he gritted his teeth during the gruelling session. 'Is it just me... or does this guy look like he's in serious pain?!' he wrote in the caption, adding the hashtags #tbh #wolverine. Hugh Jacked-man! Earlier this month, Hugh sparked speculation of a Wolverine comeback on Thursday when he shared a throwback photo of himself pumping iron at the gym Hugh's followers were certain the actor was teasing a Wolverine comeback. 'Dont play with my heart!!! I really miss Wolverine !!!!!!' another said, while one fan simply wrote 'Wolverine comeback'. Hugh devastated his fans back in 2016 when he announced he was hanging up his Wolverine claws for the last time. Naga Munchetty has hit out at the trolls who branded her 'ugly' and claimed that they must have 'deeply miserable lives' to want to attack her. The BBC Breakfast presenter, 46, has insisted she 'doesn't care' about the online critics who have sent her repeated bouts of abuse online. Naga, who is apart of the Breakfast show team and also has her her own radio show on BBC 5 Live, discussed how she deals with the nasty remarks. Candid: Naga Munchetty has hit out at the trolls who branded her 'ugly' and claimed that they must have 'deeply miserable lives' to want to attack her In the latest edition of The Big Issue, Naga writes a letter to her younger self on how she feels about social media. She penned: 'My younger self would be horrified at this world in terms of social media. 'There are so many angry, unhappy people around. 'What motivates someone to get on to Twitter or Instagram to say "This person is ugly" or "I hate this person"?' She went on to add: 'If someone has actively gone to their phone to type that, there's got to be something deeply miserable in their lives. So I don't care about them. I just don't care.' Naga often replies to comments from her followers on Twitter, calling them out for their mean remarks. Opinion: The BBC Breakfast presenter has insisted she 'doesn't care' about the online critics who have sent her repeated bouts of abuse online Naga bit back at a troll who called her 'false' on Twitter earlier this week. She replied to a viewer who tweeted: 'Really wish they would axe her. She is so false. She hasnt got a nice or watchable bone in her body. She is so annoying I have to switch off.' Retweeting the comment, she added the reply: 'Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Very constructive indeed (does that sound genuine enough?)' The troll has since deleted their tweet. Standing up for herself: Naga has no qualms about standing up to disrespectful critique on social media, and her followers commented with a slew of supportive remarks Naga has no qualms about standing up to disrespectful critique on social media, and her followers commented with a slew of supportive remarks. Last summer she called out a pair of trolls after they attacked her for what she was wearing on the morning news show. One - named Paul - derogatorily referred to the news anchor as 'that Asian bird' and slammed her for wearing 'whatever the hell she wants' to present the programme. It appeared to be a reaction to Naga's footwear - a pair of silver brogues - as she sat alongside co-host Charlie Stayt who was in a suit and tie. Biting back! She replied to a viewer who tweeted - 'Really wish they would axe her. She is so false. She hasnt got a nice or watchable bone in her body. She is so annoying I have to switch off' Clearly outraged at the funky shoes, Paul marched to Twitter to rant: 'I never understand why Charlie has to wear a formal business suit and that Asian bird seems to be able to wear whatever the hell she wants?' Naga replied to this with a simple: 'Oh Paul!' She then replied to another now-deleted tweet, which clearly also attacked the shoes. It's unclear whether this was from a different Paul or the same one, but Naga quipped in response: 'Paul - Three suggestions: 1. Add a picture of yourself to your Twitter profile 2. Think about what you Tweet before you write 3. I'll leave you to guess this one...' Hitting back: Last summer she called out a pair of trolls after they attacked her for what she was wearing on the morning news show alongside co-host Charlie Stayt Suited and booted: The outrage appeared to be a reaction to Naga's footwear - a pair of silver brogues Followers rushed to Naga's defence, hailing her 'stylish' and 'fabulous', with some branding her the best morning TV anchor across the whole of UK television. The newswoman's ensemble was far from scruffy, as Naga slipped into a navy blouse with red hearts dotted around it and black slacks. In 2016, Naga said she was 'not there to be abused' as she spoke out about the horrendous racial and sexist abuse she was bombarded with on Twitter. She said she accepted that criticism is part of her role in the public eye but will always call out those who are simply abusive. Previous tweets have claimed the award-winning journalist is only employed at the BBC for her ethnicity, but have also criticised her hair, glasses and even made distasteful sexual remarks. The presenter regularly replies to trolls, often ending tweets with a trademark 'BLOCKED', with her fans then jumping to her defence and criticising the abuser. He's fuming! Clearly outraged at the funky shoes, Paul marched to Twitter to rant - 'I never understand why Charlie has to wear a formal business suit and that Asian bird seems to be able to wear whatever the hell she wants?' She previously told the Daily Mirror: 'Im on telly, Im in your home, so if you want to criticise me, fine. But Im not there to be abused. Nobody is there to be abused. 'You dont abuse someone while theyre doing their job, and you dont make racist, sexist or bigoted comments. 'If someone says, "She did a bad job of that interview, Ive come away and not understood anything", I would go back and re-examine that interview. 'Racist and sexist stuff, I just think, "Youre an idiot."' Feisty Naga recently revealed she adored the Emily Bronte classic Wuthering Heights because its female star is cruel. 'It showed me that women do not have to be likeable, that they can be hateful and that love isn't glorious. I sound so dark by saying that - dark of heart,' she told The Mail On Sunday last year. 'Cathy is a hateful character, she is cruel. And I love her, I absolutely love her. Does that sound really awful?' Natalya Wright looked incredible as she appeared in a new campaign for clothing company Quiz. The model, 21, who is the younger sister of Mark and Jess Wright, looked incredible as she donned a variety of outfits for the stunning shoot. In one look, Natalya donned a black mini dress with a sweetheart neckline and puffed sleeves as she posed next to a mirror. Wow: Natalya Wright looked incredible as she appeared in a new campaign for clothing company Quiz The star styled her brunette locks into loose waves while she added height to her frame with a pair of heels. In another look, she sported a white midi dress with a daring leg split while she styled her tresses into an updo. Natalya also sported a white long-sleeved top with a dark red print and a matching mini skirt which she wore with hoop earrings. The star then wore a dark green crop top that highlighted her toned midriff while perched on a disco ball. Pose: The model, 21, who is the younger sister of Mark and Jess Wright, looked incredible as she donned a variety of outfits for the stunning shoot Glamour: In another look, she sported a white midi dress with a daring leg split while she styled her tresses into an updo Natalya recently enjoyed a luxurious holiday to Dubai with her boyfriend Tommy late last month. The loved-up couple headed to the Burj Al Arab, arguably the most famous hotel in the world thanks to its rare seven-star rating. The pair sunbathed besides the iconic tower, indulged in fresh fish and stone-baked pizza for lunch and watched the sun go down from the infinity pool. Tommy and Natalya are believed to be first romantically linked in June 2021, and the star refrains from tagging her other half in the social media snaps of him. Stunning: The star also wore a dark green crop top that highlighted her toned midriff while perched on a disco ball Radiant: Natalya styled her brunette locks into loose wave for the shoot Incredible: In one look, Natalya wore a black mini dress with a sequined detail Meanwhile, Natalya recently served as maid of honour at her older sister Jess' Mallorca wedding to William-Lee Kemp. Natalya shared a stunning black and white video of Jess as she emerged in her breathtaking bridal gown ahead of the ceremony. 'That moment.. Just incredible,' she wrote alongside the emotional video of Jess stepping out in a lavish a Milla Nova dress. Jess beamed as she walked towards her sister in the plunging white floor length gown and a tiara and veil. Sensational: Natalya looked incredible in a dark green mini dress with a plunging neckline Beauty: The star accentuated her natural beauty with a light pallet of makeup Sizzle: Natalya also sported a white long-sleeved top with a dark red print and a matching mini skirt which she wore with hoop earrings Nuptials: Natalya recently served as maid of honour at her older sister Jess' Mallorca wedding to William-Lee Kemp Special day: The lavish event included 12 bridesmaids, a church ceremony and a banquet at a castle. The lavish event included 12 bridesmaids, a church ceremony and a banquet at a castle. Jess told Hello! magazine: 'I felt so much elation, so much happiness I could not stop smiling.' Recalling the moment he saw the bride, new husband William said: 'She looked so beautiful. The dress was unbelievable, even more spectacular than I thought it would be. 'The whole church gasped. It was one of those unforgettable moments.' Jess told Hello! magazine: 'I felt so much elation, so much happiness I could not stop smiling' Family: Her brother Mark Wright was master of ceremonies while his wife, actress Michelle Keegan, was a bridesmaid alongside Natalya and her two other sisters-in-law The bride entered the Basilica de Sant Francesc in Palma to I'm Kissing You by Des'ree from Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet. Jess recalled: 'Hearing it in that beautiful church with my dad at my side, and to see Will at the end of the aisle, I would relive that many times over if I could.' The wedding party moved to the Castillo de Bendinat in Calvia for the reception, where the star changed into a Vivienne Westwood gown. Her brother Mark Wright was master of ceremonies while his wife, actress Michelle Keegan, was a bridesmaid alongside Natalya and her two other sisters-in-law. Saira Khan has encouraged Gemma Collins to adopt a child rather than go through IVF after she expressed her struggles with conceiving naturally. The presenter, 51, adopted her 10-year-old daughter Amara from Pakistan when she was a baby in 2010, after two failed rounds of IVF. To mark World Adoption Day Saira has now encouraged former TOWIE star Gemma, 40, to consider the other options, saying if you 'couldn't love an adopted child in the same way you're not fit to be a parent'. Words of advice: Saira Khan has encouraged Gemma Collins to adopt a child rather than go through IVF after she expressed her struggles with conceiving naturally Gemma has made no secret of wanting to start a family with her on-again beau Rami Hawash and has suffered three devastation miscarriages over the years as well as being told she couldn't freeze her eggs. Last weekend Gemma shared a sweet snap with her 'stepson' Tristan who is Rami's child. Saira told The Sun of Gemma's situation: 'Seeing Gemma Collins cuddling her three-year-old stepson at the weekend, I couldn't help but wonder why she's not considered adoption. Hopes: Gemma has made no secret of wanting to start a family with her on-again beau Rami Hawash (pictured with her 'stepson' Tristan) Love: The presenter, 51, adopted her 10-year-old daughter Amara from Pakistan when she was a baby in 2010, after two failed rounds of IVF 'Gemma has openly spoken about being desperate for a baby and is exploring IVF after struggling to get pregnant with partner Rami Hawash. 'I know Gemma well, and I really want to say to her, Gem, why don't you look into adoption first? More than anything, that heartwarming photo proves a child doesn't have to be biologically yours for you to love them.' 'And if you're worried you couldn't love an adopted child 'in the same way', then quite frankly, you're not fit to be a parent.' Back together: It emerged in April that Gemma and Rami had reconciled their romance (pictured last month) Saira added that she has seen first hand the difference a loving home can make to a child after adopting her daughter Amara. Her and her husband Steve spent 15,000 on IVF in 2008 but sadly Saira miscarried after her second round. She then phoned social services who helped her and explained what further options there were. In October Gemma revealed that she and Rami were 'trying for a baby', saying in a podcast episode: 'I'm hoping to get pregnant soon.' She even admitted she has a specific name in mind and would like to give birth outdoors. She said: 'Maybe I should find a place in the forest where I can give birth. I might even call it Blossom. The Japanese blossom tree. I know the child's name - it's going to be called Blossom!' Gemma added: 'Blossom is soon to be born around Japanese cherry trees.' The star then mused that she would like to visit Japan in the future, continuing: 'I really want to go to Japan, because I've been seeing the cherry blossoms and they are unbelievable. They take my breath away.' Heartfelt: In a caption under the recent snap holding her 'stepson' she said she hopes she will have her own children one day The Essex-born Diva star recently revealed she is planning to have three weddings to Rami, even though she isn't engaged yet. Gemma admitted she is a fan of nuptials and is already dreaming of her own big days, as well as the possibility of having a child with the businessman. Speaking on her The Gemma Collins Podcast, she said: 'I love a good wedding. 'Im probably going to have about three weddings. Ill have a real one, a showbiz one and... well to be honest my wedding will go on for about a year. Gemma was engaged to Rami, 45, eight years ago before calling it off, but the loved-up pair reunited in April this year. She previously had a turbulent on/off relationship former TOWIE co-star James Argent and earlier this year he spoke about where they were in terms of friendship. Speaking to Digital Spy he said, 'we're friends at the moment and we have been in contact. 'Whatever happens between me and Gemma, we've been through a hell of a lot together and we're always going to be close.' Paris Fury has discussed the terrifying moment her baby daughter Athena stopped breathing just hours after she gave birth to her in August. Appearing on Tuesday's Loose Women, the wife of Tyson Fury, 31, recalled how she 'broke down and screamed' when she feared she would lose her baby girl. Paris told how after despite being born 'healthy', Athena's heart rate soon rocketed to 300bpm as she suffered from supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Trauma: Paris Fury has discussed the terrifying moment her baby daughter Athena stopped breathing just hours after she gave birth to her in August SVT is a condition where your heart suddenly beats much faster than normal. It's not usually serious and usually lasts for a few minutes. Paris told the Loose Women panel: 'Everything was seemingly perfect came out 6lb 10oz all healthy and then after a couple of hours we found out something wasn't right. 'The nurses said her heart was beating 300bpm and it was SVT very common in young babies. She was rushed to ICU I was still numb on the bed. 'When I went through she was ventilated and went to hospital and we spent the next two weeks trying to figure out what happened to Athena.' Terrifying: Appearing on Tuesday's Loose Women, the wife of Tyson Fury, 31, recalled how she 'broke down and screamed' when she feared she would lose her baby girl Paris went on to detail Athena's second stay in the intensive care unit, and said: 'She was in my arms and moving down to the high dependency unit and she just stopped breathing I screamed for the nurses because she wasn't hooked up to the unit. 'The doctors flooded in and they started resuss and I called Tyson in because he was jogging around the grounds for training and I broke down and screamed and said shes dying and they ventilated her again. 'She had to get better on her own and she has shes got back to normal again now but it was such a scary two weeks. You don't expect it with your sixth child I've always had healthy kids. It was so scary.' Scary: Paris told how after despite being born 'healthy', Athena's heart rate soon rocketed to 300bpm as she suffered from supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) Paris went on to explain that the experience hasn't put her off having more children in the future because there is 'no reason to expect it again'. She said: 'There's no reason to expect it again but it was so scary and the first time I ever wanted to be cut in half i had the kids at home worried and upset and in ICU we spent 2 weeks there and you had that day to day struggle.' 'Alder Hey Children's doctors and nurses were amazing and I feel for families that were there for months and years on end. 'It was hard for two weeks but we got out and everything was okay.' Married: Paris shares six children with her husband Tyson Fury Paris, who shares six children with her husband Tyson Fury, also spoke about the struggles of watching her husband fight. She said: 'It's such an overwhelming feeling to watch your partner fight. I supported him with that just like he supports me but to be ringside is the worst feeling in the world. 'It's really hard to watch but when he wins it is amazing and it's great to have that achievement and do what he loves most in the world so I just have to be there and be the supportive wife. Touching on how she would describe her relationship now after sufering with 'ups and downs', Paris said: 'It's so much more strengthened. 'When you're younger and new to marriage we had arguments over silly things and where you'd leave your shoes and now you realise all the smallness is irrelevant. Touching on how she would describe her relationship now after sufering with 'ups and downs', Paris said: 'It's so much more strengthened' 'We travel, take the kids everywhere and it's a whirlwind and I love every minute of it. Having these children and this bond for all these years you do just bond more.'# Paris first revealed the moment her baby girl Athena had to be resuscitated shortly after she gave birth to her during an interview in October. The mother-of-six recalled how medical staff at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary attempted to slow down Athena's heart rate, but they had to move her to Alder Hey Children's Hospital for specialist treatment in the end. Awful: Paris first revealed the moment her baby girl Athena had to be resuscitated shortly after she gave birth to her during an interview in October 'We went over there and they sedated her and put her on an incubation, where they put a tube down her throat to breathe,' she told Ok! Magazine on Monday. 'They put her on tablets to slow her heart down and when they took her off the tube, they thought it was going to be normal. But I think the accumulation of sedatives, painkillers, beta blockers for her heart and everything was just too much. 'She was in my arms and she stopped breathing and became completely unresponsive. Her heart rate was fading away - she was dying in my arms,' she bravely recalled. 'Fighter just like my daddy': Paris explained that the newborn 'was dying in my arms' after being born with Neonatal Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), or an abnormally fast heart rate 'Everything was just too much': Medics at Royal Lancaster Infirmary tried to slow down her heart rate, but they moved her to Alder Hey Children's Hospital for specialist treatment She continued: 'They took her off me, put her on the table and resuscitated her. Tyson came running in. It was horrific. They managed to get her heart going and everything stabilised.' Their new baby was then placed into a neonatal intensive care unit [NICU], where she stayed for two weeks. The Fury family were able to welcome their sixth child home on 20th August 2021 where they were finally reunited. Welcome home: The Fury family were finally able to welcome their sixth child home on 20th August 2021 where they reunited after the stressful ordeal The boxer praised the Liverpudlian children's hospital highly, who helped look after Athena during the scary ordeal. At the time, Tyson said: 'I'm just here feeding my little girl. Off the ICU, on the mend, should be going home soon. 'Thank you to God and thank you to all the doctors and nurses who have helped her.' Reunited: The pair also share girls Venezuela, 11, and Valencia Amber, three, and three boys - Prince John James, eight, Prince Tyson II, four, and two-year-old Prince Adonis Amaziah The doting father has since organised a GoFundMe page for the hospital, helping to raise almost 50,000 for them. Athena is the pair's third daughter, following Venezuela, 11, and Valencia Amber, three. They also share three boys - Prince John James, eight, Prince Tyson II, four, and two-year-old Prince Adonis Amaziah. Britney Spears is gearing up for another 'very interesting' week in court as she battles to end her 13-year conservatorship. The 39-year-old popstar shared a lengthy caption to Instagram on Monday evening where she told her millions of followers that she was 'only human' for saying things on social media 'out of anger.' Spears accused her mother Lynne of being the architect of the conservatorship that has restricted her every move for the last 13 years, fuming in an angry Instagram post shared and then swiftly deleted earlier this month: 'You know exactly what you did.' The 39-year-old popstar shared a lengthy caption to Instagram on Monday evening where she told her millions of followers that she was 'only human' for saying things on social media 'out of anger' 'This week is gonna be very interesting for me,' she wrote. 'I havent prayed for something more in my life!!! 'I know Ive said some things on my Insta out of anger and Im sorry but Im only human and I believe youd feel the same way if you were me!!! Anyway its a new day and I cant say Im never going to complain again ... cuz who knows!!! God bless you all and have a great day.' Just last week, Britney waged a new war with her mom, despite Lynne's attempts to take Britney's side in her row with her father Jamie, Lynne's ex-husband, over the conservatorship. Trouble: Spears accused her mother Lynne of being the architect of the conservatorship that has restricted her every move for the last 13 years, fuming in an angry Instagram post shared and then swiftly deleted earlier this month: 'You know exactly what you did' Britney Spears posted an Instagram caption on Tuesday, which she then deleted and replaced with an edited version, leaving out the condemnation of her mother 'My dad is not smart enough to ever think of a conservatorship,' Britney said. 'The most dangerous animal in the world is a silent smiling woman. She captioned the image: 'My dad may have started the conservatorship 13 years ago but what people don't know is that my mom is the one who gave him the idea. I will never get those years back. 'She secretly ruined my life and yes I will call her and Lou Taylor out on it so take your whole 'I have NO IDEA what's going on' attitude and go f*** yourself!!!!' Spears then deleted the post, and replaced it with one which appeared to be celebrating the news that her father has formally requested an end to her conservatorship, telling the judge in Los Angeles that he is abandoning his role immediately and does not want further payment. Free Britney: In June, Spears gave an emotional, 23-minute testimony during a hearing in a Los Angeles court where she pleaded with Judge Brenda Penny for freedom by ending the 13-year conservatorship she's been under where her father, Jamie, has held the power over all of her personal and financial decisions following her multiple involuntary holds in psychiatric hospitals; seen in 2018 Holland & Knight, the law firm that represented Jamie for years during his daughter's conservatorship case, no longer wishes to work with him over concerns that the pop star's 'attorney will sue when the guardianship is terminated.' 'Litigator Mathew Rosengart has asserted numerous times that he is going to investigate and sue Jamie,' a source close to the situation told Page Six on Wednesday. 'If/when he does, Jamie will need to defend and likely be adverse to parties in the conservatorship.' A source close to the conservatorship court case said Britney's lawyer Mathew Rosengart will soon be requesting subpoenas and interviewing Jamie Spears and Robin Greenhill under oath. The attorney plans to grill them about alleged 'financial mismanagement and dissipation of funds' and 'the monitoring and recording of her phone and placing a listening device under her bed,' the source said. Jamie's lead counsel, Vivian Lee Thoreen, reportedly told her client he'll 'need a different litigator and that she and H&K weren't interested in that role.' In June, Spears gave an emotional, 23-minute testimony during a hearing in a Los Angeles court where she pleaded with Judge Brenda Penny for freedom by ending the 13-year conservatorship she's been under where her father, Jamie, has held the power over all of her personal and financial decisions following her multiple involuntary holds in psychiatric hospitals. And one of Britney's wishes was granted at the end of September when Jamie was suspended from the conservatorship, considered a huge legal win for the popstar in her quest for freedom. Two-time Emmy winner Sarah Jessica Parker and Homeland alum Sarita Choudhury filmed one of their final scenes for HBO Max's And Just Like That in Manhattan on Monday night. The Ohio-born 56-year-old's writer-turned-podcaster character Carrie Bradshaw previously enjoyed a cigarette on September 15 with the British 55-year-old's wealthy character Seema Patel. Glammed up female extras lined up behind a velvet rope looked stunned as Carrie and Seema strutted past them in their designer clothing selected by former SATC costume associate Molly Rogers. That's a wrap! Two-time Emmy winner Sarah Jessica Parker (M) and Homeland alum Sarita Choudhury (R) filmed one of their final scenes for HBO Max's And Just Like That in Manhattan on Monday night Bradshaw then smiled at the black-clad bouncer as the ladies skipped the line and made their way inside the nightclub. For the club scene, Sarah styled her blonde locks into a tidy top bun and wore a pink satin blazer over a black top, pants, and sparkly slingbacks. Parker - who boasts 7.3M Instagram followers - said in a video on Monday: 'It's my last walk, for now, as Carrie. Just wrapped, wow, an adventure and feeling very sentimental and that's it, wow.' Earlier that same day, the SJP Collection co-founder celebrated the end of filming with her fellow executive producers and castmates Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis and three crew members. Exiting the Mercedes: The Ohio-born 56-year-old's (M) writer-turned-podcaster character Carrie Bradshaw previously enjoyed a cigarette on September 15 with the British 55-year-old's (R) wealthy character Seema Patel Bow down b****es! Glammed up female extras lined up behind a velvet rope looked stunned as Carrie and Seema strutted past them in their designer clothing selected by former SATC costume associate Molly Rogers VIP: Bradshaw then smiled at the black-clad bouncer as the ladies skipped the line and made their way inside the nightclub Clubbing after 50: For the club scene, Sarah styled her blonde locks into a tidy top bun and wore a pink satin blazer over a black top, pants, and sparkly slingbacks The Sex and The City alums are all earning '$1M per episode' to produce and reprise their roles as Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte in the 10-episode limited series - according to Variety. In her new Vogue cover story, Sarah slammed the 'misogynist chatter' about the interest, or lack thereof, of watching women over 50 continue their lives in the sequel. 'That would never. Happen. About. A. Man,' Parker said, punctuating every word with a clap. '"Gray hair gray hair gray hair. Does she have gray hair?" I'm sitting with Andy Cohen and he has a full head of gray hair, and he's exquisite. Why is it okay for him? I don't know what to tell you people! Especially on social media. Everyone has something to say. Parker said in a video on Monday: 'It's my last walk, for now, as Carrie. Just wrapped, wow, an adventure and feeling very sentimental and that's it, wow' 'Happy Monday!' Earlier that same day, the SJP Collection co-founder (R) celebrated the end of filming with her fellow executive producers and castmates Cynthia Nixon (2-L) and Kristin Davis (3-L) and three crew members No more Kim Cattrall as Samantha: The Sex and The City alums are all earning '$1M per episode' to produce and reprise their roles as Carrie, Miranda, and Charlotte in the 10-episode limited series (pictured July 16) '"She has too many wrinkles, she doesn't have enough wrinkles." It almost feels as if people don't want us to be perfectly okay with where we are, as if they almost enjoy us being pained by who we are today, whether we choose to age naturally and not look perfect, or whether you do something if that makes you feel better. I know what I look like. I have no choice. What am I going to do about it? Stop aging? Disappear?' In And Just Like That, Carrie will suffer the loss of a major character and her marriage to Mr. Big aka John James Preston (Chris Noth) is in trouble - according to Page Six. On October 20, SJP was seen kissing her new onscreen leading man, her former Equal Justice co-star Jon Tenney. Returning Sex and the City cast members include the late Willie Garson, David Eigenberg, Evan Handler, Mario Cantone, Bridget Moynahan, and Julie Halston. 'That would never happen about a man': In her new Vogue cover story, Sarah slammed the 'misogynist chatter' about the interest, or lack thereof, of watching women over 50 continue their lives in the sequel And Just Like That got a shot of diversity by welcoming newcomers Cathy Ang, LeRoy McClain, Cree Cicchino, Nicole Ari Parker, and Sara Ramirez. There's no denying the original HBO series based on Candace Bushnell's 1997 book was iconic albeit a whitewashed version of Manhattan. 'The incredible lack of diversity was the Achilles' heel of the show, the first time around,' Nixon admitted to Vogue. Excitement for AJLT might have fans forgetting just how dismally bad the films Sex and the City: The Movie and Sex and the City 2 were in 2008 and 2010. The CW also aired a forgettable, eighties-set spin-off The Carrie Diaries starring AnnaSophia Robb from 2013-2014. Criss Angel's wife Shaunyl Benson has given an update on the health of their new daughter Illusia Angelina who was born last week. On Tuesday the beauty was seen in a hospital bed as she cradled her newborn girl in her arms. 'Last night at 11pm, I finally got to hold my baby girl for the first time. 4 days earth side,' the 30-year-old Nevada resident shared. She was still in her hospital bed. Happy to hold her little one: Criss Angel's wife Shaunyl Benson has given an update on the health of their new daughter Illusia Angelina who was born last week. On Tuesday the beauty was seen in a hospital bed as she cradled her newborn girl Hands-on mommy: 'Last night at 11pm, I finally got to hold my baby girl for the first time. 4 days earth side,' the 30-year-old Nevada resident shared. She was still in her hospital bed 'Shes doing so much better. She has more tests today and more milestones to meet this week but we are feeling so grateful and blessed for these moments,' added the raven haired star. The child has been in the NICU after Shaunyl had to have an emergency C-section last week at 35 weeks along. On Monday Shaunyl said the child was 'doing well' as she seemed to have 'mighty strength.' 'God gave us warrior children,' the actress shared to social media. The power couple: Benson (L) and illusionist Angel attend Terry Fator's 10th anniversary show at The Mirage Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2019 Getting stronger every day: 'Shes doing so much better. She has more tests today and more milestones to meet this week but we are feeling so grateful and blessed for these moments,' she said 'Illusia Angelina is doing very well today. Her strength is mighty.' Benson added: 'I am so grateful and thankful to God almighty that she is here and she is alive. Thank you all for your love prayers and support.' The baby girl was due in December. They already have two sons together: Johnny Crisstopher, aged seven, and Xristos Yanni, age two. The couple shared the news last week that the baby had arrived. '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. '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 last week 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 They have a big family now: Seen with their two eldest kids in May 2019 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. Vanessa Feltz has leant her support to devastated Alice Evans as she continues to document the breakdown of her marriage on social media. The TV personality, 59, has admitted that she emphathises with the 53-year-old actress' need to share her feelings about her estranged husband Ioan Gruffudd's new relationship with Bianca Wallace, 29. Vanessa revealed that she felt complete 'relief' to be able to talk about her ex-husband, Michael Kurer's affair and feels no regret about her decision to do so. Supportive: Vanessa Feltz has leant her support to devastated Alice Evans as she continues to document the breakdown of her marriage on social media (pictured November 2021) Writing in her Closer! column, Vanessa said: 'I think she has every right to share her heartbreak. I can relate to Alice as I've had a marriage breakdown. Mine was because my husband had an affair. 'We don't know both sides of the story in Alice and Ioan's case or if he cheated. But he has moved on with another woman and that's just as heartbreaking. She continued: 'It's a completely natural impulse to want to pour out your feelings and not want to feel alone. Yes it may be dirty laundry, but its hers. Why wouldn't she share it, and why shouldn't she?' Go for it! The TV personality, 59, has admitted that she emphathises with the 53-year-old actress' need to share her feelings about her estranged husband Ioan Gruffudd's new relationship with Bianca Wallace, 29 Former life: Vanessa with her ex-husband Michael Kurer in 1994 Speaking recently about how she found out about her ex's affair, Vanessa said: 'I thought I was one of the lucky ones, I thought I had a lovely marriage but then I got a phone call from The Daily Mirror columnist Sue Carroll saying "Vanessa please sit down, unfortunately, theres going to be a picture in the paper tomorrow with a picture of your husband with a woman hes having an affair with." 'My whole life just collapsed and shattered into a million pieces. It was absolutely astounding, all of these years later I can barely describe to you the shock of it.' Vanessa, who has been in a relationship with Ben Ofoedu since 2006, continued: 'I said do not worry, this is definitely a mistake, I will ring your father and I'm sure he will tell us everythings alright and I did, he denied everything and then about 10 minutes later he phoned back and said yes we are lovers and we are happy and that was that.' Happiness: Vanessa has been in a relationship with Ben Ofoedu since 2006 'Then nothing is the same again, your future is gone and your past you realise was probably built on an absolute tissue of lies and everybody else is reading it over their Frosties the next morning.' Alice's latest public tirade came when she directed a sarcasm-drenched apology to her estranged husband's new girlfriend after sharing a picture of the former couple together. She told her followers she was 'sorry for hurting' Ioan's partner Bianca by posting the cosy snap of them together in happier times on her Instagram page last week. The 'apology' comes after Alice shared an old snap of her and Ioan on Thursday evening and changed her social media bios to pointed slurs on 'homewreckers'. Sorry, not sorry? Alice directed an apology drenched in sarcasm to her estranged husband Ioan's new girlfriend after sharing a picture of the former couple together Alice told fans: 'It must have hurt her a lot, the idea that he may have been still sleeping with his wife, or even taking photos with her.' The mother of two has previously accused Ioan and Bianca of conducting a three year affair while they were married. Which has been denied by a friend of the couple. Alice said she 'wants to apologise' to people who felt she was being unkind to her 'husband's mistress' Bianca, by posting the picture with her '20 year love'. She quipped: 'I'm sorry Bianca. He is yours of course. I've taken him out. Now you won't have to worry. Love Alice.' Alongside the caption, Alice shared the same snap of herself and Ioan after photoshopping her ex-partner out of the shot. Caption: She said sorry for 'hurting' Bianca (pictured), by posting the cosy snap of them together in happier times on her Instagram page last week Ioan was spotted for the first time since going public with his new girlfriend Bianca as he filmed in the South of France last Wednesday. Since Bianca and Ioan went 'Instagram official', Alice has repeatedly made her feelings known to her thousands of social media followers. While Ioan was on-set, Alice changed her Twitter bio to: 'I do not sleep with married men. I do not wreck homes I do not ruin little kids' lives. I did used to smoke though;)', while her Instagram read: 'Not a home-wrecker'. On October 27, Ioan and Bianca announced their romance by sharing a snap on their respective social media accounts moments before Alice made explosive allegations about the duo having a three year long affair. Then: Ioan and Bianca went 'Instagram official' by sharing a cosy snap on their respective social media accounts In her ongoing tirade against the new couple, Alice has frequently reminded her critics not to call them 'exes' as she is still married to Ioan, with whom she shares two daughters - who she has accused Ioan of 'forgetting'. Alice shared a throwback alongside a caption reading: 'Oops! This came up when I was going through old photos. No offence to the 'New Girfriend'. Following the image of her and her husband in happier times, Alice also shared a slew of stunning selfies in quick succession of one another. Her Instagram details are now listed as: 'Not a home-wrecker', alongside a link to her IMDB page. Many shots: Following the image of her and her husband in happier times, Alice also shared a slew of stunning selfies in quick succession of one another Earlier in the week, Alice, who is mother to Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, with the star, gave a shocking insight into their parenting arrangements. In her latest blistering tirade, Alice hit back at Twitter users who accused her of making the split 'all about money' and also suggesting it was 'her choice' to quit her career and become a stay at home - something she staunchly denied. Alice explained that she 'altruistically' allowed Ioan to continue working, while staying at home with the girls, despite battling chronic pain and tiredness in fibromyalgia - making it hard for her to even get out of bed at times. Hitting back: She hit out at her husband and his new girlfriend in the bold statements She wrote: 'I did NOT make that choice. Two actors cannot both work because it's impossible to work in the same city. Just like two war-reporters or two overseas volunteers. I accepted to step down cos he earned more... 'It was hard. Really hard. I felt I was doing my bit for the family... every time I came to near breaking I told myself I would get back out there once they were older and that at least my husband was getting the opportunity to do the stuff he wanted... 'Rather than the stuff which shoots here, which is very limited. everything I did was altruistic... It was so freaking hard during the early years... 'I have fibromyalgia so sometimes it was hard to move or get out of bed. But I brought the girls on planes to wherever he was and TRIED to do the occasional guest spot. I felt a bit sad when I saw my friends doing amazing'. Hitting back: Earlier in the week, Alice, who is mother to Ella, 12, and Elsie, eight, with the star, gave a shocking insight into their parenting arrangements Ioan filed for divorce from Alice in March, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason behind their split. The document, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on March 1, revealed the former couple separated on New Year's Day - a month before they went public with their relationship status. At the time, they had shared a joint statement that read: 'As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy.' It was also reported the divorce papers state the exes are in a 'collaborative process and intend to resolve all issues including spousal support by written agreement'. All over: Alice confirmed she and Ioan were splitting after 20 years in a shock statement she shared on Twitter in January 2021 (pictured together in 2018) Alice, meanwhile, had addressed the pair's split in a shock statement shared to Twitter in January in which she claimed Ioan had 'mentally tortured' her. The mum-of-two also accused her estranged husband of 'winding the s**t up me' as she posted a vitriolic video about their 'collaborative divorce' talks. Alice and Ioan met on the set of 102 Dalmatians in 2000, when Alice was in a relationship with Pablo Picasso's grandson Olivier. She and Ioan became engaged six years later after she gave him an ultimatum about their relationship, and they tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Mexico in September 2007. Ioan hasn't publicly addressed the couple's divorce. Kate Garraway has discussed what it was like to be away from her husband Derek Draper for the first time since he was hospitalised with Covid-19 complications back in March 2020. The Good Morning Britain presenter, 54, was away from her family due to filming the BBC 2 show Walking With... where she takes a hike through the Cotswold countryside. While on the show, Kate, who also now acts as her husband's carer, spoke about how this was the first time being on her own away from home in over a year, and the joy she finds in nature and solace. Away: Kate Garraway, 54, has discussed what it was like to be away from her husband Derek Draper, also 54, for the first time since he was hospitalised with Covid-19 complications back in March 2020 A drone follows Kate around the sprawling greenery as she walks on her own speaking about her challenges while also meeting with locals. She spoke to PA news agency: 'I think it's the first time I've been on my own since Derek was sick, really, because in between that I'm sort of flitting between working and children and going to the hospital when Derek was in hospital and being at home with him now he's at home. 'To go for a walk just for its own sake, on your own, is an indulgence that I really enjoyed taking the time to do.' She went on: 'I think it's important to do that, because you need to sort of put a bit of petrol in the car, don't you, in order to tackle all the things in life that we have to tackle.' New show: The Good Morning Britain presenter was away from her family due to filming the BBC 2 show Walking With... where she takes a hike through the Cotswold countryside Happy place: While on the show, Kate, who also now acts as her husband's carer, spoke about how this was the first time being on her own away from home in over a year, and the joy she finds in nature and solace Derek was hospitalised because the virus wreaked havoc throughout his entire body, resulting in kidney failure, liver and pancreatic damage. On more than one occasion his heart stopped beating, he battled pneumonia and fought infections which punctured holes in his lungs. Kate made a documentary about the journey, which went on to win a National Television Award for best Authored Documentary. Solace: She spoke to PA news agency : 'I think it's the first time I've been on my own since Derek was sick Relaxed: 'To go for a walk just for its own sake, on your own, is an indulgence that I really enjoyed taking the time to do' It has now been confirmed that there will be a follow-up film, which will document the family's life since Derek's return home. The exact date of the release of the second film has not yet been confirmed but will air on ITV this winter. Kate has also written a book describing the journey called The Power Of Hope. \ Sad: Derek was hospitalised because the virus wreaked havoc throughout his entire body, resulting in kidney failure, liver and pancreatic damage Advertisement Newly released security footage shows the moment robbers smashed their way into RHOBH star Dorit Kemley's Los Angeles home before holding her at gunpoint while her children slept. The video shows two men break a glass door open before entering the $6.4 million Encino Hills home just before 11pm on October 27 and leaving almost 20 minutes later carrying high-end handbags, jewelry, and watches wrapped in bedding. Kemsley had only just returned from a trip to London, where she attended her nephew's wedding alongside her husband, PK Kemsley, who was still abroad at the time of the attack The reality star is said to have been 'traumatized' by the ordeal. Horrifying: The Los Angeles Police Department has released surveillance footage capturing robbers breaking and entering into Dorit Kemsley's home before holding her at gunpoint as her children slept The video, which was released by the Los Angeles Police Department on Monday, begins with two men standing by Dorit's door at 10.53pm, before smashing it open and leaving glass strewn across the floor. The men are then seen leaving the property at 11.09pm with her stolen belongings wrapped in large bedding. By 11.14pm, the robbers are shown fleeing the premises in a pickup truck. Although the footage does not show what occurred inside the residence, police have confirmed that Kemsley was confronted by the suspects. 'Both suspects threatened to kill her as she pleaded for her life and the lives of her young children,' the LAPD said in a statement. 'Don't hurt my babies. Don't kill me. I'm a mom,' Kemsley told the intruders. The man peers inside the broken door after he smashes the glass entry The men are seen leaving the property with Dorit's belongings Security footage captures the men on the property and wearing hoodies Traumatic: Dorit is said to have been 'traumatized' by the incident however her children slept through the whole ordeal 'In fear for her safety, the victim complied with the suspects demands and directed them to valuables,' police said. The robbers took Kemsley's high-end handbags, jewelry, and watches. The two suspects exited the home with the items wrapped in bedding, met up with a third suspect, and all suspects fled in a black 4-door pickup truck. 'The suspects are described as three male blacks, 20-30 years of age, wearing black hoodies and dark pants,' LAPD said. The Housewives star was at home with her two children Jagger, 7, and Phoenix, 5, at the time of the attack. DailyMail.com exclusively broke the news of the break-in just hours after it occurred. A source close to the mom-of-two previously told us that two of the three stormed into her bedroom while she was sleeping. She woke to them standing at the end of her bed. The intruders proceeded to ransack the house for about 20 minutes, but did not enter the bedrooms belonging to her children. After the intruders left, Kemsley contacted police and her husband. No one was injured during the incident and the identity of the suspects and value of stolen property remains unknown. LAPD says the Robbery-Homicide Division is investigating. Robbers are pictured outside the children's classroom door The intruder is seen smashing the glass on the door Kemsley broke her silence several days after the ordeal and revealed her children were unaware of the incident because they had slept through it. ''As you all know by now I have been through a terrifying ordeal, one that no parent or person should ever have to experience,' she said. 'My kids are unaware of what happened, they slept through it and I thank God for keeping my kids and myself from being physically harmed.' On her first post since the invasion, Kemsley said she appreciated the outpouring of support she has received and added that her family needed to start the healing process. Kemsley said: 'I have thrown myself straight back into work as I want our family to return to normality as soon as possible. With the love and support of my husband, my incredible family, friends, fans and followers, I am confident this is the right thing to do whilst I independently work through the trauma.' She added she is grateful to the LAPD for their care and attention. An intruder is caught on camera carrying Kemsley's stolen belongings that had been wrapped in bedding The robbers are shown fleeing the premises in a pickup truck Police released a sketch of one of the suspects on their website Police also released this image Kemsley told TMZ that she has since hired 24-hour security to bolster their protection. 'Lots of precaution. We will avoid anything that could put us in this situation again. That's for sure.' She added that the one thing going through her head during the invasion was that she needed to keep her children safe, as she was forced to beg for her life and told the three invaders who held her at gunpoint 'don't hurt my babies. Don't kill me. I'm a mom.' 'I need to keep them safe when they sleep,' she told the outlet. While the mother-of-two insisted that she was okay, she said she was feeling for her children after the traumatic experience. According to their mother, Jagger and Phoenix slept through the ordeal. When asked if she planned on moving, Kemsley said she and husband Paul Kemsley - AKA PK - were going 'to take it one step at a time.' 'We still have to figure everything out. It's very, very new,' she added. PK, however, seemed more determined to put his wife and children out of harm's way by leaving their mansion in Encino Hills. 'I would think we might [move],' he said, but revealed he doesn't know where to yet. His reality TV star wife admitted she might've been targeted by the criminals because of her posts on social media. On Instagram, Kemsley regularly shares her lavish lifestyle and outfits with her 1.3 million followers. DailyMail.com revealed last month that during the invasion, the intruders entered the home around by smashing through the children's classroom door. Two of the suspects walked into Kemsley's bedroom while she was sleeping. She woke to them standing at the end of her bed. They grabbed her as as she begged: 'Dont hurt my babies. Dont kill me. I'm a mother.' To which one of the men responded: 'Kill her.' PK, 54, told DailyMail.com in an exclusive interview at LAX as he arrived back in the US the Friday after the incident that the invasion was a 'real shock'. At the time, he aid: 'She's in shock. I'm going to see her now. I haven't seen her yet - I was so worried.' Jack Fincham has been spotted seemingly inhaling 'hippy crack' in a new video. In a video obtained by The Sun, the former Love Island star, 30, appeared to be sucking on balloons as he headed to a party with his pals. The footage comes just weeks after Jack revealed he was in a 'dark place' amid his battle with addiction and depression. Shocking: Jack Fincham has been spotted seemingly inhaling 'hippy crack' in a new video The publication reports that in one clip, Jack is seemingly holding on to a canister of nitrous oxide (hippy crack) while dancing around a room. While in other footage he is seen inhaling from a black balloon alongside his pals. The father-of-one appeared in great spirits as he laughed and larked around with his pals as another filmed them. Troubled: The footage comes just weeks after Jack revealed he was in a 'dark place' amid his battle with addiction and depression The shocking scenes sparked concern from the reality star's fans, with one person commenting on the video: 'Jacks struggled in the past any fan of his would be worried. I was shocked when I saw the video. 'Everyone remembers him as the nice lad from Love Island, and just wants him to be happy.' MailOnline have contacted representative of Jack for comment. Nitrous oxide or laughing gas also known as 'hippy crack' is used as an anaesthetic by dentists and during childbirth. Night out: In a video obtained by The Sun , the former Love Island star, 30, appeared to be sucking on balloons as he headed to a party with his pals Currently the gas is also legally available for commercial caterers to use in whipped cream dispensers and other uses. But it has dangerous side effects, and in the worst cases can be lethal. It was banned as a recreational drug under the 2016 Psychoactive Substances Act, but the rules are riddled with loopholes and it is simple to buy the drug online. WHAT IS NITROUS OXIDE (aka Hippy Crack or Nos) Nos, also known as laughing gas, is a gas called nitrous oxide which people inhale to get high. The drug is illegal for recreational use but is used by chefs to make whipped cream so is easy to buy. People inhaling the drug usually do so by filling a balloon with it and breathing it in over the course of a minute or so. The drug can produce a feeling of euphoria, lead to laughing or fits of giggles, cause hallucinations, and distort the sounds people hear. Its effects are usually short-lived but it can cause much longer lasting health damage. Because breathing it in essentially replaces the air you breathe with the drug, there is a risk of suffocation. People may also pass out because of the lack of oxygen. Inhaling nitrous oxide can also lead to severe headaches, dizziness, paranoia or stop you being able to think straight. It can also become addictive and, over time, lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency which can cause nerve damage in the hands and feet. Long-term use can also stop the body producing white blood cells effectively, damaging the immune system. Source: FRANK Advertisement The drug can produce a feeling of euphoria, lead to laughing or fits of giggles, cause hallucinations, and distort the sounds people hear. Its effects are usually short-lived but it can cause much longer lasting health damage. Overuse can lead to suffocation and even death. While prolonged use can cause anaemia and vitamin B12 deficiency. Other short-term side effects include dizziness, paranoia, headaches and unconsciousness. The footage comes just weeks after revealed he is struggling with addiction and depression during an Instagram post, as he discussed dealing with a 'torrent' of online abuse and 'fake' friends. The TV personality, who has recently appeared in TOWIE, admitted he was in a 'really dark place' without anywhere to turn or pals to talk to, after feeling like he has let his loved ones down. Before uploading the video to his social media account, Jack penned: 'Thanks for the amazing supportive message[s] I'm overwhelmed. 'I deleted this video as I was embarrassed but I am beginning my road to recovery. And believe me the comeback will be stronger #bekind.' [sic] Then speaking to the camera while alone, a sombre Jack said: 'To touch on what's going on, I'm really struggling. Really struggling with anxiety and depression, addiction and I've made some good steps today to get help. 'I can't do it on my own. In this fame industry it's hard, it's so cut throat. One minute people like you and one minute they don't. 'I've had a lot of fake friends come and go, I was surprised when I was in my dark space, all the people who said they would be there, weren't. 'I'm not going to feel sorry for myself, I've got my own responsibilities. I want to be a kind, nice person and I try my best.' Battle: The footage comes just weeks after revealed he is struggling with addiction and depression during an Instagram post, as he discussed dealing with a 'torrent' of online abuse and 'fake' friends The star, who recently had a brush with police and split from TOWIE's Frankie Sims, admitted that social media hate hurts him, but he is choosing to talk to his followers as he has no one else to turn to - aside from his family. He continued: 'There's been obstacles, some people have opinions on my life. The torrent of abuse on Instagram has really affected me. It couldn't be further from the truth. Words hurt and we do see them. 'I thought I had thick skin but obviously not, ill be back though - bigger and stronger. 'I've turned off my like count and comments because it was bringing me down. It was putting me into a bad space. 'I can't argue with thousands of people and give them my side of the story. 'I'll keep you updated, I'm a happy go lucky person, I've a lot of love to give. But I don't know who I'm talking to, I'm talking to you guys because I feel I have nobody else to talk to apart from my family obviously. Downhearted: The reality star, 30, admitted he was really in a 'dark place' without anywhere to turn or pals to talk to, after feeling like he has let his loved ones down 'But sometimes opinions from other people do help. Sorry to be depressing.' Jack explained why he decided to share his feelings: 'The reason Im saying this is if I can just help one person Im happy. 'You should speak out about mental health because its a serious thing, its awful. It affects you physically, you dont want to do anything or exercise. Leave the house. 'Im sorry this is downbeat but I wanted to address it because over the last few weeks Ive been getting some nasty, over the top remarks. 'People think it doesnt affect you but it does, its not nice. The added pressure of whatever you do reflects on your family, thats the worse pressure on earth. I feel like Ive let everyone down. 'I promise everyone Ive turned over a new leaf and I want to make everyone proud.' Honest: Speaking to the camera while alone, a sombre Jack said: 'To touch on what's going on, I'm really struggling. Really struggling with anxiety and depression, addiction and I've made some good steps today to get help' Painful: The star, who recently had a brush with police and split from Frankie Sims, also said: 'You should speak out about mental health because its a serious thing, its awful' In July, Jack appeared in court to deny driving while high on cocaine and Valium. The TV star was stopped by police driving his 30,000 Mercedes around a mile from his home in Swanley, Kent, Sevenoaks Magistrates Court heard. Prosecutors claim Fincham was found to have 239 micrograms of benzoylecgonine a by-product of cocaine per litre of blood. The limit is 50 micrograms. They say he also had 632 micrograms of diazepam - the chemical name for the sedative valium - per litre of blood when the limit is 550. Challenges: He continued: 'There's been obstacles, some people have opinions on my life. The torrent of abuse on Instagram has really affected me. It couldn't be furtherer from the truth. Words hurt and we do see them' His two-year-old white Mercedes C200 AMG was stopped on the B2173 on January 4, according to the charge sheet. He was been charged with two counts of driving a motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit. Jack pleaded not guilty to both charges. He was granted unconditional bail to appear at Maidstone Magistrates' Court at 10am on December 9. Meanwhile, back in 2019, Jack confessed to binging on cocaine during a wild night out after finding fame on Love Island. The reality star said that he caved to peer pressure after finding himself on nights out where the drinks are free and everyone is trying to be his friend. He told The Sun: ''I'm in a new world of partying and stuff, and being in circles that I would never normally have been in. Oh dear: In July, Jack appeared in court to deny driving while high on cocaine and Valium 'I'd never normally be in these situations but, yes, since winning the show I have been offered cocaine a lot.' He confessed that after a long night of drinking he got carried away and made a mistake which he now massively regrets. Following a night at a club, Jack's group headed back to a hotel in Maidstone, Kent, where he admits he snorted cocaine in the early hours. At the time, Jack claimed that taking drugs isn't a regular thing for him and he insists that it isn't something he will be making a habit of and will never be doing again. For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details Advertisement Lady Gaga, 35, made sure all eyes were on her when she stepped onto the House Of Gucci premiere's red carpet in London on Tuesday wearing a sweeping purple gown. Gaga stars as Patrizia Reggiani and looked sensational while posing for photographers in statement-making boots and bright purple eyeshadow. She cosied up to her co-star Adam Driver for playful snaps, who looked sharp in a smart suit. Joining her on the carpet was Salma Hayek, 55, who dazzled in a beautiful gold gown. Salma - who portrays Pina Auriemma in House Of Gucci - wore her brunette hair loose and her gown boasted a plunging neckline. Unreal: Lady Gaga, 35, made sure all eyes were on her when she stepped onto the House Of Gucci premiere's red carpet alongside Salma Hayek in London on Tuesday wearing a sweeping purple gown She modeled a stunning make-up look created for her by the team at Charlotte Tilbury, who used some of the brand's most popular products to perfect her red carpet glam, including the supermodel-loved Charlotte's Magic Cream, the Airbrush Flawless Foundation, and the Matte Revolution Lipstick. Meanwhile, Jared Leto, 49, donned an impeccably tailored teal velvet suit and in his right hand held a silver clutch shaped like a human heart. Jared - who plays Paolo Gucci in Ridley Scott's latest film - wore his shoulder length hair loose and teamed his retro-inspired suit with white heeled boots. Actor Jeremy Irons, 73, was also at the London premiere at the beginning of the week and wore a turtleneck jumper layered beneath a waistcoat. Arriving shortly after Jared was French actress Camille Cottin, who plays Paola Franchi. Camille, 42, stunned in a high-waisted cream trousers teamed with a gorgeous white shirt. Arms up: Gaga threw her hands into the air while working the red carpet Fishnets: Gaga showed off her eye-popping fishnet stockings In her element: Gaga was in her element on Tuesday night and put on a flamboyant display for photographers Striking: Gaga cut a striking silhouette and teamed her look with patterned tights while adorning her eyes with sweeps of purple eyeshadow Hair down: Gaga wore her peroxide blonde hair loose and was sporting a blunt fringe Having fun: Gaga cosied up to her co-star Adam Driver for playful snaps, who looked sharp in a smart suit Close bond: The pair appeared to have developed a close bond while filming the much-anticipated flick Also stepping out on Tuesday was Clara Amfo, who wowed in a black suit complete with powder pink lapels. The radio host, 37, added height to her frame in chic open-toe heels and effortlessly worked her best angles ahead of the film's screening. House Of Gucci stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani in the years after her marriage to Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver) as she hires a hitman to kill him. Twirling: Gaga twirled her jaw-dropping dress while working her best angles Out of this world: Salma's out-of-this world gown was nipped in at the waist, accentuating her famous curves Last month, Gaga showed off a new murderous side as the second official trailer for House Of Gucci was released. Alongside the clip, New poster images were released to coincide with the latest trailer that show the all-star cast in some of their glamorous ensembles from the film. Gaga appears severe in a mullet-like hairdo while grimly clasping her hands and wearing a scarlet suit dress with abundant bracelets and a thick beaded necklace. Dapper: Jared Leto, 49, cut a dapper figure when he stepped onto the House Of Gucci premiere's red carpet in London on Tuesday Teal: The actor donned an impeccably tailored teal velvet suit and in his right hand held a silver clutch shaped like a human heart Interesting: Jared was holding a clutch shaped like a human heart and wore white nail polish Natural: A natural in front of the cameras, Adam cut a typically dapper figure in an expensive-looking suit Driver looks more imposing in a blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, while Leto looks like a trickster in his Paolo makeup and a striking lavender corduroy suit. Al Pacino - who plays Aldo Gucci - dons aviator sunglasses and looks elegant in a charcoal double-breasted suit. Jeremy, who plays Rodolfo Gucci and hasn't had a single line in any of the teasers and trailers so far, looked like a dandy with a tan suit, honeycomb-patterned vest and a navy ascot. Stepping out: Actor Jeremy Irons, 73, was also at the London premiere at the beginning of the week and wore a turtleneck jumper layered beneath a waistcoat All smiles: Jeremy was all smiles on Tuesday and the actor's phone could be seen peeking out of his left pocket Stunning: Arriving shortly after Jared was French actress Camille Cottin, who plays Paola Franchi Gold: Camille wore a gold piece of jewellery draped around her neck and rocked a jet black manicure Stylish: Also stepping out on Tuesday was Clara Amfo, who wowed in a black suit complete with powder pink lapels Standing tall: The radio host, 37, added height to her frame in chic open-toe heels and effortlessly worked her best angles ahead of the film's screening Interviewing: Clara interviewed Salma ahead of the film's screening The cold-blooded murder of fashion scion Maurizio Gucci in 1995 shocked the world especially when his glamorous ex-wife Patrizia was found guilty of arranging it. During the murder trial, which transfixed Italy, Reggiani arrived each day wearing head-to-toe Gucci clothes and accessories. The court heard how she had ordered the murder of her husband after he offered her $650,000 in a divorce settlement. Admiration: Gaga and Adam looked at each other with great admiration Cast: House Of Gucci stars Salma Hayek, Jared Leto, Adam Driver and Lady Gaga posed for a group photo Pictured: Salma Hayek, Jared Leto, Jeremy Irons, Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Camille Cottin and Jack Huston pose together Colourful: The film's stars put on a colourful display as they posed side-by-side in their impressive outfits Chatting away: The cast chatted away while posing for photographs Icons: Jared, Adam and Gaga looked every inch the Hollywood icons as they posed next to one another Having a blast: The House Of Gucci cast had a blast at the premiere Bling: Gaga proudly showed off a large diamond ring on her right hand On-set bonds: Gaga was seen chatting to both Salma and Adam, hinting at the friendly bond the cast has developed She was initially sentenced to 29 years in 1998, which was reduced to 26 on appeal. She served 18 with her pet ferret Bambi as a companion for some of the time - before being released in October 2014. Well-known for her luxury lifestyle, Reggiani once said: 'I'd rather cry in a Rolls than be happy on a bicycle' and turned down the offer of day release while in prison because it would have meant doing 'menial' work. House of Gucci, directed by Scott from a script by Roberto Bentivegna, based on Sara Gay Forden's book, hits theaters November 24. Working it: Gaga worked it for the crowds and threw her arm straight up into the air Fun night: Behind Gaga, Clara could be seen beaming from ear to ear Guest: Model Caroline Daur made a stylish appearance Elegant: Romanian actress Madalina Diana Ghenea donned an elegant black gown Q&A: The cast took part in a Q&A after the film was screened on Tuesday evening Photos: Magdalena Sverlander and Jason McNab also posed for photos Pink: Fashionista Victoria Magrath walked the carpet in a stylish pink suit All-black: British drag queen Bimini Bon-Boulash cut a striking figure in an all-black look Helping hand: Gaga was offered help with her hair Beaded: The arms of the star's gown featured intricate beaded detailing Sheer: Gaga's dress was made of semi-sheer material Starlet: Gaga was every inch the starlet when she arrived to the House Of Gucci premiere wearing blacked-out shades Low-key: Actor Jason Momoa was seen making a low-key arrival to the premiere Waving: Gaga waved to everyone who had gathered to watch her new film Afterparty: Salma was seen arriving at the House Of Gucci afterparty with her husband Francois-Henri Pinault Bling: Salma adorned her wrist with a chunky gold bracelet Off home: Adam was seen leaving the House Of Gucci afterparty Woman in red: New poster images were released to coincide with the latest trailer that show the all-star cast in some of their glamorous ensembles from the film. Gaga looks severe in a mullet-like hairdo while grimly clasping her hands and wearing a scarlet suit dress with abundant bracelets and a thick beaded necklace Blue mood: Driver looks more imposing in a blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, while Leto looks like a trickster in his Paolo makeup and a striking lavender corduroy suit Brothers: Pacino is a blank with his aviator sunglasses, and he looks elegant in charcoal double-breasted suit. Jeremy Irons, who hasn't had a single line in any of the teasers and trailers so far, is dressed like a dandy with a tan suit, honeycomb-patterned vest and a navy ascot Coming soon: House of Gucci is scripted by Roberto Bentivegna and hits cinemas November 24 It's been one year since Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek passed away after a hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. To honor the beloved television star, guest host and quiz show GOAT, Ken Jennings, shared a touching story about a small piece of Alex that he keeps with him every time he steps on the stage. Ken revealed in a video that Trebek's wife Jean gifted him with a pair of Alex's very own cuff links on his first day guest hosting the long running game show. One year later: On the first anniversary of Alex Trebek's death, Ken Jennings shared the touching gift he was given by his widow Jean, in a new video out Monday 'I miss Alex a lot,' Ken said in a video released by Jeopardy! on YouTube on the one year anniversary of Alex's death. 'When I'm here, I feel like he's probably in the building somewhere. It's hard not to talk about him in the present tense.' Jennings, who holds the records for most consecutive game wins on Jeopardy! with and the show's 'Greatest Of All Time' title, has been guest hosting the series this season alongside several others. 'The first day I came in to guest host was just a few weeks after Alex had passed and it was a really rough time,' Jennings went on to say in the video. 'I got to the studio and one of the producers handed me a little box and Alex's wife, Jean, had given me a pair of his cuff links that he had worn on the show. What a lovely gesture that was from Jean,' he continued. 'The first day I came in to guest host was just a few weeks after Alex had passed and it was a really rough time,' Jennings went on to say in the video. 'I got to the studio and one of the producers handed me a little box and Alex's wife, Jean, had given me a pair of his cuff links that he had worn on the show. What a lovely gesture that was from Jean,' he continued. 'My Alex Trebek cuff links are the only cuff links I own,' said Jennings. 'They're kind of a good luck charm for me here.' Jean and Alex had been married for 30 years at the time of his death and the Canadian TV host spent his final days with his beloved wife. 'You know, at a time that was very hard for her family, dealing with a lot of grief and a lot of challenges, she thought about Jeopardy! and she thought about me, a person she had never even met,' Ken reflected in the video. 'And I just thought, 'What a lovely thing to do. She's fantastic.' He added: 'My Alex Trebek cuff links are the only cuff links I own,' said Jennings. 'They're kind of a good luck charm for me here.' Alex Trebek, who had helmed Jeopardy! since 1984, was filming new episodes up until a month before his passing. His final episodes aired posthumously in December 2020. 'You know, at a time that was very hard for her family, dealing with a lot of grief and a lot of challenges, she thought about Jeopardy! and she thought about me, a person she had never even met,' Ken reflected in the video. 'And I just thought, 'What a lovely thing to do. She's fantastic.' Leading the show: Jennings, who holds the records for most consecutive game wins on Jeopardy! with and the show's 'Greatest Of All Time' title, has been guest hosting the series this season alongside several others On January 11th, Ken Jennings stepped as Jeopardy!'s first guest host in what would become a revolving door of hosts through 2021. Prior to that, Jennings officially became part of the show's team in 2020 with his own category of clues. Earlier this year, Sony announced that Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards would permanently replace Alex, sharing duties with actress Mayim Bialik who would host special tournaments. Mike Richards, who was pulling double-duty as executive producer and host on Jeopardy! and executive producer of Wheel of Fortune, was quickly ousted from all three gigs in September after distasteful remarks he made in 2014 mocking women, Jews, and Haiti came to light - as well as resurfaced sexual harassment lawsuits. Producers then revealed Bialik and Jennings would be sharing hosting duties for the remainder of season 38 after Richards' spectacular flame out amid scandal. A mess: Earlier this year, Sony announced that Jeopardy! executive producer Mike Richards would permanently replace Alex, sharing duties with actress Mayim Bialik who would host special tournaments however Richards was ousted in a cloud of scandal DailyMail.com previously reported exclusively that the production team behind Jeopardy! wants Bialik to be named permanent host and Michael Davies as executive producer. Mayim, who is described as 'gracious, warm and smart', is a natural fit for the quiz show both on and off camera and is creating a calm environment befitting the legacy of Alex Trebek, according to multiple production insiders. Following the 'traumatic' catastrophe of Mike Richards' short-lived stint as Alex's replacement, the crew is pulling for Sony to stop 'dragging its feet' and officially lock in the 45-year-old actress for the coveted gig. Bialik, who has a doctorate in neuroscience from UCLA, not only has the intellectual chops to host the long running series, but she's endeared herself to the production staff as well, even bringing in cupcakes as a thank you. Fail: Mike Richards, who was pulling double-duty as executive producer and host on Jeopardy! and executive producer of Wheel of Fortune, was booted after distasteful remarks he made in 2014 mocking women, Jews, and Haiti came to light - as well as resurfaced sexual harassment lawsuits 'Mayim is gracious, warm and smart and Michael is a diligent leader who is focused on producing a show for the viewers,' a source says. Behind the scenes, Embassy Row's Michael Davies agreed to step in on an interim basis as executive producer. 'Michael is just a natural leader, he makes it about the show and what the viewers want, it's not about him,' says a source. 'It would be wonderful if he could balance both Embassy Row, his production company, and Jeopardy!, we'd all be here for that.' A source tells DailyMail.com: 'It is such a refreshing change to what life was like on set with Mike Richards who made it all about Mike Richards.' Even prior to the resurfaced harassment lawsuits and offensive comments, fans were disappointed over the choice to name Richards as host as many felt he had an unfair advantage since he was already executive producer of the show. 'There is no doubt that Mayim is totally cut out for the job. She has the goods to back it up and is very pleasant and professional to all of us,' says a member of the production team. 'So many of us wanted her from her first tape day several months ago. She is perfect for it.' After the Richards kerfuffle, Sony went back to the drawing board in their search for a host but the Jeopardy! team is hoping the powers that be will hurry up and name Mayim permanent host. 'We just wish Sony would put us out of this endless period of flux and appoint Mayim as host and Michael as the permanent executive producer,' says a source. 'The combination of the two of them is magic. We think Alex would be proud, and that matters so much to all of us who work for Jeopardy! and our loyal viewers at home.' Reese Witherspoon showed off her winning smile on Tuesday in Los Angeles while shooting her upcoming Netflix film Your Place Or Mine. The 45-year-old actress and producer looked comfortable in a casual ensemble as she departed an SUV on her way to shoot a scene. The Oscar winner put her trim legs on display in a cute denim skirt that reached down to her knees, which she paired with a reserved navy blouse. Back to work: Reese Witherspoon showed off her winning smile on Tuesday in Los Angeles while shooting her upcoming Netflix film Your Place Or Mine Reese's dark top was enlivened with lighter blue floral designs, and she contrasted it with her olive military-style jacket with breast pockets. She brought along a dark green bag which she clutched against her chest, and she completed her look with brilliant white trainers. The Morning Show star had her long blond locks parted down the middle, and she added some sparkle to her look with modest hoop earrings. Although she didn't have a mask on, she had a large plastic shield attached to a collar around her neck. Leggy lady: The 45-year-old actress and producer looked comfortable in a casual ensemble, including a denim skirt, as she departed an SUV on her way to shoot a scene Suited up: Reese's dark top was enlivened with lighter blue floral designs, and she contrasted it with her olive military-style jacket with breast pockets, which she wore earlier in the day It's not clear if Reese's outfit was her costume for a scene, or if she still had to change after arriving on set. She appeared to have a packet of papers in her hand, which may have been script pages. Reese stars in Your Place Or Mine as Debbie, while Ashton Kutchers plays her best friend Peter. They live on opposite coasts of the US, but they both switch homes for a week while she pursues one of her goals and he watches over her son. Trading places: She stars with Ashton Kutcher as a pair of best friends living on opposite coasts who switch houses for a week to pursue once-in-a-lifetime opportunities The boss: Reese has stayed remarkably busy in recent years as she has put a larger focus on producing films and shows, including her hit series Big Little Lies and The Morning Show The romantic comedy also features appearances from Jesse Williams, Tig Notaro, The White Lotus' Steve Zahn and Zoe Chao. Jason Bateman's production company Aggregate Films is producing the movie, along with Reese's company Hello Sunshine. Reese has stayed remarkably busy in recent years as she has put a larger focus on producing. In addition to serving as an executive producer on The Morning Show and past efforts including Big Little Lies and Little Fires Everywhere, Reese is at work on several new projects, including the Riley Keoughstarring series Daisy Jones & The Six, a live-action film about Peter Pan's fairy Tinker Bell, and a third entry in the Legally Blonde series. Unstoppable pace: Reese was featured earlier this year on season two of Apple TV+'s The Morning Show with Jennifer Aniston as a pair of anchors competing on a high-profile morning talk show Despite plowing ahead with film and television projects, Reese shared with Gayle King this week that her children remain her 'first, most important priority.' In their cover interview for InStyle, Reese wondered if her children even realized how important they were to her. 'If I told you how much space in my brain they take up every day do you even think they know, Gayle? I don't even think they know,' she said. The Walk The Line star shares her oldest children Ava Phillippe, 22, and Deacon Phillippe, 18 with her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, while she and husband Jim Toth share nine-year-old Tennessee. Flattered: On Monday, Reese told Gayle King for InStyle that she loves being mistaken for her mini-me daughter Ava Phillippe (L) because it makes her 'feel so young'; pictured with Deacon Phillippe (R) Reese opened up about the experience of raising children in the public eye, after the New Orleans native had had a much more private childhood. 'It's an odd situation because I didn't grow up famous. So [Ava is] living an experience that I did not have, and so are my sons,' she said. 'We are lucky enough to have friends who grew up in Hollywood and can help give them advice on how to navigate. 'Ava is so down-to-earth,' she add. 'She wants to do great things in the world. She's studying and learning and trying to find herself. It's a big thing in life to try different things and figure out what is really your path.' Reese didn't seem to mind being mistaken for her lookalike daughter sometimes, as she said it makes her 'feel so young.' However, the comparisons sometimes bothered Ava, who was often in touch with her friend Zoe Kravitz, because she's also often mistaken for her famous mother Lisa Bonet. 'I mean, that's another mother-daughter combo that's like identical twins,' Reese said. Camille Cottin looked chic as she attended the UK premiere of House of Gucci on Tuesday evening. The Call My Agent! star, 42, displayed her fashion credentials in cream wide leg trousers and a sheer blouse for the London event. She completed the look with a gold glittery tie round her neck. Looking good: Camille Cottin, 42, looked chic in an monochrome ensemble as she attended the UK premiere of House of Gucci on Tuesday evening Her brunette locks were styled to the side and in a natural, loose wave which fell over one shoulder. Camille opted for a glamorous smokey eye paired with pink lip colour, while she had painted her nails black for the occasion. Camille plays Paola Franchi in the upcoming flick, who is an Italian interior designer, artist, author and former model and was in a relationship with Maurizio Gucci when he died. Chic: The Call My Agent! star displayed her fashion credentials in white wide leg trousers and a sheer blouse for the London event House Of Gucci stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani in the years after her marriage to Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver) as she hires a hitman to kill him. Jared Leto will also star and play Paolo Gucci in Ridley Scott's latest film. Last month, Gaga showed off a new murderous side as the second official trailer for House Of Gucci was released. Alongside the clip, New poster images were released to coincide with the latest trailer that show the all-star cast in some of their glamorous ensembles from the film. Gaga appears severe in a mullet-like hairdo while grimly clasping her hands and wearing a scarlet suit dress with abundant bracelets and a thick beaded necklace. Driver looks more imposing in a blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, while Leto looks like a trickster in his Paolo makeup and a striking lavender corduroy suit. Wow: Her brunette locks were styled to the side and in a natural, loose wave which fell over one shoulder Al Pacino - who plays Aldo Gucci - dons aviator sunglasses and looks elegant in a charcoal double-breasted suit. Jeremy Irons, who plays Rodolfo Gucci and hasn't had a single line in any of the teasers and trailers so far, looked like a dandy with a tan suit, honeycomb-patterned vest and a navy ascot. The cold-blooded murder of fashion scion Maurizio Gucci in 1995 shocked the world especially when his glamorous ex-wife Patrizia was found guilty of arranging it. During the murder trial, which transfixed Italy, Reggiani arrived each day wearing head-to-toe Gucci clothes and accessories. Stunning: Camille opted for a glamorous smokey eye paired with pink lip colour, while she had painted her nails black for the occasion Upcoming: Camille plays Paola Franchi in the upcoming flick, who is an Italian interior designer, artist, author and former model and was in a relationship with Maurizio Gucci when he died; Camille pictured in character The court heard how she had ordered the murder of her husband after he offered her $650,000 in a divorce settlement. She was initially sentenced to 29 years in 1998, which was reduced to 26 on appeal. She served 18 with her pet ferret Bambi as a companion for some of the time - before being released in October 2014. Well-known for her luxury lifestyle, Reggiani once said: 'I'd rather cry in a Rolls than be happy on a bicycle' and turned down the offer of day release while in prison because it would have meant doing 'menial' work. House of Gucci, directed by Scott from a script by Roberto Bentivegna, based on Sara Gay Forden's book, hits UK cinemas November 26. Model and actress Shantel VanSanten has shown off her ultra-glamorous wedding dresses as she recalled tying the knot with Victor Webster three times over the course of three months. The couple, who met filming the Hallmark movie Love Blossoms in 2016, said 'I do' in Pasadena, Napa, and Minnesota, Shantel said in a Brides profile. Shantel, 36, initially planned on tying the knot with Victor, 48, twice - once in California and again in Minnesota - but decided to say 'I do' three times following the death of her grandfather, who was set to walk her down the aisle in one of the weddings. They said 'I do' again and again! Model and actress Shantel VanSanten has shown off her ultra-glamorous wedding dresses as she recalled tying the knot with Victor Webster three times over the course of three months The couple decided to tie the knot for the first time with a civil ceremony in Pasadena on the day of her late grandparents' anniversary. 'When my grandfather unexpectedly passed away on Father's Day, the heartbreak was unbearable; I had been planning on him walking me down the aisle in Minnesota,' Shantel told the site. 'In the midst of my grief, I looked at Victor and said I wanted to do a spontaneous civil ceremony on my grandparents' wedding date, August 9. The idea of my grandparents being reunited and watching over our ceremony from above gave me some peace. 'They were married for 63 years had such a special, deep love. They were the example to me of how love is a choice and takes work. It wasn't perfect, but their love was always pure.' Intimate: The couple first tied the knot in a civil ceremony in Pasadena Here comes the bride! Shantel married Victor a second tying wearing a Galia Lahav gown The couple's first wedding was held at Pasadena City Hall and ended up being the only ceremony her mother was able to attend after she landed in the ICU, where Shantel says she was 'fighting for her life.' 'We knew this was going to be a very intimate ceremony where we could be as honest and real as we wanted to,' Shantel told Brides. 'It wasn't about entertaining anyone or telling any stories; instead it was about the raw, real and honest road that we have taken to get to this special day.' The couple paid tribute to Shantel's grandparents, and Victor even ended his vows with a line from a letter Shantel's grandfather had written her grandmother during World War II. 'With all my love and kisses, I remain your ever loving sweetheart and faithful husband,' the touching line read. Meaningful: The civil ceremony ended up being the only ceremony her mother was able to attend after she landed in the ICU, where Shantel says she was 'fighting for her life' The couple also exchanged rings once owned by her grandparents. 'I had called my mother and asked if there was a ring of my grandfather's I could give to Victor. She found an old vintage turquoise one from the '40s andunbeknownst to megave Victor a band of my grandmothers', which he surprised me with. I was shocked when we went to exchange our rings and we each pulled one out from my grandparents,' Shantel said. Only three guests were present for the civil ceremony - Shantel's mother, stepfather, and Victor's mom. But her grandparents were not left out. 'In so many ways, I felt their presence with us,' Shantel said. 'Although it was not planned, it ended up being the most beautiful day. We didn't overthink itjust went with our hearts wide open. It was beyond memorable.' The couple's second ceremony took place two months later at Zakin Family Estate, a winery in Napa County, in October. Paying tribute: Only three guests were present for the civil ceremony - Shantel's mother, stepfather, and Victor's mom. But her grandparents were not left out. I do again! The couple's second ceremony took place two months later at Zakin Family Estate, a winery in St. Helena, California, in October She walked down the aisle wearing the Galia Lahav gown the Giovanna, which she described as a 'celestial ball gown that is fully embroidered and scattered with crystal beads that replicate a galaxy.' 'When I put it on, I was reminded of stargazing in the cornfields of my grandparents' home in Minnesota. I knew we would be under a star-filled sky on the wedding night and it would feel seamless. The veil had a huge North Star embroidered on it to remind me of Victor, who is my light guiding me home.' The couple exchanged vows a second time beneath two trees which they said represented them with their dog Nova serving as ring bearer. 'Here were two trees which, when planted, were left to set a strong rooted foundationand now after growing they found their branches intertwined and reaching to find sunlight together,' Shantel said. Blushing bride: 'When I put it on, I was reminded of stargazing in the cornfields of my grandparents' home in Minnesota,' Shantel said of the gown Family affair: She was walked down the aisle by her stepfather as her sister sang At Last with her aunt Diane officiating the ceremony She was walked down the aisle by her stepfather as her sister sang At Last. Shantel said she was 'beyond grateful' having her stepfather there in light of her mother's health issues. 'My stepfatherI call him Dadhas been in my life since I was four,' Shantel said. 'He wasn't going to be able to come as my mother was in the ICU and he didn't want to leave her side. We had a conference call Saturday morning with the doctors, and she was stable enough for him to come. So he got to be there to walk me down the aisle. I was beyond grateful for this moment with him.' She also had a private conversation via FaceTime with her mother before the ceremony: 'Those few minutes I will treasure forever. The memory and her words will live forever in my heart and we know she was there in every heartbeat throughout the day.' Mr. and Mrs.! Guests celebrated the newlyweds at the Zakin Family Estate And the wedding was officiated by her aunt Diane: 'Shortly after we decided when and where [to get married], we asked Diane to officiate and she very excitedly agreed,' Shantel said. 'Then a few weeks later, she was hospitalized and we got debilitating news that she had terminal renal cell cancer and it had already spread to her brain. Victor and I flew to South Dakota to be at her side. We wanted to help give her strength as she began the fight and we bonded even more closely. In the midst of all the radiation and treatments, she kept gathering quotes and details from friends and family; she kept planning her speech. She has the best spirit and warrior's attitude; she has been a shining example of resiliency to us through everything this year.' Guests celebrated afterwards at an outdoor reception where a long black dining table and plush furniture awaited her 48 loved ones. 'The main dinner table was one long, black, dramatic wood table for 48 guests,' she said. 'The color of the table allowed the softer tones and metal elements to pop.' Just look at you! Victor couldn't believe his eyes as he gazed at his bride Their third wedding was themed 'vintage and prairie-inspired' and was held near Shantel's hometown in Minnesota. 'We knew for this wedding we wanted it to feel more like home,' she said. 'Less glamorous and more grounded; lots of handmade elements and influences from my childhood inspiring our choices. Rustic, approachable, intimate, and, as always, romantic.' She wore another Galia Lahav wedding dress, which Brides described as a 'a sculptural French lace mermaid style with mutton sleeves.' 'I knew,' Shantel said. 'It was so clear this was the exact vibe I wanted for that wedding. It was the one thing I kept coming back to for inspiration as I designed the rest of the wedding and reception elements. I could envision the whole wedding when I saw myself in this dress.' Always and forever: Their third wedding was themed 'vintage and prairie-inspired' and was held near Shantel's hometown in Minnesota 'It has a lot of meaning for me': They said 'I do' again beside a rock quarry in Blue Mounds State Park which Shantel used to climb as a child Victor wore a burgundy wool suit from Scotch & Soda which Shantel said 'matched the surrounding rocks and fall palette we envisioned.' They said 'I do' again beside a rock quarry in Blue Mounds State Park which Shantel used to climb as a child. 'It has a lot of meaning for me,' she said. Aunt Diane was back as officiant, and 'called on the 60 guests to take a moment of pause to ground themselves and capture the moment,' according to Brides. 'Victor and I stood for that minute taking it all in, when all of the sudden the wind picked up and I instantly knew it was my grandparents' way of letting me know they were there,' she said. 'I whispered this to Victor; not five seconds later out of the sky fell a bright yellow leaf, which landed on Victor's right shoulder. There were no trees around us in the area and he kept looking for where it came from. We now know it was their blessing.' She was walked down the aisle by her biological father Steve. Afterwards, the guests danced the night away to music spun by Shantel's brother's best friend. 'We hired my brother's best friend, who is a DJ,' Shantel said. 'He kept us dancing until 12:30 when I couldn't feel my toes anymore.' She is currently on a whirlwind promotional tour for the dark true-crime series Ragdoll. And on Tuesday, Lucy Hale stepped out for an interview on Good Morning America in New York City while sporting a chic ensemble. The Pretty Little Liars actress, 32, wowed in teal-colored trousers with a floral blouse featuring puffy sleeves. Stylish lady: She is currently on a whirlwind promotional tour for the dark true-crime series Ragdoll And on Tuesday, Lucy Hale stepped out for an interview on Good Morning America in New York City while sporting a chic ensemble Lucy wore a purple and floral top featuring elegant puffy long sleeves paired with wide-legged bottoms in a jewel tone. The TV star carried a black handbag and delicate jewelry to round out her interview look on GMA at the Times Square Studios in NYC. The former Bionic Woman star styled her short brunette locks in waves. While on GMA, Lucy explained that she's a true-crime junkie. GMA time: The Pretty Little Liars actress, 32, wowed in teal-colored trousers with a floral blouse featuring puffy sleeves Looking cute: Lucy wore a purple and floral top featuring elegant puffy long sleeves paired with wide-legged bottoms in a jewel tone 'Im totally on the true crime bandwagon,' said Lucy on the show when GMA Host Michael Strahan asked about her being a true crime junkie. 'I feel like Ive been preparing for this role without knowing, my whole life,' she said. Adding: 'Its dark. There should be a disclaimer. Its pretty disturbing but Im into that kind of thing.' Strike a pose: The TV star carried a black handbag and delicate jewelry to round out her interview look on GMA at the Times Square Studios in NYC The Ragdoll series focuses on six people who have been murdered, dismembered and stitched together into a single cadaver in the shape of a Ragdoll. The gruesome body is left hanging from the ceiling of a flat in a London neighborhood. She plays American detective Lake Edmunds to solve the crime in the six-part series. The dark series is a departure for Lucy, who previously played Becca Sommers in the Bionic Woman in 2017. Her breakthrough role was Aria Montgomery in Pretty Little Liars for which she received accolades from 2010 to 2017. The series, Ragdoll, is set to be released Thursday on AMC+. Promotional: The series Ragdoll is set to be released Thursday on AMC+ Candid talk: While on GMA, Lucy explained that she's a true-crime junkie He's no stranger to turning heads with his quirky fashion choices. And Jared Leto was sure to catch the eye on Tuesday as he stepped out for the UK premiere of House Of Gucci at the Odeon Luxe cinema in London's Leicester Square. The actor, 49, wowed in a teal velvet suit which he accessorised with an unusual silver clutch bag shaped like a human heart. Bold look: ared Leto was sure to catch the eye on Tuesday as he stepped out for the UK premiere of House Of Gucci at the Odeon Luxe cinema in London's Leicester Square Jared, who plays Paolo Gucci in the film, looked on fine form as he posed up a storm on the red carpet in his bold blue suit which featured a turquoise trim. Beneath his suit, Jared donned a plunging white shirt, which he styled with a dazzling diamond pendant. The Suicide Squad star rounded off his show-stopping look with white heeled boots and a chunky diamond ring, while his raven locks fell loosely on his shoulders. Jared appeared in great spirits as he joined co-stars Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek and Adam Driver on the red carpet. Quirky: The actor, 49, wowed in a teal velvet suit which he accessorised with an unusual silver clutch bag shaped like a human heart That's different: The actor was seen carrying an eye-catching embellished clutch shaped like a human heart, while he also showed off a white manicure House Of Gucci stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani in the years after her marriage to Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver) as she hires a hitman to kill him. Last month, Gaga showed off a new murderous side as the second official trailer for House Of Gucci was released. Alongside the clip, New poster images were released to coincide with the latest trailer that show the all-star cast in some of their glamorous ensembles from the film. Gaga appears severe in a mullet-like hairdo while grimly clasping her hands and wearing a scarlet suit dress with abundant bracelets and a thick beaded necklace. Stepping out in style: Jared, who plays Paolo Gucci in the film, looked on fine form as he posed up a storm on the red carpet in his bold blue suit which featured a turquoise trim Dapper: Beneath his suit, Jared donned a plunging white shirt, which he styled with a dazzling diamond pendant Quirky: The Suicide Squad star rounded off his show-stopping look with white heeled boots and a chunky diamond ring, while his raven locks fell loosely on his shoulders Wow: Jared looked amazing as he joined his co-stars on the red carpet Driver looks more imposing in a blue double-breasted pinstripe suit, while Leto looks like a trickster in his Paolo makeup and a striking lavender corduroy suit. Al Pacino - who plays Aldo Gucci - dons aviator sunglasses and looks elegant in a charcoal double-breasted suit. Jeremy Irons, who plays Rodolfo Gucci and hasn't had a single line in any of the teasers and trailers so far, looked like a dandy with a tan suit, honeycomb-patterned vest and a navy ascot. The cold-blooded murder of fashion scion Maurizio Gucci in 1995 shocked the world especially when his glamorous ex-wife Patrizia was found guilty of arranging it. All-star cast: Jared appeared in great spirits as he joined co-stars Lady Gaga, Salma Hayek and Adam Driver on the red carpet Say cheese: The actors cheerfully smiled for the cameras at the UK premiere What a duo: Lady Gaga and Jared pulled out all the stops in their bold ensembles Effortlessly cool: Jared wore his raven locks in a loose, tousled style, while accessorising his look with plenty of bling Hey there: The star was as charming as ever as he chatted to fans Statement piece: His unusual accessory was bound to be a talking point on the night During the murder trial, which transfixed Italy, Reggiani arrived each day wearing head-to-toe Gucci clothes and accessories. The court heard how she had ordered the murder of her husband after he offered her $650,000 in a divorce settlement. She was initially sentenced to 29 years in 1998, which was reduced to 26 on appeal. She served 18 with her pet ferret Bambi as a companion for some of the time - before being released in October 2014. Well-known for her luxury lifestyle, Reggiani once said: 'I'd rather cry in a Rolls than be happy on a bicycle' and turned down the offer of day release while in prison because it would have meant doing 'menial' work. House of Gucci, directed by Scott from a script by Roberto Bentivegna, based on Sara Gay Forden's book, hits UK cinemas November 26. Woman in red: New poster images were released to coincide with the latest trailer that show the all-star cast in some of their glamorous ensembles from the film. Gaga looks severe in a mullet-like hairdo while grimly clasping her hands and wearing a scarlet suit dress Anticipated: House Of Gucci stars Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani in the years after her marriage to Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver) as she hires a hitman to kill him Katie Holmes' heavily-tattooed bodyguard dutifully carried her winter coat on the set of her third directorial effort, Rare Objects, in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood on Tuesday. The Ohio-born 42-year-old had removed the beige coat she was wearing that morning once the temperature climbed from 56F degrees to an unseasonably warm 70F degrees. Katie was wearing a purple pussy-bow blouse tucked into baggy, high-waisted black jeans and white sneakers. Boss lady: Katie Holmes' heavily-tattooed bodyguard dutifully carried her winter coat on the set of her third directorial effort, Rare Objects, in Manhattan's NoHo neighborhood on Tuesday Holmes beamed beneath her sparkly black face mask while chatting with a crew member on the Big Apple streets. The Dawson's Creek alum - clutching a to-go coffee - went make-up free for her day behind the camera and wore her brunette locks in a simple pony tail. On Monday, Katie - who boasts 2.3M Instagram followers - Instastoried a behind-the-scenes snap of a Chanel piece as the indie flick is about a traumatized woman working in an antique shop. Rare Objects stars American Rust actress Julia Mayorga as protagonist Betina while Holmes and The Sopranos alum Saundra Santiago play mystery roles. Unseasonably warm: The Ohio-born 42-year-old had removed the beige coat she was wearing that morning once the temperature climbed from 56F degrees to 70F degrees At the helm: Katie was wearing a purple pussy-bow blouse tucked into baggy, high-waisted black jeans and white sneakers Action! Holmes beamed beneath her sparkly black face mask while chatting with a crew member on the Big Apple streets Caffeine fix: The Dawson's Creek alum - clutching a to-go coffee - went make-up free for her day behind the camera and wore her brunette locks in a messy updo '#rareobjects': On Monday, Katie - who boasts 2.3M Instagram followers - Instastoried a behind-the-scenes snap of a Chanel piece as the indie flick is about a traumatized woman working in an antique shop Last Friday marked the 'halfway' point of the 25-day shoot, and the Almost A Year producer-writer 'celebrated' with producer Mike Day. Katie co-wrote her big-screen adaptation of Kathleen Tessaro's 2016 novel with Phaedon Papadopoulos and she's also one of the producers. 'Rare Objects has been in the making for four or five years,' Holmes told InStyle last year. 'It's about the journey of this girl who has had quite a bit of hardship and tragedy. It hits on things that are very relevant - immigration, female issues.' Making her own way: Katie, of course, found fame on teen drama Dawson's Creek and went on to become third third wife of Hollywood star Tom Cruise 'A joyful experience for sure!' Rare Objects stars American Rust actress Julia Mayorga (L, pictured October 28) as protagonist Betina while Holmes (R) and The Sopranos alum Saundra Santiago (M) play mystery roles '#bts': Last Friday marked the 'halfway' point of the 25-day shoot, and the Almost A Year producer-writer 'celebrated' with producer Mike Day (R) 'It has been in the making for four or five years': Katie co-wrote her big-screen adaptation of Kathleen Tessaro's 2016 novel with Phaedon Papadopoulos and she's also one of the producers Back on May 3, The Secret: Dare to Dream actress wrapped production on her second directorial feature Alone Together, which is an Airbnb-inspired romance set in Connecticut. Katie stars in Alone Together alongside Jim Sturgess, Melissa Leo, Zosia Mamet, Luke Kirby, Derek Luke, and Becky Ann Baker. 'This has been the best experience of my career,' Holmes gushed. 'I am so grateful to my wonderful partners @martimvian and @michaelfitzpd I have never been so inspired. Thank [you] for teaching me and supporting me and to my wonderful cast.' 'This has been the best experience of my career!' Back on May 3, Holmes wrapped production on her second directorial feature Alone Together, which is an Airbnb-inspired romance set in Connecticut 'Thank you to my wonderful cast!' The Secret: Dare to Dream actress stars in Alone Together alongside Jim Sturgess (L), Melissa Leo (M), Zosia Mamet (R), Luke Kirby, Derek Luke, and Becky Ann Baker The ex-girlfriend of Jamie Foxx's 2016 feature directorial debut All We Had earned a dismal 41% critic approval rating (out of 25 reviews) and a 47% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. On the personal front, Katie has been single since ending her seven-month romance with actor-chef Emilio Vitolo Jr. in April. Holmes has primary custody of her 15-year-old daughter Suri from her six-year marriage to Oscar nominee Tom Cruise, which ended in 2012. The founder of a Florida big cat sanctuary featured in the popular Tiger King series is suing Netflix and a production company. Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin wants to prevent the use of interviews and footage involving her in an upcoming sequel. Netflix counters that Carole and her husband agreed in writing that the material could be used in the future. The streaming service added that she is trying to block the company's First Amendment right to free speech. Not OK with her: The founder of a Florida big cat sanctuary featured in the popular Tiger King series is suing Netflix and a production company. Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin wants to prevent the use of interviews and footage involving her in an upcoming sequel The lawsuit, pending in Tampa federal court, is the latest twist in the saga involving Baskin and Joe Exotic - real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage. They were at the center of the documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. The sequel is set to air beginning November 17, Netflix said in a court filing Monday. The first series was immensely popular. It aired in March 2020 just as coronavirus pandemic restrictions forced people to stay home. It drew some 64million household viewers in its first month and was nominated for six prime-time Emmy awards, according to the company. Much of the series has focused on a dispute between Baskin and Maldonado-Passage over treatment of tigers, lions and other big cats at an Oklahoma zoo he formerly operated. Maldonado-Passage is imprisoned after he was convicted of attempting to hire someone to kill Baskin, a tale told in the initial series. Netflix is pushing back: Netflix counters that Carole and her husband agreed in writing that the material could be used in the future. The streaming service added that she is trying to block the company's First Amendment right to free speech In her lawsuit, Baskin contends that Royal Goode Productions Inc., which produced Tiger King for Netflix, led her and husband Howard Baskin to believe their footage would only be used in a single documentary. Baskin also objects to her portrayal in the first series, especially the insinuation she had something to do with the mysterious 1997 disappearance of her previous husband, Don Lewis, who was declared dead in 2002 but whose remains have never been found. 'The Baskins believed that any sequel, though odious, would not include any of their footage,' the lawsuit says. 'Tiger King I was particularly harsh and unfair in its depictions of the Baskins and Big Cat Rescue.' Baskin declined further comment Tuesday on the lawsuit but did speak to The Associated Press recently about at upcoming Discovery+ two-part series called 'Carole Baskins Cage Fight,' intended to call attention to the problem of zoos that allow tiger petting and private ownership of the animals. Baskin has crusaded for better treatment of big cats. Catfight: The lawsuit, pending in Tampa federal court, is the latest twist in the saga involving Baskin and Joe Exotic - real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage. They were at the center of the documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness 'We have never, ever had anybody mislead us and be so dishonest with us as the producers were of Tiger King,' Baskin told AP. 'And so they were just a fluke. I mean, that was not like it was our first experience and we were never going to do it again. It was like, OK, well, that was horrible, but thats just them. Thats not the industry.' Netflix, however, says the Baskins explicitly agreed in written releases that all their interviews and footage shot at their Tampa cat refuge could be used in future projects. Aside from that, Netlix's lawyers say tampering with the sequel amounts to unconstitutional prior restraint of the right to free speech and that the Baskins can only sue for damages after it airs. 'Defendants did not need to obtain a release from plaintiffs to use the footage in Tiger King 2 or its promotion trailers,' Netflix attorney Rachel Fugate said in court documents. The Baskins 'have no claim at all, much less one that can evade defendants' First Amendment protections.' Her fight: In her lawsuit, Baskin contends that Royal Goode Productions Inc., which produced Tiger King for Netflix, led her and husband Howard Baskin to believe their footage would only be used in a single documentary Netflix also notes in its filing that Baskin has used the popularity of 'Tiger King' for her own publicity purposes, even appearing on ABC's 'Dancing With The Stars' and essentially becoming a 'pop culture phenomenon' because of the program, the company attorneys said. A Tampa federal judge overseeing the lawsuit had not yet issued a ruling as of Tuesday afternoon. As for Maldonado-Passage, an appeals court recently ruled that his 22-year prison sentence on the Baskin murder-for-hire plot should be reduced. He being held at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. Maldonado-Passage also announced last week that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer and, in a Twitter post, asked people to pray for him. Victoria Police are reportedly investigating a series of threatening letters sent to The Block contestants Tanya and Vito Guccione. The couple, who are parents to children Eva and Josiah, claim to have received 'vile and revolting letters' at their home in Melbourne. The Gucciones were the 'villains' on the latest season of Nine's hit renovation show and have faced trolling on social media as a result. Threats: Victoria Police are reportedly investigating a series of threatening letters sent to The Block contestants Tanya and Vito Guccione (pictured). The couple, who are parents to children Eva and Josiah, claim to have received 'vile and revolting letters' at their home in Melbourne Tanya, 39, told her Instagram followers on Tuesday night the letters had been handed over to the authorities. 'To the person who sent us revolting, vile and explicit letters in the mail (rookie mistake): You have been reported to the police!' she wrote. 'The authorities will be investigating.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Channel Nine and Victoria Police for comment. Concerns: The Gucciones are seen on The Block with their children, Eva, 12, and Josiah, eight 'You have been reported to the police!' Tanya, 39, told her Instagram followers on Tuesday night the letters had been handed over to the authorities Tanya was the most controversial participant on The Block this season. She masterminded a cheating scandal by secretly taking a photo of the show's production schedule and sharing it with another team, the Packham twins. Anyone who saw the photo had the advantage of being able to plan their specifications weeks in advance or pre-order something for a specific room. Bad girl: Tanya was the most controversial participant on The Block this season. She masterminded a cheating scandal by secretly taking a photo of the show's production schedule and sharing it with another team, the Packham twins Scandal: Anyone who saw the schedule (pictured) had the advantage of being able to plan their specifications weeks in advance or pre-order something for a specific room Vito, 45, was not involved in the plot but agreed to lie to protect his wife. The couple spent weeks denying any wrongdoing, with Tanya insisting she hadn't taken the photo herself but instead had been sent it by an 'anonymous tradie'. However, she came clean during Sunday's season finale when she told producers she had taken the photo and there was no 'tradie' tip-off. Lies: The couple spent weeks denying any wrongdoing, with Tanya insisting she hadn't taken the photo herself but instead had been sent it by an 'anonymous tradie' Alec Baldwin was spotted pushing his child in a stroller through the streets of New York City and leaving a West Village nail salon with his wife on Tuesday, the same day the actor released his first podcast episode since the accidental shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last month. The episode for his popular podcast Here's The Thing was recorded in July 2021 and features guest Marla Frazee, an award-winning children's book author, illustrator, and 'true talent' behind his animated film Boss Baby. Baldwin posted a clip of the episode to his Instagram account on Tuesday and said they would be 'tackling serious topics' such as babies and birthday cake. 'This week, we are releasing an episode of Here's The Thing that was recorded this July with @marlafrazee, an award-winning childrens book author and illustrator. She is also the true talent behind Boss Baby, the business-suit-wearing, hard-charging infant who changed my life. In this episode, Marla tackles serious topics such as babies, birthday cake, boxer shorts, boys, and roller coasters,' Baldwin wrote. The last time Baldwin released a podcast episode was on October 12 with guest Dr. Anthony Fauci. Alec Baldwin takes one of his six children for walk as his wife Hilaria grabs a cup of coffee in the West Village on Tuesday. Alec Baldwin and Hilaria stop to chat with another couple pushing a stroller 'Listen now': Baldwin posted a clip of the episode to his Instagram account on Tuesday and said they would be 'tackling serious topics' such as babies and birthday cake Hilaria, wearing open-toed sandals, took off her jacket on the unseasonably warm fall day The couple was spotted leaving a nail salon in the West Village Baldwin was wearing a mask for much of the outing but had it slipped down to his chin as couple waited to cross streets Baldwin was seen wearing a mask as he pushed one of his young children in a stroller through the West Village on the unseasonably warm day. Hilaria, wearing sunglasses in the near 70-degree sunshine, walked alongside her husband. The couple, which has six kids, stopped by a nail salon in the trendy neighborhood before Hilaria fueled up on some coffee. They also stopped to chat with another couple with a baby in a stroller. The embattled actor had been keeping a low profile after accidentally firing the gun that killed a Hutchins on the set of his film Rust in New Mexico on October 21. However, Baldwin was spotted back in New York on Sunday dining with Hilaria, weeks after retreating to Vermont following the incident. The actor was spotted dining at Il Cantinori in Manhattan's Greenwich Village on Sunday with his wife Hilaria Baldwin. Baldwin looked tired and a bit worse for wear as he talked with his yoga instructor wife at their outdoor table around 9pm, according to onlookers. 'We were very surprised to see him out because we knew he hasn't been seen in public [in New York] since the accident,' an onlooker at the restaurant told DailyMail.com. Tragedy: Baldwin has been keeping a low profile after accidentally firing the gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust in New Mexico on October 21; Hutchins pictured in 2019 'He looked very rough and not very polished. He seemed very sullen.' The witness said the couple were not approached during their meal since the restaurant was largely empty. The outing marks first time the Baldwins have been seen together in New York since retreating to Manchester, Vermont, where they were staying in a hideaway rental with their six children while the investigation in Santa Fe continues. Baldwin, who had been shooting the upcoming western film in New Mexico, was told the prop gun he was rehearsing with on set was 'cold', or safe to use, according to the Santa Fe county sheriff's office. The actor was spotted back in New York dining with wife Hilaria on Sunday, weeks after retreating to Vermont following the incident But tragedy unfolded when he fired the weapon which turned out to be loaded with live rounds, killing Hutchins and injuring film director Joel Souza. Baldwin released a statement expressing his 'shock and sadness regarding the accident that took the life of Halyna Hutchins, a wife, mother and deeply admired colleague of ours.' 'I'm fully cooperating with the police investigation to address how this tragedy occurred and I am in touch with her husband, offering my support to him and his family,' he said. 'My heart is broken for her husband, their son, and all who knew and loved Halyna.' Alec Baldwin, pictured dining at Il Cantinori on Sunday, released the first episode of his podcast Here's The Thing since the accidental shooting of Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins last month The couple were spotted out as they dined outdoors at celebrity hotspot Il Cantinori in Manhattan's Greenwich Village According to onlookers, Baldwin looked 'very rough' and 'sullen' during the outing - which comes on the heels of his accidental on-set shooting that left a cinematographer dead The Hollywood actor has since urged film and TV productions to hire police officers to monitor weapons and ensure guns used in filming are safe. Unionized workers had walked off the set hours before the fatal shooting, after they complained about long hours, shoddy conditions and another safety incident days earlier involving 'two misfires' of a prop weapon. Alec has since told reporters he doesn't think production will resume. No one has been charged over the fatal accident but Santa Fe County Sheriff's office said 'no one' had been ruled out. Their time as on-screen lovers is rumored to be over. But Sex And The City co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth looked closer than ever in a cozy snap after an evening shoot for the reboot And Just Like That... in New York's Madison Square Park. Noth, 66, wrapped his arm around leading lady SJP, 56, while the duo looked at each other fondly in the Instagram snap, which was captioned: 'Late night finish in the park- love every minute we get to be together.' See you later: Sarah Jessica Parker and Chris Noth shared a fond moment after wrapping Sex And The City on Sunday night The fate of Carrie Bradshaw and Mr. Big's relationship has been up for debate since Parker was seen smooching John Tenney, the actor who plays Big's love rival Aiden Shaw, during a shoot earlier this month. Noth was a regular on SATC through its entire six-season run and he also appeared in the two feature film spin-offs. But SJP and Noth seemed to signal a fairytale ending when they were spotted holding hands with each other while cameras rolled on Sunday night. Noth's Instagram made it appear as if the pair was celebrating the end of shooting, seen with two disposable cups in hand. Lovebirds: Noth was a regular on SATC through its entire six-season run and he also appeared in the two feature film spin-offs Close: SJP and Noth seemed to signal a fairytale ending when they were spotted holding hands with each other while cameras rolled on Sunday night, above Just yesterday, Sarah Jessica said she was 'feeling sentimental' as she marked the end of production with a touching social media post. 'This is my last walk, for now, as Carrie,' the actress confessed from behind her camera, for a video she posted on Instagram on Monday. 'Just wrapped an adventure and I'm feeling very sentimental,' she said, pausing a bit before adding: 'And that's it - wow.' Last walk: Parker chronicled her last moments playing Carrie Bradshaw in the new series with a short video she posted on her Instagram page on Monday, November 8 The final waltz: The clip showed Parker's walk towards stage four of the studio where she shows is produced Parker and showrunner Michael Patrick King got the idea of a new chapter of Sex And The City story while discussing the idea of a podcast about the original show during the first couple months of the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in mid-March 2020. They were intrigued at the prospect of seeing how coronavirus crisis, and all of the political and social strife of the times, would have affected the leading ladies. Like the original series, New York City will still be the focal point of the storyline, only this time through the lens of the pandemic and the subsequent fallout. While most of the gang is back, actress Kim Cattrall, who played Samantha Jones on the original series and two movies, did not return for the new show. And Just Like That... is set to premiere on HBO Max in December 2021. She's turning the tables on the taboos surrounding plastic surgery. And Teresa Giudice admitted she went under the knife and got a nose job by the same doctor who performed her 20-year-old daughter Gia's surgery last summer. The 49-year-old reality star decided to get the procedure after a conversation with her fiance Luis Ruelas, and is happy with the progress so far as it made her 'feel better' about her appearance. Slide me Whatever it takes! Teresa Giudice admitted she went under the knife and got a nose job by the same doctor who performed her 20-year-old daughter Gia's surgery last summer; (Seen before the procedure on the left, and after her nose job on the right) Giudice, who's starred on Real Housewives of New Jersey since its inception in 2009, made the revelation during a panel discussion at the New Jersey Ultimate Women's Expo at the NJ Convention & Expo Center in Edison on Sunday. 'I don't know if anybody knows, but I did get the tip of my nose done and I was so nervous about getting it,' she said via Page Six. After chatting with her new fiance, she found the confidence to explore surgical options to enhance her look. 'I asked Louie, I'm like, "Babe, should I get my nose done?" And he's like, "Is it going to make you feel better?" And I said, "Yes." So he said, "Do it,"' she said. Talk about it: Giudice, who's starred on Real Housewives of New Jersey since its inception in 2009, made the revelation during a panel discussion at the New Jersey Ultimate Women's Expo at the NJ Convention & Expo Center in Edison on Sunday 'I asked Louie, I'm like, "Babe, should I get my nose done?" And he's like, "Is it going to make you feel better?" And I said, "Yes." So he said, "Do it,"' she said. Not everyone was on board with the procedure, though, as longtime frenemy Margaret Josephs warned her against getting a nose job. 'She's like, "No you don't need to do it,"' Giudice said. 'Like, Really, b***h? Sorry, like, You got so much plastic surgery, why [are] you telling me that?' She added: 'But then I asked Louie and he's like, "Babe, if it's going to make you feel better, do it." And after I did it, it made me feel better.' Changes: Teresa followed in the footsteps of her oldest daughter, Gia, who got a nose job from New Jersey surgeon Dr. Tobias Englewood in July 2020 Teresa followed in the footsteps of her oldest daughter, Gia, who got a nose job from New Jersey surgeon Dr. Tobias Englewood in July 2020. 'Yes I got a nose job,' she announced on Instagram. 'Yes I'm swollen. thank you so much @drtobiasnyc I'm absolutely in love with it. I am an adult now, this has been an insecurity of mine for a while and I've never been happier and so comfortable in my own skin!!' Teresa's no stranger to changing up her look as she proudly revealed her first breast augmentation in 2008, and then another boob job in January 2020. 'I believe its important to always stand strong and feel like your best most confident self,' she wrote on Instagram at the time before noting 'she was nervous' but couldn't be happier with the results. 'I encourage anyone who doesnt feel their best self to work on feeling better. Even if it is the smallest thing every day,' she added. He's best known for getting up close and personal with crocodiles. But Robert Irwin is set to switch things up for Shark Week, swimming alongside a massive whitetip shark in a new Discovery Channel documentary. In a preview for the show, the 17-year-old son of Steve Irwin described the deadly animals as more 'active hunters' than crocs. Crikey! Robert Irwin (pictured) is set to switch things up for Shark Week, swimming alongside a massive whitetip shark in a new Discovery Channel documentary 'That was an awesome experience,' said Robert of his underwater adventure. Crikey! It's Shark Week will air on the Discovery Channel from December 1 and will also feature Terri Irwin and shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder. The sneak peek for the underwater adventure comes after Robert's sister Bindi Irwin shared an adorable family photo alongside her husband Chandler, their daughter Grace Warrior, her mum Terri and her little brother. 'Clearly Robert didnt get the memo' the 23-year-old cheekily captioned the picture, referring to the fact Robert was the only one not dressed in festive attire. Killing machines: In a preview for the show, the 17-year-old son of Steve Irwin described the deadly animals as more 'active hunters' than crocs Coming soon: Crikey! It's Shark Week will air on the Discovery Channel from December 1 and will also feature Terri Irwin and shark attack survivor Paul de Gelder Christmas with the Irwins! In the lead-up to the festive season, Bindi Irwin shared an adorable family photo whereby the majority of them were wearing Christmas-themed sweaters which were branded in Australia Zoo logos In the image, the whole family besides Robert donned Christmas-themed sweaters and T-shirts which were branded in Australia Zoo logos. Each family member smiled from ear to ear, particularly baby Grace, who waved at the camera. Bindi also spruiked the merchandise by telling fans that more information can be found in her Instagram bio. The items from the Australia Zoo Christmas clothing range from $24.95 to $59.95. It comes after a series of photos were shared from their family getaway in Tasmania on Instagram on Friday. Family time: The Irwin clan headed off for a Tasmanian getaway, sharing images from their vacation to Instagram on Friday. Chandler Powell, Bindi Irwin and baby Grace pictured Robert Irwin, 17, and her mother Terri Irwin, 57, joined the young family as they enjoyed the sights of Cradle Mountain. Bindi and Chandler also brought along their friends Luke and Mitch. At the time, the family posed with stunning vistas in the background including a vast mountain range. They also took some cheerful selfies alongside a lake, as well as on wooden walkways along the route. Stunning: The family posed with stunning vistas in the background including a vast mountain range The new mother was delighted to share her baby daughter's first hiking trip to the mountains. Bindi wrote in her caption: 'I'm tremendously grateful that we were able to share the wild beauty of Tasmania with Grace. 'She had the best time hiking with us and exploring Cradle Mountain National Park.' She added: 'Thank you @cradlemountainlodge for making our stay extra special.' Moments: Grandmother Terri bonded with little Grace during a hike Bindi and Chandler welcomed their daughter on March 25, which coincidentally was their one-year wedding anniversary. Grace's middle name Warrior is a tribute to her late grandfather Steve Irwin, who coined the term 'Wildlife Warrior' to promote wildlife conservation. The couple announced they were expecting their first child together in August last year. Cat Deeley and Gwendoline Christie led the stars at the Sarabande Foundation Fundraiser at The Standard, London on Tuesday. Cat, 44, put on a leggy display in a pastel pink dress with a dramatic tulle bow as she posed up a storm. She boosted her height with strappy stiletttos and wore her tresses in soft waves. Chic: Cat Deeley and Gwendoline Christie led the stars at the Sarabande Foundation Fundraiser at The Standard, London on Tuesday Gwendoline, 44, cut an elegant figure in a chic white blouse with extravagant puffed sleeves. She paired this with black culottes with silver zip detail. She completed the ensemble with black and silver stilettos and wore gothic eye make-up. Toned: Cat, 44, put on a leggy display in a pastel pink dress with a dramatic tulle bow as she posed up a storm Cute couple: Gwendoline posed up with partner Giles Deacon Pose: The star joined Hollywood sensation Riz Ahmed for a fun snap Trio: Hannah Redmayne, Catherine McCullin and Alexander McQueen CEO Emmanuel Gintzburger posed up Last month Cat put on a showstopping display as she showcased her bikini body during a sun-drenched trip to Santorini. The TV legend looked nothing short of sensational as she sizzled in a barely-there two-piece adorned with a pattern while soaking up the sun on the trip to plug her E11even fragrances alongside co-founder and best pal Amanda Grossman. The duo have been littering social media with stunning snaps from the trip and made sure to keep their followers in the loop with a number of updates. Yay: Russell Tovey and Katy Hessel wowed as they posed up Glow: Cat looked sensational as she posed up a storm at the fashion event Wow! Last month Cat put on a showstopping display as she showcased her bikini body during a sun-drenched trip to Santorini Cat made no secret of her flawless frame in the image shared with her 293k Instagram followers, as she put her taut abs and lithe legs on full display. She thanked Amanda for capturing her stunning shots, including a brooding image taken on Saturday night as she reclined while looking at the sunset. On Monday, the duo shared a snap on their fragrance Instagram page showing them both sat in swimwear alongside a touching caption. In the sweet accompanying image, the sentimental duo penned: 'There are friends, there are family and then there are friends that become family!' Sizzling: She thanked Amanda for capturing her stunning shots, including a brooding image taken on Saturday night as she reclined while looking at the sunset Out and a pout: On Monday, the duo shared a snap on their fragrance Instagram page showing them both sat in swimwear alongside a touching caption It comes after Cat admitted that she never thought she would 'crack' America due to her appearance after refusing surgery when she first began working in Hollywood. The presenter who moved back to London last year following 14 years in the States, candidly discussed being judged critically on her appearance across the pond. According to the mother-of-two, she was told to consider getting a nose job after she landed a host position on So You Think You Can Dance in 2006. Speaking to The Sunday Telegraph's Stella magazine about the pressure to live up to beauty standards, she said: 'Ive still got no boobs and a nose that goes that way.' 'Ive still got no boobs and a nose that goes that way': It comes after Cat admitted that she never thought she would 'crack' America due to her appearance after refusing surgery when she first began working in Hollywood (pictured in 2019) 'When it comes to stuff like that, youre asking the wrong woman,' Cat added of her decision to refuse surgery. She also stated: 'I never thought I was going to crack America.' However, one positive habit that the star has taken back to the UK after living in Los Angeles is yoga, as she said 'it clears my mind and lengthens everything'. Cat decided to return to her home country with her husband Patrick Kielty, and their sons, Milo, four, and James, two, in 2020. Judgement: The TV presenter, who moved back to London last year following 14 years in the States, candidly discussed being judged critically on her appearance across the pond In November, Cat discussed the 'terrifying' reason she decided to move. The television presenter revealed her fear of gun violence, as she touched upon the gut-wrenching moment her husband, 49, and their eldest son narrowly avoided a public shooting incident. She described the event at the Century City Mall as the 'catalyst' for their departure. Speaking to Lorraine Kelly from her north London home, Cat said: 'The catalyst for it was definitely a moment when Paddy called me and him and Milo were stuck in a shopping mall there. 'I had to go and pick them up and I didnt know quite where they were. There were helicopters and police vans and news crews, it was terrifying for me. Everybody was safe and fine, but it was terrifying for me.' Kourtney Kardashian has been filling her Instagram page with racy images where she plays the femme fatale. And Tuesday was no different as the 42-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star posed in a Megan Fox x boohoo faux leather coat. In three images she pouted and puckered up as she made the most of the bright garment. But the fourth shot saw the coat thrown on the floor. Red-y for fun: Kourtney Kardashian has been filling her Instagram page with racy images where she plays the femme fatale. And Tuesday was no different as the 42-year-old Keeping Up With The Kardashians star posed in a red leather coat The POOSH founder also flashed her new diamond engagement ring from Travis Barker as she wore red nails. The two became engaged on October 17. This comes after a report her ex Scott Disick was offered 'an outrageous amount of money' to join the Kardashians' new Hulu show. The 38-year-old star shot to fame through his appearances in Keeping Up With the Kardashians, and Scott has been offered an eye-watering amount of money to commit to the family's new series, according to Us Weekly. Inviting: In three images she pouted and puckered up as she made the most of the bright garment Scott - who has Mason, 11, Penelope, nine, and Reign, six, with Kourtney - insisted he'll only join the new show if he 'got paid a lot'. And after being offered what he asked for, Scott - who split from model Amelia Gray Hamlin earlier this year - has been happy to commit to the project and has followed the rules over recent weeks. In October, meanwhile, Scott was said to be feeling 'really sad' about Kourtney's engagement. The TV star knew that Kourtney and Travis were likely to get engaged at some point - but he still felt 'low' after they announced the news via social media. Undoing the belt: As she stood in her bedroom, she began to unknot the belt A source said: 'He will always care for Kourtney. She is the mother of his children and no one else will compare to that.' The brunette beauty recently got engaged to the music star at the Rosewood Miramar in Montecito, California. And at the time, Scott started avoiding the newly-engaged couple, as he came to terms with the situation. Another insider said: 'He will always be a part of the Kardashian family but it is hard for him to be around Kourtney and Travis.' And the coat is off: But the fourth shot saw the coat thrown on the floor Megan Fox - Kourtney's showbiz pal - has also described the reality star and Travis as a 'perfect match'. The actress explained: 'I think they're just a perfect match for each other because they have a karmic bond with each other. 'They are soulmates. They love each other and they have a really intense connection.' Meanwhile, Disick is now dating bikini model Hana Cross, 23. Kravis has taken the world by storm: The two became engaged on October 17 Scott was last seen on a date with Hana on Monday when they enjoyed a sushi dinner at Nobu in Malibu. DIsick is not her first celebrity boyfriend: Hana split with David and Victoria Beckham's son Brooklyn, 22, in 2019 after almost a year of dating. This comes after he was dumped by model Amelia Hamlin. Last month, Lisa Rinna recently claimed how it was Amelia who broke things off with Scott. Citing the reasons for their breakup, Lisa said Scott's jealous DMs about ex Kourtney's relationship with fiance Barker weren't 'helpful' to his case. Scott began dating Lisa's daughter in 2020 but things turned sour earlier this year, when Scott messaged Younes Bendjima - another of Kourtney's ex-boyfriends - to complain about her public displays of affection with new flame Travis Barker. The competition: Kourtney's ex Scott Disick is now dating model Hana Cross; seen on Instagram Lisa said during part two of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion: 'She made [the decision to split] on her own. I don't think that [the DM situation] was helpful. There's never one reason why I think people split up, you know. Now's the time to heal, now's the time for everyone to heal.' The DM drama erupted when Younes leaked an alleged message that Scott sent him via Instagram. It read: 'Yo is this chick ok!????? Brooo like what is this. In the middle of Italy.' At the time, Amelia was said to be simply embarrassed for Scott. However, she vowed to support him and their relationship still appeared to have a future at the time. Finished: Scott is said to have been dumped by Amelia Hamlin (pictured together this year) after DMs were leaked that show him trashing ex Kourtney Framed female: On Tuesday, the 20-year-old daughter of Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin was showing off her toned tummy while in an Alo top and bottom in a home A source said: 'Amelia is standing by Scott's side and is just supporting him. She knows what he thinks about Kourtney and Travis, so she more just feels bad that Younes did that to Scot embarrassed for him.' Earlier this month, meanwhile, an insider claimed that Scott has stopped attending Kardashian family events so he can avoid Travis. Last month, Scott was linked to 23-year-old model Elizabeth Grace Lindley after DailyMail.com revealed exclusive pictures of the pair together. Prior to Scott's relationship with Amelia, he dated Lionel Richie's daughter, Sofia, who is 16 years his junior, for two years. Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi. The Beenie Man Foundation, a non-profit organization spearheaded by Dancehall King Beenie Man has partnered with the Organization for Human Rights to donate medical supplies to Haiti. The Dancehall star, whose real name is Moses Davis was delighted to share the news today on social media and expressed his gratitude for the opportunity. He added that it was the start of his foundations initiatives to expand its charity programs. The @beeniemanfdnja have been asked to partner with the Organization for Human Rights on their initiative to provide vital medical supplies to Haiti, Beenie wrote. I am grateful for this opportunity as this is just a start to what we have planned for the Beenie Man Foundation and the initiatives we have been organizing for Jamaica. The Beenie Man Foundation, as stated in its mission is centered on three pillars of work that include education, entrepreneurship, and youth mentorship. Since the pandemic hit the island, they have extended their operations to providing assistance to communities that were severely impacted by the mandated lockdowns and curfews. In June, Beenie and his two daughters joined the BMF team to distribute relief packages in the artistes hometown of Craig Town and prior in the Water House community in Jamaica. Now Beenie appears eager to embark on another leg of charity work outside of the country to neighboring Haiti and is extremely thankful to the United Nations Human Rights Organization and his BMF team for making it all possible. I am sending gratitude to @unitednationshumanrights, Head of the UNHR UK Lord Robert Orville Thomas, President Florentin Scaletchi, the @beeniemanfdnja Team, and everyone involved who has been working tirelessly. Haiti faces several challenges including the effects of the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on August 14 and the subsequent Tropical Depression (TD) Grace on August 16, and the rise of new COVID-19 variants such as Delta and Lambda. An estimated 1.2 million people, including 540,000 children, were affected by the earthquake in Haiti as determined by the United Nations humanitarian aid U.N. Childrens Fund (UNICEF) and 10,000 people have been injured and are seeking medical attention, as per BBC. Currently, Haiti has reported 24,233 COVID-19 cases and 702 deaths. Testing is not (and has not been) a priority, so these numbers are likely severely underestimated. Haiti did not receive any vaccines until July 13, just one month before the earthquake. As a result, as of Sept. 17, only 0.21% of residents have received one dose, and 0.16% have been fully vaccinated. NGOs supporting response in the country are also implementing vaccination programs. Incarcerated Jamaican Dancehall artist Flippa Mafia says he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree behind bars. The 40-year-old Dancehall entertainer, Flippa Mafia, whose given name is Andrew Davis was sentenced to 25 years in prison for first-degree distribution of Cocaine, second-degree money laundering, and second-degree conspiracy. Now he has copped a new degree, a Bachelor of Arts in Education, after earning his high school diploma presented by the State of New Jersey In a recent video, Mafia, content with his achievements, showcased his books and sang of his attempts to try and earn his way to freedom through education. Thinking for a change focus on the victim / Im rehabilitating / Im tryna earn my way out / earn my way out Im tryna cage my rage / I gotta earn my way out Mafia has since received commendations by a number of social media users for the move. This is really the right step to go education is the key young man, said one social media user. There is always hope and this move right here is a move in the right direction, said another. American law-enforcement authorities claim Davis was the mastermind behind an international drug trafficking ring that they believed was operated from various locations in Jamaica, New Jersey, and California. Alongside Flippa in the trio were, his girlfriend, Marsha Bernard, who was sentenced to 21 years in prison for her role in the drug ring, and his brother, Roger Davis, was sentenced to 20 years behind bars. Roger Davis was among the 46 Jamaicans deported to the island in April of last year. According to reports the trio once led a syndicate that used the US Postal Service as well as private courier services to ship large quantities of cocaine from California for bulk distribution in New Jersey. This is according to official documents submitted by prosecutors in the US. Prosecutors further stated that Roger Davis and one of his co-convicts, Marsha Bernard, were responsible for handling money from the drugs and would send the money to Flippa in Jamaica and Kemar in California. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, the group was arrested after a large and coordinated multi-agency investigation, which was called Operation Next Day Air, which was led by the New Jersey State Police, the US Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Division of Criminal Justice. It was also revealed during the trial that detectives recovered more than 26 kilograms of cocaine worth more than US$960,000, two handguns, and more than US$500,000 in cash. Upon conviction, he was also ordered to pay a US$250,000 anti-money laundering profiteering penalty. Flippa Mafia was known for his raucous and flashy shows where he would often give away cash to his fans. Mafia will be eligible for parole in 12 years. WASHINGTON (AP) Congress has created a new requirement for automakers: Find a high-tech way to keep drunken people from driving cars. Its one of the mandates along with a burst of new spending aimed at improving auto safety amid escalating road fatalities in the $1 trillion infrastructure package that President Joe Biden is expected to sign soon. Under the legislation, monitoring systems to stop intoxicated drivers would roll out in all new vehicles as early as 2026, after the Transportation Department assesses the best form of technology to install in millions of vehicles and automakers are given time to comply. In all, about $17 billion is allotted to road safety programs, the biggest increase in such funding in decades, according to the Eno Center for Transportation. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says that could mean more protected bike paths and greener spaces built into busy roadways. Its monumental, said Alex Otte, national president of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Otte called the package the single most important legislation in the groups history that marks "the beginning of the end of drunk driving. It will virtually eliminate the No. 1 killer on Americas roads, she said. Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported an estimated 20,160 people died in traffic collisions in the first half of 2021, the highest first-half total since 2006. The agency has pointed to speeding, impaired driving and not wearing seatbelts during the coronavirus pandemic as factors behind the spike. Each year, around 10,000 people are killed due to alcohol-related crashes in the U.S., making up nearly 30% of all traffic fatalities, according to NHTSA. Currently, some convicted drunken drivers must use breathalyzer devices attached to an ignition interlock, blowing into a tube and disabling the vehicle if their blood alcohol level is too high. The legislation doesnt specify the technology, only that it must passively monitor the performance of a driver of a motor vehicle to accurately identify whether that driver may be impaired. Sam Abuelsamid, principal mobility analyst for Guidehouse Insights, said the most likely system to prevent drunken driving is infrared cameras that monitor driver behavior. That technology is already being installed by automakers such as General Motors, BMW and Nissan to track driver attentiveness while using partially automated driver-assist systems. The cameras make sure a driver is watching the road, and they look for signs of drowsiness, loss of consciousness or impairment. If signs are spotted, the cars will warn the driver, and if the behavior persists, the car would turn on its hazard lights, slow down and pull to the side of the road. Abuelsamid said breathalyzers arent a practical solution because many people would object to being forced to blow into a tube every time they get into the car. I dont think its going to go over very well with a lot of people, he said. The voluminous bill also requires automakers to install rear-seat reminders to alert parents if a child is left inadvertently in the back seat, a mandate that could begin by 2025 after NHTSA completes its rulemaking on the issue. Since 1990, about 1,000 children have died from vehicular heatstroke after the highest total in a single year was 54 in 2018, according to Kidsandcars.org. Congress, meanwhile, directed the agency to update decades-old safety standards to avert deaths from collapsing front seatbacks and issue a rule requiring automatic emergency braking and lane departure warnings in all passenger vehicles, though no date was set for compliance. Most automakers had already agreed to make automatic emergency braking standard equipment in most of their models by September of next year, as part of a voluntary plan announced near the end of the Obama administration. Buttigieg, promoting the legislations benefits Monday at a White House briefing, said he had traveled the country in recent months and seen too many roadside memorials for people who had died in preventable traffic deaths. He pointed to a new $5 billion Safe Streets & Roads for All program under his department that will in part promote healthier streets for cyclists and pedestrians. The federal program, which he acknowledged may take several months to set up, would support cities campaigns to end traffic fatalities with a Vision Zero effort that could build traffic roundabouts to slow cars, carve out new bike paths and widen sidewalks and even reduce some roads to shift commuters toward public transit or other modes of transportation. The legislation requires at least 15% of a states highway safety improvement program funds to address pedestrians, bicyclists and other nonmotorized road users if those groups make up 15% or more of the states crash fatalities. The best way to allow people to move in ways that are better for congestion and better for climate is to give them alternatives, Buttigieg said. Describing much of it as a longer-term effort, he said, this is how we do right by the next generation. Still, safety advocates worry that the bipartisan bill missed opportunities to address more forcefully an emerging U.S. crisis of road fatalities and urged the Transportation Department to deliver on immediate solutions. They have called on a sometimes slow-moving NHTSA to address a backlog of traffic safety regulations ordered by Congress nearly a decade ago, such as mandatory rear seat belt reminders. Prompt action must be taken on comprehensive, commonsense and confirmed solutions to steer our nation toward zero crash fatalities, said Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety. Proven solutions are at hand; its time to take action. The department said Tuesday it will release a safe system approach to road safety in January that identifies safety action for drivers, roads, vehicles, speeds and post-crash medical care, stressing a need to move deliberately to ensure sustained improvements. These arent just numbers; these are family, friends, coworkers, neighbors and fellow Americans and tragically and disproportionately, Black, brown and Native American, said Deputy Transportation Secretary Polly Trottenberg. Its not acceptable the level of deaths that were seeing on American highways right now. ___ Krisher reported from Detroit. NORWALK Parents of grade-school children flooded Veterans Park on Saturday, waiting for as long as three hours to get their kids the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The Norwalk Health Department clinic on Saturday was one of the first opportunities for families to vaccinate their children ages 5 to 11. Community Health Center Inc., which is hosting the clinics at Veterans Park, anticipated the surge and brought in more staff for Saturdays event. The Norwalk Police Department also provided more officers to assist with traffic control on site. Weve asked CHC to continue to dedicate more personnel and resources to Veterans Park and, when possible, to stay later into the evening, said Josh Morgan, director of communications for the city. The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 5 to 11 years old on Oct. 29. Its the only vaccine brand currently available for younger children and provides one-third the dosage administered to teenagers and adults. Ted Parker brought his children to the park for their first shots but said he had to wait about three hours for the vaccine. He didnt complain, and the family made the most of their time together, he said. Parker cued up the movie Coco on his iPhone, and they all enjoyed an ice cream treat at nearby Mr. Frostys when finished. Im beyond grateful, Parker said of the opportunity to get his kids vaccinated. It was a morning well spent. More than 125 children received their first dose of the pediatric vaccine at the clinic. The health department acknowledged the significant delays on its Facebook page about three hours into the clinic on Saturday. Morgan compared the latest surge in demand to what the city saw in the spring when teenagers first became eligible for the vaccine. If you recall, when the vaccine first became available to large sections of the public earlier this year, there was a supply and demand issue. Thankfully, those issues corrected themselves when more vaccine became available, Morgan said. Parents had limited options in Norwalk this weekend to get their kids vaccinated. A few retail pharmacies were offering the low-dose Pfizer vaccine, although appointments were booked quickly. The only other option was to schedule an appointment with their childs pediatrician. The clinics at Veterans Park, offered on Monday, Tuesday and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. this month, are the only community clinics administering the vaccine for children as young as 5 years old. The other clinics held by partners of the Norwalk Health Department currently only have the vaccine available for children 12 years and up. We fully expect vaccine availability for those 5 to 11 years old to expand in the days and weeks ahead, Morgan said. Norwalk Community Health Center will host clinics for 5- to 11-year-old children the next two Saturdays, Nov. 13 and 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The clinics will be held at the health center at 120 Connecticut Ave. Multiple stations will be set up inside the facility to administer the first of the two doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Norwalk Public Schools health services team is still in discussions with its health care partners about the possibility for scheduling mobile clinics at the schools. Any clinics would be held after school and a parents presence would be required. Other vaccine providers can be found using the CT Vaccine Portal at covidvaccinefinder.ct.gov. emily.morgan@hearstmediact.com NEW YORK (AP) A prominent New York City lawyer who married a Hollywood star and spent the last eight years overseeing police reforms as the NYPDs court-appointed federal monitor died Monday. Peter Zimroth was 78. Zimroths death was confirmed by his top deputy on the monitoring team, Richard Jerome, who said he spent his last hours at home in New York City surrounded by the love of his family. In March, Zimroth revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Jerome said Zimroth was living with the disease for about two years and kept working into his final days. Zimroth, a law professor and the director of New York Universitys Center on Civil Justice, married Academy Award-winning actress Estelle Parsons in 1983. Together, they adopted a son, Abraham. In 2013, U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin appointed Zimroth to monitor the NYPD after she ruled that the department violated the constitution with its tactic of stopping, questioning and frisking mostly Black and Hispanic people on the street en masse. She directed Zimroth to develop reforms to policies, training, supervision and discipline with input from communities most affected. In the years since, Zimroth and his team issued more than a dozen reports on the NYPDs compliance with various reforms, including the effectiveness of body-worn cameras and analyses of racial disparities in officers' use of stop-and-frisk tactics. As the federal monitor, Peter faithfully sought to inspire improvements in the New York City Police Department, build collaboration among the Department, plaintiffs and the communities served, while effecting sustainable, positive changes in police practices, Jerome wrote in an email to reporters announcing Zimroth's death. Zimroth not only brought together a diverse group of skilled and independent thinkers, but who also challenged each of us to consider all options in our recommendations and perspectives, Jerome wrote. We admired Peter as a leader and will miss him most as our dear friend." Zimroth, a Brooklyn native, graduated from Columbia University in 1963 and Yale Law School in 1966. He worked as a federal prosecutor in Manhattan, as the top deputy to longtime Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau and as corporation counsel, the city government's top lawyer, under Mayor Ed Koch. In a statement, current Corporation Counsel Georgia Pestana said Zimroth was an exemplary and thoughtful leader" who always demonstrated a strong moral compass and commitment to furthering the interests of the city and its residents. Early in his career, Zimroth represented whistleblower police detective David Durk, who joined Officer Frank Serpico in raising alarms about rampant corruption within the NYPD, leading to an investigation and major reforms. Zimroth started teaching at NYU in 1970. In August, he announced he was making a major donation to the school's Center on the Administration of Criminal Law, which it renamed in his honor. After disclosing his cancer diagnosis, Zimroth used the grim news for good. Seeing parallels between his fight and the global battle against COVID-19, he designed T-shirts encouraging people to get vaccinated and sold them through a GoFundMe page that's raised nearly $73,000 for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. ___ Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak When Andrew Mercado found himself in the middle of a protest following George Floyd's death in Minneapolis last year, he was just figuring out how to livestream on Facebook. A few months later, though, thousands watched as he streamed footage from the Wisconsin streets where Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people. Mercado was just one of a number of people who caught snippets of Rittenhouse on that August 2020 night of turmoil and unrest in Kenosha when the 17-year-old from nearby Antioch, Illinois, shot three men, killing two of them. Livestreamers such as Mercado have become ubiquitous at protests, seeking to provide an unedited view into movements that often reflect an angry and divided America. They are often near the heart of protests, adorned with press identification and protective equipment, holding glowing phones that offer a real-time view into some of the most dramatic and violent clashes. Some say they are journalists who follow the same principles of objectivity as traditional news outlets. Others are activists seeking to amplify the impact of the protests. But nearly all say they are providing an alternative to mainstream newsrooms that they don't always trust. Livestreaming fits into a larger cultural moment that were in, where people seem to want authenticity, said Seth Lewis, a journalism professor at the University of Oregon. It seems raw and real. Mercado, who lives in a Minneapolis suburb, said that when he started documenting protests last year, he was a devout Republican. But amid mass protests over the killing of Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, he wanted to examine the issue of police accountability for himself. "Now I'm getting my own perspective on things," he said, adding that he does not support either major political party. A friend had to show Mercado how to livestream from his Facebook account on his phone before he started documenting the protests. Soon, his video stream had more than 60,000 viewers. As people sent him money through money transfer apps, he bought gear such as a protective vest and gas mask. He also set up accounts on YouTube and Facebook that paid him for his streams. Less than three months after first pointing his phone at the Minneapolis protests, Mercado was traveling the country and trying to make a living out of covering protests. He was on his way to a protest in Washington when he heard that a white Kenosha police officer had shot Jacob Blake, a Black man. He immediately headed that way. As some of the protests in the Wisconsin city turned violent, Mercado said he found it hard to stay in his preferred role of observer. At one point, a fire threatening a church compelled him to put down his phone and extinguish the flames. As shots rang out from Rittenhouse's rifle that night, Mercado was on the street. He streamed video as Rittenhouse ran past between the first and second shootings. "I jumped out of the objective observer mode and I grabbed people and tried to help them," Mercado said. Mercado was not the only one to capture footage of Rittenhouse. Video streams have featured prominently at the trial so far, with several livestreamers and reporters taking the witness stand. Kristan Harris, who hosts a web-based talk show The Rundown Live, testified Monday after video footage he shot that night was shown earlier in the trial. He told The Associated Press that he saw a livestream as the most raw form of reporting" that would allow people to make decisions for themselves. But even with plentiful video footage from the scene of the shooting, Rittenhouses case has been cast into a cultural wedge that has been used by powerful interest groups, extremists, politicians and others to push their own agendas. They are capturing snippets and slices of larger things occurring, said Lewis, the journalism professor. They still dont provide all the pieces of the puzzle. However, Lewis pointed out that smartphones and their ability to instantly capture video have completely changed how instances of police brutality are documented, particularly for Black people. People would not believe us so we had to document it, said KingDemetrius Pendleton, a Minneapolis-based activist and citizen journalist who can frequently be found at protests with a regular camera in one hand and a phone in the other. For Pendleton, the livestream doesn't just broadcast images to an audience, it also transports his audience to the scene of the protest. That's especially important to him because he says Black people from his community are not always able to take to the streets due to financial hardships or legal troubles. When Im livestreaming, there are so many that cant go out," he said. "Im showing them. ___ Associated Press writer Gillian Flaccus in Portland, Oregon, contributed to this report. ___ Find the APs full coverage of the Rittenhouse trial at https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse and follow Stephen Groves on Twitter at https://twitter.com/stephengroves. remaining of SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! 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. 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. Bengaluru: Paying an ode to the late legendary star Puneeth Rajkumar, Karnataka Large and Medium Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, has decided to name the stage of 'Udyami Aagu, Udyoga Needu' (Be an Entrepreneur, Become an Employer) workshop in Kalaburagi on November 11, after the late actor. The Department of Industries and Commerce will conduct 'Udyami Aagu, Udyoga Needu' workshop and Kaigarika Adalat in Kalaburagi on November 11, 2021. Not just Kalaburagi, Nirani has also decided to name the stage for 'Udyami Aagu, Udyoga Needu' program in Mysuru, Mangalore, Tumakuru and Belagavi after the late 'Appu' star. Mentioning the late actor's entrepreneurship skills, Nirani lauded him for encouraging young talent in his films by saying, "Puneeth not only excelled as an actor but also proved his entrepreneurship skills as a producer. He gave opportunities to new talents in films through his PRK Production and earned praises from everyone." "He helped thousands of students especially girl students get free education. He had also extended a helping hand to old and destitute and cow care centres, but never sought publicity. Puneeth's conduct and his noble deeds are worthy of emulation," Nirani added. Praising the contributions of Puneeth for social causes, Nirani said the actor was a role model for the youth. "Puneeth Rajkumar did not restrict himself to the film industry but he was also involved in social service. He lived like a king in real life. We have taken this decision so that the coming generations remember him. He wanted our youths to be self-reliant, so it's a small effort from our side to realize his dream," Nirani stated. Nirani visited Puneeth's Sadashivanagar residence on his 11th-day ritual (Punya Thithi) on Monday and paid his respects to the departed young actor. Nirani later paid floral tributes to Puneeth's photo and consoled his wife Ashwini. He then partook of the prasadam along with Puneeth's brothers Shiva, Raghavendra, sister in law Geetha Shivarajkumar, actor Madhu Bangarappa and others. AP finance minister, Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, sought the release of funds from the Centre to take up several developmental works and also asked the Union finance minister to release APs share of funds and dues. (DC image) Vijayawada: Finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said on Monday that the state government would take a decision on reducing value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel after taking several issues into consideration. The minister told media persons in New Delhi that VAT on fuel is one of major sources of income for the state and therefore the state government cannot follow the Centre on fuel prices as it needs to examine various factors before taking a decision. He also said that the expenditure patterns of the Centre and state government are different. Rajendranath Reddy met Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and ministers of state for finance Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad and Pankaj Chaudhary in New Delhi on Monday to discuss the second phase of arbitration on Anrak Aluminium Limited. The second phase of arbitration would be held in November. The AP finance minister sought the release of funds from the Centre to take up several developmental works and also asked the Union finance minister to release APs share of funds and dues. Vijayawada: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said that Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu will receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on November 10 and 11, issuing an alert for both the states. "Extremely heavy rainfall is likely over some parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on November 10 and 11 which may inundate roads and low-lying areas, and cause riverine flooding in some catchment areas," the IMD bulletin said. As per the IMD alert, a cyclonic circulation lies over the southeast Bay of Bengal and the adjoining south Andaman Sea extending up to middle tropospheric levels. "Under its influence, a low pressure area is very likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during the next 24 hours," the bulletin read. Fishermen are advised not to venture into these areas, the IMD said. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed more than 20 teams in both the states, with maximum numbers of teams deployed in Tamil Nadu. NDRF Director General S.N. Pradhan said that his force's focus was to avoid situations similar to the "urban flooding that took place in 2015-2016 (in Chennai)". "The rainfall will mainly affect Tamil Nadu and Southern Andhra Pradesh. It is not expected to affect Kerala. As per the prediction, we have deployed NDRF teams," the NDRF DG told news agency ANI. "By Tuesday, more than 20 NDRF teams will be deployed in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Maximum teams (around 10-15) will be deployed in Tamil Nadu. A few teams will be kept in reserve position for additional support," he added. "We are in the preparation to deal with the situation in close coordination with state governments. We are deciding which place we need to deploy the exact number of teams. But our focus will be on Chennai city," Pradhan said. Pradhan said that that 100 NDRF teams have been put on stand by across the country, adding that in case of any need, airlifting process will be adopted. "Three battalions in Vijaywada in Andhra Pradesh, Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu and Odisha have been asked to conduct the coordinated operation. Several teams are being pressed from Vijaywada and Arakkonam and if we need more support, some reserve teams from Pune Battalion will be pressed. I am hopeful that such a condition will not happen but we are ready to send teams from across the country," he added. Heavy rains have been battering Tamil Nadu since Sunday, with authorities sounding a preliminary flood alert to people as three city reservoirs were opened in a phased manner to release surplus water. Four people have so far been killed in rain related incidents in Tamil Nadu, news agency PTI reported. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and assured him of all possible support from the Centre in rescue and relief work. In Chennai, most roads and bylanes and a section of subways remained waterlogged and continued to be closed. Traffic diversion too continued and road-users had a tough time. A flooded city police station (Adambakkam) had to be shifted to another temporary premise. Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji said that out of about 44,50,000 power connections in the Chennai distribution circle, only 12,297 connections were disconnected, considering safety. "Power supply will be restored expeditiously with receding of flood waters and rains," the Minister tweeted. Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada district administration will depute about 3,000 National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers as Lasika Mitra, to motivate the people to take Covid -19 vaccination. Mane Manege Lasika Mitra, campaign in line with Har Ghar Dastak, will start in Dakshina Kannada district from November 10. Under this campaign, the district administration will identify those who are yet to get their first dose of COVID-19 vaccination and those who are due for the second dose. Officials along with the NSS students will approach the individuals based on this data and motivate them to get vaccinated. Most of them have already got vaccinated in the district. But many have not taken the vaccination yet due to various reasons. The district administration has the list of the people whose second dose is due. The information about those who have not taken the first dose too is collected, Dakshina Kannada DHO Dr Kishore Kumar told Deccan Chronicle. To reach more people we have taken the service of National Service Scheme (NSS) volunteers. We have held discussions with the NSS officials of various colleges. The students of these colleges will visit the houses and create awareness about vaccination and motivate them to go to the nearby vaccination centers, he said. The NSS students will also identify those who can't go to the vaccination centers. Steps will be taken to provide vaccination at their house. The district administration will designate these NSS students as Lasika Mitra, and provide them a badge. This will provide an official identity to the NSS volunteers. The district administration also plans to recognize those students and colleges which motivates the maximum number of people for vaccination. The NSS students will visit houses to collect details and motivate people. We request the people to cooperate by providing the necessary information related to vaccination, the DHO added. The Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala was built across Periyar River following the Periyar lake lease agreement. (Photo: Facebook/File) Chennai: Chennai: As Kerala froze its order allowing felling of trees in Mullaperiyar vicinity amid political ripples, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday released a copy of that directive which said the permission was following an official's recommendation and according to a pact between the two states. It has also emerged that while Tamil Nadu sought nod for removal of 23 trees, permission was granted for clearing 15, which was also later frozen. The order indicates that top Kerala authorities were in the loop in respect of the decision to allow TN to cut trees. The TN government released a copy of the "Proceedings of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala," giving an order allowing Tamil Nadu to fell 15 trees. The proceedings, dated November 5, 2021 refers to TN's plea to remove 23 trees downstream of Baby Dam and widen the base of existing Baby Dam and earthen bund to strengthen the structure at Mullaperiyar Dam site. A request was also made for removal of shrubs and bushes in an area of 0.25 Ha (hectare) out of the leased area to TN as part of the Baby Dam strengthening. Citing such references, the order said the Deputy Director, Periyar Tiger Reserve East Division recommended removal of 15 trees within an approximate area of 40 cents falling within the leased area of Tamil Nadu at the Mullaperiyar Dam site. "As per Clause 5 of the Principal Deed, the Lessee, Tamil Nadu is permitted to fell the trees, under woods and saplings within the leased areas for the maintenance works." "The forest produce to be obtained on felling of the trees are neither intended to be used or to be removed outside the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary by the Dam Authorities." The order of Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Bennichan Thomas, permitting the Executive Engineer of Water Resources Department, Cumbum, Tamil Nadu also identifies the species of 15 trees and its specifications in an annexure that are allowed to be removed. Further, the order said the Deputy Director, Periyar Tiger Reserve, East Division would receive the timber and firewood from the dam authorities (Tamil Nadu) and use the same for formation of brushwood gully plugging / brushwood check dam at suitable nearby locations outside the leased area. A copy of the order was submitted to Additional Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department and Principal Secretary, Forests and Wildlife Department, Kerala. Following Bennichan Thomas's order, Deputy Director (Project Tiger) Periyar East Division, Thekkady, A P Sunil Babu on November 6 intimated the Tamil Nadu official, J Sam Erwin (Executive Engineer, WRD, Periyar Dam Special Division, Cumbum in Theni District) that permission is granted for cutting 15 trees. On Monday, the Kerala Assembly witnessed noisy scenes over the Left government's order granting permission to Tamil Nadu for felling 15 trees as the opposition UDF demanded a judicial probe into the issue and staged a walkout. On November 7, the Kerala government froze the order granting permission to Tamil Nadu for felling 15 trees and decided to take action against officials who had issued it, a day after TN Chief Minister M K Stalin thanked his counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan for allowing removal of trees. In Tamil Nadu, opposition parties AIADMK and BJP have been targeting the ruling DMK over the Mullaperiyar issue. The Mullaperiyar dam in Kerala was built across Periyar River following the Periyar lake lease agreement between Travancore and the Secretary of State for India in 1886. The lease period is 999 years. The dam's construction took eight years, faced several challenges and was completed in 1895. The water supply from the dam, which is owned and operated by Tamil Nadu government, serves as the life line of people in southern TN. In Kerala, the pronunciation used is 'Mulla Periyar' and in Tamil Nadu it is 'Mullai Periyar.' Hyderabad: Accusing the BJP of remaining silent on the issue of China, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi here on Monday sought a full debate in the upcoming Parliament session on China-India ties and the state of affairs on the border. The Hyderabad MP also demanded that the Narendra Modi-led government take an all party delegation of MPs to all the contentious border areas as well and where Chinese army is "sitting" in India's territory. "This will allow us to reassert our sovereignty and keep the public informed," the All India Majils-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief told reporters here. Owaisi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had told the country that Chinese army has not intruded into Indian territory. "But, this statement of the Prime Minister has turned out to be false because China has been sitting in our territory and Chinese PLA is not moving out. In Arunachal Pradesh, China has set up permanent structures and also a village," he claimed. Owaisi accused the Modi government of deliberate silence and denial on Chinese "intrusion" in Indian territory and added "hence we are demanding a full debate has to happen in the winter session of Parliament". If the government says that no debate in Parliament can happen on this as it is a national issue then a secret sitting of the House can be conducted under Lok Sabha rule 248, Owaisi said. Owaisi further said before 2014, Modi who was Gujarat Chief Minister used to say that the problem is not on the borders, the problem is in Delhi. "Chief Minister Modi used to talk big about national security but now Prime Minister Modi doesn't even utter China's name," Owaisi said. The country should know. This government had earlier taken an all party delegation to Kashmir, he said. "What is there to hide. We (an all party delegation) will assert our sovereignty and will give reply to China that it is our area," Owaisi added. Mumbai: NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede's father Dhyandev Wankhede has filed a police complaint here against Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik for allegedly making "false and derogatory" remarks against him and his family members and their caste, an official said on Tuesday. The senior Wankhede approached the Oshiwara division's assistant commissioner of police on Monday with his written complaint, demanding that an FIR be registered against the minister under the SC/ST Act, he said. The complainant alleged that NCP leader Malik made "false and derogatory" remarks against him and his family members as well as their caste on various media platforms. "We belong to 'Mahar' community which comes under the Scheduled Caste category," he mentioned in the complaint. He demanded that an FIR be registered against the minister under provisions of the Scheduled Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections including 503 (criminal intimidation). He further alleged that Malik, owing to his personal grudge, went to the extent of "stalking" his daughter Yasmeen online and illegally used her personal photographs from her social media accounts like Instagram, Facebook, etc and circulated them in print and electronic media. The complainant also said the minister made an unfounded allegation against his daughter and family members of being involved in extortion while they were in Maldives. Now, the minister is giving "direct threats" and using "illegal tactics" to hinder the investigation into the case involving his son-in-law (Sameer Khan) where he is likely to convicted, the senior Wankhede alleged. Malik's son-in-law was arrested in January this year in an alleged drugs case and granted bail in September. The complainant claimed Malik was using all his powers against him and his family members. Dhyandev Wankhede also said that to prove his claims, he has the footage and articles put out by the minister on various media platforms. An official from the assistant commissioner of police's confirmed that they have received Dhyandev Wankhede's complaint, and said further investigation is underway. The senior Wankhede has also filed a defamation suit against Malik, seeking damages to the tune of Rs 1.25 crore from the minister for allegedly making defamatory comments against his son, Sameer Wankhede and family through press conferences and via social media. The Bombay High Court on Monday directed Malik to submit an affidavit in response to the defamation suit., An NCB team led by Sameer Wankhede last month conducted a raid on a cruise ship and claimed to have seized drugs onboard. Later, actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan and 19 others were arrested in connection with the cruise drugs case. Malik has termed the cruise drugs case as "fake" and levelled a string of allegations against Sameer Wankhede, including that he used forged documents to secure government job. The NCB official has denied the allegations levelled against him. The Mediapart story says that "corruption, influence-peddling and favouratism" marked the deal during the UPA government. (Representational image: AFP) New Delhi: Seizing on a French media report that commissions were paid between 2007 and 2012 for securing the Rafale deal with India, the BJP on Tuesday said the INC (Indian National Congress) should be renamed as "I Need Commission" and alleged that the Congress' dissatisfaction with the cut on offer was behind the failed negotiations when it was in power. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra launched a scathing attack on the Congress leadership, especially Rahul Gandhi who has been alleging corruption in the purchase of the fighter aircraft by the Modi government, and accused him of spreading "canard, disinformation and lies". Patra also sought Rahul Gandhi's response to the fresh revelation by French investigative journal Mediapart. He should respond to this from Italy, Patra said, citing reports that the Congress leader is currently not in India. Corruption has become "homeless" after the BJP came to power, and its address is 10 Janpath, he alleged, referring to the residence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The Congress hit back at the BJP, saying that the government has launched "operation cover up" and demanded to know as to why it had not probed the entire episode so far. Noting that his party has been seeking a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the deal, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera asked as to why the government has not agreed to this. Political battle over the matter has heated up after Mediapart made fresh claims that bogus invoices were used that enabled French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to pay at least 7.5 million euros in secret commissions to a middleman to help it secure the Rafale deal with India. According to Mediapart's investigation, Dassault Aviation paid the kickbacks to the intermediary in Mauritius between 2007 and 2012. The Congress-led UPA was in power between 2004 and 2014, leading the ruling BJP for the first time to launch an aggressive counter-attack on the main opposition party after confining itself mostly to dismiss its allegations of corruption in the deal. The Modi government had inked the deal on September 23, 2016, to procure 36 Rafale jets from Dassault Aviation after a nearly seven-year exercise to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force did not fructify during the UPA regime. Hitting out at the Congress, Patra alleged that it was clearly the dissatisfaction of the Congress and the Gandhi family that was the main reason behind the negotiations falling through during the UPA government. The Mediapart story says that "corruption, influence-peddling and favouratism" marked the deal during the UPA government, he noted and said, "It will not be an exaggeration to say that the INC be renamed as 'I Need Commission'. "Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra . all say that I need commission," Patra said. The UPA government had a deal within every deal, he added. The Congress has in past said that the allegations of corruption by the BJP against its ruling family and its members were driven by vendetta. To a question about the Congress' demand as to why the government has not probed the matter, Patra noted that the alleged middleman was earlier arrested by Enforcement Directorate in a corruption case and said probe agencies must be looking into the matter. The BJP spokesperson said the alleged middleman Sushen Mohan Gupta, whose name has cropped up in the Rafale case, was also accused of pocketing commission in the purchase of VVIP choppers. This is too much of a coincidence, and too much of a coincidence is always a conspiracy, he said. The Supreme Court and the CAG have already gone into the contents of the Rafale deal signed by the Modi government and found nothing wrong in it, Patra said. He said Rahul Gandhi had made the alleged corruption in the purchase a big election issue during the 2019 polls but it failed to make any impact. The BJP retained power with a bigger majority. VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will discuss several interstate issues including construction of Neradi bridge across the Vamsadhara river, completion of the Janjavathi project and the Kotia cluster of villages during his meeting with his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik scheduled to be held at latters residence at 5.00 pm on Tuesday. The Chief Minister held a preparatory meeting to discuss these issues with senior officials at his camp office here on Monday. He will explain the benefits of construction of Neradi bridge across the Vamsadhara river to the Odisha Chief Minister and will also apprise him of the requirement of 103 acres of land in the Odisha side for the construction of the barrage and out of which, 67 acres fall under river bed area. The officials informed the Chief Minister that construction of barrage would help supply water to nearly 5,000 to 6,000 acres of land in Odisha. With regard to the Janjavathi project, the officials apprised Jagan Mohan Reddy that out of 24,640 acres land, water supply was being provided only to 5,000 acres land through the rubber dam. They said once the project was completed, it would cause submergence of four villages totally and six villages partially in Odisha and added that out of 1,175 acres land to be submerged in Odisha, 875 acres were under the control of the state government. The Chief Minister will also ask Patnaik to cooperate in implementation of relief and rehabilitation packages to the affected people. The officials also briefed the Chief Minister about the dispute pertaining to Kotia villages located on the AP-Odisha border. Vizianagaram collector A. Surya Kumari informed Jagan that out of 21 villages, 16 villages resolved to stay with Andhra Pradesh and said they had even conducted elections in such villages. The officials informed him that 87 per cent of the population living in these villages were tribals, adding that they would get a series of government services without any trouble. On the other hand, Jagan Reddys Odisha tour schedule has been released. Accordingly, he will arrive at Gannavaram airport at 11.00 am and reach Pathapatnam in Srikakulam at 01.15 pm and attend Pathapatnam MLA Reddy Shantis daughters reception and bless the couple. Later, he will proceed to Visakhapatnam airport at 3.30 pm and fly to Bhubaneswar. After meeting the Odisha Chief Minister at 5.00 pm, he will start at 7.00 pm and will arrive at 9.00 pm to his residence at Tadepalli. Hyderabad: My name is KCR and I am not a traitor; this, in essence, was the crux of the encore of a press conference of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao addressed on Monday at Pragati Bhavan late afternoon. This was a third press conference that held the attention of people of Telangana within 24 hours and a response to the response by BJP chief Bandi Sanjay to the battleline drawing presser of Chief Minister Rao. In what seemed to be an emotional outburst, Chandrashekar Rao, responded with incredulity at the statements of state BJP leaders terming him a traitor for his remarks at Sundays press conference about Chinese entering into Indias borders at Arunachal Pradesh and thrashing the Indian soldiers. In a rare sequel, Rao, addressing a second presser in two days, choose to focus all his verbal fire to attack Telangana BJP leaders, besides also continuing his onslaught against the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre. Rao said he plans to conduct a press conference everyday henceforth, until the BJP gives clarity on his two main demands - namely procurement of paddy from Telangana and withdrawal of cess on fuel. It has become a practice for BJP leaders to label anyone as a traitor who raises their voice against their flawed policies and against their undemocratic style of functioning. Since I strongly questioned them about paddy procurement and fuel cess, they are now targeting me and branding me as a traitor. They say I supported China by talking about Chinese invasion of our borders in Arunachal Pradesh. What wrong did I commit? I only questioned the Modi government to protect our borders and sovereignty. I told them they can't sit quietly while China invades our borders. Chinese aggression in Arunachal Pradesh is being widely reported by the media. I talked about it. Who is a traitor? Is it those who alerted the government to stop Chinese invasion or is it those who are sitting silently as a foreigner is invading our country? Rao said. Rao reiterated that the BJPs style of functioning is not just to label someone as traitors who question them but also to harass them with income tax (IT), enforcement directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) raids and cases. Referring to Bandi Sanjays comments that they will send him to jail soon, CM Rao said, BJP leaders are trying to threaten me with I-T, ED and CBI raids and cases. Only thieves will fear I-T, ED, CBI etc. I am not a thief. Whatever I do, I do legally. I have not accumulated any ill-gotten wealth. I file IT returns and pay taxes promptly. I dare them to order raids on me or anything. I am ready to face any inquiry. Rao came down heavily on BJP state leaders for failing to answer questions raised by him the day before. Will the BJP government at the Centre purchase paddy from Telangana or not? Will it withdraw cess on fuel or not? Instead of answering, he indulged in personal attacks and talked nonsense. But I will not leave him or the BJP. Rao said he was ready to resign as Chief Minister if Sanjay could prove that the Modi government had contributed funds to the sheep distribution scheme. The plan to install a snooping device, a veritable looking glass to peer into the Chinese nuclear grounds, on the Nanda Devi mountain, was hatched far away at the Langley headquarters of the CIA. (AP) In late 1962 India and China fought a fierce war amidst the swirling clouds of the Himalayan ranges. The collision of two great geopolitical tectonic plates at that point of time threatened to irrevocably change the political map of Asia and tilt the balance in favour of world communism. When the going got bad for India, it turned to the Western powers for assistance. It was also the time of Camelot in the United States of America. Under the charismatic and young President John F. Kennedy, friendship with the US was no longer politically undesirable, despite the fact that he too was no less a Cold Warrior than his predecessors. China in the meanwhile had also fallen out with the world's senior Communist state, the USSR. Its internal ideological convulsions and the politics of the Great Leap Forward and its constant tirade of inventive invective, often as much against the Soviet Union as the US, gave it the appearance of an implacable and volatile adversary. Mao Zedo-ng's pronouncements about his willingness to joust with nuclear weapons and his stated belief that China could afford to lose half its population and still come out the winner in a nuclear war gave the world's political leaders plenty of sleepless nights. Mao was at his inscrutable best when he said: "In the end, the bomb will not destroy the people, but it will be the people who will destroy the bomb!" At another time he jeered that Nikita Khrushchev's scrotum was just an empty bag because the USSR seemed to have backed down in October 1962 when the United States had blockaded Cuba. Even after the Russians pulled out of the Chinese nuclear programme, it continued to pick up pace. By 1964, intelligence reports kept indicating that China was preparing to test a nuclear bomb at its Lop Nor nuclear installation in Xinjiang. Mind you, those were days before the advent of spy satellites that could glean masses of information about another country in just a few passes, as they do now. Intelli-gence gathering was still a game largely for the intrepid and risk-taking adventurer, and far less nerdy than it is now. In Cold War parlance, post-1962 India was a frontline state and Indian and US interests had momentarily converged. This sudden change in political alignments led to many material benefits. As can be well imagined, there were more lethal benefits as well, of which India's intelligence community too got its share, having forged a close working relationship with the CIA. In fact, this lasted long after the Chinese threat receded and even when India's political relationship with the US was once again headed back for its familiar rocky course. On October 16, 1964, China tested a nuclear weapon in Xinjiang. It was expected but not enough details were known. Earlier in May 1964, the CIA launched a U-2 out of Charbatia airfield in Odisha, but its return turned out to be a bit of a mishap. The U-2 overshot the runway and got stuck in slushy ground. Getting it unstuck and out of India without being noticed by the Indian press, then even much more subject to leftist influences and hence antagonistic to the US, was another clandestine operation that might yet result in a book. This gave all concerned quite a scare and it was decided to rely on other technical means. The plan to install a snooping device, a veritable looking glass to peer into the Chinese nuclear grounds, on the Nanda Devi mountain, was hatched far away at the Langley headquarters of the CIA. The first attempt to place this device on the Nanda Devi under the cover of a mountaineering expedition had failed as the team had to retreat in the face of adverse conditions after having hauled the device to just short of the 25,645-feet peak. When another India-led expedition returned the following year to recover the device, it was found to be missing. There are many theories about what happened. Most of them are that the device rolled off the mountain and is now lodged at the bottom of the glacier. More imaginative theories speculate that the supposedly indestructible nuclear power pack with a highly toxic plutonium isotope in its core, with a half-life of many thousand years, is inching its way into the Ganga. Another plausible theory is that another team of Indian mountaineers came up furtively early the next season and spirited away the device for Indian nuclear scientists to study. Many Americans lean towards this, and with R.N. Kao in the picture, anything was possible. In the meantime, the Chinese not only kept on testing nuclear weapons at regular intervals, but ballistic missiles as well. The urgency to gather information was never greater. India and the US kept collaborating though the relationship between Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and US President Lyndon Johnson was turning increasingly frosty. But the story doesn't end here. In October 1967, the Chinese began testing an ICBM capable of reaching targets 6,000 miles away. There was renewed urgency to find out more. So, our intrepid mountaineers went off on one more mission in December 1969 to successfully place a gas-powered device on a mountain peak near Leh. But by the following year the Americans had the first generation of the TRW spy satellites in place and did not have rely on the old Elint devices. Nor did they have to share the information with India. In April 1978, all hell broke loose in the Indian Parliament about a "nuclear time bomb" ticking away in the Nanda Devi glacier and crawling its way slowly into the holiest of our rivers and by the holiest of our temples. The Nanda Devi biosphere was closed to all visitors since 1982, till an innocuous announcement appeared early this year that entry would now be permitted by "genuine" mountaineers and trekkers. But read this with a story that appeared on December 21, 2001 in this newspaper that a 40-man mountaineering team belonging to the Indian Army's Garwhal Rifles regiment had scaled the Nanda Devi in September that year and had recovered over 800 kg of hazardous wastes? The then President of India, K.R. Narayanan, sent a congratulatory message to the Indian Army, saying: "Such efforts to preserve the environment need to be appreciated by all." What was the hazardous material recovered that demanded a congratulatory message from the President of India? After the Prime Minister's encouragement, the then BJP-ruled state of Maharashtra and then Haryana had criminalised the possession of beef, leading to a sequence of lynchings that still continues, though it has dropped out of the news cycle. (PTI) For many years, I had the opportunity to visit and study Pakistan and also to write for its newspapers. My special interest was in the 20-year period just after the country's breakup and the creation of Bangladesh till the departure of Gen. Zia-ul Haq as President. For the 30 years before that time, Pakistan had attempted to Islamise itself but had not been able to. Even today, Pakistan's laws are largely the same as India's and the residents of Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar are familiar with things like Sections 420, 302 and 144. This is because the subcontinent's criminal justice and legal system, as well as its laws, were the work of an Englishman named Macaulay in the 19th century. In Dhaka, as in New Delhi, even today the section invoked for promoting enmity is 153a. In that two-decade period of the 1970s and 1980s, Pakistan had tried to change this. It introduced what was thought to be Quranic or Islamic punishment. This included public flogging (80 lashes) for those who drank alcohol, and at the other end it included stoning to death for adultery. The punishment for theft and robbery was chopping off of the right hand from the wrist. In the case of a second offence by the same person, his foot from the ankle down was to be amputated. Pakistan's terrified doctors were given some training in how to do this, but these punishments were never implemented. Nobody has been stoned to death in Pakistan and nobody's hand or foot hasbeen cut off. The punishments remained on the books but the State, which was a modern one with modern judges trained in common law just like India's judiciary, was unable to implement the new punishments. Indeed, as the years went by, Pakistan actually secularised its law. During the presidency of Gen. Pervez Musharraf, some of the offences, including for rape, were reverted to the Pakistan Penal Code from the Sharia. Many of the more benign laws that were aimed at piety -- such as forcing Muslims to contribute zakat and forcing them to fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramzan -- also were rolled back or pursued without much enthusiasm. The reason, of course, is that there is no alternative to the modern State with laws that are in alignment with freedom as the whole democratic world understands that word. The reason for talking about this here is that India is today going through the same sort of period that Pakistan did in those 20 years. India is today excluding its minorities from politics just as our neighbour did. There is no Muslim chief minister in India today and no Muslim Lok Sabha MP among the ruling party's 303 members. In 15 states there is no Muslim minister at all. Muslims cannot today pray in designated areas for their prayer in the capital of India. Their mosques are constantly targeted. Several states that are ruled by the BJP have after 2014 introduced laws that specifically target the minorities, especially Muslims. After the Prime Minister's encouragement, the then BJP-ruled state of Maharashtra and then Haryana had criminalised the possession of beef, leading to a sequence of lynchings that still continues, though it has dropped out of the news cycle. In Gujarat, the punishment for cattle slaughter is life imprisonment, though it is supposed to be an economic offence. Inter-faith marriage between Hindus and Muslims has been criminalised in the BJP-run states of Uttarkhand (in 2018), Himachal Pradesh (2019), Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh (2020) and Gujarat (2021). Madhya Pradesh said last week that it will replicate a 2020 law from Uttar Pradesh that was aimed at seizing the property of protesters. The UP law came after the state had killed several Muslims protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The CAA of course is also a law targeting Muslims and, along with the National Register of Citizens, is a pincer aimed at doing to the minorities everywhere what has been done to them in Assam. Those who have studied Pakistan in that period that is being referred to will be familiar with the intent of such legislation as India has passed in the Narendra Modi years. They are not aimed at the betterment of Hindu society and do not seek to uplift those in that community who are marginalised or poor. These are laws that are written out of hate and intolerance. A judiciary that is frightened or complicit (or perhaps both) has refused to step in over these laws and has been truant even on the issue of habeas corpus for Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir. The question is -- how long will this continue and what is the final destination that India is being led to? The answer is that it will not continue for long. Pakistan's two decades of Islamisation was in another era. India's legal misbehaviour with its own citizens will last perhaps half that time. And, of course, the answer to the second question is that there is no final destination. Once all the venom has been expended, India will limp back to where it was before 2014. That may not have been an ideal period, but things will get better from there. The modern world will not accommodate bigotry of the sort India is showing to the world today. The Hindutva project will fail, and just like Pakistan is an incomplete Islamic republic today, India will remain an incomplete Hindu Rashtra. In the first major breakthrough since the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) opened in the Scottish industrial city of Glasgow on November 1, 20 countries have agreed to stop funding fossil fuel projects abroad. This is expected to release $18 billion annually for clean energy. But though the conferences India-born president, British Cabinet Office minister Alok Sharma, emphasised the importance of phasing out coal, India was not among the signatories. Neither was Australia, which said candidly that it wants to develop technology, not wipe out industries. Interest stirred, however, when Prime Minister Narendra Modis 12-minute speech promised that all the carbon emitted into the atmosphere would be retrieved for underground storage or absorbed by trees achieving net zero emission by 2070. But the applause was mixed with censure. After all, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change had announced in August this year that all nations must reach net zero emissions by 2050 if global warming was not to exceed pre-industrial levels by more than 1.5C. Most, including the United States and the European Union, have already accepted this target. Even the worlds top polluter, China, has promised to reach net zero levels by 2060, beating India by a decade. Indias most outspoken environmentalist, Sunita Narain, director-general of the Centre for Science and Environment, warns that global warming presents the world with an existential threat. It isnt something that governments can tackle individually. They must act together in pursuit of common goals like afforestation, arresting desertification, controlling rivers, preventing floods, and saving crops. What they say and do must also be readily verifiable. At the same time, Ms Narain dismisses these targets as a complete distraction as she condemns the duplicity of the Western powers and the noxious game the Western media is playing. Their case is without equity because it equates long-standing hardened climate criminals (to coin a term!) with innocents and allows the West to pass off token payments for past (and present) misdeeds as aid or charity. Oxfam has already exposed how loans for road building and other infrastructure projects are camouflaged as climate funding. Indias finance minister, Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman, had brought this up during her visit to Washington last month, pointedly asking: So, what constitutes $100 billion? The absence of any reliable accounting mechanism is one major drawback in assessments by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Another is the opacity that makes it impossible to verify the Chinese claims regarding emissions. Chinas declaration a few weeks before COP26 that it would end investments in overseas coal projects may have been only a PR exercise since China is the worlds biggest public financier of coal. If true, it could mean cancelling over 40 gigawatts of pipeline projects in 20 countries. That includes at least nine coal-fired projects (out of 18 priority energy undertakings costing around $19.55 million) in Pakistan, which is one of the Belt and Road Initiative countries where coal is an important source of energy. Also unsolved at the time of writing is the mystery of Chinese President Xi Jinpings complaint that the COP26 organisers did not provide a working video link for him to address the Glasgow meeting, and he had to send a written statement instead. Despite Ms Narains reservations about targets, some say of Indias decision that its better late than never. India was the last G-20 country to declare a net zero emission date. Although 20 years behind the recommended target, it may be more realistic than a pie-in-the-sky promise like the rich nations pledge in 2009 to channel $100 billion annually to poorer countries by 2020. Mr Modi called it a hollow promise in Glasgow. The G-20 which includes 19 countries and the European Union accounts for 80 per cent of the global gross domestic product, 60 per cent of the worlds population and about 80 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. However, while several members of the bloc are vulnerable to climate change, the group excludes a number of island nations and most of Africa. South Africa is its only African member. Small Island Developing States and Least Developed Countries (which have chosen Bhutan as their spokesman) are especially neglected. As Australia has boldly acknowledged, growth can mean pollution. That is also why India has so far been reluctant to accept the net zero concept. However, there is a way out of this dilemma -- the rich countries which polluted the atmosphere in the past in their race to industrialise can atone for the spoliation by providing the money and technology for the developing world to achieve growth without pollution. The question now is whether Third World leaders can deliver what they have promised. Seventy-eight per cent of Indias electricity is thermal and 70 per cent of its energy comes from coal and oil. Switching to renewables for 50 per cent of its power in less than 10 years, as Mr Modi promised in Glasgow, might have been easier if India had followed up on Dr Manmohan Singhs 123 Agreement with US President George W. Bush and developed nuclear energy more seriously. Mr Modi asked the richer countries to pay $1 trillion per annum. When we all are increasing our ambitions on climate action, the worlds ambition could not stay the same on climate finance as was agreed at the time of Paris, he said, implying that fulfilment of even his 2070 pledge calls for increased funding by the richer nations. To quote Ms Sitharaman again: Funding is continuing to be a question of worry for many countries, as much as even the transfer of technology. If they do make a commitment, will it be another hollow promise? If funding and technology are available, will the developing world live up to all the expectations? Someone must ensure that both are honestly deployed for the right purpose on a global basis. There is no denying that the richer countries, meaning the Western powers, have historically cheated and exploited the Afro-Asian nations. Tragically, the current world offers many instances of Afro-Asian rulers cheating and exploiting their own people. Foolproof inspection and audit is really the only way out. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen said she fears the impact of the metaverse that the social media giant has rebranded to focus on delivering, saying the futuristic virtual reality world would force people to give up more of their personal information, be addicting and give the embattled company another monopoly in the online world. In an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday as she makes a series of appearances before European lawmakers drawing up rules for social media companies, Haugen said her former employer has rushed to prioritise the metaverse because if you don't like the conversation, you try to change the conversation". Facebook should have a transparency plan for the metaverse before they start building all this stuff because they can hide behind a wall, they keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritise their own profits before safety," she said. Also Read | New digital rules in Europe can fix Facebook: Whistleblower Frances Haugen The metaverse is sort of the internet brought to life, or at least rendered in 3D. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described it as a virtual environment you can go inside of instead of just looking at on a screen and refocused the company's business model on the futuristic virtual reality world, including renaming the company, Meta. People can meet, work and play, using virtual reality headsets, augmented reality glasses, smartphone apps or other devices. Haugen is a former product manager at Facebook turned whistleblower whose revelations about the company's practices have drawn global attention. Documents she has turned over to authorities and her testimony to lawmakers on both sides of the Atlantic have revealed deep-seated problems at the company and energised legislative and regulatory efforts around the world to crack down on big tech companies. Also Read:Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen urges Zuckerberg to step down She says the social media giant prioritises engagement and user growth over online safety. Haugen, who also provided a vast trove of redacted internal documents to a group of news organisations, alleges that Facebook's systems amplify online hate and extremism, fail to protect young people from harmful content and the company lacks any incentive to fix the problems. Haugen's documents have exposed an internal crisis at the social media giant, which provides free services to 3 billion people. Zuckerberg has dismissed Haugen's claims as a coordinated effort to paint a false picture of the company. Officials in Washington and European capitals are taking her claims seriously. European Union lawmakers questioned her intensely Monday, before applauding her at the end of the 2 1/2 hour hearing. Read | IT Panel may call FB whistleblowers to India The EU is drafting new digital rules for the 27-nation bloc that call for reining in big digital gatekeepers, requiring them to be more transparent about their algorithms that determine what people see on their feeds and making them more accountable for content on their platforms. Haugen has already made stops in London and Berlin to speak to officials and lawmakers and spoke at a tech conference in Lisbon. She also will address French lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Edtech major Coursera on Tuesday said India accounted for the second-largest base of learners on its platform with 13.6 million registered learners at the end of September 2021 quarter. As of September 30, 2021, Coursera has 92 million registered learners on the platform, and 189 million enrolments. The US accounted for 17.3 million learners, followed by India (13.6 million), Mexico (4.8 million), Brazil (3.7 million) and China (3.3 million). Paraguay, Lebanon, the Philippines, Guyana and Indonesia were the top 5 countries for Coursera in terms of learner growth. "Early in the pandemic, online learning shaped the response to a global crisis that changed the way we learn. More than a year later, new trends show that the combined force of online learning and remote work is creating a powerful opportunity to provide not just skills but more equitable job opportunities worldwide," Coursera CEO Jeff Maggioncalda said in the second annual Coursera Impact Report. With the double disruption of the pandemic and automation intensifying the unemployment crisis, people everywhere need to develop new skills for a digital future, he added. "Over 20 million new learners have come to Coursera in the past year to access world-class learning. The highest growth came from regions where higher education infrastructure is severely constrained in its capacity to meet the demand of a growing population," he said. Maggioncalda added that growing collaboration between universities, industry, and governments to address the skills shortage through online learning is shaping a new and inclusive lifelong learning model. "...offering flexible pathways to skills and credentials that prepare people for remote and digital jobs can pave the way for talent to rise from anywhere in the world. Together with our partners, we're excited to continue our efforts to fulfill this promise in our quest to build a more just world," he said. Watch latest videos by DH here: By Ishika Mookerjee and Haslinda Amin, Veteran investor Mark Mobius has allocated almost half of his emerging-markets fund to India and Taiwan to help offset a slide in China shares that has dragged down returns from developing nations as a whole. India is on a 50-year rally, even if there are short bouts of bear markets, Mobius said in an interview on Bloomberg Television. India is maybe where China used to be 10 years ago, he said, adding the government policies of unifying rules across states will help the country in the long run. Also read: India, US seeing fund inflows after China crackdown Mobius bullish view on India clashes with those of analysts at Morgan Stanley and Nomura Holdings Inc., who have downgraded the stock market after the benchmark S&P BSE Sensex Index more than doubled from a March 2020 low. Emerging-market equities have trailed behind their developed-nation peers this year, held back by losses in China as the government has roiled markets with a widespread regulatory crackdown. People say emerging-markets look bad because China is dragging down the index, but they have to look at other areas such as India that are going up, said Mobius, who founded Mobius Capital Partners LLP after a career at Franklin Templeton Investments. The Mobius Emerging Markets Fund has a combined 45% of its portfolio allocated to India and Taiwan, with tech hardware and software the biggest holdings in these markets. Indian software services provider Persistent Systems Ltd. and eMemory Technology Inc., a Taiwanese chip technology provider, were among its biggest stakes as of end-September. The stocks have both more than doubled this year. That said, the decline in Chinese equities has presented some opportunities, Mobius said. The government has begun to regulate better, trying to avoid monopolies, he said. We are looking at small and medium-sized companies that will benefit from these changes where the government wants a more level playing field. With just a week left before the launch of the special OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man edition, the company is in the news for the wrong reason. Twitter user Suhit Sharma has posted a graphic image of the OnePlus Nord 2 owner with severe second-degree burns on his thighs. He also posted the damaged device with the left side totally melted. Sharma noted that OnePlus is in constant touch and he is cooperating with the company's R&D team to find out the reason for the explosion of the device. It is the third such instance of the OnePlus Nord 2 being involved in sudden explosion. First, it began with a user reporting the device catching fire inside a sling bag in August. Then in September, a Delhi-based lawyer suffered injuries due to the sudden explosion of the OnePlus Nord 2 in his pocket. The series of OnePlus Nord 2 explosion incidents has dented the company's brand name in India. @OnePlus_IN Never expected this from you #OnePlusNord2Blast see what your product have done. Please be prepared for the consequences. Stop playing with peoples life. Because of you that boy is suffering contact asap. pic.twitter.com/5Wi9YCbnj8 Suhit Sharma (@suhitrulz) November 3, 2021 It should be noted that Samsung too faced a similar PR nightmare with the premium Galaxy Note7 series in 2016. Soon after the launch, several devices exploded around the world and it even got banned on global and local flights in the US, Europe, and India. Eventually, the internal investigation conducted by the company's engineers revealed that the two factors originating in two different batteries used in Galaxy Note7 models caused the device to catch fire. In the first case, there was electrode deflection, incorrect positioning of the negative electrode tip in the upper right corner of the battery. In the second instance, abnormal high-weld burrs on the positive electrode resulted in the penetration of the insulation tape and separator. This caused direct contact between the positive tab with the negative electrode, causing the fire. Coming back to the topic at hand, OnePlus, despite recording three incidents, has not come up with any technical report on what is causing the OnePlus Nord 2 to catch fire. DH reached out OnePlus India for a response and here's what the spokesperson said: "We take such incidents seriously. Our team has already reached out to the user and we are in the process of collecting the details to investigate this further" Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech. Karnataka government on Tuesday (November 9) hosted the curtain-raising event of the 24th edition of the Bengaluru Tech Summit. It is scheduled to kick off next week on November 17. The three-day programme will be inaugurated by vice president Venkaiah Naidu and will be attended by international dignitaries including Naftali Bennett, Prime Minister of Israel. The BTS 2021 inauguration day will also be attended by Thawar Chand Gehlot, Governor of Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Railways, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Bengaluru Tech Summit is today a landmark trendsetter event globally and has become Indias leading technology summit. This year, as the world and nation prepare to progress in a post-pandemic scenario, technology will play an even more critical and all-pervasive role that is vital in supporting the successful functioning of sectors, industries, and governments. Technological innovations are redefining the future and it is this essence which makes for the theme of BTS2021, Driving the Next," said Dr. C.N Ashwath Narayan, Minister for Electronics, IT, Bio-Technology and Science & Technology. The three-day event will see multitrack conferences, international exhibition, Global Innovation Alliance, Startup focus, National Rural IT Quiz, BioQuiz, Biotech Posters, STPI IT Export Awards, Smart Bio Awards, and Startup Unicorn Felicitations. For the first time ever, BTS will witness the India USA Tech Conclave. Karnataka government in association with US India Business Council (USIBC) will be hosting two sessions focused on IT, Technology & Startups, and Biotechnology to pave way for new international cooperation in the areas of innovation and technology. It will be addressed by world-renowned speakers including Robert Langer, co-founder of Moderna, Dr. Richard Hatchett, CEO, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Dr. Bruce Levine, Professor in Cancer Gene Therapy, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine (Upenn) and Dr. Samarth Kulkarni, Chief Executive Officer, CRISPR Therapeutics. Other new inclusions are India Innovation Alliance, Bengaluru Next Conclave with Leadership Conclave, and Startup conclave, and a showcase of Science Gallery. The 2021 edition of BTS will see the participation of international government representatives and corporates from 30 countries. It will also see more than 75 conference sessions with around 300 speakers. It will be attended by more than 20,000 business representatives, 5000 from start-ups, and 300 plus exhibitors. The previous year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the BTS 2020 edition. Karnataka government signed eight Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Global Innovation Alliance partner countries-Finland, Netherlands, Sweden, UK, and the USA. These MoUs were strategic institution-level collaborations with a focus on enhanced skilling, R&D, and startup collaboration. In BTS 2021, the government intends to focus on further boosting innovation and international engagements in the state and also deliberating on strategies that will contribute to the vision of India becoming a five trillion dollar economy by 2025. Get the latest news on new launches, gadget reviews, apps, cybersecurity, and more on personal technology only on DH Tech. The European Union drugs regulator is set to authorise the use of two monoclonal antibodies to treat Covid-19 patients in coming days, two EU sources told Reuters, in its first approvals of such therapies. The authorisations would come as the bloc faces a new surge in infections and hospitalisations despite high vaccination levels in many countries. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) will this week give the green light to the treatment developed by US biotech firm Regeneron and Swiss giant Roche, one source said. The cocktail of antibodies is known as REGEN-COV in the United States, and is sold elsewhere under the brand name Ronapreve. The European regulator will also authorise this week the use in the EU of the monoclonal antibody Regkirona, developed by South Korean biotech company Celltrion, the source added, asking not to be named because the information is still confidential. A second official familiar with the authorisation process said the approvals were "imminent" but the precise dates had not been decided. Both drugs are currently used to treat Covid-19 patients at risk of developing a severe infection. The two authorisations would mark an acceleration in the agency's drug approvals. Applications for both drugs were submitted in early October and EMA said then "it could issue an opinion within two months". Celltrion expects a decision by the end of November, a spokesperson for the company said. Roche, who applied in Europe for the approval of Ronapreve, did not respond to a request for comment. EMA declined to comment on the approvals but said the two drugs were being discussed at this week's monthly meetings of the agency's committee that is responsible for authorisations of treatments. The meetings started on Monday and will continue until Thursday. The review comes after Eli Lilly last week withdrew its application for EU approval of its antibody-based treatment, citing a lack of demand from EU member states as the bloc focuses on other suppliers. A Myanmar junta court will give its verdict next month on whether ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi broke coronavirus rules during elections her party won last year, a source said Tuesday. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military's February coup, which sparked huge protests and a bloody crackdown on dissent. Suu Kyi, 76, went on trial in June, and faces a raft of charges, including illegally importing walkie-talkies, corruption and sedition. Media have been barred from attending proceedings at the special court in the military-built capital Naypyidaw, and the junta recently banned Suu Kyi's legal team from speaking to reporters. On Tuesday, she appeared at the latest hearing in the trial for allegedly flouting coronavirus rules during the 2020 elections, a source with knowledge of the matter said. She would testify in her defence next week, the source said, adding a "final order pronouncing the verdict of the court" was set for December 14. Suu Kyi faces three years in jail if found guilty. The junta court will also hear closing arguments in a separate trial for incitement next week as it begins to wrap up proceedings that could see the Nobel laureate jailed for decades. The military has alleged that the 2020 elections, which Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won by a landslide -- trouncing a military-backed party -- were beset with fraud. The junta has threatened to dissolve the NLD and continues to wage a bloody campaign against opponents to its rule. A junta court in eastern Karen state on Tuesday sentenced former NLD lawmaker and chief minister Nan Khin Htwe Myint to 75 years in prison with hard labour for corruption, her lawyer told AFP. She had no plan to appeal, Aung Thein said following the trial inside a prison in state capital Hpa-an. Last month, Win Htein, a former NLD parliamentarian and close Suu Kyi aide, was handed 20 years in jail for treason, the first high-ranking member of the party to be jailed by a junta court. Check out DH's latest videos China has delivered its largest and most advanced warship to Pakistan as it seeks to beef up the navy of its all-weather ally in the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean, where it has increased its own naval presence in recent years. Designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, the CSSC announced in a statement on Monday. The Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril, state-run Global Times reported on Tuesday. Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ensures balance of power in the Indian Ocean. In the context of the overall security paradigm of the region, Tughril-class frigates will strengthen Pakistan Navy's capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defence, maintain peace, stability and balance of power in the Indian Ocean region, he said, according to the Global Times report. The PNS Tughril is the first hull of four Type 054 frigates being constructed for the Pakistan Navy and the vessel is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and underwater firepower, besides extensive surveillance potentials, the daily quoted a Pakistan Navy's statement. Also read: Like Pakistan, China too turns down India's invite for talks on Afghanistan Being equipped with state-of-the-art combat management and an electronic warfare system along with modern self-defence capabilities, the Type 054A/P frigate can simultaneously execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, it said. The frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, CSSC said. China which shares all-weather strategic ties with Pakistan has emerged as the biggest weapons supplier for the Pakistani military. Besides the advanced naval ships, China also partners with the Pakistan Air Force to build JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft. Observers say the military cooperation in recent years focussed more on the navy as China gradually stepped up its naval presence in Indias backyard, the Indian Ocean. Besides building its first military base in Djibouti in the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean, China has acquired Pakistans Gwadar port in the Arabian Sea which connects with Chinas Xinjiang province by land in the USD 60 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). China is also developing Sri Lankas Hambantota port after it acquired it on 99 years lease. The modernisation of the Pakistan Navy coupled with the acquisition of the naval bases was expected to shore up the Chinese Navy's presence in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea. Besides acquiring four modern naval frigates from China, Pakistan will also be getting eight Chinese submarines as part of the modernisation of Pakistan Navy, its Chief Admiral M Amjad Khan Niazi told the daily in February this year. The Pakistan Navy has contracted the construction of four Type 054A/P frigates from China since 2017. The head of the Pakistan Navy Mission overseeing construction of the 054A/P frigate, Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, said that the PNS Tughril, being a multi-mission capable frigate, will form the mainstay of the Pakistan Navy fleet while bolstering the Pakistan Navy's maritime defence capabilities. Zhang Junshe, a senior research fellow at the PLA Naval Research Academy, told the Global Times earlier that Type 054A, on which the Type 054A/P is based, is China's most advanced frigate. Compared to previous Chinese frigates, the new ship has better air defence capability, as it is equipped with an improved radar system and a larger number of missiles with a longer range, Zhang said, noting that the Type 054A frigate also has world-class stealth capability. Check out latest videos from DH: At least 26 children aged between five and six burnt to death on Monday when their straw and wood classrooms caught fire in southern Niger, seven months after a similar tragedy in the capital Niamey. "Right now, we have 26 dead and 13 injured, four of them seriously," said Chaibou Aboubacar, mayor of Maradi city. Niger, one of the poorest countries in the world, has tried to fix shortages of school buildings by constructing thousands of straw and wood sheds to serve as classrooms, with children sometimes sitting on the ground. Fires in the highly flammable classrooms are common but rarely result in casualties. Three days of mourning have been declared in the Maradi region from Tuesday. Twenty children were burnt to death in a school fire in a working-class district of Niamey in April. "This tragic event once again puts the Nigerien people in mourning," the government said in a statement and added that straw and wood classrooms would henceforth be banned across the country. Issoufou Arzika, secretary general of the Niger Teachers' Union, told AFP that Monday's fire had "decimated" the school in Maradi. Arzika said his union had alerted officials to the danger of the straw and wood classrooms after the Niamey fire. "It is better to hold classes under trees than in straw huts, which have become flammable graves for pupils," he said. President Mohamed Bazoum recently promised to replace the wooden structures. Check out latest DH videos here With less than four days left to strike a deal on rules to govern global carbon markets, negotiators at COP26 are stuck at the same impasses as the previous two climate summits. The aim driving such a market is to unleash trillions of dollars to protect forests, build renewable energy plants and fund other projects to halt climate change. It could also bring firmer rules to unregulated voluntary markets for offsetting emissions, although campaigners including Greenpeace and Amnesty International have opposed the use of carbon offsets under any circumstances. For those at the United Nations talks, there is a sense of deja vu amid wrangling over rules for the system, which could allow countries and companies to pay others to cut emissions, sometimes in lieu of bringing down their own. Read | Climate scientists fear tipping points, perhaps you should too "There's a higher chance of getting a deal this time, but it could be very weak," Gilles Dufrasne, a policy officer with Carbon Market Watch said. "Having no deal might hence be an acceptable outcome." It was the same at the 2019 UN climate summit in Madrid, where the Spanish government said "no deal" was better than a bad one. And so too in 2018 at the talks in Katowice, Poland. This week, government ministers arrived in Glasgow hoping to finally clinch a deal on carbon market rules, which fall under Article 6 of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The issue "is one of the main priorities for the EU," Tina Kobilsek, a top EU negotiator, told Reuters. But the old sticking points remain, including how to divert market proceeds to climate adaptation, use old units from a previous UN scheme and count credits traded between countries. Wiggle room The mood in Glasgow is different, with negotiators poring over commas and brackets in draft texts in a way that suggests they are readying a deal, some diplomats and observers said. "They are under pressure to deliver," one diplomat said, with countries testing one another's room for manoeuvre. Read | Methane isnt the only super-pollutant burning up the planet "There is a willingness among many countries to work together," the diplomat added. One area with wiggle room is whether offset credits from the old Kyoto Protocol are carried over into the new market, with two options being considered that would allow this for credits generated after 2013 or 2016. The European Union is analysing how many credits that would total, and has not yet decided if those cut-off dates are acceptable, Tina Kobilsek said. Brazil, Arab countries and a group of developing nations that includes China had wanted all old credits to be carried forward. Brazil's top negotiator said last week that it could agree to a partial carryover. Sharing proceeds A second diplomat said last week's negotiations had left the trickiest topics to government ministers this week. "We did not cover in full the worst topics," the second diplomat said, including the demand by many countries to prevent "double counting". That would occur if both the buyer and the seller of an emission reduction credit counted it towards their climate targets. The EU has drawn a red line on the issue. "There's obviously no space for double counting," Kobilsek said. On the other side are Brazil and Arab countries, which want double counting allowed. Also unsettled is whether bilateral carbon trading should be taxed, with the proceeds going to a fund helping developing countries adapt to climate change. That is opposed by the EU, United States and other rich nations. 'Delayism' Letting companies and countries buy credits toward "net zero" targets instead of reducing their own emissions to absolute zero represents a "form of delayism", Seema Joshi, director of campaigns at non-profit Global Witness, said. Critics are particularly worried by the private sector Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets, promoted by former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, which Greenpeace chief Jennifer Morgan called "pure greenwash". A spokesperson said the taskforce believed markets for high-quality offsets would help cut CO2 and push cash into developing green technologies. "Carbon credits are already being traded on voluntary carbon markets and too often without adequate quality and transparency," the spokesperson added. Watch latest videos by DH here: Parents who hadn't seen their children in over two years, grandparents eager to hold their grandkids in their arms, fiances waiting to reunite with their loved ones - it was an emotional scene at the Newark International Airport here on Monday as families and friends were reunited after disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic as the US opened its borders for international travellers. The coronavirus pandemic had prompted the US to close its borders to international travellers from many countries, including India, last year. Later, only passengers holding visas belonging to certain categories were permitted to travel. The US opened its borders for fully vaccinated tourists from November 8, gradually moving ahead to a sense of normalcy and bringing families the joy of reuniting with their loved ones. "I booked the first flight on the first day," Vipul Shah said as he arrived with his wife. His two daughters waiting anxiously for their parents ran up to them as they saw them emerging from the airport doors. In Pics | Travellers across the globe head to US as flight services resume "I had booked the flight on November 1 itself when I heard that the US is opening up travel for tourists again. But I re-booked them for November 8. I could not wait for November 7 midnight when my wife and I will be able to sit on the flight, he said as tears rolled down his cheeks on seeing his daughters, one of whom is getting married in Indianapolis. "We have waited too long for this day, the family said as they hugged and took pictures, cataloguing their reunion. It was a similar scene for many families as they were reunited following more than two years of having been separated from one another due to the pandemic. As the Air India flight from Delhi landed, Rupal Patel waited eagerly as she watched passengers gradually come out of the airport doors after completing the immigration formalities. "Im waiting for my father. He is 86 years old and I have not seen him in over two years, she said. He has been staying alone in Nadiad, Gujarat and has been managing everything on his own throughout the pandemic, she said, adding that she and her siblings all live abroad and they also could not travel to India during the pandemic due to the travel restrictions. As Shah was speaking, her father came out. She ran towards him, touched his feet and hugged him, both teary-eyed. It was a good flight. Im just very happy to be here, he said as he hugged his daughter. Nirmit Shelaj was anxiously sipping water, watching others meet their families and friends as he waited for his girlfriend whom he had not seen in over 9 months. He said his girlfriend, Jolly Dave, a telehealth physical therapist, used to say this all the time that she wants to break this Apple wall, the FaceTime thing. That technology cannot replace real human interactions." He said the pandemic has taught him that the pandemic, the distance, they cannot break our spirit. They cannot break our relationship, our affection and feelings for each other. Shelaj paid $1,700 to book a seat for Dave on the first flight on the first day that the travel opened. Its a first day first flight, he said. Dave was among the last passengers to come out of the immigration. One of my bags had still not arrived. But I was ready to leave that as I couldnt wait to come out and meet Nirmit, she said as the couple hugged, not able to control their tears. Brajendra Brar had come to receive his pregnant niece and granddaughter. Excited to meet them, he said it is still very important for everyone to follow Covid-19 protocols such as mask wearing and social distancing. "Its nice that the travel is opening up but we still have to be very careful, he said, adding that people no longer want to live with travel restrictions and lockdowns. Staying away and not being able to meet friends and families is not easy. The pandemic has taught us that, he said, adding that it is up to us to ensure that borders remain open, travel is not disrupted and we remain cautious. Meetal Sharma could not contain her tears as she hugged her daughter and son-in-law waiting for her at the airport. Sharma, who flew from Ahmedabad on the Air India flight, said she had no words to describe her happiness... We have been waiting for this day since 2020. I cannot wait to meet my grand kids. Today is a special day. The option to keep doors open to each other is very powerful, New Jersey resident Rahul Patel told PTI as he waited to receive his parents who were flying in from Gujarat on the early morning Air India flight Monday. "Because, things can change, he said, adding that if the doors are open then "we can travel back and forth, visit families or loved ones who may be sick." "You can certainly go back and forth and that relieves a lot of pressure, knowing that one can travel within a meaningful time frame. Check out latest DH videos here Notwithstanding its recent outreach to the Taliban, Uzbekistan on Tuesday agreed with India that the so-called interim government the militant organization set up in Kabul should first gain the legitimacy within Afghanistan before seeking international recognition. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his counterpart in the Uzbek Government, Victor Makhmudov, had in a meeting in New Delhi. The meeting saw India and Uzbekistan agreeing that Afghanistan's future must be decided by no one else, but the people of the country, a source aware of the developments told DH after the meeting. Also read: India to hold talks with Russia, Iran, others on Afghanistan again They also agreed on the need for long-term economic development of Afghanistan. Makhmudov is in New Delhi to attend the regional security dialogue, which Doval will host on Wednesday for consultation with his counterparts in Iran, Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan on the situation in Afghanistan, where the Taliban of late returned to power taking advantage of the withdrawal of the United States and its allies. Pakistan and its iron brother China turned down the invitation from India to take part in the meeting in New Delhi. Read | Like Pakistan, China too turns down India's invite for talks on Afghanistan A day before hosting the consultation on Afghanistan, the National Security Advisor had a bilateral meeting with his counterpart in the Uzbek Government. He also had a separate bilateral meeting with his counterpart in the Tajik Government, Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, on Tuesday. He will hold similar bilateral meetings with Russian and Iranian counterparts on the sideline of the eight-nation consultation on Wednesday. Doval's meeting with Makhmudov was significant as President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's government in Uzbekistan already had its diplomats meeting the officials of the interim government set up by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Unlike Tajikistan, Uzbekistan did not take a confrontational approach with the Taliban, not even after the organization returned to power through a swift military blitz across Afghanistan. Also Read | ISIS poses a growing threat to new Taliban government in Afghanistan The meeting between Doval and Makhmudov, however, saw India and Uzbekistan emphasizing the need for the neighbours of Afghanistan to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to the people of the war-torn country. They also agreed that neighbouring states must play a constructive role in Afghanistan, said the source. The Taliban on September 8 announced an interim government for Afghanistan with no representation of women and the ethnic minorities of the country. New Delhi called out the Taliban dispensation in Kabul for lack of inclusiveness with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, himself, on September 17 urging the global community to tread cautiously on recognizing it. Doval and his counterpart in the Tajik Government, Mahmudzoda, shared concerns over sharp increase in terrorist threats from Afghanistan. Mahmudzoda highlighted gravity of situation in Afghanistan. He and Doval also had a discussions on looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Check out the latest DH videos here: Last month, the family of Mawlavi Ezzatullah, a member of Afghanistan's Hizb-e Islami party, received a WhatsApp message from his phone: "We have slaughtered your Mawlavi Ezzat, come and collect his body." Ezzatullah's killing, in the eastern province of Nangarhar, was one of a steady stream of assassinations and bombings that have undermined Taliban claims that they have brought greater security to Afghanistan after 40 years of war. Victims have ranged from former security officials from the ousted government to journalists, civil society activists, mullahs, Taliban fighters and apparently random targets like Ezzatullah, whose family said he had no enemies they knew of. The Taliban have said their victory has brought stability to Afghanistan, where thousands of people were killed in fighting between the group and Western-backed forces between 2001 and 2021 before the hardline Islamists emerged victorious. Also read: Taliban appoint members as 44 governors, police chiefs around Afghanistan But on just one day last week, pictures from Jalalabad - the provincial capital of Nangarhar - appeared online showing two bodies swinging from a rope. Residents also reported a mullah's murder and video footage was circulated of a group of gunmen firing into a car, apparently killing its occupants, one of whom was identified by local journalists as a Taliban official. Reuters was unable to verify the images and footage independently. On Sunday, according to locals, three bodies were brought into a hospital in Jalalabad after a roadside bomb explosion that apparently targeted Taliban fighters in a pickup truck. Later that day, gunmen shot a former Afghan army soldier in front of his house, killing him and two friends standing nearby. The Taliban have downplayed such incidents, saying that after decades of war, it will take time for the country to be completely pacified. "There are 34 provinces in the country and in a week, 20 cases will be prevented for every one that takes place," said spokesman Bilal Karimi. "We have had 20 years of revolution and invasion and the level of these incidents will go down." Some former soldiers and intelligence officers from the ousted government blame members of the Taliban for targeting them since taking over. The group has promised there would be no reprisals, but accepts rogue fighters may have acted alone. Many targeted killings remain unclaimed and some may be the result of local vendettas. Also read: Like Pakistan, China too turns down India's invite for talks on Afghanistan But others look the result of increasingly open conflict between the Taliban and a local affiliate of Islamic State, a development which the new US Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tom West, said on Monday was causing concern in Washington. The militant jihadi group has claimed some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan in recent months in which hundreds of people have been killed, mainly in big cities. "They are trying to undermine and discredit the Taliban Emirate. The Emirate promised security and they're trying to show they can't deliver it," said Antonio Giustozzi, a specialist in jihadi groups from the Royal United Services Institute in London. He said Islamic State, which he estimated to have around 4,000 fighters, had been carrying out a campaign of targeted killings since around the summer of 2020 and had continued since the Taliban victory in August on a "roughly comparable scale". 'Biden hirelings' For many going about their business, the violence feels particularly menacing. "I have never been as terrified as I am now," said a university professor in Nangarhar who has also worked as a journalist and who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of being targeted. He described events in Nangarhar as "total chaos." The violence has fuelled fears that Afghanistan could collapse into anarchy and even return to a new phase of civil war, creating a haven for militant groups to launch attacks in neighbouring countries and the West. Also read: Suicide bombers remain central to Taliban strategy "This is the scenario that has everyone worried," said one Western official with long experience of the region. Islamic State, which first appeared in Afghanistan in late 2014 and adopted the title Islamic State Khorasan after an ancient name for the region, has been trying to recover from a bruising series of defeats in 2018 and 2019. The group has claimed a series of strikes against Shi'ite mosques and other targets since the Taliban's victory in August, most recently on the main military hospital in Kabul which killed at least 25 people. Less commonly reported are frequent, smaller atrocities that have been taking place not only in Nangarhar, long a stronghold of Islamic State. Areas affected include Ghazni in central Afghanistan, Herat in the west, Balkh in the north, and Paktia, Paktika and Khost in the southeast. "The Taliban militia are lost in panic, they do not know how to conceal their shame," an Islamic State video posted on the group's Telegram channel on Sunday said, accusing the Taliban of being "Biden hirelings". As an insurgency the Taliban proved an effective and cohesive fighting force. Keeping the peace in a country in crisis presents fresh challenges, including uniting different factions, values and norms within the movement. Giustozzi, who wrote a book on Islamic State in Afghanistan, said the group, which had retreated into remote strongholds in the east and northeast of the country, was trying to hit the Taliban while the group is still grappling with the transition from insurgency to government. "They know that if they allow the Taliban Emirate to consolidate, next spring the Taliban will move to destroy them," he said. Check out latest videos from DH: The UK government has said that India's Covaxin will be added to its list of approved Covid-19 vaccines for international travellers from November 22, meaning that those inoculated with the Bharat Biotech-manufactured jab will not have to self-isolate after arrival in England. The move follows the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Emergency Use Listing for Covaxin, which is the second most used formulation in India. Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine, was added to the UK's approved list last month. "More good news for Indian travellers to the UK. From 22 November travellers fully vaccinated with a COVID19 vaccine recognised by WHO for Emergency Use Listing, including Covaxin, will not have to self-isolate; so joining those fully vaccinated with Covishield," Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said on Twitter on Monday. Also Read | Covaxin gets WHO approval: A look at its journey to recognition The changes will come into effect at 4 am on November 22. Besides Covaxin, China's Sinovac and Sinopharm, both on the WHO Emergency Use Listing, will be recognised by the UK government as approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting fully vaccinated people from the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. These fully vaccinated passengers will not be required to take a pre-departure test, day-8 test or self-isolate upon arrival. "As we continue to recover from the pandemic and expand our recognition of international vaccines, today's announcements mark the next step in our restart of international travel," said UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. "The red list and quarantine system remain vital in protecting our borders and as we've said, we will not hesitate to take action by adding countries to the red list if necessary," UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. The UK government has also simplified the travel rules for all under-18s coming to England. They will now be treated as fully vaccinated at the border and will be exempt from self-isolation requirements on arrival, day-8 testing and pre-departure testing. They will only be required to take one post-arrival test and a confirmatory free PCR test if they test positive. Check out latest DH videos here A new book dives deep to tell the story of India's first nuclear submarine Chakra. The Soviet-origin K-43 was a Charlie-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine operated by the Indian Navy as Chakra. It was built between 1964 and 1967 and was commissioned into the Soviet Navy on 5 November 1967. It later served as INS Chakra in the Indian Navy from 1988 to 1991. The book S71 INS Chakra The Pioneer and Her Men is authored by Commodore (Retd) Arun Kumar, who served the submarine arm of the Indian Navy. The book is published by Frontier India Technology. This submarine is often referred to as Chakra 1. The induction marked the beginning of the Indian Navy's submarine arm going nuclear powered. Chakra 1 enabled India to kick-start its own nuclear powered and nuclear armed submarine program. As a testimony, the Indian Navy operates SSGN, SSBN and is now building its own SSNs. The book is a first-hand account of Chakra 1- as Commodore Kumar was part of the commissioning and decommissioning of the crew as the First Lieutenant and Executive Officer, respectively. "The SSGN enabled the Indian Navy to develop capabilities to base, maintain, and operate nuclear powered submarines. In addition, the Navy also developed an ecosystem for radiation monitoring, safety services and waste management to the international standards," Commodore Kumar states. Since the author was associated with the submarine from the selection of the crew to the return of the submarine, he has written about the entire gamut of the nuclear submarine operations. Part one of the coffee table book covers the training of the crew in Vladivostok from 1983 1986 in detail. In the second part, Commodore Kumar comprehensively covered the commissioning of Chakra 1 in January 1988 and exploitation of the boat in India until its return to the USSR in January 1991. "The Chakra 1 operation saw a lot of criticism from the western media, borne out of misinformation and deliberate distortion. They could not stomach a third world country like India operating a nuclear-powered boat. The book shows that India operated the nuclear boat as per international standards, says Joseph P Chacko, the author of the book Foxtrot to Arihant- The story of Indian Navy's submarine Arm. The book gives deep insights into the men who commanded and operated the nuclear submarine and the mettle they are made of. The Soviets gave complete control of the nuclear boat to the Indian Naval personnel after the training. The confidence was so high that the submarine travelled from Vladivostok to Visakhapatnam, operated and commanded by the Indian crew. The Russian crew, called "the specialist", were not on board during the lease. Commodore Kumar commanded two Kilo class boats INS Sindhuraj, INS Sindhughosh. He also held command of the submarine base INS Virbahu, Submarine School, INS Satavahana and as COMSUB East, commanding the 8th and 11th submarine Squadrons and the 10th Submarine Squadron as Capt SM. He played an important part in the growth of the Arm as The Principal Director of Submarine Acquisition in steering the 30 year SM building Plan at NHQ in his last appointment. IIT Guwahati on Tuesday sought to be a hub for research and use of drones for delivery of medicines and other emergency items in the remote parts of the country's northeast by opening four centres of drone technology. This included a droneport, Centre for Excellence in Research on Drone/UAV Technology, which is said to be the country's first such centre, a skill development centre for the northeast and a Nodal Center for administrative Drone Data Management for the Northeast. Union minister of state for civil aviation Gen (retd) VK Singh inaugurated the centres, set up jointly by the IIT Guwahati and FICCI. "The Centre for Excellence in Research on Drone/UAV Technology has been established with the vision to design and develop the most advanced indigenous drones for solving the northeast regions most persistent problems and contributing to the nation's technological achievements. Along with the Technology Incubation Hub where research on underwater drones is also being carried out, this centre will utilize the diverse expertise available across the institute to provide thrust in the development of drones/UAVs, software platforms, data collation and analysis as well as creating broad application base," the IITG said in a statement. The Centre will also assist innovators and start-ups in their research and development activities. Similarly, the testing and due certification of drones will also be one of the organisations focuses. Already two drone-based start-ups are setting up their labs at IIT Guwahati Research Park, it said. Director of IIT-G, TG Sitharam said the places in the remote and difficult terrains of the northeast can be brought within reach during any emergency by using the drone-assisted technology. "The IIT Guwahati will share its research expertise, impart skill development, set-up a droneport and provide all administrative support and fulfil the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to realize the potential of India to be global drone hub by 2030, he said. The skill development centre for the northeast will work with the state governments, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defence, and relevant industrial partners for capacity building and advanced training. It will provide professional UAV training to government and private organizations, including users such as farmers, security personnel, disaster relief and management, high power fault detection and remote. Dipankar Barua, Chairman of FICCI Assam State Council said drone technology could push development in areas such as border security, agriculture, health, tourism, mining and infrastructure. Mizoram government has objected to the appointment of IAS officer, Renu Sharma as new Chief Secretary saying none of the ministers in the state understands Hindi. In a letter to union home minister, Amit Shah, Chief Minister Zoramthanga said that a Chief Secretary without knowledge of the Mizo language can never be an effective and efficient Chief Secretary. "The Mizo people, by and large, do not understand Hindi, and none of my Cabinet ministers understands Hindi, some of them even have a problem with English language. With such background, a Chief Secretary without the knowledge of a working standard Mizo language will never be an effective and efficient Chief Secretary. Due to this fact, the government of India never posted a Chief Secretary, who does not know the working standard of Mizo language since the creation of the state of Mizoram," Zoramthanga's letter said on Monday. Also Read | Court acquits Mizoram CM in cases of power misuse, disproportionate assets After Chief Secretary, Lalnunmawia Chuaugo, an IAS officer of Gujarat cadre retired recently, the Mizoram government proposed the name of J.C. Ramthanga of Manipur cadre as the new Chief Secretary. But the union home minister appointed Renu Sharma of AGMUT cadre as the new Chief Secretary on October 28. Mizoram government also issued a notification appointing Ramthanga as the new chief secretary till further order. Sharma, however, took charge on November 1. Sharma served as Additional Chief Secretary (transport) of NCT Delhi government. "Whether it was the UPA government or the NDA government at the Centre, this has been a practice since the creation of Mizoram state. It is a well-known fact that in other states of India, a chief secretary who does not know even the basic working language of the respective state is never posted at all." Seeking a modification of the Centre's order appointing Sharma as the Chief Secretary, Zoramthanga said he deserved a "special favour" for remaining as the "faithful partner" of the NDA since the beginning. "So if my proposal is denied, the Congress and all other Opposition parties will make a mockery of me for faithfully serving the partnership of NDA," he said. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Tuesday said the signing of a new agreement between the Centre and any of the negotiating groups to find a solution to the vexed Naga issue would bring new developments and make the state "very very special". The union government has been holding two separate parleys with the NSCN(IM) since 1997 and the Naga National Political Group (NNPGs) comprising seven groups since 2017. The negotiations are going on. They are the negotiating parties and I cannot say what is going to happen or what is happening. It is for them to say (something on the issue), Rio told reporters on the sidelines of an official programme. He, however, said signing of the Framework Agreement with NSCN(IM) or the Agreed Position with NNPGs meant formulation of a system about how to protect the uniqueness, history, culture and tradition of the Naga people. The central government and the NSCN(IM) signed the Framework Agreement in 2015 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the NNPGs inked the Agreed Position with the Centre in November 2017. Many more new things will be added to us and we will be a very very special state if any agreement comes, said Rio. The Framework Agreement came after over 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 18 years, with the first breakthrough in 1997 when the ceasefire agreement was sealed after decades of insurgency in Nagaland which started soon after Independence in 1947. The negotiations between the NSCN(IM) and the Centre had stopped following the formers refusal to hold deliberations with then interlocutor R N Ravi after the October 31, 2019 talks in Dimapur. No final solution has been achieved with the NSCN(IM) remaining firm on its demand for a separate flag and constitution for the Nagas, which the Centre has rejected. Talks resumed almost after a gap of two years following the appointment of A K Mishra as the new interlocutor in September this year. Meanwhile, to a query on holding Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) elections due for several years, the chief minister said steps have been taken to conduct the polls. To find out a solution to the problems, the state government and the apex civil society organisations at a meeting decided to set up a committee headed by the chief secretary in which various organisations will have their representatives, Rio said. In February 2017, the Nagaland government withheld the election process to 12 ULBs following clashes that left two persons dead and several others injured during bandhs called by tribal bodies opposed to the polling. The tribal organisations had objected to holding the elections with 33 per cent reservation for women, stating that it infringed on the special rights for Nagaland guaranteed by Article 371(A) of the Constitution. The chief minister said the committee come out with its recommendations on how to conduct the polls. The state is losing ULB grants to the tune of Rs 135 crore from the 14th Finance Commission, he said. Check out the latest DH videos: The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to a contention that the Manipur Governor cannot skip conveying his decision on recommendation made by the Election Commission on disqualification of 12 BJP MLAs on issue of office-of-profit. The top court was hearing a writ petition by a Congress MLA from Manipur Assembly, D D Thaisii, for disqualification of 12 BJP MLAs on the ground of holding post of Parliamentary secretaries which amounted to office of profits. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, contended before a three-judge bench presided over by Justice L Nageswara Rao that the constitutional authority cannot keep the decision pending. He said just one month remained for expiry of the term and everything would be over by then. The bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and B V Nagarathna, agreed to the submission that the Governor cannot skip taking the decision. Referring to the case of Rajiv Gandhi convicts, the court noted that there are instances where the Governor has been nudged to take decisions. Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan said the opinion of the Election Commission was binding on the Governor. The court issued notice to the secretary to the Governor on a plea for production of the decision. The bench put the matter for consideration on November 11. Earlier on the day, the court ticked off the state government counsel after it was informed that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was on legs before another bench, saying the petition cannot be made infructuous by taking adjournments. Check out DH's latest videos: Indias coronavirus crisis, which was killing thousands of people a day just seven months ago, has eased after the nations leaders revamped their policies and dramatically ramped up their vaccination drive. Now, as India celebrates the delivery of its 1 billionth dose, a feat that until recently seemed improbable, public health experts are sounding a new warning: The turnaround is losing steam. Vaccinations are slowing down. As the temperature dips amid Indias most important festival season, people are crowding markets and hosting unmasked friends and family indoors. And the government is telling vaccination campaign volunteers like Namanjaya Khobragade that they are no longer needed. Now is not the time to let our guard down, said Khobragade, a coordinator for a health nonprofit in the eastern state of Jharkhand. Many people have taken just the first vaccine. We cannot leave them like this. We need to increase the intensity. Indias progress represents a significant step toward ending the crisis globally and stands as an important political win for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose government came under heavy criticism for failing to prepare for a devastating second wave that struck earlier this year. After the virus killed tens of thousands of people, Indias government threw money at boosting vaccine production, stopped vaccine exports and tossed out cumbersome rules that had made it hard for state governments to get doses and for people to sign up for shots. Also read: 96 countries have agreed for mutual acceptance of Covid vaccination certificates with India: Health Minister By official figures, daily infections have plunged to about 12,000 per day, from about 42,000 four months ago. Deaths, too, have fallen by half, to about 400 per day. Experts consider Indias statistics on infections and deaths to be a gross undercount. Still, normal life has returned in many parts of the country. Shopping malls are crowded, roads are full of traffic, and children who have been out of school since March 2020 finally returned to classrooms this month. But with only one-quarter of its vast population fully vaccinated, India remains deeply vulnerable. The possibility that a dangerous variant will emerge remains a concern. The central government appears to acknowledge that India has lost a step. Shortly after returning from the climate conference in Scotland, Modi led a meeting focused on parts of the country where fewer than half the residents are fully vaccinated. Now we are preparing to take the vaccination campaign to each household, he said in a statement, adding that officials would take a knock on every door approach toward every household lacking the security net of a double dose of vaccine. Complacency contributed to the devastation of the second wave. In January, with India reporting case numbers comparable to this falls, Modi declared victory over the coronavirus. The government, encouraged by a flawed mathematical model that showed the pandemic had all but ended in India, prioritized vaccines for health care workers and older people with conditions that made them more likely to die from Covid-19. Also read: WHO warns of shortage of 1-2 billion Covid vaccine syringes For everybody else, the government moved more slowly. The Serum Institute of India, the worlds largest vaccine-maker, set aside 100 million doses of the AstraZeneca-Oxford University vaccine for its home country in January. That month, Modis government bought just 11 million doses. It exported more than five times that number as far afield as the Caribbean. There was an unfortunate sense of overconfidence that the pandemic had ended with India, said Dr. K. Srinath Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India. Then the second wave hit. At its peak in May, India was reporting more than 400,000 new cases each day. Demand for vaccines skyrocketed. To cope, Modis government introduced a vaccine pricing system intended to direct doses to those with the greatest need. Instead, cities fought over limited supplies and corporations stockpiled, worsening the shortages. By June, five months into the national vaccination campaign, just over 3% of the population had been inoculated. As criticism from opposition parties grew, Modi centralized the procurement and distribution of vaccines. Indias inoculation program hit its stride, making use of the systems and know-how that had made vaccine campaigns against polio and other diseases such a success. He shelled out billions of dollars the government has not disclosed the precise amount from Indias budget for an advance payment deal that allowed the Serum Institute to ramp up production to 220 million doses per month. It struck a similar deal with another Indian vaccine-maker, Bharat Biotech. Also read: 10-day corona curfew starts in parts of Srinagar With supplies shored up, Modis government enlisted an army of volunteers, including paramilitary forces, teachers and religious leaders, to help get shots into arms. Nonprofit aid groups and charities with long histories of supporting public health campaigns were brought in to help organize the push. Priests and clerics were dispatched to reassure hesitant villagers. In one village in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh, residents agreed to be vaccinated only after officials trekked hours up a mountain to consult local deities. Elsewhere, in Indias remote northeast, villagers received vaccine doses by drone. The Serum Institute now says the government has cumulatively purchased 1 billion doses. More than 3 out of 4 adults have received at least one shot. Modis government is now so confident that it will fully vaccinate all adults, some 900 million people, by the end of the year that it has lifted its eight-month ban on vaccine exports. At a meeting of the worlds largest economies in Rome last month, Modi said India would be able to supply 5 billion doses toward the global vaccination effort next year. That may be good news for the world, but at home, health experts warn that the government needs to stay vigilant. Health workers are struggling to persuade millions of people to return for a second dose. The vaccination rate has fallen sharply from its peak on Modis birthday in September, when 25 million doses were administered, and now totals about 3 million per day. India still has to administer more than 700 million shots to reach its year-end goal, which at current rates looks increasingly unlikely unless India can repeat Modis birthday feat a few more times. There is hesitancy for going for the second dose because the community thinks, Do we really need it now? said Dr. Jacob John, a public health physician in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The makeshift groups the government tapped to drive the vaccine push, he added, were not built for a sustained campaign. Delays could open opportunities for a new variant to strike or for immunity to ebb. Recent serological prevalence surveys, which measure antibodies that form in response to infection or a vaccine, show that some of Indias largest cities, including the capital of New Delhi, are reporting upward of 90% with antibodies. But its not a uniform distribution across the country, Reddy said. You have pockets of vulnerability. The Indian government seems to know that it has a long way to go. India recently applied for a $2 billion loan with the Asian Development Bank and Asian Infrastructure and Investment Bank to buy doses for some 300 million more people. Administering a billion doses is an important milestone, N.K. Arora, the head of Indias National Expert Group on Vaccine Administration, wrote in a newspaper op-ed, but the fact is that there is still a long road to effectively control Covid. In Jharkhand, Khobragade, the health worker, said myths remain rampant among some villagers that the vaccine is deadlier than the coronavirus, makes men impotent or among Muslim and Christian worriers converts people to Hinduism. Khobragade plunged into the vaccine campaign in April, when entire villages were coming down with Covid, and the constant smoke from funeral pyres blackened the skies of New Delhi. Now, with a major milestone reached, the state government is saying Khobragade can return to her work on maternal and infant health. It has withdrawn funding and the extra vaccine vans and nursing staff Khobragade relied upon to reach hesitant villagers. There is still huge vaccine hesitancy, she said. Now is no time to rest. Check out DH's latest videos: India has moved fast to help the Sri Lankan farmers after the government of the island nation barred a ship carrying contaminated organic fertilisers from China. The Indian Air Force on Thursday deployed two military aircraft to send 100,000 kilogram nano nitrogen fertiliser to Sri Lanka. New Delhi sent the consignment of fertiliser following a request from the Sri Lankan government. New Delhi stepped in to support Sri Lankan governments initiative to promote organic farming amid a row between Colombo and Beijing over the decision of the authorities of the Indian Ocean nation not to allow a ship carrying 20,000 tonnes of organic fertilisers from China to offload the consignment. The two IAF C-17 Globemaster aircraft arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport with 100,000 Kg of Nano Nitrogen on Thursday. The deployment was essentially to support the Government of Sri Lanka's initiative towards Organic farming and to expedite availability of Nano Nitrogen Fertiliser to the Sri Lankan farmers, the High Commission of India in Colombo stated in a press release. The Ministry of Agriculture of the Sri Lankan government did not allow the consignment of organic fertiliser sent by Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Company Limited China to be offloaded in the island nation because the tests conducted by the Sri Lankas National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS) on samples detected that the cargo had been contaminated with bacteria of genus Erwinia, which could cause several plant diseases. Beijing responded sharply with the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo blacklisting the Peoples Bank of Sri Lanka for failing to make a payment. The bank could not clear dues Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Company Limited as a local court banned any payment to the particular company based in China. The IAFs C17 Aircraft operations were coordinated in close liaison with Sri Lanka Air Force. The quick deployment of IAF aircraft and expeditious disembarkation overnight was indicative of close coordination between the two services, according to the press-release issued by High Commission of India in Sri Lanka said. India has been trying to claw back the ground it lost to China in Sri Lanka. Chinas debt-trap diplomacy earlier made Sri Lanka leasing out its Hambantota Port for 99 years, causing security concerns for India. The government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa scrapped a trilateral agreement Sri Lanka had earlier signed with the governments of India and Japan for development of the East Container Terminal of the Colombo Port. It, however, clinched a deal with the Adani Group of India for development of the West Container Terminal of the port. But New Delhi remains concerned over the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill, which could end up allowing China to virtually establish a colony in Sri Lanka not far from the southern tip of India. China is also trying to build infrastructure projects in Tamil-majority northern province of Sri Lanka, causing much unease for India. Watch latest videos by DH here: In a new twist in Lakhimpur Kheri violence, the forensic report has revealed that shots were fired from the guns of union minister Ajay Mishra's son Ashish Mishra, who was accused of running over four farmers with his SUV, and his friend Ankit Das. Both Ashish and Das, who were currently lodged in the district jail after being arrested in connection with the violence, had denied having fired from their licensed firearms. ''The report of the forensic lab has confirmed that shots were fired from Ashish's rifle and Ankit's pistol,'' a senior police official said in Lakhimpur Kheri on Tuesday. The official said that the farmers had alleged that shots were fired by the accused persons. Two FIRs were lodged after the violence at Tikonia area in the district last month when hundreds of farmers held protests against Ajay Mishra over the latter's remarks threatening them of dire consequences if they continued to oppose the new farm laws. Also read: Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Priyanka says SC's observation makes it clear independent probe needed While one of the FIRs was lodged by the farmers against Ashish, Ankit and some others, another FIR was lodged by a BJP worker against unidentified persons. Police have so far arrested 17 people in this regard. Both Ashish and his father Ajay Mishra had claimed that the former was not present in any of the vehicles, one of which ran over a crowd of farmers killing four of them, but the farmers claimed that the minister's son was in one of the SUVs with a friend of his. The killings had triggered nationwide outrage and the farmer leaders, as well as the opposition parties, had demanded the dismissal of Ajay Mishra. Mishra had recently shared the stage with union home minister Amit Shah during a public meeting recently. The Supreme Court had on Monday expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation in the matter by the UP police and directed that the probe be monitored by a retired judge. Check out latest videos from DH: For former Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh, these are challenging times. He was unceremoniously ousted as CM by his party leadership, and is equation with the Gandhi family spread over decades proved inconsequential. Captain is now busy strategising his political trajectory, and he perhaps knows its not an easy task. The former Army officer wrote in his resignation, which has now been accepted by the Congress president, that he intends to soldier on and not fade away. DH's Gautam Dheer spoke to Captain on a host of issues and what lies in store for him. Given that you express confidence in several Congress MLAs standing by your side at an appropriate time ahead of polls, how do you then view the performance of the Congress in the upcoming Assembly elections? Congress has seen a progressive decline during the past few months in Punjab. The party is at war with its own government. The MLAs are caught between the devil and the deep sea. Once the Election Code of Conduct comes into force, you will see a large number of legislators joining us. They see no future in the party. As the drift and decline continues and there appears to be no redemption, quite a number of legislators and leaders are expected to join us. Read | What options do Amarinder Singh, BJP have? Your resignation to the Congress president offered a glimpse into the mismanagement and whimsical ways of the central leadership in dealing with critical situations. Do you feel Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka are to be blamed for much of the rot that exists and the plunging graph of the Congress in the country? The buck must stop somewhere. The Congress party has been in terminal decline since 2014. It has just 52 seats in the Lok Sabha. The party is losing state after state in terms of assemblies. Obviously, those who decide on matters must shoulder the responsibility and blame. Moreover, any suggestion or advice by sincere leaders and well-wishers of the party must be taken into consideration, which is not happening. You have been objective in expressing support for Prime Minister Modi on issues of national interest and internal security. How do you rate him as a nationalist and as a Prime Minister? Of course when it comes to the national interest and national security, we have to rise above our partisan considerations. When he took bold measures such as the surgical strike in Balakot, I welcomed it. In fact any Indian would do that. After all, the Prime Minister belongs to the whole country, not to a particular political party. He has won an emphatic mandate in 2019 and that means people of the country appreciate what he is doing. Read | Bending to Sidhu's demands? Channi removes A-G Since you have laid a precondition for a seat sharing agreement with the BJP, do you think the union government is serious about finding a way out of the logjam with protesting farmers? During my meetings with the union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, I have found that they want to resolve the issue. The issue is being discussed by the farmer unions directly with the Government of India. They dont want political interference, and therefore, my role is limited to requesting the Home Minister to resolve the issue on priority basis. Moreover, with Punjab being a border state, the sensitivities are more severe and serious. Our hostile neighbour is always waiting for an opportunity to exploit the situation here. We cannot allow the situation to drift further. It will be in the interest of the nation to sort out the issue at the earliest. National interest remains paramount. Yours is a new party, albeit with an experienced leader like you who knows the pulse of the people of this border state. What makes you confident of ensuring electoral success of your party in the upcoming Assembly polls? Its the confidence and trust of people of Punjab that makes me confident. Along with the national interest, I have always kept the interest of Punjab above everything else, particularly my own personal or political career. Every Punjabi knows this. They have faith in me and I have faith in them. Navjot Sidhu appears calling the shots, perhaps superimposing the incumbent chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi? How do you see Sidhus political trajectory unfolding? I was the first one to advise the Congress President, making it very clear that Sidhu was an unstable character and would be a total disaster for the party. They did not accept my advice and what I said is exactly what is happening now. Watch latest videos by DH here: Congress and BJP on Tuesday sparred over a French media report on the Rafale deal that the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sat on evidence of "secret commissions" paid during the UPA regime and middleman managing to get hold of Ministry of Defence documents during the first Narendra Modi government. The Opposition Congress targeted Prime Minister Modi alleging an 'Operation Cover Up' to "bury the black melting pot of corruption, kickback and collusion" while the ruling BJP hit back saying "Indian National Congress should be renamed as I Need Commission". Congress asked the BJP to explain why CBI Director Alok Verma was shunted out of the CBI days after the agency received evidence against suspected middleman Sushen Gupta from Mauritius on the Rafale deal and why the ED did not move further after recovering top secret documents on Rafale from Gupta. Also Read | Why do BJP and Congress fear federal politics? Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who has been alleging corruption in the multi-billion dollar deal, tweeted tagging a media report on the new revelations by French portal Mediapart. "When truth is with you on every step, why the need to worry? My dear Congress workers, keep fighting against the corrupt government, don't stop, don't get tired, don't be afraid," his post read. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said, "On the false pretext of fighting black money, the BJP put the entire country on queue. Under the BJP government, there is a queue of black-listed companies to hide their corrupt exploits." Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said the BJP government "jeopardised" national interest, caused loss of thousands of crores of rupees to the exchequer and "every revelation further exposed murkier affairs and every single piece of the puzzle goes to the Prime Minister's doorstep". BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra accused Rahul of spreading "canard, disinformation and lies" and said corruption has become "homeless" after the BJP came to power and its address is 10 Janpath. Asking Rahul to respond to the report about the "secret commissions" paid to Gupta when the UPA was in power, Patra said, "it will not be an exaggeration to say that the INC be renamed as 'I Need Commission'...Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Robert Vadra. all say that I need commission." Addressing a press conference, Khera asked why no action was initiated after top-secret documents on the deal obtained allegedly by Gupta in 2015 were recovered from his premises during a raid. Also Read | 5 years of demonetisation: Congress dubs it 'death anniversary' He claimed that documents related to benchmark price, records related to the deliberations of Indian Negotiation Team (INT), excel sheet on the calculation of price prepared by the Ministry of Defence and the letter written by Eutrocopter offering 20 per cent discount were recovered from Gupta. "Why didn't the ED pursue the lead? What was the worry, the compelling reason that forced the government not to investigate it? Why no action was taken against Dassault or Gupta when it was found that it was in the wrong? It endangered national security, it was sedition, gross violation of the Official Secrets Act," he said. He said the investigation agencies were in possession of documents related to "secret commissions" paid by Dassault to Gupta since October 2018 and asked in the last 36 months why the CBI did not take action. "Why keep it under the carpet? A complaint on the deal was filed on October 4, 2018 and the government received documents from Mauritius on October 11, 2018. On October 23, 2018, CBI Director Alok Verma was removed. What is the link? Why was he shunted out?" he asked. Khera also alleged that not only Modi personally got the integrity pact removed from the deal, he also did not go for the provision of technology transfer to India, which were part of the deal inked by the UPA government. Check out DH's latest videos Nepal Army chief Gen. Prabhu Ram Sharma on Tuesday embarked on a four-day visit to India to step up defence ties between the two neighbouring nations. During his visit to New Delhi on the invitation of his Indian counterpart Gen. Manoj Mukund Naravane, Gen. Sharma will be conferred with the title of honorary 'General of Indian Army', the Nepal Army said in a press release. "COAS (Chief of Army Staff) General Sharma will be conferred upon the rank of an honorary General of the Indian Army by Ram Nath Kovind, the President of India, on Nov 10, 2021 amidst an investiture ceremony," it said. Gen. Sharma is paying the visit on an official invitation extended by General Naravane, Chief of the Army Staff of Indian Army, the release said. Sunita Sharma, the chairperson of the Nepali Army Wives Association and the Army chief's wife, is also accompanying him to India, it said. During the visit, Gen. Sharma will hold meetings with defence secretary Ajay Kumar, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, Army chief Naravane and Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhary, the release said. He will return to Nepal on November 12. Announcing Gen. Sharma's India visit, Nepal government spokesperson Gyanendra Bahadur Karki said last month that the Army chief will meet his Indian counterpart Gen. Naravane and other service chiefs to boost bilateral defence ties. Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday announced that he has accepted Advocate General (AG) A P S Deol's resignation, meeting a key demand of miffed leader Navjot Singh Sidhu. Sidhu has been opposing Deol's appointment as the state advocate general. Deol had represented former Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in cases related to the 2015 post-sacrilege police firing incidents. A month after announcing his resignation as the state Congress chief, Sidhu withdrew it on Friday. However, he said he would re-assume charge only after the state government replaced the advocate general. Deol had on Saturday accused Sidhu of obstructing the functioning of the state government and his office and "spreading misinformation to gain political advantage". In a series of tweets on Sunday, Sidhu lambasted Deol, saying "justice is blind but the people of Punjab are not". "Mr. AG-PUNJAB, Justice is blind but people of Punjab are not. Our Congress party came in power with a promise to give justice in Sacrilege Cases, in which you appeared before the High Court for main conspirators/accused persons and made serious allegations against our Govt," he said. a lawyer who has procured blanket protections to the main accused persons in that case and an IPS officer, who was the 1st Investigating Officer and gave clean chits to the main conspirators, Can we appoint them as AG & DG when the case is still at the stage of investigation? 3/3 Navjot Singh Sidhu (@sherryontopp) November 8, 2021 With agency inputs... Check out DH's latest videos They had just been out of the protective womb of their mothers and yet to see the world around them, but the cruel fate snuffed life out of them in a split second after a fire broke out at a hospital in Bhopal and claimed the lives of four infants. The newborns, who were just about one to nine days old, had not even been named by their parents as they were admitted to the Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) of the government-run Kamala Nehru Hospital for treatment. The parents, overjoyed by the birth of their children, were probably thinking of names for them, but it could not happen. Now, they will only be remembered in this world as the baby of Irfana, baby of Shivani, baby of Shajma and baby of Rachna, a health official said. A picture of the medical equipment, monitors, ventilators, and other critical life-saving devices covered in black soot was enough to tell the tale of the ghastly tragedy inside the ward. State Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang, who was among the first few persons to reach the spot soon after getting information about the blaze, described the scene inside the ward as very scary. Also read: Four infants killed in Bhopal hospital fire The fire broke out around 8.35 pm on Monday in the SNCU of the medical facility, situated on the campus of the Gandhi Medical College and Hamidia Hospital, which has the Upper Lake located on one side and state chief minister's official residence on the other side. As the news of the fire spread, there was complete chaos in the hospital, according to eyewitnesses. Anxious parents were desperate to enter the ward to pick up and save their children, but they were prevented from doing so by the security staff, they said. Soon after the blaze, thick smoke engulfed the ward and it was pitch dark inside. A handy mobile phone torch was also not of much use amid the poor visibility there, eyewitnesses said. Doctors and nurses tried to shift the newborns to other wards. They managed to shift all the 40 children out but were unable to save the lives of four of them who were already in serious condition. Later, some of the parents also on their own shifted their children from other wards to safer places. In a video of the incident that went viral on social media, a stretcher was seen with four-five children along with a medical staff member carrying oxygen cylinders on his shoulders. Worried parents were seen running around the place in search of their children. Angry family members of some infants also alleged that instead of saving the children, the hospital staff fled. While a parent was searching for his child, some others rushed out of the hospital with their children, eyewitnesses said. Talking to PTI on Tuesday, minister Vishwa Sarang said, "I along with other medical staff shifted children to the other wards. I even broke the glass panes of the ward with my hand to allow the smoke to blow out so that we could shift the children to safer places." "We reached the spot along with others soon after getting information about the incident. It was dark inside the ward. We shifted the children to the adjacent ward," he said. Four children died in the fire that broke out probably due to a short circuit, Sarang said. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the family members of the victims, he added. A total of 40 children were admitted to the SNCU. Of these, 36 were undergoing treatment in different wards. , , , pic.twitter.com/0oSmELkuiG Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) November 9, 2021 In a tweet on Monday, Chouhan had said the rescue operation was swift and the blaze was brought under control. "A high-level probe has been ordered into the incident. The probe will be conducted by ACS (additional chief secretary), health and medical education, Mohammad Suleiman," the chief minister said. Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly and former chief minister Kamal Nath termed it as a "very painful" incident and demanded stern action against those responsible for the tragedy. In a tweet, state BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma also expressed grief over the incident. Check out latest videos from DH: Amid criticism over the formation of foam in the Yamuna -- a sign of its hazardous water quality -- the Delhi government on Tuesday deployed 15 boats to collect the froth with the help of ropes. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) conceived the plan and implemented it with the help of the Irrigation Flood Control Department and Revenue Department, officials said. "Fifteen teams have been deployed to collect the foam in the river. The exercise will continue till the current frothing episode comes to an end," an official said. Officials said the idea entailed the deployment of boats parallel to each other and then roping the foam. An official, however, termed it a "temporary" measure. "The problem will persist till sewage treatment plants in Delhi are upgraded to meet the new standards. There is no immediate solution to it." The foam is just the manifestation of the water quality of the Yamuna and it is a long-term issue, he said. Also Read | Bathing in Yamuna's toxic foam may lead to skin ailments: Experts According to experts, the primary reason behind the formation of foam in the Yamuna is high phosphate content in detergents used in dyeing industries, dhobi ghats and households in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The poor quality of effluent discharged from Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and sewage treatment plants (STPs) is another reason. Wastewater from authorized colonies and settlements containing high phosphate content reach the river through untapped drains. When water falls from a height at a barrage, the turbulence agitates the phosphoric compounds in the river which leads to the formation of froth. Frothing in certain stretches of the river, such as near ITO and Okhla Barrage, has become an annual phenomenon now in winters when the temperatures are low and flow in the river less. On Monday, pictures and videos showing devotees offering prayers in the Yamuna on the occasion of Chhath Puja with foam floating on the surface of the river had triggered a political slugfest between the ruling AAP and the BJP in Delhi. While the BJP leaders alleged that the AAP government did not allow Chhath celebrations on the Yamuna banks to hide the "pathetic" state of the river, the AAP's Gopal Rai and Raghav Chadha blamed the governments in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the frothing in the river. The 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla, which is less than 2 per cent of its length of 1,370 kilometres from Yamunotri to Allahabad, accounts for around 80 per cent of the pollution load in the river. The Delhi government had in June banned the sale, storage, transportation, and marketing of soaps and detergents not conforming to the latest BIS standards to curb pollution in the river. On an average, 24 out of the 35 STPs in the national capital did not meet the prescribed standards for wastewater over the last one year, according to government data. Of the 13 CETPs in industrial areas across Delhi, only six comply with the DPCC standards for wastewater on an average. Delhi generates around 720 million gallons of wastewater a day. The 35 STPs located at 20 locations across Delhi can treat up to 597 MGD of sewage and have been utilising around 90 per cent of their capacity. In January, the Delhi government had told the National Green Tribunal the upgradation of STPs in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to "substantially" reduce foaming in the Yamuna will take three to five years depending upon the availability of land and funds. In a report submitted to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry in July, the Delhi government had said that the Yamuna cannot become fit for bathing in the absence of a minimum environment flow in the river. Check out DH's latest videos Hundreds of herders and their animals gathered in the desert city of Pushkar on Tuesday for India's biggest camel-trading fair. The northern city typically attracts thousands of Hindu pilgrims, cattle traders and herders for the annual event, but it was called off in 2020 because of the pandemic. The gathering in the desert state of Rajasthan sees traditional camel breeding communities trek sometimes hundreds of kilometres (miles) from their remote villages to trade their animals. The 13-day fair, which opened on Monday, coincides with several auspicious days in the Hindu calendar, adding to the crowds thronging the revered lakeside city. "Pushkar is about both cattle trading and religious rituals," Prafull Mathur from Rajasthan's animal husbandry department told AFP. "The Covid-19 situation hasn't fully normalised but we still expect a good attendance," Mathur added. Also read: Clone your camel: Beauty pageants, races spur high demand Organisers usually hold competitions for camel herders, which are a major attraction for domestic and international tourists, but the government hasn't yet clarified if the contests will be allowed this year. The fair is the only time of the year when camel breeders -- most of whom live in remote, nomadic communities in the desert -- can earn cash income that helps sustain their way of life. The camels are mostly purchased by people from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to use on their farms or as transport. Other animals, including horses, are also bought and sold at the event. India's security forces deployed along the international border with Pakistan also use camels extensively to patrol remote stretches. To help remote camel breeding communities diversify their income, the government has been trying to promote camel milk, camel leather and camel bone products. The region's prominent camel herding community, Raikas, believe that the Hindu god Shiva handed them the responsibility to rear camels. Check out latest videos from DH: Amid fresh killings of a civilian and an unarmed policeman by militants in Srinagar, a slew of additional measures is being taken by security agencies to avoid any further attacks. Militants shot dead a policeman from point-blank range on Sunday evening in congested Batamaloo area before killing a salesman working for a Kashmiri pandit businessman Roshan Lal Mawa, who had established his business in 2018 in the old city area of Srinagar. The latest killings came barely three weeks after the militants shot dead 11 civilians, including members of the minority community and migrant workers, from October 2 to October 17 in separate incidents. Also Read | Another civilian attacked: Salesman shot at by militants in Srinagar critical To ensure that October-like situation is not repeated, security agencies have taken a slew of additional measures. Random checking of vehicles and frisking of people was being done as part of the security drill. Policemen in civvies have been deployed in nook and corner of the city to gather the intelligence and monitor the movement of suspects, a senior police officer told DH. While asserting that the hunt was on to nab the assailants of the latest killings he said that in volatile areas of the city some more bunkers will be established and wherever necessary, makeshift bunkers can come up. In most parts of the city, CCTV surveillance has been updated and movement of the public is monitored, the officer said and added that off duty police personnel have also been advised to adhere to the advisory so that attacks on them are prevented Also Read | LeT terrorist arrested in J&K's Anantnag Most of the policemen who were killed by the militants this year were unarmed and off-duty. In the backdrop of October killings and after Union Home Minister Amit Shahs J&K visit, the Centre had ordered the deployment of an additional 5,000 troops of the central paramilitary forces in the Union Territory. Of the 5000 additional troops, 3000 were reportedly deployed in Srinagar alone where militant activities are on rising since the beginning of this year. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin announced that the state government will provide free food through Amma canteens till the current bout of heavy rains in the capital and other parts of the state ends. Tamil Nadu and coastal Andhra Pradesh are being battered by rain leading to flooding in many areas. Surplus rain water gushed out of reservoirs while several roads here resembled swollen rivers and four persons were killed in rain related incidents in Tamil Nadu and over 60 houses suffered damage, authorities here said on Monday, as alert was sounded to people living in low-lying areas in parts of the State. Light to moderate rainfall is expected in most places, heavy showers in few, and extremely heavy rainfall in isolated places over coastal Tamil Nadu, while heavy to very heavy showers likely to occue over isolated places in south coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, the IMD said. More to follow... Check out DH's latest videos The Kerala government has told the Supreme Court that no amount of rejuvenation by any means can perpetuate the 126-year-old Mullaperiyar dam across the Periyar River and any failure could have a cascading effect on the Idukki Dam situated downstream along with lives and properties of 50 lakh people. The government asked the top court to reduce the maximum permissible water level in the reservoir, currently fixed at 142 feet. It said as a long-term measure, a new dam should be built downstream and Mullaperiyar should be decommissioned. In an affidavit, the Kerala government submitted that there is a limit to the number of years one can keep dams in service through maintenance and strengthening measures. All over the world, citizens, governments and organisations have begun to review the safety of their dams as per modern standards and design criteria, it added. Also Read | Amid ripples over dam tree-felling, TN releases Kerala's order citing permission If water level at Mullaperiyar is kept at a higher level, releases from it will be affecting the already filled Idukki reservoir. In the worst case of a cascading failure of Mullaperiyar and Idukki, it will result in a catastrophe that is beyond imagination affecting the life and property of 50 lakhs of people residing below the Idukki dam, the government claimed. Citing "great concern" over erratic rainfall and climate change that occurred in the last four years (2018-2021), the state government said that it was in this context that the state of Kerala has urged to maintain the upper rule level at a lower level on September 20 to avoid flash floods downstream of the dam. The Kerala government asked the court to ensure the water level in the dam's reservoir should not exceed 139 feet, three feet below the permissible limit of 142 feet, which was prescribed by the top courts 2014 judgment. However, in 2018, the Supreme Court passed an order to maintain water level at 139 feet during the Kerala floods as a temporary arrangement. On October 25, the top court had asked the Kerala government to refrain from debating the issue of suitable height of the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam before it, and rather engage with the Tamil Nadu government and the expert supervisory committee. Check out DH's latest videos Surplus rainwater gushed out of reservoirs while several roads in Chennai resembled swollen rivers and five persons were killed in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu and over 60 houses suffered damage. An alert was sounded to people living in low-lying areas in parts of the State. Stay tuned to DH for more updates... Maharashtras Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis accused state's Minority Affairs Minister and NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik of purchasing a piece of land in Kurla from people linked to Pakistan-based underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. Fadnavis, a former chief minister, named Sardar Shah Wali Khan and Mohammad Salim Ishaq Patel alias Salim Patel - both linked to the syndicate controlled by Pakistan-based don Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind of the 12 March, 1993 serial blasts case, to be having links with Nawab Malik. Fadnavis said that he would be submitting documents to appropriate competent authorities and demanded a probe into it. Denying the charges, Malik said that he was originally a tenant of that place and his family purchased it in 2005. Sardar Khan was a trusted man of Tiger Memon, the close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, and had been convicted and sentenced by a special TADA Court to life imprisonment, which was confirmed by the Supreme Court in 2013. Salim Patel was the frontman, bodyguard, and driver of Hasina Parkar, the late sister of Dawood Ibrahim, who carried out the land deals on behalf of her brother. Solidus Investment Pvt Ltd is Nawab Maliks company and land was purchased from these underworld criminals. Nearly 3 acre land at LBS Road in Kurla was purchased only for Rs 20 lakh as against the original value of Rs 3 crore, Fadnavis said and shared the documents related to the land deals. The land was bought by the Malik family-linked SIPL and signed by his son Faraz Malik, he said. Why do you do business with underworld peoplewhy do you do business with killers of Mumbaihow did he get the land at a throwaway price?, Fadnavis said referring to the serial blasts in which 257 people were killed and 713 persons were injured besides damage to property worth Rs 27 crore. "This is not Salim-Javed storythis is not a post-interval film, but a very serious matter of national importance, he said. "There is a direct connection with the underworld. I have documents of five property deals. Four of the property purchases were connected with the underworld. I will ascertain which appropriate authorities, whether it is police, ED, NIA, and hand it over to them," Fadnavis said. In his defence, Malik said that he brought it from the owner whose power of attorney was Salim Patel. Besides, we also bought the rights from a watchman, who entered his name wrongfully in the land records and is the father of Sardar Khan, he said. The deal in question was getting ownership rights as we were the tenants of a landlady of the Goawala Compound who had vested her Power of Attorney to Salim Patel. A building, Madinatul Aman CHS, with over 125 tenants has stood there since 1984 and on the adjoining plot, there are slums. So how is Fadnavis saying we created fake tenants to grab the plot at throwaway rates, Malik asked. Sardar Shah Wali Khan was a convict in the March 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, but we had no deal with him. As for Salim Patels alleged links with Dawood Ibrahim or Hasina Parkar, for us he was the holder of the landlady's Power of Attorney. Where is the question of purchasing the land from the underworld?, Malik declared. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Prabhakar Sail, an independent witness, was questioned for more than 10 hours by the NCB's Delhi vigilance team, probing the pay-off allegations in the cruise drugs case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is an accused, an NCB official said on Tuesday. He has been called by the anti-drugs agency again on Tuesday, the official said. Earlier, after being summoned by the NCB on Sunday, Sail along with his lawyer reached the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) mess in suburban Bandra under police protection at 2 pm on Monday. He left the place, where the NCB team questioned him, around 12.20 am on Tuesday with his lawyer and did not speak to media persons present outside the premises. "We have called him again for questioning on Tuesday, NCB's Deputy Director General (northern region) Gyaneshwar Singh said. Also read: HC seeks Nawab Malik's reply on Sameer Wankhede defamation case The NCB's vigilance team, headed by Singh, who is also chief vigilance officer (CVO) of the federal anti-narcotics agency, had reached here from Delhi on Monday morning. Sail, who claims to be the bodyguard of NCB witness KP Gosavi, last month alleged in an affidavit that he had heard Gosavi discussing a Rs 25 crore pay-off deal after Aryan Khan was arrested by the NCB. Sail claimed that Gosavi had said Rs 8 crore of the deal money was to be given to NCB's Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede. Sail's allegations had prompted the NCB to order a vigilance inquiry against NCB officials and others. Wankhede had denied the allegations against him. Last month, a vigilance team led by Singh came to Mumbai to probe the allegations of extortion, but had then failed to record Sail's statement. It had at that time recorded statements of eight persons, including Wankhede, and collected some important documents and recordings related to the cruise drugs case, an official earlier said. Check out latest videos from DH: Bus operations at 247 out of 250 depots of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation were shut on Tuesday morning as the MSRTC employees continued their strike for the 13th day over the demand of merger of the corporation with the state government, officials said. Lakhs of passengers were facing hardships as buses of the state-run corporation remained off roads and they were now dependent on private vehicles for travelling. In the wake of the strike by MSRTC employees, the Maharashtra government has already permitted private buses, school buses, goods vehicles and contract carriage buses to ferry passengers from Monday evening. An official of MSRTC said only three depots - Gargoti and Kagal in Kolhapur region and Igatpuri depot in Nashik region - were functional on Monday. The Kagal depot was operating partially. The MSRTC employees went on the indefinite strike from October 28 over their demand of merger of the corporation with the state government, but intensified the agitation from Sunday, after the Diwali festival concluded. Also read: HC raps 'adamant' MSRTC workers for not withdrawing strike despite panel set up by Maharashtra govt On Monday, the ongoing stir by the MSRTC employees had spread to 223 bus depots, affecting services and inconveniencing lakhs of passengers across the state. The demand of the MSRTC workers is that they be treated as state government employees. The MSRTC is one of the biggest state transport corporations in the country with a fleet of more than 16,000 buses and around 93,000 employees, including drivers and conductors. The corporation used to ferry over 65 lakh passengers daily before the coronavirus outbreak last year. The Bombay High Court on Monday rapped the MSRTC employees for their "adamant stand" of not withdrawing their strike despite the Maharashtra government extending full cooperation and setting up a panel to address their demand of merger of the MSRTC with the state government. We do not understand why the employees of the MSRTC have now backed out from what they themselves wanted the government to consider, the bench said, adding the state government has cooperated fully with regard to the demand of the MSRTC workers. Pursuant to the HC's orders, the state government on monday set up a three-member committee to consider the demand of the MSRTC workers to be treated as state government employees. A government resolution to this effect was issued on Monday evening and the committee even held its first meeting. But, advocate Gunaratan Sadavarte, representing the MSRTC workers, told the court that the government resolution was not in line with the one issued in October 2020 in the case of reservations pertaining to the promotion of employees from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories. Sadavarte told the court that several employees of the MSRTC have committed suicide and some of them in their suicide notes blamed the state chief minister for the same. The workers were hence, not willing to withdraw their strike, he told the court. Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab last week said a discussion on the demand for the merger of the MSRTC with the state government and other issues related to the loss-making corporation will take place after Diwali. Check out latest videos from DH: The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) in Maharashtra has said its employees who have not taken even one dose of vaccine against Covid-19 will not be paid salaries. The decision was taken on Monday during a meeting of senior TMC officials, including civic commissioner Dr Vipin Sharma and Thane Mayor Naresh Mhaske. According to an official release issued late Monday night, the civic employees who have not taken the first dose, will not be paid salaries. The civic employees who have not taken their second vaccine dose within the stipulated period will also not get their salaries, the release said. The TMC has made it compulsory for all civic employees to submit their vaccination certificates at their respective offices. These measures are part of an effort to achieve the target of cent per cent vaccination in the city by this month-end, Mhaske told reporters after the meeting. SPECIAL CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE ONLY ON DH A massive vaccination drive has been initiated in the city, located adjoining Mumbai, from Tuesday to achieve the target of cent per cent vaccination, he said. The mayor sought cooperation of the citizens in achieving the target and appealed to them to take the vaccine shots, and those who have taken one jab to take their second dose as well. The TMC has made available different vaccination centres, including 'on-wheels' inoculation facilities and jumbo vaccination centres. Regular outreach camps are also being held in the city, he said. In addition to this, under the 'Har Ghar Dastak' programme, health employees, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist) workers and nurses will go door-to-door and collect details of those who have not taken the vaccine. Such people will be given the jabs, the official said. A total of 167 teams have been formed for the purpose, he added. Those who accompany patients to the civic-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj General Hospital at Kalwa here are required to produce their certificates establishing that they are fully vaccinated. Those who have not been inoculated so far will be given the jabs, the release said. Besides, teachers of various schools and colleges have also been roped-in into to create awareness about the vaccination drive among students. The students will in-turn pass on the message about the importance of vaccination to their parents, the release said. The garbage collection vehicles moving in the city will also spread the message about the importance of vaccination, it said. The mayor said it was a good sign that Covid-19 cases in the city were coming down, but every care should be taken that the infection does not rise, and the mega vaccination drive is the only solution for it. On Sunday, Thane district reported 118 new cases of coronavirus, taking the infection count to 5,66,749, while one death raised the toll to 11,543, as per official data. Check out DH's latest videos: On Wednesday, Tripura Police issued a notice to Delhi based lawyer Mukesh, informing him that a case has been registered against him under section 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), apart from other Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections. Another Delhi based lawyer, Ansar Indori, received a similar notice. They were members of a fact-finding team that visited Tripura after it witnessed anti-Muslim violence. Upon their return, along with others, they released a report titled, Humanity under attack in Tripura; #Muslim lives matter. For this, the two find themselves charged under an anti-terror law. Other than UAPA, the two have also been accused of promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, forgery, criminal intimidation, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and hatching a criminal conspiracy. If this was not travesty enough, cases were filed against as many as 102 individuals and organisations for their social media posts and statements. Those who stand accused include journalists, human rights advocacy groups and socio-political activists both domestic and foreign. Also read: Tripura violence: Journalists among 102 booked under UAPA for 'distorted and objectionable' posts It is difficult to see how these charges will stand against the accused in any court of law. But more than punishing the real culprits or preventing crimes or unlawful activities, the objective is to stifle dissent and target those exposing human rights violations and other crimes. Such a course of action serves two ends. It is a message to those trying to document and protest human rights violations to keep their mouth shut or prepare to have cases slapped on them. Second, it is intended to ensure that fighting these cases dissipates the time and energy of these individuals in defending themselves rather than human rights work, especially fighting for the most marginalised of our society. The use and misuse of the IPC and UAPA's section 13 are well documented by non-governmental and governmental organisations, including courts and human rights bodies. Last month, retired Supreme Court Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman urged the apex court to "strike down" the sedition law and offensive parts of the UAPA to let citizens breathe freely. Justice Nariman pointed out, "There is a chilling effect on free speech. If you are booking persons, including journalists, under these laws which come with large sentences and no anticipatory bail, people would not speak their mind." Also read: Rahul Gandhi flays use of UAPA in Tripura According to former Supreme Court Justice Deepak Gupta, the UAPA should not remain in its current form. Justice (retired) Madan Lokur has said that the courts, society and the State should consider the mental trauma afflicted on the families of activists, journalists and civil society members accused of sedition and UAPA. Justice DY Chandrachud of the Supreme Court had noted earlier this year that the UAPA should not be misused for stifling dissent. Over the years, governments have used various sections of the UAPA to subvert the freedom of speech and association. Once charged under the law, it becomes difficult to avail bail while the trial stretches on for years. However, the conviction rate under the UAPA is abysmally low since often there is hardly any tangible evidence in such cases. In other words, if one is charged under the UAPA, the trial process can become the punishment. Interestingly, on August 4, the Centre informed Parliament that 1,948 people were arrested under the UAPA in 2019. Of these, only 34 were convicted under the law. According to the data the Union Home Ministry tabled in Parliament in February, only 2.2 per cent of cases registered under the UAPA between the years 2016-2019 ended in convictions by the courts. The abuse of the law is as rampant as in the case of its earlier incarnation, the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). When the UAPA, initially enacted in 1967, was amended in 2004, it incorporated most provisions of the POTA. It was further amended in 2008, and most recently in 2019. The POTA was repealed because of its widespread use to target political opponents and dissidents by the State. The UAPA in its current form is but an advanced version of the POTA, barring one aspect the admissibility of a confession before the police as evidence in court. Also read: Tripura police seeks details of Facebook, Twitter users spreading fake news After its latest amendments, individuals can also be declared terrorists and their properties seized even before their crime is proven in a court of law. Such provisions have enlarged the scope of its misuse, as we have witnessed in several cases. More problematically, the UAPA weakens the fundamental right to free speech and association. It is heartening to note that judges have started to speak against the law. They should be lauded, but this by itself will not fix our already broken criminal justice system. Instead, we need judgments based on facts and evidence, not emotions, suspicions, and to satisfy the so-called collective conscience and national security. In this regard, the judgement by the Delhi High Court in the (UAPA) case granting bail to student activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha was a step forward. "We are constrained to say, that it appears, that in its anxiety to suppress dissent, and in the morbid fear that matters may get out of hand, the State has blurred the line between the constitutionally guaranteed 'right to protest' and 'terrorist activity'. If such blurring gains traction, democracy would be in peril," the court had noted in its order while granting bail to Narwal and Kalita. But later, during the Delhi Police appeal, the Supreme Court observed that the HC's orders granting bail to three student activists "shall not be treated as a precedent in any other case or relied upon in any court proceeding", which was two steps backwards. Orders or mere observations like these lead to the UAPA invoked without application of mind or to harass, intimidate and stifle the voice of the voiceless. Fortunately, last month, the Supreme Court passed a significant judgment (Thwaha Fasal vs Union of India). It restored the bail granted to student activists Thwaha Fasal and Allan Shuaib, facing charges under the UAPA and arrested by the Kerala Police for their alleged Maoist links. In its order, the Supreme Court observed that mere support to a terrorist organisation as a member or otherwise is insufficient to attract an offence under the UAPA. The order is important since, in most cases, people are charged and made to languish in jails based on mere suspicion or police claims. One hopes that the Supreme Court order is followed in letter and spirit, else there is no other way but to strike down the offending parts of the UAPA, as suggested by Justice Nariman. (The writer is a multilingual journalist and researcher) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH. The Indian political establishment is conditioned by the history of the Congress to imagine the Union as the domain of the "national" parties, that is, big organisations that control not only the Centre but also a majority of the states, creating thereby a hierarchy of the grander and bigger and the humbler and subordinate. There is, of course, an obvious fallacy in this concept. All political parties in India are, by definition, political organisations that work within the boundaries of the "national," even if the geographies within which they function are parts of the whole. Merely ruling at the Centre and in a majority of states does not make one or two political parties in any way distinctive. The difference is in size, and the awe parties that rule at the Centre have inspired over the decades since Independence as responsible for the bigger "national" problems. The Constitution has backed this notion by drawing up lists to divide responsibility by creating lists of Central, State and Concurrent subjects. Also Read | UP Polls 2022: The twilight of Mandal-Kamandal politics How responsibility have been apportioned has long been contested by political parties, mostly "regional" in scope and national parties that have never held responsibility or controlled the Centre. The Centre versus states discourse has sometimes been heated and has exerted pressure on the dominant ruling party in New Delhi to change the ways in which it governs. But the inequality has persisted despite the Sarkaria Commission recommendations, suggestions of what used to be influential deliberations taken seriously between the Finance Commissions and the states and the several Opposition organised conclaves that tried to change the equation and restore balance to the existing order. Tension is therefore endemic to the relationship of states and the Centre. The intensity of friction varies depending on the relationship between "regional" parties ruling in the states and the "national" party and whether it is a coalition supported by regional parties in the states. Over the past four decades, the regional parties have developed a complicated equation among themselves, working unitedly at times and competing against each other at others. The alliances and fissures have a logic of their own. And national parties have sometimes preyed on a combination of regional parties or even one party and sometimes joined forces for obvious gain. Also Read | Setbacks for BJP, gains for Congress The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress have established a natural claim to the status of being national parties as a function of size, footprints, and history. The Election Commission rules have underscored the link between footprints and status. It is unsurprising, therefore, that the BJP and the Congress are the two parties that have reacted with strident attacks on the expansion drive by the Trinamool Congress into Tripura, Goa and even Uttar Pradesh. In UP, it has poached Congress leaders from the same family in what is obviously not quite a toe inside a deeply divided state with its multiple big and small regional parties. Congress election observer for Goa P Chidambaram's assessment, "As far as the Congress is concerned, we consider it is best positioned to defeat the BJP and form a government. Smaller parties can help if they are so inclined," was entirely dismissive of the Trinamool Congress foray into Goa, regardless of the defections led by former Congress chief minister Luizinho Faleiro and Conceicao Peixote. BJP Goa spokesperson Sharmad Rautikar believes "no one from BJP will ever join the Trinamool Congress." And that the Trinamool Congress "is creating a buzz to be in the limelight." The "smaller parties" in Goa or elsewhere have not attacked the Trinamool Congress for going ahead and spreading out into other states. It is significant that the Aam Admi Party (AAP), which planted its flag in Goa before the Trinamool Congress did, has not reacted at all. Nor have other regional-smaller parties rushed to create a chorus of criticism in line with the attacks by the BJP and the Congress against Mamata Banerjee and her party. Also Read | With bypoll results, alarm bells ring for BJP in hill states The idea of a new era of federal politics, with regionalsmaller parties leveraging their bases to weaken and so erode the BJP's support in the state, minus the paraphernalia of an incipient alliance, seems to be in the making. There appears to be a tacit understanding between regional-smaller parties that there will be a challenger to the BJP and that the Congress with its present leadership is not the answer. Both the AAP and the Trinamool Congress have promised a new age of pro-people governance in Goa. While the national parties are stuck in the groove of labelling pro-people politics as populist and a snare to buy voters through handouts disguised as policies, the regional-smaller parties have over the years worked out what they can do differently and if the work is done well how that cements the relationship between voters and themselves. National parties, by definition, have a grand design for development that is handed down from the top to the bottom to implement because there is an assumption that New Delhi can see things more clearly from a distance than the state capitals that are too close to the ground. Over the years, the centralisation of power through pan-India schemes that the Centre either wholly or partly funds to create assets or deliver benefits in the states has shaved off much of the capacity of the states to create programmes that connect a regional party in power to voters expecting to gain for having made a choice in favour of the smaller, nearer home party. Also Read | Congress in Uttar Pradesh: Flattering to deceive since 2007 Despite the enormous good that the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act has delivered to the seriously stressed poor, it is a pan-India scheme, where regional differences cannot be incorporated. The premium paid health insurance scheme, the Prime Minister Jan Arogya Yojana, is also pan-India but has too many exclusions, probably necessary for a format designed in New Delhi. The Ujjwala scheme of free gas connections goes halfway to solve the problem because the recurrent cost of replenishment is not a problem the Centre can tackle. As halfway measures, the pan-India schemes are important but insufficient. There is a gap, and the states run by non-national parties have used it to create a connection with the population that is resilient and evolution of the federal system of government. The centralising trend through national schemes for health, farmers, and food security has reduced how regional parties can create a buzz around what they do by themselves, independent of the Centre. Striking out from where the overlords of development, namely the Centre, leave off, regional parties in the states have created a slew of interventions that connect them to the most fundamental of voters' problems within their domains. In Delhi, the AAP has designed programmes around building social capital through its extraordinarily successful drive to improve schools and education outcomes, mohalla clinics that deliver health care at the doorstep, access to water and electricity for the poorest. In West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee has connected with the needs of the girl child and women through her extraordinarily successful Kanyashree-Rupashree, Sabuj Sathi and now Lakshmi Bhandar, a near-universal monthly income scheme for poorer women, on the one hand, and a universal health cover for all residents through the Swasthya Sathi programme. Also Read | UP polls: Congress prepares separate manifesto for women, promises free LPG cylinders, bus rides Tamil Nadu's schemes for the girl child, women especially working women burdened by the dual responsibility of running their homes and earning a living, were the pioneering efforts at striking out and doing the things that matter the most when the chips were down. In Kerala, the Communists, in particular, have designed and delivered programmes that have targeted fractions of the population in different ways. It has a separate department of social justice that in 61 different ways addresses the needs of the differently-abled, transgender people, senior citizens. These are examples that outline how states have arrived at more granular ways of addressing people's expectations from governments headed by non-national parties to differentiate the quality of experience from the one size fits all policies of the national parties. When the pandemic lockdown happened and livelihoods, goods and services were plunged into crisis, the state governments stepped forward and created schemes for the poor, the migrants, and the migrants who came home. It is was an opportunity to show what non-national parties could do to alleviate the most urgent problems in ways that the BJP regime in New Delhi, and by extension, the idea of one party-one nation, the BJP-ruled states, could not effectively do. The new age of governance that Mamata Banerjee is painting for Goa is also the new age that non-national parties have created for the populations of the states where they rule. It is a governance that addresses in detail the urgent issues of people in need or distress. The new age of governance is striking in the way in which it sees investment in creating social capital as a high-value option. In that these states seem to have converged on adopting a model that sees building human capital as a long term investment with high assured rates of return, of the order of around nine per cent if the investment has been in more years of schooling with better outcomes or even higher if access to education has been extended to the tertiary level. Also Read | A pledge that India didnt see coming Stuck in calculating the cost of naturally increasing investment in building human capital that is almost always labelled as "populist" measures to buy voter loyalty, the BJP, in particular, is at a disadvantage when it comes up against the non-national parties with social justice-social capital investment programmes. The 2024 election could well be the federal moment in Indian politics. When Mamata Banerjee says that the Centre should treat the states as federal partners and not as subordinate entities, she raises more than a rhetorical point. She addresses the gulf between two ways of governance: one top-down and the other more granular that addresses the last mile access to entitlement issues. The social capital investment strategy will, in the long term, create different kinds of demand and supply that would both democratise the politics of governance and accelerate development along with a new trajectory. (The writer is a journalist based in Kolkata) (Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.) Oral antiviral pills from Merck & Co and Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE have been shown to significantly blunt the worst outcomes of Covid-19 if taken early enough, but doctors warn vaccine hesitant people not to confuse the benefit of the treatments with prevention afforded by vaccines. While 72 per cent of American adults have gotten a first shot of the vaccine, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, the pace of vaccination has slowed, as political partisanship in the United States divides views on the value and safety of vaccines against the coronavirus. Vaccine mandates by employers, states and the administration of US President Joe Biden have helped increase vaccinations but also fueled that controversy. Some disease experts fear the arrival of oral Covid-19 treatments may further impede vaccination campaigns. Preliminary results of a survey of 3,000 US citizens by the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Public Health suggest the drugs could "hamper the effort to get people vaccinated," said Scott Ratzan, an expert in health communication at CUNY, who led the research. Also Read | South Korea to purchase 70,000 courses of new Pfizer Covid-19 pill Ratzan said one out of every eight of those surveyed said they would rather get treated with a pill than be vaccinated. "That is a high number, Ratzan said. The concern follows news on Friday from Pfizer, maker of a leading Covid-19 vaccine, that its experimental antiviral pill Paxlovid cut the risk of hospitalisation and death from the disease by 89 per cent in high-risk adults. Pfizer's results followed news from Merck and partner Ridgeback Biotherapeutics on Oct. 1 that their oral antiviral drug cut hospitalisation and death by half. That drug, known as molnupiravir, won conditional approval in the UK on Thursday. Both need clearance from US health regulators but could be on the market in December. "By relying exclusively on an antiviral drug, it's a bit of a roll of the dice in terms of how you will do. Clearly, it's going to be better than nothing, but it's a high-stakes game to play," said Dr Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert and professor of molecular virology and microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine. Six infectious disease experts interviewed by Reuters were equally enthusiastic about the prospect of effective new treatments for Covid-19 and agreed they were no substitute for vaccines. Also Read | In a first, Britain approves Merck's oral Covid-19 pill Even in the face of the highly transmissible Delta variant of the virus, the vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech remain effective, cutting the risk of hospitalisation by a combined 86.8 per cent, according to a government study of US veterans. They said some unvaccinated people have already relied on monoclonal antibodies - drugs that need to be delivered through intravenous IV infusions or injections - as a backstop in case they become infected. "I think the Pfizer news is terrific news. It goes hand in hand with vaccination. It doesn't replace it," said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and public health professor at George Washington University and Baltimore's former health commissioner. Choosing not to get vaccinated "would be a tragic mistake," said Albert Bourla, chief executive officer of Pfizer Inc. "These are treatments. This is for the unfortunate who will get sick," Bourla told Reuters in an interview on Friday. "This should not be a reason not to protect yourself and to put yourself, your household and society in danger." Antiviral challenges One main reason not to rely on the new pills, the experts said, is that antiviral medications, which stop the virus from replicating in the body, must be given in a narrow window early in the disease because Covid-19 has different phases. In the first phase, the virus rapidly replicates in the body. A lot of the worst effects of Covid-19, however, occur in the second phase, arising from a defective immune response that gets triggered by the replicating virus, said Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease expert and the CEO and founder of Just Human Productions, a non-profit multimedia organisation. "Once you develop shortness of breath or other symptoms that would lead you to be hospitalised, you are in that dysfunctional immune phase where the antivirals are really not going to provide much benefit," she said. Hotez agreed. He said getting treated early enough could be challenging because the window when the virus transitions from the replication phase to the inflammatory phase is fluid. "For some people, that will happen earlier; for some, later," Hotez said. Hotez said many people in the early phase of the illness feel surprisingly well and may be unaware that their oxygen levels are dropping, one of the first signs that the inflammatory phase of the disease has started. "Oftentimes, you're not going to realise that you're getting sick until it's too late," he said. Check out latest DH videos here Seen from the sky, the Amazon is an endless expanse of deep green, a place where life explodes from every surface, broken only by the blue rivers snaking across it. Endless, that is, until it isn't. Fly toward the edges of the world's biggest rainforest, and you will come to the vast brown scar tissue, the places where the jungle is being razed and burned to make way for roads, gold mines, crops and especially cattle ranches. This is the fast-advancing "arc of deforestation" that cuts across South America, and it is a cataclysm in the making for our planet. Thanks to its lush vegetation and the miracle of photosynthesis, the Amazon basin has, until recently, absorbed large amounts of humankind's ballooning carbon emissions, helping stave off the nightmare of rampant climate change. But studies indicate the rainforest is near a "tipping point," at which it will dry up and turn to savannah, its 390 billion trees dying off en masse. Already, the destruction is quickening, especially since far-right President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019 in Brazil -- home to 60 per cent of the Amazon -- with a push to open protected lands to agribusiness and mining. Also Read:Bolsonaro takes dig at Biden's 'obsession' with Amazon rainforest The devastation is growing for the Amazon's exquisitely intricate web of interdependent species -- more than three million of them -- including iconic wildlife such as the powerful harpy eagle and sleek, majestic jaguar. Violent incursions by illegal gold miners into indigenous lands have also taken a terrible toll on native peoples, the best guardians of the forest because of their traditions of deep respect for nature. "The sun is hotter, the rivers are drying up, the animals are disappearing. Things are falling apart," says Eldo Shanenawa, a leader of the Shanenawa people in northwestern Brazil, who at 42 years old says he has seen the Amazon change before his eyes. Scientists say if the Amazon reaches the tipping point, instead of helping curb climate change, it will suddenly accelerate it, spewing up to a decade's worth of carbon emissions back into the atmosphere. "As bad as the predictions are (on climate change), they're actually optimistic.... We're going to reach the horror-show scenario way sooner," says Brazilian atmospheric chemist Luciana Gatti. "We're killing the Amazon." This is, in some ways, a story of evil: of violent bad guys in black hats exploiting a lawless frontier, political corruption and massive inequality to increase their wealth on riches ripped from the land. Also Read:Two-thirds of tropical rainforest destroyed or degraded globally, NGO says But it is also the story of all humanity: our relationship with nature, our endless appetites, our seeming inability to stop. After all, the gold, timber, soy and beef destroying the rainforest are a question of global supply and demand. The products killing the Amazon can be found in homes around the world. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The BJP on Monday denied speculation that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and the partys state president Nalin Kumar Kateel will be removed over the controversial Bitcoin scam. BJP national general secretary Arun Singh, who is in charge of the partys affairs in Karnataka, dismissed the speculation as rumours. Singh said the Congress was spreading the rumours and accused the party of making baseless allegations. Singh even hailed Bommai for effective handling of the bitcoin case. "There is no substance in Congress allegations (that BJP leaders are involved)," he said. Singhs denial came even as political circles are abuzz with talk that the bitcoin scam could result in some heads rolling, including those of politicians and bureaucrats on the manner in which the case was handled. Bommai's trip to New Delhi on November 10 is also under the radar due to the Bitcoin case, even as his office said he is slated to participate in an event organized by a private TV channel in the national capital. It was only late July that Bommai took charge as the CM. Meanwhile, political circles are also speculating that Kateel will be replaced by former minister and senior leader Arvind Limbavali. "Performance of the BJP in Hangal - a constituency neighbouring CM's own constituency - could be the pretext for the high command to restructure the state leadership," a source said, adding that Bitcoin case, too, might play a role in the decision. The case has gained traction of late and there are allegations that influential politicians could be involved. The Congress has accused the ruling BJP of a cover-up. Check out the latest DH videos: A state-level workshop for representatives of 24 cells of BJP will be organised at the T V Ramana Pai Convention Centre on November 12 and 13. "The workshop will be attended by BJP national general secretary B L Santhosh and state organising secretary Arun Kumar," BJP district unit president Sudarshan Moodbidri told media persons on Monday. A total of 264 representatives from 24 cells of the party will participate in the workshop. Dakshina Kannada MP and BJP state president Nalin Kumar Kateel will inaugurate the workshop. While leaders including Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya will be the resource persons, B L Santhosh will deliver the valedictory address. Lashing out at Congress, Sudarshan said, Prices of petrol and diesel had been reduced in all states where BJP is in power. But Congress which protested against the hike in petrol and diesel prices had not reduced the tax." To criticism that the BJP was forced to reduce prices of petrol and diesel due to the recent poll debacle, Sudarshan said it was not a general election, but a by-election. Thus the results had nothing to do with the petrol and diesel prices. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had hinted about reducing fuel prices even before the by-elections, he said. On a proposal placed before the council of Mangaluru City Corporation to rename a circle in Surathkal after Hindutva icon V D Savarkar, Sudarshan said there was nothing wrong in remembering a freedom fighter. Savarkar was a freedom fighter. What is wrong if the circle was named after him? There are places in India that are named after foreigners. All are silent on it, he added. Check out latest videos from DH: Mangaluru police have issued a lookout circular (LOC) for tracing Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) of Lokayukta and ACB (Anti Corruption Bureau) K S N Rajesh, who is facing charges of sexually harassing and threatening a law intern and her friend. Two cases against Rajesh were registered in the Womens Police Station in Mangaluru on October 18 and he has been absconding since then. The LOC has been issued to ensure that he doesn't flee the country and it has been circulated in airports across the country, said City Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar. Four police teams are working to trace the advocate under the guidance of ACP (South) Ranjith. As Rajesh has 12 bank accounts, the police have sent a requisition to all the banks to freeze his accounts and intimate the police on the withdrawal of money from these accounts. Based on the movement of Rajesh, the police have sent information about him to Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Goa. In addition, the police have also sought information on Achut K B from Bengaluru, for harbouring and assisting Rajesh. Both have been absconding with Car no KA 02 MQ 2379 (Renault Duster). It may be recalled that after two cases were registered against Rajesh, Karnataka State Bar Council (KSBC) took suo motu cognisance of it and suspended his enrolment to council with immediate effect. Check out DH's latest videos A day after a major fire killed Covid patients in Maharashtras Ahmednagar hospital, the sealing air conditioner in Shivamoggas McGann Teaching District Hospital exploded. Though the incident at the Shimoga Institute of Medical Sciences (SIMS) on Sunday did not result in a fire accident, it was a close shave as hospital authorities noticed the Freon gas in the AC escape. Hospital director O S Siddappa said they requested the state to release Rs 8 crore to install a hose to be used in the event of a fire accident, since the hospital cannot afford it. Fire sprinklers, thermostats and smoke detectors are features of an IT company, but no government hospital in the state has them, a SIMS hospital administrator said. Also Read | Four children die in hospital fire in Bhopal While they asked us to install fire extinguishers, which we have, we dont have funds to install a fire hose or automatic fire alarm system, which isnt there in other hospitals as well. The state government had indeed complied with the December 2020 Supreme Court order to set up a committee in each district to conduct fire audits on Covid facilities at least once a month, but the committees did not seem to have audited the facilities every month. The state has 33 dedicated Covid facilities. The district committee in Shivamogga is made of a district health officer, district surveillance officer and hospital medical superintendent designated as a nodal officer for fire safety. Dr Deepak S, special officer for the state-run Trauma and Emergency Care Centre (TECC) at the Victoria Hospital campus that treated maximum Covid patients during the first and second waves, confirmed it did not have even a single external fire audit by the district committee. We have had internal audits by our engineers, but no one from the district committee this medical education department circular talks about, he said. BBMP inspection The Bengaluru Urban district committee audited nearly 40 hospitals at least twice over the last one year, district surveillance officer (DSO) N Manohar said. All government general hospitals come under the BBMPs wards. The inspection must therefore be done by the BBMP. We have inspected only Anekal hospitals. Confusion, however, prevails over jurisdictional responsibilities of Bengaluru District Health Officer (DHO) Dr Srinivas G A and BBMP Chief Health Officer Dr B K Vijendra. Although the December 24, 2020 Medical Education Department circular says both government and private medical facilities must have a fire audit, Dr Srinivas said he was given responsibilities only for private hospitals. The BBMP should form committees for government hospitals, he said. Also Read | Fire-hit Maharashtra hospital lacked safety measures suggested by local civic body: Official Dr Vijendra said implementing the Karnataka Private Medical Establishment (KPME) Act rests with the Bengaluru Urban DHO. We have been asking them to give us that responsibility, but they havent given it, Dr Vijendra said. The BBMP oversees only 140 primary health centres with just three rooms. What fire safety can we check there? asked Dr Vijendra, adding that the general hospitals come under the Health and Medical Education Department. Principal Secretary for Health and Medical Education T K Anil Kumar did not respond to DHs calls. Check out latest DH videos here Amid concerns over data privacy, 1987-batch IAS officer Rajeev Chawla, widely credited as the father of Bhoomi the project that digitised Karnatakas land records is spearheading the massive Kutumba (Family ID) project that banks on citizen data to deliver services. Chawla, the additional chief secretary (e-governance), speaks to DHs Bharath Joshi on data, technology and more. Excerpts: Tell us about the new Family ID project. What will this ID mean for citizens? The principle is that I shouldn't ask you for any data that I have already taken from you. Kutumba (Family ID) will be a single input that will auto-fetch information about your family. Mind you, we don't have any information that you've never given to us. We also don't have Family IDs of people who don't interact with the government. Were not interested in such people anyway. Through Kutumba, we know everything. Kutumba, therefore, helps the government identify eligible people for benefits. Kutumba will be the backbone to create a welfare State that will work on a suo motu basis. Citizens shouldn't (have to) apply for any service. You'll see this year that all scholarships will be given to students without them applying for it. Has any other state done this? Rajasthan has done something called Bhamashah. There, they collected data from citizens. We haven't. There's a problem when it comes to collecting data from citizens. How do you know if the data is credible? We have data when you applied to us. We know your caste when you applied for a caste certificate. We know your income when you wanted an income certificate. We know which families have farmers. We also know which child is studying where because our education database is linked with Kutumba. You are registered in my property tax database, so I know your house. The beauty of Kutumba is that it is based on a government database. It complies with the (pending) Personal Data Protection Bill completely. We won't show your data to anybody else. But how robust are the government's tech systems? We often hear of server issues in sub-registrar offices, for instance. When you say the server isn't working, a villager won't know if that really is the case. Maybe the server is functioning, but the person doesn't want to work. With the doorstep service delivery model and private telecentres, if the server is functioning, the service will be delivered -- because they get money for that. We have a wonderful data centre that has about 2,500 virtual machines. We also have the Karnataka State Wide Area Network. There will be problems, but they are all manageable. The government has extended the Janasevaka scheme across Bengaluru. How does doorstep service delivery work exactly? There are about 800 citizen services that are online. The problem has been with literacy among people on how to apply for these 800 services. So, its important to have an assisted mode of service delivery. Under this scheme, a Janasevaka comes to your place. This will be an IT-literate person equipped with a tab and Aadhaar-compliant fingerprint device. We are expanding slowly; we have started with just 60-70 services out of 800. The citizen wont have to waste time visiting a government office and can also avoid middlemen. Citizens can call 080-44554455 or use our mobile app to book a Janasevaka to come home. There are 225 Janasevakas for Bengaluru. Behind Janasevaka lies a digital infrastructure backed by an administrative mechanism. And theres a new rural service delivery programme coming soon? This is called GramaOne, just like BangaloreOne, where services will be offered to citizens under one roof. The Chief Minister has told us that there should be good service delivery centres run by the government, on PPP model, where at least 100 services are offered. If we try to offer all 800 services, then we will mess it all up. So, by January 26, we will have 10,000 manned centres in rural areas. A pilot is on in 12 districts now. And what is the internet penetration in Karnataka, especially rural areas? The numbers are surprisingly very high. In rural areas, there are 48% internet-enabled people. In urban areas, this figure is 110% because it could be that one person has more than one connection. The more exciting part is that out of 34,000 villages (including hamlets), some 32,000 have either 3G or 4G. That means, 94% of our villages have internet facilities. There's also the Centres BharatNet project, where private service providers will take broadband to rural areas. Isnt it true that officials are not accepting applications from citizens under Sakala, the scheme that guarantees time-bound services? Yes, it's still happening. If we cut this problem from the root itself, if there's no manual delivery of service, then you can't obliterate Sakala. There is a government order that all 800 services should be delivered online. If we can get this order implemented rigorously, then therell be no way for you to apply manually and bypass Sakala. The IT system will automatically generate Sakala numbers for citizens applications. We will request the CM to issue directions that this should be followed strictly. Also, we need to come up with Tatkal services. A caste certificate under Sakala takes 15 days. So, people go through other mechanisms that may be unfair. When IRCTC and passports have tatkal, why not other services? There is a demand for a service that will allow citizens to register FIRs remotely or online. Why cant this be done? Technologically or electronically, its not a challenge. Also, the IT Act doesn't come in the way. The Act only says that land transactions can't be done electronically. There's a specific bar on this. Otherwise, the Act says anything that can be done manually where there's a need for a signature can be done electronically. However, this is left to the police department. There may be a large number of administrative problems. What if frivolous complaints are filed? That's a valid concern. An FIR implicating another person may have serious implications. The state government on Monday issued a fresh circular putting in place special surveillance measures for arrivals from neighbouring Maharashtra, particularly from Mumbai. The new circular, issued as an addendum to an earlier circular dated 31 July 2021, is applicable to all the short-term travellers (two days or less) from Maharashtra including Mumbai city to Karnataka by any mode of transport Road, Rail or Airways, according to the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare Department. The circular said, "Even though Karnataka and Maharashtra have showed vast improvement in Covid-19 situation, the daily case load and test positivity rate are slightly higher in Maharashtra compared to Karnataka." If the travellers are complied with the norms listed out by the state government, such travellers will be exempted from mandatory RT-PCR negative report for short duration of visit. However, such returnees must be asymptomatic, give in a self-declaration on asymptomatic condition while boarding, mandatorily undergo thermal scanning on arrival, carry Covid-19 vaccine certificate for both the doses, compulsorily wear a mask and adhere to Covid rules in Karnataka and produce a valid return ticket to Maharashtra. Check out latest DH videos here After the massive disruption due to the pandemic, hiring across sectors like ecommerce, retail and automobile are witnessing a spurt, especially for blue-collar jobs. E-commerce sector The pandemic has fueled a change in consumer behaviour. There is an increasing acceptance and higher penetration of e-commerce shopping across metro cities, tier-II cities and towns that is facilitating direct employment and indirect employment across kirana stores and seller partner locations. Additional hiring will also continue across ancillary sectors like warehousing, logistics, support services and technology, as businesses optimise and supply chains expand. Recruiters believe that ecommerce will create 3,00,000 to 5,00,000 seasonal jobs as there has been a 35% surge in demand for temporary staff compared to the previous year. While there will be a demand for positions at the junior level such as delivery personnel, packers, pickers and sorters, vacancies are also expected to show up in mid-management levels in operations, finance and digital marketing. Retail A survey by Manpower Group has revealed that among 3,000 employers, nearly 64 per cent would be eyeing to expand their recruitment during the last two quarters of this year. When the festive season approaches, retail companies usually require more workers on board to meet the rising consumer demands. As a result, there is more focus on hiring gig workers during this period. While the hiring rate in the retail sector during 2020 was only 20 per cent that of 2019, this year it is expected to be around 40 per cent. The beginning of the holiday season is forcing retail companies to up their game when it comes to hiring new talents. From using AI-based HRMS tools for efficient hiring to increasing hourly wages to sign-in bonuses, retail companies are leaving no stones unturned to attract the right talent. Automobile India has the fourth largest automobile sector in the world and 65 million jobs are expected to be created by 2026. By the end of 2020, the Indian automobile industry was showing good signs of recovery and both two-wheelers and passenger vehicles showed a recovery in month-over-month sales. A leading job portal site shows that hiring in the sector has continued to improve with 29% sequential growth in September 2021. As new trends like connected cars, autonomous driving, shared mobility and electrified vehicles offer an ideal opportunity for automobile manufacturers to drive disruptive changes across segments, it is also expected to create new job opportunities in the sector. The top roles that automobile companies would be focusing on include industrial engineer, production manager, service maintenance engineer, sales/business development manager, accountant and design engineer. (The author is the founder of a HR software solutions company) Aontu councillor, Emmet Doyle, has said that Ulster University must demonstrate its commitment to Magee College by creating an Expansion Unit within the Vice Chancellor's Office. Mr Doyle, who represents the Ballyarnett ward, said that people needed to see a concrete commitment from Ulster University about Magee's expansion. His remarks come after the Vice-Chancellor, Paul Bartholomew, conceded that the aim of having 10,000 students at Magee College was not feasible with 6000 being a more realistic target. Cllr Doyle spoke in October's monthly meeting of Derry City & Strabane District Council in favour of inviting Galway-based National University of Ireland (NUI) to help assist Ulster University in expanding Magee's numbers a motion that was voted down by Council. The expansion of Magee saga has gone on too long and establishment parties are in a flap about what exactly their position is, said Cllr Doyle. In my time as an elected representative the one thing that has been clear is that commitment of partners right across the city to demonstrate long term planning for the city even without finances in place. I am very concerned about the recent developments around Magee. Firstly the Vice Chancellor tells us on the record that the most we can hope for in terms of Magee student numbers is 6000. Then Sinn Fein, the SDLP, DUP and UUP block a proposal at Council to even speak to the NUI about Magees future. People need to see a concrete commitment from Ulster University about Magees expansion. If, for example, the Department for the Economy allocated Ulster University more student places tomorrow, we would have no guarantees that Magee would benefit. Therefore I am calling on senior leadership within the University to create an Expansion Unit within the Vice Chancellors Office to specifically research, plan and implement into Ulster Universitys corporate planning how Magee can grow. They have specific resources in place for Brexit, so this is no different. If confidence is to be built around the partnership with Ulster University for the city deal then I believe this is a prudent and demonstrable action that can help us move forward and I will be re-iterating this to the Vice-Chancellor in the coming weeks. In response, a spokesperson for Ulster University said: During the Derry City and Strabane Strategic Growth partnership meeting, Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew extended an open invitation to discuss in depth the universitys commitment and plans with councillors in person this invitation is open to Cllr Emmet Doyle. DUP Foyle MLA, Gary Middleton, has hit out against the inferred risks that saw the bus service on the Waterside being withdrawn on Monday night. Public transport buses were pulled from the timetable leaving Waterside commuters stranded. Buses were withdrawn in Belfast following a walkout by drivers after attacks were made on services both there and in Newtownabbey. Although no vehicles have been attacked in Derry, bus operator Translink made the decision to do likewise on Monday night. Normal timetable service was restored on Tuesday. Mr Middleton said such a call did not need to be made given no public unrest had happened in Derry. But while he did not condone the violence in Belfast and Newtownabbey, he said a combination of the Northern Ireland Protocol and remarks from EU officials have not helped soothe fears amongst the unionist community. He said: The Northern Ireland Protocol is harming Northern Ireland. It is costing our economy 850million per year, reducing availability on the shelves and driving up prices for consumers. Incidents in Belfast and Newtownards where buses have burned do nothing to remove the Protocol and only serve to distract from the harm it is causing. There has been no such disruption in Londonderry, and in the areas where bus services have been withdrawn there have been no incidents in recent memory. Services appear to have been withdrawn without any apparent justification. That not only deprives people in that area from this vital service but also appears to infer some kind of risk when there is none. "There is nothing achieved through burning vehicles but there is nothing achieved either through exacerbating fears. We have seen disgraceful comments from the European Union which referred to them being 'ready for peace but prepared for war'. It's time for everyone to dial down the rhetoric and work to find solutions which respect Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom. Alliance Party Councillor, Philip McKinney who represents the Waterside ward said that while tensions in loyalist areas were high, he hadn't heard of attacks similar to Belfast and Newtonabbey being planned on buses and called on the political leaders to give guidance to those communities. He added: I haven't heard anything on the ground if anything like what happened in Belfast and Newtonabbey is being planned here. However, feelings are running quite high in loyalist areas. However, while the withdrawal of bus services affect those loyalist areas, nationalist estates were affected by this as well. I think those on the loyalist side lack guidance from their political leaders. It's the old analogy of 'The Grand Old Duke Of York' marching them up a hill. I in no way blame Translink for wanting to care for their staff and members of the public. The politics need to be sorted out on the ground. These people who are carrying out the hijacking of buses, I don't think they represent the real people on the ground and those real people are the ones losing their buses. Meanwhile, Cllr Shaun Harkin of People Before Profit, said that public transport workers deserved better protection from such attacks and accused the DUP of using the Protocol to whip-up sectarian violence. Cllr Shaun Harkin of People Before Profit Cllr Harkin said: We stand in full solidarity with Translink bus workers taking strike action in response to attacks on buses, passengers and public transportation. We condemn the now persistent and thuggish burning of buses by those determined to inflame sectarian violence. Workers already face enough challenges doing their jobs and should not face this kind of terror and threats nor should people attempting to access public transportation. The DUP and others are using the issue of the protocol to stir up community division and must take responsibility for sectarian violence. The whipping up of sectarian violence has long been utilised by elites to deflect from their own failures and to divide working class communities. All working class communities have been abandoned by elites whether it's cuts to Universal Credit, rising energy costs, new tax burdens and pay cuts. Those whipping up sectarian division and violence have no solutions to any of this. We need to strive for unity if we're to address the hardships and challenges our communities face. We commend the action of the bus workers and the message of unity it sends. We appeal to everyone to back the bus workers and to reject attempts to whip up sectarian violence. Translink meanwhile have advised Foyle Metro and Ulsterbus passengers that services have returned to normal. Ian Campbell, Director of Service Operations explained, Safety remains our top priority and we are working hard to get services back to normal as quickly as possible for our passengers. We would like to thank the public for the many messages of concern and support, particularly for our bus drivers. These are very welcome as we work through these difficult circumstances. We will continue to monitor and liaise with the PSNI, our Trade Union colleagues and local communities to reassess the situation daily. As we safely move to reinstating services, we will keep everyone updated through our website: www.translink.co.uk, Twitter or call the contact centre on 028 90 66 66 30 to get the latest service information before you travel. The European Commission's European Innovation Council has selected Minima Processor, based in Finland, as one of the 65 innovative start-ups and SMEs to receive funding for breakthrough innovations. Each company will receive a combination of grant financing and equity investment to develop and scale up their ground-breaking innovations in healthcare, digital technologies, energy, biotechnology, space and other. This is the first batch of companies that will be funded under the fully-fledged European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator. They are continually taking applications and future batches of companies will be announced. Let me answer a few questions you might have about the process and what we intend to do with the funding. 1. What was the selection process like? What was the criteria for selection? What stood out in Minimas submission that appealed to the EIC Accelerator? The EIC Accelerator is a unique European funding instrument of the European Innovation Council. This was the first batch of companies selected from more than 800 applications for the EIC Accelerator. Prior to this, Minima participated in the SME Instrument, the predecessor programme to the EIC Accelerator. So they were familiar with us but the process still required an indepth video, application, pitch and intensive interview with a jury of investors and entrepreneurs. They are targeting companies looking to fund their development and scale up their ground-breaking innovations in healthcare, digital technologies, energy, biotechnology, and space. They resonated with our value proposition to enable lower energy chips to save battery life and make that available to the broadest market possible through a semiconductor IP and EDA licensing model. We were the only semiconductor IP and EDA company selected this time. 2. Minima is receiving a full blended investment. What does that mean? How do you plan to use the investment? The EIC Accelerator offers grants of up to ~2.5 million combined with equity investments which is what they call a full blended investment. It supports the development of top-class innovations through crowding-in private investors for equity. Minima will be using the grant and potential equity in combination with private investors to scale up both the technology and the business. Remember in the last interview we discussed scaling our business not only by resource enabling us to support more customers, but by developing our IP delivery methods and Dynamic Margining EDA tools. This is precisely what the EIC Accelerator enables us to do. Tooling our solution enables our customers to explore and implement the technology more independently, enabling a step function in business growth, rather than scaling by mere resource growth. 3. Early in the year, Minima was focused on the always on, sensing type applications such as hearables and wearables. How is that going? Minimas Dynamic Margining IP solution is a perfect fit for energy reduction in hearables and wearables, achieved by finding the minimum (stable) voltage at a given operating frequency. We have seen 60%+ energy savings for the chip designers processor of choice when combined with Minimas Dynamic Margining. New energy savings benchmarks such as this one will drive the industry to adopt near threshold voltage solutions. Were seeing the increase in the number of customer opportunities happen this year which is why we applied for the EIC Accelerator To meet the market demand, we need to scale both via our solution delivery technology and customer support resource. Hearables and wearables remain a very active area for us. We see also an increasing demand in Edge-AI / AIoT type devices, which are broadly expected to be the fastest growing product category among the typical always on SoCs. 4. How does Minima work with chip designers on an implementation? What do the chip designers need to be prepared to do and what does Minima provide? Will that model need to change to scale up the company? Minimas approach to what the industry has known as DVFS combined with AVS is totally new because we can scale to the optimal energy dynamically. It means that we are working with customers earlier than design implementation, were working with them at the architectural phase to help implement Dynamic Margining for their application case. At implementation time, we are process technology agnostic, compatible with the standard EDA flows and basically can enable the adaptive voltage scaling, enabled by our Dynamic Margining technology, down to threshold voltage level at any given process node. 5: Whats in store from Minima in the next 12 months as we look ahead to 2022? Minima is continually improving our Dynamic Marging solution to make it as automated and tooled as possible for implementation, something we plan to do with the increased funding. The market opportunity in hearables, wearables plus IoT radios, MCUs, image recognition and edge AI is huge for us, its a multi-billion dollar revenue opportunity for us. Irish Friday Club on 12 November with Eddie Goodwin Event Join us at our next Irish Friday Club, which will take place via Zoom. Eddie Goodwin, an investment manager for Private Pier industries will talk about his extensive experience in Irish-German business relations. About Eddie Eddie has spent nearly 20 years based in the German-speaking-world and done everything from vulcanizing rubber in a German auto factory to leading investment projects into Ireland for a German Group. In between Eddie spent over 18 years posted overseas and managing teams for the Irish economic development State Agencies: IDA Ireland & Enterprise Ireland- negotiating foreign direct investment from Germany into Ireland with IDA Ireland and developing trade links between Ireland and Germany as Manager of the German speaking region with Enterprise Ireland. For the last 18 months Eddie has been engaged by Private Pier Industries: a Berlin Headquartered Group invested in diverse sectors from pet food to whiskey to fashion. During this period Eddie led an investment by the Group into Ireland through the establishment of a new industrial operation in County Louth. The Irish facility, with plans to double in size in 2022, will act as the industrial cornerstone for the PPI Group. Over the last 20 years, Eddie lived in Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Vienna, Dusseldorf, and now he is based in Berlin. Hes managed teams and a network of offices made up of Germans & Irish in Germany and sat on the Board of the German-Irish Chamber of Commerce for 7 years. Eddie will talk about his experiences of doing business in Germany, managing teams of Irish & Germans in Germany & insights from setting up a new business in Ireland from Berlin during the pandemic. With a sprinkling of some hard learned lessons on German-Irish business cultures learned along the way. About the location & time Please be aware that this edition of the Irish Friday Club will be held in digital format only and NOT as hybrid event as previously advertised. If you have already signed up for in-person attendance at the embassy, we apologise for the change in our plan and invite you to register for the Zoom session. Registration is quick and easy through the link below. If you have already registered via Eventbrite, no further action is required. The event will start at 8:30 am and the respective Zoom links will be sent to registered participants around 8:00 am on Friday, 12 November 2021. We thank you for your understanding and we look forward to your joining us on Friday. Registration Please register via Evetnbrite here. Previous Item | Next Item Statement by Ambassador Byrne Nason at the UNSC Open Debate on Exclusion, Inequality and Conflict Statement Mr. President, I would like to thank Mexico, and you personally, President Obrador, for being with us today and for bringing this important item to the Council. I want to thank the Secretary General also for his insightful briefing and in particular say thank you to Ms. Lourdes Tiban Guala, for the powerful messages she gave at the start of the briefing. We listened attentively to those. Mr. President, Irelands own President, Michael D. Higgins, in his recent statement celebrating 200 years of Mexican independence, noted the striking parallels in the histories between Mexico and Ireland, which include colonisation, emigration, poverty and exclusion. These are features which mark both of our histories, but which also unite Irish and Mexican people. They also form a particularly relevant backdrop for our discussions here today. Mr President, Lets admit it, today the Security Council is not effectively addressing the root causes of conflict. Todays debate and your own thoughtful statement - highlights the gaps in the urgent, and critical need to further the preventive agenda of the Council. And to ensure that as the Security Council, we avoid the struggle underway now to move beyond simply reacting to crises. The value Ireland places on this is reflected in how we approach our role at this table. Its reflected in how we approach our work on climate and security, on conflict and hunger, on Women Peace and Security, on human rights and on peacekeeping. We believe that this council must take these issues into the heart of our agenda, to ensure effective prevention and transitions to peace, particularly in contexts where were moving from peacekeeping to peacebuilding. In our view, this is not just the right thing to do, but the smart thing to do. We know that on average, early, preventive action to avert war and mass atrocities can cost as much as 60 times less than late response and military intervention. And daily, at this very table, we are dealing with the result of the Security Council doing too little, too late. Whether in relation to climate related risks, collapse of food systems, endemic corruption, exclusionary politics, or the human rights and protection landscape, we truly need to recognise what is now increasingly so obvious. That non-traditional challenges are increasingly and rapidly impacting - not just on peace and security but also acting as a drag on our ability to address those challenges. As others have said today, the adverse effects of climate change are being felt across the globe, from the Sahel to small island developing states. It is leading to sea level rise, displacement, and competition over resources, thus contributing to instability, and increasing tensions. As we discussed here just last month under Kenyas presidency, the Great Lakes Region is facing a host of complex and interlinked crises, including persistent violence and insecurity, illegal exploitation and trade of natural resources, a cycle of conflict and hunger, staggeringly high levels of food insecurity and malnutrition, as well as extreme poverty, exclusion and inequality. Failing to address these issues is nothing less than an abdication of our responsibility. Ireland believes that a coordinated and partnership-based approach across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus will enable us to anticipate and respond to emerging threats before they lead to conflicts on our agenda. It can help us to extinguish the sparks which might otherwise become flames. It can also help us to hold ourselves to account against the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. We have also seen in countries like Timor-Leste a positive example of how suitable anticipatory actions, early response, and inclusive political engagement, can generate a robust peace. As is often stated, there is no peace without development and no development without peace. Mr. President, We should be under no illusion that the glaring examples of poverty, exclusion and inequality we see around us, exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and ever-increasing climate related risks, are contributing to international insecurity. The exclusion of women, too, in peacebuilding contexts is also deeply damaging. The evidence shows that womens participation in peace processes leads to better outcomes in the substance and in the quality of peace agreements, as well as in their durability. As this Council has heard before in all peace and political processes that the UN leads or co-leads womens participation must be full; it must be equal; and it must be meaningful. We know this well in Ireland from our own experience. Mr. President, Other speakers have reminded us of the alarming array of humanitarian crises and human rights violations in conflict settings on our agenda today. Its a grim reminder that the Security Council is not effectively addressing the root causes of conflict. In the past month alone in this room, we have discussed the acute humanitarian emergencies Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Mali and more. In order to remain credible I would argue in order to meet our responsibilities this Council must better work with other parts of the UN system, notably the Peacebuilding Commission, the General Assembly, and the Human Rights Council. We must continue to provide platforms and listen to civilians like Lourdes this morning - who in this Council have an amplified voice and show us that this Council can meet its responsibility, to strive to protect those who are most affected by our work. As our President noted in his recent message to you, President Obrador, Ireland shares with Mexico a common wish to advance the role of women in peace processes, advocate for the peaceful settlement of disputes, ensure respect for the rule of law, and promote the protection of vulnerable groups and civilians in armed conflict. I am therefore grateful to you that this open debate today is allowing for a refreshing, and at times provocative discussion, that reflects our shared aspirations. Thank you, Mr. President. Previous Item | Next Item If you are a OneDrive desktop app user and rocking Windows 7, 8, or 8.1, then there is some bad news for you. Microsoft has announced that they are pulling the plug on support for OneDrive desktop application on those operating systems. In a community post, Microsoft says, In order to focus resources on new technologies and operating systems, and to provide users with the most up-to-date and secure experience, beginning January 1, 2022, updates will no longer be provided for the OneDrive desktop application on your personal Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 devices. Personal OneDrive desktop applications running on these operating systems will stop syncing to the cloud on March 1, 2022. So, if you are using Microsofts cloud syncing ability for OneDrive on an older version of Windows, you have till March 1st, 2022 to upgrade to Windows 10 or Windows 11. What if your machine does not meet the system requirements for Windows 10 or 11? Well, for this Microsoft says, For machines that do not meet system requirements for Windows 10 or Windows 11 operating system upgrade, you can back up and protect your files by manually uploading them to OneDrive on the web, and continue to access, edit, and share your files on all your devices. As for business users, Microsoft says that from January 1, 2022, support for this application will be aligned with the Windows support lifecycle. For those that arent aware, Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 are in extended support till January 10, 2023, while Windows 8 reached end-of-support on January 12, 2016. OnePlus Nord 2 has allegedly exploded again. reports claim that this time, it casued severe second-degree burns to the user. If reports are to go by, this is the fourth such incident, which in turn has lead to public outrage over the quality control practices of OnePlus. A Twitter user has posted some pictures of a charred Nord 2, along with a soul-searing picture of the injured right thigh of the user. The tweet was posted on November 3 by Suhit Sharma and yesterday he tweeted again stating that OnePlus is in constant touch with them and that the R&D team is working on resolving this case. Unfortunately, there are no details about what caused the incident and led the Nord 2 to catch fire. @OnePlus_IN Never expected this from you #OnePlusNord2Blast see what your product have done. Please be prepared for the consequences. Stop playing with peoples life. Because of you that boy is suffering contact asap. pic.twitter.com/5Wi9YCbnj8 Suhit Sharma (@suhitrulz) November 3, 2021 The pictures show the phone exploded from the middle, and in between the frame causing second-degree burns to the user. Suhit has also shared a picture of the jeans this user was wearing when the blast occurred. Apart from the four images posted by Suhit, there is not a lot of information that he shared online and an official statement from OnePlus is awaited. @OnePlus_IN is in constant touch with us and R&D team is working on the case we are Co-operating with them to get this resolved asap Suhit Sharma (@suhitrulz) November 8, 2021 Meanwhile, a relative of the victim reached out to MySmartPrice and said that the incident took place at midnight while he was riding a bike. As per that report, the phone was purchased two months back from Amazon and the user is now in hospital with second-degree burns. OnePlus has collected the burned unit of the Nord 2 from the user and has issued a full refund along with taking care of the medical expenses. This isnt the first case of a Nord 2 exploding that we have heard. In September, a lawyers Nord 2 unit allegedly caught fire and exploded inside the court chamber. The lawyer, Gaurav Gulati, did not submit the unit to OnePlus, which led the company to send a cease and desist notice to him. In October, another user claimed that his Nord 2 charging adapter exploded, which OnePlus later said was caused due to voltage fluctuations. The latest incident, however, should put\ a spotlight on OnePlus to investigate thoroughly into the matter and initiate a recall if theres something wrong with the Nord 2. In related news. OnePlus is gearing to launch a special OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man edition in India that is inspired by the iconic maze game. The phone has a redesigned back panel that glows in the dark and is priced at Rs 37,999. Also Read: OnePlus Nord 2 Pac-Man edition: Everything you need to know Subscriber content preview BELLEVUE An office building at 3633 136th Place S.E. in Bellevue sold for nearly $29.4 million, according to King County records. The seller was SFII Delphi LLC, associated with Swift Real Estate Partners, which acquired the property in 2016 for $17.4 million. It also announced the sale. . . . You wouldnt think there would be much to complain about when staying in an overwater villa in the Maldives (with the love of your life). But then: youre not a travel blogger with a TikTok following to grow. Speaking of which: Zachary Abel (@zacharyburrabel), American actor from Make It or Break It, who is also a travel blogger and credit card points hacker, has taken to TikTok to share the worst part about being in a glass bottom tub in an overwater villa in The Maldives, whilst on his honeymoon. His complaint? Watch the video below to find out. The worst part about being in a glass bottom tub, in an overwater villa Basically, he says, the glass bottom to your tub gives you FOMO. You start to feel like youre missing out on the outdoor rain shower, which then leads you to realise what you really want to do is swim next to the overwater villa. Abel, who has 1.1 million followers and 21.5 million likes on TikTok, did acknowledge, tongue in cheek, it could be worse. Some of his followers loved the video. Others were low-key shook. Even hotel company IHG Hotels & Resorts wrote: Thats the best predicament weve heard all week. Another TikTok user wrote: This is an appropriate flex. Yet another wrote: Decisions, decisions. Another wrote: Life is so hard in the Maldives. Others got a bit more analytical, saying that depending on your choice your fingers could end up looking a different kind of shrivelled: Main choices: freshwater or saltwater prune fingers. Another user asked: What if someone swims under the tub? to which Abel responded: Seriously. Yet another dilemma he solved for his followers is that of how to make a honeymoon special when you travel all the time. In response to this question, he said: This is one of the only trips we have gone to on location for such a long time thats been a big difference. There you have it: the worst part about staying in an overwater villa in the Maldives, with a glass bottom tub. Read Next 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 Ardee Baroque Festival returns this month with a weekend of events celebrating early music in the historical County Louth town. From Friday 19 to Sunday 21 November Ardee town comes alive with musicians and audiences descending to enjoy a weekend of Bach, Handel, Santiago De Murcia, Boccherini, Vivaldi and Purcell in the beautiful setting of St Marys Church in the heart of the town. On Friday 19 November at 7:30pm, Musici Ireland will open the festival with a programme of Spanish-influenced works. Joined by Eamon Sweeney, theyll play popular favourites such as Vivaldis Guitar Concerto in D and Boccherinis Guitar Quintet Fandango as well as lesser-known works by Schop and Santiago De Murcia. The Irish Baroque Orchestra directed by Peter Whelan from the harpsichord with soprano Aisling Kenny and trumpeter Darren Cornish Moore perform a celebratory concert. The Bright Seraphim includes Bach's Cantata 51 Jauchzet Gott, in allen Landen, and Handel arias Eternal Source of Light Divine and Let the Bright Seraphim and takes place in St Marys Church at 7:30pm on Saturday 20 November. Closing the weekend on Sunday 21 November at 4pm, Peter Whelan, Aisling Kenny and violinist Kinga Ujszaszi will perform a programme centred around Handels German Arias. A contrasting programme to their Saturday performance, this is will be an ambient close to the 2021 festival. "It is always a pleasure for the Irish Baroque Orchestra to perform at Ardee Baroque Festival. "St Mary's Church is an intimate space with a beautiful acoustic which works particularly well for performances featuring period instruments and will be the ideal venue to enjoy soprano Aisling Kenny's cherubic tones", said Peter Whelan, Director Irish Baroque Orchestra. All concerts take place in St Mary's Church of Ireland, Ardee. To ensure public safety and confidence, audience numbers will continue to be restricted. As per current guidelines, customers must present Vaccine certs as evidence of full vaccination or recovery from Covid-19 within the previous six months. Access is not permitted without it. The performances will last approximately one hour in duration and be performed without an interval. Facemasks are to be worn for the duration. The Department of Education has granted permission for Ballapousta National School to build a two-storey extension to the school, set to add an extra six classrooms. The school, located just outside Ardee, will also have their existing building refurbished. Louth TD, Fergus O'Dowd, said that Education Minister Norma Foley confirmed the project would go ahead. Deputy O'Dowd said that he had worked closely with the schools principal on the project and that he was delighted to see it go ahead. "I've worked closely with Principal Dooley & Im delighted to see this vital project will now proceed," said the Fine Gael TD. Fianna Fail Senator for Louth, Erin McGreehan also welcomed the approval of the project, saying that it is "hugely significant" for the school. "I am absolutely delighted to see this project go to construction phase. It is a hugely significant project for the school and for the community of Ballapousta," said Senator McGreehan. "It is well deserved and congratulations to everyone who was involved in making this happen." Claremont, NH (03743) Today Cloudy with occasional light rain . Low 41F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional light rain . Low 41F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. For more than 90 years, The Eagle-Tribune Santa Fund has assisted those in need in the Merrimack Valley through generous contributions from businesses, organizations and individuals. This year the need is as great as ever. Contribute The wraps around the buildings on bustling Falcoln Field in Mesa are an impressive tribute to the pilots who trained there during World War II. Joint statement of the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, the United Nations Development Programme and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development on the establishment of the Ethics Council to the High Council of Justice. As Ukraines international partners supporting the judicial reforms in Ukraine, we welcome todays establishment of the Ethics Council by law. The Ethics Council will undertake an important task of reviewing the integrity of the High Council of Justice members the highest judicial governance body in Ukraine. The establishment of the Ethics Council is an important step of the Judicial Reform Strategy approved by the President of Ukraine in June 2021 and it is also required by the Law on the Reform of the High Council of Justice passed by the Verkhovna Rada in July 2021. A stash of cannabis resin was found in the drainpipe of an en suite toilet and a young man who was never in trouble admitted storing the drugs but he was under the control of a much older person. Kelvin Heaphy pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to having the cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply to others. However, his barrister Paula McCarthy said there was no question of the accused man actually dealing the drugs. He was holding it for someone else. He was acting under the control of someone with considerable control over him." Kelvin Heaphy, 24, with an address at 70 Ardmore Avenue, Knocknaheeny, pleaded guilty to having the cannabis for sale or supply at an address at 40 Barrack Street, Cork, on September 2 2018. Det. Garda Moran said that on that Sunday afternoon, the house at Barrack Street was searched in relation to a criminal matter. Kelvin Heaphy was present at the time. He was observed coming out of a bedroom on the first floor. Gardai escorted him to the living room. He was out of breath and nervous. He was wearing a black glove. In a search of the bedroom a soaking wet glove was found under a duvet. The en suite of the bedroom was searched. 600 worth of cannabis resin was found in the back of the toilet. The toilet was pulled out. The cannabis was in the drainpipe. He was arrested and detained in relation to this matter. He denied any involvement with these drugs, Det. Garda Moran said. The detective said the accused was holding the drug for someone else. He had no previous convictions. Ms McCarthy BL said, This was a young man under the control of an older person. I am asking for a wholly suspended sentence. He has been out of trouble since 2018. Judge Patricia Ryan, President of the Circuit Court, said, It is accepted he was holding the drugs for someone else and was under the control of an older person. In all the circumstances the judge said a six-month suspended sentence was appropriate. Calls have been made for major developments in Cork University Hospitals paediatric department to be fast-tracked to provide a shot in the arm for paediatric care in the region. Plans for a major overhaul of the CUH paediatric department, which was built in 1978, were revealed towards the end of last year. Phase one of the development, which saw the installation of dedicated paediatric outpatient accommodation, including dedicated paediatric cystic fibrosis outpatient accommodation in CUH, has been delivered. Phase one of the development has been delivered. Phases two and three will see the delivery of 74 replacement beds (50 children and 24 infant beds), four high dependency units, three dedicated paediatric operating theatres, one dedicated paediatric procedure room and associated accommodation, with the aim of catering for both CUH and the Mercy Hospital. No application submitted However, while the plans have been drawn up and funding approved, a planning application for the final phases of major development is yet to be submitted, according to the HSE. This is despite reports at the beginning of 2021 suggesting that a planning application was expected to be submitted in the early part of this year. In a recent reply to Cork North Central Sinn Fein TD Thomas Gould, the HSEs national director for capital and estates, Jim Curran explained that both phase two and three will be delivered together, with the total project cost coming to an estimated cost of around 75m to 85m. Mr Curran said the project plan and cost-benefit analysis are complete, and the business case for the proposal is expected to be ready for presentation shortly. Given the cost of the project, he added that approval will be required from both the Department of Health and the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform for the project to advance. Mr Curran concluded that, subject to approval from the DOH and DPER, a planning application is expected to be submitted in Quarter 1 of 2022. Faster progress needed The admission has led to calls for faster progress on the project from those in the field of medicine and politicians. Cork GP Dr Paul OSullivan highlighted the importance of the development, describing it as a shot in the arm for paediatrics in the Munster region. GPs would have close contact with paeds colleagues and are aware of how stretched and under pressure the service is, he said. This development would have been a shot in the arm for paediatrics in the wider Munster region, and would have offered a quantum leap in the range of services that can be offered, saving children from having to go to Dublin to be treated. There is a strong feeling that services located outside the pale may face further delays from the HSE and Department of Health as the problems with projects elsewhere such as the National Childrens Hospital, are ongoing, he added. Deputy Gould called on the Government to progress plans for the new childrens department as quickly as possible. A response by the HSE to me indicates that planning permission for the new childrens hospital wont even be lodged until early next year, he said. This is despite reports in January 2020 that the planning application would be lodged within weeks. Phase one of the development, which saw the installation of dedicated paediatric outpatient accommodation, including dedicated paediatric cystic fibrosis outpatient accommodation in CUH, has been delivered. There are over 8,000 children on waiting lists in hospitals in Cork, he added. The new hospital could potentially do 1,200 surgeries a day and substantially clear this backlog in a short period of time. The Departments of Health and Public Expenditure and Reform need to sign off on the project before planning permission can be sought, explained Mr Gould. Im asking them to fastrack this process so we might see a submission for planning before the end of this year. The South/South West Hospital Group (SSWHG) was contacted for comment. UCC IGNITE companies have created 250 jobs and raised 16 million in funding since they were established in 2011. The IGNITE Programme at UCC, which nurtures startups from ideas to commercial reality will celebrate ten years of success this month. The IGNITE programme has supported more than 120 start-ups led by recent graduates since its inception. Over that time the companies have created 250 jobs and raised more than 16 million in funding. IGNITE Director Eamon Curtin said: We are very proud of all that has been created over the last ten years here at IGNITE. Our start-ups are building innovative businesses in a variety of sectors including food and agriculture, health and medical, business and financial with a key focus on having an economic, environmental or social impact. Since 2011, the programme has evolved to meet changing needs and we now offer a comprehensive range of workshops, seminars and guest speaker events. "Participants also get access to a wide network with over 100 entrepreneurs, business owners and industry executives contributing to the programme every year, he added. Companies that have resulted from the IGNITE programme include ApisProtect, co-founded by Dr Fiona Edwards Murphy, Trustap founded by Conor Lyden. Legitfit, co-founded by Ryan ONeill, Gearoid Collins and Ian OSullivan, Ezi-Vein, founded by Marie Casey and AnaBio Technologies, founded by Dr Sinead Bleiel. IGNITE start-up founders have also been finalists in a number of awards and received various accolades including the EY Entrepreneur of the Year competition, listed as a European Forbes 30 under 30 and the Enterprise Ireland Student Entrepreneur of the Year Winner. IGNITE is an international award-winning start-up incubation programme that helps entrepreneurs turn good ideas into scalable businesses. Since its inception in 2011, IGNITE has grown from strength to strength, initially running a one six-month incubation programme supporting 10 start-ups to now running two 12-month programmes supporting 20 start-ups every year. As well as the full-time programme, IGNITE also offers a range of supports such as Start-Up Lab, an eight-evening programme, to help student and recent graduate founders to develop their ideas before progressing to IGNITE. IGNITE is supported by University College Cork, Bank of Ireland, Cork City Council, Cork County Council, the Local Enterprise Offices of Cork City, South Cork and North and West Cork. Robert Teichgraeber, 100, talks about the many gifts and honors he has received for his service in World War II on Nov. 6, 2020, in Collinsville. He holds a flag flown in his honor in combat over Afghanistan aboard a United States Air Force C-130J assigned to the 61st Expeditionary Airlift Squadron in July of 2000. He survived 421 days as a prisoner after his plane was shot down during a bombing run in WWII. 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. Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital Athens, AL (35611) Today Heavy rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Thunder is possible early. Low 43F. WSW winds shifting to N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Heavy rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Thunder is possible early. Low 43F. WSW winds shifting to N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Netflix will roll out a new TikTok-inspired featured that specifically targets its younger viewers this week, according to Bloomberg. The streaming giant is reportedly launching "Kids Clips" on its iOS app, which will show short video clips from its library of children's programming to help young viewers find something to watch. Bloomberg says the feature builds upon Fast Laughs, the comedy feed it launched earlier this year. Unlike Fast Laughs, however, Kids Clips videos will be horizontal instead of vertical and will take over the entire screen. In addition, kids will only be able to view 10 to 20 clips at any one time. Netflix will add new clips every day based on the current shows and movies available on the platform, as well as future ones slated to arrive on the service. Both features are part of the company's efforts to combat decision fatigue, which ails many of its subscribers. Netflix also launched a shuffle play feature called Play Something back in October to help viewers find something to watch based on their viewing patterns without having to scroll endlessly through the app. Netflix still refers Kids Clips as a "test," Bloomberg said, and it won't be available to all its users just yet. For now, it's rolling out in select markets, including the US, Canada, Australia, Ireland and Latin American countries. Twitter is expanding its premium subscription service to more users. Twitter Blue, which unlocks additional features like the ability to undo a tweet or browse news without ads, is now available to users in the United States ($2.99/month) and New Zealand ($4.49/month). The service is designed to appeal to Twitters most dedicated power users, with the kind of specialized features that have sometimes appeared in third-party Twitter clients. For example, Twitter Blue comes with an undo feature thats likely the closest thing to an edit button the company will ever make. A subscription also buys several new customization tools, including the ability to rearrange which features appear as shortcuts in the apps navigation bar, or the option to choose new color themes and app icons. Subscriptions also buy you early access to new features as Twitter tests them out. For now that includes video upload up to 10 minutes long (videos are capped at 2 minutes for non-paying users) and the ability to pin conversations to the top of your DM inbox. These experimental features might eventually become available to the rest of Twitter, graduate to a feature of Twitter Blue, or sunset based on feedback we hear from subscribers, the company says. Twitter Notably, the latest iteration of Twitter Blue also comes with two new features powered by the companys recent acquisition of Scroll, a startup that partnered with publishers to offer ad-free content. Twitter Blue subscribers are now able to access ad-free articles from more than 300 publishers, including The Atlantic, BuzzFeed and Rolling Stone. Its somewhat similar to Googles AMP or Facebooks Instant Articles in that articles are meant to load quickly and cleanly. But unlike those programs, where readers are directed to stripped down article pages, Twitter Blue articles will still open directly on the publishers website. Tony Haile, the former Scroll CEO who now is the senior director of longform at Twitter, says the company is trying to build win-win partnerships with publishers who retain complete control of the experience. Though the company hasnt disclosed the terms of these arrangements, a portion of each Twitter Blue subscription goes directly to publishers, Haile said. And subscribers will also get access to a dashboard in the Twitter app that breaks down your news-reading habits and how much revenue your clicks are bringing to the publishers you read most often. Our goal is to help each publishing partner make 50% more per person than they wouldve made from serving ads to that person. Twitter writes in a blog post. Twitter Finally, Twitter Blue comes with a top articles feature that brings in some functionality from the niche but highly regarded news app Nuzzel, which was shuttered earlier this year. Like the original app, the new top articles feature will curate a list of the top stories shared by people in your Twitter network over the last 24 hours. (Former Nuzzel fans will be happy to learn they can pin the new top articles section directly to their nav bar from the in-app settings menu.) The expansion of Twitter Blue comes amid a broader shift for the company, which has been shaking up many of its core features for the first time in its 15-year history. Elsewhere, the company has embraced creator-centric features like Super Follows and Ticketed Spaces, and is building out a newsletter platform. Twitter Blue is different, though, because the company is hoping to draw in its most hardcore users rather than attract new voices to its platform. But its unclear just how many of those users will be willing to pay for those extra features. The company has been testing Twitter Blue in Australia and Canada since early June, but hasnt shared on early adoption or other metrics for the service, Twitter said Tuesday it will continue to add new features and will be paying close attention to user feedback. 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 Princess Charlene opened up her "challenging" stay in South Africa in the past six months. After Prince Albert defended that he and his wife would not divorce, Princess Charlene dismissed the claims as she finally reunited with her family. This week, Princess Charlene was spotted with Prince Albert and their children - Prince Jaques and Princess Gabriella - six months after staying in South Africa due to health concerns. She reached France through a private jet from Durban in South Africa. French website Nice Matin confirmed that royal children welcomed their mother with a large bouquet before riding in a helicopter to Monaco. Before her departure, she recorded a nearly one-minute video and uploaded it on her foundation's YouTube channel. According to Princess Charlene, she faced challenging months during her stay. "I'd like to thank the doctors in South Africa who have done a tremendous job in helping me and I am so looking forward to getting back to my children. Thank you South Africa, thank you everyone and God bless you," she said. What Happened To Princess Charlene? Princess Charlene was supposed to stay in South Africa for only a week to launch conservation projects under her foundation and raise awareness related to illegal poaching. However, her stay was extended after facing health woes. For what it's worth, she underwent corrective surgery following her previous ENT procedure. Unfortunately, she stayed for a long time due to the infection after undergoing surgery. Multiple news outlets said that she was confined to the Netcare Alberlito Hospital under a fake name to protect her privacy. READ ALSO: Alec Baldwin Makes MASSIVE Plea After 'Rust' Shooting Incident That Killed Halyna Hutchins Although her condition was not disclosed at that time, a statement revealed that the royal princess collapsed due to implications from the severe ear, nose, and throat infection. "Her medical team is currently evaluating her but have confirmed the princess is stable," the statement went on. The sinus infection kept her from home since her ears would not "equalize" during her flight. She then revealed that she would be staying in South Africa until October, as reported by ET Canada. However, she had to stay for a few weeks before jetting home this month. Her return dismissed claims initially made by French royal commentator Stephane Bernm saying Prince Albert and Princess Charlene were on the verge of separating. READ MORE: Pedro Feliciano Cause of Death Shocking: MLB Pitcher Found Dead At 45 Never Have I Ever, the hit Netflix TV series, is soon to be heading into its third season. Prior to their first table read, which should be coming up on Monday, the cast finds themselves in the midst of contract and salary negotiations with Universal and Netflix. The table read is still expected to continue even though, as of now, no negotiations have found a conclusion. The lion share of the show's stars are seeking pay increases including Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison, Richa Moorjani, Lee Rodriguez, and Ramona Young. The show is a sensation, and these young actors know their worth. The first season of the series, according to the limited specificity of Netflix, was watched by over 40 million different accounts. Rotten Tomatoes has rated the show 95 from critics and 88 percent from audiences. The incotrovertable success of the series is what gives these negotiations a leg to stand on. It is not uncommon for cast members to renegotiate their salaries this way after the second season. This is because, as stated by The Hollywood Reporter , "the shelf life for many originals rarely stretches to season four or beyond as the built-in increase for the creative teams soar ahead of season five." This has been the case for shows including On My Block and Ted Lasso. Never Have I Ever is inspired by the real life of show creator and The Office alum, Mindy Kaling. The show is inspired by her adolecent years. She created the show alongside Lang Fisher. Fisher spoke about the percieved fate of the show in a previous interview with The Hollywood Reporter. She said: I don't know how long it will go. I'm happy to work on it as long as they'll pay me. I love making it. I do think [Devi's] got very different relationships with these two guys and you could see her going in either direction. So much of it depends on what the rest of the stories are that we want to tell. With teen shows, everyone is 45 and you have to graduate from high school. I do think the love triangle will be significant for the run of the show. Let's get all of the finances squared away so we can keep seeing this love story play out! We can't wait to see season 3 of Never Have I Ever on Netflix soon. 9. November 2021 Am 4. November war EPA-Prasident Antonio Campinos online der Konferenz "IP and Sustainability: Innovation for a Brighter Future" zugeschaltet, einer vom islandischen Amt fur geistiges Eigentum (ISIPO) organisierten Hybridveranstaltung, die gleichzeitig auch das 30-jahrige Bestehen des Amts markierte. Die islandische Premierministerin Katrin Jakobsdottir und die Generaldirektorin des ISIPO Borghildur Erlingsdottir eroffneten die Konferenz, die vor Ort im Harpa Conference Center in Reykjavik stattfand und an Teilnehmende auf der ganzen Welt gestreamt wurde. Innovatoren, politische Entscheidungstrager, Wissenschaftlerinnen und IP-Fachleute diskutierten uber die neue Innovationslandschaft und die Rolle des geistigen Eigentums bei der Schaffung einer nachhaltigeren Zukunft in Wohlstand. Herr Campinos hob die langjahrige Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem EPA und dem ISIPO hervor und betonte die Rolle der Innovation bei der Bewaltigung von Umweltherausforderungen und die Rolle von Patenten bei der erfolgreichen Entwicklung und Kommerzialisierung nachhaltiger Losungen: "Vor einigen Monaten bezeichnete UN-Generalsekretar Antonio Guterres den Bericht des wissenschaftlichen Gremiums fur Klimaveranderungen als 'Alarmstufe rot fur die Menschheit'. Allen, die diese Herausforderungen unternehmerisch und innovativ angehen - und das gilt fur viele der hier Anwesenden - mochte ich sagen: das Patentsystem kann Ihnen dabei helfen." Neben einer Reihe von Berichten uber grune und nachhaltige Technologien, die das EPA kurzlich veroffentlicht hat, unterstrich Herr Campinos auch den hohen Wert, den das EPA auf erstklassige Dienstleistungen legt, sowie die Bemuhungen der Organisation, bis 2030 CO 2 -Neutralitat zu erreichen - im Einklang mit der neuen Umweltpolitik, die Anfang dieses Jahres eingefuhrt wurde. Weitere Redner waren der Generaldirektor der WIPO, Daren Tang, und der Exekutivdirektor des EUIPO, Christian Archambeau, sowie Bergur Sigfusson, Leiter der CO 2 -Speicherung bei CarbFix, der vor Kurzem Gast im EPA-Podcast Talk Innovation war. 25. Jahrestag des Beitritts von Finnland zum EPU Am selben Tag sprach Herr Campinos auf einer vom Finnischen Patent- und Registrieramt (PRH) organisierten Hybridveranstaltung zum 25. Jahrestag des Beitritts Finnlands zum Europaischen Patentubereinkommen vor finnischen Patentanwalten und IP-Verantwortlichen aus der Wirtschaft. Finnland ist der Europaischen Patentorganisation 1996 beigetreten und seither immer ein aktives Mitglied gewesen. Herr Campinos wurdigte die reiche Innovationstradition des Landes, das bahnbrechende Erfinder aufweisen kann, wie etwa Teuvo Kohonen, der Anfang der 1980er-Jahre Pionierarbeit im Bereich maschinelles Lernen und KI-Forschung leistete, sowie die Schopfer eines der allerersten Internetbrowser. In seiner Online-Rede ging der EPA-Prasident auf mehrere Themen ein, die Gegenstand der Veranstaltung waren, wie Synergien bei Ansatzen fur eine neue Normalitat sowie den Beitrag des PRH zur nationalen IP-Strategie der finnischen Regierung und zur Uberarbeitung der IP-Gesetzgebung des Landes. Er begrute ferner die anhaltende Unterstutzung des PRH bei der Forderung des Europaischen Patentnetzes und der Wegbereitung fur die nachste Generation von Innovatoren: "Wenn wir an die Welt nach der Pandemie denken, wird die Innovation Wachstumstreiber der wirtschaftlichen Erholung sein. Und geistige Eigentumsrechte werden der erforderliche Impulsgeber dafur sein, weil sie die Rentabilitat der F&E-Investitionen sicherstellen." Weitere Informationen VHA is the largest integrated health care system in the United States providing care to over 9 million Veterans. November 8, 2021 | Washington, DC. Today there are 266 Social Worker job announcements on USAJOBS open to the Public, US-wide all within the Veterans Health Administration. There are various types of Social Worker positions and the starting grade level is GS-9 to GS-11. Many of the USAJOBS announcements are open at multiple locations. Some of the positions are telecommute. Each Social Worker announcement is different. Some of the positions are eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program. "This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application." Learn more. The qualifications for GS-9 and GS-11 are described in the USAJOBS announcements. Preferred Experience: Licensed Social Worker. Grade Determinations: Social Worker, GS-11: Completion of a minimum of one year of post-MSW experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level in the field of health care or other social-work-related settings. OR Education. In addition to meeting basic requirements, a doctoral degree in social work from a school of social work may be substituted for the required one year of professional social work experience in a clinical setting. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, candidates must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (a) Knowledge of community resources, how to make appropriate referrals to community and other governmental agencies for services, and ability to coordinate services. (b) Skill in independently conducting psychosocial assessments and treatment interventions to a wide variety of individuals from various socio-economic, cultural, ethnic, educational, and other diversified backgrounds. (c) Knowledge of medical and mental health diagnoses, disabilities, and treatment procedures (i.e. acute, chronic, and traumatic illnesses/injuries, common medications and their effects/side effects, and medical terminology) to formulate a treatment plan. (d) Skill in independently implementing different treatment modalities in working with individuals, families, and groups who are experiencing a variety of psychiatric, medical, and social problems to achieve treatment goals. (e) Ability to provide consultation services to new social workers, social work graduate students, and other staff about the psychosocial needs of patients and the impact of psychosocial problems on health care and compliance with treatment. Sample Announcements Social Worker Caregiver Support Program DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS / Veterans Health Administration https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/620090100 Opening and Closing Dates: 11/02/2021 to 11/22/2021 Locations: 2 in South Dakota / Telework can be discussed during interview. The Caregiver Support Program (CSP) is one of the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA's) most rapidly growing service areas, as a result of infrastructure modernization, programming innovation, and expansion of population-served by the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers (PCAFC) under the MISSION Act. The Social Worker will provide consultation on the administrative and clinical considerations of the program. Salary: $53,433 - $84,049 per year *** Open Continuous Social Worker DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS / Veterans Health Administration https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/611967700# Open and Closing Dates: 08/24/2021 to 12/31/2021 Locations: Multiple The Social Worker of the Mental Health/Psychiatry (MH) service provides social work services to veterans receiving care in the outpatient Mental Health Clinic at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. In collaboration with the interdisciplinary medical team, the MHC Social Worker evaluates the veteran's presenting psychosocial problems and facilitates access to the resources that can most appropriately minimize the veteran's psychosocial stressors. Salary: $53,433 - $84,752 per year *** Social Worker Readjustment Counseling Service DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS / Veterans Health Administration https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/617597900 Open & closing dates: 10/15/2021 to 11/15/2021 Locations: 59 NOTE: Readjustment Counselors are multi-disciplinary and can be filled by Social Worker, Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor, Marriage & Family Therapist, and Psychologist. Each discipline is announced separately and applicants must apply to the announcement for which they are qualified. The incumbent serves as a Readjustment Counselor at a Vet Center in the Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) providing direct counseling services, outreach, referral, and follow-up care coordination to eligible individuals. In this capacity, the incumbent functions as a member of a small multi-disciplinary team of 4 or more members, including social workers, other mental health professionals, outreach workers, and office managers. Salary: $64,649 - $84,049 per year Your Federal Resume must match the qualifications and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities written in the job announcement. Read the Qualifications carefully. Organize your Federal resume with EDUCATION before WORK HISTORY, so that your MSW and clinical licenses can be at the top of the resume. For information on writing your Federal resume, which is 5 pages on average, look at The Federal Resume Guidebook, 7th Edition by Fed jobs guru Kathryn Troutman. The outline resume format in her Guide is very successful with Federal HR. Resume Place, Inc. Certified Federal Resume Writers can also review your resume during a one hour consultation. They can let you know if you're demonstrating the required qualifications in your resume. San Antonio law firm Thomas J. Henry PLLC has filed a lawsuit against rappers Travis Scott and Drake on behalf of an Austin resident who was injured Friday in the crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival that left eight people dead and dozens injured. Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are concert promoter and ticket seller Live Nation and NRG Stadium, where the festival was held. The plaintiff, Austin resident Kristian Paredes, is seeking $1 million and is among the first to sue the rappers, venue and ticket site, saying that Drake and Scott helped incite the crowd, according to the compliant obtained by Express-News. Paredes, 23, said he was severely injured with some permanent bodily harm, and he seeks compensation for extreme pain and suffering, loss of earnings, emotional distress and medical expenses. The lawsuit said Paredes was at the front of the general admission section with only a metal barrier separating those attendees from the VIP section and that as Scotts performance started shortly after 9 p.m., Paredes felt an immediate push as the crowd became chaotic and a stampede began. ALSO READ: Former office manager sentenced to 46 months in prison for bilking San Antonio medical practice In the lawsuit, Paredes accuses the defendants of negligence, saying the two rappers continued to perform as the crowd became out of control and while the crowd mayhem continued. He also accuses the security guards hired by Live Nation of ignoring the concertgoers cries for help as the crowd surged forward. Curtis Fitzgerald, a lawyer with Thomas J. Henry PLLC, is listed as Paredess attorney in the court filings. The case was filed in the Harris County 129th court. The annual music festival turned from fun to tragic Friday night after the deadly crowd surge. Concertgoers reported crowds so tightly packed they were unable to move their arms or breathe after the crowds rushed the stage, numerous media reports stated. On ExpressNews.com: For 37 minutes after officials declared a 'mass casualty' at Astroworld, Travis Scott played on A security guard was reportedly injected with an unknown drug and had to be given Narcan, which is used to treat overdoses, Hearst News reported. Authorities said that nearly 50,000 people attended Fridays opening night of the two-day festival. During Scotts performance, fellow rapper Drake also took the stage in a surprise appearance, exciting the crowd. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner called it a mass casualty incident, though Scott continued to play for 37 minutes, the Chronicle said. At one point, Scott stopped performing to ask for help for someone who had passed out, though he resumed the performance shortly after. Finner, meanwhile, said he couldnt have abruptly ended the show for fear of sparking a riot that his department could not control, the Chronicle said, describing how first responders were carrying limp bodies as Scott finished his final song, Goosebumps. The eight people who died ranged in age from 14 to 27, authorities said. Their official causes of death have not been released. Paredes also argues in his lawsuit that the concert venue should have known about Scotts prior issues with crowd aggression from previous shows. Similar crowd behavior occurred during the 2019 Astroworld Festival, and Scott was arrested in 2015 for alleged reckless conduct after fans jumped a security barricade at Lollapalooza in Chicago and in 2018 for disorderly conduct for allegedly urging fans to rush the stage at a concert the year before. Scotts girlfriend Kylie Jenner reportedly took to social media to say that he had no idea what was going on while he was onstage and didnt realize anyone had died until after the performance. The rapper tweeted Saturday that he was absolutely devastated about what happened and said he would work together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net The amount of people expected to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday will reach near pre-pandemic levels, AAA predicts. An estimated 53.4 million Americans are expected to travel either by vehicle or plane this year, which AAA says will be up 13 percent from last year. Of that number, 48.3 million people are predicted to hit the roads to reach their destinations. Among the areas that will see the most traffic are Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth. On ExpressNews.com: Unvaccinated Texans were 20 times more likely to die of COVID-19 The Dallas-Fort Worth area is listed as one of the top U.S. Thanksgiving destinations, according to AAA, which advises travelers to prepare and plan their trip ahead of time to skip the traffic. Drivers in Houston are expected to experience more than three times the usual delays during the holiday week, specifically on Interstate 10, AAA reports. Peak congestion in Houston is estimated to be between 3:15 and 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24. AAA suggest traveling after 9 p.m. on Wednesday and to avoid the roads between noon and 8 p.m. In the days following the holiday, it is best to travel before noon, AAA says. On ExpressNews.com: Judge in San Antonio declares mistrial in killing of H-E-B 'deli lady' in 2015 Airports are also expected to be crowded as about 4.2 million people are predicted to fly this year. AAA reports that air travel will almost completely recover from a drop in travel during the pandemic. Travelers are advised to arrive at the airport earlier than usual. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises travelers to be fully vaccinated and provides a list of guidelines for international and domestic travel. Malak.Silmi@express-news.net The emergency dispatcher could hear a child screaming in the background. The caller, a woman, said a man was choking her sister-in-law. Then the line went silent. A 911 call about a domestic assault is supposed to mobilize first police, then prosecutors and ultimately judges, social workers and others to protect the victim and hold the suspect accountable. In Bexar County, the justice system breaks down repeatedly in dealing with family violence, a San Antonio Express-News investigation found. From 2011 through 2020, Bexar County had the lowest conviction rate for domestic violence assaults and the highest dismissal rate among the states major urban counties, an Express-News analysis found. Innovative approaches that have proved effective in Texas other big cities such as intensive surveillance of alleged abusers and a focus on building strong prosecutions despite victims reluctance to testify have been slow to take hold here. The result: Time and again, battered women get lost in the shuffle, and abusers remain free to strike again. Victims are left in limbo, sometimes going many months without hearing from anyone in the criminal justice system, said Bexar County District Court Judge Velia Meza, who frequently presides over domestic violence cases. A lot of things can happen, and then the state cant find them, so they cant move forward and you have a dismissal. Thats what happened to Karla Ornelas, the woman whose sister-in-law called 911 that evening in 2018. Hear Emilie Eaton explain the reporting behind the series Nowhere to Hide. Lisa Krantz /Staff Photographer * * * TIME AFTER TIME An El Paso native, Ornelas had moved to San Antonio in her early 20s and enrolled in classes to become a paralegal. She wanted to give her son a stable home and the security shed lacked as a child. She was waitressing at a seafood restaurant when she met Ulises Rodriguez. He worked in the kitchen. Ornelas mother, Veronica Torres, who texted and talked with her daughter every day, had concerns about this new relationship from the start. There was something wrong in her voice, Torres recalled. I asked, Are you OK? She always said yes. But you could tell she wasnt happy. The first record of violence is from Sept. 6, 2017. On that day, Rodriguez hit Ornelas, then 22, and another female and yanked Ornelas hair, according to court records. He was arrested on two counts of misdemeanor family violence. Rodriguez, also 22, already had a criminal record: Hed been convicted of one minor drug offense and was on deferred adjudication, a form of probation, for a second. Josie Norris / Staff Photographer He was released on $3,500 bail. In court on Nov. 20, 2017, Assistant District Attorney Samuel Lyles asked then-Judge Eugenia Genie Wright to dismiss the family violence charges because of missing witnesses. Prosecutors said they could not get ahold of Ornelas. Wright tossed the case. Lyles did not respond to a request for comment. Wright said she didnt remember the case, but that she usually followed prosecutors recommendations. If the state doesnt want to prosecute, what are you going to do? Make them prosecute? she asked. I would generally ask them, Why are you dismissing this case? It was very common that the victim had a change of heart or the prosecutors couldnt find the victim. Nearly five months later, on the evening of April 9, 2018, Rodriguez erupted again. Earlier that day, he had taken Ornelas car to have it fixed, she later told police. He was supposed to pick her up from work, but he called to tell her she was on her own. Ornelas got a ride home and put her son, then around 1 year old, in the bathtub. Rodriguez arrived, drunk, and the pair began to argue, according to police and court records. He grabbed Ornelas phone and flung it into the bathtub. Then he seized Ornelas by the throat and choked her so hard she couldnt scream, according to a police report. She tried to pry his fingers loose. Finally, he let go. He threw her in the bathtub, grabbed the boy and walked out of the room. Ornelas sister-in-law called 911. With the baby wailing in the background, she reported that Rodriguez has been physical before, according to the dispatchers notes. A responding officer noted marks on Ornelas neck. Rodriguez was arrested on a felony charge of assault family violence strangulation. Research shows that abusers who attempt to strangle their partners are much more likely to kill them in a subsequent assault. A 2008 study in the Journal of Emergency Medicine found that the odds a woman will be killed by an intimate partner increase 7-fold after a strangulation. Lisa Krantz /Staff Photographer In response, the Texas Legislature in 2009 made family violence strangulation a felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison for a first offense and up to 20 for subsequent offenses. Rodriguez was now considered high-risk, and a judge could impose tight conditions on his release. It didnt happen. Then-Magistrate Lori Crockett set bail at $15,000 and didnt prohibit Rodriguez from contacting Ornelas while he awaited trial. Nor did Crockett require Rodriguez to wear a GPS ankle monitor, another standard tool to restrict dangerous defendants. Crockett did not respond to a request for comment. Prosecutors could have filed a motion asking the magistrate to tighten Rodriguezs bail conditions. They didnt. Christian Henricksen, chief of litigation at the DAs office, said the case file does not indicate why. According to her mother, Ornelas now was determined to leave Rodriguez. She met her mother and aunt in Fort Stockton, roughly midway between San Antonio and El Paso. When her daughter got out of her car, Torres saw bruises on her face. Ornelas resolve soon faded. She returned to San Antonio and paid a bondsman $1,500 to bail Rodriguez out of jail on the choking charge. Had there been one in San Antonio, a high-risk team of police, prosecutors and domestic violence specialists could have targeted the case for special attention. Its members could have reached out to Ornelas to impress on her the danger she was in. They could have connected her with legal help, housing assistance and other services. They could have helped her devise a personal safety plan. But unlike other major urban counties in Texas, Bexar County didnt have a high-risk team at the time. One finally was established last year. After his release from jail, Ornelas reconciled with Rodriguez. When the couple visited El Paso for two days, Torres saw him boss her daughter around. You could see she was afraid of him, Torres said. In private, she begged Ornelas to leave him, to start over. She offered to pay for the move and her daughters living expenses. It made no difference. Daniel Carde / Special Contributor * * * NO WAY OUT In early September 2018, Ornelas phoned her mother to tell her she was finished with Rodriguez. He had stolen her car and sold it. She told her co-workers at Wing Daddys Sauce House on Jackson Keller Road the same thing: It was over. Around 9:45 p.m. on Sept. 5 of that year, the pair got into an argument at Rodriguezs familys home on the West Side. Rodriguezs stepfather told the couple they had to stop arguing or leave the house. They left and began walking down the street. Around 9:55 p.m., a witness called 911 and reported that Rodriguez had his hands wrapped around Ornelas throat. Help! Ornelas screamed, according to the dispatchers notes. Help! Rodriguezs stepfather and stepbrother headed down the street and saw Rodriguez walking toward them. Wheres the girl? the stepfather asked. She took off that way, Rodriguez responded, throwing his hands in the air and cursing. Rodriguezs stepfather found Ornelas lying on the ground. Rodriguez had stabbed her nine times eight times in the neck and once in the shoulder, according to medical records. There was blood everywhere, but she was conscious and talking. Paramedics transported her to University Hospital, where she later was pronounced dead. Rodriguez fled to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, but was arrested a week later. In 2019, he pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Hell be eligible for parole in 15 years. On her cell phone, Torres keeps a video of her grandson playing with Ornelas big, sweet dog, Marly. Ornelas can be heard admonishing the boy to be gentle. Its the only surviving trace of Karlas voice. Daniel Carde /Special Contributor * * * A SYSTEM OVERWHELMED Ornelas case was handled by a justice system that conspicuously lags those in Texas other urban centers in holding domestic abusers accountable. From 2011 through 2020, just 21 percent of misdemeanor family violence cases filed by prosecutors in Bexar County ended in a conviction, according to an Express-News analysis of statewide court data. About 60 percent of the cases were dismissed. For felony domestic violence cases, the dismissal rate was 32 percent and the conviction rate 35 percent. In both categories, those were the lowest conviction rates and the highest dismissal rates among the states five most populous counties. The 10-year period spanned all or part of the terms of three Bexar County district attorneys: Susan Reed, Nico LaHood and the incumbent, Joe D. Gonzales. LaHood did not respond to a request to be interviewed. Reed, DA from 1999 to 2015, was the first woman to hold the office in Bexar County. In an interview, she said she made domestic violence a high priority, hired dozens of victim advocates and lobbied for creation of the Bexar County Family Justice Center, a one-stop resource where abuse victims can get legal help, counseling and other services. Reed said that if the evidence was strong, her office pursued domestic violence cases even when victims were uncooperative. She said she was disappointed and puzzled by the countys low conviction rate for domestic violence cases, its high dismissal rate and the recent surge in fatalities. We have been talking about domestic violence for decades. It was a focus when I was running for DA in 1998, said Reed, now a senior district court judge. There have been press releases. There have been campaigns. This is not something new. Now Playing: Enrique Mendez was charged with beating and choking his girlfriend, Lori Rodriguez. In this video from August 2015, he describes the incident to a detective. Mendez pleaded no contest to a felony count of family violence assault and was granted probation. He never spent a day in jail. Video: Monte Bach When you look at the total amount of money that we have spent trying to address this issue, through housing, through support services, I just dont understand it. Gonzales, who was sworn in as DA in January 2019, offered a different take. He said the office has been hobbled by a heavy caseload and a historical lack of resources for prosecuting family violence and sexual assault. He said he inherited a backlog of 3,300 felony domestic violence cases. They had been filed by police agencies and were awaiting review by prosecutors to determine whether there was sufficient evidence to seek indictments. Some of the cases were nearly 20 years old. Prosecutors put in about 1,500 voluntary overtime hours in 2019 to attack the backlog, records state. It had been reduced to 25 felony cases by April of this year, according to the district attorneys office. Daniel Carde /Special Contributor But felonies make up just 15 percent of the domestic violence caseload. The rest are misdemeanor assaults, and the backlog there was even worse and has proved much harder to reduce. In 2015, prosecutors reviewed 3,800 misdemeanor family violence cases filed by police officers. By 2020, the number had grown to 6,700. And that doesnt count the thousands of pending cases in which charges already had been filed. Until last year, four junior prosecutors and two judges, sitting in domestic violence specialty courts, shouldered that entire workload. The idea was that judges steeped in the complex dynamics of domestic abuse would bring a heightened focus to the problem. But a mismatch between resources and caseload doomed the effort. Prosecutors had time to prepare only a fraction of cases for trial. Delays multiplied. Eventually, victims lost heart and stopped cooperating with prosecutors. Defense attorneys exploited the situation. Knowing that prosecutors were desperate to clear cases, they negotiated reduced charges, dismissals or deferred adjudication. Daniel Carde / Special Contributor Until there is some mechanism to better address the volume issue, that will be a continuing problem, said Henricksen, the DAs chief of litigation. No one can do the job they want handling 1,000 cases a year. Prodded by Gonzales, court officials in 2020 began to assign misdemeanor family violence cases more widely, to ease the burden on the two specialty courts. Now, 13 judges share the workload. So far, however, the effect has been negligible. Bexar County uses standards established by the National Center for State Courts to measure the court systems efficiency. Those standards say that 98 percent of domestic violence cases should be resolved within six months of filing through a trial, a dismissal or a negotiated plea. In the first three months of 2021, only 31 percent of cases in County Court 7, one of the two misdemeanor domestic violence courts, had been resolved within that time period. In the other, County Court 13, only 27 percent had hit the mark. Daniel Carde /Special Contributor For county courts overall, 60 percent of misdemeanor cases were resolved within six months. Gonzales has sought millions of dollars from Bexar County Commissioners Court to alleviate delays in domestic violence prosecutions. In the misdemeanor courts, hes hired two more domestic violence prosecutors and two victim advocates. Those versed in the system say such steps are long overdue. By the time many victims hear from the DAs office, theyve lost interest or given up on prosecution. Theyve moved. Theyve changed their phone numbers. Theyve reconciled with their abusers. They took too long to talk to the victims, said former Judge Eugenia Genie Wright, reflecting on her experience handling thousands of family violence cases. She oversaw County Court 7 from 2010 to 2018. I spoke to the district attorney at the time in El Paso, and the moment a complaint came in, they got in touch with the victim. They stayed with them from day one, Wright recalled. But in Bexar County, there was very little money put into following up with victims. Many times, prosecutors wouldnt reach out to victims until trial. I dont understand why everyone is acting like the situation today is a big surprise. These were the things we were dealing with 10 years ago. Lisa Krantz /Staff Photographer * * * FEAR National studies show that up to 70 percent of domestic violence victims recant, go missing or otherwise decline to cooperate with prosecutors. The main reason is fear. Even from behind bars, perpetrators can threaten or manipulate their victims. The Bexar County Jail, for instance, doesnt regularly monitor calls made by suspects awaiting trial on family violence charges. Angelique Christianson, then 38, was constantly harassed by her boyfriend after he was arrested for setting her on fire in May 2019 at her mothers apartment in Balcones Heights. She had been dating Bryan Lee Hoover, then 39, for seven months when he poured rubbing alcohol on her and lit it aflame. At the time, Christianson was six months pregnant by a different man. She and the baby survived, but Christianson suffered first-degree burns on her arms and legs. Hoover was charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, a first-degree felony. For months while he awaited trial, Hoover called Christianson from jail, even though a judge had signed a no-contact order. Christianson said that on some days, he called more than 100 times. He insisted he had burned her by accident, she said, and he begged her not to testify, saying: If you dont tell them it was an accident, they are going to put me away for life. / She said Hoovers persistence had an effect. She still loved him and found it difficult to decide whether to cooperate with prosecutors, she said. Part of me feels bad because I know if this case goes to trial, he will go away for a long time, Christianson said a few months after the assault. I want to get him help, and he wont get it there. But I dont want to be with him, and I dont want to die. In the end, Christianson gave prosecutors a statement, and Hoover pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Christianson moved to Kansas with her son, now two years old, and started over. Tori North * * * ANOTHER WAY In Harris, Tarrant and Travis counties, cases proceed even when a victim recants. In such cases, prosecutors rely on 911 calls, photographs of injuries and other evidence collected by police. Nationwide, many domestic violence prosecutors have adopted this approach, known as evidence-based prosecution because it doesnt hinge on the victims courtroom testimony. We prosecute murders all the time without a live victim testifying, said Julia Raney Rodriguez, an attorney for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid who works with domestic violence survivors. There are lots of ways to prosecute family violence, especially if the police have done a good job. Some prosecutors will put an uncooperative victim on the stand, using her very recantation as a sign shes being manipulated or threatened by her abuser. A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2004 made it harder for the state to try cases when a victim is unavailable or uncooperative. But Gael Strack, a former assistant city attorney in San Diego who helped pioneer the use of evidence-based prosecution of family violence in the 1980s, said prosecutors still have effective tools at their disposal when the victim falters. For example, if prosecutors can show that a defendant more likely than not tried to stop his victim from testifying, he forfeits his right to confront her in court. Victim statements that otherwise would be inadmissible can then be admitted, she said. Theres no reason to be dismissing domestic violence cases or offering deferred adjudication, she said. High dismissals and deferred adjudication equals a high homicide rate. Under a relatively new Texas law, family violence prosecutors can put in evidence the entire history of a relationship, including past violence and the testimony of people who know the couple. Like a co-worker who testifies she saw marks on (the victims) neck, said Allenna Bangs, who leads the Felony Intimate Partner Violence Unit in Tarrant County, home to Fort Worth. Her boss, Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson, who took office in 2015, is aggressively pursuing evidence-based prosecution in domestic violence cases. Over the last 10 years, 90 percent of felony cases in Tarrant ended in a conviction or deferred adjudication, compared with 67 percent in Bexar County. Some argue that pursuing victimless prosecution removes a victims right to make decisions about her own life and may put her at greater risk of retaliatory violence. Bangs responded that the approach has proven its worth. Its never our intention to re-victimize a survivor, she said. But while we want to empower the survivor to make decisions for her own safety, our duty is to seek justice, and to balance her desire for safety with the safety of the entire community. Gonzales said his office pursues domestic violence cases based on the totality of the crime, regardless of whether the victim cooperates. If we believe the case is righteous, were going to go forward, he said. A missing or uncooperative victim is not the ultimate deciding factor. Courtesy * * * JEALOUSY AND CONTROL Erin Castro warmed any room she walked into. She was a favorite server among the regulars at her familys restaurant, the Hut Diner on Fredericksburg Road. She was a freshman at John Marshall High School in Leon Valley when she met Josh Garcia. He was a year older. At first, she wasnt romantically interested, but Garcia kept at it. By her sophomore year, they were an item. The abuse started during her junior year. Hed yell at her. Call her fat, ugly, a whore. He isolated her from family and friends. And he was jealous, intensely so. It started small, like, You cant talk to that guy in your class, said one of Erins high-school friends, Saraih Sandoval. Then it was, Why were you talking to him? Courtesy / Erin was close to her older sister, Ashley, and her mother, Rena Castro. Both were bewildered by the changes they saw in her. Her grades dropped. She started pulling away from them. It was like he was brain-washing her, Rena said. She tried to intervene. On Sept. 13, 2016, after Garcia stole Erins backpack so she wouldnt be able to apply her make-up, Rena called police. Garcia, then 18, was arrested and charged with theft. His bail was set at $800, and he was released within hours. Rena tried tough love with her daughter, saying she couldnt live at home and continue seeing Garcia. When that didnt work, she tried to be maternal and kind to Garcia. She tried talking to his mother. Nothing worked. On Oct. 9, 2016, Garcia punched Erin in the face, breaking her nose, while they were in his car. At a stoplight, she tried to get out of the vehicle. Garcia pulled her back inside. / Garcia then sped up and pushed her out of the moving vehicle. He ran over her leg and left her to walk home by herself. The next morning, Erin couldnt walk without assistance. Her mother called police and took her daughter to the emergency room. Garcia was arrested about two weeks later on suspicion of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Bail was set at $50,000. He was released the same day. Almost a year later, on Sept. 7, 2017, a Bexar County grand jury indicted him on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony. Three months later, Erin submitted an affidavit saying her injuries were all her fault. I was heavily intoxicated and being over (sic) dramatic, she wrote. Garcia caused me no harm. I willingly opened the car door and jumped out not realizing the mistake I was making. I Erin Castro falsely accused Joshua because he had broken up with me. On March 20, 2018, Garcia pleaded no contest to the aggravated assault charge in a plea bargain. The theft charge was dismissed. Judge Kevin M. OConnell granted Garcia deferred adjudication, allowing him to avoid a conviction and jail time. The judge placed Garcia on probation for two years, fined him $1,500 and ordered him to submit to regular urine tests and attend an 18-week batterers intervention program. Asked about the case recently, OConnell said he recalls thinking that Garcia was getting off easy. Carlos Javier Sanchez / Pixelreflecmedia.com / Contributor I remember having the thought that the plea bargain in this case was quite lenient for a case of this magnitude, the judge said. However, not knowing the specifics of the states case and evidence, I was forced to either go along with the plea or bust the plea and risk him walking away completely. Henricksen, the DAs litigation chief, said that in general, prosecutors negotiate deferred adjudication when they have doubts about whether a jury would convict if the case went to trial. Domestic violence cases are complicated, which can make cases difficult to win, he said. Garcia did not keep up his end of the plea deal. Twice, he submitted diluted urine samples. He did not pay required fees. He dropped out of the batterers intervention program. Nevertheless, prosecutors did not ask the judge to revoke his probation. Henricksen said the case file sheds no light on why. He said its possible probation officers didnt inform prosecutors of the infractions. Garcia was not allowed to contact Erin, and for about six months, she was free. From his phone calls, his surveillance, his jealous hectoring. Carlos Javier Sanchez / Pixelreflecmedia.com / Contributor She was back to being Erin, her mother said. But slowly, he slipped back into her orbit. Sept. 1, 2018, was Erins 19th birthday, and she celebrated with a few family members at their diner on Fredericksburg Road. That night, Garcia showed up as Erin was getting ready to go to a night club with friends. Erin agreed to ride to the club with Garcia and a friend. Rena approached Garcia and told him he was carrying precious cargo. He assured her Erin would be safe. Rena knew in her gut it was a bad idea, but she allowed her daughter to go. Shortly after midnight, her phone buzzed. It was Erin, frantic, saying Garcia wouldnt let her out of his car. Just get out, Rena implored. Ill come get you. Erin called again. She was hysterical, Rena recalled. Garcia was stabbing her. Then Rena couldnt hear anything. She stayed on the line and ran to a neighbors house. Quick, call the police! she yelled. Police found Erin about an hour later. A signal from her cell phone had guided them to her bloodied, bruised body. She had been left beside a deserted stretch of Camp Bullis Road, east of Interstate 10. Tom Reel /Staff photographer A witness told police Garcia assaulted Erin, knocked her to the ground and then got into his silver Lexus sedan and ran her over repeatedly. Garcia was arrested hours later on suspicion of murder. Three days after the killing, prosecutors filed a motion to revoke his probation from the 2016 assault when hed pushed Erin out of his car and driven over her leg. Garcia pleaded guilty to murder this year, and Judge OConnell sentenced him to 35 years in prison. He will be eligible for parole in about 14 years. Rena said she was dismayed by the sentence at first but has since come to terms with it. Still, there are days when she simply doesnt want to live anymore. She cant quite believe her vibrant daughter is gone. The house is so quiet without her, she said. To share your story, contact reporter Emilie Eaton at eeaton@express-news.net. The trial of a man accused of killing a beloved H-E-B deli lady in 2015 came to an abrupt halt Monday with the discovery of a 5-year-old police interview that raised the possibility that more than one assailant had been in her apartment when the slaying occurred. At the request of defense lawyers, state District Judge Stephanie Boyd declared a mistrial in the capital murder trial of R.C. Curtis, 36. He is accused of killing his wifes grandmother, Paula Mendez Boyd, 75. (She is not related to the judge.) Responding to a call from co-workers when she didnt show up for her shift, San Antonio police found Paula Boyd nude and bloodied on the floor of the bedroom of her Northwest Side apartment around 2:30 p.m. on Oct. 21, 2015. She had been beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted. Prosecutors say Curtis, 36, and others used her bank cards in the days that followed, and promised that DNA evidence also would link him to the crime. Jessica Phelps /San Antonio Express-News Testimony in the 187th District Court was halted Friday to give prosecutors and defense attorneys time to review cellphone communications they didnt know existed until police Det. Randal Hines spoke of it on the witness stand. Later that day, more evidence was discovered, prosecutor Daryl Harris told Boyd on Monday. He said he went through all of the evidence in an abundance of caution and found video recordings on DVDs of police interviews of two men linked to an acquaintance of the defendant. One of the interviews raised the possibility that more than one person had carried out the crime and even shot video of it. I delivered them, both the cellphone dump and the videos, to defense attorneys on Friday, Harris told the judge. Curtis lawyers, Richard Langlois and J. Charles Bunk, argued a mistrial was necessary because the knowledge that the crime might have been carried out by more than one person would have changed their approach to jury selection and other defense strategies. This is not fair, Bunk told the judge. We didnt know there were others in the apartment when this went down. Harris said he found the two DVDs in the case files that had been handled by a now-departed prosecutor working under the previous administration of District Attorney Nico LaHood. But they had not been uploaded as part of the usual discovery means, Harris said. The defense also asked Boyd to dismiss the charge against Curtis with prejudice, which would end the case without the possibility of a retrial. Boyd set a hearing for Wednesday on that question. She said she planned to dismiss the jury panel Tuesday. On ExpressNews.com: Testimony shows assault on 'deli lady' broke her ribs, neck and nose Jurors spent last week hearing hours of testimony and being shown graphic images of the crime scene. They heard from a medical examiner that Boyd had 15 rib fractures, a broken neck and nose. Surveillance video taken from a convenience store showed Curtis at an ATM machine at the same time bank records confirmed that Boyds accounts were accessed after her death. Others also had access to the victims bank cards, including a man who was charged in connection with their use. The newly-discovered DVDs showed Hines separately interviewing two acquaintances of this man, and the possibility of multiple actors at the scene of the killing came in a cryptic statement by one of them, who had been detained on traffic warrants. The man said he had heard of the killing of an elderly lady and of a video that depicted it, but could not say who did it and did not recognize anyone in photographs Hines showed him. He said he had not seen the video. ezavala@express-news.net | Twitter: @elizabeth2863 Its 4:30 a.m. Monday, and Matthew Digges is at the corner of Market and South Alamo streets, near the Briscoe Western Art Museum downtown, with a hard hat on and an orange vest. Digges, an engineer with the San Antonio Water System, is overseeing a critical well repair. And he knows a lot can go wrong in the next 48 hours, with millions of gallons of pressurized groundwater surging up from the Edwards Aquifer. That water could shoot up 20 feet into the air, Digges said. Itd be a lot of water suddenly and uncontrollably. Digges is referring to two artesian water wells in the middle of downtown San Antonio. Water flows from the wells, which are the oldest built in the city, because of natural pressure from the aquifer, providing as much as 43.2 million gallons of water a day to the immediate downtown area. This week, after beginning to break down, the underground pumps and motor that move the water needed to be removed. From early Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon, Digges and his team carefully plugged the wells, removed the old pumps and unplugged the water. The process stretched throughout the day and night. Any wrong move or as Digges describes it, when you lost a well could empty tons of water throughout the La Villita area. Fortunately, he said, the water stayed put mostly, thanks to the mud. William Luther /San Antonio Express-News The mud Water under San Antonio, from the Edwards Aquifer, is under so much pressure that when engineers drilled the downtown artesian wells in 1891, water shot 20 or more feet into the air. To prevent the water from surging while removing the pumps, engineers injected a substance called clean mud into the wells to push the water down. The SAWS team pumped 450 barrels of mud into one well and 300 barrels into the other through a well pipe coming out of the ground. The mud which has the consistency and color of chunky chocolate milk cost SAWS $600,000, with the total cost of operations close to $1 million. The mud holds the pressurized water down 94 feet deep in one well and 130 feet deep in the other. Once the wells were killed with mud, Digges and his team used a massive crane to pull the old piping, pump and motor from the ground. As with a straw in a milkshake, some of the mud tries to come up with the piping, which is a big concern for SAWS. If too much mud gets pulled up with the crane, the water pressure could increase and water could shoot up. We want to create a negative vacuum of pressure, Digges said. We pack in the mud so much that the water pressure is going the other way. William Luther /San Antonio Express-News After the pipes are removed, the top of the well is sealed again and the mud is sucked back out, leaving the water alone again to flow upward. The flow will stay where it is until the pump and motor are fixed and reinstalled. This is all part of infrastructure maintenance, said Anne Hayden, communications manager at SAWS. Its that weird, wonky word people talk about, but its super important to keep our water flowing in San Antonio. What happens now? The first part of the repair was completed at about noon on Tuesday. Instruments used in the process will be cleaned, and the piping will be fixed or replaced. In the meantime, the flow will remain unattached to the 2 million-gallon water tank that provides aquifer water throughout downtown, and remain bottled up underground until its ready to be used again. Other wells, including one near the Briscoe Museum and one near the AT&T Center, will keep water flowing to downtown customers for now, Hayden said. The pump and motor will be fixed by February, and this weeks process will be reversed to replace the well piping and reconnect it. The well units were last repaired in 2008. And barring something unexpected, they should be good to go for 10 years. And the mud, vital to keep clean water flowing in San Antonio, will be discarded with more mud down the line. Elena Bruess writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. elena.bruess@express-news.net The families of two young boys who were killed during a drag racing crash in Kerrville last month have filed a civil lawsuit against the event organizer and the driver who crashed the vehicle. The lawsuit, filed Friday evening in Bexar County District Court, alleges the event organizers failed to establish proper safety measures to protect spectators, such as crowd control measures and barricades that extended past the finish line. It also accuses the event organizer, Flying Diesel Performance & Offroad, of encouraging spectators to set up in an unsafe area, and the driver, Michael Gonzales of Fort Worth, of failing to control his vehicle and its speed. Both are named as defendants in the lawsuit. Event organizers failed to continue the barrier system to the finish line and past it, an attorney for one family wrote. Defendant Gonzales, after losing control of his car, continued off the track through an area where the barricades had not been placed at or just after the finish line. The lawsuit, which seeks $1 million in damages, comes about two weeks after the crash on Oct. 23 that killed 6-year-old Daniel Trujillo-Jones, of Taylor; 8-year-old Santiago Abel Martinez, of San Antonio; and Santiagos aunt, Rebecca Cedillo Dias, 46, of Converse. Also named as defendants in the suit are Ross Dunagan, who owns Flying Diesel Performance & Offroad; Jordan Ford Ltd., the company that sponsored the event; and Fernando Garza, who owns the car that Gonzales was driving. It also names Progressive County Mutual Insurance Co., from whom the Martinez family has an insurance policy. The lawsuit alleges that Gonzales is uninsured, and that Progressive hasnt compensated the Martinez family for their injuries. On ExpressNews.com: Racing fans from all over came to enjoy the Kerrville drag race. Then tragedy struck Several others were injured, including Daniels father, Chance Jones; his girlfriend, Mary Kate Walls; and two of their other children. The lawsuit was filed by Santiagos family. Jones and Walls joined the suit as third-party intervenors on Monday. According to their petition to intervene, Jones and Walls were barbecuing under a red canopy with their three children at the family-friendly event, called Airport Race Wars 2, when Jones heard a friend yelling at him. Jones, who was holding his 3-month-old daughter, saw a Mustang driven by Gonzales barreling toward him, according to his petition. He grabbed his 4-year-old son and tossed both children out of the way. Walls, who was not far away, could see 6-year-old Daniel running toward her for safety, the petition said. She had no time to react. The Mustang ran into him, then her. Nearby, 8-year-old Santiago and his aunt had just stepped off a flatbed trailer to buy cotton candy from a concession stand Santiago loved sweets when the Mustang crushed into them, relatives said. Santiagos father, Abel Martinez, is a professional truck driver who had raced a semi earlier during the event. His family had come to support him in the race. On ExpressNews.com: Third person dies from injuries at Kerrville racing incident; lawsuit pending According to the lawsuit, event organizers billed the event as a no prep drag race. During such races, drivers are known to lose control of their vehicles, but many still pedal through to stay in the race, the lawsuit states, adding that other drivers have a never-lift mentality, meaning they do not let up on the gas when they lose traction. In a normal, or prepped, drag race, the race surface is treated with a traction compound that acts as an adhesive bonding rubber to the concrete surface and making the surface sticky, the lawsuit states. No prep races are meant to mimic street racing conditions and often have a grudge racing mentality. Thats what Gonzales did, the lawsuit alleges. It says he failed to use ordinary care by continuing at the same speed and not using his brakes in time. Jones and Walls were seriously injured in the crash, said Jon Clark, a lawyer representing them. They had multiple broken bones, torn ligaments, concussions and significant lacerations that may require skin grafting. Clark said its possible that the lawsuit will be amended to include other defendants such Kerr County after more information is available about the crash and what role, if any, the county played in setting up the event. Staff reporters Brian Chasnoff, Jacob Beltran and Annie Blanks contributed to this report. eeaton@express-news.net A man who killed himself in an hours-long standoff with police last month near the Medical Center area had threatened suicide by cop, a report reveals. And Bexar County court records show that he was convicted of murder in 1996 for a slaying that occurred in November 1994. Details of the Oct. 13 standoff involving Christopher Ryan Vasquez, 45, were released Friday in a custodial death report sent to the Texas Attorney Generals Office. The incident began around noon at the Seven Oaks apartments, 5903 Danny Kaye Drive. A 911 caller told police that Vasquez was shooting into the air and pointing a gun at a woman. On ExpressNews.com: Man apparently killed himself, ending hours-long standoff at Medical Center-area apartment The woman involved also called police and said that Vasquez was trying to kill her, the report states. When police arrived, Vasquez ran back into his apartment. SWAT, hostage negotiators and even his parole officer and social workers had arrived to try and talk him out of the apartment, officials said. The report states that during the standoff, Vasquez would approach an apartment window and curse at the officers intermittently, sometimes holding one or two handguns. At one point, he pointed the guns at his own head and placed one in his mouth. Vasquez eventually told police he was not going to come out peacefully, threatening to commit suicide by cop or that he would kill himself. At 6:41 p.m., the SWAT team had planned to deploy gas and force Vasquez to surrender. Instead, Vasquez fired his handgun toward an armored SWAT vehicle where an officer was positioned, the report states. The officer fired back once, striking Vasquez in his right shoulder. Vasquez fell away from the window and out of sight, the report states. On ExpressNews.com: Thomas J. Henry files lawsuit against Travis Scott, Drake following Astroworld tragedy Shortly after, more gunshots were heard from inside the apartment, then silence. Police used a remote camera to verify Vasquezs location and found him motionless on the floor with a gun nearby. The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office determined that Vasquez shot himself in the head. An entry in the Bexar County courts online database indicates that Vasquez was convicted of murder in 1996. jbeltran@express-news.net The challenges facing the Texas foster care system have captured headlines in recent months. Texans have read about the shortage of foster homes for children who have suffered from maltreatment, leading to record numbers of children and youth sleeping in state office buildings not designed to house them. Community organizations are working with policymakers and state officials to address these challenges and are making some progress. For example, the Texas Legislature recently approved $90 million in additional funding to help create more capacity in the foster care system. Community organizations will be able to use those resources to add staff and strengthen efforts to recruit foster families. However, as we all respond to the challenges in front of us, we cannot lose sight of the larger issues facing children who have suffered the trauma of abuse and neglect. Fundamentally, they have also experienced grief and loss that must be addressed to help them heal. Children in foster care have been harmed and are in the system through no fault of their own. To best serve children, we need a profound, fundamental shift in the way we approach child welfare. In short, we need to move from a child welfare system to a thriving child and family well-being system. This requires a muscular effort at all stages of service in birth families that may be struggling, or in foster care or adoptive families to strengthen families, prevent maltreatment, and keep kids safe and stable at home. Fortunately, movement in this direction is afoot. The U.S. Childrens Bureau, Casey Family Programs, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Prevent Child Abuse America recently launched an effort called Thriving Families, Safer Children: A National Commitment to Well-Being to help jurisdictions move from traditional, reactive child protection systems to systems designed to proactively support child and family well-being and prevent child maltreatment. National and state policies are also moving in this direction: Congress passed landmark legislation in 2018, the Families First Prevention and Services Act, to reform federal child welfare financing to put new emphasis on preserving families, and the Texas Legislature designated funding for new preservation efforts. The shortage of foster care placements is serious. But to make long-term change and reduce the number of kids in foster care, we cannot solely focus our efforts on more beds and capacity. We must prioritize families the supports and services they need for healing and healthy homes. Not only is it better for the child and the whole family, but its also ultimately better for society. Providing full support to families can include mental health services and academic intervention for children, as well as marriage counseling and other forms of support for parents who may be struggling. As a city, we know how important economic development is, but we wont have a thriving economy that attracts new business without a commitment to strengthening families. San Antonio has the highest rate of removal for kids coming into foster care in Texas, in addition to the highest rate of domestic violence. We dont want to be known for these sad statistics. Families are the backbone of society. Children heal in families. We must orient our child welfare system around something bigger than a place for kids to sleep at night. As we make budgetary and philanthropic decisions at the state and local levels, lets consider the absolute best possible environment for children. Additionally, we must also ensure that robust services and supports are available. Its time for systemic transformation. Jenni Lord is the CEO of Chosen, an organization that equips caregivers with tools to help children heal from abuse. Chosen provides telehealth services throughout the state and has offices in New Braunfels and San Antonio. Parents, by now, youve likely heard that most children are eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approved the Pfizer-BioNTech pediatric COVID-19 vaccine for children 5 to 11 last week. The pandemic is not over. Its urgent you secure the COVID-19 vaccine for your children. Maybe you are confused by an abundance of conflicting information and misinformation, especially via social media. But we hope you will seek out experts and trust proven data, such as the study from the Texas Department of State Health Services published Monday, COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Vaccination Status, the states first statistical review of the COVD-19 vaccine. Although the data included only those 12 and older the population eligible to be vaccinated at the time it is further proof of the efficacy of the vaccine and the risk of not getting it. Among the studys findings: Unvaccinated people were 20 times more likely to experience COVID-19-associated death from Sept. 4 - Oct.1. Unvaccinated people were 13 times more likely to become infected with COVID-19 from Sept. 4 - Oct.1. From Jan. 15, the first day a Texan could be considered fully vaccinated, to Oct. 1, the most recent date with complete available data, unvaccinated people were 45 times more likely to become infected with COVID-19 than fully vaccinated people. Vaccination had a strong protective effect on infections and deaths among people of all ages, but it had more of a protective impact on young people 12 to 17 years old. Medical experts have been pleading with us to value science over politics. Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, called the COVID deaths of 150,000 Americans between June and Nov. 8 deaths from defiance, phony health freedom rhetoric. Even Big Bird got the vaccine Saturday. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas took issue with Big Birds endorsement, calling it government propaganda ... for your 5-year old! There is no time for such nonsense. Big Bird has been guiding children to get vaccines since as early as 1972 way before bipartisan politics reduced lifesaving, disease-mitigating vaccines to a politics prop. Its urgent that you arm yourself with facts, parents. As of Nov. 4, nearly 6.5 million children have tested positive for COVID-19, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The CDC has a whole section with updated information about vaccines for children and teens. The child-size dose, recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a CDC advisory panel, can help keep children from becoming seriously sick, even if they do get COVID-19. In clinical trials, the most common side effect of the vaccine is a sore arm. The alternative can be much more severe, according to the CDC: hospitalizations, deaths, MIS-C, or inflammatory syndromes and long-term complications, such as long COVID, in which symptoms can linger for months. Claude A. Jacob, director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, estimated more than 332,000 Bexar County children 5 to 11 are now eligible for the vaccine and their parents are eligible for a $100 H-E-B gift card, according to a Nov. 3 news release. For a list of vaccine locations in San Antonio, visit the COVID19.SanAntonio.gov website or call 311 and select option 8. We know you will do all you can to keep your child safe and help them through the process. If your young ones are nervous, watch the CNN video in which Big Bird and Rosita shared strategies with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, such as singing the ABCs as a distraction or holding a favorite toy to helped children manage the anxiety of getting a shot. Or simply share how youve gotten other vaccines, and so have they. Re: Time to stop changing the clocks, Other Views, Wednesday: Thank you, Rep. Lyle Larson, for this timely message. What will it take to get rid of the hated time-changing twice a year in Texas? No one wants it. Everyone hates it. Yet year after year, citizens complain and nothing happens. We need legislation to stop us from having to spring forward and fall back. Id be happy with standard time all year long. Patricia A. Ireland Punish or help? Re: Theyll thank Abbott, Your Turn, Thursday: The letter writer is happy that Senate Bill 8 cut the abortion rate in half in Texas. Is there another option? Half of women who request abortions were using a form of contraception when they became pregnant. If a couple use birth control pills, they can become less effective when a woman misses a dose, has vomiting or takes an antibiotic. Long-acting reversible contraception, or LARC, is user-independent, so that perfect use and typical use effectiveness rates are equal. Over time, LARC is less expensive than the pill, but the upfront cost is unaffordable for many. Beginning in 2009, Colorado Public Health made LARC almost free for Title X family-planning clinic clients. Teen abortions and teen births were both cut in half. Do Texas officials want to decrease the abortion rates, or do they just want to punish women for having sex? Dr. Deborah McNabb How many more? Re: City of San Antonios top earner: Ex-cop fired 7 times in 2 decades, accused of shooting at Tennessee deputy in July, Front Page, Oct. 26: Former San Antonio Police officer Lee Rakun may have retired, but one has to wonder how many other miscreants with badges and guns remain on the force. Is it just a matter of bad apples, or does the entire tree need to be uprooted and replaced? Frances McGovernor Texas Republican U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert is considering joining the crowded GOP primary field for attorney general and is seeking donations of $1 million to fund his candidacy. Gohmert, R-Tyler, made a campaign announcement Tuesday morning at the Holiday Inn in his hometown. But a live feed for the event posted to his campaign Twitter around noon was blank. Gohmert is asking supporters to help him raise $1 million by Nov. 19 before he officially jumps in the race, according to a website that went live Tuesday. The nine-term congressman, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has not raised that much money since 2006. If the moneys not there, then I will file again to run for Congress, and Ill fight there, but I feel in my heart I can do so much if Im attorney general to get us back on track, Gohmert said in Tyler, as the room broke out in applause. The two-term incumbent Ken Paxton already faces three high-profile primary opponents: Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman and state Rep. Matt Krause, R-Fort Worth. He barely got over 50 percent of the vote last time in the general election, Gohmert said. With whats coming, I see a real opportunity for a Democrat to take over. Gohmert highlighted immigration and concerns over how race is being taught in Texas schools as key issues on which Paxton is falling short and that he would tackle as attorney general, although he did not elaborate on what hed do differently. Ive got a lot more experience than he ever thought about having when he ran for attorney general, he said about Paxton. THE MAN BEHIND THE CONGRESS MASK RULE: Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert catches COVID, and criticism Gohmert, who has been in Congress since 2005, is known for being one of the bodys most conservative members. The former state appeals court judge has a reputation for espousing conspiracy theories and making outlandish, sometimes homophobic statements, including comparing homosexuality to bestiality, likening Black Lives Matter protests across the country to the Bolshevik Revolution, the Mao revolution and warning about so-called terror babies being raised to harm Americans. Though former President Donald Trump has already endorsed Paxton, Gohmert is also a loyal Trump ally, like Paxtons other challengers. Gohmert in January filed a lawsuit to force former Vice President Mike Pence to hand the election to Trump when Congress met to count the Electoral College votes; it was quickly dismissed. Hes also defended the people arrested for storming the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as being mostly peaceful Americans. Gohmerts announcement on Tuesday foreshadowed a campaign that would mirror those of Paxtons existing challengers by focusing on Paxtons legal troubles. Paxton has been under indictment since 2015 for felony securities fraud charges and is facing an FBI investigation after being accused of corruption by his top aides last October. He has maintained his innocence in both cases. Gohmert spent the first five minutes of his announcement reading media reports about the allegations of bribery and abuse of office against Paxton by whistleblowers whom he described as honest as there is. Just when our nation needs Texas to be solidly above reproach, we have an attorney general whos been having serious moral, ethical and legal challenges, Gohmert said. And that has put our state in peril. We have got to have an attorney general thats undistracted by moral and legal issues of his own and who can get elected a year from now. He also brought attention to a recent Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation/Rice University poll that found Paxton ahead with about 50 percent support, compared with leading competitor Bushs 17 percent. Paxtons campaign spokesman did not respond to a request for comment on Gohmerts possible entry into the race. RECENT POLLING: Gov. Abbott tied with O'Rourke, holds wide lead in GOP primary, poll finds Gohmert also noted that if Paxton is indicted after the primary, which he said he and others believe is likely to happen, his name cannot be removed from the ballot. Echoing statements that Bush has made on the campaign trail, Gohmert also warned that Paxtons vulnerability could lead to Democrats winning their first statewide election since 1994. Paxton in 2018 won re-election to his second term by the slimmest margin of any Republican statewide official: 3.56 points. A Democratic AG could be particularly problematic, Gohmert said on his website, if there is corruption or voter fraud in 2024 in the states largest urban cities, which lean Democratic. The district attorneys in those counties will likely still be Democrats, the Biden DOJ will still be Democrat-controlled that year, and we cannot afford to have the Texas Attorney General be a Democrat and turn a blind eye to problems Democrats have created, the site reads. taylor.goldenstein@chron.com Cevallos Lofts, the first apartments built with the San Antonio Housing Trust Public Facility Corp. and a project credited with helping to revitalize Southtown, have been sold. NRP Group and the trust recently sold their partnership interests in the 252-unit complex at 301 E. Cevallos St. to Lavoro Capital Holdings, a Dallas investment firm. The trust will continue to own the property and lease it to Lavoro, which is managing and rebranding it as Trove Southtown. The firm plans to update common areas, such as the pool, amenity deck and fitness center, and to add more programming. A spokesperson for the trust didnt immediately respond to an inquiry about the sales price. The transaction allowed for the repayment of about $3.6 million in city loans and generated $3.2 million for the trust. The proceeds will be used for affordable housing initiatives, according to a news release. NRP and the trust received about a dozen offers last spring to buy the complex, which was built in 2011 and is valued at $35.2 million. The public facility corporation, an arm of the San Antonio Housing Trust, was created in 2009 to help finance affordable housing developments. In its deals, the trust buys the land and leases it to a developer, exempting it from property taxes under state law. The developer also does not have to pay sales tax on construction purchases. In exchange, the developer must rent at least half of the units to tenants earning up to 80 percent of the area median income, which is $41,550 annually for one person and $53,400 for a family of three, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. At Trove Southtown, half of the apartments are market-rate, meaning property managers charge whatever rents the market will fetch. A quarter are for tenants earning up to 80 percent of the area median income and another quarter for those earning up to 50 percent of the median income, or $25,950 for one person and $33,350 for a family of three. The affordable option will be extended to 55 years under the deal with Lavoro, instead of 27 years under the previous partnership, according to the housing trust. The trust and NRP came up with the deal structure as a way to spur more market-rate housing in some neighborhoods, attorney Jim Plummer said in a 2018 interview. The late Dan Markson, who spearheaded NRPs Texas operation, was the first developer in the state to use a public facility corporation to build housing. He saw developing whats now known as Trove Southtown as a chance to revitalize an industrial area. People didnt believe that you could prove out the market in that part of town, Debra Guerrero, Marksons friend and colleague, said last year. Dan could see what others couldnt. NRP and the housing trust have since partnered on about a dozen apartment projects. We did Cevallos in partnership with the housing trust at probably one of the worst economic times in the city, Guerrero later said at an April 27 meeting of the housing trust. This is a perfect example of a PFC that was structured based on the needs of the city at the time and really did spur additional development in the area. But others saw the complex differently. Cevallos Lofts represented the first new multifamily construction in the neighborhood in many years and the project is viewed by some as having been critical for demonstrating the financial feasibility of the residential market south of downtown, a 2019 report commissioned by the city noted. Others viewed this same dynamic in a less positive light, expressing the perspective that the Cevallos Lofts led the market toward gentrification, the report continued. The San Antonio housing trust has become a major generator of lower-priced housing since the Southtown apartments construction. It has been part of more deals than any other public facility corporation in Texas, according to a study by the University of Texas School of Law. Public facility corporations have recently come under greater scrutiny, with reports revealing that the housing produced by the entities is often not serving the poorest residents. Proponents of the deal structure say it would not be financially feasible for developers to build lower-priced apartments without the tax benefits the corporations provide. But housing advocates have questioned the level of affordability offered in deals that take developments worth tens of millions of dollars off the tax rolls. The San Antonio trust has recently focused more on apartments at levels below 80 percent of the area median income. City Council members also approved some changes to its governance last summer. madison.iszler@express-news.net SALEM, Ore. (AP) The council of a small Oregon city has approved a deal with Google that will enable the technology giant to build two more water-guzzling data centers there, though some residents worry about drought and secrecy. A single data center can churn through millions of gallons of water per day to keep hot-running equipment cool, and the placement of these facilities in drought-prone areas is an increasing concern around the globe, even as reliance on them is growing. Data centers form the cloud that helps people stream movies, conduct research at the touch of a button, buy things and store photos and videos. Members of the Dalles City Council unanimously approved the $28.5 million deal Monday night. The new data centers would be in addition to the three cavernous facilities Google already has in the town. Google built its first-ever industrial-scale data center in The Dalles in 2006. Google spokeswoman Kate Franko, in a statement issued after the vote, underscored the public's need for data centers. Googles data centers in The Dalles in Wasco County help millions of people find directions, send emails, and search for information every day, said Franko, regional head of data center public affairs. The new data centers would go on the site of a former aluminum smelter, shuttered in 1987, that emitted so much pollution it became a Superfund cleanup site. Along with Googles purchase of the property several years ago, the company also acquired the locales rights to 3.9 million gallons of water per day. We are proud to expand our commitment to the region and continue the cleanup of the former Superfund site, Franko said. Under the deal, Google will transfer its water rights to the city and will build up The Dalles water capacity, including drilling wells, building water mains and developing an aquifer to store water and increase supply during drier periods. How much water the new data centers would use, and how much the existing ones in The Dalles have been using, remains confidential, known only to some city officials and the city council making some residents uneasy. The city says Google considers it a trade secret, and is fighting, via a lawsuit, a public records request for the information filed by The Oregonian/OregonLive, a Portland newspaper. Dave Anderson, public works director for The Dalles, said that while he cannot disclose how much water Google needs for the new data centers, he said it would be less than 3.9 million gallons per day. The city comes out ahead, he said in an interview last month. Some of the council members said they had been disparaged and insulted as they weighed whether to approve the deal. There was some opposition voiced in council meetings and on social media, but no concerted effort was launched in the city of 15,000 to obstruct the deal. When we receive emails and phone calls that call us names and use profanity, thats just not appreciated, Councilor Tim McGlothlin said right before the vote. Were doing our best to represent you. The Dalles is adjacent to the the mighty Columbia River, but the new data centers wouldnt be able to use that water and instead would take water from rivers and groundwater that has gone through the citys water treatment plant. Dawn Rasmussen, who lives on the outskirts of The Dalles and has seen the level of her well-water drop, said during public comments just before the vote that she worries Google would elbow aside residents if water becomes so scarce, because of climate change, that there's not enough for everyone. Anderson assured her that the tech giant would not have priority. I think weve identified that the highest priority is the public health and safety needs of the community. After that, there is shared curtailment, he said. The concerns are understandable in The Dalles, the seat of Wasco County, which is suffering extreme and exceptional drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The region last summer endured its hottest days on record, reaching 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 Celsius) in The Dalles. Three studies related to proposal on water supply and capacity; on needed infrastructure; and on water quality were paid for by Google, Anderson acknowledged. He said the city had a long relationship with two of the companies that did the studies and that the third was a well-established firm. The city ... raised many questions as all three of these studies were being developed, and challenged some initial findings to be sure that our interests were met, he insisted. ___ Follow Andrew Selsky on Twitter at https://twitter.com/andrewselsky FLINT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) Kevin Stiff wants everyone to know that even though Flint Township, where he runs his small business, shares a name with the city that in recent years faced a lead-in-water crisis, they are not the same place. Stiff, who owns The Dive Shop, said that being confused with the city of Flint over the years has cost the township business, and a possible name change allowed under a new state law is that winning lottery number. The confusion in Michigan is not isolated to the Flints. As many as 352 of the state's 1,240 townships share a name with at least one other township. One name, Grant, is shared by 11 townships. That number doesn't include places like Flint Township that share a name with cities or counties. Until recently, townships in Michigan had no authority to change their names, unlike cities and villages. That ended last month when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a law to allow it. Now, if two-thirds of a townships governance board and then a majority of residents approve a new name, the township can rename itself. The new name must remain for at least 25 years before the township is allowed to try and rename again. Flint Township, which shares a border with the city of Flint, has been considering a name change for decades as the neighboring city faced troubles including high crime and poverty. And in 2014, when the Flint water crisis began, Flint Township had people avoiding the township even though the community of 30,000 had it had its own water source. I probably had close to eight or 10 people that did not want to take classes because they were going to get in our pool that had the city of Flint water, said Stiff, whose business offers scuba diving equipment and training. He said he had to get a letter from the health department and show customers bills that proved the township is on a different water system and even that didn't persuade all the people scheduled for classes to still come. Township restaurants had signs in their windows saying the water was not the same as the city's. Small businesses around are closing their doors, you know, I mean, left and right, and Im just trying to survive, said Stiff, who after 36 years in business has no plans to leave. State Rep. David Martin, whose district neighbors the Flints, sponsored the legislation so that all townships in the state could set themselves apart. If you share a same name, and say you have a toxic spill or something terrible happens in your community and youre trying to attract economic development, that could be a deterrent, the Genesee County Republican said. It's more than economic, township officials say. When the city of Flint held a recall election in 2017 of then-Mayor Karen Weaver, over 100 people called the township clerk to complain that there weren't enough polling places even though the vote was only for city residents, said Jerry Preston, who heads a committee to consider a name change. The Civil War was a driving factor in many of Michigan's duplicate township names, said Catherine Mullhaupt, an attorney with the Michigan Townships Association. Of the 11 townships that share a name with five townships or more, six of them are believed to be connected to people from the Civil War era. The state has 11 Grant townships, nine Sherman townships and eight Lincoln townships, according to the association. When Union Army veterans returned from the war, many who served under Ulysses S. Grant, who led the Union Army to victory, wanted to honor him, said Steven Ramold, an Eastern Michigan University professor. The state likely allowed the duplications because it was less confusing at the time for rural townships with limited connections to have the same names. Veterans in different parts of the state, perhaps unaware that a Grant, Sherman, or other name had already been used, organized their own township with the name they preferred," Ramold said. When Grant became president, I imagine the desire to have ones locality named for him became even more desirable." Flint Township for decades has looked at over 100 names, with Carman Hills, in honor of one of the town's settling families, being a front-runner. Stiff said he hopes that the name will get changed to something that distinguishes the community. Theres a lot of people in outlying areas, Detroit and Brighton and Lansing that go, 'I dont want to go to Flint. And thats not good," Stiff said. "I tell them all the time were not Flint. ___ Anna Liz Nichols 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. FAIRFIELD Two students were sent to the hospital Tuesday afternoon after their bus crashed into a tree, police said. Around 2:30 p.m., a school bus containing four Fairfield Public Schools students hit a tree on Mountain Laurel Road near Stroll Rock Common in Fairfield, police Lt. Edward Weihe said. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Partly cloudy and windy. High around 50F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 41F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Shown: Frank Sinatra in "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962), a fictional treatment of the Red Scare. For progressives, the era illustrates the right's "paranoid style," but today the style fits them. By Eric Felten, RealClearInvestigations November 9, 2021 These are anxious times. Peril stalks the nation. Focused on the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol, the left warns that the institutions of government are under assault by shadowy, treasonous forces. Not that it necessarily matters: As environmental activists assure us, imminent cataclysm threatens the very survival of life on this planet. Traitors conspire with the nations enemies, foreign and domestic. The Constitution is in crisis, threatened by white supremacists whose systemic racism has turned the parents of grade-schoolers into domestic terrorists. The woke feel unsafe and look to government to protect them, whether with anti-COVID mask mandates or a federal presence at local school board meetings. Atlantic staff writer Jennifer Senior recently asked Hillary Clinton whether her critics evinced a persistent paranoid style. Senior was clearly referencing the famous evisceration of the right by historian Richard Hofstadter. Delivered first as a lecture in 1963 and then published as an essay in 1964, The Paranoid Style in American Politics made the case that conservatives were prone to kooky conspiracies. Theres always been a kind of paranoid streak in American politics, Clinton replied in a slight misquote. But she has earned the right to garble Hofstadters core principle: After all, she has done more than anyone in half a century to demonstrate that Hofstadter, at least as he is exalted in the lefts popular imagination, was wrong. Whether in imagining a vast right-wing conspiracy out to destroy her philandering husband, or in claiming she lost the 2016 election because Vladimir Putin had been conspiring with Donald Trump for five or more years to deliver the vote to the Republican, Hillary Clinton demonstrated the left was every bit as capable of divining conspiracies as the right. In the paranoid style, Hofstadter wrote, the feeling of persecution is central and it is indeed systematized in grandiose theories of conspiracy. How grandiose? For Hofstadter, the key word, and one repeated throughout his essay, is vast. He writes that the central image in the minds of the paranoid stylists is that of a vast and sinister conspiracy, a gigantic and yet subtle machinery of influence set in motion to undermine and destroy a way of life. The historians archetypical paranoiac was Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who in 1951 declared that men high in this government are concerting to deliver us to disaster and that the communist menace must be the product of a great conspiracy, a conspiracy on a scale so immense as to dwarf any previous such venture in the history of man. The Paranoid Style of the Left Hofstadter lives on in the lefts zeal for right-bashing. Paul Krugmans 2018 New York Times essay The Paranoid Style in G.O.P. Politics is but one of many examples. Is the paranoid style really the province primarily of the right? A deeper dive into his thesis suggests that the tendency toward paranoia is not the sole possession of the heirs to a demagogic Wisconsin Republican with an unhealthy fondness for libation. If anything, the modern militants of the paranoid style may be found disproportionately on the left. Hofstadter argues that the paranoid style of the 50s and 60s is an extension of a long, nasty-minded tradition in American thought. In the early days of the republic, the French Revolution occasioned much puffed-up concern about sneaky, Jacobinical Illuminati. The preachers denouncing this mysterious menace warned that, without action, the nations daughters would become concubines of the Illuminati. Those denouncing the Illuminati, Hofstadter argues, illustrate the central preconception of the paranoid style the existence of a vast, insidious, preternaturally effective international conspiratorial network designed to perpetrate acts of the most fiendish character. Masons and Catholics were targeted by paranoid leaders in the 1830s. It wasnt enough, for those working in the paranoid style, to suggest that secret societies such as the Masons might not be a great idea. The paranoid fashion was to go to 11. Hofstadter gives as an example a book from the period, Light on Masonry, that declares the organization to be the most dangerous institution that ever was imposed on man, an engine of Satan ... dark, unfruitful, selfish, demoralizing, blasphemous, murderous, anti-republican and anti-Christian. Catholics came in for much the same treatment as the rabble were roused by tales of licentious convents and monasteries, according to Hofstadter. Anti-Catholicism has always been the pornography of the puritan. So, given that history, as articulated by the lefts go-to maven of paranoid style, is it a surprise that former British spy Christopher Steele baited the anti-Trump puritans with pornographic tales involving peeing prostitutes in Moscow? Trumps behavior has included perverted sexual acts which have been arranged/monitored by the FSB [Russian intelligence], Steele claimed. His report stated that Russians had exploited Trumps sexual perversion. Steele would use the oddly anachronistic accusation more than once, marking the one-time MI6 man as a vice-squad kind of spy. It was long a trope of anti-communists to accuse the enemy of various perversions. The tendency was parodied in Dr. Strangelove. I think you're some kind of deviated prevert, Col. Bat Guano says, leveling his weapon at Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake. I think General Ripper found out about your preversion, and that you were organizing some kind of mutiny of preverts. Or consider the communist villain of The Manchurian Candidate, the overbearing Mrs. Eleanor Iselin (Angela Lansbury in the 1962 film). Beneath her respectable, and in the film even matronly, outward appearance lurks a Communist pervert who betrays her country and harbors an incestuous desire for her son, Michael Butter writes in Plots, Designs, and Schemes: American Conspiracy Theories from the Puritans to the Present. Militants in the paranoid style see their enemy as a perfect model of malice, a kind of amoral Superman, sinister, ubiquitous, powerful, cruel, sensual, luxury loving, Hofstadter writes. His list of evils here, though nearly 60 years old, sounds remarkably modern. It could have been drawn up by one of the House impeachment managers to denounce then-President Trump. One might challenge Hofstadter, not by questioning whether there is a paranoid style in America, but by asking whether there is anything unique about the tinfoil hats worn in the United States. There is a paranoid style in America and everywhere else! Jonah Goldberg tells RealClearInvestigations. Virtually every society in the world has conspiracy theories and America is pretty average on that score. Not only is paranoid thinking widespread geographically; Yale professor of political science Steven Smith tells RCI that looking for plots real or imagined has been commonplace across the centuries. Machiavelli, he says, is probably the first great theorist of conspiracy. Smith points to Machiavellis Discourses on Livy and says that it can be read as saying conspiracy is the essence of politics. What sovereign can afford to ignore intrigues in his court? The insecure ruler turns diffident, as Thomas Hobbes put it, striking out at potential enemies before they have the chance to strike first. Ruling regimes can never take their authority for granted, as revolutions, plebiscites, and palace coups are ever present possibilities, writes Hofstadter biographer David S. Brown, making the case that to call all such worries paranoid is to oversimplify psychology. That, as anyone who has read his Shakespeare will know, can lead to some ugly outcomes. Combine fear and power and, Brown writes, you end up with the sort of ruler known to purge whole populations, draw up elaborate lists of enemies, and fill [his] councils with pliant yes men. Even that may not be paranoid enough, as the careful king keeps a particularly watchful eye on the toadies. Brown writes that paranoia is a slippery concept, one that can be used indiscriminately to pathologize political opposition. Or as Goldberg puts it, The paranoid style is really a clever attempt to put conservatives on the couch and treat conservatism as a kind of mental defect or disorder. William F. Buckley Jr. griped that Hofstadter analyzed liberal tendencies, but diagnosed the right. Its true against the long history of conspiracy mongering, Hofstadter believed there was something unique about the anti-communist agitators of the 1940s and 50s, a willingness to suspect eminent public figures like Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower of participating in conspiracies. John Birch Society founder Robert W. Welch Jr. believed Eisenhower to be a conscious, dedicated agent of Communist Conspiracy. The paranoids predecessors, Hofstadter writes, discovered foreign conspiracies; the modern radical right finds that conspiracy also embraces betrayal at home. But in our time you dont have to look to the radical right for such claims of conspiracies. Consider the titles of some of the books produced from the left over the last few years: The Plot to Betray America: How Team Trump Embraced Our Enemies, Compromised Our Security, and How We Can Fix It; Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show; Proof of Collusion: How Trump Betrayed America; Corporate Conspiracies: How Wall Street Took Over Washington. Hofstadter writes that the paranoids of the right have contempt for the cosmopolitan intellectual, but then try to outdo the sophisticates they loathe by loading up their arguments with the apparatus of scholarship, even of pedantry. As an example, Hofstadter pointed to the pseudo-sophisticated, ersatz scholarship of Tailgunner Joe. McCarthys 96-page pamphlet McCarthyism contains no less than 313 footnote references, Hofstadter marveled. The entire right-wing movement of our time is a parade of experts, study groups, monographs, footnotes, and bibliographies. But then isnt the Steele dossier just such an exercise? There is this one difference: The dossiers author contrived to make his reports seem real, not by presenting them in the forms of scholarly study, but instead in the format of intelligence reports. At the top and bottom of each page is a security designation, as if the document had been created by a government agency. CONFIDENTIAL/SENSITIVE SOURCE embellishes COMPANY INTELLIGENCE REPORT 2016/080. There are the British security service formatting tics last names are in all-capital letters and first names in lower-case letters, except for an initial capital. For example, Donald TRUMP and Vladimir PUTIN conspire, not Donald Trump or (as the FBI would put it) VLADIMIR PUTIN. The fantastical nature of the paranoid militants conclusions, Hofstadter argues, leads to heroic strivings for evidence to prove that the unbelievable is the only thing that can be believed. The dossier occasioned no shortage of heroic strivings for elusive proof of the unbelievable. In the year before the Special Counsel Robert Mueller's report was released, it became clear that dozens, if not scores, of reporters had been sent to Prague to ask seemingly every hotel manager, desk clerk, concierge, and maid whether they had seen and at this point you can imagine the reporter holding up a picture of Trump lawyer Michael Cohen this man. For those perplexed by the end-times obsessions the contemporary left brings to issue after issue that were on the verge of mass violence, a breakdown of federal authority, and the division of the country into warring red and blue enclaves(Robert Kagan) or that there is a climate emergency and Our House Is on Fire (Greta Thunberg) there is an explanation, the one that Hofstadter originally applied to the right. The paranoid spokesman sees the fate of this conspiracy in apocalyptic terms, Hofstadter writes, he traffics in the birth and death of whole worlds. It is now or never with the paranoiacs. Time is forever just running out. Paranoid militants are like religious millenarians, Hofstadter writes. They are sometimes disposed to set a date for the apocalypse but usually stop short. Take a recent article by Jeff Goodell at Rolling Stone, where a mundane Capitol Hill budget squabble is presented as a doomsday device: West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin just cooked the planet. I dont mean that in a metaphorical sense. I mean that literally. As Hofstadter said of mid-century militants of the right, Goodell stops just short of declaring it to be too late: Unless Manchin changes his negotiating position dramatically in the near future, he will be remembered as the man who, when the moment of decision came, chose to condemn virtually every living creature on Earth to a hellish future of suffering, hardship, and death. Suffering. Death. Hell. Youd think that you were listening to a fire-and-brimstone preacher selling salvation under a tent. But thats exactly, Hofstadter said, what one should expect from militants in the paranoid style. Apocalyptic warnings arouse passion and militancy and strike at susceptibility to similar themes in Christianity, Hofstadter wrote. Such warnings served somewhat the same function as a description of the horrible consequences of sin in a revivalist sermon: they portray that which impends but which may still be avoided. Hofstadter was describing the apocalypticism of the McCarthyite right. But now it serves as a perfect explanation for the eschatological character of panicked environmentalists, desperate Trump haters, and Clintonites convinced of vast conspiracies. A further pull on progressives paranoia hair trigger is found in Hegels arc of history, a powerful influence on Marx, says the conservative writer Steven Hayward of U.C. Berkeleys law school. When you think progress has a definite (leftist) shape to it, any deviation from that progress has to be some kind of historical error, and causes, forces, or people behind it must be malevolent, Haywood tells RCI. This is why the left reacts as it does whenever an election or other large event doesn't go their way. If history has a side and that side isnt winning, it must be for nefarious reasons. Jonah Goldberg makes a similar argument. Liberals tend to believe that governing is a science, that their public policy is simply empirically correct, true, and good, he tells RCI. So when they fall short of their goals, they immediately think some factor outside of reason and science must be to blame. This causes them to look for people with bad motives to blame. Still, as Yales Smith tells RealClearInvestigations: Sometimes conspiracy mongering is just that mongering and sometimes it isnt. It may be true that all conspiracy theorists seem a little crazy, but this doesnt mean that there arent conspiracies. The antebellum South is a case in point, says Jesse Walker, author of The United States of Paranoia. There, plantation owners embraced conspiracy theories in which their slaves, perhaps guided by outside agitators, were allegedly plotting to overthrow the social order. Those Southerners werent wrong, which goes to show that conspiracies are not always imagined, nor always evil or sinister. They may be organized in the most worthy of causes. John Brown, after all, was surreptitiously funded by abolitionists who came to be known as the Secret Six, an undercover operation almost the epitome of a conspiracy. Its the type of situation that gave rise to the old joke: What do you call someone who is paranoid? Perceptive. (The Center Square) Despite reassuring statements made last May by U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, President Joe Bidens administration is studying the potential closure of Line 5 as fuel prices continue to rise. The Biden administration now is collecting information on Line 5 before making any final determination on the pipelines fate. The president signed an executive order to revoke permits for the Keystone XL pipeline last January, which would have transported hydrocarbons from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. Additionally, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel have been aggressively litigating to shut down the portion of Line 5 that spans five miles of the Lake Michigan lakebed. The governor also wants to cancel construction of a proposed $500 million tunnel beneath the lake bed that would replace the current five-mile section, which would be paid for entirely by Enbridge, the Canadian company that owns and operates Line 5. Line 5 transports approximately 540,000 gallons of hydrocarbons from Canada into Wisconsin and across Michigans Upper Peninsula. From there, Line 5 continues across approximately five miles of Lake Michigan lakebed, across the Lower Peninsula and across Lake Huron into Sarnia, Canada. Granholm, who previously served as Michigan governor from 2003 to 2011, spoke last May about the safety of transporting hydrocarbons by pipeline as opposed to railroads, shipping and highways. The DOE secretary was addressing the media regarding the cyber-attack on the Colonial Pipeline, which transports hydrocarbons from Texas to New York. The cyber-attack temporarily caused a massive fuel shortage last spring. "So this particular area of the country there this is why we have doubled down on ensuring that theres an ability to truck oil in gas in," Granholm answered a reporter at the time. "But its the pipe is the best way to go." In a nationally broadcast interview last week, Granholm acknowledged home energy costs will rise this winter, but, when questioned whether she would advise increasing U.S. oil production, answered: That is hilarious. As you know, of course, oil is a global market. 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. In the meantime, gasoline prices in Michigan have increased more than 50% since January, and home-heating costs are anticipated to also escalate by 50%. Jason Hayes, director of environmental policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, has warned of steeply rising fuel prices and, worse, fuel shortages that will be felt the most severely by low-income and rural households. As we enter the winter months and temperatures drop across the Midwest, the termination of Line 5 will undoubtedly further exacerbate shortages and price increases in home heating fuels like natural gas and propane at a time when Americans are already facing rapidly rising energy prices, steep home heating costs, global supply shortages, and skyrocketing gas prices, more than a dozen U.S. representatives from the Midwest wrote in a letter to Biden last week. To fight the closure plan, the Canadian government has invoked a 1977 international treaty, which reads, in part: No public authority in the territory of either Party shall institute any measures, other than those provided for in Article V, which are intended to, or which would have the effect of, impeding, diverting, redirecting or interfering with in any way the transmission of hydrocarbon in transit. Daniel Turner, founder and executive director of Power The Future, a national nonprofit think tank focused on energy issues, responded to reports the Biden administration might shutter Line 5. Turner noted the Biden administration last week issued sanctions against one ship and two companies affiliated with the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which extends from Russia to Germany. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. The Biden Administration's stubborn and wrong-headed opposition to pipelines has, in less than a year, transformed America from energy independent to begging foreign cartels to produce more supply, Turner said in a statement. From Keystone to Nordstream 2 to now Line 5, it is clear that this Administration will stop at nothing to keep the lunatic fringe left among their rapidly shrinking group of supporters. With leadership like this, it should come as no surprise that gas prices are hitting all-time highs at the same time Biden's approval sinks to 38 percent." Clarkson's Farm, Brexit and the pandemic have brought to the fore the need for farmers to diversity in these increasingly uncertain times, according to Eleanor Rattay, partner at BHW Solicitors. The implications of both Brexit and Covid-19 have imposed further restrictions on farmers who are looking to make a comfortable living. Additionally, with the younger generation losing interest in farming in the modern world, drastic steps need to be taken to preserve British farming. It will come as no surprise that farmers have experienced hardship due to the UKs departure from the EU, combined with the unforeseen effects of the pandemic. And while this suffering may not have come directly as a result of these events, it has certainly been accelerated because of such. This is coupled with some factors which have always affected farmers ability to make progressive change. Perhaps one of the most significant impacts on farmers has always been the restrictions and legal stipulations regarding planning permissions required for most farm upgrades, changes of use and other diversification in aid of profitability. With such regulations changing rapidly, it can be difficult for farmers to keep up and know what it is they need to do. Changes that would benefit the farmer may also meet with opposition from the local community. Additionally, for many British farms, there are land-specific issues surrounding restrictive covenants and overage provisions. This can make land difficult to sell or to develop, as it would either be prohibited by restrictive covenants or trigger overage payments to a third party. Regarding Brexit, the most obvious drawbacks for the industry aside from the phased withdrawal of the Basic Payment Scheme are fuel prices, nitrogen production and the consequential price of fertiliser. Last year, fertiliser was sold for in the region of 260 a tonne, but at the time of writing it is around 520 a tonne and it is only continuing to go up in price. At the moment, it is only Russia that can produce cheap nitrogen, highlighting the difficulty surrounding local sourcing. The recent HGV driver crisis also exacerbates such issues, for example preventing essential seeds being delivered to farms due to the transport simply being unavailable. There was once a dependency on EU workers to fulfil the needs in this sector, however, like many other industries, farming has been hit hard by economic migration caused by Brexit. The phasing out of the Direct Payments by progressive reductions under the Basic Payment Scheme began this year and will have reached culmination by 2027. For many farmers this is a significant loss of income. The UK government says the money that was used for Direct Payments will instead be invested in new schemes supporting sustainable farming and the countryside, but no one is sure what this will mean in real income terms for farmers. Farming isnt just about tending to the land, livestock and produce it is inevitably linked to logistics. This includes lorry drivers and couriers where produce is shipped and received onshore and offshore. The price at which food is sold is also critical, and there are many in the industry who believe this has been too low for years. The younger generation and the future of agriculture Currently, in Wales, only 3% of farmers are aged under 35, and the percentage of those aged under 25 who run a farm has dropped by around 63%. With such a decline in young people entering into the industry, more needs to be done to encourage people to muck in to support this rewarding and essential line of work. Conveniently, the hit Amazon TV series Clarksons Farm, starring and narrated by the ex-Top Gear host himself, has helped to shine a generally positive spotlight on farming, providing viewers at home with a real-life representation of farm life. It is accurate representations of farm life such as this that demonstrates both the highs and lows of farming, revealing how there is so much more involved than just tending to crops and animals and that in fact, farming often requires a business-savvy mind to thrive - all of which may appeal to entrepreneurial young people. Despite what seems like a bleak situation, there are still steps farmers can take to diversify their land and offering to increase profitability. For example, subject to planning consent, farmers may convert parts of their land to accommodate storage units, holiday lettings, weddings, glamping, dog walking fields and farm shops. Alternative energy installations such as solar parks and wind farms are also popular. As far as standard farming is concerned, the current margins are simply too small for many farmers to survive. With no increase on the horizon, farmers can look to diversification to help to boost yearly profits in a bid to survive in the modern age. A ground-breaking feed additive that reduces methane produced by cattle by at least 30% will be manufactured in North Ayrshire for global use. As the second week of COP26 gets underway in Glasgow, nutrition company Royal DSM has unveiled plans for a large-scale feed facility at its Dalry site. There, global production will start of its feed addictive Bovaer, which the Dutch firm says will help farmers in the UK and around the world meet net-zero targets on emissions. Just a quarter teaspoon of Bovaer per cow per day consistently reduces enteric methane emission by approximately 30% for dairy cows and up to 90% for beef cows, according to DSM. Scientists agree that reducing methane emissions is an important lever to reach the Paris Agreement target of maximum 1.5 degree warming, especially since methanes warming effect is shorter lived and more potent than CO2. At the Dalry site, more than 300 people are currently employed by manufacturing the feed additive, but this number is anticipated to grow by 10% as preparatory work on the new plant is underway, set to be operational by 2025. Royal DSM made the announcement following a meeting today (9 November) with Scotlands First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the COP26 summit. She said methane reducing feed additives were a 'crucial' part of the solutions that the agriculture sector needed to deploy towards achieving climate ambitions. "This multi million pound investment will make Scotland the home of this innovative product and highlights that Scotland is leading the way in delivering a net zero future," she said. Im pleased to also welcome this boost to the Scottish economy, securing the Dalry sites long-term future and safeguarding more than 300 existing jobs with an anticipated increase of job numbers of around 10%. "We will also see between 100 and 150 construction jobs created over two years. Program director at DSM, Mark van Nieuwland added: We are looking forward to offering a scientifically proven effective solution to the challenge of methane emissions by farming. "We know the agricultural and livestock sectors recognise this opportunity for change and are eager to act." British dairy farmers will be taking to the streets of London this weekend to showcase their role in producing food while working toward a net zero future. After a postponement last year due to the pandemic, the historic Lord Mayors Show returns on Saturday (7 November) and the Worshipful Company of Farmers dairy-themed entry will take centre stage. The parade gives the industry an opportunity to demonstrate to spectators in London, and to the millions watching on television, how British farmers produce some of the most sustainable food in the world. This year, an impressive state-of-the-art New Holland T6 tractor - the worlds first 100% methane powered production tractor - will star in the parade. This will be alongside a New Holland forage harvester, as well as a trailer showcasing a display of imitation cows in a milking parlour. A supermarket fridge will highlight the range of high quality, nutritious and sustainable British dairy, from milk and cheese to butter and cream. Master of the Worshipful Company of Farmers Karen Mercer said: This year we are delighted to be highlighting the role of the British dairy sector and its important role in producing the best quality food for your table every day of the year. The public have been told to look out for the Worshipful Company of Farmers entry, serial number 87, in the procession, during the live BBC coverage of the Lord Mayors Show from 10.30am. Joining the Worshipful Company of Farmers will be the NFUs group of Student and Young Farmer Ambassadors, Red Tractor farmers, and youngsters from Surrey Docks Farm. NFU Deputy President Stuart Roberts added: We cant wait to get back on to the streets of London and support the Worshipful Company of Farmers for what promises to be another fantastic Lord Mayors Show. And with Saturdays procession taking place just as the COP26 event in Glasgow comes to an end, we will also be highlighting how Britains farmers are part of the solution in fighting climate change." NFU Scotland has called for the dairy supply chain to deliver farmgate milk price increases to ensure farmer confidence ahead of a costly winter. The plea, made by the union's Milk Committee, comes at a time when milk volumes are reducing and on farm costs rising. It has urged the supply chain to send greater confidence back down to primary producers in the form of increased farmgate milk prices. Committee chair Gary Mitchell, a dairy farmer from Stranraer, said inputs and labour costs were 'escalating at an alarming rate of knots, so processors and retailers need to act now'. In the past couple of weeks, we have seen milk prices make positives moves, but this is not across the board and all dairy farmers must start seeing an increase in their milk price immediately," he said. When I hear some farmers report that their milk price still begins with a 'two' then I know these farms must be struggling to keep their heads above water, never mind run businesses which require huge amounts of investment. The union's committee warned that failure to send positive price signals may see a further decline in dairy farmers in Scotland. Last week AHDB released their October 2021 producer figures based on the number of levy paying farmers and only 8,000 herds remain in Britain, with 310 dairy farmers having quit in the past 12 months. This is against the backdrop that Scotland now only has 836 herds, and this figure may further reduce when the Scottish Dairy Cattle Association release their figures in the next few weeks. According to Mr Mitchell, calls for a price increase for all are justified. The UK average farmgate milk price for September 2021 was 31.72 pence per litre, representing a 1.4% increase on August 2021. Spot milk is currently trading well into the 40ppl's but, more significantly, it has been trading above 30ppl since July. Further afield, it is now five rises in the past six on the Global Dairy Trade auction, reflecting the strong demand for dairy products across the world. But Mr Mitchell said not all farmers were seeing the benefits of the positive market price indicators, and this needed to change. For too long, 30 pence per litre has been seen as the great target for dairy farmers," he added. "With rising costs on labour, feed, fertiliser and fuel and a constant demand for additional capital investment projects to stay in touch with industry demands, then it is not too ridiculous to suggest that 40ppl is the new 30ppl. A rising star Actress Ava Torres of Richmond watches herself perform on a monitor above the camera on the set of The Quest for Tom Sawyers Gold last mont It was a Tuesday afternoon when another photo depicting Ava Torres smiling face, with the superimposed word BOOKED, appeared in peoples social media feeds. This time, the 10-year-old Richmond actress who was just with her mother in Oklahoma so she could shoot her scenes for the feature film The Quest for Tom Sawyers Gold will appear in another film, a romance-comedy called Match Me If You Can. By the way, this announcement came only two days after another report of Torres being recognized by the Skyline Performer Awards for her performance in the film Hard to Place. Social media announcements such as these have been commonplace for the young actress, who said the school year is treating her quite well, being an elementary upperclassman has its perks, and shes enjoying the rights-of-passage memories she is making with her friends. Not to mention a producer she worked with before on a movie wants her for another part. I might be able to do more green screen work, which makes me very happy, said Torres, an energetic fireball who isnt shy about letting her bountiful personality loose on people. And its this very personality, in combination with her acting chops, that landed Torres more than two dozen commercial and film projects since 2018. Her most recent works this past year include family adventures, dramas, thriller, horror, and drama-romance-thriller projects. And a fantasy-drama, adds her mother, referring to the film The Third Bedroom, a film she said, is just so beautiful and has a lot of heart to it. She has big dreams, Ashlea said, her words laced with amusement, protection, and pride. Bigger than what her 46 frame can handle, so I have to tame that down a bit because she would be on a set every single day if she could. Its understandable why Torres is eager to perform, though; the films shes acted in are earning recognition, and Torres is drawing attention. Torres role as Emma in Hard to Place, not only earned her recognition with the Skyline Performer Awards, she was also bestowed with The Nova Star Award for Best Lead Actress in a Short Film. Torres joyfully recounts how her parents and sister went crazy, and so did [she] when she won the award. My dad popped confetti poppers as soon as they called my name, she said, explaining there is a video recording of said moment which is so funny to watch. Considering it was her first award for acting, Torres said it was an experience she is super thankful for and that [she] will always remember. To say we are proud of her does not even come close to how we feel, said her mother. Ashlea added that said shes equally excited about her daughters more recent projects being released. Im excited to see where those performances take her, she said. PLENTY OF PROJECTS Torres will appear in several feature films releasing at the end of this year and in 2022 four feature films and two short films that will show in theaters and stream on Amazon Prime, HULU, and Disney Plus. The Rickety Man, in which Torres plays the lead character, Mathilda, premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in France. It also premiered this month at the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood for the Screamfest Horror Film Festival. Last month, around the time of the festival, Torres announced to her fans that HorrOrigins awarded her Best Actress Short Film for her role as Mathilda. What an honor! Were sending high fives to the entire TRM film fam! How cool is this?! Torres posted to her Instagram account. Additionally, the feature film American Cherry is winning prestigious awards in the international film festival market, and the short film Radley was accepted at the Oscar-nominated Rhode Island International film festival in August. Torres is also still being filmed for Washingtons Armor, a movie trilogy, and the short film Smeared, which she acts in, is in pre-production. And during all of these experiences, Torres has been learning life lessons, having fun, and gaining wisdom. Being quick-witted and imaginative as an actress, for example, is beneficial, said Torres, who experienced this first-hand when she played a character in Guardians of Time. The film came with a 130-page script and Torres character was one of the leads. I had so much to memorize, she said. She aimed to recall each word as designed but admittedly had a bit of difficulty, so when she forgot, [she] would ad-lib and just go with it. Mr. Steve (the director) let me do that, Torres explained. He was so nice and so patient with me, and he totally understood [...] thats the cool thing about being an actress. I can use that, and it helps me. I am a good ad-libber, and I can improvise pretty good, too. Torres also learned how to push through the bitter taste of disappointment. Ive learned good lessons on how to move on when I dont get a project that I worked really hard on, she said. Like, going all the way to a director/producer session after a million rounds of self-tapes and Zoom auditions then not booking the role. Everything happens for a reason, she concluded. But on a lighter note, Torres also understands the benefits of being observant. Listening and understanding whats going on, she clarified. Im interested in everything about set life. I love it so much, and Ive learned a lot. Like when she was on the set of The Rickety Man, and the actors were in a scene where Mathilda (Torres character) is heard but not seen. Torres asks her fellow actors: Are we doing wild lines? Wild lines (also referred to as wild track or wild sounds) is an audio recording that will be synchronized with video but is recorded separately. And they all looked at each other and were like: How in the world does she know what that means? Torres recalled. She knows all the lingo of the film industry, her mother said with a laugh. STILL BEING JUST AVA In an exclusive interview with The Herald a year ago, Torres described herself as just Ava. She said she considered herself to be like any other kid in her neighborhood. The only difference is she has been acting in film for a few years. She is s a bundle of creative energy who loves her family, friends, and the exposure to the world that she is experiencing through acting. She uses phrases like Oh, cheese, when slightly distressed; gushed over her Pecan Grove Elementary teachers Mr. Ingersoll and Ms. Bungo, because they are nice and funny; and she enjoys learning new facts. She kindly shares one: the Northern Lights are caused by gases. Can you believe that? she said amused. Gases! Torres also sets the big sister standard. When filming Wonder London, Torres asked one of the directors if her little sister, Alex, could appear in the film as an extra during a climactic scene. The director agreed. So they got to experience that together, said their mother. Plus, Alex got to see Big Sis in action. Despite her multiple projects and a career trajectory that seems to continue upward, Torres is a humble soul. She loves art and music and, when time allows, she makes home movies with her sister Alex. She also makes movies of her pup Petunia. She gets excited when talking about her friends Lily, Georgie, Jennifer, and a ton other friends because of the fun they have together. And to those who may be wondering, yes, Torres is still considering screenwriting. I am writing right now, said the creative actress. How it All Happened, The Rickety Man 2, and A Girl and Her Dog. But she has some new dreams and goals, too, Torres notes. I have a million more, and when I say a million, I do mean a million. Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar is now a part of a UNICEF youth campaign, YuWaah, the vision of which is to empower the youth of India to set the ball rolling on the countrys progress. Chhillar, who is all set to make her Bollywood debut in period drama Prithviraj opposite Akshay Kumar, said to a portal that the youth are like those sparks that light lamps. She believes that the benefits of what will be sowed today will be reaped in the years to come. India has more than 300 million young people, and by preparing them for the transition to work, the potential for Indias progress would be unlimited, she said. Charting out the roadmap for achieving certain goals for the transformation of the country, Chhillar said the need to build new-age skills in young people was urgent, as is the need to provide them with decent opportunities to earn a livelihood. To her mind, younger people have fresher perspectives and new ideas that can be applied to the most compelling problems. This UNICEF campaign will provide them with a platform to share their ideas and take them forward. The former Miss World pointed out that she has had this experience before where people would bring forward their big and small ideas on a common platform and organisations with the resources to bring the ideas to life would come forward extending their support. This will not just help the society at large, but also be a learning experience for that young person, she said, indicating that the younger generation should soon step up and become decision makers for themselves. For far too long, adults have made the decisions for young people, and the time is now to involve them in decision-making, especially about them and their future, she concluded. Also Read: Creator Neha Nagar Puts Up Content On Finance & Taxation And It Is A Hit! Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category Karan Johar, Kangana Ranaut, Ekta Kapoor, Adnan Sami and many more were honoured with the Padma Shri award last evening in Delhi the fourth highest civilian award in our country. To be conferred with this honour is a big achievement and no wonder Karan Johar got emotional with his big win. Karan Johar took to his Instagram and shared a couple of pictures where we see him flaunting the badge. He penned down a note where he says that if his father and producer Yash Johar was present today he would have been very proud of him. He further added that his babies Yash and Roohi asked him about the badge and he had a sweet reply to them. His caption reads, About last evening. A truly memorable moment in my life.. I knew I would have made my father so proud and was so happy to have my mom there by my side. My babies asked me dada you won a medal? and I replied yes I did I hope you do too one day !! The #padmashri Humbled and honoured. thank you @manishmalhotra05 for styling the evening for me . Now that is truly sweet. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Karan Johar (@karanjohar) Karan Johar is currently also busy filming his next Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani which has some of the biggest stars right from Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt to Dharmendra, Shabana Azmi and Jaya Bachchan. CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - Japan is scheduled to release a numbers of reports on Tuesday, headlining a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are September figures for average cash earnings and current account, as well as October numbers for bank lending and the eco watchers survey, The current account is expected to show a surplus of 1,060.1 billion yen, down from 1,665.6 billion yen in August. Bank lending was up 0.6 percent on year in September, while the eco watchers survey for current conditions had a score of 42.1 and the outlook was at 56.6. Singapore will see October results for its consumer confidence index; in September, the index score was 95.5. The Philippines will release September figures for industrial production and Q3 numbers for gross domestic product. GDP is expected to rise 1.4 percent on quarter and 4.6 percent on year after slipping 1.3 percent on quarter and 11.8 percent on year in the second quarter. Australia will see October results for the business confidence index from NAB and for new home sales from HIA. In September, the business confidence index had a score of +13, while new home sales gained 2.3 percent on month. 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. Premium of 23 % to the closing price and 29 % to the 20-day volume-weighted-average price, respectively, on November 8, 2021 for Pretivm shareholders % % Option to select cash or Newcrest shares, subject to proration Opportunity to retain exposure to Brucejack, while gaining exposure to Newcrest's diversified portfolio of high-quality, long life, tier one assets Newcrest is a respected partner of the First Nations in northwest British Columbia Newcrest intends to pursue growth with continued investment in Brucejack Offer unanimously recommended by Pretivm's Board of Directors Investor conference call at 3:30 pm PT (6:30 pm ET) November 8, 2021 VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX/NYSE: PVG) ("Pretivm" or the "Company") today announced that it has entered into a binding agreement (the "Arrangement Agreement") with Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX/TSX/PNGX: NCM) ("Newcrest") under which Newcrest has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Pretivm that it does not already own (the "Transaction"). Pursuant to the transaction, Pretivm shareholders will have the option to elect to receive C$18.50 per Pretivm share in cash or 0.8084 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share, representing share consideration of C$18.50 based on the Canadian dollar equivalent of the 5 day volume-weighted-average-price (VWAP) of Newcrest shares on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) ending on November 8, 2021, subject to proration to ensure aggregate cash and Newcrest share consideration each represent 50% of total transaction consideration (the "Transaction Price"). Pretivm shareholders who do not elect cash or Newcrest shares (subject to proration) will receive default consideration of C$9.25 per Pretivm share in cash and 0.4042 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share. The Transaction Price represents a premium of 23% and 29% to the closing price and the 20-day VWAP, respectively, of Pretivm's shares on the TSX as at November 8, 2021. The total equity value pursuant to the Transaction is approximately C$3.5 billion on a fully diluted basis. Newcrest currently owns approximately 4.8% of Pretivm's shares. If consummated, the Transaction would result in Pretivm shareholders owning approximately 8% of Newcrest, on a fully diluted basis. "The acquisition of Pretivm by Newcrest is an outstanding opportunity for the Company and its shareholders, employees, First Nations partners and the local communities in northwest British Columbia," said Jacques Perron, President & CEO of Pretivm. "The Transaction delivers an immediate and compelling premium for Pretivm shareholders that reflects the excellent work of our employees and contractors in developing and operating the Brucejack gold mine, while also offering an opportunity to benefit from potential upside as Newcrest shareholders." "With this acquisition, Brucejack will join Newcrest's portfolio of tier one assets, mitigating the inherent risks associated with ownership of a single-asset mining company. Moreover, Newcrest has the financial means and the intention of maximizing the long-term potential of the Brucejack Mine and the district scale opportunities in the surrounding Brucejack property. Newcrest and Pretivm have complementary corporate cultures and values, with a focus on safety, employee development and ESG. We believe our employees, First Nations partners and community partners will be very well-positioned to succeed and develop under Newcrest's world-class stewardship." Details of the Transaction The Transaction, which is not subject to a financing condition, will be implemented by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) and will require the approval of 66 2/3% of the votes cast by (i) the holders of Pretivm's common shares and (ii) holders of options to acquire shares of Pretivm, voting together as a single class, at a special meeting of Pretivm securityholders to be held to consider the Transaction (the "Special Meeting"). In addition to approval by Pretivm shareholders and optionholders, the Transaction is also subject to the receipt of court approval, regulatory approvals including approval under the Investment Canada Act and competition clearances in Canada, and other customary closing conditions for transactions of this nature. The Transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022. The Arrangement Agreement provides for customary deal-protection provisions, including a non-solicitation covenant on the part of Pretivm and a right for Newcrest to match any Superior Proposal (as defined in the Arrangement Agreement). The Arrangement Agreement includes a termination fee of C$125 million, payable by Pretivm, under certain circumstances (including if the Arrangement Agreement is terminated in connection with Pretivm pursuing a Superior Proposal). The directors and senior officers of Pretivm, owning in aggregate approximately 0.2% of Pretivm's voting securities have agreed to vote all the shares and options they own or control in favour of the Transaction. Pretivm Board of Directors and Special Committee Recommendations A special committee comprised entirely of independent directors of Pretivm (the "Special Committee") unanimously recommended the Transaction to the board of directors of Pretivm (the "Pretivm Board"). The Pretivm Board has evaluated the Arrangement Agreement with the Company's management and legal and financial advisors and, following the receipt and review of a unanimous recommendation from the Special Committee, the Pretivm Board has unanimously determined that the Arrangement Agreement is in the best interest of the Company, and the Pretivm Board has resolved to recommend that the Company Shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction, all subject to the terms and conditions contained in the Arrangement Agreement. BMO Capital Markets has provided an opinion to the Pretivm Board and Citi has provided an opinion to the Pretivm Special Committee and Board, based upon and subject to various assumptions, limitations and qualifications, as to the fairness, from a financial point of view and as of the dates of such opinions, to holders of Pretivm common shares (other than Newcrest and its affiliates) of the consideration to be received by such holders in the Transaction. Further details regarding the terms of the Transaction are set out in the Arrangement Agreement, which will be publicly filed by Pretivm under its profile at www.sedar.com. Additional information regarding the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, the background to the Transaction, the rationale for the recommendations made by the Special Committee and the Pretivm Board and how Pretivm shareholders can participate in and vote at the Special Meeting to be held to consider the Transaction will be provided in the management information circular for the Special Meeting which will also be filed at www.sedar.com. Shareholders are urged to read these and other relevant materials when they become available. Advisors and Counsel BMO Capital Markets is acting as financial advisor to Pretivm, and Blakes, Cassels & Graydon LLP is acting as Pretivm's Canadian legal counsel and Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is acting as Pretivm's US legal counsel. Citi is acting as financial advisor to the Special Committee, and Stikeman Elliott LLP is acting as the Special Committee's legal counsel. Longview Communications and Public Affairs is acting as communications advisor to Pretivm. RBC Capital Markets and Lazard Australia are acting as financial advisors to Newcrest, and McCarthy Tetrault LLP is acting as Newcrest's legal counsel. Webcast and Conference Call Pretivm and Newcrest will host an investor conference call and webcast to discuss the Transaction at 3:30 pm Pacific Time (6:30 pm Eastern Time) today. Webcast details: Monday, November 8, 2021 at 3:30 pm PT (6:30 pm ET) Webcast https://www.newcrest.com/investor-centre/results-reports?document_type=4 (https://www.newcrest.com/investor-centre/results-reports?document_type=4) In light of the Transaction, Pretivm has cancelled its previously scheduled third quarter investor conference call on November 12, 2021. The third quarter disclosure will proceed as scheduled on November 11, 2021. About Pretivm Pretivm is an intermediate gold producer with the 100%-owned, high-grade gold underground Brucejack Mine located in northwestern BC. We strive for operating excellence and our first priority is the health and safety of our employees, contractors and neighbouring communities. We are committed to the principles of sustainable development and conducting our activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Pretivm Contact Pretium Resources Inc. Troy Shultz, Director, Investor Relations & Corporate Communications (604) 558-1784 invest@pretivm.com (mailto:invest@pretivm.com) Media Contact Alan Bayless, Longview Communications and Public Affairs 604-417-9645 abayless@longviewcomms.ca (mailto:abayless@longviewcomms.ca) Pretium Resources Inc. Suite 2300, Four Bentall Centre, 1055 Dunsmuir Street PO Box 49334 Vancouver, BC V7X 1L4 (SEDAR filings: Pretium Resources Inc.) Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" and "forward looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively herein referred to as "forward-looking information"), including the "safe harbour" provisions of Canadian provincial securities legislation and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Wherever possible, words such as "plans", "expects", "guidance", "projects", "assumes", "budget", "strategy", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "modeled", "targets" and similar expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative forms of any of these terms and similar expressions, have been used to identify forward-looking information. Forward-looking information contained herein includes, but is not limited to: the consummation and timing of the Transaction; the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the Transaction; the strengths, characteristics and potential of Newcrest post-Transaction; the strategic vision of Newcrest and expectations regarding the synergies between the Brucejack mine and Newcrest's nearby Red Chris mine; timing, receipt and anticipated effects of court and regulatory approvals; the impact of the Transaction on employees and local stakeholders; and discussion of future plans, projects, objectives, estimates and forecasts and the timing related thereto. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to materially differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information, including, without limitation, failure to receive the required court and regulatory approvals to effect the Transaction; changes in laws, regulations and government practices; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce and the operations and workforce of Newcrest; future price of gold and silver and other metal prices; market competition, the geopolitical, economic, permitting and legal climate that we operate in; the potential of a third party making a superior proposal to the Transaction and such other risks as are identified in Pretivm's public disclosure documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and in the United States through EDGAR at the Security and Exchange Commission's website at www.sec.gov (collectively, the "Pretivm Disclosure Documents"). This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of our forward-looking information. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results, actions, events, conditions, performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Our forward-looking information is based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are made, many of which may be difficult to predict and beyond our control. In connection with the forward-looking information contained in this news release, we have made certain assumptions about, among other things: our business and operations and that no significant event will occur outside of our normal course of business and operations (other than as expressly set out herein); the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak, including on our operations and workforce; our ability to obtain the required court and regulatory approvals in a timely matter, if at all; our ability to satisfy the terms and conditions precedent of the Arrangement Agreement in order to consummate the Transaction; Newcrest's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for operations in a timely manner, if at all; the adequacy of our and Newcrest's financial resources; sustained labour stability and availability of equipment; the maintenance of positive relations with local groups; favourable equity and debt capital markets; and stability in financial capital markets. Although we believe that the assumptions inherent in forward-looking information are reasonable as of the date of this news release, these assumptions are subject to significant business, social, economic, political, regulatory, competitive and other risks and uncertainties, contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions, events, conditions, results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking information. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in, or implied by, the forward-looking information contained in this news release. Additional information about the risks and uncertainties concerning forward-looking information and material factors or assumptions on which such forward-looking information is based is provided in the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. Forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Forward-looking information involves statements about the future and is inherently uncertain, and our actual achievements or other future events or conditions may differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking information due to a variety of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, without limitation, those referred to in this news release and the Pretivm Disclosure Documents. For the reasons set forth above, readers and prospective investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX nor the NYSE has approved or disapproved of the information contained herein. Newcrest agrees to acquire Pretium Resources1 Adds a Tier 1 large scale, long life, low cost mine to Newcrest's portfolio of Tier 1 assets Immediately increases Newcrest's gold production by >300koz pa (~15%) to well above 2Moz 2 , 3 , 4 Accretive to Newcrest's EBITDA and cash flow Provides immediate operational and financial diversification from a Tier 1 jurisdiction Growth in a region where Newcrest already operates and has strong existing relationships Significant near mine and district-scale exploration opportunity with exciting potential to realise resource and reserve growth Offer unanimously recommended by Pretium Resource's Board of Directors Newcrest retains strong balance sheet to fund unrivalled global organic growth portfolio Melbourne, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2021) - Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) (TSX: NCM) (PNGX: NCM) (Newcrest) has entered into an agreement (the Arrangement Agreement) to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Pretium Resources Inc. (TSX: PVG) (NYSE: PVG) (Pretivm) that it does not already own by way of a Canadian Plan of Arrangement (the Transaction). The Board of Directors of Pretivm have unanimously recommended that Pretivm shareholders vote in favour of the Transaction and have entered into voting support agreements with respect to all of the Pretivm shares that they own or control. Pretivm is the owner of the Brucejack operation in the highly prospective Golden Triangle region of British Columbia, Canada. Brucejack began commercial production in July 2017 and is one of the highest-grade operating gold mines in the world. The Pretivm Technical Report of 9 March 2020 estimated gold production of 311koz per annum at an All-In Sustaining Cost of $743 per ounce of gold over a projected 13 year mine life.3,5,6 Brucejack and surrounding tenements are within the traditional territories asserted by the Tsetsaut Skii km Lax Ha (TSKLH) and Tahltan Nation, and in the Nass Area of Nisga'a Nation as defined in the Nisga'a Final Agreement. Brucejack is approximately 140 km from Newcrest's majority-owned and operated Red Chris mine, located on Tahltan territory. Newcrest will become the operator and 100% owner of Brucejack following completion of the Transaction which is currently targeted for Q1 of calendar 2022. Newcrest's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sandeep Biswas, said, "We are delighted to be expanding our presence in this highly prospective region in British Columbia. Brucejack is a Tier 1 mine in a Tier 1 jurisdiction and will deliver immediate production, free cash flow and earnings diversification to Newcrest and will fit seamlessly into our long life, low cost portfolio. Following this transaction Newcrest will have exposure to six Tier 1 orebodies and a portfolio of organic growth options of unrivalled quality. The transaction will also drive a material increase in Mineral Resources, Ore Reserves and annual gold production." "The combination of Newcrest and Pretivm will create the leading gold miner in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, operating both the Brucejack and Red Chris mines. Both companies share similar philosophies with respect to safety, the environment, developing their people, engaging with local communities and investing for growth." "The combination should provide enhanced career and growth opportunities for employees of both companies in Canada by being part of a larger, international gold and copper company with a focus on growth and on the Americas." "Following due diligence, we believe that as the owner and operator of Brucejack we can build on the strong foundations established by Pretivm and deliver significant additional shareholder value by leveraging our experience in operating epithermal gold mines and applying our exploration and innovation expertise to realise potential resource and reserve growth. Resource and reserve growth and our commitment to investing in the area will underpin the success and longevity of mining in the region for the benefit of the First Nations people, host communities, British Columbia and Canada," said Mr Biswas. Pretivm's President and Chief Executive Officer, Jacques Perron, said, "The acquisition of Pretivm by Newcrest is an outstanding opportunity for Pretivm and its shareholders, employees, First Nations partners and the local communities in northwest British Columbia. The Transaction delivers an immediate and compelling premium for Pretivm shareholders that reflects the excellent work of our employees and contractors in developing and operating the Brucejack gold mine, while also offering an opportunity to benefit from potential upside as Newcrest shareholders." "With this acquisition, Brucejack will join Newcrest's portfolio of tier one assets, mitigating the inherent risks associated with ownership of a single-asset mining company. Moreover, Newcrest has the financial means and the intention of maximizing the long-term potential of the Brucejack mine and the district scale opportunities in the surrounding Brucejack property. Newcrest and Pretivm have complementary corporate cultures and values, with a focus on safety, employee development and ESG. We believe our employees, First Nations partners and community partners will be very well-positioned to succeed and develop under Newcrest's world-class stewardship," said Mr Perron. In line with its vision of being the Miner of Choice, Newcrest is focused on safety, the environment, developing its people and fostering strong relationships with the communities near its operations. Newcrest deeply values the relationships it has developed to date with the Tahltan Central Government, Band Councils and the host communities of Iskut, Telegraph Creek and Dease Lake. Newcrest looks forward to developing similar relationships with the Nisga'a Nation, the Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs, and the Tsetsaut Skii km Lax Nation and host communities in the Brucejack mine area. Newcrest believes that its concurrent operation of both Red Chris and Brucejack mines will provide enhanced opportunities for both workforces, allow for aligned and optimal engagement with the First Nations and the broader community, and will provide the foundation of ongoing future investment in the region. Offer Consideration Under the Transaction - which will require approval by 66 2/3% of Pretivm shareholders, the Supreme Court of British Columbia and regulatory approvals including approval under the Investment Canada Act - Pretivm shareholders will receive consideration of C$18.50 per share (Offer Consideration) (based on the Canadian dollar equivalent of the 5 day volume weighted average price (VWAP) of Newcrest shares on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) ending 8 November 2021). The Offer Consideration comprises cash and Newcrest shares, and Pretivm shareholders will be able to elect either C$18.50 in cash or 0.80847 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share, subject to proration and an aggregate cap of 50% cash and 50% Newcrest shares. Pretivm shareholders who do not elect cash or Newcrest shares (subject to proration) will receive default consideration of C$9.25 per Pretivm share in cash and 0.40427 Newcrest shares per Pretivm share. The C$18.50 price represents a 22.5% premium to Pretivm's last closing price and a 24.2% premium to Pretivm's 10 day VWAP on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) as of 8 November 2021. The total consideration offered values all of the outstanding common shares of Pretivm at approximately $2.8 billion6, on an undiluted basis. Newcrest already owns a 4.8% shareholding in Pretivm. The Arrangement Agreement provides for customary deal-protection provisions, including a non-solicitation covenant on the part of Pretivm and a right for Newcrest to match any Superior Proposal (as defined in the Arrangement Agreement). The Arrangement Agreement includes a termination fee of C$125 million, payable by Pretivm, under certain circumstances (including if the Arrangement Agreement is terminated in connection with Pretivm pursuing a Superior Proposal). Presentation A webcast of a presentation will be held at 10:30am (AEDT) on 9 November 2021, and will be accessible on the Company's website at: https://www.newcrest.com/investor-centre/results-reports?document_type=4 Authorised by the Newcrest Board For further information please contact Investor Enquiries: Tom Dixon +61 3 9522 5570 +61 450 541 389 Tom.Dixon@newcrest.com.au North American Investor Enquiries: Ryan Skaleskog +1 866 396 0242 +61 403 435 222 Ryan.Skaleskog@newcrest.com.au Media Enquiries: Tim Salathiel +61 3 9522 4263 +61 407 885 272 Tim.Salathiel@newcrest.com.au This information is available on our website at www.newcrest.com Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources Reporting Requirements As an Australian Company with securities listed on the ASX, Newcrest is subject to Australian disclosure requirements and standards, including the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and the ASX. Investors should note that it is a requirement of the ASX listing rules that the reporting of Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources in Australia is in accordance with the 2012 Edition of the Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (the JORC Code) and that Newcrest's Ore Reserve and Mineral Resource estimates comply with the JORC Code. Newcrest is also subject to certain Canadian disclosure requirements and standards, as a result of its secondary listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), including the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 (NI 43-101) and the TSX Disclosure Standards for companies engaged in mineral exploration, development and production. Investors should note that it is a requirement of Canadian securities law that the reporting of Mineral Reserves and Mineral Resources in Canada and the disclosure of scientific and technical information concerning a mineral project on a property material to Newcrest comply with NI 43-101. Newcrest's material properties are currently Cadia, Lihir, Red Chris and Wafi-Golpu. Copies of the NI 43-101 Reports for Cadia, Lihir and Wafi-Golpu, which were released on 14 October 2020, are available at www.newcrest.com.au and on Newcrest's SEDAR profile. The Red Chris NI 43-101 report is expected to be submitted within 45 days from 12 October 2021. Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves - clarifying statements as required by ASX Listing Rule 5.12 The estimates of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves for the Pretivm mine deposit are qualifying foreign estimates under the ASX Listing Rules reported in accordance with NI 43-101 by Pretivm and filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com ) on 26 June 2013. These qualifying foreign estimates were re-stated by Pretivm in Management's Discussion and Analysis (pages 10,11) filed on SEDAR on 4 May 2021, but have not been updated since 1 January 2021, and have not been depleted for production since 31 December 2020. Mineral Resources are reported inclusive of Mineral Reserves. The categories of Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve classification used are in accordance with NI 43-101 and the 2014 CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (the CIM Standards). NI 43-101 has similar categories of resource classification as the JORC Code (Appendix 5A, ASX Listing Rules). There are no material differences between the definitions of Probable Mineral Reserves and Proven Mineral Reserves under the CIM Standards and the equivalent definitions of Probable Ore Reserves and Proved Ore Reserves in the JORC Code. There are no material differences between the definitions of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources under the CIM Standards and the equivalent definitions of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources in the JORC Code. Newcrest considers these estimates to be both material and relevant to Newcrest given that Pretivm will be a material mining project to Newcrest. In accordance with NI 43-101 and CIM Standards, Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of Mineral Resources will be converted to Mineral Reserves. Quantity and grades are estimates and are rounded to reflect that the estimates are an approximation. Newcrest has experience in managing similar operations to the Pretivm mine. Newcrest's key technical and operational personnel conducted a site visit as part of the due diligence process. Pretivm provided information on Mineral Resources, Mineral Reserves and operational performance to date for Newcrest to review. The estimates of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves were reported pursuant to NI 43-101 in the Technical Report. Work programs, key assumptions, mining and processing parameters and method of preparation for the Mineral Reserves are described by Pretivm in the 2021 Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve statement filed on SEDAR on 26 March 2021. Reliability of the Mineral Resource has been assessed by reconciling 2019 mill grade and recovered ounces against resource model prediction. Following completion of the transaction, it is Newcrest's intention to conduct a work program that incorporates additional infill and expansion resource definition drilling results that along with reconciled operational performance to date would enable the evaluation of both the resource and reserve base for conversion to Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves that can be reported in accordance with the JORC Code. Work is anticipated to be completed within three years and will be funded using internal cash reserves. Newcrest believes that the information provided is the most recent publicly available. Cautionary statement The estimates of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves for the Pretivm mine deposit are qualifying foreign estimates under the ASX Listing Rules and are not reported in accordance with the JORC Code. Competent Persons have not done sufficient work to classify the qualifying foreign estimates as Mineral Resources or Ore Reserves in accordance with the JORC Code. It is uncertain that, following evaluation and further exploration, the foreign estimates will be able to be reported as Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves in accordance with the JORC code. Ms Jillian Terry confirms that the information in this document that relates to Pretivm's Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves is an accurate representation of available technical and scientific data and studies in Pretivm's Q1 2021 MD&A announcement filed by Pretivm to SEDAR on 4 May 2021 and Technical Report dated 9 March 2020, and filed by Pretivm on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). Ms Terry is the Head of Mineral Resource Management, a full-time employee of Newcrest Mining Limited and is entitled to participate in Newcrest's executive equity long term incentive plan, details of which are included in Newcrest's 2021 Remuneration Report. She is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Ms Terry has sufficient experience which is relevant to the styles of mineralisation and types of deposits under consideration and to the activity which she is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the JORC Code 2012. Ms Terry consents to the inclusion of the material in this report in the form and context in which it appears. Technical and scientific information The technical and scientific information contained in this document relating to Pretivm was reviewed by Ms Jillian Terry, a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101 and confirmed to be a true and accurate representation of data presented in the Q1 2021 MD&A and Technical Report, and filed by Pretivm on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) The technical and scientific information contained in this document relating to Newcrest was reviewed and approved by Ms Jillian Terry, a Qualified Person as defined in NI 43-101. Forward Looking Statements This document includes forward looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of securities laws of applicable jurisdictions. Forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "expect", "intend", "plan", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "objectives", "targets", "outlook" and "guidance", or other similar words and may include, without limitation, statements regarding estimated reserves and resources, certain plans, strategies, aspirations and objectives of management, anticipated production, study or construction dates, expected costs, cash flow or production outputs and anticipated productive lives of projects and mines. Newcrest continues to distinguish between outlook and guidance. Guidance statements relate to the current financial year. Outlook statements relate to years subsequent to the current financial year. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Newcrest's actual results, performance and achievements or industry results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements, or industry results, expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Relevant factors may include, but are not limited to, changes in commodity prices, foreign exchange fluctuations and general economic conditions, increased costs and demand for production inputs, the speculative nature of exploration and project development, including the risks of obtaining necessary licences and permits and diminishing quantities or grades of reserves, political and social risks, changes to the regulatory framework within which Newcrest operates or may in the future operate, environmental conditions including extreme weather conditions, recruitment and retention of personnel, industrial relations issues and litigation. For further information as to the risks which may impact on Newcrest's results and performance, please see the risk factors included in the Appendix 4E and Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2021 which is available to view at www.asx.com.au under the code "NCM" and on Newcrest's SEDAR profile. Forward looking statements are based on Newcrest's good faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other relevant environments that will exist and affect Newcrest's business and operations in the future. Newcrest does not give any assurance that the assumptions will prove to be correct. There may be other factors that could cause actual results or events not to be as anticipated, and many events are beyond the reasonable control of Newcrest. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements, particularly in the current economic climate with the significant volatility, uncertainty and disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Forward looking statements in this document speak only at the date of issue. Except as required by applicable laws or regulations, Newcrest does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any of the forward-looking statements or to advise of any change in assumptions on which any such statement is based. Non-IFRS Financial Information Newcrest's results are reported under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This document includes non-IFRS financial information within the meaning of ASIC Regulatory Guide 230: 'Disclosing non-IFRS financial information' published by ASIC and within the meaning of Canadian Securities Administrators Staff Notice 52-306 - Non-GAAP Financial Measures. Such information includes: 'Free Cash Flow' (calculated as cash flow from operating activities less cash flow related to investing activities), and 'AISC' (All-In Sustaining Cost) as per updated World Gold Council Guidance Note on Non-GAAP Metrics released November 2018. AISC will vary from period to period as a result of various factors including production performance, timing of sales and the level of sustaining capital and the relative contribution of each asset. These measures are used internally by Newcrest management to assess the performance of the business and make decisions on the allocation of resources and are included in this document to provide greater understanding of the underlying performance of Newcrest's operations. The non-IFRS information has not been subject to audit or review by Newcrest's external auditor and should be used in addition to IFRS information. Such non-IFRS financial information/non-GAAP financial measures do not have a standardised meaning prescribed by IFRS and may be calculated differently by other companies. Although Newcrest believes these non-IFRS/non-GAAP financial measures provide useful information to investors in measuring the financial performance and condition of its business, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any non-IFRS financial information/non-GAAP financial measures included in this document. Reliance on Third Party Information The views expressed in this document contain information that has been derived from obtained from third parties. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information. This document should not be relied upon as a recommendation or forecast by Newcrest. US implications The Newcrest common shares to be issued pursuant to the Arrangement Agreement are anticipated to be issued in reliance on the exemption from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, provided by Section 3(a)(10) thereof and applicable exemptions under state securities laws. This business combination involves the securities of a foreign company. The business combination is subject to disclosure requirements of a foreign country that are different from those of the United States. Financial statements included or incorporated by reference in any information statement distributed in connection with the business combination have been prepared in accordance with foreign accounting standards that may not be comparable to the financial statements of U.S. companies. It may be difficult for you to enforce your rights and any claim you may have arising under the federal securities laws, since the issuer is located in a foreign country, and some or all of its officers and directors may be residents of a foreign country. You may not be able to sue a foreign company or its officers or directors in a foreign court for violations of the U.S. securities laws. It may be difficult to compel a foreign company and its affiliates to subject themselves to a U.S. court's judgment. Endnotes 1 Subject to satisfaction of Transaction conditions precedent, including court approval and Pretivm shareholder approval. 2 Subject to market and operating conditions and should not be construed as guidance. 3 Based on Pretivm's Technical Report on the Brucejack Gold Mine Northwest British Columbia dated 9 March 2020 filed by Pretivm on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (the Technical Report). 4 Based on Newcrest's estimate of production contained in its release titled "Newcrest advances its global organic growth portfolio" dated 12 October 2021 which is available to view at www.asx.com.au under the code "NCM" and on Newcrest's SEDAR profile. 5 Based on Tables 1.4, 16.7 and 22.2 of the Technical Report which refers to 311kozpa gold from 15.64Mt Proven and Probable Reserves comprising 2.8Mt (18%) of Proven Reserves at 8.1g/t gold and 195.1g/t silver and 12.8Mt (82%) of Probable Reserves at 8.5g/t gold and 29.8g/t silver. 6 All dollar amounts in this market release are in US dollars unless otherwise indicated. 7 Based on the Canadian dollar equivalent of the 5 day volume weighted average price (VWAP) of Newcrest shares on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) ending 8 November 2021. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102548 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2021) - Bluesky Digital Assets Corp., (CSE: BTC), (CSE: BTC.PR.A), (OTCQB: BTCWF), ("Bluesky" or the "Corporation") issued today a restatement and a clarification to its press release dated October 12, 2021. The Corporation previously stated in its October 12, 2021 press release that As At September 30, 2021 the Corporation's cryptocurrency reserve comprised of 9.115 BTC and 190.07 ETH. The Corporation would like to restate the September 30, 2021 reserve total as the Corporation's cryptocurrency reserve amounted to 11.58 BTC and 234.0 ETH. The previously stated amounts of 9.115 BTC and 190.07 ETH that was stated in the October 12, 2021 press release were for August 30, 2021 and not for September 30, 2021. About Bluesky Digital Assets Corp. Bluesky Digital Assets Corp, is building a high value digital currency enterprise. Bluesky mines digital currencies, such as Bitcoin and Ether, and is developing value-added technology services for the digital currency market, such as proprietary technology solutions. Offering a complete ecosystem of value-creation, Bluesky is targeting reinvesting appropriate portions of its digital currency mining profits back into its operations. A percentage of the profit will be invested in the development of a proprietary Artificial Intelligence ("AI") based technology. Overall, Bluesky takes an approach that enables the Corporation to scale, and respond to changing conditions, within the still-emerging Blockchain industry. The Corporation is poised to capture value in successive phases as this industry continues to scale. For more information please visit Bluesky at: https://www.blueskydigitalassets.com For further information please contact: Mr. Ben Gelfand CEO & Director Bluesky Digital Assets Corp. T: (416) 363-3833 E: ben.gelfand@blueskydigitalassets.com Mr. Frank Kordy Secretary & Director Bluesky Digital Assets Corp. T: (647) 466-4037 E: frank.kordy@blueskydigitalassets.com Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward- looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this document are made as of the date of this document and 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 expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although management believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such. Neither CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. We seek safe harbor. - 30 - To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102546 SHERMAN OAKS, CA / ACCESSWIRE / November 8, 2021 / Petroteq Energy Inc. ("Petroteq" or the "Company") (TSXV:PQE;OTC PINK:PQEFF; FSE:PQCF), an oil company focused on the development and implementation of its proprietary oil-extraction and remediation technologies, announces that it has today filed a Directors' Circular in response to the offer (the "Viston Offer") and take-over bid circular of 2869889 Ontario Inc., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Viston United Swiss AG (together, "Viston") for all of the issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of the Company ("Common Shares"). As stated in the Directors' Circular, the Board of Directors of Petroteq (the "Board"), in consultation with its independent financial and legal advisors, is considering whether or not the Viston Offer is adequate and in the best interests of Petroteq and its shareholders ("Petroteq Shareholders"). Accordingly, the Board is considering whether to make a recommendation to accept or reject the Viston Offer and has determined not to make a recommendation to Petroteq Shareholders until such time as the Company has an opportunity to complete its Strategic Review (as defined below) and receives input on valuation from its financial advisor, Haywood Securities Inc. ("Haywood"). The Board therefore advises that Petroteq Shareholders DO NOT TENDER their Common Shares until further communication is received from the Board. The Viston Offer is open for acceptance until February 7, 2022, unless extended, accelerated or withdrawn in accordance with its terms. The Board notes that tendering to the Viston Offer before the Company has had an opportunity to fully explore all available alternatives may preclude the possibility of a financially superior transaction emerging. Any Petroteq Shareholder who has already tendered his, her or its Common Shares to the Viston Offer should withdraw those Common Shares until such further communication from the Board is received. For further information, please see the section entitled "How to Withdraw your Deposited Common Shares" in the Directors' Circular. Petroteq cautions its shareholders and potential investors that there can be no certainty that the Viston Offer will be supported by the Board or that any other strategic transaction with any other person will be pursued by Petroteq or ultimately completed. Consistent with its fiduciary duties, the Board will evaluate the Viston Offer and Petroteq's options, including continuing to operate the business to drive shareholder value and potentially exploring possible alternative transactions. The Board continues to believe Petroteq is well positioned to be an industry leader with its one of a kind oil sands extraction technology. Reasons for the Board Not Making a Recommendation at this Time The reasons why the Board is not making a recommendation to Petroteq Shareholders to accept or reject the Viston Offer at this time are as follows: The Board has engaged Haywood to conduct a review of the value of the Company and any potential strategic partners or other strategic transactions available to the Company, which will assist the Board in advising Petroteq Shareholders whether or not to reject or accept the Viston Offer. The Board is currently undertaking a strategic review process of alternatives available to the Company, including value-maximizing alternatives, equity or debt financings, core and non-core asset sales, strategic investments, joint ventures and mergers (the " Strategic Review "). The Board considers that undergoing a Strategic Review process and, in particular, providing sufficient time to consider and evaluate alternatives, and, if applicable, evaluate interested parties, if any, to complete due diligence activities, is vital to identifying the transaction that is in the Company's best interests and the best interests of the Petroteq Shareholders. "). The Board considers that undergoing a Strategic Review process and, in particular, providing sufficient time to consider and evaluate alternatives, and, if applicable, evaluate interested parties, if any, to complete due diligence activities, is vital to identifying the transaction that is in the Company's best interests and the best interests of the Petroteq Shareholders. The Viston Offer was unsolicited and potentially very opportunistic and it was made by Viston without the benefit of due diligence or any negotiations with the Company. The Board requires more time to appropriately assess the adequacy of the Viston Offer and to consider strategic alternatives to maximize value for Petroteq Shareholders. The timing of the Viston Offer is intended to force Petroteq Shareholders to make determination on the Viston Offer at this time in the Company's development without the Company having had the opportunity to fully canvas the market and other available opportunities or to complete its Strategic Review. The Company attempted to engage with Viston in order to explore whether a friendly transaction with Viston was feasible to benefit all stakeholders; however, Viston elected not to engage with the Board following the Company's initial request for information about Viston and Viston then launched the Viston Offer. The Board can only fully assess the adequacy of the Viston Offer with the benefit of the results of the Strategic Review and input from its legal and financial advisors. The Company also announces the appointment of Mr. Ron Cook as the new Chief Financial Officer of the Company. The Company thanks Mark Korb, the former Chief Financial Officer of the Company, for all of his efforts and commitment to the Company and wishes him well in his future endeavors. About Petroteq Energy Inc. Petroteq is a clean technology company focused on the development, implementation and licensing of a patented, environmentally safe and sustainable technology for the extraction and reclamation of heavy oil and bitumen from oil sands and mineable oil deposits. The versatile technology can be applied to both water-wet deposits and oil-wet deposits - outputting high-quality oil and clean sand. Petroteq believes that its technology can produce a relatively sweet heavy crude oil from deposits of oil sands at Asphalt Ridge without requiring the use of water, and therefore without generating wastewater which would otherwise require the use of other treatment or disposal facilities which could be harmful to the environment. Petroteq's process is intended to be a more environmentally friendly extraction technology that leaves clean residual sand that can be sold or returned to the environment, without the use of tailings ponds or further remediation. Additional Information Petroteq has filed the Directors' Circular with Canadian securities regulators and a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") which includes the Directors' Circular as an exhibit. The Directors' Circular and Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, and any amendment thereto filed by Petroteq that is required to be mailed to shareholders, will be mailed to shareholders of Petroteq. SHAREHOLDERS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO READ THESE AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH CANADIAN SECURITIES REGULATORS OR THE SEC IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN CERTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders will be able to obtain the Directors' Circular, the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement, and any amendments or supplements thereto, and other documents filed by Petroteq with Canadian securities regulators and the SEC related to the Viston Offer, for no charge: on SEDAR under Petroteq's profile at www.sedar.com; on EDGAR at www.sec.gov; or www.petroteq.com. Any questions and requests for assistance may be directed to Petroteq's Information Agent, Shorecrest Group Ltd. (North American Toll Free Phone: 1-888-637-5789; e-mail: contact@shorecrestgroup.com; outside North America, banks and brokers call collect: 647-931-7454). Reader Advisories Certain statements contained in this press release contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. and Canadian securities laws. Words such as "may," "would," "could," "should," "potential," "will," "seek," "intend," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company are intended to identify forward-looking information, including the strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value that may be available to the Company and the Company's ability to identify and consummate such alternatives, and that the continued execution of the Company's stand-alone strategy will provide shareholders with the opportunity to benefit from material value creation. Readers are cautioned that there is no certainty that the Company's business will be commercially viable to produce any portion of the resources. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Company's current views and intentions with respect to future events, based on information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information. While forward-looking statements are based on data, assumptions and analyses that the Company believes are reasonable under the circumstances, whether actual results, performance or developments will meet the Company's expectations and predictions depends on a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results, performance and financial condition of the Company to differ materially from its expectations. Certain of the "risk factors" that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation: uncertainties regarding the Offer and the determination of the Board; uncertainties inherent in the estimation of resources, including whether any reserves will ever be attributed to the Company's properties; since the Company's extraction technology is proprietary, is not widely used in the industry, and has not been used in consistent commercial production, the Company's bitumen resources are classified as a contingent resource because they are not currently considered to be commercially recoverable; full scale commercial production may engender public opposition; the Company cannot be certain that its bitumen resources will be economically producible and thus cannot be classified as proved or probable reserves in accordance with applicable securities laws; changes in laws or regulations; the ability to implement business strategies or to pursue business opportunities, whether for economic or other reasons; status of the world oil markets, oil prices and price volatility; oil pricing; state of capital markets and the ability of the Company to raise capital (which would be required for the Company to build a larger plant, including one that could produce up to 5,000 bpd; litigation; the commercial and economic viability of the Company's oil sands hydrocarbon extraction technology, and other proprietary technologies developed or licensed by the Company or its subsidiaries, which currently are of an experimental nature and have not been used at full capacity for an extended period of time; reliance on suppliers, contractors, consultants and key personnel; the ability of the Company to maintain its mineral lease holdings; potential failure of the Company's business plans or model; the nature of oil and gas production and oil sands mining, extraction and production; uncertainties in exploration and drilling for oil, gas and other hydrocarbon-bearing substances; unanticipated costs and expenses, availability of financing and other capital; potential damage to or destruction of property, loss of life and environmental damage; risks associated with compliance with environmental protection laws and regulations; uninsurable or uninsured risks; potential conflicts of interest of officers and directors; risks related to COVID-19 including various recommendations, orders and measures of governmental authorities to try to limit the pandemic, including travel restrictions, border closures, non-essential business closures, quarantines, self-isolations, shelters-in-place and social distancing, disruptions to markets, economic activity, financing, supply chains and sales channels, and a deterioration of general economic conditions including a possible national or global recession; and other general economic, market and business conditions and factors, including the risk factors discussed or referred to in the Company's disclosure documents, filed with United States Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov (including, without limitation, its most recent annual report on Form 10-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), and with the securities regulatory authorities in certain provinces of Canada and available at www.sedar.com. Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law. 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. CONTACT INFORMATION Petroteq Energy Inc. R. G. Bailey Interim Chief Executive Officer Tel: (800) 979-1897 SOURCE: Petroteq Energy Inc View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671786/Petroteq-Announces-Filing-and-Mailing-of-Directors-Circular-in-Response-to-the-Unsolicited-Takeover-Bid-by-Viston-United-Swiss-AG Airship's survey of more than 9,000 global consumers exposes key shifts in consumer behaviour with regional and generational differences indicating retail's future. Of all consumers globally, Brits are the most likely to do the entirety of their Christmas shopping online (20% of respondents), followed by India (18%) and the U.S. (16%). Only 9% of U.K. shoppers are planning to do all their Christmas shopping in physical stores. When shopping in-store, 69% of Brits are likely to visit the retailer's website and 65% will use the retailer's app. Ahead of Christmas shopping season, Airship, the leading mobile app experience company, has released findings from a global survey that provide insights into changing shopping behaviours and preferences of consumers in the U.K., U.S., France, Germany, Australia, Singapore and India. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006089/en/ Airship's global survey of more than 9,000 consumers finds that the majority in every country will use their smartphone to accomplish eight different activities in-store with a single exception. (Graphic: Business Wire) The survey, commissioned by Airship and conducted in partnership with Sapio Research, polled more than 9,000 consumers across major markets in Europe, America and Asia, found U.K. consumers to be the most likely to do all of their shopping online this holiday season. Compared with all other countries, the U.K. comes in on top at 20%, followed by India (18%) and the U.S. (16%). Only 9% of Brits stated that they will do all their Christmas shopping in physical stores. Globally, 48% of respondents expect to do three-quarters or more of their holiday shopping online, and 47% say that three-quarters or more of their online shopping will be done on their smartphones rather than on their desktops. In comparison, 51% of U.K. respondents expect online shopping to account for three-quarters or more of their holiday shopping, and nearly half (49%) three-quarters or more of their online shopping will be done on smartphones rather than desktops. The survey also highlights the rising usage of smartphones while shopping in-store. When visiting a shop, 72% of UK consumers are likely to use loyalty cards or coupons stored on their smartphones, while 69% said they would compare prices (i.e via Google or Amazon), visit the retailers' website (69%), use the retailer's app (65%), and check online reviews (63%). Brett Caine, CEO and president at Airship, said: "Consumers are clearly developing a preference for mobile apps as the primary destination to save them time and streamline their shopping experiences from in-store wayfinding to click-and-collect and curbside pickup." "For retailers, apps offer better opportunities to truly understand their customers and form stronger direct relationships, as it's much easier to tie together their digital and physical activities and engage them throughout their journey with the brand For most countries and generations, the likelihood of using a retailer's app while shopping in-store, is only a few percentage points behind visiting the retailer's website, despite people having to first download them from the App Store or Google Play. Among UK consumers, 77% are using retail apps more or about the same since the pandemic began, which, among countries included, is only surpassed by Singapore and India at 79% each. Overall, 81% of millennials have used retail apps more or about the same since the pandemic began, followed by 77% of Gen X, 74% of Gen Z and 66% of baby boomers. Generationally, millennials lead in likelihood to perform all of these in-store digital activities. Methodology: The survey was conducted by Sapio Research on behalf of Airship in September 2021. Respondents included 9,143 consumers in seven countries who were asked a number of questions on their plans for online and physical retail shopping during the 2021 holiday season. About Airship: No one knows more, does more, or cares more when it comes to helping brands master mobile app experiences than Airship. From the beginning of apps, we powered the first commercial messages and then expanded our data-led approach to all re-engagement channels (mobile wallet, SMS, email), app UX experimentation, proactive in-app conversations, and now rich in-app experiences that business users can create and adapt on their own with no ongoing developer support or app update required. From the trillions of mobile app interactions, we've powered for thousands of global brands, we've been there, and done that, lending our solutions and expertise to help apps become the pinnacle of elegant customer experiences and winning brand loyalty strategies. For more information, visit www.airship.com, read our blog or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006089/en/ Contacts: UK: Pauline Delorme Tyto PR +44 7531642983 pauline.delorme@tytopr.com /Airship@tytopr.com Europe: Ana Williams Airship +44 (0)20 3405 5160 Ana.Williams@airship.com Expanded Marketing Strategy Deploying Robust Content Strategy, Social and Paid Media to Drive Awareness and Educate Consumers Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 8, 2021) - Rritual Superfoods Inc. (CSE: RSF) (FSE: 0RW) (OTCQB: RRSFF) ("Rritual" or the "Company") is pleased to share highlights from the Company's expanded marketing program, "This phase of Rritual's growth requires a highly coordinated and purposeful marketing campaign to further establish the brand, build knowledge with consumers regarding superfoods and their applications, building customer loyalty and driving sales," said Mr. Greg McCauley, Rritual Chief Operating Officer. "The new strategy is designed to support existing and new retailer launches, growing direct to consumer business through Rritual.com and Amazon.com, and the upcoming Canadian launch." Rritual Marketing Program Highlights Content Strategy and SEO Rritual has made significant strides in editorial content found on the Journal of rritual.com focusing on key topics such as Usage, Education, and health Rritual has been able to rank #1 and on the first page of Google for numerous key topics, such as but not limited to: How much lion's mane should I take? How to use Chaga mushroom powders? What is the best time to take lion's mane mushroom? Top mushroom mycelium health benefits Reishi mushroom benefits for skin Chaga mushroom powder uses and benefits Creating engaging content that ranks highly on search engines is an important tactic the Company is deploying to engage direct to consumer customers and retail businesses educating potential customers who are interested in functional mushroom users. The content is designed to further connect with our customers on best uses of our products and to answer product questions, and as importantly to have existing users of competing brands to understand Rritual's key benefits and points of differentiation. Social Media Rritual is continuing to create engaging content on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok and Pinterest. Rritual is staying top of mind with awareness campaigns on paid social, while deploying new tactics to engage new audiences such as Tik Tok and Instagram Reels. Rritual will continue to foster their social media content pillars which focus on Q&A about the functional food space, recipes, education, mindfulness, motivation, and product explanation. Rritual's community is increasing daily, and the steady stream of content is performing well with its followers. Rritual has had success with its macro influencer campaigns and looks to partner with MediaVine again in the future with a campaign dedicated to the Company's Amazon store. Rritual's micro-influencer and affiliate strategy is growing steadily each week with over 70 micro influencers signed up to post regular content as an affiliate. Rritual should grow this to over 100 before 2022. Rritual has seen positive engagement through social media contesting and partnerships with complimentary CPG goods such as Ethical Bean coffee and Sproud plant Based milk. In addition, the Company has identified multiple contest opportunities and social media partnerships, which are being lined up for 2022. Paid Media Rritual is continuing its efforts to use keyword-specific research and geo-targeting to target media as efficiently as possible. Rritual's paid media strategy is targeting high-interest areas to support retail and direct to consumers sales. Rritual is continuing to create new campaigns communicating its key benefits and targeting its core consumer. Amazon Rritual began its paid advertising campaigns on Amazon in Early September. Rritual has continued to see steady growth in sales and new customer acquisition. Rritual's Amazon store is evolving with its Brand store and A+ content launching in the immediate future. Rritual continues to see strong customer reviews on its products. Rritual is also seeing continued positive growth to its Amazon Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) making it a great opportunity for future customer growth. The Company is also pleased to announce it has granted a number of equity incentive awards (the "Securities") to certain directors, officers, and consultants of the Company. In particular, an aggregate of 1,000,000 restricted share units (each, a "RSU") were granted to certain directors of the Company pursuant to the Company's Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). Each RSU represents the right to receive, once vested, one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Share"). The RSUs will vest as to the first 25% on the date which is six months from the date of grant and 25% every six months thereafter until fully vested. In addition, the Company granted 2,000,000 performance share units (each, a "PSU") to officers of the Company pursuant to the Plan. Each PSU represents the right to receive, once vested, one Share. The PSUs will vest in accordance with certain milestones based on the revenues of the Company. Finally, the Company granted an aggregate of 4,200,000 stock options (each an "Option") to certain directors, officers, and consultants of the Company. Each Option is each exercisable for the purchase of one Share at an exercise price of $0.35 per Share until the date which is five years from the date of issuance. An aggregate of 200,000 of the Options issued to certain officers of the Company shall vest immediately on the date of the issuance. An aggregate of 4,000,000 of the Options granted to certain directors and consultants of the Company shall vest as to the first 25% on the date which is six months from the date of grant and 25% every six months thereafter until fully vested. In accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange, the Securities issued to the directors and officers of Rritual are subject to a hold period of four months from the date of the distribution. About Rritual Rritual is a functional superfood company that creates plant-based elixirs, which support immunity, focus and relaxation. The company is poised to dominate a segment where demand and sales are growing exponentially. Under the executive leadership with over 100 years of CPG pedigree, Rritual is positioned as a leader in the functional health and wellness industry. Rritual's superfood elixirs can be found online at www.rritual.com. Follow Rritual on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. For further information please contact: Warren Spence - Chief Executive Officer and Director Investor Relations: E-mail: investors@wearerritual.com Telephone: (778) 400-1242 Functional Foods Market According to Grandview Research*, it is estimated that the global functional food market is projected to reach $275 billion by 2025, growing at 7.9% each year with consumers putting more emphasis on health and wellness. *https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-functional-foods-market Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements") that relate to Rritual's current expectations and views of future events. Any statements that express, or involve discussions as to, expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, through the use of words or phrases such as "will likely result", "are expected to", "expects", "will continue", "is anticipated", "anticipates", "believes", "estimated", "intends", "plans", "forecast", "projection", "strategy", "objective" and "outlook") are not historical facts and may be forward-looking statements and may involve estimates, assumptions and uncertainties which could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. No assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this news release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. In particular and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the Company's plans to leverage third party manufacturing and logistics, the Company's broader retail distribution plans and the Company's other plans, focus and objectives. Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Rritual's control, which could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those that are disclosed in or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the impact and progression of the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors set forth under "Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the final long form prospectus of the Company dated February 26, 2021 and available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Rritual undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by law. New factors emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for Rritual to predict all of them or assess the impact of each such factor or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Any forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102522 ~The certification recognizes UST's focus on delivering excellent employee experience~ KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, announced today that it has been certified as a Great Place to Work in Malaysia for 2021-2022. This prestigious recognition is solely based on employee feedback, their experience working at UST, and their overall journey with the company. An overwhelming majority of USsociates ranked UST and its leadership higher than the average for companies based in Malaysia. The GPTW certification took place through the Trust Index Survey and culture assessment among the company's employees by Great Place to Work (GPTW). Great Place to Work is the global entity on building, supporting, and identifying high-trust and high-performance culture at workplaces. From its inception in 1992, they have conducted millions of research on employees across the globe and identified characteristics of exceptional workplaces. With each passing year, about 10,000 organizations enroll to be Great Place to Work certified. This certification holds a special place as UST Malaysia is the third employer certified in Malaysia by GPTW. USsociates commended UST's leadership team for their people management skills, promotion of DEI, and their support for innovation. The employees also spoke highly of the safe and healthy work environment, the pride they take in the job, the respect shown by the leadership team, and the immense opportunities that support personal and professional development. "We are committed to building a holistic environment for our employees that's inclusive and driven with growth opportunities," says Michael Adamson, Sr. VP - HR Global Operations, UST. "Being recognized as a 'Great Place to Work' is a huge honor and a true testament to the effort that every USsociate has demonstrated at UST. We are excited that UST is recognized as a Great Place to Work in multiple countries that we operate in. This recognition substantiates UST's commitment to building an extensive workforce that attracts and retains top talent as we deliver outstanding business results to our global clients." "Getting certified by GPTW is an honor and a validation of our high-energy, high-performance work culture and we are excited as this is a value add for our employees working in Malaysia," said Amar Chhajer, Country Head, UST Malaysia, and Senior Director APAC, UST. "UST is a great place to work because of our commitment to determination, integrity, leadership, and continuous improvement towards building a resilient workforce. Every USsociate working at UST is living our guiding values, every day even through these challenging times. We take much pride in our sharp, creative team members, and we are thrilled that we are rated among the best technology workplaces in the country," he added. Despite battling these difficult times, UST has demonstrated best-in-class talent practices and continued its award-winning culture with the latest certification in Malaysia. In 2021, UST was certified by Great Place to Work in the U.S., UK, India, and Mexico. UST was also named a Top Employer 2021 in Eight Countries - US, United Kingdom, India, Mexico, Spain, Philippines Singapore, and Malaysia, by the Top Employers Institute (TEI), another global authority on recognizing excellence in people practices in the workplace. The company had recently announced its aggressive hiring plans of over 10,000 employees across the globe, including Malaysia, to support its global business demand, accelerate the digital transformation of companies, and the rise of the digital economy. Started in 2010 in Malaysia, UST has two engineering delivery centers in Penang and Kuala Lumpur with over 1000 employees. Last year, UST also announced the launch of the company's first Infinity Labs in Southeast Asia that aims to drive innovation for their clients in the region. UST and OutSystems recently announced the winners of the digital learning challenge for students in Malaysia, awarding conditional job offers from UST. The company is committed to supporting the growing innovation ecosystem in Southeast Asia and is well-positioned for growth. UST's expanding presence in Malaysia further solidifies its commitment to the country, with plans to leverage and provide opportunities to local Malaysian talent who are keen on developing digital skills essential for tomorrow's economy. To learn more about UST's certification, please visit GPTW. For more information about careers at UST, please visit https://www.ust.com/careers or Jobs at UST LinkedIn page. About UST For more than 20 years, UST has worked side by side with the world's best companies to make a real impact through transformation. Powered by technology, inspired by people, and led by our purpose, we partner with our clients from design to operation. Through our nimble approach, we identify their core challenges and craft disruptive solutions that bring their vision to life. With deep domain expertise and a future-proof philosophy, we embed innovation and agility into our clients' organisations-delivering measurable value and lasting change across industries and around the world. Together, with over 26,000 employees in 25 countries, we build for boundless impact-touching billions of lives in the process. Visit us at ust.com. Media Contacts, UST: Tinu Cherian Abraham +1 (949) 415-9857 Neha Misri +91-9972631264 media.relations@ust.com Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1422658/UST_Logo.jpg TOKYO, Nov 9, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Eisai Co., Ltd. announced today that the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU), led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has an agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to amend the clinical study (Tau NexGen) design to include a background anti-amyloid agent. The Tau NexGen clinical study was originally designed to focus on therapies that target tau. With increasing evidence from clinical studies showing that targeting amyloid can reduce biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the Tau NexGen clinical trial leaders selected Eisai's investigational anti-amyloid beta (Abeta) protofibril antibody lecanemab as the background anti-amyloid agent.The purpose of the Tau NexGen study is to assess the safety, tolerability, biomarker and cognitive efficacy of investigational therapies in people who have an Alzheimer's disease-causing gene mutation. The study will evaluate if treatment with study drug slows the rate of progression of cognitive impairment and improves disease-related biomarkers.People who have this genetic mutation of dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease (DIAD) are known to develop AD and will likely develop symptoms at around the same age their affected parents did, often in their 50s, 40s or even 30s. In March 2021, the DIAN-TU selected anti-microtubule binding region (MTBR) tau antibody E2814, which was created from collaboration research between Eisai and University College London, as the first investigational medicine among anti-tau drugs for the DIAN-TU tau study.In the amended Tau NexGen study, symptomatic participants will be administered lecanemab for six months before being randomly assigned to also receive the anti-tau drug or a placebo. Since amyloid plaques accumulate before tau tangles in AD, this study design allows the researchers to assess whether amyloid removal clears the way for the anti-tau drug to function most effectively. Pre-symptomatic participants will be randomly assigned to receive the anti-tau drug or a placebo for a year before beginning lecanemab administration. By staggering the drugs in this way, the researchers will be able to evaluate the effects of the anti-tau drug alone before assessing the effects of the two drugs together. The primary endpoint is a slowing of tau accumulation in the brain in symptomatic participants, as seen on PET brain scans. As a secondary endpoint, the researchers will evaluate whether the investigational therapies affect levels of a specific kind of tau -- phosphorylated tau 217 -- in the cerebrospinal fluid of pre-symptomatic participants. If these primary and secondary endpoints are positive in the analysis two years after the start of study, the study will be extended for another two years to assess whether the drug slows cognitive decline and has further effects on tau pathology."With growing evidence that removing amyloid plaques has biologically beneficial effects on amyloid and tau, we believe that targeting both Alzheimer's disease pathologies -- amyloid plaques and tau tangles -- at the same time can provide the highest chance of success," said principal investigator Randall J. Bateman, M.D., director of DIAN-TU and the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology at Washington University."Eisai's anti-MTBR tau antibody E2814 was chosen as the first investigational therapy among anti-tau drugs for the groundbreaking Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit Tau NexGen, which was originally designed to target tau proteins. The growing body of evidence suggesting the removal of amyloid plaque slows cognitive decline is creating new possibilities to potentially fight this devastating disease. Eisai is proud that our investigational anti-amyloid beta protofibril antibody lecanemab has been selected as the background anti-amyloid agent in this arm of the study," said Lynn Kramer, M.D., FAAN, Chief Clinical Officer, Neurology Business Group, Eisai Co., Ltd. "In our Phase 2b study, lecanemab 10 mg/kg biweekly dosing without titration, demonstrated robust clearance of the brain amyloid plaques from early stage of administration and slowed cognitive decline in people living with early AD. Encouragingly, the rate of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities-edema/effusion for this same dosing was 9.9% with less than 2% being symptomatic."Eisai positions neurology as a key therapeutic area, and it will continue to create innovation in the development of novel medicines based on cutting-edge neurology research as it seeks to contribute further to improving the benefits of affected individuals and their families in diseases with high unmet needs, such as dementia including AD. Our vision is clear: a world free of neurodegeneration.About Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN)The DIAN is an international research effort focused on dominantly inherited Alzheimer's disease. Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's disease (DIAD) is a rare form of AD that causes memory loss and dementia in individuals -- typically while they are in their 30s to 50s. The disease affects less than 1% of the total population of people with Alzheimer's. The aim of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) is to find solutions to treat or prevent this disease and, potentially, all forms of Alzheimer's. The DIAN-TU is an international public-private partnership dedicated to designing and managing interventional therapeutic trials for individuals with and at risk of DIAD.About Lecanemab (BAN2401)Lecanemab is an investigational humanized monoclonal antibody for Alzheimer's disease (AD) that is the result of a strategic research alliance between Eisai and BioArctic. Lecanemab selectively binds to neutralize and eliminate soluble, toxic amyloid-beta (Abeta) aggregates (protofibrils) that are thought to contribute to the neurodegenerative process in AD. As such, lecanemab may have the potential to have an effect on disease pathology and to slow down the progression of the disease. With regard to the results from pre-specified analysis at 18 months of treatment, Study 201 demonstrated reduction of brain Abeta accumulation (P<0.0001) and slowing of disease progression measured by ADCOMS* (P<0.05) in early AD subjects. The study did not achieve its primary outcome measure** at 12 months of treatment. The Study 201 open-label extension was initiated after completion of the Core period and a Gap period off treatment (average of 24 months) to evaluate safety and efficacy, and is underway.Eisai obtained the global rights to study, develop, manufacture and market lecanemab for the treatment of AD pursuant to an agreement concluded with BioArctic in December 2007. In March 2014, Eisai and Biogen entered into a joint development and commercialization agreement for lecanemab and the parties amended that agreement in October 2017. Currently, lecanemab is being studied in a pivotal Phase 3 clinical study in symptomatic early AD (Clarity AD), following the outcome of the Phase 2 clinical study (Study 201). In July 2020 the Phase 3 clinical study (AHEAD 3-45) for individuals with preclinical AD, meaning they are clinically normal and have intermediate or elevated levels of amyloid in their brains, was initiated. AHEAD 3-45 is conducted as a public-private partnership between the Alzheimer's Clinical Trial Consortium that provides the infrastructure for academic clinical trials in Alzheimer's Disease and related dementias in the U.S., funded by the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, and Eisai.In September 2021, a rolling submission to the FDA of a Biologics License Application (BLA) for the treatment of early AD under the accelerated approval pathway was initiated. Lecanemab was granted Breakthrough Therapy designation in June 2021, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) program intended to expedite the development and review of medicines for serious or life-threatening conditions.About E2814An investigational anti-microtubule binding region (MTBR) tau antibody, E2814 is being developed as a disease modifying agent for tauopathies including sporadic AD. Phase I clinical studies are underway. E2814 was discovered as part of the research collaboration between Eisai and University College London. E2814 is designed to prevent the spreading of tau seeds within the brains of affected individuals.* Developed by Eisai, ADCOMS (AD Composite Score) combines items from the ADAS-Cog (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale), CDR (Clinical Dementia Rating) and the MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) scales to enable a sensitive detection of changes in clinical functions of early AD symptoms and changes in memory.** An 80% or higher estimated probability of demonstrating 25% or greater slowing in clinical decline at 12 months treatment measured by ADCOMS from baseline compared to placeboMedia Inquiries:Public Relations Department,Eisai Co., Ltd.+81-(0)3-3817-5120Eisai Inc (U.S.)Libby Holman201-753-1945Libby_Holman@eisai.comInvestor Contact:Eisai Co., Ltd.Investor Relations DepartmentTEL: +81-(0)70-8688-9685Source: EisaiCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Dallas-based law firm Miller Bryant LLP said Monday that an American Airlines flight attendant, who says she was sexually assaulted by a celebrity chef hired by the airline, will get the chance to tell her story to a jury, following a ruling by a Tarrant County district court judge. The ruling, by Judge Kimberly Fitzpatrick, rejected all portions of a motion for summary judgment filed by American that sought to avoid allowing a jury to hear the case. The case is set for trial in Judicial District Court on January 24. The plaintiff in the case, Kimberly Goesling of Fort Worth, first publicly told the story of what happened to her - and American's role in it - in a 2021 Facebook and Instagram. Goesling, a nearly 30-year flight attendant for the airline, was a flight crew leader and worked on the airline's recruitment and training teams. During a special assignment in January 2018, Goesling went with other American Airlines employees to Germany to help develop a special international menu for first- and business-class passengers. Also on the work trip was a celebrity chef whom American hired without a background check and continued to employ even after it learned of prior allegations against him for alcohol abuse and inappropriate sexual conduct, according to the lawsuit. On the final night of the group's stay, the chef forced his way into Goesling's hotel room and sexually assaulted her. American's own investigation later showed he admitted to the attack. When she reported the attack to the company, managers promised to pay Goesling for treatment and allow her time away from work shifts, as needed. They did neither, instead removing her from her coveted position on the airline's recruitment team, the lawfirm Miller Bryant said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX AMERICAN AIRLINES-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Operations, safety and health and wellbeing, deemed the most important topics within an organisation Feedback from the Field research report reveals: Fear of retaliation and lack of management action prevents frontline feedback Frontline staff do not feel empowered to directly solve issues Having a valued voice and quality training are key for frontline job seekers The majority of American, Australian, and British frontline workers (67%) say that they are never, rarely, or only sometimes listened to on topics that matter to them the most operations (54%), safety (46%), and health/wellbeing (49%) according to new research by SafetyCulture. In fact, 66% of American frontline workers said they are rarely, never, or only sometimes listened to by management on these important topics. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006191/en/ SafetyCulture's new "Feedback from the Field" research recently found operations, safety and health, and wellbeing have been deemed the most important topics within an organisation by frontline workers who fear retaliation for speaking up. (Graphic: Business Wire) SafetyCulture's new Feedback from the Field research features the views of American, British and Australian "frontline workers" defined as individuals who must "physically show up to their job" including the likes of hospitality, retail, manufacturing, and logistics workers. When it comes to taking action, just over one in four American and Australian frontline workers (27% each) feel empowered to take action and solve an issue themself. In the UK, just over one in five frontline workers feel empowered to tackle issues (22%). Frontline workers fear job loss when reporting COVID-19 adherence issues Job loss as a result of reporting a safety or quality issue to management, including adherence to COVID-19 protocols, is a real concern for many frontline workers. Almost half of Australian frontline workers (48%), more than a third of American frontline workers (36%), and more than one in five British frontline workers (22%) agreed this is a potential scenario. To tackle this issue, SafetyCulture has developed its operations platform to empower staff to report issues, giving them a voice within the workplace. Its new capture and notify functionality further connects leaders and frontline workers to help address under-reporting. The technology allows for sensitive feedback to be shared via anonymous entry. Lack of action prevents frontline feedback Fears aside, over one in three frontline workers (34%) agree their willingness to provide workplace feedback is impacted by a belief that "nothing will be done" once reported. More than one in four said they lacked confidence management would address safety issues they raise. Bob Butler, Global General Manager of SafetyCulture said, "While frontline workers have kept our nations running over the past 18 months, many don't feel that their voices are valued. It's clear that these critical workers want a say in the operations and running of their workplaces. Two-way communication between frontline workers and management is no longer a 'nice to have', it is a business imperative. Leaders need to be arming their teams with the right tools to allow them to add value, be heard, and stay safe." Training beats a competitive holiday allowance As many organisations navigate The Great Resignation of 2021, SafetyCulture's research also reveals that quality training is of key importance to frontline jobseekers when considering a new role. Seven in ten frontline workers (70%) describe training as either very important or a top priority ahead of a competitive holiday allowance (40%). Feeling confident they have a valued voice was also important for frontline workers when considering new roles, according to 72% of Australian, 60% of American, and almost half of British (48%) frontline workers. Darren Winterford, CEO of EdApp, an award-winning mobile-first training platform, said, "It's important to clarify that deskless workers aren't after any old training. Summoning teams to a white-walled room to digest endless slides no longer cuts it. Mobile learning is quickly becoming the most accessible way to get training out to those in the field or working remotely. For training to be a successful retention and recruitment tool, it needs to be an experience learners will actually enjoy and be in sync with today's digital habits." To read the full report visit: https://safetyculture.com/ebooks/feedback-from-the-field SafetyCulture's new mobile-first 'issues' feature is available now via iAuditor for free. For information on how organizations can get started and gain real-time insight into what is happening in the field visit: https://safetyculture.com/issues. About the Research All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1950 adults (861 US, 554 Australia, 535 UK). Fieldwork was undertaken between 27th August 9th September 2021. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of US, UK and AU frontline workers (aged 18+). About SafetyCulture SafetyCulture is the operational heartbeat of working teams around the world. Its mobile-first operations platform leverages the power of human observation to identify issues and opportunities for businesses to improve everyday. More than 28,000 organizations use its flagship products, iAuditor, and EdApp, to perform checks, train staff, report issues, automate tasks and communicate fluidly. SafetyCulture powers over 600 million checks per year, approximately 50,000 lessons per day and millions of corrective actions, giving leaders visibility and workers a voice in driving safety, quality and efficiency improvements. Recent analysis by Forrester found that SafetyCulture's flagship products provide a 214% return on investment for customers, and USD $3.6M in cost savings from operational improvements. Customers of SafetyCulture's award-winning products include the likes of Shell, United Nations, Virgin Active, Cathay Pacific, Mars, and BP Chargemaster. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006191/en/ Contacts: Media contact: Chloe Mugwangi chloe.mugwangi@ogilvy.com.au +61 420 234 338 IPACKCHEM TO ACQUIRE AND PARTNER WITH MULLACKAL Transaction further strengthens IPACKCHEM's global position by establishing a footprint in India IPACKCHEM Group ("IPACKCHEM") today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to partner with Mullackal Polymers Private Limited ("Mullackal"), a leading crop protection packaging provider in India, via an acquisition of the business. Founded in 1987 by JP Morvan, IPACKCHEM is a leading global supplier of innovative and specialized barrier packaging solutions serving the crop protection and specialty chemicals end markets. IPACKCHEM's leading market positions are further underscored by its strong sustainability orientation and 100% recyclable plastic barrier packaging. It currently has facilities across Europe, the UK, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa. With three facilities in Western India, Mullackal is a manufacturer of premium HDPE and barrier plastic containers, caps and measuring cups for India's crop protection and specialty chemical industry. Founded in 1976 by P.K.N. Pillai, Mullackal pioneered plastic barrier manufacturing technology in India and today serves the largest multinational crop protection players with a presence in India. The partnership with Mullackal will allow IPACKCHEM to establish a strong presence in India's large and high-growth market and position it for future expansion in the country. JP Morvan, CEO of IPACKCHEM, commented, "We are extremely excited to partner with Ramesh and Karthik Pillai, who have built a high-quality and innovative business, and we look forward to accelerating Mullackal's growth under IPACKCHEM ownership. By leveraging IPACKCHEM's sustainable barrier technology, Mullackal will be uniquely positioned to provide high-quality recyclable packaging for customers in India. Similarly, we expect to leverage Mullackal's proprietary caps technology (CRTESS) across IPACKCHEM's existing product portfolio. This transaction is core to our strategy of being the leading global barrier packaging player serving crop protection and specialty chemicals customers. We will continue to aggressively pursue acquisitions in new geographies, including North America, to fully mirror our clients' global footprint." Mullackal owner and Managing Director Ramesh Pillai said, "IPACKCHEM is the perfect partner for Mullackal and we are excited to continue providing best-in-class packaging to India's leading crop protection players with the added benefit of IPACKCHEM's resources and industry relationships. Karthik and I will continue to lead Mullackal and look forward to working with JP and his team to bring their innovative solutions to the Indian market and grow our presence in India." In partnership with SK Capital Partners, IPACKCHEM is continuing its international expansion to better support its multinational customers globally, leveraging its unique industrial know-how and strong commitment to sustainability. SK Capital, which acquired IPACKCHEM earlier this year, is a private investment firm focused on the specialty materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors with more than $5 billion of assets under management and a global portfolio of businesses generating approximately $11 billion of revenues annually. The transaction is expected to close towards the end of 2021. KPMG acted as exclusive M&A advisor and CK Juris and Pioneer Legal acted as legal counsel to IPACKCHEM. EY acted as exclusive M&A advisor and Lumiere Law Partners acted as legal counsel to Mullackal. About IPACKCHEM Headquartered in Paris, France, IPACKCHEM is a leading global manufacturer of innovative plastic packaging products (containers, bottles, jerrycans) for the crop protection and specialty chemicals end markets. The Company's UN-approved packaging solutions enable users to safely transport and distribute "hard-to-hold" and hazardous chemicals, while adhering to stringent regulations. IPACKCHEM currently operates through 8 production facilities, employs ~850 people and serves ~1,200 customers in 35 countries. IPACKCHEM carries an Ecovadis Gold rating. For more information, please visit www.ipackchem.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108005768/en/ Contacts: Stephen Fishleigh BackBay Communications +44 203-475-7552 stephen.fishleigh@backbaycommunications.com Jeremy Milner BackBay Communications +1 401-862-9422 jeremy.milner@backbaycommunications.com As beverage innovations sweep up the most accolades across Europe in NielsenIQ BASES Breakthrough Innovation Report, released today, the findings highlight a number of leading trends that drinks manufacturers should be prepared to tap into in 2022 and beyond. The report, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, has unveiled the leading innovations of the FMCG world that have made the biggest impact. The brands that made the list reflect a wide range of products and approaches that succeeded in making meaningful connections with consumers, an impressive feat within an increasingly crowded marketplace. With beverage launches accounting for over a third of Europe's leading FMCG innovations, the winners highlight a further shift towards premiumisation in the drinks industry. Leffe d'Ete in France and Hansa Mango IPA in Norway achieved sales success by attracting new consumers into the brand and category, overcoming taste barriers associated with lager and IPA respectively. Hansa Mango IPA, has been hugely successful in Norway after focusing on creating a beverage that is easy to drink by toning down on the natural bitter beer taste, particularly pertinent for IPA. Following extensive consumer testing, the team found that mango paired well with hopped IPA/beer and even improved the texture. Hansa Mango IPA also leveraged its retailer connections to secure strong listings with good visibility for the launch critical in a country and category where advertising is banned. Initially intended as a limited summer edition, it is now a permanent product. The launch of Martini Fiero offered consumers a new flavour profile and an easy to execute perfect serve to drive growth in the declining vermouth category, which was losing relevancy in Russia as consumers moved into modern aperitivo occasion. Bacardi identified an opportunity for Martini Fiero, a drink that is 100% natural in flavour and colour with a bittersweet, orange taste,to bring the vermouth category into this new occasion. Shifting focus to the growing coffee market, Costa Coffee UK saw an opportunity to bring their out of home brand into consumers' homes through entering the Ready-to-Drink category. The category was small but growing fast; Costa identified an opportunity to combine its coffee credentials and expertise to create a winning cold coffee proposition. The result was an RTD with authentic coffee flavour and less sugar than other products in the category. Celine Grena, European BASES leader, comments: "Looking at this year's winners, we can see a huge number of beverages leading the way for FMCG innovations. Taste remains one of the most important factors within the drinks category, with focus on the product development process playing a key role for the winners. It's also worth noting that this strategy allows manufacturers to justify a premium, with nearly two-thirds of beverage winners premium to the category." Beverage Winners (listed in alphabetical order) Birra Messina Cristalli Di Sale (Italy) Costa Coffee Ready-to-Drink (UK) Hansa Mango IPA (Norway) Innocent Plus (UK France) J.J Whitley Artisanal Russian Vodka (UK) Leffe d'Ete (France) Martini Fiero (Russia) Somersby Mango i Limonka (Poland) Starbucks for Nespresso (UK, France, Switzerland, Netherlands and Spain) About NielsenIQ BASES Breakthrough Innovation This year's Breakthrough Innovation process reviewed over 50,000 product launches. The brands that made the 2021 list reflect a wide range of products and approaches that succeeded in making meaningful connections with consumers, an impressive feat within an increasingly crowded marketplace. Beyond BASES requirements for products that reflect strong, distinct qualities such as mass potential, longevity, brand incrementality, category distinction or appeal toward a specific consumer target, this year's list brings the continued evolution of the success criteria, which includes all six of NielsenIQ BASES' activation profiles. About NielsenIQ NielsenIQ is the leader in providing the most complete, unbiased view of consumer behavior, globally. Powered by a groundbreaking consumer data platform and fueled by rich analytic capabilities, NielsenIQ enables bold, confident decision-making for the world's leading consumer goods companies and retailers. Using comprehensive data sets and measuring all transactions equally, NielsenIQ gives clients a forward-looking view into consumer behavior in order to optimize performance across all retail platforms. Our open philosophy on data integration enables the most influential consumer data sets on the planet. NielsenIQ delivers the complete truth. NielsenIQ, an Advent International portfolio company, has operations in nearly 100 markets, covering more than 90% of the world's population. For more information, visit NielsenIQ.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006196/en/ Contacts: Publicasity Gillian Mosher NielsenIQ@publicasity.co.uk EQS Group-Ad-hoc: RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding AG / Key word(s): Personnel Relief Therapeutics Announces Transitions in Commercial Organization to Implement Next Phase of Corporate Development 09-Nov-2021 / 07:00 CET/CEST Release of an ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Relief Therapeutics Announces Transitions in Commercial Organization to Implement Next Phase of Corporate Development Anthony M. Kim Appointed Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Commercial Operations - Seasoned Biotech Executive Brings Vast U.S. Commercial Launch Experience to Relief European and United Kingdom Commercial Operations Transitioned to Paolo Galfetti, President of Relief Europe Chris Stijnen to Depart Relief Geneva, Switzerland, November 9, 2021 - RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA (SIX: RLF, OTCQB: RLFTF) ("Relief"), a biopharmaceutical company seeking to provide patients therapeutic relief from serious diseases with high unmet need, announced today the appointment, effective December 1, 2021, of Anthony M. Kim as Senior Vice President and Head of U.S. Commercial Operations. The company also reported that Chris Stijnen, Chief Commercial Officer since 2020, will be leaving to pursue other opportunities effective November 30, 2021. His duties regarding EU and UK commercial operations will be assumed by Paolo Galfetti, President of Relief Europe, and the commercial team at Relief's subsidiary, APR Applied Pharma Research SA ("APR"). "Our collaboration with Acer Therapeutics and strategic acquisitions of APR and AdVita Lifescience GmbH, all completed in 2021, have allowed us to significantly expand our intellectual property position and pipeline, while bringing, in-house, a number of already marketed products, such as APR's flagship PKU GOLIKE(R), for the treatment of phenylketonuria," stated Raghuram Selvaraju, Ph.D., Chairman of the Board of Directors of Relief. "Anthony's appointment is a direct acknowledgement of our growing corporate needs, our commitment to our-long term growth, and our plans to expand availability of our product candidates in the U.S. including PKU GOLIKE(R). Anthony will also be a key part of Relief's plan to optimize the commercial success of ACER-001 in collaboration with our partner Acer Therapeutics. As a proven commercial leader with extensive launch experience gained during his tenures at Novocure, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Genentech, Anthony is an invaluable addition and we are delighted to welcome him to the Relief team." Dr. Selvaraju added, "I would also like to acknowledge Chris Stijnen's extensive contributions during his time with the company. His efforts over the past year have been instrumental in helping to drive our strategy and identify key opportunities for growth. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors." "I am excited and honored to be joining Relief, and to help further their mission of developing innovative therapies for areas of great unmet medical need," stated Mr. Kim. "I share the company's vision for improving the lives of patients living with acute and rare medical conditions. I look forward to building Relief's presence in the U.S., and to living the values of the organization with integrity, sensitivity, and humility each day." Prior to joining Relief, for the past three years, Mr. Kim was Vice President, Global Commercial Development at Novocure, where he led a 21-person team in the planning and U.S. marketing execution for that company's Optune(R) and Optune Lua, FDA-approved, therapeutic devices that deliver alternating electrical fields to treat patients with Glioblastoma Multiforme and Mesothelioma. From 2017 to 2018, he was Executive Director of Marketing at Ignyta (subsequently acquired by Roche), during which time he led the development of the commercial launch plan for entrectinib, an oral, oncologic agent in pan-tumor clinical trials for patients with neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase (NTRK) and ROS1 fusion-positive disease. From 2012 to 2017, Mr. Kim held positions of increasing responsibility at Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc., most recently serving as Director, Head of U.S. Marketing, Hypophosphatasia, where he managed the U.S. marketing efforts for the launch of Strensiq, a novel, first-in-class enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of hypophosphatasia, a rare inherited metabolic bone disorder. Earlier, from 2004 to 2012, Mr. Kim held various positions at Genentech, including Product Manager, Herceptin Marketing and Divisional Sales Manager, Rituxan Hematology. Mr. Kim received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Harvard University and a Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School. ABOUT RELIEF Relief focuses primarily on clinical-stage programs based on molecules with a history of clinical testing and use in human patients or a strong scientific rationale. Relief's drug candidate, RLF-100 (aviptadil), a synthetic form of Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide (VIP), is in late-stage clinical testing in the U.S. for the treatment of respiratory deficiency due to COVID-19. As part of its pipeline diversification strategy, in March 2021, Relief entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement with Acer Therapeutics for the worldwide development and commercialization of ACER-001. ACER-001 is a taste-masked and immediate release proprietary powder formulation of sodium phenylbutyrate (NaPB) for the treatment of Urea Cycle Disorders and Maple Syrup Urine Disease. In addition, Relief's recently completed acquisitions of APR Applied Pharma Research SA and AdVita Lifescience GmbH, bring to Relief a diverse pipeline of marketed and development-stage programs. RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the symbol RLF and quoted in the U.S. on OTCQB under the symbol RLFTF. For more information, visit www.relieftherapeutics.com. Follow us on LinkedIn. CONTACT: RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA Jack Weinstein Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer contact@relieftherapeutics.com FOR MEDIA/INVESTOR INQUIRIES: Rx Communications Group Michael Miller +1-917-633-6086 mmiller@rxir.com Disclaimer: This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those risks discussed in RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA's filings with the SIX, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. RELIEF THERAPEUTICS Holding SA is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Piet van der Slikke, CEO : "We have delivered strong results in the first nine months of this year. Despite constraints in the supply chains, our committed team was able to benefit from strong demand and further expanded and leveraged our commercial relationships. Operating EBITA was up with 51% (fx. adjusted +54%) or EUR 96.5 million and we realised a healthy cash flow of 204.5 EUR million (+21%) in the first nine months of this year. All regions delivered double digit operating EBITA growth numbers. We further successfully executed our growth strategy by two acquisitions in China and Mexico in the third quarter of this year. Although we foresee continuing supply chain challenges in the remainder of the year, we are confident that our well-established commercial, digital and logistic infrastructure, enables us to realise our sustainable growth ambitions." 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. Press contact Antara Nandy Tel: +91 967 451 5119 Email: antara.nandy@capgemini.com The 10-year agreement covers all Nortura IT services, including cloud and data transformation, affirming Capgemini's expertise in consumer-packaged goods (CPG) and the agri-cooperative sector Paris, November 9, 2021 - Capgemini has signed a 10-year contract with Nortura, one of Norway's largest food producers, to act as Nortura's main supplier across all IT areas, supporting its ambitions for a more innovative value chain. Through the long-term strategic partnership, Nortura aims to create more sustainable value chains and achieve reductions inIT operations' costs. Nortura is one of Norway's largest food producers, offering a variety of produce for the grocery, industrial and commercial markets. The cooperative, which is owned by 17,300 Norwegian farmers, has identified several opportunities to improve logistics from farm to fork and production, through the use of data and digitalization. Nortura is determined to meet the increasing consumer expectations of better traceability and sustainability throughout the value chain. Nortura and Capgemini will work closely together to drive innovation and develop value-added services over the coming years. Capgemini was awarded the contract due to its strong delivery performance through its robust and scalable global IT delivery model. As part of the agreement, Capgemini will be involved in data transformation, operational technology, infrastructure, and cloud, as well as industrial IT solutions, applications operations and integration of SAP and Salesforce solutions. "Technology and innovation are key enablers for our ongoing business transformation. Capgemini's secure and stable IT operations and management, along with their deep domain expertise and market-leading services, will help us unleash the potential of emerging technology and drive business value," says Anne Marit Panengstuen, CEO of Nortura. "This agreement is of great strategic importance to us because it combines the full range of Capgemini's products and services. Together, we will further contribute to the development of Nortura as a sustainable, proactive, and profitable food company. We are excited to enable the digital transformation of Nortura over the next decade, for the benefit of both Norwegian farmers and consumers," says Jens Middborg, Managing Director at Capgemini in Norway. About Capgemini Capgemini is a global leader in partnering with companies to transform and manage their business by harnessing the power of technology. The Group is guided everyday by its purpose of unleashing human energy through technology for an inclusive and sustainable future. It is a responsible and diverse organization of over 300,000 team members in nearly 50 countries. With its strong 50-year heritage and deep industry expertise, Capgemini is trusted by its clients to address the entire breadth of their business needs, from strategy and design to operations, fuelled by the fast evolving and innovative world of cloud, data, AI, connectivity, software, digital engineering and platforms. The Group reported in 2020 global revenues of 16 billion. Get The Future You Want | www.capgemini.com SAP Forward-looking Statement Any statements in this release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties described in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 20-F, that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations. SAP cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements which SAP has no obligation to update and which speak only as of their dates. 2021 SAP SE. All rights reserved. SAP and other SAP products and services mentioned herein as well as their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP SE in Germany and other countries. Please see https://www.sap.com/copyrightfor additional trademark information and notices. All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies. Attachment New service will leverage IP streaming to deliver 50 HD channels and content libraries and can expand HD+ reach by 20 million homes SES today announced HD+ IP, a new Internet-based streaming service in Germany that provides subscribers with access to 50 HD channels and libraries with more content without needing to have a satellite, cable or DVB-T2 TV connection. Launching in December, the new HD+ IP streaming service will expand SES's addressable market by additional 20 million households in Germany. The TV-app-based service will be downloadable or come pre-installed on a variety of smart TVs with Panasonic as an initial launch partner. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006217/en/ SES Launches New HD+ IP Streaming Service in Germany (Photo: Business Wire) Comparable with the current HD+ service for satellite TV-households, HD+ IP subscribers can watch both linear TV as well as on-demand programmes and content without additional or proprietary devices everything is delivered through the HD+ IP app directly integrated in TVs. HD+ IP will offer over 50 HD channels, including public and private channels, with wide coverage as well as access to multiple media libraries with on-demand content. HD+ IP comes with popular features like an interactive TV guide, instant restart of live TV and more. "The launch of HD+ IP is the beginning of a new era for HD+ as it gives viewers the choice in how they want to watch TV. HD+ IP is especially important in terms of expanding our base of potential customers to practically every household given the reach of high-quality internet connections across the country. This is also a milestone for our trading partners as the marketing of HD+ has never been this easy and attractive before," said Norbert Holzle, the Senior Vice President Commercial leading DACH by SES and additionally Managing Director of HD+. HD+ IP will be available for owners of new Panasonic TVs through an automatic software update in December 2021. Panasonic was also the first launch partner to integrate HD+ into its TV sets in 2019. About HD+ subscriptions HD+ subscribers will be able to enjoy the new HD+ IP service for free for a month; after that, they can choose between a monthly subscription for 6 a month (via HD+ webstore) or the purchase of a 12-month long extension using a prepaid voucher for 75 (in specialized stores or HD+ webstore). HD+ subscribers can additionally subscribe to HD+ ToGo to enjoy all the functions of HD+ on their smartphones and tabletsHouseholds with satellite reception will continue to receive HD+ via ASTRA satellites with no change to their high-quality HD and UHD experience. Follow us on: Twitter Facebook YouTube LinkedIn Instagram Read our Blogs > Visit the Media Gallery > About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world's only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world's leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES's video network carries over 8,650 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 361 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006217/en/ Contacts: Suzanne Ong External Communications Tel. +352 710 725 500 suzanne.ong@ses.com BUDAPEST, Hungary, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Tungsram, a Hungarian technology innovator is proposing an answer to Elon Musk's$6 billion offer to the United Nations World Food Program to alleviate world hunger. Indoor farming, food factories for Africa, and integrated food clusters for metropolitan areas are sustainable means to solving the global food crisis. Tesla CEO Elon Musk was quick to respond to a challenge by UN World Food Programme Director (WFP) David Beasley, who reportedly claimed that 2% of Elon Musk's wealth could greatly help solve world hunger. "If WFP can describe () exactly how $6B will solve world hunger, I will sell Tesla stock right now and do it," Musk wrote in a tweet While the debate between the two continues, Hungarian mid-cap Tungsram has a proposal for WFP and the Tesla CEO. "Indoor farming is the most viable solution to achieve this," says Tungsram President & CEO Joerg Bauer. "It is an exciting disruptive technology that balances on the thin line between agriculture, industry 4.0 and digital technology to provide feasible global solutions and produce staple food for large numbers of people in a sustainable way." Tungsram - a 125-year-old, innovative lighting and technology manufacturer - has been collaborating with academic and SME partners to develop indoor farming technologies in a quest to eliminate world hunger. The Tungsram team recently opened a 150 sqm vertical farm in Budapest to facilitate and advance research in this area. The facility, equipped with the company's own high-end lighting solutions, is one of its kind in Central Europe. The team is currently working on two indoor farming goals, both deemed highly feasible. The projects focus on so-called food factory units for the African continent and zero-waste, circular food clusters. The food factories would cover basic nutritional needs in rural areas with adverse climate, while the clusters would be located in the vicinity of large metropolitan areas to ensure decentralized food production locally. "Establishing millions of these units could provide healthy and available food independent from weather, season, every single day of the year," Bauer argues. Global food security is one of humanity's most pressing challenges that requires immense amounts of innovation and investment. The money the UN has requested from the world's billionaires would have to be spent on solving a number of challenges that will pave the way to eventually building these units. One such challenge is a breakthrough in atmospheric water capture that could provide water in climate-stricken, arid areas. Accelerated breeding that could make plants grow quicker and richer in nutrients without genetic modification is yet another innovation that would be a giant leap toward food security. Research and development in fertilizing, energy storage, remote operation, and automation is also a prerequisite to success. Governments and businesses should provide funding for research and innovation to scale food security. "I'm ready to share the details of our plan with WFP, FAO and Mr. Musk himself," says Joerg Bauer. Contact: Tamas Mehlhoffer, tamas.mehlhoffer@tungsram.com, +36202412052 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Glow LifeTech Corp. (CSE: GLOW) (OTCQB: GLWLF) (FSE: 9DO) ("Glow" or the "Company"), a biotech innovator producing next-generation, science-backed natural ingredients, is pleased to announce it has completed the buildout of its licensed processing space ("Processing Space") in Canada and has begun commissioning its reactor production equipment which enables the production of its high-performance MyCell ingredients. Glow has completed the buildout of its first production facility, located in Toronto, Canada, which will provide the Company the necessary production capacity to service the Canadian market nationally, across both adult-use and medical cannabis markets. In addition, the Company has begun commissioning its proprietary reactor, developed by its technology partner Swiss PharmaCan, which is a global first that the MyCell Technology production has been deployed outside of its native Switzerland location. "This is an exciting achievement for Glow and a major step forward in the commercialization of our industry leading MyCell ingredients in Canada," said Tom Glawdel, Chief Operating Officer, Glow LifeTech. "This production location will be the first production facility outside of Switzerland and for the first time enables the supply of our industry leading, high-bioavailability MyCell cannabis ingredients to the North American market." "We are pleased to have completed such an important milestone which now unlocks our ability to develop and produce our range of advanced MyCell ingredients," said Rob Carducci, Chief Commercial Officer, Glow LifeTech. "We look forward to working closely with brand partners to help push the boundaries of innovation and performance in cannabis and bringing to market a new generation of differentiated products together." With the Processing Space and reactor operational, Glow will be able to produce a diverse portfolio of industry-leading, high-bioavailability cannabis ingredients that push the boundaries of performance and innovation. The reactor is a mission critical component of The Company's MyCell Technology which transforms poorly absorbed cannabinoids into clear, water-compatible concentrates that have fast-acting onset, high-absorption and precision dosing, using only naturally-derived ingredients. Glow's Processing Space is located in a unique, state-of-the-art facility as part of its collaboration agreement with Medz Cannabis Inc. ("Medz"), a licensed cultivator and processor under the Cannabis Act. The agreement with Medz demonstrates Glow's focus on building an asset-light operational footprint, by working with a proven processing partner like Medz who brings its robust facility infrastructure for licensed cultivation, processing and sale of cannabis and demonstrated success as the operational wheelhouse behind several premium-quality cannabis products in Canada. MyCell Technology is Glow's proprietary naturally derived delivery system which dramatically improves the absorption, bioavailability and effectiveness of natural active compounds including cannabinoids, vitamins, botanicals and more. It transforms poorly absorbed natural compounds into clear, water-compatible concentrates that have fast-acting onset, high-absorption and precision dosing, and uses only naturally derived ingredients to avoid unpleasant, bitter tastes of synthetic ingredients. The versatility of MyCell enhanced concentrates allows them to power a variety of product formats including: droppers, beverages, foods, topicals, and capsules. Recent News: The Company recently report positive preclinical data on its proprietary MyCell CBD demonstrating fast-acting absorption in under 15 minutes and 13x greater absorption of CBD after 60 minutes. Full Story Here: https://www.glowlifetech.com/news-blog/glow-lifetech-reports-positive-preclinical-data-on-proprietary-mycell-cbd-demonstrating-superior-bioavailability-and-rapid-onset-time SUBSCRIBE: For more information on Glow or to subscribe to the Company's mail list visit: https://www.glowlifetech.com/news About Glow LifeTech Corp. Glow LifeTech is a Canadian-based biotechnology company focused on producing nutraceutical and cannabinoid-based products with dramatically enhanced bioavailability, absorption and effectiveness. Glow has rights to the groundbreaking, plant-based MyCell Technology delivery system, which transforms poorly absorbed natural compounds into enhanced water-compatible concentrates that unlock the full healing potential of the valuable compounds. About Medz Cannabis inc. Medz Cannabis Inc is a premium consumer-focused cannabis company operating out of a 50,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility. We devote our resources to researching and executing the most effective methods of producing premium grade cannabis products. Medz Cannabis Inc., has built out 20,000 square feet encompassing individual processing units that have become a home for innovative, quality-centric and legacy transfer brands! Our in-house partners include The Hash Corporation, Glow LifeTech, Fritz's Cannabis Company, 6Pak Packaging Solutions, and Harts. Medz is also very proud to be the first Farm Gate dispensary in the GTA, allowing customers to shop in-store or online directly at our facility where they can meet the producers and truly grasp the efforts behind the product. As we continue to grow and expand, we aim to roll out additional unique customer experiences to truly equate our facility to a Cannabis Hub. Website: www.glowlifetech.com Contact: James Van Staveren Glow LifeTech Corp. Office. 647-872-9982 ext. 2 TF. 1-844-247-6633 ext. 2 ir@glowlifetech.com Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement Except for statements of historic 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. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date 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 anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the CSE. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the commercialization plans for the technology described in this news release will come into effect on the terms or time frame described herein. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change except as required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedar.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102569 LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Unsecured consumer credit provider International Personal Finance (IPF.L) on Tuesday announced the appointment of Gary Thompson to the Board as Chief Financial Officer, with effect from April 4, 2022. Thompson has been the Finance Director of Vanquis Bank Limited, the major subsidiary of Provident Financial plc, since May 2020. He has nearly 20 years' financial services experience in both the accounting and corporate sectors. He joined Provident Financial in August 2004 where he performed a number of finance roles. Gerard Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of IPF, said, 'We are delighted that Gary is joining our business. He brings a wealth of sector-specific experience and skills, and will be a strong addition to the IPF leadership team. After a thorough and extensive search process, the Board unanimously concluded that Gary's experience and record of high performance made him an excellent fit for our CFO role.' 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. COMMERZBANK AG (London Branch) - Pre Stabilisation - Deutsche Lufthansa Dual EUR Pre-Stabilisation Notice 09 November 2021 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Deutsche Lufthansa Aktiengesellschaft EUR Benchmark 2 year Fixed Rate EUR Benchmark 5.5 year Fixed Rate Commerzbank AG (contact: Ian Turner; telephone: +44 20774751817) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014). The security to be stabilised: Issuer: Deutsche Lufthansa Aktiengesellschaft Guarantor (if any): none Aggregate nominal amount: 2yr: EUR benchmark 5.5yr: EUR Benchmark Description: Fixed Rate Notes due 16 November 2023 Fixed Rate Notes due 16 May 2027 Offer price: 2yr: tbc 5.5yr: tbc Other offer terms: Launched off Debt Issuance Programme, denoms 100k, / Tax Call / Clean-up Call (80%). Stabilisation: Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: Commerzbank AG Barclays Bank plc Bayerische Landesbank Morgan Stanley International MUFG Stabilisation period expected to start on: 09 November 2021 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange Regulated Market In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities during the stabilisation period at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, stabilisation may not necessarily occur and any stabilisation action, if begun, may cease at any time Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. END LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Shares of Rolls-Royce Holdings plc (RYCEF.PK, RR.L, RYCEY.PK) were gaining around 4 percent in the early morning trading in London after the British luxury car maker announced Tuesday that funding has been secured for small modular reactors. The company noted that the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor or SMR business has been established following a successful equity raise. The SMR business will bring forward and deliver at scale the next generation of low cost, low carbon nuclear power technology. Rolls-Royce Group, BNF Resources UK Limited and Exelon Generation Limited will invest 195 million pounds across a period of around three years. The funding will enable the business to secure grant funding of 210 million pounds from UK Research and Innovation funding. The business will continue to seek further investment. The company said the business will now proceed rapidly with a range of parallel delivery activities, including entry to the UK Generic Design Assessment process and identifying sites for the factories which will manufacture the modules that enable on-site assembly of the power plants. Discussions will also continue with the UK Government on identifying the delivery models that will enable long-term investment in this vital, net-zero enabling technology. Rolls-Royce SMR is engaging with export customers across many continents who need this technology to meet their own net zero commitments. The company added that nine-tenths of an individual Rolls-Royce SMR power plant will be built or assembled in factory conditions and around 80% could be delivered by a UK supply chain. In London, Rolls-Royce shares were trading at 147 pence, up 3.7 percent. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX ROLLS-ROYCE-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - PathDAO is creating a community driven DAO that develops opportunities in the blockchain gaming metaverse and NFT assets. Paving the way for opportunities to uplift communities through P2E while providing asset management convenience to the wider crypto community. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7987/102594_4bf3e7d824c6089c_001full.jpg The Metaverse The gaming industry has been growing rapidly with many major companies hitting the stock markets at insane revenues and valuations. The blockchain gaming metaverse helps in redistributing earnings back into the participating community (instead of fully captured by the developers), allowing for a virtuous cycle of pay-to-play/own and pay-to-earn. This symbiotic ecosystem has been proven to work with Axie Infinity's surge in popularity, changing the lives of many players across the SEA region and globally. More games are now mushrooming with this P2E vision, we are just at the tip of an iceberg. PathDAO helps both retail investors and gamers alike to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Introducing PathDAO PathDAO was birthed with a vision to create two interlacing paths. The first path is for the masses - retail investors seeking to navigate the blockchain gaming and NFT-scape through robust asset management. The second path is for the players - gamers and people who have lost income and livelihood during the pandemic looking for a path forward in their bleakest days. PathDAO is the intersection of these two Paths, amplifying value for both investors and players. PathDAO's founding team is based in Southeast Asia, at the epicentre of global P2E activity. The team has a strong track record in DeFi, guild-building, and in-game asset management, averaging ~32x return across Q3 2021 alone. Owning a piece of PathDAO At the heart of PathDAO is $PATH governance tokens. These in simplistic terms are the "shares of the company", where owning $PATH reflects ownership of the Path Treasury. You can also be involved in governance decisions and help shape the future of PathDAO. PathDAO IDO set for 14th November. PathDAO is offering investors leading-edge exposure to the P2E ecosystem through its upcoming IDO this week. Investors who missed out on the likes of $SAND, $AXS and $ILV now has the opportunity to get in early on the next ~50x opportunity. Valuation at entry is expected to be highly attractive versus established players such as YGG & Blackpool, with opportunity headroom estimated between 8-50x from a Price-to-Book ratio perspective. Investing in PathDAO has a secondary effect - investors will play a huge part in uplifting communities in Southeast Asia that were affected by the pandemic through the P2E scholarships that will be established from raised funds. With over 100 Ethereum raised in the Phase 1 community seed round in the last 2 weeks, and more than 100 Axie scholars onboarded, the PathDAO team is wasting no time in deploying capital. Leveraging on its large player base & spending power, PathDAO is in the midst of forging key partnerships and gaining early access to off-market deals with up-and-coming games. In summary, FOUR key reasons to participate in $PATH token launch: 1. Gain exposure to NFTs, Metaverses & P2E gaming without the need for active management (assets in this space have gone up ~20 x in the past 6 months and are expected to continue their trajectory) 2. Skilled management team with strong track records in investments / asset management, experience in NFT project launches and good connections in the Cryptopunk, Kongz, BAYC, Axie, etc spaces 3. Massively undervalued vs the likes of YGG, Blackpool and Merit Circle, with an upside of at least 8-50x 4. 100% of money raised go straight into treasury, instead of a portion being distributed to the founding team The IDO will start at 09:00 EST, 14 November. IDO ends 09:00 EST, 17 November. For more information about pathDAO, visit the website at https://pathdao.io or join Discord using the following link: https://discord.com/invite/pathdao Media contact Contact: Roger Lee Company Name:pathDAO Address: No.3, Jalan Bangsar, Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur Website: https://pathdao.io Email: ourpath.art@gmail.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102594 Today, Vortexa has gone live with a new screen combining real-time supply and demand freight analytics with The Baltic Exchange's pricing benchmarks. Vortexa's Freight Pricing Analytics will empower charterers, traders, brokers and shipowners to identify and capture freight opportunities ahead of the market with confidence. Vortexa announced today the launch of its new Freight Pricing Analytics screen available within Vortexa Freight Analytics following the recent data partnership with The Baltic Exchange, the world's leading independent source of maritime market information. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005367/en/ Vortexa Freight Pricing Analytics (Graphic: Business Wire) The new screen provides access to The Baltic Exchange freight pricing benchmarks alongside Vortexa's real-time supply and demand analytics such as forward vessel availability and fleet utilisation for a chosen route all in one view. Vortexa's Freight Pricing will further accelerate the time-to-market of trading, chartering and optimisation opportunities. Vortexa's forward view of tonnage supply up to 35 days ahead and real-time utilisation data at the highest frequency and granularity available in the freight markets today, help market participants to make well-informed, high-stakes chartering and positioning decisions quickly and confidently. Fabio Kuhn, Vortexa's CEO said: ''For the first time in the freight markets, one screen is able to combine pricing with a real-time view of fundamentals at this scale and depth, unlocking an immense competitive edge in speed and foresight to market participants.'' +++ Ends +++ About Vortexa Vortexa provides market-leading real-time data and advanced analytics for energy and shipping markets. With the most accurate and complete picture of waterborne flows and freight dynamics, Vortexa covers crude oil, refined products, LPG and LNG, across all vessel classes. We help traders, analysts and shipping professionals gain a competitive edge into complex and opaque markets by making better trading decisions with confidence. Vortexa is a multidisciplinary force of over 100 employees combining the best of energy and shipping expertise, data science and engineering across three major hubs in London, Singapore and Houston. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005367/en/ Contacts: Vortexa Emma Boyle, Senior Communications Executive T: +44 (0) 7814767321; E: emma.boyle@vortexa.com 79% of organizations believe employees prefer to work in an office but just 39% of employees would prefer to work from an office full time CEOs 41% more likely than operations staff to be satisfied with their organization's employee experience capabilities 57% of employees will select an employer based on work/life balance NTT Ltd., a global technology and business solutions provider, today releases the 2021 edition of the Global Workplace Report, providing vital insight into the future of work as businesses around the world prepare for a post-pandemic reality. The report finds that business leaders are significantly more satisfied with how they have adjusted to new working norms than their employees are, and points to the need for clearer organizational insight into how employees have reevaluated what they need from their workplace. Shared awareness, divergent outlooks Conducting 1,146 interviews across 23 countries, NTT found near-universal agreement that remote working has introduced difficulties, with 82% of respondents saying that it has challenged organizational performance and 81% saying that it has been challenging for employees. 63% of CHROs, meanwhile, say that employee wellbeing has deteriorated over the course of the pandemic. Broad awareness of the issue is not always translating into a realistic assessment of organizational capability, however. Compared to operations staff, CEOs are 20 percentage points more likely to believe that their organization is very effective at managing working hours, 28 points more likely to believe that they are effective at preventing burnout, and 41 points more likely to be very satisfied with their organization's employee experience (EX) capabilities. This awareness gap mirrors a serious lack of employee confidence, with just 38% saying that their employer fully values their health and wellbeing and only 23% saying they are very happy working for their employer. The great work-life reassessment Underlying the satisfaction gap between employers and employees, the research found a significant degree of diversity in employee attitudes towards their own future working preferences. Voice of the Employee (VoE) data shows that, when offered a choice of at-home, hybrid, or in-office working arrangements, employees are relatively evenly split between the three, at 30%, 30%, and 39%, respectively. This finding contradicts the belief, shared by 79% of organizations, that employees prefer office working when in fact, VoE data finds that just 39% of employees desire full-time office working. "Currently, the narrative is all about remote working but the reality of employees' needs is much more complicated, and any failure to accurately assess and respond to that fact presents a serious risk to organizations", comments Alex Bennett, Global Senior Vice President, GTM Solutions at NTT Ltd. "These are not mild preferences: we found that work-life balance and commute times are now the two biggest factors people look at when deciding where to work, and so performing well on workforce and workplace strategy will be a real competitive advantage." The need to lead by EXample Acting based on a clear view of employees' outlooks is being made more difficult by a lack of thorough data and insight collection. In terms of data priorities, 52% of businesses report VoE being a top focus, second only to workplace analytics at 54%. Despite this, however, just 39% of organizations have structured VoE programs, and 37% employ real-time sentiment analysis, compared to 54% utilizing employee surveys. The research also demonstrated that the application of these kinds of data for improving an organization's EX needs to go much further than day-to-day quality-of-life improvements; at 40%, a company's purpose and values is now the third most important factor for choosing where to work. In this area, employees and business leaders are in sync, with 89% agreeing that environment, social and, governance (ESG) objectives are at the heart of the organization's agenda. "I would look at this as a call to shift our thinking from being about actions to being about outcomes," concludes Bennett. "What's important is not what we do to improve the workplace, but how it actually benefits the workforce and an organization cannot know that without a mature approach to measuring employees' sentiment. Surprisingly, two thirds of employees say they're not yet equipped with all the tools they need to work from home, and just 55% of organizations say they are strongly satisfied that office spaces are ready for hybrid working. Nonetheless, 82% of organizations are engaged in reshaping their office space over the next 12 months to foster an environment of innovation and social connection. Clearly, there's an awareness on some level that immature workforce strategies will lead to employee discontent and that work should be led by what people actually need." -ENDS- About NTT Ltd. NTT Ltd. is a leading global technology services company. Working with organizations around the world, we achieve business outcomes through intelligent technology solutions. For us, intelligent means data driven, connected, digital and secure. Our global assets and integrated ICT stack capabilities provide unique offerings in cloud-enabling networking, hybrid cloud, data centers, digital transformation, client experience, workplace and cybersecurity. As a global ICT provider, we employ more than 40,000 people in a diverse and dynamic workplace that spans 57 countries, trading in 73 countries and delivering services in over 200 countries and regions. Together we enable the connected future. Visit us at hello.global.ntt View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005742/en/ Contacts: Media Enquiries: Meghan Marks Hotwire for NTT Ltd. ntt@hotwireglobal.com NOVY JICIN, Czech Republic, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Varroc Lighting Systems, a worldwide developer and manufacturer of external lighting systems and electronic control units for the automotive industry, announces changes in its senior management. Christian Paschel will become the new CEO as of November 1, 2021. He is replacing Stephane Vedie, who left the company in September. Christian Paschel joins Varroc Lighting Systems from HELLA, where he was previously a member of the Executive Board and Head of Sales in the Automotive Lighting Division. Christian has over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry, particularly in the lighting and electronics sector, where he has held senior management positions with a focus on strategic development and sales. "We selected Christian as a long-time manager with extensive industry experience to help us successfully grow Varroc Lighting Systems. In addition, to help us overcome the adverse period that the entire automotive industry is currently experiencing due to the global shortage of semiconductors and other manufacturing components. I wish Christian great success and look forward to our future collaboration," said Tarang Jain, Managing Director and owner of Varroc Group. The new CEO Christian Paschel says of his new role: "I am very pleased to have the confidence of the Group management and the opportunity to lead Varroc Lighting Systems. The whole automotive segment is facing a very challenging period and we need to focus on making sure that our company is well prepared for the challenges ahead. In my new role, I would like to focus, in particular, on process optimization, digitalization and investments that will enable us to respond flexibly to customer needs and to strengthen our position in lighting and electronics in line with current trends within the automotive industry." About Varroc Lighting Systems Varroc Lighting Systems is a premier developer and manufacturer of external lighting systems and vehicle control electronics for the automotive and two-wheeler industries. Focused on safety, mobility, and style, Varroc Lighting Systems brings leading-edge technology to the mainstream automotive market with high-quality and cost-competitive solutions. The company has more than 9,000 employees worldwide with operations in in 17 countries and capabilities on every continent where vehicles are produced. Varroc Lighting Systems is a key member of the Varroc Group family of automotive components businesses. Visit www.varroclighting.com for more information. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1680952/Varroc_Lighting_CEO.jpg 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. New patent covers methods and compositions for use of CRISPR/Cas9 in eukaryotes DUBLIN, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ERS Genomics Limited ('ERS') is pleased to report that China Patent No. 2017105856905 has been granted. This new patent covers methods and compositions for use of CRISPR/Cas9 in eukaryotes. ERS, co-founded by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, 2020 Nobel Prize winner for gene-editing, provides access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property. With this patent in China, the fundamental value of gene-editing technology is officially validated within the scientific community. The patent covers methods and compositions for RNA-Directed target DNA modification and for RNA-Directed modulation of transcription. Michael Arciero, Vice-President of Intellectual Property and Commercial Development, ERS Genomics, said: 'This is a strong but not surprising statement by China. China has made the biotechnology industry one of its top national priorities. China is a global leader when it comes to biotech research, product development and manufacturing. We see this patent as recognition of the importance of CRISPR/Cas9 across life sciences. At ERS, our goal is to make our technology as broadly available as possible. We want no borders or limits on global innovation and advancement.' ERS has recently established a formal presence in China with new hire, Business Director, Fang Fang 'Jojo' Hu, formerly of Illumina. Speaking to the new patent, Jojo had the following to say: 'This latest patent issuance comes at a time where the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has made a clear statement of the importance of intellectual property rights in China. I look forward to enabling companies in China that want to commercialize CRISPR/Cas9 technology.' CVC refers to University of California, University of Vienna, and Emmanuelle Charpentier. It describes the owners of what are commonly known as the UC Berkeley CRISPR patents. CVC and Dr. Charpentier hold patents to this game-changing gene-editing technology in over 80 countries worldwide. About ERS Genomics ERS Genomics is a biotechnology company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company was formed to provide broad access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property held by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier. Non-exclusive licenses are available for research and sale of products and services across multiple fields including: research tools, kits, reagents; discovery of novel targets for therapeutic intervention; cell lines for discovery and screening of novel drug candidates; GMP production of healthcare products; companion animal and livestock health; production of industrial materials such as enzymes, biofuels and chemicals; and synthetic biology. For additional information please visit www.ersgenomics.com Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682039/Arciero_ERS.jpg Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682040/Jojo_ERS.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682041/ERS_Logo.jpg BRUSSELS/FRANKFURT/PARIS (dpa-AFX) - German stocks were steady on Tuesday even as official data showed exports declined unexpectedly in September. Exports were down by seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent on a monthly basis in September, confounding expectations for an increase of 0.5 percent. At the same time, imports gained 0.1 percent from August, slower than the economists' forecast of 0.6 percent. On an unadjusted basis, the trade balance showed a surplus of EUR 13.2 billion in September compared to the expected level of EUR 13.6 billion. The benchmark DAX was up 15 points at 16,062 after finishing marginally lower in the previous session. Agriculture and pharmaceutical firm Bayer rallied 2.2 percent after it swung to a profit for the third quarter. Reinsurance group Munich Re fell more than 3 percent after it forecast more COVID-19-related losses in its reinsurance business than previously expected. 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. 6 months after Aircall's $120M Series D funding announcement, bringing its valuation over $1bn, the unicorn is now expanding its European presence with the launch of a London-based office. Aircall aims to broaden its 1000+ UK customer portfolio; benefiting from hiring London's quality sales and tech talent and working closer with local strategic partners Aircall, a global cloud-based business phone and call centre software, launches its first UK office today, following 100% year over year customer growth. The London-based office will enable the company to meet growing customer demands and bolster relationships with strategic partners in the region, including Salesforce, Microsoft and Hubspot who are also reinforcing their presence in the UK market. Located in London's Silicon Roundabout, Aircall is strengthening its sales and technology talent to support its current 1,000 UK customer base, which includes Revolut, Royal Bank Of Scotland, Spareroom and AnyVan, and accelerate demand in the region. Backed by UK investors Balderton Capital and Draper Esprit, as well as European and American investors, the company plans to double their team of 25 within the first year of opening the UK office. The new London hub follows the company's recent Series D and Unicorn status announcement, at which time the company pledged to expand their European presence with local offices in key growth regions, including London. Andrei Sochala, VP Sales, Aircall adds: "1,000 businesses in the UK have already put their trust in Aircall. Our London office will allow us to attract the best talent to better serve our current and future customers in the UK, at a transformational time for all businesses. Being located in Shoreditch puts Aircall at the heart of London's booming technology sector and will further establish our presence within the growing start-up community and strengthen strategic partnerships." About Aircall Aircall is the cloud-based call center and phone system of choice for modern businesses. A voice platform that integrates seamlessly with popular productivity and helpdesk tools. Aircall was built to make phone systems easy to manage accessible, transparent, and collaborative. Aircall believes that a great conversation is the most powerful way to communicate with customers, prospects, candidates, and colleagues. It is designed to enable delightful moments of human connection. Aircall was founded in 2014 and has raised over $226 million in funding. Based in Paris, New York, London, Sydney, Madrid and Berlin, the company currently has over 500 employees. https://aircall.io/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005789/en/ Contacts: Press Aircall UK PR Contact Archetype for Aircall aircall@archetype.co City of Vienna and Kapsch TrafficCom launch climate-friendly mobility of the future with Traffic Management 2.0. Such initiatives can help the UK to achieve its net zero target by 2050. In the fight against the global climate crisis and its consequences, emission reduction in traffic plays an essential role. The digitalization of traffic management is an important lever for cities that want to reduce emissions while simultaneously improving the traffic experience. With the UK Governments Decarbonising Transport Plan, deploying the Traffic Management 2 solution paves the way in defining real improvements to air quality and with Kapsch innovation always addressing the key challenges, examples such as this project are excellent illustrators of how technology can play a vital role in achieving the Decarbonisation plan. Intelligent, networked systems not only increase traffic safety, but also contribute to climate protection. They enable smooth transportation and thus reduce emissions. As a climate protection pioneer, the City of Vienna is at the forefront here, too, with a lighthouse project jointly pursued with Kapsch TrafficCom. "We are working on further climate protection measures in road traffic. Smart transportation management helps to improve the traffic conditions and thus the CO2 balance. We are now launching a pioneer project with its first application, the Grune Welle Wien app. It can already save up to 15% of emissions, as well as make the lives of the Vienna bicyclists a lot easier" says Ulli Sima, City Councilor for Mobility and Digitalization, who presented the Traffic Management 2.0 project together with Georg Kapsch, CEO of Kapsch TrafficCom. Innovation at Kapsch TrafficCom Those are just some of the solutions and innovations Kapsch TrafficCom is working on. If you want to find out more, download our use case folder at innovation.kapsch.netand learn how we at Kapsch can help you to shape your city's mobility. Please find the FULL TEXT and Photos for download here: https://www.kapsch.net/en/ktc/info-point/press/ktc-20211109-pr-en Kapsch TrafficCom is a globally renowned provider of transportation solutions for sustainable mobility. Innovative solutions in the application fields of tolling, tolling services, traffic management and demand management contribute to a healthy world without congestion. Further information: www.kapsch.net/ktc Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005791/en/ Contacts: Carolin Treichl Kapsch TrafficCom P +43 50 811 1710 carolin.treichl@kapsch.net "Over the next decade, the mission of the Finnforel team is to bring Finnish genetics and fish farming know-how to the world. In the future, fish will be farmed where consumers are." Finnish technology company Finnforel has become one of the world's leading ecological fish farms since it was founded in 2017. The company's products are currently sold in more than a thousand grocery stores in Finland under the Saimaan Tuore brand. Finnforel achieved a significant breakthrough in November 2020, when its million-kilo production plant in Varkaus achieved maximum capacity level for premium fish farming. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005798/en/ Finnish technology company Finnforel has become one of the world's leading ecological fish farms since it was founded in 2017. With the investment programme announced today, Finnforel enters its next growth phase, as the company aims for rapid expansion in both the Finnish and global markets. (Photo: Business Wire) With the investment programme announced today, Finnforel enters its next growth phase, as the company aims for rapid expansion in both the Finnish and global markets. "Only 0.1 percent of all the fish in the world is produced in an ecologically sustainable way. This is a massive EUR 300 billion business that must change if we want to save our seas and lakes. I believe that Finnforel's highly refined model, which works without antibiotics or environmental emissions, can claim a significant part of this market. Over the next decade, the mission of the Finnforel team is to bring Finnish genetics and fish farming know-how to the world. In the future, fish will be farmed where consumers are," says Pekka Viljakainen, Chairman of the Board and one of the founders of Finnforel Oy. Finnforel is further expanding the production capacity of its Varkaus plant from one million to three million kilos. The resulting "Finnforel Gigafactor" concept will cover the entire fish farming process, from juvenile fish to ready consumer products. Construction work on the extension, which will cost approximately EUR 25 million, will begin immediately. In December 2021, Finnforel will begin exporting its fish products to the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. At the same time, the company is entering the design phase for several similar gigafactor projects in Europe, Russia and the Middle East. Finland's first selective breeding centre for rainbow trout to be built in Hollola A significant part of Finnforel's expansion plans is to introduce to Finland industrial-scale broodstock and fry production suitable for Recirculating Aquaculture Systems. At present, most of the eggs used in fish farming in Finland are imported. Finnforel is building a EUR 12 million genetics and fry plant in Hollola that, upon completion, will have the capacity to produce eggs for six Finnforel gigafactor plants around the world. The project, which is being implemented in close co-operation with Natural Resources Institute Finland, is also important in terms of Finland's emergency supply. Together with the Finnish institute, Finnforel will help secure the supply of fish eggs and fry, for example in crisis situations. Since the early 1990s, Natural Resources Institute Finland has carried out pioneering research in rainbow trout genetics, breeding and animal health. This project marks the first time that the results of this work are being applied and commercialised to this extent. "According to the business model created by Finnforel, fish will be processed from eggs to consumer packaging. By securing the entire production chain, we create an easy way for consumers and retailers to buy and sell fresh and delicious fish. The consumption of fish is growing internationally, and I firmly believe that more vigilant consumers will increasingly favour organically produced alternatives that are easy and quick to prepare," says Max Alfthan, Managing Director of Finnforel. Significant new owners Finnforel is financing these investments totalling EUR 45 million through a EUR 34 million share issue, EUR 4.5 million from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and EUR 6 million in loans from banks. The share issue will make significant Finnish and international institutional investors shareholders in Finnforel. These include Ahlstrom Invest, Finnish Industry Investment Ltd (TESI), the European Investment Bank (European Fund for Strategic Investment), The Good Investors (Ireland/France) and other European family enterprises. Finnforel's press conference was held on Tuesday 9th of November from 11.00 am onwards. The recording of the press conference can be viewed here: https://www.finnforel.com/ Read more about Finnforel here: https://www.finnforel.com/ For more information: https://youtu.be/e6Q8LbLddXw Finnforel Oy is a Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) facility and Finnish family business specialising in genetics and related technology that was founded in 2017. The company currently has pilot plants in Varkaus, Hollola and Joroinen that produce approximately one million kilos of organically farmed rainbow trout each year. The company's best-known brand is Saimaan Tuore, whose rainbow trout products are available in more than a thousand grocery stores throughout Finland. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005798/en/ Contacts: Further information: Pekka Viljakainen, Chairman of the Board, Finnforel Oy bulldozer@aii.fi, tel. +358 50 1422 Max Alfthan, Managing Director, Finnforel Oy max.ahfthan@finnforel.com, tel. +358 40 0461640 TOKYO, Nov 9, 2021 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Corporation (MC) and The Kinki Sharyo Co., Ltd. (Kinki Sharyo) are pleased to announce that we have signed a contract with National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) to deliver 184 cars of rolling stock for Phase 1 of Cairo Metro Line 4(New CP 412). The total amount under this contract, in which MC shall serve as the prime contractor, is approximately 40 billion yen.Under the terms of the contract, MC will oversee the project's schedule and day-to-day operations and Kinki Sharyo will supply the rolling stock.Funded through ODA(1) loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Phase 1 of Cairo Metro Line 4 project including New CP412 will be expected to take advantage of advanced railway technologies developed in Japan. In November 2020, MC signed a roughly 90-billion-yen contract with the Egyptian government to deliver the Railway Systems, Track and Depot Works Package (CP411) for Phase 1(2). Both contracts are yen-loan projects in Egypt under JICA's STEP(3) program. The rolling stock supplied by Kinki Sharyo will be manufactured mainly with Japanese components and delivered in stages, beginning in 2025 and concluding in 2028.Phase 1 of Cairo Metro Line 4 will run from central Cairo to the Giza Pyramid Complex in Southwest Greater Cairo. Ongoing urbanization in the Egyptian capital has resulted in its rapid population and traffic growth, and the development of public transportation infrastructure has become a matter of urgency for city officials. Not only is Line 4 expected to help ease Greater Cairo's traffic congestion, but it also has tremendous potential as a tourist line connecting central Cairo to the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is currently under construction.MC and Kinki Sharyo have been delivering rolling stock to Egypt for more than 50 years, and to date, we have supplied the country with roughly 1,600 railway cars.Through sustained, proactive engagement in the country's railway projects, MC and Kinki Sharyo remain committed to helping to expand and upgrade the transport infrastructure and contribute to the economic growth and development in Egypt.(1) Official Development Assistance(2) Please see MC's press release issued on November 24, 2020: Link(3) Special Terms for Economic PartnershipSource: Mitsubishi CorporationCopyright 2021 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - United Airlines Holdings Inc. can proceed with its strict Covid-19 vaccine mandate for its employees, a U.S. federal judge ruled. The airline's vaccine mandate places staff who receive medical or religious exemptions on unpaid leave. In the lawsuit filed by six United employees questioning the mandate, U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman in Fort Worth, Texas rejected employees' arguments that the airline was improperly forcing them to choose between a vaccine or unpaid leave. The plaintiffs alleged that the airline violated its legal obligations by not accommodating exempted employees, and that they would lose seniority and other benefits if placed on leave. They noted that most companies allow unvaccinated staff to continue in their role while submitting to regular testing and wearing a mask. Meanwhile, the company argued that allowing unvaccinated employees in the workplace would undermine safety of its flights. In his ruling, judge Pittman said that no employee was forced to accept a vaccine. Responding to the ruling, United said that its around 2,000 unvaccinated staff who have been granted an exemption could apply for non-customer facing roles. If they refuse, they will be placed on leave. The company said, 'We are working to identify non-customer facing roles where accommodated employees can apply and continue working until it is safe for them to their return to their current positions.' The Biden Administration has issued rules requiring companies with at least 100 employees to get their workers vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing. United Airlines was the first major airline to issue compulsory vaccine mandate for all its 67,000 US employees, or to apply for a medical or religious exemption. The company terminated 232 employees who refused to either take vaccine or apply for exemptions on the grounds of violating a company safety policy. In late October, banking major Citigroup had mandated vaccination against Covid-19 as a condition of employment in the United States. The Bank then said it would consider all requests for religious, medical or any other accommodation required by state or local law on a case by case basis. Meanwhile, tech giant Apple Inc., which has not issued any vaccine mandate for its employees, reportedly will make it mandatory for the unvaccinated employees to get tested every day before starting their work at the office. As of Sunday, the United States has administered around 430.93 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX UNITED AIRLINES-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 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. Key Insights & Findings: 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 Read 105 page market research report, "Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapeutics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Eylea, Beovu), By Disease (Diabetic Retinopathy, AMD), By Region (APAC, North America), And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research 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. 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 U.S Canada Europe U.K. 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 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Biogen Pfizer, Inc. CoherusBioSciences Amgen, Inc. Bausch Health Companies, Inc. Viatris, Inc. Check out more studies related to ophthalmic disease treatment and therapeutics, conducted by Grand View Research: Ophthalmic Drugs Market - The global ophthalmic drugs market size was valued at USD 36.7 billion in 2020. It is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2021 to 2028. Increasing awareness regarding eye-related diseases and rising advancements in technologies are some of the major factors expected to accelerate market growth. - The global ophthalmic drugs market size was valued at in 2020. It is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2021 to 2028. Increasing awareness regarding eye-related diseases and rising advancements in technologies are some of the major factors expected to accelerate market growth. Ophthalmic Devices Market - The global ophthalmic devices market accounted for USD 31.2 billion in 2015 and is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 6.0% over the forecast period. The rising prevalence of eye diseases, such as glaucoma, cataract, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy, is anticipated to propel the ophthalmic devices market over the forecast period. Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of theGlobal Pharmaceuticals Industry Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg JONA (dpa-AFX) - Holcim announced the company's commitment to reach at least 40% of sustainable financing by 2024, putting climate action, water preservation and safety at the heart of the company's strategy. Holcim noted that the company accelerated this commitment with the completion of two sustainability-linked financing transactions worth above 3 billion Swiss francs. Holcim has also joined the UNGC CFO Taskforce alongside 60 companies. The UNGC COF Taskforce aligns members' finance strategies with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the company stated. 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. UK Mortgages Ltd - Notice of AGM UK Mortgages Limited (a closed-ended investment company incorporated in Guernsey with registration number 60440) LEI Number: 549300388LT7VTHCIT59 (The "Company") 9 November 2021 NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that the Sixth Annual General Meeting of the Company will be held at the offices of Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited Trafalgar Court, Les Banques, St Peter Port, Guernsey on 9 December 2021 at 10.00am. The Notice of AGM has today been posted to Shareholders. The Annual Report and Audited Consolidated Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2021 were dispatched separately. In accordance with Listing Rule 9.6.3, the Notice of Annual General Meeting, proxy form and accounts have been submitted to the National Storage Mechanism and will shortly be available for inspection at: https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism Enquiries: Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited The Company Secretary Trafalgar Court Les Banques St Peter Port Guernsey GY1 3QL Tel: 01481 745001 END ZeroAvia will scale-up its hydrogen-electric propulsion technology, already flight tested in six-seat PAX airframe and currently in advanced R&D for a certifiable 19-seat configuration KEMBLE, United Kingdom, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ZeroAvia , the leading innovator in hydrogen-electric zero emission powertrains, today announced that it has signed an agreement to partner with ASL Aviation Holdings in developing hydrogen-electric engine conversions for ATR72 aircraft. The project will ultimately include an order with ZeroAvia for converting up to 10 of ASL's owned ATR72 freighter aircraft to hydrogen-electric propulsion, resulting in zero emission cargo operations. Under the deal, ASL Airlines Ireland will provide a retired ATR72F aircraft for the program development and subsequent use as a demonstrator. ASL will then convert a number of owned aircraft on its freight operations, resulting in the launch of zero-emission hydrogen-electric powered operations for the carrier from 2026 onwards. ASL Aviation Holdings and ZeroAvia are members of the ASL CargoVision Forum, an initiative to drive innovation and sustainability in the air cargo industry. Working together in this forum, ZeroAvia and ASL aim to use ZeroAvia's new technology to reduce emissions progressively in the regional sector where connectivity is a critical issue. Dave Andrew, CEO, ASL Aviation Holdings, said: "This deal with ZeroAvia's further strengthens ASL's commitment to being a first-mover in the introduction of new emissions reduction technology in our current fleet. ZeroAvia will support us in the provision of cargo services and vital connectivity in an environmentally sustainable way without having to wait for the introduction of new aircraft types. It's critical for ASL that we take immediate steps to reduce our carbon footprint and ZeroAvia's hydrogen-electric powertrain will allow us to operate cost effective regional freight services using existing aircraft that are now powered by traditional turbines. ZeroAvia's early flight test successes are promising, and we are also excited by the extensive R&D they have put into the green hydrogen production and the refueling ecosystem needed to support air operations." Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder, ZeroAvia said: "ASL has identified zero emissions technology as an enormous priority and, happily, is pursuing the opportunity with energy. Given our success in demonstrating the technology in flight testing, the advanced nature of the R&D for our first certifiable configuration, and the technological progress we are making, we are confident that this partnership will lead to some of the earliest commercial freight operations using hydrogen-electric propulsion. ZeroAvia will collaborate with ASL on the development of its ZA2000 Powertrain. This engine replacement is a 2 - 5 megawatt (MW) powertrain for aircraft models that are typically outfitted with 40 - 90 seats in passenger configurations. The ATR variant is optimised to be retrofitted on the ATR72 aircraft and utilises a hydrogen fuel cell and electric motor powertrain. To support the refueling of these aircraft, ZeroAvia is currently working toward scaling its already developed Hydrogen Airport Refuelling Ecosystem (HARE), which was developed with EMEC as part of the HyFlyer programme in the UK Government backed ATI programme. In addition, ZeroAvia was recently awarded a new transport research and innovation grant from the UK Department for Transport's Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure (ZEFI) programme, in order to explore concepts for liquid hydrogen refuelling in an airport setting. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting 500 mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council. For more information, please visit ZeroAvia.com and follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn . About ASL Aviation Holdings ASL Aviation Holdings, a global aviation services company with airlines based in Europe, South Africa and Asia, is a world leader in ACMI airline operations serving major cargo and passenger airlines. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, ASL's six airlines include ASL Airlines Ireland, ASL Airlines Belgium, ASL Airlines France and ASL Airlines United Kingdom in Europe. ASL also have joint venture and associate airlines FlySafair in South Africa and K-Mile Asia in Thailand. The group also includes several leasing entities. ASL Aviation Holdings operates cargo services for the world's leading express parcel integrators and online retailers. Group airlines also operate scheduled and charter passenger services under its own airline brands on domestic, international, and intercontinental routes in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America and Africa. ASL has a global team of 2,500 people of 51 nationalities. The Group has a fleet of 130 aircraft that includes 11 aircraft types ranging from the turbo prop ATR 72 to the Boeing 747. ASL's agreement with Boeing for 20 Boeing 737-800BCF 'Boeing Converted Freighters', will see the entry into service of the tenth aircraft later this year. About ASL CargoVision ASL CargoVision, for greener, sustainable aviation, is a forum developed in late 2020 by ASL and leading new aviation technology companies. The objective is to help raise awareness of ASL and the Forum members' position on both innovative new technologies and sustainability for air cargo operations. ASL and the other members of the CargoVision Forum will promote these new technologies as they bring sustainability to the aviation industry, and particularly to cargo operations. STOCKHOLM, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zinzino is very proud to announce the launch of its business in South Africa on November 9, 2021, as a strategic part of the company's global expansion strategy. After several years of preparing the launch of the South African market and having carried out multiple country establishment processes in recent years, Zinzino has learned the importance of ensuring thorough preparatory work and adapting to the local conditions in each market. Profitable growth is an important business strategy for the e-commerce-based health tech company Zinzino. During 2020 the company sales target was exceeded showing excellent sales growth and a strong EBITA performance. Overall sales grew 48% to SEK 1139 (771) million. "I believe that Africa is the sleeping giant of the direct selling industry", says Kirsten Pearse, Zinzino Sales Director." We are intent on waking that giant. Bringing our robust global business model and scientifically proven products to a dynamic market like South Africa will have far-reaching effects on the entire continent. The direct selling success story is only just beginning in Africa, and we will have an integral role in writing that story." South Africa has the continent's most developed economy and welcomes the entrepreneurial learning environment offered by direct selling. This industry has a potential to be a key lever in jump-starting the country's economy and make a critical contribution to the future of South Africa, insights that make this a very strategic launch for Zinzino; a global, direct selling company within test-based, scientifically proven nutrition. The company has high growth ambitions and is expecting to reach 1 million customers by the year 2025 and 20 million by 2035. With the launch in South Africa, Zinzino will be operating over 100 markets while keeping its focus on further global expansion. For more information: Dag Bergheim Pettersen CEO Zinzino +47 (0) 932 25 700, zinzino.com Fredrik Nielsen CFO Zinzino +46 707 900 174, fredrik.nielsen@zinzino.com Pictures for publication free of charge: Marcus Tollbom +46 (0) 70 190 03 12, marcus.tollbom@zinzino.com Certified Adviser: Erik Penser Bank Aktiebolag, +46 (0) 8 463 83 00, certifiedadviser@penser.se This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/zinzino/r/zinzino-ab--publ--zinzino-announces-the-launch-of-south-africa-as-next-step-in-their-global-expansio,c3449362 The following files are available for download: TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / PJX Resources Inc. (TSXV:PJX) ("PJX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that DLP Resources will commence drilling to test Magnetotelluric (MT) geophysical targets on strike of hole DD21-02 that intersected 168m thickness of fragmentals and muds with anomalous zinc mineralization at the base that was drilled earlier this year on PJX's DD Property. This thick sequence of muds and fragmentals is similar to what occurs in the sedimentary basin proximal to the Sullivan deposit located approximately 50 km northeast of the DD Property near Kimberley and Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada. MT geophysics identifies areas with potential conductive mineralization. Parts of the Sullivan deposit consist of massive sulphide mineralization that is conductive. The MT targets occur on the NZOU and Moby Dick properties adjacent to the DD Property (see Figure 1). Three to four drill holes totalling approximately 5400m are planned to test multiple large MT targets on strike of hole DD21-02 (see Figure 2). PJX is partner with DLP on the NZOU and Moby Dick Properties as part of DLP's option of the DD property (see Property Ownership below). John Keating, President of PJX commented: "The geological environment identified by drilling to date combined with the similarity in size of the MT anomalies to the Sullivan deposit size makes these targets very attractive to test. We are pleased that DLP plans to drill multiple holes to test the MT targets. PJX's exploration focus this summer has been on gold and copper targets with more results to be announced in addition to those made in August and September." Highlights Drill hole DD21-02 on the DD property was completed in June 2021. An unusually thick section of fragmentals and Sullivan muds were encountered over 168 metres with anomalous zinc mineralization at the base of the section (Figure 3). Recent drill holes (Pan18-01ext, DD21-01, DD21-02) and historical holes (Irish05-01 and IR07-01) support that the vector towards a vent and possible massive zinc-lead-silver mineralization is further to the northeast on the Moby Dick and NZOU properties (Figures 1 and 2). Large MT geophysical anomalies support the potential for conductive bodies with pyrrhotite (iron sulphide) mineralization, similar to the Sullivan deposit, along a 5000m x 500m trend (Figures 1 and 2). In addition to the MT targets, historic drill hole IR07-01, drilled 2300m east of DD21-01, intersected approximately 149m of moderately to highly hydrothermally altered Sullivan sediments at 1365m with up to 0.5% Zn and up to 0.3% Pb (Figure 3). Geophysical and geological data support the potential that a significant mineralized Sullivan-type zinc-lead-silver system may be encountered in this phase of drilling of approximately 5400m in three to four drill holes (Figure 2). Qualified Persons The geological disclosure and content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dave Pighin, P.Geo., and John Keating P.Geo. (qualified persons for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). Mr. Pighin is the consulting geologist for PJX and DLP on the DD Property. Mr. Keating is the President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of PJX. DD, NZOU and Moby Dick Property Ownership DLP can earn a 50% interest in the DD Property by spending $4 million in exploration expenditures on the DD, Moby Dick and NZOU Properties and paying $250,000 cash to PJX by July 13, 2024. DLP can earn an additional 25% interest, to a total of 75% interest, in the DD Property by completing a Commercial Feasibility Study on the 3 properties by July 13, 2028. PJX (50%) and DLP (50%) jointly own 100% of the mineral rights to the Moby Dick Property and jointly have the right to own 100% interest in the NZOU Property through an option agreement between DLP and the NZOU Property owner. Exploration expenditures incurred by DLP on these two properties will be applied toward DLP's exploration expenditure requirements to earn an interest in the DD Property. Figure 1 - Simplified plan showing MT anomalies at 0m elevation on the DD-Moby Dick and NZOU Properties along with drill holes Pan-18-01EX, DD21-01, DD21-02 and historical holes Irish 05-01 and IR07-01. Figure 2 - Titan MT resistivity plan at 0m elevation with the main MT anomaly trending NE from DD21-02. Figure 3 - Titan MT resistivity section along Line 2N showing drill hole DD21-02 and historical hole IR07-01. About PJX Resources Inc. PJX is a mineral exploration company focused on building shareholder value and community opportunity through the exploration and development of mineral resources with a focus on gold, silver and base metals (zinc, lead, copper, nickel). PJX's primary properties are located in the historical Sullivan Mine District and Vulcan Gold Belt near Cranbrook and Kimberley, British Columbia. Please refer to our web site http://www.pjxresources.com for additional information. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Linda Brennan, Chief Financial Officer (416) 799-9205 info@pjxresources.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", constitute "forward-looking statements" under the provisions of Canadian provincial securities laws. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expected", "may", "will" or similar terms. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by PJX Resources Inc. as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, known and unknown, could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by law, PJX Resources Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements to reflect any change in PJX Resources Inc.'s expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Cautionary Note to US Investors: This news release may contain information about adjacent properties on which PJX Resources Inc. has no right to explore or mine. We advise U.S. investors that the SEC's mining guidelines strictly prohibit information of this type in documents filed with the SEC. U.S. investors are cautioned that mineral deposits on adjacent properties are not indicative of mineral deposits on our properties. This news release may contain forward-looking statements including but not limited to comments regarding the timing and content of upcoming work programs, geological interpretations, receipt of property titles, potential mineral recovery processes, etc. Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and therefore involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements. This press release may use the terms "Measured", "Indicated", and "Inferred" resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred Mineral Resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an Inferred Mineral Resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources will ever be converted into Mineral Reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a Mineral Resource is economically or legally mineable. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: PJX Resources Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671783/PJX-Resources-Announces-Drilling-to-Commence-to-Test-Sullivan-Type-Zinc-Lead-Silver-Targets-on-DD-Moby-Dick-Nzou-Properties VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. (CSE:YUM) (OTCQB:KOMOF) (FRA:9HB) ("Komo"), a premium plant-based food company, is pleased to announce Nature's Fare Market will carry the full line of Komo Plant-Based Foods products at all 7 Nature's Fare locations. Nature's Fare is a leading natural and organic grocer with brick and mortar stores in 7 locations, including Kamloops, Kelowna, Langley, Penticton, Vernon, West Kelowna and White Rock. "Nature's Fare is proud and excited to have Komo Comfort Foods in all 7 of our locations across British Columbia soon," says Nature's Fare Category Manager Jennifer Oravec. "We love supporting locally-owned Canadian businesses whenever possible, and look forward to growing in a successful partnership with Komo Comfort Foods. We know these healthy plant based meals will soon become a Nature's Fare customer favourite." "We are so proud to have Komo Plant-Based frozen comfort foods distributed through Nature's Fare stores," says Komo CEO William White. "Adding these 7 locations allows us to reach customers who are seeking high quality natural foods in many new communities throughout British Columbia, allowing us to further our mission to share the love of plant-based foods." About Nature's Fare Nature's Fare Markets started way back in 1993 as a place for people who love healthy organic food. They ensure that every single item they carry in their stores has been handpicked only after a lot of very careful evaluation. Nature's Fare stores are now in seven communities across British Columbia offering a welcome place to buy the healthiest natural and organic foods, a location to meet new friends, and an opportunity to build a better world together. About Komo Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. is a premium plant-based food company that develops, manufactures and sells a variety of plant-based frozen meals that are always hearty, satisfying, and made with wholesome ingredients. At Komo, our mission is to help make plant-based meals a staple on every dinner table by sharing our love for feel-good food that connects the people to the planet. We believe plant-based eating is the future and - Change can start with a single biteTM. Our experienced plant-based innovation and development team recreates vegan versions of traditionally cheesy and meaty classics, with 100% plants. Komo's products are sold direct-to-consumer through our eCommerce website and a distribution network of online and brick and mortar grocery, convenience and natural retailer channels. Our operating subsidiary Komo Comfort Foods launched in 2021 with our flagship products: plant-based Lasagna, Shepherd's Pie and Chickenless Pot Pie and has recently launched a new line - Komo Plant-Based Meal HelpersTM - versatile meal starters to allow the creation of many dishes at home. All of our products are 100% plant-based, made with wholesome ingredients, free from preservatives, and frozen for freshness. Freezing products is a natural and effective way of keeping food products for longer without having to use any preservatives. Komo's meals have a 1-year frozen shelf life. Learn more at: www.komocomfortfoods.com and follow on Instagram: @komocomfortfoods For further information, please contact: William White, President & CEO, Komo Plant Based Foods Inc. will@komoeats.com 1-866-969-0882 The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or Komo's future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Komo's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, Komo's product development plans, its ability to launch its products on food delivery apps, its ability to retain key personnel, its revenues, and its expectation as to the acceptance of its products by retailer stores and consumers constitute forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The statements made in this press release are made as of the date hereof. Komo disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be expressly required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE: KOMO Plant Based Foods Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671815/Komo-Plant-Based-Foods-Continues-Rapid-Growth-with-Distribution-through-Natures-Fare-Market-Grocery-Chain RepliCel's CRO and regulatory advisors now begin preparing Japanese-language documentation to support study clearance VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / RepliCel Life Sciences Inc. (OTCQB:REPCF)(TSXV:RP)(FRA:P6P2) ("RepliCel" or the "Company"), a company developing next-generation technologies in aesthetics and orthopedics, is pleased to announce that it's clinical advisory team has completed the primary design of the next-phase clinical study of its skin rejuvenation product, RCS-01, to be conducted as part of its First-In-Japan early commercialization strategy. After extensive clinical advisory participation, the RCS-01 the study synopsis has now been delivered to RepliCel's Tokyo-based CRO (clinical research organization) and regulatory teams who have commenced preparation of all the necessary Japanese-language documentation to launch the clinical study. These teams have been tasked with creation of the full clinical protocol, investigator's brochure, and the necessary documentation for clinical site participation, IRB (institutional research board) approvals, and clearances from the MHLW (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) and its oversight committees. At the request of the MHLW, Japan's PMDA (Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) is now working with RepliCel's contract manufacturer to schedule dates for an audit to be conducted for the purposes of certifying the facility for the manufacture and importation of RCS-01 for use in the proposed clinical study. RepliCel's RCS-01 has been the subject of a successful phase 1 study in Germany. The next-phase clinical research studies in Japan will be conducted under that country's Act for Safety of Regenerative Medicine (ASRM) and, upon successfully meeting its endpoints, could lead to a commercial launch of the product in Japan. RCS-01 is a patient-specific cell therapy in development to regenerate the extracellular tissue matrix under aging or sun-damaged skin characterized by fine wrinkles and loss collagen structure. About RepliCel's First-in-Japan Strategy RepliCel was one of the first foreign regenerative medicine companies to have a Japanese partnership (signed in 2013). In 2015, RepliCel was one of the first foreign regenerative medicine companies to initiate a consultation process, under the new regulations for regenerative medicine products, with Japan's PMDA. In 2016, RepliCel's licensee, Shiseido Company, was one of the first companies to fund and manufacture a product for use in a clinical research study under the newly legislated ASRM. Now RepliCel is on-track to be one of the first foreign regenerative medicine companies based outside of Asia to directly engage in a clinical study of a cell therapy product under the ASRM regulatory pathway to commercialization. RepliCel will also be one of the first such companies to apply for certification of a manufacturing facility outside of Asia for the production of a cell therapy product to be imported for use in a clinical study governed by the ASRM regulations. RepliCel is currently preparing for the clinical testing and commercialization of three more technologies in Japan. These include two cell therapies - one for skin rejuvenation and one for tendon regeneration - and a next-generation dermal injector (DermaPrecise) for aesthetic treatments involving a wide variety of injectable substances including cells, PRP, muscle paralysis toxins, fillers, enzymes, drugs, and other biologics. RepliCel's cell therapy technology is the subject of active, ongoing partnership discussions in Japan and has already been the subject of two successfully completed consultations with Japan's PMDA while planning for clinical research studies under Japan's ASRM has commenced. Manufacturing of the clinical product will be performed by a Japanese-owned contract manufacturer preparing now for PMDA-certification under Japan's MHLW applicable guidelines. Conduct of the clinical research studies will be managed by an independent clinical research organization. About RCS-01 Skin Rejuvenation Cell Therapy RCS-01 is an autologous cell-based regenerative medicine product comprised of cells highly-expressive of type 1 collagen and other tissue-building protein. The product is developed, manufactured, and injected to regenerate the extracellular matrix under aging and/or sun-damaged skin characterized by fine wrinkles and loss of collagen structure. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-centre, phase I clinical study evaluated RCS-01 produced statistically and clinically significant positive data revealing a nearly two-fold increase in gene expression of collagen-related biomarkers in the skin, after a single injection of RCS-01. The study observed the impact of the injection on ten different biomarkers that, in peer-reviewed medical literature, are highly correlated with skin aging and chronically sun-damaged skin. Notably, gene expression markers, such as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP), showed significant changes expected to correlate with increased collagen fibers. Increased collagen production, and reduced collagen degradation, is associated with fewer wrinkles and the repair of sun-damaged skin. Clinical data from the skin rejuvenation study (RCS-01) has been published in an article entitled, Autologous Cell Therapy for Aged Human Skin: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase-I Study, in the peer-reviewed journal Skin Pharmacology and Physiology (Skin Pharmacol Physiol http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000502240). The publication summarizes data from a clinical trial in which it was shown that RepliCel's RCS-01 injections are well-tolerated for up to one year post-injection and therefore safe to use but also demonstrated how the injections might reverse the effects of aging skin. As summarized in the paper, the study clearly established a biological link between RCS-01 injections and changes in the expression of particular genes in the skin. These changes in gene expression are expected to be indicative of the potential for rejuvenation of the extra-cellular matrix (ECM) under the dermis that is so important to vibrant, youthful skin. The publication presents data, showing for the first time, that injections of NBDS-derived autologous cells into the human skin dermis layer alters the transcriptional expression profile of genes, which are involved in ECM homeostasis. Specifically, that in comparison to placebo treated skin areas, injection of NBDS-derived fibroblasts promoted the expression of the genes TGFbeta1, CTGF, COL1A1, COL1A2, COL3A1 and lumican. These genes encode for proteins which are important for ECM homeostasis, thought to be of pathogenetic relevance for skin aging. In aged skin, levels of type 1 and type 3 collagen precursors and crosslinks are reduced. The observation that injection of NBDS-derived cells is associated with an increased transcriptional expression of these genes indicates the possibility that cell therapy treatment with RCS-01 might ameliorate the clinical and aesthetic signs of skin aging, such as wrinkles. This assumption is in line with observations that increased expression of collagen type 1 and type 3 is a prerequisite for wrinkle reduction caused by retinol. About RepliCel Life Sciences RepliCel is a regenerative medicine company focused on developing cell therapies for aesthetic and orthopedic conditions affecting what the Company believes is approximately one in three people in industrialized nations, including aging/sun-damaged skin, pattern baldness, and chronic tendon degeneration. These conditions, often associated with aging, are caused by a deficit of healthy cells required for normal tissue healing and function. These cell therapy product candidates are based on RepliCel's innovative technology, utilizing cell populations isolated from a patient's healthy hair follicles. The Company's product pipeline is comprised of RCT-01 for tendon repair, RCS-01 for skin rejuvenation, and RCH-01 for hair restoration. RCH-01 is exclusively licensed in Asia to Shiseido Company. RepliCel maintains the rights to RCH-01 for the rest of the world. RCT-01 and RCS-01 are exclusively licensed in Greater China to YOFOTO (China) Health Company. RepliCel and YOFOTO are currently co-developing these products in China. RepliCel maintains the rights to these products outside of Greater China. RepliCel has also developed a proprietary injection device, RCI-02, and related consumables, which is expected to improve the administration of its cell therapy products and certain other injectables. YOFOTO has exclusively licensed the commercial rights for the RCI-02 device and consumables in Greater China for dermatology applications and is expected to first launch the product in Hong Kong upon it being approved for market launch in either the United States or Europe. Please visit www.replicel.com for additional information. Notable Facts: RepliCel's three cell therapy products have now been tested in over 100 patients in four countries on three continents having been successfully reviewed by three regulatory agencies. RepliCel now has key strategic partners in the United States, China, and Japan each of which is now investing heavily in the further clinical testing and development of RepliCel's products for their markets. Data from each of the clinical programs will strengthen the product development initiatives for RepliCel and its other partners worldwide. For more information, please contact: Lee Buckler, CEO and President info@replicel.com 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: RepliCel Life Sciences, Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671715/RepliCels-Clinical-Advisory-Team-Delivers-Skin-Rejuvenation-Clinical-Study-Synopsis-to-its-Japanese-Regulatory-and-Clinical-Study-Management-Team Cranbrook, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - DLP Resources Inc. (TSXV: DLP) (OTCQB: DLPRF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that drilling is to commence in mid-November on Sullivan-type Zn-Pb-Ag targets on the Moby Dick and NZOU projects (Figure 1). Moby Dick and NZOU Projects With the completion of the drilling of DD21-02 on the DD property in June 2021 it is important to highlight that the 168m thickness of fragmentals and Sullivan muds with zinc mineralization at the base confirms that the vector towards the vent and possibly massive zinc mineralization is further to the NE (see DLP news release of June 28, 2021 and Figure 2). This increased thickness of the fragmental unit within the Sullivan Horizon is proposed to extend towards the NE and onto the Moby Dick and NZOU properties. Well developed MT (magnetotelluric) geophysical anomalies indicating conductive bodies with pyrrhotite (iron sulphide) as a possible source of the conductor extends over the 5000m x 500m trend (Figures 3 and 4). In addition to the geophysical targets on Moby Dick and NZOU, historic drill hole IR07-01 drilled 2300m to the east, intersected ~149m of moderately to highly hydrothermally altered Sullivan sediments at 1365m with up to 0.5% Zn and up to 0.3% Pb (Figure 2). Both geophysical and geological data support the fact that sufficient "smoke" exists to suggest that a significant mineralized Sullivan-type Zn-Pb-Ag system may be encountered in this phase of drilling of approximately 5400m in three to four drill holes. Figure 1: DLP Project areas with Moby Dick and NZOU properties shown. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6456/102586_66e85a8844c9896b_001full.jpg Figure 2: Titan MT resistivity section along Line 2N showing drill hole DD21-02 To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6456/102586_66e85a8844c9896b_002full.jpg Figure 3: Titan MT resistivity plan at 0m elevation with the main MT anomaly trending NE from DD21-02 onto the Moby Dick and NZOU properties. To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6456/102586_66e85a8844c9896b_003full.jpg Figure 4: Simplified plan showing MT anomalies at 0m elevation on the DD-Moby Dick and NZOU Properties and DD21-01 and DD21-02 drill holes. To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6456/102586_66e85a8844c9896b_004full.jpg Private Placement The Company is also pleased to announce that it intends to complete a non-brokered private placement (the "Private Placement") of up to 2,000,000 flow-through common shares (each, a "FT Share") at a price of $0.25 per FT Share for gross proceeds of $500,000. The Company intends to pay finder's fees in connection with the Financing to certain eligible finders in the form of: (i) a cash commission of 7% of the gross proceeds raised under the Financing from investors introduced to the Company by the finder; and (ii) the issuance of such number of non-transferable common share purchase warrants of the Company (the "Finder's Warrants") equal to 7% of the FT Shares issued under the Financing from investors introduced to the Company by the finder. Each Finder's Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company for an exercise price of $0.25 per share for a period of 18 months from closing of the Financing. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Private Placement for drilling on it's Moby Dick and NZOU Projects. The Private Placement will be made available to subscribers pursuant to the accredited investor and friends, family and business associate exemptions provided under sections 2.3(1) and 2.5 of National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions. Qualified Person David L. Pighin, consulting geologist and co-founder of DLP Resources, is the qualified person ("QP") of the Corporation as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Mr. Pighin has reviewed and approved the technical contents of this news release. Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States. About DLP Resources Inc. DLP Resources Inc. is a mineral exploration company operating in Southeastern British Columbia, exploring for Base Metals and Cobalt. DLP is listed on the TSX-V, trading symbol DLP and on the OTCQB, trading symbol DLPRF. Please refer to our web site www.dlpresourcesinc.com for additional information. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: DLP RESOURCES INC. Ian Gendall, President Jim Stypula, Chief Executive Officer Robin Sudo, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary Telephone: 250-426-7808 Email: iangendall@dlpresourcesinc.com Email: jimstypula@dlpresourcesinc.com Email: robinsudo@dlpresourcesinc.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 Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the anticipated proceeds to be raised under the Private Placement; the use of any proceeds raised under the Private Placement; and finder's fees to be paid in connection with the Private Placement. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required regulatory approvals for the Private Placement; market uncertainty; and the inability of the Company to raise the anticipated proceeds under the Private Placement. In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the Company will obtain the required regulatory approvals for the Private Placement; the Company will be able to raise the anticipated proceeds under the Private Placement; and the Company will use the proceeds of the Private Placement as currently anticipated. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102586 BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Germany's exports declined unexpectedly in September and imports registered a marginal growth, official data showed on Tuesday. Exports declined 0.7 percent on a monthly basis, following a 0.8 percent fall in August, Destatis reported. Shipments were forecast to climb 0.5 percent. At the same time, imports growth eased sharply to 0.1 percent from 2.1 percent in the previous month. This was also weaker than the expected growth of 0.6 percent. As a result, the trade surplus decreased to a seasonally adjusted EUR 13.2 billion from EUR 14 billion in the previous month and remained below economists' forecast of EUR 13.6 billion. Data showed that exports were 0.3 percent lower and imports 7.8 percent higher than in February 2020, the month before restrictions were imposed due to the coronavirus pandemic in Germany. Year-on-year, exports growth halved to 7.1 percent from 14.5 percent in August and imports grew 12.9 percent, down from 17 percent in the prior month. On an unadjusted basis, the trade surplus declined to EUR 16.2 billion from EUR 20 billion last year. The current account of the balance of payments showed a surplus of EUR 19.6 billion versus EUR 25 billion in the same period of 2020. The drop in German exports in September adds to the evidence that the economy's only growth drivers in the third quarter were private consumption and government expenditures, Carsten Brzeski, an ING economist. 'Looking ahead, we will first need to see industrial production picking up again before exports surge as well,' said Brzeski. 'For a more fundamental rebound in industrial production and exports, supply chain frictions need to be left behind. This is something we will only see in the course of 2022.' Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de The "The Corporate Reputation of Pharma in 2020 The Patient Perspective Italy Edition: The Views of 113 Italian Patient Groups" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The results of an independent survey of 113 Italian patient groups in 2020. Collectively, these patient groups reached out to 56,500 Italian patients during 2020. The respondent Italian patient groups commented on 25 companies, selecting those with the "Best" corporate reputation in 2020, and assessing which were "Best" at tackling Covid-19 during 2020. About the 2020 'Corporate Reputation' Survey A survey of 133 Spanish patient groups When? The survey was conducted in November 2020 February 2021, when key events of the pandemic will have influenced the opinions of respondent Spanish patient groups. The questionnaire? Pharma was assessed across a wide range of its activities important to patients and patient groups, including a new indicator for 2020 pharma's effectiveness at tackling Covid-19. Companies assessed? 25 companies were included in the 2020 Italy analyses: AbbVie, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Biogen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Chiesi Farmaceutici, Eli Lilly, Gilead Sciences, GSK, Janssen, Menarini, Merck Co/MSD, Merck KGaA, Mylan, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Roche, Sandoz, Sanofi, Takeda/Shire, Teva. How were the companies assessed? The indicators used to measure a company's corporate reputation: 1. Covid-19 response [new for the 2020 survey] 2. Patient centricity 3. Patient information 4. Patient safety 5. High-quality products 6. i. Transparency: pricing 6. ii. Transparency: clinical-trial data 6. iii. Transparency: funding of external stakeholders 7. Integrity 8. Quality of relationships with patient groups 9. Providing services 'beyond the pill' 10.i. Engaging patients in research 10. ii. Engaging patients in the development ITALIAN PATIENT-GROUP PERSPECTIVES ON PHARMA DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Industry-wide findings The pharma industry's effectiveness at tackling Covid-19, 2020. Only 51% of 2020's respondent Italian patient groups judged the industry's actions in tackling Covid-19 to be "Very effective" or "Effective" during 2020 (a lower figure than the 62% average from patient groups worldwide, and far lower than the highest figure reported in any country in Western Europe Spain's 86%, from 2020's respondent Spanish patient groups). The pharma industry's corporate reputation in Italy, 2020. 56% of 2020's respondent Italian patient groups stated that the pharmaceutical industry had an "Excellent" or "Good" corporate reputation slightly lower than the 59% given by Italian patient groups responding in 2019. However, even this slightly-lower figure of 56% still managed to place the pharma industry equal first for corporate reputation in Italy in 2020, alongside biotechnology companies, and slightly ahead of medical-device companies (54%), and retail pharmacists (50%). 2019's respondent Italian patient groups had also ranked the pharmaceutical industry first for corporate reputation in Italy. Company rankings Two sets of rankings are provided in the 2020 analyses: (1.) out of 25 pharma companies, and (2.) out of just 14 of the largest, multi-national, multi-therapy ('big-pharma') companies. Response to Covid-19 in Italy, 2020 1. Out of 25 pharma companies: The three pharma companies voted "Best" in 2020 for helping Italian patients and patient groups during Covid-19 were: 1st, Roche, 2nd, Gilead Sciences, and, 3rd, Janssen as assessed by respondent Italian patient groups familiar with the company. 2. Out Of 14 'Big-Pharma' Companies: The Three 'Big-Pharma' Companies Voted "Best" In 2020 For Helping Italian Patients And Patient Groups During Covid-19 Were: 1st, Roche, 2nd, Janssen And, 3rd, Pfizer As Assessed By Respondent Italian Patient Groups Familiar With The Company. Overall corporate reputation in Italy in 2020 1. Out of 25 pharma companies: The three pharma companies voted "Best" for overall corporate reputation in Italy in 2020 were: 1st, Roche, 2nd, Pfizer, and, 3rd, Novo Nordisk as assessed by respondent Italian patient groups familiar with the company. 2. Out of 14 'big-pharma' companies: The three 'big-pharma' companies voted "Best" in 2020 for overall corporate reputation in Italy in 2020 were: 1st, Roche, 2nd, Pfizer and, 3rd, Janssen as assessed by respondent Italian patient groups familiar with the company. The commentaries supplied to the analyst by 2020's respondent Italian patient groups made clear that their opinions on pharma companies in 2020 were primarily influenced by company responses to Covid-19 whether that be development and production of vaccines, or (seen as particularly important by Italian patient groups) other efforts by companies to support Italian patients during lockdown. Key Topics Covered: Executive summary Italian patient-group relationships with pharma Industry-wide findings The corporate-reputation rankings of 25 pharma companies, 2020 (v. 2019), as assessed by Italian patient groups familiar with the companies The corporate-reputation rankings of 5 pharma companies, 2020, as assessed by Italian patient groups that work/partner with the companies Profiles of the 25 companies, 2020 (v. 2019) APPENDICES Profiles of respondent Italian patient groups, 2020 List of respondent Italian patient groups that wished to be attributed, 2020 What respondent Italian patient groups say about pharma (and how the industry can improve), 2020/2021 For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/9a7zo2 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005896/en/ Contacts: ResearchAndMarkets.com Laura Wood, Senior Press 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 SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The catering services market boasts of a mature European and North American market and a fast-growing APAC market. However, the COVID pandemic resulted in businesses being closed, events being postponed, and eateries being shut down. As such, the cafeteria/catering services were negatively impacted. One of the saving graces for the industry was the resurgence of take-away meals, which resulted in the contractual employment of employees from the cafeteria service providers. Catering Services Category Intelligence Highlights: Catering/Cafeteria services are resuming with limited capacities. Eateries are employing personnel from cafeteria service providers on a contractual basis The catering market features a highly fragmented competitive landscape owing to the presence of several small players and regional players Suppliers widely prefer bundled outsourcing model as their operating model to diversify work View detailed report description or request for a free sample of the full report, "Catering Services Market Procurement Intelligence, Supplier Intelligence, Supplier Ranking, Pricing & Cost Structure Intelligence, Best Practices, Engagement Model, Low & Best Cost Country, Day One Analysis Report, 2020 - 2025", by Grand View Research With the pandemic loosening up, various countries have resumed operations with certain rules and regulations to maintain COVID safety protocols. For instance, pubs and restaurants in Ireland have opened for indoor service. In France, people visiting eateries have to show proof that they are vaccinated or have tested COVID negative recently. In India, ceremonies and gatherings can help with a limitation on the number of attendees decided by the local authorities. Such steps are opening business opportunities for catering service providers globally. Grand View Research has identified the following key cost components associated to catering services: Raw Material Costs Operational Costs Rental Cost Personnel Cost Associated Costs Opportunity Cost Wastage Cost Transportation Cost Profit Margins "Raw material cost is the largest cost component of catering services, accounting for 60%-65% of the total cost of service." List of Key Suppliers in the Catering Services Category Aramark Corporation Compass Group North America Sodexo ISS Facility Services Pvt. Ltd. AVI Foodsystems, Inc. Mitie Group plc Bartlett Mitchell Elior Group Baxterstorey Limited Check out more procurement intelligence studies conducted by Grand View Research: Brewing Market Procurement Intelligence Report - The global brewing market is expected to be valued at USD 45 billion by 2025 has grown at a CAGR of 7% from 2020 to 2025. The Asia Pacific is the largest geographic segment in the brewing market with a 30% market share. - The global brewing market is expected to be valued at by 2025 has grown at a CAGR of 7% from 2020 to 2025. The is the largest geographic segment in the brewing market with a 30% market share. Food & Beverage ERP Solution Market Procurement Intelligence Report - The global ERP solutions market size was estimated at USD 35.50 billion in 2019 and is projected to register an 8% CAGR during the forecast period. The food industry is expected to hold a market share of 10%-12% of the global market. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Sativa Wellness Group Inc. (CSE:SWEL)(OTC PINK:SCNNF) ("Sativa Wellness" or the "Company") announced today a second quarterly profit in Q3 2021. The Company has filed the Financial Statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for Q3 September 2021, demonstrating continued strong growth. All amounts unless stated otherwise are presented in British Pounds (GBP). The Company has continued to exceed all targets set to meet its ambition of diversifying within the Health and Wellness sector by offering wellness testing through a network of Goodbody clinics. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has over 80 clinics in operation and the Company is rolling out a range of additional tests to supplement its COVID testing. Excluding currency exchange, the profit showed a stronger operational result and materially outperformed Q2 as well as all previous quarters. Q3 2021 Highlights compared to Q3 2020 and Q2 2021: Q3 2021 Revenue 977% higher vs comparative quarter 2020. C$8.60m (5.02m) revenue, C$7.80 (4.55m) more than the equivalent period the previous year, making it the highest revenue quarter since inception and the third quarter in succession to exceed the turnover of previous quarters. This is a C$2.64 (1.54m) or 44% increase on Q2. (5.02m) revenue, C$7.80 (4.55m) more than the equivalent period the previous year, making it the highest revenue quarter since inception and the third quarter in succession to exceed the turnover of previous quarters. This is a C$2.64 (1.54m) or 44% increase on Q2. YTD 2021 Revenue 724% higher vs comparative period in 2020. C$16.94m ( 9.88m) revenue, C$14.88m (8.68m) more than the equivalent period the previous year. C$16.94m 9.88m) revenue, C$14.88m (8.68m) more than the equivalent period the previous year. Q3 2021 Gross profit 990% higher vs comparative quarter 2020. C$4.59m (2.68m), which is C$4.17m (2.43m more than the equivalent period the previous year. The gross profit percentage margin at 53% was in line with the previous year. C$4.59m (2.68m), which is C$4.17m (2.43m more than the equivalent period the previous year. The gross profit percentage margin at 53% was in line with the previous year. Net profit of C$14k (8k), compared to C$1.19m (696K) loss in the same period the previous year. compared to C$1.19m (696K) in the same period the previous year. Q3 2021 EBITDA 268K, compared to C$1.02m (595K) negative EBITDA in the same period the previous year and C$141K (82K) EBITDA in Q2. compared to C$1.02m (595K) EBITDA in the same period the previous year and C$141K (82K) EBITDA in Q2. German Distribution Agreement for CBD products signed with partners Lexamed GMBH for CBD products signed with partners Lexamed GMBH Announced launch of its 'Best Price, Best Quality CBD Oil' with Guarantee. Launch of website membership scheme and new product range to include larger 30ml bottles. Subsequent to Q3 2021: Launch of the Company's UK online telemedical GP service. Number of tests booked in a day exceeding 850 tests and 100,000 Number of clinics exceeding 80 Geremy Thomas, Executive Chairman, says; "I am so pleased the significant growth of the business accelerated through Q3. We are exceeding expectations and the strategy introduced earlier in the year continues to validate our mission to deliver to consumers and partners a diverse health and wellness company. Whilst we remain cautious in managing our CBD investment, focusing on 'Best Price, Best Quality, our work with our pharmacy partners in creating local community diagnostic hubs continues, consistent with the published NHS long-term plan" The 2020 Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis, the Q3 2021 Financial Statements and Management Discussion and Analysis and further information regarding the Company can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. The Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Marc Howells Chief Executive Officer Sativa Wellness Group Inc. +44 (0) 20 7971 1255 enquiries@sativawellnessgroup.com www.sativawellnessgroup.com Anne Tew Chief Financial Officer Sativa Wellness Group Inc. +44 (0) 20 7971 1255 enquiries@sativawellnessgroup.com www.sativawellnessgroup.com Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and may also contain statements that may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking information and forward-looking statements are not representative of historical facts or information or current condition, but instead represent only the Company's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of Sativa's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements 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" "plan is" 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", "will be achieved" or "shortly". The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to information concerning the Financials Statements and plans to build on the financial strategy. Although Sativa believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing, and the expectations contained in, the forward-looking information and statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and statements, and no assurance or guarantee can be given that such forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information and statements. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this press release, and Sativa does not undertake to update any forward-looking information and/or forward-looking statements that are contained or referenced herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE: Sativa Wellness Group Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671725/Sativa-Wellness-Group-Announces-Second-Consecutive-Profit-Filing-Q3-2021-Financial-Statements VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Legend Power Systems (TSXV:LPS)(OTCQB:LPSIF), a global leader in commercial electrical system solutions, today announced the hiring of three veteran channel sales executives and its status as platinum sponsor of this week's annual North American Energy Service Company conference. Legend will be hosting one-on-one meetings with several ESCOs to discuss how SmartGate can be a key tool to help their customers reach carbon reduction targets and improve the overall operation of their buildings. Legend Power is currently working with 7 ESCOs in various ways including pilot projects, initial deployments and strategic discussions around how partnering with Legend can be a symbiotic relationship for the ESCO and all their customers. "We believe that Legend's future success will be driven through building and leveraging relationships with channel partners for their extensive customer networks across North America," said Randy Buchamer, President and CEO of Legend Power Systems. "We are already gaining significant traction with several key market players and for this reason have recently added three seasoned professionals with 50 years combined experience in energy solutions to our sales team. We insisted on identifying and working with the best and are excited to welcome Ms. Wanda Adams, Mr. Brian Hashimoto, and Mr. Michael Somers to the Legend team." Wanda Adams has extensive experience leading high-performance teams to sell, develop and/or install internal systems, performance contracts, products, services and solutions maximizing trust-built customer relationships while providing high-quality projects and services. Projects span across multiple verticals including healthcare, retail, federal/state/local governments and education entities installing state-of-the-art building envelope, controls, lighting, water, solar and MEP solutions. Ms. Adams has been personally involved in excess of $650M in projects to date. Brian Hashimoto has over 20 years of experience leading high-performance energy service companies (ESCO) sales teams resulting in over $400 million of successful projects in the performance contacting environment. Most of his projects have been in the Federal space, but he also has experience in utilities and residential markets. Early in his career, Mr. Hashimoto managed facilities and utilities supporting the National Space Program while serving in the United States Air Force. Michael Somers entered the financial industry with Bank of America in 2000 and brings over a decade of experience in the energy management space. Mr. Somers gained a significant amount of market experience working in both the manufacturing and full turn-key solution side of the lighting industry. He plans on leveraging his significant experience and relationships to gain immediate traction in his new role. Legend Power Sponsors NAESCO Conference Legend is proud to announce that it is the Platinum Sponsor of the National Association of Energy Service Companies (NAESCO) annual ESCO conference R3 - Renovate, Retrofit and Reduce, which will be held during November 9-12, 2021 in Austin, Texas. R3 is NAESCO's premier annual event, highlighting opportunities for energy infrastructure improvements and upgrading the nation's building infrastructure. "Our partnership with NAESCO is off to a great start. Their leadership position in transforming the nations public sector building infrastructure is advanced by showcasing new best of breed energy conservation measures, and we look forward to presenting the SmartGate platform to this strategic group" said Mike Cioce, Legend's VP Sales & Marketing. About NAESCO The National Association of Energy Service Companies, (NAESCO) is the leading advocacy and accreditation organization for Energy Service Companies dedicated to modernizing America's building infrastructure through performance contracting. About SmartGATE SmartGATE is an industry-leading Active Power Management Platform that identifies and fixes underperformance and waste in the electrical system of a commercial building inherent in its incoming grid connection. These performance issues often impact key areas of commercial real estate metrics, including occupant safety and satisfaction as well as financial performance and ESG leadership. This waste can also lead to higher operating costs, higher GHG emissions, lower net operating income, and other potential financial risks to the building owner, including adverse tenant experiences. For further information, please contact: Steve Vanry, CFO + 1 604 671 9522 svanry@legendpower.com Sean Peasgood, Investor Relations + 1 647 503 1054 sean@sophiccapital.com Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This Press Release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities and operating performance of the company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities or performance and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors. Such risks, uncertainties and factors are described in the periodic filings with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities, including the company's quarterly and annual Management's Discussion & Analysis, which may be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results to not be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements other than as may be required by applicable law. SOURCE: Legend Power Systems Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671807/Legend-Power-Adds-Channel-Sales-Veterans-and-Secures-Platinum-Sponsor-Status-for-Upcoming-US-National-ESCO-Conference TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Talisker Resources Ltd. ("Talisker" or the "Company") (TSX:TSK) (OTCQX:TSKFF) is pleased to announce high-grade results from the brownfields BRX Project in drill hole SB-2021-068 highlighted by 407 g/t Au over 0.5 metre within 90.71 g/t Au over 2.25 metres at its 100% owned flagship Bralorne Gold Project. Talisker is also pleased to announce that it has increased the number of drills from five to seven including one RC drill focused on infill drilling at the Pioneer zone. Key Points: Hole SB-2021-068 intersected high-grade mineralization on the brownfields BRX Project 5.5 kilometres northwest of the historic Bralorne Mine. Successful intersection of a new vein at the BRX Project highlighted by 407 g/t Au over 0.5m within 90.71 g/t Au over 2.25m. A broader zone of lower grade mineralization around the Why Not vein intercepted between 184.75 and 236.60 metres grading 0.44 g/t Au over 51.85m. The BRX Project is Talisker's first brownfields drill program along the 33 kilometre Bralorne trend. Historically, 10 veins have been defined on the BRX property. The most extensively developed vein, the California Vein, was mined to a depth of 600 metres and is described as a 2 metre wide quartz-carbonate vein very similar in nature to the classical Bralorne crack and seal orogenic veins. Historic drilling at the BRX Project is highlighted by 5.65 g/t Au over 5.39m. Limited modern exploration has been conducted on the BRX Project. Terry Harbort, Talisker's President and CEO, stated, "We are very pleased with our first high-grade brownfields results for the Bralorne trend. These encouraging results confirm the district nature of Bralorne and the significant upside potential outside of our current resource drill-out area." The Bralorne Gold Project has a total of 47 gold showings over 33 kilometres. Talisker plans to expand its brownfield exploration in 2022 to focus on the Congress Project and Royalle Project. The Congress Project sits 16 kilometres north of the historic Bralorne Mine and consists of three defined veins, mined to a depth of 200 metres. Several highly prospective exploration targets are present on the ground including the Lou zone with historic drilling intersecting zones ranging from 1.4 to 4 metres with grades between 5 and 11 g/t Au. Eight separate vein zones have been identified away from the Congress and Lou zones. A non-compliant resource consists of 46,151 ounces in the indicated and 148,091 ounces in the inferred categories. The Company notes that a qualified person has not verified the data disclosed in respect of the property, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying this information. The Royalle Project sits directly south of the historic Bralorne-Pioneer Mine along strike of the Cadwaller Break and hosts eight exploration targets including mesothermal gold and silver veins and skarn style mineralization. The main target is the Piebiter zone with historic adit sampling returning gold grades of 4.3 g/t over 21 metres and selective grab samples of up to 227 g/t Au. The Chopper silver vein has been delineated for 2,400 metres and with selective grab samples up to 1,585 g/t Ag. The Company notes that these selected samples are not necessarily representative of the mineralization hosted on the property and limited drilling has been completed on the property. A qualified person has not verified the data disclosed in respect of the Property, including sampling, analytical, and test data underlying this information. Seven diamond drill rigs are currently drilling at the Bralorne Gold Project. A total of 73,321 metres consisting of 135 holes of a planned and fully funded 100,000 metres drill program has been drilled at the project this year with a total of 96,027 metres (171 holes) since Talisker initiated drilling at the project in February 2020. 32 holes consisting of 14,611 samples are currently at the assay laboratory and are expected to be received by the Company shortly. SB-2021-068 Hole Description: Complete results have been received for this hole. Hole targeted the down-dip extension of veins developed in the Why Not mine and the large untested prospective block proximal to the Cadwaller Break. Intersected mafic volcanics cross-cut by a suite of intermediate to mafic dikes similar to those observed at the Bralorne Gold Project from surface down to 560.0m. Why Not Vein intersected as a broad mineralized zone of quartz-carbonate veining with strong silica-sericite alteration from 184.75 to 236.6m. New Vein intersected with coarse visible gold hosted in a quartz-carbonate vein with banded sulphide septae, 2% arsenopyrite and pyrite mineralization and strong silica-sericite-mariposite alteration halos from 382.70 to 384.95m. This gold-bearing New Vein discovery in the BRX Block is considered analogous to the classic Bralorne crack-seal quartz-carbonate veins. Table 1: Bralorne Gold Project - Drill Hole SB-2021-068 Diamond Drill Hole Name From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Au (g/t) Zone Method Reported SB-2021-068 184.75 185.25 0.5 0.42 BRX Bulk Zone Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 185.25 186 0.75 0.26 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 186 187 1 0.10 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 187 188 1 0.10 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 188 189 1 0.11 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 189 189.6 0.6 0.15 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 189.6 191 1.4 0.08 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 191 192.5 1.5 0.28 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 192.5 194 1.5 0.44 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 194 195.5 1.5 0.28 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 195.5 197 1.5 0.39 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 197 198.5 1.5 0.27 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 198.5 200 1.5 0.34 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 200 200.8 0.8 0.43 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 200.8 201.3 0.5 0.46 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 201.3 202.5 1.2 0.24 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 202.5 204 1.5 0.23 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 204 204.7 0.7 0.15 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 204.7 205.5 0.8 0.10 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 205.5 206 0.5 0.15 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 206 206.75 0.75 1.26 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 206.75 207.25 0.5 0.21 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 207.25 207.8 0.55 0.06 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 207.8 208.3 0.5 0.02 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 208.3 208.8 0.5 0.05 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 208.8 209.3 0.5 0.04 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 209.3 209.8 0.5 0.10 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 209.8 210.3 0.5 2.91 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 210.3 211 0.7 0.79 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 211 211.5 0.5 0.18 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 211.5 213 1.5 0.02 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 213 214 1 0.01 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 214 215 1 0.19 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 215 216 1 0.32 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 216 217 1 0.15 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 217 218 1 0.02 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 218 218.5 0.5 2.33 BRX Bulk Zone Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 218.5 219 0.5 0.01 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 219 220 1 0.01 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 220 221 1 0.05 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 221 222 1 0.95 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 222 222.8 0.8 2.27 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 222.8 223.7 0.9 2.16 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 223.7 224.6 0.9 1.80 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 224.6 226 1.4 0.02 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 226 226.55 0.55 0.02 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 226.55 227.05 0.5 0.42 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 227.05 227.75 0.7 0.19 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 227.75 228.25 0.5 0.64 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 228.25 229.25 1 0.28 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 229.25 230.1 0.85 0.42 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 230.1 231.1 1 1.91 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 231.1 232.15 1.05 0.02 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 232.15 233 0.85 0.57 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 233 233.55 0.55 0.50 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 233.55 234.05 0.5 1.05 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 234.05 234.9 0.85 0.35 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 234.9 235.4 0.5 0.31 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 235.4 236.1 0.7 0.75 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 236.1 236.6 0.5 0.40 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 382.7 383.2 0.5 407.0 New Vein Au-GRA22 SB-2021-068 383.2 383.7 0.5 0.07 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 383.7 384.2 0.5 0.02 Au-AA26 SB-2021-068 384.2 384.95 0.75 0.30 Au-AA26 Notes: Diamond drill hole SB-2021-023 has collar orientation of Azimuth 234; Dip -45. True widths are estimated at 40 - 90% of intercept lengths and are based on oriented core measurements where available. Method Reported includes the most up to date information as of the date of this press release. Qualified Person The technical information contained in this news release relating to the drill results at the Bralorne Gold Project has been approved by Leonardo de Souza (BSc, AusIMM (CP) Membership 224827), Talisker's Vice President, Exploration and Resource Development, who is a "qualified person" within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. About Talisker Resources Ltd. Talisker (taliskerresources.com ) is a junior resource company involved in the exploration of gold projects in British Columbia, Canada. Talisker's projects include two advanced-stage projects, the Bralorne Gold Complex and the Ladner Gold Project, both advanced-stage projects with significant exploration potential from historical high-grade producing gold mines, as well as its Spences Bridge Project where the Company holds ~85% of the emerging Spences Bridge Gold Belt and several other early-stage Greenfields projects. With its properties comprising 296,983 hectares over 346 claims, three leases and 198 crown grant claims, Talisker is a dominant exploration player in south-central British Columbia. The Company is well funded to advance its aggressive systematic exploration program at its projects. For further information, please contact: Terry Harbort President and CEO Terry.harbort@taliskerresources.com +1 416 361 2808 Sample Preparation and QAQC Drill core at the Bralorne project is drilled in HQ to NQ size ranges (63.5mm and 47.6mm respectively). Drill core samples are minimum 50 cm and maximum 160 cm long along the core axis. Samples are focused on an interval of interest such as a vein or zone of mineralization. Shoulder samples bracket the interval of interest such that a total sampled core length of not less than 3m both above and below the interval of interest must be assigned. Sample QAQC measures of unmarked certified reference materials (CRMs), blanks, and duplicates are inserted into the sample sequence and make up 9% of the samples submitted to the lab for holes reported in this release. Sample preparation and analyses is carried out by ALS Global in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and SGS Canada in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Drill core sample preparation includes drying in an oven at a maximum temperature of 60C, fine crushing of the sample to at least 70% passing less than 2 mm, sample splitting using a riffle splitter, and pulverizing a 250 g split to at least 85% passing 75 microns (ALS code PREP-31 / SGS code PRP89). Gold in diamond drill core is analysed by fire assay and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) of a 50g sample (ALS code Au-AA26 / SGS code GO_FAA50V10), while multi-element chemistry is analysed by 4- Acid digestion of a 0.25 g sample split with detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for 48 elements (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Bi, Ca, Cd, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ge, Hf, In, K, La, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Nb, Ni, P, Pb, Rb, Re, S, Sb, Sc, Se, Sn, Sr, Ta, Te, Th, Ti, Tl, U, V, W, Y, Zn, Zr). Gold assay technique (ALS code Au-AA26 / SGS code FAA50V10) has an upper detection limit of 100 ppm. Any sample that produces an over-limit gold value via the gold assay technique is sent for gravimetric finish (ALS method Au-GRA22 / SGS method GO_FAG50V) which has an upper detection limit of 1,000 ppm Au. Samples, where visible gold was observed, are sent directly to screen metallics analysis and all samples that fire assay above 1 ppm Au are re-analysed with method (ALS code Au-SCR24 / SGS code - 6 - GO_FAS50M) which employs a 1kg pulp screened to 100 microns with assay of the entire oversize fraction and duplicate 50g assays on the undersize fraction. Where possible all samples initially sent to screen metallics processing will also be re-run through the fire assay with gravimetric finish provided there is enough material left for further processing. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on Talisker's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to Talisker. Although such statements are based on reasonable assumptions of Talisker's management, there can be no assurance that any conclusions or forecasts will prove to be accurate. While Talisker considers these statements to be reasonable based on information currently available, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include market risks and the demand for securities of the Company, risks inherent in the exploration and development of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined, risks relating to variations in grade or recovery rates, risks relating to changes in mineral prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of minerals, risks related to increased competition and current global financial conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, access and supply risks, reliance on key personnel, operational risks, and regulatory risks, including risks relating to the acquisition of the necessary licenses and permits, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is made as of the date hereof, and Talisker is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. Figure 1: Location of the BRX Project within the Bralorne Gold Project. Figure 2: SB-2021-068 drill hole location with the BRX Project. SOURCE: Talisker Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671816/Talisker-Intercepts-High-Grade-Gold-at-BRX-Brownfields-Drill-Program-North-of-Bralorne-and-Increases-to-Seven-Drill-Rigs North Carolina, United States--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Microban International, the global leader in antimicrobial solutions, odour control and residual sanitisation/disinfection solutions, is pleased to announce a new range of antiviral technologies that are proven to reduce viral loading on products and surfaces. Microban has long been a trusted partner in a wide range of sectors - from consumer and healthcare to industrial and construction - and this announcement adds to the versatility of the company's technology portfolio. Microban technology can be incorporated into various materials during manufacturing, becoming part of the product's structure to provide inherent and enduring protection from microbes. Recent data demonstrates that new antiviral technologies from Microban conform to both ISO 18184 - which assesses the antiviral performance of treated textile products, such as woven and knitted fabrics, fibres, yarns, and braids - and ISO 21702, which measures activity in treated plastics and other non-porous surfaces. Thorough testing was performed to evaluate the efficacy of each product type against many viruses, including bacteriophage Phi6, an important surrogate virus for SARS-CoV-2. The results showed that articles treated with these technologies can now benefit from reduced viral loading* by up to 99 %. Antiviral technologies from Microban inhibit the viruses' ability to remain viable on surfaces. The modes of action vary, disrupting the structure of either the outer protein coat - to prevent viruses from recognising or binding to host cells - or nucleic acid payload, to prevent viral replication. This gives manufacturers a valuable product feature and provides consumers with added peace of mind. Michael Ruby, President of Microban International, explained: "We are excited with the latest results confirming the antiviral activity of our new technologies. Assessing antiviral efficacy in treated products to a standard that meets the complex regulatory landscape is an arduous process, but we have been confident throughout that our innovative solutions conformed to the rigorous ISO standards. Our world-class research team and global in-house regulatory department worked diligently to ensure that the technology is recognised as effective and compliant across various markets, to support partners with their claims and give customers even greater confidence in products protected with Microban antiviral technology." Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a monumental upsurge in demand for antiviral technology in products, and it is readily acknowledged that Microban was not the first in the industry to make antiviral claims. Instead, the company invested a considerable amount of time and resources to ensure that its antiviral technologies were not only scientifically proven to be effective in reducing viral loading on surfaces and products, but that they could also be used in a regulatory compliant manner by brands and manufacturers across a variety of territories and product types. Microban is committed to being a reliable and trusted industry leader, and its unrivalled regulatory expertise can help to ensure that partners are aware of the implications that antiviral claims can have on their product types in the countries where they are being sold. For more information on Microban's new range of antiviral technologies and registration requirements in your territory, visit www.microban.com/antiviral/technologies or contact your Microban representative. *Antiviral efficacy may vary depending on substrate type, application dosage of the treatment, impurities, and application procedure. Only Microban antiviral technologies that are registered with US EPA and are EU BPR compliant are being offered for sale. In the US, antiviral technologies may only be incorporated into products that are or will be registered with the US EPA. Contact your Microban representative for further information. Microban International Announces a New Range of Antiviral Technologies To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8174/102482_Microban%20Nov%208%20image.jpg About Microban International: Part of Barr Brands International (BBI), Microban International is home to the most trusted and well-known global brands in the antimicrobial, odour control, and sanitisation / disinfection markets - Microban and Ultra-Fresh. Our organisation has experienced over 100 collective years of growth and has revolutionised the industry. As the global leader, our proactive systems keep products cleaner, and control odours better by preventing problems before they start. Microban International drives innovation by combining science and creative solutions that enhance high-quality consumer, textile, industrial and medical products around the world. Today, the Microban and Ultra-Fresh brands and our technologies are featured on thousands of products worldwide. The company is headquartered in North Carolina with operations in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.microban.com. 2021 kdm communications limited Editorial contact for further information or follow-up Sarah Khan or Audrey Jestin at kdm communications limited, St Neots, UK Tel. +44 (0) 1480 405333 Fax: +44 (0) 1480 477833 email ideas@kdm-communications.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102482 Room for Her to explore the impacts of improving access to mental health services with an initial focus on BIPOC women in the workplace Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - During the pandemic, one-in-five Canadians report they've sought professional counselling for mental health concerns - and over 100,000 Canadian women have been forced to quit their jobs or take a sabbatical during the pandemic1. Room for Her is an innovative multi-year women's mental health initiative that, in its first phase, is offering Canadian women 10,000 hours of complimentary online mental health sessions. Funded by the Green Shield Benefits Association and delivered by Inkblot, Room for Her focuses on promoting mental health and well-being for all Canadian women, with an emphasis on BIPOC women in the workplace in the first year of the project. Data show that BIPOC women not only face disproportionate barriers in the workplace, but also experience higher rates of mental health struggles and/or illness, and significant challenges to accessing mental health support. Funded by the Green Shield Benefits Association and delivered by Inkblot, Room for Her focuses on promoting mental health and well-being for all Canadian women, with an emphasis on BIPOC women in the workplace in the first year of the project. Starting today, anyone who identifies as a woman, resides in Canada, and is 18 years or older can take advantage of a complimentary one-hour counselling session with Inkblot Therapy. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7823/102604_e8811f42b4fa984e_001full.jpg Starting today, anyone who identifies as a woman, resides in Canada, and is 18 years or older can take advantage of a complimentary one-hour counselling session with Inkblot Therapy. Those who qualify for this counselling will also receive an initial 30-minute consultation appointment with a certified therapist of their choice, along with one 60-minute or two 30-minute sessions of additional online counselling. Inkblot's unique matching algorithm allows for a culturally sensitive therapeutic approach if required by an individual. Upon completion of the one 60-minute or two 30-minute complimentary sessions, Inkblot will provide the patient with additional therapeutic options, including information on free publicly-funded resources. This offer is available now to those interested here. More exciting initiatives by Room for Her will be coming later in 2021 and early 2022 including a half day conference, a resource hub, webinars, and a podcast - all providing space for informative and inclusive discussions surrounding women's mental health, with an initial focus on BIPOC women in the workplace in 2022. Improving Access to Mental Health Support for Canadian Women "The pandemic has exposed the disproportionate mental health burden facing women and study after study confirms that women are experiencing higher levels of anxiety and mental health-related concerns," says Harriet Ekperigin, Vice President, Mental Health, Green Shield Holdings Inc. "The Room for Her initiative's mission is to promote wellbeing for all women and that includes access to qualified mental health support now, when women need it most," says Ms. Ekperigin. Removing Barriers to Therapy "Getting mental health support can be intimidating and daunting at the best of times. Add in all the uncertainty and restrictions related to the global pandemic and it can be an overwhelming challenge - especially when you are dealing with mental health issues and don't feel like yourself," explains Dr. Rachel Toledano, Inkblot's Vice President of Clinical Services. According to CAMH data, by the time Canadians reach their 40th birthday, one-in-two have (or has had) a mental health issue, but the majority never have access to professional support. According to Dr. Toledano, one of the major benefits of Inkblot Therapy is that it removes all the usual barriers that keep people from seeking support: not knowing how to find a therapist that's a good fit for them, long wait times, coupled with the costs, inconvenience and time spent travelling to and from traditional in-person therapy. In addition to matching women with qualified providers based on their unique needs, Inkblot's easy-to-use, secure online treatment rooms offer confidential video and voice sessions, online booking and flexible evening, early morning, and even weekend hours. Dr. Toledano says video sessions are usually available within 24-48 hours and often, same-day bookings can be scheduled, which can be important when you need mental health support. Room for Her: Modelling Human-Centered Healthcare "We are working to build a Canada where women don't have to struggle to find support - and have access to flexible and patient-centric mental health therapy," says Zahid Salman, President and CEO, GSC. "Room for Her reflects the GSC group of companies' broader commitment to join with public and private sector partners to remove barriers and build a more human and integrated mental health support system for all Canadian women," says Mr. Salman, adding that Room for Her is part of the GSC group of companies' work to create 'better health for all'. The company hopes to share the public health data that are gathered through the various programs in the months and years ahead. About Inkblot Inkblot is on a mission to improve your mental health at home, at work and beyond. They offer accessible, affordable and effective digital mental health solutions for individuals and organizations that care. The corporate mental health program focuses on offering secure, easy-to-access video counselling that is available anytime, anywhere. Employees are matched to the best counsellors using a proprietary algorithm to align with their specific needs and preferences. Uniquely, Inkblot monitors clinical effectiveness and client satisfaction session-to-session. Inkblot has already helped over a million people start feeling better without the wait. About Green Shield Canada (GSC) GSC is Canada's fourth-largest health and dental benefits provider and is uniquely structured as a social enterprise with the purpose of making it easier for people to live their healthiest lives. From coast-to-coast, GSC's service delivery includes drug, dental, extended health care, vision, hospital, and travel benefits for groups and individuals, as well as administration and benefits management services. Supported by outcomes-based sustainability strategies, advanced technology, and exceptional customer service, GSC creates innovative programs for nearly four million plan participants nationwide. About Green Shield Benefits Association Part of the Green Shield Canada (GSC) group of companies, the Green Shield Benefits Association (GSBA) was established in 1987 and continued under the Canada Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (NFP Act) in 2014. The GSBA is an unregulated, non-share capital, non-profit parent corporation that owns Green Shield Holdings Inc. and its various subsidiaries, including Inkblot. The GSBA accomplishes wider social purposes through partnerships, funding for research and other multi-year programs, carrying on non-profit purposes or activities in the fields of health, specifically mental health. About the Green Shield Canada (GSC) Group of Companies The GSC group of companies means, collectively, Green Shield Canada (GSC), the Green Shield Benefits Association, Green Shield Holdings Inc. and their respective subsidiaries, including Inkblot. For more information, visuals and to book interviews, please contact: SPPR debquinn@sppublicrelations.com Sources: 1/ https://thoughtleadership.rbc.com/covid-further-clouded-the-outlook-for-canadian-women-at-risk-of-disruption/?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=media&utm_campaign=special+report To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102604 TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Pelangio Exploration Inc. (TSXV:PX)(OTC PINK:PGXPF) ("Pelangio" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that a 1200 meter diamond drill program is well underway at its Dome West Project located 800 meters west of Newmont's Dome Mine in Timmins, Ontario. Highlights: Deep exploration test of previously unexplored Vipond stratigraphy which hosts a substantial portion of the gold mineralization at the Dome Mine and Paymaster Mine; Vipond stratigraphy crosses the Dome West property boundary from the Paymaster at the 1000-foot (304.8 meter ("m") level) Historical data from underground drill intercepts grading 21.6 g/t gold over 1.82m and 59.6 g/t gold over 1.98 m from the adjoining Paymaster Mine hosted within a feldspar porphyritic intrusive and a felsic fragmental volcanic respectively to the east boundary of the Dome West property. from the adjoining Paymaster Mine hosted within a feldspar porphyritic intrusive and a felsic fragmental volcanic respectively to the east boundary of the Dome West property. Information to date suggests the gold bearing feldspar porphyry intrusive and felsic fragmental dip and strike respectively on to Pelangio's property. (See Figures 1, 2, 3 & 4) Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO commented, "We are delighted to have initiated our second drill program at our Dome West property. Our targeting for this program was refined by the recently received historical information from the drill holes at the 1,000 foot level at the Paymaster Mine near our property boundary." Dome West Property Dome West is located in the main portion of the Timmins mining camp. It is comprised of 10 mining cells or 56 hectares of mineral rights located approximately 800 meters west of Newmont's Dome Mine and 450 meters northwest of the former Paymaster Mine. In March 2021, a more thorough review and compilation of data was completed. This review compiled historical level plan data from government reports and underground drill hole data from the adjoining former Paymaster Mine to plan the current drilling on the Dome West project. Two underground Paymaster Mine drill holes collared at the 1000-foot level (304.8 m) of the mine to the east of the Dome West property boundary (Figure 1 and 2) demonstrated the existence of a gold-bearing feldspar porphyritic ("FP") intrusive sill proximal to the south property boundary. The better gold values from this FP intrusive sill returned 59.6 g/t gold over 1.98 m. Due to the proximity of the gold bearing FP intrusive to the Dome West boundary, interpretation suggests that the down dip projection of the FP sill extends into the Dome West property along with one other prospective FP sill. (See Figures 2 & 3) A cursory review of initial drill core from Pelangio hole DW2101, currently in progress, suggests an early geological interpretation (1953) by Paymaster geologists of a large gold bearing porphyritic unit in the end of Paymaster underground drill hole P10156 is in fact a felsic fragmental volcanic unit with porphyry fragments and feldspar metacrysts in the matrix. Ferguson, S. in OGS Report 58 (1968) designated this unit the the Krist Fragmental. A sample from within the felsic fragmental from the historical underground hole P10156 returned 21.6 g/t gold over 1.82 meters along with numerous anomalous intercepts ranging from 0.342 to 1.03 g/t gold. (See Figure 2 and 3). Further, the review of composite level plan data (Figure 4) from OGS Report 58 (Ferguson, S.1968), and a recent Pelangio drill hole, DW1901, demonstrated that the prospective Vipond stratigraphy which hosted a substantial portion of the ore at the Dome and Paymaster mines crosses the Dome West boundary from the Paymaster Mine at the 1000-foot level (304.8 m). (See Figures 2, 3, & 4) This is a third significant target horizon that is untested on the Dome West Property The gold-bearing FP intrusive and felsic fragmental unit along with the prospective Vipond stratigraphic package represent very high-quality targets which have never been tested on the Dome West property. (References: Historical Paymaster Drill Holes PM10155 & PM10156; and Ferguson, S. 1968, OGS Report 58 ) The Company has collared a single 900 meter drill hole (DW2101) to test the strike extension of a large gold-bearing felsic fragmental volcanic unit, and the dip extension of a gold-bearing porphyry sill, as well as the the Vipond stratigraphy as seen in accompanying figures. A second shorter 300 meter hole is also planned to further test the up dip portion of the felsic fragmental and a prospective porphyry sill proximal to the hanging wall of the Vipond stratigraphy. The second hole is contingent on a review of the stratigraphy and/or mineralization noted in the first hole. The dip and length of the second hole may be altered to better evaluate zones of interest. Figure 1: Dome West Area Location Map Figure 2: Dome West Composite Schematic Plan Map Figure 3: Dome West Schematic Section Figure 4: Historical Composite Level Plan with Geology Qualified Person Mr. Kevin Filo, P.Geo. (Ontario #0221), is a qualified person within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Filo approved the technical data disclosed in this release. About Pelangio Pelangio acquires and explores prospective land packages located in world-class gold belts in Ghana, West Africa and Canada. In Ghana, the Company is exploring its two 100% owned camp-sized properties: the 100 km2 Manfo property, the site of eight near-surface gold discoveries, and the 284 km2 Obuasi property, located 4 km on strike and adjacent to AngloGold Ashanti's prolific high-grade Obuasi Mine, as well as the newly optioned Dankran property located adjacent to its Obuasi property. In Canada, the Company is currently focused in Ontario at its Dome West property, situated some 800 meters from the Dome Mine in Timmins; at its Gowan polymetallic project, located 16 km east of the Kidd Creek Mine, and is exploring its Hailstone property in Saskatchewan. See www.pelangio.com for further detail on all Pelangio's properties. For additional information, please visit our website at www.pelangio.com, or contact: Ingrid Hibbard, President and CEO Tel: 905-336-3828 / Toll-free: 1-877-746-1632 / Email: info@pelangio.com Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements herein may contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements or information appear in a number of places and can be identified by the use of words 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 statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information include statements regarding the Company's strategy of acquiring large land packages in areas of sizeable gold mineralization, and the Company's ability to complete the planned exploration programs. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, we have made numerous assumptions, including assumptions about the state of the equity markets. Such forward-looking statements and information are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. Such risks include the changes in equity markets, share price volatility, volatility of global and local economic climate, gold price volatility, political developments in Ghana, and Canada, increases in costs, exchange rate fluctuations, speculative nature of gold exploration, including the risk that favourable exploration results may not be obtained, delays due to COVID-19 safety protocols, and other risks involved in the gold exploration industry. See the Company's annual and quarterly financial statements and management's discussion and analysis for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statement and information. There can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information referenced herein will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Also, many of the factors are beyond the control of the Company. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward- looking statements or information. We undertake no obligation to reissue or update any forward-looking statements or information except as required by law. All forward-looking statements and information herein are 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 release. SOURCE: Pelangio Exploration Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671790/1200-Meter-Drill-Program-Underway-At-Pelangios-Dome-West-Project-Timmins-Ontario Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - ALX Resources Corp. (TSXV: AL) (FSE: 6LLN) (OTC: ALXEF) ("ALX" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has executed a purchase agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") with Okapi Resources Limited of Perth, Australia ("Okapi") (ASX: OKR) whereby Okapi, an arm's length purchaser, can acquire the Company's 100% interests in five uranium exploration properties and the Company's 80% interest in a sixth uranium exploration property (the "Transaction"), with all six properties located in the Athabasca Basin area of northern Saskatchewan, Canada (the "Six Properties"). The Six Properties ALX has agreed to sell to Okapi its current interests in the Six Properties as described in the table below: Property Name ALX's Interest No. of Claims Project Area (ha) Newnham Lake 100%1 14 16,940.03 Kelic Lake 100%2 12 13,620.25 Argo 100% 3 6,974.53 Lazy Edward Bay 100%3 42 11,263.15 Perch 100%4 1 1,681.71 Cluff Lake 80%5 3 4,832.84 1 Two claims are subject to an underlying 1.0% gross overriding royalty ("GOR") in favour of an arm's length vendor with a 0.5% buydown provision for CAD$1.0 million, and five claims are subject to an underlying 2.5% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR") in favour of a non-arm's length vendor with a 1.0% buydown provision for CAD$1.5 million; 2 Five claims are subject to an underlying 2.5% NSR in favour of a non-arm's length vendor with a 1.0% buydown provision for CAD$1.0 million; 3 Nine claims are subject to an underlying 2.0% NSR in favour of an arm's length vendor with a 1.0% buydown provision for CAD$1.0 million; 4 One claim is subject to an underlying 2.0% NSR in favour of an arm's length vendor with a 1.0% buydown provision for CAD$1.0 million; 5 Three claims are subject to an underlying 2.0% GOR on uranium and precious stones and an underlying 2.0% NSR on other minerals, with each royalty in favour of an arm's length vendor and having no buydown provisions. "ALX has developed and managed a large portfolio of uranium properties since its inception in 2015 by the business combination of two active explorers, Alpha Exploration Inc. and Lakeland Resources Inc.," said Warren Stanyer, CEO and Chairman of ALX. "We are pleased to welcome Okapi Resources to the Athabasca Basin through this transaction, which not only represents a return of capital to the Company but also gives ALX the opportunity to become a significant shareholder of a well-financed and capable mineral exploration company." Summary of the Transaction Terms In exchange for ALX's interests in the Six Properties, Okapi has agreed to pay total consideration of AUD$2.1 million consisting of cash payments and common shares of Okapi, according to the following terms: Exclusivity Deposit Within three business days following execution of the Purchase Agreement, Okapi will pay ALX a non-refundable deposit of AUD$50,000 in exchange for a 60-day exclusivity period commencing on the date of the execution of the Purchase Agreement. Consideration Subject to satisfaction or waiver of the conditions described below, at closing Okapi will: pay ALX cash in the amount of AUD$1,000,000; issue to ALX common shares of Okapi to a value of AUD$1,050,000 (the "Consideration Shares") calculated by way of the 10-day volume weighted average price of Okapi's common shares up to the day prior to that date which is five (5) business days following the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions described below or on other such date as agreed between ALX and Okapi (the "Closing Date"), and grant to ALX a 1.5% NSR on minerals produced from fifty mineral claims included in the Transaction that do not bear any existing underlying royalties. Okapi may at any time acquire up to 50% of the NSR from ALX by making payment to ALX of CAD$1,000,000. Voluntary Escrow The Consideration Shares will be escrowed as follows: 33% of the Consideration Shares shall be released six (6) months after the Closing Date; 33% of the Consideration Shares shall be released on the date that is nine (9) months after the Closing Date; 34% of the Consideration Shares shall be released on the date that is twelve (12) months after the Closing Date. On the Closing Date, ALX has agreed to deliver to Okapi a signed voluntary escrow deed for the Consideration Shares, in a form to be agreed between ALX and Okapi, reflecting the arrangements as described above. Return of Property If at any time during the twenty-four (24) months following the Closing Date Okapi decides to relinquish or allow to lapse all or any part of the Six Properties, Okapi has agreed to first give notice to ALX of such disposal. If ALX wishes to have a property returned, it shall give notice to Okapi within fourteen (14) business days after receiving the notice of disposal from Okapi. ALX will pay all transfer costs and agrees to accept a property interest in an "as-is" condition, at its discretion. Should ALX not elect to acquire a property interest, then Okapi may relinquish or allow to lapse a property interest at its discretion. Conditions Completion of the Transaction is conditional on the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions within 60 days of the date execution of the Purchase Agreement: Okapi completing its due diligence on ALX and the Six Properties to the sole and absolute satisfaction of Okapi; Okapi obtaining approval from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to increase the total amount of outstanding common shares by virtue of entry into the voluntary escrow deed to greater than 20% and below 90%. Closing of the acquisition will take place at 5:00 p.m. (Vancouver time) on the Closing Date, or at such other time and date as may be agreed by the parties. About Okapi Okapi is a publicly-traded mineral exploration company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange with a market capitalization of approximately AUD$61.5 million. The purchase of the Six Properties from ALX and associated exploration plans are fully funded from Okapi's existing cash reserves. Okapi currently has AUD$5.76 million in cash and cash equivalents in addition to 17.9 million listed options on issue (ASX: OKR) expiring on March 31, 2023 - if all are exercised, Okapi's cash balance would be supplemented by a further AUD$5.37 million. Okapi recently acquired a portfolio of advanced, high-grade uranium assets located in the United States of America. The assets include a strategic position in one of the most prolific uranium districts in the USA - the Tallahassee Creek Uranium District in Colorado, which hosts more than 100 million pounds of U 3 O 8 . The Tallahassee Uranium Project contains a Joint Ore Reserves Committee ("JORC") 2012 Mineral Resource estimate of 27.6 million pounds of U 3 O 8 at a grade of 490ppm U 3 O 8 . The portfolio of US assets also includes an option to acquire 100% of the high-grade Rattler Uranium Project in Utah, which includes the historical Rattlesnake open pit mine. The Rattler Uranium Project is located 85 kilometres from the White Mesa Uranium Mill, the only operating conventional uranium mill in the US. About ALX ALX is based in Vancouver, BC, Canada and its common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "AL," on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "6LLN" and in the United States OTC market under the symbol "ALXEF." ALX's mandate is to provide shareholders with multiple opportunities for discovery by exploring a portfolio of prospective mineral properties, which include uranium, nickel-copper-cobalt and gold projects. The Company uses the latest exploration technologies and holds interests in over 250,000 hectares of prospective lands in Saskatchewan, a stable Canadian jurisdiction that hosts the highest-grade uranium mines in the world, a producing gold mine, and production from base metals mines, both current and historical. ALX holds interests in a number of uranium exploration properties in northern Saskatchewan, including a 20% interest in the Hook-Carter Uranium Project, located within the uranium-rich Patterson Lake Corridor with Denison Mines Corp. (80% interest) operating exploration since 2016, a 40% interest in the Black Lake Uranium Project (a joint venture with UEX Corporation and Orano Canada Inc.), and 100% interests in the Gibbons Creek Uranium Project, the Sabre Uranium Project and the Javelin and McKenzie Lake Uranium Projects. ALX also owns 100% interests in the Firebird Nickel Project (now under option to Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc., who can earn up to an 80% interest), the Flying Vee Nickel/Gold and Sceptre Gold projects, and can earn up to an 80% interest in the Alligator Lake Gold Project, all located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. ALX owns, or can earn, up to 100% interests in the Electra Nickel Project and the Cannon Copper Project located in historic mining districts of Ontario, Canada, the Vixen Gold Project (now under option to First Mining Gold Corp., who can earn up to a 100% interest in two stages), and in the Draco VMS Project in Norway. For more information about the Company, please visit the ALX corporate website at www.alxresources.com or contact Roger Leschuk, Manager, Corporate Communications at: PH: 604.629.0293 or Toll-Free: 866.629.8368, or by email: rleschuk@alxresources.com On Behalf of the Board of Directors of ALX Resources Corp. "Warren Stanyer" Warren Stanyer, CEO and Chairman FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Statements in this document which are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Forward-looking statements in this news release include: the projected completion of the Company's transaction with Okapi, and the prospectivity of the Company's exploration projects. It is important to note that the Company's actual business outcomes such as completion of the transaction with Okapi, and its future exploration results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include that ALX may not be able to fully finance exploration at its exploration projects, including drilling; initial findings at its exploration projects may prove to be unworthy of further expenditure; commodity prices may not support exploration expenditures at its projects; and economic, competitive, governmental, societal, public health, environmental and technological factors may affect the Company's operations, markets, products and share price. Even if we explore and develop our mineral exploration projects, and even if uranium or other metals or minerals are discovered in quantity, the projects may not prove to be commercially viable. Additional risk factors are discussed in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Six Months Ended June 30, 2021, which is available under the Company's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Except as required by law, we will not update these forward-looking statement risk factors. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102563 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - NASA's SpaceX Crew-2 astronauts safely splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida on Monday aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, completing the US space agency's second long-duration commercial crew mission to the International Space Station. The mission set a record for the longest spaceflight by a U.S.-crewed spacecraft. The four-member international crew spent 199 days in orbit, surpassing the 168 days' record set by NASA's SpaceX Crew-1 mission earlier this year. US astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and European astronaut Thomas Pesquet returned to Earth in a parachute-assisted splashdown at 10:33 p.m. EST off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. Crews aboard SpaceX recovery vessels successfully recovered the spacecraft and astronauts. After returning to shore, the astronauts will fly back to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. 'We're happy to have Shane, Megan, Aki, and Thomas safely back on Earth after another successful, record-setting long-duration mission to the International Space Station,' said NASA administrator Bill Nelson. 'Congratulations to the teams at NASA and SpaceX who worked so hard to ensure their successful splashdown. NASA's Commercial Crew Program continues to demonstrate safe, reliable transportation to conduct important science and maintenance on the space station.' The Crew-2 mission took off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on a Falcon 9 rocket, and docked to the space station on April 24. The astronauts traveled 84,653,119 statute miles during their mission, stayed 198 days aboard the space station, and completed 3,194 orbits around Earth. They studied how gaseous flames behave in microgravity, grew hatch green chiles in the station's Plant Habitat Facility, installed free-flying robotic assistants, and even donned virtual reality goggles to test new methods of exercising in space. The astronauts took hundreds of pictures of Earth as part of the Crew Earth Observation investigation. It marked one of the longest-running investigations aboard the space station, which contributes to tracking of natural disasters and changes to the earth. The fourth spacewalk, conducted by Hoshide and Pesquet on September 12, was the first in the history of the international space station that did not include an American or Russian, NASA said in a statement. The Crew-2 flight is part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which has worked with the U.S. aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil to the space station. NASA's next batch of astronauts, the SpaceX Crew-3 mission, is scheduled to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 9:03 p.m. EST Wednesday, for another long duration mission. The Crew-3 flight will carry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander; Tom Marshburn, pilot; and Kayla Barron, mission specialist; as well as European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist, to the space station for a six-month science mission. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de FAIRFIELD (dpa-AFX) - American conglomerate General Electric Co. (GE) on Tuesday said it plans to create three global public companies focused on aviation, healthcare, and energy. With this latest move, GE aims to form, GE Aviation, GE Healthcare, and the combined GE Renewable Energy, GE Power, and GE Digital businesses. Pursuing a tax-free spin-off of GE Healthcare, the New York-headquartered GE is set to create a pure-play company at the center of precision health in early 2023, in which GE expects to retain a stake of 19.9 percent. The company also aims to combine GE Renewable Energy, GE Power, and GE Digital into one business, and then pursue a tax-free spin-off of the business in early 2024. Following these two transactions, GE will be an aviation-focused company, the company said. GE Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. commented: '... By creating three industry-leading, global public companies, each can benefit from greater focus, tailored capital allocation, and strategic flexibility to drive long-term growth and value for customers, investors, and employees. We are putting our technology expertise, leadership, and global reach to work to better serve our customers.' With the proposed strategy to form three-new firms, GE expects to incur one-time separation, transition, and operational costs of about $2 billion and tax costs of less than $0.5 billion, which will depend on specifics of the transaction. The company has also announced a management team for the three proposed companies. Culp will serve as non-executive chairman of the GE healthcare company upon its spin-off. He will continue to serve as chairman and CEO of GE until the second spin-off, at which point, he will lead the GE aviation-focused company going forward. Peter Arduini will assume the role of president and CEO of GE Healthcare effective January 1, 2022. Scott Strazik will be the CEO of the combined Renewable Energy, Power, and Digital business while John Slattery continues as CEO of Aviation. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX GENERAL ELECTRIC-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de MIAMI, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard Fain, whose innovations during more than 33 years as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) helped shape the modern cruise industry, has decided to step down as CEO on January 3, 2022, the company announced today. Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty will succeed him as CEO and join the Board of Directors. Fain will remain as Chair of the Board of Directors. The third-longest serving CEO among current S&P 500 leaders, Fain's storied career is defined by the innovations he championed involving every aspect of cruising - from revolutionary ship design to major sustainability efforts to the technologies and ground-breaking features that enriched the onboard experience for millions of guests. Under Fain's leadership, the Royal Caribbean Group introduced new and distinctive ship categories, with a diverse range of amenities and experiences that transformed the nature of cruising. These transformational ships include Royal Caribbean International's Sovereign, Voyager, and Oasis classes; Celebrity Cruises' Solstice and Edge classes; the highly anticipated Royal Caribbean International Icon class to be introduced in 2023; and Silversea Cruises' "Project Evolution" that will become the industry's first hybrid powered ship when introduced in 2023. Fain, working with Liberty, will continue his involvement in the Group's ship construction program. Liberty joined the Royal Caribbean Group in 2005 and served in several financial, strategic and operational roles before becoming CFO in 2013. His operational duties have expanded over the years and gone well beyond the responsibilities normally associated with a CFO. Liberty is also responsible for Silversea Cruises, the Group's joint ventures with TUI Cruises and Hapag Lloyd Cruises, as well as the Royal Caribbean Group's strategy, technology, supply chain, port operations and legal functions. The company also announced that Naftali Holtz will become CFO when Liberty assumes the CEO role. Holtz is currently senior vice president of finance for the Royal Caribbean Group, responsible for corporate, capital and revenue planning and analysis, deployment planning, risk management and treasury. Fain has steered the company through the global pandemic, and he was a driving force behind the creation of the Healthy Sail Panel, a group of renowned health experts who established safety and wellness protocols to restore confidence in cruising safety. "Richard has been a visionary leader, who has made innumerable and remarkable contributions to our company and our industry," said Bill Kimsey, lead director of the Board. "Most recently, his stewardship during the COVID pandemic marks him as one of the great CEOs of his generation. The cruising community and all of us in the company owe him a debt of gratitude." Fain said that he and RCG's Board of Directors had developed a careful succession planning process for when he decided the time was right to step down. "There are no words to express my admiration and appreciation to the people of the Royal Caribbean Group, who have been the real drivers of our success; and my profound appreciation for the support and guidance of the Board of Directors during good times and bad throughout this long period of sustained growth." Fain said that with most of the Group's ships operating, a full return to cruising approaching, and the Group's brands under the leadership of exceptional CEOs, it was the right time to step down. "Given the great depth and breadth of our leadership, and the positive outlook for our business, this is the appropriate time to step aside and have Jason take over," Fain said. "He is a highly versatile and strategic leader, who has been integral to all aspects of the company's accomplishments and performance." Fain also said that Liberty and Holtz "have done an exceptional job organizing over $12 billion of financing during this challenging period. They did so in a remarkably careful and methodical manner, which will serve us well in the years to come." "Our success as a business has relied heavily on our culture and on the values we hold dear," said Fain. "Jason epitomizes those values, and I know he will work to build on them in this everchanging world. I couldn't be happier to have such a superbly qualified and principled leader succeed me as CEO. Jason will lead the Group to new heights." Kimsey noted that Liberty has played "a significant part in every major initiative the company has undertaken for many years, and he was instrumental in helping manage through the pandemic. The Board enthusiastically and unanimously chose him to be the Royal Caribbean Group's next CEO." Liberty said he was honored and humbled to become CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group. "Our incredible people and culture, combined with our leading brands and the most innovative fleet in the world are what make our organization so successful. I'm grateful to both the board for selecting me, and to Richard, for his friendship, mentoring and guidance. I look forward to building upon the company's remarkable record in the years ahead." Liberty continued, "Naftali has demonstrated his ability to lead the finance organization and is well prepared to take on the important CFO role." About The Royal Caribbean Group The Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) is one of the leading cruise companies in the world with a global fleet of 60 ships traveling to more than 800 destinations worldwide. The Royal Caribbean Group consists of three global cruise brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises, as well as TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, of which it is a 50% owner in a joint venture. Together, the brands have an additional 13 ships on order as of June 30, 2021. Learn more at www.royalcaribbeangroup.com or www.rclinvestor.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to, among other things, expectations regarding our new ships to be introduced and our business outlook. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the cost and availability of alternative fuels and the factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as our other filings with the SEC, copies of which may be obtained on our Investor Relations website at www.rclinvestor.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are based on information available to us on the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682621/RDF_2021_Headshot.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682622/JL_Headshot.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682620/RCG_Then_and_Now.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1213007/RCG_Logo.jpg MANASSAS, Va., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ceres Nanosciences (Ceres), a privately held company that makes innovative products to improve life science research and diagnostic testing, is announcing the establishment of nine wastewater-based epidemiology centers of excellence, as part of the April 2021$8.2 million award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADxSM) initiative. Wastewater-based epidemiology can help communities monitor infection dynamics for SARS-CoV-2 and can serve as an early-warning system for the virus in a population, but widespread implementation has been stymied by lack of robust, high-throughput viral concentration methods. Ceres' Nanotrap Magnetic Virus Particles address this problem by enabling rapid viral concentration directly from raw sewage, significantly reducing the time and effort required to process samples. Wastewater testing methods powered by Nanotrap Particles enable wastewater-based epidemiology at multiple levels in a community, including at the building level, at the neighborhood sewershed level, and at the wastewater treatment plant level. "Our customers have processed tens of thousands of samples from college dorms, K-12 schools, sleepaway camps, government facilities, and wastewater treatment plants," said Ben Lepene, Chief Technology Officer at Ceres Nanosciences. "A recent study by one of our university customers showed that 85% of the individual COVID-19 cases on campus were preceded by positive wastewater results." Each Center of Excellence was selected based on its ability to utilize the expanded capacity to extend services into underserved and underprivileged communities and to provide critical information to public health decision makers. Each site received the materials and on-site training from Ceres' field applications team to implement an automated protocol, which increases capacity to 100 samples per day and improves turnaround times to less than eight hours. "These sites encompass non-profit, university, public health, and commercial testing labs in eight states with a total population of more than 120 million people," said Tara Jones-Roe, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Ceres Nanosciences. "We are very proud of this amazing set of organizations and look forward to identifying additional sites." The sites announced today are Arizona State University with OneWaterOneHealth, CIAN Diagnostics, Public Health Laboratory of East Texas, University at Buffalo, UCLA, UC Davis with UC Merced, University of Connecticut, University of Kansas, and West Virginia University. Full details are available at https://www.ceresnano.com/press-release-coe9 Press Contact: Ross M. Dunlap Ceres Nanosciences, Inc 1.800.615.0418 ext. 202 rdunlap@ceresnano.com www.ceresnano.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1492770/Ceres_Nanosciences_Logo.jpg Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - World Copper Ltd. (TSXV: WCU) (OTCQB: WCUFF) ("World Copper" or the "Company") announces an upcoming conference call with management and that Cardero Resource Corp. ("Cardero") has obtained an interim order of the Supreme Court of British Columbia (the "Interim Order") in connection with the previously announced plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement"), whereby the Company and Cardero have agreed to combine their respective businesses (see news releases dated April 20, June 9 and September 20, 2021). Details on the Upcoming Management Conference Call The call will be hosted by Nolan Peterson (CEO) on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 1:15 pm Pacific Standard Time (4:15 pm Eastern Standard time and 9:15 pm Central European Time). The purpose of the call is to provide a general update and discussion of the company's recent developments and near-term plans. Dial-in numbers are as follows: Dial-In (Toll-Free US & Canada): +1 877-407-6176 Dial-In (International): +1 201-689-8451 There is no access code. Live Event Call me link (for participant entry): https://hd.choruscall.com/InComm/?callme=true&passcode=13724979&h=true&info=company-email&r=true&B=6 Participants can use Guest dial-in telephone numbers above and be answered by an operator OR click the Call me link for instant telephone access to the event. Update on Cardero Arrangement The Interim Order provides for, among other things, the holding of an annual general and special meeting (the "Cardero Meeting") of the holders of common shares of Cardero (the "Cardero Shareholders") to approve the Arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia). The Cardero Meeting is scheduled to be held at the offices of Cardero, at Suite 2710 - 200 Granville Street, Vancouver, British Columbia on December 10, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. (Vancouver time). The record date for determining Cardero Shareholders entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Cardero Meeting was fixed as October 19, 2021, and Cardero has mailed the management information circular (the "Information Circular") and related materials for the Cardero Meeting to the Cardero Shareholders. At the Cardero Meeting, the Cardero Shareholders will be asked to, inter alia, consider a special resolution approving and adopting the Arrangement, substantially as contemplated by the plan of arrangement attached to the Information Circular, which is also available on Cardero's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. The board of directors of Cardero unanimously recommended that Cardero Shareholders vote in favour of the resolutions approving the Arrangement. The completion of the Arrangement is subject to certain conditions, including the receipt of the requisite approval from the Cardero Shareholders, the final approval (the "Final Order") of the Supreme Court of British Columbia, final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange, and other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature. If all necessary approvals are obtained and the conditions to the completion of the Arrangement are satisfied or waived, it is currently anticipated that the Arrangement will be completed on or about December 20, 2021. ABOUT WORLD COPPER LTD. World Copper Ltd., headquartered in Vancouver, BC, is a Canadian resource company focused the exploration and development of its copper porphyry projects: Escalones and Cristal in Chile, and Zonia in Arizona. Two of these projects have estimated resources with significant soluble copper mineralization, and there are at least two other copper porphyry targets with exciting potential to expand the resource base. The Zonia project is being acquired as part of the previously announced merger transaction with Cardero Resource Corp. Please refer to news releases dated June 9th, 2021 and April 20th, 2021 for more details and for the current status of the transaction. About Escalones The Escalones porphyry-skarn copper-gold project has estimated inferred resources of 426 million tonnes of 0.367% total copper within the oxidized zone, based on nearly 25,000m of drill core from 53 holes. The 3.45 billion pounds of copper should be amenable to heap leaching with an average recovery of 71%. The Company is focused on exploring the Mancha Amarilla target immediately to the south of the existing resource. In addition, three significant hydrothermal alteration zones, each measuring between 2,000m and 3,000m in diameter, lie 8-10km to the north of the main discovery. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability as there is no certainty that all or any part of the resources will be converted into reserves. Inferred resources are that part of a mineral resource for which quantity and grade or quality are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. It is reasonably expected that the inferred resources could be upgraded to indicated resources with continued exploration. About Zonia The Zonia project is in Yavapai County, Arizona, and consists of 261 mineral claims and additional surface rights, all totaling 4,279.55 acres. It is a near-surface, copper-oxide resource and a brownfields site having already been mined in the late 1960s and '70s. The Project is at the PEA level and has been significantly de-risked with over 50,000 metres of drilling completed to date and with substantial amounts of detailed engineering completed. Further details can be found here. The World Copper team has a unique skill in navigating the mining sector within Chile, with some members having worked in the country for more than 40 years and with discovery success. On Behalf of the Board of Directors of WORLD COPPER LTD. "Nolan Peterson" Nolan Peterson Chief Executive Officer WORLD COPPER LTD. "Nolan Peterson" NolanPeterson Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Nolan Peterson or Michael Pound Phone: 604-638-3665 E-mail: info@worldcopperltd.com Media inquiries: Nancy Thompson, Vorticom, Inc. Phone: 212-532-2208 or 917-371-4053 Investor relations inquiries: John Liviakis, Liviakis Financial Communications Inc. 415-389-4670 Follow Us: Twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldCopperLtd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WorldCopperLtd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/worldcopperltd Neither TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, that Cardero Shareholders will approve the Arrangement, that Cardero will be successful in obtaining the Final Order, the expected completion date of the Arrangement, anticipated exploration program results from exploration activities, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/reserves and the anticipated business plans and timing of future activities of the Company are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as: "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates", "plans", "may", "should", "would", "will", "potential", "scheduled" or variations of such words and phrases and similar expressions, which, by their nature, refer to future events or results that may, could, would, might or will occur or be taken or achieved. In making the forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that Cardero and the Company will receive all necessary approvals for the Arrangement, market fundamentals will result in sustained copper demand and prices, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of the Company's Chilean projects in a timely manner, including the Escalones project and the Cristal project, the availability of financing on suitable terms for the development, construction and continued operation of the Company's projects and its ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. 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 differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks and other factors include, among others, requirements for additional capital, operating and technical difficulties in connection with mineral exploration and development activities, actual results of exploration activities, including on the Escalones project and the Cristal project, the estimation or realization of mineral reserves and mineral resources, the fact that the Company's interests in the Cristal project and the Escalones exploitation concessions are options only and there is no guarantee that such interests, if earned, will be certain, the timing and amount of estimated future production, the costs of production, capital expenditures, the costs and timing of the development of new deposits, requirements for additional capital, future prices of copper, changes in general economic conditions, changes in the financial markets and in the demand and market price for commodities, lack of investor interest in future financings, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals (including of the TSX Venture Exchange), permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, 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, changes in laws, regulations and policies affecting mining operations, title disputes, the inability of the Company to obtain any necessary permits, consents, approvals or authorizations, the timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation, environmental issues and liabilities, and risks related to joint venture operations, and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in the company's continuous disclosure documents. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102498 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. ("Naturally Splendid", "NSE" or "the Company") (FRANKFURT:50N) (TSXV:NSP) (OTC:NSPDF) is pleased to announce that NATERA Plant-Based Foods will now be sold through Sealand Quality Foods. Sealand Quality Foods is offering a variety box of NATERA Plant-Based Burgers, Chick-un Kiev, Chick-un Cutlets and Sweet Chill Chick-un Tenders to their customer base. Sealand Quality Foods has been servicing Canadians from coast to coast for over 35 years and are the largest company of its kind in Canada. Offering a uniquely personalized shopping concept is a perfect fit for NATERA Plant Based Foods. Sealand Quality Foods delivers, individual right-sized portions of products directly to the customer's door. Their unique business model provides old-fashioned home delivery with modern-day sophistication. Sealand Quality Foods President, Mr. Joe Bailey states, "NATERA's Plant-Based foods meets our high standards of taste and quality which we are proud to serve our customers. The unique, innovating and refreshing selections, combined with superior quality and value, addresses the needs of our customers. Sealand continues to offer premium high-quality meat and seafood products. However, we recognize that more and more consumers are requesting plant-based alternatives to their regular protein choices. Sealand Quality Foods is pleased to work with the team at Naturally Splendid introducing plant-based proteins to our loyal customer base." Naturally Splendid CEO Mr. J. Craig Goodwin states, "Since meeting and working with Joe, we knew that Sealand Quality Foods personalized sale and delivery model, with the importance they put on the high-quality products and service, was a perfect fit us. Consumer buying trends continue to evolve from traditional retail locations to on-line and home delivery services. The home delivery services that Sealand is on point with this trend, and we look forward to providing Sealand consumers with our NATERA Plant Based Foods." About Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. Founded in 2010, NSE operates a food manufacturing facility just outside Vancouver, BC in Canada. The Company has established numerous healthy, functional foods under recognized brands such as Natera Sport, Natera Hemp Foods, CHII, Elevate Me and Woods Wild Bar, and most recently Natera Plant Based Foods, a line of delicious plant-based meat alternatives for the rapidly growing plant-based market segment. The Company has a myriad of new products and line extensions under development that are approaching launch. NSE, through its joint venture Plasm Pharmaceutical, has been approved for conducting a phase 2 clinical trial approved by Health Canada for treatment of COVID-19. NSE has also developed proprietary technologies for the extraction of high-demand, healthy omega 3 and 6 oils from hemp. NSE contract manufacturers for healthy, functional food products and ingredients focusing on plant-based ingredients. The Company provides contract manufacturing services for many healthy food companies, private labeling a wide variety of nutritional food products destined for global healthy food markets. For more information e-mail info@naturallysplendid.com or call Investor Relations at 604-465-0548 (ext. 105) On Behalf of the Board of Directors Mr. J. Craig Goodwin CEO, Director Contact Information Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. (NSP - TSX Venture; NSPDF - OTCQB; 50N - Frankfurt) #108-19100 Airport Way Pitt Meadows, BC, V3Y 0E2 Office: (604) 465-0548 Fax: (604) 465-1128 E-mail: info@naturallysplendid.com Website: www.naturallysplendid.com 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. Naturally Splendid 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 Naturally Splendid's control including, Naturally Splendid's ability to compete with large food and beverage companies; sales of any potential products developed will be profitable; sales of shelled hemp seed will continue at existing rates or increase; the ability to complete the sales of all bulk hemp seed purchase orders; and the risk that any of the potential applications may not receive all required regulatory or legal approval. 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, Naturally Splendid undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. SOURCE: Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671867/NATERA-Plant-Based-Foods-Offered-at-Sealand-Quality-Foods WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Royal Caribbean Group (RCL) said Richard Fain has decided to step down as CEO on January 3, 2022. He will remain as Chair of the Board of Directors. Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty will succeed Fain as CEO. 'Given the great depth and breadth of our leadership, and the positive outlook for our business, this is the appropriate time to step aside and have Jason take over,' Richard Fain said. Naftali Holtz will become CFO when Liberty assumes the CEO role. Holtz is currently senior vice president of finance for the Royal Caribbean Group. 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. NEW YORK CITY (dpa-AFX) - Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd. (BHVN) and Pfizer Inc. (PFE) announced Tuesday a strategic commercialization arrangement for rimegepant in markets outside of the U.S., upon approval. Rimegepant is commercialized as Nurtec ODT in the U.S., and is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. An application for the approval of rimegepant is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency and several additional regulatory authorities outside of the U.S. Under the terms of the arrangement, Biohaven would remain primarily responsible for further clinical development of rimegepant and the parties will cooperate in regulatory activities to secure approval for the product. Biohaven will continue to solely commercialize Nurtec ODT in the U.S. Additionally, Pfizer will gais rights outside of the U.S. to zavegepant, a third generation, high affinity, selective and structurally unique, small molecule CGRP receptor antagonist, currently being studied in an intranasal delivery and a soft-gel formulation in Phase 3 clinical trials for migraine indications. Under the financial terms of all transaction agreements, Pfizer will make an upfront payment of $500 million, consisting of $150 million cash and $350 million in the purchase of Biohaven equity at a 25 percent market premium. Biohaven is also eligible to receive up to $740 million in milestones. In addition to the tiered double-digit royalties owed to Biohaven on net sales outside of the U.S., Pfizer will compensate Biohaven for the related royalties on net sales outside of the U.S. owed under the Company's license and funding agreements with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Royalty Pharma. Closing of the license agreements and equity purchase are contingent on completion of review under applicable antitrust laws. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX PFIZER-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Resolve Ventures Inc. ("Resolve" or the "Company") (TSXV:RSV) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an Option Agreement (the "Agreement") with Kode Mineral Exploration Ltd (the "Vendor") to earn a 100% ownership interest in the 6,168 Ha contiguous Lloyd Lake Uranium Project (the "Lloyd Lake Project") located in the prolific Athabasca Basin, near the village of La Loche, Saskatchewan, Canada. Resolve Ventures President & CEO Clive Massey commented, "We are excited about entering the uranium space. As momentum in the green energy sector continues to build, uranium is the only sensible and cost-effective solution for the looming worldwide power shortage and with the pledge at COP26 to phase out coal for power generation, the best alternative is nuclear power." About the Lloyd Lake Project The Lloyd Lake Project lies south of the western Athabasca Basin approximately 90 km SE of Fission Uranium's Patterson Lake project. The Lloyd Lake Project has a significant dataset. It was extensively explored by the Western Athabasca Syndicate as part of the Preston Property in 2013. Work by the syndicate involved airborne EM-magnetic and radiometric surveys followed by preliminary prospecting of areas identified in historical assessment reports. This was followed by systematic lake-bottom sediment sampling and lake-bottom water sampling for radon gas analysis, radon gas being a decay product of uranium. Ground exploration included broad soil, biogeochemical and radon-in-soil surveys, generally at 100 m to 200 m sample spacing and 200 m-400 m line spacing. Groundwork was tailored to cover anomalous airborne geophysical features and lake geochemical anomalies derived from phase 2 work. Throughout phases 2 and 3 prospecting and mapping traverses were undertaken as follow-up to airborne radiometric anomalies, and to further ground-truth the airborne responses for the purposes of generating a baseline geological map of the property. The project was also investigated by a versatile time-domain electromagnetic (VTEM plus) and aeromagnetic survey completed by Geotech Ltd., and an airborne radiometric-VLF-EM and magnetic survey completed by Goldak Airborne Surveys. Target The primary exploration target at Lloyd Lake is an ~8.5km northeast trending zone corresponding to a magnetic break concurrent with an array of parallel EM conductors: a typical exploration signature in the basin. Anomalous radon gas as well as anomalous uranium and gold values in lake sediments, also lie within the target zone. Transaction Terms Under the terms of the Agreement, Resolve may acquire a 100% ownership interest in the Lloyd Lake Project by paying to the Vendor $10,000 within 5 days of signing, $40,000 cash payment by December 24, 2021, $50,000 cash payment within one year of signing and a further $50,000 cash payment within 2 years of signing the Agreement and completing $200,000 in exploration expenditures on the Lloyd Lake Project by November 8, 2023. Upon completing the above noted commitments, and at the Company's sole discretion, Resolve will have earned a 100% interest in the Lloyd Lake Project. The Company will pay a 1% Net Smelter Royalty to the Vendor upon Commencement of Commercial Production. The Company will have the right to purchase from the Vendor the 1% Net Smelter Royalty, at any time, at a cost of $1,000,000. About the Company Resolve is a Vancouver based publicly listed exploration company trading on the TSXV. The Company is led by a highly skilled management and technical team with numerous previous successes in the junior mining sector. For further information on the Company, visit www.resolveventures.com or call (604) 644-6794. Qualified Persons Mr. R. Tim Henneberry, P.Geo. (BC), a member of the Company's Advisory Board, is the "Qualified Person" under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and is responsible for the technical contents of this news release and has approved the disclosure of the technical information contained herein. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Clive H. Massey" President & CEO (604) 644-6794; Office (604) 341-6870 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor their Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking" statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Resolve Ventures Inc., believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Resolve Ventures Inc. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Resolve Ventures Inc. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. SOURCE: Resolve Ventures Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671806/Resolve-Ventures-Inc-Options-Lloyd-Lake-Uranium-Project VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Lucky Minerals Inc. (TSXV:LKY)(OTC PINK:LKMNF)(FRA:LKY) ("Lucky" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has received sample assay results from its ongoing work at the Wayka epithermal gold discovery at its 100% owned Fortuna Property ("Fortuna") in southern Ecuador. This news release reflects the results of the north-south oriented trenches T-5 and T-6. These two trenches when combined into one trench has a total length of more than 70 metres. Combined Trenches T-5 and T-6 average 1.67 g/t gold over 61 metres Trenching highlights One-meter systematic channel samples taken along the trench resulted in 75 one-metre samples with an average weight of 8 kilograms. These samples were taken with a rock saw to improve the quality of the samples. Lucky Minerals' Country Manager, Santiago Yepez at Trench T-6 showing continuous channel sampling done with a rock saw; on the left are early exploration panel samples. The combination of trenches T-5 and T-6 in a north-south direction shows three distinct strongly silicified structurally controlled mineralized trends, which are interpreted to be feeder zones. See map below. Trench Location Map The northernmost trend (feeder) averages 0.46 g/t gold across 9 metres and mineralization is interpreted to be structurally controlled along a trend that is strongly silicified and hosted in meta-granites. This mineralized trend is interpreted to strike east northeast. The middle-mineralized trend (feeder) averages 6.68 g/t gold across 12 metres and mineralization is also interpreted to be structurally controlled along a trend that is hosted in strongly silicified meta-granites. At present this mineralized trend is interpreted to strike east northeast and appears to be parallel to the northernmost mineralized trend. The southernmost mineralized trend averages 2.40 g/t gold across 7 metres and mineralization is interpreted also to be structurally controlled. This mineralized trend appears to also strike east northeast, and mineralization remains open to the south. Francois Perron President and CEO states "By extending trenches T-5 and T-6 we have established that some mineralization at Wayka appears to be hosted in parallel mineralized trends or feeders. What is even more exciting is that these feeders are fairly high grade and are in proximity to each other. Establishing mineralization over 61 metres at surface is a significant step in advancing Wayka. Adding to this exciting development is the fact that we have identified further mineralization in trenches T-10 and T-11 which are only 70 metres from the area that we are reporting on today. Although these two trenches have yet to intersect their associated feeders, the potential for discovering additional parallel feeders is enticing. The team continues to advance trenching and I wish to thank them for their extraordinary hard work. In addition to the current trenching, we have mobilized crews to complete a detailed soil sampling program which will be combined with geophysics in order to refine our targeting and drilling which is expected in the coming months." Fortuna - Next Steps Wayka Exploration teams are focused on trenching, soil sampling and geophysical survey This work will be followed by a detailed compilation of all geologic data which will subsequently lead to scout drilling in the coming months. Trench T-5 & T-6 Sample Intervals &Assays QA/QC Protocols All exploration work is completed following QA/QC protocols and include the insertion of a coarse blank, a standard and duplicate sample on every batch of 25 samples. Samples are being submitted approximately every two weeks to ALS Chemex Labs in Quito for preparation work, and the analytical work is completed at their lab facility in Lima, Peru. ALS Chemex is an ISO certified and accredited laboratory. Results will be released as they are received. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Francois Perron" President & Chief Executive Officer About Lucky Lucky is an exploration and development company targeting large-scale mineral systems in proven districts with the potential to host world class deposits. Lucky owns a 100% interest in the Fortuna Property. The Company's Fortuna Project is comprised of twelve contiguous, 550 km2 (55,000 Hectares, or 136,000 Acres) exploration concessions. Fortuna is located in a highly prospective, yet underexplored, gold belt in southern Ecuador. Covid-19 Safety Protocols The company has put strict COVID protocols in place for all visitors, service providers and personnel arriving to and from field sites. All personnel are tested upon arriving and leaving and are again tested every two weeks. All personnel are following COVID protocols with permanent disinfection procedures in place and are following correspondent social distancing while being isolated from the surrounding communities. Qualified Person Victor Jaramillo, M.Sc.A., P.Geo., Lucky's Exploration Manager and a qualified person in accordance with National Instrument 43-101, is responsible for supervising the exploration program at the Fortuna Project for Lucky Minerals and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Further information on Lucky can be found on the Company's website at www.luckyminerals.com and at www.sedar.com, or by contacting Francois Perron, President and CEO, by email at investors@luckyminerals.com or by telephone at (866) 924 6484. Or by contacting: Renmark Financial Communications Inc. Daniel Gordon: dgordon@renmarkfinancial.com Tel: (416) 644-2020 or (212) 812-7680 www.renmarkfinancial.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 Adjacent Properties and Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the future operations of the Company and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding the future plans and objectives of the Company are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: uncertainties related to exploration and development; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund exploration and development; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; increases in input costs; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological or operational difficulties or inability to obtain permits encountered in connection with exploration activities; and labor relations matters. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect the Company's forward-looking information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations also include risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will not update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements unless required by Canadian securities law. SOURCE: Lucky Minerals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671744/Systematic-Sampling-Along-Trenches-T-5-and-T-6-Averages-167-GT-Gold-Over-61-Metres-at-Wayka Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Next Green Wave Holdings Inc. (CSE: NGW) (OTCQX: NXGWF) ("Next Green Wave", "NGW" or the "Company"), a premium seed-to-shelf craft cannabis producer, is pleased to announce the following updates: Sauce Cart Launch After months of R&D testing, the Company is pleased to officially announce the launch of NGW's 2.0 Sauce Carts (the "New Carts"). These carts still feature our popular premium, single-source, strain-specific, non-distilled, full-spectrum sauce. However, based on consumer and retail feedback, NGW has made some key product changes. Most notably, the third party hardware quality has been upgraded to properly deliver the Company's premium cured sauce. We are now filling and packaging these units in-house to ensure the overall quality of each unit. The packaging has also been upgraded to match NGW's premium flower and to give retailers several options for display. The Company sold over 2,000 New Carts in the first week at margins that are consistent with its other premium flower product lines. With our new internal production processes in place, we will now be able to scale growth to meet this demand. "Launching the 2.0 Sauce Carts, from a brand perspective, completes our pivot away from lower margin commoditized products to a total focus on higher margin premium products. In both the premium indoor flower and premium indoor sauce cart categories, we can both leverage the artisanal quality of our products and achieve high margins in ways we cannot in the other branded product categories." Michael Jennings Chief Executive Officer, Director Next Green Wave Holdings Inc. AGM Results The Company held its Annual General Meeting on Friday November 5. All resolutions presented to the shareholders were approved with over 98% of votes cast being in favor of each resolution (see SEDAR filing of the Company's Information Circular dated October 1, 2021). As a result: Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton, Chartered Professional Accountants were re-appointed as the Company's auditor; The Number of Directors was set at 4 with the following nominees elected as directors: Mike Jennings, Glen Harder, Curtis Floyd, and Norm Mayr; The Company's Incentive Stock Option Plan was re-approved; and, The shareholders have approved the adoption of an Advance Notice Policy (the "Advance Notice Policy"), establishing a framework for advance notice of nominations of directors by shareholders of the Company. The purpose of this Advance Notice Policy is to provide shareholders, directors and management of the Company with direction on the nomination of directors. The Advance Notice Policy is the framework by which the Company seeks to fix a deadline by which holders of record of common shares of the Company must submit director nominations to the Company prior to any annual or special meeting of shareholders and sets forth the information that a shareholder must include in the notice to the Company for the notice to be in proper written form. For all subsequent meetings of shareholders of the Company: In the case of an annual meeting of shareholders, notice of a director nomination must be given to the Company not less than 30 nor more than 65 days prior to the date of the annual meeting of shareholders; provided, however, that in the event that the annual meeting of shareholders is called for a date that is less than 40 days after the date (the "Notice Date") on which the first public announcement of the date of the annual meeting was made, notice by the Nominating Shareholder may be made not later than the tenth (10th) day following the Notice Date. In the case of a special meeting of shareholders (which is not also an annual meeting) called for the purpose of electing directors (whether or not called for other purposes), notice of a director nomination must be given to the Company no later than the fifteenth (15th) day following the day on which the first public announcement of the date of the special meeting of shareholders was made. The Advance Notice Policy is effective immediately. The Company would also like to confirm it will be releasing its Q3 2021 Financial Statements on November 30, 2021. The Company has granted 600,000 stock options to three directors under its stock option plan, exercisable at a price of CDN$0.50 per share, with an expiry date of five years, and will vest 25% every 6 months for a period of two years. About Next Green Wave Next Green Wave is an integrated premium seed-to-shelf craft cannabis producer offering products through its in-house brand portfolio and wholesale flower for other large cannabis manufacturers. The Company owns and operates a 35,000 sq. ft. indoor facility in Coalinga, CA, which is home to our nursery, cultivation, distribution, and future packaging business. Marketing, product design, and formulation are produced in-house; please follow along at www.nextgreenwave.com or on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. For more information regarding Next Green Wave, please contact: Matthew Jewell CFO Tel: +1 (604) 684-6844 IR@nextgreenwave.com Neither Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") nor its Regulation Services Providers (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. *All financial information is provided in U.S. dollars and is unaudited and is subject to change. Any preliminary unaudited long-term financial projections provided herein have not been prepared in accordance with IFRS. Management uses non-IFRS financial measures, in addition to IFRS financial measures, to understand and compare operating results across accounting periods, for financial and operational decision making, for planning and forecasting purposes and to evaluate the Company's financial performance. One example of a non-IFRS financial measure is Adjusted EBITDA, which has limitations as an analytical tool as it excludes from net income as reported, interest, tax, depreciation, other income and expenses, non-cash grow costs expensed for biological assets and unsold inventory, and the non-cash fair value effects of accounting for biological assets and inventories. Management believes that these non-IFRS financial measures reflect the Company's ongoing business in a manner that allows for meaningful comparisons and analysis of trends in the business, as they facilitate comparing financial results across accounting periods and to those of peer companies. Management also believes that these non-IFRS financial measures enable investors to evaluate the Company's operating results and future prospects in the same manner as management. These non-IFRS financial measures may also exclude expenses and gains that may be unusual in nature, non-cash, infrequent or not reflective of the Company's ongoing operating results. As there are no standardized methods of calculating these non-IFRS measures, the Company's methods may differ from those used by others, and accordingly, the use of these measures may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures used by others. Accordingly, Non-IFRS financial measures should not be considered superior to, as a substitute for or as an alternative to, and should only be considered in conjunction with IFRS financial Measures. Next Green Wave Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations or beliefs of future performance, are "forward-looking statements" and such forward-looking statements and forward-looking information represent only NGW's beliefs regarding future events, plans or objectives, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of NGW's control. Generally, such forward-looking information or forward-looking statements 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 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". The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements contained herein may include, but are not limited to, the Company's expectations for long-term (YE 2021, YE 2022 and YE 2023) revenue and adjusted EBITDA profitability, the ability of the Company to successfully achieve business objectives (including completion of construction and increasing production capacity), and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects NGW's current beliefs and is based on information currently available to NGW and on assumptions NGW believes are reasonable. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, events or developments to be materially different from any future results, events or developments expressed or implied by such forward looking information. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, among others: dependence on obtaining and maintaining regulatory approvals, including acquiring and renewing state, local or other licenses and any inability to obtain all necessary governmental approvals licenses and permits to complete construction of its proposed facilities in a timely manner; engaging in activities which currently are illegal under US federal law and the uncertainty of existing protection from U.S. federal or other prosecution; regulatory or political change such as changes in applicable laws and regulations, including U.S. state-law legalization, particularly in California, due to inconsistent public opinion, perception of the medical-use and adult-use marijuana industry, bureaucratic delays or inefficiencies or any other reasons; any other factors or developments which may hinder market growth; NGW's limited operating history and lack of historical profits; reliance on management; NGW's requirements for additional financing, and the effect of capital market conditions and other factors on capital availability, competition, including from more established or better financed competitors; the need to secure and maintain corporate alliances and partnerships, including with customers and suppliers; and risks and delays resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Although NGW has attempted to identify important risk factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other risk factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in forward-looking statements. NGW has no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, even if new information becomes available as a result of future events, new information or for any other reason except as required by law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102580 VICTORIA, BC, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Austal, Australia's premier defense and fast ferry shipbuilder serving the global market, is undergoing a real digital transformation thanks to a renewed focus on innovation, application of digital-first processes, and implementation of SSI's shipbuilding information management platform. In partnership with SSI, Austal is currently implementing ShipbuildingPLM to control and release configuration managed 3D product models and production deliverables for the numerous vessels in their shipbuilding programs. This includes close coordination with design and engineering and seamless integration with production and the supply chain through their chosen ERP platform. "Austal is committed to becoming the premier naval shipbuilder in the Indo-Pacific region." said Andrew Malcolm, Austal's Chief Digital Officer. "We measure this not only in terms of capacity of our shipyards located around the region, but in terms of quality, performance, and reliability. Our work with SSI is about building the capability to be more effective, agile, and innovative." The Australian shipbuilder is one of very few shipbuilders taking an agile, holistic approach to their digital transformation. The key is a focus on solving shipbuilding-specific business challenges, identifying long-term objectives first, and implementing technologies incrementally to support those goals. As part of that process, the need to quickly achieve a return on investment, work within the realities of shipbuilding, and maintain a high level of security were all identified as key requirements. "Austal is a true leader in digital shipbuilding." said Darren Larkins, co-CEO at SSI. "They are well on their way to becoming a truly digital shipbuilder from design and engineering through to production. We're excited to continue our close work with them on this journey." As part of an agile approach, the project's initial focus will give Austal more control over engineering information as it flows through to production and as changes are made. The open approach to integration taken by the selected platforms ensures that stakeholders from across multiple shipyards and design team offices have streamlined access to the models, drawings, and bill of material information they require. Austal has been an SSI client since 2004. These latest developments represent the next step in the partnership between the two organizations. About Austal Austal is Australia's global shipbuilder, defence prime contractor and maritime technology partner of choice, designing, constructing and supporting revolutionary defence and commercial vessels for the world's leading operators. For more information, visit: austal.com About SSI SSI makes it easy to solve the shipbuilding industry's unique challenges by empowering shipbuilders to focus on the business of shipbuilding. We realize the rapidly evolving technologies that define the future of shipbuilding and understand how to implement them specifically for shipbuilders. For over 30 years, our team has been globally recognized for our shipbuilding-specific solutions for the design, engineering, construction, and maintenance of shipbuilding projects. To learn more, visit: ssi-corporate.com Media Contact: Greg Goulanian, Marketing and Communications Strategist, Email: greg.goulanian@ssi-corporate.com, Phone: +1 (250) 479-3638, 122 Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1680031/SSI_Austal_Maintains_Lead_in_Digital_Transformation_With_SSI_Par.jpg Delegation meets with Israeli companies and organizations that promote technological and entrepreneurial education TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The UAE Minister of Education, H.E. Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi, visited Start-Up Nation Central on Sunday to learn about Israel's innovation ecosystem and meet with a variety of organizations that specialize in technological and entrepreneurial education. Start-Up Nation CEO Avi Hasson welcomed the minister to Israel and provided him and his team with a bird's-eye view of the local high-tech industry and what it took to develop it in terms of educational resources and capabilities. Afterward, the visitors heard from representatives of MedCET, a local EdTech accelerator; Unistream, an entrepreneurship teaching network; Young Engineers, which teaches engineering skills to young children through the use of toys; and Giant Leap, which provides parents with child development assessment tools. Al Hammadi and his delegation of ministry officials are on a five-day visit to Israel. They are in the country to seek out possible collaborations with Israeli companies and organizations to encourage STEM and entrepreneurship education from a young age and ensure the UAE is up-to-date on the latest in EdTech trends. Israel is home to roughly 200 EdTech companies providing solutions to everything from VR augmented learning to mobile education apps, to communication platforms for universities, schools, and kindergartens. UAE Minister of Education H.E. Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi: "As part of our mission to create a thriving knowledge-based economy, we are committed to leaving no stone unturned in the service of providing high-quality education. Thanks to the Abraham Accords, we are now able to seek out partnerships and collaborations with Israeli companies and institutions. We want to thank Start-Up Nation Central for hosting us and introducing us to some of the elements that have led to the success of the Israeli innovation ecosystem." Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson: "Israel would not have become the Start-Up Nation if it were not for the robust educational infrastructure that created a generation of entrepreneurs. A well-developed academic ecosystem lays the foundations of innovation. Nowadays, technology is an indispensable factor for effective learning, providing unprecedented access to millions of people. As proponents of innovation diplomacy and people-to-people ties, Start-Up Nation Central is happy to share our insights into the ecosystem with our partners in the UAE for the benefit of both nations and the region as a whole." About Start-Up Nation Central Start-Up Nation Central is the address for corporations, governments, and investors to connect with the Israeli tech ecosystem. Start-Up Nation Central catalyzes growth opportunities by bringing Israeli tech innovation to global business and societal challenges. Established in 2013 and headquartered in Tel-Aviv, Israel, Start-Up Nation Central is a not-for-profit organization funded by philanthropy. Start-Up Nation Finder is a free online platform for identifying and engaging Israeli tech organizations based on customers' specific interests. This innovation business platform is a comprehensive knowledge hub on Israeli start-ups, investors, acceleration hubs, multinational corporations, and technology-based innovation associated with academic research. The open-source platform provides up-to-date information and insights on thousands of active Israeli tech companies. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1683226/SNC_1.jpg Capability solves decades-old problem advertisers experience of not being able to accurately measure complex national TV spots Solution leads to greater accuracy in multi-touch attribution results for the types of feeds and the times commercials air nationally PORTLAND, OR / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Marketing analytics company LeadsRx today announced its LeadsRx Attribution product now supports multi-touch attribution (MTA) for national television commercials, including live, broadcast, and dual-feed cable programming. The solution leads to greater accuracy in attribution results, which means buyers of TV advertising can better optimize their budgets and earn higher return on ad spend (ROAS). This new LeadsRx capability is available now to provide support for national television spot logs that take into consideration the complexities of national advertising. The system automatically adjusts the time commercials air according to the type of feed, time zones, and daylight savings time considerations. "Accurately measuring the impact of national television advertising has been a pain point for some time due to the existence of dual feeds," said Adam Ortman, VP, Growth & Innovation, at Generator Media + Analytics. "With this new methodology, LeadsRx is now able to better inform clients and help optimize their national TV ad budgets by providing a truer picture of TV's impact across the country." Incorporating national television ads within analytics, such as MTA, is difficult due to the complexities of television. Commercials air at different times throughout the U.S. depending on whether ads are shown during live events (such as sports, concerts, etc.), on broadcast networks (such as the big three of ABC, CBS, and NBC), or on cable networks. Adding to the complexity is the fact that some cable networks are shown live across the country, while others are aired twice a day ("dual-feed cable"), time zones are different, and some states (e.g., Arizona and Hawaii) do not switch to Daylight Savings Time. National advertisers must take an analytic approach to understanding how various ad mediums are performing both as individual channels as well as in combination with other channels. The complexity surrounding national TV advertising compounds the issue of accurately measuring advertising effectiveness for brands that advertise across the country. The examples in this Nielsen Feed Pattern Guide shows just how confusing it can be to understand broadcast and dual-feed cable programming air times. "By offering this solution, LeadsRx is using analytics to help national television advertisers and agencies representing advertisers to lower customer acquisition costs, increase customer lifetime value, and spot and eliminate wasted ad spend," said AJ Brown, CEO and co-founder of LeadsRx. "Our customers have been clamoring for this kind of solution, and our team has worked hard to provide an MTA solution offering this capability." The new solution is available immediately within the standard LeadsRx Attribution product, and there is no extra charge to implement national TV advertising data monitoring, measurement, and insights. For more details on LeadsRx Attribution click here. Learn more about the LeadsRx suite of offerings, including MTA, privacy-first customer journey analytics, and the concept of "People + Data = Better" by visiting LeadsRx.com. About LeadsRx Guided by an ethos of impartiality, consumer privacy, and quality first-party data, LeadsRx provides SaaS software and services that has helped marketers at more than 5,000 global and local brands and agencies increase customer acquisition efficiency, grow lifetime value, and identify wasted ad spend. LeadsRx foundational technology is our unique Universal Pixel that has collected more than 2.0 billion personas for anonymous individuals - not personal identities, but the characteristics or demographic attributes that make up the type of customer or customers represented by their digital experience across devices, browsers, and apps. To learn more about how LeadsRx can support you in marketing transformation visit LeadsRx.com. Connect with LeadsRx on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. For more information Jeff Fishburn Fishburn PR for LeadsRx jeff@fishburnpr.com SOURCE: LeadsRx View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671303/LeadsRx-Gives-Advertisers-Analytics-Tools-to-Finally-Measure-National-Television-Commercials-Including-Live-Broadcast-and-Dual-Feed-Cable-Programming Nijmegen R&D Center to support GaN product development, customer application support and manufacturing operations. Gallium Semiconductor, an innovative supplier of RF Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor solutions for 5G mobile communications, launches its European research and development (R&D) center inNijmegen, Netherlands. Gallium Semi's strategic selection of Nijmegen is based on the recognition of it being a European innovation hub for RF power technology with a very talented pool of engineers. The new R&D center targets to perform GaN semiconductor product development, device design, customer application engineering and production support. "We are excited to establish Nijmegen, Netherlands as our European R&D center," said Michael Guyonnet, Vice President of Networks of Gallium Semi. "Nijmegen is the vibrant heart of Europe's RF power technology and our presence here will allow us to expand our team with world class talent." Gallium Semi will use the Nijmegen R&D center as an opportunity to work closely with global customers to design, test and commercialize RF GaN semiconductor solutions for 5G mobile communications, aerospace and defense, and industrial, scientific and medical applications. "With so much expertise in RF engineering and manufacturing operations, we are able to leverage the most advanced technology to drive our product development," said Kin Tan, Gallium Semi's Chief Executive Officer. About Gallium Semiconductor Gallium Semiconductor's mission is to enable mass commercialization of Gallium Nitride (GaN) based semiconductor solutions for 5G mobile communications, aerospace and defense and industrial, scientific and medical applications. We combine the best global talents from engineering to manufacturing operations with experienced business leaders to cost effectively deliver the highest performance and efficiency semiconductors for next generation RF, microwave and millimeter-wave systems. Visit us at www.galliumsemi.com to learn more. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005676/en/ Contacts: Gallium Semiconductor Corporate: Paul Chia Vice President, Sales Marketing Tel: +65-9835-5033 Email: pchia@galliumsemi.com TEL-AVIV, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Argus Cyber Security , a global leader in cyber security for connected mobility, today announced it was selected as the winner of the CLEPA Innovation Awards 2021 in the Connectivity & Automation category. The award recognizes Argus' breakthrough ECU Protection solution, which detects and mitigates cyber attacks targeting all types of vehicle ECUs, including telematics, multimedia systems, and ADAS units, and communicates the incidents to the Argus Vehicle Security Operation Center (VSOC) solution for further analysis and response from the cloud. As modern vehicle platforms (ECUs) become smarter and more connected, they are also becoming more exposed to IT-like cyber security issues. Automotive cyber attacks now mimic sophisticated techniques used to compromise IT networks, including multi-stage persistent attacks, exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities, and installing malware. A breached vehicle could lead to major damage with severe safety consequences. Unfortunately, standard ECU integrity solutions were not designed to address these complex cyber threats. Argus ECU Protection is one of the first host Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS) built specifically to address the extended attack surface of today's connected vehicles. Now in production with nine vehicle manufacturers and ASPICE L2 certified, Argus ECU Protection, combines best-of-breed IT security with functionality built from the ground up for the vehicle environment. Moreover, Argus ECU Protection is part of Argus' comprehensive cyber security portfolio, which offers vehicle manufacturers the ability to detect, prevent, and respond to attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities from in the vehicle and the cloud. Conducted by the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA), the Innovation Awards program recognizes innovative excellence across the automotive supply ecosystem. Winners were chosen by an international jury of experts, taking into consideration the ambition, the impact and quality of the innovation and its readiness to enter highly competitive and cutting-edge markets. "It is an honor to join industry leaders such as Continental in being selected as a 2021 CLEPA Innovation Award winner," said Ronen Smoly, CEO at Argus. "Our breakthrough technology changes the way vehicle manufacturers address vehicle protection and will protect tens of millions of vehicles in the next few years. The 2021 CLEPA Innovation Award, which comes on the heels of being selected for the AutoTech Breakthrough Innovation of the Year Award, serves as a strong validation of our innovative approach and technology leadership in the automotive cybersecurity space." About Argus Cyber Security Argus, a global leader in cyber security for connected mobility, provides modular onboard and offboard-vehicle cyber security products and services to protect all forms of connected mobility against cyber attacks. Customers include vehicle manufacturers, their suppliers, and connected mobility providers. Argus' vehicle cyber security team provides a broad range of services to help our customers integrate cyber security practices and processes into the entire product lifecycle and comply with regulations. Argus' innovative methods and solutions are based on decades of cyber security and automotive research and have culminated in over 70 granted and pending patents. Founded in 2013, Argus is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with offices in Michigan, Stuttgart, France, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Korea. Argus is an independent subsidiary of Elektrobit , a leading provider of automotive software products and services. Visit Argus Cyber Security at https://www.argus-sec.com . @ArgusSec | LinkedIn Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/803463/Argus_Cyber_Security_Logo.jpg Contact: Monique Lance Monique.lance@argus-sec.com +972 - 54 - 7782549 DevOps professionals using HashiCorp Vault now have access to GlobalSign's Atlas for certificate enrollment BOSTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / GMO GlobalSign (https://www.globalsign.com/en), a global Certificate Authority (CA) and leading provider of digital signing, identity and security solutions for the IoT, today announced a partnership with HashiCorp. As part of the partnership, DevOps users of HashiCorp Vault now have access to GlobalSign's Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) platform, Atlas, via the Atlas Vault plug-in. This enables HashiCorp Vault users to securely request a variety of certificates from the Atlas environment. HashiCorp Vault is an identity-based security solution that leverages trusted sources of identity to keep secrets and application data secure. A secret is anything that you want to tightly control access to, such as API keys, passwords, or certificates. Through Vault, users can request X.509 certificates from a configured back-end provider via the newly developed GlobalSign plug-in. "We are pleased to partner with GlobalSign on this new HashiCorp Vault integration, which provides DevOps professionals with a solution for enrollment, issuance, listing and revocation of a wide variety of certificates issued by the Atlas Platform," said Asvin Ramesh, Sr. Director, Technology Alliances, HashiCorp. Atlas is GlobalSign's next-generation, high-speed cloud certificate management engine. With the integration to Atlas, developers are able to continue using HashiCorp Vault to distribute PKI certificates and can now: Enable and configure an Atlas plug-in within Vault Issue a certificate from Atlas for a JSON Payload Issue a certificate from Atlas for a provided CSR Revoke a certificate issued through the Atlas Hashicorp Vault Module List certificates issues through the Atlas Hashicorp Vault Module "We are very pleased to integrate HashiCorp Vault with Atlas. This will make it easy for DevOps teams to request certificates from Vault and create CSRs, which can then be sent to Atlas for validation and certificate request fulfilment," said Siddharth Prasad, Product Manager, GlobalSign. "This new capability provides technical professionals responsible for DevSecOps with an API-enabled secrets management tool with the ability to dynamically generate, access, manage and store secrets without embedding the sensitive information in code, configuration or build scripts. DevOps professionals will be better equipped to handle machine identities with the autonomy and speed the industry demands without disrupting the automated DevOps workflows since HashiCorp Vault is integrated with multiple tools across the CI/CD toolchain." GlobalSign's PKI for DevOps is a full-fledged PKI-as-a-Service offering built on our WebTrust-audited, fault-tolerant, reliable CA infrastructure. Outsourcing your PKI to GlobalSign means developers have a single source to turn to for all certificate needs, freeing them up to focus on core competencies. To learn more about GlobalSign's solutions for DevOps, please visit https://www.globalsign.com/en/pki-devops. About GMO GlobalSign As one of the world's most deeply-rooted certificate authorities, GlobalSign is the leading provider of trusted identity and security solutions enabling businesses, large enterprises, cloud-based service providers, and IoT innovators worldwide to conduct secure online communications, manage millions of verified digital identities and automate authentication and encryption. Its high-scale PKI and identity solutions support the billions of services, devices, people, and things comprising the IoT. A subsidiary of Japan-based GMO GlobalSign Holdings K.K and GMO Internet Group, GMO GlobalSign has offices in the Americas, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit https://www.globalsign.com Media Relations Contact Amy Krigman Director of Public Relations - West Phone: 603-570-7060 Email: amy.krigman@globalsign.com SOURCE: GlobalSign View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671680/GlobalSign-Completes-Integration-Between-its-Automated-PKI-Platform-and-HashiCorp Edmonton, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Altiplano Metals Inc. (TSXV: APN) (WKN: A2JNFG) ("Altiplano" or the "Company") is pleased to report on the activity at the Maria Luisa gold-copper (Au-Cu) mine located near Incahuasi, Chile. The Company recently obtained an Exploitation Permit to begin underground exploration and development work at Maria Luisa (see News Release 16/09/21). This permit provides the opportunity to begin the surface and underground work required to commence the decline tunnel. The Maria Luisa decline is designed to access gold-copper mineralized veins through multiple access points on multiple levels (See Figure 1). The Company is pleased to report that work at Maria Luisa has begun with site excavation and road work to support the construction of the decline. Initial work has begun also on the decline entrance where several rounds of drilling and blasting and have been completed. Highlights of this work include: Land excavation including completion of the road to the project site and mine opening; Leveling of the stockpile and waste pads; Preparation of construction sites for offices and future explosive magazine; Leveling of three platforms to support future exploration drilling; Drilling and blasting has begun at the decline entrance; Fortifying the decline entrance with rock bolts and meshing. To support the underground work, the Company has purchased a XC 928 Scoop with 1 m capacity bucket as part of the mining equipment. Additional equipment also includes compressors, jacklegs, generators, and vehicles. Office facilities will be completed in the next few weeks. CEO, Alastair McIntyre, comments, "Maria Luisa provides an excellent opportunity to complement our operations at Farellon and add an additional revenue source. We are very pleased to get this project permitted and put a team on the ground in short order. This work is a testament to our in-country capabilities and expertise and focus on advancing projects." The Maria Luisa project location hosts good infrastructure required to support the surface exploration and underground development. This includes power located within 3 kms of the town of Incahuasi and accessible by paved road within 3 km of site. Adequate water supply is available which can be used for drilling and underground operations. Water is also expected to be recirculated from underground as the decline advances to lower levels. Figure 1. To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4303/102468_dce90946c4a7d9ef_001full.jpg Work on the decline will operate with daily shifts where a total advance of 65 m will be required to reach the 883 m level (approx. 20 m below surface). This location will provide the first sub drift adit to intersect the NW-SE trending vein system located under the historical workings where past production of approximately 600 tonnes (between 2013-2015) yielded 6.89 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 1.89% copper. * From this area, the company expects to extract gold-copper mineralized material to potentially sell to local processors. The proceeds from these sales can be used to offset some of the initial capital costs of development as the decline and sub drifts advance. * The is no current mineral resource at Maria Luisa and further exploration may or may not define a resource estimate (M. Dufresne, NI 43-101 Technical Report, February 10, 2017). In addition, a decision to commence underground exploration and development at the Maria Luisa site is not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this decision. Figure 2: Excavation of Maria Luisa Site To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4303/102468_figure2.jpg Figure 3: Drilling of the Decline Portal To view an enhanced version of Figure 3, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4303/102468_figure3.jpg Figure 4: Preparing Explosives in the Collar Face To view an enhanced version of Figure 4, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4303/102468_figure4.jpg Figure 5. XC 928 Scoop To view an enhanced version of Figure 5, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/4303/102468_dce90946c4a7d9ef_008full.jpg Altiplano has generated over US$6,600,000 from the recovery and sale of approximately 3.375 million pounds of copper with an average grade of 1.77% Cu (2018 Q1-2021 Q2). Cash flow has been re-invested into equipment, underground drilling, expanding underground development, enhancing ventilation to increase productivity and capacity, and the commencement of the permitted El Penon fit-for-purpose mill and flotation plant located 15 km from the Farellon site. About Altiplano Altiplano Metals is a growing gold, silver, and copper company focused on the Americas. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets that include an operating copper/gold/iron mine, development near term producing gold/copper projects, and exploration land packages with district-scale potential. Altiplano is focused on creating long-term stakeholder value through developing safe and sustainable production, reinvesting into exploration, and pursuing acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio. Management has a substantial record of success in capitalizing on opportunity, overcoming challenges and building shareholder value. Altiplano trades on the Toronto Venture Exchange trading under the symbol APN and the Frankfurt Exchange under the symbol A2JNFG. John Williamson, B.Sc., P.Geol., a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this document. Altiplano is part of the Metals Group of companies, managed by an award-winning team of professionals who stand for technical excellence, painstaking project selection and uncompromising corporate governance, with a proven ability to capitalize on investment opportunities and deliver shareholder returns. www.metalsgroup.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD /s/ "John Williamson" Chairman For further information, please contact: Alastair McIntyre, President and CEO alastairm@apnmetals.com Tel: (416) 434-3799 For further information, please contact: Jeremy Yaseniuk, Director jeremyy@apnmetals.com Tel: (604) 773-1467 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address exploration drilling, exploitation activities and events or developments that the Company expects are forward-looking statements. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify any historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves and the issuer is not treating the historical estimates as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. A decision to commence underground exploration and development at the Maria Luisa site is not based on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability and there is increased uncertainty and economic and technical risks of failure associated with this decision. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continuity of mineralization, uncertainties related to the ability to obtain necessary permits, licenses and title and delays due to third party opposition, changes in government policies regarding mining and natural resource exploration and exploitation, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. For more information on the Company, investors should review the Company's continuous disclosure filings that are available at www.sedar.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102468 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Quaterra Resources Inc. (TSXV: QTA) (OTCQB: QTRRF) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has selected NewFields Companies LLC ("NewFields") to lead environmental permitting efforts for the MacArthur oxide copper project (the "Project"). NewFields is a leading global environmental engineering and construction management firm with expertise in natural resource and development projects, specifically in Nevada. The Company has also selected EM Strategies (a WestLand Resources Inc. company) to complete the baseline environmental studies for the Project. EM Strategies is a recognized leader in managing these important aspects of development projects throughout the Western United States. Near term work to be performed by NewFields and EM Strategies includes: development of sustainability initiatives; technical studies for geochemistry and hydrogeology; baseline studies for vegetation, wildlife and cultural resources; and engaging in permitting steps required for the Project. "We are pleased to be engaging with such high-quality groups to assist the Company with the environmental permitting process for the Project," said Quaterra CEO Travis Naugle. "This work, while exceeding the requirements of the ongoing Prefeasibility Study, is consistent with our core values in ESG and sustainability, and demonstrates our resolve in advancing the MacArthur oxide copper project." About Quaterra Resources Inc. Quaterra Resources Inc. is a copper-gold development and exploration company focused on projects with the potential to host large-scale mineral deposits attractive to major mining companies. It is advancing its MacArthur oxide copper project in the historic Yerington Copper District, Nevada. It continues to investigate opportunities to acquire prospects in North America on reasonable terms and the partnerships with which to advance them. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Stephen Goodman President For more information please contact: Karen Robertson Corporate Communications 778-898-0057 Email: info@quaterra.com Website: www.quaterra.com Some statements in this news release are forward-looking statements under applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which may cause results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date thereof. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time except in accordance with applicable securities laws. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102570 LEWES, Del., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Evorich community members celebrated the 7th anniversary of MLCI business and the company's birthday at the large-scale business forum EVENTI 2021, which took place in October in Dubai. In addition to speeches, testimonials, awarding of leaders and training sessions, the event saw the launch of the new line of perfumes EvoScent created by the renowned perfumer Ramon Bejar specifically for Evorich. Ramon Bejar developed a limited collection of eight luxurious fragrances, each of which has its own character and philosophy. The line is represented by the following titles: bright and distinctive Evorich, ambitious and energetic Greatness, sensual Tantric, philosophical Paradigma, subtle and refined Fifth Element, noble Dynamic Gold and, finally, luxurious Wealthy Spirit. The collection features perfumes that differ from each other in spirit and mood. Some will be appropriate for work, others for a dinner party, a romantic date, a gym, or a creative endeavor. Ramon Bejar believes that there is a whole philosophy behind creating a fragrance. His goal is to collect the best of what nature and perfumery have to offer and create something entirely new. Thanks to this approach, each of his collections is considered a work of art. Ramon Bejar is a world famous Spanish perfumer who has created unique fragrances for the royal houses of the Gulf countries; the 2011 Pro Carton ECMA award winner; the creator of the world's most expensive perfume - "The Royale Dream" - which was sold for $190,000 at Singapore Grand Prix in 2015. Ramon Bejar's works can be found in premium boutiques in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Dubai , Switzerland, Spain, UK and USA. The EvoScent collection by Ramon Bejar will be released in late autumn, and Evorich members will be able to get testers on special terms. The official website: https://evoscent.com/en/ Bringing complementary solutions to the growing ecosystem, Kongsberg Digital and MathWorks will help further transform the energy industry Shell (NYSE:RDS) and C3 AI (NYSE:AI) today announced that Kongsberg Digital and MathWorks will join the Open AI Energy Initiative (OAI), a first-of-its-kind open ecosystem of artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions for the energy and process industries. The OAI was launched by C3 AI, Shell, Baker Hughes, and Microsoft in February 2021. As the first independent software vendors to join the OAI, Kongsberg Digital and MathWorks will offer solutions that complement current offerings and help further transform the energy industry. Kongsberg Digital provides next-generation software and digital solutions to customers in maritime, oil and gas, and utilities, helping increase safety, reduce costs, and save time on land, underwater, and offshore. MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software, and its MATLAB and Simulink platforms are widely used to accelerate discovery, innovation, and development in engineering and science. Select solutions built on the Kongsberg Digital or MathWorks platforms are expected to be available through the OAI beginning in 2022. These offerings will be interoperable with existing OAI solutions delivered by OAI founding members. Trials are underway at Shell to demonstrate the business value of these integrated offerings. The details of the upcoming solutions from Kongsberg Digital and MathWorks are outlined below: Kongsberg Digital: Kognitwin Energy is a dynamic digital twin that delivers a rich framework for advanced digitalization and analytics, including a range of customizable solutions. It can support business goals by improving cross-functional collaboration, reducing OpEx by enabling advanced levels of remote work, increasing data-driven decision making, increasing decision automation, and accelerating innovation. Kognitwin Energy will allow customers to visualize BHC3 Reliability insights, enabling them to view facility hierarchies in a live digital twin, leverage advanced ML models to predict equipment and asset failure, and ultimately reduce unplanned downtime and deferment costs. MathWorks: MATLAB Production Server lets users operationalize their MATLAB and Simulink analytics, models, and simulations for chemical process monitoring and optimization, geophysical data analysis, AI modeling, commodity trading, and other applications in large-scale production to maximize their business value across the enterprise. MATLAB Production Server will deliver the opportunity to integrate production-ready MATLAB and Simulink applications into operations powered by the BHC3 AI Suite. Combining the BHC3 AI Suite with MATLAB Production Server will extend the ability to deploy MATLAB and Simulink models at scale. One such example is an application that assesses the level of CO2 emitted above ground and ensures that it remains below the government-required thresholds. Interoperability of this MATLAB based application is a key step for future sustainability solutions on OAI. "Still in its first year, the OAI is making exceptional progress towards helping the energy industry embrace new technologies and ensure climate security," said C3 AI CEO Thomas M. Siebel. "Welcoming Kongsberg Digital and MathWorks into our ecosystem of global leaders today is a significant step in driving cleaner energy and climate initiatives through enterprise AI." "Kongsberg Digital is excited to be among the first software vendors to join OAI and collaborate with others to take the energy industry forward," said Hege Skryseth, President of KongsbergDigital and EVP at KONGSBERG. "By integrating our solutions with companies at the forefront of digital technology and AI, we provide a tool that will help energy providers predict failures, reduce costs, and stay operational. We are excited to collaborate and innovate through the Open AI Energy Initiative to deliver solutions that enable more sustainable operations for the energy industry." "Enabling energy providers to monitor gas emissions for regulatory compliance is one of many applications powered by MATLAB that can become an important part of the OAI's growing lineup of solutions to advance climate security and provide value-added services," said Jim Tung, MathWorks Fellow. "We're proud to join the OAI early on its journey to transform the energy industry, and we look forward to working together to bring new innovations forward." "The Open AI Energy Initiative was always intended to be an eco-system of partners who work together to develop the digital energy platform of the future," said Dan Jeavons, Vice President Computational Science and Digital Innovation at Shell. "We are delighted to integrate MathWorks and Kongsberg Digital's capabilities into this eco-system. At Shell we are already deploying their technologies and we expect their impact to grow in the coming years." "Meeting the needs of today's energy industry requires an eco-system of equipment providers, domain experts, and industrial software for energy operations," said Dan Brennan, Vice President and General Manager of BakerHughesC3.ai at Baker Hughes. "The Open AI Energy Initiative (OAI) provides an opportunity for domain-specific solutions to utilize leading AI and advanced software capabilities for energy operators, helping the industry adopt AI at pace and scale to deliver critical operational efficiencies and emissions reductions targets." Learn more about the Open AI Energy Initiative and its reliability solutions at https://bakerhughesc3.ai/products/bhc3-oai/ About C3.ai, Inc. C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) is the Enterprise AI application software company that accelerates digital transformation for organizations globally. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products: C3 AI Suite, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operating large-scale AI applications; C3 AI Applications, a portfolio of industry-specific SaaS AI applications; C3 AI CRM, a suite of industry-specific CRM applications designed for AI and machine learning; and C3 AI Ex Machina, a no-code AI solution to apply data science to everyday business problems. The core of the C3 AI offering is an open, model-driven AI architecture that dramatically simplifies data science and application development. Learn more at: www.c3.ai. About Kongsberg Digital Kongsberg Digital, a subsidiary of KONGSBERG, is a provider of next-generation software and digital solutions, to customers within maritime, oil and gas, and renewables and utilities. The company consists of more than 500 software experts with leading competence within the internet of things, smart data, artificial intelligence, maritime simulation, automation and autonomous operations. Kongsberg Digital is the group-wide center of digital expertise for the KONGSBERG group. About Kongsberg KONGSBERG (OSE-ticker: KOG) is an international, leading global technology corporation delivering mission-critical systems and solutions with extreme performance for customers that operate under extremely challenging conditions. We work with nations, businesses and research environments to push the boundaries of technology development in industries such as space, offshore and energy, merchant marine, defence and aerospace, and more. KONGSBERG has about 11,000 employees located in more than 40 countries, creating a total revenue of NOK 25.6bn in 2020. About MathWorks MathWorks is the leading developer of mathematical computing software. MATLAB, the language of engineers and scientists, is a programming environment for algorithm development, data analysis, visualization, and numeric computation. Simulink is a block diagram environment for simulation and Model-Based Design of multidomain and embedded engineering systems. Engineers and scientists worldwide rely on these products to accelerate the pace of discovery, innovation, and development in automotive, aerospace, communications, electronics, industrial automation, and other industries. MATLAB and Simulink are also fundamental teaching and research tools in the world's universities and learning institutions. Founded in 1984, MathWorks employs more than 5000 people in 16 countries, with headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, USA. For additional information, visit mathworks.com. About Royal Dutch Shell plc Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. For further information visit www.shell.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005568/en/ Contacts: C3 AI Public Relations Edelman Lisa Kennedy 415-914-8336 pr@c3.ai Investor Relations ir@c3.ai Shell Media Relations Laura van Lingen +31 (0)70 377 8750 Laura.vanLingen@shell.com Offerings to provide significant time and cost benefits for the energy and process industries C3 AI (NYSE:AI) and Shell (NYSE:RDS) today announced three new Shell products that will be available through the Open AI Initiative (OAI), an open ecosystem of artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions for the energy and process industries. The OAI, launched by C3 AI, Shell, Baker Hughes and Microsoft in February 2021, provides an open framework for energy operators, service equipment providers, and independent software vendors to offer interoperable solutions, powered by the BHC3 AI Suite and Microsoft Azure. The three new OAI products Shell Process Optimiser for LNG, Shell Corrosion Advanced Risk Modelling and Analytics, and Shell Autonomous Integrity Recognition target use cases that will solve key challenges for businesses in the energy industry. By using Shell's proven domain-specific AI applications built on BHC3's scalable AI application development platform and SaaS applications, businesses can rapidly move past data discovery and cleaning to application deployment and realization of value in critical business areas. Details on the new offerings are outlined below: Shell Process Optimiser for LNG - The application marries state-of-the-art LNG process engineering and technology with data analytics to enhance asset production by helping asset engineers close the gap between current and optimal production ("gap to potential") by changing key identified operating conditions as optimization levers. The application integrates sensor information, such as pressure, temperature, and flow rate to calculate the optimum setting using custom-built asset machine learning models. It reveals unknown correlations and sweet spots, and derives the best suitable strategies as optimization know-how. The application, capable of handling operational, economic, and engineering constraints, Shell Process Optimiser for LNG generates actionable insights that can be integrated and brought into the continuous closed loop process control layer for sustained benefits realisation. Shell Corrosion Advanced Risk Modelling and Analytics - The application makes use of novel data analytics techniques to predict internal corrosion and erosion to better prioritize and target inspection and maintenance activities. By using a variety of collected site data, and with the help of artificial intelligence, the software provides new insights to predict corrosion and erosion and identify degradation before leaks happen. By using this solution, operators can lower inspection costs and HSSE risk, minimise cost of related leaks, and safely push production to the limit. Additionally, Shell Corrosion Advanced Risk Modelling and Analytics reduces the need for manual, tedious field inspections, resulting in significant time and cost savings. Shell Autonomous Integrity Recognition - The application allows inspectors to quickly and easily make use of automated image capture and evaluation to support execution of external integrity inspections. By processing data in the cloud coming from inspections carried out with handheld devices, drones and robots, the solution enables inspectors to objectively evaluate issues, identify items that have been overlooked, reduce the time needed at the desk generating reports, and improve inputs to maintenance planning. Shell Autonomous Integrity Recognition application allows users to identify and classify external corrosion and insulation issues with Machine Vision to reduce leakages. By using this, users can improve the quality, efficiency, and standardization of visual inspections. These products expand the portfolio of solutions available to OAI subscribers and help accelerate the adoption of enterprise AI in the energy and process industries. "Previously, there was no framework for Oil and Gas operators to subscribe to proven AI and advanced analytic solutions offered by other operators," said C3 AI CEO Thomas M. Siebel. "By bringing more solutions built on the BHC3 AI Suite to the OAI, Shell is demonstrating market leadership and establishing the OAI as a one-of-a-kind model of collaboration." These applications also broaden the focus areas of the OAI offerings from asset and system reliability to facility and plant optimization and asset integrity, adding to an expanding portfolio of highly differentiated, domain-specific and proven AI applications and modules that are interoperable. These applications can be deployed together to realize business value and create scalable, futureproof reference architectures. "The products announced today have already been deployed at Shell and have been proven to either create operational efficiencies and savings or generate additional revenue and opportunity," said Dan Jeavons, Vice President Computational Science and Digital Innovation at Shell. "As more products are added to the growing OAI eco-system, we look forward to working with C3 AI, Baker Hughes, and the other ecosystem partners to build the next-generation platform for the future energy system." About C3.ai, Inc. C3.ai, Inc. (NYSE:AI) is the Enterprise AI application software company that accelerates digital transformation for organizations globally. C3 AI delivers a family of fully integrated products: C3 AI Suite, an end-to-end platform for developing, deploying, and operating large-scale AI applications; C3 AI Applications, a portfolio of industry-specific SaaS AI applications; C3 AI CRM, a suite of industry-specific CRM applications designed for AI and machine learning; and C3 AI Ex Machina, a no-code AI solution to apply data science to everyday business problems. The core of the C3 AI offering is an open, model-driven AI architecture that dramatically simplifies data science and application development. Learn more at: www.c3.ai. About Royal Dutch Shell plc Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. For further information, visit www.shell.com. The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this document "Shell" is sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005579/en/ Contacts: C3 AI Public Relations Edelman Lisa Kennedy 415-914-8336 pr@c3.ai Investor Relations ir@c3.ai Shell Media Relations Laura van Lingen +31 (0)70 377 8750 Laura.vanLingen@shell.com COLORADO SPRINGS, CO / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Fortitude Gold Corp. (OTCQB:FTCO) (the "Company") announced its maiden Mineral Resource estimate for its Golden Mile Property located in Mineral County, Nevada, U.S.A. The Company's Initial Assessment Technical Report Summary ("TRS") on Golden Mile, conforming to the newly adopted Securities and Exchange Commission's SK-1300 format, estimates in-situ ounces consisting of 78,500 Indicated gold ounces and 84,500 Inferred gold ounces. The mineralization at Golden Mile remains open along strike and at depth. Fortitude Gold is a gold producer, developer, and explorer with operations in Nevada, U.S.A. HIGHLIGHTS Indicated Mineral Resource of 78,500 gold ounces at 1.13 grams per tonne Inferred Mineral Resource of 84,500 gold ounces at 1.10 grams per tonne Mineralization remains open both on strike and at depth Maiden Resource supported by 17,440 meters of drilling in 150 holes Potential to expand Mineral Resource and or upgrade the Resource through additional infill and step-out drilling Initial Mineral Resource located on patented claims Condemnation drilling underway to confirm locations for heap leach pad, process facilities and waste storage facilities Mineral Resource Inventory at Golden Mile, Mineral County, Nevada, USA (as of September 30, 2021)1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Class Tonnes Short Tons Au (g/t)5 Au (opst)6 Au (oz)7 Indicated 2,160,000 2,380,000 1.13 0.033 78,500 Inferred 2,400,000 2,640,000 1.10 0.032 84,500 Reported at a cutoff of 0.34 g/t Au (0.010 opst) Whole block diluted estimates are reported within an optimized pit shell Mineral Resources do not have demonstrated economic viability Totals may not sum exactly due to rounding "g/t" = gram/metric tonne "Opst" = ounces per short ton "oz" = Troy ounce Mr. Barry Devlin, Fortitude Gold's Vice President of Exploration, commented, "We are excited to announce our maiden resource for the Golden Mile property. We feel this initial resource has strong potential to expand and grow as we have additional infill targets within the patented claims, as well as step-out and step-down targets along both strike and depth at Golden Mile. Our most recent infill drill program was successful in pulling many gold ounces from a previous Inferred category into the upgraded Indicated category. It is likely with additional infill drilling many gold ounces currently in the Initial Assessment Report's Inferred category may be converted and upgraded as well in future Mineral Resource Estimates. It is exciting to have defined a potential open pit heap leach project in excess of one gram per tonne gold that remains open on strike and depth for likely expansion." "We are very pleased and excited with this initial Golden Mile Mineral Resource bringing us another large step closer to announcing a Golden Mile production decision," stated Fortitude Gold's CEO and President, Mr. Jason Reid. "Our team has accomplished a great deal since acquiring the property nearly eighteen months ago. We have now delineated an initial Mineral Resource from which to add to and build upon with further drilling. Over the last year we have completed most all of the environmental base line background studies required for inclusion in the permitting process. We have recently completed metallurgical test work indicating an open pit heap leach operation is possible. We have identified and designed mine facility locations and are drilling condemnation holes to finalize project layout, and initial open pit designs and material processing are being optimized. We will now be working towards estimated project capital requirements and economic assessments looking to cross the threshold of making a near term production decision and start the permitting process to build our second mine." Mr. Reid continued, "We do not plan to drill out the entire Golden Mile Resource before making a production decision. The currently identified gold ounces in this Initial Mineral Resource, coupled with expansion potential from mineralization that remains open on strike and depth, could add upwards of an additional four or more years to our 40,000 ounce per year gold production profile." Mr. Reid stated, "We have always focused on a synergistic approach to our mining unit in Nevada, and we believe we will see the benefits of this approach with the potential development of Golden Mile. By comparison, one of the more expensive and time-consuming aspects in permitting and constructing our operating Isabella Pearl mine was the ADR process facility, where gold loaded carbon is stripped and gold dore bars are produced. We do not anticipate permitting or constructing another ADR plant at Golden Mile. Our plan is to build a process plant that takes gold to the carbon phase and then truck the loaded carbon to the Isabella Pearl project's permitted and operating ADR plant for final dore production. This approach could substantially decrease project capital cost, permit time and construction timeframe in building our second mine. We also look to achieve our second mine build using our cash treasury and keeping our capital structure intact from which to continue to distribute substantial cash dividends to shareholders." The full Initial Assessment TRS can be viewed and downloaded on the Company website using the following link: https://www.fortitudegold.com/projects/reserves/ Mineral Resource The modeling and estimation of Mineral Resources presented for the Golden Mile Project is based on technical data and information available as of September 30, 2021. This report was prepared as an Initial Assessment TRS in accordance with the Securities and Exchange Commission's S-K 1300 guidelines. The purpose of this TRS is to review the geology, mineralization, and previous work on the property, provide Mineral Resource estimates and prepare recommendations for further work. Qualified Persons The qualified persons who prepared this report are specialists in the fields of geology, exploration, and Mineral Resource estimation and classification. The following individuals, by virtue of their education, experience and professional association, are considered Qualified Persons ("QP") for this report and are members in good standing of appropriate professional institutions. The QPs are either employees of FGC, not independent, or an independent consultant, independent of FGC. The qualified persons who prepared this report are Mr. Fred Brown, Mr. Barry Devlin and Ms. Joy Lester. QP certificates of authors are provided in Appendix B of the full report. About Fortitude Gold Corp.: Fortitude Gold is a U.S. based gold producer targeting projects with low operating costs, high margins, and strong returns on capital. The Company's strategy is to grow organically, remain debt-free and distribute substantial dividends. The Company's Nevada Mining Unit consists of five high-grade gold properties located in the Walker Lane Mineral Belt, with the Isabella Pearl gold mine in current production. Nevada, U.S.A. is among the world's premier mining friendly jurisdictions. Cautionary Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. If you are risk-averse you should NOT buy shares in Fortitude Gold Corp. The statements contained in this press release that are not purely historical are 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. When used in this press release, the words "plan", "target", "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "intend" and "expect" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the statements regarding the Company's strategy, future plans for production, future expenses and costs, future liquidity and capital resources, and estimates of mineralized material are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon information available to the Company on the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, and there can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those discussed in this press release. In particular, the scope, duration, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mining operations, Company employees, and supply chains as well as the scope, duration and impact of government action aimed at mitigating the pandemic may cause future actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Also, there can be no assurance that production will continue at any specific rate. Contact: Greg Patterson 719-717-9825 greg.patterson@fortitudegold.com www.Fortitudegold.com SOURCE: Fortitude Gold Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671843/Fortitude-Gold-Announces-Golden-Mile-Resource HAIKOU, China, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2021 January-September period witnessed 176,900 market entities emerged, an increase of 126 percent from that of the last same period, in Haikou, capital of south China'sHainan Province, on back of the government's efforts to implement the master plan for the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP), announced Haikou International Investment Promotion Bureau this month. The master plan for the Hainan free trade port aims to build the southern island province into the world's largest duty-free market, and a globally-influential high-level free trade port by the middle of the century. According to the government plan, by 2050 this region will become a unique cluster with an advanced economy, where campuses of leading universities, advanced laboratories and headquarters of leading multinational corporations will be located. Since the master plan was released on June 1st, 2020, Haikou attended eight signing ceremonies in Hainan Province, which involved 106 projects totaling 50.995 billion yuan (about 7.9 billion US dollars) of investment, with the engagement of Xiaomi Corporation, China Railway Material General, Cambodia Angkor Air, De Beers, and other well-known enterprises. Haikou has streamlined the administrative process to better serve enterprises, with efficiency improved by 90% in recent years. The approval time limit for non-governmental investment projects was reduced to 14 working days, and saved considerable time before construction kick-off. Hainan Chang'an International Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. went through the whole process of site selection to the investment contract determination within 21 days. Up to date, the company has capped its main project, with 400 million yuan (about 61.5 million US dollars) already invested in its anti-tumor drug production line. Haikou also made efforts to host investment invitation events in cities of Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, and many enterprises shared their experience of settling down in Jiangdong New District. Zhang Jiawei, head of Shenzhen Minaspace International Group Co., Limited, said that Haikou Jiangdong New District has a steady long-term policy system, livable ecological environment, gradually optimized supporting facilities, and apparent advantages of later-stage policies. Li Sichao, a China Area General Manager of Shenzhen Huachuang Investment Management Co., Ltd.'s subsidiary, also noted that Jiangdong New District is equipped with various preferential Hainan FTP policies, as well as a strong environmental protection sense. The Chinese central government decided that a free trade port system focusing on trade and investment liberalization and facilitation will be "basically established" in Hainan by 2025 and become "more mature" by 2035. The authorities expect to make Hainan, China's largest special economic zone, the frontline of China's integration into the global economic system. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682139/image1.jpg OPEX Corporation, a global provider of innovative warehouse, document and mail automation solutions, is opening a new facility in Germany where customers and product resellers may learn about, test and interact with OPEX automation technology that improves workflow, accelerates change, and drives efficiencies in infrastructure. Located in the northern German city of Duisburg, the new facility will offer convenient, in-person access to European and international travel, and will be outfitted with remote capabilities when travel is not possible. The newly leased facility, which will be fully operational in early 2022, will be the only European hub for demonstrating the full range of OPEX solutions to both direct customers and OPEX's extensive network of product resellers. Currently, the only other facility of its kind is OPEX's world headquarters in New Jersey. "Most of our solutions are built to order, so it is important that customers be able to learn about and interact with the technology to better understand how it benefits their business," said Shaun Lee, OPEX Director of Operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). "We work with clients to simulate the customer's actual environment and needs to provide an in-depth, end-to-end demonstration of our solutions in action." Other features of the new German facility include: Training classes to help customers, resellers and OPEX employees learn warehouse, document and mail automation capabilities and skills requirements; A space in Europe for product trouble-shooting and repairs of damaged equipment. Formerly, such products had to be sent to the US; Warehousing and management of machines and parts to enhance supply chain and delivery times; and Access to OPEX's European technical support staff. "We have been expanding our facilities, personnel and infrastructure to meet the growing automation needs of our customers in Europe and around the world," said Scott Maurer, OPEX President, International. "This new operation in Germany will give our customers the automation assistance they require in a location that is ideally located to maximize efficiency." OPEX automated warehouse management systems help customers maximize their warehouse space and manage peaks and demands without relying on additional labor. Scalable robots and automated warehouse systems optimize e-commerce fulfillment, micro-fulfillment and reverse logistics to handle returns with speed and reduced labor. In addition, OPEX's document and mail automation solutions offer seamless and secure mail sorting, document imaging and payment processing to improve business workflow and throughput while reducing or eliminating intensive document preparation. About OPEX Corporation provides Next Generation Automation, including warehouse, document and mail automation solutions, to customers around the globe. With headquarters in Moorestown, NJ?and facilities in Pennsauken, NJ; Plano, TX (Dallas metro); France; Germany; Switzerland; and the United Kingdom?OPEX has more than 1,450 employees committed to reimagining and delivering innovative, scalable, unique technology solutions to solve the business challenges of today. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005371/en/ Contacts: Colleen Ciak CCiak@opex.com 856.727.1100, ext. 5350 856.912.4952 Cell VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Zimtu Capital Corp. (TSXV:ZC)(FSE:ZCT1) (the "Company" or "Zimtu") is pleased to announce its next Zoom with Zimtu presentation will feature equity holdings Commerce Resources Corp. (TSXV:CCE)(FSE:D7H0)(OTCQX: MRZF) and Saville Resources Inc. (TSXV:SRE)(FSE:S0J) and guest speakers Chris Grove, President of Commerce Resources and Mike Hodge, President & CEO of Saville Resources, on Tuesday November 23rd starting at 10:00 AM PST (Vancouver) / 1:00 PM EST (Toronto) / 7:00 PM CET (Frankfurt). The format of the virtual event will include exploration updates from Commerce Resources and Saville Resources, and an opportunity to pose questions to the guest speakers. About Commerce Resources Commerce Resources Corp. is a junior mineral resource company focused on the development of the Ashram Rare Earth and Fluorspar Deposit located in Quebec, Canada. The company is positioning to be one of the lowest cost rare earth producers globally, with a specific focus on being a long-term supplier of mixed rare earth carbonate and/or NdPr oxide to the global market. The Ashram Deposit is characterized by simple rare earth (monazite, bastnaesite, xenotime) and gangue (carbonates) mineralogy, a large tonnage resource at favourable grade, and has demonstrated the production of high-grade (>45% REO) mineral concentrates at high recovery (>70%) in line with active global producers. In addition to being one of the largest rare earth deposits globally, Ashram is also one of the largest fluorspar deposits globally and has the potential to be a long-term supplier to the met-spar and acid-spar markets. For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.commerceresources.com or email info@commerceresources.com About Saville Resources Saville Resources Inc.'s principal asset is the Niobium Claim Group Property, situated within the central Labrador Trough, Quebec, and currently under Earn-In Agreement from Commerce Resources Corp. for up to a 75% interest. The property consists of 26 contiguous mineral claims, encompassing an area of approximately 1,223 hectares, and is considered prospective for niobium, tantalum, phosphate, and fluorspar. The Niobium Claim Group Property includes the Miranna Target, where prior boulder sampling in the area has returned 5.9% Nb2O5 and 1,220 ppm Ta2O5, as well as the Mallard Prospect where drilling has returned wide intercepts of mineralization, including 1.36% Nb2O5 over 4.5 m, within a larger interval of 0.80% Nb2O5 over 31.5 m (EC19-174A). For more information, please visit the corporate website at www.savilleresources.com Zoom with Zimtu Investor Presentation To participate in the Zoom with Zimtu investor presentation featuring Commerce Resources and Saville Resources, please note the following: Date: Tuesday November 23rd, 2021 Start time: 10:00 AM PST (Vancouver) / 1:00 PM EST (Toronto) / 7:00 PM CET (Frankfurt) Where: Virtually via Zoom Video Conferencing To RSVP for presentation / receive recorded version please visit: https://event.zimtu.com/ About Zimtu Capital Zimtu Capital Corp. is a public investment issuer that aspires to achieve long-term capital appreciation for its shareholders. Zimtu Capital companies may operate in the fields of mineral exploration, mining, technology, life sciences or investment. The company trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "ZC" and Frankfurt under symbol "ZCT1". For more information, please visit https://www.zimtu.com On Behalf of the Board of Directors ZIMTU CAPITAL CORP. "David Hodge" David Hodge President & Director Tel: 604.681.1568 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. SOURCE: Zimtu Capital Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671773/Zimtu-Capital-Announces-Presentation-Featuring-Commerce-Resources-and-Saville-Resources The Shanti Therapeutics Focus on Chronic Pain Market with Psychedelics Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Global Wellness Strategies Inc. (CSE: GWS) (FSE: O3X4) (OTCQB: PNNRF) ("Global" or the "Company") updates on MDMA provisional patent applications. Shanti Therapeutics has a filed provisional patent application for the treatment of pain with MDMA. Global Wellness has acquired 100% of the share capital in Shanti Therapeutics and all its constituent intellectual property. Upon completion of the initial clinical trial, the provisional patent will be upgraded to a global PCT patent with USPTO coverage. The Phase 2a clinical trial in healthy volunteers is scheduled to commence recruitment in Q1 2022 and has the dual purpose of calculating the effect size of the anti-nociceptive effect of MDMA as well as some dose guidance on what is the minimal effective dose to achieve the required anti-nociceptive effect without precipitating psychedelic symptoms. Further intellectual property related to optimal dosing strategies, correct pre-surgical timing of MDMA administration and knowledge of the most accurate modality for measurement of treatment effect will be captured during the course of this clinical trial. Associate Professor Michael Keane and Dr Sud Agarwal have reviewed the finalized research protocol which is ready to be shared with potential CRO and research site partners. Human Research Ethics Committee submission is on target for late November 2021 with first patient in scheduled for Q1 2022. "Being able to use a single preoperatively administered tablet to influence postoperative pain relief needs seemed like something out of science fiction movies. However, with the ever expanding knowledge around MDMA's neuromodulating properties on areas of the brain responsible for reporting pain, this becomes a distinct possibility. Our acquisition at Global Wellness of Shanti is a game changer for our shareholders and hopefully all those who have suffered from chronic pain. We like to say at GWS we help people "Get Well Soon" said Meris Kott, CEO. About Global Wellness Strategies Global Wellness Strategies is a prospect generator that provides high growth companies with financial, operational, and management assistance in the fast-growing market for wellness consumer products. The focus of the Company is on global wellness, psychedelics, mycology, hemp and CBD, healthcare-related target companies. For further information visit websites: www.globalwellnessstrategies.com and www.shantitherapeutics.com Or Contact Meris Kott CEO 604.484.0355 or email to info@globalwellnessstrategies.com Further information about the Company is available on www.SEDAR.com under the Company's profile. 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. Certain statements contained in this release may constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking information") as those terms are used in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated", "anticipates" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this release contains forward-looking information relating to the business of the Company, its financing and certain corporate changes. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102628 LONDON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A new report by the International Network of Nicotine Consumer Organisations (INNCO), raises major questions on the anti-vaping arguments of the WHO, and American businessman Mike Bloomberg. WHO and Bloomberg have made clear their opposition to safer nicotine alternatives despite growing evidence of lower harm and efficacy for smoking cessation. In July, the two parties restated their joint position at the launch of the WHO's 8th Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic: Addressing New and Emerging Products. The dossier, Bloomberg, the WHO and the Vaping Misinfodemic, contains statements and evidence from wide ranging sources including healthcare experts, leading academics, politicians, respected journalists and research organisations regarding safer nicotine alternatives to smoking. The report calls for: The formation of a global independent Tobacco Harm Reduction Working Group comprised of independent scientists, global health experts, specialist academics, and People Who Use Safer Nicotine (ex-smokers) comprised of independent scientists, global health experts, specialist academics, and People Who Use Safer Nicotine (ex-smokers) Complete transparency in all tobacco control funding, grants and collaborations A full independent and international review into current and past tobacco control dialogue The dossier comes just a week after the Department of Health and Social Care announced that e-cigarettes could be prescribed on the NHS, a world first. It also coincides with the WHO-hosted 9th Conference of Parties (COP9), tobacco control's version of the United Nations COP26 conference on climate change where government delegations from around the world will meet virtually this year to discuss tobacco and nicotine policy under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). HALIFAX, NS / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Silver Tiger Metals Inc. (TSXV:SLVR)(OTCQX:SLVTF) ("Silver Tiger" or the "Corporation") has intersected 82,827.3 g/t silver equivalent over 0.5 meters in the Seitz Kelly Vein in Drill Hole ET-21-264 from 181.3 meters to 181.8 meters within a broader mineralized interval of 17.5 meters grading 2,608.4 g/t silver equivalent from 181.3 meters to 198.8 meters. Drill Hole ET-21-264 has returned the highest metal grades to date drilled by Silver Tiger at El Tigre as detailed in the table below: From To Length(1) Gold Silver Copper Lead Zinc AgEq Total (2) Seitz Kelly Vein & Footwall Zone 181.3 198.8 17.5 31.53 138.7 0.11 0.92 2.20 2,608.4 Seitz Kelly Vein 181.3 182.9 1.6 343.12 237.7 0.10 1.61 2.64 26,106.5 including 181.3 181.8 0.5 1,097.8 255.0 0.06 0.98 6.26 82,827.3 Seitz Kelly Footwall Zone 191.7 198.8 7.1 0.21 277.0 0.24 1.85 4.74 516.8 including 192.2 193.7 1.5 0.24 982.3 0.77 4.61 11.02 1,549.2 Results for the first 13 drill holes, totaling 3,422.5 meters, drilled on five sections over a 100 meter strike length of the 1,000 meter long Seitz Kelly Vein are presented in the attached Drill Hole Results table. The drill results are uncut and undiluted, unless indicated otherwise. A Plan Map of the Seitz Kelly Vein and Sooy Vein is attached. Also attached are Seitz Kelly Cross Section 5050N which includes Drill Hole ET-21-264 and Seitz Kelly Cross Section 5075N which is 25 meters north of Drill Hole ET-21-264. Seitz Kelly Vein The Seitz Kelly Vein was the eastern most of the 3 high grade silver veins at the Historic El Tigre Mine which is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67,400,000 ounces of silver from 1.87 million tonnes (Craig, 2012) at an average grade of approximately 2 kg of silver equivalent per tonne between 1908 and 1930. The development of the Seitz Kelly Vein began in the later period of the El Tigre mine life. The mine ceased operations in 1930 only due to economic factors caused by the onset of the Great Depression when the price of silver declined to less than 20 per ounce. The historical underground workings on the Seitz Kelly vein extended over a strike length of 1,000 meters on 11 working levels. Geological and assay plan maps from the original operations were recovered from the Anaconda Collection archives at the University of Wyoming. A total of 5,301 underground channel samples with gold and silver assays in the Seitz Kelly workings (levels, raises, winzes, crosscuts) were digitized and plotted. Mining on the upper levels of the Seitz Kelly vein was advanced to Section 5500N but only to 5100N on Level 6 and 5000N on Level 7 below the Espuelas Canyon (see Sooy and Seitz Kelly Vein Plan Map) when the mine shut down in 1930. Both drifts were advancing to the north in high grade ore. The drill holes were spotted to test below the Level 6 and 7 workings in this area. Drilling started in June 2021 on Section 4975, with 15 holes totaling 3,422.5 meters completed to date. Two drill rigs are working on Sections spaced at 25m intervals along strike. Longitudinal Section of the Seitz Kelly Vein Workings and Hole ET-21-264 (view looking to NE) Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, stated, "While drilling the high-grade silver veins at El Tigre in 2021 we have made a number of very important discoveries. We first discovered in the footwall zone of the Sooy Vein a new style of mineralization in the black shale that the technical team have named the crackle breccia. This discovery prompted the technical team to be cognizant of this potentially new high-grade mineralization outside of the traditionally targeted quartz silver veins." Jessome continued, "We have now discovered high-grade mineralization in the first holes we have drilled on the Seitz Kelly Vein, highlighted by a drill intercept of 82 kg silver equivalent in an area where the previous historic miners were in the process of developing and preparing to mine when they were suddenly forced to cease mining in 1930 with the onset of the Great Depression." Plan Map of the Seitz Kelly Vein and Sooy Vein Seitz Kelly Cross Section 5050N (Drill Holes ET-21-262, 264 and 265) Seitz Kelly Cross Section 5075N (Drill Holes ET-21-268 and 271) Plan Map of 4.2 Kilometers of the El Tigre Veins and Drill Holes Drill Hole Results Table Hole ID Comment From m To m Length(1) m Gold g/t Silver g/t Copper % Lead % Zinc % AgEq Total (2) g/t ET-21-238 Seitz Kelly Vein 163.8 166.5 2.8 0.25 348.5 0.20 0.95 2.14 479.9 including 165.4 166.5 1.2 0.25 474.0 0.25 1.21 2.93 643.0 ET-21-240 79.3 82.3 3.0 0.99 2.5 0.00 0.01 0.03 77.7 including 80.8 82.3 1.5 1.70 3.3 0.00 0.01 0.04 132.1 Seitz Kelly Vein 96.4 97.6 1.2 0.13 254.5 0.09 0.30 0.96 311.8 including 96.9 97.6 0.7 0.13 383.0 0.15 0.45 1.53 468.6 ET-21-242 Seitz Kelly Vein 195.4 197.1 1.7 2.42 110.8 0.07 0.08 0.06 302.8 including 195.4 196.0 0.7 6.09 23.3 0.02 0.03 0.05 484.4 ET-21-248 Seitz Kelly Vein 120.5 148.9 28.4 0.20 23.1 0.02 0.07 0.26 50.3 including 146.6 148.9 2.3 0.17 181.9 0.14 0.55 2.94 318.3 including 147.8 148.3 0.5 0.34 685.0 0.50 2.01 12.99 1,236.4 ET-21-251 Seitz Kelly Vein 108.0 109.3 1.3 0.21 184.4 0.07 0.41 0.41 229.8 including 108.7 109.3 0.6 0.35 287.0 0.12 0.76 0.79 369.6 ET-21-254 Mining VOID 127.7 130.4 2.8 0.00 * * * * * 133.2 135.4 2.3 0.33 0.8 0.00 0.02 0.04 27.6 148.0 148.5 0.5 0.15 122.0 0.05 0.14 0.19 147.6 ET-21-258 Mining VOID 141.8 143.4 1.5 * * * * * * 144.4 148.4 4.1 0.05 22.7 0.01 0.02 0.02 29.2 170.2 173.0 2.8 0.16 13.7 0.02 0.05 0.07 31.0 ET-21-260 22.5 25.1 2.6 0.97 151.0 0.03 0.09 0.12 232.5 66.1 68.1 2.0 4.12 345.0 0.01 0.01 0.01 655.4 162.0 178.4 16.4 0.62 25.8 0.02 0.18 0.35 89.8 Seitz Kelly Vein 231.4 233.5 2.2 0.04 159.0 0.09 0.12 0.10 177.4 including 231.4 231.9 0.5 0.04 380.0 0.22 0.41 0.05 415.7 344.6 345.2 0.6 0.03 405.0 0.27 0.18 1.66 492.3 ET-21-262 62.5 64.0 1.5 0.25 114.1 0.00 0.00 0.01 133.7 Seitz Kelly Vein 144.7 146.4 1.8 0.21 167.7 0.09 0.32 0.39 211.9 including 145.3 146.4 1.1 0.26 243.0 0.12 0.43 0.57 303.3 ET-21-264 Seitz Kelly Vein & Footwall Zone 181.3 198.8 17.5 31.53 138.7 0.11 0.92 2.20 2,608.4 Seitz Kelly Vein & Footwall Zone (3) 181.3 198.8 17.5 3.02 138.7 0.11 0.92 2.20 470.3 Seitz Kelly Vein 181.3 182.9 1.6 343.12 237.7 0.10 1.61 2.64 26,106.5 including 181.3 181.8 0.5 1,097.8 255.0 0.06 0.98 6.26 82,827.3 Seitz Kelly Footwall 191.7 198.8 7.1 0.21 277.0 0.24 1.85 4.74 516.8 including 192.2 193.7 1.5 0.24 982.3 0.77 4.61 11.02 1,549.2 ET-21-265 Seitz Kelly Vein 204.2 205.6 1.4 1.25 1.2 0.00 0.00 0.00 95.2 ET-21-268 93.0 108.8 15.8 0.20 36.5 0.01 0.01 0.00 52.5 including 104.3 105.7 1.4 0.47 87.9 0.01 0.00 0.00 124.3 Seitz Kelly Vein 196.5 197.0 0.5 0.22 286.0 0.11 0.24 0.37 330.5 ET-21-270 173.0 176.0 3.0 2.04 0.8 0.00 0.00 0.01 154.5 including 173.0 174.5 1.5 3.73 0.8 0.00 0.00 0.01 281.1 SK Vein + SK Footwall Zone 213.5 247.8 34.3 0.19 64.5 0.04 0.72 0.88 128.5 Seitz Kelly Vein 225.2 241.7 16.5 0.22 90.2 0.05 1.20 1.55 191.3 including 225.2 225.7 0.5 0.18 796.0 0.30 5.63 0.05 972.5 Seitz Kelly Footwall Zone 236.1 241.7 5.6 0.29 134.6 0.09 2.49 3.74 348.1 including 238.6 240.1 1.5 0.34 246.6 0.17 4.45 7.59 645.3 ET-21-271 173.0 176.0 3.0 2.04 0.8 0.00 0.00 0.01 154.5 including 173.0 174.5 1.5 3.73 0.8 0.00 0.00 0.01 281.1 SK Vein + SK Footwall Zone 213.5 247.8 34.3 0.19 64.5 0.04 0.72 0.88 128.5 Seitz Kelly Vein 225.2 241.7 16.5 0.22 90.2 0.05 1.20 1.55 191.3 including 225.2 225.7 0.5 0.18 796.0 0.30 5.63 0.05 972.5 Seitz Kelly Footwall Zone 236.1 241.7 5.6 0.29 134.6 0.09 2.49 3.74 348.1 including 238.6 240.1 1.5 0.34 246.6 0.17 4.45 7.59 645.3 Notes: 1. Not true width. 2. Silver Equivalent ("EqAg") ratios are based on a silver to gold price ratio of 75:1 (Au:Ag). Copper, lead and zinc are converted using $3.66/lb copper, $0.90/lb lead, $1.26/lb zinc at 100% metal recoveries based on a silver price of $26.00/oz. 3. Top cut at 100 grams per tonne gold. * Mining void. Drill Hole Location Table Hole ID Section Easting Northing Elevation Az Dip Length ET-21-238 4975N 671090 3384974 1873.848 90 -60 244.0 ET-21-240 4975N 671090.3 3384974 1873.973 90 -40 204.3 ET-21-242 5000N 671074.1 3384998 1867.404 90 -60 332.4 ET-21-248 5000N 671074.3 3384998 1867.557 90 -45 210.4 ET-21-251 5000N 671075.3 3384998 1867.726 90 -30 195.2 ET-21-254 5025N 671058.1 3385027 1869.755 90 -25 204.3 ET-21-258 5025N 671057.2 3385027 1869.613 90 -35 230.2 ET-21-260 5025N 671057 3385027 1869.586 90 -50 372.1 ET-21-262 5050N 671047.5 3385049 1872.87 90 -28 314.1 ET-21-264 5050N 671049 3385049 1849 90 -43 262.3 ET-21-265 5050N 671049 3385049 1849 90 -58 297.3 ET-21-268 5075N 671004 3385074 1870 90 -26 280.6 ET-21-271 5070N 671006 3385072 1867 90 -35 275.0 El Tigre Resource Estimate After acquiring El Tigre, Silver Tiger drilled 12,500 meters to define the wide halo of near surface gold mineralization around the mined high-grade veins of the historic El Tigre Mine. This allowed Silver Tiger to deliver a maiden resource estimate for the El Tigre Property to a depth of 150 meters containing indicated resources of 661,000 gold equivalent ounces at 0.77 g/t (21 g/t silver and 0.51 g/t gold) and inferred resources of 341,000 gold equivalent ounces at 1.59 g/t (88 g/t silver and 0.52 g/t gold). The National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report and Updated Mineral Resource Estimate on the El Tigre Project, Sonora, Mexico" effective as of September 7, 2017 and dated October 26, 2017 prepared by David Burga, P.Geo., Yungang Wu, P.Geo., Fred Brown, P.Geo., Jarita Barry, P.Geo., Eugene Puritch, P.Eng., FEC, CET, Alfred Hayden, P.Eng. and Richard H. Sutcliffe, Ph.D., P.Geo. of P&E Mining Consultants Inc. is available on the Corporation's website at www.silvertigermetals.com and on www.sedar.com under the Corporation's profile. About the El Tigre Historic Mine District Silver Tiger Metals Inc. is a Canadian company whose management has more than 25 years' experience discovering, financing and building large hydrothermal silver projects in Mexico. Silver Tiger's 100% owned 28,414 hectare Historic El Tigre Mining District is located in Sonora, Mexico. Principled environmental, social and governance practices are core priorities at Silver Tiger. The El Tigre historic mine district is located in Sonora, Mexico and lies at the northern end of the Sierra Madre silver and gold belt which hosts many epithermal silver and gold deposits, including Dolores, Santa Elena and Las Chispas at the northern end. In 1896, gold was first discovered on the property in the Gold Hill area and mining started with the Brown Shaft in 1903. The focus soon changed to mining high-grade silver veins in the area with production coming from 3 parallel veins the El Tigre Vein, the Seitz Kelley Vein and the Sooy Vein. Underground mining on the middle El Tigre vein extended 1,450 meters along strike and was mined on 14 levels to a depth of approximately 450 meters. The Seitz Kelley Vein was developed along strike for 1 kilometer to a depth of approximately 150 meters. The Sooy Vein was only mined along strike for 250 meters to a depth of approximately 150 meters. Mining abruptly stopped on all 3 of these veins when the price of silver collapsed to less than 20 per ounce with the onset of the Great Depression. By the time the mine closed in 1932, it is reported to have produced a total of 353,000 ounces of gold and 67.4 million ounces of silver from 1.87 million tons (Craig, 2012). The average grade mined during this period was approximately 2 kilograms silver equivalent per ton. The El Tigre silver and gold deposit is related to a series of high-grade epithermal veins controlled by a north-south trending structure cutting across the andesitic and rhyolitic tuffs of the Sierra Madre Volcanic Complex within a broad silver and gold mineralized prophylitic alteration zone developed in the El Tigre Formation that can be up to 150 meters wide. The veins dip steeply to the west and are typically 0.5 meter wide but locally can be up to 5 meters in width. The veins, structures and mineralized zones outcrop on surface and have been traced for 5.3 kilometers along strike in our brownfield exploration area. Historical mining and exploration activities focused on a 1.6 kilometer portion of the southern end of the deposits, principally on the El Tigre, Seitz Kelly and Sooy veins. The under explored Caleigh, Benjamin, Protectora and the Fundadora exposed veins continue north for more than 3 kilometers. Silver Tiger has delivered its maiden 43-101 compliant resource estimate and is currently drilling to update its resource estimate and publish a PEA. VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation - Silver Tiger's El Tigre Project VRIFY is a platform being used by companies to communicate with investors using 360 virtual tours of remote mining assets, 3D models and interactive presentations. VRIFY can be accessed by website and with the VRIFY iOS and Android apps. Access the Silver Tiger Metals Inc. Company Profile on VRIFY at: https://vrify.com The VRIFY Slide Deck and 3D Presentation for Silver Tiger Metals Inc. can be viewed at: https://vrify.com/explore/decks/492 and on the Corporation's website at: www.silvertigermetals.com. Procedure, Quality Assurance / Quality Control and Data Verification The diamond drill core (HQ size) is geologically logged, photographed and marked for sampling. When the sample lengths are determined, the full core is sawn with a diamond blade core saw with one half of the core being bagged and tagged for assay. The remaining half portion is returned to the core trays for storage and/or for metallurgical test work. The sealed and tagged sample bags are transported to the Bureau Veritas facility in Hermosillo, Mexico. Bureau Veritas crushes the samples (Code PRP70-250) and prepares 200-300 gram pulp samples with ninety percent passing Tyler 200 mesh (Code PUL85). The pulps are assayed for gold using a 30-gram charge by fire assay (Code FA630) and over limits greater than 10 grams per tonne are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code FA530). Silver and multi-element analysis is completed using total digestion (Code MA200 Total Digestion ICP). Over limits greater than 100 grams per tonne silver are re-assayed using a gravimetric finish (Code FA530). Quality assurance and quality control ("QA/QC") procedures monitor the chain-of-custody of the samples and includes the systematic insertion and monitoring of appropriate reference materials (certified standards, blanks and duplicates) into the sample strings. The results of the assaying of the QA/QC material included in each batch are tracked to ensure the integrity of the assay data. All results stated in this announcement have passed Silver Tiger's QA/QC protocols. Qualified Person David R. Duncan, P. Geo., V.P. Exploration of the Corporation, is the Qualified Person for Silver Tiger as defined under National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Duncan has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this press release. For further information, please contact: Glenn Jessome President and CEO 902 492 0298 jessome@silvertigermetals.com CAUTIONARY STATEMENT: 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 includes certain "forward-looking statements". All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential mineralization, resources and reserves, the ability to convert inferred resources to indicated resources, the ability to complete future drilling programs and infill sampling, the ability to extend resource blocks, the similarity of mineralization at El Tigre to Delores, Santa Elena and Chispas, exploration results, and future plans and objectives of Silver Tiger, are forward-looking statements that involve various risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "may", "is expected to", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans", "projection", "could", "vision", "goals", "objective" and "outlook" and other similar words. Although Silver Tiger believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, 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 Silver Tiger's expectations include risks and uncertainties related to exploration, development, operations, commodity prices and global financial volatility, risk and uncertainties of operating in a foreign jurisdiction as well as additional risks described from time to time in the filings made by Silver Tiger with securities regulators. SOURCE: Silver Tiger Metals Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671906/Silver-Tiger-Intersects-82827-gt-AgEq-over-05-Meters-Within-a-Broader-Interval-of-175-Meters-Grading-26084-gt-AgEq-in-the-Initial-Drilling-on-the-Seitz-Kelly-Vein -- At the OCP Global Summit 2021, DriveNets will demo the Network Cloud 350Tb/s distributed disaggregate chassis (DDC) router, in cooperation with Credo and UfiSpace -- RA'ANANA, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DriveNets, a leader in cloud-native networking software and network disaggregation solutions, announced today that its white paper, ' Topology and component description of DriveNets Network Cloud as a sustainable solution for multipurpose networking,' has been published by the Open Compute Project (OCP). The paper highlights how cloud-native networks enhance sustainability and extend their lifespan with open standard hardware elements supporting multiple software-based networks. DriveNets network sustainability model is based on the elastic scalability of the distributed disaggregated chassis (DDC) router. DDC supports scaling of network capacity by adding white boxes to an existing network infrastructure cluster, as opposed to traditional router chassis which require a wasteful rip-and-replace. In this first paper at OCP addressing sustainability of network equipment, Run Almog, Head of Product Strategy at DriveNets, explains how the network hypervisor at the core of DriveNets Network Cloud solution, abstracts the physical network resources, optimizing their utilization by the multiple applications running on top. "Sustainability is a key topic of discussion and focus today. There is an increased awareness for its economic value and critical impact," said Almog. "Service providers understand the operational simplicity and cost savings that can be achieved from optimizing the physical footprint, extending the network lifecycle and optimizing the utilization of resources. DriveNets Network Cloud can improve the sustainability of the largest networks in the world - a non-trivial impact." DriveNets' paper addresses the following topics: Sustainability is improved when networks are based on software and can serve multiple purposes, utilizing the physical infrastructure as a shared resource. By combining multiple network elements (white boxes) into a cluster acting as a single entity (of up to hundreds of elements in a cluster), the network can be easily scaled up by adding more white boxes. This is transparent to the networking services running on top. Cloud-native software can easily support multiple networks and applications from one vendor or a collection of third-parties, and can easily scale functionality up and down on demand, without increasing networking footprint. DriveNets will attend the OCP Global Summit 2021 on November 9-10 (booth C36). It will demonstrate a 350Tb/s router, hosted by Credo, with equipment from Credo and UfiSpace. The DDC demo can also be seen in this video . Additionally, DriveNets will demonstrate the network automation capabilities of its orchestrator - DNOR, in booth C36. The demonstration will also be available in DriveNets' virtual booth. Run Almog will be presenting at the Summit on the topic of 'Extending Network Sustainability via True Distributed Disaggregated Architecture', November 10, 9 am PST in the San Jose Conference Center - Lower Level - LL20BC. About DriveNets DriveNets is a leader in cloud-native networking software and network disaggregation solutions. Founded in 2015 and based in Israel, DriveNets offers communications service providers (CSPs) and cloud providers a radical new way to build networks, substantially growing their profitability by changing their technological and economic models. DriveNets' solution - Network Cloud - adapts the architectural model of cloud to telco-grade networking. Network Cloud is a cloud-native software that runs over a shared physical infrastructure of standard white-boxes, radically simplifying the network's operations, offering telco-scale performance and elasticity at a much lower cost. Learn more at www.drivenets.com Media contact: Crystal Monahan +1-617-290-2882 drivenets@guyergroup.com Sandra Welfeld +972- 9-774-4726 press@drivenets.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1657406/DriveNets_Logo.jpg WYNNEWOOD, PA / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Main Line Health is among the national leaders in preventing falls among patients that result in significant injury, with fewer than two falls per 1,000 patients annually. But when falls do happen, the results can be deadly. Studies show patients ages 65 and over who fracture their hip have a 50% increased mortality risk over 12 months. Barbara Wadsworth, COO and Chief Nursing Officer at Main Line Health, has brought more to bear against fall prevention than just her leadership ability. She has invented a fall-injury-prevention device herself. Main Line Health has applied for a patent for Wadsworth's portable airbag/cushion-deployment device with a sensor that would detect if a patent is falling. The compact device could be mounted or placed in front of a patient in the bathroom, with use of a bedside commode or other high-risk areas for falls. "Even with our low rate, if it's your loved one who falls and breaks their hip, we feel terrible about it and we want to fix the problem," she said. Medical devices and software by Wadsworth and fellow staff members across Main Line Health are being developed and commercialized by a joint venture called Lankenau Ventures-formed in March 2021 by LIMR, Early Charm Ventures and L2C Partners. Lankenau Ventures' efforts complement LIMR's longstanding acapreneurial TM (academic/entrepreneurial) efforts to license biotech developments, drug candidates and blood assays created by Main Line Health employees and spin off companies to develop them. Licensing of Wadsworth's invention for further development and eventual production is expected to occur shortly. In 2019, when the initiative to develop devices and software was first conceived, George Prendergast, president and CEO of Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, part of Main Line Health, and L2C Partners founder Merle Gilmore approached Wadsworth. They asked whether she believed Main Line Health nurses had ideas to improve patient care from daily experience that could become patentable inventions. She not only said they did but mentioned her own idea. Said Wadsworth: "I started describing it and Merle said, 'Stop, that's an invention.' I said, 'It is?' Who knew I was an inventor?" "This invention is not something that will only help Main Line Health," she added. "This is something that could help any hospital across the country. Knowing there's over 5,000 acute care hospitals, I think this could be something very meaningful to patients and families." Injuries and death due to falls are a serious challenge to every hospital. An estimated 1 million falls occur in North American hospitals annually. They also are a high cost. Patients who sustain a fall in the hospital incur $13,000 in additional costs on average. Since the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid implemented its "no-pay policy," hospitals are responsible for all fall-related costs. Main Line Health, which has System Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center-widely accepted as the nation's gold standard-has some of the nation's best numbers when it comes to falls. For example, the 2021 first-quarter rate for its largest hospital, Lankenau Medical Center, was 1.35 falls per 1,000 patient days-40% lower on average even than other Magnet hospitals. Wadsworth views her device as insurance. Patients considered a fall risk are supposed to be accompanied at all times by a staff member in the bathroom. But patients can and often do refuse the help because they want their privacy. Her device would prevent injury if they do fall. "People don't realize the risk of a fall when they're taking new medications, recovering from surgery, or just having sleep deprivation while in the hospital," Wadsworth said. "I remember one time I had to tell a family that their loved one was about to die from complications following a fall. I don't want our staff members, or anyone's family member, to have that conversation if we can help it." Wadsworth isn't even the only Main Line Health executive to invent a fall device. Jeshahnton Essex, regional vice president for administration for Bryn Mawr and Paoli Hospitals, created the Essex privacy screen. Main Line Health filed a patent application in 2021. Wadsworth received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice, Health Systems Leadership, from Vanderbilt University in 2014. She is also certified as a Nurse Executive, Advanced; a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing; and a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. About Lankenau Institute for Medical Research (LIMR) LIMR is a nonprofit biomedical research institute located on the campus of Lankenau Medical Center, Wynnewood, Pa., and is part of Main Line Health. Founded in 1927, LIMR's mission is to improve human health and well-being. Faculty and staff are devoted to advancing innovative new approaches to formidable medical challenges, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, autoimmune diseases, and regenerative medicine, as well as population health. LIMR's principal investigators conduct basic, preclinical and translational research, using their findings to explore ways to improve disease detection, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. They are committed to extending the boundaries of human health through technology transfer and training of the next generation of scientists and physicians. For more information, visit www.limr.org. About L2C Partners: L2C Partners, founded in 2015 by Merle Gilmore, offers institutions and research organizations expert outsourced technology transfer and commercialization services. With extensive experience in commercialization, research, and higher education, L2C Partners is powered by veteran business and tech transfer executives and optimizes the opportunity posed by an existing gap in the life sciences/technology / manufacturing ecosystem. For more information, visit www.L2Cpartners.com. LEARN MORE About Early Charm: Early Charm is a venture studio based in the Charm City (Baltimore) that creates, owns and operates companies in four different industry verticals: Advanced Materials, Drug Discovery, AG Tech and Engineered Products. Early Charm continuously engages with industry to identify current market needs. Once those market needs are assessed, we source cutting-edge technologies that fulfill those needs and develop and commercialize the resulting products and services. www.earlycharm.com LEARN MORE Contact Larry Hanover Communications Manager, LIMR Office: 484.476.8425 HanoverL@mlhs.org SOURCE: Lankenau Institute for Medical Research View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671701/With-Own-Invention-Main-Line-Healths-COOChief-Nursing-Officer-Leads-Fall-Injury-Prevention-Efforts ISLAND PARK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc. (OTC PINK:GDMK), a global multi-line consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with branded product lines announced that it has closed the transaction in accordance with Common Stock Purchase Agreement (the "Purchase Agreement") it has entered with Williamsburg Venture Holdings, LLC, a Nevada limited liability company (the "Williamsburg Venture Holdings"). The Purchase Agreement provides that Williamsburg Venture Holdings is committed to purchase the Company's Ordinary Shares with an aggregate offering price of up to $5,000,000 ("Commitment Amount") from time to time during the Commitment Period, which starts on the date of the filing of the registration statement covering the resale of securities issued under the Purchase Agreement, and shall terminate on the 12 months anniversary of the filing of such initial registration statement and terms as specified in the agreement. The Company intends to use net proceeds from this transaction for the expansion and acquisitions and other general purposes. Under the Purchase Agreement, on any trading day selected by the Company, The Company has the right, but not the obligation, to present Williamsburg Venture Holdings with a purchase notice, directing Williamsburg Venture Holdings (as principal) to purchase up to a certain number of shares of the Company's Ordinary Shares ("Purchase Notice") at a certain price as defined in the agreement. Williamsburg Venture Holdings has no right to require any sales by the Company, but is obligated to make purchases from the Company as the Company directs in accordance with the purchase Agreement. For more details, please refer to the Company's Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 8, 2021, at https:\\www.sec.gov Paul Adler, President & CEO of Global Diversified Marketing Group, commented: "We believe this transaction will enable us to execute on our expansion plans and will help us implement our acquisition strategy as well as enhance our growth demand." About Global Diversified Marketing Group Headquartered in Island Park, NY - Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc operates as a global multi-line consumer packaged goods (CPG) company with branded product lines in multiple sectors and also is a food and snack manufacturer, Importer & distributor through its subsidiary in the United States, Canada and Europe. The company operates in multiple CPG segments as well as the snacks market segment. The snacks segment offers Italian Wafers, Italian filled croissants, French Madeleines, Wafer Pralines, shelf stable Macarons and other gourmet snacks. The company sells its products direct and through various distribution channels comprising specialty, grocery retailers, food-service distributors, DSD as well as vending, pantry and micro market segment. Safe Harbor Statement Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements and are prospective in nature. Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations and projections about future events, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Company's control and are therefore subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from the future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "may", "should", "will", "could", "intend", "estimate", "plan", "anticipate", "expect", "believe" or "continue", or the negative thereof or similar variations. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, information concerning the ability of the Company to successfully achieve business objectives, and expectations for other economic, business, and/or competitive factors. Those assumptions and factors are based on information currently available to the Company. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Among the key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information and statements are the following: the ability of the Company to develop the Company's brand and meet its growth objectives, the ability of the Company to complete acquisitions that are accretive to the Company's revenue, the ability of the Company to obtain and/or maintain licenses to operate in the jurisdictions in which it operates or in which it expects or plans to operate. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information or statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. 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. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking information and statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf is expressly qualified in its entirety by this notice. CONTACT: Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc Paul Adler, Chairman, President & CEO 800-550-5996 paul@gdmginc.com SOURCE: Global Diversified Marketing Group Inc View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671770/Global-Diversified-Marketing-Group-Announces-Closing-of-5-Million-Common-Stock-Purchase-Transaction-with-Williamsburg-Venture-Holdings-LLC CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Did you know water dispensers for homes are considered as an effective source for purifying tap water, especially among residential end-users who live healthy lives? In the recent years, affordable countertop versions are expected to be highly preferred due to their compact size and design across the water dispenser market. Vendors in the ecommerce platform are actively developing new techniques to boost their sales in the global water technology market. As consumers are becoming aware of the water-borne diseases, players are prioritizing multi-stage filtration with RO and UV as major techniques which in turn, can be profitable as they are proven to be more effective than other methods of water filtration. Observing these rapid and drastic changes in demand and supply patterns are encouraging the industry analysts at Arizton to publish exhaustive and data-driven insights on these recent trends in the consumer goods retail tech industry. If you want to grow and gain profit in your business, check out our wide range of consumer goods retail tech related reports today and get customised solutions as per business requirement! 1.Home Water Filtration Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026 Home water filtration market size to reach USD 7.13 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.49% during the period 2021-2026. With low penetration of smart water filters, IoT-enabled water filters are expected to be the next big opportunity for established players in the home water filtration market. Arizton estimates that global players would grow inorganically by acquiring regional or local players in future years to gain more significance in the global market. Offline sales and high customer-friendly approaches are encouraging in the booming markets of APAC and Latin America, where the potential is high with growing consciousness for potable water and increasing levels of drinking water contamination. Brands such as Brita and LifeStraw, which highly prioritizes pitchers, can extend their line of products to utilize the rising opportunities in under-the-sink, faucet, and shower filter segments in the coming years. Key Insights: Germany accounted for the largest market for home water filters in the region, followed by the UK. accounted for the largest market for home water filters in the region, followed by the UK. Culligan is a pioneer in the smart filter segment though its ClearLink Connect application that provides personalized insights about the home's water in real time. Established brands such as Aquasana leverages in the market through its wide portfolio of water filters under whole house, shower, countertop, and under-the-sink ranges that helps in enhancing revenue opportunities in the market. Get more insights now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/home-water-filtration-market-size 2.Ultrapure Water Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2021-2026 The ultrapure water market size is expected to reach USD 11.21 billion in 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.78%. The arrival of 5G brings several new business opportunities and added value services due to its low latency and ability to connect millions of devices in a small area. The adaptation of 5G in water treatment technologies can benefit the management of water resources. Remote access and connectivity features are expected to become important trends in the ultrapure water market. The introduction of the 5G mobile network is expected to surge the demand for semiconductor components. This is expected to have a positive impact on the demand for ultrapure water in the microelectronics industry. APAC is the largest market for ultrapure water and accounted for 60.05% of the global market. The region is expected to dominate in terms of revenue during the forecast period. The growth is supported by the demand for ultrapure water in the semiconductor industry, especially in countries such as China, South Korea, and India. Key Insights: The adoption rate of ultrapure water products in China and countries in North America and Europe has been impressive since their launch. The competition among companies is intensifying, which will lead to the introduction of many innovative and advanced solutions in the market in the future. and countries in and has been impressive since their launch. The competition among companies is intensifying, which will lead to the introduction of many innovative and advanced solutions in the market in the future. Increasing installation of coal-fired power plants in Middle East & Africa is expected to increase the demand for ultrapure water, thereby, driving the ultrapure water market in the region. & is expected to increase the demand for ultrapure water, thereby, driving the ultrapure water market in the region. The implementation of 5G technology will create several opportunities for industries, especially in the semiconductor industry. Further advances in the semiconductor industry will boost the demand for ultrapure water systems during the forecast period. Get more insights now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/ultrapure-water-market-size 3.Water Dispenser Market - Global Outlook & Forecast 2021-2026 Water dispenser market size is estimated to reach revenue of USD 1185.94 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 7.35% during the period 2021-2026. Players are recommended to value face-to-face communication with clients in emerging economies for a better experience as they perceive products such as free-standing dispensers and multi-functional taps as an expensive investment in the water dispenser market. Blupura serves as a frontrunner in featuring environmental-friendly details in dispensers, where utilizing natural refrigerants in water coolers is a major differentiator in the industry. Players such as Avalon have partnered with global companies such as Honeywell, Coca-Cola, Target, Lexus, and Pepsi to surge their growth in the global water dispenser market. With the implementation of infrared sensor dispensing, to reduce direct human contact was booming during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, the Quench Q8 water dispenser operates on touchless sensor-activated dispensing to deliver instant hot and cold water. Key Insights: The residential market accounted for a 20.53% share in 2020 in terms of unit shipments and is expected to pose an absolute growth of 61% in terms of revenue in the water dispenser market in the upcoming years. Automation and digital technologies can be adopted to reduce labor costs and traceability. Enabling IoT can be considered as a gamechanger in the market and the future of competition. The rising number of on-the-go consumers, the trend of co-working spaces, and a prominent hotel pipeline construction in China , Japan , and Singapore are expected to drive the demand for new installations of water dispenser market during the forecast period. Get more insights now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/water-dispenser-market-size-analysis 4.U.S. Water Heater Market - Industry Outlook & Forecast 2021-2026 U.S. water heater market size is expected to reach USD 4,167.68 million by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 4.89% during the forecast period. The ongoing mergers and acquisitions and other collaborative partnerships by vendors in the US water heater market will enable them to expand their product portfolio, upgrade existing product lines, and enter new markets. The smart city initiative by the US government and the focus on smart technologies to promote a better standard of living provides enormous growth potential to smart water heater vendors in the country. The adoption rate of water heaters among end users in the US has been impressive and the vendors are emphasizing more on creating innovation in the US water heater market. Texas, Utah, Washington, and Colorado are some of the fast-growing states in the country. Most of these states have a high median disposable income, with personal income growing at the rate of nearly 5%-8%. Thus, all these factors will accelerate the demand for water heaters during the forecast period. Key Highlights: Instant water heaters are expected to witness the fastest growth rate with a CAGR of 5.93% due to the increasing demand for energy efficiency. For smaller companies in the US water heater market, partnership with other vendors with high demand is anticipated to be a benefitting opportunity for vendors. In 2020, AO Smith invested USD 80.7 million on R&D initiatives to remain competitive in the marketplace. Moreover, leak detection systems, temperature control, and IoT support in water heaters are some key factors that would drive the demand for water heaters and contribute to a competitive marketplace. Get more insights now! https://www.arizton.com/market-reports/us-water-heater-market Subscribe?to?our consumer goods retail tech portfolio to access the latest research reports at competitive pricing.?? Read some of the?top-selling?reports:? - - Cordless Vacuum Cleaner Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026 Air Purifier Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026 Commercial Hand Dryer Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2021-2026 Commercial Beverage Dispenser Market - Global Outlook and Forecast 2020-2025 About?Arizton:???? ??? Arizton?Advisory and Intelligence is an innovation and quality-driven firm, which offers cutting-edge research solutions to clients across the world. We excel in providing comprehensive market intelligence reports and advisory and consulting services.???? We offer comprehensive market research reports on industries such as consumer goods & retail technology, automotive and mobility, smart tech, healthcare, and life sciences, industrial machinery, chemicals, and materials, IT and media, logistics and packaging. These reports contain detailed industry analysis, market size, share, growth drivers, and trend forecasts.???? Arizton?comprises a team of exuberant and well-experienced analysts who have mastered generating incisive reports. Our specialist analysts possess exemplary skills in market research. We train our team in advanced research practices, techniques, and ethics to outperform in fabricating impregnable research reports.???? ?? Mail:? enquiry@arizton.com ???? Call:?+1-312-235-2040???? +1 302 469 0707??? Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/818553/Arizton_Logo.jpg LONDON, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- When Alex Oliveira joined as Head of IT at Smythson in early 2020, he aimed to replace old hardware (both servers and laptops) and upgrade to the latest version of Windows, implementing a standard set up for everyone. The aim was to provide a more structured and organised solution to better manage the IT environment. However, within two months of joining the company, the global Covid pandemic had taken hold. The team needed to be able to work from home, but without reliable VPN access this initially proved very difficult. Alex needed to react quickly to keep business operations running smoothly. Smythson chose to work with Microsoft Gold Partner Compete366 to hand hold them through the process, as Smythson wanted to ensure that they had the right set up for every department. A standard desktop installation was initially piloted with IT and then tested with different departments, in order to check the team had correct access to all of the business applications they needed. As Alex explains "We were impressed with Compete366 from the outset. Before we even kicked off the project they helped us with licensing advice to get the right solution for our business. We knew they would be the right partner for us as they showed they were keen to help and guide us." Microsoft Intune is a cloud based Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM) solution. In conjunction with Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Intune can be used to manage all devices and applications, including Windows laptops, IoS devices, Macbooks and Android devices too. The Mobile Application Management (MAM) in Intune protects an organisation's data at the application level, including custom apps and store apps. App management can be used on organisation-owned devices, and personal devices. InTune has saved time in IT, whilst also providing a better experience for employees, enabling them to work from wherever they are, and in collaboration with other team members. The team makes full use of the Microsoft capabilities such as Teams and OneDrive. As Alex explains "Using InTune, we have been able to make access to our systems a more self-service experience whilst also reducing our users reliance on IT support. This allows us to focus on IT projects of strategic importance to the business. We are also able to keep all of our devices up to date and secure as we have automated the application of Microsoft patches." Alex continues "In a relatively small IT team it is important that we focus our efforts on the important things for the company. Compete366 never put any pressure on us, they worked to our timescales, understood the pressures of the Covid situation and repeated lockdowns on our business. Throughout they were a real partner for us and an integral part of building the solution." Contact Details About Smythson Since 1887, when Frank Smythson opened the doors of his first store on London's New Bond Street, Smythson has been creating pieces that capture life's unfolding narrative. From bags and accessories to leather-bound notebooks, diaries, stationery and home accessories; every Smythson piece is crafted to be a companion to a storied life, accompanying extraordinary experiences and those beautifully ordinary moments in between. About Compete366 We're a Microsoft Gold Partner and a team of specialist Microsoft technical consultants: We offer Microsoft expertise including advice, planning and training. We don't tie you in to costly consultancy or support contracts. We make migration easy with minimum hassle and disruption. We give you the best solution for your business and budget, no add-ons that you don't need. We're here to help. Just when you need us. For further information: Compete366 - contact Catherine Kennedy: engage@compete366.com Smythson - contact Jema Avedian, Head of Brand Marketing: jemaavedian@smythson.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f728c6a2-86d7-4571-a1f0-ca797701ec60 Company Repaid $69k Note In Favor of Geneva Roth NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Green Stream Holdings Inc. (OTC PINK:GSFI) ("the Company") (https://greensolarutility.com), an emerging leader in the solar utility and finance space, recently announced that it has settled and repaid a Convertible Promissory Note in favor of Geneva Roth for $69,676.20. It filed an 8-K that said: "Green Stream Holdings, Inc. (the "Registrant") confirmed that the Convertible Promissory Note of Green Stream Holdings Inc. in favor of Geneva Roth, the "Holder," in the amount of $69,676.20 has been settled, repaid. The said Holder was entitled to principal, interest, and a prepayment fee along with certain rights. The principal amount, and such other related amounts were settled, amounting to a total of approximately $69,676.20. On November 4/5, 2021, the Company initiated and made the payment of $69,676.20 as full and final payment of the Promissory Note. Accordingly, the parties have no further rights or obligations as to each other as to such debt, and the Registrant will have no obligations to issue securities to Geneva Roth as to such debt. Note: the information in this report (including any exhibits) shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section or incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing. This report will not be deemed a determination or an admission as to the materiality of any information in the report that is required to be disclosed solely by Regulation FD." https://www.otcmarkets.com/filing/html?id=15334639&guid=dAtwkaQlROxpJth About Green Stream Finance, Inc. Green Stream Finance, Inc., a solar utility and finance company with satellite offices in Malibu, CA and New York, NY, is focused on exploiting currently unmet markets in the solar energy space, and is currently licensed in California, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Colorado, Hawaii, and Canada. The Company's next-generation solar greenhouses constructed and managed by Green Rain Solar, LLC, a Nevada-based division, utilize proprietary greenhouse technology and trademarked design developed by world-renowned architect Mr. Antony Morali. The Company is currently targeting high-growth solar market segments for its advanced solar greenhouse and advanced solar battery products. The Company has a growing footprint in the significantly underserved solar market in New York City where it is targeting 50,000 to 100,000 square feet of rooftop space for the installation of its solar panels. Green Stream is looking to forge key partnership with major investment groups, brokers, and private investors in order to capitalize on a variety of unique investment opportunities in the commercial solar energy markets. The Company is dedicated to becoming a major player in this critical space. Through its innovative solar product offerings and industry partnerships, the Company is well-positioned to become a significant player in the solar space. Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and is subject to the safe harbor created by those sections. This material contains statements about expected future events and/or financial results that are forward-looking in nature and subject to risks and uncertainties. That includes the possibility that the business outlined in this press release cannot be concluded for some reason. That could be as a result of technical, installation, permitting or other problems that were not anticipated. Such forward-looking statements by definition involve risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Green Stream Finance, Inc. to be materially different from the statements made herein. Except for any obligation under the U.S. federal securities laws, Green Stream Finance, Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For All Inquiries Contact: +1 (424) 280-4096 president@greenstreamfinance.com Green Stream Holdings Inc. Website: greensolarutility.com Phone number: (646) 669-7007 SOURCE: Green Stream Holdings Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671931/Green-Stream-Holdings-Inc-GSFI-Settles-Convertible-Promissory-Note Sheridan, Wyoming--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Decentralized Autonomous Organization, Earth Fund, was launched in October with the aim of helping the cryptocurrency community to fund concepts which could aid in saving the planet. While governments are still of the school of thought that cryptocurrencies are all about digital gold, that could not be further from the truth these days. Decentralized finance (otherwise known as DeFi) has come into the picture to change that concept. Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (or DAOs) have emerged from DeFi and are the logical conclusion of cryptocurrency's central decentralization tenet. It is the rise of the DAO that has led to communities taking a central role in the world of crypto in this modern era. While the past year has been spent with the Senate battling over cryptocurrency taxation, struggling to find a definition for crypto that is anything more than internet gold, in the background the crypto space has been moving far beyond its original digital currency concept to something completely different. DeFi has meant that earning interest or lending cryptocurrencies has become possible. It's also become possible to trade crypto derivatives, perpetuals and futures, so investors can now benefit from tools that allow for crypto to be invested in the same ways as regular shares and stocks. More importantly, though, crypto has begun to live up to the promise of full decentralization, providing financial independence and autonomy on a worldwide scale. It's no wonder, then, that DeFi has boomed, with dApps (or decentralized apps) popping up and growing rapidly to enable decentralized liquidity pooling, exchanges or swaps to take place. As dApps supported by ERC-20 tokens of their own began to grow and expand, a revolutionary decision was made - that small teams running decentralized apps were just another kind of centralization, so those apps should, instead be run by communities as DAOs. DAOs - An Overview Decentralized Autonomous Organizations or DAOs are organizations which aren't governed by a single individual or group of individuals. Rather, they are governed by a community which votes on the organization's direction, with the outcome of that vote being carried out automatically. Usually, DAOs unite under a single goal or ideology which all of the users pull towards. In the case of Uniswap, the goal is to become the best DEX (decentralized exchange). In the case of Aave, it is to become the top liquidity protocol to earn interest on borrowing assets and deposits. Now, a new Decentralized Autonomous Organization, Earth Fund, will be launched in October with the aim of helping the cryptocurrency community to fund concepts which could aid in saving the planet. Recognized by the Senate Bill 38 in Wyoming as one of the very first DAOs, Earth Fund is about giving the people power to make changes for the better in the world. Its 1Earth token will be used to fund ideas which could improve the world around us. Earth Fund's 1Earth Token Earth Fund's Community & Communications Lead, Alex Vergara, says that cryptocurrencies are no longer solely about speculation on coins. While the DAO is launching its own token that will support its decentralized app which will hopefully see its value rise in the future, Vergara is keen to point out that this isn't the reason that the 1Earth token is being launched. Rather, it will allow anyone buying it to become an integral part of its community which is dedicated to concepts which could change how the world works. 1Earth tokens function as governance tokens, i.e. they're able to be staked in exchange for a voice and vote in Earth Fund's decentralized community. Anyone worldwide can purchase 1Earth tokens to allow then to vote on the organization's direction, the causes that are funded and how Earth Fund's treasury (which comprises 10% of the DAO's equity together with a percentage of the proceeds from token sales) is spent. Rewards for Helping the Planet Following the launch of the 1Earth token, Earth Fund's team, which is comprised of serial entrepreneurs, legal experts and cryptocurrency veterans, will carry on working on Earth Fund's dApp which will be an eco-friendly giving platform which enables the DAO's token holders to make donations to causes which could be beneficial for the planet. Should those project succeed, donors earn rewards in the form of tokens. Not only can Earth Fund's token holders donate to good causes, but they can also become involved with sub-communities to ensure projects remain on track, check on their progress, and govern over ongoing donations. To guard against scams or fraudulent projects, holders of 1Earth tokens are also able to fully audit and vet projects before they come to the platform. Earth fund has made one thing crystal clear - crypto has certainly progressed far beyond being solely digital gold - something that was the case just a handful of years ago. The Earth Fund DAO will be launched towards the end of October. To learn more about this exciting concept, head over to EarthFund.io. Earth Fund DAO, LLC Contact: Alex Vergara Community Leader Earth Fund DAO, LLC alex@earthfund.io Website: https://www.earthfund.io Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xOm8nHCpEc&t=199 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102641 DZ BANK AG Frankfurt am Main - Pre Stabilisation RNS Number: residue number system Frankfurt am Main, 9. November 2021 Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Pre-Stabilisation Notice Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW) DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby announces, as Stabilisation Coordinator, that the Stabilising Managers named below may stabilise the offer of the following securities in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/1052 under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014). The security to be stabilised: Issuer: KfW Guarantor (if any): Federal Republic of Germany Aggregate nominal amount: EUR Benchmark Description: 0.00%, due 15. September 2031 Offer price: 100.522% Other offer terms: Payment 16. November 2021, denoms 1k/1k, soft bullet Stabilisation: DZ BANK AG Stabilisation Coordinator: Stabilising Managers: DZ BANK AG Danske Bank, BNP Paribas Stabilisation period expected to start on: 09.11.2021 Stabilisation period expected to end on: no later than 30 days after the proposed issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and conditions of use of over-allotment facility. The Stabilising Managers may over-allot the securities to the extent permitted in accordance with applicable law. Stabilisation trading venue: Luxembourg Stock Exchange (Regulated Market) In connection with the offer of the above securities, the Stabilisation Manager(s) may over-allot the securities or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the securities at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilisation Manager(s) will take any stabilisation action and any stabilisation action, if begun, may be ended at any time. Any stabilisation action or over-allotment shall be conducted in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. In addition, if and to the extent that this announcement is communicated in, or the offer of the securities to which it relates is made in, any EEA Member State that has implemented Directive 2003/71/EC, as amended (together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the "Prospectus Directive") before the publication of a prospectus in relation to the securities which has been approved by the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive (or which has been approved by a competent authority in another Member State and notified to the competent authority in that Member State in accordance with the Prospectus Directive), this announcement and the offer are only addressed to and directed at persons in that Member State who are qualified investors within the meaning of the Prospectus Directive (or who are other persons to whom the offer may lawfully be addressed) and must not be acted on or relied on by other persons in that Member State. Kepler Cheuvreux initiates coverage of the Global Bioenergies share Evry, 09 November 2021: Kepler Cheuvreux has initiated coverage of the Global Bioenergies share (Euronext Growth: ALGBE) and today publishes a 50-page report setting out the stages of the Group's development, its challenges and its potential. Kepler Cheuvreux is a leading European financial services company covering over 1,200 stocks in over 30 sectors and offering the largest research footprint in the small to mid-cap segment. KeplerCheuvreux is also the leading independent European equity broker handling an average daily trading volume of over 2 billion. Kepler Cheuvreux's coverage initiation report may be downloaded from the company's website www.keplercheuvreux.comunder the heading "Research Hub Public Access". Samuel Dubruque, Chief Financial Officer of Global Bioenergies, said: "We are pursuing our strategy of conquering markets step by step, first in the cosmetics sector where the economic equation is most favourable, then in biofuels where the environmental impact will be strongest. Kepler Cheuvreux's coverage and long-term research tracking will help spread this singular message inherent to our Deep Tech profile in order to enhance the visibility of the Global Bioenergies share in France and abroad." About GLOBAL BIOENERGIES Global Bioenergies has developed a process to convert plant-derived resources into a family of compounds used in the cosmetics industry as well as the energy and materials sectors. In 2021, the Group entered the market with the launch of LAST, its own make-up brand using a formulation based on a key ingredient produced via its technology. The Company is constantly seeking to enhance the performance of its process while gradually ramping up production capacities in order to supply ingredients to major cosmetics manufacturers, thereby promoting naturalness in the industry whilst improving its carbon footprint. Some of these compounds can be also used to produce renewable plastics, rubbers and paints. Lastly, Global Bioenergies is also aiming to reduce CO 2 emissions in the aviation sector and thereby curb global warming. Global Bioenergies is listed on Euronext Growth Paris (FR0011052257 - ALGBE). Receive information about Global Bioenergies directly by subscribing to our news feed on www.global-bioenergies.com Follow us on Twitter: @GlobalBioenergi Contact GLOBAL BIOENERGIES Pauline Bayec Head of Investor Relations & Corporate Communication Tel.: +33 (0)1 64 98 20 50 Email: invest@global-bioenergies.com Attachment Strong fundraising and investment momentum, strong outlook confirmed Regulatory News: During the third quarter of 2021, Tikehau Capital (Paris:TKO) accelerated capital deployment across its closed-end funds, while remaining highly selective and disciplined. After a strong performance during the first half of the year, the Group maintained a solid fundraising momentum over the period. In addition, Tikehau Capital further strengthened its commitment to address climate change with the ambition to formalize science-based targets for its private equity business within the next 24 months. Tikehau Capital confirms its 2021 and 2022 targets and remains particularly well-placed to deliver sustainable and profitable long-term growth. Key highlights Dynamic fund deployment with 3.7bn invested by the firm's closed-end funds over the first nine months of 2021 (compared to 1.2bn over the same period last year), driven by a strong acceleration in Q3 with 1.8bn (vs. 0.4bn in Q3 2020) deployed during the quarter, while maintaining a high level of discipline and selectivity, and a healthy pipeline ahead; invested by the firm's closed-end funds over the first nine months of 2021 (compared to 1.2bn over the same period last year), driven by a strong acceleration in Q3 with (vs. 0.4bn in Q3 2020) deployed during the quarter, while maintaining a high level of discipline and selectivity, and a healthy pipeline ahead; Strong fundraising momentum throughout 2021 with year-to-date net new money for the asset management business reaching 3.8bn (of which 1.4bn in Q3), a solid 47% increase compared to the same period last year; (of which in Q3), increase compared to the same period last year; As of 30 September 2021, assets under management 1 (AuM) for the Group stood at 31.8bn , up 16.7% yoy. AuM for the asset management business reached 30.5bn , up 17.8% yoy; (AuM) for the Group stood at , up yoy. AuM for the asset management business reached , up yoy; Investment portfolio reached 3.2bn with 143m of new capital committed by Tikehau Capital in its own strategies during Q3 2021, bringing total new capital commitments in own strategies to 364m year-to-date; with of new capital committed by Tikehau Capital in its own strategies during Q3 2021, bringing total new capital commitments in own strategies to year-to-date; Launch of Tikehau Capital's CLO activity in North America , leveraging its expertise of the European market to expand the firm's brand presence in the region and strengthen relationships with local institutions; , leveraging its expertise of the European market to expand the firm's brand presence in the region and strengthen relationships with local institutions; Strengthening of Tikehau Capital's commitment to address climate change, targeting at least 5bn of climate-dedicated AuM by 2025, with the commitment to define science-based targets for its private equity business within the next 24 months; of climate-dedicated AuM by 2025, with the commitment to define for its private equity business within the next 24 months; Confirmation of 2021 and 2022 targets: Reach at least 33bn in Group AuM by 31 December 2021 2 Reach more than 35bn for Group's AuM and generate more than 100m of fee-related earnings 3 (FRE) in 2022. AuM at 30-Sept-2021 YoY change QoQ change In m Amount (m) Weight (%) In % In m In % In m Private debt 10,182 32% +14.8% +1,309 +3.2% +317 Real assets 11,254 35% +10.3% +1,051 +2.9% +320 Capital markets strategies 5,090 16% +31.8% +1,227 +8.8% +411 Private equity 3,995 13% +34.3% +1,021 +1.5% +58 Asset Management 30,521 96% +17.8% +4,609 +3.8% +1,106 Direct investment 1,276 4% (4.3)% (57) (14.7)% (219) Total AuM 31,796 100% +16.7% +4,552 +2.9% +887 1. ASSET MANAGEMENT BUSINESS: ACCELERATION IN FUND DEPLOYMENT AND STRONG FUNDRAISING MOMENTUM High level of deployment in Q3 2021 with strong selectivity In Q3 2021, the closed-end funds managed by Tikehau Capital selectively deployed 1.8bn, a record high level in a quarter, compared to 1.9bn invested over the first half of 2021. This takes total capital deployments since 31 December 2020 to 3.7bn. This acceleration stems from Tikehau Capital's multi-local platform, which leverages the firm's strong local presence and deal sourcing capabilities, alongside its strong investment discipline and focus on ESG across asset classes. Over the quarter, the firm's private debt strategies represented c.65% of total deployment, driven by investments made by Tikehau Capital's 5th vintage of direct lending flagship strategy (TDL V), reiterating the firm's key role as a bridge between global savings and the financing of the real economy. The level of deployment has been driven by an overall supportive market with an increasing number of mid-market companies looking for alternative sources of financing. As an illustration, there has been a significant uplift in investments carried out by non-bank players since the beginning of the year, with a 72% of market share of European mid-market direct lending transactions over the first half of 20214. Looking forward, the mid-market, core focus of Tikehau Capital, continues to offer ample opportunities for the firm. On the private equity side, Tikehau Capital actively deployed its flagship strategy dedicated to energy transition (T2) while increasing the size of its investments. The firm recently announced it had entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire a 42% stake in Egis, a specialist in smart engineering, infrastructure and mobility services, as well as a majority stake in Sterne Group, a specialist in sustainable transport and logistics. Looking ahead, the Group has a very healthy deployment pipeline across asset classes. At end-September 2021, Tikehau Capital had 5.4bn of dry powder within the funds it manages, enabling them to capture attractive investment opportunities. This compares to 6.4bn at 30 June 2021 and 6.2bn at 31 December 2020. Continued strong momentum with 1.4bn in net new money in Q3 2021 Tikehau Capital's fundraising momentum in 2021 remains very robust across all of the Group's asset classes. Net new money5 for the asset management business over the first 9 months of the year amounts to a solid 3.8bn, a 47% increase compared to net new money recorded during the first 9 months of 2020. Q3 2020 offered a high basis for comparison due to the first closing of Ace Aero Partenaires6(630m). After a very strong first half, fundraising remained buoyant in Q3 2021, with net new money reaching 1.4bn over the quarter. The fundraising mix over the quarter reflects the ongoing fundraising schedule across strategies and asset classes: Private Debt was the leading contributor of fundraising in Q3 2021 with net new money reaching 554m driven by new commitments for TDL V, the Group's flagship strategy in direct lending (with AuM at 30 September 2021 of 1.2bn). Fundraising in Q3 2021 also includes the successful reset and upsizing of European CLO I, as well as net new money resulting from the launch of Tikehau Capital's first CLO in the US, which is currently in its warehousing phase. This launch is a new positive development for Tikehau Capital in North America. It will enable the firm to expand its brand presence in the region and strengthen relationships with local institutions, leveraging its long-standing expertise on the European CLO market. The US CLO team plans on launching several vehicles over the coming years, taking advantage of attractive market conditions. The team, based in New York, will be reinforced by the appointment of Frances Ning as a Senior Credit Analyst. Frances brings over 14 years of experience within the fixed income industry, including roles at Citigroup, Hartford Investment Management and more recently at Credit Suisse where she spent 6 years as a credit analyst. The launch of the US CLO strategy is a testament to Tikehau Capital's growth ambitions in the structured credit space, which will be supported at the global scale by the recently-announced appointment of John Fraser as Partner and Chairman of Global Structured Credit Strategies. In this newly created role, John will advise senior Tikehau Capital team members in growing the firm's existing structured credit businesses including its U.S. and European CLO platforms. John will also help develop and launch new business lines within the structured credit space. His entrepreneurial and institutional experience will support Tikehau Capital's structured credit strategies and overall company brand building and product marketing including interaction with investors. Net new money for Real Assets amounted to 416m in Q3 2021, driven by continued good fundraising momentum for Sofidy's strategies (AuM for Sofidy reached 7.2bn at 30 September 2021, up +8% year-to-date) as well as the completion of the acquisition by IREIT Global, the Group's listed REIT in Singapore, of a 27-property portfolio in France let by Decathlon. This transaction enables IREIT Global to strengthen its lease profile and add scale and diversification to its portfolio. The Capital Markets Strategies benefited from very positive demand from investor-clients both for fixed income strategies as well as equity and flexible strategies. Total net new money for the strategy reached 404m in Q3 2021, bringing year-to-date fundraising to 802m, which represents more than twice the level of net new money for the full-year 2020. The Tikehau Short Duration fund (formerly known as Tikehau Taux Variables) was the main contributor to Q3 net new money for that business, which was also driven by the launch of the Tikehau Impact Credit strategy, the firm's high yield impact credit liquid fund. Private Equity contributed 41m to the firm's net new money in Q3 2021, reflecting the fundraising seasonality for that business line. The quarter was marked by the final closings of the firm's second vintage of European Special Opportunities Strategy (TSO II) which exceeded expectations, and of the Group's third vintage of cybersecurity and digital trust fund (Brienne III) respectively with 617m and 175m7 of total commitments. As a consequence of these achievements across all asset classes, AuM for the asset management business stood at 30.5bn at 30 September 2021, up 4.6bn or 17.8% over the last twelve months 2. INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO: INCREASING ALIGNMENT OF INTERESTS WITH INVESTOR-CLIENTS During Q3 2021, Tikehau Capital committed 143m of new capital in its own strategies further increasing its alignment of interests with those of its investor-clients. This brings total Tikehau Capital balance sheet commitments in its own strategies to 364m for the 9-month period to 30 September 2021. The firm's investment portfolio came in at 3.2bn at 30 September 2021 (2.9bn at 30 June 2021 and 2.4bn at 31 December 2020), of which: 2.1bn invested in the asset management strategies developed and managed by the firm (65% of total portfolio), a 30% increase compared to 31 December 2020. In addition, Tikehau Capital has 1.0bn of undrawn commitments in its own funds, which will be progressively called as they deploy capital. Therefore, the total of drawn and undrawn commitments from Tikehau Capital's balance sheet in its own funds and strategies amounted to 3.1bn at 30 September 2021, highlighting the firm's strong alignment with its investor-clients. invested in the asset management strategies developed and managed by the firm (65% of total portfolio), a 30% increase compared to 31 December 2020. In addition, Tikehau Capital has of undrawn commitments in its own funds, which will be progressively called as they deploy capital. Therefore, the total of drawn and undrawn commitments from Tikehau Capital's balance sheet in its own funds and strategies amounted to at 30 September 2021, highlighting the firm's strong alignment with its investor-clients. 1.1bn invested in direct assets, of which around half is invested in listed assets (mainly Eurazeo) and the other half in unlisted assets, such as direct private equity investments, co-investments or investments in third-party funds. Tikehau Capital will continue to use its balance sheet, a differentiating factor and enabler of growth, to strengthen its platform by launching new families of products and vehicles, and also maintain a high level of alignment of interests with its shareholders and investor-clients. 3. STRENGTHENING OF TIKEHAU CAPITAL'S COMMITMENT TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE Since the beginning of the year, Tikehau Capital has significantly strengthened its commitment to address climate change, materialized across the firm's asset management strategies as well as Group's financing. The firm has already attracted more than 1.5bn in capital commitments across its investment strategies which are classified "Article 9" as per the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). Tikehau Capital intends to continue launching in priority fund strategies that support and accelerate sustainable business models and the decarbonisation of economies. Following the successful issuance of a 500m inaugural sustainable bond in March 2021, the firm has integrated ESG criteria to its 700m revolving credit facility. In early October 20218, Tikehau Capital announced its ambition to manage at least 5bn of assets by 2025 dedicated to the fight against climate change. This significant commitment demonstrates the continued ambition of the firm to invest global savings towards a more resilient and inclusive economy, creating sustainable value for all. At the same time, Tikehau Capital announced the launch of a Climate Action Center, which is dedicated to harness financial innovation and focus on decarbonization, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture and food, the circular economy and sustainable consumption. Tikehau Capital joined early in 2021 the Net Zero Asset Managers (NZAM) global initiative accredited by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change's (UNFCCC) "Race to Zero" campaign. To demonstrate the robustness of the approach, Tikehau Capital announces today its commitment to define science-based targets (SBT) for its private equity business in the next 24 months. Tikehau Capital is among the first alternative asset managers to have submitted such commitments, demonstrating once more its leading role in the fight against climate change. This initiative will aim at reinforcing the firm's climate engagement and at promoting the definition of SBT across portfolios. 4. SHARE BUYBACK PROGRAMME Tikehau Capital extended under the same conditions to 9 March 2022 (included), date of the Group's 2021 annual results release, the share buyback mandate, which was signed and announced on 19 March 2020 and extended on 15 September 2021 until today. As of today, 3,097,714 shares were repurchased under the share buyback programme. The description of the share buyback programme (published in paragraph 8.3.4 of the Tikehau Capital Universal Registration Document filed with the French financial markets authority on 1 April 2021 under number D. 21-0246) is available on the company's website in the Regulatory Information section (https://www.tikehaucapital.com/en/finance/regulatory-information). 5. STRONG OUTLOOK CONFIRMED Since 30 September 2021, Tikehau Capital has maintained very positive momentum across the board. In particular: Fund deployment activity remained elevated, with closed-end funds managed by the firm continuing to deploy capital in a selective and targeted manner. Fundraising momentum continued across the firm's strategies with promising new initiatives in the pipeline. Tikehau Capital proceeded to an active rotation of its direct investment portfolio, in particular through the disposal of Eurazeo shares in the market. As a consequence, as at 5 November 20219, Tikehau Capital owned 3.86% of Eurazeo share capital and 4.31% of voting rights. Tikehau Capital reiterates its target of reaching over 33bn in AuM at 31 December 202110 and confirms its core organic objectives for 2022, aiming to exceed 35bn of Group AuM and 100m of fee-related earnings (FRE). Calendar 3 February 2022 Q4 2021 announcement (after market close) 9 March 2022 2021 annual results (after market close) 21 April 2022 Q1 2022 announcement (after market close) 28 July 2022 2022 first half results (after market close) ABOUT TIKEHAU CAPITAL Tikehau Capital is a global alternative asset management group with 31.8 billion of assets under management (as of 30 September 2021). Tikehau Capital has developed a wide range of expertise across four asset classes (private debt, real assets, private equity and capital markets strategies) as well as multi-asset and special opportunities strategies. Tikehau Capital is a founder led team with a differentiated business model, a strong balance sheet, proprietary global deal flow and a track record of backing high quality companies and executives. Deeply rooted in the real economy, Tikehau Capital provides bespoke and innovative alternative financing solutions to companies it invests in and seeks to create long-term value for its investors, while generating positive impacts on society. Leveraging its strong equity base (2.9 billion of shareholders' equity as of 30 June 2021), the firm invests its own capital alongside its investor-clients within each of its strategies. Controlled by its managers alongside leading institutional partners, Tikehau Capital is guided by a strong entrepreneurial spirit and DNA, shared by its 672 employees (as of 30 September 2021) across its 12 offices in Europe, Asia and North America. Tikehau Capital is listed in compartment A of the regulated Euronext Paris market (ISIN code: FR0013230612; Ticker: TKO.FP). For more information, please visit: www.tikehaucapital.com DISCLAIMER: This document does not constitute an offer of securities, fund units or any financial instruments for sale or investment advisory services. It contains general information only and is not intended to provide general or specific investment advice. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future earnings and profit, and targets are not guaranteed. Certain statements and forecasted data are based on current forecasts, prevailing market and economic conditions, estimates, projections and opinions of Tikehau Capital and/or its affiliates. Due to various risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those reflected or expected in such forward-looking statements or in any of the case studies or forecasts. In particular, an investment in a fund is speculative and presents risks, including a risk of loss of capital. All references to Tikehau Capital's advisory activities in the US or with respect to US persons relate to Tikehau Capital North America. Appendix LTM evolution (in m) AuM at 30-09-2020 Net new money Distri- butions Market effects Change in scope AuM at 30-09-2021 Change Change (m) Private debt 8,873 2,040 (915) 185 10,182 +14.8% +1,309 Real assets 10,203 1,334 (355) 72 11,254 +10.3% +1,051 Capital markets strategies 3,862 1,038 (9) 198 5,090 +31.8% +1,227 Private equity 2,973 973 (42) 41 49 3,995 +34.3% +1,021 Total Asset Management 25,912 5,385 (1,321) 495 49 30,521 +17.8% +4,609 2021 YTD (in m) AuM at 31-12-2020 Net new money Distri- butions Market effects Change in scope AuM at 30-09-2021 Change Change (m) Private debt 9,342 1,436 (739) 142 10,182 +9.0% +840 Real assets 10,334 1,098 (257) 80 11,254 +8.9% +921 Capital markets strategies 4,184 802 (8) 111 5,090 +21.6% +905 Private equity 3,491 435 (33) 53 49 3,995 +14.4% +504 Total Asset Management 27,351 3,772 (1,037) 386 49 30,521 +11.6% +3,170 Q3 2021 (in m) AuM at 30-06-2021 Net new money Distri- butions Market effects Change in scope AuM at 30-09-2021 Change Change (m) Private debt 9,865 554 (355) 117 10,182 +3.2% +317 Real assets 10,934 416 (114) 17 11,254 +2.9% +320 Capital markets strategies 4,679 404 (2) 8 5,090 +8.8% +411 Private equity 3,936 41 17 3,995 +1.5% +58 Total Asset Management 29,415 1,416 (470) 159 30,521 +3.8% +1,106 _________________________________ 1 The Group's assets under management are not included in the audit process. Figures have been rounded for presentation purposes, which in some cases may result in rounding differences. 2 At constant AuM for the Capital Markets Strategies versus 30 June 2021. 3 Fee-Related Earnings (FRE) correspond to net operating profit from asset management less performance fees and carried interest. 4 Source: AlixPartners mid-market debt report (September 2021). 5 Total net new money raised from third party investors and Tikehau Capital's balance sheet. 6 Tikehau Ace (formerly Ace Capital Partners) private equity fund dedicated to support the aerospace industry. 7 Final closing announced on 11 October 2021. 8 Please refer to press release dated 4 October 2021. 9 Refer to the declaration of crossing of threshold published to the French stock market regulator (Autorite des marches financiers) on 8 November 2021 10 At constant AuM for the Capital markets strategies versus 30 June 2021. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006254/en/ Contacts: PRESS: Tikehau Capital: Valerie Sueur +33 1 40 06 39 30 UK Prosek Partners: Henrietta Dehn +44 7717 281 665 USA Prosek Partners: Trevor Gibbons +1 646 818 9238 press@tikehaucapital.com SHAREHOLDERS AND INVESTORS: Louis Igonet +33 1 40 06 11 11 shareholders@tikehaucapital.com EWING, NJ / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Peers are helping each other process pandemic trauma as The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) welcomes students back to campus. As part of a college-wide community learning day in September, TCNJ's trauma support network, AmIOK, led 20 volunteers from various student organizations to facilitate programs focused on reinforcing resilience and raising awareness about adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). ACEs are potentially traumatic events experienced at a young age that can increase chances of illness, early mortality, injury, crime involvement and chronic disease. Since the on-campus event, referrals and requests for services submitted to AmIOK's emergency hotline doubled from last year. "Once students came back, we knew we would witness increased trauma effects," says Assistant Professor and Graduate Nursing Program Coordinator, Dara Whalen. "It's been a very rough 18 months. That is why AmIOK collaborated with TCNJ's Cultural and Intellectual Community Council to develop crucial programming related to the theme of resilience for TCNJ's community learning day." AmIOK is the latest addition to a vast portfolio of mental health resources and services offered by the college. This new program is offered through TCNJ's Center for Integrative Wellness, a training clinic and holistic health center that provides low-cost and longer-term mental health services to TCNJ students, faculty, staff and community members. According to the Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors (AUCCCD), nearly 90% of campus counseling center directors worldwide reported increases in students' search for support services before the pandemic in 2019. One study of 134,000 college students in 28 countries found those who worry about contracting the virus "reported COVID-19-related mental health distress, with interpersonal disengagement, struggles with motivation, and boredom, as well as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances" To address student trauma and support resilience efforts, the program included a keynote speaker, panel discussion featuring notable experts, communal yoga sessions, art exercises based on the Japanese 'broken vessel' principle and provided an emergent response team for participants who may have been triggered by sensitive content. Keynote speaker Dr. Kimberly Noble, a neuroscientist, pediatrician and professor of Neuroscience & Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, remarked on the detrimental effects of stress on the body and mind. "However," notes Noble, "stress can also be buffered by supportive relationships." AmIOK student volunteer Tulika Desai, TCNJ nursing major 2023, describes her community learning day experience, stating, "This was AmIOK's first in-person event on TCNJ's Campus. We were not only showcasing our events; we introduced our program to thousands of TCNJ students. It could not have gone better. AmIOK did an amazing job of combining fun workshops and tabling events with the important conversation of resilience. The entire day was focused on ways to implement understanding and empathy into daily life, for others and ourselves too." This year's TCNJ summer reading requirement reinforced AmIOK's efforts by highlighting resilience. "The book choice, The Deepest Well by Nadine Burke Harris, considered the prevalence of ACEs and the potential problematic outcomes that are related to people with high ACE scores. However, the author reminds us that we can engage in practices that lead to healthier outcomes," says Professor and Summer Reading Faculty Fellow, Tabitha Dell'Angelo. "After reading the book, we asked students to reflect on the adaptive coping strategies proposed by Burke Harris and self-assess how they cope with stress. The responses showed that students were open and excited about looking closely at their own practices and making changes that will lead to better outcomes." TCNJ's School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science Dean Carole Kenner remarks, "AmIOK's involvement in engaging students to process trauma and embrace resilience is crucial to effectively reopening the campus. We are proud of this program's work and hope our model can serve as a gold standard for listening to and uplifting young people at colleges far and wide." The school consistently ranks as one of the top five best nursing schools in New Jersey. Servicing TCNJ and the greater Mercer County area, AmIOK helps college students who experience a crime or traumatic event with a 24-hour confidential hotline operated by trained nurse practitioners and counsellors. The program's comprehensive healing approach includes medical evaluation, counseling and other individualized services. AmIOK implements campus community education and training to foster a trauma-informed communication approach for students, faculty and staff. AmIOK received more than $1 million from the New Jersey Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant program earlier this year. TCNJ's School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science prioritizes trauma-informed care across its three departments. Exercise Science Professor Nick Ratamess explains, "The pandemic lockdowns affected physical and emotional health. Gym closings led to reduced activity, increased weight gain, fitness reductions, and more emotional stress overall. To address this crisis, promoting activity should be a priority moving forward." In the school's Public Health department, faculty and students also research COVID-19's impacts on numerous societal health issues. TCNJ's School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science educates aspiring health professionals to become future leaders across the healthcare industry. Faculty work closely with local healthcare partners to provide students with applicative skills and foundational knowledge. The nationally acclaimed school is dedicated to preparing individuals-through programs in nursing, public health, exercise science, and physical education teaching-for the many rewards of guiding people, communities, and populations toward improved health outcomes. CONTACT: Crothers Consulting | info@crothersconsulting.co | (800) 831-3840 SOURCE: TCNJ School of Nursing, Health, and Exercise Science View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671302/Campus-Gets-Real-Leading-NJ-Health-School-Students-Volunteer-with-1-Million-Program-to-Help-Peers-Confront-COVID-19-Trauma Montreal, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Beauce Gold Fields (TSXV: BGF) (Champs D'Or en Beauce), ("BGF"): is pleased to announce it has completed the sampling of the Chesham & Ditton sand and gravel pits on the Company's Megantic placer to hardrock exploration property located in southern Quebec. The sampling was to further investigate gold anomalies along the southern section of the Bella Fault line that returned up to 10 grams per ton first identified on the Chesham as well as on various sections of the property (see BGF press releases of April 12 & 23, 2021). Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO of Beauce Gold Fields said, "We found important gold anomalies along a fault line that crosses historical placer gold deposits." Mr. Levasseur added: "It's an area of Quebec that has been totally under explored that's providing exciting opportunities for important new discoveries." Image 1: Megantic Property Map, Gold samples and Ditton Quarry sand pit To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6198/102643_9e292850b4f2697f_001full.jpg Chesham Sector 29 sand and gravel samples of glaciofluvial material were collected from a sand pit quarry, which was active in the 1980s. BGF returned to this area to further explore around the site were a fine sand sample taken in 2020 returned more than 10 g / t Au (BGF press releases of April 23, 2021) The sand & gravel deposit covers an area of more than 6 hectares. It is located approximately 100m west of Chesham Creek and to the south of Mont-Megantic. Sampling was undertaken using a medium-sized excavator (approximately 30 to nnes). The thickness of the deposit varies between 1m to more than 8 meters deep. The maximum extension of the excavator's boom could not exceed 7m in depth therefore in some places, it could measure more than 8m. The sedimentary sequence of the entire deposit consists mainly of medium to fine sand from the top down to gravel at its base. The 2021 excavations at times reached, after having crossed the layers of sand-gravel, beds of clay, bedrock or a water table that would fill the trenches. In October 2021, a stratigraphic cut of approximately 2.0m in height was sampled down an escarpment of the quarry. It intersected the section where the 10g/ton Au #798541 2020 sample was collected. Ditton Sector 10 samples taken from an operating gravel pit located near the town of La Patrie in Ditton township. The part of the quarry occupies approximately an area of 0.5 hectares. A series of 10 sand and gravel samples were taken along the walls and under the floor of the gravel pit. Vertical thicknesses of the sand & gravel deposit varied from 2m to more than 13m. Sample SB16, which was taken at random from the gravel by BGF, showed the presence of a very coarse gold grain that measured more than 4mm. Image 2: 4 mm gold grain from sample SB16 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/6198/102643_9e292850b4f2697f_002full.jpg In 1985, Cache Explorations undertook a series of overburden drill holes in the vicinity of the Ditton and Mining Brook areas. A churn drill hole (Hole 85-7 GM42843) 400m west of the quarry returned important gold values. Hole 85-7 intercepted a gold zone at 11.4m to 20.2m deep. A sample taken at 11.85 to 12.38m showed up to 65 fine gold grains (-1mg). All 39 samples were collected in 50 lbs buckets and sent to ExploLab in Val D'Or Quebec for gravimetric methods of gold separation and analysis. Jean Bernard, B,Sc. Geo., is a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101 who supervised the sampling program and has reviewed and approved the technical information presented in this release. About the Megantic Property The Megantic property extends southwest to the USA border of New Hampshire and to the northeast to Lac Megantic. The property extends for at least 30 km along the axis of the Bella Fault. It is divided into four sectors of past placer gold mines & of historical gold showings: the Ditton, the Mining Brook, the Chesham and Bergeron rivers. The intent of Beauce Gold Fields is to trace placer gold back to a bedrock source to uncover economic bedrock gold mineralization. About Beauce Gold Fields Beauce Gold Fields is a gold exploration company focused on placer to hard rock exploration in the Beauce region of Southern Quebec. The Company's flagship property is the St-Simon-les-Mines Gold project site of Canada's first gold rush that pre-dates the Yukon Klondike. The Beauce region hosted some of the largest historical placer gold mines in Eastern North America that were active from 1860s to the 1960s It produced some of the largest gold nuggets in Canadian mining history (50oz to 71oz). The intent of Beauce Gold Fields is to trace the placer gold workings back to the bedrock source and uncover economic bedrock gold mineralization. Comprising 152 contiguous claims and 7 real estate lots, the project area contains a six-kilometer long placer gold channel consisting of unconsolidated gold-bearing auriferous units of a lower saprolite and an upper brown diamictite. The Company has identified a major Fault Line in bedrock that coincides with geophysical findings of an interpreted fault structure across the property, referred to herein as the AMT Shear. Evidence suggests the erosion of the AMT Fault or related splay fractures as a probable source of the historical placer gold channel, and has conducted bedrock sampling and geophysics outside the expression of the placer gold channel. This is the target of the current drill program. Beauce Gold Fields website www.beaucegold.com Disclaimers: This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "may", "plan", "will", "estimate", "continue", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "in the process" and other similar expressions which constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company's current expectation and assumptions, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding mineral exploration. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company's on-going filings with the securities regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. For further information contact Patrick Levasseur, President and CEO Tel: (514) 262-9239 Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman and COO Tel (514) 907-1011 www.beaucegold.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102643 Discover the Beauty and Environmental Issues Facing Taiwan with Immersive Visual Solutions BREA, Calif., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, announces its partnership with the Chi Po-lin Foundation, a foundation established to honor and continue the legacy of the late Chi Po-lin, to support a yearly exhibition, "Reflection of Rivers". ViewSonic interactive displays are used to present thought-provoking aerial photos of Taiwan rivers at the immersive exhibit. With the hopes of raising awareness of our shared responsibility to conserve by demonstrating the effect that urbanization has had on the beauty of our natural rivers. Chi Po-lin was a world-renowned Taiwanese documentary director, aerial photographer, and environmental protection advocate who passed away in a helicopter crash in 2017. He took over 600,000 aerial photographs, which preserved beautiful views of Taiwan's landscape and environment. His documentary, "Beyond Beauty: Taiwan from Above" was the highest-grossing documentary to prompt environmental protection issues. "To honor Chi Po-lin's devotion to documenting the beauty of Taiwan, the Chi Po-lin Foundation has been and will continue to present exhibitions dedicated to the five aspects of Taiwan Mr. Chi cared about most: mountains, rivers, seas, cities, and people," said Wan, Kuan-Li, Chief Executive Officer of the Chi Po-lin Foundation. "In the exhibition, visitors can have a 10,000-feet-altitude view on how Taiwan's rivers sustain various industrial ecosystems. We invite everyone to witness the beauty and environmental challenges of Taiwan's rivers and think of ways we can coexist with nature to create a sustainable future." "ViewSonic has always been committed to helping the environment and society as well as advancing art through technology. By working with the Chi Po-lin Foundation, we pay tribute to Mr. Chi's spirit and achievements," said James Chu, Chairman and CEO of ViewSonic. "We hope that by giving visitors an interactive experience, they will gain a deeper appreciation of the importance of environmental protection and develop a greater love and care for our world." In the "Our Reflection in Rivers" area, ViewSonic's ViewBoard 6570 interactive displays and TD2455 touch monitors display engaging images taken by the late Chi Po-lin. With a single swipe of the palette-like color cards on the TD2455, images of rivers, lakes, and dams will animate on ViewBoard 6570. This emphasizes the colors of rivers affected by man-made pollution and the eutrophication and water scarcity problems caused by these issues. Demonstrating the devastation of the natural environment gives visitors a deeper appreciation of the need to protect Taiwan's rivers. For more information on the Chi Po-lin Foundation, please visit YouTube The Reflection of Rivers Exhibition Location: Chi Po-lin Museum (New Taipei City, Tamsui District, Zhongzheng Rd., No. 316-1 Exhibition Period: October 9, 2021, until Autumn 2022 About Chi Po-lin Foundation To continue Chi Po-lin's will and legacy to "speak for the land, voice for the environment," we established the Chi Po-lin Foundation in February 2018, with the objective to fulfill four missions - "sustainability, cultivation, inheritance and devotion" - to carry forward the ideal and spirit of "Seeing Taiwan, Safeguarding Our Home." With a digital collection as the core mission, the foundation has systematically organized and vitalized Chi's images. Furthermore, Chi's aerial photography is filtered through the vision of teachers to develop diverse lesson plans to foster greater depth in Taiwan's environmental education. It is also hoped that these efforts can help inspire the next Chi Po-lin so Taiwan may continue its legacy of visually documenting the environment. And as the world continues to witness Taiwan's beauty and sorrow, these powerful images and films may educate and inspire future generations. About ViewSonic Founded in California, ViewSonic is a leading global provider of visual solutions and conducts business in over 100 countries worldwide. As an innovator and visionary, ViewSonic is committed to providing comprehensive hardware and software solutions that include monitors, projectors, digital signage, ViewBoard interactive displays, and myViewBoard software ecosystem. With over 30 years of expertise in visual displays, ViewSonic has established a strong position for delivering innovative and reliable solutions for education, enterprise, consumer, and professional markets and helping customers "See the Difference." To find out more about ViewSonic, please visit www.viewsonic.com Photo -https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1681216/Image_2__ViewSonic_interactive_displays_are_used_to_present_thought_provoking_aerial_photos_and_inte.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1587181/Logo.jpg Results from HERACLES trial in 24 patients with GI-predominant, steroid-resistant grade III-IV aGvHD and from EAP program in 52 patients with aGvHD with GI involvement having failed previous therapies MaaT013, the Company's lead drug candidate, is a high-richness, high-diversity Microbiome Ecosystem Therapy (MET) Regulatory News: MaaT Pharma (EURONEXT: MAAT the "Company"), a French clinical-stage biotech and a pioneer in the development of microbiome-based ecosystem therapies dedicated to improving survival outcomes for patients with cancer, announced today that additional results from its Phase 2 trial HERACLES (NCT03359980) and extended results from its compassionate use (EAP) program for lead microbiome therapeutic MaaT013 will be discussed in an oral presentation at the 63rd American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting held from December 11-14, 2021. With these additional data from its MaaT013 Phase 2 trial and from MaaT013 early access program, this is the second year that results from the Company are selected for an oral presentation, and the fifth year in a row that the Company presents data at the ASH conference. The HERACLES results include data from 24 patients with grade III-IV, steroid-resistant, gastrointestinal (GI)-predominant, acute Graft-versus-Host-Disease (aGvHD) that were treated with MaaT013 as second line therapy. The EAP results include data from 52 patients treated with MaaT013, with steroid-resistant or steroid-dependent aGvHD with GI involvement, who had previously failed 1 to 6 lines (median: 3) lines of systemic therapy; MaaT Pharma provided the product to hospitals under a compassionate access program in France ("acces compassionnel"- EAP). MaaT013 is a high-richness, high-diversity Microbiome Ecosystem Therapy (MET) derived from pooled donations from strictly vetted healthy individuals and is presented as an enema. The data will be presented by Prof. Mohamad Mohty, professor and head of the Hematology and Cellular Therapy Department at the Saint-Antoine Hospital and Sorbonne University. Oral Presentation details: Title: Pooled Allogenic Fecal Microbiotherapy MaaT013 for the Treatment of Steroid-Refractory Gastrointestinal Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Results from the Phase IIa Heracles Study and Expanded Access Program Abstract No: 262 Session Name: 722. Allogeneic Transplantation: Acute and Chronic GVHD, Immune Reconstitution: Treatment of acute and chronic graft vs. host disease Date/Time: Saturday, December 11, 2021; 2:45 PM EST Room: Georgia World Congress Center, B304-B305 MaaT Pharma will announce the results through a press release on Monday, December 13, 2021. About MaaT Pharma MaaT Pharma, a clinical stage biotechnology company, has established a complete approach to restoring patient-microbiome symbiosis in oncology. Committed to treating cancer and graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), a serious complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, MaaT Pharma has already achieved proof of concept in a Phase II clinical trial in acute GvHD. Our powerful discovery and analysis platform, gutPrint, supports the development and expansion of our pipeline by determining novel disease targets, evaluating drug candidates, and identifying biomarkers for microbiome-related conditions. The company's Microbiome Ecosystem Therapies are produced through a standardized cGMP manufacturing and quality control process to safely deliver the full diversity of the microbiome, in liquid and oral formulations. MaaTPharma benefits from the commitment of world-leading scientists and established relationships with regulators to support the integration of the use of microbiome therapies in clinical practice. MaaT Pharma is listed on Euronext Paris (ticker: MAAT). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006292/en/ Contacts: MaaT Pharma Herve AFFAGARD Co-Founder and CEO +33 4 28 29 14 00 haffagard@maat-pharma.com MaaT Pharma Pauline RICHAUD Corporate Communication Manager +33 6 07 55 25 36 prichaud@maat-pharma.com Trophic Communications Corporate Communication Jacob VERGHESE or Gretchen SCHWEITZER +49 89 23 88 77 31 maat@trophic.eu ACTIFIN, Financial Communication Ghislaine GASPARETTO +33 (0)6 21 10 49 24 maatpharma@actifin.fr The Spanish Government published the Royal Decree-law (the Law) that transposes the European Commission's Covered Bond Directive (the Directive), which outlines the harmonisation of covered bond (CB) frameworks across Europe, into Spanish law. The Law aligns with the Directive and includes several positive features for Spanish CBs. However, the high Spanish overcollateralisation level, which is one of the main strengths of CB, may decrease in the future because the required OC level has dropped to 5% from the previously required 25% and 42.9%. This commentary is based on DBRS Morningstar's first understanding of the updated rules, and summarises the most relevant changes. Some of the positive features are: The more restrictive loan-to-value ratios (LTVs) and the requirement to frequently update property valuations, which DBRS Morningstar expects will improve the quality of the mortgage cover pools. The six-month liquidity buffer required in the cover pool. Maturity extensions specifically allowed by law. The lack of discretion for the issuer to extend the maturity of the bonds, once specified in the contractual terms and conditions of the CB, mitigate potential reputational risks in case the issuer wants to extend the maturity of the CB at its discretion. An independent party (the cover pool monitor) to perform ongoing monitoring of the cover pool is required. In case of insolvency or resolution, a special cover pool administrator is assigned to protect the interests of the CB holders. Some of the negative features are: The minimum OC level required by law has dropped to 5% from the previous levels of 25% and 42.9% DBRS Morningstar expects that the high OC level, which has been one of the main strengths of Spanish CB, may decrease. The law does not exclude loans where a default is considered to have occurred from contributing to the coverage requirement and the calculation of the OC, as long as they are collateralised. There are no specific rules for stress tests to be made on the CB programme. The maturity extension needs to be subject to objective criteria and be approved by the Bank of Spain, which could lead to delays if the issuer needs to extend the maturity of a CB. The cover pool monitor does not need to be separate from the credit institution, although should comply with specific independence criteria. There is a risk of acceleration if the issuer becomes insolvent. To view the full report, click here: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/387729/the-updated-law-on-spanish-covered-bonds-well-aligned-with-the-european-directive Click here to register for the webinar on this topic: https://www.brighttalk.com/webcast/15677/519231 The DBRS Morningstar group of companies consists of DBRS, Inc. (Delaware, U.S.)(NRSRO, DRO affiliate); DBRS Limited (Ontario, Canada)(DRO, NRSRO affiliate); DBRS Ratings GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany)(EU CRA, NRSRO affiliate, DRO affiliate); and DBRS Ratings Limited (England and Wales)(UK CRA, NRSRO affiliate, DRO affiliate). For more information on regulatory registrations, recognitions and approvals of the DBRS Morningstar group of companies, please see: https://www.dbrsmorningstar.com/research/highlights.pdf. 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View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006332/en/ Contacts: Dennis Ferreira European.Communications@dbrsmorningstar.com Appointment of former New Zealand ambassador and establishment of a Vietnam HQ furthering the expansion strategy and growing regional expertise to the international education leader's global footprint HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sannam S4, a leading international education services provider, today announced the appointment of the former New Zealand Ambassador Mr. Haike Manning as Executive Director, South East Asia and through the acquisition of the education business of LightPath Consulting Group, acquires a presence in Vietnam. Manning's appointment and the acquisition of LightPath Consulting Group's education practice brings Sannam S4 an established local presence in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam which immediately delivers a range of international education support services to globally ambitious education partners. Manning, in his newly-created role, will bring years of experience in diplomacy and trade negotiations to the job and will lead Sannam S4's expansion in the high-potential, fast-growing Southeast Asia region. Manning has been based in Vietnam since 2012. "Over the last few years, Vietnam has become the hot-ticket in the region for education opportunities from K12 through EdTech and Higher Education, given its strong demographic and economic trends. We've seen an exponential rise in the number of enquiries for market entry, strategy or operational support in the country, so I am delighted we will now have a strong offering on the ground under Haike's leadership. The new Ho Chi Minh City operation complements our South East Asia office in Kuala Lumpur perfectly, offering the ideal combination of a well-connected hub city to serve the wider region, with deep on the ground expertise in the most exciting individual market." - Michael Bartlett, Sannam S4 Managing Director of Education "I am tremendously excited to be joining Sannam S4, especially during its current period of rapid and ambitious global expansion," said Manning. "Their unrivaled expertise in key markets have set an industry standard, as does the energy and dynamism of the company." Manning trained as a lawyer before joining the Foreign Service. Previous offshore assignments included New Delhi as Deputy Chief of Mission for New Zealand, Acting Consul General in Shanghai, and Deputy Chief of Mission in Brazil. Manning was also a senior trade negotiator for New Zealand at the World Trade Organization and in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. After four years working in that capacity, he was awarded an ambassadorship to Vietnam, a country Manning specifically selected due to its economic potential. "I could see Vietnam's compelling growth story," Manning said, "and the opportunity to really shape New Zealand's engagement with an emerging Vietnam." During his four years as ambassador Manning saw potential for strong educational ties between the two countries. At that time, Vietnamese students were opting to study in the US or Australia, so Manning dedicated time messaging and publicising New Zealand's academic offer. Vietnamese student numbers to New Zealand grew strongly in the following years. In an acknowledgement of his efforts to promote education linkages, Manning was awarded the Official Medal for the Cause of Education by the Vietnamese government. Manning established LightPath in 2017, inspired by a vision of building a bridge between Vietnam and international education opportunities. "Human resource development - education - is a critical part of the puzzle for Vietnam in terms of its future development. There's an amazing opportunity here to support Vietnam in its growth story through international education, and I'm honored to play a part in this story," said Manning. Sannam S4 is the preferred global partner for strategic and sustainable expansion in international higher education. By providing local expertise, a global perspective and data analysis, we help partners confidently explore, enter and expand into dynamic, high-growth markets. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Stacey Lane- Head of Communications Stacey.Lane@sannams4.com Healthcare administration professor and former Florida state senator agree to join Puget President & CEO Karen Fordham as new board members Boca Raton, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Puget Technologies, Inc. (OTC Pink: PUGE) ("Puget"), a Nevada corporation subject to reporting pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, announces today that Professor John (Jay) Shiver of George Mason University and former Florida State Senator Nancy Detert have agreed to serve as independent members of Puget's Board of Directors. Their terms will start following the conclusion of Puget's current Limited Securities Offering concurrently with the initiation of coverage under an officers and directors liability insurance policy. At the Annual Shareholder's Meeting held on June 7, 2021, the shareholders ratified the recommendation that Puget's board be expanded to nine or more members, at least three of whom should be independent so that audit, nominating, and compensation committees could be implemented as envisioned by Puget's articles of incorporation and bylaws. Ms. Detert and Mr. Shiver fill two of these three independent positions. In addition, Karen Fordham, Puget's President & CEO, has been formally elected as a member of the Board of Directors. John (Jay) Shiver, MHA, age 75, is an assistant professor and the Undergraduate Coordinator of Health Administration and Policy at George Mason University where he teaches in the graduate and undergraduate programs. He is a seasoned healthcare executive and thought leader, consultant, and healthcare operations manager with more than 30 years of experience in hospital administration, physician practice management, and management consulting. As a consultant, he has assisted healthcare organizations and medical universities across the country. He has advised health system leaders, boards of trustees, physicians, and medical school leaders on a broad range of issues including strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, new venture development, strategic alliances, organizational development, conflict resolution, clinical service line development, and ambulatory care strategies. Prior to his management consulting career, Mr. Shiver had fifteen years of hospital operations experience with teaching facilities of up to 970 beds. He also served as the CEO of a 160-physician group practice and physician billing company. Mr. Shiver has served as faculty for the American College of Healthcare Executives, the American Academy of Medical Administrators, and lectures nationally. He publishes regularly, has edited numerous texts and newsletters, hosted healthcare internet sites and hosted a television show. He has served as Past President of National Capital Healthcare Executives, Past Board Member of Kiwanis of Washington, DC, and the United Way of Arlington County. His many publications include the following books which are directly relevant to Puget's strategy: "Managing Integrated Health Systems" and "Freestanding Emergency Centers, a Guide to Planning, Organization and Management." Mr. Shiver is a 1968 graduate of the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina and holds a Master's degree in Medical Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. "I am looking forward to working with so many innovative people in the healthcare industry," says Mr. Shiver. "Puget's mission to create an efficient, comprehensive, and accessible healthcare delivery system is exactly what I have been researching and writing about. Finally, a company has come along that has my same vision." "Mr. Shiver's diverse experience across the professional and academic realms of healthcare administration brings the wisdom that we need on the Board to guide us to the next stage of growth," says Karen Fordham, Puget's President & CEO. "After reading his book, "Managing Integrated Health Systems," I'm convinced that our world views are aligned and am confident we could not have chosen a better evangelist for our company and our strategy." Nancy C. Detert, age 77, has served as member of the Sarasota County Commission since 2016. During 2016, she was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives in Florida's 13th Congressional District. From 2008 to 2016, she represented parts of Sarasota and Charlotte Counties in the Florida Senate and from 1998 to 2006 served in the Florida House of Representatives and prior to that served on the Sarasota County School Board from 1988-1992. Commissioner Detert has also served on the Enterprise Florida board of Directors (2009) and the Florida Commission on Tourism (2009). From 1983 until 2007, Ms. Detert served as President of the Osprey Mortgage Company in Venice, Florida, which she founded. Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Commissioner Detert attended Siena Heights University in Michigan. Ms. Detert, a descendant of Charles Carroll, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, is the recipient of numerous awards and many bills sponsored by her were passed including the Nancy Detert Caring and Compassionate Act, a bill that extends Foster Care from age 18 to 21. Ms. Detert has earned many honors and awards during her career, including the City of Venice, Pillar of the Community Award, 2015; the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Distinguished Advocate Award, 2015; the Florida League of Cities, Legislative Distinction Award, 2014; the Big Brothers Big Sisters, Legislator of the Year Award, 2014; and the Florida Bar Trial Lawyers Section Champion of Justice Independence Award, 2011; and the Florida Music Educators' Association, Friend of Music Education Award, 2010. For more information on her impressive list of accolades, see https://www.pugettechnologies.com/team. "Ms. Detert will add balance to our Board with her distinguished career in public service," says Karen Fordham, Puget's President & CEO. "Her passion for building the local community will enable her to act as a voice for the patients that we plan to serve with our integrated healthcare delivery system." "I'm excited about Puget's goal to improve accessibility to and quality of healthcare, and to accelerate innovation in other social impact-driven industries such as climate change," says Ms. Detert. "I am looking forward to working with Ms. Fordham and her team to make an impact in our local, national, and global community." For additional information, please contact Puget at 1-561-210-8535, by email at info@pugettechnologies.com or visit our website for continuing updates at https://pugettechnologies.com. About Puget Technologies, Inc. Puget Technologies, Inc. (pugettechnologies.com) aspires to evolve into an innovation-focused holding company operating through a group of subsidiaries and business units that work together to empower ground-breaking companies to reach their next stage of growth. With a strategy that combines acquisitions, strategic investment strategies, and operational support, Puget intends to provide a one-stop shop for growing companies who need access to both capital and growth resources, while enabling Puget and its stockholders to generate synergies and derive profit through pooled resources and shared goals. Puget's proposed investment focus ranges from traditional industries like health care that are ripe for business model innovation to new markets that strive to solve big societal problems such as climate change. Puget is publicly traded on the Pink Open Market under the ticker symbol "PUGE" and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida. Forward-Looking Statements Any statements made in this press release that are not statements of historical fact, including statements about Puget's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, and should be evaluated as such. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the terms "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "will" or, in each case, their negative, or other variations or comparable terminology. Puget bases these forward-looking statements or projections on its current expectations, plans and assumptions that it has made in light of its experience in the industry, as well as its perceptions of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate under the circumstances and at such time. As you read and consider this press release, you should understand that these statements are not guarantees of future performance or results. The forward-looking statements and projections are subject to and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or projections. Although Puget believes that these forward-looking statements and projections are based on reasonable assumptions at the time they are made, you should be aware that many factors could affect Puget's actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements and projections. Puget undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. If Puget does update one or more forward-looking statements, there should be no inference that it will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102666 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Marvel Discovery Corp. (TSXV:MARV)(Frankfurt:O4T1)(OTCQB:MARVF); (the "Company") is pleased to announce an update on its 100% owned Baie Verte Project, located in Western Newfoundland. Through a combination of staking and purchase agreements, Marvel has acquired an additional 451 claims, 11,275 hectares along the Baie Verte Brompton Line (BVBL), bringing the total size of the Baie Verte Project to 40,900 hectares and covering a 70km strike length along the BVBL corridor. This new staking is contiguous to the Sassy Resources Cape Ray project, and like the Cape Ray project, these new claims cover an area with little historical exploration. Structural analysis of regional magnetic datasets suggests a complex area marked by numerous fault splays from the Baie Verte Brompton Line, a crustal scale deep seated fault. The Baie Verte Brompton Line (BVBL) is a documented continental scale suture which separates the Humber Zone Terrane to the West from the central Newfoundland Dunnage Zone to the east. Importantly all of Newfoundland's existing gold production comes from mines on the Baie Verte Peninsula, Anaconda Mining Inc.'s Point Rousse and Rambler Metals Mining Operations, both of which are in close proximity to the BVBL. Marvel also reports it has contracted Balch Exploration Consulting Inc. (BECI) to conduct a high-resolution magnetic gradiometer survey scheduled to commence this week. The survey will aid in a detailed litho-structural analysis of the entire project area. BECI provides a state-of-art acquisition system with an airframe design based on a high drag principle to keep the sensors on-line and without the need for magnetic compensation resulting in the highest quality total magnetic intensity and gradiometer data. Marvel's Chief Executive Officer Karim Rayani commented, "The Baie Verte Line Project is an area which really excites us. The entire Baie Verte Peninsula has been staked and Marvel is the only company, apart from Shawn Ryan and Sassy Resources, who have considered the potential of this prolific structure which spans the entire province from the Baie Verte Peninsula to the extreme southwestern tip of the province. We are excited to announce the commencement of the first ever High Resolution Magnetic Gradiometry survey along this underexplored area of the BVBL. Our prospecting teams are ready to commence exploration along the structural features and targets we believe will be highlighted by this state of the art airborne survey." Airborne magnetic data provide the means to interpret geologic structure and lithology variations in areas with little to no outcrop. In regions where basement outcrop is minimal and petrophysical contrasts exist between different geological units, the data can offer the potential to "see undercover" and their interpretation can minimize risk and vector exploration efforts to those areas of high merit in real-time. BECI is able to provide both raw and processed data on a daily basis, working closely with our ground team in their efforts to perform detailed target analysis. Qualified Person Mr. Mike Kilbourne, P. Geo, an independent qualified person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical contents of this news release on behalf of the Company. About Marvel Discovery Corp. Marvel, listed on the TSX Venture Exchange for over 25 years, is a Canadian based emerging resource company. The Company is systematically exploring its extensive property positions in: Newfoundland (Slip, Gander North, Gander South, Victoria Lake, Baie Verte, and Hope Brook - Au Prospects ) ) Atikokan, Ontario (BlackFly - Au Prospect ) ) Elliot Lake, Ontario (East Bull - Ni-Cu-PGE Prospect ) ) Quebec (Duhamel - Ni-Cu-Co prospect & Titanium, Vanadium, and Chromium Prospect ) ) Prince George, British Columbia (Wicheeda North - Rare Earth Elements Prospect) The Company's website is: https://marveldiscovery.ca/ ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Marvel Discovery Corp. "Karim Rayani" Karim Rayani President/Chief Executive Officer, Director Tel: 604 716 0551 email: k@r7.capital Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information: Certain statements in this release are forward-looking statements which reflect the expectations of management. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations, or intentions regarding the future. Forward-looking statements in this press release relate to, among other things: completion of the proposed Arrangement. Actual future results may differ materially. 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. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the respective parties, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release concerning these times. Except as required by law, the Company does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law 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. SOURCE: Marvel Discovery Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671975/Marvel-Expands-Baie-Verte-By-11275-Hectares-Initiates-Airborne-Surveys-Newfoundland TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Forward Water Technologies Corp. (TSXV:FWTC) (the "Company") announced today the grant of incentive stock options as compensation to its independent directors. The Company's two independent directors have each been granted an option to purchase up to 261,500 Common Shares in the capital of the Company (the "Shares") at an exercise price of $0.175 per share. Each option will vest and become exercisable as to 1/3 of the Shares issuable under the option on each of the following dates: November 9, 2021 (the "Grant Date"), the first anniversary of the Grant Date, and the second anniversary of the Grant Date. The options expire on November 9, 2026, five years after the Grant Date. About Forward Water Technologies Corp. Forward Water Technologies Corp. is an Ontario corporation dedicated to the commercialization of its proprietary forward osmosis technology. The technology allows manufacturing operations to clean their wastewater that would otherwise require costly disposal. The technology also enables the reclamation of up to 90% of the waste as clean water and the return of this valuable resource to the environment. Alternatively, the clean water can be reused by manufacturing operations to reduce their overall water consumption and environmental footprint. The Company's corporate office is located in Toronto, Ontario and its research, development and engineering office is located in Sarnia, Ontario. For more information on Forward Water Technologies Corp., please visit: https://www.forwardwater.com . Contact Information: For more information or interview requests, please contact: C. Howie Honeyman - Chief Executive Officer howie.honeyman@forwardwater.com 416-451-8155 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as: "intend", "believe", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will" and similar references to future periods . Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements we make about the future plans of the Company, as well as information relating to the Company. 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 include those disclosed in the Company's filing statement dated October 6, 2021, which are incorporated herein by reference and are available through SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Any forward-looking statement made by us in this news release is based only on information currently available to us and speaks only as of the date on which it is made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, 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. SOURCE: Forward Water Technologies Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671974/Forward-Water-Technologies-Corp-Announces-Stock-Option-Grants Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Mine One Blockchain Inc. ("Mine One" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that Alex Lineton, Mine One Chief Executive Officer, will attend the Digital Asset Summit (DAS) in London, England. The event will be held at the Royal Lancaster Hotel on Monday and Tuesday, November 14th, and 15th. The DAS is the institutionally focused crypto conference for asset managers and financial services professionals which is returning in 2021 as a two day, in person event. Industry leaders from the world of finance and digital assets will gather to discuss crypto from the perspective of industry practitioners. The Mine One CEO will be alongside experts for the two-day event and will be attending the VIP and speaker dinner on the Monday evening. Alex Lineton, CEO of Mine One, Blockchain Inc. email: investors@mine.one To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/8274/102707_Alex_Lineton_36.JPG DAS is hosted by Blockworks who are a financial media brand that deliver news and insights about digital assets to millions of investors. They were founded in 2018 and are most well known for their Digital Asset Summit. This is the leading conference for institutional investors looking at digital assets, which consists of over twenty shows and reaches two million downloads every month. Alex Lineton commented, "I am once again looking forward to meeting with fellow leaders in the crypto world. The event looks fantastic, full of great speakers and companies. I am keen to meet fellow companies in the space to discuss opportunities to work together and ask interested parties to please book an appointment using my contact details below." About Mine One Blockchain Inc. Mine One Blockchain Inc. are a blockchain infrastructure company whose aim is to show that the essential task of cryptocurrency mining can be done at scale in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way. Using only renewable and carbon neutral energy sources, in association with next generation mining rigs, the company is rapidly scaling a very profitable and sustainable business. https://www.mine.one If you would like to set up a meeting at the event with Alex, CEO of Mine one, he can be contacted directly on: linkedin.com/in/alexlineton twitter.com/alexlineton To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102707 TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - Sony Group Corp. (SONY) announced on Tuesday that it signed a joint venture deal with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. or TSMC to invest a sum of $500 million for building a $7 billion chip plant in Japan. The work on the plant will begin in 2022 and production will begin by the end of 2024, the companies said in a statement. The plant would be supplying semiconductors to Sony's image sensor business. The companies said, 'The plant is expected to directly create about 1,500 high-tech professional jobs and to have a monthly production capacity of 45,000 12-inch wafers.' The new plant will have the capacity to manufacture 22-nanometer and 28-nanometer chips to meet high worldwide demand for specialty chip technologies, the statement said. The Japanese government has offered all support to the project, but the companies declined to say if it included financial support as well. Taiwan, which is home to chip makers like TSMC, has become the center of all the moves undertaken to solve a chip shortage crisis across the world, which has stopped the production of many electric vehicles and also affected the consumer electric market all over the world. In the coming three years, TSMC plans to spend $100 billion to increase chip capacity and is in the process of constructing a $12 billion chip fabrication plant in the Arizona. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX SONY GROUP-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de -Net Income of $5.2 Million, Up 135% from Prior Quarter- HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Evolution Petroleum (NYSE American:EPM) ("Evolution" or the "Company") today announced financial and operating highlights for its fiscal 2022 first quarter ended September 30, 2021. Evolution also declared a quarterly dividend for the second quarter of fiscal 2022 payable December 31, 2021. Key Q1 Fiscal 2022 and Recent Highlights Produced 5,843 net barrels of oil equivalent per day ("BOEPD") during the current quarter, up 33% from the quarter ended June 30, 2021 (the "prior quarter"); Generated net income of $5.2 million ($0.16 per diluted share) in the current quarter, more than double net income of $2.2 million ($0.07 per diluted share) in the prior quarter; Increased Adjusted EBITDA (1) more than 80% to $8.5 million from $4.7 million in the prior quarter; more than 80% to $8.5 million from $4.7 million in the prior quarter; Continued to fund all operations, development capital expenditures, and cash dividends out of operating cash flow; Grew cash balance to $8.0 million and maintained strong balance sheet with no net debt (2) as of September 30, 2021; as of September 30, 2021; Paid 32 nd consecutive quarterly cash dividend on common shares of $0.075, an increase of 50% over the prior quarter; consecutive quarterly cash dividend on common shares of $0.075, an increase of 50% over the prior quarter; Declared the next dividend payment of $0.075 per share, payable on December 31, 2021; and Amended the Company's Senior Secured Credit Facility (the "Credit Facility) effective November 9, 2021 to increase the borrowing base on the Credit Facility by $20 million to a total borrowing base of $50 million with an elected commitment amount of $40 million. (1) Adjusted EBITDA is Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization and is a non-GAAP financial measure; see "Non-GAAP Information" section later in this release for more information including reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measures. (2) Net debt represents the Company's outstanding debt of $4.0 million less cash and cash equivalents balance of $8.0 million as of September 30, 2021. Jason Brown, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are pleased to report another quarter of solid performance and cash generation that continues to support our operations, capital investment, and cash dividend strategies that are designed to directly benefit our shareholders. Contributing to our first quarter fiscal 2022 results were higher production volumes and an increase in commodity prices from which we fully benefitted as we remained unhedged. Higher production volumes are primarily tied to receiving our first full quarter of production from our Barnett Shale assets. We continue to be pleased with our newest asset and remain encouraged by commodity prices. The higher commodity price environment also led to increased field activity among our operators, which allowed performance of economically attractive workover projects. Our financial success during the first quarter provides further support of our long-term strategic objectives centered around free cash flow generation and providing a meaningful cash return to our shareholders. Our operational and financial success, coupled with our disciplined and conservative business strategy, have allowed us to provide consistent quarterly cash dividends for the past eight years. We continue to evaluate additional opportunities to add attractive assets that would support this strategy." Mr. Brown concluded, "We believe providing our shareholders with a meaningful and sustainable ongoing cash return on their investment in Evolution is critical to the long-term success of our business. In further support of our commitment to continuing sustainable business practices, last week we publicly released our comprehensive inaugural Corporate Sustainability Report. We view our Environmental, Social, and Governance, or ESG, programs and initiatives as a key part of our strategy and another opportunity to further differentiate Evolution in the marketplace. We believe our focus on ESG best practices will prove beneficial, now and in the future, as we use them to inform our evaluations of accretive opportunities to further grow our strong asset base and reserves." Financial and Operational Results for the Quarter Ended September 30, 2021 Evolution reported total revenue for the first quarter of fiscal 2022 of $18.9 million, which was a 38% increase from the prior quarter. Oil revenue increased 4% to $8.9 million from the prior quarter primarily due to a 6% increase in realized commodity price partially offset by a small decline in sales volumes. Natural gas liquids ("NGLs") revenue increased 77% to $4.6 million primarily due to the benefit of a full quarter of production from the Barnett Shale acquisition, as well as a 14% increase in the realized commodity price. Natural gas revenue was $5.5 million, which was a 108% increase from the prior quarter, with the increase driven by the combination of higher sales volumes from the Barnett Shale acquisition and a 36% higher realized price. Total production for the first quarter fiscal 2022 was 5,843 BOEPD, an increase of 33% over the prior quarter, which was primarily driven by the production benefit from the Barnett Shale acquisition. First quarter production was comprised of 1,456 barrels per day ("BOPD") of oil, 1,713 BOEPD of NGLs and 16,046 Mcf per day ("MCFPD") of natural gas. Lease operating costs increased to $8.6 million from $7.6 million in the prior quarter primarily due to increased volumes associated with the timing of the Barnett Shale acquisition and temporarily increased workover activity at Hamilton Dome to restart wells shut-in during the pandemic due to low commodity prices. Partially offsetting the overall increase in lease operating costs were lower CO2 purchases at Delhi due to a suspension of CO2 purchases from July 15, 2021 to August 20, 2021 in order to perform preventative maintenance on the CO2 purchase pipeline. Oil prices increased from the prior quarter leading to an increase in CO2 cost per Mcf as the CO2 purchase price is based on oil price. However, overall CO2 costs were lower than the prior quarter due to decreased volumes from the temporary suspension of purchases. The recently acquired Barnett Shale assets have also driven down the lease operating cost per BOE significantly due to the lower cost per BOE nature of natural gas wells. The combination of lower CO2 purchases and higher natural gas and liquids production volumes helped drive a 16% decrease in current quarter lease operating cost to $16.05 per BOE from $19.02 per BOE in the prior quarter. Depletion, depreciation, and amortization ("DD&A") expense increased 15% to $1.5 million quarter-over-quarter due to the increase in production during the current quarter primarily attributable to a full quarter of production from the Barnett Shale acquisition. On a per BOE basis, the Company's DD&A rate decreased 15% to $2.65 compared to the prior quarter primarily due to an increase in the proved reserves from an increase in the SEC pricing (twelve-month first day of the month average realized prices). The Company's general and administrative ("G&A") expenses were $1.9 million for the current quarter compared to $1.8 million in the prior quarter. The increase was primarily due to one-time costs associated with the retirement of the Chief Accounting Officer ($0.2 million), professional fees associated with the Barnett Shale acquisition ($0.1 million) and some initial costs for the development of the Company's inaugural Corporate Sustainability Report including a new website and branded matching Investor Relation materials. Net income for the current quarter was $5.2 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, compared to $2.2 million, or $0.07 per diluted share in the prior quarter. The increase in the Company's net income is primarily due to increased realized commodity prices and a full quarter of production from the Barnett Shale acquisition. Adjusted EBITDA increased 83% to $8.5 million for the current quarter from $4.7 million for the prior quarter. On a per BOE basis, Adjusted EBITDA increased 35% from $11.70 per BOE in the prior quarter to $15.84 per BOE for the current quarter. Operations Update Net production at Delhi in the current quarter was 118,228 BOE, a 3% decrease compared to 121,911 BOE in the prior quarter. Oil production continues to be adversely affected by the nine-month suspension of CO2 purchases during 2020 due to repairs of the third-party owned purchase supply line that lowered reservoir pressure. Resumption of purchases has yet to significantly restore reservoir pressure, which is projected to increase oil production. During the current quarter, oil production was further impacted by the suspension of CO2 purchases from July 15, 2021 through August 20, 2021 for preventative maintenance on the CO2 purchase pipeline. During the pipeline repairs, the CO2 recycle facilities continued to operate as usual and provided approximately 80% of the typical injected CO2 volumes. The pipeline is owned and operated by Denbury, which completed maintenance on the pipeline and resumed flowing CO2 on August 21, 2021, at the rate of approximately 85 MMcf per day. The operator anticipates being able to increase this rate up to 110 MMcf per day during the next quarter in order to increase reservoir pressure. Current quarter NGL production volumes at Delhi were essentially flat with the prior quarter. The average oil price per barrel realized by Evolution at the Delhi field during the first quarter of fiscal 2022 was $68.88 compared to $64.68 during the previous quarter, an increase of 6%. The average realized NGL price per barrel was $39.08 compared to $28.69 during the previous quarter, an increase of 36%. Hamilton Dome production volumes increased 2% to 37,145 barrels in the current quarter compared to 36,453 barrels in the prior quarter primarily due to the operator partially restoring wells previously shut-in due to low oil prices during the pandemic and strategic adjustments to water injection locations and volumes.Most projects in the field remain focused on maintenance or restoring shut-in production. The average oil price per barrel realized by Evolution at Hamilton Dome during the current quarter was $59.21 compared to $55.93 during the previous quarter, an increase of 6%. Production from the field is transported by pipeline to customers and is priced on the Western Canadian Select index, which generally trades at a discount to West Texas Intermediate ("WTI"). Net production of the Barnett Shale assets was 382,115 BOE for the current quarter versus 240,009 BOE in the previous quarter, an increase of 59%. As previously discussed, the Company benefitted from a full quarter of production in the Barnett Shale compared to 55 production days in the prior quarter as Evolution's acquisition of its Barnett Shale assets closed on May 7, 2021. Balance Sheet, Capital Spending and Liquidity At September 30, 2021, cash and cash equivalents totaled $8.0 million, and Evolution had $4.0 million of debt outstanding under its revolving credit facility. During the first quarter of fiscal 2022, the Company fully funded operations, capital expenditures, and cash dividends through cash generated from operations and its working capital position, and expects the same for the remainder of fiscal 2022. For the three months ended September 30, 2021, Evolution paid $2.5 million for common stock dividends and incurred $0.3 million for Delhi field capital maintenance activities. Based on discussions with the operators of the Company's assets, recently resumed conformance workover projects are expected to continue and will likely result in additional maintenance capital expenditures, primarily at the Delhi field. Evolution currently expects such expenditures across all assets to be in the range of $1.0 million to $2.0 million for the balance of fiscal 2022. As of September 30, 2021, working capital was $15.6 million, an increase of $4.1 million over working capital of $11.5 million at June 30, 2021. The increase in working capital was primarily driven by higher revenues during the current quarter compared to the prior quarter and a temporary increase in the number of months of our Barnett Shale revenue receivables due to the transition of ownership. Total liquidity at quarter end was $34.0 million, including cash and cash equivalents of $8.0 million and $26.0 million of available borrowings on the Company's Credit Facility. On November 9, 2021, Evolution entered into the Eighth Amendment to its Credit Facility (the "Amendment"). The Amendment, in lieu of the fall re-determination, increased the Company's borrowing base to $50 million, an increase of $20 million from the previous borrowing base of $30 million. The Company has elected a $40 million commitment amount resulting in availability to borrow $36 million as of November 9, 2021 under the new borrowing base amount. The Amendment also adds a covenant whereby the Company must hedge certain percentages of future production based on certain utilization percentages of the Credit Facility. Cash Dividend on Common Stock The Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.075 per share of common stock, which will be paid on December 31, 2021 to common stockholders of record on December 15, 2021. This will be the thirty-third consecutive quarterly cash dividend on the common stock, which has been paid since the quarter ended December 31, 2013. To date, the Company has paid over $77 million, or $2.34 per share, back to stockholders as cash dividends. Maintaining and ultimately growing the common stock dividend remains a Company priority. Conference Call As previously announced, Evolution Petroleum will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern (1:00 p.m. Central) to discuss results. To access the call, please dial 1-888-506-0062 (Toll-free United States and Canada) or 1-973-528-0011 (Toll International). The access code for the call is 750105. To listen live via webcast over the internet, go to http://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/2188/43337 or visit www.evolutionpetroleum.com for a link to the webcast. A webcast replay will be available on Evolution's website following the call. An audio replay will also be available two hours after the end of the conference call through December 10, 2021, and will be accessible by calling 1-877-481-4010 (United States & Canada); 919-882-2331 (International) with the replay pin number of 43337. 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 Texas' Barnett Shale. 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 www.EvolutionPetroleum.com. Cautionary Statement All forward-looking statements contained in this press release regarding current expectations, potential results and future plans and objectives of the Company involve a wide range of risks and uncertainties. Statements herein using words such as "believe," "expect," "plans," "outlook," "should," "will," and words of similar meaning are forward-looking statements. Although our expectations are based on business, engineering, geological, financial, and operating assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from our expectations and we can give no assurance that our goals will be achieved. These factors and others are detailed under the heading "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in our periodic documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Company Contacts Jason Brown, President & CEO Ryan Stash, SVP & CFO (713) 935-0122 JBrown@evolutionpetroleum.com RStash@evolutionpetroleum.com Evolution Petroleum Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, June 30, 2021 2020 2021 Revenues Oil $ 8,858,463 $ 5,379,161 $ 8,492,223 Natural gas liquids 4,562,218 216,026 2,582,610 Natural gas 5,458,329 189 2,628,245 Total revenues 18,879,010 5,595,376 13,703,078 Operating costs Lease operating costs 8,625,167 2,397,924 7,577,204 Depreciation, depletion, and amortization 1,527,812 1,410,888 1,326,603 Impairment of proved property - 9,602,620 - Net loss on derivative contracts - 334,966 - General and administrative expenses* 1,939,909 1,278,698 1,798,521 Total operating costs 12,092,888 15,025,096 10,702,328 Income (loss) from operations 6,786,122 (9,429,720 ) 3,000,750 Other Interest and other income 2,477 14,426 4,535 Interest expense (50,612 ) (22,032 ) (42,625 ) Income (loss) before income tax provision 6,737,987 (9,437,326 ) 2,962,660 Income tax expense (benefit) 1,519,586 (2,302,178 ) 746,440 Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders $ 5,218,401 $ (7,135,148 ) $ 2,216,220 Earnings (loss) per common share Basic $ 0.16 $ (0.22 ) $ 0.07 Diluted $ 0.16 $ (0.22 ) $ 0.07 Weighted average number of common shares outstanding Basic 33,533,990 32,955,656 33,510,337 Diluted 33,533,990 32,955,656 33,510,337 * For the three months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, and June 30, 2021, non-cash stock-based compensation expenses were $197,826, $300,351 and $319,591, respectively. Evolution Petroleum Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets (Unaudited) September 30, 2021 June 30, 2021 Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 7,954,878 $ 5,276,510 Receivables from oil and gas sales 16,304,234 $ 8,686,967 Receivables for federal and state income tax refunds 3,107,638 3,107,638 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 928,593 1,037,259 Total current assets 28,295,343 18,108,374 Property and equipment, net of depreciation, depletion, and amortization Oil and natural gas properties-full-cost method of accounting, of which none were excluded from amortization 57,369,403 58,515,860 Other property and equipment, net 9,555 10,639 Total property and equipment, net 57,378,958 58,526,499 Other assets, net 58,742 70,789 Total assets $ 85,733,043 $ 76,705,662 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current liabilities Accounts payable $ 10,404,928 $ 5,609,367 Accrued liabilities and other 654,270 947,045 State and federal taxes payable 1,676,460 37,748 Total current liabilities 12,735,658 6,594,160 Long term liabilities Senior secured credit facility 4,000,000 4,000,000 Deferred income taxes 5,838,077 5,957,202 Asset retirement obligations 5,661,868 5,538,752 Operating lease liability 10,417 20,745 Total liabilities 28,246,020 22,110,859 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders' equity Common stock; par value $0.001; 100,000,000 shares authorized; 33,631,749 and 33,514,952 shares issued and outstanding as of September 30, 2021 and June 30, 2021, respectively 33,632 33,515 Additional paid-in capital 42,737,334 42,541,224 Retained earnings 14,716,057 12,020,064 Total stockholders' equity 57,487,023 54,594,803 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 85,733,043 $ 76,705,662 Evolution Petroleum Corporation and Subsidiaries Non-GAAP Reconciliation - Adjusted EBITDA (Unaudited) Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that is used as a supplemental financial measure by our management and by external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks, and others, to assess our operating performance as compared to that of other companies in our industry, without regard to financing methods, capital structure, or historical costs basis. It is also used to assess our ability to incur and service debt and fund capital expenditures. Our Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to net income (loss), operating income (loss), cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities, or any other measure of financial performance or liquidity presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our Adjusted EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of another company because all companies may not calculate Adjusted EBITDA in the same manner. The Company defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) plus interest expense, income tax expense (benefit), depreciation, depletion and amortization (DD&A), stock-based compensation, other amortization and accretion, ceiling test impairment and other impairments, unrealized loss (gain) on change in fair value of derivatives, and other non-cash expense (income) items. Three Months Ended September 30, September 30, June 30, 2021 2020 2021 Net income (loss) 5,218,401 (7,135,148 ) 2,216,220 Adjusted by: Interest expense 50,612 18,243 42,625 Income tax expense (benefit) 1,519,586 (2,302,178 ) 746,440 DD&A 1,527,812 1,410,888 1,326,603 Stock-based compensation 197,826 300,351 319,591 Other amortization and accretion - (1,695 ) 10,868 Impairments - 9,602,620 - Unrealized loss (gain) on derivatives - (816,610 ) - Other non-cash income - (11,612 ) - Adjusted EBITDA $ 8,514,237 1,064,859 4,662,347 Evolution Petroleum Corporation and Subsidiaries Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, Three Months Ended June 30, 2021 2020 2021 Cash flows from operating activities Net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders $ 5,218,401 $ (7,135,148 ) $ 2,216,220 Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation, depletion, amortization and accretion 1,527,812 1,410,888 1,326,603 Impairment of proved property - 9,602,620 - Stock-based compensation 197,826 300,351 319,591 Deferred income taxes (119,125 ) (2,160,340 ) 1,603,067 Net loss on derivative contracts - 334,966 - Payments paid for derivative settlements - (1,096,472 ) - Other (2,169 ) 3,816 (1,021 ) Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Receivables (7,617,267 ) (57,175 ) 1,450,747 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 108,666 83,150 (6,635,110 ) Net operating loss carryback - (512,042 ) (545,573 ) Accounts payable and accrued expenses 4,639,889 250,421 3,151,721 Income taxes payable 1,638,712 122,206 (712,802 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 5,592,745 1,147,241 2,173,443 Cash flows from investing activities Acquisition of oil and natural gas properties - - (18,297,013 ) Development of oil and natural gas properties (390,370 ) (153,205 ) (288,711 ) Acquisition deposit - - 2,325,000 Other assets - - - Net cash used in investing activities (390,370 ) (153,205 ) (16,260,724 ) Cash flows from financing activities Common stock dividends paid (2,522,408 ) (823,846 ) (1,675,748 ) Common share repurchases, including shares surrendered for tax withholding (1,599 ) (7,348 ) - Borrowings under credit facility - - 7,000,000 Repayments of credit facility - - (3,000,000 ) Net cash used in financing activities (2,524,007 ) (831,194 ) 2,324,253 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 2,678,368 162,842 (11,763,028 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 5,276,510 19,662,528 17,039,538 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 7,954,878 $ 19,825,370 $ 5,276,510 Supplemental Information on Oil and Natural Gas Operations (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 September 30, 2020 June 30, 2021 Revenues Oil $ 8,858,463 $ 5,379,161 $ 8,492,223 Natural gas liquids 4,562,218 216,026 2,582,610 Natural gas 5,458,329 189 2,628,245 Total revenues $ 18,879,010 $ 5,595,376 $ 13,703,078 Production volumes Oil (Bbl) 133,929 145,657 136,301 Natural gas liquids (Bbl) 157,593 23,724 101,535 Natural gas (Mcf) 1,476,219 130 963,221 Equivalent (BOE) 537,559 169,403 398,373 Daily production volumes Oil (BOPD, net) 1,456 1,583 1,498 Natural gas liquids (BOEPD, net) 1,713 258 1,116 Natural gas (BOEPD, net) 2,674 - 1,764 Equivalent volumes (BOEPD, net) 5,843 1,841 4,378 Realized prices Oil price per Bbl $ 66.14 $ 36.93 $ 62.30 Natural gas liquids price per Bbl 28.95 9.11 25.44 Natural gas price per Mcf 3.70 1.45 2.73 Equivalent price per BOE $ 35.12 $ 33.03 $ 34.40 CO2 costs $ 917,049 $ - $ 1,455,780 Other lease operating costs 7,708,118 2,397,924 6,121,424 Total lease operating costs $ 8,625,167 $ 2,397,924 $ 7,577,204 CO2 costs per BOE $ 1.71 $ - $ 3.65 All other lease operating costs per BOE 14.34 14.16 15.37 Lease operating costs per BOE $ 16.05 $ 14.16 $ 19.02 CO2 volumes (Mcf, gross) 4,522,020 - 7,468,100 CO2 volumes (MMcf per day, gross) 49.2 - 82.1 DD&A of proved oil and natural gas properties $ 1,425,868 $ 1,362,085 $ 1,247,659 Depreciation of other property and equipment 1,084 1,810 1,570 Amortization of intangibles - 3,391 - Accretion of asset retirement obligations 100,860 43,602 77,374 Total DD&A $ 1,527,812 $ 1,410,888 $ 1,326,603 Oil and natural gas DD&A rate per BOE $ 2.65 $ 8.04 $ 3.13 SOURCE: Evolution Petroleum Corporation View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671986/Evolution-Petroleum-Reports-First-Quarter-Fiscal-2022-Results-and-Declares-Quarterly-Cash-Dividend-for-Second-Quarter PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / November 10, 2021 / The following Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds announced today that the closed end funds in the chart directly below will pay the distributions indicated on a per share basis on November 30, 2021 to all shareholders of record as of November 19, 2021 (ex-dividend date November 18, 2021). These dates apply to the Funds listed below with the exception of the Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF) which will pay on January 11, 2022 to all shareholders of record as of November 19, 2021 (ex-dividend date November 18, 2021). Ticker Exchange Fund Amount ACP NYSE Aberdeen Income Credit Strategies Fund $ 0.10 AGD NYSE Aberdeen Global Dynamic Dividend Fund $ 0.065 AOD NYSE Aberdeen Total Dynamic Dividend Fund $ 0.0575 ASGI NYSE Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund $ 0.1083 AWP NYSE Aberdeen Global Premier Properties Fund $ 0.04 FAX NYSE American Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.0275 FCO NYSE American Aberdeen Global Income Fund, Inc. $ 0.07 IAF NYSE American Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. $ 0.16 At the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders, which will state the amount and composition of each fund's distributions and provide information with respect to their appropriate tax treatment for the prior calendar year. You should not draw any conclusions about any of these fund's investment performance from the amount of the distributions. MANAGED DISTRIBUTION POLICY FUNDS ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILS Aberdeen Standard Global Infrastructure Income Fund ("ASGI") Aberdeen Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. ("FAX") Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. ("IAF") The above-noted Aberdeen Standard Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds (the "Funds" or individually the "Fund"), today announced that the Funds will pay the distributions noted in the chart above on November 30, 2021, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of November 19, 2021 (ex-dividend date November 18, 2021). These dates apply to the Funds listed below with the exception of the Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (IAF) which will pay on January 11, 2022 to all shareholders of record as of November 19, 2021 (ex-dividend date November 18, 2021). Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital in reliance on an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund's fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders. For the Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. ("IAF"), this stock distribution will automatically be paid in newly issued shares of the Fund unless otherwise instructed by the shareholder. Shares of common stock will be issued at the lower of the net asset value ("NAV") per share or the market price per share with a floor for the NAV of not less than 95% of the market price. The valuation date for this stock distribution is December 20, 2021. Fractional shares will generally be settled in cash, except for registered shareholders with book entry accounts at Computershare Investor Services who will have whole and fractional shares added to their account. Shareholders may request to be paid their quarterly distributions in cash instead of shares of common stock by providing advance notice to the bank, brokerage or nominee who holds their shares if the shares are in "street name," or by filling out in advance an election card received from Computershare Investor Services if the shares are in registered form. To receive the quarterly distribution payable in January 2022 in cash instead of shares of common stock, the bank, brokerage or nominee who holds the shares must advise the Depository Trust Company as to the full and fractional shares for which they want the distribution paid in cash by December 17, 2021 and written notification for the election of cash by registered shareholders must be received by Computershare Investor Services prior to December 17, 2021. The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions to be paid as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies. Each Fund's estimated sources of the current distributions to be paid and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows: Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share Fund Distribution Amount Net Investment Income Net Realized Short-Term Gains** Net Realized Long-Term Gains Return of Capital ASGI $0.1083 - - - - $0.0682 63% $0.0401 37% FAX $0.0275 $0.0149 54% - - - - $0.0126 46% IAF $0.1600 $0.0080 5% $0.1520 95% Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share Fund Distribution Amount Net Investment Income Net Realized Short-Term Gains** Net Realized Long-Term Gains Return of Capital ASGI $0.2166 - - - - $0.1365 63% $0.0801 37% FAX $0.0275 $0.0149 54% - - - - $0.0126 46% IAF $0.1600 $0.0080 5% $0.1520 95% *ASGI has a 9/30 fiscal year end; FAX and IAF have a 10/31 fiscal year end. **includes currency gains Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a "Return of Capital," it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The following table provides the Funds' total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds' annualized and cumulative distribution rates. Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information Fund Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 10/31/2021 Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV Cumulative Total Return on NAV Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV ASGI 18.10%3 5.66% 3.72% 0.47% FAX 3.31% 7.53% 1.67% 7.53% IAF 12.43% 9.16% 38.09% 9.16% 1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of October 31, 2021. 3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through October 31, 2021. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy"). While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received. The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund's Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc., Aberdeen Asset Managers Ltd., abrdn Australia Limited, abrdn Asia Ltd., Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, Aberdeen Standard Investments ETFs Advisors LLC and Aberdeen Standard Alternative Funds Limited. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. If you If you wish to receive this information electronically, please contact Investor.Relations@abrdn.com https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter/fund-centre/closed-end-funds For More Information Contact: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc. Investor Relations 1-800-522-5465 Investor.Relations@abrdn.com SOURCE: Aberdeen Standard Investments Inc. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/672258/CORRECTION-Aberdeen-Standard-Investments-US-Closed-End-Funds-Announce-Distribution-Payment-Details Third quarter sales of $2.1 billion, up 15% or 14% constant currency Continued growth in all Surgical and Vision Care categories versus 2020, driven by innovation, commercial execution and market recovery Nine months cash from operations of $958 million and free cash flow of $578 million Expanding in surgical glaucoma with intended acquisition of Ivantis Ad Hoc Announcement Pursuant to Art. 53 LR Alcon (SIX/NYSE:ALC), the global leader in eye care, reported its financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021. For the third quarter of 2021, worldwide sales were $2.1 billion, an increase of 15% on a reported basis and 14% on a constant currency basis(2), as compared to the same quarter of the previous year. Third quarter 2021 diluted earnings per share were $0.00 and core diluted earnings per share were $0.54. Third quarter and nine months 2021 key figures Three months ended September 30 Nine months ended September 30 2021 2020 2021 2020 Net sales ($ millions) 2,084 1,818 6,088 4,838 Operating margin (%) 1.0% (7.1)% 6.5% (12.9)% Core operating margin (%)(1) 17.7% 15.3% 18.0% 10.4% Diluted earnings/(loss) per share ($) 0.00 (0.30) 0.48 (1.28) Core diluted earnings per share ($)(1) 0.54 0.39 1.60 0.63 "Our third quarter performance demonstrates the strength of Alcon's product pipeline, innovation and commercial execution, resulting in continued growth in all Surgical and Vision Care sales categories," said David Endicott, Alcon's Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Endicott continued, "We are developing and delivering differentiated products, platforms and services that enhance eye care around the world. In Surgical, we are building on our leadership by creating an ecosystem that connects and integrates data systems and equipment in the clinic and operating room. We are also excited to expand our presence in the fast-growing surgical glaucoma market with our intended acquisition of Ivantis. In Vision Care, we are adding new SiHy contact lens designs for daily and reusable wearers, as well as expanding our Systane family with multi-dose preservative-free formulations." Third quarter and nine months 2021 results Worldwide sales for the third quarter were $2.1 billion, an increase of 15% on a reported basis and 14% on a constant currency basis, compared to the third quarter of 2020. The Surgical and Vision Care franchises benefited from innovation, commercial execution and improvements in the eye care market, led by continued strength in the United States with varied paces of recovery internationally from the COVID-19 pandemic. The following table highlights net sales by segment for the third quarter and first nine months of 2021: Three months ended September 30 Change % Nine months ended September 30 Change % ($ millions unless indicated otherwise) 2021 2020 cc(2) 2021 2020 cc(2) Surgical Implantables 375 290 29 29 1,106 776 43 40 Consumables 594 526 13 12 1,749 1,365 28 25 Equipment/other 192 180 7 6 589 441 34 31 Total Surgical 1,161 996 17 16 3,444 2,582 33 30 Vision Care Contact lenses 562 517 9 8 1,606 1,348 19 16 Ocular health 361 305 18 17 1,038 908 14 12 Total Vision Care 923 822 12 11 2,644 2,256 17 15 Net sales to third parties 2,084 1,818 15 14 6,088 4,838 26 23 Surgical primarily driven by advanced technology intraocular lenses Surgical net sales of $1.2 billion, which include implantables, consumables and equipment/other, increased 17%, or 16% on a constant currency basis, compared to the third quarter of 2020. Implantables growth reflected market improvements and the ongoing adoption of advanced technology intraocular lenses, including the launch of Vivity and continued demand for PanOptix. Consumables growth primarily reflected market improvements over the prior year period, and growth in equipment/other was primarily driven by demand for cataract equipment. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, Surgical net sales increased 33%, or 30% on a constant currency basis, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Vision Care momentum primarily driven by Precision1 and Systane Vision Care net sales of $0.9 billion, which include contact lenses and ocular health, increased 12%, or 11% on a constant currency basis, compared to the third quarter of 2020. Contact lens sales benefited from recovery in select international markets with continued momentum from the launch of Precision1 and Precision1 for Astigmatism. Growth in ocular health was led primarily by strong demand for our brand family of Systane products, as well as sales of Simbrinza. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, Vision Care net sales increased 17%, or 15% on a constant currency basis, compared to the nine months ended September 30, 2020. Operating income Third quarter 2021 operating income was $20 million, which includes charges of $178 million from the impairment of an intangible asset and $138 million of amortization. Excluding these and other adjustments, third quarter 2021 core operating income was $369 million. Third quarter core operating margin of 17.7% increased versus the prior year, mainly driven by higher sales, partially offset by increases in marketing and selling expenses and research and development. The prior year core operating margin was impacted by unabsorbed manufacturing overhead costs and provisions for expected credit losses related to COVID-19 as well as higher inventory provisions. Foreign exchange had a positive 40 basis point impact on third quarter 2021 core operating margin. Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $398 million, which includes $391 million of amortization and $223 million of intangible asset impairments. Excluding these and other adjustments, core operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was $1.1 billion. Core operating margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 was 18.0% compared to 10.4% for the same period last year. Foreign exchange had a positive 50 basis point impact on core operating margin for the nine months ended September 30, 2021. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) Third quarter 2021 diluted earnings per share were $0.00 and core diluted earnings per share were $0.54. Diluted earnings per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 were $0.48 and core diluted earnings per share were $1.60. Balance sheet and cash flow highlights The Company ended the third quarter with a cash position of $1.6 billion. Current year cash flows benefited from higher sales, lower separation and transformation payments, partially offset by increased discretionary spending and higher taxes due to timing of payments. Cash flows from operations for the first nine months of 2021 totaled $958 million and free cash flow(3) amounted to $578 million, compared to cash flows from operations of $384 million and free cash flow of $115 million for the same period in the previous year. The increase in free cash flow was driven by higher cash flows from operations, partially offset by higher capital expenditures. Financial debts totaled $4.1 billion, in line with prior year-end. The Company ended the third quarter with a net debt(4) position of $2.5 billion. The Company continues to have $1 billion available in its existing revolving credit facility as of November 9, 2021. Webcast and Conference Call Instructions The Company will host a conference call on November 10 at 2:00 p.m. Central European Time 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its third quarter 2021 earnings results. The webcast can be accessed online through Alcon's Investor Relations website, investor.alcon.com. Listeners should log on approximately 10 minutes in advance. A replay will be available online within 24 hours after the event. The Company's interim financial report and supplemental presentation materials can be found online through Alcon's Investor Relations website at the beginning of the conference, or by clicking on the link: https://investor.alcon.com/news-and-events/events-and-presentations/event-details/2021/Alcons-Third-Quarter-2021-Earnings-Conference-Call/default.aspx Footnotes (pages 1-3) (1) Core results, such as core operating margin and core EPS, are non-IFRS measures. For additional information, including a reconciliation of such core results to the most directly comparable measures presented in accordance with IFRS, see the explanation of non-IFRS measures and reconciliation tables in the 'Non-IFRS measures as defined by the Company' and 'Financial tables' sections. (2) Constant currency (cc) is a non-IFRS measure. Growth in constant currency (cc) is calculated by translating the current year's foreign currency items into US dollars using average exchange rates from the historical comparative period and comparing them to the values from the historical comparative period in US dollars. An explanation of non-IFRS measures can be found in the 'Non-IFRS measures as defined by the Company' section. (3) Free cash flow is a non-IFRS measure. For additional information regarding free cash flow, see the explanation of non-IFRS measures and reconciliation tables in the 'Non-IFRS measures as defined by the Company' and 'Financial tables' sections. (4) Net (debt)/liquidity is a non-IFRS measure. For additional information regarding net (debt)/liquidity, see the explanation of non-IFRS measures and reconciliation tables in the 'Non-IFRS measures as defined by the Company' and 'Financial tables' sections. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains, and our officers and representatives may from time to time make, certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as "anticipate," "intend," "commitment," "look forward," "maintain," "plan," "goal," "seek," "target," "assume," "believe," "project," "estimate," "expect," "strategy," "future," "likely," "may," "should," "will" and similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking statements include, among others, statements Alcon makes regarding its liquidity, revenue, gross margin, operating margin, effective tax rate, foreign currency exchange movements, earnings per share, its plans and decisions relating to various capital expenditures, capital allocation priorities and other discretionary items, market growth assumptions, plans and decisions relating to the acquisition of Ivantis, Inc., the manufacture, distribution, marketing and/or sale of the Hydrus Microstent, the ability of Alcon to execute on these plans, and generally, its expectations concerning its future performance and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on its businesses. Forward-looking statements are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead, they are based only on Alcon's current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of its business, future plans and strategies, and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject to inherent uncertainties and risks that are difficult to predict such as: the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other viral or disease outbreaks and the availability and the public's acceptance of vaccines; the commercial success of its products and its ability to maintain and strengthen its position in its markets; the success of its research and development efforts, including its ability to innovate to compete effectively; its success in completing and integrating strategic acquisitions; pricing pressure from changes in third party payor coverage and reimbursement methodologies; global and regional economic, financial, legal, tax, political, and social change; data breaches or other disruptions of its information technology systems; ongoing industry consolidation; its ability to properly educate and train healthcare providers on its products; changes in inventory levels or buying patterns of its customers; the impact of a disruption in its global supply chain or important facilities; ability to service its debt obligations; its ability to comply with the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 and other applicable anti-corruption laws, particularly given that it has entered into a three-year Deferred Prosecution Agreement with the US Department of Justice; uncertainty and impact relating to the potential phasing out of LIBOR and transition to alternative reference rates; the need for additional financing through the issuance of debt or equity; its reliance on outsourcing key business functions; its ability to protect its intellectual property; the impact of unauthorized importation of its products from countries with lower prices to countries with higher prices; uncertainties regarding the success of Alcon's separation and spin-off from Novartis and the subsequent transformation program, including the expected separation and transformation costs, as well as any potential savings, incurred or realized by Alcon; the effects of litigation, including product liability lawsuits and government investigations; its ability to comply with all laws to which it may be subject; effect of product recalls or voluntary market withdrawals; the implementation of its enterprise resource planning system; its ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; the accuracy of its accounting estimates and assumptions, including pension plan obligations and the carrying value of intangible assets; the ability to obtain regulatory clearance and approval of its products as well as compliance with any post-approval obligations, including quality control of its manufacturing; legislative and regulatory reform; the ability of Alcon Pharmaceuticals Ltd. to comply with its investment tax incentive agreement with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Switzerland and the Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland; its ability to manage environmental, social and governance matters to the satisfaction of its many stakeholders, some of which may have competing interests; its ability to operate as a stand-alone company; whether the transitional services Novartis has agreed to provide Alcon are sufficient; the impact of the spin-off from Novartis on Alcon's shareholder base; the impact of being listed on two stock exchanges; the ability to declare and pay dividends; the different rights afforded to its shareholders as a Swiss corporation compared to a US corporation; and the effect of maintaining or losing its foreign private issuer status under US securities laws. Additional factors are discussed in Alcon's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Form 20-F. Should one or more of these uncertainties or risks materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated. Therefore, you should not rely on any of these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release speak only as of the date of its filing, and Alcon assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Intellectual Property This report may contain references to our proprietary intellectual property. All product names appearing in italics or ALL CAPS are trademarks owned by or licensed to Alcon Inc. Product names identified by a "" or a "" are trademarks that are not owned by or licensed to Alcon or its subsidiaries and are the property of their respective owners. Non-IFRS measures as defined by the Company Alcon uses certain non-IFRS metrics when measuring performance, including when measuring current period results against prior periods, including core results, percentage changes measured in constant currencies, free cash flow, and net (debt)/liquidity. Because of their non-standardized definitions, the non-IFRS measures (unlike IFRS measures) may not be comparable to the calculation of similar measures of other companies. These supplemental non-IFRS measures are presented solely to permit investors to more fully understand how Alcon management assesses underlying performance. These supplemental non-IFRS measures are not, and should not be viewed as, a substitute for IFRS measures. Core results Alcon core results, including core operating income and core net income, exclude all amortization and impairment charges of intangible assets, excluding software, net gains and losses on fund investments and equity securities valued at fair value through profit and loss ("FVPL"), fair value adjustments of financial assets in the form of options to acquire a company carried at FVPL, obligations related to product recalls, and certain acquisition related items. The following items that exceed a threshold of $10 million and are deemed exceptional are also excluded from core results: integration and divestment related income and expenses, divestment gains and losses, restructuring charges/releases and related items, legal related items, gains/losses on early extinguishment of debt or debt modifications, past service costs for post-employment benefit plans, impairments of property, plant and equipment and software, as well as income and expense items that management deems exceptional and that are or are expected to accumulate within the year to be over a $10 million threshold. Taxes on the adjustments between IFRS and core results take into account, for each individual item included in the adjustment, the tax rate that will finally be applicable to the item based on the jurisdiction where the adjustment will finally have a tax impact. Generally, this results in amortization and impairment of intangible assets and acquisition-related restructuring and integration items having a full tax impact. There is usually a tax impact on other items, although this is not always the case for items arising from legal settlements in certain jurisdictions. Alcon believes that investor understanding of its performance is enhanced by disclosing core measures of performance because, since they exclude items that can vary significantly from period to period, the core measures enable a helpful comparison of business performance across periods. For this same reason, Alcon uses these core measures in addition to IFRS and other measures as important factors in assessing its performance. A limitation of the core measures is that they provide a view of Alcon operations without including all events during a period, such as the effects of an acquisition, divestment, or amortization/impairments of purchased intangible assets and restructurings. Constant currencies Changes in the relative values of non-US currencies to the US dollar can affect Alcon's financial results and financial position. To provide additional information that may be useful to investors, including changes in sales volume, we present information about changes in our net sales and various values relating to operating and net income that are adjusted for such foreign currency effects. Constant currency calculations have the goal of eliminating two exchange rate effects so that an estimate can be made of underlying changes in the consolidated income statement excluding: the impact of translating the income statements of consolidated entities from their non-US dollar functional currencies to the US dollar; and the impact of exchange rate movements on the major transactions of consolidated entities performed in currencies other than their functional currency. Alcon calculates constant currency measures by translating the current year's foreign currency values for sales and other income statement items into US dollars, using the average exchange rates from the historical comparative period and comparing them to the values from the historical comparative period in US dollars. Free cash flow Alcon defines free cash flow as net cash flows from operating activities less cash flow associated with the purchase or sale of property, plant and equipment. Free cash flow is presented as additional information because Alcon management believes it is a useful supplemental indicator of Alcon's ability to operate without reliance on additional borrowing or use of existing cash. Free cash flow is not intended to be a substitute measure for net cash flows from operating activities as determined under IFRS. Net (debt)/liquidity Alcon defines net (debt)/liquidity as current and non-current financial debt less cash and cash equivalents, current investments and derivative financial instruments. Net (debt)/liquidity is presented as additional information because management believes it is a useful supplemental indicator of Alcon's ability to pay dividends, to meet financial commitments and to invest in new strategic opportunities, including strengthening its balance sheet. Growth rate and margin calculations For ease of understanding, Alcon uses a sign convention for its growth rates such that a reduction in operating expenses or losses compared to the prior year is shown as a positive growth. Gross margins, operating income/(loss) margins and core operating income margins are calculated based upon net sales to third parties unless otherwise noted. Financial tables Net sales by region Three months ended September 30 Nine months ended September 30 ($ millions unless indicated otherwise) 2021 2020 2021 2020 United States 939 45 846 47 2,732 45 2,131 44 International 1,145 55 972 53 3,356 55 2,707 56 Net sales to third parties 2,084 100 1,818 100 6,088 100 4,838 100 Consolidated income statement (unaudited) Three months ended September 30 Nine months ended September 30 ($ millions except earnings/(loss) per share) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Net sales to third parties 2,084 1,818 6,088 4,838 Other revenues 18 20 54 55 Net sales and other revenues 2,102 1,838 6,142 4,893 Cost of net sales (892 (972 (2,647 (2,778 Cost of other revenues (15 (18 (49 (50 Gross profit 1,195 848 3,446 2,065 Selling, general administration (779 (685 (2,263 (1,957 Research development (318 (216 (662 (518 Other income 4 7 18 25 Other expense (82 (83 (141 (238 Operating income/(loss) 20 (129 398 (623 Interest expense (31 (32 (92 (93 Other financial income expense (12 (7 (29 (23 (Loss)/income before taxes (23 (168 277 (739 Taxes 25 21 (40 113 Net income/(loss) 2 (147 237 (626 Earnings/(loss) per share ($) Basic 0.00 (0.30 0.48 (1.28 Diluted 0.00 (0.30 0.48 (1.28 Weighted average number of shares outstanding (millions) Basic 490.1 489.1 489.9 488.9 Diluted 493.8 489.1 493.2 488.9 Balance sheet highlights ($ millions) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 Cash and cash equivalents 1,565 1,557 Current financial debts 133 169 Non-current financial debts 3,976 3,949 Free cash flow The following is a summary of free cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, together with a reconciliation to net cash flows from operating activities, the most directly comparable IFRS measure: Nine months ended September 30 ($ millions) 2021 2020 Net cash flows from operating activities 958 384 Purchase of property, plant equipment (380 (269 Free cash flow 578 115 Net (debt)/liquidity ($ millions) At September 30, 2021 Current financial debt (133 Non-current financial debt (3,976 Total financial debt (4,109 Less liquidity: Cash and cash equivalents 1,565 Derivative financial instruments 8 Total liquidity 1,573 Net (debt) (2,536 Reconciliation of IFRS Results to Core Results Three months ended September 30, 2021 ($ millions except earnings per share) IFRS results Amortization of certain intangible assets(1) Impairments(2) Separation costs(3) Transformation costs(4) Legal items(5) Other items(7) Core results Gross profit 1,195 133 (1 1,327 Selling, general administration (779 3 (776 Research development (318 5 178 (39 (174 Other income 4 4 Other expense (82 4 14 50 2 (12 Operating income 20 138 178 7 14 50 (38 369 (Loss)/income before taxes (23 138 178 7 14 50 (38 326 Taxes(8) 25 (24 (41 (3 (12 (2 (57 Net income 2 114 137 7 11 38 (40 269 Basic earnings per share ($) 0.00 0.55 Diluted earnings per share ($) 0.00 0.54 Basic weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 490.1 490.1 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 493.8 493.8 Refer to the associated explanatory footnotes at the end of the 'Reconciliation of IFRS Results to Core Results' tables. Three months ended September 30, 2020 ($ millions except (loss)/earnings per share) IFRS results Amortization of certain intangible assets(1) Impairments(2) Separation costs(3) Transformation costs(4) Post- employ- ment benefits(6) Other items(7) Core results Gross profit 848 250 4 14 1,116 Selling, general administration (685 5 (680 Research development (216 5 61 5 (145 Other income 7 (1 6 Other expense (83 39 14 12 (18 Operating (loss)/income (129 255 61 48 14 12 18 279 (Loss)/income before taxes (168 255 61 48 14 12 18 240 Taxes(8) 21 (44 (8 (7 (3 (2 (4 (47 Net (loss)/income (147 211 53 41 11 10 14 193 Basic (loss)/earnings per share ($) (0.30 0.39 Diluted (loss)/earnings per share ($) (0.30 0.39 Basic weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 489.1 489.1 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 489.1 492.0 Refer to the associated explanatory footnotes at the end of the 'Reconciliation of IFRS Results to Core Results' tables. Nine months ended September 30, 2021 ($ millions except earnings per share) IFRS results Amortization of certain intangible assets(1) Impairments(2) Separation costs(3) Transformation costs(4) Legal items(5) Other items(7) Core results Gross profit 3,446 386 45 (1 3,876 Selling, general administration (2,263 12 (2,251 Research development (662 5 178 (31 (510 Other income 18 (1 17 Other expense (141 11 40 50 3 (37 Operating income 398 391 223 23 40 50 (30 1,095 Income before taxes 277 391 223 23 40 50 (30 974 Taxes(8) (40 (70 (51 (4 (8 (12 (1 (186 Net income 237 321 172 19 32 38 (31 788 Basic earnings per share ($) 0.48 1.61 Diluted earnings per share ($) 0.48 1.60 Basic weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 489.9 489.9 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 493.2 493.2 Refer to the associated explanatory footnotes at the end of the 'Reconciliation of IFRS Results to Core Results' tables. Nine months ended September 30, 2020 ($ millions except (loss)/earnings per share) IFRS results Amortization of certain intangible assets(1) Impairments(2) Separation costs(3) Transformation costs(4) Post- employ- ment benefits(6) Other items(7) Core results Gross profit 2,065 752 57 11 18 2,903 Selling, general administration (1,957 14 (1,943 Research development (518 20 61 (6 (443 Other income 25 (4 21 Other expense (238 156 34 12 (36 Operating (loss)/income (623 772 118 181 34 12 8 502 (Loss)/income before taxes (739 772 118 181 34 12 8 386 Taxes(8) 113 (131 (22 (31 (7 (2 3 (77 Net (loss)/income (626 641 96 150 27 10 11 309 Basic (loss)/earnings per share ($) (1.28 0.63 Diluted (loss)/earnings per share ($) (1.28 0.63 Basic weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 488.9 488.9 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (millions)(9) 488.9 491.7 Refer to the associated explanatory footnotes at the end of the 'Reconciliation of IFRS Results to Core Results' tables. Explanatory footnotes to IFRS Results to Core Results reconciliation tables (1) Includes recurring amortization for all intangible assets other than software. (2) Includes impairment charges related to intangible assets. (3) Separation costs are expected to be incurred over the two to three-year period following the completion of the spin-off from Novartis and primarily include costs related to IT and third party consulting fees. (4) Transformation costs, primarily related to restructuring and third party consulting fees, for the multi-year transformation program. (5) Includes an increase in provisions for legal matters. (6) Includes impact from a pension plan amendment. (7) For the three months ended September 30, 2021, Gross profit includes fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. Research development includes fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities of $41 million, partially offset by $2 million for the amortization of option rights. Other expense includes fair value adjustments of financial assets. For the three months ended September 30, 2020, Gross profit primarily includes losses on disposal of property, plant equipment. Research development includes amortization of option rights. Other income includes fair value adjustments of financial assets. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, Gross profit includes fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. Research development includes fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities of $41 million, partially offset by $10 million for the amortization of option rights. Other income and Other expense include fair value adjustments of financial assets. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, Gross profit includes $23 million losses on disposal of property, plant equipment, partially offset by $5 million fair value adjustments to contingent consideration liabilities. Research development includes a $34 million fair value adjustment to a contingent consideration liability, partially offset by $28 million for the amortization of option rights. Other income includes fair value adjustments of financial assets. (8) For the three months ended September 30, 2021, total tax adjustments of $82 million include tax associated with operating income core adjustments and discrete tax items. Tax associated with operating income core adjustments of $349 million totaled $80 million with an average tax rate of 22.9%. For the three months ended September 30, 2020, total tax adjustments of $68 million include tax associated with operating income core adjustments and discrete tax items. Tax associated with operating income core adjustments of $408 million totaled $65 million with an average tax rate of 15.9%. For the nine months ended September 30, 2021, total tax adjustments of $146 million include tax associated with operating income core adjustments of $697 million with an average tax rate of 20.9%. For the nine months ended September 30, 2020, total tax adjustments of $190 million include tax associated with operating income core adjustments and discrete tax items. Tax associated with operating income core adjustments of $1,125 million totaled $196 million with an average tax rate of 17.4%. Core tax adjustments for discrete items totaled $6 million primarily related to tax expense from the delayed spin of a legal entity. (9) For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and 2020, core basic earnings per share is calculated using the weighted-average shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Core diluted earnings per share also contemplate dilutive shares associated with unvested equity-based awards as described in Note 5 to the Condensed Consolidated Interim Financial Statements. About Alcon Alcon helps people see brilliantly. As the global leader in eye care with a heritage spanning more than seven decades, we offer the broadest portfolio of products to enhance sight and improve people's lives. Our Surgical and Vision Care products touch the lives of more than 260 million people in over 140 countries each year living with conditions like cataracts, glaucoma, retinal diseases and refractive errors. Our more than 23,000 associates are enhancing the quality of life through innovative products, partnerships with eye care professionals and programs that advance access to quality eye care. Learn more at www.alcon.com Connect with us on Facebook LinkedIn View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006523/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations Karen King Allen Trang + 41 589 112 110 (Geneva) + 1 817 615 2789 (Fort Worth) investor.relations@alcon.com Media Relations Lisa Gilbert + 41 589 112 111 (Geneva) + 1 817 615 2666 (Fort Worth) globalmedia.relations@alcon.com VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / AZARGA METALS CORP. ("Azarga Metals" or the "Company") (TSXV:AZR) is pleased to announce that it has signed a binding agreement (the "Agreement") with Golden Predator Mining Corp. ("Golden Predator") to acquire the Marg copper-rich VMS project (the "Marg Project"), located in Central Yukon. The Agreement supersedes the non-binding term sheet announced on 14 July 2021. President, CEO and Director, Gordon Tainton, said: "We're very excited about the Marg Project. Azarga Metal's technical due diligence has indicated that Marg is a high-grade copper-rich VMS project with significant gold and silver credits. The project has a NI 43-101 resource and a PEA report that was completed in 2016. The positive outlook for base metals and the exploration upside associated with the Project make it a compelling value creating opportunity for Azarga Metals." The Company plans to conduct an equity financing to fund an aggressive drill program on the Marg project and announcements will follow in due course regarding the financing arrangements. ABOUT THE MARG PROJECT The Marg Project is an undeveloped volcanogenic massive sulphide ("VMS") deposit located in the Mayo Mining District in Central Yukon, approximately 40 kilometres east of Keno City (which itself is approximately 465 kilometres by road north of Whitehorse). The Marg Project claims are located within the First Nation of the Nacho Nyak Dun ("FNNND") traditional territory. Due diligence conducted by Azarga Metals highlights potential areas the Company will focus on initially to enhance the value of the Marg Project, including: Advancing metallurgical and mineralogical work - The Company believes that more appropriate and extensive metallurgical and mineralogical test work could deliver improved economic outcomes. The issue of lack of relevant metallurgical and mineralogical test work presented itself in the PEA with lower than typical recoveries assumed for similar mineralization styles (including very low assumed recoveries into concentrate for gold or silver). - The Company believes that more appropriate and extensive metallurgical and mineralogical test work could deliver improved economic outcomes. The issue of lack of relevant metallurgical and mineralogical test work presented itself in the PEA with lower than typical recoveries assumed for similar mineralization styles (including very low assumed recoveries into concentrate for gold or silver). Analysis and interpretation of 2006 VTEM data (and surface geochemistry) - The Company's analysis and interpretation of the VTEM Airborne ElectroMagnetic ("AEM") surveys completed in 2006 over high-priority felsic volcanics have not yet been adequately followed up with detailed additional ground geophysical surveys, soil sampling, geological mapping and/or drilling. - The Company's analysis and interpretation of the VTEM Airborne ElectroMagnetic ("AEM") surveys completed in 2006 over high-priority felsic volcanics have not yet been adequately followed up with detailed additional ground geophysical surveys, soil sampling, geological mapping and/or drilling. Modern soil surveys have also outlined a number of excellent, untested, semi-coincident Ag-Pb-Hg-Ba-Mn-Sb-Tl anomalies ("VMS signature") locally coincident with untested strong VTEM AEM anomalies lying within highly prospective felsic volcanics. As a consequence, there remains considerable exploration upside with the potential to significantly expand the known base and precious metal inventory on the property. have also outlined a number of excellent, untested, semi-coincident Ag-Pb-Hg-Ba-Mn-Sb-Tl anomalies ("VMS signature") locally coincident with untested strong VTEM AEM anomalies lying within highly prospective felsic volcanics. As a consequence, there remains considerable exploration upside with the potential to significantly expand the known base and precious metal inventory on the property. Analysis of the geological setting of the Marg VMS deposit along with its coincident AEM geophysical and surface geochemical attributes suggest strong potential for additional VMS deposits to occur at regular intervals along strike, especially in an area referred to as the Jane Mineral Occurrence (Yukon Minfile_ID #13663 - located 7 kilometres along strike to the southwest of Marg - see Figure 1). suggest strong potential for additional VMS deposits to occur at regular intervals along strike, especially in an area referred to as the Jane Mineral Occurrence (Yukon Minfile_ID #13663 - located 7 kilometres along strike to the southwest of Marg - see Figure 1). Mineralized Envelope extension and exploration - Azarga Metals believes there is strong potential to materially add to mineralization at the Project. Firstly, at Marg itself, deeper drilling is recommended to explore the down-plunge, relatively sparsely drill-tested continuation of two massive sulphide lenses that constitute the bulk of the known Marg mineral resource. Secondly, proposed drilling within three target boxes located immediately northwest of the Marg deposit will be focused on coincident exceptionally strong Ag-Tl-Pb-Cu-Ba in soil anomalies, VTEM AEM conductors and a prospective rhyolite - black shale contact (possibly representing an assumed fold-repeated Marg VMS Horizon with similar geological-geophysical-geochemical attributes), all located within a few hundreds of metres northwest of the historic Marg deposit (Figure 1). - Azarga Metals believes there is strong potential to materially add to mineralization at the Project. Firstly, at Marg itself, deeper drilling is recommended to explore the down-plunge, relatively sparsely drill-tested continuation of two massive sulphide lenses that constitute the bulk of the known Marg mineral resource. Secondly, proposed drilling within three target boxes located immediately northwest of the Marg deposit will be focused on coincident exceptionally strong Ag-Tl-Pb-Cu-Ba in soil anomalies, VTEM AEM conductors and a prospective rhyolite - black shale contact (possibly representing an assumed fold-repeated Marg VMS Horizon with similar geological-geophysical-geochemical attributes), all located within a few hundreds of metres northwest of the historic Marg deposit (Figure 1). Initial meetings with the FNNND resulted in a mutual understanding to work together to develop a comprehensive engagement plan, based on Azarga Metals goals and objectives in the spirit of respect, transparency, and partnership. The plan would provide a framework for prioritizing business and training opportunities by Azarga Metals for FNNND individuals, groups and those entities owned by and/or affiliated to FNNND. Figure 1 - Historic Drill Holes, Target Boxes and Historic Proposed Drill Holes on Geology As reported in the Company's July 14th, 2021 news release, the most recent NI43-101 Mineral Resource estimate for Marg (see Table 1) was completed by Mining Plus Canada Consulting Ltd. ("Mining Plus") in 2016 and incorporated into a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") for the Project (note: the PEA title is "Revere Development Corp, Marg Project Preliminary Economic Assessment, Technical Report, Yukon Canada" and is dated 31 August 2016). Table 1 - 31 August 2016 NI43-101 total Mineral Resource estimate for Marg Project at a 0.5% copper equivalent cut-off (combining high-grade and low-grade zoes)1 Category Tonnage (mt) Cu% Pb% Zn% Ag g/t Au g/t Indicated 3.7 1.5 2.0 3.8 48 0.76 Inferred 6.1 1.2 1.7 3.4 44 0.74 Note: 1. Where CuEq% was calculated = Cu% + 0.28 Pb% + 0.32 Zn% + 0.39 Au g/t + 0.0055 Ag g/t, which was assessed based on the following metal price and recovery assumptions: Cu price of 2.5 US$/lb and recovery of 80% (96.5% payable); Pb price of 0.8 US$/lb and recovery of 70% (95% payable); Zn price of 0.8 US$/lb and recovery of 90% (85% payable); Au price of 1100 US$/oz and recovery of 50% (90% payable); and Ag price of 16 US$/oz and recovery of 50% (90% payable). The Marg deposit was first identified in 1965 by strong regional stream sediment geochemical anomalies detected as part of a Geological Survey of Canada study. Since then, Marg has been developed into a sizeable VMS deposit. To this effect, the potential for discovering an analogous VMS deposit seems quite reasonable in the Jane Area (7 kilometres to the southwest) where somewhat similar surface geochemical anomalies (namely Ag in soil and/or stream sediment anomalies) are present within favourable host rocks (Figure 2). Figure 2 - Potential VMS Horizons, Target Boxes and Ag in Soils Heat Map on VTEM Magnetics THE AGREEMENT Azarga Metals has executed the Agreement with Golden Predator. On closing Azarga Metals will issue 5,219,985 common shares in Azarga Metals, at a deemed price of $0.134 per share for a total deemed value of $700,000. Staged cash payments of $200,000 at the one-year anniversary date of closing; $350,000 at the two-year anniversary date of closing for the completion of the Transaction; and a milestone payment of $300,000 (in cash or shares at Golden Predators discretion) upon final decision to mine by Azarga Metals at the Marg Project. Golden Predator will be entitled to a 1% NSR royalty of all metals extracted from the Marg Project. Azarga Metals will have the option to buy back 100% of the NSR for cash consideration of $1,500,000. The Company has received the appropriate consent and waiver under the existing Baker Steel Resources Trust convertible loan. A finder's fee for the first payment will be settled on closing by the issue of 447,761 common shares at a deemed price of $0.134 per share for a total deemed value of $60,000. The finder's fee agreement is in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange") will be settled in cash or in shares at the Company's discretion. All common shares issued in connection with the Agreement and the finder's fee will be subject to a four-month and a day hold period. The Agreement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Qualified Person James Pickell, P.Geo., a consultant to Azarga Metals and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101, verified the data disclosed and has reviewed and approved the disclosure contained in this Press Release. About Azarga Metals Corp. Azarga Metals is a mineral exploration and development company that owns 100% of the Unkur Copper-Silver Project in the Zabaikalsky administrative region in eastern Russia. On completion of a first phase physical exploration program in 2016-2018, the Company estimated an Inferred Resource of 62 million tonnes at 0.53% copper and 38.6g/t silver for the project in the report entitled "Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Unkur Copper-Silver Project, Kodar-Udokan, Russian Federation" dated effective August 30, 2018 authored by Tetra Tech Mining & Minerals. The Resource remains open in both directions along strike and down-dip. AZARGA METALS CORP. "Gordon Tainton" Gordon Tainton, President and Chief Executive Officer For further information please contact Doris Meyer, at +1 604 536-2711 ext. 3, or Gordon Tainton, at + 1-604-248-8380 or visit www.azargametals.com or follow us on Twitter @AzargaMetals. The address of the head office of Azarga Metals is Unit 1 - 15782 Marine Drive, White Rock, BC V4B 1E6, British Columbia, Canada. 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: This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Corporation's current expectations and estimates. Forward-looking statements are frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "suggest", "indicate" and other similar words or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results implied or expressed in such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others: the actual results of current planned exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans to continue to be refined; possible variations in mineralization grade or recovery rates; accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; and fluctuations in metal prices. There may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. SOURCE: Azarga Metals Corp. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/671988/Azarga-Metals-Signs-Definitive-Agreement-to-Acquire-Marg-Copper-Rich-VMS-Project-in-Yukon LONDON, UK / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Gabriel Resources Ltd. (TSXV:GBU)("Gabriel" or the "Company") announces the publication of its Third Quarter Financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis Report for the period ended September 30, 2021. Summary Gabriel remains focused on the progression of its arbitration case brought by the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Gabriel Resources (Jersey) Ltd., (together " Claimants ") against the Romanian State (" Respondent ") under the rules of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (" ICSID "), part of the World Bank (" ICSID Arbitration "): The filing by the Claimants and Respondent of simultaneous written submissions (" Post-Hearing Briefs ") in April 2021, which comment in conclusion on the evidentiary record, were expected to be the final substantive submissions by the parties in the ICSID Arbitration. On July 27, 2021 the Rosia Montana Mining Cultural Landscape, an area covering the footprint of the Project, was inscribed by UNESCO on its World Heritage List (" Inscription ") and added to its List of World Heritage in Danger. The Inscription is consistent with, and further evidence of, Romania's political repudiation of the Project and its joint venture with Gabriel. In a procedural order issued on September 30, 2021, the arbitral tribunal (" Tribunal ")allowed evidence relating to the Inscription into the record and the parties agreed a written procedure to address those documents. The Claimants filed their submission on October 29, 2021 and the Respondent will have until December 6, 2021 to file its response. The Tribunal also held out the prospect of a further procedural step in the form of an additional oral hearing or a written phase in response to any Tribunal questions that may arise following the filing of the Post-Hearing Briefs. In the absence of any further questions from the Tribunal, or other procedural interventions, it is anticipated that the Tribunal will focus on its deliberations and preparation of its final decision (" Award "). There is no specified timeframe in the ICSID Rules in which a further procedural step may be undertaken or an Award is to be made by the Tribunal. ") against the Romanian State (" ") under the rules of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (" "), part of the World Bank (" "): The net loss for the third quarter of 2021 was $3.0 million (Q2 2021 $6.0 million). As at September 30, 2021, the Company held $4.7 million of cash and cash equivalents (Q2 2021 $7.0 million). The Company believes that it has sufficient funding necessary to cover its planned activities through to March 2022 and will need to raise additional financing in Q1 2022 to fund ICSID Arbitration costs and working capital requirements thereafter. Dragos Tanase, Gabriel's President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: "We remain disappointed that Romania chose to pursue the UNESCO listing, which severely undermines the possibility of a future amicable resolution of the dispute, and we await the conclusion of the current round of ICSID Arbitration submissions relating thereto. We look forward to notification of the next procedural steps or a final decision from the Tribunal, which we hope will recognize the merit of Gabriel's claims, and continue to rely upon the patience, understanding and financial support of our shareholders in the interim." Further information and commentary on the results in the third quarter of 2021 is given below. The Company has filed its Unaudited Condensed Interim Consolidated Financial Statements for Q3 2021 and related Management's Discussion & Analysis on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and each is available for review on the Company's website at www.gabrielresources.com. 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. Further Information Status of the ICSID Arbitration The ICSID Arbitration seeks compensation for all of the loss and damage suffered by the Claimants, resulting from the Respondent's wrongful conduct and its breaches of the protections afforded by certain treaties for the promotion and protection of foreign investment to which Romania is a party, including against expropriation, unfair and inequitable treatment, discrimination and other unlawful treatment in respect of the Ro?ia Montana gold and silver project, together with the gold, silver and porphyry copper deposits defined in the Bucium concession area (" Projects ") and related licenses. ") and related licenses. Subsequent to the filing of the Post-Hearing Briefs, in a procedural order issued on September 30, 2021, the Tribunal granted the Claimants request for permission to submit certain new evidence into the record in relation to: (i) the Inscription; and (ii) the decision of Romania's Buzau Tribunal dated December 10, 2020 rejecting a legal challenge to the second archaeological discharge certificate issued for the Carnic massif. The Tribunal also invited the parties to confer on a procedure for addressing the new documents. The parties subsequently agreed that each would make one written submission presenting their respective arguments, limited to a maximum of 10,000 words. The Claimants filed their submission on October 29, 2021 and the Respondent will have until December 6, 2021 to file its response. Notwithstanding the filing of the Post-Hearing Briefs, which are typically the final substantive written submissions of the parties in the proceedings, the Tribunal has held out the prospect of a further procedural step in the form of an additional oral hearing or a written phase for the parties to respond to any Tribunal questions that may arise following the filing of the Post-Hearing Briefs. In the absence of any further questions from the Tribunal or other procedural interventions, it is anticipated that the Tribunal will now focus on its deliberations and preparation of its Award. There is no specified timeframe in the ICSID Rules in which a further procedural step may be undertaken or an Award is to be made by the Tribunal. Furthermore, any Award may be subject to a request for annulment (albeit such request can only be made on very limited grounds). UNESCO World Heritage The Inscription is incompatible with the rights the Gabriel group acquired to develop the Project and the continued existence of an exploitation mining license for the Project area and thus materially undermines the possibility of an amicable resolution of the dispute with Romania that would allow for the development of the Project. Romania's application to UNESCO and the subsequent Inscription are fundamentally at odds with Romania's obligations under its investment treaties in relation to Gabriel's investments and these acts, together with other measures taken by Romania, further evidence Romania's political repudiation of the Project and its joint venture with Gabriel. Financial Performance Operating loss for the third quarter was $3.0 million, some $6.2 million lower than the corresponding period in 2020, arising from $5.6 million lower costs related to the ongoing ICSID Arbitration, reflecting the more limited activity in the third quarter of 2021 (whereas the corresponding period in 2020 included preparation for and attendance at the second oral hearing), $0.2 million of lower costs related to payroll, and $0.2 million lower share-based payments. An impairment charge of $0.7 million in the third quarter of 2021 was offset entirely by severance costs of the same amount in the corresponding period in 2020. The net loss for the third quarter of 2021 was also $3.0 million, a decrease of $8.7 million from a net loss of $11.7 million in the corresponding period in 2020, primarily reflecting the $6.2 million reduction in operating loss noted above together with a $ 0.1 million gain in foreign exchange and $2.4 million of finance costs incurred in respect of the convertible notes in 2020 not repeated following their repayment in June 2021. Liquidity Cash and cash equivalents at September 30, 2021 were $4.7 million. The Company's average monthly cash usage during Q3 2021 was $0.8 million (Q2 2021: $1.0 million), the decrease primarily reflecting the reduction in payments related to ICSID Arbitration costs. At September 30, 2021, accruals for costs in respect of the ICSID Arbitration amounted to $ 3.6 million (Q2 2021: $3.4 million), the increase reflecting the continuation of a fee agreement in respect of the deferred payment of certain ICSID Arbitration costs until an Award is issued. Sale of Long Lead Time Equipment ("LLTE") LLTE consisting of crushing and milling equipment was originally procured by the Group between 2007 and 2009 for the operational phase of the Project. Since 2015, the Group has sold a majority of the LLTE, with the remaining LLTE comprising predominantly a SAG mill together with a gearless motor drive, and ball mill motors. On November 1, 2021 RMGC concluded an agreement with a buyer for an instalment based purchase of the remaining LLTE, and received a non-refundable deposit of US$375,000 (approx. $475,000). Further instalments are due in the period to September 2022 and once final payment is made ownership and title to the assets will pass to the purchaser, resulting in aggregate gross proceeds of US$1.75 million (approx. $2.2 million). Taking into account costs of sale, including the costs of storage and insurance of the LLTE for the instalment period, Gabriel expects to add to treasury net cash receipts of approximately US$1.5 million (approx. $1.9 million). Accordingly, the carrying amount of the remaining LLTE was written down to its fair value less costs of sale and an impairment charge of $0.7 million was taken in the third quarter. Capital Resources The Company believes, taking into account the deferred fee agreement and the proceeds receivable from the sale of the LLTE, it has sufficient cash to enable the Group to fund general working capital requirements together with the material estimated costs associated with the Company advancing the ICSID Arbitration through to March 2022. There can be no assurances that the ICSID Arbitration will advance in a customary or predictable manner or be completed or settled within any specific or reasonable period of time and further procedural steps may be required to be completed prior to the issuance of an Award. Accordingly, Gabriel will need to raise additional financing in Q1 2022 in order to preserve its remaining assets, including the exploitation license for the Rosia Montana Project (" License ") and associated rights and permits post March 2022, while it awaits an Award from the Tribunal. ") and associated rights and permits post March 2022, while it awaits an Award from the Tribunal. Thereafter, the Group will also require further funding for general working capital purposes, and to pursue the long-term activities required to see the ICSID Arbitration through to its conclusion, which may include, as appropriate, costs of any potential annulment proceedings and/or costs of enforcement of any Award. Notwithstanding the Company's recent and historic funding, there is a risk that sufficient additional financing may not be available to the Company on acceptable terms, or at all. Impact of Coronavirus With respect to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Gabriel continues to consider carefully its impact, noting the continuing disruption to normal activities and the uncertainty over the duration of this disruption. The highest priority of the Board of Directors and Management is the health, safety and welfare of the Group's employees and contractors. Gabriel recognizes that the situation is extremely fluid and is monitoring the relevant recommendations and restrictions on work practices and travel. At this time, these recommendations and restrictions do not significantly impact Gabriel's ability to continue the ICSID Arbitration process or conduct the limited operations in Romania, nor has there been a significant impact on the Group's results or operations to date. The Group will continue to seek new investment and the market and timing may be adversely affected by the effects of COVID-19. As a result, Gabriel will react to circumstances as they arise and will make any necessary adjustments to the work processes required. Should any material disruption from COVID-19 affect the Group for an extended duration, Gabriel will review certain planned activities in Romania and take remedial actions if it is determined to be necessary or prudent to do so. For information on this press release, please contact: Dragos Tanase President & CEO Phone: +40 730 399 019 dt@gabrielresources.com Richard Brown Chief Financial Officer Mobile: +44 7748 760276 richard.brown@gabrielresources.com About Gabriel Gabriel is a Canadian resource company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The Company's principal business had been the exploration and development of the Ro?ia Montana gold and silver project in Romania. The Rosia Montana Project, one of the largest undeveloped gold deposits in Europe, is situated in the South Apuseni Mountains of Transylvania, Romania, an historic and prolific mining district that since pre-Roman times has been mined intermittently for over 2,000 years. The exploitation license for the Rosia Montana Project is held by Ro?ia Montana Gold Corporation S.A., a Romanian company in which Gabriel owns an 80.69% equity interest, with the 19.31% balance held by Minvest Ro?ia Montana S.A., a Romanian state-owned mining company. Upon obtaining the License in June 1999, the Group focused substantially all of their management and financial resources on the exploration, feasibility and subsequent development of the Rosia Montana Project. Despite the Company's fulfilment of its legal obligations and its development of the Rosia Montana Project as a high-quality, sustainable and environmentally-responsible mining project, using best available techniques, Romania has unlawfully blocked and prevented implementation of the Rosia Montana Project without due process and without compensation. Accordingly, the Company's current core focus is the ICSID Arbitration. For more information please visit the Company's website at www.gabrielresources.com. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" (also referred to as "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management's current expectations and plans and allowing investors and others to get a better understanding of the Company's operating environment. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. In this press release, forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Company's actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation, the uncertainties associated with: the ICSID Arbitration, actions by the Romanian Government, conditions or events impacting the Company's ability to fund its operations (including but not limited to the completion of further funding noted above) or service its debt, exploration, development and operation of mining properties and the overall impact of misjudgments made in good faith in the course of preparing forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors including those set out below, that may never materialize, prove incorrect or materialize other than as currently contemplated which could cause the Company's results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "is of the view", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives", "potential", "possible" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events, conditions or results "may", "could", "would", "should", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of fact and may be forward-looking statements. Numerous factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including without limitation: the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) may affect the Company's operations and/or the anticipated timeline for the ICSID Arbitration; the duration, costs, process and outcome of the ICSID Arbitration; Romania's actions following the inscription of the "Rosia Montana Mining Landscape" as a UNESCO World Heritage site; changes in the liquidity and capital resources of Gabriel, and/or the group of companies of which it is directly or indirectly parent; access to funding to support the Group's continued ICSID Arbitration and/or operating activities in the future; equity dilution resulting from the conversion or exercise of new or existing securities in part or in whole to Common Shares; the ability of the Company to maintain a continued listing on the TSX Venture Exchange or any regulated public market for trading securities; the impact on business strategy and its implementation in Romania of: any allegations of historic acts of corruption, uncertain fiscal investigations; uncertain legal enforcement both for and against the Group and political and social instability; regulatory, political and economic risks associated with operating in a foreign jurisdiction including changes in laws, governments and legal regimes and interpretation of existing and future fiscal and other legislation; global economic and financial market conditions; volatility of currency exchange rates; and the availability and continued participation in operational or other matters pertaining to the Group of certain key employees and consultants. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and investors should not infer that there has been no change in the Company's affairs since the date of this press release that would warrant any modification of any forward-looking statement made in this document, other documents periodically filed with or furnished to the relevant securities regulators or documents presented on the Company's website. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements or the foregoing list of assumptions or factors, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, subject to the Company's disclosure obligations under applicable Canadian securities regulations. Investors are urged to read the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulatory agencies which can be viewed online at www.sedar.com. SOURCE: Gabriel Resources Ltd. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/672026/Gabriel-Resources-Ltd-Third-Quarter-Report LUXEMBOURG / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / Nexa Resources S.A. ("Nexa Resources" or "Nexa" or the "Company") (NYSE:NEXA)(TSX:NEXA) announces that it has applied for a voluntarily delisting of its common shares ("Common Shares") from the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") in Canada. Subject to such application being accepted by the TSX, it is expected that the Common Shares will be delisted from the TSX effective as of the close of trading on or about November 30, 2021. The Company has decided to pursue the voluntary delisting of the Common Shares following an internal assessment of the relative advantages and disadvantages associated with the continued listing on the TSX. In arriving at the determination to delist, the Company considered, among other things, the burdens associated with the listing, the minimal trading volumes on the TSX and the availability of an alternative market for the Common Shares on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"). The Company's Common Shares will continue to be listed and trade on the NYSE under the symbol "NEXA". In accordance with the TSX Company Manual, the TSX does not require shareholder approval of the voluntary delisting of the Common Shares from the TSX as an acceptable alternative market will exist for the Common Shares on the date of delisting. The delisting from the TSX is not expected to have any impact on the Company's ongoing operations. The Company will remain a reporting issuer in each of the provinces and territories of Canada following the delisting and continue to file in Canada and disseminate to Canadian resident holders of the Common Shares its continuous and periodic disclosure documents until such time as it ceases to be obligated to do so. The Company intends to apply under Canadian securities laws for an order that it cease to be a reporting issuer as soon as is practicable following the delisting from the TSX. Holders of the Common Shares in Canadian brokerage accounts are encouraged to contact their brokers to verify how to trade their Common Shares on the NYSE in the future. About Nexa Nexa is a large-scale, low-cost integrated zinc producer with over 60 years of experience developing and operating mining and smelting assets in Latin America. Nexa currently owns and operates five long-life underground mines - three located in the Central Andes of Peru and two located in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil - and is developing the Aripuana Project as its sixth underground mine in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Nexa also currently owns and operates three smelters, two located in Brazil and one in Peru, Cajamarquilla, which is the largest smelter in the Americas. Nexa was among the top five producers of mined zinc globally in 2020 and also one of the top five metallic zinc producers worldwide in 2020, according to Wood Mackenzie. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to in this news release as "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements contained in this news release may include, but are not limited to, zinc and other metal prices and exchange rate assumptions, projected operating and capital costs, metal or mineral recoveries, head grades, mine life, production rates, and returns; the Company's potential plans; the estimation of the tonnage, grade and content of deposits and the extent of the Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve estimates; timing of commencement of production; exploration potential and results; the timing and receipt of necessary permits for future operations; the impacts of COVID-19 in our operations. These statements are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results and future performance and achievements will meet or not differ from the expectations of management or qualified persons. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The words "believe," "will," "may," "may have," "would," "estimate," "continues," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "expects," "budget," "scheduled," "forecasts" and similar words are intended to identify estimates and forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Actual results and developments may be substantially different from the expectations described in the forward-looking statements for a number of reasons, many of which are not under our control, among them, the activities of our competition, the future global economic situation, weather conditions, market prices and conditions, exchange rates, and operational and financial risks. The unexpected occurrence of one or more of the abovementioned events may significantly change the results of our operations on which we have based our estimates and forward-looking statements. Our estimates and forward-looking statements may also be influenced by, among others, legal, political, environmental, or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the Project, including risks related to outbreaks of contagious diseases or health crises impacting overall economic activity regionally or globally. These forward-looking statements related to future events or future performance and include current estimates, predictions, forecasts, beliefs and statements as to management's expectations with respect to, but not limited to, the business and operations of the Company and mining production, our growth strategy, the impact of applicable laws and regulations, future zinc and other metal prices, smelting sales, capex, expenses related to exploration and project evaluation, estimation of Mineral Reserves and/or Mineral Resources, mine life and our financial liquidity. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of factors and assumptions that, while considered reasonable and appropriate by management and qualified persons considering their experience are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies and may prove to be incorrect. Statements concerning future production costs or volumes are based on numerous assumptions of management regarding operating matters and on assumptions that demand for products develops as anticipated, that customers and other counterparties perform their contractual obligations, full integration of mining and smelting operations, that operating and capital plans will not be disrupted by issues such as mechanical failure, unavailability of parts and supplies, labor disturbances, interruption in transportation or utilities, adverse weather conditions, and that there are no material unanticipated variations in metal prices, exchange rates, or the cost of energy, supplies or transportation, among other assumptions. Estimates and forward-looking statements refer only to the date when they were made, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any estimate or forward-looking statement due to new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Estimates and forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and do not guarantee future performance, as actual results or developments may be substantially different from the expectations described in the forward-looking statements. Further information concerning risks and uncertainties associated with these forward-looking statements and our business can be found in our public disclosures filed under our profile on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and on EDGAR (www.sec.gov). For further information, please contact: Roberta Varella - Head of Investor Relations ir@nexaresouces.com +55 11 3405-5601 SOURCE: Nexa Resources S.A. View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/672037/Nexa-Resources-Announces-Intention-to-Voluntarily-Delist-from-the-Toronto-Stock-Exchange VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / November 9, 2021 / The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of new interviews with Nextech AR, White Gold Corp, Scottie Resources, and Maven Brands 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. Nextech AR Solutions (CSE:NTAR) to launch "ARitize Metaverse Studio Nextech AR Solutions (NTAR) has announced plans to launch its SaaS Metaverse Studio SDK enabling its customers to create their own metaverses. This unified Metaverse Studio will provide the company with a first-mover advantage in the race to bring the Metaverse to the masses. The new studio will be branded as the "Aritize Metaverse Studio". Evan Gappelberg, CEO of Nextech AR Solutions sat down with Caroline Egan to discuss the upcoming launch. For the full interview with Evan Gappelberg and to learn more about Nextech AR Solutions' updates, click here. White Gold (TSXV:WGO) intersects significant gold mineralization on its flagship White Gold Property White Gold Corp (WGO) is pleased to report assay results for its recently completed diamond drilling program on the Ryan's Surprise target. The Golden Saddle and Arc deposits have a combined mineral resource of 1,139,900 ounces indicated at 2.28 g/t Au and 402,100 ounces inferred at 1.39 g/t Au and the VG deposit hosts a historic inferred gold resource of 230,000 ounces at 1.65g/t Au. CEO David D'Onofrio sat down with Caroline Egan to discuss the results. For the full interview with David D'Onofrio and to learn more about White Gold Corp's updates, click here. Scottie Resources (TSXV:SCOT) reports intercept of 12.0 g/t gold over 6.05 metres and extends Blueberry Zone Scottie Resources (SCOT) is pleased to report assay results from its Blueberry Zone. Scottie reports new intercepts that extend the strike of the zone 100 m to the south, including 4.27 g/t gold over 11.9 metres. CEO Brad Rourke sat down with Carolyn Egan to discuss the assay results. For the full interview with Brad Rourke and to learn more about Scottie Resources' updates, click here. Maven Brands Inc. (CSE:MJ) launches crowdfunding campaign Maven Brands (MJ) has launched a crowdfunding campaign for its partner-focused craft cannabis processing facility and program. The company will issue up to a maximum of 8,333,334 units at $0.18 per unit to raise up to $1.5 million. The minimum investment is $1,000. Andrew Gordon, VP of Strategy sat down with Caroline Egan to discuss the campaign. For the full interview with Andrew Gordon and to learn more about Maven Brands' updates, 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. 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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 Information: 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/672039/The-Power-Play-by-The-Market-Herald-Releases-New-Interviews-with-Nextech-AR-White-Gold-Corp-Scottie-Resources-and-Maven-Brands-Discussing-Their-Latest-News Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - November 9, 2021) - Whitehorse Gold Corp. (TSXV: WHG) ("Whitehorse Gold" or the "Company") announces that it has filed a final short form base shelf prospectus (the "Prospectus") with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces of Canada and the Yukon. The Prospectus is expected to provide the Company with a flexible and efficient approach for completing future financings. The Prospectus enables the Company to make offerings of up to C$50,000,000 of common shares, preferred shares, debt securities, warrants, units or subscription receipts of the Company or any combination thereof (the "Securities") from time to time, separately or together, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined based on market conditions at the time of the offering and as set out in an accompanying prospectus supplement, during the 25-month period that the Prospectus is effective. The specific terms of any future offering will be established in a supplement to the Prospectus, which will be filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities. A copy of the Prospectus can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. A copy of the Prospectus may also be obtained from the Company upon written request from the contact below. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in the United States, nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The Securities have not been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons, absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Management Update The Company announces the resignation of Loralee Johnstone, Vice President Corporate Social Responsibility. "I would like to thank Loralee for her contribution to the Company and wish her success in her new endeavours," stated Kevin Weston, CEO and Director of Whitehorse Gold. About Whitehorse Gold Corp. Whitehorse Gold is a responsible mineral exploration and development company focused on its 170-square-km Skukum Gold Project located in southern Yukon, approximately 55 km south-southwest of Whitehorse. The project hosts the advanced-stage Skukum Creek and Goddell deposits, and the past producing Mt. Skukum high-grade gold mine, all of which remain open for expansion, plus additional untested mineralized occurrences. Project infrastructure includes an all-weather access road, a 50-person camp, approximately 6 kms of underground development, and a previously operating 300-tpd mill and associated infrastructure. Operations by a previous operator at Mt. Skukum from 1986 to 1988 saw 233,400 tons of ore mined and processed to recover approximately 79,750 ounces of gold (Total Energold Corporation, 1989). On Behalf of Whitehorse Gold Corp. signed "Kevin Weston" Kevin Weston, CEO & Director For further information please contact: Steve Stakiw, Vice President - Corporate Affairs Phone: 1-604-336-5919 Email: info@whitehorsegold.ca www.whitehorsegold.ca Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this news release, including, without limitation, the Company's objectives, goals, or future plans, the filing and approval of any potential prospectus supplement, the amount, terms and completion of any future financings, the intended use of proceeds from any future financings, the expected closing date of any future financings and other future plans, objectives or expectations of the Company are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often, but not always, identified by words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. The opinions, assumptions, factors and estimates which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to: that market fundamentals will result in sustained precious metals demand and prices; that there are no significant disruptions affecting operations, including labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, security disruptions, damage to or loss of equipment, whether due to flooding, political changes, title issues, intervention by local landowners, environmental concerns, pandemics (including COVID-19) or otherwise; that any future financings will close in a timely manner, that the Company will be able to obtain and maintain governmental approvals, permits and licenses in connection with its current and planned operations, development and exploration activities, including at the Skukum Gold Project; that the Company will be able to complete the required upgrading and retrofitting of the Skukum Gold Project infrastructure to be fit for the Company's planned mining activities; that the Company will be able to meet its current and future obligations; that the Company will be able to comply with environmental, health and safety laws; that the Company will be able to secure financing on suitable terms pursuant to the Prospectus and any prospectus supplements; and the assumptions underlying mineral resource estimates and the realization of such estimates. 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 differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others: that investor interest will be sufficient to close any future financings, social and economic impacts of COVID-19; actual exploration results; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; results of future exploration activities and resource estimates; future metal prices; availability of capital and financing on acceptable terms; general economic, market or business conditions; uninsured risks; regulatory changes; defects in title; availability of personnel, materials and equipment on a timely basis; accidents or equipment breakdowns; delays in receiving government and regulatory approvals (including approval of any Prospectus supplement); unanticipated environmental impacts on operations and costs to remedy same; and other exploration risks or other risks detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including the Prospectus. All of the Company's Canadian public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedar.com and readers are urged to review these materials. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause such actions, events or results to differ materially from those anticipated. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and accordingly readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements in this news release or incorporated by reference herein, except as otherwise required by law. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/102739 Contrast Security, a Los Altos, Calif.-based provider of next-gen code security tools, raised $150M in Series E funding at a greater than billion-dollar valuation. The round was led by Liberty Strategic Capital, with participation from existing investors Warburg Pincus, Battery Ventures, General Catalyst, Microsofts M-12 Fund, AXA Venture Partners and Acero Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand its business reach, following growth in EMEA and rapid customer adoption in APAC, and to execute on strategic opportunities and acquisitions. Led by Alan Naumann, CEO, Contrast Security provides an Application Security Platform, removing security roadblock inefficiencies and empowering enterprises to write and release secure application code faster. Embedding code analysis and attack prevention directly into software with instrumentation, the platform automatically detects vulnerabilities while developers write code, eliminates false positives, and provides context-specific how-to-fix guidance for vulnerability remediation. The customer base that consists of tens of thousands of developers at some of the largest brand-name companies in the world, including BMW, DocuSign, AXA, Zurich, SOMPO Japan, and American Red Cross, as well as numerous other leading global Fortune 500 enterprises. Contrast also partners with AWS, IBM, Google, Microsoft, and VMware to bring security into cloud applications. FinSMEs 09/11/2021 H2O.ai, a Mountain View, Calif.-based AI Cloud company, closed $100m Series E funding round. The round was led by Australias largest bank, customer Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), with participation from Pivot Investment Partners and prior investors Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Crane Venture Partners and existing investors such as Wells Fargo, New York Life and NVIDIA. The company, which has now raised over $250m and is valued at $1.7 billion, will use to capital to scale partnerships, sales, marketing, and customer success globally. Led by Sri Ambati, founder and CEO, H2O.ai is an AI Cloud company, which enables customers to solve complex business problems and accelerate the discovery of new ideas. H2O.ai serves more than 20,000 global organizations, millions of data scientists and over half of the Fortune 500, including AT&T, Citi, Capital One, GlaxoSmithKline, Hitachi, Kaiser Permanente, Procter & Gamble, PayPal, PwC, Reckitt, Unilever, and Walgreens. CBA, Goldman Sachs, NVIDIA, and Wells Fargo are customers, partners, and strategic investors in the company. FinSMEs 09/11/2021 Reprise, a Boston, MA-based demo and product experience platform, raised $62m in Series B financing. The round, which brought the total amount raised to date to $82m, was led by new investor ICONIQ Growth with participation from existing investors Bain Capital Ventures, Accomplice VC, and Glasswing Ventures, as well as: Trevor Noah, host of The Daily Show Jeffrey Katzenbergs WndrCo Jack Altman, CEO of Lattice Howie Liu, CEO of Airtable Nick Mehta, CEO of Gainsight Lauren Farleigh, Partner at Mischief Capital & Zach Perret, CEO at Plaid Rahul Vohra, CEO of Superhuman & Todd Goldberg, founder of Eventjoy Mark Ghermezian, founding CEO of Braze Phil Fernandez, co-founder, former Chairman & CEO of Marketo John Nisi, GM and COO of US Cloud at Microsoft Ryan Peterson, CEO, & Ben Braverman, Chief Customer Officer of Flexport Jayni Shah, Partner at Fifth Down Capital Sameer Dholakia, former CEO of SendGrid ICONIQ Growth, Bain Capital Ventures, Accomplice VC, Glasswing Ventures, The company will use the funding to expand its customer base and increase the depth of its enterprise platform. Led by Co-founders and Co-CEOs Sam Clemens and Bryan Stevenson, Reprise is an enterprise-ready product experience platform that enables sales and marketing teams to control the narrative of their demo/product experiences without needing engineering involvement. The company has expanded rapidly since its founding in 2020, with over 900% year-over-year ARR growth and 700% year-over-year team growth. Customers include ZoomInfo, Outreach, Silicon Valley Bank, and Cloudera, among others. FinSMEs 09/11/2021 SafeBreach team SafeBreach, a Tel Aviv, Israel-based breach and attack simulation (BAS) platform provider, raised $53.5m in Series D funding. The round was led by Sonae IM and Israel Growth Partners (IGP), with additional participation from Sands Capital and Leumi Partners and strategic investment from ServiceNow, as well as participation from existing investors. In conjunction with the funding, Carlos Alberto Silva, Managing Partner at Sonae IM, and Assaf Harel, General Partner at IGP, will be joining the SafeBreach board, and Scott Frederick, Managing Director at Sands Capital will be added as a board observer. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate plans to expand its market presence to new geographies and evolve its offerings. This operation represents the largest investment to date in a breach and attack simulation vendor, and more than doubles the investment in SafeBreach, bringing the companys total funding to over $106 million. Led by Guy Bejerano, co-founder and CEO, SafeBreach is a leader in the Breach and Attack Simulation (BAS) market, providing a continuous security validation platform. The patented platform automatically and safely executes thousands of attack methods to validate network, endpoint, cloud, container and email security controls against its Hackers Playbook, a large collection of attack data broken down by methods, tactics and threat actors. The company currently protects nearly 100 enterprise customers, all within the Fortune 1000 and including the top five largest financial, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies who are at the forefront of developing COVID-19 vaccines and remediation. FinSMEs 09/11/2021 SafeRide Health, a San Antonio, Texas-based technology-first platform connecting patients to life sustaining care, closed its Series B funding round of undisclosed amount. The round was led by Sands Capital, with additional participation from new investors Seminal Capital, Hill City Capital, Frys Path Capital and Primetime Partners, as well as existing investors Fresenius Medical Ventures, Bonfire Ventures and Meridian Street Capital. The company intends to use the funds to expand operations and its business reach. Led by Robbins Schrader, CEO and co-founder, SafeRide Health is a technology and services company dedicated to improving the delivery of non-emergency medical transportation to people across America. The company leverages proprietary technology, and a nationwide network of vetted transportation providers, to give payers and health systems an intelligent way to deliver on-demand transportation while improving the patient experience. FinSMEs 09/11/2021 ShipsFocus, a maritime-dedicated venture studio, and Quest Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on Asia, launched The Maritime Fund with a first close at just over SGD 10m (USD 7.5m). Led by Mr. Chua Chye Poh, the Maritime Fund will invest in startups and technologies spanning applications in shipping & operations, maritime services, and port operations & services. These can include transiting shipping into a digital operating system, reducing shipping ESG, GHG emission and regulatory challenges, and deep-tech disruptions ranging from autonomous vehicles to increase in logistics visibility. The vehicle makes investments at the early Series Seed and Series A stages. ShipsFocus creates technology startups and solutions that digitize and demystify the complex maritime web and its myriad operations, linking inter-connected data silos and generating recurring values for users in maritime commerce. Quest Ventures is a top venture capital firm in Asia with a portfolio of 90+ venture-backed companies that operate in more than 150 cities across the continent, creating employment and advancement opportunities for more than 4,400 employees, while its Enterprise and ESG efforts directly impact thousands more. Its portfolio companies include unicorns and companies such as Carro, Carousell, ShopBack, 99.co, and others. FinSMEs 09/11/2021 Tampa, FL (33646) Today Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 66F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 66F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. 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. Samsung, a leader in memory and semiconductor technology, has unveiled their next generation 14nm-based 16Gb LPDDR5X DRAM. It will succeed the existing 8Gb LPDDR5 DRAM from Samsung, and is designed to boost speed, capacity and power savings for future 5G applications. LPDDR5X DRAM will offer data processing speeds of up to 8.5 Gbps. Compared to the 6.4Gbps processing speeds of LPDDR5, this is 1.3 times faster. It has a power consumption that is 20% lesser than LPDDR5 too, and it will enable up to 64GB per memory package. Some of the many applications for LPDDR5X include 5G, artificial intelligence (AI) and the metaverse. Samsung will begin working with global chipset manufacturers to introduce LPDDR5X technology later this year. Commenting on the announcement, SangJoon Hwang, Senior Vice President and Head of the DRAM Design Team at Samsung Electronics said: Friends and family members Living in the United States The reduction of new coronavirus cases All of the above and more Vote View Results Bettina Lerman was on a ventilator for weeks after getting COVID-19 and hadn't responded to doctors' efforts to wake her from a coma when her family made the difficult decision to take her off of life support. 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. Linn Countys shipment of pediatric coronavirus vaccines did not come on Monday as scheduled, meaning no doses for 5- to 11-year-olds will be available at planned clinics this week. County officials said they were not sure what the hold-up was. Even Multnomah County notes on its website that its health department is still waiting on pediatric doses. Other pediatric clinics have already been held, like one at Oaks Amusement Park over the weekend, though news reports said that appointments filled up immediately. This prompt backup of vaccine supply is in contrast to what Oregon Health Authority officials said during a media availability last week. Dr. Kristen Dillon, a senior adviser on the states COVID-19 response, said on Wednesday she expected that supply will keep up with demand for vaccines for this age group, and that she did not expect the same scarcity of vaccines experienced previously for adults. OHA officials said there are some 330,000 children in Oregon in the 5-11 age group. Studies showed that the pediatric formula of Pfizers vaccine was 91% effective for this group. Despite the backlog of pediatric doses, local mass clinics are still on in the mid-valley, however, with doses of Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines available for those who are 12 or older. Third dose booster shots will also be available for those who are at least six months past the date of their second shot. For J&J recipients, third doses are available two months after the single-dose series is completed. This weeks vaccine clinics will be held at Boulder Falls Inn in Lebanon from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. It is not a drive-thru format like the ongoing clinics at the Linn County Fair & Expo Center. Instead, folks will come inside and secure their doses. Prepare to wait in the monitoring area for 15 minutes after receiving your shot. No appointments are necessary, though they are encouraged. Sign up for a timeslot online at https://www.linncountyhealth.org/ph/page/covid-19-vaccines-information. Benton County officials said that the health department did receive an allotment last week of 300 pediatric doses, which are being held for the county-sponsored vaccine clinics at public schools. However, the county received only a partial allotment and is still waiting on the next round from the state. Regarding the receipt of pediatric Pfizer, public health received its initial shipment last week, said Rocio Munoz, the county health departments equity and communications manager. We and many vaccinating partners are awaiting additional doses that are scheduled to arrive this week. Plans for vaccine clinics, which are planned to feature pediatric doses, are still planned for Benton County schools starting next week. Appointments are required at those clinics, though remaining timeslots will be offered to the public at-large. For more information, contact the information hotline at 541-766-6120. Details on those clinics in Benton County can be found online by following this link More mid-valley COVID-19 coverage Troy Shinn covers healthcare, natural resources and Linn County government. He can be reached at 541-812-6114 or troy.shinn@lee.net. He can be found on Twitter at @troydshinn. 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. Troy Shinn Reporter Follow Troy Shinn 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 Oregon will likely file a claim on its one-of-a-kind wildfire insurance policy with Lloyd's of London. "It looks like it is going to pencil-out to about a $19 million claim," said Jim Gersbach, spokesman for the Oregon Department of Forestry. The policy with the 335-year-old British risk insurance pool will help pay for fighting fires that burned 225,007 acres of the 16 million acres protected by ODF. ODF has purchased the insurance since 1973 as a hedge against firefighting costs that could overwhelm the budget of a heavily forested state with limited resources to battle major blazes. The last district in Oregon declared the fire season over on Oct. 22. While the insurance coverage runs from April to April, Gersbach said all but a fraction of fires and costs occur between late spring and mid-autumn. ODF calculates its 2021 spending on fire suppression at just under $129.2 million. After federal aid and other reimbursements, the net amount projects at just under $69 million. Under its policy with Lloyd's, the state covers the first $50 million in costs a kind of insurance deductible. 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. Above $50 million, Lloyd's covers the next $25 million. If costs are above $75 million, the bill reverts to the state. But when costs get that high, the fires are reaching the level of a catastrophic disaster, which is what happened in 2020. The 2020 Labor Day fires burned over 1 million acres in the state, destroyed 4,000 homes, killed 11 people and required 40,000 people to evacuate their homes. Winds driving fires down the western face of the Cascades sped along river valleys, reaching the outer suburbs of Portland, Salem, Eugene and Roseburg. A fast-moving fire north of Ashland destroyed swaths of the towns of Talent and Phoenix. In all, fires in 2020 burned 1.14 million acres in Oregon, including 399,670 acres of lands protected by ODF. But the scale of the fires brought a torrent of federal disaster aid. ODF's final cost of the 2020 wildfires was about $130 million. But the bill was offset by more than $70 million in federal disaster aid, along with additional aid and fees paid to ODF. That pushed the net fire costs to ODF in 2020 below $50 million. There would be no call to Lloyd's of London. "In the end, we did not have to file a claim," Gersbach said. Oregon currently pays $4,131,871 per year for the policy. The cost is split between the state and private timberland owners. Landowners pay their share through a property tax formula. Gersbach said over more than four decades, the state has received $99 million in claims payments from Lloyd's, while paying $75 million in premiums. ODF last filed claims in 2013 for $25 million and 2014 for $23.2 million The current policy runs through April 15, 2022. Lloyd's of London carries just over 90% of the policy, with Nashville-based Acceptance Insurance carrying the remainder. During the winter, ODF and Lloyd's of London will negotiate a new policy and premium, which has to be approved by the legislature and Gov. Kate Brown. The number and size of fires has grown in the past decade. But the state has expanded its fire prevention and firefighting capabilities. Both factors will affect the cost of a new policy. A one-of-a-kind insurance policy is not unusual for Lloyd's of London. It began in 1686 as a company selling shipping insurance from a table at the back of a coffeehouse near the Thames River in central London. Since a 1871 Act of Parliament, Lloyd's has transformed into a risk pool. Today, Lloyd's of London has about 90 members companies, investment funds and a few individuals. Policy payouts are drawn from a risk pool of about $48 billion. The wide spread of risk enables Lloyd's to mute the impact of costs on any one member. The profits are also shared, with members reaping the benefit of premiums paid on the majority of policies that are not activated in any given year. Lloyd's still sells shipping insurance and is based in the same neighborhood as the coffeehouse. Most of its worldwide business is transacted online, but Lloyd's gives a nod to its past by maintaining an underwriting room in London, with a soaring 197-foot high atrium. Over the decades and centuries, Lloyd's has branched out into nearly every corner of the insurance market, including some highly-publicized oddball policies that have made the company's name known around the world. It's insured everything from 1940s actress Betty Grable's legs to Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards' hands. In most years, Lloyd's turns a strong profit for its members. But the COVID-19 pandemic has made for two extraordinarily challenging years. Coronavirus-related policy payouts topped $8.5 billion in 2020, the most of any single event in Lloyd's long history. Insurance policies are based on calculations of likely risk drawn from decades, even centuries of actuarial statistics. But the COVID-19 was a "black swan" a term for a rare, unseen disaster of epic magnitude. The pandemic flooded Lloyd's with claims, leading the pool's investors to absorb a $1.24 billion loss in 2020. But Lloyd's doesn't just sell insurance, it also buys it. The Lloyd's investors limit their ultimate financial exposure by purchasing annual "reinsurance" policies that kick-in when costs escalate above a specific rate or level. While ODF will have to wait until it meets with Lloyd's to discuss terms of the next policy, Gersbach said the state hopes to mark the 50th anniversary in 2023 of the state's "prudent relationship" with Lloyd's of London. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The 2022 election campaign received a jolt of political adrenaline on Monday as former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof reported more than $1 million in contributions for his bid for Oregon governor. The report filed exactly one year before the Nov. 8, 2022 general election catapulted Kristof to the front of the race for campaign dollars. Kristof's "Nick for Oregon" committee raised $1,010,999 from contributions dating to Oct. 15, though he did not announce he was running until Oct. 27. The campaign reported no expenditures. Under state law, candidates have up to 30 days to report money raised or spent. Kristof showcased his national reach, with 26 of the 29 largest donations of $10,000 or more coming from out of state. In all, more than 400 of the individual contributions came from outside of Oregon. The campaign's announcement of the fundraising total focused on in-state money given to Kristof. It noted 2,522 Oregonians in 35 of 36 Oregon counties contributing. I am so grateful for this outpouring of support from all over Oregon, Kristof said. Its clear: people from every corner of this state are ready for new leadership. 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. Kristof's best-known and financed Democratic rivals are House Speaker Tina Kotek of Portland and Treasurer Tobias Read. As of Monday, Kotek reported $414,103 in contributions. When added to money she has from her 2020 re-election campaign, she reports $456,887 in current funds. Read has reported raising $485,886 and has a cash balance of $328,163. Among Republicans, 2016 governor candidate Bud Pierce of Salem has reported raising the most money. The Salem oncologist took in $748,040 this year including $340,000 of his own money. He reports $203,529 in the bank. Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose, has announced she will run as an independent. She has to submit 23,750 valid signatures to go directly to the November ballot. Johnson reports raising $65,850 this year and has $522,605 in the bank from previous campaigns. Read, Kotek, Johnson, Pierce and several other candidates have been actively fundraising this year. As of Monday, 17 candidates have filed to run in the May 17 primary next year. Pierce is the only one of the top fundraisers to have officially turned in the paperwork to run. Candidates have until March 8, 2022 to file. A separate filing allows a candidate to raise and spend money by registering a new campaign finance committee with the secretary of state or amending an existing one. As of Monday, 23 candidates have active fundraising committees registered for the 2022 governor's race. Kristof's report was topped by a trio of $50,000 contributions from out of state: Melinda French Gates of Kirkland, Washington, philanthropist and the ex-wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates. She is a former Microsoft manager who Forbes estimates has personal wealth of $6.3 billion following her August divorce from Bill Gates. Forbes ranked her as the 158th richest person in the United States. Bill Gates ranks fourth with an estimated $134 billion. David Cohen, a Charlotte, N.C. venture capitalist. A former Goldman Sachs executive, Cohen is owner of Simcah investment fund, and co-founder of Enza Capital, which focuses on early stage investments in Africa. Kristof wrote in 2019 of having lunch with the fellow former Rhodes Scholar to plan a charity campaign. He's given donations up to $500,000 to Democratic and climate action PACs. Thomas Bernthal, the Los Angeles-based CEO of Kelton Global, a strategic marketing firm. A former NBC News producer and Clinton White House staffer, Bernthal has worked on branding with major corporations, including Nike, Facebook, Google, Amazon and General Electric. He's engaged to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg and is the brother of "The Punisher" actor Jon Bernthal. The three Oregonians giving $10,000 were: Glen Van Peski, chairman of Gossamer Gear in Bend. Douglas Tunnell, owner of Brick House Vineyard, he's a former CBS News correspondent who covered the Persian Gulf War in 1991. He lives in Newberg in Yamhill County. Audra King, Eugene. Listed as "not employed," state documents show her as having the same address and being in business with Justin King. Justin King is the national sales director of his family's winery, King Estates. He's also contributed photos from Iraq and Haiti to the BBC, and is a musician whose 2018 album "Vines" includes the song "For Audra." Among those contributing at least $10,000 was the trust of actress Angelina Jolie, of Los Angeles. Under Oregon's expansive freedom of speech guarantees in the state constitution, anyone or anything can give unlimited money. Attempts to curb contributions have been struck down by the Oregon Supreme Court. Voters in 2020 approved a constitutional amendment that would allow for limits on political giving. The ballot measure left specific amounts for state lawmakers to decide. An attempt to fill in the blanks with specific dollar amounts stalled during the Legislature's 2021 session. The 2018 campaign for governor set a state record with incumbent Gov. Kate Brown and challenger Knute Buehler, R-Bend, raising just under $40 million in direct contributions to their campaigns. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Ethan Beachy, Bermudian Springs Football: Ethan rushed for 3 touchdowns and rushed for 2 more TDs in a 33-21 win over Littlestown. Honey Strosnider, Fairfield Cross Country: Honey posted the fastest time among Times Area girls' runners in the YAIAA Championships after placing 16th in 21:07.3 Landon McGee, Gettysburg Football: Landon rushed for an area-high 235 yards and a touchdown in a 27-10 win over New Oxford Denae Bello, Delone Catholic Girls' Volleyball: Denae combined for 20 kills, 23 digs and 45 serve-receive point in 3 matches for the Squirettes Drew Cole, Gettysburg Cross Country: Drew was the fastest among Times Area runners at the YAIAA Championships, placing 19th in 17:25.0 Vote View Results Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. Ryan Kraska and Kalini Aguon-Sewell are nominees for the the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 2021 National Student Production Awards. Pune, India, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global industrial wood pellet market size is set to flourish stoked by the increased demand for clean energy, observes Fortune Business Insights in a report, titled, Industrial Wood Pellet Market Size, Share & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, By Feedstock (Forest Wastes, Agricultural Waste, and Others), By Application (Power Generation, and Combined Heat and Power [CHP]), and Regional Forecast, 2020-2027. The market size was USD 5.54 billion in 2019 and is anticipated to reach USD 7.69 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.56% during the forecast period. Widespread Shutdowns to Adversely Affect the Energy Sector amid COVID-19 COVID-19 has been a leading disruptor of the global market for energy in 2020. Several businesses stumbled upon the outbreak due to widespread lockdowns and production shutdowns. In May 2020, the future value of crude oil reached the zero mark. Leading industry players are working closely with governments to strategize their way out of the crisis. At Fortune Business Insights, our team of experts is closely analyzing the current situation to help you resolve the latest issues. Request Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/sample/industrial-wood-pellet-market-104844 A List of Key Manufacturers Operating in the Global Industrial Wood Pellet Market Report: Drax Group (U.K) Enviva (U.S.) Pinnacle Renewable Energy Group (Canada) The Westervelt Company (U.S.) Fram Renewables Fuels LLC (U.S.) AS Graanul Invest (Estonia) Bluesky Biomass Georgia (U.S.) Thunderbolt Biomass Inc. (U.S.) Energex Pellet Fuel, Inc. (U.S.) An Viet Phat Group (Vietnam) Others Industrial Wood Pellet Market Report Scope and segmentation: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2020 to 2027 Forecast Period 2020 to 2027 CAGR 8.56% 2027 Value Projection USD 7.69 Billion Base Year 2019 Market Size in 2019 USD 5.54 Billion Historical Data for 2016 to 2018 No. of Pages 130 Segments covered Feedstock; Application; and Regional Growth Drivers High Consumption of Pellet-based Energy to Help Europe Dominate Rising Concerns Regarding Increasing Carbon Emissions to Drive Growth Pitfalls & Challenges Fulfilling Certification Criteria to Restrain Industrial Wood Pellet Market Ask For Customization: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/customization/industrial-wood-pellet-market-104844 Highlights of the Report: The Industrial Wood Pellet Market report comprises insights on the revenue generated by key market players, which we have availed through secondary sources such as company websites, corporate filings, annual reports, and investor presentations. Our next step included tracking and analyzing competitive developments of these players such as partnerships, mergers & acquisitions, new product launches, and research & development activities. We have also conducted extensive interviews with key industry experts, such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and executives. Top-down and bottom-up procedures were used to arrive at the overall size of the market. Segment- Forest Waste Segment to Dominate the Market Based on the feedstock, the forest waste segment is estimated to dominate the Industrial Wood Pellet Market with a share of 92.1% in 2019 as by-products from actively managed forests are the primary source of producing industrial wood pellets. A large portion of these by-products comes from traditional forestry operations such as sawmills and finished wood products manufacturing. Drivers & Restraints- Rising Concerns Regarding Increasing Carbon Emissions to Drive Growth As per a report published by Statista on global climate change, in 2019, the earths surface temperature was nearly 0.95 C warmer than the total average temperature of the 20th century. Rising concerns regarding the increasing carbon emission are estimated to drive the industrial wood pellet market growth. In addition, the increasing demand for these pellets from various end-user industries is projected to further enhance their growth. However, stringent sustainability certification criteria from governments may hinder the demand. To get to know more about the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market, please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industrial-wood-pellet-market-104844 Regional Insights- High Consumption of Pellet-based Energy to Help Europe Dominate Europe is projected to dominate the global industrial wood pellet market with a value of USD 2.76 billion in 2019. The highest consumption of pellet-based energy at nearly 8 million tonnes in the U.K. is a major factor driving the growth of wood pellets in the region. In addition, the high demand from large-scale power plants in countries including the U.K., Belgium, and the Netherlands is anticipated to strengthen the demand in the region. The Industrial Wood Pellet Market in Asia Pacific is estimated to flourish in the forecast timeline. This region is expected to hold a considerable industrial wood pellet market share in the foreseeable years. The rapidly increasing demand for wood pellets from China, South Korea, and Japan is the major factor driving their growth in the region. Competitive Landscape- Introduction of New Products to Aid Key Players in Business Expansion Key players operating in the global Industrial Wood Pellet Market are focused on expanding their production capacities. They are doing so by introducing new plants or expanding the existing ones. For instance, in July 2019, Pinnacle Renewable Energy entered into a limited partnership agreement with Tolko Industries Ltd. in order to build a new industrial wood pellet production facility in High Level, Alberta. Industry Developments- In October 2018, Pinnacle Renewable Holdings Inc. announced that it had completed the acquisition of a 70% share in an industrial wood pellet production facility located in Aliceville, Alabama from the Westervelt Company. In December 2019, Enviva LP, one of the largest producers of wood pellets, received the approval of a permit for the construction of a wood pellet facility in Sumter County. The permit was approved by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). Quick Buy - Industrial Wood Pellet Market: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/checkout-page/104844 Table Of Content Industrial Wood Pellet Market: Introduction Research Scope Market Segmentation Research Methodology Definitions and Assumptions Executive Summary Market Dynamics Market Drivers Market Restraints Market Opportunities Key Insights Key Emerging Trends For Major Countries Key Developments: Mergers, Acquisition, Partnership, etc Latest Technological Advancement Regulatory Landscape Porters Five Forces Analysis Qualitative Analysis Impact of COVID-19 Impact of COVID-19 on the Industrial Wood Pellet Market Steps Taken by the Government to Overcome the Impact Key Developments in the Industry in Response to COVID-19 Potential Opportunities and Challenges due to COVID-19 Outbreak Global Industrial Wood Pellet Market Analysis (USD Billion) (Thousand Tons), Insights and Forecast, 2016-2027 Key Findings / Summary Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Feedstock Forest Waste Agriculture Waste Others Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Application Power Generation Combine Heat & Power (CHP) Industrial Wood Pellet Market Analysis, Insights and Forecast By Region North America Europe Asia Pacific Rest of the World TOC Continued! Speak To Analyst: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/speak-to-analyst/industrial-wood-pellet-market-104844 Have a Look at Related Research Insights: Gas Insulated Switchgear Market Size , Share and Industry Analysis, By Voltage (Up to 66 kV, 66 kV - 170 kV, 170 kV - 550 kV, and Above 550 kV), By Installation (Indoor and Outdoor), By End User (Utility, Industrial, Commercial, and Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026. 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We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 308, Supreme Headquarters, Survey No. 36, Baner, Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US :+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortune-business-insights Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FortuneBusinessInsightsPvtLtd VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ascot Resources Ltd (TSX: AOT; OTCQX: AOTVF) (Ascot or the Company) announces the Companys unaudited financial results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 (Q3 2021). For details of the unaudited condensed interim consolidated financial statements and Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021, please see the Companys filings on SEDAR (www.sedar.com). The Company is also pleased to provide an update on the status of permitting and pre-development activities for its 100%-owned Premier Gold Project (PGP or the project) in the Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. The B.C. provincial regulating authorities, namely the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy and the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation (the Regulators), have recently issued to Ascot the draft Joint Permit Application Amendment (JPAA or permit) conditions for construction and operation of PGP. Ascot is currently reviewing the conditions of the permit and anticipates to negotiate and accept permit terms in the next several weeks, followed by final permit issuance. Receipt of the final permit will then enable commencement of full-scale construction activities including portal preparation and underground development. Derek White, President and CEO, commented, "Ascot made much headway in advancing the project this past quarter. In July we announced the signing of an updated Benefits Agreement with Nis g aa Nation, strengthening our partnership. In August we announced positive exploration results including 21 g/t gold over 7 metres in a step-out hole at the Premier deposit. In September we announced the delivery of the Ball and SAG mills and the significant progress made on the Early Works program, which continues to this day. We are pleased that the permitting process is nearing completion as we recently received the draft permit conditions for the project from the provincial Regulators and following negotiation and acceptance of said conditions over the next several weeks, we anticipate final permit issuance which will enable the commencement of full-scale construction including underground development. We look forward to being able to advance the project towards production later next year. All amounts herein are reported in $000s of Canadian dollars (C$) unless otherwise specified Q3 2021 AND RECENT HIGHLIGHTS Permitting process nearing completion, with the Company recently receiving the draft permit conditions. Throughout Q3 and currently, the Company has made significant progress on the PGP Early Works program. Highlights of the progress include: Mill and assay lab clean up is near completion. Grinding circuit foundations restored. Most Ball and SAG mill components, including the mill shells, have been delivered to site and installed. Electrical cabling was sorted and re-usable cable and cable trays were established. Wi-Fi was established by satellite at the mill building. First aid and lunch rooms were established. 45,000 litre diesel fuel tank was installed. Construction of the camp is now completed and the camp has been in full operation since late September. Administration office refurbishment is near completion and expected to be utilized by the construction crews and other personnel in the upcoming weeks. Temporary power has been installed and activated to the mill, including interior and exterior lighting. Rebuilt, tested, and certified mill building overhead crane. Many site roads have been graded and bermed for construction and operations with run away lanes established. New water treatment plant location finalized and clarifier foundational earthworks well progressed. A temporary liner for the Dago Pit was installed for waste rock. Tree clearing for Cascade Creek Division Channel is underway. On August 9, 2021, the Company announced high-grade exploration drill results including 21.13 g/t Au over 7.00m in a step-out hole at PGP. On July 19, 2021, the Company announced the signing of an updated Benefits Agreement with Nis g aa Nation, which now encompasses both PGP and RMP. The updated Benefits Agreement replaces the former agreement which only pertained to RMP. The comprehensive Benefits Agreement sets the basis for the long-term success of the Project and how it will benefit Nis g a'a Nation, its citizens and businesses as well as the shareholders and stakeholders of Ascot. aa Nation, which now encompasses both PGP and RMP. The updated Benefits Agreement replaces the former agreement which only pertained to RMP. The comprehensive Benefits Agreement sets the basis for the long-term success of the Project and how it will benefit Nis a'a Nation, its citizens and businesses as well as the shareholders and stakeholders of Ascot. On July 8, 2021, the Company announced the discovery of new high-grade copper, gold, and silver mineralization at PGP property. The Company experienced unprecedented delays in the turn-around times of assay results this field season, which is mainly due to overwhelming large number of samples. The delay is industry wide. With many drill programs now shut down, assay results are anticipated to be available in due course. FINANCIAL RESULTS FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 The Company reported a net loss of $1,700 for Q3 2021 compared to a net income of $682 for Q3 2020. The difference in net loss in Q3 2021 compared with Q3 2020 was mainly driven by a $1,254 change in foreign exchange loss, the absence of a gain on marketable securities, and a $675 decrease in flow-through premium recognition. LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES As at September 30, 2021, the Company had cash & cash equivalents balance of $90,037 and working capital of $79,041. Included in cash and cash equivalents is $905, which is required to be spent on flow-through expenditures prior to December 31, 2022. During the nine months ended September 30, 2021, the company issued 97,351,796 common shares and granted 603,190 stock options, 40,781 DSUs and no RSUs. MANAGEMENTS OUTLOOK FOR REMAINDER OF 2021 Management is planning a number of activities for the remainder of 2021, which include: Negotiation and acceptance of permit conditions and final approval of the permit amendments. Commencing the portal preparation for the main underground development for Big Missouri S1 portal. Completing the gravity feed piping system from Big Missouri to the water treatment plant. Commencing the underground development and portal access. Completing the concrete works outside for the clarifier, tailing thickener, cyanide destruction and various bulk chemical tanks. Continuing with detailed engineering and vendor interface for various procurement items. Completing the tree clearing for the Cascade Creek Diversion Channel. Figure 1 Mill building area graded https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7f62506-3cc6-4c8e-96ba-34552171ef98 Figure 2 Bull gears installed on SAG and Ball mills https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8c9f3970-a265-4907-ba22-cceec06d16ad Figure 3 Temporary construction camp complete https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a2f858d7-7480-46fd-aa52-925c85edc169 Figure 4 Clarifier foundation preparation https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/72060c5e-e625-4e06-a723-457dce5d8901 Figure 5 Big Missouri area looking south https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/24529f0d-2639-43dc-b263-0ed11c47b38e On behalf of the Board of Directors of Ascot Resources Ltd. Derek C. White President & CEO For further information contact: David Stewart, P.Eng. VP, Corporate Development & Shareholder Communications dstewart@ascotgold.com 778-725-1060 ext. 1024 About Ascot Resources Ltd. Ascot is a Canadian-based junior exploration and development company focused on re-starting the past-producing Premier gold mine, located in British Columbias prolific Golden Triangle. Concurrent with progressing the development of Premier, the Company continues to successfully explore its properties for additional high-grade underground resources. Ascot is committed to the safe and responsible development of Premier in partnership with Nis g aa Nation as outlined in the Benefits Agreement. For more information about the Company, please refer to the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or visit the Companys web site at www.ascotgold.com, or for a virtual tour visit www.vrify.com under Ascot Resources. The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information GRIMES, Iowa, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) today announced that its Iowa natural gas utility, Black Hills / Iowa Gas Utility Company, LLC, doing business as Black Hills Energy, reached an agreement with all intervening parties to its rate review for a general rate increase to support the companys efforts to continue delivering safe and reliable natural gas service to its 161,000 customers in 133 communities throughout the state. We are pleased to reach a constructive agreement with the Iowa Office of Consumer Advocate and other key stakeholders in Iowa, said Linn Evans, president and CEO of Black Hills Corp. The ongoing investments reflect our commitment to our Iowa customers for safe and reliable service, support economic growth in the communities we serve, and meet our clean energy goals. Black Hills Energy has nearly tripled its investments in its natural gas pipeline system in Iowa since its last approved general rate filing more than 10 years ago. These investments include replacing, upgrading and maintaining more than 2,800 miles of natural gas pipelines and 164,000 system service lines in the state critical infrastructure required to ensure the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas to customers homes and businesses and support the growth needs of local communities. The importance of these investments has been demonstrated by the excellent performance of Black Hills pipeline system to serve extraordinary demand during extreme weather events. Investments in replacing and upgrading pipeline materials have also contributed to more than a one-third reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity for the companys pipeline system since 2005. The settlement agreement is contingent upon final review and approval by the Iowa Utilities Board. If approved as filed, the request will shift approximately $2.2 million of rider revenue to base rates and will generate an estimated $3.7 million per year in additional revenue. The settlement proposes a capital structure of 50% equity and 50% debt and a return on equity of 9.6%. Black Hills is seeking new rates effective Jan. 1, 2022, replacing interim rates that were effective on June 11. Black Hills Corporation Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) is a customer focused, growth-oriented utility company with a tradition of improving life with energy and a vision to be the energy partner of choice. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, the company serves 1.3 million natural gas and electric utility customers in eight states: Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. More information is available at www.blackhillscorp.com. Investor Relations Jerome E. Nichols 605-721-1171 jerome.nichols@blackhillscorp.com 24-Hour Media Relations Line 888-242-3969 Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statement This news release includes forward-looking statements as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC. We make these forward-looking statements in reliance on the safe harbor protections provided under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this news release that address activities, events or developments that we expect, believe or anticipate will or may occur in the future are forward looking statements, including approval of the settlement and anticipated revenues from new rates. These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions which we believe are reasonable based on current expectations and projections about future events and industry conditions and trends affecting our business. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to our expectations and predictions is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that, among other things, could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, the risk factors described in Item 1A of Part I of our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, and other reports that we file with the SEC from time to time. New factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in forward looking statements emerge from time-to-time, and it is not possible for us to predict all such factors, or the extent to which any such factor or combination of factors may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking statement. We assume no obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. (the "Company" or "Prospect Ridge") (CSE: PRR) (OTC: PRRSF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a property option agreement with Knauss Creek Mines Ltd. (the Optionor) dated November 3, 2021 (the "Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company has acquired an option (the Option) to purchase a 100% interest in a single block of 35 mineral claims covering approximately 3,152.2 hectares collectively known as the Knauss Creek Property (the Property). Prospect Ridges Holy Grail holdings now comprise over 80,000 hectares of road-accessible property approximately 35 kilometres from Terrace. The Property is located northwest of Terrace, BC, and creates a contiguous block with existing mineral claims in the Companys Holy Grail properties (see Figure 1). The Company considers the Property to be highly prospective and consistent with high-grade mineralization observed on the Holy Grail property, including the historical Dorreen Mine. Production in 1924 assayed 57.26 grams per tonne gold, 205.71 grams per tonne silver, 1.3% copper, 6.2% lead and 5.8% zinc. The Property includes several other mineralized zones that have never been drill tested. Multiple logging roads across the property many creating significant mineralized exposures, in addition to Canadian National railways crossing the property. Michael Iverson, CEO states, Prospect Ridge continues to build an unprecedented district sized property over ground that contains historical hard-rock and placer mines, resemblances and continuation of geological and structural features in the Golden Triangle just 50 kilometres to the northeast, bonanza grade precious and base metal mineralization. Iverson continues, A significant difference is the property is only kilometers from significant infrastructure at Terrace and crisscrossed with existing logging roads. The opportunity allows us to put cost-effective prospecting and exploration into one of the most overlooked opportunities in the area. Knauss Creek Property Overview Property Description and Ownership The Property mineral claims are located in the Ominica Mining Division in British Columbia. The southern portion of the Property is approximately 35 km northeast of the City of Terrace (see Figure 1). The Property covers 3,152 hectares in mineral claims. The Optionor is the registered owner (100%) of all the claims of the Property. Figure 1 Knauss Creek Property Location https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4205a67-48de-4ea0-9bfe-af7f72924818 Geology and Mineralization The Property is underlain by a sequence of stratified argillites, sandstones, and conglomerates of the Jurassic to Cretaceous age Bowser Lake Group sedimentary rocks and Upper Triassic to Middle Jurassic Hazelton Group volcano-sedimentary rocks. These are intruded by granodioritic units ranging from Cretaceous to Tertiary in age. Hornfels alteration halos occur around the intruding granodioritic bodies. Bowser Lake and Hazelton group rocks have been intruded by the Eocene aged Carpenter Creek Pluton in the southwestern part of the property and by Eocene rhyolite dykes in the central part of the property. The Property lies in the Golden Triangle area of northwestern British Columbia where extensively occurring precious and base-metal mineralization have historically been discovered. The Knauss Creek Property is being explored for polymetallic veins and potential associated skarn and porphyry mineralization within an orogenic geological environment. Placer deposits were mined in creeks adjacent, west and east, to the Property during the early part of the 20th century. Mineral Occurrences Four mineral occurrences have been identified on the Property: Saturn, Kandy, Hugin, and the Dorreen Mine (see Figure 2). Mineralization is structurally and stratigraphically controlled and is hosted within argillaceous sedimentary rocks and diorite intrusions, which are likely the driver of the mineralized system. The Saturn target hosts multiple auriferous-quartz veins, results pending. Figure 2 Mineral Occurrences at the Knauss Creek Property https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2aef9510-d1ef-4d94-bc82-c46381ad8c92 The Kandy occurrence has seen limited work; however, 6 different quartz veins were identified and 4 grab samples returned between 0.77 and 3.87 g/t Au and 39.5 and 532 g/t Ag. The Hugin occurrence consists of a 65 m wide and 175 m long (open along strike) fractured gossanous zone located along the contact of an intrusion and metasedimentary country rocks. Historical chip and grab samples assayed between 1.29 to 2.69 g/t Au, while rocks collected by Mr. Beck in 2017 yielded up to 28.4 g/t Au, 210 g/t Ag, 9.13% Pb, including 5 others that averaged 1.42 g/t Au (up to 3.65 g/t). The Dorreen Mine In 1912, the Dorreen gold vein was discovered and developed intermittently from 1914 to 1952. The mine focused on a gold-bearing quartz vein hosted along a bedding fault plane in argillite near a dioritic intrusion. Three ore shipments were made; in 1924, 1926 and 1952. In 1924, 80 tonnes of ore was shipped and reportedly assayed 57.26 grams per tonne gold, 205.71 grams per tonne silver, 1.3 per cent copper, 6.2 per cent lead and 5.8 per cent zinc. In 1926, approximately 8 tonnes of similar ore was shipped. In 1952, 476 tonnes of ore was shipped and 3,266 grams of gold, 8,118 grams of silver, 3,137 kilograms of lead and 1,342 kilograms of zinc were recovered. In 1952, 252 feet of drifting, 113 feet of crosscutting, 166 feet of raising, and 1,400 feet of diamond drilling were done. A vein recently discovered above the top entry to the mine was followed for 48 feet by a drift at 2,466 feet elevation. During operation of the mill from May 23rd to August 28th, 525 tons of ore was milled. Approximately 20 tons of bulk concentrate shipped to the Trail smelter assayed: gold, 5.25 oz. per ton; silver, 13.05 oz. per ton; lead, 17.3 per cent; zinc, 7.4 per cent; copper, 2.6 per cent. No further development has occurred since 1952. Recently a 30 cm chip sample returned 33.6 g/t Au, 161.8 g/t Ag, 6.73% Pb, 35% Zn and 1.04% Cu. Another 20 cm chip sample from a parallel vein 21 m above the main vein assayed 32.2 g/t Au, 19.2 g/t Ag, 1.28% Pb and 0.24% Cu (see Figure 3). Figure 3 Photos of the Dorreen Vein https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/46cd0db1-5733-4e10-847e-f47554ab20a3 Knauss Creek Exploration Program Exploration at the Property has already begun with geological mapping and geochemical sampling. Management of the Company expects that this work will significantly expand the Companys knowledge of the complex vein system and refine targets. The Property was held for 30 years by a prospector, who mapped and sampled a number of other auriferous polymetallic quartz-veins ranging from 6 inches to 5 feet wide with strike lengths in excess of 600 m. Company is reviewing and digitizing the extensive inventory of to facilitate and guide exploration efforts. A high focus will be placed on confirming the trend of the historical orebody in the Dorreen Mine, follow-up on the Saturn target, review of additional target polymetallic gold veins, as well as potential associated epithermal or porphyry mineralization within an orogenic geological environment. A structurally related gold system like Coffee Creek in the White Gold district, Knauss Creek has many resemblances to Fort Knox Mine in Anchorage, Alaska, hosted in diorite. Prospect Ridge has filed an independent technical report on SEDAR on the Property (the Knauss Creek Report) conducted by Rein Turna, P.Geo. dated November 4, 2021, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101). The Knauss Creek Report can be viewed on www.sedar.com. The Option Agreement Pursuant to the terms of the Agreement and in order to exercise the Option, Prospect Ridge must satisfy the following requirements: Shares Cash Expenditures On closing date of the Agreement (the Closing Date) 500,000 $10,000 - On first anniversary of the Closing Date 500,000 - - On second anniversary of the Closing Date 200,000 - - The earlier of (a) one year following receipt of a drill permit in respect of the Property, or (b) 18 months after the Closing Date - - $250,000 On or before October 31, 2023 - - $1,000,000 (inclusive of the above amount) TOTAL 1,200,000 $10,000 $1,000,000 The Company has also granted the Optionor a 1.0% net smelter returns royalty (the NSR Royalty) with respect the Property. The Company has the right to purchase from Optionor one-half of the NSR Royalty for $1,000,000 at any time prior to 45 consecutive production days at 70% of processing plant design capacity or mining rate if a processing facility is not constructed on the Property. Finders Fees In connection with the Agreement, the Company has agreed to issue to Loan Wolf Exploration Ltd. (the Finder) 120,000 common shares (50,000 common shares issued on the Closing date, 50,000 common shares issued on the first anniversary of the Closing date, and 20,000 common shares on the second anniversary of the Closing date). The Company has also granted the Finder a 2.0% net smelter returns royalty with respect to the Property, effective as of the date the Option is deemed exercised by the Company pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. Stock Option Grants The Company also announces that it has issued a total of 500,000 stock options to certain of its directors, officers, employees and consultants. All of the stock options will be exercisable for a period of 5 years at an exercise price of $1.40. Resignation and Appointment of Corporate Secretary Further to the Companys news release dated November 5, 2021, the Company also announces that Bennett Liu has resigned from his position as Corporate Secretary. Mr. Liu is an associate of Red Fern Consulting Ltd. (Red Fern), which provides the Company with accounting and advisory services. The Company has chosen to replace Mr. Liu with Stella Chen, a senior associate with Red Fern and the Companys current Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Chen is a graduate from Simon Fraser University and the University of British Columbia. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant candidate and has worked in a variety of roles for publicly listed companies on the TSX and TSXV. Ms. Chen will step into the role of Corporate Secretary effective immediately. Qualified Person All scientific or technical information included in this news release has been reviewed, verified and approved by Rein Turna, P.Geo., a consultant to the Company and a qualified person as defined by NI 43-101. About Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. Prospect Ridge Resources Corp. is a BC based exploration and development company focused on strategic mineral exploration in Canada concurrently with developing a location in British Columbia and Quebec. Prospect Ridges technical team and management with over 100 combined years of mineral exploration experience believes the Holy Grail to have the potential for a district scale hydrothermal system and will extend the boundaries of the Golden Triangle to cover this vast under-explored region. 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. This release includes certain statements and information that may constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company regarding future events. Generally, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as intends or anticipates, or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, should, would or occur. This information and these statements, referred to herein as "forward-looking statements", are not historical facts, are made as of the date of this news release and include without limitation, statements regarding discussions of future plans, estimates and forecasts and statements as to management's expectations and intentions with respect to, among other things: the prospective nature of the Property and expected exploration results, the exercise of the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement and finders fees to be paid in connection with the Option. These forward-looking statements involve numerous risks and uncertainties and actual results might differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things: a failure to obtain regulatory approval of the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement and a failure to exercise the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement or at all. In making the forward looking statements in this news release, the Company has applied several material assumptions, including without limitation, that: the Company will obtain the required regulatory approval with respect to the Option on the terms set out in the Agreement. Although management of the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 and forward-looking information. Readers are cautioned that reliance on such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement, forward-looking information or financial out-look that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor. AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- For the second year in a row, MittGroup has been selected for the Houston Business Journal's Best Places to Work for 2021. This time, MittGroup has been ranked as the #1 rated company in Houston with a 98.94% rating. MittGroup, which is one of the fastest-growing residential solar companies in the U.S., has more than doubled its 2020 revenue and scaled nationwide. "Being selected as the number-one-rated company in Houston is a huge honor. It's a testament to our team's incredible leadership and culture," says Grant Mitterlehner, the company's CEO. The Houston Business Journal examines employees from hundreds of companies across the South Texas region to rank them each year. The employee feedback is 100% anonymous and then ranked according to the surveys. The detailed information provided through the extensive questions shows how each employee views the company while simultaneously observing their well-being and happiness in the workplace. MittGroup's #1 ranking was due to a great work-life balance, industry-leading commissions, and a leadership development program that allows employees to move up in the company at their own pace. "We take great pride in giving every employee the best training possible while also creating an environment that gives each new person an equal opportunity to move up within the organization," says Aaron Hashaw, MittGroup's Houston Regional Manager. MittGroup has plans to expand to six states by the end of the first quarter of next year. The company expects the solar market to continue to grow at an astonishing rate after the White House's call for the United States power supply to reach over 45% by 2050. For more information on solar, visit MittGroup.Net. CONTACT: marketing@mittgroup.net Related Images Image 1 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 TORONTO, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- African Gold Group, Inc. (TSX-V: AGG, OTC: AGGFF, FRA: 3A61) (AGG or the Company) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced C$5 million non-brokered private placement financing of Units (as defined below) on an oversubscribed basis for gross proceeds of C$$5,144,200. Pursuant to the Offering, the Company issued 36,744,285 units of the Company (each a Unit and collectively, the Units) at a price of C$0.14 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one half of a common share purchase warrant (each whole common share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each Warrant entitles the holder to acquire one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.25 until November 7, 2023. If at any time after March 8, 2022, the common shares of the Company trade at $0.50 per common share or higher (on a volume weighted adjusted basis) for a period of 10 consecutive days, the Company will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days after the Company issues a news release announcing that it has elected to exercise this acceleration right. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to advance its flagship Kobada Gold Project (the Project or Kobada) in Southern Mali and to continue to pursue corporate options. In connection with the closing of the Offering, the Company has paid aggregate finders fees of $272,000 in cash and 1,021,999 finders warrants (collectively, the Finders Warrants) to certain finders. Each Finder Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at a price of $0.25 for a period of 24 months from the date of the closing of the Offering. All securities issued under the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period ending on March 8, 2022. About African Gold Group African Gold Group is a TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V: AGG) listed exploration and development company with a focus on building Africas next mid-tier gold producer. The Company has a highly experienced board and management team with a proven track record in the African mining sector operating mines from development through to production. AGGs principal asset is the Kobada Project in southern Mali, which is in an advanced stage of development having completed the 2021 DFS and is targeting gold production of 100,000 oz per annum. As well as the initial Kobada Gold Project, other exploration locations have been identified on the Kobada, Farada and Kobada Est concessions, offering potential for an increase in resource. For more information regarding African Gold Group visit our website at www.africangoldgroup.com. For more information: Danny Callow President and Chief Executive Officer + (27) 76 411 3803 Danny.Callow@africangoldgroup.com Daniyal Baizak Vice President, Corporate Development +1 (647) 835 9617 Daniyal.Baizak@africangoldgroup.com Scott Eldridge Non-Executive Chairman of the Board +1 (604) 722 5381 Scott.Eldridge@africangoldgroup.com Camarco (Financial PR) Gordon Poole / Nick Hennis +44 (0) 20 3757 4997 AfricanGoldGroup@camarco.co.uk Cautionary statements This press release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding, the Offering, production potential and economics of the Project, upside potential of the Project, drilling and exploration plans of the Company, and development timetable with respect the Project. Generally, 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 statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of AGG to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: receipt of necessary approvals for the Offering and the Kobada Gold Project; general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; future prices of mineral prices; accidents, labour disputes and shortages; available infrastructure and supplies; the COVID-19 pandemic and other risks of the mining industry. Although AGG has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. AGG does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. 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. English Danish This is to give notice of an Extraordinary General Meeting of Jyske Bank A/S, which will be held on Tuesday 7 December 2021, at 10.00 a.m. at Vestergade 8-16, 8600 Silkeborg, Denmark. AGENDA Motions proposed by the Supervisory Board: a. Reduction of Jyske Bank's nominal share capital by DKK 35,607,780, or 3,560,778 shares of a nominal value of DKK 10, from DKK 725,607,780 to DKK 690,000,000. With reference to S.188(1) of the Danish Companies Act we point out that the capital reduction takes place through cancellation of previously acquired own shares acquired by Jyske Bank in accordance with authorisation from members in general meeting. Hence, the capital reduction is spent on payment of capital owners. If the motion is adopted, the bank's holding of own shares will be reduced by 3,560,778 shares of a nominal value of DKK 10. These shares have been re-purchased at a total amount of DKK 1,050,219,052 which implies that, apart from the nominal capital reduction, a total amount of DKK 1,014,611,272 has been paid to the capital owners in connection with the buy-backs. The capital reduction takes place at a share premium since it will be at 294.94 for each share of a nominal amount of DKK 10, corresponding to the average price at which the shares have been re-purchased. In consequence of the above, the following amendment to the Articles of Association is proposed: Art. 2 to be amended to the effect that Jyske Banks nominal share capital be DKK 690,000,000 distributed on 69,000,000 shares. b. Any other business. Reference to Jyske Bank's website for further information Where in this notice of a General Meeting, reference is made to Jyske Bank's website for further information, this link can be used: https://investor.jyskebank.com/investorrelations/generalmeetings . Adoption of motions - special requirements Motions to amend Jyske Banks Articles of Association (item a of the agenda) at extraordinary general meetings shall only be adopted where not less than 90 per cent of the voting share capital is represented at the extraordinary general meeting and only where adopted by both three fourth of the votes cast and by three fourth of the voting share capital represented at the general meeting, cf. Art. 12 of the Articles of Association. Where less than 90 per cent of the voting share capital is represented at the extraordinary general meeting, but the said motion obtains both three fourth of the votes cast and three fourth of the voting share capital represented at the extraordinary general meeting, the said motion may be adopted at a new general meeting by the said qualified majority irrespective of the proportion of the share capital represented. Size of the share capital, voting rights of the shareholders and registration date Jyske Bank's share capital is DKK 725,607,780, comprising shares at a face value of DKK 10. Each share amount of DKK 10 shall carry one vote, provided always that 4,000 votes are the highest number of votes any one shareholder may cast on his own behalf. Voting rights can only be exercised by shareholders or their proxies. For the voting right of a share to be exercised, the share shall be registered in the name of the holder in the Bank's register of shareholders not later than on the day of registration, which is 30 November 2021, or the title to such share shall be notified and documented to the Bank within that same time limit. Proxy and postal vote Shareholders may as from 9 November and up to and including 3 December 2021 give voting instructions, appoint Jyske Bank's Supervisory Board or a third party as proxy either electronically or by means of the Power of Attorney form. Shareholders may attend the General Meeting by proxy and cast their votes by proxy. In addition, shareholders may as from 9 November to 6 December 2021 at 10.00 a.m. cast postal votes either electronically or by means of a form. Proxies may be appointed or postal votes may be cast electronically at the Investor Portal via Jyske Bank's website. A form for the appointment of proxies or for casting postal votes is available at one of Jyske Bank's branches or can be downloaded from Jyske Bank's website. Where the form is used, please forward the completed and signed form either by post to VP Investor Services A/S, Weidekampsgade 14, DK-2300 Copenhagen S or by email to vpinvestor@vp.dk. The form must reach VP Investor Services A/S by the above-mentioned deadlines, and proxies must have been appointed or postal votes must have been cast electronically by the same deadlines. Custodian bank Jyske Banks shareholders may choose Jyske Bank A/S as their custodian bank in order to exercise their financial rights through Jyske Bank A/S. Questions from shareholders Shareholders may ask questions in writing about the items of the agenda or Jyske Banks financial position. Please send questions to Jyske Bank A/S, Juridisk Afdeling, Vestergade 8-16, DK-8600 Silkeborg or by email to Juridisk@jyskebank.dk. Questions and answers will be presented at the General Meeting. At the General Meeting, the management will also answer questions from the shareholders about matters of importance for the financial situation of Jyske Bank and questions for consideration at the General Meeting. Additional information The following documents and information can as of 9 November be downloaded from Jyske Bank's website or can be ordered from Jyske Bank's branches: 1. Notice of General Meeting. 2. The total number of shares and voting rights at the date of the notice. 3. Agenda and full wording of motions. 4. The forms to be used when voting by proxy or by postal vote. Admission card Shareholders who wish to attend the General Meeting and cast their votes must acquire an admission card. Admission cards for the General Meeting can be ordered at InvestorPortalen via Jyske Bank's website or from any of Jyske Bank's branches from 9 November and must be ordered by Friday 3 December 2021 at the latest. Jyske Bank will like previous years send admission cards via email. Therefore, you must - if you have not already registered your email address at InvestorPortalen - register your email address when you order your admission card. After registration, you will receive an electronic admission card which you may simply show on your smart phone or tablet when you attend the General Meeting. Unless you have appointed a proxy, you will receive your voting card upon presentation of your admission card. As something new, you must be aware that if, when you order your admission card, you do not choose to receive this via email, you must instead collect your admission card at the entrance to the general meeting. In order to receive your admission card, you must produce valid identification. For the sake of good order, we point out that no refreshments can be expected to be served at the Extraordinary General Meeting. Silkeborg, 9 November 2021 The Supervisory Board Attachment French English Sidetrade customers now able to exchange electronic documents with growing number of global public bodies - including NHS in England - and private organizations PEPPOL Network enables ease and secure invoice exchanges with public and private organizations in compliance with technical standards set by the EU and associated states Sidetrade (Euronext Growth: ALBFR.PA), an AI-powered Order-to-Cash platform dedicated to accelerating corporate revenue and cash flow, has become a certified Access Point within the e-Procurement network PEPPOL . As part of this certification, Sidetrade customers can exchange eInvoices with all public and private organizations that are members of the network, free of charge, and in compliance with EU standards. Launched in 2007 under the guidance of the European Commission, PEPPOL (Pan-European Public Procurement OnLine) is a set of widely-recognized specifications maintained by the OpenPEPPOL non-profit organization. Its aim is to standardize cross-border, electronically supported procurement procedures, and has been widely adopted by EU member states and associated states as they respond to the public procurement laws introduced in 2014 under the European Directive 2014/55/EU. A growing number of public bodies and governmental agencies around the world have already, or plan to, join the PEPPOL network. For example, in 2014 the NHS in England adopted PEPPOL as one of the two standards recognized by the Department of Health for the management of its suppliers; in France, its PEPPOL membership enables connection to CHORUS PRO, the portal dedicated to electronic invoicing in the public procurement sector in France; and in 2019, Australia and New Zealand announced the nationwide adoption of the PEPPOL framework for e-invoicing. Data or documents are exchanged by accessing the OpenPEPPOL network via Access Points. OpenPEPPOL now has certified access points in 29 European countries as well as in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States. By joining the PEPPOL network and becoming a certified access point, Sidetrade enables its customers, at no extra cost, to connect directly, securely and in a standardized way to the administrations of a growing number of countries around the world that have adopted this legislation on e-invoicing of public outsourcers. In addition to public bodies, Sidetrade clients can also communicate seamlessly with the many private B2B companies that now require their electronic invoices to be received via the PEPPOL network. Olivier Novasque, CEO of Sidetrade, commented: This is an important development in Sidetrade's strategy in the field of B2B dematerialization, offering our clients even more flexibility. Sidetrade's Order-to-Cash platform has been enhanced in recent months with one of the most technologically advanced solutions in the field of e-invoicing. By joining the PEPPOL network, we are continuing to develop our offering, with the goal of providing our customers with the most comprehensive Order-to-Cash platform to create new business opportunities for them and for us, as we grow together. ENDS Investor Relations Christelle Dhrif +33 6 10 46 72 00 cdhrif@sidetrade.com Media Relations Becca Parlby +44 7824 5055 84 bparlby@sidetrade.com About Sidetrade (www.sidetrade.com) Sidetrade (Euronext Growth: ALBFR.PA) offers a SaaS platform specializing in cash flow generation and security. "Aimie," its Artificial Intelligence, analyzes more than $2,400 billion of B2B transactions in Sidetrade's Cloud daily to predict the payment behaviors of over 5 million companies worldwide, and the risk of customer churn. Aimie recommends the best dunning strategies, automates actions on the Order-to-Cash cycle, and digitalizes transactions with customers, which improves productivity, performance, and ultimately WCR. With offices in Paris, London, Birmingham, Dublin, Houston and Calgary, Sidetrade serves more than 2,700 companies of all sizes and industries in over 85 countries, including Tech Data, KPMG, Nespresso, Hearst, Expedia, Manpower, Securitas, Randstad, Engie, Veolia, Vinci, Saint Gobain, Inmarsat and Bidfood. For more information, visit www.sidetrade.com and follow us on Twitter @Sidetrade. In the event of a discrepancy between the French and English versions of this press release, only the French version shall be taken into account. Attachment Singapore, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Talos, an advanced technology provider for the institutional trading of digital assets, today announced its expansion into Asia with the hiring of Samar Sen as Head of Asia-Pacific. Additionally, the firm announced plans to open a Singapore office imminently. Over his 20-year career, Sen has worked in a variety of product, strategy, and technology leadership roles at capital markets firms across the industry. Prior to joining Talos, he served as the Global Head of Digital Products for Securities Services at Deutsche Bank, where he co-led the banks digital asset strategy and product delivery. In addition, he has held senior Asia-based roles at BNP Paribas, Barclays, and TradeHero after starting his career at Goldman Sachs in New York. Sen holds a degree in Computer Science from Northwestern University and an MBA from INSEAD. Sens appointment is the latest senior hire for the firm following a $40 million Series A funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz. In the Spring, Talos hired Justin Schmidt, formerly Head of Digital Asset Markets for Goldman Sachs, as Head of Strategy, and Alfonse Mandese, ex-Citi, as Head of Sales and Business Development. As a technology firm focused exclusively on helping institutions around the world safely and efficiently access the digital asset markets, its important that our team brings the proper understanding of the challenges our clients and prospects face, said Anton Katz, Co-Founder and CEO. With his background as a capital markets technologist, Samar most definitely fits the bill. Were excited to add someone of his caliber to lead our APAC growth strategy, and look forward to his future success as we grow into 2022 and beyond. Talos is one of the most respected firms in the crypto industry, quietly working with many of the worlds largest financial institutions on their digital asset strategies, said Sen. As institutional investors and their service providers increasingly allocate capital toward digital assets, they will require Taloss institutional-grade trading platform and its connectivity to global liquidity. The quality of Taloss products and their engineering talent is unrivalled in the market, and I cannot wait to contribute to the teams vision. The opportunity to scale a platform built for an entirely new asset class comes around perhaps once in a career. "As we all know, crypto is 24/7 and global. Talos has been expanding organically in Asia for some time now, and, simply put, it's time we create a local presence to help us better serve our clients. Talos looks forward to working with Singapore and hiring locally for all business functions across revenue, technology, and operations. Personally, I am beyond excited to reconnect with Samar in his new leadership role, and I look forward to working together to continue to build our Asia business," added Schmidt. Developed in 2018, Taloss platform is built exclusively to support end-to-end trading of digital assets from onboarding to price discovery, execution and settlement including bilateral access to liquidity providers. Talos offers solutions to meet the needs of both investors and financial service providers, including prime brokers, OTC liquidity providers, lenders, custodians, and exchanges. Clients access the Talos platform via API or GUI, and it is highly configurable to their unique workflow requirements. About Talos Talos powers institutional access to digital assets globally. Engineered by a team with unmatched experience in building institutional trading systems, the Talos platform is trusted by the largest and most sophisticated market participants for its performance, reliability and security. Its growing network of services execution tools, connectivity, analytics, data, settlement, lending and borrowing -- enable clients of all types to transact end-to-end without concern for unnecessary intermediary risk or potential conflicts of interest. Talos is backed by 14 of the industrys leading investment firms and market participants, and has offices in New York, Sweden and Singapore. For additional information, visit www.talos.com. Attachment Pune, India, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Electric Submersible Pumps Market to Reach $14.76 Billion by 2026, AT CAGR 5.8% The global electric submersible pumps market size is projected to reach USD 14.76 billion by the end of 2026. Driven by the increasing demand for hydrocarbons across the world, the market will rise at a considerable rate in the coming years. According to a report published by Fortune Business Insights, titled Electric Submersible Pumps Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By End-User (Residential & Commercial, Water & Wastewater, Mining, Agriculture, Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Construction, Others), By Operation (Single-Stage, Multi-Stage), By Capacity (Low, Medium, High), By Type (Open well, Bore Well), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026, the market was worth USD 9.43 billion in 2018 and will exhibit a CAGR of 5.8% during the forecast period, 2019-2026. The emergence of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill. We understand that this health crisis has brought an unprecedented impact on businesses across industries. However, this too shall pass. Rising support from governments and several companies can help in the fight against this highly contagious disease. There are some industries that are struggling and some are thriving. Overall, almost every sector is anticipated to be impacted by the pandemic. Request to Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/electric-submersible-pumps-market-102232 Report Scope and Segmentation: Report Coverage Details Forecast Period 2019 to 2026 Forecast Period 2019 to 2026 CAGR 5.8 % 2026 Value Projection USD 14.76 Billion Base Year 2018 Market Size in 2018 USD 9.43 Billion Historical Data for 2015 to 2017 No. of Pages 123 Segments covered By Operation, By Capacity, By Type, By End User, By Region Growth Drivers Efficient Manufactured Design And Operational Characteristics Boost the Demand for Electric Submersible Pumps Increasing Demand For Water Management Products Is Set To Propel the Market Growth Fragmented Market Participants Along With Some Major Players Are Shaping Industry Trends Pitfalls & Challenges High Investment And Complicated Process Will Hamper Market Growth Increasing Number of Product Launches Will Aid Market Growth Among all factors that have contributed to the growth of the market in recent years, the increasing number of product launches have made the highest impact on the market. The increasing investment in product R&D have yielded several innovations in recent years. In November 2019, HOMA Pupenfabrik introduced a new line of electric submersible pumps made of stainless steel material that is suitable for handling high-density effluents. Through these products, the company plans to expand in the chemical industry, with an aim to launch products that can handle abrasive fluids and wastewater. The report highlights a few of the major product launches of recent times and gauges their impact on the global market. List of key companies Profiled in the Electric Submersible Pump market are: Sulzer Kirloskar Brothers Limited oddesse Pumpen- Und Motorenfabrik GmbH KSB Company Multiquip Inc. GRUNDFOS Hitachi America Xylem Inc. Caprari Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Limited Weatherford TSURUMI PUMP ZUWA-Zumpe GmbH Homa Pumpenfabrik GmbH Quadt Kunststoffapparatebau GmbH November 2019: HOMA Pumpenfabrik introduced a new line of electric submersible pumps that are made of stainless steel material. These products have been developed with the aim of handling high-density effluents. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/electric-submersible-pumps-market-102232 Part 2:- Submersible Pump Market to Reach USD 20.58 Million by 2026, At CAGR 6.0% The global submersible pump market size is predicted to reach USD 20.58 million by 2026, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.0% during the forecast period. The growing concerns regarding the environment will subsequently aid the development of the submersible pump market during the forecast period. Moreover, the rising emphasis regarding wastewater discharges will fuel demand for submersible pumps, which in turn will boost the submersible pump market trends. In addition, the growing focus of key players towards enhancing and improving the operational performance of submersible pumps will aid the expansion of the market during the forecast period. For instance, in May 2019, Caprari, a world leader in pumps and centrifugal electric pumps announced to increase the operational performance of its submersible motors portfolio called MAC series. The improvement is achieved by using High Thrust (HT) bearings in the units to increase axial load resistance and durability of the products. Request to Sample PDF Brochure: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample-pdf/submersible-pump-market-101654 Competitive Landscape Launch of UPA S 200 by KSB Group to Stimulate Market Growth The KSB Group, a global supplier of pumps, valves, and systems announced that it will unveil its new UPAS 200 submersible borehole pump, designed for water supply, irrigation, groundwater management and pressure boosting applications, at this years IFAT trade fair, which is due on 711 September 2020. The announcement of KSB Group is likely to spur sales opportunities for the submersible pump market owing to its efficiency and hydraulic design, metal casing wear rings and silicon carbide bearings, leading to low energy consumption even when there are high grit contents in the fluid handled. Furthermore, the rising utilization of submersible pumps oil & gas production will boost the submersible pumps market growth during the forecast period. The surge in exploration actives for oil and gas will spur business opportunities for the market, states our lead analysts at Fortune Business Insights. For instance, in February 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projected that the global petroleum and liquid fuel demand is set to increase by over 1.3 billion million barrels per day (BPD) in 2020, resulting in 101.97 BPD by the year-end. Regional Analysis Rising Mining and Construction Activities to Propel Market in North America The market in North America generated a revenue of USD 4.22 billion in 2018. The growth in the region is attributed to growing mining and construction activities. Additionally, the rising extraction of hydrocarbons from conventional and unconventional reserves will aid the market in North America. Moreover, the surge in chemical production will also spur opportunities for the market in North America. Likewise, the growing exploration activities for oil and gas will enable growth in the market. Asia Pacific is predicted to grow rapidly owing to the surge in the construction industry in developing countries. Click here to get the short-term and long-term impact of COVID-19 on this market. Please visit: https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/submersible-pump-market-101654 Have a Look at Related Research Insights: AC Drives Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Power Rating (Low Power Drives, Medium Power Drives, and High Power Drives), By Voltage (Low Voltage and Medium Voltage), By Application (Pumps, Conveyors, Compressors, Electric Fan), By End-User (Food & Beverage, Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Building Automation, Metal & Mining, Water & Wastewater, Chemical & Petrochemicals) and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Heat Exchanger Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (Shell & Tube, Plate & Frame, Air Coolers, Cooling Towers, and Others), By Application (Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Power Generation, HVAC, Automobile, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Beverage, Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Type (AC Drive, DC Drive, Servo Drive), By Power Range (Micro, Low, Medium, High), By Application (Pumps, Conveyors, HVAC, Electric Fan, Extruders, Others), By End-User (Food & Beverage, Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Mining, Others), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Coiled Tubing Services Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Service (Well Intervention {Well Completion, Well Cleaning}, Drilling), By Application (Onshore and Offshore), and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 Marine Engine Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis, By Ship Type (Oil Tankers, Bulk Carriers, General Cargo Ships, Container Ships, Gas Carriers, Chemical Tankers, Support Vessels, Ferries and Passenger Ships, and Others), By Capacity, By Fuel (Heavy Fuel Oil, Intermediate Fuel Oil, Marine Diesel Oil, Marine Gas Oil, LNG, and Others), By Speed (High Speed, Medium Speed, and Low Speed), By Stroke and Regional Forecast, 2019-2026 About Us: Fortune Business Insights delivers accurate data and innovative corporate analysis, helping organizations of all sizes make appropriate decisions. We tailor novel solutions for our clients, assisting them to address various challenges distinct to their businesses. Our aim is to empower them with holistic market intelligence, providing a granular overview of the market they are operating in. Contact Us: Fortune Business Insights Pvt. Ltd. 308, Supreme Headquarters, Survey No. 36, Baner, Pune-Bangalore Highway, Pune - 411045, Maharashtra, India. Phone: US :+1 424 253 0390 UK : +44 2071 939123 APAC : +91 744 740 1245 Email: sales@fortunebusinessinsights.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fortune-business-insights GRAND BAIE, Mauritius, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alphamin Resources Corp. (AFM:TSXV, APH:JSE AltX) (Alphamin or the Company), a producer of 4% of the worlds mined tin1 from its high grade operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has released its unaudited consolidated financial statements and accompanying Managements Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended September 2021: Record Q3 EBITDA of US$53,7m , up 58% from prior quarter of , from prior quarter Contained tin production up 17% from the prior quarter to 2,832 tons from the prior quarter to Net debt-free at 30 September 2021 (Net debt 30 June 2021: US$29,5m) at 30 September 2021 (Net debt 30 June 2021: US$29,5m) Initiates strategic review to maximize shareholder value Operational and Financial Summary for the Quarter ended September 20212 Description Units Actual Quarter ended September 2021 Quarter ended June 2021 Change Tons Processed Tons 108,901 105,294 3% Tin Grade Processed % Sn 3.5 3.2 8% Overall Plant Recovery % 75.2 71.5 5% Contained Tin Produced Tons 2,832 2,412 17% Contained Tin Sold Tons 2,710 2,404 13% EBITDA US$'000 53,715 34,077 58% Net Cash / (Net Debt) US$'000 1,036 (29,506) -104% Tin Price Achieved US$/t 33,704 28,308 20% AISC US$/t 14,765 15,112 -2% _______________________ 1Data obtained from International Tin Association Tin Industry Review 2020 2 Production information is disclosed on a 100% basis. Alphamin indirectly owns 84.14% of its operating subsidiary to which the information relates. Operational and Financial Performance Contained tin production of 2,832 tons is 17% above the previous quarter. Underground mining practices relating to stope planning, delineation and blasting were significantly improved from mid July 2021. This resulted in an average tin grade of 3,8% processed during August and September 2021 with an average of 3,5% for the quarter. In addition to improved grade control, run-of-mine volumes and waste development increased by 5% quarter-on-quarter. The benefit of the newly commissioned Fine Tin Plant increased overall processing recoveries by 5% to 75%. Record EBITDA of US$53,7m for Q3 2021 is 58% higher than the previous quarter as a result of increased tin production and sales volumes, together with a higher tin price of US$33,704/t (Current tin price: ~US$37,000/t). AISC per ton of contained tin sold decreased 2% quarter on quarter as a result of higher sales and production volumes off-set to some extent by the impact of the higher tin price on marketing commissions, royalties, export duties and smelter deductions. The Company moved to a net cash position at 30 September 2021 compared to a net debt position of US$29,5m the previous quarter. The Board will establish an appropriate treasury strategy during Q4 2021 with the objective of balancing capital allocations between ongoing exploration drilling, the potential fast-track development of the Mpama South deposit and shareholder distributions. Alphamins unaudited consolidated financial statements and accompanying Managements Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended 30 September 2021 have been filed and are available under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com. Strategic Review The Company has determined to initiate a strategic review to explore alternatives with a view to maximising shareholder value (the Strategic Review). Such strategic alternatives may include, but are not limited to, fast-tracking the Companys expansion and life-of-mine extension potential, balance sheet restructuring including revenue prepayments and streaming, shareholder distributions or a corporate merger or sale transaction. The Company has appointed a financial advisor to provide advisory services in relation to the overall Strategic Review. The Company has not established a definitive timeline to complete the Strategic Review and no decisions related to any strategic alternative have been reached at this time. There can be no assurance that any strategic transaction or transactions will result from the Strategic Review. The Company does not intend to comment further with respect to the Strategic Review unless and until it determines that additional disclosure is appropriate in the circumstances and in accordance with the requirements of applicable securities laws. Qualified Person Mr. Clive Brown, Pr. Eng., B.Sc. Engineering (Mining), is a qualified person (QP) as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in this news release. He is a Principal Consultant and Director of Bara Consulting Pty Limited, an independent technical consultant to the Company. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Maritz Smith CEO Alphamin Resources Corp. Tel: +230 269 4166 E-mail: msmith@alphaminresources.com CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Information in this news release that is not a statement of historical fact constitutes forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements contained herein include, without limitation, statements relating to the future allocation of surplus cash and the Strategic Review and any transactions arising from the Strategic Review. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made. 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. Although Alphamin has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from expected results described in forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: uncertainties associated with Alphamins resource and reserve estimates, uncertainties and risks regarding the economic viability of the Mpama South deposit prior to the release of a maiden resource and completion of feasibility studies, uncertainties regarding estimates of the expected mined tin grades, processing plant performance and recoveries, uncertainties regarding global supply and demand for tin and market and sales prices, uncertainties with respect to social, community and environmental impacts, uninterrupted access to required infrastructure and third party service providers, adverse political events, impacts of the global Covid-19 pandemic on mining operations and commodity prices as well as those risk factors set out in the Companys Management Discussion and Analysis and other disclosure documents available under the Companys profile at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this news release and Alphamin disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. USE OF NON-IFRS FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES This announcement refers to the following non-IFRS financial performance measures: EBITDA EBITDA is profit before net finance expense, income taxes and depreciation, depletion, and amortization. EBITDA provides insight into our overall business performance (a combination of cost management and growth) and is the corresponding flow driver towards the objective of achieving industry-leading returns. This measure assists readers in understanding the ongoing cash generating potential of the business including liquidity to fund working capital, servicing debt, and funding capital expenditures and investment opportunities. This measure is not recognized under IFRS as it does not have any standardized meaning prescribed by IFRS and is therefore unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. EBITDA data is intended to provide additional information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. AISC This measures the cash costs to produce a ton of contained tin plus the capital sustaining costs to maintain the mine, processing plant and infrastructure. This measure includes the Cash Cost per ton and capital sustaining costs less concentrate stock movement divided by tons of contained tin sold. All-In Sustaining Cost per ton does not include depreciation, depletion, and amortization, reclamation, borrowing costs and exploration expenses. Sustaining capital expenditures are defined as those expenditures which do not increase contained tin production at a mine site and excludes all expenditures at the Companys projects and certain expenditures at the Companys operating sites which are deemed expansionary in nature. NET DEBT AND NET CASH Net debt is defined as total current and non-current portions of interest-bearing debt and lease liabilities less cash and cash equivalents. Net cash is defined as cash and cash equivalents less total current and non-current portions of interest-bearing debt and lease liabilities. AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. (SCV) today announces the availability of a new interview with Marc Hazout, CEO, SusGlobal Energy Corp. (OTCQB: SNRG) (SNRG or the Company), to discuss the monetary potential of the Companys voluntary, environmentally friendly operation. SNRG is an innovator of sustainable waste management solutions for municipalities. The Company recently signed an agreement with Blue Source Canada (Bluesource), which will assist the Company in monetizing carbon credits obtained from its organic waste processing and composting facility in Belleview, Ontario. Speaking with SCVs Stuart Smith, Hazout emphasized the timeliness of the agreement as world leaders are currently meeting at the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Scotland. One of the main topics [at COP26] is landfilling organic waste, which produces the most greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Of course, carbon credits are a solution to try and offset the carbon that is being emitted, Hazout said, noting that Tesla was one of the first companies to turn a profit by selling environmental credits earlier this year. Hazout explained how carbon credit monetization works. As Leaders in the Circular Economy, SNRG diverts organic waste away from landfills, routing it through a proprietary conversion process that creates regenerative products such dry compost and liquid fertilizer. Bluesource will audit the tonnage to determine the amount of carbon credits the Company should receive. From here, SNRG will sell its credits to large emitters who need to offset their own carbon footprint. For now, the incentivized system is voluntary, but world governments leaning toward legislation that would require zero-emissions and thus increase the value of carbon credits. Eventually were going to graduate toward a mandatory market, and those are the markets that are being discussed at COP26, Hazout said. At this point, SNRG will leverage its infrastructure and processing facilities to meet the needs of municipalities and haulers affected by this change. Once no more landfilling organic waste becomes law then SNRG, we will be operating at capacity and the revenue that we will generate will be much more than any carbon credits that we would obtain, said Hazout. Its a win-win situation for SNRG, whose model has always been to divert organic waste from landfill and then produce regenerative products as part of our circular economy model. The interview also highlighted SusGro, SNRGs pathogen-free, organic liquid biofertilizer derived from organic waste. Awarded the "2021 Product Innovation Award in the Fertilizer Market" by Lucintel, SusGro plays a crucial role in the Companys goals for 2022. We begin processing in Q2 and we expect revenues to grow exponentially, said Hazout. Without a doubt, 2022 is a year that were going to set significant milestones. Were going to see a significant increase in revenues, and of course that will translate to appreciation in the share price as we continue to maximize shareholder value. The full interview can be heard at: https://www.smallcapvoice.com/november-interview-susglobal-energy-corp-snrg/. About SusGlobal Energy Corp. SusGlobal Energy Corp., the developer of SusGro, an award winning and revolutionary pathogen free organic liquid fertilizer, is a renewables company focused on acquiring, developing, and monetizing a portfolio of proprietary technologies in the waste to energy and regenerative product applications globally. It is management's objective to grow SusGlobal into a significant sustainable waste to energy and regenerative products provider, as LEADERS IN THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY. For more information, please visit the Company's website at https://SusGlobalEnergy.com About SmallCapVoice.com SmallCapVoice.com, Inc. is a recognized corporate investor relations firm, with clients nationwide, known for its ability to help emerging growth companies, small cap and micro-cap stocks build a following among retail and institutional investors. SmallCapVoice.com utilizes its stock newsletter to feature its daily stock picks, podcasts, as well as its clients' financial news releases. SmallCapVoice.com also offers individual investors all the tools they need to make informed decisions about the stocks in which they are interested. Tools like stock charts, stock alerts, and Company Information Sheets can assist with investing in stocks that are traded on the OTCMarkets. To learn more about SmallCapVoice.com and its services, please visit https://www.smallcapvoice.com/small-cap-stock-otc-investor-relations-financial-public-relations/. Socialize with SmallCapVoice and their clients at Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SmallCapVoice/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/smallcapvoice Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smallcapvoice/ Safe Harbor Statement This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Company's objectives. 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," "aims," "potential," "goal," "objective," "prospective," and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "can," "could" or "should" occur. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, lack of sufficient financial resources; variations in market conditions, currency and our stock; the Company's ability to obtain any necessary permits, approvals, consents or authorizations required for its activities; the Company's ability to produce energy, biogas, compost or organic fertilizer from its properties successfully or profitably, to continue its projected growth, or to be fully able to implement its business strategies and other risk factors described in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which may be viewed at www.sec.gov. Contact SusGlobal Energy Corp. Marc Hazout, President and CEO (416) 223-8500 or Toll Free: 1-866-512-7374 Email: Info@SusGlobalEnergy.com SmallCapVoice.com Contact: Stuart T. Smith 512-267-2430 Info@SmallCapVoice.com Source: SmallCapVoice.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/defeafb8-d4db-445d-b8e6-4b380fce78fc TORONTO, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ARHT Media Inc. ("ARHT Media") [TSXV:ART], the global leader in the development, production and distribution of high-quality, low latency hologram and digital content, announces that HEC Paris has installed ARHTs HoloPresence technology at their main campus in Paris, France, as well as their HEC Paris Qatar campus in Doha, Qatar. The inaugural event utilizing the HoloPresence technology is the Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Qatar and Region event on November 10, 2021 at the HEC Paris Qatar campus in Doha. The event will be structured as a moderated, panel discussion addressing the theme of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Qatar and the Region and will provide opportunities for interaction between the panel and the audience. It is intended to be both an opportunity for participants to gain insights, as well as to network and deepen connections. The Milestone Event provides a unique opportunity for HEC Paris in Qatar to assemble its stakeholder community, not only to celebrate but also to deepen connections, share insights and strengthen networks. The event will bring together representatives from the French, international and Qatari business communities, with the participation of the Qatari-French Economic Circle (Qadran). This tool will allow me to not only participate in the panel, but to demonstrate how technology can be used to connect people and help share ideas across the globe. I teach innovation, but thanks to this technology I feel like I am innovating, commented Professor Sihem Jouini, Associate Professor at HEC Paris, who will beam-in from France. Utilizing ARHTs HoloPresence technology speakers from Paris will be able to join panelists in Qatar, appearing as a live hologram. The panel will combine leaders from academia and the business community at large. On an ongoing basis, HEC Paris and Qatar campuses will be able to share faculty and guest speakers between the two countries to further enhance the business education of the HEC MBA program. HEC Paris and HEC Paris Qatar, global leaders in business education, will now be able to utilize faculty for both the core curriculum, as well as for guest speakers and special events, whether they are in France or Qatar, stated ARHT CEO Larry OReilly, The first of its kind in the Middle East and France, HEC Paris Qatar and HEC Paris, join a growing list of universities globally that now have the ability to network with one another for impactful education without the need for air travel. Over time this will save the universities money and assist in their efforts to reduce carbon emissions. The Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Qatar and Region event is a perfect example of using HoloPresence technology to bring participants to an important event without having to fly to get there. About ARHT Media ARHT Media's patented HoloPresence technology is a complete end-to-end solution that creates a sense of presence for audiences as though the holographic presenter was actually live in the room. With no noticeable latency, ARHT Media makes two-way live communication with a 3D holographic presenter anywhere in the world possible. We can also playback pre-recorded content and 3D animations on our HoloPresence displays to deliver rich holographic experiences. Add to this our capability to stream the same content online on our premium Virtual Global StageTM. Connect with ARHT Media Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ARHTmedia Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ARHTmediainc LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/arht-media-inc- For more information, please visit www.arhtmedia.com or contact the investor relations group at info@arhtmedia.com. ARHT Media trades under the symbol "ART" on the TSX Venture Exchange. ARHT Salman Amin ARHT Media samin@arhtmedia.com This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the intention to exercise convertible securities of the Company; disclosure related to the Company's sales funnel; the Company's technology; the potential uses for the Company's technology; the future planned events using the Company's technology; the future success of the Company; the ability of the Company to monetize the ARHT Media technology; the development of the Company's technology; and interest from parties in ARHT's products. Generally, 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 state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information 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, including but not limited to: general business, economic and competitive uncertainties; regulatory risks; risks inherent in technology operations; and other risks of the technology industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. 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. Pittsburgh, PA, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ALULAs Board of Directors announced the appointment of Andrew Graham as the new Chief Executive Officer for ALULA. Karen Gorman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) will begin a planned retirement from the company January 1, 2022. Graham is positioned to continue the companys growth journey to be the recognized authority in understanding how to positively influence human behavior to drive meaningful business results. Graham brings years of leadership experience in professional services, serving as CEO of Kepner Tregoe and later The Forum. Grahams strong network of clients, business contacts and professional alliances, along with his management and consulting experience, will position ALULA well in the future, said David Murphy, Chairman of the Human Resources Committee of the Board. I am convinced ALULAs and Gormans track record of delivering revenue growth, profitability, EBITDA increases, and improved shareholder value will remain intact, and grow, under Grahams leadership, Murphy said. For the last 5.5 years, Gorman has led the company through its transition from a founder-led organization to an employee-owned firm, increasing shareholder value year over year. Gorman has been an integral part of ALULA for the last 16+ years, previously serving as Chief People Officer, Senior Partner and Partner. Her hard work, commitment and dedication to the firm are worthy of admiration and will be greatly missed, said Murphy. Murphy also confirmed his sincerest confidence in Grahams competence and qualifications to be the CEO successor and noted he will bring tremendous value to the company. Grahams 20 years experience, gained while working on four continents, was achieved leading major client initiatives across a wide range of product and service industries, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and consumer products. In his most recent role, he led Strategic Partnerships & Acquisitions as Senior Vice President for LHH, the worlds leading career transition, outplacement and talent development company. Graham holds a B.Eng. in Mechanical & Production Engineering from John Moores University in Liverpool, England. Andrew is British-born, Australian by naturalization, and a U.S. resident. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey with his wife, Leigh, and two young children. To ensure an effective transition, Gorman and Graham will share the CEO role for the last quarter of 2021. Graham will assume solo CEO responsibility January 1, 2022. About ALULA - ALULA is a management consultancy founded in 1993 to assist Fortune 500 companies and select mid-market companies with improving strategy execution. Today, ALULA exists to inspire and accelerate the extraordinary growth of individuals and exceptional performance of business. ALULA employs proven principles of behavioral science to help organizations more efficiently and effectively implement change, enhance leadership capability, and improve performance. To learn more visit https://alula.clg.com/ Schaumburg, IL, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To meet the needs of food and chemical processing industries, Leine Linde now offers a splash-proof and corrosion-resistant absolute encoder for machinery positioning and synchronization. This encoder is part of the RSA 500 family, and is available in North America through parent company HEIDENHAIN. The encoder is made of stainless steel, grade 1.4404, and can be obtained with a custom assembly built to withstand aggressive liquids. For example, some liquids processed in the food industry are acidic. Cleaning agents and other aggressive substances are frequently used in and around the machines, and encoders used must withstand occasional splashes and exposure to such fluids. For one of these machine manufacturers, Leine Linde used an RSA 500 encoder for a packaging and filling machine used in the dairy industry. To minimize the number of possible leakage points on this application, Leine Linde used a press-fit assembly instead of a standard assembly. This way of assembling the encoder eliminates screws and screw holes where processed food, bacteria and other pollutants otherwise could accumulate. To further protect the encoder from acidic liquid intrusion, its body can be slightly pressurized using compressed air. The air hose needed connects to a dedicated threaded connection point on the encoders back. The result is a splash-proof, IP 67-rated, corrosion-resistant encoder which could be used in applications that process fruit juices or other acidic or corrosive liquids, either in the food or other chemical industries. For similar solutions, contact a North American Leine Linde representative through https://www.heidenhain.us/contact-us/ . Leine Linde is based in Sweden with exclusive North American distribution through HEIDENHAIN CORPORATION in Schaumburg, IL. Leine Linde is well known for offering high-quality, heavy-duty encoders of both the incremental and absolute type. They are noted for their product robustness and designed to cope with the harshest of environments, such as those with high vibration, dirt and cold temperatures. These heavy, severe duty encoders are suited for drive and measurement applications and are often found in industries such as pulp and paper, forest and wood processing, agriculture, aggregate and mining equipment. HEIDENHAIN represents nine company brands in North America, including Leine Linde. More information at: www.heidenhain.us/about-us # Image Available at: https://www.heidenhain.us/wp-content/uploads/LeineLinde_RSA_506_Stainless_Steel-1.jpg Product Contact: Jonathan Dougherty, HEIDENHAIN Business Development Manager, Automation jdougherty@heidenhain.com or 847-519-4218 Attachment SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The board of directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) has appointed Anne Segrest McCulloch executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary, effective November 18, 2021. Ms. McCulloch, a seasoned financial services and housing industry executive and regulatory attorney with more than 30 years in the industry, will assume the position as a result of the retirement of the Banks current executive vice president, chief legal officer and corporate secretary, Suzanne Titus-Johnson. I am thrilled to welcome Anne to the team. Annes understanding of the legal and regulatory landscape facing the housing industry coupled with her deep history of leveraging legal strategies to expand affordable housing options will be an asset to the Bank and our entire member base, said Teresa Bryce Bazemore, president and CEO of FHLBank San Francisco. Ms. Titus-Johnson has served the Bank since 1986 and has made countless contributions to the Banks mission of providing members with reliable access to low-cost liquidity, essential financial services and expertise, and resources for affordable housing and economic development. Suzanne has been an integral member of the Banks leadership team for 35 years. Throughout her tenure, she has provided solid legal counsel and problem-solving strategies that have positioned us for the future, said Bazemore. On behalf of the board of directors and the Banks leadership team, Id like to thank Suzanne for her outstanding guidance and trusted partnership throughout her tenure. Titus-Johnsons effective retirement date will be December 17, 2021. As chief legal officer, Ms. McCulloch will be responsible for providing legal counsel to the Banks management and board of directors, including advising on regulatory matters affecting the development and execution of the Banks business strategies, policies, and practices. She will also direct and manage the Banks legal staff, outside counsel, and the public affairs team. Ms. McCulloch presently serves as president and chief executive officer for Housing Partnership Equity Trust, a national, public purpose real estate investment trust focused on preserving and maintaining affordable rental housing throughout the United States. A recognized authority on housing, she has held senior positions at Fannie Mae, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Resolution Trust Corporation. McCulloch holds a bachelors degree in American studies and a law degree from Tulane University. She will report to Ms. Bazemore. About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. Our member financial institutionscommercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutionsrely on us to deliver prompt access to low-cost funding, risk management tools, and resources for affordable housing and community economic development. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more resilient and vibrant. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e2339723-44bd-4d81-bf04-c9e3a380c2df English French FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Disclosure of total number of voting rights and number of shares forming the capital as of October 31, 2021 Clichy, France 08 November 2021 Article L 233-8-II of the French Code de Commerce and Article 223-16 of the General Regulations of the French Autorite des Marches Financiers. As of October 31, 2021, the total number of issued shares of SOCIETE BIC is 45,395,857 shares, representing: 66,744,208 voting rights, 65,774,086 voting rights excluding shares without voting rights ABOUT BIC A world leader in stationery, lighters and shavers, BIC brings simplicity and joy to everyday life. For more than 75 years, the Company has honored the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable, essential products to consumers everywhere. Through this unwavering dedication, BIC has become one of the most recognized brands and is a trademark registered worldwide. Today, BIC products are sold in more than 160 countries around the world and feature iconic brands such as BIC Kids, BIC FlexTM, BodyMark by BICTM, Cello, Djeep, Lucky Stationery, Rocketbook, Soleil, Tipp-Ex, Us. TM, Wite-Out and more. In 2020, BIC Net Sales were 1,627.9 million euros. The Company is listed on "Euronext Paris," is part of the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes and is recognized for its commitment to sustainable development and education. It received an A- Leadership score from CDP For more, visit www.bic.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube. Contact Sophie Palliez-Capian VP, Corporate Stakeholder Engagement +33 1 45 19 55 28 + 33 87 89 3351 Sophie.palliez@bicworld.com Michele Ventura Senior Manager, Investor Relations + 33 1 45 19 52 98 Michele.ventura@bicworld.com Albane de La Tour dArtaise Senior Manager, Institutional Press Relations + 33 1 45 19 51 51 + 33 7 85 88 19 48 Albane.DeLaTourDArtaise@bicworld.com Isabelle de Segonzac Image 7 + 33 6 89 87 61 39 isegonzac@image7.fr 2021-2022 AGENDA ALL DATES TO BE CONFIRMED 3rd Quarter 2021 Results October 26, 2021 FY 2021 Results February 15, 2022 1st Quarter 2022 Results April 26, 2022 2022 Annual General Meeting 18 May, 2022 First Half 2022 Results August 2, 2022 3 rd Quarter 2022 Results October 27, 2022 Attachment WAWA, Pa., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wawa, Inc., today announced that this Veterans Day, the company will once again offer free hot coffee of any size to veterans, active military members and their families, all day. This will take place on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, at all of Wawas more than 940 stores throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, DC and Florida and service members can either present a military ID or identify oneself at the register to redeem the free coffee offer. At Wawa supporting our military is part of our DNA and each year, Veterans Day gives us a chance to thank our service members, and, in our own small way, give something back to these brave and dedicated men and women, said Chris Gheysens, Wawas President and CEO. Once again, we plan to honor our military and their families with free coffee on Veterans Day, and also through a care package assembly at our Wawa headquarters the Tuesday before Veterans Day. In its 11th year, weve been providing service members abroad with a Taste of Home through our coffee care packages, and we are passionate about continuing this tradition for years to come. Operation Taste of Home care packages are an annual tradition organized by Wawa Associates and supported by the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey (Liberty USO) who together help send more than 5,000 care packages to our service members currently deployed. This Tuesday, Nov. 9, Wawa associates and members of the USO will safely assemble more than 5,000 care packages to be sent to our service members abroad. In addition, The Wawa Foundation will present a check to the USO for $930,000, funds raised through in-store coin and scan campaigns held at every Wawa store during the summer of 2021. The funds go to programs supporting the military and their families and are distributed to the local USO Chapters located throughout Wawas operating area. In addition to the 5,000 Taste of Home care packages, Wawa associates and USO volunteers assembled 3,100 care packages in Central Florida for those returning from deployment and 500 care packages for deployed marines at Quantico supporting Operations Allies Afghan Refugees at its Grand Opening Celebration of its newest store in Camp Springs, MD for a record breaking total of nearly 10,000 donated care packages. About Wawa, Inc. Wawa, Inc., a privately held company, began in 1803 as an iron foundry in New Jersey. Toward the end of the 19th Century, owner George Wood took an interest in dairy farming and the family began a small processing plant in Wawa, PA in 1902. The milk business was a huge success, due to its quality, cleanliness and certified process. As home delivery of milk declined in the early 1960s, Grahame Wood, Georges grandson, opened the first Wawa Food Market in 1964 as an outlet for dairy products. Today, Wawa is your all day, every day stop for freshly prepared foods, beverages, coffee, fuel services and surcharge-free ATMs. Wawa stores are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Florida and Washington, D.C. The stores offer a large fresh foodservice selection, including Wawa brands such as custom prepared hoagies, freshly-brewed coffee, hot breakfast sandwiches, specialty beverages and an assortment of soups, sides and snacks. Forbes.com Ranks Wawa as #23 of Americas Largest Private Companies in 2020. For more information, visit us on www.wawa.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram at @wawa. Contact: public.relations@wawa.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/988759e7-8a69-43ea-a6c8-a3c9f3c149f7 Washington, DC, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On November 2, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published an investigation finding poor research practices at Ventavia, a contract research company that conducted COVID-19 vaccine trials for Pfizer. According to the BMJ, speed may have come at the cost of data integrity and patient safety. A former Ventavia employee told the BMJ that the company had falsified data, unblinded patients, employed inadequately trained vaccinators, and was slow to follow up on adverse events reported in Pfizers pivotal phase III trial. Staff who conducted quality control checks were overwhelmed by the volume of problems they were finding. The employee, Brook Jackson, repeatedly notified Ventavia of her concerns according to the BMJ. She then emailed a complaint to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and was fired from her job the next day. The BMJ also stated that Jackson provided dozens of internal company documents, photos, audio recordings, and emails to the publication. Jackson filed her complaint with the FDA in September of 2020 but the agency never investigated her documented concerns. CHD is now calling upon Congress to investigate the FDAs failure to look into these serious claims of shoddy testing of the Pfizer vaccine. The agencys Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) granted Emergency Use Authorization to Pfizers COVID vaccine for children ages five through eleven on October 26, 2021, nearly a year after these safety concerns were known by the FDA. VRBPAC committee members have extensive ties with the same drug companies that manufacture the vaccines they vote upon, said CHD president and general counsel Mary Holland. Its obvious from their voting records that their allegiance is to Pharma and not to the health of our nations children. The organization also maintains that the threats posed by these vaccines to childrens health are significant considering that the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) has received 856,919 reports of injuries following COVID vaccination including 18,078 deaths from mid-December, 2020 through October 29, 2021. Congress needs to prioritize an investigation of the FDAs mishandling of the red flags raised by the former Ventavia employee as well as the conflicts of interest at play on the VRBPAC committee, said Holland. Tens of millions of children will get this vaccine and many will be subject to mandates in order to attend school. The citizens of this country need to know how this failure was allowed to occur and what steps are now being taken to correct the oversight. ### Children's Health Defense is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its mission is to end childhood health epidemics by working aggressively to eliminate harmful exposures, hold those responsible accountable, and establish safeguards to prevent future harm. For more information, visit ChildrensHealthDefense.org. Miami, Florida, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Keynote is bringing the highly-anticipated North American Bitcoin Conference back to Miami on Jan 16-19, 2022. This iconic event established Miami Blockchain Week and will return for its eighth year at the James L. Knight Center to kick off the new year with a bang. Riding the momentum and international success of the Fantom Developer Conference in Abu Dhabi, UAE last month, TNABC will be a hybrid conference featuring presentations by hand-picked experts in the cryptocurrency and blockchain industry, roundtable discussions, satellite events, and curated networking opportunities with Keynotes long-established community of curated experts, industry pioneers, and global change-makers. We are ecstatic to return to our home in person after a nearly two-year hiatus and host another meeting of the most powerful and brilliant minds in bitcoin and blockchain. If youre excited for or even curious about the new global economy and digital revolution unfolding in real-time before your eyes, this event is absolutely unmissable, said Moe Levin, CEO of Keynote Limited. The past 12 months have seen a meteoric rise in DeFi value, enormous gains for both Bitcoin and Ethereum, and a dynamic global interest in NFTs. TNABC 2022 will track the highs and lows of digital assets, explore the future of regulation and compliance, and ask how we can collectively make the industry a more equitable, inclusive place. Thousands of crypto thought leaders, executives, change-makers, innovators, developers, and blockchain pioneers will convene in Miami to share strategies and experiences, look towards the future, and develop their networks. The content will be streamed on TNABCs virtual event platform, with live discussion and Q&A opportunities for attendees to probe the minds of our expert speakers. In-person and virtual attendees will celebrate the journey of Bitcoin and blockchain so far, with the return of TNABCs Bitcoin Museum installation, a renewed focus on the dramatic rise and bright future of NFTs, and perhaps even witness another momentous bull run. TNABC is the conference I look forward to every year, said Harry Yeh, managing director of Quantum Fintech Group. Returning live in person for the first time since 2019, it is THE conference in the blockchain space that sets the stage for all blockchain events for the rest of the year! Aside from Miami being one of my favorite cities to visit in the United States, the conference also brings together the best and the brightest of the blockchain ecosystem. Im excited to be working with the Keynote team to bring this world-class event back to Miami. First confirmed speakers include: Charlie Shrem , Bitcoin pioneer and host, Untold Stories , Bitcoin pioneer and host, Untold Stories Peter Smith , CEO and founder, Blockchain.com , CEO and founder, Blockchain.com Nick Spanos , co-founder, Zap.org , co-founder, Zap.org Jenna Pilgrim , CEO, Streambed Media , CEO, Streambed Media Harry Yeh , managing director, Quantum Fintech Group , managing director, Quantum Fintech Group Alex Tapscott , managing director, Ninepoint Partners , managing director, Ninepoint Partners Maja Vujinovic , CEO, OGroup , CEO, OGroup Halsey Minor , founder and CEO, Live Planet, Inc , founder and CEO, Live Planet, Inc Craig Sellars, co-founder, Tether The North American Bitcoin Conference in Miami is hosted for its eighth year by Keynote, which is responsible for the largest and longest-running conferences in the blockchain space, such as the World Blockchain Forum (WBF) and the Fantom Developer Conference. Keynote seeks to inspire and enable the blockchain and crypto community across all skill levels, continue to move the conversation forward, and help shape their ecosystems. First release tickets are now on sale at btcmiami.com with a scheduled price increase coming soon. A full confirmed speakers list can also be found at btcmiami.com/speakers Media Contacts: Lyndsey Robson lyndsey@keynote.ae www.btcmiami.com OTTAWA, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Instead of lockouts, back-to-work laws and intimidation tactics, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs must start bargaining in good faith with striking public sector workers many who have toiled tirelessly throughout the pandemic on the frontlines. On behalf of the Canadian Labour Congress, I want to express our solidarity and support to the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) members in New Brunswick, said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. Frontline workers who did so much to keep our communities going throughout the pandemic deserve so much better. Canadas unions stand in solidarity with CUPE workers. Despite the strike being now in its 12th day, Premier Higgs has declared the government has no plans to return to the bargaining table. Last Friday, the New Brunswick government announced they were using the Emergency Measures Act and the COVID-19 state of emergency to force some public employees back to work. Premier Higgs could end this dispute but seems to lack the will to do so. Turning to back-to-work legislation or using the province's COVID-19 emergency order to block a strike rather than negotiating a solution in good faith around the table shows the premiers lack of commitment to good faith negotiations, concluded Bruske. New Brunswicks Public Sector workers arent only fighting for themselves, they are fighting for fair wages, real quality of life improvements and protecting pensions for people across New Brunswick and across Canada. To arrange an interview, please contact: CLC Media Relations media@clcctc.ca 613-526-7426 Dallas, Texas, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Priority Aviation, Inc. (OTC Pink: PJET) (PJET) today announced that the company will begin alpha testing its Student Housing By Owner (SHBO) App tomorrow. The development of the App is complete, and the App will now undergo an internal quality review. Accordingly, management confirms the company remains on track to launch its SHBO App next month in December, bringing a yet untapped real estate sector into the student housing market. PJET anticipates its Student Housing App to resonate with the resource constrained student housing market. In addition to introducing an App intended to be the Airbnb of student housing, making it easy for anyone with an extra bedroom, garage apartment, or empty house near a campus to now turn that extra space into income, the App is also architected to optimize advertising to the university student demographic. 21 million U.S. college students are estimated to have over $376 billion in spending power. In 2020, students spent $39 billion on food alone. Annual student spending on clothes and accessories is estimated at $67 billion. Universities themselves spend approximately $1 billion annually advertising to the university student demographic. See College Student Spending Habits For 2021 to learn more. PJETs Student Housing App design includes an artificial intelligence engine intended to optimize the Apps value to businesses looking to attract the university student demographic. PJET is also building a brick and mortar component of its business. The company has reached terms to fund and build a student housing residential building in Texas that will support a small private university with an enrollment of approximately 1200 students. This is the first such project planned to support smaller universities and complement the Student Housing App initiative. PJET redirected its operations earlier this year toward the student housing market. Look for much more to be coming soon on the companys new business direction. Visit the companys new website periodically to look for the latest updates Company Website www.pjet-info.com ATLANTA, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) will join with Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston, Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, and Asset Funders Network to host a unique one-day event designed to prevent and solve the challenge of heirs property. The Heirs Property Prevention and Resolution Funders Forum will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (ET) on December 2, 2021 at the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. During the Funders Forum, nonprofit organizations and other entities will pitch pilot initiatives intended to address a particular issue or issues associated with heirs property. Potential funders will have the opportunity to ask questions and further explore proposed initiatives. Participating funders are under no obligation to commit to any pilot initiative. Heirs property occurs when a real property owner dies intestate or with a will that leaves the property to multiple beneficiaries, usually their children. This results in a fractured or tangled title that, if left unresolved, can lead to ownership uncertainty and conflict among family members. Moreover, a fractured title is unmarketable and prevents the ability to sell, collateralize, improve, or otherwise transfer the property, becoming a barrier to the accumulation of generational wealth. Heirs property is disproportionately found in Black, Native, and Latinx communities, rural and distressed urban communities, and communities with low wealth. It is a significant contributor to vacancy, abandonment, and unrealized equity in impoverished neighborhoods and among racial and ethnic communities throughout the country. For example, a 1980 study by the Emergency Land Fund estimated that 41 percent of rural land in the Southeast that is owned by Black Americans is heirs property.1 A more recent article by the Atlanta Fed indicates that in the six southeastern states that are part of the Atlanta Feds District, at least 85,607 properties are heirs properties.2 _______________ 1 The Emergency Land Fund, Inc. (1980). The Impact of Heir Property on Black Rural Land Tenure in the Southeastern Region of the United States. 2 Carpenter, Ann, Shana Jones, and J. Scott. Pippin. (2016). Understanding Heirs Property in the Southeast. Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta Partners Update. March/April 2016. The purpose of the Funders Forum is to match resources with entities that are positioned to deliver those resources to families and communities dealing with heirs property. The proposals are expected to fall into one of five categories: financial literacy, pro-bono legal services, local government innovation, affordable housing solutions, or academic research. Needed resources include more than just monetary contributions and might involve contributions of human capital and non-monetary resources. FHLBank Atlanta is proud to partner with the other sponsors of this important event and help drive solutions to the challenges presented by heirs property, said Arthur L. Fleming, FHLBank Atlantas Senior Vice President and Director of Community Investment Services. Billions of dollars of unrealized wealth is locked up in heirs properties, keeping so many individuals and families across our district and across the country from enjoying the full benefits of the real estate investments made by their ancestors. Our goal with this event is to connect funders with solutions to help serve as the key to unlocking this wealth and creating more equitable options for minority and low-wealth citizens. The Funders Forum is open to registered funders who can attend virtually or in person. Potential funders wishing to attend are encouraged to reach out to FHLBank Atlantas media contact listed above for more information. About FHLBank Atlanta FHLBank Atlanta offers competitively-priced financing, community development grants, and other banking services to help member financial institutions make affordable home mortgages and provide economic development credit to neighborhoods and communities. The Banks membersits shareholders and customersare commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, community development financial institutions, and insurance companies located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. FHLBank Atlanta is one of 11 district Banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Since 1990, the FHLBanks have awarded approximately $7 billion in Affordable Housing Program funds, assisting more than 990,000 households. For more information, visit our website at www.fhlbatl.com. CONTACT: Peter E. Garuccio Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta pgaruccio@fhlbatl.com 404.888.8143 Malvern, Pennsylvania (USA), Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rajant Corporation, the exclusive provider of Kinetic Mesh wireless networks, and its technology partners will be attending ADIPEC in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates at the National Exhibition Centre. The event runs November 15th to 18th, with Rajant joining with partners in Booth 13564. Present to showcase the resilient and secure collaborative solution for energy market IIoT connectivity will be Easy Aerial, Ghost Robotics, and Kiber. Live smartfield-focused product demonstrations will be featured daily.Rajant understands what those in the energy business need for ATEX1 to IP67. Operating in hazardous environments places greater emphasis on the safety requirements while enabling continuous communications for a digitalized future-proof plant and site, says Al Rivero, Rajant VP of Sales, Global Energy. Rajant Kinetic Mesh maintains a secure, reliable, and resilient industrial wireless connection with uninterrupted low latency and high bandwidth. Comprehensive situational awareness is possible for technologies, such as drones, robots, and wearables, with continuous mobile communication enablement and tracking that is rapidly deployable, easy to maintain, and strengthened as the network expands. Beyond smartfield applications, Rajant has a 20-year successful track record for commercial deployments in such industries as mining, ports, heavy construction, and a non-commercial history for the military and public safety. Rajant pioneered fully mobile V2X/M2M and has a heritage of maintaining interoperability with existing BreadCrumb wireless nodes with new product releases. Notably, in 2021, Rajant introduced its fourth generation BreadCrumbs, known as Peregrine and Hawk, which have had the fastest transition to new sales in the company's history. Highlighted at ADIPEC will be Rajants industry-leading MeshTracer for personnel and asset tracking to advance site security and situational awareness. It can effectively report on Rajant BreadCrumbs, AeroScout tags, and any Wi-Fi device that uses a static MAC address. MeshTracer is the most effective mustering and tracking, incident management, and communications platform on the market today, which uses Real-Time Location System (RTLS) technology to identify people and assets across all zones and areas of an industrial IoT site. The system uses standardized communication protocols, allowing devices to exchange messages, define incidents, and monitor the flow of users throughout a physical environment. Partner demonstrations and meetings at ADIPEC include: Easy Aerial Drones Whether monitoring infrastructure, assets, or events, Easy Aerial has an autonomous drone solution ready to go above and beyond in terms of ease-of-use, durability, and coverage. Its aircraft solution makes autonomous security easy. Deployments occur via a triggered sensor or as a planned mission to provide full HD and thermal views directly from the aircraft, allowing users to make smarter decisions faster. Ghost Robotics - Quadrupeds Perfect for on-ground autonomous site inspections and monitoring, Ghost Robotics all-terrain four-legged robots carry a payload that includes an infrared camera, spectroscopy sensor, and gas sensors. Unstructured terrain is no problem for the easy-to-charge robots to executive vast, dedicated safety and security patrols, taking human guards out of harms way. Kiber Augmented Reality Headset Empowering the workforce through AR technology-based solutions, Kiber is making remote collaboration easy, safe, and efficient. The Kiber3 is a unique hardware and software fully integrated AR remote communication wearable solution allowing users to live-stream field activities to command operations. Situational awareness is dynamic and interactive for on-site workers to receive support while staying focused on their job with an all-in-one hands-free solution. Schedule a time to talk at ADIPEC today by visiting https://rajant.com/adipec-2021/. Or stop by our booth to see the latest BreadCrumbs in action. #### About Rajant Corporation Rajant Corporation is the broadband communications technology company that invented Kinetic Mesh networking, BreadCrumb wireless nodes, and InstaMesh networking software. With Rajant, customers can rapidly deploy a highly adaptable and scalable network that leverages the power of real-time data to deliver on-demand, mission-critical business intelligence. A low-latency, high-throughput, and secure solution for a variety of data, voice, video, and autonomous applications, Rajants Kinetic Mesh networks provide industrial customers with full mobility, allowing them to take their private network applications and data anywhere. With successful deployments in more than 70 countries for customers in military, mining, ports, rail, oil & gas, petrochemical plants, municipalities, and agriculture. Rajant is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with additional facilities and offices in Arizona and Kentucky. For more information, visit Rajant.com or follow Rajant on LinkedIn and Twitter. Attachment Belleville, Illinois, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A recent court decision has opened a path for veterans who were denied disability benefits with the option to file a Supplemental Claim, according to Allsup Veterans Disability Appeal Services. Allsup VA-Accredited Claims Agents provide veterans disability appeals assistance for veterans moving through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs VA Disability Compensation program. This is very good news for veterans who may have given up on continuing with their VA disability appeals because of the complexity of the process, said Brett Buchanan, Allsup VA-Accredited Claims Agent. Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit expanded veterans rights by rendering invalid certain regulations that restricted veterans from hiring representatives to help with the appeal process. Now, under the Veterans Appeal Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 (AMA), veterans may work with representatives to submit a Supplemental Claim regardless of how long ago the original claim was denied, if it is the same disability claim that was previously denied. This is a very important modification to the act, and as VA-accredited claims agents, we are pleased that the Court took a stand to make a difficult and time-consuming process a little less so for veterans seeking disability benefits, Buchanan said. Buchanan explained the change gives veterans access to help. Previously, we were unable to help veterans with Supplemental Claims if too much time had elapsed since the original denial, he said. This is no longer an issue, and we are looking forward to partnering with veterans who have been denied, in filing their Supplemental Claims. In addition, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs announced the addition of three presumptive conditions asthma, rhinitis and sinusitis related to particulate matter exposure for veterans seeking benefits. The Blue Water Navy Act of 2019 also expanded the definition of qualifying service for Agent Orange exposure, enabling more veterans to potentially receive benefits for Agent Orange-related disabilities. Fortunately, with the Courts ruling, we will be able to support veterans even more effectively with their Supplemental Claims, Buchanan said. For more information, visit Veterans.Allsup.com or call (888) 372-1190. Allsup Veterans Disability Appeal Services assists veterans with navigating their way through the VA disability appeals process, which includes Higher-Level Review, Supplemental Claims and appeals directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals. ABOUT ALLSUP Allsup and its subsidiaries provide nationwide Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, return to work, and healthcare benefits services for individuals, their employers and insurance carriers. Allsup professionals deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. Founded in 1984, the company is based in Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis. Learn more at Allsup.com and @Allsup. Visit Veterans.Allsup.com for veterans disability appeals services. Attachment NEW YORK, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Peak Fintech Group Inc. (Peak or the Company) (OTCMKTS: PKKFF). Such investors are advised to contact Robert S. Willoughby at newaction@pomlaw.com or 888-476-6529, ext. 7980. The investigation concerns whether Peak and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices. [Click here for information about joining the class action] On October 4, 2021, market researcher Grizzly Research published a report alleging discrepancies in Peak's business practices. The report alleged, in relevant part, that: (1) Peak's acquisition of Heartbeat, a Chinese insurance product management and brokerage platform, was mired in suspicious dealings, in which Peak paid a company that was not the registered owner of Heartbeat; (2) the actual registered owner of Heartbeat reported zero revenues in 2019 and 2020; (3) Peak's statements regarding Heartbeat's growth since 2020 were not substantiated by basic facts, including the fact that Heartbeat's website did not go live until 5 days after Peak's acquisition; (4) there was evidence that Peak inflated its reported revenue by up to 112% in recent fiscal years; (5) the CEO of Peak Group China was previously associated with several companies listed on government blacklists in China. On this news, Peaks stock price fell $1.31 per share, or 17.4%, to close at $6.19 per share on October 4, 2021. The Pomerantz Firm, with offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Paris is acknowledged as one of the premier firms in the areas of corporate, securities, and antitrust class litigation. Founded by the late Abraham L. Pomerantz, known as the dean of the class action bar, the Pomerantz Firm pioneered the field of securities class actions. Today, more than 80 years later, the Pomerantz Firm continues in the tradition he established, fighting for the rights of the victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty, and corporate misconduct. The Firm has recovered numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomerantzlaw.com . VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CloudMD Software & Services Inc. (TSXV: DOC, OTCQB: DOCRF, Frankfurt: 6PH) (the Company or CloudMD), a healthcare technology company transforming the delivery of care, has announced the results of its annual general and special meeting (AGM) held today, November 9, 2021. The Company further announces that it has appointed Duncan Hannay and Karen Adams to the Board of Directors of CloudMD. Mark Kohler, Chairman of the Board comments, On behalf of the entire Board of Directors, I would like to personally thank all our supportive shareholders for having confidence in us to deliver on our strategy during this time of rapid growth. I would also like to welcome Karen Adams and Duncan Hannay as new directors, as their collective knowledge and experience will add value to our current Board. It is a very exciting time for CloudMD and I am confident in our ability to continue adding long term shareholder value. Results from the AGM CloudMDs shareholders voted in favour of all business items addressed during the AGM, including: Electing Mark Kohler (Chairman), Essam Hamza, Christopher Cherry, Duncan Hannay (new) and Karen Adams (new) as directors of the Company. Appointing KPMG as the Companys auditors for the ensuing year. Approving the Companys Restricted Share Unit Plan and Stock Option Plan. Setting the number of directors to five individuals for the ensuing year. Duncan Hannay (Independent Director) Mr. Hannay is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and brings more than 25 years of experience growing businesses across industries, channels and locations around the world. Before joining OLG, he was President and CEO of Street Capital Group Inc, a Canadian public company offering best-in-class retail banking products through its Schedule I bank platform. He previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Finastra, a global leader in software solutions for retail banking, transaction banking, lending, and treasury and capital markets. He also served as an executive leader at the Canadian-based financial technology provider D+H, as President of Global Lending Solutions and as President of D+H Canada. In addition, Duncan has held senior executive positions with global financial services providers Scotiabank and E*TRADE Financial. Mr. Hannay holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from McMaster University. Karen Adams (President and Director) Ms. Adams is currently President of CloudMD as well as its Global Head, Enterprise Health Solutions. She is a senior executive with more than 20 years of creating growth through innovation, people, process and technology in the employee wellbeing market. Karen has experience in the evolution of healthcare in mental and physical health through innovation and evidence-based outcomes for employers, employees, insurers, advisors and consumers. Karen has worked in senior executive positions at Warren Shepell, Shepell.fgi, Morneau Shepell, SCM Insurance, Snapclarity and is current director, and past Chair, of Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences foundation. About CloudMD Software & Services CloudMD is transforming the delivery of healthcare using technology and by providing a patient-centric approach, with an emphasis on continuity of care. By leveraging healthcare technology, the Company is building one, connected platform that addresses all points of a patients healthcare journey and provides better access to care and improved outcomes. Through CloudMDs proprietary technology, the Company delivers quality healthcare through a holistic offering including hybrid primary care clinics, specialist care, telemedicine, mental health support, healthcare navigation, educational resources and artificial intelligence (AI). CloudMDs Enterprise Health Solutions Division includes one of the top 4 Employee Assistance Programs in Canada and offers one comprehensive, digitally connected platform for corporations, insurers and advisors to better manage the health and wellness of their employees and customers. CloudMD currently services a combined ecosystem of over 7,000 psychiatrists, approximately 4,500 therapists and counsellors, approximately 4,000 psychologists, over 22,000 family physicians, over 34,000 medical specialists, over 1,500 allied health professionals across North America. For more information visit: https://investors.cloudmd.ca. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Essam Hamza, MD" Chief Executive Officer FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT: Julia Becker VP, Investor Relations julia@cloudmd.ca (604) 785-0850 Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on CloudMDs expectations, estimates and projections regarding its business and the economic environment in which it operates, including with respect to its business plans. Although CloudMD believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that are difficult to control or predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and CloudMD undertakes no obligation to update them publicly to reflect new information or the occurrence of future events or circumstances, unless otherwise required to do so by law. The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Gloucester, MA (01930) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 49F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 49F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Goshen, IN (46526) Today Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 28F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 28F. Winds WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. The next race is again a Grand Prix where Max Verstappen is the favourite. In Brazil, Verstappen and Red Bull have to deliver a crucial blow in the title fight with Mercedes. Dutch racing driver Allard Kalff mentions a big variable in this weekend and tips a surprise for the podium. Verstappen unchallenged favorite Verstappen showed during the race in Mexico why he was the favourite. Yet Mercedes caused a stir by qualifying better than both Red Bulls on Saturday. It showed that anything can happen. In the RTL podcast Slipstream Kees van de Grint and Kalff discuss the points where things can go wrong for Verstappen in Brazil. There is only one tricky point according to the F1 experts. Kalff: "The only real variable that prevents us from knowing what it will be is the sprint race. You don't have much time, because you have to drive in the morning and qualify in the afternoon. Then you have to go into the sprint race. On the Saturday you can't change anything to your car." Full Honda podium? "That's a minuscule question mark," thinks Van de Grint. "It doesn't matter very much. It's very clear. Max is going to win there." Meanwhile, Van de Grint and Kalff try to predict the podium, with Van de Grint thinking the podium will look the same as in Mexico, but with Sergio Perez one place higher. Kalff disagrees and bets that Honda will do well in general. Kalff expects a stunt from the other Honda team: "I don't think so", he replies to Van de Grint. "I see an AlphaTauri on the podium there all of a sudden anyway." The Brazilian Grand Prix has produced some beautiful rain races in the past and that could happen again in 2021. For Friday and Saturday, there is a good chance of rain in Sao Paulo. Exciting race in Brazil In 2016 Verstappen shone at the Brazilian Grand Prix in the rain and over the years the Interlagos circuit has provided more great races. Rain generally adds an unpredictable element to a race and that could play an important role this weekend. In Brazil, the sprint qualifying format will also be used this weekend. This means that there will be a qualifying session on Friday and a sprint race on Saturday that will serve as a qualification for the race. Rain on Friday normally hinders two practice sessions, but now it hinders qualification. Rain on Friday and Saturday Weather.com The weather forecast for Sao Paulo indicates that it will rain on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (each day more than thirty percent chance of rain). It won't be warmer than twenty degrees on those days either, so there won't be much grip on the circuit and the rubber that is laid down there might be washed away soon. There is a big chance that the track will be wet during qualifying on Friday and the shortened sprint race on Saturday. This means that the sprint qualifying might bring some big surprises. There are not many points to be gained, but you can lose a lot of places in the race on Sunday. The weather will change completely on Sunday, when 25 degrees and less than ten percent chance of rain are expected. The upcoming race in Brazil has the same atmosphere as the last race in Mexico. Neither circuit was on the calendar in 2020, but for both, Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen are the favorites. We look back at the past race of 2019. Undercut Hamilton with the help of Kubica Verstappen won a magisterial race in 2019 and took his oath against Esteban Ocon, who snatched the win from him a year before. From pole position, Verstappen shot away like an arrow from Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel last race in 2019. At the first pit stop, things got interesting for the Dutchman. Hamilton went for the undercut. The lap after, Verstappen went for new tires. The undercut of Hamilton seemed to fail due to the lightning fast pit stop of 1.9 seconds. It was only Robert Kubica who blocked Verstappen on his way out of the pitlane, so Hamilton's plan succeeded. Fast pitstops Verstappen was lightning fast and was able to overtake Hamilton on the track in the Senna S turns. The race was an exciting two-stopper, with Hamilton again going for the undercut. Again, Red Bull managed a 1.9 stop. The undercut therefore did not work this time. Such an exciting battle between Hamilton and Verstappen as in 2019 would be even more exciting in 2021. At the start of the final stage, Valtteri Bottas crashed out and a safety car followed. Verstappen decided to go in for a third time, while Hamilton remained outside. Hamilton leads after the restart, but Verstappen manages to overtake the champion again in the Senna S, this time going around the outside. More spectacle unfolds in the closing stages of the race when Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel crash and cause a second safety car, in which Hamilton does come in for new tyres. Crazy final sprint Hamilton had to come forward from P4 at the restart, which meant Verstappen was fairly certain of his victory. Behind him, however, was a fierce battle between Alexander Albon, Pierre Gasly and Hamilton. Verstappen remained completely out of the fray and crossed the line first in his Red Bull. Hamilton pushed Albon off the track and could not get past Gasly's Toro Rosso in the final sprint. Hamilton finished outside the podium due to a penalty. Not only drivers change teams sometimes, team owners do as well. If we are to believe the French media, there is even a spicy transfer in the F1 paddock. Transfer to Alpine Ottmar Szafnauer, currently the general manager of Aston Martin, could be put in charge of Alpine, reports the French AutoHebdo. The arrival of the American would be part of the major restructuring plan that Laurent Rossi, general manager of Alpine Cars, is currently working on. Alpine is fed up with the fact that the F1-team has been in the middle of the pack for years. The victory of Esteban Ocon in Hungary does not change that. With Szafnauer, Alpine would be bringing in someone with a lot of experience in Formula 1. At the beginning of this century, the Romanian-American held a senior position at Honda, which at that time was making its comeback as an engine supplier. Later, Szafnauer went to work for what was then Force Idea. Under his leadership the team developed into a serious threat to the middle of the table. After first being renamed Racing Point, the American is now at the helm of its reincarnation, Aston Martin. Inestimable value For Alpine it will certainly be a factor that Szafnauer first looked behind the scenes at Honda, and then went on to lead teams running Mercedes engines. The knowledge the team boss gained from that experience could be invaluable to Alpine. Read more Will Alpine have to say goodbye to important asset after less than a year? Update | Announcement Szafnauer at Alpine seems near Several media outlets are now suggesting that Szafnauer will actually leave Aston Martin for the Alpine team. Motorsport.com reports that the deal is already done, but that there is no formal confirmation yet. This announcement could possibly come as early as this weekend during the Brazilian Grand Prix. Both teams refuse to comment on the rumours. An Aston Martin spokesman says: "It's speculative conjecture. We couldn't comment on it therefore." A spokesman for Alpine adds: "These are rumours that we are not going to comment on." Sebastian Vettel also let it be known at the press conference that he knew nothing about the situation. "I have heard that, but I don't know what is going on", he says. There have been rumours for some time now that Alpine top man Davide Brivio will be leaving the team, so that a place in the team will be free is likely. 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 Finnish Minerals Group and Beijing Easpring Material Technology have been investigating and negotiating the possibility to establish a cathode active materials (CAM) plant in Kotka, Finland with an initial capacity of 50,000 t/a and potential for future expansion for the production of cathode active material for lithium-ion batteries. As part of the work, the companies have carried out the definitive feasibility study (DFS) and agreed to continue the cooperation on the plant project. The mission of Finnish Minerals Group is to responsibly maximize the value of Finnish minerals. The company manages the States mining industry shareholdings and strives to develop the Finnish value chain of lithium-ion batteries. In addition, it is engaged in long-term technology development of the mining and battery industry. Finland is the largest producer of nickel in the EU. It is also the only EU country with its own cobalt production and known resources exceeding 445,000 tonnes. Production of lithium and graphite is also expected to commence in Finland in the 2020s. Founded in 2001, Beijing Easpring is a developer, manufacturer, and supplier of lithium-ion battery cathode materials. The company was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2010. It currently has production facilities in Changzhou Jintan and Haimen in Jiangsu province. In preparation for the plant investment, Finnish Minerals Group and Beijing Easpring are looking to set up a joint venture company for the construction and operation of the plant. Finnish Minerals Group is aiming at becoming a minority owner in the joint venture company. The rapidly growing production of lithium-ion batteries in Europe requires the establishment of a cathode active material industry in Europe. Based on the studies we have carried out together, the production facility planned to be established in Kotka is well set to succeed in the European market both in short and long term. The plant is also an opportunity for Finland to further develop its high technology expertise and create new economic activity in the Kymenlaakso region and beyond. For our company, it is great to partner up with Beijing Easpring, one of the worlds leading producers of cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries. Matti Hietanen, CEO of Finnish Minerals Group Our cathode active material plant in Kotka is a key step for Easpring to carry out global layout. In the future, Easpring will continue to evaluate the feasibility of capacity expansion with the Kotka project, and production establishment possibility in other important regions globally as well. Yunlong Guan, Deputy General Manager in charge of marketing and sales at Beijing Easpring One of the companies next steps is to draw up an environmental permit application for the plant, which they intend to submit in early 2022. In addition, preparatory work in Keltakallio industrial site will soon be started for the establishment of a project office and the earthworks related to the plant. The main products of Beijing Easprings lithium-ion battery materials business include technology research, production and sales of multi-element materials, lithium cobalt oxide and other cathode materials, as well as multi-element precursors and other materials. The companys application markets include automotive power batteries, energy storage batteries, digital consumer electronics and power tools, electric two-wheeled vehicles and other small power lithium batteries. The companys automotive power high-nickel multi-element materials are the first to be mass-produced in China and exported to Japan, South Korea, Europe and the United States in large quantities, and are used in high-end electric vehicles in China and abroad. The first automaker to collaborate with dairy farms on renewable energy projects, BMW of North America and California Bioenergy (CalBio) announced an expanded partnership to include Bar 20 Dairy, a farm based in Kerman, CA. The collaboration aims to power EVs in California with clean energy, and generate cleaner air in the state by leveraging the latest biodigester technology to create renewable energy by capturing methane from manure to feed back into the power grid. The new, next generation climate-smart dairy technology captures methane from manure and turns it into renewable energy without combustion, offsetting 100% of carbon emissions and sending renewable energy back to the electric grid to power EVs in a clean way. It will also result in critical methane reductions to help the state meet its short and long-term climate goals. The methane emission reductions at the farm, when combined with the renewable energy generation, result in carbon emission reductions equivalent to providing clean power to over 17,000 electric vehicles per year. The project will also provide significant local air quality benefits in Northern and Central California, while furthering the states ambitious clean transportation goals. At BMW, we continue to pursue new ways to bring sustainability to all aspects of our vehiclesincluding the electricity powering our EVs. Our partnership with CalBIO represents an innovative way to help drive renewable energy investment, which not only powers our vehicles with clean energy, but also reduces methane emissions at dairy farms and brings a new revenue source to agricultural communities. We hope to expand this forward thinking model in the future, bringing more biodigester investment to farms throughout the US and continuing to provide clean energy to EV drivers. Adam Langton, energy services manager, connected eMobility, BMW of North America What makes the digester at Bar 20 Dairy farm unique is how the fuel cell technology creates ultra-clean renewable electricity on site. The system is efficient, producing twice as much electricity as conventional generators using the same amount of biogas. By capturing methane that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere and efficiently making clean, renewable electricity, the project is one of the cleanest sources of energy in the state. The use of electric fuel reduces carbon emissions, as well as smog producing emissions and other pollutants that impact air quality. In bringing together the best technology from Silicon Valley with the best technology from the Central Valley, were really doing something special for California. This ultra-clean, biogas-fueled, on-dairy, self-generation power system scales from small to large dairies. Were excited to now be able to demonstrate a large-scale system capable of generating one megawatt base load 24 x 7 that provides grid resiliency, and greatly improves local air quality while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. N. Ross Buckenham, CEO of CalBio In addition to the varied environmental benefits, the partnership also brings new revenue to family farms and agricultural communities through this production of clean transportation fuel. Under the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) program, BMW generates environmental credits with dairy farms for these partnerships, both sharing the value of these credits. This type of innovative, cross-sector alignment not only helps farm communities with new revenue, but also serves as a model to accelerate the adoption of biodigesters at more farms in California and beyond. 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. SAN DIEGO (AP) Parents held children born while they were stuck abroad. Long-separated couples kissed, and grandparents embraced grandchildren who had doubled in age. The U.S. fully reopened to many vaccinated international travelers Monday, allowing families and friends to reunite for the first time since the coronavirus emerged and offering a boost to the travel industry decimated by the pandemic. The restrictions closed the U.S. to millions of people for 20 months. Octavio Alvarez and his 14-year-old daughter zipped through a pedestrian crossing in San Diego in less than 15 minutes on their way to visit his mother-in-law in California. Its a big feeling, said Alvarez, 43, who lives in Ensenada, Mexico, a two-hour drive from San Diego. Prior to the pandemic, his family would visit California twice a month. The emotional cost of the border restrictions were very high, he added. American citizens and permanent residents were always allowed to enter the U.S., but the travel bans grounded tourists, thwarted business travelers and often keep families far apart. Travelers must have proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. I think a lot of people have been waiting for this day, said Eileen Bigelow, area port director for Vermont for Customs and Border Protection. They look at it as a light at the end of the tunnel for some return of normalcy. There were lots of prolonged hugs at airports from coast to coast. At Newark International Airport in New Jersey, Nirmit Shelat repeatedly embraced his girlfriend, Jolly Dave, after she arrived from India, ending their nine-month separation. She was on the first flight out of the country to the United States. I cant even explain in my words how happy I am," Dave said. Gaye Camara, who lives in France, last saw her husband in New York in January 2020, not knowing it would be 21 months before they could hold each other again. Im going to jump into his arms, kiss him, touch him, said Camara, 40, as she wheeled her luggage through Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, where the humming crowds resembled those before the pandemic, except for the face masks. On the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada, where traveling back and forth was a way of life before the pandemic, the reopening brought relief. Malls, restaurants and shops in U.S. border towns were devastated by the lack of visitors from Mexico. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, flanked by U.S. and Mexican officials at a celebratory news conference at the San Ysidro crossing, said the economic losses were hefty and the cutting of family ties immeasurable. Retail sales in San Ysidro fell about 75% from pre-COVID levels, forcing nearly 300 businesses to close. Edith Aguirre of Tijuana took off work to go shopping in San Diego. Bubbling with laughter, she accepted a gift bag from a duty-free store at the San Diego border crossing. She was a regular at SeaWorld in San Diego and last came to the U.S. to celebrate her 50th birthday at Disneyland in February 2020. It was very draining, she said of the interruption to her cross-border life. Sales dropped in half at Davids Western Wear shop in Nogales, Arizona, which manufactures boots popular among Mexicans. Owner David Moore hopes his specialty products lure back customers, but he said it won't happen overnight. Many Mexicans are still trying to get expired visas renewed amid a backlog. Those who do come may be disappointed to find shelves empty because of supply chain problems. I really dont think Mexican shoppers are going to come across in hordes because they have now gotten used to buying a lot of products they need in Mexico," he said. David Jerome, president and CEO of the El Paso Chamber of Commerce on Mexico's border in Texas, said: It wont come back as quickly as it was shut off. Still, we feel like were getting our neighbors back and were glad to get people going back to work," Jerome said. Along Canada's boundary, cross-border hockey rivalries were upended by the travel restrictions. Churches that had members on both sides of the border were suddenly cut off from each other. But on Monday, border traffic quickly returned. At Vermonts busiest international crossing with Canada, U.S. border agents said they began to notice the uptick in border crossing shortly after midnight. By mid-morning, traffic appeared steady. Travelers at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, New York, one of the northern border's busiest crossings, found a 2-hour wait at 2 a.m., officials said, though within a few hours traffic was flowing more freely. The bridge typically handles about 2 million passenger vehicles from Fort Erie, Ontario, yearly, many of them bound for the regions shopping malls, ski slopes and sporting events. Volume dropped by more than 90% during the pandemic. River Robinsons American partner wasnt able to be in Canada for the birth of their baby boy 17 months ago. She was thrilled to hear about the U.S. reopening and planned to take the child to the U.S. for Thanksgiving. Its crazy to think he has a whole other side of the family he hasnt even met yet, said Robinson, who lives in St. Thomas, Ontario. Airlines are preparing for a surge in activity especially from Europe after the pandemic and resulting restrictions caused international travel to plunge. The 28 European countries that were barred made up 37% of overseas visitors in 2019, according to the U.S. Travel Association. As the reopening takes effect, carriers are increasing flights between the United Kingdom and the U.S. by 21% this month over last month, according to data from travel and analytics firm Cirium. In a sign of the huge importance of trans-Atlantic travel for airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic celebrated the reopening by synchronizing the departures of their early morning flights to New York on parallel runways at Londons Heathrow Airport. Maria Giribet, 74, who lives on the Mediterranean isle of Majorca was headed to San Francisco where she planned to suffocate" her twin grandchildren with hugs after missing half their lives. Gabriel and David are now 3. The U.S. will accept travelers who have been fully vaccinated with any of the shots approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, not just those in use in the U.S. Thats a relief for many in Canada, where the AstraZeneca vaccine is widely used. But millions of people around the world who were vaccinated with Russias Sputnik V, Chinas CanSino or other shots not approved by the WHO will not be able to travel to the U.S. Testing and quarantine requirements remained obstacles for others. A mobile testing truck was parked near the Peace Bridge in New York, promising results in 30 minutes for $225 and next-day results for $160. Marcela Picone, 39, of the Buffalo suburb of Williamsville, has been waiting for the day her fiance and father of her 2- and 3-year-old children can visit from Stoney Creek, Ontario. But his 15-year-old son would have to miss school to quarantine upon their return if they traveled. Hes a dad to two American kids," she said. "He should have had the right to come into this country the entire 19 months. ___ Thompson reported from Buffalo, New York. Associated Press writers John Leicester in Paris, Travis Loller in Nashville, Tennessee, Wilson Ring in Highgate Springs, Vermont, Anita Snow in Phoenix, Rob Gillies in Toronto and Ted Shaffrey in Newark, New Jersey, contributed to this report. ___ Follow AP's pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. Click here to read the full article. A man allegedly pushed from a third-floor balcony and paralyzed at a Travis Scott concert four years ago was devastated to hear eight people were killed at the rappers Astroworld show in Houston on Friday, his lawyer told Rolling Stone. Kyle Green, 27, was injured at Scotts April 30th, 2017 concert at Terminal 5 in Manhattan, the same show where Scott was caught on video encouraging a different fan to drop down from the second-floor balcony into the crowd below. I see you, but are you gonna do it? the rapper exhorted the fan who already had climbed over the railing. They gonna catch you. Dont be scared. Dont be scared! Unlike that fan, who appeared to dangle and drop willingly, Green says he was forced over the edge of the higher railing at what hes called a severely crowded and out-of-control event. According to a lawsuit filed six months later in October 2017, Green broke several bones including vertebrae in his fall and was subsequently hauled off the floor by show staff without a cervical collar, backboard and other safety precautions. Security picked him up like a sack of potatoes and carried him toward the front. Travis offered him his ring. Then they finally carried him out. Unfortunately, he was paralyzed, Greens lawyer Howard Hershenhorn said in an interview Saturday. The case is currently pending. Green was confined to a wheelchair when he first filed the lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court that names Scott, his manager, the concerts promoter Bowery Presents and a security company as defendants. Hershenhorn said his client can actually walk now, but with significant, significant disability. Hes partially paralyzed still. When Green heard about the tragedy in Houston, he took it hard, the lawyer said. Hes devastated and heartbroken for the families of those who were killed and for those individuals who were severely injured. Hes even more incensed by the fact that it could have been avoided had Travis learned his lesson in the past and changed his attitude about inciting people to behave in such a reckless manner, Hershenhorn said. Scott, 30, is famous for his high-energy shows with raucous, stage-diving crowds. He even raps about his love of aggressive, full-body moshing in the 2018 track Stargazing. And it aint a mosh pit if aint no injuries/ I got em stage divin out the nosebleeds, he sings. For Hershenhorn, those lyrics show a careless disregard for peoples safety. His desire to rile up the crowd beyond hysterics, where people are pushing and shoving, has resulted in a massive catastrophe. Its time for him to do some significant self-reflection, the lawyer said. Scotts camp has a history of rejecting that position. In an August 2018 filing, the rappers lawyers said Greens alleged injuries resulted from risks voluntarily undertaken by concertgoers and anything attributable to possible negligence involved parties Scott was not obligated to supervise or control. In a Saturday statement posted on Twitter, Scott said he supported a police investigation into the deadly tragedy at NRG Park Friday night. Im absolutely devastated by what took place last night. My prayers go out to the families and all those impacted by what happened at Astroworld Festival, he wrote. Houston PD has my total support as they continue to look into the tragic loss of life. I am committed to working together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. Scott also was arrested in 2017 for allegedly inciting a riot at the Walmart Arkansas Music Pavilion. Police said he encouraged people to rush the stage. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct in 2018 and paid $6,825.31 restitution to two people who claimed they were injured at the show, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. He (Scott) felt bad about anyone being injured and was always willing to pay the restitution, one of his lawyers, Jon Nelson, told the outlet. LONDON (AP) A British newspaper publisher on Tuesday began its court appeal against a judge's ruling that it invaded the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, arguing that she knew the letter would potentially be published. Publisher Associated Newspapers is fighting back against Meghan Markle, 40, who sued it for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement over five February 2019 articles in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline website that reproduced large portions of a letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle. The letter was written after the American's 2018 marriage to Prince Harry. A High Court judge sided with the duchess in February, ruling that the paper's publication of the letter was manifestly excessive and hence unlawful. On Tuesday, lawyer Andrew Caldecott sought to overturn that ruling by arguing that the letter was not written as an intimate communication for her father's eyes only. The letter was crafted specifically with the potential of public consumption in mind because the claimant appreciated Mr. Markle might disclose it to the media, the lawyer told the Court of Appeal. He referred to new evidence from Harry and Meghan's former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, suggesting that Meghan suspected her father may disclose the letter to journalists. Caldecott also argued that the publication of the letter was part of Thomas Markle's right to reply following misleading media reports that alleged he was cruelly cold-shouldering his daughter in the run-up to her royal wedding. The publisher was ordered in March to print a front-page statement stating it had infringed the duchess's copyright, but the statement has not been published pending the outcome of the appeal. Three senior judges preside over the appeal, which is expected to last three days. A ruling is due at a later date. Meghan, a former star of the American TV legal drama Suits, married Harry, a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Meghan and Harry announced in early 2020 that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (AP) Authorities in Florida have determined that the fatal shooting of a teenager who pointed what turned out to be an air rifle at passing cars and responding officers was justifiable homicide. An investigation found that all the officers involved in the Oct. 16 shooting of Alexander King acted within their legal duties after the 16-year-old repeatedly refused their orders to put down the weapon, Pinellas-Pasco County State Attorney Bruce Bartlett said in a letter released Monday. Officers were responding to reports that the teen was pointing the rifle at passing cars in Tarpon Springs, near St. Petersburg on Florida's Gulf Coast. King was carrying an airsoft rifle that appeared to be a deadly weapon except for a faded orange tip" that the officers couldn't distinguish from a distance, according to Bartletts letter, which was addressed to Tarpon Springs Police Chief Jeffrey Young. The names of the two officers who shot King, along with five other officers at the scene, won't be released because they invoked their right to remain anonymous under Florida's Marsy's Law. According to the investigation, King pointed the rifle at the first officer who arrived at the scene that night. The officer took cover behind a vehicle and called for backup. The officer said he heard King yelling, Shoot me, shoot me, the letter said. Two of the responding officers said they were afraid King was going to shoot them or someone else, so they shot him, four times, the investigation found. He was pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital. Cellphone video taken by a witness corroborates the officers' account, the letter said: It shows King pulling the slide back and charging the rifle. The letter also details the teen's troubled history, including multiple incidents of battery involving students, employees and school resource officers. In 2019, he was removed from Tarpon Springs High School due to a sheriff's office threat assessment. The report said he was seen drawing pictures of knives, guns, German soldiers and swastikas, and seemed to enjoy the uneasiness his behavior caused some students. King had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, depression and bipolar disorder, and had been hospitalized against his will for mental health reasons seven times. He also previously confronted police while carrying knives and was subdued with non-lethal pepper balls. His sister, Kelly Greenawald, apologized in a Facebook post to anyone King may have scared, but she believes he never intended to hurt anyone. She said he had battled mental illness since he was 3, a year after being adopted, the Tampa Bay Times reported. She told investigators that King was upset on the evening of Oct. 16, and left home after threatening to kill himself, the letter said. MEXICO CITY (AP) The U.S. ambassador to Mexico said Tuesday the two countries are negotiating to get Mexico to approve visas for agents of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to work in Mexico. Local media reported that Mexico basically stopped issuing visas for DEA agents after enacting a law that limited their operations in Mexico and removed their immunity. U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar would not specify whether all DEA visas have been completely frozen, but did say the two countries are talking about the visa issue and are getting closer to a solution. Were making progress on a whole host of fronts, Salazar said. We now are doing it in a shared approach with the Mexican government. The visas are one example, Salazar said. We are making good progress on that issue. Salazar would not say what Mexico was demanding in return for issuing new visas, but some press reports indicate Mexico wants equal access to sensitive intelligence information for its agents in the United States. That would be a troublesome demand, giving the Mexican government's history of leaks of sensitive documents. In January, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador published all of the information the U.S. had shared on former Mexican defense secretary Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos. U.S. prosecutors said he collaborated with a drug gang, but Mexico quickly cleared Cienfuegos of an wrongdoing, and revealed the contents of the entire U.S. investigation against him. That spurred a rare public rebuke from the Justice Department, which said it was "deeply disappointed by Mexicos decision to publicize information shared with Mexico in confidence. Publicizing such information violates the Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance between Mexico and the United States, and calls into question whether the United States can continue to share information to support Mexicos own criminal investigations," the department said at the time. Salazar was also circumspect about another friction point with Lopez Obrador's administration, a controversial energy reform bill that would limit the amount of electricity the state-owned utility buys from foreign-built renewable and natural gas-fired power plants. U.S. congressmen and energy companies have expressed their concern that Mexico is tearing up existing contracts in the sector, changing the rules under which investments were made in those plants and favoring the state-owned utility. Salazar said of the companies, of course they are concerned, noting the U.S. was also discussing the issue with Mexico. Salazar said he was optimistic" that a solution could be found on the issue, but later added I am not sure. In December, Mexicos congress approved a law that requires all foreign agents, from any country, to share all information they gather with Mexican authorities. It also would require any Mexican officials they contact to submit a written report to federal authorities. GREENWICH George Kelakos hopes to be home in Greenwich for Christmas. First, he says, he needs to build up some more strength after a near fatal bout with COVID-19, one that set a record at Greenwich Hospital for length of hospitalization. George 2.0, as he likes to think of himself after his 146 days of hospitalization, has been working hard to regain his stamina and muscle mass. Kelakos was recently released from Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Wallingford where he began intensive rehabilitation services in August, and he plans to spend time with family in Michigan before returning to Greenwich. George 2.0 has a new chance in life, he said. Its been quite a ride. Kelakos was stricken with COVID-19 a year ago this November, and his body was wracked by attacks from the virus. The lengthy time he spent in bed, with limited nutrition, also took its toll. But Kelakos, 64, a martial-arts practitioner, is a very determined man. After an initial rehabilitation period in Stamford where his path to recovery was proceeding at what he called a glacial pace, he transferred to the Wallingford center for people recovering from devastating illnesses and injuries to speed his recovery. He could barely stand when he showed up there in August, he recalled. Now he can walk unassisted. My body atrophied, my muscles atrophied, so Ive been re-building my body, recreating my body. I can walk longer distances with a walker, I can get in and out bed. I can walk without a walker for a little while, he said in a recent phone interview. Im back in the land of the living. Kelakos will stay at the split-level home of his sister that wont require him to climb stairs regularly, and he will continue his recovery before returning to his home in Greenwich. I need to build up a little more strength in my legs to tackle the steps in my townhouse in Greenwich. I want to be at my best when I go home for Christmas, he said. The road to recovery hasnt been an easy one, and Kelakos credited all the healthcare workers and medical personnel who have helped him along the way. Greet healthcare workers and thank them for their service this COVID had been very had on them. Yet they work, tirelessly, he said. Kelakos said it took good equipment, and more importantly good personnel to get results on the way back from COVID. Speaking of the Gaylord facility, he said, They have a cavernous gym, with everything you can possibly think of, with highly skilled and motivating therapists. People come in there, they can barely move. And their message is youre going to be better today, and tomorrow even better. Its a great message. Very motivating. Kelakos, a lawyer and bankruptcy specialist who has been working in his field again via teleconferencing, said he hopes to take up two other passions in his life, alongside martial arts. He plans to pick up a 1968 Flamenco-style acoustic guitar at his sisters house in Michigan and work on his musical skills. Theres also a motorcycle a bad boy bike he jokes, in his garage in Greenwich: Ill be on it in the spring. While coming back from disaster is a journey no one would want to take, Kelakos says he has a new appreciation of life and he is eager to share what hes learned along the way, especially to people who have been laid low by COVID-19 and other major illnesses. Do not despair. You will survive this, no matter how bad you think it is. Remember, life is a gift, he said. Cherish each breath and each moment. And remind yourself that the things that may have been important a new car, upgrading my house theyre not important. Your health, family, friends, helping others, thats whats important. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com GREENWICH As the towns rate of COVID-19 positivity fell below 1 percent for the first time this fall, the Greenwich Public Schools reported just five cases of the coronavirus in its community, according to the Tuesday update on the districts online tracker. That brings the total number of COVID-19 cases to 95 since classes began Sept. 1, according to the tracker. There are currently seven active cases of COVID-19 in the school district, with four cases at North Mianus and one case each at Cos Cob, Eastern Middle and Julian Curtiss, according to the tracker. All seven cases are among students, with five cases attributed to family or outside activity and two due to undetermined origin, according to the district. The town reported a rate of positivity of 0.9 percent from Oct. 17 to Oct. 30, with fewer than five new cases per 100,000 people. That is down from a rate of 3.3 percent, with 17.6 cases per 100,000 people, at the end of August in the days just before school started, according to the tracker. The low rate of positivity comes as a new cohort of the population children ages 5 to 11 became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave final approval last week for young children many of whom are students in elementary or middle school to get size-appropriate doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The school district announced it will hold COVID-19 vaccine clinics at three Greenwich elementary schools for children ages 5 through 11. Each clinic, set up by the state Department of Public Health and Griffin Hospital, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Clinics will be held Saturday at New Lebanon School, Sunday at Hamilton Avenue School and on Nov. 21 at Julian Curtiss School, according to an announcement from Greenwich Public Schools. All children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at the time they receive their vaccination. Masks will be required, said Jonathan Supranowitz, spokesman for the Greenwich Public Schools. Children and parents should be prepared to wait at the site for 15 minutes after the inoculation to check for side effects. Greenwich Hospital began offering the COVID-19 vaccinations to children in clinics Thursday. Appointments are required by calling 833-275-9644 or visiting www.ynhhs.org/covidvaccin e, although hospital officials said the appointments are filled. There is high demand for the childrens vaccination, said Magaly Olivero, coordinator of public and media relations at Greenwich Hospital. We have extended our clinics to be until 8 p.m., and we have added an additional clinical day on Nov. 18 in order to add more appointments, Olivero said Monday. We are at this point fully booked on all dates. The Greenwich Hospital clinics are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in its Noble Conference Room on Thursday and Saturday, as well as Nov. 18, Nov. 19, Nov. 21 and Nov. 28. Clinics for the second dose will be held on Nov. 28, Dec. 2, Dec. 4, Dec. 10, Dec. 11 and Dec. 12, she said. Parents who are seeking vaccinations for their children are also advised to contact their pediatricians, some of whom are administering the vaccine, Olivero said. 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 was reported during the week of Oct. 14 through Oct. 20. The state updates its schools COVID-19 data every Thursday. 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, said Mark DAntonio, YNHHS spokesman. The Greenwich 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. Just two new cases were reported last Friday. For the 2020-21 school year, a total of 697 cases of COVID-19 have been reported districtwide. The states mask mandate remains in place for all people in public and private schools across Connecticut. Samsung has already been churning out multiple beta builds of One UI 4 based on Android 12 for its latest generation flagships, the Galaxy S21, S21+, and S21 Ultra in multiple markets over the past few weeks. In the meantime this has even extended to its latest foldables, the Galaxy Z Fold3 and Z Flip3. And today the company is spreading the Android 12 + One UI 4 love even further, releasing the first ever beta build for the Galaxy S20 series in the US. Those who have an unlocked Galaxy S20, S20+, or S20 Ultra can apply to participate in the beta program inside the Samsung Members app. Hopefully those who bought their S20 model from a carrier will be able to test out the upcoming software too in due course. Normally these betas are first outed in Samsung's home market of Korea, but for the S20 family it decided to start in the US for whatever reason. The final, stable update should hit the S20 family in December, if past info is to be believed, and that could mean that the S21 series and the Fold3 and Flip3 might see it even sooner. Source Currently, WhatsApp supports person-to-person payments in Brazil and India, but this could change according to the latest APK teardown of the messaging app as performed by XDA-Developers. Last month, XDA-Developers found code within a previous version of the WhatsApp beta that suggested it would begin requiring document verification for sending money using the app. In the most recent teardown of a newer version of the app, it appears that the verification is related to a new integration with Metas (formerly Facebook) Novi wallet app The strings of code found are centered around the verification process and they are all labeled with novi. This code aligns with a previous report by WABetaInfo who posted the following screenshot, proving that WhatsApp is in the process of testing Novi integration within the messaging app. Source: WABetaInfo Novi is currently available to download and theres an ongoing pilot program for users in the US and Guatemala. Novi lets users send and receive money with no fees across borders by using the Pax Dollar, a digital coin thats backed by the US dollar. Novi is noted to have shown intention to make its payment system secure and encrypted - likely the reason for requiring its users to verify their identities before being able to use its payment system. This requirement for verification will only be limited to regions where WhatsApp plans to use Novi for payments. Meanwhile, WhatsApp India uses UPI for payments, so Indian users wont need to submit verification documents to continue to send or receive money. Theres no timeline for when youll be able to start sending payments, and its not clear which regions will be up for the Novi integration into WhatsApp. Source Via This year, citizens of Guam have the opportunity to honor our veterans by taking part in the nationwide Wreaths Across America event for the very first time. Given Guams long history of military service, the event is already drawing attention across the island. Retired U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt P. Tim Aguon is the director of the Guam Office of Veterans Affairs, and is leading the event out of a sense that younger generations are forgetting to respect the people who have served. Growing up in Guam, as a little kid, the sentiment or the idea of a veteran was one of honor and respect. And I feel that in todays world, here on Guam and nationwide, the children of today do not hold that same sentiment, Aguon said. This is something that we want to change here on Guam, the image of a veteran, where people respect them and honor them for their service because of the freedoms that we all enjoy today, regardless of the sacrifice. The Wreaths Across America event began as a quiet affair at Arlington National Cemetery, becoming an official event in 2007 and steadily growing to include 2,500 locations across the nation. Every year on a Saturday in December, communities lay ceremonial wreaths upon the graves of veterans and their spouses, paying tribute to their lives. Wreaths Across Americas mission is to remember, honor and teach. Remember the fallen, honor those who have served, and teach our children the value of freedom, said Tanya Eubanks, a location coordinator for Wreaths Across America and a veterans service representative at the Guam Office of Veterans Affairs. Donate The goal is to gather 5,873 wreaths, enough to cover the graves of every veteran and spouse in both the Guam Veterans Cemetery and the Naval Memorial Cemetery. At the time of this writing, only 1,382 wreaths have been sponsored, and there are only a few days left to collect $15 per wreath donations before placing the order stateside. Rosie Fejeran is the president of the Hafa Adai Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary Post 1509, and the lead group sponsor for WAA on Guam. She has a personal investment in the act of honoring veterans, and insight into how rare that practice can be. What really got me into this is that I have seen, I come here practically every week and I visit my husbands grave, and Ive seen graves that have not been visited. So that was my struggle, is to make sure that we can have wreaths to place on that person, that, you know, they dont probably dont have any more family on the island, Fejeran said. The ceremony, to be held on Dec. 18, will go beyond the placing of wreaths. Aguon and his team are also organizing a motorcade that will drive from Yigo to the Guam Veterans Cemetery, and they are encouraging members of the community to step out onto the sidewalks along the route to show their support. Welcoming support Eubanks and Aguon welcome support in many forms, whether that be the individual sponsoring of wreaths or volunteering to lay wreaths on Dec. 18. Nonprofit groups can also participate through the $5 Back Plan, in which every wreath sponsored through a nonprofit will earn them $5. Though this year is the first, they anticipate the event will grow exponentially in years to come and serve as a regular reminder of the sacrifices made by both those living and those who have passed on. Speaking about the purpose of Wreaths Across America, Eubanks shared a refrain from Executive Director Karen Worcester. She says, We are not here to decorate graves. We are here not to remember their deaths, but to remember their lives, Eubanks said. A man on pre-trial release is accused of preventing a woman from calling 911 three times as she tried to report a disturbance at her apartment in Tamuning. As part of his release conditions, he is prohibited from having contact with the woman, court documents state. When officers arrived, the woman said Harrison Iknasio, 36, refused to leave her apartment after she asked him, according to a magistrates complaint filed in the Superior Court of Guam. The woman then tried to call 911 on three different phones but Iknasio took each one away, the complaint stated. Iknasio also allegedly squeezed the womans arms causing her pain and shattered a small table mirror. The woman found a fourth phone, left the apartment and called 911, the complaint stated. She saw her car, apartment keys, iPhone and drivers license were all missing. Iknasio returned to the apartment later that day, but as he was being approached by officers he attempted to leave, the complaint stated. Iknasio failed to comply with instructions at first but was eventually apprehended. The woman said Iknasio had been drinking alcohol at the time of the incident, according to the complaint. Iknasio had previously pleaded guilty to a felony and misdemeanor case in 2010. Iknasio was charged with: Carlos Enrique Salvatierra Morales entered a plea of guilty in connection to using a fake green card before boarding a flight to Hawaii. Morales, 37, appeared at the District Court of Guam to plead guilty to the charge of making a false statement. On August 13, 2020, Morales arrived to the airport to board a flight to Hawaii with his final destination being Las Vegas, court documents state. Before boarding, Morales showed his U.S. Lawful Permanent Resident Card or green card to a customs officer who noticed several errors in the card leading him to believe it was forged. Errors included a different font, background images, holographic features and material from a real card, documents state. Morales, a citizen of Guatemala, admitted the information on the card was real, but the card itself was not, according to the plea agreement. As part of the plea deal, the charges of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and visa fraud were dismissed, documents state. Morales will serve no more than five years of imprisonment for the charge of making a false statement. He is scheduled for sentencing in February 2022. Haiti - FLASH : For lack of fuel, media reduce their diffusion or stop broadcasting (partial report) Jacques Sampeur President of the National Association of Haitian Media (ANMH) is sounding the alarm faced the persistence of the fuel shortage which has prompted several media to reduce their broadcasting time while others have been forced to stop to emit for lack of fuel. He urges the authorities to assum their responsibilities and act without delay in order to restore the situation as quickly as possible. Current situation : (partial report) Radio Television Caraibes : Monday, November 8, Radio Television Caraibes ceased its broadcasts due to lack of fuel, in the midst of a shortage crisis that affects the whole country. Listeners who attempted to tune into the station on Monday saw constant noise, a situation similar to television, which had to shut down its broadcasts. Radio Tele Metropole : Radio Tele Metropole announces a significant reduction in its programming following the persistence of the fuel crisis in the country. The station's transmitter will be on from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and resume from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays and the station will be closed on Sundays. The management of Radio Tele Metropole does not rule out the possibility of reducing its programming much more if the fuel shortage persists. Le Nouvelliste : The management of the daily Le Nouvelliste informs its subscribers and advertisers that to cope with the fuel shortage, from Monday, November 8, 2021, the paper version of the newspaper Le Nouvelliste will only be available three times a week. The administration of the newspaper operates three days a week until further notice : Monday, Wednesday and Friday. RFI : Due to lack of fuel, Radio France International (RFI) is forced until further notice to shut down its transmitter in Port-au-Prince, Boutillier between 11:30 p.m. and 5:15 a.m. local time. Radio Tele Lumiere :/B> Due to the fuel crisis, Radio Tele Lumiere is no longer able to adequately support its listeners and Internet users. Unfortunately, all the steps taken did not allow the logistics and the technical team to operate the generators on the various sites. The management expresses its regrets and apologies to all those affected by this situation not only in Haiti but also abroad. Let us pray that a quick solution can be found for the return to normalcy on the airwaves of Radio Tele Lumiere. May the Lord be gracious to Haiti! Radio Tele Scoop : The General Management of Radio Tele Scoop advises that due to the persistent fuel crisis it is forced to temporarily shut down the television. However, it is deploying gigantic efforts to keep the radio on the air through the program "Haiti-debate" 2:00 - 4:00 am pending the resolution of this crisis. PI/ HaitiLibre Haiti - USA : Donation of 250 medical oxygen cylinders As part of the US Government's efforts to respond to Covid-19 in Haiti, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) donated 250 oxygen cylinders to the Ministry of Public Health. United States Chargee d'Affaires a.i. in Haiti, Kenneth Merten, said "I am proud that we continue to respond to Haitis urgent needs in combating the COVID-19 pandemic with support from U.S. government agencies, including USAID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and U.S. Southern Command." These 250 cylinders will be delivered to seven hospitals. Three of these hospitals have been caring for COVID-19 patients since the initial COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020: Hopital Saint-Luke, Hopital Universitaire de Mirebalais, and Hopital de Bon-Repos (Hopital de La Police). The remaining four sites are in the southern region of Haiti, which was recently affected by the August 14 earthquake: Hopital Saint-Boniface de Fonds des Blancs, Hopital Sainte-Therese de Miragoane, Hopital Saint-Antoine de Jeremie, and Hopital Saint-Michel de Jacmel. A hospitalized COVID-19 patient experiencing severe symptoms will, on average, need two full oxygen cylinders each day, and many will need up to four cylinders per day. Oxygen production at most COVID-19 treatment centers in Haiti is insufficient to meet patients needs. While the full cylinders are in use, additional empty cylinders must be transported off-site to be refilled. USAIDs donation increases the number of cylinders readily available to replace the cylinders in use. USAIDs donation of 250 oxygen cylinders will help ensure the uninterrupted availability of oxygen for COVID-19 patients receiving treatment. This supply will supplement the 50 oxygen concentrators that USAID previously donated. HL/ HaitiLibre Login or sign up to follow actresses, movies & dramas and get specific updates and news Login Sign Up Email Password Password Username Your E-mail will only be used to retrieve a lost password. Stay logged in Help Published on 2021/11/09 | Source New stills added for the upcoming Korean documentary "I Am Chosun People" (2020) Advertisement Directed by Kim Cheol-min Synopsis In October 2002, a South Korean documentary film director Kim Cheol-min attends an event hosted at Mt. Geumgang: National Rally for Reunification by Students and Youths from South and North Korea and Abroad. It was influenced by the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration. In the hope of contributing to the nation's reconciliation, unity, and reunification, around 500 students and youths from South and North Korea and abroad attended the event. Here, Kim encounters the Korean Japanese (Zainichi) for the first time. To get to know them better and deeper, he grabs his camera and heads to Japan. The Korean Japanese are neither 'South Korean' nor 'North Korean'. They refer to themselves as 'Chosun people'. Many people find the term difficult and awkward because the word 'Chosun' cannot be defined simply. Multiple discussions intertwine the word. In Japan, 'Chosun' is consciously and unconsciously connected with North Korea, making the word a form of hate speech. When the Korean Japanese say "I am from Chosun", they are making a declaration or pledge to proactively rescue the word that is engraved with a history of oppression and ordeal. LEE Jong-chan Diaspora Film Festival 9 Release date in Korea : 2021/12/09 Published on 2021/11/08 | Source New stills and behind the scenes images added for the Korean drama "One the Woman" (2021). Advertisement Directed by Choi Yeong-hoon Written by Kim Yoon Network: SBS With Lee Sang-yoon, Lee Hanee, Lee Won-geun, Jin Seo-yeon, Song Won-seok, Jeon Gook-hwan,... 16 episodes - Fri, Sat 22:00 Synopsis The drama depicts the story a chaebol daughter-in-law who and a corrupt female prosecutor who look the same, switching lives due to memory loss. Broadcast starting date in Korea : 2021/09/17 Thank you for reading! 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. HAMMOND Lake County will be home to one of Indiana's 10 new High Tech Crime Units focused on analyzing and processing digital evidence gathered by law enforcement. The Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council announced Monday it selected Lake County to host a High Tech Crime Unit, in conjunction with Purdue University Northwest (PNW) in Hammond, that also will serve investigators working in Porter County. The plan calls for the prosecutors in each county to work directly with law enforcement and PNW students using the latest, state-of-the-art technology to evaluate digital evidence of criminal activities more quickly and thoroughly than currently possible. It's based on similar, successful forensic technology units already operational in Tippecanoe County, in partnership with Purdue University, and in St. Joseph County, with assistance from the University of Notre Dame. Going forward, the Tippecanoe County high tech hub will serve Newton and Jasper counties, among others, while LaPorte County will rely on the St. Joseph County hub for high tech assistance. "With these regional hubs, prosecutors will be able to collect more digital forensic evidence in order to serve justice," said state Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, sponsor of the new law authorizing the units, House Enrolled Act 1082. "This is an innovative solution for investigating crimes throughout the state, especially as technology continues to advance and can hold the key to putting dangerous criminals behind bars." Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the county's selection as host for a High Tech Crime Unit. But Bob Neumaier and Barbara McConnell of the Lake County prosecutor's office previously told county officials they hoped to receive a $600,000, two-year grant from the $6 million biennial fund appropriated for the program by the General Assembly, and to use the money to hire at least two full-time employees and purchase the specialized equipment needed for investigations. McConnell also said partnering with PNW will give criminal justice and forensics students on-the-job experience in digital evidence processing for investigations into homicides, sexual assaults, burglaries and other types of cases, along with analyzing cellphone data, cameras, and computers to either connect evidence to the target of an investigation or to exonerate persons of interest. "Public safety is a priority, and Hoosier prosecutors and law enforcement officers are ready to team up with the state's colleges and universities in our fight against crime," Steuerwald said. Chris Nayor, executive director of the state prosecutors council, said he's "extremely excited" about the impact the new programs will have on Indiana's criminal justice system. "Were incredibly thankful for the work of Rep. Greg Steuerwald for championing this bill, all the lawmakers who helped on the legislation and to our university partners who are working alongside prosecutors to make these units possible," Naylor said. The hubs selected for the program are expected to soon begin acquiring the necessary software, hardware and staff for the High Tech Crime Units, which should then be operational by early 2022. While Republicans are positively giddy over the partys sweep of Virginia and the This came through a statement issued by the councils of the eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside to the public opinion, in which they condemned the attacks and threats of the Turkish occupation of northeastern Syria, and the rumors issued by the parties affiliated with the Syrian government aimed at creating strife and confusion in the region, coinciding with the Turkish threats. In the same context, a meeting was held in the Euphrates Council with the participation of the Eastern Region Council, the Military Council, the Future Syria Party, the Internal Security Command, and representatives of all local councils in the Euphrates region. The meeting began in the Euphrates Council with a minute of silence in honor of the souls of the martyrs, followed by several speeches, which were initiated by the head of the Future Syria Party for the Deir ez-Zor region, Muhammad al-Shaaban, by talking about the political situation in general and the conspiracies hatched against the Autonomous Administration, especially the private war represented by false and malicious allegations about the entry of Damascus government to the areas of the Autonomous Administration, and stressed the need for cooperation and cohesion with the Syrian Democratic Forces. For his part, Ibrahim Al-Assi, in a speech on behalf of the Hajin Military Council, stressed the full readiness to confront any possible aggression on the borders of the Autonomous Administration, and that the liberation of the region was thanks to the martyrs who sacrificed to eliminate ISIS mercenaries, and said: "That pure blood will not go in vain. We will not tolerate anyone trying to destabilize our security and stability." Meanwhile, the co-chair of the Civil Council in the eastern countryside, Muhammad al-Amiri, referred to the organizational and institutional situation in the region and indicated that they continue to provide service projects, as the region witnessed a development in the service level more than the past two years, stressing that they continue to support the forces of Democratic Syria in the face of any aggression or rumors that affect the freedom of the peoples of the region to determine their own destiny or that try to change their political orientation from any side. The door was then opened to the attendees to discuss some difficult issues that need clarification, and the attendees exchanged questions, debates and answered them with the meetings organizing body. The meeting concluded with a set of recommendations that would raise the morale of the people and confirm the readiness of the Syrian Democratic Forces to address any aggression that affects the borders of the Autonomous Administration. It is worth mentioning that this meeting is a step a series of meetings that will be held in several local councils in all regions of Deir ez-Zor, and tomorrow a dialogue seminar will be held in the Agriculture Council in the city of Hajin in the same context. In the same context, the civil and local councils in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor issued a statement, read by the co-chair of the Euphrates Council, Abdul Rahman Al-Daghifj", in the presence of dignitaries and tribal sheikhs in the Euphrates region, military leaders and representatives of the Civil Council in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, in addition to representatives and representatives of the councils Civil and local in the Euphrates region. "We condemn and denounce the hostile actions of the Turkish government and the criminal and its president Erdogan, who seeks to build a new Ottoman Empire in the region," the statement read. He added: "We are against any Turkish interference in the region and any external interference from any side. We absolutely reject any aggression and attacks on north and east Syria. We support the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces with one heart and one opinion. We always and forever stand with each other to repel any attack by any party and any interference. The statement singled out the promoters of propaganda and rumors aimed at destabilizing the security and stability of the regions of north and east Syria, and said: "We will remain and rally around the Syrian Democratic Forces and with our Autonomous Administration, and that our areas are safe and we are advocates of peace, not advocates of war, and we want peace and a secure life in our regions." A ANHA Thousands of migrants have set up makeshift camps in freezing conditions near the border between Poland and Belarus, as concerns over the potential for violence intensified on Tuesday. Poland has accused Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of attempting to orchestrate a crisis on the European Union's eastern frontier by funneling migrants to the border in retaliation for sweeping sanctions imposed on Minsk by the bloc and other Western powers in June. Lukashenko's government has repeatedly denied the claims, blaming the West for dangerous, sometimes fatal, border crossings and poor treatment of migrants. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki warned Tuesday that the situation was putting the security of the entire European Union at risk and again blamed Belarus for manufacturing a "hybrid attack." "Sealing the Polish border is our national interest. But today the stability and security of the entire EU is at stake," said Morawiecki, who visited soldiers at the border on Tuesday. "This hybrid attack of Lukashenko's regime is aimed at all of us. We will not be intimidated and will defend peace in Europe with our partners from NATO and EU," he added. Polish authorities on Tuesday morning closed the Kuznica border crossing -- where huge numbers of migrants were seen congregating the day before. Some 4,500 migrants are currently at the border near Kuznica trying to cross into Poland from Belarus, Polish border guard press officer Ewelina Szczepanska told CNN. The Belarusian State Border Committee -- which is responsible for the country's external borders -- said in a statement that there are around 2,000 migrants at the scene. Around 14,000 Polish soldiers, police and border guards are now stationed in the area, sparking fears of a major confrontation as migrants attempt to cross into Poland. "The situation at the border is tough now, but we are prepared for it," Szczepanska said. On Monday, Szczepanska said groups of migrants had been attempting to force their way across the border. The Polish defense ministry also tweeted Monday that there had been a mass attempt to cross and that migrants had set up a camp that was "constantly guarded by the Belarusian services." Poland, Lithuania and Latvia have seen a surge of people attempting to cross into their countries from Belarus in recent months. The Polish border guard recorded 309 attempts to make illegal crossings Monday and 17 people were detained, Szczepanska added. Poland has stopped over 32,000 attempts to cross the border since September, from migrants mainly from Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, she said. On Monday, Polish officials said it had mobilized thousands of additional military personnel as groups of migrants attempted to force their way across the border. Lithuania -- which neighbors both Poland and Belarus -- also announced it was redeploying troops. Dispute at the border escalates European and NATO officials have also condemned Belarus' actions of encouraging people to cross illegally into Poland, and the wider scenes along the border. On Tuesday, a NATO alliance official warned it "stands ready" to come to the aid of its allies and called on Belarus to "abide by international law." The official added: "The Lukashenko regime's use of migrants as a hybrid tactic is unacceptable. The Secretary General remains in close touch with Allied governments on the issue." NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also described Minsk's actions as "unacceptable," and said he has spoken with Polish President Andrzej Duda about the situation. Meanwhile, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Monday pleaded with Belarus to "stop putting people's lives at risk." In a statement, von der Leyen warned Belarusian authorities they would not succeed in their purposes by putting pressure on the EU "through a cynical instrumentalization of migrants." She also called on member states to "approve the extended sanctions regime on the Belarusian authorities responsible for this hybrid attack." The EU Commission President added that the bloc has already reached out to Poland, Lithuania and Latvia to discuss the best approach to the crisis. "Vice-President Schinas, in coordination with High Representative/Vice-President Borrell, will travel in the coming days to the main countries of origin and of transit to ensure that they act to prevent their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities," she added. "The EU will in particular explore how to sanction, including through blacklisting, third country airlines that are active in human trafficking." Von der Leyen also said the EU commission would engage with the "UN and its specialized agencies" in order to "prevent a humanitarian crisis from unfolding." Concern grows for migrants Amid the international criticism, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday warned Poland against provocations "directed against the Republic of Belarus to justify possible illegal forceful actions against disadvantaged unarmed people, among whom there are many underage children and women." The Belarusian State Border Committee said in a statement Tuesday that Poland had lined up military equipment on the border. "At the moment, a chain of Polish security forces has lined up in front of the refugee camp, equipment has been pulled together, including combat vehicles. Representatives of the media, international human rights and humanitarian organizations are not allowed to the border line from Poland to provide assistance to people seeking to apply for refugee status in the EU," the statement said. The committee claimed some of the refugees felt unwell after the Polish side deployed tear gas followed by loudspeakers and strobe lights against them overnight. It also said there were a 'significant number' of pregnant women and babies among the migrants at the border UNHCR spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said in a Tuesday briefing in Geneva that it was "very alarmed by the scenes that we are seeing from the Belarus-Poland border." "We have repeatedly said that using refugees, asylum seekers and migrants to achieve political ends is unacceptable and must stop," Mantoo added. Humanitarian groups have previously criticized Poland's nationalist government over its treatment of migrants at the border, where they face grueling conditions as temperatures plummet overnight and a lack of food and medical attention is available. Rights groups have also accused Polish authorities of multiple illegal pushbacks -- a claim border officials have rejected, arguing instead that they are acting in accordance with government regulations. At least seven migrants have been found dead on Poland's side of the border, with reports of more deaths in Belarus, according to Reuters. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added two northwestern European countries to its list of very high risk travel destinations this week amid a surge in cases in Europe that a WHO official has said is of grave concern. The Netherlands and Luxembourg were added to the CDCs highest risk category Monday afternoon. There were both previously listed as Level 3, or high risk for Covid-19. Hans Kluge, a World Health Organization regional director, said Thursday that every country in Europe and Central Asia is facing a real threat of Covid-19 resurgence or already fighting it. The current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern, Kluge said. The Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, a self-governing archipelago that is part of the kingdom of Denmark, were also added to the Level 4 category. In the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands received a Level 4 designation. Destinations that fall into the CDCs Covid-19 Very High Level 4 category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. People should avoid traveling to locations designated with a Level 4 notice, the CDC recommends. Anyone who must travel should be fully vaccinated first, the agency advises. These four destinations moved to Level 4 on November 8: Luxembourg Cayman Islands Faroe Islands Netherlands All four locations were previously listed as Level 3 or high risk. Many popular international vacation spots remained lodged at the highest level of alert, evidence of Covid-19s continuing grip. There were 80 countries at Level 4 as of November 8. The current list of Level 4 destinations includes: Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Botswana, Greece, Maldives, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom. New entries on Level 3 The Level 3 category which applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days had four updates this week: Iran Sint Maarten Thailand Republic of Congo Being placed in Level 3 was a sign of progress in all four locations, which were previously listed in the Level 4 category. You can view the CDCs risk levels for global destinations on its travel recommendations page. There are other factors for travelers to consider beyond the Covid-19 incidence rates that figure prominently in the CDCs travel notices, according to CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen. The transmission rates are one guidepost. Another is what precautions are required and followed in the place that youre going and then the third is what are you planning to do once youre there, said Wen, an emergency physician and professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health. Are you planning to visit a lot of attractions and go to indoor bars? Thats very different from youre going somewhere where youre planning to lie on the beach all day and not interact with anyone else, said Wen, who is also author of a new book, Lifelines: A Doctors Journey in the Fight for Public Health. Most importantly, travelers should be vaccinated, she said. Updates in Level 2 There were two updates to the Level 2 category this week. Nepal and United Arab Emirates both moved down from Level 3. Destinations carrying the Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate designation have seen 50 to 99 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days. Keep in mind the CDC list updates weekly, and the situation in any country can change for better or worse from week to week. Level 1 and no ratings In the category of Level 1: Covid-19 Low destinations, fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents have been logged over the past 28 days. Five destinations moved into Level 1 on November 8: Cote dIvoire (Ivory Coast) Guinea-Bissau Malawi Rwanda Sudan Finally, there are destinations for which the CDC has an unknown risk because of a lack of information. As of November 8, that list included Madagascar, Cambodia, Nicaragua and Syria. In its broader travel guidance, the CDC has recommended avoiding all international travel until you are fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to get and spread Covid-19. However, international travel poses additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers might be at increased risk for getting and possibly spreading some Covid-19 variants, the agency said. The-CNN-Wire 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. St. Joseph, MI (49085) Today 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.. 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. Uniontown, PA (15401) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 36F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 36F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. 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. Now Open 9 November 2021 IHG Hotels & Resorts, one of the world's leading hotel companies, is proud to announce the continued growth of one of its much-loved global brands -Holiday Inn Express - with the opening of a brand-new hotel, Holiday Inn Express Dusseldorf - Hauptbahnhof, the largest Holiday Inn Express in Europe. This latest opening marks a further expansion of the Holiday Inn Express brand across Europe, where it is becoming synonymous with providing consistent, reliable, and welcoming stays for business and leisure travellers across the continent. Opened in partnership with PRIMESTAR, Holiday Inn Express Dusseldorf - Hauptbahnhof offers 455 guestrooms, making it the largest Holiday Inn Express hotel in Europe to date. The hotel is designed with modern city-seeking travellers in mind, in a great location just 1km from the city's central railway and near to the charming Old Town, Konigsallee shopping area, Rhine Promenade, Messe Fairgrounds and Museum Kunstpalast. The Little Tokyo Neighbourhood and famous Medienhafen are also located a short distance from the hotel. Easily accessible, the hotel is a short distance from Germany's third largest airport, Dusseldorf International. Showcasing Holiday Inn Express' contemporary Next Generation design, the new opening offers guests well-equipped guest rooms with black-out shades and a Pillow Menu, plus free wi-fi and complimentary 'Express Start' breakfast as standard. The hotel offers a wealth of flexible working spaces, with modern technology in place to assist business travellers and guests working remotely. The hotel also offers two fully-equipped meeting rooms for up to 18 people and a self-service business centre. Pipeline 9 November 2021 Marriott will expand The Luxury Collection to Australia next month, when The Tasman, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Hobart opens. Originating in 1906 as an assortment of Europe's most celebrated and iconic properties, including historical treasures such as the 15th century Gritti Palace in Venice, The Luxury Collection is today a portfolio of 110 properties in more than 30 countries and territories. Connecting Salamanca Place with an elegant fronting on Murray Street, The Tasman forms part of Parliament Square, a new centre for Hobart in the most enthralling part of the city, just steps from the famous Salamanca Markets, St David's Park and the vibrant waterfront of Sullivan's Cove. The Tasman offers a distinct architectural experience that blends the site's historical legacy with a striking modern vision. Guests will have the opportunity to experience three eras of design within the 152-room hotel: from walking the history filled hallways of the original 1840s heritage building; admiring the understated luxury of the Art Deco building; or taking in the spectacular views of the Hobart waterfront from the new glass ensconced Pavilion building. Renowned Tasmanian chef, Massimo Mele will act as Culinary Director at the hotel's signature restaurant, while an intimate cocktail bar hidden within the original sandstone building will offer an old-world bar experience. Appointment 9 November 2021 The five-star Conrad Dubai has a new executive chef. Ilias Doulamis steps in to replace Caterer Awards-winner Yannis Manikis. While they are big shoes to fill, Doulamis is certainly up to the task. The Greece-born chef is described by Conrad Dubai as a master of 'contemporary European with a Mediterranean twist.' He will head up outlets including Kimpo, Cave, Ballaro, Bliss 6, Isla, banqueting operations and the executive lounge. Harking back to his roots, he has played an integral role in the hotel's launch of its Greek dining outlet Anasa. Doulamis has been in kitchens for over a decade, with one of his earliest positions at none other than Restaurant le Meurice Alain Ducasse, a multi-Michelin-starred restaurant in Paris. Working there as a commis chef, he went on to work at L'Astrance Restaurant, also Michelin-starred, as a chef de partie. Moving to London, he would work at Texture restaurant as sous chef before working with ultra-luxury hospitality group Aman as a head chef. Next was a role with Rosewood Al Faisaliah and Al Khozama Hotel Riyadh. Before flying into Dubai, he worked with Hyatt Hotels for almost five years, joining as an executive sous chef for Grand Hyatt Doha, later moving to Grand Hyatt Muscat as executive chef. Doulamis is taking over from Manikis, this year's Head Chef of the Year - Hotel Managed Outlet. Trained up through some of the finest kitchens in the world, Manikis proudly describes himself as a 'non-corporate chef in a corporate world.' This characteristic shone in his nomination, with the Caterer judging panel impressed by his combination of revenue generation and charitable efforts. Since joining the hotel in 2019, he improved guest satisfaction rates by seven percent. He also launched Kimpo, the hotel's best-performing outlet. Appointment 9 November 2021 An established commercial leader with 12 years of experience, Sahil leads the charge of developing and executing the overall commercial strategies of the hotel, leveraging on his deep understanding of the local market. Prior to joining voco Orchard Singapore, Sahil was holding dual responsibilities as Director of Sales, Marketing and Revenue, and acting Director of Operation at Holiday Inn Singapore Orchard City Centre. Having been with IHG for more than 10 years, Sahil brings a wealth of experience across the different markets and all aspects of commercial deliverables. J. Prince and Larry Hoover are pushing together to help Kanye West and Drake mend their relationship, according to a new video posted to the Rap-A-Lot CEO's Instagram page. In the post, Ye stands next to J. Prince as he reads a message to Drake off of his phone, asking the CLB rapper to join him on stage in Los Angeles in December to publicly squash their beef. Mikey Williams/Top Rank Inc via Getty Images "I'm making this video to address the ongoing back-and-forth with myself and Drake. Both me and Drake have taken shots at each other and it's time to put it to rest," Kanye says. "I'm asking Drake on December 7th to join me on stage as a special guest to share the two biggest albums of the year. Live in Los Angeles with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover." Kanye West then explains that the two of them coming together can truly make a difference in the fight for Hoover's freedom. "I believe that this event won't only being awareness to our cause but prove to people everywhere how much more we could accomplish when lay our pride to the side and come together," Ye concluded. J. Prince detailed the backstory of his meeting with Kanye. Prince wrote that he met with Kanye West at Rothko Chapel in Houston this weekend. Prince relayed a message from Larry Hoover who asked for Kanye West and Drake to make peace. "I met with Ye to pass on the message from my brother Larry Hoover who said he would like to see peace between the two of them," he wrote. "Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did. Im looking forward to all of us working together in unison to elevate our communities around the world." This comes on the heels of Kanye West's interview on Drink Champs where he addressed his feud with Drake including the apparent passive-aggressive jabs the Canadian rapper makes. Part two of the interview is supposedly coming on Friday which could very well exasperate their issues further but maybe Drake ends up agreeing to pop up at the December 7th show with Chubbs by his side. Check out the video below. Do you think Drake will accept the olive branch? The two largest community banks in Houston are merging. Allegiance Bank and CommunityBank of Texas said Monday that they will combine in merger of equals that will create a financial institution with more than $11 billion in assets. The name of the combined company has yet to be determined. The merger move comes amid increased competition in the region from large national banks that dominate the market in Houston. PNC Financial Services Group of Pittsburgh, for example, recently entered the Houston market following its $11.6 billion acquisition of the U.S. operations of the Spanish bank BBVA. Allegiance has about $6.8 billion in assets and 27 banking locations in the region, according to the announcement; CommunityBank has about $4.07 billion and 35 locations across the state. RELATED: PNC's Julie Sudduth on leading the bank's integration of BBVA assets and customer base The move follows a massive influx of business for Allegiance last year, as thousands of small businesses turned to the bank for help processing loans under the Payroll Protection Program. In a statement, the banks said the merger will better position them to assist underserved local communities by combining their shared culture, strategic vision and commitment to our stakeholders. This transaction is a true merger of equals, combining the best of our highly-respected community banks which better positions us to serve our customers and drive enhanced financial performance," said Allegiance CEO Steve Retzloff. "Our companies complement each other beautifully and the combined company will be a formidable competitor across our markets. Retzloff will become the executive chairman of the combined company, while CommunityBank CEO Bob Franklin will serve as CEO of the combined company. "Bringing two of the Houston region's best community banks together is a great thing for our communities, CommunityBank CEO Bob Franklin said in a statement. Allegiance is a trusted, local bank, and there is no better team with which to unite to work together to preserve the tradition of community banking, while meeting the diverse needs of the customers that we serve." The merger is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022. robert.downen@chron.com FRANCES THIEL, STAFF / HOUSTON CHRONICLE Q. My wife and I were working toward an amicable divorce. When it came time to divide our one investment account, her attorney told her that I was trying to cheat her. After that comment, communications between the two of us broke down. The divorce stalled, and after almost a year her attorney finally determined she should get the exact amount I had offered. I feel certain his comment was unethical and intentionally caused conflict between us. Once the divorce is final, can I file a complaint against her attorney for unethical or disruptive behavior? I do not expect anything from it, but if this is on his record, maybe he will think twice about making unwarranted comments of this type. A. Most likely, you can. But to find out for sure whether you have sufficient grounds to file a grievance, you should call the State Bar of Texas Grievance Information Helpline at 800-932-1900. You don't have to wait until the divorce is final to inquire into whether you can file a grievance. The increase in oil and gasoline prices threatens the U.S. economic rebound and poses a political risk for President Joe Biden. But his options for taming the surge are limited, and many of them would be either short-lived or conflict with his agenda of fighting climate change. Political leaders have to respond to an energy crisis. History shows that voters rebel against leaders when energy prices are high, said Kevin Book, managing director of research firm ClearView Energy Partners, but still he added: There arent really any easy fixes here. Heres a look at some of the tools Biden has at his disposal: Tapping the emergency stockpile Biden could tap into the countrys emergency stashes of crude -- possibly in coordination with similar releases from other nations. Its not an uncommon tactic: President Barack Obama withdrew some 30 million barrels of crude amid supply disruptions in Libya a decade ago, and President Bill Clinton used the same strategy to tamp prices months before the 2000 presidential election. The Energy Department is already obligated by law to sell 260 million barrels of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve by fiscal year 2027. Additional releases now could slightly lower prices, analysts say, though the effects would be temporary. A release could even be structured so it complies with a congressional mandate to sell 18 million barrels between fiscal 2022 and fiscal 2025. Backing NOPEC legislation Another option Biden has is calling for passage of existing legislation that proposes making OPEC a cartel subject to the Sherman antitrust law. The legislation, the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act, could be tacked onto the $1.75 trillion spending bill Congress is considering. Threatening to pass the bill, which would allow the U.S. government to sue OPEC for manipulating the energy market, potentially seeking billions of dollars in reparations, could be more viable than actually passing it because it would alienate nations such as Saudi Arabia, ClearView Energy Partners said in a research note. Banning crude exports Although Congress in 2015 lifted a ban on most U.S. crude oil exports, Biden could invoke emergency powers to reinstate restrictions. Oil industry allies and analysts warn the move could backfire by inviting retaliation by other countries and harm oil-producing states represented by Democrats in Congress. If Biden were to ban crude oil exports, he may opt to pair that move with invoking the Defense Production Act to require oil drillers and refiners, who would be operating at a disincentive, to keep producing, though analysts say that move would be considered heavy-handed. He could also restrict the amount of gasoline that is exported. Shifting energy flows The president could limit the movement of oil, gas and petroleum products by pipeline, rail, barge or ship. He could do this by drawing on emergency authority to coordinate domestic transportation that was created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The power, which would be wielded by the head of the Transportation Security Administration, could be used to block fuels from leaving U.S. ports or shift energy to regions with high prices. Waiving shipping rules Biden could waive the Jones Act, which requires the use of American ships to move goods among U.S. ports, which would let companies move their oil around the country more easily, without being forced to rely on more expensive, U.S.-flagged, -crewed and -built tankers. But waivers would be vehemently opposed by U.S. shipbuilding interests and their allies on Capitol Hill, who had successfully persuaded the Trump administration to back off creating new exemptions to the law. Waiving fuel rules When storms pinch gasoline supplies, the U.S. government sometimes has allowed fuel refiners and distributors to sell less-expensive blends. Now, the administration is facing pressure to ease requirements for biofuel to be blended into diesel and gasoline. Experts disagree about the extent to which those Renewable Fuel Standard requirements affect gasoline prices, but refiners argue reductions would provide immediate help. Expanding drilling The administration could speed up the permitting of drilling projects and the sale of leases in Western states, where Biden paused auctions in January. The Interior Department is already set to sell drilling rights in the Gulf of Mexico later this month. While leases sold today would takes years to produce oil, a rush of new auctions would have immediate signaling value to a market that has grown to expect the Biden administration will curtail oil and gas development as part of the presidents push to green the U.S. energy system. However, more leases dont necessarily lead to more drilling. The pandemic and its aftershocks have done what countless retail marketing dollars tried to do for years: Get the masses shopping before Thanksgiving. Parking lots are packed. Shopping bags are full. The signs of a shopping season in full swing started showing up in October, with Houstonians saying theyre getting an early start to avoid shipping delays and empty shelves. Lynette Knippa, who shopped at the Montrose retailer Kuhl-Linscomb last month while visiting from Yoakum, said her family usually shops throughout November and saves stocking-stuffers for last. We normally do them in December, she said. But this year, were doing them now. Like many shoppers, Knippa would rather shop a month early than face a hectic December of scouring empty shelves and prodding shipping companies for updates on delayed packages. But that might not even be enough. Already, Knippa said, shes finding shelves emptied of holiday decorations. More than 75 percent of Houstonians surveyed by the consulting firm Deloitte are worried they wont be able to find holiday items they need, and around 65 percent of them plan to shop before Thanksgiving to help make sure that doesnt happen, up from 59 percent in 2019. Over the last three weeks Ive seen (shopping activity) continuously increase, said Jeff Johnson, general manager at Memorial City Mall. I would say about 50 percent of it is people trying to get ahead of the holiday rush, especially from what theyre hearing in the news. Ships bearing holiday merchandise are sometimes waiting for weeks to get into port, blocked by a backlog of ships ahead of them. And once the ships finally get unloaded, their cargos are sitting on docks for days or weeks longer because of shortages of truckers and other workers. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston retailers, facing labor shortage, pull out all the stops to entice workers for holiday rush As a result, Christmas is coming early for millions of worried consumers. Amazon said it had already sold 1 million toys off its holiday list as of Oct. 13. At Kuhl-Linscomb, owner Dan Linscomb gestured toward a brimming wall of hundreds of gifts, wrapped decoratively by his employees upon request even though it was only October. The rush is on at the Galleria shopping mall, too. Its marketing director, Christopher Lane, said people are heading to the Galleria earlier than ever this year in search of instant gratification they may no longer get online with shipping bogged down. We are already seeing a lot of shopping bags, he said, and full parking lots. Like sludge People started pouring into Zadok Jewelers on Post Oak in October asking for luxury watches one of the popular items on his customers lists this year, said Jonathan Zadok, an owner of the family jewelry business. I think everyone is trying to get ahead of the curve this year, he said. He said he and his brothers ordered months earlier this year to get supplies in stock, but the flow of products into the store is moving like sludge, making it difficult to keep the store stocked. The problem is both tight supply COVID outbreaks continue to shut down factories and gemstone mining operations in developing nations with low vaccination rates and longer, more costly shipping routes, Zadok said. Houston shoppers said theyre picking off their list around a month earlier this year to get ahead of supply issues and shipping slowdowns. Hanukkah arriving early this year Nov. 28 also has provided motivation for some shoppers to get going. Fran Gross Katzenellenbogen said her compromised immune system is keeping her out of stores, but shes snatching up items quickly online ahead of the Hanukkah holiday. When I see something my adult kids would like, I buy it right away, she said. Ive noticed shipping is taking longer. A two-day Amazon item may take one to two weeks. On HoustonChronicle.com: Why Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals wont be the same in 2021 Elizabeth Miller, of southwest Houston, said she aims to have all her shopping done by the end of November. I would normally be waiting for Amazon packages to arrive with gifts up until Christmas Eve, she said. In previous years, Cynthia de la Houssaye would shop the ads to ensure she got the best price on the latest electronics for her two teenage children. But with supply chain issues, she said she would rather spend a little more to make sure she has the gift in hand, such as the massage gun she picked up at Costco recently. She estimates she may spend $10 to $20 more per item by not shopping around. Better to grab it now than overthink it and have regrets if it is no longer available later, she said. Santa 9-1-1 Kids are even worried about disruptions at the North Pole. Jennifer Wu Floyd, of Houston, said her children started writing their lists in mid-October. Wu Floyd said shes shopping early because she expects shipping delays and because her oldest wants the coveted Sony Playstation 5, which has been in short supply since its release last year. Thats something were trying to scoop up ASAP, she said. amanda.drane@chron.com twitter.com/amandadrane Courtesy of city of Missouri City The city of Missouri City is ready to unveil its new Veterans Memorial on Veterans Day, Thursday, Nov. 11. The project has been 10 years in the making. The dedication for the structure that honors U.S. military veterans is set for 11 a.m. at City Hall Complex, located at 1522 Texas Parkway. Houston hip hop music mogul J. Prince is working to end one of hip hops biggest beefs. In a video posted Monday, founder of Houston-based Rap-a-Lot Records stood beside Kanye West in the Rothko Chapel as the musician announced his desire to end his rift with fellow rapper Drake. Im making this video to address the ongoing back and forth between myself and Drake. Both me and Drake have taken shots at each other, and its time to put it to rest, said West, while appearing to read a script from his phone. In the video, West also asks Drake to join him on stage in Los Angeles on Dec. 7 to share the two biggest albums of the year with the ultimate purpose being to free Larry Hoover. Hoover, the former leader of Illinois street gang Gangster Disciplines, was given a life sentence in 1998. U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, who called Hoover "one of the most notorious criminals in Illinois history, denied Hoovers bid for a sentencing break earlier this year, but Hoover will have another chance, according to reports. West is hoping his truce with Drake, and their event could have an effect. I believe this event will bring awareness not only to our cause but prove to people everywhere how much more we can accomplish when we lay our pride to the side and come together, West said as J. Prince stood next to him, nodding in approval. The music producer, responsible for propelling Houstons Geto Boys onto the rap scene, tweeted the video, noting that it wasnt his plans to meet West at the chapel. But I must say Im glad I didnt allow a worship place for God to detour our meeting, he tweeted, noting that he was delivering West a message from Hoover, who wanted to see peace between West and Drake. Ye received this well and said thanks because he never had anyone that sat him down and explained things to him the way I did, Prince said. The video follows Wests appearance at the Menil Collection earlier this month and his interview on N.O.R.E.s podcast Drink Champs, during which he commented on his marriage to Kim Kardashian West, regrets over signing rapper Big Sean to his label, his latest haircut and his ongoing beef with Drake. Though he credits Drake for his talent, West said Drakes psychological and competitive approach to rap threw him off and caused him to bite back. Drake dont do a diss, like an outright diss song. Hes going to set it up like war, West said. Hes going to do stuff like live five blocks down the street from you. ... He going to go and DM every single girl in your family. West also puts some rumors to rest - noting that Drake said he has never slept with Kardashian West despite fan speculation after Drakes verses on Sicko Mode and DJ Khalids Greece. But I was like, But you acted like you did. You got bars thats like, Hidden hills give your wife the chills. Its like somebody throwing a marble and hiding they hand or something like that. All thats disrespectful, West said, West did note on the podcast that he and Prince have been in discussions about various things, including how they can bring awareness to Hoovers situation. Many who know the legacy of J. Prince and his weight in the hip hop world were not surprised that he inspired West to extend an olive branch. Only one man can make Ye calm down and express himself in a calm manner from a pre-written dialogue on a phone, and thats JPrince, said one Twitter user. The Fifth Ward native, who released his memoir The Art and Science of Respect in 2018, has long been considered a godfather of the rap music industry, keeping a watchful eye over its contenders. In 2019, many hip hop fans were amazed that J. Prince was able to find and return rapper YBNs chain to him after the artist was brutally robbed and assaulted. "Theres power in numbers and when strong brothers from the streets align themselves with one another, suckas tremble. So I can only imagine how some of you are feeling right now!" Prince wrote on his Instagram. Prince, whose son Jas Prince, also stepped into a conflict between Drake and Diddy in 2015 after TMZ reported that the two fought in a club in Miami over a song. The tabloid published a warning track from Prince called the Courtesy Call, in which the CEO said Diddy was on his radar and that if he touched Drake again, hed reap what he sow. In 2018, J. Prince persuaded Drake to not respond to Virginia rapper Pusha T, who had released the diss track The Story of Adidon. The song revealed Drake had a son before he had publicly announced it. In an interview with music journalist Sway Calloway, Prince said Drakes planned response could have ended both Pusha and Wests careers. The ingredients were overwhelming. I know for a fact that it would have been bad for Kanye. It just wouldnt be good. Its beyond music at that point, said Prince, who emphasized that he loves the art of the rap battle as much as anyone, but there are lines that shouldnt be crossed. Its going to affect (his) livelihood. Its going to interfere with his whole lifestyle from that day forward. To eager and curious fans dismay, Prince said Drake gave him his word that the song would never be released. According to Prince, there are some rules to the rap game. There will come a time in life where we all should embrace the movement thinking, over the moment thinking. Moment thinking gets us stuck in the cycle of confusion, revenge, killings and things of darkness that take you to a place worse than slavery, Prince wrote Monday. Movement thinkers dream of a better tomorrow, a bigger picture, longevity choices and humbling themselves to forgive. They dont allow fear and pride to stunt their growth, and they're always looking for the good in every situation and thats where the leaders are separated from the followers. brittany.britto@chron.com The Fort Bend ISD board of trustees reviewed a proposed plan for an outdoor learning space and revitalized cemetery area to further honor the Sugar Land 95 at the James Reese Career and Technical Center, according to a news release. During an agenda review meeting on Nov. 8, the board studied a possible agreement with MASS Design Group to design the outdoor learning area. Board members are due to vote on the agreement during their regular meeting on Monday, Nov. 15. On HoustonChronicle.com: Missouri City to unveil new Veterans Memorial for Veterans Day According to the release, the contract amount will not exceed $170,000, which would only cover the design portion of the project. It noted that the 2014 bond package would fund the work at Bullhead Camp Cemetery. The Sugar Land 95 refers to the 95 Black prisoners of the state-sanctioned convict-leasing system whose remains were discovered as the Reese Center was being built in 2018. The convict-leasing system began after slavery ended, imprisoning men in longer, harsher sentences than warranted and putting them to work under often inhumane conditions. Fort Bend ISD is a public school system with teaching and learning at its core, and the discovery of the Sugar Land 95 provides the district with an extraordinary opportunity to educate our students, community and future generations about the discovery and its historical importance, said Fort Bend ISD Superintendent Christie Whitbeck. It is our goal to ensure that the district works to educate our students and memorialize with respect and dignity the individuals who are laid to rest in the cemetery. Since the remains were unearthed, Fort Bend ISD has joined with local and state government and community partners from across the nation to decide on projects and programs that would commemorate the Sugar Land 95. Since the discovery, the district has put forth time, funds and effort to properly memorialize the cemetery with the care and concern that it deserves, said Board President Dave Rosenthal. We view the Bullhead Camp Cemetery and the history surrounding its discovery as a great site-based learning experience in our community. On HoustonChronicle.com: Fort Bend ISDs new agriculture barn set to open in spring MASS Design is known for its architecture that advocates for justice and reclaiming human dignity, the release noted. The firm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Boston. The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Ala., is one of its most lauded projects. The release stated that Fort Bend ISD staff decided MASS Design Group would be able to keep the projects mission at the forefront, help with engaging the community and leverage philanthropic support to the district as a partner. If the agreement is approved, the firm will move ahead in developing a full design project at the Sugar Land 95 site that may include a monument, an outdoor learning space, courtyard seating, an entrance structure that would display Sugar Land 95 Memorial, grave markers, pavers, fencing and a set space for a historical marker from the Texas Historical Commission. In November 2019, a Blessing of the Ground re-internment ceremony was held as part of ongoing programs and projects set to commemorate the victims and consecrate the historic cemeterys burial sites. The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant setbacks to the work of memorializing the Sugar Land 95. Meanwhile, work has been done since 2018 to educate the local, state and national community, including developing curriculum, collaborating with the state on curriculum standards, and offering keynote presentations. On HoustonChronicle.com: 20th Sugar Plum Market rings in holidays while supporting Fort Bend charities It is important that we learn about this dark chapter in history to promote knowledge, truth, compassion and justice, Whitbeck said. tracy.maness@hcnonline.com TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) Alabama officials are investigating the shooting deaths of a man and woman whose bodies were dumped on someone else's property over the weekend. AL.com reports the victims were discovered in a shed in the west Alabama town of Sawyerville, according to Hale County District Attorney Michael Jackson. The district attorney identified the victims as Devyn Sterling and Shalondria Grey-Chavers. Both were 24. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (AP) A Virginia city is paying out $150,000 to a group of 10 people who claim their rights were violated when they were arrested in connection with the vandalism and destruction of a Confederate monument last year. WAVY-TV reports that Portsmouth cut $15,000 checks for each last month, according to copies obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request. RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) A part of the highway that links North Carolina's Outer Banks to the mainland remained closed on Monday because of ocean overwash, officials said. According to the N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Highway 12 is closed from the Marc Basnight Bridge to Rodanthe because of a storm along the coast. Ocean overwash destroyed some sand dunes protecting the highway and forced the partial closure on Sunday. a news release said. BOISE, Idaho (AP) A group of Boise students is drafting legislation to require licensing for minors to purchase firearms, hoping to win bipartisan support for the gun control measure in one of the most conservative states in the nation. The students, all members of the board of Idaho's March for Our Lives, which advocates for sensible gun violence prevention policies, hope the measure will help prevent suicides, school shootings and other forms of gun violence by slowing the process that minors use to buy a gun, the Idaho Statesman reported Monday. The group hopes to prevent students in the midst of mental health crises from easily access firearms. Kate Stevens, a senior at Boise High School and the state director of the board, said the the first active shooting drill she remembers was in second grade. The drills have since become commonplace. The first thing we should be thinking about when we walk into school and when we walk into a classroom is not, Oh, am I going to die today? Stevens said. It should be, What am I going to learn? Idaho law currently requires minors to either have written permission from a parent or guardian or to be accompanied by a parent or guardian when purchasing firearms. Kids under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult when in possession of a weapon, and they cant have handguns. Some other types of weapons are restricted unless the child and adult are on private property or taking part in a class or competition. You can be 12, and go down to your Walmart as long as your parent is with you, and buy a deadly weapon that you dont have adequate safety training with, and operate it legally, Stevens said. The students are drafting legislation that would require minors to go through a few additional steps before purchasing firearms, including submitting an application for a license from the sheriffs office and showing proof of in-person training on firearm safety by an approved instructor. The legislation is still being drafted, so some of the provisions could change, Stevens said. Mental health is an issue that should not be politicized, Stevens said. Were trying to make it so that we have support from both Republicans and Democrats in the Legislature. The group said anything that can slow the process of minors buying or possessing guns will help. Especially common sense things that everyone agrees on, said Shiva Rajbhandari, a junior at Boise High. Lets implement those. And I mean, see how it goes. Were kind of at rock bottom right now. The students are working with state Sen. Melissa Wintrow, a Democrat from Boise, who said she wants to help them understand the legislative process, regardless of how tough it might be to get the legislation passed. Wintrow said it's not the first time that she has been contacted by students concerned about gun laws. Our state does have some of the most liberal, lax gun laws, Wintrow said. In Idaho, 19 children and teens on average die from guns every year, and more than 80% of those are suicides, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. Its really important to put a kink in that process, Stevens said. And make sure that kids who are operating firearms do have adequate safety training. Last school year, a sixth grade girl injured three people in a shooting at Rigby Middle School in East Idaho. Rajbhandari said he wants gun legislation that could help prevent those kind of situations. HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Advocates for people with disabilities gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday to protest what they say is the eroding quality of home care services under Pennsylvania's new managed care system, problems being accelerated by the pandemic. Part of the problem, they say, is the increased difficulty in getting direct care workers and the need to pay them more through the state's Medicaid reimbursement system. Gov. Tom Wolf's administration and lawmakers, they say, should use federal dollars approved by Congress, as well as higher federal reimbursement rates, to boost wages for direct care workers. They have new possibilities for using this money in ways that are effective, said Shona Eakin, CEO of Voices for Independence, an Erie-based home care services provider. Wolf's administration is awaiting approval from the federal government on its plan to use a higher Medicaid reimbursement rate for home-based care under the American Rescue Plan signed by President Joe Biden in March. The plan for the money includes increasing reimbursement rates and direct care worker wages while the money lasts, Wolf's administration said. While the administration was unable to give details about the boost in the pay, the administration wants to use state dollars to make the increases permanent, said Jamie Buchenauer, a deputy secretary for long-term living in Wolf's Department of Human Services. Buchenauer could not immediately say how much money that might require, although it would require approval by lawmakers. Low pay and high turnover have long been the reality for the ranks of direct care workers in home care settings and nursing homes. But finding direct care workers is harder now because of the pandemic, they say. The average home care worker makes $12 an hour, and many direct care workers took a break during the pandemic and never returned, Eakin said. Eakin's workforce went from 1,069 before the pandemic to 763 now, while her overtime costs shot up from $227,000 in 2019 to $573,000 this year to care for about 800 people, she said. Overtime costs aren't reimbursed by Medicaid, and neither is personal protective equipment, paid days off or double-time pay on holidays, Eakin said. Meanwhile, direct care workers are so hard to find that Eakin has had to turn away 40% of the people who contact her agency seeking home care services, she said. Wolfs administration, over the past few years, put home care services for tens of thousands of elderly and disabled under managed care contractors in an effort to save money. The plan involved moving thousands of people back into their homes and out of the more expensive settings of nursing homes. But people trying to transition out of nursing homes are enduring months-long waits for a home care worker to be found and assigned to them, advocates for the disabled say. Others are seeing their hours of home care being cut by managed care companies that are now running the program under contract with the state, they say. Wolfs Department of Human Services said that 90% of people in the program are receiving the same level of services or more after they were assessed, which managed care organizations are required to do annually. The department said reviews by its Office of Long-Term Living has generally found that service reductions were appropriate and not a risk to health and safety. Lauren Alden, a manager with Liberty Resources, a Philadelphia-based center for independent living, said the organization is finding legal help for clients who are seeing care hours cut back, and trying to help them appeal. We've seen drastic cuts, and these are folks who have not had any changes in need, Alden said. The community-based program was designed to get people out of institutional care and back into homes, but cutting direct care hours could have the opposite effect, Eakin said. How long before someone buckles and says, I have to get cared for, Eakin said. ___ Follow Marc Levy on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/timelywriter. A 9-year-old boy is fighting for his life at Texas Childrens Hospital after attending the Astroworld Festival on Friday with his father, who lost consciousness during a crowd surge, the boys grandparents said. The boy, Ezra Blount, is currently in a medically induced coma, with damage to his internal organs, including his lungs, kidney and heart, the family said. Doctors said the boy went into cardiac arrest, which caused his brain to swell. Were suspecting he was trampled, said grandfather Bernon Blount, who lives in Humble. A hospital spokesperson said they could not provide details on the boys condition. KTRK-TV was the first to report the hospitalization. It also reported that Bharti Shahani, a 22-year-old Texas A&M senior and Clear Lake High alum, remained on a ventilator Monday evening. KTRK said Bharti Shahani, her sister Namrata Shahani and her cousin Mohit Bellani attended the concert together but, like so many attendees, lost each other in the crowd surge. Once one person fell, people started toppling like dominos. It was like a sinkhole. People were falling on top of each other, Bellani told the station. Once we let go of her hand, the next time we saw her (Bharti), we were in the ER, Namrata told KTRK FESTIVAL CHAOS: 8 young lives were cut short in chaos at Astroworld Festival In the case of his grandson, Bernon Blount said the boys father, Treston, hoped the music festival would be a bonding experience. Ezra had traveled to the show from Dallas, where he lives with his mother, while his father traveled from Tyler, he said. Treston placed the boy on his shoulders during the concert when the crowd began squeezing in around his body, Bernon Blount said. The father lost consciousness and passed out. When he woke later that night, the boy was gone. The grandparents later helped locate Ezra at Texas Childrens. Me and the family, were struggling with this, the grandfather said. Were struggling with seeing the injuries to our grandchild and what he had to go through to receive those injuries. Were hurt and disappointed that the city would allow an event to go on like this and for people to be deceased. We just want to know whos responsible. WHAT WENT WRONG: Everything to know about the deadly Astroworld tragedy Doctors say the boy likely will need a lifetime of care from the incident, said grandmother Tericia Blount. Despite feeling hurt, the family is trying to stay positive, she said. They are reflecting on what makes Ezra a very bright star, including his love of skateboarding, big dimples and ability to sing like an angel, she said. We want people to send us prayers, and we want people to be aware that there were a lot of people and babies who are injured, she said. (We want) people to be more protected and for this not to ever happen again not to anyone. Joel Umanvor contributed to this post julian.gill@chron.com San Antonio law firm Thomas J. Henry PLLC has filed a lawsuit against rappers Travis Scott and Drake on behalf of an Austin resident who was injured Friday in the crowd surge at the Astroworld Festival that left eight people dead and dozens injured. Also named as defendants in the lawsuit are concert promoter and ticket seller Live Nation and NRG Stadium, where the festival was held. The plaintiff, Austin resident Kristian Paredes, is seeking $1 million and is among the first to sue the rappers, venue and ticket site, saying that Drake and Scott helped incite the crowd, according to the compliant obtained by Express-News. Paredes, 23, said he was severely injured with some permanent bodily harm, and he seeks compensation for extreme pain and suffering, loss of earnings, emotional distress and medical expenses. WHAT WENT WRONG: Everything to know about the Astroworld Festival tragedy The lawsuit said Paredes was at the front of the general admission section with only a metal barrier separating those attendees from the VIP section and that as Scotts performance started shortly after 9 p.m., Paredes felt an immediate push as the crowd became chaotic and a stampede began. In the lawsuit, Paredes accuses the defendants of negligence, saying the two rappers continued to perform as the crowd became out of control and while the crowd mayhem continued. He also accuses the security guards hired by Live Nation of ignoring the concertgoers cries for help as the crowd surged forward. On HoustonChronicle.com: For 37 minutes after officials declared a 'mass casualty' at Astroworld, Travis Scott played on Curtis Fitzgerald, a lawyer with Thomas J. Henry PLLC, is listed as Paredess attorney in the court filings. The case was filed in the Harris County 129th court. The annual music festival turned from fun to tragic Friday night after the deadly crowd surge. Concertgoers reported crowds so tightly packed they were unable to move their arms or breathe after the crowds rushed the stage, numerous media reports stated. A security guard was reportedly injected with an unknown drug and had to be given Narcan, which is used to treat overdoses, the Houston Chronicle reported. Authorities said that nearly 50,000 people attended Fridays opening night of the two-day festival. During Scotts performance, fellow rapper Drake also took the stage in a surprise appearance, exciting the crowd. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner called it a mass casualty incident, though Scott continued to play for 37 minutes, the Chronicle said. At one point, Scott stopped performing to ask for help for someone who had passed out, though he resumed the performance shortly after. Finner, meanwhile, said he couldnt have abruptly ended the show for fear of sparking a riot that his department could not control, the Chronicle said, describing how first responders were carrying limp bodies as Scott finished his final song, Goosebumps. The eight people who died ranged in age from 14 to 27, authorities said. Their official causes of death have not been released. Paredes also argues in his lawsuit that the concert venue should have known about Scotts prior issues with crowd aggression from previous shows. Similar crowd behavior occurred during the 2019 Astroworld Festival, and Scott was arrested in 2015 for alleged reckless conduct after fans jumped a security barricade at Lollapalooza in Chicago and in 2018 for disorderly conduct for allegedly urging fans to rush the stage at a concert the year before. Scotts girlfriend Kylie Jenner reportedly took to social media to say that he had no idea what was going on while he was onstage and didnt realize anyone had died until after the performance. The rapper tweeted Saturday that he was absolutely devastated about what happened and said he would work together with the Houston community to heal and support the families in need. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net We kick off this week looking back at the front pages of the Houston Post with a look back at its Nov. 9, 1940, edition. Bonnie Spears Kinard, 29, of 1617 Rusk, was the city's first conscientious objector since the selective service act became effective. He didn't have a problem enlisting and serving as a noncombatant, but don't put him on the battlefield. "I was saved in 1930, Kinard said, "and I joined the Apostolic church. I'm not an active member of the church now but I'm still a Christian. The Bible and the Ten Commandments say that it's wrong to kill and I believe it. If it's wrong to kill one way, it's wrong to kill another way." In other news, Mrs. C.A. Teagle, a member of the Texas prison board befriended former convict Bill Germany. For that, she said he burglarized her home on two occasions. Believing that he still had some good in him and looking to keep him out of prison, she declined to file charges. She changed her mind, though, when he was charged for allegedly burglarizing another home on Sul Ross. Click the image below to enlarge. A Pasadena man was recently arrested and accused of stealing thousands of dollars in Victoria's Secret merchandise from Houston-area malls within the last two years, authorities say. Jose Guevara shoplifted on numerous occasions at several malls in the city, dating back to Nov. 19, 2019 through Oct. 1, 2021, a Houston Police Department investigation has found. This includes the Galleria Mall, Willowbrook Mall and the most recent incident at Baybrook Mall on Oct. 1, HPD spokesperson John Cannon confirmed. Court records allege he stole 1,417 pairs of panties, 20 sets of sleepwear, 40 bras, eight fragrances and 70 pairs of leggings amounting between $30,000 and $150,000. OnHoustonChronicle.com: Waller DA files six felonies for 'rolling coal' crash that injured six cyclists Guevara, 31, was arrested Monday, Nov. 1, and charged with aggregate theft, a third-degree felony that carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, according to Harris County District Attorney spokesperson Dane Schiller. "Court records dont indicate how long hes been committing such crimes, but do show he has multiple cases open in multiple jurisdictions and that he has priors," Schiller said. Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Prior to this incident, records show Guevara was free on a $2,500 bond for a felony theft charge for having two or more previous theft convictions and was previously indicted on several charges including possession of drugs, driving while intoxicated and assault of a family member within the last two years. "Whatever he did with all those panties remains a secret, Victorias Secret apparently," Schiller said in an email to the Chronicle. Guevara is currently in custody and has not met the bond set at $20,000. As part of the bond conditions, Guevara cannot make any contact with any Victoria's Secret location in Harris and surrounding counties, possess any firearms, ammunition or other weapons, he must submit to a random urinalysis, surrender any passports, visas or other travel documents, he is subject to curfew and house arrest and is prohibited from using or consuming any alcohol, controlled substance, dangerous drug or marijuana. He is set to appear in court on Jan. 25, 2022. Guevara is represented by an assistant public defender, Beverly Backers, according to court documents. Backers could not be reached for comment. A 22-year-old Texas A&M University senior and Clear Lake High School alum, remained on a ventilator Monday evening. KTRK reported Bharti Shahani, her sister Namrata Shahani and their cousin Mohit Bellani attended the Astroworld concert together but, like so many attendees, lost each other in the crowd surge. Once one person fell, people started toppling like dominoes. It was like a sinkhole. People were falling on top of each other, Bellani told the station. FESTIVAL CHAOS: 8 young lives were cut short in chaos at Astroworld Festival Once we let go of her hand, the next time we saw her (Bharti), we were in the ER, Namrata Shahani told KTRK. The family is asking for prayers for the young woman. Andrew Harnik/AP A Ukrainian national was arrested in October in connection to a cybercrime attack that extorted $6.1 million in traceable funds from U.S. businesses, according to a Monday press release by the U.S. Department of Justice. Yaroslav Vasinskyi, 22, was arrested on Oct. 8 in Poland and has remained in custody there pending his extradition to the United States, officials announced. The indictment against Vasinskyi, which was unsealed Monday, included a July attack on Kaseya, a multi-national information technology software company. The Crew-2 astronauts landed safely in the Gulf of Mexico Monday evening. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft landed off the coast of Pensacola at 9:33 p.m. CST, bringing home NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Aki Hoshide, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet and some 530 pounds of hardware and scientific investigations. ACCESSIBLE SPACE: Decades after NASA rejection, a deaf Texan finally gets a small taste of space Were happy to have Shane, Megan, Aki and Thomas safely back on Earth after another successful, record-setting long-duration mission to the International Space Station, NASA administrator Bill Nelson said in a news release. The crew had spent 199 days in orbit, setting a record for the longest spaceflight for a U.S. crewed spacecraft. During their time in space, the astronauts participated in a variety of scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. They studied how gaseous flames behave in microgravity, grew hatch green chiles, installed free-flying robotic assistants and donned virtual reality goggles to test new methods of exercising in space, according to the news release. Kimbrough, Hoshide and Pesquet completed four spacewalks to install, deploy or prepare the space station for new solar arrays. The fourth spacewalk, conducted by Hoshide and Pesquet on Sept. 12, was the first ISS spacewalk that did not include an American or a Russian. NASA's next batch of astronauts, flying on the agency's SpaceX Crew-3 mission, are slated to launch at 8:03 p.m. Wednesday on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Typically, astronauts stay on the space station until their replacements arrive. But multiple weather delays and a minor medical issue pushed back the Crew-3 launch. NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, who flew to the space station on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft and is spending one year in space, will greet the Crew-3 astronauts and help them adjust to life in microgravity. Chicago, IL (60637) Today Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 22F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 22F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 10 to 15 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. 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 Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 43F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers this evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 43F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. A mural featuring Ruby Bridges will be installed on Jubilee Hill in Pittsfield. Ruby Bridges Inspiration for 'Walk With Her' Mural in West Side Artist Pops Peterson stands in front of the wall in Pittsfield where the mural will be installed. Via Facebook. PITTSFIELD, Mass. Big things are happening in the West Side. "Walk With Her," a mural featuring Ruby Bridges Hall, the civil rights activist who became a symbol of school integration at the age of 6, will soon be placed on a concrete wall below Division Street on a well-traveled pass-through called College Way. "It's going to be a landmark with a lot of meaning and definitions for the community, specifically, the West Side," said Tony Jackson, president of Westside Legends, a group that seeks to unite and promote the neighborhood. The piece of art is about 28 feet high and be viewable from afar. It was made possible by Westside Legends, Mill Town Capital, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation. Bridges became the first Black student to integrate into an all-white public school in New Orleans in 1960. This mural features her as a young girl walking away from a sign that reads "Jubilee Hill" in reference to the hill where the mural will be located. The image was created by artist and public speaker Pops Peterson . In 2015, Peterson released his well-received series "Reinventing Rockwell," which put a modern spin on Rockwell's paintings that embraced diversity. The mural is inspired by Peterson's reimagining of Rockwell's 1964 painting, "The Problem We All Live With," which features Bridges being escorted to school by federal marshals while food is being thrown at her. Rockwell's painting was loaned to the Obama White House to mark the 50th anniversary of that event. Bridges Hall is a trustee emeritus of the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Peterson's version, "The Problem Persists," features a background of broken buildings and was inspired by the 2014 shooting of Michael Brown Jr. by a police officer. Rather than being painted directly on the wall, the mural will be blown up to the proper size and printed on vinyl for its installation. The city began prepping the wall in late October and the mural is expected to be up on Wednesday. Planning began in May when Jackson was in conversation with local organizations about housing issues. He mentioned that artwork would brighten the area and immediately received support for his idea. The mural's theme was voted on through a Facebook page after Jackson, NAACP member Kamaar Taliaferro, and architect Tessa Kelly brainstormed a few ideas. After Bridges was chosen as the subject, the group thought it would be great for Peterson to design the image because of his previous work. A few months later the piece of art was in their hands. "I didn't even think he would take our call, sure enough, he took our call, and three or four months later, we've got our Ruby Bridges going up with a Jubilee Hill," Jackson said. The group was hoping to have the mural installed in late October but had to wait for proper conditions for the vinyl image. They plan on having an official unveiling once the project is complete. Jackson said there are other murals planned to decorate the West Side area. One is dedicated to the "Queens of the Westside," a group of elderly women who were prominent in the community. Another mural titled "Gone But Never Forgotten" is staged to honor Robert Chadwell, a West Side resident who was one of the victims of a triple homicide in 2011. "The person in that picture is going to represent a great loss for the community," Jackson said. Westside Legends plans to combine the two concepts for one large dedication. Williamstown Officials Say Issues Between Town, McGowan 'Resolved' WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. The Select Board on Monday confirmed that the town and Sgt. Scott McGowan have dropped their mutual actions against each other and severed connections. McGowan last week, through his attorney, stated that he had retired as of Oct. 31 after 20 years with the Police Department, about two weeks before a scheduled disciplinary hearing. Interim Town Manager Charles Blanchard could only confirm that McGowan was no longer employed by the town and that more information would be forthcoming. That came Monday night when Select Board Chair Andrew Hogeland opened with a statement about the "recent settlement." "The town and Mr. McGowan have resolved the issues between them, including the town canceling the civil service hearing regarding Mr. McGowan and his agreement to withdraw his MCAD claims against the town," he said. "With this resolution, the town can move forward to address the challenging issues confronting the town. It avoids the expense and distraction of protracted legal proceedings and helps the town and the Williamstown Police Department to concentrate its resources on a number of projects for the improvement of the entire community." McGowan had recently filed a second complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, alleging that he was placed on administrative leave last winter as retaliation for allegations he raised in a 2019 MCAD complaint and subsequent federal lawsuit against the town, the former town manager and the former police chief alleging racism and sexual harassment in the department. The original MCAD complaint and the lawsuit were dropped last year when the former chief stepped down. Meanwhile, the town had three times in the past month scheduled a disciplinary hearing for McGowan, who then exercised his right to have the hearing held in public. The latest date scheduled for the hearing was to be Nov. 16. This mutual separation will allow the town to move forward, said Hogeland, ticking off a list of actions being taken under interim Police Chief Michael Ziemba, including participating in a Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships community program developed by the U.S. Department of Justice that bring together law enforcement and community members. "The police chief formed the community council in July 2021, whose membership includes several residents who had been critical of police practices," said Hogeland. The department has also started the seeking accreditation from the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Program, which includes achieving professional standards and updating policies, and has undergone a number of training programs addressing such areas as health and wellness, cultural competency, mental health, de-escalation, stress management and suicide prevention. The town has conducted an independent audit of his human resources programs and practices and retained a specialist to update its procedures. A major project underway is the Williamstown Community Assessment and Research, or CARES, program being conducted in the wake of the revelations about the Police Department. This survey of community safety being led by a group of volunteer social workers will inform the town on better policing practices. Its work is expected to be completed next year. Blanchard reported that the lead researcher, Jennifer James, has resigned. He said he and Select Board member Jeffrey Johnson had met with four members of the Social Work Advisory Committee last week to outline a strategy. "Abby Reifsnyder will be very involved in the project. She has agreed to take on the role of director and Kerri Nicoll will continue on as the project's principal investigator," he said. "Three additional volunteer social workers have agreed to help out and are beginning to do interviews." Of the nearly 200 residents who registered for the survey, 102 interviews had been completed by Nov. 1. "They have seen that there are some demographic groups that have not been adequately reached. So they're planning on having some outreach to lower-income neighborhoods and others that aren't represented well in the survey [such as Williams College students]," Blanchard said. "They'd also like to do some additional outreach to the Williamstown Police Department to get more participation from from those people as well." Reifsnyder said the project has been divvied up between the core group of volunteers so that no one person has too much. "I'm going to shift my focus from doing interviews to doing the outreach to try to get these groups that we have not managed to get interviews with so far," she said, adding that now the town manager search committee is suspended she'll have plenty of time. Nicoll will continue with interview analysis and Elizabeth Whitney will begin a comparison of programs in other communities to prepare for recommendations. Johnson said he wanted to community to understand that James' departure will not affect the integrity of the study and that there are funds in place to complete it. "The study is still right on track," he said. "I looked at that meeting as win, win, win so I just wanted to thank you for the professionalism. I think this is moving forward." Allison Niemi Joins SVMC Pownal Campus BENNINGTON, Vt. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (SVMC) welcomed Allison Niemi, MD, family medicine physician, to the SVMC Pownal Campus and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Putnam Physicians. Dr. Niemi completed her undergraduate studies at James Madison University in Virginia, her medical degree at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and her residency in family medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. She was a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the recipient of the Howard C. Silver Memorial Student Fellowship for Outstanding Community Service in Family Medicine. In addition, she was given the American Medical Women's Association Glasgow Memorial Scholastic Achievement Award. For the past 17 years, Dr. Niemi has worked as a family medicine physician at Shaftsbury Medical Associates in Shaftsbury, Vt. She is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Vermont Academy of Family Physicians, and the Christian Medical and Dental Association. Dr. Niemi has served as the medical director of Bennington Project Independence and has also volunteered on their board. She was the chair of the department of family medicine at SVMC 2015 2018. SVMC's Pownal Campus offers comprehensive medical care for the whole family. Its services include care for children and adults, obstetrics, health promotion and wellness programs, and on-site blood draw services. The office is located at 7237 Route 7 in Pownal. Appointments are available 8 a.m. 5 p.m. Monday Friday. Call 802-681-2780 for an appointment. Narcan vending machines? Moses Lake and Wenatchee now have them; Omak is next Since vaccination rates are on the rise, and employer mandates start to take effect, you may be wondering if it's time to ditch masks in the workplace? Large employers, including Amazon and JPMorgan Chase, have recently dropped their mask policies at the office. Apple is dropping its mandate this Friday for customers at more than 100 retail stores, a decision leaders at the company say in a memo is due to "positive trends in vaccinations, testing, and case counts." It may well be time for your company to follow suit, but there's a lot to unpack before you make that policy official. Here's an action plan: Know the rules. On May 14, 2021 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that fully vaccinated people can engage in indoor activities without wearing a mask or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance. In other words, businesses were given the go-ahead to drop their mask mandates for vaccinated individuals. Then later, on July 27, 2021 with the rise of the Delta variant, CDC updated its guidelines, recommending that individuals, even if fully vaccinated, wear masks in indoors in public if in an area of substantial or high transmission--defined as a place with more than 50 cases per 100,000 people, or a test positivity rate of more than 5 percent. Roughly 87 percent of counties in the U.S. don't currently hit that threshold. Be aware that change is constant. But things may change as vaccination rates rise, especially with a federal mandate deadline looming. Starting January 4, 2022 employers with 100 or more employees must require their workers to get vaccinated or submit to weekly Covid-19 testing. As of November 8, 2021, roughly 193.8 million Americans have been fully vaccinated in the U.S., according to data from the CDC. However, rates do vary across the country and you should be mindful of how many people have been vaccinated not only at your company, but also in your area. For instance, about 75 percent of all people are fully vaccinated in the state of New York compared to 45 percent of people in Alabama. Additionally, some cities are trending toward a point of "endemic," meaning the impact of Covid is considered manageable and integrated into society, becoming more like a perennial illness rather than a full-blown pandemic. On October 15, 2021, San Francisco lifted indoor facemask requirements for vaccinated individuals in settings with fewer than 100 people, including offices. While other cities, such as New York, have their own policies that largely require masks in public spaces. Be prepared to change your policies again. One of the unintended consequences of President Joe Biden's vaccine mandate for companies with at least 100 employees has been protests and spiking resignation rates. But that's also true among companies that aren't required to mandate vaccines. Firms with fewer than 100 workers are not required to mandate Covid-19 vaccinations among employees or submit to weekly testing, which is a ruling that goes into effect on January 4, 2022. However, many of them say they feel obliged to comply too. The backlash, some say, has been fierce. Employees who may be hesitant to get vaccinated are walking out, and not coming back, while others are organizing strikes. Employers, newly in a bind, are now faced with either backtracking on their decision to mandate vaccinations or lose people. Marilyn Gaskell knows precisely what it's like to lose good workers in the middle of the Great Recession. While most of the 18 employees at her Phoenix search engine, TruePeopleSearch, got vaccinated without any issues, three employees were reluctant. In October, after top managers insisted they get the jab, all three of those hesitant employees walked out, sending resignation letters two days later. "This was a shocking moment for me," says Gaskell, noting that the loss of three workers at once dealt a big blow to the organization. "It was chaotic," she adds, "because it was difficult to find a good fit for the available jobs." Gaskell's experience highlights the difficulty employers face nationally, as they take steps to ensure the safety of their employees and get back to business after nearly two years of pandemic slowdowns and work stoppages. Nearly 20 million U.S. workers left their jobs between April 2021 and August 2021, according to data from the Department of Labor. That's more than 60 percent higher than the resignations over the same period last year, and 12 percent above the spring and summer of 2019 when the job market was the hottest it's been in almost 50 years. To ensure employees don't just leave, leaders need to remain flexible, offer remote working and Covid-19 testing options and, in general, check their egos, says Meighan Newhouse, CEO and co-founder of Inspirant Group--a management consultancy that works with clients hatching plans to come back to the office. "If you have a strict mandate, you have to be prepared for top talent to walk out the door, because it's an employee's market right now and talented people and going to have their pick of the litter." Plus, bear in mind that smaller employers weren't included in Biden's vaccine mandate policy for a few reasons. Two of which include the inability to stomach the loss of employees as easily as larger companies and the inability to afford to pay for regular Covid-19 testing, which can cost as much as $150 per test. Of course, the cost of employees getting sick may be infinitely more expensive, so the judgement call is understandably tough, suggests Newhouse. Regardless of which path you take, try to control--as best you can--the things that can be controlled. For instance, if you're concerned that employees may walk out over your vaccine policy, give them reasons to stay. Again, flexibility is vital but so, too, are career-development opportunities. If employees know their employer is supportive of their career goals, that might be reason enough to stay, says Newhouse. She adds that many clients are now hosting internal job boards, allowing employees to pick projects that they want to work on, similar to the way a gig worker might--and they're promoting from within. After decades of advocacy, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), a federal agency that supports minority-owned businesses, is finally on the cusp of officially solidifying its status. "It is a historic moment," says Chiling Tong, president and CEO of The National Asian/Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce and Entrepreneurship, or National ACE, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit. "It is a huge victory for all minority-owned small businesses." The MBDA, which helps minority founders get access to government contracts and capital, will be codified in the $1-trillion-plus Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The House passed the infrastructure bill on Friday and sent it to President Biden, who said he would sign it when lawmakers return from their week-long recess. The bill provides $110 million in annual funding through 2025 for the MBDA, more than double the $48 million Congress allocated in 2021. (The agency also got a total of $35 million in supplemental funding in 2020 and 2021 in response to the pandemic.) Lawmakers could set another funding level after 2025. The majority of the money is slated to go to the MBDA Business Center Program, which provides minority entrepreneurs with support such as technical assistance and community referrals. Funding also will be used for programs including a network of MBDA centers run by Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or other Minority Serving Institutions located in rural areas. Another initiative is the Parren J. Mitchell Entrepreneurship Education Grants, through which HBCUs and MSIs can apply for funding to support classes related to entrepreneurship. The bill authorizes the MBDA to give other grants to nonprofits that serve minority founders as well. The MBDA declined to comment until the bill is signed into law, but it did acknowledge the House's action in a tweet and on LinkedIn. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Chair Ben Cardin (D-Md.) said in a statement that the agency "will now have the stability and resources to help small businesses in minority communities grow and create jobs." The Mentor: Jim McKelvey: Frustrated by losing a sale because he was unable to process a credit card transaction, Jim McKelvey co-founded fintech platform Square with Twitter's Jack Dorsey in 2008. The San Francisco-based company went public in 2015 and booked $9.5 billion in revenue last year. Today, McKelvey sits on the firm's board of directors and reportedly owns nearly 5 percent of the $120 billion company, while also running a data-sharing startup, Invisibly. He recently shared his experience building the company in his book The Innovation Stack. The Mentee: Ali Moloo: Growing up in a family of hospitality workers in Alberta, Canada, Moloo saw firsthand how disconnected and old-school the process of running a hotel can be. In 2015, he founded myDigitalOffice, a Bethesda, Maryland-based company that places everything from inventory to payroll to convenience-store sales onto a single software platform. The company today has 3,500 hotels on its platform, including Best Western, Marriott, and Hilton locations, and revenue is rising quickly. But the fast growth has raised a new set of questions. Ali Moloo is sitting in a glass-walled conference room in a New York City high-rise, discussing the challenges of being both founder and CEO with his mentor, Jim McKelvey. After they chat for a while, McKelvey steps out for a bathroom break. A curiously long time passes without his return. So Moloo goes searching for him and finds him locked in the hallway outside the restroom--a cell-service dead zone--on his knees, attempting to break out with a small tool. "Five more minutes," McKelvey declares, brushing off his pants, "and I would've had it." McKelvey carries the picklock with him at all times, just another way of ensuring that he's prepared for any moment of crisis. It's a mindset he adopted when he launched Square amid the financial meltdown of the late aughts--something he maintains has made his company stronger. Moloo's experience has been similar: His startup has enjoyed its greatest period of growth during the pandemic--revenue was up 90 percent in 2020, and he's projecting a 300 percent increase in 2021--even though his customers have been doing terribly. He's now facing the challenges that come after the first flush of success. McKelvey: Last year was a weird time for the hotel business. Covid had pretty much shut down the entire industry. Somebody in your situation had a choice: Do you have the company go dormant, like some plant that's trying to survive the winter? Or do you get out the grow lights and freaking fertilize it? Moloo: We did the latter. We were out there in the market talking to people, saying, "How can we help you?" We created a free product for the hotels that helped them see into the future a little bit and understand how their properties were comparing with the market. It gave us a lot of exposure and it opened up the ability for us to have conversations. We ended up realizing that because they were down so many people, they could no longer manually capture information, but they still needed information to run their business. So we actually became more necessary during the pandemic. McKelvey: You lapped the field while everybody else was asleep. Moloo: Today, we have two relatively large customers, each of which makes up close to 20 percent of our business. Sometimes, some of those bigger clients want to influence your product--they make feature requests that don't fit. How do you make that decision of whether to push back or just do it? McKelvey: At Square, we had Starbucks as a client, and I can't tell you the specifics of how that relationship ended, but I can tell you that the relationship ended. When you're small, a big company will ask you for a bunch of features that only they want. Most of those companies are incompetent at developing the product themselves. They're working with you probably for a bunch of reasons, most likely the fact that you're able to execute faster than the competition, which puts you in a stronger position than you might realize. You can say no to the features that don't fit your road map. Moloo: Interesting. Because you feel like they're the 800-pound gorilla. McKelvey: Well, they are, if you look at your relative size. But unless you're in a highly competitive market with undifferentiated substitutes, once they choose you, it's a marriage. You're not some sort of prisoner. If it doesn't cost you much and it makes your big client happy, it's a no-brainer. The tricky one is when they're asking for a feature that you planned to implement, but it's still a year out. What can happen, especially with software, is you end up patching and hacking in their feature request just to shut them up, as opposed to building the underlying data structures you need to support that feature. I see you smiling. I see your guilt and shame. Moloo: It may have happened! McKelvey: Look, we have all accelerated a feature that wasn't supported by the code. And that's the one that bites you, because you get two years down the road, and you've laid all this other stuff on top of that. And then you need to do some sort of horrible re-plumbing. I ride the subway in New York. Will they ever fix it? I don't think so. We're always going to have rust, rats, and whatever that black filth is, forever. Moloo: You brought Jack Dorsey in as CEO right at the start of Square. When do you know if you're still the right leader for the business? McKelvey: I'm not a good leader. I'm a good founder, which is different. I've always been way more comfortable innovating and doing stuff that might not work as opposed to repeating something that I know works. As soon as it's been built and you need somebody to just rinse and repeat, that skill set is different. Twenty years ago, I learned that I needed to replace myself at the start. So, I would always begin by partnering with somebody like Jack, who wanted to run the company. Ask yourself what makes you happy. If it's watching something grow and improve, and dealing with the inevitable competitors and copycats, then take the management track. Become the leader of the company. If that's not who you are, then find that person, empower that person, and get out of their way. Moloo: Interesting. For me, one of the reasons for becoming an entrepreneur is freedom. You don't want someone else telling you what to do. But the life of a startup entrepreneur is everything but freedom for an unforeseen period of time. McKelvey: You work for every customer. Instead of one boss, you have seven. Moloo: And you're always worried about your employees. McKelvey: Here's the thing. That guilt--that responsibility you feel for your employees, your customers, and everybody who's bet on this new thing you're doing--is what ultimately makes you successful, because that's when the survival instinct kicks in. Moloo: You'll keep going. You'll pull all-nighters. You'll do whatever it takes to make it work. McKelvey: And you'll do that for reasons that are not money, fame, a big title. Moloo: I thrive off of this. But it can be challenging for family. What are your thoughts about that? McKelvey: The first thing is not to pretend that you have a normal job. Moloo: [Laughs] I did that for the first couple of years. McKelvey: You and your family have to figure out what that balance is. My wife and I just read a book called Fair Play. It teaches you to divide the household tasks. Here, I'll show you. [Opens a spreadsheet on his laptop.] These are the 100 or so things we have to do. She is responsible for laundry, gifts, making sure we have health insurance. I am responsible for transporting the kids, tidying up, dental, mail, thank-you notes. Right now, we have a potentially sick kid, and I'm going to deal with the sick kid, because that is my responsibility. And then, if you finish everything, you get to do stuff--like I'm taking off tomorrow and I'm going to go see the Rolling Stones. It's OK, as long as my stuff is done and I'm not dumping stuff on her. Moloo: This is amazing. This is probably going to change my life. My wife is going to really like you for this. 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. Work from home has left a very thin line between our personal and professional lives. There's absolutely nothing worse than clocking off from a day and while you're decompressing you get an email or text alerting you to something that needs to be done tomorrow. Somehow, employers feel that working from home is a vacation for us all. Well, that hasn't worked well for the mental health of employees and Portugal has acknowledged it. People working from home in Portugal can rejoice as the government has passed a rule that bans bosses from messaging staff after hours. "Under the new rules, employers could face penalties for contacting workers outside of office hours. Companies will also have to help pay for expenses incurred by remote working, such as higher electricity and internet bills."https://t.co/TiJmRCkYlq Fifty Shades of Whey (@davenewworld_2) November 8, 2021 Portugal's ruling Socialist Party has approved legislation that will make sure this is a thing of the past for people working from home. Under the new rules, employers could face penalties for contacting workers outside of office hours. Companies will also have to help pay for expenses incurred by remote working, such as higher electricity and internet bills. But the amendments to Portugal's labour laws have limits: they will not apply to companies with fewer than ten employees. Companies can now face fines for contacting workers outside of their normal working hours, the new rules state. Employers are also forbidden from monitoring their employees while they work at home. However, a proposal to include the so-called "right to disconnect" - the legal right to switch off work-related messages and devices outside office hours - was rejected by Portuguese MPs. Companies must also now contribute to expenses that workers have incurred as a result of switching to remote working. This can include bills for electricity or internet, but not water. Employers can write off these costs as a business expense. Unsplash The new rules are also good news for parents of young children. They now have the right to work from home without having to arrange it in advance with their employers, up until their child turns eight years old. Measures to tackle loneliness are also included in the remote working rules, with companies expected to organise face-to-face meetings at least every two months. Portugal was the first European country to alter its remote working rules as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic in January this year. The temporary rules made remote working a mandatory option - with a few exceptions - and obliged employers to provide the necessary tools for getting the job done at home. But while remote working during the pandemic brought new flexibility to many, issues such as unequal access to IT equipment showed the need for the government to step in, Portugal's Minister of Labour and Social Security, Ana Mendes Godinho, told the Web Summit conference in Lisbon last week. Unsplash "The pandemic has accelerated the need to regulate what needs to be regulated," she said. "Telework can be a 'game changer' if we profit from the advantages and reduce the disadvantages. Building a healthy remote working culture could also bring other benefits to Portugal, Mendes Godinho said, in the form of foreign remote workers seeking a change of scenery. For more from trending, click here. If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Submit Mini Timmaraju speaks onstage at the Women in Cable Telecommunications Leadership Conference And Touchstones Luncheon at The New York Marriott Marquis on Sept. 16, 2019 in New York City. Timmaraju has been named national president of NARAL Pro Choice America, which works to secure abortion rights. (Lawrence Busacca/Getty Images for Women in Cable Telecommunications) Forney, TX (75126) Today Overcast. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 69F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low 42F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Looking to deepen its investment in Java, Microsoft has joined the Java Community Process (JCP), which guides the development of the Java platform. Microsoft on November 4 said it has signed the Java Specification Participation agreement, or JSPA. The JCP is the mechanism for developing standard technical specifications for Java technologies, enabling collaboration between developers, customers, and vendors who want to submit suggestions for APIs. Basically, the JCP is about the future of Java. In elaborating on its commitment, the company cited its own growing use of Java, which includes more than 500,000 JVMs in production running hundreds of internal Microsoft systems. Microsoft also cited customers and developers running Java on the Microsoft Azure cloud and GitHub. Microsoft, which once was at loggerheads with Java founder Sun Microsystems over its distribution of Java, has been making amends with the Java community, even offering its own Microsoft Build of OpenJDK, based on OpenJDK source code. Microsoft binaries for Java 11 have passed Java Technology Compatibility Kit (TCK) testing to verify compatibility with the Java 11 specification. Microsoft supports Java on the Visual Studio Code editor through a collaboration with Red Hat and the Java community. The 1.0 release of Language Support for Java by Red Hat arrived late last month. Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. Over three-quarters of Virginia adults are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but after nearly two months of decline, the number of new ca The New Jersey Attorney Generals Office cant rely on a countys insurance to cover judgment against a public entity facing tort claims, New Jerseys Appellate Division has ruled. This comes after an Ocean County Prosecutors Office (OCPO) detective was driving a county vehicle and rear-ended a van carrying passengers in May 2016. One of the passengers, Keith McQuade-Sabat, was allegedly injured in the accident and sued the detective, the OCPO and Ocean County, among others, for negligence. At the time of the accident, the detective was acting in her capacity as part of the OCPO homicide squad, according to the Appellate Division opinion. A couple of years later in May 2018, county counsel wrote to the New Jersey Attorney General requesting that the state defend and indemnify the OCPO and the detective. A deputy attorney general responded that the attorney general would take over defense and indemnification in this case. In December 2019, however, a deputy attorney general advised county counsel that the states obligations to defend and indemnify the OCPO and detective were secondary to the countys mandatory insurance obligation. Under New Jersey law, counties are required to maintain insurance for the operators of all motor vehicles and equipment owned by or under the counties control. Ocean County was self-insured for up to $250,000, with an excess policy covering additional exposure. According to court documents, county counsel did not respond to this initial advisory. In January 2020, the deputy attorney general called county counsel to reiterate that current case law indicates the countys mandatory insurance coverage could be utilized for any portion of a judgment or a settlement. The deputy attorney general later sent a follow-up letter in February 2020, and county counsel did not respond to the letter. The state of New Jersey then filed a verified complaint and an order to show cause for a declaratory judgment. It argued that under the New Jersey Tort Claims Act (TCA), it was entitled to use any appropriate insurance policy to defend and indemnify Ocean County in this matter. The state of New Jersey claimed that because the county was required to have insurance, its self-insurance and excess policies were primarily responsible for any judgment or settlement in the tort suit. The motion judge, however, issued a written order denying the application and dismissing the states complaint in April 2020. The state of New Jersey appealed the order, and the matter was taken up by the Appellate Division. The Appellate Division found that while the TCA permits the attorney general to designate an attorney from their own staff or by employing other counsel, it does not permit the state to designate who bears the costs of indemnity. This means that if the state is obligated to defend, regardless of who is designated to defend, the state also bears the corresponding cost of indemnification. With this in mind, the Appellate Division upheld the motion judges decision and ruled that the state of New Jersey is obligated to defend and indemnify the OCPO and its detective without utilizing Ocean Countys insurance. The case is State of New Jersey v. County of Ocean. Topics New Jersey Each reinsurance renewal season sees brokers feverishly chasing down the best premium prices in the market. Frequently, when the panel of reinsurers offer their submissions for a slice of treaty, the broker will discover that the treaty is oversubscribed and will have to go back to the markets to reduce each reinsurers commitment by a certain percentage, in a process called signing-downbut the price stays the same. During this price-discovery process, brokers do their best to get an indicative price of what the market will accept, but every time a risk is oversubscribed, it means the broker has gotten the price wrong and the ceding company has paid too much; its like youve left money on the tableperhaps millions of dollars for a single treaty, according to Sean Bourgeois, founder and chief executive officer of Tremor, the Boston-based technology firm. (See related article: Reinsurance Pricing Technology That Works During Hard and Soft Markets) While insurers and reinsurers know that an oversubscribed program means that it was overpriced, until recently no ones been able to show exactly by how much, he said in an interview with Carrier Management. Brokers do their best to clear a market price, but it is difficult to calculate because you need really serious computing power to do that properly, he added. Computers can do this a lot better than people because it involves a complex mathematical problem when you have to consider 20 reinsurers that all have different preferences for price and quantity. Computers can do this a lot better than people because it involves a complex mathematical problem when you have to consider 20 reinsurers that all have different preferences for price and quantity. Sean Bourgeois, Tremor Bourgeois is speaking from a particular point of view because his company, Tremor, has developed an independent marketplace for auctioning reinsurance placements, which in essence provides a procurement placement. He said the platform provides a more efficient way to determine the actual price of risk, providing price discovery and allocation of limits using auction and optimization techniques which enable the insurer to assess price information in real time to find the optimal price that satisfies all its risk preferences at the same time. Bourgeois believes that Tremor is already creating a structural change within the market, helping ceding companies to get the right price. Since 2019, Tremor has collected more than $4 billion worth of reinsurance quotes. Tremor sits between insurers and reinsurers as a third-party, independent marketplace. How does the Tremor platform work? Tremor first collects reinsurers authorizations across their price and quantity preferences as well as their constraints. For an individual reinsurer, constraints may include setting the maximum amount capacity the reinsurer wants to offer for a single layer and the maximum capacity it will offer across layers (e.g., up to $40 million for the first layer 1 and $40 million on the second layer, but not more than $50 million across both layers). They can also include allocation requirements. (In other words, the reinsurer might specify that it needs at least 10 percent of its allocation to be on the first layer. Bourgeois described the process as creating a set of pricing quantity pairs. For example, a reinsurer may be comfortable giving $10 million of capacity at a 10 percent rate-on-line, but if it could get a 15 percent rate-on-line, it would offer $15 million of capacity. The reinsurer is basically building several data points, which we then connect as a supply curve, Bourgeois said. We create a supply curve by connecting the price and quantity points the reinsurer enters; they can enter as many points as they would like to. Below is an example of what it looks like on the Tremor platform for a reinsurer to enter a supply curve/authorization for a layer of a program: Each reinsurer has a target portfolio that it is building across dozens of reinsurance treaties. Tremor allows reinsurers to express exactly how much quantity they want at different prices for the risk profile in question, which should fit perfectly with their portfolio strategy, Bourgeois went on to say, noting that every reinsurer is likely to have a different strategy for the same quantity of risk. The reinsurers price and quantity preferences along with subjectivities (or conditions) are then submitted to Tremor as a blind and sealed quote, which allows them to put forward their best offer without revealing their trading strategy. All the aggregate bids of the reinsurers that participate in the auctionthe individual supply curvesare stitched together into a large aggregate supply curve, which slopes upwards from left to right, as a blue s-curve. This chart shows quote counts by quantity. This heads-up display shows the buyers for the first time the real midpoint of the market along with how much capacity was willing to bid under, and over, the market clearing price, he said. Bourgeois defined market clearing price as the equilibrium price of where the market should trade. Tremor then automatically renders to the buyer an aggregate supply curve of all the capacity quoting for the program, with best and final prices. This means if there are 20 reinsurers competing on a placement, we can show you the full market for your placement and the optimal clearing price in a way that the traditional market simply cannot, for your 20 reinsurers. After it sees the full view of the competition for each placement, the insurance company chooses its price and fill or limit placed. The insurer decides how much coverage it wants to buy, its demand, subject to its particular constraints, which can include maximum allocations per reinsurer and a preferred subset of reinsurers. Its exactly the right amount of capacity needed to clear the amount of limit that the cedent wants and no more. So, theres no oversubscription, and no sign-downs needed. The perfect clearing price is revealed where aggregate supply intersects their demand. In the above example graphic, the clearing price for $50 million of limit is 22.06 percent rate-on-line, which respects all constraints from the insurers and reinsurers simultaneously, Bourgeois noted. Its exactly the right amount of capacity needed to clear the amount of limit that the cedent wants and no more. So, theres no oversubscription, and no sign-downs needed. Supply perfectly meets demand, satisfying the [insurers and reinsurers] constraints every time. Bourgeois called this the most competitive capacity because these are not indications or modeled prices; these curves are actual, bindable best and final offers from reinsurers. Quick Auction Process Although reinsurers are given several days to enter their data, Bourgeois said the process usually takes only minutes, while the auction process and computation only take a few hours. After the auction, Tremor reports the price selected by the insurer and the quantity purchased and who gets what percentage of each layer. Reinsurers receive the precise quantity they asked for at the price they required, whether that price is rate-on-line for a non-proportional placement or ceding commission for a proportional placement, at the perfect market clearing price for everyone, with no oversubscription, sign-downs or follow-on negotiations required, he said. The data flows back into the pre-agreed contract, and lines are signed the same day, Bourgeois said. Its very, very fast at the end of the process. He explained that because the reinsurer authorization process is limited to only a few days and there is no further negotiation on the contract, the entire placement process on Tremor is less than a week. Pre-Auction Preparation Before risks are entered on the Tremor platform, the insurance company and its broker design the structure of the placement, such as layers for non-proportional reinsurance. They choose their reinsurer markets and then present the submission with the wording. In a Tremor placement, contract terms are finalized upfront before the pricing and allocation step, he said. In the traditional market, however, the price is set first and then the features of the product are often sorted out later. Thats really inefficient and not good for buyersor necessary. Bourgeois emphasized its much better to first pin down contract terms, perhaps with one or two options, and then use technology to price and allocate. Once we compute the allocations based on the cedents desired price and fill, lines can be signed immediately and the contract can be signed. Common Clearing Price; Independent Third Party Bourgeois believes that Tremors platform is unique in its ability to compute a single common clearing price and simultaneously syndicate risk, subject to everyones constraints. He said that some companies call themselves marketplaces, but they offer administrative technology, rather than true marketplace technology. From our perspective, a marketplace is only a marketplace from a technology perspective if you can find the common price and determine who gets what. Tremor is agnostic about the products that trade on the platform. It doesnt matter if its property or casualty, treaty or facultative, or proportional or non-proportional. As long as you need to have a common price found and syndicated allocation, we can be very helpful. Property reinsurance was a natural place for Tremor to start but it also has done some catastrophe bond placements, industry loss warranties (ILWs) as well as some major casualty treaties. He said Tremor also has started to engage with several large excess and surplus lines carriers and is also working with a large number of captives to help them buy their reinsurance protection. Its kind of like the fox running the henhouse; brokers are out to get the best deal possible for their buyers. One of the major attractions of Tremor is that it operates an impartial, third-party marketplace, said Bourgeois. Similar platforms have been developed and owned by brokers in the past but have failed to take off because they had a conflict in that they represented one side of the marketthe reinsurance buyers, he emphasized. Its kind of like the fox running the henhouse; brokers are out to get the best deal possible for their buyers. As a result, reinsurers dont want to give a broker-owned auction platform their best and final authorizations and inform the broker of their complete trading strategy, which ultimately would benefit the brokers client now and in the future, he said. On broker-owned platforms, reinsurers are not likely to provide their best and final authorizations, which would inform the broker of their trading strategy, which is highly problematic for reinsurers. At the end of the day, a marketplace has to be third-party, independent technology, otherwise its just not going to work very well. Another problem for brokers that want to develop these platforms is that they have a hard time building acceptance by their own producers. Bourgeois explained that brokers make a good living from the traditional way of placing reinsurance, profiting from opacity, so they arent often motivated to start placing risks on even their own auction platforms. Tremor has secured agreements with eight major reinsurance brokers, which represent more than 95 percent of reinsurance placements worldwide. Nevertheless, Bourgeois did not believe that Tremor would disintermediate brokers. Tremor works in cooperation with brokers to optimize outcomes, he said, explaining that using Tremor doesnt mean an insurer has to abandon its broker relationships. Indeed, Tremor has secured agreements with eight major reinsurance brokers, which represent more than 95 percent of reinsurance placements worldwide. As a result, if youre working with a broker, its incredibly likely they have an agreement with Tremor and can help you place part or all of your program on the platform. However, its not a requirement for Tremor to have an agreement with a cedents broker in order to work with that cedent and place its reinsurance. He said that insurance company members on Tremor can invite their brokers to have a view of the auction process. It depends on the buyer and whether they want the broker to be in the Tremor platform; its totally up to them. Were willing to manage it however they would like it. Tremor is beginning to push some restructuring in the market, which is healthy, he said, but brokers will remain a very important part of the advisory process for a company thats looking to purchase reinsurance. We, at Tremor, believe that the price and allocation piece should be done with technology. The broker is not directly involved in price discovery or allocation in the Tremor system, as is the case in all modern capital markets, Bourgeois said. However, a broker is still very much involved in a programmatic transaction on Tremor because theyre going to advise the ceding company how to structure their program; theyre going to help them build their submission, he continued. Theyre probably going to run property-catastrophe models for property business. Theyre probably going to help in the selection of the reinsurance panel. Theyll probably handle the premiums. Theyll probably handle claims verification. So theres still an important role for brokers to play. Bourgeois noted that the building of a submission, exposure information and contract wording is completed before an insurer puts its risk on the platform, which is a major part of a brokers role. Part of the market structure has to change for efficiencies to be delivered, he affirmed. And, I think, ultimately that will be good for everyone and ultimately good for brokers who embrace it. Bourgeois said he often hears that insurance and reinsurance is special in that its an industry based on trading relationships built over many decadesand it is not just about computers and market efficiencies. Inevitably these comments tend to come from people with limited experience working in industries where this type of trading has evolved and is now common, so the echo chamber has them believing that reinsurance is somehow unique with regards to relationships. The reality is that every industry is built on relationships, including most of financial services, and this doesnt change with computers, he continued. Buyers still need to choose their counterparties. Relationships still matter. This doesnt change as dramatically as people seem to think it will. (Related article: Reinsurance Pricing Technology That Works During Hard and Soft Markets) This article first was published in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. Topics Reinsurance Sean Bourgeois, the chief executive officer of Tremor, often hears people say that his companys reinsurance price optimization technology works best in a soft market, when theres a lot of competition and everybody wants to be on programs. Thats incorrect, he stressed. Tremor provides the perfect clearing price, whether the market is hardening or softening. In a softening market, oversubscription is more prevalent, but even in a hardening market, some oversubscription can occur, he told Carrier Management in a recent interview. Tremor is still going to get you the best price regardless of a hardening or softening market. (Read related article, Why Reinsurance Prices Are Wrongand How to Fix Them for a detailed description of how Tremor works.) And, there also can be a problem with undersubscription in the traditional market, which, he said can be just as bad as oversubscriptionand occurs during both hard and soft markets. If its a rapidly hardening market, prices may be accelerating and then suddenly your program is dramatically short if your broker guesses wrongthen you pay the price for being wrong. When the program is undersubscribed, the broker has to double back and the ceding company can end up with much higher prices for the risk. If a broker undersubscribes a program and guesses too low on the initial price, the ceding company will pay a hefty penalty to fill the balance because the process needs to start over. Reinsurers will know the firm order terms were far too ambitious and filling the remainder is going to cost the buyer a huge premium, Bourgeois said. Tremor resolves this problem by showing the ceding company the optimal clearing price required up front. Getting to Know Tremor and Bourgeois Tremor was launched late in 2017 and spent the following year building the application and then went to market in late 2018 when it was able to sign up about 70 reinsurers as members. Over the past three years, it has been steadily building its marketplace and now has 11 insurance company and 115 reinsurance company members. Members include Lloyds syndicates and insurance linked securities (ILS) funds. Bourgeois said that discussions are under way with 70 more insurers around the world, and most of the major reinsurers are members of the platform. There are about 300 to 400 [insurers] that we would very much like to do business with and maybe 500 to a thousand that could benefit from using Tremor. In terms of capital on the Tremor platform, Bourgeois said theres about $500 billion of reinsurance capital available for ceding companies that want to place programs. Included in that total are 33 individual Lloyds syndicates and their managing agencies, which Bourgeois said represent about 70% of the market, or $33 billion of capacity. To date, Tremor has priced a bit more than $4 billion of reinsurance risk. Tremor has raised more than $20 million and its investors include W.R. Berkley, Markel, Nephila, and several venture capital firms. Bourgeois, who is both founder and CEO of the Boston-based technology firm, started his career in financial services as an associate at Putnam Investments in Boston. He then moved into the reinsurance industry and trained as an underwriter at Constitution Re, which was later acquired. He then moved on to Transatlantic Re, underwriting in both in the European and U.S. markets. He spent a third of his career in reinsurance, which provided him with the overall view that the market needed to become more efficient. Bourgeois subsequently moved to the technology sector where he worked for companies like Yahoo! and AOL where he worked on marketplace product teams designing market clearing mechanisms powered by technologies similar to what powers Tremor today. With these types of career experiences he had a birds eye view of how the ad market moved from a subscription market to a programmatically traded market over a short six or seven year period. These companies created an ecosystem of multiple exchanges, bidding technologies, and data management platforms. It took a number of years for programmatic markets to succeed, but once they took off, these markets never looked back. It provided him with the idea for a programmatically traded market for the reinsurance industry. Bourgeois holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University, a Master of Science degree from Northwestern University and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Chicago. (Read related article, Why Reinsurance Prices Are Wrongand How to Fix Them for a detailed description of how Tremor works.) This article first was published in Insurance Journals sister publication, Carrier Management. Topics Tech Reinsurance A U.S. appeals court said Facebook can pursue a lawsuit accusing Israels NSO Group of exploiting a bug in its WhatsApp messaging app to install malware allowing the surveillance of 1,400 people, including journalists, human rights activists and dissidents. In a 3-0 decision on Monday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco rejected privately owned NSOs claim it was immune from being sued because it had acted as a foreign government agent. Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms Inc., sued NSO for an injunction and damages in October 2019, accusing it of accessing WhatsApp servers without permission six months earlier to install its Pegasus malware on victims mobile devices. NSO has argued that Pegasus helps law enforcement and intelligence agencies fight crime and protect national security. It was appealing a trial judges July 2020 refusal to award it conduct-based immunity, a common law doctrine protecting foreign officials acting in their official capacity. Upholding that ruling, Circuit Judge Danielle Forrest said it was an easy case because NSOs mere licensing of Pegasus and offering technical support did not shield it from liability under federal law, which took precedence over common law. Whatever NSOs government customers do with its technology and services does not render NSO an agency or instrumentality of a foreign state,' Forrest wrote. Thus, NSO is not entitled to the protection of foreign sovereign immunity. The case will return to U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in Oakland, California. Asked for comment on the decision, NSO said in an email that its technology helps defend the public against serious crime and terrorism, and that it stands undeterred in its mission. WhatsApp spokesman Joshua Breckman in an email called the decision an important step in holding NSO accountable for its attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and government leaders. Facebooks case drew support from Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc.s Google and Cisco Systems Corp., which in a court filing called surveillance technology such as Pegasus powerful, and dangerous. On Nov. 3, the U.S. government blacklisted NSO and Israels Candiru for allegedly providing spyware to governments that used it to maliciously target journalists, activists and others. The case is WhatsApp Inc et al v NSO Group Technologies Ltd et al, 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 20-16408. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Additional reporting by Elizabeth Culliford; editing by Jonathan Oatis) Topics Lawsuits USA The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Nov. 5 affirmed the dismissal of another lawsuit seeking coverage for COVID-19 business-interruption losses, this one filed jointly by 16 private pre-schools in Ohio. It was the third ruling by the 6th Circuit in the past two months that found government shut-down orders did not cause a direct physical damage or loss, and the eighth decision on that point by federal appellate courts. Federal judges have overwhelmingly ruled against similar claims, as well as state court judges to a lesser extent. Attorneys for the preschools conceded that they could not prevail on three of their four arguments for coverage after the 6th Circuit ruled against similar points in the two previous cases. But they hoped a provision in the insurance policies issued by a unit of the Tokio Marine Group that provided coverage for communicable diseases and waterborne pathogens would prompt a different result. The 6th Circuits opinion notes that the plaintiffs did not allege that any of their customers had actually contracted COVID-19. The court said the policy unambiguously stated that coverage under the communicable disease provision was triggered only if a shutdown order stems from an actual illness. A contracts failure to define every term does not make it ambiguous,' the opinion says. Nor is a term ambiguous just because there are multiple readings.' The 16 preschools, which do business as The Goddard School, filed suit after Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Co. denied their claims for income lost because of state orders that forced them to close down on March 25, 2020. They argued coverage was owed under the building-and-personal-property, business income, civil authority and communicable disease provisions of the policies. U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Daggett Morrison in Columbus granted summary judgment in favor of the insurer. Without a material change in the propertys condition, there could not have been damage,' the opinion says, summarizing Morrisons ruling. Without dispossession or the propertys destruction, there could not have been loss.' The preschools appealed. The plaintiffs attorneys acknowledged that the 6th Circuits ruling on Sept. 22 that affirmed the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by Santos Italian Cafe made it impossible to prevail on three of the policy provisions, but they held out for the communicable disease provision in the policy. While they did not say in the pleadings that anyone at the contracted COVID-19, they alleged that people who had been on the properties had exhibited symptoms of the disease. The attorneys interpreted the wording of the policy to require coverage for income lost because of a shutdown order issued for any communicable disease, not necessarily a disease that had been detected on its property. The appellate panel didnt read the policy the same way. Even though the Ohio Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue, the 6th Circuit said it can predict how the states high court will interpret Ohio law. Like the Santos court, we appreciate the singular challenges that COVID-19 has caused for businesses like Dakota Girls, the opinion concludes. But those challenges do not give us license to rewrite the plain terms of an insurance policy to confer upon the appellants a form of coverage for which they never contracted. Topics COVID-19 Ohio K 12 A U.S. federal judge on Monday ruled United Airlines Holdings Inc. can impose a COVID-19 vaccine mandate on its employees that only provides unpaid leave for workers who are exempted for medical or religious reasons. U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman in Fort Worth, Texas, rejected arguments by employees that the airline was improperly putting them in an impossible position by forcing them to choose a vaccine or unpaid leave. Pittman was critical of United Airlines approach toward employees seeking religious exemptions, but said in the end, human resources policy was up to the company and no employee was forced to accept a vaccine. An attorney for the employees did not respond to a request for comment. The ruling comes as U.S. employers are gearing up to comply with rules issued by the Biden Administration that require companies with at least 100 employees to get their workers vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular testing. Employer mandates, which include exemptions for religious and medical reasons, have generally been upheld by courts. United Airlines was the first major air carrier to impose a vaccine requirement and others have since followed. United provided around 2,000 exemptions. But employees in roles including pilots, flight attendants and customer service agents had to take unpaid leave until the pandemic ended. United said in a statement it was pleased with the ruling and would try to find non-customer facing roles for exempted employees. If they refuse they will be placed on leave, United said. The plaintiffs alleged United violated its legal obligations by not accommodating exempted employees as most companies have by allowing them to continue in their role while submitting to regular testing and wearing a mask. They also said they would lose seniority and other benefits if placed on leave. The company said allowing unvaccinated employees in the workplace would undermine safety of its flights, although Pittman noted the company acknowledged there was almost no chance of COVID-19 outbreaks on its planes. Pittman said he was disturbed by Uniteds seemingly thoughtless approach to its employees concerns about taking the vaccine. Uniteds mandate thus reflects an apathy, if not antipathy, for many of its employees concerns and a dearth of toleration for those expressing diversity of thought. Legal claims relating to exemption accommodations are usually addressed through an administrative process with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission before a lawsuit is filed. (Reporting by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware, Editing by Rosalba OBrien, Chris Reese and Lincoln Feast.) Topics COVID-19 Legislation Aviation Digital insurer Lemonade plans to acquire California-based pay-per-mile auto insurance startup Metromile in an all-stock transaction as it continues to expand, Carrier Management reported. With the agreement, the New York-based insurtech stands to gain a national foothold in car insurance, on top of its expanding presence in home, renters, pet and life insurance. Lemonades own auto insurance product -Lemonade Car only launched in Illinois a week ago. Metromile has 49 state licenses. In addition, Lemonade will add Metromiles more than $100 million of in-force auto insurance premium, more than $250 million of cash on its balance sheet, and the pay-per-mile insurers experience using big data and artificial intelligence for car insurance. Lemonades auto products includes an app that uses telematics to measure how much and how safe people drive. Metromile has been down this road billions of times, and their proprietary data and machine learning algorithms can vault us over the most time and cost intensive parts of the [auto insurance expansion] journey, Daniel Schreiber, Lemonade CEO and co-founder, said in prepared remarks. The deal has a fully diluted equity value of approximately $500 million, or just over $200 million net of cash. Transaction terms call for Metromile shareholders to receive Lemonade common shares at a ratio of 19 to 1. Plans call for closing the M&A agreement during the 2022 second quarter, once all regulatory approvals have been secured. Metromile stockholders must also sign off on the agreement, which is additionally subject to other customary closing conditions. Schreiber added in a blog posting that both companies employ kindred spirits and that they had a near-perfect overlap of vision and culture yet also have zero overlap in products and licenses. Dan Preston, CEO of Metromile, said the combined company will create the most customer-centric, fair and affordable car insurance, and is a great outcome for Metromile shareholders, who will benefit as shareholders of the combined company. Neither side commented on what will happen to Metromile initiatives such as its partnership with Hippo Insurance to offer home and auto insurance production by way of a new bundled discount Schreiber said that Metromile can identify low-risk drivers with unrivaled precision and give savings commensurate with their reduced risk as much as 47 percent savings for those who switch. But, he claims, Metromiles pure loss ratio is within 10 percentage points of the direct business of full-stack carrier rivals GEICO and Progressive. Technology advantages aside, Metromile has struggled to gain traction in the marketplace. Metromile, which was founded in 2011, became a public company in February 2021 after a reverse merger/special purpose acquisition company transaction, and it has been widely rumored to be struggling in recent months. Schreiber appeared to acknowledge this in his blog posting. While Metromile may not be celebrated for its growth, those in the know recognize its primacy at harnessing telematics and data science to match rate to risk, Schreiber said. The extent of this mastery became clear to us once we got a good look under the hood, though Covid-19 provided the industry with a glimpse too as customers went more digital. Metromile reported 95,314 policies in force as of Q2 2021, compared to 95,958 at the end of Q1 2021, according to its second-quarter shareholder letter. It had 93,117 policies in force in Q2 2020. The company booked just $27.8 million in direct earned premium in the second quarter and remains unprofitable. Metromile had vowed to be all digital but launched an independent agent program earlier this year arguing they could also be a good source of revenue. Lemonade reported a customer base that surpassed 1.2 million as of the 2021 second quarter, up from 814,200 the previous year. The company lost $55.6 million, versus a $21 million loss the previous year. Lemonade was scheduled to release its 2021 third quarter earnings later on Nov. 8. Lemonades stock closed at $70.97 on Nov. 8, though it dropped 5 percent in after-hours trading after the M&A news broke. Metromiles stock closed at $3.16, and it jumped more than 8.5 percent in after-hours trading. Source: Lemonade, Metromile Topics Mergers Carriers Auto InsurTech Tech Unsealed emails reveal the role baby-powder maker Johnson & Johnson played in a report that an industry group submitted to U.S. regulators deciding whether to keep warnings off talc-based products linked to cancer. The emails unsealed in the state of Mississippis lawsuit against J&J over its refusal to add a safety warning show J&J and its talc supplier chose the scientists hired by their trade association, the Personal Care Products Council, to write the 2009 report assessing talc-based powders health risks. They also show the researchers changed the final version of their report at the companies behest. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it relied in part on the report in its decision to forgo a warning for the product. The emails among executives of J&J and Rio Tinto Minerals, its supplier at the time, provide a behind-the-scenes glimpse of dealings between companies and their industry group that successfully fended off a cancer warning on talc-based powders for nearly 40 years. Now, almost 39,000 users and their families are suing J&J, most claiming their ovarian cancers and those of loved ones were linked to asbestos, the potent carcinogen in the products pulled from U.S. and Canadian shelves in May 2020. J&Js shares fell 0.8% at 11 a.m. in New York. They had risen 3.8% this year through Friday. Dependence on industry data creates a situation thats ripe for lobbyists to exert pressure on the FDA. The unsealed emails pull back the curtain on how such efforts get launched, who pays for them, and who has a hand in delivering the final product to regulators. Ghost-Written Materials While the practice of companies having a say in industry group submissions to the FDA isnt new or illegal, the emails reveal just how involved J&J got in a report meant to assess product safety down to selecting individual scientists to produce it and having them write an executive summary. This is just another example of industry not being transparent about where the science is coming from, said Peter Doshi, a University of Maryland professor who specializes in the drug-approval process. Consumers rely on the FDA to make independent decisions on the benefits and harms of products they use every day. Submitting ghost-written materials subverts that process. J&J denied any wrongdoing in its decision not to acknowledge its input to the report that the PCPC lobbying group sent to the FDA. Read More: J&J Sets Aside Almost $4 Billion for Talc Verdict The company acted in an appropriate and transparent manner, in its interactions with the products council and the FDA, Allison Brown, a lawyer for Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom who represents J&J in talc suits, said in an email. Many different members of the PCPC were involved in reviewing the report and many different members contributed to the cost of the research, which is why the report was submitted on behalf of PCPC, she said. Mushrooming Litigation Lisa Powers, a spokeswoman for the cosmetic-industrys PCPC lobbying group, said it maintained the highest standards of professional conduct and transparency in connection with the response to the warning-label requests. The agency is perfectly aware of our role as a trade association and knows that we only act with input from our member companies, Powers said in an email. FDA officials acknowledged they weighed the PCPCs response to the citizens petitions demanding a warning for talc-based powders before finding there was inconclusive evidence the mineral caused ovarian and other forms of cancer. The FDA reviewed and considered all of the information submitted to us in the two petitions, the comments received in response to the petitions, and additional scientific information, said Tara Rabin, a spokeswoman. Plaintiffs attorneys introduced some of the emails as evidence in a trial of three womens claims that J&Js baby powder caused their ovarian cancers, according to court filings. The womens lawyers said the emails showed that the talc-maker surreptitiously influenced the FDAs decision on a health warning. A jury in that case backed J&Js contention the powder didnt cause the womens illnesses. The company has seen talc lawsuits against it jump nearly 1,500% since 2016, the first year it reported details about the litigation, according to an analysis of filings. Over the last year alone, suits related to asbestos and ovarian cancer targeting the talc-based powders increased 43%. The litigation has mushroomed to the point where J&J officials said they were forced to put a newly created unit into bankruptcy in hopes of corralling current and future cases. J&J is putting $2 billion into a trust in hopes of forcing a resolution. Policing Capacity The emails also highlight the FDAs limited capacity to police ubiquitous consumer goods that millions of Americans assume are safe. Recently, a private laboratory found carcinogens in a number of sunscreens made by J&J and other big manufacturers that went unnoticed by the agency. J&J has said its investigating how the cancer-causing chemical ended up in the products. The same laboratory asked for recalls of deodorants and antiperspirants that have been found to contain the cancer-causing chemical, benzene. Currently led by Acting Commissioner Janet Woodcock, the FDA has long been more focused on oversight of the $1.3 trillion U.S. drug industry and $6.2 trillion food sector than cosmetics, worth about $49 billion annually. The agencys cosmetics-monitoring budget is just $14 million. The agency doesnt review personal-care products for safety before they go on sale, as it does with drugs. Even when surveillance systems pinpoint concerns, its recourse is limited. They do not do independent research themselves, said Susan Wood, an associate professor of health policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services who served as FDAs associate commissioner for womens health from 2000 to 2005. The vast majority of the data that comes into the FDA is funded by the companies. Read More: Biogen Alzheimers Drug Puts FDAs Judgment in Spotlight As far back as 1983, public-health advocates and consumers pushed the FDA to mandate cancer warnings on talc-based powders. In 1994 and again in 2008, Samuel Epstein, a University of Illinois environmental-health professor and head of the Cancer Prevention Coalition, filed citizen petitions demanding such a warning. The second asked the FDA to require J&J and other companies that sold them to alert consumers that frequent application of talcum powder in the female genital area substantially increases the risk of ovarian cancer. In 2014, Mississippis attorney general accused J&J of violating the states consumer-protection laws by refusing to add the warning. The state is seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages and penalties. Emails unsealed in that case show Epsteins warning request prompted officials at Rio Tinto, the predecessor to Paris-based talc mining firm Imerys SA, to swing into action. In a series of 2008 emails, Craig Bernard, then a Rio Tinto regulatory affairs manager, said hed talked with his counterpart at J&J about teaming up to respond to Epsteins warning request. J&Js Kathleen Wille had proposed spending $50,000 to fund external experts to provide scientific arguments against the petition with the recommendation of rejecting it, Bernard said in his emails. J&J suggested hiring Joshua Muscat, a Penn State University cancer researcher, and Michael Huncharek, a Greenville, South Carolina-based internist who did cancer research earlier in his career, to respond to Epsteins petition. The two had earlier found no relationship between talc user and cancer, according to Bernards emails. Behind the Scenes The emails show the PCPC officially hired Muscat and Huncharek. Neither scientist responded to requests for comment on the companys editing of the review. It was Wille who suggested the companies submit the scientists final report through the lobbying group rather than in their own names, the emails show. While the companies would provide much of the work behind the scenes, using the lobbying group would allow them to indirectly provide comments to the FDA about Epsteins requests, she said in the emails. In another 2008 email, Bernard said Wille recounted a meeting with an unnamed FDA manager who oversaw cosmetic products. That official said the agency was inclined to nix Epsteins warning request, but wanted scientific support from industry to help justify their position, Bernard wrote. Muscat and Hunchareks report could serve that purpose, he added. The FDAs Rabin said the agency was not aware of such an encounter. J&J and Wille, now retired, also deny such a meeting ever took place. Brown, the J&J company lawyer, says Bernard confused it with a different meeting between Wille and John Bailey, the former head of the industrys lobbying arm. Neither Bailey nor Bernard responded to emails seeking comment on the alleged miscommunication. Wille acknowledged in an affidavit she reviewed and provided comments about the scientific analysis prepared by the experts retained by the trade associations experts, but denied altering the analysis, opinions or any scientific finding contained in the experts report. J&J convened a November 2008 meeting to make any needed modifications or suggestions before the industry group sent the report to the FDA, Bernard said in an email. In an email Huncharek sent Wille later that month about the scientists final report, he noted an executive summary was added and editorial changes made per our meeting. J&J officials refused to comment on what specific changes were made to the reports final version. The summary requested by the company says in part that we conclude that the weak statistical associations cited in the petition do not support a causal relationship. Difficult to Dismiss It wasnt until April 1, 2014 that FDA officials formally denied Epsteins warning-label requests in a decision that relied on Muscats and Hunchareks report. While the growing body of evidence to support a possible association between genital talc exposure and serous ovarian cancer is difficult to dismiss, according to the decision, the evidence is insufficient for FDA to require as definitive a warning as you are seeking. That decision held up even after J&J pulled the talc products in the U.S. and Canada last year. In the meantime, the company has lost about a dozen court cases to women blaming baby powder for their tumors, including one for $2.1 billion that the U.S. Supreme Court left intact on appeal. Many of those cases are on hold while a bankruptcy judge weighs the J&J units Chapter 11 filing. Since 2017, J&J has won more than a dozen talc trials, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. In a filing earlier, J&J noted it has obtained a number of defense verdicts, but didnt provide a specific number. Officials also said in the filing some plaintiffs verdicts over its iconic baby powder have been reversed on appeal. Still, the company faces as much as $7.5 billion in potential settlement losses from the suits, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Holly Froum. The State of Mississippi v. Johnson & Johnson, Civil Action No. 25CH1:14-cv-001207; In the Chancery Court for the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi. Copyright 2021 Bloomberg. Two Florida representatives have joined the list of officials pushing for a change in the National Flood Insurance Program. U.S. Rep. Val Demings, R-Orlando, who is running for the Senate, is one of 17 cosponsors of the NFIP Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2021, HR 5802. U.S. Rep. Charlie Crist, a candidate for Florida governor, also has signed on to the bill. Other sponsors include U.S. Reps. Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana, Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, and Frank Pallone, D-New Jersey. The similar Senate bill, S 3128, is co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Florida, whom Demings plans to challenge in the Senate race next year. With the much-debated flood insurance program up for reauthorization again next month, and the program following a new risk rating system, critics on boths sides of the aisle have said that major changes are needed. The House bill would cap premium increases at 9%. Thousands of homeowners rates are expected to increase significantly due to the new rating system, which rates a propertys vulnerability based on many new factors. Some properties on higher ground, but still in the flood zone, for example, should see decreases in rates, while lower-lying parcels should see spikes, officials have said. The House bill also would: Create an affordability program to ensure coverage for low- and middle-income families. Allow states to offer low-interest loans to homeowners, businesses, non-profits and communities for flood mitigation and resiliency projects. Cap the compensation paid to private insurers that write flood insurance policies that are backed with reinsurance from the NFIP, known as write your own policies. Authorize $500 million per year for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to modernize its flood maps, using light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology for more accurate mapping. Institute policyholder protection and fairness provisions to ensure homeowners who faithfully paid their premiums are treated fairly during the claims process. Require the disclosure of flood risk and prior flood damage claims to lessors and homebuyers before transfer of the property. The House bill has been sent to the House Financial Services Committee, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Ways and Means Committee. Floridas other senator, Rick Scott, also has introduced bills that would bring significant changes to the NFIP. Topics Flood Another federal court has dismissed a COVID-19 virus-coverage lawsuit brought by a company that had its business-interruption claim denied by its insurance carrier. In Agilitas USA vs. Hartford Fire Insurance Co., the U.S. District Court for Middle Tennessee found that the insurance policy contained a virus exclusion. That barred payment for the physical therapy firms loss of income, which was forced when the Tennessee governor shut down non-essential businesses early in the pandemic. Agilitas, doing business as Results Physiotherapy, had argued that Hartfords denial was inappropriate because the loss of revenue was not the result of the coronavirus, but was due to the governors shutdown order. U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger didnt buy it. The plaintiffs loss or damage was inescapably caused directly or indirectly by the coronavirus, and the virus exclusion clause applies, the judge wrote in a Nov. 2 memorandum about the dismissal order. Agilitas, which has physical therapy centers in eight Southern states and in Indiana, also argued that the business income clause of the policy applied. But the judge said that clause provides coverage only for direct physical loss or damage to the plaintiffs properties. The plaintiff devotes a substantial quantity of ink to its argument that the policy does not define the terms damage or loss and that, under Tennessee law, the court must interpret these terms in the disjunctive, as distinct from each other, and that the term loss should be construed to encompass its loss of access to the covered premises, Trauger wrote. The judge disagreed with the plaintiff, citing a September ruling by the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in an Ohio case. In Henderson Road Restaurant Systems vs. Zurich American Insurance Co., the appeals court held that the policys coverage for direct physical losses did not apply to loss of income from the COVID shutdown. The Agilitas ruling in Tennessee came the same day that the 6th Circuit affirmed the dismissal of a similar lawsuit brought by preschools in Ohio. The centers had argued that the insurance company, Philadelphia Indemnity, had wrongfully denied their business interruption claim. The shutdown orders did not cause physical damage to the business, the appeals court said. Nationwide, virus coverage suits have fared poorly in the courts, especially in federal courts. The University of Pennsylvania Law Schools litigation tracker reports that in federal courts, insurers have asked that 509 suits be dismissed. Judges have agreed to dismiss 93% of those. Most of those have been dismissed with prejudice and cannot be filed again. In the Agilitas case, the plaintiffs did not make the argument that seems to have gained some traction in at least one federal courtroom. In Novant Health Inc. vs. American Guarantee and Liability Insurance, in North Carolina, attorneys for the health system maintained that the virus had physically damaged the air inside the clinics. For that and because of contradictory language in the insurance policy, the U.S. District Court in North Carolina has made a rare exception and has allowed the lawsuit to proceed. Topics Lawsuits COVID-19 Tennessee A lawsuit alleges that Hawaii officials unlawfully disclosed the COVID-19 vaccination statuses of nearly 300 Department of Public Safety employees. The Hawaii Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers unions said in a lawsuit filed last week that vaccination statuses were deliberately and intentionally released in violation of medical privacy laws, Hawaii Tribune-Herald reported Wednesday. According to the lawsuit, an internal email in August said, You are receiving this email to notify you that you must upload a negative Covid-19 test every Monday, using a web link. The email used carbon copy or cc for recipients, instead of blind carbon copy, or bcc, which wouldnt have shown the addresses of others receiving the message, the Hilo newspaper reported. Department Director Max Otani, in response to a complaint letter, said a review found no unethical actions or violations of medical privacy laws, according to the lawsuit. Otani said the human resources officer mistakenly placed the email addresses in the cc field instead of the bcc field and immediately but unsuccessfully tried to recall the email and apologized to those who received it. The department said it doesnt comment on pending litigation. Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Mechanical engineering firm Buttimer Engineering has been named Tipperary's Business of the Year at the annual awards ceremony hosted by the Tipperary Chamber of Commerce. The awards received their greatest number of applications on record and were adjudicated by an independent panel led by Gillian Barry of the Technological University of the Shannon. Buttimer Engineering, which took the top award which was sponsored by Boston Scientific, is a diversified firm specialising in bulk materials handling systems and high-quality steel fabrication. Based in Cahir, Co Tipperary, they operate in a wide range of industries serving clients in Ireland, the UK and Europe. Over the last 40 years, the company has grown its team to over 100 employees. Their application impressed judges as it illustrated a remarkable strategy in the areas of innovation, growth, value proposition to its customers and its contribution to the region. Speaking of the win Fergal Buttimer said: We are delighted to win this award, it really means so much and I would like to thank the County Tipperary Chamber of Commerce and all the sponsors who supported todays event. This award is a testament to the hard work, expert skills and vision of the entire staff at Buttimer Engineering and a brilliant boost for everyone on the team. We are privileged to be in such highly esteemed company today and congratulations to all the winners. Chamber president, Paula Carney-Hoffler said it has been a tough couple of years for everyone. "A war of attrition for many of us in the business community but the resilience, adaptability and tenacity of the Tipperary Business Awards winners has really shone through this afternoon and given everyone a great lift." "There is no doubt about it, the future for Tipperary businesses is bright, in fact, we were blown away by the sheer volume of entries received in the start-up and new emerging business category sponsored by the Local Enterprise Office, so watch this space. Sr Eileen Fahey founder of Aiseiri wins the President's Award at the Tipperary Chamber of Commerce Business Awards Sr Eileen Fahey, the founder of Aiseiri, won the prestigious Presidents Award. In 1983, she set up a treatment centre for those struggling with addiction and their families. To this day Aiseiri is a place where there is a wealth of understanding, care and experience, that can help those living in the despair of addiction, take the first vital step to recovery. Sr Eileen said: "I really feel that I am accepting this award on behalf of all the people who have been involved in Aiseiri since the early days, this award is for them." A drunk passenger who was left on the side of a dark motorway after being thrown off a bus after becoming violent was killed a short time later by a passing vehicle, an inquest has heard. Stephen ODriscoll, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision on the M9 near the junction at Kilcullen, Co Kildare, on December 7, 2019. An inquest at Kildare Coroners Court heard the father of one from The Laurels, Tullow Road, Carlow, had been told to get off the bus by the driver of a J J Kavanagh service operating from Dublin Airport to Waterford after hitting his sister, Chloe, in the face and becoming aggressive and abusive. The driver, Johannes Benade, gave evidence that Mr ODriscoll and his sister had been joking and in good humour when they boarded the bus in Dublin, while all passengers appeared to be in a relaxed Christmas mood. However, he said his attention was drawn to an incident by another passenger during the journey who said: Hes punched her in the face. You got to do something about it. Mr Benade said other passengers were so afraid they had moved up towards the front of the bus and he saw Ms ODriscolls face was bleeding. Atmosphere of fear There was an atmosphere of fear from the passengers, he recalled. The driver said that after escorting her brother off the bus, Mr ODriscoll kicked the door twice. Although Mr ODriscolls sister also wanted to get off the bus, the driver said he would not let her as he feared for her safety. Mr Benade said he was assessing the situation to see if he could allow the passenger back on the bus when the window of the bus door was shattered by a naggin bottle of vodka thrown by Mr ODriscoll. Up to that point I was happy to let him back, he added. A family photo of the late Stephen O'Driscoll and his son Cail. Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins Dublin The driver said he then decided to move off as the passengers behaviour was both unpredictable and violent and his paramount concern was for the safety of his other passengers. He stopped about 500m down the road and decided to continue on the journey after checking other passengers were happy to do so. Mr Benade said he got a call the following day to inform him a male had been knocked down on the motorway near where the incident happened. Offering condolences to Mr ODriscolls family, he said: I did not mean for any harm to come to this man. Mr Benade said he had not received any training in crowd control and he was unsure if he would have been able to manage the situation if Mr ODriscoll had been allowed back on the bus. He could not say if stopping the bus and waiting for gardai to arrive might also have further endangered other passengers. The driver said J J Kavanagh had no procedure in place at the time to deal with such a situation but had introduced a new policy two weeks later where drivers were to alert management who would advise on what to do. A passenger on the bus, Bridget Veale, said the driver had acted in a cool, calm and non-aggressive manner in a dangerous situation. Sister's evidence Chloe ODriscoll described to the coroner, Professor Denis Cusack, how she and her brother had travelled to Dublin earlier that day for some Christmas shopping. She said the pair had consumed alcohol on the train journey to Dublin, while Stephen had bought a naggin of vodka before getting the bus home. Ms ODriscoll said her brother was in happy form and there had been no issue between them all day. During the bus journey home when they were sitting on the back seat, she said Stephen got up suddenly and hit her on the face. She said her brother had a strange look in his eyes and looked as if he didnt know me. Ms ODriscoll, who stayed on the bus to Carlow, said she tried calling him after he was removed from the bus but his mobile phone was dead. The inquest heard how several motorists had to take evasive action after suddenly coming across Mr ODriscoll on the motorway. Motorist's evidence Michael Malone, the motorist who struck Mr ODriscoll, said a man suddenly appeared in front of him on the M9 running from his side of the vehicle towards the hard shoulder. Motorist Michael Malone leaving Naas Courthouse this afternoon after giving evidence to Kildare District Coroner's Court. Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin Mr Malone, who was driving from Dublin Airport to his home in Borris, Co Carlow, said the incident happened in a split second. A forensic collision investigator, Garda John Culliton, said Mr Malone had no reasonable opportunity to avoid hitting the pedestrian given the visibility of dipped lights on an unlit section of motorway in poor weather conditions. A post mortem revealed that Mr ODriscoll died from multiple injuries to his body. It also showed he had consumed alcohol over seven times the legal drink driving limit, while cocaine and other drugs were also found in his body. Returning a verdict of accidental death, the coroner said the presence of cocaethylene, a stimulant, could have explained the victims unexpected and uncharacteristic behaviour on the night. Prof Cusak also recommended that the Road Safety Authority and Health and Safety Authority should review training, procedures and policies for bus drivers with regard to the safety of passengers and other road users in order to prevent any similar death in future. Burma Around 90 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Resistance Attacks A member of the Loikaw PDF during a firefight with regime forces in Pekon, Shan State, this month. / Loikaw PDF Around 90 junta soldiers were reportedly killed on Monday and Tuesday in civilian resistance attacks in Sagaing, Magwe and Bago regions and Chin and Shan states. On Tuesday morning, an armed group raided a police outpost on the Yangon-Mandalay highway in Phyu Township, Bago Region, according to a junta statement. During the raid, five police officers were killed and their weapons were taken, according to the regime. Pale Peoples Defense Force (PDF) claimed to have attacked around 80 junta troops traveling on the Pale-Gangaw highway in the Sagaing Region township on Monday morning. A combined deployment of the Pale PDF and other civilian resistance groups ambushed junta troops at two locations on the highway using 43 landmines. During the attacks, 34 junta troops were killed and more than 30 wounded, said Pale PDF. On Monday morning, a combined PDF deployment in Katha Township, Sagaing Region, attacked an estimated 200 regime troops in a convoy. Around 20 junta soldiers were killed and a PDF member was injured, according to the Katha PDF. On Monday evening, a force of four civilian resistance groups raided regime troops stationed at a government office in Monywa, the capital of Sagaing Region. Four junta soldiers were killed with head shots and a civilian fighter received minor injuries, a resident told The Irrawaddy. The Kawlin Revolution (KR), the media wing of the Kawlin PDF, said a firefight between the regime forces and the Kawlin PDF broke out in the township on Monday evening. The casualties are unknown. By dropping reinforcements from helicopters, the regime forces raided villages and shelled civilian targets in Kawlin. The KR said around 10,000 residents from three villages have fled their homes due to junta raids and shelling. Some villagers have died in junta raids, the KR said. On Monday evening, 15 members of the Yaw Eagle Team, a civilian resistance group using old-fashioned, homemade hunting guns and single-barrel shotguns, ambushed a military convoy of 32 vehicles traveling on the Gangaw-Kale highway in Gangaw Township, Magwe Region. During the ambush, eight junta soldiers were killed and all the resistance fighters escaped unharmed, said the resistance group. On Monday afternoon, the Gangaw PDF attacked a military convoy on the highway in Gangaw Township using landmines. Five junta soldiers were killed and around seven others wounded, said the group. Ten junta soldiers were killed an armored vehicle was damaged in fighting between regime forces and the Chin Defense Force (CDF) in Mindat on the Mindat-Matupi highway in Chin State on Monday afternoon, according to the media. More than 60 junta soldiers have been reportedly been killed on the highway in fighting with the CDF in Mindat in the past four days. Fierce firefights between regime forces and Karenni civilian armed forces continued in Pekon Township, Shan State, on Monday, according to the Karenni Nationalities Defense Force (KNDF). Regime forces torched villagers houses and some resistance fighters received minor injuries while the military casualties are unknown. The KNDF said residents fled their homes as regime forces shelled residential areas of Pekon on Monday. Except for Rakhine State, PDFs and some ethnic armed groups have escalated operations against junta forces across the country. Meanwhile, the regime has continued to commit atrocities, including bombarding residential areas, looting and burning houses, the arbitrary killing of civilians 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 Political Parties Reject Regimes Proportional Representation System Over 80 Myanmar Junta-Appointed Local Officials Resign China-Backed Myanmar Infrastructure Project Leaves Farmers Landless Burma China-Backed Myanmar Infrastructure Project Leaves Farmers Landless People using a bull-drawn cart to transport goods from a boat at a jetty in Kyaukphyu, Rakhine State in 2019. / AFP In January 2020, during the visit of Chinas President Xi Jinping to Myanmar, China and Myanmar signed concession and shareholders agreements for the Kyaukphyu Special Economic Zone (KPSEZ) and deep sea port project. Located in Rakhine State in western Myanmar, the KPSEZ and deep sea port project forms part of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) plans in Myanmar under the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC). Beijing considers the KPSEZ and the deep-sea port especially vital to the BRI, as they will give China direct access to the Indian Ocean, thereby allowing Chinese trade to bypass the congested Strait of Malacca near Singapore, while boosting development in landlocked Yunnan Province, which borders Myanmar. The KPSEZ includes plans to construct an industrial zone with facilities for textile and garment manufacturing, construction materials processing, food processing, pharmaceuticals, electronics, marine supplies and services, and research. The entire project is planned to cover 4,300 acres. The China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC) won contracts for the deep sea port and KPSEZ projects in 2015. CITIC took an 85 per cent stake in the project, according to the initial agreement signed with the former U Thein Sein administration. The now ousted National League for Democracy government renegotiated the agreement to increase Myanmars stake to 30 per cent. The initial agreement estimated the project to be worth US$9-10 billion (12-13 trillion kyats). However, both sides agreed to begin the project on a smaller scale after Myanmar raised concerns about the country being caught in a debt trap. The first phase of the port will cost around US$1.5 billion (2 trillion kyats), according to the Ministry of Commerce. With the military regimes illegitimate State Administrative Council now in power, Chinas projects in Myanmar are a high risk as they face protests from the local population. There is also a strong fear that there will be no transparency and accountability in implementing these projects. Compulsory and forcible land acquisition to expedite Chinese infrastructure projects is a common phenomenon in the countries where these projects have been implemented. In Gilgit-Baltistan in northern Pakistan, villages were set on fire and cleared to make way for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. That left thousands of local people homeless. Now, it seems that the CMEC is also headed in the same direction. While no significant work on the Kyaukphyu projects has started yet, preparations have already been made to seize 250 acres of land in the proposed KPSEZ industrial zone. The 250 acres of land belong to more than 70 local farmers from four village tracts. Now it has suddenly been revealed that out of those 250 acres of land, 60 acres belong to three unknown people who registered these land plots under Myanmars land ownership law. This sudden discovery of ownership of 60 acres has now rendered 22 local farmers as illegally occupying land that they and their families have worked for generations. Farmers in Kyaukphyu Township fear that the junta will confiscate their land in the China-backed KPSEZ without offering them any compensation. Local farmers say that they are still working their land in the project area and have not sold or transferred it to anyone. Yet, the names of the three unknown men registered as the owners of the 60 acres of land can be seen on the confiscation statement. This illegal acquisition of land has turned the original land owners/farmers into squatters. In a similar incident in Kyaukphyu Township during the construction of the offshore Shwe Gas field and pipeline project, a Myanmar military officer forcibly acquired more than 25 acres of land owned by the villagers of Pyar Tae village and demanded more than 30 million kyats in compensation. As the villagers could not pay such a hefty amount, they had to lose their land. This highlights the corruption in government departments. People who have access to information in areas impacted by such projects, work with the authorities to acquire land ownership and later seek compensation from farmers who were unaware of the land ownership transfer. There have been a number of land disputes over the Shwe Gas field and pipeline project in Kyaukphyu Township, and locals have been protesting against the companies involved. Local land ownership rights have been violated since land was confiscated in the KPSEZ area. The authorities need to reconsider these issues and address them truthfully. It is time to look at how livelihoods have been snatched away from the Myanmar people in the name of development under the BRI projects. If there is no guarantee of land or employment opportunities and the focus is just on getting the project started, it will lead to more challenges than opportunities for local people. Yan Naing is the pseudonym for a keen observer of Myanmar-China affairs. You may also like these stories: Around 150 Junta Troops Killed By Myanmar Resistance Over Weekend Electricity Office in Myanmar Capital Targeted With Bomb Blast Almost 100 Myanmar Junta Soldiers Killed in Two Days: Resistance Burma Myanmar Junta Gives Deposed Chief Minister 75 Years in Prison Karen State Chief Minister Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint. Myanmars military regime on Tuesday sentenced the ousted Karen State Chief Minister Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint to 75 years in prison and former municipal minister U Than Naing to 90 years in prison, according to their lawyers. The junta filed five corruption charges against the deposed chief minister, handing her 15 years for each count. U Than Naing faced six charges and thus received 90 years. They were given the maximum sentences. They have no plans to appeal. They had expected this and were not shocked, said U Aung Thein, the lawyer for Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint. Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint, who is also on the central executive committee of the National League for Democracy, was arrested on February 1 following the militarys coup. The 67-year-old was then released but re-arrested a week later, after she posted a video online in which she called on soldiers to defend the people and unite with the general public. The regime filed complaints against Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint and U Than Naing in April, accusing them of violating tender and financial regulations related to infrastructure development projects in Karen State in southeastern Myanmar. It accused Daw Nan Khin Htwe Myint of misappropriating regional development funds to cover medical costs for her injuries sustained in a car accident in 2017. U Than Naing was accused of receiving bribes from businessmen to pay for medical treatment in Thailand and for electoral campaign costs ahead of the 2020 general election. In May, the pair were also sentenced to two years in prison for incitement along with former Karen State ministers U Bo Bo Wai Maung, U Min Ko Khaing and Khun Myo Tint. You may also like these stories: Around 90 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Resistance Attacks Myanmar Political Parties Reject Regimes Proportional Representation System Over 80 Myanmar Junta-Appointed Local Officials Resign Burma Myanmar Political Parties Reject Regimes Proportional Representation System Vote counting on November 8, 2020. / The Irrawaddy Myanmar political parties that won seats in the 2020 general election have rejected the proportional representation (PR) system proposed by the countrys military regime, which seized power in a February 1 coup. Less than a month after the coup, the military-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) asked political parties for input on ways to replace the First Past the Post System with the PR system, citing the calls for a switch to PR at an earlier meeting with 51 political parties. The meeting was boycotted by major parties including the National League for Democracy (NLD), which won over 83 per cent of the votes in the 2020 general election. Since the junta has annulled the 2020 election results, while the UEC has continued discussions on a switch to PR, political parties that won seats in 2020 have repeated their opposition to switching to a PR system. The UEC held discussions on the PR system with over 50 political parties, including the militarys proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), at the Yangon regional government office on November 5 and 6. Smaller parties and pro-military parties were present at the meeting which was boycotted by the NLD and the other major parties. The meeting was the third in a series of discussions between political parties and the UEC on a PR system that would suit Myanmar, according to junta-controlled newspapers. The military is attempting to further complicate the countrys political situation by switching to a PR system, said U Bo Bo Oo, an NLD lawmaker who was elected to the Yangon Parliament in the 2020 election. The junta has said that the 2008 Constitution is still in effect. So if the PR system is to be introduced under the current constitution, it is legally necessary to convene parliament, said U Bo Bo Oo. The Irrawaddys calls to the USDP, which won the second-highest number of seats after the NLD in the 2020 election, went unanswered. The UEC and the USDP disagree only on how parliamentary constituencies are to be divided under a PR system, according to junta-controlled newspapers. Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) chairman Sai Nyunt Lwin said his party is opposed to a PR system. The SNLD is a major party based in Shan State in eastern Myanmar. In the 2020 poll, it won 15 seats in the Union Parliament and 27 seats in the Shan State Parliament. Myanmars military holds 25 per cent of the seats in national and regional legislatures under the 2008 Constitution, meaning that only 75 per cent of seats in the countrys parliaments are elected. Political analysts say that democratic parties will see their power diluted under a PR system, as around 30 political parties out of some 90 political parties in Myanmar are believed to be allies of the military. As long as this rule exists, only the parties that go along with the military can form the government. The military has 25 per cent of seats and its allied parties need only to win another 26 per cent of seats to form the government. On the other hand, all the other parties need to win 51 per cent of seats to form the government. So this is not fair, said Sai Nyunt Lwin. The UEC has apparently determined to switch to PR whether political parties like it or not, added Sai Nyunt Lwin. The Arakan National Party (ANP), which won the fourth-highest number of votes in the 2020 election, said it agreed in principle with the switch to PR, but also expressed concerns that the system will be exploited by an individual party or institution for their own interests. ANP policy leadership committee member U Tun Aung Kyaw said, We accept in principle the study [on PR system]. We accept it if it is done with good intentions and in the interest of the entire country and all national peoples. But it is meaningless if it is done for the self-interests of an individual party or institution. The Taang National Party (TNP), which won the fifth-highest number of seats in the 2020 poll, said the PR system could confuse voters. Ethnic people in our area are not even familiar with the current electoral system. A PR system will be more complicated, and will need a lot of voter education and so on. It is not an easy task to make the switch immediately, said TNP secretary Mai Ohm Khaing. One election monitor who requested anonymity said that just switching to PR will not solve the problems in Myanmar. The problem wont be solved. An election is just one part of the political process. Only when there is political agreement and trust between existing political leaders and stakeholders will the electoral system be helpful in solving political problems, he said. For Myanmar to enjoy democracy it is important that no political stakeholder is excluded from the electoral process, he added, referring to the juntas attempt to get rid of the NLD. Coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has said that elections will be held in 2023 if stability in the country can be restored. But many believe that tensions between the junta and the Myanmar people have reached a point of no return. You may also like these stories: Over 80 Myanmar Junta-Appointed Local Officials Resign China-Backed Myanmar Infrastructure Project Leaves Farmers Landless Around 150 Junta Troops Killed By Myanmar Resistance Over Weekend Burma Myanmars Ousted NLD Lawmakers Vow to Keep Fighting Military Dictatorship An NLD supporter waves the partys flag during an anti-regime protest in Yangon on Feb. 13. / The Irrawaddy Despite being targeted for destruction by the junta, elected lawmakers of Myanmars ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) are undaunted, and vow to continue working with the people to root out the military dictatorship and bring democracy to the nation, which has been in turmoil since the coup. If not for the Feb. 1 coup, those victorious candidates in the 2020 general electionthe results of which were annulled by the junta following the coupwould be in their parliamentary seats now and serving their constituents while fulfilling their election promises. However, instead of performing their parliamentary duties, on the one-year anniversary of the nationwide poll, the elected MPs find themselves in custody or in hiding, and in revolt against the junta, which ignored the wishes of millions of voters. People including youths voted with hopes for a better future in the election, just as we [elected members of Parliament] were determined to continue working for our country and people. However, the coup ruined everything, said elected NLD lawmaker Daw Myat Thida Htun. Among a total of 37 million eligible voters in the last election were an estimated 5 million young people casting ballots for the first time. More than 27 million peopleover 70 percent of those eligibleflocked to polling stations despite a surge in coronavirus cases and overwhelmingly supported the NLD, bringing a landslide victory to the party. As she prepared to begin a new term after being reelected to a Union Parliament seat for Mon State in the election, Daw Myat Thida Htun planned to prioritize working on anti-corruption, land confiscated from farmers, small local enterprises and promoting eco-tourism for local communities. However, she was forced to go into hiding like many other elected lawmakers and members of the party after being targeted for arrest by the junta. Since the coup, more than 460 NLD members including over 100 lawmakers have been arrested. The partys leaders, State Counselor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myintboth of whom were also reelectedand dozens of senior members have also been arrested since Feb. 1 and remain in detention. The partys detained officials, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and President U Win Myint, face numerous ridiculous charges and long-term prison sentences, some more than 70 years. Several party members, including senior figures, have died in detention. NLD Central Executive Committee member U Nyan Win, who served as Daw Aung San Suu Kyis longtime personal attorney, and NLD elected lawmaker U Nyunt Shwe, who was also a chair of the partys Bago Township office, both died of COVID-19 while in detention. Four party membersU Khin Maung Latt and U Zaw Myat Lin of Myanmars largest city Yangon, U Kyaw Kyaw from Naypyitaw and Ko Than Htun Oo, aka Ko Min Ko Thein from Mandalaywere tortured to death at military interrogation centers. Elected NLD lawmaker U Bo Bo Oo said the regime believed that by waging a campaign of terror it could purge the party and force elected lawmakers to submit to its orders. One tactic used by the junta is to try to force MPs and NLD members to sign confessions and promise not to have anything to do with the anti-regime resistance movement that has swept the country since the coup. Despite the juntas threats, however, less than 3 percent of elected lawmakers had signed confessions and a majority continued to oppose the regime, he said. As elected lawmakers, we will try to uphold the mandate entrusted to us by the people and remain loyal to our constituents, as our partys leaders once instructed. No matter how hard they try, their efforts to eliminate us [the NLD] will fail, he added. Another NLD MP-elect to the Union Parliament, Arkar Myo Htet, promised his constituents in a video message that he will never kneel down and submit to the regimes demands, and oppose those who voted for him. I do promise that I will keep on fighting for the regime together with our people in many ways, he said. The MP-elect Daw Myat Thida Htun, who has been a member of the Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH) for over nine months now, said she has taken part in the revolution since the coup and similarly pledged that she will continue to fight till democracy returns. The CRPH was established by NLD MPs elected to the coup-dissolved Parliament to serve as the legitimate legislature a few days after the coup, in defiance of the military. While enjoying popular support both in Myanmar and overseas, it operates underground in the country and has supported the civil disobedience movement (CDM), a campaign that has called on civil servants to refuse to work for the regime since its formation. It has also endorsed Myanmar peoples right to defend themselves from violent crackdowns. In April, it set up the National Unity Government (NUG) together with ethnic allies as a shadow government to rival the regime. The Peoples Defense Force was also formed to organize armed resistance to the regime. The junta branded them as terrorist organizations and ordered MPs to shun any involvement with them. U Aung Kyi Nyunt, chair of the CRPH and an elected lawmaker to the Union Parliament, vowed to continue to work together with all stakeholders to uproot the military dictatorship from Myanmars soil and to return state power to its original owner, the citizens, during a webinar commemorating the anniversary of the election. Though the junta abolished the election results, the citizens votes were not wasted or cast in vain, as the elected lawmakers continue to serve the people as the legitimate parliament and government through the CRPH and NUG, said Daw Kyi Pyar, an NLD member and former Yangon regional lawmaker. The junta has issued an arrest warrant for Daw Kyi Pyar over her involvement in anti-regime protests. I believe we will soon see the results of all of our efforts and the continuing unbowed resistance by the public for over nine months, she said. You may also like these stories: Myanmar Junta to Give Court Verdict Against Suu Kyi Myanmar Junta Gives Deposed Chief Minister 75 Years in Prison Around 90 Myanmar Junta Troops Killed in Resistance Attacks Burma Over 80 Myanmar Junta-Appointed Local Officials Resign Natmauk Township signboard. Over 80 ward and village administrators in Magwe Regions Natmauk Township have resigned following threats from a local civilian resistance group. On November 1, the Magwe-based Beikthano Peoples Defense Force (PDF) warned military-appointed administrators in Natmauk Township to resign within two weeks or face the consequences. As of Saturday, over 80 ward and village administrators, as well as lower-level officials with administrative oversight of 100 households, have left their jobs, according to an administrative official of Natmauk Township who asked for anonymity. Some of them have announced online that they have resigned. They did so out of fear that their lives would be harmed, he said. The administrators resigned on health grounds, according to the resignation letters seen by The Irrawaddy. I think they resigned because of the warnings from the PDF. It is a life and death situation for them. There might be pressure from their families to quit, said a resident of Natmauks Kangyi Ward. Earlier this month, a military-appointed village-tract administrator and a township education officer were murdered in Natmauk. Many [administrators] have resigned recently. No one wants to serve as an administrator in my village. The [murdered] education officer had been forcing striking teachers to return to work. His body was recovered three days after he was murdered. I think these are the reasons behind the mass resignations, said a resident of Kalarshin Village who asked not to be named. Natmauk is made up of seven wards and 80 village-tracts. The resignations follow a spike in attacks on junta forces by PDFs across the country since September 7, when the civilian National Unity Government declared a peoples defensive war against the military regime. Over 100 local administrators in Sagaing, Magwe and Yangon regions quit working for the regime last month, fearing for their lives and the safety of their families amid clashes between Myanmars military and civilian resistance fighters. Since late March, administration offices in villages, wards and townships have been torched and bombed by civilian resistance groups to prevent the junta from governing the country. These local offices are the primary elements of the government administrative system in Myanmar. Junta-appointed ward and village administrators and informants have also been stabbed to death or shot dead for collaborating with the regime. In response, the junta has tightened security checks on roads and stepped up its raids on villages. You may also like these stories: China-Backed Myanmar Infrastructure Project Leaves Farmers Landless Around 150 Junta Troops Killed By Myanmar Resistance Over Weekend Electricity Office in Myanmar Capital Targeted With Bomb Blast Indiana State Universitys Lingua Franca House hosted the Mini World Cup on Thursday at Kennedy Field. The soccer game ran from 5:00 to 7:00 in the evening and was attended by various students and faculty from the Languages, Literature, and Linguistics (LLL) department at ISU. Shelton, CT 11/9/2021 TMC today announced the conference program for Earth Intelligence World Expo, which is being held February 8-11, 2022 at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/ Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Earth Intelligence World, part of the ITEXPO #TECHSUPERSHOW is the first event dedicated to embracing the role of New Space companies as valuable complements to existing business operations, rather than as an add-on to national security and space industry events. Building and launching satellites generates excitement, but its not a core function of the IT shop or the data center. Data from space is the next corporate frontier. Commercial satellite services are providing real value and key insights to enterprises and businesses around the world, said Doug Mohney, Editor-in-Chief of Space IT Bridge and EIW conference content organizer. Earth Intelligence is the next GPS businesses and individuals will just get it and use it for business expansion, supply chain monitoring, value-added services, resilience and disaster recovery planning, insurance, competitive intelligence, and unfiltered real-time market indicators. We are working to expose more organizations to the power of Earth Intelligence. The Earth Intelligence World conference program will focus on topics that are important to businesses looking to bypass the hype of space tourism and reusable rockets and embrace the bounty of data being generated by commercial satellites, finding new ways to monitor market conditions, suppliers, competitors, and customers and discovering new opportunities. Sessions within the Earth Intelligence World Expo Conference Program include: The Business Value for Satellite Optical Imagery Day or Night, All Weather Radar Satellite Imagery for Business Customized Weather Forecasting for Efficiencies and Profit Data from The Airwaves Radio Activity, ADS-B, AIS Rapid Imaging, Rapid Info Time Machine - The Power of Petabyte Image Datalakes Data Fusion, Analysis, and AI - Or Just Give Me An Answer Market Industry Case Study Panel #1 Market Industry Case Study Panel #2 Networking Events IDEA Showcase - Startup Pitch Event & Reception Welcome Back to the #TECHSUPERSHOW Reception #TECHSUPERSHOW Expo Hall Grand Opening Reception #TECHSUPERSHOW Networking Live Party Collocated Events Attract Thousands from across the Tech Industry ITEXPO MSP Expo Future of Work Expo The Blockchain Event IoT Evolution Expo New keynotes, sessions, speakers and special events are announced daily. For more information or to register for Earth Intelligence World Expo, contact [email protected]. For media inquiries, contact Michelle Connolly. Companies interested in exhibiting, sponsorship or advertising packages for Earth Intelligence World Expo should contact TMC's Dave Rodriguez at 203-852-6800 x146. About TMC Celebrating our 50th Anniversary in 2022. 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] Ithaca, NY (14850) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 38F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. An innovative 5G robot connectivity trial in Denmark has enabled a teenage student to join his classmates in real time, inside and outside the classroom, during the school day despite having a medical condition which prevents him from physically attending school. Ericsson says that Rasmus Dalsten (13), from Herlev in Denmark, experiences a full day in the presence of his peers via a tablet with a live video connection from a 5G smartphone mounted on a fully mobile robot in the school premises. The extremely low latency, fast speed and high data-handling capabilities of 5G mean that Rasmus, who is unable to physically attend school because of a lung condition, not only doesnt miss out on classroom or schoolyard activity, but has the freedom to move and look where he wants, Ericsson says. Ericsson said that Rasmus had a previous robot that was controlled by teachers and classmates at school. If he wanted to change the view of what he was seeing, someone at school had to physically turn the robot in that direction. With 5G, Rasmus has full control of the robot, called Fable, which is about the size of a small teddy bear. Wherever he wants to go, and whoever he wants to make contact with at school, he controls Fable to become his real-time eyes and ears, the company says. He can react to classroom lessons as they happen by steering Fable himself. If someone behind Fable makes a comment as part of a discussion, Rasmus can manoeuvre Fable to see who is speaking, and even join in. Rasmus says: Ive got a new robot that I can turn around myself and its no trouble for the adults or myself. It is very nice. Rasmuss mother, Charlotte Dalsten, is impressed that Fable, which Rasmus has trialed for six months, allows him to make instant eye contact with his classmates. Rasmus logs onto the PC and the iPad, which is connected to the robot, she says. This way he gets to be with his school class all day, during lunch breaks and in class. It has been important for me to see that Rasmus is happy when he logs on, that the others interact with him and that he is able to look around and make eye contact with them. Rasmuss teacher, Cille, says the 5G-powered robot enables Rasmus to take part in lessons on a par with other classmates who are physically in the room. It is not me who decides if he looks at the blackboard or if he looks at those in the classroom who are speaking, she says. He decides where to look and where to go. Thats what he would do if he was here physically. So that has clearly been the biggest benefit. Ericsson says that the 5G trial emerged from collaboration between Danish communications service provider, TDC Net, Danish robotics company Shape Robotics and Ericsson at the TDC/Ericsson 5G Innovation Hub in Denmark. Ericsson, TDC Net and Shape Robotics say the trial has proved the potential of 5G-enabled mobile robotic connectivity use across a host of use cases spanning domestic, workplace and industrial applications. Shape Robotics CTO and co-Founder Moises Pacheco says, Thanks to the collaboration with TDC NET and Ericsson, we have been able to show the potential in combining 5G technology with robots in an educational setting. Although Fable also works with 4G, in practice, it is a different robot when using 5G. With 5G, students experience lightning-fast sound and image, so they can participate on the same terms as other students. TDC NET vice president technology strategy and economics Toke Binzer says, It is roughly a year since we initiated the launch of the first nationwide 5G network in Denmark. Since then, we have seen increased interest in using the technology to deliver value within many different sectors.Robots connected to the 5G-network can, unlike other robots, both send and receive large amounts of data without delays, while at the same time being able to be controlled remotely. And if we take a step back from the educational sector it becomes clear that the learnings from this project can be transferred to other areas such healthcare, social care and working remotely across industries. Ericsson head of Denmark Niclas Backlund says, Denmark was one of the first countries in the world to roll out a nationwide 5G network. I am convinced that the Danish robot example, together with the other initiatives we have implemented with the 5G Innovation Hub, can inspire companies beyond our borders. 5G proves to be a fruitful innovation platform for new use cases. This remote school application really shows the power of digitalisation to address societal needs and is an excellent example of digital inclusion. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 3 November 2021. Veteran support organisation Soldier On has launched its annual Stronger Together matched giving campaign, with every dollar donated to it to be matched by its corporate partners for 24 hours from 10am today. This is a great opportunity for our generous donors and corporate partners to come together and double their support of our veteran community, Soldier On CEO, Ivan Slavich said. Slavich said the campaign also pays tribute to the incredible work of the Defence and veteran community, acknowledging them and their service in the lead up to Remembrance Day. As part of this years campaign, we would like to draw attention to the work of our ADF personnel who assist the Australian community, and communities around the world, Slavich said. From war zones to peacekeeping missions, natural disasters to emergency responses and so much more. In sharing these stories, we highlight and celebrate the fantastic work of our current and ex-serving personnel and the diverse operations that bring tremendous support to those in need. In support of the matched giving campaign, Soldier On is urging the Australian public to donate during the 24-hour period and create a tribute page where they can honour a friend, loved one or simply pay their respects to our veteran community. Every donation made to tribute pages during Soldier Ons giving day will be matched. Funds raised through the campaign will go directly to the services that Soldier On provides to the nations current and ex-service personnel and their families. To donate or make a tribute page, head to www.soldieron.org.au The discovery of a way to spoof an IP address over TCP and a method to send requests to closed ports in a communications service network could both be potential vectors for a spate of DDoS attacks in future, the cyber security firm Kaspersky says. Researchers at the Universities of Maryland and Colorado Boulder were credited with the TCP development, while the second was credited to security firm NexusGuard and named Black Storm. The TCP attack targets devices between a client and a server: firewalls, load balancers, network address translators, and deep packet inspection tools, many of which could interfere with a TCP connection. The Kaspersky report covered DDoS attacks in the third quarter of 2021 and said a new botnet named Meris had been found during the period. Citing Yandex and Qrator Labs, Kaspersky's Alexander Gutnikov, Oleg Kupreev and Yaroslav Shmelev described it as being made up of high-performance network devices, mainly from Mikrotik. Meris used HTTP pipelining, allowing multiple requests to be sent to a server within a single connection without waiting for a response. "Attacks by this botnet are notable for the huge number of requests per second. For instance, a DDoS attack on a Cloudflare customer (attributed to Meris) clocked in at 17.2 million requests per second, despite lasting less than a minute, while Yandex reported 21.8 million requests per second," the trio wrote. The Kaspersky report said during the quarter a number of big DDoS attacks had hit New Zealand, with some being via the Meris botnet. An unnamed customer of Vocus, the banks ANZ and Kiwibank, the mail service NZ Post and the weather service MetService were named as being among those affected. VoIP providers in Britain, Canada and the US were among those hit by DDoS attackers, with the oldest cryptocurrency site, bitcoin.org also being attacked. Nokia has announced its smallest Optical Line Terminal (OLT) deployed with the Quillion chipset. The Lightspan DF-16GM OLT can simultaneously provide services from 1 to 25 Gb/s making it the fastest mini-OLT on the market. Designed for deployment in street cabinets and available today, the device is targeted at fibre network providers looking to extend their networks beyond dense urban environments. Nokia says the majority of fibre deployments have so far focused on high density, high volume urban areas where the business case is strongest. However, fibre network providers are now extending networks to business parks and rural areas with low density populations, as well as using them to connect small cells within their cellular networks. The Lightspan DF-16GM addresses the market for these new use-cases which require high-capacity solutions in a small form-factor and that can be easily installed in distributed environments such as street cabinets and base stations, Nokia says. GlobalData principal analyst Emir Halilovic said, Cabinet-based OLTs give operators a lot more flexibility in network design and the demand for small size fibre solutions has increased significantly over the last few years. 10Gb/s plus capacity and low latency is needed to take advantage of new opportunities such as in the enterprise market, 5G transport, and edge cloud computing space. For instance, a CSP could run a line to a cabinet in an industrial park and then use the mini OLT to connect multiple SMEs on the park Nokia says as the only mini OLT on the market to incorporate GPON, XGS-PON and 25G PON, the multipon Lightspan DF-16GM is fastest in its class and it also uses half the energy of its predecessor and 25% lower than prescribed by the EU Code of Conduct. Nokia president fixed networks Sandy Motley said, Fibre deployments are accelerating and extending to rural areas and new segments such as enterprise and mobile transport. We are thrilled to be able offer the Lightspan DF-16GM to operators who require high capacity, low density, small format fibre solutions which can be installed in street cabinets and enables them to address these new opportunities. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 3 November 2021. Today A mix of clouds and sun. High 83F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Tonight Some clouds. Low 52F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High near 80F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. 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 today. Subscribe or contribute 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. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 73F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 45F. 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. John Newby is author of the Building Main Street, Not Wall Street column dedicated to helping communities combine synergies with local media companies allowing them to not just survive but to thrive. His email is john@360mediaalliance.net. 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 Within the next three to five years, Dialectica will create more than 500 jobs in Canada, representing more than 50 percent of its global workforce. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen is warning that the virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giants growth strategy will be addictive and rob people of personal information while giving the company another monopoly online Members of the Bolivar/Harpers Ferry District Veterans Association and other volunteers placed flags on the graves of all veterans buried within the two towns. Shown kneeling are Sarah Shafer and Dan Jimeno. Back row, from left, are Gary Chrisman, Bev Hankins, Bob Hankins, Perry Mentzer, Wayne Hough, Sharon Hough, Jack Dodson, George Goletz, Tre Shafer and Dedrik Shafer, a member of the Children of the American Revolution. After 17 years, Prosecutor Karim Khan decided to close the International Criminal Courts longest-running probe on war crimes and crimes against humanity. Colombia has stepped up to its international obligations, to its Rome Statute obligations and, consistent with the principle of complementarity, Im delighted to say that I can step out of the preliminary examination stage, he announced in a ceremony in Bogotas presidential palace on October 28. In choosing to end the Office of the Prosecutors exam instead of opening a formal investigation, the ICC endorsed the innovative transitional justice system stemming from the 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). It also gave a much needed backing to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), the systems judicial arm which is seeking to strike a balance between restorative and retributive sanctions but which has struggled amid the current governments efforts to undermine its work. Khan, who took over as ICC Prosecutor last June, chose a new exit strategy to close the Colombia probe. He signed a cooperation agreement with President Ivan Duque in which the government pledges to ensure that the JEP is given space to do its do work, that it is properly funded and, perhaps most importantly, that there is no political or other interference in the process. Khan and Duques strange dialogue At times, the presentation of the bilateral agreement seemed like a conversation between two persons on different subjects, with Duque downplaying the importance of the JEPs work and Khan emphasising it. This agreement signed today shows the world that Colombia, in these 17 years of observation or preliminary examination, has strengthened its judicial institutions and now faces its greatest test of ensuring that this framework fully satisfies all victims, said President Ivan Duque. In his speech, he highlighted the work done by the Attorney Generals Office and by the Justice and Peace chambers that investigated crimes committed by the right-wing paramilitaries that demobilised during the administration of Duques mentor, former president Alvaro Uribe, back in the mid-2000s. He only alluded vaguely to the transitional justice in place today, stressing his governments funding of it, but not mentioning the JEP or the peace deal by name even once. In stark contrast, Khan underscored the work being done by the JEP throughout his speech, calling on perpetrators to come before the tribunal and acknowledge their crimes, instead of choosing the adversarial route in its two-track system. This agreement makes it clear, consistent with the Rome Statute, that if there is a fundamental change of circumstance, if space is not given [to the JEP], a preliminary examination can be reopened, he warned, underscoring that the ground rules laid down in the agreement are legally binding undertakings and that his office will be monitoring the situation. An endorsement of Colombias peace tribunal Khans exit strategy was widely interpreted as a strong endorsement of the JEP. This is a triumph for the peace deal and the JEP: for the first time the ICC recognises the transitional system of a country as being in line with the Rome Statute, Sergio Jaramillo, the former peace commissioner who led the peace negotiations with FARC, told JusticeInfo. The sole reason why it was closed are the JEPs investigative efforts, added its president and justice Eduardo Cifuentes. The ICCs decision comes months after the JEP unveiled its first batch of indictments, its clearest results so far. In January, following three years of investigation, the tribunal accused eight former FARC leaders over thousands of kidnappings and then in July it accused 25 former Army officials of having murdered 247 civilians and unlawfully passing them off as rebels killed in combat, a tragedy that Colombians have euphemistically called false positives. In both cases, the JEP charged them with war crimes and crimes against humanity, the harshest legal qualification possible. The FARC commanders have already announced their willingness to accept the charges and own up to their responsibility. Their admission paves the way for the JEP to hand them 5-to-8-year sentences in a non-prison setting, provided it also deems that theyre answering to victims demands for truth and redress. Should they contest the JEPs findings, their case would move to an adversarial track within the special tribunal and, if found guilty, face 15-to-20-year prison sentences. The indicted Army officials are expected to communicate their decision to the JEP soon too. The first rulings are expected before the end of this year. This reality means that Khan and his prosecuting team deemed that Colombia is in fact, in the Rome Statutes language, willing and able to fulfil its duties to investigate and prosecute the most serious crimes. It noticeably left the duty to punish out of the equation, trusting that the system in place means sanctions will be handed down. Human rights NGOs caught by surprise Khans announcement however came as a surprise to human rights organisations that have worked hand in hand with the ICC over the past two decades. While Human Rights Watchs Jose Miguel Vivanco called the decision premature, misguided and counterproductive and warned that it may leave the JEP more exposed to attacks on its independence, most of the Colombian NGOs chose to strike a more positive tone and underscored the importance of the ICCs support for the JEP and the peace deal. La decision del Fiscal de la Corte Penal Internacional de cerrar su examen preliminar en Colombia con un acuerdo de cooperacion es prematura, equivocada y contraproducente. La decision puede dejar a la JEP mas expuesta ante ataques contra su independencia. Jose Miguel Vivanco (@JMVivancoHRW) October 28, 2021 The most positive aspect is that the government recognises the importance and efforts of the transitional justice system and the JEP in an international agreement. Equally important is that the ICC prosecutor warns against any obstacle, initiative or reform any of those three that may affect it, says Juan Carlos Ospina of the Colombian Commission of Jurists (CCJ), one of the countrys oldest human rights NGOs. How protected the JEP is may still be a contentious point. Members of Duques party dont see the agreement signed by him as legally binding. I do not believe that it forbids making improvements or reforms that the judiciary or any other institution might need. It would be absurd to think that an international body obliges a state and its people to avoid modifying their institutions, says lawmaker Gabriel Vallejo Chujfi, who co-authored a bill seeking to abolish the JEP entirely, but which is unlikely to advance due to time constraints. On the other side of the aisle, JEP president Cifuentes warned that as soon as we become aware of any interference that affects our mission, well be the first to ask the ICC to intervene. Human rights groups are concerned by several ripple effects that the ICC prosecutors exit strategy could have something they told him the evening before the signature. In that meeting at his hotel, Khan declined to confirm the impending announcement but asked them to trust his judgment, according to two persons who were present. They were especially dumbfounded by what seemed a change from the strategy set in motion by his predecessor Fatou Bensouda, who opened a consultation process with civil society in June to identify which benchmarks could best monitor progress in making justice. Five Colombian NGOs jointly submitted their proposals in late September and felt these were not reflected in the agreement, even though Khan assured them they had been. The word victims doesnt appear even once, and civil society only does so to refer to the fact that there is one in Colombia, Ospina says. Spotlight on sexual violence Local human rights NGOs all recognise progress on prosecuting extrajudicial executions, but warn that none of the JEPs decisions are written in stone yet. As Ospina says, Khan made the call taking into account the JEPs design and operation, because there are still no rulings. Indictments do not mean sanctions. Others stress the fact that less progress has been made regarding sexual violence and forced displacement, two of the other crimes singled out in the ICC 2004 preliminary examination because of their impunity levels. While the JEP opened a macro-case on false positives, it has only investigated the other two as part of broader cases focusing on specific regions or population groups, such as kidnapping victims and former child soldiers. Khan told human rights groups that he spoke to the JEP about this, but they dont anticipate changes. We dont believe the JEP wants to open a macro-case on sexual and reproductive violence and attacks on the LGBT population. We have requested it for two years, but the JEP president is now speaking of umbrella cases where it would be lumped with other crimes. This shows they dont see it as an autonomous crime which played a role during war, says Adriana Benjumea, whose organisation Humanas is a member of the Coalition for the ICC. Benjumea personally reminded Khan that during his swearing-in ceremony he pledged to prosecute sexual and gender-based crimes. She argued that justice is sorely lacking outside the JEPs jurisdiction, with 90% impunity levels on sexual violence cases in the criminal justice system and 75% in the specialised chambers for such crimes committed by the paramilitaries. As Justice Info has told, its a point raised by hundreds of victims including most recently Jineth Bedoya, an award-winning journalist whose sexual abuse by paramilitaries on a reporting assignment led to an Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruling against Colombia just last month. NGOs are also sceptical that the carrot-and-stick approach is just as effective after a probe is closed. In Benjumeas words, there is no precedent of a preliminary examination being closed only to be reopened a year later. Two-way influence With Khans decision, the ICC closed an examination of a country where it wasnt very clear whether it could play a judicial role, given that active mechanisms were in place domestically and that two successive peace talks with paramilitaries and FARC gave way to transitional justice proceedings that began closing the impunity gap. Over those decades the probe has been effective as an element of pressure. Recordings showed that paramilitary bosses negotiating their demobilisation feared an intervention by the ICC. In similar fashion, government negotiators persuaded FARC and the Colombian military that blanket amnesties had to be off the table given that these would likely trigger the ICCs decision to open an investigation. That paved the way for them to accept coming before a tribunal like the JEP, own up to their crimes and face sanctions. Some researchers argue that it yielded other positive outcomes. In reality the ICC has already intervened. It had a fundamental impact, which is shaping what will happen in Colombia in the next 10 to 20 years, says Rene Uruena, a University of Los Andes professor who has studied the relation between Colombia and the ICC. Uruena argues that there has been a two-way influence between the court and the countrys institutions. This happened because negotiations with FARC took place within the framework of the preliminary examination. It was part of the reality of the peace talks, he says. In Uruenas view, Colombias peace deal is influencing the ICCs view on non-prison sentences and the decision to focus both on those most responsible and the most serious crimes. Likewise, he believes the ICC helped shape Colombias strategic criminal policy on investigative skills on patterns and contexts. A new understanding of positive complementarity It was a rocky ride though. In 2013 then prosecutor Fatou Bensouda sent two strongly worded letters to Colombias Constitutional Court, criticising a constitutional reform passed by the government in Congress paving the way for a transitional justice that would focus only on those most responsible of the most serious and emblematic crimes. Colombias duty, she contended, was to investigate all crimes and selectivity was only acceptable for the ICC. This position was softened somewhat as peace talks with FARC progressed. In 2015 deputy prosecutor James Stewart publicly stated in Bogota that in sentencing, states have wide discretion. A year later, Bensouda celebrated when the peace deal was finalised and noted with satisfaction that it excludes amnesties and pardons for crimes against humanity and war crimes, while warning her office would keep an eye on proceedings. Rene Uruena argues this turnaround was possible because the preliminary examination sparked an increased sophistication among Colombians in their understanding of international criminal law, which gradually led them to speak ICC language more fluently and understand what leeway it gave them. He also believes that Khans exit strategy reflects another significant change and possibly an additional way to understand positive complementarity. In his words, the peace deals main success, both institutionally and socially, was to create a community of persons within the JEP, in civil society, in academia that acts as a local constituency for the ICC and whose political agenda is to defend the peace accords achievements. That did not exist before the peace deal, and the agreement with the ICC formalises that bond. The trial in Sweden of a former Iranian prison official, accused of handing out death sentences as part of a 1988 purge of dissidents, will relocate to Albania on Wednesday to hear two weeks of testimony. Hamid Noury, 60, has been on trial in Stockholms district court since August on a slew of charges including murder, crimes against humanity and war crimes, dating from July 30 to August 16, 1988, when Noury was allegedly assistant to the deputy prosecutor of Gohardasht prison in Karaj, near Tehran. The entire Stockholm district court is relocating to Durres, Albania, at the prosecutions request, to hear testimony from November 10 to 18 from seven witnesses who are unable to travel to Sweden, court clerk Anna Wester told AFP. The seven are members of the Peoples Mujahedin of Iran (MEK, the exiled opposition group, who reside in a camp near Durres. Noury himself will however remain in Stockholm, Wester said. He has been held in custody since November 2019, when he arrived in Sweden where he has family members. He had been lured to the Scandinavian country by justice campaigner and former political prisoner Iraj Mesdaghi with the promise of a luxury cruise. Human rights groups have estimated that 5,000 prisoners were killed across Iran, allegedly under the orders of supreme leader Ayatollah Khomeini in reprisal for attacks carried out by the MEK at the end of the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88. While not accused of directly carrying out any of the killings, the prosecution has alleged that Nourys participation included handing down death sentences, bringing prisoners to the execution chamber and helping prosecutors gather prisoners names. Noury has refuted the charges against him. He is due to testify in Stockholm as of November 23. Swedens principle of universal jurisdiction means that its courts can try a person on serious charges such as murder or war crimes regardless of where the alleged offences took place. A verdict in the case is expected in April 2022. New evidence shows China may be committing genocide against the Uyghur minority, the US Holocaust Museum said Tuesday, the latest accusation that Beijing is carrying out the most serious of crimes. The United States has already declared that actions against the mostly Muslim group and other Turkic people in Chinas western region of Xinjiang amounts to genocide, an assertion rejected by Beijing. The US Holocaust Museum, which last year said that crimes against humanity have been committed, in a new report pointed to accounts of forced birth control of Uyghurs as well as forced transfer to labor in other parts of China. Additional recently surfaced information signals that the Chinese governments conduct has escalated beyond a policy of forced assimilation, the report said. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is gravely concerned that the Chinese government may be committing genocide against the Uyghurs, it said. The seriousness of the assault on the Uyghur population demands the immediate response of the international community to protect the victims. The report, however, noted that previous determinations of genocide have often been based on findings of efforts to kill off a community. Given the limited reports of Uyghur deaths in detention, there is insufficient evidence at this time of the intent of the Chinese government to systematically kill living Uyghurs, it said. But the report said that forced sterilizations and forced contraception raise legitimate questions about the existence of the intent to biologically destroy the group, in whole or in substantial part. It said that there was not enough verifiable data, which was a deliberate decision by China to limit information. Quoting previous accounts, the report estimated that anywhere between one million and three million people, mostly Uyghurs, are detained in Xinjiang in a policy to forcibly assimilate them into Chinas majority Han culture and prevent Islamic practices. China rejects the allegations and say it is offering vocational training aimed at reducing the allure of Islamic extremism following attacks attributed to Uyghur militants. Former US secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a staunch critic of China, announced the determination of genocide on his final day in office in January. His successor Antony Blinken has said he agrees with the finding, and the parliaments in a number of Western countries Belgium, Britain, Canada, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and The Netherlands have since passed motions declaring that China is committing genocide. Ukraine on Tuesday said it arrested the former head of a notorious separatist prison camp, dubbed the executioner by the media after years of alleged torture. Kiev announced the arrest of 37-year-old Denys Kulykovsky, with its SBU security service saying he organised the murders and tortures of illegally detained people in the separatist capital, Donetsk. Kiev has fought pro-Moscow separatists in its eastern regions since 2014, when Russia annexed its Crimea peninsula. Kulykovsky allegedly ran the Izolyatsia prison camp in the separatist capital Donetsk between 2015 and 2018. It was set up by rebels in a former art centre on the premises of an abandoned factory in the city. Thousands went through the detention centre. Charged with war crimes and creating an illegal armed group, Kulykovsky faces up to fifteen years behind bars. In a July report, the UN said detainees in separatist-controlled eastern Ukraine were routinely tortured. . It said it was concerned by what it called systemic torture and ill-treatment at the Izolyatsia prison and other detention sites in separatist-held territory. Ukrainian journalist Stanislav Aseyev who spent more than two years at Izolyatsia described Kulykovsky as a psychopathic sadist who subjected detainees to rape and torture. Aseyev, released from the camp in December 2019, said Kulykovsky also practised electric shock on detainees. The conflict between Kiev and pro-Moscow separatists has claimed more than 13,000 lives. Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Russia of sending troops and arms across the borders. Moscow has denied those claims. dg/oc/pvh FACEBOOK Good morning.This article is our live version First FT communication.Register our Asia, Europe/Africa or America A version sent directly to your inbox every working day morning The Fed has warn The pressure of Chinas real estate industry brought some risks to the US financial system, indicating that debt-laden real estate companies like Evergrande are a potential source of global contagion. Given the scale of Chinas economic and financial system and its extensive trade links with other parts of the world, Chinas financial pressure may put pressure on global financial markets through the deterioration of risk sentiment, pose risks to global economic growth, and affect the United States, the Federal Reserve It warned in its semi-annual financial stability report. On the domestic front, the Fed also warned that a surge in interest rates may lead to a significant correction in risky assets. In addition, a reduction in housing demand may lead to a fall in housing prices. As corporate borrowing costs rise, employment and investment may also be hit. The U.S. Central Bank stated that it is concerned about China because the country is still huge in corporate and local government debt; the financial sector is highly leveraged, especially small and medium-sized banks; and real estate valuations have been pushed up. Do you think the pressure of the Chinese entity sector will bring global risks?Tell me what you think [email protected]. Thank you for reading FirstFT Asia.This is the rest of the news-Emily There are five more stories in the news 1. After Musks Twitter poll supports the sale of shares, Teslas share price has fallen Tesla stock closes Down nearly 5%Millions of Twitter users surveyed by CEO Elon Musk concluded that he should sell his 10% stake in the electric car manufacturer to make it in the S&P 500 Index The second-worst-performing stock is also the biggest drag on the index. 2. Toshiba considers splitting itself into three companies This proposal is just one of several proposals that Toshiba is discussing because Japans most famous corporate group seeks Rebuild its market value And to meet the needs of rights protection shareholders. 3. The U.S. accuses two people of ransomware attacks The authorities have File a criminal charge The role played by a Ukrainian and a Russian national in the high-profile ransomware attack is part of the global fight against digital ransomware groups. 4. SoftBank announces $8.8 billion share repurchase Sun Zhengyi, founder of Softbank, pledged to provide 1 trillion yen (8.8 billion US dollars) Share repurchase plan In the next 12 months, after the companys Saudi-backed Vision Fund disclosed a record quarterly loss of 825.1 billion yen, investor pressure gave in. 5. Xi Jinping laid the foundation for the third term Xi Jinping has summoned hundreds of senior CCP officials to Beijing for a meeting, which is expected to pave the way for the meeting Historic third termMao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping are the only two leaders in the 100-year history of the Communist Party of China who have won their third terms. COP26 summary Barack Obama received a standing ovation after his speech. Voting is like your life depends on it, because it does, he said. Reuters Moral money today, our sustainable finance newsletter, five things to watch at COP26 this week.Click on here Read and register for the newsletter, which will be published every working day during the Glasgow Summit. the day before British Foreign Secretary continues to visit Southeast Asia Liz Truss will travel to Thailand and Indonesia after arriving in Malaysia on Sunday.She will meet with officials in the area Deepening Economic and Security Links With the UK. (Reuters) income company Report results today Including Associated British Foods, Aveva, Bayer, Coinbase, Direct Line, Mediaset, Munich Re, Nissan, Porsche, Salvatore Ferragamo and Swiss Life. What are we still reading Chinas self-isolation is a global concern Beijings zero coronavirus policy is damaging international business and global governance, Gideon Rahman wroteAs the outside world transitions to low levels, contact with foreigners may seem more dangerous to China. James Ferguson Tokyo subway attack exposes more subtle dangers in the city The rules that prevent the active use of train drivers have exacerbated passengers fears.The fear lies not only in the lonely madman, but also in the institutions failure to recognize Need for flexibility, Wrote Leo Lewis. Dont throw away the chintz or billy bookcase IKEA is launching an international program to take back used items and resell them under the name Repurchase and resellThe global furniture superpower has made a big turn in the name of sustainable development. But if IKEA now feels it is necessary to atone for the past, what about you as a consumer? Different interpretations of inflation by central bank officials Policy makers outlined Radically different reaction Global inflation has soared. Senior officials in the United States and the United Kingdom said that although this policy change is still far away in the euro zone, interest rates in their countries may rise soon. Tourism prepares for the post-pandemic world After losing $6 trillion during the coronavirus crisis, the global tourism industryfrom hotel groups to airlineshas Uncertain future. Home Look at these Five literary homes sell. From a Georgian house in Berkshire, Jane Austen is a frequent visitor to John Steinbecks cottage on Long Island. The former summer house of Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist John Steinbeck Thank you for reading and remember that you can Add FirstFT To my FT.Send your suggestions and feedback to [email protected] The elected mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, plans to make New York City a center of cryptocurrency and innovation. He said that we must open schools to teach cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, and pointed out that Bitcoin is a new way to pay for goods and services on a global scale. New York Mayor-elect hopes that the school will teach Bitcoin, cryptocurrency and blockchain New York City mayor-elect Eric Adams talked about making New York City a center of innovation and cryptocurrency in an interview with CNN Business on Sunday.He also explained the reasoning behind his tweet, saying he would Take his first three salaries In Bitcoin. Someone asked Adams: Will you encourage businesses in New York City to accept Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies? He replied: We will see. We have to be careful. We will do the right thing. He went on to explain: I want to send a signal. This city was once an empire This is the center of innovation, self-driving cars, drone development, cyber security, and life sciences. So when I talk about blockchain and Bitcoin When the currency was exchanged, the young people on the street stopped and asked me:What is that? What is it about?' Then, the elected mayor was asked to explain exactly what Bitcoin is. Adams replied: Even experts will face challenges. It is a cryptocurrency. This is a new way to pay for goods and services on a global scale. This is what we have to do: open our schools to teach technology, and teach this new way of thinking when it comes to paying for goods and services. June, Adams promise His supporter: One year, one year later, you will see a different city We will bring enterprises here. We will become the center of life sciences, the center of cyber security, and autonomous driving. The center of cars, drones, the center of Bitcoin. We will be the center of all technologies. During the Obama administration, Harvard University professor and chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers Jason Furman (Jason Furman) also asked Adams to comment on tweets about him. Responding to Adams announcement that he will receive the first three salaries BitcoinFurman wrote on Twitter on Thursday: This is not only New York Citys poor economic strategy and poor investment decisions. [but] This also seems to have a conflict of interest. He elaborated: Its like a mayor announced,I will buy a lot of Amazon stock, and then formulate a policy to benefit Amazon. Needless to say, unlike Amazon, Bitcoin is not a company, and no Bitcoin CEO can benefit from the rise of Bitcoin. Bitcoin, Adams emphasized that he was using his personal funds. The mayor-elect shared: During the stock market crash of my retirement fund, I lost thousands of dollars in the stock market. Volatility is part of some of the investments we make. He has his analysis. I have my analysis, Adams emphasized. And I want to make sure that this city becomes the center of innovation, no matter what the innovation is. This is the meaning of the human spirit-as we push the country and the city forward, dont be afraid to examine every area of ??innovation. What do you think of Eric Adams comments on encryption and Bitcoin? Let us know in the comments section below. Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons Bitfarms, a Bitcoin mining unicorn based in Canada, finally revealed the details of its activities in Argentina. The company said that the large-scale Bitcoin mining farm that began construction last month will be built in Cordoba province along with a private power plant. Bitfarms will purchase energy directly from the private power company, which reportedly will not put pressure on the countrys power grid. Bitfarms reveals Argentinas plan Bitfarms revealed about put up Its large-scale Bitcoin mining farm in Argentina will become the countrys largest mining farm when completed. Until now, the company has not announced the location of the farm.According to local media reports, this is disclose It will be located in the province of Cordoba, in the city of Rio Cuato. The facility will accommodate more than 210 megawatts of power capacity for the installation of mining machines at a very low price. The facility will be built in a complex with a power plant belonging to the Albanesi Group. In this case, the electricity will come directly from the factory and will not touch the national grid. More details ease the concerns of lawmakers The company also provided more details on the upcoming farm, which is expected to be operational as early as next year. Damian Polla, Latams Bitfarms general manager, said: We will create approximately 500 jobs during the construction period and another 100 jobs during the operation of the data center. This is an energy sales contract between private groups and does not involve any type of subsidies, considering that the demand is not connected to the grid. These statements help alleviate the concerns that the project has caused Argentine legislators, who demand more information about the current state of the operation. Last month, National Assembly Member Martin Berhongaray, Call Let the government pass a legal proposal to release all the information about the matter. The representative worried that a project of this scale might have an impact on the national grid, the environment, and the sustainability of agreements with power companies. Bitfarms and Albanesi Group signed an eight-year agreement that will allow the company to pay 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour, thereby retaining more Bitcoin revenue by reducing production costs. What do you think of Bitfarms disclosure of the location and scope of its mines in Argentina? Tell us in the comments section below. Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons The Ethereum Name Service (ENS) is an entity that controls the decentralized domain built on Ethereum. It announced that it will shift to a decentralized governance model, opening the door to the formation of DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization). ENS now calls on delegates to present their opinions to the community in order to be elected. The airdrop of DAO tokens will open on November 8. ENS shifts to decentralized governance Ethereum Name Service, the organization behind decentralized domain services on Ethereum, Announce Recently, it intends to shift its governance model to a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). The organization is adopting a delegation model that allows individuals to submit their proposals, while other users can delegate their tokens to support them. ENS explained that although most of the core functions of the organization operate without supervision, there are still some issues that require specialized human interaction and supervision. Its main focus is on multi-signature contracts for the management of the national treasury, future funds, and registrar contracts for the management of domain name pricing mechanisms. The organization believes that the DAO solution is mature, which is why it chose this structure to solve current governance issues. Constitution and airdrop In order to form a DAO, members and users of the organization will obtain part of the governance tokens based on their use of platform services. The airdrop of these tokens will take place on November 8, and each user will receive a portion of the 25 million tokens allocated for this purpose. The other 25% of these tokens will be delivered to Discords original ENS team and collaborators, while the remaining 50% will be allocated to the DAO vault. One of the first actions of the ENS DAO will be to vote on the constitution, which proposes a series of guidelines to teach delegates how ENS should be administered.The proposed constitution is available here, And regard decentralization and integration as the main goals of the organization to prevent representatives from applying proposals that conflict with these principles. this airdrop It has caused a lot of sensation in the community, and now the community is guessing its value and comparing it with other similar incidents. This is not the first such airdrop on Ethereum. Dydx is a decentralized exchange that airdrops tokens to customers based on their usage of the platform. Some users claim Native tokens worth up to $50,000. What do you think of the shift from ENS to DAO-based governance? Tell us in the comments section below. Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons An official from the government of Zimbabwe recently confirmed that the government is currently collecting the opinions of knowledgeable people on cryptocurrencies. The governments lingering worry Charles Wekwete, head of the e-government department, suggested that the country will take a formal position on cryptocurrencies only after the consultation process is completed. According to Sunday News report, Wekwete addressed the delegates participating in the IT summit held in Victoria Falls-made a comment in response to the inquiries of the attendees. Participants asked Wekwete whether the Zimbabwean governments position on cryptocurrencies has changed. In his response, Wekwete first reiterated his governments lingering concerns about cryptocurrencies and fears that these might be used to promote evil activities. However, Wekwete still continues to reveal that the Zimbabwean government has been working hard to find a suitable cryptocurrency regulatory framework. The report quoted Wekwete as saying how this process was carried out: Therefore, the government has established a mechanism to try to collect opinions from all walks of life in order to finally formulate policies. The Minister of Finance and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe have issued statements that this is such a complex area. The government will issue a statement sooner or later, but we are not there yet, and the negotiation process is already in progress. The government is open to the ideas of private sector participants In addition to the ongoing consultation process, Wekwete stated that his government is still open to the ideas of private participants who are not currently involved in the process. At the same time, the report also quoted Allan Saruchera, chairman of the Zimbabwe Computer Association and one of the participants, expressing the organizations willingness to help the government. Saruchera recommends that knowledgeable people in the IT department believe that they have a responsibility to share and show what can be done. What are your thoughts on this story? Tell us what you think in the comments section below. Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons The Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland warned that if the United Kingdom continues to threaten to suspend part of the Northern Ireland Brexit agreement in the next few days, the EU will have no choice but to retaliate. Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said that Ireland has begun to reduce emergency preparedness to prevent London from unilaterally taking action to suspend certain parts of the so-called Northern Ireland agreement, which intensifies concerns that the Brexit disagreement may trigger a trade war between the EU and the UK. . Relations between London and Brussels are rapidly deteriorating as the UK seeks to rewrite the post-Brexit Northern Ireland trade agreement that will leave the region in the EUs customs union and single market to prevent Ireland from restoring the North-South trade border Britain now calls this arrangement unsustainable but agreed to retain the landmark 1998 Good Friday Agreement, which ended a 30-year sectarian conflict. All the major Protestant union parties in the region rejected the agreement, saying these arrangements undermined their position in the UK. London says Brussels made concessions last month Reduce the impact of inspections on cargo The new customs border crossing the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is not far enough. Varadka told RTE on Tuesday that if the UK Trigger Article 16 Under the terms of the agreement to unilaterally suspend key parts of the transaction, the European Commission may be forced to cancel the post-Brexit trade and cooperation agreement. However, this tough stance has split the EU member states.France and other countries Ireland It is pushing for tougher measures, but EU officials and diplomats have played down claims of preemptive measures against the UK. We are not there yet, an official said. The Brexit Commissioner Maros Sefcovic will brief the EU ambassador and members of the European Parliament on Wednesday before meeting with the Brexit Secretary Lord David Frost. I dont think anyone wants to see the EU suspend its trade and cooperation agreement with the United Kingdom, but if the United Kingdom acts in a way that withdraws from the agreement and withdraws from the withdrawal agreement, I think European Union has no choice but to Respond, Radka said. Legal experts said that the UKs decision to suspend some Northern Ireland agreements will undermine the basis for the EU to agree to a zero-tariff and zero-quota trade agreement. If the UK cancels the substantive provisions of the withdrawal agreement, the EU may argue that this gives them a reason to terminate the agreement. [the TCA], said Catherine Barnard, professor of EU law at the University of Cambridge. Frost has stated since July that it has reached the use of proof Article 16 The economic and political chaos caused by the protocol. A diplomat described Frost and Sevkovics meeting in Brussels last week as cold and the worst meeting they have ever seen. .. They are just talking about each other. Senior EU diplomats stated that there is a growing consensus among member states that if the UK resorts to Article 16, it cannot business as usual. Short-term measures have not yet been decided, but the possible suspension of TCA will be discussed, an EU diplomat said. In an announcement to Reuters News on Thursday morning, the Brazilian cryptocurrency exchange Mercado Bitcoin Said It has signed an agreement with Comerc, one of Brazils major retail energy suppliers, to develop renewable energy tokens. Mercado Bitcoin and Comerc seek to implement two types of tokens. The first plan will be launched in 2022 and will be linked to the cash back plan for solar power generation. Currently, if Comerc customers choose to switch to solar energy, they will receive up to 15% to 20% of the value of their electricity bill in cash back. The second token will be associated with a certificate that records renewable energy consumption. In a statement to Reuters, Matheus Nogueira, CEO of Nori, the company that distributes energy to Comerc, stated: The token can be treated like any other currency, but it has an additional benefit, it is a token representing renewable energy. At the same time, an executive related to the Comerc project made the following comments on the three Ds of the companys renewable energy initiative: The first is decarbonization and encouraging clean energy; the second is decentralization, our factories are based on distributed power generation and finally, digitalization. Mercado Bitcoin claims to be the largest cryptocurrency in Latin America, with more than 3 million customers. according to For CoinGecko, the exchange listed 11 tokens with a trading volume of $19.4 million in the past 24 hours.Earlier this year, Mercado Bitcoin attracted US$200 million investment from Japanese multinational group SoftBankSince January, the exchange has processed more than $5 billion worth of cryptocurrency transactions. If all hospitals are included in the medical insurance plan, Medicare can save $8 billion per year New Raun Institute Report Increased their cost and outcome indicators to match the best performers. Lorne said that its report is the first to rank more than 3,000 hospitals based on cost efficiency, an indicator that combines results (measured by patient mortality) with their health insurance costs. The analysis of the health care think tank shows that even among hospitals of the same type, size, region, and similar mortality rate, there are large differences in costs. Among patients with an average 30-day mortality rate, medical insurance costs range from US$9,000 to US$27,000 per patient. It seems that if everyone can do their best, we will definitely save money and save lives, said Dr. Vikas Saini, director of the Lorne Institute. But for any hospital, its hard to say: this is the magic formula. To derive the score, Lown used the risk-standardized 30-day and 90-day mortality rates of Medicare patients hospitalized in the hospital between 2016 and 2018. For the cost, the researchers used 30-day and 90-day total risk standardized medical insurance payments for hospitalized patients. 2016 and 2018. Payments are standardized based on patient risk, so hospitals with severely ill patients will not be penalized. Saini said that in order to combine these indicators into numbers, Lown placed them on a scatter chart and measured the distance of each hospital from the ideal score to create a score for each facility. Not everyone agrees to use mortality as a single quality indicator. Michael Abrams, managing partner of Numerof & Associates, a healthcare consulting firm, said that this measure is too high to provide any useful information. He said that results like a heart attack would be more useful. Abrams said: There must be something not far from death, you would call it bad quality. It doesnt go very far in explaining what quality of care is. Lorne chose death because it was the hardest to argue about, Saini said. The group will consider other indicators when expanding the scope of the study. At the top of the list is Pinnacle Hospital in Crown Point, Indiana, a small hospital owned by 18-bed doctors. Its website promotes various specialties such as orthopedic services, plastic surgery, and internal medicine. Pinnacle did not respond to a request for comment. St. Marys Regional Medical Center in Reno, Nevada, ranked second. Alan Smith, the hospitals chief financial officer and chief operating officer, said he believes this is because the hospital places great emphasis on communication between clinical team members, support staff, community providers, and home care staff. There is a lot of coordination to ensure that patients receive test results and medications. If they are discharged to a professional nursing facility, the hospital staff will contact these providers to coordinate the transfer. He said that if they want to go home, they will contact the caregiver and make sure they understand their responsibilities. When the patient crosses our threshold, the focus on communication begins and doesnt stop until they go home, Smith said. Smith said that he believes that the main drivers of death after discharge are inconvenience and high cost of medicine, which in some cases prevents patients from taking medicine on their own. Saint Marys helps fund a local non-profit organization that takes patients to a pharmacy, doctor appointment, or grocery storewherever they need to go. The hospital has no plan to help patients afford the cost of medicines. Saint Marys is part of Prime Healthcare, a chain of for-profit hospitals headquartered in Ontario, California. Many of its hospitals are ranked high in Lowns cost efficiency rankings. Smith said he believes this is because Prime is led by doctors and encourages hospitals to share agreements that work well with each other. Prime and its two doctors $37.5 million paid in July Resolve allegations of kickbacks involving implantable medical devices.That was after Prime and its CEO $65 million paid in 2018 To resolve the US Department of Justice lawsuit, the lawsuit accuses health care providers of pushing doctors to accept medical insurance beneficiaries as inpatients when they should be outpatients. In third place is Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque, Iowa, followed by Encino Medical Center in Encino, California, which is another major hospital. AdventHealth Hendersonville, North Carolina, formerly known as Park Ridge Health, ranks fifth. Ella Stenstrom, chief financial officer of AdventHealth Hendersonville, said in a statement that the hospitals commitment to holistic care sets it apart. This means that staff are focused on meeting the physical, mental and spiritual needs of patients. She said: These patients let us know that they are grateful for this effort to focus on care and improve cost efficiency. Oroville Hospital in Oroville, California ranked sixth. Like St. Marys Hospital, Orovilles CEO Robert Wentz said he believes that the key to hospital performance is communication. The staff closely follows each patient, including detailed analysis of the patient with the resident every morning. Whenever a patient is about to be discharged from the hospital, the system will communicate with him so that not only the doctor but also the case manager, discharge planner and all other relevant personnel will be coordinated. If someone asks,Why do you rank so high? If I can put it in one sentence, its communication, Wentz said. Saini does not know why the most efficient hospitals will eventually appear in small and medium-sized cities. He said that studies often show that the mortality and cost of subway hospitals are lower, while rural or suburban hospitals are the opposite. He is also not sure why there are several for-profit hospitals on the list of the most cost-effective hospitals, he guessed it might be because they have more patient throughput. People guess they might actually let them in and let them out, Saini said. Its kind of like a restaurant. If you can have a higher turnover, you will do better. Lornes report also estimated how much medical insurance would save if lower-efficiency hospitals had the same cost per patient as their more efficient counterparts. This part of the study compared hospitals with similar mortality rates in the same city. For example, in Boston, Auburn Hills Hospital costs $11,708 per patient for 30 days. The cost per patient at Brigham and Womens Hospital is US$14,567. Lown estimates that if Brigham and Womens were as efficient as Mount Auburn, Medicare would save $33.4 million a year. In Chicago, Advocate Illinois Mason Medical Center costs $12,913 per patient for 30 days, while Rush University Medical Center costs $16,372. The study shows that this represents an annual saving of US$27.5 million. Since Medicare pays standardized rates, Lowns cost indicators do not reflect changes in prices, but changes in the amount of services provided to patients. It includes all providers involved in patient care, including skilled nursing staff or home care providers. Saini said the hypothesis is that if the hospital or the community better coordinate care throughout the patients onset, the hospital will perform better in terms of cost efficiency. Cost data does not include business bills, but he said that if a hospitals medical insurance billing practices reflect its broader style or culture, it should also flow to business. When clinicians consider this, there may be many ways to improve careincluding quality and costthat require concentration, Saini said. Then the innovation and creativity of the clinical community, when it is Bringing to bears can actually produce a lot of interesting and good results. According to reports, the Indian government is trying to fast track a revised cryptocurrency bill, which will be presented at the winter meeting of Parliament. It is expected that Indias encryption legislation will adopt a middle way approach to balance the concerns of all stakeholders. According to reports, India amended the encryption bill to be introduced at the beginning of the parliaments winter session India is currently working on cryptocurrency regulation. Economic Times quoted an unnamed government source on Monday to report that the government is now considering a middle way to balance all stakeholders concerns about regulating cryptocurrencies. The person explained that, given that a large number of Indians are investing in crypto assets, a complete ban on cryptocurrency is considered infeasible, adding that making cryptocurrency a legal tender like El Salvador is not an option. The source said: A balance must be found The intermediate path that balances the concerns of all stakeholders is more likely. The publication stated that policymakers recently received a presentation on cryptocurrencies, including a presentation from the Ministry of Finance. It covers the pros and cons of cryptocurrency, the regulation of other countries, the crypto investment of Indians, and the central bank Reserve Bank of India (RBI)s view on crypto. The Bank of India has repeatedly stated that it has Serious concernAbout the cryptocurrency that has been communicated to the government. The source said that another speech may involve cryptocurrency taxation, and pointed out that cryptographic legislation will be submitted to the cabinet after legal review and is expected to take place at the upcoming winter parliamentary meeting. The winter meeting began on November 29. In addition, CNBC-TV18 reported on Monday that the Indian government is working to amend the proposed cryptocurrency bill. The publication also quoted an unnamed source as saying that the bill may be proposed at the beginning of the parliamentary winter session. In June 2019, the Ministry of Finance of India Publish A draft cryptocurrency bill called Prohibition of Cryptocurrency and Regulation of Official Digital Currency Act. It proposes to ban all cryptocurrencies except those issued by the state.In January of this year, a bill with a similar title was Listed for consideration Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. However, it was not introduced.Since then, there have been several reports indicating that the government is planning to use cryptocurrency as a asset types In India, instead of banning it. In September, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance of the Indian Parliament explained that Indias cryptocurrency legislation will be Unique and unique. The news outlet further pointed out on Monday that Treasury officials are trying to fast track the revised cryptocurrency bill. At the same time, the Reserve Bank of India is also studying the central bank digital currency (CBDC) and plans to adopt The end of the year. State-backed digital currency is expected to be launched Phased. Do you think India will propose aggressive encryption regulations? Let us know in the comments section below. Image Source: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons On Tuesday, Russias central bank governor, Elvira Nabiullina, stated that the country will prepare a prototype of its digital ruble platform in early 2022 and will launch a trial next year before making a decision on whether to release it. The final decision.According to Reuters, its own digital currency report. At the same time, it is reported that Russian legislators will begin to make necessary legal adjustments to implement the digital ruble plan to adapt to digital currencies.according to NewsAnatoly Aksakov, chairman of the State Dumas Financial Market Committee, said that once the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) experiment is implemented, these legal changes will begin immediately. At least eight federal laws and five codes, including the civil code, tax code, budget code, criminal code, and administrative code, need to be revised before the digital ruble can take effect. The report pointed out that the new rules will cover several topics, such as the power of the Central Bank of Russia (CBR) to establish new currency circulation and its acceptance as a means of payment. According to the report, the test will be carried out in several stages. In the first phase, CBR will provide digital currency. The scale of the pilot project network will be expanded, starting with 12 banks. According to previous reports, CBR established a group of financial companies to inspect its CBDC. However, according to recent reports, the coverage of the banking system will be further expanded. Participating banks include major Russian banks, such as state-backed Sberbank and VTB, and powerful private banks, such as Tinkoff Bank. Banks of Moscow, Transneftbank, Gazprombank, Promsvyazbank, Rosbank, Ak Bars Bank, Dom.RF, SKB-Bank, TKB and Soyuz Bank have all signed the digital ruble pilot program. Bank of Russia Announced its CBDC strategy at the end of 2020In January, the Russian Banking Association criticized the project, saying that any model proposed by the Bank of Russia is possible Involving certain cybersecurity and fraud risks. In response to the increasing use of Bitcoin (Bitcoin) And the decline in cash usage, several central banks around the world have been studying the possibility of issuing CBDC.These include European Central Bank with Peoples Bank of China, in. The Bank of England and the UK Treasury Department are planning to discuss the possibility of launching central bank digital currencies starting in 2022. In a statement on Tuesday, the Bank of England Said The digital pound consultation with the HM Ministry of Finance will consider design features, benefits and impact on users and businesses, as well as other related issues. The outcome of the 2022 negotiations will determine whether the British authorities intend to promote central bank digital currency or CBDC. If the outcome of thisdevelopment stage concludes that the CBDC case has been established and it is both operationally and technically strong, then the earliest launch date of the UK CBDC will be the second half of this decade, said the Central Bank . The Bank of England added that it has not yet decided whether the UK will introduce a CBDC in the future. However, any digital pound project is designed to exist with cash and bank deposits, not to replace them. In April, the Bank of England and the Ministry of Finance Set up a task force It aims to explore the launch of CBDC, including design-related issues and its possible implementation and operation in the UK.The British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said in July that local officials will Pioneering reform consulting Support the safe adoption of encrypted assets and stablecoins and explore the case of the countrys CBDC. related: The Digital Pound Foundation is launched to promote the development of the UK CBDC Although many countries with the worlds largest economies have not yet launched CBDC, some countries have already started pilot programs.Chinas digital renminbi promotion continues to be tested in multiple regions, and the Peoples Bank of China reported More than 140 million personal accounts Holds digital currency as of October. 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 Lee Jung Jae amplified his popularity after starring in the record-breaking Netflix series "Squid Game." Apart from his portrayal as player 456 Seong Gi Hoon, the South Korean A-lister captured the hearts of his millennial fans with his activities on social media. 'Squid Game' Stars Lee Jung Jae and Park Hae Soo Opened their Official IG Account Finally, on October 3, the "Chief of Staff" star and "Squid Game" co-star Park Hae Soo launched their personal Instagram accounts to update and communicate to their fans worldwide. Interestingly, his first Instagram post featured a selfie with a funny caption giving his millions of followers a major ajusshi vibe. "Is this.... how you do it.....?^^ #LeeJungJae #SquidGame," Lee Jung Jae's Instagram caption reads, suggesting that he is still adjusting to the selfie game. Speaking of his first IG post, the photo gained millions of likes in just hours after posting it on his account. His co-star Wi Ha Joon, who portrayed police officer Hwang Jun Ho, went on and commented, "Finally, Instagram." The same goes for newcomer Jung Ho Yeon a.k.a North Korean player 067 Kang Sae Byeok, who seems very happy for the veteran star that he is now on social media. However, while some welcomed the actor on social media, others schooled him for taking "dad selfies" or, in millennial terms, means taking unflattering photos of themselves and sharing it on Instagram. No More Dad Selfies for Lee Jung Jae Now that the award-winning actor is rapidly gaining more followers day by day, he thought of taking selfie games to the next level. On October 19, Lee Jung Jae's Instagram featured a photo with the renowned photographer Oh Joong Seok who has worked with some of South Korea's brightest stars, including the hottest Kpop group BTS for their Coca-Cola CF. It was during their shoot for his new profile for his agency, Artist Company, which the actor also co-founded. In the photo, the "Deliver Us From Evil" star looked sleek in his white button-down top as he posed in front of the camera. Interestingly, in one of his IG posts, Lee Jung Hae introduced the photographer to his millions of fans with a hilarious caption revealing that he now knew how to take proper selfies. "Learn how to take a selfie from photographer Oh Joong Seok. I understand the fan's saying not to take it horizontally," said the actor on his IG. Since then, Lee Jung Jae has featured aesthetically pleasing selfies with his "Squid Game" co-stars during their virtual appearance in "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." Lee Jung Jae's Instagram Featured the Stunning Los Angeles The Baeksang Arts winner left Korea on November 4 to participate in various ceremonies in the United States--his first stop, Los Angeles, for the 2021 Art + Film Gala. After meeting with the Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, Lee Jung Jae posted a video at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art known as the LACMA, where the event was held. In a short clip, the "Squid Game" star took a selfie in front of the iconic urban lights, and this time, he did not forget his homework and took the video horizontally. KDramastars owns this article. Written by Geca Wills WASHINGTON, DC The Biden administration has tossed out Trump-era changes to federal protections for the northern spotted owl, a threatened species native to old growth forests along the coastal Pacific Northwest. In 2019, the federal Department of the Interior began a series of rule changes chipping away at protections under the Endangered Species Act, saying that the move would improve efficiency of oversight. In January, just before President Biden took office, the US Fish & Wildlife Service published a revised critical habitat designation for the northern spotted owl, reducing the protected area by more than 3.4 million acres much of it in Oregon. Conservation groups sued the federal government in protest earlier this year. But this week, the USFWS filed to withdraw the final rule that would have gone into effect on December 15 reducing the habitat rollbacks from 3.4 million acres to 204,294 acres in Oregon exclusively. The Biden administration took the right steps to fix the mess it was handed, said Kristen Boyles, Earthjustice managing attorney. Protecting habitat is the most important thing we can do for the owl. The northern spotted owl first received a threatened designation under the Endangered Species Act in 1990. Conflict over the species' protected habitat and logging concerns has continued ever since, as the owl's natural habitat lies in prized old-growth forests. Despite protections, the spotted owl's population has continued to dwindle over the decades. Along with the threat of habitat loss, the spotted owl has increasingly suffered from competition posed by the more robust barred owl, an invasive species native to the eastern U.S. that has moved into the spotted owl's habitat. The proposed habitat reduction under the Trump administration's rule accounted for roughly a third of the 9.6 million acres set aside as critical habitat as of 2012. It defied logic, not to mention biology, to eliminate 3.4 million acres of protected habitat for this charismatic species, said Susan Jane Brown, wildlands and wildlife program director at the Western Environmental Law Center. Owls are so imperiled that endangered status is appropriate; it only makes sense to return essential protections to owl habitat. The more than 200,000 acres still slated for protection loss by the Biden administration largely apply to Bureau of Land Management lands in southern Oregon. by Sonia Moghe, CNN (CNN) -- Oklahoma Supreme Court justices have reversed a district court decision that ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay hundreds of millions to the state for its role in the opioid crisis. In the justices' 5-1 decision filed Tuesday, they wrote that the district court "erred" by holding Johnson & Johnson liable under the state's public nuisance statute for its opioid prescription marketing campaign. "We hold that the district court's expansion of public nuisance law went too far. Oklahoma public nuisance law does not extend to the manufacturing, marketing, and selling of prescription opioids," Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice James Winchester wrote in his opinion. The opinion states that the manufacture and distribution of products "rarely causes a violation of a public right" and that a manufacturer generally does not have control over a product once its sold, and that if the public nuisance law were allowed to be used to hold a company liable for its products "a manufacturer could be held perpetually liable." "In reaching this decision, we do not minimize the severity of the harm that thousands of Oklahoma citizens have suffered because of opioids," the opinion states. "However grave the problem of opioid addiction is in Oklahoma, public nuisance law does not provide a remedy for this harm." A spokesman for Johnson & Johnson praised the decision Tuesday and said that none of the $465 million that the company had been told to give to the state has been given to communities to abate the overdose crisis. "Today the Oklahoma State Supreme Court appropriately and categorically rejected the misguided and unprecedented expansion of the public nuisance law as a means to regulate the manufacture, marketing, and sale of products, including the Company's prescription opioid medications," Johnson & Johnson spokesman Jake Sargent wrote in a statement. CNN has reached out to the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office for comment. By Eric Levenson and Brad Parks, CNN (CNN) -- The prosecution on Tuesday rested its case against Kyle Rittenhouse in his homicide trial after calling 22 witnesses over the course of six days, setting up the defense to potentially call Rittenhouse to the stand. Once the prosecution rested, Judge Bruce Schroeder granted a defense motion to dismiss a curfew citation charge against Rittenhouse. Defense attorneys said prosecutors had failed to present any evidence that a curfew was in place, and the judge agreed. The testimony so far has at times favored the prosecution's case that Rittenhouse committed five felonies and a misdemeanor in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on the night of August 25, 2020. Yet other evidence -- sometimes from the same witness -- has bolstered the defense's argument that Rittenhouse, then 17, acted in self-defense when he opened fire. The events of that night, almost all captured on video, are hardly in dispute: Rittenhouse, armed with an AR-15-style rifle, fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum -- an unarmed man who was chasing the teenager -- and then shot at three other people who confronted him. Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber were killed, and Gaige Grosskreutz was wounded. The question before the jury, rather, is whether Rittenhouse's actions are to be considered reasonable or criminal. On Monday, Grosskreutz, a paramedic out that night, testified that he believed the teenager was an active shooter and so pursued him and unholstered his own concealed firearm. He testified that he put his hands up when Rittenhouse pointed his AR-15-style rifle at him but believed Rittenhouse did not accept his surrender. Rittenhouse shot him in the right bicep. "I was never trying to kill the defendant," Grosskreutz said. "In that moment, I was trying to preserve my own life, but doing so while taking the life of another is not something I am capable or comfortable doing." However, Grosskreutz also admitted that he pointed his gun at Rittenhouse before he was shot. "When you were standing three to five feet from him with your arms up in the air, he never fired, right?" defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said. "Correct," Grosskreutz said. "It wasn't until you pointed your gun at him, advanced on him with your gun -- now your hand is down pointed at him -- that he fired, right?" Chirafisi asked. "Correct," Grosskreutz responded. The paramedic also testified that his concealed carry license had expired, and he also admitted he incorrectly told investigators his gun had fallen out of his pants earlier in the night. Rittenhouse fired his rifle eight times in all during the chaotic protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. He shot Rosenbaum four times; fired twice at an unknown man who tried to kick him; fatally shot Huber, who had hit him with a skateboard; and shot Grosskreutz in the arm. Rittenhouse, now 18, has pleaded not guilty to six charges, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree attempted intentional homicide. The prosecution called 15 witnesses last week, including police, witnesses who filmed the shootings and armed men out in Kenosha that night. Five other witnesses testified on Monday, and two more testified on Tuesday. Defense focuses on Rosenbaum as aggressor Defense attorney Mark Richards said Rittenhouse fired only in self-defense. In opening statements, he described Rosenbaum as the aggressor in the initial shooting and said Huber and Grosskreutz were part of a mob who "attacked him in the street like an animal." To make their case, the defense has repeatedly focused on what one witness described as Rosenbaum's "erratic" behavior that night. Cellphone and surveillance videos show he threw a plastic bag at Rittenhouse and chased him across a parking lot before the teenager shot him. Other video from earlier in the night showed Rosenbaum yelling, "shoot me (n-word)." One of the armed men said Rosenbaum had acted "belligerently" and another said he had threatened to kill him and Rittenhouse. "He goes, 'You know, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight, I'm gonna f***ing kill you,'" according to Ryan Balch, a military veteran who brought his weapon into Kenosha that night. Rosenbaum had just been released from the hospital that morning, his fiancee Kariann Swart testified. She said he was on an antidepressant as well as medication to treat bipolar disorder. Richie McGinniss, a video editor with The Daily Caller news site, testified that Rosenbaum had lunged for the front of Rittenhouse's rifle moments before he was shot. "It was as if, you know, if you were to lunge at somebody, if anybody were to lunge, they would probably stop themselves, you know, from falling face down on the ground, but the shots were fired in the exact instance that his momentum was going forward and that continued until Mr. Rosenbaum landed on the ground," McGinniss said. McGinniss was just feet from the two when Rittenhouse opened fire, and McGinniss said he jumped out of the line of fire and then shook his legs out to make sure he hadn't been hit. "Given where I was, certainly I was in danger," he said. McGinniss' testimony is key to one of the charges against Rittenhouse -- a felony count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. On Tuesday, a forensic pathologist testified that Rosenbaum was first shot in the front, bent forward into a horizontal position, and then was hit by a fatal bullet to the back. Dr. Douglas Kelley with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office testified that Rittenhouse shot Rosenbaum four times -- twice in the front, once in the back and once along the side of his head. Video of the shooting shows Rittenhouse fired at Rosenbaum's front, so Kelley determined that the fatal shot to his back came as his body leaned forward. "The only time during the interaction in which he could have incurred the gunshot wounds to the back and to the right side of the head was when he was more horizontal, and the only time that happens is the last two gunshot wounds," Kelley said. "The first two gunshot wounds are represented by the injury to the groin and the injury to the left thigh." Kelley said that horizontal position is consistent with a person either falling forward or lunging at someone. He also noted that Rosenbaum had a close-range gunshot wound to his hand. "That hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouse's gun when his hand was shot?" defense attorney Richards said. "That makes sense," Kelley responded. This hand made sign from the heart was put up on the Swiss Chalet door Sunday night when the restaurant ran out of chicken about 7 p.m. on its closing night. Author Miriam Toews poses for a photograph on the red carpet premiere for the film "All My Puny Sorrows" at the Princess of Wales Theatre during the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, in Toronto, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Canada's literary cognoscenti are breaking out their formal attire and brushing up on their small talk as they prepare to reconvene for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin Two Illinois men who led police on a chase that ended in a crash in August face several criminal charges in Kenosha County Circuit Court. Felix Marcel James, 19, of Waukegan, Ill., and Cameron M. Gaston, 19, of Zion, Ill., were charged after an Aug. 24 incident that began at Kwik Trip, 5800 31st St., in the Village of Somers. James, whos in custody in the Kenosha County Jail on a $75,000 cash bond, is charged with three felony counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety, one felony count of possession of a short-barreled shotgun and misdemeanor counts of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of THC and resisting an officer. The felony charges carry a maximum prison term of 43 years, six months and a possible fine of $85,000. James is due back in court Nov. 18 for a 10 a.m. preliminary hearing before Commissioner Larry Keating. Gaston, who is in custody on a $30,000 cash bond, is charged with a felony count of possessing a short-barreled shotgun and misdemeanor counts of carrying a concealed weapon, possession of marijuana and obstructing an officer. The felony carries a fine of $10,000 and six years in prison. According to the criminal complaint: Police responded to the Kwik Trip after a manager at another location called dispatch and stated that someone had attempted to get fuel, but when asked to prepay had suspiciously sped away. The Toyotas license plate came back stolen out of Illinois. When police attempted to stop the vehicle at a gas pump at the Somers location, James quickly jumped into the drivers seat and exited toward Green Bay Road. The vehicle then drove through a red light at Washington Road at speeds of 75 miles per hour. The pursuit continued until it reached the intersection of 39th Avenue, Roosevelt Road and 75th Street, where it was struck by an eastbound white SUV. The defendants vehicle then was pushed into a black Mercedes that had stopped in the left turn lane of 39th Avenue and traveled another 30 feet eastbound before it came to a stop. Both defendants fled the scene and began running southeast, the complaint states. The drivers of both the Mercedes and the SUV complained of injuries from the collision and were treated by personnel from the Kenosha Fire Department. Police found a sawed-off shotgun that was lying on the rear floorboard behind the drivers seat of the Toyota, which was registered to James, but the license plate was registered to another vehicle and had been reported stolen, the complaint states. Inside the Toyota, police also found a clear mason jar with what later tested positive for 11.8 grams of marijuana. After both men were apprehended, James admitted to police he was the driver and didnt stop because of the shotgun, which he said Gaston found in an alley near his house in Zion. When asked why the shotgun was in the vehicle, he told police because he likes guns. James also stated he had found the license plate and put it on the Toyota. He further admitted to stealing about $20 from a Kwik Trip a couple weeks earlier. 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. Hopkinsville, KY (42240) Today Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 30F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low near 30F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. IMB President Paul Chitwood brings greetings to the South Carolina Baptist Conventions annual meeting. The SCBC is celebrating 200 years of Southern Baptist ministry. The IMBs Nov. 2021 Sending Celebration was hosted in conjunction with their annual meeting. (IMB Photo) Todd Martin presents a gift to the international student who most recently moved to the U.S. at the Connect International Student Conference in Cave City, Kentucky. Martin, pastor of College and Missions at Ashland Avenue Baptist Church in Lexington, was the main speaker at the conference. (Kentucky Today/Robin Cornetet) Ketchikan, AK (99901) Today Windy with rain likely. High 48F. Winds ESE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy and windy with periods of rain. Low near 40F. Winds SE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 2 to 3 inches of rain expected. EUGENE, Ore. -- Dozens of members of Oregon AFSCME Council 75 gathered on Monday for a Bargaining Solidarity Rally to demonstrate their frustration with the City of Eugene's latest contract negotiations. The contract bargaining initially began in March; however, it stalled in September. As a result, the process will now go to a third-party mediator to help facilitate the discussions. About 260 Eugene employees belong to AFSCME Council 75, including janitors, some library workers and those who maintain the wastewater system. According to Monica Bielski Boris, a union representative, the disconnect in bargaining is due to multiple reasons, but the focus is on wage increase, the process for layoffs, and a proposed cut in hours. In short, they feel as though they aren't getting the appropriate compensation for their work. Most of the people in attendance held signs that expressed their anger. One of the signs read: "More than praise, we need a raise!" Dal Ollek, AFSCME Local 1724 president, said they believe the offer the city has brought to the table so far is unreasonable, and the frustration was evident at the rally. "They're tired of being left out and falling behind and we're experiencing the same thing and we're seeing an awful lot of people in the community connect with us on that," Ollek said. The City of Eugene, they released this statement: "We're focused on ensuring that we are able to adequately and fairly compensate our employees and also fulfill our commitments to our community and do that within the resources that are available to us within our budget processes." The event went on for about two hours, with members and non-members of the union in attendance. The date for the start of the mediated negotiations is Nov. 15. Stay with KEZI 9 News for the latest. 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. The European Commission is currently in the process of creating a 'Cancer Survivor Smart Card' that will come in the form of a portable eCard or app which will allow patients to connect with health professionals including the survivors general practitioner. The Smart Card is part of the European Commissions 'Better Life for Cancer Patients Initiative', which is funded by the EU4Health programme. The aim is to improve communication between the survivor and healthcare professionals and ease the survivors worries, questions, and other matters of relevance. It is hoped the action will improve the quality of life of cancer survivors, and address their potential needs. Ireland South MEP Deirdre Clune said she will continue to monitor the progress on the introduction of the card with the European Commission. Ms. Clune said the smart card can help in some small way to ease the challenge for cancer survivors. "It has been an extremely difficult two years for cancer patients as they were forced to delay appointments and faced longer waiting lists due to the pandemic." she added. MEP Clune said: "Thanks to advances in early detection, effective therapies, and supportive care, cancer survival rates have increased dramatically. While this is a reason for optimism, survivors, their families and carers can experience significant challenges. The 'Cancer Survivor Smart-Card' is one step which may lessen the challenges for cancer survivors. The European Commission will involve patient groups, health, and social care providers, as well as families of patients in order to apply a participatory and co-creative approach in the development of the Card. Unions have lodged a 3% pay increase for thousands of workers in the voluntary and community sector today. The nationwide campaign is called 'Valuing Care/Recognising Work' and is being launched by SIPTU, INMO, Forsa, and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). The campaign aims to find 'a fair way forward' for workers in the community and voluntary sector. The pay claim, set at 3%, would bring workers in the community and voluntary sector in line with pay patterns across all sectors, including the pay provisions contained in the public service agreement, Building Momentum, according to the Unions. The Unions say that workers in the community and voluntary sector provide a huge range of community-based services in health. These services include care for older people, care for people with disabilities, services for people with addiction, homeless services, and a range of services for children. The Unions say services are provided for 'everyone from nought to a hundred years of age'. Community Development Worker, Roisin Ryder said from 2010-2012 the community sector was cut by 38 percent which massively impacted the sector. "People are the centre of our work. If we don't get funding for workers, we cannot manage." she added. Ms. Ryder said they are conscious that pay restoration has happened for the public sector but not for community workers. SIPTU's Divisional Organiser, Adrian Kane said this campaign is trying to ensure the work of community workers is valued and is given recognition as they are 'the glue that holds our society together'. The sector has not had a pay increase since 2008 and many workers have suffered 'significant' pay cuts since that time, according to Adrian Kane. Section 39 worker Hugh O'Rourke said the funding crisis must be overturned to deliver the care that the most vulnerable in society deserve and 'enough is enough'. Forsa Offical, Catherine Keogh said that Slaintecare talks about the right care, at the right time, at the right place, which everyone agrees is the way forward. "If politicians are serious about this, and value the work our members provide, if they value the work that workers provide, and if they have due regard and respect for the citizens and voters who use these services they will fund them properly." added Ms. Keogh. "Community Work needs to be acknowledged for the essential work it does, it's on the ground, and it's working with people where they are at." added Roisin Ryder. 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. ROCHESTER, Minn. - After a nearly 20-month coronavirus closure, Canadian travelers are once again crossing our northern border. The U.S.-Canada border reopened for non-essential travel by land Monday. The thawing of restrictions on cross-border tourism is being met with excitement by many, including U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar. "Everyone in Minnesota, including the Rochester area, has reason to celebrate, because Canada is our best trading partner," Senator Klobuchar told KIMT. She continued, "major partner with tourism, major visitors to the Rochester area, whether it's to go to the Mayo Clinic, whether it is to visit the beautiful parts of Southern Minnesota." Klobuchar, who chairs the Canada-United States Inter-Parliamentary Group, says more traffic flowing through our northern border will help revive the travel and tourism industry, while making it easier for folks to see loved ones. "I think you're going to see a big uptick. You know, some people are going to be going down to the southern part of the country right now because it's a little warmer, but other people just want to visit for Thanksgiving, and they want to see their friends and family. So it's going to be a mix of things, but we know how valuable Canadian tourists are to our state," Klobuchar said. To the senator's point, approximately 1.75 million people crossed the U.S.-Canada border through a Minnesota checkpoint in 2019, with Canadians spending roughly $175 million in the North Star State that year. While the revised border crossing rules will allow more Canucks to spend their cash state-side, they'll still need to show proof of vaccination to enter the U.S., and a negative COVID test to get back to the Great White North. "Both countries have to have vaccine requirements, which is fine. That's pretty common place now internationally," Senator Klobuchar said. "It's just that there isn't parity when it comes to the testing requirements, and so what we would like is to have negotiations on that so that we're not adding to the cost when the Canadians come drive to the U.S., because that's going to make them less likely to come." To celebrate the reopening of the border, Governor Walz proclaimed Monday "Canadian Travelers Day in Minnesota," recognizing the contribution our northern neighbors have made to the North Star State's economy and culture. SHEFFIELD, Iowa- The Biden Administration is engaged in a legal battle over its vaccine mandate, which was halted by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals over the weekend. The mandate would require private businesses with 100 or more employees to force staff to either get vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing while wearing face masks. The mandate would be carried out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under its emergency temporary standards (ETS) starting on Jan. 4. James Godwin of Rochester legal firm Godwin Dold said proponents against the mandate will force OSHA to prove the mandate meets its ETS requirements. "You have to show a grave danger. You have to show it is a newly demonstrated hazard and you, you being OSHA, have to show the benefits outweigh the costs of establishing this rule," Godwin said. Sukup Manufacturing Chairman Charles Sukup said businesses are worried that employees will leave over a vaccine mandate. "The last thing we want to do is lose employees whether they are mad about the vaccine mandate and walk away," Sukup said. Sukup also said the federal government is overreaching its power. "Just wish that the federal government would let us take care of things with our own employees. We know better than them what the employees are wanting and the intensity of their feelings," Sukup said. So far over 15 states have said they would sue the Biden Administration over the mandate. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Local leaders are continuing to build the City of Rochester's spending plan for next year. The Rochester City Council discussed details of the Med City's proposed 2022 operating budget Monday afternoon. The council has already signed off on a preliminary version of the plan, which aims to balance the city's books following pandemic-related difficulties. The preliminary budget totals $494 million - about $22 million higher than this year's budget, but still around $100 million less than 2020's. Next year's proposed spending plan includes a 6.5% increase in the overall amount of property taxes the city will collect, though staff says property improvements like new construction and a rise in the total number of taxable properties will account for most of the tax levy increase. This year city leaders kept Rochester's property tax levy the same, leading to the lowest property tax rate in a decade. The preliminary budget also includes a 1.5% general rate increase for RPU electric service, which is expected to cost the average customer $2.28 per month. The Rochester City Council will be asked to approve a final city budget for 2022 at its meeting on December 6th. MASON CITY, Iowa - A Chicago man accused of a Mason City murder is pleading not guilty. Jelani Armon Faulk, 25, is charged with the fatal shooting of Christopher Tucker, 35 of Garner. Investigators say Tucker was shot multiple times on October 3 in Mason City and later died of his wounds. Mason City police say Faulk was then himself shot after reportedly pointing his handgun at an officer. Faulk was hospitalized before being taken to the Cerro Gordo County Jail. His trial for first-degree murder and interference with official acts is scheduled to start on January 25, 2022. ROCHESTER, Minn. - Earlier this year, Dr. Anthony Fauci praised Australia for being a world leader on "containment and management of emerging variants." With 181,578 cases of COVID-19 and 1,827 deaths throughout the entire pandemic, Australia's coronavirus numbers are among the lowest in the developed world. Comparatively, the United States has had 46,358,362 cases and 751,535 deaths since the start of the pandemic. KIMT News 3 spoke with a Rochester native who is now living in Australia's more populated east, which recently loosened restrictions immensely. The west, which is less densely populated and has a lower vaccination rate, is expected to keep tight restrictions into 2022. "My parents, every time I talk to them, they're like, 'we miss you so much but we are so glad you're there,'" says Brigid Burke, a Rochester native who moved to Australia in August 2018 to work as an au pair after college. Now, she's a barista in the Blue Mountains, about an hour outside central Sydney. Burke hasn't been home to the states since before the pandemic due to her new country's strict rules. However, she believes their severity is exaggerated in other parts of the world. "There were definitely a lot more rules and they were definitely enforced here, whereas in the states I know there were requests made to like not go out but some people listen and some people didn't. Some people took it seriously. Whereas here I think it doesn't matter if you think covid is real, it's the law," she explains. In March of 2020, Australia closed to non-residents, began enforcing quarantines and social distancing, and closed non-essential services. Because Burke's place of work stayed open for carry-out orders, she was able to keep her employment throughout the pandemic. The country's lockdowns were largely successful until outbreaks of the Delta variant, but now, Burke says life is mostly normal for vaccinated people. "As a double vaccinated person, I can do anything I want. I have to wear a mask still, but that's fine." Australia's nationwide vaccination program began in February, but it had a slow start. It didn't pick up speed until July after missing initial targets. Burke thinks that because lockdowns kept the country's COVID numbers so low, there wasn't an urgent push for the shots. She was able to complete her two-dose series of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which is made in Australia, in September. According to the Australian Government's Department of Health, more than 80% of people 16 and up are fully vaccinated. In the U.S., almost 20% of people 12 and up have had at least one shot. New South Wales uses an app where Burke can store her vaccine credentials to get into businesses and check in and out of locations. The government then uses that data for contact tracing. "I just hope that in the next pandemic, America will follow some of the footsteps of Australia and make hardline lockdowns quicker with better contact tracing, because we have some of the best contact tracing in the world," says Burke. Although Burke misses her family and friends stateside, she would rather live through the pandemic in Australia than in Minnesota. "I feel so much more appreciative of what I have because we were in lockdown and we were all as a community working toward safety. So for that I feel really lucky," she explains. Currently, she could leave Australia and come back to the U.S. However, it is not yet clear when she'd be able to get back into Australia because she's not a permanent resident or citizen. In the meantime, she's staying put down under. "I haven't seen my parents in over two years. I have a 9-month-old nephew that I haven't been able to meet. But also if I get stuck in the United States for an unknown amount of time, then I lose my job. It's a shift so it's been really hard and I'm very eager for things to open up but I'm also scared that when things open up, it'll lead to more people dying," says Burke. ROCHESTER, Minn.- Vaccine clinics are being held at some Rochester elementary schools, making the COVID-19 shot more accessible for families interested in getting their children ages 5-11 vaccinated. The vaccine clinics are being held by Rochester Healthy Comunity Partnership(RHCP). Although Rochester Public Schools isn't hosting the clinic, they are offering three of their elementary schools as vaccine sites. "I think that's good. I think we need to get students vaccinated in order to keep the community healthy," says Ryan Colburn. The vaccine clinics will be held on Saturdays throughout November at Gage, Longfellow, and Riverside elementary schools. RHCP will be offering vaccines for both COVID-19 and influenza. "I think if you want it you should be able to get it," says Faith Gabel. Stewartville School District is collaborating with Olmsted County Public Health to gauge whether or not families are interested in having a vaccine clinic at its schools. Other districts including Byron are working with Olmsted County Public Health to schedule vaccine clinics. Austin Public Schools will also be having a Covid-19 vaccination clinic on November 19. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) A former probation officer has been sentenced to life in prison for her role in the kidnapping and killing of a Minneapolis real estate agent. A Hennepin County jury in September found 29-year-old Elsa Segura, of Fridley, guilty of aiding and abetting premeditated first-degree murder in the New Years Eve 2019 killing of Monique Baugh. The sentence does not allow for the possibility of release. Prosecutors say Segura lured Baugh to a phony home showing in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove. Two other co-defendants in the case, Cedric Berry and Berry Davis, were previously sentenced to life in prison for Baugh's death. Investigators say the luring scheme was aimed at getting to Baugh's boyfriend, who was shot and wounded after Baugh was kidnapped. Jasper, TX (75951) Today Light rain early. Then remaining cloudy. Thunder is possible early. Low near 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Light rain early. Then remaining cloudy. Thunder is possible early. Low near 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 24F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming ENE and decreasing to less than 5 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to cloudy skies late. Low 24F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph, becoming ENE and decreasing to less than 5 mph. 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. China has been proactively consulting with South Korea to help ease its supply shortage of "urea water" solution needed in diesel vehicles, Beijing's foreign ministry said Tuesday. South Korea has been grappling with a shortage of urea water solution in recent weeks as Beijing last month tightened exports of urea and other raw materials amid a coal supply shortage. Coal is the main feedstock for urea. "China highly appreciates South Korea's demand for (urea) and has been proactively negotiating with South Korea to resolve the issue," the ministry said in a written answer to Yonhap News Agency's request. "China's adjustment of the list of the trading items subject to inspection, including urea, was a necessary measure to improve their management, not targeted at a particular country." Seoul officials have been stepping up diplomatic efforts to expedite the customs procedure for urea to prevent its impact on the logistics sectors. While 18,000 tons of urea contracted by South Korean companies are currently on hold in China, South Korea has requested to expedite the process for the pre-shipment inspections on 7,000 tons of urea in particular, a foreign ministry official said. The amount would be enough to produce at least one month of urea water solution for vehicles, according to industry officials. To ease the supply shortage, the country plans to import 200 tons of urea from Vietnam next week and bring in 27,000 liters of urea water solution from Australia this week via military aircraft. In addition, embassies and trade promotion agencies abroad have been contacting other countries, including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, to import an additional amount of urea, the official said. (Yonhap) U.S. President Joe Biden responds to a question from a reporter after speaking about coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccines and booster shots in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, Sept. 24. Reuters-Yonhap The United States plans to invest in five to 10 large infrastructure projects around the world in January as part of a broader Group of Seven initiative to counter China's Belt and Road Initiative, a senior U.S. official said on Monday. A U.S. delegation led by President Joe Biden's deputy national security adviser, Daleep Singh, identified at least 10 promising projects in Senegal and Ghana during the latest in a series of "listening tours" last week, the official said. Officials are meeting with government and private-sector leaders as they hunt for projects to be funded under the Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative launched by the G7 rich democracies in June. Plans could be finalized during a G7 meeting in December, the official said. A U.S. delegation visited Ecuador, Panama and Colombia during a similar tour in early October, with another slated to visit Asia before year-end, the official said, without naming any specific Asian countries. The G7 B3W initiative is aimed at narrowing the $40 trillion in infrastructure investment that developing countries will need by 2035 and providing an alternative to problematic lending practices by China, officials have said. The United States will offer developing countries "the full range" of U.S. financial tools, including equity stakes, loan guarantees, political insurance, grants and technical expertise to focus on climate, health, digital technology and gender equality, the official told reporters. The effort is seeking to "identify flagship projects that could launch by the start of next year," the official said. Singh was joined in Africa by Alexia Latortue, deputy chief executive officer of the Millennium Challenge Corp, and Travis Adkins, deputy assistant administrator for Africa at the U.S. International Development Finance Corp, said Emily Horne, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. Biden sought to advance the initiative during a meeting on the sidelines of the COP26 UN climate conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other G7 partners, she added. The administration official said senior officials in Senegal and Ghana welcomed U.S. assurances that unlike China, the world's largest creditor, the United States would not require non-disclosure agreements or collateral agreements that could result in later seizure of ports or airports. Projects discussed included setting up a possible vaccine manufacturing hub for West Africa in Senegal, bolstering renewable energy supplies, boosting lending to women-owned businesses, and narrowing the digital divide. (Reuters) By Lee Seong-hyon Cambridge, MA On Sept. 14, China's Global Times ran an editorial, titled, "Why the U.S. is afraid to go to war with China?" The title's argument increasingly resonates with many Asians' perspective on the current U.S.-China rivalry. Washington should heed the "audience cost," if it matters to them. The characterization of Washington being "afraid" in dealing with China, as argued in the Chinese state-controlled media, doesn't help America's standing in the region, if it continues failing to trigger an American response. Washington de facto tolerates China's war rhetoric. But Washington's repeated accommodation of combative language has been slowly eroding America's credibility in the region, particularly when China has been increasingly showing credible willingness to match its harsh rhetoric with actions in the South China Sea or over Taiwan. "Rhetoric," true to its meaning, is hyperbole. Yet words shape perception. From a vantage point of Asia, where China is located, the U.S. is often seen not credibly establishing itself to confront China from a position of strength. China resorts to such psychological tactics because it shapes the narrative that frames the way the public understands the U.S.-China rivalry. It also projects an image of which side, between the U.S. and China, appears to be taking the upper edge and expanding its share of influence and prestige in global politics. The curious question from onlooker is why the U.S. seems listless, neglecting the situation as it is, giving China uninterrupted access to dictate the narrative. China frequently accuses the U.S. (under both Trump and Biden) of harboring a "Cold War" attitude toward China (North Korea often does that to the U.S.). It's part of Beijing's psychological warfare. However, somehow the accusation seems effective in making the American side feel "guilty." Whenever Beijing deploys the words, Washington is seen as embarrassed, like a pupil caught cheating, fumbling to dodge the accusation, not confronting it. It makes Washington look very defensive. President Biden in his recent speech at the U.N., for instance, tried to make points that the U.S. is "not seeking a new Cold War with China." It was his conscious effort to counter China's allegations. However, by accommodating a response to the Chinese accusation in his prominent speech, Biden might have been inadvertently drawing more incriminating attention onto himself, feeding the very Chinese psychological manipulation he was supposed to disown. The importance of striking a balance between being tough on China without provocative is well understood. But is the Biden administration executing the art of strategic messaging well? Perhaps it's time for Washington to review and recalibrate its public narrative protocol in communicating the U.S.-China rivalry to the global audience. A China policy, comprised of the trinity of "Cooperation, Competition and Confrontation" will not do. Such a description, in fact, can be said of America's relationship with France too. Storytelling is important for the U.S.-China competition, which is staged in the international arena with the whole world watching. The Chinese interlocutors are often seen as consummate wordsmiths, doing a far better job than their American counterparts. In March in Alaska, for instance, China's most senior foreign policy official Yang Jiechi publicly announced that the U.S. is "not qualified" (meiyou zige) to speak to China from a position of strength. It was the most famous line from the meeting. It was also the most embarrassing moment for Washington. After the event, the March 19 editorial of Global Times said that the Alaska showdown should be "remembered in history as a landmark." What was Washington's "punch line" from Alaska? The world doesn't seem to remember. China's language tactic often includes resorting to undiplomatically shocking choice of words to throw the other party off-balance. When Seoul agreed to host a U.S. advanced missile defense battery system (called THAAD) in 2016, for instance, the Chinese ambassador to Seoul publicly proclaimed that the THAAD deployment could "destroy the whole South Korea-China relations in a twinkling." China is gifted in deploying bluffing and threatening rhetoric. Whether it is with America or U.S. allies, or with Taiwan, China is not hesitant in utilizing the war rhetoric. The question is whether the U.S. should do the same? This is a rhetorical question. But it should give Washington a moment to ponder and review the effectiveness of its "storytelling" of the U.S.-China rivalry to the international audience. China, at least, seems to know how to tell its side of the story. Lee Seong-hyon, Ph.D. (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), is a visiting scholar at Harvard University's Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies. By Arthur I. Cyr Veterans Day, celebrated on Nov. 11, is a cause for contemplation as well as celebration. Parades featuring people in uniform those currently serving, those who have served, and others who protect us should always be welcome. Military uniforms remind us of the role of war in our history and our present. From ancient times, parades have been vital to the reintegration of warriors into society. War is profoundly disruptive and disturbing as well as dangerous. Even the rare man who finds combat invigorating and rewarding is in severe need of a welcome home after the killing. Homer, chronicler of the Trojan War, is extremely sensitive to this. The great classic is divided into two parts. "The Iliad" focuses on the fighting and related events involving Greeks and Trojans; "The Odyssey" describes the very long voyage home of Greek leader Ulysses and his men. General George S. Patton Jr., a very great American combat leader, was extremely mindful of this dimension. A special ceremony in the Los Angeles Coliseum after the surrender of Nazi Germany featured Patton and General James Doolittle, who led the first air raid on Tokyo not long after Pearl Harbor. Patton celebrated the accomplishments of his Third Army in the victorious drive across Europe. In honoring his troops, he stressed in particular the 40,000 who lost their lives. Patton made such statements regularly in the last remaining months of his own life. In World War II, peoples liberated from the Axis occupation welcomed Allied troops. Understandably, our media gave special emphasis to this dimension. The Korean War created very strong bonds between the U.S. and the people as well as the very effective military of South Korea. The first Gulf War liberated an oppressed population. The Vietnam and Iraq/Afghanistan wars have been different. During Vietnam, military personnel were strongly encouraged, sometimes ordered, to keep quiet. Opposition to the war became hostility to our own military. There was no collective welcome home. Many aging veterans of that war suffer without a Ulysses, troubled and troublesome, sometimes criminally. The Afghanistan and Iraq wars have yet again been different. Visits to Washington D.C. provide reminders of the visibility of the uniformed military, especially on public transportation. President Richard Nixon's decisive end of the military draft was crucial in that change. However, often-rapid rotations of personnel back to war zones are unfair as well as counterproductive. Enormous psychological strains join physical dangers, and families suffer heavily. All-volunteer military recruiting has rendered our services relatively segregated from the rest of our American society. The military remains a vital engine for equality and opportunity. General Colin Powell and many others demonstrate the point. Powell, from modest origins, achieved the most senior civilian and military posts in our government. Powell noted he experienced discrimination in the South, but never on post. Our military emphasize merit. Nov. 11 is a time for reflection while honoring veterans, individually and collectively. Encourage them to run for office. We won the Cold War in part because members of the World War II generation also served in government. Every U.S. President from Harry Truman through George H.W.Bush was a veteran. Today, things are starkly different. What we need above all is the sort of sensible realism women and men who served bring to policy. Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War" (NYU and Palgrave/Macmillan). Thank you to supporters of mission project in Belize The United States has reopened its borders to vaccinated international travelers, ending a 20-month travel ban at the same moment Europe is battling a surge of Covid-19 cases that has pushed the continent back into the epicenter of the pandemic. CORVALLIS, Ore. (KPTV) Oregon State University is setting enrollment records this fall thanks to a combination of online and in-person classes, the school said Tuesday. The school is also seeing a rise in students of color and a rise in applications from out of state. Over 34,000 students are enrolled at OSU, the highest enrollment for a college in Oregon for the eighth year in a row. This includes Corvallis, Bend, Portland, Newport and La Grande. OSU said enrollment at its main campus includes 3,974 first-time students entering from high school, an increase of 13.5 percent from last fall. Proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required for Beavers, Ducks games Oregon State University and the University of Oregon will require proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for all school-sanctioned e Oregon State University is fully energized and enjoying significant momentum with students back on our campuses in Corvallis and Bend, and engaged in learning across the world in our top-ranked online degree programs, said Becky Johnson, OSUs interim president. As Oregons statewide university, I am very pleased that we are serving even more underrepresented students, first-generation students and transfer students, and providing a college education for all qualified Oregonians who apply. OSU said the typical grade-point-average of new students is 3.64 and the most popular area of study remains engineering. (CNN) A St. Louis man who is a suspected serial killer has been arrested for crimes that span Missouri. Perez Reed, who turns 26 on Nov. 10, is accused of shooting six people, four fatally, with the same .40 caliber gun. He was arrested Friday while he was traveling from Kansas City to St. Louis. He was taken into custody when he got off a train in Independence. When he was arrested, Reed reportedly had the .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on him that matched the shell casings found at unsolved shootings in St. Louis City and County in September 2021. The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Reed with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action. In The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, Reed has been charged with one count of interstate transportation of a firearm with intent to commit a felony. St. Louis City police told News 4 warrants against Reed in their jurisdiction were being applied on Monday morning. St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner released the following statement Monday afternoon regarding the investigation: "The Circuit Attorneys Office has been working closely with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department from the beginning on this investigation. This is a complex multi-jurisdictional case. The cases in the City of St. Louis are currently under investigation to ensure the most important goal - that justice is brought to the many victims and their families; and the person responsible is held accountable for these heinous crimes." Reeds alleged crime spree began on Sept. 12 at a bus stop on Chambers Road in St. Louis County. Police said Reed shot a man who was waiting for a bus multiple times in the chest. The man was left with serious injuries and a permanent disability. The following day, Reed is accused of shooting Marnay Haynes, 16, at least two times in a "distinctive manner," killing her in the 9900 block of Glen Owen Drive. Three days later, police said Reed shot a 28-year-old woman in the face behind a building in the 4500 block of Adelaide. Officers found the woman at a BP gas station on West Florissant looking for help. She survived the shooting but was unable to speak to detectives. However, documents show a blood trail led investigators to where the shooting took place. Within two hours, detectives in north St. Louis linked the suspected serial killer to another woman's death -- 49-year-old Pamela Abercrombie. She was found wounded lying on the sidewalk in the 3800 block of West Florissant. She died at the hospital. After Abercrombie's death, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department sent a public safety alert warning that some sex workers were being targeted by an unknown gunman. On Sept. 19, Reed is accused of murdering 24-year-old Carey Ross, who was found shot in a vacant lot near the intersection of 15th and Mullanphy just after 12 p.m. Then, on Sept. 26, detectives identified a familiar distinctive manner while investigating the shooting death of Lester Robinson in the 1700 block of Barbados Lane in St. Louis County. The shooting had similarities to the Haynes' murder. Reed then allegedly made his way to Kansas City, where he is accused of killing Damon Irvin, 35, on Nov. 1 and Rau'Daja Fairrow, 25, a day later. Both lived in apartments at the Wyandotte Towers and were shot to death, investigators said. Evidence linking Reed to murders In court documents, the FBI detailed the evidence used to link Reed to the Missouri crimes. In the Kansas shooting deaths, investigators obtained surveillance video from the apartment building. A still photograph from the video showed a man with a crescent tattoo on his forehead, which matched a booking photo of Reed that showed a crescent tattoo on his forehead. Surveillance video from Oct. 28 reportedly showed Reed and Irvin entering the apartment building together. The duo then went into Irvins apartment around 11:15 p.m. that night. Just after 6 a.m. the following morning, Reed left Irvins apartment alone, according to police. A security guard at the Kansas apartment complex told investigators a man who entered the apartment building with Fairrow on Oct. 29 presented a Missouri drivers license for Perez Reed. Phone records that matched Reeds listed number showed the suspect called Fairrow 652 times between Oct. 5 and Oct. 29. After Oct. 29, Reeds phone no longer called Fairrows phone. Investigators said they could not find any witnesses who reported seeing Fairrow alive after Oct. 29. Upon Reeds arrest, a gun that matched was consistent with the one used in the September 2021 shooting sin St. Louis was seized from him. The FBI said Reed still had a crescent tattoo visible on his forehead when he was taken into custody. When he was interviewed by investigators, Reed reportedly admitted to giving his drivers license to the security guard at the Kansas City apartment complex. He also admitted to knowing Fairrow. But, he denied hurting anybody. MONTANA The Montana Department of Commerce has awarded a total of $240,000 through the Tribal Business Planning Grant to assist Montana tribes with planning for business development and economic growth. As Montanas economy continues to expand, it is imperative that our tribal communities financially thrive during this growth, Commerce Director Scott Osterman said. These grants will assist tribal governments with planning for growth through the identification of current and future economic opportunities that will strengthen their communities. These funds can be used for business plan development, market analysis, feasibility studies, physical business infrastructure planning, such as zoning, and to match other funding sources to accomplish business growth activities. Tribal Business Planning Grants of $30,000 each will be awarded to the following tribes: Blackfeet Tribe: To update the existing Economic Development Master Plan for land use evaluation To update the existing Economic Development Master Plan for land use evaluation Chippewa Cree Tribe: To conduct a feasibility study for an Elder Care Facility To conduct a feasibility study for an Elder Care Facility Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes: To complete a CSKT Tribal Secured Transaction System with draft Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) To complete a CSKT Tribal Secured Transaction System with draft Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Plenty Doors Community Development Corporation on the Crow Reservation: To conduct a feasibility study and business plan for a food market that promotes and supports locally produced foods To conduct a feasibility study and business plan for a food market that promotes and supports locally produced foods Fort Belknap Indian Community : To conduct an environmental assessment to develop a small business incubator : To conduct an environmental assessment to develop a small business incubator Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes: To conduct a preliminary physical business infrastructure plan to develop a small business incubator To conduct a preliminary physical business infrastructure plan to develop a small business incubator Little Shell Chippewa Tribe: To assist with business plans to provide Starlink broadband services to tribal members and a mobile medical unit under Little Shell Tribal Enterprises, LLC. To assist with business plans to provide Starlink broadband services to tribal members and a mobile medical unit under Little Shell Tribal Enterprises, LLC. The Peoples Partner for Community Development on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation: To assist with a business plan for the Northern Cheyenne beef mobile unit. The Tribal Business Planning Grant is one of three proven grant programs within the Office of Indian Country Economic Development (OICED) at Commerce that is considered for funding by the Montana Legislature and was funded most recently as part of House Bill 2 in 2021. To learn more, visit MarketMT.com. FORT HARRISON, Mont. The first woman to ever complete the U.S. Army Sniper Course just happens to be a Soldier of the Montana Army National Guard. As stated in a release, she graduated from the U.S. Army Sniper Course at Fort Benning in Georgia on Nov. 5. At this time, the military is not identifying this Soldier by name. We are extremely proud of this Soldiers achievement and recognize that this is a milestone for not only Montana, but the entire National Guard and Army, Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, the Adjutant General for Montana, said. This Soldier had to volunteer several times to reach this goal, which is a demonstration of her dedication and commitment to service. The Soldier enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in December of 2020. She was then sent to Fort Benning to complete Infantry One Station Unit Training (OSUT), a 22 week course that combines Army basic training with advanced individual training in infantry skills. While attending OSUT, she was recommended by her training staff and chain of command to attend the Sniper Course due to her superior performance, which included qualifying as an expert shooter. Were all incredibly proud of her, OSUT Company Commander Capt. Joshua ONeill said. She epitomizes what it means to be an infantry Soldier and there wasnt a doubt in our minds that she would succeed in the U.S. Army Sniper Course. She began the U.S. Army Sniper Course in September of 2021. Those selected for the intensive seven week course are trained in skills necessary to deliver long range precision fire and the collection of battlefield information. "The Soldier met every standard required to graduate the United States Army Sniper Course, Capt. David Wright, Battalion Commander, U.S. Army Sniper School, said. She arrived prepared for training and physically conditioned to succeed. We are proud of the results of her efforts and the quality training provided by the Sniper Course Cadre. We wish her luck as she heads back to her unit as a U.S. Army Sniper Course qualified Sniper." The Soldier is scheduled to join her unit now that the training is complete. Governor Greg Gianforte sent out the following Tweet, acknowledging the Soldier on her accomplishment: Senator Steve Daines sent out a Tweet, simply writing #MontanaProud. NUR-SULTAN, Kazakhstan, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Association of Blockchain and Data Center Industry (NABDC), Kazakhstan's leading industry trade association dedicated to promoting the adoption and advancement of blockchain technology, has issued a public statement regarding the state of bitcoin mining regulations in the country. Alan Dorjiyev, who serves as President of the Association, said: "Illegal Bitcoin mining is harmful to our country. We're pleased to see the local authorities shut down those who fail to comply with local laws and regulations. While many illegal miners have setup operations in recent months, there are many Bitcoin mining companies who've been operating in the country for many years who fully comply with all laws, pay their taxes, and provide local jobs. Bitcoin mining brings important tax revenue, innovation, and jobs to our local economy, and we believe Kazakhstan will continue to serve as a highly sought-after home for Bitcoin miners willing to follow the rules. The future of Bitcoin mining in Kazakhstan is bright." After China banned Bitcoin mining earlier this year, many Bitcoin mining operations relocated to Kazakhstan, which makes up a reported 18.1% of the global Bitcoin network and has taken a pro-Bitcoin stance in recent years, with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev signing a law in June that introduced a formal tax for crypto mining in Kazakhstan. Commenting on the recent discussion, a statement published on the government's website, said: "Kassym-Jomart Tokayev also instructed to ensure an urgent legislative regulation of mining, stressing that the so-called 'white' miners will continue their activities without additional restrictions." "Since day one, we've worked closely with the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Digital Development, and we continue to do so today. We are proactively collaborating with them to create a fair and transparent market where those who follow the rules are able to operate while those who do not will be forced out of business," said Dorjiyev. About National Association of Blockchain and Data Center Industry NABDC is a voluntary association of legal entities, created for the purpose of development and popularization of blockchain and data center industry in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan and abroad, representation of interests of companies developing these technologies in public institutions, quasi-public sector, local business and at the international level. To learn more about the NABDC, please visit: https://nabdc.kz/en Contact: alan.dorjiyev@nabcd.kz This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. LAUREL, Mont. - There was a rollover crash with non-life threatening injuries on I-90 near Laurel Tuesday. Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Brennan Plucker told us the vehicle only had the driver in it when it went off the road and rolled eastbound near mile-marker 432. The driver was said to be a man in his mid-thirties. Plucker said the driving lane and shoulder are open, and the passing lane may be open by now. The Historic Pima County Courthouse has a wonderful courtyard, which can be used for gatherings and events on nights and weekends. Weather Alert ...Gusty Winds Expected This Afternoon Across the Region... A strong cold front is moving across Iowa this afternoon. Winds just behind the boundary are increasing from the northwest with sustained winds of 25 to 30 mph and wind gusts to 40 mph. As the front sweeps southeast today, winds will increase across the area and continue through the mid to late afternoon hours. If traveling through the region today, high profile vehicles may have difficulty at times. Loose objects will be blown around as well. The wind is expected to diminish toward sunset and will drop to 10 to 20 mph between 6 pm and 8 pm CST this evening. The problem of human trafficking has gained more pubic awareness in the last few years through the work of organizations like Lake of the Ozarks Stop Human Trafficking Coalition. Those groups help communities recognize that human trafficking is more common and more insidious than we might think. And its here at the Lake. People say This doesnt go on at Lake of the Ozarks, its a big city problem. But its right here and people dont like thinking about it. So we try to promote the awareness that human trafficking has taken place and does take place. And if that makes people uncomfortable, so be it. Thats why I do it, said Steve Bently, a retired cop and the treasurer for Lake of the Ozarks Stop Human Trafficking Coalition. The coalition has been raising awareness and combatting human trafficking in the Lake area since 2014. It began as a passion project of Mike McDonald, an Episcopal pastor, and Dr. Sally Kemp, a neuropsychologist, and has only grown since then with a recent merger with PACT (People Against Child Trafficking) and are continuing fundraising with hopes to build a safe house for women at the Lake. We average about 20 cases a year. When people call us, our main goal is to get the victim away from the situation and to a safe place as quick as possible, said Dr. Mari Pat Brooks, children's advocate and Lake of the Ozarks Stop Human Trafficking secretary. Laura Peretic, owner of Capricorn Insurance in Laurie, Mo., has been a long-time supporter of the coalition and a dedicated advocate against human trafficking. As a business owner, Im looking for ways to support the community and ways that have the most impact for real issues. And this is something I feel very strongly about that people dont know about. Peretic recently made a $500 donation to the group; she says that was not only to help the coalition continue its mission but also to help increase awareness of human trafficking in the Lake area. I know its a real situation, and when people think about trafficking they think about drugs but one of the hottest commodities are people, she said. Its very disturbing, I cant imagine something more horrific than living through something like that. And if this donation helps even one woman in that situation, itll be worth it and I know the Stop Human Trafficking Coalition will do that. The group primarily focuses on awareness, bringing in speakers from around the country to educate the Lake community about human trafficking. That helps bring more people into the mission, teaching everyone how to recognize the warning signs of trafficking. The coalition also provides support and money to people who are being trafficked, to help them get out of town. And the survivors they help are often in extraordinarily tough situations. Christine McDonald, who is now a professional speaker and author, was first trafficked in Laurie, Mo. and was later sold across the Lake area. She says her first sexual encounter was at the age of eight, when her mother gave her to the landlord in exchange for rent. She often ran away, but was returned home to be trafficked again. At age 13, she escaped, but was taken in by an older man who continued to sexually exploit her. She went through horrific experiences. She spent 17 years on the street and had been arrested 103 times. Shed been zip-tied, put into bondage, drugged, branded, emotionally and sexually abused. To listen to her speak, you walk out with tears in your eyes when you hear the abuse she has suffered, Brooks said. The statistics on human trafficking in the United States are staggering, with estimates that nearly 20,000 people are being actively trafficked and 100,000 to 300,000 children currently at risk. The average age that children enter sex trafficking is between 12 and 13. But the stories that the coalition hears are even more heartbreaking, especially women and children who have been groomed by their trafficker to trust them. The Coalition has just recently handed a victim a check for $1,000 to allow her to relocate away from her trafficker. These kinds of stories are what keep volunteers focused on helping the women and children who are living through this nightmare. For more information about Lake of the Ozarks Stop Human Trafficking Coalition, click here: https://www.lostophumantrafficking.com/about Potential Warning Signs That A Child May Be Groomed Or Trafficked: Signs of physical abuse such as burns, marks, bruises or cuts Unexplained absence from school; truancy Sudden inappropriate dress or sexualized behavior Overly tired in class or unable to keep up with studies Withdrawn, depressed, or distracted Bragging about making or having lots of money Displays expensive clothes, accessories, shoes, or new tattoo (often used by pimps as a way to brand victims) Older boyfriend, new friends with a different lifestyle or gang affiliations/involvement Disjointed family connections, running away, living with friends or experiencing homelessness Interacting and sharing personal information with sometimes significantly older people online Constant cover-up for abuser, self-shaming/blaming Risk-taking behaviors, poor boundaries If you see something suspicious, make the call! National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: 1-800-843-5678 If you have information about a missing child or suspected child sexual exploitation, call to report it or visit their website. Cybertipline.com National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 A national, toll-free hotline, available from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. OSAGE BEACH, Mo. -- The ATF raided a local gun store Tuesday morning citing an alleged violation of federal gun law. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a federal search warrant at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 9, on Skelton Tactical in Osage Beach, Mo. Jim Skelton, who picked up the phone and spoke with LakeExpo as the raid was happening, said the warrant was for an alleged charge of selling a firearm without a background check. The ATF, citing an ongoing investigation, would not confirm the pending charge on Tuesday. They said I sold a gun without a background check, but what I sold was a 1898 KragJrgensen, and it doesnt have to have a background check, Skelton said. Skelton also said, and the ATF confirmed, guns were being confiscated as part of the raid. Theyre here to confiscate my guns. Theyre putting them all in the trailer and theyre going to take off with them, Skelton said. Its against my constitutional rights." An ATF spokesman said that the investigation was limited to this one store and the agency had been working on the investigation, for some time. The raid occurred without coordination from local law enforcement. There have been no arrests today," an ATF spokesman said. "This investigation today was to serve a search warrant, and no one is currently in federal custody." Despite the raid, Skelton says they planned on being open Wednesday. Ill be selling ammunition, Skelton said. Are you an Osage Beach resident interested in having a say in community governance? The first day for candidate filing for the April 5, 2022 Osage Beach General Municipal Election is 8:00 AM, Tuesday, December 7, 2021, continuing during regular business hours, Monday Friday, 8:00 AM 5:00 PM, until filing closing at 5:00 PM, Tuesday, December 28, 2021. City Hall will be closed on Thursday, December 23, 2021 and Friday, December 24, 2021, and candidate filing will not be available during this time. The City has the following offices up for election, one per office, each with a two year term: Mayor City Collector Alderman Ward I Alderman Ward II Alderman Ward III The filing period for next years general municipal election has changed due to the passage of House Bill 271, signed by Governor Parson on June 15, 2021. Passage of Bill 271 shortens the opening and closing dates required for municipal candidate filing by two weeks. The City of Osage Beach General Municipal Election for next year will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Candidates must file a Declaration of Candidacy with the City Clerk, 1000 City Parkway, Osage Beach, Missouri, during the candidate filing period outlined above. Concerned Women for America of Missouri is hosting a presentation titled Election Integrity Missouri Free and Fair, with Keith Carmichael, 4 p.m., Saturday, November 13 at Sunrise Bible Church, located at 17184 MO-5, in Sunrise Beach. The public is invited to attend It is broken! Carmichael said. The entire election apparatus has been taken out of the hands of the citizenry. If we dont have Free and Fair Elections, we dont have a country. Carmichael will speak about how it will take everyone working together to restore confidence in our elections. About Keith Carmichael Keith Carmichael grew up on a ranch in central Montana. He and his wife Glenna, of 42 years, live near Clinton, Missouri where they raise cattle and run several businesses. They are editor and publishers of The Midwest Cattleman, a regional beef magazine, with subscribers in every state. CAMDENTON, Mo. Scott Riedel has announced his intent to run for election to the Missouri State Senate's 16th district. Riedel will be on the Republican ballot in the August 2, 2022 primary election, facing incumbent State Senator Justin Brown, who was elected in 2018. Missouris 16th Senatorial District includes Camden, Pulaski, Phelps, Crawford and Dent counties, though statewide district lines are being redrawn in 2022. Brown faced tough questions from the Camden County Republican Committee last week, as some Republicans have complained he has not been conservative enough during his time in the state house. There are rumors that Riedel won't be the only person contending with Brown in the primary, but so far, Riedel is the only one to have registered and announced his intent. If Riedel wins, this would be his first term in the Missouri State Senate. Riedel issued the following in a press release, Monday, Nov. 8: [A]s Your State Senator in the Missouri Legislature I intend on doing the following: Defund Planned Parenthood, eliminate the Gas Tax and Personal Property tax, defend and protect the Second Amendment, end the teaching of the Critical Race Theory and all related materials, protect freedom of religion even in a COVID environment, end the vaccine mandate, protect prescription drug patients from tracking by the Federal government, prevent the introduction of sexual orientation into schools and from being forced on businesses, ensure election integrity, and protect and defend Missouri from Federal intrusion. Scott Riedel served 31 years in the US Army, completing two combat tours in Iraq; he is highly decorated and retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel. KENOSHA Kyle Rittenhouse's defense team has tried again to get a charge for possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor dropped. Again, Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder denied the motion, and the charge remains. That discussion occurred in court Tuesday morning, the seventh day of the trial, before the jury entered the room. Rittenhouse is facing a number of charges related to the deaths of Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber and the wounding of Gaige Grosskreutz on Aug. 25, 2020, the most serious of which is intentional homicide. Rittenhouse contends he acted in self-defense. The charge in question on Tuesday was possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18, connected to Rittenhouse's possession of an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle during the shootings. Rittenhouse, who is now 18, was 17 at the time. According to Wisconsin Statute 948.60(2)(a): "These restrictions only apply to a person under age 18 who possesses or is armed with a rifle or a shotgun if the firearm is a short-barreled rifle or short-barreled shotgun, or if the person is not in compliance with the hunting regulations." An AR-15 is classified as a rifle. The defense has disputed this charge since early in the case, including right out of the gate when nationally recognized and controversial attorney John Pierce made himself available to defend Rittenhouse. A Second Amendment argument was raised, arguing that the law itself banning minors from carrying rifles is unconstitutional, but that argument has thus far been unsuccessful. Since the trial has gotten underway, Rittenhouse's current defense team led by Mark Richards of Racine and Burlington native Corey Chirafisi has tried twice to get the charge dropped. Both times, Kenosha County Circuit Judge Bruce Schroeder has denied the motion. MADISON Wisconsin lawmakers are to hear testimony from the Racine County Sheriffs Office on Wednesday regarding the RCSOs investigation into the Wisconsin Elections Commission and alleged election fraud at nursing homes. 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 A public hearing of the Assembly Committee on Campaigns and Elections is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday in Madison. On the agenda are a report from RCSO Sgt. Michael Luell, who led the investigation, and another report titled Gableman Report with the description Former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Michael Gabelmans (sic) investigation into the November 2020 election. It remains unclear if Gablemans investigation is complete. Melodie Duesterbeck, a staffer for state Rep. Janel Brandtjen who chairs the Committee on Campaigns and Elections, said during a phone call Tuesday I dont know when asked if the investigation is complete. It should be done soon, but we dont have it. Luell said in a phone interview Tuesday that he does not plan to present new evidence or allegations of fraud on Wednesday. Were certainly going to speak about the same investigation, he said, adding that he plans to focus more on the law than on the alleged victims, as his initial presentation on the allegations did last month. He did say Tuesday, however, that more people have come forward with allegations of election fraud since the Sheriffs Office went public with its investigation. Luell did not say how many more people came forward or from where, but did say that he has received more than 100 emails and voicemails from people with concerns, and that some of the concerns are similar to the ones presented regarding Ridgewood Care Center in Mount Pleasant. Racine County Sheriff Christopher Schmaling has called for five of Wisconsins six elections commissioners, including two Republicans and three Democrats, to be criminally charged for their votes to waive laws that require Special Voting Deputies execute the vote in nursing homes. The WEC and Attorney General Josh Kaul have responded by saying Schmalings and Luells conclusions of illegality are inaccurate. Racine County District Attorney Tricia Hanson has yet to publicly comment on the referral for charges and has not filed charges. Gableman Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, who ordered the Gableman-led investigation, has said he was hoping Gablemans investigation of the 2020 election would be complete by the end of 2021. His office did not reply immediately to a request for comment on if the investigation is complete. Brandtjen, R-Menomonee Falls, has attempted to issue subpoenas for election information from several Democratic-leaning communities, including Racine, but those subpoenas have not been officially issued. She does not have the power to issue subpoenas and Vos refused to sign her subpoenas, although Vos did approve subpoenas on behalf of Gableman. Several of Gablemans subpoenas, including those issued to the City of Racine, were revoked after being issued and after Kaul questioned their constitutionality for being overly broad and unspecific. Kauls questioning followed criticism of Gableman after the state high-court justice said he did not have a comprehensive understanding or even any understanding of how elections work as his investigation was ongoing. Soon after the 2020 election was called in favor of Joe Biden, Gableman stated, inaccurately, at a pro-Donald Trump rally that the election was stolen from Trump. Brandtjen, likewise, has supported baseless claims the election was stolen. Walworth County democrats are rallying for the 2022 state elections. To gear up for the approaching election cycle, the Walworth County Democratic Party hosted the One Year to Win gala fundraiser at the Grand Geneva Resort on Saturday evening, Nov. 6. The event included a silent auction, live music, and a speaker program featuring candidates running for U.S. House and Senate offices in 2022. Ellen Holly, chair of the Walworth County Democratic Party, said the event brought in over 250 people and raised record funds. This is the largest endeavor we have ever tried, Holly said. Holly said considering the large and talented field of 2022 candidates, the county democrats thought it was important for voters to hear directly from those running for office. We want to make sure voters have the information they need to make a choice, she said. Guests filled the Grand Genevas Maple Ballroom to hear from U.S. Senate candidates running to replace republican Ron Johnson, including Alex Lasry, Steven Olikara, Mandela Barnes, Tom Nelson, Gillian Battino, and Darrell Williams. The speaker program also featured House candidates Ann Roe for Wisconsins first congressional district and Jessica Katzenmeyer for the fifth. Spirits were high among the audience and speakers as Saturdays event followed the Houses approval of a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, which passed with a 228-206 vote Friday, Nov. 5. First on the program, Lasry spoke about his experience as senior vice president of the Milwaukee Bucks. He said his work with the franchise, as well as his campaigns operations, show how he puts progressive values into practice. We are the only campaign in this race who have a unionized campaign staff, he said. If you want to see what somebodys going to actually do when they get to Washington, look at how theyve run their organization. Next to speak was Olikara. The Brookfield native and child of Indian immigrants described his vision of dignity for all, which centers working class and disenfranchised communities. He stressed the significance of next years elections. Our democracy is at an existential crisis of faith and trust, he said. This election is about fundamentally changing our politics to be more inclusive, more honest, and more dignified. Mandela Barnes, who currently serves as the lieutenant governor of Wisconsin, reflected on his Milwaukee upbringing. He described both joy and pain, having lost friends to gun violence, the criminal justice system, and addiction over the course of his life. It couldve been any of them standing on this stage here today, Barnes said. What they didnt have is the opportunity. Thats why I got into organizing to make sure that we can improve the quality of life in communities all across this state. Outagamie County Executive Tom Nelson followed Barnes speech. Nelson said he has proven his ability to win over red parts of the state, with six Fox Valley wins under his belt three as a legislator, and three as a county executive. And you can count on me to do that again against Ron Johnson, he said. So join me as I promise to restore fairness, compassion, and civility to our civic discourse. Dr. Gillian Battino took next to the stage to share her passion for health care, immigration justice and more. We need preventative health care, which has been overlooked so tremendously that our population is suffering, she said. Battino is running to be the first woman physician in the federal senate. I cant think of a more timely opportunity for that, she said. Dr. Darrell Williams was last to speak of those running for senate. He serves as Governor Tony Evers administrator of the division of emergency management in the department of military affairs. Williams described his background in education and military service, and voiced his support for teachers and law enforcement. If you value somebody who has experience and knowledge in the areas most critical to us in this point in time, I ask for your support, he said. The senate candidates were joined by Ann Roe of Janesville, running for the U.S. House of Representatives to serve Wisconsins first congressional district, and Jessica Katzenmeyer, hoping to represent the states fifth congressional district. Bryan Steil has served the first congressional district since 2018, a historically republican-leaning district which covers Kenosha County, Racine County and most of Walworth County, as well as portions of Rock County, Waukesha County and Milwaukee County. Roe criticized a lack of public service to workers, students and families under Steils leadership. I am committed to this fight, she said. 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. More coverage: As a forensic pathologist testified Tuesday during the seventh day of Kyle Rittenhouse's trial, Rittenhouse turned away from a video monitor while the face of Anthony Huber was shown as Huber lay dead on an autopsy table. Huber's eyes were seen slightly open, his long red hair spread out on a bloody table. It was one of the few times Rittenhouse, 18, has appeared moved during his trial. Dr. Douglas Kelley, a forensic pathologist with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office who conducted the autopsies on Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum the two men Rittenhouse killed on the night of Aug. 25, 2020 was the final witness testifying for the prosecution. The state rested its case after the lunch break that followed Kelleys testimony. In his testimony, Kelley testified that Huber was killed with a single gunshot to his chest that caused major trauma to his heart and lungs. Rosenbaum, Kelley testified, was shot four times, with one shot striking his hip and shattering his pelvis and another hitting his hand. Another shot grazed his head, the bullet hitting the back of his head and traveling toward his forehead. The shot that killed him struck him in the back. Video evidence reviewed Earlier Tuesday morning, a witness from the Wisconsin Crime Lab testified about video evidence in the case, including drone video the state received just Friday that shows Rosenbaums shooting. In that video, which the states witness was able to enhance and slow down, Rosenbaum can be seen running toward Rittenhouse while Rittenhouse raises his gun and fires at him, with smoke from the gun visibly billowing up as Rosenbaum falls. Rittenhouse is then observed running around cars and returning to stand over the area where Rosenbaum fell, as Richie McGinniss, chief video director for The Daily Caller news source, who testified earlier in the case, runs forward to help Rosenbaum. The prosecution and the defense had dueling narratives about what Rosenbaums wounds showed. Kelley testified that based on the gunpowder stippling on the wound, what was likely the first shot that hit Rosenbaum, the one that struck his hip, was fired with a distance of up to four feet. The shot that hit Rosenbaums hand, Kelley testified, left soot on his hand, indicating that Rosenbaum's hand was very close or touching the barrel of the AR-15. Kelley testified that was likely the second shot that hit Rosenbaum. At one point during Kelleys testimony, Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney James Kraus asked Kenosha Police Detective Ben Antaramian to take Rittenhouses AR-15 out of its evidence box and demonstrate where the evidence showed Rittenhouse and his weapon were when Rosenbaum was shot. Im going to ask Detective Antaramian to point the gun at me, Kraus said. Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Bruce Schroeder stopped him, telling him to make sure the gun is not loaded. Check it again, check it again, Schroeder said. In his cross examination, defense attorney Mark Richards asked Kelley if the wound on Rosenbaums hand was consistent with the bullet being fired while Rosenbaums hand was over the barrel. That makes sense, Kelley said. Kraus asked if the shot to the hand could have happened as Rosenbaum, who likely already had been shot once, tried to swipe or knock the barrel of the gun away. Those scenarios are possible, Kelley states. Self defense: the crux of the case Rittenhouse and the defense are arguing that Rittenhouse was acting in self defense when he killed Rosenbaum, of Kenosha, and Huber, of Silver Lake, and wounded Gaige Grosskreutz of Milwaukee during the unrest in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Aug. 23, 2020. To find Rittenhouse not guilty in the shootings, the jury must be convinced that Rittenhouse reasonably believed he needed to use force to save himself from death or great bodily harm. In its case, the state was attempting to show that Rittenhouse was acting recklessly when he shot Rosenbaum, who was unarmed, and that he was acting intentionally when he shot Huber, who had struck Rittenhouse with a skateboard, and Grosskreutz, who was armed with a handgun. The state has attempted to show that Huber, Grosskreutz and others who were chasing Rittenhouse were attempting to stop a person they saw as an active shooter. With its first witnesses of the case, the defense on Tuesday called two people who had been with Rittenhouse during the night. Nicholas Smith, who had worked for the Car Source car dealership in the past, testified that the owners asked a group of people, including Rittenhouse, to guard the business. The Car Source's owners had earlier testified they had not. Smith testified he was on the roof of the Car Source at 59th Street when he heard gunfire, and Dominick Black, who was Rittenhouses friend, said he received a phone call that informed him that things were getting hectic. According to earlier testimony, Rittenhouse had called Black to tell him he shot someone. When Smith got downstairs, he said, Rittenhouse was already there. He repeats, 'I just shot someone,' over and over, and he said, 'I had to,'" Smith testified. I told him to walk outside and turn himself in. Heightened security At the opening of the case, Schroeder estimated the trial would last two weeks. Although Richards implied in his opening statement that Rittenhouse would testify, it was not clear Tuesday whether he will take the stand. Defendants in criminal cases are under no obligation to testify. Because of the political passions surrounding the case, there has been heightened security at the courthouse during the trial. At the beginning of the day Tuesday, Schroeder told the attorneys that someone had been filming the jury when they arrived. He said a deputy confronted the person and deleted the video before returning the persons phone. "I've been assured the officers had the video that was taken deleted, Schroeder told the jury when they returned to the room. New measures are being taken to make sure that does not reoccur. During jury selection, a number of prospective jurors talked about being afraid to be on the jury because of the politicization of the case and people's strong opinions. BRUSSELS (AP) Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the metaverse, the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. In an interview with The Associated Press, Haugen said her former employer rushed to trumpet the metaverse recently because of the intense pressure it is facing after she revealed deep-seated problems at the company, in disclosures that have energized legislative and regulatory efforts around the world to crack down on Big Tech. If you dont like the conversation, you try to change the conversation, the former product-manager-turned-whistleblower said. The documents she has turned over to authorities and her testimony to lawmakers have drawn global attention for providing insight into what Facebook may have known about the damage its social media platforms can cause. She is in the midst of a series of appearances before European lawmakers and regulators who are drawing up rules for social media companies. Meta, the new name for the parent company of Facebook, denied it was trying to divert attention away from the troubles it faces by pushing the metaverse. This is not true. We have been working on this for a long time internally, the company said in a statement. It stressed that its working to responsibly build the metaverse essentially a series of interconnected virtual communities that will merge online life with real life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that users will, for example, be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes in the metaverse and he refocused the entire company on creating it, including renaming the business Meta. Launching that new brand, in fact, draws attention to the company, it said in a statement, adding that if it didnt want the scrutiny it would have delayed or scrapped the launch altogether. But the new focus on the metaverse creates a whole new set of dangers, Haugen said. In Snow Crash, the 1992 sci-fi novel that coined the phrase, it was a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible, she said. So beyond the fact that these immersive environments are extremely addictive and they encourage people to unplug from the reality we actually live, she said, Im also worried about it on the level of the metaverse will require us to put many, many more sensors in our homes and our workplaces, forcing users to relinquish more of their data and their privacy. In a presentation last month, Zuckerberg described how the metaverse would allow for mixed-reality business meetings where some participants are physically present while others beam in as avatars. The company has launched virtual meeting software called Horizon Workrooms for use with its virtual reality headsets, so co-workers can (hopefully) better communicate, brainstorm and socialize virtually, instead of, say, looking at one another on a Zoom call grid. But Haugen said employees of companies that use the metaverse would have little option but to participate in the system or leave their jobs. "If your employer decides theyre now a metaverse company, you have to give out way more personal data to a company thats demonstrated that it lies whenever it is in its best interests, she said. And she cautioned the public not to expect more transparency. Theyve demonstrated with regard to Facebook that they can hide behind a wall. They keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritize their own profits over our safety, she said. Haugen has said Facebooks systems amplify online hate and extremism, fail to protect young people from harmful content, and that the company lacks any incentive to fix the problems, in revelations that shed light on an internal crisis at the company that provides free services to 3 billion people. To back up her allegations, she has made a series of disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission that were also provided to Congress in redacted form by her legal team. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including the AP. In Tuesday's interview, she expressed astonishment that the company would shift focus to a whole new realm while it is under such intense criticism about the areas where it is already working. Theyre going to hire 10,000 engineers to work on video games when they havent actually gotten safety right on their main product," Haugen said. For that, she faulted Zuckerberg personally, saying he has exhibited a pattern of prioritizing growth over making sure Facebook is good for users. I think that is a failure of leadership, she said. Unless he wants to prioritize the safety of the platform, he should step aside and let someone else focus on that." The company denied that its putting profits over safety. Yes, were a business and we make profit, but the idea that we do so at the expense of peoples safety or well-being misunderstands where our own commercial interests lie, it said, adding that it plans to spend more than $5 billion in 2021 on safety and security and employs more than 40,000 people who work on keeping users safe. Zuckerberg has previously dismissed Haugens claims as a coordinated effort to paint a false picture of the company. But officials in Washington and European capitals are taking her claims seriously. European Union lawmakers questioned her intensely Monday, before applauding her at the end of the 2 1/2 hour hearing. The EU is drafting new digital rules for the 27-nation bloc that call for reining in big digital gatekeepers, requiring them to be more transparent about algorithms that determine what people see on their feeds and making them more accountable for the content on their platforms. Facebook has said it largely supports regulations, with legislative efforts in the EU and United Kingdom much further along than those in the U.S. New rules could squeeze advertising revenue, but Meta's stock price appears to have so far weathered the recent storm. Haugen has made stops in London and Berlin to speak to officials and lawmakers and spoke at a tech conference in Lisbon. She also will address French lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday. Chan reported from London. Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Pennsylvania Ag Secretary Russell Redding discusses the importance of the COVID-19 vaccine and urges residents to consider getting vaccinated. Stables get creative to accommodate people looking to give riding a chance as folks seek out new outdoor activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 9 (ANI/NewsVoir): WhiteHat Jr, a leading live online learning platform, will host CreatorSpace: AI Accelerator, a free virtual event that aims to shine a light on the increasing importance of artificial intelligence in today's tech enabled world. The event will feature subject matter experts, including Gokul V. Subramaniam (Vice President, Client Computing Group and General Manager of Client Platform and Systems at Intel Corporation) and Alex Atanasov (Physicist and PhD student in theoretical physics at Harvard University). Also Read | ENG vs NZ, ICC T20 World Cup 2021 Semifinal Dream11 Team Selection: Recommended Players As Captain and Vice-Captain, Probable Line-up To Pick Your Fantasy XI. CreatorSpace: AI Accelerator will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 5 PM IST and is open to children between 6-18 years of age and their parents. The event is a part of WhiteHat Jr's flagship virtual interactive learning series, CreatorSpace, which addresses a new topic each month with the support of world-renowned experts. During the intensive, action-packed two-hour sessions, children will learn from experts about the importance, benefits and applications of Artificial Intelligence. Children will also get to participate in live quizzes and Q&A sessions. "In just over 6 months, CreatorSpace has established itself as our most popular monthly educational event, bringing together tens of thousands of kids and their parents from around the world. Such traction motivates us to identify and curate immersive sessions with a wide array of renowned speakers to enlighten the young generation," said Trupti Mukker, CEO, WhiteHat Jr. "With AI Accelerator, the attempt is to further feed the curiosity of students by introducing them to the fascinating ways in which technology is changing our lives today and how it can potentially shape our tomorrow." Also Read | Delhi: Cop Assaults Restaurant Owner, Ex-Police Officer in Dwarka, Arrested. The event will be moderated and hosted by Samir Kochhar, a model, an actor and a television presenter known for being the host of the pre-match Indian Premier League. The event is complimentary for all enthusiastic learners globally and their parents. Register for free at creatorspace.in. WhiteHat Jr was launched in the year 2018 with the singular mission of empowering kids to become creators versus consumers of technology. The company has channeled students' natural creativity through an engaging curriculum and personalized, live teacher attention. WhiteHat Jr's 11,000+ strong teacher workforce conducts thousands of live Coding, Math and Music online classes every day on its proprietary platform. Cumulatively, the company has conducted more than 8.7 million classes to date. Gokul V. Subramaniam, vice president in the Client Computing Group (CCG) serves as general manager of Client Platform and Systems at Intel Corporation. He leads the global organization which is responsible for delivering validation platforms, reference designs, and system technologies for the client roadmap. Subramaniam is the author of seven publications in the areas of software engineering, mobile phones, and semiconductor system design. He is a former Technical Steering Council member of the Linaro, a collaborative open source software and engineering organization and holds six patents with an additional five filed in the area of compute, wireless, power management, camera/audio/speech/touch, industrial design, system and software. Alex Atanasov is a PhD student in theoretical physics at Harvard University. He is driven by the prospect of applying tools from physics to study a diverse set of complex systems in the real world. He is currently studying how artificial neural networks process and learn from information. He published a book on complex analysis at age seventeen. Since then, he has published papers in fields ranging across string theory, quantum field theory, and neuroscience. Atanasov has worked as a software intern at Google, a neuroscience researcher at Yale, and a visiting researcher at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics. He graduated magna cum laude from Yale with a BS in Physics and MS in Mathematics. He is also a classical guitarist with a passion for Bach. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Amaravati, Nov 9 (PTI): Andhra Pradesh and Odisha on Tuesday decided to work closely on resolving various inter-state issues, including tackling the problem of left-wing extremism and ganja cultivation. Also Read | Bihar Hooch Tragedy: Four Die After Consuming Spurious Liquor in Muzaffarpur. Chief Ministers of the two states, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and Naveen Patnaik, issued a joint statement to this effect at the end of their two-hour-long meeting in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday evening. Also Read | Poco M4 Pro 5G Launched Globally; Check Prices, Features, Variants & Specifications. The Chief Ministers discussed a number of issues of mutual interest, particularly in the field of water resources, common boundary, energy and left-wing extremism. Terming the meeting as "very cordial and fruitful", the Chief Ministers said they decided to work closely on resolving the contentious Kotia border villages issue, construction of Neradi barrage on river Vamsadhara, Janjhavati reservoir, release of water from Bahuda river, the Polavaram multipurpose project and issuing of mutual no-objection certificate for Balimela and Upper Sileru power projects. Both states also resolved to extend support for tackling the left-wing extremism and ganja cultivation, the statement said. The two neighbouring states resolved to "continue the legacy of mutual cooperation and, in the true spirit of federalism, discuss issues." "The Chief Ministers have decided that Chief Secretaries of both states will set up an institutional mechanism to deliberate on outstanding issues and find a solution that is in the best interest of the people of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh," the joint statement released here said. The two states would also work towards setting up a chair for Odia and Telugu languages in B R Ambedkar University (at Srikakulam) and Berhampur University respectively. Besides, language teachers would be appointed in schools in border districts of the two states, textbooks supplied and language examination conducted to "promote brotherhood", the joint statement added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], November 9 (ANI): Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in-charge Muralidhar Rao on Monday said that people belonging to Brahmin and Baniya communities are in his pockets. He made the remarks while responding to the allegations that BJP is seeking caste-based votes. Also Read | Dengue Outbreak in Delhi: Total Caseload Mounts Over 2,700, Death Toll Reaches 9 in The National Capital. "Brahmins and Baniyas are in my two pockets....when there were brahmin workers it was called Brahmins' party. When Baniya workers were there it was called a party for 'baniyas'...BJP will be for everyone," Rao said during a press conference here. In a series of tweets, Congress leader Kamal Nath slammed Rao for his remarks and said that the BJP leader has insulted the 'Brahmin' and 'Baniya' communities. Also Read | Padma Shri Awards 2021: From Karan Johar to Kangana Ranaut, List of B-Town Celebs Honoured by President Ram Nath Kovind with the Prestigious Accolade. "Madhya Pradesh in charge of BJP, which gives a slogan of sabka sath, sabka vikas, is now saying we have Brahmins in one pocket and Baniya in one pocket. This is an insult to the communities as the BJP means that they are the party's property and in its pockets," Kamal Nath tweeted in Hindi. "What kind of respect is given to those classes whose leaders have played an important role in building up the BJP? The leaders of the BJP have become crushed in the intoxication and arrogance of power. This is an insult to the entire Baniya and Brahmin class," the Congress leader said. "The people who give the slogan of taking everyone along are now talking of focusing on specific groups and insulting two communities. What kind of attitude and mindset is this. The BJP can go to any level for its hunger for power. Its policies, attitude and philosophy are also restricted to power," he added in a tweet. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Tuesday asked the Delhi government to inform it about the number of liquor brands where MRPs are fixed and those yet to be done under the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. The high court also asked the Delhi government to inform whether registration of any liquor brands has already been done. Also Read | India to Host Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan on 10th November Read More: Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. Before this issue is dealt with, I am of the view that it is necessary of the respondent (Delhi government) to inform the court about the number of brands whose MRPs are fixed and those which are left along with dates. Also inform whether registration of any/ number of brands has already been done, Justice Rekha Palli said. This means people of Delhi will not get liquor. Why are you not fixing the MRP of brands? the court said. Also Read | Onake Obavva Jayanti 2021: Karnataka Govt To Celebrate 18th Century Woman Warrior's Birthday on November 11. Senior advocates A M Singhvi and Rahul Mehra, representing the Delhi government, sought time to take instructions after which the court listed the plea for November 11. The high court was hearing pleas by 16 petitioners, who are successful bidders for licences for operation of retail liquor vends, seeking to declare the decision of the Delhi government to levy licence fees with effect from November 1, 2021 as illegal. The petitioners are successful bidders of L-7Z (zonal licence for retail vend of Indian liquor and foreign liquor) and L-7V (retail vend of Indian liquor, foreign liquor in an zone). The pleas also sought to restrain the government from demanding the sums of money in the form of licence fees or security deposit and also to direct the authorities not to levy or demand licence fees from the successful bidders until the government performs its own obligations under the tender terms and conditions and the Delhi Excise policy 2021-2022. It also sought to postpone the date for scheduled commencement of business from November 17. Senior advocates Maninder Singh and lawyer Tanmay Mehta, representing the liquor retailers, argued that the government cannot direct the petitioners to pay the licence fee with effect from November 1 as the payment of licence fee depends on commencement of business and that the authorities have not fixed the MRP of most of the brands and have no right to direct them to pay the fee. Singhvi and Mehra vehemently disputed this and said that MRP of most of the brands is already fixed and fixation of MRP is an ongoing process and the government is not responsible for the delay. One of the plea filed by 15 retailers, through advocates Tanmaya Mehta, Sanjay Abbot and Ankit Agarwal, said there has been a great delay in initiating the process of registration of brands and fixation of MRP by the Delhi Government under the 2021-22 policy. It claimed that until October 30, not even a single brand had been registered within Delhi under the new excise policy, nor had the MRP been fixed or determined under the new policy. It said the process from determination of MRP to retail sale is a time-consuming exercise and if the scheduled date of commencement of business is November 17, being specified by the government, it is a complete breach of obligations on the part of the authorities in delaying the registration of brands and determination of MRP. Several petitions are pending before the high court against the New Excise Policy on the ground that it is illegal, unfair, arbitrary and violative of the Delhi Excise Act, 2009. In July, the court had refused to stay the new Excise Policy on one of the petitions which contended that the new regime would lead to complete monopoly of the few big players. The Delhi government, also represented through standing counsel Santosh Kumar Tripathi, has defended its New Excise Policy 2021, saying that the new regime would generate optimum revenue and ensure ease of doing business while eliminating cartelization, proxy players and monopoly. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Aurangabad, Nov 9 (PTI) People who have not taken a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine will not be allowed entry at historic sites and monuments in Aurangabad district of Maharashtra, an official said on Tuesday. Also Read | Onake Obavva Jayanti 2021: Karnataka Govt To Celebrate 18th Century Woman Warrior's Birthday on November 11. District collector Sunil Chavan has passed the orders, which came into effect on Tuesday, the official said. Also Read | Punjab: Man Sentenced to 10 Years of Rigorous Imprisonment for Raping Minor Girl in Ludhiana. The district administration has taken the step after the vaccination figures in the region were found to be low, he said. As per the order, at least one dose of vaccine is mandatory for people who wish to visit historic sites and monuments. The government as well as private offices connected to the tourism industry are instructed to ensure that their staff is fully vaccinated against coronavirus, it stated. Tourists visiting ticketed monuments, museums and places such as Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, Ajanta, Ellora and Pitalkora caves should have taken at least one jab of COVID-19 vaccine, the order said. The government health agencies have been directed to undertake vaccination drives and establish vaccination booths at places where that footfall of tourists is high, the official said. The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) has been directed to check if shopkeepers and staff at tourist locations have taken at least the first dose of vaccine, he said. Apart from this, the collector has written to the treasury officer instructing him to stop salaries and other fund sanctions for the month of November of employees who have not taken a single dose of vaccine and presented a certificate for the same, the official added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], November 9 (ANI): Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Tuesday warns the Centre of intensifying the farmers' agitation in the Purvanchal region in the poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, adding the upcoming Kisan Mahapanchayat in Lucknow will prove to be the "last nail in the coffin for the three black laws". Taking to Twitter, Tikait said the Kisan Mahapanchayat in Lucknow on November 22 will be 'historic'. Also Read | Bhopal Hospital Fire Tragedy: Congress Leader Kamal Nath Demands High-Level Probe. "The Kisan Mahapanchayat in Lucknow on November 22 will be historic. It will prove to be the last nail in the coffin for the anti-farmer government and the three black laws. Now, the farmers' movement will also intensify in Purvanchal," Tikait tweeted. Earlier, Tikait had said that farmers will strengthen the agitation from November 27 by reaching Delhi borders on tractors. Also Read | Clubhouse Introduces 'Replay' Feature To Let Users Record Live Rooms. Tikait also warned that the Centre saying that if the administration pulls down farmers' tents at protest sites, they will set tents at police stations and District Magistrate's offices. Last month, the Delhi Police night started removing barricades placed at the Tikri and Ghazipur borders where farmers were protesting against the Centre's three farm laws. The stretch was shut for over 11 months ever since the farmers' agitation started and commuters have been citing inconvenience during their travelling. Farmers have been protesting at different sites since November 26 last year against the three enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. Farmer leaders and the Centre have held several rounds of talks but the impasse remains. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 9 (ANI): Secretary of Tourism and Culture, Sarmad Hafeez on Monday appealed to the film fraternity of the country to renew its decades' "old romance" with Jammu and Kashmir even as he pitched for making the union territory as the premier shooting destination of India, said an official statement. The national level Film Tourism Symposium was organized jointly by the Ministries of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting on Monday evening in Mumbai. Also Read | Dengue Outbreak in Delhi: Total Caseload Mounts Over 2,700, Death Toll Reaches 9 in The National Capital. While attending the event, the Tourism Secretary dwelt in detail on the long and age-old relationship Jammu and Kashmir has had with Bollywood and other film platforms of the country. He also reminded the film industry of its warm and affectionate relationship with the union territory which the people of the Jammu and Kashmir so fondly recall. Further, he appealed to the members of the film world to take up this thread of warm relationship forward and start re-visiting Jammu and Kashmir in good numbers for shooting, read an official statement. Also Read | Padma Shri Awards 2021: From Karan Johar to Kangana Ranaut, List of B-Town Celebs Honoured by President Ram Nath Kovind with the Prestigious Accolade. Asking the film fraternity to partner with the union territory administration in this regard, Sarmad Hafeez said, "The Government has recently put in place a comprehensive Film Policy by which film shooting and production in Jammu and Kashmir has been institutionalized and incentivized." In a detailed presentation about the Film Policy, he outlined the thrust areas and scope for working on film projects in Jammu and Kashmir. A total of nine states and union territories, namely Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Maharashtra were present on the occasion to showcase the initiatives undertaken by them towards ease of filming as well as the opportunities available in their jurisdictions. On the occasion, several Bollywood producers shared their experiences of Kashmir and said that they have a special love for the place. They assured of their support in turning to the union territory for shooting again, the statement added. Apart from officials of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting ministries, the Producer Trade Associations and Film Chambers of Commerce from across the country participated in the symposium. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], November 9 (ANI): Congress Punjab President Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday will visit the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur and offer prayers for the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor so that devotees could visit the shrine dedicated to Sikh Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan. The pilgrimage to the Kartarpur Sahib gurdwara was suspended in March 2020 because of the Covid-19 outbreak. November 9 marks the second anniversary of the opening of the Kartarpur corridor, which connects the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan to India. Also Read | Dengue Outbreak in Delhi: Total Caseload Mounts Over 2,700, Death Toll Reaches 9 in The National Capital. "Going to Dera Baba Nanak for "ardas" for Kartarpur Corridor reopening ... Dhan Dhan Baba Nanak," Sidhu tweeted. The corridor was inaugurated on November 9, 2019, to commemorate the 550th Parkash Gurpurb of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. Also Read | Google Ads Used by Cyber Criminals to Steal $500,000 Worth of Cryptocurrency. Early in August, Pakistan has lifted travel restrictions from 11 countries including India. Pakistan had put India under Category C from May 22 till August 12 due to the spread of the Delta variant, which meant that the movement of people, including Sikh pilgrims, from India, was subjected to special permission. On March 16, 2020, both India and Pakistan had temporarily suspended the day-long pilgrimage in wake of Covid 19 and also suspended the registration for the Kartarpur Sahib pilgrimage. However, on October 2, 2020, the Pakistan government announced to unilaterally open the Kartarpur Sahib pilgrimage but India denied to reciprocate the gesture. India and Pakistan signed the Kartarpur corridor agreement with Pakistan on October 24, 2019. Under the pact, Indian pilgrims of all faiths are allowed to undertake round-the-year visa-free travel through the Kartarpur corridor to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Atomy India, a subsidiary of South Korean direct selling firm Atomy, plans to invest around Rs 250 crore for setting up manufacturing units in the country by 2025 to cater to the domestic market and exports, a top company official said. The company plans to manufacture its range of food and supplements here and is scouting for land in NCR for setting up the units, said Atomy India Managing Director Seikh Imtiaz Ali. Also Read | Black Friday Sale 2021: Early Deals on iPhone 12, Galaxy Z Fold3, Pixel 6 & More. Moreover, Atomy has unveiled its comprehensive plans for the Indian market and said it would launch its Global Sourcing Global Sales (GSGS) plan by 2022, under which it will export Ayurvedic Indian products to different parts of the world. Atomy India is having collaborations with 10 Korean manufacturers and they have shown enormous interest in their growth in India, the company said. Also Read | Lava Agni 5G With 5,000mAh Battery Launched in India at Rs 19,999. "Right now the projects are going on, we have even visited some places. We are looking near NCR as distribution would be better from here," said Ali. When asked about the proposed investment, Ali said:" We have plans to invest around Rs 250 crore to set up manufacturing units in India by 2025." While talking about its GSGS plan, he said India is known to have ancient secret of Ayurvedic products and is recognised worldwide. "We plan to export Ayurvedic Indian products to different parts of the world...as Atomy has its global distribution network in almost 50 plus countries. Within one year of business operations in India, we have achieved massive product popularity and now we plan to enter each household with our absolute quality products, said Ali. Atomy, a USD 1.73 billion company, entered the country in November last year and it is encouraged by the consumers' responses here. Currently, Atomy India meets the requirements of the Indian market through import from the parent company - Atomy. "We are targetting a revenue of approximately Rs 80 crore for the financial year ending March 31, 2022," said Ali. The direct selling industry is growing in India and there is also acceptance of Korean beauty products among the millennial generation in India. Atomy, which has been ranked at 12th position in the global direct selling industry, sells 426 products in South Korea, while in India presently 63 products are available in Personal Care, Living, Food and Health Supplements. It has plans to add more products in the health supplements and food categories. The company that plans to leverage its most popular personal care products to capture the market at the same time believes in improving people's life by enhancing their lifestyle. "In one year we have launched Korean products in India including our famous skincare 'The Fame' and we plan to launch more products in Health Supplements and Food categories," he said adding "We are getting robust response from our customers, hence we would expand for a bigger share. Atomy conducts businesses in 50 plus countries globally and has subsidiaries in 21 countries. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, November 9: The "large 100-home civilian village" mentioned in a Pentagon report was built over the years in the area in Arunanchal Pradesh that was occupied by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) after overrunning an Assam Rifles post in 1959, clarified sources in the Indian security establishment. The US Department of Defense in its annual report to Congress said that China has built a large 100-home civilian village inside disputed territory between the Tibet Autonomous Region and India's Arunachal Pradesh in 2020. The sources said that the village is along the disputed border in Upper Subansiri District in Arunanchal Pradesh which is in territory controlled by China. "The village has been built by China in an area that was occupied by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) after overrunning an Assam Rifles post in 1959, in an operation known as Longju incident along the frontier in Arunachal Pradesh," the sources clarified. Owaisi Demands Full Parliamentary Debate on China-India Ties, State of Affairs on Border. "For years, they have maintained an Army post in the region and various constructions undertaken by Chinese haven't happened in a short time," the sources said. The US Department of Defense report blamed China for the series of confrontations along the border that culminated into the violent clash in June 2020 in Ladakh's Galway Valley, which was one of the worst crashes seen in 45 years. "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," the Pentagon said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Warsaw [Poland], November 9 (ANI/Sputnik): Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki accused Russia on Tuesday of pulling the strings behind what Warsaw sees as a Belarusian operation to smuggle migrants into his country. The Belarusian border agency said on Monday that thousands of mostly Middle Eastern and African migrants had amassed near the Polish border and were trying to force their way across. The Polish parliament called an emergency meeting. Also Read | Canadian Woman First in The World to be Diagnosed as Suffering from Climate Change. "Russia is carrying on with its neocolonial policy... This is evidenced by the latest attack of [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko, who is the perpetrator. But his sponsor is in Moscow," Morawiecki said in parliament. The European Union accuses Belarus of pushing migrants across its eastern frontier to get back at Brussels for sanctions, a claim repeatedly denied by Lukashenko, who argues that his government lacks funding. A Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman denied that Moscow was involved. (ANI/Sputnik) Also Read | American Singer Taylor Swift Tops The List of Most Influential People on Twitter, PM Narendra Modi Secures Second Spot. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bangkok, Nov 9 (AP) Former US Ambassador to the UN Bill Richardson acknowledges criticism of his humanitarian visit to Myanmar, but says he feels his trip was constructive. Richardson, also a former governor of New Mexico, is the highest-profile American to visit the Southeast Asian nation since its military seized power in February from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. He travelled there last week with three colleagues, his office said, to discuss delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, medical supplies and other public health needs. Also Read | Pakistan: Land Allotted for Construction of Hindu Temple Cancelled by Islamabad Authority. The U.S. government, along with a number of other Western nations, shuns Myanmar's military-installed government and urges a return to democracy. I'm deeply invested in this country and they invited me, Richardson said in an online interview with The Associated Press on Monday from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Also Read | Japan: 69-Year-Old Man Attempts to Start Fire on Bullet Train, Arrested. I have a letter from the foreign minister to talk about vaccines ... that's what I was invited to do. And I care about the country and I think I can make a difference. It's a small difference. Richardson has a long history of involvement with Myanmar, starting in 1994 when as a member of Congress he met Suu Kyi at her home in the city of Yangon, where she had been under house arrest since 1989 under a previous military government. He last visited Myanmar in 2018 to advise on a crisis over the country's Muslim Rohingya minority. More than 700,000 Rohingya fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh after Myanmar's military in 2017 launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in the western state of Rakhine, where most lived. Since this year's military takeover, violence has swept through much of Myanmar. Widespread peaceful demonstrations against army rule were savagely suppressed by security forces, and armed resistance has grown to the point that U.N. experts have warned the country risks sliding into civil war. The instability has also caused a humanitarian crisis with food supplies badly disrupted and a breakdown of the already feeble public health system in one of Asian's poorest countries. When a new wave of the coronavirus hit during the summer, crematoriums in Yangon struggled with a backlog of bodies. Opponents of the military-installed government who are conducting a militant civil disobedience campaign inside the country want the outside world to treat the generals as pariahs. Richardson, as a prominent U.S. political figure well known in Myanmar, ran into a storm of online criticism for engaging with the government. Well, I knew that the trip would face some criticism, Richardson said. But he disputed the idea that he could confer any kind of legitimacy on Myanmar's government. Legitimacy, he said, is conferred by the people and by governments. I'm neither. I'm one person, a citizen who cares deeply about Myanmar, who was invited to come in a situation where there's horrendous violence, human hurting, humanitarian needs, vaccine needs. And I felt I could make a difference and I believe I have. He is realistic enough to realise that some might try to exploit his presence. But he is satisfied with what he says he has accomplished so far: the release from prison of a young woman who had worked for his Richardson Center for Global Engagement; increased access to humanitarian aid and vaccines for the people of Myanmar; and a resumption of Red Cross visits to the country's prisons, which the government had banned because of the coronavirus. Richardson said he avoided politics in his discussions, as he did in the interview with AP. I didn't want to get into politics. I think humanitarian assistance should precede any kind of movement that would just divide the people even more. This is a country in great need, a country I've been to many times. I've invested a lot of myself in this country, and 55 million people should not have to pay with bad vaccine distribution, humanitarian problems, for the political divisions. Richardson said he met for about 90 minutes with Myanmar's leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. We only talked about humanitarian access. We only talked about vaccines. He listened, he responded. It seemed like he liked my ideas, Richardson said. These ideas, he said, included the revival of the Red Cross prison visits and shortening the amount of time needed for travel permissions from the government for U.N. agencies and NGOs to carry out humanitarian missions, as well as finding ways to distribute vaccines more quickly and equitably. So it was a constructive discussion, he said. Richardson also met with other top government officials, foreign diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador, and representatives of U.N. agencies and other international organizations. I think there's been a logjam on activity and progress on the humanitarian front, the access to vaccines, ... the humanitarian efforts, he said. So I think my visit may be a catalyst. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Before his trip to Afghanistan, the US new special representative, Tom West, met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Photo Credit: Blinken twitter) Washington [US], November 9 (ANI): US special envoy for Afghanistan, Thomas West, said he plans to visit India and Pakistan as part of his upcoming trip to Europe and Asia "[Within] my upcoming travels, I do plan to visit Pakistan, Russia and India," Sputnik quoted West as saying during a briefing. Also Read | Afghanistan Confirms Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Visit Pakistan for Troika Plus Meeting. The US Special Representative pointed out that he will be in Pakistan "later this week." The new US special representative for Afghanistan, Tom West, has started his first trip to Europe and Asia to discuss the issues concerning Afghanistan with international partners. Also Read | Oral COVID-19 Pill to Be Imported into South Korea in February 2022, Says KCDC. "I will be travelling to Europe and Asia starting today to discuss the way forward on Afghanistan with Allies and partners. The international community must act together to be effective," US Special Representative tweeted on Sunday (local time). "It is an honour to assume the role of US Special Representative for Afghanistan. I look forward to advancing America's vital interests and supporting the Afghan people," he said in another tweet. Last month, Tom West was named as the State Department's Special Representative and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Afghanistan. In prior roles in government, he served as Special Advisor to the Vice President for South Asia and Director for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the National Security Council from 2012-2015. From 2011-2012, Tom was the State Department's senior diplomat in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, where he embedded with U.S. military colleagues and managed the civilian staff of a Provincial Reconstruction Team. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], November 9 (ANI): The United States will exempt filing fees and streamline application processing for Afghan nationals who were paroled into the United States for humanitarian reasons on or after July 30, the Department of Homeland Security said. The department, in a statement, said that these actions will help facilitate the resettlement of Afghan nationals in the US by streamlining the processing of requests for work authorization, Green Cards, and associated services. Also Read | Afghanistan Confirms Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to Visit Pakistan for Troika Plus Meeting. The DHS is the lead federal agency coordinating Operation Allies Welcome, the ongoing all-of-government effort to resettle vulnerable Afghans, including those who worked on behalf of the United States. "By providing these evacuees with access to streamlined processing and fee exemptions, we will open doors of opportunity for our Afghan allies and help them begin to rebuild their lives in communities across our country more quickly," said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N Mayorkas. Also Read | Googles Parent Alphabet Market Value passes $2tn Mark. "These actions demonstrate our ongoing commitment to Afghan nationals who provided valuable assistance to the United States over the past two decades as well as other Afghans at risk," Mayorkas added. Approximately 70,000 Afghans have arrived in the United States as part of Operation Allies Welcome. Following the biggest airlift in US history, DHS exercised its discretion to parole many Afghan nationals, on a case-by-case basis, into the United States for urgent humanitarian reasons. The department said Afghan nationals will also have the opportunity to apply for immigration benefits such as Afghan special immigrant status, lawful permanent residence, and asylum. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) TV producer Ekta Kapoor was recently awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honour. Given her success, Ekta has become a force to reckon with. However, she had her own share of challenges as for her, the journey wasn't a bed of roses. A lot of people were sceptical of her potential. For Ekta, the Padma Shri serves as an answer to all those who didn't believe in her. Karan Johar Honoured With Padma Shri Award 2020 at Rashtrapati Bhavan (Watch Video). Recounting her early days, she says "My foray into the industry started when I was just 17. I constantly heard I was 'too young', 'too raw' and it was 'too soon' to make things happen." But, she firmly believes that starting early is a mark of strength, she adds, "Through the years I've realised it's never 'too soon' to live out your dreams and being 'too young' is probably the best thing. Today, as I'm awarded with the 4th highest civilian honor - 'Padma Shri', I'm humbled." Kangana Ranaut Opens Up on Winning Padma Shri Award 2020, Says The Honour Will Shut Down Those Who Keep Speaking Against Me (Watch Video). Check Out The Video Below: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Erkrek (@ektarkapoor) The producer, who is known for changing the landscape of Indian television and producing some good films, has also made a mark in the digital sphere with her streaming platform ALTBalaji. Her next production, 'Ek Villain Returns' is the spiritual sequel to the 2014 action thriller 'Ek Villain' and stars John Abraham, Disha Patani and Tara Sutaria and Arjun Kapoor in lead roles. The film produced by Mohit Suri is slated to release theatrically on July 8, 2022. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2021 04:45 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, November 9: A total of 96 nations across the globe have agreed to mutual recognition of vaccination certificates with India. The persons travelling to and from these nations are being provided certain relaxations. "Reflecting worldwide recognition of India's vaccines and vaccination process, 96 countries have agreed to mutual accept its vaccination certificates," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. He added: "A total of 96 countries have also agreed to recognise Indian vaccination certificates of travellers fully vaccinated with Covishield, and other WHO approved and nationally approved vaccines." UK To Add Indias COVID-19 Vaccine Covaxin to Approved List From November 22, No Quarantine For Fully Vaccinated Travellers. Mandaviya said that the Union government continues to be in contact with the rest of the world so that beneficiaries of the world's largest Covid vaccination programme are accepted and recognised, thereby easing their travel for education, business and tourism purposes. The UK government announced on Monday that according to its new travel guidelines, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin will be added to its approved list of Covid vaccines for international travellers from November 22. "From 4 am on November 22, the UK government will recognise vaccines on the World Health Organization's Emergency Use Listing," said the UK government's new travel guidelines. The development came after WHO approved Covaxin for emergency use listing last week. 96 Countries Have Agreed to Mutual Acceptance of Covid Vaccination Certificates with India: Minister. The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country so far has exceeded 109.08 crore. India had achieved the milestone of 100 crore vaccinations on October 21. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2021 07:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). New Delhi, November 9: Various myths, misconception and fake claims about COVID-19 vaccines are doing the rounds on social media ever since the vaccination drive was launched. The most recent addition to the list is regarding the Astroworld concert tragedy where at least eight people lost their lives. A Facebook post claiming that the concert was a "this is a test run on the vaxxed" as " put graphene oxide in you, all they have to do is TUNE THE FREQUENCY" is going viral on the platform. However, the claim is fake and baseless. The viral post is also flagged as 'False information' by Facebook. Several posts claiming that COVID-19 vaccines contain graphene oxide had surfaced on social media platforms earlier as well. People alleged that Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine contained graphene oxide. However the claim was refuted by the Pfizer representative. "Graphene oxide is not used in the manufacture of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, Pfizers Senior Associate of Global Media Relations told Reuters in July this year. Fact Check: Two Children Died in Australia After Receiving Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine? Here's the Truth Behind Viral Video. Check The Viral Facebook Post Here: Like the Pfizer's vaccine, no other manufacturer is known to use graphene oxide as an ingredient to make COVID-19 vaccine. Graphene oxide is a carbon compound. According to website biolinscientific.com, It is a single-atomic-layered material that is formed by the oxidation of graphite which is cheap and readily available. Anaesthetics Can Be Life-Threatening for People Who Have Taken COVID-19 Vaccine? PIB Fact Check Reveals Truth Behind Fake Post. In the recent past, coronavirus and its vaccine have been the most talked about topics across the world and hence, fake, misleading and false claims about the infections and vaccines have been flooding the social media platforms. Medical and government authorities have time and again countered such claims with verified facts. People are advised to rely on verified releases from competent authorities and sources for information regarding the coronavirus vaccine. People are also advised to not share or forward any such claim on social media platforms before cross-checking and verifying it. Fact check Claim : COVID-19 vaccines contain graphene oxide which led to the Astroworld concert tragedy. Conclusion : The claim is fake. Full of Trash Clean (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2021 08:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The West Bengal government on Tuesday lifted night curfew in Nadia and Hooghly Districts of state on 12th, 13th November, 2021 on the occasion of upcoming 'Jagadhatri Puja' celebrations. Lifting night curfew restrictions, the West Bengal government has allowed night movement of people and vehicles between 11 pm and 5 am during these days for Nadia and Hooghly Districts only. West Bengal | Night curfew lifted in Nadia & Hooghly Districts on 12th & 13th November on the occasion of 'Jagadhatri Puja': State Government pic.twitter.com/colh8vegRP ANI (@ANI) November 9, 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.) San Francisco: Security software company McAfee announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by an investor group for more than $14 billion. Led by Advent International Corporation, Permira Advisers, Crosspoint Capital Partners, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, GIC Private, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, the investment group bought all outstanding shares of McAfee. McAfee Sells Its Enterprise Business to Symphony Technology Group for $4 Billion. As part of the transaction, the Investor Group is acquiring all outstanding shares of McAfee common stock for $26.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $12 billion on an equity value basis, and over $14 billion on an enterprise value basis after giving effect to repayment of McAfee debt. "We want to thank our employees for their continued hard work and commitment to McAfee. We are thrilled to be partnering with premier firms who truly understand the cybersecurity landscape and have a proven track record of success," Peter Leav, President and Chief Executive Officer McAfee said in a statement. The purchase price represents a premium of approximately 22.6 per cent over McAfee's closing share price of $21.21 on November 4, 2021, the last trading day prior to media reports regarding a potential sale of McAfee. Upon completion of the transaction, the Investor Group will take ownership of McAfee. As a privately held company, McAfee will continue building on its success and proven track record of growth as a pure-play consumer cybersecurity leader following the sale of McAfee's Enterprise business, and the associated one-time dividend of $4.50 per share, to private equity firm Symphony Technology Group for $4.0 billion, which closed on July 27, 2021. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2021 10:16 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The annual Leonids Meteor Shower an event that reaches earth every November is here. This year shower is going to be active between November 6 and 30, with peak expected on November 17. The peak time of a meteor shower comes when the Earth passes through the densest part of the debris. The debris that forms this meteor shower originates from a small comet called 55P/Tempel-Tuttle in the constellation Leo which takes 33 years to orbit the sun.On November 17, dust will evaporate and create the light that will appear like a display of fireworks in the sky to viewers from earth which we call meteor showers. The Leonid meteor shower which gets its name from the Leo the Lion constellation, because the meteors radiate outwardly from the location of the stars and create the illusion of a lion's mane. This projection means that the stars will appear in all parts of the sky, so there's no specific direction you need to look at when observing the meteor shower. Shooting Stars in Broad Daylight! From New York to Ontario, Fireball Meteor Shower Lights Up the Sky Across the East Coast of US and Canada During the Day (Watch Videos) According to NASA, The Leonids are considered to be a major shower that features the fastest meteors, which typically travel at speeds of 71 km per second, although the rates are expected to be as low as 15 meteors per hour. Every 33 years, a Leonid shower turns into a meteor storm, which is when hundreds to thousands of meteors can be seen every hour. A meteor storm should have at least 1,000 meteors per hour. In 1966, a Leonid storm offered views of thousands of meteors that fell through the Earths atmosphere per minute during a period of 15 minutes, NASA notes. The last such storm took place in2002. The meteor storms produced by the Leonids have been observed since 1833, when it produced its first large meteor storm, releasing more than 100,000 meteors an hour. In order to be considered a meteor storm, you need more than 1,000 meteors an hour, which the Leonids have historically accomplished. However, scientists don't believe that will happen this year. In 2021, stargazers are expected to see only about 10 to 15 meteors per hour. This is because in 2021 the moon will be in the waxing gibbous phase, which will make it much harder to see meteors in the distance. According to NASA, one should only look at the constellation Leo to view the Leonids, which are visible throughout night. In fact, they are best viewed at about midnight. The eyes adapt to darkness in about 30 minutes and the meteors are usually visible up until day break. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 09, 2021 05:46 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). The SpaceX astronauts, who were on a trip back to Earth, were forced to wear diapers after a toilet on the Dragon capsule of the company broke in advance of their journey from the International Space Station. Broken Toilet Forces Astronauts to Wear Diapers Based on the report, NASA astronaut Megan McArthur shared on Friday that their group would be taking a 20-hour trip home Sunday in suboptimal conditions that they needed to work. According to NPR, four members on SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavor would be wearing diapers when they splash down in order to prevent splashing inside their suit too. During the weekend press conference, McArthur confirmed that the toilets onboard Dragon Endeavor were broken, but they were prepared to manage. McArthur shared that spaceflight was full of lots of little challenges; wearing diapers was only one of the more things that they would encounter while they took care of their mission. The NASA astronaut said that they were not too worried about the damage. READ MORE: Elon Musk Says Joe Biden 'Still Sleeping' After President Ignores SpaceX's Historic All-Civilian Orbital Mission SpaceX Capsule's Space Missions The report of the Associated Press mentioned that the toilet leak was first noted in September. The damage was caused by an unglued tube, which resulted in spilled urine beneath the floorboards of the SpaceX capsule. A capsule awaiting liftoff was fixed, while another capsule's toilet was determined to be not usable. However, engineers stated that the damage was not alarming. They consider the trip home as safe. The engineers also clarified that the urine would not have an impact, and NASA astronauts would only have to wear absorbent undergarments. Moreover, the crew for this mission, known as Crew-2, has been at the International Space Station since April. The Crew-2 have already spent almost 200 days in space. Expedition commander and French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, in a press conference over the weekend, said they have encountered a very intense mission, a lot of things have happened. Pesquet added that over the mission, they conducted a series of spacewalks during the installation of solar panels to upgrade the power grid station. The astronauts also grew the first chili peppers, which McArthur considered a nice morale boost, especially that they got to sample in tacos. McArthur said that the space-grown chili peppers had a nice spiciness to them and a little bit of a lingering burn. Also, Crew-2 hosted a private Russian film crew. French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshides would be coming back home with McArthur. The SpaceX capsule is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station on Monday afternoon and return Monday night. However, all of the scheduled activities would be dependent on the weather. Their replacements are reportedly being sent up Wednesday night. READ NEXT: Elon Musk Announces Decision of Moving Tesla's California Headquarters to Texas This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: Broken Toilet Forces Astronauts To Wear Diapers -TODAY Former U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly planned to leave GOP and create his own political party, according to a new book by ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jonathan Karl. The book noted that Trump told the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee in a conversation on his final day as president that he was leaving GOP and creating a new political party, according to an ABC News Go report. However, Trump backed down on his threat when Republican leaders said that they would take actions that would have cost Trump millions of dollars. The book entitled "Betrayal: The Final Act of the Trump Show" noted that the conversation and Trump's plan to leave the party occurred just after Trump boarded Air Force One as his last flight as a U.S. president. Karl writes that RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called to wish Trump farewell, adding that it was a very unpleasant conversation. READ NEXT: Former U.S. President Donald Trump Calls Critics "Perverts"; Says He Does Not Believe in the Integrity of Virginia Elections Trump's Final Day as President Reports noted that Trump was agitated in his final days as president as he lost his presidency to U.S. President Joe Biden by more than seven million votes, according to a Forbes report. In addition, Trump was also facing a second impeachment as president for his role in inciting his supporters to breach the U.S. Capitol on January 6 and overturn election results. Trump has openly criticized his own party and GOP's top officials on several occasions. He refused to rule out an independent run for the presidency if he didn't win the party's nomination. Trump reportedly said on the call with the RNC chairwoman that this is what "Republicans deserve" for not backing him up. In March, he wrote that the committee was comprised of "fools" who do not have in mind GOP's best interest. Trump earlier wrote that the committee does nothing but hurt the GOP and their voting base, adding "they will never lead us to Greatness," according to a Rolling Stone report. Karl writes in the book that Trump was not simply putting the idea on the table; rather, he was putting RNC chairwoman on notice to start his own party. One RNC official told the author of the book that they told Trump's side that there were a lot of things they still depend on the RNC for, and if they were to commence their plan, it would all go away. McDaniel and her team noted that if Trump left the party, GOP would immediately stop paying legal bills incurred during post-election challenges. Meanwhile, both Trump and McDaniel denied the story. The RNC chairwoman said that Trump and she have a great relationship, while Trump dismissed the story by saying that Karl has been writing fake news about him from the beginning of his political career. Karl responded to McDaniel on air, saying that he spoke to multiple people regarding the matter, including witnesses to the conversation with Trump, according to an Axios report. Trump has faced numerous legal battles, including civil actions with allegations he violated the Voting Rights Act and the Ku Klux Klan Act, which prohibits the intimidation of public officials. There were also multiple claims that he defrauded people, including a family member. READ MORE: Pres. Joe Biden Reacts Negatively to Donald Trump' Toys,' Giant TV Screens Left in the White House: 'What a F------ A--Hole' This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Trump Planned To Leave GOP For New Political Party, New Book Reports - from Forbes Breaking News The House committee select panel that probes the January 6 Capitol riot issued subpoenas on Monday directed to six close allies of ex-President Donald Trump that endorsed false claims on election fraud or worked to overturn the election results in Congress. The documents released by the said committee revealed that the investigators thought that each of the new targets played a role in Trump's month's long push to overturn the results of the previous presidential elections, Independent reported. The set of subpoenas shows a focus on how the allies of former President Trump devised a strategy for contesting the election results from legal processes at the state and federal level to messaging around claims of fraud, The Hill reported. "The Select Committee needs to know every detail about their efforts to overturn the election, including who they were talking to in the White House and in the Congress, what connections they had with rallies that escalated into a riot, and who paid for it all," the Chairman of the House Select Committee on January 6 Attack, Bennie Thompson, said in a statement. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Suggests He Might Sue After Pres. Joe Biden Rejects His Appeal to Withhold Capitol Riot Records Trump Allies John Eastman and Jason Miller Slammed with Subpoena The subpoena issued by the Capitol Riot House Select Committee demands that any witnesses turn over documents this month and sit for statements in early December, according to The New York Times report. Lawyer John Eastman was among the individuals whom the Capitol riot committee issued with the subpoena. According to reports, Eastman was the one who drafted the memo that laid out how Trump could use Congress to try to overturn the election. Furthermore, the subpoena for Eastman also revealed that he hosted a meeting on January 2 with "some 300 state legislators" where he said that they have to "make sure" someone who did not get elected will be in the White House. The subpoena for Eastman also mentioned that he met with former President Trump and ex-Vice President Mike Pence to discuss his memo where he underscored the authority of the vice president to eject election results. Aside from Eastman, Trump's Senior Adviser Jason Miller was also subpoenaed by the committee as they accused him of spreading the false claim of "widespread fraud and coordinated with the former president and his personal lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani in attempts to overturn the elections." Other Trump Allies Subpoenaed by the Capitol Riot Committee Aside from Eastman and Miller, four other allies of the former president were also subpoenaed by the committee, including Bill Stepien, Angela McCallum, Michael Flynn, and Bernard Kerik. Stepien, who was Trump's re-election campaign manager, encouraged the state and party officials to influence the outcome of the election by asking states to delay electoral votes and by sending multiple slates of the votes to Congress. Angela McCallum, the Trump campaign's national executive assistant, was believed to tell a Michigan representative about their authority to an alternate slate of electors and reportedly left a voice mail if the Trump campaign has the support of the said representative. Meanwhile, Michael Flynn reportedly attended an Oval meeting where participants talked about "seizing voting machines." Furthermore, ex-Ney York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik reportedly engaged in a meeting in Willard Hotel as he worked to promote litigation and "Stop the Steal" efforts. The recent subpoenas issued by the January 6 Capitol Riot committee are known to be the fifth batch they released regarding the insurrection. READ NEXT: Donald Trump Social Media Hacked a Day After Announcement This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: House January 6 Panel Issues More Subpoenas - From CNBC Television Rapper Travis Scott will cover the funeral expenses of the deceased victims at the Astroworld Festival, as the authorities officially named the fans who met their demise who attended the said event that started on Friday last week. The move from the rapper came after he was named in some 14 lawsuits, along with Live Nation and ScoreMore, in connection to the fatal music festival, Billboard reported. READ NEXT: Travis Scott, Drake Face Lawsuit Over Astroworld Festival Tragedy That Killed 8 People After Stampede Travis Scott to Cover Funeral of Astroworld Festival Victims On Monday, the 30-year-old rapper and his Cactus Jack Foundation announced they will cover the funeral expenses of the eight deceased identified victims of the recent concert tragedy in Houston. Aside from paying for the funeral expenses, Travis Scott and his foundation will also team up with BetterHelp, an online portal providing direct mental health support. With the said partnership, Travis will offer free one-on-one virtual therapy sessions with a licensed therapist for anyone affected by the Astroworld Festival tragedy. The representative of the 30-year-old rapper said on Monday that Scott is working with the authorities n the wake of Friday's tragedy. "Travis remains in active conversation with the city of Houston law enforcement and local first responders to respectfully and appropriately connect with the individuals and families of those involved," Scott's representative said in a statement. His representative explained that this is the "first of many steps" Travis plans to assist those affected in the festival in his vow. Travis Scott will also work with the National Alliance of Mental Illness, Mental Health America (MHA) National, and MHA Greater Houston to provide services for those in need. Apart from Travis Scott, ScoreMore - who was also named in the lawsuits - issued a separate statement on Monday saying that they will also provide mental health counseling and establish a health fund to help in the medical costs of the incident. Astorworld Festival Tragedy: Family Says They Found Out About Son's Death on the Internet On Monday, a family of the victim, Axel Acosta, who died in the Astroworld Festival tragedy, said that they learned about the death of their son on the internet. Edgar, Alex's father, said that when they found out about the tragedy, they immediately called his son, but he did not answer. The father also mentioned that they called the hotel where the 21-year-old was staying, but they found out that he did not spend the night in the accommodation, KHOU 11 reported. The father then called the police and the reunification center at the hotel near the NRG park, but they told him that Axel was neither on the list of the injured and the dead. Edgar then revealed that they found out about the death of his son through a photo that circulated on the internet. The autopsy result was not yet released, but Acosta's lawyer, Tony Buzbee, said that the 21-yar-old died of asphyxiation, which according to the lawyer, occurred during the "crowd rush." Axel Acosta from Washington was identified by the authorities on Monday as one of the deceased victims of the Astroworld Festival tragedy, CBS News reported. Aside from Acosta, other deceased victims identified by the authorities were Franco Patino and Jacob Jurinek from Illinois; John Hilgert, Rudy Pena, Mirza Danish Baig, Brianna Rodriguez, and Madison Dubiski from Texas. The age of the said victims ranged from 14-27 years old. Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences noted that the specific cause of death for each victim has not yet been identified. READ NEXT: 'Rust' Armorer Says She's Not Ready To Speak About Alec Baldwin's Accidental Shooting on Set This article is owned by Latin Post. Written By: Joshua Summers WATCH: Astroworld Festival Update: Here's What We Know About the 8 Victims - From KHOU 11 A Cuban woman working as an Uber driver in South Florida claimed that she was assaulted by a male passenger when she threatened to call 911 after he spat on her on Saturday morning in Overtown. Cuban Uber Driver Feels Unsafe in Florida After Being Attacked by Passenger According to NBC 6 Miami, the female Uber Driver from Cuba was identified as Sumey Martinez Arzuaga, who has been working and living in Florida for seven months. The Uber driver said that the attack happened at around 10 a.m. near Northwest 1st Place and 13th. Martinez stated that the passenger wanted her to make two stops during the trip, and she told him to be quick about it. The driver said that her reminder prompted the passenger to become angry and told Martinez to cancel the trip, to which the driver agreed. However, instead of agreeing to cancel the trip, the passenger became more enraged and allegedly spat at her. Martinez got out of the car and threatened to call 911, but the passenger then punched her in the face and ran off. Moreover, Martinez said that she does not feel safe anymore in the U.S., adding that she was not sure if she would ever drive for rideshare ever again. Based on the available images, Martinez suffered from a bloody lip and a black eye. She reported the incident to police, and authorities stated that they were investigating the attack on the Uber driver. When NBC 6 requested Uber for comment, the company did not respond to the request. However, Martinez shared that a company representative called her at the hospital to check her medical status. Miami Fire Rescue responded to the scene where the attack allegedly happened. Martinez said that she went to Palmetto Hospital following the attack, where she received treatment and stitches to her lip. The Cuban driver received a tetanus shot and bloodwork because the man's spit went into her eye. Martinez also mentioned that they had a hard time communicating with each other because she dos not know how to speak English well. Martinez believed that it was the language barrier that set off the passenger. READ MORE: Pregnant Nurse's Unborn Child Dies After a Patient Shoves Her Against a Wall in Florida Hospital Recent Uber Attack in Florida On the other hand, a 19-year-old man, identified as Edward Milo, was arrested in August after he punched an Uber driver and pushed her out of her moving SUV outside Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. Based on the arrest report, the 44-year-old Uber driver picked up Milo in her gray Toyota Highlander. As she was heading toward the exit of the hospital, the suspect punched the Uber driver several times on her face. The woman told the police that she tried to block the punches and yell for help but she was not able to escape because Milo kept striking her. READ NEXT: Arizona Public Safety Troopers Intercepted More Than $1.7M in Fentanyl, Heroin, Other Illegal Drugs After I-10 Traffic Stop This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: Uber Driver Attacked by Passenger Speaks Out - NBC 6 South Florida The first police officer on the scene of Ahmaud Arbery's killing testified Monday that no citizen's arrest was mentioned when he spoke to one of the three suspects at the crime scene. Ricky Minshew was a Glynn County, Georgia police patrol officer when Arbery was killed on February 23, 2020. He was one of the first law enforcement officers to arrive at the scene. Minshew told jurors that when he arrived on the scene, about a minute after the gunshots sounded, Arbery "appeared to be deceased." Police Officer Admits No Citizen's Arrest Mentioned During Ahmaud Arbery Chase According to NBC News, Ricky Minshew stated during the trial that he was able to talk to one of the three white men who were facing charges of murder and other crimes for the death of Ahmaud Arbery. Minshew said when he arrived on the scene, he spoke with William "Roddie" Bryan Jr. The police officer noted that Bryan told him that he "blocked," "cornered," and "cut off" Arbery in Satilla Shores, a neighborhood located outside the port city of Brunswick. Minshew said the suspect never told him that they were trying to make a citizen's arrest of Arbery, a testimony that appeared to undercut a vital element of the defense case. The neighbors of Bryan, Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael, were also standing trial after they armed themselves and used Travis' pickup truck to pursue Arbery after they spotted him running in their neighborhood. READ NEXT: Ahmaud Arbery Trial: Prosecutor Says Black Jogger Was Killed 'Based on Assumptions' of 3 Suspects Who Had 'Intent to Kill' Ahmaud Arbery's Death Caught on Cam William "Roddie" Bryan Jr. joined the chase and recorded a cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Ahmaud Arbery in the street three times at a close range. After the shooting footage leaked online, the McMichaels were arrested and charged with murder and aggravated assault in May 2020. Bryan, who has recorded the killing, has been charged with felony murder and a criminal attempt to commit false imprisonment. The leaked video sparked national outrage, and Arbery's killing has been considered a modern-day lynching. When prosecutor Larissa Ollivierre asked Minshew whether one of the suspects, Bryan, ever told him that he was trying to make a citizen's arrest of Arbery based on the claims of defense attorneys, Minshew denied the claim and responded, "No, ma'am." The police officer noted that Bryan never mentioned joining the chase to help arrest Arbery for any possible crime. He also said that Bryan never told him that he saw Arbery with a weapon or even told Arbery that he was "under arrest" for anything as he pursued him. Meanwhile, attorneys for the McMichaels have said that Travis only acted in self-defense after Arbery threw punches and attempted to grab his gun. The defense attorneys noted that the men were justified to chase and try to detain Arbery because security cameras recorded him inside a nearby home that was under construction, and they suspected him to be a burglar. The attorney of Bryan, Kevin Gough, has not yet delivered an opening statement, but he previously said the citizen's arrest defense would play a huge part in his client's case. Each of the defense teams is expected to argue that the men were only making a citizen's arrest, which was then permitted under state law. Minshew noted that Bryan was "cooperative" at the time, and he was allowed to leave the scene since he was initially considered a witness. Ahmaud Arbery was fatally shot and killed while out for a jog in Brunswick City. He was accused of being one of the burglars in a series of local break-ins. Reports said Gregory and Travis, armed with guns, confronted Arbery, prompting him to run. Arbery ran past the truck of another suspect, Bryan, who struck the victim with the side of his vehicle. After seeing the McMichaels pursuing Arbery in a pickup truck, Bryan joined the chase. Eventually, the three men caught up with Ahmaud Arbery, and three shots were fired. READ MORE: Arizona Public Safety Troopers Intercepted More Than $1.7M in Fentanyl, Heroin, Other Illegal Drugs After I-10 Traffic Stop This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Jess Smith WATCH: Former Police Officer Ricky Minshew Testifies in Ahmaud Arbery Murder Trial - From ABC News A squad of Mexican army has been enforcing turn divisions that have largely stopped fighting among Mexican drug cartels over territories. The soldiers guard the dividing lines between the cartel territories so they will not invade each other's turf while also reportedly turning a blind eye to the Mexican drug cartels' illegal activities, according to The Guardian report. Los Viagras gang has long dominated the state of Michoacan and had set up the first roadblock. They had a truck parked across the highway and sandbags installed to protect cartel gunmen. The gunmen roll back the truck to allow farmers through every few hours but only let drivers pass through once they have paid a "toll." Meanwhile, around 3 kilometers on the same road, another cartel's territory begins, which is marked by squads of armed men and homemade armored trucks bearing the letters "CJNG" for Jalisco Cartel. Mexico Defense Secretary General Luis Cresencio Sandoval has publicly announced that the soldiers are there to stop the Jalisco cartel's attempts to invade Michoacan. Local farmers say that Los Viagras are charging around $150 for each truckload of limes. Avocado farmers are also subjected to the same protection payments on every box of fruit they ship. The leader of Los Viagras roadblock told journalists passing through to be careful of what they publish. The leader added that they can monitor it on Facebook and can find people using the social media platform, according to an Associated Press News report. Cresencio Sandoval said in October that they managed to make one of the cartels, the Jalisco, retreat to the borderline of Jalisco. However, the government has not commented yet on the strategy that they are currently enforcing. Security analyst Alejandro Hope noted that the government's strategy is some sort of "pact of non-aggression." Hope said that the soldiers are around not to disarm the two sides but to prevent the conflict from spreading. However, the security analyst said that the problem is they don't know where the army draws the line and what they are willing to accept. READ NEXT: Warning Made on Behalf of Jalisco Cartel Boss: TV Reporter Azucena Uresti Threatened To Be Killed for Alleged Unfair Coverage Jalisco Cartel Jalisco Cartel started when former Sinaloa Cartel capo Ignacio Coronel was killed by Mexican security forces in July 2010, causing a power struggle to control drug trafficking in Jalisco. The faction of The Torcidos became what is now known as the Jalisco Cartel New Generation. It continued as the successors to the Sinaloan capo's network in the region, according to an InsightCrime report. Nemesio Oseguera Ramos, using the alias "El Mencho," founded and leads the cartel on its activities. Jalisco Cartel has been widely linked to the use of extreme violence, with the number of homicides, forced disappearances, and mass graves increasing with the group's emergence. Los Viagras Cartel Los Viagras is known to be another Jalisco Cartel rival. They were once a self-defense group and are now known as a criminal organization, according to another InsightCrime report. Los Viagras is known to be involved in hired assassinations, extortion of ranchers and farmers, and marijuana and synthetic drug trafficking. READ MORE: Clashing Mexican Drug Cartels Leave 2 Police and 7 Others Dead in Mexico This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Mexico says no 'interventionism' over US plans to target cartels - from Al Jazeera English More than 4,000 people have signed a petition demanding a formal investigation into the handling of the Florida police on the Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie case. The Change.org petition urged Florida governor Ron DeSantis to start an internal investigation into the North Port Police Department's handling of the couple's case. It added that the "bigger picture" is to bring on change, Independent reported. The creator of the petition said the North Port Police Department "has been incompetent in their handling" of both Petito and Laundrie's case. "Millions of taxpayers money was spent on this investigation over a month's time with little to no results," the creator added. The petition was started by a user named "Gabby's Safe Haven 2.0," and has so far collected 4,066 signatures. The petition noted that police deal with citizens on a daily basis and the actions of incompetence could have huge, life-altering effects on many people in their communities. "What happens when you have a department that's full of incompetence? Well, Governor DeSantis, this case right here is what happens," the creator said. The petition specifically asked DeSantis to investigate the "handling of the case by the North Port Police Department, City of North Port public information officer Josh Taylor, and North Port police chief Todd Garrison." It noted that the "handling of evidence and chain of custody" was "highly suspicious." The petition said: "Within a day of the search area being opened back up to the public, the person of interest's parents were the one's (sic) to discover belongings of that of their son." It added that even "after the remains of Brian Laundrie were discovered and confirmed, the search area was reopen to the public once again within 24 hours of discovery." The creator noted that the "whole investigation" shows the "complete incompetence of the North Port Police Department," which should "thoroughly be internally investigated." READ NEXT: Brian Laundrie 'Had Weeks' to Conceal, Destroy Evidence at Crime Scene if He Killed Gabby Petito: DNA Expert Family Lawyer Says Police Mistakes Cause Many False Allegations Against Brian Laundrie's Parents The attorney for the family of Brian Laundrie, Steven Bertolino, earlier said mistakes made by the police in their probe into the disappearance and death of Gabby Petito's fiance had caused a lot of false allegations against his clients. Bertolino issued the statement following a report from North Port police that investigators confused Laundrie's mom with her son while they were monitoring the family's home after Petito was reported missing, ABC7 reported. North Port police spokesperson Josh Taylor has told WINK News that the surveillance operation has been flawed. At one point, Taylor noted that investigators believed that Brian Laundrie had left the house in his Ford Mustang. According to the North Port police, the officers watching out for Laundrie claimed they mistakenly got Laundrie and his mom mixed up since Petito's fiance looks very much like his mom. The officers said they had watched Laundrie leave in his Mustang on September 13, and they thought he returned on September 15. "But we now know that that wasn't true... No case is perfect," Taylor noted as he confirmed that the person who left home was Laundrie's mom, Roberta Laundrie. Reacting to this report, Bertolino told ABC7 that "everyone makes mistakes," but "Brian and Roberta are not 'built' the same." "Moreover, it was (the North Port police) that put the ticket on the Mustang at the park (Carlton Reserve), and if they saw Brian leave on Monday in the Mustang, which is news to me, then they should have been watching the Mustang and the park starting on Monday and they would have known it was Chris (Brian's dad) and Roberta that retrieved the Mustang from the park," Bertolino said. The lawyer added that "you can't blame the family because the police did not know enough to follow someone they were obviously surveilling." He then said that "none of this may have made a difference with respect to Brian's life but it certainly would have prevented all of the false accusations leveled by so many against Chris and Roberta with respect to 'hiding' Brian or otherwise financing an 'escape'." Autopsy of Brian Laundrie's Remains Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest by North Port police after returning home on September 1 or 10 days before Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family. Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when the YouTuber stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August. On September 19, Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. A Teton County, Wyoming coroner said she was strangled to death by a "human being," and the manner of death was homicide. After a month-long manhunt for their son, the elder Laundries directed the North Port police and FBI agents to a swampy area of Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park where Laundrie's remains, backpack, and notebook were found. The FBI said the skeletal remains found on October 20 were confirmed to be Laundrie after a review of dental records. The initial autopsy of Laundrie's remains did not uncover a cause or manner of his death. Bertolino noted that the autopsy by the Sarasota County medical examiner did not produce concrete results on Laundrie's death, so the skeletal remains of Gabby Petito's fiance were sent to a forensic anthropologist for further examination. Bertolino said the results of the forensic anthropologist's examination of Brian Laundrie's remains are expected this month. 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: North Port Police Dept. Under Fire for Brian Laundrie's Disappearance - From CNBC Television First lady Jill Biden on Monday promoted COVID-19 vaccines for children in Virginia as part of the Biden administration's effort to end the coronavirus pandemic. During her visit at Franklin Sherman Elementary School in McLean that runs a pediatric COVID-19 vaccination clinic, Biden urged parents and guardians to vaccinate their 5- to 11-year-old kids now that the shots are available to them, Yahoo! News reported. READ NEXT: CDC OKs COVID Pfizer Vaccine for Children Ages 5-11 Jill Biden Urges Parents to Vaccinate Children Jill Biden said vaccines were the best way to protect children against COVID-19. Apart from being free, she noted that the vaccine was safe since it's "been thoroughly reviewed and rigorously tested." The venue, where the first lady promoted the COVID-19 vaccines, was historic as the Franklin Sherman Elementary School was the first education facility in the U.S. to host a polio vaccine clinic in April 1954, The Daily Mail reported. "Please make the decision to protect your children with the same vaccine that has already saved millions of lives, because nothing is more important than our children's health," Jill Biden said, as she carefully labeled the decision as a "choice." The first lady then noted that worrying goes hand in hand with parenthood. "It's just what we do as parents... So I can't promise you that the dangers of this world will become any less frightening - I mean, just wait until your kids start driving. But with this vaccine, we can take away at least one of your worries," Biden said. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy also spoke at the event and promoted the COVID-19 vaccine for children. "This vaccine will help protect children and communities from COVID-19... Because we know two very important things about the vaccine. No. 1, it works. And No. 2, it has a strong safety profile," Murthy said. The surgeon general then warned the public about the misinformation surrounding the vaccines. "We're asking parents [to] be careful about where they get their information from," Murthy noted. At least 260 children were given a dose of Pfizer vaccine at the site on Monday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has authorized Pfizer's vaccine for kids ages 5 to 11 last week. It will allow around 28 million children in the U.S. to receive a COVID-19 vaccine for the first time. Despite its approval for children, some polls revealed that roughly a third of parents in the U.S. intend to leave their elementary-school-age children unvaccinated. CDC data showed that more than 65,000 children under the age of 17 were hospitalized due to coronavirus nationwide, and at least 897 have died. U.S. Joins Countries Vaccinating Kids Under 12 The U.S. is not the only country that vaccinates kids against COVID-19 under the age of 12. Many children aged six and older from El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador, and Indonesia have already received their first dose of the COVID vaccine. However, it was unclear when these countries began inoculating the said demographics. Argentina, Bahrain, China, and the United Arab Emirates have authorized COVID vaccinations for children under the age of three. In Cuba, children as young as age two can receive the jabs. Meanwhile, Costa Rica requires the COVID vaccine among people under the age of 18. The country's Health Ministry said Friday they would include it in the mandatory vaccines against polio, chickenpox, and HPV or human papillomavirus, The Washington Post reported. The Health Ministry noted that the vaccine doses for children under the age of 12 would be acquired next year, and guidance for the inoculation of children aged 5 to 11 will come as the doses for the demographics become available. READ MORE: "People Should Not Wait": White House Urges Businesses, Employers to Continue With the Vaccine Mandate Despite Court-Ordered Suspension This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Controversy Follows as Muppets Encourage Children to get the COVID Vaccine - From 11Alive Gabby Petito's mom, Nichole Schmidt, shared a heartbreaking message after seeing a documentary about her daughter in the "Hulu Picks" section when she turned to the streaming site to watch a show. Expressing her sadness, Schmidt tweeted Sunday: "When you turn on Hulu, and your daughter's story is the recommended show to watch. It's still shocking, feels like I'm outside looking in." Petito's mom added that "this cannot be our life... We must keep going." When you turn on Hulu, and your daughters story is the recommended show to watch. Its still shocking, feels like Im outside looking in, this cannot be our life. We must keep going!! @josephpetito @Jim_Schmidt416 @TaraPetito #justiceforgabby Nichole Schmidt (@Nikischmidt927) November 7, 2021 The documentary featured in that Hulu section for the world to see was about Petito's murder. Schmidt included in her tweet the Twitter handles of Petito's dad Joe Petito, her stepfather Jim Schmidt, and Petito's stepmother Tara Petito. Netizens were quick to pour in messages of support to Petito's mom after her tweet. One Twitter user urged Schmidt to stay strong, saying she has "millions" of people praying for her family. Omg that has to be the most difficult thing to have to see on everything you turn on. Stay strong you have millions of us praying for your family and take comfort in knowing her foundation will help so many ppl escape what she went through among others Lori Authelet (@lauri0226) November 7, 2021 Another user said: "I cannot imagine your pain. I can understand that it just doesn't feel real. A world is praying for your family's strength and peace." I cannot imagine your pain. I can understand that it just doesnt feel real. A world is praying for your familys strength and peace. USA_188 (@USA_188) November 7, 2021 A third user noted that Hulu also recommended the same content to her, adding that a lot of people were "rallying behind" Schmidt and standing with her. Same on my Hulu also! Nothing anybody can say or do will take that pain away, but just know you've got a lot of people rallying behind you. You & your family are in our prayers always & we are standing with you #justiceforgabbypetito #gabbypetitofoundation Trisha (@TrishaMJowers) November 7, 2021 READ NEXT: Gabby Petito's Parents Say Brian Laundrie's 'Quiet and Polite' Appearance Deceived Them, Thought He Would 'Take Care of Her' Gabby Petito's Death Gabby Petito's body was found at the Spread Creek Dispersed Campground near Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming on September 19. Petito disappeared on a cross-country road trip with her fiance Brian Laundrie. The couple was traveling to Oregon when Petito stopped communicating with her family in Wyoming in late August. An autopsy was performed on Petito's remains after her body was found. Teton County, Wyoming 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 told CNN that throttling means that "someone was strangled by human force" and "no mechanical force" was involved. He explained 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 noted. 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." Blue further noted that Gabby Petito was not pregnant at the time of her death, and her body was left in the wilderness for three to four weeks. The Wyoming coroner has declined to answer if he suspects that Brian Laundrie was responsible for his fiancee's homicide, saying it will be up to law enforcement to determine that. Brian Laundrie's Death Brian Laundrie was named a person of interest by the North Port police after returning home on September 1 or 10 days before Gabby Petito was reported missing by her family. He has been the subject of a manhunt as investigators searched for clues in Petito's disappearance and death. The month-long chase for Laundrie came to an end after the FBI announced that the skeletal remains discovered in a Florida park belonged to him. The remains found at the Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park on October 20 were confirmed to belong to Laundrie after a "comparison to known dental records." Steven Bertolino, the attorney for Laundrie's family, 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. Bertolino said the remains of Petito's fiance were already sent to a forensic anthropologist for further examination. He noted that the results of the forensic anthropologist's examination are expected this month. 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. READ MORE: Brian Laundrie Parents Informed Police Where to Find Their Son in Exchange for 'Immunity, His Friend Claims This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: Gabby Petito's Mom Has 4 Words for Laundrie Attorney After Post-Autopsy Statement - From NBC New York Transports Grandparents await hugs, spouses reunite as US borders open SAN DIEGO The U.S. fully reopened its borders with Mexico and Canada on Monday and lifted restrictions on travel that covered most of Europe, setting the stage for emotional reunions nearly two years in the making and providing a boost for the travel industry decimated by the pandemic. The restrictions, among the most severe in U.S. history, kept families apart, including spouses who have not been able to hug in months, grandparents whose grandchildren doubled in age since they last saw them, and uncles and aunts who have not met nieces and nephews who are now toddlers. Lines moved quickly Monday morning at San Diegos border with Mexico, the busiest crossing in the United States, despite the added checks for vaccinations required to enter the country. Octavio Alvarez, 43, zipped through in less than 15 minutes, coming to the United States for the first time since February 2020. Alvarez and his 14-year-old daughter, Sofia, planned to visit his mother-in-law in California for the first time in two years. Its a big feeling, said Alvarez, whose family visited California twice a month before the pandemic. The emotional cost of the border restrictions were very high, he added. The new rules also lift restrictions on air travel from some countries dating back the early days of the pandemic as long as travelers have proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. American citizens and permanent residents were always allowed to enter the U.S., but the travel bans grounded tourists, thwarted business travelers and often separated families. Gaye Camara, who lives in France, was already imagining her reunion Monday with her husband in New York. They last saw each other in January 2020, not knowing it would be 21 months before they could hold each other again. Im going to jump into his arms, kiss him, touch him, said Camara, 40, as she wheeled her luggage through Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, where the humming crowds resembled those before the pandemic, except for the face masks. On the U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada, where traveling back and forth was a way of life before the pandemic, the reopening brought relief. Malls, restaurants and shops in U.S. border towns have been devastated by the lack of visitors from Mexico. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, flanked by U.S. and Mexican officials at a celebratory news conference at the San Ysidro crossing, said the economic losses were hefty and the cutting of family ties immeasurable. Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero called it a reunion between neighbor countries. Retail sales in San Ysidro on Californias border with Mexico fell about 75% from pre-COVID levels, forcing nearly 300 businesses to close. Wow, we can finally breathe! Jason Wells, executive director of the San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce, said before dozens of cameras. Please, put your cameras down and shop when youre done. Along Canadas boundary, cross-border hockey rivalries were upended. Churches that had members on both sides of the border were suddenly cut off from each other. But on Monday, border traffic quickly returned. Travelers at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo, New York, one of the northern borders busiest crossings, found a 2-hour wait at 2 a.m., officials said, though within a few hours traffic was flowing more freely. The bridge typically handles about 2 million passenger vehicles from Fort Erie, Ontario, yearly, many of them bound for the regions shopping malls, ski slopes and sporting events. Volume dropped by more than 90% during the pandemic. River Robinsons American partner wasnt able to be in Canada for the birth of their baby boy 17 months ago. She was thrilled to hear about the U.S. reopening and planned to take the child to the U.S. for Thanksgiving. Its crazy to think he has a whole other side of the family he hasnt even met yet, said Robinson, who lives in St. Thomas, Ontario. Airlines are preparing for a surge in activity especially from Europe after the pandemic and resulting restrictions caused international travel to plunge. The 28 European countries that were barred under the U.S. policy that just ended made up 37% of overseas visitors in 2019, according to the U.S. Travel Association. As the reopening takes effect, carriers are increasing flights between the United Kingdom and the U.S. by 21% this month over last month, according to data from travel and analytics firm Cirium. In a sign of the huge importance of trans-Atlantic travel for airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic celebrated the reopening by synchronizing the departures of their early morning flights to New York on parallel runways at Londons Heathrow Airport. BA CEO Sean Doyle was aboard his companys plane. Together, even as competitors, we have fought for the safe return of trans-Atlantic travel and now we celebrate that achievement as a team. Some things are more important than one-upmanship, and this is one of those things, Doyle wrote in a message to customers, noting that the flight carried the number that used to belong to the supersonic Concorde. For Martine Kerherve, the long separation from loved ones in the United States was filled with worries that they might not survive the pandemic, which has killed more than 5 million people worldwide. We told ourselves that we could die without seeing each other, said Kerherve, who was heading for Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from Paris. We all went through periods of depression, anxiety. Maria Giribet has not seen her twin grandchildren, Gabriel and David, for about half of their lives. Now 3, the boys are in San Francisco, which during the height of the pandemic might as well have been another planet for 74-year-old Giribet, who lives on the Mediterranean isle of Majorca. Im going to hug them, suffocate them. Thats what I dream of, said Giribet after checking in for her flight. The U.S. will accept travelers who have been fully vaccinated with any of the shots approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization, not just those in use in the U.S. Thats a relief for many in Canada, where the AstraZeneca vaccine is widely used. But millions of people around the world who were vaccinated with Russias Sputnik V, Chinas CanSino or other shots not approved by the WHO will not be able to travel to the U.S. Testing and quarantine requirements remained obstacles for others. A mobile testing truck was parked near the Peace Bridge in New York, promising results in 30 minutes for $225 and next-day results for $160. Marcela Picone, 39, of the Buffalo suburb of Williamsville, has been waiting for the day her fiance and father of their 2- and 3-year-old children can visit from Stoney Creek, Ontario. But his 15-year-old son would have to miss school to quarantine upon their return if they traveled. The cost of testing was also a factor. I cant expect my fiance to spend $200 to come see his girls because we want to take them to a park or we want to do a birthday party in the states, she said, adding: Hes a dad to two American kids. He should have had the right to come into this country the entire 19 months. The moves come as the U.S. has seen its COVID-19 outlook improve dramatically in recent weeks since the summer delta surge that pushed hospitals to the brink in many locations. ___ Thompson reported from Buffalo, New York. Associated Press writers John Leicester at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Travis Loller in Nashville, Tennessee, and Rob Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report. ___ Follow APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. The Government's s 70m Capital Investment Scheme for the Processing and Marketing of Agricultural Products will benefit many people in Laois according to Laois Offaly TD Sean Fleming. The Minister of State at the Department of Finance welcomed funding for Dawn Meats Ireland in Rathdowney. It is one of 22 projects awarded to get support under the Capital Investment Scheme for the Processing and Marketing of Agricultural Products. The south Laois plant will share more than 4.3 million with another Dawn Meats plant in Charleville Co Cork. Dep Fleming said this 70m investment nationally is part of the 100m Scheme first announced on 28 December 2020. He said it would enable the agri-food sector to develop and diversify, following Britains exit from the European Union and will help farmers and those working in food production to attract new markets and customers, making their business more resilient and sustainable into the long-term. "I am pleased to see the Government investment and support for this sector which is a key industry in Rural Ireland. The beef sector is particularly important in County Laois and a large number of farming families depend on this industry as their main source of income. "This Laois meat factory is very accessible to all farmers in the region and this investment in Rathdowney will benefit many people in Laois and surrounding areas," said Minister Fleming. Other notable recipients are Glenisk which is getting 491,00 on the Laois Offaly border and the Glanbia Dairy plant in Ballyragget which is getting 4.1 million. A father-of-six who admitted hitting his nine-year-old daughter but denied using a broom handle to do it has been sentenced to 240 hours of community service. The man (34), who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to assault causing harm to the girl at an address in Dublin between July 8 and July 11, 2016. He has 17 previous convictions, including two common assaults, one of them on a Garda. A local detective sergeant told Fergal Foley BL, prosecuting, that the man had split up with the mother of the girl and her two siblings, and had failed to return them from a visit with him on the weekend of July 8, 2016, prompting a report to the gardai. When the children were returned to their mother, she noticed some injuries to the girl when she was bathing. These included a bruise measuring five by 10 centimetres on her left arm and a dry scratch on her right arm. The girl was very distressed and said the injuries had been given to her by her father. In a meeting with a garda specialist interviewer, she said her father made her get a stick from the kitchen and had her put her hands and knees against the wall. If she moved, he would hit her, the girl said. The detective said the girl gave a very particular description of two sticks used to hit her being a broom handle wrapped in toilet paper and cellophane, and a thin blue plastic stick. These were seized in the kitchen and living room when gardai searched his home. The man was arrested by appointment and admitted slapping the girl, but denied hitting her with sticks. Did you ask him for comment on the bruises? Mr Foley asked. He said he was shocked, the detective said. The broom, he said, was part of a Halloween costume. The man was a drug addict in the past and struggled with drink at times, the detective said, adding that he seemed to have turned a corner since. She said he has not had any contact with the children since the incidents back in 2016, and the girl remains on the waiting list for a counselling appointment. The case was originally due to go to trial in July 2020, but was adjourned for a year. The man entered a guilty plea in May this year. Kieran Kelly BL, defending, said the man expresses his regret for what he did and hoped that the children of his previous relationship would be able to meet their half-siblings again. He said apart from some casual work, the man and his current partner live mostly on social welfare. Judge Martin Nolan said what the man had done to his daughter was reprehensible. It is noteworthy that five years on, it seems theres no difficulty with the way hes raising his current family. He said the girls injuries were at the lower end of the scale for assault causing harm. Obviously the aggravating factor is beating the child, he said. She didnt deserve this. She just didnt deserve this. Yesterday (Monday, November 8), he ordered the man to carry out 240 hours of community service in lieu of an 18-month prison sentence. Judge Nolan told the man if there was conduct on his part in any way similar to this behaviour, chances are you will go to prison. Ive decided not to imprison you. I hope you take it as a warning a very serious warning. Do you understand? he asked the man. If this repeats itself the only place you will be going is prison. The mental health of farmers and the productivity is suffering due to spot checks which a Laois Offaly TD claims are anything but random. Independent TD Carol Nolan has called on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to revise the inspection regime operated by his Department to ensure that a cap can be put in place with respect to the number of times that a farmer can be randomly inspected over a certain period of time. Dep Nolan raised the matter with the Minister in the Dail in a Parliamentary Question following what she described as a notable rise in the number of farmers reaching out to her who had concerns around the selection process and in particular the fairness and frequency of the process: We are all aware that farm inspections in this State are essentially governed by the EU, specifically EU Regulations governing Direct Payment and Rural Development Schemes and the need to ensure compliance with Good Agricultural and Environment Condition (GAEC). "This is something that, at least in principle, most farmers are happy to accept since the vast majority are engaged in good practice as a matter of routine. "From what I am hearing however there is a problem with the application of these EU Rules, in particular the risk analysis process on which cases are being selected on a risk and random basis. "For the farmers who are contacting me the process seems anything but random. "In fact, in some instances farmers feel that they are being over-selected and this is having a detrimental impact not only on productivity, but also on mental health," she claimed. The TD said Minister McConalogue has told her that any amendments to the selection process would require a change in the EU regulations. She wants common sense applied. "Surely in very many cases all it would take is for a bit of cop-on to be applied and for inspectors to realise where the areas of genuine concern exist and where it is a case that a farmer is being disproportionately singled out. "No one is saying lets abandon all inspections. But clearly, we need to look again at how the system is operating in the real world and amend it accordingly, concluded Deputy Nolan. In his reply, Minister McConalogue said the EU Regulations governing the Direct Payment and Rural Development Schemes require the Department to carry out inspections annually to ensure compliance with Cross Compliance requirements as laid down in EU legislation and the standards for Good Agricultural and Environment Condition (GAEC). "The EU regulations prescribe that the selection of cases for inspection is undertaken by means of a risk analysis process, with cases being selected on a risk and random basis. In addition, the Department is required to review the results of previous years inspection to determine appropriate risks, which must include the criteria of previous penalties and non-compliances. "The process for selecting cases for inspection has been subject to EU audit on numerous occasions over many years to confirm compliance with the requirements of the EU regulations. Any amendments to the selection process would require a change in the EU regulations," he said. Government officials are set to hold a meeting with industry bosses from the hospitality sector today to discuss the level of compliance with current guidelines. Surveys from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) revealed last week that the number of people who haven't had their Covid certs checked in pubs has risen from 21 per cent to 37 per cent. These surveys as well as relevant Covid-19 data will be shared with stakeholders at today's meeting. Adrian Cummins, Chief Executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has said the hospitality sector should not be used as a "scapegoat" for the rising case numbers and that the National Public Health Emergency Team should be attending today's meeting, stating that the health experts have not been present at any meetings with the hospitality industry throughout the whole pandemic. Speaking to RTE's Radio 1 he said: Weve asked for them to be in the room so we could speak directly to them. Now, we did have officials from the Department of Health when the Covid pass was developed but ever since we have never had a direct conversation with either health officials or NPHET." Taoiseach Micheal Martin will not be attending today's meeting but said the "bottom line" is there needs to be maximum compliance with the existing guidance in place. Meanwhile, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath has said businesses in the industry who do not comply with rules "do not deserve to remain open" and those who are non-compliant with the rules are "putting the public at risk". The meeting, which is due to take place later today, is also expected to hear there will be no further introduction of restrictions, considering the level of vaccination of the general population was above 92%. Former chief executive and chairman of Anglo Irish Bank Sean FitzPatrick passed away yesterday following a short illness at the age of 73, a spokesperson for his family has confirmed. Mr. Fitzpatrick was best known for the instrumental role he played in the growth of Ireland's largest bank and its subsequent collapse following the property crash in 2008, placing losses of nearly 30bn onto the Irish State, The former banker was appointed chief executive of what was to become Anglo Irish Bank in 1986 and stepped down in 2008, following the crash, amid probes by the financial regulator into the temporary transfer of his multi-million euro loans between Anglo and Irish Nationwide. Mr. Fitzpatrick declined to apologise for his role in the crises during an interview with Marian Finucane follwing his resignation. In the interview he said: "The cause of our problems are global. "So I cant say sorry with any degree of sincerity and decency. But I can say thank you," he added. Mr. Fitzpatrick faced charges over the incident but was acquitted following a trial in 2017. In 2019, he was expelled from membership of Chartered Accountants Ireland and fined 25,000. Mr. Fitzpatrick is survived by his wife Catriona and three children. Churches throughout Kildare has begun to introduce "tap and go" payment machines, in order to give parishioners the option of contactless payments and/or donations. Declan McSweeney, the Administrator of the Archdiocese of Dublin, said that the decision was made in order "to adapt to society." The option of contactless payment is already in place in Leixlip, while plans have already been laid out for churches in Athy, Castledermot, Celbridge and Kilcullen. Mr McSweeney explained: "We ran a successful trial with 20 separate parishes, which each received five Clover machines, which were kindly provided by AIB." "These machines will be located at the entrances of churches, and church-goers can select the exact amount they wish to pay." He added: "We wanted to make sure that this method would be as simple as possible." Mr McSweeney also said that parishioners will have the option of donating coins and notes or via card when it comes to basket collections. He also revealed that, so far, 65 machines have been installed in Kildare: "By Christmas, we hope to have 100 of these machines installed throughout the Archdiocese, and online donations can also be made on a variety of Parish websites." The death has occurred of Phyllis Cronnolly (nee O'Donoghue) Barberstown, Straffan, Kildare / Feakle, Clare (nee O'Donoghue) Cronnolly, Phyllis, Barberstown, Straffan, Co. Kildare and late of Feakle, Co. Clare, November 7th 2021, peacefully at her residence, surrounded by her loving family. Pre-deceased by her loving husband John. Deeply regretted by her loving sons Niall and Enda, daughters Breda and Sinead, daughter-in-law Bella, grandson Sean, nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, relatives and friends. Rest In Peace Phyllis will be reposing at her residence on Friday (Nov. 12th) from 3pm-7pm with prayers at 6pm. Removal from her residence on Saturday (Nov. 13th) at approx. 11:30am to arrive at St. Brigid's Church, Straffan for 12pm Funeral Mass, followed by burial in Straffan Cemetery. Those who would like to the line the route, may do so in a safe and socially distanced manner. The Funeral Mass can be viewed on Saturday (Nov. 13th) at 12pm by clicking on the following link : https://www.celstra.ie/live-feed/ Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues. Please adhere to HSE and Government guidelines at all times Those who are unable to attend the funeral, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolences section below. Family flowers only please, donations, if desired, to the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association which can be made by clicking on the following link : https://imnda.ie/donate/ For all enquiries, please contact Oliver Reilly Ltd. Funeral Directors on (045) 868230 The death has occurred of Edward Daly Ballintubbert, Athy, Kildare Deeply regretted by his loving son Christopher, daughter Edwina, brothers Jimmy, Tom and Noel, sister Anna, Christopher's fiancee Danielle, granddaughter Fiadh, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Rest in Peace Reposing at his residence today, Monday (8th November) from 6pm to 8pm. (Please wear face coverings and adhere to social distancing) Removal on Tuesday morning (9th) at 10.30 am to arrive at St Anne's Church, Ballylinan for Requiem Mass at 11am. Burial afterwards in Ballylinan Cemetery. Those who would like to attend but cannot due to current restrictions can leave a message in the condolence section below. The death has occurred of Mary Duke (nee Mannion) Castletown, Leixlip, Kildare / Ballinahown, Offaly Duke (nee Mannion), Mary, Castletown, Leixlip, Co. Kildare and late of Doon, Ballinahown, Co. Offaly, November 6th 2021, peacefully at home, surrounded by her loving family, Beloved wife of the late Vincent, deeply regretted by her loving sons Ray and Ciaran, daughters Val and Niamh, son-in-law Harry, daughter-in-law Una, grandchildren Niall and Caitlin, brothers, sisters, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and friends. Rest In Peace Reposing at Reilly's Funeral Home, Leinster St., Maynooth on Tuesday from 5pm to 8pm. Removal on Wednesday at 10.30am to arrive the Church of Our Lady's Nativity, Leixlip for 11am Funeral Mass, followed by committal service in Newlands Cross Crematorium. Mary's funeral mass can be viewed on Wednesday at 11am by clicking on the following link : https://churchmedia.tv/camera/our-ladys-nativity The Crematorium will be operating with protective measures, but people are welcome to view Mary's committal service on Wednesday 12:40pm by clicking on the following link : https://www.dctrust.ie/location/newlands-cross/chapel-webstream.html Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues. Family flowers only please. Donations, if desired, to Irish Cancer Society by clicking on the following link : https://www.cancer.ie/ways-to-help/donate/donate The death has occurred of Helen Fitzgerald Nolan Graigues, Robertstown, Kildare Formerly of Jerome Avenue, Yonkers, USA. Peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family. Sadly missed by her loving husband Liam, parents Mick and Kathleen, siblings Marie, Eugene, Linda, Micheal, Denise, Mairead and Kevin, brothers and sisters in law, mother-in-law Mae, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and close friends in Ireland and in the USA. May Helen Rest in Peace Helen will be reposing at her sister Marie's residence (W91XK8P) on Tuesday from 2pm with Rosary at 7pm. Please respect HSE and Government guidelines whilst attending the reposing. Removal on Wednesday morning at approx. 10.15am to arrive at the Church of the Holy Trinity, Allen for 11am requiem Mass followed by burial in the adjoining cemetery. Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to " The Friends of St. Brigids Hospice, The Curragh & The Irish Cancer Society". Donations box in church. he death has occurred of Margaret (Peggy) Hill Crumlin, Dublin / Maynooth, Kildare / Newport, Tipperary Hill, Margaret (Peggy), Crumlin, Dublin 12, Maynooth, Co. Kildare and late of Newport, Co. Tipperary, November 6th 2021, peacefully in the loving care of the staff of Moyglare Nursing Home, Maynooth, Co. Kildare at the wonderful age of 98. Predeceased by her loving parents Stephen and Nora and all her brothers and sisters. Sadly missed by her loving nephews, nieces, grandnephews, grandnieces, extended family and friends. Rest In Peace Peggy will be reposing at Oliver Reilly's Funeral Home, Leinster St., Maynooth on Thursday (Nov. 11th) from 4pm to 6pm. Removal from the Funeral Home on Friday at approx. 10:15am to arrive at St. Bernadette's Church, Clogher Road, Crumlin for 11am Funeral Mass, followed by burial in Palmerstown Cemetery. Those who would like to line the route, may do so in a safe and socially distanced manner. The Funeral Mass can be viewed on Friday (Nov. 12th) at 11am by clicking on the following link : https://sbcc.ie/webcam/ Oliver Reilly Funeral Directors accept no responsibility for any live webcam interruptions or issues. Please adhere to HSE and Government guidelines at all times Those who are unable to attend the funeral, please leave a personal message for the family in the condolences section below. Family flowers only please. Donations can be made in memory of Peggy to a charity of your choice. For all enquiries, please contact Oliver Reilly Ltd. Funeral Directors on (045) 868230. The death has occurred of Patricia (Pat) MURRAY (nee Shanahan) Millbrook, Naas, Kildare Murray (nee Shanahan) (Millbrook, Naas) Nov 7, 2021, (peacefully), surrounded by her loving family, at The Beacon Hospital, Patricia (Pat), beloved wife of the late George and dear mother of Dympna and Theresa; Sadly missed by her loving daughters, sister Dymphna, sons-in-law Sean and Paul, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, grandchildren Oisin, Orla, Aife and Meadhbh, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends. Removal from her residence on Wednesday to the Church of Our Lady and St. David, Naas arriving for 12 noon Mass. Funeral immediately afterwards to St. Corbans Cemetery. Enquiries to Murphy Brothers Funeral Directors Church Lane, Naas Ph: 045 897397. The Funeral Mass can be viewed by clicking on the following link: https://www.naasparish.ie/our-parish/naas-webcam/ or via the Naas Parish App under the Web Cam Folder. Those who would have liked to attend the Funeral, but cannot, please feel free to leave a message in the Condolence Book below. The death has occurred of Janette O'Neill (nee Doyle) Castleroe West, Maganey, Kildare Peacefully, at Naas General Hospital, on Saturday, 6th November 2021, surrounded by her loving family. Predeceased by her daughter Sinead. Beloved wife of Michael, treasured mother of Michelle and Liam. Sadly missed by her sisters Pauline, Marian and Maura and brother Liam, her adored grandchildren Sinead, Tomas, Aine and Michael, son-in-law Mairtin, daughter-in-law Aideen, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews and her many relatives, neighbours and friends. May her gentle soul rest in peace. House strictly private please. Funeral Arrangements Later A Kildare Senator is set to introduce his third bill into the Seanad soon: one which seeks a change in the law so that a surviving cohabitant is eligible for a widow/widowers contributory pension. Senator Mark Wall recently revealed that The Labour Party is also circulating a Dail motion asking for the support of all TDs for a change in the law. He added that his party intend to write to the Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys asking her to table amendments to the upcoming Social Welfare Bill. The demand for the legal change comes shortly after Labour Leader Alan Kelly raised the case of a constituent, John O Meara and his deceased partner Michelle Batey, in the Dail. Launching the bill, Senator Wall said: "The concept of family has changed and it's time to bring Ireland into the 21st century; We want all families to be treated fairly whether they are married or not." "This issue is experienced by a huge number of people in Ireland: the 2016 census showed that there are over 75,000 cohabiting couples in Ireland with child dependents a figure that is likely to be even greater at the next census." The Athy politician continued: "If a couple is cohabiting the Department of Social Protection will assess both of their means when carrying out a means test for a social assistance payment like job seekers allowance or carers allowance. "It doesnt provide any guarantee to contributory social protection payments like the widowers pension when one of them dies." Speaking on the case of Mr O' Meara, Senator Wall explained: "He is a self-employed agri-plant contractor with three young children with his partner Michelle Batey who was 42, from Nenagh and worked with AIB." "John and Michelle had planned to get married after she had recovered from breast cancer in 2018, but she sadly died in early 2021 after contracting Covid-19, and because they werent married, he wasnt entitled to a survivors pension or other payments, like the 8,000 grant provided to a widower with dependent children after the death of a married partner." "Despite having worked all their lives and paid taxes and PRSI John wasnt entitled to these payments... this is unfair and discriminatory." He elaborated: "Cohabiting also has an impact on lots of State payments and supports not just social welfare payments medical cards, mature students going back to college, and many more examples. "A cohabiting couple cant claim or transfer unused tax credits between themselves and there can also be an inheritance tax burden when a partner dies." "For the assessment of eligibility for social welfare payments a cohabiting couple is treated as together for income assessment - the same as married couples, but not if one of them dies." Senator Wall went on to outline how "some laws dont discriminate," pointing to the Affordable Housing Acts as an example of a law that provides for equal treatment for cohabiting couples to qualify for the purchase of an affordable dwelling if they plan to live together. He added: "Cohabitation is recognised for some laws but not for others." "Its time the law caught up with modern family life; the Citizens Assembly has called for Article 41 of the Constitution to be amended to protect private and family life not limited to the marital family." Last week, Senator Wall made headlines after he claimed that the Irish government has a 'lack of will' when it comes to rail fares. Value-Added Tax (VAT) on energy bills and fuel should be cut for winter that's according to one Senator from County Kildare. Speaking in the Seanad, Labour Senator Mark Wall called on the Irish government to immediately implement the changes in order to assist all those who are facing rising costs this winter. Senator Wall stated "Im sure like many people in the house today, my own office and phone is inundated with calls form people who are facing a cold winter unless Government do more about it," he told those in attendance. "My colleague Brendan Howlin raised this matter with the Taoiseach in the lower house: the recent discussion was on the recent European Council meeting on 21 and 22 October." "The Council did mandate energy ministers to convene an extraordinary meeting to follow up on the Council conclusions, and those ministers agreed that short-term measures have to be taken as a matter of urgency to shield vulnerable customers from enormous price hikes." He politician continued: "The Commission has issued a clear policy framework that allows member states to take action, including temporary tax breaks. "Of course, this surge in energy costs is an unexpected windfall for the coffers of government; the State charges 13.5 per cent VAT on top of the bloated price of energy." "In fact, as Deputy Howlin pointed out yesterday, not only does it charge 13.5 per cent on gas and electricity, it also charges 13.5 per cent on the carbon tax and the Public Service Obligation levy." The Athy politician went on to outline how both the EU energy taxation directive and the VAT directive give flexibility to member states to exempt or apply a reduced rate of VAT on electricity, natural gas, coal, and solid fuel used in households. "Given the extraordinary rise in energy costs, The Government must act to ensure all households can battle these costs this winter, they have the green light to do so, I hope the Minister can help all those worried about heating their homes this winter," he concluded. After raising the matter in the Seanad, Senator Wall added: "We need to ensure that energy prices do not mean hardship for families this winter. "The Government can reduce this VAT rate: it must be done." Senator Mark Wall has also called for a change in law that would enable a surviving cohabitant to be eligible for a widow/widower's contributory pension. The National Adult Learning Organisation, AONTAS, is seeking nominations from Kildare for the upcoming STAR Awards 2022. The STAR Awards, which were first set up in 2007, recognise outstanding work in adult learning and give projects the opportunity to promote their excellent work and bring national recognition to learners, staff and organisations. AONTAS encourages STAR Award nominations in five categories for 2022: Health and Wellbeing, Learner Voice, Social Inclusion, Sustainable Development through Education, and Third-level Access and Engagement. In addition, two Special Awards will be given for Mitigating Educational Disadvantage through Innovation (during COVID-19), and a European Social Fund Special Recognition Award. Dr Niamh OReilly, CEO of AONTAS said about the news: "Adult learning programmes have been responsive in meeting the needs of learners and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic." "The outstanding level of support that groups have provided to their communities has continued to support participation in adult learning." She continued: "The STAR Awards recognise this innovation and celebrates learners, educators and staff across the sector. As we look to address the educational inequalities that have been exacerbated during COVID-19, it is so important that we have a space to champion the work of adult learning projects across the island of Ireland." Mick Fortune of the Aiseiri Programme (and STAR Award winner in the category of Social Inclusion in March 2021) also commented on the awards, saying: "Both staff and participants are thrilled to have received this award as a recognition of the hard work of all members of the community at such a challenging time." How to nominate To nominate an adult learning initiative, please visit: https://www.aontas.com/community/adult-learners-festival/aontas-star-awards. The deadline for receipt of nominations is Monday, November 22 2021. Winners will be announced at the STAR Awards ceremony which will take place during the Adult Learners Festival 2022 taking place from 7th 11th March 2022. The STAR Awards are sponsored by the Open University in Ireland, the European Social Fund (ESF), Concern Worldwide, the Open College Network Northern Ireland (OCNNI), Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), Mental Health Ireland and the Teachers Union of Ireland. The annual Kildare-Lexington Student Exchange Programme has returned for yet another year. Kildare County Council are now inviting interested students to apply for the 2022 programme at Lexington, which is located in the US state of Kentucky. To apply, students must complete and return the official application form with parent(s)/guardian(s) consent before the closing date of Friday 19th November. The application form is available to download here: http://www.kildaretwinning.ie/happening/ The annual exchange takes place during the summer holidays and affords Kildare students (age 16+ years) the opportunity to spend time in Lexington and to welcome a student into their home in return. Students are accompanied on the exchange by an adult chaperone. In 2022, Kildare students will travel to Lexington at the start of July; with the U.S. students travelling to Kildare later in the month. The exchange receives funding support from County Kildare Twinning, therefore minimising the fee payable by each participating student. County Kildare has been twinned with Lexington since 1984. DART extensions to Naas and Sallins will be delayed for at least ten years, it has emerged. The National Transport Authority (NTA) said links to the Sallins/Naas area as well as Kilcock will not be completed until after 2031. However, the NTA said DART extensions to Maynooth and Celbridge are due to go ahead under the first phase of the Greater Dublin Area Strategy from 2022 to 2042. Social Democrats TD for Kildare North and transport spokesperson Catherine Murphy said the news of the delays to Naas/Sallins and Kilcock is a blow to meeting climate action targets. She said: Between 1996 and 2016, population increases in the greater Dublin area and the commuter belt were largest in Fingal (41%), Meath (40%) and Kildare (39%). "The areas which have the greatest amount of residential development, where people are most car dependent, are the areas that are not reflected in this revised plan." The co-leader of the Social Democrats added: We need to get real about this. Our climate action targets cannot be met without these large-scale public transport projects. As it stands, the government is making very dishonest announcements at Cop26 revealing ambitious targets, with no credible way to reach them. It is not tenable to say we will meet our targets by motorists swapping from petrol and diesel cars to electric cars. Over 250 million has been spent on Metrolink and the Dart interconnector without delivering anything. You cant keep expanding the footprint of a city, which has happened in the greater Dublin area, without providing the requisite public transport capacity for people to be able to move around, quickly, at scale. "These delays are beyond disappointing. They are an abdication of responsibility by the government." A councillor from Kildare has backed proposed legislation that would expand the financial services remit of Credit Unions. Labour Cllr for Maynooth Angela Feeney has welcomed the call made by her colleague, Sean Sherlock TD, to enact this legislation. "The suggestion from the Government is that it has no intention whatsoever of promulgating this Bill," said Deputy Sherlock in a Dail debate this week. "The volunteers in credit unions know exactly what their ethos, mandate and mission are; they are doing this day in and day out." "They are seeking to lend," he added. Cllr Feeney shared his sentiments, saying in a recent statement that areas like Maynooth had seen banks "whittle down services", especially in light of Ulster Bank and AIB leaving Kildare recently, but added that "the Credit Union remains constant." She said: "Government needs to support the Credit Union movement and allow lending to take place in the community." "It is a simple request: no more delay tactics." Previously, Mr Sherlock also claimed that there is no other country in western Europe where there has been transformational changes in governance in credit unions other than Ireland: "Those involved are volunteers who have gone through a process and have done everything that has been asked of them in terms of governance and meeting requirements." "It is time to give them a fair chance, take the foot off their necks and let them thrive," he said. In related news, Cllr Feeney recently asked Kildare County Council at the most recent Clane-Maynooth Municipal District meeting if it could provide an update regarding the re-opening and future management of the Community Space in Maynooth. One Senator and one Minister from Kildare have both welcomed the announcement of the Irish government's recent 70 million agrifood investment. Fianna Fail Senator Fiona O' Loughlin took to her official Twitter account to say: "This fund will help farmers and those working in food production to diversify their offering, (and) to attract new markets and customers post-Brexit, making their business more resilient and sustainable into the long term." "It will also help them prepare for a low carbon future." This fund will help farmers and those working in food production to diversify their offering, to attract new markets and customers post-Brexit, making their business more resilient and sustainable into the long-term. It will also help them prepare for a low carbon future. pic.twitter.com/raiqwvx9Ni Senator Fiona OLoughlin (@Fiona_Kildare) November 9, 2021 Her comments were similarly echoed by Minister of State with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Martin Heydon TD. The Fine Gael politician also took to his Twitter account to welcome the news, saying: "I welcome a 70 million investment in 22 agrifood companies announced by Tanaiste Leo Varadkar to help them diversify post-Brexit." "As Minister for new market development, I will work closely with my colleague Minister Charlie McConalogue to capitalise on the opportunities this will create." I welcome a 70m investment in 22 agrifood companies announced by Tanaiste @LeoVaradkar to help them diversify post Brexit. As Minister for new market development, I will work closely with my colleague Minister @McConalogue to capitalise on the opportunities this will create. pic.twitter.com/oJbttXhihU Martin Heydon (@martinheydonfg) November 9, 2021 Deputy Heydon has been a vocal proponent of the agrifood business, especially in the wake of Brexit: last month, he urged local businesses and farmers in Kildare to consider a 330m Brexit loan scheme. Yesterday, he also voiced his concerns over the UK potentially triggering Article 16. Meanwhile, Senator O' Loughlin recently made headlines recently when she drew attention to the case of missing Suncroft man Martin 'Murt' Doyle. Three men have been convicted and one acquitted of falsely imprisoning, beating and mutilating Quinn Industrial Holdings director Kevin Lunney. Delivering the verdicts of the three-judge, non-jury court Mr Justice Tony Hunt on Monday said that the accused man known as YZ inflicted most of the injuries on Mr Lunney while his co-accused, Alan O'Brien and Darren Redmond, were involved in the kidnap and assault. The judge said that even if the court accepts that the fourth accused man, Luke O'Reilly, provided a bottle of bleach that was used by Lunney's attackers to destroy forensic evidence, it is reasonably possible that he did so without knowledge of what was happening to Mr Lunney. He said that the offences were organised by Cyril McGuinness, a known criminal who is now deceased, and that McGuinness kept Mr O'Reilly separate from the men involved in the actual attack on Mr Lunney. He said Mr O'Reilly may have successfully transferred the bleach to YZ, adding that it is difficult to envisage the bleach arriving from any other source. But he said it is reasonably possible that he did so "without acquiring specific knowledge of what was going on." He said the evidence "offers some support" to the argument made by Michael Lynn SC on behalf of Mr O'Reilly, that Mr O'Reilly did not know the specific reason why he was delivering bleach on behalf of Mr McGuinness. Mr Justice Hunt added that the court's verdict of not guilty in relation to Mr O'Reilly is "not an endorsement of Mr O'Reilly's conduct". Mr O'Reilly and members of his family, who supported him throughout the trial, cried when the verdict was read out and hugged one another as they left court. Mr Justice Hunt also said it is "almost certain" that others not before the court were involved in the abduction, working as spotters or drivers for the principal offenders. He said not every detail of the crime can be known. The court found that Alan OBrien (40), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 3, Darren Redmond (27), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 and the man known as YZ are guilty of falsely imprisoning and intentionally causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17, 2019. Mr O'Reilly, of Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan was found not guilty of the same charges. There will be a sentencing hearing on October 22 in relation to the three convicted men. In his testimony earlier this year Mr Lunney told prosecution counsel Sean Guerin SC that he was bundled into the boot of an Audi near his home and driven to a container where he was threatened and told to resign as a director of Quinn Industrial Holdings and to put a stop to litigation with which he was involved north and south of the border. His attackers stripped him to his boxer shorts, doused him in bleach, broke his leg with two blows of a wooden bat, beat him on the ground, cut his face and scored the letters QIH into his chest with a Stanley knife. They left him bloodied, beaten and shivering on a country road at Drumcoghill in Co Cavan where he was discovered by a man driving a tractor. Mr Justice Hunt described Mr Lunney as a "most impressive witness" and said the court fully accepts the account given by him. His recollection of what happened to him, the judge said, had enabled gardai to identify the yard where he was beaten and ultimately the identity of his assailants. The judge said Lunney's account of how long he was trapped in the boot of the Audi and the length of time he was held at the yard in Drumbrade showed, "an uncanny ability to accurately estimate the passage of time even though his attackers removed his watch early on." His description of the yard where he was "beaten and mutilated" was borne out by the investigation, Justice Hunt added. He said the court is also satisfied that what happened to Mr Lunney amounted to false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm. The medical evidence is "self-explanatory" he said, "and clearly reaches the threshold for serious harm." Mr Justice Hunt further indicated that the court is satisfied that Mr Lunney was assaulted in the blue horse box that gardai identified in a yard in Drumbrade, Co Cavan that was owned by Mr O'Reilly. Forensic investigators identified Mr Lunney's blood inside the horse box. Mr Justice Hunt first detailed the evidence against YZ, saying that the court was convinced by many strands of evidence including CCTV footage showing YZ traveling from Dublin to Cavan in a Renault Kangoo van on the day of the abduction and the previous day, in what the court said was a "preparatory journey". He said the court had no doubt YZ was driving the van, which was in relevant places in Cavan at significant times during the preparation and carrying out of the abduction and assault. There was also, he said, the discovery by gardai of an e-flow motorway toll tag in YZ's home that belonged to the previous owner of the Audi A4 that the court accepted was the car used in the abduction. He said there was sufficient evidence to show that YZ was "heavily involved before, during and after" the offences, adding that there was no doubt that he drove the Kangoo on both days. He was also, the judge said, the driver of the Audi that was used to remove Mr Lunney from his home and was responsible for "inflicting most of Mr Lunney's injuries." The use of call data records as evidence, which was objected to by defence lawyers during the trial, did not affect the court's finding, Justice Hunt said. The CCTV evidence, he said, showing the movements of the Kangoo, was enough to establish YZ's involvement in the offences beyond a reasonable doubt. The phone records, he said, showed a pattern of contact with McGuinness and confirmed what the CCTV already showed. He said the phone records provide a "useful check" on the other available evidence and provide "certainty" to a verdict already established beyond a reasonable doubt. When forensic scientist Dr Edward Connolly examined the Kangoo on October 31, 2019, he found Kevin Lunney's DNA in suspected blood staining on the inside, sliding door and Redmond's DNA on bars between the front and back seats. Mr Justice Hunt dismissed a suggestion that Mr Lunney's DNA was placed in the van some time in October 2019, saying that there was no need to plant Mr Lunney's DNA because the involvement of the Kangoo in the offences was already established by CCTV. He said the failure of forensic gardai on October 29 to find the area of blood staining that Dr Connolly identified two days later was the result of oversight and not the result of an "implausible, complicated, unnecessary plan to plant evidence." He said any such finding would require that a person had access to a sample of Mr Lunney's blood, which the judge said is "far-fetched to say the least". In relation to O'Brien, the judge said that his involvement in the preparatory journey was clear from CCTV which captured him with YZ in Dublin and Cavan. He said it is clear that O'Brien met YZ and Redmond on the morning of the offences and went into a car park near YZ's home from which the Renault Kangoo emerged a short time later, driven by YZ. He said it was not reasonably possible that O'Brien left the car park by some other means. It was suggested by O'Brien's counsel that he could have jumped over a 9 foot wall on one side of the car park or he could have left in a different car. Mr Justice Hunt pointed out that O'Brien did not mention either possibility to gardai when they asked him to account for his movements, having invoked statutory provisions that allow a court to draw inferences from anything that an accused person fails to say but later relies on in court. Mr Hunt said the court is satisfied that the man seen traveling in the Kangoo with YZ on the day of the offences was O'Brien and that he went to Cavan and took part in the abduction and assault. In relation to Darren Redmond, the judge said he was satisfied that Mr Redmond's DNA was in the back of the Kangoo because he was in the Kangoo on the day of the offence. He said there was no evidence or suggestion of any other occasion when Redmond might have been in the van to deposit his DNA. He said that the evidence strongly supports the interpretation of CCTV footage on the day of the offence which, he said, showed Redmond going to the Kangoo with O'Brien and YZ. The court was also satisfied that a phone belonging to Redmond travelled to Cavan in tandem with the Kangoo and was present at the yard in Drumbrade while Mr Lunney was being held against his will. SHE: A Guide to Running in the 2024 Local Elections takes place this Friday, November 12 at 12.30pm by logging onto https://us02web.zoom.us/ j/84885274189 . The book will be officially launched by well- known author and Irish Times Journalist Kathy Sheridan while Minister of State at the Department of Local Government and Planning, Peter Burke will also be a guest speaker. The new publication aims to be a practical, user friendly guide for women who are considering running in the 2024 Local Elections. The guidebook offers a wealth of information with everything from organising your finances to selecting your kitchen table team and campaign manager, how to deal with the media, raising your profile, canvassing and so much more. To accompany the SHE Guide to Running in the 2024 Local Elections a series of free, online, interactive, one-hour workshops from See Her Elected will work through this guidebook chapter by chapter with groups of women in each county in the region. The first series of workshops is starting this November and running until May 2022. See Her Elected is a grassroots organisation built on the ethos of women learning and supporting each other with a specific focus on the Midlands and North West. SHE is a collaboration between Longford Womens Link and 5050North West and the programme is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Copies of the new publication will be available to participants of the SHE online workshops designed to accompany the book while an e-book version of the publication will also be available to download free of charge from the SHE website www.seeherelected.ie MORE than 1,500 graduates of the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) have made history by becoming the inaugural graduates of Irelands newest technological university. The Class of 2021, including six PhD graduates have come together at TUS Gaelic Grounds to receive their parchments. See full story below or hit 'next' or 'prev' for more photos. Over the course of this Tuesday and this Wednesday a total of 4,500 people will have gathered at four ceremonies in the purpose-built outdoor arena at TUS Gaelic Grounds to celebrate the momentous occasion. During the four ceremonies across the two days 1,571 students will graduate from the Faculties of Engineering and the Built Environment; Limerick School of Art and Design; Applied Science and Technology and Faculty of Business and Humanities. At the conferring ceremony, Josephine Fehily, Chair of the TUS Governing Body, acknowledged the unprecedented challenges the Class of 2021 have faced. The Class of 2021 are, and always will be, the first ever to receive an award from TUS. As the first graduates of TUS, I hope you will remain fiercely proud of your alma mater and work with us to collectively advance the Midlands and MidWest regions for all who live and work here, as we move towards a post-pandemic life a life which feels as if it will be different somehow. Day one complete, of the first ever outdoor graduation ceremonies at TUS Gaelic Grounds. "It took focus, resilience and hard work to achieve the success which you celebrate today. Give yourselves a large pat on the back; say thank you to those who supported you." #TUSGrads2021 pic.twitter.com/sLKwd0cILO TUS (@TUS_ie) November 9, 2021 In his address President of TUS Professor Vincent Cunanne asked graduates to stand independent and strong against pandemic dis-information by drawing on their education and their experience over the last year and a half. The latter part of your journey through college saw you face challenges which were unknown until their emergence. Your graduation is a further mark of your achievement and your resilience, something that my colleagues and I wish to recognise and congratulate. But of course, with experience comes responsibility. You, the Class of 2021, with your unique experience, bear a particular responsibility to apply your knowledge and resilience to better your world, he said. In recent times, we have seen the emergence of what is sometimes referred to as the pandemic of disinformation - the ignoring of fact and the dismissal of those with expertise. This is played out in many aspects of life and fuelled by the ubiquity of online engagement. Your responsibility is to stand independent and strong against this pandemic of disinformation. Just as you have prevailed through the Covid-19 pandemic, so you will prevail in this one, because you have been taught to think critically, you have been taught to use facts and you have been taught to apply logic. You have proved your ability in this regard, and you have succeeded in adversity," he added. Vice President Academic of Affairs and Registrar Marian Duggan also paid tribute to the graduates resilience and congratulated them on being the inaugural graduates of TUS. The conferring of academic awards is the highlight of the academic calendar and a special occasion for our community, but this year is unique and you, the class of 2021 will always occupy a particularly special place in the unfolding story of TUS, she said. MUNGRET Community College have been given approval to proceed to tender for a new 1000 pupil school. Planning permission was applied for last year by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board for the 10 acre site at Dromdarrig, Mungret. The new school will be over three storeys and include two Special Education Needs (SEN) classrooms, a rooftop plant room and photovoltaic panels. The building will also include teaching and social spaces, a multi purpose hall, SEN Unit and an ESB substation. Chairperson of the Board of Management at the College Mayor of Limerick Daniel Butler said the news was a positive development for the school. Welcome news today the approval to proceed to tender for a new school for 1000 students at Mungret Community College. Congratulations to @mungretcc and Mayor @DanielButlerFG and best wishes for the future. pic.twitter.com/IS4NPVlRo7 November 8, 2021 "We are continuing to move forward with the project. I see this as part of the next step for us to be able to deliver the school. "It is hugely positive but I think the news that the general public are looking for is when are we going to break ground and we are working hard to make that as soon as possible." When plans were first announced for the school last year it was hoped that pupils would start classes there in September 2022. However ground has yet to be broken on the site which will house the 11,379 square metres building. The school will be accessed through a new roadway with shared cycle lane and footpath. Along with the new school building there will be 90 car park spaces, a set down area, covered bicycle stand, six ball courts, a playing field, landscaping and new boundary treatments. Willie O'Dea TD also welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Education on the approved plans. "It is a very exciting development for Mungret Community College, which has made huge progress under Principal Liam O'Mahoney, in the short few years since the schools' foundation." Mungret Community College are currently using space at the former Mungret College building. There are currently 490 students enrolled at the school however with the new building they are hoping to increase that to 1000. They are also hoping to increase the staff and ancillary staff numbers from 40 to 60 when the new school building opens. In April it was announced that a work on a new link road in the area would start in September of this year however this has not started yet. The multi-million euro link from Mungret to the Patrickswell Road and Mungret gate junction will begin at the Mungret side. The road and school is part of big plans for the area including new sport pitches, hundreds of new houses and community facilities. THE shortlist has been announced for this years Limerick Chamber Regional Business Awards. The annual awards offer companies the opportunity to be acknowledged for their success, their people, and their innovation in progressing the region of the Mid-West. The much anticipated event resumes after a one-year Covid enforced hiatus. Once again, the Limerick Leader is the media partner for the awards, which will take place on Friday, November 19 from 12pm in Limerick Strand Hotels Shannon Suite, at a socially distanced lunchtime ceremony. According to Professor Vincent Cunnane, president of the official award sponsors, TUS, the awards have never been more timely as they acknowledge businesses not just for their ongoing commercial success but their resilience during Covid. The shortlist for this years awards is as follows Best Emerging Business 2021: Sponsored by: TUS Midlands Midwest and Limerick City and County Council Shortlisted companies are: Gracon Equipment Inspection, Crew Brewing Co, Longcourt House Hotel Best SME Business: Contribution to the Region Award 2021: Sponsored by AIB Shortlisted Companies: Modulacc, ActionPoint, Croom Precision Medical Best Large Business: Contribution to the Region Award 2021: Sponsored by Holmes Shortlisted companies: Three Ireland, Fiserv and Kirby Group Best Not for Profit Award 2021: Sponsored by Northern Trust Shortlisted companies: Learning Hub Limerick, Helium Arts, Bedford Row Family Project Best Retail and Hospitality Award 2021:Sponsored by BDO Shortlisted Companies: University Concert Hall, Mother Macs, Limerick Strand Hotel Best Employer: Employee Talent Development & Workplace Wellness Award 2021:Sponsored by UL @WORK Shortlisted companies: SL Controls, Kirby Group, Three Ireland Best Pandemic Pivot Business Award 2021: Sponsored by Limerick Chamber Skillnets Shortlisted companies: Fitzgerald's Woodlands Hotel, Ingenium Training and Consulting, Cantec Group Best CSR Business: Contribution to the Region Award 2021: Sponsored by EY Shortlisted companies: Lime Tree Theatre, AMCS Group, LIDL Ireland Agri-food projects across the country are to benefit from 70 million in national funding to help producers identify new markets and expand their offerings following Britains exit from the EU, a Fine Gael Senator has said. 22 projects in the dairy and meat sectors across the country are to receive funding from the Governments Capital Investment Scheme for the Processing and Marketing of Agricultural Products. Senator Cummins said: Funding in Waterford has been allocated to Dawn Meats for projects at their two plants in Grannagh and Carrolls Cross which will enable the company to carry out capital enhancements which will future proof the business and enable them to tap into new markets and attract more customers after a very challenging period due to Brexit. 4,031,805 in funding has been allocated by my colleague Tanaiste Leo Varadkar today which further demonstrates Fine Gaels commitment to securing the economic future of rural Ireland. Senator Cummins continued to say that the agriculture sector is the lifeblood of many communities across Waterford. Nationally, Ireland produces enough food to feed nine times its population and the agri sector employs almost 165,000 people across the country. Ensuring the viability of these jobs long-term is imperative and this investment of 70m will go directly to food producers to help them develop and diversify. This investment is about gaining access to new markets in Asia and North America in particular, with a specific focus on moving up the value chain by increasing sales of higher value-add products. An Tanaiste Leo Varadkar said: Brexit caused huge uncertainty for the sector and is a warning of the dangers of becoming over-reliant on a certain market. Similarly, the need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining production levels is another challenge facing our food producers, but it is a challenge which everyone is committed to tackling head on. "I acknowledge however that the sector will need support from government and this is something I am absolutely committed to ensuring is forthcoming. We must protect our rural communities and food producers in making the transition. A renowned travel magazine and website has included an Irish county in its list of best foodie holiday destinations for 2022. County Tipperary has made Conde Nast Traveller's new list of the best holiday destinations around the world for next year. The list of 22 destinations is broken into sections. "Weve taken great care in selecting places to suit all travel appetites, taking our cue from those in the know," Conde Nast says. Tipperary was included in the selection of places in the "best for foodies" category, with Conde Nast Traveller noting the county has craft distilleries, cheesemaking and honey farms. "Country Tipperary has long held an appeal for history buffs due to the atmospheric Rock of Cashel landmark the most spectacular cluster of medieval buildings in Ireland," it states. The magazine also singled out the county's Lough Derg and the upcoming Cashel Palace Hotel, which is set to open in spring of next year. "2022 should see guests pump the breaks, as there is much more to enjoy in this cosy, characterful county, from local artisans and family-run woollen mills to craft distilleries and ancient cave formations." Also included in the best for foodies category alongside Tipperary was Birmingham, Jersey, Serbia and Oregon town Bend in the US. Chandigarh: In a major decision, the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday approved a bill for regularisation of services of 36,000 employees who were working on contract, ad hoc, daily wages and temporary basis in different government departments. The cabinet, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, gave nod to the Punjab Protection and Regularization of Contractual Employees Bill-2021 for regularisation of the services of employees. The bill will be tabled in the assembly for enactment. "In a major decision, the cabinet today decided to regularise 36,000 employees.... It is a big gift for employees," Channi told reporters. A spokesperson of the chief minister's office said with this decision, the services of nearly 36,000 employees with more than 10 years of service would be regularised. The assembly election in Punjab is due early next year. Several contractual and outsourced employees had been protesting against the state government, demanding regularisation of their services. In another decision, the cabinet approved the enhancement of minimum wages with effect from March 1, 2020. The revision in minimum wage based on consumer price index was due on March 1, 2020. It has now been increased by 415.89 from 8,776.83 to 9,192.72. With the hike in minimum wage, a worker would also be entitled to get arrears of 8,251 from March 1, 2020 up to October, 2021, the chief minister said. In another move, the cabinet decided to repeal the Punjab Contract Farming Act, 2013. "Keeping in view the dilemma/fear in the minds of the producers/farmers of the state due to the strict provisions incorporated in the Punjab Contract Farming Act, 2013 like imprisonment, monetary penalties and other rigorous punishments, the cabinet decided to repeal the aforesaid Act in the larger interest of Punjab farmers," according to a government statement. Channi said that his government will bring a bill related to the power purchase pacts, resolutions on the Centre's farm laws and the Centre's notification on extending the BSF's jurisdiction. The cabinet also accorded approval to the Punjab Energy Security, Termination of PPAs and Redetermination of Power Tariff Bill, 2021. With the passing of this bill, power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Nabha Power Limited and Talwandi Sabo Power Limited shall stand referred to power regulator Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission for re-determination of tariff. The cabinet gave the go ahead to the Punjab Renewable Energy Security, Reform, Termination and Re-determination of Power Tariff Bill, 2021, aimed to evolve statutory measures for sustained development of the electricity sector and make available electricity to the consumers at an economical basis. The cabinet also gave nod for promulgating the Punjab One-Time Voluntary Disclosure and Settlement of Violations of the Buildings Bill, 2021 for all unauthorised constructions, which have come up till September 30, 2021. The cabinet approved the Punjab (Institutional and Other Building) Tax Repeal Bill, 2021 to waive un-paid dues in all cases. The Punjab (Institutional and Other Building) Tax Act was implemented on the industrial and other institutional buildings, which come outside the municipal limit. This decision would give a relief of 250 crore to the beneficiaries. It also gave approval to amend the Punjab Agricultural Produce Markets Act, 1961 and to introduce the Punjab Horticulture Nursery Bill-2021 in the assembly session by amending the Punjab Fruit Nurseries Act-1961. To avail the benefit of normal net borrowing ceiling of 4 per cent of the projected gross state domestic product in the financial year 2021-22, the cabinet approved amendment in the Punjab Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003. Meanwhile, in a notification, the state government decided to dispense with the services of retired employees who were re-employed in various government departments. This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Billionaire Richard Branson recently announced that he has joined many others in persuing to pardon an Indian-origin Malaysian man scheduled to be executed for trying to smuggle a small amount of heroin into Singapore. Since his arrest in April 2009 and subsequent conviction on charges of drug trafficking, Dharmalingam has spent 12 years on death row. He was 21 at the time. The death row case has drawn international attention after the accused was believed to be mentally disabled post being diagnosed with COVID-19. "I join many others concerned about this tragic case in calling on Singapores President Halimah Yacob to use her pardon powers and spare Nagaenthrans life. It would be the just and fair thing to do," the Virgin Group founder said in a blog post on the issue. Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, 33, was scheduled to be executed by hanging on Wednesday for trying to smuggle a small amount of heroin into the country less than 43 grams (1.5 ounces). Coerced and threatened by drug traffickers exploiting his poverty, Nagaenthran was just 19 when he was arrested in 2019. His ordeal exposes the fatal flaws of the death penalty on so many levels," Branson further stated. The Malaysian national was sentenced to death in November 2010, under Singapore's strict anti-drug laws. Previous attempts to reduce his sentence to life in prison or receive a presidential pardon have all failed, despite pleas from the international community and rights groups. The Court of Appeal's Judge Andrew Phang said Nagaenthran had tested positive for COVID-19, after the defendant had been brought into dock but then abruptly taken away again. The court dismissed a prosecutors suggestion to have Nagaenthran testify via video. We have to issue a stay of the execution until all proceedings are concluded. That is the proper order of things," Phang said. The stay on the execution followed a court ruling on Monday that had already granted a similar order, pending the result of the appeal at Singapore's highest court. Nagaenthrans defense lawyer, M. Ravi, has based his appeal on the argument that executing a mentally disabled person is a violation of Singapores Constitution. Death penalty opponents say Nagaenthrans IQ of 69 was disclosed during an earlier lower court hearing, a level that is internationally recognized as an intellectual disability. But the court ruled that Nagaenthran knew what he was doing and upheld the death sentence. Defense lawyer Ravi told reporters that he was pleasantly surprised" by Tuesday's development and will use the extra time to bolster his case. A state-sanctioned murder ... has been averted by a COVID disease. That seems to be the irony of this development today," he said. Nagaenthrans mother, two younger siblings and cousin were not present in the courtroom Tuesday, but have been allowed daily prison visits since traveling from their hometown of Ipoh in northern Malaysia last week. His older sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, who didnt make the trip, said these visits will be replaced by phone calls, given the news. While she worries about her brother's condition, she is relieved that his execution has been stayed. "But Im only a little bit happy, because I know they havent actually stopped the execution, only given it a temporary stay," Dharmalingam said. Legal experts including with the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network and Amnesty International have called the execution of an intellectually disabled man inhumane and a violation of international law. Members of the international community, representatives of the European Union, and global figures also joined Branson to called for Nagaenthrans life to be spared, and used the case to draw attention toward anti-death penalty advocacy. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly asked for leniency purely on humanitarian grounds" in a letter addressed to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, dated Nov. 3. Malaysias anti-drug laws are similarly harsh, with the majority of people on death row in the country due to drug offenses. Singapore's home affairs ministry said the country takes a zero-tolerance stance against illicit drugs," in response to media queries on Friday. The penalties, including the death penalty, for the illegal trafficking, importation or exportation of drugs are made clear at our borders, to warn traffickers and syndicates of the harsh penalties they potentially face," the ministry said. Anyone found with over 15 grams (0.5 ounces) of heroin faces the death sentence in Singapore, although judges can reduce this to life in prison at their discretion. The last execution in Singapore was in 2019. With inputs from agencies Subscribe to Mint Newsletters * Enter a valid email * Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Click here to read the full article. Drake has made his first public remarks following the tragic deaths of eight people at Travis Scotts Astroworld Festival on Friday night (Nov. 5), writing on social media, Ive spent the past few days trying to wrap my head around this devastating tragedy My heart is broken for the families and friends of those who lost their lives and for anyone suffering. Drake appeared as a surprise guest during Travis Scotts headlining set, joining him onstage for two tracks, including their 2018 smash Sicko Mode. As the sequence of events that led to the mass casualty panic of Friday night is revealed, Drake has received a fair share of criticism for going on with the show. As he took the stage towards the end of the set, emergency medical personnel were reportedly responding to multiple cases of cardiac arrest, likely from the surge of the crowd as they made their way towards the stage for Scotts and Drakes performance. The concert drew 50,000 people to Houstons NRG Park, where performers included SZA, Lil Baby and Roddy Ricch, among others, but while billed as a two stage event, Astroworld veered from the usual festival protocol of staggering performances on opposite stages, as Scott was the only headliner on the so-called Chills stage. As Variety previously reported, the combination of Scotts chosen set time and a countdown clock may have contributed to the frenzy and confusion as throngs of fans eager to catch his set ran from one end of the grounds to another. Scotts stage banter, encouraging all in attendance to rage and make the ground shake, along with the Drake cameo, seemingly amplified the already energized crowd to the point where people were being shoved, trampled and otherwise injured. The fateful decision, however, was in having Scott scheduled to go on 45 minutes after SZAs performance wrapped, as opposed to overlapping slightly with her set or even beginning just as it ended at 8 p.m. Its what live music professionals call spreading the field, and its a key facet of crowd control at a large-scale event like a music festival. Those who died at Astroworld ranged in age from 14 to 27. A 10-year-old is currently hospitalized in Houston after sustaining life-threatening injuries from trampling. He is currently in a medically-induced coma, in an attempt to combat his brain trauma, and his family has retained attorney Ben Crump, who represented George Floyds family in the wake of his murder at the hands of Minneapolis police. Earlier today, members of the Kardashian-Jenner family offered their condolences. Scott shares a three-year-old daughter with Kylie Jenner, and the couple is currently expecting their second child together. The beauty mogul and reality star was in attendance at the Houston festival over the weekend with their daughter, Stormi, to support the rapper. Wrote Jenner: Travis and I are broken and devastated. My thoughts and prayers are with all who lost their lives, were injured or affected in any way by yesterdays events. And also for Travis who I know cares deeply for his fans and the Houston community. In her statement honoring the victims, Jenner clarified that she was unaware there were any lives taken at the festival. I want to make it clear we werent aware of any fatalities until the news came out after the show and in no world would have continued filming or performing, Jenner said. She continued, I am sending my deepest condolences to all the families during this difficult time and will be praying for the healing of everyone who has been impacted. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. This past summer, filmmaker Billy Luther (Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna Pueblo Tribes) headed to New Mexico to film his narrative feature debut, Frybread Face and Me. Luthers previous credits include the documentary Miss Navajo and the 2018 reality TV series Alter-Native. With Frybread Face and Me selected as part of the 2020 Sundance Institute and Film Independent Directors and Screenwriters Labs, Taika Waititi hopped on board to executive produce. Below, as part of Native American Heritage Month, Luther shares his experience from writing a personal story, to shooting his first feature during the pandemic and the importance of Native representation. Youre currently in post-production for Frybread Face and Me what was the genesis of the story and what inspired it? Im multi-tribal Navajo, Hopi, and Laguna Pueblo. Identity was something I was always been challenged with as a kid. People tend to put Native Americans into one box. They dont realize tribes have different languages, belief systems, and creation stories. It didnt hurt that I had a colorful family that gave me plenty of great material to work with. My mother was a product of the government boarding schools and my dad was drafted to Vietnam. And here I was, a Native kid roller skating down the streets of San Diego, speaking in tongues in church every Sunday. Growing up, I wrote short stories during the summers I spent with my grandparents on different reservations. Those stories are long lost because we moved around so much. The stories my traditional Navajo grandmother told werent written down, they were part of an oral tradition. A few years ago I went to visit her and being in those familiar spaces brought back so much of the stories I had written back then. I felt like my 11-year-old self again. I returned to L.A. and began writing. How did Film Independent play a part in getting this off the ground? I actually moved to L.A. because of their program Project: Involve 20 years ago. At that time, it was one of the only programs in Hollywood that supported and mentored filmmakers of color starting in the industry. It is amazing to see so many of my peers from that time working today. I couldnt afford to finish film school so I started volunteering at their events producers conferences, directors series. I began meeting so many people in the industry and formed solid relationships because of that. I still have my Rolodex filled with business cards from those days. At the height of the pandemic, I attended the Film Independent and Sundance Directors Labs, virtually. It was bittersweet because I wanted to have the hands-on and immersive experience that those labs offer. Instead, we were in Zoom boxes for those two months. But the filmmakers in both labs worked just as hard as we would have if we had been in the same room. It was a strange time because no one knew what the future of Hollywood was going to be. And you started filming this Summer? My producer Chad Burris (Chickasaw) came on last year, and it was so important for me to have a Native producer on this. There is so much texture and nuance to the story. I needed a producer who understood both what it means to be Native and also to understand what it feels like to be an outsider in their own community. We were also able to bring Taika Waititi on board as executive producer. That helped a tiny little bit. Cut to June 2021, we were in New Mexico. We didnt know what was going to happen because of all the COVID safety protocols that were constantly changing. We also hired a local crew and the New Mexico Film Office was so supportive of this project. One minute we were financing, the next we were casting and then we were shooting. It happened so fast. I still wake up and say to myself, I made a film during the pandemic. The films cast features Native American actors can you share how you found your cast? This film needed an Indigenous cast and I knew the search for these two leads was going to be a challenge. With the help of Midthunder Casting, which also worked on FX Reservation Dogs, we were able to find these incredible kids. The amount of Indigenous talent Martin Sensmeier, MorningStar Angeline, and Jeremiah Bitsui came on. And we also brought on some amazing new faces from Indian country that are making their feature debut. This set was filled with so many Natives. Every day it was incredible to see not only our cast but key Indigenous crew members camera, art department, wardrobe all working together. Whats so important to me is that we have been telling our stories and making films with Indigenous narratives for the longest time. Now people are finally beginning to listen and pay attention. On Frybread Face and Me, we were surrounded by Native creatives behind and in front of the camera, which left room for the nuances of Native representation to grow within our performances. With others on set, I was able to trust the production process and hone my character in a truly unique way. No singular voice can speak for any community of Native peoples, so when we facilitate spaces for not only Native actors but crew as well, we move towards diversity more sustainably. MorningStar Angeline (Ann) It is a rare opportunity for any Native actor to walk on a film or TV set and get to only focus on their character and acting. Too often we walk on set and have to play the role of Native consultant, advocating for authentic Native representation through all story elements (i.e. wardrobe, hair, etc.). Jeremiah Bitsui (Uncle Roger) Years before Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul were in sight, culturally and ethnically ambiguous opportunities were few and far in between for a young actor of Indigenous descent. In my youth, I ended up backing away from acting after Hollywood deemed me not looking native enough. By Hollywood standards that meant having long hair. Today is the dawn of a new day for Indigenous actors in filmmakers with projects being developed, written, produced, directed, and crewed. What was it like shooting your feature directorial debut during the pandemic? Were still in it. Im not sure were going back to how things used to be. I havent had time to come up for air since we wrapped mid-August. I wished during our rehearsals we had more time in person because of Covid, we had to do a lot on Zoom. Actors need eye contact and physical interaction. But when we did get to film those scenes, the lack of being around people for almost two years really had an impact on performance, and it was a good thing. Were human and we need contact and intimacy. We built our set from scratch. Everyone on the Native cast and crew felt that it was home. It felt lived in, and alive. That was the kind of on-set experience I wanted to create. Many of us werent able to see our relatives or grandparents during the pandemic. And this was our first time out in the world since the pandemic working together to tell a story about family and identity. A lot of laughs and challenging days, but one of the greatest experiences of my life. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. You wont find Chanel No. 5 under the tree just yet. But in New York City on Friday, the iconic fragrance and fashion brand took over Rockefeller Center for an exclusive debut party of Chanel No. 5 In the Stars, a new outdoor installation which celebrates the iconic fragrances 100th year anniversary. Arriving in cashmere sweaters and classic Chanel tweed on a cold New York City night, guests like Jemima Kirke, Ella Hunt, Brittany OGrady, Lily Allen, Lauren Ridloff, Broadways Renee Rapp, and a host of New York City socialites and Chanel ambassadors encircled 30 Rocks ice-skating rink, stamped with an instantly recognizable No. 5, and over drinks watched Mary J. Blige, a surprise guest, perform under the prometheus scale of Rockefeller Center. Beloved since Marilyn Monroe revealed its all she wore to bed, Chanel No. 5 was launched in 1921 by couturier and founder Coco Chanel. It was the first perfume to be created by a woman and, over its 100-year tenure, has remained among the most well-known fragrances in the world. Im not one of those people who wears a lot of perfume, but damn, I love a woman who does, said Kirke, who arrived on the red carpet in an ecru cashmere Chanel cardigan and wool pants. I love that characteristic, she said, a woman who wears the same scent every day. Its glamorous and classic. Its old Hollywood. Its Chanel No. 5. At the party on Friday, a private affair before the outdoor exhibition opened to the public on Sunday, the celebration met the perfumes classic opulence. Closed to the public, guests, dressed in the latest Fall and Winter collection, roamed around Rockefeller Plaza like tweed swans above the rink. Cocktails in hand, the plaid black and white figures, elegant yet dressed to cut through the streets of midtown at any moment, brought together Chanels brand ethos, luxurious and timeless. Its been a crazy year for me, coming into fame, OGrady, just off the whirlwind summer sensation of HBOs The White Lotus, said on the red carpet, wearing a black and fuchsia viscose and cashmere cardigan. And Chanel is a brand I feel like I can come into my womanhood with. When I wear the perfume, said Ridloff, whose Marvel film Eternals premiered Friday, I have dreams of Marilyn Monroe, and thats how the perfume makes me feel. Absent the Hollywood starlight, Mary J. Blige proved just as exciting for the New York crowd, as office workers in 30 Rock opened their windows and peered out to catch the concert. Blige arrived on the carpet wearing a silver sequin Chanel jumpsuit and, after Canadian figure skater Elladj Balde performed a routine to Uptown Funk, emerged on the ice rink stage wearing a black and silver cashmere jumpsuit, singing Real Love. Weve all been through a whole lot, she said from the platform before 30 Rocks iconic bronze statue, dwarfed by the soaring building behind her. And were probably going to go through a whole lot more of this mess. But Ill tell you one thing. At the end of the day, if we just take care of ourselves, I guarantee you that everything is going to be Just Fine. Blige also performed I Can Love You and Family Affair, offering the tribute to Chanel, the women who wear it, and the stars. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Global streaming giant, Netflix is in the process of unveiling a huge expansion of its slate of Japanese film and TV content. These are aimed at cementing and strengthening its position in the critical Japanese market and also showcasing live action and anime programming that is expected to cross borders. After the recent success of Korean series Squid Game, many eyes have turned to Asia for further high concept non-English-language shows. Netflix itself recently said that the Squid Game effect had propelled futuristic Japanese series Alice in Borderland back up the rankings in several territories nearly a year after its original release. Over the course of its two-day Netflix Japan Festival 2021, the company is expected to disclose details of 50 new shows. Day one presentations focused on animation, while the second will home in on live action. These are in addition to the 90 Japanese shows that have previously been available. The new line-up includes work by renowned filmmakers Mori Yoshihiro (We Couldnt Become Adults), Gekidan Hitori (Asakusa Kid), and tie-ups with leading animated film studios like Studio Colorido (A Whisker Away, Drifting Home) Our next big bet is expanding feature films. Japan is home to extraordinary talent who shape the cinematic history of the world. With creators as diverse as the ones we work with today, were excited to play a role in the history of great local talent finding their voices and delivering them to audiences everywhere, said Sakamoto Kaata, Netflix VP of content in Japan. Outside research has recently suggested that Japan now represents Netflixs largest consumer base in the Asia-Pacific region, having possibly overtaken English-language early adoption territory Australia. But it is rival Amazon Prime Video that is the premium SVOD market leader in Japan. In a research document, Media Partners Asia recently said that Amazon has more than 15 million monthly active users in Japan and accounts for 26% share of households streaming time. Netflix is estimated to have more than six million subscribers in Japan, and to lie fourth in terms of minutes consumed, behind Amazon Prime, TVer and Abema TV, but ahead of the locally-owned Hulu Japan. In recent months, Netflix has announced other moves that deepen its roots in Japan. In March, it announced that it had signed a long-term lease on studio space in Tokyo to be used for local productions. In September, it set up a creators lounge, complete with artist in residence, intended to embed it further in animation. And last month it unveiled content pacts with both Tokyo Broadcasting System and Nippon TV, owner of Hulu Japan. Netflix has not disclosed its Japanese financial commitment to date, nor publicly set itself an investment target for the future, unlike South Korea, where at the beginning of the year it committed itself to spending close to $500 million in 2021. It says it is seeing growing international interest in Japanese content. Japanese titles like The Seven Deadly Sins, Record of Ragnarok, and Rurouni Kenshin: The Beginning each reached the platforms top ten in over 50 countries. It said too that over 120 million households have watched at least one anime title in the past year, a figure more than double the number of households in 2018. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Sister has signed a first-look TV deal with producer, writer, and director Tobias Lindholm. Lindholm has already set up his first project for development under the deal the limited series The Best of Us, with Succession star Jeremy Strong attached to star. We are fortunate to have Jeremy as a partner with Tobias on The Best of Us; and we look forward to their thoughtful and human depiction of those heroes that serve on the frontlines for the greater good, said Sisters Stacey Snider. Strong has been developing The Best of Us with Lindholm for some time and will executive produce in addition to starring. The series is also being developed with journalist and author Chris Smith, who will serve as consulting producer. Lindholm is writing, directing, and executive producing. Kate Fenske and Carolyn Strauss of Sister will also executive produce. The series will explore the human fallout of September 11th with its rain of debris and toxic dust. Through a mosaic of characters including first responders, students, teachers, New Yorkers, and volunteers working on The Pile, it examines how they were affected and how we treated them. It confronts a failing system and celebrates the very best of us. Lindholm most recently co-wrote the Academy Award-winning film Another Round. He also directed and wrote the limited series The Investigation. He co-created the series Borgen and co-wrote and directed two episodes of the popular Netflix series Mindhunter. He will make his English-language feature directoral debut with the Netflix thriller The Good Nurse starring Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne. He is repped by WME and Ithaka Media. Strong won the Emmy for his role as Kendall Roy in HBOs Succession, which recently debuted its third season. He is also known for starring in films like The Trial fo the Chicago 7, Lincoln, The Big Short, and Mollys Game. His upcoming projects include Armageddon Time opposite Anthony Hopkins and the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro. He is repped by WME, Sugar23, and ID. Sisters current slate includes the HBO/Sky series Landscapers starring Olivia Colman and David Thewlis and The Power for Amazon, as well as Gangs of London, The Split, and The Baby. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. The eight victims who died during Travis Scotts Astroworld Festival included a dancer, an aspiring border agent, a student athlete, a computer programming student, a district manager at AT&T, a marketer and a pair of best friends. Ranging in age from 14 to 27, the names of those who died at the Houston festival were released on Monday after all of their families had been notified. Though autopsies have been performed, the manner of death for the eight individuals has not been determined yet. The festival turned tragic on Friday night during Scotts set when the crowd of 50,000 people surged, resulting in chaos and panic and leaving eight dead and many injured. According to the Associated Press, as of Sunday morning, 13 people remained hospitalized. The families of victims shared stories about their loved ones on social media and with journalists at the AP and the Houston Chronicle. Read them below. Danish Baig, 27 Danish Baig attended Astroworld with his fiancee, Olivia Swingle, and younger brother, Basil Baig. He was a district manager for AT&T and had a large wedding to Swingle planned for next year. I have so much pain in my heart, Basil Baig told the Chronicle. He was everything in the world to me. Basil Baig was separated from his brother and Swingle during the show, and could not get into contact with them as their phones were knocked to the ground, he told the Chronicle. Swingle was also hospitalized for her injuries. They tried to do CPR on him. But by the time they got to the hospital, he was dead, Basil Baig told the Chronicle. I didnt see the concert (organizers) doing anything to help. And Travis Scott just kept telling people to rage. We were nobodies to them. Swingle paid tribute to Danish Baig in a Facebook post, writing: My heart is destroyed and my soul was taken from me. I was genuinely loved, I had someone that loved me more then anything in this world & not everyone gets to experience that kind of love. I am in Hell. I lost the love of my life, & I have so much I want to say but I cannot put it into words at this time. My baby, my love gave his life to save mine & I will spend the rest of my life making sure he gets the justice he deserves. Rudy Pena, 23 Rudy Pena studied criminology at Laredo College and had a goal of becoming a Border Patrol officer, according to the Chronicle. My brother was the sweetest person, friendly, outgoing. He had many friends because he was always there for everyone, his sister, Jennifer Pena, told the Chronicle. Madison Dubiski, 23 Madison Dubiski was a super bright, uplifting and just an all-around sweet girl, her former classmate Lauren Vogler told the Chronicle. I cheered with her when we were younger, and she was always so encouraging. She was definitely the life of the party and loved by so many people. Dubiski graduated in 2017 from Cy-Fair High School in Cypress, Texas. She attended the University of Mississippi and worked in marketing and advertising, according to the Chronicle. Dubiski attended Astroworld with her younger brother, Ty Dubiski, but they were separated amid the chaos. Franco Patino, 21 Franco Patino, who traveled from Illinois for the festival with his best friend from high school, was studying mechanical engineering at the University of Dayton. His father, Julio Patino, described his son as a charismatic, energetic leader who was active in his community and intent on helping people with disabilities, according to the Chronicle. Julio Patino told the Chronicle that his son helped rescue his mother from a car accident two years ago, and aimed to create a device to help his mother walk again. He loved his mom, Patino told the AP. He said everything that he was doing, it was trying to help his mom the entire goal. Jacob Jurinek, 20 Jurinek went with Patino to the concert. The two were best friends growing up in Naperville, Ill., according to the Chronicle. He was a junior at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale and was pursuing his passion for art and media, his family told the AP. His father, Ron Jurinek, described his son as having a larger-than-life personality. Were comforted by the fact that the hundreds of people Jake touched over the years will carry a piece of his spirit with them, Ron Jurinek told the Chronicle. We are all devastated and are left with a huge hole in our lives. John Hilgert, 14 John Hilgert, a Memorial High School freshman, arrived to the concert early to secure a prime spot, according to the Chronicle. Everything about that night was a tragedy, Tracy Faulkner, the mother of one of Hilgerts classmates who had known him since his childhood, said to the Chronicle. John was a good student and athlete and so polite. He was the sweetest and smartest young man. Axel Acosta, 21 Axel Acosta was a computer programming student at Western Washington University, the Chronicle reported. He had traveled alone from Washington to Texas for the show. His father, Edgar Acosta, and aunt, Cynthia Acosta, flew into Houston on Sunday night to meet with their attorney. We are coming to Houston because we need to be near Axel, Cynthia Acosta told the Chronicle. This should not have happened. Axel went to the concert to have fun. We had no idea it wasnt safe. We need to know what happened and ask that if anyone has information, please contact our attorney. Brianna Rodriguez, 16 According to the Chronicle, Brianna Rodriguez loved to dance. A junior at Heights High School in Houston, Rodriguez performed with the school dance team. You were the light to this house. Your music playing, your dancing and most of all, your loudness, her father, Osvaldo Rodriguez, wrote on social media, according to the Chronicle. RIP my baby girl. Daddy will see you soon. A GoFundMe page set up by her relative Iris Rodriguez reads: Dancing was her passion and now shes dancing her way to heavens pearly gates. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As the border reopened finally after 20 months, another major agreement was unfolding with one of Laredos least transited international bridges that is expected to soon be on par with those of the main two international bridges in downtown Laredo. The City of Laredo hosted a ceremony for an interinstitutional agreement alongside the Government of the State of Nuevo Leon, Mexico on Monday. The protocol ceremony took place at the International Bridge Colombia Solidarity, as the bridge the only port of entry for the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon opened its doors for Mexican tourists to travel into the United States as border restrictions have been lifted after close to 20 months of the border being partially shut down. Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz and Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Alejandro Garcia conducted the ceremony where both entities formalized their commitment to work jointly in an effort to intensify common interests and promote objectives to benefit both communities. Port of Laredo and the state of Nuevo Leon have been connected in many ways, mainly by this bridge the Colombia Solidarity International Bridge and in the import and export between our city and our state, Saenz said. Through this agreement, the City of Laredo commits to deepening the ties of friendship and cooperation that unite both communities, promote the importance of establishing mechanisms that contribute to the development and the strengthening of the bilateral cooperation framework and ... execute projects and ideas that have an impact on economic and social progress. The mayor said that one of the main projects that will unite together both entities is the La Gloria Road development. Work already began this past weekend, and it is a road that intends to connect the Colombia Bridge and Laredo to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon. Saenz stated that the project is one that will not just help to increase tourism but also help the transportation industry with travel time reducing for all of those traveling from Nuevo Leon to Laredo as well as provide more enhanced security measures along the road. With the new group of Nuevo Leon people coming to the area to get vaccinated this weekend, we will have in total 75,000 people in our state vaccinated, Garcia said. And that puts us in huge debt with (the City of Laredo), that we will make sure to bring back many dollars, and also to make this port with you into the prime first world port of entry. According to Garcia, his state would benefit as well from more job creation, as it will help create more positions. And with more jobs, more individuals will have a chance to prosper and many other problems occurring because of poverty would be dealt with. He states that this deal will help in this regard on both sides of the border. This project we are doing here will help create the next rich generation, Garcia said. This project implies better infrastructure, the modernization of bridges, to make this bridge reach its main potential, to make the small municipalities of Anahuac and Colombia to reach their high potential, and to together make a strong message that we want bridges and not border walls. We want brotherhood, we want commerce and that we want to grow together. Garcia also briefly touched on the fact that the border has reopened once again for Mexican tourists as COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted. This is the first time that I like to hear this sound (of traffic), because this sound was missing for about 20 months, Garcia said. This pandemic caused us to pause all of this traffic from coming into the area. City of Laredo District IV Councilmember Alberto Torres Jr. was also present and spoke about the importance of the partnership of the city with the state of Nuevo Leon and how it will help strengthen the local economies. The expectations for this bridge are big now that we know that we have a governor who is true to his word, a governor that we know he will accomplish, Torres said. It shows that there is a great determination that good things are coming for Colombia, good things are coming for Laredo and good things are coming for the state of Nuevo Leon and the state of Texas. For a long time, we have never seen this level of importance that we give to bridges that we have with Tamaulipas be provided to this one of Nuevo Leon, which we know that with the leadership of this governor we will see this bridge become a vital one. Marco Gonzalez Valdez, who is the regional secretary of development and director of CODEFRONT the leading group looking for ways to improve trade and travel between Laredo and the Nuevo Leon port also raised the expectations by stating that by 2027, the Port of Laredo would become the No. 1 port in the world and not just nationally. The governor offered his vision that he wants to create the 14-15 hectares available into a major logistical point that is proper of a first world, that logistical center that we have plan nobody has it in the world, and we will do it in just six years, Valdez said. This is not about competing but rather complimenting what the Port of Laredo already has and to increase that. Torres also alluded the fact that the interinstitutional agreement signed between both entities is a historic one as it is the first that is done between a city and a state, as all others between the City of Laredo and other Nuevo Leon entities have been done with municipalities in the Mexican state and not with the state government. The councilmember believes that the bridge will soon become one of the most transited in the area. Just like Gov. Garcia says, Crossing through the Colombia Bridge is fast and safe, Torres said. Finally, Garcia formally invited all of the dignitaries from the City of Laredo to attend a meeting in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, just like he has attended several in the Gateway City. And he promised that the best is yet to come. For 30 years, these projects have been proposed, and now they are finally coming true, Garcia said. So let us remember that together we are part of the problem, but also together we are the solution as well. Following the presentation at the International Bridge, the City of Laredo also hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Nuevo Leons Government new office in Laredo at the Convention and Visitors Bureau located at 101 Salinas Ave. Rep. Henry Cuellar hosted an event at Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge on Monday to celebrate the reopening of the border to fully vaccinated non-essential travelers in Laredo. Joining the congressman were Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz, Nuevo Laredo Mayor Carmen Lilia Canturosas and Mexican Sens. Jose Narro and Americo Villarreal. The group discussed the phases of restriction lifting and new protocols for all travel to the United States this upcoming year. Were here for two reasons: one, its economics; two, its just family, Cuellar said. We understand here at the border that the Rio Grande or Rio Bravo, as the Mexicans call it doesnt divide us but it actually unites us together. So what were doing is to make sure that we have Mexicans come over here and spend money, because before the pandemic, they were spending over $19 billion dollars. We lost probably over $30 billion dollars in the U.S. because of Mexicans not coming in. The other thing is simply family. Families that have not seen each other since March of 2020, so we want to do that where people can come in. Cuellar stated that he and Saenz have gotten together to work with Customs and Border Protection to make sure they have the staffing and processes in place for welcoming vaccinated travelers as sufficiently as possible. The congressman stated that the U.S. provided 7-8 million vaccines to Mexico, and he certainly wants to do more. Cuellar clarified that vaccinating Mexicans is beneficial to Laredo, as the city should want to see its neighbors safe and prosperous. That is good for them as well as the area. I feel ecstatic. After a long wait, these are extremely great times for the overall U.S-Mexico border, Saenz said. So many businesses have been affected that depend on Mexican shoppers, especially in the Laredo downtown area. From a local economic perspective, 30-40% of sales tax is derived from Mexican shoppers who visit our community on a yearly basis. On a personal note, I feel an immense amount of joy for those who will finally reunite with family and friends after 19 months. This is a true celebration, especially with the holidays right around the corner. Our vaccination rates continue to be the best in the state of Texas, which represents more safety to those who will be visiting us in the upcoming months. Canturosas also thanked all attendees and special guests for joining her in this celebratory event. She also added that the city has produced many firsts for the area. We are sister cities, and we have demonstrated that in the past 19 months where we strengthened our economies, the Nuevo Laredo Mayor said. We were the first municipality to vaccinate with the help of the government of Laredo, Texas, more than 9,500 people. And most of all, we were the first municipality to vaccinate minors of 12-18 years of age no one had done it before how we did it with the help of the government of Laredo. Today, thanks to the governments of Mexico and the U.S., we see hope from the reopening of the borders which will allow us to continue with the task of boosting our strategic region. Canturosas also detailed a new way for locals from the sister cities to enter the U.S. There will be a new special lane to provide for an easier flow into both countries. And she hopes that the economies will both benefit now that these individuals are able to cross once again. Im sure with this new reopening a new era of growth, development and wealth starts to the families of both Laredos who are now more united, and strong than ever, she said. It has been 19 months since restrictions were placed on non-essential travel through our land ports of entry. The resulting limited traffic along the Texas-Mexico border had a devastating impact on retail sales in our border communities. The reduction of Mexican shoppers resulted in a decrease in labor, income and demand for goods and services, our economies lost billions of dollars. With fully vaccinated non-essential consumers now being allowed to cross into the United States by land, our economies are on a path to full-recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Cuellar reminded the communities that all foreign citizens will be mandated to provide proof of vaccination starting January 2022, regardless of if they were essential or non-essential employees. These protocols will apply to travel by air, land or ferry. cecilia.trevino@lmtonline.com KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) The first man killed by Kyle Rittenhouse on the streets of Kenosha was shot at a range of just a few feet and had soot injuries that could indicate he had his hand over the barrel of Rittenhouses rifle, a pathologist testified Tuesday. But it was unclear from video footage whether Joseph Rosenbaum was grabbing for Rittenhouse's gun or trying to swat it away, said the witness, Dr. Doug Kelley, with the Milwaukee County medical examiners office. Kelley was one of the final witnesses for the state before prosecutors rested their murder case after 5 1/2 days of testimony that were aimed at portraying Rittenhouse as the aggressor but often bolstered the young man's claim of self-defense. His lawyers have suggested the 17-year-old was afraid his gun would be taken away and used against him. The defense then began presenting its side, calling as its first witnesses people who were on the streets with Rittenhouse that night and described him as pale, shaking, sweating and stammering after the shootings. He repeats, I just shot someone over and over, and I believe at some point he said he had to shoot someone, testified Nicholas Smith, who said he had gone to the protests that shook Kenosha that night at the request of the owners of a car dealership to protect the business. My god, my life might be over," another witness, JoAnn Fiedler, quoted Rittenhouse as saying. She said he didn't give any details about what happened but told her he had to do it. Rittenhouse, now 18, killed two men and wounded a third during a night of turbulent demonstrations against racial injustice in Kenosha in the summer of 2020. The former police youth 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 protect property from the damaging protests that broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white Kenosha police officer. Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge against him. While Rittenhouse is white, as were those he shot, the case has stirred racially charged debate over vigilantism, the right to bear arms, and the unrest that erupted around the U.S. that summer over the killing of George Floyd and other police violence against Black people. On Tuesday, the jury watched drone video that was zoomed-in and slowed down to show Rosenbaum following Rittenhouse, and then Rittenhouse wheeling around and shooting Rosenbaum at close range. Kelley, the pathologist, said Rosenbaum was shot four times by someone who was within 4 feet of him. He testified that Rosenbaum was first wounded in the groin and then in the hand and thigh as he faced Rittenhouse, and then was shot in the head and in the back. Those final two shots were at a downward angle, the pathologist said. Prosecutors have said this indicates Rosenbaum was falling forward, while defense attorney Mark Richards said Rosenbaum was lunging. Kelley said both scenarios were possible. Kelley also said Rosenbaum's hand was "in close proximity or in contact with the end of that rifle. Richards pointed out small injuries from soot on Rosenbaum's hand and said: So that hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouses gun when his hand was shot." That makes sense, Kelley said. The drone footage was the clearest video yet of the shooting that set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later: Rittenhouse killed Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on video clubbing Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, a 27-year-old protester and volunteer medic who was shot after pointing his own gun at Rittenhouse. Fiedler, the defense witness, was with Rittenhouse outside the car dealership just before the first shooting, and said they were being shouted at and taunted by protesters, including Rosenbaum. But Fiedler, who said she carried a pistol, testified she never saw Rittenhouse threaten or point his gun at anyone. The whole night was quite shocking, but we didnt really do anything, Fiedler said of the yelling directed at those guarding the store. We just kind of stood there. You have to ignore that. Fiedler said she later opened the door of the dealership for Rittenhouse after the shootings, and he appeared to be totally in shock and fell into her, telling her he had shot someone. He was pale, shaking, kind of stammering, slurring his words. He was sweating," she said. Last week, witnesses testified that Rosenbaum, 36, was hyperaggressive and acting belligerently that night and threatened to kill Rittenhouse at one point. One witness said Rosenbaum was gunned down after chasing Rittenhouse and lunging for his rifle. Wisconsins self-defense law allows someone to use deadly force only if necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. The jury must decide whether Rittenhouse believed he was in such peril and whether that belief was reasonable under the circumstances. On Tuesday, Rittenhouse turned his head and averted his eyes from a defense-table monitor as prosecutors displayed medical examiner photographs of Hubers body laid out on a gurney, a gunshot wound to his chest clearly visible. Rittenhouse breathed deeply as autopsy photos of Rosenbaum showing his injuries were displayed for the jury. A few jurors also seemed to find it difficult to look for long at the images, one glancing up at a monitor over her shoulder, then looking straight ahead. ___ Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin; Forliti from Minneapolis; Webber from Fenton, Michigan. Associated Press writer Michael Tarm contributed from Kenosha. ___ Find APs full coverage on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse at: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse WARSAW, Poland (AP) Poland reinforced its border with Belarus with more riot police on Tuesday, a day after groups of migrants tried to storm through a razor-wire fence on the eastern frontier where thousands have camped on the Belarusian side in the tense standoff. The European Union accuses Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko of using the migrants as pawns in a hybrid attack against the bloc in retaliation for imposing sanctions on the authoritarian government for a brutal internal crackdown on dissent. Thousands were jailed and beaten following months of protests after Lukashenko won a sixth term in a 2020 election that the opposition and the West saw as rigged. Polish authorities said all was calm overnight on the border which is also the eastern edge of the 27-nation EU but they were bracing for any possibility. The Defense Ministry said a large group of Belarusian forces was moving toward the migrant encampments. During a special session of parliament, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki described the situation at the border as part of an effort by Russia to disrupt a region that it controlled during the Soviet era that ended three decades ago. It must be strongly emphasized that the security of our eastern border is being brutally violated. This is the first such situation in 30 years when we can say that the integrity of our borders is being tested, Morawiecki said. Speaking during a U.N. Security Council meeting, Russias U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected similar accusations, and noted that the migrants are not seeking to stay in Belarus but to get to Europe. So who is creating the crisis, building fences with barbed wire and concentrating troops at the border? Nebenzia said, adding that the EU doesnt want to accept the migrants, and it is time to stop playing the blame game. Polish Maj. Katarzyna Zdanowicz estimated 3,000-4,000 migrants were along the border, including about 800 near the makeshift camps. Belarusian security services also were there to control, steer and direct these people, she added. She said Poland's assessment came from aerial observations, alleging that Belarus authorities were taking journalists to the area to promote their version of events. Independent journalists have limited ability to operate in Belarus, and a state of emergency in Poland kept reporters and others away from its side of the border. The scene was quiet as night fell, and migrants were seen getting water and other supplies on the Belarusian side, according to Zdanowicz, based on what observations from across the frontier. She said guards prevented some small groups from crossing, part of hundreds of such attempts Tuesday. The Belarusian Defense Ministry summoned the Polish military attache to protest what it called unfounded and unlawful Polish allegations" against the Belarusian military at the border. It also voiced concern about the buildup of Polish troops there, saying Warsaw did not notify or invite Belarusian observers per international rules for activity involving more than 6,000 troops. Speaking on Belarusian state television, Lukashenko threw the allegation of a hybrid war back at the EU, pointing at its sanctions against Belarus and adding: And you, bastards, madmen want me to protect you from migrants. I am afraid that this confrontation at the border because of migrants might lead to an active phase. These are grounds for provocations. All provocations are possible, he said, accusing Poland's military of flying its helicopters low at the border, frightening the migrants. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the West bore responsibility for triggering the flows of migrants through their "aggressive wars in the Middle East and North Africa. The migrants, he said, dont want to stay in Belarus and want to get to Europe that has advertised its way of living for many years. The crisis has simmered for months after Poland, Lithuania and Latvia accused neighboring Belarus of encouraging thousands of migrants, mostly from the Middle East, to illegally enter those nations. Many of the migrants often end up stuck in a forested area of swamps and bogs, pushed back and forth between Belarusian and Polish forces. The Belarusian opposition urged the West to strengthen its sanctions on Minsk. Its necessary to introduce tough sanctions, trade embargo and a full stop of transit of goods between the EU and Belarus, Pavel Latushka, a leading opposition figure, said on a messaging app, urging Poland, Lithuania and Latvia, "as countries on the front line of a hybrid attack launched by the regime, to stop transit. On Tuesday, the EU tightened visa rules for Belarus officials, saying it was partially suspending an agreement with Minsk. The move affects Belarusian government officials, lawmakers, diplomats and top court representatives by requiring them to provide additional documents and pay more for visas. Lawmakers in Lithuania voted to declare a state of emergency for a month along the Belarus border, restricting the movement of vehicles and banning all entry, except for residents, in a zone reaching 5 kilometers (3 miles) inland. Guards can check vehicles and people, and gatherings also are banned. It also applies to migrant accommodations in the capital of Vilnius and elsewhere. At least 170 migrants were stopped from entering Lithuania on Tuesday. In videos posted on Twitter by Polish police, the migrants were seen in tents and cooking over campfires in near-freezing temperatures. The police blared announcements that border crossing is allowed only at official posts, with visas, and the nearest crossing point in Kuznica was closed early Tuesday. Refugee agencies UNHCR and International Organization for Migration called the situation alarming, and said they contacted governments in both Poland and Belarus to urge them to ensure that those in the makeshift camp get humanitarian assistance. A man in the Polish village of Bialowieza told The Associated Press he has met many migrants who often are thirsty, hungry and in need of boots or medical care. He is among volunteers distributing food and other aid, and spoke on condition of anonymity because Polish authorities discourage such help. They are in really bad condition and the situation is getting worse" as temperatures drop, he said. Some of the migrants believed they were in Germany and appeared to have been very disinformed by Belarusian soldiers and guards," the man said. At least eight migrant deaths have been recorded by Polish and Belarusian authorities, most of them in Poland. Morawiecki went to the border Tuesday, accompanied by Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, to meet with border guards and other security officials. We do not know what else Lukashenkos regime will come up with this is the reality," Morawiecki said, praising the guards. Poland has received strong signals of solidarity from the EU and Washington in the confrontation with Belarus. Germanys outgoing interior minister, Horst Seehofer, said all EU countries must stand together, because Lukashenko is using peoples fates with the support of Russian President Vladimir Putin to destabilize the West. Many migrants have flown to Minsk on tourist visas and travel by taxi to the border. The EU is seeking to pressure airlines not to facilitate such trips. Although direct flights from Iraq were suspended in August, migrants have been arriving in Belarus from Syria, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and even Russia, according to recent internal EU reports seen by the AP. Smugglers use social media to advertise transportation from Belarus to Germany by car. Pavel Usau, head of the Center for Political Analysis and Prognosis, said Lukashenko expects the West to make concessions. Lukashenko is provoking the West to take aggressive action, but, on the other hand, he expects that Western countries will yield to pressure and will be forced to engage in negotiations, Usau said in an interview from Warsaw. ___ Geir Moulson in Berlin, Lorne Cook and Samuel Petrequin in Brussels, Vladimir Isachenkov and Daria Litvinova in Moscow, Liudas Dapkus in Vilnius, Lithuania, Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain, and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed. ___ Follow all AP stories on global migration at https://apnews.com/hub/migration. TBILISI, Georgia (AP) Thousands of protesters rallied in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi on Monday to demand the release of the countrys jailed former President Mikheil Saakashvili. Saakashvili has remained behind bars since his arrest on Oct. 1 following his return from Ukraine in a bid to bolster opposition forces ahead of nationwide municipal elections. The elections were eventually swept by members of the ruling Georgian Dream party, but the opposition alleged fraud. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Kai M. Thaler, University of California Santa Barbara (THE CONVERSATION) Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega won a fourth straight term on Nov. 7, 2021 the second in a row with his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, as running mate. The vote has been called a sham by the international community, with President Joe Biden dismissing it as a pantomime election that was neither free nor fair, and most certainly not democratic. And for good reason. Ortega and Murillos government has systematically arrested leading opposition presidential contenders, leaving only government-aligned satellite parties facing them in the election. An estimated 81% of Nicaraguans abstainedfrom the vote. As Bidens immediate condemnation may suggest, the election is also a challenge for the region and a headache for the United States. As a specialist on political unrest in Latin America, I believe that Nicaraguas deepening autocracy makes a mockery of efforts to support democracy and human rights while also raising the risk of furthering a refugee crisis. From revolutionary to oppressor The result of Nicaraguas election with the Ortega-controlled electoral commission claiming hes winning around 75% of the vote cements the ruling couples continued hold on power amid increasingly repressive tactics. Once a leftist revolutionary who helped lead Nicaragua in the 1980s, Ortega desperately sought to return to power after Nicaraguas 1990 democratization. After cutting deals to reshape the political system, Ortega won the 2006 elections and has been in power since, with fraud accusations around every subsequent vote. Mass pro-democracy protests in 2018 shook the regimes foundation but were brutally repressed, with hundreds killed. Nicaraguas people are left with a government that bans protests, threatens journalists and ignored and denied the COVID-19 pandemics severity. The Ortega-Murillo family and their friends in the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) party rake in millions of dollars from government-supported businesses, while most Nicaraguans remain impoverished. In the face of repression, the opposition has fragmented and struggled. Dangerous precedent for region This slide into dictatorship poses challenges for the United States and pro-democracy international actors. After winning the presidency in 2006, Ortega steadily eroded the countrys democratic institutions, using the courts to remove term limits and enable his perpetual rule. The Ortega-Murillo family has established a media empire and taken over government posts as it seeks to create what looks like an authoritarian family dynasty. Successive U.S. governments have cooperated with Ortega on issues such as free trade, anti-drug trafficking efforts and halting northbound migrants at Nicaraguas southern border. But the tougher stance indicated by Bidens comments on the election reflect the reality that Nicaraguas decline has the potential to further destabilize the region. Democracys demise in Nicaragua is part of a deeper crisis in Central America. The formerly leftist Ortega has embraced Hondurass repressive right-wing President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who may be seeking refuge in Nicaragua from drug trafficking and corruption charges. El Salvadors brash president Nayib Bukele, described by critics as Latin Americas first millennial authoritarian, has been following Ortegas democratic erosion playbook by using the military to intimidate opponents and replacing independent officials with loyalists. El Salvadors and Honduras problems are their own, but Ortega has set a dangerous precedent for the region by retaining power through political manipulation and violence. Sanctions and refugees The U.S., European Union and other democratic countries like Canada and Switzerland have sanctioned Ortega-Murillo government officials and associated companies. These targeted sanctions have been a costly thorn in the regimes side, but as often happens with sanctions, they have not led to regime collapse; Ortega and Murillo have instead shuffled assets and associates to protect their power. The RENACER Act that the U.S. Congress passed on Nov. 3 calls for considering Nicaraguas suspension from the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement, and there is pressure on the International Monetary Fund to end its loans to the Nicaraguan government. Yet such moves might hurt poor and middle-class Nicaraguans more than the regime. Regardless of new international measures, the election itself will inhibit foreign investment and deepen Nicaraguas economic crisis. This could spur more Nicaraguans to flee the country. Over 100,000 people have left since 2018, primarily to Costa Rica. Many are now making the dangerous journey north toward the U.S., too. Thousands of Nicaraguans sought to enter the U.S. in recent months amid Ortega and Murillos preelection crackdown. [Get The Conversations most important politics headlines, in our Politics Weekly newsletter.] The Biden administration has said it wants to reduce migrant arrivals from Central America. But without security, political freedoms and economic opportunity at home in Nicaragua, people will likely continue to seek a better, safer life elsewhere. A Russian red herring? While the potential for a refugee crisis is a real concern for the United States, one issue addressed by the RENACER Act Russian relations with Nicaragua is, I believe, of limited concern. Russian support is not critical to the Ortega-Murillo governments survival. The Nicaraguan army, police and paramilitaries have more than enough weapons to control the country. And while Russian surveillance and cyberwarfare capabilities are no doubt welcomed by Ortega, they merely augment the Nicaraguan governments preexisting spyware and robust online troll network. Russian support matters most in blocking action against Nicaragua at the U.N. Security Council. But rather than Cold War-like ideological struggles, Russian ties with Ortega simply reflect autocrats cooperating with each other. With Nicaraguas government rejected by most countries in the Americas and Europe, other pariah regimes are natural allies. Following the latest blow of the sham election, the short-term prospects for democratization in Nicaragua appear slim. For international actors such as the U.S., Nicaraguas tragedy serves as a warning: Once a country starts slipping toward dictatorship, it can be difficult to stop. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/why-nicaraguas-slide-toward-dictatorship-is-a-concern-for-the-region-and-the-us-too-171275. Lockport, NY (14094) Today A steady rain this evening tapering to showers and becoming mixed with snow overnight. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 90%.. Tonight A steady rain this evening tapering to showers and becoming mixed with snow overnight. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Since the onset of Covid-19, The Ireland Funds, the global philanthropic network, has provided 11,000 in funding to two charitable causes in county Longford through The Ireland Funds Covid-19 Response Fund, its emergency fund that provided immediate interventions and The Ireland Funds Heart of the Community Fund, which provides critical and timely funding to a wide range of not-for-profit organisations. Through The Ireland Funds Covid-19 Response Fund Longford Womens Link received support and through The Ireland Funds Heart of the Community Fund, Lus na Greine Family Resource Centre CLG received support. Through its extensive global network, The Ireland Funds has harnessed the generosity of the Irish diaspora to assist charitable causes and communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The organisation is strategically embedded in the Irish charity sector and as a result donations were swiftly dispersed. With limited resources and collapsing fundraising streams, many charities have struggled to deliver their services over the past 18 months. The Ireland Funds is strategically positioned within the non-profit sector and was able to swiftly identify and prioritise vital areas of impact including food distribution; disability support; domestic and child abuse; elderly services; access to education; mental health and community support. As the country begins to recover from the pandemic, The Ireland Funds continues to support a huge variety of non-profits in the face of unprecedented challenges. Tara Farrell, CEO, Longford Womens Link said: Longford Womens Link is a community organisation and social enterprise that works to connect women with the resources to help improve and change their own and their families lives. Longford Womens Links Domestic Violence Service (LWLDVS) has seen an unparalleled increase in demand for assistance and funding has allowed LWL to employ a designated relief staff member for 12 weeks to respond to the surge in demand and provide women and their children with vital and time-sensitive support. Darren Ryan, Vice President and Director Ireland of The Ireland Funds, said: The Ireland Funds is proud to support the Longford non-profit community with funds of 11,000 over the past 18 months through our Covid-19 Response Fund and the Heart of the Community Fund. The global diaspora has responded incredibly to the need in Longford and also throughout Ireland. "Despite not being able to travel to Ireland, it has stepped up to support great Irish causes through our global network. This generosity highlights the network of people around the world that are supporting Longford and Ireland when we need it most. We are extremely grateful to the donors who have supported us. Much like the rest of the world, Ireland has faced unprecedented challenges over the past 18 months. Non-profit organisations on the island of Ireland have responded incredibly to the extreme challenges they have faced, continuing to provide essential services to those in need. Organisations across the island of Ireland that The Ireland Funds has supported during the pandemic include ALONE, Barnardos, DePaul, FoodCloud, The Irish Wheelchair Association, Jigsaw, Age NI, FareShare NI, Kinship Care NI and Fighting Words NI. The Ireland Funds has also supported a number of regional non-profit organisations based in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Waterford, Longford, Leitrim, Belfast and Derry. A teenager accused of a "vicious and unprovoked" assault on a man in his late 50s who was walking his dog has been sentenced to six months in prison. Paddy Rodgers (19), with addresses at 43 Farnagh, Longford and West House Cafe, Lisanurlan, Longford, appeared before Judge Marie Keane at Longford District Court this morning. Reading through the charges, and examining photographs of the victim, Judge Keane accepted jurisdiction and was furnished with a comprehensive psychiatric report. A victim impact statement prepared by the injured party was also handed in. Sgt Mark Mahon explained to the court that, on Sunday, July 25, 2021, the injured party had left his premises on Main Street shortly after 8pm, as he has done every night for 40 years, to walk his dog. "He went into a field like he always does and he saw a couple under a tree," said Sgt Mahon. "He was on his phone and he kept walking past. He was then confronted by the male who accused him of taking pictures of the couple on his phone." There was an argument between the two, the court heard, and the injured party picked up Mr Rodgers' runners and threw them in the river. The injured party was then struck a number of times by the accused, resulting in a visit to Midoc and an overnight stay in hospital where he received treatment before being released on Monday afternoon. Solicitor for the defence, Fiona Baxter explained that her client has been in custody on this matter since July of this year. "When questioned by Gardai, he was fully cooperative. He believed the injured party was taking pictures of him and his girlfriend and then his runners were thrown in the river " she said. "He has complex mental health and intellectual issues," she continued, adding that when he first appeared in court, he had a social worker for support. "Since going into custody, he has lost all support services," said Ms Baxter. "Judge (Deirdre) Gearty granted bail on minimal terms but he could not meet those terms and has remained in custody." She added that her client had no family support and it was revealed to the court that he had no previous convictions. "This was a vicious, unprovoked assault on an ordinary man out and about walking his dog," said Judge Keane. "I note the explanation that was tendered by Mr Rodgers where he attempts to place the blame on the injured party. But he didn't do anything. He was only walking his dog and for him to be set upon in such a vicious way is outrageous. "According to the psychiatric report, he had full capacity and yet he assaulted a member of the public viciously. The injured party hasn't made a big deal of it. He's out of pocket and was in hospital overnight." Judge Keane convicted Mr Rodgers and sentenced him to six months in prison, backdating that sentence to when Mr Rodgers went into prison. Irish Water has revealed it "cannot be conclusive" as to when a boil water notice affecting almost half of county Longford's population will be lifted. The State-owned utility said it could not determine when supplies to water services in Longford would return, five days after a boil notice was issued for the Longford Central Public Water Supply area. In the region of 17,500 customers in Longford town, Newtownforbes, Ballinalee, parts of Edgeworthstown, Drumlish, Killashee and surrounding areas have been forced told to boil water until further notice. It had been hoped interruptions to supplies would be resolved sometime this week, but in a statement to the Leader Irish Water stopped short of singling out any specific date for a return of normal service. "Irish Water cannot be conclusive about how long the Boil Water Notice will remain in place," read a statement. "Experts from Irish Water and Longford County Council are working to resolve the issue at the plant with a view to lifting the notice as quickly and a safely as possible. In the meantime, all customers of this supply are advised to boil water before use until further notice." The company also moved to clarify accusations over the way news of the boil water notice was relayed to customers. "In order to communicate the Boil Water Notice our news section on the website was updated, a press release was shared with all local media outlets, an update was issued to elected representatives in the area and our social media channels were also updated. Customers registered as vulnerable on Irish Waters vulnerable register were contacted directly," added the water utility. For further coverage on the fallout concerning last week's boil water notice, see tomorrow's Longford Leader. IFA Rural Development Chairman Michael Biggins said the new agri-environment and climate measure scheme proposed by the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue will exclude thousands of farmers. The proposed scheme will only have 50,000 farmers participating, which is wholly inadequate to meet likely demand, based on current number participating in GLAS and the number who applied for REAP, he said. The new environment scheme proposes that up to 20,000 farmers, in areas as identified by the Department as having higher environmental priorities, would receive a payment of up to 10,000, with an average payment of 7,400 referred to as the co-operative project option. The scheme proposes that the remaining 30,000 farmers will receive an average payment of 5,000, with a maximum payment of 7,000. Michael Biggins said both the co-operative model and the general option are to include results-based measures. Results-based is all very well, but there are several factors beyond a farmers control that can have an impact on the results. This can have a negative effect on payments. Results-based measures must be realistic and suitable for all sectors, include a large list of options, and provide for simple scoring which is easily defined. They must also be practical and achievable, he said. This scheme will not deliver 10,000 per farmer or anywhere near it for the vast majority of farmers. What farmers need is a meaningful scheme open to all farmers who wish to apply, with a front-loaded payment up to 10,000. Results-based payments and payment for locally developed actions must be in addition to this front-loaded payment, he said. IFA Hill Committee Chairman Flor McCarthy said, The co-operative project option, involving farmers in eight areas identified by the Dept must not be forced on farmers. They must be given the option to choose to participate in either approach and its unacceptable to set a maximum payment rate of 10,000. "Funding for the Local Project Team involved in the running of the co-operative option part of the scheme must not come from CAP and leakage of funds must not be allowed. The Minister will be judged on the percentage of money going to farmers. Michael Biggins said to honour the Programme for Government commitment of a REPS-type scheme, the Minister must ensure the budget is adequate to provide meaningful payments for farmers and the scheme must be open to all who wish to participate. A man who assisted his wife in the management of a massage parlour providing happy endings has been jailed for two months. Xiangfu Zheng (42) denied to gardai he had any knowledge that sexual acts were being carried out at the massage parlour managed by his wife. Prior to their arrest, gardai had twice warned his wife to cease any sexual acts being performed in her establishment. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that there was no suggestion that any of the workers in the parlour were trafficked or coerced. Zheng, with an address at Dorset Street Lower, Dublin City centre, was convicted by a jury of assisting in the management of a brothel at Jasmine Massage Parlour, Dorset Street Lower, on dates between January 29, 2016 and July 19, 2017. He had pleaded not guilty to the offence. The court heard that his wife Qiuping Chen (36), of the same address, pleaded guilty before the court to management of a brothel and in December 2020, she received a two-and-a-half year sentence which was fully suspended Passing sentence on Tuesday, Judge Pauline Codd said this seemed to have been a relatively small operation rather than one with multiple premises and it was clear the accused man's wife was managing it. Judge Codd said the accused was assisting and was living off illegal earnings. She said there was something particularly parasitic about that type of existence of living off the illegal earnings of women. She said the case was mitigated by his lack of previous convictions and his not coming to adverse garda attention since. She accepted the admissions he made to gardai were helpful to the prosecution. Judge Codd sentenced Zheng to 18 months imprisonment, but suspended the final 16 months on strict conditions. When asked to enter a bond to keep the peace and be of good behaviour, Zheng told the court through his translator that I don't know what I did wrong. After discussion with his legal team, Zheng agreed to enter the bond. Judge Codd then said that just so Zheng understands, prostitution is illegal in this country. During the sentencing hearing, Detective Garda Pauline Traynor told Fiona Crawford BL, prosecuting, that in January 2016, a garda went undercover posing as a client at the massage parlour and was offered a happy ending. Det Gda Traynor said her colleague then revealed himself to be a garda, she entered the shop and they both informed Chen that happy endings were illegal in Ireland and instructed her to cease any sexual acts being conducted in her establishment. Gardai returned on a further occasion, during which Chen admitted happy endings were still being carried out and she was again warned to cease such acts. Det Gda Traynor said that in July 2017, gardai conducted a search of the massage parlour, during which they discovered a room at the back with a bed in it, a perfume box containing condoms and a price list for certain acts. Phone seized during the search were analysed and found to contain a large amount of messages between workers and customers. Various sexual requests were made in the messages, while prices and appointments were also discussed. CCTV footage obtained during the search showed matters of sexual activity inside the parlour, including workers and customers moving through rooms while naked or partially naked. The footage also showed the accused man opening the parlour in the morning. In interview with gardai, Zheng made admissions regarding hiring staff and making advertisements for the parlour, but claimed he did not know anything about sexual acts occurring between workers and customers. Following this investigation, the Central Assests Bureau (CAB) conducted their own investigation, during which they seized the parlour and 50,000 in a bank account belonging to the accused and his wife. Revenue also conducted an investigation, leading to an agreement that Zheng and Chen would pay 60,000 over three years. The court heard both accused are legal residents in this country. Additional evidence Det Gda Traynor agreed with Seoirse O Dunlaing BL, defending, that there was no suggestion that any of the workers at the massage parlour were trafficked or coerced. The detective agreed with counsel that while his client denied the offence, his admissions were used as weapons of evidence against him in the trial. She agreed he now works as a taxi driver and has two young children with his wife. She agreed that when his client's wife was sentenced, it was submitted in court that the act of providing happy endings to massages is something that is quite common in China. Mr O Dunlaing said that as CAB have taken away the parlour and other sums, and his client has been left with a bill to Revenue on top of that, this was not a situation where his client earned money and got away with it. Counsel said his client has not come to garda attention since this offence. He asked the court to impose a non-custodial sentence. Arts & Culture By Ls Cohen Published: November 09 2021 We dug into the archives to find these old pictures from Long Island. Postcards tell the story of a region. Sending notes to your friends and relatives in other places with a photograph of a local landmark helps them get a feel for the town you live in. Here we present five postcards from Bay Shore showing what local buildings looked like back in the day. Caption on postcard collection reads: Bay Shore, Long Island; With a commanding position at the widest point on the Great South Bay, Bay Shore offers the very best in bathing, boating, fishing, duck shooting and other water sports. It is a favorite resort and all year home center, located in beautiful Suffolk County, just forty-two miles from New York City. Made by the Tomlin Art Company, Northport, Long Island, N.Y. Public Library Photo: Digital Collection, Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library. United States Post Office Photo: Digital Collection, Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library. The Gaetaway South Shore Restaurant and Lounge Photo: St. Joseph's College, Callahan Library, Archives and Special Collections The Dominy House, on Main Street Photo: St. Joseph's College, Callahan Library, Archives and Special Collections Chateau Roberto Photo: St. Joseph's College, Callahan Library, Archives and Special Collections Crime By Chris Boyle Published: November 09 2021 Defendant also facing charges for allegedly filing false information in police report claiming to be victim of extortion scheme involving prostitution. Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini has announced the indictment of a Suffolk County Legislator for allegedly offering to illegally supply narcotics to a prostitute in exchange for a sex act. Dr. William Doc Spencer, 54, of Centerport, is charged with Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony; Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, a class B felony; Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree, a class D felony; Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree, a class E felony; Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony; Perjury in the Second Degree, a class E felony; Making an Apparently Sworn False Statement in the First Degree, a class E felony; Patronizing a Person for Prostitution in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor; and Attempted Patronizing a Person for Prostitution in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor. Following his arrest, my Office conducted an extensive, thorough investigation in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, which resulted in this Grand Jury indictment, District Attorney Sini said. Investigators found that multiple women had allegedly been paid in either cash or drugs for sex acts with the defendant over the course of several years, as corroborated by text message exchanges and other evidence. Spencer has served as a Suffolk County Legislator since January 2012 and represents Suffolk Countys 18th Legislative District. He previously operated a private medical practice located at 25 East Carver Street in Huntington as a physician; however, he agreed to a suspension of his medical license during the pendency of the case. Pursuant to an investigation by the Suffolk County District Attorneys Office and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administrations (DEA) Long Island Heroin Task Force, Spencer was contacted by an undercover police officer posing as a prostitute on Oct. 20, 2020. Spencer allegedly agreed via text message to unlawfully provide the undercover police officer with oxycodone pills. Spencer was arrested at the arranged meeting location, which was in a parking lot behind the Elwood Shopping Center on Jericho Turnpike in Elwood, in his County-issued vehicle and was found in possession of two oxycodone pills. In July 2020, Spencer filed a complaint with the Suffolk County Police Department that he had allegedly been the victim of an extortion scheme involving prostitution. Spencer gave a written statement to detectives, in which he stated I have not sought the services of prostitutes or call girls. Following his arrest in October 2020, the investigation revealed that he had allegedly previously solicited sex workers, therefore revealing the statement to be false. Spencer was arraigned today by Suffolk County Supreme Court Justice John B. Collins and was released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court on Dec. 8 and is being represented by Anthony LaPinta. If convicted of the top count, Spencer faces a maximum sentence of up to nine years in prison. The DEAs Long Island Heroin Task Force comprises law enforcement agents from the DEA, New York State Police, Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County Sheriffs Office, Nassau County Police Department and Nassau County Sheriffs Office. District Attorney Sini also thanked the Suffolk County Police Departments Human Trafficking Investigations Unit for their invaluable assistance with the investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Laura de Oliveira and Kevin Ward, of the Public Integrity Bureau. 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!) (Correcting that Brindley resigned in July, giving six months notice.) Nuformix PLC - London-based pharmaceutical development firm focused on fibrosis and oncology via drug repurposing - Non-Executive Chair Alastair Riddell will become executive chair from December 1. Back in July, Anne Brindley resigned as chief executive officer, giving six months notice. At the time, Riddell wrote a letter to shareholders to address the "frustration and confusion" that followed the announcement that Brindley was leaving, having only joined Nuformix in December. Riddell had said the departure was "no reflection on Nuformix or her view of the opportunities in the Nuformix pipeline". By Tom Waite; thomaslwaite@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Sharecast News) - London stocks closed below the waterline on Tuesday, as investors sifted through the latest US inflation reading, although AB Foods was on a tear after results. The FTSE 100 ended the session down 0.36% at 7,274.04, and the FTSE 250 was off 0.73% at 23,367.14. Sterling was weaker as well, last trading down 0.07% on the dollar at $1.3553, and slipping 0.1% against the euro to 1.1693. "The FTSE 100 has lagged behind [its European peers], slipping into negative territory, largely due to weakness in the financials and basic resources sector," said CMC Markets chief market analyst Michael Hewson. "The lacklustre nature of European markets today appears to be driven by some profit taking in US markets, ahead of tomorrow's October CPI numbers. "Today's latest US PPI numbers for October came in as expected, unchanged from the previous month, and perhaps holding out the hope that the recent surge in costs through supply chains may be coming to an end." Indeed, wholesale prices across the pond rose slightly less quickly than expected last month, with price pressures easing "at the margin" in some chapters, according to fresh data released earlier in the afternoon. The United States Department of Labor said that in seasonally-adjusted terms, so-called final demand prices jumped at a month-on-month pace of 0.6% in October, keeping the year-on-year rate of increase at 8.6%, sating market expectations. At the core level, meanwhile, they rose by 0.4%, just shy of consensus forecasts for 0.5%. The monthly increase in goods prices outside of food and energy was 0.5%, which as Ian Shepherdson of Pantheon Macroeconomics pointed out, was the smallest rise since February. "Core goods inflation, however, looks to be peaking," he said. "The [year-on-year] rate hit a new high in October, rising to 8.8% from 8.3%, but the three-month-on-three-month measure peaked in July at 12.5% annualised and has since slowed to 8.5%." Shepherdson said the data was not yet definitive, but was encouraging at the margin. "Strikingly, new car and truck prices dropped sharply in October, by 0.9% and 1.6% respectively, after big increases over the past six months or so. "This is a potentially important development, given the contribution of auto prices to consumer inflation this year, but one month proves nothing." On home shores, grocery price inflation surged to a 14-month high according to industry data, further squeezing already under-pressure household finances. According to retail consultancy Kantar, like-for-like grocery price inflation was 2.1% in the four weeks to 31 October. In the 12 weeks to October end, it was 1.5%. Prices were rising fastest in savoury snacks, canned colas and crisps, and falling in bacon, fresh vegetables and cat and dog treats. "Grocery prices are rising, and this month inflation hit its highest rate since August 2020, when retailers were still cutting promotions to maintain stock on the shelves," said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar. "As prices increase in certain categories, we can expect shoppers to continue to visit several supermarkets and shop around. "Already, households visit an average of 3.3 supermarkets per month to find the best value for money." Retail sales as a whole, meanwhile, jumped last month, as consumers splashed out on Halloween and got festive shopping underway. According to the latest BRC-KPMG retail sales monitor, total sales grew by 1.3% in October compared to the same month a year earlier, or by 6.3% when compared to October 2019, while on a like-for-like basis, retail sales were down 0.2% year-on-year. Over the three months to October, food sales rose 0.3% on a like-for-like basis, while non-food retail sales eased 0.1%. "Customer demand is getting back on track ahead of Christmas, as sales grew at a faster rate than the month prior, and well above pre-pandemic levels," said Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium. "As social calendars started filling up with festivities, clothing and footwear sales performed well. "With Halloween heavily curtailed by the pandemic last year, chocolates and children's costumes sold as families made the most of the occasion." In economic chatter, supply chain disruptions and a slump in consumer confidence looked set to see the UK economy stagnate in the medium-term, according to a major economic think tank. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said in its quarterly update that it expected UK GDP growth to come in at 6.9% in 2021 and 4.7% in 2022 as the economy rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic, but to then fall to just 1.7% in 2023 and 1.3% in 2024. It said persistent supply-chain issues, alongside reduced immigration from the European Union and businesses being more cautious with capital expenditure in the wake of Brexit would put a lid on economic growth. "A squeeze on real incomes for workers and those on Universal Credit will slow economic growth next year, with the adverse effects on consumption offset by lower savings," said NIESR's interim deputy director for macroeconomics, Paul Mortimer-Lee. "Meanwhile, inflation is set to peak around 5%, forcing a reluctant Bank of England to raise interest rates, albeit grudgingly." In equity markets, Primark owner Associated British Foods jumped 7.99% after it announced a special dividend, as its balance sheet recovered from the impact of the Covid pandemic. Aerospace and defence giant Rolls-Royce rallied 3.6% after it said that following a successful equity raise, it had now established its small modular reactor business as part of the UK government's net zero strategy. BT Group was also on the rise, growing 2.65% after an upgrade to 'buy' from 'hold' at Berenberg. Watches of Switzerland surged 14.99% after upgrading its full-year outlook following a better-than-expected first-half performance. For the 2022 financial year the company now expected revenue of between 1.15bn and 1.20bn, up from previous guidance of between 1.05bn and 1.10bn. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation and adjusted EBITDA margins were seen up 1% to 1.5%, versus previous guidance of flat to up 0.5%. 3i Infrastructure was up 1.52% after it reported a "strong" first half, driven by an "excellent" performance from its portfolio and said it was on track to deliver an increased dividend of 10.45p per share. On the downside, housebuilder Persimmon crumbled by 2.61%, even after saying it was on track to grow new home completions by 10% this year and targeted a return to pre-pandemic trading levels by 2022. DCC lost 3.88% despite the sales, marketing and support services group reporting a jump in first-half profit and revenue, with full-year results on track to meet market expectations. Oxford Instruments was 3.96% weaker despite the research tools manufacturer saying that both revenues and adjusted operating profits had grown in the six months ended 30 September. Insurer Beazley was in the red by 5.46%, even after it reported a slight rise in third quarter gross written premiums as motor claims severity inflation rose. Market Movers FTSE 100 (UKX) 7,274.04 -0.36% FTSE 250 (MCX) 23,367.14 -0.73% techMARK (TASX) 4,624.74 -0.10% FTSE 100 - Risers Associated British Foods (ABF) 2,009.00p 7.99% Rolls-Royce Holdings (RR.) 146.86p 3.60% BT Group (BT.A) 162.65p 2.65% Ocado Group (OCDO) 1,755.50p 2.35% Pearson (PSON) 612.80p 2.03% WPP (WPP) 1,095.00p 1.67% Tesco (TSCO) 278.50p 1.33% Reckitt Benckiser Group (RKT) 6,125.00p 1.29% SEGRO (SGRO) 1,324.50p 1.18% Croda International (CRDA) 9,612.00p 1.18% FTSE 100 - Fallers Darktrace (DARK) 609.50p -6.08% DCC (CDI) (DCC) 6,042.00p -3.88% Smiths Group (SMIN) 1,406.00p -2.67% Persimmon (PSN) 2,650.00p -2.61% Abrdn (ABDN) 257.50p -2.43% Phoenix Group Holdings (PHNX) 648.80p -2.17% 3i Group (III) 1,345.50p -2.10% Schroders (SDR) 3,632.00p -2.10% St James's Place (STJ) 1,585.00p -2.10% International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (CDI) (IAG) 174.10p -2.07% FTSE 250 - Risers Watches of Switzerland Group (WOSG) 1,304.00p 14.99% Sirius Real Estate Ltd. (SRE) 138.80p 4.68% Baltic Classifieds Group (BCG) 200.00p 3.09% Reach (RCH) 327.00p 2.99% Airtel Africa (AAF) 124.30p 2.20% PZ Cussons (PZC) 209.00p 2.20% Marks & Spencer Group (MKS) 194.45p 2.18% Computacenter (CCC) 2,694.00p 1.66% Bytes Technology Group (BYIT) 563.50p 1.62% 3i Infrastructure (3IN) 334.00p 1.52% FTSE 250 - Fallers TI Fluid Systems (TIFS) 273.50p -5.57% Beazley (BEZ) 400.20p -5.46% Discoverie Group (DSCV) 1,008.00p -4.68% CMC Markets (CMCX) 264.50p -4.37% Pagegroup (PAGE) 646.00p -4.30% Hiscox Limited (DI) (HSX) 793.40p -4.27% Direct Line Insurance Group (DLG) 276.00p -4.23% Ashmore Group (ASHM) 304.60p -4.10% Redde Northgate (REDD) 409.50p -3.99% Oxford Instruments (OXIG) 2,300.00p -3.96% (Alliance News) - Associated British Foods PLC said Tuesday it delivered a resilient annual performance, with its Primark fast-fashion store chain holding up well against pressures from the Covid-19 pandemic, and in the mood to expand. "Our financial performance this year more than ever demonstrates the resilience of the group. This comes from the strength of our brands, the diversity of our products and markets, our geographic spread, conservative financing and an organisation design that permits fast and flexible decision-taking," Chief Executive George Weston said. Shares in the the FTSE 100-listed food processing and retailing company were up 6.9% to 1,986.50 pence in London on Tuesday morning, making it the top performer in the blue-chip index. For the 53 weeks that ended on September 18, revenue was GBP13.88 billion, down slightly from GBP13.94 billion in financial 2020, but pretax profit rose by 5.7% to GBP725 million from GBP686 million. AB Foods posted adjusted operating profit of GBP1.01 billion, down 1% from GBP1.02 billion last year. Operating profit of GBP808 million was in line with GBP810 million the year before. Its Retail unit, which houses the Primark fashion chain, delivered adjusted operating profit of GBP415 million, up 15% from GBP362 million in financial 2020. It said Primark's profit margin was 10.6% in the second half. However, AB Foods said sales at Primark, including a 53rd week this financial year, were GBP5.59 billion, 5% below last year at both actual and constant currency exchange rates and down 12% on pre-pandemic level due to Covid-19 restrictions. AB Foods said Primark's performance was "good", and it expects improved margins and profit next year. "This year has been characterised by greater than expected restrictions on the ability of Primark to trade. For this financial year we estimate the loss of sales, while stores were closed, to be some GBP2 billion. When stores were open, full year like-for-like sales were 12% below two years ago and were 7% lower excluding destination city centre stores," AB Foods said. AB Foods said it will press ahead with its Primark expansion in growth markets. In the US it will open a store on Jamaica Avenue, Queens, and it has signed four further leases to expand its reach in the greater New York area, as well as a lease for a store in Tyson's Corner, near Washington DC. Primark ended the period with 398 stores across the globe, up from 384 the year before. Elsewhere in the group, Grocery division revenue was GBP3.59 billion in the recent financial year, up 2% from GBP3.53 billion and up 3% at constant currency. AB Foods said strong growth in Twinings Ovaltine more than offset an expected decline in sales at Allied Bakeries. In Sugar, revenue totalled GBP1.65 billion, up 4% from GBP1.59 billion, and up 8% at constant currency. AB Foods credited higher domestic and regional volumes for Illovo in Africa, particularly in Zambia and Malawi, as well as higher sugar prices in Europe and Africa. Agriculture division revenue rose by 10% or 11% at constant currency, while Ingredients revenue was flat from financial 2020, though up 4% at constant currency. AB Foods declared a 20.5 pence final dividend, alongside a 13.8p special dividend, bringing total dividends for the year to 40.5p. "Given the strength of our balance sheet and our confidence in the future we are setting out today a new capital cash allocation policy that provides the group with the capital it needs both for investment and financial stability while allowing for enhanced returns to shareholders when appropriate. We are announcing a special dividend for shareholders today as a result," Weston said. He added: "Although the possibility of further trading restrictions cannot be ruled out, we expect Primark to deliver a much improved margin and profit next year. We are now intent on expanding our new store pipeline and investing in technology and digital capabilities to continue improving the performance of the business." By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Tuesday and not separately reported by Alliance News: Renewi PLC- waste management services provider - For six months to September 30, revenue rises to EUR915.6 million from EUR821.4 million last year and pretax profit surges to EUR44.7 million from EUR4.4 million. Attributed strong revenue growth to stronger recyclate prices. Says keeping the dividend under review, instead focusing on ongoing investments in growth projects. "We have successfully retained some of the structural cost savings made in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and these, combined with volume recovery and ongoing strong recyclate prices, have contributed to the significant increase in margins and profits," Chief Executive Otto de Bont says. Adds: "Following the strong performance in the first half and previous increased guidance expectations, the board is further increasing its financial 2022 expectations, which assume a moderation of recyclate prices in the second half as well as a reduced throughput at [waste treatment plant] ATM." Warehouse REIT PLC - real estate investment trust focused on warehouse assets - Pretax profit in six months to September 30 doubles to GBP86.4 million from GBP40.4 million year before. Revenue rises to GBP23.4 million from GBP15.7 million and investment property gains increase to GBP16.7 million from GBP10.8 million. Maintains interim dividend at 3.1 pence. Portfolio valuation ends first half at GBP907.1 million versus GBP792.8 million at March 31. Net asset value per share rises to 152.4p from 135.1p over six-month period. Loan-to-value ratio rises to 26.2% from 24.6%. Contracted rent at end of September GBP44.3 million versus GBP43.0 million six months earlier. Chair Neil Kirton says: "We have maintained our rigorous focus on further improving the quality and security of income from the portfolio, as well as acquiring high-quality, well-located assets at valuations that are accretive to shareholders. Importantly, we also made good progress with embedding sustainability considerations in every aspect of our operations. As the industrial asset class continues to rerate, we look forward to delivering further strong performance for shareholders." a John Lewis of Hungerford PLC - kitchen manufacturer and retailer - Returns to profitability for recently ended financial year. In year ended June 30, records pretax profit of GBP81,000 versus GBP885,000 loss year before. Revenue surges 42% to GBP7.9 million from GBP5.6 million. Also says it has started new financial year with an order book substantially larger than in recent years. Says level of orders secured in the first 18 weeks of new year has remained high. Notes despatched sales, forward committed orders and future orders against which a first stage deposit has been taken, stood at GBP7.4 million at year-end, up from GBP4.9 million at same point in 2020 and at GBP4.4 million in 2019. Eckoh PLC - London-based secure payment products provider - Wins "significant" contract with unnamed global food and drink company. Will provide secure payments services from its Cloud platforms to new client's global contact centre operations. Three-year contract worth USD1.5 million, but believes that this will be exceeded, and that over time Eckoh has the opportunity to significantly upscale the value of the relationship. Adds: "This is Eckoh's largest ever contract win for a Cloud solution delivered into multiple territories. We expect to see more global procurement contracts like this for Cloud delivery, as major enterprises seek to uphold rigorous security standards consistently across all of their regions." Ideagen PLC - information management, safety, risk and compliance software provider - Buys Australian compliance software firm Compliance Technology Holdings Ltd for AUD105 million, about GBP57.7 million, plus deferred conditional earnout payment of up to AUD5 million. "We see a significant opportunity to leverage CompliSpace's Australian footprint with our existing product suite, whilst also expanding its customer base into Europe and North America - in line with our strategy to grow both our geographical and sector expertise," says Ideagen Chief Executive Officer Ben Dorks. ITM Power PLC - Sheffield-based hydrogen power equipment maker - Agreed heads of terms to acquire site for its second UK factory in Tinsley, Sheffield, from the University of Sheffield for GBP13.4 million. Intends to build a second automated factory of some 260,000 sq. ft on the site with a capacity of 1.5 gigawatt per annum and currently expected to be fully operational by the end of 2023 to complement the existing 1GW pa capacity at Bessemer Park. The overall cost of the new Sheffield factory is expected to be in the region of GBP50 million to GBP55 million. Mode Global Holdings PLC - London-based payment services app - Enters payments partnership with UK luxury fashion retailer LK Bennett, which will see the brand offering Mode as an additional payment option for customers. "Through this partnership, Mode will leverage the power of open banking to bring an innovative payments and rewards experience to LK Bennett customers, enabling them to make instant payments and earn rewards, all in one app," company says. Customers can now scan a QR code or click a button, to make payments via the Mode app. GYG PLC- superyacht maintenance company - Says that, as a result of significant operational and financial disruption caused by Nobiskrug shipyard, it will now deliver a financial result for 2021 much lower than previous expectations. GYG is handling payment delays at Nobiskrug shipyard in Germany, with whom it has three active contracts and invoices outstanding totalling around EUR2.8 million. "The Nobiskrug shipyard administration and ongoing contractual discussions remain unresolved. Progress is being made and management is confident of reaching a resolution, however, it is now clear that work is unlikely to restart on these projects in the current financial year," GYG says. Adds: "The board also reiterates that, after further thorough review, it is confident that the group can meet its working capital requirements and repay its borrowings as they fall due providing that the Nobiskrug situation is resolved before December 31, which the board fully expects. On this basis, the board does not believe that the company will need to seek additional funding from shareholders in the foreseeable future to maintain operations or to meet its obligations." Harworth Group PLC - Rotherham, South Yorkshire-based land regeneration - Conditionally exchanges contracts for the sale of its Kellingley development site in Selby, North Yorkshire, to HPREF I Konect Investments SARL, for GBP54.0 million cash. Deal to complete in August next year. Intends to use the proceeds from the sale for general business purposes, aligned to its recently announced strategy to double the size of its business over the next five to seven years. Notes it took control of the 149-acre Kellingley site in 2016, following the closure of the former Kellingley Colliery. Amala Foods PLC - Jersey-based food technology firm formerly known as BigDish - Says working with independent auditors to provide verification and complete the audit process. Expects to publish annual results before end of month, when it will make application for listing to be restored. Adds: "The company has continued to progress its operations. Several restaurants have now undertaken testing of Amala plant-based pepperoni products and have expressed a willingness to incorporate the product into their menus with the first being launched by the end of this month. The company is also meeting various restaurant groups in the US in December with a view to secure supply agreements." By Paul McGowan; paulmcgowan@alliancenews.com Copyright 2021 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved. Jefferson, GA (30549) Today Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Showers this evening becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Its a long and winding road from Sa Pobla to the Ghent appeal court and the Belgian Constitutional Court. A rapper from Sa Pobla, one feels, is unlikely to have a song about a long and winding road ranked at number ninety out of the top 100 of his oeuvre by Rolling Stone magazine. For The Beatles, The Long and Winding Road was judged to have been ninetieth. Their oeuvre, which in this particular songs case was McCartney on his own but was attributed to both he and Lennon, was substantial, to say the least. Their own road was long and winding, and it went much further than courts in Belgium. In Majorca, one can travel a long and winding road - into the Tramuntana Mountains, for example. But with any road, there is long and there is long. The smaller the territory that hosts the road, the shorter the road is likely to be. One can get to the end of the road comparatively quickly. End of the road, and for an artist, it means the end. There is nowhere else to go. For a rapper from Sa Pobla, specialising in the Catalan language, there are the possibilities offered by air and sea and therefore a larger world than that contained within Mallorcas coasts. For one particular rapper from Sa Pobla, that world has extended to a foreign land. The long and winding road to Belgium, so it has been suggested, was a journey partly conducted with him in the boot of a car. Valtonyc has been in exile in Belgium since May 2018. Had he entered prison when he had been scheduled to, he would now be preparing to leave, if indeed he had served the full 42 months term. From his Belgian home, he has recently been speaking about the latest twist in the long and winding legal process that has been avoiding extradition. Extraordinarily enough, Valtonyc (aka Josep Miquel Arenas Beltran from Sa Pobla) has managed to get the Belgian Constitutional Court to rule that an 1847 offence of lese majeste (an offence against the dignity of a reigning monarch or against a state) is unconstitutional as it infringes the freedom of speech. As such, Valtonyc cannot therefore be extradited to Spain for this offence. One day, one guesses, the saga of Valtonyc will resolve itself. Might it be a triumphal return? A parade along Barcelonas Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes perhaps. At 13.1 kilometres in length, it is the longest street in Catalonia and the second longest in Spain. But the Catalonia length will be all that matters (certainly not Spains) on an open-top bus procession with Carles Puigdemont and fellow exiles. I dont know when it might be, but I hope to be able to do this (return) with my fellow exiles. Together. We have done a lot of work together. We deserve to go home together. I imagine it like that. For the return. And for friendship, loyalty and commitment. If this is how it is to be, the Gran Via would offer the perfect way. Long but not winding. The twists in the road will have been removed, such as the remaining small matter of 42 months, and the world will watch on, wondering to itself who the fellow with the beard and the glasses is and who looks like any other ordinary Josep from Sa Pobla, now aged 27 but quite possibly much older by the time that the bus makes its slow progress along the Gran Via. Before the affair about his lyrics blew up - insulting the monarch, glorifying terrorism, etc. - Valtonyc was 18 and hardly a well-known name except perhaps to a minority youth following in Majorca. Since the affair, he has become extremely well known - to a local audience. That imaginary procession would grab global attention because of Puigdemont, not Josep Miquel. Mallorca, and it would be the same for many other music acts of whatever genre principally directed at a young audience, is small. The opportunities are limited. Valtonyc has come to realise this. In an interview with the website Vilaweb, he said in response to a question about coming home: I dont think so. I enjoy living in Europe and having to speak at least three languages every day, meeting people from all over the world. I think that Mallorca would make me small. At the moment, I have many ambitions that would not be possible there. The island would be too small. The long and winding road in Mallorca is indeed not that long. Or so it appears to Josep Miquel. Exile is an unusual way of broadening horizons, but that seems to have been what has happened. Europe offers more; Belgium anyway, and not just for rapping. What to think of this view. In Mallorca, one can speak three languages in a day and meet people from all over the world. But this said, it is an island. Manchester Center, VT (05254) Today Periods of rain. Low near 40F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low near 40F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. The following editorial was published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: (TNS) For years, the National Rifle Association has abetted death and mayhem on Americas streets, empowered by its iron grip on the Republican Party. A new lawsuit alleges an unlawful component of that dark symbiotic relationship. It claims the NRA has circumvented campaign finance laws to illegally funnel tens of millions of dollars in campaign resources to Donald Trump and other Republican politicians, including Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley. The suit is from the nonprofit Giffords, named for former Rep. Gabby Giffords, the Arizona Democrat who survived a gunshot to the head during a 2011 attack at a public meeting by a gunman who wounded 19 people and killed six, including a 9-year-old girl. Those kinds of attacks are rare in most of the advanced world but numbingly common in America, largely for one reason: The NRA, through its stranglehold on elected Republicans in Congress and in state governments, has for decades prevented commonsense gun restrictions that even most gun owners support, like universal background checks and assault weapon bans. The NRA obtains that leverage in part by making generous campaign donations to Republican candidates who share or at least are willing to publicly support the organizations extremist stance against virtually any regulations on guns. Giffords suit alleges that, in addition to the legal donations the NRA has made to those politicians, it has been using shell companies to illegally coordinate campaign activities with Republican campaigns in order to get around contribution limits. The suit alleges that the organization spent as much as $35 million in this way since 2014. Most of it allegedly went to Trumps 2016 presidential campaign, but the suit claims other beneficiaries include Hawley, who won his Senate seat in 2018. Also cited in the suit are Republican Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and others. While federal election law limits the amount that donors can give to candidates in cash or services, an organization can spend freely in support of a candidate, as long as there is no coordination between the organization and the candidate. The lawsuit alleges that the NRAs shell companies used the same personnel and vendors as the Republican campaigns were using to create ads for the campaigns, coordinating their efforts. If true, that essentially means the NRA was making tens of millions of dollars' worth of in-kind contributions to the campaigns, which it wouldnt be allowed to do directly. The suit seeks to stop those practices. These arent mere technicalities. Campaign contribution limits exist for a reason: A big donor shouldnt be able to impose its agenda on society just by opening its checkbook. That is perhaps especially true when the agenda in question is to prevent America from confronting the carnage that the NRA and its GOP enablers are causing. Mankato, MN (56001) Today Partly cloudy. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 19F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 19F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Julia A. Johnston, 68, of Wilburton, OK passed away at her home in Wilburton on Sunday, November 14, 2021. Services will be on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 2 p.m. at the Waldrop Funeral Home Chapel in Wilburton, OK with the burial to follow in the Peachland Cemetery in Bengal, Oklahoma. O SYDNEY Nov. 9, 2021 University of Rochester New York State August 2021 Miami USA Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro University of Rochester New York State Roberto Hernandez-Alejandro University of Rochester Nabeel Badri University of Rochester Rochester Gary Phillips David McGarvey Felicity Moffatt Sydney the United States Europe Russia Australia the United States Europe Australia Sydney, Australia /PRNewswire/ -- Clinical stage drug development company Pharmaxis Ltd (ASX: PXS) today announced that an Investigational New Drug application (IND) for a trial of PXS-5505 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients has been cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The IND was submitted by theMedical Center,, following the positive pre-clinical results reported inat the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association conference in. The trial design approved by the FDA calls for PXS-5505 to be added to current chemotherapy standard of care; combination of a PD-L1 inhibitor and an anti-VEGF drug as first line therapy in newly diagnosed patients with unresectable HCC carcinoma.Primary liver malignancies have doubled in incidence over the last two decades. These malignancies are now the 4th leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide with a 19.6% 5-year relative survival rates. Currently, just 20-30% HCC are resectable at presentation with many patients relying on chemotherapy. A prominent feature of HCC is the presence of highly fibrotic tissue that increases tumour stiffness, and decreases access of drugs into the tumour. Under the guidance of Dr., MD (Chief Division of Transplantation / Hepatobiliary Surgery), the research team at theMedical Center,, have been investigating the role of lysyl oxidase enzymes in liver cancer and whether Pharmaxis' cancer drug PXS-5505 can improve the efficacy of current chemotherapy drugs by inhibiting these enzymes.Dr.said, "At theWilmot Cancer Center, we are excited about the prospect of combining PXS-5505 with standard first line therapy for our unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma is rising in part due to increasing incidence of cirrhosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Beyond resection, effective systemic therapies for this disease are lacking, thus new treatment regimens are of significant clinical need."Dr., (Wilmot Cancer Institute,) added, "PXS-5505 is a potent inhibitor of lysyl oxidase, a key enzyme in collagen crosslinking. By inhibiting the formation of fibrotic tissue in the tumor we hope to improve delivery and effectiveness of immunotherapy drugs which have so far had a limited impact of the survival of our patients. Through preclinical testing and translational research, we have developed a promising clinical trial design that has the potential to benefit these patients and improve our understanding of hepatocellular carcinoma."The IND submitted byreferenced the previous successful IND lodged by Pharmaxis for the ongoing phase 2 trial of PXS-5505 in myelofibrosis. The approved trial design envisages a dose escalation stage where the safety of PXS-5505 in combination with a PD-L1 inhibitor and an anti-VEGF drug will be assessed at several different doses as well as measures designed to explore the impact of PXS-5505 on fibrosis and drug perfusion. This will be followed by a 6-month trial of the selected dose with both safety and efficacy endpoints.Pharmaxis CEOsaid, "We highly value our collaboration with the research team at University of Rochester. The rapid progression from the compelling pre-clinical work presented for the first time in August to a successful IND submission is very encouraging and we look forward to concluding arrangements for the commencement of the dose escalation study in 2022. PXS-5505 has recently progressed to a phase 2 clinical trial looking for evidence of disease modifying effects in the bone cancer myelofibrosis as a monotherapy so exploring its additional potential to address cancers where fibrosis is limiting the clinical benefit of current chemotherapy- such as liver and pancreatic cancer- would be significantly value adding."Pharmaxis Ltd Disclosure Committee. Contact:, Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary: T +61 2 9454 7203, E david.mcgarvey@pharmaxis.com.au: T +61 418 677 701, E felicity.moffatt@pharmaxis.com.auRudi Michelson (Monsoon Communications) T +61 411 402 737, E rudim@monsoon.com.auPharmaxis Ltd is an Australian clinical stage drug development company developing drugs for inflammatory and fibrotic diseases, with a focus on myelofibrosis. The company has a highly productive drug discovery engine built on its expertise in the chemistry of amine oxidase inhibitors, with drug candidates in clinical trials. Pharmaxis has also developed two respiratory products which are approved and supplied in global markets, generating ongoing revenue.Pharmaxis is developing its drug PXS-5505 for the bone marrow cancer myelofibrosis which causes a build up of scar tissue that leads to loss of production of red and white blood cells and platelets. The US Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to PXS-5055 for the treatment of myelofibrosis and permission under an Investigational Drug Application (IND) to progress a phase 1c/2 clinical trial that began recruitment in Q1 2021. PXS5505 is also being investigated as a potential treatment for other cancers such as liver and pancreatic cancer.Other drug candidates being developed from Pharmaxis' amine oxidase chemistry platform are targeting fibrotic diseases such as kidney fibrosis, NASH, pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac fibrosis; fibrotic scarring from burns and other trauma; and inflammatory diseases such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.Pharmaxis has developed two products from its proprietary spray drying technology that are manufactured and exported from itsfacility; Bronchitol for cystic fibrosis, which is approved and marketed inand; and Aridol for the assessment of asthma, which is approved and marketed inand Asia.Pharmaxis is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (PXS). Its head office, manufacturing and research facilities are in. www.pharmaxis.com.auPXS-5505 is an orally taken drug that inhibits the lysyl oxidase family of enzymes, two members LOX and LOXL2 are strongly upregulated in human myelofibrosis. In pre-clinical models of myelofibrosis PXS-5505 reversed the bone marrow fibrosis that drives morbidity and mortality in myelofibrosis and reduced many of the abnormalities associated with this disease. It has already received IND approval and Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA.Forwardlooking statements in this media release include statements regarding our expectations, beliefs, hopes, goals, intentions, initiatives or strategies, including statements regarding the potential of products and drug candidates. All forward-looking statements included in this media release are based upon information available to us as of the date hereof. Actual results, performance or achievements could be significantly different from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees or predictions of future results, levels of performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, and which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements contained in this document. For example, despite our efforts there is no certainty that we will be successful in developing or partnering any of the products in our pipeline on commercially acceptable terms, in a timely fashion or at all. Except as required by law we undertake no obligation to update these forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fda-clears-pharmaxis-cancer-drug-to-progress-to-phase-2-study-in-liver-cancer-301419232.html SOURCE Pharmaxis Limited MANCHESTER, N.H. Nov. 9, 2021 Mark Abel MIT Harvard University of Pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania Board-certified diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Fellow of the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Consistently named in New Hampshire Magazine's Top Dentists edition for "Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery" Maintains active dental and medical licenses in New Hampshire Maintains certification for office administration of deep sedation/general anesthesia Specializes in dental implant placement and wisdom teeth extractions Organizes a local dental implant study club for area general dentists and specialists to obtain continuing education in dental implant surgery and restoration Past President of the Greater Manchester Dental Society (a regional component of the New Hampshire Dental Society) New Hampshire Office Anesthesia Evaluator Manchester Manchester, NH Robert Messinger /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Manchester Oral Surgery, the state-of-the-art solo practice of, DMD, MD, is excited to announce the unveiling of its new website at ManchesterOralSurgery.com. Dr. Abel and his dental team's strong focus on the patient experience was the driving force behind the creation of this updated site.Built with current and prospective patients in mind, Manchester Oral Surgery's fresh, ultra-modern website allows for patients to easily gain answers to questions about their oral surgical care at any time, day or night. Published pre-procedure and post-procedure self-care guidelines have been enhanced, as have instructions for appointment scheduling. The calming atmosphere of the site is intended to make patients feel at ease while browsing, so they can best learn how to prepare for their surgical care, what they can expect on the day of their procedure, and how to assist in their postoperative recovery.The contemporary online experience is user-friendly, directing viewers to clear descriptions of practice priorities, surgical services offered, and insurance/payment information. Furthermore, the website layout neatly provides various educational resources for patients, including information about the doctor, social media links, and patient testimonials.Dr. Abel, who joined Manchester Oral Surgery in 2009 and then took ownership of the practice in 2018, states, "I am thrilled with the look and feel of the new website. The success of my practice is directly because of the outstanding team of dedicated professionals who I'm honored to call my staff. The website and welcome video allow our patients to better understand everything we as a team put into making their surgical dental experience exceptional. I can't wait to hear what our patients think of it!"Manchester Oral Surgery offers cutting-edge 3D cone-beam CT scan imaging and digital intraoral scanning equipment for more accurate dental implant treatment planning and surgical placement. Additionally, an L-PRF centrifuge enables Dr. Abel access to growth factors from patients' blood for use in bone reconstruction or extraction site preservationin preparation for, or in conjunction with, dental implant surgery. Finally, the piezosurgery unit allows Dr. Abel to perform a minimally-invasive approach to dental extractions, when indicated.Dr. Abel is the owner and sole oral surgeon practicing at Manchester Oral Surgery. He was born and raised in the Midwest, but obtained an undergraduate degree at, a dental degree from, a medical degree from the, and completed his Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery residency training at the Hospital of theTo list a few of Dr. Abel's accolades and attributes:At Manchester Oral Surgery, the mission is focused on providing individualized, professional, patient-centered care. The hope of Dr. Abel and his entire dental team is that residents in and aroundwill find the new website to be an amazing, easy-to-use, and beneficial tool in their quest for advanced, compassionate oral surgical care.Manchester Oral Surgery has invited all visitors to explore the new website at https://www.manchesteroralsurgery.com.About Manchester Oral SurgeryManchester Oral Surgery offers a long list of oral surgical procedures, including wisdom teeth removal, dental implant placement, Teeth in a Day, bone grafting, jaw reconstruction, dental extractions, oral surgery for orthodontics, and more. For those patients with dental fear or anxiety, sedation anesthesia is available for office-based treatment.To learn more about Manchester Oral Surgery, or to schedule an appointment, call (603) 622-9441, check out the website at https://www.manchesteroralsurgery.com, or visit the newly-renovated office at 27 Sagamore Street,03104., Dentalfone, 203-979-4013, robert@dentalfone.comSOURCE Manchester Oral Surgery Tom Holland's Spider-Man: No Way Home is without a doubt one of the most anticipated superhero movies of the year, if not the most exciting film. The movie sees New York's friendly neighbourhood superhero return to fight the bad guys, only this time with a lot of old enemies resurfacing once again as already shown in the very popular teaser trailer that was released not so long ago. Marvel Studios The movie will see Doc Ock as well as the Green Goblin, Sandman and Electro return to give Tom Holland's Spider-Man a hard time after he mistakenly opens up a portal to the multiverse along with Dr. Strange, as shown in the trailer. However, this is not even the most exciting bit. As you know, rumours of the potential return of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man are day by day getting closer to actually being the truth. The two, especially Tobey, were adored as different versions of the cinematic Spider-Man, and to see three Spider-Mans in one movie would be a historical moment in MCU. Well, guess what? The internet clearly is raising the stakes again and again, and just before the December 17 release of the film, social media witnessed some leaked images from the movie, and it confirms the return of a few really familiar faces. Apparently, New leaked photos of #SpiderManNoWayHome, Looks legit to me. pic.twitter.com/QcefcHq7qI Spider-Man NWH Updates and Leaks (@Spider_Leaks) November 9, 2021 The first image shows Tom Holland's Spider-Man standing in the same frame as the Spider-Mans of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield. The picture really looks pretty legit as mentioned in the tweet and we are sure people are getting very excited with what the final trailer of the movie may have in store for us. Also, the second picture is something that a lot of people would love watching as it points to the return of Charlie Cox as Daredevil in the MCU Universe. It was a terrible day when Netflix along with Marvel canceled the Daredevil series on the OTT Platform despite the show having so many lovers. They said that Daredevil would have a part to play in the movies, and according to the leaked images, they are clearly staying true to their word. If true, Charlie Cox would join Tom Holland in being his on-screen attorney, and who knows! We might just see him fighting the bad guys alongside the three Spider-Men. Well, if you loved this, you're definitely going to love the reaction of many other fans on Twitter. Credits to whoever owns this pic. pic.twitter.com/d4W2MpH1Ko Morbius (@TheObsolete_One) November 9, 2021 Daredevil is about to swoop in to the final battle and show all of the Spider-Men what it truly means to be a hero. The Sinister Six better hope they don't run into this man in a hallway. Grhm2000 (@grhm2000) November 9, 2021 Well, looks like we're all in for a treat. Can't wait for December 17, guys! The last concert that I attended, sadly, was years ago in the city of Mumbai when Coldplay had come down to play for the Global Citizen Festival. I flew down from Delhi, because its not every day that you get to see Chris Martin perform alongside A R Rahman, Jay Z and well the king of Bollywood - Shah Rukh Khan. Safe to say, it was magical. Twitter And while most people who attend concerts do so with a similar hope of experiencing that kind of magic, there have been times when such events turned out to be tragedies instead of the joyful nights one had hoped them to be. Here are the 5 most horrifying concerts where people ended up losing their lives: 1) Astroworld - Nov 5, 2021 As a crowd gathered for Travis Scott at the Astroworld concert in Houston, Texas with over 50,000 people attending, no one would have thought that a dream come true for these fans would soon turn into a nightmare. With thousands of fans pushing each other, a stampede developed when the crowd started pushing people towards the stage. As people began to drown in other people several people started getting crushed as 8 ultimately lost their lives in this stampede while many others suffered serious injuries. 2) Ariana Grande Concert - May 22, 2017 A wave of terror went through people who attended this concert and those who saw the clips from it after Ariana Grandes concert at Britain's Manchester Arena was attacked by a suicide bomber who ended up detonating his vest and killing 22 innocent people. Since the pop stars fan base is primarily of young girls and teenagers, many among the 22 killed with the suicide bombing were young children and women. It was a terrible incident, one that then turned into sheer panic followed by a stampede, resulting in many more severely injured. 3) Love Parade - July 24, 2010 A popular and famous electronic dance music (EDM) festival that was being held in Duisburg, Germany in 2010 was supposed to host 200,000 people but on the day of the concert, was flooded with a whopping 1.4 million fans. It was during the concert when people were trying to pass through the underpass tunnel at the Love Parade that a stampede broke out, as people tripped off stairs, pushed each other and drowned in the crowd. 500 people were injured while 21 lost their lives and all of the autopsies revealed that the common cause of death was crushed ribs and asphyxiation. Love Parade was permanently cancelled after this tragedy. 4) Great White Concert - February 20, 2003 A concert that was being held at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, resulted in killing 100 people after the pyrotechnics were set off by the tour manager of the Great White band. The sparks ignited flammable acoustic foam in the walls and ceilings and within minutes people were looking at a full-blown fire with a room that was now covered with black smoke and hundreds of people trying to run to save their lives. 230 people were injured and 100 killed in that fire, as the tour manager for Great White was sentenced to prison on account of involuntary manslaughter. 5) Mawazine Festival - May 23, 2009 Twitter A nine-day festival that was taking place in Morocco and had several great artists like Stevie Wonder, Kylie Minogue, and Ennio Morricone playing, also ended in a tragedy as a stampede developed on the very last day of the concert. Turns out, several exits were closed and fans were also too eager as they climbed fences and pushed to make way, which ultimately resulted in 11 people dying. DETROIT (AP) The U.S. government's road safety agency has paid more than $24 million to a whistleblower who reported that Hyundai and Kia moved too slowly to recall over 1 million vehicles with engines that could freeze up or catch fire. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the award is the first it has paid to a whistleblower. It's also the maximum percentage allowed by law of penalties paid by the Korean automakers. In November of 2020, the agency announced that Hyundai and Kia would pay $137 million in fines and for safety improvements in an agreement to fix the engine problems. The announcement resolved a three-year government probe into the companies behavior involving recalls of multiple models since the 2011 model year. Hyundai had to pay $54 million in civil penalties and invest $40 million to improve safety operations. Kia, which is affiliated with Hyundai, had to pay $27 million in penalties and invest $16 million on safety performance measures. The penalties from both automakers totaled $81 million. The agency didn't identify the whistleblower in a statement Tuesday announcing the payment. The statement said the automakers inaccurately reported crucial information to NHTSA about serious defects in the engines. By law, the agency is allowed to award 30% of collected penalties to a whistleblower who gives significant information resulting in action that brings penalties of over $1 million. This information is critical to public safety, and we are committed to rewarding those who bring information to us, Deputy NHTSA Administrator Steven Cliff said in the statement. The agency is in the process of drafting regulations for its whistleblower program but is allowed to make awards before the rules are final, the statement said. The U.S. safety agency opened its probe in 2017 after Hyundai recalled about 470,000 vehicles in September of 2015 because debris from manufacturing could restrict oil flow to connecting rod bearings. That could make the bearings wear out and fail, potentially causing the four-cylinder Theta II engines to stall or catch fire. The repair was an expensive engine block replacement. NHTSA said in investigation documents that Hyundai limited the recall to engines made before April of 2012, saying it solved the manufacturing problem after that. In addition, Kia didnt recall its cars and SUVs with the same 2.4-liter and 2-liter Theta II engines, contending they were made on a different assembly line at a plant in Alabama. But 18 months after the 2015 recall, both automakers announced recalls of 1.2 million more vehicles for the same problem, including models the automakers originally said werent affected, NHTSA said when it opened the investigation. In a statement Tuesday, Hyundai said it takes safety seriously and is fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. The company said in 2019 it added a chief safety officer in North America who is responsible for enforcing high safety standards. A message was left seeking comment from Kia, which last year denied the government's allegations but said it wanted to avoid a protracted legal fight. Engine failure and fire problems with Hyundais and Kias have plagued the companies for more than five years, affecting the owners of more than 8 million vehicles. PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) A 79-year-old former priest has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing teens more than 40 years ago when he worked at churches in suburban Detroit. Gary Berthiaume entered pleas Monday in Oakland County Circuit Court to two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to the Michigan Attorney Generals office. Four Akron-Fairgrove students and a bus driver were injured as a result of a two-vehicle crash Nov. 8. According to a release from the Tuscola County Sheriff's Office, a bus was transporting students from Akron-Fairgrove Schools to the Tech Center in Caro when the collision occurred. "The bus was traveling east on Biebel Road near Colling when it was struck by a southbound vehicle," the release read. A 38-year-old Fairgrove woman was traveling southbound in a 2015 Chevrolet Trax and had stopped at the intersection. However, the vehicle then reportedly then continued into the intersection and struck the bus. The bus driver, a 35-year-old female from Reese, lost control of the bus due to a broken axle, causing the bus to overturn in a ditch. Four students were transported to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The bus driver was also transported for treatment. The driver of the Trax refused treatment, according to the release. Deputies were assisted on scene by the Caro Police Department, Caro Fire Department, MMR and ACW Ambulance. The accident is still under investigation and information is subject to change, according to the release. The Harbor Beach board of education received a number of updates during their monthly meeting last week. The board discussed the resignation of guidance counselor Byron Williams. Superintendent Shawn Bishop told the board Williams leaving had nothing to do with his dislike of Harbor Beach, but rather he felt he had a higher calling he needed to address. It will be incredibly difficult to replace him, Bishop said, nothing that Williams was tremendously liked by supervisors, staff and students. Williams resignation was accepted, with regret, by the board. While discussing new business, the board accepted Neola Policy updates presented to the district through its legal consult. Among numerous other things, the update discussed Grant 31-0. Through this grant, the state of Michigan Grant helps pay for new school counselors and social workers. Before ending their conversation, Bishop told the board the district would be posting the position for Williams job and it would investigate receiving grant monies. He also explained the shortage of personnel for that position and the possible difficulty it will be to replace him. The board went on to discuss non-union hourly rates. This included administrative/supervisor and other non-union salaried contract renewals. Bishop noted that raises had not been given for a couple years and the issue needed to be addressed. Before ending the discussion, the board approved various raises to various non-union personnel. During his elementary report, Principal Matt Quintano stated there were 187 students in K-5, which is one student less than last month. Pre-K had 36 students, unchanged in the last month. He told the board that 85% of parents attended the recent parent-teacher conferences. Quintano went on to say the Pre-K to fifth grade students were able to parade through the school showing off their Halloween costumes last week. They were able to do the Cha Cha Slide in the cafeteria and everyone had a great time. In addition, the PBIS reward party was also a great success. This included a hayride to North Park, where the students had cider and donuts. The hayride was sponsored by the Klaska family and the donuts were made by Sandmans Grocery Store. In his monthly report, Harbor Beach Middle School/High School Principal Aaron Bulgrien said there were 215 students in the high school (unchanged since last months report) and 100 in middle school (down three students from last month). Under the topic of professional development, Bulgrien said that staff member David Roggenbuck recently attended Computer Science for All course. Middle school teacher Lindsey Talaski attended a peer-to-peer mentoring training as well as yearbook training. He gave the board an update on vape detectors. He recently attended an informative meeting at the ISD. I dont think we have a vape problem, Bulgrien said. I do think it is a growing trend. To date, he has found only one student vaping on school property. Before ending his conversation, the principal gave information on upcoming events and significant dates. Friday, Nov. 5, was the end of the marking period. There will be no school on Monday, Nov. 15. Staff will have a professional learning community that day with national Advisor Brian Stack. There will be no school during the Thanksgiving break, Nov. 25-26, and the high school and middle school band and choir concert will be Dec. 1, 2021 at 7 p.m. During the superintendents update, Bishop discussed a board training in January 2022. He and the board discussed making specialized holiday gifts for each of the districts teachers/staff. They are looking into creating and decorated containers filled with either candy or hot chocolate. He ended his report by saying the annual veterans breakfast will take place on Thursday, Nov. 11, in the cafeteria. He expects between 60 and 70 local veterans to attend. The next Harbor Beach Board of Education Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 17. It will be held in the high school library and will begin at 7 p.m. Daniel Grill/Getty Images On Monday, Grand Rapids-based grocery chain Meijer announced that the Meijer Simply Give program is set to fund up to 10 million meals between now and Thanksgiving thanks to customers. The retailer has launched its longest-ever Double Match period, Nov. 7 to 25, meaning all Simply Give donation cards purchased those days will be effectively tripled by Meijer, up to 10 million meals or $1 million. "We're pleased to help our customers stretch their hunger relief efforts even further by extending our Double Match period through Thanksgiving. After facing the challenges of last year's holiday season, we have a lot to be grateful for this year," Cathy Cooper, senior director of Community Partnerships and Giving for Meijer, said in a statement. "But for so many families, the challenge of food insecurity remains as the ongoing pandemic and its resulting economic burdens fall largely on our community's most vulnerable members." The Veterans of Foreign Wars Chemical City Post #3651 in Midland invites the citizens of Midland County to participate in a 30-minute Veterans Day ceremony at the Midland County Veterans Memorial on the grounds of the Courthouse at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11. This event recognizes all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who have served our country with dignity and honor. Veterans Day symbolizes the World War I Armistice, which came at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. As a result, Veterans Day is recognized on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. each year. The keynote speaker will be Iraq War veteran U.S. Army Colonel (Retired) Rhoda K. Daniel. She enlisted into the Regular Army in July 1985 as Private Rhoda K. Warren, as a 63C truck driver. After her enlistment, she joined the Michigan Army National Guard, went to Eastern Michigan University and became a commissioned officer through the Officer Candidacy School Program at the Michigan Military Academy. She has served a total of 34 years in the Regular Army, Army National Guard, and the U.S. Army Reserves, holding leadership assignments from Platoon to Brigade. BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) The morgue in Romania's main hospital has no space for the dead any more. In a stark illustration of the human cost of the coronavirus surge sweeping the nation, bodies of COVID-19 victims, wrapped in black plastic bags, line a hallway of the hospital in the capital, Bucharest. Hundreds of people have been dying each day for the past two months in Romania which has been among the hardest-hit in the current virus onslaught raging through Central and Eastern European nations, where far fewer people have been vaccinated than in Western Europe. A country of 19 million people, Romania currently has among the highest death rates in Europe. Last month the World Health Organization sent a team to help with the nation's pandemic response. Frustrated and overworked, Romania's doctors have been struggling to cope. A village vanishes daily in Romania! gasped Dr. Catalin Cirstoiu, the head of the Bucharest University Emergency Hospital. What about in a week or a month? A larger village? Or a city? Where do we stop? Experts have blamed the soaring deaths on the low vaccination rate in Romania where about 40% of the population has been fully vaccinated far lower than the European Union's average of 75%. The low rates here and elsewhere in the region are believed to be the result of a general mistrust in the authorities and institutions, education gaps and deeply-rooted anti-vaccination movements, that even include some top doctors. We are exhausted financially ... physically and psychologically, lamented Cirstoiu All of these are caused by one thing at the end of the day: the populations inability to comprehend that they need to get vaccinated. He insisted that had 70% of the population been vaccinated, we wouldnt have had a fourth wave. At the hospital, even an emergency waiting room has been converted into a COVID-19 area, sealed off by a plastic sheet. On the days when admittances run high, newly-arrived patients have been forced to lie on stretchers in the corridors before they can get a bed. On Monday, hospital staff in protective gear rushed through a sprawling ward to attend to the patients, many of whom were lying in their beds with oxygen masks tight on their faces. A woman sitting on her bed rested her head, wrapped in a pink traditional scarf, on her hand. Romania recorded its highest daily death toll of the pandemic on Nov. 2 when 591 COVID-19 fatalities were reported more than 90% of them unvaccinated. Currently, 1,870 COVID-19 patients throughout the country are receiving intensive care treatment, nearly 51,000 people with coronavirus have died since the start of the outbreak. The situation forced the authorities two weeks ago to impose tighter restrictions, making vaccination certificates mandatory for various day-to-day activities, such as going to the gym, the cinema, or a shopping center. Authorities also introduced a nationwide 10 p.m. curfew. As the restrictions took hold, Romania's failed vaccination campaign was visible when schools resumed on Monday after an extended autumn break, with more than 30% of classes forced online because of low vaccination rates at some schools. Cirstoiu blames the low level of vaccination on general mistrust among the public and a lack of meaningful education and clear campaigns explaining the benefits. Cristoiu described the current virus surge as the wave of the unvaccinated. While the latest tightening of rules in Romania has led to a slight drop in daily numbers of infections and deaths officials announced Tuesday that 487 COVID-19 patients died in the previous 24 hours doctors warned they remain overwhelming and unlikely to diminish any time soon. Dr. Maria Sajin, the head of the university clinic's morgue, said while the hospital would normally have an average of 10 fatalities daily, the death toll on Monday reached 26, 14 of whom were COVID-19 patients. Last week, there were 35 deaths in one day, she said. Powerless in the face of surging deaths, the morgue staff were devastated that the victims included people as young as 20 or 25. Cries of the relatives invited to identify the bodies of their loved ones echoed through the corridors as funeral service workers prepared the coffins for burials. Their families dont understand how they got so sick, and the big problem is they also dont understand they need to vaccinate, that there is no medicine, Sajin said. "These are very tough times, nobody understands that vaccines save lives. ____ Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. With the hope of generating revenue and increasing foot traffic, two new ventures for Sanford were proposed during public comment at the villages regular council meeting on Monday. Bonnie Whaley, on behalf of the Billingsley family, discussed the idea of bringing a Phoenix pump track to Sanford, citing three possible locations: West Saginaw at Center Street; Center Street past the ballfield entrance on the other side of the storage building; or next to the Veterans Monument and First Responders Monument in front of Porte Park. The pump track, a mountain bike obstacle course, would be beginner-friendly for smaller children but also challenging enough for adults, Whaley said. The idea is being suggested by JoEllen Billingsley, who couldnt make the meeting. However, her family gave the council a flyer about the track, saying it would be good for the community in many ways. It would offer children and families outdoor adventure. In addition, it would draw people to the community. The track would contain berms and manmade hills. It is estimated to need about an acre of land. The family would like to see it be located near the rail trail. Sanford Village President Dolores Porte said since the item was presented during public comment, the council wouldnt act right away. But having it be brought up gives them time to think about it, their concerns and what their questions will be when the item is formally proposed. Porte said the council can put it on an agenda to discuss further. Some of her questions are about upkeep, financing and finding the best location. She said the thing to do might be to research it more before making it an agenda item. In another public comment, Sue LaBonville encouraged the village to opt into cannabis, noting it could boost village revenue and foot traffic. She herself would like to open a dispensary in Sanford. I would like you to reconsider your opting out status and consider opting in, she said at the meeting, noting that it would be lucrative to the village. She said the state retailers recently collected $1.3 billion from cannabis sales and thus returned $428,000 to local governments. LaBonville said studies found that one in five state residents report using cannabis in the past year, and regulated cannabis generated $169 million in tax and fee revenues in 2020. Yet, the studies noted that an estimated 70% of cannabis sales take place outside of retail stores. LaBonville said by opting into cannabis sales, the village could squeeze out illegal sales. I would really like to bring it to Sanford and kickstart the economy, she told council members. If you build it, they will come. She said the endeavor could bring more people to the restaurants and the hardware store, and possibly bring more businesses in as well. I really have been thinking of how to stimulate the economy since the flood, LaBonville, who lives on what used to be Sanford Lake, said on Tuesday, the day after the meeting. She was happy with how her suggestion was received. No one threw eggs at me, she said Tuesday morning. The nearly lifelong Sanford resident said she wouldnt suggest anything negative for her hometown. She told the council that cannabis is already used in the community, noting that people are driving to other areas that offer it. LaBonville also told the council that many women over 50 are using cannabis for insomnia, pain and other ailments. She said she would like to see it come to downtown Sanford. She is interested in a micro business or a small retail outlet. It would be a win for the community, she said Tuesday. Everyone Ive spoken to women in their 80 to people in their 20s are in agreement. The Anderson Economic Group, which was commissioned by the Michigan Cannabis Manufacturers Association, said the state is home to 400 licensed medical provisioning centers and 300 licensed recreational retailers. Its important for us to look at this while (LaBonville) is applying for this (license), Porte said at the meeting. It would be a small grow under one roof, Porte said. We would have a lot of control if we opt in. On Tuesday, Porte said the idea of cannabis easing insomnia and pain for people is an appealing aspect for her in trying to make a decision. She said the next step is for LaBonville to apply for a change in zoning for the council to revisit opting into cannabis. In other business, Porte said the wood at Village Park is expected to be moved out by the end of the month. People have been asking about buying it or taking it. She said its not available for either. It is expected to be chipped down and used for a neighboring area project. HOUSTON (AP) Emergency plans for the Astroworld music festival did not include protocols for dangerous crowd surges like the one that unfolded during a rush to see headliner Travis Scott, which left eight people dead and injured hundreds of others, including a 9-year-old boy whose family said was still in a coma on Tuesday. The concert area in Houston where a crush of fans had pressed forward during the rapper's Friday night performance remains largely in place as authorities continue a criminal investigation. More than 20 lawsuits have already been filed, accusing organizers of failing to take simple crowd-control steps or staff properly. Houston police, along with the fire department, played a key role in safety measures at the sold-out show that drew 50,000 people. The union head of the Houston Fire Department pushed back Tuesday, saying firefighters did not have a presence inside the festival and were not given radios to communicate directly with organizers. Hundreds of people were treated for injuries on-site and at least 13 were hospitalized. They included a 9-year-old boy who attended the festival with his father but became separated as the crowd became dangerously packed, according to family members. Bernon Blount said his grandson, Ezra, was in a medically induced coma at a Houston hospital and that the boy's heart, lungs and brain were injured in the melee. My son, once he had passed out from the pressure being applied to him during the concert, he passed out and Ezra fell into the crowd, Blount told The Associated Press. When my son awakened, Ezra wasnt there. A 56-page event operations plan for the Astroworld music festival included protocols for dangerous scenarios including an active shooter, bomb or terrorist threats, and severe weather. But it did not include information on what to do in the event of a crowd surge. In any situation where large groups of people are gathering, there is the potential for a civil disturbance/riot that can present a grave risk to the safety and security of employees and guests, the plan said. The key in properly dealing with this type of scenario is proper management of the crowd from the minute the doors open. Crowd management techniques will be employed to identify potentially dangerous crowd behavior in its early stages in an effort to prevent a civil disturbance/riot. Experts say crowd surge deaths happen because people are packed into a space so tightly that they are being squeezed and cant get oxygen. Its not usually because theyre being trampled. Authorities have said part of their investigation will include reviewing whether the concert promoter and others behind the festival adhered to the plans submitted. Marty Lancton, president of the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, said firefighters had asked festival organizers for a radio so they could be in direct contact with each other. Lancton said firefighters were given a list of cellphone numbers to call during an emergency. We dont use cellphones for emergencies. We use radios. We need direct contact because as situations unfold, seconds matter, Lancton said. He said a group of four firefighters were stationed inside a mobile command van in a nearby parking lot starting at 7 a.m. on Friday. Without direct communication with the festival organizers, the firefighters inside the van monitored six different radio frequencies to keep tabs on what was going on, he said. Festival organizers had contracted with New York-based ParaDocs to handle all medical services at the festival. A 22-page plan the company submitted to local officials ahead of the festival said it estimated 70,000 attendees more than the actual number of concertgoers and planned for a daily staff of more than 80 emergency medics, doctors, registered nurses and supervisors. ParaDocs said in a statement Tuesday the company had been prepared for the size of the venue and the expected audience with a trained team of medics and EMT" and that it was cooperating with investigators. Houston police and fire department investigators have said they are reviewing surveillance video provided by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show that were widely shared on social media. Scott, who founded the Astroworld festival, said he would cover funeral costs for the victims. The dead ranged in age from 14 to 27 and came from Texas, Illinois and Washington state, according to Harris County authorities. They included high schoolers, an aspiring Border Patrol agent and a computer science student. Astroworlds event operations and emergency medical response protocols filed with Harris County and obtained by the AP states the potential for multiple alcohol/drug related incidents, possible evacuation needs, and the ever-present threat of a mass casualty situation are identified as key concerns. The festival was held on a parking lot that is part of NRG Park, a complex that consists of stadiums, an arena and a convention center. Attorneys representing those injured or killed during the festival were granted access to the events grounds on Tuesday to inspect and photograph the site. Ryan MacLeod, who is representing several people hurt during the concert, said the area around where Scott had his concert seemed to have no place for people to exit once they went in. There is a long history of similar catastrophes at concerts, as well as sporting and religious events. In 1979, 11 people were killed as thousands of fans tried to get into Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum to see a concert by The Who. Other crowd catastrophes include the deaths of 97 people at a soccer match in Hillsborough Stadium in 1989 in Sheffield, England, and numerous disasters connected with the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. ___ Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle in Houston; Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas; Jake Bleiberg in Dallas; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware and Kristin M. Hall in Nashville contributed to this report. Sarah J. Bird / Contributed photo CROMWELL State Rep. Christie Carpino, D-Cromwell, cut the ribbon for the Holiday Village at ReStore, a pop-up shop at the Middlesex Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 34 Shunpike Road. Carpino cut the ribbon at a special Shop and Sip Preview Night Nov. 2, which featured refreshments, music and a swag bag for guests who purchased tickets to the event, according to a press release. GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) The Democratic congressional delegation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has led to the U.N. climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, carries the Biden administration's message: America is back on the global climate stage. But one member of the delegation, Congress's most prominent climate activist, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, added a caveat Tuesday: the U.S. still has to back up its words with action. We have to actually deliver the action to get the respect for it internationally, to get the credit," Ocasio-Cortez told reporters Tuesday at a panel on the summit with other young Democrats who swept into Congress in 2018 on platforms emphasizing far bigger U.S. efforts on climate. Ocasio-Cortez was answering a question about whether the United States had regained its standing globally in the fight against climate change. Former President Donald Trump pulled the U.S. out of the 2015 Paris climate accord. President Joe Biden rejoined the global accord this year as one of his first acts in office. But Biden so far has been unable to get his biggest climate initiative, $555 billion in climate legislation that would drive down U.S. emissions from climate-wrecking fossil fuels, passed by Congress. We have to draw down emissions to get credit for being committed on climate change. It's really that simple," Ocasio-Cortez said. Pelosi came at the midpoint of the climate talks in Glasgow. She is leading a sizable Democratic House delegation with 21 other lawmakers, including five House committee chairs. Pelosi's is one of several congressional delegations that have turned up at the climate talks. That includes both mixed Democratic and Republican delegations, and all-Republican groups that are former strangers to climate summits who reject the Trump administration's climate denial and want to curb global warming but on low-regulation terms. Biden adopted the phrase America is back as he jumped back into global efforts to stave off a full-on climate crisis, reviving international alliances and negotiations that Trump turned his back on. Democratic lawmakers used Biden's slogan frequently Tuesday. But Biden has the slimmest of Democratic majorities in the U.S. Senate. That has allowed two holdout Democratic senators to block legislation that includes what would be the United States' biggest-ever investment in cleaner energy. The congressional holdouts left Pelosi having to brag about Biden's crucial climate efforts only in the future tense. Our congressional delegation comes here fresh from advancing ... the most ambitious and consequential climate legislation, Pelosi told reporters at a different news conference Tuesday at the summit. Pelosi noted that moves by the Biden administration to cut U.S. emissions of methane a potent agent of climate damage that leaks from natural gas facilities, oilfields, farms and landfills has helped spur more than 100 nations to join a nonbinding methane pledge. It's one of several climate initiatives that Biden is pursuing that don't require a vote in Congress, but that can be overturned by future administrations. Ocasio-Cortez credited Biden with waging a high-stakes fight to get the climate legislation through Congress but urged that future U.S. climate action include grassroots advocates, benefit working people and marginal communities, and create jobs, she said. We're not just back. We are different, Ocasio-Cortez said. She also had a message to young activists who have pressed governments to cut climate-damaging fossil fuel pollution: "I would say, Stay in the streets. Keep pushing. ___ Follow all AP stories on climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. BERLIN (AP) German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Tuesday marked the 83rd anniversary of the anti-Jewish pogrom that was labeled Kristallnacht the Night of Broken Glass when Nazis, among them many ordinary Germans, terrorized Jews throughout Germany and Austria. In a speech in Berlin, Steinmeier talked about Nov. 9, 1938, when the Nazis killed at least 91 people, vandalized around 7,500 Jewish businesses and burned more than 1,400 synagogues. The president also pointed out that other significant events also happened on Nov. 9: in 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell, sending East Germans flooding west and setting in motion events that soon led to the countrys reunification. And in 1918, when Social Democrat Philipp Scheidemann proclaimed Germany a republic at the end of World War I. Nov. 9 is an ambivalent day, a bright and a dark day, Steinmeier said. It makes our hearts pound and brings tears to our eyes. It makes us hope for the good that is in our country, and it makes us despair in the face of its abysses. Perhaps that is why Nov. 9 is a very German day, a day that provides information about our country like hardly any other. In my eyes, Nov. 9 is the German day par excellence, he added. Nov. 9, 1938, is also remembered in Austria. On Tuesday afternoon, the country was set to inaugurate a Wall of Memories in Vienna with the names of 64,000 Austrian Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. In both Austria and Germany, projections were planned in the evening of synagogues in 18 cities that were destroyed or damaged by the Nazis. The head of Germany's Central Council of Jews, which organizes the virtual reconstructions together with the World Jewish Congress, warned that knowledge of the Kristallnacht events is declining. The pogrom of 1938, which at the time did not provoke widespread protests by citizens, should always be remembered in Germany as a warning, Josef Schuster demanded. GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) At 19, Glasgow college student Ross Hamilton doesn't think highly of world leaders they chat a lot of nonsense or expect them to accomplish anything on a problem he cares deeply about, climate change. But there is one former world leader Hamilton trusts, at least enough to join several hundred Glasgow college students crowding outside their college in the dark Monday in hopes of a glimpse of him: Barack Obama. I've always liked him. I feel as if he's pretty honest." The former U.S. president, one of the leaders responsible for the 2015 Paris climate accord, came to the U.N. global climate talks in Glasgow, wielding his cross-generational appeal to urge frustrated climate activists to stay in the fight. Even five years out of office, and now 60, Obama still claims a rapport with liberal and moderate young people in a way that President Joe Biden, 78, might not be able to pull off. Inside the glass-fronted building where Hamilton and other students of Glasgow's Strathclyde University were waiting for him to emerge, Obama was sitting around a table with a dozen climate advocates from around the world, hearing them out and encouraging them. Obama was in shirtsleeves and tieless, his hair whiter than during his presidency. The success of the movement shouldn't be diminished even if some of the outcomes have fallen short, Obama told the gathering of climate-focused people in their 20s and 30s. They included a lawmaker, a filmmaker, legal advocate, private and public businesspeople, foundation leaders and heads of activist groups. The question is, where are the countries that really met our expectations? And it turns out those are the places where there was pressure, where there was political mobilization, where there were activists, Obama told them. It's all "going to depend on you guys to apply it," he added. Obama as president introduced programs to move the U.S. more toward renewable fuel and away from coal, although President Donald Trump rolled back most of them. Not all younger people are Obama fans. Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate tweeted Monday that she was 13 when the United States, under Obama's leadership, was among rich nations promising $100 billion a year to poor countries to help them fight and cope with warming, but said those nations broke the promise. Nakate told The Associated Press on Monday that she wasnt attacking the former president, but that is me speaking the truth. This money was promised, but it hasnt been delivered, Nakate said. Especially in Europe, young activists are credited with pressuring governments to confront climate change. Most famously, teenager Greta Thunberg in 2018 launched a climate movement that has since drawn hundreds of thousands to weekly protests to demand governments end their dependence on coal, natural gas and oil. After the Paris deal, Glasgow was billed as the talks where roughly 200 governments would put the accord into action. Last Friday, Thunberg, now 18, branded the talks a failure after their first of two weeks. Speaking to tens of thousands of young climate demonstrators protesting Friday in the summit's host city, Thunberg said national delegations at Glasgow were carving out loopholes for every pledge and greenwashing their own countries' emissions. Young people were finding it hard to believe a climate movement that had mobilized so many could fail, Luisa Neubauer, a leader of Thunberg's movement in Germany, told Obama. Neubauer told Obama she feared disillusionment was undermining peoples' faith in democracy, as people, especially activists, lose confidence in their governmental pledges, in what often turns out empty promises, in the lack of honesty about past failures." Stay the course, Obama told climate activists. Dont think that you can ignore politics, Obama said earlier, in a speech at the talks site that saw the former president draw short standing ovations. You dont have to be happy about it, but you cant ignore it. You can't be too pure for it, Obama said, devoting much of his speech to the young activists he said he came to Glasgow to be with it. Its part of the process that is going to deliver all of us, he said. ___ Associated Press writer Aniruddha Ghosal contributed to this report. MIDDLETOWN A fifth individual has been arrested in connection with the May shooting that killed one person and wounded another, according to police. Tylon Hardy, 25, was killed in a May 16 shooting in the area of Highlands Crescent and Stirling Court. On Nov. 4, police arrested an individual who was 17 at the time of the shooting on a warrant charging him with criminal attempt to commit first-degree assault, first-degree reckless endangerment, unlawful discharge of a firearm and carrying a gun without a permit. The teen was taken to a juvenile detention facility and later released after posting bond. This marks the fifth arrest in the case. Matthew OBanner, 20, of Stirling Court, was hiding in New Jersey while wanted in connection with Hardys homicide, police said. Middletown detectives worked with the U.S. Marshals Service to locate him. Law enforcement officers extradited OBanner from New Jersey to Connecticut. He was arraigned on Aug. 24 and is being held on a $2 million bond. OBanners mother, 54-year-old Michelle Sanders, also of Stirling Court, was charged with hindering the investigation, tampering with evidence, interfering with officers and other offenses related to Hardys homicide, police said. She was taken into custody on Aug. 9 and was held on a $250,000 bond. Alexandra Vazquez, OBanners 21-year-old girlfriend, who also lives on Stirling Court, was taken into custody on Aug. 25 for allegedly interfering with the investigation into Hardys homicide, police said. She was held on a $100,000 bond. Nahkyn Durazzo, 21, who police said was present and involved in the shooting that led to Hardys death, was taken into custody on June 3 by Middletown detectives and adult probation officers on a violation of probation offense. Durazzo was held on a $75,000 bond. PHOENIX (AP) Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar was facing criticism after he tweeted a video that included altered animation showing him striking Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez with a sword. In a tweet Monday night, Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., referred to Gosar as a creepy member I work with and said he shared a fantasy video of him killing me. She added that Gosar would face no consequences because Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy cheers him on with excuses. She also said that institutions dont protect women of color. Elaborating on her tweet, Ocasio-Cortez told reporters at the climate conference in Scotland that it's common for women of color to be ignored when sounding alarms about very disturbing behaviors, patterns, etcetera. And that dynamic is also reflected in the United States Congress, she said. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted Tuesday from the climate conference, where she's leading a congressional delegation that includes Ocasio-Cortez, that: Threats of violence against Members of Congress and the President of the United States must not be tolerated. She called on McCarthy to condemn this horrific video and call on the Ethics Committee and law enforcement to investigate. Spokespersons for McCarthy did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Pelosis tweet. A fellow House Democrat, Ted Lieu of California, referred to Gosars tweet as sick behavior and said in a tweet of his own: In any workplace in America, if a coworker made an anime video killing another coworker, that person would be fired. Gosar, a Republican, posted the video Sunday afternoon with a note saying: Any anime fans out there? Late Tuesday, he issued a statement saying the video wasn't meant to depict harm or violence, calling it instead a symbolic portrayal of a fight over immigration policy. The roughly 90-second video is an altered version of a Japanese anime series, interspersed with shots of Border Patrol officers and migrants at the southern U.S. border. During one roughly 10-second section of the video, animated characters whose faces have been replaced with Gosar and fellow Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Lauren Boebert of Colorado are seen fighting other animated characters. In one scene, Gosar's character is seen striking the one made to look like Ocasio-Cortez in the neck with a sword. Twitter later attached a warning to the tweet saying it violated the Twitter Rules about hateful conduct. However, Twitter has determined that it may be in the publics interest for the Tweet to remain accessible. Gosar is known as an ardent ally of former President Donald Trump. He was among the lawmakers whose phone or computer records a House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection asked social media and telecommunications companies to preserve as they were potentially involved with efforts to challenge, delay or interfere with the certification or otherwise try to overturn the results of the 2020 election. BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Police officers in Serbia's capital were deployed Tuesday to a large wall painting of convicted Bosnian Serb wartime commander Ratko Mladic that activists wanted to paint over. Police in Belgrade, citing the need to prevent possible clashes between the activists and right-wing nationalists who consider the Serb general a hero, had banned the activists from holding a gathering by the mural to mark the International Day Against Fascism and Antisemitism. WASHINGTON (AP) The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum says it has compiled evidence of increasing government repression against Uyghur Muslims in Chinas western Xinjiang region. In a new report released Tuesday, the museums Center for the Prevention of Genocide says there is now a reasonable basis to believe that previously alleged crimes against humanity versus the Uyghurs are growing amid a concerted campaign to hide their severity. The Chinese government has done its best to keep information about crimes against the Uyghurs from seeing the light of day," said Tom Bernstein, the chairman of the museums Committee on Conscience. "The Chinese government must halt its attacks on the Uyghur people and allow independent international monitors to investigate and ensure that the crimes have stopped. China has repeatedly rejected charges of human rights abuses and atrocities in the region. The report, which cites witness testimony, publicly available information from dissidents and accounts provided by human rights groups, expands on the museums March 2020 findings that the Chinese Communist Party had persecuted, unlawfully imprisoned and otherwise severely deprived Uyghurs of their physical liberty. The new findings include allegations of forced sterilization, sexual violence, enslavement, torture and forcible transfer. The U.S. government has already determined that Chinas actions against Xinjiangs Uyghur Muslim and other minority populations amount to genocide. "The Chinese governments assault on the Uyghur community marked by the incarceration of between one and three million people as well as abuses such as forced sterilization, torture, sexual violence, and forced labor is alarming in scale and severity, said Naomi Kikoler, director of the museums Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide. The damage inflicted upon Uyghur individuals, families, and their community has left deep physical and emotional scars. The trauma from these atrocities will harm generations of Uyghurs. Kikoler said the 59-page report, To Make Us Slowly Disappear: The Chinese Governments Assault on the Uyghurs," should serve as a wake-up call for the international community to boost pressure on Beijing to halt the repression in Xinjiang. China has said that allegations of rights abuses are lies. Just last month, Chinas U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun attacked a statement signed by 43 countries condemning the reported torture and repression of Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, where foreign governments and researchers say an estimated 1 million people or more have been confined in camps. Zhang denounced the groundless accusations and unfounded lies and accused the United States and other signatories of poisoning the atmosphere of cooperation and using human rights as a pretext for political maneuvering to provoke confrontation. Echoing the Chinese government's long-standing position, he strongly defended Beijing's efforts to develop Xinjiang, saying the lives of its people are getting better by the day and your plot to obstruct Chinas development is doomed to failure. The Associated Press reported in October that Chinas control of Xinjiang had entered a new era in the four years since Beijing launched the brutal crackdown that swept up to a million or more Uyghurs and other mostly Muslim minorities into detention camps and prisons. Chinese authorities have scaled back many of the most draconian and visible aspects of the regions high-tech police state, including razor wire that once ringed public buildings, the AP reported after two visits to Xinjiang. WASHINGTON (AP) Vice President Kamala Harris is pitching in on the White House charm offensive aimed at French President Emmanuel Macron. The vice president arrives in Paris on Tuesday for a four-day visit, the latest move in a concerted effort by the Biden administration to shore up the U.S. relationship with Americas oldest ally. Washington's relations with Paris hit a historic low this year after a U.S.-British submarine deal with Australia scuttled a French deal with the Australians. Harris will sit down with Macron on Wednesday at the Elysee Palace for talks that are expected to focus on ways the two nations can better coordinate efforts in the Indo-Pacific and other issues impacting the relationship. The high-level meeting comes less than two weeks after President Joe Biden met Macron on the margins of the Group of 20 summit in Rome and acknowledged that his administration had handled the submarine deal in a clumsy way. The U.S. and Britain's agreement to provide Australia with submarine technology has been framed as opportunity for the U.S. to bolster a key Pacific allys naval capacity as the Biden administration has become increasingly concerned about Chinas military aggressiveness in the region. But France was livid, saying it was kept in the dark about the deal and its interests were ignored despite having territories in the Indo-Pacific with 2 million people and 7,000 troops. The French also complained that the episode undercut Bidens message that he would stabilize and strengthen the trans-Atlantic alliance after four years of President Donald Trumps America first approach to foreign policy. France even briefly withdrew its ambassador from the U.S. in protest, the first time it had done so in some 250 years of diplomatic relations between the nations. The alliance between the United States and France is Americas oldest, and among our strongest, Harris said in statement about her trip. I look forward to discussing with President Macron our work together on the most urgent challenges of our time including the climate crisis, the global health crisis, and regional security concerns. Harris said she and Macron would also discuss new opportunities for collaboration in the area of space. On Tuesday, Harris is to tour the renowned Institut Pasteur. Harris mother, who was a scientist, collaborated with the institute's scientists on breast cancer research in the 1980s. Harris will deliver a speech on Thursday at the annual Paris Peace Forum and participate the following day in the Paris Conference on Libya. She will be joined by her husband, Douglas Emhoff, for the visit. The vice president is looking to pick up where Biden left off in Rome in efforts to make clear that that he sees the relationship with France as critical to the U.S. To that end, she and Emhoff will visit Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial just outside Paris. The 7.5-acre (3 hectare) cemetery contains the remains of 1,559 Americans who died in World War I and 23 unknown dead of World War II. Harris will also participate in a ceremony to mark Armistice Day, the French commemoration of the end of World War I. Thursday is also Veterans Day in the United States. Venice, FL (34285) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 68F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph. Pfizer asked U.S. regulators Tuesday to allow boosters of its COVID-19 vaccine for anyone 18 or older, a step that comes amid concern about increased spread of the coronavirus with holiday travel and gatherings. Older Americans and other groups particularly vulnerable to the virus have had access to a third dose of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine since September. But the Food and Drug Administration has said it would move quickly to expand boosters to younger ages if warranted. Pfizer is submitting early results of a booster study in 10,000 people to make its case that its time to further expand the booster campaign. While all three vaccines used in the U.S. continue to offer strong protection against severe COVID-19 illness and death, the shots effectiveness against milder infection can wane over time. Pfizers new study concluded a booster could restore protection against symptomatic infection to about 95%, even as the extra-contagious delta variant was surging. Side effects were similar to those seen with the companys first two shots. A median of 11 months after their last Pfizer vaccination, trial participants were given either a third dose or a dummy shot. Researchers tracked any infections that occurred at least a week later, and so far have counted five cases of symptomatic COVID-19 among booster recipients compared to 109 cases among people who got dummy shots. The Biden administration had originally envisioned boosters for all adults, but faced a stinging setback in September when the FDAs scientific advisers rejected extra Pfizer doses for everyone. The panel wasnt convinced that young healthy people needed another dose, particularly when most of the worlds population remains unvaccinated, and instead recommended boosters just for certain groups one of a series of decisions about extra doses for all of the three vaccines used in the U.S. The current rules: People who initially received Pfizer or Moderna vaccinations are eligible for a booster six months later if theyre 65 or older, or are at high risk of COVID-19 because of health problems or their job or living conditions. Because the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine hasnt proven as effective as its two-dose competitors, any J&J recipient can get a booster at least two months later. Also, anyone eligible for a booster doesnt have to stick with their initial vaccination type and can get a different companys vaccine, whats called mixing and matching. About 194 million Americans are fully vaccinated. Under today's policies, authorities already estimated about 2 of every 3 vaccinated adults could qualify for a booster within the next few months. Many who don't meet the criteria often score an extra shot because many vaccine providers don't check qualifications. FDA spokeswoman Alison Hunt said the agency would review Pfizers application as expeditiously as possible, but would not set a timeline for a decision. She also said the FDA hasnt yet decided whether to convene its panel of outside experts to vet the data. If the FDA authorizes Pfizer's request for expanded boosters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then will make recommendations for how to use them. Globally, boosters also are a hodge-podge. Some countries restrict them to older or medically fragile people while others have few restrictions. Israel, for example, has allowed Pfizer boosters for anyone 12 and older. Canada's health regulator on Tuesday authorized Pfizer boosters for people 18 and older. ___ AP Health Writer Matthew Perrone contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Connecticut is seeing a small uptick in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, but Gov. Ned Lamont said Tuesday he was confident the state would not see the same surge as last year. The state reported on Tuesday a daily positivity rate of 3.23 percent for new COVID tests, the highest in about six weeks, according to Lamont. Hospitalizations increased by 25 patients for a total of 232, the highest since mid-October. Lamont acknowledged Tuesday that the metrics have been creeping up over the past week. We just watch it. Thats all. Be careful, Lamont said. Last November, cases and hospitalizations started to rapidly climb, reaching pandemic highs in December. However, Lamont said he does not anticipate the state will see such a dramatic rise this year. Im sure we are going to be much less impacted than we were a year ago, but still watch it, Lamont said. Some health experts have cautioned that cases could rise in the fall, as cold weather descends and people gather indoors. Health experts have urged everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated going into the fall to stem the spread of the virus. As of Monday, about 83 percent of Connecticuts adult population was fully vaccinated. Nearly two months after federal regulators approved Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shots with limited eligibility, the drugmaker is now seeking a broader authorization. Pfizer announced Tuesday it has asked the Food and Drug Administration to expand authorization to allow everyone age 18 and older to get a booster shot. It is anticipated that the FDA will approve the wider eligibility, the Washington Post reported. Booster shots from Pfizer-BioNTech are now limited to people 65 and older, those with certain medical conditions and people living or working in settings that put them at greater risk. An eligible person cannot receive a booster until six months after they received the initial two doses of the vaccine. Pfizer had sought a broader authorization for the booster shot in August, but federal regulators agreed on the more narrow eligibility. Pfizer said the booster dose elicited a stronger immune response against COVID-19 during a clinical trial. However, some experts have argued boosters are not yet necessary since the latest research shows the initial two doses offer strong immunity. The news of Pfizers anticipated plans comes amid a sharp rise in the number of doses administered weekly in Connecticut, driven largely by the availability of boosters from all three manufacturers. As of Monday, 15 percent of Connecticuts adult population had received a booster, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the past week, more than 87,000 booster doses have been administered in Connecticut, nearly half of which were Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Dr Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist for Hartford HealthCare, said any increase in vaccine availability helps toward the goal of decreasing the number of infections. The more the better, not only because it protects the individual, it helps prevent transmission as well, Wu said. But like any potential expansion in eligibility, the question, he said, is whether it is safe to do so. The one question right now, is it safe? It seems to be safe, it seems to be very safe, Wu said. Because it is safe, expanding it to any age population would increase our immunized population. Figures from the CDC show that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the first to receive federal authorization, was the most widely used. CDC data shows that 54 percent of the nearly 6.4 million doses administered in Connecticut since last December have been Pfizer-BioNTech. Its use will grow even more in the coming weeks, given that it received approval last week for use on children ages 5 to 11. Vaccine providers have already started taking appointments and scheduling clinics to inoculate this group, estimated to be about 278,000 residents. KYIV, Ukraine (AP) An American who faces criminal charges from the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is seeking asylum in Belarus, the country's state TV reported, in a move that could further heighten tensions between the turbulent former Soviet nation and the United States. Evan Neumann of Mill Valley, California, acknowledged in an interview with the Belarus 1 channel that he was at the Capitol that day but rejected the charges, which include assaulting police, obstruction and other offenses. The channel aired excerpts of the interview on Sunday and Monday, and promised to release the full version on Wednesday. I don't think I have committed some kind of a crime, said Neumann, 48, according to a Belarus 1 voiceover of his interview remarks. One of the charges was very offensive; it alleges that I hit a police officer. It doesn't have any grounds to it." Neumann spoke in English but was barely audible under the dubbed Russian. Both Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin have used the Jan. 6 riot as a way to accuse the U.S. of a double standard in criticizing other countries, including Russia and Belarus, for cracking down on antigovernment protests Belarus was rocked by months of protests after election officials gave Lukashenko a sixth term in the 2020 balloting that the opposition and the West have denounced as a sham. The government unleashed a violent crackdown on the protesters, arresting more than 35,000 people and badly beating thousands of them. The crackdown elicited widespread international outrage. Putin likewise has come under criticism from the West over the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the detention of thousands of demonstrators protesting his arrest, and the outlawing of Navalnys organizations as extremist. In an interview with NBC in June, Putin suggested that the hundreds of people arrested for rioting at the U.S. Capitol were being subjected to persecution for political opinions. U.S. court documents state that Neumann stood at the front of a police barricade wearing a red Make America Great Again hat as supporters of President Donald Trump tried to force past officers. Prosecutors say Neumann taunted and screamed at the police before putting a gas mask over his face and threatened one officer, saying police would be overrun by the crowd. Im willing to die, are you? prosecutors quoted Neumann saying to the officer. Police body camera footage shows Neumann and others shoving a metal barricade into a line of officers who were trying to push the crowd back before he punched two officers with his fist and then hit them with the barricade, according to court papers. Neumann was identified by investigators after someone who said they were a family friend called an FBI tip line with Neumanns name and hometown. He was charged in a U.S. federal criminal complaint, meaning a judge agreed that investigators presented sufficient probable cause that Neumann had committed the crimes. Messages left for family members of Neumann in Northern California were not returned Tuesday. Neumann is one of more than 650 people who have been charged for their actions on Jan. 6, when pro-Trump rioters attacked the Capitol building and delayed Congress certification of Joe Bidens Electoral College victory. Neumann told Belarus 1 that his photo had been added to the FBI's most wanted list, after which he left the country under the pretense of a business trip. Neuman, who owns a handbag manufacturing business, traveled to Italy in March, and then through Switzerland, Germany and Poland before arriving in Ukraine and spent several months there. He said he decided to illegally cross into neighboring Belarus after he noticed surveillance by Ukraine's security forces. It is awful. It is political persecution, Neumann told the TV channel. Belarusian border guards detained him when he tried to cross into the country in mid-August, and he requested asylum in Belarus. Belarus doesnt have an extradition treaty with the U.S. Weve seen Belarusian state media reporting about this individual Evan Newman, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington. Due to U.S. privacy laws, were limited in what we can say about individual U.S. citizens," he added, and referred questions to the Justice Department, which said it doesn't comment "on the existence or nonexistence of requests for apprehension to foreign governments. The Belarus 1 anchors described Neumann as a simple American, whose stores were burned down by members of the Black Lives Matter movement, who was seeking justice, asking inconvenient questions, but lost almost everything and is being persecuted by the U.S. government. In a short preface to the interview, the Belarus 1 reporter also said that something made Neumann flee from the country of fairytale freedoms and opportunities an apparent reference to the U.S., which has levied multiple sanctions against Belarus over human rights abuses and its violent crackdown on dissent. - Associated Press writer Mike Balsamo in Washington contributed. U.S. military surgeons are losing their skills at a "precipitous rate" as the number of surgical procedures performed in military hospitals has declined, a study has found. The number of general surgery procedures dropped by nearly 26% from 2015 to 2019, while surgical readiness -- measured by the military health system's standards for general surgery -- declined by 19.1%. According to the study, published Oct. 27 in JAMA Surgery, 16.7% of general surgeons in the military in 2015 met the military's surgical standards, while just 10.1% met the threshold in 2019. The standards, defined by the knowledge, skills and abilities, or KSAs, established for deployed surgeons, are designed to ensure that a surgeon can perform in combat settings. Members of the Defense Health Board, an advisory committee to the secretary of defense on military medical issues, and military trauma surgeons have long raised concerns over the loss of skills following the decline of combat operations and the relatively low number of procedures done in military facilities compared with civilian hospitals. The study, led by Dr. Michael Dalton of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, is the first to contain data to back these concerns, according to the authors. Read Next: Veterans Day Parades Make a Comeback, But COVID Is Still Holding Some Cities Off "The findings of this study suggest that loss of surgical workload has resulted in further decreases in military surgeon readiness and may require substantial changes in patient care flow in the U.S. Military Health System to reverse the change," the authors wrote. The reduction of surgical volume at military hospitals occurred at the same time that civilian facilities saw a 3.2% increase in surgical care for Tricare patients, including military personnel, families and retirees. But that increase in procedures in civilian settings was not large enough to "fully account for the loss of procedures at military treatment facilities." The authors didn't say what accounted for the difference between the loss of procedures at military hospitals and the smaller gains at civilian hospitals but added that further declines in procedures at military hospitals would lead to the continuing erosion of skills. Dalton noted that when patients leave military hospitals for civilian care, the military facilities lose the opportunity to treat -- and gain experience from -- those patients. The procedures also come at a financial cost to the Defense Department, with civilian care, known as "purchased care," representing the largest share of the Pentagon's health care spending. The military health system is five years into a health reform initiative that has placed control of military hospitals and clinics under the Defense Health Agency and realigned the services' medical forces to focus on supporting active-duty personnel and operations. As part of the plan, the Army, Navy and Air Force are expected to trim more than 12,000 uniformed medical billets, and non-military patients likely will receive their care either in the community under the Tricare health program or, depending on duty location, by civilian or contract physicians at military facilities. The study authors recommended that the military health system retain patients to ensure that military hospitals can continue to provide high-quality care, focusing on patients whose surgical needs would directly correlate to combat casualty care. They also suggested that partnerships permitting military surgeons to train and work in civilian trauma centers and allowing military facilities to treat civilians for trauma injuries, as is done at Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, would help sustain surgeons' skills. In an accompanying commentary, also in JAMA Surgery, Dr. Lesly Dossett and Dr. Justin Dimick of Michigan Medicine said that partnerships don't provide the team training needed for frontline surgical procedures, including anesthesia, nursing and surgical techs. "The increasing regionalization of complex surgical procedures and decreased volumes at military treatment facilities may create an environment in which maintaining expeditionary-ready surgeons via an active-duty and military treatment facility-based model is no longer feasible on a large scale," Dossett and Dimick said. "Instead, military medicine may need to re-examine the optimal strategy in procuring the services of expeditionary-ready surgical teams, including the broader use of reservists who maintain busy clinical practices while not deployed or the use of civilian contractors, a strategy that has been used for other military support roles," they wrote. Eileen Huck, deputy director for health care at the National Military Family Association, said the study illustrates the "complex demands on the military health system" and should be taken seriously by those driving health care reform at the Pentagon. The Defense Department must balance three priorities, according to Huck: medical care of the force, training of military medical providers and care for beneficiaries. This study indicates that there is a need for "introspection and analysis," she said. "I think it should compel DoD to pause and think before it moves forward with right-sizing," referring to the plan to cut medical billets, Huck said in an interview with Military.com on Friday. "We're restructuring the military treatment facilities, and if we're moving beneficiaries out, what does that do to the patient loads for our providers? How will they be able to maintain their skills and expertise?" For the study, Dalton analyzed the general surgery workload across 147 sites in the military health system and the knowledge, skills and abilities metrics established for deployed surgeons by the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and the American College of Surgeons. The authors noted that the study may have potentially undercounted case volumes for military surgeons, and they were unable to include surgeries done by military surgeons at civilian facilities, such as those done under partnerships with those facilities. In a report published in August on the military medical personnel force reductions, the Defense Department said it was committed to "adjusting the timing, location and scope of the changes as necessary," depending on availability of care in the community and operational requirements. Pentagon officials said they would hold public forums with beneficiaries before any reductions are made and are subject to pandemic constraints. -- Patricia Kime can be reached at Patricia.Kime@Monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @patriciakime. Related: Navy Reconsidering Plan to Cut Medical Staff in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic Service members who still have family stranded in Afghanistan may have new reason for hope after the Pentagon declared those relatives eligible for assisted evacuation and asked for help identifying them. A memo sent out last week by the Defense Departments policy office said that troops can help by reporting names of those family members, which will be shared with the State Department as the Biden administration struggles to evacuate remaining Americans and others more than two months after a total U.S. withdrawal. Last month, veterans groups and alarmed lawmakers in Congress worked frantically to help at least 48 service members in the Army and Marine Corps who had 509 relatives stuck in the country, now ruled by the Taliban. Many of the troops were interpreters who immigrated to the U.S. and enlisted. "I think it's safe to say that we would expect dozens of service members would have concerns over family members," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. "The reason we put the memo out was to encourage them if they have family members that they believe qualify that we want them to come forward, let us know who they are, give us as much information as you can." Read Next: Military Surgeons Are Losing Medical Skills, Study Says. Could Off-Base Care Be Why? The move comes after the Pentagon spent weeks in talks with the State Department and other agencies, as well as veteran groups involved in the continued evacuation. Getting relatives out became dramatically more difficult after the last U.S. service member left Kabul on Aug. 30 because the military no longer had any presence at the Kabul international airport or any other base in Afghanistan. Military-led flights beginning in July evacuated 122,000 people, including 5,400 Americans. Most of those evacuees left in August in a historic airlift as the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed and suicide bombers waged deadly terrorist attacks that killed 13 troops. The evacuation has continued but at a much slower pace since then, using commercial and charter flights. On Friday, the State Department said it had assisted 377 U.S. citizens and 279 lawful permanent residents to leave Afghanistan following the withdrawal. "That's in addition to a number of Afghans to whom we have a special commitment," Ned Price, a State Department spokesman, told reporters. That effort included two flights from Afghanistan on Thursday. "Our goal is to routinize these operations, so that those who wish to leave Afghanistan have additional options to do so," Price said at the Friday press briefing. -- Travis Tritten can be reached at travis.tritten@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @Travis_Tritten. Related: DoD Says Botched Afghanistan Airstrike in Final Days of War Was Due to Rushed, Poor Planning House Democrats and the Biden administration agree extremism in the military is a problem. But they don't agree on what to do about it. Language in the House-passed version of a massive annual defense policy bill aims to give the military more tools to root out extremists in the ranks by creating a new office in the Pentagon; requiring more training and data collection; and clarifying that service members cannot be members of extremist groups. The White House, though, has said it opposes the changes even as it said it agrees with lawmakers' goals. Rep. Anthony Brown, D-Md., who sponsored the provision, said in an interview that he has been working with the Defense Department on finding agreeable language but insisted the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, must include an aggressive provision to arm the Pentagon in its fight against extremism. "I go back to Jan. 6," said Brown, a former officer in the Army judge advocate general corps. "We now learn many of them were people with a background in military training. You saw it in the formations they were using as they marched on the Capitol. You saw it in the gear that they were carrying, and in the protocols, the manners in which they were operating on that day. And we're not going to stand for a Defense Authorization Act that doesn't get after that problem." Brown expressed confidence House leadership is on his side and would give negotiators a message: "Don't come back with a Defense Authorization Act that doesn't have meaningful provisions that counter extremism in our military." The military has long struggled with eliminating extremism in the ranks, but the issue came to the forefront after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, in which several service members and veterans have been charged with participating. In the wake of the attack, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he would make countering extremism a top priority, using one of his first acts in office to order a force-wide stand-down for rank-and-file troops and their leaders to discuss the issue. But there continue to be signs the military is struggling with how to handle cases tied to extremism. Of five service members charged in the Jan. 6 attack, just one Army reservist has been booted from the force. Read Next: Veterans Day Parades Make a Comeback, But COVID Is Still Holding Some Cities Off Brown's amendment would clarify that anyone who "engages in extremist activities or is a member of an extremist organization" is barred from serving in the military and that military leadership can use "content knowingly shared, disseminated, or otherwise made available online (including on social media platforms and accounts) by an individual who serves in an armed force that expresses support for extremist activities" as cause for involuntary separation. The amendment, which was approved by the House Armed Services Committee in September in a party-line 31-28 vote, also would create an Office of Countering Extremism within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. Brown's provision also would require the Pentagon to craft "extremist insider threat training" that touches on what constitutes an extremist insider threat, how to identify such a threat and media literacy, among other areas. The training would have to be done at several points in a military career, including initial entry and certification courses for promotions. The measure also would mandate a slew of data to be collected and maintained in a database, including information on each incident, complaint or allegation of extremism by a service member or civilian employee; notifications from civilian law enforcement about investigations into current or former service members related to extremism; involuntary separations on the basis of extremism; and security clearance revocations related to extremism. In arguing for the need for the data collection, Brown pointed to "uncertainty and confusion" about the extent of the issue during congressional testimony. In particular, Brown cited U.S. Strategic Command chief Adm. Charles Richard's testimony at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing in April that he is "very confident that the number of extremists in my forces is zero." Richard later clarified at a Pentagon briefing that he "know[s] of none" but that he is "doing my best to make sure that I haven't missed anybody." The bill would leave the definition of extremism -- the lack of which has led Republicans to accuse the Pentagon of using extremism as a guise to target conservatives -- to the DoD to decide. The department created a Countering Extremism Working Group in April that is working on a definition, and its report is "nearing completion," Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters late last month. In a statement ahead of the House passing its version of the NDAA in September, the White House said it opposes the provision because it would "impose onerous and overly specific training and data collection requirements and would foreclose other options to address extremism." Still, the statement said the administration "shares the goal of preventing prohibited extremist activities and holding offenders accountable." Brown said he is in talks with the department, including having a personal call with Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks, to address its concerns with the language and that he's received commitments the Pentagon "will work with us, not against us." Among the concerns the department has expressed to him, he said, is the language that prohibits membership in extremist groups since Pentagon rules right now focus on participation rather than just being a member. The Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment on its talks with Brown or what changes it would like to see to the provision. There is no similar language in the Senate version of the NDAA right now, which could provide an opening for opponents of the amendment to get it stripped out from the final version of the bill during House-Senate negotiations. A spokesperson for House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, D-Wash., declined to comment on the White House's opposition to the provision or his expectations for conference negotiations, saying that "to preserve the member's decision space, we don't comment on issues subject to conference negotiations." The Senate version of the NDAA still needs to be voted on by the full chamber, and Brown said he is in talks with a few Senate offices to sponsor an amendment mirroring his language when the bill comes to the floor. He declined to name the offices since those talks are ongoing. Asked whether he'd support the House language during negotiations, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed, D-R.I., who will lead talks on the bill for Senate Democrats, told Military.com he thinks it's "something we have to discuss in conference" but appeared to downplay the need for "institutional reform." "Like so many things in the military, this is not so much institutional reform, it's leadership. It's educating troops so that they understand their duty to the Constitution," he said. -- Rebecca Kheel can be reached at rebecca.kheel@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter @reporterkheel. Related: What Happened to Members of the Military Accused of Storming the Capitol on January 6? A Montana Army National Guard soldier has become the first woman to complete the seven-week U.S. Army Sniper Course at Fort Benning, Ga., military officials said. The service is withholding the identity of the soldier, who graduated Friday. While she's the first woman to complete the intensive Army training, several have completed a shorter Air Force course to qualify as snipers over the past 20 years. "We are extremely proud of this soldier's achievement and recognize that this is a milestone for not only Montana, but the entire National Guard and Army," said Maj. Gen. J. Peter Hronek, the state's adjutant general. The soldier, who enlisted last December, was recommended for the sniper course by her training staff and chain of command during Fort Benning's 22-week One Station Unit Training. Their endorsement was based on her superior performance, including qualifying as an expert shooter, during that initial schooling that combines basic training with advanced instruction in infantry skills. "We're all incredibly proud of her," said Capt. Joshua O'Neill, her OSUT company commander. "There wasn't a doubt in our minds that she would succeed." She arrived prepared and "met every standard required to graduate" the course, said Capt. David Wright, battalion commander at the U.S. Army Sniper School. The intensive program trains and tests students on fieldcraft, camouflage techniques, marksmanship, concealed movement, target detection, intelligence preparation and other tactics and techniques necessary to deliver long-range precision fire and collect battlefield information, according to a course description on the Fort Benning website. "We wish her luck as she heads back to her unit as a U.S. Army Sniper Course qualified sniper," Wright said. It's the latest in a series of firsts for women since all combat jobs in the military were opened to them in 2015. But female snipers in particular have a long history of defying traditional stereotypes. During World War II, Ukrainian-born Soviet Army sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko visited Washington to rally America's support for a "second front" in Europe and was invited by first lady Eleanor Roosevelt on a tour of the country to discuss her combat experience, the Smithsonian Magazine said in a 2013 profile. Called a "girl sniper" in the American press, which obsessed over her appearance and makeup, she was taken more seriously by the Nazis, who purportedly knew her as "Lady Death." By the time she reached Chicago, she had some strong words for the large crowd there. "Gentlemen, I am 25 years old, and I have killed 309 fascist (occupiers) by now," she said. But the U.S. military did not graduate its first female sniper until 2001, when an enlisted female security forces airman with the Illinois Air National Guard completed the service's pilot Counter Sniper School at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in Arkansas. Jennifer Weitekamp "could put a bullet through an enemy's head from nearly a mile away," the Illinois National Guard said in a statement in 2018, when she was a first lieutenant. "Such is life for the Air Force's first female sniper -- friendly and easy-going on the outside, but with killer skills inside." She had responded to a call for volunteers ahead of the 2001 course, she said, but was initially denied entry because it wasn't open to women. Officials later changed their minds. That 19-day training program was later renamed the Close Precision Engagement Course and relocated to Fort Bliss, Texas. As of 2012, at least nine women had graduated. "The school was not easy and there were days I wanted to go home," Weitekamp said in the 2018 statement. "I was the first woman to go through, it was because of that and the opportunities it would open up for future women that helped me get through the training and kept me motivated." As every United States Marine can tell you, the Corps was birthed in a Philadelphia bar called Tun Tavern in 1775. Although that is a true statement, ye olde drinking establishments were a lot different from the watering holes we know today. Sadly for the Marine Corps and its veterans, local residents of Philadelphia dont have thousands of celebrating Marines packing the streets of the neighborhood every November 10th. All that remains of the historic birthplace is a marker where Tun Tavern once sat. Its original site near the waterfront is now occupied by Interstate 95. It's probably the only historical marker that ends with "Semper Fidelis" in all caps. (Pennsylvania Department of Tourism) Almost as old as the English presence in the New World, Tun Tavern was founded just three years after the city of Philadelphia itself. It was founded in 1685 by local Samuel Carpenter (Philadelphia was founded in 1682; the first English settlement was founded in 1607) on the corner of Tun Alley and Water Street, the city's first brew house -- and among the earliest in the North American colonies. Before long, everyone around knew that the Tun Tavern was serving the best beers in Philadelphia, and it kept that reputation for more than a century. As a result, it became an important meeting place for city and colonial officials and, eventually, for revolutionaries. With the turn of the 18th century, prominent Philadelphians and society members began holding official meetings at Tun Tavern. Charitable organizations like the St. George's Society and St. Andrew's Society, groups that helped needy colonists get on their feet, began meeting there. It even became a Grand Lodge for Philadelphia Freemasons. It is now recognized as the birthplace for Freemasonry in what would become the United States, and home to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Benjamin Franklin was the third grand master of the lodge. So along with the Marine Corps, America's 2.3 million Freemasons can celebrate Tun Tavern as their origin. Eventually, the owners of Tun Tavern began to recognize the importance of having some food to go along with their beverage offerings and expanded the tavern to include a restaurant, Peggy Mullan's Red Hot Beef Steak Club, by the 1740s. America's founding fathers were known to indulge in both and met there while in Philadelphia. With its quality food and drink renowned across the colonies, when it came time for the Continental Congresses to meet in Philadelphia in the 1770s, they often found themselves at Tun Tavern, planning for the next steps in shaking off the yoke of the British crown in America. After all, Franklin had been organizing militias there to fight off American Indian tribes for decades by then. Why wouldn't it work for pesky European regents? Spoiler Alert: It totally did. Here, Continental Sailors and Marines land in the Bahamas in March 1776. It was the Marine Corps' first amphibious landing. (U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command) On top of drafting militiamen, in October 1775, a seven-person committee -- led by John Adams -- met at Tun Tavern to draft articles of war and commission a new naval fleet. But something was still missing from the colonies' new armed forces: Marines. On Nov. 10, 1775, an innkeeper (and former Quaker) named Samuel Nicholas was assigned by the Continental Congress to raise the first two battalions of Marines, so he did it at -- where else? -- Tun Tavern. Nicholas was given the rank of captain and appointed commandant of the new Continental Marines. Robert Mullan, son of Peggy (of Red Hot Beef Steak fame), was the official proprietor of Tun Tavern and was dubbed "Chief Marine Recruiter." Nicholas and Mullan recruited skilled marksmen to become the first Marines from a Conestoga wagon outside of the tavern. The first-ever company of Marines consisted of 100 Rhode Islanders. They, like the rest of the new Marine Corps, were posted aboard Continental Navy ships. Throughout the Revolutionary War, Philadelphia was a contested city. It was the second-largest port city in the British Empire (after London itself). As capital of the rebel country, it was the target of the British from early in the war. The British held the city until their defeat at Saratoga, New York. After France joined the war on the American side, Gen. William Howe resigned in Philadelphia in 1778, and his successor, Sir Henry Clinton, abandoned control of the city in favor of protecting the Eastern coast from a French attack. Tun Tavern stood the whole time, even as fighting raged in the streets. In 1781, Tun Tavern burned down, a disastrous end to an illustrious and historic site and was never rebuilt. Marines visiting the Society Hill area of the city can visit the historical marker at 175 Front St. and learn more about its history at the nearby New Hall Military Museum. For a taste of Tun Tavern, Marines and military history buffs can visit the U.S. National Museum of the Marine Corps' Tun Tavern in Virginia, which is decorated in the colonial style. -- 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. In 2018, America woke up to a photo of Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, drinking from a public fountain in France. It wasn't a drinking fountain; it was a fountain on the estate of the count of Belleau. While some civilians might not have understood at first, United States Marines definitely did. The fountain is in the shape of a dog's head, it's known as the Devil Dog Fountain, and it's a pilgrimage site for Marines and Marine Corps veterans. On Veterans Day 2018, France was hosting representatives and guests to honor the 100-year anniversary of the end of World War I. Dunford, then-Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert B. Neller and retired Marine-turned-White House Chief of Staff John Kelly were walking the grounds of the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, which happens to sit across the road from the Devil Dog Fountain. Gen. Joseph Dunford, the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps, drinks from the Devil Dog Fountain in Belleau, France. (U.S. Army) The Aisne-Marne American Cemetery is the final resting place for some 2,289 Marines killed at the Battle of Belleau Wood, 250 of them still unknown. The German forces at Belleau Wood had just transferred 50 fresh divisions of troops from the Eastern Front after the Bolshevik Revolution knocked Russia out of World War I. With these new troops, the Germans hoped to break the stalemate in the West with overwhelming force. At Belleau Wood, five of those German divisions squared off against the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Brigade and the Marines' 4th Marine Brigade. It quickly turned into a rout -- of the Germans. Marines forced a German retreat and followed them into the woods, where Marines and those fresh German veterans of the war's Eastern Front fought for an entire month amid artillery fire, poison gas attacks and many, many machine gun nests. It was a battle no one believed the Marines would win until they did. It's said those German troops called United States Marines Teufel Hunden -- "Devil Dogs." Today, at Belleau, the Devil Dog Fountain sits a few steps away from a chapel rebuilt by Americans after the war, bearing the names of 1,060 men who disappeared during the battle. From the fountain comes a constant stream of fresh water, and Marines visiting the site take a drink in the belief those who drink from it will receive strength and protection in battles to come. It's also done to remember the Marines who fought there and those who never came home. (U.S. Marine Corps/Sgt. Bethanie Ryan) The day before Dunford, Neller and Kelly visited the site, was Nov. 10, the birthday of the Marine Corps. It's a holiday that is, to Marines, as celebrated as Veterans Day itself. There's no way these Marines of past and present would have missed the chance to take a drink from one of the most revered sites in Marine Corps history. -- 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 Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 24F. NNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 24F. NNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. At least three private players have shown interest in participating in the strategic sale of public sector insurance companies, raising hopes that the government may advance initiation of its disinvestment this fiscal. Sources said one new and two other large private sector insurance companies have met officials of the department of financial services last month enquiring about the disinvestment of a public sector insurer. Though the talks have been preliminary in nature, it had encouraged government to see whether insurance disinvestment could be kick-started now. "Private players have approached to get clarity on disinvestment we will soon come with exact time line," said an official source asking not to be named. Finance minister (FM) Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2021 speech had announced strategic divestment in two public sector companies and financial institutions, including two public sector banks (PSBs) and one insurance company. Now that the strategic disinvestment of Air India has reached its finality, the focus is on financial institutions with sale of one PSB and one insurer. Though the name of insurance company for privatisation had not yet been finalised, government think tank NITI Aayog has recommended privatisation of State-owned insurer United India Insurance Company. Though United India Insurance is not in best of its financial health reporting a net loss of Rs1,485 crore in 2019-20, its gross premium income grew nearly 7% year on year in FY20 to Rs 17,515 crore. The insurer's gross premium underwitten in 2020-21 fell nearly 5% year-on-year to Rs 16,711 crore. The insurer has also seen its net worth erode from Rs5,731 crore in 2015-16 to Rs1,443 crore in 2019-20. However, the insurer is considered best candidate for privatisation as it would provide immense value to the aquirer with a nationwide presence and strong market share in certain general insurance categories. Moreover, it's not listed making the transaction process easier. The Centre was earlier working on a proposal to merge public sector insurers. Under this, the plan was to merge National Insurance Company, United India Insurance Company and Oriental India Insurance into a single insurance entity, and subsequently listing it on exchanges. However, in mid 2020, the government infused Rs12,450 crore in the three entities looking forward to their profitable growth as single entities. The general insurance market in the country comprises 27 companies including the four major PSU entities, 23 private players and six are stand-alone health insurers. The insurance density in India (ratio of premium to total population) is $73 compared with average world insurance density of $650. Insurance penetration in India is at 3.69% compared with the world average of 6.13%. The penetration in the general insurance sector is still less than 1%. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. Cairn Energy PLC of UK has decided to drop litigation to seize Indian properties abroad to recover the Rs7,900 crore tax refund due to it and indemnified the Indian government in writing as part of the provision to settle restrospective tax disputes under the the Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021. In a release last week, Cairn Energy said it has decided to participate in the scheme under this recent legislation allowing the refund of taxes previously collected from Cairn in India. "Subject to certain conditions, the Taxation Amendment Act nullifies the tax assessment originally levied against Cairn in January 2016 and orders the refund of Rs7,900 crore which was collected from Cairn in respect of that assessment," it says. The rules for implementing the 'Taxation Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021' were notified only last month. The amendment bill notified on 1 October 2021 scrapped the contentious retrospective tax demand provisions. The Bill had amended the Income-Tax Act, 1961 to provide that no tax demand shall be raised in future based on the said retrospective amendment for any indirect transfer of Indian assets if the transaction was undertaken before 28 May 2012 - when the Parliament passed the finance bill in 2012. "The 2021 Act also provides that the demand raised for offshore indirect transfer of Indian assets made before 28 May 2012 shall be nullified on fulfilment of specified conditions," the ministry of finance had said. "Such as withdrawal or furnishing of undertaking for withdrawal of pending litigation and furnishing of an undertaking to the effect that no claim for cost, damages, and interest shall be filed and such other conditions are fulfilled as may be prescribed." Besides, the amount paid or collected in these cases shall be refunded without any interest. To receive a tax refund, companies must indemnify the Indian government against future claims and withdraw any pending legal proceedings. Earlier in September this year, in its half-yearly result announcement, Cairn Energy had stated that the expected near-term resolution of the India tax dispute would result in a refund of Rs79 billion to Cairn from the Indian government. "In accepting the terms of the new legislation in India, Cairn would be required to withdraw its international arbitration award claim, interest and costs and to end all legal enforcement actions to be eligible for the refund," it had said. An arbitration tribunal at The Hague had pronounced its award on 21 December 2020 in favour of Cairn Energy Plc and Cairn UK Holdings Ltd (CUHL), making the Indian government liable to pay an arbitration award of $1.2 billion to it. In July 2021, Gen (retd) VK Singh, the minister of state for civil aviation, informed the Lok Sabha that UK's Cairn Energy and Devas Multimedia Ltd had filed lawsuits in the US to seize overseas assets of Air India to recover dues from the Indian government. However, since Air India is a corporate entity with its management and board, it is defending its interest in this case by appointing lawyers, the minister had said. Further, in the Vodafone arbitration case, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague ruled in favour of the company last year. The Court ruled that the conduct of India's tax department is in breach of 'fair and equitable' treatment, thereby rendering Vodafone not liable to pay a retrospective tax demand of more than Rs20,000 crore raised by Indian authorities. In 2010-11, Cairn Energy had sold Cairn India to Vedanta. Post the merger of Cairn India and Vedanta in April 2017, the UK company's shareholding in Cairn India was replaced by a shareholding of about 5% in Vedanta issued together with preference shares. Along with attaching its shares in Vedanta, the I-T department from India seized dividends of around Rs1,140 crore due to it from the shareholdings and set off an Rs1,590-crore tax refund against the demand. In 2015, Cairn had initiated an international arbitration to challenge retrospective taxation. We had mentioned in Mondays closing report that Nifty and Sensex may move higher. On Tuesday, the indices opened higher and ended flat. On the National Stock Exchange (NSE), 1,185 stocks advanced, 785 declined, and 82 remained unchanged with advance decline ratio of 1.51. The trend of the major indices on Tuesdays trading are given in the table below: Markets ended in red today with Nifty down 24 points and Sensex down 112 points. Nifty Consumer durables were the top performers today followed by automobiles & PSU Banks. In major news today, domestic air passenger traffic grew by 67% on a year-on-year basis in October as per ICRA report. Praj Industries has signed memorandum of understanding MoU with Indian Oil Corporation to explore production of alcohol to Jet fuels. Iran has lifted seasonal ban on rice imports. Sun Pharma has recalled 69,336 blister packs of LoratadineD (used for the treatment of allergic rhinitis & common cold) on Oct 12 in US markets due to a defect in its blister cavity. IDFC board has approved the merger of IDFC alternatives, IDFC Trustee Company and IDFC Projs with company. Major earnings declared today: Mahindra and Mahindras Q2FY22 revenue increased by 14.8% to Rs 13,305 crore on a year-on-year basis. Profit increased to Rs 1,929 crore from Rs 615 crore in same quarter of previous year. MRFs Q2FY22 revenue stood at Rs 4,908 crore as compared to Rs 4,244 crore. Profit declined to Rs 189 crore as compared to Rs 411 crore in the same quarter last year. Greenply Industries Q2FY22 revenue increased by 46.3% to Rs 432.4 crore. Profit was up by 72% to Rs 31.9 crore as compared Q2FY21. NCCs Q2FY22 revenue increased by 51.1% to Rs 2,581.4 crore on a year-on-year basis. The profit increased by 76.3% to Rs 114 crore. BHELs Q2FY22 revenue increased by 38.3% to Rs 5,112.2 crore on a year-on-year basis. The net loss was at Rs 46.5 crore as compared to loss of Rs 552.4 crore. Major results tomorrow Affle India, Bank of Baroda, CRISIL, Equitas Holding, India Cements, Oil India. The top gainers and top losers of the major indices are given in the table below: The closing values of the major Asian indices are given in the table below: At the first meeting of the committee of creditors (CoC) which took place on 2nd November, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)-appointed administrator, Rajneesh Sharma, apprised the lenders about the status of the two crisis-ridden Srei companies corporate insolvency resolution process, as per regulatory filings. Lenders of Srei Infrastructure Finance Ltd (SIFL) and Srei Equipment Finance Ltd (SEFL) have started voting on the four resolutions put forth by administrator to undertake a group insolvency resolution process for both companies. The voting started on 5th November and will end on 9th November. Interestingly, the e-voting facility was set up only on 6th November although voting was supposed to have started on 5th November. On 8th November late evening, after this article was published, the voting timeline was subsequently extended to 10th November. Axis Trustee Services sent a fresh email to NCD investors with the updated voting timelines. Separately, Catalyst Trusteeship also shared the new voting timelines with NCD investors. On 10th November, just before midnight, Axis Trustee Services sent another email to investors that the voting has been extended yet again to 17th November. In the CoC meeting on 2nd November , Mr Sharma informed lenders that BDO India was appointed to conduct transaction audits of both companies while AZB & Partners would be the legal counsel for the administrator. Last month, AZB had represented the RBI as its legal counsel when Srei's promoter company, Adisri Commercial, filed a writ petition at the Bombay High Court (HC) seeking a stay on the regulator's move to supersede the boards of both bankrupt companies. The HC dismissed the petition. The administrator is said to be considering a group insolvency (joint resolution) approach for both Srei companies. Only if more than 66% of lenders of each company vote for group insolvency, the administrator will need to make an application before the Kolkata bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to implement it. EY has been appointed as the financial advisor of the administrator, while Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co is the legal counsel for the financial creditors. In a regulatory filing last week, SIFL announced, "We wish to inform you that the 1st (first) meeting of the Committee of Creditors of the company was duly convened and conducted on Tuesday, 2nd November, 2021 at 11:00 AM in Kolkata. Separately, SEFL said in its regulatory filing that the first meeting of the committee of creditors of the company was convened on Tuesday at 2pm. "At the aforesaid meeting, the administrator of the company apprised the Committee of Creditors about the status of CIRP since the initiation, composition of committee of creditors based on the claims received, various aspects relating to the CIRP, going concern operations of the company and the way forward in terms of the activities/milestones as stipulated under the code," both firms said in similarly worded respective regulatory filings. The first resolution put up for voting seeks the approval for the CIRP (corporate insolvency resolution process) costs incurred/to be incurred by the administrator during the CIRP period for managing the operations of the company and carrying out the various activities as per IBC, 2016. The details are as per given above. The monthly remuneration for the administrator is Rs4,50,000 along with car and accommodation facilities while an additional Rs1,75,000 per month will be paid to each of the three members of the advisory committee along with a monthly allowance of Rs25,000 each. The resolution detail adds that Further keeping in mind the request made by the CoC members along with the administrator, the fees for process advisors have been reduced by approximately 18% from the initial quote. The cost for appointment of independent valuers has been taken based on the two lowest quotes received. However, the evaluation for appointment of the valuers is still under process. The second resolution seeks approval for following related-party transaction which are in the ordinary course of business as required per the provisions of Section 28(f) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (IBC 2016). The details are as given below. The third resolution seeks approval for appointing J Kala & Associates Chartered Accountants, partnership firm, having Firm Registration No. 118769W allotted by The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) be hereby appointed as the Joint Statutory Auditors of the Company, in addition to the existing Statutory Auditors of the Company i.e. Haribhakti& Co. LLP., Chartered Accountants, to hold office w.e.f. October 29, 2021 till the conclusion of the 16th Annual General Meeting of the Company to be held in the Calendar year 2022. The fourth resolution seeks approval for reducing the notice period for calling the meeting of Committee of Creditor from 5 days to 2 days as per Regulation 19 of CIRP Regulations. On 4th October, the RBI had superseded the boards of both Srei companies (SIFL and SEFL) and appointed Rajneesh Sharma as the administrator of the two crisis-ridden firms. RBI had followed this by appointing a three-member advisory committee to assist Sharma in the CIRP of the two bankrupt firms. On 8th October, the banking regulator had filed applications for initiation of CIRP against SIFL and SEFL at the Kolkata bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT). Some lenders had earlier raised questions on the feasibility of the administrator taking control over the cash of subsidiaries since they are run by different boards and also because they may have different lenders. Lenders had even expressed fears that this could lead to litigation and further delay resolution. One of the suggestions by lenders was to appoint a director on the boards of the subsidiaries of Srei Infrastructure and Srei Equipment to monitor their operations. For instance, Bharat Road Network, a subsidiary of Srei Equipment, has seven special purpose vehicles (SPVs) for strengthening expressways, of which two SPVs have been sold but lenders can access the revenues of the remaining ones. Srei also has a business interest in the energy and hospitality sector, so lenders may be able to access cash flows of these units as well. Mr Sharma had also sought lenders' consent to propose a resolution in the first CoC on appointing Ernst & Young (EY) as financial advisor to the administrator. Two banks (lenders) are said to have earlier raised objections to this citing conflict of interest. It might be recalled that before being admitted for the corporate insolvency and resolution process, EY was advising Srei's promoters on debt restructuring and the proposed fund-raising exercise. In one of the initial meetings, the RBI-appointed administrator had also discussed the possibility of restarting the lending business of both the Srei companies. KPMG, which is conducting a forensic audit of both the Srei companies, is yet to submit its report to the lenders. Meanwhile, large public sector banks (PSBs) have proactively made substantially higher provisions, ranging from 40%-100% towards their exposure to the Srei group . RBI norms require banks to make a general provision of 15% on their total outstanding exposure to a substandard asset. Unsecured substandard assets attract an additional provision of 10%. This is due to the uncertainty over what a forensic audit of the account may reveal and the haircut lenders may have to take under the CIRP which is currently under way. Bankers want to avoid any ugly surprises which could be thrown up on the provisioning front in the coming quarters for the Srei group companies. Besides, the recovery from the resolution of Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL) and healthy profits during the second quarter have also given them enough room to manoeuvre these higher provisions. The banks that have made higher upfront provisions towards their exposure to the Srei group include State Bank of India (SBI) 100%, Union Bank of India (UBI) 65%, Bank of India (BoI) and Central Bank of India 50% each, and Punjab National Bank (PNB) 40%). PNB has an exposure of Rs2,600 crore to the Srei group, UBI Rs2,558 crore, BoI Rs1,024 crore in direct exposure and Rs970 crore via pooled route, and Central Bank of India Rs1,149 crore. SBIs exposure is reportedly more than Rs2,000 crore. In June 2021, SIFL disclosed that a report by the RBI has identified Rs8,576 crore of loans as related party transactions and directed SIFL to "re-evaluate the relationship with the said parties to assess whether they are related parties to the parent firm or SEFL and also whether these are on an arm's length basis." SEFL, which provides financing for construction and mining equipment, IT infra equipment as well as healthcare and farm equipment had made expected credit loss provisions worth Rs4,685 crore for FY 2020-21. As per the RBIs directions, over and above this, the company made additional provisions worth Rs 4475 crore under the Income Recognition and Asset Classification Norms. It has been a rough three years for the Srei group which at one point was almost close to coming out with an initial public offering (IPO). In January 2018, SEFL, the wholly-owned subsidiary of SIFL, had announced plans for diluting up to 25% of its equity capital through an IPO. Unfortunately, post the IL&FS crisis, the group was forced to shelve its plan to float an IPO due to lacklustre investor interest. Despite opposition from lenders, the boards of both companies passed resolutions in July 2019 to implement the composite scheme of arrangement relating to slump sales with effect October 2019. Accordingly, RBI directed Srei to seek lenders' consent to implement this scheme. However, the slump sale was again rejected by lenders. Subsequently, following the pandemic stress in the economy which led to an asset-liability mismatch, in December 2020, the Srei promoters proposed a scheme of arrangement seeking moratorium from all classes of lenders in order to implement a debt recast plan. Subsequently, Kolkata bench of NCLT also supported this and passed an order barring lenders from treating non-payment of dues by SIFL and SEFL as a default until all lenders agree to the new scheme of arrangement. The NCLT order was set aside by the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) on 7th September, prompting lenders to classify both accounts as non-performing loans. Just before being admitted to the NCLT, lenders had rejected the proposed slump sale of the leasing and lending business of SIFL to SEFL citing that the scheme was aimed at preventing the imminent collapse of SIFL, whose capital adequacy ratio had fallen below the regulatory requirement of 15%. Weather Alert ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 5 PM MST MONDAY 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 Red Flag Warning for gusty winds and low relative humidity, which is in effect from 11 AM to 5 PM MST Monday. The Fire Weather Watch is no longer in effect. * 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 20 to 30 mph, with gusts near 50 mph. * RELATIVE HUMIDITY...Around 15 percent. * IMPACTS...Fire ignitions could spread rapidly in rangeland areas where receptive fuels are available. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Please advise the appropriate officials or fire crews in these areas of this Red Flag Warning. && Local 'Toys for Tots' program hopes to double the number of children they help in 2021 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 Anthony Harper, 38, shown in this booking photo from 2019, is wanted in relation to a shooting in Doerun early Sunday morning. He is described as a 6-foot-4-inch black male weighing approximately 215-225 pounds with tattoos on his arms. He was last known to be driving a dark grey Chevrolet Impala. Plans for Interstate 14 have been expanded, and the Texas Department of Transportation will have a say in how a portion of the project is executed. Rep. Brian Babin of Beaumont, who sits on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, recently submitted a bill that would extend I-14 to Mississippi and effectively would bring two brand new interstates to West Texas. Under the already-approved plan known as Ports to Forts, I-14s western terminus would be at I-10 and U.S. Route 190, near Iraan. US 190 would be converted to I-14 to Brady, and the project would continue eastward. The Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance in recent years has lobbied to move the western terminus to the Midland-Odessa area. I-14 would start at West Loop 338 in Odessa and would be in dual-designation with I-20 until it reaches State Highway 158 in Midland, which along with U.S. 87 would be converted to interstate until it meets Brady. Babins plan proposes converting both routes into interstates, with the northern route dubbed I-14 North and the southern route named I-14 South. Rep. Mike Conaway of Midland cosigned the legislation, even though his own bill filed in January calls for changing the I-14 route to Midland-Odessa. However, the congressman isnt entirely keen on turning the southern route into an interstate. Having it go through a more populated area makes a lot more sense, he said Wednesday during a press call with Babin. The leg between Brady and I-10 has some 600 cars per day on it, and thats not enough traffic to warrant interstate classification, particularly when you have U.S. Highway 87 up from San Angelo to Sterling City on over to Midland, thats really high traffic. The southern route will serve 33,907 people each year, according to 2016 Texas Demographic Center data. The northern route in the Midland-Odessa and San Angelo regions will serve 463,873 people, nearly 430,000 more people than the current designation. Under Babins bill, determining which route should be converted first if at all would be up to TxDOT. TxDOT has a business case to make anytime it builds something, Conaway said. I think the business case for Brady to San Angelo to Midland-Odessa is a much better business case for that than Brady to I-10. The southern route runs through the district of Rep. Will Hurd, a Republican who is in a tough re-election campaign. While some portions of I-14 have been designated along existing roadways, funding hasnt yet been earmarked. Were so many years in advance of getting this done, Conaway said. Any construction, no matter the cost, doesnt have the kind of flexibility from General Revenue to underwrite the Highway Trust Fund to make this happen. Lets take this in bite-size pieces and do the work that you can do moving forward, the congressman added. As each opportunity comes to build a leg of it, you go with the resources you have at that point in time. Its a little premature to set aside those kinds of dollars. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A Kansas City man who has been jailed for more than 40 years for a triple murder adamantly and repeatedly denied having anything to do with the crime during testimony Monday in an evidentiary hearing that could lead to his freedom. I had absolutely nothing to do with these murders. By no means was I anywhere close to that crime scene," said Kevin Strickland, who said he has been working toward his freedom since he was convicted and sentenced to life in prison in 1979. Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker and other legal and political leaders say Strickland was wrongfully convicted. She said evidence used to convict him had been recanted or disproven since his trial. This is a triple murder in which three young people were executed, Peters Baker said Monday. The tragedy was made much, much worse by Kevin Stricklands conviction. The evidentiary hearing in Strickland's case comes after months of delays caused by legal procedures and canceled hearings prompted mostly by motions filed by the state attorney general's office. Attorney General Eric Schmitt, a Republican running for the U.S. Senate, has said he believes Strickland is guilty of the murders. Attorneys for Strickland and the Attorney Generals office indicated during opening statements that the statements from Cynthia Douglas, the only survivor of the shootings, identifying Strickland as the shooter would be central to determining Stricklands fate. Strickland's supporters said Douglas recanted her identification before she died. Andrew Clarke, an assistant prosecutor in the Attorney Generals office, said evidence existed to show Strickland was guilty. He said recorded phone calls between Douglas and her husband while he was incarcerated would show she was not interested in helping Strickland prove his innocence. Clarke also said one of Strickland's fingerprints was found on a car used the night of the killings. It was owned by Vincent Bell, who later pleaded guilty to the murders. Strickland testified that he often drove the car for Bell, who did not have a driver's license and he was surprised more of the his fingerprints weren't found on the car. Strickland also acknowledged he gave Bell some shotgun shells two to three weeks before the killings after Bell said he wanted to test a shotgun he was given. But Strickland maintained he did not know they would be used in a triple murder. Strickland said he drank beer and smoked marijuana before police came to his home to question him about the killings. During cross-examination on Monday from assistant prosecutor Christine Krug, Strickland acknowledged it was the first time in 43 years that he had ever said he was under the influence at the time. Strickland, 62, was convicted in the April 25, 1978, fatal shootings of Larry Ingram, 21; John Walker, 20; and Sherrie Black, 22, in Kansas City. Strickland, a Black man, saw his first trial end in a hung jury when the only Black juror, a woman, held out for acquittal. After his second trial in 1979, he was convicted by an all-white jury of one count of capital murder and two counts of second-degree murder. Strickland has always maintained that he was home watching television and had nothing to do with the killings, which happened when he was 18 years old. Two other men convicted in the killings later insisted that Strickland wasn't at the crime scene, The Kansas City Star reported. And Douglas, the only eyewitness to the killings, recanted her testimony that Strickland was the shooter. During afternoon testimony, Douglas' daughter, mother, sister and a former co-worker all testified that she had told them she identified the wrong shooter and wanted to help exonerate Strickland, Senoria Strickland said her daughter told her police pressured her to identify Strickland and she was was upset and depressed that she had chosen the wrong guy. During his testimony, Strickland denied suggestions that he offered Douglas $300 to keep her mouth shut, and said he had never visited the house where the murders occurred before they happened. Strickland said he went to the scene at the request of a friend who was Vincent Bell's sister. He said he cooperated with officers at the scene and later at the police station because he knew the system worked and I would not be convicted of something I didnt do. Strickland, who has spinal stenosis, watched the testimony from a wheelchair. Before the hearing began, he told reporters he was scared. In June, the Missouri Supreme Court declined to hear Stricklands petition. Republican Gov. Mike Parson also refused to pardon Strickland, saying he wasn't convinced that Strickland was innocent. Hearings were scheduled in August in DeKalb County, where Strickland is imprisoned. Those hearings were canceled after Peters Baker used a new state law to seek an evidentiary hearing i n Jackson County, where Strickland was convicted. The law allows local prosecutors to challenge convictions if they believe the defendant did not commit the crime. A hearing scheduled for Sept. 2 was delayed after Schmitt's office sought more time for the court to hear several motions his office filed in the case. Schmitt sought to have all 16th Circuit judges in Jackson County recused from presiding over the evidentiary hearing because the presiding judge in that circuit had said he agreed that Strickland was wrongfully convicted. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Sept. 30 that the Jackson County judges should be recused from the hearing to avoid any suggestions of impropriety or bias, delaying another hearing. Retired Senior Judge James Welsh was then appointed to preside over the case. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Strickland watched the testimony from a wheelchair, but did not testify from a wheelchair. NEW YORK (AP) Big cannabis companies are backing a new, celebrity-infused campaign to enlist marijuana users to pressure members of Congress to legalize pot nationwide. Federal legalization has advanced somewhat but still faces strong headwinds on Capitol Hill. The Cannabis in Common initiative launched Tuesday aims to change that. A website makes it easier for supporters to email or call their congressional representatives and push for making marijuana legal. State-licensed pot companies also plan to email their customers, put up posters in shops, add information to their apps and otherwise encourage consumers to get involved. Legalizing cannabis is long past due, and if we make enough noise, we can make it happen, actor Seth Rogen, co-founder of a cannabis company and enthusiastic user of the drug, says in a kickoff video. Comedian Sarah Silverman voices another, animated promo. Eighteen states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational adult use of marijuana and a voter-approved measure in a 19th state, South Dakota, is undergoing a court challenge. More than two-thirds of states allow medical marijuana. But pot remains illegal under federal law to possess, use or sell, so many banks shun money from the cannabis industry, fearing it could expose them to federal legal trouble. That conflict has shut many legal growers and sellers out of everyday financial services like opening bank accounts or obtaining credit cards. It also has forced many businesses to operate only in cash, making them ripe targets for crime. Pro-legalization groups have mounted state and federal campaigns for years, and advocates are split about Cannabis in Common, which isnt focused on any particular piece of legislation. Organizers say it breaks ground by extensively involving major industry players and mobilizing their customers. We just feel theres a larger, untapped group of individuals that we would love to see weigh in, said Steve Hawkins, CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, an industry-led coalition organizing the campaign with HeadCount, a voter registration group. The council declined to disclose the cost. While cannabis companies have done individual lobbying, this new effort reaches across all the peccadilloes that every weed interest brings to the table in hopes of getting past the patchwork of state legislation, said Jeremy Unruh, a senior vice president of PharmCann Inc., which has dispensaries in six states. More than two dozen companies have signed on, including the vaping brand Pax and such publicly traded corporations as Canopy Growth, Curaleaf Holdings and Cronos Group. The effort quickly drew criticism from a national anti-legalization group, Smart Approaches to Marijuana. CEO Kevin Sabet, a former Obama administration official, called the campaign an egregious example of profit over public health. Some nonprofit, pro-legalization groups are joining the Cannabis in Common initiative. But others are steering clear. The Drug Policy Alliance sees the campaign as overly corporate and not dedicated enough to expunging past marijuana convictions and helping communities and people who have borne the brunt of pot arrests. For us, its not just about getting federal legalization over the finish line, says Maritza Perez of the alliance, which convened the nonprofit-focused Marijuana Justice Coalition in 2018 to push for legalization coupled with other reforms. We have a very specific constituency that we are fighting for, and thats people who have been impacted by prohibition. NORML, one of the nations oldest legalization groups, is sitting out the new campaign and focusing on specific congressional proposals to make marijuana federally legal, political director Justin Strekal said. A proposal to decriminalize and tax marijuana, expunge federal pot convictions and direct pot tax money to communities beleaguered by the war on drugs passed the House last year. The measure was reintroduced in this year's new Congress and recently passed a key committee again. President Joe Biden has said he supports decriminalizing marijuana and expunging past pot use convictions, but he hasnt embraced federally legalizing the drug. A Gallup poll released last week found 68% of Americans favor legalization, including 83% of Democrats, 71% of independents and 50% of Republicans. The survey of 823 adults had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Pointing to such polls, the new campaign casts legalization as an issue that crosses political divides and has new potential in the Democrat-led Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) in July became the chamber's first leader to back legalizing marijuana, pledging to make this a priority in the Senate, where Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Ron Wyden of Oregon have drafted legislation. And legalization advocates hope to have a champion in Vice President Kamala Harris, who said before her election that making pot legal at the federal level is the smart thing to do. But legalization opponents note that it's not clear that all Senate Democrats would vote for marijuana legalization, let alone find enough Republican supporters to avoid a filibuster. Congress is otherwise occupied with massive legislation on social services and climate change ahead of next year's midterm elections. DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates met with Syrias once widely shunned president in Damascus on Tuesday, sending the clearest signal yet that the Arab world is willing to re-engage with strongman Bashar Assad. The visit by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the first by an Emirati foreign minister since Syria's civil war erupted in 2011. It comes as some Arab countries are improving ties with Syria. The U.S., a close Emirati partner, promptly criticized the visit, saying it would not support any normalization with Assads government. The rapprochement, however, could serve both sides. Syria badly needs to boost relations with oil-rich countries as its economy is being strangled by crippling Western sanctions and it faces the task of post-war reconstruction. The UAE is also home to thousands of Syrians who work in the Gulf nation and send money to their relatives at home. Most Gulf countries, at odds with regional rival Iran, seek warmer ties with Damascus, hoping to peel it away from Tehran. Iran is a traditional ally of Syria and sent advisers and resources to back Assad during the 10-year war. Syria was expelled from the 22-member Arab League and boycotted by its neighbors after its civil war erupted in 2011. More than 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict which displaced half of Syria's population. Large parts of Syria have been destroyed and reconstruction would cost tens of billions of dollars. Arab and Western countries generally blamed Assad for the deadly crackdown on the 2011 protests that evolved into civil war, and supported the opposition in the early days of the conflict. Several years into the fighting, Iran's backing for Assad, along with that of Russia, helped the Syrian leader push back the insurgents, who are now confined to a small area of northwestern Syria. Reducing Iran's influence in Syria may be a difficult challenge for Gulf countries, said Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding. It will be almost impossible to shift Irans position in Syria in the short term," he said. Iran is too well embedded. At best the Syrian regime may start to play Iran and the UAE off against each other in order to obtain some independent room for maneuver, he said. Doyle added that other Arab states, wary of being used by Damascus, will be watching to see how the relationship develops. Sheikh Abdullah headed a large delegation to Damascus, according to Syrian state TV. The UAEs state-run WAM news agency said the foreign minister underlined UAEs keenness to ensure the security, stability and unity of Syria and its support for all efforts made to end the Syrian crisis. Assad's office said the two sides discussed ways of developing cooperation and investment opportunities. It quoted Assad as praising "the objective and wise stances taken by the United Arab Emirates. The UAE always stood by the Syrian people, Assad was quoted as saying. In Washington, the State Department was quick to object to the visit. We are concerned by reports of the meeting and the signal it sends," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. This administration will not express any support for efforts to normalize or rehabilitate Bashar al-Assad, who is a brutal dictator. We urge states in the region to carefully consider the atrocities that this regime (and) Bashar Assad himself has perpetrated on the Syrian people over the past decade, as well as the regimes ongoing efforts to deny much of the country access to humanitarian aid and security. Price said Secretary of State Antony Blinken had registered Washington's disapproval of the trip last week in a meeting with Sheikh Abdullah in Europe. We will not normalize or upgrade our diplomatic relations with the Assad regime, nor do we support other countries normalizing or upgrading their relations given the atrocities that this regime has inflicted on its own people, he said. He added, however, that "we were not taken by surprise by the visit, suggesting that Blinken's entreaties had fallen flat. Last month, the UAEs Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed received a telephone call from Assad in which they discussed strengthening relations and cooperation. The UAE, which initially supported those trying to topple Assad, reopened its embassy in Damascus in December 2018 but relations remained cold. In September, Assad called King Abdullah II of Jordan for the first time since Syrias conflict began. The two countries also reopened a major border crossing. ____ Mroue reported from Beirut. The third-graders at St. Ann's Catholic School presented their annual "living wax museum" in honor of All Saints Day. All Saints' Day is a solemn holy day of the Catholic Church celebrated annually on Nov. 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the Church, that is, all those who have attained heaven, according to the website Catholic.org. It should not be confused with All Souls' Day, which is observed on Nov. 2, and is dedicated to those who have died and not yet reached heaven. Taylor and Andrew Franco are half siblings who come from a long line of nurses and health care workers, and they are both keeping with that tradition. They are graduates of the vocational nursing program at the Midland College Williams Regional Technical Training Center in Fort Stockton. Taylor graduated in August 2020 and is now currently taking classes in MCs Associate Degree Nursing program to train to become a registered nurse. Andrew graduated from the vocational nursing program in August 2021. He hopes to begin the Associate Degree Nursing program next summer. Even though Taylor is going to school full-time and Andrew just graduated, both are employed and helping to fulfill the demand for qualified nurses in the Permian Basin. Taylor works part-time at Cactus Health Services in Fort Stockton, and Andrew works at Family Walk-In Clinic, also in Fort Stockton. I want to stay in Fort Stockton, Andrew said. This is where I grew up, and I love the community. I want to help the people in this community through health care. I really like small towns and rural medicine. Working as a nurse in a small-town environment allows me the opportunity to help bring babies into the world and be there when people take their last breath. I like the idea of being the person thats there from the beginning to the end and interacting with my patients in the community through church and other activities. Taylor isnt sure if she wants to remain in Fort Stockton when she completes her degree. I really like living in Fort Stockton, she said. However, one of the nice things about nursing is that its a job that is always needed everywhere. Ive had the opportunity to accomplish my clinical hours in hospitals and clinics in Midland and Odessa, as well as the Big Spring State Hospital, and Ive enjoyed every setting. I really like Labor & Delivery and the whole birthing process. My other favorite setting is the Emergency Department because its fast-paced, and I get to experience a little bit of everything from treating someone with the flu to administering CPR to automobile accident victims. Andrew said that if he had to move somewhere and specialize in a specific area, it would probably be med-surg nursing. Taylor and Andrew have the same father and were born just four months apart to different mothers. Taylor graduated from Fort Stockton High School in 2018, and Andrew graduated a year later in 2019. They actually started taking courses at MCs branch campus in Fort Stockton while still in high school through the dual credit program, which allowed them to obtain both high school and college credit for general education courses, such as English, history and government. Taking dual-credit courses allowed me to get most of my prerequisite courses completed while I was still in high school, Taylor explained. That made it really nice when I started taking nursing courses because I was able to just concentrate on my nursing skills. Ill graduate from the associate degree program this coming May. If all goes according to plans for Andrew, he will complete the associate degree nursing program in May of 2023. Ive always wanted to have a profession where I could help others, but I really made up my mind to become a nurse in 2014 when my grandmother was ill, Andrew explained. Her nurses showed her the best care imaginable, and they also showed compassion and caring for the entire family. I want to be able to give that same care to somebody at their worst moment. -- Rebecca Bell is the executive director of Institutional Advancement. 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 After the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a recommendation for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children aged 5 to 11, the federal government started shipping pediatric vaccines to states, including Illinois. Those vaccines have arrived and will continue to arrive at pediatric vaccine provider locations across the state. On Nov. 10, the State Community Partners Vaccination Program will begin vaccination clinics for children 5-11 years old. State vaccination teams are undergoing extensive three-day training ahead of all planned vaccinations. Additionally, schools can work with their local health departments or other pediatric vaccine providers to hold youth vaccination clinics. The first shipments of pediatric vaccines were for no less than 300 doses per provider, and orders for smaller providers have been processed by Illinois and are awaiting CDC processing. The federal government determines the schedule for delivery of the vaccine and all pediatric COVID-19 vaccine providers registered in I-CARE are able to submit orders for the vaccine so that all children aged 5-11 can be vaccinated as soon as possible. "IDPH is working with youth organizations, community-based organizations, Head Start programs, foster care and child care organizations to encourage vaccination and help arrange for vaccination clinics," Melaney Arnold, public information officer with the Illinois Department of Public Health, wrote in an email. "More than 80 vaccine clinics for 5-11 year-olds have already been scheduled or requested from schools across the state. IDPH continues to explore other options for larger vaccination events for ages 5-11 years." Arnold wrote that IDPH is also working with the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Illinois Academy of Family Physicians to enroll additional COVID-19 vaccine providers and work with them on disseminating information, holding webinars and trainings and providing answers to membership about pediatric vaccination. "Pharmacies and Federally Qualified Health Centers will be offering vaccines, but we know many parents and guardians turn to their childs pediatrician or family doctor for vaccinations," Arnold wrote. "More than 2,200 providers serving pediatric populations have enrolled to become COVID-19 vaccine providers. Illinois will continue to do outreach to provide information about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, and encourage vaccination." IDPH is currently working with medical groups and associations, community ambassadors, faith leaders and community-based organizations to promote vaccinations. IDPH aims to vaccinate as many people as soon as possible, including children ages 5-11. TOKYO (AP) Nissan reported a profit for the July-September quarter, managing to reverse earlier losses despite challenges that include shortages of computer chips and rising costs for materials. The 54.1 billion yen ($479 million) profit for the last quarter compared with a 44 billion yen loss racked up in the same period of 2020. Quarterly sales edged up 1% to 1.94 trillion yen ($17 billion), as Nissan Motor Co. vehicle sales rose in Japan and the rest of Asia, while declining in North America and Europe. Chief Operating Officer Ashwani Gupta began his presentation by apologizing to customers for disruptions to deliveries of products because of the chips crunch, which has affected all the major automakers including Toyota Motor Corp. Our customers are waiting, said Gupta, adding that Nissan hoped to boost its market share. The more we can produce, the more we can sell. Gupta said Nissans performance was better than expected. The company raised its profit forecast for the fiscal year ending in March to 180 billion yen ($1.6 billion) from an earlier 60 billion yen ($531 million). Gupta said the upward revision in Nissan's profit outlook was despite an expectation that sales for the year will total 3.8 million vehicles, down from an earlier estimate of 4.4 million vehicles. The Japanese maker of the Leaf electric vehicle, Z sportscar and Infiniti luxury models has been battling a tarnished brand image after the arrest three years ago of its then-Chairman Carlos Ghosn on charges of under-reporting his future compensation. Ghosn fled Japan for Lebanon while out on bail. He and another executive arrested and tried for his alleged involvement, American Greg Kelly, say they are innocent. A verdict on Kelly's case is expected next year. Nissan, based in the port city of Yokohama, sank into a loss of 448 billion yen for the fiscal year that ended in March 2021, its second straight year of red ink. Nissan's chief executive, Makoto Uchida, said Nissan was headed toward a recovery. Our strong results are the outcome of diligent financial management, improved quality of sales and a continuing product offensive. This has helped us withstand several headwinds, Uchida said. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter https://twitter.com/yurikageyama Morgan County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Benjamin P. Lacey, 36, of 603 Old U.S. Route 36, Alexander, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 7:04 p.m. Saturday on charges of aggravated domestic battery, interfering with emergency communications and resisting a peace officer. Collin Foster, 18, of 217 Main St., Franklin, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 1:20 a.m. Sunday on charges of driving under the influence, possession of adult-use cannabis by a driver and improper lane use. Cass County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Jorge Garcia-Nunez, 31, of 700 Beard St., Beardstown, was booked into the Morgan County jail at 11:10 p.m. Saturday on a violation of an order of protection. Pike County Sheriff ARRESTS, CITATIONS Sherrie B. Gilbert, 46, of Chambersburg was booked into the Pike County Jail at 7:21 p.m. Saturday on a charge of driving under the influence. Timothy J.L. Strieker, 31, of Columbia, Missouri, was booked into the Pike County Jail at 12:14 p.m. Oct. 1 on a charge of driving under the influence. Angela M. Reveal, 34, of Griggsville was booked into the Pike County Jail at 4:07 p.m Oct. 1 on a deceptive practices charge and on a warrant accusing her of failing to appear in court on possession of methamphetamine, possession of cannabis by a passenger and possession of drug paraphernalia charges. Tyler W. Thomas, 19, of Pleasant Hill was booked into the Pike County Jail at 2:26 p.m. Sunday on a domestic battery charge. Pittsfield Police ARRESTS, CITATIONS Anthony W. Piper, 32, of Pittsfield was booked into the Pike County Jail at 8:46 p.m. Oct. 1 on a domestic battery charge. Compiled by David C.L. Bauer CONCORD, N.H. (AP) New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Tuesday that he would seek a fourth term instead of running for Senate, dealing a major blow to Republicans who had hoped he could defeat Democratic incumbent Maggie Hassan and help them retake the chamber in next years midterm elections. Sununu, who won reelection last year by more than 30 percentage points, said he could have a bigger and more direct impact as governor than as a senator. In a nod to the slow speed of politics in Washington, he said he didn't want to spend the next six years sitting around having meeting after meeting, waiting for votes to maybe happen. My responsibility is not to the gridlock and politics of Washington its to the citizens of New Hampshire. And Id rather push myself 120 miles an hour delivering wins for New Hampshire than to slow down and end up on Capitol Hill debating partisan politics without results, he said at a news conference in Concord. I like moving. I like getting stuff done. I dont know if they could handle me down there, he said. I think Id be like a lion in a cage, waiting to get something done and effect real change. Democrats now hold a narrow majority in the 50-50 U.S. Senate by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris role as a tiebreaking vote. Sununus decision to seek a fourth two-year term in New Hampshire has a ripple effect on the larger national Senate landscape, which has begun to settle a year before Election Day 2022. The current map offers only a handful of legitimate pickup opportunities for the GOP and more states where Democrats will likely be on offense. Sununu had faced intense pressure to run for Senate. At a gathering of top Republicans last weekend in Las Vegas, he was repeatedly urged to run by some of his partys most influential leaders. Every person here needs to come up to Chris and say, Governor is great, but you need to run for Senate. Because this man could singlehandedly retire Chuck Schumer as majority leader in the Senate, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told the audience at the Republican Jewish Coalitions annual leadership meeting. Without Sununu, Republicans' best opportunities may lie in Georgia and Arizona, where first-term Democratic senators are facing their first reelection tests in states that President Joe Biden only narrowly won last year. But Republican retirements in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Missouri will give Democrats a chance to flip those states blue. Although Democrats hold all four of New Hampshire's congressional seats, Republicans control the state Legislature, and Hassans 2016 win was a narrow one. She defeated Republican incumbent Kelly Ayotte by a razor-thin 1,000 votes in a state where Democrat Hillary Clinton eked out a win over Republican Donald Trump. Sununu, a reluctant supporter of Trumps in 2016, backed the presidents reelection bid in 2020, even calling himself a Trump guy through and through. But Biden comfortably won New Hampshire last year by more than 7 percentage points. Ayotte, who had privately expressed interest in running for governor if Sununu didn't seek reelection, offered no signs in a statement Tuesday that she planned to run again for Senate. Governor Sununu has done a tremendous job in office and I am so thankful he will continue his service to our state and continue to fight for all Granite Staters," Ayotte said. "As for Joe and I, we will continue to focus on our family, professional careers, and electing Republicans here at home. At least two other Republicans have already entered the race to challenge Hassan: retired Army Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, who unsuccessfully sought the nomination to challenge New Hampshire's other U.S. senator, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, in 2020, and Tejasinha Sivalingam, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the state Legislature in 2018. Maggie Hassan is the least popular and most vulnerable incumbent in the U.S. Senate, and for good reason, said Chris Hartline of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is dedicated to electing Republicans to the Senate. We have lots of great candidates in New Hampshire and we look forward to one of them beating Hassan next November. Hassans campaign manager Aaron Jacobs said the senator is prepared for any challenge that lies ahead. We know that no matter who emerges as the Republican nominee this is going to be a hard-fought race, he said. The Senator has shown that she can work across the aisle to get results for Granite Staters and that is why she has a record of winning tough races. Hassan, who served two terms as governor and three terms in the state Senate, is the second woman in U.S. history to serve as both governor and senator. Shaheen, who defeated Sununus brother, John E. Sununu, in 2008 in a Senate race, was the first. Sununu, whose father was governor from 1983 to 1989 and later served as White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush, was the youngest top executive in the country when he took office in 2017 at age 42. Now 47, he has faced criticism from Democrats for signing a state budget that included a ban on late-term abortions and from fellow Republicans for COVID-19 restrictions imposed during the pandemic. While he has been a strong promoter of the COVID-19 vaccines, he also has pushed back against the Biden administration's vaccination mandates for businesses. Sununu said he wants to continue focusing on the pandemic as well as building on work to remake the state's mental health system. He said that the Senate might have been an interesting adventure" but that he's at peace with his decision. When you look at what their job is and what a governors job is ... and the opportunity I get to create here for our citizens, its not even close," he said. ____ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Steve Peoples in New York contributed to this report. BANGKOK (AP) Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Bill Richardson acknowledges criticism of his humanitarian visit to Myanmar, but says he feels his trip was constructive. Richardson, also a former governor of New Mexico, is the highest-profile American to visit the Southeast Asian nation since its military seized power in February from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. He traveled there last week with three colleagues, his office said, to discuss delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, medical supplies and other public health needs. The U.S. government, along with a number of other Western nations, shuns Myanmar's military-installed government and urges a return to democracy. Im deeply invested in this country and they invited me, Richardson said in an online interview with The Associated Press on Monday from Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I have a letter from the foreign minister to talk about vaccines ... thats what I was invited to do. And I care about the country and I think I can make a difference. Its a small difference. Richardson has a long history of involvement with Myanmar, starting in 1994 when as a member of Congress he met Suu Kyi at her home in the city of Yangon, where she had been under house arrest since 1989 under a previous military government. He last visited Myanmar in 2018 to advise on a crisis over the countrys Muslim Rohingya minority. More than 700,000 Rohingya fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh after Myanmars military in 2017 launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in the western state of Rakhine, where most lived. Since this years military takeover, violence has swept through much of Myanmar. Widespread peaceful demonstrations against army rule were savagely suppressed by security forces, and armed resistance has grown to the point that U.N. experts have warned the country risks sliding into civil war. The instability has also caused a humanitarian crisis with food supplies badly disrupted and a breakdown of the already feeble public health system in one of Asians poorest countries. When a new wave of the coronavirus hit during the summer, crematoriums in Yangon struggled with a backlog of bodies. Opponents of the military-installed government who are conducting a militant civil disobedience campaign inside the country want the outside world to treat the generals as pariahs. Richardson, as a prominent U.S. political figure well known in Myanmar, ran into a storm of online criticism for engaging with the government. Well, I knew that the trip would face some criticism, Richardson said. But he disputed the idea that he could confer any kind of legitimacy on Myanmars government. Legitimacy, he said, is conferred by the people and by governments. Im neither. Im one person, a citizen who cares deeply about Myanmar, who was invited to come in a situation where theres horrendous violence, human hurting, humanitarian needs, vaccine needs. And I felt I could make a difference and I believe I have. He is realistic enough to realize that some might try to exploit his presence. But he is satisfied with what he says he has accomplished so far: the release from prison of a young woman who had worked for his Richardson Center for Global Engagement; increased access to humanitarian aid and vaccines for the people of Myanmar; and a resumption of Red Cross visits to the countrys prisons, which the government had banned because of the coronavirus. Richardson said he avoided politics in his discussions, as he did in the interview with AP. I didnt want to get into politics. I think humanitarian assistance should precede any kind of movement that would just divide the people even more. This is a country in great need, a country Ive been to many times. Ive invested a lot of myself in this country, and 55 million people should not have to pay with bad vaccine distribution, humanitarian problems, for the political divisions. Richardson said he met for about 90 minutes with Myanmars leader, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. We only talked about humanitarian access. We only talked about vaccines. He listened, he responded. It seemed like he liked my ideas, Richardson said. These ideas, he said, included the revival of the Red Cross prison visits and shortening the amount of time needed for travel permissions from the government for U.N. agencies and NGOs to carry out humanitarian missions, as well as finding ways to distribute vaccines more quickly and equitably. So it was a constructive discussion, he said. Richardson also met with other top government officials, foreign diplomats, including the U.S. ambassador, and representatives of U.N. agencies and other international organizations. I think theres been a logjam on activity and progress on the humanitarian front, the access to vaccines, ... the humanitarian efforts, he said. So I think my visit may be a catalyst. Evidence of corruption in Afghanistan has been abundantly clear throughout the past 20 years, not only by the Afghan government but also by our own hand. Nation-building without heeding the local culture, and being consumed with process over outcome, lead the U.S. to support a fundamentally undemocratic and corrupt government in Afghanistan. America attempted to promote democracy and freedom by facilitating elections, organizing a parliament, and recognizing its official leaders. However, we failed to develop strong, democratic governance at the most local level. The only kind of government the average Afghan saw was a distant cabal of individuals getting rich, seemingly backed by the U.S. To the average villager, it was inconceivable that America would allow such activities to occur without being complicit. Afghan National Army Lt. Gen. Sami Sadat acknowledges, the corruption endemic in Mr. Ghanis government that flowed to senior military leadership irreparably hobbled us. The Afghan armys morale was continuously undermined by a self-serving central government. While soldiers scrounged for their next round of ammunition, their conversations invariably turned to the latest rumors lavish palace parties, politicians buying expensive properties in London and Paris, and the well-connected getting richer by the day. The fault does not, however, lie entirely with the Afghan government. The U.S. Treasury Department under both Republican and Democratic administrations continued to provide funds without acting against individuals they knew were facilitating corrupt business practices. Various inspectors general have released report after report detailing fraudulent and wasteful activities. Their efforts were largely ignored as the U.S. shoveled money into a pipeline that delivered only a trickle of benefit at the local level. The Taliban patiently stood by, banking on the fact that the kleptocracy would ultimately alienate those living in rural areas. As people became increasingly disillusioned and angered by what was going on in Kabul, many came to view the Taliban as a potentially viable alternative. The Taliban were quick to exploit those feelings and cloaked their motives under the cover of religious morality and cultural legitimacy. Once America announced an exit date, all bets were off. Over the intervening months, Afghan soldiers began preparing a course that would best serve them and protect their families. The central government was not an option. This left them only three choices: seek safety in their home village, join the Taliban, or die fighting a battle with minimal support from their own government. The Taliban prepared the battlefield and used the months leading up to our withdrawal to bribe, coerce, and kill their enemies. Once the last U.S. transport lifted off from Bagram Airfield, the Taliban were ready to move. As Sun Tzu succinctly put it: In war, the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won. By early August, the Taliban had already won. All that was left was the march to Kabul to claim their prize. The U.S. must recognize that its failure to act on known sources of corruption directly contributed to the Talibans victory. We did not give the Afghan people the government they needed. We gave them the government our system demanded. We propped up a central regime without creating any sustainable, legitimate local government structures in a country where tribal relations, and thus local governance, is critically important. According to Sarah Chayes, who has run development organizations and assisted international military forces in Afghanistan since 2002, by not seeking out local Afghan leadership Americans never absorbed critical information that was obvious to Afghans, such as the prevalence of corruption and the disgust it was generating. American institutions built mirror images of themselves to ease their jobs and diffuse responsibility. Corruption was increased by poor [American] oversight and contracting practices by donors and the pressure to spend budgets quickly, according to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction. America channeled funds into a felonious central government that never intended to meet the needs of its people. There is a common quip in Afghanistan: if you wanted a decision from a Taliban court, youd get one in the same day. If you wanted a decision from an Afghan court, you have to pay a corrupt judge and a corrupt lawyer to never get a decision. There is little doubt we could have beaten the Taliban militarily. What we could not defeat was the insidious rot of corruption that plagued both the U.S. and the Afghan governments or perhaps we simply decided to ignore it. Dominique L. Plewes is special adviser to Freedom Research Foundation and founder of Special Operations Forces Support Foundation, dedicated to educating Americans on the purposes and uses of special operations forces. Watertown, SD (57201) Today Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 19F. W winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 19F. W winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Review: Julia Child with a side of food in satisfying doc View Photo Theres a semi-serious joke on Twitter about releasing the all-Julia cut of Julie & Julia. Nora Ephrons generation-hopping tale of Julia Childs rise and the modern young woman trying to follow her lead has its fans, but its no secret that the Julia Child section is just more interesting than Julies. Who cares about the blogger learning life lessons through beef bourguignon when you could be watching Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci fawn over one another in 1950s Paris? But heres the thing about the desire for the all-Julia cut. Its not just the actors: Its the fantasy of leading a globe-trotting life full of food and wine and passion and fame, with a supportive husband in the passenger seat. If Julia Child didnt actually exist, I doubt anyone would think to dream her up. Thankfully Julia, a new documentary from RBG directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West in theaters Friday, helps satiate that curiosity and digs a little deeper into the larger-than-life personality who brought French cuisine into American homes and essentially invented the idea of the celebrity television chef. It is a loving and straightforward portrait of this extraordinary womans life and her place in American culture. Its easy to forget that Julia Child lived an entire life before she became just Julia. She was 49 when she published her first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and 51 when her television show launched. Our culture tends to fetishize the precocious or gloss over the pre-fame sections of peoples lives, especially when theyre relatively free of drama or tragedy. But Julia reminds us that she did not emerge fully formed in any way and even continued evolving into her later years (except when it came to the idea of limiting butter use). Her trajectory would be impossible to comprehend without glimpses at her privileged childhood in Pasadena, her college education at Smith, her refusal to marry the first banker or doctor who came along and her international travels through a job with the Office of Strategic Services, which is where she met Paul. Cohen and West flesh out their story with talking head interviews from contemporary celebrity chefs like Jose Andres, Ina Garten and Marcus Samuelsson, friends of Julias, a treasure trove of footage from her many, many hours on television and some mouth-watering food porn. The filmmakers were smart to get some modern shots of her recipes being preparedChilds shows might be classics, but food photography has evolved for the better. While Julia is very much a celebration, it doesnt shy away from complexity, including her questionably cold treatment of her co-author and friend after their initial success. The filmmakers strain at times to include as much as they can in 95 minutes, which is no small feat for such a documented life, however the experience begins to feel a little rushed and undercooked. I would have liked a tiny bit more inquiry into why American households in the 1950s were favoring convenience over the ways of their old-world parents and grandparents or butting up against health food movements in the 70s and 80s, for instance. Its still a satisfying and fun tribute to someone whose impacts on modern food culture and celebrity are still being felt. Just dont go in hungry. Julia, a Sony Pictures Classics release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for some thematic elements, sexual reference, brief strong language. Running time: 95 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. - MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. - Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr: www.twitter.com/ldbahr By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer UNITED NATIONS (AP) The African Unions envoy for the Horn of Africa warned Monday that there is a short window of opportunity and little time to reverse the crisis in northern Ethiopia which has drastically deteriorated in recent weeks amid an escalating offensive by Tigray forces against the government. Olusegun Obasanjo told the U.N. Security Council that after talks with Ethiopias president and prime minister, and the presidents of the Tigray and Oromo regions whose forces are fighting government troops, he can say that they all agree individually that the differences between them are political and require political solution through dialogue. The former Nigerian president, who briefed the U.N.s most powerful body from Ethiopias capital Addis Ababa, said he will visit Tigrays neighboring Amhara and Afar regions on Tuesday to harmonize the views of leaders in the area on the withdrawal of the troops from regions that are not theirs, and also in maintaining humanitarian access. Before the end of this week, Obasanjo said, we hope to have a program in hand that will indicate how we can get the humanitarian and the withdrawal of troops all together to meet the immediate demand of the stakeholders on both sides of the conflict. Obasanjo and U.S. envoy Jeffrey Feltman have been holding urgent talks in search of a cease-fire in the year-old war that has killed thousands. Feltman returned to Ethiopia from Kenya on Monday and U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price also said we believe there is a small window of opening to work with Obasanjo to further joint efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict. He said Feltman will meet the AU high representative Tuesday night in Addis Ababa, and reiterated American concerns about the risk of inter-communal violence. 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, Ethiopian soldiers fled the Tigray capital, Mekele, in June. Facing the current offensive by Tigray forces who are approaching Addis Ababa to press Ahmed to step aside, the prime minister declared a national state of emergency with sweeping detention powers last Tuesday. The Tigray forces are also 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. No aid trucks have reached Mekele since Oct. 18 amid continued airstrikes, and 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. Obasanjo called on the Security Council to strongly urge the Ethiopian government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front to engage in political dialogue without any preconditions and to call for an immediate cease-fire, unhindered humanitarian access, and an immediate start to an all-inclusive nationwide dialogue and reconciliation. U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo, who also briefed the U.N.s most powerful body, said the conflict in Tigray has reached disastrous proportions and the fighting places the future of the country and its people, as well as the stability of the wider Horn of Africa region, in grave uncertainty. In addition to Tigrayan forces advancing south toward the capital Addis Ababa, in coordination with the Oromo Liberation Army, she said insecurity in the Oromia region continues to worsen and the situation in parts of the Benishangul-Gumuz region remains tense. In a country of over 110 million people, over 90 different ethnic groups and 80 languages, no one can predict what continued fighting and insecurity will bring, DiCarlo said. But let me clear: What is certain is that the risk of Ethiopia descending into widening civil war is only too real. That would bring about a humanitarian catastrophe and consume the future of such an important country, DiCarlo warned. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield denied that the U.S. is supporting one side in the conflict, saying we condemn all violence by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces and by Tigrayan forces and their supporters. The unity and integrity of the Ethiopian state faces an existential threat from within. And millions of innocent civilians are at risk as the conflict expands and warring parties advance toward Addis Ababa, she warned. This war between angry, belligerent men victimizing women and children must stop, Thomas-Greenfield said, I urge all parties all parties in the strongest possible terms, to back away from the brink and lead their people toward peace, ___ Matthew Lee contributed to this report from Washington By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Rights groups urge Sudan army to free those detained in coup View Photo KHARTOUM, Sudan (AP) Two leading international rights groups urged Sudans military in a joint statement Tuesday to release government officials, activists and others detained during the armys coup last month. The wife of a detained former minister, meanwhile, expressed concerns about the health of her husband, whose whereabouts, like others, remain unknown. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also appealed for an end to further arbitrary arrests and the crackdown that has been taking place on anti-coup protests. It was the first time the two prominent groups issued a joint statement on Sudan. They had separately appealed to Sudans military to free those arrested during and after the coup. On Oct. 25, the Sudanese military seized power, dissolving the countrys transitional government and detaining more than 100 government officials and political leaders, along with a large number of protesters and activists. The army also placed the countrys prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, under house arrest in his residence in the capital of Khartoum. Since the takeover, at least 14 anti-coup protesters have been killed due to excessive force used by the countrys security forces, according to Sudanese doctors and the United Nations. On Sunday, security forces tear-gassed demonstrators and rounded up more than 100 people, most of them anti-coup teachers in Khartoum. The coup has drawn international criticism and massive protests in the streets of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country. Moez Hadra, a defense lawyer for the deposed officials, said half are believed to be held in Khartoum and the others are scattered across the countrys provinces. Hadra said he and other defense lawyers have not been allowed to communicate with some of their clients or know their whereabouts. Twenty-five of those detained face charges of inciting troops to rebel against their leaders, he said. If convicted, they would likely face up to life imprisonment, he said. One of the 25 is Ibrahim al-Sheikh, the minister of industry in the deposed government. Al-Sheikh was a prominent figure in the pro-democracy movement that led the opposition against longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in his final months in power. Armed forces took al-Sheikh from his house in Khartoum early on Oct. 25, hours before coup leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan announced the disbanding of the government, his wife Amani Malik Ibrahim said. He was arrested in front of his family, including children and older women, she told The Associated Press from the familys home in Khartoums Bahri district. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown and he has only been allowed to speak by phone briefly one time with his family. That call alarmed his wife because he was sick at the time of his detention. I felt like he was not well. This was not Ibrahims normal voice. I asked him where he was detained and he didnt answer because it is clear there is someone on the phone with him, she said. Al-Tahir Maki Idris, another defense lawyer, said attorneys have sent requests to the military seeking the whereabouts of those arrested and the legality of their detention. There is no one that is helpful on what is happening to those detained or even their locations and their treatment, he said. Mohamed Osman, Human Rights Watchs researcher on Sudan, said that since the coup, the Sudanese military has resorted to its well-trodden and brutal tactics, undermining small but important progress on rights and freedoms that Sudanese from all walks of life have fought for. The coup has upended the countrys fragile planned transition to democratic rule, more than two years after a popular uprising forced the removal of al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. Sundanese have taken to the streets in masses against the coup. The protest movement insists on a full civilian government to rule Sudan during the transition. But military leaders have maintained they were compelled to take over because of alleged quarrels among political parties that they claimed could lead to civil war. International mediation efforts have been underway to find a way out of the crisis or at least return Sudan to its pre-coup status with little headway. The protest movement has rejected internationally backed initiatives to return to a power-sharing arrangement with the military. Ambassadors of the U.S., the U.K. and Norway met Tuesday with Burhan and warned against unilateral action by the military, according to a joint statement from the three Western nations. The ambassadors urged the return of the transitional government and Hamdok to office as the basis for discussions on how to achieve a civilian-military partnership and civilian-led transitional government. Tuesdays joint statement quoted Sarah Jackson, Amnestys deputy regional director, who called for a joint, coordinated, and strong regional and international response to rights violations in Sudan. By FAY ABUELGASIM Associated Press Microphone and US Flag View Photo U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered remarks on the Senate floor regarding Democrats Energy Dependence Agenda. McConnell was Tuesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. Here are his words: President Biden spent much of the past week participating in a U.N. summit on the so-called Paris Climate Accords. The event was billed as a serious meeting of world leaders committed to taking action on climate policy. More than 1,000 VIPs arrived in a parade of no fewer than 400 private jets, a mode of transportation that some climate activists say is up to 14 times more polluting than commercial aviation. The topic of discussion was a bad deal that, after six years, has failed to hold any of its major signatories to their commitments on reducing emissions. But that hadnt stopped President Biden from rejoining it. The President went as far as apologizing apologizing that the previous Administration had let the U.S. reduce its emissions from outside the deal. He pledged that, now, the United States, will do our part. Exactly what that means is not clear. The United States succeeded in cutting its emissions more from outside the Paris Deal than any major country managed from inside it. So President Biden apologized for outperforming the deal. And his counterparts welcomed Americas new commitment to reduce U.S. emissions 50% by 2030 without any specifics on achieving it. Now while Americas emissions have fallen, the worlds leading carbon emitter apparently has a free pass to keep on increasing its emissions until 2030. According to Chinas own representatives, their massive and thriving economy is still in a, special development stage. Were talking about a country that built more than three times as much new coal power capacity as the rest of the world combined in 2020. Meanwhile, one outside analysis indicates that getting America even close to net-zero emissions by 2050 would mean cutting our GDP by nearly 12% annually. Thats trillions of dollars shipped out of this country every year. Competitors like China are licking their chops. And what would this self-flagellation get us 39 years from now? According to that same outside analysis, based on the U.N.s own model, this economic hemorrhage would purchase us a reduction of three tenths of one degree in global temperatures. Meanwhile, the same Washington Democrats who think this nightmare sounds like a good deal are pushing a reckless taxing and spending spree that would hammer American families and the affordable energy they need to power and heat their homes and drive their cars. After less than a year with Democrats in power, America has already more than doubled imports of Russian oil from December 2020 levels. Double the dependency on Russia in less than 12 months. Americas energy future, as imagined by our colleagues on the left. The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML. Hetch Hetchy Water and Power View Photo District Three Tuolumne County Supervisor Anaiah Kirk would like the board to send a letter to the City and County of San Francisco regarding vaccine requirements for Hetch Hetchy employees. The Hetch Hetchy water and power system is owned by San Francisco, but many of the workers reside in Tuolumne County, where much of the infrastructure is located. Supervisor Kirk says he is hearing from some constituents who are going to lose their longtime jobs because the utility is not going to approve their religious or medical requests to avoid the vaccine. At todays supervisors meeting, Kirk argued that the full board should send a letter to San Francisco opposing religious persecution towards Tuolumne County residents. The item was scheduled for debate at the very end of the meeting, however, several Hetch Hetchy employees were in attendance at the start of the 9 am session, and they requested that board chair Ryan Campbell move up the item. Campbell agreed to open up discussion about it but said a final vote will still come later in the day, in case others want to speak at the regularly scheduled time on the agenda. Five Hetchy employees came up to the podium and argued that they are being religiously persecuted for not getting the vaccine. A wife of one of the employees also spoke in favor of the proposed letter. In addition, there was one person who spoke against it. District One Supervisor David Goldemberg said he does not feel it is the purview of the board to dictate what actions San Francisco takes with its employees. He added that San Francisco has been a good partner with the county and feels this is not a good path to go down. District Four Supervisor Kathleen Haff said she applauds much of the content in the letter written by Supervisor Kirk but agreed with Supervisor Goldemberg that the county should not collectively send the letter to San Francisco. District Five Supervisor Jaron Brandon stated that San Francisco is following state law, and this is not something under Tuolumne Countys scope to weigh in on. A formal vote will take place later this afternoon, but based on the comments, there will not be three votes to pass the proposed letter. Pathologist: Rittenhouse shot first man at close range View Photo KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) The first man killed by Kyle Rittenhouse on the streets of Kenosha was shot at a range of just a few feet and had soot injuries that could indicate he had his hand over the barrel of Rittenhouses rifle, a pathologist testified Tuesday. But it was unclear from video footage whether Joseph Rosenbaum was grabbing for Rittenhouses gun or trying to swat it away, said the witness, Dr. Doug Kelley, with the Milwaukee County medical examiners office. Kelley was one of the final witnesses for the state before prosecutors rested their murder case after 5 1/2 days of testimony that were aimed at portraying Rittenhouse as the aggressor but often bolstered the young mans claim of self-defense. His lawyers have suggested the 17-year-old was afraid his gun would be taken away and used against him. The defense then began presenting its side, calling as its first witnesses people who were on the streets with Rittenhouse that night and described him as pale, shaking, sweating and stammering after the shootings. He repeats, I just shot someone over and over, and I believe at some point he said he had to shoot someone, testified Nicholas Smith, who said he had gone to the protests that shook Kenosha that night at the request of the owners of a car dealership to protect the business. My god, my life might be over, another witness, JoAnn Fiedler, quoted Rittenhouse as saying. She said he didnt give any details about what happened but told her he had to do it. Rittenhouse, now 18, killed two men and wounded a third during a night of turbulent demonstrations against racial injustice in Kenosha in the summer of 2020. The former police youth 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 protect property from the damaging protests that broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white Kenosha police officer. Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge against him. While Rittenhouse is white, as were those he shot, the case has stirred racially charged debate over vigilantism, the right to bear arms, and the unrest that erupted around the U.S. that summer over the killing of George Floyd and other police violence against Black people. On Tuesday, the jury watched drone video that was zoomed-in and slowed down to show Rosenbaum following Rittenhouse, and then Rittenhouse wheeling around and shooting Rosenbaum at close range. Kelley, the pathologist, said Rosenbaum was shot four times by someone who was within 4 feet of him. He testified that Rosenbaum was first wounded in the groin and then in the hand and thigh as he faced Rittenhouse, and then was shot in the head and in the back. Those final two shots were at a downward angle, the pathologist said. Prosecutors have said this indicates Rosenbaum was falling forward, while defense attorney Mark Richards said Rosenbaum was lunging. Kelley said both scenarios were possible. Kelley also said Rosenbaums hand was in close proximity or in contact with the end of that rifle. Richards pointed out small injuries from soot on Rosenbaums hand and said: So that hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouses gun when his hand was shot. That makes sense, Kelley said. The drone footage was the clearest video yet of the shooting that set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later: Rittenhouse killed Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on video clubbing Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, a 27-year-old protester and volunteer medic who was shot after pointing his own gun at Rittenhouse. Fiedler, the defense witness, was with Rittenhouse outside the car dealership just before the first shooting, and said they were being shouted at and taunted by protesters, including Rosenbaum. But Fiedler, who said she carried a pistol, testified she never saw Rittenhouse threaten or point his gun at anyone. The whole night was quite shocking, but we didnt really do anything, Fiedler said of the yelling directed at those guarding the store. We just kind of stood there. You have to ignore that. Fiedler said she later opened the door of the dealership for Rittenhouse after the shootings, and he appeared to be totally in shock and fell into her, telling her he had shot someone. He was pale, shaking, kind of stammering, slurring his words. He was sweating, she said. Last week, witnesses testified that Rosenbaum, 36, was hyperaggressive and acting belligerently that night and threatened to kill Rittenhouse at one point. One witness said Rosenbaum was gunned down after chasing Rittenhouse and lunging for his rifle. Wisconsins self-defense law allows someone to use deadly force only if necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. The jury must decide whether Rittenhouse believed he was in such peril and whether that belief was reasonable under the circumstances. On Tuesday, Rittenhouse turned his head and averted his eyes from a defense-table monitor as prosecutors displayed medical examiner photographs of Hubers body laid out on a gurney, a gunshot wound to his chest clearly visible. Rittenhouse breathed deeply as autopsy photos of Rosenbaum showing his injuries were displayed for the jury. A few jurors also seemed to find it difficult to look for long at the images, one glancing up at a monitor over her shoulder, then looking straight ahead. ___ Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin; Forliti from Minneapolis; Webber from Fenton, Michigan. Associated Press writer Michael Tarm contributed from Kenosha. ___ Find APs full coverage on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse at: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse By SCOTT BAUER, TAMMY WEBBER and AMY FORLITI Associated Press Sununu seeks 4th term as governor, not Hassans Senate seat View Photo CONCORD, N.H. (AP) New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said Tuesday that he would seek a fourth term instead of running for Senate, dealing a major blow to Republicans who had hoped he could defeat Democratic incumbent Maggie Hassan and help them retake the chamber in next years midterm elections. Sununu, who won reelection last year by more than 30 percentage points, said he could have a bigger and more direct impact as governor than as a senator. In a nod to the slow speed of politics in Washington, he said he didnt want to spend the next six years sitting around having meeting after meeting, waiting for votes to maybe happen. My responsibility is not to the gridlock and politics of Washington its to the citizens of New Hampshire. And Id rather push myself 120 miles an hour delivering wins for New Hampshire than to slow down and end up on Capitol Hill debating partisan politics without results, he said at a news conference in Concord. I like moving. I like getting stuff done. I dont know if they could handle me down there, he said. I think Id be like a lion in a cage, waiting to get something done and effect real change. Democrats now hold a narrow majority in the 50-50 U.S. Senate by virtue of Vice President Kamala Harris role as a tiebreaking vote. Sununus decision to seek a fourth two-year term in New Hampshire has a ripple effect on the larger national Senate landscape, which has begun to settle a year before Election Day 2022. The current map offers only a handful of legitimate pickup opportunities for the GOP and more states where Democrats will likely be on offense. Sununu had faced intense pressure to run for Senate. At a gathering of top Republicans last weekend in Las Vegas, he was repeatedly urged to run by some of his partys most influential leaders. Every person here needs to come up to Chris and say, Governor is great, but you need to run for Senate. Because this man could singlehandedly retire Chuck Schumer as majority leader in the Senate, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz told the audience at the Republican Jewish Coalitions annual leadership meeting. Without Sununu, Republicans best opportunities may lie in Georgia and Arizona, where first-term Democratic senators are facing their first reelection tests in states that President Joe Biden only narrowly won last year. But Republican retirements in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Missouri will give Democrats a chance to flip those states blue. Although Democrats hold all four of New Hampshires congressional seats, Republicans control the state Legislature, and Hassans 2016 win was a narrow one. She defeated Republican incumbent Kelly Ayotte by a razor-thin 1,000 votes in a state where Democrat Hillary Clinton eked out a win over Republican Donald Trump. Sununu, a reluctant supporter of Trumps in 2016, backed the presidents reelection bid in 2020, even calling himself a Trump guy through and through. But Biden comfortably won New Hampshire last year by more than 7 percentage points. Ayotte, who had privately expressed interest in running for governor if Sununu didnt seek reelection, offered no signs in a statement Tuesday that she planned to run again for Senate. Governor Sununu has done a tremendous job in office and I am so thankful he will continue his service to our state and continue to fight for all Granite Staters, Ayotte said. As for Joe and I, we will continue to focus on our family, professional careers, and electing Republicans here at home. At least two other Republicans have already entered the race to challenge Hassan: retired Army Brig. Gen. Donald Bolduc, who unsuccessfully sought the nomination to challenge New Hampshires other U.S. senator, Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, in 2020, and Tejasinha Sivalingam, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the state Legislature in 2018. Maggie Hassan is the least popular and most vulnerable incumbent in the U.S. Senate, and for good reason, said Chris Hartline of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is dedicated to electing Republicans to the Senate. We have lots of great candidates in New Hampshire and we look forward to one of them beating Hassan next November. Hassans campaign manager Aaron Jacobs said the senator is prepared for any challenge that lies ahead. We know that no matter who emerges as the Republican nominee this is going to be a hard-fought race, he said. The Senator has shown that she can work across the aisle to get results for Granite Staters and that is why she has a record of winning tough races. Hassan, who served two terms as governor and three terms in the state Senate, is the second woman in U.S. history to serve as both governor and senator. Shaheen, who defeated Sununus brother, John E. Sununu, in 2008 in a Senate race, was the first. Sununu, whose father was governor from 1983 to 1989 and later served as White House chief of staff under President George H.W. Bush, was the youngest top executive in the country when he took office in 2017 at age 42. Now 47, he has faced criticism from Democrats for signing a state budget that included a ban on late-term abortions and from fellow Republicans for COVID-19 restrictions imposed during the pandemic. While he has been a strong promoter of the COVID-19 vaccines, he also has pushed back against the Biden administrations vaccination mandates for businesses. Sununu said he wants to continue focusing on the pandemic as well as building on work to remake the states mental health system. He said that the Senate might have been an interesting adventure but that hes at peace with his decision. When you look at what their job is and what a governors job is and the opportunity I get to create here for our citizens, its not even close, he said. ____ Associated Press writers Jill Colvin and Steve Peoples in New York contributed to this report. By HOLLY RAMER Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) Some gifts, such as a candle or a bottle of wine, are great in the moment or for the short-term. Others make memorable keepsakes or are so personal they can't be re-gifted. Here are some gifts that, besides amusing and delighting the receiver now, are meant to be cherished for years. CUSTOM CLUTCH: Newport, California, designer and boutique owner Talia Hancock sells hand-beaded clutch handbags that can be customized with letters and colors. If there's a bride-to-be on your list who is changing her name, she might love a clutch with her maiden name on one side and her married name on the other. A new sorority pledge might impress her sisters with a clutch made with her school's colors and the Greek letters. Or how about a clutch adorned with your kids' names? The sky's the limit, said Hancock. She prefers to facilitate orders through the text to order" option on her TALIA Instagram account so she can have a dialogue with customers. Clutches are $198 for one-side customized, $238 for two-sided. CUSTOM DENIM JACKET: Also from Hancock's store TALIA, a customized denim jacket. The back of the jacket is hand-painted. You can request a name, date, initials, phrase or image that will guarantee you get noticed. If you don't want the back painted, consider customizing the collar instead, so when you pop it, it makes a statement. I never wear my clutch or wear my jackets without getting stopped and asked where I got them," said Hancock. Jackets come in blue or black denim and start at $198 (some designs might cost extra.) PRESERVED TEXTS: Do you have a funny text conversation with friends that you'd love to save? Or a loved one whose texts you never want to delete? Keep them forever in a book of text messages called Keepster. The company can take messages from apps including iMessage, WhatsApp and Hike, and compiles them into the format of your choice. PERSONALIZED PODCAST: If youd like to have an oral history from a loved one, check out Artifact. The company enlists professional interviewers many say they are moonlighting journalists to conduct an interview with your subject. An interview focuses on a chapter of a persons life, such as childhood and the teen years. The audio is then edited to a 20-minute, studio-quality episode. The cost is $119 per episode or $99 per episode for three. A finished product is delivered within five days of the recording. PET PORTRAITS: The pandemic has seen a surge in pet ownership, and Sam and Jack is one of the companies offering a way to celebrate or remember these beloved family members. They'll take a photo of your pet and turn it into everything from a framed, illustrated portrait to a personalized throw pillow. They also customize smaller items including water bottles, mugs and phone cases. VIDEO MESSAGE: For the person who has everything, an original gift might be a group video message or tribute by Tribute.co. They can send out the invites and compile the videos. There's no maximum length, so messages can be hours long. The company's founder, Andrew Horn, says he's even had customers rent out theaters to play their tributes. Prices vary depending on the package: If you edit the videos yourself using Tribute.co's editing platform, the cost is $29. If you use their concierge service, they'll take care of the outreach coordination and get the video edited for $99. They can present it via a link that can also be downloaded, or if you prefer to present a physical gift, for $174 the company will give you a greeting card that has a a video screen with audio inside to play your message. ST. LOUIS (AP) A St. Louis County man is charged with two separate killings, and police are trying to determine if he was involved in at least four other homicides in Missouri and Kansas. Perez Deshay Reed, 25, of Bellefontaine Neighbors, was charged Saturday with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and one count of first-degree assault. He is suspected of killing a 16-year-old girl, Marnay Haynes, on Sept. 13, and in the fatal shooting of 40-year-old Lester Robinson on Sept. 26. He is also accused of a third shooting in St. Louis County that left a person with permanent disabilities. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, citing a police affidavit filed in federal court, said Reed could be tied to at least four other homicides and additional shootings. Among them: Police are investigating if Reed killed Damon Irvin and Daja Fairrow, whose bodies were found earlier this month in an apartment complex in Kansas City, Kansas. Charges have not been filed in those killings. Meanwhile, St. Louis city police said Monday they plan to seek charges against Reed in the recent shooting deaths of 49-year-old Pamela Abercrombie and 24-year-old Casey Ross. Authorities have not provided a motive for the shootings. The FBI said that on Friday, officers were watching Reed when he got on an Amtrak train from Kansas City bound for St. Louis. He got off at the first stop, in Independence, and was getting on a bus when he was taken into custody. Reed had a .40-caliber pistol with him that matched the St. Louis area shootings in September, the federal affidavit says. Reed, in an interview with police, denied hurting anyone, the affidavit stated. OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) A Mississippi-based pharmaceutical company has agreed to pay a $175,000 federal fine to resolve allegations it didn't properly maintain records about its opioids and controlled substances as required under the law, according to a federal prosecutor's office. Acting U.S. Attorney Darren LaMarca said the fine is being paid by Pharmaceutical Trade Services Inc., which does business as Durbin USA. The company is a supplier of medical and pharmaceutical products to companies in 160 countries, according to its website. An Austin-based commercial real estate brokerage now owns the building that houses the downtown McDonald's. The historic 30,000-square-foot building at 101 Alamo Plaza was purchased by 290 Jones Investments Inc., according to a October 27 deed filing. The purchasing entity was created by Teddy Rea Jones, the principal broker of Austin-based Jones and Jones Company, according to state tax records. MySA reached out to Jones and Jones Company for comment. Madalyn Mendoza What we know The purchase price was not disclosed but the property value was last assessed at $3 million, according to county records. Jones and Jones Company's website says it specializes in buying and selling apartment properties. As of November 2020, the company has sold 24 properties in San Antonio, according to its list of transactions. Jones and Jones Company purchased the property Dullnig Building LLC and Dullnig Partners Ltd. entities tied to local developers James Lifshutz and Doyle Walsh, according to state tax records. The Dullnig Building was listed in June 2020, the San Antonio Business Journal reported. /Courtesy photo Dullnig Building facts Rick Diamond /Getty Images for Outback Concerts In a world constantly spinning out news of dark happenings and roadblocks, it can be crucial to laugh. While the after work happy hour drink with friends can temporarily take the edge off, a ticket to a prestige comedy show can alleviate your mind of worry, clear your foggy mindset and soothe your soul. While these aren't legally binding promises, laughing in a theater with a room full of community members could anecdotally be exactly what you need right about now. While comedy can't remedy everything in this life, here are five upcoming shows that can at least get you laughing. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. humanitarian chief urged Myanmars military leaders on Monday to provide unimpeded access to the more than 3 million people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance since government forces seized power on Feb. 1 because of growing conflict and insecurity, COVID-19 and a failing economy. Martin Griffiths warned that without an end to violence and a peaceful resolution of Myanmars crisis, this number will only rise. He also urged donors to respond to the U.N. appeal, saying less than half of the $385 million required has been raised since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Monday was the first anniversary of the 2020 elections in Myanmar, which were deemed free and fair by domestic and international observers, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. They were won by Suu Kyis National League for Democracy party with approximately 80% of the elected seats in the upper and lower houses of Parliament. The military rejects the results, claiming the vote was fraudulent. The United Nations reiterates its call on the military to respect the will of the people and put the country back on track to democratic transition, Dujarric said, stressing that the U.N. remains gravely concerned about the intensifying violence in Myanmar and again urges unimpeded humanitarian access. Griffiths statement was issued as members of the U.N. Security Council held a closed-door meeting on Myanmar requested by the United Kingdom. Diplomats said Russia and China objected to a proposed press statement that would express concern at recent violence including air strikes and reaffirm the council's support for the country's democratic transition, but discussions were continuing. UK deputy ambassador James Kariuki told reporters before heading into the meeting that Britain is particularly concerned about the buildup of military action in northwest Chin state, and we are concerned that this rather mirrors the activity we saw four years ago ahead of the atrocities that were committed in Rakhine against the Rohingya Muslim minority. So, were very keen to make sure the council is focused, and the military know that were watching, he said. Since Suu Kyis ouster, Myanmar has been wracked by unrest, with peaceful demonstrations against the ruling generals morphing first into a low-level insurgency in many urban areas after security forces used deadly force and then into more serious combat in rural areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been engaging in heavy clashes with government troops. On Sept. 7, the National Unity Government, the main underground group coordinating resistance to the military which was established by elected legislators who had been barred from taking their seats when the military seized power, called for a nationwide uprising. Its Peoples Defense Forces operate in many areas and have received training and weapons from some armed ethnic groups. Christine Schraner Burgener told The Associated Press shortly before her 3 year term as the U.N. special envoy for Myanmar ended on Oct. 31 that civil war has spread throughout the country. She said the U.N. has heard that many soldiers are on the ground conducting clearing operations in Chin state, and reminded the world that the militarys clearing operation in Rakhine state in 2017 saw villages burned down, widespread rapes and more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Griffiths also called the situation in the northwest extremely concerning, with an escalation in hostilities between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Chinland Defense Force in Chin state, and with the Peoples Defense Forces in Magway and Sagaing regions. More than 37,000 people, including women and children, have been newly displaced, and more than 160 homes have been burned, including churches and the offices of a humanitarian organization, Griffiths said. Attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian workers and facilities, are clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop immediately. Since Feb. 1, he said, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to violence across the country, and 223,000 people remain internally displaced. This includes 165,000 in the southeast of the country and is on top of a significant population of people who were already displaced in Rakhine, Chin, Shan and Kachin states prior to the takeover, Griffiths said. He noted that 144,000 Rohingya people are still confined to camps or living in camp-like settings in Rakhine, many since their displacement in 2012, and more than 105,000 people have been displaced in Kachin and Shan, many for years. The U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs said he is also increasingly concerned about reports of rising levels of food insecurity in and around urban areas, including in Yangon and Mandalay. Big Bend National Park After a 20-month closure, the largest national park in Texas will soon reopen an entry point that provides access to a village in Mexico. Last week, Big Bend National Park announced in a news release it will allow pedestrians to access the Boquillas Port of Entry starting Wednesday, November 17. The entrance allows access to the village of Boquillas, Coahuila, Mexico, as well as the Maderas del Carmen and Ocampo protected areas. The Boquillas crossing has remained closed since March 2020 as part of the nationwide U.S. Department of Homeland Security closure of the border to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, according to Big Bend. KENS 5 KENS 5 is adding another local face to the broadcast. The CBS affiliate recently announced that San Antonio native Ryan Shoptaugh is joining the team as the newest weatherman. Shoptaugh will appear on weekend evening newscasts and provide weather updates to the news station's digital platforms. His sign-on comes on the heels of the addition of Alanna Sarabia and Sarah Duran, who are also from San Antonio. Ryan is a terrific weather forecaster with strong Texas ties. Were happy hes coming back home to San Antonio to join our weather team, says Jack Acosta, news director for KENS 5, in a press statement. This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 504 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser,, what weve accomplished in the last year,, and our current goal, supporting expanded news coverage. Yves here. Way back at the time of the 2007 IPCC report, the Financial Times, in an editorial, touted the notion of putting a price on carbon. Even conservative economics sites like Marginal Revolution were touting the idea of Pigouvian carbon taxes. Even then, we pointed out that this sort of tax would be very regressive and would need to be accompanied by tax changes and perhaps even income supplements for the poor. Needless to say, it wasnt hard to imagine how likely that would be in the US. You can imagine how airy-fairy the idea of redistributing carbon tax receipts to poor countries that would be hit particularly hard by high energy costs. Aside from the example of help in the form of the tender ministrations of the IMF, Nicholas Shaxson documented in his book Treasure Islands that poor countries in Africa are couterintuitively capital exporters, thanks to multinational transfer pricing games and looting by the wealthy. By Anis Chowdhury, Adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University and University of New South Wales (Australia), who held senior United Nations positions in New York and Bangkok and Jomo Kwame Sundaram, a former economics professor, who was United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, and received the Wassily Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought. Originally published at Jomo Kwame Sundarams website Addressing global warming requires cutting carbon emissions by almost half by 2030! For the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, emissions must fall by 45% below 2010 levels by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5C, instead of the 2.7C now expected. Instead, countries are mainly under pressure to commit to net-zero carbon (dioxide, CO2) emissions by 2050 under that deal. Meanwhile, global carbon emissions now already close to pre-pandemic levels are rising rapidly despite higher fossil fuel prices. Emissions from burning coal and gas are already greater now than in 2019. Global oil use is expected to rise as transport recovers from pandemic restrictions. In short, carbon emissions are far from trending towards net-zero by 2050. False Promise At the annual climate meetings in Glasgow, carbon pricing is being touted as the main means to cut CO2 and other greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The European Union President urged, Put a price on carbon, while Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau advocates a global minimum carbon tax. Businesses are also rallying behind one-size-fits-all CO2 pricing, claiming it is effective and fair. But there is little discussion of how revenues thus raised should be distributed among countries, let alone to support poorer countries adaptation and mitigation efforts. Carbon pricing supposedly penalizes CO2 emitters for economic losses due to global warming. The public bears the costs of global warming, e.g., damage due to rising sea levels, extreme weather events, changing rainfall, droughts or higher health care and other expenses. But there is little effort at or evidence of compensation to those adversely affected. Therefore, poorer countries are understandably sceptical, especially as rich countries have failed to fulfil their promise of US$100bn yearly climate finance support. The CO2 price market solution is said to be the most powerful tool in the climate policy arsenal. It claims to deter and thus reduce GHG emissions, while incentivizing investment shifts from fossil-fuel burning to cleaner energy generating technologies. No Silver Bullet Carbon pricings actual impact has, in fact, been marginal only reducing emissions by under 2% yearly. Such impacts remain small as emitters hardly pay. Most remain undeterred, still relying on energy from fossil fuel combustion. Also, many easily pass on the carbon tax burden to others whose spending is not price sensitive enough. Only 22% of GHGs produced globally are subject to carbon pricing, averaging only US$3/ton! Hence, such price incentives alone cannot significantly discourage high GHG emissions, or greatly accelerate widespread use of low-carbon technologies. Powerful fossil-fuel corporate interests have made sure that carbon prices are not high enough to force users to switch energy sources. Thus, existing CO2 pricing policies are modest and less ambitious than they could and should be. Meanwhile, several factors have undermined carbon taxations ability to speed up decarbonization. First, carbon taxes have never actually provided much climate finance. Second, CO2 taxes misrepresent climate change as due to market failure, not as a fundamental systemic problem. Third, it seeks efficiency, not efficacy! Thus, it does not treat global warming as an urgent threat. Fourth, market signals from carbon taxation seek to optimize the status quo, rather than to transform systems responsible for global warming. Fifth, it offers a deceptively simplistic universal solution, rather than a policy approach sensitive to circumstances. Sixth, it ignores political realities, especially differences in key stakeholders power and influence. Unfair to Poor Even if introduced gradually, the flat carbon tax will burden poorer countries more. Worse, carbon pricing is regressive, hurting the poor more. Thus, the burden of CO2 taxes is heavier on average consumers in poor countries than on poor consumers in average countries. A UN survey showed a seemingly fair, uniform global carbon tax would burden as a share of GDP developing countries much more than developed countries. Thus, although per capita emissions in poorer countries are far less than in rich ones, a flat CO2 tax burdens developing countries much more. Also, a standard carbon tax burdens low-income groups more, by raising not only energy costs directly, but also those of all goods and services requiring energy use. With this seemingly fair, one-size-fits-all tax, low income households and countries pay much more relatively. Analytically, such distributional effects can be avoided by differentiated pricing, e.g., by increasing prices to reflect the amount of energy used. Also, compensatory mechanisms such as subsidies or cash transfers to low-income groups can help. But these are administratively difficult, particularly for poor countries, with limited taxation and social assistance systems. Furthermore, effectively targeting vulnerable populations is hugely problematic in practice. Mission Impossible? Selective investment and technology promotion policies are much more effective in encouraging clean energy and reducing GHG emissions. Huge investments in solar, hydro and wind energy as well as public transport are required, typically involving high initial costs and low returns. Hence, public investment often has to lead. But most developing countries lack the fiscal capacity for such large public investment programmes. Large increases in compensatory financing, official development assistance and concessional lending are urgently needed, but have not been forthcoming despite much talk. Climate finance initiatives generally need to improve incentives for mitigation, while funding much more climate adaptation in developing countries. Potentially, a CO2 tax could yield significantly more resources to cover such international funding requirements, but this requires appropriate redistributive measures which have never been seriously negotiated. Carbon Taxes Can Help Even without an ostensibly market-determined CO2 price, taxing GHG emissions would make renewable energy more price competitive. The UN advocated a global green new deal in response to the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. It noted a US$50/ton tax would make more renewables commercially competitive, besides mobilizing US$500bn annually for climate finance. A mid-2021 International Monetary Fund (IMF) staff note has proposed an international carbon price floor. This would jump-start emissions reductions by requiring G20 governments to enforce minimum carbon prices. Involving the largest emitting countries would be very consequential while bypassing collective action difficulties among the 195 UN Member States. The scheme could be pragmatically designed to be more equitable, and for all types of GHGs, not just CO2 emissions. But even a global carbon price of US$75/ton would only cut enough emissions to keep global warming below 2C not the needed 1.5C, the Paris Agreement goal! By IM Doc, an internal medicine doctor practicing in flyover Yves had asked me to write something for pledge week and it was my absolute honor to do so. Sites like this one are so rare in our discourse and I feel we should do all we can to maintain them. So please contribute at the Tip Jar! I have followed this site religiously and daily for more than a decade. I never commented because I am not an expert on much of anything but Internal Medicine, Medical History & Ethics, and Classical History & Languages. CalPERS shenanigans and corporate malfeasance are just not in my wheelhouse. But all through those years, I read the Links and Water Coolers religiously and also the comments. And what an amazing and rare site this is. Rational discourse between rational actors with respect and admiration for one another. And a fundamental decency when it comes to arguments. I heard Joe Rogan on podcast the other day describe Social Media perfectly. I can attest that he hit it right out of the park Twitter and Facebook are nothing more than a mental hospital with the inmates spending all day throwing shit at each other. Exactly correct. The amount of work to moderate this kind of site and make sure it remains valuable I know is overwhelming and I cannot give Yves and Lambert and Jerri-Lynn and all the others too many kudos for their hard work. So dont forget to help out via the Tip Jar. As you can only imagine, the past two years have been incredibly difficult for myself and every health care worker in America. What really bothered me early on was the complete lack of rational discourse and truth-telling that was happening in our media. But I saw both here and found a place where I could read links and comments and be forced to ponder often in a manner that was just simply not happening in the medical world. And it just so happened that I am indeed a trained professional in this area and before long I started commenting. I am not a journalist. Nor an investigative reporter. I am a physician who has done everything I can to strive to do the very best job I could for my patients during this nightmare. I also do everything in my power to be a truth-teller. It is the way I was raised. And what I was seeing on the ground in real life in my world and what was being reported in the news were often completely divergent. More concerning to me was the media and its incessant bathing in histrionics and panic porn. I could see the results of this in the psyche of my patients and felt compelled to do something, anything, about it. The foundational figure in Internal Medicine is a physician of the early 20th Century by the name of Sir William Osler. One of his seminal works is a piece extolling what he thought was the most important characteristic of any physician AEQUANIMITAS which is Equanimity. The ability to stay on an even keel through even the most dire of situations. To be the Rock of Gibraltar for your patients when their world was falling apart. I have spent my life pounding that cardinal concept into the brains of hundreds of students over the years. And what I saw on TV from the likes of all the talking head doctors and our federal health officials was the absolute exact polar opposite. Sir William Osler. The founder of Internal Medicine. The man who singlehandedly put Johns Hopkins Medicine on the map. One of my foundational heroes in life. I have spent much time the past 18 months on very dark days filling my mind with his exploits, his writing, and what his peers had to say about him. One of the most poignant statements I have found was written by Harvey Cushing MD, the founder of Neurosurgery as a profession in this country. Upon hearing of Sir Williams death, Harvey Cushing wrote the following, paraphrased from the Book of Isaiah -which later became part of Cushings masterpiece Consecatio Medici. I quote: And that man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a rock in a weary land. That is how Dr. Cushing felt about his mentor Sir William Osler. It also encapsulates how I feel about my mentors of Medicine and how I know they would have responded to this COVID crisis. Nobel Laureates, textbook writers, seminal medical figures of the 20th Century they were and somehow I know in my heart that they would have been very disappointed in where we are today in Medicine. A brief story about my very first day of internship all those years ago. My first attending was an Infectious Disease doctor. And my team had just admitted 19 patients the night before. We were slammed. The resident had to go to Morning Report and the attending looked at me and said IM Doc will take us to the easy patients first. And so off we went. In those days, the intern, who had been up all night, stood at the head of the bed with the attending on his immediate left. No notes allowed. The full presentation came from memory. This first patient was a middle aged VietNam veteran with chest pain. I presented the patient in complete detail. The Infectious Disease attending looked at me IM Doc, please tell me how the diagnosis of meliodosis would fit in this patient. Ummm Sir I never considered meliodosis in this patient. I am not really sure what that is. And he looked at the patient and announced I sincerely apologize for the complete incompetence from this intern today. Believe me, we will get this straightened out and he and I will be back later today. My very first patient as an intern. I just wanted to go back to the farm. But this attending did not give up. He taught me to be tough under pressure. To be confident and most importantly to tell the truth and admit what you do and do not know. It was intense. It was a trial by fire and it was a frat hazing. But treatment from him and similar treatment all year round during that year made me who I am today. And he and I became fast friends all the rest of the days of his life. He was a mentor in every way to me. We do not expose medical students to that kind of intensity today. Not even close. Anyone doing that would instantly be branded an evildoer and ridden out of town. But that is the way it has been done for generations and I fear something has been lost. And I see the results of this every day in my life now. We were just a generation ago taught to be fierce and independent thinkers. To question everything. To realize that answers were a quest and authority was often the wrong place to look for help. We took the scientific method and applied it to each and every patient decision. We were taught to be comprehensive and unyielding in our advocacy for our patients and their very best outcome. We were taught that our patients were to be treated always with the utmost in care and ethical behavior. Somehow, my profession has lost its way. We have handed over our autonomy to corporations and hedge funds. We have completely fragmented the care our patients receive. There is often no one in charge. We acquiesce like sheep to all kinds of suggestions from our betters no matter how imbecile they are. Doctors come and go from practices as if staying longer than two years was a mortal sin. The vast majority of us are now employees and are completely powerless to effect change no matter how important. Many are now talking about moral injury among Health Care Workers, and this could not be more true. I hear constantly, and I mean constantly, my colleagues all around the country decrying how this whole COVID situation has gone down. But yet they are up to their eyeballs in debt either from school loans or their million dollar homes and can simply not afford to question or make waves. I am absolutely certain a reckoning for my profession is on the way, and it cannot came soon enough. I however do not feel all that trapped. Because of sites and sources like Naked Capitalism, I long ago realized that personal debt was one of the big sins of the American way. I long ago realized that our current neoliberal and corporate culture was almost in every way driven by motives that were the exact antithesis to ethical behavior. And I planned my life accordingly. I am in a position where I can speak out, even anonymously, and I have felt morally obligated to do so. I have felt the absolute compulsion to speak for those in medicine like my mentors who have already gone on. And I will be eternally grateful for Yves and Lambert for allowing me to speak freely. There were times this year I was reporting to them things that were completely in a different universe than what the CDC was saying. Even I was beginning to question my sanity. But they never wrote it off. They doubled down on getting accurate information out there. And I can tell you as a member of the COVID brain trust just how much crazy they sift through every day. They have my undying respect. Mrs. IM Doc has been very concerned about me lately. I have aged years in just the past 18 months. This entire thing has taken a huge personal toll on me and indeed all of my colleagues. I now understand the mental and spiritual toll that questioning the dictates of authority can cause. I saw this in my attendings during the AIDS crisis and now it is my turn. Their one overarching lesson is to not stray from the truth and when you are wrong immediately admit it. As is happening all over the country, in my community, two primary care physicians have announced their very early retirements in just the past few weeks. Their thousands of patients will now have to be cared for. There is just simply not enough capacity anymore. I know from talking to others that similar issues are occurring everywhere. This problem has been building for years in my profession. It has taken a crisis to bring it to the fore. I am very concerned about our immediate future. One thing is for certain we are not going to hear the true extent of our cultures problems in medicine from our media and its blind loyalty to Big Pharma, Big Hospital, and Big Insurance. It is going to take sites like Naked Capitalism to fill the gap and I urge everyone to support this site in any way possible. If you can give, give generously, the Tip Jar tells you how. You can also contribute by telling your friends and family about Naked Capitalism, sharing posts and comments, and making comments of your own. And speaking of commenters, my deepest gratitude for all the commenters who have put up with me and corrected me and told me when I am full of crap. The best commenters in the universe. This is Naked Capitalism fundraising week. 511 donors have already invested in our efforts to combat corruption and predatory conduct, particularly in the financial realm. Please join us and participate via our donation page, which shows how to give via check, credit card, debit card, or PayPal. Read about why were doing this fundraiser,, what weve accomplished in the last year,, and our current goal, supporting expanded news coverage. #CheetahCubdate #6: Smile with Your Teeth Smithsonian (furzy) Winners of the Weather Photographer of the Year Contest Celebrate the Beauty of Nature MyModernMet Baleen whale prey consumption based on high-resolution foraging measurements Nature (guurst) NASA and USGS Release Stunning First Images From New Landsat 9 Spacecraft Science Daily (furzy) Slave room discovered at Pompeii in rare find PhysOrg (Chuck L) Is This a Scene From a Sci-Fi Horror Flick a Rare Atmospheric Phenomenon? Atlas Obscura (Chuck L) A New Dementia Test Raises More Questions Than Answers Wired. Resilc: Who at the FDA cashed in on this? Chiles desert dumping ground for fast fashion leftovers Al Jazeera (resilc) Erm, sample bias in who takes these tests: Regional differences in the Big Five personality traits across the United States. https://t.co/Y2BiUlpa9i pic.twitter.com/9actmQGBzg Steve Stewart-Williams (@SteveStuWill) November 4, 2021 New #imaging technique with low radiation dose for the study at the cellular level of intact organs such as the #brain A probable revolution in #pathology And one more step towards its confluence with #Radiology #HiPCT #synchrotron #radiopathology https://t.co/TnyN9Cm4AZ pic.twitter.com/9GbW9MC0st Maria J. Diaz Candamio (@Vilavaite) November 7, 2021 The Way Out of the Fly-Bottle: Wittgensteins Tractatus at 100 Los Angeles Review of Book (Anthony L) #COVID-19 Singapore cancels free Covid healthcare for those unvaccinated by choice RT (Kevin W) COP26/Climate Change China? Immigration, ethnicity and religion (in aint as simple as it seems!) The Saker (Micael T) The return of EU austerity Thomas Fazi The Next European War Ecosophia Brexit Police investigate suspicious Facebook ad after 12 passengers vanish from plane during emergency landing RT (Chuck L) War in Ethiopia raises alarm across region as rebels near Addis Ababa Washington Post (resilc) Big Brother Is Watching You Watch Imperial Collapse Watch Why the Pentagon Is Equipping the F-35 With a Thermonuclear Bomb Popular Mechanics (resilc). 1/6 Here are the six latest Trump allies to be subpoenaed by Jan. 6 panel The Hill Biden The Surprising Greatness of Jimmy Carter Washington Monthly. Um, this comes out when Biden is being compared to Carter? US charges Ukrainian, Russian over major ransomware attack France24 Twitter flags GOP lawmakers anime video depicting him killing Ocasio-Cortez, attacking Biden as hateful conductNBC (furzy) Russigate Our Famously Free Press Management by Metrics Is Upending Newsrooms and Killing Journalism Jacobin (Micael T). From last month, still germane. Woke Watch Supply Chain St. Johns asks for supply donations during global shortage Buck Rail. This is admittedly in flyover and so both remote and not a favored customer, but IM Doc has CEO patients and reports: My understanding is that we are about 2 months or so of completely running out [of aluminum]. A large part of this is the shipping issue in LA and Long Beach but apparently, recycled aluminum has to be manufactured with some very cranky equipment breaking down a lot. And there are apparently now no parts. Nor are there wisened old technicians that know how to fix the machines. At least not enough of them. I understand from my ortho colleaugues that they have had to keep any number of patients in the hospital because they are not safe to do PT at home. No crutches. No walkers. No aluminum anything. This has been going on for the past 2-3 weeks or so. Literally none. The hospital has crutches that it uses but at this point the supply is so low that they will not leave the building. Again, this is in his part of the world, which is likely to be shortchanged first. But they may be the canaries in the coal mine. Family member went to the @ZSFGCare ER, got an $800 bill back. I called the insurance company, they said they would contact the hospital to negotiate. The hospital just sent a letter stating they are "pleased to inform" that after speaking with the insurer, we now owe $1,000. Lee Fang (@lhfang) November 9, 2021 They executed people for the state of South Carolina. For some, it nearly destroyed them The State (Dr. Kevin) Mobile Internet and Political Polarization Nikita Melnikov (resilc). Important. Book Nook Money Illusion in the Twenty-First Century Peter Dorman, Econospeak Class Warfare Antidote du jour (Ian P). The Times maintains this really is a photo: And a bonus, from Harveys human bassmule: (Natural News) In another powerful delivery, Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano called out Pope Francis for pushing Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines that contain ingredients made from aborted baby tissue. Vigano penned a letter to Americas bishops warning that Chinese Virus injections represent experimentation on the entire world population. He also reiterated the fact that the jabs have not undergone proper testing. It must be reiterated that there are effective treatments which cure patients and allow them to develop permanent natural immune defenses, something that the vaccines do not do, the letter reads. Furthermore, these treatments do not cause serious side effects, since the drugs that are used have been licensed for decades. Vigano is of course referring to remedies like hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and ivermectin, both of which have been blacklisted by the medical deep state as dangerous and ineffective. Doing this was necessary, Vigano went on to explain, because otherwise it would not have been legally possible for the highly corrupt U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize the injections. (RELATED: Archbishop Vigano also warned that the plandemic is just an excuse to usher in a global health dictatorship.) International standards specify that an experimental drug cannot be authorized for distribution except in the absence of an effective alternative treatment, Vigano says. [T]his is why drug agencies in the USA and Europe have prevented the use of hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin, hyper-immune plasma, and other therapies with proven effectiveness. Covid vaccines are NOT vaccines, says Vigano There is another inconvenient little fact about these injections that Vigano wants people to know: they are not actually vaccines. In truth, these experimental gene therapy jabs do not prevent infection, nor do they prevent the spread, of Chinese Germs. All they do is make Branch Covidian believers feel like they are doing something important to keep themselves and society safe. In fact, a vaccine is defined as a medicinal preparation aimed at inducing the production of protective antibodies by the organism, conferring specific resistance against a specific infectious disease (viral, bacterial, protozoal), Vigano revealed. This definition was recently changed by the WHO, because otherwise it would not have been able to include anti-covid drugs, which do not induce the production of protective antibodies and do not confer a specific resistance against the SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease. It is thus a moral duty, Vigano went on to say, for Catholics and really all people to refuse these jabs, given what is now known about the plandemic. People who become fully vaccinated are getting sick in droves and many are later dying. This makes it a fools game to take the jabs in the false hope that they will provide any tangible benefits. In only nine months, these vaccines have caused more deaths than all vaccines in the last 30 years, Vigano added. Not only this: in many nations such as Israel, for example the number of deaths after vaccination is now greater than the number of deaths from covid. Under no circumstances should a real Catholic take the jabs regardless, if for no other reason than the fact that they contain ingredients made from or derived from aborted human fetal tissue. To get injected for the Chinese Flu is to support baby murder, in other words. I realize that it may be extremely unpopular to take a position against the so-called vaccines, Vigano added. But as Shepherds of the flock of the Lord, we have the duty to denounce the horrible crime that is being carried out, whose goal is to create billions of chronically ill people and to exterminate millions and millions of people, based on the infernal ideology of the Great Reset formulated by the President of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab and endorsed by institutions and organizations around the world. To keep up with the latest news about Chinese Virus injection deception, visit ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: Summit.news NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Telecommunications firms AT&T and Verizon delayed the rollout of their 5G towers originally slated on Dec. 5 to allow consultations with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The two companies said on Nov. 4 that they would delay their 5G deployments until a month later on Jan. 5, 2022. This would allow them to address concerns regarding the FAAs warning about 5G radiation potentially interfering with airplane cockpit safety systems. Both AT&T and Verizon have disputed claims that 5G signals are dangerous. Telecom industry officials also claim that available evidence does not show that proposed 5G towers will interfere with flight equipment. They note that cellphone carriers in several other countries already use 5G wireless frequencies. Nevertheless, the two companies heeded the FAAs warning. AT&T said it would continue to work with the FAA and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It is critical that these discussions [are] informed by the science and the data. That is the only path to enabling experts and engineers to assess whether any legitimate coexistence issues exist, AT&T said in a statement. Meanwhile, Verizon said its postponement of its 5G rollout was done in the spirit of good faith. A company spokesman said in a statement: We appreciate the FCCs work in its discussions with the FAA and others to ensure a data-driven analysis that will again demonstrate that 5G operations in this band pose no risk to flight safety. In a Nov. 4 statement, the FCC and FAA confirmed the moves by the two carriers. Aviation safety and technology leadership are national priorities and, with todays announcement, these companies have demonstrated their commitment to both. The 5G technology allows for internet speeds much faster than the current 4G service. However, aviation industry groups have been warning federal officials about its potential safety implications and economic fallout. (Related: Brussels halts 5G deployment indefinitely: 5G project, says authorities, not compatible with radiation safety standards.) FAA issues bulletin about dangers of 5G interference The FAA earlier issued a special airworthiness information bulletin about the dangers of 5G interference. The Nov. 2 statement was directed at pilots, airlines and aerospace manufacturers. According to the bulletin, the new C-Band for 5G mobile phones might interfere with key safety devices on aircraft. It pointed out that 5G signals can affect radio signals sent by radar altimeters, which measure how close an aircraft is to the ground. Action might be required to address potential interference with sensitive aircraft electronics, the FAA bulletin noted. To this end, the bulletin instructed pilots to remind passengers to turn off any 5G device they have or put them on airplane mode during flight. It also instructed pilots to notify the FAA of any signs of interference. France has instituted a similar ban on 5G for some time now. In a bulletin, the countrys Directorate General for Civil Aviation (DGAC) urged travelers to turn off their 5G mobile devices while in flight. It also issued guidance instructing air crew to immediately notify air traffic controllers if the plane experiences a disruption from 5G. According to DGAC, 5G causes signal interference from a close frequency source, of a strength that is similar or even superior to that of altimeters, [affecting] instruments that are extremely critical during landing. A spokesperson for the civil agency added that the use of 5G mobile devices mid-flight could lead to risks of interference potentially [resulting in] errors in altitude readings. (Related: French authorities warn that 5G technology can interfere with aircraft landing gear.) Aside from airlines, the DGAC also reminded French mobile networks to ensure 5G cell sites are located an ample distance away from airports to limit the risk of interference. It had earlier issued caps on the signal strength coming from these sites, and had been doing testing since November 2020. The DGAC said it will continue monitoring signals from 5G base stations and testing the impact of the new mobile technology on airline flights. Radiation.news has more articles about the potential impacts of 5G on airplane flights. Sources include: WSJ.com Bloomberg.com DailyMail.co.uk (Natural News) An Australian senator recently spoke out about the effects that COVID-19 vaccines are having on people and said that it is inhumane to force those who are experiencing adverse effects to get a second shot. Speaking on Sky News, Australian Senator Gerard Rennick slammed the Australian government for mandating experimental mRNA jabs that have caused negative effects in many people. The programs host repeatedly tried to silence the senator, but he pressed forward in his effort to warn the public about what is happening. He addressed a series of disturbing cases involving people experiencing severe side effects from the vaccine. For example, he said he had spoken to a 37-year-old female police officer who suffered a stroke just 15 minutes after getting the vaccine but was told she would lose her job if she does not receive a second dose. In another case, a 31-year-old man has been paralyzed on one side of his body since getting the jab in September. He had just taken out a mortgage prior to getting the vaccine and has now been living without an income for two months. Despite the paralysis caused by his first injection, the Australian government is insisting that he gets a second jab. Rennick also drew attention to a 19-year-old woman who is in the hospital recovering from blood clots in her legs and lungs after getting the Pfizer shot. According to the senator, not only is the government forcing people who experienced severe side effects to get yet another dose of the vaccine, they are not even offering people financial support if they are unable to work due to these effects. He said that he will continue to fight to ensure that people who are unable to return to work following their jab are given immediate income support. Under an indemnity scheme in Australia, people who suffer severe side effects are allowed to claim as much as $20,000 in compensation, but only if their costs related to their injuries exceed $5,000. Rennick wants to see this go into effect right away rather than forcing people to wait to meet the threshold. Payments from the scheme wont be made until next year. People who cannot work because of their injury from the vaccine need the money now to make ends meet, he wrote on Facebook. He added that it should not just be limited to people who have spent a night in the hospital and should instead be open to anyone who experienced an injury, as some individuals with adverse effects are being turned away from hospitals. Senator asks PM to lift vaccine mandates and stop vaccinating kids After his Sky News appearance, Rennick posted a letter on his Facebook account that he sent to Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison denouncing his coronavirus policies. He said that he will not be voting with the government until several policies are enacted by the PM, including overturning vaccine mandates in workplaces, providing easier exemptions for patients who suffer side effects following their first shot, stopping domestic travel restrictions, and putting an end to vaccines for children. No person in this country should be forced to lose their job because they dont want to take a Covid vaccine, he wrote. He also characterized the fact that people are being forced to get a second dose after suffering an adverse event from the first one as completely inhumane. Vaccine mandates need to be lifted immediately. They should never have been implemented but they are going to cause so many issues including labour shortages, endless legal lawsuits, loss of livelihoods, discrimination, he added. Sources for this article include: RAIRFoundation.com TheGuardian.com (Natural News) A group of top Republican congressmen has voiced concerns about fake president Joe Bidens pending Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine mandate for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers. Nearly half of the TSA workforce has yet to get jabbed, it turns out, which means that once the deadline arrives there could end up being far fewer screeners available to work at American airports. Air travel operations are likely to become even more disrupted than they already are due to this impending lack of staff. (RELATED: Southwest, American, and other domestic airlines are already having to cancel flights because pilots and staff are refusing the injections.) In a letter to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, these congressmen requested that he provide updates about the situation as it evolves. They also want to know whether or not Pekoske has a contingency plan in the event that half of all TSA workers are no longer allowed to work due to being unvaccinated. Unfortunately, it appears TSA is headed toward a scenario in which up to 40 percent of its workforce may not be compliant with the Presidents Executive Order by the November 8 deadline, announced Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), the ranking senator on the Transportation Committee, and Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee. Federal agencies ordered to start enforcing jab mandate on November 9 Back in mid-October, Pekoske told CNN that four out of every 10 TSA workers, including security screeners, had not yet received their required injections. As far as we can tell, that same figure is still true well into November. Pekoske did suggest that his agency is building contingency plans, however those have not yet been revealed. Meanwhile, the November 8 deadline for all federal workers to get injected at warp speed has elapsed. At the time when Pekoske spoke to CNN, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that the vaccination status of its workers is self-reported. As usual, the Republicans asking all these questions still say they are supportive of the jabs. Their only apparent concern is that the Biden regimes mandate could cause significant disruptions to air travel operations. This is particularly problematic as the holiday season is fast approaching. Such a scenario could have severe impacts on transportation security and the aviation, travel, and tourism industries, the Republicans letter reads. A steep decline in the number of available [security officers] to screen passengers during the upcoming holiday season could have severe impacts on our economy, including small and rural communities such as the ones we represent. The latest announcement from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) says that all federal agencies, including the TSA, should start enforcing the Biden mandate as soon as November 9. Employees who refuse to be vaccinated or provide proof of vaccination are subject to disciplinary measures, up to and including removal or termination from Federal service, OPM Director Kiran Ahuja wrote in a memo. The only exception is for individuals who receive a legally required exception pursuant to established agency processes. Federal contractors, meanwhile, are being told that they have until December 8 to comply with the Biden mandate. Most healthcare workers will also be required to take the jab by this same deadline. According to reports, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, both of which are federal contractors, continue to struggle to keep planes up in the air as unvaccinated staff are forced off the job. The latest news about the Biden regimes efforts to mass-vaccinate the entire country for Chinese Germs can be found at Fascism.news. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Consumers should be on the lookout because the price of oil could be increasing very soon. And if the price of oil goes over $200 per barrel, the global economy will be in shambles. Before the financial crisis of 2008, the price of oil briefly skyrocketed to $140 a barrel, with experts warning that this was a very high price for oil. If the same thing happens in 2021, the financial markets would be in disarray. With the way things are going right now, its possible that the price of oil could soon reach record highs. Meanwhile, natural gas supplies are now more scarce in certain U.S. states like South Dakota. The country is also dealing with potential price increases for propane and a coal shortage by winter. In recent years, large financial institutions have become very hesitant to fund projects that could pollute the environment. Meanwhile, governments across the globe have made it harder for companies that produce traditional forms of energy to expand operations. There is a major push to usher in a new green economy, but this isnt enough to provide the energy that the world needs. At the same time, the demand for energy continues to grow worldwide on a daily basis. (Related: Fuel supply crunch? US mulls Jones Act waiver to allow foreign tankers to boost oil supply.) This means that all forms of traditional energy will soon become more expensive. As of writing, the price of oil is over $80 dollars per barrel. However, experts estimate that the price can soon reach $100 per barrel. Putin: Oil prices can reach $100 per barrel On Oct. 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that oil prices could soon reach $100 per barrel as demand for all energy commodities increases. Energy prices have gone up across the board as supply chain remains scarce and economies reopen after months of Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic-induced lockdowns. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures, the U.S. oil benchmark, reached $80 per barrel early in October for the first time since November 2014. Putin, leader of one of the worlds biggest oil-producing nations, warned that prices can go even higher. When asked at an event in Moscow if WTI could reach $100 per barrel, he said that the scenario is quite possible. Speaking to CNBCs Hadley Gamble, Putin added that Russia and other oil-producing countries that belong to the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), along with allied nonmember nations at OPEC+, are working hard to help stabilize the market. Earlier in October, OPEC and OPEC+ did not increase production even though there was pressure to do so from other nations. The OPEC+ group is meeting regularly to discuss its policies amid a very fickle energy market. Natural gas shortage Since almost all forms of economic activity require power, all prices will be much higher than they are now if the price of oil doubles or triples from current levels. While some suggest switching to other forms of traditional energy if the price of oil continues to go up, this might become a problem because of the widespread shortages. In South Dakota, residents were warned that their natural gas bills may double during winter due to the shortage in supplies of natural gas. On Oct. 5, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) advised citizens that natural gas customers may need to take measures to ensure that their bills stay manageable this winter. Residents may already be seeing higher per therm charges on their bills. As the weather gets colder, natural gas bills may also increase. Natural gas bills have two components. The portion for natural gas delivery that makes up about 30 percent of the bill is regulated by the PUC and is not projected to change. However, the other portion of the bill is for the gas itself and that price, which isnt regulated, is affected by market forces. Propane and coal shortage Aside from natural gas, experts warn that supplies for propane are also running low. Total U.S. propane stocks suggest that the annual summer build season is below the previous five-year average. Consumers are advised that market participants of an inventory shortage, combined with colder temperatures, will trigger an annual increase in winter demand for propane. While some people use coal for heating during winter, it might be time to look for alternatives because there is also a coal shortage. As of October, coal stockpiles at U.S. power plants have sunk to the lowest in almost 24 years because electricity generators burn fuel faster than miners can dig. According to government data released on Oct. 26, inventories fell to 84.3 million tons in August the lowest in records going back to 1997. If things escalate to the point that it causes severe energy shortages for an extended period of time, Americas economic system might not be able to withstand the chaos. Visit Collapse.news to read more articles about fuel shortage. Sources include: TheEconomicCollapseBlog.com CNBC.com DRGNews.com SPGlobal.com Bloomberg.com (Natural News) While the eyes of small parts of the world and much of the mainstream media have been on the United Nations Climate Change Conference that began on October 31st and runs through November 12th in Glascow, Scotland, and this Conference following 18 months of virtual negotiations that were undertaken, as well be exploring within this story, the REAL weather news that Americans should be paying attention to is the fact that weather warfare is being used upon us all in 2021. (Article by Stefan Stanford republished from AllNewsPipeline.com) And while the big news from the independent news on the COP26 conference was Joe Biden being abruptly escorted out of the meetings by the Secret Service after an alarm sounded (rumors are that Biden really just needed a bathroom break to avoid a repeat of his alleged Vatican accident), and radical leftists like Greta Thunberg already crying foul that not enough is being done by these fake environmentalist-globalists to save the planet, why do these global warming activists never address the gigantic pink elephant in the room of all of this, weather modification? With weather modification still called a conspiracy theory by much of the mainstream media, despite the fact that theyve admitted that China has a weather modification program that is 2.1 million square miles in size, more than 1 1/2 times as big as the entire nation of India, were going to be taking a look within this story at weather modification and all of the damage that IT is doing to our planet Earth as warned of in the trailer of Steve Quayles new movie Megadrought: The Annihilation of the Human Race Accelerates (full movie available on Vimeo Demand). Weve embedded that trailer for you to watch as the 1st video at the bottom of this story. With Steve warning about weather modification programs many years ago and long before the msm admitted China had such programs, well also be taking a look within this story at all of the proof that such programs are very real in 2021, including statements made by top US government officials, as well as taking a look at the havoc such programs are causing. As were warned in the trailer to Megadrought, in 2021 were witnessing nothing less than planned climate chaos with our planet Earth under attack, leading to crops being decimated and megadrought conditions, bringing our planet catastrophic results and choking the life out of Civilization. Though as were told in the video and we see within this story, its geoengineering programs which are devastating our planet. With such programs we now know are very real tied in very closely to the globalists depopulation agenda and their moves being made to cull the human race, as were told in the video, this allows them to wage war upon entire populations, bringing them to their knees, without them even knowing they are under assault. And with the globalists desired end result of this being famine that will kill millions and millions of people, were warned that end result will also place everyone on our planet in grave danger with the confluence of events that unfold, cities burning, pestilence spreading and societies coming apart at the seams. Warning also of chaos and violence in the streets with war inevitable as the world teeters on the edge and society reaches a breaking point, weather warfare is nothing less than the globalists waging war upon the human race. He who controls the weather will control the world - Vice President Lyndon Johnson at Southwest Texas State University (1962) So the next time you hear a family member, friend, co-worker or just an acquaintance calling weather modification programs a conspiracy theory, youll be armed with this December 2020 story at Bloomberg to respond. Last month, 16 artificial rain enhancement rockets were launched off the back of a pickup truck 300 miles south of Beijing. The operation, ordered up by the Juye County Meteorological Bureau in response to a local drought, was reportedly a success. Over the next 24 hours, the county received more than two inches of rain that, according to local officials, alleviated the drought, lowered the risk of forest fires and improved air quality. It sounds like something out of a cartoon. But for decades, China has been home to one of the worlds most advanced weather-modification programs. Generally, its goals have been modest: more rain in arid places, less field-destroying hail and sunny days for big national events. But that modesty is starting to give way. Earlier this month, China announced plans to expand its rainmaking capabilities to cover nearly 60% of the country by 2025. Details are sketchy, but fears are rising about the potential military uses of these capabilities, and their effects on an already changing climate. For China, and the world, these concerns need to be addressed soon. Humans have dreamed of controlling the weather for millennia. But it wasnt until 1946 that scientists at General Electric Co. discovered that dry ice can create precipitation when it interacts with clouds under certain conditions. By 1953, roughly 10% of the land area of the U.S. had been targeted for cloud seeding. Twelve years later, the government was spending millions of dollars on weather-modification research each year, and 15 other companies had started cloud-seeding operations in 23 states. It wasnt just about rainfall, however. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. military weaponized cloud seeding to inhibit enemy troop movements and reduce the effectiveness of anti-aircraft attacks, among other things. These uses so alarmed policy makers that they began seeking an international agreement to end environmental warfare. In 1978, the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification went into force. Read more at: AllNewsPipeline.com (Natural News) In other words, wherever the New World Order globalists have taken over such as California and New York, there is simply no bringing them back to the American Republic as it was conceived by our Founding Fathers and codified by the U.S. Constitution. They have already taken down the statues of those extraordinarily great men such as Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln, Lee, etc. (Article republished from StateOfTheNation.co) Therefore, the only way forward, for those states which respect the rule of law and Founding Documents, is to secede from the Union of 50 states. The NWO globalist cabal essentially owns and operates the U.S. Federal Government; and it will never willingly relinquish that raw political and military, financial and economic, social and religious power it wields over the American people. Hence, the Patriot Movement has only one option. Federal power projected from inside the Beltway cannot be effectively fought, but it can be ignored. The red states such as Florida and Texas can cut the umbilical cord to Washington, D.C. which is an unconstitutional and tyrannical city-state that has absolutely no legitimacy in a constitutional republic / representative democracy. Thats it, folks! The red states must vacate the United State of America and form their own union completely separate from the ruthless US Corporation that now terrorizes the U.S. citizenry at every opportunity. There can be no conciliation whatsoever regarding this weighty matter. The sheer brutality and malevolence of the NWO cabal is such that they can never make amends for the crimes they have committed against the American people over many decades. Also, in our particularly difficult case, you simply cannot fight city hall (aka the US government). Thats because it has become a totally out-of-control globalist-run leviathan that prefers utter lawlessness and cruel despotism to the rule of law. The same goes for every other major globalist-controlled institution, corporation, NGO, university, think tank, secret society, etc. that have come to completely dominate the United States of America. That creeping totalitarianism has insidiously transformed the American Republic into a dismally failed nation. In fact, the US government is now a fascist-communist governmental entity that bears no resemblance to what the Founding Fathers bravely inaugurated with the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution. Too much damage has been done by very rich and powerful forces who have no intention of backing down. The Biden administration now functions as the strong-arm of the NWO globalist power structure. POTUS Imposter Joe Biden was criminally installed because he has always been both bribed and blackmailed to implement the New World Order agenda without question and with slavish submission. Given that Manchurian Candidate Barack Obama had already spent two terms in office building the degenerate Obamanation, Deep State is now so pervasive and powerful that it cannot be practically challenged. What this really means is that even civil war will not produce a favorable outcome for the righteous Patriot Movement that only desires a cohesive union of law-abiding 50 states. American society is simply far too complex and convoluted to stage a revolution against the treasonous elements that exist EVERYWHERE. This is exactly how the treacherous banksters set up the present predicament with the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Yes, the barbarians have been inside the gate for well over 100 years; and in reality for many decades before that. And, the cabal has been executing this convoluted criminal conspiratorial plot to collapse America for that long mostly without detection. Their countless agents of Cultural Marxism have already succeeded in irreparably tearing the fabric of American society. What to do? We really are in a bad way as a nation, no matter how you look at it. Even a successful violent revolution against the numerous and disparate traitorous elements throughout the country will not produce the desired result. After all, what do we do with them after a win? What do we do with NYC and Philly, LA and San Fran, Chicago and Detroit, Seattle and Portland, Denver and Atlanta, Houston and Austin, Miami and Broward County, Baltimore and Charlotte? Everywhere you look there is a Sodom and Gomorrah. How do we possibly reign in the utterly depraved Oscars of Hollywood and power-mad Sultans of Silicon Valley in California alone?!?! How does anyone shut down the warmongering banksters on Wall Street or prosecute the incorrigible grifters in Washington, DC? After all, the FBI and DoJ, together with the CIA and NSA function as a blatant protection racket for the NWO cabal. Really, when the greatest undeclared enemy of the US Intel Community is the American people what can be done? Which means that whole states like New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, California, Oregon and Washington and other ultra-liberal bastions are lost forever. The vast majority of their residents are just too far gone. Brainwashed for decades by the communist-controlled Democrat Party and RINOs and mind-controlled by the CIAs Mockingbird Media, what can realistically be done with them?! Hasnt the NWO-staged Covid Plandemic revealed the true state of the USA? That so many parents nationwide cannot wait to jab their trusting children with the exceedingly dangerous and deadly COVID-19 vaccines says it all. Once a critical mass of both adults and children have been Covid vaccinated, the fate of the American Republic will be irreversibly sealed. Exactly what is that fate? A breakup of the American Republic into different unions of states that share key values, principles and ideals. There is no other way at this point. Both sides of this mundane and spiritual battlefield are way too dug in to give up the least amount of ground. The Right is about God, family and country. The Left is about godlessness, no nuclear family and globalism. How can these polar opposites possibly be reconciled? Thats rightthey cannot! Which is precisely why SOTN has posted this very stark yet accurate portrayal of the true state of the nation. We the People are in desperate need of a serious reality check so that we can get on with what we all must do to survive and thrive. Read more at: StateOfTheNation.co (Natural News) Health experts warned that the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) Pfizer vaccine for children aged five to 11 shouldnt have been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because of the lack of data on its long-term risks. A recent survey also revealed that only 27 percent of parents want to have their kids vaccinated against COVID-19. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 31 percent of parents wont get the vaccine for their children aged 12 to 17 while 30 percent of parents who have children aged five to 11 also said they will not have their children vaccinated. Survey highlights parents fears over vaccine safety Parents of children aged five to 11 have many concerns when it comes to vaccinating their children against COVID-19. Around 76 percent of parents with children in the age group were worried that there isnt enough data about the long-term effects of COVID-19 vaccines. At least 71 percent of parents also voiced their concerns about kids experiencing serious side effects after getting the COVID-19 vaccine. On the other hand, only 27 percent of parents with five to 11 year-olds want to have their children vaccinated as soon as one is authorized. A third of the parents were cautious and said that they will wait and observe how the vaccine is working. The rest of the parents were split. Only five percent said that they would have their kids vaccinated if its required for school while the rest are undecided. Many public health researchers and other health experts have spoken up about the risks of vaccines for children outweighing any benefits. Dr. Ben Carson, secretary of Housing and Urban Development and a former pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Childrens Center, said that the Biden administrations move to vaccinate young children against COVID-19 is like a giant experiment, especially since there is no sufficient data to determine the long-term risks posed by the vaccines. Carson warned that giving the green light to COVID-19 vaccines for children will unnecessarily put them at risk. He stressed that it makes no sense to subject children to the potential risks of vaccines because the risk of the disease to them is relatively small. Children dont need to get vaccinated, say health experts Local physicians like Dr. Jeff Barke, a San Diego board-certified primary care physician, agree with Carson. In an interview with San Diegos KUSI-TV, Barke said that there is no reason to give children the COVID-19 vaccine because they are not at risk. Barke added that the vaccine is experimental and has no long-term safety studies. He also criticized experts who are calling for vaccination among young children. (Related: Doctor makes shocking admission about safety of coronavirus vaccines for young children.) According to Barke, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recorded only 558 deaths of people under 18 in a population of about 74 million during the pandemic. While he acknowledged that COVID-19 deaths are tragic for those families, the majority of the children who died have had underlying comorbidities such as cancer, congenital heart disease, diabetes and leukemia. Children dont need to get vaccinated because if they get infected, most of them would only experience symptoms similar to a bad cold. He added that many people infected with COVID-19 have already recovered and that these cases remain undetected. Before the CDC panel approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children aged five to 11, the British Medical Journal (BMJ) published an article about a whistleblower who revealed that poor practices at a contract research company could have compromised data integrity and patient safety during Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine trial Whistleblower Brook Jackson, the former Texas regional director who was employed at the research organization Ventavia Research Group, emailed the FDA after the organization ignored her complaints. She was fired on the same day she sent the email to the agency. During the critical Phase III trial, Jackson revealed that Pfizer falsified data, unblinded patients, worked with inadequately trained vaccinators and was slow to follow up on reported adverse events. According to the BMJ, Jackson also provided internal company documents, audio recordings, photos and emails to back her shocking claims. The FDA approved the Pfizer shot for children one week after the agencys advisory panel voted 17-0 to recommend it. The agency knew about the lack of safety data and the nearly 100 percent survival rate of children from COVID-19. During the FDA advisory committee meeting, Dr. Eric Rubin, editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, admitted that many members were concerned about possible severe side effects of the vaccine that are still difficult to determine. But he quickly added that the committee was willing to put the children at risk since there was no way to confirm vaccine safety unless it was administered first. Visit VaccineInjuryNews.com to learn more about the side effects of COVID-19 vaccines. Sources include: WND.com 1 KFF.org WND. com 2 WND.com 3 (Natural News) A new analysis of tap water in the United States found that at least 56 new toxic substances have contaminated the drinking water of Americans over the last two years, including forever chemicals, pesticides and radioactive materials. This shocking revelation was made public by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an environmental advocacy organization, in its November update. This is the first time the organization has updated its database since it began recording data regarding drinking water health in the U.S. in 2019. (Related: Chemicals found in tap water could be responsible for more than 100,000 cases of cancer.) Many of the substances were first identified in the water supply as part of the Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR). This is one of the first steps in the agencys regulation process. This system tracks chemicals in water systems and provides the EPA with an idea of how far widespread a certain chemicals contamination is before it establishes limits for its use. Among the contaminants found are many per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. These are a toxic class of forever chemicals that are used in many industries and are believed to be contaminating the drinking water of more than 100 million Americans. Other contaminants found in drinking water include water disinfectant byproducts, pesticides and even radioactive substances. There are also substances in drinking water that have been in production for years now and the EPA has done nothing about them. There are also substances that are just now beginning to be used by industries in larger quantities without regard for the health of Americans. Health regulators have only recently started monitoring many of these substances and observing their potential links to health problems. One of the substances found in the drinking water is HAA-9, a contaminant byproduct of the drinking water disinfection process. Corporations that produce HAA-9 as a byproduct claim that it is safe, but recent studies have linked the contaminant to lower birth rates, and pregnant women who are exposed to low levels of HAA-9 and other water disinfection products are more likely to give birth to underweight babies. EPA could have done more to prevent spread of harmful contaminants in drinking water EWG senior scientist Tasha Stoiber pointed out that the organization would have probably discovered even more contaminants in the drinking water had American regulators and utility companies properly monitored the water supply. It speaks to the fact that we dont have nearly strong enough regulations in place to protect drinking water, and the regulation process is much too slow, said Stoiber. Were testing for things that are already in our drinking water after the fact and were not keeping pace with these chemicals. EWG President Ken Cook accused the EPA of being unable to stand up to water utilities and industries that pollute drinking water. The EPA has become very good at constantly reassuring the public that all is well with the water coming out of their taps, said Cook in a statement. That message is music to the ears of polluters whove fouled source waters and water utilities wary of treatment and infrastructure costs. But its just not true and the EPAs own scientists know it. The EPA can limit the spread of toxic chemicals in water supplies. But creating these new limits can be a lengthy process, and the EPA has failed to set new limits to any toxic chemicals under the UCMR in the 20 years since this rule was first implemented. Back in 2013, for example, the EPA found what Stoiber characterized as eye-opening levels of PFAS compounds in the water supply. But the agency is only going to set water limits next year for two of the many harmful compounds it has discovered in tap water. In different states, regulatory bodies are working to put stricter regulations in place for chemicals like PFAS that were detected in their respective water supplies. Before any of these new rules are passed and regulations put in place to stop industries from dumping toxic compounds and byproducts into the water supply, Stoiber believes there is not much that people can do. She advised people to educate themselves about which contaminants could be in their drinking water, purchase water filters and advocate for stronger controls regarding what compounds can be in the water supply. The more people understand what is currently in their tap water, the more they may be motivated to push for stronger protections against industries knowingly contaminating water supplies. Everyone can be educated, said Stoiber. Contact the local utility, ask them questions about what theyre doing and push for stronger regulations that protect peoples health. Learn more about the dangers of drinking contaminated tap water at CleanWater.news. Sources include: StrangeSounds.org TheGuardian.com EWG.org 1 WashingtonTimes.com EWG.org 2 NYPost.com (Natural News) New York City has issued a state-wide call for volunteer firefighters from Long Island and Upstate New York as more than a quarter of city firefighters refused to get Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines before the November 1 deadline set by Mayor Bill de Blasio. A total of 26 New York firehouses were shuttered because of the manpower shortage, including six in Manhattan, nine in Brooklyn, three in Queens and four each in the Bronx and Staten Island Only about 72 percent of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) workers have been vaccinated against the virus, which means that up to 4,000 workers may be terminated by the department. To compensate for the number, the department sent an email to nearly 350 potential volunteer firefighters in anticipation of the impending shortage for the FDNY due to COVID-19 vaccine mandates. The email called for voluntary-only basis operations with qualified members on standby to backfill the firehouses when necessary. FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro warned that the effects of the closures could be catastrophic and could endanger the lives of the residents. A day after laying off thousands of firefighters, a seven-year-old boy was killed, and his 54-year-old grandmother seriously hurt as a deadly blaze engulfed their Washington Heights home. Officials said that the fire started at the back of the houses basement and spread to the first floor. Three other people inside the house, including one firefighter and the boys father, also suffered from minor injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital. Although an FDNY spokesman said that the firefighters response time was not impacted, some reportedly called in sick to avoid unpaid leave as all municipal workers have been ordered to show proof of at least one dose of the vaccine by 5 p.m. on October 29 or risk being placed on unpaid leave by November 1. Despite closing 26 stations, the FDNY said it is not closing any firehouse for good. NYC firefighters take sick leave to avoid unpaid leaves In protest of the mandate by de Blasio, hundreds of New York City firefighters took sick leaves on Oct. 29 instead of complying with the vaccination deadline. The sick leaves are because of their anger at the vaccine mandate, according to Nigro, who oversees a department where more than a quarter of its workers have not gotten a single shot of the COVID vaccine. Nigro said that the loophole they took to avoid the deadline is contrary to their oaths to serve. Union leaders have denied taking sickouts. We dont condone any job action, nor do we inform anybody to do a job action, said Jim McCarthy of the Uniformed Fire Officers Association. (Related: Southwest Airlines sickout protest spreads to Amtrak, which is canceling trains due to employees refusing covid vaccination.) Is there a sickout? Not to my knowledge, no, said Andrew Ansbro of the Uniformed Firefighters Association. I have had members that have received the vaccination say they are having flu-like symptoms and theyve had to go sick. The department is allowing people to have a couple days off after they get the vaccination. Six firefighters of Ladder 113 in Brooklyn were on duty when they drove a fire truck to State Senator Zellnor Myries office to tell his staffers that they would have blood on their hands if they continue to push through with the mandate. Nigro deemed the action inappropriate, saying: They should only be concerned with responding to emergencies and helping New Yorkers and not harassing an elected official and his staff. Despite the incident, there was a surge in vaccination rates among the public employees in Manhattan in a last-minute attempt to stay on the payroll. The FDNY saw firefighters vaccination rate rise from 67 percent on the morning of Oct. 29 to 72 percent by the end of the day. The Emergency Medical Services (EMS), which is part of the FDNY, also saw a spike from 77 percent to 84 percent, while vaccination rates among the NY Police Department rose from 80 to 84 percent. The Department of Sanitation also saw a jump in vaccination rate from 67 percent to 76 percent. Follow Immunization.news for more news and information related to vaccine mandates. Sources include: Daily Mail.co.uk ABC7NY.com (Natural News) Republicans in Congress have introduced a bill to block the federal government from imposing Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine mandates on children. Once approved, it would prevent the federal government from withholding education funds on the basis of said vaccine requirements. The bill states: No federal education funds may be withheld from an otherwise eligible recipient because such recipient does not require students or employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Rep. Lance Gooden from Texas sponsored the bill. He said that the Biden administrations track record suggests it is only a matter of time before they issue COVID vaccine mandates in public schools. I believe the decision to vaccinate a child should be made by the parents, not the government, and my legislation would ensure the government does not take that choice away, Gooden said. Other sponsors for the bill include Republican Representatives Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Chip Roy of Texas, Mary Miller of Illinois and Jeff Duncan of South Carolina. An advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently recommended the use of Pfizer vaccine for children ages five to 11, with the recommendation being approved by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky. In San Francisco, parents have condemned plans of mandating vaccination for school children as young as five, arguing that nobody under the age of 20 has died of COVID-19 and only 1,529 children have contracted the virus. Meanwhile, political commentator and former Secret Service agent Dan Bongino issued a warning to Democrats. We can take a lot, but dont you toy with my kids, he said. That is a red line they better not dare cross. (Related: Whistleblower: Pfizer and research partner falsified COVID-19 vaccine trials data.) Decision to vaccinate kids belong to parents, not the federal government Matt Walsh, a conservative pundit, also expressed his opposition to the mandates to his local school board. It will make the school boards look tame by comparison. You try to force this drug into our childrens bodies and you will reap the whirlwind. Just watch, he said. Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said that there will be no vaccine mandates for schools in his state as the decision of whether or not to vaccinate kids belong to the parents. In New York City, parents gathered in front of the city hall to protest the proposed vaccine mandate for children. British Medical Journal Associate Editor Dr. Peter Doshi said that there is no science supporting universal vaccination as there is no long-term safety data for COVID-19 just yet. He also pointed out that Modernas clinical trials dont officially end until late 2022. Doctors who want to see the clinical trial data will have to wait another year before getting access, Doshi said. So while were told to keep following the science, what we are following is not a scientific process based on open data. Were following a process in which the data are treated as secret, and in my view, there is something very unscientific about that. Just hours before the CDC panels approval of the Pfizer vaccine for children, a whistleblower shared that poor practices at a contract research company may have compromised data integrity and patient safety during Pfizers clinical trial. Recent surveys also revealed that most parents are not eager to vaccinate their kids, expressing concern about the lack of long-term data. One such survey showed that only 27 percent of parents are eager to get their children vaccinated, while 33 percent said that they will wait a while to see how the vaccine is working. Furthermore, 30 percent said they will definitely not get the vaccine for their children. Read more about COVID-19 vaccines at Pandemic.news. Sources include: WND.com Science.TheWire.In (Natural News) Yet another proud Branch Covidian has passed away from getting vaccinated following months of mockery towards the unvaccinated. Richard Rowe, a truck driver who ran for Congress in Florida and lost, passed away unexpectedly, his family reported. Rowes death occurred not long after he received his injections from Pfizer-BioNTech. A loud progressive who also self-identified as an LGBTQ, Rowe loved to post hatred all over his Facebook page. The 41-year-old was well-known for cursing, wishing death upon his political opponents, and mocking anti-vaxxers. Rowe was also notorious for taking jabs (no pun intended) at Americans who reject vaccination, calling for them to be designated as second-class citizens without rights. When Rowe got his first shot of Pfizer on August 12, he uploaded a photo with the following caption: Yeah, Im mostly here for personal ego. Already had COVID last year, so not worried about catching it. But I want to maintain my smug sense of moral and intellectual superiority while making fun of Darwind anti-vaxxers. Its actually pretty noble, really. Smug definitely captures the essence of who Rowe was as a person. Other accurate descriptors include arrogant and hate-filled. Are covid vaccines turning people into braindead monsters? Rowe seems to have always been a hateful guy, but the vitriol really escalated after his first Pfizer injection. He quickly became a hate monger on steroids, so to speak, posting comments that would have gotten him banned from Facebook had he been a conservative directing them at liberals. On October 3, for instance, Rowe went on a rant about the term bisexual, claiming that it is transphobic and exclusive. Rowe would have preferred the term pansexual, which he said is more inclusive of trans and non-binary people. On October 16, Rowe publicly advocated for young children to be indoctrinated into LGBTQ perversion at an early age to combat the normal relationships many of them are used to seeing in childrens cartoon programming. Kids are already inundated with sex and sexuality from the minute they turn on that screen, Rowe wrote, strangely referring to Disney films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast. Its just that weve standardized gender binaries and strictly heterosexual relationships so much that we dont think twice about those depictions. On October 7, as well as twice on October 8, and again on October 18 (twice) and October 27, Rowe went on numerous rants against anti-vaxxers who are just saying no to the injections. On the 7th, Rowe said he doesnt give a s*** what happens to the unvaccinated. On the 8th, he tried to argue that vaccine mandates are perfectly normal. Once again on the 8th, Rowe mocked anti-vaxxers using racist rhetoric by comparing them to illegal aliens begging for work outside of Home Depot. Rowes last Facebook message on October 27 tried to argue that Biden has limitless power as a dictator to require that everyone get injected for the Chinese Flu. Homosexual culture and the injections are inherently linked because both are integral to the depopulation agenda, reported The Covid Blog about Rowes inclincations. But if trends keep moving in the same direction, homosexual culture will be gone in a matter of a few years. Receiving these shots is self-deletion; and LGBT are the most eager to line up for it. And they believe its a noble thing to do. Theres no more time to be politically correct, the blog added. Playing along with the homosexual agenda is akin to cooperating with and promoting the vaxx agenda, and thus the depopulation agenda. Which side are you on? Stay vigilant and protect your friends and loved ones. More news about Branch Covidians who are dropping dead post-injection can be found at Depopulation.news. Sources for this article include: TheCovidBlog.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Lt. Col. Theresa Long, a senior United States Army flight surgeon, said during a roundtable discussion that she knew pilots could die in midair from Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine injuries. But when she told her superiors about the possibility, they just ignored her. The Nov. 2 roundtable discussion at the Capitol Hill was hosted by Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. Johnson said the roundtable was part of his effort to hold federal agencies accountable, as well as to encourage officials to be honest and transparent about the COVID-19 vaccines. We all want the pandemic to be over, but ignoring early treatment and implementing policies that do more damage is not the solution, he said. Testifying under the Military Whistleblower Protection Act, Long said she had grounded three pilots due to COVID-19 vaccine injuries. Long said two of the pilots she saw in the clinic had chest pain days to weeks after they received COVID-19 vaccines. The pilots were later diagnosed with pericarditis a condition in which the protective, fluid-filled sac covering the heart (pericardium) becomes inflamed. The third pilot told Long he felt fatigued within 24 hours of vaccination. She said the pilot told her he did not know what to do and that he simply drank a lot of coffee to try and wake himself up. He continued to fly until he realized the fatigue was not going away. Following the groundings, Long said she had suffered harassment. After I reported to my command my concerns that in one morning I had to ground three out of three pilots due to vaccine injuries, the next day my patients were canceled, my charts were pulled for review, and I was told that I would not be seeing acute patients anymore, just healthy pilots there for their flight physical, she said. According to Long, she warned medical leaders that pilots could die in midair from COVID-19 vaccine injuries. She had asked them to inform soldiers of that risk but her concerns were ignored. Long said she decided to speak up after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced in June an emergency meeting to discuss higher than expected cases of myocarditis an inflammation of the heart muscle in young adults who received COVID-19 vaccines. Despite the announcement, Long said the military did not slow or pause its vaccination efforts. Lt. Col. Andy Thaggard, a spokesperson for the 1st Aviation Brigade at Fort Rucker, Alabama, said on Wednesday, Nov. 3, that Long appeared at the roundtable in her own individual capacity. Military enforces COVID-19 vaccine mandate despite reports of vaccine injuries Longs testimony comes as the military weighs penalties for service members who refuse to get vaccinated. The vast majority of the active-duty force has received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccine, but tens of thousands have not. Military vaccination rates are higher than those of the general population in the United States. However, thats largely because military personnel are routinely required to get as many as 17 vaccines and face penalties for refusing. As it stands, those who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine will first be counseled by their chain of command and medical providers. However, continued failure to comply could result in relief of duties. According to Long, more than 200,000 service members have rejected the COVID-19 vaccine. Yet the military continues to press forward. We have never lost 200,000 soldiers on the battlefield in a few months, Long said. Taking soldiers out of uniform has the same impact on readiness as losing them on the battlefield. On Sept. 28, Long had filed an affidavit against the Biden administrations military vaccine mandate as part of a pending lawsuit seeking an injunction against attempts to force military personnel to get the COVID-19 vaccines. (Related: Pentagon faces class-action lawsuit over vaccine mandates on military, federal employees and contractors.) Two staff sergeants of the U.S. Armed Forces had originally filed the lawsuit in August. The U.S. District Court for Colorado rejected the lawsuit but invited the plaintiffs to present new evidence, which includes Longs testimony. So far, the Biden administration has ignored the lawsuit. VaccineInjuryNews.com has more articles about adverse reactions following COVID-19 vaccination. Sources include: WesternJournal.com WashingtonTimes.com USNews.com APNews.com UncoveredDC.com (Natural News) The Biden administration in just the past year alone stockpiled the records of more than 54 million U.S. gun owners and is poised to drastically alter gun regulations to ensure that information on Americans who own firearms ultimately ends up in the federal governments hands, according to internal Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. (Article by Adam Kredo republished from FreeBeacon.com) The ATF in fiscal year 2021 processed 54.7 million out-of-business records, according to an internal ATF document obtained by the Gun Owners of America, a firearms advocacy group, and provided exclusively to the Free Beacon. When a licensed gun store goes out of business, its private records detailing gun transactions become ATF property and are stored at a federal site in West Virginia. This practice allows the federal government to stockpile scores of gun records and has drawn outrage from gun advocacy groups that say the government is using this information to create a national database of gun ownerswhich has long been prohibited under U.S. law. The ATF obtained 53.8 million paper records and another 887,000 electronic records, according to the internal document that outlines ATF actions in fiscal year 2021. Gun activists described this figure as worryingly high and said it contributes to fears that the Biden administration is trying to keep track of all Americans who own firearms, in violation of federal statutes. The procurement of these records by the ATF comes as the Biden administration moves to alter current laws to ensure that gun records are stored in perpetuity. Currently, gun shops can destroy their records after 20 years, thereby preventing the ATF from accessing the information in the future. As if the addition of over 50 million records to an ATF gun registry wasnt unconstitutional or illegal enough, the Biden administrations misuse of out-of-business records doesnt end there, Aidan Johnston, the Gun Owners of Americas director of federal affairs, told the Free Beacon. Instead of maintaining the right of [licensed firearm dealers] to destroy Firearm Transaction Records after 20 years, buried within Bidens proposed regulations is a provision that would mean every single Firearm Transaction Record going forward would eventually be sent to ATFs registry in West Virginia. The ATFs registry site has long been a battleground between gun advocates and the federal government. Those in favor of more restrictive gun measures want the ATF to digitize this registry and create a federal database of U.S. gun owners, a move opposed by groups such as the Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association. The ATF has so many records stored in its West Virginia site that several years ago the floor collapsed, according to the New York Times. An ATF spokesman declined to comment on internal agency records but told the Free Beacon that the agencys National Tracing Center processes millions of out of business records each month. However, those out of business records do not constitute an initiation or continuation of any federal gun registry, the spokesman said. The Gun Control Act of 1968 mandates that licensed firearm dealers that go out of business provide the ATF with their records. They are then processed into images, though the ATF maintains this database cannot be searched by a purchasers name. Physical records, the agency says, are then destroyed. The record-keeping issue has received new scrutiny as the Biden administration readies to implement several new restrictions on firearms and owners, including a proposed ban on anywhere from 10 to 40 million pistol braces, which are used as stabilizers on popular weapons such as AR-15s. Under these guidelines, gun owners would be ordered to register or destroy these pistol braces. The ATFs proposed regulations would also require gun parts to be regulated with background checks, meaning that if an individual assembled a legal homemade gun, he may be forced to submit to up to 16 different background checks. Gun advocates, including the Gun Owners of America, accuse the Biden administration of abusing the rule-making process to ensure these regulations are put into effect in record time, possibly before the end of the year. The Biden administration has forced ATF to undertake the rule-making process in record timeresulting in faulty argumentation and demonstrating that neither ATF nor Bidens anti-gun appointees know anything about the firearms and accessories they seek to regulate, said Johnston. The ATF, through its spokesman, maintained that its rule-making process allows for gun advocates, experts, and others to offer comment on proposed regulations well before they go into effect. Congress and the Government Accountability Office have an opportunity to review any final rule prior to its effective date, the spokesman said. The process is anything but speedy.' Read more at: FreeBeacon.com (Natural News) Pedo Joe Biden, Americas fakest president, has officially launched his new Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine campaign for children. Starting November 8, children aged 5-11 in the United States qualify for warp speed injections with the series of mRNA (messenger RNA) shots from Pfizer-BioNTech, which appears to be the governments favorite Fauci Flu shot brand. With more than 28 million children in this demographic living within the U.S., the sheer volume of little ones who will have their DNA permanently modified with spike protein manufacturing blueprints is extremely high. This is great news for satanists like Biden who are eager to start offering child sacrifices to Moloch with these strange chemical needles. Up until this point, only 12-and-over children qualified, which was not quite young enough for Bidens liking. So, to fix that little problem, the Pedophile-in-Chief pushed to have the age limit for Chinese Flu injections lowered to include kindergarteners. Almost everyone who is old enough to speak, in other words, will now be pushed to take the injections if they have not already done so. Unless children get their covid jabs, Biden is threatening to close down schools as punishment On Monday, Bidens crew launched a nationwide effort, reports indicated, to push schools, parents and childrens legal guardians to rush them over to the jab clinic to get the needles. Vaccination is the best tool we have, the Biden regime claims, to stop the spread of fake positive test results for the Chinese Virus, which is apparently what everyone is still afraid of some two years after it was revealed that such tests are bunk to begin with. Today, we reach out to you with encouragement for you to actively support the vaccination process for children in your state, territories, county, tribes, communities and schools, the regime further wrote in an announcement. This is a very exciting development and a significant opportunity to protect some of our youngest learners and our communities. The letter, which was written by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra, goes on to threaten parents and school districts with another round of school closures and lockdowns unless they comply. In a backhanded way, the letter suggests that the only way to maintain in-person learning and prevent the closure of schools and cancellation of valued extracurricular activities is to take Donald father of the vaccine Trumps first two Chinese Virus injections, followed by whatever Biden Boosters will eventually become mandated as well. Since many parents are likely to resist, Bidens people are calling on public schools to become even more draconian by providing trusted information on the vaccine. Biden also wants schools to set up their own pop-up Chinese Flu jab clinics so children can be herded into tents for their warp speed injections. Parents rely on their childrens teachers, principals, school nurses, and other school personnel to help keep their students safe and healthy every school year, the Biden regime letter goes on to state. The communications you issue in languages accessible to your parents will be critical in helping families learn more about the vaccine. If this does not work as planned, then schools are further being encouraged to hold conversations and community engagements to try to strongarm resistant parents into partnering with local pediatricians and other trusted medical voices in their communities to get the job done. Even churches are being recruited to make efforts fun and get young people to participate. The latest news about the Biden regimes push to mass-vaccinate every last American child for Chinese Germs can be found at ChemicalViolence.com. Sources for this article include: FoxNews.com NaturalNews.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The local government of San Francisco, California requires all citizens aged 12 and older to show proof of vaccination against the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) before they can take part in various indoor activities. City officials said that same mandate will soon apply to children aged five to 11. On Tuesday, Nov. 2, it was announced that children aged five to 11 can be vaccinated against the infectious disease. At a town hall on child vaccination, Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip said children in the age group will be vaccinated at least eight weeks after vaccines are available. While there will be a period of time when the requirements wont apply to them, soon even children aged five to 11 will need to provide proof of vaccination to join indoor activities. (Related: California county shuts down In-N-Out over refusal to enforce vaccine mandates.) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also officially recommended the Pfizer vaccine for children aged five to 11 on Wednesday, Nov. 3. On Friday, Nov. 5, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the vaccine an emergency use authorization. In most cases, governments and employers wait for full approval before issuing vaccine mandates. Most of the state, local and corporate mandates werent announced until after the FDA granted full approval to Pfizers COVID-19 vaccine for individuals 16 and older. California Gov. Gavin Newsoms statewide school vaccine mandate for children wont take effect until after the FDA grants full approval for each age group. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Unified School District announced in early November that it wont include children aged five to 11 in its school vaccine mandate. However, Los Angeles does include children aged 12 to 15 in the mandate and the Pfizer vaccine still isnt fully approved for that age group. San Francisco has no vaccine mandate for children in school. Like adults, children who are five to 11 require two vaccines at least three weeks apart. The Pfizer vaccine allegedly has a 90.7 percent efficacy rate in clinical trials among this age group, but parents who are considering vaccinating their children must also think of the many side effects of vaccines. In a study published by the FDA, scientists monitored 2,000 children from five to 11 years old to determine the side effects of the Pfizer vaccine. Results revealed that children may experience many of the same side effects as adults, which include: Chills Fatigue Fever Headache Redness on the arm at the site of injection Soreness in the arm Dr. Leana Wen, professor of health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, said that there were no instances of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) recorded among the young children observed in the study. But this doesnt mean parents should be lining up to get their kids vaccinated. Wen noted that once more children are inoculated against COVID-19, theres a risk that some of them may develop myocarditis after vaccination. The inflammatory disease was linked to the Pfizer vaccine, especially in men under the age of 30. Bidens vaccine mandate for workers violates health freedom On Thursday, Nov. 4, the Biden administration announced that employees at large companies have until January 4, 2022 to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The governments vaccination policies will impact millions of workers in the country. The mandate applies to private sector companies employing 100 or more workers. Federal contractors and health care workers are also expected to comply with the vaccine mandate. If workers arent vaccinated by the January deadline, employers need to make sure that all unvaccinated employees present a weekly verified negative COVID-19 test. Under this mandate, employers must also ensure that all unvaccinated employees are masked and pay employees for time off to get vaccinated. Aside from forcing workers to get vaccinated if they want to keep their jobs, the January 2022 vaccination deadline can also have significant repercussions for those seeking unemployment benefits since workers fired for refusing to get vaccinated may not be qualified to receive them. Visit MedicalFascism.news for more news related to vaccine mandates. Sources include: SFGate.com Deseret.com CNET.com (Natural News) As promised, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has changed the definition of the word vaccine to be less problematic in the age of the Wuhan coronavirus (Covid-19). The problem for the medical deep state is that Fauci Flu shots do not qualify as real vaccines, so the CDC had to scheme up a way to make them qualify by redefining the word vaccine. Now, a vaccine is simply a vial full of chemicals that may or may not produce protection from a specific disease. A vaccine no longer has to produce immunity, this being the key word that was removed from the CDCs new definition. Prior to Sept. 1, 2021, a vaccine was defined as: A product that stimulates a persons immune system to produce immunity to a specific disease, protecting the person from that disease. Vaccines are usually administered through needle injections, but can also be administered by mouth or sprayed into the nose. A vaccination before this date was further defined as: The act of introducing a vaccine into the body to produce immunity to a specific disease. After September 1, however, a vaccine became merely a preparation that is used to stimulate the bodys immune response against diseases. WaPo, other fake news outlets defend CDCs decision to redefine vaccine It appears as though the CDC thought it was being sneaky with this change, but many people noticed, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.). In a tweet, Massie wrote that the CDC has been busy at the Ministry of Truth. Because Fauci Flu shots are clearly waning in their effectiveness (assuming they ever had any effectiveness at all, which is debatable), the CDC is once again manipulating the facts and lying to the public on behalf of Big Pharma, its master. A recent study out of Israel showed that the Pfizer-BioNTech injection is now only 16% effective against symptomatic infection for those individuals who had two doses of the shot back in January. This is the alleged reason why governments are pushing people to take Biden Booster shots, which they claim are needed at regular intervals in order to maintain artificial immunity. As you might expect, the fake news brigade has been singing the praises of the CDC for redefining the words vaccine and vaccination to include the Operation Warp Speed injections that were first brought to the world by Donald father of the vaccine Trump. The Washington Post, as one example, actually tried to suggest that the definition change had nothing to do with Chinese Virus shots, and was merely an update based on science. According to WaPo, all that happened here is slight changes in wording over time that havent impacted the overall definition of vaccine. So much for the facts. Apparently WaPo missed the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests that uncovered blatant politicization of science and left-wing partisanship at the CDC, which greatly influenced its decision to redefine vaccines. One email that was brought to light contained anti-conservative language from a CDC employee who was pressing her superior to do something in order to fight the right-wing covid-19 pandemic deniers. By redefining the word vaccine, this person argued, the CDC could effectively force conservatives who do not agree with DNA modification-through-injection to take the shots against their will. The Reactionary blog at Substack calls the manipulation that occurred to make all this happen affirmative action for multinational corporations. Why have them improve their vaccines when you can just change the definition of vaccine to fit their ineffective vaccines? asks writer Techno Fog. Congrats to all the skeptics out there you raised enough hell that the CDC went and tried to change reality. The latest news about CDC deception can be found at Propaganda.news. Sources for this article include: TechnoFog.substack.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) The Chinese government is run by authoritarian Communists, but one thing is certain: The regime there takes care of its own people when the chips are down. In America, we had a president recently who did the same thing looked after Americans first and foremost but he was so hated for doing so that the deep state stole his reelection and installed a mindless twit who has to be told which reporters to call on and apparently cant hold his flatulence around dignitaries. In recent days, the government in Beijing warned Chinese citizens to prepare for upcoming shortages by stocking up on food and other goods now, according to Bloomberg News: A statement from Chinas government urging local authorities to ensure there was adequate food supply during the winter and encouraging people to stock up on some essentials prompted concerned talk online, with people linking it with the widening coronavirus outbreak, a forecast cold snap, or even rising tensions with Taiwan. The Ministry of Commerce urged local authorities to stabilize prices and ensure supplies of daily necessities including vegetables this winter and next spring, according to a statement Monday evening. Chinese households were also encouraged to stock up on a certain amount of daily necessities in preparation for the winter months or emergencies. Now, there has been a supply chain crisis brewing in the U.S. throughout the summer, made worse when the Transportation secretary stayed out of his office for months while celebrating the adoption of newborns with his hubby. But you wont hear any of our current crop of leaders warning Americans to do the same stock up in preparation for the coming shortages that are being caused, at this point, by their ineptitude. Rather, all you hear is mocking and derision. When NYT reporter Michael Shear asks about the ongoing supply chain crisis, Psaki jokes about the tragedy of the treadmill thats delayed,' the Washington Free Beacon noted in a mid-October tweet. When NYT reporter Michael Shear asks about the ongoing supply chain crisis, Psaki jokes about the tragedy of the treadmill thats delayed pic.twitter.com/Rw8iugBais Washington Free Beacon (@FreeBeacon) October 19, 2021 While Americans do without, you can bet your last dollar that neither this privileged twit nor anyone else in the Biden regime is going to do without, no matter how bad the supply crisis gets and that includes food, by the way. The Free Beacon noted Oct. 15: National supply-chain shortages have disrupted meal programs in schools, causing some schools to ask parents to pack food for their children. Raw foods have been particularly affected by the shortages, according to Randy Jones, who helps coordinate food purchases for Wisconsin schools. Its impacting everything from food items, which are common, like, you have your beef, your chicken, and non-food items, such as serving trays and plastic ware, and things of that nature, Jones told Milwaukees WISN 12. The outlet reported that other school districts around the country were also experiencing food shortages and asking parents to send their kids to school with food from home. Biden, meanwhile, doesnt think Americans are smart enough to figure out or understand the complexities of the supply chain, as Conservative Brief reported on Monday: President Joe Biden appeared to slam the intelligence of most Americans on Monday by suggesting they arent smart enough to figure out or understand the supply chain crisis that continues to worsen under his administration. Bidens comments came as he was asked during a news conference to respond to criticism from Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., who said of the partys progressive-moderate divide over spending: Nobody elected him to be FDR, they elected him to be normal and stop the chaos. I dont intend to be anybody but Joe Biden, thats who I am, Biden responded. What Im trying to do is, do the things I ran on to do, and look, people out there are ordinary, hard-working Americans [who have been] put through the wringer the last couple of years. People are worried, Biden added while suggesting further that Americans dont get why the price of agricultural products has gone up. If we were all going out and having lunch together and I said, Lets ask whoevers in the next table, no matter what restaurant were in, have them explain the supply chain to us. Do you think theyd understand what were talking about? Biden said. What arrogance. What betrayal. What hubris. These people are pathetic. Sources include: ConservativeBrief.com FreeBeacon.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) More than 40 countries present at the 2021 COP26 climate summit in the U.K. have agreed to phase out coal-fired power. Large economies committed to doing so in the 2030s, while smaller ones committed to eschew coal in the 2040s. The U.K., which hosted the summit held at Glasgow in Scotland, made consigning coal to history a key focus of the conference. However, critics have pointed out that Australia, China, India and the U.S. have not made such commitments to lower their coal output. British Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said during the conference: Today marks a milestone moment in our global efforts to tackle climate change, as nations from all corners of the world unite in Glasgow to declare that coal has no part to play in our future power generation. Todays ambitious commitments made by our international partners demonstrate that the end of coal is in sight. The U.K. forged several deals during the summit among them commitments from many countries both developing and developed, to stop the use of coal. More than 20 governments including the U.S. and Denmark agreed to stop financing coal development by the end of 2022. The estimated 5.85 billion ($8 billion) saved yearly would be then diverted into clean energy investments. According to the Guardian, the U.K. focused on four particular areas cash, coal, cars and trees in its pivot to keep carbon emissions under 1.5 C. Espoused by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the focus on the four areas is expected to produce key progress in tackling the climate crisis. (Related: HYPOCRITES: Climate change conference will use coal-powered charging stations and diesel generators to charge electric vehicles.) Despite the promising outcomes at the COP26 summit, others remarked that theyre not enough. Jamie Peters, campaign director at Friends of the Earth, said that coal is basically allowed to continue as normal for years yet. Meanwhile, Elif Gunduzyeli of Climate Action Europe said that a 2030 phaseout deadline for coal should be a minimum. Dropping coal entirely not a viable option for developing nations Alongside the Philippines and South Africa, Indonesia did not sign up to phase out coal entirely during the summit. Instead, the three nations committed to retiring many of their operational coal-fired power plants early. (Related: Green policies return the world to coal.) Eschewing coal 100 percent is not a viable option for developing nations. Coal remains a cheaper energy source for these countries than renewable energy sources. With a cheaper power source, food manufacturers can keep food prices low. Any increases in energy cost would be passed to consumers as higher product prices. A June 2021 article by Mongabay.com explained why Indonesia cannot simply decommission its operational coal-fired power plants. According to state-owned investment bank Bahana Sekuritas, renewable energy costs 12 to 16 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), whereas energy from coal only costs four to six cents per kWh. The bank also pointed out that renewable industry infrastructure called for high levels of investment on Indonesias part. Rida Yasser, assistant deputy for energy at the office of Indonesian Ministry of Investment, also highlighted the difficulty of adopting clean energy. She said during a May 28 online event: Energy transition needs to be positively beneficial for the country. We shouldnt commit [financial] suicide [and] we shouldnt have to incur financial loss to our own country in order to clean our energy. Yasser added that affordable energy is important to kick-start Indonesias economy. The archipelagos economy fell into its first recession in more than 20 years as a result of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We need to rebound, [and] we need all the power that we can get, she said. Meanwhile, Indonesian Member of Parliament (MP) Mulyanto said he was concerned that dropping coal power abruptly would lead to a sharp increase in electricity prices for households. With higher electricity prices from renewable sources, household budget allocations for food would decrease as a result. Dont let [the coal power phase-out] be used to justify raising the electricity price during this pandemic thats still ongoing. Its a pity if the public has to bear the brunt of rising electricity prices, Mulyanto warned. ClimateAlarmism.news has more articles about the push to drop coal-fired power without considering its repercussions. Sources include: TheGuardian.com News.Mongabay.com (Natural News) Hospitals in America, Australia and Sweden are reportedly being overwhelmed with patients who are sicker than ever and the media insists that no one knows why. (Article by Chris Menahan republished from InformationLiberation.com) ERs are now swamped with seriously ill patients but many dont even have COVID, Michigan Radio reported last week. Inside the emergency department at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Mich., staff members are struggling to care for patients who are showing up much sicker than theyve ever seen. Tiffani Dusang, the emergency rooms nursing director, practically vibrates with pent-up anxiety, looking at all the patients lying on a long line of stretchers pushed up against the beige walls of the hospitals hallways. Its hard to watch, she says in her warm Texan twang. But theres nothing she can do. The ERs 72 rooms are already filled. [] Even in parts of the country where COVID-19 isnt overwhelming the health system, patients are showing up to the ER sicker than they were before the pandemic, their diseases 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 others. Australia is now reporting the same. Australias hospitals under pressure, despite COVID-19 respite, as healthcare workers prepare for Delta threat, AMA report finds, ABC.net.au reported Thursday. Australian hospitals are already overwhelmed and falling behind, even with the once-in-a-generation slowdown in patient numbers that came with COVID-19, an AMA report has found. [] According to the report, the number of patients leaving the emergency departments within four hours dropped to 69 per cent, its worst level since 201213. Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan mentioned the surge in patients during a press conference on Sunday: 1/ In a press conference on October 31st, 2021, Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan revealed the state's hospital system is under extraordinary pressure. And they don't know why. (The state has recorded 1,112 Covid cases in total since the beginning of the pandemic). pic.twitter.com/3daGpzQJRs Justin Clarke (@justsee) November 4, 2021 Similar is happening in Sweden, as P4 Jonkoping reported last month (article translated by Google): What could possibly be causing a surge in blood clots, heart attacks, heart conditions and weakened immune systems? Read more at: InformationLiberation.com (Natural News) Melissa Red Pill celebrated the release of Tucker Carlsons latest documentary titled Patriot Purge during the Nov. 3 episode of Freedom Force Battalion on Brighteon.TV. Red Pill called the new documentary exciting and urged her viewers to watch it themselves to learn some amazing things. Carlson and Fox News first announced the release of Patriot Purge in late October. Red Pill called on her viewers to watch Carlsons documentary and to share it with their friends and family, as it will help convince many that those who believe that the Jan. 6 event was a false flag operation are not crazy. (Related: Jan. 6 protesters subjected to extreme TORTURE, starvation and deliberate malnutrition raw sewage flows into jail cells while MOLD grows on cell walls.) Thank you, Tucker Carlson, for your valiant effort on this, said Red Pill on her show. Patriot Purge talks about how the peaceful protesters who went to Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6 were hunted down in the same way members of the United States Armed Forces tracked down and killed or captured terrorists overseas. Federal government officials have described it as a shock and awe campaign designed to scare people and to charge as many of them as possible. Thats exactly what theyre doing now to Americans, said Red Pill, describing what Carlson is talking about in his documentary. All their efforts that they put against Iraq are now trained against Americans, and specifically, those who are in the military. Big Tech platforms have censored Carlsons documentary Many Big Tech websites are refusing to allow Carlsons new documentary to be shared and talked about on their social media platforms. Whenever people try to share Patriot Purge on their personal Facebook profiles, the post is censored with a sensitive content label. Andy Stones, director of Policy Communications for Facebooks parent company Meta, said that the documentary is eligible for review with the companys fact-checkers. As of press time, YouTube has so far refused to take down Patriot Purge from its website. But it has imposed age restrictions on anybody trying to view the video and placed a warning that the content may be inappropriate for some users. Mainstream media also joined Big Tech in its attempts to censor and discredit Patriot Purge. Tech newsletter reporter Cristiano Lima of the Washington Post called Carlsons documentary a conspiracy theory that used baseless claims regarding the Jan. 6 incident. He cited other mainstream media outlets to supposedly prove that there is no evidence that the whole event was a false flag operation. The Atlantic accused Carlson of creating a documentary not to spread the truth but to sow mistrust of the countrys most important institutions. MSNBC host Joy Reid had Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California on her show to criticize Carlsons documentary by baselessly calling it a tribute video for the terrorists. Big Tech and its so-called fact-checkers have proven to be unfairly biased in the past, wrote staff writer Catherine Salgado for NewsBusters. PolitiFact, which was cited by Lima against Carlsons documentary, is a Facebook fact-checking partner. The fact-checker has relied on communist Chinese information in the past and is part of liberal Poynter Institutes International Fact Checking Network, which received over a million dollars from liberal billionaires George Soros and Pierre Omidyar. Salgado further pointed out that PolitiFact should not be trusted because it previously issued retractions regarding Carlson and had published incorrect fact-checks regarding NewsBusters and other conservative media outlets. Speaking of the governments attacks against conservatives, Red Pill said that nothing thrown at them will make them stop. Let me tell you something, said Red Pill. Its daunting, but were not stopping. Were not stopping. Were not going to allow them to control us and to rule us no matter what they say. Melissa Red Pill has a lot more to say about Carlsons documentary and the Jan. 6 false flag operation on the Nov. 3 episode of Freedom Force Battalion. Watch the entire episode here: Freedom Force Battalion with Melissa Red Pill airs every Wednesday from 11-12 p.m. on Brighteon.TV. Obey.news has the latest stories regarding how the government, Big Tech and mainstream media try to control the narrative regarding January 6 incident at the Capitol. Sources include: Brighteon.com NewsBusters.org (Natural News) Garbage has been piling up across New York City as staff shortages continue due to the ongoing vaccine mandate set by Mayor Bill de Blasio. Mayor-elect Eric Adams, meanwhile, has already vowed to revisit the mandate by negotiating with unions on the issue. Since the mandate went into effect, sanitation employees said that theyve received substantial bonuses in exchange for covering routes that have not received trash pick-ups, but not many are eager to do so. Around 1,400 of the citys 7,200 sanitation workers were placed on administrative leave for not being vaccinated. In their absence, what remained on the streets are massive numbers of garbage bags that have been piling up since De Blasios mandates took effect. Its going to get bad in the streets. The garbage is going to pile up. We already have enough manpower problems, Wendell Rivera, a 29-year-old sanitation worker said. De Blasio dismissed the issue, saying that there had been a 92 percent compliance rate among city workers despite the fact that around 9,000 were placed on unpaid leave and another 12,000 applied for religious or medical exemptions that could take days or weeks to review. From October 24 to 30, complaints about trash increased tenfold from the previous month in the borough despite being the least populous one. Staten Island clocked over 5,000 trash-related complaints in the span of a week, while Manhattan recorded fewer than 400. Meanwhile, Adams vowed to try to reset the city and restore the faith of officers such as those in the New York City Police Department (NYPD). However, in an interview with MSNBCs Morning Joe, Adams said that he wanted the mask mandates to be kept in place, and he wants to revisit how the city addressed the vaccine mandates. What Im going to encourage him to do is to sit down with the unions. We can work this out, he said. According to Adams, he already communicated with some of the union leaders, and they are open to a sit-down. (Related: NYC begs for volunteer firefighters as one-third of force stands strong against covid jab mandate.) Staten Island rallying against mandates The heaps of uncollected trash may be the most visible sign of protest against the citys expanded vaccine mandate for municipal employees, and it is most apparent on Staten Island as crowds gathered outside one of the boroughs sanitation garages to block trucks from getting out. Police later issues summonses for those who attempted to block the sanitation trucks from leaving the facility. Multiple workers also said that their bosses at the New York City Sanitation Department were focused on avoiding the trash crisis in Manhattan, knowing that rank-and-file workers exert a lot of power on Staten Island. These guys run this island. They really do, a sanitation worker said. Theyre not afraid of getting written up, theyre not afraid of backlash. Despite bearing the brunt of the protests, Staten Island residents said that they will continue to support sanitation workers, with some placing signs outside their homes, urging sanitation workers to leave the garbage behind. Theres no question people are upset their garbage is not being picked up. But Id say theres also support for the people not picking up. Were a place that really does care about our city workers. The anger is aimed at the mayor, Councilman Joe Borelli said. Read more about how citizens are pushing back against insane COVID-19 vaccine mandates at Resist.news. Sources include: DailyMail.co.uk Gothamist.com (Natural News) Former Pfizer employee Karen Kingston told Dr. Bryan Ardis that the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) emergency use authorization of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine was part of a conspiracy to harm children. She made this claim during the Nov. 3 episode of The Dr. Ardis Show on Brighteon.TV. Ardis had strong words for the FDA advisers who voted in favor of allowing the vaccine to be injected into children aged five to 11. Shame on the FDA committee members who voted yes to inject five- to 11-year-old Americans. I actually am so disgusted. I think youre all complicit in any murder of children who die from myocarditis as a result of this. Citizens in this country should hold you accountable, he said. Kingston agreed with Ardis, saying: This is nothing short of conspiring to commit aggravated assault and murder of children and adults through coercion. Thats what the FDA is doing. These are all criminal acts. She quoted the Pfizer vaccines Aug. 23 approval letter, which mentioned the risk of myocarditis or heart muscle inflammation. Kingston said: If you take a look at the FDA approval letter, it says a known serious risk of myocarditis. So this is not a side effect, this is intentional. They are intentionally inflicting harm, inflammation, morbidity and mortality upon our children and our military. According to the former Pfizer employee, there is a more sinister purpose to the vaccine approval. I think its actually [a] plot to do harm. You actually are plotting and intentionally wanting to hurt children and teenagers, or youre being bought off or bribed. Regardless, youre complicit in the maiming and injuring of children, she said. (Related: Covid vaccines harmed and killed more teens in 2021 than all other FDA-approved vaccines combined.) I feel that people need to understand that they were deeply betrayed. I mean some people got two shots [and] a booster, [but] theyre still wearing masks [and] getting PCR tests. This is not for your health, this is for you to be obedient to a sickness program. Kingston: No shot is superior to childrens natural immunity Kingston also pointed out that no vaccine can surpass the protection granted by childrens own immune systems. Its very clear that it is clinically and statistically impossible to make a vaccine thats more effective than a childs or teenagers natural immune response, she said. Their natural immune system what God gave them is more powerful than this computer-generated artificial intelligence genetic code that generates disease-causing spike proteins in your body. The whole thing is just beyond criminal. Kingstons comments on childrens natural immunity mirrored her sentiments during her Nov. 2 appearance on Real Talk with Dr. Eric Nepute on Brighteon.TV. She emphasized to the Missouri-based chiropractor that childrens natural immunity trumps the protection afforded by vaccines. She told Nepute: 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? 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, Kingston continued. Ardis mentioned that injecting children with the Pfizer vaccine goes against the precepts of the Nuremberg Code. The Nuremberg Code consists of 10 points of ethics around human experimentation that were designated back in 1947 and adopted worldwide, he said. You cant use an experimental drug on humans without providing informed content to the individuals. You have to give them all the benefits and all the risks associated with these. Intellectually, he has [to have] enough information to let you experiment on them with this drug. The code puts informed consent first and foremost. Its first point explicitly states that persons should have legal capacity to give consent; should be so situated as to be able to exercise free power of choice, without the intervention of 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. Ardis pointed out: Do you really think a five- to 11-year-old child has the ability to give you informed consent? Children are at zero risk of death from COVID-19 or any other cold virus on the planet. These things are upsetting. The host of The Dr. Ardis Show emphasized that the FDA advisers who voted yes to inject the COVID-19 vaccine into young children should be held accountable worldwide to an international health crime court. He said: It is what it is crimes against all humanity. This is maiming and murdering on a grand scale. (Related: Dr. Bryan Ardis: FDA approved COVID-19 vaccine for kids despite being aware of its risks Brighteon.TV.) Watch the full Nov. 3 episode of The Dr. Ardis Show featuring Karen Kingston below. The Dr. Ardis Show airs every Wednesday at 10-11 a.m. on Brighteon.TV. VaccineWars.com has more articles about the dangers of injecting the COVID-19 shot in children. Sources include: Brighteon.com 1 FDA.gov [PDF] Brighteon.com 2 CIRP.org When a winter storm hits, a whole fleet is usually needed to clear 49,000 lane miles of road, yet job applications for snowplow drivers are down to around 50% when compared to usual. Preparation For Winter Season The salt barns have been supplied, the trucks are ready, and all the pre-checks have been completed by the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) so that the roads will be clear amid the winter season which is around the corner. A scarcity of snowplow drivers in Ohio and at least five other states is a major setback. Snowplow drivers are still needed in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Oregon, Missouri, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Rhode Island, and Wyoming, where the roadways are regularly covered with snow throughout the winter. These six states are also trying to employ more than 100 workers for the position: Ohio; Pennsylvania; Michigan; Oregon; Missouri; and Colorado. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), which relies heavily on snowplow operations throughout the winter, is experiencing a shortage of 18-19 percent of its workforce, according to CDOT director of maintenance and operations John Lorme. There is often a 10% shortage in the department due to promotions and turnover of work, for example. On top of 190 permanent employment for entry-level maintenance, around 100 temporary roles are available as well, he said. In addition, the ODOT has around 190 unfilled vacancies. ODOT Public Information Officer Matt Bruning said that traditionally, most of its seasonal workers came from rural sections of the state. Also Read: Asia Should Prepare for a Possibly Harsh Winter Due to La Nina Goals of ODOT People with commercial driver's licenses have more possibilities, so finding seasonal workers in the cities is a little more difficult. However, this year proved to be a more serious challenge generally. According to Bruning, the ODOT is in charge of 49,000 lane-miles of highway in Ohio, which includes all state and U.S. roads outside of towns and all interstates. The aim of ODOT is to make the main routes free within two hours of the conclusion of a snow event and the secondary road within four hours. Bruning added that, despite the department's 95% success rate, this year could be a little more difficult. Bruning warned that delays may occur if the company lacked the necessary number of drivers to complete the project on time. Job fairs and social media are being used by both organizations, and the CDOT has even changed its recruiting methods. However, this year CDOT may educate and certify commercial motor vehicle operators after employing workers with no past experience. As a result, this winter's road conditions may be more difficult for drivers than in previous years. Challenges Motorists Face Amid Winter Season NBC Montana reports that Goodyear expects to be 5 million short of tires this year, which might affect winter travel throughout the winter. Some people attribute the impending shortfall to a lack of rubber and workers, as well as a backlog. According to WBRE, tire salesmen at Kelleher Tire in Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, are advising clients to acquire snow tires sooner rather than later this season since supply and demand may impact last-minute buyers. A $100 tire now costs $120 because of a 20% increase in snow tire prices since the beginning of the year. Related Article: Antarctic Chill: The South Pole Just Experienced its Coldest Winter in History For more news, updates about winter season and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! According to UCLA and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researchers, climate change is the primary cause of the expanding amount of land in the western United States that big wildfires have burned over the last two decades. Unprepared for Climate Change According to Rong Fu, a UCLA professor of atmospheric and marine sciences and the study's corresponding author, the tendency is projected to increase in the years ahead. "I'm concerned that the recent record fire seasons are just the beginning of what's to come as a result of climate change, and our civilization is unprepared for the rapid increase in weather that contributes to wildfires in the American West." U.S. government data support the substantial rise in wildfire devastation. Data from the Geological Survey. In the 17 years between 1984 and 2000, an average of 1.69 million acres per year was burnt in 11 western states. Every year, the average burnt area over the following 17 years, from 2001 to 2018, was around 3.35 million acres. According to a study from the National Interagency Coordination Center, wildfires in the West burnt 8.8 million acres in 2020, an area greater than Maryland. However, the factors that contributed to the massive increase have been a source of contention: how much of the trend was caused by human-caused climate change, and how much could be explained by changing weather patterns, natural climate variation, forest management, earlier springtime snowmelt, and reduced summer rain? Related Article: US Braces For 'Apocalyptic' Summer Due to Record-Breaking Drought and Heat Waves Analyzing Climate Data The researchers used artificial intelligence to analyze climate and fire data to estimate the roles of climate change and other factors in determining the critical climate variable linked to wildfire risk: vapor pressure deficit. The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Pressure Shortage The vapor pressure deficit is the difference between the quantity of moisture in the air and the amount of water stored when it is saturated. The air may pull more moisture from soil and plants when the vapor pressure deficit, or VPD, is bigger. Large wildfire-burned regions, particularly those not close to cities, have substantial vapor pressure deficits linked with warm, dry air. According to the study, human-caused global warming was responsible for 68 percent of the rise in vapor pressure deficit over the western United States between 1979 and 2020. According to scientists, the remaining 32% difference was most likely caused by naturally occurring changes in weather patterns. The data imply that rising fire weather in the western United States is primarily due to human-caused climate change. "And our estimates of the human-induced effect on the rise in fire weather risk are likely to be conservative," said Fu, who is also the head of UCLA's Joint Institute for Regional Earth System Science and Engineering, a NASA-funded cooperation. The researchers looked at the so-called August Complex wildfire in Northern California in 2020, which burnt over a million acres. They concluded that human-caused warming was responsible for 50% of the region's previously unheard-of high VPD during the month the fire started. Fire Frequency Even while wetter and cooler temperatures may provide small respites, Fu anticipates wildfires to grow more fierce and frequent in the western states overall. And, despite the increased vapor pressure deficit, locations, where great expanses of plant life have already been destroyed to fires, drought, heatwaves, and road construction are unlikely to witness an increase in wildfires. "Our findings show that the western United States has crossed a crucial threshold-that human-induced warming is now responsible for the increase in vapor pressure deficit rather than natural changes in air circulation," Fu said. "Our research demonstrates that this shift has been occurring since the beginning of the twenty-first century, considerably sooner than we expected." Also Read: Megadrought 2021: The Worst Drought Suffered by the US West in 1,200 Years For more climate and weather updates, don't forget to follow Nature World News! Increased demand for personal protective equipment has exacerbated an already out-of-control global problem, according to a new analysis. According to a study, plastic garbage from the Covid-19 epidemic measuring 25,900 tons, or more than 2,000 double-decker buses, has spilled into the water. Tons of Garbage The experts reported unregulated plastic garbage, which included personal protective equipment such as masks and gloves, far outstripped countries' ability to treat it adequately. According to the data, an estimated 8.4 million tons of plastic garbage have been created from 193 nations since the start of the epidemic. "The Covid-19 pandemic has increased demand for single-use plastics, adding to an already out-of-control global plastic waste problem," wrote Yiming Peng and Peipei Wu of Nanjing University in their paper Magnitude and impact of pandemic-associated plastic waste, which was published online in the journal PNAS. "The discharged plastics can travel large distances in the water, interact with marine creatures, and cause harm or death," they warned. Related Article: New Report Shows How Covid-19 Pandemic Worsened Plastic Pollution Water Life Stuck in Trash A fish entangled in a medical glove was discovered during a canal cleanup in Leiden, the Netherlands, according to a research published in March. In addition, a PFF-2 protection mask was found in the stomach of a deceased Magellanic penguin in Brazil. According to the experts, practically all pandemic-related plastics will wash up on the bottom or beaches by the end of the century. Due to the high degree of mask-wearing by persons in Asia, the Chinese investigation discovered that 46 percent of the mismanaged plastic garbage came from there, followed by Europe with 24 percent and North and South America with 22 percent. According to Peng and Wu's analysis, hospitals accounted for 87.4 percent of the extra trash rather than individual consumption. In addition, individual PPE usage accounted for just 7.6% of the total, with packaging and test kits accounting for 4.7 percent and 0.3 percent, respectively. "The majority of the plastic comes from hospital garbage, which dwarfs contributions from personal protective equipment and online-shopping package material," they stated. "This is a long-term issue for the maritime ecosystem, with the majority of it accumulating on beaches and coastal sediments." Thousands of tonnes of masks, gloves, testing kits, and face visors were transported in 369 main rivers from the beginning of the epidemic until August of this year. PPEs Thrown in the Ocean In south-eastern Iraq, the Shatt al-Arab river discharged 5,200 tons of PPE trash to the sea; the Indus river in western Tibet carried 4,000 tons, and the Yangtze river in China carried 3,700 tons. The Danube delivered the most plastic epidemic garbage into the ocean in Europe, at 1,700 tons. Overall Waste Released The top ten rivers accounted for 79% of pandemic plastic emissions, the top twenty for 91%, and the top 100 for 100%. According to the survey, Asian rivers accounted for around 73 percent of the discharge, followed by European watercourses (11%), with modest contributions from other continents. The scientists stated, "These findings identify the hotspot rivers and watersheds that demand special attention in plastic waste management." "We discover that the pandemic-related trash discharge in the worldwide ocean has a long-term impact." The model predicts that practically all pandemic-related plastics will wind up in the seabed (28.8%) or on beaches (70.5%) by the end of the century. According to the scientists, the findings demonstrate that better medical waste management is required in pandemic epicenters, particularly in poor nations. Also Read: #TeamSeas: YouTuber MrBeast Launches 30 Million-Dollar Effort to Lessen Ocean Trash For more environmental news, don't forget to follow Nature World 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. Sign up to get breaking news, weather forecasts, and more in your email inbox. Sign Up Now Cars line up to enter the U.S. from Canada at the Peace Arch border crossing Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Blaine, Wash. The U.S. reopened its land borders to nonessential travel Monday after almost 20 months of COVID-19 restrictions. This photo taken on Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 shows the "B" cell and bunk unit of the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Wash. NEW YORK (AP) In this world, there's a book for everybody. Take advantage of that sentiment during the holiday shopping season. Book sales have thrived during the pandemic after initial concerns that it might hurt the publishing business. Come the holidays, some new nonfiction might hit your gifting sweet spots. A sampling: Dressing the Resistance: The Visual Language of Protest through History, by Camille Benda. From ancient Roman rebellions to the Black Lives Matter movement, dress has empowered the powerless to express dissent. Benda, a costume designer and dress historian, tells the story in more than 150 images, photos and paintings with loads of context in text. Take the simple topi hat, a khadi cloth envelope style popular during India's fight for self-rule. The British authorities banned it, throwing fuel on the fire. $27.50. Princeton Architectural Press. The Christmas Owl, by Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer, with illustrations by Ramona Kaulitzki. This delightful Christmas tale is the true story of a little owl dubbed Rockefeller. The young, Saw-whet owl was found stuck in the branches of a towering Norway spruce grown in upstate New York and cut as Rockefeller Centers holiday tree last year. Uninjured but hungry, she spent a brief stint in a Saugerties rehabilitation center before she was set free. Kalish is executive director of the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in the Hudson Valley town. $15.49. Ages 4-up. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Patient Zero: A Curious History of the Worlds Worst Diseases, by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen. Disease outbreaks. How do they start? How do they spread? How do we overcome? Those are questions for the times but certainly nothing new. This book explores all that came before COVID-19: plague, yellow fever, mad cow disease, typhoid and more. Who was Typhoid Mary? She was an asymptomatic, transient home cook who infected hundreds, if not thousands. Where did the N95 respirator mask begin? With Sara Little Turnbull and the fibrous molded padding for bras she came up with for 3M. $24.95. Workman Publishing. In the Weeds: Around the World and Behind the Scenes with Anthony Bourdain, by Tom Vitale. Bourdain's longtime director and producer shares stories and secrets from more than a decade of globetrotting with the beloved and complicated foodie/adventurer. There was the time Bourdain raved about a Hong Kong restaurant's Peking Duck, only to be told he was devouring suckling pig. And a stop in Namibia, when the warthog anus he ate hit his stomach hard. Bourdain killed himself in a French hotel room in 2018. $30. Hachette Books. Sharing the Wisdom of Time, by Pope Francis and friends. Soon to be a four-part documentary series on Netflix, this book is a collection of personal stories of grandparents and elders the world over, including filmmaker Martin Scorsese. There's a survivor of Auschwitz, a blind basket weaver in Kenya and a centenarian midwife in Guatemala. The pope said in a statement: Our society has silenced the voices of grandparents. We pushed them out of the way. During one of his daily prayer sessions, Pope Francis received an inspiration: to shine a light on the vital role of grandparents and other elders, according to the publisher. Loyola Press. $21.98. Unprotected: A Memoir, by Billy Porter. Bullied at school, sexually abused by his stepfather, Porter tells his truth of growing up gay in Pittsburgh. He was criticized by his church and sent to therapy to fix his effeminacy at age 5. The Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner details his HIV-positive diagnosis in 2007, and his struggles with shame and trauma through the decades. There is healing in Sharing. There is healing in the truth, Porter told GLAADs Anthony Allen Ramos in an interview. $19.69. Abrams Press. Fantastic Fungi Community Cookbook, edited and with essays by Eugenia Bone, recipes by the Fantastic Fungi Community. With plant-based lifestyles all the rage, this book contains more than 100 ways to prepare mushrooms, from appetizers and mains to desserts and drinks. Chaga chocolate chip cookies, anyone? The book follows the path set by Louie Schwartzbergs award-winning documentary, Fantastic Fungi: The Magic Beneath Us, and is driven by the fans who sprang up. $37.50. Insight Editions. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic, edited by Lilly Workneh with a foreword by CaShawn Thompson, who originated the #BlackGirlMagic hashtag in 2013. The latest in a series for children ages 6-up, this book highlights the contributions of 100 barrier-breaking Black women and girls through generations. Amanda Gorman, Naomi Osaka and Ava DuVernay are included. So is Sanite Belair, who at 15 fought in the Haitian Revolution and paid with her life in front of a firing squad. $35. Rebel Girls. Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt's Creek, by Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy. You're welcome, fans. Your favorite father and son have put together behind the episode insights, Q&A conversations among cast members, and definitive guides to Moira's emotional support wigs and David's many knits. Here's Karen Robinson on her Ronnie Lee: I think people should strive to be more like Ronnie. Live your life authentically. When you speak, speak the truth. $31.99. Black Dog & Leventhal. The Highlights Book of Things to Draw, by Highlights. The folks that bring you Highlights magazine have provided a fun artist's primer for kids ages 7-up. The journal-style book has 175 how-to creative projects and activities, from learning how to incorporate texture to drawing shadow art. Similarly, there's The Highlights Book of Things to Write, with imaginative prompts like: You find a talking tree. What does it say about the view? $14.99 each. Highlights Press. Spike, by Spike Lee. Fun fact: Lee's thesis film at New York University, Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop, won a student Academy Award. Not-so-fun fact: Lee was the only person of color at the award ceremony. In scrapbook style, with loads of behind-the-scenes photos, Lee tells his story in a career-spanning monograph his first using material from his archives. Photos, featuring the work of Spike's brother, David Lee, are beautifully reproduced. Text is impactful but kept to a minimum. $50. Edited by Steve Crist. Chronical Chroma. Keep Moving: The Journal, by Maggie Smith. The author and poet's bestseller, Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity and Change, was a title for the moment in 2020. Now, she has a companion journal intended to inspire the world to persevere. It has 52 exercises with writing prompts divided into the same three sections as the book: revision, resilience and transformation. Says Smith: I know now that hope is a muscle it grows bigger and stronger the more I use it. $16. Atria/One Signal Publishers. ___ Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greece on Tuesday announced tougher restrictions on most activities for unvaccinated people, as the country registered a record high in new infections for the second day in a row. Health Minister Thanos Pevris said the measures would take effect Saturday. Greece on Tuesday recorded 6,700 new COVID-19 infections up from 5,449 Monday and 59 deaths. Some 61% of Greece's population has been fully inoculated. Health authorities are striving to boost vaccine uptake as well as to encourage adult Greeks to register for booster shots. Infections are currently particularly high in northern Greece, where public hospitals are running out of intensive care unit beds and are sending patients to be treated in private facilities. The measures will affect people who choose not to be vaccinated, Plevris said, adding that the center-right government has ruled out a return to a general lockdown. Plevris said as of Saturday all unvaccinated people will be obliged to display a recent negative test to enter all indoor public areas, including banks, most shops, government buildings and hair salons. The same will apply to outdoor restaurant areas and cafes. Exceptions will be made for supermarkets, shops selling food, pharmacies and places of worship. All public and private sector employees will also have to display negative tests twice a week to enter their workplaces, instead of once as is now the case. Plevris said police inspections for breaches of the new restrictions would be stepped up, with business owners facing higher fines, starting from 5,000 euros ($5,800). The government will also launch a new public awareness campaign on vaccinations, sending text messages to people who haven't been inoculated. As of Friday, all inoculated adults will be able to register for booster shots if six months have elapsed. Overall, the European Union nation of 11 million has registered 750,000 COVID-19 infections and 16,000 deaths. ___ Follow all of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic New Castle, PA (16103) Today Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. Low near 30F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Occasional rain tapering to a few showers late. Low near 30F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Christian youth charity provides some soul space Christian youth charity provides some soul space As we move into a new season North Breckland Youth for Christ is finding innovative ways to engage with young people. Paul Roast reports. The pandemic hit many people hard and North Breckland Youth for Christ was no different. However, we continued despite the challenges being thrown at us, and coming into this new season we have seen growth in unexpected ways. One project that continues to grow in momentum is at Litcham High school. Working together with the head of RE we were able to put on a Soul Space for the last three days of the summer term. We saw nearly 300 pupils take part and it was amazing to see some of their responses to the prayer activities on offer. Since then, we have been doing what we call a Pop Up Soul Space every Thursday lunch time. We have one or two activities set up for the pupils. This has been an amazing opportunity to engage with them and open conversations about faith and Jesus. Another thing that is going well is our new Youth Cafe in Barnham broom. Working with the local Anglican churches we open the village hall to young people twice a month. They come for games, chat, fun and pizza. Many of these young people were hanging out at the local park and were grateful to have a safe space where they could just be. We have many young people come along - up to 20 some weeks. Our other Youth Cafe in Garvestone has been going for many years now and still proves to be popular. We regularly have 10 young people coming along. Both cafes provide access to other projects and ventures that we offer as well as providing a chance for young people to explore who Jesus is. Recently one such conversation we had was about good and evil, and what happens after you die. I feel so privileged to explore the Christian faith with young people and to see them grappling with the challenge that Jesus brings to our lives, as well as the blessings. Our hope is that as we continue to learn what living with Covid looks like, well see young people engaging with more activities and see more young lives changed by Jesus. Paul Roast is Director of North Breckland Youth for Christ. Pictured are young people at some of the charitys activities. Eldred Willey, 09/11/2021 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. NEW YORK (AP) More than 200 musical artists will perform next month as part of an online fundraiser for the environment that will be shown on YouTube. Black Pumas, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, the Lumineers, Rhiannon Giddens, Cat Stevens, Taj Mahal and Rosanne Cash are among the musicians that have signed on for Peace Through Music: A Global Event for the Environment, organizers said on Tuesday. Contributed / Connecticut State Police WEATHERSFIELD A woman was charged this weekend with driving the wrong way on Route 2 and fleeing a crash, state police said. Troop H in Hartford began receiving numerous calls Saturday about a vehicle traveling the wrong direction in the westbound lane of Route 2, according to state police. Queen Rania of Jordan visited Dar Nemeh gift shop and cafe at the Amman Citadel. The shop was established as a result of a project created by The Princess Taghrid Institute for Development and Training (PTI) and it serves as a platform to market local products made by women from all regions of Jordan. Upon arrival at the Citadel, Queen Rania was welcomed by PTI Chairwoman Princess Taghrid Muhammad. PTI is a local nongovernmental organization founded with the aim of solving the ongoing struggles faced by orphans and abandoned young people after the age of 16. PTI has also recently launched female empowerment initiatives, which provide professional and vocational training and employment opportunities to women in order to strengthen their financial status. Dar Nemeh, which means The House of Bliss, is a multipurpose facility that includes a gift shop, cafe, and traditional restaurant offering local food products, handicrafts, and souvenirs made by women from all over Jordan. Zimmermann white denim shirt and skirt Dior Canvas Pumps Chloe Nile Bag Reporter Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk). AP "Not on my watch!" War remembrance tourism fights for life The pandemic has crippled remembrance tourism in Belgium, the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in World War I The Reimagining Electric Vehicles in Illinois Act, provides tax credits for income tax withheld for EV manufacturers and costs to train new or retained employees. It also applies to the manufacturers of EV parts, such as batteries. They go by Captain, Lieutenant, Major and Master Sergeant on the job and by Dad, Grandpa, Aunt and, of course, hero back home. As part of our weeklong salute to those who served, we asked local students to tell us about the veteran they admire the most. One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Longview, TX (75601) Today Generally cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 73F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy early, then clearing overnight. Low near 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Courtney Stern is a public safety reporter covering a wide range of topics. She grew up in Baltimore and later earned a journalism degree from the University of Miami. Stern moved to East Texas from Iowa with her husband and two dogs, Pebbles and Bam Bam. Follow Courtney Stern Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today The rapid and extensive spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to the imposition of severe restrictions on social gatherings and interactions, business operations, educational institutions, travel across the country or international borders, as well as stringent shelter-in-place orders or lockdowns. A new preprint examines the extent of mental distress among young people in Denmark as a direct result of the lockdowns during this period. Study: The Impact of The Initial And 2nd National COVID-19 Lockdown on Mental Health in Young People with And Without Pre-Existing Depressive Symptoms. Image Credit: engagestock / Shutterstock.com Background In the current study, the researchers looked at earlier papers for evidence of the impact of lockdowns on the mental health of the population. They found that overall, the impact appeared to be negative, with women, young people, and those who already had mental ill-health being the most affected. Individuals who already had mental health problems appear to be the least studied from the perspective of comparing their mental health with pre-pandemic trends. This shows the need for research in this area, especially the longitudinal trends and long-term effects on mental health. In Denmark, a lockdown was first imposed in March 2020, with all non-essential government workers asked to work from home, along with the closure of all other institutions. Private companies were also advised to adopt work-from-home policies. While the lockdown was relaxed during the spring, it was reimposed in stages over fall 2020 as cases and deaths began to rise. The second complete lockdown began in the middle of December 2020 and remained in place until March 2021, which is when the restrictions began to ease. Study findings The study was planned to yield longitudinal data on the impact of the lockdown on the mental well-being of young people in Denmark without pre-existing mental issues. The scientists explored mental health, quality of life, and loneliness in particular, and also attempted to determine whether this was worse in women and in those who already had mental ill-health. Over half of the participants in the study were between 18-20 years old during the first lockdown, and women outnumbered men (70% or more during the COVID-19 pandemic). More women were studying, living with their parents, and from educated families. Apart from the first and the last waves of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, those participating in waves 2-7 were less likely to have pre-existing depression; were studying or from educated households; had no children, or had older mothers. Prior to the lockdown, women and young people with a history of depressive symptoms were less healthy mentally than men and non-depressive young individuals. A decline in mental health, quality of life, and increase in loneliness occurred during the most stringent phase of the lockdown. Women who had no mental health issues before COVID-19 began seemed to have a greater decline in the quality of life as compared to men, at -1.12 versus -0.85, respectively. Both groups reached their nadir around waves 2-5. However, after a year, the quality of life and mental well-being remained somewhat lower than before the pandemic. In fact, these levels were comparable to the observations made during the first part of the initial lockdown in these previously normal young people. People without depressive symptoms before the pandemic began were most prone to have deterioration in mental well-being and loneliness. These symptoms affected women and men equally in this group. The greatest change was during the early part of the lockdown. After a year, the overall level of mental health was that observed during the first part of the lockdown. For loneliness, the decline was greatest in the phase of the first lockdown associated with the strictest restrictions and then improved so that, during the reopening of the last lockdown, it was only slightly raised. Conversely, those youth who already had signs of depression did not have a worse outcome, with respect to their quality of life, mental health, and loneliness. Instead, they displayed a resilient outlook or signs of improved mental health. Implications In contrast to earlier research, the findings of the current study suggest that the lockdown did not cause any lasting adverse impact on mental health among young people, at least in Denmark. This shows the importance of using standardized methods to investigate mental health and the use of standardized databases. The reason for the recovery following deteriorations in mental health and loneliness could be due to actions taken by the government to ease restrictions. It is likely, however untestable, that the participants in the DNBC-18 deliberately compensated, so their responses reflected their overall health and not solely their current lockdown situation. Earlier, many studies indicated that young people experienced a decline in mental health. Most of these are based on cross-sectional rather than longitudinal measurements and do not use a pre-pandemic baseline. The importance of this is obvious since depressed individuals are likely to have lower scores of quality of life, loneliness, and mental ill-health, even at baseline. The resilience shown by young people who were already depressed could be due to the equalizing influence of the social isolation caused by the lockdown, bringing in a new way of life that was in tune with their normal life. With others, the fear caused by the unexpected crisis could have triggered the reduction in mental health seen here. It is also possible that the residual impact seen at the end of one year would have disappeared if the measurement had been performed later during the reopening phase. However, it must be noted that depressed young people continued to enjoy a lower level of mental health than their non-depressed peers, even though the former did not deteriorate during the pandemic. More studies based on high-quality data used in different settings are needed to fully understand the impact of the lockdowns on young peoples mental health, including potential disproportional impact on vulnerable subgroups. *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. Earlier epinephrine treatment during a cardiac arrest is linked to better recovery compared to later treatment, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium (ReSS) 2021. The meeting will be fully virtual Friday, November 12 through Sunday, November 14, 2021, in conjunction with the Association's Scientific Sessions 2021, and features the most recent advances related to treating cardiopulmonary arrest and life-threatening traumatic injury. Our study's findings should guide emergency medical services professionals towards earlier administration of epinephrine during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest management." Shengyuan Luo, M.D., M.H.S., lead study author, internal medicine resident physician at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago Unlike a heart attack, which results from blocked blood vessels, a cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating due to a malfunction in the rhythm of the heartbeat. Although a cardiac arrest can result from a heart attack, it also can occur on its own and without a prior diagnosis of heart disease. Visible signs of cardiac arrest include unresponsiveness and undetectable or abnormal breathing, such as gasping. According to the American Heart Association's Heart and Stroke Statistical Update 2021, each year more than 356,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting in the U.S. Previous research found that only about 1 in 5 people survive a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital and those who do survive often have long-term impairment in the ability to perform daily living tasks. During a cardiac arrest, immediate CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is critical. For some types of cardiac arrest, an AED, or automated external defibrillator, also is used to deliver an electric shock through the chest to the heart to restore a heartbeat. For these "shockable" cardiac arrests, the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is injected to help restore blood flow. Previous research indicated that epinephrine should be given after three unsuccessful electric shocks with an AED, however, it was unclear whether it should be given even earlier such as after the first electric shock. To compare the effects of earlier versus later administration of epinephrine, the researchers examined medical records to compare epinephrine timing to patient recovery. Study subjects included 6,416 multi-ethnic adults across North America who had an out of hospital cardiac arrest with shockable initial rhythm from 2011-2015. They were an average age of 64 years, and most were men. Overall, epinephrine administration within four minutes after the first shock from an AED corresponded with a greater likelihood of an individual's recovery, while administration after four minutes was associated with a lesser likelihood. Specifically, people who received epinephrine after four minutes were nearly half as likely to have heartbeat and blood flow restored before hospital admittance and half as likely to survive to hospital discharge or be able to perform daily tasks, as measured by a standard test, at discharge. Furthermore, the risks of later epinephrine treatment continued to increase with each minute of delayed treatment. "It is crucial that whenever a cardiac arrest event is suspected, the emergency medical system be notified and activated immediately, so that people with cardiac arrest receive timely, life-saving medical care," Luo said. These findings support the latest American Heart Association CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Guidelines, which were released in October 2020. The guidelines indicate epinephrine should be administered as early as possible to maximize the chance of good resuscitation outcomes. The guideline recommendation was based on previous observational data that suggest better outcomes when epinephrine is given sooner. Although this study found an association between earlier epinephrine administration and better recovery after cardiac arrest, it could not account for other influences on recovery. To confirm the study's findings, additional research accounting for other potential influences is needed. As people adhered to stay-at-home orders or self-isolated during the early months of the COVID-19 outbreak, daily commutes turned into shuffles between the bedroom and the living room. Clicking Zoom links erased time spent walking to meeting rooms, and Netflix spilled into time otherwise dedicated to the gym. In short, a lot of people suddenly became more sedentary during the onset of the pandemic. Recently published research found people who continued to spend a higher amount of time sitting between April and June 2020 were likely to have higher symptoms of depression. A closer investigation into this association could play a role in helping people improve their mental health. Sitting is a sneaky behavior. It's something we do all the time without thinking about it." Jacob Meyer, assistant professor of kinesiology, Iowa State University and lead author of the paper As the director of the Wellbeing and Exercise Laboratory at ISU, Meyer and his team look at how physical activity and sedentary behaviors are related to mental health, and how changes to those influence the way people think, feel and perceive the world. "In March 2020, we knew COVID was going to affect our behavior and what we could do in lots of weird, funky ways that we couldn't predict," Meyer said. To get a snapshot of those changes, Meyer and a team of researchers received survey responses from more than 3,000 study participants from all 50 states and the District of Colombia. Participants self-reported how much time they spent doing activities, like sitting, looking at screens and exercising, and how those behaviors compared to pre-pandemic times. Using standard clinical scales, they also indicated changes to their mental wellbeing (e.g., depression, anxiety, feeling stressed, lonely). "We know when people's physical activity and screen time changes, that's related to their mental health in general, but we haven't really seen large population data like this in response to an abrupt change before," Meyer said. Survey data showed participants who were meeting the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines (i.e., 2.5-5 hours of moderate to vigorous physical activity each week) before the pandemic decreased their physical activity by 32%, on average, shortly after COVID-19-related restrictions went into effect. The same participants reported feeling more depressed, anxious and lonely. Meyer and his fellow researchers published their findings in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health last year. Meyer's latest paper in Frontiers in Psychiatry served as a follow up to see whether the participants' behaviors and mental health changed over time. Participants filled out the same survey each week between April and June. "In the second study, we found that, on average, people saw their mental health improve over the eight-week period," Meyer said. "People adjusted to life in the pandemic. But for people whose sitting times stayed high, their depressive symptoms, on average, didn't recover in the same way as everyone else's." The participants who continued to spend a large portion of their day sitting experienced blunted mental health improvements. Meyer emphasized that finding an "association" between sitting and mental health is not the same as saying more sitting causes depression. He said it's possible people who were more depressed sat more or that people who sat more became more depressed. Or there could have been some other factor that the researchers did not identify. "It's certainly worthy of more investigation," Meyer said, adding that monthly survey data from June 2020 to June 2021 are intended to become publicly available soon. "I think being aware of some of the subtle changes we've made during the pandemic and how they might be beneficial or detrimental is really important as we look to the other side of pandemic life." Meyer said both starting and stopping a habit is very difficult, even when someone wants to change their behavior. But he hopes more people will recognize that even a little bit of movement can improve their mood and mental health, and try to find ways to build it into their day. Meyer recommended people take breaks when sitting for long periods of time. "If you're no longer walking down the hall for in-person meetings, you can still incorporate that break from sitting by taking a short walk before and after your Zoom call," Meyer said. People working from home can try walking around the block before and after the workday to mimic their pre-pandemic commute, which Meyer said can benefit people physically and mentally, and help add structure to the day. Researchers at Trinity College Dublin, University of Dublin and University of Limerick contributed to this research. Hispanics adults hospitalized for treatment of symptoms of peripheral artery disease (PAD) were more likely to access this care by going to the emergency room (ER), and they experienced longer and more expensive hospitalizations than non-Hispanic white patients with PAD, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes (QCOR) Research Scientific Sessions 2021. The meeting will be held virtually Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, in conjunction with the Association's Scientific Sessions 2021. QCOR is a premier global exchange of the latest advances in quality of care and outcomes research in cardiovascular disease and stroke for researchers, health care professionals and policymakers. Peripheral artery disease, or PAD, affects 8.5 million Americans and shares many of the same risk factors as coronary artery disease, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, type 2 diabetes and older age. PAD occurs when blood flow is restricted in the lower legs and can reduce a person's mobility and ability to perform routine, daily living activities. The condition increases the risk for heart attack and stroke. The Hispanic population is one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S., and prior studies have shown worse outcomes among Hispanic adults with PAD, including higher rates of amputation and fewer revascularization procedures compared to non-Hispanic white adults with PAD. The prevalence of PAD among Hispanic individuals has been difficult to determine because this population often experiences a lack of access to health care and is underrepresented in many population-based studies. Our study raises awareness and confirms some of these disparities." Kristie Harris, Ph.D., lead study author, instructor of medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut Harris and her team examined hospital admission data from the 2011-2017 National Inpatient Sample to study differences in the experiences of Hispanic and non-Hispanic white adults treated for PAD symptoms. They investigated whether people sought inpatient PAD care by presenting to the ER or if they came for a planned, elective visit, likely sent by an outpatient care professional. During the study period, there were 1,018,220 PAD hospitalizations among adults age of 18 years and older in the U.S. (39% female; 14% Hispanic adults). The percentage of people who accessed inpatient hospital care via the emergency department increased among both Hispanic adults and non-Hispanic white adults between 2011-2017. The increase was substantial among those who are Hispanic, with the percentage of PAD hospital admissions occurring through the ER jumping from 50% to 70% over the course of the study period. The researchers found that Hispanic adults with PAD were 80% more likely to access inpatient PAD care by going to the emergency room for symptoms compared with non-Hispanic white adults hospitalized with PAD. Additionally, Hispanic adults were 12% less likely to undergo elective hospital admissions for PAD. Among the other findings in the study: Across all years, 58% of hospital admissions among Hispanic adults began with a visit to the emergency room, compared with 36.7% for non-Hispanic white adults. The average hospital visit was 4.5 days for Hispanic patients versus 3.7 days for non-Hispanic white patients, and overall hospital costs were higher, too $63,813 versus $52,368, respectively. "Our findings reinforce other research that indicates Hispanic individuals often lack a usual source for routine health care and frequently defer or avoid care due to costs," Harris said. "Instead of delaying care, a better way to manage PAD and reduce the risks of future complications is with regular evaluation and follow-up, usually with a primary care doctor or vascular specialist." Harris said prevention is key, and as with any other type of cardiovascular disease, people should be encouraged to quit smoking, be physically active and to manage diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, which all increase the risk for PAD. Individuals who develop pain in their feet or legs with walking not associated with muscle strain should seek medical care early for a comprehensive evaluation. "This study highlights the importance of better tailoring PAD prevention and management, especially among Hispanic people, which could reduce the need for hospital emergency room care or hospitalization," she said. "Systematic efforts are needed to ensure Hispanic people with PAD have more accessible, affordable and culturally sensitive outpatient care. Efforts should include supports that educate the community regarding the signs and symptoms of PAD and encouragement to seek care early." Trial participant Rachel Habiger meets in 2018 with Randall J. Bateman, MD, the director of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The DIAN-TU has announced that it will be targeting two key Alzheimer's proteins amyloid and tau as part of its Tau Next Generation Alzheimer's prevention trial. Researchers leading a worldwide clinical trial aimed at finding treatments for Alzheimer's disease are modifying an arm of the trial to evaluate a combination of drugs targeting two brain proteins: amyloid and tau. The trial - known as the Tau Next Generation Trial (Tau NexGen) - originally was announced with a focus on drugs that target tau, but with increasing evidence that targeting amyloid can reduce biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease, the trial's leaders have revised the first arm to include an experimental therapy targeting amyloid as well. Tau NexGen is part of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU), led by investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The DIAN-TU is an international network of academic centers focused on finding therapies for Alzheimer's disease by studying people who have rare, inherited mutations that almost certainly guarantee they will develop the disease at an early age. With growing evidence that removing amyloid plaques has biologically beneficial effects on amyloid and tau, we believe that targeting both Alzheimer's disease pathologies amyloid plaques and tau tangles at the same time can provide the highest chance of success." Randall J. Bateman, MD, principal investigator, director of DIAN-TU and the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Distinguished Professor of Neurology at Washington University The DIAN-TU launched in 2012 as the first prevention trial platform for Alzheimer's disease. A trial platform allows multiple treatments to be evaluated using a single master protocol. The first therapies evaluated on the DIAN-TU platform were designed to target the buildup of amyloid plaques in the brain. Such plaques are thought to contribute to problems with memory and thinking. With the initiation of the Tau NexGen trial, the DIAN-TU has extended its focus to another Alzheimer's disease pathology, tau tangles, that has been closely linked to cognitive decline. The Tau NexGen trial is designed with three arms. Each arm will evaluate an investigational drug that targets tau; each drug is designed to work in different ways. The first arm of the Tau NexGen trial will evaluate an experimental anti-amyloid drug called lecanemab (designed to target forms of amyloid called oligomers and protofibrils) and an investigational tau drug known as E2814 that is designed to target the spread of tau. Both drugs are developed by the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai Co., Ltd. This will be the first Alzheimer's prevention trial to target both amyloid and tau with two drugs at the same time. For the other two arms, the research team plans to choose from two classes of tau drugs that act in different ways: by targeting other mechanisms of tau pathology, including small molecule drugs that inhibit tau aggregation; and genetic treatments that reduce the production of tau protein. Future tau drug arms may also be combined with amyloid drugs such as lecanemab. The Tau NexGen trial is primarily funded by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), with significant support from Eisai, as well as the Alzheimer's Association and philanthropic donations. Eisai is contributing E2814 and lecanemab to the trial. Earlier this year, DIAN-TU leaders announced that the first arm of Tau NexGen would evaluate the experimental tau drug E2814 alone. As the trial was still in the process of being launched when the design change was made, no participants had yet begun drug treatment under the tau-based protocol. Under the revised protocol, all participants will receive the amyloid drug, while half also will receive the tau drug and half the placebo. The timing of each drug depends on whether the participant has begun experiencing cognitive changes. Symptomatic participants will receive the amyloid drug for six months before being randomly assigned to also receive the tau drug or a placebo. Since amyloid plaques accumulate before tau tangles in Alzheimer's disease, this study design allows the researchers to assess whether amyloid removal clears the way for the tau drug to function most effectively. At the same time, presymptomatic participants will be randomly assigned to receive the tau drug or a placebo for a year before beginning the amyloid drug. By staggering the drugs in this way, the researchers will be able to evaluate the effects of the tau drug alone before assessing the effects of the two drugs together. The primary endpoint is a slowing of tau accumulation in the brain in symptomatic participants, as seen on PET brain scans. As a secondary endpoint, the researchers will evaluate whether the drugs affect levels of a specific kind of tau phosphorylated tau 217 in the cerebrospinal fluid of presymptomatic participants. Bateman and colleagues have shown that levels of phosphorylated tau 217 in the cerebrospinal fluid rise steadily as the disease silently advances before symptom onset. The researchers will assess whether drug treatment slows the rise in levels of this form of tau in the presymptomatic group. If these primary and secondary endpoints are positive, the trial will be extended for another two years to assess whether the drug slows cognitive decline and has further effects on tau pathology. The DIAN-TU trial platform is the first trial platform aimed at identifying drugs to prevent or slow Alzheimer's in people who are nearly certain to develop the disease due to genetic mutations. People who inherit such mutations tend to develop symptoms at around the same age their affected parents did, often in their 50s, 40s or even 30s. While devastating for families, such mutations allow researchers to identify and study people in the earliest stages of the disease before their behavior and memory begin to change. Three trial arms were previously launched on the DIAN-TU trial platform to evaluate experimental drugs targeting amyloid. One, gantenerumab, reduced molecular markers of disease and slowed neurodegeneration in a phase 2/3 clinical trial. These promising results led the researchers to launch an exploratory open-label extension of the trial, meaning that participants in both the drug and placebo groups have been offered the drug, and the researchers continue to monitor their progress. Although the trial focuses on people with rare mutations, drugs that are successful in this population would be promising candidates for preventing or treating the forms of Alzheimer's that occur more commonly in older adults. The destructive molecular and cellular processes in the brain are similar in all types of the disease. Bacteria found in children's upper respiratory systems could help fight chronic middle ear infections, the leading cause of preventable hearing loss and deafness in Indigenous communities. The University of Queensland's Dr Seweryn Bialasiewicz said this discovery helped explain a long-held mystery, while providing hope for potential treatments. We've been puzzled for years now, trying to work out why some children never develop chronic ear disease, despite being in a high-risk category for contracting it. By focusing on the microbiomes in the upper respiratory tracts of disease-resistant kids, we could investigate the ecological networks of bacterial interactions that seemed to be working together to protect against the condition. It was clear that these two groups of bacteria needed to not only be present, but to be interacting with each other, to provide protection from middle ear infections." Dr Seweryn Bialasiewicz, University of Queensland Dr Bialasiewicz said they were hoping to use this information to figure out what the exact mechanism of protection is, and then mimic it in the very young children, as a therapy or a preventative measure. "This could take the form of a molecule that can be used as a drug for treatment, or as a protective probiotic so that these 'good' bacteria can be seeded in the nose early enough to offer protection against the incoming 'bad' bacteria," he said. Dr Andrea Coleman, who completed her PhD work on the project this year, said the research provided a new perspective on how middle ear infections develop and could pave the way for new treatments. "Chronic middle ear infections can affect between one third to one half of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, which is far above the four per cent threshold that the World Health Organisation considers as a disease needing urgent public health action," Dr Coleman said. "This disease can cause hearing loss and can have life-long impacts on speech and language development, education, and future employment prospects, and in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations contributes to the wide gap in educational and employment outcomes." The study investigated the microbiomes of 103 children aged two to seven from two north Queensland communities. Dr Bialasiewicz said chronic middle ear infections resulting in hearing loss was a major problem with Indigenous and other disadvantaged populations globally. "Our discovery could be applied across the world, helping improve health and reducing the disadvantage gap for a wide range of people," he said. The team has acknowledged the support of the Deadly Ears team, the Queensland Health's statewide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ear Health Program doing on-the-ground treatment and education, as well as the generous assistance of parents and children within the participating communities. Cardiac rehabilitation enrollment rose among adults with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction after Medicare started covering it in 2014, yet overall enrollment among Medicare beneficiaries remains very low less than 10% of those eligible according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Scientific Sessions 2021. The virtual meeting will be held Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, in conjunction with the Association's Scientific Sessions 2021 and is a premier global exchange of the latest advances in quality of care and outcomes research in cardiovascular disease and stroke for researchers, health care professionals and policymakers. Heart failure occurs when the heart isn't pumping as well as it should to deliver oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood to cells and organs throughout the body. Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction means the ejection fraction, or how much blood the left ventricle pumps with each contraction, is at or below 40%. Normal ejection fraction is considered 50% to 70%. According to the American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistical Update 2021, more than 6 million American adults have heart failure. Heart failure prevalence is projected to increase by 46% from 2012 to 2030, affecting more than 8 million people 18 years of age and older. There are nearly 1.1 million hospitalizations for heart failure annually, making it one of the most common reasons for hospital admission among people 65 years of age or older, whose health care costs are primarily covered by Medicare. Despite recent advancements in treatment, long-term survival after hospitalization is poor for adults with heart failure. Overall, more than 70% of adults with heart failure are re-hospitalized or die within one year after discharge. In addition, most experience declining exercise capacity and reductions in daily living activities and quality of life." Vinay Guduguntla, M.D., study author, third-year internal medicine resident, University of California, San Francisco There is strong evidence that a supervised exercise regimen, like the physical activity plan integrated into cardiac rehab programs, can prevent death, reduce hospitalization and improve physical function in adults with heart failure. However, less than 3% of eligible patients had enrolled in cardiac rehab prior to 2014, when the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) expanded coverage of cardiac rehab to include people with stable, chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. To determine what, if any, benefit the expanded Medicare reimbursement had among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, researchers analyzed a sample of Medicare claims data from 2008 to 2017, prior to and after the 2014 CMS ruling. They identified 849,054 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, 65 years of age and older, who had heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. The analysis found: Nearly 34,200 people (about 4% of the population studied) attended cardiac rehabilitation during the study period. Analysis of the time period prior to the Medicare reimbursement change, from 2008 to 2014, found that cardiac rehabilitation use increased slowly, from 3.30% to 4.30%, about a 5% relative increase year-to-year. After the 2014 Medicare expansion to cover cardiac rehab for people with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, rates of cardiac enrollment went from 4.30% in 2014 to 5.54% in 2017, with a relative increase of about 10% year-to-year. Overall, although the absolute enrollment rate in cardiac rehabilitation remained low, expanding Medicare coverage in 2014 was associated with a notable increase in the use of cardiac rehab among adults with heart failure. "Despite clear benefits of cardiac rehabilitation in preventing death, reducing hospitalizations and improving physical ability, cardiac rehabilitation is used by very few. Based on the current data, more than 90% of people with heart failure will not receive a treatment that could improve their health and survival," Guduguntla said. "Our study highlights insurance coverage as one important factor that impacts increasing cardiac rehabilitation participation. Future work should aim to identify and address all barriers to enrollment and find creative solutions to this complex problem." "Enacting public policies is one effective way to address the enrollment barriers that prevent the majority of people with heart failure from benefitting from cardiac rehabilitation," said Randal J. Thomas, M.D., a past chair of the American Heart Association's Council on Clinical Cardiology and professor of medicine in the Mayo Clinic Cardiac Rehabilitation Program in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the study. "Additional congressional funding is needed to support the federal Million Hearts Initiative which is doing important work to improve access to and participation in cardiac rehabilitation through measures such as increasing physician referrals, promoting transportation services and advancing telehealth support. In addition, lawmakers should support legislation such as the bipartisan 'Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act'. This legislation would expand cardiac rehabilitation resources by accelerating the timetable for enabling physician assistants, nurse practitioners and clinical nurse specialists to order and supervise cardiac rehabilitation." Thomas noted CMS participation criteria is also a significant barrier to cardiac rehabilitation for people with heart failure. "CMS criteria requires that patients wait at least 6 weeks after a heart failure hospitalization to participate in cardiac rehabilitation," he said. "Studies show that any delay in starting cardiac rehabilitation after hospitalization decreases participation rates and worsens patient outcomes." A limitation of the study is the lack of information about cardiac rehabilitation by location, race/ethnicity and other demographic factors about individuals. Guduguntla said this information is important to fully understand why the use of cardiac rehab is so low. "Recent literature reviewed demographic information at a high level and suggests there are disparities in cardiac rehabilitation use across race/ethnicity and geographic location," Guduguntla said. "We are pursuing further analyses of the specific impact of Medicare coverage expansion for cardiac rehabilitation among people from different social and ethnic groups." University of Utah Health scientists have documented the spread of a disease gene across continents and over centuries. The genetic mutation causes a heart arrhythmia, known as atrial fibrillation (AF), that manifests in early adulthood and leads to fatigue, stroke, and increased risk of early death. It is important to identify carriers of this genetic legacy, the authors say, since these individuals often dont know theyre at risk until they have a medical episode that can be serious. The study reports that an algorithm that combines genetic and genealogic data can be used to predict who will develop the disease and who wont. The approach could one day flag susceptible individuals so they can receive appropriate surveillance and treatment to prevent atrial fibrillation and its consequences. This first-of-its-kind study shows the power of merging human genetics and human history, says the studys senior author Martin Tristani-Firouzi, M.D., a pediatric cardiologist at U of U Health and Intermountain Primary Childrens Hospital and scientist at the Nora Eccles Harrison Cardiovascular Research and Training Institute. The research was conducted in collaboration with scientists at AncestryDNA, Intermountain Medical Center and Medical College of Wisconsin, and published in Nature Communications. The unique partnership between U of U Health and AncestryDNA has broadened our understanding of human disease into a historical context, one that includes the history of our ancestral origins and population movement across time and continents, says genetics expert Lynn Jorde, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Human Genetics at U of U Health, who was not a co-author of the study. Understanding the past to benefit the future The study estimates that around 5,000 years ago during the Bronze Age, a person born in what is now Northern Europe spontaneously developed a genetic mutation that causes young-onset AF. The mutation was passed on from one generation to the next, and as these descendants migrated across continents, the disease gene came with them. Using ancestral birth records, the scientists showed that descendants migrated from Denmark to the eastern U.S. 300 years ago, over time moving westward along Mormon migration routes to the Mountain West. Though the mutation came from Europe, the scientific story began in Utah, when investigators at U of U Health were searching for families with high-risk AF. By overlaying medical records with genealogies, they found AF was prevalent in a Utah family they could trace for eight generations, to nearly 3,000 family members. By sequencing and analyzing DNA from present-day members, they found the cause of the disease that had plagued their ancestors for 182 generations: a dominant mutation in KCNQ1, an ion channel gene that is essential for maintaining the hearts rhythm. To characterize the mutation further, the scientists transformed family members blood cells, which are much easier to access than cells from the heart, into cardiac muscle cells in the lab. The heart cells from carriers of the mutation displayed an abnormally fast rate of re-charging (repolarization), explaining the familys susceptibility to early onset AF. With that information in hand, the scientists could focus on determining how to identify individuals living today who are at risk for AF. They developed and validated an algorithm that tracks large, shared segments of chromosomes between individuals, using it to mine a large genealogic database for people who are relatives of known carriers and likely carry the disease-causing mutation. These computational approaches allow us to determine geographic distributions of disease and potentially narrow down the individuals at highest risk for disease. This could help focus public health initiatives to the people who need it most. Martin Tristani-Firouzi, M.D., pediatric cardiologist, U of U Health People who went into cardiac arrest in the cardiac catheterization lab were more likely to survive to hospital discharge than those who had a cardiac arrest in the intensive care unit (ICU), yet less likely to survive than those who had an arrest in the operating room (OR), according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium (ReSS) 2021. The meeting will be fully virtual Friday, November 12 through Sunday, November 14, 2021, in conjunction with the Association's Scientific Sessions 2021, and features the most recent advances related to treating cardiopulmonary arrest and life-threatening traumatic injury. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart malfunctions and stops beating; it differs from a heart attack, which occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. While it often happens outside the hospital, cardiac arrest also occurs among hospitalized patients. An estimated 292,000 adults experience in-hospital cardiac arrest each year in the U.S., based on recent data from the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation quality improvement program. Cardiac arrest while in the hospital cardiac catheterization laboratories is likely on the rise due to the increase in complex procedures being done on people at high risk for complications. There are, however, unanswered questions about cardiac arrest while in the cardiac catheterization lab, including how common it is compared to other areas of the hospital, characteristics of the cardiac arrest event and what the chances are of survival to discharge. In this study, we compared rates of survival to hospital discharge for people who had in-hospital cardiac arrest while in the cardiac catheterization lab, versus the OR and ICU." Ahmed Elkaryoni, M.D., study author, cardiology fellow at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Illinois Researchers referred to the American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation registry to identify adults ages 18 years and older who had an in-hospital cardiac arrest in the cardiac catheterization lab (cath lab), ICU or OR between 2000 and 2019. The analysis found: Across 428 hospitals, 193,950 adults had an in-hospital cardiac arrest. Nearly 6,900 of those were in the cardiac catheterization lab; nearly 182,000 were in the ICU; and about 5,180 were in the OR. Overall, 38.1% of people who had in-hospital cardiac arrest in the cardiac catheterization lab survived to discharge, compared to 16.9% in the ICU and 40.5% of people who had a cardiac arrest while in the OR. Patients who survived a cardiac arrest in the cath lab were more likely to be younger, white adults; have their arrest during normal hours and on weekdays; and initially experience pulseless ventricular fibrillation, the most serious cardiac rhythm disturbance, while in cardiac arrest. Patients were less likely to survive to discharge after an in-hospital cardiac arrest in the cardiac catheterization lab if they had any of these factors: experienced a heart attack during this or a prior hospitalization; had low blood pressure, metabolic or electrolyte abnormalities, or respiratory insufficiency; or required mechanical ventilation. "Our study shows that in-hospital cardiac arrest in the cardiac catheterization lab is not uncommon and has a slightly lower survival rate when compared with in-hospital cardiac arrest in the OR," Elkaryoni said. "The reasons for this difference, however, deserve further study given that cardiac arrest in both settings is witnessed and response time should be similar." A study limitation is that while the American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation quality improvement program is the largest nationwide multicenter registry detailing in-hospital cardiac arrest in the U.S., it represents only about 15% of all U.S. hospitals. Therefore, these findings may not be generalizable to hospitals not participating in the registry, Elkaryoni noted. Among the populations most significantly affected by COVID-19 are the elderly and patients with preexisting medical conditions including diabetes, hypertension, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung diseases like COPD and asthma. In a new study published in the journal JCI Insight, Brown University researchers describe the cellular and molecular events that explain why these groups have a higher risk of infection as well as of severe side effects and death. This paper details a major discovery in COVID-19. It shows that levels of a protein called chitinase 3-like-1 increase with age as well as co-morbid diseases and infection. What's more, chitinase 3-like-1 augments SARS CoV-2 infection." Dr. Jack A. Elias, corresponding author, immunologist and dean of medicine and biological sciences, Brown University The findings not only answer important questions about key mechanisms of the complex SARS-CoV-2 virus, Elias said, but also have direct implications for the development of therapeutics to control the viral infection. Elias is part of a National Institutes of Health-funded laboratory that focuses on the cell and molecular biology of lung injury and repair. Researchers in the lab, including lead study author Suchitra Kamle and co-author Chun Geun Lee, have recently focused on the biology of enzymes and enzyme-like molecules, called chitinases and chitinase-like proteins, respectively. Of particular interest is a chitinase-like protein referred to as chitinase 3-like-1, a molecule naturally found in blood. "We've been studying this gene family here at Brown for a while and we know that it has a large number of biologic effects, as well as tremendously important roles in both health and diseases," said Lee, a professor (research) of molecular microbiology and immunology. Chitinase 3-like-1 is the cornerstone of a critical pathway that is activated during injury and inflammation. These researchers and others have shown that circulating levels of chitinase 3-like-1 increase during infection, especially in diseases characterized by inflammation and tissue alterations -; like emphysema, asthma and COPD, some the same co-morbid diseases that are risk factors for COVID-19. Interestingly, Lee said, levels of chitinase 3-like-1 have also been shown to increase during normal aging. In fact, they have been reported to be the best predictor of all-cause mortality in people in their 80s. The researchers thought they might be able to take some of the work they've already done with this gene family and apply it to COVID-19, Elias said. They decided to examine the relationship between chitinase 3-like-1 and the receptor ACE2, the spike protein to which the SARS-CoV-2 binds to enter human cells. In a series of studies, the researchers compared the effects of chitinase 3-like-1 on ACE2 as well as on other protease enzymes that metabolize the spike protein and contribute to infection. They examined these interactions in the lungs of mice that were genetically modified to have exaggerated levels of chitinase 3-like-1 as well as mice deficient in chitinase 3-like-1. In the lab, Kamle led experiments that examined the effects of chitinase 3-like-1 on human lung epithelial cells. The researchers found that levels of chitinase 3-like-1 increased with age, co-morbid diseases and infection. In addition, they noted that chitinase 3-like-1 was a potent stimulator of the receptor that SARS-CoV-2 uses to infect cells. Spurred by this discovery, the researchers developed a humanized monoclonal antibody called FRG that attacks a particular region of chitinase 3-like-1 -; a step that turned out to be critical. They found that this "therapeutic" antibody, as well as another small molecule, powerfully blocked the induction of the ACE2 receptor. "So in that way, the virus cannot enter into the host system," said Kamle, a Brown investigator in molecular microbiology and immunology as well as antibody engineering. "This means there will be less infection in the presence of this therapeutic FRG antibody." These findings could pave the way for the development of therapeutics to protect people from infection, Elias said. "You can imagine a scenario in which someone who has been exposed to a person who has the virus is given the antibody, which then acts like a prophylactic to prevent infection or make the symptoms that the infection induces milder," he said. Elias described another potential scenario in which the person who has the virus is given the antibody or the small molecule, which halts the infection and effectively "cures" the illness. "We show in this paper that if we make antibodies or other small molecules that can inhibit chitinase 3-like-1, they can be therapeutics to control viral infection," Elias said. The team is currently looking at how these antibodies and small molecules react with different variants of the SARS CoV-2 virus, including the infectious delta variant that has recently changed the course of the pandemic. In addition to Elias, Kamle and Lee, other Brown faculty who contributed to this research included Bing Ma, Chuan Hua He, Bedia Akosman, Yang Zhou, Chang Min Lee, Wafik S. El-Deiry, Kelsey Huntington and Olin Liang. This work was supported by COVID-19 Research Seed Grant from Brown University, as well as by National Institute of Health grants U01 HL108638, PO1 HL114501,R01 HL115813 and RO1 AG053495, as well as grant USAMRMCW81XWH-17-1-0196 from the U.S. Department of Defense. Utilizing a magnetically-controlled capsule endoscopy system, the double-blind, randomized OPT-PEACE trial found that nearly all patients receiving antiplatelet therapy developed evidence of abnormal gastrointestinal (GI) mucosal findings on capsule endoscopy. Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) followed by single anti-platelet therapy (SAPT) led to less GI injury than continued DAPT. Findings were reported today at TCT 2021, the 33rd annual scientific symposium of the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF). TCT is the world's premier educational meeting specializing in interventional cardiovascular medicine. The study was also published simultaneously in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. GI bleeding is the most frequent major complication of antiplatelet therapy, but little is known regarding the predisposition to GI injury that occur with different antiplatelet regimens. In addition, the use of standard endoscopy in patients on antiplatelet therapy is limited due to risks such as bleeding. In the OPT-PEACE trial, investigators utilized a non-invasive magnetically-controlled capsule endoscopy system that does not require discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy and has comparable accuracy to standard upper GI endoscopy. To determine the incidence and types of GI mucosal injuries in patients receiving SAPT or DAPT, repeated capsule endoscopy exams were performed at baseline, six months, and 12 months. Between July 13, 2017 and July 13, 2019, 783 eligible patients at low risk for bleeding were enrolled following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and six months of DAPT. After a second capsule endoscopy, 505 event-free patients without GI ulceration or bleeding at both baseline and six months were randomized to aspirin plus placebo (n=168), clopidogrel plus placebo (n=169) or aspirin plus clopidogrel (n=168) for an additional six months at 28 Chinese centers. A total of 2,050 successful capsule endoscopy exams were performed during the study. The primary endpoint was the incidence of gastric or small intestinal mucosal injury (erosion, ulceration, or bleeding) detected either by capsule endoscopy at six or 12 months or at any clinically-driven standard endoscopy. The study found that GI mucosal injury through one year was less with SAPT compared with DAPT (94.3% versus 99.2%, p=0.02). Ulcers were observed in 14.4% of patients on SAPT and 18.5% DAPT (p=0.30). Among 68 patients without any GI injury at randomization (including no erosions), SAPT was associated with less GI injury (68.1% vs. 95.2%, p=0.01), including fewer new ulcers (8.5% vs. 38.1%, p=0.006), than DAPT. In addition, clinical GI bleeding between six and 12 months was less with SAPT compared with DAPT (0.6% versus 5.4%, p=0.001). The use of a novel magnetically-controlled capsule endoscopy system showed that nearly all low bleeding risk patients developed gastrointestinal injury during 12-month follow-up after PCI regardless of antiplatelet regimen. However, DAPT followed by SAPT resulted in less gastrointestinal mucosal injury and clinical bleeding. These findings are valuable for clinical decision-making on gastroprophylaxis and optimizing antiplatelet therapy type and duration." Yaling Han, MD, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command in Shenyang, China The study was funded by the China National Key R&D Project and an investigator-initiated grant by Ankon Medical Technologies (Shanghai, China). Dr. Han reported no disclosures. In 1972, just 18 days after he was selected to run for vice president with Democratic Sen. George McGovern, Thomas Eagleton was forced off the ticket. The issue? Years earlier, Eagleton had been hospitalized and treated with electroshock therapy for depression. The disclosure of his mental health history was a blow from which the Missouri senator could not recover. Eagletons torpedoed candidacy has been a cautionary tale for elected officials ever since, says California Superior Court Judge Tim Fall, who serves in Yolo County. But rather than remain quiet as he approached his own reelection season last year, Fall came out with a book that detailed his decades-long struggles with anxiety and depression. As it turned out, Fall was unopposed for another six-year term in office. But it was a previous challenge for his seat, in 2008, that had triggered his most difficult bout with mental illness. That campaign forms the backdrop of Running for Judge, which Fall said he wrote to show that struggling with mental illness doesn't disqualify people from high-pressure professions. Fall, 61, who has a law degree from the University of California-Davis, was 35 when then-Gov. Pete Wilson, a Republican, appointed him as a municipal judge in 1995. Three years later he became a Superior Court judge for Yolo County; the 2008 election was the only time he ran opposed. Fall also teaches judicial ethics to other judges around the state. He spoke with KHN in his chambers in Woodland, California. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q: When did you realize you had a problem dealing with stress? I'd been on the bench four or five years. I was leaving a committee meeting in the Bay Area for the California Judges Association, and I got to my car and started the engine, and all of a sudden my left shoulder and arm were numb. My first thought was a heart attack and my second thought was a stroke, but then the numbness diminished. The doctor said it was stress, and I said, "What do you mean, stress?" He said, "You don't get it. Your job is at a stress level that most people don't deal with, and you don't recognize it because you've been dealing with it for a few years now. Q: That conversation with your doctor was 20-plus years ago. Right. And it came to a head when I finally got a medical diagnosis regarding mental illness in 2008, after an attorney decided to run against me. The stress went to 11 immediately. It built upon itself and eventually got to where I would wake up at midnight and then stay awake for the night, feeling overwhelmed, feeling some depression, feeling some anxiety. Q: Was it the idea of having to campaign for yourself that was the stressor? Exactly. Some judges seem to thrive if challenged, and I'm happy for them. I speak in public regularly, but to do it when I was trying to keep my job was brand-new. The essential diagnosis was generalized anxiety disorder, with depressive episodes. We found some medication that worked for me, and that is important, because there are a lot of medications out there. Finding the right one and the right dosage is key. Q: You wound up winning that 2008 election. Handily. And the day after the election, I slept like a baby, and I woke up the next morning with absolutely no anxiety. It was the first time I'd had that kind of night's sleep and that kind of waking moment since the first day someone announced to run against me. But I've had recurring episodes of anxiety since then, mostly having to do with my father's health. Going back to my time in community college, I actually had a panic attack during an algebra final. Q: Your father passed away in 2019. Then, in 2020, the pandemic hit. And pandemic stress is real. We have pandemic rules in place, and it is my job to enforce those in my courtroom. Every morning, I'm reminding people how to wear a mask properly, and I am conducting remote appearances or in-court appearances. The level of attention that I have to give to things that people would say aren't normally a part of a judge's job is just very high. Q: Why did you decide to make your story public? The common statistics are that 20% to 25% of our population has anxiety or depression or both. There are a little over 1,700 judges on the bench in California. And what that means is, statistically, 400 of them have anxiety or depression or both. I thought, somebody should speak about this in a way that starts to remove the stigma, that says this is just part of being in our culture, that anxiety and depression are real medical issues. People in all professions deal with these medical conditions: teachers, physicians, journalists, grocery clerks, whatever. I deal with them, and it does not disqualify me from being on the bench. Q: Considering the political history and Thomas Eagleton's experience, did you hesitate, given the potential stakes? I did take a moment to count the cost. The benefit of getting my story out in an effort to encourage others, inform families and friends, and work to destigmatize mental illness far outweighed any flak I might have faced in an election campaign. Q: Do you employ other mental health strategies besides medication? I exercise six days a week. I run and I lift weights and stay on top of that. Eating right. I had no caffeine for the five or six months that I was dealing with the worst of this, and I love coffee. I'm also very far along the spectrum toward introversion and need to have my alone time to recharge. So that is another tool that I use, especially when stressful things come up, which may mean that I say no to some things that I might normally say yes to. Q: One thing that didn't change during all this was work. You continue to perform at a high level in a high-stress job, which is one of the things you write about. Let's say an auto mechanic has a rotator cuff injury that becomes a chronic condition. This person needs to find a way to still do their job while accommodating the fact that one of their shoulders may not be as strong or limber as the other. Nobody goes to the mechanic and says, "You're disqualified from doing your job. Go home." Mental illness is the same. There are tons of ways to get the job done if you have anxiety or depression. It simply requires that same type of attention: This is my condition. This is my job. What do I need to be able to carry out my job that is appropriate? What it does not do is disqualify. Traditionally vaccines are made from inactivated virus particles (VP vaccines). These are generally safe, do not require as extensive cold chains like some modern techniques, and can be stored for years. However, in rare cases, these viruses can become reactivated, and production rates are limited by yields in cell culture and the need for biosafety level 3 production facilities. Study: Marked enhancement of neutralizing antibody and IFN- T-cell responses by GX-19N DNA booster in mice primed with inactivated vaccine. Image Credit: ktsdesign/ Shutterstock With the rise of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) worldwide, a new spotlight has been shined on vaccines, and many of the newly approved vaccines are mRNA vaccines. These provide host cells with the mRNA for the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and rely on the host cell machinery to produce it. While these are highly effective, two factors have led some individuals to look elsewhere: the difficulty in transport and storage, and the increasing ability that new variants of the disease show to evade the immunity these vaccines induce. A preprint version of the study is available on the bioRxiv* server while the article undergoes peer review. The study DNA vaccines are similar plasmids can be used to deliver DNA encoding for the antigens that an immune response is required against. These tend to stimulate a wider immune response than other vaccine options, are reasonably stable, and avoid any potential for infection. Using a DNA vaccine to boost a single dose of a VP vaccine has been shown to improve functionality in both HIV and influenza vaccines significantly. Researchers from VaxiGen have been investigating the potential for a DNA vaccine boost to VP vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The researchers primed female mice with a VP vaccine, and four weeks later, this was boosted with either another dose of the VP vaccine or GX-19N DNA vaccine. Two weeks following this, spike-specific binding antibodies were evaluated using ELISAs against the RBD and nucleocapsid. The mice that received a mixed dose showed a significantly increased anti-RBD antibody response than those that received two VP doses a 1.7 fold increase for the homogeneous dose compared to a 181-fold increase for the DNA boost. Similar results were seen in anti-nucleocapsid antibodies, albeit with an even higher increase for the DNA boost. Next, the scientists examined the responses of neutralizing antibodies to the Wuhan strain as well as two variants of concern (VOCs) B.1.351 and B.1.617.2 using the surrogate virus neutralization test. This is comparable to the more popular and more widely known pseudovirus neutralization test. The VP boost surprisingly showed no increase in neutralizing response compared to a single dose. The researchers suggest that previous results showing contrasting results may be due to the different methods used to evaluate the neutralizing antibody response. The DNA boost once again showed a significant improvement compared to both the initial VP dose and the booster dose, most clearly in the Wuhan strain (76.1 fold increase), but also in the B.1.351 (53.8 fold increase) and B.1.617.2 (76.1 fold increase). Normally, these tests show significantly lower reactivity against variants than WT; however, these results were roughly equivalent. T-cell responses following the vaccination schemes were evaluated using ELIspot. The second VP dose showed some effectivity, with a 1.6 fold increase in T-cell response, but once again, the DNA boost displayed a much more significant boost, with T-cell response increasing by 38.3 fold. This was also seen in T-cell responses against the nucleocapsid protein. Conclusion The authors highlight that their results reveal a highly effective antibody and T cell response against not only wild-type SARS-CoV-2 but also against several variants of concern. Heterologous vaccine boosts have been reported previously, but these focus on mRNA-based vaccines and generally show decreased effectivity against VOCs. While clinical studies using approved vaccines are examining these possibilities in greater detail, the researchers suggest that using the GX-19N vaccine as a booster could overcome the traditional weaknesses of VP vaccines. As VOCs continue to emerge, many of them show increased ability to evade vaccine-induced immunity. This technique appears to offer enhanced protection against this threat, and it may be worthwhile expanding clinical studies to include this style of the vaccine. This would allow vaccines to be transported into less developed countries much more easily and without the need for expensive and fragile transport and logistic chains which many experts have advised is required to end the threat of VOCs permanently. *Important notice bioRxiv 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 Researchers at Queens University Belfast have discovered a new tool, which will help to investigate more effective forms of cancer treatment. Image Credit: Central Laser Facility, STFC Using high-power lasers, the experts have been able to generate a pure beam of carbon ion with unique properties. This bright, ultrashort particle source can be used to investigate how biological samples respond to radiation under extreme conditions. They say this could pave the way for advanced and more effective radiotherapy approaches. Professor Marco Borghesi from the School of Mathematics and Physics at Queens, led the project and worked closely with experts from the University of Strathclyde, Imperial College London, and the Science and Technology Facilities Councils (STFC) Central Laser Facility (CLF). The project was funded by the Engineering and Physical Research Council (EPSRC) both EPSRC and STFC are part of UK Research and Innovation. Professor Borghesi explains: Currently radiotherapy is used to treat many forms of cancer, and while this is usually done using x-rays, more advanced and more costly forms of treatment use particle beams. Carbon ions, in particular, are very effective in treating types of tumors which are resistant to other forms of radiation. A current, promising development in radiotherapy is the FLASH approach where radiation is delivered in short, intense bursts. This leads to reduced side effects and potentially more effective treatment. There is therefore great interest in investigating the response of human cells - healthy and cancerous - after exposure to ultrafast ion irradiation. Through our research we have produced an ultrashort carbon beam that can deposit its energy in nanosecond bursts, or less. This is very innovative and important in advancing the science behind cancer treatment. We have now started cell irradiation experiments using this beam, in collaboration with our colleagues in the Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queens. Dr Aodhan McIlvenny, a Queens University researcher and lead author of the study, explains: When we shine a short burst of light a laser - on a very thin object, we can push it forward at very high speeds. Typically, the energy transferred by the laser is carried away by particles we don't want, and we arent able to use it. However, we have now discovered that by heating the object extremely quickly, we can remove these unwanted particles before hitting the object with the intense laser pulse. This means that we are then able to produce almost pure beams of the particle type we are interested in in this instance it is carbon ions. This gives us the ability to select a specific type of radiation and use it for targeted irradiation experiments in new areas that we have not yet explored. Professor Kevin Prise from the Patrick G. Johnston Centre for Cancer Research at Queens said: This a major step forward in our ability to test new beams for future radiotherapy applications and it allows us to now explore potential new biology, which will help to explore ways to advance cancer treatment. This innovative new approach demonstrates the impact cutting-edge physical sciences research can have in improving healthcare technologies, such as more effective radiotherapy treatments for cancer. The inventive, discovery-led work of the UKs researchers, supported by EPSRC, will play a key role in pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge and addressing challenges across healthcare to deliver a better quality of life. Jane Nicholson, EPSRC Director, Research Base Prediabetes can be reversed and the American Medical Association (AMA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Ad Council want people to know it. Type 2 diabetes is one of the chronic health conditions that poses a significant risk for complications to those who contract COVID-19. A recent study showed type 2 diabetes is one of the top comorbidities associated with COVID-19 severity and deaths. Thats why the AMA, the CDC, and the Ad council have launched a series of new public service announcements (PSAs) taking a serious look at prediabetes a condition that if left unchecked often leads to type 2 diabetes. As part of the Do I Have Prediabetes? campaign, the new Change the Outcome PSAs, created pro bono by creative agencies Grey and Wordsworth+Booth, raise awareness that prediabetes shouldnt be taken lightly and that it can be reversed. The Change the Outcome campaign includes a complementary suite of new print, radio, out-of-home, and digital banner assets that compare the risk of prediabetes to much less likely events. Life sometimes grants us an opportunity to make small changes that can have profound effects on the trajectory of our health and our lives, said Christopher Holliday, PhD, MPH, director of the Division of Diabetes Translation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Diabetes affects every part of the body and can lead to a cascade of negative health outcomes, significantly impacting a persons quality of life. A prediabetes diagnosis sounds the alarm, letting people know that they need to change course and take the opportunity to prevent this devastating disease before its too late. In the United States, some 88 million Americans more than 1 in 3 are living with prediabetes, and more than 84% dont even know they have it. Prediabetes can increase a persons risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Research shows that once people are made aware of their condition, they are more likely to make the necessary long-term lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier, managing weight, and being active, that can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. Raising awareness of prediabetes and stressing the importance of people knowing their risk is critical, particularly now as the COVID-19 pandemic amplifies the negative health risks associated with chronic health conditions, said AMA President Gerald E. Harmon, MD. Through our latest campaign, we aim to help more of the millions of Americans living with prediabetes find out whether they have the condition. Anyone who learns through the online test that they may be at risk for prediabetes should consult their physician right away to confirm a prediabetes diagnosis and learn how making lifestyle changes can help them keep type 2 diabetes at bay. Gerald E. Harmon, MD, AMA President The new multiplatform communications campaign shows how prediabetes can be reversed through individual lifestyle changes and encourages audiences to visit DoIHavePrediabetes.org PodriaTenerPrediabetes.org in Spanish where they can take a one-minute risk test to determine if they are at risk for prediabetes. If someone receives a high-risk score, the campaign encourages them to speak with their doctor to first confirm a diagnosis of prediabetes, then enroll in CDCs National Diabetes Prevention Program . In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, this new phase of our type 2 diabetes awareness work takes a more serious tone than past efforts to emphasize the importance of an early prediabetes diagnosis, said Heidi Arthur, chief campaign development officer at the Ad Council. Our aim remains the same as we equip people with the tools to both find out where they stand and take steps towards a healthier lifestyle. The campaign website also features lifestyle tips and links to CDCs National Diabetes Prevention Program, which connects visitors to a registry of more than 1,700 in-person and online CDC-recognized programs across the country. Consistent with the Ad Councils model, all media will run entirely in donated time and space. Its very rewarding to be involved in a campaign like this. The need to remind people that they have the power to change the outcome of their prediabetes is crucial, said Tim Jones, CCO of Pharma at Grey. We hope that this work connects with the right people to bring about this change in a meaningful and sustained way. Tim Jones, CCO of Pharma, Grey In life, we dont often get the chance to change outcomes, but with prediabetes you can, said Tony Mennuto, president, Wordsworth+Booth. Our audio campaign zeros in on that important and positive distinction. The AMA and CDC are working with their local offices, affiliates, and partners to promote and activate the campaign in their communities, with evidence-based materials to aid physicians and other health care providers in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment process. Since the award-winning campaign launched in January 2016, 3.7 million people have learned their risk for prediabetes through the online risk assessment and risk test videos. Several vaccines have been rapidly developed to help control the COVID-19 pandemic, including the BNT162b2 vaccine (Pfizer/BioNTech). This severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine has been shown in both clinical trials and in the real world to be highly efficacious in preventing infection, symptoms, hospitalizations, severe disease, and death related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Also, previous research has demonstrated a reduction in breakthrough infections due to the BNT162b2 vaccine. Following the national vaccination campaigns that occurred globally, there was a significant reduction in new SARS-CoV-2 infections, which led to hopes of herd immunity and disease eradication. For example, in Israel, almost no new cases of COVID-19 were detected following their vaccine campaign from April to June 2021. However, there has been a surge of new SARS-CoV-2 infections within highly vaccinated countries, including Israel. This recent surge in infection rate is occurring alongside the global spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant and possible diminishing vaccine-induced immune response, raising questions of vaccine effectiveness (VE) against the Delta variant over time. Recent studies have shown that VE against infection begins to decline six months post-vaccination. Although, protection against severe COVID-19-related complications appears to be sustained. A team of researchers from various institutions within Israel performed a retrospective analysis on reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) test measurements of three SARS-CoV-2 genes (E, N, and RdRp) from laboratory-confirmed positive tests collected from patients from Maccabi Healthcare Services. This study focussed infections in adults over the age of twenty between 28 June and 9 September 2021, when the Delta variant was the most prominent strain in Israel. This study is available as a Brief Communication in the Nature Medicine journal. The study This study demonstrates that the BNT162b2 vaccine is initially effective in reducing the viral load of Delta variant breakthrough infections with a magnitude of ten-fold, which is consistent with initial effectiveness against the other variants. However, the VE against viral load reduces with time after vaccination, significantly declining three months post-vaccination and almost disappearing six months post-vaccination. In Israel, as the Delta variant emerged, a large proportion of the population who were vaccinated were past the two-month post-vaccination period, so the population-wide average effect of the BNT162b2 vaccine on the viral load of the Delta variant was negligible, which explains the reports of no difference in cycle threshold (Ct) value between vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals. The authors discovered with the utilization of a booster vaccination, it is possible to regain viral load reduction even against the Delta variant, suggesting the restoration of vaccine-associated mitigation of transmissibility. These results collectively suggest that the VE in reducing viral loads of the Delta variant breakthrough infections is similar to its observed effectiveness in previous non-Delta surges. The vaccine's efficacy is diminished from the time of initial vaccination but can be restored via a third booster inoculation. There were several limitations associated with the study. Firstly, although the viral load is a typical indicator of infectiousness, a positive PCR test does not always mean a viable virus is present, and a relationship between infectiousness and viral load is yet to be established. Secondly, results from recent studies suggest that vaccinated individuals display a faster decline in viral load when compared to unvaccinated, which can have a differentiation effect on Ct values for samples taken an extended time after the onset of symptoms. Therefore, it is also possible that differences in Ct values between the vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals is not only a representation of an initial difference in viral loads but also a difference in viral load decay among the two groups. Thirdly, the authors did not know the number of asymptomatic and symptomatic cases within the study, and it is a possibility that the proportion of symptomatic cases within the unvaccinated could be much higher. Implications It remains unknown the length of time of the booster vaccine's renewed effect on the reduction of breakthrough infections and whether additional booster doses will be needed in the future against the variants that are present now or new emerging variants. Moreover, VE against severe infections may diminish at varying time scales and could be affected differently by booster vaccines. However, to date, there has only been a slight decline observed in preventing severe COVID-19. However, the lower viral load observed in booster-vaccinated Delta breakthrough infections indicates a reduction in infectiousness, which means if this is accompanied by other precautions such as mask-wearing, it could help control the spread of the pandemic. Levine-Tiefenbrun, M., Yelin, I., Alapi, H. et al. Viral loads of Delta-variant SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections after vaccination and booster with BNT162b2. Nat Med (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-021-01575-4 An interesting new study in a population of wild deer in northeast Ohio shows repeated spillover of different lineages of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This could facilitate the emergence of new variants of the virus and provide a non-human natural reservoir from where the virus could re-enter human populations. Study: SARS-CoV-2 infection in free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Image Credit: Jim Cumming/ Shutterstock Background SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has led to approximately five million deaths worldwide so far. This virus is thought to be zoonotic; it spilled over into humans from an animal species, though the latter has not been identified so far. Natural SARS-CoV-2 infections have been recorded in domestic and wild animals, the latter under human care. These include many big cats, gorillas, mink, and some otters. Under laboratory conditions, more animals have been found capable of harboring the virus, from skunks, hamsters, fruit bats, and white-tailed deer. Many such species were also able to transmit the virus between themselves, such as ferrets, cats, and dogs, which has been confirmed to occur in white-tailed deer. A computational model shows how the virus binds to the receptor on the host cell, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), in different species. In some parts of the USA, such as Utah, free-ranging mink were found to be COVID-19-positive by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). These were thought to be minks that had escaped a mink farm. In Spain, too, a couple of mink were COVID-19-positive. However, about 40% of sampled white-tailed deer in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and New York show the presence of antibodies to this virus. This is a concerning issue since the virus appears to be capable of establishing itself in such new reservoirs, from where it can spill over to other animals or spill back into the human race. This species not only has ACE2 receptors that have predicted high binding affinity for the virus but is experimentally shown to be susceptible to the infection and capable of its transmission. What did the study show? In the current study, available as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were identified in over a third of free-ranging deer in northeast Ohio. The species studied here are found in high numbers in various locations spanning rural to urban, in the USA, at more than 45 per square mile in some parts. They are both free-ranging and farmed, providing ample opportunity for deer-human transmission. This species, Odocoileus virginianus, was sampled from nine locations across this region via RT-PCR between January-March 2021, a few weeks after the winter wave. This human-to-deer spread appears to have occurred at least six times over the winter wave of the pandemic. Sites nearer centers of human habitation and more urban had a higher estimated prevalence of the virus. This period fits the highest estimated probability of transmission from humans to deer because of the high amount of circulating virus in humans and, thus, the environment. Whole-genome sequences were available from six of the nine locations over ten dates. These reflected the same strains that were dominant at the time in the human population in Ohio. B.1.2 was found in four sites, B.1.596 at one site on two dates, and B..582 at one site. Alpha and Delta variants of the virus were not found; in humans, these became widespread after February 2021. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the transmission from humans to deer occurred at each site separately, involving a different variant of the B.1.2 virus. Deer may have spread the virus to each other at three sites since multiple samples were successfully sequenced, unlike the other sites. There were seven deer sequences over two dates 23 days apart at one site, with B.1.596 sequences. These contained four unique mutations that have been identified in other viruses across the world but have not been found in the nearest human-derived viral sequences. What are the implications? The study findings call for further investigation into how the virus is spread, the transmission rate between or within deer species, viral mutations adapting the virus to these animals, and the potential for deer to serve as a non-human reservoir. The scientists concluded that already, the virus had been transmitted several times into the deer population, though the routes are unclear. This type of pattern, seen during the periods of highest viral circulation in humans, was observed during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic. The number of transmissions may have been still higher, depending on the presence of inhibitory factors in the samples, leading to their breakdown in some cases. A systematic, detailed monitoring program will need to answer such questions, especially given the recent surge of Delta variant cases among humans. This will help understand if the variants that were transmitted last winter are still circulating among these animals. Possible transmission routes may include wastewater, trash cans, backyard feeders, or bait stations, given the variety of settings in which human-deer interactions occur. In multiple studies, the contamination of waterways is a recurrent suggestion, bolstered by the isolation of the virus from tap water and wastewater. Between deer themselves, the route of spread could be via aerosols, the environment, or directly. The occurrence of clinical disease among deer is also an important question to be answered. Males were found to have higher infection rates, perhaps due to their different behavior, such as larger home ranges, movement, and contact with other deer during fall/winter. The researchers conclude: Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 evolution in wildlife populations, including white-tailed deer, mustelids, rodents, and other susceptible species will be critical to future COVID-19 management and mitigation efforts. *Important notice bioRxiv 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 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in December 2019 to cause more than 200 million documented infections and five million deaths. Among the earliest and most characteristic symptoms is olfactory dysfunction due to involvement of the olfactory epithelium (OE). A new preprint shows the persistence of such symptoms after clinical resolution of the infection, hinting at the need for further management. Study: Prolonged and extended impacts of SARS-CoV-2 on the olfactory neurocircuit. Image Credit: Design_Cells/ Shutterstock Background Much research has gone into the mechanism underlying olfactory dysfunction in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Some animal studies suggest extensive patchy shedding of the OE with apoptosis or cellular death, including the olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), followed by a slow restoration as cells regenerate from the basal cells of the OE. In humans, however, patients who have recovered from COVID-19 seem to suffer from symptoms affecting the central nervous system (CNS), such as cognitive impairment and depression, along with long-term effects on smell. The current study, which appeared on the bioRxiv* preprint server, looked at the impact of the virus on the CNS in the Syrian golden hamster, a useful animal model for COVID-19. The OE in the nose is distributed over various locations, with the median-lateral recess and the zone 1-4 areas on the dorsomedial-ventrolateral axis. The areas are restricted by their location as well as sensitivity to noxious agents. Thus, the toxin methimazole is more noxious to the dorsomedial side, while the lateral side is vulnerable to lipopolysaccharide. The study, therefore, examined the effects of the virus in four regions of the OE: dorsomedial (DM), dorsolateral (DL), ventromedial (VM), and ventrolateral (VL) region. Following inoculation with the virus into the nose, the six-week-old hamsters were sampled over time for infection in the OE. What did the study show? The results showed that several regions within the OE were infected at two days post-inoculation (dpi), clearing by eight dpi. The infected cells extended throughout the DM region thickness. While mature OSNs showed no evidence of infection, the surrounding supporting cells expressing the host cell receptor for the virus, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), were positive for the viral antigens. The VM and VL regions showed a marked drop in supporting cell numbers, while they were unmeasurable in the DM because the OE had been completely lost at five dpi. A near-complete resolution was observed in all regions by 21 dpi. Sagittal sections of the brain did not show the presence of the viral antigens, not even the olfactory bulb or hippocampus, suggesting that the virus did not enter the parenchyma or did so at undetectable levels. Earlier studies have shown that both the antigens and viral ribonucleic acid can be detected in brain tissue. The current study showed a short-lived reduction in OE thickness at five dpi, with full recovery by 21 dpi, as with the supporting cells. OSN density remained lower at up to 42 dpi, which could mean delayed or incomplete maturation of these neurons following infection. The study suggests that the DM region is among the most easily damaged regions after SARS-CoV-2 infection of the OE, probably because of the expression of the ACE2 receptor mostly in these cells. This zone is in zone 1, and the OSNs express the enzyme NAD(P)H quinone oxido-reductase 1 (NQO1). This useful molecule not only serves as an antioxidant, preventing endocellular oxidation. It is implicated in the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) known to enhance nerve cell damage after injury. While cells expressing the maturation marker OMP were fewer after infection, they were restored whether or not they carried NQO1 or not. Interestingly, more severe damage was found in NQO1-positive regions. After labeling these cells with the ionized calcium binding adaptor 1 (Iba1), macrophage analysis suggested chronic activation in the NQO1-positive regions relative to NQO1-negative regions. This rapid return to normalcy of the OSNs in the latter region could indicate that the presence of NQO1 is a susceptibility factor for the virus. The same variation in susceptibility was observed within the OB, which serves as the next olfactory relay center, transferring the impulse to the next set of nerve cells. Here, the synaptic OSN-neuronal connections are found in the form of glomeruli. Within NQO1-positive regions, the OSN axon terminals within the glomeruli were less dense than in the NQO1-negative regions, meaning that the virus could potentially affect how odor signals are processed within the OB, especially the NQO1-positive regions. The researchers also found that the Iba1 signal was strongest in all OB layers at 17 dpi, whereas it was highest at five dpi in the OE. This could mean that microglial activation in the OB was at a lower rate than in the OE macrophages. At five dpi, activation signals were strongest in the olfactory nerve layer (ONL), where the OSN axons are densely packed. This could indicate microglial responses to OSN axonal injury occurred rapidly and directly in the ONL. Conversely, this damage is an indirect signal on post-synaptic neuronal circuits in the glomerular layer (GL, where the OSN axons make synaptic connections with relay neurons) and the external plexiform layer (EPL), where projection neurons synapse with the interneurons. In agreement with these findings, the NQO1-positive regions showed greater damage at five dpi, but only at 17 dpi within the GL than NQO1-negative regions. At 17 dpi, a larger area was occupied by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing astrocytes in the GL, independent of NQO1 expression. In other words, microglial activation in the GL is linked to astrocyte activity more strongly than in other layers. GFAP signals were short-lived in the pia mater but appeared over a longer period in the first layer of the piriform cortex (PC), a higher brain area. Iba1-expressing activated microglia in the pia mater were more abundant at both five and 17 dpi, but the area covered by these cells remained the same in layer one. There was no association between the presence of the virus in the nose and the peak activity in the brain, which could mean that activation of microglia in the PC is indirect via local or systemic inflammation. This is borne out by the elevation of inflammatory cytokines in the bloodstream following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Infection is likely to be present in the lamina propria of the OE since it expresses ACE2 and shows evidence of macrophage activation in infected animals. The authors postulate that the immune response to the virus in this layer is responsible for the systemic inflammatory response. This may, in turn, cause microglial activation in the CNS. In the hippocampus, GFAP-positive astrocytic endfeet were found in abundance, clustered around the blood vessels of the apical dendritic region, at five, eight, 17, and 42 dpi. While Iba1 expression peaked at eight dpi, in the basal region, it reverted to normal at 42 dpi, unlike in the apical region. The virus appears to have led to the activation of the microglia and astrocytes, even in the hippocampus, but with different impacts per layer. Glial cells can modulate synaptic transmission or cause synaptic loss, induce synaptic plasticity and change synaptic density, and these actions are sometimes linked to demential changes. To examine this possibility, the researchers found basal dendritic spines to be very stable in the hippocampus, while the apical spines showed a marked fall in density. This may be associated with persistent microglial activation, especially marked at 42 dpi. What are the implications? Overall, the study shows that vaccination with a single dose of SARS-CoV-2 caused long-lasting effects on the OE and brain regions concerned with normal cognitive function. Glial cells were activated and synaptic transmission altered in the absence of any direct effect of the viral antigens, as shown by their absence in the CNS. The effect of these changes on animal behavior, and the time required to recover from them, may be elucidated in future studies, which will help uncover the mechanisms of olfactory loss and perhaps cognitive impairment following recovery from COVID-19. *Important notice bioRxiv 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 Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and MitoPower LLC ("MitoPower") were awarded an SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) grant of up to $6.5 million over five years from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The funds will support the development of MitoPower's lead compound, MP-04, for the treatment of kidney dysfunction due to alcoholic liver disease, a condition known as alcoholic liver disease-associated hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). The IHV, a Center of Excellence of the Global Virus Network (GVN), will conduct first-in-human single and multiple ascending dose studies to test the safety of the compound, followed by a Phase 1b study in patients. There are no current therapeutic options that specifically address the cellular dysfunction and systemic inflammatory response that contribute to the severe impairment of liver and kidney function and progressive organ failure in patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis. We are working to complete IND-enabling studies for MP-04 and are excited to collaborate with IHV to characterize this promising compound in human studies." Mani Subramanian, MD, PhD and CEO of MitoPower More than 250,000 hospitalizations each year in the U.S. are due to complications of alcoholic liver disease. HRS is an acute complication of cirrhosis (liver scarring) or a severe alcoholic hepatitis (liver inflammation) progressive condition leading to kidney failure. HRS is associated with mortality rates reaching 50%, with many patients requiring invasive treatments such as dialysis and/or liver transplant. "There is an urgent, unmet need for an effective therapy to treat HRS caused by severe alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. Globally, the incidence and prevalence of alcoholic liver disease continues to increase and remains a significant cause of liver failure and liver transplantation," said Prof. Shyam Kottilil, MBBS, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Director of the Division of Clinical Care and Research, Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and senior advisor to the Global Virus Network (GVN). "MP-04 is a novel therapeutic that has shown promise in preclinical studies to reverse organ dysfunction and systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) that holds promise in potentially reversing HRS." The Theodore E. Woodward Chair in Medicine Stephen N. Davis, MBBS, FRCP, FACE, MACP, said, "We are honored to partner academic research with industry to develop therapies that improve our patients' health and quality of life, especially for chronic diseases for which we have no known treatments." UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs, UM Baltimore, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor, said, "HRS affects many Native American and Alaskan Natives disproportionately, and Black and Mexican Americans are more likely to suffer worse outcomes. Developing an effective treatment will be the first step in finding a way to address these disparities." Robert Gallo, MD, the Homer & Martha Gudelsky Distinguished Professor in Medicine, Co-Founder & Director of the Institute of Human Virology at UMSOM, and Co-Founder and International Scientific Director of the Global Virus Network (GVN), said, "The Institute is pleased to see our Clinical Trials Unit's portfolio continue to grow under the terrific leadership of Professor Kottilil. While we continue to focus on therapeutics for viruses such as HIV and SARS-CoV-2, it is also important that we research innovations that can combat devastating chronic illnesses, such as liver disease and kidney dysfunction." This award was granted by the National Institutes of Health under Award Number U44 AA029833. The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of the author and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. 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. (Newser) Update: Two former Oklahoma police officers were convicted of second-degree murder Friday for excessive use of a Taser on an unarmed man who died two days later in 2019. The crime is punishable by 10 years to life behind bars. They were also convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, the New York Times reports, and will be sentenced Dec. 2. Our original story from July 3, 2020, follows: story continues below Two Oklahoma police officers are charged with second-degree murder after allegedly using a Taser on a man more than 50 times. Jared Lakey, 28, died on July 6, 2019, two days after he confronted officers Joshua Taylor and Brandon Dingman in Wilson, per the Frontier. Taylor had responded to a call about a naked man running down the street and screaming shortly before midnight on July 4. Radio logs show he fired his Taser within minutes. Dingman arrived soon after and did the same, according to a civil lawsuit filed by Lakey's family members. They accuse Taylor of lying in his report, which claimed Lakey was on drugs and only held at "Taser point." The family say a toxicology report showed no drugs in Lakey's system. And investigators say unreleased body camera footage shows Lakey was tased "numerous times while merely lying naked in the ditch," per the Daily Ardmoreite. Taylor suggested the Taser was ineffective on Lakey, whom he described as noncompliant and aggressive. But the family says actions Taylor described, including Lakey pushing on his squad car, would've only happened after Lakey was tased. The family claims a third officer choked Lakey from behind. Charging documents make no mention of this, though Lakey's cause of death was given, in part, as "law enforcement use of electrical weapon and restraint." When medics arrived, the officers said Lakey had been stunned only four times, per the suit. Carter County District Attorney Craig Ladd said Wednesday that it was actually more than 50 times. The officers "greatly exceeded what would have been necessary or warranted" given the circumstances, he said. Taylor, 25, and Dingman, 34, surrendered to the Carter County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, per KOKH. They've since posted bail. (Read more murder stories.) (Newser) Update: There won't be any charges filed against the Colorado police officer who killed Johnny Hurley in June. Hurley had managed to stop active shooter Ronald Troyke moments after Troyke killed a cop by shooting him dead; he had Troyke's rifle in hand when Arvada Officer Kraig Brownlow then fired on him. Prosecutors on Monday said Brownlow "had objectively reasonable grounds to believe, and did believe, he and others were in imminent danger of being killed," making his actions "legally justified." Hurley's mother asked that anyone angered by the decision "use that energy to be the change you wish to see in the world." The Denver Post adds that prosecutors revealed the period of time that elapsed from the officer's death to Hurley's death was just 2 minutes, 7 seconds. Our original story from June 26 follows: story continues below Three people were shot in Colorado Monday, including a police officer. At first, police said two suspects had been shot, then updated that to say that one of the victims was a bystander who had intervened to stop the shooting, the Colorado Sun reports. The Arvada Police Department released on Friday a timeline of the confusing events. It shows that a man called 911 because he was concerned his brother, Ronald Troyke, was going to do something crazy. Officer Gordon Beesley missed Troyke at home, but drove to another call about a suspicious manwho turned out to be Troyke. Before Beesley could even react, Troyke shot and killed him, police say, before returning to his truck for an AR-15. Then, another man shot Troyke and took his AR-15, which he was holding when more officers arrived and shot and killed him. That man was identified as Johnny Hurley, 40, of Golden, Colorado. Police say Hurley had likely saved lives by stopping Troyke, Colorado Public Radio reports. Police say they found notes in Troykes apartment declaring his intent to kill police officers. Hundreds of you pigs should be killed daily, one note read. Hurleys family, in a statement, called his actions a clear-eyed response to a dire situation, and said they were looking forward to a thorough investigation. Arvada Police called Hurleys and Beesleys deaths equally tragic. Beesley was Arvada Polices 2014 officer of the year, the New York Times reports. The officer who shot Hurley is on paid administrative leave. (Read more shooting stories.) (Newser) Update: Kaiser Permanente and a group of unions have reached a tentative agreement on a four-year contract, averting a strike by employees in eight states. The deal reached Saturday includes pay raises and drops Kaiser's plan for a two-tiered wage system, the New York Times reports, that would pay new hires much less. It also "provides safe staffing," a union official said. Workers had been scheduled to walk off the job Monday. Talks are continuing with some pharmacists and engineers. Our original story from Nov. 8 follows: story continues below Business is booming at hospitals, including the 700 heath centers, clinics, and medical offices run by Kaiser Permanente in nine states. Yet the health care giant wants to pay employees less, and unions representing more than 30,000 of them have set a strike deadline for Nov. 15. The main issue is Kaiser's proposal for a two-tiered pay system, the New Republic reports. The details of the standoff, complete with proposals that at times seem to conflict with common sense, include: The wage plan . Kaiser wants to pay new hires 26% to 39% less than it pays existing employees for the same work. Current employees would receive a 1% raise. That would make job openings less attractive though hospitals generally are having trouble filling openings, per the New Republic, and many to most nurses are thinking about quitting. But Kaiser says that it has to cut costs, and that "escalating wages are half the cost of health care." Kaiser reported income of $6.4 billion in 2020. . Kaiser wants to pay new hires 26% to 39% less than it pays existing employees for the same work. Current employees would receive a 1% raise. That would make job openings less attractive though hospitals generally are having trouble filling openings, per the New Republic, and many to most nurses are thinking about quitting. But Kaiser says that it has to cut costs, and that "escalating wages are half the cost of health care." Kaiser reported income of $6.4 billion in 2020. Strike costs . A specialist agency is lining up replacement nurses, promising pay as high as $12,500 per week for scab nurses, plus expenses. That would put the weekly cost of replacing 19,000 nurses on strike at $237 million. "Clearly the company is being disingenuous in their desire to cut costs," said Jane Carter, a member of the bargaining team for a health care union involved. . A specialist agency is lining up replacement nurses, promising pay as high as $12,500 per week for scab nurses, plus expenses. That would put the weekly cost of replacing 19,000 nurses on strike at $237 million. "Clearly the company is being disingenuous in their desire to cut costs," said Jane Carter, a member of the bargaining team for a health care union involved. The trend . Two-tiered systems were the rage in the 1980s, usually by companies in trouble, and by auto companies during the 2007 crash. They caused tension between employees paid on different scales for the same work, and Fiat Chrysler's CEO called them unworkable in 2015, per NPR. But they're back, and Kellogg and John Deere employees are fighting them now. . Two-tiered systems were the rage in the 1980s, usually by companies in trouble, and by auto companies during the 2007 crash. They caused tension between employees paid on different scales for the same work, and Fiat Chrysler's CEO called them unworkable in 2015, per NPR. But they're back, and Kellogg and John Deere employees are fighting them now. The reasoning . Kaiser said it's trying to cut patients' costs. There might be other ways to do that, Carter said. But she doesn't see why a growing operation would do this, and she thinks training and turnover costs would only increase in the long term. Not to mention the replacement costs. "I'm a labor economist," she said, "and I dont understand how this company can legit put forward this proposal." . Kaiser said it's trying to cut patients' costs. There might be other ways to do that, Carter said. But she doesn't see why a growing operation would do this, and she thinks training and turnover costs would only increase in the long term. Not to mention the replacement costs. "I'm a labor economist," she said, "and I dont understand how this company can legit put forward this proposal." Employee reaction: "Equal job, equal pay rate, you know, we deserve thateverybody does, and thats not just Kaiser alone; its just all workers," said a health care worker in Hawaii, per KHON. A lead pharmacy technician in Southern California suggested looking at negotiations differently, per KTLA. "This is an opportunity for Kaiser to step up for health care workers by offering adequate wages and addressing our safety, staffing concerns," Lucy Alcantar said. (Read more Kaiser Permanente stories.) (Newser) A man suspected of taking part in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and wanted by the FBI turned up in Belarus and is seeking asylum. He was interviewed on Belarus state TV, who called him a simple American whose shops were burned by Black Lives Matter activists, the Washington Post reports. Evan Neumann is wanted on charges related to entering the Capitol grounds as well as assaulting, resisting, and obstructing law enforcement. He told the Belarus1 station hes been in hiding, the target of political persecution, CNN reports. Neumann said he moved around Europe for a while, winding up in Ukraine in March where, he says, he was followed. That prompted him to try to walk into Belarus, where was found by border guards. He said he thought the assault charge against him is wholly without merit. story continues below Belaruss authoritarian leader, President Alexander Lukashenko, crowed over the Jan. 6 riot, saying, In our country, protesters and other dissatisfied people dont storm government agencies and capitols, per the Hill. Lukashenkos recent re-electionhes been in power since 1994was widely considered by the international community to be rigged. A spokesman for the US Embassy in Belarus, which is housed in Lithuania, told WaPo that they were aware of reports that Neumann was in Belarus, but couldnt comment due to privacy laws. (Read more Capitol riot stories.) (Newser) A pastor in Nashville, Tennessee, says he was acting as God's instrument when he tackled and disarmed a man who had been waving a gun at his congregation. Police say the heroic actions of pastor Ezekiel Ndikumana and other members of the Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church "saved a church from further violence" on Sunday afternoon. Video from the church shows a suspect identified as Dezire Baganda pull out a gun and walk to the altar, NBC reports. story continues below Police say Baganda waved the gun at the congregation and ordered everybody up. The video shows Ndikumana pretending to head for an exit before turning around and tackling the man from behind. Other members of the congregation helped get the gun away from the suspect and hold him down until police arrived The 26-year-old was charged with 15 counts of felony aggravated assault, and police say more charges are expected. Ndikumana says the man was not a member of the church, but he had attended services before. "He wanted to kill, thats what first came to my mind," Ndikumana tells WKRN. "I would say that God used me because I felt like I was going to use the back door as an example as going on by trying to go behind him. And then I felt the feeling that I would go and grab him and thats what happened," the pastor says. According to an arrest affidavit, Baganda told police he was Jesusand said he needed to open fire at schools and more churches. (Read more Nashville stories.) (Newser) Three French climbers appear to have died in an avalanche on a peak near Mount Everest last month. The bodies of Thomas Arfi, Gabriel Miloche, and Louis Pachoud were recovered from Kangtega mountain in Nepal's remote Solukhumbu district on Monday, a day after they were discovered under more than six feet of snow, Police Inspector Rishi Raj Dhakal tells the Kathmandu Post. The group was found on the 19,700-foot Mingbo Eiger, described as a satellite peak of Kangtega, per AFP. They'd made a satellite phone call from their mountain camp on Oct. 26, the same day an avalanche struck the area, and hadnt been heard from since. story continues below Mingma Gyalje Sherpa, a member of the search and rescue team, said all three bodies were in the same location, "buried nearly two meters under the snow," per the Post. They've been identified and taken to the capital for autopsies, reports Reuters. The three men were part of an eight-member expedition team with permits to scale the 22,254-foot-tall Kangtega and 21,130-foot Cholatse, according to a tourism official, who noted the group had split in two. Arfi, Miloche, and Pachoud, who appear to have abandoned a summit attempt, were on their way down the mountain when the avalanche struck, per AFP. The outlet reports few climbers attempt to scale Himalayan peaks from September to November because of low temperatures and high winds. (Read more mountain climbing stories.) (Newser) A suspected serial killer has been arrested for six deadly shootings throughout the Missouri/Kansas City area in September and October. Police say 25-year-old Perez Reed was nabbed by FBI agents on Friday after getting off a train in Independence, Mo., heading to his home in St. Louis from Kansas City, Kan., reports CNN. Investigators say Reed had a .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol on him, a caliber they say matches shell casings found at the crime scenes. In a booking photo, Reed is also shown to have a crescent tattoo on his forehead; in a still photo from surveillance footage taken at the scene of two of the killings, the suspect is shown to have the same tattoo. story continues below KMOV details the murders that Reed is accused of committing, including that of a 16-year-old girl; three women (ages 24, 25, and 49), a 35-year-old man, and a 40-year-old man. Two of those victims were said to have been killed in a "distinctive manner." In addition to those shootings, police say Reed shot a man multiple times in the chest at a St. Louis County bus stop on Sept. 12, leaving him with a permanent disability, as well as shot a 28-year-old woman in the face on Sept. 16. Police found the latter victim at a gas station seeking assistance and followed the trail of blood back to the shooting scene. Although the victims don't appear to have known each other, Reed has admitted he knew at least one of them, and police say at least two of the shootings appear to have been connected, per FOX 2. "There was evidence that indicates that these are related," a St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson said last month. "As far as right now, we cannot go into what that evidence is." Reed has been hit with two sets of charges: Out of the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office come counts of first-degree murder, assault, and armed criminal action. Meanwhile, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri has charged him with interstate transportation of a firearm with intent to commit a felony. In a statement, St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner vows "to ensure the most important goalthat justice is brought to the many victims and their families; and the person responsible is held accountable for these heinous crimes." (Read more serial killer stories.) (Newser) For about four decades, Elaine Thomas worked as a metallurgist for a steel foundry in Washington state, churning out steel castings used by Navy contractors to make submarine hulls. And for about 30 of those years, prosecutors now say, Thomas falsified results from tests designed to test the steel's strength and toughness, which the 67-year-old retiree has finally come clean on, reports the New York Times. Thomas pleaded guilty Monday in a federal court in Tacoma to major fraud, conceding she fudged test results for more than 240 steel productionsor about half of all the steel produced by the foundry for the Navy, per the AP. story continues below From around 1985 to 2017, Thomas "knowingly devised and executed a scheme with the intent to defraud" the Navy, an indictment in the case reads regarding what happened at the Tacoma foundry that was bought by Bradken Inc. in 2008. The indictment notes that Thomas, who was made the company's director of metallurgy in 2009, had started the scheme decades earlier, sometimes changing the first digit of test results on foot-pound numbers used to measure steel toughness and the "amount of dynamic force" it can endure. Per court filings, it doesn't look like Bradken higher-ups got wind of what Thomas had done until May 2017, when a lab worker noticed something amiss in the records. Thomas was fired, and she then "made false statements" to federal agents to cover up what she'd done, per the indictmentthough when investigators showed her what they'd found, the Justice Department says she conceded, "Yeah, that looks bad," per the AP. In 2020, Bradken took responsibility for the altered tests and forked over $10.8 million in a civil settlement. "Ms. Thomas never intended to compromise the integrity of any material," her attorney notes in a statement, per the Times. "She regrets that she failed to follow her moral compassadmitting to false statements is hardly how she envisioned living out her retirement years." Thomas could see 10 years behind bars and have to pay a $1 million fine when she's sentenced. That ruling is scheduled for Feb. 14. As for the subs that may have used the affected steel, none appear to have failed, but the release notes "the Navy has taken extensive steps" to make sure they operate safely, with "increased costs and maintenance." (Read more fraud stories.) (Newser) Sister Helen Prejean, the Catholic nun made famous by the book and movie Dead Man Walking, is making a public appeal on behalf of a death row inmate in Texas. In a New York Times essay, Prejean argues that the state should grant the request of John Henry Ramirez that his pastor be allowed to attend his execution and lay hands on him as he dies. Prejean makes her case from a religious context"for many Christians, the laying on of hands is at the heart of prayer rituals"as well as a humanist one. "The extended isolation and distancing imposed by the COVID pandemic have reminded us of how desperately we crave the touch of our fellow humans," she writes. story continues below Prejean recounts her personal experiences with death row inmates, remembering how she threw up outside the prison after the first inmate to whom she ministered was executed in 1984. "I can viscerally feel something of the agony and terror Mr. Ramirez may experience as he is strapped down and killed," she writes. "From the time of his trial, Mr. Ramirez has received countless signals that he is worth nothing more than disposable human waste." She makes a point to say Ramirez is not innocent, having murdered a convenience store clerk in 2004. But she argues that his life is worth more than that "singularly worst act." Read the full essay, in which Prejean offers condolences to the family of victim Pablo Castro. (The Supreme Court is considering Ramirez's request.) (Newser) A teacher at a high school in Northern California is facing backlash over a question on a social science quiz last week. The teacher at Whitney High School in Rocklin asked students to identify a "group of complete idiots" and gave four possible answers: "KKK," "all of Florida," "Fox news," and "Texans," reports the Sacramento Bee. Somebody posted an image of the question on social media, and the backlash ensued. The school's principal has since sent out a letter saying the incident is under investigation, reports FOX40. "Students, families, and the Rocklin community have raised concern about the class assignment," writes principal Justin Cutts. story continues below So far, no disciplinary action has been taken, and the teacher hasn't been identified by the school. However, ABC10 notes that an online petition has surfaced calling for the teacher to be fired. Because the school hasn't confirmed the teacher's identity, Newser isn't linking to the petition. Its creator, an alumnus of the school, asserts that the teacher "has worked to polarize his students, alienating his 'Conservative' students in what should be a politically neutral, safe space." The station talks to two parents who say this isn't the first time the teacher has gone too far in pushing political views. (Read more California stories.) (Newser) Run Run is on the run. The Sotelo family in Lima, Peru, raised a puppy they thought was going to grow up to be purebred husky. They raised the cute little puppy with no problem for a while. Then Run Run started to chase things, killing and eating guinea pigs, chickens, and ducks, the BBC reports. Maribel Sotelo said the expense of reimbursing their neighbors started to add up. They got suspicious when Run Run grew up to look not so very doglike, either. Instead of typical husky face he grew a more pointed head, prominent ears, dainty legs, and a bushy tail, Reuters reports. story continues below Run Run, in fact, was not a husky at all. Run Run is not even a doghes an Andean fox, a species that is actually closely related to jackals and wolves. Authorities from Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre, Perus national forestry and wildlife agency, are looking for the now-runaway fox in hopes of safely moving him to a wildlife center. Walter Silva, a vet for the forestry agency, said Run Run is an example of wildlife trafficking, and the agency has seen about 125 cases so far this year. They kill the parents, and these juveniles are illegally traded in informal markets, Silva said, per People. (Read more strange stuff stories.) (Newser) Police officers in coastal Connecticut grabbed a nearby canoe belonging to a private citizen instead of waiting for a police boat when they located a missing elderly man early Tuesday. The Westport officers paddled to the rescue after spotting the man partially submerged off Saugatuck Shores Beach, reports the Hartford Courant. "One officer held the mans head above the water while several others lifted him into the canoe," police said in a Facebook post. "Once the man was safely in the canoe he was brought to the shoreline where personnel from the Westport Fire Department assisted with removing him from the vessel and then brought him to waiting EMS personnel." story continues below Police Lt. David Wolf said the officers started searching the area around 6am after a report of a missing older man, per NBC Connecticut. He said the rescued man was hospitalized and his injuries are not believed to be life-threatening. Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas praised the officers for the speedy rescue. "There is no doubt that these officers quick thinking and superior teamwork led to a positive outcome," he said. (Two brothers in Maine were saved by Boy Scouts after their canoes capsized.) (Newser) Nobel laureate and peace activist Malala Yousafzai announced that she is married, sharing the news on Twitter Tuesday. "Today marks a precious day in my life. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead," the 24-year-old wrote. The tweet is accompanied by photos of the glowing, beaming couple. See them on Twitter or Instagram. story continues below Until recently, Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt as a teenager, had expressed reservations about marriage. "I just thought, 'Im never going to get married, never going to have kidsjust going to do my work. Im going to be happy and live with my family forever.' I didnt realize that youre not the same person all the time," she told Vogue. The Pakistan native defied a Taliban order preventing girls from attending school, and at 15 was shot in the face. Since then she has spoken to the UN about gender equality, written a memoir, and was in 2014 honored with a Nobel Peace Prize, NPR reports. She earned her degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University last year. (Read more uplifting news stories.) Please purchase a subscription read this premium content. If you have a subscription, please sign up for a digital website account or log in. HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister meets with Huawei Middle East and Africa president HRH the Crown Prince and Prime Minister meets with Huawei Middle East and Africa president TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, today met with Steven Yi, President of Huawei Middle East and Africa and Member of the Huawei Supervisory Board, at Gudaibiya Palace. His Royal Highness highlighted the importance of continuing to develop the Kingdom's ICT sector to strengthen the Kingdoms comprehensive development. His Royal Highness noted the importance of continuing to provide services that employ modern technologies and benefit citizens and residents. His Royal Highness commended the role of international companies for their contributions to the Kingdoms ICT sector and the role of the national workforce in furthering the vital sector. The latest technical developments of Huawei globally and the company's contributions to the provision of telecommunications services alongside other telecom service providers in the Kingdom were reviewed. For his part, Steven Yi expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet His Royal Highness and noted HRHs continued support to strengthening Huaweis contributions to the Kingdom of Bahrain and advancing the Kingdoms ICT sector. The Minister of Finance and National Economy, HE Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, and the Minister of Transportation & Telecommunications, HE Eng. Kamal Ahmed also attended the meeting. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com The Cabinet yesterday approved a memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding a draft decision on the rules and provisions for distributing plots of land for planning or re-planning following expropriation and compensation for the owners of real estate located within the boundaries of these projects. Several memorandums were also approved such as: * A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding a draft MoU between the Supreme Council for Environment in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Ministry of Environment in the Republic of Korea on environmental cooperation, which aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries in the fields of environmental technology, protection of biodiversity, natural resources and water quality management. * A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding the participation of the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities in the World Crafts Council. The participation will contribute to supporting plans and strategies related to this field and will also support the registration of several Bahraini villages and cities in the World Crafts Council. * A memorandum by the Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding several MoUs with the UAE, which aims further strengthen bilateral cooperation. * A memorandum by the Minister of Foreign Affairs regarding a number MoUs between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Federative Republic of Brazil, which aims to enhance bilateral cooperation across various fields. * A memorandum by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism regarding the accreditation of the Federative Republic of Brazil as a partner of the International Sea-Air Cargo Services Centre in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In addition to 12 other countries, companies based in these countries are allowed to apply for accreditation as an operator of these services. * A memorandum by the Ministerial Committee for Legal and Legislative Affairs regarding the governments response to a proposal for a law submitted by the Shura Council. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Thanks to the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain has enhanced its standing regionally and globally in promoting the rights and freedoms of all citizens and residents. The Kingdoms great progress in this field, be it at the level of legislation or the relevant institutional mechanisms, was emphasised by Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh yesterday. While receiving a delegation from the Group of Friends of Bahrain in the European Parliament, Al Saleh reviewed the kingdoms civilisational and development achievements. He highlighted the role played by the legislative branch, within the framework of its complementarity and coordination with the government to consolidate the national legislation and laws that support human rights, foster societal coexistence, respect pluralism and promote the values of tolerance in the kingdom. Al Saleh also spoke about progress at the social, economic and political levels, given the fact that the protection of human rights is among the basic pillars established by the Constitution and the National Action Charter. The Shura head stressed the importance of bolstering cooperation between Bahrains legislative branch and the European Parliament, as well as exchanging points of view vis-a-vis the current global issues. He also expressed appreciation to the members of the delegation for their interest in Bahrain, and in the progress, it is witnessing across various fields, particularly the legislative one. He also underlined the importance of exchanged visits in enhancing communication and providing opportunities to discuss issues of mutual concern. The delegation of the Group of Friends of Bahrain in the European Parliament lauded the comprehensive development currently witnessed by the kingdom across various fields, especially education, health services, social development, security, stability and continuous economic growth. They also commended the kingdoms efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus, praising Bahrains advanced results in reducing the number of infections TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Mideast Films, in association with CINECO Bahrain, will be releasing a Tamil Short Film entitled Thedum Podhey Tholainthen exclusively in Bahrain theatres on 9 December. Thedum Podhey Tholainthen is a 30-minute Indian Tamil language short film, which is fully produced and made in Bahrain with a talented local cast and crew by a group of Indians living in Bahrain. The film was written and directed by Rajasekar Sittanandam and, produced by Srinivasan Arumugam, under the banner of Mideast Films. The movies audio was recently launched on 22 October by leading Indian celebrities actor Bharat Srinivasan and actress Vani Bhojan in Chennai, India and many VIPs from Bahrain. Executive producer Srinivasan Arumugam said: We are elated that our movie Thedum Podhey Tholainthen is finally getting released on the big screen this December with the support of CINECO, Bahrain. Its the first of its kind, a short film to come on a big screen for a public theatrical release like other mainstream movies. The idea of making this movie locally is a bold step to encourage and support the creative and aspiring talents in Bahrain and GCC. Mideast Films will remain to be an acceleration platform that bridges the talented local cast and crew with mainstream movie industry by multiple association agreements with leading international film production houses. Director Rajasekar and the screenwriters together have aesthetically made this movie, which will be an entertaining and emotional experience for the audiences. This project is a first step forward for the great vision and we look forward to having full support from Bahrain audiences to make this movie a great success. I thank Mr Sunil Balan, COO of CINCO Bahrain, Karthick Raj, Nisha Ranga and other cast and crew for rendering unconditional support over nurturing this movie. We are keeping our fingers crossed and looking forward to the response from press, media and audiences with the theatrical release. Director Rajasekar said: Thedum Podhey Tholainthen isnt just my dream alone, but the dream of the whole crew. The movie is a heart-touching story that connects a single mom, her only son and his fiancee. Every word, dialogue, emotion, music track and screenplay is what I lived through the last six months and Im sure, it will be one of my director piece creations in my entire life. I thank my producers for standing beside us, encouraging us in letting our vision and dream come true. The movie includes well-experienced, talented cast and crew members, starrer Karthick Raj, Nisha Ranganathan, Kaathu Sachindev, Veena Veeramani, Haritha Rajesh and Girish Puruheet and crew of Prashobh Menon Creative Head, Jinu Philip Mathew DOP & Editz, Music by Shibin P Siddiq, Lyrics by R. Prema, Art by Manoj U Sadgamaya, Abhijth, Babu, Lavanya, Syed Rameez, Makeup by K.G Raja, design by Sherin A Mathew, Studio in Dream digital Media and marketing and advertising by Christy Dinakaran. 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. Missouri man charged in 2 deaths, may be tied to others Authorities say a man suspected in multiple shooting deaths in and around St. Louis has been arrested and charged with murder in the killings of two people including a 16-year-old girl Cincinnati, OH (45221) Today Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Theres a semi-serious joke on Twitter about releasing the all-Julia cut of Julie & Julia. Nora Ephrons generation-hopping tale of Julia Child's rise and the modern young woman trying to follow her lead has its fans, but its no secret that the Julia Child section is just more interesting than Julies. Who cares about the blogger learning life lessons through beef bourguignon when you could be watching Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci fawn over one another in 1950s Paris? But heres the thing about the desire for the all-Julia cut. Its not just the actors: Its the fantasy of leading a globe-trotting life full of food and wine and passion and fame, with a supportive husband in the passenger seat. If Julia Child didnt actually exist, I doubt anyone would think to dream her up. Thankfully Julia, a new documentary from RBG directors Julie Cohen and Betsy West in theaters Friday, helps satiate that curiosity and digs a little deeper into the larger-than-life personality who brought French cuisine into American homes and essentially invented the idea of the celebrity television chef. It is a loving and straightforward portrait of this extraordinary womans life and her place in American culture. Its easy to forget that Julia Child lived an entire life before she became just Julia. She was 49 when she published her first book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking and 51 when her television show launched. Our culture tends to fetishize the precocious or gloss over the pre-fame sections of peoples lives, especially when theyre relatively free of drama or tragedy. But Julia reminds us that she did not emerge fully formed in any way and even continued evolving into her later years (except when it came to the idea of limiting butter use). Her trajectory would be impossible to comprehend without glimpses at her privileged childhood in Pasadena, her college education at Smith, her refusal to marry the first banker or doctor who came along and her international travels through a job with the Office of Strategic Services, which is where she met Paul. Cohen and West flesh out their story with talking head interviews from contemporary celebrity chefs like Jose Andres, Ina Garten and Marcus Samuelsson, friends of Julias, a treasure trove of footage from her many, many hours on television and some mouth-watering food porn. The filmmakers were smart to get some modern shots of her recipes being preparedChilds shows might be classics, but food photography has evolved for the better. While Julia is very much a celebration, it doesnt shy away from complexity, including her questionably cold treatment of her co-author and friend after their initial success. The filmmakers strain at times to include as much as they can in 95 minutes, which is no small feat for such a documented life, however the experience begins to feel a little rushed and undercooked. I would have liked a tiny bit more inquiry into why American households in the 1950s were favoring convenience over the ways of their old-world parents and grandparents or butting up against health food movements in the 70s and 80s, for instance. Its still a satisfying and fun tribute to someone whose impacts on modern food culture and celebrity are still being felt. Just dont go in hungry. Julia, a Sony Pictures Classics release, is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America for some thematic elements, sexual reference, brief strong language. Running time: 95 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four. - MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. - Follow AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr: www.twitter.com/ldbahr Connecticut has announced plans to use a software company that will monitor cannabis sales, growth and manufacturing as the state launches its recreational marijuana program. The state announced Monday it plans to use software developed by Consultants Consortium, Inc., and its partner, Forian, to operate the tracking system. The Cannabis Analytic Tracking System aims to give real-time inventory of cannabis products available in the state and to prevent unlawful diversion of products, according to a state Department of Consumer Protection news release. The Consultants Consortium will also provide project management services, oversight and support of the system. It will cost $562,501 to implement the system in the first fiscal year, which ends June 30. Maintenance and operation will cost $165,000 annually. The Consultants Consortium, an Indiana-based firm, already has a state contract for cloud computing, said Kaitlyn Krasselt, a spokesperson for the Department of Consumer Protection. The announcement comes as Connecticut plans to launch its cannabis program after the state legislature legalized recreational use of the substance in June. The number of licenses, as well as the amount of production and sales is likely to have an impact on the price consumers pay for cannabis as well as the governments tax revenue. The tracking program will monitor both sales through the medical and recreational-use programs. Information through the Biotrack software will be gathered from the time a seed is planted to the point of sale to the consumer, according to the release. According to a report from the states Office of Fiscal analysis, the taxes from recreational marijuana will result in a total revenue gain to the state and municipalities of $4.1 million in fiscal year 2022. The number is expected to grow considerably as time goes on, to $26.3 million in 2023, and $44.6 million in 2024. By 2026, annual revenue is expected to hit $73.4 million. Being able to track the states cannabis inventory from seed to sale will allow the department to monitor cannabis production and inventory as it moves from the earliest phases of growth to when it reaches the qualifying patient or consumer, Department of Consumer Protection Commissioner Michelle H. Seagull said in a statement. This information will allow us to see what is currently available in both markets, project future inventory, and identify any potential diversion in the markets. In past Medical Marijuana Program Board of Physicians meetings, members have expressed concerns about a lack of data collected thus far on the medical program. The board advises the Department of Consumer Protections on certain decisions about the medical program including qualifying conditions to add to the states list. All cannabis licensees will be mandated to enter information into the system. The state is not yet accepting business license applications, although the department has established measures to preserve the medical program when recreational sales begin. Businesses that sell medical marijuana will be required to keep that program in place, for example. Connecticut has about 54,000 registered medical marijuana patients, according to online data. Information collected in the new tracking system will typically be used by the Department of Consumer Protection and the Department of Revenue Services. Law enforcement may also use the data as needed. Recreational-use sales are expected to begin by the end of 2022. Decisions that still need to be made include detailed guidelines for social equity applicants and how many licenses will be doled out. Gov. Ned Lamont has cleared up any confusion over whether hes running for reelection, declaring Tuesday at an event in New Britain: Im ready to go. I love the job. I think were making a difference and I just didnt want to get tied down in the politics of it for the next six months, so I kept it a little ambiguous, Lamont said after the event on diversifying the teaching workforce. A day earlier, the governor told reporters hed filed the paperwork to run for reelection in 2022, but did not say definitively that he would seek a second term. By Tuesday, he sounded like the Democratic nominee for governor, highlighting the states economic turnaround under his tenure likely to be a key feature of his reelection campaign. We had moving vans leaving the state. Businesses leaving the state. People being a little bit down on the state, Lamont said. Three years later, the moving vans have turned around. Businesses are coming back to the state. Weve got our fiscal house in order. With $5.38 billion coming to Connecticut for highway, bridge and rail projects, Lamont said the state needs a leader with business acumen to make sure the money is spent wisely. I think you want somebody with a strong executive background who knows how to put that money to work in the most productive way possible, he said. Lamont, 67, a digital media entrepreneur from Greenwich and heir to an early 20th century Wall Street fortune, self-funded his 2018 run for governor, spending more than $14 million of his own money. He is expected to self-finance his 2022 run for reelection. He is running again with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz. Two Republicans are actively seeking the GOP nomination to challenge Lamont. The governors 2018 opponent, Bob Stefanowski had not filed paperwork as of Tuesday afternoon. Former House Republican Leader Themis Klarides filed in May to prepare a run using her own money, in a type of filing that prohibits her from raising outside money and does not require her to form a campaign committee. In a related political development, House Majority Leader Jason Rojas on Monday announced that Matthew Brokman, his chief of staff, will become the new executive director of the Democratic State Party. Brokman is replacing Jacqueline Kozin, a deputy campaign manager for Lamont in 2018 who will now become chief of government relations at the states Paid Family Medical Leave Authority. Brokman will remain working for the House majority and split his time working for the party, Rojas said This is a unique and exciting opportunity that will reduce Matts visibility in our office, but wont take him away completely, Rojas said, promising that Brokman will be back full-time in the State Capitol when the short, budget-adjustment session begins in February. Until session and post-session, Matts hours will be reduced at the state as he works to help elect Democrats. Nancy DiNardo, of Trumbull, remains the state chairwoman. House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, urged the Joint Committee of Legislative Management to emphatically reject this employment arrangement. The notion that the Majority Leaders chief of staff should be allowed to work part-time in that role, collecting a government paycheck, while also running the political shop for Governor Lamont and legislative Democrats seeking reelection, is disturbing and smacks of an arrogance that comes with one-party rule, Candelora said in a statement Tuesday. Staff Writer Ken Dixon contributed reporting. julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com Gov. Ned Lamont filed papers Monday for a 2022 reelection campaign, but stopped short of declaring definitively whether he would seek a second term. Lamont mentioned filing the paperwork during a stop in Ansonia that both highlighted major upgrades along Metro-Norths Waterbury branch and the new federal infrastructure bills potential affect on Connecticut. The federal act, which will send at least $2 billion in added money to the state over the next five years, gave Lamont and the states Congressional delegation a chance to talk about progress in 2022 now that 2021 elections are done. I filed the paperwork today, which facilitates our getting into a political campaign. Ive got to make up my mind formally in the months to come. But I figured, lets be prepared. Lets file the paperwork. Lets get this thing going, Lamont said. Lamont, a digital media entrpreneur and heir to an early 20th century Wall Street fortune, spent more than $14 million of his own money on his 2018 election and is expected to largely self-finance his 2022 run for reelection, rather than participate in the states public financing program. That program gives about $7 million to qualified, major party nominees for governor and severly limits other spending. Lamont has done nothing to discourage a drumbeat of speculation that he was setting up for a run. In May, for example, when a Democratic Party operative joined the partys state central staff, the governor didnt deny that the person was laying groundwork for his reelection. It means I have options, Lamont said. The governor is expected to again run with Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, who said she also filed papers Monday. In a related move Monday, Matthew Brokman, a top staff member for state House Democrats, was moving to state central as executive director as part of Lamonts political operation, the CT Mirror reported, citing sources. Two Republicans are actively seeking the GOP nomination to face Lamont. Bob Stefanowski, the 2018 nominee, had yet to file papers as of Monday; former House Republican Leader Themis Klarides filed in May to prepare a run using her own money, in a type of filing that bars her from raising outside money and does not require her to form a campaign committee. Lamonts filing, known as a 1A, was received at 4:42 p.m. by the State Elections Enforcement Commission, the online SEEC system showed. The filing by Edward M. Lamont names Eloisa Melendez of Norwalk as his treasurer and allows him to raise money through a campaign committee, known as Ned for CT. Stefanowski and Klarides both live in Madison; either one would need significant funding from the Republican Governors Association to compete against Lamonts outlays. Lamont defeated Stefanowski by a margin of 44,000 votes, 49.4 percent to 46.2 percent, with third-party candidate R. Nelson Oz Griebel pulling in 3.9 percent. Lamont has spent well over half his time in office dealing with the global COVID-19 pandemic that led to hundreds of thousands of infections in Connecticut and abruptly upended the states economy. The first-term goveror saw his popularity among residents jump amid his handling of the pandemic largely by a series of executive orders that are still in effect. But Lamont had faltered before the pandemic, with a first year in office, 2019, that was marked by his failure to enact highway tolls as a way to shore up the states transportation budget. That led to approval ratings below 30 percent. A Sacred Heart University poll from last month showed 50.5 percent approval among those surveyed, down about 5 percentage points from April. Support was high among Democrats, but was 44 percent for unaffiliated voters, 42 percent for unaffiliated voters and 30 percent for Republican voters. Lamont confirmed that Bysiewicz also was filing paperwork and the pair will run together if they seek a second term in office. It is a candidate committee, I believe his papers will say he's running for governor and mine will definitely say Im running for lieutenant governor, Bysiewicz said at the event Monday. Staff Writers Eddy Martinez, Ken Dixon and Dan Haar contributed reporting. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota pollution officials on Monday released a proposed impaired waters list for 2022, an update that included the addition of 15 northeastern and central Minnesota water bodies where fish have been contaminated with long-lasting chemicals. The 15 were added due to contamination with a family of widely used chemicals known as PFAS, sometimes called forever chemicals "due to their inability to break down. It's the first time water bodies outside the Minneapolis-St. Paul area have made the list due to PFAS contamination. A PFAS compound known as perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, or PFOS, can accumulate in fish and potentially cause adverse health effects in people who consume them. The waters include several bodies east of the Twin Cities metro area where the chemicals used by Maplewood-based 3M to make products resistant to heat, oil, stains, grease and water entered the area's groundwater after decades of dumping into landfills. Three lakes downstream from an active cleanup site at the Duluth International Airport were also found to have high levels of PFOS, which has been used in firefighting foam. What all this means is more work is needed to identify and eliminate the sources of PFOS in order to reduce their levels in lakes in rivers and prevent limits being placed on fish consumption, said Miranda Nichols, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's impaired waters list coordinator. The new additions bring the total of Minnesota water bodies with PFOS contamination to 26. The proposed new listings include portions of the St. Croix and St. Louis rivers in eastern Minnesota, Winona Lake in Alexandria in central Minnesota; and Wild Rice Lake and the Fish Lake Flowage in St. Louis County of northeast Minnesota. Those already on the list included Bde Maka Ska lake in Minneapolis and the Mississippi River, among others. Some PFAS have been linked to health problems including low birth weight, kidney and thyroid issues and some cancers. In total, the MPCA is proposing to add 305 water bodies with 417 new impairments for various reasons, bringing the total list to nearly 3,000 water bodies and more than 6,100 impairments. Common impairments include streams with degraded fish and bug habitats, too much sediment in lakes so fish can't breathe or find food and high bacterial levels that make water unsafe for swimming. Minnesota's lakes and rivers and streams are some of our most valuable resources. They're the heart of our state the Land of 10,000 lakes and they're critical to our livelihood and our recreation, said Peter Tester, deputy commissioner of the MPCA. As the agency expands its PFAS monitoring, officials expect to find new contamination in waters throughout the state. About 75% of Minnesota lakes that were studied meet state water quality standards and a majority of the states recreational lakes remain swimmable, according to MPCA data from this past August. About 31 water bodies were removed from the impaired list due to restoration efforts. Minnesota is required by the federal Clean Water Act to submit an impaired waters list to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency every two years. The release of the proposed list kicks off a 60-day public comment period that ends in early January before state officials submit the list to the EPA in April. ___ Mohamed Ibrahim 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. WILBER, Neb. (AP) A woman convicted of murder for her role in the death and dismemberment of a Nebraska hardware store clerk was sentenced to life in prison on Monday, avoiding the prospect of being the first woman in state history to be sentenced to death. A three-judge panel deadlocked on the appropriate sentence for Bailey Boswell, with two arguing that the 27-year-old deserved to die for her crimes and the third maintaining that prosecutors failed to prove that the case merited the ultimate punishment. Boswell will now spend the rest of her life at the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women for her role in the 2017 death and dismemberment of Sydney Loofe. She was sentenced at the county courthouse in Wilber, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) southwest of Lincoln. Prosecutors said Boswell and her boyfriend, Aubrey Trail, 55, had been planning to kill someone before Boswell met Loofe, 24, on the dating app Tinder and lured her to them. Loofe, a cashier at a Menards store in Lincoln, was strangled. Her body parts were later found in garbage bags, cut into 14 pieces and left in ditches along country roads in rural Clay County. Boswell's court-appointed attorney, Todd Lancaster, said he was aware of at least two other cases in Nebraska where a three-judge panel split over whether to impose the death penalty, resulting in a default life sentence. I can say that Bailey is grateful for the sake of her family and particularly her (7-year-old) daughter, Nahla, that she did not receive a death sentence, and so am I," said Lancaster, of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy. In a statement, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson did not directly address the ruling but thanked local law enforcement and the jury that convicted Boswell for their work. With the criminal cases coming to a close and the anniversary of (Loofe's) death approaching, our thoughts are with the Loofe family during this difficult time," Peterson said. Judge Peter Bataillon, the lone dissenter in Monday's ruling, called the crime horrible and said Boswell should spend the rest of her life in prison, but he said he wasn't convinced that she had shown exceptional depravity," the legal standard required for a death sentence. He did not elaborate but has voted to impose death sentences in the past. Judges Vicky Johnson and Darla Ideus disagreed and ruled in favor of capital punishment. Both judges concluded that Boswell deserved death because she helped lure Loofe back to the apartment where she and Trail lived and bought power tools ahead of time that were used to cut up Loofe's body. They also pointed to statements at trial that Boswell was sexually aroused by thoughts of people being tortured and killed. Boswell's actions and words demonstrate that she had no regard for the life of Sydney Loofe beyond her own pleasure," Johnson said. Johnson described Loofe as a helpless victim who was targed in a cold, calculating manner. As she read her ruling aloud in court, several members of Loofe's family lowered their heads and one woman dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. The family left the courtroom after the sentencing without taking questions. Boswell was convicted in October 2020 of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and improper disposal of human remains. Trail was convicted of the same charges in 2019 and sentenced in June to death. No execution date has been set, and based on Nebraskas history with the death penalty, its unlikely his punishment will be carried out anytime soon. Although Trail has changed his story numerous times, he admitted at his sentencing that he strangled Loofe with an electric cord, as prosecutors had alleged. He said he tied up Loofe and killed her because she freaked out when he told her about his lifestyle with Boswell and other young women, which included defrauding antique dealers and rough group sex. Trail acknowledged that he repeatedly lied to authorities and plotted to kill Loofe two to three hours before her slaying. But he asserted that Boswell wasnt in the room and didnt know he was going to do it a claim that Judges Johnson and Ideus didn't believe. Trail became the 12th man on death row in Nebraska, a state that rarely carries out executions. He missed much of his own trial after slashing his neck in the courtroom and yelling, Bailey is innocent, I curse you all. The states most recent execution was of convicted murderer Carey Dean Moore in 2018, after Moore dropped all of his appeals and asked to be killed. Before that, Nebraskas last execution was in 1997. Boswell will now become the 16th woman serving a life sentence in Nebraska for first-degree murder, according to a Nebraska Department of Correctional Services spokeswoman. The men on death row are awaiting execution at the all-male Tecumseh State Correctional Institution. ___ Follow Grant Schulte on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrantSchulte ___ This story has been corrected to attribute views on killings and relationship with Aubrey Trail to Boswell, not Loofe. OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) The Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a $465 million opioid ruling against drugmaker Johnson & Johnson, finding that a lower court wrongly interpreted the state's public nuisance law in the first case of its kind in the U.S. to go to trial. The ruling was the second blow this month to a government case that used a similar approach to try to hold drugmakers responsible for the national epidemic of opioid abuse. Public nuisance claims are at the heart of some 3,000 lawsuits brought by state and local governments against drugmakers, distribution companies and pharmacies, but it's not clear that the legal theory is in trouble with so many more cases queued up to test it. The court ruled in a 5-1 decision that District Judge Thad Balkman in 2019 was wrong to find that New Jersey-based J&J and its Belgium-based subsidiary Janssen Pharmaceuticals violated the states public nuisance statute. The court has allowed public nuisance claims to address discrete, localized problems, not policy problems, according to the opinion written by Justice James R. Winchester. J&J had no control of its products through the multiple levels of distribution, including after it sold the opioids to distributors and wholesalers, which were then disbursed to pharmacies, hospitals, and physicians offices, and then prescribed by doctors to patients. The ruling also said the company had no control over how patients then used the products. The high court said that although it wouldn't want to downplay the suffering that thousands of Oklahomans have gone through because of opioids, the question was whether the companys marketing and sale of opioids created a public nuisance. J&J no longer promotes any prescription opioids and has not done so for several years, since 2015, Winchester wrote. Even with J&Js marketing practices these ... medications amounted to less than 1% of all Oklahoma opioid prescriptions. State statistics show that from 2007 to 2017, more than 4,600 people in Oklahoma died from overdoses from opioids of all kinds, including prescription painkillers and illicit versions such as heroin and illegally made fentanyl. Nationally, opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths since 2000. The court also rejected the states appeal to increase the damages award. The state was planning to use the $465 million to fight the opioid crisis, but said that wasn't nearly enough to pay for the harm it has done. The ruling comes a week after a California judge issued a tentative ruling that said local governments had not proven that Johnson & Johnson and other drugmakers used deceptive marketing to inflate prescriptions of their painkillers, leading to a public nuisance. Although the Oklahoma lawsuit filed by former state Attorney General Mike Hunter was the first of thousands of similar lawsuits to go to trial, the state Supreme Court's ruling doesn't necessarily spell doom for the others. Elizabeth Burch, a University of Georgia School of Law professor who is following the opioid litigation, said other judges and juries might not decide their cases the same way. The question is still whether these are outliers, she said. I dont think we have enough of a consensus on public nuisance law and where it goes and how it works. Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, noted that state public nuisance laws vary and that the California ruling could be altered by a higher court. Nuisance law varies from state to state, especially in this context because its so cutting edge, he said. "We havent seen enough cases to sort this out and say whether its going to be a viable theory or not. The Oklahoma case was the first of its kind to go to trial, and the one in California is the only other one where a verdict was issued, as most cases have been settled before or during trials. But other opioid trials rooted in public nuisance law are happening before juries in a federal court in Cleveland and a state court in New York. And a ruling is expected soon in a trial before a judge in West Virginia. Oklahoma's current attorney general, John O'Connor, said he was disappointed by the ruling that overturned a huge victory for those suffering from opioid abuse. Our staff will be exploring options, O'Connor said in a statement. We are still pursuing our other pending claims against opioid distributors who have flooded our communities with these highly addictive drugs for decades. The state has also filed lawsuit against three companies that distribute opioids. Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that the ruling appropriately overturned a misguided and unprecedented attempt to expand public nuisance laws. We recognize the opioid crisis is a tremendously complex public health issue, and we have deep sympathy for everyone affected, the drugmaker said. The Companys actions relating to the marketing and promotion of these important prescription pain medications were appropriate and responsible. Earlier this year, Johnson & Johnson agreed to pay $5 billion to settle similar lawsuits across the U.S. In a related deal, the nation's three largest drug distribution companies also agreed to a $21 billion settlement over time. It's up to the companies to decide whether to move ahead as they see how many government entities join. The companies all found that enough states joined for them to survey local governments. Burch said that the new rulings in California and Oklahoma might prompt some governments that were on the fence to join rather than risk losing on their claims in court. Two other prominent opioid makers, Purdue Pharma and Mallinckrodt, have reached nationwide settlements through the bankruptcy process. In dissent, Justice James E. Edmondson said he would uphold the verdict but send the case back to district court to recalculate the damages award. The state had asked that the award be increased to $9.3 billion. ___ Associated Press reporter Geoff Mulvihill in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, contributed to this report. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) The founder of a Florida big cat sanctuary featured in the popular Tiger King series is suing Netflix and a production company to prevent the use of interviews and footage involving her in an upcoming sequel. Netflix counters that nonprofit Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin and her husband agreed in writing that the material could be used in the future and that she is trying to block the company's First Amendment right to free speech. The lawsuit, pending in Tampa federal court, is the latest twist in the saga involving Baskin and Joe Exotic real name Joseph Maldonado-Passage who were at the center of the documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness. The sequel is set to air beginning Nov. 17, Netflix said in a court filing Monday. The first series was immensely popular, airing in March 2020 just as coronavirus pandemic restrictions forced people to stay home. It drew some 64 million household viewers in its first month and was nominated for six prime-time Emmy awards, according to the company. Much of the series has focused on a dispute between Baskin and Maldonado-Passage over treatment of tigers, lions and other big cats at an Oklahoma zoo he formerly operated. Maldonado-Passage is imprisoned after he was convicted of attempting to hire someone to kill Baskin, a tale told in the initial series. In her lawsuit, Baskin contends that Royal Goode Productions Inc., which produced Tiger King" for Netflix, led her and husband Howard Baskin to believe their footage would only be used in a single documentary. Baskin also objects to her portrayal in the first series, especially the insinuation she had something to do with the mysterious 1997 disappearance of her previous husband, Don Lewis, who was declared dead in 2002 but whose remains have never been found. The Baskins believed that any sequel, though odious, would not include any of their footage, the lawsuit says. Tiger King I was particularly harsh and unfair in its depictions of the Baskins and Big Cat Rescue. Baskin declined further comment Tuesday on the lawsuit but did speak to The Associated Press recently about at upcoming Discovery+ two-part series called Carole Baskins Cage Fight, intended to call attention to the problem of zoos that allow tiger petting and private ownership of the animals. Baskin has crusaded for better treatment of big cats. We have never, ever had anybody mislead us and be so dishonest with us as the producers were of Tiger King, Baskin told AP. "And so they were just a fluke. I mean, that was not like it was our first experience and we were never going to do it again. It was like, OK, well, that was horrible, but thats just them. Thats not the industry. Netflix, however, says the Baskins explicitly agreed in written releases that all their interviews and footage shot at their Tampa cat refuge could be used in future projects. Aside from that, Netlix's lawyers say tampering with the sequel amounts to unconstitutional prior restraint of the right to free speech and that the Baskins can only sue for damages after it airs. Defendants did not need to obtain a release from plaintiffs to use the footage in Tiger King 2 or its promotion trailers, Netflix attorney Rachel Fugate said in court documents. The Baskins have no claim at all, much less one that can evade defendants' First Amendment protections. Netflix also notes in its filing that Baskin has used the popularity of Tiger King for her own publicity purposes, even appearing on ABC's Dancing With The Stars and essentially becoming a pop culture phenomenon because of the program, the company attorneys said. A Tampa federal judge overseeing the lawsuit had not yet issued a ruling as of Tuesday afternoon. As for Maldonado-Passage, an appeals court recently ruled that his 22-year prison sentence on the Baskin murder-for-hire plot should be reduced. He being held at a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. Maldonado-Passage also announced last week that he has an aggressive form of prostate cancer and, in a Twitter post, asked people to pray for him. _____ Associated Press writer Alicia Rancilio in New York contributed to this story. Grant's is the cornerstone brand from William Grant & Sons (four-time winner of the IWSC Distiller of the Year), six generations of the Grants family have stood together through thick and thin to hold the title of Scotland's oldest continuously family-run blended whisky makers. Grant's remains the only blended whisky producer to have its own Stillman (The Maker), Cooper (The Muscle), and Master Blender (The Master) working together in one location. Grant's is blended by the respected master blender, Brian Kinsman, who personally selects the three barrels to create the smooth, fruit-balanced flavour of Grant's Triple Wood 12. "I've long been proud of the whiskies we create together at Grant's Girvan Distillery," comments Brian Kinsman, Master Blender at William Grant & Sons. "When you have a winning team and determination, you can really do great things. We've gone the extra mile for Grant's Triple Wood 12, aging it for a minimum of 12 years and using a sherry cask as the third barrel to layer in a sweet spice to balance the vanilla and sweetness." Grant's Triple Wood 12 takes a creamy, fruity spirit and is aged in three barrels. Each barrel provides a distinctive layer of flavour to the final blend. Refill Bourbon barrels offer brown sugar sweetness, American oak lend subtle vanilla smoothness, and the revered sherry cask - that dials the quality up a notch, adds a sweet, spicy finish that sets Grant's Triple Wood apart. The liquid is aged for a minimum of 12 years before blending, resulting in a rich, complex, final product. Grant's Triple Wood 12 is produced at Grant's Girvan Distillery, an impressive structure that was built in 1963. When another Scotch company threatened to cut off the supply of grain whisky, Charles Gordon, great-grandson of William Grant, worked together with a team of 400 local workers to complete the distillery in a record time of nine months. The result of their combined efforts and steely determination was the most technologically advanced distillery of its day. Today, Grant's Girvan Distillery is home to Grant's not-so-secret weapon: the Girvan Patent Still, which produces its signature - and coveted - sweet, fruity, and light distillate. "When savouring Grant's Triple Wood 12, don't be afraid to break convention and add a little ice and a bit of orange peel to accentuate the fruity character," comments Danny Dyer, Grant's Global Brand Ambassador. "It's a blended scotch whisky to be enjoyed many ways." Grant's Triple Wood 12, winner of the Gold medal at ISC 2021 & 2020 and world's best blended scotch whisky at the IWSC in 2019 (one of the industry's most prestigious competitions), will be available at select liquor retailers across Canada, starting this holiday season. With its distinctive premium black bottle and triangular bottle design, this makes both a magnificent gift this holiday season and an ideal dram or cocktail to enjoy on those special occasions together, all year round. "Grant's Triple Wood 12 is also great in a long, refreshing drink like a Grant's & Soda, which I serve with fresh orange and a touch of local honey," adds Dyer. "The honey and orange work together to give that fruity sweet zing and complements the flavours of our whisky perfectly. I'm excited to share our newest innovation to Canadians of legal drinking age coast to coast!" Other liquids from the Grant's Family available in Canada include Grant's Triple Wood and Grant's Sherry Cask 8-Year-Old, each providing an array of distinctive flavour profiles to delight consumers, and available in select provinces at fine retailers. TASTING NOTES: Aged in three distinct woods for smoother taste: Nose: Sweet and sherry-like, with dried fruits. Subtle woody notes and malty undertones. Taste: Vanilla, honey, and spice. All mixed together for a rich, sweet flavour. Aged grains and peated malt add depth. Finish: Long soothing and warm, a feeling you won't want to rush. ABOUT GRANT'S WHISKY Six generations of Grants have stood together through thick and thin to hold the title of Scotland's oldest continuously family-run blended whisky makers. Making Grant's is a true team effort, as it takes 198 pairs of hands to take the whisky from grain to glass. Grant's remains the only blended whisky producer to have its own Stillman (The Maker), Cooper (The Muscle), and master blender (The Master) working together in one location. Three is the magic number for Grant's Triple Wood, as three wooden barrels and three key people make this special blend truly something unique. www.grantswhisky.com Distributed by PMA Canada www.pmacanada.com ABOUT WILLIAM GRANT & SONS William Grant & Sons, Ltd. is an independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the luxury spirits company is run by the fifth generation of his family and distills some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world's most awarded single malt Glenfiddich, The Balvenie range of handcrafted single malts, small-batch, handcrafted Hendrick's Gin and the world's third largest blended Scotch, Grant's, as well as other iconic spirits brands such as Sailor Jerry, Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey, Monkey Shoulder and Drambuie, Reyka Vodka and Milagro Tequila. Represented in Canada by PMA Canada Agency. www.pmacanada.com SOURCE Grant's Whisky For further information: For more information, samples, or images, please visit www.grants.alchemystsinc.com. For information about Grant's globally, please visit www.grantswhisky.com. Mandatory pre-departure PCR testing for fully vaccinated international travellers is keeping international visitors at home and devastating small businesses Small business operators and the Canadian Travel & Tourism Roundtable call on the federal government to remove the pre-departure PCR test for fully vaccinated visitors The Roundtable urges the government to align travel policies for land and air to reduce the obstacles to travel and allow small Canadian tourism businesses to recover fully BANFF, AB, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Together with the Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable ("The Roundtable"), business operators in Banff, Alberta, are calling on the federal government to remove unnecessary and non-science-based obstacles to international travel, such as the pre-departure PCR test for fully vaccinated travellers as they are threatening the success of Alberta's ski season. The Roundtable calls on the federal government to align policies for land and air travel to allow the travel and tourism sector to recover fully. Banff has long been a prime tourist destination for international visitors looking to take in the richness of the Rocky Mountains. However, since the onset of the pandemic, business operators in Banff who have come to rely on international visitors, particularly during the winter season are struggling and are at risk of permanent closure. Simply put, international travellers are not returning. In 2019-2020, Banff National Park lost 300,000 visitors compared to the year prior. 1 While in the first half of 2021, there were 1.1 million visitors compared to 1.2 million in 2019, local tourists don't spend their dollars the same way international travellers do. International travellers seek out supports, such as tour operators or guided activities and hotels also have lower bookings, since many visitors come from nearby cities. The past 19 months have been incredibly tough on Banff's tourism economy, and this winter travel season is evolving into an even more dire situation. The federal government's imposition of mandatory PCR testing for fully vaccinated travellers keeps international travellers away, leaving Banff's small businesses to fend for themselves. For the average family, travel to Canada is becoming increasingly difficult. The burdensome cost of a PCR test can add over $200 per person or an additional $800 for a family of four to visit Canada. This fee proves cost-prohibitive to many international visitors who are simply choosing to stay home and spend their money elsewhere. Canada's rules run counter to the recommendations made by the federal government's COVID-19 Testing and Screening Expert Advisory Panel Report ("The Expert Panel"), which concluded that fully vaccinated travellers should not require a pre-departure test. Canada's travel rules are out of step with the international community. Countries including France, Portugal, Germany and the United Kingdom have recognized that requiring pre-departure and arrival tests for vaccinated travellers is redundant and have exempted fully vaccinated travellers from pre-departure testing requirements. Although many had travel bookings lined up over the November-December period, the travel and tourism industry is bracing yet again for cancellations, with international visitors looking to either cancel or delay long-awaited winter trips and family visits. This is making it difficult to resource, understand hiring needs and to predict demand. The pandemic, vaccination status, and available science have changed; so too should the response and measures to keep Canadians safe while allowing the travel and tourism industry to re-open. Alberta's middle class and the small business operators who form the backbone of Canada's communities depend on it. Quotes "In normal years, Banff Sunshine, Lake Louise, and Mt. Norquay play host to many international visitors looking for an alpine winter escape and good old fashioned family fun. But this year, we are once again facing a government that seems indifferent to the needs of travel and tourism operators, choosing to impose unnecessary pre-departure tests on fully vaccinated international visitors. This policy has real impacts on Banff and Lake Louise businesses like SkiBig3. This costly, confusing and cumbersome process sends a clear message to our skiers and snowboarders: keep out. Without international travellers, many businesses like SkiBig3 are facing an existential crisis and can't predict with any confidence how many staff to hire. Ski season has kicked off and we will be faced with mass international cancellations if something is not done soon." - Pete Woods President and CEO of SkiBig3 "The PCR test is a major barrier for international visitors hoping to travel across the border. The result is that many families particularly Americans who make up the a significant amount of Banff's winter visitors are simply choosing to spend their money elsewhere. The cost and inconvenience is too high, and until the federal government takes action to reduce the obstacles to travel, small Canadian tourism businesses in Alberta will not be able to fully recover ." - Darren Reeder Board Advisor, Tourism Industry Association of Alberta "For small businesses in Banff, we haven't seen international travel return and many of us will not survive the winter. As small businesses, we did everything we could to support the pandemic effort. Now, we ask the government to change the rules so we can begin to get back to business." - Andrew Matergio Owner of Banff SoulSki and Bike "Banff's hospitality sector is incredibly dependent on international travel. Many of our restaurants are facing another winter season of staff cutbacks and low revenues without international visitors. Despite considerable effort and creative marketing solutions on our part, there is only so much we can do to encourage visitors to support local Banff businesses in the face of unnecessary restrictions on fully vaccinated international visitors. We need the federal government to make common-sense changes to the rules so our businesses can stand a chance." - Katie Tuff Banff Hospitality Collective About the Canadian Tourism Roundtable The Canadian Tourism Roundtable is a cross-Canadian coalition of leaders in the tourism and travel sector including representatives from airports, airlines, hotels, and chambers of commerce across the country committed to working together to restart the sector smoothly and safely. Travel and Tourism is a $102 billion sector, employing millions of Canadians across the country and accounting for 2.1% of the country's gross domestic product. It advocates for a safe and prosperous tourism and travel sector across Canada. ____________________ 1 Number of visitors to Banff National Park in Canada 2011-2020, Statista Research Department, Oct 19 2021 SOURCE Canadian Travel and Tourism Roundtable For further information: For media inquiries, please contact: Randi Rahamim, [email protected] BMO Financial Group announces $2.5M campaign gift at gala fundraiser to support new mentorship opportunities for children and youth TORONTO, Nov. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - It was an incredible weekend as Children's Aid Foundation of Canada raised over $4 million for children, youth and families involved with the child welfare system at its annual gala and through a campaign leadership gift from BMO Financial Group (BMO), the gala's patron sponsor. On Saturday night, more than 600 philanthropists, business and community leaders gathered across five venues for Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's Gala Special Edition's to show their support for making positive change in the lives of children and youth who have experienced the child welfare system. BMO CEO Darryl and his wife Cassandra White welcomed guests as the gala's honorary chairs and kicked off the inspirational evening by announcing a $2.5 million gift from BMO to Children's Aid Foundation of Canada's Stand Up for Kids: Future Transformed Campaign to create a new mentorship program for young people in communities across Canada. "We are extremely grateful to BMO for their leadership and ongoing commitment to the well-being of children, youth and families in Canada," says Valerie McMurtry, President and CEO, Children's Aid Foundation of Canada, "BMO's investment in a national mentorship program holds the potential to be truly transformational for the future of young people in need." Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is proud of its 30-year partnership with BMO that continues to focus on providing programs that support educational opportunities and promote mentorship for youth. "BMO's longstanding partnership with Children's Aid Foundation of Canada exemplifies how we Boldly Grow the Good in business and life alongside our customers and communities," said Darryl White, Chief Executive Officer, BMO Financial Group. "We're proud to help transform the lives of Canada's most vulnerable children and youth, by supporting the creation of a new national mentorship program that will provide enrichment and the promise of a bright future." In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's gala took on a unique format with guests gathering in smaller groups at intimate venues, held in accordance with public health guidelines across downtown Toronto. The gala celebrated togetherness and community after a year of challenges and youth speakers involved with the child welfare system shared remarkable examples of their strength and spirit. Thanks to a wonderful community of Foundation supporters, the gala has raised more than $36.5 million for young people in need since its inception 35 years ago. About Children's Aid Foundation of Canada Children's Aid Foundation of Canada is our country's leading charity dedicated to standing up for children and families involved in the child welfare system and standing alongside youth with lived experience. We raise and grant funds and deliver a wide range of high-impact programs and services in partnership with 104 child- and youth-serving agencies across the country. Last year, we supported over 46,500 children and youth and 12,300 families. Find out more at cafdn.org About BMO Financial Group Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $971 billion as of July 31, 2021, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets. SOURCE Children's Aid Foundation of Canada For further information: Lisa Lipkin, Lisa Lipkin Communications for Children's Aid Foundation of Canada, [email protected], 416-988-4189; Kelsey Rutherford, BMO Financial Group, [email protected], 416-867-3996 Related Links http://www.cafdn.org OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 8, 2021 /CNW/ - The Minister of Transport, the Honourable Omar Alghabra, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Honourable Joyce Murray, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, the Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, and the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, the Honourable Filomena Tassi, today issued the following statement on the fifth anniversary of Canada's Oceans Protection Plan: "The health and protection of Canada's coasts are critical to our environment, to our economy, and to all Canadians. Today, we mark the milestones achieved from the significant investments made towards Canada's Ocean Protection Plan, first created five years ago. Through these investments, we've built a system for marine protection and emergency preparedness that has exceeded international standards and preserved our coasts and waterways for generations to come. Today, marine shipping in Canada is safer, and our coastal ecosystems better protected than ever before. Canadians can be proud of the progress made to date, including over 50 initiatives that have been launched and are delivering results since 2016, such as: Training hundreds of people to work in the marine industry with a focus on underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous Peoples and women. Opening 6 new and 1 previously closed Canadian Coast Guard stations and updating infrastructure at over 130 marine communications and traffic services sites in remote areas across Canada . . Removing almost 600 abandoned vessels from our waters to reduce hazards to navigation and to the environment. "These results have been achieved in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and are an important step towards the co-management of our coasts and oceans in Canada. "From coast-to-coast-to-coast, marine shipping is a cornerstone of Canada's economy, providing Canadians with the goods they use every day, while creating thousands of well-paying middle class jobs. Safer marine shipping and other Oceans Protection Plan priorities will enable us to continue building back better in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Government of Canada continues to remain steadfast in its commitment to safeguard our environment as we take actions to protect our coastlines, conserve and regenerate marine ecosystems and wildlife, improve Canada's ability to prevent and respond to marine incidents, and to grow meaningful partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities. "In 2015, less than 1% of our oceans were protected, but today, 14% is now protected with an aim to protect 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030. These efforts complement the work carried out under the Oceans Protection Plan and will help ensure not only the conservation, but the regeneration, of our marine life and ecosystems. As we look towards renewing the Oceans Protection Plan, we will continue working collaboratively to ensure Canada's oceans are protected for generations to come." Quick facts The Oceans Protection Plan was launched on November 7 th in Vancouver, B.C. in The Report to Canadians is a summary of the work accomplished to date across more than 50 initiatives and hundreds of projects from coast-to-coast-to-coast. Indigenous Peoples have participated in 1,646 engagement sessions and workshops and have partnered or co-developed many of the over 50 Oceans Protection Plan initiatives. Associated links Multimedia Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada. This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities. SOURCE Transport Canada For further information: Contacts: Allison St-Jean, Senior Communications Advisor & Press Secretary, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, (613) 290-8656, [email protected]; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055, [email protected] Related Links http://www.tc.gc.ca/ As many as four children have died after the childrens ward of Bhopals Kamla Nehru Hospital caught fire on Monday night. The Madhya Pradesh government has announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakhs for the deceased. Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang speaking to ANI said, There were 40 children in the ward out of which 36 are safe. Ex gratia of Rs 4 lakhs will be given to parents of each deceased. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered a high-level enquiry into the incident. A high-level inquiry has been ordered into the incident. The investigation will be done by ACS Public Health and Medical Education Mohammad Suleman, his tweet read. The Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister also condoled the death of children in the incident. The untimely departure of children from the world is unbearable pain. I pray to God for peace to the departed souls. My deepest condolences to the families of the children. I wish speedy recovery for those who were injured in the incident, he added. A Childrens ward of Kamla Nehru Hospital in Bhopal caught fire late on Monday. As per state Medical Education Minister Vishvas Sarang, 36 other children inside the ward are safe. Sarang also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakhs for the parents of each deceased child. Sri Lankan scientists put their foot down, warning that China's organic fertilizer would be an agricultural disaster as the samples were found to be infected with Erwinia, a notorious plant pathogen that causes severe post-harvest losses in crops. Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co Ltd, the Chinese company involved in a controversy with Sri Lanka over imported fertilizer, has demanded USD 8 million from the Additional Director of the National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS) of Sri Lanka for the loss and damage caused to the company. The company has sent a letter of demand asking for this payment through its lawyer M.J.S. Fonseka. In a Letter of Demand sent to Dr W.A.R.T Wickramaarachchi, Additional Director of the National Plant Quarantine Service of the Department of Agriculture, Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co Ltd stated that the payment should be paid within three days starting from November 5 and warned of legal action otherwise, Daily Mirror Online reported. According to the publication, Sri Lanka rejected the shipment on the basis that samples provided by the company contained harmful bacteria called Erwinia. However, the supplier disputed it. The company asserts that it has suffered a loss of USD million and continues to suffer further loss and damage due to loss of reputation and goodwill as well as an existing and potential business, Daily Mirror Online reported. Earlier a global think tank Policy Research Group (POREG) stated that after the Sri Lankan government rejected an order of organic fertilizer from a Chinese company, Beijing has been putting pressure on Colombo to accept its consignment. Policy Research Group said in two samples, the Sri Lanka Standard Institutions as also National Plant Quarantine Service and Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board found micro-organisms, pathogens, and diseases harmful to the soil, plants, and humans. In fact, Sri Lankan scientists put their foot down, warning that Chinas organic fertilizer would be an agricultural disaster as the samples were found to be infected with Erwinia, a notorious plant pathogen that causes severe post-harvest losses in crops, the think tank said. It further stated that from all accounts China is not willing to accept that Sri Lanka has disallowed a consignment of organic fertilizer exported by a Chinese company. Beijing is said to be using pressure tactics to have its way with Colombo. Naturally, all eyes are on the Rajapaksa government to see how well it handles the fertilizer fiasco by friendly China, the think tank added. The UK government has decided to recognize vaccines on the WHO Emergency Use Listing(EUL). Indians vaccinated with Covaxin will also not have to undergo any mandatory quarantine upon arrival. The UK government has decided to add Covaxin to the list of approved vaccines for inbound travel from November 22. Alex Ellis, the British High Commissioner for India announced the development through a tweet that read, From 22 November travellers fully vaccinated with a #COVID19 vaccine recognised by @WHO for Emergency Use Listing, including Covaxin, will not have to self-isolate; so joining those fully vaccinated with Covishield. Updated travel guidelines on the UK government website stated, From 4am on Monday 22 November, the government will recognise vaccines on the World Health Organizations Emergency Use Listing ( WHO EUL ). As a result, Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin will be added to our list of approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting more fully vaccinated people from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and India. Covaxin received WHOs EUL on November 3. Bharat Biotech, the manufacturer of the vaccine had been providing data to the global health body on a rolling basis. Indians vaccinated with Covaxin will also not have to undergo any mandatory quarantine upon arrival. The statement on the UK government website read, Passengers who have been fully vaccinated and have received their vaccine certificate from one of over 135 approved countries and territories are not required to take a pre-departure test, day 8 test or self-isolate upon arrival. Instead, passengers will just need to pay for a lateral flow test to take before the end of their second day, post-arrival. Earlier in October, the British authorities, after a tit-for-tat travel restriction by India, accepted Indian vaccine certificates as valid and waived off the mandatory quarantine rule for Indians fully vaccinated with Covishield. India has played a key role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan over the years, spending more than USD three billion in the last two decades on people-centric projects in the country with even the Taliban acknowledging New Delhis contribution. Whether it is G20 Summit, BRICS or bilateral discussion, India has been a key participant regarding the issue of Afghanistan. Seven security czars from Russia, Iran and all five Central Asian countries will be landing in Delhi on Tuesday to attend first of its kind regional dialogue on Afghanistan hosted by India. National Security Advisers of five central Asian countries Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan besides Russia and Iran will attend the Delhi meet on Afghanistan. The meeting will be chaired by Indias National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Earlier, Iran had hosted dialogues in a similar format. This is a continuation of the format started by Iran in 2018 and 2019, however, this time dialogue will see the highest participation of seven nations. Following the format, India had invited Pakistan and China. However, on the expected line both declined. China cited scheduling issues and has conveyed that it is open for dialogue with India on Afghanistan at multilateral and bilateral levels. China attended previous meetings hosted by Iran and more recently BRICS meet as well Officials here feel that Pakistan never wanted to be part of the solution, in fact, it is well acknowledged that it is the source of the problem In Afghanistan. It is no secret to the world that Pakistan provides backing to Taliban regional shuras over the years and Pakistan notorious spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence with Haqqanis and ISIS Khorasan are not hidden. Also, Pakistan has emerged as a key obstruction to the flow of humanitarian aid to Afghans. India stands ready to supply much-needed aid but Pakistan is not allowing access to landlocked Afghanistan. Pakistan did not attend any of the meetings organised in this format hosted by Iran and now it has also declined Indias invitation. India, along with seven other countries participating in the Delhi dialogue, will discuss in detail terror threats emanating from within Afghanistan and around it, extremism and radicalisation is also key concern among many participants, they feel many hotheads in their countries may get influenced and there may be export or spillover of ideology into their societies, drug trafficking, use of huge weapons left by the United States is another cause of concern. More than the above factors uncertainty of what will happen next is also a common point of discussion. Interestingly, Pakistan is oblivious to the above issues and continues to engage with the Taliban government. Iran, Russia and all Central Asian countries participating in dialogue here are far from recognising or legitimising the Taliban regime, sources told ANI that it is not even on their agenda to recognise the Taliban as they see no change in the Taliban of 90s and today. All participating countries have common ground and concern vis-a-vis representation of minorities, inclusiveness, women rights and human rights in Afghanistan. Russia and Iran and to that matter some countries in Central Asia have been engaging with the Taliban but the red lines are clear and also they strongly regard India as a key stakeholder in the region. There is unanimity and common ground which will be reflected during dialogue, this is not any protocol-driven dialogue, it is a special dialogue with a practical outlook, the big point is will Kabul read the writing on the wall. NAUGATUCK The community continues to rally behind a local police lieutenant who suffered significant leg injuries when he was hit by the driver of a getaway vehicle tied to a shoplifting incident, according to officials. Lt. Mark Pettinicchi, who has been on the Naugatuck police force for 19 year, remains hospitalized with significant injuries to both his legs, Deputy Chief C. Colin McAllister said on Tuesday. He will begin the first of many reconstructive surgeries (Tuesday) and will remain hospitalized for at least another week during follow-up surgeries, McAllister said. A GoFundMe page, managed by the police union, was created to help financially support Pettinicchi and his family, the deputy chief said. He said the police department has no direct role in the fundraising efforts, but is working to ensure the investigation into the incident that left the lieutenant seriously injured is completed. In an update on the fundraiser page Tuesday, Pettinicchis wife, Michele Pettinicchi, expressed gratitude for all the support to her, her husband and the couples two sons, ages 13 and 15. Mark has a long difficult road ahead, not just physically but also mentally, she said in the update. Michele Pettinicchi said her husbands next scheduled surgery after Tuesday is next week, Nov. 16. She said the family is in the process of buying a stair chair for their home, which she said is not covered by insurance. As of Tuesday afternoon, about a day after the GoFundMe was created, more than $15,000 had been donated. Other than support for the injured lieutenant, the community has shown support for the entire department. On Sunday morning, day shift officers went to pick up breakfast from DeRoccos Wiches Bagels and Brew and found that a local resident, who wished to remain anonymous, left a $200 gift card for police to cover the cost of their meal. When one of us is down, we all pick up and pull together. It is during times like this that we are constantly reminded of the supportive, generous and compassionate community we serve, police said in a post on Facebook. While never expected, such selfless and thoughtful gestures such as this, mean more to our officers than you know ... We thank you all for your continuous support of our officers, our department, and our town, and we are proud to serve you. Pettinicchi suffered a shattered left ankle, a fractured right tibia and a fractured right ankle when he was hit Nov. 4 by a driver fleeing other officers in what witnesses described as an intentional act. That same day, Pettinicchi underwent an extensive surgery for the fractures at Waterbury Hospital. Around 4 p.m. on Nov. 4, officers were sent to Walmart at 1100 New Haven Road for a reported shoplifting. An officer responded and interrupted an alleged suspect trying to get into a vehicle, police said. The individual led the officer on a foot pursuit but was quickly apprehended. He was charged with first-degree robbery, sixth degree larceny, interfering with an officer and possession of drugs. As that individual was taken into custody, a pickup truck described as the getaway vehicle fled north on New Haven Road. Police said the vehicle approached Pettinicchi, who was working an extra duty traffic post near 561 South Main St. When the lieutenant signaled for the driver to stop, police said, he instead accelerated and hit Pettinicchi. The lieutenant radioed in for help, sending additional units to the area. Officers pursued the driver onto Route 8 in Waterbury, to Wolcott, back through Waterbury, and Interstate 84 west, before he and a passenger were taken into custody in Middlebury near the South Street overpass, police said. During the pursuit, the two occupants tossed drugs, money and a pistol out of the car,all of which were recovered by officers and seized as evidence, police said. The two individuals were taken to police headquarters and charged. Stanton Ragar Trent, 29, 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. When Trent was presented in court for arraignment, police said, officers used Pettinicchis handcuffs. Asia Shynise Paulin, 25, 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. TOKYO (AP) The chief of Germany's navy said Tuesday that its dispatch of a warship to the Indo-Pacific underscores his country's concern that freedom of navigation and the rule-based international order are being threatened in the region, an apparent reference to its biggest trading partner, China. Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schonbach, in Tokyo for a port call by the frigate Bayern, said escalating tensions, territorial disputes and the changing military balance in the region can have an extensive impact beyond Asia. Speaking at a news conference, Schonbach said the ship's dispatch is to show support for Japan, the United States and other partners, and join their efforts in advocating peace, free navigation and the rule-based international order. The South China Sea is a global common, that is, a sea area that belongs to everyone, so it cannot be taken possession of or claimed by anyone if ... we abide by the international world order, he said. The Bayern will travel through the South China Sea, where China is increasingly pressing its territorial claims, to demonstrate its right to freedom of passage. The frigate arrived in Tokyo on Friday, becoming the first German warship to visit Japan in nearly 20 years. It conducted joint exercises with other militaries along the way, including two days of exercises with a Japanese destroyer in the Pacific Ocean, German officials said. Beginning in mid-November, it will monitor activities by North Korean ships for three weeks, including possible ship-to-ship transfers of banned cargoes, under a U.N. Security Council resolution. Sanctions against North Korea are an elementary part of this assignment," said Tilo Kalski, commanding officer of the Bayern. It is Germanys first time to participate in the mission, which started in 2018 and has been joined by New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, Britain, France and Japan. The frigate left Germany in August as part of the countrys recent shift to the Indo-Pacific 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. Schonbach said the Bayern's visit is the beginning of a long-term commitment to the region by Germany. It plans to dispatch military aircraft next year and a fleet of frigates and supply ships within two to three years, he said. 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. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Louisiana's Northwestern State University has chosen a new president, who is making history as the campus' first Black leader. Marcus Jones was unanimously selected Monday as the 20th president for the Natchitoches school and its more than 10,000 students by the University of Louisiana System's Board of Supervisors. COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) A Missouri man accused of killing his wife admitted Tuesday that he buried her body in a park but insisted that her death was an accident that happened after he pushed her during an argument. Joseph Elledge is charged with first-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Mengqi Ji, whom he reported missing in October 2019. Her remains were found in March at a park near Columbia, Missouri. Prosecutors rested their case on Monday, after presenting a week of evidence that detailed the couple's troubled and deteriorating relationship. Ji moved to Missouri from China to study at the University of Missouri and stayed after she married Elledge. On the stand Tuesday, Elledge said he and his wife argued on Oct. 8, 2019, after he confronted her about exchanging sexual messages with a man on a China-based messaging service. He said they pushed each other during the argument and she fell and hit her head. He said Ji moved to a couch and he went for a walk. Later that night, he found her on the couple's bed and he went to sleep. He said he awoke about 5 a.m. the next day to their daughter, Anna, crying. and went to check on her, The Columbia Tribune reported. When he returned to the bedroom, Ji was unresponsive and he checked her for a pulse but her skin was cold, he said. Elledge said he didn't immediately call for help because the scene looked weird and my mind was going 100 miles an hour. I knew people would suspect me." He called that decision stupid." Elledge said he placed his wife's body in the trunk of her car and returned to the apartment to think. I was panicked. I wasnt thinking at all, really, he said. He said he drove to places like Jefferson City, Fulton, Ashland and Guthrie, but didn't know where to bury Ji so he returned home. The next day, Elledge lied to a friend and Ji's mother about her whereabouts, he said, because he didn't know how to explain why he put her body in the car trunk. With their daughter in the car, Elledge then drove to Rock Bridge State Park about 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of Columbia. He took about a half-hour to dig a grave and bury Ji, he said. The site was a half-mile from where Elledge had proposed to Ji. He reported her missing when he returned home. He initially told authorities that he and Ji argued and he discovered she had left the apartment when he woke up the next day. He stuck to that story for months as searches were conducted for his wife and he was charged with her murder even before her body was found. In testimony earlier Tuesday, Elledge said he and his wife had a difficult relationship because of differences caused by their backgrounds and cultures and their different ways of communicating. He and Ji met in 2015 at Nanova, a company that makes dental products, where Ji was Elledges supervisor. They began dating the following year and eventually traveled to China, where he asked Ji's parents for permission to marry her. The couple married in 2017 and planned to have three to five children and wanted them to grow up in a house that included both U.S. and Chinese cultures, KRCG-TV reported. Elledge said he initially got along well with Ji's parents but that tensions arose after they moved in with the couple when their daughter was born on Oct. 3, 2018. His in-laws would butt in and take over on how to raise Anna, Elledge said, and they communicated with Ji in Chinese. I felt very isolated and like I was being pushed out of my own home, Elledge said. Jis parents eventually moved out and the couples relationship improved somewhat, he said. But trouble brewed in the summer of 2019, when Elledge had an internship at a home furnishing manufacturer in Carthage, and the couple had to financially maintain two homes. He said their intimacy decreased and he began considering divorce. He conducted searches on the topic online but did not consult an attorney because, despite their bickering, they wanted to repair their relationship. Prosecutors presented evidence that focused largely on a journal kept by Elledge, text messages between the couple and audio tapes that detailed their difficult relationship, The Columbia Missourian reported. Prosecutor Dan Knight referred to a Elledges 51-page journal as a grievances diary because it contained pages of complaints about his wife. In segments read into evidence Monday, Elledge complained that his wife was demanding, did not care about his feelings and was secretive. Ji earned a masters degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of Missouri in December 2014. Elledge was a student at the university when his wife died. NEW HAVEN The Board of Alders has added its voice to a growing chorus urging the state to sign on to a Northeast regional effort to fight transportation-driven climate issues but do it in a way that doesnt balance efforts to reduce emissions on the backs of low- and moderate-income residents. Yale-area Alder Eli Sabin, D-1, who proposed the resolution, said its important because state legislators such as Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, D-New Haven, currently are negotiating with Gov. Ned Lamonts office and others to get legislation to join the Transportation Climate Initiative through, and local support can help. Lamont has endorsed the initiative and has said he believes the votes are there to pass it, but state Republicans have criticized it as a way to increase the gas tax. On Dec. 21, 2020, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and the District of Columbia became the first jurisdictions to launch the program to cut transportation pollution and invest in communities, but it has yet to pass the General Assembly. From a public health perspective, TCI makes sense for New Haven and for Connecticut as a whole, Sabin wrote in a letter to Board of Alders President Tyisha Walker-Myers, D-23, that accompanied his submission of the resolution, which alders recently approved. The alders unanimously approved a resolution calling on Connecticut to join the TCI, including progressive financial offsets for low- and middle-income families. The TCI is a collaboration between 13 states up and down the East Coast of the U.S. that would raise more than $10 billion toward a goal to increase the use of renewable fuels and electric vehicles, East Rock alder and City Services and Environmental Policy Chairwoman Anna Festa, D-10, explained at the meeting. Passing this resolution tells our state leaders how important TCI is to our community, said Festa, who also was among the resolutions proponents. Connecticuts asthma rate is worse than the national average 11 percent of Connecticuts children and 10.5 percent of adults have asthma, Sabin wrote to Walker-Myers. Making matters worse, New Haven ranks as the fifth most challenging city to live in for people with asthma in the United States, Sabin wrote. The transportation sector is the largest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions (38%) and air pollution (67%) in Connecticut. Thats why we need to reduce the dangerous transportation emissions that poison our air and make life harder for our residents especially kids, the elderly, and anyone with underlying health conditions, Sabin wrote. TCI will help reduce emissions and keep our air clean for generations to come. But TCI is not just about air quality, though, he wrote. It is also a jobs and investment program that will bring new resources to our city. The Connecticut General Assemblys Environment Committee has committed to sending 50 percent of the revenue generated with TCI to low-income communities like New Haven. Additionally, TCI will create thousands of new, good-paying jobs by increasing investment in green energy and infrastructure projects across our city and state. While it is important that state leaders support TCI, we also need to urge them to fight for a TCI package that guarantees that working and middle-class people dont bear the financial burden of this policy, Sabin wrote. Looney said Monday that he spoke to Sabin earlier and said I thought it would be helpful if municipal city councils or board of alders would lend their support to this but at the same time go on record about any funding for this that would be regressive. The TCI program certainly has merits as an environmental program but certainly would benefit from an effort to support a progressive revenue package such as a credit on the state income tax for any increase that low- and moderate-income people have to pay in the gas tax, Looney said. The TCI currently is under discussion with the administration. We have our legislative fiscal people looking at various alternatives to present, he said. Im very pleased that the Board of Alders has lent its support. Alder Charles Decker, D-9, also spoke in favor of the resolution, saying, The effects of climate change are going to be felt most severely by the people at the bottom of our economic ladder, which tends to inordinately be people of color. Alder Steven Winter, D-21, said New Haven cant address issues such as asthma and climate change on its own, and neither can Connecticut. But as part of this regional partnership, we can. Hartford passed a similar resolution Oct. 12. West Hartford did so Sept. 27. Bridgeport and Norwalk also are considering similar resolutions, according to a recent Save the Sound release. Momentum is growing because Connecticut residents and municipal leaders know the Transportation and Climate Initiative will both slash air pollution and bring much-needed investments to our communities, said Save the Sound Climate and Energy Attorney Charles Rothenberger. We applaud New Haven for taking a leadership role that demonstrates our Board of Alders and Mayor understand the urgency of climate action, he said. mark.zaretsky@hearstmediact.com Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HAVEN Police deemed a New Haven rehabilitation facility safe Tuesday evening after a bomb threat came in hours earlier, according to city officials. New Haven Police received a call around 3:40 p.m. about a bomb threat at Retreat Behavioral Health Facility at 915 Ella T. Grasso Blvd. Police evacuated the building, about 50 patients and 20 staff members, according to Rick Fontana, the director of emergency operations. WEST HAVEN The City Council wants change. In the wake of two city employees being arrested and charged with wire fraud after allegedly participating in a scheme to divert $636,000 of the citys roughly $1.2 million allocation of CARES Act funding, members of the City Council want to know how such a scenario could be prevented in the future . How do we help you? Councilwoman Bridgette Hoskie, D-1, asked Finance Director Frank Cieplinski at a City Council meeting. In a step taken to help, the council voted unanimously this week to prohibit any spending of unallocated American Rescue Plan Act money without its approval. Meanwhile, in addition to the pandemic relief funding scandal, members of the Municipal Accountability Review Board a state board that supervises and has approval power over the citys finances after years of reported prior fiscal mismanagement in the city expressed exasperation that the city hadnt already implemented several financial controls to prevent things such as the alleged fraud. City Hall employee John Bernardo was arrested last week on a federal wire fraud charge stemming from the alleged circumstances of the federal case against his business partner, former city worker and Democratic state Rep. Michael DiMassa, who also is charged with wire fraud. State Office of Policy and Management Secretary Melissa McCaw stated her support for MARB members suggestions that the panel withhold restructuring funds from the city because of noncompliance with the boards terms of accountability. Cieplinski maintained his office is understaffed. Cieplinski said what he needs are full-time staff in the citys purchasing department: a director and one or two buyers or analysts. Up until this year, our purchasing department was half a person, he said. But Council Chairman Ron Quagliani, D-At Large, who made the motion the council adopted on ARPA funding, asked how the finance director only discovered staffing deficiencies after the alleged malfeasance. You came before us during the budget time and gave us a plan of reorganization for the finance department and we approved that plan, Quagliani said. So what changed? Why has it taken so long to move the cheese? Cieplinski said the city was trying to fix other areas for the last few years. Purchasing, we thought, was working as well as could be expected, and there were other areas that needed to be addressed, Cieplinski said. In hindsight we shouldve done the research we did this year. We shouldve done the research earlier. Cieplinski said he brought on a consultant for the purchasing department in the past two weeks. Since then, the city has changed how it onboards vendors, ensuring it has the proper tax documents input into the citys electronic system. He said there is a planned initiative to clean up the roughly 27,000 vendors in the citys system once they have made enough hires. Cieplinski said any vendors who have not done business with the city in approximately three years or longer will be wiped from the system if they do business with the city again, they will submit the proper paperwork anew . Staff will ensure they have the proper information for all other vendors in the system, he said, once the department has the staffing needed. Cieplinski said he believes his own department also needs a junior accountant, assuring the council that the city will not make (the deadline for) the audit on time, even if this incident hadnt come up. We dont have the bandwidth to get everything pulled together in time, he said. Hoskie said MARB members told Cieplinski to stand his ground and to ask for things directly. Hoskie urged Cieplinski to look at hiring temporary workers; Cieplinski said he would be reviewing applications soon. Hoskie also brought up an issue raised by members of the MARB in its most recent meeting; Cieplinski told the board that some department heads refuse to comply with his mandates on the proper means of procurement, yet he lacks disciplinary powers. MARB members urged the city to address insubordination and noncompliance immediately. Hold these department heads accountable, and if they dont do it, its progressive discipline, Hoskie said. Councilman Barry Lee Cohen, R-10, said there is a need for the city to establish clearer procedures. He said a simple Google search could have uncovered that two City Hall employees had established the company Compass Investment LLC that invoiced the city several times in the alleged scheme to divert pandemic relief funding. Quagliani said he was disappointed the City Council appears to be shut out of the MARB process, with communication remaining between City Hall officials and the board. The stool does not stand with two legs, it stands with three legs, he said, suggesting that accountability and progress may be easier if the local decisionmakers are included in conversations with the state board. Although an audit is investigating the citys use of its allocation of CARES Act funding, the city continues to wait to spend a second pot of money it received through the American Rescue Plan Act. Mayor Nancy Rossi said the city has until the last day of January to submit a plan to the U.S. Treasury Department, and she is looking to receive public input. Thus far, 47 people have responded to a survey from the city asking about what the city should use the funding for. Grants manager Doug Colter said about one-quarter of those who responded rallied together in support of a new Allingtown District firehouse. Rossi said she would not have a plan ready for the councils next meeting; however, Hoskie and Quagliani said they did not want to be rushed, and giving them only the month of January to conduct public hearings would be insufficient for them to make decisions on the citys plan. Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today Rain diminishing to a few showers by morning. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Rain diminishing to a few showers by morning. Low 31F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Police in Anambra has denied knowledge of the death of anybody during the Anambra State Governorship Supplementary Election in Ihiala Loca... Police in Anambra has denied knowledge of the death of anybody during the Anambra State Governorship Supplementary Election in Ihiala Local Government Area. There were claims on social media that soldiers patrolling around the distribution/ Collation Centre at the Ihiala Local Government Headquarters reportedly shot dead a yet-to-be-identified man. When our correspondent visited the local government headquarters, those interviewed denied knowledge of the incident. When contacted on the telephone by our correspondent, the Zone 13 Police Headquarters Public Relations Officer, Nkeiru Nwode said there was nothing like that before the police. She said, We dont have such a report and I dont think something like that happened. Cross, Ex-Big Brother Naija, BBNaija, housemate has revealed that he was arrested in South Africa. Cross who narrated the incident o... Cross, Ex-Big Brother Naija, BBNaija, housemate has revealed that he was arrested in South Africa. Cross who narrated the incident on his Twitter page said he was arrested because there is a curfew at his location. The Anambra State-born said he was however released after he identified himself. He wrote, So SA I got stoped by your police, apparently theres a curfew. They took me to their office, Omo nobody tell me ooo. So guys I tell them say I get name called siyabonga and my first time in SA and they smiled and I think they wan let us go ooo. Omo japa japa. My bed they call me. Thanks guys We free now. Defence Minister, Bashir Magashi on Monday said the rising cost of food prices is due to the prevalence of insecurity in the country. ... Defence Minister, Bashir Magashi on Monday said the rising cost of food prices is due to the prevalence of insecurity in the country. Magashi, who spoke to newsmen at the opening of a retreat for defence advisers/attaches organised by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Abuja, said security agencies must explore all avenues within their respective systems to come up with innovative ways of confronting the challenges facing Nigeria. He also stated that attacks by Boko Haram terrorists and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the North-East, banditry, herder/militia in the North-West and North-Central have continued to pose serious security threats to Nigeria. The threats currently facing Nigeria and understanding their socio-geographic context is pivotal for adapting appropriate and lasting counter-measures. Regrettably, the prevalence of these threats has continued to endanger not only national security and economic growth, but also food security. In particular, food security has been adversely affected with the attendant rise in the prices of foodstuff across the country which portends a new dimension of threat. This makes it imperative for the various security agencies in the country to continue to collaborate to tackle this menace in order to create an enabling atmosphere for economic activities to thrive and to attract foreign direct investment, he added. The senate has condemned the invasion of the Abuja home of Mary Odili, a justice of the supreme court. The upper legislative chamber c... The senate has condemned the invasion of the Abuja home of Mary Odili, a justice of the supreme court. The upper legislative chamber condemned the incident after Betty Apiafi, senator representing Rivers west, drew the attention of her colleagues to the invasion. Security operatives on October 29 invaded the house of Odili on the claim that illegal activities were going on there. Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) denied involvement in the raid. Malami and Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), had ordered probes into the incident. While moving her motion on the floor of the upper legislative chamber on Tuesday, Apiafi expressed concern that there has been no report on the findings so far made by the police on the invasion. There is no information on the arrest said to be made, she said. On his part, Opeyemi Bamidele, chairman of the committee on judiciary, said those found culpable must face the law. No one was at ease with what has happened. The government should take appropriate steps to ensure that those culpable are brought to book, Bamidele said. There is need to protect the sanctity of the judiciary. Also speaking, Thompson Sekibo, senator representing River north-east, said the findings on the invasion made by the police must be made public. A couple of months ago, Justice Mary Odilis residence was also invaded. Several reasons were given for that. Again her house in Abuja was also invaded. They claimed to have brought a warrant in Abuja, he said. There was a claim that the minister of justice was aware of it but he denied. The IGP said he has done some arrest and they are investigating the matter. Most times we hear of investigation and we dont see the result. Fear is one of the causes of death. Let them make the investigation public. Let us also pray that this does not cause fear to Mary Odili and other judges. Thereafter, the senate asked the IGP to disclose the findings of the investigation into the incident as soon as possible. Watertown, NY (13601) Today Periods of rain. Low around 35F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low around 35F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. This week, the Gambit staff belly up to the bar to check in with the city's watering holes. Drinking and the establishments where we indulge have long been a part of life in New Orleans. Bars have have been our social centers, town halls and the spaces where New Orleans culture often coalesces but in the last 18 months, they've certainly taken a hit. In the Bars and Cocktails Issue, you'll find writer Domonique Tolliver examining the importance and history of Black-owned bars to New Orleans and their struggle to stay alive. Jake Clapp checks in with bartenders and workers as they grapple with exhaustion yet find optimism in a new chapter of the pandemic. Kaylee Poche writes about what's next with the city's parklets program. And we asked some of our favorite bars for cocktail recipes we can make at home for party guests this fall and holiday season. Flip through the digital edition below for more. Cant see the e-edition above? Click here. Also in this week's Gambit: New Orleans' Silver Godling looks through the depths of herself on new album "Witness, Unweave"; Blake Pontchartrain tells readers about the histories of the Holy Trinity and Our Lady of La Vang churches; Chicago pitmaster Hipolito Sanchez spoke with us about his Tiki BBQ pop-up at Mister Mao; alberta & The Dead Eyes release their new album "You Said Something" plus news and more. If pandemic restrictions make it harder to pick up a Gambit in your usual spot, we have you covered. Our e-edition is available to download at bestofneworleans.com/current and read at your leisure. If you enjoy this weeks issue, please share this digital edition on social media. And as always, New Orleans, thank you for your support. The Gambit staff +9 The struggle to keep Black-owned bars alive Black-owned bars have helped cultivate and pass along New Orleans culture and identify for decades. Now they're in jeopardy of disappearing. +3 New Orleans will make pandemic bar parklets permanent Around 40 bars and restaurants have participated in the parklet pilot program so far. Commentary: Don't Drink and Drive Bars are the incubators of New Orleans music and culture, but there's a bright line between fun and putting others at risk. Emily McWilliams is gazing inward. On Witness, Unweave, her third full-length album as Silver Godling, McWilliams looks through the layers of herself to understand her mental health and the difficult emotions and unresolved traumas that linger in the body. The process isnt an exorcism but a better recognition of herself in total. Anxiety is this thing that I have for so long, for decades, considered this thing that needs to be fixed or extracted as though its not me, McWilliams says. And kind of coming to the realization and the acceptance of that in some ways, at least for me personally, my anxiety manifests as a way to protect myself from situations, from people, from whatever makes me feel unsafe. You could fill in the blank there, she adds, but it is kind of that concept that this thing I viewed as other and needs to be gotten rid of and realizing that its really just a part of my own self kicking into gear to protect myself. Across the seven tracks of Witness, Unweave, McWilliams dissects the snares that haunt her anxiety, depression, identity, emotional tangles, the tenuous exchanges of safety and individuality in poetic verse and expressive, dynamic voice. McWilliams builds on spare, unwavering piano playing with electronic instrumentation, drum machine and layered vocals for songs that feel unfathomable. Witness, Unweave will be released Friday, Nov. 12, through Strange Daisy Records. The physical, LP edition of the album will come with a lyrics and photography booklet made with New Orleans photographer Craig Mulcahy. Before the pandemic reached New Orleans, McWilliams was already considering exploring topics around mental health in new Silver Godling music. At her last show, in February 2020, she says, she played the song Unwanted, Yet Familiar, which ended up paired with the song May I the tracks around 10 minutes apiece for a prelude EP released in September. That was just kind of part of where I was in my life, how it was naturally unfolding and I wanted to direct it that way, McWilliams says. For the albums Silver Godling, released in 2019, and Ravel released in 2020, McWilliams collaborated with other musicians, including Kallie Tiffault, Beck Levy and Stephen Weigand. McWilliams has been a longtime collaborator with Thou and the bands guitarist Andy Gibbs contributed electronics and guitar on Silver Godlings debut. Mitch Wells, Thous bassist and a videographer, directed the music video for the Witness, Unweave single Descent to Heart. McWilliams says she likely would have approached Witness, Unweave in the same way as Ravel, writing the songs and hand-picking friends to help record the album in the studio. But the pandemic didnt make that possible. McWilliams recorded everything herself in her home her dog and the neighborhood get sound credits in the liner notes. It was a different experience. McWilliams, who is also a piano teacher and professional piano tuner, loves going into the studio, she says, but she felt there was new room for creativity. There were new options, new ways to write and fewer time and money constraints. It positively impacted the record. I feel like its a very accurate realization, she says. Its so hard sometimes for any creative type, getting the things that are existing in your head out and the way you want it to be I feel like I did that on this one. Theres an authenticity to it I was able to achieve. Originally, McWilliams envisioned the photography collaboration with Mulcahy paired with the album as featuring a group of other people. She admits she feels uncomfortable being in the spotlight and wanted to highlight a range of bodies and personalities interpreting her songs. Again, the pandemic put a wrench in the plan. Instead Mulcahy captures McWilliams in postures, influenced by her yoga practice, with tight-framed shots and muted tones. I was still trying to come up with a way for other people to model and interpret my music, and [Mulcahy] kept saying, Emily, I think this needs to be you, McWilliams says. I think he was aware of the topic of the album and its deep dive, so to speak. Witness, Unweave is an emotionally charged record, McWilliams says. Its incredibly personal, but it doesnt have to mean the same thing to the listener as it meant to her. But, she says, I would still hope theres some kind of an imprint that gives someone a little relief or helps them find something out about themselves that they needed to know. Silver Godling plays an intimate, seated performance with Ex Specter on Dec. 4 in Gasa Gasas courtyard. Tickets are $10 in advance. Find Witness, Unweave and more about Silver Godling at silvergodling.com. Two men were unloading groceries from their white Mercedes Benz SUV on Monday afternoon in the French Quarter when a gunman approached them and demanded their vehicle, New Orleans police said. The victims complied, and the carjacker fled in the SUV. Police responded to the call around 3 p.m. Monday. On Tuesday morning, police had recovered the vehicle and released photos of the suspected carjacker. They tweeted photos of the suspect taken from the vehicles dashboard camera. Police did not disclose where the car was or what condition it was in when they recovered it. Police ask anyone with information about this crime to call 504-658-6080 or 504-822-1111. Former New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Warren Riley filed a federal lawsuit Friday that accuses Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the city of breach of contract for reneging on an agreement to hire him as the city's public safety czar. In the lawsuit, Riley claims more than $700,000 in damages as a result of his quitting a lucrative job in the federal government and preparing to move from Georgia to work for the city where he served a tumultuous four years as police chief beginning a month after Hurricane Katrina. The suit names Cantrell both individually and as mayor, claiming Riley has been unable to find a job with the same salary and benefits as the $170,000-per-year post he left at the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In that job, Riley helped coordinate federal disaster response and recovery efforts. Through a spokeswoman, Cantrell declined to comment on the suit. In the lawsuit, Riley chronicles his interactions with Cantrell, before and after news of her plan to hire him as director of public safety and homeland security drew criticism and surprise among political observers. Riley insists he never sought the city job. But after a series of phone calls and an April 16 interview that he says involved state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond and others, Cantrell offered the job to him in an April 22 letter. His annual salary was to be $180,000, slightly above his salary working for FEMA, according to the letter. Cantrell first addressed rumors of Rileys appointment in late April, a few weeks before she took office, when she told WDSU-TV that he was on a short list for the position. By that point, however, documents show Riley already had been offered and had accepted the position. Cantrell's decision to appoint Riley, who served as the NOPDs chief of operations during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and was appointed to lead the department soon afterward, was perhaps the most controversial aspect of her transition. Riley has been widely criticized for his leadership following Katrina and, in particular, for an alleged lack of interest in investigating accusations of police violence in the immediate aftermath of the storm. During his time as superintendent, for instance, Riley acknowledged he never read his own departments report on the Danziger Bridge shootings, when NOPD officers opened fire on a group of unarmed civilians, killing two people and injuring four others. 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 Cantrell faced significant pushback from families of the victims of that shooting and from police watchdog groups worried that installing Riley in a position that oversees the Police Department would roll back progress made under a federal consent decree to clean up the NOPD. After wavering for weeks, Cantrell eventually announced she would not be hiring Riley, saying the communitys pain is too great to go through with the appointment. In early June, Cantrell appointed Terry Ebbert as director of public safety and security. Ebbert, who was in charge of New Orleans disaster response and public safety agencies under former Mayor Ray Nagin, would oversee the fire and emergency medical operations and be responsible for emergency preparedness but would not oversee the Police Department, Cantrell's office said. In his lawsuit, Riley claims Cantrell's waffling cost him dearly. He says Cantrell approached him in April 2017 while she was launching her campaign for mayor. Two months later, he claims, she first broached the homeland security job. Once hired, Riley claims he conducted interviews with several people for jobs he would oversee in his new post. Cantrell told him to be in New Orleans by May 2, when Riley says he reported to a meet and greet session with Police Superintendent Michael Harrison, new Criminal Justice Commissioner Tenisha Stevens and others. But it wasn't what Riley had expected. Soon after he was given a tour of the citys emergency management office, Cantrell called him aside to tell him his appointment had been put on pause, the lawsuit states. According to Riley, Cantrell sent him a text message four days later, inviting him to her inaugural ball and saying, We will put this to bed this week. He took that as a commitment that the job was still his, the lawsuit states. Cantrell was sworn in on May 7 as the city's first woman mayor. On May 15, Riley claims, Cantrell told him that there are very powerful people who live Uptown that do not support you for the position. A day later, Cantrell called Riley. Chief, I cant do it. Im sorry. I will not be able to appoint you, she said, according to the lawsuit. I will have to make you whole. I am sorry. Ten minutes later, Riley said, Cantrell's office issued a press release that announced Riley was out despite being uniquely qualified for the job. A controversial plan by Mayor LaToya Cantrell to move New Orleans City Hall to the long dilapidated Municipal Auditorium is "dead in the water," a city spokesman said Tuesday, offering the most clear-cut statement to date that the administration has given up on the project. But activists from Treme and elsewhere in the city who are against the plan and are actively developing an alternative use for the historic site said they are not ending their fight until they see concrete steps from the city that it has abandoned the plan. Cantrell began talking about the Municipal Auditorium plan soon after taking office, and officials had touted it as a way to solve two problems: getting new offices for the city and using $38 million in FEMA funds from Hurricane Katrina tied to the building. Municipal Auditorium should be a cultural center, opponents of City Hall move tell council A coalition opposed to Mayor LaToya Cantrells plan to move City Hall into the vacant Municipal Auditorium in Armstrong Park laid out a vision But the plan faced significant hurdles beyond the public outcry over what some saw as a desecration of the nearby Congo Square. For one, the project was never fully funded. It also would have required dramatically scaling down the number of employees who reported in-person to City Hall every day. And most significantly, council members responded to the outcry over the administration's proposal with a pair of ordinances to restrict development in the park. The councils actions caused the city to pause its efforts, telling activists in July they could prevent City Hall from moving in if they came up with their own design and funding for the cultural center they desired. But failing that, the administration has always suggested it would move forward with the City Hall move. That option appears now to be off the table. Asked for an update on Municipal Auditorium during a regular weekly press briefing Tuesday, Cantrell Communications Director Beau Tidwell made the announcement with little fanfare. The idea to move City Hall to the Municipal Auditorium is dead in the water," Tidwell said. "Its been made clear that thats not what people want. Thats understood, so were not moving with that in a deliberate kind of way." Those comments come just days before voters go to the polls to decide whether Cantrell deserves a second term. Though the mayor has consistently held a massive lead over her largely unknown challengers, the Municipal Auditorium issue has been a thorn in her side. Policy aimed at blocking any New Orleans City Hall relocation gets council approval New Orleans mayors will have to get City Council approval to move City Hall to the Municipal Auditorium or anywhere else under a new zoning po Tidwell couched his remark as simply reiterating the status quo. But activists said they were caught off guard by the comments, which to them seemed to be a major shift in policy. 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 Cheryl Austin, a founding member of the Save Our Soul coalition that has fought against the City Hall plan, said she fielded nearly a dozen calls from members of the group after Tidwell made his comments. And she expressed confusion and skepticism that such an announcement would be made without any official comment from Cantrell, who she said hadnt talked to the group since early summer. +8 New Orleans City Council would have final say over City Hall move under new proposal Any potential relocation of City Hall including Mayor LaToya Cantrells plan to shift the seat of government to Municipal Auditorium would Were all just blown away. Why wouldnt you talk to us, why wouldnt you let us know that youre withdrawing your plans and what are the future plans for City Hall? Austin said. Do you have a new location, would you like to let us in on it and how do we actually come together with our concerns for that site and whats good for the city? Austin said she wouldnt accept that City Hall was truly off the table unless the city swore off the development in writing and took other steps including canceling a bid seeking firms to help redevelop the site. What's next for Municipal Auditorium? After City Hall plan halted, advocates want immediate repairs With Mayor LaToya Cantrells proposal to move City Hall to the Municipal Auditorium all but dead, the city now faces the question of whether p It remained unclear Tuesday why that process had not been canceled. The city recently extended the deadline for bidding until late January. It also wasn't clear if city was making any effort to come up with its own alternative. The Save Our Soul coalition, however, is still working on its plan. Austin said the group was putting together a proposal that would renovate Municipal Auditorium for a similar price tag as the administration was envisioning, $130 million or more, as part of an even more ambitious half-billion-dollar effort to fix up the entirety of the neglected park. To finance the effort, the group would need the city as well as the state and federal government to kick in funds, Austin said. That would violate one of the terms that Cantrell set when she put the onus on developing an alternative on the activists, since she specified they would have to come up with their own funding. It would be ludicrous if we didnt recognize that we needed the help of the government to restore this building or reimagine this site, she said. New Orleans City Council approves temporary ban on City Hall move to Municipal Auditorium Dealing a direct blow to Mayor LaToya Cantrells plans to move City Hall to Municipal Auditorium, the City Council put a hold on any attempts The group expects to have a rough draft of its proposal by next week, with a final design by the beginning of next year. Austin said developer Pres Kabacoff and French Quarter hotelier Michael Valentino have been tapped to help with the project. Both Kabacoff and Valentino declined to comment on the plan, saying the coalition was taking the lead on the effort. What we dont want to see is another ten years of not knowing what is going to happen at that site, Austin said. Houston-based Phillips 66 said Monday that it plans to shut its Alliance Refinery in Plaquemine Parish and convert it into a storage terminal, threatening as many as 900 jobs in the latest hit to Louisiana's refining sector. The plant, which can process more than 250,000 barrels of crude oil a day into gasoline, diesel and other oil products, was put up for sale in August as the company accelerated plans to shift towards lower-carbon fuels. In a prepared statement Monday, Phillips 66 executives said that extensive damage caused by Hurricane Ida meant that it was too expensive to repair and restart. "We made this decision after exploring several options and considering the investment needed to repair the refinery following Hurricane Ida," said Greg Garland, Chairman and CEO of Phillips 66. "Our decision was a difficult one, and we understand it has a profound impact on our employees, contractors and the broader Belle Chasse community." A local spokesman for the company, Tristan Babin, said that the refinery's approximately 500 employees and 400 contractors had only been told of the decision late Monday and no decision has yet been made about how many jobs will survive the conversion to a storage terminal. "We just met with our employees today at 3:30 and we don't have any more information on that yet," Babin said. The closure comes just over a year after Royal Dutch Shell announced the shuttering of its 250,000 barrel a day Convent refinery in St. James Parish, which led to the loss of around 1,100 jobs. Industry analysts say that the closures are a symptom of too much refining capacity across the U.S., particularly as energy companies shift their investments away from oil and gas production and towards renewable energy. Analysts at energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie said in a recent research report that the coronavirus pandemic sharply curtailed travel last year, reducing demand for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. While profits on producing those fuels have begun to rebound, they remain far below 2019 levels. At the same time, U.S. refineries are only running at around 75% of their overall capacity. 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 The Alliance Refinery was built in 1971 and covers about 2,400 acres on the west bank of the Mississippi River. While refineries overall have been ailing in recent years, Ida appeared to have dealt the Alliance Refinery its final blow. The refinery's internal levee wall was breached by the storm surge from the Category 4 storm and five feet of water flooded in, causing extensive damage and oil spills that affected area wildlife. In a recent earnings call, company executives said that the floodwaters damaged the plant's electrical system. Phillips 66's bankers in August had said the plant was worth about $500 million, but executives said last month that the storm damage knocked its value down to around $200 million. In May of this year, Phillips 66 applied for economic incentives through the state's Enterprise Zone program and promised $164.2 million of investment to modernize the refinery. The company said at the time that the work would create 350 construction jobs. Wood Mackenzie analyst Simon Flowers forecasts that as many as 20 refineries globally could be shuttered over the next few years, taking out as much as three million barrels a day of capacity. Last year, six U.S. refineries were shuttered, including the Shell refinery in Convent. That plant was the biggest employer and a major source of tax revenue for St. James Parish. Benny Rousselle, Plaquemines Parish Council Member for District 5, which covers the area of Belle Chasse closest to the refinery, said the news was an unexpected blow. "I'm very disappointed that this decision has been made," he said. "I hope at least we can salvage some of the jobs with other economic projects." Jack Strain, one of St. Tammany Parishs most powerful elected officials during two decades as sheriff, will spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury of six men and six women convicted him late Monday on eight charges of sex crimes against boys, including four counts of aggravated rape. The jury deliberated a little more than five hours Monday before returning its verdict at the St. Tammany courthouse in Covington. Strain, who lost a bid for a sixth term in 2015, faced four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of aggravated incest and one count each of sexual battery and indecent behavior with a juvenile. The aggravated rape charges carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison, and Strain will be sentenced on Jan. 18. Strain had shown no emotion during the trial and showed little after the verdict. He took off his tie, hugged and kissed his wife and children, and was escorted from the courtroom by deputies. Strain's attorneys had asked that he not be taken into custody Monday night, but prosecutors objected, telling the judge a "mere drug dealer" would be remanded to custody immediately. North shore District Attorney Warren Montgomery said Strain would be transported from the courthouse to the St. Tammany Parish Jail. "The evidence was compelling, overwhelming and convincing," Montgomery said during a news conference after the verdict. Inside the courtroom, one of the men identified as a victim, Skip Keen, and his family embraced each other after the verdict was announced. Keen had been a ranking deputy with the Sheriff's Office during Strain's tenure. The verdict, which came at around 7:30 p.m., capped a 10-day trial that had begun on Oct. 25 and featured 26 witnesses called by the prosecution, including five men identified as victims. Strain's defense rested on Friday without calling a witness. Strain did not testify and throughout the trial had remained quiet on the walk in and out of the courthouse. During closing arguments Monday, prosecutors and Strain's attorneys both urged jurors to use common sense to decide whether Strains accusers were telling the truth. Billy Gibbens, an attorney for the former sheriff, focused on discrepancies between victims testimony and attempted to undermine their credibility, asserting that the entire case is a massive conspiracy of the U.S. government and state officials to crush Strain. But Assistant District Attorney Collin Sims retorted that common sense would tell them a conspiracy of that nature would have been impossible to coordinate. Calling the defense theory a "phantom conspiracy," Sim instead told the jury that Strain's "entire life is a lie," going back to when he first took an oath to protect and serve three years after he raped three boys. Strain, who will turn 59 at the end of this month, came onto the political scene as a very young man. He became a police officer soon after high school and at 23 was elected as chief of the police department in his hometown of Abita Springs. A decade later, at age 33, he emerged from a field of 10 candidates as the improbable successor to St. Tammany Sheriff Pat Canulette. He held the post for 20 years before losing to then-Slidell Police Chief Randy Smith in 2015 amid a flurry of negative news about work release programs set up under his tenure as sheriff, including the one in Slidell that he privatized during his last term and turned over to the adult children of two members of his inner circle. That work release program, what some might have been seen as simply cronyism, became the subject of a federal corruption investigation that revealed more shocking accusations that decades before Strain had molested young boys in his orbit, continuing to do so with family members even as sheriff. In the federal probe, authorities charged and got guilty pleas from two ranking sheriff's officials in Strain's inner circle, Keen and David Hanson. Both men said they schemed with Strain to privatize the work release program previously run by the Sheriff's Office and turn it over to a company run by Hanson and Keen's adult children. Hanson and Keen said the company kicked money back to Strain. Strain was also charged in that federal case and has pleaded not guilty. He awaits a federal trial on 16 counts of corruption in December. Keen, meanwhile, also told investigators that Strain had sexually abused him, and the probe took another direction. Investigators questioned other men, and in 2019 Strain was arrested and charged in state court in St. Tammany Parish with eight sex crimes ranging from aggravated rape to sexual battery, setting up the trial that concluded Monday. 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 The jury of six women and six men heard gut-wrenching testimony from five men who took the stand, sometimes weeping, to say that Strain had shattered their childhoods with acts that still haunt them. "You are a coward," Keen told Strain, who sat mostly without expression through days of lurid accusations. "You hurt me in so many ways," accuser Mark Finn told the defendant from the witness stand. "You are a monster and a predator." The Times-Picayune doesn't typically name victims or alleged victims of sex crimes. Keen was identified in a court filing related to his guilty plea in the federal corruption case. Finn has publicly identified himself in news stories. Keen told the jury that he was 10 when Strain began abusing him. Strain, he said, was 200 pounds heavier and raped him. Keen testified the sexual abuse continued even as Keen became an adult and went to work at the Sheriff's Office, which by then was led by Strain. Keen, who has been sentenced to 50 months in connection with the work release program, testified that Strain later pressured him to join the scheme. Finn, meanwhile, testified that Strain's abuse factored heavily into Finn's substance abuse and subsequent time in jail. He said it led him to a life of self-medicating to take away the pain. Three Strain family members also testified that Strain abused them. Some of the charges against Strain stem from accusations from two of the family members. During his closing arguments Monday, Gibbens returned to a theme he's stressed throughout the trial: that the FBI was out to get Strain and put pressure on the two family members who've accused him of sexual abuse. Standing close to the jury, he quickly rattled off what he said were weaknesses in the state's case. "We need more victims, that's what the FBI told (family member) when they cornered him ... they didn't have enough to take him down," Gibbens told the jury. Gibbens said the state's case was full of holes and that the government was asking jurors to take the word of convicted felons, referring to Keen and Finn. "You can't do that, you know you can't do it," Gibbens said. The other two people Strain is charged with abusing, both relatives, were under pressure with one fearing he'd be arrested since he'd been given a no-show job at the Sheriff's Office's work release program and the other worried that they would accuse him of perjury if he recanted, Gibbens said. "When you put that kind of pressure on witnesses, you can't expect to get the truth," he said. But Sims pointed to the improbability that five separate people conspired together to paint Strain as as a serial rapist and abuser. When approached by federal agents investigating the work release program, Sims said that Keen would have had all of 15 minutes to concoct a vast conspiracy with five others. But that's not what happened, Sims said. Strain, he said, is the manipulator. "He should have been a friend, a big brother ... a sheriff. He should have been a human being, but he wasn't," Sims said. "He had an insatiable taste for something forbidden ... there is no deeper betrayal than what he has done, and there is no badge to hide behind." Former Police Superintendent Warren Riley never got the triumphant return to New Orleans city government that was nearly in his grasp in 2018, when Mayor LaToya Cantrell offered him and then rescinded the post of public safety and homeland security director. But Riley is back in Crescent City law enforcement nonetheless, albeit in a more low-key role. Since March 2020, he has been serving as the director of campus police at Delgado Community College, a job that pays $100,000, just over half the amount he would have earned working for Cantrell. He took the job about three months after suing the Cantrell administration in federal court, seeking $700,000 in damages, his lawyer, Jonathan Pedersen, confirmed. Riley had been working in Georgia for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, when Cantrell recruited him to join her team, according to court records. In that job, Riley would have overseen the police, fire and emergency management functions in the city. But the offer was pulled back at the last minute after Riley had already quit his FEMA job and relocated to New Orleans. +2 Warren Riley wins a round in lawsuit against New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell over yanked job offer A federal judge recently gave a boost to former New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Rileys case against Mayor LaToya Cantrell, allowing In court records, Riley said he has not been able to find a job on par with the $180,000-a-year position Cantrell offered and then retracted, or the $170,000-a-year position with FEMA he left. Riley stepped into the Delgado post in March 2020 after the position was posted and he received a positive recommendation from a search committee, Delgado spokesman Tony Cook said. The position at Delgado Community College has been a revolving door in recent years, with several controversial figures holding the post. Riley, the fourth person to serve in the role since 2016, took the reins from Henry Dean, who had been serving on an interim basis since May 2019. Coincidentally, the last appointee to hold the Delgado job on a permanent basis was former NOPD Superintendent Eddie Compass, whom Riley also succeeded as NOPD chief. Then-Mayor Ray Nagin forced Compass out at NOPD about a month after Hurricane Katrina, with the department in disarray. 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 Compass took over at Delgado from Julie Lea, who was fired as campus police chief in January 2017 after an internal investigation concluded she sent two Delgado officers to guard the homes of private citizens. Lea has gained far more notoriety from her controversial tenure as captain of the superkrewe Nyx, which has imploded over the last couple of years amid allegations of insensitivity and financial impropriety on Leas part. While Riley oversees the police force at Delgado, his lawsuit against the city continues to wind its way through the courts. He won a modest victory in July when a federal judge rejected the citys efforts to have the suit tossed. In court records, Riley detailed how Cantrell courted him for the top law enforcement job and then decided against it days after her inauguration. A trial has been set for May 2022. Riley alleges that he essentially provided unpaid consulting services to the city since he contributed to strategic planning meetings; and that Cantrell is liable for the lost income arising from his scuttled job arrangement. In court documents, Riley recalled a meeting in which Cantrell told him there are powerful people who live Uptown that do not support you for the position. Cantrell, in a deposition, said she recalled no such conversation. I dont know what that means, she said. Powerful people Uptown, bulls***. Ex-NOPD Chief Warren Riley sues Mayor Cantrell, city over yanked $180,000 job offer Former New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Warren Riley filed a federal lawsuit Friday that accuses Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the cit At the time, Cantrell attributed her reversal to what she described as an uptick in the community over Riley. The remark referred to a public backlash led by civil rights advocates and others after word of Rileys impending appointment leaked. Although Riley was not the superintendent when Katrina struck, he was the second-in-command and took the top job a month after the storms passage. In Katrinas chaotic aftermath, New Orleans police shot at least 11 people, killing five. Those incidents resulted in a raft of federal prosecutions and eventually sparked a broad overhaul of the NOPD. But Riley sought to minimize the various incidents, for instance saying that he had never read his own departments report detailing the deadly shooting on the Danziger Bridge that left two people dead and injured four others. The report was a key part of the police coverup that was eventually exposed in the federal prosecution. A federal judge recently gave a boost to former New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Rileys case against Mayor LaToya Cantrell, allowing his lawsuit over a yanked job offer to proceed despite the citys attempt to have it dismissed without trial. Riley had already signed a job offer to serve as the citys public safety czar when Cantrell revoked it in May 2018, amid an outcry over his handling of investigations into police brutality as the citys police chief after Hurricane Katrina. During his time as chief, Riley admitted that he never read his departments own report on the Danziger Bridge shootings, when NOPD officers opened fire on a group of unarmed civilians. Critics said that showed complacence in the face of a sordid internal cover-up. The canceled job offer was a public misstep for Cantrell just as she took office, and a year later it spawned Rileys lawsuit in federal court. He alleged that the mayor had breached a contract and sought $700,000 in damages. But the city moved to have Rileys lawsuit dismissed without trial, and U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman held a hearing on June 30. LaToya Cantrell spikes plan to hire former NOPD chief Warren Riley New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said Wednesday (May 16) that she won't hire former NOPD Chief Warren Riley to a top public safety post, endi Riley wasn't in attendance at the hearing, when his attorney argued that Cantrells ability to fire unclassified employees at will doesnt apply to a prospective employee and that Riley shouldnt be left holding the bag after leaving his job based on a written offer he had signed. To which Feldman quipped from the bench: Maybe he was stupid enough to trust Mayor Cantrells word. That same day, the judge issued an order rejecting Rileys breach-of-contract claim, finding that Cantrell was within her rights to dismiss an at-will employee even before he started the job. However, Feldman gave more credit to the other claim from Riley, that the former top cop was owed financial damages because he relied on Cantrells promise when he quit his $170,000-a-year job as a Federal Emergency Management Agency official in Atlanta. +4 Feds probing possible pattern of racist abuses by Louisiana State Police, say victims' attorneys A federal investigation into a series of beatings of Black motorists by Monroe-based state troopers has spawned a broader probe into systemic Feldman, a Ronald Reagan appointee, said he would save for trial the factual question of whether it was reasonable for Riley to rely on Cantrells offer. The judge also said that the question of whether Riley could sue over his losses for relying on Cantrells proposal was legally murky, and he would welcome further briefing. 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 The surviving claim against the city is substantial, according to Jonathan Pedersen, a lawyer for Riley with the firm Howard & Reed. I plan to proceed forward with my case, and were ready for trial, he said. However, the city noted that the judge dismissed the breach of contract claim and several others. Mayor Cantrell respects the court process and believes when all is said and done the Mayors personnel decision will be supported as a matter of law, city spokesman Beau Tidwell said in a statement. As she has demonstrated repeatedly since taking office, Mayor Cantrell will always act in the best interest of the people of New Orleans, and this personnel decision was no exception. A trial date has not yet been set. The parties are set to meet for a scheduling conference next week. If the case does go to trial, it could feature the unusual sight of a current mayor giving sworn testimony in a lawsuit against her. Depositions in the case have provided a window into Cantrells thinking during her first controversy in office. +4 A new sheriff in town? Susan Hutson, longtime NOPD monitor, to run against Marlin Gusman After more than a decade as the New Orleans Police Departments independent monitor, Susan Hutson wants to make the switch from watchdog to to Sitting for questions this January, Cantrell said she'd discussed creating a position for Riley as her director of public safety and homeland security over lunch at the Central Business District restaurant Herbsaint during her mayoral transition period. She called Rileys qualifications undeniable. But amid a groundswell in the community, the mayor said, she felt that the offer had to be put on pause. Cantrell specifically cited opposition from the victims of the Danziger Bridge shootings. In the deposition, Cantrell said the summer 2020 protests against George Floyds murder had validated her decision to rescind the job offer. In his lawsuit, Riley claimed that Cantrell told him on May 15, 2017, a day before she finally canceled the job offer, that very powerful people who live Uptown didnt support him for the job. In her deposition, Cantrell said she didnt recall the conversation. "I don't know what that means," Cantrell said. "'Powerful people Uptown,' bullshit." Staff writer John Simerman contributed to this report. When people locked up in the New Orleans jail call their loved ones, the costs add up fast. Phone calls are 21 cents a minute, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office. The jails private phone provider sends most of the money back to the Sheriffs Office. As the citys annual budget process kicks off, the cost of phone calls has bubbled to the surface as an issue in Sheriff Marlin Gusmans reelection race. Gusman defends the charges as a much-needed revenue source. But opponents are calling on the jail to slash or eliminate the fees placed on the jail's mostly poor residents and their loved ones, mirroring a national trend thats taken off in places like Dallas and New York City. The jail draws about 1 percent of its revenue from phone call fees, a number thats been declining with the inmate population in recent years. In a campaign forum last month, Gusman said the calls do not cost a fortune and the jail desperately needs the money they generate. +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. Switching to free calls, Gusman said, would cost about $2 million a year. Its about $2 million that would have to go into the jail at a time when we are strapped for cash, where we just took care of getting stable funding, doubling employee pay. So we would have to find that from somewhere, Gusman said. The sheriffs comments came as the citys annual budget process heats up. Mayor LaToya Cantrells proposed budget for 2022 includes $56 million for the Sheriffs Office, split between $37.4 million for the agency and $18.6 million for medical costs. Covering the cost of inmate phone calls would mean a bigger hit to taxpayers, Gusman argues. +2 New Orleans municipal candidates spend big in the last days before November primary New Orleans' municipal candidates are spending cash faster then they are collecting it as they work to woo voters ahead of the Nov. 13 primary. The sheriff was laying out the traditional argument from jail officials around the country who rely on commissions from private phone providers to help fill out budgets. In the case of the Orleans Parish Sheriffs Office, the agency has a contract with prison phone industry giant Securus. It's one of two companies that dominate the field, and both give widely to law enforcement officials campaign accounts. Securus and its employees have donated at least $11,750 to Gusmans election war chest since 2011. Under the terms of its contract with the Sheriffs Office, Securus sends an 86% commission on calls to the Sheriffs Office. In 2018, that amounted to $973,000, according to public records from the Sheriffs Office. As the jails population declined during the pandemic last year, the revenue dropped to $773,000. The jail's phone call rates are below national averages, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. But opponents say theyre still a counterproductive burden on poor families. Opponents point to studies connecting family contact with reduced recidivism and they make a larger, moral argument about the value of connecting people to their families, especially during the pandemic. 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 Its not rocket science. 95% of them are low-income, coming from low-income families, and they just cant afford it, Chris Williams, one of the sheriffs four opponents in the Saturday election, said at the forum hosted by New Orleans Saints player Demario Davis. Susan Hutson, the former city police monitor whos also challenging Gusman, said she doubted the sheriffs $2 million estimate of switching to free calls. (B)ecause theres not really any transparency about how the Sheriff reached this amount, I challenge that figure, she said in a statement. But whatever the cost is, we have to pay for that as taxpayers and include it in the budget and stop trying to balance the budget on the backs of those who can least afford it. That is a moral imperative. Beyond dollars and cents, Gusman gave another reason for opposing free phone calls. He claimed the switch to free calls in New York City in 2019 led to a ruckus as inmates at Rikers Island squabbled over phones. You can check with Rikers in New York, Gusman said. Found out, they didnt have enough phones. They didnt have enough phones, because more fights over who was going to be able to use the phone. And we have a limited number of phones. Just like Gusman's lock-up, the jail in New York City has been plagued by violence. But officials in Gotham said they were puzzled by the sheriffs claim that phones were partially to blame. +3 After harsh report on New Orleans jail, a federal judge praises Gusman, says there's more to story Federal monitors were harsh in their assessment of the New Orleans jail last month, but a judge overseeing the consent decree offered Sheriff We are unaware of any such ruckus, said Bill Heinzen, a spokesman for the New York City Board of Correction. Providing free telephone service to people in custody is a humane and positive way to connect people in custody with their families and communities. By contrast, not providing free calls may give rise to isolation, jealousy and abuse of access to telephone calls, all of which endanger people in custody and correctional staff. Bianca Tylek, the executive director of Worth Rises, a non-profit group that pushed for the change, also said there was no spike in violence. That's not true at all, she said. There was literally not a single report of an issue related to the implementation of phone calls. Rather than a failed experiment, New York Citys switch to free phone calls has been held up as a model for other jurisdictions, Tylek said. San Francisco followed suit after monitoring the change in New York City. Last year, Dallas dropped the cost of jail phone calls to 1 cent a minute. Gusman also cited the need to record and monitor phone calls for discussion of smuggling contraband into the jail, or to stop inmates from coordinating crimes on the outside. However, New York City and other jurisdictions have continued to record phone calls after making them free to inmates. The groups working to restore Bayou Lafourche are celebrating two major milestones this week. A long-delayed pump station, considered the lynchpin of a decades-in-the-making series of bayou restoration and water quality projects, was approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday. The $77 million project will go out for bid next month. Construction, which is set to take place on top of the river levee in downtown Donaldsonville, will finish in two to three years. The Bayou Lafourche Fresh Water District has been trying to get the pump station approved since 2016. It was a grueling four and a half-years, but weve cleared the final hurdles, said Ben Malbrough, the districts executive director. The district and Friends of Bayou Lafourche are also marking the removal of a small dam, known as a weir, with a boat parade and festival in Thibodaux on Sunday. The dam, built to regulate water levels, had divided the bayou for more than 50 years. It was torn out in May. Celebrations had initially been set for late August but were delayed by Hurricane Ida. The procession will begin at 2 p.m. at the Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, 314 St. Mary St. in Thibodaux, and follow a 3-mile-long route with stops featuring live music and vendors. The pump station and dam removal are part of a $180 million effort to reconnect the Mississippi River to the bayou, which starts in Donaldsonville and empties into the Gulf of Mexico at Port Fourchon. The bayou was sealed off from the river, its main source of freshwater, more than a century ago, triggering a series of environmental problems, including the loss of wetlands south of Houma and New Orleans. The new pump station will triple the rivers flows into the bayou and help revive the marshes and barrier islands that protect a large area of south Louisiana from hurricanes and sea level rise. 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 Progress on the station was slowed after a range of concerns, including noise, aesthetics and historic preservation, were raised by leaders in Donaldsonville. The Army Corps approval was contingent on several mitigation measures. The district agreed to build a park, muffle the stations noise, amend its design to fit Donaldsonville's historic character, and install signs noting the history of an older pump that will remain alongside the new one. A final step was the districts agreement to pay $166,000 into a wetland mitigation bank to offset construction impacts to the riverbank. The money will preserve 6.3 acres of wetlands in Lockport. The district has spent the past 10 years preparing the bayou for the pump station's increased flows. Besides the dam removal, the district has widened and deepened several miles of the bayou, raised a Donaldsonville railroad crossing, and installed gates that control water levels. "The pump station is the most important component of the entire project," Malbrough said. "All its benefits derive from our ability to increase the amount of freshwater into Bayou Lafourche. Without it, the whole thing would be a moot." +24 Bayou rebirth: Fixing a century-old mistake that robbed Louisiana of land and a scenic waterway This is the first of two articles on Bayou Lafourche and plans to use it to rebuild parts of the Louisiana coast. Read Part 2 here. In the days immediately after Hurricane Ida, several feet of sand and water trapped anyone who was still on Grand Isle after the Category 4 storm devastated Louisiana's last inhabited barrier island. Island native and resident Richard Augustin visited three times shortly after the storm to assess the damage. "The first day it was like I was in awe. Then the next few times, it was heartbreaking," he recalled as he lounged across the street from his house with his brother and friends. Now, two and a half months later, Augustin is watching his hometown start its slow but steady recovery. Ida's footprint is still fresh. Piles of sand sit in empty lots, waiting to be placed back on the beach once trash and rubble are sifted out. Flattened houses have yet to be hauled away, and other missing walls or roofs await demolishment. Metal siding lies crumpled in ditches and open fields. But progress has been made. About half of the island, including Augustin's house, has had running water restored with a temporary line running from Lafourche Parish, though it isn't drinkable. Repairs continue on the town's main water line, running 35 miles north to Lafitte. On Monday, the community of Chenier, located just over the Andy P. Valence Memorial Bridge, also saw the return of running water. Grand Isle Mayor David Camardelle and Town Councilman Brian Barthelemy said officials hope to see water return to the whole island within two weeks, once all the system's leaks are found. "Once we get these leaks taken care of, we're about to put the lines to full capacity, pressure up the line of water for the people that can take water," Barthelemy said. Even when water access ramps up, the low pressure means a boil water advisory will remain in effect. And while power has also returned to about 90% of the island, with nearly every electrical pole replaced, the area's lines are hooked up to smaller, temporary generation plants as the substations that would normally send electricity to the town are still damaged. But the return of power meant Augustin could finally come home more than a month and a half after the storm. Without a source of drinking water, Augustin and other returning residents now frequent an area, nicknamed "the store," that houses donated items brought in by nonprofits. He's also relied on his brother, Jack, to bring him gallons of distilled water. Despite the challenges, Augustin, who was born and raised on the island, said he's a "lifer." 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 "I'm never gonna leave," he said. "You know, if it comes it comes to the point it demolishes that house, I'll be living in a tent. Or I'll build me some kind of shack somehow or another, but I'm coming back." Fellow resident Rick Howard, who returned soon after Ida despite the lack of power, said, "Once you get to the sand in your toes, ... once you take your shoes off, you'll be back." Grand Isle closes to everyone but residents, camp owners for ongoing Ida recovery Grand Isle has long been an irresistible lure for recreational fishermen and beachgoers due it its fertile waters and miles of shoreline. But They said most full-time residents feel the same way. Barthelemy estimated that 60% have returned so far, and the town is working with the Federal Emergency Management Administration to provide temporary housing with trailers to allow the rest to come back. So far, there are about 40 trailers on Grand Isle, with 15 of those available for use. Officials are working on getting the rest hooked up to the grid. "We want them back here," the councilman said. "We don't want them to get displaced anywhere else." Camardelle added: "When you put a mother and a child next to their home, it gives them hope." But questions remain about what will happen next hurricane season. Ida leveled much of the 13-foot high "burrito" levee that offered a critical first line of defense again storm surge. In the state coastal authority's October board meeting, officials said hard conversations were needed to determine what type of hurricane protection was needed moving forward and whether the likely prohibitive cost would be worth keeping the barrier island inhabitable. Locally, Camardelle and Jefferson Parish Councilman Ricky Templet are pushing for breakwater rocks to be included in any plan moving forward, confident in their ability to sustain the island's beaches over the long term. Sand and dunes, they said, are not enough. Augustin and Howard agreed, adding that they were also open to a seawall similar to the 17-foot-tall concrete structure that protects Galveston, Texas. "Rocks (are) the answer," Camardelle said. "If the (Army) Corps (of Engineers) is coming in with a design with just sand, don't come. ... We don't want to go to Congress every six months. Put some money where it's going to work so we can focus on something else." Templet added: "We're spending millions, federal government-wise, upon millions to protection the green frog habitat ... it's time we're spending millions and millions to protect our habitat." Harrisburg, Pa. -- It is almost a year until the next election to replace outgoing Gov. Tom Wolf, but the administration still appears to be pressing forward with their own agenda. Wolf recently signed into law House Bill 425, House Bill 1452, and Senate Bill 880. According to the governor's office, House Bill 425 will extend the flexibility for certain licensees, which will include allowing restaurants to extend the area in which they are licensed to serve alcohol to now include a seating area within 1,000 feet of their main location. The legislation signed by Wolf gives the Pa. Liquor Control Board (PLCB) the ability to issue eligible licensees unlimited off-premise catering permits, plus an additional year of safekeeping. The bill also allows a licensee that closes permanently to sell their liquor and wine to another licensee. House Bill 1452 will provide for greater flexibility in the emergency publication of the PA Bulletin, which is the state's main resource for information on governmental changes which happen throughout state government on most levels. Senate Bill 880 designates a portion of State Rte. 2014/Washington St. beginning at the intersection of South Courtland St. and Day St. and ending at the intersection of Brown St. in Monroe County as the Samuel Newman Way. Harrisburg, Pa. -- A tax credit program designed to make taxes more affordable while preserving over two million acres of Pa. farmland has been seeing success. Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced that since January 2015, Pa. has enrolled 2.1 million acres in the state's Clean & Green Program, bringing the total to 11.2 million acres. Clean & Green helps keep property taxes affordable by assessing farm and forest land by use value rather than fair market value. "Pennsylvania feeds the nation and the world," said Redding. "Productive farmland is the number one requirement for that role. Ensuring that taxes are not a barrier to farmers and forest landowners is a key element of our efforts to protect our water, land and forests and preserve our farms and food, for future generations." To apply for preferential tax treatment under Clean & Green, a property must be 10 acres in size and in agricultural use, agricultural reserve or forest reserve. Agricultural use properties may be fewer than 10 acres if the property can generate at least $2,000 in farm income annually. To ensure the availability and accessibility of food, the Department of Agriculture said they dedicate an average of $40 million annually to preserving productive farmland. The Agriculture department said that Pa.'s Farmland Preservation program leads the nation, and since taking office in 2015, "Governor Wolf increased funding for the program by more than 132 percent. The administration's $253 million investment has preserved more than 100,000 acres since 2015," according to a release by the department. The release from the department of Agriculture said "Preserving productive farmland is just one element of the more than $106 million Governor Wolf is set to invest this year in programs that secure a strong future for the industry." The state said Clean & Green also makes taxes more affordable for the hardwoods and forest products industry, an agriculture sector that contributes more than $39.1 billion to the state's economy annually. "Pennsylvania leads the nation in production and export of hardwood lumber. With 16.6 million acres of forestland, Pennsylvania has the most abundant hardwood forest in the United States. Since taking office in 2015, Governor Wolf has invested more than $1 million in grants, loans and tax credits to help hardwood businesses expand their operations, upgrade equipment, support workforce training and implement sustainable environmental practices," according to the department. The commonwealth said the Pennsylvania Farm Bill, which was signed into law in 2019, was the result of an in-depth economic impact report and industry analysis, and the administration said they have invested more than $50 million in programs designed to support and grow the industry. Lewisburg, Pa. Additional charges have been filed against a Lock Haven man who allegedly used a rock to break a glass window to gain entry and steal items from the Lewisburg Weis Markets store. Cody J. Stern, 33, of Lock Haven, was arrested early the morning of Oct. 17 after he allegedly broke into and stole a jacket and hat from the store. Stern fled the scene and was caught several hours later when a resident on Verna Road called 911 to report that a male, later identified as Stern, was banging on their door. Related Reading: Man arrested for breaking into Lewisburg Weis store, stealing clothing During the investigation, police discovered that Stern had attempted to break into several other Lewisburg area businesses between Oct. 16 and 17, according to the arrest affidavit. Stern is jailed at Union County Jail on a total of $75,000 monetary bail for the three additional cases of burglary and criminal mischief filed against him by Buffalo Valley Regional Police. The chain of events began when Stern came bursting into the Emergency Room at Evangelical Community Hospital at 7 p.m. Oct. 16, according to Patrolman Mark E. Kuhns of Buffalo Valley Regional Police who wrote the affidavit. Stern was acting erratic and showing signs of intoxication and or drug influence according to ER staff. By 11:23 p.m., Stern had checked himself out of the emergency room without having treatment and attempted to gain entry into a Dominos Pizza delivery vehicle as he was leaving the parking lot, Kuhns wrote. Ten minutes later, police received a call that a male was outside of Panera Bread on Westbranch Highway attempting to smash the windows by throwing chairs. The male, later identified as Stern, also had been reportedly chasing a female in the parking lot. When state police and Buffalo Valley Regional Police arrived, Stern was gone from the scene and could not be located. Shortly before 1 a.m. Oct. 17, Stern was captured on surveillance video breaking into the Beer Barn at 227 North Derr Drive in East Buffalo Township. Stern reportedly kicked in an air conditioning unit on the north side of the building and ripped it out to gain access to the building, Kuhns wrote. Stern then reportedly stopped back at Evangelical Community Hospital briefly and then continued to Weis Markets where he broke the window and entered the store to steal the jacket and hat. When police arrived, Stern was gone. A witness told police that he was sitting in his vehicle at the nearby Dunkin Donuts when a male on a bicycle approached him. The male was acting crazy and was tweaking bad from drugs, the witness told police. The description of the male matched the description of Stern, kuhns wrote. Police suspected Stern took a bicycle that was parked in front of the Weis store, which they saw when they responded to the Panera incident earlier in the night. The bicycle was found a short time later at the intersection of North Derr Drive and Adams Avenue. As police continued to search for Stern, additional units from Mifflinburg, Watsontown, Point Township, and the Union County Sheriffs Office came to assist. Meanwhile, Stern continued fleeing away from the area and broke into a private vehicle parked at 247 Stein Lane shortly after 3 a.m. Oct. 17, Kuhns wrote. The owner of the vehicle discovered later that morning that the rear window of his pickup truck had been smashed and there were muddy footprints and fingerprints inside. Police were able to match the shoe tread prints with the shoes that Stern was wearing at the time of his capture. Stern was finally captured by 4:16 a.m. when police received the call that a male had been banging on the door of a residence on Verna Road in East Buffalo Township. Stern was found in the backyard when police arrived. Stern allegedly had entered an enclosed back porch and took an air rifle which he used the butt end of to pound on the back door, Kuhns wrote. Stern now faces several felony burglary and criminal trespass charges, as well as misdemeanors of criminal mischief. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 9 at the office of District Judge Jeffrey A. Rowe. Docket Sheet Weis burglary Docket Sheet 2 Docket Sheet 3 Docket Sheet 4 The Rome City Commission is expecting to receive a partial settlement in a class action lawsuit against a dozen or so top opioid manufacturers. Rome and Floyd joined a suit with Chattooga and Whitfield counties and the city of Cartersville in May 2018. Theyre seeking damages to fund increased costs for police, medical and other services and to fund local programs to address the epidemic. City Attorney Andy Davis told the board on Monday the amount the city will receive is still unknown. If everything is paid out, the total amount across the United States would be $26 billion, Davis said. Each state has been allocated certain amounts. Each city and county from that will get an allocated certain amount, but there are certain steps for approval and different tiers. It also depends on how many cities and counties participate. Also on Monday, the commission voted unanimously to remove the proposed amendment to the city-wide juvenile curfew from the table. Commissioners said they will look at it again next year. A fight downtown in August resulted in charges filed against nine juveniles and two adults. Calls came to change the curfew from its 11 p.m. start time to 10 p.m. Commissioners were poised to make that decision at a meeting in September but had continued tabling the matter for further discussion. Under the current ordinance, all minors under the age of 17 must be off the streets between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by an adult. Failure to adhere to the ordinance results in the parents of that child receiving a fine. The commission will have a special-called meeting at 8:30 a.m. Friday that will go into executive session to discuss litigation the city is involved in. In addition to the opioid lawsuit, Rome is suing carpet manufacturers in Dalton, contending that theyve been dumping chemicals in the river upstream. Ex-Samsung employee turned insider Super Roader alleged that Samsung may be ditching the Exynos 2200 in favor of the Snapdragon 898. Until now, Samsung has shipped its flagship phones with Exynos chips in all markets except the US and some other countries where it uses Snapdragon SoCs. Reportedly, the ongoing chip shortage is making it hard for Samsung to procure enough Exynos chips for the upcoming Galaxy S22 phones. 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 Samsungs upcoming Galaxy S22 phones are probably the most leaked pieces of tech in 2021. Thanks to leaks and rumors from trustworthy sources, we have a pretty good idea about the design and the internals of the Galaxy S22, S22+, and S22 Ultra. But recent leaks from an ex-Samsung employee turned serial leaker, Super Roader, suggest that Samsung may be getting ready to surprise its fanbase early next year. According to LetsGoDigital, Super Roader has claimed that Samsung will launch all Galaxy S22 models with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 898 instead of the heavily anticipated Exynos 2200. If the leak is true, this will be the first time since the Galaxy S5 that Samsung opts to go exclusively with a Snapdragon processor. Qualcomm is gearing up to launch the Snapdragon 898 on November 30. But why would Samsung decide to ditch Exynos 2200 in favor of the Snapdragon 898? Super Roader alleges that the chip shortage is the biggest roadblock in the development of the Exynos 2200. Reportedly, Samsung is finding it hard to produce enough Exynos chips for its flagship phones. Roader also claims that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S22 series on February 8, 2022. Having said all of this, we should take this information with a big grain of salt. Samsungs strategy of launching a Snapdragon flagship for the US along with some other markets and an Exynos version for the rest of the globe has worked well for the company. So, although Samsung may launch the Snapdragon Galaxy S22 models in more regions than the previous year, it is highly unlikely that it will ditch the Exynos version altogether. Buy Samsung Galaxy S21+ 5G Steel stocks shot up after the long-awaited passage of the infrastructure bill the United Steelworkers union and steelmakers have lobbied extensively for, including at rallies in Northwest Indiana. Cleveland-Cliffs' stock traded at a low of $22.16 per share Friday and shot up to a high of $23.97 a share after the $1.2 trillion investment in roads, bridges and other infrastructure passed. U.S. Steel stock leaped from a low of $26 per share Friday to a high of $27.73. Passage of the infrastructure bill is a major advance for the long-term vitality of the U.S. economy. With President Bidens expected signing, the men and women of America will soon be deploying their grit and ingenuity to a no regrets rebuilding of America as the world leader. Theres no doubt that American industry and people will leverage our capabilities to sustainably produce the results we all seek, U.S. Steel President and CEO David Burritt said. We are pleased to contribute to this opportunity to do great things together. The infrastructure bill is expected to drive demand for steel, including the metal forged at the big integrated mills that line the lakeshore in Northwest Indiana. "This is an innovative solution for investigating crimes throughout the state, especially as technology continues to advance and can hold the key to putting dangerous criminals behind bars." Lake County Prosecutor Bernard Carter did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the county's selection as host for a High Tech Crime Unit. But Bob Neumaier and Barbara McConnell of the Lake County prosecutor's office previously told county officials they hoped to receive a $600,000, two-year grant from the $6 million biennial fund appropriated for the program by the General Assembly, and to use the money to hire at least two full-time employees and purchase the specialized equipment needed for investigations. McConnell also said partnering with PNW will give criminal justice and forensics students on-the-job experience in digital evidence processing for investigations into homicides, sexual assaults, burglaries and other types of cases, along with analyzing cellphone data, cameras, and computers to either connect evidence to the target of an investigation or to exonerate persons of interest. "Public safety is a priority, and Hoosier prosecutors and law enforcement officers are ready to team up with the state's colleges and universities in our fight against crime," Steuerwald said. MICHIGAN CITY Two people ended up in the hospital, one with life-threatening injuries, after a police chase Monday. Indiana State Police now are investigating the chase and crash, an official said. "An officer with the Michigan City Police Department was involved in a vehicle pursuit that resulted in a crash with injuries to both the suspect and a third party," Michigan City Sgt. Steve Forker said. "Chief Dion Campbell has requested the Indiana State Police investigate the crash." At about 2:30 p.m. Monday, Michigan City police responded to a report of an auto theft in progress at the Victory Lane Car Wash, 3417 Franklin St. Officers chased the gold 1996 Oldsmobile Aurora that was reported stolen after it fled the scene. "The pursuit continued in the city and eventually went northbound on Hoyt Street from Coolspring Avenue. The suspect disregarded the stop sign at the intersection of Hoyt and Earl Road, striking a red 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, that had the right-of-way, at a high rate of speed," Indiana State Police Sgt. Glen Fifield said. "As a result of the impact, both drivers were transported from the scene for treatment. The driver of the Chevrolet was later flown to South Bend for treatment of life-threatening injuries." GARY Two Indiana men were arrested and federal officials are seizing an airplane at the Gary/Chicago International Airport after nearly 221 pounds of cocaine was allegedly discovered in what is being described as the disruption of a suspected Mexico-to-Chicago drug pipeline, officials have announced. Sebastian Vazquez-Gamez, 30, of Mexico, arrived in Gary at 6:43 p.m. Wednesday on a plane that traveled the day before from Mexico to Houston, according to a charging document and a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Northern District of Illinois. Law enforcement surveillance watched Vazquez-Gamez help unload suitcases full of cocaine from the plane and then place them into a Lincoln Navigator SUV that arrived at the airport at 7:01 p.m. Wednesday, officials said. He and others from the plane then drove to a hotel in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood, where Vazquez-Gamez was seen shortly after 9 p.m. loading some of the suitcases into a Toyota Highlander SUV with a temporary Indiana license plate. The Toyota was driven by Rodrigo Alexis Jimenez-Perez, 25, of Columbus, Indiana, charges allege. The Toyota was pulled over by officers a few blocks away. OAK LAWN Police arrested two people suspected of carjacking after a chase led from Gary all the way to south suburban Oak Lawn, police said. Oak Lawn police arrested two suspects after the fleeing vehicle crashed near 95th Street and Oak Park Avenue in the village Monday afternoon. A Gary police officer started pursuing a vehicle at about 2:15 p.m. Monday after a plate reader revealed it had been reported stolen in Chicago on Sunday, police said. The vehicle fled, speeding off on westbound Interstate 80/94 into Illinois. The suspects fled more than 30 miles to Oak Lawn, about a 40-minute drive when following the speed limit under normal circumstances. "The pursuit started in Indiana in Gary," Oak Lawn Police Department Investigations Division Chief Gerald Vetter said. "The vehicle was taken in a carjacking (Sunday) in Chicago." Police asked the public to steer clear of the area after one of the suspects fled on foot after the crash Monday afternoon. Officers ultimately took both into custody. "Both offenders from todays incident are in custody and are currently being held in the Oak Lawn lockup facility," Vetter said. "Charges are still pending." In addition, Dr. Dennis Shelby has been named internal mental health consultant to support officer health and wellness needs. Shelby, a Porter County resident and practitioner with the Psychoanalytic Institute in Chicago, has a background in law enforcement and helping officers deal with traumatic job-related stress. A chaplain will assist officers by offering a spiritual component if requested. Providing mental health support for our team is another way of ensuring that our department offers the very best in community policing, Balon said. In 2022, the department will hold all police officers to a mandatory physical fitness standard as well. Statistics show that officers who are mentally prepared and physically fit go into stressful situations with a calmer and more confident demeanor, which has shown to result in more positive resolutions and fewer risks for the community and for officers themselves, Balon said. In 2022, officers will be offered a $400 physical fitness incentive as well as bonuses for earning degrees in higher education. Rittenhouse is white, as are the three men he shot, but the case has raised polarizing questions about racial justice, policing, firearms and white privilege. In the first week of Rittenhouse's trial, prosecutors played numerous videos that showed the events of that night from different angles. Jurors heard testimony from people who were with Rittenhouse, as well as from police officers and loved ones of the men who died. Jason Lackowski, a former Marine who was on the streets of Kenosha carrying his own rifle, testified Friday about Rosenbaum, the first man Rittenhouse shot. Lackowski said Rosenbaum was acting belligerently but did not appear to pose a serious threat. Lackowski said he considered Rosenbaum a babbling idiot, and turned his back and ignored him. He acknowledged that he didnt see everything that went on between Rittenhouse and Rosenbaum, including their final clash. Other witnesses testified last week 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 his rifle. The latest fixation of the mainstream media is the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse for the shooting of three protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during the rioting due to the police shooting of Jacob Blake there. It's interesting the same media doesn't care to look into the shooting death of Jessica Whitaker in Indianapolis, July 6, 2020, because she stated "All Lives matter" to a BLM protester. I don't even know if anyone was arrested for that. Or how about the shooting death of a Trump supporter, Aaron Danielson in Portland, Oregon, during violent left wing protests September 2020. Or about the killing of retired police officer David Dorn in St. Louis during the George Floyd riots there. Anybody care about him? And has the media ever looked into motivation of Micah Johnson to kill five police officers in Dallas in July of 2016 during protests there? It's funny how they bury those stories and run for months when it's someone they think they can paint as a violent right winger. Leon Gamino, Hammond Love 3 Funny 4 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dr. McFarlane, the former director of the PIER Training Institute in Portland who tutors personnel at PIER sites around the country, has noted that about 20 percent of all hospital admissions and disability payments are for patients with severe mental illness, mostly schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. These ailments also shorten life by an average of 25 years. When you develop severe mental illness, you are driving off a cliff, the psychiatrist said. Imagine if you could stop a process thats already underway. Psychosis, which is not a disease but a symptom of a brain illness, usually begins in late adolescence and young adulthood. The causes are not known. The disorder, which is genetically complex, tends to run in families more than 100 genes have been linked to schizophrenia, for example. Its onset is often precipitated by episodes of intense stress or severe chronic stress. There are many possible signs that someone is at risk of developing a psychotic break, but too often they are often dismissed as symptoms of typical adolescent behavior, experts say. Psychosis rarely comes on suddenly. Rather, the person gradually experiences changes in thoughts and perception, making it difficult for the person to recognize what is real and what is not, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) points out. The alliance lists these early warning signs: A worrisome drop in grades or job performance Trouble thinking clearly or concentrating Suspiciousness or uneasiness with others A decline in self-care or personal hygiene Spending a lot more time alone than usual Strong, inappropriate emotions or having no feelings at all The person may hear, see or believe things that others do not; experience distracting sensations; be confused about what is real and what is not; and become mistrustful or even panicky. Ms. Martinez recalled that she began to hear voices, see shadowy figures and have troubling, intrusive thoughts. I would walk out into the courtyard outside my dorm and for some reason I had this thought to be careful of the trees because they were going to collapse on me, she reported. A number of studies in recent decades have shown that first episodes of psychosis can be prevented through early detection and treatment, as shown by a Dutch team in a 2013 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. SANTIAGO, Chile Having negotiated early access to tens of millions of doses of Covid-19 vaccines, Chile has been inoculating its residents faster than any other country in the Americas and appears poised to be among the first in the world to reach herd immunity. But experts say the countrys speedy and efficient vaccination drive only Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Seychelles have vaccinated a larger share of their populations gave Chileans a false sense of security and contributed to a sharp spike in new infections and deaths that is overloading the health care system. The surge in cases, even as more than one-third of Chiles population has received at least the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, serves as a cautionary tale for other nations looking to vaccination drives to quickly put an end to the era of beleaguered economies, closed borders and social distancing. The rise in cases prompted a new set of strict lockdown measures that have restricted mobility for much of the country, affecting nearly 14 million people. It has been called the first genocide of the 20th century, the forgotten genocide and the genocide that was the precursor of the Holocaust. Tens of thousands of Africans were killed between 1904 and 1908 by German soldiers in what is now Namibia, a vast, arid country northwest of South Africa. German soldiers targeted people of two ethnic groups the Herero and the Nama because they had resisted land grabs by German settlers. Africans were shot, hanged, abandoned in the desert and died in concentration camps. Descendants of the Herero and Nama, marginalized groups within Namibia itself, kept alive the stories of their genocide through oral tradition and cultural events. A push to recognize the genocide began after Namibias independence in 1990, and grew stronger with the 100th anniversary of the atrocities in 2004. In recent years with researchers and left-leaning politicians pushing Germany to come to terms with its rarely examined colonial history the process gained momentum. While Germany indicated early on that it was ready to recognize the atrocities as a genocide, there was a stumbling block: money, not only the amount to be given, but what any payment would be called. For more than 20 years, the husband and wife were stalwarts of their evangelical community: pastors who founded a small church in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where they led services and distributed food and clothing to the needy. Now, the couple are pariahs. They have been blamed by the authorities for a major coronavirus outbreak, are facing a criminal investigation and have been held accountable on social media for a lockdown in their neighborhood and a ban on religious services nationwide. The Protestant pastors, Phuong Van Tan and Vo Xuan Loan, who are hospitalized with Covid-19, are accused by city health officials of allowing parishioners to pray together without wearing masks, a violation of coronavirus protocols that officials say resulted in an outbreak in May linked to more than 200 cases. Vietnam has prided itself on successfully containing the coronavirus since the pandemic began. As the countrys neighbors tallied their dead and imposed nationwide lockdowns, the Vietnamese government kept the virus at bay by relying on strict quarantine measures, diligent contact tracing and localized lockdowns. Officials have said that the flooding could exacerbate the spread of the coronavirus and lead to other health problems if residents cant find clean food and water. The destruction of crops, homes and livestock could also lead to economic devastation for some families in the hard-hit regions of the country, one of South Americas poorest. Bordering the Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela, Guyana is home to about 790,000 residents. Forecasts suggest that the heavier-than-normal rainy season which has already been blamed for the severe flooding could continue into July. From the governments side, we recognize this as a disaster because several communities are affected across the country, Mark Phillips, the prime minister, said in a statement on Sunday. In Kwakwani, it is really bad. Narendra Itwaru, a rice farmer in Mora Point, told News Room, a Guyanese news outlet, that he had lost 210 bags of rice as well as a refrigerator, a wardrobe, cupboards and a number of electrical items. Government officials said they had distributed 15,000 bags of food and sanitary supplies and had opened shelters to accommodate families that had been forced from their homes. Five of the eight government shelters were occupied as of Wednesday, officials said. [Follow live updates on the assassination of Haitis President Jovenel Moise] Respect for the United Nations in Haiti was forever destroyed by the cholera epidemic that ravaged the impoverished country after the 2010 earthquake, the leader of the global organization during that period said in a new book. Ban Ki-moon, the South Korean statesman who was the United Nations secretary general from 2007 to 2016, also asserted in his book that the organization should have done far more to arrest the cholera scourge, which at least three investigations linked to poor sanitation by U.N. peacekeepers there. Our delayed and insufficient early response had made the tragedy worse, Mr. Ban wrote. But he also expressed disdain for Haitis leaders particularly its president at the time of the quake and cholera outbreak, Rene Preval, whom he described as lost, panicked and paralyzed. And Mr. Ban was similarly critical of aggrieved cholera victims and their lawyers who unsuccessfully sued the United Nations for compensation in the American court system. He described it as a fraudulent extortion attempt and said it could have undercut U.N. work everywhere if it had prevailed. BOGOTA, Colombia Several of the central figures under investigation by the Haitian authorities in connection with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise gathered in the months before the killing to discuss rebuilding the troubled nation once the president was out of power, according to the Haitian police, Colombian intelligence officers and participants in the discussions. The meetings, conducted in Florida and the Dominican Republic over the last year, appear to connect a seemingly disparate collection of suspects in the investigation, linking a 63-year-old doctor and pastor, a security equipment salesman, and a mortgage and insurance broker in Florida. All have been identified by the Haitian authorities as prominent players in a sprawling plot to kill the president with the help of more than 20 former Colombian commandos and seize political power in the aftermath. It is unclear how the people under investigation could have accomplished that, or what powerful backers they may have had to make it possible. But interviews with more than a dozen people involved with the men show that the suspects had been working together for months, portraying themselves in grandiose and often exaggerated terms as well-financed, well-connected power brokers ready to lead a new Haiti with influential American support behind them. Pharrell Williams sang about it. Tony Hsieh of Zappos promised to deliver it. Clinique named a perfume for it. Happiness has been the primary, bright-yellow pursuit of those living during what is now again modish to call, with disdain, late capitalism, as if the revolution were right around the corner, along with ones Sweetgreen order. Its the ultimate American oh-what-a-feeling, perpetually for sale and eternally elusive and its been a bonanza for publishing. In On Consolation, the prolific author, professor and former politician Michael Ignatieff pushes aside this commercial, foamy emotion and dives into the murkier waters beneath. In these depths, which often are close to deaths, any notion of happiness has ebbed or evaporated entirely; indeed, circumstances can be so desperate that there seems no way back to shore. What can help in such moments? Certainly not a texted smiley face. Mental-health professionals and their pills might also be inadequate. They treat our suffering as an illness from which we need to recover, Ignatieff writes. Yet when suffering becomes understood as an illness with a cure, something is lost. His book is an ambitious restoration project, a survey course of Eurocentric anguish from Job to the Polish poet Czeslaw Milosz. I must warn those weak of stomach that the straits faced by Ignatieffs subjects, mostly white and male though they may be, are among the most dire that Western history has to offer. Ciceros beloved daughter and grandson die, for example, and subsequently assassins arrive to saw off the statesmans head and hands; Mark Antonys wife then attacked his severed tongue with needles. Painful kidney stones were the least of Michel de Montaignes problems; he was kidnapped, and watched as neighbors infected with plague lay down with resignation in graves they dug themselves. Abraham Lincoln agonized over hanging young Civil War deserters, then met his own abrupt end at the theater. Primo Levi survived and chronicled the Holocaust, but plunged into depression and down a flight of stairs at 67. Image Michael Ignatieff, whose new book is On Consolation. Credit... Paul Musso/Hay Festival Speeding through the centuries with such ill-fated figures, youre rudely immersed in the often compartmentalized truth that you and everyone youve ever loved are all going to die some day, possibly out of turn, possibly alone and scared in a hospital like Ignatieffs father, he reveals remorsefully. And even if you win every accolade desired in life, youre likely to be forgotten quite soon. (After repute, oblivion, as Marcus Aurelius put it.) We are all, in fact, ill-fated. Still, that has not stopped Mr. Murphys campaign from criticizing Mr. Ciattarelli. Assemblyman Ciattarelli is mathematically eliminated, and he must accept the results and concede the race, Mr. Murphys campaign manager, Mollie Binotto, said Monday in a statement. His continuing failure to do so is an assault on the integrity of our elections. An election lawyer for the Ciattarelli campaign, Mark Sheridan, acknowledged that it was unlikely for Mr. Ciattarelli to pull ahead in the vote count. But he said it was possible Mr. Ciattarelli could come within 1 point of Mr. Murphy the threshold at which he said it would be prudent to ask a judge for permission to conduct a recount. At the same time, Mr. Sheridan sought to distance Mr. Ciattarelli from former President Donald J. Trumps postelection stop the steal strategy that made disproved claims of voting fraud and led to the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Were not hearing any credible accounts of fraud or malfeasance, Mr. Sheridan said. Im not looking to be Rudy Giuliani standing in front of a mulch pile, he added, referring to Mr. Trumps lawyer, the former mayor of New York, who had his law license temporarily suspended after a court ruled that he made demonstrably false and misleading statements while fighting the results of the 2020 election. But Mr. Sheridan did stress that it was important for every vote to be counted. Despite the likelihood that Mr. Murphy will win a second term, the narrow margin has been a jolt to Democrats and suggested that they will face a steep climb to try to retain their hold on Congress in next years midterm elections. Of the 60 cases, 34 were based on the work of former detective Kevin Desormeau, a street cop once held in high regard, who in 2018 was convicted of lying about witnessing a Queens drug deal that had not taken place. At the sentencing, Justice Michael Aloise gave Mr. Desormeau no jail time and criticized the prosecutors office for its conduct during the former officers trial. Mr. Desormeau later pleaded guilty in Manhattan to separate charges that he fabricated facts concerning a 2014 gun possession arrest in Washington Heights, a case that also led to charges against his former partner on the force, Sasha Cordoba. The Queens district attorney asked Monday to dismiss 20 cases involving Ms. Cordoba, who pleaded guilty in Manhattan in 2018 to perjury and official misconduct charges in connection with the gun possession arrest. Ms. Cordoba was also convicted of a misdemeanor in the Queens drug sale case, but the judge threw out her verdict, citing lack of evidence. Six of the cases dismissed Monday stemmed from the work of former Queens detective Oscar Sandino, who pleaded guilty in 2010 to federal civil rights charges related to the sexual assault of people in custody. In one instance, Mr. Sandino sexually abused someone under arrest in the bathroom of the 110th Precinct in Queens, the district attorneys office said. Criminal convictions largely based on the work of corrupt former or active N.Y.P.D. officers who engaged in misconduct while executing their duties flies in the face of oaths officers take to protect and serve New Yorkers, said Elizabeth Felber, director of the Legal Aid Societys wrongful conviction unit. This unconscionable and inexcusable behavior corrodes the publics trust in law enforcement, she said. The review in Queens is part of a broader movement to reassess criminal cases and convictions, some decades old, over concerns about official misconduct and perjury by police officers. In April, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez asked the court to dismiss 90 convictions nearly a third of them felonies that were based on the work of a former narcotics detective, Joseph E. Franco, who had been charged with perjury and other offenses in connection with his undercover work and testimony for prosecutors. In an environment like this, Republican proposals to subsidize private school tuition are likely to be received gratefully by many parents. Its a perilous situation for Democrats, the party of public schools. If they want to stanch the bleeding, they should treat the rollout of the childrens Covid vaccine as an opportunity to make public schools feel lively and joyful again. Public schools may finally be open across the country, but in many districts, things are far from normal. In Fairfax County, an unvaccinated student identified as a close contact of someone who tests positive for Covid must quarantine for 14 days, no matter the results of the students own Covid tests. At some schools, students have been forbidden to talk during lunch. At my own kids school, students must be masked even during outdoor recess. Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, wants to see outdoor masking ended as a first step toward unwinding other Covid restrictions. The C.D.C. has been clear that everyone can unmask outside unless theyre in close contact with each other, she said. And I believe that schools should be doing this for recess. And I believe we need to give parents and teachers a road map to what it takes to start undoing the mitigations. It was clear that vaccines for teachers helped us reopen schools. Maybe its vaccines for kids helping us get to unmasking of teachers and kids in schools. Other post-Covid problems are harder to solve than masks. In Michigan, schools have been forced to close because of staff shortages. Workers in short-staffed departments are shouldering more work, students have been denied bus rides to get to school, special education students are going without one-to-one aides, classrooms are doubled up and principals are acting as substitutes as pools of candidates dwindle, reported The Detroit Free Press. This is a complicated problem, but its up to the states Democratic governor, as well as the Biden administration, to solve it, for their own sake as well as that of their constituents. Rufo readily admits that school closures prepared the ground for the drive against critical race theory. You have a multiracial group of parents that felt like the public school bureaucracies were putting their children through a policy regime of chaos, with Covid and shutdowns, and then pumping them full of left-wing racialist ideologies, he said. Hes right about the first part, even if the second is a fantasy. Now Democrats have a choice. They can repair the public schools, or watch people like Rufo destroy them. Last week, the SpaceX Crew-2 capsule was all clear to make its trek back home, but one thing stood in the way: its toilet. While the vehicle had been cleared to return to Earth, the toilet remained offline for the duration of the trip. If the astronauts needed to go, they had to hold it, or use astronaut-grade diapers built into their flight suits as a contingency. Of course thats suboptimal, but we are prepared to manage that in the time that were onboard Dragon on the way home, K. Megan McArthur, the Crew-2 mission pilot, said during a news conference on Friday. The acorn-shaped capsule is somewhat larger than a minivan on Earth; it doesnt have a proper bathroom. Instead it has a toilet device with a tube and fans built into one of the spacecrafts compartments that create suction to ensure waste goes in the right direction in the weightlessness of space. There are so many things to remember and organize, she said as she sat on a bench in the departure terminal, refreshing her email feed every few minutes as she waited for her negative coronavirus test result. Its very stressful, but I know its going to be worth it when I see my children and meet my grandchildren, she said, her eyes welling up with tears. Reyna Martinez, from Ensenada, in Mexico, crossed the border from Tijuana into California with her daughter for the first time in two years. She said she used to cross at least four times a year to see friends or go shopping. On Monday she was on her way to Long Beach, Calif., to visit a friend. Who knows if they might close it again, she said, speaking in Spanish. I was worried if I didnt go now, I might miss out. So here we are. In Canada, Judy and Wayne Peters were packing up their cobalt gray BMW for their 1,520-mile journey south from Kelowna, British Columbia. They own a manufactured home in an upscale R.V. park in Yuma, a city halfway between Phoenix and San Diego. Hundreds of thousands of Canadian snowbirds, typically retirees, flock to the United States each year to spend the winter. Now that pandemic travel restrictions have been lifted, thousands are already on their way to Florida, Arizona and California, among other warm destinations, with campers and boats in tow. It was a mild winter here, so that worked out in our favor, said Mr. Peters, 69. But we are looking forward to being in a nice warm environment again, with our American friends. Miriam Jordan, Matt Stevens, Niraj Chokshi, Kevin Armstrong, Michael Paulson and Max Rivlin-Nadler contributed reporting. A former metallurgist at a foundry that provides steel used to make U.S. Navy submarines pleaded guilty in federal court in Tacoma, Wash., on Monday to falsifying test results that measured the strength and toughness of the metal a practice that prosecutors said she continued for more than three decades. The former metallurgist, Elaine Thomas, 67, of Auburn, Wash., who pleaded guilty to major fraud, falsified test results for more than 240 steel productions, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Washington said in a statement. She could face up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine when she is sentenced on Feb. 14. Between 1977 and 2017, Ms. Thomas worked as a metallurgist at a steel foundry in Tacoma, Wash., owned by Atlas Castings & Technology and acquired by Bradken Inc., in 2008, according to the indictment in the case. Ms. Thomas was named director of metallurgy for the company in 2009. Bradken produces steel castings as a subcontractor or supplier for companies that contract with the Navy, according to the indictment. The company is the Navys leading supplier of cast high-yield steel used for naval submarines, prosecutors said, adding that the productions whose tests were falsified make up a substantial percentage of the castings Bradken produced for the Navy. It was not clear which submarines might have been affected. These are a lot of violent acts that occurred in a very brief period of time, said Lt. Craig Longworth of the St. Louis County Police Department. These seem to be random acts. Why? I cant give an answer to that. By Sept. 21, the police announced that the same gun had been used in three of the recent killings, and they raised a public alarm. Days later, there was another death: The body of a man was found in Ferguson, Mo., with gunshot wounds to the head and hand. The commonality amongst them were handgun casings. We knew they came from the same handgun, Richard Quinn, the F.B.I. special agent in charge in St. Louis, told reporters on Monday. We also had a description from several witnesses and one victim that had highlighted unique physical characteristics of the subject. However, thats where we ran up against a little bit of a wall. Detectives got an important lead from the police in Kansas City, where two more murders occurred a few days apart in late October and early November in the same high-rise apartment building. According to the affidavit, Mr. Reed knew at least one of his victims there well enough to have exchanged hundreds of messages. The police there had surveillance footage of a man with a crescent tattoo on his forehead leaving the scene. Mr. Reed, who has a crescent tattoo on his forehead, had left his ID at the front desk of the building, according to the affidavit. On Friday, the police said, they learned that Mr. Reed had purchased an Amtrak ticket to return to St. Louis from Kansas City. They followed him. He got off before his destination, in Independence, Mo., and when the authorities detained him, he had in his possession a handgun that they believed was linked to all the Missouri crime scenes. Mr. Reed was initially arrested on a federal charge of transporting firearms across state lines with the intent to commit a felony. The city of St. Louis later charged him with two murders, and the county charged him with two more. In addition to second-degree murder, which is punishable by 10 years to life in prison, Mr. Dingman, 35, and Mr. Taylor, 27, were found guilty of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon by a jury in Carter County, Okla., according to court records. They are to be sentenced on Dec. 2. Shannon McMurray, a lawyer for Mr. Dingman, said on Monday that the former officer planned to appeal his conviction. Citing a medical examiners autopsy report, she said that Mr. Lakey had an enlarged heart and critical coronary artery disease before he died. The report listed the officers use of electrical weapons and restraint as contributing to Mr. Lakeys death. Its just a tragedy for everybody, Ms. McMurray said. In my opinion, they acted within policy. Ms. McMurray said that the officers had been trying to avoid using other types of force on Mr. Lakey. They were truly, truly concerned for his safety and theirs if they had gone hands-on, she said. Warren Gotcher, a lawyer for Mr. Taylor, said on Monday that his client would also file an appeal. Were very disappointed in the verdict, said Mr. Gotcher, who also pointed to Mr. Lakeys health as playing a significant role in his death. No one could look at him and tell that he had that much of a diseased heart. On Aug. 29, a U.S. drone strike killed Afghan aid worker Zemari Ahmadi and nine other civilians. The military admitted it was a tragic mistake, but doubled down on one claim: that Ahmadi stopped at an alleged Islamic State safe house and thats why they started tracking him. So Point 1 on the map, we do assess very definitely associated with ISIS-K. But when The Times went to that alleged safe house, this is what we found the home of Ahmadis boss. Eight hours after Ahmadi stopped here, the military launched the deadly drone strike. So how did this go so wrong? The military, under pressure of what they thought was an imminent threat to the airport, made its first mistake by incorrectly identifying a family home as an Islamic State safe house, which set off a string of fatal errors. To this day, the Pentagon is still unsure about the exact location of that safe house. But a senior military official told The Times they are now exploring the possibility that it may have actually been a neighboring house. One week after a Times story refuted the Pentagons account of the strike, officials admitted they killed Ahmadi and his family by mistake. As many as 10 civilians, including up to seven children, were tragically killed in that strike. And they provided additional details about Ahmadis stop at the alleged safe house. A white Toyota Corolla arrived at Point No. 1. Two adult males exited the vehicle, met with an adult male in the compound and received a bag from him. They were confident, a senior military official told The Times, because the information came from the same intelligence sources that had warned about an airport suicide attack days earlier. But The Times interviewed Ahmadis boss, Walid, several times. We are only using his first name for his safety. Walid recounted what happened when he got to work the morning of the strike, and showed us the security camera footage from his office. Minutes after Walid called, Ahmadi and a colleague arrived at his house to get the laptop. The military said that as many as six MQ-9 Reaper drones were watching from above. Because of this stop, they tracked Ahmadi for the rest of the day. In security camera footage, we see Zemari Ahmadi arriving at the office 43 minutes later. Back at his home, Walid insisted that his house had nothing to do with the Islamic State. The Times could see no evidence of Islamic State activity. The morning after the drone strike, the Islamic State did fire rockets at the Kabul airport. They used a white Toyota, the same type of car that Ahmadi drove, parked several blocks from Walids home. Military officials cited this attack as proof they were watching the right area. In fact, a little less than 24 hours later rockets will be launched from that point against the airfield. But the military still cant account for how it came to connect this specific home to a terrorist group. They started with the wrong house, followed the wrong car and ended up killing the wrong person. A senior military official told The Times that they see no links between Walid and the Islamic State. This and other failures throughout the day raise serious questions about the Pentagons intelligence ahead of the strike. And it could add pressure to several ongoing inquiries by the military and lawmakers that will include reviews of the strike and Central Commands response. The Fifth Circuit panel will now decide whether to lift its decision to block the mandate or make it permanent. But it is unlikely to have the final word. Some other legal challengers to the mandate are in different appeals court circuits, and the many pending challenges are expected to be consolidated before a randomly assigned appeals court later this month. The issue is very likely to end up before the Supreme Court. Part of the Justice Departments filing pointed to the process of randomly selecting an appeals court to consolidate the cases from across the country and the fact that the deadlines for the mandate have not yet kicked in as a reason for the Fifth Circuit to restrain itself. But other portions of the filing served as a preview of the administrations broader arguments. The filing argued that OSHA had properly determined that potential exposure to the virus raised a grave danger to workers, in line with the standard Congress had laid out in the law. It also rejected the challengers contention that steps to reduce the risk of infection by a disease fell outside the sorts of workplace hazards that the agency had the power to regulate. The Justice Department wrote that the statutory text is unambiguous and limited to addressing grave dangers to employees in the workplace. Like many other areas of regulation, workplace-safety regulations may affect many Americans and may touch on issues about which some people disagree. But that does not automatically compel a circumscribed interpretation of a deliberately broad congressional grant. Karine Jean-Pierre, the principal deputy White House press secretary, said on Monday that it was routine for administration policies to face legal challenges and urged employers not to wait for the litigation to be completed before requiring their workers to get vaccinated as some already have or begin submitting to weekly testing. Noting that more than 750,000 Americans have died from Covid-19, with about 1,300 new deaths each day in the United States, she argued that the mandate was about protecting workers from the risk that they will be infected by the coronavirus. McLEAN, Va. Franklin Sherman Elementary School made medical history in 1954, when 114 of its students became the first healthy American children to be vaccinated against polio as part of a nationwide clinical trial. They called themselves polio pioneers. On Monday the school again earned a place in the spotlight, by running a coronavirus vaccine clinic for its students that the first lady, Jill Biden, visited with the surgeon general, Dr. Vivek Murthy. Dozens of young children, accompanied by their parents, trooped through its brightly colored gymnasium to get their shots. The visit kicked off what White House officials said would be a national push, led by Dr. Biden, to persuade parents and guardians to vaccinate 5- to 11-year-olds now that the shots are available to them. The administration has already shipped 15 million pediatric doses across the country to doctors offices, childrens hospitals, community health centers, pharmacies and schools, with the goal of vaccinating all 28 million children in the age group. Dr. Biden offered a simple and direct message to parents: This vaccine is the best way to protect your children against Covid-19. Its been thoroughly reviewed and rigorously tested. Its safe. Its free, and its available for every child in this country. In the interview from his new headquarters in Austin, Dr. Kanelos said that people are self-censoring and not having the kind of vivid discussions that used to be the hallmark of higher education theres just been a kind of flattening. He said this was being felt not just by faculty but by students, who more and more would talk about keeping their head down. It was unclear from the prospective universitys manifesto whether the founders would be able to translate a provocative idea into a viable institution, especially at a time when educational issues are divisive and partisan. The university had expected to need six months to a year to raise the $10 million in seed money needed for strategic planning and start-up programs, Dr. Kanelos said, but it ended up raising that amount in six weeks. It is in the process of raising $250 million and is looking at several sites for the campus, he said, and is hiring faculty fellows who will help design the curriculum and teach in the summer program. Dr. Kanelos, who describes himself as a Shakespeare scholar and old soul, said he was pleased by the uproar over his announcement. Im just delighted that people are paying this much attention to higher education, he said. Dr. Pinker, the Harvard professor, said in an email that he had been asked to join the board by Mr. Ferguson, a friend and former colleague. He stressed that his role was only advisory, and that he had no plans to teach a course. I think new models for a university are important, Dr. Pinker said, because current universities are locked into a strange business model: exorbitant tuition, a mushrooming bureaucracy, and obscure admissions policies that are neither meritocratic nor egalitarian, combined with plummeting intellectual diversity and tolerance for open inquiry (which is, after all, a universitys raison detre). On the sidewalk outside of Christies auction house in Manhattan, Ra Ruiz Leon, who is Taino, played the mayohuacan wooden slit drum. She had arrived at Christies with a sign reading Respect Indigenous people! Return our artifacts. Leon was one of a small group of people who showed up at a Bring Back Our Artifacts ceremony outside of Christies at noon on Monday, followed by a meet-up outside of the French Consulate General. The two events followed an online petition asking Christies to stop the sale of sacred artifacts of the Taino, an Indigenous people of the Caribbean whose descendants can now be found throughout the Antillean islands. Stephanie Sherman, a member of the Arayeke Yukayek Taino tribe, created the petition a week ago in response to Christies Pre-Columbian Art & Taino Masterworks auction scheduled for Wednesday in Paris, and it had surpassed 30,000 signatures by Tuesday afternoon. No matter how much these things go for, theres no price that has the value for what these items are worth, Sherman said in a phone interview. We have so little to ourselves, to our Taino communities that we long to honor and have these objects back. Inside the offices of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center hangs an old letter from an alarmed listener. The accordion is not a chamber music instrument, huffs the letter, written in the wake of a concert featuring a Bach sonata transcribed for cello and accordion. Please do not impose that on your loyal audience again. The sentiment gives a sense of the grand passions aroused by even tiny tweaks to the societys programming. Since becoming the organizations artistic directors in 2004, the husband-and-wife team of David Finckel and Wu Han have faced those passions, which fuel an often fiery debate about the future of classical music. Some quail whenever the society, which presents more than 100 concerts per year in New York and beyond, veers even slightly from traditional crowd pleasers, including works by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. Others have said the organization should be more adventurous and do more to highlight the work of living composers, who are rarely featured on its main stage at Alice Tully Hall. (Of nearly 100 works on its Tully series this season, two are by living composers; neither was written in the 21st century.) A new initiative to promote the inclusion of Muslims in filmmaking has been created by an advocacy group with the support of the Walt Disney Company following a report issued this year that found that Muslims are rarely depicted in popular films and that many Muslim characters are linked to violence. The project, the Pillars Muslim Artist Database, was announced on Tuesday by the Pillars Fund, an advocacy group in Chicago. It produced the earlier report on depiction along with the University of Southern California Annenberg Inclusion Initiative and others. Kashif Shaikh, a co-founder of Pillars and its president, said that when the group discussed the findings, those in the industry often said they did not know where to find Muslim writers or actors. The database, Shaikh said, aims to give Muslim actors, directors, cinematographers, sound technicians and others, who could help create more nuanced portrayals, the chance to compose online profiles that can be reviewed by those hiring for film, television and streaming productions. Dean Stockwell, who began his seven-decade acting career as a child in the 1940s and later had key roles in films including A Long Days Journey Into Night in 1962 and Blue Velvet in 1986, while also making his mark in television, most notably as the cigar-smoking Al Calavicci on the hit science fiction series Quantum Leap, died on Sunday. He was 85. His death was confirmed by Jay Schwartz, a family spokesman, who did not say where Mr. Stockwell died or specify a cause. Mr. Stockwell had a hot-and-cold relationship with acting that caused him to leave show business for years at a time. But he nonetheless amassed more than 200 film and television acting credits from 1945 to 2015, as well as occasional stage roles. As a child he appeared alongside some of the biggest stars of the day, including Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra in Anchors Aweigh in 1945, when he was not yet 10. But while many child stars dont make the transition to adult careers, Mr. Stockwell was blessed with angular, rugged good looks as a young man and a distinguished maturity later, attributes that made him suitable for all sorts of roles. Dickinson, the trippy, playful and deeply passionate Apple TV+ series about the poet Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld), has always been about far more than Dickinson herself. Women and creativity, sexuality, fame, privilege, race, art as a bulwark against despair the show touches on all of those. From the beginning, its been about using events from the 19th century to hold an unexpected mirror up to where we are today, Alena Smith, the creator and showrunner, said recently. The third and final season, which began last week and will conclude on Dec. 24, begins in the lead-up to the Civil War. This period was an extraordinarily productive time for the poet, though she remained, as always, at home in Amherst, Mass. It also marked the beginning of her correspondence with Thomas Wentworth Higginson, an abolitionist writer and activist, whose position as colonel of the first authorized Union Army regiment of former slaves gave Smith a historical underpinning for a modern discussion about race relations. Season 3 was hammered out over Zoom by writers who were all over the country. As the world went into lockdown in the spring of 2020, Smith, her husband and their twin toddlers repaired to her parents house in the Hudson Valley. The parallels between her and Dickinson who never moved away from her childhood home were all too stark. WIN ME SOMETHING By Kyle Lucia Wu 263 pp. Tin House. Paper, $16.95. Image Willa Chen is the 24-year-old caretaker for 9-year-old Bijou Adrien, though Wus novel sometimes frames Willa herself as a young child. Often she speaks quietly or not at all. Growing up half Chinese and half white in New Jersey, she stands out in a way that draws casual racism (at the mall, her classmates asked if the man handing out teriyaki chicken samples was my cousin); but she simultaneously fades into the background, an outsider excluded from her peers easy assumption of normalcy. Willas sense of unbelonging is deepened by her parents divorce and the separate families they start with their respective new partners, leaving her dangling between half siblings. The novel features achingly copious descriptions of food, and bruising scenes of meals Willa shares but seldom enjoys with those she wishes to be closer to: her parents, Bijou, Bijous mother. Occasionally the narrators circling obsession with food weighs down the narrative, but the overall effect conveys how fraught basic functioning can be for Willa, who feels she fits in nowhere. An undercurrent of hazy resentment runs through the novel, which charts Willas nine months of nannying for the well-meaning but often clueless Adriens in TriBeCa. First she secretly tries on her bosss clothes, and then, while out at a bar one night, she tries on her bosss identity. Soon Bijous uncle enters the picture. He muddies the waters by provoking Willa, eliciting in her fleeting thoughts about becoming part of the Adrien family. Toward the end, Willas insistent quietness begins to seem willfully unyielding, even as it also grows wistful: I was so good at being quiet, I told myself as I pressed my lips together. A picture emerges of a young woman who wants nothing more than to conjure a home in that impossible space between hyper-visibility and invisibility, to forever forestall the cruelties of being known and thus categorized. Wus finely crafted sentences and crisp imagery render visceral Willas inner disquiet as she simmers in that ambiguity. 10. And finally, Nimblewill Nomad enters the record book. M.J. Eberhart, known by his trail name, had a strenuous weekend. An 83-year-old retired eye doctor, he pushed through the final miles of a hike on the Appalachian Trail, becoming the oldest known person to complete the roughly 2,190-mile journey from Georgia to Maine. Eberhart started from his home at Flagg Mountain, which is in Alabama, with a series of day hikes that gradually took him to Georgia. From there, he started the Appalachian Trail in March. Sometimes friends and supporters picked him up for overnight breaks of a warm bed and meal, but mostly he slept in the wild. On Sunday, he hiked the last leg. Once you get into it, it helps steel you, he said. The more you get into it, the more committed you have to be. Have a nimble night. Laurence Tan compiled photos for this briefing. Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern. Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here. What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. Here are todays Mini Crossword and Spelling Bee. If youre in the mood to play more, find all our games here. In Romania, doctors fight vaccine refusal Vaccine hesitancy in Romania, stoked by powerful forces online and in the real world, has left the country with Europes second-lowest vaccination rate and the worlds highest per capita death rate from Covid-19 in recent weeks. Around 44 percent of adults have had at least one dose, ahead of only Bulgaria, which is at 29 percent. The E.U. overall stands at 81 percent. This wave is far worse than the others it is like a war, said one doctor working at an infectious disease hospital in the Romanian capital, Bucharest. The surge in cases could have been avoided if more people had been vaccinated, she said. The history of Communism in Eastern European countries, and the disarray and corruption that followed, has made many people suspicious of what officials and doctors tell them to do. Complicating matters, Romania has been without a government since last month, when a centrist coalition unraveled. Mixed signals: The Romanian Orthodox church has not thrown its support behind the vaccines. Though its leader, Patriarch Daniel in Bucharest, told people to make up their own minds and listen to doctors, many local clerics and some influential bishops have denounced vaccines as the Devils work. One day before ballots were scheduled to go out to workers at three Buffalo-area Starbucks in a vote on unionization, workers at three other stores in the area filed petitions with federal regulators on Tuesday requesting elections as well. The coming vote is significant because none of the nearly 9,000 corporate-owned Starbucks stores in the United States are unionized. On Monday, Starbucks filed a motion to stay the mailing of ballots while it appeals a ruling by a regional official of the National Labor Relations Board setting up separate votes at the three locations where workers initially filed for elections. The company wants all of the roughly 20 Buffalo-area stores to vote in a single election, an approach that typically favors employers. The first three stores filed for union elections in late August, and Starbucks dispatched managers and more senior company officials to the area from out of state in the weeks that followed in what it said was an effort to fix operational issues. Workhorse Group, a small producer of electric vans that has come under investigation by federal authorities, on Tuesday reported a loss of $81 million for the three months ending in September as a result of rising operating costs and a production stoppage related to a recall. The company also reported negative revenue of $576,600 because it had to give customers refunds for vans that it was required to take back and modify in order to comply with federal safety standards. Workhorse said in a regulatory filing on Monday that it was being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Justice Department. The S.E.C. inquiry is related to trading in Workhorse stock before the announcement in February that it had failed to win a large contract from the United States Postal Service, a development that caused a steep drop in Workhorse shares. Of the Justice Departments investigation, Workhorse said only that it was related. We have not received any subpoena or other request for further documents from the D.O.J. with respect to this investigation, Workhorses chief executive, Rick Dauch, said on a conference call with financial analysts after the earnings announcement on Tuesday. At this point, we cannot predict the eventual scope, duration or outcome of these matters. More than 300 employees at Hearsts magazine division have signed a petition objecting to the companys plan to have them return to the office starting next week, and their union has filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board. Hearst, whose titles include Cosmopolitan, Esquire and Good Housekeeping, told staff members in October that they would be required to return to U.S. offices starting Nov. 15. For the first two weeks, workers are expected to come in once a week; then the requirement will be two days per week until early 2022. Eventually, workers will be required to be in the office the Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan for many three days a week, the company has said. Hearst is also requiring that all employees be vaccinated. We recognize that returning to the office is a big step and that some people are apprehensive about it, Debi Chirichella, Hearsts president, said in an email to staff last month. Adjusting to this new way of working will require the same flexibility, patience and collaboration that we all demonstrated when we began working from home. To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. PORTLAND, Ore. Over its half-century in the heart of Portland, Powells Books has survived an unending array of foundational threats the oft-anticipated death of reading, the rise of Amazon, the supposedly irretrievable abandonment of the American downtown. None of that provided preparation for the tumult of the past two years. The pandemic shut down its stores for several months, and turned downtown into a place best avoided. Black Lives Matter protests drew opportunistic anarchists who brought mayhem, triggering a fierce crackdown from law enforcement. Growing ranks of homeless people erected encampments in front of storefronts blinded by protective sheets of plywood. Forest fires choked the air, pervading a near-biblical sense of doom. A quirky, old-school enterprise, Powells has retained its traditional aura in the digital era, while standing as a hero in a now-familiar tale of American urban rejuvenation. Its flagship store a grand warren of books filling out a former car dealership anchors a once dicey neighborhood whose warehouses have been traded in for glass-fronted condos and furniture boutiques. It is a very important meeting for the world. We know that and we come here equipped, ready to take on the challenge, to meet the moment. Our congressional delegation comes here, after advancing, fresh from advancing legislation to build back better build back better for women which represents the most ambitious and consequential climate and clean energy legislation of all time. Our legislation is far-reaching in ensuring that future economy is greener and cleaner. That means $250 billion in clean energy tax credits to develop and deploy the latest and future generations of clean power. That means over $100 billion, in addition, for resilience, including climate-smart agriculture and nature-based climate solutions. Another $100 billion toward local and region-led climate solutions, recognizing that women are leading the way. And over $222 billion for environmental justice as part of President Bidens Justice40 Pledge, long overdue for the health and economic vitality of those who have suffered from pollution and environmental injustice. It advances President Bidens goal to fulfill our commitments in the Global Methane Pledge and Breakthrough Energy Pledge. In addition to all of this, theres a whole section of hundreds of billions of dollars for how we can enable everyone to participate in the economic prosperity that will flow from this. Whether its universal pre-K and childcare, child tax credit, family and medical leave, which we hope will stay in the bill, the issue that relates to home health care. All of these things enable families, whether its dads or mom, but largely moms, to be in the workplace. Thats why we say build back better with women. It has to be different. Let me just now, just say that led by our delegation, the United States Congress is showing the world true climate leadership. Were proud of our president. He was one of the first people in Congress in 1986 to introduce legislation to address the climate crisis. He takes great pride in that. Hes worked on it ever since, and now in the lead as president of the United States. He knows, as we all do, this is all about the children, leaving a world where they can be healthy, more secure and more in reach of their fulfillment. Hornswoggle: To deceive or cheat. Hornswoggle fits right into the kind of frontier speech caricatured by Yosemite Sam, but outside its association with the cartoon gunslinger there is almost no information on the word. OED describes it as probably fanciful, meaning it may have been made up. Hornswoggle also happens to be the name of a professional wrestler. Sockdolager: A decisive blow or, more generally, something exceptional. It was first recorded in 1830. According to the Dictionary of American Regional English, commonly known as DARE, the sock component probably comes from the synonym for to strike. As an alternate definition, OED lists something exceptional in any respect, especially a large fish. This definition does not appear to be related to a section of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon known as Sockdolager Rapids. According to Westernriver.com, crew members on John Wesley Powells first expedition could not find a way to portage or line their boats around this cataract, so they had to run it head on. In 1872, on the second expedition, Powells crew decided to name the rapids Sockdolager, a slang term of the day meaning a heavy or knockdown blow, the website says. Callithumpian: Cacophonous, especially as a celebration or protest. Like absquatulate, callithumpian contains a familiar word thump right in the middle. The -ian adjective suffix is another that borrows from Latin, and while OED lists calli- as arbitrary, DARE speculates that it has a precedent in another word: gally, meaning to frighten or confuse with noise. The American use of callithumpian was first recorded as calathumpian, in 1810, but its English ancestor, Gallithumpians, another term for a noisy group, preceded it. This word first appeared in the late 18th century and described groups that disturbed the peace at parliamentary elections in Southern England. Ferricadouzer: A knockdown punch. The origin of this term is contentious, with much disagreement among different dictionaries. While Hotten speculated that it was derived from Italian (perhaps from fare cadere, which means to drop or fall), DARE suggests that ferri- is from the Latin ferrum, meaning iron. With the addition of the ca intensifier (which can be found in caboodle, and is related to the ker- prefix of kerplunk, kersmash and kerflooey) and douser, which DARE defines as a heavy blow, ferricadouzer becomes a weighty wallop of a word. DARE, in supporting this etymology, cites a 1930 dictionary of old time words that defines ferricadouzer as a sound beating given with an iron poker to unruly scholars of both sexes. So she applied her tried-and-true techniques, and went on to refine her turkey formula over the years. She starts by aggressively seasoning the buttermilk, the way she does her soaking liquid for fried chicken. For a pleasant savory-sweet balance of sugar and salt, Ms. Lakshmi throws in both black pepper and ground cayenne for their distinct types of fruity heat, and fresh bay leaves for their woodsy aroma. After soaking the turkey for a few days, she sets the drained bird on a pile of seasonal fruits and vegetables, which she turns into a complexly flavored yet easy gravy. To acknowledge the Thanksgiving harvest, Ms. Lakshmi combines the last of the Northeasts fall apples with the first of Californias winter citrus, both from places where she spent her childhood. Seasonal fennel joins the fruit, along with onion, garlic, ginger, and herbs and spices to perfume the meat and pan sauce. The fruits and vegetables collapse over the long roast, while soaking up the savory turkey juices. Smashing that pulp gives the resulting gravy body, tanginess and aromas that make guests wonder and savor what is in it. This is the sort of subtlety that comes from professional chefs, which Ms. Lakshmi still insists she is not. Because she works so closely with restaurant legends and judges aspiring ones Ms. Lakshmi is simultaneously confident in her tastes and anxious about cooking. Im not a chef, she said. I have no professional training, no complicated instruments. And I dont like cooking when Im stressed, so my cooking is very forgiving. Its that home-cook sensibility and her natural love of bold flavors that make her turkey recipe foolproof and far from bland. And staying grounded in family kitchens while understanding professional ones allows Ms. Lakshmi to engage with all cooks in Taste the Nation. The new season, which centers on holidays, was filmed during the pandemic. The inevitable emotions that come with Thanksgiving and the winter holidays feel heightened, both for the subjects and for Ms. Lakshmi, who doesnt claim to be an objective host. Oklahomas highest court on Tuesday threw out a 2019 ruling that required Johnson & Johnson to pay the state $465 million for its role in the opioid epidemic. It was the second time this month that a court has invalidated a key legal strategy used by plaintiffs in thousands of cases attempting to hold the pharmaceutical industry responsible for the crisis. The Oklahoma Supreme Court, 5-1, rejected the states argument that the company violated public nuisance laws by aggressively overstating the benefits of its prescription opioid painkillers and downplaying the dangers. The ruling, along with a similar opinion by a California state judge on Nov. 1, could be a harbinger that plaintiffs hopes for favorable resolution in courts nationwide against opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers will be dashed. The decision could also embolden the companies to dig in. But because most public nuisance laws are state-specific, it is unclear how much impact the Oklahoma decision could ultimately have on cases elsewhere. The Oklahoma judges decision underscored their reading of their states law. The answer may lie in another of historys purposes, one that draws it closer to a core mission of journalism: to explain how we have arrived at the world we inhabit. History is worth writing and studying primarily because of its power to shape our thinking about our present and future, Gary Nash wrote. With this purpose in mind, the upheaval in American history seems less like a destabilizing force and more like a movement toward transparency, a clearing away of spin. With any luck, our descendants will see the past from a more propitious perspective than our own. But we can perceive it only from our present reality: a nation plagued by rampant inequality and racial injustice, bitterly divided in its politics and incapable of achieving unity on public-health goals or the existential demands of climate change. Over the years, many scholars have pointed out the need for a story that better explains how we got here. Our times seem to call for new myths and a revised master narrative that better inspire and reflect upon our true condition, observed the historian Nathan Irvin Huggins in 1989. Standing in what he called the backwash of the so-called Second Reconstruction, Huggins, who was the W.E.B. Du Bois Professor of History and of Afro-American Studies at Harvard, envisioned a narrative that might take shape out of the fragmentation of the new history, one that would be more chastened but also, in a sense, more heroic: Such a new narrative would find inspiration, he wrote, in an oppressed people who defied social death as slaves and freedmen, insisting on their humanity and creating a culture despite a social consensus that they were a brutish sort of people. Such a new narrative would bring slavery and the persistent oppression of race from the margins to the center, to define the limits and boundaries of the American Dream. Such a new narrative would oblige us to face the deforming mirror of truth. Image Nathan Irvin Huggins This is, in a sense, what the 1619 Project set out to do. As an issue of a magazine, produced from start to finish in six months, it could only partly achieve that goal. Whether the book has drawn closer is for others to say, but our hope in publishing it is to realize Nikoles original idea as fully as we can. To that end, The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story represents a significant enlargement of the version of the project we produced two years ago. That version was not perfect, as few first efforts are, and the enormous amount of feedback weve received both praise and criticism has helped us deepen and improve it. We revised and expanded the 10 original essays and added seven new essays from the historians and scholars Leslie Alexander, Michelle Alexander, Carol Anderson, Anthea Butler, Martha S. Jones, Ibram X. Kendi, Tiya Miles and Dorothy Roberts. The original project also featured 17 works of fiction and poetry about specific moments in the past 400 years; for the book, this timeline has been expanded to include 36 pieces of original imaginative writing, beginning with a 1619 poem by Claudia Rankine and ending with a 2020 poem by Sonia Sanchez. This literary element nods to the role of creative writing in the Black historiographical tradition (as in many others, from the Greeks to the Elizabethans to the Ashanti). For those of us whose history has been erased, the poet, novelist and scholar Honoree Fanonne Jeffers, who wrote a poem for the book, told me, it is important for us to be able to imagine what our ancestors went through. All told, the book contains the essays, poetry and fiction of more than 50 writers, all of which was submitted to a peer-review process involving more than 25 other scholars. Their names are listed in the book, which also contains footnotes to relevant documents and works of historical scholarship. I am aware that no matter how diligent the work has been, the book will kick up a new round of debates. After all, years of careful consensus-building around the national history standards did nothing to forestall that eruption. But in a sense, these arguments themselves may represent the apotheosis of our historiography. Increasingly, I understand U.S. history as the history of debate, and our style of democracy as one that moves only through contest and challenge, Martha Jones told me. We lament conflict and strife, but I think the lesson is that thats exactly how we do and must do democracy. Perhaps, as Jones suggests, we are a nation of argument that has been fooled all these years, through the exclusionary mythmaking of an elite few, into thinking we were a nation of consensus. Our present turmoil suggests as much. The story of a country designed by Providence and set marching on the righteous path by leaders of pure and noble purpose fails to make sense of this moment, which requires a deeper examination of our founding paradox. In Virginia itself, the Department of Educations website has a page devoted to Anti-racism in Education, and at the end of a long list of Terms and Definitions it reads, Drawing from critical race theory, the term white supremacy also refers to a political or socio-economic system where white people enjoy structural advantage and rights that other racial and ethnic groups do not, both at a collective and an individual level. In the 2022 draft revision of the California Department of Educations Mathematics Framework, the chapter on Teaching for Equity and Engagement includes this language: Empowering students with mathematics also includes removing the high stakes of errors and sending the message that learning is always unfinished and that it is safe to take mathematical risks. This mind-set creates the conditions for students to develop a sense of ownership over their mathematical thinking and their right to belong to the discipline of mathematics a truly artful way of saying that diverse kids should not be saddled with the onerous task of having to get the actual answers. In February, the Oregon Department of Education sent an update to math educators that linked to a document titled A Pathway to Equitable Math Instruction/Dismantling Racism in Mathematics Instruction. It contains a section on Deconstructing Racism in Mathematics Instruction positing that white supremacy culture in the mathematics classroom can show up in a variety of ways, including when Preconceived expectations are steeped in the dominant culture, Superficial curriculum changes are offered in place of culturally relevant pedagogy and practice and Students are required to show their work in standardized, prescribed ways. Perhaps a reasonable objection would be that these are only teacher guidelines and that we cannot know exactly how, or whether, teachers are adhering to them in classrooms. But these guidelines, apparently sanctioned by state departments of education, contradict the notion that concepts derived from critical race theory or are, at least, C.R.T.-lite is nowhere near our schools, that the C.R.T.-in-schools debate isnt real, merely a fiction designed to cloak racism. In some cases, evidence of C.R.T.-lite is easier to spot at various private schools. Granted, governors cant ban private school curriculums, but the experience at some tony New York prep schools, for instance, demonstrates how C.R.T.-lite isnt simply found in teacher trainings but can make its way into the classroom and schools educational philosophy. As The Times reported earlier this year: The Brearley School declared itself an antiracist school with mandatory antiracism training for parents, faculty and trustees, and affirmed the importance of meeting regularly in groups that bring together people who share a common race or gender. Kindergarten students at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx are taught to identify their skin color by mixing paint colors. The lower-school chief in an email last year instructed parents to avoid talk of colorblindness and acknowledge racial differences. Some of those who say that critical race theory isnt being taught in schools may not be aware of these developments. Others most likely are, and suppose that they are healthy, that this is indeed how education should be. Thats a respectable stance, but one ought not harbor it in disbelief that any intelligent, morally concerned person could feel differently. One can ardently support that students learn about racism and its legacies in a way that doesnt crowd out obvious lessons about the history of undeniable racial progress. One can do that while questioning whether students should be immersed in a broader perspective that offers overbroad, clumsy and, frankly, insulting portraits of what is inherently white and what is Black, Latino, Asian American or Native American, and fosters even if unintentional a sense of opposition between the groups in question. To be sure, voices on the political right, including Youngkin, must do better when it comes to specifying what they oppose. They, and we, would be better off if they explained that they oppose philosophies influenced by critical race theory, rather than claiming C.R.T. itself is being taught. Bills intended to ban the teaching of C.R.T.-lite shouldnt be worded as if the intent was to ban the teaching of anything about race at all. And if thats what any of these bills do mean, they should spell it out in clear language in order to expose that intent to debate one within which I would be vociferously opposed, I should note. The horror of slavery, the hypocrisy of Jim Crow, the terror of lynching, the devastating loss of life and property in Tulsa and in other massacres no student should get through, roughly, middle school ignorant of these things, and anyone who thinks that is politics needs to join the rest of us in the 21st century. Nothing about us without us, opponents of the measure said, demanding a role in decision-making to make sure that any solution accounted for both Black peoples complex and troubling relationship with the police as well as the disproportionate damage crime and violence do to our communities. Black voters were especially wary because the City Council members who pushed the measure had done little to rein in the Minneapolis Police Department over the years. The pledge that nine of them made to dismantle the department shortly after Mr. Floyd was killed was more about looking progressive to national and international audiences than about transforming policing in ways that most Black residents wanted. The months of protests around the country and around the world motivated by George Floyds killing were intense and electrifying. But the aftermath of those protests helps tell the real story. Far too many progressives took the route of proposing quick fixes, like simply cutting police funding, to address complex, longstanding challenges to policing. As election results in Minneapolis, New York City and elsewhere have shown, thats not what the majority of Black people want. What many Black people are demanding is a system that is effective, cost-efficient, nonmilitarized and transparent. We want officials to be accountable for who is hired, how they are disciplined and how they treat us. We want police leaders to admit that racism, white supremacy and misogyny are endemic in many police forces and we want them to commit to radically shift police culture. For that to happen, there must be a re-examination of the purposes, practices, expenditures and almost unfettered power and discretion of the police. To responsibly reduce spending, elected officials must conduct a real cost/benefit analysis of hiring numerous officers to focus on low-level crime, traffic stops (as in the cases of Daunte Wright and Philando Castile), and small quantities of cannabis, to name a few. This would ultimately mean eliminating or reducing low-level traffic stops, repealing criminal laws and ordinances that do not improve public safety, and making a commitment to end the war on drugs. Police departments must establish an early-warning system to flag problem officers and a robust disciplinary system when officers violate the law and peoples rights. Instead of continuing to allow police departments to investigate themselves when officers kill people, states should establish a special prosecutors office to investigate claims and bring charges when appropriate. Police departments should analyze data to decide where officers are needed most and even where other resources, like mental health professionals, should be assigned. Receiving input and oversight from the public are important components to shifting police culture, as well as listening to Black people and taking our concerns seriously. The one time I was allowed inside a death chamber was as the State of Virginia took Joseph ODells life in 1997. That night, I stood close to the gurney, looking into Joes face, with my hand firmly on his shoulder as I prayed. In my prayer I asked God to affirm Joes worth as a beloved son possessing a sacred dignity that even the ones killing him could not take from him. Upholding the God-given dignity of the condemned has been the core reason I, a Catholic nun, have served as a spiritual adviser to seven men on death row. And nothing conveys a greater sense of dignity to a human being especially one whom society designates as a despicable untouchable than loving, respectful touch. Joe was on my mind when I got a call from the American Civil Liberties Union to participate in an amicus curiae brief filed with the Supreme Court in support of John Henry Ramirez, a death row inmate in Texas. Mr. Ramirez is requesting that his Baptist pastor, Dana Moore, who has ministered to him for five years, be allowed to lay hands on him and pray audibly as the State of Texas takes his life. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice denied his request, informing Pastor Moore that he would have to stand silently in the death chamber and would not be permitted to touch Mr. Ramirez as officials carried out the execution. But the same day Mr. Ramirez was scheduled to die, the Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments on his request, which snatched him, at least for now, from death in the Huntsville killing chamber. He would have been the 573rd prisoner to be executed by the State of Texas since 1982. The oral arguments are due to take place today. There are strong counterarguments to both of these explanations. As Beauchamp writes, while Youngkin did at one point vow to ban what has disingenuously been called critical race theory in public schools, his campaign wasnt nearly as focused on the issue as some pundits made it out to be. Nor does the critical race theory controversy explain the election results in New Jersey, where there was a similar backlash against Democrats despite the races not being particularly culture-war focused. The Times columnist Michelle Goldberg argues that the real reason education was such an incendiary issue this election cycle likely had less to do with critical race theory than with parent fury over the drawn-out nightmare of online school. Zachary D. Carter agrees: A lot of suburban parents lost faith in Virginias public schools over the past year, and as a result, theyre more open to conservative narratives about problems in public schools. As for the idea that the Democrats underperformance owes to Bidens leftward shift on policy, one could just as easily if not more easily take the opposite reading of events: During his campaign, Biden openly aspired to a presidency that would rival or even eclipse that of F.D.R.; in office, however, his legislative agenda, which remains broadly popular, has been stripped down and delayed by his own party. Couldnt disappointment, not backlash, be to blame for his partys low turnout? Some say that last weeks electoral shifts have even more general causes. Put simply, Americans are in a gloomy mood. A chief reason appears to be the pandemic, which has disrupted everyday life and the economy for longer than many expected. Whether for inspiration, new ideas or simply as a refresher, it is important to revisit the classics of whatever constitutes your field of interest. It was with that in mind that I spent much of the weekend rereading the 1948 book Caste, Class, and Race: A Study in Social Dynamics, an influential (if now somewhat obscure) work of sociological analysis by the Trinidadian scholar Oliver Cromwell Cox. If there is a reason to revisit this specific book at this particular moment, it is to remind oneself that the challenge of racism is primarily structural and material, not cultural and linguistic, and that a disproportionate focus on the latter can too often obscure the former. Cox was writing at a time when mainstream analysis of race in the United States made liberal use of an analogy to the Indian caste system in order to illustrate the vast gulf of experience that lay between Black and white Americans. His book was a rebuttal to this idea as well as an original argument in its own right. Over the course of 600 pages, Cox provides a systematic study of caste, class and race relations, underscoring the paramount differences between caste and race, and, most important, tying race to the class system. Racial antagonism, he writes in the prologue, is part and parcel of this class struggle, because it developed within the capitalist system as one of its fundamental traits. Every successful social movement had a great song to go with it. We Shall Overcome defined the civil rights era. Jimi Hendrixs rendition of The Star Spangled Banner redefined patriotism during the Vietnam War. In December, the musician Tom Morello will speak with fellow artist-activists in a subscriber-only New York Times virtual event about the role of music in protest movements. In advance of that evening, wed like to know what songs you would put on the soundtrack of this cultural moment. What song, in your view, best defines our charged times? It could be a new song or an older song that takes on new meaning today. Nominate your song below and help create the soundtrack with Tom. Back in the summer of 2018, Wendy Stovall stood and stared into the heart of an inferno. Hawaiis Kilauea volcano had been continuously erupting in one form or another since 1983. But from May to August, the volcano produced its magnum opus, unleashing 320,000 Olympic-size swimming pools worth of molten rock from its eastern flank. Dr. Stovall, the deputy scientist-in-charge at the U.S. Geological Surveys Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, recalls moments of being awe-struck by the eruptions incandescence: lava fountains roaring like jet engines, painting the inky blue sky in crimson hues. But these briefly exhilarating moments were overwhelmed by sadness. The people of Hawaii would suffer hundreds of millions of dollars in economic damage. The lava bulldozed around 700 homes. Thousands of lives were upended. Even the headquarters of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory itself, sitting atop the volcano, was torn apart by earthquakes early in the crisis. Like many volcanologists who were there during the eruption, Dr. Stovall is still processing the trauma she witnessed. Sadness is not quite the right word to describe what she feels, she said: Maybe its an emotion that I dont even have a word for. But not only trauma has resulted from the crisis: It has also produced something of a sea change in the way scientists and their emergency services partners are able to respond to volcanic emergencies. NASA is pushing back its deadline for returning American astronauts to the moons surface by as much as one year, officials announced on Tuesday. Its the first official acknowledgment that 2024, the target set when Donald J. Trump was the president, cannot be met. Instead it will occur sometime in 2025, said Bill Nelson, the former Florida senator who was selected to lead NASA by President Biden earlier this year. He blamed the shifting timeline on a lawsuit over the agencys moon lander, to be built by SpaceX, and delays with NASAs Orion capsule, which is to fly astronauts to lunar orbit. Weve lost nearly seven months in litigation, and that likely has pushed the first human landing likely to no earlier than 2025, Mr. Nelson said, adding that NASA will need to have more detailed discussions with SpaceX to set a more specific timeline. After having taken a good look under the hood these past six months, he added, its clear to me that the agency will need to make serious changes for the long term success of the program. The Grand Prospect Hall in Park Slope, Brooklyn, has hosted countless weddings since 1903, when it was rebuilt following a fire in 1900 that destroyed the original structure erected in 1892. But for some of the couples who celebrated marriages at the Victorian-style banquet hall, which grew its reputation with long-running TV ads, their memories are now bittersweet. The hall closed in March 2020 because of the pandemic. It was later sold after its then co-owner Michael Halkias, who ran the venue with his wife Alice Halkias, died that May from complications of Covid. The buildings new owner, Angelo Rigas, a contractor, intends to demolish it. The citys Buildings Department issued demolition permits for the site on Nov. 3, public records show, weeks after a formal request for evaluation with the Landmarks Preservation Commission was denied in September. Bill Farrell, a representative for Rigas, said there is currently no timeline in place for the demolition, but confirmed that the building will be demolished. The permit to knock down the structure expires in May 2022, but could be renewed to extend the expiration date, a representative for the Buildings Department said. When It Was Time I carried our first child, and my wife carried our second a perk of our two-uterus marriage. As her belly grew, so did my apprehension. Could I love this baby as much as the one I birthed? Would other people see our first child as mine and our second as hers? I didnt think I would feel such distinctions, but how could I be sure? Then it was time. I stared at my wifes frightened face. Her body shook. The baby cried. I cut his umbilical cord and held him. His skin against mine. He is mine. He is ours. Laura Leigh Abby Challenging Bidens mandate President Bidens vaccine mandate for large businesses is facing a challenge in court that could turn out to be a procedural blip, or the first step in the unraveling of the entire measure. A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in Louisiana temporarily blocked the mandate over the weekend, but the stay wont have an impact for now because the new rules have yet to come into effect. Businesses have until Jan. 4 to mandate Covid vaccinations for their workers or require them to undergo weekly testing. The legal challenge was brought by a coalition of plaintiffs, including several employers and Republican-controlled states. The argument that theyre making is that its not constitutional, said my colleague Lauren Hirsch, who covers business for The Times. Theyre arguing that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which is the part of the Labor Department thats instituting this rule, doesnt have the authority to pass it. Theyre saying it would need to be done through legislation by Congress, instead. [Read Modernas filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.] The N.I.H. had been in talks with Moderna for more than a year to try to resolve the dispute; the companys July filing caught the agency by surprise, according to a government official familiar with the matter. It is unclear when the patent office will act, but its role is simply to determine whether a patent is warranted. If the two sides do not come to terms by the time a patent is issued, the government will have to decide whether to go to court a battle that could be costly and messy. The dispute is about much more than scientific accolades or ego. If the three agency scientists are named on the patent along with the Moderna employees, the federal government could have more of a say in which companies manufacture the vaccine, which in turn could influence which countries get access. It would also secure a nearly unfettered right to license the technology, which could bring millions into the federal treasury. The fight comes amid mounting frustration in the U.S. government and elsewhere with Modernas limited efforts to get its vaccine to poorer countries. The company, which has not previously brought a product to market, received nearly $10 billion in taxpayer funding to develop the vaccine, test it and provide doses to the federal government. It has already lined up supply deals worth about $35 billion through the end of 2022. Drs. Mascola, Graham and Corbett declined to comment. But in statements to The New York Times, the N.I.H. and Moderna confirmed the conflict, which has been simmering for more than a year behind closed doors. Keith McGreal was walking along Mulranny Beach in County Mayo, Ireland, on Sunday when he spotted a blue plastic barrel that had washed ashore like a message in a bottle. Instead of a tightly wrapped letter inside, a clue to the barrels origins was found on the stickers plastered to its dirty sides: City of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The trash can had wandered 3,500 miles from home. The first reaction was, Wow, Mr. McGreal, 44, said on Tuesday. I said, This is not from Ireland. Mr. McGreal, a safety and environmental officer, had been spending time with his family that afternoon when he and his children spotted a blue object in the distance and decided to race toward it. More than 150 witnesses have been interviewed, some of whom surprised investigators by proactively contacting the committee to testify, according to two people familiar with the investigation who described the confidential inquiry on the condition of anonymity. The panel has learned details about how Stop the Steal rally organizers used deception to obtain permits from the Capitol Police to hold rallies near the Capitol; how Mr. Trump and White House officials coordinated with organizers of the rally whose attendees would later storm the Capitol; and how deeply Mr. Trumps chief of staff, Mark Meadows, was involved in pushing false claims of widespread election fraud. Working out of a nondescript office building at the bottom of Capitol Hill, the committees investigators have divided themselves into color-coded teams to pursue several avenues of inquiry. They are looking into: The money trail. Investigators are scrutinizing the groups that funded the protests that preceded the violence, which involved rioters from at least 44 states, and promoted and spread lies online that helped radicalize the crowd. Planning meetings. The panel is pressing for answers about gatherings at the Willard and other Washington hotels where Mr. Trumps allies who were involved in the effort to overturn the election, including Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Giuliani and Mr. Eastman, met in the hours before the riot. Foreknowledge of violence. The most difficult piece of the investigation involves unearthing evidence that Mr. Trump or anyone in his inner circle had foreknowledge that violence was a possibility on Jan. 6, and whether they took any steps to either encourage or discourage the storming of the Capitol. Mr. Bannon, whom the House voted to hold in criminal contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the committee, predicted on his podcast a day before the riot that all hell is going to break loose tomorrow. The committee wants to question Mr. Bannon about his presence at a meeting at the Willard on Jan. 5, when plans were discussed to try to block Congresss formalization of the election the next day. Mr. Bannon was in the war room at the Willard on Jan. 6, Representative Liz Cheney, Republican of Wyoming and the vice chairwoman of the committee, said during a recent hearing. Mr. Stone, who was photographed with Mr. Flynn on Jan. 5, has claimed that he had departed his room at the Willard to leave town as rioters stormed the Capitol, after he decided against a plan to lead a march from the White House Ellipse to the Capitol, according to video posted to social media. But the Willard was only one hub of Trump activity before the Jan. 6 riot, when members of the former presidents inner circle also congregated at the nearby Trump International and other hotels to plan their bid to invalidate the election results. WASHINGTON Thirteen of President Donald J. Trumps most senior aides including his son-in-law and his chief of staff campaigned illegally for Mr. Trumps re-election in violation of a law designed to prevent federal employees from abusing the power of their offices on behalf of candidates, a government watchdog agency said Tuesday. Henry Kerner, who heads the Office of Special Counsel, made the assertion in a withering report that followed a nearly yearlong investigation into myriad violations of the law, known as the Hatch Act. Senior Trump administration officials chose to use their official authority not for the legitimate functions of the government, but to promote the re-election of President Trump in violation of the law, the report concluded. Investigators in Mr. Kerners office said Trump administration officials purposely violated the law prohibiting political activity during the final few weeks of the administration, when they knew that the Office of Special Counsel would not have time to investigate and issue findings before Election Day. The Ethiopian authorities have detained 16 United Nations staff members and dozens of drivers who were supposed to ferry food aid into the rebel-held Tigray region, the U.N. said, injecting new tension into the organizations troubled relations with a government embroiled in civil war and facing a growing threat of famine. The 16 U.N. staff members were seized in recent days in the capital, Addis Ababa, the chief U.N. spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said on Tuesday. An unspecified number of dependents of U.N. staff in the country were also detained, Mr. Dujarric added, saying that no explanation was given as to why they were being held. The United Nations was seeking their immediate release. In addition, the U.N. in Ethiopia said on Wednesday that the authorities had detained about 70 drivers who had been hired to transport relief aid into the Tigray region. The drivers, who had been hired by U.N. agencies and the aid group Catholic Relief Services, have been held since Nov. 3 in Semera, the capital of the Afar region, which borders Tigray. Some of them are Tigrayan, a U.N. spokeswoman said. The U.N. is following up continuously with Ethiopian federal and regional authorities for their immediate release, she said. Ms. Zhang, 38, was one of several self-styled citizen journalists who traveled to the city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, early last year. As the chaos of the initial outbreak, followed by strict government controls on information, made it difficult for outsiders to know what was happening in Wuhan, those citizen journalists posted videos and blog posts to social media to share what they were seeing. Ms. Zhang visited a hospital, where she filmed beds crowding the hallway, and a crematory. She interviewed residents on the street about their livelihood concerns and asked how they viewed the governments response. In May 2020, after several months of dispatches, she disappeared. Her family was later told that she had been arrested and accused of picking quarrels and provoking trouble, a catchall term that the Chinese authorities use to silence critics. In December, she was sentenced to four years in prison. Not long after being arrested, Ms. Zhang began a hunger strike, according to her lawyers. One of her lawyers, Zhang Keke, said last year that her hands had been bound during one of his visits; she told him that it was to prevent her from pulling out tubes for force-feeding. Ms. Zhang has continued to refuse most food since her trial, according to friends and rights activists. She was briefly hospitalized over the summer. Her health has continued to deteriorate: Ms. Zhang, who is 5-foot-10 and once weighed about 165 pounds, appeared to weigh less than 90 pounds in October, according to a Twitter post late last month by her brother, Zhang Ju. A fire engulfed the infant care unit of a hospital in central India on Monday night, killing at least four newborn children and injuring others, the latest in a series of deadly blazes at health care centers across the country. Thirty-six infants survived the fire, the chief minister of the state, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, said in a tweet Tuesday afternoon. The fire was on the third floor of the hospital, Kamla Nehru Hospital, in the central Indian city of Bhopal. Anxious parents waited outside as doctors, nurses and firefighters rushed in to help with the rescue effort. Vishvas Kailash Sarang, the states minister of medical education, said that the children who were injured were receiving treatment and that an inquiry would be started into the cause of the fire. It was unclear how many infants were hurt in the blaze and how serious their injuries were. Hospital fires have become an epidemic in India, killing dozens this year, but this one touched a nerve because the victims were infants in a critical care unit. And Bhopal, where Mondays fire took place, was also the site of a gas leak that killed thousands in 1984, making the city a notorious symbol of industrial disaster. All frontline health workers in England must be vaccinated against Covid-19 by next spring to keep their jobs, Britains health secretary said on Tuesday, a move that employers and trade unions warned could aggravate staff shortages. We must avoid preventable harm and protect patients in the N.H.S., protect colleagues in the N.H.S. and, of course, protect the N.H.S. itself, Sajid Javid, the health secretary, told Parliament, referring to the National Health Service. He added that about 90 percent of the services workers had received at least two vaccine doses. The measure, which is subject to parliamentary approval, is due to come into force on April 1. Exemptions will be available for people who are medically prevented from receiving vaccines and for health workers who have no face-to-face contact with patients. That time frame is intended to ensure that workers who do not want to be vaccinated remain in their jobs during the winter, when the strain on the countrys overstretched health service is likely to be particularly acute. PARIS Seeking to regain control over his agenda five months before elections, President Emmanuel Macron of France on Tuesday announced the tightening of a key anti-coronavirus measure as infections keep rising across France and the rest of Europe. In a nationally televised speech from the Elysee Palace, Mr. Macron also tried to shift the focus away from the pandemic that has upended his presidency by laying out themes expected to underpin his bid for re-election. Vaccinate yourself so that you can lead a normal life, Mr. Macron implored those who had still not gotten a single shot. Addressing the nation for the ninth time since the start of a crisis that has claimed 119,000 lives in France, he added, Being free in a nation like France entails being responsible and showing solidarity. Im therefore counting on you. People over the age of 65 will now have to get a booster shot to remain eligible for a vaccine passport needed to gain access to restaurants, museums, long-distance trains and other public places. The new rule takes effect on Dec. 15. Follow our live coverage of the migrant crisis at the Belarus-Poland border. Poland has massed thousands of troops on its border with Belarus to keep out Middle Eastern migrants who have set up camp there, as Western officials accuse Belaruss leader of intentionally trying to create a new migrant crisis in Europe. The standoff along the razor-wire fence separating the two countries has intensified a long-simmering confrontation between Belarus, a repressive former Soviet republic, and the European Union, which includes Poland. Western officials say that President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus is allowing asylum seekers from the Middle East into his country by the thousands and then funneling them westward toward Poland and the E.U., and has escalated that strategy this week. They say he is retaliating against sanctions imposed after his disputed 2020 election victory. The sharp increase in tensions has rattled European officials, with images of desperate migrants evoking the refugee crisis of 2015. The confrontation with Belarus, a close Russian ally, also raises new security concerns. In recent years, the village of Kamenka in Russias Lipetsk region has become famous as the home of Zmei Gorynich, a giant three-headed statue of one of the most iconic villains of Slavic folk stories. The Kudykina Gora family park on the outskirts of Kamenka village has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Lipetsk largely thanks to a single exhibit the statue of Zmei Gorynich, an extremely realistic and frighteningly attractive rendition of the main antagonist in dozens of Russian folk stories and legends. Created by Ukrainian sculptor Vladimir Kolesnikov, the impressive statue stands about 15 meters high and is about as large as youd expect a fearsome three-headed dragon to be. Did I mention it also breathes fire and screams menacingly from time to time? Photo: Park Kudykina Gora/Instagram Work on this real-life version of Zmei Gorynich began in 2015 and was completed after about two years. The statue consists mainly of an iron frame and concrete, and depicts the terrible serpent-like creature in all of its terrifying glory, atop a small mound, in the middle of the Kudykina Gora family park. Even before its completion in 2017, photos of the then-wingless Zmei Gorynich went viral on social media, getting over one million likes on Facebook alone and drawing tourists to Kamenka village. Today, tens of thousands of tourists visit the park every year to see this real-life dragon for themselves. The highlight of a visit to Kudykina Gora is hearing the dragon let out a Godzilla-like scream just before spouting flames through all its three mouths, leaving plumes of black smoke floating around. These special effects can only be witnessed at 7 pm sharp on weekends, and on national holidays. To see this impressive statue of Zmei Gorynich with your own eyes, youll have to travel 400 km from Moscow along the M4 Don highway. The 500-hectare Kudykina Gora family park is free to visit and features a variety of attractions for the whole family. Todd Barrish Its no secret in the public relations world that its been getting harder to attract media coverage for startup funding rounds and corporate product launches. Part of the reason for that is because of the growing swarm of PR professionals relative to a dwindling number of journalists, along with an increasingly crowded tech investor space where every startup and venture capital firm is fighting to tell its story. But its also important to recognize how the dominant media narratives dont always align with the sunny Silicon Valley perspective of everything is going great and technology will fix the world. As Jessica Lessin, Founder of the tech news publication The Information has pointed out, journalists have the responsibility to report on issues such as the role that technology plays in exacerbating social and wealth inequality, along with the implications of new tech products and services for individual privacy and freedom. A growing number of customers and investors are also increasingly aligned with social responsibility narratives and eager to hold tech companies accountable. This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Nov. '21 Technology PR Magazine (view PDF version) That means companies and VC firms need to ask themselves a serious question: how do their tech products, business models and investing philosophies fit within broader narratives about the social responsibility of tech founders and investors? Organizations that can proactively align their brand with social responsibility in both messaging and practice will be far better positioned from a PR standpoint to attract positive media attention. Those that dont will find themselves more hard-pressed to earn desirable media coverage, or even forced into a defensive PR crouch by news reporting that shines a spotlight on an organizations social responsibility deficiencies. Dont get left behind Those organizations that are slow to embrace socially responsible practices run the risk of being left behind from both a business and PR standpoint. A growing number of companies and investors are adopting environmental, social and governance criteria, while some startups have built their organizations around such criteria from the get-go. A 2021 global survey by Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week found that 85 percent of business executives saw the COVID-19 pandemic as a wakeup call for sustainability, and a majority of those executives expect to see financial benefits from investing in ESG activities within two years. Similarly, a majority of major institutional investors surveyed by J.P. Morgan said they expect the pandemic to have a positive impact on ESG investment momentum within the next three years. The impact goes beyond mere sentiment. Investors and customers are increasingly rewarding companies for aligning with ESG criteriaand shying away from those companies that are seen as ESG risks. An S&P Global Market Intelligence analysis found that ESG funds outperformed the S&P 500 during the first year of the pandemic, even as flows into sustainable investment funds in the U.S. more than doubled between 2019 and 2020 to reach $51.1 billion. Many VC firms havent yet integrated ESG criteria into their investment philosophies and portfolios, but a growing number are jumping on related investment opportunities such as in the clean tech industry. Venture capitalists and tech companies that can confidently say they have implemented a progressive ESG framework will have a powerful and positive story to tell when pitching news publications. Embrace your role in a bigger story Even if an organization has a winning pitch about its socially responsible hiring and operational practices, a crowded field means that many companies and VC firms will still find it difficult to consistently earn media coverage, let alone earn a glowing profile of the company or founder. But there are ways to win media coverage more often than not once organizations realize its rarely all about them. That fact is that many tech journalists want to write stories with a bigger scope beyond covering a specific organizations funding round or product launch. A pitch that can help journalists to see how an organizations latest announcement fits within the broader narratives and trends is more likely to succeed. For example, many tech companies and VC firms still struggle on diversity and inclusion in their hiring, promotion and investing decisions. But even those that can boast of having a more diverse leadership, workforce or group of founders among their portfolio companies may not be guaranteed media coverage for something like a series B funding round. Instead of simply sending out a pitch about a new startup that raised $20 million and happens to have a founder whos a woman or person of minority background, consider taking a big-picture approach. Start by highlighting the statistics that tell a story about the lack of diversity in the tech industry and among founders who receive VC funding. Explain some of the challenges that women and minority founders face within this context. Then you can paint the founders story into the bigger picture. The takeaway There are undoubtedly opportunities beyond media coverage to tell your organizations story, especially through content marketing. But the good news is that embracing a socially responsible stance positions your organization to play a supportingif not also starringrole in many positive media narratives moving forward. In the midst of both a global pandemic and a climate crisis, there are few better stories to tell than the story about how your organization did its part to make things better for everyone. *** Todd Barrish is President of Indicate Media. Matt Kucharski Boston-based SHIFT Communications has joined Padilla as one of its operating brands. The agency officially becomes a Padilla unit effective January 1, 2022. SHIFT, like Padilla, is part of Montreal-based holding company Avenir Global. Padilla was acquired by AG in 2018. SHIFT now joins Padilla's roster of communications brands, which includes Chicago-based food and nutrition consulting shop FoodMinds, brand consultancy Joe Smith and research authorities SMS Research Advisors. The agency, in a statement, said the combine effectively brings Padilla's annual revenues to $55 million and accounts for approximately 240 employees across seven U.S. offices SHIFT managing partner Rick Murray, who formerly led National PR's Toronto operations, retains his position at SHIFT and will also become an EVP at Padilla, overseeing that agency's Channels and Digital Strategy capabilities. There will be no change to SHIFT's branding and no changes to the agency's physical office locations. "SHIFT joining the Padilla family brings great new opportunities for clients and for our teams," Padilla president Matt Kucharski told O'Dwyer's. "The firm has a tremendous track record of helping innovative technology, health care and consumer startups come build a name for themselves, and Padilla brings additional capabilities to help those clients as they grow. Our teams already collaborate as part of Avenir Global, and this takes that even further." Minneapolis-based Padilla last year accounted for nearly $36 million in net fees, according to O'Dwyer's rankings of PR firms. Edelman picks up the Bahrain Economic Development Board for strategic communications and media relations services to promote business investment, along with the Kingdoms brand and value proposition. The contract, which went into effect on Oct. 5, calls for Edelman to secure positive coverage in targeted US markets to reach potential investors, decision-makers and c-suite executives. The $70K effort has Edelman delivering a dozen press releases; ten story ideas and 20 newsjacking or interview pitches; six Q&As or op-eds, and conducting media outreach. Edelmans Seth Hand, managing director, provides strategic counsel to the BEDB. Simon Hailes, director, is the account lead; Sarah Algethami, director, handles media outreach; George Stothard, content lead, spearheads content development; and Rami Fahmi, account manager, works the Arabic media. APCO Worldwide parted ways with EDB on Sept. 30. Marco Lastrico Barabino & Partners, a leading Italian public relations firm with offices in Germany and the UK, marks the 10th anniversary of its US division with the opening of a new office in Rockefeller Center in New York City. The agency says it expects to close 2021 with a growth rate of 20 percent over 2020. Barabino & Partners USA has worked alongside over 150 Made in Italy brands, specializing in the food and beverage and hospitality sectors. The choice of the new headquarters is strategic for us said B+P USA partner and CEO Marco Lastrico. The vibrant Rockefeller Center area, a symbolic place in New York, will offer our entire team additional motivation and creative ideas to develop new strategies. Next PR is seeking proposals from mission-driven and charitable organizations that want to become the next pro bono client in the firms Conscious Capitalism program. The goal of the program is to assist groups by increasing brand awareness, garnering media coverage and growing social followings and engagement through PR support. Organizations supporting such missions as the advancement of women in STEM, clean energy, diversity in tech and healthcare improvement are encouraged to apply for the next partnership, which will run from April toSeptember 2022. Next says candidates must have a kickass culture, do innovative work and exhibit curiosity about the future of tech. The Conscious Capitalism program has thus far supported partners in the sustainability industry withDenver'sThe Alliance Center, in the biopharmaceutical industry withChicago'sNeopenda, withPhiladelphiatechnology nonprofitTech Impactand in the venture foundry space withMother SuperiorinSan Francisco. The Summit Group, Utahs longest-running independently owned agency, is acquired by Parpia Global Management. Parpia owner Naushad Parpia will serve as The Summit Group CEO, succeeding agency founder Bill Paulos, who after transitioning selected clients, will leave the agency to focus on community and public service activities. Partner Todd Wolfenbarger, who bought into the firm nearly 20 years ago, will continue to serve TSG in a consultative role. There are no plans to make any other staff changes. The agency will operate as a remote workforce with its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, and New York, NY with satellite offices including San Jose, Austin, Greenville, and Seattle. OFFALY'S Green Party Minister Pippa Hackett travelled to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow by electric car and ferry. Senator Hackett drove to the port of Larne and took the boat across to Scotland for the international conference. Speaking in a video message recorded while walking along a Glasgow street, the organic farmer from Geashill said she had made a low emissions journey to the event. The trip went really well and it's really great to see so many charge points here in Scotland, she said. She reported that she had met with Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, and the New Zealand climate minster James Shaw. There are many similarities between our countries, particularly in relation to agriculture and land use, and we'll continue to work closely together as we address our emissions challenges, said Senator Hackett. She also met a number of green parliamentarians from across the world, from Kenya to Venezuela, and closer to home from the UK and Europe. There were meetings with Irish Green Party colleagues Senator Pauline O'Reilly and Deputy Brian Leddin and she held talks with Karen Ross, the secretary of agriculture in California, remarking that she had been really looking forward to meeting another female politician in agriculture. The junior minister at the Department of Agriculture also visited an organic farm in Scotland which has been operating a 'calf at foot' model for five years where top notch cheese, ice cream rose veal are produced. At 'The Ethical Dairy' farm, calves remain with their cows to suckle, unlike traditional farms where the new-borns are removed within a couple of hours. On her way to Scotland, she tweeted a message while her car was plugged into a charging point: Just getting the final bit of charge in before we head to the ferry port here in Larne. Looking forward to a good few days at COP26 in Glasgow. We're here to make a difference, let's do that. The summit, where representatives from around the world are seeking to agree measures to combat climate change, also features Tullamore-based ecologist and peatlands expert Catherine Wilkie who is involved in a special session on Irish bogs at the COP26 Peatlands Pavilion. 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. TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) The U.S. and Canada will discuss the future of an oil pipeline that crosses part of the Great Lakes and is the subject of rising tension over whether it should be shut down, the White House said Monday. President Joe Biden is caught in a battle over Enbridge Energy's Line 5, a key segment of a pipeline network that carries Canadian oil across the U.S. Midwest. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat and Biden ally, has demanded closure of the 68-year-old line because of the potential for a catastrophic rupture along a 4-mile-long (6.4-kilometer-long) section in the Straits of Mackinac, which connects Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Enbridge says that portion, divided into twin pipes across the lake bottom, has never leaked and is in good condition. The company rejected Whitmer's order to halt the flow of oil last May and filed a federal lawsuit, which is pending. The Biden administration has not taken a position but is under increasing pressure to do so. Canada last month invoked a 1977 treaty that guarantees the unimpeded transit of oil between the two nations. White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a Monday news briefing she expects the U.S. and Canada to engage constructively in discussions about Line 5. In addition to being one of the closest allies, Canada remains a key U.S. partner in energy trade, as well as efforts to address climate change and protect the environment, Jean-Pierre said. She noted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is preparing an environmental impact statement on Enbridge's proposal to run a replacement segment through a tunnel that would be drilled beneath the straits. That study doesn't involve whether the existing twin pipes should continue operating. Line 5 daily carries about 23 million gallons (87 million liters) of crude oil and natural gas liquids used in propane between Superior, Wisconsin, and Sarnia, Ontario. It runs underground through northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula before reaching the Straits of Mackinac. From there, it continues south to Port Huron, Michigan, before crossing beneath the St. Clair River to Sarnia. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953 issued a permit allowing the pipeline to cross the international border there. The permit says it may be terminated at the will of the President of the United States. Environmental groups and Indigenous tribes say that provision means Biden could order an immediate shutdown. Other options include filing a federal court brief supporting Whitmer's position or entering negotiations with Canada, said Mike Shriberg, director of the National Wildlife Federations Great Lakes office. Because Canada has invoked this treaty, the Biden administration is dragged into this whether they want to be or not, Shriberg said. Twelve Indigenous tribes based in Michigan asked for representation at the talks. We possess rights and interests in the integrity of the Great Lakes that date back to time immemorial, and that are protected by solemn treaties with the United States long predating the agreement Canada rests on, the tribes said in a Nov. 4 letter to Biden. Those rights include protection of fish populations and cultural sites in the Straits of Mackinac, said Whitney Gravelle, chair of the Bay Mills Indian Community. Enbridge, based in Calgary, Alberta, and its supporters say a shutdown would cause fuel shortages and higher prices of gasoline and propane in the region while killing thousands of jobs. Billions of dollars in economic activity would be in jeopardy, and the environment would be at greater risk due to additional trucks operating on roadways and railroads carrying hazardous materials, said a Nov. 4 letter to Biden signed by 13 Republicans in Congress, including Reps. Bob Latta of Ohio and Tim Walberg and Jack Bergman of Michigan. Environmentalists say those claims are exaggerated. State and nonprofit studies have shown that with an orderly shutdown and careful planning, there would be little to no noticeable impact on the economy or fuel prices, said Beth Wallace of the National Wildlife Federation. - Associated Press reporter Joshua Boak in Washington, D.C., contributed to this story. Are you a current print subscriber? You qualify for online access to the Omak Chronicle. To receive your access, create a website account and then verify your print subscription or e-edition subscription with your subscriber number, which may be found on your bill or mailing label. The worlds first Personal Digital Twin platform was voted this 2021s Best Digital Software Company - Florida, by the British magazine Global Health & Pharma while still in beta. Miami, November 9, 2021 - This year winners of GHP Magazines Healthcare & Pharmaceutical Awards have just been announced and among the hundreds of nominees, the completely remote-based tech startup Mind Bank Ai wins as the Best Digital Software Company - Ottumwa, IA (52501) Today Windy and partly cloudy this evening. Mostly cloudy with diminishing winds after midnight. Low 23F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Windy and partly cloudy this evening. Mostly cloudy with diminishing winds after midnight. Low 23F. NW winds at 20 to 30 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. MANISTEE Some samples of Manistees city drinking water showed several homes had nearly double the actionable level of lead in their tap water. This is according to a public advisory news release from Manistees city manager on Monday afternoon. The news release noted that the city conducts periodic testing for lead and copper of tap water in homes. In a sampling of 20 homes in the city, it found three that exceeded the 15 parts per billion action level that was established by the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act. The city managers office said the samples had been taken in late September. William Gambill, Manistee city manager, said those results were then sent to a laboratory. And then the lab sent us a letter to our water department on Sept. 28. We were aware of three higher test results and then the water department talked with home owners about how they went about the tests, Gambill said. Then last week, he said the State of Michigan contacted the city. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) evaluates compliance with the action level based on the 90th percentile of lead and copper results collected in each round of sampling, reads part of the news release. The lead 90th percentile for the city of Manistees water supply was 28 ppb, which exceeds the action level of 15 ppb. The 90th percentile means that if there is one out of 10 tests that exceeds action levels it triggers actions such as public notice, more frequent testing than usual and other steps. This week, the city was given several days to notify water users of the action level exceedance, Gambill said. According to the news release, the action level threshold triggers additional actions including, but not limited to, increased investigative sampling of water quality and educational outreach to customers in accordance with the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act. The goal for lead in drinking water is 0 ppb; there is no safe level of lead in the blood,reads the release in part. However, the news release states that the citys exceedance is not a violation of the Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act. This public advisory is the first step to raise awareness and ultimately improve water quality for our customers, Gambill said in the news release. "It is important that customers are informed about the potential sources of lead in their drinking water so that appropriate actions can be taken to eliminate it. City of Manistee water customers who would like their service line inspected should contact the City of Manistee Department of Public Works at 231-723-7132. The DPW can provide a list of certified laboratories for anyone who would like to have their water tested for lead. The city is also planning to create a webpage with more information on the topic and local resources. Manistees neighboring Benzie County also saw a recent example of elevated lead levels in drinking water when a routine test of tap water in the Village of Beulah showed high enough lead levels in one sample to trigger additional testing and an educational outreach program on the dangers of lead in drinking water. A notice was recently posted on the village website, as well as the home page of the Benzie Leelanau District Health Department advising Beulah residents of the findings. We recently collected samples from seven homes, the notice reads. The Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy evaluates compliance with the Action Level based on the 90th percentile of lead and copper results collected in each round of sampling. The lead 90th percentile for the citys water supply is 30 parts per billion (ppb), which exceeds the Action Level of 15 ppb. State Rep. Jack O'Malley, of Lake Ann, stated in a news release Monday afternoon that Everyone should have access to clean drinking water in Michigan." "A plan for the current budget year previously approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor puts millions of dollars toward infrastructure and drinking water emergency response, OMalley said in the release. Benton Harbor is clearly not alone. There have been many similar situations across the state and in northern Michigan. I remain committed to gathering the facts and developing solutions, so we can improve our infrastructure and ensure residents and their families are safe. Sen. Curt VanderWall, of Ludington, also expressed concern in a news release Monday afternoon. Lead in water is a serious public health concern; there is no acceptable level of lead in drinking water. I strongly encourage those who are connected to the city of Manistees water supply to exercise caution, get their water tested and consider installing lead-reducing water filters," he said in the release. WAYS TO REDUCE EXPOSURE The City of Manistee shared some ways residents can reduce exposure to lead since it can cause serious health problems if too much enters the body from drinking water and other sources. Run water to flush out lead-containing water. If the home does not have a lead service line, run the water for 30 seconds to two minutes, or until it becomes cold or reaches a steady temperature. If the home does have a lead service line, run the water for at least five minutes to flush water from the home or buildings plumbing and the lead service line. Consider using a filter to reduce lead in drinking water. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that any household with a child or pregnant woman use cold water and a certified lead filter to remove lead from their drinking water, especially when preparing baby formula. Look for filters that are tested and certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 53 for lead reduction. For filters to work properly, follow the manufacturers instructions. If the household has a child or pregnant woman and are not able to afford the cost of a lead filter, contact the local health department. Do not use hot water for drinking, preparing food, or cooking or preparing baby formula. Do not boil water as boiling will not reduce the amount of lead in water. Clean the faucet aerator to remove trapped debris. Check whether your home has a lead service line. The city plans to send out a comprehensive public education document about lead in drinking water. Also, for the next calendar year, the city will be collecting 40 samples (increasing from 20), every six months and reviewing the results to determine if corrective actions are necessary to reduce corrosion in household plumbing. The release stated that the city is working collaboratively with District Health Department #10 and the State of Michigan to make free water filters available for qualifying households. To qualify, one must be: Connected to the City of Manistee water supply. Have a pregnant woman and/or child(ren) under the age of 18 living or spending considerable time in the home. Be on WIC, Medicaid, or be willing to say that you cannot afford the cost of a water filter. Filter distribution will begin on Friday at the City of Manistee Department of Public Works, located at 280 Washington St. On and after that date, qualified individuals can pick up filters between 8 a.m.and 3 p.m. from Monday through Friday. Anyone operating a food establishment such as a store, restaurant, bar or food manufacturing establishment is encouraged to visit michigan.gov/mdardleadinfo for specific information for food firms. The city of Manistee has regularly tested for lead and copper since 1994. In 2019, the city began actively searching for lead service lines in the system through the drinking water pilot program. When lead services are found, they are immediately replaced. The city has recently been awarded a Drinking Water Asset Management grant from EGLE which will also help identify areas in need of upgrades. This grant will fund water system inventory (GIS), GPS asset survey for future work, distribution system material inventory and investigation, condition assessment and rate sufficiency analysis. Lead can enter drinking water though a variety of avenues such as when in contact with pipes, solder, home/building interior plumbing, fittings and fixtures that contain lead. Homes with lead service lines have an increased risk of having high lead levels in drinking water, the release states. The more time water has been sitting in your homes pipes, the more lead it may contain. Therefore, if your water has not been used for several hours, run the water before using it for drinking or cooking. This flushes lead-containing water from the pipes. Additional flushing may be required for homes that have been vacant or have a longer service line. More information can be found online at michigan.gov/MILeadSafe or michigan.gov/EGLELeadPublicAdvisory. Additional information regarding lead can be found at the City of Manistees website manisteemi.gov. The Four Lakes Task Force has partnered with Central Michigan University to conduct a series of surveys to better understand the potentially changed ecosystem after the May 2020 dam failures. Over the summer, trained students and faculty of CMU completed surveys of Secord and Smallwood lakes and of the areas immediately downstream of their respective dams. Dr. Daelyn Woolnough, a Research Associate Professor at Central Michigan University-Biology Department and Institute for Great Lakes Research, said freshwater survey efforts will return next summer on Wixom and Sanford lakes. Four Lakes Task Force (FLTF) partnered with the university to examine a federal and state endangered species in Smallwood and Secord lakes this year. The freshwater snuffbox mussel is one of the few endangered species in mid-Michigan and previously gained attention from the local communities just before the May 2020 dam failures. As of October, FLTF Vice President Dave Rothman said zero snuffbox mussels were found in Secord or Smallwood lakes. In Secord Lake, Woolnough said her team did find one live species - known as the Giant Floater - and six more species in shells only. She said the presence of shells could mean the population was there or just upstream of the site. In Smallwood Lake, Woolnough said a total of 12 species were found, and some species found were designated of special concern by the state of Michigan. She also added Smallwood Lake is largely dominated by the Giant Floater. A final report will be completed and submitted to the Four Lakes Task Force by the end of this year. Rothman said the surveys were necessary in its goal of environmental restoration. After the May 2020 dam failures, Rothman said the group wants to better understand the ecosystem of the four lakes and how it has potentially changed. Rothman said FLTF, which is a delegated authority for Midland and Gladwin counties, had two questions to be answered. The first would examine whether or not there is a snuffbox mussel problem in the four lakes that potentially needed to be addressed, and the second would provide an overview mussel populations in the four lakes. The snuffbox is globally rare, or, as Woolnough put it, Its like finding a needle in a haystack. Although the snuffbox may be hard to find, experts like Woolnough say mussels like it are important to the ecosystem. I like to say theyre like the kidney of the rivers and lakes because they really are (the) filter, she said. So the snuffbox is difficult to spot, but where is it found? When we find it, we collect that information about the habitat it's found in," Woolnough said. "Generally, its found in rivers. But it can also be found upstream and downstream of some of these perfect habitats. It tends to be like more of a sand-gravel mix, rather than a sand-silty mix, but thats one of the questions that were asking here in the next couple of summers specifically in Wixom and Sanford (lakes). Woolnough said abiotic data, or information about the habitat, are being collected as well. She also noted this information will be shared with Midland and Gladwin communities with the goal of being published as peer-reviewed literature. Although researchers are working to collect information on the snuffbox mussel species in the four lakes, Woolnough said this is a population that people beyond the Great Lakes are taking an interest in. "There are people around the world, especially in the United States, that are watching these surveys, and really interested in how this happened, because we know that our infrastructure and the dams across the country are not doing well," she said. According to the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, dams and invasive mussels are two of the four listed threats to the endangered species. In future survey efforts, Woolnough said she hopes to work with more property owners. Just before the dam failures of May 2020 The year before the world changed with a health crisis and local communities changed with an environmental crisis, the snuffbox mussels were identified in the four-lake system. In 2019, Woolnough said previous survey efforts found mussels on the Tobacco River side (upstream of Dale Road) of Wixom Lake. And on April 30, 2020, the State of Michigan filed a lawsuit against 10 defendants -- including Boyce Hydro and the now-former owner of the dams, Lee Mueller -- alleging harm to the endangered population. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel filed the lawsuit, which claimed Boyce Hydro lowered the level of Wixom Lake during extended drawdown periods in 2018 and 2019. According to the lawsuit, the lowered water levels resulted in the death of thousands if not millions of the snuffbox mussel. At the time, FLTF issued a statement to community members to clarify it was not a legal party in the lawsuit filed on April 30, 2020. Now, FLTF is working to ensure wildlife populations are safe ahead of planned projects and goals to restore the lakes. We knew that in order to move forward with our plans, we were going to have to get our hands around whether or not there was an endangered species issue to work with, said Rothman recently. The best way to do that was to get hold of people who are experts in freshwater mussels and, particularly, that specific freshwater mussel. Last year, in a press release following the dam failures, Boyce Hydro owner Lee Mueller stated the following: The state agencies clearly care more about mussels living in the impoundment than they do about the people living downstream of the dams. Following this press release, Boyce Hydro filed to move the lawsuit to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, citing the recent exercise of federal oversight jurisdiction by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce with respect to Edenville Dam and the Wixom Reservoir on June 10, 2020. So far, there's no news that tells us this (CMU surveys) is going to affect our plans for rebuilding the dams and refilling the lakes, Rothman said. He also confirmed FLTF has not completed projects or restabilization work that would threaten potential populations. According to the FLTF website, two state agencies conducted mussel surveys and collection around the Tobacco side of Wixom Lakes lakeshore on Dec. 9-10, 2020. The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Andrew Mullin. Saturday, Nov. 6: 11:59 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Jasper Township residence regarding a wellbeing check. Deputies received third-party information that a 20-year-old male made a statement that he was going to jump in front of a moving vehicle. Deputies interviewed the male, who advised he was joking when he made the statement. After interviewing the subject, the deputies determined that he was not suicidal. The male was left in the care of his father for the evening. 8:03 p.m. A deputy spoke with a Warren Township female about a loose cow walking around in her yard/field. The cow was not causing a road hazard and the Sheriff's Office had no reported missing cows. The female was asked to check the Lost Pets of Midland Facebook page to find a possible owner of the cow. 7:54 p.m. A deputy contacted a Mills Township man who stated that a known male subject pulled into his driveway. The complainant stated the male has been told in the past to stay off his property. The complainant wished for this incident to be documented and for the deputy to tell the male to stay off his property. Contact was made with the other male and he was advised to stay off the complainants property. This incident was documented. 4:37 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to the Law Enforcement Center for a report of a stolen motorcycle. Through investigation, it was determined the motorcycle was taken the previous night at M-20 and 11 Mile Road. This incident is under investigation. 3:36 p.m. Deputies responded to Larkin Township about a single-vehicle motorcycle crash with injuries. The rider of the motorcycle was transported to Mid-Michigan Medical Center via EMS. 11:35 a.m. Officers responded to a hit-and-run crash on Birchfield Drive. 11:22 a.m. A 54-year-old Jasper Township woman called regarding missing property. The woman has made previous unfounded claims and has been struggling with mental health. A deputy responded to the residence and contacted the caller as well as her husband, and the issue was resolved. 11:09 a.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash at Ashman Street and East Indian Street. 11:05 a.m. Deputies were on patrol in Warren Township when they observed a vehicle traveling over the speed limit. The deputies performed a traffic stop on the vehicle and learned the driver was not licensed. The driver was cited for driving while license suspended. 2:03 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to Lincoln Township DNR land for a report of a 24-year-old male needing medical assistance. The male became disorderly prior to the deputies' arrival. An investigation determined that the 24-year-old male was not in medical distress, and he was subsequently arrested for various weapons offenses. A report has been forwarded to the prosecutor. Friday, Nov. 5: 11:48 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a 43-year-old Homer Township female's residence regarding a suspicious situation. The female advised she saw someone with a flashlight on her property. Deputies checked the area and did not locate anything suspicious. 11:27 p.m. Officers responded to a driver operating with a suspended license in the area of Isabella Street and Vance Road. 10:17 p.m. A 22-year-old Mount Haley Township female was issued a citation for improper plate following a traffic stop on a Homer Township roadway. 10:12 p.m. A deputy was sent to a Larkin Township home for a report of a suicidal female. Contact was made with the female, who eventually admitted to making suicidal comments. The female was transported to the ER for a mental health petition. 7:03 p.m. Officers responded to a vehicle crash in the area of Eastman Avenue and West Wackerly Street. 4:26 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Eastman Avenue. 4:18 p.m. Officers responded to a two-vehicle crash. 1:50 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to the Midland County Jail about an inmate who had assaulted another inmate. The inmate who was assaulted refused to cooperate and did not wish to press charges. 10:56 p.m. Officers responded to a hit-and-drun accident on Ashman Street. 9:56 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to Hope Township to contact a 59-year-old male about a verbal dispute between him and another family member. The deputies contacted the male and he advised there was a dispute due to an argument involving a deceased family member. The deputies investigated the incident and found the 59-year-old male was instigating the argument. The male refused to cooperate with the deputies further. 7:29 a.m. Deputies were dispatched to Jerome Township about an unknown individual throwing things off of a roof. Deputies arrived on scene and searched the area. Deputies did not observe the reported situation, and nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. 7:19 a.m. Officers responded to a death investigation on St. Marys Drive. 1:12 a.m. A deputy assisted Gratiot County deputies with an accident investigation. LANSING, Mich. (AP) After a Michigan official emailed the head of Benton Harbors drinking water system in June 2019 about the impoverished city's failure to hit targets for treating corroded lead pipes, the local leader snapped back: I have no time for this. Municipal superintendent Mike OMalley's email response went to lay out grievances about state demands on his office since the discovery months earlier of elevated lead levels in Benton Harbor's water. The testy exchange was among many between the water chief and state regulators trying to contain what has become Michigan's second high-profile lead contamination crisis in less than a decade. The strained ties were evident in emails released last week by the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy. They were among an 11,000-page trove of communications and documents sought by legislators investigating the state's handling of the predicament in Benton Harbor, a majority-Black city of about 9,100 in Michigan's far southwestern corner. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also ordered measures last week to strengthen water quality statewide, including stepped-up efforts to reduce lead content and remove service lines made with the toxic metal that can damage children's brains and nervous systems. But her administration faces complaints of inadequate response from Republican foes and even some allies, including Black activists and environmental groups, as she prepares to seek reelection next year. When campaigning in 2018, Whitmer criticized the performance of GOP predecessor Rick Snyder in the Flint lead emergency. City and state officials have failed to address this public health crisis with the urgency it requires, progressive groups said in a Sept. 9 petition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Last week, the EPA instructed Benton Harbor to improve corrosion control, repair filters at its treatment plant and better notify residents. Liesl Clark, director of the state environmental agency, described the Benton Harbor situation as unique and particularly urgent in a letter to state Sen. Ed McBroom, the Republican chairman of the Senate Oversight Committee, which is investigating the state's response. But lead-tainted water is a statewide issue, Clark added. While acknowledging her department could do better in Benton Harbor, Clark said the thousands of newly released documents show it had gone above and beyond legal requirements." It's frustrating to hear this mantra that the state did nothing there for three years, Eric Oswald, director of the department's Drinking Water and Environmental Health Division, said in an interview Monday. We had a pretty significant response effort. The documents and emails provide a behind-the scenes look at conversations between state and Benton Harbor officials after samples indicated high lead readings three years ago. On Jan. 14, 2019, shortly after Whitmer look office, a memo from an Oswald aide said the city wasn't providing promised bottled water or filters to residents with high lead readings. Local officials were sending mixed messages about the situation and rejecting offers of help with additional sampling, the memo said. The next month, the state issued a permit for the city to pump orthophosphate and polyphosphate into the water to coat the pipes and prevent erosion. Then came a consent order requiring the city to fix problems with the water system and boost rates to fund upgrades. Further emails and letters showed state officials prodding O'Malley to increase the number of locations for water sampling, while he argued that fewer should be permissible because the city's population had fallen below 10,000. I put off the lead sampling requirement until recently, now I have to go full speed ahead on finding 60 homes. I have 4 right now, O'Malley wrote in June 2019. 100 letters 4 responses. We are going to go door to door next and hope for the best! When state water treatment specialist Ernie Sarkipato offered help, O'Malley replied: I have already asked you for help and been denied. State engineering supervisor Michael Bolf wrote Oswald in December 2019 about Benton Harbor repeatedly missing consent order deadlines. We feel caught between a rock in a hard place, Bolf wrote. Fining the cash-strapped city might worsen relations and achieve little, but with leniency, the water system remains vulnerable and we are potentially culpable if a problem occurs. The state agency notified Benton Harbor in February 2020 its corrosion control treatments werent succeeding and ordered adjustments. OMalley replied the conclusion was premature. To Benton Harbor, your order left us quite anxious about what was required and it felt like, you want us to begin running scared, he said. Oswald said Monday he was cautiously optimistic the corrosion control system was getting better results and was awaiting results of the latest testing. The state revoked O'Malley's certification to operate the city water plant in November 2020 for numerous reasons, including refusing to disclose where samples were taken, said Hugh McDiarmid Jr., spokesman for the environment department. Benton Harbor suspended and later fired him, McDiarmid said. The Associated Press was unable to reach OMalley for comment. Messages were left Monday with Benton Harbor Mayor Marcus Muhammad and city manager Ellis Mitchell. Muhammad told a legislative committee in October the city's water problems were years in the making. Benton Harbor was under state emergency management from 2010 to 2014. One manager laid off half the water plants staff and its plants director, yet in 2018 the state environmental agency told him more water staff was needed, he said. I was cross-eyed because on one hand you had a state official to deplete the water labor and then another official coming back saying you need to increase it," Muhammad said. Flesher reported from Traverse City, Michigan. SEATTLE (AP) A metallurgist in Washington state pleaded guilty to fraud Monday after she spent decades faking the results of strength tests on steel that was being used to make U.S. Navy submarines. Elaine Marie Thomas, 67, of Auburn, Washington, was the director of metallurgy at a foundry in Tacoma that supplied steel castings used by Navy contractors Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding to make submarine hulls. From 1985 through 2017, Thomas falsified the results of strength and toughness tests for at least 240 productions of steel about half the steel the foundry produced for the Navy, according to her plea agreement, filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Tacoma. The tests were intended to show that the steel would not fail in a collision or in certain wartime scenarios," the Justice Department said. There was no allegation that any submarine hulls failed, but authorities said the Navy had incurred increased costs and maintenance to ensure they remain seaworthy. The government did not disclose which subs were affected. Thomas faces up to 10 years in prison and a $1 million fine when she is sentenced in February. However, the Justice Department said it would recommend a prison term at the low end of whatever the court determines is the standard sentencing range in her case. In a statement filed in U.S. District Court on her behalf Monday, her attorney, John Carpenter, said Thomas took shortcuts. Ms. Thomas never intended to compromise the integrity of any material and is gratified that the governments testing does not suggest that the structural integrity of any submarine was in fact compromised, Carpenter wrote. This offense is unique in that it was neither motivated by greed nor any desire for personal enrichment. She regrets that she failed to follow her moral compass admitting to false statements is hardly how she envisioned living out her retirement years. Thomas' conduct came to light in 2017, when a metallurgist being groomed to replace her noticed suspicious test results and alerted their company, Kansas City-based Bradken Inc., which acquired the foundry in 2008. Bradken fired Thomas and initially disclosed its findings to the Navy, but then wrongfully suggested that the discrepancies were not the result of fraud. That hindered the Navys investigation into the scope of the problem as well as its efforts to remediate the risks to its sailors, prosecutors said. In June 2020, the company agreed to pay $10.9 million in a deferred-prosecution agreement. When confronted with the doctored results, Thomas told investigators, Yeah, that looks bad, the Justice Department said. She suggested that in some cases she changed the tests to passing grades because she thought it was stupid that the Navy required the tests to be conducted at negative-100 degrees Fahrenheit (negative-73.3 degrees Celsius). Unfortunately, the pandemic is not yet behind us and flu season has arrived. We are experiencing high demand and long waits in our emergency departments and urgent cares throughout our region. One of several root causes is confusion in our communities about when and where to go for COVID testing or treatment. To address this confusion, we have a new infographic to help patients navigate their options. We are encouraging workplaces, school officials, health departments and other community leaders to use this infographic as a guide and to provide clear instructions when directing constituents to get COVID testing for work, school or travel. For example, patients will need to know whether their workplace, school or travel destination requires a more accurate PCR test that takes 24-48 hours to process or whether a rapid self-administered antigen test is sufficient proof of COVID negative status. MidMichigan Health does not provide any walk-in COVID testing. All testing requires an appointment and will typically be the more accurate PCR tests. We do not offer rapid antigen tests except in special cases; however, these tests are available at local drugstores. If patients are having COVID-like symptoms, they will need to be evaluated by a provider before testing so that we can rule out similar conditions and order the right tests. Symptomatic patients should not come to our facility without calling ahead so that we can safely treat them and prevent spread to others. Stopping a pandemic requires all the tools available and the COVID-19 vaccine remains our best chance at doing that. Weve had a number of exciting developments, including the recent news that children ages 5-11 can start getting vaccinated. We strongly encourage everyone to consider receiving the vaccine if you havent already done so. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows that unvaccinated individuals are many times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 than those who are vaccinated. For those who are vaccinated, lets take a closer look at the booster and third dose options that have recently become available. A third dose of Pfizer or Moderna can help protect those with compromised immune systems who did not have a strong enough response to the first two doses. It can be administered 28 days after the first two shots. We recommend the third dose for those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. A COVID booster is an additional dose of the vaccine given after the protection provided by the original two doses begins to decrease over time. It is recommended for people 65 and older, those with underlying health conditions, people living in long-term care facilities, and those in high-risk professions. The vaccine, along with covering your mouth and nose with a mask, staying at least six feet away from others, and washing your hands, all help to reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or spreading it to others. Were happy to answer your questions. You can reach us on Facebook Messenger at facebook.com/midmichigan or call our COVID hotline at (800) 445-7356. You can also visit our website at midmichigan.org/covid19. On behalf of all of us at MidMichigan Health, stay healthy and be well. Dr. Paul Berg is president of MidMichigan Physicians Group and Dr. Lydia Watson is chief medical officer of MidMichigan Health. MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP) A day after questioned elections, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's government on Monday set about painting as a historic democratic victory what many of the world's democracies condemned as a sham. Nicaragua's Supreme Electoral Council said that with nearly all the ballots counted, Ortega had won more than 75% of the vote. The outcome was never in doubt after his government jailed seven of the leading potential opposition candidates, clearing the field for Ortega to sweep to a fourth consecutive five-year term. With all government institutions firmly within Ortega's grasp and the opposition exiled, jailed or in hiding, the 75-year-old leader eroded what hope remained the country could soon return to a democratic path. Instead, he appeared poised to test the international community's resolve and continue thumbing his nose at their targeted sanctions and statements of disapproval. Ortega and Vice President and first lady Rosario Murillo celebrated the election results in Managua's Revolution Plaza later Monday, with Ortega unleashing a torrent of abuse on the European Union, which said in a statement earlier that the elections lacked legitimacy. The European Union has a parliament whose majority are fascists, Nazis," Ortega said. The fascist little brothers of Hitler that are governing there, now want to form a a fascist international in our Americas. Ortega also spewed abuse at the United States, which also condemned the elections after Ortega imprisoned all his main potential rivals. Those who are in prison are the sons of the female dog of Yankee imperialism, Ortega said. They should be taken to the United States, because they stopped being Nicaraguans a long time ago, they have no fatherland. Sunday's vote also determined 90 of the 92 seats in the congress and representation in the Central American Parliament. Murillo went so far as to call the elections the first sovereign elections in Nicaragua's history and reported congratulations streaming in from Russia, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. The council put voter turnout at 65%, a figure not observed in lightly attended voting centers Sunday. Open Ballot Boxes, an opposition effort to observe the elections, said that its more than 1,450 monitors around the country estimated an average turnout of about 18%. Murillo cheered the reported turnout, saying more than 2 million votes we receive with infinite gratitude and commitment. But she and Ortega will be ruling a shrinking and more skeptical support base among a general population with rising demands to participate in Nicaragua's politics. Vanderbilt University's Latin American Public Opinion Project polled 2,997 Nicaraguans between June and August as part of their Americas Barometer survey. The phone survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 1.79 percentage points. The full report on the survey is scheduled to be released later this month. In our survey in the summer of 2021, we were seeing signs of grave doubts in the integrity of elections in the country on the part of people in Nicaragua, said project director Elizabeth Zechmeister. We asked whether or not they believe that votes are counted fairly in the country and what we found is that only 26% of people in Nicaragua believe that their votes are always counted correctly. Interestingly enough, its about the same percentage of people who expressed support for the incumbent administration. The Ortega administration has continued to close avenues for democratic participation with police banning public protests, electoral authorities banning some opposition political parties and potential candidates being arrested. We ask people whether or not they think one can bring about change in politics through elections, through street protests, through either or through neither, Zechmeister said. And weve asked that question in the past. So were able to make comparisons across time, and we see in 2021 a significant decrease in the percentage of people who think that its possible to bring about political change in the country through either elections or through street protests. Maria Acevedo waited at a bus stop in the capital Monday. She said the outcome of the election was clear in advance. "They had it all set up, she said. For me this is a fraud. Inside a Managua hair salon, Leticia Roa, said respecting the results would keep the peace. The people elected him (Ortega) and you have to respect it, she said. So what is there to do? Respect. What remains to be seen is whether the international community will continue to unite to push Ortega to change course. An early chance could come later this week when the Organization of American States holds its annual general assembly in Guatemala. When the regional body voted last month to condemn repression and demand the release of political prisoners, seven members abstained, including Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras, which neighbors Nicaragua. This is the moment of truth for the countries that make up the international community that will have to leave behind ambiguity, said Tiziano Breda, Central America analyst with International Crisis Group. They will have to take a forceful position on one side or the other to recognize or not recognize this electoral process. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Sherman in Mexico City contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) To enforce President Joe Bidens forthcoming COVID-19 mandate, the U.S. Labor Department is going to need a lot of help. Its Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesnt have nearly enough workplace safety inspectors to do the job. So the government will rely upon a corps of informers to identify violations of the order: Employees who will presumably be concerned enough to turn in their own employers if their co-workers go unvaccinated or fail to undergo weekly tests to show theyre virus-free. What's not known is just how many employees will be willing to accept some risk to themselves or their job security for blowing the whistle on their own employers. Without them, though, experts say the government would find it harder to achieve its goal of requiring tens of millions of workers at companies with 100 or more employees to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly and wear a mask on the job. There is no army of OSHA inspectors that is going to be knocking on employers door or even calling them," said Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA chief of staff who is a fellow at Georgetown Universitys Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. "Theyre going to rely on workers and their union representatives to file complaints where the company is totally flouting the law. Jim Frederick, the acting chief of OSHA, told reporters that this agency will focus on job sites where workers need assistance to have a safe and healthy workplace." That typically comes through in the form of a complaint, Frederick added. Critics warn that whistleblowers have often faced retaliation from their employers and that OSHA has offered little protection when they do. The new mandate, which Biden announced last week, is the administrations most far-reaching step yet to prod more Americans to get a vaccine that has been widely available since early spring. The mandate will cover an estimated 84 million employees. The president called the move necessary to combat an outbreak that has killed 750,000 Americans and that continues to spread. Companies that fail to comply will face fines of nearly $14,000 per serious violation. Employers found to be willful or repeat violators would be subject to fines of up to ten times that amount. The mandate has run into furious opposition, though, from leaders of mainly Republican-led states who have condemned the plan as an unlawful case of federal overreach and who immediately challenged the vaccine-or-test requirements in court. On Saturday, the Biden administration endured a setback when a federal appeals court in New Orleans temporarily halted the mandate, saying it posed grave statutory and constitutional issues. Should the mandate survive its legal challenges, though, the task of enforcing it would fall on OSHA, the small Labor Department agency that was established 50 years ago to police workplace safety and protect workers from such dangers as toxic chemicals, rickety ladders and cave-ins at construction sites. OSHA has jurisdiction in 29 states. Other states, including California and Michigan, have their own federally approved workplace safety agencies. These states will have an additional month until early February to adopt their own version of the COVID mandate, equal to or tougher than OSHAs. For a task as enormous as enforcing the new vaccine mandate, OSHA and its state partners are stretched thin. Just 1,850 inspectors will oversee 130 million workers at 8 million job sites. So the agencies must rely on whistleblowers. OSHA urges workers to first bring unsafe or unhealthy working conditions to the attention of their employers if possible. Employees could also file a confidential safety complaint with OSHA or have a case filed by a representative, such as a lawyer, a union representative or a member of the clergy. But they have no right to sue their employer in court for federal safety violations. Typically, 20% to 25% of OSHA inspections originate with a complaint. You fill out a form or somebody fills out a form for you," said Berkowitz, the former OSHA chief of staff. "And thats all workers have. If OSHA decides not to inspect, thats it. Or if OSHA inspects but decides not to cite the employer, thats it. ... So its a pretty weak law. Only OSHA can bring cases over violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the law that is meant to provide safe workplaces. Going outside OSHA to sue employers for negligence is all but impossible, say Berkowitz and other worker advocates. State worker compensation programs which reimburse injured workers for medical costs and lost wages and provide death benefits to survivors of those killed include no-fault provisions that block most lawsuits. Even sounding the alarm can be risky. Technically," Berkowitz said, "the law says that companies cant retaliate against a worker for raising a health and safety issue or filing an OSHA complaint or even reporting an injury. But retaliation is rampant. OSHA can pursue employers who punish workers for speaking out against unsafe working conditions. Last month, for example, the agency sued a luxury car dealer in Austin, Texas, that it said fired an employee who had warned co-workers about potential coronavirus hazards in the workplace. But in a report co-written by Berkowitz, the National Employment Law Project, which advocates for worker rights, found that OSHA dismissed without investigating more than half the COVID-related complaints of retaliation it received from whistleblowers. Just 2% of complaints were resolved in the five-month period last year that the law project studied. Workers have just 30 days to file an OSHA complaint over retaliation. OSHA needs to improve its handling of whistleblower complaints, the Labor Departments Inspector General, its internal watchdog, concluded last year. When OSHA fails to respond in a timely manner, it could leave workers to suffer emotionally and financially, and may also lead to the erosion of key evidence and witnesses. Still, most companies are considered likely to comply with the COVID mandate, as they mostly do with other OSHA rules. Some employers were likely relieved: They may have wanted to require inoculations on their own but worried that they'd alienate anti-vax workers and possibly lose them to employers that didnt require vaccinations. Most employers theyre law abiding, says David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is an epidemiologist and professor of public health at George Washington University. Theyre trying to make sure that they meet the requirements of every law and regulation .. Now OSHA will follow up. Theyll respond to complaints. Theyll do spot checks. Theyll issue citations and fines, and theyll make a big deal of those" to discourage other potential violators. ___ AP Business Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report. To the editor: John Moolenaar votes nay on the IRS proposal that would apply to any bank or credit union account where there is more than $10,000 going into or out of an account over the course of a calendar year be reported to the IRS. What plan do you, Rep. Moolenaar, have to close the tax gap the difference between taxes paid and taxes owed by law? Collecting unpaid taxes because individuals are trading in cash which leaves no trail for tax purposes is costing our country billions each year in lost tax revenue. I was in the bank in Midland the other day and the individual next to me needed thousands of dollars in cash so he could pay the contractor who was pouring concrete. The man said the contractor preferred cash. You voted for the House to debate legislation that would stop this IRS data collection proposal in its tracks, but Democrats voted against having that debate. You make it sound as though you support debate on issues brought to the House, yet you constantly vote against debates when it serves no purpose to you or your party. Regarding Democrats not wanting to debate this issue, Republicans have also blocked debate on bills. They/you blocked debate on infrastructure and voting rights. Debates are not a bad thing. Debates force parties to express their point of view and why they are for a measure or opposed to a measure. Both parties need to stop blocking debates on issues. CHARLES RUSSIAN Sanford Livingston, TN (38570) Today Rain ending early. Remaining cloudy. Thunder is possible early. Low 39F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Rain ending early. Remaining cloudy. Thunder is possible early. Low 39F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Palestine, TX (75801) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (PANA) - A senior UN relief official has completed a four-day visit to the trouble hotspots in Ethiopia and called for a humanitarian ceasefire, the UN said on Tuesday Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) Sudanese security authorities should immediately release people arbitrarily detained since the 25 October military takeover, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said on Tuesday Photo: (Photo : Anton 17, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons) A child, who remains unnamed, has been admitted to a Texas hospital after developing a rare human case of rabies from a bat's bite. Officials from the Texas Department of State Health Services said that this is the first rabies case in over a decade. In a news release, the local health department could only disclose that the child comes from Medina County and has been receiving treatments at a county hospital 37 miles away from San Antonio. Health officials, however, did not detail how the child encountered the bat or if treatments were administered before the symptoms appeared. However, contact tracing has been underway to advise the people likely exposed to the child to get post-exposure vaccinations. The health officials said that Medina County residents who were not called or informed about the vaccinations do not have any reasons to be concerned about the rabies infection. Read Also: Thrombosis: Woman Told a Pregnancy Will Kill Her Due to Her Blood Clots 13 Years Ago First Case Since 2009 Texas last dealt with a human case of rabies in 2009. Per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one to three rabies cases have been reported across the country every year. The rabies virus comes from infected animals, but it may also be transmitted from human to human due to infected saliva that enters the mouth, nose, eyes, or a wound on the skin. Rabies impacts the central nervous system and can be fatal if the person has not received proper medical care. According to the state health agency, rabies vaccine and immune globulin should be given to the patient before the manifestations of symptoms like fever, headache, nausea and vomiting, excessive saliva, hallucinations, agitations, and partial paralysis. A person who has been bitten by an animal, especially if the animal was exposed to rabies, should wash the bite, scratch, or wound with soap and water and then proceed to the doctor to get a medical assessment. Although other mammals may also spread the rabies virus, skunks and bats are the most common rabies carriers in the Lone Star State. In 2000, some 600 animals were found to be positive with rabies in Texas, and more than half of these were bats. First Death from Rabies Since 1978 Meanwhile, a farmer from Idaho became the first man to die from a human case of rabies in 40 years. Per the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the unnamed victim was believed to have encountered the bat on his property in August. However, he did not complain about bat bites or scratches though he recalled the bat went up close to him. In October, the Idaho man was admitted to the hospital and subsequently died of his illness. The state department has informed residents in Bonneville and Payette of the presence of bats. They were advised to get their anti-rabies shots. Pets and livestock animals could also be protected from getting or passing the infection if they are vaccinated. Related Article: Doctors Tell Parents Not to Bring Asymptomatic Children to the ER for COVID-19 Test 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 Two Ukrainian citizens have been arrested by the United States Department of Justice for their involvement with the ransomware group REvil, which had been linked to targeting Apple and supplier Quanta Computer and others. They had threatened to make public schematics of the latest MacBook Pro models. More specifically, the REvil ransomware gang asked Apple to "buy back" stolen product blueprints to avoid having them leaked on REvil's leak site before today's Apple Spring Loaded event. The extortion extended to releasing all personal data of employees and customers. Late yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice sent out a press release on the arrest of Yaroslav Vasinskyi and Yevgeniy Polyanin in relation to their cyberattack on "multiple victims" including Kaseya. Attorney General Garland stated: "Cybercrime is a serious threat to our country: to our personal safety, to the health of our economy, and to our national security. Our message today is clear. The United States, together with our allies, will do everything in our power to identify the perpetrators of ransomware attacks, to bring them to justice, and to recover the funds they have stolen from their victims." Deputy Attorney General Monaco stated: "Our message to ransomware criminals is clear: If you target victims here, we will target you. The Sodinokibi/REvil ransomware group attacks companies and critical infrastructures around the world, and todays announcements showed how we will fight back. In another success for the departments recently launched Ransomware and Digital Extortion Task Force, criminals now know we will take away your profits, your ability to travel, and ultimately your freedom. Together with our partners at home and abroad, the Department will continue to dismantle ransomware groups and disrupt the cybercriminal ecosystem that allows ransomware to exist and to threaten all of us." (Click on image to Enlarge) FBI Director Christopher Wray stated: "The arrest of Yaroslav Vasinskyi, the charges against Yevgeniy Polyanin and seizure of $6.1 million of their assets, and the arrests of two other Sodinokibi/REvil actors in Romania are the culmination of close collaboration with our international, U.S. government and especially our private sector partners. The FBI has worked creatively and relentlessly to counter the criminal hackers behind Sodinokibi/REvil. Ransomware groups like them pose a serious, unacceptable threat to our safety and our economic well-being. We will continue to broadly target their actors and facilitators, their infrastructure, and their money, wherever in the world those might be." Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas stated: "Ransomware can cripple a business in a matter of minutes. These two defendants deployed some of the internets most virulent code, authored by REvil, to hijack victim computers. In a matter of months, the Justice Department identified the perpetrators, effected an arrest, and seized a significant sum of money. The Department will delve into the darkest corners of the internet and the furthest reaches of the globe to track down cyber criminals." For more on this, read the full press release here. Many enthusiasts consider OLED the best display quality. Youll find OLED in LG TVs, Apples new iPhones, and a long list of smartphones and tablets from Samsung. If you want to enjoy OLED on a PC, however, your options are limited. A small handful of laptops, like the Dell XPS 13 and Samsung Galaxy Book, offer an OLED display. A few OLED monitors exist, but most are massive screens designed for use in a living room, not on a desk. Why is this true? And will it change any time soon? Razer OLED desktop monitors dont exist because (almost) no one can make them Desktop monitors are popular among PC enthusiasts but, compared to other markets for displays, theyre a small market with small margins. As a result, companies that produce OLED panels place a focus on panels for markets with more volume. Production that targets other devices, like televisions, can be used to produce a monitor but the results might not be what you expect. OLEDs can be produced cost effectively in smartphones and have come a long way in TVs and notebooks, says Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain Consultants. But the technology for monitors is not there yet. There will be some monitors promoted in 2022 that use TV fabs. However, those monitors will not be as high in resolution as LCD monitors. It is possible to produce 27-inch or 32-inch 4K OLED panel, says Young, but the production is low volume and not cost optimized. Thats why the few desktop-sized OLED monitors to hit the market in the past five years were extraordinarily expensive. The high price can be difficult to justify, especially to mainstream shoppers unaware of OLEDs benefits. Consumers are generally very approving of OLED displays, says Anshel Sag, Principal Analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy, but its one of those technologies that you have to see to believe, and thats why you dont quite get enough people switching over to it. There is light at the end of the tunnel but the tunnel may be long. Young thinks PC enthusiasts will need to wait until 2024 and beyond, when the next generation of OLED fabs come online, before OLED is cost-effective for monitors. That doesnt mean monitors wont advance, however. High-end monitors will move to embrace Mini-LED technology, which should prove more affordable in the short term. Laptop shoppers wont have to wait for more OLED options 2021 was a good year for OLED laptops. Asus, Dell, HP, and Samsung now offer several laptops with an OLED display. Theyve performed well in our testing, with sufficient brightness for day-to-day use, an excellent contrast ratio, and vibrant color performance. Thank Samsung. Young says the companys display division, Samsung Display, made a commitment to rapidly grow the market from 1.1 million panels in 2020 to 5.4 million through 2021. I saw this commitment first-hand. Ive handled a half-dozen new laptops with a Samsung OLED display this year, some of which were, in an unusual move, sent to me directly from Samsung Display. The company wants the world to know its serious about OLED in laptops. OLEDs popularity should only increase as improvements reduce power consumption. There are a number of near-term advances expected in reducing power [] says Young. These developments combined could reduce OLEDs power by more than 50%. Future OLED manufacturing will also reduce costs to make OLED more competitive with LCDs in mid-range laptops. Dell /PCWorld Burn-in is a problem with no easy solution Linus Tech Tips published a video in October of 2020 headlined Every other monitor is dead to me. It was Linus Sebastians love letter to the 48-inch LG CX OLED television. Nine months later, Linus was back with a sorta-kinda retraction. He was still in love with the LG CX OLED, but the burn-in was real. One solution to this issue is tandem structures which could double brightness and increase efficiency and extend the lifetime of OLED devices, says Young. Manufacturers also continue to refine compensation features, like pixel orbiting, to decrease the chance of burn-in over time. Still, its unclear when (or if) future OLED innovations will entirely resolve the burn-in problem. It doesnt help that desktop monitors are a worst-case stress test for OLED burn-in. Windows 11 and MacOS are designed with large static elements, like the Windows taskbar and MacOS dock, that rarely move or disappear even as applications are opened and closed. Modern habits contribute, too. Two decades of LCD monitor dominance have taught owners its ok to leave a monitor on, and without a screen saver, when its not in use. It would be nice if Microsoft were to solve this problem in Windows 11, says Sag, especially since they finally fixed the HDR problems Windows 10 had. However, Microsoft hasnt announced a plan to mitigate OLED burn-in issues. I dont find that surprising. Microsoft didnt move aggressively to support HDR until HDR monitors reached the mainstream market. I think the same will prove true of OLED. Want a 4K OLED gaming monitor? Come back in 2025 Young and Sags insights are not good news for PC enthusiasts hoping to replicate the experience of using an LG CX OLED on a monitor practical for a typical desk. A few 4K OLED monitors, like the LG UltraFine 32EP950-B, may trickle into stores over the next few years. However, pricing will remain high and availability will be limited. Its also unclear when 4K OLED monitors will receive expected gaming-centric features including a high refresh rate or black frame insertion. The situation will improve as new OLED production becomes available through 2024, increasing capacity and lowering prices to a point thats more appealing for desktop monitors. Laptops will move ahead of desktop monitors, though itll likely be years before they have a shot at matching the volume of LCDs. Thats bad news if you want an OLED now, but there is a bright side. PC enthusiasts shopping for a premium monitor today can buy without worry that a tsunami of better OLED monitors will make it obsolete next year. Googles Drive and Dropbox are two of the most popular options for cloud storage and backup. Which makes sense, because the two platforms compete with each other intensely. Which one is right for you? Thats a complex question, and it comes down to several factors: your budget, your total backup needs, and which platforms you want to use them on. Unsurprisingly, Google Drive works best if youre heavily invested in Googles other systems: Android, Chrome OS, and the Google Workspace suite of web apps. Its also a better value in general. Dropbox is a better choice if youre more concerned with speed and performance, and are willing to pay for it. Note: You might also be interested in our comparison of Google Drive vs. Microsoft OneDrive. Pricing At the consumer level, both companies offer at least one approximately comparable plan for cloud storage. Heres a quick breakdown of the various plans and prices: Storage tier Google Drive/Google One Dropbox 2GB Free (bonuses available) 15GB Free 100GB $2 a month 200GB $3 a month 2TB $10 a month $12 a month (one user only), $20 a month for 6 users 3TB $20 a month (one user only) 5TB $25 a month $45 per month/3 user minimum, $15 for each extra user 10TB $50 a month 20TB $100 a month 30TB $150 a month Unlimited $75 per month/3 user minimum, $25 for each extra user As you can see, Google Drive (also known as Google One) offers both more initial, free storage, and more and cheaper options at different levels of storage. Dropbox users can boost their free storage by getting friends to sign up with referral codes, up to 16GB. But making users essentially do your marketing for you to get whats free elsewhere isnt a great value proposition. Both companies offer discounts for paying yearly instead of monthly. But in terms of bang for your buck, Dropbox really only makes sense for individual users who want up to two terabytes of storage, or for teams of users who need an absolutely huge amount: more than Google Drives maximum 30TB. Also, while Google allows free users to access Drive from anywhere and on unlimited devices, Dropbox makes users pay for more than three devices to have easy access via dedicated apps. You can get around this limit by using the Dropbox browser tool, but its a pretty huge barrier for free users. Integration Google also wins out on integration with different platforms. The Google Drive system is built into most Android phones and tablets, all Chrome OS-powered devices, and its the default way to save files in Google Docs and other Google Workspace tools. On top of that, Google Drive/One apps are available on iOS and Windows, allowing for easy uploads and downloads. Google Dropbox is also available pretty much everywhere, but its integration is less seamless on mobile and Chrome OS. While its possible to upload and download to Dropbox on almost any platform (via the browser if not a dedicated app), it may take a few more steps. The three-device limit on a free Dropbox account is a big limiter here, too. Both Google Drive and Dropbox integrate with a variety of other often-used services, like Microsoft Office, Slack, Adobe Creative Cloud, Zoom, et cetera. Dropbox even lets you sign in with a Google or Apple account, if you like. Usability While Google is a clear winner on value, and theyve made it easy to access your files on multiple platforms, Dropbox still has an edge on usability, in my opinion. Google Drive tends to treat its storage as one big pool of data, and while it has support for the basic directory system of folders most PC users are used to, the platform would prefer you to use its built-in search tools. Michael Crider/IDG Dropbox, on the other hand, assumes that you generally know where you put your stuff, and makes it easy to navigate through folders and sub-folders either on an app or in a desktop directory. Its not effortlessly intuitive, but its familiar to anyone whos been using desktops and laptops for most of their adult lives. Its a PC-first approach, rather than the (perhaps understandable) mobile-style interface of Drive. Performance While Google Drive is by no means slow, Dropbox gets the edge in performance, too. When trying to upload massive amounts of both large and small data, Dropbox gave me consistently faster upload speeds. Thats a notable consideration if you plan on hitting your storage hard and frequently. Michael Crider/IDG Dropbox also has a feature that makes it faster to send files around your local network: LAN sync. This tool allows files added to your Dropbox account to start copying over local Ethernet or Wi-Fi connections even before theyre fully uploaded to the cloud. In practical terms, this makes a file added on your phone (say, a new photo you took of your pet) appear almost instantaneously in the Dropbox folder on your Windows or MacOS computer, so long as both devices are connected to the local network. Its a small but crucial advantage if what youre really looking for is a bucket of syncing storage thats quick and easy to access. Sharing storage and PC backup As you might expect, Google comes out ahead in terms of sharing storage between family members. While Google One plans can be shared with up to five extra family members (for a total of six users) on the cheapest $2 a month tier, Dropbox only unlocks this option once you start paying $20 a month for 2TB of storage. Mentioned in this article Backblaze Read our review MSRP: $60 Best Prices Today: Individual files can be shared easily on both platforms, and theres not much of a difference between Google Drive and Dropbox if youre sharing accounts. But unless you need a truly massive amount of storage on Dropbox, Google Drive is better in terms of value if you want to share that storage between two or more users. Michael Crider/IDG Both systems offer tools to back up your PCs files to the cloud in a system-wide fashion sort of. While its certainly possible to treat Google Drive or Dropbox as a cloud backup system, these platforms really arent designed for a regular emergency backup. Their slow upload speed and cumbersome backup tools put them well behind dedicated services like Carbonite or Backblaze. I wouldnt give either one extra points of this feature. (For more on this topic, see our roundup of the best cloud backup services.) Mentioned in this article Carbonite Safe Read our review MSRP: $82 Best Prices Today: Extras On top of the above tools, there are less tangible advantages to both systems. Purchasing extra Google Drive storage via the Google One system gets you: Shared space for Gmail messages/attachments and Google Photos Free access to the Google One VPN on Android Discounts on purchases in the Google Store Occasional deals on travel and other items How about Dropbox? Once again, Dropbox is more stingy with its tools, unlocking some of its more premium options under more expensive consumer or business accounts. Even the full text search, a fairly basic tool that you can perform yourself on local files in just about any OS, isnt available at the free tier. Once again Dropboxs more stingy nature is hurting it in this comparison. Google Drive is the clear winner While Dropbox has a superior interface and user experience (at least for people who prefer conventional PC-style file systems), and its performance and LAN sync tools can leave the competition in the dust, Google is offering a better product and a better value on almost all other points of comparison. From the price of premium storage, to integration with desktop and mobile operating systems, to less tangible bonuses as part of the Google One system, Drive is a clear winner. Thats doubly true if youre looking to stick to free tools. Which isnt to say that Dropbox is necessarily a bad choice. That extra performance and better interface might be worth it, especially for users who dont necessarily need the massive amount of storage Google offers. Just be aware of the trade-off in value. The five Form Two students of the Konongo Odumasi Secondary School (KOSS), accused over murder of their mate, Larham Sam-una, have been remanded in a Juvenile Correction Centre by the Konongo Odumasi District Court. The accused persons who are all aged 17, were remanded by the court to appear on November 15, 2021. Their pleas were not taken as the police said they were not done with their investigations. The magistrate, Ms Joyce Bamford, has, however, referred the case to the Ashanti Regional Supervising High Court Judge for direction due to the nature of the case. Charge, no bail While the main accused person who allegedly stabbed the deceased was charged with murder, his four other accomplices were charged with abetment of crime. The court also refused bail application from counsel for the accused persons, Mr Richard Adu Darko, and upheld the objection by the police to remand the accused persons and allow the police more time to complete their investigations. Explaining the peculiarity of the case, the Konongo Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police (C/Supt) Mr Osei Shaibu, said unlike other cases, juvenile cases must be tried within six months and as such the police would have to speed up their work and complete the investigations within a short time. Apart from that, he said only High Courts had jurisdiction to try murder cases and due to the fact that the accused persons were juvenile, the trial might not go through the normal process, thus the need for guidance and direction from the Supervising High Court Judge. Sam-una, a Form One student of KOSS in the Asante Akyem Central Municipality last Friday, met his untimely death when he was stabbed in the left rib with a kitchen knife by a Form Two student. Background This was when he tried to stop his seniors from bullying his classmates after prep last Friday evening. Sam-una was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital and his body has since been deposited at the Stewards Hospital Mortuary at Yaw Kwei, near Konongo. 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 Minister of Health, Hon. Kwaku Agyeman-Manu (MP for Dormaa central), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Gruppo San Donato and Universita Vita-Salute San Raffaele, both Italy based organisations with the objective of providing a legal framework within which the parties may conduct their relationship and set out modalities of cooperation. While the MoU does not create any contractual relationship between the parties, it sets the grounds for the parties to work together in the true spirit of partnership. Under the MOU, the parties have agreed to explore the joint development of an excellence center in Ghana and to support and encourage cooperation in distant medical consultations for international patients. All telemedicine cooperation projects, entered into under the MoU, will obey national legislations with medical specialties and scope of activities determined by both Parties. Both parties will also explore annual visits, and will support Ghana with training opportunities for its health professionals as well as explore Scientific research and academic exchange by both parties. This MoU was signed on the side-lines of the second European Corporate Council On Africa And Middle East (ECAM) held in Italy from October 31 to November 1 2021. Presentation Making a presentation at the conference on the theme: The role of Ghana as a strategic regional healthcare hub in West Africa, Hon Agyeman-Manu said Ghana has identified Medical tourism as a key agenda of the Government to move the countrys health system forward. With Agenda 111, and the countrys management of COVID-19, he noted that Ghana stands ready to lead in medical service delivery in West Africa with advancement in infrastructure, medical service value chain, education and research. He added that the country is also working on an agenda of Ghana Beyond Aid and ensuring it achieves Universal Health Coverage (UHC). To this end, Ghana has put together the key architectural documentations to ensure it is able to embark on PPPs. The measures include the PPP Act. 1039 of 2020 and a policy document. He added that the country is also going to focus on medical services where it has comparative advantages such as cardiothoracic surgery, invitro fertilization and other fertility solutions, orthopaedics, traditional medicine, among others. We plan to ensure we gain international accreditation seals on our facilities to ensure we achieve this. We plan to deploy a lot of technology in our medical tourism drive. This will include but not limited to e health, m health, artificial intelligence etc, he said. A key set back identified, Hon Agyeman-Manu stated, is the fact that government resources alone cannot enable us to achieve this calling on private capital all over the world, including Italy, to join hands with Ghana. He said Ghana aims to link with Italian companies to collaborate and acquire support to develop a National Vaccine Institute. He emphasised that the world must ensure that digital revolution benefits everyone and that no country can survive alone without strategic partners. Collaboration Vice-Chairman of the Normandy region and CEO of E4I Impact said E4I Impact aims to train entrepreneurs in Africa, contribute to human capital development and bridge the gap between African and Italian companies. She disclosed that they are currently working in 17 African countries and have been in Ghana since 2013, working with the University of Professional Studies in Ghana to train entrepreneurs. She added that they are also providing bridges between local entrepreneurs and Italian companies and are operating more in the agriculture value chain, social housing and ehealth. Hon Agyeman-Manu welcomed the collaboration and emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship to Ghana with it growing youth population. He indicated that he would link E4I with the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Hon Minister said COVID-19 has taught the world the importance of a value based multilateral system saying what happened in China is affecting everyone in the world. ECAM The ECAM Council was born with the primary objective of promoting constructive dialogue, new partnerships and strong cooperation between Europe, Africa and the MENA region. It is a private, non-profit and non-partisan association, founded on the direct initiative of Kamel Ghribi (President of GKSD Investment Holding) and Paolo Rotelli (President of Vita-Salute San Raffaele University). The purpose of the Council is to promote and develop relations between the countries of Europe, Africa and the MENA region, with Italy playing a leading role. The ECAM Council aims to raise awareness in both the private and public sector of the fact that healthcare is perhaps the wisest and most important investment that can be made by either individuals or governments. The ECAM Councils vision sees a world where the fundamental pillars of society such as healthcare and education are viewed as economic investments not burdens. It is mission driven, with a strong focus on long term investments and partnerships in health services, infrastructure, education, research and training. The ECAM Council promotes authoritative and intellectual exchanges across borders, cultures and languages. The Forum is promoted by Gruppo San Donato (GSD) and GKSD Investment Holding in collaboration with the European House- Ambrosetti. The 2021 Conference was held on the Theme New Ways to Care. Ghanas team at the conference was led by Hon Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, Minister of Health. Other members in the team were Dr. Emmanuel Odame, Director, Policy Planning Monitoring Evaluation, MoH and Madam Linda Nanbigne, Personal Assistant, Minister of Health. 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 government prepares to present its 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy to Parliament on 17th November, 2021, the Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has been taking inputs from young entrepreneurs on how the government can deepen its entrepreneurial interventions. Youth entrepreneurship has become topical in recent weeks following public discussions about how more young Ghanaians can be supported to succeed in private business. Mr. Oppong Nkrumah through a live virtual conversation on Sunday October 31, 2021, dubbed #ListenUP sought to take feedback from young entrepreneurs on how the entrepreneurial ecosystem is functioning. Feedback from the session will be channelled into governments decision-making processes to inform its policy directions for the future. Organised by the Ministry of Information, the live audio conversation on social networking site, Twitter, is an occasional platform for deepening engagements with the Ghanaian people and at the same time take feedback that will aid government to better roll out its policies. The minister was joined by nearly 2,000 young entrepreneurs who freely shared their feedback and suggestions for improvement. Things government must consider The Deputy National Youth Organizer of the NDC, Edem Agbana, who is also into farming, suggested that one of the means government could support young entrepreneurs in the country was through the creation of startup banks that would make available funds to young entrepreneurs at low lending rates to enable the to properly fund their businesses. He bemoaned the lack of tax holidays targeted at young entrepreneurs. He said a lot of companies that enjoy tax holidays in the country are companies that enjoy economies of scale, stressing that compared to these companies, young startups must be supported with tax reliefs to make them competitive. One participant who also joined the Space bemoaned the ease of business registration in the country, noting that young entrepreneurs face difficulties to get their business registered and often times get frustrated. He said though government had made frantic effort at digitising the business registration process, he believed a lot could still be done to make it seamless. What to do differently Proferring solutions, the participants agreed that already, the government had created a foundation of which young entrepreneurs should take advantage of. One of such foundation is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). They were of the view that young entrepreneurs should take advantage of the free trade area and push their products into foreign markets to increase their profit margins. One area participants also suggested would improve young businesses was investments in Research and Development (R and D). This they said would enable young entrepreneurs to innovate and introduce new products and services to the market in order to rake in more revenue. 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 Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central is expected to arrive in the country next week following extended holidays in the United States of America. The lawmaker has been away for months with wild speculations that he was battling ill-health. In a video sighted by GhanaWeb and confirmed by a source close to him, Kennedy Agyapong was heard informing someone about plans to return to Ghana next week. I will be coming next week, he said in the video whiles urging the person not to believe the stories in circulation about his health. Kennedy Agyapongs arrival will put to bed rumors of ill-heart that gained ground in recent days. A son of the businessman was forced to come out deny the claims that his father had been struck by a stroke and was unable to function properly. Kenneth Nana Takyi who is the Chief Executive Officer of Net2 TV said: This has been going on for the past few weeks and he wanted to speak on it but I told him to enjoy his stay and I will handle it. He is doing well in the United States and there is nothing wrong with him. One of my sisters is with him and he is doing fine. Everybody should relax, there is no cause for alarm. If something had happened, we would be the break the news so everyone should relax. Afia Schwarzenegger made a post that she wishes him well and I replied to her post that he is doing very fine, he 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 View this post on Instagram A post shared by (@utvghana) Other Awards Dr. Fadda Dickson Narh, Managing Director of Despite Media, has been honored with a doctorate degree conferred by the George Fox University at Newberg (USA) for his excellence, hard work and outstanding service to community.Dr. Fadda Dickson was honored with theThe honor, which is under the auspices of the World Dipomatic Federation and Rectitude International Mission, two reputable organizations responsible for awarding persons that positively impact society, came off on Tuesday, November 9, 2021.His Emeritus Eminence, Prof. Joseph Tyler Cuddeford, an Associate Dean of George Fox University; His Right Noble Lord Provost Commissioner of North America, Daniel Bach De Haven; His Meritorious Eminence, Chief Executive Chancellor, Dr. Christian Kwetey Kweitsu and His Right Noble Lord Provost Commissioner, Nana Obokrom Atta IX who is also the Odikro of Gomoa Dasum Amankorahene of Gomoa Akyenpim, presented Dr. Fadda Dickson with a prestigious medal of excellence and citation of his good works.In his address, His Meritorious Eminence, Dr. Christian Kwetey Kweitsu, highlighted "Dr Dickson's tip-top managerial skills and enormous contributions to media service in Ghana", which they considered to be "second to none".Describing his achievements as "written in gold, crystal clear for all and sundry to see and bear witness of his well-deserving accolade as the 'godfather' of Ghana's media", Dr. Kwetey Kweitsu said "when it comes to business administration and management, particularly in the media circle, his skill set is unequaled"; he has nurtured media practitioners to become great leaders and also manned Despite Media Group comprising Peace FM, Peacefmonline, Okay FM, Neat FM, Hello FM and UTV to greater heights of sucess.The George Fox University, ranked as one of the top Universities in the United States by Forbes, and which prides itself as an, having done their homework on Fadda Dickson noted they were without doubt that he "deserves this honor" as they described him as an ''embodiment of local news''.A citation of conferment presented to him read; ''George Fox University, College of Physical Therapy, upon recommendation and by the authority of the Associate Dean, the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Executive Leadership and Business Administration Honoris Causa is hereby conferred upon Mr. Fadda Dickson Narh with all the rights, privileges, and obligations thereto appertaining.'' Last week, Dr. Fadda Dickson was adjudged the 2021 Personality of the Year (media category) at this year's Ghana Business Awards. He was also honored with the Super Hero Award at the 10th edition of the Radio and TV Personality (RTP) Awards which happened last year at the Kempinski Hotel. In 2018, the Alfred Nobel University and the Ministry of Education, Ukraine, also conferred an honorary degree on the man of the moment, Dr. Fadda Dickson. The Dean of Research of the University, Prof. Eugene Cronoff with the approval of the school's Academic Council and a delegation from Ukraine in a citation presented to him said "Honorary Doctorate Degree, approval by the Academic Council, 6th May, 2018 (Protocol No.002) the Degree of Honorary Doctorate of Alfred Nobel University is bestowed upon Fadda Dickson Narh". Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Minister for Works and Housing Francis Asenso Boakye (MP) has charged the Board of Directors to guide the newly established Real Estate Agency Council put together a robust operation that will curb the challenges facing the industry, particularly, fraudulent transactions related to real estate. The Sector, the Minister observed has become an easy avenue where criminals hide their millions from the state thereby depriving government the requisite revenue for developmental projects as well as the funding of terrorism and other unlawful activities in recent times. The Works and Housing Minister made these statements when he inaugurated an 11-member Board of Directors of the Real Estate Council today in Accra, following the promulgation of the Real Estate Agency Act, 2020 (Act 1047) in December 2020 by President Akuffo Addo. The purpose of this law is to regulate real estate agency practice, commercial transactions in real estate including the sale, purchase, rental and leasing of real estate and related fixed assets. Under the law, it is only a person licensed as a real estate broker who can provide services associated with real estate transactions. Therefore, any person who performs real estate services without a license commits an offence. Despite the growth of the Real Estate industry in Ghana with its corresponding increase in the number of real estate agents, property brokers and consultants, the industry has for many years been without a regulator, thereby leaving it to the arbitrariness of industry players. The establishment of the Council, the Minister indicated could not have come at a more appropriate time in ensuring that the country takes the course of regulation and licensing by statute in a drive to sanitize the system and make it fair for all players. Asenso Boakye said the Real Estate sector, which presents enormous opportunities can no longer be overlooked, adding that the sector has the potential of opening the industry for both local and foreign direct investments and in the process drive economic growth, particularly in job creation for the countrys teaming skilled and unskilled youth as well as reducing the deficit in the national housing stock. While assuring his full support and that of the Ministry, the Minister implored the Board to use their respective expertise in the industry to make the Council work, through the establishment of a solid foundation and more importantly assist the Government in putting in place corrective measures to manage the high cost of housing in the country. On behalf of the Board, the Chairperson, Mr. Kojo Addo-Kufour expressed his appreciation for being selected to undertake such an enormous responsibility for the country. He therefore assured of their readiness to deliver on their mandate to bring sanity to the real estate agency practice and transactions. The rest of the Board are Seth Nana Amoako of the Fianacial Intellligence Centre, Fred Asiamah-Koranteng of Bank of Ghana, Iddrisu Kasim of Ghana Real Estate Professionals Association and Samuel D. K. Amegayibor of Real Estate Developers Association. The others are Surv. Emmanuel Kofi Cobbold of the Ghana Institute of Surveeyors, Surv. Carlis Appiah Brako of Land Commisssion, Alberta Siaw Kwarko of Ministry of Works and Housing, Sheila H. Darkwa, Nana Ama Serwah Nyarko and Nana Otu Turkson. 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 Ghana Prisons Service (GPS) Administration has cautioned the public against a fraudulent Instagram account purportedly sending messages to unsuspecting persons promising them of "protocol" recruitment into the service. The fraudulent Instagram account with the name honabrose9863 is also said to be using the pictures of the Minister for the Interior, Mr Ambrose Dery, and the Director-General of Prisons, Mr Isaac Kofi Egyir. Statement In a release issued to the media and signed by the Chief Public Relations of the GPS, Chief Superintendent of Prisons (CSP), Mr Courage Atsem, the Prisons Administration said it had concluded the first three phases of its ongoing recruitment exercise, namely physical and body screening, verification of documents and aptitude test. It said all qualified applicants, who took part in that exercise, were currently awaiting results to proceed to the next phase. It, therefore, cautioned that any person who transacted any business with the said fraudulent Instagram account or any other or persons did so at their own risk. It gave the address of the Prisons Administration recruitment portal as http://www.applyghprisons.com and said it was the only portal for the current recruitment exercise. It warned operators of those fraudulent social media accounts to desist from such criminal acts or be ready to face the full rigours of the law. 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 Samsung's latest home appliances, mobile phones, TVs, and sound devices are undoubtedly on the top of many Ghanaians wish-list as we enter the festive gift-giving season. This is why this year's Black Friday specials from Africa's Number One Electronics brand1 are destined to make many people very happy. There are many reasons why you'll want to be first in line to take full advantage of the Black Friday period from 15 November to 28 November. The excitement will be amplified even more as Samsung customers discover the fantastic discounts on many popular smartphones, TVs, fridges, washing machines, and more. Bargain hunters can also benefit by being up to date with what Samsung Ghana has on offer this Black Friday. See promotions deals below at low prices. With amazing deals from one of the Top Five brands in the world2, Samsung Ghana is turning Black Friday into a November to remember. 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 Moroccos Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid has commissioned the refurbishment of the historical monument of Dar Haouza in the province of Es-Semara, 14km from the Sahara defence wall. Visiting the southern provinces of the Kingdom on the celebration of the 46th anniversary of the Green March on Saturday, Mr Bensaid said the project will be completed within 10 months with a budget of US$300,000. This site of great heritage and cultural importance is one of the few historic sites being restored to protect the Kingdoms archaeological sites. In addition, an exhibition hall will also be erected in what the Ministry said is part of a strategy to supervise and preserve the cultural heritage of the Kingdom. Mr Bensaid told journalists that the restoration of Dar Haouza as a historical monument is part of the strategy of the Ministry, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism to encourage routes and tourist circuits in the province of Es-Semara, from Laghchiouate, through the site of El Aasli Boukerch to Dar Haouza. He added that the move was also aimed at raising awareness of the Hassani heritage as an integral component of the unified Moroccan identity. Mr Bensaid stressed the importance of investing in the tangible and intangible heritage of the region. During Saturdays visit, Mr Bensaid was accompanied by the governor of the province of Es-Semara, Hamid Naimi, as well as elected officials, notables and local officials. 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 A Deputy Minister for Energy, Hon. Dr Amin Adam has called for a global compact on the energy transition to address Africas peculiar circumstances. He made this call when he addressed a gathering of African energy stakeholders at the maiden edition of the African Energy Week (AEW) in Cape Town, South Africa. Re-emphasizing Ghanas current position on the global advocacy for energy transition, Dr Adam underscored the need for the conversation of cleaner energy to be had within the context of Africas current growth trajectory. To address the inequalities in the global energy space, the Deputy Minister, who is also the MP for Karaga, called for a global compact on the energy transition which would ensure that European banks vary financing policies in favour of oil and gas projects in Africa. He said under a special dispensation and sanction waiver, African producers divert a portion of the funding to develop high integrity carbon credits through reforestation and carbon removals, thus effectively offsetting a portion of the hydrocarbons they continue to produce. African natural gas he says has been given the status as a transition fuel for a longer period to allow gas reserves to be used when displacing a more carbon-intense fossil fuel globally such as coal. The energy transition should not be divorced from the necessity for universal energy access as there are about 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa that have no access to electricity, Dr Amin said. Reduction in carbon-based energy consumption through energy efficiency should be promoted in Africa, as Africas emissions remain very low, he added. To further re-establish the position of Ghana, the Deputy Minister referred to a statement articulated at COP 26 in Glasgow by President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. In his address, the President stated The Almighty has blessed our lands with abundant natural resources, and it would be wholly unfair for the world to demand that Africa abandons the exploitation of these same resources needed to finance her development and help us to cope better with the threat of climate change, at a time when many countries on the continent have only just discovered them. Ghana acknowledges the importance and effects of Climate Change, and the urgent need to combat it, and we acknowledge equally the importance of protecting our development. We believe that a balance must be struck and maintained between our social, economic and environmental imperatives. The Africa Energy Week is the African Energy Chambers first-ever interactive exhibition and networking event that seeks to unite African Energy stakeholders to drive industry growth and development and promote Africa as a destination of African-focused events. The four-day conference comprises networking, innovative exhibitions, one-on-one meetings and many more. 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 A Northern Regional Chair hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) calls for free, fair and transparent elections at the branch, constituency and regional levels. As a former Regional Organizer, Godfred Wumbei Apasinaba alias Yellowman in a statement decried what appeared to be vote buying that characterized the last local elections and said it should not be repeated. According to him, the incidence of votes buying in the NDCs internal contests caused a lot of damage to the party in the region at the 2020 polls. He insists that the upcoming local elections at all levels should be devoid of any machinations, to build a united NDC for a resounding victory in 2024. Below is the full text: Towards Stronger Branches in 2024 As NDC prepares itself for the task in 2024 we must take a keen interest in strengthening the party at all levels and more importantly at the branches. The efficiency of every political party is anchored in the vibrancy of its grassroots, and it behoves us as members of our beloved party to remind ourselves as we move towards our branch elections and reorganization. For me and other concerned members who feel obliged to give everything we can give to have a strong base, I find it necessary to remind our members in northern region that the party has a lot of work to do in our region and starting with a functioning branch system is the first step to victory in 2024. However, we cannot have a functioning branch system if issues of interferences and maneuvering continue to undermine our branch elections and reorganization processes. In the run up to the last elections, there were widespread complaints and allegations about immense interference in branch elections. Such allegations, true or otherwise, did quite a lot of damage to the partys electoral fortunes across several constituencies in the region. Going forward, I would like to offer my two cents to us all. We cannot have the vibrancy we will need to win and most constituencies in 2024. We must discourage all forms of interferences in our branch elections. The system must be allowed to elect hardworking and deserving branch executives to make our victory a reality. Its not helpful if people with their personal and parochial interests maneuver to have their preferred candidates become branch executives, irrespective of whether they can do the job or not. I therefore call on all NDC faithful in the northern region to be crusaders of free and fair branch elections to give us the needed efficiency to win the next elections. If the sad story of the region in the last two elections must change, it should start from the branches and eschewing all forms of interferences and maneuvering is the best way to go. Northern region has a big contribution to make towards NDCs victory in the 2024 elections and for that matter need to revisit our strategy to build stronger branches. God bless NDC. Godfred Wumbei Apasinaba Source: King Saha Abdullah, Contributor Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video US President, Joe Biden has condemned the attack that targeted Iraqs Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhemi and said his administration would help Iraqi security forces identify those responsible. Kadhemi escaped unhurt when an explosives-packed drone struck his Baghdad residence in the heavily guarded Green Zone area of Baghdad early Sunday November 7. The attack marked a substantial escalation in the countrys post-election turmoil. The prime ministers office described the attack as a failed assassination attempt, while Iraqi President Barham Salih called the strike, which was not immediately claimed by any group, an attempted coup against the constitutional system. On Sunday night, November 7, Biden condemned the attack. I strongly condemn the terrorist attack targeting the residence of Iraqi Prime Minister al-Kadhemi, I am relieved the Prime Minister was not injured and commend the leadership he has shown in calling for calm, restraint, and dialogue to protect the institutions of the state and strengthen the democracy Iraqis so richly deserve. Biden said that the perpetrators of this terrorist attack on the Iraqi state must be held accountable, as he condemned in the strongest terms those using violence to undermine Iraqs democratic process. Biden added that he instructed his national security team to offer all appropriate assistance to Iraqs security forces as they investigate this attack and identify those responsible. 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 Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker has operationalized the Tarkwa Community Mining Scheme to provide alternative mining livelihoods in the locality. A durbar attended by Chiefs and residents was held on Friday, November 5, 2021 to commemorate the operationalization ceremony which activates the Scheme launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on October 25 this year at Tarkwa. The Deputy Minister, who doubes as Tarkwa-Nsuaem Member of Parliament (MP), urged the management of the Community Mining Scheme to adhere to all provisions in line with legal mining in Ghana. The project is aimed at creating over 1000 jobs for the people of Tarkwa. ''A mercury-free gold processing equipment worth US$ 100,000.00 was donated by government to the Scheme to support their operations'', the Deputy Minister disclosed. He also launched the Small-Scale and Community Mining Operational Manual which is a ''blueprint document that outlines the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and legal framework in undertaking sustainable small-scale mining in Ghana''. Nana Kwabena Gyan II, Chief of Mahamo, speaking on behalf of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Chiefs, commended the sector Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor and Hon. Mireku Duker's efforts as well as government for this employment initiative. Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, Western Regional Minister, also advised the residents and miners in the community not to engage in any illegalities. He further implored them to embrace the governments Community Mining Scheme agenda. The Deputy Minister was accompanied by Mr. Benjamin Aryee; Advisor on Mines, Mr. Samuel Tika; Deputy CEO of Minerals Commission and other officials. 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 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom, may be entering its last embers of a dying summit but what is chiefly agitating the minds of Ghanaians is not the necessarily WHAT has been said or agreed on by world leaders. The WHO and HOW many people formed Ghanas delegation to the confab are the talking points. The number of delegates from Ghana to the conference has generated controversies with critics utterly shocked at the figure. A full list of government attendees to the COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, indicates that Ghana presented a list of 337 delegates. The conference commenced from October 31 and is expected to end on November 12, 2021. Brazil leads the pack with some 479 delegates, followed by Turkey, then the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana in that order. Russia rounds up the top five. But perhaps what has ignited this discussion is the fact that Africa as a continent contributes just 4 percent carbon emissions to climate change (Ghana's carbon emissions is even less than 1%), thus leading to questions on whether or not the numbers were justified, and concerns over whether government or the private sector funded this trip. The Vice President of IMANI Ghana, Bright Simmons has registered his displeasure with the move. He questions the logic in Ghana flying the about 330 government officials to the climate conference. ''Who is paying for the trip and per diems, the tax payer?'', he twitted. COP26 Website Figures Per the provisional list published on the website of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, there are over 300 representatives from Office of the President, Parliament, Environmental Protection Agency, various ministries, departments, the media, among others. Meanwhile, government has sought to shot down the claims saying the number of people whose cost was borne by the state are only 24. Only 24 From Govt, Other Figures Misinformation Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Henry Kwabena Kokofu told Asaase Radio in an interview that government only sent 24 out of the 170 delegates to the summit. Some of them did not get their Visas, others registered just to participate virtually, others couldnt make it. By the count of the day we had about 170 people as participantsAnd these 170 people, most of them are coming from civil society organisations, academia and the private sector. The government delegation per say amounted to 24 in numberSo the 337 that is being bandied around is quite misinformation. The number that presented themselves for registration not all of them were able to attend, and I have explained: either constraints, others decided to stay back home and do virtual, he is reported to have said. Page 307 to 323 details full list of names of Ghanas delegates. Check it out below In a related development, President Akufo-Addo has assured the world of Africas commitment to climate change. In his speech read on Tuesday, November 2, the President said; Ghana acknowledges the importance and effects of Climate Change, and the urgent need to combat it, and we acknowledge equally the importance of protecting our development. We believe that a balance must be struck and maintained between our social, economic and environmental imperatives. Even though we, in Africa, are the least of the contributors to this phenomenon, responsible for less than four percent (4%) of the global volume of carbon emissions, we suffer the most because our agrarian and resourcedriven economies are peculiarly susceptible to the effects of climate change, and our capacity to withstand its shocks is weak. The Almighty has blessed our lands with abundant natural resources, and it would be wholly unfair for the world to demand that Africa abandons the exploitation of these same resources needed to finance her development, and help us to cope better with the threat of climate change, at a time when many countries on the continent have only just discovered them. The development and industrialisation of the wealthy nations of today were also hinged on the exploitation of their natural resources. This development came at the expense of pollution and the emission of greenhouse gases. Even today, the western world is responsible for 76% of carbon emissions. Page 307 to 323 details full list of names of Ghanas delegates. Check it out below Your browser does not support iframes. Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Marie-Josee Savard, right, reacts on stage during her speech after she thought she had won the race for mayor of Quebec City on Nov. 7, 2021. Television networks declared Savard the winner of the mayoral race in Quebec's second largest city around 30 minutes after polls closed. Savard delivered a victory speech around an hour later, but Bruno Marchand ended up winning by 739 votes. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot Kimberly R. Murray, Executive Lead of the Survivors Secretariat, speaks on the site of former Indian Residential School, the Mohawk Institute, as phase one of a ground search begins for unmarked graves on the 500 acres of the lands in Brantford, Ont., Tuesday, November 9, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn Did you know you can save your preferences across all your digital devices and platforms simply by creating a profile? Would you like to get started? Yes, I'd like to register/log in Not right now No, never ask again 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. President Joe Biden signed his $1 trillion infrastructure deal into law Monday on the White House lawn, hailing it as an example of what bipartisanship can achieve. School District of Philadelphia superintendent William Hite, city officials, and many others joined the Philadelphia Energy Authority for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of a brand new Solar Training Lab at Frankford High School last month. SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA PHOTO Bill Muse is a man with a mission. Each year just before Memorial Day and Veterans Day, the longtime local stone mason comes out of retirement to install granite pavers at the Pittsburg State University Veterans Memorial in honor of those who served. Since the memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day in 2004, hes installed 3,503 of them, engraved by SI Memorials, of Parsons, Kansas. Its personal. A Vietnam veteran, Muse served in the U.S. Armys 175th Field Artillery and the 1st Cavalry Division from 1969-1975. Just before Veterans Day last year, he finally got around to installing one for himself, inscribed Muse Masonry. Muse prefers to not talk much about his service, however, choosing instead to talk of the others whose names are inscribed in the pavers lining the Sutherland Plaza and the Amphitheatre. It always makes you wonder, Who was that guy, and what action did he see?, Muse said. No matter what the answer is, this is a way for their names to live on forever. This week, he was back at the memorial laying 13 more pavers just before Veterans Day. The pavers will be dedicated as part of a ceremony that will begin at 1 p.m. and is open to the public. This time, he had help from his significant other, Leana Miller, also a veteran. Miller, who was Muses high school sweetheart, went on to serve in the U.S. Navy in Washington, D.C., for the White House and Pentagon from 1971-73. Installing the pavers is a tedious and exacting process that, like he always has, Muse took great care again this week to get just right. You use a screwdriver to carefully pop up a blank paver. You have to be patient. If youre not, youll wind up chipping the edge, he said. In the empty space left by each blank paver, he put a paver that had been engraved, tamping it down until it was level. He and Miller then poured handfuls of sand over each paver, ensuring the sand settled into the space around each edge. They pushed a broom over it, added more sand, and repeated the process. Finishing their task, Muse stepped back to survey the Sutherland Plaza, flags waving in the breeze. There used to be fishponds here back in the day, he said. We had no idea that something this beautiful would wind up being here and would be this popular. Now, its one of the most frequently visited sites in Southeast Kansas, and throughout the year small tokens and flowers can be seen on the pavers, having been left by friends, families, and loved ones. Ive been to veterans memorials near and far, and this one is without a doubt the prettiest one around, Muse said. Its really something to be proud of. For more information about purchasing a paver, visit www.psuvetmemorial.org About the memorial The memorial is located at 1909 S. Rouse at the eastern edge of the Pittsburg State University campus. It features a half-sized replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., and a kiosk and directory to help visitors locate names. A 250-seat amphitheater serves as a venue for special events and a quiet place to reflect. In addition to the wall, the memorial includes an entry rampart featuring U.S., state, and university flags and the five seals of the uniformed military branches, two impressive entry portals, an arch just behind the reflecting pool with an eternal flame, and patriotic bronze sculptures. The plaza of the amphitheater, as well as the entrance plaza, features more than 3,400 engraved granite pavers paying tribute to veterans and veterans organizations. A display of the 50 state flags is featured on the north berm of the memorial. (The Center Square) When Brandon Trosclair decided to challenge President Joe Bidens employee COVID-19 vaccination mandate in court, he didnt know the effort temporarily would block the policy nationwide. The case also could lead to a permanent injunction this week, stopping the mandate from reaching private businesses with 100 or more employees affecting an estimated 84 million workers and likely setting up a U.S. Supreme Court fight. Maybe Im a little bit naive, but I thought Id be one of thousands of lawsuits, Trosclair said in Monday phone interview with The Center Square. I just thought it was a no-brainer to get involved and do this because its the right thing to do. Trosclair resides in Ascension Parish and employs nearly 500 people across 15 grocery stores in Louisiana and Mississippi. Represented by attorneys from the New Orleans-based Pelican Institute for Public Policy and the Liberty Justice Center, a public interest law firm, he and six workers from Texas filed a lawsuit Friday against the Biden administration. The lawsuit challenged an emergency temporary standard authorizing the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to enforce mandatory vaccinations or weekly testing regimes for unvaccinated private sector workers. The standard includes a Jan. 4 deadline for vaccinations and fines of nearly $14,000 per employee for noncompliance. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Trosclair on Saturday, halting the mandate for grave statutory and constitutional issues. Trosclair said he was excited for his employees and American workers after the ruling. The appeals court validated what we already thought, he said. At first we were unsure if we were going to fall within the parameters of the mandate being that it applies to 100 different employees and we have 15 different entities. When I found out that we would be held to the mandate, to me it was a fairly obvious thing to get involved because the government was putting me in a position to terminate employees for not taking the vaccine or do multiple testings every week, he said, adding that the tests would be costly. Sarah Harbison, general counsel for the Pelican Institute, said in an interview the private employer mandate is a naked attempt to push policy objectives through the administrative procedure and bypass Congress. Harbison explained the Fifth Circuit stopped the policy from going into effect until it could decide whether to lift the temporary stay or issue a permanent injunction. The appeals court gave the administration until 5 p.m. Monday to respond. Trosclairs reply to the governments response is due Tuesday at 5 p.m. A final ruling could come as early as Wednesday, Harbison said. Biden announced the employer vaccination mandate in September. The OSHA standard was announced Thursday. 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, Biden said. Republican-led states and attorneys general filed multiple lawsuits Friday challenging the mandates legality. An 11-state coalition sued in the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, seven states sued in the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and three states sued in the Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Fifth Circuit in New Orleans was the first court to issue a ruling, which combined Trosclair case with multiple petitioners, including the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Trosclair said wasnt expecting the wave of ensuing public attention. He said he will rely on his faith no matter what happens. He also said theres strength in numbers. We the people still have the power in this country. We should unite together not only to fight this illegal mandate but any federal overreach, he said. , Cookies . cookies. The Town of Wagener is named as the defendant in a pair of lawsuits filed recently in the Court of Common Pleas in South Carolinas Second Judicial Circuit. In one of those legal actions, Wagener Mayor Mike Miller also is being sued. Mark Redd, the former chief of the Wagener Fire Department, and George Day, the departments former assistant chief, are the plaintiffs in the suit against the Town of Wagener only. They claim the town violated the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, in multiple ways during a process that led to the suspension and subsequent termination of Redd and Day late last year. According to the legal action, a special meeting of Wagener Town Council on Nov. 12, 2020, which included an executive session, wasnt conducted properly and a notice that it was being held wasnt posted in a timely manner. In addition, an agenda for the meeting wasnt made public, the lawsuit claims. The legal action describes the special meeting as an unlawful adversary hearing. It also states that Redd and Day were, due to unlawful violations of FOIA, deprived of their right to demand a hearing to be conducted publicly. Redd and Day are seeking to be reinstated, retroactively, to their Wagener Fire Department positions, according to the lawsuit. They also want to recover their attorney fees and costs. In addition, among other things, the defendants are asking the court to find that they suffered irreparable injury for which no adequate remedy of law exists. The lawsuit, which was filed in late October, lists eight causes of action in all. In the other legal action, which was filed Nov. 5, Day is suing the Town of Wagner, Miller in his official role as mayor and also Miller individually. The former Wagener assistant fire chief claims in his lawsuit that Miller and Wagener Town Council, by and through Miller, on several occasions made false oral and written statements that impeached the honesty, integrity and reputation of Day." Those statements also exposed Day to public contempt, ridicule and disgrace, or caused him to be shunned, and injured him in his service as a volunteer firefighter in Aiken County, according to the legal action. Day is demanding a jury trial. In addition, his lawsuit states, Day is seeking an award of, actual, special and punitive damages. He also wants to recover the costs associated with his legal action. Robert R. Thuss of Columbia is the attorney for both Day and Redd. The actions are filed and speak for themselves, said Thuss when reached by telephone Monday and asked if he or his clients would like to comment. The lawsuits are not unexpected," Miller told the Aiken Standard in a brief phone interview Monday. But, its a two-way street, he added, and Ive got plenty of things that they (Redd and Day) did that were improper. We will defend this and countersue, and I think we will prevail. Ive got a lot of cards that Im not showing yet. Charleston Place, the largest and most significant hotel and retail development on the peninsula, sold for a record-shattering amount when it changed hands last month. The roughly 3-acre property in the heart of Charlestons downtown was sold for $350 million to Charleston Place Acquisition LLC, an affiliate of Beemok Capital, the "family office" that manages the fortune of local philanthropist and businessman Ben Navarro, according to newly posted Charleston County land records. The Post and Courier previously reported that the transaction was finalized Oct. 1, a couple months after Navarros office announced its plan to acquire the hotel. Charleston Places publicly recorded sale comes out to roughly $806,452 per room key. The price is more than double that of the 2018 sale of the dual-flagged Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels on upper King Street, which at the time was believed to be the priciest commercial real estate deal on the peninsula to be publicly recorded. Germany's Union Investment purchased the side-by-side lodgings for $121 million. The former DoubleTree Hotel near the City Market that was reopened as the high-end Emeline hotel last year reportedly fetched even more when it, along with Hank's Seafood, was sold by Charleston hotelier Hank Holliday's firm to Columbus, Ohio-based Rockbridge in 2015, though the exact figure was never disclosed publicly. That deal was also far outstripped by Charleston Place's price. At 434 rooms plus retail, dining and event venues and other amenities Charleston Place dwarfs other hotels in the citys core tourist district, especially those that sold in the last couple years. Late last year, the 64-room Planters Inn, which was also owned by Holliday, fetched about $56 million, or $875,000 per key. The year before that, the former 91-key King Charles Inn on Meeting Street sold for $43 million and has since been renovated and rebranded as The Ryder Hotel. While $350 million is more than four times the original cost it took to build Charleston Place in the mid-1980s, its not quite the price some had speculated. Not long after Charleston Place's former owner, the French luxury lifestyle conglomerate LVMH, confirmed it was seeking potential buyers for the property, the hospitality industry trade publication Hotels Magazine reported, citing unidentified sources, that the figure being "floated" for the property was about $500 million. In marketing materials distributed by commercial real estate firm CBRE Inc. earlier this year, the chance to acquire Charleston Place was characterized as the only opportunity for the worlds biggest luxury hotel brands, like Montage, Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton, to move into Charleston's Historic District. When Navarro emerged as the buyer, tourism and city officials praised the news that Charleston Place was coming under local ownership. It's the flagship asset of the recently formed Beemok Hospitality Group. The company has long-term plans for Charleston Place, which Navarro described in a written statement about the closing of the sale last month as a landmark property that resonates in the hearts and minds of our local Charleston community and visitors alike. A spokesman said Monday that Beemok had nothing new to add to its previously issued public comments. Navarro, the founder and CEO of Sherman Financial who once tried to buy the NFL's Carolina Panthers, plans to deploy significant investments at Charleston Place, according to his October statement. Last month, Casey Lavin, president of Beemok Hospitality, said the property is in need of an update. Its in need of some additional concepting that really draws the public and the community back into what was once Charlestons living room, Lavin told The Post and Courier. Beemok said last month that it plans to start renovations within the next year and a half. When Charleston Place opened in 1986 as The Omni Hotel at Charleston Place, it was lauded as the beginning of a new era for the peninsula. Longtime Mayor Joe Riley had said that the hotels ribbon-cutting a ceremony that Navarro has recalled attending with his wife, Kelly was also a celebration of the rebuilding of our city center. Charleston Place became the hospitality anchor of the tourism powerhouse the Holy City grew into in the subsequent decades. Over those years, the property has gone through a few transitions. It was The Omni for about a decade, until 1995, when Bermuda-based Sea Containers Ltd. bought a large stake in the property. Orient Express took over its management. That name stuck until 2014, when Orient Express changed its name and the names of its properties to Belmond. The last ownership change at Charleston Place was about two years ago, when LVMH acquired the entire Belmond portfolio. The property includes the hotels 434 rooms and all its amenities, including meeting space, a spa, a pool and a signature restaurant, the Charleston Grill; the Shops at Charleston Place; and the historic Riviera Theater, used for conferences and large group events, across from the King Street entrance. Beemok Hospitalitys holdings also include a boutique hotel in the Upstate, Hotel Domestique, and the Credit One Bank Stadium on Daniel Island. A Columbia-based firearms and fishing supply retailer plans to move its Mount Pleasant store to West Ashley after buying a shuttered Charleston supermarket site. An affiliate of JJE Capital Holdings, the private equity firm behind Palmetto State Armory, paid $6.4 million for the former Bi-Lo space at 1200 Sam Rittenberg Blvd. in October, according to Charleston County land records. The affiliate, Rice, Beans and Potatoes LLC, also mortgaged the site with a bank loan of $8 million. The mortgage was signed by Julian Wilson, an owner and real estate manager with JJE Capital Holdings. The company bought the 5.5-acre site for $100,000 less than the price paid in 2015 for the 48,420-square-foot former food store and an outparcel building. The previous owner was Hancock White Columns of Athens, Ga. A Palmetto State Armory representative did not return calls or emails seeking comment on a projected timeframe for the move from 3365 S. Morgan's Point Road in northern Mount Pleasant, but store employees said the relocation is in the works. An affiliate of Buck Management Inc. of West Ashley owns the 10.2-acre National Crossing Shopping Center in East Cooper where Palmetto State Armory currently operates in a former Food Lion grocery store. Property owner Eddie Buck said representatives of the retailer told him they wanted to be out by the end of the year. Buck said the firearms merchant's main objectives for leaving were to have an indoor shooting range and to own the building. When the East Cooper store opened about six years ago, Mount Pleasant would not allow an indoor shooting range because of the proximity to the Charleston National community and a neighborhood pool. The firearms merchant has not said it plans an indoor shooting range in the new location. Buck said he does not have a new tenant lined up for the space the retailer will vacate. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! The former Bi-Lo site is zoned for general business use, but the buyers may run into a snag if a firing range is part of the plans. "Palmetto State Armory has applied for and received building permits for interior renovations at that location, though not for a gun range, as that use is not allowed under the site's current zoning," city spokesman Jack O'Toole said. The former Bi-Lo site near Sam Rittenberg and Old Towne Road remains empty, but work is underway on the structure. The interior has been gutted, and a roll-off trash container with construction debris is parked out front. Roofers were working on the building in early November. A loan business that was operating beside the former supermarket posted a sign on the door that it moved to a new location on Savannah Highway Nov. 1, leaving the small shop vacant as well. The property also includes an outparcel building with an urgent care veterinarian and nail salon. The Bi-Lo store closed in April after parent company Southeastern Grocers of Jacksonville decided to phase out the brand that got its start in the South Carolina Upstate in 1963. The West Ashley supermarket was one of two Bi-Lo stores that remained in the Charleston area. The other was on James Island. It also closed in April and remains vacant. No plans have been announced for the space at 860 Folly Road. Palmetto State Armory operates another Charleston-area store in Summerville. The retailer's other shops are in Columbia, Greenville, Ridgeland, Savannah and near Lake Norman north of Charlotte. A new store in Myrtle Beach is expected to open in the spring in the former home of The Sun News at 914 Frontage Road near the juncture of U.S. Highways 501 and 17 Bypass. 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. COLUMBIA South Carolina leaders gathered near the Midlands' busiest intersection to bury "Malfunction Junction," not to praise it. A $1.7 billion construction project is being launched to keep cars and commerce flowing along Interstates 20, 26 and 126 for commuters and also those who cross the state from Greenville to Charleston for work or vacation, leaders said at a Nov. 8 groundbreaking. For travelers, however, the road could start to include longer delays soon, with the project set to continue through the rest of the decade. The area's unhappy nickname should no longer apply when the project is complete in 2029, said Barnwell Fishburne, chairman of the S.C. Transportation Commission. "Malfunction Junction will soon be a part of our state's history," Fishburne said. The Carolina Crossroads plan will redesign the highway network northwest of Columbia, adding lanes and rebuilding interchanges. It is a massive project, the largest launched to date in South Carolina, according to S.C. Transportation Secretary Christy Hall. Spread along 14 miles will be 43 new bridges and seven rebuilt interchanges. The project is intended to alleviate the regular backups during rush hours and at other times that have earned the area the Malfunction Junction nickname from those sitting unhappily in rush-hour backups. More than 134,000 vehicles travel through the area daily, and with delays created by outdated road designs, commuters spend nearly three work weeks 112 hours stuck in traffic a year, according to S.C DOT. That means headaches for commuters heading to or from the Lake Murray region or to the big retail hub on Harbison Boulevard. It also, however, is a concern for those in the trucking and manufacturing industries, among others, who rely on quick delivery of inventory. Gov. Henry McMaster focused on the intersection's key role in commerce, speaking as the roar of passenger vehicles and big rigs threatened to drown out his remarks. "That is money, M-O-N-E-Y," McMaster said of the noise. Travelers will begin to see roadwork on the first two phases of the project in the next couple of weeks, Hall said. This work may bring frustration, but commuters already are frustrated by the area's frequent backups, she said. Those first phases are focused on the Colonial Life Boulevard interchange with I-126 and the I-20/Bush River Road junction. The bigger, and likely more painful for travelers, section of the project that rebuilds the core I-20/I-26 interchange will follow in two years' time. When possible, work will be done at night and behind concrete barriers to preserve the flow of traffic as smoothly as possible, Hall said. The intent of the plan is for the first two phases to take some of the traffic pressure off before the huge interchange work begins where the interstates meet, said Brian Klauk, project manager for the transportation department. Completing the other two big projects already underway in the Midlands, the widening of I-20 in Lexington County and I-26 near Lake Murray, also should help with traffic flow before Carolina Crossroads reaches its construction peak, Klauk said. Fixing Malfunction Junction has been a project that the department has put off for years because of how expensive and complicated it will be, Hall said. To improve safety and to shorten the long delays in the area, it's past time to rework an intersection that has been in service since 1960, Hall said. With traffic from the interchange rumbling in the background, Sen. Nikki Setzler, D-West Columbia, said, "I've waited a long, long, long time to say that your days are numbered." Charleston County School District decided its mask mandate will end on Nov. 10, allowing students, staff and visitors to go to schools without face coverings. The district's school board voted overwhelmingly in favor of ending its mask policy during a Nov. 8 meeting, citing a low spread of the COVID-19 virus and the recent availability of vaccines for children ages 5 to 11. The district reported only 38 cases among about 50,000 students and staff members over the week of Nov. 1 the eighth consecutive week cases fell. During its peak the week of Aug. 30, there were 473 cases reported among students and staff members. The district is following guidance from doctors at the Medical University of South Carolina, which said that it's reasonable to unmask when spread of the virus is low in the community. The COVID-19 activity in Charleston County is currently rated "low" by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Nov. 10 will be the first day in the 2021-22 school year when the district will not have a mask policy in place. The board initially passed a mask requirement two days before the school year began because members were worried about their schools' ability to operate as the delta variant spread through student populations across the state. Shortly after it announced the mandate, the board clarified that it would not be able to enforce the new rule because a provision in the 2021-22 budget prohibited schools from using public funds allocated for that year to enforce masks. Then, on Sept. 16, the board announced it would begin enforcing the mask requirement after finding a loophole in the budget rule where it could pay for people to implement the mandate by tapping into its savings. Any student who refused to wear a mask and did not have an exemption had to learn virtually. The district's stance caused outrage among parents who are opposed to the mask mandate, many of whom protested at board meetings throughout the past few months. Public response to the board's Nov. 8 decision was divided, with three parents writing in to the district's online comment forum about their opposition to the mask requirement and another four parents requesting that the board extend the mandate through December. The online forum is used by members of the public who cannot attend the board meeting in person. Laura McMahan, one of the commenters who's a grandparent of students in the district's schools, said that she wanted the mandate extended because children are still being vaccinated. "Please provide critical time for this to occur," she wrote. On Oct. 29, the Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11. The board left the window open to reinstate the mask mandate if case numbers start to rise again, saying it would reconvene if DHEC rated cases numbers in the district "medium" or "high." "We'll still continue to strongly encourage face masks, wearing a face mask can reduce your chances of needing to quarantine," board member Kristen French said. The district is following DHEC's guidance when it comes to quarantining students that says masked students who come within 3 to 6 feet of a positive case do not have to quarantine, but unmasked students do. Charleston County School District's Chief Operations Officer Jeff Borowy said that without a mask mandate there may be more quarantines, as fewer students will be wearing face coverings. The board also encouraged the district to continue its efforts to vaccinate students and staff members. The district is offering first-time vaccines for its 5- to 11-year-old population as well as booster shots for staff members in the coming weeks. The district has 10 vaccine clinics planned throughout its schools, starting on Nov. 15. Parents and guardians can sign up their students by visiting ccsdschools.com. Erica Cokley was the only board member to vote against ending the mandate. COLUMBIA The South Carolina School Boards Association officially cut ties with its national counterpart on Nov. 8. The SCSBA said in a letter to local school board members that it was leaving the National School Boards Association because the NSBA wanted federal law enforcement officials to manage aggressive audience members at school board meetings. SCSBA Executive Director Scott Price said the national organization's demands "didn't represent the values that we have in South Carolina." His group started growing concerned after local parents expressed anxiety about their voices being stifled. "From our standpoint, parental involvement in public schools is absolutely critical," Price said. The move is in response to a controversial letter the NSBA sent to President Joe Biden in September asking for federal law enforcement to help deal with "the growing number of threats of violence and acts of intimidation occurring across the nation." It went on to describe the threats to board members and incidents of violence surrounding board meetings as acts of "domestic terrorism." The NSBA later apologized for the letter, saying there was "no legal justification" for some of the language included. More Coverage To read more in-depth stories from The Post and Courier's Education Lab, go to postandcourier.com/education-lab. The issue grabbed the attention of state lawmakers. Thirty-three Republican state House lawmakers reached out to Price at the beginning of the month calling on the SCSBA to leave the national organization. The lawmakers, led by Rep. Stewart Jones, R-Laurens, wrote in their statement to Price that the NBSA is "detached from reality and fails to recognize that Americans are angered by what is happening in our classrooms." After the SCSBA announced that it was leaving the broader group, Jones spoke with The Post and Courier and called the move "a huge victory." We're standing up for local school control, you know, as opposed to some kind of top down, national push telling us what we're going to learn and teach our kids," he said. Since the start of the pandemic, school boards across the state have seen disruptions at meetings. Board members in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville have all been yelled at by audience members, or had to pass through protesters to get inside the building where the meeting was being held. Some school districts, such as the Charleston County School District and Lexington County School District 1, have added metal detectors outside of meeting rooms to enhance security and safety. Cindy Bohn Coats, a Charleston County School Board member and regional director for the state association, said that even with the added activity it's important to the board to promote public engagement. "We clearly respect the right for people to have their voices heard," Coats said. The departure from the national association doesn't change much for the South Carolina association or its members. Typically, the national group provides professional development, legal services and policy development to its members nationwide. Price said that the SCSBA is already working to fill any gaps left by its departure from the national association. It is also going to work to provide more safety trainings and professional development to support any school boards that are worried about intimidation from the public. A large spider native to Asia is making its way across South Carolina. But there's no need to panic, as these critters are only out to eat and kill pests and other insects. Joro spiders were first found in the state in 2014. They've had seven years to reproduce exponentially and spread throughout South Carolina, but somehow the spiders did not seem to create much of a stir until recently. "Something happened to where this year their populations just seem to have kind of exploded," said David Coyle, a forest health and invasive species professor at Clemson University. The Joro spiders, which can span 3 inches in size, have been reported in several spots in the Upstate, including areas near Calhoun Falls. There haven't been many reports south of Abbeville yet. Coyle said the spiders were first found around Braselton, Ga., about 50 miles from Atlanta. They likely came to the Southeastern United States from Asia in shipping containers and not on purpose. "We'll probably never know exactly how they got here, but that seems to be what everyone is kind of thinking right now," Coyle said. These spiders have long legs with bright yellow bodies. They look much like banana spiders found in the Lowcountry, but their patterns are a little different. Joros are known for their large, 3-D webs containing golden strands that can stretch several feet across. Usually the webs are spun high above the ground. "We routinely see them (the webs) stretching from tree to tree," Coyle said. The good news is that the spiders are not harmful to people or pets. Coyle said he has not seen any reputable reports of the spiders breaking the skin on a bite. These critters are docile and do an ecological service by killing pests. They haven't been spotted in the Lowcountry, but it is very likely the species will continue to spread throughout the state. If people notice the spiders are becoming a nuisance on their property, Coyle recommends simply stepping on them to kill them. Some general-use insecticides could also help get rid of them. Burning the webs is not recommended as it could cause other items to catch on fire. Very little data is available on Joro spiders besides where they are located. Scientists know practically nothing about their biology and reproductive capacity, nor their economic or environmental impacts. Coyle said it is tough to consider the Joro invasive without the data to show that they are doing something negative. But he said it is hard to fathom how something could "get this common this quickly and not have some negative effects somewhere." Mike Ferro, a collection manager at Clemson's Arthropod Museum, said in a previous report that the South could be be a "pretty cushy" environment for the Joro. The species left behind its pests, predators and diseases in Asian habitats, and it is unclear what effect it will have on this new environment. This species could push out some native spiders or increase late-season predation on pollinators. But there just isn't data to prove it yet. People can log wildlife sightings, including Joro sightings, to the iNaturalist website. SOL LEGARE With a little wiggling, a new steering wheel and record-setting tides, the Backman Enterprise was sprung from a marshy entanglement this weekend. The 75-foot shrimp trawler sat in pluff mud purgatory at the fringes of Sol Legare Island for half a decade, pushed there by the destructive swells of Hurricane Matthew in 2016. It's the last remaining trawler of a fleet of six that was once operated regularly by the Backmans, a Black family who caught and sold the sea's spoils near Mosquito Beach for decades. But their business, Backman Seafood, hasn't operated for five years, since one of the family's elder sons died. The boat sat idle, often above the waterline, for the same period. Various efforts to get it out failed to materialize. This weekend, the crew of men involved in the move said, the stars and super-high tide seemed to align to free the family's last boat. It was perfect timing, Sammy Backman said, because state environmental regulators were eager to see the ship moved. He said he received his last extension on Friday from officials who were warning him to pull it out of the mud. If the Enterprise had stayed much longer, South Carolina could have fined Backman $1,000 a day. Also on Friday, nearby Charleston Harbor rose to a height of over 8 feet, an exceptional example of the king tides that swamp the Southeast each fall. The water caused havoc in downtown Charleston and invaded barrier islands through their backside marshes. It also provided an opportunity to help float the vessel out. Backman had already been working to get the boat's engine started, knowing that its full weight couldn't easily be towed. There was other damage, too; he had to hook up a smaller gas tank after the main one rusted, and some unwelcome visitors sawed the steering wheel off in the spring. Enter Billy Higgins, dock builder and owner of a small aluminum push boat. He'd been building a dock next to the Backmans' and decided he could offer help "from one waterman to another" to pull the Enterprise at least some of the way. "Theres a lot of history around that boat, and right now a lot of history is getting erased in this area, especially with the African-American community around there," Higgins said. So this weekend, Higgins, Backman, and Tom Bierce, a local oyster farmer, rode out to the trawler. The crew would need two days to pull the boat out completely, and was rounded out with help from another angler who had been tying up to the Backmans' dock and two of Backman's nephews. On Friday, it was a slow easing, tugging the boat from bow and then stern, bow and then stern, Higgins said. The trawler moved maybe 30 feet toward the water by the time the tide started to drop, he said. The group vowed to convene the next day. When they did, winds from a low pressure system crawling up the Atlantic coast had pushed tides even higher. Charleston Harbor would peak at 8.44 feet on Saturday, the 11th-highest recorded in the last century. The same storm system was lashing the coast with frigid rains. "We were wet before we even got out," Bierce said. "There weren't a whole lot of other boats out, that's for sure." Again, Higgins tied his 25-foot aluminum push boat to the Enterprise and started to pull. Backman left the boat briefly to collect more fuel for its makeshift tank and left Bierce at the helm. Shortly after, the trawler started floating for the first time in five years. "I got a phone call, like 'hey man, she's coming off!'" Backman said. "We were just surprised that it floated off." From there, there was the challenge of maneuvering the boat through the narrow creek, avoiding oyster beds and a long-sunk barge. "If that wind was in any other direction, it probably wouldnt have worked," Bierce said. Now, the Enterprise is tied to a set of piers across from the Backmans' dock. Backman said he intends to refurbish the boat, though he won't likely use it again for trawling. Matthew also tore apart much of the family's dock five years ago, forestalling potential plans to turn the property into a cultural or historic site. Backman still hopes to make it an attraction, but that's a long ways off for now. Backman Seafood is one of many family businesses throughout the Lowcountry that depended on the local catch, though those operations are dwindling today. Backman's father, Thomas Backman, started trawling in the 1940s, and his son, Thomas Jr., led the business until his death in 2016. Competition from overseas shrimp farms and development pressure at the coast have served to push many Lowcountry shrimpers out of the business in recent years. South Carolina issued around 1,500 shrimping licenses in the early 1980s; now only a few hundred anglers are licensed. But the Backmans faced even more pressure even in the early days as a Black family, and were barred from obtaining an official license for the first few decades they operated, The Post and Courier reported in 2017. Regardless, the catch now simply isn't what it was when Backman was a child, he said. His day job today is servicing heavy equipment like bulldozers, but he grew up in the shrimping world, riding on the family's boats from the time he was 5 or 6. "I remember when we'd be out there and wed anchor out for the night, and next morning you'd see 25, 30 boats coming, because they're trying to find out where the shrimp is," Backman said. "Now, you might not see any boats for miles." Regardless, he's still pleased that the last of the family's boats is safely anchored again. "I dont think I would have been able to do it without the guys that helped me," he said. "I will forever be indebted to them." GEORGETOWN Residents in the West End of Georgetown have been begging the city for help with dilapidated structures and neighborhood deterioration for decades. All they have gotten, though, is buzzwords that bring little change, even after a new push from the city and business leaders, said Sheldon Butts, the four-year former city council member and West End native. As redevelopment happens all around the historic Black neighborhood, residents fear being priced out of their generational homes, but the West End doesnt need people to come in and tell them how to fix their issues, Butts said. A local Realtors association teamed up with the city, and brought in a nonprofit partner Oct. 19 and 20 in attempts to find solutions to dilapidated structures. The nonprofit's representatives, Frank Alexander and Jazz Watts, suggested forming a community group which the West End already formed years ago. Butts was hoping these experts on neighborhood revitalization would spark real ideas for change in the West End, but instead he and others in the community came away from the visit feeling let down once again. That's a shame on me, I expected something different this time, Butts said. Butts said there already is a plan that spells out in detail the key issues affecting the community poverty, dilapidated structures and heirs properties, or land owned without a clear property title that is rather orally passed through generations. Butts said the West End Redevelopment Plan, made by the city in partnership with the Waccamaw Regional Council of Governments, has sat almost completely unused though since it was created 2003. I dont care how many Frank Alexanders we bring in, were going to always go back to that plan right there to be the closest thing there is to a workable, viable plan of action, Butts said. 'Still living the same way' Locals of the neighborhood that sits across from the old Liberty Steel mill site near downtown say from the 1930s to the 1980s, the West End flourished with more than 60 Black-owned businesses. Children were raised by the collective neighborhood with dozens of churches and residents lived separate from the city of Georgetown. Now, those businesses are gone, the number of churches has shrunk down to less than a handful and one or two walls of homes left to deteriorate are a regular sight. Butts estimates the majority Black community has lost 70 percent of its population in the last three decades. In 1971, according to the redevelopment plan, the West End was made part of the city. That meant adhering to Georgetowns zoning rules. Years without zoning created skinny lots with large homes so as to pack as many homes in as possible, and the new rules forced residents to widen their lots via complex zoning applications or purchase adjoining properties to make them bigger. Because of the inconsistencies between West End properties and Georgetown city zoning laws, officials created the neighborhood development plan in 2003, hoping to find a compromise. The West End plan brought a new zoning designation that shrunk the minimum lot size and barred mobile homes from empty lots paving the way for commercial development, said Chris Inglese, Georgetowns planning and community development director. Still the community suffered under the red tape now required of them, and what was once houses and businesses on every street and corner became a handful of businesses and many dilapidated, worn out buildings. Butts formed a subcommittee while on city council in 2016 to reinvigorate the redevelopment plan, and since then it has educated residents on heirs property. The subcommittee also tried to find grants to help demolish some of the structures and replace them with affordable homes. Even with the subcommittee, the city has given the community little to nothing, Butts said. The neighborhood has received some money for streetscaping, sewage and drainage but not much else, Butts said. Inglese said it is simply untrue to say the city isnt doing or hasnt done enough for the West End. In June, Gov. Henry McMasters office approved a $453,292 water main upgrade grant that will replace old water lines, add new fire hydrants and restore asphalt and concrete in the West End. While those things are vital, it is nothing tangible that residents to be inspired by, Butts said. Not saying there isnt the need for upgrades to the sewer system, but these are things that residents cant physically see," he said. "Like, (the city) just spent a million dollars here on the West End, but were still living the same way we are." Outside help The Coastal Carolinas Association of Realtors knew the West End has been struggling for years, said Madison Cooper, the organization's vice president of government affairs, so pairing its revitalization partner with the neighborhood felt like a great fit. The local Realtors and its national parent company have a program called Transforming Neighborhoods, which partners the nonprofit, Michigan-based Center for Community Progress. The center, according to its website, tries to help urban, suburban and rural communities by transforming vacant, abandoned and deteriorated properties. The center's co-founder, Alexander, said he is most proud of the work they've been able to do in Mobile, Ala., and Syracuse, N.Y., but that they've helped hundreds of neighborhoods over the last 10 years. Alexander and Watts came on Oct. 19 and initially asked about 15 residents about their hopes and dreams for the community, and what makes it special. Residents like Sadie Williams said their heritage matters to them, as nearly all of them left the West End but came home years later. Williams returned to Georgetown nearly 50 years after she moved away to live and work in Connecticut, and she was shocked to see how worn down her neighborhood had become when she moved back. It looked like a third-world country, Williams said. But it was always her plan to move back to the house on Hawkins Street her grandfather built in 1914, and she plans on dying in that same house. After talking about the history of the West End on the first day, Alexander repeated the same conversations of hopes and dreams to residents on Oct. 20. Alexander didnt offer any solid solutions to fix the problems residents talked about other than to form a community action group even though one has existed for several years. Williams is part of the West End Citizens Council that was formed in 2014, and she said they show up to most county and city council meetings to lobby for help with things like sidewalks, potholes in roads, deteriorated buildings and more. Everything seems to be so focused, though, on downtown along the waterfront, Williams said. Inglese said the city is aware of the West End Redevelopment Plan and is in the process of updating it and incorporating it into its comprehensive plan. But some of its 84 goals and strategies just dont fall under government purview, Inglese said. That combined with budgetary constraints and struggles with clear property titles has made carrying out the plan a challenge, Inglese said. The city hopes to filter out the achievable points in the 2003 redevelopment plan while it adds it to the comprehensive plan, Inglese said. At the same time, the private sector will need to respond and invest in improvements to the private properties," Inglese added. Inglese also said the planning and community development department is working with the Charleston-based Center for Heirs Property Preservation to bring heirs property seminars to the West End, employing stronger code enforcement strategies for heirs properties and planning West End community meetings about zoning issues and a sidewalk improvement program. Georgetown's future Redeveloping Georgetown has become a focal point for city officials, developers and business people alike, and many West End residents fear it will hurt them more than it helps them. The city of Georgetown has shifted its perspective in the last year to focus on attracting tourists through bold redevelopments, like a $25 million project including luxury condos, an open-air market and offices thats in the works overlooking marshland on Church Street near the Siau Bridge. Closer to the West End, South Carolinas oldest newspapers office, The Georgetown Times, will soon be demolished to construct a 56-room boutique hotel along the citys harborwalk. And just down the street, the paused Liberty Steel mill, which once was the citys largest employer, only has until Feb. 1 to resume operations. If its misses that deadline, the mill risks a zoning change that will bar it from reopening. Liberty Steels more than 50 acres of waterfront land is seen as a golden opportunity to many private investors. And its right across U.S. 17 from Liberty Steel is the West End. The West End very well could get caught up in the redevelopment of Georgetown, residents say. Some even say it's already started sprinkled among the dilapidated, worn out homes in the neighborhood are larger, nicer homes with fresh paint and fenced in yards. Williams isnt sure what will happen if the West End doesnt get more help. All she knows is shes staying in her grandfathers house on Hawkins Street and making sure its kept up until she dies. Its up to residents to join together and tell the city they need help, Williams said. The citizens council is beginning to advertise its meetings in local churches, she said, and is moving those meetings to Saturdays in hopes more people will be able to attend. Well see what happens, were not going to give up, were just going to keep fighting for what needs done, Williams said. Butts understands development of the West End is going to happen, but what is important is that it is done with the intent of benefiting the citizens who are still there most of whom are elderly like Williams or young families rather than new residents who dont understand the neighborhoods history. At the end of the day, Ill take my people who have been there their whole lives, Butts said. GEORGETOWN Buildings in downtown Georgetown are not allowed to be taller than 35 feet with the city's current height restraints, and this is prohibiting new urban development, the city's planning and community development director said Nov. 9. The planning department is drafting a new plan that would increase these restraints to 110 feet, or 10 stories, along U.S. 17 downtown. This plan will hopefully attract new development and investment to blighted areas of the city, while also preserving and using the city's character to its advantage, planning director Chris Inglese said during a presentation to the Georgetown County Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 9. If the plan passes over the next few months, Inglese said worn out one-story buildings along the highway will become businesses and homes that are walkable and sure to please both tourists driving through and old and new residents alike. "What if we had a call center ... maybe Verizon wanted to build a call center and we were able to convince them to come right downtown where people could walk or bicycle to work," Inglese said. "So without 10 stories, we're going to miss out on some potential economic development opportunities." The idea for this plan came from the realization that the city cannot focus all its energy on what will become of Liberty Steel if it loses the ability to reopen in February. In the meantime, Inglese and the county's former economic development director Brian Tucker decided to focus on enhancing areas around the mill so that if it is eventually bought and redeveloped, the whole area will already match that. Inglese has heard from many people already in the very early stages of this plan that 10 stories is too tall, and could compromise the character of the city. But just because the limit is 10 stories does not mean every building will be that tall, he said. "It's not like all of a sudden we're going to have this sudden influx of ten story buildings because of site constraints, environmental constraints, building code restraints and financial constraints," Inglese said. But keeping the 35 foot height limit is no longer an option, Inglese said, citing the city's 8 percent loss in population in the past decade. Redevelopment hopefully could reverse that trend, he said. Additionally, the plan does not include the solely residential areas of the city, meaning no 10-story buildings will be erected next to neighborhoods. Light and heavy industrial areas also already have unlimited height restrictions in the city Liberty Steel is six stories tall, Inglese said so the plan would not bring what's not already in the area. Inglese said he is sensitive to residents' concerns about filling Georgetown with high rises, but he noted that Myrtle Beach and Wilmington, N.C.'s height restraints in its central business areas are 240 feet, while Greenville's is unlimited. Georgetown is nowhere near that, he said, and the city is not trying to be like others around it. "But we're the city of Georgetown, not the town of Georgetown," Inglese said. "So our height limits should reflect the fact that we are a city, we have an urban core with underperforming parcels, and ten stories will allow those to ... return on investment." Inglese said after more presentations and community input that he hopes to get it on the city council agenda for a vote by February. Over the weekend, the state health agency reported 1,874 new COVID-19 cases and 61 deaths related to COVID-19. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control also noted 55.5 percent of all eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 63.3 percent have received at least one shot. Statewide numbers New cases reported: 555 confirmed, 241 probable (Saturday); 394 confirmed, 207 probable (Sunday); 353 confirmed, 124 probable (Monday). Total cases in S.C.: 724,282 confirmed, 180,011 probable. Percent positive: 3.2 percent. New deaths reported: 11 confirmed, zero probable (Saturday); 27 confirmed, six probable (Sunday); 15 confirmed, two probable (Monday). Total deaths in S.C.: 12,013 confirmed, 1,883 probable. Percent of ICU beds filled (with COVID-19 and other patients): 73.55 percent. S.C. residents vaccinated In South Carolina, 63.3 percent of people who are eligible for the vaccine have received one shot, and 55.5 percent of eligible residents are considered fully vaccinated. Hardest-hit areas On Nov. 8, Greenville (55), Charleston (30), Pickens (25) and York (25) counties saw the highest totals of newly confirmed cases. What about the tri-county? Charleston County had 30 new cases on Nov. 8, while Berkeley had nine and Dorchester seven. 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 508 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of Nov. 8, 148 were in the ICU and 85 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. In addition, you can find a vaccine clinic for anyone who is eligible at vaxlocator.dhec.sc.gov. Brandon Alter covers the town of Kingstree and Williamsburg County for The Kingstree News. He is from the suburbs of Washington, D.C. He graduated from the University of South Carolina's school of Journalism and Mass Communications in May 2021. 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. MYRTLE BEACH The Horry County Republican Party is requesting a forensic audit of the county's 2020 General Election results despite being one of the state's staunchest GOP strongholds. The Horry County GOP passed a resolution Nov. 8 asking the county's 15-member Statehouse delegation and Horry County Council's 12 members to conduct an audit of county results from paper ballots and voting machines within 30 days from the request. The resolution states "citizens in Horry County and throughout the state have witnessed questionable activities during the processing of results of the November 2020 election." No specific voting problems in Horry County were listed in the resolution or mentioned in the party meeting. Horry County joins Lexington County, also among the most Republican counties in the state, in calling for a 2020 election audit. "What we're trying to do is find the best path to start some auditing," Horry County GOP Chairman Roger Slagle said. "If it turns out it was all fine and these anomalies end up having a very good explanation then fine we'll walk away." Slagle said funding plans for the audit are still being determined. Former Republican President Donald Trump carried Horry County with 66 percent of the vote compared to Democrat Joe Bidens 33 percent an even greater margin than in South Carolina overall, where Trump beat Biden by 11 percentage points. Only five other S.C. counties gave Trump a higher percentage of votes than Horry. "This isn't about Trump. This isn't about whether or not he won South Carolina," local conservative activist Chad Caton said during the meeting. "This is about the most important part of our republic whether or not the vote was real." The resolution also suggests Allied Security Operations Group and Cyber Ninjas, companies that performed audits in contested counties in Arizona and Michigan, be contracted to the same in Horry County. Cyber Ninjas conducted a months-long audit that reaffirmed Biden's victory in Arizona's Maricopa County. Michigan's attorney general called Allied Security's audit of Antrim County results "a long stream of misguided, vague and dubious assertions designed to erode public confidence in the November presidential election." The Lexington County Republican Party called for the same companies in its October resolution that is requesting a similar audit. Trump won Lexington with 64 percent of the vote in 2020, ninth highest in the state. The Horry resolution comes as neighboring Georgetown County saw its main city flip to Republican control for the first time after the Nov. 2 election. Republicans swept the mayor's office and three city council seats in Georgetown. And the Greenville County GOP recently added the swooshing, golden locks of Trump's hair atop the elephant in its logo. Five candidates filed to run in a Jan. 11 special election to fill the vacancy on Charleston City Council left by former Councilwoman Marie Delcioppo. Delcioppo, who represented Daniel Island's District 1, resigned due to health concerns on Oct. 13. Filing opened on Oct. 29 and closed Nov. 8. The position is nonpartisan. Absentee voting begins on Dec. 13 and is organized by both Charleston and Berkeley counties. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff will be held Jan. 25. Following are the candidates: Shawn Pinkston Shawn Pinkston was the first candidate to file. He has never held public office, but previously ran as a Republican for South Carolina's 1st Congressional District seat in 2013 and for the Charleston-area Statehouse seat, House District 99, in 2017. He also ran for Charleston City Council District 1 in 2015. He is a 10-year resident of Daniel Island, a veteran and attorney. According to his campaign announcement, Pinkston is running on a platform that opposes "government overreach" through promotion of critical race theory and enforcement of the city's ongoing COVID-19 vaccine mandate for its employees. Tony Fogle Tony Fogle is a Daniel Island resident and has not previously sought public office in the Charleston area. With nearly 30 years of experience in public safety both with the Charleston Police Department and the Charleston Fire Department, Fogle plans to put an emphasis on safe roads, accountability and crime prevention, he told The Post and Courier. He said fostering a sense of community is a key component in improving public safety. Boyd Gregg Civil engineer Boyd Gregg ran in June 2020 against incumbent Josh Whitley for Berkeley County Council District 2. Whitley won reelection with 56 percent of the vote. During the County Council race, Gregg described himself as a "strong fiscal conservative" on his campaign's Facebook page. Through his professional experience, Gregg has worked with municipal governments across the U.S. on infrastructure improvements, Gregg told The Post and Courier. Infrastructure, including flood mitigation projects and limiting the impact of the I-526 expansion, will be the focus of his campaign, he said. Jen Gibson Jen Gibson is the only candidate in the District 1 race with a history of running as a Democrat in a partisan race. Gibson ran on the Democratic ticket for the South Carolina House District 100 seat in 2018. Gibson, who volunteers full-time with the Trident Literacy Association and is a member of the Coastal Conservation League, is running on a conservation-focused platform. She said she wants to see development pursued more responsibly on Daniel Island to mitigate flood concerns and environmental impacts. David Winkler Accountant David Winkler moved to Charleston in 2019 from Baton Rouge to be closer to his children and grandchildren. In Louisiana, he ran a CPA practice with 40 employees. Although he has not previously sought public office, his concerns about the planned expansion of Interstate 526 through Daniel Island prompted him to run, his campaign announcement states. He also lists flood mitigation as a campaign priority. WANDO The gun shop owner who discharged a handgun thinking it was a BB gun, killing an acquaintance, previously served as a volunteer deputy with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office, a spokesman said. Jon Whitley, 59, owner of Coastal Firearms, left the role in 2013, though it wasn't immediately clear when he first became a volunteer with the sheriff's office or what his responsibilities were. Further records from the sheriff's office were unavailable on Nov. 8. Tragedy shook his Berkeley County gun shop on Nov. 2 when Whitley mistook his Glock handgun for a BB gun, fatally shooting Stefan Mrgan, 36, according to Berkeley County Sheriff's Office incident report. Coastal Firearms is off Clements Ferry and Cainhoy roads amid stretches of empty land. Its website appears to have been taken down, though Yelp describes the establishment as a guns and ammunition store and firearms training academy. But reports of the shooting brought Berkeley County deputies to the store just before 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2. Whitley told deputies he accidentally shot Mrgan with his personal firearm, a Glock 17, after mistaking it for a BB gun, according to the incident report. Mrgan was found in the store's lobby with a gunshot wound to his lower face. He died at the scene from an accidental firearm discharge, Berkeley County Coroner George Oliver said. One witness, a cigar vendor, said he was near the cigar cabinet and front counter where Mrgan was sitting. The witness told investigators Mrgan and Whitley were chatting before he heard a loud bang, and then saw Mrgan fall to the floor, bleeding. The witness secured Mrgans weapon and began first aid until emergency workers arrived, according to the report. The shooting is marked "death" in the incident report, which notes no one was arrested. No charges have been filed in Mrgan's death as of Nov. 11. It was unclear whether Coastal Firearms remains open for business. When approached with questions by a Post and Courier reporter on Nov. 8, three men sitting inside the store each replied, "No comment." The windowless building's doors were unlocked and a "No Trespassing" sign posted nearby banned anyone but customers. Whitley's LinkedIn page indicates he's also an owner of Charlestowne Tobacco & Wine and Towne Centre Tobacco & Wine in Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, Hilton Head and Columbia. It also notes he served 13 years in the Army, most recently as a Special Forces commander. South Carolina last year recorded its highest number of murders since 1991, making 2020 one of the most dangerous years on record for the Palmetto State, according to a report released by the State Law Enforcement Division. The unsettling statistic comes from SLEDs annual Crime in South Carolina Report, which was released on Nov. 8. The report details statewide murders increased from 452 in 2019 to 552 in 2020. That means about 1.1 of every 10,000 people were murdered in 2020, according to the report. In 2019, the report pegged that murder rate as about 0.9 per every 10,000 people. The report also breaks down the number of murders by county. There were 56 murders in Charleston County, with about 1.4 murders for every 10,000 people, according to the report. Berkeley documented 17 murders and there were eight in Dorchester both counties murder rates were below the states average. There also are racial disparities among the statistics. Of the 436 men who were slain, 75 percent 331 were Black. That was roughly 61 percent of all of the years recorded killings, even though Black people comprise just 27 percent of South Carolinas population, according to the U.S. Census. Non-Hispanic White victims 48 women and 95 men accounted for 26 percent of those who were killed. The data is further contextualized: 41 percent of murder victims were acquainted with their killers. Further, 84 percent of these victims were killed by a firearm, according to the report. The report also noted 2020 brought the highest aggravated assault rate since 2011. It said 42.8 of every 10,000 S.C. residents in 2020 were victims of aggravated assault, as opposed to 45.8 in 2011. I am extremely concerned by the increasing amount of violence in our state, specifically the number of murders and assaults, SLED Chief Mark Keel said of the report's findings. Keel said increased gang activity, drugs and criminals easy access to firearms has led to a rise in killings across South Carolina. Gang violence is not a new phenomenon in South Carolina. But authorities said a critical change has taken place in the past five years thats driving a new surge in violent crime, which they say is reflected in these statistics. The overall crime rate 51.8 violent crimes per 10,000 people increased in 2020 by 6 percent from 2019, according to the report. Though overall crime in South Carolina is on a downward trend; the 2020 states violent crime rate is 45 percent less than it was in 1991, when the rate was about 100.4 violent crimes per 10,000 people, according to the report. Recorded sexual battery cases and robbery cases also decreased in 2020, according to the report. The Crime in South Carolina Report has been printed since 1973. This addition is composed of data dating to 1991. ST. GEORGE A Dorchester School District 2 board member accused of leaving two children in a car will enter South Carolina's Pretrial Intervention Program in hopes of having the charges against her dropped. Barbara Crosby was charged with two counts of unlawful conduct toward a child and one count of statutory misconduct in office back in September. The charges were in reference to a Sept. 1 incident in which she was accused of leaving her two great-grandchildren inside her running car during a board meeting. She was later suspended from the board by Gov. Henry McMaster following an indictment. Crosbys attorney, Brad Hutto, said Crosbys acceptance into the pretrial intervention program will lead to the charges being dismissed. "The requirements are set by the Solicitors Office, and Mrs. Crosby has been working toward completing all of the requirements," he said. The intervention program is described as an alternative to traditional prosecution. It's reserved for first-time offenders charged with a nonviolent crime. Some of the requirements include not being rearrested while enrolled in the program, performing 30-50 hours of community service, paying a $250 participation fee and participating in educational and counseling courses. In a statement, Crosby thanked First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe and Dorchester County Sheriff L.C. Knight for approving her application. "I deeply regret my actions of September 1, 2021" she said in the statement. "I look forward to completing the program and putting this matter behind me. During a Sept. 1 board meeting, Dorchester County Sheriff's Office officials reported that Crosby had left her 4-year-old and 9-year-old great-grandchildren in her car while she attended a school board meeting. The vehicle was parked and running in the parking lot of the district's adult learning center. According to an incident report, Crosby had requested one of the district's security officers to watch the children in her car. After being told they couldn't do that, the law enforcement officials reported, Crosby continued on to the meeting. At the meeting, board members were discussing whether to implement virtual schooling throughout the district due to high COVID numbers. The children were in the car for 20 minutes, according to an incident report. Their mother eventually came to pick them up. Crosby was later also censured and condemned by her board colleagues for responding to and reading out text messages during the Sept. 1 meeting with no public comment period. They also condemned a comment she said to media after the meeting where she said "God decides who lives or dies" in reference to COVID prevention measures at DD2 schools. Its not clear what if any effect S.C. Gov. Henry McMasters order barring his Cabinet agencies from enforcing the new OSHA vaccine mandate would have had even if a federal court hadnt temporarily blocked the Biden administrations most aggressive attempt to date to get our nation past the COVID-19 pandemic. After all, the president hasnt tried to make state agencies require vaccinations, so the only agency Mr. McMasters order really affects is the S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, which under a long-coveted agreement with the federal government is required to enforce federal workplace safety rules in South Carolina. And as you might recall from last month, the federal government has already begun the process of stripping the state agency of that power because of its refusal to implement workforce safety rules designed to protect health-care workers from infection rules that, by the way, have absolutely nothing to do with vaccinations. Mr. McMaster was in such a hurry to go on TV and social media and proclaim that he was protecting our state from the intruding federal government that he issued his executive order the very same day that the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration published its temporary emergency requirement for employers with 100 or more employees to require vaccinations. Less than 48 hours later, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked the mandate. We have no idea whether the court will extend its block after it hears from both sides this week, and whether it does or not how the Supreme Court will handle the inevitable appeal. But theres a very real possibility that the court actions will mean that the federal mandate never takes effect, and so even if Mr. McMasters order has any real substance to it, there was never a need for it. But even if the governors executive order turns out to be nothing but Made for Twitter political theater, it is still deeply disturbing theater. Not because he opposes the vaccine mandate. Although we believe that businesses should require their employees to be vaccinated, were not certain that its wise for the federal government to require that of anyone other than its own employees; everything about COVID-19 has been so politicized that theres a real danger that a requirement from the Biden administration could backfire and drive holdouts even farther from vaccinations. Its also unclear to us whether OSHA has the legal authority at this moment to issue the mandate in the name of protecting workers from immediate danger, given that most of the nations adults are in fact vaccinated, children are being vaccinated, and hospitalizations and deaths are on the decline. Even if the mandate is within the agencys authority, its still a pretty aggressive move by the federal government that broadens the traditional understanding of OSHAs authority in a way that can make people across the political spectrum uncomfortable. No, whats disturbing about Mr. McMasters action has nothing to do with COVID and everything to do with the idea of ordering state agencies to defy federal law which has an uncomfortable feel of nullification. Its particularly disturbing because Mr. McMaster has always been a staunch defender of the rule of law; his abiding commitment to this hallmark of legitimate governments is one of the things weve always appreciated most about him. As such, the former S.C. attorney general and U.S. attorney knows very well that public officials have three choices when confronted with a law (or rule or regulation) they dont like: They try to change it, they challenge it in court, or they obey it. They do not ignore it. They do not defy it. They do not order their underlings to thumb their nose at the law. Even if they arent able to change it or convince a court to block it. Although our fight against COVID-19 is far from over, from a public health perspective, were in a much better place than weve been at any point since it started in early 2020. Unfortunately, from a political perspective, the situation just keeps getting worse. Today we have a governor who seems determined to convince voters that hes not content to take the chance that a court might disagree with his interpretation of the law and is instead taking the law into his own hands. Even if he isn't really doing that. Were sorry to see that Mr. McMaster would descend to such behavior, whose only conceivable explanation is his desire to appeal to voters in next years Republican primary. So were also sorry to see that he thinks so little of those voters. LONGS U.S. Rep. Tom Rice says he isn't changing much about his reelection strategy despite facing what could be an uphill battle to keep his seat for a sixth term against several GOP opponents angry with his vote to impeach former President Donald Trump earlier this year. Rice kicked off his reelection campaign Nov. 8 at several stops throughout the 7th Congressional District, including Canipes Candy Citchen in Longs, a small community just a few miles from the North Carolina border above North Myrtle Beach. The candy factory flooded with 18 inches of water during Hurricane Florence in 2018, and just a year and a half later was further devastated by the effects of COVID-19. Rice was key in securing a presidential disaster declaration for the area following Hurricane Florence, which opened the door for federal aid. This funding, added onto the $159,000 Paycheck Protection Program loan the business received as a result of the pandemic, helped the 53-year-old company stay afloat during a tough two years. "Probably a year ago, we were about to be out of business, and then we've had one of the best years we've had in five years probably this year," co-owner Butch Canipe said, adding that the PPP loan helped the factory avoid layoffs. Walking through the Longs factory that specializes in making taffy was just one of several stops for Rice throughout the district that runs from Pageland in Chesterfield County to Georgetown. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! There's no mistaking Rice has a long year ahead of him before voters cast their ballots following his vote to impeach the former president after the Jan. 6 riots at the nation's capitol. The state GOP party censured him and left him off the invite list for its Myrtle Beach conference Oct. 29 and 30. A dozen GOP candidates filed to unseat him, citing the impeachment vote. Among those candidates running against Rice are S.C. House Rep. Russell Fry of Surfside Beach, conservative media personality Graham Allen, who lives in the Upstate but says he is moving to the district, Horry County School Board chairman Ken Richardson, and former Myrtle Beach Mayor Mark McBride. But Rice isn't worried about this looming threat. He said he worked closely with Trump on the 2017 tax overhaul; backed Trump when many of his colleagues were hesitant to end the countrys ties with the North American Free Trade Agreement; and, most notably, supported the effort to delay the certification of the 2020 election. The Republican Party should be focused on all voters rather than just siding with one person, Rice said. "We need to embrace conservatives, not-so-conservatives, the independents and maybe try to pick a few off the left, because I believe our ideas are better than theirs," Rice said while eating a caramel treat from the factory. "I think the proven strategy of smaller government, less taxes, more freedom is what makes us the greatest country on earth." SPARTANBURG Blue Duck's electric scooter pilot program will continue through November 2022 after Spartanburg City Council granted the company a contract extension. The program launched in May 27 for six months in downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. It was later expanded to Wofford College and Converse University. The scooters travel up to 15 mph and use GPS to limit where they are allowed to operate. Spartanburg was the first city in South Carolina to use Blue Duck scooters. "The pilot (program) has been successful and I have seen it to be a positive amenity," City Councilman Jamie Fulmer said Nov. 8 during a City Council meeting. "I am pleased with Blue Duck's commitment to being a good operator." The daily average number of rides on the scooters has been 121, with an average of 21 minutes per ride. Assistant City Manager Mitch Kennedy provided City Council with an update on the pilot program before the contract was extended. "We will continue to collaborate with Blue Duck to ensure a quality and safe program," Kennedy said. Kennedy said the city had received seven complaints about the scooters during the first five months they were operational. Some of the complaints were regarding scooters being driven on sidewalks. The city will continue to educate the public on where the scooters can be operated, Kennedy said. The city is also working with traffic consultants to help determine where additional bike lanes can be located downtown to make travel safer for the scooters. City Councilwoman Meghan Smith encouraged the development of more bike lanes and wanted to see better enforcement of where the scooters are allowed. She also wanted reassurance that no other electric scooter companies would be allowed to operate in the city. Kennedy confirmed Blue Duck would be the only electric scooter operator in the city. Blue Duck operates about 100 scooters in the city. With new residential development under construction in city limits, additional scooters could be added to meet growing demand. Ridership peaked in July when there were 4,994 rides. Additional safety measurements will be implemented over the next 12 months. Kennedy said Blue Duck has the capability to reduce the scooter speeds in areas of high traffic and can shut down the scooters faster, from 30 seconds to 10 seconds, when they ride into areas not allowed by GPS tracking. It costs $1.25 to unlock a scooter for use by using the app found at flyblueduck.com, then 30 cents for each minute of use. Through Nov. 12, Converse University offered students a code to rent the scooters for free. Converse students can rent the scooters by visiting the Blue Duck station located near Pine Street and the Montgomery Building. Safety training is included in the app, as well as a map of the other scooter locations in Spartanburg. Across two spending packages being offered by the federal government, Guam could stand to receive anywhere from $1.5 billion to nearly $2 billion. Read more The Guam Diabetes Association will hold its annual Diabetes Conference from 2-4 p.m., Nov. 14 online. Speakers from the Philippines include Dr. Michael Villa of the St. Lukes Medical Center, Global City, and Dr. Ma. Theresa Chua-Agcaoilli of The Medical City. Dr. Ana Mendez (Ph.D, R.N.) will speak on the Impact of Covid 19 on mental health. Guam Diabetes Association aims to educate communities to reduce the mortality, morbidity, and cost associated with uncontrolled diabetes. Interested participants can register on www.diabetesguam.com. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. (Daily Post Staff) The remains of three men who were victims in separate murder cases were examined over the weekend. Autopsies were conducted on the bodies of Michael Jose Castro, Adam Messier and John Pinaula, according to the Office of the Attorney General. A forensic examiner from Hawaii performed the autopsies. However, the results are not being made public at this time. "Prosecution is reviewing the findings of the forensic autopsy and is reviewing all additional information provided to prosecutors. Should the evidence substantiate additional charges, the OAG can again present its case to a grand jury for a superseding indictment to reflect the additional charges," the AG's office said in response to The Guam Daily Post on Tuesday. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Cases Castro was reported missing in October 2020. He was shot in his car, according to court documents. His remains were found in a remote jungle area in Yigo last month. Troy Ryan Damian and Nicholas Wayne Moore each face aggravated murder charges in connection to Castro's death. Both remain out of prison awaiting trial. Messier was reported missing in September 2017. He was brutally beaten and his body was placed in a trash bag, court documents state. His remains were found late last month in a ranch area in Yigo. Brandon James Flaherty, Donavan Elliott Alianza Carriaga and Curtis James Blas were indicted on charges of murder in connection with the Navy veteran's death. All three remain in prison. Pinaula, who was beaten, stabbed, kidnapped and set on fire in August, died in a hospital from his injuries on Oct. 27. Manuel Junior Cabrera Tedtaotao was indicted on charges of attempted murder and kidnapping in connection with the attack, but prosecutors could use the results of the autopsy to potentially bring murder charges against Tedtaotao. He is being held on $250,000 cash bail. I worry about Irans mullahs pursuing their murderous exploits with an arsenal of nuclear weapons, a venture that Barack Obama did everything in his power to facilitate. Obama himself purports to worry about climate change, f/k/a global warming. Obama traveled to the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow to give one of his seemingly endless speeches yesterday. Obama called out the villains of the climate change story including China, Russia, the Trump administration, and the Republican Party. One of our two major parties has decided not only to sit on the sidelines, but express active hostility toward climate science and make climate change a partisan issue. Politics no longer stops at the waters edge. His motto might be Speak loudly and carry a big shtick. Of course, Obama was talking about saving the planet. It isnt a partisan issue, he said, adding that politics doesnt matter if your Florida house is flooded by rising seas, or your crops fail in the Dakotas or your California house is burning down. Nature, science do not care about party affiliation. Climate change what cant it do? It wont be easy to stamp it out. The will to power manifested in the movement against it represents the true danger to the future of humanity. Harking back to the glory days of his years lecturing the American people from the White House, Obama adopted the overenunciated style of speech that might be appropriate to an adult struggling to make himself understood by a slow child. I can assure you he doesnt talk to Michelle like that. Obama unburdened himself with this characteristically personal reflection: There are times where I feel discouraged, there are times when the future seems somewhat bleak, there are times when I am doubtful that humanity can get its act together before its too late. Images of dystopia creep into my dreams. As he spoke, I wanted him to strike Images of dystopia creep into my mind and insert Thats when I fly up to my multimillion dollar Marthas Vineyard waterfront mansion. Its a great pick-me-up. Hoping to have skipped most of Sheila Babautas introduction, I have posted the video of Obamas COP26 speech below (transcript here). Long live Big COP. In less than a year in office, the Biden administration has produced a clownish energy policy. It is simultaneously suppressing petroleum production in the U.S. and begging Saudi Arabia and Russia to produce more. This is idiotic, but Jennifer Granholm apparently thinks its funny. You might think the administrations energy policies couldnt possibly get worse. But now the New York Times reports: Biden Administration Plans Wind Farms Along Nearly the Entire U.S. Coastline. The Biden administration announced on Wednesday a plan to develop large-scale wind farms along nearly the entire coastline of the United States, the first long-term strategy from the government to produce electricity from offshore turbines. Speaking at a wind power industry conference in Boston, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said that her agency will begin to identify, demarcate and hope to eventually lease federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Maine and off the coasts of the Mid-Atlantic States, North Carolina and South Carolina, California and Oregon, to wind power developers by 2025. So at the same time the administration is trying to block oil and gas leases on federal lands, it contemplates leasing federal waters for wind turbines. Wind turbines are environmentally awful and produce electricity less than half the time, so along with wind farms watch for many billions of dollars to be spent on natural gas plants that will operate the majority of the time when the wind turbines produce no electricity. I didnt think it would be possible to produce an energy policy this mind-numbingly foolish, but the Biden administration has exceeded my expectations. UPDATE: Having killed the Keystone pipeline, the Biden administration now admits that it is contemplating shutting down Enbridge Pipeline #5, which serves Michigan. Governor Whitmer tried to close the pipeline at least temporarily, and several Indian tribes have demanded that the pipeline be dismantled. The Biden administration acknowledges the obvious fact that closing Pipeline #5 would raise energy costs in Michigan. At this point, I say: go ahead, do it. For years you have been telling us that you are opposed to fossil fuels and intend to phase out their use. Fossil fuels provide Americans with the large majority of our energy, and are by far the most efficient source of energy for most uses. But the Democrats dont like them. Fine: force voters either to go without electricity and gasoline, or pay skyrocketing prices for those commodities. Then run for re-election. After years of meaningless chatter from the Left, it is time to put up or shut up. FURTHER UPDATE: Congressman Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin writes: John posted about the potential closure of Line 5 in Michigan. He correctly cited the harmful impact to Michigan. It is so much worse, though. Crude oil via Line 5 is transported to refineries in Canada and Ohio. Plus we in Wisconsin will lose one of our most important sources of propane. My district has the most users of propane for home heating of any congressional district in America. 27% of residents in WI CD-07 use propane to heat their homes. Last year in August propane was selling for $.80 per gallon. This year it was $1.50 in August and now over $2.00 per gallon. The Line 5 closure would be disastrous for residents of northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as well as the entire Great Lakes region. Sometimes it seems that the Biden administrations goal is to damage America to the greatest possible extent. Just when you think the Climatista Cult cant get any crazier (like just yesterday), naturally it does: 70% of Americans experiencing climate change anxiety and depression, survey finds SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) A new survey shows that 70% of Americans are now very or somewhat worried about global warming as more and more of them show signs of anxiety or depression as a result of that worry. Noah Oderberg is a psychologist working in Oakland. He says You may have heard of PTSD- post traumatic stress disorder. A psychiatrist came up with pre-PTSD because its not a trauma thats already occurred. Its a fear of a future trauma so its this new idea. And it involves anxiety and depression. Hes seeing more and more people bringing up the subject of global warming in therapy citing feelings of sadness and despair. Chaser: More and more leftists cite climate change and other fashionable paranoias as reasons not to have children. I want to reinforce this view. Much better for the future of humanity if leftists dont reproduce. Speaking of cultists, news out of Hollywood is that Leo diCaprio is close to signing on to play one-time Bay Area Democratic Party favorite Jim Jones in a movie about Jones and Jonestown. If the deal does come to pass, the casting is perfect, since diCaprio has already drunk the climate change Kool Aid. Wheres Gavin? Californias governor, the winsome Newsom, has disappeared. He abruptly canceled plans to attend the Glasgow Gas Grope over climate change at the end of last month, and hasnt been seen for more than 10 days. His office initially said that he was attending to some family matters, and now claims that he was working in the capitol several of the last few days, but the media seems uninterested in corroborating that claim, or staking out the French Laundry. For that matter, has anyone checked the Appalachian Trail? Someone else who seems to be in the Democratic Partys Witness Protection Program is Vice President Harris. Shes off to Paris this week for a series of fence-mending meetings and high-profile, symbolic events, as the Washington Post describes it. Symbolic events is perfect for our symbolic V.P. Maybe the French will keep her? A nation that swooned over Jerry Lewis movies just might like her giggle-cackle act. Meanwhile, progressives are said to be unhappy with the Harris-Biden Administration. You just hate to see this happen (according to Shane Goldmacher of the New York Times): Now, nearly 10 months into his presidency, some of Mr. Bidens most loyal contributors and top fund-raisers are feeling neglected if not outright cast aside, according to more than 30 interviews with Democratic donors, fund-raisers and the operatives who work with them. With the loss of the Virginia governorship this week making plain the darkening political climate for Democrats, the White House has accumulated precious little good will among some of the partys most important financiers. Their frustrations also include impatience with the pace of substantive policy changes: One of the partys top donors is now signaling he is planning to withhold funds entirely over the languishing of voting-rights legislation. . . Theres no outreach whatsoever, said one bundler who raised money during the primary. Nonexistent, said two other early Biden bundlers. People feel hung out to dry, said a fourth Democratic fund-raiser who raised money for Mr. Biden. Poor lonely progressives. It breaks your heart to hear such tales of unrequited love. This paragraph is also interesting: There was widespread agreement that the Biden team had failed to provide meaningful outreach or ways for most big contributors to engage or help in the first months of the administration. The reception has been so chilly that some donors have started to presume that Mr. Biden is simply not planning to run for re-election in 2024, finding few other reasonable explanations for neglecting a core constituency. Finally, this bit at the end offers more confirmation of the hypothesis that progressivism is simply the dominant form of status consciousness on the left these days: My friend who reads the New York Times alerted me to this article about rural Americas continued movement away from the Democratic party. Im glad he did. The article is well worth reading. The most noteworthy thing about the Times piece is the numbers it presents from Virginia: In 2008, there were only four small Virginia counties where Republicans won 70% or more of the vote in that years presidential race. Nowhere was the party above 75%. This year, Youngkin was above 70% in 45 counties and he surpassed 80% in 15 of them. Virginia has 95 counties. The Times doesnt say how many of them are rural, but judging from the breakdown in this map it looks Youngkin was above 70 percent in just about all of them. The Times notes that Youngkin was outpacing former President Donald Trumps 2020 showing in even the reddest counties. So I guess the GOP doesnt need Trump to win big in rural America. It just needs Trumps team not to discourage people in rural areas from voting with frivolous claims that their vote wont be counted due to rigged voting machines (or some such nonsense). The Times also notes that Youngkin did well among suburban voters in Virginia. Thus: The twin results raise a foreboding possibility for Democrats: that the party had simply leased the suburbs in the Trump era, while Republicans may have bought and now own even more of rural America. Heres another foreboding possibility. GOP support among rural voters may be approaching Democrat support among African-Americans, or at least African-American males. The Times puts it this way: Republicans have never had a demographic stronghold as reliable as Black voters have been for Democrats, a group that delivers as many as 9 out of 10 votes for the party. But some Democratic leaders are now sounding the alarm: What if rural, white voters of which there are many start voting that reliably Republican? If the Virginia election is a reliable guide, the GOP share of the rural vote may be approaching 80 percent. In 2020, around 20 percent of African-American men (but only around 9 percent of African-American women) voted for Donald Trump. Blacks make up around 11 percent of the electorate according to this report. According to the Times story, rural Americans make up between 20 and 30 percent of the electorate, depending on how one calculates it: National exit polling in 2020 estimated that 1 in 5 voters lived in rural or small-town America. Categorizing voters based on population density, the Democratic data firm TargetSmart labeled 30% of the electorate as rural. Can Democrats reverse their slippage in rural America? The Times isnt optimistic: Ben Tribbett, a Democratic strategist in Virginia, has watched his partys vote share in rural areas wither for three decades. I dont know what our message is there, Tribbett said. Which is a problem, because Im supposed to be creating content for political campaigns. Just how much further can the party fall? In rural America, the bottom for the Democratic Party is zero, said Ethan Winter, a senior analyst at the group Data for Progress, who studies voter behavior. I am serious about this. In the past, rural, white voters in the North had historic ties to the labor movement and an affinity for the Democratic Party. Increasingly, Winter said, those voters are more akin culturally to their neighbors to the South than to their local cities and suburbs. Tom Bonier, one of the Democratic Partys leading experts on voter data and CEO of TargetSmart, agreed. You look at places in the Deep South where the white, rural vote is approaching 90% Republican, he said. Thats absolutely the concern. Dan Balz at the Washington Post doesnt see much hope for a Democratic recovery in rural America, either. His latest article is called (in the paper edition), Democrats lack solutions to bring back rural voters. Balz writes: The urban-rural divide is real and has gotten wider. Democrats have seen their future as one that runs through urban and suburban America, with a coalition that is increasingly diverse, younger and more liberal. What appeals to that rising Democratic Party, however, doesnt necessarily resonate with rural voters and sometimes drives them away. Thats the conundrum for the party as it considers how to mend its rural deficiencies. . . . Over the years, Democrats have lamented this trend and have suggested that they should be doing better because their policies offer more economic support to rural voters than do those of the Republicans. Some have claimed that people in rural areas are voting against their own interests by supporting the trickle-down economic policies of the GOP. [Note: This is the patronizing Whats the matter with Kansas line.] To that, Democrats from rural states have said its presumptuous for any politician to tell voters what their own interests are or should be. . . . Various issues divide urban and rural voters, from views on guns or abortion to religion and race. This is more cultural thats at play and identity politics thats at play than economic policies, said Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wis.), who represents a largely rural district and who is stepping down next year. And I think Democrats develop a blind spot to that and not being more sensitive to some of those cultural issues. Its not really a blind spot, though. Democrats want to transform America significantly, and many of them radically. Rural America doesnt want a major transformation and, I suspect, takes demands for such a transformation personally (especially attacks on whiteness, demands that religion take a backseat to various woke causes, and calls for ever more gun control). If Democrats want to make major inroads in rural America, they may have to transform themselves radically. I dont see that happening. Kto szuka: Nordea Bank Abp SA Oddzia w Polsce Stanowisko: Sourcing Assistant to Consultant Services Team Numer referencyjny: 3108 Lokalizacja: Gdynia pomorskie Wymagania stawiane pracownikowi: (6-month contract of employment) Would you like to take active part in Nordeas daily operations, optimizing processes and suggesting improvements? We are now looking for a Sourcing Assistant to have the unique and exciting opportunity to contribute in building a "best in class" internal consultant procurement process - all the way from the need of the consultant until the consultant can start at Nordea. In Nordea, we know that great customer experiences require a team that leads the way in first-class service and operations. Were more than just a Nordic bank, were one of the largest employers in Poland. With us, youll work with skilled, international teams in a bright, modern office. The lively and collaborative atmosphere offers plenty of opportunities to learn and grow as you build your career with us. About this opportunity Welcome to the Consultant Services team. We add value by being responsible for external consultants end-to-end process, including related to that reporting and risk management. We take ownership in ensuring compliance with process governance and in keeping high data quality. As a Sourcing Assistant, youll play a valuable role in advising and supporting our stakeholders in engaging external resources. What youll be doing: Supporting standard requests for new resources Managing contract prolongations Handling contract administration Registering new consultants, contracts and prolongations Supporting consultants onboarding and offboarding processes Executing other recurring consultant management admin tasks Proactively suggesting improvements to the procurement process Youll join a team of open minded, dedicated and focused on improvements people, who are real team players. The role is based in Gdynia. Who you are Collaboration. Ownership. Passion. Courage. These are the values that guide us in being at our best and that we imagine you share with us. To succeed in this role, we believe that you: Work well with others and always act with the customers needs in mind Love learning and trying new things and youre excited about bringing your ideas to the table Are honest and dependable, willing to speak up even when its difficult, and committed to empowering others. Youre passionate about doing a great job. Pay attention to details, getting things right. You have ability to work alone, but also to cooperate with team members. Moreover, youre committed and self-disciplined. Your experience and background: Experience from contract administration and/or procurement Documented reporting - Excel and/or PowerPoint skills Preferably experience from an international, cross-border organization Previous experience from procurement tools is an advantage Degree in economics, supply chain or equivalent Fluency in written and spoken English. If this sounds like you, get in touch! Firma oferuje: Next steps Submit your application no later than 26/11/2021. At Nordea, we know that an inclusive workplace is a sustainable workplace. We deeply believe that our diverse backgrounds, experiences, characteristics and traits make us better at serving customers and communities. So please come as you are. Please include permit for processing personal data in CV as following: In accordance with art. 6 (1) a and b. Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data, and repealing Directive 95/46/EC (General Data Protection Regulation) hereinafter GDPR. I agree to have: my personal data, education and employment history proceeded for the purposes of current and future recruitment processes in Nordea Bank Abp. The administrator of your personal data is: Nordea Bank Abp operating in Poland through its Branch, address: Aleja Edwarda Rydza Smiglego 20, 93-281 odz. Your personal data will be processed for the recruitment processes in Nordea Bank Abp. You have a right to access your personal data, right to rectify and right to delete. Disclosing the personal data in the scope specified by the provisions of Polish Labour Code from 26 June 1974 and executive acts are mandatory. Providing personal data is necessary to conduct the recruitment processes. The request for the deletion of your personal data means resignation from further participation in recruitment processes and causes the immediate removal of your application. Detailed information concerning processing of your personal data can be found at: We reserve the right to reply only to selected applications. Kontakt do pracodawcy: The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) says it will introduce a new hybrid licences for all app-based vehicle operators in the territory from February 2022. FCT VIO Director, Wadata Bodinga, disclosed this during an FCT Transport Stakeholders Meeting on Tuesday in Abuja. He directed that all electronic-hailing operators must convert their regular vehicle licences to hybrid licences. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the e-hailing companies under this category are: Uber, Bolt, Rida amongst others. Mr Bodinga disclosed that enforcement of the new directive would start from Feb.1, 2022 as the directorate would commence a free conversion of all operators from Nov.9 to Jan.31, 2022. He said that because e-hailing vehicles were not conventional taxis, the VIO initiated the hybrid vehicle licensing to have the information of e-hailing drivers. We as an agency of government want to have an idea of the people operating these vehicles and not just us having the details of users. The licensing will give us the database to know those registered and those operating legally, he said. He said that a Driver Certificate Card (DCC) would also be obtained by all drivers after undergoing a one-day mandatory training at FCT Model Drivers Institute or Lugbe VIO Office, Abuja. Voluntary enrollment for the DCC will commence from Nov. 9 to Jan.31, 2022. DCC requirements for the conversion are National Identification Number (NIN) and a valid drivers licence. This will help us know the number of operators to promote efficiency, he stated. Mr Bodinga, however, said that drivers who fail to convert their vehicle licences to the hybrid type before February next year would have to pay for the conversion. It will be an annual payment that will not be exorbitant but there has to be a payment before they could be logged into the portal, he said. He further disclosed that to avoid permanent ban from operations in the FCT, all taxi drivers or anyone who wished to offer transportation services for hire or gain must obtain the FCT DCC. No taxi or bus will be allowed to operate in the FCT except those who fulfill the following; must have an authorised Side Number. ALSO READ: Alleged killers of Uber driver charged to court Must be registered with a licensed operator, appropriate Zonal Cab Colour, fulfills minimum roadworthiness requirements, Mr Bodinga said. He also stated that all motorcycle and tricycle riders must obtain the FCT Riders Certification Card. No motorcycle and tricycle will be allowed to operate in the territory except those who possess an Abuja registered number plate and authorised side number. All riders must have a safety boot, reflective jacket, safety helmet, protective clothing and RCC, he stated. He said that the directorate would also stop the operation of all delivery motorcycle riders without registered Mail/Delivery service number plates. He said, The mail service number plate is new and different to help differentiate legal operators from the illegal ones. Delivery riders must have a valid RCC, delivery box rightly fixed, safety helmet and boot alongside a duly registered Cooperate Affairs Commission and Nigerian Postal Service documents, he said. The director further said that the development was as a result of schemes under the newly unveiled FCT Public Transport Management Scheme (PTMS). The scheme is to provide an improved frame work, passenger service vehicle operators licensing, tricycle and motorcycle last mile operators licensing, goods service vehicle operators licensing. The PTMS is a system that wants to bring all the commercial drivers and vehicles together as one of three things: security, sanity, efficiency and affordability. We are harnessing digital solutions, regular user transportation environment which can only be achieved if we can bridge the gap in our administration by its review, he said.(NAN) The U.S. Embassy in Nigeria is to spend $127,000 on the digital documentation and conservation of Busanyin Shrine located in the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the $127,000 grant was awarded to CyArk, a California-based non-profit, through the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). Speaking at the signing of the projects Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Monday in Lagos, U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard, said AFCP was administered by U.S. Department of States Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. She said the grant supports the present preservation of major ancient archaeological sites, historic buildings, monuments and major museum collections that are accessible to the public and protected by law in their host country. Today, were proud to be launching our 2020 AFCP award to digitally document and conserve the Busanyin shrine located within the Osun Osogbo sacred grove. CyArk and its local partners were awarded a $127,000 grant under the AFCP small grant programme to help document a series of shrines in the sacred grove and provide training to local professionals to build capacity and digital documentation skills and cultural heritage management. The 3D digital documentation of the shrine is the necessary first step to provide the most accurate record of the current conditions of the site and effectively plan a restoration project that will increase resilience at the site during a natural disaster or extreme weather conditions, she said. Ms Leonard said the Busanyin Shrine, one of eight monuments within the grove, had been significantly damaged throughout the years due to extreme flooding. She added that the U.S. and Nigeria were also finalising a bilateral agreement that would establish restrictions against the import of prohibited items of cultural property into the U.S. This agreement, she said, would encourage public and private cultural institutions and law enforcement agencies in both countries to work together on repatriating trafficked objects and fostering cultural exchanges. Abba Tijani, director- general, National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM), said the commission had been collaborating with relevant stakeholders to protect, conserve and manage national assets. One of such collaborations, he said, was that between NCMM and Cyark in 2019 which led to a successful workshop on 3D documentation. This is a great opportunity to train some staff of the commission as well as carry out more works at the grove, he said. According to Mr Tijani, the Osun-Osogbo sacred grove, Nigerias second World Heritage Site and primary rain forest, is fast disappearing in the West-African sub region. The grove is important to many of its devotees both within and outside the country and other stakeholders, hence, the need to keep it in good state of conservation at all times. ALSO READ: Police arrest suspected armed robbers at Ogun Shrine This training programme will not only empower the staff of the commission in 3D documentation of cultural heritage but also assist in conservation works to be carried out in the grove, he said. Also, Olu Adeosun, member, Board of Trustees, Adunni Olorisha Trust, said that conserving heritage sites would not only preserve them for posterity but also provide accessibility to people around the world. He said the Adunni Olorisa Trust was founded in 2003 to ensure that the Osogbo art legacy was preserved and that the integrity of the Osun grove was protected. Our focus has always been on the restoration of the site and the works in the groves. The grant has come at the appropriate time because the need for a comprehensive digital reconstruction of the grove could not be more important, Mr Adeosun said. (NAN) The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) has debunked media reports indicating that an army sergeant, Torsabo Solomon, was arrested in connection with the recent attack at the academy. Spokesperson of the academy, Bashir Jajira, a major, made this known on Monday in a statement obtained by PREMIUM TIMES. Mr Jajira said the sergeant is not in custody and has no connection with the attack. Recent reports said Mr Solomon was arrested following the role he played in the recent attack at the NDA. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how suspected bandits on 24 August attacked the academy. According to witnesses, the bandits came in the early hours of the day, killed two officers and kidnapped a major. The major, Stephen Dantong, was freed about three weeks after. The attack on the military facility came amidst heightened insecurity in the North-west with Kaduna State at the epicentre. The spokesperson asked the public to disregard reports that the mastermind of the attack had been arrested, saying Mr Solomon was not in the academy. This is to inform the general public that the above named person is not in the Nigerian Defence Academys custody as alleged and has no connection with the Academy. The Nigerian Defence Academy is a Military Training Institution and not an Investigative Security Agency. The general public is hereby advised to disregard this misinformation and refer to relevant Investigative Security Agencies for clarification, he said. While stating that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were yet to be apprehended, Mr Jajira said all hands were on deck to bring them to book. Read full statement from NDA: *RE: ARREST OF SERGEANT TORSABO SOLOMON* The attention of the Nigerian Defence Academy has been drawn to a viral publication on social media regarding the arrest of one Sgt Torsabo Solomon for his involvement in the security breach in Nigerian Defence Academy and was conveyed to the Academy for investigation. This is to inform the general public that the above named person is not in the Nigerian Defence Academys custody as alleged and has no connection with the Academy. The Nigerian Defence Academy is a Military Training Institution and not an Investigative Security Agency. The general public is hereby advised to disregard this misinformation and refer to relevant Investigative Security Agencies for clarification. The Nigerian Defence Academy wishes to reassure the general public that the perpetrators of the security breach on the Nigerian Defence Academy architecture will sooner rather than later be apprehended. BASHIR MUHAMMED JAJIRA Major 8 November 21 The House of Representatives Committee on Navy has approved the N148 billion proposed for the Force in the 2022 budget, without scrutiny. The Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo, a vice admiral, had appeared before the committee on Monday to defend the budget of the Navy. Following his presentation, the Chairman of the Committee, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) unilateral adopted the presentation without allowing the members of the committee to ask questions. Contrary to the normal practice, where members ask questions on the performance of the current budget and the proposed estimates, Mr Gagdi did not allow questions. At the risk of political misinterpretation, the committee knows what you are talking about because we have gone round the country to see the challenges you have done well. Any agency that has not done well, we would not be scared to say it, even if you go out there and give a different picture of what we are saying. It is the resolve of this committee to accept what you have proposed and equally make a case for you to ensure sufficient funding for the Nigerian Navy. Earlier, Mr Gagdi had said in the opening speech that several projects of the Navy are being constructed at a slow pace. Despite this, the committee did not check the budget of the Force. While presenting the budget, Mr Gambo said the Navy is facing several challenges including inadequate jetties, inadequate arms and ammunition and obsolete logistics support facilities and shortage of barracks. He noted that the Navy had proposed N220 billion for capital projects but the ministry of finance, budget and national planning slashed the budget to N25.8 billion. While N108.1 billion and N14.5 billion were proposed for personnel and overhead cost respectively. The Nigerian Navy is not the only member of the armed forces to have complained about allocation. The Nigerian Army had also complained of the slashing of its budget. Also, the navy is projecting internally generated revenue of N232.9 million in the coming year. Following the approval, the committee adjourned sine die. Elementary leadership lesson highlights that todays decisions shape tomorrows future. It is only those meant for the destruction that will not pay heed to this all-time truth. This aphorism aptly captures the mood of the country as the world gathered recently in Glasgow, Scotland, to discuss climate change and the future a future that depends directly on activities within and outside the frontiers of our immediate ecosystem and biosystem. We witness climatic chaos that impacts different parts of the world irrespective of who was most culpable in emitting the greenhouse gas or more carbon compliant. Nature sees the globe as one; hence the impact of pollution and carbon dioxide in faraway Asia may have a devastating effect in Africa and vice versa. It is a fact that climate change is impacting communities in every country in different dimensions. It causes rising sea levels, coastal erosion, extreme weather events, disrupted economies, food and water scarcity, insecurity because of resource scarcity, and conflict and terrorism. These are all manifestations of this global challenge. Undoubtedly, the world needs urgent action, new partnerships, and ambitious ideas to tackle this challenge. Any meaningful solution must be international in approach. Little wonder global leaders gathered in Glasgow to negotiate and strategise on how to achieve net-zero emission soon. In the imaginary hall in Glasgow, there were four classes of countries represented. The first is the developed countries, the post-industrial economies, who are entitled to be preaching the gospel of net zero-emission, and 1.5C temperature goals. The second group of nations are those who were in Glasgow for showmanship to register their presence. The third group of countries are those whose national economic interests will be impacted by the actions or inactions of post-industrial economies in pursuit of climate change objectives. The fourth group are those who, in pursuit of their national economic interest, are resisting the mitigation measures prescribed by the West against the harmful effect of climate change or are unenthusiastic about the narrow Western definition of climate change mitigation. Based on signals coming from Abuja, Nigeria seems to belong to the third group. It runs a mono-product economy heavily dependent on fossil fuel and rent-seeking on other natural resources, which the world is clamouring to reduce or eliminate in favour of clean and renewable energy sources. It may be counterintuitive for Nigeria to champion 1.5C and zero-emission goals, given that it may not be in its national interest, at least in the interim. The importance of national interest and the various divergent positions of different countries in the discussions at Glasgow shows the contradictions and conundrums the world faces in dealing with carbon emission and energy production issues, which is why COP26 could not arrive at a consensus on crucial issues. The post-industrial nations took the position of an immediate and severe shift in energy production and usage from carbon to renewable and clean. This position is understandable because these nations historically used carbon energy to fuel their industrialisation and have mostly moved to a knowledge economy and have the financial and technological muscle to champion green energy and the economic opportunities therein. The new emerging energy giants (Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia) have a different position which primarily is a call to be given more time to power a new economic renaissance based on exploiting carbon energy and using it to transition into a knowledge economy less reliant on carbon energy and more reliant on technology and innovation. The developing countries that are heavily reliant on carbon fuel for primary substances have a different position altogether. Although not wholly condemning a shift from carbon to clean energy sources, we are calling for the developed countries to assist them to make such a transition. President Buhari, in his speech at the conference, emphasised this position. He pledged that Nigeria would cut its emissions to net-zero by 2060 but argued, however, that attaining national and global climate change goals will require adequate and sustained technical and financial support to developing countries. And that developed countries should channel greater effort towards assisting developing nations to meet their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) commitments through the pledges made by the developed countries to provide at least $100 billion yearly. China and Russia seem not enthusiastic about climate change and are struggling to lead in these discussions and participate actively. Leaders from developed economies have made various pledges to show their commitment to achieving the 1.5C temperature goal, and they are calling on other leaders to work together to accelerate the innovation and deployment of clean technologies needed to keep the 1.5C goals within reach so that they are accessible and affordable for all. Most of the leaders set out the ambitious actions they are taking domestically and internationally and send a clear message to all stakeholders to accelerate urgent action this decade. They set out a positive vision for a clean, green future and its benefits, including creating new jobs and global growth. However, where does it leave developing countries, especially in Africa? What is Nigerias national interest in switching to carbon- free, renewable, and clean energy forms given our abundance of fossil fuel and gas deposits and our reliance on them for national development? The case of developing countries is unique. Africa claims that it is contributing less to carbon emission in the world given its low level of industrial activities. But Africa presents an even more unique stance. Africa has a net disadvantage in climate change because it suffers more than it contributes to the problem. Compared with developed countries, the whole of Africa does not emit as much greenhouse as some major industrial countries or industrial blocs of the world. Therefore, African countries must articulate a better strategy in dealing with the global issue of climate change and greenhouse emissions that will help it grow and not be disadvantageous in the long run. Therefore, I propose the following: First, African countries will mostly need to continue exploiting fossil fuel for consumption and sales to grow their economies into industrialised or knowledge economies. Any power bloc should not harangue Africa to take actions detrimental to its growth. They should avoid any quick and dangerous shift to cleaner energy unless the structures and systems that will facilitate such transition smoothly are in place. The consequences of a wrong move may be dire and catastrophic given the poor state of the African economy now hugely dependent on carbon energy. Proper research and planning are needed to understand and articulate a more robust approach to such a transition that will have little or no consequences to our economy and way of life. Second, for African economies to leapfrog to carbon neutrality and zero-emission effectively, they will need new technologies, know- how, and economic imperatives to make such a move. Therefore, Africa should be demanding technological transfer in green, clean, and renewable energy as part of these negotiations. The developed countries must be ready to provide that. They must not be preaching to Africa to take a leap of faith and transit to carbon-free energy whilst hiding the technology and milking Africa from using such technology. It will be tantamount to a double standard. It is like asking someone to do deep-sea diving he does not need, only to come back to ask him to buy swimming gadgets at an exorbitant price from you. Third, commensurate incentives for investment in a carbon-neutral economy for African economies need to compensate for the loss of investment in fossil fuels. If the developed economies want to save the planet for future generations, they may need to pay the bill for leapfrogging African economies to carbon neutrality. It is noteworthy that $100b has been earmarked yearly to facilitate the achievement of the 1.5C goal. This action is commendable, but this amount is a drop in the ocean compared to what is needed to make the transition easier for Africa. There is a need to continuously increase the funds and get nations that contribute to more CO2 emissions to pay more. Finally, Africa must be made to benefit extensively from the economic opportunities inherent in the transition to clean and renewable energy. Future economies will be built on new energy forms. The way we live our lives will change forever. New jobs, new ideas, new ways of working, new gadgets and technologies will come up. The renewable energy technology may not completely replace carbon energy and its technology. They are more likely to coexist together with carbon energy technology and usage reduced to the barest minimum. Africa must be positioned to benefit from the energy mix of the future and not play catch up to the rest of the world. However, Nigeria needs to adequately articulate its national interest and modus operandi in engaging with the rest of the world in renewable energy, climate change and their economic implications. In his speech at COP26, President Buhari hinted at the broader scope of Nigerias stance and approach in dealing with these issues. I commend him for such leadership in such an important issue. His pledge of net-zero carbon emission by 2060 gave Nigeria a 40 year gap to plan and put its acts together. Therefore, Nigeria can strategise to increase exploration and exploitation of fossil fuel in the short run to position itself economically to cut down carbon emission and dependence on fossil fuel at the appropriate time. Recently, Nigeria has been preoccupied with preventing millions of its citizens struggling with rising cost of petrol and gas from not resorting to charcoal and firewood, which means fewer trees, deforestation and more carbon offloading. It shows that Nigeria is not ready yet to deal aggressively with clean energy and climate change issues. Nigeria and the rest of the world are on different pages at COP26. The next ten years will be critical for Nigeria as the world increases its pace towards clean energy. The world is pushing towards zero- emission while Nigeria is still battling to decide on what to do with gas flaring and gas resources generally. The world is creating a new model of economic prosperity, but Nigeria has not even optimised the old model much more, positioning itself to benefit from the recent economic model. It is time we got ready to face the future. The decisions we make today will shape tomorrow and the future. I implore the government to take the issues of energy transition and the concomitant implications seriously. I call on the government and research institutes to invest in research in this area focussing on Nigeria and how it must navigate the turbulent waters of global energy shift from carbon to clean energy. Products of the study should guide the government in its plans and policies in this regard. I will suggest the government sets up a think tank of appropriate professionals to keep abreast of developments in this critical energy area and advise the government accordingly. We need a cross-ministerial collaboration among the relevant ministries and Industry to start working at coming up with ways of achieving the 2060 net-zero carbon emission pledged by the President and put Nigeria in a position to benefit fully from the new global energy economy devoid of carbon emission and delivers for the climate and the people, economic development, and biodiversity. The crux of Nigeria national interest in this energy issue is to work collaboratively with others in the comity of nations to keep the 1.5C temperature and carbon emission goals in sight whilst supporting sustainable livelihoods and meeting shared promises on adaptation and finance of its people and economy. Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto is the Chairperson of the PDP Governors Forum. He played a key role in the success of the recently concluded national convention of the PDP and has been working with his colleagues to strengthen and stabilise the opposition party ahead of the 2023 general elections. In this short interview with Musikilu Mojeed, Mr Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, spoke about why he left the APC in 2018, his presidential ambition, and what he and his colleagues are doing to wrestle power from the APC in 2023. He also spoke about speculation that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan might leave the PDP to the APC. He revealed what the PDP will do if the former president is nominated candidate of the ruling party in 2023. The interview was transcribed by reporter Samson Adenekan. EXCERPT: PT: You have just concluded your partys convention. As the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, how did it all play out? Contrary to the expectation that it might be chaotic, it appears to have ended up well. Tambuwal: First, let me thank the Almighty God for a successful convention. We give every glory to him. I would like to use this medium to thank all our party leaders, all our party members and especially all our delegates at the convention for the way and manner they conducted themselves. Yes, you are right. There were a lot of permutations, analyses and projections that the PDP Convention was going to be mad in view of pendency of court matters, in view of the fact that there are some measure of disagreements in the party. But to God be the glory, we have been able to manage the situation and conduct a very free, fair and transparent convention. In my speech at the convention, I did say that its a difficult thing to manage the PDP. By that I admitted the fact that there were some issues and we had to really do a lot of background work as leaders of the party, governors and other stakeholders to get to where we have gotten. A lot has gone into it. A lot of diplomacy, discussions, engagements. It is all about engagement and talking to people, making them see the reason why certain things happen. With persuasion, we got to where we got to. Deployment of consensus also helped the process right from states to zonal levels. PT: But there is one outstanding issue. Uche Secondus, your partys chairperson remains aggrieved. He might be heading to the Supreme Court, how are you going to handle that? If he succeeds at the Supreme Court, that may nullify all you have achieved. Tambuwal: The matter in court is at the Court of Appeal now. As I said earlier in the course of my press briefing at the last two meetings of Governors Forum, I do not want to go into matters that are before the court of law. But I can assure you that we have activated a mechanism for dialoguing and engagement with our brother Secondus on how we can actually engage him and see that we take the matter out of the court and find a better solution to it. In any case, his National Working Committee (NWC) remains in place. It is not as if they are going to be dissolved today, tomorrow with the coming of the new stream of executive. His executive will remain in place till December. His executive committee will run the full course of its tenure. PT: Now that the convention is over, what next for the PDP? Some people believe the PDP has not been playing its opposition role well. Tambuwal: First and foremost, with the outcome of the convention, with the election of a professor as a woman leader and of course the election of possibly the youngest youth leader in the history of Nigeria since the return to democracy . I dont think there is any political party that has produced a 25 years old as a youth leader. You can see that the PDP is adopting some strategies of doing things differently, of responding to the yearning of the electorates and generally of the people. So, with the coming of the Ayu-led executive, we have sent the signal that we are a serious political party. We are determined to engage our people on the way forward, on developing a pathway for the people, on reclaiming the government at the centre come 2023. In that process, I can assure you that the role expected of the PDP is going to be enhanced in terms of giving credible opposition to the government in power and also coming up with alternative views on policies and interventions. You are going to see more of that going forward from the PDP. Immediately they settle down, Im sure Dr Ayu will role out From what I have heard, they are going to embark on tours of chapters for engagements at states levels and zonal levels so that they can build momentum for the party. Dont forget that the party will go back to do the e-registration of new members. PT: I dont know if you have read reports that you governors have taken over the party, that most of the officers produced at the convention were candidates of the governors. Tambuwal: What people fail to understand is that They should go into how we were able to arrive at most of the consensus. What we did was that every zone was allowed to build consensus around who should be their candidates from those zones and it was not governors that sat to say so so so person should be chosen. For instance, in the case of the youth leader, is he coming from a state where there is a sitting governor? The example of the woman I gave you, is she coming from a state where there is a sitting governor? The legal adviser, is he coming from a state where there is a sitting governor? The treasurer from Gombe, is he from a state where there is a sitting governor? No! And these are key principal officers of the party. What we have done is to devise a mechanism for each zone to sit and see if consensus is possible. Where there was none in the case of the three positions that were eventually contested, delegates were allowed to exercise their franchise and added colour and full complementarity of an election process. So, it is not that the governors have taken over or imposed their people on the party. Far from that. What we have is a product of consultation, consensus-building and stakeholders engagement. PT: But in spite of how smooth it all looks, Im sure there are still disagreements here and there. How will you go about resolving them? Tambuwal: It is all about engagement. Its all about persuasion and making people see why we must work together. First and foremost, to everyone of us, both in PDP and APC, who are not happy with the current situation of the country. It is about Nigeria, even some members of the APC are very worried and concerned about the direction of the country. First and foremost for us in the PDP, its about Nigeria. For us in the PDP, second is the PDP. How are we going to reposition the PDP for the party to position itself as an alternative to the APC or another party that may come up. It is important for all of us at the party to understand that its all about the party, not about self. First is Nigeria, second is the party and then you can now promote your desire and ambitions. So, I appeal to those that are feeling aggrieved to look at the bigger picture and that bigger picture is Nigeria. PT: You talked about Nigeria, what is it that you are not happy about? Tambuwal: Are we all happy about the current situation of security in the country? Are we happy about the so-called fight against corruption? The general state of affairs of the country is that we are in a very serious crisis. Im sure that every Nigerian that understands governance is not happy with the direction of affairs of the country. It is not about me, it is about the country and its governance, clearly this administration has lost direction. PT: You were part of the people that brought this administration to power, are you saying you are disappointed at the turn of events? Tambuwal: I am part of those that supported the formation of the APC, the coming on board of President Muhammadu Buhari but I have exonerated myself when I left in August 2018. I made it public. I made it clear that I was not convinced with the governments performance in the first term. So, you can say that I was part of the first term but second term, no. You cant say that I was part of the second term because I disagreed, I left the party, I joined the PDP and I was collectively prosecuted politically. PT: By the way, why did you leave the APC? Tambuwal: When my colleagues, six governors came to see me to talk to me about why I was leaving, I told them all of these. First, I was not convinced about how the government was being run, particularly around three key issues the level of insecurity in Nigeria, the economy and the fight against corruption. I made it clear to six of them when they came to see me here in Sokoto State and unfortunately they tried to persuade me and I told them that its nothing personal. I told them I fought against PDP in 2015. I had nothing personal against then President Goodluck Jonathan and I had nothing personal against the PDP. I dont feel anything wrong if I go back to PDP because its nothing personal, I just dont like the way the country was run at the first term by the APC government. PT: Now your party has 13 governors, that is just about one-third of the total number of states, how are you going to muster the necessary forces to unseat the APC? Tambuwal: First, power belongs to God and he gives it to whoever he wishes and desires at his own time. So he will be the one to give us. Let me refer you to recent political history. How many governors did the APC have when they took power from the PDP if it is about governors? It is not about the number of governors. It is about the people, the electorates were not happy with the government of Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 and it was clear and they voted the government out. Im sure, if you carry out a referendum today, you will see the outcome. Even in APC-controlled states, you will see that people are not happy with the government at the centre. When the time comes, people will vote against the party that produced this kind of government at the centre. It is clear that Nigerians are getting better and wiser in decision making than before when it comes to voting. What happened in Sokoto is a clear example. APC won virtually six house of reps seats and three senators here but two weeks after, I was elected to come back for a second term. This is a classical case of what can happen. Like I said, it is first about God and then the people. PT: The Nigerian people became disappointed in your party in 2015. What lessons have you learnt? How prepared are you to show Nigerians that you can offer something better? Tambuwal: By the time Nigerians compare the government of President Muhammadu Buhari with the PDP administration from Obasanjo to Jonathan, they will be better informed as to which party is better prepared to keep the country together and work for the country and come up with policies and programmes that are good for the country. So, I believe that from the lessons learnt in terms of performance, either party or individuals in political parties, we have learnt a lot of lessons. We have been in power and we have lost power. We must have learnt some lessons. The way and manner PDP does congresses and conventions now show that we have learnt some lessons. Even how we manage our party affairs shows that we have learnt some lessons. Was that how PDP was run before? No! Even by our ward, local government, state congresses, we have given people ample facts. Our ways of running party affairs have changed. We have learnt from our mistakes. PT: At your last convention, the two living former presidents produced by your party were absent. Namadi Sambo, your former VP, was also absent. Tambuwal: First, President Obasanjo left partisan politics a long time ago, sometime in 2014. President Jonathan was reached out to by the Chairman of the Convention Committee alongside the Governor of Bayelsa, and Governor of Oyo State, who was the secretary. They went to him and gave him a run down as the convention unfolded. They briefed him. He took the excuse that he was on his way for an annual AU programme, an international engagement in Kenya. He cannot be at two events at the same time and we all quite understand. For Namadi Sambo, I am not in a position to respond on his behalf and I believe that its a matter of possible inconvenience because a few days before then I was expecting him at the convention but subsequently I realised he was not going to make it to the convention. PT: I asked that question because I am sure you have also heard the speculation that President Jonathan is likely on his way out of your party to the APC. Tambuwal: Rumour says that. Even myself, there was a rumour that I was going back to the APC but it remains a rumour. I have had cause to do an interview with VON Hausa where similar question was asked by the reporter on the possibility of President Jonathan going to the APC. We advise that he should not even contemplate it. Otherwise, how are they going to market him? His situation will be like that of my senior brother, Adams Oshiomhole and Ize-Iyamu. You know that in Edo, during the last governorship election, it was more of what Adams himself had said about his own candidate, Ize-Iyamu, which became campaign issues. People will just exhume what President Buhari, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed and rest of APC stalwarts had said about Jonathan. That, I can guarantee, is what we in PDP will do. So, I advise President Jonathan, if he has any aspiration, he should possibly consider it in the PDP rather than leaving to join the APC. PT: I was thinking you were going to encourage him to go elsewhere since you are known to also have presidential ambition, and the more your competitors go away, the clearer the field for you. Left to me, I feel like some of my colleagues in the APC should come back to the PDP for us to work together to make things happen. I have said it before in this interview that power belongs to God and it is He alone that can give it at every appointed time. I know, as a believer, if it is my destiny to become the president of Nigeria, I will. President Jonathan in PDP will not alter or change Gods plan. That is my conviction. I will rather have him in the PDP because I know that he has value to add. PT: Are you preparing to run for president again? We know that you have tried to run before. Tambuwal: You know that this period, we have been working to reposition the party. Without the party platform together and stabilized, what is ambition? You have to have a platform before you can talk about ambition. Now that we have almost done all the Congresses and conventions, I will come back to you after consulting in a matter of a few weeks, few months. I have tried it before. It (presidential ambition) was in air in 2014. After consultation, I decided not to run. In 2018, after consultations with a number of stakeholders I threw my hat into the race. I will commence my consultation extensively now and make it public after. Ihiala, one of the 21 local government areas in Anambra, is almost on everyones lips as far as the 2021 governorship election in the South-east state is concerned. After Saturdays election, Charles Soludo, the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), was at the threshold of victory, almost, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) suspended the collation of results and announced that election would be held in Ihiala on Tuesday, November 9 as required by law. INEC said it could not conduct an election in Ihiala on Saturday because of a security threat. Mr Soludo won in 18 out of the 20 local government areas where results have been announced. He scored a total of 103,946 votes. His closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won in only one local government area and scored a total of 51,322 votes. The margin between Messrs Soludo and Ozigbo is 52,624 votes but there are 148,407 registered voters in Ihiala, according to INEC. In the eyes of the law, PDP can get enough votes in Ihiala to secure more votes overall than APGA in the governorship election. That is why INEC insisted that the election must be held in Ihiala. If this happens and PDP is also able to secure at least 25 per cent of votes cast in two-thirds of the 21 local government areas, Mr Ozigbo will leapfrog his APGA opponent and win the Anambra governorship election. But in reality, can this happen? Can Mr Ozigbo beat Mr Soludo in Ihiala? Most unlikely, it appears. Considering the history of poor voter turnout in Anambra, it is unlikely to have up to 40,000 voters coming out to vote in the election in Ihiala. Even if PDP puts in its very best and achieves an excellent job in mobilising voters, it is improbable that all the voters will vote for one party. Added to that is that Ihiala is an APGA stronghold, judging from the results of the three previous governorship elections. In the 2010 election which APGA candidate, Peter Obi won, the party scored 5,996 votes in Ihiala, while PDP had 4,945 votes. In 2013, another APGA candidate, Willie Obiano, the current governor of Anambra, scored 10,274 votes in Ihiala, against PDPs 5,520 votes. Mr Obiano won re-election in 2017. In that election, APGA scored 14,379 votes against PDPs 4,706 votes. Soludo waiting to be declared winner Having performed poorly during Saturdays election, APC appears to have given up. And there is no likelihood of the party joining forces with PDP in todays election in Ihiala since both parties traditionally do not work together. PDP is going to put up a strong fight in Ihiala, but it is unlikely for them to beat APGA in the area. Mr Soludo is just waiting to be declared the winner, obviously. Voting in Ihiala ends by 4 p.m., according to INEC. Nigerians should definitely know who is the next governor of Anambra later today. The Lagos state commissioner for information, Gbenga Omotoso, has given reasons the media were barred from the panel of inquiry set up to investigate the cause of the collapse of the 21-storey building in the Ikoyi area of the state. The building, situated in the upscale neighbourhood of Ikoyi, was under construction when it crumbled on Monday burying at least 40 people. Many people trapped under the rubble have either been rescued or had their bodies recovered and deposited at the Yaba Mainland Hospital. While giving updates to journalists at the site on Friday, Mr Omotosho said the panel has been made private to allow the members to concentrate fully on their assignments. He described the panel of inquiry as a very serious session, adding that they can summon anybody for questioning. It is a very serious session that they are having. And you can see that where they are sitting is not a very big hall, he said. There are so many things that they may want to take in camera, so that people would not come there and begin to disturb them, they need full concentration. And you know when media people are there, it is like a crowd And they have just started the inquiry, so the panel has the duty to say how it wants to conduct its business, the commissioner said. The government has given them the powers to do whatever they like, to summon anybody, if you want to go and say what you have seen, you are free to go there, it is not a secret place, no. The panel The Lagos governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday inaugurated the fact-finding panel at the headquarters of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) at Falomo where members of the panel would be sitting. The governor also signed an executive bill to give legal backing to the panel during their period of sitting. The panel will be chaired by Toyin Ayinde, the president of the National Institute of Town Planners. Other members of the panel are Akintilo Idris; Yinka Ogundairo, an architect; Godfrey Godfrey, a builder; Bunmi Ibraheem, and Ekundayo Onajobi, the secretary of the panel. Mr Sanwo-Olu urged the panel to be professional and factual in their findings, in order to give closure to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident. So far, 44 bodies have been recovered from the debris while 15 people have been rescued. On Monday, help desks set up by the state government to take the details of those still missing families trapped in the debris were no longer present. This newspaper also observed that the debris had been evacuated almost to the ground level. The Police have arrested two men, Adamu Mohammad and Bukar Audu, for allegedly cutting off each others wrists during a fight at Garin Alkali community, Dapchi Local Government Area of Yobe State. This is contained in a statement by the spokesperson of the police in the state, Dungus Abdulkarim, on Monday in Damaturu. Mr Abdulkarim said the suspects, both aged 25, were believed to be members of criminal gangs in the area. The suspects were arrested after information reached the police at about 20:30 p.m. today, that they fought each other with cutlass and sticks, which turned out to be bloody. As a result, both suspects palms of the wrist of the left hands were chopped off. The reason for the fight is yet to be known because both suspects are unconscious and admitted at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Nguru for medical treatment, he said. The police spokesperson said investigation was ongoing on the incident, adding that the police had adopted proactive measures to rid the area of miscreants. (NAN) The House of Representatives Committee on Navy has approved the N148 billion proposed for the Force in the 2022 budget, without scrutiny. The Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo, a Vice Admiral, had appeared before the committee on Monday to defend the budget of the Navy. Following his presentation, the Chairman of the Committee, Yusuf Gagdi (APC, Plateau) unilateral adopted the presentation without allowing the members of the committee to ask questions. Contrary to the normal practice, where members ask questions on the performance of the current budget and the proposed estimates, Mr Gagdi did not allow questions. At the risk of political misinterpretation, the committee knows what you are talking about because we have gone round the country to see the challenges you have done well. Any agency that has not done well, we would not be scared to say it, even if you go out there and give a different picture of what we are saying. It is the resolve of this committee to accept what you have proposed and equally make a case for you to ensure sufficient funding for the Nigerian Navy. Earlier, Mr Gagdi had said in the opening speech that several projects of the Navy are being constructed at a slow pace. Despite this, the committee did not check the budget of the Force. While presenting the budget, Mr Gambo said the Navy is facing several challenges including inadequate jetties, inadequate arms and ammunition and obsolete logistics support facilities and shortage of barracks. He noted that the Navy had proposed N220 billion for capital projects but the ministry of finance, budget and national planning slashed the budget to N25.8 billion. While N108.1 billion and N14.5 billion were proposed for personnel and overhead cost respectively. The Nigerian Navy is not the only member of the armed forces to have complained about allocation. The Nigerian Army had also complained of the slashing of its budget. Also, the navy is projecting internally generated revenue of N232.9 million in the coming year. Following the approval, the committee adjourned sine die. Bitrus Zulfa says he remains the Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council of Plateau State in spite of a court judgment obtained by Joshua Laven laying claim to the seat. Mr Zulfa was elected at the October 9 local government elections conducted by the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC) and was sworn in alongside other council chairmen by Governor Simon Lalong. However, Mr Laven went to court and challenged PLASIEC, the Plateau government and two other defendants for conducting election into the office of the chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council when his tenure had not lapsed. Mr Laven won the chairmanship of the local government in 2018 but was not inaugurated. He challenged his non-inauguration in court in 2019 and won the case and was subsequently sworn in on October 9, 2019 for a-three-year tenure to lapse on October 9, 2022. The judge, Ishaku Kunda, in a declarative judgment, said that there was no local government election in Langtang North Local Government on October 9 in the eyes of the law. He said the seat of the Langtang Local Government Council Chairman was not vacant at the time the election was conducted on October 9. Addressing journalists in Jos on Tuesday, Mr Zulfa said the judgment obtained by Mr Laven had nothing to do with him or with the Langtang North Local Government Council; therefore, he remained the chairman. I must state in unambiguous terms that neither I nor Langtang North Local Government Council is a party to the suit and the judgment obtained by Laven. I am very much aware that Laven does not know, but I will take the pain to explain to him in a language he can understand that judgments cannot be executed against non-parties. The law in this regard has not changed; that judgments cannot be enforced against persons who are not parties to a suit. Had he wanted to execute the judgment against me or against Langtang North Local Government Council, he would have sued me and Langtang North Local Government Council as parties to his suit, but he didnt. To my mind, this is an elementary principle of common sense that needs no interpretation by any lawyer. Consequently, my position as Executive Chairman of Langtang North Local Government Council is not affected in any way, he said. According to him, the judgment obtained by Mr Laven has already been appealed against and the notice and grounds of appeal adequately served on him. Mr Zulfa, a lawyer, said once there was an appeal against a judgment; parties were expected not to tamper with the status quo in order not to render the judgment of the Appellate Court nugatory. In this regard, the legal procedure is for Laven to be patient to allow all the legal processes to be exhausted. Upon obtaining judgment from the court, it is not for the party who has obtained judgment to enforce the same as did Laven. It is for the courts Sheriffs, in the company of law enforcement agents, to enforce same against persons who are party to the said judgment. The resort to self-help by Laven and his supporters by destroying part of the main gate leading to Langtang North Local Government Council secretariat is an act of criminality, he stressed. Mr Zulfa added that the sealing of the local government secretariat by the police was just for peace and security of the local governments properties. Reacting to Mr Zulfas claim, Mr Laven told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that there was no vacancy in the chairmanship seat of Langtang North Local Government Council when the former contested the election. I remain the authentic chairman of the council, he stressed. He also refuted Mr Zulfas claim that he forcefully invaded the council secretariat with thugs, saying that it was Mr Zulfa that went with thugs to occupy an office that was not vacant. Mr Laven thanked the Commissioner of Police in Plateau, Bathlomew Onyeka, for sealing the secretariat to avoid a breakdown of law and order. (NAN) The Kaduna State Government has appointed chiefs for Chikun, Fadan Ayu and Kudaru Chiefdoms, signifying the first set of appointments since the new Traditional Institution Law was passed in the state. This was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Media and Communications, Muyiwa Adekeye, on Tuesday in Kaduna. The new law specifies rotation amongst ruling houses as the succession pattern, except where there is a sole ruling house. According to the statement, Ishaku Yari has been appointed as Esu Chikun, while Ibrahim Halidu is the Chief of Fadan Ayu and Yakubu Sauri is now Chief of Kudaru. It pointed out that the appointments follow the vacancies created by the demise of their Highnesses Danjuma Barde (Esu Chikun), Yahaya Mamuda (Chief of Fadan Ayu) and Ishaku Sabo Damina (Chief of Kudaru). It added that Governor Nasir El-Rufai congratulated the new chiefs on their appointments and wished them peaceful and successful reigns. The Ministry of Local Government Affairs will communicate the dates for the formal installations of the new traditional rulers, the statement added. (NAN) The Senate has charged the Inspector-General of Police IGP), Usman Alkali, to investigate the circumstances leading to the disappearance of Tordue Salem, an Abuja-based journalist. This followed the adoption of a point of order by Orker-Jev Emmanuel Yisa (Benue- North), during Tuesdays plenary in Abuja. Citing order 42 and 52 of the Senate Rules, Mr Yisa noted that Mr Salem, before his disappearance, was a journalist with the Vanguard newspaper covering the House of Representatives. On October 13 between 8-9pm, Salem went missing and all phone contact with him ceased, he said. He said that efforts by his family, friends and colleagues to trace his whereabouts proved abortive. He, however, expressed optimism that the intervention of the Senate might persuade the police to get to the root of the matter. Also, the House of Representatives has urged all security agencies in the country to investigate and find Mr Salem. The resolution was a sequel to a unanimous adoption of an Urgent Motion of Public Importance raised by Ndudi Elumelu (PDP-Delta) at the plenary on Tuesday. Earlier, Mr Elumelu had mentioned that Mr Tordue reported for work on the fateful day and was last seen in Garki District before his sudden disappearance. The lawmaker said his disappearance was immediately reported to the security agencies after all efforts by family and friends to find him proved abortive. In spite of official efforts by the leadership of the house to galvanise the security agencies to resolve his disappearance, there has been no headway. This sudden disappearance is an extension of the deteriorating insecurity in the nations capital and again questions the efficiency of the security operatives. If necessary measures are not put in place to curtail the indiscriminate disappearances of innocent Nigerians living in Abuja, the FCT would soon become a breeding ground for kidnapers and bandits, hence the need for urgent investigation, he said. The lawmaker said that he was moved by emotions to sponsor the motion when the daughter of the missing journalist cried out on his birthday when she could not call her dad as usual. The House resolved and mandated committees on National Intelligence, Police and Interior Ministry, to interface with the service chiefs so as to find the missing journalist. In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila, mandated the committee to interface with the service chiefs and report back to the house within two weeks for legislative further actions. Mr Salem, who reports the House of Representatives for Vanguard newspaper, has been missing since October 13. Mr Gbajabiamila, had on November 1, asked the security agencies to ensure the safe return of the missing journalist. The Clerk to the National Assembly, Ojo Amos, also expressed sadness over the disappearance of Mr Salem, saying I am deeply pained that this unfortunate reality is confronting all of us today. The Abuja chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists recently held a peaceful protest aimed at ensuring the return of the journalist. (NAN) On Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador Mary Beth Leonard joined Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State and the states Chief Judge, Mosunmola Dipeolu, for the launch of an electronic court scheduling and case management system for the state judiciary. Delivering remarks at a ceremony to launch the electronic system in Abeokuta, Ms Leonard noted that the U.S. government-supported initiative will shorten court delays and case backlogs and deliver justice more efficiently for the citizens of Nigeria. The new case management system was developed as a solution to promote efficiency in the allocation of time and resources to court cases. We have high hopes that the electronic court scheduling and case management system will help speed up the pace of criminal justice in Ogun State, the ambassador said at the ceremony attended by senior judicial officers, state legislators, law enforcement officers, civil society representatives and members of the Nigeria Bar Association. Ms Leonard highlighted the positive trajectory of law enforcement cooperation between the U.S. Mission and the Ogun State government that includes support for the establishment of the Corrections Information Management System and the Court Attendance Endorsement Form. The Corrections Information Management System is deployed by the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Correctional Services to record and monitor the length of time pre-trial suspects are kept in custody. Similarly, the Court Attendance Endorsement Form enables the correctional facilities and courts in Ogun State to track court attendance and case hearings for persons in custody. The introduction of Corrections Information Management System and the Court Attendance Endorsement Form serve the key goals to decongest prisons, provide the necessary infrastructure to speed up the pace of criminal adjudication, and to ensure the creation of data that will document any delays, Ms Leonard added. Governor Abiodun lauded the U.S. government for the partnership that culminated in the introduction of the electronic court scheduling and case management system for the state judiciary describing it as a trailblazing effort in the administration of justice in the state. Chief Judge Dipeolu urged judges, magistrates and other judicial officers in the state to embrace the new electronic system. Digitization will aid quick dispensation of justice and make our job as judges easier with the ripple effect of attracting investors to the state, the judge added. Through the support of the U.S. Missions Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), the Ogun State Government initiated a collaboration with a local law firm, Olaniwun Ajayi Legal Practitioners, to develop a manual detailing this new system. Following the U.S. Missions initial support, Olaniwun Ajayi Legal Practitioners and Ogun State authorities expanded on the project and digitised the process into a multi-user electronic system. INL works with partner governments to help reduce crime, promote public safety, and to ensure that people have access to a functioning justice system that is fair, transparent, and accountable. A Lagos-based health care centre Vedic Lifecare Hospital, which was recently shut down by the government for engaging the services of expatriate medical practitioners who were not licenced to practice in the country, has apologised to Nigerians and concerned authorities. The hospital, in a statement issued on Monday and signed by its head of operations, Tosan Omoghomi, blamed the inability of the concerned three expatriate doctors to receive their certificate of registration from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to reasons beyond its control. It, however, said the affected doctors have between 20 and 30 years of experience as duly qualified medical practitioners and that between October 29 when the hospital was sealed and Monday, the certificates of the three doctors have been duly granted by the MDCN. The statement added that having fully complied with the countrys regulations, efforts are in top gear to be reopened for operation very soon. The statement reads in part: Vedic Lifecare Hospital is committed to the highest standards of professionalism and ethics and would never jeopardise the health and wellbeing of any of our patients by engaging unqualified personnel. We have a strong relationship with the MDCN, HEFAMAA and the Lagos State Ministry of Health and have worked very closely with them in the past, most recently being during the COVID 19 pandemic where we served as one of the government certified isolation and treatment centres. We have learnt the lessons which the recent developments have offered and have received the admonition of the Ministry of Health and HEFAMAA in good faith. We apologise to the public and assure every Nigerian of our commitment to improved service delivery and healthcare to all our patients. We would never compromise on our values or engage in, consent to or participate in any scheme that compromises the health and safety of our patients regardless of the limitations and circumstance. But in its reaction to the development, the Lagos States Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAAMA), which sealed the hospital, said the situation is still undergoing review. In a response to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry on the matter, HEFAMAAs spokesperson, Uthman Ayokunle, simply wrote, The matter is still under review. Backstory On October 31, HEFAMAA issued a statement that it sealed the hospital for engaging three foreign doctors and a nurse with unverified certificates and without licenses from any professional body. According to the statement, which was equally signed by Mr Ayokunle, some Nigerian health facilities were found to be engaging Foreign-Based Transient Medical Doctors (FBTMD) who the agency accused of sneaking into the country to provide medical care to patients and perform medical procedures within a short period of time before returning to their countries. The chairman of the agency, Yemisi Solanke-Koya, said the concerns are about whether the facilities where the FBTMDs provide medical care are registered with and meet the standards required by HEFAMAA; whether the FBTMDs themselves possess the requisite credentials and experience required to practice the designated specialties they travel to the state for and whether the provisions made for the realm of continuity of care of the patients when the FBTMDs leave the state meet the standard of care. Mrs Solanke-Koya, however, warned that hospitals in the state should desist from using foreigners whose certificates and licenses have not been verified by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN). The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) has berated the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over plans to deduct about $418 million from the Federation Account to pay private contractors and firms allegedly owed by the 36 states and local governments over the Paris Club refund. The governors, who accused the AGF of bias in the manner he is handling the matter, wondered why he, as a public officer, was eager to ensure that public funds are transferred to private individuals and entities even when the alleged debt was being disputed and currently subject of pending litigations. They described his plan as unlawful and contrary to public policy and morality. This was contained in a statement signed by the Forums Head of Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazaque Barkindo, on Monday. Background The NGFs comment was in reaction to a statement by Mr Malamis media aide, Umar Gwandu, who had supported deductions of the states resources amounting to $418 million from the federation account. The amount is allegedly owed the consultants and/or contractors for services rendered during negotiations for the refund. The Paris Club fund has since generated dispute between the three tiers of government. Mr Gwandus statement was also in reaction to interim restraining orders obtained by states. The Federal High Court Abuja on Friday stopped the federal government from deducting $418 million from the accounts of the 36 states government to settle the judgment debts concerning the Paris and London clubs refund. The debts had accrued from court judgments awarding the creditors, who claimed to be consultants and contractors to the states and local governments, various sums of money which currently stand at $418 million. PREMIUM TIMES had reported how President Muhammadu Buhari had ignored the protests by the NGF to approve the refund to creditors. FGs plan unlawful In the statement, the governors faulted Mr Malamis claim that the federal government was right to have deducted the $418million from the accounts of the 36 states to settle the alleged debt. While they faulted some payments already made to some individuals and entities, they argued that the AGF ought to be driven by the need to protect public interest and ensure that public funds are not unjustly transferred to private individuals and interests with doubtful claims. The decision by the AGF to throw his weight behind these consultants, who have been battling desperately to grab $418m from the accounts of states and local governments, raises questions of propriety and the spirit of justice. The undue haste, with which the statement was issued even before the service on the AGF of the court processes and the order dated 5th November, 2021 restraining the Federal Government, seems to suggest that there is a special relationship between the AGF and the consultants over and above Nigerian citizens, the statement said. He noted that the governors have since appealed and are challenging the judgments in various courts. It should be further stated that the Office of the AGF failed to professionally defend the cases leading to those judgments and the courts commented on that unprofessional attitude. While we are constrained not to comment on a subject which is sub-judice, we have a responsibility to the public to respond in some detail to the statement issued by the Office of the AGF in order to put the records straight. It is even more curious that the AGF also recommended payments to some contractors allegedly based on judgments that did not make any monetary award or on claims that were struck out. The AGF may need to explain to Nigerians why these particular judgment debts are given unusual attention and priority and processed with supersonic speed over and above all others; some of which preceded these so-called judgments and have been pending for settlement by the AGF for several years, part of the statement read. The statement further said while it is convenient to say that part of these judgment debts have been paid with the release of USD$86 million and N19 billion in 2016 and $100m in 2018 to the contractors with the concurrence of the NGF, it does not change from the fact that they were payments wrongly made which ought not to have been made even if they were products of consent judgments. False claims The NGF also described as untrue, Mr Malamis claims that he intervened to pay the contractors to avoid execution of the judgments against the federal government resources. That is absolutely not true at all. Assets of the federal government were not at any time threatened. The NGF is not aware that there is any existing mandamus issued by any court in favour of the contractors against the Federal Government. The only application for mandamus by PANIC Alert is pending for hearing at the Federal High Court and parties have since joined issues, it said. The NGF also denied another claim by the AGF that the Forum and LGAs seek to transfer their liability to the FGN. That is not true. There is no liability to transfer in the first place and none exists; neither has the NGF provided any undertaking or indemnity to the FGN to act on its behalf as represented by the AGF. The AGF has consistently stated that this administration is an avid respecter of the rule of law. This is one case in which this commitment should be fully and completely demonstrated. While the NGF urged Mr Malami to remain neutral and protect scarce public resources, it asked him to also advise the contractors to wait until all appeals and litigations in court are concluded. According to the Forum, this is the true test of observing the rule of law. State resources needed for critical development should not under any guise be frittered away as payments for contracts whose veracity and authenticity is still a subject of litigation and disputation, the Forum said. It also described the contractors as impecunious and who cannot restitute the states or LGAs if the appeals or other litigation are determined against them. It also urged appointed gatekeepers to the laws to ensure that the laws are respected and protected. The House of Representatives has adopted the report of the joint conference committee on the Electoral Amendment Bill. The House Committee of the Whole adopted the report laid by Akeem Adeyemi (APC, Oyo) despite protest by the Minority Leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu (PDP, Delta). Mr Adeyemi, who co-chaired the conference committee, had laid the report of the committee at the commencement of plenary on Tuesday. Later, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila called for the consideration of the report. However, Mr Elumelu called for more time for the members of the House to go through the report. He noted that there was no need to rush the consideration of the report. He said the minority party was not aware of the content of the report, since the opposition party staged a walkout during the consideration of the bill in July. Members deserve to have a copy. I deserve to have a copy as the minority leader so that when consideration is being made, I will be able to make my contribution. Mr Gbajabiamila responded that the conference committee report does not require debate, adding that the House was willing to give the minority leader ample opportunity to go through the document. Under normal circumstances, you have a right, but this is a harmonisation committee. The Electoral Act is something we have to do we are running a little late. Nigerians have been asking for this thing since June. We are trying to do it thoroughly and properly, and we have delayed it until now. This House is adjourning till Tuesday because we need about two extra days for the committees to complete their work on the budget. You want us to push it till next week or upper next week? We dont have that time, he said. Not satisfied with the explanation, Mr Elumelu said the bill was erroneously carried. Hence, he called for its consideration to be postponed. We never supported that consideration because it was erroneously carried. We walked out because of it. I do not have a copy to be sure of what was passed. There is no need to rush he noted. Hassan Fulata (APC, Jigawa), the chairman of the Committee on Rules and Business, raised a point of order that the House already ruled on the bill. He said the minority leader should come with a substantive motion if he wants to rescind the decision of the House. Also, the Majority Leader, Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano), argued that the Speaker should not entertain any concerns from the minority leader. This is a House that has procedures. When the presiding officer gives an explanation, as far as I am concerned, the opinion of the Chair is final. Mr Speaker, you should not have allowed anyone to speak after you have spoken. The next thing is to take your position, Mr Dogwa said. Controversy on the bill Back in July, the bill was considered by the House and the Senate under controversial circumstances, particularly section 53(2), which deals with electronic transmission of results. Also, the versions passed by the two chambers had differences hence the need for a conference committee. The Senate subsequently changed its mind on the electronic transmission of results by adopting the position of the House. Buhari to get bill in seven days While briefing journalists, the spokesperson of the House, Ben Kalu (APC, Abia), and Mr Adeyemi disclosed that the bill has now been put in the hands of President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr Kalu said a clean copy of the bill will get to the president within seven days for assent, noting that the House will not pre-empt the president. However, the lawmakers will not rule out veto, if there is a need for that. It is important that Nigerians should know that we are not with the amendment of the Electoral Bill We cannot predict Mr President, and we cannot prophesy. The law is clear on if the need arises for veto of the president. Let us allow the president to look at the bill. If he finds anything we overlooked, he can send it back to us and there is enough time to look into it. The bill was rejected on several occasions by the president in the 8th Assembly. However, the inability to pass the bill could be traced to the acrimonious relationship between the legislature and the executive at the time. Voting has ended in most of the polling units in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra, after several hours of delay due to late arrivals of election officials and voting materials. Even though it was scheduled to commence by 10 a.m., voting did not start in most of the polling units by noon. The voters, however, waited patiently for the process to begin. The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Akachukwu Nwankpo, cast his vote around 2:27 p.m. at Umudiapani Polling Unit 004, Okija 1. Another candidate, Obinna Uzor of the Social Democratic Party, who voted in his ward, Umunnamehi Ward, criticised the electoral process in Ihiala as being too slow. He said the technical hitches with the INECs Bimodal Verification Accreditation System prevented many voters from casting their vote early. Earlier in the morning, around 10:30 a.m., Victor Umeh, a former senator and a chieftain of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), was turned away from the headquarters of Ihiala Local Government Area by some soldiers securing the place, according to a report by The Cable Deployment of voting materials and election officials was done at the council headquarters. Mr Umeh is APGAs agent for the governorship election. The Cable reported that a senior army officer told the former senator that he ought not to be present at the council headquarters since he is APGAs agent at the state level, not at the local level. The 2021 Anambra governorship election did not take place in Ihiala on Saturday because of a security threat, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC suspended the collation of the election results across the state on Monday and announced that the election must be held in Ihiala on Tuesday to fulfil the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act. Charles Soludo, the APGA candidate, won in 18 out of the 20 local government areas where results have been announced so far. He scored a total of 103,946 votes. His closest rival, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party, won in only one local government area and scored a total of 51,322 votes. There are 148,407 registered voters in Ihiala, according to INEC. One of the survivors of the 21-storey building that collapsed last week in the Ikoyi area of Lagos State has appealed to the Lagos State government to foot his medical bills. Jeremiah Samson, who is currently receiving medical treatment at the Falomo Police Hospital, said on Monday that government officials had not come to visit him. Mr Samson and five other survivors were among those who were on-site when the building crumbled. Corroborating Mr Samsons words, a hospital official told this reporter that the patients bill, which is N29,600, has not been paid since he was brought to the hospital. The official called for the intervention of Mr Samsons family and the government regarding the medical bill. She also said that nobody has come to visit the patient since he was hospitalised. But Mr Samson said his aunty who lives in Lagos came briefly to see him. He noted that many of his relatives are not aware that he had traveled to Lagos to look for work. Promises During his visit to some of the rescued victims of the incident, Obafemi Hamzat, the deputy governor, assured that the government would take full responsibility for the treatment and medical bills of rescued victims of the Ikoyi building collapse, a statement signed by the director of public affairs for the health ministry, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, dated November 2, stated. The Deputy Governor visited the hospital in the company of the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Idris Salako and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Abiola Kosegbe. Contacted, the commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, said the bill has not been given to the Lagos state government. He also said that the government is financially capable to bear the cost of the medical bills of survivors. So far, the number of dead bodies recovered from the rubble of the high-rise building which collapsed last week in Ikoyi, Lagos, has reached 44 with 15 survivors. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned a former Minister of Science and Technology, Abdu Bulama, for alleged money laundering to the tune of N450 million. In a statement by EFCCs spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, Mr Bulama was arraigned on Monday on a seven-count charge before the Federal High Court in Damaturu, Yobe State. He was re-arraigned alongside four others including a former Commissioner for Integrated and Rural Development in Yobe State, Mohammed Kadai, Abba Tata, Muhammad Mamu and Hassan Jaks. The commission accused the ex-minister of allegedly collecting N450 million from Diezani Alison-Madueke, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, to influence the outcome of the 2015 presidential election as the coordinator of former President Goodluck Jonathans 2015 re-election campaign committee in Yobe State. Mr Kadai was deputy coordinator, while the other three defendants were members of the committee. The commission said the offence is punishable under Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended. The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them by the EFCC. Court hearing Following their pleas of not guilty, the prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ahmed, asked the court for a trial date and to remand the defendants in the correctional centre pending the determination of the case. The lead counsel for the defendants, E. A. Adenitan, informed the court that bail applications had been filed and served on the court and the prosecution. He, therefore, urged the court to grant bail to the defendants pending trial. EFCCs lawyer, Mr Ahmed, opposed the bail application, urging the court to grant an accelerated hearing pursuant to Section 19 of the EFCC Establishment Act 2004. He, however, said that should the court be willing to grant them bail, the bail conditions, should be such that will guarantee their attendance in court regularly to face trial. Justice Aminu, after listening to both parties, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N50 million each with two sureties in the sum of N25 million each. The sureties may be private businessmen or professionals in any field or profession, the court said. They must also submit to the registrar of the court, their tax clearance certificates for the last two years. All the defendants shall submit their passports, official/diplomatic passports or any international documents that can be used to travel out of the country to the court. Justice Aminu adjourned the matter till January, 18, 19 and 20, 2022 for commencement of trial. He ordered that the defendants be remanded in Potiskum Correctional Facility pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions. Background The defendants were first arraigned on May 29, 2018, before Hammada Isa Dashen of the Federal High Court, Damaturu, Yobe State, on a seven-count charge of criminal conspiracy and money laundering to the tune of N450 million. During the trial before the judge, the prosecution counsel, Mukhtar Ali Ahmed, presented six witnesses and tendered several documents that were admitted in evidence by the court. At the close of the prosecutions case, the defendants opted for a no-case submission and their prayers were granted by Mr Dashen as they were discharged and acquitted. Dissatisfied with the ruling, the EFCC approached the Court of Appeal to have the decision of the lower court set aside. On March 3, the Court of Appeal, in its judgment, upheld the argument of the EFCC that the lower court erred in law by discharging and acquitting the defendants. The appellate court ordered that the case be returned to the Federal High Court and assigned to a judge other than Mr Dashen and be heard afresh. The recent Governorship election in Anambra state, held on Saturday, November 6, 2021 was meant to be a major turning point for Nigeria. Most commentators said the election would be characterized by violence or that it would amount to a blow-out for Nigeria and the entire South-East. Pundits told everyone to be careful. There were permutations about voter turn-out, the preparedness of the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the character of the main gladiators in the contest and their supportive stakeholders, divided as they were and still are, along religious, ethnic, clannish and party lines. A few days to the 2021 Anambra governorship election, indeed, every one prepared more or less for war, and bloodshed. The police deployed over 34, 500 personnel, 45 Commissioners of Police, 48 ACPs, two DIGs, five AIGs, three helicopters. The Civil Defence Corps sent in over 20, 000 men. The Department of State Security deployed its men and women. The Office of the National Security Adviser announced that any non-state actor who made any attempt to test the will of the state will be met with maximum force. Previously, the President of Nigeria and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari, had given clear directives to that effect. All of this is understandable. Anambra in the lead up to the election had proven to be a major security challenge, a hotbed of violence and grief, and a key spot for self-determination agitators, operating under the umbrella of the Indigenous Peoples Organisation of Biafra (IPOB) and the Eastern Security Network (ESN). We were faced with a test of wills, between the state and those non-state actors who were seemingly determined to use the November 6 election to humiliate the government of the day, in a spectacular manner. This was not, to borrow from the rich repertoire of Nigerian English, a laughing matter. I became part of that drama, in spite of myself when the Chairman of Arise News, Nduka Obaigbena decided to team up with the Chairman of Channels TV, John Momoh to do a joint Governorship candidate debate ahead of the election. Meetings were held on both sides and on a certain Wednesday, we were supposed to meet online and do so repeatedly to fine-tune the arrangements. At our end, we held a long meeting which involved policy, management, technical crew and operational persons. Yemi Ajayi, Director, News (Lagos) and I were mandated to meet with the Channels Team later in the day. And we did. Online. It wasnt a very pleasant meeting. The Channels Boys rejected every proposal that we made. They decreed that Anambra was too toxic and unsafe and on no condition would they ever risk anything to go there for a debate. We argued that at Arise, we were determined to go in there to prove that an election was possible and that the security situation could be managed in a way to give confidence to the electorate. We were told to forget it. They gave us the option of a debate to be organised in Lagos or Abuja. Mr. Ajayi and I told them to check with their Chairman. They said they were the Supreme Council of Channels TV, and whatever decision they took was final. I found that curious. Then they made matters more complicated by pointing out that they did not want Reuben Abati as the moderator from Arise TV. They would prefer another co-moderator to join Seun Okinbaloye from Channels TV. I was left with no option but to state categorically that long before many of the persons from the other side joined Channels TV, I used to moderate interviews for Channels TV, and analyse elections for the same station and I have letters of appreciation and commendation to show for this, signed by the same Chairman they say has no say in anything decided by a Supreme Council. It was also useful to point out that I was the first and only mainstream journalist so far, at that time who had moderated a Governorship Manifesto Defence Debate in the Anambra 2021 election. On September 25, Arise TV had in fact organized a Governorship debate in Anambra State in collaboration with the Kwechiri Unity Forum, aired live on Arise TV, Anambra State Television, and Ogene FM. I was the main anchor. As it turned out, the proposed collaboration with Channels TV, which could have been a phenomenal demonstration of partnership, innovation and the pooling of talents from both sides, in a unique show of solidarity within the Nigerian media, did not happen. Arise TV decided to move ahead. And we did. During the last weekend of the month of October, leading up to November 1, Arise News deployed personnel and materials to Awka for a Gubernatorial debate involving three of the leading adjudged candidates in the election, chosen across platforms by experts and pundits: Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Mr Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in that alphabetical order. The debate was held at an undisclosed location, under tight security. Held in conjunction with a Civil Society Group, Enough is Enough (EiE) led by Yemi Adamolekun, the debate was broadcast live simultaneously on Arise TV, Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) and Ogene Radio, 98.3 FM. I was co-moderator of the debate alongside award-winning Arise TV anchor, Ngozi Alaegbu. I understand the debate was successful and memorable, and that is my own modest way of avoiding Agama-lizard-like self-praise. The three candidates provided both information and drama, exquisite television gold moments, and diverse, controversial feedback that set the tone within the days leading to the election. It was a notable demonstration of how the media can help set agenda, act as a catalyst for nation-building and peace-making, and help generate positive momentum in society. Those who said going to Anambra to do a debate would be suicidal missed the point. The debate was delivered without any untoward incident. We went into Anambra, with security arrangements provided by the Nigerian Army. Nobody harassed us. Nobody intimidated us. For us, it was the first sign that the election will be held without tragedy and that enough effort had been put into preventing any calamity. In the weeks leading to the election, there had been killings in Anambra, attacks on jails and communities and tension at a higher degree that raised anxiety levels. Of interest and relevance in this regard is the massive deployment of security personnel, the announcement by the Indigenous Peoples Organisation of Biafra (IPOB) that it had suspended its proposed sit-at-home order originally scheduled for November 5 10 across the entire South East. IPOB not only withdrew the order, it became a mobilizing agent urging Ndi Anambra to turn out en masse to vote on November 6. IPOB had the support of traditional rulers, market women, mothers of Anambra, civil society groups. The Nigeria Police also became an arm of INEC. It placed enlightenment jingles in the media to mobilise voters. On Saturday, November 6, the scheduled election took place in over 5, 000 polling units, 21 Local Government Areas, with 18 candidates in the race, thousands of election monitors and observers, with the international community watching. There were glitches during the election: late deployment of voting materials, malfunctioning of the Bi-modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) a fingerprint and facial recognition device introduced by INEC to replace the Z-pad, lateness of officials in commencing accreditation, electoral malpractices including vote buying (even if in one polling area, Anambra women openly rejected monetary inducement!), disruptions in some registration areas Idemili North, Idemili South, Aguata, Anambra West, conflict between Electoral Officer and Collation Officer in Orumba North, and generally a poor voter turn-out of between 10 and 15 per cent in most of the polling units. The big consolation was that the worst that was expected did not happen. Anambra did not become a killing field. The political parties and the politicians did not engage in bloodshed. Very few incidents of intimidation, violence and ballot snatching were reported. The surprising thing after a fashion is that when everyone writes off Nigeria and there are fears about Nigeria tottering at the edge of the precipice, about to tip over, this country always pulls back. It has happened before now during every election season. It has just happened again in Anambra state. The explanation for this must be an interesting subject for sociological inquiry into political behaviour and power negotiation systems. In Anambra: This is what happened by 12: 20 am on November 8, the Returning Officer for the Anambra State Gubernatorial Election, Professor Florence Obi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar, had announced results in 20 LGAs. The election in Ihiala LGA did not take place in all 20 Registration Areas due to the outbreak of violence in that border area of Anambra State (the border with Imo State), and on that basis alone, the Anambra Gubernatorial election of November 6, 2021 was declared inconclusive. INEC has announced a supplementary election in the affected LGA to take place today, Tuesday, November 9, 2021. It would appear as if the election has been lost and won already but it is important that no local government area is excluded, and that nobody is willfully prevented from exercising his or her franchise. This is the point of the Ihiala Supplementary Election: inclusion, fairness, representation and legitimacy. We do not look forward to any earth-shaking developments in Ihiala LGA today. Still, the security agents must remain vigilant. The political parties and the candidates must keep faith with the peace agreements that they signed ahead of the election: brokered by INEC and also, the National Peace Committee led by General Abdusalami Abubakar. Even with the results from 20 LGAs announced and published by the INEC, which shows the candidate of APGA in a firm leadership position, it would be to the eternal credit of all the candidates involved in the process that they and their supporters gave peace a chance and proved the bookmakers, naysayers and sooth-sayers wrong on Anambra election 2021 till the very last minute. Already, Professor Charles Soludo of APGA, has been reported as winner in 18 LGAs of the state, including Aguata where he and the two other leading candidates hail from and the strongholds of some prominent politicians in the state Anaocha, Orumba South, Idemili and Njikoka. Soludo is unlikely to repeat the 21- over-21-feat of the incumbent Governor Willie Obiano in the 2017 election, but he is comfortably in the lead with over 50, 000 votes. Nnewi North was declared for Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (candidate of the YPP- Young Progressives Party) and Ogbaru for Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Soludo has also won the mandatory two thirds of the votes across the local government areas. Ihiala, the only remaining LGA has a registered voter number of about 148,000. It will be a battle ground, but with voter turn-out estimated between 10 to 15 per cent, even a 100 per cent turn out may not change the existing reality. Soludo seems set to become the next Governor of Anambra State. If and when his victory is affirmed by the INEC, he would be the second former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to emerge as governor of a State. Before him there was, Clement Nyong Isong (1920 2000), governor of the Central Bank (1967 -1975) and governor of Cross River State (1979 1983). Soludo, a First Class Honours graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1984) and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (2004 2009) is a Professor of Economics. He will be a welcome addition to the growing list of Nigerian technocrats who defy the characterization of the political arena as a dirty space that should be left to those who brand themselves as professional politicians, the majority of whom are in actual fact, hustlers, political parasites, national cake hunters and former henchmen and touts who managed to legitimize themselves. The best and the brightest in Nigeria should be the ones to occupy leadership positions, but as we have seen in Mexico, raw intelligence is however, never enough, not even technocratic brilliance is a perfect proposition. For about two decades, technocrats led Mexico substantially: Miguel de la Madrid (1982 -88), Carlos Salinas (1988 1994) and Ernesto Zedillo (1994 2000). China is another country where the technocratic stereotype holds sway. In Nigeria, we see a growing trend in that direction. I consider technocrats a positive presence in democracy and politics, a country should not be run by dinosaurs and speculators, expertise helps, but technocrats in politics must also have a high dose of emotional intelligence to be able to walk the tightrope of patron-client relationships. The technocratic elite in a political position carries a heavier burden: and if it fails, the regret is double-fold. However, without prejudice to the eventual outcome of the Anambra Gubernatorial election 2021, given that the responsibility for making an affirmative announcement is that of the electoral commission, whoever becomes the next governor of Anambra State has his job cut out for him. He must be a bridge-builder and the Governor of everyone. Anambra is sharply divided along clannish and religious lines. This is one state in Nigeria where it means a lot whether you are Catholic or Anglican or Pentecostal, or what part of the state you hail from. The next governor of Anambra State must therefore promote unity and consensus. Security is also a major challenge. Anambra is often projected as the headquarters of the separatist IPOB group, and the hotbed of agitations. Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the head of IPOB, is not even from Anambra. He is from Abia State. But it is the youths of Anambra who are carrying Biafra on their heads like the load of Sisyphus. And you may well argue that Anambra is the spiritual source of the idea of Biafra. The next Governor cannot ignore the security implications. Roads. Infrastructure. Direct investment, local and foreign. Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). Debt burden. Economic promotion: gas, rice, innovation. He must hit the ground running. INEC has been put through the test in Anambra with electronic transmission of results and BVAS. It has lessons to learn. The security agencies have done well so far in managing the Anambra situation. They must not mess up as INEC conducts the supplementary elections today. The Anambra process should be a wake-up call for the South East leadership elite. Reuben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson, writes from Lagos. Yes, Maina is going into prison and forfeiting money to the government but the country has lost so much! Any society that does not have minimal justice is liable to fall apart morally and physically. Any society that is subverted by vested interests, always loses basic respect and trust. At the heart of good and ethical politics and policies is justice. Justice is essential for a nation state to thrive. He got eight years! Just eight years! In Nigeria, steal a goat and get 30 years in jail or steal billions from pensioners and get a tap of the wrist. What a country! Justice Abang said the maximum sentence for a pen thief is 14 years. He sentenced Maina to eight years because he was moved by the plea of the accused for leniency. What about pensioners who died waiting for the money they worked for, which Maina stole? Is there any curse more infectious on a country than that of a man who begged for his entitlement, after serving his country diligently in his youth, before dying in penury, while waiting for what was due to him? In 2013, Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu was sentenced to two years in prison, with the option of paying a N750,000 fine, for stealing N23 billion from the Nigeria Police Pension Fund. During the proceedings, he even grew irritated and said: I only stole N23 billion. Government has already seized my 32 property! Like Yakubu Yusufu before him, pension thief, former chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), Abdulrasheed Maina, was convicted and sentenced to sixty-one years in prison by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja, for money laundering. His sentence will run concurrently. He will serve only eight years, which will count since October 25, 2019. If his sentence is not overturned on appeal, he will be out in no time. In delivering his judgment, Justice Abang rebuked Maina, saying: An abnormal situation requires drastic actions to send a message to those that believe in dishonesty to have a rethink; turn a new leaf. Dishonesty is an endemic disease in this country, that requires urgent treatment if we are to make any headway in this country The facts of this case are sordid, immoral, and morbidthe facts portray the moral decadence in Nigeria. His judgment also highlighted the role of banks in the heist: UBA and Fidelity Bank Plc should have been arraigned with the convict for illegal transactionstheir licences ought to have been withdrawn. The banks benefitted from the proceeds of illegal transactions. UBA and Fidelity Bank provided the channels with which the convict (Mr Maina) used in defrauding the federal government. It is very interesting that Justice Abang focused on dishonesty in his judgment. Was what Maina did more of dishonesty or outright stealing and unlawful conversion of property? I dont know what informed the use of that adjective but it does not fit Maina. Maina is a thief. He is only dishonest because all thieves are dishonest. He should be called what he is a thief. He stole. The evidence are stark. Taking N2 billion from pensioners is more than dishonesty. It is a heist, an embezzlement and outright conversion. The dishonesty in Mainas issue is more of political dishonesty on the part of Nigeria political gladiators, who knew where Maina was hiding in plain sight but still gave him cover. The adjective dishonesty should be for those who recalled fugitive Maina to the civil service and named him as acting director of Human Resources, in the Ministry of Interior. Only eight years! Giving the pension thief a lighter sentence because he pled for leniency is an affront to the memory of those who died waiting for their pensions. Justice Abangs strong words of rebuke feels like a smokescreen for the lighter sentence. What this judgement shows is that our justice system is still rosy with thieves and undisturbed by its own history of indelicacies. Dishonesty is not telling the truth, and telling the truth is one of the hardest things to do for politicians. Apart from defence lawyers, politicians have the worst reputation for honesty. Due to the lack of probity, Nigeria has become such a fertile, breeding ground for dishonesty. What dishonesty in governance does is that it gives citizens the wrong impression of leadership, resulting in the public distrust of government. That 2017 appointment was a black eye to Buharis administration. His subsequent sack was an afterthought. It was done to stem the ensuing political embarrassment. Shamefully, the actors passed the buck to protect their own political hides, without examining the damage they did to the institutions they represent. Only eight years?! Giving the pension thief a lighter sentence because he pled for leniency is an affront to the memory of those who died waiting for their pensions. Justice Abangs strong words of rebuke feels like a smokescreen for the lighter sentence. What this judgement shows is that our justice system is still rosy with thieves and undisturbed by its own history of indelicacies. Stealing is a crime of opportunity. Many people will steal, given the opportunity, especially in a country where there are no consequences for bad actions. We will all be better off if the justice system sends an unmistakable signal via tough sentencing, that stealing millions and billions is a base and vile act. From the evidence presented and his prodigal lifestyle, Maina had the intent to steal as an element. That element is intentional and a reckless infliction of harm on persons. Thieves like Maina are the reasons behind deprivation, want, dispossession, poverty and disease in this wonderful land of opportunity and resilience. It is about time we begin to discourage them, instead of giving them lighter sentences. The lack of good roads, epileptic electricity, bad and ill-equipped hospitals, a comatose education system, and decaying military can be traced to the stealing and conversion of monies meant for infrastructure, development, occurring in tandem with incompetence and cronyism. Oil and water do not mix, so do politics and justice. Many people, including lawyers and jurists, believe that politics is an enemy of justice. This is because politics is never neutral but justice must be neutral, black and white, and apolitical. Despite the seeming contradictions, democracy is sustained by the rule of law. Justice is not perfect, and the judiciary can never be fully independent. Yes, Maina is going into prison and forfeiting money to the government but the country has lost so much! Any society that does not have minimal justice is liable to fall apart morally and physically. Any society that is subverted by vested interests, always loses basic respect and trust. At the heart of good and ethical politics and policies is justice. Justice is essential for a nation state to thrive. The existence of the rule of law and its universal application within the nation state, is very important to its development. A nation can only develop and aspire to greatness when there is the rule of law and it is upheld as a cardinal virtue. The rule of law is what makes a state different from communities. A state is created from communities on the basis of force and the law. Derived from this is equal access to state resources and information, whereby people of equal capabilities have equal chances, without unfair advantage accruing to anyone; equitable distribution of public goods and services; impartial application of rules to everyone; a sense of proportion between the gravity of crimes and their punishment; and compliance with laws. Oil and water do not mix, so do politics and justice. Many people, including lawyers and jurists, believe that politics is an enemy of justice. This is because politics is never neutral but justice must be neutral, black and white, and apolitical. Despite the seeming contradictions, democracy is sustained by the rule of law. Justice is not perfect, and the judiciary can never be fully independent. If the right, the just, the good and the useful are drivers of politics, justice should prove itself inclusive. The Nigerian judiciary must do a lot of self-cleansing to save the country and restore hope. Justice is the cement that binds a society together. If Nigerians feel the rule of law applies equally to all, regardless of ethnic, religious or socio-economic status, they will invest their trust in political power and authority. Political power must not tolerate nor promote arbitrariness, impunity, oppression, cruelty, or excessive privilege. It must focus on mitigating injustice and fostering individual freedom. A country inching towards greatness can tolerate some failures or judicial errors; no greatness can be achieved without blind justice. For Nigeria to develop true and sure footing, the judicial arm must self-regulate and embrace strong ethics. For us to live together in peace, we must become a nation where actions have consequences. When law breakers face the law, we the people expect the system to be fair, impartial and mete proportionate punishment. Anything less is injustice. Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, an advocate, strategist and political analyst writes this weekly column, Bamidele Upfront for PREMIUM TIMES. Twitter: @BamideleUpfront; Facebook: facebook.com/Bamidele. BAO For most part, an unusual problem requires an unusual solution. Irrespective of what everyone else might say, the man who wears the uncomfortable shoes is in the best position to know where it pinches. The shoes pinches on the legs of Nigerians, their moaning and groaning is loud. This needs to be actioned urgently. Every nation has its own peculiar problems and people. Nigeria is no exception, the problems of the nation are multifarious, complex, complicated but some are self-inflicted. There is one ongoing problem that has been recurring and seemingly unattended. Maybe I exaggerate if I say unattended, but that is exactly how it feels. Nigeria seems to have a big problem with shoes. The country does not seem to know which shoes fit her feet. Let us look at a few metaphors here. First metaphor: Nigeria once had a President who went to school shoeless. Listen to former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 during the presidential primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Eagle Square in Abuja. I was not born rich, and in my youth, I never imagined that I would be where I am today, but not once did I ever give up. Not once did I imagine that a child from Otuoke, a small village in the Niger Delta, would one day rise to the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I was raised by my mother and father with just enough money to meet our daily needs. In my early days in school, I had no shoes, no school bags. I carried my books in my hands but never despaired; no car to take me to school but I never despaired. There were days I had only one meal but I never despaired. I walked miles and crossed rivers to school every day but I never despaired. Didnt have power, didnt have generators, studied with lanterns but I never despaired. In spite of these, I finished secondary school, attended the University of Port Harcourt, and now hold a doctorate degree. Fellow Nigerians, if I could make it, you too can make it Second metaphor: Shoes off can be a solution, the Japanese have used it for centuries. A jolly good lady developed a foot problem, and her doctor told her she would have to wear wide, flat shoes. Soon after, she was dressing to attend an important cocktail party, on the invitation of some top Japanese bigshot. She studied her reflection in the full length mirror and the flat shoes seemed to kill the powerful effect of her new dress. She decided immediately to use a pair of her old high heels and this looked brilliant on her legs matching the new dress. As she continued her journey to the destination she nearly twisted her ankle following pains from the shoes. She continued, shoulders straight, face up and a gracious smile, grudgingly. When she arrived at the Japanese hosts penthouse, a maid answered the door and politely asked everyone to remove their shoes. Problem solved! The name Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike (aka Evans) is a well known name in Nigeria. Trust me, he is even recognised by Wikipedia with a dedicated page. Nigerians have labelled him The Billionaire Kidnapper. He was notorious for a flurry of kidnappings across three states (Lagos, Edo and Anambra). His arrest was the anti-climax of a number of notorious kidnappings ravaging those states unchecked since the Police seems either oblivious of it or probably did not consider it a serious crime. Well, it was not a crime against humanity, was it? The last I read regarding this high profile case was the appearance in court of Evans in August 2021. Evans had changed lawyers up to five times since his trial resumed in 2017. He is next appearing before Justice Oshodi on October 16, 2021. It has taken five years so far yet the case is not nearing completion, and do remember he has a right of appeal so we may be looking at another decade before completion of the case. The arrest of Evans was a great opportunity for Nigeria to say no in the strongest term to kidnapping in her space. The drag on the case and possibility he may end up freed as witnesses are becoming more difficult to produce is a great incentive to wannabe kidnappers and their aspiring bandit brothers. The failure to speedily try Evans and get a conviction is the dawn of the proliferation of kidnapping in Nigeria. In 2015 and 2016 when Evans was engaging in his series on kidnappings in southern Nigeria, kidnapping and banditry was almost non-existent in northern Nigeria. While he lived large in prison and remained not convicted for these years despite the initial guilty plea (which he changed) there seemed to be no return from the albatross for a country already drowning in insecurity. With an abundance of unemployment, poverty and greed combining to create the Nigeria dragon of bandits the country was set on a dangerous slope downhill. With unabating corruption in top government circles and the flaunting of illegally acquired wealth, there was enough wealth to show off and kidnappers were not to be outplayed in this game. They have been audaciously bold, demanding hundreds of millions in ransom stone-faced even from the government and other victims. There have been numerous escapades of banditry in the North West, kidnappings in the South East, South West and South-South over the last 5 years, enough to fill an entire book. Let us just admit this is throughout the country in various proportions. Perhaps a final nail on the coffin is the recent invasion of the accommodation of staff of the University of Abuja. It was both shocking and sad. When citizens are woken up by armed kidnappers at past midnight in their own homes, then the society is back to where I started this piece an unusual problem requires an unusual solution. Banditry and kidnapping are the bad shoes on Nigerias feet. She has been wearing these for far too long. These were initially pinching but for a while are now killing. How does one allow their shoes to kill them? The problem of banditry and kidnapping is a national calamity and embarrassment that requires concerted effort by all, a cooperation by all and a national rather than state or regional solution. The kidnappers have tested the waters and been successful enough to make the point of kidnapping several government appointees, a former senator, state commissioners, academics, traditional rulers, religious leaders, retired generals among others. If you are still not following me, these kidnappers are easily driving home the point that they are now in charge and now unstoppable. They may soon begin to walk into offices to kidnap permanent secretaries, CEOs and EDs, principals/teachers in schools, and judicial officers in courts. They might then move on to medical centres kidnapping doctors and other key medical staff. Is it implausible that they may appear at a state house of assembly and cart away the entire legislators in a state? Does the Presidency consider this a serious enough problem? What exactly would it take for the National Assembly to legislate on this matter? What would it take for the ministers of interior, information and the Inspector General of police to make pronouncements on this matter? A new legislation, even if temporary, with a 4-5 year lifespan and regular review forthwith with stricter nationwide punishment for kidnapping is urgently required. This means there has to be a by-in of the judiciary as this legislation is urgently debated. The commitment of the judiciary to enable accelerated hearing of kidnap cases is urgently required. A dedicated special squad reporting to the IG of Police on kidnapping is urgent. Global good practices is a great ideal but sometimes it will not work given some level of development and local peculiarities. It is time for Nigerians to be selfless, putting up a united front to fight this scourge in her society. Nigeria, like former President Jonathan and the Japanese in their homes would be better off shoeless, by removing the banditry and kidnapping adorned as shoes presently. The shoe Nigeria needs at this time is the shoe that fits, one that is convenient, comfortable and affordable. It does not have to be a designers but the country can afford not to be shoeless. Nigeria is presently walking around in shoes that are embarrassing and this has to stop immediately. It is a national emergency. Gbolahan Gbadamosi can be reached through gbola.gbadamosi@gmail.com Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has accused a former governor of the state and serving senator, Danjuma Goje, of causing mayhem in the state. The governor stated this on Tuesday while fielding questions from journalists after his visit to the president. Mr Yahayas comment comes a few days after his loyalists and those of the senator clashed which led to the death of five persons. The senator had since accused the governor of being behind the attack while the state chapter of the APC urged the senator to apologise or risk being suspended from the party. Situation now normal Addressing the journalists, Mr Yahaya said the security situation in the state is now back to normal, following the incident. He said the people of the state had resisted the antics of the senator whom before now was his ally. The security situation in my state is calm now and people are going about their normal activities. The issue we had before now was caused by a former governor of the State, Danjuma Goje, a serving senator, who you all know. He tried causing mayhem, and the people resisted that but as a result of the skirmish that ensued, lives were lost and some peoples properties were destroyed. That is what we as a government are kicking against. Everybody knows he was the one that brought the killer thugs known as Kalare in Gombe but as the governor of the state, I will not tolerate Kalare and whoever is involved in Kalare activities, no matter how highly placed, we will stop him and we will end Kalare by the grace of God, he said. On Mr Gojes accusation that some officials of Gombe State Government are threatening his life, a matter he had since reported to the Inspector General of Police, the governor said investigation will reveal the truth. The authorities concerned will find out the truth since he has reported so that the matter would be investigated. Lets wait for the outcome of the investigation but whoever knows the history of Gombe knows who Goje is and they know who Inuwa (the current governor) is. People know the difference between us, he said. If someone is in his right senses and can carefully listen to the people, he will do the right thing. What he wants to do now is to continue with his old way of doing things while I and my government will not tolerate that at all and that is what led to the current problem. He is an elder; he should be the one cautioning anyone trying to ferment trouble not instigating it because of his selfish reasons. I will try my best because he is insisting on having his way and I am doing the same but there is God who knows everything and the society itself can judge but God is with the one who says the truth and does the right thing. When asked whether their fight had to do with his re-election bid in 2023, the governor said only God knows if both he and Goje would be alive in 2023. Well, what you need to know is that only God knows tomorrow. Both I and Goje dont know if we will see the year 2023. My major aim is to stand firm and fulfil the pledges I made to the people in line with my oath of office as well as bring about development in our state, with peace and tranquillity prevailing because without peace, there wouldnt be development, he said. READ ALSO: Mr Yahaya debunked claims by Mr Goje that he has hijacked the governing party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Gombe State. Well, the party has its principles and thats what obtains in every party and that of Gombe cannot be different. As a party, during our convention, we agreed to use consensus and Goje himself told the party members that he trusts me; that I will do the right thing peacefully and I have been doing my best for our party but for him to later call me aside and say we should only do what he says. That is what I will not do and will not tolerate, he said. The governor, who thanked security agents in Gombe for working so hard to sustain peace in all parts of the state, also said security is being fortified within and around all schools in the state to avoid any unpleasant situation. The Kano state Executive Council has given approval for the completion of the multi-million naira Janguza-Durum-Kabo-Karaye road projects, which were abandoned since 2010, the state Commissioner for Information Mr Muhammed Garba, said on Monday. In a statement in Kano, Mr Garba said that the approval was granted at a meeting of the council. It said that the contract, initially awarded by the Ibrahim Shekarau administration at the cost of N3, 424, 010, 877.00 billion, was reviewed to N7, 020, 139, 700.55 billion, based on the scope of work. Mr Garba further explained that the council, however, had rejected a proposed downward review of the project cost, by over N2 billion, to allow for the execution of a quality job, taking cognisance of the high prices of construction materials. The commissioner pointed out that the project would be jointly financed by the state government and benefitting local government councils of Kabo, Karaye and Rimin Gado, on a 50-50 basis contribution, respectively. The statement also announced the councils ratification of approval for the award of contract for the construction of Ganduje-Landigel-Jalli Road at the cost of N863, 148, 176.40 million. Another approval, he said, included the sum of N89, 952, 927.65 million for the provision of facial recognition systems at both the domestic and international wings of the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport as part of efforts to strengthen its security. The commissioner revealed that the council had also approved the award of contract for the provision of flood control measures at Bichi Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force at the sum of N42, 643, 899.58 million. (NAN) The Kaduna State Police Command has confirmed the killing of Retired AVM Muhammad Maisaka, by unknown gunmen, at his residence in Ragasi, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna. The Commands Public Relations Officer, Muhammad Jalige, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, in Kaduna. Mr Jalige, who said the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, also saw his gateman sustaining an injury from the attack. He said when the information was received, the Commissioner of Police, Mudassiru Abdullah, directed the Divisional Police Officer and the Area Commander to the scene. The corpse has been evacuated to the hospital and the gateman has also been rushed to the hospital for treatment, he said, while revealing that details of the incident would be made available soon. Mr Jalige appealed to Kaduna residents to come forward with valuable and timely information that could lead to the arrest of the culprits. (NAN) A lawmaker in Akwa Ibom State has narrated how he escaped from gunmen whom he said attempted to abduct him. Usoroh Akpanusoh, the member representing Esit Eket/Ibeno State Constituency in Akwa Ibom House of Assembly, said the suspected kidnappers dragged his driver out of the car before they came after him. He said two people were killed during the incident which happened on November 4. Mr Akpanusoh, who is from Uquo, a riverine community in Akwa Ibom, narrated the incident to reporters in Uyo on Saturday. I was at a traditional marriage for about 40 minutes, then I decided to leave. While entering my car, I noticed that there was a Nissan Sony car blocking my car from going out. Immediately, I saw a young man with an AK-47 who was shooting in the air. I thought he was a police officer because he dressed like a policeman. At the same time, I was conscious of the fact that there was no police presence when I came in. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a group of young men who are kidnappers, and I may like to even say that it was an attempted assassination on my life. At a point, they dragged my driver out of the car and turned to my side, opened the door and tried to force me out of the car but I resisted and the community people also came upon them, he said. The lawmaker said he escaped from the men after some struggling. When the community saw that there was a dead body on the ground, everybody started to run for their lives. So we struggled and struggled, as God would have it, I was able to escape from the hands of the kidnappers. Mr Akpanusoh said after he left the community, he was told that the suspected kidnappers killed one person on the spot while another that was shot later died in the hospital. Mr Akpanusoh said he has reported the incident to the state commissioner of police, and that the incident must have been politically motivated. PREMIUM TIMES contacted a youth from the area, Emem James, who corroborated what the lawmaker said. Mr James gave the identity of the person who died on the spot as Raphael Emmanuel whom he said is his father-in-law. Another youth from the area, Ubong Dan, who said he witnessed the incident, identified the second victim as Eniefiok. The one that died on the spot, his name is Rafael Friday Emmanuel. The other one is Enefiok, but I dont know his full name, he said. The police spokesperson in the state, Odiko MacDon, said he was not aware of the case. He said the police would investigate the incident if a report has been filed. The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Akachukwu Nwakpo, said he supported and voted for All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the Ihiala supplementary election in Anambra State on Tuesday. Mr Nwakpo disclosed this to reporters after voting at his polling unit 004 Ward 01 at Umuatani Hall, Okija, in Ihiala Local Government Area. He said the results of the election announced so far reflected the wishes and mandate of the people. We believe it is time to finish this election by helping the winning party to make it to the end, so that the military can leave and we can have a more relaxed environment for us to focus on issues that concern our communities. Also, the leadership of my party, ADC, agreed with what we have done because we are not in the supplementary election and we did not score or get enough votes to be competitive. APGA is also a sister party because the founding members of APGA founded ADC and I also came from APGA to ADC. Moreso, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo is my friend. So, I feel this is an opportunity to support one another and for us to build together and let our people be part of governance, he said. Mr Nwakpo commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for ensuring the Bimodal Voters Accreditation system worked efficiently during the supplementary election. My assessment so far, so good. Our people are more relaxed, less nervous and enthusiastic to vote but INEC officials arrived late. We were prepared to cast our votes since 10a.m., but we were able to get accredited and vote at 2.p.m when they arrived. The BVAs worked efficiently today compared to what was experienced on November 6, he said. He urged other governorship candidates and political parties to imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship, and be peaceful. Meanwhile, a large turnout of voters was reported across all polling units in Ihiala. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that most of the voters arrived at the various polling units before officials of INEC. (NAN) The trial of the alleged killers of Ignatius Odunukwe, a Nigerian billionaire and owner of Firman generator, has begun at the Lagos Division of the Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square. The defendants, Daniel Ibeaji, Uzor Igwe Arinze, and Cletus Solomon were presented before the judge, Yetunde Adesanya, to continue their trial. PREMIUM TIMES reported how the defendants, on January 21, 2020, led the police and journalists to a canal at Ogunbo Forest, off Ajah Road, Lagos, where the decomposed body of the billionaire was recovered. The deceased, who was into estate development and gold mining, posted on his Facebook page in 2019 that he had a property for sale in Abuja worth N900 million. Narrating how they murdered Mr Odunukwe, the suspects said they pretended to be real estate buyers and lured Mr Odunukwe into their trap. Mr Odunukwe left his residence at 14, Maduke Street, Ikoyi, on December 1, 2019, to meet with the suspects at a hotel in Ajah, to conclude the transaction, but never returned home. According to the police, the prime suspect, Mr Ibeaji, a medical doctor, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgery, and member of the Royal College of Surgeon in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, injected the victim with a lethal substance, after they had collected the signed documents of the property. They allegedly put his body in a sack and dropped it into the canal at Ogombo Forest. Their murder trial had suffered many delays, with the last hearing which held on November 4, stalled by the absence of prosecution witnesses. Court Proceedings The Tuesday hearing before Mrs Adesanyas court was stood down twice due to the absence of Chijike Jiakponna, the lawyer to the first and second defendants. When the matter was recalled at 12 noon, Mrs Adesanya chastised the lawyer for coming late to a criminal proceeding. Olayemi Shofolu, the prosecutor, presented his first witness in the matter, Afam Odunukwe, before the court. Mr Odunukwe, a lawyer with 15 years of experience at the bar, is the nephew of the deceased as well as his lawyer. Giving evidence before the court, Mr Odunukwe said on November 13, 2019, he was called by the deceased for a transaction but was unable to meet up with the time. On the 26th of November, 2019, the deceased called me again that he has not seen me. I left everything I was doing to his office at Iganmu Industrial area. He gave me pieces of paper with name and address. Pa Godwin Okereke was written in the piece of paper and address was 29, Trans Ekulu GRA, Enugu. He told me about the transaction of property of block of 10 terrace duplexes in Abuja with an empty plot of land and that the buyer, same name wanted to buy the property, he said. The lawyer said on seeing the name and the address of the buyer, he asked his uncle whether he knew the buyer because he had his doubts about someone from Enugu spending N900 million on a property. He would normally give the name of any buyer to verify for him, but in that case, he said I should not worry that the buyer doesnt want publicity. I asked about the contact number of the buyer, of which he refused to give to me, he said. He further said on November 30, 2019, the deceased called him to draft an agreement (deed of assignment) in respect of the property at Abuja, between him and the same Godwin Okereke, which he handed over to him around 9:30 p.m. the same day. He told me that he was going to conclude the transaction the next day, December 1, with the purchaser. But he didnt tell me the venue or any other activity that pertain to the transaction. On Monday, (December 2), around 11 a.m., I received a call from one of my brothers, Francis Akaegbusi, asking me if I have heard what is happening, which I told him I didnt know. He told me they were looking for him (the deceased). Investigations, arrests Mr Odunukwe said he submitted a petition at the SSS office at Ikoyi, where personnel were mobilised and he was asked to follow them for surveillance around Lekki-Ajah. He also submitted a petition to the police, Zone 2, where the police initiated an investigation into the matter. He told the court that the police tracked the deceaseds car, to Lekki, with the aid of the car tracker and they continued investigation which led to the arrest of the second defendant, Uzor Igwe Arinze. He said the police continued their investigation and employed trackers to track the number of contacts the defendants had. They failed on different occasions but the police were able to arrest Daniel, the first defendant in Abuja. He took them to his house in Abuja and they were able to get the deed of assignment prepared for the deceased, between him and Pa Godwin Okereke and all the original titles of property in Abuja, he said. He said the police got information about the third suspect, Cletus Solomon, and were able to arrest him, and on sighting the other two defendants, he opened up about the crime. The defendants took the police, members of our family, and the media to where they threw the body of my brother at Ogombo area. When we got to the scene, they acknowledged the bones and were made to pick the bones of my deceased brother from the bush, he said. A PREMIUM TIMES reporter was part of the media team that the police took to the canal at Ogombo forest, where the body of the deceased was retrieved. The second witness in the matter, Eugene Odunukwe, said the first defendant called his brother last before his two lines were switched off, which was why he was tracked to Abuja and arrested. During investigation, the witness said the first defendant confessed to injecting his brother with diazepam after they had hit him with an iron to cease blood flow from his body. He told the court that he went with the police to deposit the mutilated body of the deceased at the morgue at the Yaba General Hospital. The witnesses were cross-examined by the lawyers to the defendants. Mrs Adesanya adjourned the matter till December 6 for the continuation of trial. She ordered that the defendants continue to be remanded in prison. The Traditional Religion Worshippers Association in Osun on Tuesday uged the state government to caution the Oluwo of Iwoland, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, to stop making disparaging comments against their deities. Its President, Oluseyi Atanda, made the plea at a news conference on Tuesday in Osogbo. Mr Atanda, on behalf of the worshippers, requested Mr Akanbi to tender public apology to members of the association for always speaking against their deities. He said the association would embark on a peaceful protest in November for removal of the traditional ruler, if he refused to tender the apology. Mr Atanda said: Our association is known to respect, honour and work closely with the traditional rulers, more than any other group of people in the society. But, we have no other choice than to come out publicly to call for the orderly manner of the Oluwo because of his actions. His installation as Oba ought to be advantageous to Iwo and the entire Yorubaland. We, therefore, request that Oba Akanbi tender public apology for his unguarded utterances against our Orisa and desist from causing religious crisis in the state, he said. According to him, the traditional ruler has been conducting himself in a manner that could cause breach of peace in the state. Mr Atanda also called on the Ministry of Chieftancy Affairs to call the traditional ruler to order for the sake of peace. Reacting, Alli Ibrahim, the chief press secretary to Mr Akanbi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the allegation of the association was new to him. It is very new to me, but I think there is only one God and in the process of promoting that God, I dont see any crime, mistake or discussion in promoting one God, said Mr Ibrahim. If anyone feel offended, I think they can go ahead with whatever they want to do. (NAN) A traditional (pre-COVID-19) dinner Having a small dinner with only people who live in our household An outdoor dinner with family and friends Preparing and delivering traditional family recipes for family and neighbors, especially those at higher risk of severe illness Travelling Other Vote View Results 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 Plattsburgh, NY (12901) Today Rain showers this evening with mostly cloudy conditions overnight. Low near 40F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Rain showers this evening with mostly cloudy conditions overnight. Low near 40F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. NIJMEGEN, Netherlands, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Breast Screening Programme for the Copenhagen region, the largest region in Denmark, is installing Transpara Breast Care AI from ScreenPoint Medical to help assess mammograms of 80,000 women every year. Denmark, along with many other countries, has a shortage of specialist breast radiologists and combined with Covid delays, this has prevented patients receiving their results within the normal two week timescale. Copenhagen region doctors have been trialling Transpara AI for a year. Transpara assesses each mammogram (two for each patient) and produces a risk score from one to 10. A high score shows a high risk of a cancer being present. Mammograms are usually read by two radiologists but by using AI to identify those with low risk, this can release one radiologist to concentrate on those marked high risk. This is the first time that AI is accepted for use in a national breast screening programme in Europe as the Copenhagen region look to use AI to help safely reduce workload by around 25% by eliminating the need for very low risk exams to be double read. Professor Nico Karssemeijer, Chief Executive Officer of ScreenPoint Medical, who developed Transpara AI said the integration of Transpara AI with the Copenhagen public screening programme was a first in Europe. "With a shortage of breast radiologists around the world and an increasing number of cancers, as well as delays caused by Covid, using Transpara AI provides not only a 'second pair of eyes' but also decision support for radiologists. It helps them provide a world class standard of care that every woman needs and deserves." The leading distributor of AI in Scandinavia, Human Bytes ApS, analysed the problems facing the Screening Programme and identified Transpara from ScreenPoint Medical as the most suitable AI tool for the Copenhagen Region. Ulrik Rokkedal Therkildsen, Partnership Director from Human Bytes said: "We are delighted to bring this world leading, clinically proven Transpara AI system to work with the Copenhagen Breast Screening Programme. Transpara allows the safe reduction of workload and can detect cancers faster and earlier and with confidence. " For more information, please visit: www.screenpoint-medical.com https://humanbytes.ai/ SOURCE ScreenPoint Medical The combination will create a leading global communications innovator with enhanced scale and scope to affordably, securely and reliably connect the world. The complementary assets and resources of the new organization will enable the availability of advanced new services in mobile and fixed segments, driving greater customer choice in broadband communications and narrowband services (including the Internet of Things or "IoT"). The combined company intends to integrate the spectrum, satellite and terrestrial assets of both companies into a global high-capacity hybrid space and terrestrial network, capable of delivering superior services in fast-growing commercial and government sectors. This advanced architecture will create a framework incorporating the most favorable characteristics of multi-band, multi-orbit satellites and terrestrial air-to-ground systems that can deliver higher speeds, more bandwidth, greater density of bandwidth at high demand locations like airport and shipping hubs and lower latency at lower cost than either company could provide alone. Both companies have proven track records of product and service innovation. Viasat has advanced North American residential and aviation connectivity and defense communications with technology and business models embraced by customers. Viasat is also recognized for driving change through its pioneering ultra-high-capacity satellite technology, which has delivered superior value at attractive, affordable economics. Inmarsat has an exceptional presence in the growing global mobility segment and is at the forefront of network design with its recently announced multi-dimensional mesh network. It is preparing to expand its global network later this year with its most powerful and advanced software-defined commercial communications satellites ever, offering both Ka- and L-band capabilities. Inmarsat has a global presence, a robust distribution channel spanning the rapidly growing mobility, government, IoT and enterprise sectors and currently provides safety and connectivity services to more than one million mobility and defense platforms. The combined company will be able to offer: A broad portfolio of spectrum licenses across the Ka-, L- and S-bands and a fleet of 19 satellites in service with an additional 10 spacecraft under construction and planned for launch within the next three years. A global Ka-band footprint, including planned polar coverage, to support bandwidth-intensive applications, augmented by L-band assets that support all-weather resilience and highly reliable, narrowband and IoT connectivity. The ability to unlock greater value from Inmarsat's L-band spectrum and existing space assets by incorporating Viasat's state-of-the-art beamforming, end-user terminal and payload technologies and its hybrid multi-orbit space-terrestrial networking capabilities. Viasat's highly vertically-integrated technology and service offerings, along with Inmarsat's extensive eco-system of technology, manufacturing and service distribution. "This is a transformative combination that advances our common ambitions to connect the world. The unique fusion of teams, technologies and resources provides the ingredients and scale needed for profitable growth through the creation and delivery of innovative broadband and IoT services in new and existing fast-growing segments and geographies," said Viasat's Executive Chairman Mark Dankberg. "Inmarsat's dual-band global mobile network, unique L-band resources, skills and capabilities in the U.K. and excellent technical and operational talent worldwide, are powerful complements to Viasat's business. Together, we can advance broadband communications and create new hybrid space and terrestrial networks that drive greater performance, coverage, speed, reliability and value for customers. We look forward to welcoming the Inmarsat team into the Viasat family." "Joining with Viasat is the right combination for Inmarsat at the right time," said Rajeev Suri, CEO of Inmarsat. "Viasat is a terrific innovator and Inmarsat brings some powerful additions: global reach, a broad distribution channel, robust business momentum and a presence in highly attractive global mobility segments. Together, the two companies will create a new global player with the scale and scope to help shape the future of a dynamic and growing industry. The combination will create a strong future for Inmarsat and be well-positioned to offer greater choice for customers around the world, enhanced scope for partners and new opportunities for employees. The industrial logic is compelling and ensures that the U.K. has a strong and sustainable presence in the critical space sector for the long term." Rick Baldridge, Viasat's president and CEO added, "This strategic move gives Viasat the scale to increase the pace of innovation that drives new and better services for our customers, broadens the opportunities for our employees and provides a foundation for significant positive free cash flow, with potential upside from a revitalization of L-band and IoT service growth. Plus, we will have expanded scale and presence in the $1.6 trillion broadband and IoT sectors. I'm excited about the opportunities ahead and looking forward to setting up the combined organization for long-term success." Driving increased innovation and sustainability in the U.K. space sector Viasat plans to build on Inmarsat's presence in the U.K. and is committed to preserving and growing the investment of the combined company in U.K. space communications, as well as supporting the recently published National Space Strategy. The combined company will cooperatively engage with the U.K. government with a view to operating in the U.K. consistent with the commitments previously made by Inmarsat/Connect BidCo, and expects continued constructive engagement across the U.K.'s thriving innovation ecosystem. It further intends to work closely with the U.K. government to bring additional space capabilities and other advanced technologies to the country as well as long-term, highly skilled engineering and related jobs for U.K.-based employees. Viasat plans to preserve and grow Inmarsat's London headquarters, as well as its footprint in Australia and Canada and across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Transaction terms and financial highlights Under the terms of the agreement, Inmarsat's shareholders will receive $850.0 million in cash, subject to adjustments, and approximately 46.36 million newly issued Viasat shares valued at $3.1 billion, based on the closing price of $67.00 per Viasat share on November 5, 2021. At closing, on a pro forma basis, Inmarsat shareholders are expected to be issued shares representing an aggregate of 37.5% of Viasat stock on a fully diluted basis, with each of the existing Inmarsat shareholders receiving shares representing less than 10%. The combined company's revenue and earnings profile is expected to be more diverse, resilient and global.Viasat estimates that the combined company has the potential for mid-teens percentage revenue and Adjusted EBITDA growth with a fully funded path to positive free cash flow, with upside from new IoT applications and greater utilization of global space assets. This transaction is expected to deliver meaningful and enduring capital, operating and cross-selling revenue synergies, with operating and capital expenditure synergies alone expected to drive value creation of $1.5 billion on an after-tax NPV basis. In addition, both companies are nearing the end of unusually intensive capital investment cycles within the next 24 to 36 months and expect significant subsequent benefits from converging their respective architectures into a joint, high-performance global network. Financing overview Viasat has obtained financing commitments for $2.3 billion of new debt facilities required to complete this transaction, a portion of which is to be raised between signing and closing to fund Viasat's standalone growth expenditures. Viasat also plans to assume $2.1 billion in principal amount of Inmarsat senior secured bonds and $1.7 billion outstanding under Inmarsat's $2.4 billion of senior secured credit facilities. Viasat has also obtained commitments of $3.2 billion to backstop certain amendments required under Viasat's $700 million credit facility, $88.4 million outstanding under Viasat's Ex-Im credit facility and Inmarsat's $2.4 billion of senior secured credit facilities. Upon closing, the combined company is expected to have a fully funded path to generating positive free cash flow on a timeline substantially consistent with Viasat's previous standalone guidance. Assuming closing occurs during the second half of calendar year 2022, Viasat's pro forma net leverage ratio at December 31, 2022 is projected to be approximately 5.0x LTM Adjusted EBITDA and is expected to decline to less than 4.0x within 24 months thereafter. Leadership, governance and closing conditions The transaction has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Viasat and Inmarsat. In addition, The Baupost Group, L.L.C., Viasat's largest shareholder, has agreed to vote in favor of the transaction. At the closing of the transaction, Viasat intends to expand its board of directors from eight to ten members, with Andrew Sukawaty, current chairman of Inmarsat, being appointed as one of the two new board members. A second new board member will be appointed at transaction closing by the current Inmarsat shareholders. During the period prior to the closing of the transaction, Viasat expects members of Inmarsat's management team to continue to execute its strategy and provide leadership, in-depth industry knowledge and customer relationship support. Decisions regarding management of the combined company following the closing of the transaction will be made as part of the integration planning process. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of calendar year 2022, subject to the approval of Viasat stockholders, the receipt of certain regulatory approvals and clearances and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. Advisors PJT Partners is serving as financial advisor to Viasat, provided a fairness opinion to the board of directors of Viasat, and is also serving as capital markets advisor, arranging the committed financing for the transaction. Latham & Watkins LLP and Linklaters are serving as legal advisors to Viasat. Barclays, J.P. Morgan Securities plc and Trinity Advisers are acting as financial advisors to Inmarsat. Kirkland & Ellis, Clifford Chance and Steptoe & Johnson LLP are serving as legal advisors to Inmarsat and its majority shareholders. Conference call Viasat and Inmarsat will host a conference call and webcast for investors at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time on November 8, 2021, to discuss the transaction. To participate on the live conference call, please dial: (877) 640-9809 in the U.S. or (914) 495-8528 internationally, and reference the conference ID 5854938. The live webcast will be available on Viasat's investor relations website at: investors.viasat.com. A replay of the conference call will be made available from 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on November 8, 2021, until 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time on November 10, 2021. To access the replay, please dial: (855) 859-2056 in the U.S. and (404) 537-3406 internationally, and enter the conference ID 5854938. The webcast will be archived and available on the Viasat investor relations website for approximately one month immediately following the conference call. About Inmarsat Inmarsat is a world leader in global, mobile satellite communications. It owns and operates the world's most diverse global portfolio of mobile telecommunications satellite networks, and holds a multi-layered, global spectrum portfolio, covering L-band, Ka-band and S-band, enabling unparalleled breadth and diversity in the solutions it provides. Inmarsat's long-established global distribution network includes not only the world's leading channel partners but also its own strong direct retail capabilities, enabling end to end customer service assurance. Inmarsat has an unrivalled track record of operating the world's most reliable global mobile satellite telecommunications networks, sustaining business and mission critical safety and operational applications for more than 40 years. It is also a major driving force behind technological innovation in mobile satellite communications, sustaining its leadership through a substantial investment and a powerful network of technology and manufacturing partners. Inmarsat operates across a diversified portfolio of sectors with the financial resources to fund its business strategy and holds leading positions in the Maritime, Government, Aviation and Enterprise satcoms sectors, operating consistently as a trusted, responsive and high-quality partner to its customers across the globe. For further information, follow us: Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram. About Viasat Viasat is a global communications company that believes everyone and everything in the world can be connected. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable, fast connections to impact people's lives anywhere they areon the ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat, visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat's Corporate Blog , or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , Twitter or YouTube . Additional Information About the Transaction and Where You Can Find It This communication is being made in respect of the proposed business combination transaction between Viasat and Inmarsat pursuant to the terms of that certain Share Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 8, 2021, by and among Viasat and the shareholders of Inmarsat. Viasat intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a proxy statement and other relevant documents in respect of a stockholder meeting to obtain stockholder approval in connection with the transaction. The definitive proxy statement will be sent or given to the stockholders of Viasat and will contain important information about the transaction and related matters. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT MATERIALS CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT VIASAT, INMARSAT AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors and stockholders may obtain a free copy of these materials (when available) and other documents filed by Viasat with the SEC through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, free copies of these materials will be made available free of charge through Viasat's website at https://www.viasat.com. Participants in the Solicitation Viasat, and its directors and executive officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from the stockholders of Viasat in connection with the transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be considered to be participants in the solicitation of Viasat's stockholders in connection with the transaction will be set forth in Viasat's definitive proxy statement for its stockholder meeting. Additional information regarding these individuals and any direct or indirect interests they may have in the transaction will be set forth in the definitive proxy statement when and if it is filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding future events that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the industries in which Viasat and Inmarsat operate and the beliefs and assumptions of their respective management. The parties use words such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "seek," "should," "target," "will," "would," variations of such words and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements include, among others, statements that refer to the benefits of and realization of synergies from the transaction, including expected resulting enhancements to the combined company's systems, products and services and the anticipated operations, footprint, financial position, liquidity, free cash flow, leverage, performance, prospects or growth, scope and scale opportunities of Viasat, Inmarsat or the combined company; integration activities; the anticipated value of the combined business to Viasat and stakeholders; the expected performance of Viasat's and Inmarsat's technologies; expected impact of the transaction on Viasat's results of operations and financial condition; anticipated growth and trends in the business or key markets; the closing of the transaction, including the need for stockholder approval and the satisfaction of regulatory and other closing conditions; and plans, objectives and strategies for future operations. Readers are cautioned that actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: risks and uncertainties related to the transaction, including the failure to obtain, or delays in obtaining, required regulatory approvals or clearances; the risk that any such approval may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect Viasat, the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction; the failure to satisfy any of the closing conditions to the transaction on a timely basis or at all; any adverse impact on the business of Viasat or Inmarsat as a result of uncertainty surrounding the transaction; the nature, cost and outcome of any legal proceedings related to the transaction; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the definitive agreement for the transaction, including in circumstances requiring Viasat to pay a termination fee; the risk that Viasat's stock price may decline significantly if the transaction is not consummated; the failure to obtain the necessary debt financing arrangements set forth in the commitment letters received in connection with the transaction; risks that the transaction disrupts current plans and operations or diverts management's attention from its ongoing business; the effect of the announcement of the transaction on the ability of Viasat to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers, suppliers and others with whom it does business; the ability of Viasat to successfully integrate Inmarsat operations, technologies and employees; the ability to realize anticipated benefits and synergies of the transaction, including the expectation of enhancements to Viasat's products and services, greater revenue or growth opportunities, operating efficiencies and cost savings; the ability to ensure continued performance and market growth of the combined company's business; changes in the global business environment and economic conditions; the availability and cost of credit; risks associated with the construction, launch and operation of satellites, including the effect of any anomaly, operational failure or degradation in satellite performance; Viasat's or the combined company's ability to successfully develop, introduce and sell new technologies, products and services; changes in relationships with key customers, suppliers, distributors, resellers and others as a result of the transaction or otherwise; Viasat's and Inmarsat's reliance on a limited number of third parties to manufacture and supply their respective products; the risk of litigation or regulatory actions to Viasat and/or Inmarsat; inability to retain key personnel; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Viasat's or Inmarsat's business, suppliers, consumers, customers, and employees or the overall economy; Viasat's and the combined company's level of indebtedness and ability to comply with applicable debt covenants; and other factors affecting the communications industry generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors contained in Viasat's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including Viasat's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and such reports that are subsequently filed with the SEC, including the definitive proxy statement to be filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Viasat undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason. Copyright 2021 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat, the Viasat logo and the Viasat signal are registered trademarks of Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners. The Inmarsat logo and all other Inmarsat trademarks in this document are owned by Inmarsat Global Limited. Inmarsat Global Limited. All rights reserved. Related Links https://www.inmarsat.com http://www.viasat.com SOURCE Viasat, Inc.; Inmarsat TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TeraSky, a leading advanced technology solutions provider, has successfully achieved its seventh VMware Master Services Competency in Cloud Foundation. Having recently won VMware's Partner of the Year, this latest achievement further cements TeraSky's elite partner status: they are one of only a few worldwide to achieve all seven of VMware's master-level certifications. VMware's Master Services Competencies (MSC) identify VMware partners that demonstrate excellence in both VMware product expertise and customer service. This most recent TeraSky achievement, the Cloud Foundation Competency, specifically designates expertise in delivering business outcomes for data center modernization, application modernization and hybrid cloud use cases. Achieving this competency demonstrates a deep expertise in server, storage, and network virtualization, as well as cloud management and automation and an ability to architect, design, build and operate an integrated solution. The other competencies held by TeraSky include Cloud Management and Automation, Cloud Native, Data Center Virtualization, Digital Workspace, Network Virtualization, and VMWare Cloud on AWS. "Achieving all available VMware master services competencies is a goal we set for ourselves from the outset of our partnership with VMware, and we are thrilled to have officially reached number seven," said Ofir Abekasis, TeraSky CEO, "This milestone is further testament to our deep investment in developing and maintaining our own expertise in order to provide the highest level of service." TeraSky absorbs the increasing complexity of new technologies, knowledge, and methodologies to help companies integrate solutions with simplicity and ease. With this seventh VMware Master Services Competency, TeraSky further increased their lead in the industry in Israel, the USA, and EMEA, supporting VMware client needs at every stage of digital transformation. About TeraSky TeraSky crafts masterful solutions for companies anywhere on the digitalization spectrum, from conventional businesses undergoing digital transformations to born-to-the-cloud startups facing the challenges of expansion and scale. Partnering with the world's leading technology providers, our elite team of forward-thinkers and competent doers designs and builds applications and data infrastructures in clouds and datacenters. We help our customers beat the complexity of modern IT, meet their business goals - and transform with confidence. Learn more at www.terasky.com Media Contacts: Orly Garini-Dil, VP Marketing [email protected] www.terasky.com SOURCE TeraSky Related Links https://www.terasky.com/ The Carbon Trading Exchange Work Group has highlighted the voluntary carbon market's high growth potential AirCarbon Exchange and BlockC have full support from Rio's City Hall to develop a carbon marketplace for Brazil The new marketplace is set to launch in 2022 GLASGOW, Scotland and SINGAPORE and RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 22, 2021, Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes published Decree No. 48.995/21, which started the Carbon Trading Exchange Work Group. The Work Group reviewed almost 200 years of work done in Rio de Janeiro on Environmental, Finance and Education by local companies and found that the city's assets have the potential to be integrated to create value for the whole society by addressing one of the main global issues of this century: "Environmental Responsibility". Through its research, the Work Group found that although the current voluntary carbon market is small and fragmented, it has great growth potential, with a prediction that the market size could grow 100 times by 2030. The Work Group therefore proposed attracting more financial players to grow the local sustainability sector. The first step of the proposed plan is for Rio de Janeiro to create a platform to transact environmental assets such as carbon credits by "Rio+30" in June 2022 with full support from Rio's City Hall. In this context, AirCarbon Exchange (ACX), the world's first fully digital carbon exchange, announced during a COP26 side event on 9 November that a new marketplace for voluntary carbon credits will be launched in Brazil in 2022. Working together with Rio's Economic, Development and Innovation Department and BlockC, the Brazil Carbon Marketplace (BCM) will utilize ACX's current market architecture and will leverage ACX's existing and future network of platforms whereby carbon credits listed on the BCM can be traded on ACX's other platforms. Chicao Bulhoes, Rio's Secretary of Economic Development, Innovation and Simplification, said: "Rio has a history of concern for the environment; Eco92 was the milestone to global climate governance. The city is a pioneer on environmental commitments in the region, having committed to becoming net zero in emissions by 2050. In addition, we have the first and third largest urban forest in the world and a close relationship with nature." Carlos Martins, CEO of BlockC, said: "Support from Brazilian carbon project developers will be essential for the success of the marketplace. In this regard, we have already received great interest and support from local carbon project developers who are extremely excited about this new initiative." Juliana Minorello, LATAM Government Affairs & Public Policy Director and Spokesperson for Tembici, said: "We believe that carbon credits generated by bike usage can be a great driver and encourager of the model, not only to the government with the growing international demand for actions to combat climate change, but also to the users, who will eventually be able to convert these credits into financial benefits through platforms like BCM." Miltom Pilao, CEO of Orizon, said: "The sanitation sector is a major source of methane in Brazil, releasing 90 million metric tCO2e into the atmosphere per year. Orizon believes that through constant innovation and investment, sustainable cities can be bulit to protect the environment. Orizon was the first Brazilian company to generate and sell methane capture credits through the UN Clean Development Mechanism and we believe with this new marketplace, the trading of carbon credits will become much more efficient." Manuela Larangeira, CEO of MDC, said: "MDC's mission is to create low-carbon energy solutions for its clients, by implementing and operating innovative biogas and biomass projects that reduce significantly the impacts of carbon footprint in our communities. The generation and monetization of carbon credits are central to our strategy and business, and we expect the Brazilian carbon market to become increasingly more active in the short-term as a result of ACX's initiative and given the country's crucial role in the global challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions." William Pazos, Managing Director and Co-Founder of AirCarbon Exchange, said: "Expanding to Brazil has always been at the top of ACX's growth plan. Brazil is full of potential for generating quality carbon credits. By working directly with Rio de Janeiro and BlockC, we will be at the forefront of providing project developers in Brazil a platform to generate a stream of revenue while doing their part to protect the environment." About AirCarbon Pte. Ltd. AirCarbon Exchange ("ACX") is a global exchange revolutionising the voluntary carbon market. The Exchange's client base comprises corporate entities, financial traders, carbon project developers and other industry stakeholders. ACX provides its clients with an efficient and transparent trading platform which is easy to use, frictionless and with the lowest commission fees available on the market. Its underlying technology will allow the carbon market to scale efficiently to meet global ambitions of Net Zero. Launched in 2019, the Exchange is a hybrid platform with a traditional central order book architecture that will be familiar to all experienced traders. The Exchange also utilises the speed and efficiency of the blockchain to achieve atomic T-0 trade execution, clearing and settlement. The Exchange's core matching engine can currently match trades in the order ~10k per second. As of May 2021, ACX is the world's first carbon negative exchange, having offset its carbon emissions 12 months into the future (to May 2022) through the Onil Stoves Guatemala Uspantan project. ACX is committed to continuing to offset all of its emissions 12 months forward. For more information or to trade carbon, please reach out to [email protected] or visit https://www.aircarbon.co. About BlockC BlockC is a digital platform that provides decarbonization solutions to corporations globally. BlockC is part of a group of companies with over 20 years of presence in the renewable energy and carbon offsets markets. For more information, please visit https://www.blockc.com.br/. About MDC Energy Founded in 2006, MDC operates an energy platform focused on sustainable solutions, such as Biomethane production, production of steam and power using biomass, and solutions using Natural Gas. The company has developed and currently operates several plans of waste-to-gas and biomass-to-energy in Brazil, avoiding over 1mm tons of CO2 emissions. MDC mission is to create low-carbon energy solutions for its clients by practicing excellence in innovation, promoting environmental awareness, and implementing a sustainable vision of business with a deep ESG commitment. For more information, please visit https://mdcenergia.com.br/. About Orizon Valorizacao de Residuos Orizon VR is a waste treatment and recovery company that believes in the sustainable development of cities and constantly invests in innovation and technology to generate clean energy, foster a circular economy, and protect the environment and the health of populations. It is the first Brazilian company to generate and trade carbon credits through the UN Clean Development Mechanism. The company accounts for 10% of the credits generated and is a leader in this market, with 6 million tons per year which is equivalent to planting nearly 20 million trees or removing over 1 million cars from the roads per year. Its goal is to reach 50 MTCO2e by 2030. For more information, please visit https://orizonvr.com.br/. About Tembici Tembici is the leading micromobility company in Latin America, responsible for more than 50 million trips with bicycles in the main Brazilian capitals, such as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Salvador, Recife and Porto Alegre, in addition to Santiago, Chile, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. Considered one of the most promising and innovative startups in the country, by the list of 100 Startups to Watch (2020 and 2021), over the past few years the company has followed the heating of the micromobility sector in the world and, due to its business model and quality of the product, it registers solid growth and directly contributes to consolidate the bicycle as a mode of transport in the cities where it operates. This year, the founders of Tembici became part of the Endeavor entrepreneurs network, receiving support from the organization to continue growing at an accelerated pace. For more information, please visit https://www.tembici.com.br/. Related Links https://www.aircarbon.co SOURCE AirCarbon Exchange SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- San Luis Obispo (SLO), a city on the Central Coast of California, is the first U.S. destination to launch an urban reforestation sustainability initiative funded by local hotels. Through the new Keys for Trees program, part of the City's Climate Action Plan , the San Luis Obispo Tourism Business Improvement District will dedicate 1% of annual revenue to planting 10,000 trees throughout the community by 2035. The program is part of a partnership with the Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo (EcoSLO), a nonprofit dedicated to protecting SLO's natural assets. This initiative foregrounds sustainability, giving travelers a unique opportunity to offset the impact of their visit and, subsequently, help them make more sustainable travel decisions. With this new program, visitors to SLO can feel proud that a portion of their hotel fees will go towards replanting trees, ultimately offsetting carbon emissions. "Many travelers seek 'green' hotels and this new initiative allows everyone staying in San Luis Obispo to be part of SLO's climate solutions," said Molly Cano, Tourism Manager at the City of SLO. "There's no extra step to take and we think visitors will enjoy knowing that just by booking an overnight stay, they are helping to preserve our community's beauty," she said. Urban tree planting cleans the air we breathe, filters the water we drink, and provides habitat to over 80% of the world's terrestrial biodiversity. Once planted, the 10,000 trees will offset more than 40 cars' worth of carbon produced during one year. "We know that's just the start," said Cano, "but the idea is to help travelers confront their practices head-on, and planting trees is one visible action that can lead to countless others." This isn't SLO's first sustainability initiative. In 1990, SLO was the first city worldwide to ban smoking in public buildings, bars and restaurants. You won't find drive-thrus here and the independent Palm Theatre was America's first solar-powered movie theatre. SLO residents consistently label climate action as a top concern. The city responded with an ambitious 2035 goal to achieve carbon neutrality. Other practices already activated include an innovative anaerobic compost facility (the first of its kind in the country), and sustainable winemaking practices, all in addition to planting 10,000 trees. For more information on SLO's sustainability efforts: https://visitslo.com/sustainable-slo/ SOURCE City of San Luis Obispo Tourism NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Adrea Rubin founder and CEO of Adrea Rubin Marketing/Calibrant Digital wins the Bronze Stevie Award. She was recognized for Female Executive of the Year in the 18th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. This is the fourth Stevie Award that Ms. Rubin has received. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the companies they run worldwide. The Stevie Awards have been hailed as the world's premier business awards. More than 1,500 entries were submitted this year for consideration in more than 100 categories. Maggie Gallagher Miller, president of the Stevie Awards, said, "We thought the remarkable stories of achievement we saw in last year's awards couldn't be topped, but we were wrong. Women-owned and -run organizations have contributed significantly to the increase in innovation and entrepreneurial activity we've seen globally since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The nominations submitted to the 18th Stevie Awards for Women in Business that attest to this are inspiring, humbling, and motivating. "During the pandemic leaders needed to shift their business practices to remain successful and Adrea Rubin did just that. Her main priority was maintaining her staff's wellbeing and productivity. Everything Adrea did was focused on keeping her staff inspired. The staff worked remotely while staying unified. During these difficult times, Adrea was able to expand her client base by further integrating the pet industry into her business model. Adrea's ability to relate to people combined with her passion for pets made her realize this was the time to shine a light on pets and the pet services industry." One staff member reflected on Adrea's impact during these uncertain times as follows, "What makes a good leader? Humility, Courage, Passion, and Decisiveness. Adrea Rubin checks every box and more. Over the course of my career, I've never met a leader that has cared more for the well-being and success of their staff than Adrea. She puts everyone's needs before her own and lifted each of us up even when the world was upside down. Her creativity and ability to understand people allowed her to launch several new successful pet initiatives during COVID while other businesses struggled. Her tenacity and innovation are the foundation that has made her organization a success for the last 30 years." Adrea also received praise from the Stevie judging committee. Their words reflect why she was chosen for this recognition. "Inspiring, uplifting and so much more. I could have kept reading about what Ms. Rubin has done for hours. Sheer genius to combine the love of pets with a new line of business. Adrea's caring for people positively impacted the organization. Well done on embracing innovation to help clients forge forward. I especially like the motivational stance that Adrea Rubin takes with her staff and clients." Adrea Rubin shared, "Throughout my life I have had expectations about what I thought leadership should be. I experienced during the pandemic new challenges that were unprecedented in my career. This was a journey I was unable to control. Each lesson led me to the next. I hope that my own experiences have encouraged others to be more compassionate and understanding. We need to treat life's lessons as precious gems. My hope is that when we look back at what we have endured, we will value others as we all rewrite our own stories." About Adrea Rubin Marketing/Calibrant Digital We are a direct-to-consumer performance marketing agency with a Different View. With over 30 years in business Adrea Rubin Marketing/Calibrant Digital together provide integrated marketing solutions. Our innovative strategies help our clients Amplify their reach, Capture new customers and Grow leads into sales. The firm's services include marketing strategy, lead generation, data procurement, competitive insights, custom modeling and analytics. We have our own proprietary lead generation sites. Our organization is also licensed to sell Life, Health and Property & Casualty Insurance. For the past 15 years we have been certified as a diversity vendor by the Women's Business Enterprise National Counsel (WBENC). With our "Think Different" approach, we challenge the conventional with unconventional thinking. SOURCE Adrea Rubin Marketing, Inc. The TreasuryNow platform centralizes essential treasury management services, providing a one-stop shop for companies that are looking to manage their payables and cash flow easily and effectively. Its intuitive interface reduces complexity and makes it easier for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) as well as large organizations to execute payments, transfers, and collections. The platform also simplifies both domestic and global treasury processes and helps organizations to optimize liquidity, improve risk management, and enhance visibility. According to the 2021 Journeys to Treasury Report, COVID-19 has elevated the role of the modern treasury, the importance of digitization, and the need for real-time data and transactions. TreasuryNow empowers organizations to adapt by providing automated processes, faster access to data, and the ability to manage a range of payment types, transfers, and collections across multiple currencies. "The role of treasury professionals has never been more importantor more strategic," said Meghan Birmingham Leader, Executive Vice President, Head of Transaction Banking, Corporate and Commercial Banking at Bank of the West. "And with TreasuryNow, Bank of the West is at the forefront of today's dynamic treasury management environment. This flexible platform delivers unprecedented levels of performance, convenience, and insight. It's a one-stop shop for managing treasury operations." Key features of the TreasuryNow platform include: Intuitive design with visually appealing dashboards, and easy-to-use administrative and self-service features. with visually appealing dashboards, and easy-to-use administrative and self-service features. Robust payment module to centrally manage payments, including real-time payments, ACH, domestic wires, cross-border wires with SWIFT gpi Tracking, and allows for integration with accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs) for managing day-to-day routing and approvals. to centrally manage payments, including real-time payments, ACH, domestic wires, cross-border wires with SWIFT gpi Tracking, and allows for integration with accounting and Enterprise Resource Planning systems (ERPs) for managing day-to-day routing and approvals. Industry-leading reporting with customizable views and formats, as well as the option to schedule reports. with customizable views and formats, as well as the option to schedule reports. Strong security and authentication with customizable controls, a multi-layered security approach, and the ability to set up alerts for all payment and profile change activities. with customizable controls, a multi-layered security approach, and the ability to set up alerts for all payment and profile change activities. Enhanced omni-channel connectivity that optimizes the user experience and supports modern browsers and operating systems. that optimizes the user experience and supports modern browsers and operating systems. Interactive customer support with a range of guided support and dedicated one-to-one service options. TreasuryNow is available now. To learn more about the TreasuryNow platform visit: www.bankofthewest.com/treasurynow. TreasuryNow is a registered trademark of Bank of the West About Bank of the West At Bank of the West, we know money deposited in a bank has the power to finance positive change. So we are taking action to ensure our activities help protect the planet, improve people's lives, and strengthen communities. We are redefining banking for a better future by focusing on areas where we believe we can have a real impact: supporting energy transition, helping enable women entrepreneurs, and financing innovative start-ups. As the bank for a changing world, Bank of the West is committed to sustainable finance along with our parent company BNP Paribas. Through Digital Channels and offices across the U.S., Bank of the West provides financial tools and resources to more than 2 million individuals, families, and businesses. 2021 Bank of the West. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Doing business in South Dakota as Bank of the West California. SOURCE Bank of the West Related Links http://www.bankofthewest.com The Best Banks to Work For program, which was initiated in 2013 by American Banker and Best Companies Group, identifies, recognizes and honors U.S. banks for outstanding employee satisfaction. Unique to this year's list of honorees is the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses taken for the well-being of employees. Full results of this year's program are available at American Banker and in the November issue of American Banker Magazine . "One of the critical factors in a bank's success is how it treats its employees. This year's list honors those institutions which have gone above and beyond to invest in employees' personal and professional growth," said Alan Kline, editor in chief of American Banker. Determining the Best Banks to Work For involves a two-step process. The first step involves an evaluation of participating companies' workplace policies, practices, and demographics. In the second step, employee surveys are conducted to directly assess the experiences and attitudes of individual employees with respect to their workplace. The combined scores determine the top banks and the final ranking. "It's difficult to express how much special it is to be recognized a third time as a Best Bank, especially during the challenges we all faced during the pandemic," shared Alice P. Frazier, President and CEO of BCT. "Our BCT team faced difficulties never imagined yet we worked together in support of each other as well as our customers. This was a heroic year for our people and I am proud that they felt we're still a great place to work." To go directly to a full list of this year's winning banks, click here. This hyperlink, currently linking to the 2020 Best Banks to Work for list, will automatically update to link to the 2021 list once that is released. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final ranking. The program is open to commercial banks, thrifts, savings banks and other chartered retail financial institutions with at least 50 employees in the United States. For more information on eligibility or other questions related to the Best Banks to Work For program, visit www.BestBankstoWorkFor.com or contact Gabriela Marushak at 717-323-5217. About BCT-Bank of Charles Town Founded in 1871 and celebrating their 150th year of service, BCT - Bank of Charles Town, also known as The Community's Bank, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Potomac Bancshares, Inc. (OTC:PTBS). With approximately $701 million in assets as of September 30, 2021, the Company conducts operations through its main office, an additional eight branch offices, and two loan production offices. BCT's offices are located in Jefferson and Berkeley Counties (WV), Washington County (MD), and Loudoun and Stafford Counties (VA). The Bank provides various banking products and services including free access to over 55,000 ATMs through the Allpoint network plus online and mobile banking for individuals, businesses, and local governments. The Bank also offers commercial lines and term loans, residential and commercial construction, commercial real estate loans and agricultural loans. The Residential Lending division offers secondary market and portfolio mortgage loans, one-time close construction to perm loans, as well as home equity loans and lines of credit. For over 60 years, BCT Wealth Advisors has provided financial management, investment, trust, and estate services to its clients. In 2019 and 2020, the Bank was named a "Best Bank To Work For" by American Banker. In 2018, Forbes named BCT a "Best In State Bank" for Maryland. The Company's shares are quoted on the OTC Pink Sheet marketplace under the symbol "PTBS." For more information about Potomac Bancshares, Inc., and the Bank, please visit our website at www.mybct.bank. SOURCE BCT - Bank of Charles Town Related Links http://www.mybct.bank NEW HAVEN, Conn. and NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. (NYSE: BHVN) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), today announced a strategic commercialization arrangement for rimegepant in markets outside of the United States upon approval. Rimegepant is commercialized as Nurtec ODT in the U.S., and is indicated for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. An application for the approval of rimegepant is currently under review by the European Medicines Agency and several additional regulatory authorities outside of the U.S. "We believe this collaboration, which brings together the winning combination of Biohaven's Neuroscience R&D with Pfizer's industry-leading expertise and large global footprint will help accelerate access to rimegepant for patients around the world," said Vlad Coric MD, Chief Executive Officer of Biohaven. "With this alliance, Biohaven Pharmaceutical and Pfizer believe there is an opportunity to change the paradigm in migraine treatment and potentially establish a new standard of care." Under the terms of the arrangement, Biohaven would remain primarily responsible for further clinical development of rimegepant and the parties will cooperate in regulatory activities to secure approval for the product. Biohaven will continue to solely commercialize Nurtec ODT in the U.S and Pfizer would commercialize rimegepant, upon approval, in all regions outside the U.S. Additionally, per the arrangement, Pfizer gains rights outside of the U.S. to zavegepant, a third generation, high affinity, selective and structurally unique, small molecule CGRP receptor antagonist, currently being studied in an intranasal delivery and a soft-gel formulation in Phase 3 clinical trials for migraine indications. "We are excited to join forces with Biohaven in the fight against migraine and help those patients impacted by this debilitating neurological disease," said Nick Lagunowich, Global President, Pfizer Internal Medicine. "We believe our legacy in pain and Women's Health combined with our experienced customer-facing colleagues, will enable us to maximize this opportunity with Biohaven, potentially bringing a valuable new treatment option to patients living with migraine pain." Terms of the Arrangement Biohaven and Pfizer are entering into a collaboration and license agreement and related sublicense agreement pursuant to which Pfizer will acquire rights to commercialize rimegepant and zavegepant outside of the U.S. Biohaven will continue to lead research and development globally and Pfizer would execute commercialization globally, outside of the U.S. Under the financial terms of all transaction agreements, Pfizer will make an upfront payment of $500 million, consisting of $150 million cash and $350 million in the purchase of Biohaven equity at a 25 percent market premium. Biohaven is also eligible to receive up to $740 million in milestones. In addition to the tiered double-digit royalties owed to Biohaven on net sales outside of the U.S., Pfizer will compensate Biohaven for the related royalties on net sales outside of the U.S. owed under the Company's license and funding agreements with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Royalty Pharma. As noted above, in connection with the transaction, Pfizer will make a $350 million investment in the common shares of Biohaven. Closing of the license agreements and equity purchase are contingent on completion of review under applicable antitrust laws, including the Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 in the U.S. and equivalents outside the U.S., and other customary closing conditions. Biohaven and Pfizer global collaboration will be discussed on Biohaven 3Q Earnings Investor Call 8:00AM ET on November 9, 2021. To access the call, please dial 877-407-9120 (domestic) or 412-902-1009 (international). The conference call webcast and accompanying slide presentation can be accessed through the "Investors" section of Biohaven's website at www.biohavenpharma.com. About Migraine More than one billion people suffer from migraine worldwide, of which 75 percent are women. The World Health Organization classifies migraine as one of the 10 most disabling medical illnesses. Migraine is characterized by debilitating headache attacks lasting four to 72 hours with multiple symptoms, including pulsating headaches of moderate to severe pain intensity that can be associated with nausea or vomiting, and/or sensitivity to sound (phonophobia) and sensitivity to light (photophobia). There is a large unmet need for new acute and preventive treatments, as a significant portion of migraine patients are unsatisfied with current standard of care migraine treatments due to a lack of efficacy or safety or tolerability burden. About Rimegepant Rimegepant targets a root cause of migraine by reversibly blocking CGRP receptors, thereby inhibiting the biologic cascade that results in a migraine attack. Rimegepant was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the trade name Nurtec ODT for the acute treatment of migraine in February 2020 and for the preventive treatment of episodic migraine in May 2021. Nurtec ODT is the #1 prescribed migraine treatment in its class with a cumulative launch to date of U.S. net revenue of approximately $336 million and with more than one million prescriptions. A single dose of 75 mg Nurtec ODT provides fast pain relief, significant pain reduction and return to normal function, and has a lasting effect of up to 48 hours in some patients. Nurtec ODT is taken orally as needed, up to 18 doses/month to stop migraine attacks or taken every other day to help prevent migraine attacks and reduce the number of monthly migraine days. Nurtec ODT does not have addiction potential and is not associated with medication overuse headache or rebound headache. NURTEC ODT U.S. Important Safety Information Nurtec ODT (orally disintegrating tablet) is a prescription medicine that is used to treat migraine in adults. It is for the acute treatment of migraine attacks with or without aura and the preventive treatment of episodic migraine. It is not known if Nurtec ODT is safe and effective in children. Do not take Nurtec ODT if you are allergic to Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) or any of its ingredients. Before you take Nurtec ODT, tell your healthcare provider (HCP) about all your medical conditions, including if you: have liver problems, have kidney problems, are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Tell your HCP about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Nurtec ODT may cause serious side effects including allergic reactions, including trouble breathing and rash. This can happen days after you take Nurtec ODT. Call your HCP or get emergency help right away if you have swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat or trouble breathing. This occurred in less than 1% of patients treated with Nurtec ODT. The most common side effects of Nurtec ODT were nausea (2.7%) and stomach pain/indigestion (2.4%). These are not the only possible side effects of Nurtec ODT. Tell your HCP if you have any side effects. You are encouraged to report side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1800FDA1088 or report side effects to Biohaven at 18334Nurtec. Please click here for full Prescribing Information and Patient Information. About Pfizer: Breakthroughs That Change Patients' Lives At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For more than 170 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at www.Pfizer.com. In addition, to learn more, please visit us on www.Pfizer.com and follow us on Twitter at @Pfizer and @Pfizer News, LinkedIn, YouTube and like us on Facebook at Facebook.com/Pfizer. Pfizer Disclosure Notice The information contained in this release is as of November 9, 2021. Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements contained in this release as the result of new information or future events or developments. This release contains forward-looking information about rimegepant, zavegepant, and a commercialization arrangement between Pfizer and Biohaven for markets outside the U.S., including their potential benefits, that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from the clinical studies; whether and when any applications may be filed for rimegepant or zavegepant in any jurisdictions; whether and when regulatory authorities may approve any potential applications that may be pending or filed for rimegepant or zavegepant in any jurisdictions (including the application for rimegepant pending with the European Medicines Agency), which will depend on myriad factors, including making a determination as to whether the product's benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the product's efficacy and, if approved, whether rimegepant and/or zavegepant will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of rimegepant and/or zavegepant; risks related to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to closing the transaction in the anticipated timeframe or at all; whether the collaboration between Pfizer and Biohaven will be successful; uncertainties regarding the impact of COVID-19 on Pfizer's business, operations and financial results; and competitive developments. A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results", as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov and www.pfizer.com About Biohaven Biohaven is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative, best-in-class therapies to improve the lives of patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, including rare disorders. Biohaven's neuro-innovation portfolio includes FDA-approved NURTEC ODT (rimegepant) for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine and a broad pipeline of late-stage product candidates across three distinct mechanistic platforms: CGRP receptor antagonism for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine; glutamate modulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder, Alzheimer's disease, and spinocerebellar ataxia; and MPO inhibition for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. More information about Biohaven is available at www.biohavenpharma.com. Biohaven Forward-looking Statement This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve substantial risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding the closing of the collaboration with Pfizer, the receipt of upfront, milestone and other payments under the Pfizer collaboration, the investment by Pfizer in Biohaven common shares in connection with the collaboration, the future development and potential marketing approval and commercialization of Nurtec ODT(rimegepant), rimegepant or zavegepant, the potential benefits of the collaboration and the potential advantages and therapeutic benefits of Nurtec ODT, rimegepant and zavegepant. Various important factors could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements. Additional important factors to be considered in connection with forward-looking statements are described in the "Risk Factors" section of Biohaven's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2021, and Biohaven's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements are made as of this date and Biohaven does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. NURTEC and NURTEC ODT are registered trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Ireland DAC. Neuroinnovation is a trademark of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. Biohaven Dr. Vlad Coric Chief Executive Officer [email protected] Media Contact: Mike Beyer Sam Brown Inc. [email protected] 312-961-2502 Pfizer Media Relations +1 (212) 733-1226 [email protected] Investor Relations +1 (212) 733-4848 [email protected] SOURCE Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. Related Links http://biohavenpharma.com SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BioUtah today announced its 2021 BioUtah Life Sciences award winners. Five awards will be presented during a special awards session at the virtual 2021 Renalytix BioHive Summit held on Nov. 12. BioUtah's awards recognize innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders who have made significant contributions to the state's life sciences industry. To register for the summit and learn more about the awards session and agenda visit biohivesummit.com BioHive (PRNewsfoto/BioUtah) "We congratulate this year's award winners," said Kelvyn Cullimore, president and CEO of BioUtah. "Each individual and company receiving an award has made their mark on our industry, pushing the boundaries of innovation to advance life sciences and bringing hope and life-changing technologies to patients the world over." "Those being honored represent the exceptional BioHive community we have here in Utah," said Katelin Roberts, executive director of BioHive. "We're proud to celebrate their notable achievements." Awards will be presented on Nov. 12, during a virtual ceremony in which pre-recorded videos of the winners will be unveiled. The awards and award winners are as follows: Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Rex S. Spendlove, for his life-long dedication and significant contributions to Utah's life sciences industry as a distinguished scientist, inventor, entrepreneur and passionate advocate for ground-breaking medical research and innovation. Throughout his career, Dr. Spendlove has launched and grown successful enterprises, including Hyclone Laboratories and Quansys Biosciences. Dr. Spendlove's leadership has led to the creation of a robust life sciences hub in the Cache Valley, driving new healthcare technologies and employing thousands of Utahns. Hyclone, started in 1967 when Dr. Spendlove was a professor at Utah State University and pioneered many of the serum collection, filtration and processing techniques used by cell culture product manufacturers. Hyclone was acquired by Thermo Fisher, then GE Healthcare and most recently has been acquired by Cytiva. Thermo Fisher and Cytiva both have a significant presence in the Logan area. Dr. Spendlove is a Utah life sciences visionary who continues to be active in the industry at the age of 95, setting a high bar of accomplishment and enrichment for future generations to come. Executive of the Year: Sunny Sanyal, CEO and director of Salt Lake City-based Varex Imaging Corporation, for his outstanding leadership as part of Utah's life sciences community and for successfully advancing his company's vision and mission to deliver high quality and innovative imaging products and services to improve healthcare and help save lives. Salt Lake City has been home for Varex for more than 75 years, employing over 1,000 Utahns. With a 28+ years' track record for driving growth in global healthcare technology and services, and medical device businesses, Sanyal has led Varex since 2017. Over the last several years, he has successfully guided the company through challenging global trade dynamics and COVID-19 to continue to grow globally. Varex is an innovator and a global market leader in the field of X-ray based imaging components. Its products and technologies are used in medical imaging applications such as CTs, general x-ray systems, mammography, dental systems, surgical C-arms, interventional systems and more. Entrepreneur of the Year: Greg Critchfield, MD, with a 30 + year career as an executive in molecular diagnostics, for his work in building companies that are transforming women's health and patient care, beginning with Salt Lake City-based Myriad Genetics in 1998, followed by Sera Prognostics in 2010. Dr. Critchfield, who currently serves as chairman, president, and CEO of Sera Prognostics, has taken the company from seed-stage to public offering over the last 11 years. Sera Prognostics is a leading diagnostics company with a pipeline of innovative tests focused on the early prediction of preterm birth risk and other complications of pregnancy. Led by Dr. Critchfield, Sera has built an advanced proteomics and bioinformatics platform for creating clinically meaningful and economically impactful predictions for pregnancy. Sera Prognostics' vision as The Pregnancy Company is to improve the lives of women and babies through individualized prenatal healthcare this includes all women, races, ethnicities and geographies. Innovation Impact Award: Co-Diagnostics, headquartered in Salt Lake City, for the company's high-quality, cost-efficient COVID-19 test, which is deployed in the U.S. and throughout the world. Co-Diagnostics CEO Dwight Egan will accept the award on behalf of Co-Diagnostics. The test, a real-time PCR test using the company's patented CoPrimer technology, was one of the first COVID-19 PCR tests in the nation to receive emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the first from a U.S.-based company to receive a CE marking, playing an important role in expanding testing early in the pandemic. The company's molecular diagnostics technology is paving the way for innovation in disease detection and life sciences research through its enhanced detection of genetic material. Friend of Industry: Keith Marmer, chief innovation and economic engagement officer for the University of Utah will accept the award on behalf of the U's Partners for Innovation, Ventures, Outreach & Technology (PIVOT) Center, for its long-standing partnership with BioUtah and Utah's life sciences industry, and its commitment to fostering innovation and economic development. PIVOT has provided the gateway and guidance for hundreds of life sciences technologies along their paths from university research to commercialization. In just the past five years, U startup companies have raised more than $1.75 billion in investments. PIVOT has also co-founded the region's largest life sciences wet-lab incubator and founded three life sciences-related accelerators. About BioUtah and BioHive BioUtah is an independent 501(c)(6) trade association serving Utah's life sciences industry. Its member companies reflect a broad spectrum of the industry with strengths in medical device manufacturing and services, research and testing, biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals, advanced diagnostics, and healthIT, amongst others; and are a key driver of Utah's economy and life-saving treatments and cures for patients. BioHive is a chartered organization of BioUtah. Its mission is to brand, build and bring together Utah's life sciences and healthcare innovation community. SOURCE BioUtah BJ Energy Solutions and Leading North American Energy Producer Execute Multi-Year Deal Tweet this At the core of BJ's next-generation fracturing fleet, the TITAN, is the direct drive 5,000 Horsepower natural gas-fired turbine driven pump, capable of delivering one of the most efficient 'power to pump' combinations available. Fueled by natural gas, the TITAN supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, reduced costs, improved mobility, and reliable operations while meeting the most stringent noise reduction requirements across North America. Compared to a Tier IV bi-fuel fleet in the Montney, the TITAN will reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions by 23%. Since deployment in early 2021, the first TITAN Fracturing Fleet has pumped over 1,000 stages in the Haynesville, with over 22,000 hours of total pump time across the 8 Pump, 40,000 Hydraulic Horsepower Fleet. BJ's strategy is to champion sustainable products and emissions reduction through the investment, development, and commercialization of lower carbon technologies. "BJ has been a long-time supporter of the Canadian Oil Industry and we are excited to execute upon our strategy of placing the TITAN Technology in Canada with a top-tier Energy Company. TITAN is a great fit for the Canadian Market given the abundance of dry gas, challenging operating environment, focus on environmental stewardship including the reduction of emissions, noise, and land disturbance, and need for solutions the drive superior economic returns," said Zemlak. "We are committed to growing our TITAN presence and plan to transition, providing only TITAN Fracturing solutions in Canada by mid-2022." About BJ Energy Solutions With almost 150 years of rich history in serving our clients across North American oil and natural gas basins, BJ is committed to providing innovative technologies to supporting sustainability and emission reductions. Media Contact: Lindsey Word 346.867.8910 [email protected] SOURCE BJ Energy Solutions Related Links www.bjenergy.com LAS CRUCES, N.M., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridge to Health, a newly created community health and wellness program, launched today in New Mexico with a goal of expanding access to resources that enable better health through collaboration, education and community engagement. The program connects community members to no-cost health screenings, educational resources, wellness testing and local services. The program's website also includes the Family Resource Connector, an online tool that directs New Mexico residents to information about health, housing support, food and other nearby resources. "Too many communities across New Mexico lack access to essential resources like healthcare, affordable food, and safe housing," said Donna Sauter, ICAN Director, New Mexico State University. "Making health care services available to all New Mexicans is a critical first step to improving the lives of and investing in the future of our communities. We must continue to work together to ensure that access to affordable and healthy food as well as safe housing is accessible to all residents in our great state." Bridge to Health helps connect community members to local resources by bringing together a wide range of organizations providing access to vital services. The program is supported by Quest Diagnostics through its Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative, which focuses on improving health equity in underserved communities. Quest Diagnostics is the world's leading provider of diagnostic information services. "Access to health services is vital, especially as many people have had to delay routine care due to the pandemic," said Mandell Jackson, Vice President and General Manager, Quest for Health Equity. "By joining forces with trusted community organizations, we hope to team up and collectively address the needs of the community in a more comprehensive way." In addition to online resources, community events will be hosted throughout the state of New Mexico, starting with a kickoff event in Las Cruces on Saturday, November 13, co-hosted by St. Paul's United Methodist Church, and an event in Albuquerque on Saturday, December 11. The events will offer a range of free resources and support including comprehensive wellness testing and health screenings; vision screenings for children; COVID-19 vaccinations; groceries; healthy recipes; and a Kid's Zone to entertain children. "St. Paul's is happy to support this important event for the community as an extension of our ministry to Las Cruces," said Reverend Greg Kennedy, pastor of St. Paul's United Methodist Church. "We hope the community will take advantage of this outstanding opportunity and the Bridge to Health program." To learn more information and to access Bridge to Health's online services, visit www.bridgetohealth.com or www.bridgetohealth.com/es/ for the Spanish version of the website. About Bridge to Health Bridge to Health is a community program that aims to make better health more accessible. We help empower the people of New Mexico through partnerships, education, and community engagement. The program is part of the Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative founded by Quest Diagnostics, which focuses on improving health equity in underserved communities. About Quest Diagnostics Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and half the physicians and hospitals in the United States, and our nearly 50,000 employees understand that, in the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights can inspire actions that transform lives. www.QuestDiagnostics.com. About Quest for Health Equity Quest for Health Equity is an initiative of Quest Diagnostics and the Quest Diagnostics Foundation focused on providing resources, funding, testing services and education to address health disparities in underserved communities across the U.S. SOURCE Bridge to Health QUEBEC CITY, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Brizo FoodMetrics, North America's most comprehensive data source for the food-service industry, through its benchmark data, has positioned OrangeCrate, the fast-growing delivery app that coordinates the delivery of food from more than 2,000 restaurants in the U.S., to expand its reach into new markets. Brizo FoodMetrics analyzes more than 500k data sources, delivering three unique prosperity health scores for nearly 1 million eating and drinking establishments throughout North America to help food-service and food-technology businesses make more informed data-driven decisions. Brizo's proprietary dashboard boasts the industry's largest contacts list of over 630,000 contacts with regard to restaurant decision-makers. The company is part of Branded Strategic Hospitality's portfolio. Andrew Simmons, CEO of OrangeCrate, says, "Brizo FoodMetrics has allowed us to be more data-driven in our approach to identifying new markets and new prospects to target which saves us valuable time and effort. In the past, we would choose a city and hope for the best because this kind of data didn't otherwise exist. Now, we can analyze which market presents the greatest opportunity based on several valuable data points provided by Brizo. We can also pre-qualify prospects and use the data to predict which restaurants are going to be successful clients from the beginning instead of just guessing." Brizo Co-Founder and CEO, Ian Delisle, imparted, "The economic push and need to have better vision into the restaurant industry is happening right now, particularly vital for those whose product or services can advance and strengthen a restaurant's sustainability. We can simply clear the blind spot to enable the symbiotic and necessary relationship to occur with our common goal that is pro restaurant endurance." The scope of Brizo's data takes the guesswork out of a company's decision to enter a new marketplace with real-time insights. Brizo board member and founder of Omnivore Mike Wior states, "To be competitive today, more data is needed for your businesses to strategize how you are addressing the market. Brizo is quickly becoming the industry data set, not just for insiders, but for anyone in any market that wants to better understand how and where restaurants are finding success, and how they are working with consumers." For a free trial of Brizo Data, email [email protected]. ABOUT BRIZO DATA, INC.: Brizo Data helps the food-service industry by providing the strategic data companies need to win in their market. Its data empowers restaurant vendors and restaurateurs with real-time insights for business intelligence, market research, and competitive analysis. Brizo monitors the online footprint of every food-serving establishment in the U.S. and Canada -- from social media presence, online reviews, menu items, market composition, and even technological choices. Clients include Bentobox, ezCater, and Lunchbox. ABOUT ORANGECRATE, INC.: Founded in 2015, OrangeCrate has been coordinating the delivery of your favorite meals in cities throughout Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The company facilitates delivery to homes and offices, seven days a week, with a fast and experienced delivery team from 2,000+ restaurants nationwide, including Hooters, Applebee, and Subway restaurants. OrangeCrate also provides corporate catering meal services for groups of two to 500 (or more), with a quick and easy way to order. OrangeCrate is not a franchised company; every location is locally owned and operated. ABOUT BRANDED HOSPITALITY: Branded Strategic Hospitality "Branded" is an investment & advisory company that leverages its ecosystem of hospitality venues, expertise, and deep relationships to influence, redefine and evolve hospitality technology and food & beverage innovation. Visit www.brizodata.com for additional information as well as www.myorangecrate.com and www.brandedstrategic.com. SOURCE Brizo Data, Inc. HOUSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Cart.com , the first end-to-end ecommerce services provider, today announced appointing finance industry veteran Frank Parker as its new CFO. With nearly two decades of experience driving growth and scale for top ecommerce, logistics, technology and services companies, Parker's expertise and experience will support Cart.com as it embarks on a new phase of rapid expansion. Parker joins Cart.com from Managed Health Care Associates, one of the country's largest and most profitable alternative care services and technology providers, where he served as Executive Vice President of Finance. Previously, Parker served as CFO of Global Ecommerce at Pitney Bowes, managing a global team with responsibility for finance, pricing, loss prevention and other core functions. Parker oversaw multiple acquisitions and rapid organic revenue growth, with Ecommerce topline tripling in just 3 years to over $1B to become one of the largest ecommerce logistics solutions providers. Parker's career has encompassed multiple roles driving growth and scale as well as optimizing capital structures and navigating capital markets. In addition to his previous roles with MHA and Global Ecommerce, he has extensive experience as an investment banker for JPMorgan providing debt and equity capital markets as well as M&A guidance. He also served as a corporate attorney at two of New York City's largest international law firms. The new appointment comes as Cart.com builds on a recent $98 million Series B funding round, and a series of 7 major acquisitions, to expand its eCommerce-as-a-Service (ECaaS) platform. With 2,500 customers already using the Cart.com solution, Parker will be tasked with taking the company global over the next 6 to 9 months in preparation for going public within the next two years. "I've been privileged to work with some of the world's biggest and best tech, logistics, and ecommerce operations, and I'm thrilled to now be joining the Cart.com family," Parker said. "The Cart.com team has already achieved extraordinary rapid growth as they've raised capital, completed key acquisitions, and built out a game-changing one-stop ecommerce solution. I'm looking forward to helping sustain and expand that growth as we prepare for the company's next chapter." "Frank brings invaluable breadth of experience leading global teams across a wide range of sectors, coupled with the financial acumen and high-level leadership that Cart.com needs as we prepare for our next phase of growth," said Omair Tariq, Cart.com CEO. "We're committed to transforming the tech-enabled commerce space and giving merchants of all sizes the tools they need to achieve their potential. Adding Frank to the Cart.com team gives us the experience and talent we'll need to achieve that goal." About Cart.com Cart.com is the first end-to-end ecommerce solutions provider delivering a fully integrated and owned suite of software, expert services, and infrastructure to scale businesses online. Founded in September 2020 by experienced ecommerce experts, Cart.com is on a mission to put brands back in charge of their ecommerce journey and their customer relationships as the premiere eCommerce-as-a-Service (ECaaS) provider in the eCommerce services space. Cart.com offers a wealth of business solutions including online store software; digital marketing, fulfillment, and financial services; customer service capabilities; and unified analytics across all areas of commerce and marketing performance. Cart.com allows brands of any size the opportunity to work with a single partner to attain the same capabilities as some of the world's largest companies. For more info: Cart.com , LinkedIn . SOURCE Cart.com Related Links www.cart.com NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Clayton, Dubilier & Rice today announced the completion of the sale of Solenis, a leading global supplier of specialty chemicals and services for water treatment applications, to Platinum Equity. CD&R funds, which along with management owned 51% of Solenis, and chemical company BASF, which held the remaining 49%, both fully exited Solenis as part of the transaction. The total enterprise value was $5.25 billion. CD&R funds acquired Solenis in July 2014 in a carve-out of the non-core operating subsidiary of Ashland, Inc. (NYSE: ASH) that ascribed an enterprise valuation of $1.8 billion to Solenis. In 2019, Solenis merged with BASF's Paper & Water Chemicals business, creating a leading solutions provider for the pulp & paper and water treatment industries. CD&R Partner Stephen Shapiro said, "We have been delighted with our investment in Solenis and our partnership with its talented team, which has achieved significant performance gains, expanded the company's global presence, strengthened its customer offerings, and positioned it as a sustainability leader. These improvements have provided Solenis with a strong foundation for continued growth and a rewarding future." About Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Clayton, Dubilier & Rice is a private investment firm with a strategy predicated on building stronger, more profitable businesses. Since inception, CD&R has managed the investment of more than $35 billion in over 100 companies with an aggregate transaction value of more than $160 billion. The Firm has offices in New York and London. For more information, visit www.cdr-inc.com. About Solenis Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power and municipal markets. The company's product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets and minimize environmental impact. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 41 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of more than 5,200 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company. Learn more here and at www.solenis.com. SOURCE Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Related Links http://www.cdr-inc.com OKLAHOMA CITY, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Continental Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CLR) ("Continental" or the "Company") announced today that, subject to market conditions, it intends to offer a series of senior notes due 2026 and a series of senior notes due 2032 in a private placement to eligible purchasers. Continental intends to use the net proceeds from the offering to fund a portion of the purchase price in the recently announced acquisition from Pioneer Natural Resources Company (the "Pioneer Acquisition"), to pay the fees and expenses associated with the offering and, if the Pioneer Acquisition is not consummated, for general corporate purposes, which may include repayment of certain indebtedness. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/95419/continental_resources_logo.jpg The securities to be offered have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any state securities laws and unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. The senior notes are expected to be eligible for trading by qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A and non-U.S. persons under Regulation S. This press release is being issued pursuant to Rule 135c under the Securities Act, and is neither an offer to sell nor a solicitation of an offer to buy the notes or any other securities and shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a sale of, the notes or any other securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful. About Continental Resources Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR) is a top 10 independent oil producer in the U.S. and a leader in America's energy renaissance. Based in Oklahoma City, Continental is the largest leaseholder and the largest producer in the nation's premier oil field, the Bakken play of North Dakota and Montana. The Company has significant positions in Oklahoma, including its SCOOP Woodford and SCOOP Springer discoveries and the STACK play. The Company also has a position in the Powder River Basin play of Wyoming. With a focus on the exploration and production of oil, Continental has unlocked the technology and resources vital to American energy independence and our nation's leadership in the new world oil market. In 2021, the Company will celebrate 54 years of operations. Cautionary Statement for the Purpose of the "Safe Harbor" Provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements included in this press release other than statements of historical fact, including, but not limited to, forecasts or expectations regarding the completion of the notes offering and the use of proceeds therefrom and the Company's ability to close the Pioneer Acquisition. When used in this press release, the words "could," "may," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "expect," "project," "budget," "target," "plan," "continue," "potential," "guidance," "strategy," and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such identifying words. Forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current expectations and assumptions about future events and currently available information as to the outcome and timing of future events. Although the Company believes these assumptions and expectations are reasonable, they are inherently subject to numerous business, economic, competitive, regulatory and other risks and uncertainties, most of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond the Company's control. No assurance can be given that such expectations will be correct or achieved or that the assumptions are accurate. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, commodity price volatility; the geographic concentration of our operations; financial market and economic volatility; the effects of any national or international health crisis; the inability to access needed capital; the risks and potential liabilities inherent in crude oil and natural gas drilling and production and the availability of insurance to cover any losses resulting therefrom; difficulties in estimating proved reserves and other reserves-based measures; declines in the values of our crude oil and natural gas properties resulting in impairment charges; our ability to replace proved reserves and sustain production; our ability to pay future dividends; and the other risks described under Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors and elsewhere in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, registration statements and other reports filed from time to time with the SEC, and other announcements the Company makes from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which such statement is made. Should one or more of the risks or uncertainties described in this press release occur, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, the Company's actual results and plans could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly correct or update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances after the date of this report, or otherwise. Investor Contact: Media Contact: Rory Sabino Kristin Thomas Vice President, Investor Relations Senior Vice President, Public Relations 405-234-9620 405-234-9480 [email protected] [email protected] Lucy Spaay Investor Relations Analyst 405-774-5878 [email protected] SOURCE Continental Resources Related Links http://www.clr.com SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global dehumidifier market size is expected to reach USD 5.9 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research. Inc. The market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 7.0% over the forecast period, from 2021 to 2028. The increasing demand for dehumidifiers, especially for industrial applications that require optimum temperatures and humidity levels, is the key factor contributing to market growth. Key Insights & Findings: Based on product, the chemical absorbent segment dominated the market in 2020 owing to the growing demand for desiccant dehumidifiers across industrial and commercial applications. The desiccants or chemicals used in the dehumidification process help reduce or achieve required humidity levels In terms of technology, the warm condensation segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the benefits of the technology in keeping industrial environments dry without using any ventilation and saving energy North America dominated the global market in 2020, thanks to the increasing demand from large industries, retail stores, and warehouses that operate in highly humid environments. The trend is expected to remain strong over the forecast period Key vendors operating in the market are engaged in new product developments and establishing partnerships with distributors to extend their services across regions Read 120 page market research report, "Dehumidifier Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Ventilating, Chemical Absorbent), By Technology (Sorption, Warm Condensation), By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research Industries and sectors including food, packaging, clean rooms, operating rooms, and storage require relative humidity control across a range of processes. Air particles comprising different chemical substances tend to retain water and increase the humidity in processing and packaging facilities, affecting processes such as preservation, packaging, food conservation, and leading to a change in product composition. The need to control humidity levels across such areas has created a demand for dehumidifiers across industries. For instance, In September 2017, Airwatergreen's FLEX dehumidifiers were deployed on the Lackeby pressure staging station of Kalmar Vatten AB to prevent the corrosion of components worth 700,000 SEK on the pipes of the pressure staging station. The popularity of dehumidifiers is also growing significantly across residential applications. Dehumidifiers are preferred in households primarily to prevent the growth of bacteria, mold, and other particles on ceilings and windows. The growth of bacteria and mold due to an increase in moisture content can put household residents' health at risk, driving the demand for dehumidifiers in the residential sector. However, the market suffered a decline in 2020 due to the disruptions caused across the supply chain amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, product recalls due to overheating and spreading of fire also impacted the market growth. For instance, in August 2021, New Widetech, a Taiwan-based dehumidifier manufacturer recalled nearly 2 million of its dehumidifiers in the U.S. owing to overheating and burning hazards. Grand View Research has segmented the global dehumidifier market based on product, technology, application, and region: Dehumidifier Product Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2028) Chemical Absorbent Heat Pump Ventilating Dehumidifier Dehumidifier Technology Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2028) Cold Condensation Sorption Warm Condensation Others Dehumidifier Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2028) Industrial Commercial Residential Dehumidifier Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2018 - 2028) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Asia Pacific China India Japan Latin America Brazil Mexico MEA List of Key Players of the Dehumidifier Market Airwatergreen AB De' Longhi Appliances S.r.l. Frigidaire GE Appliances, a Haier company General Filters, Inc. Honeywell International, Inc. Munters Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global HVAC & Construction Industry: Cooling Towers Market The global cooling towers market size was valued at USD 3.53 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1% from 2021 to 2028. The growing demand for energy-efficient cooling systems in commercial and industrial applications is anticipated to drive the growth of the market. The global cooling towers market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.1% from 2021 to 2028. The growing demand for energy-efficient cooling systems in commercial and industrial applications is anticipated to drive the growth of the market. Air Conditioning Systems Market The global air conditioning systems market size was valued at USD 106.60 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the demand for air conditioners in 2020 owing to decreased consumer spending. The global air conditioning systems market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% from 2021 to 2028. The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted the demand for air conditioners in 2020 owing to decreased consumer spending. Air Compressor Market The global air compressor market size was valued at USD 32.02 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4% from 2021 to 2028. With the burgeoning need to control the spread of the COVID-19 infection, governments around the world implemented strict national lockdowns in 2020. Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. "Destiny's position on Frost & Sullivan Radar represents the intersection of strong growth and continued innovation. Internal technology development and M&A have positioned the provider to deliver the capabilities businesses are seeking to transform their operations by digitizing workflows and customer care. The ability to deliver native mobile UCaaS represents a key differentiator and growth catalyst for Destiny as European businesses increasingly require the flexibility to work from anywhere," explained Elka Popova, Vice President of Research at Frost & Sullivan. The 2021 Frost & Sullivan UCaaS Radar report highlights several key strengths for Destiny, including: Proprietary platform and technologies that enable industry leading UCaaS services. The rich service portfolio based on several strategic acquisitions. The native mobile UCaaS as one of the key differentiators. The inherently great positioning and rapid growth; organically, with wholesale partners, as well as coupled with an ambitious M&A strategy. A leading pan-European UCaaS provider The Frost & Sullivan report highlight Destiny's great position to scale rapidly and gain additional market share, as one of the leading pan-European UCaaS providers. A mobile-first approach can position Destiny as the UCaaS partner of choice for European telecom operators seeking to become more agile and leverage their 5G networks to gain a competitive edge in the UCaaS market, according to the report. Innovating the user experience Chris Parker, CPIO at Destiny, believes the top-right Radar positioning of Destiny will improve even more when the market gets to experience the work from the dedicated user experience team. "We know that the value of technology is only created when the life of a user is more productive. We have made ease of use the top priority in everything we do moving forward. The end-user applications and partner tools we develop will continue to be revitalized with a relentless focus on simplicity." Download the report at www.destiny.be For further information Veerle Wijsgeer PR Destiny Email: [email protected] Tel: +32495580797 About Destiny Destiny, originally Belgian, is a European leader and innovator in secure cloud communications based on its powerful and secure mobile-first products and UCaaS. Destiny empowers +2 million business users to communicate, collaborate and provide excellent customer service. The company enables service providers, channel partners and end customers as well as 3rd party services to thrive in their cloud ecosystem. Destiny, with headquarters in Brussels, has 700 employees in 7 European countries and an expected annual turnover of close to 200 million in 2021. More info: www.destiny.be SOURCE Destiny LAS VEGAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Insights and Forecast report provides the current and forecast Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market, upcoming innovation in the devices, individual market shares of the devices, challenges, drivers and barriers, market trends, and key competitors in the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market. Some of the essential takeaways from the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market report: As per DelveInsight estimates, North America is expected to dominate the overall Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market during the forecast period. is expected to dominate the overall Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market during the forecast period. Key pharma players working proactively in the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market include GE Healthcare, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Canon Medical Systems Corporation, Siemens Healthineers, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Hologic Corporation, and others. and others. As per an estimate by DelveInsight, global Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market was valued at USD 24.15 billion in 2020, growing at an escalated CAGR of 5.10% during the forecast period from 2021 to 2026, and is contemplated to reach USD 33.56 billion by 2026. in 2020, growing at an escalated of during the forecast period from 2021 to 2026, and is contemplated to reach by 2026. On November 30, 2020 Canon Medical Systems Corporation and Sansei Corporation released the commercial display of a new medical container CT system (MC-Cube) equipped with measures to prevent the spread of infectious disease. and released the commercial display of a new medical container equipped with measures to prevent the spread of infectious disease. In November 2020 , Shimadzu Corporation announced the global sales release of a new general radiography solution, RADspeed Pro style edition with GLIDE Technology. Interested in knowing how the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market will be growing by 2026? Click to get a snapshot of Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Analysis Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Overview Diagnostic Imaging is referred to as the process by which the internal structures of a human body can be observed with the help of electromagnetic radiation for obtaining an accurate diagnosis. Diagnostic Imaging Equipment is useful for the early diagnosis of diseases by analyzing those using medical imaging techniques and it also helps to detect abnormalities through imaging of organs or tissues. The Diagnostic Imaging Equipment comprises Radiography (X-rays), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Computed tomography (CT), Fluoroscopy, and Ultrasound among others. For diagnostic purposes, these systems have been used in order to image the body for obtaining correct diagnosis and determination of future care. To pick on the latest highlights related to Diagnostic Imaging Equipment get the snapshot of the key highlights entailed in the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market report. Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Insight Geographically, the global Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market is studied for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World. On the basis of earning solely, North America is the leader of global market currently and is anticipated to even remain constant during the forecast period. However, the primacy of North America will be apparently challenged by the European market. Therefore, the rise observed in the prevalence of chronic conditions in adults will lead to increasing demand for diagnostic imaging equipment, further driving the diagnostic imaging equipment market growth regionally. With major advancements in the medical imaging field, encouraged by advances in digital and communication technology such as the global introduction of a new spectral CT 7500 system by Koninklijke Philips N.V. provides the precision diagnosis. The latest intelligent system - Spectral Computed Tomography (CT) 7500 delivers high-quality spectral images for every patient on every scan 100% of the time in order to aid in improvisation of disease characterization and reduction in rescans and follow-ups. In addition, there was a launch of a multi-use radiography fluoroscopy system (Persona RF PREMIUM) recently on June 21, 2021, in the region by FUJIFILM Holdings America Corporation, all these entrance of devices in the market are major factors that are expected to propel the market growth of Diagnostic Imaging Equipment. Learn more about the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Landscape @ Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Analysis Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Dynamics Rising patient preference for minimally invasive procedures, increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, rise in investments, funds, and grants by public-private organizations and the increase in the geriatric population are held as accountable factors for the surge in Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market. Apart from that, aspects like rising technological advancement, the growing burden of chronic diseases, increasing patient awareness regarding early-stage diagnosis, and growing demand for effective & efficient imaging technologies for diagnosis act as major growth boosters in the spectrum of Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market. The market for Diagnostic Imaging Equipment observed a period of slow growth temporarily due to the outbreak of COVID-19. During the pandemic situation, the buying capacity of the hospitals was limited, operation of the manufacturing companies was influenced by the minimized workforce, transport-related restrictions, and COVID-19 emergencies decreased all routine and elective procedures. However, now manufacturing facilities have resumed their operations and relaxation has been given in lockdown guidelines, it can be readily assumed that the key market players will continue to bring technologically advanced devices in the market and adopt strategies that will cause normalcy in the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market. To discuss more regarding the short and long-term impact of COVID-10 get a snapshot of the report diagnostic imaging equipment market @ Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Landscape Analysis Scope of the Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Report Study Period: 2018-2026 Key Companies: GE Healthcare, Canon Medical Systems Corporation, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, Hologic Corporation, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Siemens Healthineers, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Segmentation By Product Type X-Ray Imaging Systems Computed Tomography (CT) Scanners Ultrasound Systems Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Systems Nuclear Imaging Systems Mammography Systems Others By Application Cardiology Oncology Neurology Gastroenterology Orthopaedics Gynaecology Others By End-User Hospitals Diagnostic Imaging Centers Others By Geography North America Europe Asia-Pacific Rest of the World Delveinsight Analysis: The Diagnostic Imaging Equipment market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.10% and will reach USD 33.56 billion by 2026. Table of Contents 1 Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Report Introduction 2 Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Executive summary 3 Regulatory and Patent Analysis 4 Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Key factors analysis 5 Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Porter's Five Forces Analysis 6 COVID-19 Impact Analysis on Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market 7 Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market layout 8 Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Global Company Share Analysis Key 3-5 Companies 9 Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Company and Product Profiles 9.1 GE Healthcare (General Electric Company) 9.2 Canon Medical Systems Corporation 9.3 FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation 9.4 Hologic, Inc. 9.5 SternMed GmbH. 9.6 Koninklijke Philips N.V. 9.7 Siemens Healthineers 9.8 Samsung Medison (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.) 9.9 Konica Minolta, Inc. 9.10 Carestream Health. 9.11 Agfa-Gevaert Group. 9.12 CURVEBEAM.COM 9.13 Allengers 9.14 Neusoft Corporation 9.15 Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd. 10 Project Approach 11 KOL Views 12 DelveInsight Capabilities 13 Disclaimer 14 About DelveInsight Learn more about the report offerings @ Diagnostic Imaging Equipment Market Outlook Understand the Competition, Risk Assessment and effective Research and Development approach to take value-based decisions. 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Evaluating the Role of Digital Therapeutics as an Alternative to Conventional Therapies for Depression Medical Devices Market Blooms as the Key MedTech Companies Continue to Bring-In Innovation About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports Pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Get hassle-free access to all the healthcare and pharma market research reports through our subscription-based platform PharmDelve . Connect With Us at LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter Contact Us Shruti Thakur [email protected] +1(919)321-6187 www.delveinsight.com SOURCE DelveInsight Business Research, LLP DUBLIN, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Directed Energy Weapons Market by Technology (High energy lasers, High-power microwave, electromagnetic weapon technology, Sonic weapon technology), Platform (Land, Airborne, naval, Space), Application, Range, Product and Region - Forecast to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The directed energy weapon market is valued at USD 4.3 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 10.1 billion by 2026 at a CAGR of 18.7%. The key drivers propelling growth of the global directed energy weapons market is the defense of terrorist attacks, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear materials so that civilian lives and the national security of a country can be preserved. Directed energy weapons like lasers, high power microwaves, and electromagnetic weapons are being used to defend against attacks from threats like ballistic missiles, anti-satellite weapons, and nuclear weapons, etc. The directed energy weapon market includes major players Lockheed Martin Corporation (US), Raytheon technologies (US), Northrop Grumman Corporation (US), The Boeing Company (US), Thales Group (France), Leonardo SPA (Italy), BAE Systems (UK), Elbit Systems (Israel) and L3Harris Technologies (US). These players have spread their business across various countries includes North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The military segment of the market is projected to grow at the highest CAGR from 2021 to 2026. Based on application, the military application segment is estimated to capture the largest share of 70.78% of the total directed energy weapons market in 2021 due to the increase in demand for precise technology in lethal weapons from military forces, globally Based on platform, the Naval platform segment is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Naval directed energy weapon systems consist of weapons that are used in naval applications, for instance, on combat ships and submarines, among others. The naval segment is further divided into combat ships, submarines, and unmanned surface vehicles. Defense ships are specifically designed for use by coast guards and naval forces to ensure the security of water borders. The North American region is estimated to account for the largest share of the directed energy weapons market in 2021 The directed energy weapons market in the North American region is expected to witness substantial growth during the forecast period, owing to increased investments in directed energy weapon technologies by countries in this region. Department of defense of the US and Canada are involved in the development of technologically advanced directed energy weapon platforms such as high energy lasers and high-power microwaves, which drives the market growth. Well-established and prominent manufacturers of directed energy weapon systems in this region include Lockheed Martin (US), Northrop Grumman (US), L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (US), and Raytheon (US). Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in the Directed Energy Weapons Market 4.2 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Product 4.3 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Range 4.4 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Technology 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Increased Demand in Combat Operations 5.2.1.2 Rising Modernization and Investments in Military Platforms 5.2.1.3 Rapid Advancements in Ai, Big Data Analytics, and Robotics Technologies 5.2.1.4 Increasing Focus on Development of Small, Compact Dew for Uav Platforms 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Restrictions on Anti-Personnel Lasers 5.2.2.2 Utilization of Dew for Law Enforcement Missions 5.2.2.3 Possibility of High Collateral Damage 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Increase in R&D in Advanced Technologies 5.2.3.2 Complexities in Directed Energy Product Development 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Increased Barriers in Designing Military Dew Systems 5.2.4.2 Integrating Existing Systems with New Technologies 5.3 Impact of COVID-19 on Directed Energy Weapons Market 5.4 Operational Data 5.4.1 Expenditure on Dew Technology by the Us Government (2017 - 2020) 5.4.2 Ongoing Programs on Dew Technology Initiated by the Us Government (2020) 5.5 Ranges and Scenarios 5.6 Average Selling Price Trend 5.7 Value Chain Analysis of Directed Energy Weapons Market 5.8 Trends/Disruption Impacting Customer Business 5.9 Directed Energy Weapons Market Ecosystem 5.10 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.11 Regulatory Landscape 5.12 Trade Analysis 6 Industry Trends 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Technological Trends in the Directed Energy Weapons Market 6.2.1 High Energy Microwaves 6.2.2 Laser Beam Energy 6.2.3 Particle Beam Energy 6.2.4 Active Denial System 6.3 Use Case Analysis: Directed Energy Weapons Market 6.3.1 Northrop Grumman's Tactical High Energy Laser Offers Viable Defense Against Today's Threats 6.3.2 Turkey Becomes First Nation to Use a Directed Energy Weapon in Combat 6.4 Technology Analysis 6.5 Impact of Megatrends 6.5.1 Army Directed-Energy Weapons 6.5.2 Solid-State Lasers to Counter Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 6.5.3 High Power Microwaves to be Used in Crowd and Riot Control 6.5.4 Directed Energy Weapons for Space and Satellite Security 6.6 Innovation & Patent Registrations 7 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Technology 7.1 Introduction 7.2 High Energy Laser 7.2.1 Solid-State Laser 7.2.1.1 Solid-State Lasers are Used in Numerous Major Military Applications 7.2.2 Fibre Laser 7.2.2.1 High Power Fiber Lasers with High Efficiency are the Future of Directed Energy Lasers 7.2.3 Free Electron Laser 7.2.3.1 Free Electron Lasers with Megawatt Level Output are to be Used for Strategic Missile Defense Purposes 7.2.4 Chemical Laser 7.2.4.1 Chemical Lasers Provide Precision with Destructive Capability at the Speed of Light. 7.2.5 Liquid Laser 7.2.5.1 Liquid Lasers Provide Better Performance due to Continuous Cooling by Liquid Circulation 7.3 High Power Radio Frequency (Microwave Weapons) 7.3.1 Narrow Band High Power Microwaves 7.3.1.1 Narrow Band High-Power Microwaves Can Cause Temporary as Well as Permanent Damage to Target 7.3.2 Ultrawide Band High Power Microwaves 7.3.2.1 Ultra-Wideband High-Power Microwaves Offer Increased Immunity to Interference due to Lower Spectral Power Density 7.4 Electromagnetic Weapons 7.4.1 Particle Beam Weapons 7.4.1.1 Charged Particle Beam Weapons 7.4.1.1.1 Charged Particle Beam Weapon Causes Near-Instantaneous and Catastrophic Superheating at the Surface 7.4.1.2 Neutral Particle Beam Weapons 7.4.1.2.1 Neutral Particle Beam Weapon Smashes an Electrically Neutral Beam of High Energy Hydrogen Atoms into Its Target to Damage It 7.4.2 Laser-Induced Plasma Channel (Lipc) 7.4.2.1 an Intense Laser-Induced Plasma Can be Equally Powerful as Lightning During Storm 7.5 Sonic Weapons 7.5.1 Sonic Weapons Use a Focused Beam of Sound to Damage Their Target 8 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Application 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Homeland Security 8.2.1 Riot Control 8.2.1.1 Authorities are Developing Advanced, Non-Lethal Weapons to be Used in Riot Control Tactics 8.2.2 Airport Protection 8.2.2.1 Directed Energy Weapons to Safeguard Airports from Incoming Missiles, Mortars, Anti-Aircraft Missiles, Drones, and Other Threats 8.2.3 Anti-Drug Smuggling 8.2.3.1 Increase in Creative and New Technologies to Smuggle Drugs Across Country Borders to Fuel the Directed Energy Weapons Market 8.2.4 Critical Infrastructure Protection 8.2.4.1 Ground-Based Laser Weapons to Protect Critical Infrastructure from Terrorist Attacks 8.2.5 Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (Cbrne) Defense 8.2.5.1 High-Energy Lasers Can be Placed on to Strategic Locations to Intercept Ballistic, Nuclear Missiles and Destroy Them on Course 8.3 Military 8.3.1 Border Protection 8.3.1.1 Demand for Better Intelligence, Force Modernization, and Meeting Equipment Needs to Fuel the Directed Energy Weapons Market 8.3.2 Tactical Air and Missile Defense 8.3.2.1 Directed Energy Weapons to Defend Against Nuclear-Armed Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (Icbms) and Shorter-Ranged Non-Nuclear Tactical and Theater Missiles 8.3.3 Maritime Protection 8.3.3.1 Directed Energy Weapons to Against Sea-Skimming Cruise Missiles 8.3.4 Military Base Protection 8.3.4.1 Directed Energy Weapons on Strategic Positions to Defend Military Bases Against Incoming Threats Like Missiles and Drones 8.3.5 Anti-Ballistic Missile Defense 8.3.5.1 High-Performance Tactical Missile Defense Systems Could Now Influence Military Force Deployment Strategies 8.3.6 Anti-Satellite Missile Defense 8.3.6.1 Directed Energy Anti-Satellite Weapon System Uses a High-Energy Beam to Kill or Destroy a Killer Satellite 8.3.7 Command, Control, and Information Warfare 8.3.7.1 High-Power Electromagnetic Weapons Can Disable Destroy the Electronics of Command and Communication Systems 8.3.8 Battlefield Air Interdiction 8.3.8.1 Solid-State and Fiber Lasers are as Pervasive in Combat as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 8.3.9 Close Air Support (Cas) 8.3.9.1 Directed Energy Vehicles Offer Incredible Speed and Range, Accuracy, and Limited Collateral Damage in Close Air Support 9 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Platform 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Land 9.2.1 Armored Vehicles 9.2.1.1 Combat Vehicles 9.2.1.1.1 Easy Installation of Directed Energy Weapons on Combat Vehicles to Fuel the Demand for Directed Energy Weapon Systems 9.2.1.2 Combat Support Vehicles 9.2.1.2.1 Energy-Efficient and Accurate Directed Energy Weapons to Fuel the Demand for Directed Energy Weapon Systems 9.2.1.3 Unmanned Armored Ground Vehicles 9.2.1.3.1 High Demand for Combat Unmanned Armored Ground Vehicles to Fuel the Demand for Directed Energy Weapon Systems 9.2.2 Handheld Directed Energy Weapons 9.2.2.1.1 Compact, Light and Energy-Efficient Directed Energy Weapons to Fuel the Demand for Directed Energy Weapon Systems 9.2.3 Weapon Systems 9.2.3.1 Launch Systems 9.2.3.1.1 Demand for Precision Targeting and Attack, to Fuel the Demand for Directed Energy Weapon Systems 9.2.3.2 Defense Systems 9.2.3.2.1 Demand for Low-Cost Alternative of Interceptor Rockets to Fuel the Demand for Directed Energy Weapon Systems 9.3 Airborne 9.3.1 Helicopters 9.3.1.1 Low Cost of Engagement and Easy Installation to Fuel the Demand for Directed Energy Weapon Systems 9.3.2 Fighter Jets 9.3.2.1 Demand for Military Fighter Aircraft to Attract OEMs, Which Will Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.3.3 Special Mission Aircrafts 9.3.3.1 Demand for Precision Strike Ability Using Special Mission Aircraft to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.3.4 Tactical UAVs 9.3.4.1 Demand for Low Equipment Size, Weight, and Power Consumption Weapons in UAVs to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.4 Naval 9.4.1 Combat Ships 9.4.1.1 Demand for Precise and Accurate Attack Naval Weapons to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.4.2 Submarines 9.4.2.1 Demand for Ability to Penetrate Below the Water Surface Without Attenuation, to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.4.3 Unmanned Surface Vehicles 9.4.3.1 Demand Unmanned Surface Vehicles with Combat Capabilities to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.5 Space 9.5.1 Satellite 9.5.1.1 Demand Technical Superiority and Dominance in the Space Arena to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.5.2 Space-Based Interceptors 9.5.2.1 Demand for Low Reaction Time and High Attack Speed to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 9.5.3 Earth to Space Weapons 9.5.3.1 Anti-Satellite Weapons 9.5.3.1.1 Demand for Space Security and Preparedness to Drive the Market for Directed Energy Weapons 10 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Product 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Lethal Weapons 10.2.1 Rail Gun 10.2.1.1 Rail Gun Causes Damage to the Target by Firing a Projectile with High Speed, Mass, and Kinetic Energy 10.2.2 Electromagnetic Bombs 10.2.2.1 High Level Electromagnetic Bombs Can Destroy Electronics Systems, Mid-Range Levels Can Corrupt Computer Data 10.2.3 Plasma Cannon 10.2.3.1 Plasma Cannon Uses a Plasma Discharge Instead of a Chemical Propellant 10.2.4 Microwave Gun 10.2.4.1 Power Efficient Generate Very High-Power Levels of Repeated Short Pulses and Very Little Heat 10.2.5 Navy Laser Cannon 10.2.5.1 Navy Laser Cannons Counter Surface Craft and Uavs and Can Installed on Combat Ships and Destroyers 10.2.6 Gun Launched Guided Projectile 10.2.6.1 a Gun-Launched Guided Projectile is a Low Drag, Guided Projectile and Can Execute Multiple Missions from Several Gun Systems 10.3 Non-Lethal Weapons 10.3.1 Pulsed Energy Projectile 10.3.1.1 Pulsed Energy Projectile Ablates the Target's Surface and Creates a Kind of Small Amount of Exploding Plasma 10.3.2 Active Denial System (Ads) 10.3.2.1 Active Denial System Fires a High-Powered Beam of 95 Ghz Waves at a Target to Energize Water and Fat Molecules in the Skin and Instantly Heating Them 10.3.3 Dazzler 10.3.3.1 a Dazzler Uses Intense Directed Radiation to Temporarily Disable Its Target with Flash Blindness 10.3.4 Sonic Gun 10.3.4.1 Sonic Guns Fire Extremely High-Power Sound Waves to Damage or Destroy the Eardrums of a Target 10.3.5 Taser Guns 10.3.5.1 Taser Guns Fire Two Dart-Like Electrodes Which Deliver a Modulated Electric Current to Disrupt Voluntary Control of Muscles, Causing Neuromuscular Incapacitation. 10.3.6 Stun Guns 10.3.6.1 Stun Guns are Not Preferred Over Tasers by Law Enforcement Agents 11 Directed Energy Weapons Market, by Range 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Less Than 1 Km 11.2.1 Solid-State Lasers Offer Better Performance in Less Than 1 Km Range 11.3 More Than 1 Km 11.3.1 Long Range Weapons Offer Defense Against Anti- Uav Operations, Rockets, Artillery, Propelled Grenades, Missiles, Laser-Guided Ammunition 12 Regional Analysis 13 Competitive Landscape 13.1 Introduction 13.2 Competitive Overview 13.3 Competitive Leadership Mapping 13.3.1 Star 13.3.2 Emerging Leader 13.3.3 Pervasive 13.3.4 Participant 13.3.5 Competitive Leadership Mapping (Startups/SMEs) 13.3.5.1 Progressive Companies 13.3.5.2 Responsive Companies 13.3.5.3 Dynamic Companies 13.3.5.4 Starting Blocks 13.4 Market Share of Key Players, 2020 13.5 Ranking and Revenue Analysis of Key Players, 2020 13.6 Competitive Benchmarking 13.7 Competitive Scenario 13.7.1 New Product Launches 13.7.2 Deals, 2017-2021 13.7.3 Others 13.8 Company Profiles 13.8.1 Lockheed Martin Corporation 13.8.2 Raytheon Technologies Corporation 13.8.3 Northrop Grumman Corporation 13.8.4 Thales Group 13.8.5 Bae Systems plc. 13.8.6 The Boeing Company 13.8.7 Textron Inc. 13.8.8 Rheinmetall Ag. 13.8.9 L3Harris Technologies 13.8.10 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems 13.8.11 Moog Inc. 13.8.12 Qinetiq Group plc 13.8.13 Honeywell Inc. 13.8.13 Honeywell Inc. 13.8.14 Dynetics 13.8.15 Elbit Systems Ltd 13.8.16 Eagle-Picher 13.8.17 Radiance Technologies 13.8.18 Applied Research Associates 13.8.19 Applied Technology Associates 13.8.20 Roketsan 13.8.21 General Atomics 13.8.22 Leonardo 13.8.23 Mbda 13.8.24 Epirus Inc. 13.8.25 Aqwest LLC. 14 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/rklj69 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SAN FRANCISCO and HELSINKI, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DoorDash, Inc. (NYSE: DASH), ("DoorDash" or the "company"), and Wolt Enterprises OY ("Wolt") today announced they and certain stockholders of Wolt have entered into a definitive agreement whereby DoorDash will acquire Wolt in an all-stock transaction (the "Transaction"). Both companies share a mission to build a global platform for local commerce that connects consumers with the best of their community, drives incremental revenue for merchants, and provides meaningful earning opportunities for millions of Dashers and couriers around the world. We expect this partnership to accelerate our progress towards our common goals. "DoorDash and Wolt share a vision to build a global platform for local commerce that empowers the communities we operate in," said Tony Xu, Co-founder and CEO of DoorDash. "Under the leadership of Miki Kuusi, Wolt has built a culture of optimism, operational rigor, and bias for action that matches our own. By joining forces, we believe we will accelerate our product development, bring greater focus to each of our markets, and improve the value we provide to consumers, merchants, as well as Dashers and couriers around the world." Wolt's team of over 4,000 employees operates a leading local commerce platform across 23 countries. Wolt's consumer obsession and attention to detail are evident in its superb consumer loyalty and retention rates. Its operational efficiency allows it to sustainably operate in a variety of environments ranging from rural towns to dense city centers. We believe Wolt's combination of technological innovation, operational expertise, and intense focus on the consumer experience are characteristics that will allow our combined company to build a leading local commerce platform and drive substantial growth for many years. "DoorDash has built an incredible business in one of the most significant markets in the world, while we came from a small home country and had to master the art of expansion very early on. During this process, we've come to appreciate the many similarities of our two teams, cultures and companies, as we've been molded by similar circumstances. We're incredibly excited to be joining forces with Tony and the DoorDash team to build something even greater together," said Miki Kuusi, Wolt Co-Founder and CEO. Upon closing of the acquisition, Miki Kuusi will run DoorDash International, reporting to Tony Xu. Under Miki's leadership, we expect to increase our international scale, accelerate our product development, and improve our investment efficiency. We expect to continue investing aggressively in the combined team to build our platform and grow our global business. "We have an opportunity to build a global platform for local commerce in the internet era," said Tony Xu. "Joining forces with Wolt will deepen our pool of superb talent and allow us to accelerate our international growth, while elevating our focus on the U.S. We expect the ingenuity, product expertise, and operational excellence of our combined company to expand our TAM, improve our investment efficiency, increase our long-term profit potential, and generate significant shareholder value." Key terms: - Transaction is valued at approximately 7.0 billion, subject to customary purchase price adjustments - All stock transaction; DoorDash equity issued as part of the transaction will be valued at $206.45 per share, based on DoorDash's 30-day VWAP as of November 3, 2021 - New retention pool of approximately 500 million reserved for Wolt management and employees Financial Impact: - Expect to be accretive to GOV growth in 2022 - Expect pro forma combined Adj. EBITDA of $0 to $500 million in 2022 Closing: - Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions for transactions of this type, including applicable regulatory approvals - We currently expect to close the transaction in 1H 2022 The board of directors of both companies have approved the transaction and stockholders representing the majority of Wolt's outstanding shares have committed to support the transaction. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is acting as exclusive financial advisor to DoorDash, and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, Allen & Overy LLP and Avance Attorneys Ltd are acting as its legal advisors with regard to the transaction. Qatalyst Partners is acting as exclusive financial advisor to Wolt, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Roschier, Attorneys Ltd. are acting as its legal advisor. Investor Presentation The companies have published a presentation to provide an overview of the transaction, which is available on DoorDash's investor relations website at http://ir.doordash.com . Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results In a separate press release issued today, DoorDash announced its financial results for the third quarter of 2021. The press release and accompanying Q3 Shareholder Letter are available on DoorDash's investor relations website at http://ir.doordash.com . Third Quarter 2021 Earnings Release Call DoorDash will conduct its Q3 earnings release call today at 2:00pm (PT) / 5:00pm (ET). Miki Kuusi, Wolt Co-Founder and CEO will join DoorDash management on the call. A live audio webcast of our earnings release call will be available at http://ir.doordash.com . Announcements regarding our financial performance, including SEC filings, investor events, as well as press and earnings releases are available on that site. Forward-Looking Statements This communication 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 generally relate to future events, including the timing of the proposed transaction and other information related to the proposed transaction. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "could," "intends," "target," "projects," "contemplates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," "potential" or "continue" or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern the proposed transaction and our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions regarding it. Forward-looking statements in this communication include, but are not limited to, (i) expectations regarding the timing, completion and expected benefits of the proposed transaction, (ii) plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, stakeholders and the markets in which Doordash and Wolt and the combined company will operate, and (iii) the expected impact of the proposed transaction on the business of the parties. Expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks, uncertainties and other factors relate to, among others: risks and uncertainties related to our pending acquisition of Wolt, including the failure to obtain, or delays in obtaining, required regulatory approvals, the failure to satisfy any of the closing conditions to the proposed transaction on a timely basis or at all and costs and expenses associated with failure to close; costs, expenses or difficulties related to the acquisition of Wolt, including the integration of the Wolt''s business; failure to realize the expected benefits and synergies of the proposed transaction in the expected timeframes or at all; the potential impact of the announcement, pendency or consummation of the proposed transaction on relationships with our and/or Wolt's employees, customers, suppliers and other business partners; the risk of litigation or regulatory actions to us and/or Wolt; inability to retain key personnel; changes in legislation or government regulations affecting us or Wolt; developments in the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business and operational impacts on us and/or Wolt; and economic, financial, social or political conditions that could adversely affect us, Wolt or the proposed transaction. For additional information on other potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from the results predicted, please see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and subsequent Form 10-Qs or Form 8-Ks filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). All information provided in this communication is as of the date of this communication and any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions that we believe to be reasonable, and information available to us, as of such date. We undertake no duty to update this information unless required by law. No Offer or Solicitation This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy 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. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Important Additional Information Will be Filed with the SEC DoorDash will file with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4, which will include a prospectus of DoorDash. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO CAREFULLY READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS TO BE FILED WITH THE SEC IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT DOORDASH, WOLT, THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION AND RELATED MATTERS. Investors will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement and other documents filed with the SEC through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov and on DoorDash's website at http://ir.doordash.com . About DoorDash DoorDash is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite local and national businesses in more than 7,000 cities across the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. Founded in 2013, DoorDash enables local businesses to address consumers' expectations of ease and immediacy and thrive in today's convenience economy. By building the last-mile logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. About Wolt Wolt is a technology company that makes it incredibly easy to discover and get the best of local restaurants, grocery stores and other local shops delivered to your home or office. Wolt is in 23 countries. The Helsinki-based company was founded in 2014, employs over 4,000 people, and is led by its Co-Founder and CEO Miki Kuusi. DoorDash Investor Relations Contact [email protected] DoorDash Press Contact [email protected] Wolt Contact [email protected] SOURCE DoorDash Related Links http://ir.doordash.com SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DoorDash Inc. (NYSE: DASH) announced financial results today for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. Please visit the DoorDash investor relations website at http://ir.doordash.com to view our financial results and letter to shareholders. Additionally, this afternoon, we announced the acquisition of Wolt Enterprises OY. A press release and presentation providing an overview of the transaction are available on DoorDash's investor relations website at http://ir.doordash.com A live audio webcast of our earnings release call will be available at http://ir.doordash.com . The call begins Tuesday, November 9 at 2:00pm (PT) / 5:00pm (ET). Announcements regarding our financial performance, including SEC filings, investor events, as well as press and earnings releases are available on that site. About DoorDash DoorDash is a technology company that connects consumers with their favorite local and national businesses in more than 7,000 cities across the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. Founded in 2013, DoorDash enables local businesses to address consumers' expectations of ease and immediacy and thrive in today's convenience economy. By building the last-mile logistics infrastructure for local commerce, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. Investor Relations Contact [email protected] Press Contact [email protected] SOURCE DoorDash NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- BizVibe has made available 1,000+ company profiles for the alarm manufacturers and suppliers category on its B2B platform. 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Contact BizVibe Jesse Maida Email: [email protected] +1 855-897-5880 Website: https://www.bizvibe.com/ SOURCE BizVibe While dealers have long benefited from Flexsteel's extensive fabric library that allows customers to cover a silhouette in their choice of color, texture or pattern, the company has not previously offered the ability to change an existing frame's arm or leg style. Until, that is, the introduction of Moxy, a simplified custom program featuring a semi-attached pillow-back frame available with a choice of four arm styles, two leg types and two seat cushion styles. Ranging from contemporary to classic, Moxy's arm selections include a sleek, straight track; a simple, rounded mailbox for a clean look; a traditional roll; and a more casual, curved sock arm. Round turned legs or square tapered legs in three distinct wood finisheslight, dark and warmfurther personalize a desired look, as does a choice of either square or T-shaped seat cushions. A Heart of Steel But it's what inside the sofa that actually makes the Moxy program so special, according to Tim Newlin, vice president of product management. Namely, Flexsteel's durable blue steel spring, a seating system which thousands of consumers have associated with quality and durability in upholstered furniture for generations. "There are certainly plenty of build-your-own programs currently in the marketplace, and many of them offer more style options than Moxy, but our dealers tell us that the Flexsteel quality story that many of their customers are already familiar with has been setting Moxy apart on their floors. So much so, that they asked us to expand the program first launched last spring to include a fourth arm and second cushion option to round out the style choices." "In creating Moxy, the feedback we received from dealers was clear," says Sharad Mathur, vice president of marketing. "As much as consumers want furniture that reflects their personal style preferences, and as important as special-order options are to retailers' bottom lines, custom furniture programs can often overwhelm shoppers with too many choices. In deciding to marry the Flexsteel quality story with a build-your-own program for the first time, we wanted to streamline the available options to make it easy for a shopper to create a look they love, while having great confidence about what's underneath the fabric." The Inside Story Flexsteel has been building its reputation on the blue steel spring story since 1910, when Swiss engineer E.W. Schlappritzi invented the spring that would eventually revolutionize upholstered furniture manufacturing. A watchmaker by trade who immigrated to the U.S. at the turn of the century after working on town clocks across Europe, Schlappritizi arrived in America with the knowledge that unlike wooden gears, the blue steel springs used in those town clocks was the only part that never actually wore out. Once he arrived in the U.S., he began to experiment with using the blue steel as seating springs. As the story goes, he first sold the concept to the railcar industry in Minneapolis, before introducing it to the furniture company that would eventually move to Dubuque and become Flexsteel. "The blue steel spring seating system is known for its durability and lasting comfort and has been a true differentiator for Flexsteel for more than 60 years now," Newlin explains. "In fact, it is such an important point for our dealers on the sales floor that we don't put a cover on the bottom of our furniture to hide the frame. During the sales process, salespeople can tip over any piece and show how the spring covers the entire piece from arm to arm, and how the cross bars not only stretch from front to back as is typical in other brands, but also left to right. This is what guarantees consistent seating comfort and support because a Flexsteel frame will never sag. "What's interesting," he continues, "is that no other furniture company in our industry has ever attempted to imitate the seating system, instead opting to use thinner, less desirable materials like webbing that simply don't provide the same coverage, support, or durability. That's most likely because the investment required for the machinery used to construct the blue steel springs in today's dollars would be enormous, and the high-temper steel we use is actually manufactured specifically for us. It's not something that can be simply purchased off the shelf at the local steel mill." Indeed, made to flex again and again (hence, the name Flexsteel), the tempered blue steel spring is designed to bend, but never break. "Every time you sit on a Flexsteel sofa, the spring flexes and then returns to its original shape," Newlin says. "It won't give, or degrade over time, as will even more expensive eight-way hand-tied units that, despite conventional wisdom, do eventually wear out over time because of the nature of string and rope which will eventually stretch and fray, and the natural variations inherent in anything created by the human hand." Unlike eight-way hand-tied units that are attached and tied to a sofa's wood frame, Flexsteel's unit sits on top of the frame, in addition to being attached to the frame. "This means that when you sit on a Flexsteel sofa, your weight is distributed through the frame to the legs to the floor. When you sit on an eight-way hand-tied sofa, weight pulls inward from the wood frame toward where you are sitting and that puts a lot of extra stress on the frame. Simply stated, an eight-way hand-tied unit will never maintain its shape like a Flexsteel will over the life of a piece of furniture. No doubt that's why our furniture pieces are reupholstered more often than any others in the industry." Designed By You, Made to Last Of course, until the release of Moxy, shoppers had to look at every style that Flexsteel produces to find exactly what they wanted. "This program gives consumers the flexibility to say, 'I like that arm,' and 'I like that leg,' and then quickly and easily put it together," says Sharad Mathur vice president of marketing at Flexsteel. "Dealers love the program because it can be shown in a very limited amount of square footage and their return on investment is much higher than anything else in the same space, while retail sales associates love Moxy because the program provides the choice and versatility their customers want, without overcomplicating the design process. "The real beauty of Moxy however, is that everything we stand for in quality construction is on the inside, so consumers can create a look they love, without the fear of making a costly decorating mistake. And they'll have a piece they can enjoy and depend on for many years come. SOURCE Flexsteel Industries, Inc. Related Links www.flexsteel.com MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- After experiencing more than a year in a pandemic environment, today's high schoolers are more open to education paths other than a four-year college even though they feel pressure to take that path. And while students have returned to classrooms that resembled pre-COVID-19 learning this fall, their thoughts about the future continue to shift, according to the latest Question The Quo Education Pulse survey from ECMC Group. The study, fielded in September 2021, revealed that the number of teens planning to attend a four-year college continues to decrease, with less than half now considering it, even though 86 percent feel pressure to pursue a four-year degree. In addition, 53 percent believe they can achieve professional success with education attained in three years or less. Four-Year College Has Lost Its Luster Among Teens; Less Than Half Considering a Four-Year Degree Tweet this At the same time, high school students are keenly focused on the connection between education and a future career, with 69 percent saying it is important to have on-the-job experiences like apprenticeships and internships during their postsecondary education. In addition, more than three-quarters said they think about their education and career beyond high school at least weekly, with more than half thinking about it daily. And while the cost of college continues to be a driving factor for where they choose to go to school, connection to a job also ranks high. "Over the past 20 months, we have seen a significant shift in teens' thoughts about education beyond high school with more and more looking for options beyond a four-year degree as a path to a career," said Jeremy Wheaton, president and CEO of ECMC Group. "Now, we as educators must ensure they have the information and support necessary to select and complete the right education path for themregardless of the path they choose." The statistics are from the latest iteration of ECMC Group's Question The Quo Education Pulse surveys, which have examined high schoolers' attitudes about their future education and work throughout the pandemic. The surveys of high school students ages 14-18, conducted in partnership with VICE Media, took place in February 2020, May 2020, January 2021 and September 2021 and sought to uncover how teens are thinking about and planning for their future education and careers amidst an ever-changing pandemic environment. The survey data also points to differing thoughts between demographics, including men and women as well as those from different income levels. For instance: Female students are more likely to think about their education and career every day compared to their male counterparts. Female students and students from high-income households are more likely to believe that education beyond high school is necessary compared to male students and students from low-income households. Despite students from high-income households believing they need more education to feel successful, their belief that education is necessary has dropped the most (a 25 percentage-point drop since February 2020 compared to a 12 percentage-point drop for students from low-income households). compared to a 12 percentage-point drop for students from low-income households). Female students feel more pressure to attend a four-year college than their male peers. While the amount of money they can make immediately upon graduation is equally important across demographics, the amount of money they can make over the long term is a more important factor for students from middle- and high-income households than for those from low-income households. Students from low-income households are more likely to believe that they will be learning throughout their lifetime compared to students from high-income households. Additional findings include: Gen Z feels pressure to pursue a four-year college, despite being open to other paths 48 percent of students are considering attending a four-year college, 23 percentage points less than in May 2020 (dropped from 71 percent to 48 percent) (dropped from 71 percent to 48 percent) 86 percent said they feel pressure to pursue a four-year degree 59 percent said they feel pressure from parents/guardians/family 44 percent said they feel pressure from society 46 percent said their post-high school education should last less than four years, and 45 percent said it should last two years or less Gen Z wants skill-focused, quicker pathways to careers 65 percent said skills should be learned hands-on in a lab setting, and 53 percent said they would prefer to learn skills through an on-the-job experience 58 percent believe a skill-based education (e.g., trade skills, nursing, STEM, etc.) makes sense in today's world 47 percent believe a program they can complete in a shorter period of time (less than two years) makes sense Career paths are top-of-mind for Gen Z 83 percent think about their education and career path at least once a week 53 percent think about their education and career path every day 73 percent said an important factor of their post-high school path was whether there is a direct path to a career 62 percent have a career path in mind right now Money still plays a role in Gen Z's decision making More than 65 percent said the cost of tuition and the amount of student loans they would need were important factors in what they choose to do after high school 59 percent worry about how they will pay for college 43 percent said the cost of college is the most important element in their education decision, outranking job placements, completion rates and college rankings Gen Z teens believe government and employers should help fund postsecondary education 47 percent believe the government should provide additional money to pay off student loans 35 percent believe the government should subsidize/pay off debt 39 percent believe the government should subsidize/pay for college 38 percent believe companies should provide formal education 34 percent believe companies should provide money to pay off student loans Lifelong learning is a part of Gen Z's plans 53 percent said they expect to be learning throughout their lifetime 45 percent want more formalized education throughout their lifetime Nearly one-third said they would prefer their education be several short (one year or less) experiences over their lifetime rather than one longer experience (four years) Awareness and openness to career and technical education has increased 56 percent of students are aware of what career and technical education is (15 percentage-point increase since February 2020 ) ) 57 percent would be open to pursuing career and technical education if it became tuition-free across the country 36 percent said they'd be more likely to pursue career and technical education if there was a stronger guarantee of a job after graduation, and 33 percent said they would if there was a guarantee that they would develop stronger career skills 31 percent said they would be more likely to pursue career and technical education if it was viewed as valuable as a four-year degree "These insights indicate teens are extremely tuned in to their future career path but need to know more about the education it takes to get there," said Wheaton. "Their focus has shifted on their future, weighing what matters most and cutting out the unnecessary. We have an opportunity to illuminate the pathways from high school to postsecondary education, on-the-job learning and careers, and the value education still holds for the future generations of workers." The surveys are part of ECMC Group's Question The Quo campaign, which aims to empower students to learn about the various higher education options available and to take the career path that's right for them. Survey Methodology ECMC Group, in partnership with VICE Media, conducted four national Question The Quo Education Pulse surveys. The first survey of 1,177 high school students was conducted Feb. 25-March 2, 2020; the second survey of 1,025 high school students was conducted May 14-20, 2020; the third survey of 1,001 high school students was conducted Jan. 4-19, 2021; the fourth survey of 1,052 high school students was conducted Sept. 20-Oct. 3, 2021. About ECMC Group ECMC Group is a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed by creating, providing and investing in innovative educational opportunities. Headquartered in Minneapolis, ECMC Group and its family of companies are focused on advancing educational opportunities through financial tools and services; nonprofit career education and workforce training; and innovative, impactful and mission-aligned funding for innovative programs to help students achieve their academic and professional goals and to address the future of work. To learn more, visit www.ecmcgroup.org. SOURCE ECMC Group Related Links ecmcgroup.org LANDOVER, Md., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Giant Food, the leading greater Washington D.C. regional grocery chain, today announces the grand opening of a new redeveloped store located at 9580 Livingston Road, Fort Washington, Md., in Prince George's County. The store will officially open at 6 a.m. on Friday, November 12, and the store will serve as a convenient one-stop-shop featuring Giant's new and improved store format with enhanced and expanded departments and amenities to better serve the local community. The store will feature Giant's latest innovations in enhanced departments and offerings for customers from a large produce and organic section including locally grown and sourced fresh fruits and vegetables and expanded prepared food offerings to a gourmet cheese section, freshly made sushi and full-service deli, seafood, and meat departments. Outside of traditional grocery offerings, the new store will also host a full-service floral department, free Wi-Fi, and a Starbucks. "We have recognized the need for a new top of the line grocery store for the residents of Fort Washington, a neighborhood we have served for nearly 45 years, and have been looking forward to opening this remodeled location to better serve the community," said Ira Kress, President of Giant Food. "We're confident this new store delivers on the convenience, quality, value, and finest customer experience that the community deserves and look forward to serving the neighborhood's residents for all of their grocery needs." In addition, the new store includes a full-service in-store Giant Pharmacy offering a range of convenient services such as vaccines administered by Giant's certified pharmacists including COVID-19 vaccines and booster doses as well as seasonal flu shots, and free consultations including recommendations and assistance with selecting appropriate over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription (Rx) products. For added convenience, customers also have the option to place Giant Pickup or Giant Delivers orders on giantfood.com or the Giant Food mobile app and choose to either pick up their groceries at the new location or have them delivered right to their doors. Customers at the new store also have access to Giant's team of licensed in-store nutritionists for free online and phone consultations as well as online nutrition classes and webinars. To sign up for a class or contact Giant's nutritionists, visit giantfood.com/nutrition. To further serve the needs of the community, especially during the busy holiday season, Giant has hired over 180 associates to work at the new store. Giant is proudly opening the redeveloped store alongside the continued community support of the Prince George's County Economic Development Corporation (EDC). The new store serves as a replacement for Giant's previous store at the same location. For more information about Giant, visit giantfood.com. About Giant Food This year, Giant Food is celebrating 85 years as a community grocery store. Since opening its first location on Georgia Ave. in Washington, DC in 1936, Giant has been an integral part of our customers' lives and the communities it serves. Giant is committed to being a Better Neighbor and has designated four main giving pillars that address local Food Insecurity, Military Support, Pediatric Cancer Research, and Social Equality. Giant is headquartered in Landover, Md. and operates 164 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia with approximately 20,000 associates. Included within the 164 stores are 152 full-service pharmacies, 82 full-service PNC Banks and 25 Starbucks locations. Giant fits all the ways today's busy customers want to shop - whether in store or online. With 156 Giant Pickup locations and Giant Delivers available to all our market areas in DC, MD, VA and DE, customers have even more convenient options right at their fingertips to get the best product and prices, whenever and however they want it. For more information on Giant, visit: www.giantfood.com. SOURCE Giant Food 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 Steel Pipe market. The report also aids buyers with relevant Steel Pipe 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/steel-pipe-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 4%-6%. Identify favorable opportunities in Steel Pipe 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 Steel Pipe market procurement report covers the following areas: Some of the top Steel Pipe suppliers listed in this report: This Steel Pipe procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. ArcelorMittal SA United States Steel Corp Tata Steel 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 Secretary Hicks and her team visited GM Design, responsible for advanced, production and industrial design operations supporting GM's entire portfolio of brands and subsidiaries. Hicks also toured GM's Estes Engineering Center, the largest battery validation lab in North America, enabling GM to perform major battery durability tests in-house at the cell, module and pack levels. Further highlighting GM's innovation, GM Defense also showcased its light and agile nine-Soldier, all-terrain Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) and accompanying ISV demonstration variant. Secretary Hicks got behind the wheel of the ISV and experienced firsthand how GM Defense is redefining military mobility. Steve duMont, president of GM Defense, discussed the importance of being able to leverage GM's investment of $35 billion in electric and autonomous technologies through 2025. "GM Defense has a tremendous opportunity to leverage our parent company's investments in advanced battery technologies and adapt them to meet defense requirements," said duMont. "The more we can adapt existing commercial technology, the faster we can modernize warfighter capabilities and quickly deliver technology at the speed of relevance." "I appreciate Secretary Hicks taking the time to get to know GM Defense as we look to partner with Department of Defense on its electric future. As the leader executing the DoD's priorities, her leadership in the pathway to electrification is inspiring," said duMont. As part of GM's Global Innovation organization, GM Defense will leverage GM's expertise and proven capabilities to bring new, innovative solutions to the defense and government sector, creating growth opportunities for the company. For the latest GM Defense news, please visit www.GMDefenseLLC.com and follow GM Defense on LinkedIn and Twitter. About GM Defense LLC GM Defense delivers integrated vehicles, power & propulsion, and mobility & autonomy solutions to global defense, security and government markets. The exceptional reliability of GM Defense's technologies results from decades of proven performance and billions of dollars spent in independent research and development by its parent, General Motors, a world leader in global design, engineering and manufacturing capabilities. SOURCE GM Defense LLC WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Close to $1million (U.S.) has been awarded to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) to help ensure live animals confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade are handled properly while in custody to improve recovery and strengthen judicial processes leading to prosecutions. IFAW and three partnering organizations will develop technical resources on the safe handling of live animals during seizure or confiscation and will train frontline enforcement officers on best practices for animal welfare, evidence collection, and biosafety. Project teams will also produce resources on international legal best practices and practical tools for live seizures, and confiscations. In Indonesia, Congo, and Guyana, trainings on best practices to foster legal and policy reforms will be offered to those working in the judicial sector. IFAW will partner with Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), and Legal Atlas to implement the Confiscated Animals Rescue & Enforcement (CARE) Project, an innovative and holistic approach to combat illegal wildlife trafficking in Republic of Indonesia (Indonesia), Republic of the Congo (Congo) and Cooperative Republic of Guyana (Guyana). All three countries are significantly impacted by the illegal wildlife trade, frequently confiscate live animals and have the potential to foster best practices regionally. "Wild animals are being illegally captured, transported, and sold live at an increasingly shocking rate. The animals targeted by illegal traffickers are primarily from threatened or protected species. The Confiscated Animals Rescue & Enforcement Project allows IFAW and our partners to develop the tools needed to ensure confiscated animals are treated in a humane and safe way, receiving the best possible care while in custody," says Lois Lelanchon, Program Manager for Wildlife Rescue at IFAW. Lelanchon went on to say, "Globally, current efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade are largely focused on wildlife products, with limited attention on the scale, significance, and risks associated with live animals being illegally trafficked. This phenomenon not only threatens wildlife conservation efforts, but also animal health and welfare, and public health. IFAW and our partners will establish sustainable resources and activities on three continents and our goal is to have a foundational framework that can aid other countries facing similar challenges." "Congo's wildlife is among the most trafficked," said Shawn Sweeney, JGI USA Associate Vice President, Communications & Policy. "Those who survive - often juvenile orphans - require specialized care to not only help them recover from their trauma, but to also ensure their unique needs are met. We hope our work in Congo, and this work with IFAW can help ensure every animal rescued from this trade can experience the highest quality standard of care." "We continue to find shocking examples of wild animals being smuggled inside pipes, suitcases, crates and other containers. Often, critically endangered species are targeted and need emergency care once confiscated. We are very excited to implement the CARE project in Indonesia with our governmental partners and IFAW. Fast and proper aftercare to rescued wild animals, ultimately means more lives can be saved," says Femke den Haas, International Director at JAAN. "We will contribute to breaking down legal and conceptual complexities for common challenges faced by field enforcement agents. Legal resources are urgently needed to support successful prosecutions and the survival of confiscated live animals. Legal Atlas will produce these resources through legal gap analyses, training, and technical assistance to improve legal frameworks and practices for confiscated animals in Indonesia, Congo and Guyana," says Maria Pascual, Co-Founder of Legal Atlas. "These reforms are crucial to reconciliate the requirements to successfully prosecute wildlife crimes with animal welfare imperatives and to maximize the role that confiscated live animals can play for in situ conservation," said Lelanchon. Contact: Melanie Mahoney E: [email protected] About the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)The International Fund for Animal Welfare is a global non-profit helping animal and people thrive together. We are experts and everyday people, working across seas, oceans and in more than 40 countries around the world. We rescue, rehabilitate and release animals, and we restore and protect their natural habitats. The problems we're up against are urgent and complicated. To solve them, we match fresh thinking with bold action. We partner with local communities, governments, non-governmental organizations and businesses. Together, we pioneer new and innovative ways to help all species flourish. See how at ifaw.org. About Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN)Jakarta Animal Aid Network is non-governmental, non-profit organization established in January 2008 to help and protect wildlife and improve the welfare of animals in Indonesia. JAAN works with the Indonesian public and authorities to rescue animals from exploitation, runs programs to help minimize wildlife extinction, works to halt the illegal animal trade, and to improve animal welfare in Indonesia. About Jane Goodall Institute (JGI)Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) is a global, community-centered conservation organization founded in 1977 that advances the vision and work of Dr. Jane Goodall in over 30 countries around the world. We aim to understand and protect chimpanzees, other apes, their habitats, and empower people to be compassionate citizens in order to inspire conservation of the natural world we all share. JGI uses research, collaboration with local communities, best-in-class animal welfare standards, and the innovative use of science and technology to inspire hope and transform it into action for the common good. Through our Roots & Shoots program for young people of all ages, now active in over 50 countries around the world, JGI is creating an informed and compassionate critical mass of people who will help to create a better world for people, other animals and our shared environment. Learn more about JGI at janegoodall.org and follow @JaneGoodallInst on social media. About the Legal AtlasLegal Atlas is dedicated to decoding the complexities of law, making it understandable and accessible on a global scale. Our work is guided by a vision of smarter laws for a smarter planet. We provide open access to our online global legal intelligence platform at https://legal-atlas.net. We join the global alliance against wildlife crimes that threaten the earth's rich biological diversity. Our goal is to contribute to a better understanding of the legal challenges we all face in the protection of wildlife around the globe. Understanding of the legal challenges we all face in the protection of wildlife around the globe. SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare Related Links https://www.ifaw.org HAL intends to work with ZeroAvia to develop a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) to allow retrofit of existing airframes for both Indian military and worldwide operators. HAL also intends to continue to build new aircraft with additional FAA approval, designated Hindustan-228, creating the opportunity to incorporate ZeroAvia's ZA600 zero-emission engines. Additionally, HAL and ZeroAvia engineers will integrate ZeroAvia's ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain into the Dornier 228 airframe. ZeroAvia will work closely with HAL and aircraft regulators during this project to ensure that aircraft meets both safety and operational requirements. Approximately 270 Dornier 228 aircraft have been manufactured globally, with 242 currently in service. The production line of Do-228 aircraft is operational at HAL, India (Transport Aircraft Division, Kanpur, UP, India). "HAL is committed to contributing to the protection and better development of the environment. This MoU with ZeroAvia has the potential to pave the way for zero emission regional connectivity. We are looking forward to steering and supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly aviation in India and the world", says R Madhavan, CMD, HAL. "HAL is committed to the ongoing development of the Dornier 228 aircraft, and it is critical to offer it as a zero-emission platform, including the conversion of the existing fleet," said Apurba Roy, General Manager, HAL's Transport Aircraft Division. "We are honored to partner with ZeroAvia, who in our view is leading the way in the development of innovative solutions to deliver practical zero-emission aircraft", he added. HAL and ZeroAvia engineers will integrate ZeroAvia's ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain into the Dornier 228 airframe. HAL signed a technology transfer agreement with Dornier in 1983 and has produced main sub-assemblies and over 150 aircraft, including those operated by the Indian Military. "We are pleased to be working with HAL to deliver zero-emission aircraft to market in the shortest time frame," said Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder of ZeroAvia. "HAL has a long experience with the Dornier 228 aircraft, and since this is also our flight test aircraft, this collaboration helps us achieve our goal of certifying our engine whilst providing an STC solution to operators worldwide," A Dornier 228 based at ZeroAvia's facility at Cotswold Airport in the UK is being used as the dedicated development platform for the HyFlyer II project, which is progressing the R&D required for the ZA600 powertrain for 19-seat aircraft. ZeroAvia recently successfully ground-tested its 600kW powertrain and will begin flight testing using its Dornier 228 in the coming months to achieve certification and entry into commercial service in 2024. HyFlyer II is part-funded by the ATI Programme, which is supported by the UK's Aerospace Technology Institute, Innovate UK and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. In late October 2021, ZeroAvia and Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) announced a partnership with the aim of establishing the world's first hydrogen-electric international passenger route, using 19-seat aircraft such as HAL's 228. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting 500 mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024 for its 600kW engines, and 2026 for its 2,000-5,000kW engine platform. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council. For more information, please visit ZeroAvia.com and follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn . About Hindustan Aeronautics Limited Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is an Indian state-owned aerospace and defense company, headquartered in Bengaluru, India. Established on 23 December 1940, HAL currently has 10 dedicated Research and development (R&D) centers and 20 manufacturing divisions spread across India. HAL is managed by a Board of Directors appointed by the President of India through the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. HAL is currently involved in designing and manufacturing of fighter jets, helicopters, transport aircraft in passenger and maritime surveillance roles, jet engines and marine gas turbine engine, avionics, software development, spare supply, overhauling and upgrading of Indian military aircraft. India has been manufacturing the Dornier 228 since 1983, primarily for the Indian Defence services but has also provided airframe subassemblies, such as the wings, tail and fuselage to RUAG (Erstwhile Dornier Gmbh). SOURCE ZeroAvia Related Links https://www.zeroavia.com GLASGOW, United Kingdom, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hitachi Vantara, the digital infrastructure, data management and analytics, and digital solutions subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd. (TSE: 6501), is expanding its partnership with Rainforest Connection to help accelerate data-driven solutions to protect rainforests and their sensitive ecologies. The two organizations will continue developing and scaling predictive analytics to stop illegal logging and start exploring new use cases to protect forest biodiversity. At COP26, Hitachi Vantara and Rainforest Connection will discuss the fundamental role of data-driven solutions for addressing climate change, including how this partnership is helping protect the rainforests in Sumatra, during a November 9th keynote presentation. Livestream Hitachi's COP26 Presentation and Explore Hitachi Vantara's Data-Driven Approach to Sustainability The rainforests are the world's most effective carbon sink, a vital defense against climate change. The world lost 4.2 million hectares of tropical forests in 2020 alone and protecting tropical forests and biodiversity will be a significant part of discussions on meeting 2030 targets at the United Nations' Climate Change Conference (COP26). Hitachi is a principal sponsor for COP26 in Glasgow. "The use of data and technology are paramount for businesses and governments to meet sustainability goals," said Gajen Kandiah, CEO, Hitachi Vantara. "Together, Hitachi Vantara and Rainforest Connection are demonstrating how important a robust ecosystem of partners, along with AI and analytics, are to solve sustainability challenges at a community level and scale to create global change." Empowering forest communities: Turning prediction into protection In Sumatra, the Indonesian government recognizes that forests are vital to economic and environmental safety of the communities and authorizes them to protect local forests from illegal logging. With only a few rangers to patrol large forest areas a few times per month, illegal logging was often discovered after the fact. Using years of eco-acoustic data collected by Rainforest Connection's 'Guardian' system, Hitachi Vantara developed a baseline of forest sounds and built predictive algorithms and AI to detect anomalies such as voices or disturbed birds flying up, sounds that often precede logging. "When a global giant like Hitachi Vantara opens its newest, cutting-edge technology to startups like Rainforest Connection that are working at the forefront of social impact and conservation, we can collectively bring about unimaginable, world-changing achievements," said Topher White, CEO, Rainforest Connection. The partnership between Hitachi Vantara and Rainforest Connection, along with leadership from local non-governmental organizations like KKI Warsi, can empower local villages with the predictive, data-driven warnings to help stop illegal logging before it starts. Rainforest Connection and KKI Warsi has deployed 27 Guardian devices in 9 Western Sumatran villages. "Our communities depend on the forests for water, rice farming and protection from landslides. These small villages have the knowledge to protect the forest, but without the technology, they did not have enough resources," said Rudi Syaf, Executive Director, KKI Warsi. "We want to show that the local communities can partner with the government to manage the forest best and the support from Rainforest Connection and Hitachi Vantara are required to help us do that." Partnership building data-driven solutions to protect biodiversity The scalable cloud and data architecture developed by Hitachi Vantara is also helping Rainforest Connection build regional neural networks that support biodiversity. Rainforest Connection is cataloguing acoustic data from hundreds of species across regions, building a database, and applying AI and Machine Learning to more efficiently analyze and extract actionable insights from these soundscapes which can better inform how best to protect and preserve vulnerable species. Rainforest Connection's Guardian system is currently being used in projects in Belize, Costa Rica, Suriname, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Romania, South Africa, Cameroon, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy, Austria, United Kingdom, Chile, Greece, and Ireland Hitachi to Highlight Data's Critical Role in Sustainability at COP26 Hitachi Vantara's Gajen Kandiah, Rainforest Connection's Topher White and leadership from one of the UK's leading electricity distribution network operators UK Power Networks will discuss how data-driven solutions and partnerships are addressing climate change at COP26. The livestream event is Nov 9, 3 p.m. GMT. Additional Resources Connect With Hitachi Vantara About Rainforest Connection Rainforest Connection (RFCx) has created the world's first scalable, real-time monitoring system for protecting and studying remote ecosystems. Unlike visual based tracking systems (such as drones or satellites), the RFCx approach relies on acoustic sensors (RFCx Guardians) that will monitor the ecosystem soundscape at selected locations 365 days a year. With over six years of experience operating in rainforests around the world, RFCx technology acts as a force multiplier which does much of the monitoring and analysis work for a fraction of the cost. RFCx technology is advancing through a comprehensive biodiversity monitoring program that allows the local partners to measure progress of wildlife restoration and recovery through principles of adaptive management. The audio recordings being collected from online RFCx Guardian detect and analyze everything from illegal activities to primates, birds, frogs, insects, bats, and countless other groups of organisms. Acoustic data is extremely rich in information about the makeup of an ecosystem. The RFCx monitoring platform has the capacity to create CNN models for analysis. About Hitachi Vantara Hitachi Vantara, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., guides our customers from what's now to what's next by solving their digital challenges. Working alongside each customer, we apply our unmatched industrial and digital capabilities to their data and applications to benefit both business and society. More than 80% of the Fortune 100 trust Hitachi Vantara to help them develop new revenue streams, unlock competitive advantages, lower costs, enhance customer experiences, and deliver social and environmental value. Visit us at www.hitachivantara.com. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is focused on its Social Innovation Business that combines information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and products. The company's consolidated revenues for fiscal year 2020 (ended March 31, 2021) totaled 8,729.1 billion yen ($78.6 billion), with 871 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 350,000 employees worldwide. Hitachi is working to increase social, environmental and economic value for its customers across six domains; IT, Energy, Industry, Mobility, Smart Life and Automotive Systems through Lumada, Hitachi's advanced digital solutions, services, and technologies for turning data into insights to drive digital innovation. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com. HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners. SOURCE Hitachi Vantara Corporation Related Links www.hitachivantara.com The Company continues to support its customers and economic growth in the province, while building a grid for the future TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Hydro One Limited (Hydro One or the Company) today announced its financial and operating results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2021. Third Quarter Highlights Third quarter earnings per share (EPS) was $0.50 , compared to EPS of $0.47 for the same period in 2020. The increase in EPS was primarily due to approved rates for the transmission and distribution segments as well as the redemption of preferred shares in the prior year, partially offset by lower transmission peak demand and higher depreciation, amortization and asset removal costs. , compared to EPS of for the same period in 2020. The increase in EPS was primarily due to approved rates for the transmission and distribution segments as well as the redemption of preferred shares in the prior year, partially offset by lower transmission peak demand and higher depreciation, amortization and asset removal costs. Hydro One quickly restored power to more than 84,000 customers in northern and central Ontario as well as over 70,000 customers in southern and central Ontario following severe weather across the Province. Hydro One prioritizes restoration in a way that brings power back to the greatest number of customers in the shortest period of time. as well as over 70,000 customers in southern and central following severe weather across the Province. Hydro One prioritizes restoration in a way that brings power back to the greatest number of customers in the shortest period of time. Hydro One has partnered with Feed Ontario in the fight against hunger by providing the equivalent of 450,000 meals to those in need. The Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business (CCAB) has partnered with Hydro One to support Indigenous-owned businesses through two types of grants. This partnership is part of Hydro One's commitment to ensuring that 20 per cent of its community investments are directed to Indigenous communities. The Company recently partnered with PowerFlex, a division of EDF Renewables North America, to provide distributed energy resources for our commercial and industrial customers. Demonstrating its financial stability and flexibility, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Hydro One Inc. successfully issued $900 million of Medium Term Notes (MTN) at competitive rates. of Medium Term Notes (MTN) at competitive rates. The Company's capital investments and in-service additions for the quarter were $513 million and $514 million , respectively, compared to $500 million and $371 million in 2020. and , respectively, compared to and in 2020. Quarterly dividend declared at $0.2663 per share, payable December 31, 2021 . "Hydro One continues to energize life in Ontario, by meeting the needs of our customers and communities," said Mark Poweska, President and CEO of Hydro One. "Hydro One strives to improve customer experience through innovation and by building a smarter, more sustainable and resilient grid." Selected Consolidated Financial and Operating Highlights Three months ended September 30 Nine months ended September 30 (millions of Canadian dollars, except as otherwise noted) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenues 1,913 1,903 5,446 5,423 Purchased power 933 993 2,665 2,808 Revenues, net of purchased power1 980 910 2,781 2,615 Net income attributable to common shareholders 300 281 806 1,609 Adjusting items (867) Adjusted net income attributable to common shareholders1 300 281 806 742 Basic EPS $0.50 $0.47 $1.35 $2.69 Diluted EPS $0.50 $0.47 $1.34 $2.68 Basic Adjusted EPS1 $0.50 $0.47 $1.35 $1.24 Diluted Adjusted EPS1 $0.50 $0.47 $1.34 $1.24 Net cash from operating activities 550 680 1,479 1,603 Capital investments 513 500 1,593 1,301 Assets placed in-service 514 371 971 761 Transmission: Average monthly Ontario 60-minute peak demand (MW) 21,137 22,831 20,174 20,392 Distribution: Electricity distributed to Hydro One customers (GWh) 7,329 7,132 22,235 20,829 1 Non-GAAP Measures - Hydro One uses financial measures that do not have a standardized meaning under the United States (US) generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other entities. Hydro One calculated the non-GAAP measures by adjusting certain US GAAP measures for specific items that impact comparability but which the Company does not consider part of normal, ongoing operations. Refer to the Non-GAAP Measures section of the Company's Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) for further discussion of these items. Key Financial Highlights 2021 Third Quarter Highlights The Company reported net income attributable to common shareholders of $300 million during the quarter, compared to $281 million in the same period of 2020. This resulted in EPS of $0.50, compared to EPS of $0.47 in the prior year. Revenues, net of purchased power, for the third quarter were $70 million higher than last year, mainly due to higher distribution and transmission revenues resulting from Ontario Energy Board (OEB) approved 2021 rates as well as the recovery of deferred tax asset amounts (DTA Recovery Amounts) pursuant to the April 2021 OEB decision (DTA Implementation Decision). This has been partially offset by lower energy demand in the quarter. OM&A costs were consistent year-over-year as work program expenditures were largely in line with the prior year. Depreciation, amortization and asset removal costs for the third quarter were higher than last year, mainly due to growth in capital assets as the Company continues to place new assets in-service, consistent with its ongoing capital investment program, and higher environmental spend. Financing charges for the third quarter were higher year-over-year primarily due to higher debt levels incurred to finance the growth in capital assets. Income tax expense for the third quarter of 2021 was higher than the prior year primarily due to tax expense relating to the DTA Recovery Amounts as well as lower net deductible timing differences and higher pre-tax earnings. Further contributing to the year-over-year increase in net income attributable to common shareholders was the redemption of the Series 1 Preferred Shares announced in the third quarter of the prior year. Hydro One continues to invest in the reliability and performance of Ontario's electricity transmission and distribution systems by addressing aging power system infrastructure, facilitating connectivity to new load customers and generation sources, and improving service to customers. The Company made capital investments of $513 million during the third quarter of 2021, and placed $514 million of new assets in-service. COVID-19 Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company's decisions and actions have continuously been guided by two priorities: to protect Hydro One's employees and to maintain the safe and reliable supply of electricity to Hydro One's customers. To date, Hydro One has been successful in achieving these priorities as the Company continues to operate-in-line with the evolving safety procedures and practices implemented since the start of the pandemic. As a result, Hydro One has experienced very few cases of workplace transmission of the COVID-19 virus. The Company continues to monitor and adhere to guidance provided by the Province of Ontario and public health experts in an effort to ensure employee, customer and public safety. In keeping with the Company's ongoing commitment to customers, and to assist those customers significantly impacted by the pandemic, the Company continues to offer a number of customer relief measures including the Pandemic Relief Fund, increased payment flexibility to residential and small business customers, and assistance in securing other financial assistance. Looking ahead, it is very difficult to determine or estimate the future impacts of COVID-19 on Hydro One's operations as it will be largely dependent on the duration of the pandemic and the severity of the measures that may be implemented to combat this virus. Electricity consumption and demand can be impacted by numerous variables, including weather, changing economic conditions and conservation efforts, making it difficult to estimate the impact of COVID-19 with any level of precision. Hydro One continues to take the necessary steps to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's operations. Selected Operating Highlights Hydro One quickly restored power to more than 84,000 customers in northern and central Ontario as well as over 70,000 customers in southern and central Ontario following severe weather across the Province. Hydro One prioritizes restoration in a way that brings power back to the greatest number of customers in the shortest period of time. Customers can easily access updates how and when they want using Hydro One's innovative outage tools, such as its outage map, app and proactive text or email notification. These free tools allow customers to check the status of power outages anywhere in Hydro One's service area and receive helpful tips and news. Hydro One announced support for Feed Ontario, the province's largest collective of hunger-relief organizations providing food banks with fresh food and pantry staples. Hydro One's contribution of $150,000 will provide the equivalent of 450,000 meals. The partnership will help safely distribute nutritious food to over 1,200 hunger-relief organizations in more than 130 communities across Ontario. The CCAB and Hydro One announced 28 recipients of the Hydro One Business Grant. As many businesses continue to face financial challenges associated with the lasting impacts of the pandemic, these new grants will provide direct financial support to Indigenous-owned businesses. The Company partnered with PowerFlex, a division of EDF Renewables North America, to provide distributed energy resources for our commercial and industrial customers. The two projects in this partnership are battery energy storage systems totaling 20MWh. This solution helps our customers optimize their energy consumption and reduce their overall energy bills. In September, the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Hydro One Inc. raised $900 million of MTN consisting of $450 million aggregate principal amount of 2.23% MTN, Series 50, due 2031 and $450 million aggregate principal amount of 3.10% MTN, Series 51, due 2051. Hydro One Inc. expects to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay and/or prepay maturing long-term and short-term debt and for general corporate purposes. Common Share Dividends Following the conclusion of the third quarter, on November 8, 2021, the Company declared a quarterly cash dividend to common shareholders of $0.2663 per share to be paid on December 31, 2021 to shareholders of record on December 8, 2021. Supplemental Segment Information Three months ended September 30 Nine months ended September 30 (millions of Canadian dollars) 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenues Transmission 507 483 1,403 1,342 Distribution 1,395 1,410 4,012 4,050 Other 11 10 31 31 Total revenues 1,913 1,903 5,446 5,423 Revenues, net of purchased power Transmission 507 483 1,403 1,342 Distribution 462 417 1,347 1,242 Other 11 10 31 31 Total revenues, net of purchased power 980 910 2,781 2,615 Operation, maintenance and administration costs Transmission 95 102 294 318 Distribution 153 145 497 434 Other 14 15 42 45 Total operation, maintenance and administration costs 262 262 833 797 Income (loss) before financing charges and taxes Transmission 296 268 754 690 Distribution 200 167 536 503 Other (5) (7) (17) (20) Total income before financing charges and taxes 491 428 1,273 1,173 Capital investments Transmission 304 309 1,017 796 Distribution 206 190 566 502 Other 3 1 10 3 Total capital investments 513 500 1,593 1,301 Assets placed in-service Transmission 287 196 482 383 Distribution 225 174 481 376 Other 2 1 8 2 Total assets placed in-service 514 371 971 761 This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's third quarter 2021 unaudited consolidated financial statements and MD&A. These financial statements and MD&A together with additional information about Hydro One, including the audited consolidated financial statements and MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2020 can be accessed at www.HydroOne.com/Investors and www.sedar.com . Quarterly Investment Community Teleconference The Company's third quarter 2021 results teleconference with the investment community will be held on November 9, 2021 at 8 a.m. ET, a webcast of which will be available at www.HydroOne.com/Investors . Members of the financial community wishing to ask questions during the call should dial 1-866-221-1674 prior to the scheduled start time and request access to Hydro One's third quarter 2021 results call, conference ID 8546552 (international callers may dial 1-270-215-9604). Media and other interested parties are welcome to participate on a listen-only basis. A webcast of the teleconference will be available at the same link following the call. Additionally, investors should note that from time to time Hydro One management presents at brokerage sponsored investor conferences. Most often, but not always, these conferences are webcast by the hosting brokerage firm, and when they are webcast, links are made available on Hydro One's website at www.HydroOne.com/Investors and are posted generally at least two days before the conference. Hydro One Limited (TSX: H) Hydro One Limited, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, is Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with approximately 1.4 million valued customers, approximately $30.3 billion in assets as at December 31, 2020, and annual revenues in 2020 of approximately $7.3 billion. Our team of approximately 8,700 skilled and dedicated employees proudly build and maintain a safe and reliable electricity system which is essential to supporting strong and successful communities. In 2020, Hydro One invested approximately $1.9 billion in its transmission and distribution networks, and supported the economy through buying approximately $1.7 billion of goods and services. We are committed to the communities where we live and work through community investment, sustainability and diversity initiatives. We are designated as a Sustainable Electricity Company by the Canadian Electricity Association. Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the TSX and certain of Hydro One Inc.'s medium term notes are listed on the NYSE. Additional information can be accessed at www.hydroone.com , www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov . For More Information For more information about everything Hydro One, please visit www.hydroone.com where you can find additional information including links to securities filings, historical financial reports, and information about the Company's governance practices, corporate social responsibility, customer solutions, and further information about its business. Forward-Looking Statements and Information This press release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such information includes, but is not limited to, statements related to: the Company's continuing support of its customers and economic growth in the province; building a grid for the future; Hydro One's commitment to investments in Indigenous communities; energizing life in Ontario; improving customer experience; the Company's ongoing and planned projects and expected capital investments, including anticipated outcomes and impacts; investments in reliability and performance of the electricity system; impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business and operations, and potential future actions that the Company may take in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its anticipated impacts; the Company's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in relation to customer relief measures and safety; the impact of Hydro One's contribution to Feed Ontario, and the impact of the partnership across Ontario; the Hydro One Business Grant; Hydro One Inc.'s September MTN issuance and the expected use of proceeds; and payment of dividends. Words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "attempt," "may," "plan," "will", "can", "believe," "seek," "estimate," and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions and involve assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking information. Some of the factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed, implied or forecasted by such forward-looking information, including some of the assumptions used in making such statements, are discussed more fully in Hydro One's filings with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com . Hydro One does not intend, and it disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information, except as required by law. SOURCE Hydro One Limited "In adding a new dimension to mobility, we are on a mission to transform how people and society move, connect, and live," said Jaiwon Shin, Chief Executive Officer of Supernal and President, of Hyundai Motor Group. "We have bold ambitions at Supernal but being first to market is not one of them. We are working to build the right product and the right integrated market, and we will leverage Hyundai Motor Group's scaled manufacturing expertise to ensure AAM reaches the right price point and is accessible to the masses." Borne out of the Group's strategic transition from automaker to Smart Mobility Solution Provider, Supernal is one of more than 50 pioneering companies in the Group's network collaborating to make mobility a service, not just a product. The Company is working to integrate AAM into existing transit networks and to shape a seamless intermodal passenger experience. The vision is for passengers to use a single app like current rideshare platforms to plan their journey, which could include taking a car or rail from home to an AAM "vertiport," an eVTOL across town, and an e-scooter for the last mile. Engineering and commercializing a new mobility product Supernal, launched as the Urban Air Mobility Division of Hyundai Motor Group at CES 2020, where it introduced its initial concept vehicle, the S-A1. The Company continues to develop and enhance the eVTOL vehicle it will bring to market first and plans to begin certification with U.S. regulatory agencies in 2024. Supernal's first air vehicle will be electric-powered and autonomous-capable and is planned to accommodate four to five passengers on initial urban and urban-adjacent routes. "We're developing a commercially viable Advanced Air Mobility product from the start, designing and manufacturing our vehicle to the highest safety, noise, efficiency, and affordability standards," said Ben Diachun, Chief Technology Officer, Supernal. "Our growing team, which includes veterans of aerospace, automotive, and other deep-tech industries, is engineering sustainable vehicles that have the potential to evolve how we live, work, and play." The Company is leveraging advanced technologies, systems, and airframe materials including artificial intelligence, autonomous control, and electric powertrain to develop its vehicles and will harness the Group's mass production capabilities to scale production, affordably. Supernal is also establishing a bench of academic partners to expand the AAM industry's research frontier and talent pipeline. Developing and integrating a new mobility market In tandem with its electric air vehicle development, Supernal is working to co-create the AAM industry and supporting ecosystem by collaborating with a variety of stakeholders across public and private entities, other modes of mobility, academia, and startups to address market entry challenges, cultivate public acceptance, and ensure AAM is economically accessible and environmentally sustainable. "As an industry disruptor, we have a responsibility to ensure AAM integrates with and augments existing transit options and effectively serves local community needs. Developing the market from the vehicle to critical infrastructure networks and public acceptance takes thoughtful and strategic coordination; everything needs to align at the same time for AAM to reach its full promise," Shin said. With this aim, Supernal is forging partnerships at the local and state level across the United States. Last year, the Company launched a partnership with the City of Los Angeles and Urban Movement Labs to develop a public engagement roadmap and policy toolkit other cities and municipalities can use to inform their AAM efforts and timelines. Supernal also serves as an industry resource for policymakers interested in understanding how AAM can address their communities' transportation needs. At the national and international level, Supernal is collaborating with stakeholders to explore concepts for physical and digital infrastructure. Last year, the Company entered a partnership with Urban-Air Port, a participant in the U.K. government's Future Flight Challenge, to explore new, multifunctional and scalable AAM infrastructure and will showcase a full-scale "vertiport" prototype in the United Kingdom next year. Supernal is also supporting CAAM (the Canadian Advanced Air Mobility Consortium) in developing a framework for the Canadian AAM National Master Plan. Additionally, the Company recently announced the expansion of its Airspace Management Consortium, which is working to shape a concept of operations for the consideration of policymakers. The Supernal business: Bright minds and dreamers welcomed Supernal means "of exceptional quality or extent" and speaks to how the Company plans to revolutionize travel and enhance the passenger experience. Supernal has offices and facilities in Washington, D.C., and throughout California. The Company is actively recruiting for open positions across its technology, business, and core operations teams learn more here. For more information about Supernal, please visit www.supernal.aero and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. More information about Hyundai Motor Group, please see: www.hyundaimotorgroup.com SOURCE Hyundai Motor Group TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Integracare Inc., a leader in private home healthcare in Toronto and Mississauga, has acquired Eldercare Home Health Inc. Eldercare Home Health has been providing Registered Nurse supervised and case managed home healthcare in Toronto and the GTA, since 1995. Eldercare Home Health has served thousands of clients and families throughout Toronto focusing exclusively on providing high quality personal support services and home healthcare for Seniors. "We are excited to join the Integracare family," said Lisa Wiseman, founder of Eldercare Home Health. "Integracare's promise to maintain, and even improve the quality of care Eldercare Home Health provides, was the real attraction for us. Now, more than ever, Seniors deserve the best home health care possible." Lee Grunberg, CEO of Integracare, welcomes the opportunity to incorporate Eldercare Home Health into the company. "Eldercare has an amazing reputation as an expert in providing the highest quality home healthcare for Seniors. Their laser focus on serving Seniors in our community is what attracted us to Eldercare. Additionally, their focus on Caregiver retention, recognition and appreciation will make for a perfect culture fit with Integracare. This focus aligns perfectly with our mission to attract, educate, retain, and reward the best caregivers in the industry." About Integracare: lntegracare provides a wide range of private nursing care and personal support services for individuals in their homes, hospitals, retirement residences and long-term care facilities. Its services, while encompassing all levels of nursing care, have always included a wide range of related services that address the needs of their clients while promoting joyful living and helping Integracare Clients maintain their independence and dignity. For more information about lntegracare, contact us at 396 Moore Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6C 3A8, (416) 421-4243, or visit https://integracare.on.ca Related Links https://integracare.on.ca https://www.eldercarehomehealth.com/ SOURCE Integracare Inc NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Barabino & Partners, a leading Italian public relations consultancy firm, consolidates its growth path at an international level. The company celebrates ten years of presence in the US market with a new location in the iconic complex of the Rockefeller Center in New York City, on the 30th floor of the 1 Rockefeller Plaza building. Since its founding, Barabino & Partners USA ("B&P USA") has proven its viability and significance, with a decisive acceleration of the business over the last four years, in which turnover has substantially doubled, and aims to close 2021 with the best result yet, thanks to a growth of + 20% compared to the previous year. In its first decade of life, B&P USA has worked alongside over 150 Made in Italy brands, supporting them in their expansions in the United States. The company has conceived and managed integrated online and offline communication projects in PR, social media management, influencer marketing and creative storytelling activities, in particular in the sectors related to food and beverage and hospitality. The multicultural approach, a characterizing feature of all the foreign offices of the Barabino & Partners group, has allowed Barabino & Partners USA to position itself in an increasingly distinctive way in the extremely competitive arena of the United States and of New York in particular. The result is best highlighted by the recent appointment of Barabino & Partners among the finalists of the 2021 Platinum PR Awards - organized by PR News - for the category "Boutique Agency of the year". It is the first time that an Italian company appears in the short-list of the most prestigious US award in the Public Relations sector. "This is an important milestone for Barabino & Partners, which rewards our efforts at the service of Italian companies operating overseas - commented Marco Lastrico, Partner and CEO of Barabino & Partners USA. From our new Headquarters on the 30th floor of 1 Rockefeller Plaza, we look ahead with renewed optimism at the signs of post-pandemic reopening and recovery of the American economy, ready to take on the challenges of what we believe will be a season full of opportunities for Italian companies in the United States. "One thing seems certain - continues Lastrico - NYC is and has once again become the center of international business, as well as a city of great multicultural attraction". "When we decided to open also in the United States with the creation of Barabino & Partners USA LLC - said Luca Barabino, Chairman and CEO of Barabino & Partners - it was a strategic choice based on the motivation of being entrepreneurs in the most stimulating and capitalist country in the world, as well as an increased maturity, perception and profile of true and functional representatives of Italy abroad". "We did it with the intention of becoming the reference point for the Italian economic community in the United States, continued Barabino - and to communicate the values of Made in Italy overseas and the path to internationalization for the companies of our country". Barabino & Partners, with about 120 employees, is the only Italian communications group to have developed an international entrepreneurial presence with the subsidiaries B&P USA LLC, B&P UK PLc and B&P Deutschland Gmbh. For years at the top of Mergermarket's international rankings, the company is among the top 10 companies in the sector at the European level and constantly among the top 15 worldwide. www.barabinousa.com www.barabino.it SOURCE Barabino & Partners USA ST. HELENA, Calif., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Joel Gott Wines, an award-winning and family-owned portfolio of elegant, balanced and affordable wines, celebrates the expansion of its philanthropic commitment through the 'Gott for Good' initiative by helping provide 2.5 million meals1 through the Feeding America network of 200 member food banks nationwide through December 31, 2021. Since 2019, Joel Gott Wines has supported Feeding America's goal of reducing food insecurity through Gott for Good. As a fourth-generation vintner and business owner who's proud to give back, Joel Gott is passionate about continuing to elevate the Gott for Good initiative to help make a difference during the holiday season. Now, as the program continues its commitment for the third year, the brand is proud to be able to help more families and make an even greater impact in 2021. "Millions of people nationwide face hunger, which makes our mission through Gott for Good so important. Every family deserves to have food on the table," said Joel Gott, vintner of Joel Gott Wines. "We're honored to partner with Feeding America and food banks nationwide to help provide meals for families in need this holiday season." Driving the Gott for Good initiative are the immense food insecurity realities that Americans are facing2: This year, 1 in 8 individuals may not know where they will get their next meal; this includes 1 in 6 children In 2020, 13.8 million (1 in 10) households were food insecure, including 5.6 million households with children In 2021, Mississippi is projected to have the highest food insecurity rate (18.7 percent), and Louisiana is projected to have the highest child food insecurity rate (26 percent) is projected to have the highest food insecurity rate (18.7 percent), and is projected to have the highest child food insecurity rate (26 percent) Texas could have the most food insecure individuals (4.8 million) and children (1.7 million) in the country as well as the most people (1.8 million) and children (500,000) living in households with very low food security To learn more about Joel Gott Wines' partnership with Feeding America's network of 200 foodbanks nationwide, please visit www.gottwines.com. About Joel Gott Wines Since its founding by Joel and Sarah Gott in 1996 in St. Helena, California, Joel Gott Wines has selected the best fruit from growing regions in California, Oregon and Washington each blended to create more balanced, clean, complex and elegant wines. More than twenty years later, Joel Gott Wines has maintained a legacy of giving customers expressive and food-friendly wines at great prices by partnering with vintners and vineyards with whom the Gott family has built relationships for generations. The Joel Gott Wines portfolio features six core California wines: 815 Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Rose and the Palisades Red Wine Blend. In addition to these core wines, Joel Gott Wines produces a wide range of varietals that are produced from fruit from California and the Pacific Northwest. For more information visit www.gottwines.com. About Feeding America Feeding America is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, we provide meals to more than 40 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Notes: 1) $1 helps provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America on behalf of local member food banks 2) Source: Feeding America Social Media: Instagram: @joelgottwines | Facebook: @joelgottwines | Twitter: @joelgottwines SOURCE Joel Gott Wines WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- John Huffington announced today that he is seeking a pardon from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to clear his name of crimes that he did not commit, for which he spent 32 years in prison 10 of which were spent on Death Row. "For 40 years, I have been sharing my truth publicly while facing the very harsh realities of being wrongly convicted and imprisoned for crimes that I did not commit," said Mr. Huffington. "By pardoning me, Governor Hogan can correct the injustices I have suffered and clear my name." In 1981, Mr. Huffington was wrongfully convicted on two counts of first-degree murder. In 2013, as the result of newly discovered DNA evidence that demonstrated that hairs discovered at the crime scene were not Mr. Huffington's, the Circuit Court for Frederick County, Maryland, granted Mr. Huffington's petition for a writ of actual innocence, vacated his murder convictions, and ordered a new trial. Despite the key evidence used to convict Mr. Huffington being discredited, the prosecution continued to pursue the case. In 2017, Mr. Huffington submitted an Alford plea, a special type of plea by which the defendant asserts his innocence and does not admit to the charged act, while acknowledging that a plea is in his best interests. Mr. Huffington has always maintained his innocence of the charged offenses. However, the Alford plea resulted in a judicial conviction that actively hinders his success in the personal, professional, and financial spheres. A key reason for the Alford plea was the conduct of the state's attorney, Joseph Cassilly, who violated his ethical and prosecutorial obligations of honesty with the court and counsel and to disclose any evidence that undermines the prosecution's case. On October 22, 2021, following a petition from the Maryland Attorney Grievance Commission, the Maryland Court of Appeals unanimously ruled to disbar Mr. Cassilly in a resounding opinion finding that Mr. Cassilly deliberately concealed exculpatory evidence in Mr. Huffington's case. A pardon by Governor Hogan would be an important step on the path to right the injustices done by Mr. Cassilly and helping to relieve Mr. Huffington of the burdens of his wrongful conviction. "At the hands of our criminal justice system, John Huffington has suffered grave injustices since his teenage years for crimes that he did not commit," said Ropes & Gray partner Chong S. Park. "Despite spending the most formative decades of his life wrongfully incarcerated, Mr. Huffington lives a positive life of service to others. I strongly urge Governor Hogan to pardon Mr. Huffington and in doing so, right the wrongs that have tainted his name for too long." Teams of Ropes & Gray pro bono lawyers have represented Mr. Huffington in connection with this matter for more than 30 years. Today, Mr. Huffington is actively pursuing volunteer and charity work to better his community, focusing on assisting recently released individuals, and enacting criminal justice reform, and has managed to successfully forge a career path, despite the adversity he faced. Media Contact: Alexandra Kapos [email protected] (617) 235-4318 SOURCE John Huffington LONDON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NXT BLD LONDON -- Kenesto announces the release of PDFBILT Pro, a next-generation application for fully automated splitting, linking, sharing, and markup of PDF documents used for construction. The cloud-based application uses machine learning to automatically split and link in minutes, multi-sheet pdf documents, including callouts with no human intervention. PDFBilt Pro includes View, Share, and Markup tools to allow stakeholders to review, annotate and automatically version pdf documents in a cloud environment. PDFBilt Pro includes unlimited splitting and linking of multi-sheet documents, unlimited storage of documents using Kenesto's cloud-based data management solution, as well as full-function measurement and task workflows. Pricing starts at $40 USD/month/user (10 users, annual contract) which includes unlimited sheet processing, unlimited document storage and Kenesto's document management solution. Smaller organizations and individual users can get started with Kenesto's free PDFBilt Basic application which allows splitting and linking of up to 200 sheets/user/month, unlimited storage of PDF documents, as well as View and Share for collaboration. Additional sheet processing is available for a modest fee. With the release of PDFBilt Pro, "we're on the vanguard of bringing cloud productivity benefits to construction contractors along with Procore and Autodesk PlanGrid. Kenesto's unique single source of truth architecture allows all stakeholders access to the most up-to-date information, unlike consumer storage cloud products," says Kenesto CEO, Mike Payne. Kenesto is demonstrating PDFBilt Pro at NXT BLD 2021 in London. "We're thrilled to exhibit at NXT BLD 2021, many thanks to X3D Media and Lenovo for getting us all together for face-to-face meetings with the AEC industry's thought leaders and innovators." says Tom Greaves, COO, Kenesto. About Kenesto Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Boston, Kenesto delivers a cloud-based data management solution for engineering, design, and construction. The company focuses its development to serve customers who need to manage fast-changing technical data across wide geographies with distributed teams. SOURCE Kenesto Related Links www.kenesto.com PITTSBURGH, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kennametal (NYSE: KMT) announced today that they will attend the Baird 2021 Global Industrial Virtual Conference. Details of the conference are as follows: When: Wednesday, November 10, 2021 Attendees: Chris Rossi, President and Chief Executive Officer Damon Audia, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kelly Boyer, Vice President, Investor Relations About Kennametal With over 80 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear-resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 8,600 employees are helping customers in more than 60 countries stay competitive. Kennametal generated approximately $1.8 billion in revenues in fiscal 2021. Learn more at www.kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. SOURCE Kennametal Inc. Related Links http://www.kennametal.com Kmart opened Australia's first discount department store in Burwood, Victoria in 1969. Today, Kmart has more than 300 stores across Australia and New Zealand, employs over 37,000 people and is recognized as one of the most profitable discount department stores in Australia. Due to growth and changes in the business over the years, Kmart's way of working and systems needed a refresh. Their current end-to-end critical path of product development and sourcing from concept to shipment is complex, largely manual, people-dependent and supported by a mix of tools and systems making the seamless exchange of information, challenging. Yu Min Thong, Head of Strategic Projects at Kmart says, "This results in inefficiencies, process waste, high variability in data quality and high workloads. Ultimately, improving productivity and data will aid decision-making, product outcomes, speed to market and lead to a more empowered workforce; all of which were intensified due to the pandemic. Leveraging PLM will be critical for the business to achieve its growth ambitions." To achieve this, Kmart selected Centric PLM and Centric's Digital Merchandising Board, for collaborative, actionable information to drive go-to-market and assortment planning meetings and 'what-if' cost scenarios in real time to ensure the achievement of KPI's and targets and improve decision-making. "We assessed Centric as the best PLM solution fit for purpose with a proven track record," says Thong. "Centric will deliver improved internal and external collaboration and greater use of data to influence design, buying and sourcing decisions, leading to improved product outcomes, speed, flexibility, visibility and systemic workflow management. A cohesive digitized ecosystem will empower teams to effectively manage and optimize the development of product ranges." "Centric have greatly invested time and resources throughout the extensive selection process, always striving to understand and meet Kmart's objectives and needs. Kmart looks forward to a fruitful and sustained partnership where both parties grow in unison, optimize benefits post implementation and continuously evolve PLM capabilities to enable Kmart's growth journey." "We are proud that Kmart Australia selected Centric," says Chris Groves, President and CEO of Centric Software. "We look forward to working closely in a mutually beneficial partnership with Kmart to empower their teams with the digital tools they need to drive productivity, efficiency and growth." Learn more about Centric Retail PLM and Centric VIP Request a Demo Kmart Australia (www.kmart.com.au) Kmart is a leading product development company and a trusted retailer with more than 300 stores throughout Australia and New Zealand. From establishing in 1969 with its first store opening in Burwood, Victoria, today Kmart is recognized as one of the most profitable retailers in Australia offering customers a wide range of everyday products at the lowest prices. Kmart employs more than 37,000 team members, who are focused on the Kmart vision of making everyday living brighter for Australian and New Zealand families. Kmart has the largest direct sourcing business by volume and value of any southern hemisphere retailer with offices in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Dongguan, Bangladesh, India and Indonesia with more than 500 team members. Eighty per cent of Kmart's product is own brand which is directly sourced through our team. The business forms part of the Kmart Group which comprises Target and Catch and is owned by Wesfarmers. Centric Software (www.centricsoftware.com) From its headquarters in Silicon Valley, Centric Software provides a Product Concept to Consumer Digital Transformation Platform for fashion, retail, footwear, luxury, outdoor and consumer goods including cosmetics and personal care and food and beverage. Centric's flagship Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) platform, Centric PLMTM, delivers enterprise-class merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, quality and product portfolio optimization innovations specifically for fast-moving consumer industries. Centric SMB focuses on core tools and industry best practices for emerging brands. Centric Visual Innovation Platform (CVIP) offers highly visual digital board experiences for collaboration and decision-making. Centric Software pioneered mobility, introducing the first mobile apps for PLM, and is widely known for connectivity to dozens of other enterprise systems including ERP, DAM, PIM, e-com, planning and more as well as creative tools such as Adobe Illustrator and a host of 3D CAD connectors. Centric's innovations are 100% market-driven with the highest user adoption rate and fastest time to value in the industry. All Centric innovations shorten time to market, boost product innovation and reduce costs. Centric Software is majority-owned by Dassault Systemes (Euronext Paris: #13065, DSY.PA), the world leader in 3D design software, 3D digital mock-up and PLM solutions. Centric Software has received multiple industry awards and recognition, including being named by Red Herring to its Top 100 Global list in 2013, 2015 and 2016. Centric also received various excellence awards from Frost & Sullivan in 2012, 2016, 2018 and 2021. Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software Inc. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Centric Software is a registered trademark of Centric Software Inc.. All other brands and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. SOURCE Centric Software Related Links www.centricsoftware.com Travel industry veterans unveil no-nonsense vacation rental website without guest service fees. Tweet this Primary factors differentiating VacayMyWay from industry competitors: No guest service fees Transparent pricing, with no surprise at checkout Robust amenity search function that best fulfills travelers' criteria and budget without distracting sponsored listings or ads Conveniently connects travelers and hosts through clear, unfiltered communications Personalized, easily accessible and competent customer care Host financial control provides full autonomy for issuing refunds Guest identity verification and $1.3 million in damage protection included in every booking "We do not believe in charging guest service fees that overtake vacation budgets, leading travelers to feel nickel and dimed. Our approach is fair and transparent guests only pay the nightly rate, associated cleaning service and taxes with travel insurance as optional no nonsense. Guests will never feel surprised by additional fees appearing at check out," explains Stewart. "By removing guest service fees, offering free cancellation options and foregoing security deposits, customers will save up to 20% and have more travel funds available with VacayMyWay." At launch, VacayMyWay offers travelers vacation rentals throughout North America, ranging from beach to mountain destinations. Vacation options showcased on VacayMyWay must be entire private accommodations (no shared spaces) containing at least one kitchenette and at least one full bathroom. Travelers may choose from beach or lake houses and bungalows to cabins and cottages and much more. The platform encourages hosts to meet it's "Vacay Standard" of vacation rental criteria listed here . Additionally, VacayMyWay's extensive list of features and amenities is designed to enable travelers to make the best vacation rental selection for their needs and preferences, eliminating surprises. Top markets include New Orleans, the Carolinas, Florida, the Pacific Northwest, Texas and Costa Rica with plans to enter the European market in 2022. "At the end of the day, VacayMyWay is in the business of connecting hosts and travelers," Stewart adds. "By providing value adds such as guest identity verification, $1.3 million in damage protection on every booking and an overall ease of doing business, we project to deliver a boost in revenue of up to 20% annually for hosts versus the competition." To celebrate its launch, VacayMyWay is offering new hosts the chance to win a complimentary marketing campaign and home page feature. Travelers and prospective hosts can discover more and sign up for updates at vacaymyway.com . Click here for fact sheet and view downloadable imagery here. (Photo credit: VacayMyWay) About VacayMyWay: VacayMyWay is an industry-disrupting vacation rental website designed to simplify the booking journey for guests and listing process for hosts. Specializing in value-centric, low-cost bookings with transparent pricing and no guest fees, VacayMyWay includes guest identity verification and $1.3 million damage protection in every booking. Empowering open communication between hosts and guests and providing personalized, competent care, VacayMyWay strives to enhance trust, clarity and convenience in the vacation rental booking experience. Partners powering VacayMyWay include OKsystem, SUPERHOG, Rental Guardian and TruPlace. Learn more at vacaymyway.com and follow on Instagram , facebook and Linkedin . SOURCE VacayMyWay Related Links http://www.vacaymyway.com RICHMOND, Va., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Michael Baker International, a global leader in engineering, planning and consulting services, announced today a series of organizational updates in its Mid-Atlantic Region to drive growth and strengthen its position across the region and within the energy, state transportation and Federal markets. Lorna Parkins, FAICP, has been promoted to Office Executive of the firm's Richmond, Virginia, office. She takes over the position from Paul Baginski, P.E., who is stepping into a new role as Energy Lead for the Mid-Atlantic Region. Additionally, John Mentz is transitioning into a new position as Operations Manager for Department of Defense programs for the Virginia Beach office. "Lorna, Paul and John all bring decades of experience to their new leadership roles and I am confident they will continue to deliver project excellence for our clients throughout the firm and Mid-Atlantic Region," said John Walsh, Mid-Atlantic Regional Director at Michael Baker International. "These three strategic promotions speak to the impressive talent we have within our company and the colleagues who are ready to step up for our clients, lead our people and lead our business." Lorna Parkins , FAICP, has been with Michael Baker for 23 years and most recently served as Vice President and Regional Practice Lead Planning for the Mid-Atlantic Region, where she collaborated with numerous offices and groups regarding strategic planning, technical development, project delivery and quality control practices for planners across the company. In her new leadership role, Ms. Parkins will lead the Richmond office focusing on accelerating growth in the state and region, capitalizing on her excellent reputation and relationships with clients such as the Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and numerous Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Ms. Parkins earned a Master of Science degree in Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Planning/Urban Affairs from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University . She is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners. has been with for 23 years and most recently served as Vice President and Regional Practice Lead Planning for the Mid-Atlantic Region, where she collaborated with numerous offices and groups regarding strategic planning, technical development, project delivery and quality control practices for planners across the company. In her new leadership role, Ms. Parkins will lead the office focusing on accelerating growth in the state and region, capitalizing on her excellent reputation and relationships with clients such as the Virginia Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and numerous Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Ms. Parkins earned a Master of Science degree in Applied Economics from the and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Planning/Urban Affairs from . She is a member of the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners. Paul Baginski, P.E., will be responsible for the health and growth of the region's energy initiatives in his role as Energy Lead for the Mid-Atlantic Region, focusing on client engagement, project delivery and capturing new business within the sector. With the ever-changing demands of traditional and renewable energy sources and transmission, Mr. Baginski will leverage his talents to collaborate with clients and develop the appropriate resources to support projects in the energy sector and will focus on working with teaming partners to convert this agreement into executable work for the region. He has previously managed private sector utility company portfolios for Utah Power and Light, Nevada Power Company and Exelon. Mr. Baginski earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Colorado and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from Rollins College . will be responsible for the health and growth of the region's energy initiatives in his role as Energy Lead for the Mid-Atlantic Region, focusing on client engagement, project delivery and capturing new business within the sector. With the ever-changing demands of traditional and renewable energy sources and transmission, Mr. Baginski will leverage his talents to collaborate with clients and develop the appropriate resources to support projects in the energy sector and will focus on working with teaming partners to convert this agreement into executable work for the region. He has previously managed private sector utility company portfolios for Utah Power and Light, Nevada Power Company and Exelon. Mr. Baginski earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies from . John Mentz is transitioning into a new position as Operations Manager for Department of Defense (DoD) programs for the firm's Virginia Beach office. Among those programs are the Defense Logistics Agency-Energy's (DLA-E) Military Fuels Leak Detection Program. For more than a decade, Michael Baker has supported DLA-E, which is responsible for 95%of the fuel storage tanks on all U.S. military installations worldwide. As the firm continues its investment into Federal programs, Mr. Mentz will leverage his 40 years of industry experience and provide regulatory-required and best management practice leak detection tests or compliance actions at Air Force, Army, Navy , United States Marine Corps and DLA-E fuel facilities worldwide, supporting DLA-E's leak detection Centrally Managed Program. He has been with Michael Baker for 29 years and has extensive experience working on environmental issues with Federal clients, including the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Atlantic, NAVFAC Southeast, U.S. Navy and U.S. Department of Defense. Mr. Mentz earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Geosciences from Pennsylvania State University . About Michael Baker International Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services. The firm's Practices encompass all facets of infrastructure, including design, civil engineering, planning, architecture, environmental, construction and program management. For more than 80 years, the company has been a trusted partner, providing comprehensive services and solutions to commercial clients and all branches of the military, as well as federal, state and municipal governments. Embracing emerging technologies and the latest innovations like intelligent transportation and design-build project delivery Michael Baker is an industry leader that delivers expertise and quality. The firm's more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to Making a Difference for clients and communities through a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement. To learn more, visit https://mbakerintl.com/. Contact: Julia Covelli [email protected] (866) 293-4609 SOURCE Michael Baker International Related Links http://www.mbakerintl.com STOCKHOLM, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2020, wood pellet production in Europe was up 4% y-o-y and was 34% higher than in 2016, according to data just released by the UNECE. Despite this increase, production has not kept up with consumption, resulting in higher net imports to the continent over the past few years. To fill the supply deficit, Europe has imported almost 10 million tons of pellets annually from the US, Canada, and Russia in 2019 and 2020. Overseas supply to Europe has been on an upward trajectory, doubling between 2013 to 2020. North America's pellet production rose from 6.5 million tons to 12.2 million tons during this period, primarily driven by European demand. Russia, while still producing less than the US and Canada, has dramatically expanded capacity over the last seven years, going from 700,000 tons in 2013 to almost 2.3 million tons in 2020. Shipments in 2021 may reach closer to 2.6 million tons, with most of the volume exported to power companies in Europe. Beyond Europe, the only other market that absorbed a significant amount of these additional shipments has been South Korea, which accounted for about 7% of the Russian export volume in the first eight months of 2021. Global wood pellet trade has steadily increased over the past decade, reaching an all-time high in late 2020. The United Kingdom has been the primary destination for wood pellets globally since 2012, but import volumes have stagnated over the past three years (see chart). Instead, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Japan have increased imports substantially in recent years and, for the first time, imported more pellets than the UK in the 1H/21. Five years ago, the UK was the world's largest market for wood pellet shipments, accounting for over 50% of global trade; in the 2Q/21, its market share declined to 34%. Import prices for industrial wood pellets ranged between $160-200/ton in the 2Q/21 and were generally higher than in the same quarter in 2020 (see the latest issue of the WRQ). Denmark and the United Kingdom, the world's two largest importers, had the highest pellet prices. The Netherlands, which increased imports dramatically from 2017 to 2021, has seen annual import prices rise from $150/ton to $190/ton over the past four years. 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 sawlog, pulpwood, lumber & pellets prices 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/netherlands-and-japan-increased-their-market-shares-of-globally-traded-wood-pellets-substantially-in,c3448323 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/1902/3448323/1492236.pdf WRI-Market Insights - Global pellet markets Oct 2021 SOURCE Wood Resources International LLC CHAMPAIGN, Ill. and SANIBEL, Fla., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Morgan James' new release, In Plane Sight: Making Faith the Bedrock of Your Career, by Rick Stephens, is the engaging life story of an entrepreneur who achieved success at work and in life by igniting his spiritual life with God. In Plane Sight: Making Faith the Bedrock of Your Career Rick Stephens A detailed account of Stephens' successes and failures in business, intertwined with his personal faith and family experiences, In Plane Sight will resonate with Christian leaders from all walks of life. In Plane Sight demonstrates that applying Biblical principles will not only lead to high adventure, excitement, joy, and peace personally, it is an extremely effective way to run a business. This book not only provides a roadmap to a flourishing career but serves as a guide for those looking to find Jesus, seeking wisdom, and struggling to trust God's plan, reminding Christians that anything is possible with God beside them. "In Plane Sight is a series of stories about my business career and how my spiritual life was intertwined in decision-making and the experiences I had," said Stephens. "The stories have seemed to resonate with entrepreneurs and business leaders, especially those who want to live life to the fullest. Over 100 leaders are using it as their resource material this fall. I think many more leaders will find it helpful if the word gets out." In Plane Sight includes an extensive study guide making it perfect for leadership teams to explore together. If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Rick Stephens, please contact Rick L Stephens; [email protected]; 239-910-3998; www.ricklstephens.com About the Author: Rick Stephens is the founder of Horizon Hobby, Inc in Champaign, IL. After leading two organizations and being fired from both, he went about building his own hobby distribution business, starting in his own basement with three employees. Horizon became a world leader in the design and development of hobby products, including radio control airplanes, helicopters, cars, model railroad, and general hobby items. Horizon grew to exceed $330 million in revenues with over 700 people and facilities in Illinois, California, London, Hamburg, and Shanghai. In 2006, Horizon became 100% employee owned and in 2014 sold to private equity on behalf of the employees. Rick resides in Sanibel, FL and Champaign, IL. More About This Title: In Plane Sight: Making Faith the Bedrock of Your Career, by Rick Stephens, will be released by Morgan James Publishing on November 9, 2021. In Plane Sight 9781631955372 has 270 pages and is being sold as a trade paperback for $17.99. About Morgan James Publishing: Morgan James publishes trade quality titles designed to educate, encourage, inspire, or entertain readers with current, consistent, relevant topics that are available everywhere books are sold. (www.MorganJamesPublishing.com) MEDIA CONTACT: Rick L Stephens Investres, LLC 239-910-3998 [email protected] SOURCE Morgan James Publishing BURLINGTON, Vt., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- An exciting new company called Troove has entered the higher education arena with the goal of making college search and admissions more efficient and accessible. Troove helps applicants find their ideal fit, in and out of the classroom, by engaging alumni and current college students in the search process for the first time. "Today, we all rely on the digital experience of others in how we date, dine and decide what to binge watch next. Troove will use this same technology to match applicants with the schools where people who share their same priorities, values, and interests have already found the success they want," said Troove founder David Hurwitt. Troove is powered by AI technology that gathers, mines and decodes experience data for any school to align with the values, abilities, priorities and ambitions of the students entering the admissions process. The company's methodology includes a series of detailed questions that students answer about their learning and social culture preferences and priorities. This information is compared to data about every school in the country, as well as answers to the same questions from people currently in college and those who have graduated. Troove rates compatibility by assigning either a Green (High), Yellow (Medium) or Red (Low) score. Green means their learning and social answers are a great fit. Yellow means one or both of their learning or social scores don't fit very well, and Red means their answers don't fit well. For each score, Troove will provide an explanation so students can dig further into any areas of concern and can then gather more information from their schools, family, friends, counselors and the internet. Troove's objective is always to empower and support students with honest, direct and clear information. "Enrolling and graduating students is often organizationally and culturally misaligned in higher education. Moreover, the resources available to students in college search are very factual and do not help with the discovery of fit and community," says Ian Mortimer, Vice President Enrollment Management and Associate Provost for Adult and Online Education at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). "Troove has the potential to fill a big void in college search and improve the efficiency in enrollment management and higher education generally." "The average college freshman today is twice as likely to drop out or transfer as they are to graduate on time from their first school," Hurwitt points out. "We believe today's best matching technologies can change this and help everyone find their people and their place right from the start." This will be especially true for underrepresented applicants, first generation applicants and those with more limited financial resources and support networks. "Today's system favors those with means and experience around them," says Hurwitt. "We're making Troove available and free to all students to make sure more of them can find their best path forward." According to Hurwitt, Troove's mission is to change outcomes by focusing on the right fit and therefore increasing the chances of finishing college as opposed to just getting in, which is often the easier part. He believes students will come to Troove for the best insights into major, career and school matches and schools for the deepest, most diverse pre-qualified selection of future graduates and opportunities to reach and engage alumni. Hurwitt also stresses that maintaining the trust of students will always be the highest priority. Individual answers to questions are kept completely confidential and while other companies sell all possible names, Troove only ever connects Green matches. Currently, Troove is working with three institutions in Western New York: Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Geneseo and St. Bonaventure University on a pilot program to engage current students and alumni, and has recently embarked on a digital advertising campaign targeted towards students in the same area with plans to expand nationally in 2022. Visit www.troove.me for more information. Media Contact: Karen Brennan, [email protected] SOURCE Troove Related Links http://www.troove.me NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenWeb, the premium audience relationship platform , today announced a $150M Series E funding round, led by New York-based global private equity and venture capital firm Insight Partners and Georgian Partners. Technology investor Omer Cygler, Harel, and Entree Capital also participated in this round. Additionally, the round was joined by the company's first strategic investors, including The New York Times Company, Dentsu and Samsung Next, as well as individual investor Professor Scott Galloway, who has joined the company's Board of Directors. The round, which valued the company at over $1B, propels OpenWeb to unicorn status. OpenWeb's technology is utilized by more than one thousand publishers, including Hearst, Yahoo!, Penske Media Corporation, and News Corp., to gain independence from traditional social media by fueling millions of high-quality conversations across thousands of communities with more than one hundred million monthly users. The OpenWeb team will leverage this investment to create a safer, democratized alternative to existing social media platforms by empowering publishers and brands across verticals with tools to build first-party data relationships with their audiences. "This Series E marks a big step forward in our mission to improve online conversations," said Nadav Shoval, co-founder and CEO of OpenWeb. "The future of a sustainable open web depends on the ability to facilitate safe experiences, while empowering destinations to build first-party data relationships with their audiences. We raised this round of investment to double down on our mission, and to bring those safer experiences to new verticals and new markets." OpenWeb's push to empower publishers and brands across the web is timely. With the coming depreciation of third-party cookies, publishers and brands are in search of ways to build lasting, first-party data relationships with audiences while ensuring brand and user safety. By scaling their operations, OpenWeb is positioning itself to provide robust solutions to these problems. "Especially as our lives have increasingly moved online over the past year and a half, online conversation has become more important than ever," said Matthew Lloyd-Thomas, Director of Corporate Development from The New York Times Company. "As a leader in global news, we are proud to make this investment. OpenWeb's mission of combating toxicity in online conversations and empowering publishers to develop direct relationships with their audiences deeply resonates with us." OpenWeb plans to expand its global presence with new offices in Canada, the Asia-Pacific China (APAC) region, and the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) region. The team is also exploring strategic acquisitions to enhance its product offerings. "Publishers have been impacted by big tech and will need to leverage data to win. OpenWeb provides this solution by utilizing AI and machine learning to incentivize healthy dialogue, decrease toxicity, and create thriving, engaged communities," said Jeff Horing, Managing Director at Insight Partners. "We are proud to have led the last three financings of the company and continue to believe in the company's exciting future. We look forward to OpenWeb's future success." "We are looking forward to supporting OpenWeb on its path of impressive growth," said Margaret Wu, Lead Investor at Georgian. "The company's mission is impactful: creating trusted spaces for discussion online is something we believe needs greater focus across the web. That is what OpenWeb is doing for its publishing partners, and we will help accelerate its machine learning roadmap to drive continued expansion." To learn more about OpenWeb, please visit https://www.openweb.com . About OpenWeb OpenWeb's mission is to improve online conversation. As a product company, OpenWeb partners with publishers and brands to build strong, direct relationships with their audiences. OpenWeb's technology empowers its partners to build vibrant communities rooted in healthy conversations and robust social experiences. OpenWeb works with more than 1,000 top-tier publishers, hosting more than 100 million active users each month. Founded in 2012, OpenWeb has over 150 employees in New York City, Tel Aviv, and Kiev and is backed by world-class investors including Insight Venture Partners, Georgian, Entree Capital, AltaIR Capital, New York Times, Samsung Next, Dentsu, Norma Investments, and ScaleUp. To date, the company has raised $223 million in funding and is currently valued at over $1 billion. To learn more about OpenWeb's platform visit OpenWeb.com, or follow @OpenWebHQ on LinkedIn and Twitter. About Insight Partners Insight Partners is a leading global venture capital and private equity firm investing in high-growth technology and software ScaleUp companies that are driving transformative change in their industries. Founded in 1995, Insight Partners has invested in more than 400 companies worldwide and has raised through a series of funds more than $30 billion in capital commitments. Insight's mission is to find, fund, and work successfully with visionary executives, providing them with practical, hands-on software expertise to foster long-term success. Across its people and its portfolio, Insight encourages a culture around a belief that ScaleUp companies and growth create opportunity for all. For more information on Insight and all its investments, visit insightpartners.com or follow us on Twitter @insightpartners. SOURCE OpenWeb NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OTC Markets Group Inc. (OTCQX: OTCM), operator of financial markets for 11,000 U.S. and global securities, today announced IronRidge Resources Limited (LSE: IRR;OTCQX: IRRLF), an Africa focused minerals exploration company, has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. IronRidge Resources Limited upgraded to OTCQX from the Pink market. IronRidge Resources Limited begins trading today on OTCQX under the symbol "IRRLF." 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. Vincent Mascolo, Chief Executive Officer of IronRidge Resources Limited, said: "The United States is home to some of the world's most influential resources sector investors. By joining OTCQX, we now have an effective platform from which to reach a significantly larger investor audience. Following the transformative agreement with Piedmont Lithium Inc. to fast track and fully fund the Company's Ewoyaa Lithium Project to production, we believe there is wider interest in IronRidge's projects and shares outside of the UK. We therefore look forward to providing investors in both the UK and the United States with regular progress updates at this exciting and pivotal time for the Company." B. Riley Securities, Inc. acted as the company's OTCQX sponsor. About IronRidge Resources Limited IronRidge Resources is an Africa focused minerals exploration company with a significant lithium pegmatite discovery in Ghana, extensive gold portfolios in Cote d'Ivoire and a potential new gold province discovery in Chad. 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 11,000 U.S. and global securities. Through OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN, we connect 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 investors. To learn more about how we create better informed and more efficient markets, visit www.otcmarkets.com. OTC Link ATS and OTC Link ECN are SEC regulated ATSs, operated by OTC Link LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. 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 "PenFed has proudly supported the defense community since our founding in 1935, and we are honored to partner with San Antonio Business Journal to celebrate business leaders who support the military community in 'Military City USA' by creating jobs and hiring veterans," said James Schenck, President and CEO of PenFed Credit Union and CEO of the PenFed Foundation. Retired U.S. Army Green Beret Levi Rodgers served as the keynote speaker. Rodgers is a wounded warrior who currently serves as the Founder and Team Leader of The Levi Rodgers Real Estate Group. The 2021 honorees were selected by a rigorous panel including San Antonio Business Journal editors. They will be profiled in an upcoming San Antonio Business Journal special publication. Veterans in Business Honorees: Tyler Dahl , Owner San Antonio Escape Room , Owner San Antonio Escape Room Toby Flinn , President TOBIN Engineers LLC , President TOBIN Engineers LLC Chip Fulghum , COO Endeavors , COO Endeavors Don Gleason , President Military Transition Roundtable , President Military Transition Roundtable Erika Gonzalez , CEO South Texas Allergy & Asthma Medical Professionals , CEO South Texas Allergy & Asthma Medical Professionals Mark Hammargren , Director Security and Emergency Preparedness, Texas Biomedical Research Institute , Director Security and Emergency Preparedness, Texas Biomedical Research Institute Quincy Harper, Sr ., Military Recruitment Lead Accenture Federal Services ., Military Recruitment Lead Accenture Federal Services Tim Jensen , CSO Grunt Style LLC , CSO Grunt Style LLC Jimmie Keenan , Senior Vice President WellMed Medical Management , Senior Vice President WellMed Medical Management Mark Manglicmot , Vice President Arctic Wolf , Vice President Arctic Wolf Ray Mendez , President Civil Engineering Consulting Firm , President Civil Engineering Consulting Firm Yinka Ogunsanya , Owner/VP Operations Ritzval LLC dba Maaco Collision and Auto Painting , Owner/VP Operations Ritzval LLC dba Maaco Collision and Auto Painting Patrick Ryan , Partner Dykema Gossett PLLC , Partner Dykema Gossett PLLC Michele Torres , President Health Facility Solutions Company The PenFed Foundation, which has raised over $40 million for the military community since its founding in 2001, launched the PenFed Foundation Veteran Entrepreneur Investment Program (VEIP) in 2018. VEIP helps veteran entrepreneurs access capital through pop-up labs, a Master's program, workshops, boot camps and investment. Since its founding, the program has accelerated over 550 veteran-owned startups and helped educate over 7,000 veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. As part of PenFed's commitment to supporting the national defense community, PenFed spends 10% of its recruiting budget on hiring and retaining veterans and military spouses and collaborates with dozens of military employment organizations as well as dozens of installation Transition Assistance Program offices. Members of the military community interested in careers with a military-friendly company are encouraged to visit PenFed's Military Recruiting Webpage. PenFed operates a regional financial service center at 19500 Bulverde Road in San Antonio, which provides over 700 jobs including management positions in research, mortgage and loan operations, financial service center operations, collections, information technology and human resources. About PenFed Credit Union Established in 1935, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving 2.5 million members worldwide with $30 billion in assets. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading certificates, checking, credit cards, personal loans, mortgages, auto loans, student loans, and a wide range of other financial services with members' interests always in mind. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an Equal Housing Lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org , like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter . Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn . We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. About PenFed Foundation Founded in 2001, the PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to empowering military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. It provides service members, veterans, their families and support networks with the skills and resources they need to improve their lives through programs on financial education, homeownership, veteran entrepreneurship and short-term assistance. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has the resources to effectively reach military communities across the nation, build strong partnerships, and engage a dedicated corps of volunteers in its mission. The credit union funds the Foundation's personnel and most operational costs, demonstrating its strong commitment to the programs the Foundation provides. Equal Housing Opportunity. To learn more, visit www.penfedfoundation.org. SOURCE PenFed Credit Union Related Links http://www.PenFed.org YOKNEAM ILLIT, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PixCell Medical, innovator of rapid diagnostic solutions at the point-of-care, today announced the opening of a United States subsidiary in the Denver metropolitan area. The new office will increase logistical and commercial support for PixCell's U.S. clients and will handle order fulfilment across the country, as well as provide additional clinical and technical support to customers. "Opening a U.S. office is a significant milestone for PixCell as we continue to expand access to HemoScreen around the world," said Dr. Avishay Bransky, co-founder and CEO of PixCell Medical. "We are already supplying units across Australia, Europe, and the U.S. to ensure that healthcare organizations can deliver lab-quality blood testing anywhere, in a timely and affordable manner. This office will allow us to better serve our growing customer base in the United States with technical, clinical and logistical support." PixCell's HemoScreen is the only 5-part differential CBC analyzer that is both FDA-cleared and CE-marked for point-of-care use. The portable diagnostic device delivers lab-accurate results within five minutes significantly less time than traditional methods, allowing for quicker diagnostics and accurate disease management decisions at the point-of-care. Utilizing a patented, disposable cartridge preloaded with all necessary reagents, HemoScreen reduces reagent waste and eliminates the need for routine maintenance. With just one drop of blood, HemoScreen provides Complete Blood Count (CBC) results with 20 standard parameters, as well as comprehensive abnormal cell flagging for earlier detection of infection and certain cancer types. "Just as HemoScreen offers near-patient blood testing, we are now offering localized support for our instrument," said Ned Imbrie, BD Manager of PixCell's U.S. subsidiary. "Decentralizing blood testing from large industrial labs to the point of care has significant benefits to patients, healthcare providers, and the larger healthcare system that gets bogged down by this routine, yet resource-heavy test. Expanding our local U.S. presence will help us drive the transition within the healthcare system from traditional blood testing practices to the technologically advanced and efficient HemoScreen." About PixCell Medical PixCell Medical provides the first truly portable point-of-care blood diagnostic solution. Leveraging the company's patented Viscoelastic Focusing technology, along with AI-powered machine vision, PixCell's FDA-approved and CE-cleared HemoScreen diagnostic platform shortens diagnostic results delivery from days to minutes. With just one drop of blood and within five minutes, PixCell delivers accurate readings of 20 standard blood count parameters, saving patients, clinicians and health systems significant time and costs. For more information: www.pixcell-medical.com and follow PixCell on LinkedIn. Media Contact: FINN Partners for PixCell Medical Lior Feigin [email protected] @LiorFeigin SOURCE PixCell Medical Related Links http://www.pixcell-medical.com Polaris will use the Graphyte financial crimes intelligence solution to gain insights on traffickers and their networks. Tweet this "The work of our Financial Intelligence Unit is a pillar of our efforts to make human trafficking a high-risk, low-reward activity, and it would be impossible without premier data and investigation tools," added Sara Crowe, Strategic Initiatives Director, Financial Systems at Polaris. "We chose Quantifind's solution not only because it consolidates all the data and tools needed to fully leverage open source intelligence, but also for its ability to so accurately target those risk typologies specific to human trafficking." About Quantifind Quantifind was founded in 2009 upon pioneering work building machine learning technology to discover meaningful patterns across large, disparate, unstructured datasets. Today, Quantifind's Graphyte platform embodies over a decade of R&D and deployment experience in machine learning, natural language processing, risk modeling, name science, and entity resolution, and is helping financial institutions and public sector agencies to combat crime. Quantifind is headquartered in Palo Alto, with teams in Boston, Washington, and New York. Learn more about Quantifind and request a demo at www.quantifind.com . About Polaris Polaris is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that works to combat and prevent sex and labor trafficking in North America. Our strategy is built around the understanding that human trafficking does not happen in a vacuum but rather is the predictable end result of a range of other persistent injustices and inequities in our society and our economy. Polaris is focused on three major areas of work: building power for migrant workers who are at risk of trafficking in U.S. agricultural and other industries; leveraging the reach and expertise of financial systems to disrupt trafficking, creating real accountability for perpetrators of violence against people in the sex trade; and expanding services and supports to vulnerable people to prevent trafficking before it happens. The U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline phone number is 1(888) 373-7888. Learn more at www.polarisproject.org . SOURCE Quantifind Related Links http://www.quantifind.com MIAMI, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard Fain, whose innovations during more than 33 years as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) helped shape the modern cruise industry, has decided to step down as CEO on January 3, 2022, the company announced today. Chief Financial Officer Jason Liberty will succeed him as CEO and join the Board of Directors. Fain will remain as Chair of the Board of Directors. Richard D. Fain, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Royal Caribbean Group Jason Liberty, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Royal Caribbean Group After more than three decades with Richard D. Fain at the helm of one of the worlds top cruise companies, the business and the cruise industry has gone through a remarkable transformation. The third-longest serving CEO among current S&P 500 leaders, Fain's storied career is defined by the innovations he championed involving every aspect of cruising from revolutionary ship design to major sustainability efforts to the technologies and ground-breaking features that enriched the onboard experience for millions of guests. Under Fain's leadership, the Royal Caribbean Group introduced new and distinctive ship categories, with a diverse range of amenities and experiences that transformed the nature of cruising. These transformational ships include Royal Caribbean International's Sovereign, Voyager, and Oasis classes; Celebrity Cruises' Solstice and Edge classes; the highly anticipated Royal Caribbean International Icon class to be introduced in 2023; and Silversea Cruises' "Project Evolution" that will become the industry's first hybrid powered ship when introduced in 2023. Fain, working with Liberty, will continue his involvement in the Group's ship construction program. Liberty joined the Royal Caribbean Group in 2005 and served in several financial, strategic and operational roles before becoming CFO in 2013. His operational duties have expanded over the years and gone well beyond the responsibilities normally associated with a CFO. Liberty is also responsible for Silversea Cruises, the Group's joint ventures with TUI Cruises and Hapag Lloyd Cruises, as well as the Royal Caribbean Group's strategy, technology, supply chain, port operations and legal functions. The company also announced that Naftali Holtz will become CFO when Liberty assumes the CEO role. Holtz is currently senior vice president of finance for the Royal Caribbean Group, responsible for corporate, capital and revenue planning and analysis, deployment planning, risk management and treasury. Fain has steered the company through the global pandemic, and he was a driving force behind the creation of the Healthy Sail Panel, a group of renowned health experts who established safety and wellness protocols to restore confidence in cruising safety. "Richard has been a visionary leader, who has made innumerable and remarkable contributions to our company and our industry," said Bill Kimsey, lead director of the Board. "Most recently, his stewardship during the COVID pandemic marks him as one of the great CEOs of his generation. The cruising community and all of us in the company owe him a debt of gratitude." Fain said that he and RCG's Board of Directors had developed a careful succession planning process for when he decided the time was right to step down. "There are no words to express my admiration and appreciation to the people of the Royal Caribbean Group, who have been the real drivers of our success; and my profound appreciation for the support and guidance of the Board of Directors during good times and bad throughout this long period of sustained growth." Fain said that with most of the Group's ships operating, a full return to cruising approaching, and the Group's brands under the leadership of exceptional CEOs, it was the right time to step down. "Given the great depth and breadth of our leadership, and the positive outlook for our business, this is the appropriate time to step aside and have Jason take over," Fain said. "He is a highly versatile and strategic leader, who has been integral to all aspects of the company's accomplishments and performance." Fain also said that Liberty and Holtz "have done an exceptional job organizing over $12 billion of financing during this challenging period. They did so in a remarkably careful and methodical manner, which will serve us well in the years to come." "Our success as a business has relied heavily on our culture and on the values we hold dear," said Fain. "Jason epitomizes those values, and I know he will work to build on them in this everchanging world. I couldn't be happier to have such a superbly qualified and principled leader succeed me as CEO. Jason will lead the Group to new heights." Kimsey noted that Liberty has played "a significant part in every major initiative the company has undertaken for many years, and he was instrumental in helping manage through the pandemic. The Board enthusiastically and unanimously chose him to be the Royal Caribbean Group's next CEO." Liberty said he was honored and humbled to become CEO of the Royal Caribbean Group. "Our incredible people and culture, combined with our leading brands and the most innovative fleet in the world are what make our organization so successful. I'm grateful to both the board for selecting me, and to Richard, for his friendship, mentoring and guidance. I look forward to building upon the company's remarkable record in the years ahead." Liberty continued, "Naftali has demonstrated his ability to lead the finance organization and is well prepared to take on the important CFO role." About The Royal Caribbean Group The Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) is one of the leading cruise companies in the world with a global fleet of 60 ships traveling to more than 800 destinations worldwide. The Royal Caribbean Group consists of three global cruise brands, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea Cruises, as well as TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, of which it is a 50% owner in a joint venture. Together, the brands have an additional 13 ships on order as of June 30, 2021. Learn more at www.royalcaribbeangroup.com or www.rclinvestor.com. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. These statements relate to, among other things, expectations regarding our new ships to be introduced and our business outlook. Forward-looking statements reflect current expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the cost and availability of alternative fuels and the factors discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, as well as our other filings with the SEC, copies of which may be obtained on our Investor Relations website at www.rclinvestor.com or the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are based on information available to us on the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Royal Caribbean Group Rose Cay and ZeroAvia plan to bring to market zero-emission aircraft to operators worldwide. Rose Cay would provide the capital to fund aircraft acquisition, ZeroAvia hydrogen-electric powertrain systems, and conversion costs for lease customers. Together with ZeroAvia, Rose Cay also intends to develop airport infrastructure projects, with committed offtake agreements, to ensure hydrogen availability. "Working with Rose Cay will help us deliver zero-emission aircraft to market in the shortest time frame. By acquiring, converting and leasing, stored available aircraft we can ensure operators can take advantage of our zero-emission powertrain technology without having to wait for new aircraft to be built. In addition, having Rose Cay supporting infrastructure projects ensures we can deliver a robust in-service support network," said Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder of ZeroAvia. Recently, ZeroAvia also successfully ground-tested its 600kW powertrain capable of flying airframes 10-20 seats in size 500 miles, in a 19-seat aircraft at Cotswold Airport in the UK, with flight testing planned over the coming months. Concurrently, ZeroAvia is also moving to full-size prototype manufacturing of its ZA2000 - an engine family capable of producing between 2,000 and 5,000 kilowatts of power to support up to 90 seat aircraft over 500 nautical miles - for flight testing demonstrations starting in 2023. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting 500 mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024 for its 600kW engines, and 2026 for its 2,000-5,000kW engine platform. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council. For more information, please visit ZeroAvia.com and follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn . About Rose Cay Rose Cay GP, LLC ("Rose Cay") is a real asset special situations investment platform. Rose Cay targets opportunities across forward looking sectors that are poised for growth and offers a stable credit profile. Investments seek to leverage best-in-class ESG compliance, global trends, technology, and core assets to deliver long-term value. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any securities. SOURCE ZeroAvia Related Links http://ZeroAvia.com If you purchased American Century shares, contact Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe for a free legal consultation. Tweet this The American Century Value Fund is an open-end mutual fund. The class action lawsuit alleges that Defendants misrepresent the fund's principal investment strategy in its publicly filed registration statements and prospectuses by employing a "closet indexing" strategy yet charging excessive fees for purportedly active management. The class action, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and captioned Hays v. American Century Capital Portfolios, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:21-cv-08625-CRB, is brought on behalf of all investors who purchased or otherwise acquired TWVLX, AVLIX, AVUYX, TWADX, ACLCX, AVURX, AVUGX, and AVUDX during the Class Periodbetween November 5, 2018 and the present. Plaintiff seeks to recover damages caused by Defendants' violations of the federal securities laws and to pursue remedies under Sections 11, 12(a)(2), and 15 of the Securities Act of 1933. If you purchased TWVLX, AVLIX, AVUYX, TWADX, ACLCX, AVURX, AVUGX, or AVUDX shares during the Class Period, you have until January 10, 2022 to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained here. Click here to discuss your legal rights with the Schubert Firm. NO CLASS HAS YET BEEN CERTIFIED IN THE ABOVE ACTION. UNTIL A CLASS IS CERTIFIED, YOU ARE NOT REPRESENTED BY COUNSEL UNLESS YOU RETAIN ONE. YOU MAY RETAIN 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. About Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe represents shareholders, employees, and consumers in class actions against corporate defendants, as well as shareholders in derivative actions against their officers and directors. The firm is based in San Francisco, and with the help of co-counsel, litigates cases nationwide. Contact Robert C. Schubert Willem F. Jonckheer Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP [email protected] [email protected] Tel: (415) 788-4220 SOURCE Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe LLP Related Links http://schubertlawfirm.com DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dedicated to honoring the men and women who have bravely served our country, Service King is continuing to show its endless support for veterans and their families through advanced employee programs. In 2015, Service King committed to hiring more than 500 veterans in five years through its Mission to Hire program. The company quickly surpassed its goal and hired over 600 in just 3.5 years, but Service King showed no signs of slowing down its ongoing outreach to active and retired military members. Service King supports veterans through Apprentice Program, Skillbridge, Hiring Our Heroes and more Today, Service King reaches veterans through partnerships with various military installations, educating them on employment opportunities within the organization. The company also has recruiters who are veterans that are able to tap into several markets and communicate career potential with Service King. Additionally, Service King works alongside the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on its Hiring Our Heroes campaign a 12-week program held three times a year that allows soldiers to serve their last 12 weeks of their military commitment with the company creating a smoother transition for fellowship candidates advancing into an associate general manager role. Looking ahead to 2022, Service King is developing an Apprentice Program to give technicians the opportunity to mentor members of the military and provide guidance as they enter their career with the operator of comprehensive auto body collision repair facilities. To build upon Service King's efforts to create a streamlined transition into the workforce for veterans, the best-in-class-brand is establishing a Skillbridge program that will allow a service member to transition into its training program at the end of their contract with the military. Training can last up to 180 days, and the service member will still be under military payroll and insurance during this time, enabling the trainee to fully focus on their trade. "At Service King, we're committed to giving back to those who have fought for our freedom," said Service King Chief Human Resource Officer Sean Huurman. "Skills learned in the military often align with those suitable for Service King positions, so we encourage veterans to reach out to our recruiting team and we're confident we have a position that matches their unique qualifications. We're grateful for each and every one of our veteran employees and are excited to develop further initiatives to create more employment opportunities for members of our Armed Forces." To learn more about Service King, visit serviceking.com. About Service King Collision Service King Collision, which is now celebrating 45 years of experience in the automotive repair industry, is a leading national operator of comprehensive, high-quality auto body collision repair facilities. The organization is consistently recognized for its commitment to customer satisfaction, quality workmanship and giving back to the industry through innovative training and recruiting initiatives. Service King traces its roots back to Dallas, Texas and founder Eddie Lennox who opened the very first Service King in 1976. Today, Service King operates locations in 24 states and the District of Columbia across the U.S. For more information and to find a local Service King, visit serviceking.com and follow Service King on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact: Mark Carrigan, Service King Collision [email protected] 972.930.9933 SOURCE Service King Related Links http://serviceking.com ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Solar Energy Trade Shows has announced a new brand for SPI, ESI, and Smart Energy Week arriving in 2022. Beginning in January, SPI, ESI, and Smart Energy Week will become "RE+". RE+ is the natural evolution of the industry's premier clean energy event. After almost 20 years, it's the next step to support the nation's sustainable energy future. As the clean energy industry evolved to work holistically in unison towards an affordable, reliable, and sustainable future, SPI stayed ahead of this collective shift and diversified over the years to accommodate emerging trends and complementary technologies, solidifying its place in the market as the harbinger of the future greater renewable energy market. RE+ will focus on uniting clean energy solutions to stimulate the economy, create new jobs, and solidify a strong energy marketplace. "We're thrilled to announce this next step in recognition of our evolving and growing industry," said Julia Hamm, president & CEO of the Smart Electric Power Alliance (SEPA). "RE+ will broaden opportunities for all clean energy participants and accelerate our collective progress to a clean and modern energy future." Since its inception in 2004, SPI has provided an indispensable service to the solar industry, as a way for the industry to facilitate business, exchange ideas, discover new products, and secure the future of solar. Developed by the nation's leading solar energy organizations, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and SEPA to engage the business community, RE+ highlights an ongoing entrepreneurial approach to renew best practices across the clean energy landscape as the marketplace evolves. It provides an opportunity for American and international clean energy leaders to meet, network, and accelerate the growth of their businesses - from utility-scale executives to installation specialists and everyone in between. As RE+ continues to be the home for the clean energy industry, SPI and Energy Storage International (ESI) remain its backbone. As the industry responds to the global climate crisis, solar will become vital to RE+ as the place to engage with solar leaders on business development, new technologies, education, and more. "As the solar industry grows and leads our clean energy transformation, our flagship tradeshow must also evolve," said Abigail Ross Hopper, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). "Solar Power International has always been a venue for our industry to gather, learn, and develop new business connections, and RE+ represents another opportunity to bring all of our Solar+ partners under one umbrella so we can continue to provide world class education for the entire clean energy sector." Solar Power Events is changing its brand to "RE+ Events." Year-round, RE+ Events offers participants access to resources for growing their business, as well as opportunities to have a say in the future of clean energy through involvement in regional events and educational seminars. Regional events, such as RE+ Northeast and RE+ Southeast, dive deep into solar, storage, integration, and transmission, providing leadership to both the installer industry and the utility sector. Clean energy is the key to addressing the energy industry's challenges. By creating opportunities for industry business leaders to engage with each other, RE+ fosters the solutions necessary for long-term economic success. It's the connection point for distributed and utility-scale renewable energy companies and their customers involved in the generation, storage, and transmission of electricity - from emerging new players to utility-scale leaders. "Solar Power Events has always been ahead of the curve, showcasing multiple aspects of the renewable energy industry. What started off as SPI grew to SPI, ESI, and Smart Energy Week, because we have long recognized the need for an all-inclusive experience," said Stephen Miner, president & CEO, Solar Energy Trade Shows. "RE+ is the undeniable result of years of engagement in the clean energy space." SPI, ESI, and Smart Energy Week debuts as RE+ September 19-22 in Anaheim, CA, RE+ Northeast debuts in Boston, February 23-24. SOURCE Solar Energy Trade Shows LLC Related Links https://www.re-plus.com QINGDAO, China, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SOS Limited (NYSE: SOS) (the "Company" or "SOS") reported the status of Phase I construction of its supercomputing and hosting center in North America. The center is located in Marinette county Wisconsin, a state with rich natural resources and renewable energy. SOS has been actively expanding its global footprint during the past year or so. The total power at the Wisconsin center is expected to be 50MW, fueled by renewable power and grid power. The Wisconsin facility is projected to have a total BTC hash power of 1,000 PH once in full capacity of operation. Phase I of the center is projected to use up to 20MW 17 units of mobile smart data center are equipped for this purpose. At present, 6 units of mobile smart data center have arrived in Wisconsin. Another 11 units mobile smart data center are in transits and are expected to arrive around December 2021. Mr. Yandai Wang, CEO and Chairman of SOS, commented, "the supercomputing and hosting center in Wisconsin is an important part of SOS's efforts to create its own blockchain technology based ecosystem. We look forward to launching our Super-Computing and Hosting service business in Wisconsin in the first quarter of 2022. About SOS Limited SOS is an emerging blockchain-based and big data-driven marketing solution provider, with a nationwide membership base of approximately 20 million in China. SOS is also engaged in blockchain and supercomputing operations, and may expand into.cryptocurrency security and insurance in the future. Since April 2021, SOS launched commodity trading via our subsidiary SOS International Trading Co. Ltd. The core infrastructure of SOS' marketing data, technology and solutions to insurance and emergency rescue services is built on big data, blockchain-based technology, cloud computing, AI, satellite, and 5G network, etc. SOS has created a cloud "software as a service (SaaS)" platform for emergency rescue services, with three major product categories: basic cloud, cooperative cloud, and information cloud. This system provides innovative marketing solutions to clients such as insurance companies, financial institutions, medical institutions, healthcare providers, auto manufacturers, security providers, senior living assistance providers, and other service providers in the emergency rescue services industry. For more information, please visit: http://www.sosyun.com/ Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including, but not limited to, our expectations for future financial performance, business strategies or expectations for our business. These statements constitute projections, forecasts and forward-looking statements, and are not guarantees of performance. SOS cautions that forward-looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Words such as "may," "can," "should," "will," "estimate," "plan," "project," "forecast," "intend," "expect," "anticipate," "believe," "seek," "target," "look" or similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements. Specifically, forward-looking statements may include statements relating to the Company's: ability to execute its business plan; changes in the market for SOS' products and services; and expansion plans and opportunities. These forward-looking statements are based on information available as of the date of this press release and our management's current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results or performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but not are limited to, the risk factors described by SOS in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). These risk factors and those identified elsewhere in this press release, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from historical performance and include, but are not limited to: Local government's policies and regulatory oversight of crypto currency mining operation and our other operations; SOS's blockchian and supercomputing, commodity trading and marketing solutions businesses are still under development, with many uncertainties in the future direction and integration of these various business segments; Failure to manage the newly launched commodities trading business effectively; Loss of key customers in the commodity trading business; failure to access a large quantity of power at reasonable costs could significantly increase SOS operating expenses and adversely affect our demand for SOS's mining activities; any significant or prolonged failure in the data warehouse facilities and data mining facilities that SOS operates or services it provides, including events beyond its control, would lead to significant costs and disruptions and would reduce the attractiveness of its facilities, harm its business reputation and have a material adverse effect on its results of operation; security breaches or alleged security breaches of our data warehouses could disrupt SOS operations and have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition and results of operation; uncertainty in global supply chain and international shipping and other risks and uncertainties indicated in SOS's SEC reports or documents filed or to be filed with the SEC by SOS. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements in deciding whether to invest in our securities. We do not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. SOURCE SOS Limited Higgins has more than 25 years of clinical and management experience across several complex environments, including for-profit systems, academic medical centers, and government-run systems. She will be responsible for the operations, management, and clinical resources of TGH Rehabilitation Hospital and its more than 140 team members and caregivers, including transitioning Tampa General's inpatient rehabilitation hospital and team from the main campus to the new facility when it opens. She most recently served as the director of rehabilitation at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, N.J., since 2014. Prior to that, she was the operations manager for the Rehabilitation Medicine Department at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York, N.Y., for over 10 years. In these roles, she directed inpatient therapy services, fostered growth of clinical programs across all subspecialties, and facilitated rehabilitation operations in areas spanning inpatient, outpatient, and physician practices. Higgins began her career as an occupational therapist and her clinical background is in adult physical disabilities. Higgins has also served as a program surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) since 2007. CARF is an independent, non-profit accreditor of health and human services. Higgins received a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Business Administration from Baruch College of The City University of New York. She is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. "As we work with Kindred to create an advanced rehabilitation facility that blends innovation with compassion, Heather's combination of administrative experience and clinical expertise will be an asset to the TGH Rehabilitation Hospital," said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. "She will play a crucial role in working toward our vision to be the safest and most innovative academic health system in America." The new TGH Rehabilitation Hospital will provide inpatient care for adults recovering from conditions such as stroke, neurological disease, injury to the brain or spinal cord and other debilitating illnesses or injuries. The new facility will offer state-of-the-art technology and feature all private rooms. It will also have a secured brain injury unit with private dining and a therapy gym. "Heather's experience aligns with our model of partnering with leading acute health care systems across the nation. By bringing Heather on board, we are in the home stretch of this partnership with Tampa General that will help patients in the Tampa Bay area and beyond recover from their illnesses or injuries and restore function to regain the independence needed to get back to their lives," said Russ Bailey, president, Kindred Rehabilitation Services. The new TGH Rehabilitation Hospital is currently under construction and located on Kennedy Boulevard between Oregon Avenue and Willow Avenue. It brings downtown Tampa one step further in the development of a fully realized medical district that will attract the best scientists and physicians to the region and transform the area into a center for health care innovation. "This new position is a great opportunity to build on the strong program developed by Tampa General, and partnering with Kindred will enhance services in a new leading-edge facility dedicated to that purpose," Higgins said. The new TGH Rehabilitation Hospital will feature a transitional living apartment designed to simulate a residential apartment that will enable patients to heal in a personalized and private environment as they prepare to return to independent living. Patients will also experience specially planned rooms to treat dialysis patients and programs dedicated to neurological conditions, stroke, brain injury and amputation recovery. Clinical teams will ultimately move to the new site, while Tampa General Hospital will continue to provide pediatric and outpatient rehabilitation at alternate sites. Tampa General Hospital currently operates its inpatient rehab facility and is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). Tampa General's rehabilitation services are ranked among the top 50 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report's 2021-22 Best Hospitals. Tampa General was also recently named to Newsweek's America's Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers 2021, ranking 25th in the nation. ABOUT TAMPA GENERAL HOSPITAL Tampa General Hospital, a 1,041-bed non-profit academic medical center, is one of the largest hospitals in America and delivers world-class care as the region's only center for Level l trauma and comprehensive burn care. Tampa General Hospital is the highest-ranked hospital in the market in U.S. News & World Report's 2021-22 Best Hospitals, and one of the top 4 hospitals in Florida, with five specialties ranking among the best programs in the United States. The academic medical center's commitment to growing and developing its team members is recognized by two prestigious 2021 Forbes magazine rankings America's Best Employers by State, third out of 100 Florida companies and first among health care and social organizations and 13th nationally in America's Best Employers for Women. Tampa General is the safety net hospital for the region, caring for everyone regardless of their ability to pay, and in fiscal 2020 provided a net community benefit worth more than $182.5 million in the form of health care for underinsured patients, community education and financial support to community health organizations in Tampa Bay. It is one of the nation's busiest adult solid organ transplant centers and is the primary teaching hospital for the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. With five medical helicopters, Tampa General Hospital transports critically injured or ill patients from 23 surrounding counties to receive the advanced care they need. Tampa General houses a nationally accredited comprehensive stroke center and its 32-bed Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit is the largest on the West Coast of Florida. It also is home to the Jennifer Leigh Muma 82-bed Level IV neonatal intensive care unit, and a nationally accredited rehabilitation center. Tampa General Hospital's footprint includes 17 Tampa General Medical Group Primary Care offices, TGH Family Care Center Kennedy, TGH Brandon Healthplex, TGH Virtual Health and 19 outpatient Radiology Centers. Tampa Bay residents also receive world-class care from the TGH Urgent Care powered by Fast Track network of clinics, and they can even receive home visits in select areas through TGH Urgent Care at Home, powered by Fast Track. As one of the largest hospitals in the country, Tampa General Hospital is the first in Florida to partner with GE Healthcare and open a clinical command center that uses artificial intelligence and predictive analytics to improve and better coordinate patient care at a lower cost. For more information, go to www.tgh.org. ABOUT KINDRED HEALTCARE, LLC Kindred Healthcare, LLC is the nation's leading specialty hospital company delivering acute health services in its long-term acute care hospitals, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, acute rehabilitation units, and behavioral health line of business, all specializing in treating the most medically complex patients. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, and ranked as one of Fortune magazine's Most Admired Healthcare Companies for nine years, Kindred's mission is to help our patients reach their highest potential for health and healing with intensive medical and rehabilitative care through a compassionate patient experience. For more information, go to www.kindredhealthcare.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Media Contacts: Jen McVan Senior Director Marketing & Communications (813) 373-9505 [email protected] Susan E. Moss SVP, Marketing & Communications (502) 596-7296 [email protected] SOURCE Tampa General Hospital Related Links http://www.tgh.org Bacon lovers can register for a chance to win limited-edition HORMEL BLACK LABEL Bacon Wrapping Paper by visiting www.WrappedbyBlackLabel.com from Tuesday, Nov. 9 through Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. In addition to a thick-cut sheet of bacon-scented wrapping paper, lucky winners will also receive gift tags and decorative ribbon all within a bacon weave patterned box. For every completed entry to win from Nov. 9 - 26, Hormel Foods will donate $1 to the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program, up to $10,000. To help launch HORMEL BLACK LABEL Bacon Wrapping Paper, award-winning musician and cookbook author, Coolio, is starring in a video series released today entitled 'Wrappin' with Coolio.' In the video, Coolio teaches fans how to wrap gifts using HORMEL BLACK LABEL Bacon Wrapping Paper and shares bacon-wrapped recipe inspiration for holiday gatherings. See the full video here. "We believe that everything is better when it's wrapped in HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon," said Nick Schweitzer, senior brand manager for HORMEL BLACK LABEL Bacon. "Heading into the holiday season, we wanted to show our fans how HORMEL BLACK LABEL bacon can elevate the ordinary appetizer, entree and even gift to something unexpected and truly extraordinary. Through this wrapping paper, we're bringing our product to life in a unique way that will help our fans make their gifts sizzle and be the talk of the holidays." HORMEL BLACK LABEL Bacon Wrapping Paper is the latest in a series of technology-led innovations that are designed to enhance how fans experience and enjoy HORMEL BLACK LABEL Bacon. Recent innovations have included Breathable Bacon, a revolutionary bacon-scented face mask, the Black Market, a multisensory virtual reality experience, and the creation of the world's first bacon-fueled motorcycle. For more information about HORMEL BLACK LABEL products, recipes and locations to buy, visit www.BlackLabelBacon.com and follow HORMEL BLACK LABEL Bacon on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. ABOUT HORMEL FOODS INSPIRED PEOPLE. INSPIRED FOOD. Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minn., is a global branded food company with over $10 billion in annual revenues across 75 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters, SKIPPY, SPAM, Hormel Natural Choice, Applegate, Justin's, Wholly, Hormel Black Label, Columbus and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named on the "Global 2000 World's Best Employers" list by Forbes magazine for three years, is one of Fortune magazine's most admired companies, has appeared on Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "The 100 Best Corporate Citizens" list for the 12 years, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. The company lives by its purpose statement Inspired People. Inspired Food. to bring some of the world's most trusted and iconic brands to tables across the globe. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com and https://csr.hormelfoods.com/. Contact: Hormel Foods Media [email protected] 507-434-6352 SOURCE Hormel Foods Corporation Related Links http://www.hormel.com Hosted in Princeton Digital Group's (PDG) SG1 facility in Singapore, the aim of this Experience Center is to share industry-wide best practices from the OCP Community for data center and server technology with Singapore enterprises. It will provide a space for strategic discussions and engagement into ways to accelerate transformation toward a highly-efficient, OCP-optimized infrastructure. Participating OCP members include: Princeton Digital Group (PDG) - host and certified OCP Ready data center Rittal - OCP Platinum member and leading supplier of OCP Open Racks Edgecore Networks - OCP Platinum member and leading contributor of OCP networking switches Murata Manufacturing - OCP Community member and supplier of power systems MiTAC - OCP Platinum member and supplier of OCP compute and storage servers Wiwynn - OCP Platinum member and supplier of OCP compute and storage servers Samsung - OCP Gold member and supplier of SSD's Open Computing Singapore - OCP Community member and distributor of OCP solutions The Experience Center will showcase an Open Rack provided by Rittal containing OCP Accepted Tioga Pass servers from MiTAC and Wiwynn, Edgecore OCP Accepted network switches and a Murata power shelf. The Community will also use this Experience Center to host various OCP related activities, including hardware engineering and sustainability workshops, data center design sessions as well as various open source training courses. "Princeton Digital Group is excited about the collaboration with OCP to launch Asia's first OCP Experience Centre in our SG1 facility. As an OCP Community member, PDG's SG1 data center is also the first OCP Ready facility in Singapore as a recognized OCP Colo Solution Provider. We look forward to engaging and sharing with visitors the open-sourced designs and OCP's latest innovations here at our SG1, and promote the growth of OCP across Singapore and the Asia Pacific region," said Asher Ling, PDG's Managing Director for Singapore. "The creation of the OCP Experience Center in Singapore is a great example of the power of a community. Over the past year the local OCP members focused on a vision of bringing hyperscale innovation of OCP hardware designs to Singapore enterprises. The collaboration in the region has been outstanding and the Foundation appreciates the hard work of our members and their contributions in making this Experience Center a reality. We now have a place where companies of all sizes can view, test and deploy OCP hardware in Singapore," said Steve Helvie, VP of Channel, OCP. This is just the beginning as we expect the center to grow as more members join and showcase their OCP solutions. The center is open to visitors from across the IT ecosystem, including end-user and public sector organizations, suppliers, vendors as well as systems integrators. Click here to view a brief video about the OCP Experience Center in Singapore: OCP Experience Center Video . We encourage anyone in the region who is interested in OCP to schedule a time to visit by contacting [email protected] . About the Open Compute Project Foundation The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP) was initiated in 2011 with a mission to apply the benefits of open source and open collaboration to hardware and rapidly increase the pace of innovation in, near and around the data center's networking equipment, general purpose and GPU servers, storage devices and appliances, and scalable rack designs. OCP's collaboration model is being applied beyond the data center, helping to advance the telecom industry & EDGE infrastructure. Media Contact: Dirk Van Slyke [email protected] SOURCE Open Compute Project Foundation "Since the acquisition of Mayors in 2017, followed quickly by the opening of Watches of Switzerland SoHo, The Group has shown its acute command of the US market and deep understanding of its discerning and diverse consumers," says David Hurley, EVP of The Watches of Switzerland Group USA. He continued, "As leaders in the industry, we understand the responsibility that comes with that role and look forward to expanding our team in North America while investing in the growth of each of these new markets and communities." As part of The Group's expansion strategy, Ben Bridge and Timeless locations will be converted to Watches of Switzerland boutiques, while the Betteridge locations in Greenwich, Vail and Aspen will continue to operate under the current name for the immediate future (Note: the Palm Beach Betteridge boutique remains under the family's control). The Betteridge, Greenwich CT location will become the largest (square footage) boutique in The Group's North American portfolio. As The Group looks to become stewards of the multi-generational Betteridge family business, Terry Betteridge will take on an advisory role in conjunction with the 3 acquired locations. His insight as a fourth-generation jeweler will help ensure success, as the boutiques will continue to carry jewelry from leading brands including Chanel, Buccellati, Verdura, and Marco Bicego. "In many ways this seems like a return to our roots for Betteridge, with my family coming to the US from England in 1892, bringing with them generations worth of metal working skills," says Terry Betteridge. He continues, "I'm honored to be able to bring the experts of my house, the craftsmen and generational tradition of excellence, to join Watches of Switzerland. Being a valued part of their global network will allow for the greater world to experience what makes Betteridge so special." The new acquisitions, combined with existing Watches of Switzerland and Mayors boutiques, give The Watches of Switzerland Group a market-leading position in the US, with a strategic retail foothold in the Northeast, South, Midwest and Mountain regions and operations in four new states. Through these five acquisitions and the opening of Watches of Switzerland in Kenwood, Ohio, The Group will be increasing US personnel by 75 through retention and new hires. "After three years of strong foundational growth in the US market, these acquisitions and new openings are directly in-line with the projections we forecasted in our Long Range Plan," states Brian Duffy, CEO of Watches of Switzerland Group. He continued, "Through focused investment on new projects and acquisitions, we continue our geographical diversification in order to solidify our position as the preeminent leader in the US market." CLICK HERE FOR IMAGERY For Media Inquires Battalion PR Robbie Cantonwine: +1 619 964 6549 / [email protected] Jim Kloiber +1 646 361 2351 / [email protected] About The Watches of Switzerland Group The Watches of Switzerland Group is the UK's largest luxury watch retailer, operating in both the UK and US, comprising four prestigious brands; Watches of Switzerland (UK and US), Mappin & Webb (UK), Goldsmiths (UK) and Mayors (US), with complementary jewellery offering. As at 31 October 2021, the Watches of Switzerland Group has 158 stores across the UK and US including 46 dedicated mono-brand stores in these two markets in partnership with Rolex, TAG Heuer, OMEGA, Breitling, Audemars Piguet, Tudor and FOPE) and has a leading presence in Heathrow Airport with representation in Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 as well as six transactional websites. The Watches of Switzerland Group is proud to be the UK's largest retailer for Rolex, Cartier, OMEGA, TAG Heuer and Breitling watches. Mappin & Webb holds Royal warrants as goldsmiths, silversmiths and jeweller to Her Majesty The Queen and silversmiths to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. The Mappin & Webb master jeweller has been Crown Jeweller, custodian of the Crown Jewels of Her Majesty The Queen since 2012. https://www.thewosgroupplc.com SOURCE Watches of Switzerland Related Links https://www.thewosgroupplc.com DUBLIN, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Mobile Mass Spectrometers Market by Application (Homeland Security, Military & Defence, Environmental Monitoring, Emergency/Rapid Response & Disaster Management, Narcotics Detection, Chemical Leak Detection, Forensics), & Region - Global Forecasts to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The mobile mass spectrometers market size is expected to grow from an estimated USD 120 million in 2021 to USD 404 million by 2026, at a CAGR of 27.4%. Product architecture & ease of use and technological advancements are high growth prospects for the mobile mass spectrometer market during the forecast period. However, technical limitations related to product efficacy and high instrumentation cost hinder the growth of mobile mass spectrometers. The environmental testing segment, by application, is expected to be the largest and fastest-growing market from 2021 to 2026. With increasing awareness and growing public emphasis on effective environmental protection, various government agencies across the globe are investing in environmental protection R&D. Regulatory agencies have introduced various programs to generate awareness and set testing specifications to ensure the safety of the environment and reduce the health risks associated with a polluted environment. For instance, in November 2020, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Government of Canada, released national regulations to reduce pollution from petroleum and petrochemical facilities across the country. Further, in 2019, the EPA collaborated with China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE), formerly the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP), to equip China to develop and implement its environmental protection programs, policies, and laws. North America: The dominating market in the mobile mass spectrometers industry. North America has a diverse and well-established R&D infrastructure, with the rapid adoption of portable and technologically advanced techniques among end-user industries. North America accounted for the largest market share in the mobile mass spectrometers market in 2020. A number of factors, such as growing greater government focus on narcotics detection and homeland security and the opioid crisis are driving the growth of the North American mobile mass spectrometers market globally. Moreover, in the North American region the regulatory bodies are closely monitoring the safety and quality of the environment to establish environmental safety across the geographies. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Market Overview 4.1 Market Dynamics 4.1.1 Major Drivers 4.1.2 Key Restraints 4.1.3 Key Growth Opportunities 4.2 COVID-Specific Trends 4.3 Global Pricing Trend Analysis (As of 2020) 4.4 Global Patent Analysis 5 Mobile Mass Spectrometers Market Value Data, by Application (USD Million; 2019 - 2026) 5.1 Mobile Mass Spectrometers Market, by Application 6 Mobile Mass Spectrometers Market Value Data, by Region (USD Million; 2019 - 2026) 6.1 Global 6.2 North America 6.2.1 US 6.2.2 Canada 6.3 Europe 6.3.1 Germany 6.3.2 UK 6.3.3 France 6.3.4 Italy 6.3.5 Rest of Europe 6.4 Asia-Pacific 6.4.1 China 6.4.2 Japan 6.4.3 South Korea 6.4.4 Rest of APAC 6.5 Rest of World 7 Competitive Landscape 7.1 Global Mobile Mass Spectrometers Market Share by Major Player 7.1.1 Major Global Players for Mobile Mass Spectrometers (2020) 7.2 Detailed Mapping of Major Brands 7.3 Major Strategic Developments Undertaken by Leading Vendors During 2018-2021 8 Company Profiles 8.1 1st Detect 8.2 908 Devices 8.3 Bayspec 8.4 Bruker 8.5 Ess 8.6 Teledyne Flir LLC. 8.7 Fluid Inclusion Technologies 8.8 Focused Photonics 8.9 Gasometrix 8.10 Guangzhou Hexin Instrument Co., Ltd. 8.11 Hiden Analytical 8.12 Inficon 8.13 Kore Technology 8.14 Masstech 8.15 PerkinElmer 8.16 Purdue University 8.17 Purspec 9 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ouwap4 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) ("Thermo Fisher") announced today that it has priced an offering of 2.8 billion aggregate principal amount (the "Offering") of the following euro-denominated notes, which will be issued by Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V., its indirect, wholly owned finance subsidiary: 1,700,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its floating rate senior notes due 2023 (the "floating rate notes"), at the issue price of 100.744% of their principal amount, 550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 0.000% senior notes due 2023 (the "2023 notes"), at the issue price of 100.321% of their principal amount, and 550,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 0.000% senior notes due 2025 (the "sustainability notes" and together with the floating rate notes and the 2023 notes, the "notes"), at the issue price of 99.868% of their principal amount. The Offering is expected to close on or about November 18, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. The notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Thermo Fisher. The floating rate notes will pay interest quarterly. Thermo Fisher intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of the floating rate notes and the 2023 notes to pay a portion of the cash consideration payable for the pending acquisition of PPD, Inc. ("PPD"). Thermo Fisher may also determine to use a portion of the net proceeds from the sale of the floating rate notes and the 2023 notes for general corporate purposes, which may include the acquisition of companies or businesses, repayment and refinancing of debt, including debt of PPD, working capital and capital expenditures or the repurchase of its outstanding equity securities or it may temporarily invest the net proceeds in short-term, liquid investments until they are used for their ultimate purpose. Thermo Fisher intends to allocate an amount equal to the net proceeds from the sale of the sustainability notes to finance or refinance, in whole or in part, certain green or social eligible projects. Pending allocation to green or social eligible projects, such net proceeds may be temporarily invested in cash, cash equivalents, short-term investments, or used to repay other borrowings. The joint book-running managers for the Offering are Barclays Bank PLC, Morgan Stanley Europe SE, BofA Securities Europe SA, Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG and Mizuho Securities Europe GmbH. Barclays Bank PLC is also acting as the sustainability structuring agent for the sustainability notes. The Offering is being made pursuant to an effective registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Prospective investors should read the prospectus forming a part of that registration statement and the prospectus supplement related to the Offering and the other documents that Thermo Fisher has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Thermo Fisher and the Offering. These documents are available at no charge by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov . Alternatively, Thermo Fisher, the underwriters or any dealer participating in the Offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Barclays Bank PLC at +1 888 603 5847, Morgan Stanley Europe SE at +44 (0)20 7677 4799, BofA Securities Europe SA at +33(0) 1 8770 0000, Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG at +49 69 1366 8362 or Mizuho Securities Europe GmbH at +49 69 42729 3000. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the notes, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of the notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. MiFID II and UK MiFIR professionals/ECPs-only / No PRIIPs or UK PRIIPs KID Manufacturer target market (MiFID II and UK MiFIR product governance) is eligible counterparties and professional clients only (all distribution channels). No PRIIPs or UK PRIIPs key information document (KID) has been prepared as not available to retail in European Economic Area ("EEA") or United Kingdom ("UK"). This press release is addressed only to specific individuals who are individuals (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005, as amended (the "Order") and qualified investors falling within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the Order and (ii) to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated under the Order (all such persons together being referred to as the "relevant persons"). This press release must not be acted on or relied on by persons who are not relevant persons. Any investment or investment activity to which this press release relates is available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. By reading this press release, the reader acknowledges that it is a person either (i) outside the UK or (ii) falling within one of the foregoing categories. This press release is an advertisement and is not a prospectus for the purposes of Prospectus Regulation (as defined below). A prospectus will be prepared and made available to the public as required and in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation. Investors should not subscribe for any notes referred to in this press release except on the basis of information contained in such prospectus. The prospectus, when published, will be available on the website of Euronext Dublin at https://live.euronext.com (opens in a new tab). For these purposes, the expression "Prospectus Regulation" means either Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 or Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, as appropriate. In connection with the issue of the notes, Morgan Stanley Europe SE (the "Stabilising Manager") (or persons acting on behalf of the Stabilising Manager) may over-allot notes or effect transactions with a view to supporting the market price of the notes at a level higher than that which might otherwise prevail. However, there is no assurance that the Stabilising Manager (or persons acting on behalf of the Stabilising Manager) will undertake stabilisation action. Any stabilisation action may begin on or after the date in which adequate public disclosure of the final terms of the Offering is made and, if begun, may be ended at any time, but it must end no later than the earlier of 30 days after the issue date of the notes and 60 days after the date of the allotment of the notes. Any stabilisation action or overallotment must be conducted by the Stabilising Manager (or persons acting on behalf of the Stabilising Manager) in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. This press release is released by Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V. and contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) 596/2014 ("MAR"). For the purposes of MAR, this press release is made by Sharon Briansky at Thermo Fisher Scientific (Finance I) B.V. The legal entity identifier of Thermo Fisher International is 549300SM0PJC1F3RPL91. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements about Thermo Fisher's intended use of proceeds and its sustainability objectives, goals and commitments. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from currently anticipated results, including risks and uncertainties relating to capital markets conditions, the pending acquisition of PPD and completion of the Offering. Additional important factors and information regarding Thermo Fisher's business that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements are set forth in the prospectus dated February 28, 2019 and preliminary prospectus supplement dated November 8, 2021 related to the Offering, which is on file with the SEC and available in the "Investors" section of our website under the heading "SEC Filings," and the documents incorporated by reference into the prospectus and prospectus supplement. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so, even if circumstances change and, therefore, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to today. About Thermo Fisher Scientific Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with annual revenue of approximately $35 billion. Our Mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. Whether our customers are accelerating life sciences research, solving complex analytical challenges, improving patient diagnostics and therapies or increasing productivity in their laboratories, we are here to support them. Our global team of more than 90,000 colleagues delivers an unrivaled combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and pharmaceutical services through our industry-leading brands, including Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com. Media Contact Information: Ron O'Brien Phone: 781-622-1242 E-mail: [email protected] Investor Contact Information: Rafael Tejada Phone: 781-622-1356 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific Related Links http://www.thermofisher.com LOVELAND, Colo., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- A modern U-Haul retail and self-storage facility is coming to Loveland thanks to a 7.57-acre land acquisition at 5440 Byrd Drive. U-Haul Moving & Storage of Boyd Lake, scheduled for completion by 2023, will feature a three-story building encompassing approximately 100,000 square feet. The facility will house more than 700 indoor, ADA-accessible self-storage units with climate-control options and high-tech security features at affordable price points. U-Haul acquired the property on Oct. 15. "Our other Loveland facility is bursting at the seams and we need to expand our operation," said Falisha Linguist, U-Haul Company of Northern Colorado president. "A new store will provide mobility options for local residents and new arrivals. It will be convenient for our customers and enable us to meet growing demand for moving and self-storage services along the Front Range urban corridor." U-Haul Moving & Storage of Boyd Lake will offer an expansive retail showroom, truck and trailer sharing, boxes and moving supplies, towing equipment and professional hitch installation, propane, U-Box portable storage containers and more. While U-Haul Moving & Storage of Boyd Lake is under construction, nearby stores and neighborhood dealers are available to serve customers. U-Haul Storage of Loveland at 3305 N. Lincoln Ave. is open 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday; 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday; and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Linguist plans to hire at least 12 Team Members to staff the new store. U-Haul will look to hire locally to support job growth within the Loveland community. U-Haul, honored as a "Best for Vets 2020" leading veteran-friendly employer by The Military Times, actively recruits veterans and gives them preference in the hiring process. Find U-Haul careers at uhauljobs.com. "U-Haul supports the communities in which we do business, and we look forward to working with the city and our neighbors to provide a state-of-the-art facility," Linguist said. "Investing in Loveland is important to us. We'll be able to serve customers here for years to come." As an essential service provider, U-Haul continues to serve communities during the COVID-19 recovery while offering contactless business programs and enhanced cleaning protocols, including added steps for sanitizing equipment between customer transactions. U-Haul products are used daily by First Responders; delivery companies bringing needed supplies to people's homes; small businesses trying to remain afloat; college students; and many other dependent groups, in addition to the do-it-yourself household mover. 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. Contact: Andrea Batchelor Jeff Lockridge E-mail: [email protected] Phone: 602-263-6981 Website: uhaul.com SOURCE U-Haul Related Links www.uhaul.com WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide released a report expressing the Museum's grave concern that the Chinese government may be committing genocide against the Uyghurs, a Muslim community in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) of northwest China. This morning at 9am Eastern Time, the Center will hold a press call to discuss the report. RSVP here https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kB_NwgLYSriS1ZbndB92ew Participants include: Lee Feinstein , vice chair, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Committee on Conscience , vice chair, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Committee on Conscience Naomi Kikoler , director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide , director, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide Nury Turkel , vice chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom , vice chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Rae Goldfarb , Holocaust survivor Please RSVP for the press call here . Full details on the report are available in the following release. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide released a report today, "To Make Us Slowly Disappear": The Chinese Government's Assault on the Uyghurs . The report expresses the Museum's grave concern that the Chinese government may be committing genocide against the Uyghurs, a Muslim community in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang) of northwest China. The Museum has previously determined , and today reaffirms, that crimes against humanity are being committed. "The Chinese government has done its best to keep information about crimes against the Uyghurs from seeing the light of day. The information that has come out so far, including documentation from courageous Uyghur activists, has been damning. The Chinese government must halt its attacks on the Uyghur people and allow independent international monitors to investigate and ensure that the crimes have stopped." said Tom Bernstein, Chair of the Museum's Committee on Conscience. The Chinese government's assault on the Uyghur communitymarked by the incarceration of between one and three million people as well as abuses such as forced sterilization, torture, sexual violence, and forced laboris alarming in scale and severity," said Naomi Kikoler, director of the Museum's Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide. "The damage inflicted upon Uyghur individuals, families, and their community has left deep physical and emotional scars. The trauma from these atrocities will harm generations of Uyghurs." The Museum's findings, based on publicly available information, demonstrate that China is failing to uphold its responsibility to protect its citizens from genocide and crimes against humanity. "The urgency of the situation facing the Uyghurs should be a wake up call to countries around the world to work together to protect the Uyghur population. Confronting the crimes of a powerful perpetrator who is using new technologies for persecution will be difficult, but that is precisely why genocide prevention requires a coordinated, global response. The Chinese government's crimes cannot be allowed to continue," Kikoler said. A federally chartered, nonpartisan educational institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum serves as America's national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. The Museum is dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding, and relevance and inspires leaders and individuals worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity. For more information, visit ushmm.org . SOURCE United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Related Links http://www.ushmm.org BETHESDA, Md., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Walker & Dunlop, Inc. announced today that it has made a minority investment in Fortress Technology Solutions, a real estate technology firm that creates property management software solutions for multifamily owners and operators. Fortress' unique platform includes robust third-party application integrations and business intelligence tools to provide users real-time performance data into their multifamily properties. Fortress' software is user-friendly, transparent, and informative, and in combination with Walker & Dunlop's extensive relationships across the multifamily industry, will create tremendous value for multifamily owners and operators. Fortress provides an additional avenue for Walker & Dunlop to help multifamily owners and operators optimize portfolio performance. According to the National Multifamily Housing Council, there are approximately 22 million apartment units across nearly three million properties in the United States, 48% of which are apartments with less than 100 units, considered medium to small multifamily properties. Walker & Dunlop has already made significant investments in people and technology this year to scale its lending capabilities for owners of medium and small properties and has set a goal to scale this business to $5 billion in annual loan originations by 2025. By pairing Walker & Dunlop's lending capabilities with Fortress's software solutions, the company will strive to maintain its position as the largest provider of capital to the multifamily industry. Aaron Perlis, Chief Technology Officer, shared, "This investment aligns with our Drive to '25 goal of growing our presence in the small balance lending space. We're thrilled to join forces with Kerri Davis, President and CEO of Fortress, and her talented team to bring such an innovative, intuitive solution to our clients. Walker & Dunlop continues to focus on providing increased value to our team members and customers by leveraging technology to address pain points and improve the overall customer experience. By combining our core lending software solutions directly with Fortress' platform, we can provide these owner/operators with immediate insight into their debt portfolio and refinance opportunities in one place, further accelerating growth across the company's lending businesses and growing Fortress' client base." Kerri Davis stated, "We are honored to be partnering with Walker & Dunlop as a part of their long-term strategy to provide the most efficient and comprehensive solutions to their clients. Fortress is designed for all multifamily operators, but private owners and operators have been most vocal in their need for a transparent and cost-effective core platform that allows them to outperform the market and ultimately adds value to their assets. We look forward to taking our core software to the next level with Walker & Dunlop by leveraging their lending solutions to provide analysis and recommendations on the increased value that Fortress helps create. This partnership will create a game changing experience for Fortress users." About Walker & Dunlop Walker & Dunlop (NYSE: WD) is the largest provider of capital to the multifamily industry in the United States and the fourth largest lender on all commercial real estate including industrial, office, retail, and hospitality. Walker & Dunlop enables real estate owners and operators to bring their visions of communities where Americans live, work, shop, and play to life. The power of our people, premier brand, and industry-leading technology enables us to meet any client need including financing, research, property sales, valuation, and advisory services. With over 1,000 employees across every major U.S. market, Walker & Dunlop has consistently been named one of Fortune's Great Places to Work and is committed to making the commercial real estate industry more inclusive and diverse while creating meaningful social, environmental, and economic change in our communities. About Fortress Fortress is a core property management software product created on the basis that property management software should be easy, transparent and informative. Existing property management platforms are outdated, lack proper support and require a computer science degree and a deep bank account to fully understand and get the most out of them. Fortress recovers lost time and money through in-system training, support from the perspective of a property management company and real-time data for immediate knowledge and action. Fortress is based in Nashville, Tennessee. To learn more, visit fortresstech.net. SOURCE Walker & Dunlop, Inc. Related Links http://www.walkerdunlop.com BOZEMAN, Mont., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- An advisor's success isn't solely reliant upon financial expertise. It also requires surrounding themselves and their business with quality programs, custom solutions, and community support to help it run effectively. XY Planning Network (XYPN), the leading financial planning platform for fee-for-service financial advisors, is excited to reveal a variety of upcoming improvements, including innovative technology solutions, a new virtual assistant offering, and community commitments for their 1,550-plus member advisors, beginning as early as next month. "In recent years, there has been a growing clamor that advisory firms must merge and consolidate to achieve economies of scale in order to survive, but the success of more than 1,500 advisors at XYPN is revealing the opposite," said XYPN Co-Founder and Executive Chairman Michael Kitces. "Instead, the reality is that having a centralized network provide key technology and services is creating a golden age for solo advisors and small practices. This structure enables them to obtain the benefits of size by plugging into a larger support system for what they need, while retaining all the economic and other benefits of independence." Through advisor surveys, XYPN has identified ways to improve technology services and extend new offerings for their members. Member feedback consistently shows advisors are looking for ways to run their firms more efficiently, maximize productivity, and simplify their day-to-day operations. Last year, XYPN launched a custom-built member dashboard that streamlines and optimizes an advisor's experience with XYPN membership. Now, XYPN's Tech Team is working to further connect and streamline efficiencies, with the goal of building the "power strip" that allows advisors to plug in and centralize their many services and software applications. In that spirit, XYPN's member dashboard now has single sign-on with four key tech partners: RightCapital, SmartRIA, AdvicePay, and Wealthboxwith more in the works. Member feedback also consistently shows advisors need to increase free time, not just to focus on tasks they enjoy that are within their expertise and that generate revenue, but also to achieve a better work/life balance. In early-to-mid 2022, XYPN will pilot a virtual assistant program with a handful of members. The unique, team-based approach will offer year-round coverage, including client meeting support, email management, administrative marketing support, investment operations, data entry, and more. "Investing in our advisors' quality of life is critical," said Alan Moore, CEO and Co-Founder of XYPN. "If we can remove some of the pain points advisors are experiencing and empower them to run a business that they truly loveand that allows them to live their great livesthen we've accomplished what we set out to do." Moore continued, "We know our advisors provide excellent service to their clients. Our goal is to provide that same top-of-the-line service so they can focus on their passion for helping people plan for their future and give them the support and peace of mind they need to actually take time off from their businesses." Given the continued growth of XYPN, the company is also increasingly focused on protecting their top-rated benefit: the community. XYPN worked closely with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practitioner and #XYPNLIVE pre-con presenter, Cindu Thomas-George, to expand their Anti-Harassment Policy, building upon the company's original guidelines established in 2017. "The very essence of XYPN relies upon a safeguarded and thriving community, which is at the core of XYPN membership. Our updated Anti-Harassment Policy is much more robust and ensures a safe space for all members, speaking to our commitment to establishing and sustaining an equitable and inclusive community," explained Moore. Today marks the start of XYPN's annual conference, #XYPNLIVE, both virtually and in person in Denver, Colorado. For more information, please visit: https://live.xyplanningnetwork.com/ About XY Planning Network: XY Planning Network is the leading financial planning platform for fee-for-service financial advisors who want to serve Gen X and Gen Y clients, providing comprehensive financial planning services for a monthly subscription fee without product sales or asset minimums. The Network offers a virtual community for new and established financial advisors who want to serve a younger clientele and provides members compliance support services, marketing support, business tools and templates, and a wide range of technology solutions. SOURCE XY Planning Network Related Links https://www.xyplanningnetwork.com/ CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Zing Health Enterprises, a Chicago-based physician founded and led provider of Medicare Advantage health plans, has completed its acquisition of Lasso Healthcare Insurance Co., which offers an innovative application of the Medical Savings Account (MSA) model in the Medicare Advantage market. Lasso Healthcare's unique Medicare MSA plan, currently available in 34 states and Washington, D.C., is a high-deductible, $0 premium health plan paired with a tax-advantaged medical savings account. Lasso Healthcare deposits $2,000 to $3,000 into an MSA savings account, which members use to pay qualifying healthcare expenses. The MSA has particular appeal for seniors in rural areas, where the more typical in-network provider model includes few hospitals or physicians. "We look to offer greater financial control to those insured and provide an alternative to seniors that is comparable to the growing popularity of high-deductible health plans," said Craig Ritter, CEO of Lasso Healthcare. "Providers follow their out-of-network insurance PPO claims process while consumers pay claims from a Medical Savings Account of Medicare funds they control." Medicare MSAs Expand Medicare Advantage Options Zing Health shares a focus on diverse, underserved populations, and the Lasso Healthcare acquisition extends its reach beyond urban areas. Zing Health's Medicare Advantage PPO plans provide access to personalized care at no or low co-pays for member seniors. Many services such as dental, vision, hearing and fitness programs are not provided by traditional Medicare, offering members holistic care. Lasso Healthcare will continue to operate as an independent unit. The common link with Zing Health is an objective to serve untapped markets with affordable healthcare insurance. "Zing Health and Lasso Healthcare share a belief that incumbent Medicare Advantage insurers have often neglected the senior population," said Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Zing Health's founder and CEO, named by Modern Healthcare this year as one of the nation's Top 25 Innovators. "We have a like-minded approach to help those in diverse populations and those facing challenges gaining access to traditional insurance networks." Though Zing Health and Lasso Healthcare will operate separately, the partnership will provide Zing Health with a national footprint to reach diverse communities and offer equal care for all, including Medicare-eligible seniors in rural areas who may have few choices in a traditional provider network. About Zing Health Founded in 2019, Zing Health Holdings Inc. is a groundbreaking tech-enabled insurance company making Medicare Advantage the best it can be for eligible beneficiaries. Zing Health's community-based approach addresses the social determinants of health to keep individuals and communities healthy while returning the physician and the member to the center of the healthcare equation. This gives each member personalized care and service tailored to their singular needs. Members also receive individualized assistance to make their transition to Zing Health as easy as possible. They have the ability to personalize their plans, access to facilities designed to help them better meet their healthcare needs and a dedicated care team. For more information on Zing Health, visit myzinghealth.com. About Lasso Healthcare Founded in 2018, Lasso Healthcare provides Medicare Medical Savings Account Plans to healthcare members across the U.S. The company deposits money from Medicare into members' accounts. Members can then decide to spend, save or invest the funds. Lasso Healthcare's coverage area includes 34 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia. Company website, lassohealthcare.com. Media Contact: Kyle Foehner Purpose Brand 630-270-7291 [email protected] SOURCE Zing Health Related Links https://www.myzinghealth.com NAPLES, Fla., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Local personal trainers will compete, and one personal trainer from the Naples area will be awarded and funded by Advanced Wearables Inc (AWI) to provide FREE group fitness classes to their local community! It is all part of the 2021 AWI Let's Get Fit Tour, powered by Advanced Wearables Inc, a socially conscious health & fitness wearables-tech company that is sweeping the country, from Florida to California, with the help of top nutritionists, super trainers, top doctors and motivational speakers to raise awareness and a higher standard of personal health. AWI LGF Tour is scheduled to receive a proclamation by the City of Naples, proclaiming November 10, 2021 AWI Let's Get Fit Day In Naples, Florida. What: AWI Let's Get Fit Tour Date: Wednesday, 11/10/21 Time: 4pm Where: Naples Grande Beach Resort, 474 Seagate Drive, Naples, FL. 34103 Why: "We currently find ourselves in the middle of an already existing health crisis exacerbated by recent events that have made it difficult for our neighbors to get out and get moving," said Abigail Aboitiz, AWI Founder. "This tour is about encouraging our neighbors to rethink one's health and get moving. It is also about giving back to our community," Aboitiz continued. Click here to sign up for the FREE fitness event. Enter to win prizes. https://lgft.awifit.com/naples/ AWI is calling on local fitness trainers, and health & wellness advocates with a similar passion to join its mission in encouraging the people of our community to RETHINK one's health! Join the movement at https://lgft.awifit.com/trainers/ SOURCE Advanced Wearables Inc Related Links www.awifit.com After a year of violence in Portland and following a high profile shooting in NC, Police2Peace was called in by leaders Tweet this "There is a recognition that beyond merely addressing the problems at hand, it is time to invest in long-term programs, solutions and strategies to heal our communities," said Police2Peace founder and executive director Lisa Broderick. "We're honored to have been selected to partner with these communities on both the urban and rural ends of the community spectrum." The Initiatives consist of grassroots, professionally moderated listening sessions with community members. The intention is to tap the wisdom of the community about public safety and how they want to be served by the police so public safety is reimagined within and amid communities of color and other underrepresented groups. They are expected to last several months. "More than ever, we need to understand how we can bring peace to the community," says Rev. Dr. J. W. Matt Hennessee, Senior Pastor of Portland's Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church. "A welcome step in this journey is partnering with Police2Peace, a purpose-driven organization that was founded to help communities like ours understand the underlying dynamics that led to our current situation." In Pasquotank County, NC, County Manager Sparty Hammett adds, "Police2Peace offers an approach that we are looking forward to putting into motion in our community. Their micro-community listening sessions are about giving community members a voice as a first step to building trust and confidence in the sheriff's office." Police2Peace addresses community dissatisfaction with the police by bringing these two parties together to create "Peace Officers" for culture change that is fundamental to police reform and unites them with their communities. It is a trusted source of programs and policies for positive change in policing for departments, municipalities and communities throughout the U.S. Visit https://police2peace.com/ SOURCE Police2Peace PARK RIDGE, Ill., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- This Veterans Day, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) thanks our nation's veterans for their service and honors their sacrifices. The AANA also recognizes our military Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), who are the primary providers of anesthesia care in the U.S. military and often the sole providers of anesthesia in austere environments. Since before World War I, CRNAs have provided courageous, excellent care for soldiers and veterans under the most difficult circumstances. CRNAs have full practice authority in the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and combat support hospitals, where CRNAs staff 90 percent of forward surgical teams. Out of almost 60,000 CRNAs, 5% serve in the military, and 2,000 CRNAs provide care in VA healthcare facilities. In the VA healthcare system, CRNAs face barriers to delivering high-quality care to our veteransand these barriers directly impact our veterans by leading to longer wait times and reduced access to care. After the VA issued a final rule in 2016 that granted three of the four advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) specialties full practice authority, excluding only CRNAs, reports have continuously highlighted a lack of access to anesthesia services in the VA. "New national standards of practice will allow all healthcare professionals working in the VA system to have consistent scope and requirements of practice, notwithstanding any state license, registration, or other requirements," said AANA President Dina F. Velocci, DNP, CRNA. "This will ensure increased access to care for veterans, shorter wait times at VHA facilities, and reduced costs," said Velocci, adding that the AANA supports the VA's efforts to develop national standards of practice for its healthcare workers, as do 33 other healthcare provider organizations that signed an Oct. 7 letter to the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Earlier this year, AMVETS, one of the largest veterans' service organizations in the United States, called for similar standards during testimony in front of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. In their testimony, AMVETS stated that the creation of national practice standards was also necessary to implement the new joint VA Department of Defense electronic health record system. "AMVETS believes these new national practice standards must be inclusive of all healthcare services that its healthcare professionals are authorized to provide in any state. Anything short of fully comprehensive practice standards will unnecessarily limit Veteran access to care and negatively impact Veteran access and health outcomes," according to their testimony. Adopting national standards of practice will ensure non-MD/DO providers can practice without barriers in the VA systemand increase veterans' access to high-quality, safe, and cost-effective healthcare. SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Related Links http://www.aana.com RAIPUR, India, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market by Platform Type (Commercial Aircraft, Regional Aircraft, General Aviation, Military Aircraft, Helicopter, UAV, and Spacecraft), by Pressure Type (High-Pressure Assemblies and Low-Pressure Assemblies), by Material Type (Nickel-Chromium Alloys, Titanium & Alloys, Steel & Alloys, Composites, and Others), by Application Type (Airframe, Engine, and Others), by Duct Type (Rigid Ducting, Semi-Rigid Ducting, and Flexible Ducting), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2020-2026. This strategic assessment report, from Stratview Research, provides a comprehensive analysis that reflects today's aerospace ducting assemblies market realities and future market possibilities for the forecast period of 2021 to 2026. The report segments and analyzes the market in the most detailed manner to provide a panoramic view of the market. The vital data/information provided in the report can play a crucial role for the market participants as well as investors in the identification of low-hanging fruits available in the market as well as formulate growth strategies. Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market: Highlights In the aerospace industry, ducting is a vital component of the fluid conveyance system and air management system. Ducting facilitates the distribution of critical fluids & air throughout the aircraft, thus, ensuring proper temperature regulation, ventilation, fluid, water and fuel flow, humidity or containment control, anti-icing, noise attenuation, etc. These are critical functions and failure of any can lead to fatal consequences. Ducts are manufactured to meet the specific needs of the aircraft manufacturer or end user and are produced in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, lengths, and diameters with various connection options, to provide all those needed across the full spectrum of aircraft types. In 2019, the grounding of B737Max proved to be a temporary hiccup in the industry's exceptional growth trajectory, causing a short-term ripple effect across the B737 Max's supply chain. As the industry stakeholders were eagerly waiting for the B737 MAX grounding storm to clear up, the virus that shut down the world, hit the industry like a tsunami, bringing in abrupt changes in the business. The pandemic, coupled with air travel restrictions, shook the industry to the core, compelling industry participants to restructure their strategies and prioritize survival. However, the initial signs of recovery are already visible. With the ungrounding of Boeing's B737Max in November 2020, gradual opening of travel restrictions, and resumption of aircraft deliveries with major aircraft OEMs reporting improved revenue figures in H1, 2021, the industry's recuperation doesn't seem far-fetched. The aerospace ducting assemblies market is expected to recoup from 2021 onwards with a healthy long-term CAGR of 8.3% during 2021-2026. Click Here to Browse Through the Table of Contents of the Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/toc/105/aerospace-&-defense-ducting-market.html Based on the platform type, commercial aircraft is projected to remain the largest and fastest-growing segment of the market during the forecast period, driven by ungrounding of B737 Max, resumption of 787 deliveries, ramp-up of Airbus A320 family monthly production, and development of high-thrust engines. Based on the duct type, the high-pressure-ducting segment is likely to remain the larger and faster-growing duct type during the forecast period. High-pressure ducts are deployed throughout the aircraft, from the engines, through the fuselage, to the leading edges of the wings. Major applications of high-pressure ducting are environmental control systems (ECS), engine bleed air, thermal anti-ice systems, APU air intake/exhaust, fuel tank inerting systems, and engine starter duct systems. All the major players are using high-temperature metals, such as titanium, stainless steel, and composites, to provide optimum ducting solutions. Low-pressure ducts are widely preferred in applications such as cabin sidewall riser duct, transition duct, acoustic silencer, windscreen demisting, flight deck air distribution, flight deck instrumentation cooling, avionics ventilation, cabin recirculation, and air-conditioning supply. Composites and aluminum are the most preferred materials for low-pressure ducts. Based on regions, North America is expected to remain the largest market for aerospace ducting assemblies over the next five years. The region is the manufacturing capital of the aerospace industry with the presence of several major players, such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Bombardier, and the presence of major ducting manufacturers. Asia-Pacific is likely to experience the fastest growth, driven by the commencement of commercial and regional aircraft manufacturing in China and Japan, upcoming indigenous aircraft, C919, and increasing defense spending. Click Here and Request for a Free Sample of the Detailed Report: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/Request-Sample/105/aerospace-&-defense-ducting-market.html#form The supply chain of this market comprises raw material manufacturers, ducting manufacturers, aircraft engine OEMs, aircraft OEMs, and airline companies. Key ducting manufacturers for the aerospace & defense industry are- Eaton Corporation Plc Senior Plc Hutchinson PFW Aerospace GmbH Arrowhead Products Parker-Hannifin Corporation Safran SA Unison Industries Report Features This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report: Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis. Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis. Market trend and forecast analysis. Market segment trend and forecast. Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc. Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities. Emerging trends. Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players. Key success factors. This report studies the aerospace ducting assemblies market and has segmented the market in six ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the six ways in which the market is segmented: Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market, by Platform Type Commercial Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Regional Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) General Aviation (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Military Aircraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Helicopter (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) UAV (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Spacecraft (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market, by Pressure Type High-Pressure Ducting (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Low-Pressure Ducting (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market, by Material Type Nickel-Chromium Alloys (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Titanium & Alloys (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Stainless Steel & Alloys (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Composites (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market, by Application Type Airframe (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Engine (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market, by Duct Type Rigid Ducting (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Semi-Rigid Ducting (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Flexible Ducting (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW) Aerospace Ducting Assemblies Market, by Region North America (Country Analysis: USA , Canada , and Mexico ) Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , France , the UK, Russia , and Rest of Europe ) Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan , China , India , and Rest of Asia-Pacific ) Rest of the World (Country Analysis: Brazil , Saudi Arabia , and Others) Stratview Research has number of high value market reports in the global aerospace & defense industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports: https://www.stratviewresearch.com/market-reports/Aerospace-Defense.html About Stratview Research Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas. We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies. Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making. Stratview Research has launched 'Composights', an online portal which offers free thought leadership reports, whitepapers, market report synopsis and much more for Composites and allied industries, worth US$ 20,000 every year. Click here to sign up (No costs involved): https://www.stratviewresearch.com/composights/sign-in For enquiries, Contact: Stratview Research E-mail: [email protected] Direct: +1-313-307-4176 SOURCE Stratview Research SEATTLE, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Female-to-male top surgery is a highly sought after gender affirming surgery for transgender men, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people. With not many surgeons qualified to perform the procedure, or who do not accept health insurance, Dr. Javad Sajan has opened up his Seattle, WA practice to patients from Portland and elsewhere in Oregon. Dr. Sajan solved previous barriers to traveling north for top surgery. One of these was the use of drains. Drains are sometimes placed after surgery to drain away excess fluid in the surgical area. They require professional removal, usually sometime within the first week of surgery. This causes patients to have to stay in the area for an extended period of time, adding to the cost of top surgery. Dr. Sajan's revolutionary top surgery technique does not often require drains, which allows a patient to return home to Portland much sooner than if drains were installed. Allure Esthetic also works to make top surgery affordable for Oregon top surgery patients. They accept many Oregon health insurance plans to give patients peace of mind and to account for the travel costs. Our insurance coordinator has worked with many Oregon-based insurance plans and patients to get top surgery covered. Dr. Sajan sees top surgery patients from all around the United States and the world. Giving his patients the ability to design their top surgery scars, his patients often see amazing outcomes. As one reviewer says, "These folks are great! They take insurance without any hassle, the procedure went well, the recovery was smooth. Everyone is really nice, too! Couldn't really ask for a smoother experience for a surgery." About Dr. Javad Sajan: Dr. Javad Sajan of Allure Esthetic is one of the best top surgery surgeons in the United States. With a full scale outpatient surgery center, Dr. Sajan performs several top surgeries every week. In all, he has performed hundreds of top surgery procedures and allows patients to have a say in their scars and technique. Along with gender affirming procedures, Dr. Sajan also performs many plastic surgeries including breast augmentation, tummy tuck, and Brazilian butt lift. Contact: Allure Esthetic Phone: 206-209-0988 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Allure Esthetic Related Links http://www.allureesthetic.com/ SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global antibody drug conjugates contract manufacturing market size is anticipated to reach USD 18.4 billion by 2028, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2021 to 2028. The factors driving market expansion is complex nature of Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), increasing demand for manufacturing capacity as well as increasing number of research on antibody therapies. Key Insights & Findings: By condition, the myeloma segment dominated the market and accounted for the largest revenue share of 49.4% in 2020. This is largely due to the fact that antibody-drug conjugates are a novel form of immunotherapy presently being researched and evaluated in the treatment of myeloma Based on the linker, the cleavable linker segment accounted for a maximum share of 56.5% in 2020. Extensive use of cleavable linker technology in ADC and a greater number of cleavable linker-based authorised products are the factor responsible for the growth Asia Pacific dominated the market in 2020 due to the robust improvements in research and development activities, emerging markets, and competition in the pharmaceutical CMO sector In 2018, nearly 202 ADCs have entered the clinical trials and there were about 23 novel ADCs in the last 12 months increasing at a rate of 30.0% Read 110 page market research report, "Antibody Drug Conjugates Contract Manufacturing Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Condition (Myeloma, Lymphoma, Breast Cancer), By Linker (Cleavable Linker, Non-cleavable Linker), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028", by Grand View Research Around 70.0% of ADC projects are outsourced to contract development and manufacturing organisations. As ADCs are complex molecules, they require clean room biologic and high containment cytotoxic facilities for safe handling. Hence, there are real opportunities for companies that can provide specialised, innovative chemistries that require skilled workers. ADCs are currently a niche market, with few CMOs offering all of the drug's components, resulting in a complex supply chain. Besides, with seven commercially authorised ADC on the market and roughly 90 projects in clinical trials, it is essential to reduce the complicated supply chain in order to increase production efficiency. For the success of the trial, a transparent and integrated supply chain is essential. The coronavirus pandemic has assessed a typically optimistic and deliberate approach to monoclonal antibody development and disrupting supply chains not only for those antibodies deemed most promising a year ago, but also for others antibody drug conjugate that have been thrust into the spotlight as potential COVID-19 treatments.The COVID-19 pandemic has generated a strong and quick reaction from scientists working in government, and industries to create medicines and vaccines. As a result of the increasing demand for effective COVID-19 treatment medicines, global production of vaccines, antibody drug conjugates, and other pharmaceuticals is projected to expand. Grand View Research has segmented the global antibody drug conjugates contract manufacturing market on the basis of condition, linker, and region: Antibody Drug Conjugates Contract Manufacturing Condition Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Myeloma Lymphoma Breast Cancer Others (Urothelial Cancer) Antibody Drug Conjugates Contract Manufacturing Linker Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) Cleavable Linker Non-cleavable Linker Antibody Drug Conjugates Contract Manufacturing Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2028) North America U.S. Canada Europe Germany U.K. France Italy Spain Asia Pacific China Japan India South Korea Australia Latin America Mexico Brazil Argentina MEA South Africa Saudi Arabia UAE List of Key Players of the Antibody Drug Conjugates Contract Manufacturing Market Cambrex ReciPharm ThermoFisher Pantheon Corden Pharma Samsung Biologics Lonza Catalent Siegfried Piramal Pharma Solutions Boehringer Ingelheim Check out more studies related to contract manufacturing, conducted by Grand View Research: Healthcare Contract Manufacturing Market The global healthcare contract manufacturing market size was valued at USD 177.9 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7% from 2021 to 2028. An increase in offshoring to emerging countries and the changing regulatory landscape are the prominent trends currently present in the market. The global healthcare contract manufacturing market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.7% from 2021 to 2028. An increase in offshoring to emerging countries and the changing regulatory landscape are the prominent trends currently present in the market. Pharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing & Research Services Market The global pharmaceutical contract manufacturing and research services market size was valued at USD 174.4 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.75% from 2021 to 2028. Cost-saving and time-saving benefits associated with the implementation of outsourcing are responsible for driving the market. The global pharmaceutical contract manufacturing and research services market size was valued at in 2020 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.75% from 2021 to 2028. Cost-saving and time-saving benefits associated with the implementation of outsourcing are responsible for driving the market. Biopharmaceuticals Contract Manufacturing Market The global biopharmaceuticals contract manufacturing market size was valued at USD 15.8 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.7% during the forecast period. The success of the biopharmaceutical market can be majorly attributed to the contract manufacturers. Browse through Grand View Research's coverage of the Global Medical Devices Industry Gain access to Grand View Compass, our BI enabled intuitive market research database of 10,000+ reports About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. TEL AVIV and NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Apiiro , the leader in Application Risk Management, today announced the release of the Dependency Combobulator , a modular and extensible open source toolkit to detect and prevent dependency confusion attacks. The Dependency Combobulator allows organizations to safeguard against this newly uncovered type of risk, which has been on the rise this year as a key vector in supply chain attacks targeting dependencies within software packages. This new solution is a critical element in Apiiro's multidimensional approach to securing the Software Development Lifecycle to prevent both direct and supply chain attacks. Dependency confusion compromises the open source software (OSS) ecosystem by tricking end-users, developers and automation-systems into installing a malicious dependency instead of the correct one they intended to install, resulting in the compromise of their software. Apiiro's Dependency Combobulator enables a flexible approach to analyze and automate release workflows that can be evaluated against different sources such as GitHub Packages and can be extended to consider additional registries such as JFrog Artifactory. Unlike existing solutions, Apiiro's Dependency Combobulator, aimed to be used by the AppSec practitioner, is a python-based toolkit that supports both the npm and maven package management schemes out-of-the-box, as well as enabling easy extension into other package management systems. It provides improved extensibility that enables organizations to quickly adapt to new types of dependency attacks. The toolkit uses a heuristic engine that works on an abstract package model, providing easy extensibility that enables additional insights on individual packages. This depth and flexibility leads to improved decision-making by Application Security practitioners and penetration testers. The Dependency Combobulator is pluggable and can be baked into an enterprise's application security program and release cycle in an automated way. It can be plugged into several interaction junctions within an enterprise software development lifecycle, providing actionable insights to fit multiple use-cases, and expandable to support additional ones as dependency attacks evolve. "In the wake of security researcher Alex Birsan's move to compromise ecosystems maintained by Apple, Microsoft and PayPal earlier this year, the industry experienced an outbreak of similar supply chain attacks," said Moshe Zioni, VP of Security Research at Apiiro. "We were eager to respond by creating a toolkit that can mitigate similar threats and be flexible and extensible enough to combat future waves of dependency confusion attacks. Addressing this attack vector is essential for organizations to successfully secure their software supply chains." To learn more, join Moshe Zioni, virtually or in-person at Black Hat Europe 2021, where he will discuss and demo the Dependency Combobulator during several speaking sessions , taking place throughout November 10th and 11th. About Apiiro Apiiro is the industry's first Code Risk Platform to provide Application Risk Management with every change, from design to code to cloud. Apiiro is re-inventing the secure development lifecycle for Agile and cloud-native development and gives organizations a 360 view of security and compliance risks across applications, infrastructure, developers' knowledge, and business impact. Apiiro is backed by Greylock and Kleiner Perkins. www.apiiro.com Contact: Kelly Hall Offleash PR for Apiiro [email protected] SOURCE Apiiro Ltd. Related Links http://www.apiiro.com NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Arbol Inc. (Arbol), an InsurTech platform for parametric protection products, today announced the launch of Arbol Underwriters Ltd. (AUL), a registered insurance agent based in Bermuda, focused on matching reinsurance capacity with parametric insurance risks. AUL's parent company, Arbol, is an InsurTech platform and FinTech company that leverages decentralized climate data, blockchain technology and AI to power its proprietary pricing platform and to offer parametric protection products and SaaS services to help a wide range of customers to transfer and manage climate risks. "We are excited about setting up a platform in Bermuda to offer parametric solutions in the form of reinsurance" said Hong Guo, CEO of AUL and Chief Insurance Officer of Arbol. "Leveraging Arbol's massive, cutting-edge data infrastructure and proprietary pricing tools, AUL will be able to provide innovative reinsurance solutions to its clients." AUL intends to source original risk through a variety of channels, the first of which being partnerships with fronting insurance carriers. Through both volume program business and bespoke coverage solutions designed by Arbol and written through the fronting carriers, individuals and businesses can purchase parametric insurance to hedge their climate risk. Additionally, AUL will work with (re)insurers and captives in the open market to design their outwards parametric coverage solutions. To finance the risks sourced by AUL, AUL intends to seek capacity from the reinsurance market. AUL has partnered with SIG Re Ltd., a Bermuda-based reinsurer (SIG Re), to provide keystone committed capacity. SIG Re has appointed AUL as an insurance agent for its parametric reinsurance business. Through new data-driven parametric solutions designed by Arbol and the initial reinsurance capacity provided by SIG Re, the two companies seek to address the sizable protection gap that currently exists in the traditional insurance/reinsurance sector for climate risks. SIG Re is a technology and analytics-driven reinsurer, incorporated in Bermuda. SIG Re is part of the Susquehanna International Group of Companies (SIG), one of the largest, privately-held, quantitative trading firms in the world. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, USA, SIG has 2,300+ employees worldwide. SIG Re is registered as a Class 3A insurer by the Bermuda Monetary Authority and offers capacity on both parametric and prize indemnity insurance business. Commenting on the launch, Todd Simkin, CEO of SIG Re, stated: "We are delighted to grow our existing relationship with Arbol through this new underwriting arrangement. AUL's core emphasis on quantitative risk analytics and technology strongly aligns with our way of thinking at SIG Re." Hong Guo, a former managing director at Guy Carpenter and Arbol's Chief Insurance Officer, will serve as AUL's CEO. Osho Jha, a co-founder of Arbol who currently serves as its chief data scientist, will be AUL's Chief Underwriting Officer. AUL is registered as an Insurance Agent by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. About Arbol Inc: Arbol is an InsurTech platform for parametric products that pay users quickly and fairly covering external risks such as unexpected weather. Arbol leverages big data and cutting edge technology (AI, machine learning, blockchain) to bring transparency and efficiency to the weather risk market. Arbol's proprietary pricing platform enables users to customize a coverage program and get live pricing directly through the app. It is powered by an AI underwriter built to keep premiums as low as possible. Arbol's self-executing smart contracts are triggered by objective, tamper-proof and trusted datasets, which facilitate an automatic payout for the user when the threshold for loss in their contract is met, meaning they never have to file a claim to get paid. Arbol's products currently serve individuals and businesses in the agriculture, energy, maritime and leisure industries. Website | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Medium | GitHub | Facebook Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Arbol Related Links https://www.arbolmarket.com/ Under the deal, ASL Airlines Ireland will provide a retired ATR72F aircraft for the program development and subsequent use as a demonstrator. ASL will then convert a number of owned aircraft on its freight operations, resulting in the launch of zero-emission hydrogen-electric powered operations for the carrier from 2026 onwards. ASL Aviation Holdings and ZeroAvia are members of the ASL CargoVision Forum, an initiative to drive innovation and sustainability in the air cargo industry. Working together in this forum, ZeroAvia and ASL aim to use ZeroAvia's new technology to reduce emissions progressively in the regional sector where connectivity is a critical issue. Dave Andrew, CEO, ASL Aviation Holdings, said: "This deal with ZeroAvia's further strengthens ASL's commitment to being a first-mover in the introduction of new emissions reduction technology in our current fleet. ZeroAvia will support us in the provision of cargo services and vital connectivity in an environmentally sustainable way without having to wait for the introduction of new aircraft types. It's critical for ASL that we take immediate steps to reduce our carbon footprint and ZeroAvia's hydrogen-electric powertrain will allow us to operate cost effective regional freight services using existing aircraft that are now powered by traditional turbines. ZeroAvia's early flight test successes are promising, and we are also excited by the extensive R&D they have put into the green hydrogen production and the refueling ecosystem needed to support air operations." Val Miftakhov, CEO and founder, ZeroAvia said: "ASL has identified zero emissions technology as an enormous priority and, happily, is pursuing the opportunity with energy. Given our success in demonstrating the technology in flight testing, the advanced nature of the R&D for our first certifiable configuration, and the technological progress we are making, we are confident that this partnership will lead to some of the earliest commercial freight operations using hydrogen-electric propulsion. ZeroAvia will collaborate with ASL on the development of its ZA2000 Powertrain. This engine replacement is a 2 - 5 megawatt (MW) powertrain for aircraft models that are typically outfitted with 40 - 90 seats in passenger configurations. The ATR variant is optimised to be retrofitted on the ATR72 aircraft and utilises a hydrogen fuel cell and electric motor powertrain. To support the refueling of these aircraft, ZeroAvia is currently working toward scaling its already developed Hydrogen Airport Refuelling Ecosystem (HARE), which was developed with EMEC as part of the HyFlyer programme in the UK Government backed ATI programme. In addition, ZeroAvia was recently awarded a new transport research and innovation grant from the UK Department for Transport's Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure (ZEFI) programme, in order to explore concepts for liquid hydrogen refuelling in an airport setting. About ZeroAvia ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation, focused on hydrogen-electric aviation solutions to address a variety of markets, initially targeting 500 mile range in 9-19 seat aircraft used for commercial passenger transport, cargo, agriculture, and more. Based in the UK and USA, ZeroAvia has already secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the CAA and FAA, passed significant flight test milestones, and is on track for commercial operations in 2024. The company's expanding UK operations are supported by grants from UK's Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, and ZeroAvia is part of the UK Prime Minister's Jet Zero Council. For more information, please visit ZeroAvia.com and follow @ZeroAvia on Twitter , Instagram , and LinkedIn . About ASL Aviation Holdings ASL Aviation Holdings, a global aviation services company with airlines based in Europe, South Africa and Asia, is a world leader in ACMI airline operations serving major cargo and passenger airlines. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, ASL's six airlines include ASL Airlines Ireland, ASL Airlines Belgium, ASL Airlines France and ASL Airlines United Kingdom in Europe. ASL also have joint venture and associate airlines FlySafair in South Africa and K-Mile Asia in Thailand. The group also includes several leasing entities. ASL Aviation Holdings operates cargo services for the world's leading express parcel integrators and online retailers. Group airlines also operate scheduled and charter passenger services under its own airline brands on domestic, international, and intercontinental routes in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, North America and Africa. ASL has a global team of 2,500 people of 51 nationalities. The Group has a fleet of 130 aircraft that includes 11 aircraft types ranging from the turbo prop ATR 72 to the Boeing 747. ASL's agreement with Boeing for 20 Boeing 737-800BCF 'Boeing Converted Freighters', will see the entry into service of the tenth aircraft later this year. About ASL CargoVision ASL CargoVision, for greener, sustainable aviation, is a forum developed in late 2020 by ASL and leading new aviation technology companies. The objective is to help raise awareness of ASL and the Forum members' position on both innovative new technologies and sustainability for air cargo operations. ASL and the other members of the CargoVision Forum will promote these new technologies as they bring sustainability to the aviation industry, and particularly to cargo operations. SOURCE ZeroAvia Related Links https://www.zeroavia.com/ ATLANTA, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The latest release of the Atlanta FinTech Landscape showcases a growing industry that houses the majority of the 10 largest US payment processing firms, tens of thousands of professionals, and over $71 billion. The region's growth in FinTech has become known, but recent expansion in the crypto world of NFTs reveal the potential for globe-shattering growth for the artists of the Atlanta area. Atlanta is home to many publicly traded companies in the financial world, but Online Optimism's FinTech landscape showcases many opportunities beyond household name brands. The recent raises for startups in the region, including MomentRanks $4.2 million raise to expand its NFT analysis and portfolio platform, is emblematic of a competitive industry that's scaling fast. New companies aren't the only ones getting into the market. Organizations like the Atlanta-based American Cancer Society are currently hiring for Product Managers for Cryptocurrency & NFT, convincing many that this currently niche market is here to stay. The world of NFTs may be new to some, but it's a natural progression for Atlanta. Organizations like The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) and Fintech Atlanta have laid the groundwork for this economy to quickly scale. Look at the full list below, and see who the current and next unicorns might be. About Online Optimism Online Optimism, a leading digital marketing agency that helps businesses with their creative digital marketing, was founded by CEO Flynn Zaiger in 2012. The company has been featured in publications including Inc.com, Forbes.com, Fox Business, Huffington Post, and Social Media Today. Online Optimism's team has grown to include 25+ Optimists working out of offices in Atlanta, GA, Washington, DC, and New Orleans, LA. For more information, visit www.onlineoptimism.com. SOURCE Online Optimism Related Links https://onlineoptimism.com LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fine jewelry brand AuXchange Gold Jewelry announces the release of the first edition of its new AX-MENA Collection which pays homage to the designs and patterns originating from the countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Featuring earrings, necklaces, rings and a cuff in both 14 and 18 karat gold with colored gemstones and diamonds, the collection celebrates the designs, architecture, culture, traditions, and languages of the countries in these regions through fine jewelry. Highlighting some of the similarities in the designs, patterns, cultures and beliefs of the countries in the MENA region Tweet this AX-MENA Collection by AuXchange - Celebrating Designs, Architecture & Symbolism of the Middle East & North Africa. AX-MENA Collection - Window to the Soul Reversible Necklace This release of the AX-MENA designs ranges from artistic interpretations of architectural landmarks to textile motifs to ancient swords and odes to the crescent moon and popular folktales. One unique feature of the AX-MENA collection is the diversity in the sizes of the jewelry pieces, as displayed in the mini version of the popular Khamsa evil eye talisman and contrasted by the centerpiece of the collection titled "Window to the Soul." While the mini Khamsa necklaces display predominant eye colors, Window to the Soul is a decadent reversible necklace portraying an eye with a 3 carat peridot surrounded by diamond cut rubies on one side and black diamonds on the other. According to AuXchange founder, Azra Mehdi, she closely collaborated with San Francisco jeweler Eric Kitagawa of "K" Go & Co. on this piece, especially the design engineering aspect to create a reversible necklace. Although AuXchange has historically focused on creating delicate pieces, the AX-MENA collection includes a number of larger statement pieces and another first - rings, in stock for some sizes and made-to-order for others. The AX-MENA collection also uses a wider array of gemstones, including emeralds, deep blue sapphires, rubies, citrine and aquamarine intended to convey the rich diversity of the MENA region. Prices range from $525 to $14,999. One consistent theme in the AX-MENA collection as well as all AuXchange jewelry has been the company's commitment to its mission - to support and advance girls' education. AuXchange will double its donation to its mission partner Malala Fund - from 10% to 20% of the purchase price - on all purchases made between November 26-30, 2021 in light of the current political events in Afghanistan, which underscore the disproportionately detrimental impact conflict and wars have on girls overall, and girls' education in particular. About AuXchange Gold Jewelry Founded by attorney/jewelry designer Azra Mehdi in San Francisco in November 2019 and recently relocated to Beverly Hills, AuXchange Gold Jewelry's mission is to highlight the power of gold to make a real difference in how women think and feel about themselves with the knowledge that their jewelry purchases are making a difference in advancing girls' education in places where they lack such access. Learn more at auxchange.com, featuring the unique new AX-MENA collection. Press contact: [email protected] SOURCE AuXchange Gold Jewelry Related Links https://auxchange.com/ CHICAGO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Avaneer Health , a member-based, secure, and open healthcare network, announced today that its chief executive officer, Stuart Hanson, will deliver the keynote address on Thursday, November 11, 2021, at the fifth annual ConVerge2Xcelerate symposium on Telehealth and Technology Driving Healthcare Post-Pandemic: Blueprint for a New Digital Health Era. Focusing on health policy, telehealth and virtual care, blockchain and edge technologies, ConVerge2Xcelerate 2021 is a three-day virtual event that brings together healthcare systems, think tanks, health technology companies, and pharmaceutical companies, as well as international government policymakers, specialist advisors, and leading academics. Sessions are focused on new and cost-effective ways to successively navigate a new digital health era. Hanson will focus on how the infrastructure of the current healthcare system is broken and outline how to fix it. His address, "Accelerating Healthcare with Innovation in Blockchain", will include discussion on the need for a new infrastructure in healthcare and how that infrastructure leverages blockchain and other leading technologies to change the way healthcare operates. The presentation will include: How to address the massive shortcomings in the current healthcare infrastructure. How, by breaking down existing silos, we can allow new and innovative solutions to enter the marketplace. How Avaneer Health's network drives innovation in, for, and by the healthcare industry. More about Stuart Hanson. About Avaneer Health Avaneer Health is a participant-based, inclusive and secure network designed for and by healthcare to drive efficiencies and optimize care for people across their lifetimes. Built on blockchain and FHIR technology, the Avaneer Health network provides access to the data needed for transparency and interoperability in healthcare. In addition to a robust marketplace designed for innovation, Avaneer Health offers solutions for payer-to-payer data exchange, eligibility, prior authorization, and more. Avaneer Health was founded in 2020 by a consortium of industry leaders, including Aetna, Anthem, Cigna, Cleveland Clinic, HCSC, IBM, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., and Sentara Healthcare. With continuing support from the biggest players in healthcare, Avaneer Health will play a key role in transforming how the industry operates to address consumers' needs more efficiently and effectively. For more information visit www.AvaneerHealth.com follow Avaneer on Twitter @AvaneerHealth. Press Contact Rick Sheehy Carlton PR & Marketing On behalf of Avaneer Health 508-596-5802 [email protected] SOURCE Avaneer Health Related Links http://www.AvaneerHealth.com NEW DELHI, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a research study conducted by Astute Analytica, the Global B2B E-Commerce Market is estimated to bank a CAGR of 14.1% during the forecast period 2021-2027. Request for a sample report: https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/b2b-e-commerce-market B2B E-Commerce short for business-to-business electronic commerce; refers transactions between businesses via online channels. A B2B transaction involve manufacturers, wholesalers, or retailers but it does not involve transactions to consumers. Business-to-business transactions are the most common with manufacturers. For example, Apple has contractual business agreements with companies like Intel and Panasonic for B2B relation. Transactions carried out through e-commerce platforms achieve more efficiency at lower prices and provide reliable applications. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, E-commerce rapidly became the preferred mode for retail businesses. With business shifting to online platform, the unprecedented growth in the B2B e-commerce industry is expected to last till the year 2023. WHAT EFFECTS THE MARKET? DRIVERS: The B2B e-commerce market is highly fragmented and both small and medium-sized companies and large companies have moved their businesses online. The emergence of web applications that effectively connect B2B marketers has enhanced the popularity of online marketplace for B2B players. Constant technological advancements and enhanced integration have boosted the performance of platforms. For instance, Microsoft Edge Canary receives daily updates for better personalized experience. B2B sellers are keenly focusing on offering personalized services, tailored specifically to the needs of individuals. E-Commerce channels have helped them to drive the revenue growth five times higher than during normal periods, which in turn adds more profits to the overall B2B industry. RESTRAINTS: COVID-19 is changing the way B2B buyers and sellers interact. At the beginning of the pandemic, rules and regulations restricted business movements and resulting in severe impact to the global B2B industry. Border restrictions have resulted in temporary suspension of movement of people and transport. Transportation disruptions have caused serious disruptions to the actual flow of goods and the mobility of products, affecting the entire supply chain, leading to operational stoppages, lost sales, delayed deliveries, and loss of reputation. Global prices of raw materials and intermediate supplies have risen due to the suspension of production activities and transportation disruptions. The increase in freight costs has had a significant impact on the supply chain. Political stability is important to the business environment because it affects investor and consumer confidence. Therefore, political instability has an impact on global online sales and corporate investment, consumption, and economic growth. OPPORTUNITIES: The B2B technology buying cycle is undergoing significant change due to rapid increase in the technological advancements. Hence, businesses are required to quickly master new technologies, new methods, new solutions, etc. to engage actively in competition. Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality is currently creating a mid-level impact but for in a long-term, it will become a major factor impacting the B2B e commerce market to great extent. The present condition caters majority of market driven demand is from online buyers and sellers. This opportunity will continue to widen due to various benefits offered by online business against the traditional offline ones with decreasing willingness of online platforms to return to the retail traditional B2B face-to-face shopping experience. TRENDS: Adoption and ease of new payment modes is attracting new buyers and due to increased transactions will in turn create high growth impact on B2B business profits. Recently, Westpac Fiji and Fiji SME Business Owners Network signed an agreement that will help small enterprises to make easier online transactions at their platform. The demand for fast B2B order deliveries is increasing rapidly. Businesses demand to receive fast shipping that is offered by B2C merchants. B2B merchants can fulfil the process by using order management software. B2B can also rely on third-party performance to drive things forward. Third-party delivery usually uses software like ShipStation or ShipBob to manage delivery. Get Full Research Summary on " B2B E-Commerce Market": https://www.astuteanalytica.com/industry-report/b2b-e-commerce-market KEY PROVIDERS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS With the emergence of e-commerce platforms, the market providers are rapidly witnessing a positive growth in terms of market share. The market share of top five players is estimated to be 58.8%. Some of the key companies present in B2B e-commerce industry are Alibaba, Amazon, eBay Inc., Flipkart, e-worldtrade, Global Source, IndiaMart, Thomasnet, etc. Some of the key recent developments in the Global B2B E-Commerce Market are: In 2022, Alibaba plans to expand their cloud business internationally by inaugurating new data centers across different countries in Asia . South Korea and Thailand are at the top of this list. . and are at the top of this list. In Sept 2021 , Google launched new updates to improvise its product search pages and provide better consumer experience. Some of these updates include more prominently appearing product images. , Google launched new updates to improvise its product search pages and provide better consumer experience. Some of these updates include more prominently appearing product images. In Sept 2021 , Grofers Co-founder launched a new E-commerce platform called Warpli to actively compete with market giants like Amazon and Flipkart. MARKET SEGMENTATION OVERVIEW In the research report published by Astute Analytica, the Global B2B E-Commerce Market is segmented on the basis of Type, Payment Mode, Enterprise Size and Region. The global marketplace is estimated to record a revenue of US$ 7,528.9 Billion in the year 2020. Across all segments and sub-segments, Mobile Wallet Apps is forecasted to record the highest CAGR in the period of 2021-2027. This is because it allows to process one-time payments on your own, without having to rely on third parties. Thus, providing ease of transactions. In the region segment, Asia Pacific B2B e-commerce is evaluated to record a CAGR of 15.6% during the forecast period. The regional B2B e-commerce industry boom was aided by an increase in the number of B2B sellers. Segment Overview of the Global B2B e-commerce Market By Type Cleaning supplies Hospitality Products Industrial & MRO IT Products Office supplies Pantry Products Others By Payment Mode Credit card Net banking Mobile wallet apps Others By Enterprise Size Small & Medium Enterprises Large Enterprises By Region North America The U.S. Canada Mexico Europe The UK Germany France Italy Spain Russia Poland Rest of Europe Asia Pacific China India Japan Australia & New Zealand & ASEAN Rest of Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa (MEA) & (MEA) UAE Saudi Arabia South Africa Rest of MEA South America Argentina Brazil Rest of South America Buy Now this Premium Report to Grow your Business @ https://www.astuteanalytica.com/request-sample/b2b-e-commerce-market Find more research reports on Technology by Astute Analytica About Astute Analytica Astute Analytica is a global analytics and advisory company which has built a solid reputation in a short period, thanks to the tangible outcomes we have delivered to our clients. We pride ourselves in generating unparalleled, in depth and uncannily accurate estimates and projections for our very demanding clients spread across different verticals. We have a long list of satisfied and repeat clients from a wide spectrum including technology, healthcare, chemicals, semiconductors, FMCG, and many more. These happy customers come to us from all across the Globe. They are able to make well calibrated decisions and leverage highly lucrative opportunities while surmounting the fierce challenges all because we analyze for them the complex business environment, segment wise existing and emerging possibilities, technology formations, growth estimates, and even the strategic choices available. In short, a complete package. All this is possible because we have a highly qualified, competent, and experienced team of professionals comprising of business analysts, economists, consultants, and technology experts. In our list of priorities, you-our patron-come at the top. You can be sure of best cost effective, value added package from us, should you decide to engage with us. Contact us: Nishi Sharma BSI Business Park, H-15,Sector-63, Noida- 201301- India Phone: +1-888 429 6757 (US Toll Free); +91-0120- 4251598 (Rest of the World) Email: [email protected] Website: www.astuteanalytica.com Follow US: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Astute Analytica DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bailey Brauer PLLC has been selected among the nation's top commercial litigation and appellate firms in the 2022 edition of Best Law Firms. It is the fourth year the firm has been recognized in both areas. The attorneys of Bailey Brauer regularly represent corporate and individual clients in complex tort and commercial cases in federal and state courts across the country. Published by U.S. News & World Report and The Best Lawyers in America, the Best Law Firms legal guide recognizes firms with a proven track record of success while also earning the respect of their peers. Selection is based upon extensive client and attorney evaluations, as well as practice-specific editorial and peer review. Firms must also have at least one attorney featured in The Best Lawyers in America legal guide. Firm co-founders Clayton Bailey and Alex Brauer were each recognized in the recently published 2022 edition for their commercial litigation work, with Mr. Bailey earning additional honors for his appellate work. "Our clients know they can depend on us to be problem solvers and provide consistently positive results," said Mr. Brauer, whose practice focuses on high-stakes business disputes ranging from allegations of fraud and deceptive practices in commercial transactions to breaches of fiduciary duties and litigation relating to non-compete agreements. Mr. Bailey represents clients in cases involving contract disputes, business torts, RICO, employment law, trade secrets, deceptive trade practices, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, antitrust, unfair business practices, and the Packers and Stockyards Act. In addition to the Best Law Firms and Best Lawyers in America recognition, the firm and its attorneys have been honored by Benchmark Litigation, Chambers USA, BTI Consulting Group, Texas Lawyer magazine, the National Law Journal, Texas Super Lawyers, Lawdragon 500, the National Trial Lawyers, and D Magazine. About Bailey Brauer PLLC Bailey Brauer PLLC is nationally recognized for its trial and appellate work and provides battle-tested, sophisticated courtroom experience in high-stakes litigation matters. The firm focuses on complex commercial litigation, appeals, and class actions. Learn more about the firm at http://baileybrauer.com. Media Contact: Rhonda Reddick 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Bailey Brauer PLLC Related Links http://baileybrauer.com TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare professionals have a number of responsibilities, not the least of which include offering patients the best advice, care, and treatment options available at a given time. Beyond that, it is then up to the patient to take all of that into account when managing their health. Unfortunately, not all patients are this diligent. Some have a hard time sticking with an in-person medical appointment routine, or even following simple recommendations that could help fix what ails them. Dr. Richard Tytus, Co-Founder of Banty Inc. According to recent findings from Medical Economics, 91% of patients polled say using telemedicine services would help them keep their appointments, as well as "manage prescriptions and refills, and follow regimen recommendations." Dr. Richard Tytus, Co-Founder and Medical Director of telemedicine solution Banty Inc. , believes that making virtual medicine services available to patients can help them stay more focused on their health. Here's how: Easier access to their doctor: Usually, in-person medical appointments take a lot of time, especially when you factor in the commute to and from the clinic. This can be a turn off for patients. By making virtual visits possible, all a patient has to do is log in from their computer, smartphone, or tablet to see their doctor. If the doctor is running behind, patients can perform other tasks while waiting they won't have to sit in an uncomfortable, crowded waiting room Usually, in-person medical appointments take a lot of time, especially when you factor in the commute to and from the clinic. This can be a turn off for patients. By making virtual visits possible, all a patient has to do is log in from their computer, smartphone, or tablet to see their doctor. If the doctor is running behind, patients can perform other tasks while waiting they won't have to sit in an uncomfortable, crowded waiting room Scheduling is a simpler process: When a patient participates in a video call with their doctor, they can do it just about anywhere. As such, scheduling becomes more flexible. In-person appointments often force individuals to rejig their agenda several times over to make a doctor's visit work. Eventually, this can prove cumbersome, leaving some patients disinterested in maintaining their healthcare routine When a patient participates in a video call with their doctor, they can do it just about anywhere. As such, scheduling becomes more flexible. In-person appointments often force individuals to rejig their agenda several times over to make a doctor's visit work. Eventually, this can prove cumbersome, leaving some patients disinterested in maintaining their healthcare routine The technology is easy: Telemedicine services have come a long way over the years. Nowadays, the solutions available to medical clinics are rather engaging, feature-rich, and easy to navigate. As such, patients as long as they are given quick instruction by those at the doctor's office should have very little trouble logging into an appointment and receiving the same quality treatment they've come to expect Telemedicine services have come a long way over the years. Nowadays, the solutions available to medical clinics are rather engaging, feature-rich, and easy to navigate. As such, patients as long as they are given quick instruction by those at the doctor's office should have very little trouble logging into an appointment and receiving the same quality treatment they've come to expect Virtual visits are less stressful: Be it due to traffic, paying for parking, waiting an elongated amount of time to see a doctor, making a trip to the doctor's office can be a stressful experience. Imagine how much better it would be for the patient and their doctor if all appointments began on a calm, friendly note every time? "Patients want to be healthy, but sometimes the in-person appointment experience proves to be a hassle for them. Thus, medical check-in routines go by the wayside," adds Dr. Tytus. "Opening up telemedicine services to these individuals would undoubtedly keep them interested in seeing their doctor more regularly." 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 . Media contact: Scott Wilson [email protected] 289-259-8059 SOURCE Banty Inc. PARSIPPANY, N.J., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group is pleased to announce the firm's inclusion in the U.S. News list of Best Law Firms in New Jersey for 2022. The Best Law Firms designation is based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes client evaluations and peer reviews from other attorneys in the field. "We are incredibly honored to be recognized for our work safeguarding our family law clients and assisting them in reaching positive resolutions in their matters," said Bari Weinberger, family law expert,founder and managing partner at the firm. "We are incredibly honored to be recognized for our work safeguarding our family law clients," says Managing Partner Bari Z. Weinberger Esq. Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group To be eligible for inclusion in Best Law Firms, a firm must first have a lawyer recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, a peer selection process that honors a small percentage of attorneys nationwide. Weinberger, a certified matrimonial attorney and family law expert, has recently been recognized as a Best Lawyer in America for her third consecutive year. Final selections for Best Law Firms include client surveys. The firm additionally qualified to Best Law Firms tiered list of law firms. Receiving a tier designation reflects the highest level of respect a law firm can earn among other leading lawyers and clients in the same communities and same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism and their integrity. Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group's Best Law Firms Tier 3 ranking applies to regional firms outside a major metropolitan area. Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group attorneys have received numerous other awards and accolades over the past year. Bari Weinberger was recently honored at the New Jersey Law Journal Awards as a Best Mentor Attorney. Partner Robyn Howlett was also named among 2022's Best Lawyers in America for family law. Attorneys at the firm who received a SuperLawyers or SuperLawyers Rising Start designations for 2021 were Bari Weinberger, Samantha Massenzio, Hillary Piedra, Ryan Russell, and Jessica Sprague. Recognized as Best Lawyers for Families in 2021 by NJ Magazine were Bari Weinberger and Carmela Novi. "Our accomplished team is first and foremost dedicated to our clients. We are humbled to be recognized for our work in the field of family law because it's a reflection of how well we deliver on our core mission to our clients to safeguard their rights, their children and their futures," confirmed Weinberger. With offices located in Parsippany, Bedminster, Freehold, Hackensack, and Mount Laurel, award-winning Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group assists client throughout New Jersey in all their family law matters, including divorce, custody, alimony, domestic violence, adoption and all other family law matters. To experience the Weinberger difference, schedule an initial consultation with one of the firm's family law attorneys. Contact: Bari Weinberger (888) 888-0919 [email protected] SOURCE Weinberger Divorce & Family Law Group NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Student loan borrowers working in the nonprofit and public sectors are emotionally distressed and uncertain about their ability to repay student loans once relief under the CARES Act ends, according to TIAA's 2021 Nonprofit Student Debt Survey. The vast majority (95%) of nonprofit and public sector employees surveyed who benefited from the CARES Act say they will experience at least some difficulty keeping up with student loan debt payments once the relief program ends, with two in five (40%) saying they will have "a great deal" of difficulty keeping up with payments. Nearly half (45%) say it would have been "very difficult" or "impossible" to pay their student loan debt without the relief from the CARES Act over the past 18 months. "Almost two-thirds of nonprofit and public sector workers say their income is less today than it was at the start of the pandemic," said Snezana Zlatar, head of Financial Wellness, Advice and Innovation at TIAA. "With student loan payments restarting soon, these workers need tools and resources that can help them feel more confident about their finances and achieve their goals." Over a third of these workers (36%) say they will be unable to make their payments from either their take-home pay or savings. Eleven percent say they will need to turn to their friends and family for financial assistance. Another 11% say they will reduce or stop their retirement plan contributions. Ten percent will have to ask for additional forbearance. The last 4% say they just aren't sure at all where the money will come from. Not surprisingly, student debt is a significant source of negative emotions. A little more than half of these workers (55%) still worry about their student debt. Three in ten have only negative feelings about their student loans (31%). For help, employees turn to their employers as changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program creates confusion. The new TIAA student debt survey found three in five (60%) respondents think their employer has a responsibility to help them with their student debt. Employers have an opportunity to provide timely and meaningful help as the federal PSLF program has now become eligible to a greater number of people . Confusion also exists as there have been ongoing changes in the student debt servicing market. Findings from the survey underscore the need for all borrowers to have access to resources to better understand their current student loans and potential pathways for relief. One example is the innovative program TIAA launched in 2020 at nonprofit education, healthcare and research institutions across the country. TIAA works with social impact startup Savi to help nonprofit workers successfully achieve student loan forgiveness through the PSLF program. The solution acts as a concierge, helping the individual stay in compliance with the recurring and new paperwork requirements of the PSLF program while reducing errors. "The expanded eligibility for PSLF has the potential to have a life-changing impact for borrowers," said Lindsay Clark, director of External Affairs at Savi. "For many borrowers, even if they are not outright eligible for immediate forgiveness, they will become significantly closer to achieving forgiveness." Under the new federal policies, this solution helps borrowers determine if they are eligible for retroactive credit for student loan payments made prior to enrolling in an income-driven repayment plan. TIAA and Savi have helped individuals secure $200 million in projected forgiveness since rolling out the program in mid-2020. TIAA participants using Savi save an average of $1,880 per year in student loan payments and average a projected forgiveness of more than $51,300 per person.1 A previous TIAA survey found that nearly 70% of these workers said they would use their savings to purchase a house, contribute to retirement, or save for a child's college education. For more information on how to support your employees as they tackle their student loan debt, visit tiaa.org/savi. Study Methodology The 2021 TIAA Nonprofit Student Debt Survey was conducted by KRC Research from August 20 to September 9, 2021, via an online survey of 810 Americans ages 21-64 who hold at least a bachelor's degree, are employed, and are currently working for a not-for-profit organization or a government entity and have student loan debt. Additional findings are available here. About TIAA TIAA is a leading provider of secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions to millions of people and thousands of institutions. It is the #1 not-for-profit retirement market provider,2 paid more than $3.6 billion to retired clients in 2020 and has $1.3 trillion in assets under management (as of 6/30/2021).3 About Savi Savi is a social impact technology startup in Washington, D.C. working to solve the student debt crisis affecting 46 million borrowers by helping them discover new repayment and loan forgiveness options. Founded by long-time student loan experts and advocates, Savi is a public benefit corporation that works with employers, membership organizations, and financial institutions to provide our service as a unique student loan benefit. This material is for informational or educational purposes only and does not constitute fiduciary investment advice under ERISA, a securities recommendation under all securities laws, or an insurance product recommendation under state insurance laws or regulations. This material does not consider any specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on the investor's own objectives and circumstances. TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Member FINRA, distributes securities products. Annuity contracts and certificates are issued by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA) and College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF), New York, NY. Each is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. 2021 Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America-College Retirement Equities Fund, 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 1903547 Facebook Twitter: @TIAA LinkedIn 1 Results experienced may not be typical of all participants. 2 Based on data from 56 providers in PLANSPONSOR magazine's 2019 DC Recordkeeping Survey, combined 457, 403(b) and money purchase plan data as of December 31, 2018. 3 Based on approximately $1.3 trillion of assets under management across Nuveen affiliates and TIAA investment management teams as of 6/30/2021. SOURCE TIAA BROWNSVILLE, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the City of Brownsville, in conjunction with Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC), held a press conference to announce their newest partner in Brownsville's expanding space community 9Point8 Capital, which is a group of companies that supports the space industry with end-to-end financial products. J. Brant Arseneau, founder of the company, stated that 9Point8 Capital's vision is to support space companies from their earliest to latest stages, with private equity to public credit, for investment capital to working capital. After nearly 25 years on Wall Street, Arseneau decided to chase his lifelong dream of being a part of the growing commercialization of the space industry and a new founded movement called NewSpace. Arseneau is building companies that currently include the advisory group, 9Point8 Capital - a public capital raising platform, Spaced Ventures - a venture fund, Gravity Management, and a soon to be launched incubator and hatchery, 10MK. As part of this partnership in Brownsville, 9Point8 Capital will build a local back-office team to support their global financial infrastructure and locate their incubator and hatchery within the city. Additionally, Arseneau announced that 9point8 Capital is creating a Space Scholarship Fund that will be available for students in Brownsville who attend the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley. During the press conference, Arseneau, who was recently appointed as a space ambassador for the Canadian Space Agency, mentioned that after architecting the group of companies, he overlayed a geographical strategy that would create a global financial infrastructure that brought 9Point8 closer to their clients and investors. In turn, this led them to identify Brownsville as a key location in the growing space industry in the United States, as well as internationally. On the company's arrival, Mayor Trey Mendez stated, "The City of Brownsville is thrilled to support 9Point8, so they can help provide the financial infrastructure to both early and late-stage space companies that are finding a home in our region. As the home of the SpaceX launch site and many other space companies, Brownsville, Texas, is the future of the space industry in the United States and becoming an important part of a larger global industry, and this company fits what we are trying to do in Brownsville to foster the NewSpace ecosystem." Adding to this, Helen Ramirez, Executive Director of the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation, as well as Deputy City Manager for Brownsville, added: "9point8's arrival to the City of Brownsville reinforces one of our main pillars - Economic Development. We want to develop a sustainable economy through businesses like these, and 9point8 will not only create employment opportunities, but these 10 million dollars in Venture Capital will impact our community's access to education, as well as attract other businesses in this industry, allowing us to position ourselves as leaders in the space industry." Speaking on the selection of Brownsville as their new site, Arseneau, said, "We are excited to locate a key part of our operations within the City of Brownsville. This city is quickly becoming an important location within the space industry and because we consider our relationship with our clients and investors to be paramount in helping them succeed, we need to be located near them which includes being right here in Brownsville." Brownsville is often considered the third city for space after Cape Canaveral and Houston in the U.S. and is well on its way to becoming the Silicon Valley of Space because of its ties with SpaceX. Their innovative agile approach to the space industry is considered more effective than what traditional space companies have seen in the past. Additionally, the city continues to attract space companies to the region, and with the addition of 9Point8, it adds local financial infrastructure to help these companies grow. For more information or to schedule media interviews, please contact the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation at (956)561-4133 or [email protected]. About 9Point8 Capital 9Point8 Capital is an advisory firm dedicated to the space industry, which addresses the need for a specialized partner that deeply understands both finance and the industry of space. Based in New York, Brownsville and Toronto, the company aims to be the space industry's premier global financial partner. The company is strongly committed to building long-lasting client relationships by generating value for their individual, institutional and corporate clients. Learn more at their website. About Brownsville, Texas Brownsville is located at the southernmost tip of Texas, and it is the largest city in the Rio Grande Valley, with a population of approximately 200,000. It is the second most historic city in the Lone Star State, making it rich in history and unique in beauty, with over 70 miles of resacas (oxbow lakes) and over 100 miles of walk, hike, and bike trails. It is home of the one and only Charro Days Festival and the Gladys Porter Zoo. Brownsville is the gateway to the future with the only deep-water port located on the U.S.-Mexico Border and the newest airport terminal in the region. As the latest New Space City, Brownsville's space ecosystem is growing with SpaceX, Spaced Ventures, and Space Channel. Brownsville, Texas is located on the border, by the sea and beyond! Learn more at brownsvilletx.gov or by following the City of Brownsville on its official social media pages: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) The Greater Brownsville Incentives Corporation (GBIC) is a non-profit organization, Type A Economic Development Corporation, created to oversee the disbursement of a cent sales tax collected in the City of Brownsville. The GBIC board, approve funding for job creation incentives and various performance-based programs related to manufacturing, infrastructure and education. GBIC also provides business assistance, site selection, and permitting assistance, as well as job training to businesses wanting to locate in Brownsville. For more information on GBIC, visit their website, Facebook, and Linkedin. For more information contact: Helen Ramirez, (956)561-4133 [email protected] SOURCE City of Brownsville Related Links https://greaterbrownsville.com/ SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The catering services market boasts of a mature European and North American market and a fast-growing APAC market. However, the COVID pandemic resulted in businesses being closed, events being postponed, and eateries being shut down. As such, the cafeteria/catering services were negatively impacted. One of the saving graces for the industry was the resurgence of take-away meals, which resulted in the contractual employment of employees from the cafeteria service providers. Catering Services Category Intelligence Highlights: Catering/Cafeteria services are resuming with limited capacities. Eateries are employing personnel from cafeteria service providers on a contractual basis The catering market features a highly fragmented competitive landscape owing to the presence of several small players and regional players Suppliers widely prefer bundled outsourcing model as their operating model to diversify work View detailed report description or request for a free sample of the full report, "Catering Services Market Procurement Intelligence, Supplier Intelligence, Supplier Ranking, Pricing & Cost Structure Intelligence, Best Practices, Engagement Model, Low & Best Cost Country, Day One Analysis Report, 2020 2025", by Grand View Research With the pandemic loosening up, various countries have resumed operations with certain rules and regulations to maintain COVID safety protocols. For instance, pubs and restaurants in Ireland have opened for indoor service. In France, people visiting eateries have to show proof that they are vaccinated or have tested COVID negative recently. In India, ceremonies and gatherings can help with a limitation on the number of attendees decided by the local authorities. Such steps are opening business opportunities for catering service providers globally. Grand View Research has identified the following key cost components associated to catering services: Raw Material Costs Operational Costs Rental Cost Personnel Cost Associated Costs Opportunity Cost Wastage Cost Transportation Cost Profit Margins "Raw material cost is the largest cost component of catering services, accounting for 60%-65% of the total cost of service." List of Key Suppliers in the Catering Services Category Aramark Corporation Compass Group North America Sodexo ISS Facility Services Pvt. Ltd. AVI Foodsystems, Inc. Mitie Group plc Bartlett Mitchell Elior Group Baxterstorey Limited Check out more procurement intelligence studies conducted by Grand View Research: Brewing Market Procurement Intelligence Report The global brewing market is expected to be valued at USD 45 billion by 2025 has grown at a CAGR of 7% from 2020 to 2025. The Asia Pacific is the largest geographic segment in the brewing market with a 30% market share. The global brewing market is expected to be valued at by 2025 has grown at a CAGR of 7% from 2020 to 2025. The is the largest geographic segment in the brewing market with a 30% market share. Food & Beverage ERP Solution Market Procurement Intelligence Report The global ERP solutions market size was estimated at USD 35.50 billion in 2019 and is projected to register an 8% CAGR during the forecast period. The food industry is expected to hold a market share of 10%-12% of the global market. About Grand View Research Grand View Research, U.S.-based market research and consulting company, provides syndicated as well as customized research reports and consulting services. Registered in California and headquartered in San Francisco, the company comprises over 425 analysts and consultants, adding more than 1200 market research reports to its vast database each year. These reports offer in-depth analysis on 46 industries across 25 major countries worldwide. With the help of an interactive market intelligence platform, Grand View Research helps Fortune 500 companies and renowned academic institutes understand the global and regional business environment and gauge the opportunities that lie ahead. Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc. Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.com Follow Us: LinkedIn | Twitter SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. BENGALURU, India, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CAI, a global consulting company that provides technical, operational consulting, and project management services to life sciences, data centers, and process manufacturing industries, today announced the additions of Mathews Danavumkal and Damodaran Tharavath to the CAI India leadership team. "We are pleased to welcome Damodaran and Mathews to our growing leadership team," said Ravi Kumar, CAI Country Head, India. "Collectively, Damodaran and Mathews bring extensive recruitment, human resources, and financial management experience fortifying our team's position at the forefront of the data center, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries across India." Mathews joins as HR and Recruitment Head and brings 35 years of experience shaping company diversity and inclusion, workforce planning, and recruiting. "CAI's standard of excellence in both its offerings and culture is well positioned to deliver leading expertise on mission critical facilities and manufacturing regulation in India," said Mathews. "I am excited to lead CAI India's human resources department with a focus on building a world-class culture and fostering an inclusive environment to attract, develop, engage, and retain the best talent to serve our clients." Damordaran joins as Head of Finance and Administration, bringing extensive experience working with international teams to enhance productivity and processes to increase business outcomes. Previously, he worked as a finance controller, where he supported all financial, commercial, and IT related aspects for the business and led three mergers to contribute to company cost savings. "I look forward to working with Ravi and the CAI India executive team as we develop the inherent value of CAI India. said Tharavath. "I see great opportunity in the company's commissioning, regulatory, and manufacturing offerings and am excited to advance CAI India through the scale-up of its corporate finance operations and guide the company's corporate strategy to create long-term value for our customers and shareholders." ABOUT CAI Since CAI was founded in 1996, we have delivered nearly a billion dollars in services for hundreds of clients across thousands of projects globally. With offices in the US, Canada, Australia, Netherlands, Korea, Switzerland, India, Ireland, Italy, China, Singapore, and Malaysia, we are an international team of 750 professionals providing local support from a global company. Our engineering, technical, and consulting services are fashioned to deliver mission critical facilities with a high level of performance and reliability. When operational readiness and startup are critical, CAI delivers to a higher standard. www.cagents.com Contact: David Shenberger +13177219847 [email protected] SOURCE CAI Related Links cagents.com "After a thorough vetting process, it was clear that Mynaric's CONDOR Mk3 is the premier solution to interweave our services with the U.S. Space Development Agency's National Defense Space Architecture," said Christian Lenz, Chief Technology Officer of Capella Space. "We have selected the CONDOR Mk3 optical communications terminal for our critical, highly reliable and secure data transmission needs due to its demonstrated compatibility, performance and availability." "We have a proven track record of demonstrated compatibility with SDA's interoperability standard for optical inter-satellite links," said Tina Ghataore, Chief Commercial Officer of Mynaric. "This is just the beginning of a strong partnership between Capella Space and Mynaric and illustrates the importance of our efforts on interoperability and serial production capabilities to meet the needs of our commercial and governmental customers." The CONDOR Mk3 ensures compatibility with the U.S. Space Development Agency's (SDA) optical communications terminal standard. Detailed technical specifications of the product can be requested from the CONDOR Mk3 product page . About Capella Space Capella Space is an information services company that provides on-demand 50cm high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) Earth observation imagery. Through a constellation of small satellites, Capella provides easy access to frequent, timely and flexible information affecting dozens of industries worldwide. Capella's high-resolution SAR satellites are matched with unparalleled infrastructure to deliver reliable global insights that sharpen our understanding of the changing world improving decisions about commerce, conservation and security on Earth. Learn more at www.capellaspace.com . About Mynaric Mynaric (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: M0Y, ISIN: DE000A0JCY11) produces the optical fiber for the skies and, as a pioneer of laser communication, enables extremely fast and secure wireless data transmission between aircraft, drones and satellites. Globally, the need for fast and ubiquitous network connectivity is advancing inexorably. Data networks such as the internet are now largely based on infrastructure on the ground which cannot be expanded arbitrarily for legal, economic or logistical reasons. The future, therefore, calls for an expansion of the existing network infrastructure into air and space. Mynaric provides laser communication products to establish the necessary data highways for telecommunication constellations in air and space. For more information, visit mynaric.com . SOURCE Mynaric VENTURA, Calif., Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The nonprofit, nonpartisan group, Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS), is reaching out to Americans concerned about the lack of services provided to homeless veterans. A nationwide ad campaign drawing attention to this indifference runs through Veterans Day. While 37,000 veterans lack shelter, the Biden administration provides hotels for illegal immigrants who broke our immigration laws. In March, the Biden administration signed a six-month contract for $86 million to house 1,200 migrant family members in Texas and Arizona. That's $72,000 per migrant for half a year. That $86 million is just the beginning, as the contract "could be extended and expanded." ICE has its own family residential centers, but they were full, overwhelmed by the border surge Biden created with his invitation for migrants to break our immigration laws. Tens of millions of dollars for 1200 lawbreakers for six months is just the tip of the iceberg. Biden has run a series of clandestine flights to ferry illegal migrants into the interior of the United States where they are housed, then released, far away from the television cameras that might highlight a messy, and politically embarrassing, situation at the border. We will probably never have a true accounting of the costs of his "come on in, the border is open" policy. Beyond that, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration is considering paying $450,000 dollars person to illegal immigrants who were previously separated from their families at the southern border. Biden denied it, but White House officials walked back his comments. Apparently, only the amount of the largesse is in question as veterans continue to sleep on the streets. CAPS Executive Director Ric Oberlink said: "To those who served their nation, it is shocking to see Biden's disregard for its borders. We've come a considerable way in the last five decades. It is no longer acceptable in woke circles to openly disparage those who served their country in the military. But talk is cheap, very cheap. My father served. My mother served. I served. As a veteran, I think it is a sacrilege that the Biden administration is spending taxpayer dollars on hotels for, and payments to, illegal immigrants. Our nation should provide housing for those who served their country, not hotels for those who broke into it." THE AD CAN BE VIEWED HERE. SOURCE Californians for Population Stabilization Related Links http://www.capsweb.org NASHVILLE, Tenn., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's , the nation's leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, announced today it has experienced a surge in franchise development throughout 2021, reporting 18 new agreements signed to develop 43 locations in key markets nationwide over the next several years. Half of those agreements are with existing franchisees, whose success continues to be a driving force behind Captain D's accelerated growth. Motivated by impressive AUVs and strong sales comps system-wide, Captain D's franchisees continue to invest in the brand and expand its footprint in their markets, reflecting the viability of its franchise model and attracting new operators to the system. "Captain D's momentum has been building all year, and as we've celebrated the openings of new restaurants throughout the country, we've also been steadily building our development pipeline to support our aggressive growth goals for years to come," says Brad Reed, chief development officer for Captain D's. "Existing operators representing such a significant portion of our development success this year is a true testament to the confidence they have in this brand and the unit economics. We look forward to continuing to support their growth." Key states where Captain D's has recently signed multi-unit development agreements with existing franchisees include Florida and Georgia. Wanda Davis and Toks Achebe of Crossroads Portfolio, Inc. opened their first Captain D's in Palatka, Florida, in 2020 and have already signed on to develop two more Florida locations. In Georgia, Anil Dossani will open the first Captain D's Express early next year in Atlanta and has plans to develop two additional Express units in the Atlanta metro area. In addition, he signed on for four more Georgia units this summer. "The other half of our development growth this year has been with new franchisees," adds Reed. "Many of them are seasoned multi-unit operators who are attracted to our array of flexible prototypes and the way our unique seafood offering complements their existing portfolio. We are thrilled to welcome these new operators into our system, working with them to expand in both familiar and newer markets including Arkansas, Michigan, Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia and Ohio. Captain D's has performed well in new markets and continues to generate a lot of interest from operators looking to expand their portfolio with Captain D's." Captain D's has continually invested in menu innovation and its vibrant, coastal design to remain true to its core identity high-quality seafood served at an affordable price in a welcoming atmosphere. Coupled with best-in-class franchisee support, flexible restaurant prototypes and a cost-effective conversion process, the brand is an ideal investment and is consistently recognized among the franchising and foodservice industries' most prestigious accolades. Recent awards in 2021 include Entrepreneur's Top Food Franchises, where Captain D's was once again named the seafood category leader, and Franchise Business Review's Best Franchise Opportunities to Buy. With more than 540 restaurants in 23 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking single and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-314-4819. ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has more than 540 restaurants in 23 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast-casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for more than 50 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature batter-dipped fish. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, Tilapia, and Salmon, as well as hushpuppies, desserts, and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com . Contact: Ashley Bennett Fish Consulting 954-893-9150 [email protected] SOURCE Captain D's Related Links http://www.captainds.com CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OncoPep, Inc. today announced it is expanding its Scientific Advisory Board with the addition of Carl Novina, MD, PhD. As the leader and founder of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Institute's Novina Laboratory, Dr. Carl Novina and his team have made multiple discoveries in the biology of non-coding RNAs, their dysregulation in diseases, and their development as biomedical tools. The Novina lab has also been the origin of pioneering studies in epigenetic engineering, novel CAR T applications, and the integration of nanoparticle technology with immunotherapies. His counsel will contribute immensely to OncoPep's efforts to develop transformative immunotherapeutics. "Our mission is to extend the lives of cancer patients and maintain their quality of life with novel therapeutics that leverage the power of the immune system," said Michael Krepps, SVP of OncoPep. He adds, "A proven and trusted leader in the field of cancer research, Dr. Novina is a valuable addition to OncoPep's Scientific Advisory Board as we work together to improve cancer patient outcomes." Dr. Novina received his MD from Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2000 and his PhD from Tufts University, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences in 1998. He completed his postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Dr. Phillip Sharp. In 2004, he joined Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & Harvard Medical School. Dr. Novina is an Associate Professor of Medicine (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School) as well as an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. Dr. Novina is the recipient of numerous awards and honors including: W.M. Keck Distinguished Young Scholars Award Department of Defense Idea Award NCI Director's Provocative Questions Award National Science Foundation Collaborative Research Project Award NIH Director's Pioneer Award With the addition of Dr. Novina, the OncoPep Scientific Advisory Board now includes seven members. About OncoPep, Inc.: OncoPep, Inc. is developing novel immunotherapeutics to prevent the progression of cancer, extend survival, and restore the quality of life of patients. OncoPep's lead program, PVX-410, is an investigational, multi-peptide therapeutic vaccine being evaluated in treating multiple myeloma and triple-negative breast cancer by stimulating an immune response against cancer cells. SOURCE OncoPep, Inc. Related Links https://www.oncopep.com In 2020, he was named managing partner of Lawrence Wine Estates, overseeing the purchase of Burgess Cellars, Stony Hill Vineyards, as well as the Haynes Vineyard and the historical Wildwood Vineyard in Rutherford. He is also a co-founder of The Roots Fund, a non-profit that focuses on creating educational and employment opportunities for our BIPOC community. "It is an honor to welcome Carlton to our board of trustees," said CIA President Dr. Tim Ryan said. "His knowledge and experience will help us continue to advance the college's educational mission and deliver the world's premier culinary education." The CIA Board of Trustees consists of 25 highly respected leaders in the foodservice industry and business world. They provide expert governance and guidance for the not-for-profit college and are not compensated for their services. About The Culinary Institute of America Founded in 1946, The Culinary Institute of America is the world's premier culinary college. Dedicated to developing leaders in foodservice and hospitality, the independent, not-for-profit CIA offers master's, bachelor's, and associate degrees with majors in culinary arts, baking & pastry arts, food business management, hospitality management, culinary science, and applied food studies. The college also offers executive education, certificate programs, and courses for professionals and enthusiasts. Its conferences, leadership initiatives, and consulting services have made the CIA the think tank of the food industry and its worldwide network of more than 50,000 alumni includes innovators in every area of the food world. The CIA has locations in New York, California, Texas, and Singapore. For more information, visit www.ciachef.edu. SOURCE The Culinary Institute of America Related Links www.culinary.edu PLANO, Texas, Nov. 5, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnomaly, the world's leading automotive crypto company, today announced their CARR token has launched on the UniSwap cryptocurrency exchange, making it the first major decentralized exchange (DEX) the company has listed on and added liquidity to. Carnomaly created CARR tokens in order to fund its development and their global reward program. The Ethereum network hosts the token exclusively through its ERC-20 smart contract making it simple to analyze how many tokens each member holds and providing top-tier levels of security. UniSwap is a DEX operating on the Ethereum blockchain that, unlike centralized exchanges, keeps you in control of your crypto. UniSwap accounts for $1.9 billion in 24-hour trading volume, making it the largest DEX in the crypto space. "Our team is thrilled to see our CARR tokens hit this top-tier decentralized crypto exchange," says Scott Heninger, Founder and CEO of Carnomaly. "UniSwap has the opportunity to change how cryptocurrency trading is viewed as well as used, and through CARR, we're confident that we will continue to push forth this idea." Carnomaly's launch on the largest decentralized cryptocurrency exchange reenforces their place as the clear market leader at the forefront of the transformation of the automotive industry through the adoption of crypto and blockchain technology. To learn more about Carnomaly and to be a part of the world's first-ever automotive reward platform, visit https://carnomaly.io ABOUT CARNOMALY: Carnomaly is the world's leading automotive crypto company and the future of the automotive industry. Our fleet of tech solutions will bring digital innovation to the automotive industry through the power of blockchain and crypto technology. Through our innovations we will change the way consumers buy, sell, shop, report, and finance new or used vehicles. SOURCE Carnomaly Related Links https://carnomaly.io NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Chenot Palace Weggis, Switzerland's premiere luxury wellness retreat, today announced the debut of The Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living, a revolutionary new approach designed to combat pre-mature ageing at the molecular level. The Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living utilises ground-breaking epigenetic technology to analyse gene activity, determine biological ageing status and prescribe a personalized treatment plan to optimise wellbeing and health. Driven by science, Chenot's newest development is a natural evolution of the brand's mission to unlock human potential by increasing mental and physical performance at any age. "At Chenot, our focus is not on lifespan, but rather healthspan the concept of remaining healthy for as long as possible as we age," said Dr George Gaitanos, Chief Operating and Scientific Officer of Chenot. "The Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living was born from our desire to empower guests to make meaningful changes that secure their optimal health. Our epigenetic profile is the most precise barometer of our future health that reveals our genes activity and ultimately pinpoints to molecular targets for increasing life expectancy, avoiding disease and achieving optimal well living." The Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living uses novel mRNA-based molecular tests to analyse the expression levels of certain genes associated with silent inflammation, oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance, structural integrity of connective tissue and ageing. Through a simple blood test performed at Chenot's state-of-the-art molecular laboratory, the Medical Team conducts a comprehensive gene expression analysis to determine an individual's genes activity an invaluable predictor of health and susceptibility to disease. This highly precise and reliable epigenetic profile identifies undesirable gene activity and pinpoints the root cause of current or oncoming health issues years before their onset. Equipped with an accurate picture of an individual's gene activity, the Chenot Medical Team then creates an individualized treatment plan to target and build resilience against the potential onset of maladaptive symptoms. This innovative approach to health and wellness empowers individuals to take preventative measures and make lifestyle changes that are proven to slow biological ageing on an individual basis. A seven-night minimum stay at Chenot Palace Weggis, including one of the extensive Chenot wellness programmes starts from 8,030 CHF (approx. 7,350 EU or 6,750 GBP) per person. Reservations can be made via [email protected] or visit www.chenotpalaceweggis.com. About Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living Through its innovative molecular lab, the Chenot Molecular Lab for Optimal Living is a ground-breaking mRNA-based testing and analysis that reveals an individual's epigenetic profile to achieve optimal well-living and minimizes the effects of ageing. By examining genes associated with molecular ageing, the results uncover the root causes of ageing and health issues years before the onset of functional decline. This is followed by a lifestyle-based treatment plan implemented to build resilience and maintain well-being. Based in Switzerland, The Chenot Group has developed medical spa programmes, treatments, cosmetic products, and food supplements that promote healthy living, wellness, and successful ageing for over 50 years. For more information on the Chenot Molecular Lab or The Chenot Group, please visit chenot.com. SOURCE Chenot Palace Weggis Related Links https://www.chenotpalaceweggis.com ERS, co-founded by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, 2020 Nobel Prize winner for gene-editing, provides access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property. With this patent in China, the fundamental value of gene-editing technology is officially validated within the scientific community. The patent covers methods and compositions for RNA-Directed target DNA modification and for RNA-Directed modulation of transcription. Michael Arciero, Vice-President of Intellectual Property and Commercial Development, ERS Genomics, said: 'This is a strong but not surprising statement by China. China has made the biotechnology industry one of its top national priorities. China is a global leader when it comes to biotech research, product development and manufacturing. We see this patent as recognition of the importance of CRISPR/Cas9 across life sciences. At ERS, our goal is to make our technology as broadly available as possible. We want no borders or limits on global innovation and advancement.' ERS has recently established a formal presence in China with new hire, Business Director, Fang Fang 'Jojo' Hu, formerly of Illumina. Speaking to the new patent, Jojo had the following to say: 'This latest patent issuance comes at a time where the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) has made a clear statement of the importance of intellectual property rights in China. I look forward to enabling companies in China that want to commercialize CRISPR/Cas9 technology.' CVC refers to University of California, University of Vienna, and Emmanuelle Charpentier. It describes the owners of what are commonly known as the UC Berkeley CRISPR patents. CVC and Dr. Charpentier hold patents to this game-changing gene-editing technology in over 80 countries worldwide. About ERS Genomics ERS Genomics is a biotechnology company based in Dublin, Ireland. The company was formed to provide broad access to the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property held by Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier. Non-exclusive licenses are available for research and sale of products and services across multiple fields including: research tools, kits, reagents; discovery of novel targets for therapeutic intervention; cell lines for discovery and screening of novel drug candidates; GMP production of healthcare products; companion animal and livestock health; production of industrial materials such as enzymes, biofuels and chemicals; and synthetic biology. For additional information please visit www.ersgenomics.com SOURCE ERS Genomics SULPHUR, La., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex, along with CITGO Innovation Academy Students at E. K. Key Elementary, LeBlanc Middle School and Sulphur High School, celebrated National STEM Day Nov. 8, 2021. To commemorate National STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Day, CITGO hosted a STEM festival at E. K. Key Elementary for the kindergarten through fifth grade CITGO Innovation Academy students, as well as the entire student body. More than 500 students rotated through 11 hands-on STEM stations where they experimented with subjects such as aviation, chemistry, coding, robotics, engineering and more. The sixth grade CITGO Innovation Academy students from LeBlanc Middle also joined in on the festival fun. The seventh and eighth grade CITGO Innovation Academy students from LeBlanc Middle traveled to Sulphur High to join the ninth and tenth grade CITGO Innovation Academy students for a special STEM presentation and hands-on takeaway activity. "CITGO continues to advocate for STEM education with hopes of nurturing a path for opportunity in the lives of Southwest Louisiana students," said Vice President and General Manager of the CITGO Lake Charles Manufacturing Complex, Jerry Dunn. "As the students grow through the academy program, and go on to further their education, I look forward to the day when we are able to welcome the first legacy student to the industry." CITGO launched the STEM Talent Pipeline program in 2016, aimed at increasing access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math related educational opportunities by supporting and encouraging students to pursue a career in STEM. The program provides grants to schools and educational organizations in its operational communities including Lake Charles, Louisiana, Corpus Christi, Texas, and Lemont, Illinois Along with financial support, CITGO encourages its employees to share their knowledge and experience with students and young professionals through classroom presentations and hands-on demonstrations. About CITGO Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a recognized leader in the refining industry with a well-known brand. CITGO operates three refineries located in Lake Charles, La.; Lemont, Ill.; and Corpus Christi, Texas, and wholly and/or jointly owns 38 active terminals, six pipelines and three lubricants blending and packaging plants. With approximately 3,300 employees and a combined crude capacity of approximately 769,000 barrels-per-day (bpd), CITGO is ranked as the fifth-largest, and one of the most complex independent refiners in the United States. CITGO transports and markets transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products and supplies a network of approximately 4,400 locally owned and operated branded retail outlets, all located east of the Rocky Mountains. CITGO Petroleum Corporation is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc. SOURCE CITGO Corporation Related Links www.citgo.com NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners announced the launch of the Composting Consortium, together with Founding Partners PepsiCo and the NextGen Consortium. PepsiCo and the NextGen Consortium, which is composed of Starbucks, McDonald's and other foodservice brands, are joined by Supporting Partners Colgate-Palmolive, The Kraft Heinz Company, Mars, Incorporated, and Target Corporation, as well as Industry Partners the Biodegradable Products Institute and the U.S. Plastics Pact. The Consortium brings together leading voices in the composting ecosystem in the United States to identify the best path forward to increase the recovery of compostable food packaging and drive toward circular outcomes. These key stakeholders are uniting at a critical time as the landscape around compostable packaging and composting infrastructure rapidly evolves. Currently, the demand for alternatives to traditional fossil fuel-based single-use plastic packaging is rising, and the market for compostable packaging is poised to grow 17% annually between 2020 and 20271. Compostable packaging presents potential environmental, economic and social benefits, diverting food packaging and food scraps within the packaging toward composting infrastructure, and mitigating the greenhouse gases emitted when these otherwise end up in landfill. To meet the growth in compostable packaging, there needs to be more widely available composting infrastructure to fully recover the value of these materials. The Composting Consortium recognizes the current challenges in this growing packaging sector and calls for unity and clarity across stakeholders. New compostable materials need to be researched with diligence and deployed strategically as one line of defense against waste. There is no quick fix to a complex global waste challenge, and the Consortium looks to chart a clear pathway forward for the industry. The Consortium will work across multiple workstreams to identify best practices for consumer understanding of compostable packaging labeling and collection; establish when compostable versus reusable or recyclable packaging applications are most appropriate; collaborate on best practices to inform policy making; and build an investment roadmap for expanding composting infrastructure to recover compostable packaging and food scraps. It brings together leading voices in the composting ecosystem in the United States to increase the recovery of valuable resources otherwise lost to landfill. Consortium Advisory Partners include Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA), Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), Google, ReFED, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), TIPA Corp Ltd., University College London and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). "With current market forces and environmental challenges driving the growth of compostable packaging, there has never been a more critical time to collectively advance labeling, testing and infrastructure investments related to the recovery of compostable food packaging and food scraps," says Kate Daly, Managing Director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. "We're excited to work together with leading brands and retailers, including PepsiCo and the partners of the NextGen Consortium, as well as the entire composting value chainfrom global brands to composters and packaging manufacturersto accelerate much-needed solutions." "Knowing how important packaging isto protect the safety, quality and freshness of our products, extend their shelf life and limit food wastewe understand how critical it is to advance holistic solutions that prevent packaging from becoming waste. Building on our initiatives to improve the circularity of compostable packaging, we are thrilled to work toward this goal as a Founding Partner of the Composting Consortium," says Burgess Davis, VP Global Sustainable Packaging and Sustainability Strategy at PepsiCo. "This unprecedented collaboration with the NextGen Consortium and leading foodservice and consumer goods brands can forge a clear path forward for compostable packaging, strengthening it as a viable alternative to plastics and preventing it from going to waste." "There is increasing awareness of the climate risks posed by food scraps being wasted in landfills, alongside the challenges of waste from packaging that is not getting recycled. This is driving broad support for a change to the status quo, including a desire for widespread access to composting and innovative compostable packaging that can be composted with the food," noted Rhodes Yepsen, Executive Director of the Biodegradable Products Institute. "Collaboration amongst diverse stakeholders is critical, which the Composting Consortium brings together so we can make quick progress." About the Composting Consortium The Composting Consortium is a multi-year collaboration across the entire value chain to pilot industry-wide solutions and build a roadmap for investment in technologies and infrastructure that enable the recovery of compostable food packaging and food scraps. The Composting Consortium is managed by Closed Loop Partners' Center for the Circular Economy. PepsiCo and the NextGen Consortium are founding partners of the Consortium. Hill's Pet Nutrition parent company Colgate-Palmolive, The Kraft Heinz Company, Mars, Incorporated, and Target Corporation joined as supporting partners, and the Biodegradable Products Institute and the U.S. Plastics Pact joined as industry partners. Our advisory partners include Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA), Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), Google, ReFED, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), TIPA Corp Ltd., University College London and World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Learn more about the Consortium here . About the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners Closed Loop Partners is a New York-based investment firm comprised of venture capital, growth equity, private equity, project-based finance and an innovation center. In 2018, Closed Loop Partners launched its innovation center, the Center for the Circular Economy, which unites competitors to tackle complex material challenges and to implement systemic change that advances the circular economy. Closed Loop Partners brings together designers, manufacturers, recovery systems operators, trade organizations, municipalities, policymakers and NGOs to create, invest in, and support scalable innovations that target big system problems. Learn more about the Center's work here . About PepsiCo PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. PepsiCo recently introduced pep+ (pep Positive), a strategic end-to-end transformation with sustainability at the center of how the company will create growth and value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com . About the NextGen Consortium The NextGen Consortium is a multi-year consortium that addresses single-use food packaging waste globally by advancing the design, commercialization and recovery of food packaging alternatives. The NextGen Consortium is managed by Closed Loop Partners' Center for the Circular Economy. Starbucks and McDonald's are the founding partners of the Consortium, with The Coca-Cola Company joining as a sector lead partner. JDE Peet's, Wendy's and Yum! Brands are supporting partners. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is the environmental advisory partner. Learn more at www.nextgenconsortium.com. CONTACT: [email protected] ____________________ 1 Data Bridge Market Research SOURCE Closed Loop Partners Related Links https://www.closedlooppartners.com/composting-consortium/ MARKHAM, ON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- eSCRIBE, the leading provider of cloud-based governance and meeting management solutions, today announced a significant hiring initiative to support accelerating growth and further reinforce its renowned customer service. The company seeks qualified, passionate candidates to fill 17 positions spanning departments, including software development, systems support, marketing, sales, and human resources. eSCRIBE's cloud-based meeting management platform provides tools and workflows that save time, reduce costs, and increase stakeholder engagement before, during, and after public sector meetings. eSCRIBE goes far beyond agenda and minutes management by supporting digital transformation across the entire meeting lifecycle, including tools that improve efficiency and effectiveness during in-person, virtual, and hybrid meetings. eSCRIBE's recent acquisition by US-based board management solution OnBoard also enables eSCRIBE to offer board management solutions that deliver actionable board intelligence and analytics-based insights. "The past two years have shone a spotlight on the need for both public sector and private sector organizations to digitally transform their meetings, and have led to unprecedented demand for our solutions," said Robert Treumann, founder and CEO of eSCRIBE. "Our acquisition by Onboard has given us the opportunity to expand our team to fuel additional growth. These new employees will also enable us to provide greater value and even better service to our existing customers." As a "remote-first" company helping drive the virtual and hybrid working movement forward, successful candidates for many positions will work remotely while reporting into eSCRIBE's Markham, Ontario headquarters. "We are staying rooted in Canada, where we started, while also expanding our U.S. team," Treumann notes. "The flexibility enabled by today's remote-work solutions lets us choose qualified candidates wherever they may be located." The new job opportunities will be posted on the eSCRIBE website at escribemeetings.com/careers. About eSCRIBE Software Ltd. eSCRIBE is a leading provider of cloud-based meeting management solutions and the go-to-choice for public sector boards, committees, and councils. eSCRIBE supports the entire meeting lifecycle with comprehensive tools and workflows to improve efficiency and transparency and is compliant with accessibility standards, including American and Canadian disabilities acts and WCAG 2.0. eSCRIBE helps organizations ensure continuity, efficiency, and effectiveness in hybrid public meetings by seamlessly integrating both virtual and physical meeting environments into a single, unified experience. Learn more at escribemeetings.com. About OnBoard At OnBoard, we believe board meetings should be informed, effective, and uncomplicated. That's why we give boards and leadership teams an elegant solution that simplifies governance. With customers in higher education, nonprofit, health care systems, government, and corporate enterprise business, OnBoard is the leading board management provider. Passageways Inc, founded in 2003, is the parent company of OnBoard. Visit onboardmeetings.com for more information. Contact: Fiona Tsang eSCRIBEmeetings [email protected] 905-305-3410 SOURCE OnBoard AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CodeWizardsHQ, the leading online coding school for kids ages 8-18, wishes to thank those who served and continue to serve our country with an exclusive tuition discount. Active duty, veterans, retirees, reservists, National Guard, and disabled service members and their dependents can enjoy a 30% discount off CodeWizardsHQ's classes. Military families move an average of every two to three years, meaning students are often changing schools just as often. CodeWizardsHQ offers live, online coding classes for kids ages 8-18 that are taken from home, wherever that might be, to provide seamless computer programming instruction. CodeWizardsHQ is honored to launch this discount in time for Veterans Day and during Military Family Appreciation Month. Military members can receive their discount code through VerifyPass by logging on to https://codewizardshq.com/military-discount/. The code can then be applied during enrollment for any coding program (elementary, middle, or high school) for a 30% savings. About CodeWizardsHQ CodeWizardsHQ is the leading online coding school for kids and teens ages 8-18. Classes are taught by a live teacher with a student-first approach where they learn real programming languages. Each course is tailored to engage elementary, middle, and high-school students with a curriculum that is comprehensive, developmental, challenging, and fun! Learn more and enroll students in upcoming classes at CodeWizardsHQ.com. Media Contact: Jennifer Gilbert, [email protected] SOURCE CodeWizardsHQ Related Links https://www.codewizardshq.com SANTA FE, N.M., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Solstar Space , the company making persistent space-based communications available, announced that it has opened a new regulation crowdfunding campaign on WeFunder. Solstar is continuing the development and delivery of suborbital and orbital communications systems for humans, payloads, IoT sensors, and spacecraft. Courtesy of Blue Origin - July 18 2018 Solstar Space Communicator Flight Test "As space becomes increasingly congested, space-based communications systems are crucial," says M. Brian Barnett, Founder and CEO, Solstar Space. "Connectivity is challenging during suborbital and orbital missions. We are designing communications solutions that make using your smartphone in space as easy as it is on Earth. Connecting people and spacecraft to resources in space and on the ground is essential for safety, and for extending space exploration, space medicine, monitoring human performance, and on orbit communications. We are continuing the development and engineering of these important solutions," explains Barnett. "Having been a crewmember on NASA Space Shuttle missions, I can say communication is critical to mission success," says Charlie Walker, veteran industry astronaut. "We experienced limited communications availability, and dropouts, while dealing with onboard maintenance and software issues. Having solid and redundant communications systems would be a boon for the industry," continues Walker. Solstar Space completed three space missions since 2013. The company successfully demonstrated rocket mid-flight acquisition of signal, proved commercial satellites can connect to a moving rocket, obtained a data uplink and downlink, and an uninterrupted internet connection from launch to landing. Solstar's Schmitt Space Communicator SC-1x flew on two Blue Origin New Shepard rocket missions in 2018. Visit https://wefunder.com/solstarspacecompany. ABOUT SOLSTAR SPACE Solstar Space is the leading commercial space-based connectivity company pioneering the use of persistent communications services for low earth orbit (LEO/NGSO) satellites. We provide bandwidth for smallsats, bi-directional two-way data services for payloaders, and enable orbital and suborbital communications for crewed missions. Our fast, reliable services, space-tested routers, Wi-Fi hotspots, and satellite space communicators deliver on-orbit persistent connectivity for crew, spacecraft, and Earth-based satellite operations teams, and are supported by 24/7 customer care. Visit https://www.solstarspace.com. Follow us: LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram SOURCE Solstar Space Company Related Links www.Solstarspace.com NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Concord Acquisition Corp III (the "Company") today announced the closing of its upsized initial public offering of 34,500,000 units on November 8, 2021, including 4,500,000 units issued pursuant to the underwriters' exercise in full of their over-allotment option. The offering was priced at $10.00 per unit, generating total gross proceeds of $345,000,000. The units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") and trade under the ticker symbol "CNDB.U." Each unit consists of one share of the Company's Class A common stock and one-half of one redeemable warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Class A common stock at a price of $11.50 per share. Once the securities comprising the units begin separate trading, the Company expects that its Class A common stock and warrants will be listed on the NYSE under the symbols "CNDB" and "CNDB.WS," respectively. The Company was formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses. While the Company may pursue a merger opportunity in any industry or sector, it intends to capitalize on the ability of its management team and sponsor to identify, acquire and manage a business in the financial services and financial technology sectors, including payments, enterprise software, and data analytics. Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and Cowen and Company, LLC served as joint book-running managers of the offering. AmeriVet Securities, Inc. served as the co-manager of the offering. The offering was made only by means of a prospectus. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained from Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by telephone at (800) 831-9146 or by email at [email protected]; or Cowen and Company, LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, Attn: Prospectus Department, by telephone at (833) 297-2926 or by email at [email protected]. Registration statements relating to the securities have been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and became effective on November 3, 2021. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of 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. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements," including with respect to the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the public offering. No assurance can be given that the net proceeds of the offering will be used as indicated. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of the Company's registration statement and prospectus for the Company's offering filed with the SEC. Copies of these documents are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law. Contact: Concord Acquisition Corp III Jeff Tuder [email protected] SOURCE Concord Acquisition Corp III SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Constantine Cannon is pleased to announce that its client, former Hyundai safety engineer Kim Gwang-ho, has received $24.3 million in the first-ever whistleblower award from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is the largest award ever granted in an automotive whistleblower case and comes as NHTSA and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) prepare to propose regulations related to an automotive whistleblower program Congress created in 2015. It is also the maximum amount available under the law. Mr. Kim, based in Seoul, South Korea, reported to NHTSA in 2016 that Hyundai was failing to address a design flaw linked to its Theta II engines, which were prone to seizing up and even catching fire. NHTSA found that Hyundai and its Kia subsidiary had delayed recalling the vehicles, and that the Korean automaker had provided inaccurate information about the problems. In 2020, Hyundai and Kia agreed to pay $81 million (and up to $210 million) to NHTSA to resolve the claims and implement new safety procedures. Under the new automotive whistleblower program, auto-industry employees who report fraud are entitled to receive up to 30% of any collected monetary sanctions resulting from their claims. "I am pleased that I have been justly compensated for the risks I took to protect owners of these defective cars, and grateful that the U.S.'s legal system had a program in place to make this possible." Mr. Kim said. "I hope my reporting leads to real safety improvements, both at Hyundai and throughout the industry." Mr. Kim continued, "At Hyundai, we often repeated the catchphrase 'Quality is our pride.' I blew the whistle so Hyundai and Kia would keep this promise. I am glad I helped save vehicle owners everywhere several billion dollars in repair costs that Hyundai and Kia schemed to put on them." Constantine Cannon attorney Ari Yampolsky said: "This is an important awardnot just for Mr. Kim, but for the automotive industry as a whole. It is another step in the internationalization of efforts to root out fraud and corruption. Auto-industry employees everywhere need to know: If your employer sells unsafe vehicles in the United States, NHTSA wants to hear from you, and can pay you a financial reward for exposing misconduct." Mr. Yampolsky added: "The SEC's whistleblower program recently passed the $1 billion mark in awards to insiders worldwide who reported fraud. Whistleblowers are now the key tool regulators use to go after financial fraud in the U.S. With the NHTSA whistleblower program now underway, we fully expect a similar impact on the automotive industrywhich ultimately results in safer cars and fewer lives lost." In 2015, Congress passed the Motor Vehicle Safety Whistleblower Act. The law created a whistleblower reward program in the DOT to pay awards to industry insiders who provide information to safety regulators about defects in vehicles. The law, which was modeled after other U.S. whistleblower programs, such as the one the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission established in 2011, also protects whistleblowers from retaliation and protects their confidentiality. Constantine Cannon is the leading law firm in the world in automotive-related whistleblower actions. In addition to Mr. Kim's case and others currently pending, in 2018 the firm obtained more than $1 million on behalf of two individuals who provided information to the U.S. government in its criminal action against Takata, the now-defunct maker of defective airbags that exploded and claimed the lives of 22 people. The case set off a worldwide recall of nearly 100 million airbag inflators. Constantine Cannon also secured an $8 million settlement on behalf of a whistleblower client in a False Claims Act lawsuit against one of the largest aftermarket brake and chassis parts distributors in North America. NHTSA's whistleblower regulations are expected to be finalized in early 2022. About Constantine Cannon LLP With offices in New York, Washington, D.C., San Francisco and London, Constantine Cannon LLP is one of the largest whistleblower practices in the United States. The firm's team of dedicated whistleblower lawyers represent whistleblowers under federal and state False Claims Acts as well as the whistleblower programs of the IRS, SEC, CFTC, DOT, and others. Constantine Cannon also has deep expertise in practice areas that include antitrust and complex commercial litigation, government relations, securities, and e-discovery. The firm's antitrust practice is among the largest and most well recognized in the nation. Constantine Cannon's experience spans multiple industries, including healthcare, banking, electronic payments, insurance, high tech, telecommunications, the Internet, and government contracting. For more information, visit the Constantine Cannon website, at constantinecannon.com . Media Contact: PRCG | Haggerty LLC (212) 683-8100 Lucy O'Brien, [email protected] Cristopher Bruce, [email protected] SOURCE Constantine Cannon LLP Related Links http://constantinecannon.com WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA will provide updated coverage of the upcoming launch and docking activities for the agency's SpaceX Crew-3 mission, which will carry astronauts to the International Space Station. This mission marks the third time the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft has transported a crew rotation of astronauts to the station as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. It will be the spacecraft's fourth flight for the program with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight. The launch now is targeted for no earlier than 9:03 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 10, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch follows a successful return of the agency's SpaceX Crew-2 mission. The Crew Dragon Endurance is scheduled to dock to the space station at 7:10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11. Launch and docking coverage will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website. The Crew-3 flight will carry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander; Tom Marshburn, pilot; and Kayla Barron, mission specialist; as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist, to the space station for a six-month science mission. The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Kennedy Press Site facilities remains closed for the protection of Kennedy employees and journalists except for limited number of media who have already been notified. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: [email protected]. All media participation in the following news conference will be remote. NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern): Today, Tuesday, Nov. 9 9:30 p.m. Crew-3 Prelaunch News Teleconference with the following participants: Steve Stich , manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston , manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA's Johnson Space Center in Joel Montalbano , manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson , manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson Holly Ridings , chief flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, Johnson , chief flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, Johnson SpaceX Representative ESA Representative Media wishing to participate in the preview briefing by telephone must contact [email protected] to RSVP by 4:30 p.m. EST today, Tuesday, Nov. 9. Those following the briefing on social media may ask questions using #AskNASA. Wednesday, Nov. 10 4:45 p.m. - NASA TV coverage begins - NASA TV coverage begins 9:03 p.m. Launch NASA TV coverage continues through docking, arrival, and the welcome ceremony. In lieu of a postlaunch news conference, NASA leadership will provide comments during the broadcast. Thursday, Nov. 11 7:10 p.m. Docking Docking 8:45 p.m. Hatch Opening Hatch Opening 9:20 p.m. Welcoming Ceremony NASA TV Launch Coverage NASA TV live coverage will begin at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/live Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. On launch day, "mission audio," countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast. NASA Website Launch Coverage Launch day coverage of NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission will be available on the agency's website. Coverage will include livestreaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at: 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the launch blog at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew On launch day, a "clean feed" of the launch without NASA TV commentary will air on the NASA TV media channel. NASA will provide a live video feed of Launch Complex 39A approximately 48 hours prior to the planned liftoff of the Crew-3 mission. Pending unlikely technical issues, the feed will be uninterrupted through launch. Once the feed is live, you will find it at: https://youtube.com/kscnewsroom Attend Launch Virtually Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually or join the Facebook event. NASA's virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities, as well as a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport (for those registered via Eventbrite) following a successful launch. Watch, Engage on Social Media Let people know you're following the mission on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Crew3. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts: Twitter: @NASA, @Commercial_Crew, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research, @ISS National Lab Facebook: NASA, NASACommercialCrew, ISS, ISS National Lab Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Make sure to check out NASA en Espanol on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more coverage on Crew-3. Para obtener informacion sobre cobertura en espanol en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en espanol, comuniquese con Antonia Jaramillo 321-501-8425 [email protected]. NASA's Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is changing the arc of human spaceflight history by opening access to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. The space station remains the springboard to NASA's next great leap in space exploration, including future missions to the Moon and, ultimately, to Mars. For NASA's launch blog and more information about the mission, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew SOURCE NASA Related Links http://www.nasa.gov "It's encouraging that the majority of Americans plan to show greater support for veterans this Veterans Day," said Cohen Veterans Network President and CEO Dr. Anthony Hassan. "While veterans do not serve for the recognition, commemorating the day that honors them can have a meaningful impact on those who have worn the uniform." While the majority of Americans plan to support veterans this Veterans Day, the survey revealed evidence of the civilian-military divide. It found that: Over three-fourths of Americans (77%) thank veterans for their service in public, yet over half of veterans and service members (58%) are uncomfortable being thanked "Sincerely connecting with veterans about their service is one way to help bridge the civilian-military divide," said Hassan. "That could mean going beyond 'thank you for your service.' Instead, asking a simple question like, 'What was your job while serving?' Engaging with veterans in more thoughtful ways can lead to a better understanding of veterans and their military service. Ultimately, helping to move Americans toward greater continued support for those who sacrifice so much." For insight into what civilian actions would be most meaningful to veterans in acknowledgement of their service, the CVN Veterans Day Survey 2021 asked veterans about their preferences when it comes to being recognized on Veterans Day. Beyond "thank you for your service," according to veterans, the top ways to honor veterans include: Flying an American flag, donating to a veteran service organization, and buying a veteran a meal Further exploring the civilian-military divide, the survey also captured what veterans think is important for civilians to understand about veterans and military service. It found: 8-in-10 veterans (80%) think it is important to understand that veterans/service members come from all walks of life/ are a diverse group Nearly three-fourths of veterans (70%) think it is important to understand that some service members do not deploy or see combat, but their service is just as significant Two-thirds of veterans (67%) think it is important to understand that military families serve, too Three-in-five veterans (62%) believe it is important to understand that not all veterans experience PTSD Over half of veterans (57%) think it is important to understand that being in the military is not how it's portrayed in the movies Some of the survey data was developed into an infographic titled, "This Veterans Day, Here's What Veterans Want You to Know". Additionally, CVN captured anecdotes from veteran staff members across their Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics, providing insight on survey topics that will be shared on social media this month. Highlights from veteran staff members, include: Are you comfortable when being thanked for your service? "It can be uncomfortable being thanked for my service because I chose to serve and I'm passionate about it, but I was doing my job. I don't want it to be about me, and I know a lot of veterans feel that way. So, instead of generally thanking veterans, I would suggest making it more personal. Maybe talk about someone you know who served and give the veteran an opportunity to ask questions. This could make for a more meaningful connection and show of support." - Ben, Air Force Veteran, Cohen Clinic at Endeavors in El Paso, TX What does it mean to you when you see a flag displayed? "When I see the American flag, I feel a great sense of pride and respect. Particularly when I think of the sacrifice of the many American service members who have lost their lives. I'm also reminded that as long as it waves, our work is never done as we continue to strive for freedom for all." - Natasha, Army Veteran, Cohen Clinic at Endeavors in San Antonio, TX Why do you think it's important for people to understand that veterans/service members come from all walks of life/are a diverse group? "A lot of us don't fit the stereotype of the 'typical solider.' There are so many types of jobs and people who serve in the military. There isn't just one story that captures 'the typical veteran experience.' By recognizing those differences, we can be better prepared to meet the unique needs of everyone who served in the military." - Anneke, Army Veteran, Cohen Clinic at Easterseals in Silver Spring, MD In what ways do military families serve, too? "The night before my husband deployed again, my son was very sad. He said to his dad, 'I was used to you being gone, and then I was used to you being home. Now, I have to get used to you being gone again.' He is just 10 years old, and his dad has been gone on and off for seven of those years. I like to tell people my son is on his 9th deployment. He has served every second of those deployments, just in a different capacity." - Liz, Army Veteran, Cohen Clinic at Centerstone in Jacksonville, FL CVN provides high-quality, accessible mental health services to post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members and military family members through its 19 Cohen Clinics across the country. Treatment is available for a wide variety of mental health challenges including PTSD, depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, anger, grief and loss, family issues, transition challenges, relationship problems, and children's behavioral problems. Care is available in person or via CVN Telehealth, face-to-face video therapy. For more survey findings, go to cohenveteransnetwork.org/veteransday2021. About the Survey CVN Veterans Day Survey 2021 was conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Cohen Veterans Network and included 2,035 American adults aged 18 or older who participated in an online survey between October 26 - 28, 2021. Results were weighted to Census targets for education, age/gender, race/ethnicity, region, household income, and propensity to be online were adjusted where necessary to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. About Cohen Veterans Network Cohen Veterans Network (CVN) is a 501(c)(3) national not-for-profit philanthropic organization for post-9/11 veterans, active duty service members and their families. CVN focuses on improving mental health outcomes, operating a network of outpatient mental health clinics in high-need communities, in which trained clinicians deliver holistic evidence-based care to treat mental health conditions. It was established in 2016 by philanthropist Steven A. Cohen with a commitment of $275 million to build the network. There are currently 19 Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics nationwide. SOURCE Cohen Veterans Network Founded in 1993, Dave's Gourmet is a pioneer in the super-hot segment of the hot sauce category, and its portfolio of offerings includes the iconic Dave's Insanity Sauce, which formerly held the title of the "world's hottest sauce," as well as Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce, Scorpion Sauce, Carolina Reaper Sauce and many others. In addition, the Company recently launched a line of premium creamy hot sauces with a medium heat level, incredible savory flavor and unique mouthfeel achieved through high-speed whipping of the ingredients. The line currently consists of three flavors and three corresponding colors: Garlic Red Pepper (red), Roasted Jalapeno (green) and Citrus Ginger (orange), and these sauces are vegan, gluten free, non-GMO and made in the USA. The wide selection of Dave's Gourmet's hot sauces caters to any heat level desired by customers without compromising bold and versatile flavors of its products. The company is also a leader in the premium pasta sauce segment with award-winning offerings including Organic Hearty Marinara, Organic Red Heirloom, Butternut Squash, Wild Mushroom, Aged White Cheddar Alfredo and other pasta sauces. Dave's Gourmet serves both retail and foodservice customers in the US and internationally and also sells its products through the e-commerce channels. Dave Hirschkop, the founder of Dave's Gourmet, will continue driving the Company's food innovation strategy and focus on Dave's Gourmet's robust pipeline of new offerings, and the day-to-day leadership activities will be assumed by David Neuman, the newly appointed President of the Company. Prior to joining Dave's Gourmet, David Neuman has had a long career in the specialty and natural foods industry, most recently serving as CEO of Gaea North America, a manufacturer of premium Greek extra virgin olive oil and other specialties, and President of Lucini Italia, a leader in the Italian extra virgin olive oil and gourmet pasta sauce categories. Having recently written a book about it, David Neuman is an expert on olive oil and serves as a judge at olive oil competitions around the world. David Neuman commented, "I have always admired the Dave's Gourmet brand and product offerings. This is an exciting category and Dave's Gourmet has a strong position given the consumer loyalty to the brand developed over more than 20 years, the high-quality of its products, and its continuous focus on innovation. I feel honored to join the organization and facilitate its ambitious growth plans in the coming years." Dave Hirschkop added, "Things got even spicier at Dave's Gourmet today. David Neuman, an olive oil and pasta sauce market veteran, is a great addition to our team. His background and professional skills are perfect for our organization. We are also thrilled about our new partnership with Gourmerica which will help us with our mission to save the world from boring food. Do not settle for anything less, life is too short not to use the best." Gourmerica's expertise and capital will help Dave's Gourmet accelerate its growth and continue with its mission to provide innovative food products to customers in the US and worldwide. Gourmerica will also be focused on supplementing Dave's Gourmet's organic growth with strategic acquisitions. 41 North LLC acted as financial advisor to Dave's Gourmet. Dominion Bank provided senior financing facilities in support of the transaction. About Gourmerica Inc: Gourmerica Inc is a platform set up to drive innovation in the food industry. The company provides capital and expertise to help middle-market branded food companies accelerate their growth (both organically and through M&A) and increase their market share in the relevant categories. About Dave's Gourmet: Dave's Gourmet is a sixteen-time National Association for the Specialty Food Trade (NASFT) award-winning company that sells its branded hot sauces, premium pasta sauces, condiments and spices. The Company shook up the hot sauce world more than twenty years ago by creating the world's first super-hot sauce and more recently have been shaking up the pasta sauce category with innovations like their award-winning Butternut Squash and Aged White Cheddar Alfredo Pasta Sauces. For more information, visit www.davesgourmet.com or contact [email protected]. SOURCE Dave's Gourmet LLC Related Links www.davesgourmet.com CINCINNATI, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Directions, a top U.S. insights and analytics firm, and Aimpoint Research, a global strategic intelligence firm, announced today they have finalized an agreement under which Directions will acquire Aimpoint Research. Along with Directions' SEEK division, this move brings three industry-leading brands together to significantly broaden the capabilities and services available to clients across multiple industries, including food, food service, agriculture, health and wellness, technology, financial services, and consumer packaged goods. Jim Lane, Brett Sciotto Together, the firms will offer an unmatched suite of solutions and expertise, and unite business insights, consumer understanding, and strategic intelligence in an extraordinary way. This elite combination of quantitative, qualitative, and strategic insights will give clients the ability to make better, more transformative decisions to gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Directions influences clients' most strategic business decisions via high-impact insights, advanced analytics, deep industry knowledge, engaging visuals, and innovative, flexible research designs. With their highly experienced staff and commitment to long-term partnerships, they have maintained their position as one of the nation's most trusted insights firms. SEEK is unique in their use of empathy and storytelling in qualitative research to uncover rich human insights, create loyalty-driving ideas, and build brand positioning and strategies. Together, Directions and SEEK share a focus on innovation, optimization, brand, and strategy with a commitment to flexibility and customization. "Adding Aimpoint's management consulting and strategic intelligence capabilities to Directions' diverse expertise and quantitative rigor, and SEEK's ability to connect brands and humans through empathy creates a great opportunity for our clients," says Jim Lane, President and CEO of Directions Inc. "As a three-brand solution set, we now offer clients the advantage of receiving integrated insights across multiple aspects of their information needs from one firm." Driven by the core belief that the success of the agri-food system is essential to U.S. national security, Aimpoint Research empowers agri-food organizations and leaders with indispensable strategic insights through a unique blend of military intelligence techniques and market research. The firm's team includes former military intelligence officers, agricultural experts, and research professionals who work to help clients understand what's really happening in the marketplace, what's going to happen in the future, and what to do to ensure success. As an independent division of Directions, Aimpoint Research will operate with the same mission and leadership, providing superior services such as the Executive Intelligence Network, Agri-Food WatchDesk, Wargaming, strategic planning support, and more. Thanks to this incredible alliance with Directions and SEEK, clients will have the opportunity to tap into the combined expertise of all three firms. "We have developed deep collaborative partnerships with leaders and organizations across the agri-food value chain. Our integrated intelligence provides a competitive advantage in a complex, ever-changing industry and world. As a result, we're proud to have been named one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. on the 2021 Inc. 5000 list," said Brett Sciotto, Aimpoint Research Founder and CEO. "Aimpoint Research remains committed to strengthening U.S. national security by supporting the global agri-food system. Joining forces with Directions and SEEK will allow us to bring expertise and horsepower to our clients that is unparalleled. No other research firm can match the depth and experience in quantitative, qualitative, and strategic intelligence that we can offer together." Learn more about the companies at: directionsresearch.com, seekcompany.com, aimpointresearch.com Contact: Andrea Stevie, Directions Phone: 513-651-2990 Email: [email protected] Contact: Jennifer Coleman, Aimpoint Research Phone: 614-949-4856 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Directions Research "Our community means the world to us, so we are excited to find a way to give back. Offering Local Pricing is the least we can do for all the support we've experienced over the years," explains Duffield. "Shop local and keep it local- it's just a small way we can work together to keep our community thriving." Duffield, Founder and CEO, is a local East Grand Rapids resident. She developed her clothing line while working as a lawyer in Miami- struggling to find comfortable but classic pajamas that could be worn to run a quick errand, or even in front of her in-laws. Duffield Lane was born as a pajama company, but now has grown into a complete line of ready-to-wear comfortable clothing for women and girls of all ages offered wholesale, retail store and online. Duffield Lane is run by Jamie and her husband Ryan Duffield, along with a team of 13 local employees. "Shopping locally is important to our family," Duffield stated. "Not just because we own a small business, but because we feel it is such a big part of helping to create a great community for our daughters to grow up in." Duffield Lane urges the community to remember to shop local and support Small Business Saturday, November 27, 2021, and visit Duffield Lane in Breton Village Mall. For more information contact [email protected] and visit www.duffieldlane.com. About Duffield Lane Duffield Lane offers 5 Collections a year and is constantly innovating to provide classic styles in fresh and fun prints and fabrics. Duffield Lane focuses on high-quality clothing with a perfected fit, that will be a highlight of your closet for years to come. Designed in Grand Rapids and sourced from Peru, Duffield Lane's styles are known for their quality, featuring the finest cottons out of Peru. Duffield Lane is sold online at duffieldlane.com, in our Flagship Boutique in Grand Rapids, MI, and in over 300 boutiques across the country. Jamie Duffield, Founder & CEO Founder & CEO, Jamie Duffield is influenced by a lifetime spent on and around the best waterfronts across the country. From Lake Michigan to Biscayne Bay, to the Potomac, these coastal areas have influenced the classic styles that Duffield Lane has become known for. Working as a lawyer in Miami, Jamie was struggling to find comfortable but classic pajamas that could be worn to run a quick errand, or even in front of her in-laws. On the weekends and late at night, Jamie began researching factories to work within Peru to source the finest, lightweight cottons available. Duffield Lane was born as a pajama company, but has grown into a complete line of ready-to-wear comfortable women's and children's clothing for every age. SOURCE Duffield Lane Related Links www.duffieldlane.com GELEEN, Netherlands, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dutch clinical phase biotech company Neuroplast and Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos de Toledo in Spain, today announced positive clinical Phase I results after analysis of ten patients suffering from Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury (TSCI). Data demonstrate that Neuroplast's investigational stem cell treatment Neuro-Cells appears to be safe and well tolerated, without product-related adverse events. The transformative treatment uses the patient's own stem cells to prevent (further) loss of function after sustaining TSCI, to potentially limit loss of mobility and independence of otherwise life-long impairment. The Phase I study evaluated the safety and tolerability of the Neuro-Cells stem cell preparation for intrathecal application (injection into the spinal canal). Ten patients with spinal cord injury, who sustained the trauma between one and five years ago and suffered either an incomplete or a complete lesion, received the Neuro-Cells treatment, manufactured from the patient's own bone marrow, led by principal investigators Antonio Oliviero, MD, PhD and Prof. Dr. Jorg Mey. The safety study started in November 2020 and reached its primary endpoint in October 2021. No serious safety concerns or product-related adverse events have occurred during the study. In addition, Neuroplast demonstrated clinical feasibility to collect, manufacture and treat patients in Spain with a fresh autologous stem cell preparation derived from bone marrow, from its GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) production facility in the Netherlands, within 48 hours. Antonio Oliviero, MD, PhD, Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos, Toledo, Spain and principal investigator in the Phase I study, comments: "I'm really enthusiastic about the prospects of this therapy and what it means for the future treatment of patients with TSCI. Neuro-Cells might be a game-changer." Neuroplast CEO Johannes de Munter, adds: Proving the safety of our autologous Neuro-Cells treatment is an important step in the development of a treatment for acute TSCI patients, as the absence of product-related adverse events in the clinical phase I study highlights its inherent safety. The functional, psychological, and financial impacts of traumatic spinal cord injury are broad, and we are committed to advance our treatment for patients worldwide as soon as possible." With the completion of the Phase I safety trial, Neuroplast will finalize preparation for the start of a randomized, placebo-controlled, international multi-center Phase II study. This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of treatment in sub-acute patients. The current study is focused on Europe. Neuroplast is seeking additional funding to expand clinical trials for TSCI to other geographies. About Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Acute TSCI causes incurable impairment to the spinal cord, affecting approximately 12,000 people across Europe and 17,000 across the USA annually. The damage or trauma interrupts communication of the brain with the body regions below the site of injury. Spinal cord injuries are mainly caused by accidents and - in most of the cases - result in life-long loss of control of motor functions and sensations. After the primary injury to the spinal cord, a cascade of events leads to progressive loss of tissue which may further deteriorate the patient's prognosis. Current treatment approaches for TSCI are only symptomatic, leaving the underlying pathophysiology unchanged. TSCI has a serious impact on the quality of life of patients, with severe implications on mobility and loss of independence. In addition, TSCI creates a lifetime financial burden for patients, payors, hospital systems and societies at large. About Neuro-Cells Neuro-Cells is a transformative treatment under GMP in the crucial first phase after sustaining TSCI, during which the irreversible impact of TSCI can be radically reduced. It contains non-substantially manipulated bone marrow-derived hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, manufactured from a patient's own bone marrow (donor and receiver are the same person). Inflammatory inducing components and pathogens are removed during this process. About Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos The Hospital Nacional de Paraplejicos de Toledo (HNP) is the reference public hospital in Spain for the treatment of spinal cord injury (number two center in Spain). About Neuroplast Neuroplast is a Dutch stem cell technology company focusing on fast-track development programs using autologous cell products for treatment of primarily inflammation-driven neurological disorders, with the aim of giving back perspective to people who suffer from those conditions. The company was founded in August 2014 by physician Johannes de Munter and neurologist Erik Wolters. Current investors are Lumana Invest, Brightlands Venture Partners and LIOF. Neuroplast is located in Brightlands Chemelot Campus in The Netherlands. About Lumana Invest Investment company Lumana was established by entrepreneurs and unique due to not having a predetermined investment horizon. The Lumana founders showcase strong commitment to their portfolio companies by actively supporting management in strategic decision making. About Brightlands Venture Partners Brightlands Venture Partners (BVP) is the fund manager of BVP Fund IV and is a so-called ecosystem investor. BVP invests in companies benefiting from and contributing to the Brightlands campuses in the south of The Netherlands. Other funds under management are Chemelot Ventures, Brightlands Agrifood Fund and Limburg Ventures. BVP Fund IV focuses on sustainability and health and is the successor fund of the 2014 vintage Chemelot Ventures; together the funds have made over 40 investments. About LIOF LIOF is the regional development agency for Limburg and supports innovative entrepreneurs with advice, network and financing. Together with entrepreneurs and partners, LIOF is working towards a smarter, more sustainable and healthier Limburg by focusing on the transitions of energy, circularity, health and digitalization. Forward looking statements All statements other than statements of historical facts, including the statements about the clinical and therapeutic potential and future clinical milestones of Neuro-CellsO, the indications we intend to pursue and our possible clinical or other business strategies, and the timing of these events, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by terms such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "potential", "would" or similar expressions and the negative of those terms. These forward-looking statements are based on our management's current beliefs and assumptions about future events and on information currently available to management. Neuroplast B.V. does not make any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the improper use of this article, accuracy, completeness or updated status of above-mentioned statements. Therefore, in no case whatsoever will Neuroplast B.V. be legally liable or liable to anyone for any decision made or action taken in conjunction with the information and/or statements in this press release or for any related damages. In case of any further questions, please contact: Neuroplast Sasja Verhoog T: +31 (0)85 076 1000 E: [email protected] LifeSpring LifeSciences Communication, Amsterdam Leon Melens T: +31 6 538 16 427 E: [email protected] SOURCE Neuroplast WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) stands firmly with the over 150 bipartisan members of Congress who call urgently on the Biden Administration to change the interim final rule (IFR) that details how to implement the No Surprises Act. ACEP and other leaders throughout the medical community are deeply concerned that the IFR as written is a drastic departure from the legislation passed by Congress last December to resolve billing disputes fairly and without bias through an independent dispute resolution process. Congress is also raising the alarm. On November 5, 2021 Reps. Tom Suozzi (D-NY), Brad Wenstrup, DPM (R-OH), Raul Ruiz, MD (D-CA), and Larry Bucshon, MD (R-IN) sent a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Labor Secretary Martin Walsh, and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressing concern with how the administration plans to implement the No Surprises Act. The letter has broad support with 152 bipartisan members of Congress signing onnearly a third of the chamber. It states: "Unfortunately, the parameters of the [independent dispute resolution] process in the IFR released on September 30 do not reflect the way the law was written, do not reflect a policy that could have passed Congress, and do not create a balanced process to settle payment disputes." The No Surprises Act includes a dispute resolution process forged through bipartisan compromise to ensure a fair interaction between insurance companies and physicians. In the final legislation, Congress intentionally rejected options that would give single pieces of information outsized influence in billing disputes. But, the IFR would have arbiters give unequal weight to the qualified payment amount (the insurer's artificially low median in-network rate for reimbursement), rather than a balanced mix of other factors in the process. Emergency physicians are deeply concerned that this giveaway to insurance companies will undermine the entire effort to solve surprise billing. This approach would drive reimbursement rates lower and encouraging insurance companies to narrow their networks even further, which would make it harder for patients to get emergency care. "This rule turns a blind eye to a carefully crafted bipartisan compromise that took years to reach," said Gillian Schmitz, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. "Unless it is changed, the IFR hands insurance companies an enormous amount of leverage in billing disputes and will make it much harder for emergency physicians to care for patients, especially in small or rural communities." ACEP will continue to raise concerns about this flawed rule with legislators and regulators to ensure that this legislation can accomplish what it was thoughtfully designed to doprotect patients from surprise bills without threatening access to emergency care. The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is the national medical society representing emergency medicine. Through continuing education, research, public education, and advocacy, ACEP advances emergency care on behalf of its 40,000 emergency physician members, and the more than 150 million Americans they treat on an annual basis. For more information, visit www.acep.org and www.emergencyphysicians.org. SOURCE American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Related Links www.acep.org Excelsior's goal is to support the green mining revolution by providing "green copper" that is mined in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible manner. The Company's ESG strategy will reinforce the following goals and initiatives the Company currently holds in high regard: Environment The Gunnison Copper Project is the world's most environmentally friendly base metal mining project. In-situ copper mining recycles water. As a result, the project consumes less water, and overall water consumption is negligible compared to other conventional mining operations. During operations, the in-situ mine does not generate any significant dust, air, or noise pollution. Excelsior's carbon emissions are insignificant compared to most industries. Excelsior's mine closure plan for Gunnison combines industry leading sustainability and environmental stewardship. In-situ mining does not permanently scar the natural landscape; once mining operations cease, the land can be repurposed for any use going forward. There is no possibility of acid mine drainage or other residual effects often attributed to traditional mining methods. Social Gunnison's environmental attributes are a key reason the project has enjoyed strong community support from inception. Excelsior has been engaging with local communities for over a decade, and has made effective employee health & safety protocols, consistent community engagement, and genuine transparency with local stakeholders' key priorities. Excelsior participates in community support through its donations of money, people and materials to assist local community groups. Excelsior is a member of the Southeast Arizona Economic Development Group (SAEDG) which promotes economic development in the region. Excelsior's social and environmental license to operate is further confirmed by an almost unprecedented settlement agreement that was reached with a number of environmental activist groups. Governance Excelsior has recently completed a reorganization of its corporate governance structure by completing the following: Appointed Fred DuVal as Independent Chair of the Board of Directors. Mr. DuVal is a prominent Arizona businessman and education leader with extensive experience in both the private and public sector at both the state and federal level. Mr. DuVal was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Arizona in 2014 and served as Chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents and on the Arizona Commerce Commission. Mr. DuVal was Chief of Protocol of the United States , Assistant to President Clinton in the White House and responsible for all Governors and state issues. as Independent Chair of the Board of Directors. Mr. DuVal is a prominent businessman and education leader with extensive experience in both the private and public sector at both the state and federal level. Mr. DuVal was the Democratic nominee for Governor of in and served as Chairman of the Board of Regents and on the Arizona Commerce Commission. Mr. DuVal was Chief of Protocol of , Assistant to President Clinton in the White House and responsible for all Governors and state issues. Restructured its Compensation Committee, Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee to consist entirely of independent directors. Chair of the Company, Fred DuVal comments, "I am excited to take on the role of Chair of the Company at a critical time in its development. Excelsior presents a unique opportunity with an environmentally friendly in-situ mine that produces copper to support clean energy technologies. In addition, on behalf of the Board I want to express to Mark our gratitude for his eleven years of service as Chair of this Board. Mark has been a strong leader who brought a vast array of skills to the task - business and legal experience, financial acumen and capital raising - that has enabled Excelsior to evolve from the exploration stage through project development to a producer poised for great success in 2022 and beyond. Mark, we wouldn't be here without you, and we are grateful for your commitment, your leadership and your friendship. Mark will continue as a Board member supporting key initiatives." About Excelsior Mining Excelsior "The Copper Solution Company" is a mineral exploration and production company that owns and operates the Gunnison Copper Project in Cochise County, Arizona. The project is a low cost, environmentally friendly in-situ recovery copper extraction project that is permitted to 125 million pounds per year of copper cathode production. Excelsior also owns the past producing Johnson Camp Mine and a portfolio of exploration projects, including the Peabody Sill and the Strong and Harris deposits. Excelsior's technical work on the Gunnison Copper Project is supervised by Stephen Twyerould, Fellow of AUSIMM, President & CEO of Excelsior and a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Twyerould has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release related to the Gunnison Copper Project and underlying sampling, analytical and test data. For more information on Excelsior, please visit our website at www.excelsiormining.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" concerning anticipated developments and events that may occur in the future. Forward looking information contained in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to: (i) the future development plans for the Gunnison Project and its status as a low cost environmentally friendly in-situ recovery copper extraction project;(ii) future production of copper from the Gunnison Project; and (iii) the details of the Company's ESG initiatives and strategy. In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "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", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, the estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, expectations and anticipated impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, copper and other metal prices, the timing and amount of future development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs (including the price of acid), the availability of labour, material and acid supply, receipt of and compliance with necessary regulatory approvals and permits, the estimation of insurance coverage, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks inherent in the construction and operation of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined including the possibility that mining operations may not be sustained at the Gunnison Copper Project, risks relating to variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or recovery rates, risks relating to the ability to access infrastructure, risks relating to changes in copper and other commodity prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of copper and related products, risks related to increased competition in the market for copper and related products, risks related to current global financial conditions, risks related to current global financial conditions and the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's business, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources, access and supply risks, risks related to the ability to access acid supply on commercially reasonable terms, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, including the risk of accidents, labour disputes, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the construction or mining process, regulatory risks including the risk that permits may not be obtained in a timely fashion or at all, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interests, environmental risks and the additional risks identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information. SOURCE Excelsior Mining Corp. Related Links http://www.excelsiormining.com/ NAPA, Calif., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Festival Napa Valley is honored to announce the creation of the Olivia Decker Power of Music Series. Launched with a $5 million gift from Festival Napa Valley board member Olivia Decker, the series showcases globally recognized performing artists and emerging talent in live presentations in Marin County, Napa Valley and beyond. "I firmly believe that music heals and unites people around the world more than anything else. Supporting Festival Napa Valley to create this series allows me to share my love of music at the highest level of presentation possible," stated Decker. "Olivia's enthusiasm for sharing outstanding music and Festival Napa Valley's commitment to reach new audiences find a perfect pairing in the Olivia Decker Power of Music Series. We are grateful for her inspiration and support," said Festival Napa Valley President & CEO Richard Walker. The Olivia Decker Power of Music Series premiered with private benefit concerts by Michael Fabiano and Ray Chen this fall. It will be publicly launched with Festival Napa Valley's Sing In the Holidays! concert at Sausalito's Cavallo Point Lodge on Sunday, December 12, 2021, featuring vocal performances by San Francisco Opera Adler Fellows Simone McIntosh, Christopher Oglesby, Zhengyi Bai, and Esther Tonea with pianist Kseniia Polstiankina Barrad. Additional concerts and events will be announced. Each concert is accompanied by a reception featuring wine provided by Festival Napa Valley Partner Wineries. For more information and schedule announcements visit www.festivalnapavalley.org. About Olivia Decker Since arriving in San Francisco in 1975, Olivia Decker has built a legendary reputation as a luxury home specialist. In the 1980's she was the number one agent at Merrill Lynch Realty nationwide. Olivia cofounded Decker Bullock Realty in 1991, which has grown to become Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty with 26 offices in the San Francisco Bay Area including Marin, Silicon Valley, Napa Valley and the East Bay. Currently her company is #3 among more than one thousand Sotheby's International Realty affiliates in 76 countries, with over $14 billion in sales in 2020 and 2021. Olivia is a regularly featured speaker at real estate conferences worldwide and is the owner/publisher of Haute Living San Francisco, a luxury lifestyle magazine with purpose. She has served on the Marin Opera Board, the Bank of America Private Banking Real Estate Advisory Board, and on Governor Jerry Brown's Advisory Board for California-China Investment and Development. Olivia has been a member of the Corinthian Yacht Club since 1980, a member of the San Francisco Opera Guild Board since 1995, and is a longtime supporter of the San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Symphony, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, Tiburon-Belvedere Library, and Festival Napa Valley. A student of classical voice and a strong believer in the power of music education to give students confidence, inspiration, and self-esteem, Olivia joined the Festival Napa Valley Board of Directors in 2019. About Festival Napa Valley Blending the beauty and bounty of Napa Valley with the very finest performing arts, Festival Napa Valley offers programs that enrich the economic and cultural vitality of the region and make the arts accessible to all. The Festival presents world-class performances staged in iconic venues and inspiring educational programs offered digitally and at Napa County schools year-round. It is presented by Napa Valley Festival Association, a nonprofit organization governed by a board of prominent vintners and local leaders. More than 200 artists, wineries, resorts, theaters, restaurants, chefs and vintners participate each year. SOURCE Festival Napa Valley Related Links www.festivalnapavalley.org Dmuchowski joins First Horizon from Truist Financial Corporation where she most recently served as Executive Vice President Head of Financial Planning and Analysis and Management Reporting. Prior to that role, she served as Chief Financial Officer of Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking and Corporate Groups with leadership responsibilities for the business line CFOs throughout the organization. Dmuchowski brings a wealth of finance and accounting experience having served in a number of key roles running integrated business and economic models, budgeting, forecasting, financial analysis, accounting, regulatory reporting and operations. "We are very excited to welcome Hope to the First Horizon leadership team as our new CFO," said President and CEO Bryan Jordan. "She brings significant experience in financial services, and I am confident that given her collaborative spirit and passion for progress, she will hit the ground running to help drive continuous improvement in a rapidly changing landscape." Jordan continued, "Hope's significant merger integration experience also gives her a unique understanding of the complexities, benefits and opportunities associated with the combination of two sizable organizations." Dmuchowski added, "I am thrilled to join First Horizon at this exciting and pivotal time. I look forward to contributing to the overall strategy, particularly as we move beyond the final systems conversion and further capitalize on the power of the Company's higher growth markets and diversified business model. I am excited to closely partner with Bryan and the leadership team to help create a top-performing regional bank." Dmuchowski will join First Horizon on November 29, 2021, succeeding Interim CFO Anthony Restel. In addition to her financial management responsibilities, she will also have responsibility for Corporate Properties and Procurement. Jordan added "On behalf of the board and the entire Company, I acknowledge and thank Anthony Restel for stepping into such a critical role for the last few months. As expected, he provided extraordinary leadership during this transitional time, and I am confident that he will deliver strong results as President of Regional Banking." Hope Dmuchowski - Biography Dmuchowski is joining First Horizon as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from Truist Financial Corporation where she most recently served as Head of Financial Planning and Analysis and Management Reporting since September 2021. She previously served as Chief Financial Officer of Corporate Banking, Commercial Banking and Corporate Groups since December 2019. Prior to that, Dmuchowski held the roles of Chief Financial Officer Group Director, Chief Financial and Operating Officer of Enterprise Operations Services, and other reporting and finance roles at the predecessor entity. She began her career in the sales and trading unit of Deutsche Bank as part of the Leadership Development Program. Dmuchowski holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and a Master of Science in Business Management from Saint Elizabeth University. Dmuchowski has been an active member of the community throughout her career. She currently serves on the national Board of Directors of the Salvation Army and is co-lead of its investment committee. She is also involved with 4Word as a Board member and Executive Mentor and volunteers at the Center of Hope Homeless Shelter. She and her family will reside in Memphis, Tennessee. About First Horizon First Horizon Corp. (NYSE: FHN), with $88.5 billion in assets as of September 30, 2021, is a leading regional financial services company, dedicated to strengthening the lives of our associates, clients, shareholders, and communities. Headquartered in Memphis, TN, the banking subsidiary First Horizon Bank operates in 12 states across the southern U.S. The Company and its subsidiaries offer commercial, private banking, consumer, small business, wealth and trust management, retail brokerage, capital markets, fixed income, mortgage, and title insurance services. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by Fortune and Forbes magazines and a Top 10 Most Reputable U.S. Bank. More information is available at www.FirstHorizon.com. FHN-G SOURCE First Horizon Corporation Related Links http://www.firsthorizon.com HOUSTON, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Flotek Industries, Inc. ("Flotek" or the "Company") (NYSE: FTK) today announced third quarter results for the three months ended September 30, 2021. John W. Gibson, Jr., Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "I'm pleased to report that our revenues for the third quarter are up approximately 11% compared to the second quarter. Customer growth and diversification continue to improve as revenue from new or non-core customers grew 34%, while the total number of customers grew by 22% sequentially in our energy chemistry technologies business. Additionally, our data analytics business reached two important milestones during the third quarter by obtaining international certifications for our Verax analyzers and launching a new patent-pending Advanced Interface Detection Algorithm (AIDA) application." "We executed our sales team realignment during the third quarter, adding eight new sales professionals supporting the energy chemistry business and three new professionals for the data analytics business. These sales professionals are all experienced with proven track records. Supporting our Professional Chemistry activities, we also successfully secured three contract manufacturing and toll blending agreements with U.S based suppliers, entered into manufacturing representation agreements with four agencies providing coverage in 48 states with over 150 sales representatives, and extended our product line with 18 private label options for distribution and re-distribution groups." "I'm pleased to announce the commercialization of Flotek's ESG scorecard assessment service, which analyzes the full well cycle chemical utilization to support our customer's ESG reporting goals, operational efficiencies, and enterprise risk management. Our ESG scorecard further demonstrates our commitment to engaging with the industry to highlight the strategic benefits of green chemistry solutions." "We also continue to focus on improving our liquidity. In August, we completed a lease agreement for our Monahans facility, converting it into a more marketable, income generating property. We have also applied for forgiveness of our Paycheck Protection Program ("PPP") loans and have received an extension of the loan maturity date from April 15, 2022 to April 15, 2025. Finally, we continue to clear legacy matters through our settlement with ADM, which eliminates a sizeable cash commitment." Third Quarter Financial Results Consolidated Revenues : Flotek generated third quarter 2021 consolidated revenue of $10.2 million , down 20.1% from $12.7 million in the third quarter 2020, but up 10.9% versus $9.2 million in the second quarter 2021. The year-over-year decrease in revenue was primarily due to the loss of two major energy customers that were purchased by non-customers during the second quarter of 2021, and nominal decreases in international sales, offset by certain current and returning customer revenue increases during the current quarter that did not have prior year comparable activities. : Flotek generated third quarter 2021 consolidated revenue of , down 20.1% from in the third quarter 2020, but up 10.9% versus in the second quarter 2021. The year-over-year decrease in revenue was primarily due to the loss of two major energy customers that were purchased by non-customers during the second quarter of 2021, and nominal decreases in international sales, offset by certain current and returning customer revenue increases during the current quarter that did not have prior year comparable activities. Consolidated Operating Expenses : Consolidated operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization) were $5.4 million in the third quarter 2021, a 55.4% decrease from $12.1 million in the second quarter 2021. The decrease was primarily driven by the ADM lawsuit settlement and related net benefit of $7.6 million . Consolidated operating expenses for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 decreased $32.6 million , or 51.0% versus the same period of 2020. The year-to-date decrease was primarily due to reduced cost of sales due to lower sales during 2021 and the net benefit of $7.6 million to operating expenses related to the ADM lawsuit settlement. : Consolidated operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization) were in the third quarter 2021, a 55.4% decrease from in the second quarter 2021. The decrease was primarily driven by the ADM lawsuit settlement and related net benefit of . Consolidated operating expenses for the nine months ended decreased , or 51.0% versus the same period of 2020. The year-to-date decrease was primarily due to reduced cost of sales due to lower sales during 2021 and the net benefit of to operating expenses related to the ADM lawsuit settlement. Corporate General & Administrative Expenses (CG&A) : CG&A expenses for the third quarter of 2021 were consistent with the same comparable period last year at $2.7 million and were 7.0% less than the CG&A expenses of $2.9 million for the second quarter of 2021. The declines were primarily driven by the reversal of bonus accruals in the third quarter of 2021. : CG&A expenses for the third quarter of 2021 were consistent with the same comparable period last year at and were 7.0% less than the CG&A expenses of for the second quarter of 2021. The declines were primarily driven by the reversal of bonus accruals in the third quarter of 2021. Net Income : The Company recorded net income for the third quarter of $0.5 million , or an income of $0.01 per basic/diluted share, compared to a loss of $6.5 million , or $0.09 per basic/diluted share in the second quarter 2021. The increase was primarily driven by the ADM lawsuit settlement and the related net benefit. Year-over-year improvement is mainly due to no impairments during 2021 compared to the $24.2 million and $81.7 million impairments recorded in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and the ADM lawsuit settlement and related net benefit. : The Company recorded net income for the third quarter of , or an income of per basic/diluted share, compared to a loss of , or per basic/diluted share in the second quarter 2021. The increase was primarily driven by the ADM lawsuit settlement and the related net benefit. Year-over-year improvement is mainly due to no impairments during 2021 compared to the and impairments recorded in the three and nine months ended and the ADM lawsuit settlement and related net benefit. Adjusted EBITDA: Adjusted EBITDA for the third quarter 2021 was a loss of $6.3 million , a 6.0% improvement on the $6.7 million loss in the second quarter of 2021 and a 2.8% improvement on the $6.5 million loss during the same period of the prior year. Balance Sheet and Liquidity As of September 30, 2021, the Company had cash and equivalents of $20.5 million which were impacted by operating losses in the quarter. Flotek also had $4.8 million of PPP loans outstanding. The Company has applied for forgiveness for its PPP loans and received an extension of the loan maturity date from April 15, 2022 to April 15, 2025, reducing the current portion of long-term debt from $4.8 million to $1.3 million as of September 30, 2021. Chemistry Technologies Segment: Energy Chemistry and Professional Chemistry In the third quarter 2021, sales in the Chemistry Technologies segment declined 22.4% year-over-year to $9.4 million. The year-over-year decrease was primarily the result of decreased demand from the company's major customers and smaller operators that have not returned to the pre-pandemic levels. In addition, revenue from two major customers was lost as a result of market consolidation in the Permian basin in the second quarter. Highlights from the quarter include: Energy Chemistry Revenue improved 28.2% quarter on quarter, outpacing the market and indicating market share growth. Revenue generated from new or non-core accounts grew 34% while the total number of customers grew by 22% quarter on quarter, demonstrating the continued emphasis on improving customer acquisitions and revenue diversification. Secured a pilot project with a major international service company to deliver a four-well trial of Flotek's proprietary slick water hydraulic fracturing fluid system to a major national oil company in the Middle East . . Executed a five-year service contract extension at our Material Translogistics facility in Raceland, LA with one of the world's top oilfield services providers while expanding that business through the impact of Hurricane Ida. with one of the world's top oilfield services providers while expanding that business through the impact of Hurricane Ida. Successfully entered into an adjacent energy market with revenue generation in geothermal drilling and cementing operations. Entered into early negotiations with key suppliers to secure future purchase prices and material allocation volumes with our top product lines for 2022 as we focus on continued growth. Commercialized our ESG scorecard assessment service offering that analyzes the full well cycle chemical utilization and identifies opportunities to support customer's ESG reporting goals, operational efficiencies, and enterprise risk management. Professional Chemistry Signed three contract manufacturing and toll blending agreements with U.S based suppliers. Gained sales force expansion via manufacturing representation agreements with four agencies providing coverage in 48 states with over 150 sales representatives. Extended our product line with 18 private label options for distribution and re-distribution groups. Added revenue from the agricultural adjacent market with our green solvents and adjuvant applications. Data Analytics Segment In the third quarter 2021, Data Analytics' sales decreased from the second quarter 2021 by 45.6% and grew 22.6% compared to the third quarter 2020. Highlights include: Developed a new line of Verax analyzers for the international market obtained the necessary certifications for usage in hazardous locations internationally. Launched the Advanced Interface Detection Algorithm system, or AIDA, a new patent-pending application that uses advanced machine learning algorithms to enable pipeline operators to cut batches using real time detection of batch interfaces without the need for additional sampling or chemometric modeling. Conference Call Details Flotek will host a conference call on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, at 9:00 am CST (10:00 a.m. EST) to discuss its third quarter results for the three months ended September 30, 2021. Participants may access the call through Flotek's website at www.flotekind.com under "Webcasts'' or by telephone at 1-844-835-9986 approximately five minutes prior to the start of the call. Following the conclusion of the conference call, a recording of the call will be available on the Company's website. About Flotek Industries, Inc. Flotek Industries, Inc. creates solutions to reduce the environmental impact of energy on air, water, land and people. A technology-driven, specialty green chemistry and data company, Flotek helps customers across industrial, commercial, and consumer markets improve their Environmental, Social, and Governance performance. Flotek's Chemistry Technologies segment develops, manufactures, packages, distributes. delivers, and markets high-quality cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing products for commercial, governmental and personal consumer use. Additionally, Flotek empowers the energy industry to maximize tile value of their hydrocarbon streams and improve return on invested capital through its real-time data platforms and green chemistry technologies. Flotek serves downstream, midstream, and upstream customers, both domestic and international. Flotek is a publicly traded company headquartered in Houston, Texas, and its common shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "FTK." For additional information, please visit www.flotekind.com. Forward -Looking Statements Certain statements set forth in this press release constitute forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of tile Securities Exchange Act of 1934) regarding Flotek Industries, Inc.'s business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Words such as will, continue, expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements, but are not the exclusive means of identifying forward-looking statements in this press release. Although forward-looking statements in this press release reflect the good faith judgment of management. such statements can only be based on facts and factors currently known to management. Consequently, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in the forward-looking statements. Further information about the risks and uncertainties that may impact the company are set forth in the Company's most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K (including, without limitation, in the "Risk Factors" section thereof), and in the Company's other SEC filings and publicly available documents. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on these forward -looking statements, which speak only as of the dale of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect, any event or circumstance that may arise after the date of this press release. Flotek Industries, Inc. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except share data) September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 20,527 $ 38,660 Restricted cash 40 664 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $743 and $1,316 at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively 11,560 11,764 Inventories, net 8,818 11,837 Income taxes receivable 55 403 Other current assets 4,811 3,127 Assets held for sale 545 - Total current assets 46,356 66,455 Property and equipment, net 7,769 9,087 Operating lease right-of-use assets 2,099 2,320 Goodwill 8,092 8,092 Deferred tax assets, net 209 223 Other long-term assets 29 33 TOTAL ASSETS $ 64,554 $ 86,210 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' & EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 5,224 $ 5,787 Accrued liabilities 10,465 18,275 Income taxes payable 38 21 Interest payable 70 34 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 586 636 Current portion of finance lease liabilities 48 60 Current portion of long-term debt 1,336 4,048 Total current liabilities 17,767 28,861 Deferred revenue, long-term 100 117 Long-term operating lease liabilities 7,888 8,348 Long-term finance lease liabilities 64 96 Long-term debt 3,452 1,617 TOTAL LIABILITIES 29,271 39,039 Stockholders' Equity: Preferred stock, $0.0001 par value, 100,000 shares authorized; no shares issued and outstanding - - Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 140,000,000 shares authorized; 79,610,243 shares issued and 69,316,933 shares outstanding at September 30, 2021; - - 78,669,414 shares issued and 73,088,494 shares outstanding at December 31, 2020 8 8 Additional paid-in capital 362,174 359,721 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 51 (19) Accumulated deficit (293,025) (278,688) Treasury stock, at cost; 5,648,721 and 5,580,920 shares at September 30, 2021 - - and December 31, 2020, respectively (33,925) (33,851) Total stockholders' equity 35,283 47,171 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY $ 64,554 $ 86,210 Flotek Industries, Inc. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 9/30/2021 9/30/2020 6/30/2021 9/30/2021 9/30/2020 Revenue Revenue from external customers $ 8,847 $ 12,739 $ 9,165 $ 29,782 $ 41,035 Revenue from related party 1,332 - - 1,332 - Total revenues 10,179 12,739 9,165 31,114 41,035 Costs and expenses: Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization) 5,418 29,466 12,110 31,330 63,939 Corporate general and administrative 2,696 2,679 2,868 9,925 12,568 Depreciation and amortization 233 518 253 793 3,177 Research and development 1,186 1,480 1,466 4,194 5,673 Loss (gain) on disposal of long-lived assets 14 (37) (71) (55) (92) Impairment of goodwill - 11,706 - - 11,706 Impairment of fixed, long-lived and intangible assets - 12,521 - - 69,975 Total costs and expenses 9,547 58,333 16,626 46,187 166,946 Income (loss) from operations 632 (45,594) (7,461) (15,073) (125,911) Other (expense) income: Paycheck protection plan loan forgiveness - - 881 881 - Gain on lease termination - - - - 576 Interest expense (18) (19) (17) (53) (40) Other (expense) income, net (102) 291 72 (62) 322 Total other (expense) income, net (120) 272 936 766 858 Income (loss) before income taxes 512 (45,322) (6,525) (14,307) (125,053) Income tax (expense) benefit (3) 81 (21) (30) 6,282 Net income (loss) 509 (45,241) (6,546) (14,337) (118,771) Income (loss) per common share: Basic $ 0.01 $ (0.66) $ (0.09) $ (0.21) $ (1.75) Diluted $ 0.01 $ (0.66) $ (0.09) $ (0.21) $ (1.75) Weighted average common shares: Weighted average common shares used in computing basic income (loss) per common share 69,324 68,217 69,531 68,665 68,063 Weighted average common shares used in computing diluted income (loss) per common share 70,176 68,217 69,531 68,665 68,063 Flotek Industries, Inc. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands) Nine months ended September 30, 2021 2020 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss $ (14,337) $ (118,771) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities: Change in fair value of contingent consideration (701) 3,200 Depreciation and amortization 793 3,177 Provision for doubtful accounts (42) 494 Inventory purchase commitment settlement (7,633) - Provision for excess and obsolete inventory 687 10,465 Impairment of goodwill - 11,706 Impairment of right-of-use assets - 7,434 Impairment of fixed assets - 30,178 Impairment of intangible assets - 32,363 Gain on sale of assets (55) (668) Non-cash lease expense 221 299 Stock compensation expense 2,710 2,208 Deferred income tax provision (benefit) 13 (199) Paycheck protection plan loan forgiveness (881) - Changes in current assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 111 4,714 Inventories, net 2,330 3,186 Income taxes receivable 405 (140) Other current assets (2,237) 823 Other long-term assets 541 (16) Accounts payable (604) (11,906) Accrued liabilities 414 (17,689) Income taxes payable (53) 25 Interest payable 36 22 Net cash used in operating activities (18,282) (39,095) Cash flows from investing activities: Capital expenditures (31) (836) Proceeds from sale of business - 9,907 Proceeds from sale of assets 74 86 Purchase of JP3, net of cash acquired - (26,284) Abandonment of patents and other intangible assets - (8) Net cash provided by (used in) by investing activities 43 (17,135) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from paycheck protection plan loan - 4,788 Payments to tax authorities for shares withheld from employees (161) (123) (Payments) proceeds from sale of common stock (246) 416 Payments for finance leases (44) (152) Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (451) 4,929 Effect of changes in exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents (67) (80) Net change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash (18,757) (51,381) Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 38,660 100,575 Restricted cash at beginning of period 664 663 Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period 39,324 101,238 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period 20,527 49,193 Restricted cash at the end of period 40 664 Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period $ 20,567 $ 49,857 Flotek Industries, Inc. Unaudited Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Items and Non-Cash Items Impacting Earnings (in thousands) GAAP Income (Loss) from Operations and Reconciliation to Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended 9/30/2021 9/30/2020 6/30/2021 9/30/2021 9/30/2020 Income (Loss) from Operations (GAAP) $ 509 $ (45,241) $ (6,546) $ (14,337) $ (118,771) Interest Expense 18 19 17 53 40 Interest Income (1) (206) (3) (9) (463) Income Tax Benefit (Expense) 3 (81) 21 30 (6,282) Depreciation and Amortization 233 518 253 793 3,177 Impairment of Goodwill - 11,706 - - 11,706 Impairment of Fixed and Long Lived Assets - 12,521 - - 69,975 EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $ 762 $ (20,764) $ (6,258) $ (13,470) $ (40,618) Stock Compensation Expense 960 690 969 2,710 2,208 Severance and Retirement 11 749 946 991 3,514 Inventory Write-Down - 9,565 - - 11,033 Inventory Purchase Commitment Settlement (7,633) - - (7,633) 825 M&A Transaction Costs (401) 3,219 100 (458) 3,717 Inventory Step-Up (78) 81 32 2 236 (Gain) loss on Disposal of Assets 14 (37) (71) (55) (92) Gain on Lease Termination - - - - (576) PPP Loan Forgiveness - - (881) (881) - Employee Retention Credit (927) - (1,923) (2,851) - Non-Recurring Professional Fees 993 14 388 2,046 336 Winter Storm (Natural Disaster) - - - 199 - Adjusted EBITDA (Non-GAAP) $ (6,299) $ (6,483) $ (6,698) $ 19,400 $ 19,417 (1) Management believes that adjusted EBITDA for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2021 and September 30, 2020, and the three months ended June 30, 2021, is useful to investors to assess and understand operating performance, especially when comparing those results with previous and subsequent periods. Management views the expenses noted above to be outside of the Company's normal operating results. Management analyzes operating results without the impact of the above items as an indicator of performance, to identify underlying trends in the business and cash flow from continuing operations, and to establish operational goals. SOURCE Flotek Industries, Inc. WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- ADN America (adnamerica.com), a brand-new, bilingual news organization for Hispanic-Americans, launched today, providing real-time breaking news, in-depth analysis, and political reporting to the Hispanic-American market nationwide. The media group is the brainchild and passion project of Gelet Fragela, a Cuban political refugee and former child actress who starred in the beloved Cuban children's program Tato y Carmina. Fragela and her family fled to Costa Rica at the age of nine where she lived for a decade. She then relocated to Miami where she became a journalist and founded ADN Cuba, a news platform Cuban regime officials have publicly lashed out against for rallying dissent during the July island-wide anti-repression demonstrations. "The mainstream media assumes Hispanic-Americans share the same political values when in fact we are a diverse group with incredibly varied opinions, beliefs, and interests," said Fragela. "But we all share one key trait in common; our love for freedom and the desire to participate in the democratic process." Indeed, as the fastest-growing demographic in the country, Hispanics are becoming increasingly important in national politics, a fact that demands attention from both political parties heading into the 2022 midterm elections. "No matter how diverse our backgrounds and ancestry are, we all share common values enshrined in the foundation of America," said Fragela. "While some immigrants fled their countries in hopes of finding more opportunities, others have sought asylum to escape communist dictatorships in places like Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela," she continued. "There is a 'common DNA' all Latinos and Hispanic-Americans sharea love for liberty and the American principles of independence and individual self-determination; the desire to live free," she concluded. ABOUT ADN AMERICA In addition to news and analysis, ADN America plans to act as both a journalistic and educational resource for first-generation Hispanic-Americans as they navigate their journey as residents and naturalized citizens. ADN America will provide educational material about how the U.S. economic, legal, and political systems operate, America's history and leadersfrom both sides of the aisleand shine a spotlight on elected Latino and Hispanic-American politicians. Also, unlike most Hispanic news sites, which often publish exclusively in Spanish, ADN America plans to publish many of its stories bilingually, appealing to first, second, and third-generation Hispanics who may gravitate toward one language or another. It will also serve as a transitory vehicle for those Hispanics who are gradually implementing English into their daily vocabulary. Find ADN America online: adnamerica.com Find ADN America on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmericaAdn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NoticiasADNAmerica Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adn_america/ SOURCE ADN America DUBLIN, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "3D TSV Devices - Global Market Trajectory & Analytics" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global market for 3D TSV Devices estimated at US$4.2 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$12.7 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 20.5% over the analysis period. Memory, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to grow at a 19.9% CAGR to reach US$4.5 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After a thorough analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Mems segment is readjusted to a revised 21.6% CAGR for the next 7-year period. This segment currently accounts for a 22.2% share of the global 3D TSV Devices market. Three-Dimensional (3D) Through-Silicon-Via (TSV) technology is steadily gaining image as the highly-advanced semiconductor packaging model that dramatically improves chip performance and functionality. A breakthrough System-in-Package (SiP) model, 3D TSV basically focuses on making interconnects to stack multiple dies, by drilling via-holes that are later filled with conductive material such as copper, to fabricate integrated chips (ICs) with high-level performance and space efficiency attributes. Driven by growing demand from global electronics manufacturers for innovative, high-performance chip architectures and designs in advanced packaging with superior performance, power consumption, and form factor features, 3D TSV technology has made robust progress within the global semiconductor sector. While the trends in the global electronics sector continue to put focus on advanced wafer packaging technologies such as 3D TSV technology, factors such as expanding Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) sector, stupendous increase in communications services providers (CSPs) operations, intensified activity in corporate data centers, and growing proliferation of cloud computing services are placing laser focus on 3D TSV. Over the past few years, the global electronics sector has been witnessing progressive advancements in all the core segments including consumer electronics, automotive electronics, medical electronics, and defense electronics among others. Asia-Pacific (including China and Japan) is spearheading growth in the global 3D TSV market, led by countries such as China, South Korea, Australia, Singapore, and Indonesia that are key centers for the production of consumer electronics and automobiles. The growing demand for silicon wafers in the production of smartphones and the implementation of 5G technology, are particularly fueling market growth in the region. In 2019, collective laser-assisted bonding process for 3D TSV integration using nonconductive paste (NCP) was developed in South Korea. This allows the simultaneous stacking of many TSV dies to enhance productivity, while keeping the solder joints reliable using LAB (laser-assisted bonding) technology. Growth of the Asian 3D TSV market is also being fostered by the rising adoption of new memory technology and the presence of key market players in the region. In Europe and North America, increasing R&D activities related to 3D IC design is aiding market growth. The rising 3D packaging with the use of TSV technology in the semiconductor sector is being fueled by the requirement to enhance performance and lower time delays. Also, the growing use of TSV technology for functional integration along with wafer fabrication and assembly in the semiconductor sector is spurring market growth. Europe is at the forefront in terms of 3D TSV technology, given the presence of various R&D companies. In Latin America, the 3D TSV market is gaining from the rising demand for various electronic products. In the region, Brazil is a main market for cell phones, computers and other consumer electronics. Key Topics Covered: I. METHODOLOGY II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. MARKET OVERVIEW Impact of COVID-19 on the Semiconductor Industry Exposes the Risk of Value Chain Modularity Among the Hammered Companies in the Supply Chain is the "Semiconductor Industry" Semiconductor Trends for Specific End-Use Categories COVID-19 Pandemic Storm Warrants New Strategies to Help Semiconductor Leaders Secure New Lease of Life Falling Consumer Confidence Impacts Sales of Automotive and Consumer Electronics Industrial Activity Remain Subdued in 2020 A Prelude to 3D TVS Comparison of 3D TSV with Other 3D IC Integration Technologies: A Snapshot Global Market Prospects & Outlook Regional Analysis Competitive Scenario Foundries Stay Ahead in 3D TSV Device Manufacturing IDMs Include 3D TSV Technology in their Wafer Processing Units OSAT Companies Vie for Place in 3D TSV Landscape Advantages & Limitations for Foundries, IDMs, and OSATs Operating in 3D TSV Landscape: A Snapshot 2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS (Total 68 Featured) Amkor Technology, Inc. ASE Technology Holding, Co., Ltd. Broadcom Ltd. Intel Corporation Pure Storage, Inc. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (TSMC) United Microelectronics Corporation 3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS 3D TSV Devices Market Strongly Influenced by Trends in Consumer Electronics Sector Post Pandemic Recovery in CE Sector to Augment Prospects A Review of Key CE Products Driving Adoption of 3D TSV Technology Smartphones Tablet PCs Uptrend in 3D IC Technology Augments Business Case Fast Evolving 3D IC Technology to Spur Demand Digital Transformation Drive to Steer Future Growth of 3D TSV Market IoT Ecosystem to Rev Up Opportunities for 3D TSV Devices AI Hardware: Potential New Growth Avenue Automobile Electronification Trends Widen the Addressable Market Anticipated Post COVID Recovery to Revive Opportunities in Aerospace Sector Sustained High Growth in ICT Sector Augurs Well Ongoing Proliferation of Cloud-Based Applications to Encourage Adoption of 3D TSV Devices Growing Performance Requirements of Modern Data Centers to Extend Opportunities for 3D TSV Devices Data Center Traffic Trends: A Complementary Review 3D TSV Gaining Traction in DRAM Memory Sector A Review of Next-Generation TSV-based DRAM Memory Solutions Mobile DRAM - LPDDR3 Vs. Wide IO Growing Market for MEMS to Fuel Market Expansion Wearable Devices to Extend High-Quality Opportunities 3D TSV Devices Sense large Opportunities in CMOS Image Sensors Vertical Use of CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) by Sector & Device/Equipment Imaging & Optoelectronics: An Important End-Use Segment for 3D TSV 3D TSV Sees Growth in Advanced LED Packaging 3D WLCSP: A Mature 3D TSV Segment DRIE Bosch Process Gaining Prominence in TSV Implementation System-Level Exploration and 3D Floorplanning Technique Enhance Performance of 3D IC Devices Demand for Innovative Databases and Wireless Routing Augment Market Demand Issues PRODUCT OVERVIEW An Insight into Through-Silicon Via (TSV) An Introduction to Through-silicon via (TSV) Devices Benefits of 3D TSV Devices Historical Timeline 4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE III. REGIONAL MARKET ANALYSIS IV. COMPETITION For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/qjfkkj 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 DUBLIN, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Automotive Powertrain Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Vehicle Type (Passenger Vehicle, Commercial Vehicle), By Propulsion Type (ICE, Electric Vehicle), By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global automotive powertrain market size is expected to reach USD 1,125.66 billion by 2025. The market is anticipated to register a CAGR of 11.6% from 2021 to 2028. The increasing demand for environment-friendly vehicles and increasingly stringent government regulations regarding vehicular emission are expected to favor the demand for automotive powertrains in the market. Moreover, technological advancements in powertrain systems to enhance the vehicle's efficiency are anticipated to boost market growth prospects over the forecast period. The adoption rate and pace of evolution of automotive powertrain vary across regions according to purchase subsidies, regulatory differences, road pricing, fuel taxation policy, state support, and consumer preferences. In Europe and countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan, stringent regulations are expected to make OEMs shift their focus on electrified powertrain options. Other significant factors that constitute the evolution of powertrain include developing charging infrastructure in different regions globally. Increasing vehicle sales and the growing adoption of automated transmission vehicles in emerging countries such as India, China, Indonesia, Japan, and Brazil, are expected to drive the market. The substantial rise in the purchasing power of consumers has increased the demand for state-of-the-art motor vehicles, driving the demand for upgraded systems. The rising use of All Wheel Drive in SUVs in emerging regions is also expected to support the growth of the powertrain market. The growing demand for AWD-equipped vehicles in the Asia Pacific region is expected to boost the growth of the all-wheel-drive system market. The COVID-19 pandemic has hampered the growth prospects of several industries in 2020; powertrain manufacturers are facing a year-on-year decline in unit volumes sales and revenues. For instance, BorgWarner Inc., a prominent market player in the electric powertrain market, witnessed a decrease in the e-Propulsion & Drivetrain business segment. However, the demand for vehicles with upgraded safety features is likely to increase post-pandemic. Since automotive powertrain plays a vital role in automobiles, the market could regain momentum. Furthermore, despite the pandemic, the growing demand for electric vehicles is anticipated to boost the demand for automotive powertrains. Automotive Powertrain Market Report Highlights In terms of vehicle type, the commercial vehicle segment is expected to expand at the highest CAGR of around 11.7% over the forecast period. This can be attributed to the increasing demand for a unified supply chain network connecting multiple transportation modes, including freight rail, air, and express delivery services, maritime transport, and truck transport In terms of propulsion type, the ICE segment dominated the market in 2020 and is anticipated to value at more than USD 902.91 billion by 2028. This can be attributed to the price difference between ICEs and EVs and inadequate charging infrastructure by 2028. This can be attributed to the price difference between ICEs and EVs and inadequate charging infrastructure The Asia Pacific regional market held the dominant market share in 2020, with the China market being a significant contributor. China remains the largest manufacturer of automobiles and automotive market across the globe. In 2020, China ranked first in terms of the production of passenger cars globally, which stood at nearly 21 million Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1 Methodology & Scope Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Market Variables, Trends, and Scope 3.1 Penetration & Growth Prospect Mapping 3.2 Automotive Powertrain Market - Value Chain Analysis 3.3 Automotive Powertrain Market Dynamics 3.3.1 Market Drivers Analysis 3.3.2 Market Restraint Analysis 3.4 Automotive Powertrain Industry Analysis - PESTLE 3.5 Automotive Powertrain Industry Analysis - Porter's Five Forces Chapter 4 Automotive Powertrain Market: Vehicle Type Estimates & Trend Analysis 4.1 Vehicle Type Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2020 & 2025 4.2 Market Size & Forecasts and Trends Analysis, 2015 - 2025 (USD Billion, Thousand Units) 4.2.1 Passenger Vehicle 4.2.2 Commercial Vehicle Chapter 5 Automotive Powertrain Market: Propulsion Type Estimates & Trend Analysis 5.1 Propulsion Type Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2020 & 2025 5.2 Market Size & Forecasts and Trends Analysis, 2015 - 2025 (USD Billion, Thousand Units) 5.2.1 ICE 5.2.1.1 Gasoline 5.2.1.2 Diesel 5.2.1.3 Natural Gas Vehicle 5.2.2 Electric Vehicle 5.2.2.1 BEV 5.2.2.2 PHEV Chapter 6 Automotive Powertrain Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis 6.1 Regional Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2020 & 2025 6.2 Market Size & Forecasts and Trends Analysis, 2015 - 2025 (USD Billion, Thousand Units) 6.2.1 North America 6.2.1.1 U.S. 6.2.1.2 Canada 6.2.2 Europe 6.2.2.1 Germany 6.2.2.2 U.K. 6.2.3 Asia Pacific 6.2.3.1 Greater China 6.2.3.2 Japan 6.2.3.3 India 6.2.3.4 South Korea 6.2.4 Latin America 6.2.5 Middle East & Africa Chapter 7 Competitive Landscape 7.1 Key Company Analysis, 2020 7.2 Company Profiles 7.2.1 BorgWarner Inc. 7.2.1.1 Company Overview 7.2.1.2 Financial Performance 7.2.1.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.1.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.2 Continental AG 7.2.2.1 Company Overview 7.2.2.2 Financial Performance 7.2.2.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.2.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.3 Magna International Inc. 7.2.3.1 Company Overview 7.2.3.2 Financial Performance 7.2.3.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.3.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.4 Marelli Holdings Co., Ltd. 7.2.4.1 Company Overview 7.2.4.2 Financial Performance 7.2.4.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.4.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.5 Mitsubishi Electric Corporation 7.2.5.1 Company Overview 7.2.5.2 Financial Performance 7.2.5.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.5.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.6 Nidec Corporation 7.2.6.1 Company Overview 7.2.6.2 Financial Performance 7.2.6.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.6.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.7 Robert Bosch GmbH 7.2.7.1 Company Overview 7.2.7.2 Financial Performance 7.2.7.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.7.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.8 Schaeffler Group USA Inc.(Schaeffler AG) 7.2.8.1 Company Overview 7.2.8.2 Financial Performance 7.2.8.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.8.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.9 Valeo SA 7.2.9.1 Company Overview 7.2.9.2 Financial Performance 7.2.9.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.9.4 Strategic Initiatives 7.2.10 ZF Friedrichshafen AG 7.2.10.1 Company Overview 7.2.10.2 Financial Performance 7.2.10.3 Product Benchmarking 7.2.10.4 Strategic Initiatives For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/2j1sr9 Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1904 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SAO PAULO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. ("GOL" or "Company") (NYSE: GOL and B3: GOLL4), Brazil's largest domestic airline, today announced its consolidated results for the third quarter of 2021 (3Q21), and outlined its continued initiatives in response to the demand recovery. All information is presented in Brazilian reais (R$), according to both International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and adjusted metrics, and is made available to enable comparability of this quarter with the same period last year. Such adjusted metrics exclude expenses related to the portion of the non-operating fleet that the Company grounded this quarter and are detailed in the table showing "operating expenses". Comparisons are made to the third quarter of 2021 (3Q21), unless otherwise specified. During 3Q21 GOL achieved a number of significant milestones that position the Company to meet the return of demand for air travel in Brazil and internationally. "We put a series of strategic initiatives in place this quarter that will strengthen our market position as the demand for travel continues to rise, the vaccination rate expands and international borders reopen," said Paulo Kakinoff, CEO. "We see growth in sales through to the end of the year and are confident that the trend will continue into 2022." Continued recovery in demand : GOL's departures in the third quarter grew by 87.3%, reaching 53% of the pre-pandemic levels in 2019. This was enabled by a rising vaccination rate. In 3Q21, Brazil became 4th among all countries with the most vaccines administered against Covid-19, with approximately 56% of the population fully vaccinated and over 74% having received the 1st dose. At the end of October, Brazil was already in 3rd place in terms of booster doses administered (+7 million) in the population. In response to the growth in demand, GOL is expanding its network, re-starting regional destinations and serving new markets with high domestic tourism potential, including the new route from Congonhas (SP) to Bonito (MS) as of December. "Our disciplined approach in the management of capacity will enable us to maintain high load factors in both our domestic and international routes," added Kakinoff. "At the same time, GOL's flexible fleet management model and prudent cash flow management, combined with the dedication of our Team of Eagles, means we will nimbly adapt to market conditions as we need to." Internationally, the United States, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and the Dominican Republic announced the reopening of their borders to Brazilians. Starting in November, GOL will resume flights to Montevideo, Cancun and Punta Cana, and flights to Buenos Aires, in December. Through the expanded partnership with Avianca, GOL now offers eight new international destinations in its network through and Interline Agreement: Aruba (AUA), Guatemala (GUA), Guayaquil (GYE), Quito (UIO), San Jose (SJO), San Juan (SJU), San Salvador (SAL) and Santo Domingo (SDQ). Acceleration of the transition to a 737 MAX fleet : GOL accelerated its fleet transformation by signing agreements in 3Q21 for 28 additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, replacing 23 B 737-800 NGs by the end of 2022. This will reduce the Company's unit costs by 8% in 2022. Under the agreements, the Company will end 2021 with 28 737 MAX-8 aircraft (20% of the total fleet). By the end of 2022, GOL expects to have 44 737 MAX-8 aircraft (32% of the total fleet). With current purchase commitments, the Company will meet its goal of a 75% 737 MAX fleet by 2030. The 737 MAX is a key component of the Company's goal to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, as this model consumes 15% less fuel, produces 16% fewer carbon emissions, greater flight range and 40% less noise than the 737-800 NG aircraft. Re-incorporation of Smiles : With the merger of Smiles into GLA concluded, several operational and financial synergies will be realized, as well as new revenue-generating opportunities that will become even more significant during the airline market's recovery for both business and leisure travelers. "We are optimistic that the synergies from this corporate reorganization, and the subsequent benefits to our shareholders, will be realized in a relatively short period of time, as the Company has completed all the necessary integrations while preserving the agile and independent management of the loyalty program" said Andre Fehlauer, Smiles' President. The conclusion of the Smiles re-incorporatation in September/21 enabled the Company to access more than R$500 million of liquidity from the operating cash generation and receivables of Smiles with growth in the volume of operations benefitting the loyalty program via accesss to the largest seat inventory for miles redemptions, also eliminating tax inefficiencies. In the third quarter, the Company's frequent flyer program had sales of R$624.2 million, 38.6% up when compared to 3Q20. The redemption of miles was 29 billion, 73.6% more when compared to 3Q20. Revenue from the redemption of miles reached R$637.7 million, an increase of 65.8% when compared to 3Q20.Deferred revenues were R$2.1 billion, an increase of 1.1% compared to the 3Q20. Liability management : The Company demonstrated continued discipline this quarter with the sucessful completion of a US$150 million re-tap at 8.0% per year and a maturity in 2026. Moody's assigned the notes a rating of B2. Proceeds from the offering will be used for general corporate purposes, including capex and working capital. In October, GOL refinanced its short-term bank debt in the amount of R$1.2 billion, via the extension of the 7th Series of Debtentures and issuance of the new 8th Series of Simple Non-Convertible Debentures. This refinancing enabled the Company to return to its lowest short-term debt since 2014 (approximately R$0.5 billion at the end of 3Q21). The Company's liability management program has improved GOL's credit metrics and enabled management to focus on reducing costs and increase operational efficiencies. As a result of the balance sheet strengthening initiatives, Fitch recently increased GOL's credit rating to B-. Richard Lark, CFO said: "Completing the financings could not have come at a better time. Our balance sheet is now in a stronger position in terms of its outstanding debts, versus our peers, which we see as a competitive advantage in the current market environment." In addition, the Company amortized around R$518 million of debt in 3Q21. The average maturity of GOL's long-term debt, excluding aircraft leases and perpetual notes, is approximately 3.4 years, with the main obligations already addressed in GOL's cash flow. The next maturity date for GOL's outstanding debts is not until July/2024. The net debt ratio (excluding Exchangeable Notes and perpetual bonds) to adjusted LTM EBITDA was 9.7x on September 30, 2021, representing the lowest financial leverage among peers. Considering the amounts fundable from deposits and unencumbered assets, the Company's potential sources of liquidity resulted in approximately R$6.1 billion of accessible liquidity. Summary of 3Q21 Results Revenue Passenger-Kilometers (RPK) increased 87.5% compared to the same period in 2020, totaling 5.9 billion (-46.6% vs. 3Q19); Available Seat Kilometers (ASK) increased 82.4% compared to 3Q20 (-45.7% vs. 3Q19); GOL transported 4.9 million Customers in the quarter, an increase of 91.7% versus 3Q20 (-48.5% vs. 3Q19); Net revenues totaled R$1.9 billion , an increase of 96.4% versus 3Q20 (-49.5% vs. 3Q19). Other revenues (mainly cargo and loyalty) amounted to R$147 million , equivalent to 8% of total revenues; , an increase of 96.4% versus 3Q20 (-49.5% vs. 3Q19). Other revenues (mainly cargo and loyalty) amounted to , equivalent to 8% of total revenues; Net Revenue per Available Seat Kilometer (RASK) was 26.71 cents (R$), an increase of 7.75% versus 3Q20. Net Passenger Revenue per Available Seat Kilometer (PRASK) was 24.28 cents (R$), an increase of 10.3% over 3Q20; (R$), an increase of 7.75% versus 3Q20. Net Passenger Revenue per Available Seat Kilometer (PRASK) was (R$), an increase of 10.3% over 3Q20; The Cost per Available Seat Kilometer (CASK) was 36.64 cents (R$), 15.9% down from 3Q20. Costs strictly related to the flights operated (adjusted CASK) corresponded to 21.66 cents (R$), an increase of 6.3%. (R$), 15.9% down from 3Q20. Costs strictly related to the flights operated (adjusted CASK) corresponded to (R$), an increase of 6.3%. Adjusted EBIT totaled R$338.1 million , corresponding to a margin of 17.7, which shows the restoration of the operating margins necessary to support operational growth. Adjusted EBITDA reached R$464.7 million , with margin of 24.3%, reflecting GOL's successful sustainability efforts in balancing supply and demand; , corresponding to a margin of 17.7, which shows the restoration of the operating margins necessary to support operational growth. Adjusted EBITDA reached , with margin of 24.3%, reflecting GOL's successful sustainability efforts in balancing supply and demand; The net loss after minority interest was R$ 0,9 billion , excluding exchange and monetary variations, non- recurring net expenses, gains related to Exchangeable Notes and capped calls unrealized results; , excluding exchange and monetary variations, non- recurring net expenses, gains related to Exchangeable Notes and capped calls unrealized results; Average yield per passenger of 29.8 cents (R$), an increase of 7.3% over 3Q20, mainly due to the optimization of seat offer and further continuous improvements with the resumption of business clients in 4Q21; (R$), an increase of 7.3% over 3Q20, mainly due to the optimization of seat offer and further continuous improvements with the resumption of business clients in 4Q21; Average load factor of 81.5%, up by 2.2 p.p. over 3Q20, mainly due to prudent supply management, adding capacity based on demand indicators and GOL's proprietary tools of data analytics; Aircraft utilization of 10.2 hours/day, up by 52.2% over 3Q20, in line with the Company's strategy of adding capacity according to demand recovery; On-time departures of 96%, down by 1.0 p.p. versus 3Q20, according to Infraero and data provided by the main airports; and Operating cash generation of R$ 2 mm / day, including operating inflows and outflows, lease payments and working capital debt service. At the end of the quarter, including the financeable amounts of deposits and unencumbered assets, the Company's potential sources of liquidity were approximately R$6.1 billion of accessible liquidity. MANAGEMENT VIDEOS WITH PRESENTATION & FULL EARNINGS RELEASE Access earnings release, management videos, presentation and complete financial statements at: www.voegol.com.br/ir 3Q21 Conference Call: November 9, 2021, 10:00 a.m. (NY Time), Phone: +1 (412) 317-6382, Code: GOL, with webcast (https://webcastlite.mziq.com/cover.html?webcastId=c792290c-45c4-42a2-9e68-702067e4a3d9) About GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. (www.voegol.com.br): Brazil's largest airline group with three main businesses: passenger transportation, cargo transportation and coalition loyalty program. SOURCE GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. Related Links http://www.voegol.com.br TSX: GPR | NYSE American: GPL (All dollar amounts expressed in US dollars unless otherwise noted) This news release constitutes a "designated news release" for the purposes of the Company's prospectus supplement dated October 15, 2021, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated September 10, 2021. VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Great Panther Mining Limited (TSX: GPR) (NYSE-A: GPL) ("Great Panther" or the "Company"), a growing gold and silver producer focused on the Americas, announces that it has entered into an underwriting agreement with H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, acting as sole book-running manager and representative of a syndicate of underwriters (together the "Underwriters"), under which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase in a public offering on a firm commitment basis 76,923,077 common shares (the "Shares") in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a public offering price of $0.26 per Share, less underwriting discounts and commissions, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $20 million (the "Offering"). Cormark Securities Inc. and Roth Capital Partners are acting as co-managers for the Offering. In addition, the Company has granted the Underwriters an option (the "Option"), exercisable at any time and from time to time for up to 30 days, to purchase up to an additional 11,538,461 Common Shares at the public offering price per Common Share. Great Panther will pay to the Underwriters a cash commission equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, including any proceeds received from the exercise of the Option. The Offering is expected to close on or about November 12, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and NYSE American approvals. For the purposes of the TSX approval, the Company intends to rely on the exemption set forth in Section 602.1 of the TSX Company Manual, which provides that the TSX will not apply its standards to certain transactions involving eligible interlisted issuers on a recognized exchange, such as NYSE American. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for underground mine development and exploration programs at Tucano, and to maintain its working capital and for general corporate purposes. The shares described above are being offered pursuant to a shelf registration statement on Form F-10, as amended (File No. 333-258604) (including a prospectus), previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on August 9, 2021 and declared effective by the SEC on September 13, 2021 and will be qualified for distribution in each of the provinces of Canada (other than Quebec) to supplement the Company's Canadian short-form base shelf prospectus dated September 10, 2021. The Offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus that form a part of the effective shelf registration statement. A preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the Offering have been filed with the SEC. A final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the Offering will be filed and will be available for free on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and will also be available on the Company's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. Electronic copies of the final prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the Offering may also be obtained, when available, from H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC, 430 Park Avenue 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, or by calling (212) 856-5711 or by emailing [email protected]. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities, nor will there be any sale of the 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 any such jurisdiction. ABOUT GREAT PANTHER Great Panther is a growing gold and silver producer focused on the Americas. The Company owns a diversified portfolio of assets in Brazil, Mexico and Peru that includes three operating gold and silver mines, an advanced development project and a large land package with district-scale potential. Great Panther is focused on creating long-term stakeholder value through safe and sustainable production, reinvesting into exploration and pursuing acquisition opportunities to complement its existing portfolio. Great Panther trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange trading under the symbol GPR, and on the NYSE American under the symbol GPL. CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (together, "forward-looking statements"). Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Offering and the anticipated use of proceeds therefrom. These forward-looking statements and information reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant operational, business, economic and regulatory uncertainties and contingencies. These assumptions include: expectations regarding continued operations and exploration work, including the Company's evaluation of potential underground production at Tucano and plans to complete infill drilling at Tucano; expectations regarding the ongoing geotechnical control of UCS and related slope stability; the accuracy of the Company's geological modeling at Tucano and the assumptions upon which they are based, ore grades and recoveries; prices for gold, silver, and base metals remaining as estimated; currency exchange rates remaining as estimated; stable prices for energy inputs, labour, materials, supplies and services (including transportation) and closure obligations; that all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals for the Company's operations and exploration work are received in a timely manner on favourable terms, and Tucano will be able to continue to use cyanide in its operations; the Company will not be required to further impair Tucano as the current open pit mineral reserves are depleted through mining; the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies without interruption and that there are no material unanticipated variations in the cost of energy or supplies; operations not being disrupted by issues such as pit-wall failures or instability, mechanical failures, labour disturbances and workforce shortages, illegal occupations or mining, seismic events, and adverse weather conditions; and the Company's ability to comply with environmental, health and safety laws. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements to be materially different. Such factors include, among others, risks and uncertainties relating to: market and other conditions, the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's ability to operate and conduct exploration work, including drilling plans, as anticipated, and the risk of an unplanned partial or full shutdown of the Company's mines and processing plants, whether voluntary or imposed, which would adversely impact the Company's revenues, financial condition and ability to meet its production and cost guidance and fund its capital programs and repay its indebtedness; the inherent risk that estimates of Mineral Reserves and Resources may not be accurate and accordingly that mine production will not be as estimated or predicted; planned exploration activities, including plans for further infill drilling at TAP C, may not result in the discovery of new Mineral Resources/definition of Mineral Resources and readers are cautioned that Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves have no defined economic viability; there is no certainty that the Company will be able to define a mineral resource for the TAP C deposits and the Company is not treating the AMC historical estimate as a current mineral resource estimate; open pit mining operations at Tucano have a limited established mine life and the Company may not be able to extend the mine life for Tucano open pit operations beyond 2023 as anticipated; gold, silver and base metal prices may decline or may be less than forecasted; fluctuations in currency exchange rates (including the U.S. dollar to Brazilian real exchange rate) may increase costs of operations; operational and physical risks inherent in mining operations (including pit wall collapses, tailings storage facility failures, environmental accidents and hazards, industrial accidents, equipment breakdown, unusual or unexpected geological or structural formations, cave-ins, flooding and severe weather) may result in unforeseen costs, shut downs, delays in production and drilling and exposure to liability; potential political and social risks involving Great Panther's operations in a foreign jurisdiction; the potential for unexpected costs and expenses or overruns; shortages in the ability to procure equipment and operating supplies without interruption; employee and contractor relations; relationships with, and claims by, local communities; the Company's ability to obtain all necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in a timely manner on favourable terms; changes in laws, regulations and government practices in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates; legal restrictions related to mining; diminishing quantities or grades of mineral reserves as properties are mined operating or technical difficulties in mineral exploration, changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; the Company's inability to meet its production forecasts or to generate the anticipated cash flows from operations could result in the Company's inability to meet its scheduled debt payments when due or to meet financial covenants to which the Company is subject or to fund its exploration programs as planned; ability to maintain and renew agreements with local communities to support continued operations; there is no assurance that the Company will be able to identify or complete acquisition opportunities of, if completed, that such acquisitions will be accretive to the Company; and other risks and uncertainties, including those described in respect of Great Panther, in its most recent annual information form and material change reports filed with the Canadian Securities Administrators available at www.sedar.com and reports on Form 40-F and Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov. There is no assurance that these forward-looking statements will prove accurate or that actual results will not vary materially from these forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, described, or intended. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements and information are designed to help readers understand management's current views of our near- and longer-term prospects and may not be appropriate for other purposes. The Company does not intend, nor does it assume any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, changes in assumptions, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by applicable law. SOURCE Great Panther Mining Limited Related Links https://www.greatpanther.com/ BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE: HAE) announced that financial results for its second quarter fiscal 2022, which ended October 2, 2021, are available on its Investor Relations website. The Company will host a conference call and webcast with investors and analysts to discuss and answer questions about the results at 8:00 a.m. EST on November 9, 2021. The conference call and webcast can be accessed with the following information: U.S. / Canada toll free (877) 848-8880; International (716) 335-9512 toll free (877) 848-8880; International (716) 335-9512 Conference ID required for access: 3529538 A live webcast of the call can be accessed on Haemonetics' Investor Relations website or via the following link: https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/apntfy73 In addition, the Company has posted to its Investor Relations website the earnings release and analytical tables and supplemental information that will be referenced on its conference call and webcast, direct links to which are available below. Direct link to 2Q FY22 Earnings Release: https://haemonetics.gcs-web.com/static-files/97dd4f39-ebc7-4f1c-9058-dc2e6305d3c3 Direct link to 2Q FY22 Analytical Tables and Supplemental Information: https://haemonetics.gcs-web.com/static-files/1f8f1f7d-24a0-46a4-8c34-20846dcc0a28 A replay of the conference call and webcast will be available for one year beginning on November 9, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. EST using the conference call webcast link provided in this press release. ABOUT HAEMONETICS Haemonetics (NYSE: HAE) is a global healthcare company dedicated to providing a suite of innovative medical products and solutions for customers, to help them improve patient care and reduce the cost of healthcare. Our technology addresses important medical markets: blood and plasma component collection, the surgical suite and hospital transfusion services. To learn more about Haemonetics, visit www.haemonetics.com. Investor Contact Media Contact Olga Guyette, Director-Investor Relations Josh Gitelson, Director-Global Communications (781) 356-9763 (781) 356-9776 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Haemonetics Corporation Related Links http://www.haemonetics.com DENTON, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies with 100 employees or more will soon be required to combat COVID-19 by routinely testing unvaccinated employees. To help impacted companies comply with these new regulations by the deadline of Jan 4th, HealthTrackRx, a PCR-based infectious disease laboratory, is expanding its offerings with vaccine verification, testing, and reporting solutions. HealthTrackRx has innovated polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19, for both swab and saliva samples, consistently returning results within 24 hours. This industry-leading turnaround time enables employers to make more informed, timely decisions. Adding vaccine tracking and OSHA-compliant reporting to the equation gives employers a complete solution to address mandates. "Our goal is to help companies stay compliant and keep their workforce workingnow and in the future," said John Moore, Chief Commercial Officer of HealthTrackRx. "We've put together a solution that allows companies to more easily identify, test, and report to meet OSHA mandates. With a full suite of tools, including our fast, accurate PCR testing, companies can rise to the challenges that accompany these new mandates." According to an OSHA press release, the department has issued a new emergency temporary standard (ETS) announcing that employers must "develop, implement and enforce a mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy". This includes verifying and recording the vaccination status of their employees. Employees who are unvaccinated are required to undergo weekly testing, among other requirements. PCR-based molecular diagnosis is considered the "gold standard" of laboratory-based testing for infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, HealthTrackRx has delivered more than 4,000,000 COVID-19 test results. The company has made significant technological strides to make testing more effective, accurate, and accessible for everyone. "We know that responsibility for these new mandates places a heavy burden on organizations and HR teams," said Moore. "They're in a position where they may be scrambling to put together a program, and we want to make it turnkey. This not only helps organizations comply, but it keeps people safeand in the workforce, pushing our economy forward." Employers can learn more about the program at HealthTrackRx for Employers. About HealthTrackRx HealthTrackRx is the nation's leading PCR-based infectious disease laboratory. For more than 20 years, the company has mobilized accurate clinical decisions through advances in pathogen testing, antimicrobial stewardship, and value-based care programs. Today, HealthTrackRx delivers industry-leading turnaround time to over 10,000 clinicians nationwide. For more information, visit HealthTrackRx at healthtrackrx.com and LinkedIn. SOURCE HealthTrackRx, Inc. Related Links https://www.healthtrackrx.com/ GERMANTOWN, Md., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The HealthWell Foundation, an independent non-profit that provides a financial lifeline for inadequately insured Americans, is honored to announce the appointment of David F. Ertel to its Board of Directors. Mr. Ertel brings over 30 years' experience in health care and financial management, business strategy, operations, and mergers and acquisitions to the Board's diverse skill set. In addition, he has a long history working with health care companies of various types. Mr. Ertel commented, "I'm honored to accept the appointment of Director on HealthWell Foundation's Board. The Foundation's mission is one that I have been passionate about throughout my career in health care. Providing a financial lifeline to America's underinsured is a noble and commendable service for those who would otherwise forgo critical medical treatments due to cost. I look forward to collaborating with the Board and the senior management team to identify and implement innovative strategies to bolster HealthWell's initiatives." "David's unique blend of experience in financial management and health care will bring new insights and perspectives to our Board. As the Foundation's programs and services are of necessity expanding, we are delighted to be able to use David's expertise and foresight to establish strategies and objectives that further strengthen our commitment to serve underinsured Americans," said Stephen M. Weiner, HealthWell Foundation Board Chair. "We welcome David and look forward to his valuable contributions as we continue to execute our mission." Mr. Ertel currently serves as Chief Financial Officer of Vizient, the nation's largest health care performance improvement company providing innovative data-driven solutions, expertise and collaborative opportunities that lead to improved patient outcomes and lower costs. Before joining Vizient in 2018, he served as the Chief Strategy Officer at the University of Miami Health System & Miller School of Medicine. He has also held positions at Einstein Healthcare Network and Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, which is affiliated with the Thomas Jefferson University; Morgan Stanley's National Health Care Group in New York; the Health Care Public Finance Group at PaineWebber in New York; and the New Jersey State Department of Human Services. To learn more about Mr. Ertel, visit the "Who We Are" section of our website. To learn about HealthWell Foundation programs and how you can support our life-changing work, visit us at: HealthWellFoundation.org. About the HealthWell Foundation A nationally recognized, independent non-profit organization founded in 2003, the HealthWell Foundation has served as a safety net across over 80 disease areas for more than 615,000 underinsured patients. Since its inception, HealthWell has provided over $2.1 billion in grant support to access life-changing medical treatments patients otherwise would not be able to afford. HealthWell provides financial assistance to adults and children facing medical hardship resulting from gaps in their insurance that cause out-of-pocket medical expenses to escalate rapidly; HealthWell assists with the treatment-related cost-sharing obligations of these patients. HealthWell ranked 29th on the 2020 Forbes list of The 100 Largest U.S. Charities and was recognized for its 100 percent fundraising efficiency. For more information, visit www.HealthWellFoundation.org. CONTACT: Ginny Dunn 240-632-5309 [email protected] SOURCE HealthWell Foundation Related Links healthwellfoundation.org BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- HotSpot Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company pioneering the discovery and development of first-in-class allosteric therapies targeting regulatory sites on proteins referred to as "natural hotspots," today announced new data validating its Smart Allostery platform in the elucidation and preclinical evaluation of a novel allosteric inhibitor of the E3 ubiquitin ligase CBL-B. The data will be presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 36th Annual Meeting, which is being held from November 10-14, 2021. "CBL-B's role as a master negative regulator of T cells and NK cells makes it a very attractive target for cancer immunotherapy, but it has proven difficult to inhibit with traditional small molecules," said Geraldine Harriman, Ph.D., Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer at HotSpot Therapeutics. "We're thrilled to share these new data showing that we can successfully inhibit CBL-B with a novel allosteric inhibitor identified through our Smart Allostery platform and promote T cell responses in vitro and in mice. To better treat patients, we need new mechanisms to enhance and sustain effective anti-tumor immunity and to address suboptimal responses. Our small molecule allosteric inhibitor of CBL-B may bring such benefit with the added advantage of convenient oral delivery." CBL-B sits at a pivotal node in immune cell activation, and its inhibition holds the potential to address several key mechanisms where translational data supports a causative role in suboptimal response to current immunotherapies. Because inhibition of CBL-B lowers the threshold for T cell and NK cell activation, even in the absence of co-stimulatory signals, it may bring benefit to patients with low antigen levels (e.g., low TMB), low inflammation (e.g., low PDL-1) and/or sub-par co-stimulation (e.g., low CD28). HotSpot's Smart Allostery approach offers a diversity of advantages in delivering highly selective and differentiated orally bioavailable medicines against proteins that are undruggable or poorly druggable targets, including CBL-B. The platform utilizes a suite of computational algorithms powered by machine learning to uncover natural hotspots that control protein function, employs an array of specialized assays to identify hotspot binders and subsequently uses chemistry to selectively drug these sites with allosteric inhibitors. SITC Presentation Overview: Title: Identification of A Novel Allosteric Oral CBL-B Inhibitor that Augmented T Cell Response and Enhanced NK Cell Killing in vitro and in vivo Authors: Jun Kuai, Yingzhi Bi, Yilin Qi, Deborah G Conrady, Rajiv G Govindaraj, Graham Hone, R. Aldrin Denny, Ken Carson, Geraldine Harriman, Fang Wang Poster Number: 864 Session: Novel Single-Agent Immunotherapies Summary of Poster CBL-B is activated by tyrosine kinases and undergoes a large conformational change from closed inactive form to open active form. Through the utilization of HotSpot's proprietary Smart Allostery platform, including its AI-powered SpotFinder technology, a druggable phosphoregulatory pocket was identified in the inactive form of CBL-B. HotSpot identified an inhibitor that binds to a regulatory hotspot on CBL-B, locking it in its inactive form, as confirmed by co-crystal structures. This molecule prevents CBL-B phosphorylation, inhibits E3 ligase activity, promotes cytokine release, enhances T cell proliferation, and stimulates NK cell activation/killing. In vivo, the molecule enhances T cells responses in anti-CD3 treated mice. About HotSpot Therapeutics HotSpot Therapeutics is targeting nature's regulatory mechanisms to create allosteric medicines that are highly potent and selective and enable proteins to be drugged for the rst time. The company leverages its proprietary Smart Allostery technology, the rst and only platform designed to uncover, capture, and drug natural hotspots, a unique family of pockets involved in endogenous signaling that are critical to protein function in cells. Using bespoke chemistry and a powerful pharmacology tool kit, HotSpot is developing a pipeline of rst-in-class small molecules for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company has successfully exploited natural hotspots across multiple target classes including E3 ligases, kinases, and transcription factors. To learn more, visit www.hotspotthera.com. SOURCE HotSpot Therapeutics NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite clear directives outlined in the updated guidelines published by the American College of Rheumatology/National Psoriasis Foundation (ACR/NPF) in 2018, there is limited data regarding medication use in real-world clinical practice and patient medication preferences for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). According to a new study conducted by researchers at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City and presented at the ACR annual meeting, there has been a significant increase in anti-IL17 and anti-phosphodiesterase-4 (anti-PDE4) medications being used as initial treatment for PsA since 2018, which may reflect their inclusion as potential initial therapy in the ACR/NPF guidelines, as well as the importance placed by patients on medication side effects. "Regarding patient medication preferences, we found patients highly value preservation of their joint and function as well as safety," said lead study author Monica Schwartzman, MD, MS, a rheumatologist at HSS. "We can use these findings to help us tailor our therapy to achieve the best outcomes for our patients." PsA is a very heterogenous disease with five distinct patterns of arthritis, which can make it challenging to treat. The disease is associated with a myriad of extra articular manifestations, including skin psoriasis, uveitis, and enthesitis, as well as comorbidities such as metabolic syndrome and depression. The investigators sent surveys to patients in the HSS PsA registry. Preferences were ranked on a five-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all important" to "extremely important." The median age of the 137 respondents was 60 years, and the median duration of PsA skin symptoms, joint symptoms, and PsA diagnosis by a physician was 19, 12, and 8 years respectively. The survey solicited information regarding phenotypic features and characteristics of the respondent's PsA, demographics, initial and current therapy, and medication preferences. Preference domains included medication efficacy for skin and joint disease, time to onset of efficacy, mode and frequency of administration, cost and insurance coverage, need for laboratory monitoring, side-effect profile, ability to affect function, and advice from physicians, peers, or commercial entities. The researchers found that 62% of patients were first treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). The most common initial immunomodulatory medications were anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- (35%), followed by methotrexate (19%), anti-PDE4 (12.4%), other conventional synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic medications (csDMARDs) (11.7%), anti-IL17 (5.1%), and anti-IL23 (2.9%). At survey administration, the most common immunomodulatory therapies were anti-TNF- (30%), followed by anti-IL17 (20.4%), methotrexate (10.2%), anti-PDE4 (8.8%), other csDMARDs (8.0%), Janus kinase inhibitors (2.2%), and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA 4) (1.5%), while 28% of patients were not on any immunomodulatory therapy. Following the publication of the 2018 ACR/NPF updated guidelines for PsA, a significantly higher percentage of patients' first medications was an anti-IL17 compared to 2018 or earlier (30% vs 3.5% P<0.001). This pattern was also seen with anti-PDE4 medications (40% vs 11.5% P<0.012). Medication preferences most respondents ranked as "extremely important" were prevention of joint damage (80%), ability to perform daily activities (71%), prevention of pain (70%), rheumatologist recommendation (63%), and medication side effects (62%). "At HSS, more patients with PsA are being started on an anti-TNF before methotrexate. This likely reflects the fact that many of these patients have axial disease that methotrexate cannot treat effectively," said Lisa A. Mandl, MD, MPH, a rheumatologist at HSS and a study coauthor. "Patients with PsA, who are often younger, are telling us they want to be treated with medication which will keep them mobile and active. It is important to take into consideration when making therapeutic decisions that alleviating pain is not the only concern. Medications like NSAIDs, which may be effective for pain relief, are not aligned with patient's long-term goals, as they are not an effective disease-modifying agent." Dr. Schwartzman said the 2018 guidelines on PsA from the ACR/NPF support a wider range of medications as initial therapy. "Over the last decade or so, our treatment armamentarium has expanded in an incredible way for this disease, and it includes medications with novel mechanisms of action." She added the increasing use of newer agents with novel mechanisms of action may "indicate a therapeutic need unfulfilled by traditional medications." The researchers say more research is needed on the 28% of patients who were not receiving any immunomodulatory therapy. Left untreated, PsA can lead to functional impairment, poor quality of life, and significant morbidity and mortality. About HSS HSS is the world's leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 12th consecutive year), No. 4 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2021-2022), and the best pediatric orthopedic hospital in NY, NJ and CT by U.S. News & World Report "Best Children's Hospitals" list (2021-2022). HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics by Newsweek (2021-2022). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest complication and readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. The global standard total knee replacement was developed at HSS in 1969. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. The HSS Global Innovation Institute was formed in 2016 to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 130 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu. SOURCE Hospital for Special Surgery Related Links www.hss.edu GIBRALTAR, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Huobi Group announced that the migration of Huobi Global's spot trading business to its regulated Gibraltar platform will occur in a staged process with the support and approval of HM Government of Gibraltar's Ministry for Digital and Financial Services, having been given the green light by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission ("GFSC") to commence this process. Huobi Technology (Gibraltar) Co. Ltd, is already a fully licensed and regulated DLT service provider in Gibraltar ("Huobi Gibraltar"). The Gibraltar Government has aimed to provide the highest possible standards for regulated Virtual Asset Exchanges and has welcomed the migration of Huobi Global's spot exchange to its regulated platform in Gibraltar. Gibraltar was the first jurisdiction to have introduced a purpose-built DLT legal and regulatory framework which commenced on the 1st January 2018. Later that year, in 2018, Huobi Gibraltar's DLT license was among the first batch of licenses granted by Gibraltar through this framework. With this license, Huobi Gibraltar has the authority to store and transmit digital assets on behalf of clients, providing a regulated, centralized exchange that can act as an alternative to OTC services. About Huobi Group Huobi Group, a world-leading blockchain company, was founded in 2013 to make breakthroughs in core blockchain technology and further the integration of blockchain technology with other industries. Huobi Group has expanded its products and services to public blockchains, digital asset trading, wallets, mining pools, proprietary investments, project incubation, digital asset research, and more. Huobi Group has established a global digital ecosystem through investing in over 60 upstream and downstream companies across the blockchain industry. SOURCE Huobi MOORESVILLE, N.C., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- With winter on the way, Brian Pysz, co-owner of the Mooresville, Lake Norman HVAC repair compan y Peace Heating and Air Conditioning, knows that many homeowners will soon be searching for HVAC repairmen to ensure their heating system will keep their home toasty and warm. This knowledge inspired Pysz to post a new blog to the company website that discusses the many HVAC-related services Peace Heating and Air Conditioning offers, as well as which areas in North Carolina they serve. To read the new blog, titled "Searching for HVAC Repairman Near Me in the Mooresville, Lake Norman Area" in its entirety, please check out https://peaceheatingandairconditioning.com/2021/10/21/searching-for-hvac-repairman-near-me-in-the-mooresville-lake-norman-area/ . As the blog notes, Peace Heating and Air Conditioning is proud to offer a wide range of services that help ensure HVAC systems are running correctly, smoothly, and economically. "Your home's HVAC system is, in a very real way, the lungs of your house," the blog notes, adding that it pulls in fresh air, heats or cools it to the preferred temperature, and works to expel stale air and particles such as dust and pet dander. "Peace Heating and Air Conditioning are committed to being the HVAC contractor Mooresville, Lake Norman, and the surrounding area can trust for low repair cost and great resultsand we'd like to be the HVAC technicians you call too." Homeowners can rest assured that if they have an issue with their HVAC this winter, or at any time, the friendly and experienced team from Peace Heating and Air Conditioning is ready to help. About Peace Heating and Air Conditioning: At Peace Heating And Air Conditioning, they are proud to be the local heating and AC & Heat Service experts, and they have the tools and expertise to install, repair and maintain all the climate control systems people need to breathe easily. Their highly qualified technicians provide only the best service, and they always work with each family's needs and long-term comfort in mind. For more information on Peace Heating And Air Conditioning, please visit https://peaceheatingandairconditioning.com/ Peace Heating and Air Conditioning 131 Overhill Dr #110, Mooresville, NC 28117 (704) 746-9723 SOURCE Peace Heating and Air Conditioning Related Links http://peaceheatingandairconditioning.com/ Hypefast partners with top SEA-based e-commerce native brands and hyper scales the brands by bringing capital support, a best-in-class retail team, and a centralized retail ecosystem and infrastructure. The company acquires brands while keeping the original brand founders to maintain strong relevancy with local customers. One of the recent acquitions was baby & kids brand from Indonesia that has been growing from $3M to almost $8M revenue in the past 6 months. Launched in January 2020, Hypefast pioneered the e-commerce house of brands business model in Southeast Asia. The insight to start Hypefast came from the founding team's proximity to local e-commerce brands and the struggles these brands faced. Founder and CEO, Achmad Alkatiri, previously worked as CMO Indonesia at Lazada, and prior to that at Shopee Indonesia. "There are very few reasons preventing SEA brands from growing into multi-million USD EBITDA. These brands already have access to cost-efficient manufacturers and a substantial market with strong e-commerce penetration. Most importantly, these local founders understand the needs and wants of the local consumer community much better than international competitors in terms of style, size, fit, aesthetics and price point," said Achmad Alkatiri, Founder and CEO of Hypefast. Alkatiri continued, "I started Hypefast after spending more than six years working closely with local brand founders and seeing their struggles accessing the right talent, capital, scale and operational efficiency - all of which are tied to each other. Hypefast is excited to be growing the local e-commerce brands ecosystem in Southeast Asia along with the amazing local brand founders we have been fortunate to partner with." Unlike the 'acquire fast and acquire many' strategy that brand aggregators in other markets implement, Hypefast is laser focused on quality rather than quantity. Hypefast spends significantly more effort post acquisition, on delivering growth through its end to end retail team, technology, efficient processes, market insights, economies of scale and centralized back-end operations optimization. To date, Hypefast has raised more than $22M of equity and debt capital from top SEA and global investors to take the company one step closer to its overall vision. Investors today include Monk's Hill Ventures, Jungle Ventures, Strive, Arkblu Capital, and Amand Ventures. "Hypefast is at the vanguard of eCommerce 2.0 in Southeast Asia - a shift towards brand- and seller-centric buying. The increasingly sophisticated digital consumer in Southeast Asia cares about who she buys from and who else is buying. Hypefast is building the foremost digital platform that will empower emerging brand owners and entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia to hypercharge their businesses." Kuo-Yi Lim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Monk's Hill Ventures. Yash Sankrityayan, Principal at Jungle Ventures said, "Jungle is proud to have invested in Hypefast multiple times since leading their seed round in early 2020. Our excitement continues to grow because Hypefast's mission-driven founding team is deeply focused on creating a large house of brands in partnership with so many amazing and creative local brand founders. It is because of this aligned goal that we believe Hypefast management has been able to partner rapidly with more than 25 brands already." Hypefast currently has more than 200 team members across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to support the business by pushing brand growth across channels and markets. About Hypefast Hypefast is the pioneer and largest house of e-commerce native brands in Southeast Asia. Hypefast partners with top SEA-based e-commerce native brands and hyper scales the brands by bringing capital support, a best-in-class retail team, and a centralized retail ecosystem and infrastructure. Hypefast was founded by Achmad Alkatiri who previously was Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Lazada Indonesia and currently has over 200 team members across Southeast Asia. For more information, visit https://www.hypefast.id/ For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] / [email protected] Vinda Karuna +6285669066663 PR Manager, Hypefast SOURCE Hypefast After-Tax [email protected]% of US$244.9 Million After-Tax IRR of 34.2% Initial Capital of US$69.9 Million All-in Sustaining Cost (per oz Au produced) of US$963.40 Life of Mine Gold Production of 1,245,900 ounces "The Granite Creek PEA confirms the substantial economic opportunity that can be realized through the development of both open pit and underground mines on the Property", stated Matthew Gili, President and Chief Operating Officer of i-80. "This study contemplates constructing heap leach and CIL facilities on the property for the open pit and trucking refractory material for third party processing. The recent acquisition of the Lone Tree site will allow for the optimization of these facilities as we progress to a Feasibility Study, potentially leading to changes in the ultimate processing plans versus what is presented in the study". Granite Creek is one of four projects being advanced within i-80's portfolio and the Company has made significant progress advancing the project since it was acquired in April of 2021. A major surface and underground drill program (~20,000 metres) is underway and the Company is completing additional underground development and commencing test mining in advance of making a production decision for the underground mine. Granite Creek Preliminary Economic Assessment Global Resource Engineering Ltd. (GRE) was retained by i-80 Gold Corp. (i-80) to complete Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) Technical Report on the Granite Creek Mine Project ("Granite Creek Mine" or "the Property" or "the Project"). Granite Creek is located within the Getchell Trend immediately south of the Turquoise Ridge and Twin Creeks mining operations of Nevada Gold Mines (see Figure 1). Figure 1 Granite Creek Property Location The project economics shown in the PEA are favorable, providing positive NPV values at varying gold prices, capital costs, and operating costs. For the open pit at Granite Creek, the study envisions the construction of a heap leach facility and a CIL plant on-site. For the fully permitted underground operation, trucking of mined material is assumed to processed at an off-site, third-party processing facility. Future economic work will consider processing at the Lone Tree facility that was recently acquired from Nevada Gold Mines and located 43 miles (by road) to the south. Based on the current resource estimates for the Property, the study envisions a mine-life of nine years, producing 1,245,900 ounces of gold with life-of-mine all-in sustaining costs of US$963.40 per ounce of gold. This generates [email protected]% of US$244.9 million and After-Tax IRR of 34.2%. Mineral Resource Estimate Updated mineral resource estimates were completed on the property for the purposes of this PEA incorporating the current drill hole database, previously mined out volumes, and backfilled volumes. Table 1 shows the pit-constrained open pit Mineral Resource at a gold grade cutoff of 0.35 grams/tonne (gpt), and Table 2 shows the underground Mineral Resource at a gold grade cutoff of 5.0 gpt. The ongoing drill program is targeting the continued expansion of resources at Granite Creek. Table 1 Granite Creek Mine Project Open Pit Mineral Resource Class Zone Total Process Material (1000s Tonnes) Total Contained Au (1000s t. oz) Au Grade (ppm) Measured Pit B 2,584 119 1.44 Pit A 281 15 1.61 CX 9,447 436 1.44 MAG 8,546 418 1.52 Total 20,857 988 1.47 Indicated Pit B 272 12 1.34 Pit A 504 14 0.89 CX 2,393 107 1.39 MAG 4,279 171 1.24 Total 7,448 304 1.27 Measured + Indicated Pit B 2,856 131 1.43 Pit A 785 29 1.14 CX 11,840 543 1.43 MAG 12,824 588 1.43 Total 28,306 1,291 1.42 Inferred Pit B 23 1 0.74 Pit A 120 2 0.62 CX 1,100 46 1.29 MAG 288 13 1.42 Total 1,531 62 1.26 1) The effective date of the Mineral Resources Estimate is May 4, 2021. 2) The Qualified Persons for the estimate are Terre Lane QP-MMSA and Hamid Samari QP-MMSA of GRE. 3) Mineral resources are not Mineral Reserves and are not demonstrably economically recoverable. 4) Mineral resources are reported at a 0.35 g/t cutoff, an assumed gold price of 1,800 $/tr. oz, using variable recovery, a slope angle of 41 degrees, 6% royalty, heap leach processing cost $9.92 per tonne (includes admin), CIL processing cost of $17.63 per tonne (includes admin). Table 2 Granite Creek Mine Project Underground Mineral Resource Resource Class Tonnage (1000s of tonnes) Gold Grade (g/t) Gold Oz (1000s t. oz) Measured 483 10.07 156 Indicated 525 10.70 181 M&I 1,008 10.40 337 Inferred 741 13.41 319 1) Mineral Resources are not Mineral Reserves, and as such, do not have demonstrated economic viability. 2) Cut-off is 5 gpt based on Mining Cost of $100/ton, Process Cost of $106/ton, recovery of 92%, and a gold price of $1600/t. oz. 3) Effective Date is May 4, 2021. 4) Figures are rounded and may show apparent errors in subtotals. Mining Methods Mine plans for the resource areas were designed and planned using conventional open pit mining method for the low grade, widely distributed gold. The open pit areas are suitable for phased designs. Mechanized over-hand cut and fill underground mining method was selected for the narrow, high-grade deposits. This method was chosen for its ability to mine narrow vein deposits while minimizing dilution and reducing labor cost. The underground area utilizes the previous mine development and includes new development to replace the current access which will be destroyed when the CX pit is mined. Sensitivity Analysis GRE evaluated the after-tax [email protected]% sensitivity to changes in gold price, capital costs, and operating costs. The results indicate that the after-tax [email protected]% is most sensitive to gold price, moderately sensitive to operating cost, and least sensitive to capital cost. Figure 2 - [email protected]% Sensitivity to Varying Gold Price, Capital Costs, and Operating Costs Conclusions and Next Steps GRE concluded that the project economics shown in the PEA are favorable, providing positive NPV values at varying gold prices, capital costs, and operating costs. The current underground trial mining program is aimed at gaining a better understanding of the optimal mining cycle required for the project and to advance development of the underground workings to provide for more working faces to mine from in a commercial production scenario. The ongoing drill campaign is designed to delineate and expand the underground deposits and to better understand the metallurgy and geotechnical characteristics of the open pit opportunity. The Company has initiated preliminary permitting studies required for open pit mining. Expansion drilling is stepping out at depth and along strike where the deposit remains open and results from this program will be released throughout the balance of 2021 and well into 2022 with the target of completing a Feasibility Study in the future. About i-80 Gold Corp. i-80 Gold Corp. is a well-financed Nevada-focused mining company with a goal of achieving mid-tier gold producer status. The Company is one of the largest holders of gold and silver resources in the State of Nevada with plans to advance multiple projects to production. Global Mineral Resources Tonnes Au Grade Ag Grade Au Ounces Ag Ounces (kt) (Au g/t) (Ag g/t (Koz) (Koz) Measured Granite Creek - Open Pit 20,857 1.47 988 Granite Creek - Underground 483 10.07 156 Lone Tree - Open Pit McCoy-Cove - Underground Ruby Hill - Open Pit Ruby Hill - Underground Indicated Granite Creek - Open Pit 7,448 1.27 304 Granite Creek - Underground 525 10.70 181 Lone Tree - Open Pit 7,223 1.77 410 McCoy-Cove - Underground 1,007 10.90 29.1 351 943 Ruby Hill - Open Pit 224,400 0.54 14.3 3,874 103,335 Ruby Hill - Underground 1,200 5.22 0.6 202 22 Measured & Indicated 263,144 0.76 12.33 6,465 104,300 Inferred Granite Creek - Open Pit 1,531 1.26 62 Granite Creek - Underground 741 13.41 319 Lone Tree - Open Pit 50,734 1.69 2,764 McCoy-Cove - Underground 3,867 10.90 20.6 1,353 2,565 Ruby Hill - Open Pit 162,700 0.39 14.0 2,062 73,472 Ruby Hill - Underground 8,210 6.02 1.7 1,588 439 Inferred 227,783 1.11 10.4 8,148 76,476 Notes: MCOY-COVE: Mineral Resources were calculated at a gold price of US$1500/oz, cut-off grade 0.141 opt Au. and is based on the Preliminary Economic Assessment issued by i-80 on April 13, 2021. Practical Mining LLC, under the supervision of Dagny Odell, P.E., Laura Symmes, SME, and Robert Raponi, P. Eng., each being Qualified Persons within the meaning National Instrument (NI) 43-101, was the lead consultant for the Project PEA. GRANITE CREEK: Mineral Resources have an effective date of May 4, 2021 and are based on the mineral resource technical report issued by i-80 on October 29, 2021. The Qualified Persons for the estimate are Terre Lane QP-MMSA and Hamid Samari QP-MMSA of GRE. Open Pit Mineral resources are reported at a 0.35 g/t cutoff, an assumed gold price of 1,800 $/tr. oz, using variable recovery, a slope angle of 41 degrees, 6% royalty, heap leach processing cost $9.92 per tonne (includes admin), CIL processing cost of $17.63 per tonne (includes admin). Underground mineral resources are reported at a cut-off grade of 5 gpt based on Mining Cost of $100/ton, Process Cost of $106/ton, recovery of 92%, and a gold price of $1600/t. oz LONE TREE: Mineral Resources were calculated at a gold price of US$1650/oz, cut-off grade of 0.1 g/t Au and are based on the mineral resource technical report issued by i-80 on October 21, 2021. Mr. Abani Samal, Ph.D., CPG, RM- SME, Fellow-SEG a GeoGlobal, LLC Principal is the Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource estimate. RUBY HILL: Mineral Resources were calculated at a gold price of US$1650/oz, cut-off grade 0.1 g/t Au. and are based on the mineral resource technical report issued by i-80 on October 22, 2021. Mr. Christopher Wright, P. Geo, a Wood Canada Ltd. employee, is the Qualified Person responsible for the Mineral Resource estimate. Figures are rounded and may show apparent errors in subtotals. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Qualified Person Global Resource Engineering, Ltd., under the supervision of Terre Lane, MMSA 01407QP, SME Registered Member 4053005, Todd Harvey, PhD, PE, SME Registered Member 4144120, Rick Moritz, MMSA, Hamid Samari, PhD, MMSA and Larry Breckenridge, P.E., all Qualified Persons within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101"), are the Qualified Persons responsible for the Granite Creek Mine Project Preliminary Economic Assessment NI 43-101 Technical Report. A technical report detailing the mineral resource estimate has been filed with Canadian Securities regulators and can be found . Technical Information Tim George, PE, Manager of Engineering Services, reviewed the technical and scientific information contained in this press release and is a Qualified Person within the meaning of NI 43-101. Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including but not limited to, financing transaction with Orion, completion of refurbishment and development activities at the Lone Tree project, commencement of mining operations at the Lone Tree and Buffalo Mountain projects or exploration and development activities the Ruby Hill mine. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to: failure to satisfy of the relevant conditions to the completion of the transactions described herein, failure to obtain the relevant regulatory approvals, material adverse changes, exercise of termination rights by any relevant party, unexpected changes in laws, failure to complete the Orion financing transaction on satisfactory terms, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration, refurbishment, development or mining programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations. Cautionary Note to U.S. Investors Concerning Estimates of Resources: This press release uses the term "inferred resources." "Inferred resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of a feasibility study or prefeasibility study, except in rare cases. Information contained in the press release containing descriptions of any mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements under the United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder that disclose mineral reserves and mineral resources in accordance with Industry Guide 7 or the SEC's new mining disclosure rules in Regulation S-K 1300. SEC Industry Guide 7 does not recognize the existence of resources. Under Regulation S-K 1300, reserve and resource definitions are substantially similar to the corresponding CIM Definition Standards; however, there are differences between NI 43-101 and Regulation S-K 1300 and therefore information contained in the press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by public U.S. companies pursuant to the Regulation S-K 1300 or SEC Industry Guide 7. 1. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. See Global mineral resources table at the end of this press release for global mineral resource estimates and qualifiers. SOURCE i-80 Gold Corp Related Links www.i80gold.com WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO), publisher of the Uniform Codes, the provisions of which protect people across five continents, has been awarded a four-year grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration's (ITA) Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP). Now a two-time recipient, IAPMO previously received the MDCP grant in 2013. Through this project, IAPMO will work with U.S. manufacturers to increase the flow of plumbing exports to Southeast Asian countries by removing burdensome export requirements and technical barriers to trade currently in place. Ultimately, this collaboration between ITA and IAPMO will help countries meet critical infrastructure and climatic trends in the region, paving the way for increased U.S. exports of environmental-related technologies and services for decades to come. The MDCP program provides financial and technical assistance to support projects that encourage U.S. companies to export. Projects range in scope from helping companies to secure export financing to addressing non-tariff barriers to U.S. exports such as discriminatory regulations, local content requirements, and onerous conformity assessment requirements. "I applaud IAPMO on receiving a 2021 Market Development Cooperator Program award for its devotion to promoting clean water and sanitation," said U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. "IAPMO's work in testing and standards aims to help navigate export pathways for U.S. companies while also cutting costs and relieving burdens for U.S. exporters in certain Indo-Pacific markets. This kind of innovation is crucial in recovering our economy and increasing competitiveness of American industries." Through this funding, IAPMO will help expand United States exports in the following manner: Provide a more efficient testing and certification alternative for plastic pipes in Indonesia , easing the pathway for U.S. manufacturers to compete in government procurements. , easing the pathway for U.S. manufacturers to compete in government procurements. Have the Bureau of Philippine Standards (BPS) designate IAPMO as a recognized testing laboratory for sanitaryware, reducing the costs and burden for U.S. exporters in the market. Southeast Asian countries have identified water, including water conservation and efficient use, as a key driver to sustainable development. However, the region reports substantially lower changes in water efficiency over time compared to other developed regions in the world according to the United Nations. "We are thrilled to have been awarded another federal grant by the International Trade Administration," said IAPMO CEO Dave Viola. "Our public-private partnership with the Department of Commerce has proven overwhelmingly successful and beneficial not only to IAPMO and the industry, but also to the countries with whom we partner." IAPMO's 2013 MDCP grant intended to increase the competitiveness of the U.S. plumbing supply industry abroad by generating exports to Indonesia was extremely successful. A 2013 memorandum of understanding between IAPMO and Indonesia's National Standardzation Agency resulted in a comprehensive body of regulations SNI 8153:2015, Plumbing Systems for Buildings being adopted as the technical basis for Indonesia's water/sanitation infrastructure. As a result, total annualized U.S. plumbing exports to Indonesia increased by 85% over the pre-project period baseline. SOURCE International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) Related Links https://www.iapmo.org "We couldn't think of a more apt thank you to our growing customer base in the U.S., than to favor them with blends specially crafted for the American palette," said Chris Mattina, CEO Rainmaker Food Solutions, LLC. "We want as many people as possible to taste what makes Tchibo so special, and what better way than to provide an entire bag of perfectly roasted coffee for free!" Tchibo entered the U.S. market in 2020 in eight Midwestern markets, and soon dotted the shelves of major retailers including Meijer, Jewel-Osco, and Spartan Nash stores such as FamilyFare and Buschs, totaling close to 2,700 distribution points. With an aim to disrupt the highly competitive coffee space, Tchibo, launched an irreverent marketing campaign with billboards, ads and social media campaigns, with tongue-in-cheek taglines such as "Hello TChicago," "The T is Silent, The Freshness Isn't," and "Sent to Finishing School in Europe," among others. Tchibo has also engaged in experiential pop ups across Chicago for International Coffee Month and the upcoming Christkindlmarket. The Million Bag Giveaway is another innovative marketing initiative designed to "spill the beans" about the brand with coffee connoisseurs around the country. What sets Tchibo apart is its commitment to a more sustainable and fresher coffee experience. Tchibo is distributed by Rainmaker Food Solutions, LLC, a distribution partner renowned for offering consumers better food choices in a responsible, honest, contemporary and sustainable manner. The four Tchibo varieties created specifically for the U.S. market are Morning Blend, Colombia Origin, Classic Blend and Rostmeister. Customers have a choice of whole bean or ground coffee as part of the Million Bag Giveaway. To learn more about Tchibo, visit Tchibo.com ; follow on Instagram and Facebook . About Tchibo Founded in 1949, Tchibo has been delighting coffee connoisseurs for over 70 years, becoming the #1 coffeehouse in Europe. Now available in the U.S. and carried throughout Europe, Tchibo is the roasted coffee market leader in several European countries. In addition to coffee products, Tchibo operates a wide range of non-food businesses in Europe with a large retail arm operating in more than 900 shops, 24,300 outposts at third-party retail outlets, and online stores. Tchibo has 11,450 employees worldwide, and generated revenues of over $3.6 billion in 2019. The Tchibo difference is grounded in the concept of ROST FRISCH, redefining what it means to be fresh. From growing and harvesting to roasting and packaging, every step in the Tchibo process is 'fresher by design' and dedicated to creating exquisitely fresh coffee for consumers to enjoy at home. Tchibo recognizes that it is imperative to have a healthy planet to achieve the freshest and most sustainable coffee. With global headquarters in Hamburg, the family-owned business has been recognized with multiple awards for its sustainable, fair-trade practices, including the award for Corporate Ethics and the Environmental Logistics Award and the European Union's CSR Award. In 2016 Tchibo was awarded Germany's most sustainable major enterprise. Learn more at Tchibo.com ; follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Contact: Sabrina Christiansen [email protected], 801.836.0789 SOURCE Tchibo Under the terms of the transaction, Immutable Holdings will acquire MyHBARWallet.com in exchange for a combination of cash and stock. LaunchBadge, LLC CEO Ken Anderson and CTO Ryan Leckey will continue operations and development of the product, now with the strategic support of Immutable Holdings. The acquisition is expected to be completed by December 1 st , 2021. "Wallets are foundational to the growth of any token based ecosystem. We're committed to investing in and growing the HBAR ecosystem and this acquisition is a great first step," said Jordan Fried, CEO of Immutable Holdings. "With our financial and strategic support, we believe MyHBARWallet can be one of the leading wallets in the ecosystem." "We couldn't ask for a better partner in Immutable Holdings and Jordan Fried," said Anderson. "With Immutable's support, we look forward to making MyHBARWallet an even better experience for HBAR holders." About Immutable Holdings Inc. Immutable Holdings (NEO:HOLD), the Blockchain Holding Company, is on a mission to democratize access to Web3 and blockchain-based products and services. Founded by Jordan Fried, a founding team member of the $11B Hedera Hashgraph network, Immutable Holdings already boasts over $150M under management and a portfolio of businesses and brands built on the blockchain ecosystem: 1800Bitcoin.com, Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC.com), HBAR Labs, Immutable Advisory, Immutable Asset Management and NFT.com. To learn more, visit https://immutableholdings.com/. About MyHbarWallet.com MyHbarWallet.com hosts an open-source, browser-based wallet for HBAR on the Hedera Hashgraph network. Hedera is a registered trademark of Hedera Hashgraph LLC, and is not affiliated with Immutable Holdings Inc., MyHbarWallet.com or LaunchBadge, LLC Completion of the transaction is subject to a number of conditions and there can be no assurance that the transaction will be completed as contemplated or at all. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Information: This news release contains "forwardlooking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation, which is also referred to as "forwardlooking statements". Such forward-looking statements may not be based on historical fact that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions that may not be realized. Wherever possible, words such as "will", "plans," "expects," "targets," "continues", "estimates," "scheduled," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "may," "could," "would" or might, and the negative of such expressions or statements that certain actions, events or results "may," "could," "would," "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, have been used to identify forwardlooking information. Forwardlooking statements should not be read as guarantees of future events, future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of the times at, or by which, such events, performance or results will be achieved, if achieved at all. A number of factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements relate to future events or future performance and reflect management's current expectations and assumptions which, while considered reasonable by Immutable Holdings, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, regulatory, competitive, political and social uncertainties, and contingencies, including, but not limited to, the ability of Immutable Holdings to succeed in carrying out its business, satisfaction of the conditions to closing of the transaction discussed herein and that the parties will be able to obtain shareholder, director and regulatory approval, as applicable. The inclusion of forward-looking statements and information should not be regarded as a representation by Immutable Holdings or any other person that the anticipated results will be achieved and investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such information. Although Immutable Holdings has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Immutable Holdings does not assume any obligation to update or revise this information to reflect new events or circumstances except as required in accordance with applicable laws. Forwardlooking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary note. Media Contact: Alise Murawski [email protected] SOURCE Immutable Holdings Related Links https://immutableholdings.com SEOUL, South Korea, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Global businesses and institutes are knocking on the door to the Hanmi Science Consortium having proprietary LNP technology. After Hanmi Science concluded a 'pandemic science alliance agreement' with the University of Oxford, increasingly more entities are joining the consortium to join hands to remove the so-called 'COVID-19 vaccine divide'. According to the Hanmi Science Consortium on the 8th, InnoRNA, biotech company based in China, decided to join the consortium. Founded in 2019, InnoRNA is one of the 50 most innovative global companies named by MIT Technology Review. Dr. Li Linxian, CEO of the company, studied the LNP delivery platform technologies in MIT together with Professor Robert Langer, founder of Moderna. With its proprietary library of over LNP assemblies, InnoRNA developed a candidate substance for COVID-19 messenger mRNA vaccine. The company has already completed a pre-trial phase, and plans to submit an IND (investigational new drug application). Headed by Hanmi Science, the Hanmi Science Consortium has been joined by Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, Coree, GeneOne Life Science, Innovio, Bioapp Green Vaccine, Herings Digital Therapeutics, Myongji Medical Foundation, GS Neotek, POSTECH and Pohang City, to name a few. The consortium is run on a separate track from the K-mRNA Consortium organized by Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, ST Pharm, and GC Pharma. Funded by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Hanmi Science Consortium will play the role of a vaccine hub for the Asia-Pacific region. The consortium vows to develop mRNA technologies, new paradigm for new drug development and produce mRNA vaccines to supply the unmet demands for COVID-19 vaccine. The consortium forged a pandemic science alliance agreement with the University of Oxford on the 26th of last month to prevent new and variant infectious diseases. Then, eWW, global social enterprise, and Gemelli University Hospital (Italian: Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Agostino Gemelli), and so forth decided to join the consortium. Candidate substances jointly developed by the consortium can be produced respectively in Pyongtaek Bioplant of Hanmi Pharmaceuticals, InnoRNA of China, GeneOne Bio Science in the United States, and Europe. Necessary raw materials will be supplied by Hanmi Fine Chemical. President and CEO Lim, Chong-yoon of Hanmi Science said, "We are excited to have InnoRNA onboard,:" and added, "Vaccine technologies and know-how of InnoRNA having access to world's top-tier LNP will turn out to be a great booster for our research programs." Dr. Li Linxian, CEO of InnoRNA commented, "We are honored to be with globally reputed medical, medical science, and science/technology leader organizations in the Hanmi Science Consortium." SOURCE Hanmi Science The Company will provide high-resolution geospatial data to enable TATA's network expansion TATA utilizes Intermap's elevation data as a service for network planning DENVER, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Intermap Technologies (TSX: IMP) (OTCQX: ITMSF) ("Intermap" or the "Company"), a global leader in geospatial content development and intelligence solutions, today announced the expansion of its contract with and continuing support of TATA Communications to expand wireless telecommunications networks in major Indian cities. Intermap has announced expected newly recurring revenue of at least $3 million since the end of Q3 2021, as the TATA award fully ramps up over the next 24 months, and including the recently announced new 5-year GPSC4 contract with the USGS. "Driven by a proliferation of data from multiple new sources, including space, Intermap is experiencing rapid growth within its existing data and software subscription accounts around the world. Our customers are leveraging Intermap's trusted and proprietary IRIS technology to make multisource geospatial information useful across multiple domains, turning their geospatial information into actionable intelligence that is not dependent upon a single source or sensor," said Patrick A. Blott, Intermap's Chairman and CEO. "We are delivering high-resolution, multisource 3D digital surface models for all of India, taking advantage of Intermap's proprietary foundation data, automated feature extraction capabilities, and customer datasets to enable accounts like TATA Communications to expand its network and provide essential services across major Indian cities, integrated into existing workflows, and seamlessly providing accurate and fast answers to geospatial problems." With over 3,200,000 square kilometers of landmass and persistent cloud cover, haze, smoke, smog and other atmospheric impediments, India presents unique challenges for companies with workflows that require geospatial intelligence. Intermap's patented IRIS data processing engine fills that data gap for TATA by integrating multisource inputs to ensure data production across all domains, in even the most austere environments, from mountainous regions in the north through the Deccan plateau to the southernmost tip of the subcontinent. High-precision, remote data reduces dependency on manned utility vehicles, allowing network planners to build and maintain their assets remotely. While North America is the largest market for GIS telecom services, Asia-Pacific is experiencing the fastest growth. TATA Communications is a global telecom leader connecting 80% of the world's mobile subscribers in over 200 countries. TATA is rapidly expanding its fiber route and wireline capabilities to all Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 urban areas in India, which includes all cities with a population over 20,000. Intermap's expertise in large-scale 3D+ data processing and delivery enables TATA to implement millimeter wavelength network coverage. The network expansion is a massive geospatial problem to solve, and India is a vastly underserved market for telecommunications and 3D elevation products. Globally, the GIS telecom market is expected to grow to $4.6 billion by 2030 with a CAGR of 12.2% from 2020 to 2030. Intermap intends to capitalize on this growth by providing its unmatched solutions for telecom network planning. The Company's elevation data as a service (EDaaS) solution for telecom network planning increases the efficiency and reduces the cost of planning operations for companies that operate at a large scale. Intermap builds and curates content solutions that are fit for purpose and installed through API to maximize speed, efficiency and persistence. EDaaS delivers high-resolution, 3D, multisource datasets at resolutions better than 1-meter vertical accuracy and 25cm imagery that are integrated with existing software and workflows to provide fast and accurate answers for locations anywhere in the world. Intermap has received requests for data in 1,200 Indian cities, with additional cities added as the demand for network coverage across the country continues to increase. Intermap's digital elevation surface and terrain models have a wide variety of applications in addition to telecommunications, including insurance, transportation planning, agriculture, topographic mapping and water resources management. To learn more, watch the recent interview with GIS Cafe where Intermap's CEO discusses next-generation 3D GEOINT solutions here. Intermap Reader Advisory Certain information provided in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements, including expected recurring revenue. The words "anticipate", "expect", "project", "estimate", "forecast", "will be", "will consider", "intends" and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Although Intermap believes that these statements are based on information and assumptions which are current, reasonable and complete, these statements are necessarily subject to a variety of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Intermap's forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties pertaining to, among other things, cash available to fund operations, availability of capital, revenue fluctuations, nature of government contracts, economic conditions, loss of key customers, retention and availability of executive talent, competing technologies, common share price volatility, loss of proprietary information, software functionality, internet and system infrastructure functionality, information technology security, breakdown of strategic alliances, and international and political considerations, as well as those risks and uncertainties discussed Intermap's Annual Information Form and other securities filings. While the Company makes these forward-looking statements in good faith, should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary significantly from those expected. Accordingly, no assurances can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that the Company will derive therefrom. All subsequent forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, attributable to Intermap or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements made herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities law. About Intermap Technologies Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, Intermap (TSX: IMP) (OTCQX: ITMSF) is a global leader in geospatial intelligence solutions. The Company's proprietary NEXTMap database and value-added geospatial data management, processing, analytics, fusion and orthorectification software and solutions are utilized across a range of industries that rely on accurate, high-resolution elevation data, including aviation, engineering, environmental planning, government markets, hydrology, insurance, land management, law enforcement and patrol, oil and gas, renewable energy, telecommunications, transportation and utilities. Intermap's commercial applications include location-based intelligence, risk assessment, geographic information systems, global positioning systems and 3D visualization. For more information, please visit www.intermap.com. SOURCE Intermap Technologies Corporation Related Links https://www.intermap.com/ BOSTON and DANVERS, Mass., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Insight Service Group (ISG), a national provider of claim investigation and litigation support to the insurance community, and Shift Technology, a provider of AI-driven decision automation and optimization solutions for the global insurance industry, today announced the two organizations have entered an industry leading partnership. As a result, insurance carriers, third party administrators and self-insured organizations in the workers' compensation, and property and casualty markets can better detect, quickly intervene, and mitigate suspicious claim activity through the strategic use of integrated technology and investigation services. Shift Claims Fraud Detection uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to identify suspicious claims more effectively and accurately assess the associated risk of fraud. Through this partnership, the Shift solution will be integrated with ISG's market-leading investigation capabilities, which includes the industry's largest field investigation footprint and a powerful social intelligence platform. The partnership will provide claims organizations a seamless approach to early intervention and timely field investigations to mitigate fraud and expedite claim outcomes. "We are pleased to partner with a company that shares our mission of helping clients achieve optimal claims outcomes," said Robert Reardon, CEO of ISG. "Through our integrated solution, we will be able to deliver an even higher level of fraud mitigation services to our customers and produce timely and meaningful results. This collaborative approach to mitigating fraud pairs the expertise of two companies and creates a single point of integration for our customers." The partnership between ISG and Shift brings together two widely recognized leaders in the field of insurance fraud detection and investigation. Working in concert, Shift Claims Fraud Detection delivers actionable alerts, including comprehensive rationale for suspicion, directly to ISG's experienced investigators. The joint offering provides the foundation for highly configurable and scalable fraud mitigation programs that align with insurers' staffing requirements and other strategic considerations. "The efficiency and accuracy technology brings to the fight against fraud is fundamentally changing the way the insurance industry thinks about fraud detection and investigation," stated Jeremy Jawish, CEO and co-founder, Shift Technology. "Partnering with ISG will create new opportunities for more participants in the insurance industry to take advantage of not only advanced technology but also the experience of dedicated professionals committed to stopping insurance fraud." About Insight Service Group (ISG) ISG is a national market leader and technology driven service provider delivering a unique combination of Investigation , Medical , Record management as well as Medicare Compliance solutions that offer claim and litigation support to both insurance and legal communities. ISG provides services to insurance carriers, fortune 500 companies, third party administrators, risk management communities and legal defense firms. With over twenty-five years of experience and a comprehensive understanding of the industry challenges, ISG offers targeted, adaptable programs that result in a reduction in unnecessary losses typically from fraudulent claim activity or inflated claim losses. ISG services over 52,000 insurance and claim colleagues and over 20,000 lawyers across the industry. We create impactful solutions and build partnerships based on trust, innovation, experience and accountability. For more information, please visit www.isgvalue.com. About Shift Technology Shift Technology delivers the only AI-native decision automation and optimization solutions built specifically for the global insurance industry. Addressing several critical processes across the insurance policy lifecycle, the Shift Insurance Suite helps insurers achieve faster, more accurate claims and policy resolutions. Shift has analyzed billions of insurance transactions to date and was presented Frost & Sullivan's 2020 Global Claims Solutions for Insurance Market Leadership Award. For more information, please visit www.shift-technology.com. Contacts: Rachel Wey Rob Morton Chief Client Officer Corporate Communications ISG Shift Technology +1.917.488.4057 +1.617.416.9216 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Shift Technology Related Links https://www.shift-technology.com During the week-long tests at Dugway Proving Ground, more than a dozen HERO-120SF (MLAM) were launched and effectively engaged fixed and moving military targets at extensive ranges and in challenging terrain. The HERO-120SF demonstrated an exceedingly high level of accuracy, maneuverability, ease of operation, and successfully engaged assigned targets. The HERO-120SF hits one of the assigned targets during the recent testing Under the purview of IWTSD, the Mistral/UVision team developed, tested, and delivered the HERO-120SF Loitering Strike Munition providing the U.S. Special Operations Forces a low signature, pneumatic launch, long-endurance, highly lethal, precision indirect fire capability. "Mistral and UVision are pleased to provide the U.S. Special Operations Forces with this precision strike system. Additionally, we wish to acknowledge and thank our partners IWTSD (Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate) for their guidance and support which was vital to the development of the MLAM HERO-120SF. Further, Mistral and UVision also want to thank our team members: Spectra, GD-OTS, PER, and Dynetics for their ongoing support," said Ms. S Banai, President of Mistral Inc. "This successful conclusion of the exercise in Dugway marks an important phase for the maturation of our products," says Jim Truxel, CEO of UVision USA. "As part of the US operations growth, UVision USA and Mistral are ready to provide the US SOF warrior with local support and effective maintenance for the MLAM HERO-120SF." About Mistral Inc. Mistral Inc, a Maryland-based company, focuses on bridging the operational gaps of our warfighters with practical and cost-effective solutions. Mistral is a leader in designing, developing, and producing systems solutions within the global defense and law enforcement markets. About UVision Air Ltd. UVision designs and manufactures combat-proven, smart loitering munition systems, providing military organizations around the world with precise and effective attack capabilities. UViusion's cost-effective systems are based on cutting-edge technology and 30 years of extensive field experience by military professionals, engineers, and the company's own management team. All of the UVision Hero products including the HERO-120SF will be manufactured by UVision USA in the United States. Related Links http://www.mistralinc.com/ SOURCE Mistral Inc. Related Links https://www.mistralinc.com PHOENIX, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Namecheap, the world's second-largest domain registrar and a leading technology company, introduces Jellyfish - a new top-notch spam management tool. Started in a break room by two ambitious team members, Alex Bazhanov and Andrii Martynyuk, an idea of building a brand new anti-spam system to better serve Namecheap customers, grew into a full-fledged product. Jellyfish uses machine-learning to intelligently discover the latest threats and block them, while allowing in a user's legitimate messages. Currently over one million users are using Namecheap's in-house anti-spam protection. Since Jellyfish launched in beta in 2020, replacing the previous external anti-spam provider, Namecheap has seen the number of spam-related requests to customer support reduce by 64%. "As a jellyfish uses its tentacles to hunt their prey and for protection, in the same way, our product will both capture malicious emails and protect our clients from email threats," said Richard Kirkendall, Namecheap CEO. How Jellyfish works When Jellyfish is enabled by a simple toggle switch, all incoming emails travel through its filtering system. If an email is likely to be spam, it is contained within a spam folder, or instantly discarded. If the email is valid and safe, Jellyfish will deliver it right into the user's inbox. Right now, Jellyfish as a spam filter protects all Shared Hosting and Private Email users, as well as emails sent to forwarding addresses used by BasicDNS, PremiumDNS, or FreeDNS Namecheap users, and all emails sent to domain owners with Domain Privacy Protection. By performing checks on incoming emails, attachments, images, and files, Jellyfish scans the lot and blocks anything harmful. Jellyfish runs a hefty 400+ filter modules to detect email threats and uses machine-learning technology to block spam. Jellyfish is continually using machine learning to identify known and new threats. Existing customers can personalize their mailboxes against specific spam threats, block or accept emails by subject, domain name or a set of conditions. To learn more about Jellyfish and get the most advanced spam management tool for FREE, visit Jellyfish official page . Also, read the inspiring story about Jellyfish creation on Namecheap's blog. To celebrate the official launch of Jellyfish, Professional Business Email is now running a sale till November 15th: - New customers can enjoy a 45% saving on all new plans. - Existing Private Email customers can save 45% on renewals. To take advantage of the deal, customers should visit the Professional Business Email page and use the promo code UREADY4JELLY. About Namecheap Namecheap is an ICANN-accredited domain registrar and technology company founded in 2000 by CEO Richard Kirkendall. Celebrating two decades of providing unparalleled levels of service, security, and support, Namecheap has been steadfast in customer satisfaction. With over 14 million domains under management, Namecheap.com is among the top domain registrars and web hosting providers in the world. To learn more about Namecheap, visit namecheap.com . SOURCE Namecheap Related Links http://www.namecheap.com CANTON, Conn., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Kelyniam Global (OTC:KLYG), a maker of custom cranial implants, today announced results for its third quarter ended September 30, 2021. "Strong quarterly sales growth in Q3 made up for delayed procedures due to the Covid 19 Delta variant that affected scheduling in Q2, resulting in YTD sales being approximately flat to the same period last year. We are pleased to see that our focus on margin and profitability is paying off," said Ross Bjella, Kelyniam's CEO. "The Company is hopeful that the sales momentum in Q3 will continue into Q4 but acknowledge the pandemic could continue to negatively impact sales in certain regions." Financial performance for the nine months ended September 30, 2021 compared to the nine months over the same period in 2020 includes: Total revenue of $1,953,267 compared to $1,970,812 , a decrease of 0.9% compared to , a decrease of 0.9% Gross margin of $1,494,067 compared to $956,173 . compared to . Operating income of $140,568 compared to $133,316 compared to Net Income $222,353 compared to net income of $117,651 over the prior year On November 5, 2021, OTC Markets changed the status of KLYG shares to "Pink Current." This change allows investors to more freely buy and sell shares of the Company. The company also reported that it's Paycheck Protection Plan Loan balance of $144,000 was forgiven. The accounting effects of this forgiveness occurred in the 3rd quarter. "I am extremely pleased of the progress we are making in the market and with improvements to our internal processes and controls," said Bjella. "We continue to work closely with the FDA to resolve issues documented during the last audit and to aggressively pursue protection measures for our intellectual property." The complete financials can be found on the company's website at www.Kelyniam.com. Kelyniam Inc., specializes in the rapid production of custom prosthetics utilizing computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing of advanced medical grade polymers. The Company develops, manufactures, and distributes custom cranial and maxillo-facial implants for patients requiring the reconstruction of cranial and certain facial structures. Kelyniam works directly with surgeons, health systems and payors to improve clinical and cost-of-care outcomes. Kelyniam's web site address is www.Kelyniam.com. As a cautionary note to investors, certain matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such matters involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the following: changes in economic conditions; general competitive factors; the Company's ability to execute its service and product sales plans; changes in the status of ability to market products; and the risks described from time to time in the Company's SEC reports. SOURCE Kelyniam Global, Inc. Related Links http://www.kelyniam.com "There is a significant need for higher quality senior living options around the region, and the City of Livermore is an underserved market," said Scott Murray, partner for Mana Investments. "We're thrilled the city continues to embrace our overall vision and we are excited to give prospective senior residents another housing option, while also supporting the new office and lifestyle tenants who will benefit from the adjacent senior housing community." The Well at Sunset, located at Holmes Street and Concannon Boulevard (formerly known as the Sunset Office Plaza), has been revived and rebranded over the past three years to fit a modern wellness-focused lifestyle. The original complex was built in 1978 and had been vacant since 2013. The first phase of the revitalized project features 49,000 square-feet of office and lifestyle space in six single-story buildings, and is anticipated to be fully open by spring 2022. "Despite challenges arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, we are pleased to see our vision of creating a live-work-play environment for the Livermore residents is coming to fruition," said Sean Rohland, managing director for Hunter Street Partners. "We continue to see great interest and acquire top-notch medical and creative tenants looking for a clean and modern space, as well as offer a lifestyle-focused location for both their clients and employees." The site offers abundant amenities such as walking trails, an outdoor office area, open space, and is conveniently located to allow tenants a car-free commute. To date, more than a third of the available office space has been leased by various tenants including: Allstate Insurance Bubb's Bagels and Coffee will offer homemade-style bagels and locally roasted coffee. Charming Fig a local boutique cafe and catering company set to open their first brick and mortar store will offer full-service catering, cheese boxes and charcuterie boards, grazing tables and workshops. Extreme Pizza will feature innovative combinations and offer indoor and outdoor seating as well as craft beer options. Learning Tree Preschool a STEM based preschool that will have full-time, part-time and drop-in programs. Perfect 10 Nail Spa will offer manicure, pedicure and facial packages. Furthermore, potential tenants in lease negotiations include a real estate brokerage firm, medical spa, dentist, therapist, orthodontist and chiropractor. The complex will also offer a build-to-suit program allowing medical users a turnkey approach to occupying new office space. "The Well at Sunset will provide a special atmosphere that is truly needed for our community including our senior residents," said Robert Carling, City Council member for the City of Livermore. "We are excited to see this part of town soon reenergized with new tenants and being a place for both locals and visitors to enjoy again." For more information about The Well at Sunset, go to thewellatsunset.com. For more information regarding leasing opportunities, contact Scott Murray at (408) 406-6000 or [email protected]. ABOUT MANA INVESTMENTS Mana Investments is a vertically integrated California-based alternative investment firm with a focus on adding value within the real estate sector. The firm targets acquisitions throughout the western United States and prides themselves on enhancement through thoughtful design. For more information, visit manainv.com. ABOUT HUNTER STREET PARTNERS Hunter Street Partners is a Minneapolis-based alternative investment management firm that provides capital solutions to operating partner teams and lower middle market companies across corporate finance, real estate, and specialty finance. The firm is focused on fundamentals-driven, asset-oriented credit and equity opportunities. Learn more about Hunter Street Partners at hunterst.com. Media Contact: Augustine Agency Jaime Hayden [email protected] SOURCE Mana Investments; Hunter Street Partners Related Links http://manainv.com http://hunterst.com NEW YORK and OSLO, Norway and LONDON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Forsta, the leading Customer Experience and Research Technology company created by the merger of Confirmit, FocusVision and Dapresy, today announced it has renewed its partnership with Material for the fifth year in a row. Material is a leading customer intelligence and experience design consultancy, and was recently named the Most Innovative Strategic Consultancy and the #2 Most Innovative Insights Supplier in the world, according to the 2020 GreenBook Research Industry Trends (GRIT) rankings. Material will continue to use Forsta's leading-edge data visualization and reporting dashboards for many of its clients. "Forsta has become an invaluable partner to our team over the past several years. The advanced visualization and reporting capabilities offered through the company's platform allow us to provide the flexibility and innovation that our clients demand," said Andrew Cooper, Vice President, Integrated Production Systems, Material. "I've been most impressed by Forsta's openness to our input as they continue to evolve their product functionality. The visualization and reporting updates they have made over time greatly benefit our organization, the clients we serve, and the market research profession at large." "We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with Material and to support them in their excellent service of their clients," said Tobi Andersson, Managing Director of Quantitative Business, Forsta. "Andrew and his team are among the most highly respected leaders in the market research industry, and it's exciting to see them continue to grow and succeed." For nearly 50 years, Material has helped brands in almost 90 countries apply research and analytics to understand their customers and drive measurable business success. Forsta's technology platform is designed to help insights professionals transform data into actionable insights, and its data visualization and reporting offering streamlines PowerPoint production, enables customized online dashboards and provides a fully-featured CX/EX management solution. About Forsta Forsta is the new frontier of Customer Experience and Market Research Technology. Formed in 2021 via the merger of industry leaders Confirmit, FocusVision and Dapresy, our global company powers the richest and most comprehensive set of research and insights solutions, spanning CX, Enterprise Feedback Management, VoC (Voice of the Customer), VoE (Voice of the Employee), Qual, Quant, Data Visualization and more. Forsta's extensive set of market-leading tools, including its award-winning data visualization and reporting suite, combined with the expert guidance of our seasoned data and insights professionals, empower decision-makers to drive business impact based on truly deeper customer understandings. Founded in the Nordics, Forsta means "to understand" in Swedish. Visit Forsta.com for more information. About Material Material is a leading global consumer intelligence and customer experience consultancy. Partnering with business leaders, we help tackle their most significant customer challenges to help them differentiate in the marketplace, build smarter, more connected experiences, and maximize value delivered to customers and society. Our unique customer intelligence engine is powered by analytics and behavioral science, fuels world-class design and enables the delivery of products and services to bring digital transformation to life. Learn more at materialplus.io. Forsta Media Contact: Sara Beth Fahey Matter Communications [email protected] SOURCE Forsta Related Links https://www.forsta.com/ DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- MCNC, the non-profit operator of the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), today hosted more than 200 technology, government, and business leaders (virtually and in-person) for its signature event MCNC Community Day at the Durham Convention Center. Formerly NCREN Community Day, the annual event was put on hold last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's theme was Facilitate Connections. Accelerate Actions. Drive Innovation. The format featured keynotes, breakout sessions, and panel discussions covering a variety of technology topics such as digital equity and inclusion, broadband for health care, cybersecurity, education, and building successful digital economies. Highlights included keynote presentations from Shayla Rexrode, education solution architect at Lenovo, and education thought leader Rich Henderson, former Lenovo director driving global education strategy and solutions. A featured panel on the topic of Education Disruption - the Positive Side of COVID, included North Carolina Community Colleges System President Thomas Stith, III, Dr. A. Hope Williams, President of North Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities, and Dr. Kimberly van Noort, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer of UNC System. This discussion was moderated by Capital Tonight Anchor Tim Boyum at Spectrum News 1. One of the key moments of the day actually kicked-off the event with Meta presents Network Moments a virtual event showcasing the collaboration and co-investments in new high-speed, scalable broadband connectivity made by MCNC and Meta (formerly Facebook) over the past year to help close the digital divide in western North Carolina counties of Rutherford, Burke, Caldwell, Wilkes, and Surry. This important work continues to ensure communities in this part of the state have affordable broadband in education, health care, community colleges, charter schools, treatment facilities, and government offices. MCNC closed the day with their MCNC Community Awards, which recognize individuals and stakeholders for their outstanding work, dedication, and understanding of how technology and broadband can grow educational opportunity, local economies, and innovation for all citizens in North Carolina. Curtis Wynn, President and CEO at Roanoke Electric Cooperative, was acknowledged with the 2021 Robyn Render Endeavor Award, celebrating his distinguished service and commitment to the mission of MCNC. N.C. Secretary of Commerce Machelle Baker Sanders was honored with the 2021 Empower Award, recognizing her as a new member of the MCNC Community who has made an immediate impact. And new in 2021, the Innovation Award, which highlights, promotes, and celebrates excellence in innovation and collaborative technology-based projects and initiatives that positively impact the MCNC Community. Ray Zeisz, Director of the Technology Infrastructure Lab at The Friday Institute, received this inaugural award. This year's event is made possible by generous sponsors, which include Terabyte: AT&T and Cisco/Presidio; Gigabyte: North Carolina Telehealth Network Association (NCTNA), Truist Bank, Carahsoft/Veritas, and Winston Partners; Megabyte: LCG Associates, Sentinel Risk Advisors, and Spectrum Enterprise; Bytes: AWS, Batchelor, Tillery & Roberts LLP, CrowdStrike, DataWatt Solutions, Duke University, ECC Technologies, Financial Directors, Fountainworks, NETSCOUT, SAM LLC, and Zscaler. Learn more about our sponsors and supporters here. About MCNC MCNC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit client-focused technology organization. Founded in 1980, MCNC owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), one of America's longest-running regional research and education networks. With over 40 years of innovation, MCNC provides high-performance services for education, research, libraries, healthcare, public safety, and other community anchor institutions throughout North Carolina. NCREN is the fundamental broadband infrastructure for over 850 of these institutions including all public K-20 education in North Carolina. As one of the nation's premier middle-mile fiber backbone networks, MCNC leverages NCREN to customize protected Internet, cybersecurity services, and related applications for each client while supporting private service providers in bringing cost-efficient connectivity to rural and underserved communities in North Carolina. Visit www.mcnc.org. MCNC Social: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn. Graphics, Photos, Video Download MCNC Logo Download the official MCNC Community Day Logo Watch Meta presents Network Moments *Media Note: Photos of award winners can be made available upon request. Keywords and Tags MCNC, NCREN, Meta, Facebook, Lenovo, Community Day, Broadband, Networking, Cybersecurity SOURCE MCNC Related Links http://www.mcnc.org Market Dynamics The market is driven by factors such as the rising demand for premium spirit products and increasing investment by international players. However, the growing production and supply constraints will be hindering the market growth. The increase in mezcal exports will have a positive impact on the growth of vendors. On the other hand, the competition from substitutes is expected to reduce the growth potential in the market. Company Profiles The mezcal market report includes information on the product launches, sustainability, and prospects of leading vendors including Becle SAB de CV, Craft Distillers, Davide Campari Milano NV, Destileria Tlacolula, Diageo Plc, El Silencio Holdings LLC, Ilegal Mezcal, Mezcal de Amor SAPI de CV, Pernod Ricard SA, and Scorpion Mezcal. Competitive Analysis The report includes the competitive analysis, which analyzes and evaluates the position of companies based on their industry position score and market performance score. Some of the factors considered for analysis are financial performance over the last 3 years, growth strategies, innovation score, new product launches, investments, growth in market share, etc. Market Segmentation By Product, the market is classified into mezcal joven, mezcal reposado, and mezcal anejo. By Geography, the market is analyzed across North America , Europe , APAC, South America , and MEA. The market growth in the mezcal joven segment was significant in 2020. The segment is driven by the relatively lower price, easy availability, and the more diverse product range of mezcal joven spirits compared with other mezcal products. North America will have the largest share of the market. The region is mainly driven by the increasing production and export of mezcal in Mexico. Also, the rising popularity of mezcal in the cocktail space and the rapid growth of on-premises sales for mezcal spirits in the US are contributing to the growth of the mezcal market in North America. Related Reports: Global Medical Foods Market - Global medical foods market is segmented by product (powder, pill, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and ROW). Download Exclusive Free Sample Report Global Superfoods Market - Global superfoods market is segmented by product (superfruits, superseeds and supergrains, edible seaweed, and others) and geography (North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA). Download Exclusive Free Sample Report Mezcal Market Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2020 Forecast period 2021-2025 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of almost 13% Market growth 2021-2025 USD 339.46 million Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 9.20 Regional analysis North America, Europe, APAC, South America, and MEA Performing market contribution North America at 65% Key consumer countries Mexico, Germany, China, US, and Japan Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Becle SAB de CV, Craft Distillers, Davide Campari Milano NV, Destileria Tlacolula, Diageo Plc, El Silencio Holdings LLC, Ilegal Mezcal, Mezcal de Amor SAPI de CV, Pernod Ricard SA, and Scorpion Mezcal. 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 Related Links http://www.technavio.com/ These new assemblies feature SF/UTP cable with 24-gauge wire that is double-shielded with foil and braid. This prevents crosstalk and provides EMI/RFI protection and ample grounding. The cables' FR-TPE jacket will survive harsh environments that involve rain, UV rays, oil, chemicals and weld spatter and its UL CMX flame rating means you will not have to choose between rugged performance and a verified burn rating. Additionally, the cable is high-flex rated, with a continuous-motion capability of up to 10 million cycles. The metal connectors used on the assemblies are crush-resistant and IP68-rated so they're waterproof and dust-tight, and the jack versions are sealed even without a dust cap. Their electroless nickel plating is RoHS compliant. Available configurations include plug to plug, jack to jack, plug to jack, plug to standard RJ45, and jack to standard RJ45. "We designed these new cables to address connectivity applications located in extreme, harsh environments. Previously, these types of cables would have needed to be ordered as custom assemblies with long lead times. Now we offer a multitude of configuration options for these new IP68-rated, Cat6 cables off-the-shelf to meet our customers' urgent needs," said Dustin Guttadauro, Product Line Manager. MilesTek's new ruggedized, Cat6, IP68-rated cable assemblies are in-stock and available for immediate shipment. About MilesTek: MilesTek designs and manufactures a broad range of MIL-STD-1553B and Ethernet connectivity products to address military avionics, aerospace, industrial and government applications. In addition to a wide selection of off-the-shelf products, MilesTek can custom manufacture cable assemblies and harnesses. MilesTek is headquartered in Lewisville, Texas, and is ISO-9001:2015 certified. MilesTek is an Infinite Electronics brand. About Infinite Electronics: Based in Irvine, Calif., Infinite Electronics offers a broad range of components, assemblies and wired/wireless connectivity solutions serving the aerospace/defense, industrial, government, consumer electronics, instrumentation, medical and telecommunications markets. Infinite's brands include Pasternack, Fairview Microwave, L-com, MilesTek, ShowMeCables, NavePoint, INC Installs, Integra Optics, PolyPhaser, Transtector, KP Performance Antennas, RadioWaves and Aiconics. Infinite Electronics serves a global engineering customer base with deep technical expertise and support, with one of the broadest inventories of products available for immediate shipment. Press Contact: Peter McNeil MilesTek 17792 Fitch Irvine, CA 978-682-6936 SOURCE MilesTek RAPID CITY, S.D., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of South Dakota's failure to properly close and remediate gypsum mines it owned and operated beneath the Hideaway Hills neighborhood has made all 158 homes uninhabitable and worthless, according to a new court filing by homeowners seeking class-action certification in litigation against the state. According to the motion filed Tuesday by the Fox Rothschild law firm, class-action litigation is necessary because conditions in Hideaway Hills are so intertwined that examination or testing of just one home fails to provide accurate information about that home or the homes of its neighbors. In addition, there is no way to remediate just one home in the neighborhood, and any solution must address the entire neighborhood. The lawsuit asks that the state pay each household the full value for their homes. Recent core-sample drilling tests confirm that underground instability extends to every home in the neighborhood and correcting the problem would require homes to be removed to resolve the subsurface instability. Even if correction were possible, it's not certain that repairs would successfully ensure the ongoing safety of the neighborhood. "Those homes are now not only worthless, but threaten the lives of their occupants," the motion states. "Three hundred and fifty lives are in danger because their homes rest on a subsurface, owned by the State, that was rendered incapable of supporting structures by the State's exploitation of the land, failure to properly reclaim the land, and its failure to maintain the subsurface in a condition that would support the surface. The State of South Dakota has strict liability for this catastrophic damage and resulting injuries." Geological experts have found 16 active collapses near the site of a large hole that opened in April 2020 near East Daisy Drive. The mine extends at least twice as far as what was previously thought, and experts have documented ground depressions, sink holes and soil subsidence throughout the neighborhood, according to the filing. If granted, class certification will allow every Hideaway Hills homeowner to potentially obtain financial relief from the state of South Dakota, which owned and operated gypsum mines in the area for decades. The lawsuit charges that the state which still owns subsurface mineral rights under the neighborhood failed to properly reclaim underground, pit and strip mines before the land was sold to a developer. In May, the named plaintiffs won a key ruling from Circuit Court Judge Kevin Krull, who found that the homeowners "demonstrated that their injuries likely will be redressed by a favorable decision i.e., an award of damages, based on their constitutional right to individually bring an inverse condemnation case against the State." The case is Andrew Morse and John and Emily Clarke et al. v. State of South Dakota et al., No. 46CIV-20-000295 in the Circuit Court, 4th Judicial District, County of Meade, South Dakota. Fox Rothschild has grown to a 950-lawyer national law firm with 27 offices by focusing on client service and responsiveness and by attracting bright and creative lawyers who know how to deliver. More information at foxrothschild.com . Media Contact: Robert Tharp 800-559-4534 [email protected] SOURCE Fox Rothschild PARIS and BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirakl, the industry's first and most advanced enterprise marketplace SaaS platform, today announced the acquisition of Octobat, a French startup specializing in invoice compliance for enterprises throughout the world. The acquisition the company's first will make it easier for Mirakl marketplace operators to manage local and global regulations as they expand and operate across multiple geographies. Simplifying Invoicing and Compliance Across Borders As marketplaces become a critical component of enterprise digital transformation strategies, businesses need both the platform and the knowledge to help them navigate global and domestic legal and compliance requirements in a seamless manner. Using Mirakl's technology, expertise and partner ecosystem, marketplace operators can expand their assortment geographically, faster than they could on their own. However, with international expansion comes greater complexity in invoicing and compliance. Online marketplace operators and sellers are challenged to understand and comply with geographic tax regulation, adhere to region-specific invoicing content and formatting rules, and manage the storage and filing of invoices and the transition to e-invoicing. The acquisition will allow Mirakl-powered Marketplace operators to manage invoicing compliance directly as part of the Mirakl solution, removing the need for customers to invest in expertise in-house or develop a custom solution. "For the first acquisition in Mirakl's history, we looked for an opportunity that would keep us ahead of customer needs," said Philippe Corrot, co-founder and CEO of Mirakl. "With Octobat, we saw we could simplify and automate complex invoicing for marketplace operators across the globe, enabling them to scale faster than ever. Mirakl already leads the market in advanced payments and financial flows, and this acquisition extends the capabilities of our open, flexible marketplace platform even further." "Since our founding in 2014, we've had success helping online merchants more easily manage the complexities of e-invoicing compliance," said Gaultier Laperche, co-founder and CEO at Octobat. "We were eager to see our unique solution in use by customers around the world, so joining forces with Mirakl fulfills that vision. Like us, Mirakl believes invoicing is a critical aspect of the marketplace buying and selling process and an essential capability for the future direction of the entire enterprise marketplace category. Our team is proud to be joining one of the fastest-growing and most innovative French tech companies." In September, Mirakl announced the conclusion of a $555 million Series E funding round, bringing the company's total valuation to over $3.5 billion. The company's flagship enterprise marketplace platform powers billions in gross merchandise value for more than 300 of the world's leading brands. About The Mirakl Marketplace Platform Recently named a leader in marketplace development platforms by Forrester, Mirakl provides the industry's most advanced software and automation to onboard new suppliers, expand product catalogs, and manage customer care with the quality, security and scale that enterprises require. Bolstered by artificial intelligence and built using an API-first, multi-tenant, and microservices-driven architecture, the platform includes a host of enterprise-oriented capabilities to specifically meet the demand for high-performance marketplaces. The latest marketplace insight and viewpoints can be found on the Mirakl blog . For more business developments and updates, follow Mirakl on LinkedIn, Twitter , and YouTube. About Mirakl Mirakl offers the industry's first and most advanced enterprise marketplace SaaS platform. With Mirakl, organizations across B2B and B2C industries can launch marketplaces faster, grow bigger, and operate with confidence as they exceed rising customer expectations. Platforms are the new competitive advantage in eCommerce, and the world's most trusted brands choose Mirakl for its comprehensive solution of technology, expertise, and the Mirakl Connect ecosystem to unlock the power of the platform business model for them. As a result, companies like ABB, Astore by AccorHotels, Best Buy Canada, Carrefour, Catch Group, Changi Airport, Darty, The Kroger Co., Leroy Merlin, Maisons du Monde, Metro and Toyota Material Handling gain the speed, scale and agility to win in the changing eCommerce landscape. For more information, visit www.mirakl.com. About Octobat Octobat brings to marketplaces, platforms, and e-sellers an ultra-fast, one-click, and compliant software as a service (SaaS) solution that integrates with the most popular payment gateways and billing applications in order to create tax invoices for every online transaction. Octobat operates a web application and API-based invoicing solution that enable the automatic creation, delivery and storage of invoices and credit notes in order to ensure compliance with global and local invoicing regulations. Today, 300+ internet sellers across EMEA, North America, and APAC, use Octobat solutions not just to add automation to their billing flows, but to improve the user payment experience by reducing friction and improving compliance. For more information, visit www.octobat.com. Media Contacts: Maya Pattison Tara Klein Vice President, Corporate Marketing Bateman Agency for Mirakl [email protected] [email protected] +1-844-264-7255 +1-650-270-9454 SOURCE Mirakl PLANO, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Improved hospital performance over the past few years at North Texas Medical Center (NTMC) - Gainesville Hospital District, Gainesville, Texas, has led to a rating upgrade by Moody's Investors Service from Ba1 to Baa2, indicating credit strength from a large and growing tax base and manageable debt profile, Moody's announced recently. North Texas Medical Center Logo Moody's public release states a stable outlook for NTMC, a 60-bed acute care hospital, and positive operations since 2018, when NTMC entered an agreement for management of operations with Community Hospital Corporation (CHC) of Plano, Texas. CHC President and CEO Jim Kendrick shared, "We are excited about this Moody's upgrade and future outlook for NTMC. Our teams continue to contribute expert advice across all areas of financial and operational performance." NTMC Chief Executive Officer Thomas Sledge said, "I am confident that our operational and quality of care initiatives will continue to move our ratings upward. I am proud of our executive team's continuous focus on improvements and the commitment and perseverance among all staff, even amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic." Sledge cited several NTMC accomplishments under CHC's leadership, including: Reduced supply spending by right-sizing inventory and joining CHC Supply Trust (CHC's GPO) Ensured all physicians are credentialed with all appropriate payer networks Encouraged wider use of upfront collections, an underutilized revenue stream accelerator Developed a stronger regulatory compliance program Implemented staff training and hourly rounding to improve patient experience About North Texas Medical Center North Texas Medical Center (NTMC) is a 60-bed acute care hospital situated on 52 acres located within the city limits of Gainesville, a community approximately 60 miles north of Dallas-Fort Worth and five miles south of the Texas-Oklahoma border. Since NTMC's campus was rebuilt in 2004, it has continued to grow to better serve the medical needs of the North Texas area. About Community Hospital Corporation HELP WHERE HOSPITALS NEED IT Community Hospital Corporation owns, manages and consults with hospitals through CHC Hospitals, CHC Consulting and CHC ContinueCARE, with the purpose to guide, support and enhance the mission of community hospitals and healthcare providers. Based in Plano, Texas, CHC provides the resources and experience community hospitals need to improve quality outcomes, patient satisfaction and financial performance. For more information about CHC, please visit www.communityhospitalcorp.com . CONTACT: Anne Block [email protected] 972-943-6470 SOURCE Community Hospital Corporation Focused on generating data through proprietary biomarkers and diagnostic testing of inflammation VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - MYND LIFE SCIENCES INC. ("MYND" or the "Company") (CSE: MYND) (OTC: MYNDF) is pleased to announce its wholly-owned subsidiary MYND DIAGNOSTICS INC. ("MYND Diagnostics") has executed a binding letter of intent ("LOI") with REVITALIST LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS LTD. ("Revitalist") (CSE:CALM) (OTC:RVLWF) (FSE: 4DO) to enter into a clinical research collaboration studying a link between diagnostic results and improved patient outcomes using MYND Diagnostics' proprietary anti-inflammatory peptide ("MAP") biomarker. The MAP diagnostic is intended to give health care providers an objective monitoring tool to detect and diagnose mental illness more accurately than the current diagnostic methodology, which can be very subjective. If successful, this biomarker test has the potential to lead to earlier diagnosis of mental illness and ongoing treatment decisions with the goal of improving patient outcomes by providing more tailored and efficacious treatments. The goal of the collaboration with Revitalist is to utilize their broad network of clinics with patients suffering from mental illness to commence clinical trials to demonstrate MAP's ability to diagnose and monitor mental health in order to gain approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"). The parties anticipate that initial clinical trial will be focused on patients with mental health issues who had previously been infected with COVID-19 and are seeking medical help for post COVID-19 mental health symptoms ("Brain Fog"). The World Health Organization reports that COVID-19 has affected more than 249 million individuals1. Research indicates that approximately 50% on average of those with COVID-19 have reported having lasting effects2. Revitalist has a network of over 2,300 patients through its multiple clinics in the United States, with many of those patients having been previously infected with COVID-19 and seeking specialized treatments to deal with Brain Fog and other lasting effects. Dr. Lyle Oberg, MD, CEO of MYND stated "A critical step in diagnostics development is demonstrating that an investigational tool produces consistent results. With the new collaboration we intend to design next phase clinical validation studies and take blood samples from existing patients at Revitalist with an expectation that we will submit the MYND biomarker (MAP) data to the FDA for approval in Q2 of 2022. The Company anticipates generating near-term revenue through research and development projects related to MAP. Ultimately, MYND intends to work with physicians to adopt MAP in their practices and provide access to patients and insurance providers for reimbursement when utilizing our proprietary diagnostic. We anticipate that working with Revitalist will be our first of many mental health studies. Their comprehensive network of patients and expert providers will provide the MYND Diagnostics team with optimal research conditions to study MAP in patients so dearly needing better diagnostic and treatment options." Kathryn Walker, CEO of Revitalist stated "We are excited to be working with MYND Diagnostics to potentially diagnose and monitor mental health using MAP. Prior to MAP the only diagnostic for mental health was an interview with the patient regarding their history of symptoms, which of course can be very subjective. A diagnostic tool such as MAP would allow for a more objective diagnosis and monitoring, hopefully resulting in a higher level of care and treatments for our patients. One size doesn't fit all with mental health and treatments that work for some may not work for others. Utilizing MAP would allow us to quickly adjust treatments to better address patient specific mental health issues." ABOUT MYND LIFE SCIENCES INC. MYND Life Sciences Inc., the parent company of MYND Diagnostics Inc., is a medical biotech drug research and development company focused on neuro-pharmaceutical and novel psilocybin drug development, diagnostics and vaccines. The Company is advancing pharmaceuticals through rigorous science and clinical trials, while diligently patenting and safeguarding its intellectual property. For more information and to subscribe to the Company's mailing list, please visit https://myndsciences.com/contact/ ABOUT REVITALIST LIFESTYLE AND WELLNESS Revitalist Lifestyle and Wellness Ltd. is a publicly traded company, headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee, with five clinics operating across the United States and expanding. Revitalist is dedicated to empowering individuals toward an improved quality of well-being through a combination of comprehensive care and future-centric treatments provided by medical professionals, mental health experts, and chronic pain specialists. Since opening their first clinic in 2018, Revitalist has provided thousands of infusions for patients suffering from treatment-resistant conditions. Additionally, Revitalist offers a number of lifestyle optimization services and vitamin infusions that can bring anyone closer to total wellness. CONTACT INFORMATION MYND Life Sciences Inc. Dr. Lyle Oberg, MD, CEO Email: [email protected] Web: www.myndsciences.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements 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 statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of MYND to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this release. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. None of the securities issued in connection with the Offering will be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), and none of them may be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any state where such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful. 1 https://covid19.who.int/ 2 https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1003773#sec016 SOURCE Mynd Life Sciences Inc. Related Links https://myndsciences.com/ SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- On December 1, the National AIDS Memorial brings three powerful programs to the public for World AIDS Day that offer inspiration, hope, remembrance, and reflection. The programming, free to the public, includes a virtual national forum and observance, hundreds of community displays of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and a magical evening display of lights in the 10-acre National AIDS Memorial Grove. National AIDS Memorial National AIDS Memorial "This year's World AIDS Day observance will inspire people young and old, as we remember those we've lost, provoke thoughtful conversations about health and social justice, and bring hope to our nation with light and reflection," said National AIDS Memorial CEO John Cunningham. "As we look back at the past four decades, while there has been tremendous progress, it is time as a nation to come together and finally find a cure." The National AIDS Memorial invites the public to join its World AIDS Day Virtual National Observance on December 1 beginning at 8:30 am PST at www.aidsmemorial.org. The forum includes a series of conversations with national leaders on important topics about HIV/AIDS and health and social justice. Some of the featured speakers include Dr. Anthony Fauci, White House National AIDS Policy Director Harold Phillips, U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Paul Kawata, Executive Director, NMAC, history-making television series Pose co-creator and executive producer Steven Canals and co-executive producer Our Lady J, Toni Newman, Interim CEO, Black AIDS Institute, Leonard Valentino, M.D., President & CEO, National Hemophilia Foundation, and Suzanne Brennan Firstenburg, Curator, Covid-19 National Mall Installation. Heartfelt, personal and compelling conversations that will be presented throughout the day include: The State of HIV/AIDS, Four Decades Later; Changing Hearts and Minds through the Power of Pose; The Impact of HIV/AIDS in the Black Community; Looking to the Future with Young Leaders for Health and Social Justice; HIV/AIDS and Hemophilia Survivors and the Emerging Crisis of an Aging Population; and How Memorials Have Helped our Nation Heal. The AIDS Memorial Quilt will return to communities across the country on World AIDS Day with more than 400 sections on display, both in-person and virtually. Hosted by community-based organizations. The display program supports the care and preservation of the Quilt and is used to help raise funds for local community-based organizations that host the Quilt. For more information about hosting the Quilt and learning where it will be on World AIDS Day, visit www.aidsmemorial.org/displays. The National AIDS Memorial will hold a 30th Anniversary Outdoor Gala on the evening of November 30, a private, ticketed event in which the 10-acre Memorial Grove will be magically illuminated with artistic features and performances. Tickets for Light in the Grove can be purchased at www.aidsmemorial.org/litg21. All proceeds from the Gala support the programs of the National AIDS Memorial. For the first time ever, the Memorial Grove will remain illuminated for World AIDS Day, opening for a free public display of lights, beginning at 4:30 pm PST on December 1. The public is invited to stroll through the beautifully-lit Memorial Grove, experience a candlelight reflection in the Circle of Friends, and watch the traditional reading of the newly engraved names added to the memorial and stitched into new panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The event will be livestreamed at www.aidsmemorial.org. The presenting partner for this year's World AIDS Day event is Gilead Sciences. Quest Diagnostics and Chevron are Angel partners. Since 2020, Gilead has provided more than $3 million in grants to the National AIDS Memorial to support its programs, including the relocation of the Quilt to San Francisco, its care and preservation, and the Pedro Zamora Young Leaders Scholarship. "The programs of the National AIDS Memorial, which include the national observance, evening display of lights, and Quilt displays, highlight the many stories of loss, activism, hope and justice," said Daniel O'Day, Chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences. "World AIDS Day is a chance to recognize how much progress has been made, and how much remains to be done, to create a future that is free from HIV/AIDS." BioMarin, the Golden State Warriors, Levi's, the National Hemophilia Foundation, Twitter and Vivent Health are World AIDS Day Hope partners. Healing partners include Albertsons, Alexander M. & June L. Maisin Foundation, Booz Allen Hamilton, EHDD, Excelerate Foundation, First Republic Bank, Human Rights Campaign, The Murray/Reese Foundation, Nestle, NMAC, San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus, San Francisco Parks Alliance, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, Tito's Handmade Vodka, United Airlines, UCSF and ViiV Healthcare. Media partners include the San Francisco Chronicle, POZ, Bay Area Reporter, and the Bay Times. Each year, World AIDS Day brings people together to unite in the fight against HIV/AIDS, show their support for people living with HIV and commemorate the lives lost. The National AIDS Memorial is looked upon as the organization within the national landscape to remember, honor and help ensure the stories of the AIDS pandemic are never forgotten. In 2021, the nation marks 40 years since the first cases of AIDS were reported in the U.S. with more than 700,000 lives lost in the past four decades. Today, while much progress has been made, HIV rates continue to rise in the U.S., with 1.2 million people living with HIV today, particularly impacting young people and communities of color. "Together with our partners and supporters, we are helping ensure that the story of AIDS remains in the public spotlight today, in the future, and is used as a teaching tool to bring hope and change in the long struggle for health and social justice," added Cunningham. In the 30 years since the National AIDS Memorial was created, its mission has grown to include the 10-acre Memorial Grove, the 50,000 hand-sewn panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt, and engaging programs that include storytelling initiatives, youth scholarships, Quilt displays, volunteer workdays, and powerful community events. To learn more about the memorial and its World AIDS Day programs, including a full list of speakers, events and information on how to participate and provide support, visit www.aidsmemorial.org. Media Contact: Kevin Herglotz 415-963-2601 [email protected] SOURCE National AIDS Memorial INDIANAPOLIS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America, a national insurance carrier specializing in dental, vision, life and disability coverage today announced it has reached an agreement to acquire Dentist Direct, a Utah-based dental and vision insurance carrier, and its affiliate Direct Access, a discount dental plan provider. With a shared white-glove service philosophy of delivering an outstanding benefits experience by the companies, the acquisition will fuel expansion opportunities for all three organizations. "This acquisition is an important step in our strategic growth at Renaissance, because it not only broadens our geographic presence in the western U.S., but also augments our dental network, and strengthens our team with the addition of an exceptional group of smart, like-minded professionals," said Robert P. Mulligan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance. "Through creativity, agility and a commitment to doing what is right for their partners and members, Dentist Direct has rapidly grown from a start-up to a strong regional carrier, specializing in dental and vision insurance," said Jeff Kolesar, Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance, who will assume responsibilities as Chief Executive Officer of Dentist Direct. "Renaissance will help Dentist Direct add more value for customers by offering complementary coverages such as life and disability insurance," he added. Beyond the change in ownership, Dentist Direct will continue to operate with the same dedicated team, delivering exceptional products and services. The company also has developed a proprietary local dental network, which will remain in place. In addition, Dentist Direct plans offer more than 260,000 dental access points nationwide. Founded in 2005, Dentist Direct now serves more than 60,000 members. President of Dentist Direct, Preston Homer echoed excitement about the synergies the companies share. "While Renaissance is significantly larger than Dentist Direct and offers opportunities for us to grow our product offerings beyond dental and vision insurance in the future, the company understands the importance and value of maintaining a local presence," said Homer. "Their approach to providing a flexible, friendly experience for customers of every size is perfectly aligned with our service model." Renaissance provides innovative product features and unique solutions that help customers experience better overall health, while enjoying easy-to-manage benefits and competitive pricing. Renaissance has received an A (Excellent) Financial Strength Rating from AM Best. About Dentist Direct With its headquarters in Bountiful, Utah, Dentist Direct is a dental benefits company with a robust national network and a commitment to personalized service. The company offers dental and vision benefits and specializes in small and large group fully insured plans, ASO (self-funded) plans and network leasing for TPAs and large employer groups. About Renaissance Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America and its sister company Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of New York offer ancillary benefits for employer groups and individuals nationwide. Dental, vision, life and disability insurance comprise the core line of the company's ancillary benefits solutions. With headquarters in Indianapolis, Ind., Renaissance is focused on providing its members and partners with outstanding products and service. Visit renaissancebenefits.com and find us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE Renaissance Life & Health Insurance Company of America Related Links http://renaissancebenefits.com FT. WORTH, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, First Liberty Institute filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of dozens of U.S. Navy SEALs and other Naval Special Warfare personnel against the Biden Administration and the Department of Defense for their refusal to grant religious exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. You can read the complaint here. "The fact that the government has not granted a single religious exemption from the vaccine mandate shows that the Biden Administration does not care about religious freedom. Instead, this appears to be an attempted ideological purge. Forcing a service member to choose between their faith and serving their country is abhorrent to the Constitution and America's values," said Mike Berry, General Counsel for First Liberty Institute. "After all these elite warriors have done to defend our freedoms, the Navy is now threatening their careers, families, and finances. It's appalling and it has to stop before any more harm is done to our national security." The SEALs, who presently serve at various classified and confidential locations, collectively have more than 350 years of military service, and more than 100 combat deployments. When they inquired about seeking religious accommodation for the vaccine, the Navy informed many of the plaintiffs that they could face court-martial or involuntary separation if they don't receive the vaccine. Each of their religious exemption denials appear to be identical, suggesting the Navy is not taking their requests seriously. The Navy also warned some of the plaintiffs that if they sought a religious exemption, the Navy would confiscate their Special Warfare devicessuch as the famous SEAL "Trident"that they proudly wear on their uniforms. In its Complaint, First Liberty attorneys allege that the Department of Defense is violating the First Amendment to the Constitution, federal law, and Department of Defense regulations. The Vaccine Mandate substantially burdens the SEALs' free exercise of religion, and the Department of Defense has failed to prove it has a compelling government interest, or that there are no less restrictive ways to further its effort to mitigate the Covid-19 virus. About First Liberty Institute First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans. SOURCE First Liberty Institute Related Links https://firstliberty.org/ Acquisition of one of Western Canada's largest independent brokerages creates a consolidated platform in the region, enhancing NFP's existing P&C capabilities and operations NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NFP, a leading insurance broker and consultant that provides business and personal insurance, group benefits, retirement, and individual solutions today announced its acquisition of Foster Park Brokers Inc. (Foster Park). The transaction closed on November 1, 2021. With the addition of Foster Park, one of Western Canada's largest independent insurance brokerages, NFP is adhering to its strategic plan of building a unified national platform that provides superior expertise and advice to clients and reinforcing our people first culture for all employees. Foster Park has 135 employees in four offices (Edmonton, Calgary and Grande Prairie, Alberta, and Langley, British Columbia) who provide expertise and solutions in commercial and individual P&C insurance, life and group benefits, private client services, and bonding and surety to clients across Western Canada. Foster Park's highly respected and strong leadership team will play an active role in the integration and growth of the business, collaborating with NFP leaders across Canada to cultivate new client relationships and identify additional growth opportunities. Mark Wiens will serve as managing director of Commercial Lines for NFP in Canada's Western region, reporting to John Haas, president, NFP in Canada. Executive Partners Andre Charrois, Steven Whitehouse, Roger Roebuck, Denise Theberge, Hugh Watt, along with all other shareholders and employees of Foster Park will join NFP. "We're excited to welcome Mark and the entire Foster Park team to NFP," said Haas. "We've been working to identify the right partner to expand into Western Canada and we've found that partner in Foster Park. Their excellent reputation, relationships and results across the region will accelerate our growth across Canada. In addition, Foster Park's significant investments in industry-leading proprietary technology platforms that support long-term customer relationships will bring additional value to NFP's clients in Canada." "We are elated to join NFP and work with such a talented team of industry leaders," said Wiens. "This transaction will bring immense value to our existing clients and future opportunities. Accessing new resources products, services, expertise will allow our staff to continue to be in a position of providing industry leading solutions and service. We're also looking forward to contributing to a culture that values people and proactively creates opportunities for them to grow and thrive." Sequeira Partners served as exclusive financial advisor, and DLA Piper (Canada) LLP and Bryan & Company LLP acted as legal counsel, to Foster Park and its affiliates. Dentons served as legal counsel to NFP. About NFP NFP is a leading insurance broker and consultant providing specialized business and personal insurance, group benefits, retirement and individual solutions through its licensed subsidiaries and affiliates. NFP enables client success through the expertise of over 800 employees based in Canada, more than 6,000 employees globally, investments in innovative technologies, and enduring relationships with highly rated insurers, vendors and financial institutions. NFP is the 5th largest benefits broker by global revenue (Business Insurance), 10th largest property and casualty agency (Insurance Journal) and 13th largest global insurance broker (Best's Review). For more information, visit NFP.ca SOURCE NFP Corp. Related Links https://www.nfp.com COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Holdings, a leading international life science investor, today announces that it has co-led the EUR 6 million seed financing in Asgard Therapeutics AB ("Asgard"), a private biotech company pioneering in vivo direct cell reprogramming approaches to elicit potent anti-cancer immune responses. Asgard pioneers a novel approach to cancer therapy by reprogramming tumor cells into professional antigen presenting cells. Asgard's lead program is an off-the-shelf gene therapy that induces a personalized immune response. The approach may also help overcome logistic and manufacturing hurdles of more conventional cell-based therapies. The Company stems from the Lund University's Cell Reprogramming and Immunity Lab, led by Professor Filipe Pereira, PhD, Asgard's Co-Founder and Head of Innovation. The research work has been supported by several translational grants, including support from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the European Commission's Horizon 2020 and Vinnova, the Swedish Innovation Agency. The financing was co-led by Novo Holdings, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Industrifonden. As part of the transaction, Sren Mller (Novo Holdings), Philipp Muller (BIVF), Jonas Jendi (Industrifonden), and Filipe Pereira (Asgard Therapeutics) join as Board Directors, and Joao Ribas (Novo Holdings) and Fabio Rosa (Asgard Therapeutics) as Board Observers. Joao Ribas, Senior Associate of Novo Seeds, commented: "We are very pleased to co-lead this financing and support the translation of the Founders' scientific research at Lund University. While reprogramming approaches have been mainly restricted to regenerative medicine, the work of Filipe, Cristiana and their team opens exciting opportunities to merge the fields of cell reprogramming and cancer immunotherapy that can be applied to several cancers, representing a platform technology with enormous potential. We look forward to working with the Asgard team as they pioneer a new generation of cancer immunotherapy." Cristiana Pires, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Asgard Therapeutics, said: "At Asgard, we are committed to surpassing the challenges of current cancer immunotherapies, making them available for every patient. The support we have received from such a strong syndicate of life science investors, is a strong endorsement to the potential of our TrojanDC technology. The financing will enable us to expand our pipeline of preclinical assets and build on our commitment to making personalized cancer immunotherapies optimized to each unique patient." About Novo Holdings A/S Novo Holdings A/S is a private limited liability company wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It is the holding company of the Novo Group, comprising Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S, and is responsible for managing the Novo Nordisk Foundation's assets. Novo Holdings is recognized as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets. Further information: www.novoholdings.dk. About Asgard Therapeutics Asgard Therapeutics is a private biotech company exploring the application of direct cell reprogramming technologies for cancer immunotherapies. Formed as a spin-off from Lund University, the Company is pioneering a gene therapy approach based on its proprietary TrojanDC technology, designed to set in motion immune responses based on the biological properties of professional antigen presenting cells. Backed by Novo Holdings, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Industrifonden, Asgard aims to build a pipeline of personalized cancer immunotherapies optimized to each unique patient. For more information, please visit: http://asgardthx.com/ SOURCE Novo Holdings Built on the belief that good living can be achieved with the freedom to live life on one's own terms, Oakwood Living allows guests to live well in an environment that enables them to care for themselves and their environment, while staying rooted in a good community. With facilities targeted at young families and professionals, whom apart from seeking a convenient address perfectly positioned for both work and play within a community, also want long term leases with flexible terms, Oakwood Living offers up the perfect balance to live well with the option to work remotely or simply experience or explore a new destination. Located in Dallas, Texas; Raleigh, North Carolina; Los Angeles and Redwood City, California; residents can choose from a number of unfurnished residential options situated in engaging communities that offer key amenities including a dedicated resident's lounge, outdoor BBQ, spacious fitness centers, as well as tech-enabled lifestyle services through Hello, Alfred, an app that provides residents with regular events and experiences that support their lifestyles. Taking inspiration from the organic shape of roots and a location map indicator, the new brand spots a representative logo that visually tells of its story, in earthy colors of leave and tree that support the call for residents to stay rooted with an Oakwood Living property. "At Oakwood, we have identified a rising opportunity to augment our positioning in the unfurnished multifamily accommodation sector with long-term lease options that still allow for flexibility. Oakwood Living signifies our dedication to the U.S. market and is a milestone moment in our portfolio's growth," said Dean Schreiber, chief executive officer of Oakwood. "We've strategically selected our inaugural locations where open palettes are extended to our future residents in the heart of active communities. Not only will they be able to create a personal space that truly inspires, we hope that it will also allow them to live authentically like a local." Oakwood Living locations offer a variety of amenities to deliver on their lifestyle commitment to residents including a dedicated pet run, built-in kitchens, in-unit washer and dryers, communal recreational facilities to foster connection, 24/7 package locker access, dedicated lounge with workspaces and more. Each Oakwood Living location offers a tight-knit sense of community, redefining multifamily living. Resident applications for move-ins to newly rebranded properties Oakwood Living Dallas Uptown, Oakwood Living Miracle Mile, Oakwood Living Raleigh Brier Creek and Oakwood Living Redwood City are now available. For more information about Oakwood Living, please visit: Oakwood.com/Oakwood-Living Click here to download high-resolution images. About Oakwood Oakwood, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mapletree Investments, is a leading brand in hospitality management. A pioneer of the extended stay segment, Oakwood manages a global portfolio of award-winning properties that combine the space and comfort of a private residence with the thoughtful services and amenities of a hotel, ideal for both short and extended stays. Through this specially crafted Oakwood experience that spans accommodation options comprising elegantly-furnished serviced apartments, residential units and hotels, guests are invited to feel a sense of belonging, familiarity and reassurance whenever they stay at any Oakwood property around the world. For more information, please visit www.Oakwood.com. MEDIA CONTACTS: Ee Jin Lim Global Vice President, Marketing Oakwood Direct: +65-6885 1032 Email: [email protected] Kelly Lavin & Andrea Holden PR Agency of Record Bullfrog + Baum Email: [email protected] SOURCE Oakwood Related Links http://www.oakwood.com/ "Something special is happening here at Oakworth. We are building a world-class organization and our associates are the key driver of our performance and growth-driven culture," said Scott B. Reed, Senior Managing Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Our associates and our leadership team work collaboratively to constantly improve our core processes and systems enabling us to deliver distinctive service to our clients. Every associate has an opportunity to impact the success of Oakworth and every associate directly reflects on the culture that has led to this accolade." Full results of this year's program are available at American Banker and in the November issue of American Banker Magazine. To learn more about Oakworth's culture, core values, or how to join our team, visit the Oakworth Culture page. About Oakworth Capital Bank Oakworth Capital Bank provides commercial and private banking, wealth management and advisory services to successful businesses, families and individuals. Oakworth serves its valued clients across the United States from its offices in Birmingham and Mobile, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee. For more information about Oakworth Capital Bank and its unique approach, please visit oakworth.com. For more information contact: Lindsey Krausen Phone: 205-278-2736 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Oakworth Capital Bank Related Links http://www.oakworthcapital.com MIAMI, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OKY, a cross-border e-commerce fintech platform, announced today it is expanding its operations to Argentina, providing immigrants access to more than 115 brands. With this expansion, OKY begins operations in the second largest economy in South America. Argentina is the sixth country in the region to join the OKY marketplace. Expanding operations in Argentina has been a goal for OKY since its inception as it has close to a million immigrants abroad who will be able to use OKY's platform to send gifts to their loved ones at home. To date, OKY is available in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and now Argentina. "In Argentina, the number of consumers that operate digitally exceeds 27 million people. The growth in number of users adopting digital platforms became evident during the pandemic as people were forced to resort to digital alternatives. With OKY, now anyone from Argentina living abroad will be able to participate and benefit from the digital marketplace enabled by our APP, closing the gap to share gifts and experiences with their loved ones back home", explains Victor Unda, CEO of OKY. OKY is the only Fintech platform designed to enable cross-border e-commerce activities. Through OKY, users can send prepaid gifts directly to their relatives in their country of origin to make purchases in stores and participating businesses. To use OKY, the user must simply download the application, select from the participating brands available in Argentina - which includes Supermercados Dia, Vital, Fravega, Despegar, and several restaurant chains, fashion brands, gift stores and household brands -, choose the prepaid gift and share it with their loved ones. ABOUT OKY OKY was founded in the summer of 2020 by and for immigrants, to promote financial inclusion among underserved communities and help them overcome, through the use of technology, the financial barriers they must face. OKY achieves this by allowing users to conduct e-commerce transactions without the support of financial institutions, which often prevents the immigrant community from achieving financial stability. Today, OKY users in the United States and other countries have access to the Central American region market, including retail service providers in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico. For more information, visit the OKY website, https://okyapp.com/ CONTACT: OKY, Julio Ligorria [email protected] SOURCE OKY App ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Transit agencies played an essential role in ensuring the mobility of millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic especially essential workers who kept society going even at the height of the health crisis. As the industry and nation begin to look to the future, the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is releasing a new report, On the Horizon: Planning for Post-Pandemic Travel, examining how demographic, employment, and travel trends may change in the coming years. Based on the data, four overarching recommendations were developed for agencies that included integrating best practices from the COVID-19 period, prioritizing social equity, leveraging opportunities to expand ridership, and keeping abreast of changing trends. "Throughout the pandemic, public transit agencies across the nation kept our communities running, from providing transportation to connecting community members to food to even setting up bus Wi-Fi hotspots for students," said APTA President and CEO Paul P. Skoutelas. "In this time of crisis, our industry provided vital services and reliable mobility for millions, with public transportation employees continuing to prove their abilities to adapt to the swiftly changing needs of their communities. Now, as the industry looks to the future, we can take the lessons we've learned and apply them to improve mobility in the coming years." In response to falling ridership, staff retention issues and fiscal concerns, most public transit agencies were forced to cut services. However, the report found that not all agencies responded this way. Some agencies eliminated fares and reoriented service to prioritize essential workers and social equity, and/or split shifts to provide social distancing for employees. For instance, Port Authority in Pittsburgh, Regional Transportation District in Denver, and the GRTC Transit System in Richmond expanded or reoriented services to underserved and low-income communities that depend on more frequent service. Spokane Transit Authority reassigned paratransit vehicles to help older adults better access health care, recreation, and other needs. To keep the public informed of these changes, transit agencies also had to expand communication efforts with the public. For example, Los Angeles' Metro system reinforced its social media campaigns and signage, while monitoring customer feedback in real time. Even as transit agencies adapted to the challenges of the pandemic differently, they all emphasized employee and rider safety. This included measures such as improving cleaning protocols, working with unions to develop programs for sick employees, securing operator space on buses, and providing free masks. In fact, while the federal government began requiring riders to wear masks on transit in January 2021, more than 85% of public transit agencies already were requiring masks by July 2020. More than half also developed a recovery plan that included new safety precautions for riders and employees. Based on research collected from operators, a nationwide survey of staff, and detailed case studies of five agencies, there are four overarching recommendations that the public transit industry can incorporate into planning and operations as they look beyond the pandemic to ensure their ability to provide equitable access to mobility. The recommendations are: 1. Institutionalize Best Practices from the COVID-19 Period Develop partnerships with existing labor and ramp up hiring for more operators and mechanics Improve community engagement to both share and gather information Establish efforts to address potential material shortages Expand sanitation measures for both public health and ride quality 2. Plan and Operate More Effectively in Prioritizing Social Equity Redefine transit success beyond ridership measurements Identify people and communities with inequitable access to opportunity Reallocate resources toward underserved neighborhoods and essential workplaces Consider adapting services to different needs on different days of the week and different times of the day Harness these lessons to improve capital planning programs Realign existing services to best meet the needs of the travelling public Provide opportunities for meaningful involvement in decision making by all 3. Leverage Opportunities to Expand Ridership Focus on opportunities to make transit a good choice for everyone Expand education on how to pay for transit and consider identifying new fare discounts to expand ridership Increase efforts to link transit service with equitable transit-oriented development Develop engaged, long-term relationships with other government entities. 4. Keep Abreast of Changing Trends Respond to telecommuting trends and increases in automobile traffic. Plan for changes in market demand central-city areas Anticipate increased development in suburban communities Respond to concerns about spreading infections from COVID-19 or future pandemics The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) is a nonprofit international association of 1,500 public- and private-sector organizations which represent a $80 billion industry that directly employs 448,000 people and supports millions of private sector jobs. APTA members are engaged in the areas of bus, paratransit, light rail, commuter rail, subways, waterborne services, and intercity and high-speed passenger rail. This includes: transit systems; planning, design, construction, and finance firms; product and service providers; academic institutions; transit associations and state departments of transportation. APTA is the only association in North America that represents all modes of public transportation. APTA members serve the public interest by providing safe, efficient and economical transit services and products. www.apta.com SOURCE American Public Transportation Association "Client implementation in Paradigm's specialty networks business is a critical and highly complex area that demands focused leadership," said Pricco. "Kaye is a sought-after operations and account management executive with a proven track record for coordinating the successful implementation of both technology and processes. Her collaborative approach to developing teams, combined with her vast wealth of knowledge, will have an immediate impact on Paradigm's ability to meet and exceed our clients' needs." "I'm excited to join a company with such a strong reputation in the industry. Throughout my career, I've worked with many Paradigm clients and have encountered so much respect for this organization," said Lewis. "Coming into this role, I recognize the amazing foundational work the Paradigm team has accomplished in client implementations. I'm committed to being a unifying voice, collaborating with key stakeholders to foster Paradigm's continuing growth and evolution," she added. "Ultimately, it's about flawlessly delivering products and solutions to clientsand doing it exactly as promised." Kaye comes to Paradigm with more than 25 years of experience in workers' compensation and related industries, with a specialized emphasis in account management, process improvement, operations management, and best-practice implementations. She has served in senior leadership roles for industry-leading companies, including Optum, Sedgwick, Cadence Rx, and CareCentrix. Kaye entered the workers' compensation sector through Optum's pharmacy benefits manager (PBM) sector. During her more than 15-year span with the company, she led multiple initiatives, which included implementing a pharmacy-centric bill review application, participating in the design of a client-facing PBM portal, leading client implementations, and account management. Kaye currently resides in Palm Harbor, Florida. About Paradigm Paradigm is an accountable specialty care management organization focused on improving the lives of people with complex and catastrophic injuries and diagnoses. The company has been a pioneer in value-based care since 1991, offering deep clinical expertise, high-value specialty networks, behavioral health support, payment integrity solutions, and robust data analytics to generate the very best outcomes for patients, payers, and providers. Paradigm is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, with offices across the U.S. For more information, please visit www.paradigmcorp.com . Media Contact: Ronda Clement VP of Marketing [email protected] (727) 488-9345 SOURCE Paradigm Related Links https://www.paradigmcorp.com BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Pathlight Capital LP ("Pathlight") announced today the final closing of its sophomore funds, Pathlight Capital Fund II LP and Pathlight Capital Offshore Fund II, LP (together, the "Fund"), with $1.16 billion of capital commitments. The Fund was oversubscribed, closing above its original fundraising target of $750 million to $1 billion. Including separately managed accounts, Pathlight now has over $1.77 billion in assets under management. The Fund will be a continuation of the strategy employed by Pathlight's previous fund, providing companies with asset-based financing solutions for working capital, refinancing, growth, acquisition, dividend, and turnaround strategies. The Fund received capital commitments from a diverse group of respected investors, including endowments, insurance companies, a health care system, and corporate and public pension funds, with a re-up rate over 100% from the predecessor fund based on dollars committed. Daniel Platt, Pathlight Capital Founder and Chief Executive Officer commented, "We are grateful for the support and continued confidence from our limited partners. The strong demand for Fund II strengthens our momentum in the marketplace. The opportunity to prove our all-weather return capabilities during the Covid-19 pandemic, combined with Pathlight's growing team of talented professionals, puts us in an excellent position to continue to lead and agent transactions and create value for our investors." Stephanie Fatzinger, Investor Relations Manager of Pathlight Capital, added, "We are humbled by the support of such a high-quality group of limited partners, with renewed dollar commitments from Fund I investors exceeding a 1:1 ratio." Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP provided legal counsel. About Pathlight Capital Pathlight provides asset-based loans secured on a first or second lien basis against tangible and intangible assets. Pathlight offers creative financing solutions to allow management teams to access incremental liquidity for the purposes of funding working capital, refinancing, growth, acquisition, dividend and turnaround strategies. For more information, please visit www.pathlightcapital.com . About WilmerHale WilmerHale provides legal representation across a comprehensive range of practice areas that are critical to the success of its clients. The law firm's Investment Management Group serves as counsel to the full spectrum of asset management firms on a broad range of sophisticated transactional and regulatory matters, including serving as counsel to fund sponsors on the structuring and formation of private equity, venture, hedge, credit, real estate, and hybrid funds. The law firm's leading Securities and Financial Services, Intellectual Property, Litigation/Controversy, Regulatory and Government Affairs, Securities and Financial Services, and Transactional Departments participate in some of the highest-profile legal and policy matters. With a staunch commitment to public service, the firm is renowned as a leader in pro bono representation. WilmerHale is 1,000 lawyers strong with 13 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.wilmerhale.com. SOURCE Pathlight Capital Related Links https://pathlightcapital.com/ According to the 2021 study, Washington, D.C., New York, and Seattle proved to be the top cities for veterans to start their businesses. The top emerging cities, or those that made the most progress since the PenFed Foundation's 2020 study, include Sioux Falls, Virginia Beach, and Kansas City. The study analyzed four main categories for each city, which include livability, economic growth, support for veterans, and ability to start a business. As the nation navigates the economic impacts of COVID-19, the study focused especially on city unemployment rates. The full study results can be found here . "Military veterans are service-minded and often desire to continue to serve their communities in a meaningful way after transitioning to civilian life. At the PenFed Foundation, we are eager to help these veterans realize their entrepreneurial aspirations by connecting them with the education, preparation, and investment needed to support them," said PenFed Foundation President and retired Army General John W. Nicholson Jr. "Part of this preparation includes creating ecosystems that veteran businesses can thrive in. We also know that veteran-owned businesses often hire more veterans, so supporting veteran entrepreneurs provides more jobs and opportunities for the greater military community." "The military community's resilience and strength is invaluable for our nation's business sector. That's why PenFed is proud to commission this study highlighting the cities that are making strides to support veteran businesses," said James Schenck, president and CEO of PenFed Credit Union and CEO of the PenFed Foundation. "We want to help cities across the United States understand which environments are best suited for military veterans to start and grow businesses and inspire city leaders to take the actions needed to support veteran entrepreneurs." The top 20 cities for veteran entrepreneurs with (changes since the 2020 report) include: Washington - Arlington - Alexandria , DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area (+1) New York - Newark - Jersey City , NY-NJ-PA Metro Area (-1) Seattle -Tacoma- Bellevue, WA Metro Area (+1) Chicago - Naperville - Elgin, IL -IN-WI Metro Area (-1) Dallas-Fort Worth- Arlington, TX Metro Area (+2) Minneapolis-St. Paul - Bloomington, MN -WI Metro Area (-1) Cleveland- Elyria, OH Metro Area (+3) Kansas City, MO -KS Metro Area (+10) Raleigh, NC Metro Area (+6) Boston - Cambridge - Newton, MA -NH Metro Area (-4) Virginia Beach - Norfolk - Newport News, VA -NC Metro Area (+13) Houston -The Woodlands- Sugar Land, TX Metro Area (-1) Atlanta -Sandy Springs- Roswell, GA Metro Area (+3) Austin- Round Rock, TX Metro Area (-1) Jacksonville, FL Metro Area (+4) Columbus, OH Metro Area (+4) Madison, WI Metro Area (-9) Boise City, ID Metro Area (-1) Milwaukee -Waukesha- West Allis, WI Metro Area (-5) Sioux Falls, SD Metro Area (+23) The top four emerging cities for veteran entrepreneurs are: Sioux Falls, SD Metro Area +23 Virginia Beach - Norfolk - Newport News, VA -NC Metro Area +13 Kansas City, MO -KS Metro Area +10 Raleigh, NC Metro Area +6 To paint the full picture of veteran support, city characteristics and entrepreneurship ability across the US, the study used a custom scoring algorithm based on a robust set of quantitative data from existing PenFed partners and openly available data sources. "Each year, we look forward to releasing this study because we believe military veterans are uniquely equipped to be excellent business owners. Oftentimes, veteran entrepreneurs face challenges accessing resources such as business networks or capital. That's why we want to thank the top cities that are dedicated to helping veterans overcome these hurdles and teach others how to become more military and startup friendly," said Seda Goff, senior director of veteran entrepreneurship at PenFed Foundation. Goff has a long-standing career working with military veterans and entrepreneurs. She served as city leader for Bunker Labs and teaches entrepreneurship at American University. Goff shared the findings of this study shortly after the launch of the Fall 2021 VEIP Master's Program , the PenFed Foundation's yearlong startup fundraising accelerator for veteran entrepreneurs. VEIP has a three-pronged approach to create a robust network for veteran-owned startups and businesses: Investment of seed capital, providing access to other capital investment programs and connecting entrepreneurs to funders; Preparation through the Master's Program, a yearlong fundraising accelerator, and Ignition Challenges; and Education through virtual and in-person workshops. To learn more about the PenFed Foundation's work with veteran entrepreneurs, or to donate to the Foundation, please visit veip.penfedfoundation.org . About PenFed Foundation Founded in 2001, the PenFed Foundation is a national nonprofit organization committed to empowering military service members, veterans and their communities with the skills and resources to realize financial stability and opportunity. It provides service members, veterans, their families and support networks with the skills and resources they need to improve their lives through programs on financial education, homeownership, veteran entrepreneurship, and short-term assistance. Affiliated with PenFed Credit Union, the Foundation has the resources to effectively reach military communities across the nation, build strong partnerships, and engage a dedicated corps of volunteers in its mission. The credit union funds the Foundation's personnel and most operational costs, demonstrating its strong commitment to the programs the Foundation provides. To learn more, visit www.penfedfoundation.org . SOURCE PenFed Foundation Related Links https://penfedfoundation.org/ BEIJING, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix New Media Limited ("Phoenix New Media", "ifeng" or the "Company") (NYSE: FENG), a leading new media company in China, today announced that it will report its third quarter 2021 financial results on Monday, November 15, 2021 after the market closes. The earnings release will be available on ifeng's investor relations website at http://ir.ifeng.com. Following the earnings release, ifeng's management team will hold a conference call on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Beijing/Hong Kong time) to discuss the financial results and operating performance. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, operator assisted conference calls are not available at the moment. All participants must preregister online prior to the call to receive the dial-in numbers. Preregistration may require a few minutes to complete. Conference Call Preregistration Participants can register for the conference call by navigating to http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/6816509. Once preregistration has been complete, participants will receive dial-in numbers, Direct Event Passcode, and registrant ID by email. Please dial in 10 minutes prior to the call, using the participant dial-in numbers, Direct Event Passcode and unique registrant ID which would be provided upon registering. You will be automatically linked to the live call after completion of this process. A replay of the call will be available through November 23, 2021 by dialing the following numbers: International: +61 2 8199 0299 Mainland China: 4006322162 Hong Kong: +852 30512780 United States: +1 646 254 3697 Conference ID: 6816509 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.ifeng.com. About Phoenix New Media Limited Phoenix New Media Limited (NYSE: FENG) is a leading new media company providing premium content on an integrated Internet platform, including PC and mobile, in China. Having originated from a leading global Chinese language TV network based in Hong Kong, Phoenix TV, the Company enables consumers to access professional news and other quality information and share user-generated content on the Internet through their PCs and mobile devices. Phoenix New Media's platform includes its PC channel, consisting of ifeng.com website, which comprises interest-based verticals and interactive services; its mobile channel, consisting of mobile news applications, mobile video application and mobile Internet website; and its operations with the telecom operators that provides mobile value-added services. For investor and media inquiries please contact Phoenix New Media Limited Qing Liu Email: [email protected] ICR, LLC Robin Yang Tel: +1 (646) 405-4883 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Phoenix New Media Limited Related Links www.ifeng.com NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Plastic Pipe Market" report has been added to SpendEdge's library which is trusted by more than 100 CPOs and 500 category managers who uses our insights daily. The Plastic Pipe market is poised to grow by USD 7.16 Billion, progressing at a CAGR of almost 5.72% during the forecast period. Plastic Pipe Market Procurement Research Report Receive FREE Sample Report in Minutes! 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 of the pros and cons of prevalent pricing models. Methods to help engage with the right suppliers and discover KPI's to evaluate incumbent suppliers. Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments. Some of the Top Plastic Pipe suppliers listed in this report: This Plastic Pipe procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies. Aliaxis Group SA Sekisui Chemical Co. Ltd Wienerberger AG Fetch actionable market insights on post COVID-19 impact on each product and service segments: www.spendedge.com/report/plastic-pipe-sourcing-and-procurement-intelligence-report Top Selling Report: Asset Recovery Services - Forecast and Analysis: The asset recovery services will grow at a CAGR of 9.49% during 2021-2025. Asia Asset Recovery Pte Ltd., TES-Amm Singapore Pte Ltd., and Iron Mountain Inc. are among the prominent suppliers in asset recovery services market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Vulnerability Management Sourcing and Procurement Report: Vulnerability Management Procurement Market, prices will increase by 4%-6% during the forecast period and suppliers will have a Moderate bargaining power in this market. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. Outplacement Services - Sourcing and Procurement Intelligence Report: This report offers key advisory and intelligence to help buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their Outplacement Services requirements. Click the above link to download the free sample of this report. To access the definite purchasing guide on the Plastic Pipe that answers all your key questions on price trends and analysis: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Is my Plastic Pipe TCO (total cost of ownership) favorable? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Which pricing models offer the most rewarding opportunities? Register for a free trial today and gain instant access to 1,200+ market research reports. SpendEdge's SUBSCRIPTION platform Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. Contacts: SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Rarecells, Inc., a healthcare company in the field of liquid biopsy, focused on the development and commercialization of non-invasive tests for early cancer detection, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Columbia University to fund a clinical study evaluating its ISET -AML test for early detection of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The study, expected to begin in Q1 2022, will be the first clinical evaluation of the ISET -AML test. Azra Raza, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and Director of the MDS Center at Columbia University's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, is the study's principal investigator. This clinical study aims to assess the clinical performance of the ISET -AML test in the context of early AML detection. Myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of diverse bone marrow disorders in which the bone marrow does not produce enough healthy blood cells. For roughly 30% of the patients diagnosed with MDS, this type of bone marrow failure syndrome will progress to AML, which is often fatal. Currently, patients with MDS are monitored with blood tests to measure complete blood cell counts and bone marrow analyses to detect the appearance of leukemic blasts heralding the development of AML. However, blood tests have a very low sensitivity to detect rare blasts and bone marrow tests involve an invasive procedure that cannot be repeated frequently. As a result, AML is often diagnosed when it is already well established and may be resistant to available treatment options. The ISET patented EC-marked platform is able to extract down to one single cancer cell of any type from 10 ml of blood, thus a tumor cell mixed with 100 million leukocytes and 50 billion erythrocytes, according to peer-reviewed published studies. The ISET -AML test uses the ISET platform to extract from blood the rare leukemic blast cells with unsurpassed sensitivity and detect them through suitable markers labelling, image analysis and AI. Dr. Raza, who wrote the best-selling book "The First Cell and the Human Costs of Pursuing Cancer to the Last," said: "New non-invasive tests are needed to detect the first leukemic cells in the blood of MDS patients so that we can identify and treat patients at risk of developing AML before the disease becomes established." Patrizia Paterlini, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rarecells, said: "We are pleased to be working with Columbia University's Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center to conduct the first clinical evaluation of the ISET -AML test in patients with MDS. The strategic decision to transition the ISET -AML test to an investigator-sponsored study at Columbia will provide access to world-class expertise and has the potential to accelerate patients' recruitment in order to expedite our clinical study. We look forward to a continued progress across our ISET Early Cancer Detection program, which also includes ongoing studies in patients at risk of Prostate Cancer". About Rarecells Rarecells, Inc. is a healthcare company focused on the development and commercialization of non-invasive Early Cancer Detection tests. These tests are based on the ISET platform technology that is able to extract from blood cancer cells from any type of cancer. Cancer cells extracted by ISET are then diagnostically identified through immune-morpho molecular analyses combined with image analyses and AI. This approach is believed to be a significant advancement in the highly sensitive non-invasive detection of cancer's signals providing a powerful tool for early cancer detection through the identification of the first circulating cancer cells. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1280816/Rarecells_Diagnostics_Logo.jpg [email protected] FP2COM Florence Portejoie Email: [email protected] SOURCE Rarecells, Inc. BEIJING, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- RYB Education, Inc. (NYSE: RYB) ("RYB" or the "Company"), a leading early childhood education service provider in China, today announced that it will hold its annual general meeting of shareholders (the "AGM") at 4/F, No. 28 Building, Fangguyuan Section 1, Fangzhuang, Fengtai District, Beijing, People's Republic of China on December 10, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. (Beijing time). No proposal will be submitted to shareholders for approval at the AGM. Instead, the AGM will serve as an open forum for shareholders and holders of the Company's American depositary shares ("ADSs") to discuss Company affairs with management. The Board of Directors of the Company has fixed the close of business on November 19, 2021 (Eastern Time) as the record date (the "Record Date") for determining the shareholders entitled to receive notice of the AGM or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Holders of record of the Company's Class A or Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.001 per share, at the close of business on the Record Date are entitled to attend the AGM and any adjournment or postponement thereof in person. Holders of the Company's ADSs are welcome to attend the AGM in person. Shareholders and ADS holders may obtain a copy of the Company's annual report on Form 20-F, free of charge, from our website at http://ir. rybbaby.com/, or by writing to Investor Relations Department, RYB Education, Inc., 4/F, No. 29 Building, Fangguyuan Section 1, Fangzhuang, Fengtai District, Beijing 100078, People's Republic of China, or by sending an email to [email protected]. About RYB Education, Inc. Founded on the core values of "Care" and "Responsibility," "Inspire" and "Innovate," RYB Education, Inc. is a leading early childhood education service provider in China. Since opening its first play-and-learn center in 1998, the Company has grown and flourished with the mission to provide high-quality, individualized and age-appropriate care and education to nurture and inspire each child for his or her betterment in life. During its two decades of operating history, the Company has built "RYB" into a well-recognized education brand and helped bring about many new educational practices in China's early childhood education industry. RYB's comprehensive early childhood education solutions meet the needs of children from infancy to 6 years old through structured courses at kindergartens and play-and-learn centers, as well as at-home educational products and services. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: In China: RYB Education, Inc. Investor Relations E-mail: [email protected] The Piacente Group, Inc. Yang Song Tel: +86 (10) 6508-0677 E-mail: [email protected] In the United States: The Piacente Group, Inc. Brandi Piacente Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] SOURCE RYB Education, Inc. Related Links www.rybbaby.com PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sandata is pleased to announce the appointment of Emmet O'Gara as the organization's next Chief Executive Officer. Mr. O'Gara brings more than 25 years of experience in the healthcare payer, provider, and employer markets. Most recently, O'Gara served as Executive Vice President, Group President of Population Health Management (PHM) at HMS, a publicly traded healthcare technology company. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of the company's PHM business development, product innovation, and delivery capabilities. Prior to that, O'Gara held leadership roles at MedeAnalytics, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Ernst & Young, and Cigna Healthcare. "I'm honored to be joining the Sandata team," said O'Gara. "Sandata not only demonstrates an outstanding history in healthcare technology, but represents an incredible future moving forward. Our company aligns with my own passion for the healthcare and home care industry, my experience with managed care organizations, and a commitment to innovation for improved member outcomes." As Sandata concludes a successful 2021 including growth with new state contracts in Missouri and California, O'Gara looks forward to expanding the footprint of Sandata's home care and provider networks. Additionally, he will bring unique insights with Sandata technologies value to managed care organizations as well as leading a multi-tier strategy to be the home care technology provider of choice. "We could not ask for a better leader to take the helm at Sandata," says Tim Bacci, former CEO of Sandata. "I'm proud of the Sandata team and what we have accomplished together this year. Emmet's in-depth knowledge of the healthcare technology space is a great catalyst for the company to accelerate ongoing success." "I look forward to working together with Tim and the entire leadership team for a smooth transition," added O'Gara. "We are all committed to moving forward with the great work in progress, elevating our strategic approach, and continuing our positive impact on the market throughout the coming year." About Sandata Sandata Technologies, LLC, is a leading U.S. provider of technology that makes it easier for Medicaid payers and providers to work together from day one. As a national EVV leader, Sandata's suite of solutions offers its 15,000-plus agencies, 20 state Medicaid departments, and 50-plus managed care organizations the tools and capabilities to advance quality of care and improve patient and client outcomes. Customers are supported by an incredible team of Sandata experts. For more information, visit sandata.com. SOURCE Sandata Technologies, LLC Related Links http://www.sandata.com NEW YORK, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- WeissLaw LLP is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of CorePoint Lodging Inc. ("CorePoint" or the "Company") (NYSE: CPLG), in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company through a joint venture between affiliates of Highgate and Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. ("Cerberus"). Under the terms of the merger agreement, the Company's shareholders will receive $15.65 per share in cash for each share of CorePoint common stock that they hold. The all-cash transaction is valued at approximately $1.5 billion. If you own CorePoint shares and wish to discuss this investigation or have any questions concerning this notice or your rights or interests, visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/cplg Or please contact: Joshua Rubin, Esq. WeissLaw LLP 305 Broadway, 7th Floor New York, NY 10007 (212) 682-3025 (888) 593-4771 [email protected] WeissLaw LLP is investigating whether (i) CorePoint's board of directors acted in the best interests of Company shareholders in agreeing to the proposed transaction, (ii) the $15.65 per-share merger consideration adequately compensates CorePoint's shareholders, and (iii) all information regarding the sales process and valuation of the transaction will be fully and fairly disclosed. Notably, the merger consideration is below the $20.00 median price target set by analysts following the Company, $4.35 above the per-share merger consideration. WeissLaw LLP has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients and obtained important corporate governance relief in many of these cases. If you have information or would like legal advice concerning possible corporate wrongdoing (including insider trading, waste of corporate assets, accounting fraud, or materially misleading information), consumer fraud (including false advertising, defective products, or other deceptive business practices), or anti-trust violations, please email us at [email protected] SOURCE WeissLaw LLP Related Links http://weisslawllp.com NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK ), a leading global creative platform offering full-service solutions, high-quality content, and applications for brands, businesses and media companies, today announced a new partnership with Staples US Retail. Through this multifaceted partnership with Shutterstock, Staples US Retail is expanding its turnkey design experiences to include a vast content library, simple image editing tools, and managed services to help customers create compelling marketing materials with confidence both in-store and online. Small businesses and creators with limited design knowledge are now able to develop engaging marketing assets through an immediate, highly personalized design experience. Customers have access to dedicated associates and design services at Staples US Retail locations, as well as 325+ million high quality images from Shutterstock's expansive collection, for the creation of flyers, business cards, posters and signs at select Staples stores across the country. Today, Staples has more than 1,000 retail locations nationwide, delivering innovative products, services and inspiration essential for the creation of compelling marketing collateral. "We're thrilled to join forces with Staples US Retail, a key player serving small business owners across the country," said Chip Schenck, Global VP of Innovation at Shutterstock. "Now, with direct access to Shutterstock images and editing tools, customers can easily find inspiration, customize beautiful content, and manage their creative projects, all in one place." "At Staples, we believe that successful small businesses build stronger communities, and this new design experience will bring their print and marketing materials to the next level," said Craig Grayson, Vice President/GMM, Staples US Retail. "Shutterstock is a household name in the world of design, and we're so excited to be able to help our small business customers elevate every print project by giving them access to millions of high-quality images on the spot." Staples customers can now engage in the following creative experiences powered by Shutterstock: Find creative inspiration, develop engaging materials and collaborate with in-store experts through new experience-driven Staples stores Shutterstock offers customers a dedicated Shutterstock Editor experience in the Print Shop at select Staples stores across the country. Through an interactive kiosk, customers -- including a growing number of professionals working from home and in hybrid roles -- can easily design and create high-impact marketing materials including flyers, business cards, posters, signs and more using professional design templates, Shutterstock's Editing tools, as well as Shutterstock's library of 325+ million high-quality images. The experience offers customers the option to consult with dedicated in-store associates for immediate, personalized design services at their favorite Staples location. The newly reimagined Staples Connect locations in Los Angeles (Staples Store #1967) and Auburn, Maine (Staples Store #0307) will also feature large-scale, multi-media murals of images by Shutterstock artists as part of an expanded Print Shop experience. Access eye-catching Shutterstock images online to take designs to the next level Through this partnership, Shutterstock and Staples Print & Marketing Services have launched an online experience to help customers create eye-catching marketing materials without ever leaving home. Through Staples US Retail Online, customers can access millions of Shutterstock images to build and customize banners, invitations, yard signs, business cards and more, with the option to print materials at a local Staples US Retail location. To see the Shutterstock and Staples partnership in action, visit https://www.staples.com/services/printing ABOUT SHUTTERSTOCK Shutterstock, Inc. (NYSE: SSTK ), is a leading global creative platform offering full-service solutions, high-quality content, and applications for brands, businesses and media companies. Directly and through its group subsidiaries, Shutterstock's comprehensive collection includes high-quality licensed photographs , vectors , illustrations , videos , 3D models and music . Working with its growing community of over 1.9 million contributors, Shutterstock adds hundreds of thousands of images each week, and currently has more than 390 million images and more than 23 million video clips available. Headquartered in New York City, Shutterstock has offices around the world and customers in more than 150 countries. The Company also owns PicMonkey, a leading online graphic design and image editing platform ; Offset, a high-end image collection ; Shutterstock Studios, an end-to-end custom creative shop ; PremiumBeat, a curated royalty-free music library; Shutterstock Editorial, a premier source of editorial images and videos for the world's media; TurboSquid, a leading 3D content marketplace ; Amper Music, an AI-driven music platform ; and Bigstock , a value-oriented stock media offering. For more information, please visit www.shutterstock.com and follow Shutterstock on Twitter and on Facebook . About Staples US Retail With a focus on the community of small businesses and consumers, Staples US Retail provides innovative products, services and inspiration essential to the new ways of working and learning. Staples Stores and Staples Connect retail locations serve millions of customers from entrepreneurs and small businesses to remote workers, parents, teachers, and students. Explore Staples Connect at a local Staples Store or online at StaplesConnect.com. SOURCE Shutterstock, Inc. Related Links www.shutterstock.com SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sirona Medical , a software company founded on a deep understanding of both the practice and business of radiology, today announced $40 million in Series B financing, bringing the total capital raised to more than $60 million. The funding round was led by GreatPoint Ventures and joined by Rose Park Advisors and Avidity Partners, with additional participation from previous investors including 8VC and Global Founders Capital . The funding will be used to accelerate ongoing product development, customer onboarding, and sales initiatives. "There is a critical need for better physician workflow solutions in healthcare, particularly in radiology the only specialty practiced entirely through software," said Cameron Andrews, founder and CEO of Sirona Medical. "The reality is that radiology IT is fatally fragmented today, and legacy software solutions were specifically designed and rigidly built for this fragmented and siloed status quo. After decades of battling with disjointed and cumbersome IT systems, radiologists are ready for a unified, cloud-native platform for a simpler workflow experience that puts the physician experience first. They're ready for software that just works. With this funding, we will be able to turbocharge the adoption of our RadOS platform into radiology practices across the nation and redouble our focus on our overarching mission: amplifying the profession of radiology through software." Sirona's RadOS platform unifies existing radiology IT software applications the worklist, viewer, reporter, and AI onto a single cloud-native platform. The unification of these applications in the cloud represents a first principles rearchitecting of the IT infrastructure that powers medical imaging. As a result, RadOS can be deployed as an overlay to practices' existing on-premise database systems (PACS and RIS), allowing radiology practices that service multiple hospitals and health systems to combine disparate workflows and data feeds into a single unified workflow experience. RadOS enables Sirona to leverage AI in ways not previously possible and serves as the foundation for Sirona Medical's guiding 'intelligence amplification' or 'IA' principle the view that AI's purpose in radiology is to amplify the profession, not compete with it and that how AI is built and designed for radiology needs to be reimagined before this goal can be achieved. "For the better part of a decade, AI has promised to improve the practice of radiology but failed to do so," said Andrew Perlman, founding managing partner at GreatPoint Ventures. "Sirona is redefining how AI should be used in radiology amplifying the profession's impact on healthcare by building software that elevates the intelligence of physicians and ultimately, the care patients receive." In addition to the financial backing, Mr. Perlman will join Sirona's Board to help guide the company's next phase of growth. "We believe the radiology IT market exhibits many of the hallmarks of an industry ripe for disruption," said Chris Calder, principal at Rose Park Advisors, the firm co-founded by Clayton Christensen, author and developer of the theories of disruptive innovation. "AI companies have been unable to move from theoretical utility towards mainstream adoption because existing vendors haven't addressed the underlying IT architecture that is inhibiting innovation. By unifying disparate systems, Sirona has created a transformative platform that will unlock new value creation possibilities and shift the current frame of competition entirely." About Sirona Medical Inc. Sirona Medical Inc. is addressing the needs of today's radiology practices with a novel cloud-native platform that unifies radiology IT applications worklist, viewer, reporter, and AI onto a single, streamlined Workspace. Sirona's radiology operating system (RadOS) puts radiologists in the driver's seat with novel AI-powered solutions that simplify their workflow and amplify their work product. Based in San Francisco, CA, Sirona Medical is founded on a deep understanding of both the practice and business of radiology, with the goal of enabling radiologists to work as fast as they can think. For more information, please visit www.sironamedical.com About GreatPoint Ventures GreatPoint Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm founded by entrepreneurs and operators who've built companies cumulatively worth $300 billion. Our mission is to partner with entrepreneurs solving big problems across enterprise, healthcare, bio-tech, and food. At GPV we make fewer than 10 new investments per year so we have time to fight in the trenches with every team we back. SOURCE Sirona Medical Related Links http://www.sironamedical.com BEND, Ore., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyNRG Americas, a leader in sustainable aviation fuel ("SAF") and pioneer of SAF sourced from biogas methane, today reinforced the vital importance of forging a truly sustainable future for global aviation through the development and commercialization of SAF that creates positive environmental and social impact. SkyNRG Americas' call to action occurs ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference ("COP26") Transport Day on November 10. SkyNRG Americas President and CEO John Plaza said, "The aviation industry contributes approximately 11% of global transportation-related CO 2 emissions, an unsustainable level for an industry with steady demand in advanced economies and an accelerated growth profile in emerging markets. Sustainable aviation fuel is thus critical to the industry's future, and it is more important than ever that we replace fossil fuels with SAF solutions that are both commercially viable and beneficial for the environment. As transport leaders gather at COP26, we encourage them to coalesce around standards to ensure that SAF doesn't just replace fossil fuels but, rather, affirmatively contributes to a healthier planet." Sustainable Aviation Standards Amid the aviation industry's accelerated production and use of SAF, SkyNRG Americas believes that the industry must work vigilantly to ensure that SAF options are, in fact, demonstrably and sustainably superior to the fossil fuels they purport to replace. Consistent with this approach, the industry should develop and commercialize SAF feedstock options that: Improve social and environmental conditions : A viable SAF solution should create a virtuous economic cycle involving the sustainable management and reuse of otherwise harmful emissions. Doing so will help ensure that SAF affirmatively contributes to a cleaner environment while delivering positive socio-economic impactan approach in sharp contrast to SAF that results in deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, land-use emissions, and food supply challenges. : A viable SAF solution should create a virtuous economic cycle involving the sustainable management and reuse of otherwise harmful emissions. Doing so will help ensure that SAF affirmatively contributes to a cleaner environment while delivering positive socio-economic impactan approach in sharp contrast to SAF that results in deforestation, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, land-use emissions, and food supply challenges. Do not displace any 'higher-value applications' : While SAF has traditionally been produced using crops that would otherwise be used for human consumption or as animal feed, there are better feedstock options available. Instead of diverting these resources, which requires more land to be devoted to agriculture and leads to higher food prices, we can produce SAF via the capture and conversion of methane released from landfills. Such alternative feedstocks must be prioritized as part of a viable SAF solution. : While SAF has traditionally been produced using crops that would otherwise be used for human consumption or as animal feed, there are better feedstock options available. Instead of diverting these resources, which requires more land to be devoted to agriculture and leads to higher food prices, we can produce SAF via the capture and conversion of methane released from landfills. Such alternative feedstocks must be prioritized as part of a viable SAF solution. Include robust independent certification: Over the last decade, the global environmental community has developed sustainability criteria, methodologies, and standards for the assessment and development of bioenergy resources. Global aviation should work with these certification systems and frameworks, i.e., the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, to ensure a robust SAF environmental/governance framework that earns the trust of all aviation stakeholders. SkyNRG Americas incorporates these standards through a differentiated, future-proofed SAF solution that captures fugitive methane from landfills and other biogas sources and converts both the methane and CO 2 in biogas to jet fuel and renewable diesel. This solution gives these emissions a valuable second life as sustainable aviation fuel, while simultaneously reducing the amount of methane released into Earth's atmosphere. The company currently has commercial partnerships with Boeing and Alaska Airlines, among others. About SkyNRG Americas SkyNRG Americas is headquartered in Bend, Oregon and consists of a dedicated team of industry-leading professionals focused on developing and building sustainable aviation fuel production facilities throughout North America. These new SAF production facilities will lead to an increased supply of domestically produced SAF with feedstocks sourced from raw biogas and renewable energy. Learn more at: www.skynrgamericas.com. Contact Emma Prenn-Vasilakis Kekst CNC [email protected] 917-842-7981 SOURCE SkyNRG Americas SMITHFIELD, Va., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Smithfield Foods, Inc. is pleased to announce that Jona Smith, vice president of IT applications services, received a 2021 STEP Ahead Honoree award from The Manufacturing Institute. Jona Smith, VP of IT applications services for Smithfield Foods, is recognized at The Manufacturing Institutes STEP Ahead gala. Photo courtesy of the National Association of Manufacturers. Photo by Ian Wagreich. The institute, which is the workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers, seeks to build and inspire the next generation of female leaders in manufacturing from the factory floor to the C-suite through its STEP (Science, Technology, Engineering and Production) Ahead Awards. The program annually recognizes outstanding accomplishments of women who are making significant contributions to the manufacturing industry and are demonstrating leadership in their companies and communities. "It's an honor to be recognized by an initiative that is doing such impactful work to empower women in our industry," said Smith. "I'm proud to represent Smithfield and to advocate for women in technology. I can't name another industry with the amount of opportunity manufacturing has; it has limitless possibilities and a place for everyone." Smith leads Smithfield's Information and Technology Application Systems & Services and was honored for her commitment to helping women in technology succeed in the agricultural and manufacturing professions. She recently celebrated her 40-year anniversary with the company in June. In addition to her work for Smithfield, Smith is an active supporter of Shriners Hospitals for Children and has held numerous board positions in her Shriners' women's group. "We're delighted that Jona has been recognized for her amazing contributions to support women in our Smithfield Family and beyond," said Keira Lombardo, chief administrative officer for Smithfield Foods. "The inclusion of women is critical to the future of our industry and we are proud to support The Manufacturing Institute's work to continue to close the gender gap while developing and advocating for the next generation of women who will inherit our legacy." The Manufacturing Institute honored Smith and other honorees at a gala in Washington D.C. on Nov. 4. The Manufacturing Institute's 2021 study with Deloitte found that nearly 2.1 million manufacturing jobs could go unfilled by 2030. The cost of those missing jobs could total as much as $1 trillion in 2030 alone. Smithfield is hiring for a variety of full-time career opportunities in its manufacturing, farm and distribution operations and is committed to ensuring the diversity, equity and inclusion of its workforce. For more information visit smithfieldfoods.com/careers. About Smithfield Foods, Inc. Headquartered in Smithfield, Va. since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with agricultural roots and a global reach. Our 63,000 team members are dedicated to producing "Good food. Responsibly." and have made Smithfield one of the world's leading vertically integrated protein companies. We have pioneered sustainability standards for more than two decades, including our industry-leading commitments to become carbon negative in U.S. company-owned operations and reduce GHG emissions 30 percent across our entire U.S. value chain by 2030. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich and Nathan's Famous, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com, and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. SOURCE Smithfield Foods, Inc. Related Links www.smithfieldfoods.com LAS VEGAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SWX) (the "Company") today announced that its Board of Directors, after a thorough review with the assistance of its external financial and legal advisors, has unanimously determined that the unsolicited, highly conditional and illusory tender offer from an affiliate of Carl Icahn ("Icahn") to acquire any and all outstanding common shares of the Company for $75.00 per share in cash (the "Offer") is inadequate, undervalues the Company, is structurally coercive and is not in the best interests of all of its stockholders. Accordingly, the Board recommends that stockholders not tender any of their shares into the Offer. The basis for the Board's decision is set forth in the Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (the "Schedule 14D-9") being filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which will also be mailed to stockholders. The Company included the following letter to stockholders in its Schedule 14D-9, outlining the Board's reasons for recommending that stockholders reject the Offer: November 9, 2021 Dear Fellow Stockholders: On October 27, 2021, Carl Icahn submitted an unsolicited, inadequate, structurally coercive, highly conditional and illusory tender offer to acquire the outstanding shares of Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. ("Southwest Gas" or "the Company") for $75.00 per share in cash (the "Offer"). Our Board of Directors (the "Board") thoroughly reviewed Mr. Icahn's Offer, in consultation with its external financial and legal advisors, and unanimously determined that the Offer is inadequate and undervalues the Company, has no certainty of completion, and is not in the best interests of Southwest Gas stockholders. YOUR BOARD URGES YOU NOT TO TENDER YOUR SHARES INTO THE INADEQUATE OFFER Under the oversight of our Board and management team, Southwest Gas has built a company that is poised for value creation across each of its businesses and the company as a whole . . Southwest Gas is delivering attractive, risk-adjusted total returns comprising stable earnings and a meaningful dividend, both of which have solid growth prospects via exposure to clear infrastructure trends and are expected to lead to strong long-term total stockholder returns. comprising stable earnings and a meaningful dividend, both of which have solid growth prospects via exposure to clear infrastructure trends and are expected to lead to strong long-term total stockholder returns. With strong and healthy cash flows, we have continued our efforts to enhance our portfolio, resulting in significant strategic optionality and flexibility. Over time, this has enhanced our ability to source and allocate growth capital to selectively pursue value creating accretive opportunities. REGULATED AND UNREGULATED BUSINESSES POSITIONED TO DELIVER VALUE WELL IN EXCESS OF INADEQUATE OFFER Despite pandemic-related challenges over the last year, we have enhanced our strategic positioning, expanded into new and attractive markets and strengthened and diversified our revenue streams. As the energy transition creates new opportunities, we remain well positioned for growth as we execute our strategy and remain focused on providing excellent service to our customers, opportunities to our employees, and growing returns to our stockholders. As we continue to deliver strong operational and financial performance, we will continue to evaluate scenarios that offer the most long-term value for the Company and stockholders. Exciting Strategic and Financial Opportunities in Regulated Natural Gas Operations Drawn by robust economies, job growth, attractive business climates, and excellent quality of life, residents and businesses have been moving into Arizona, Nevada, and California and are expected to continue to do so. Southwest Gas is positioned to benefit from this societal trend and others such as gas infrastructure replacement and safety and reliability investments, with ratebase growth of 7.5% per year expected over 2021-2025. We will continue to grow ratebase, as we have historically, in a responsible manner from the perspective of all stakeholders, which means maximizing safety and reliability while managing customer bill impacts. Southwest Gas' pending Questar Pipelines acquisition also brings a complementary and compelling suite of high-return assets, with unique strength and stability, that are both commercially and geographically adjacent. This acquisition will significantly increase and diversify our regulated business mix providing a robust stream of steady contracted earnings and cash flows and is expected to: Significantly increase our optionality for the future of the Company by broadening our flexibility to source and allocate growth capital; Enhance our ability to continue paying a dividend at a target level of 55% to 65% of consolidated earnings; Be accretive to earnings in 2022the first full year after the expected close; and Help us fund critical, forward-looking investments for continued effective growth. High-Growth Unregulated Infrastructure Services Business to Benefit From Infrastructure Spending Our unregulated utility infrastructure services business, Centuri, has nearly doubled its revenue over the last four years and has strong continuing growth potential. Centuri is diversified across the U.S. and Canada with a blue-chip, attractive customer base composed of electric, gas and combination utilities and is poised for high growth and significant upside associated with infrastructure investment in the U.S. and Canada. The recent acquisition of Riggs Distler (2021) follows the acquisition of Linetec (2018) and is expected to help accelerate Centuri's growth. The Riggs Distler transaction is just the latest in a series of actions that has contributed to positioning Centuri to serve the entire utility and infrastructure value chain nationally. Riggs Distler is expected to drive Centuri's expansion into the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first full year following its completion. YOUR BOARD UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT STOCKHOLDERS REJECT MR. ICAHN'S OFFER AND NOT TENDER YOUR SHARES, FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS The Offer is Inadequate and Undervalues Southwest Gas. The Offer does not reflect Southwest Gas' strong track record of value creation and disregards the Company's compelling prospects for continued growth and the ongoing creation of sustainable, long-term stockholder value. The Board and management have been and will continue to be focused on optimizing the value of Southwest Gas' component businesses (which we expect will soon include Questar) as well as Southwest Gas as a whole and are focused on implementing plans that they believe will further drive stockholder value and relative stock price performance. The Company's businesses continue to perform well, generating strong and healthy cash flows and enhancing our ability to source and allocate growth capital to selectively pursue value creating accretive opportunities evidenced by the recent acquisitions of Linetec Services, Riggs Distler and the pending acquisition of Questar Pipelines. Our recent transactions have provided us with the scale and strategic optionality to unlock additional value. Due in large part to the growth in the Southwest region and supportive regulatory relationships, we have a robust capital plan and have been investing in our business, which we believe will continue to translate to greater long-term earnings due to greater ratebase growth at our regulated gas LDC business. The track record of Mr. Icahn, as well as the quantity and nature of the conditions to his highly illusory Offer, create significant uncertainty and risk. Mr. Icahn has an extremely poor track record of completing transactions in similar situations. In fact, Mr. Icahn and his affiliates hardly ever consummate a tender offer once launched. The Offer contains a long list of conditions, many of which are in Mr. Icahn's control, including that he may assert, in his sole discretion, whenever he chooses, for any reason he chooses, that a condition has not been satisfied and nobody can challenge his decision: Regulatory Approval Condition Condition No Injunction Condition Condition No External Events Condition Condition No Challenge Condition Condition No Events Outside of the Ordinary Course Condition Condition No Competing Offer Condition Condition Rights Plan Condition Condition Dominant Stockholder Condition Condition Equity Condition Condition Mr. Icahn's Offer is highly illusory and it is very unlikely that stockholders will ever receive any Offer consideration. The Offer is highly conditional and illusory, and therefore stockholders should not be deceived into thinking that they are likely to receive the Offer consideration on the initial Expiration Date of December 27 , 2021if ever. , 2021if ever. In particular, Mr. Icahn has made his Offer subject to the Regulatory Approval Condition and cannot acquire control of Southwest Gas without obtaining the necessary State regulatory approvals. Condition and cannot acquire control of Southwest Gas without obtaining the necessary State regulatory approvals. Yet, Mr. Icahn does not provide any details about his plan to obtain the necessary approvals and does not commit in the Offer to take any actions to satisfy the Regulatory Approva l Condition. In fact, Mr. Icahn does not even provide the most basic details of what approvals he must obtain in each of the relevant jurisdictions to complete the Offer. Without even this most basic of information, stockholders can only guess as to what approvals Mr. Icahn must obtain, what his plans are to obtain such approvals, and the likelihood of satisfying the condition or the potential timing of satisfaction. l Condition. In fact, Mr. Icahn does not even provide the most basic details of what approvals he must obtain in each of the relevant jurisdictions to complete the Offer. Without even this most basic of information, stockholders can only guess as to what approvals Mr. Icahn must obtain, what his plans are to obtain such approvals, and the likelihood of satisfying the condition or the potential timing of satisfaction. Mr. Icahn must obtain regulatory approval to acquire more than 25% of Southwest Gas' outstanding shares an amount well below the 35% that Mr. Icahn has indicated he needs if he is to extend his Offer. Even if Mr. Icahn eventually satisfies the Regulatory Approval Condition, the process could take up to 18 months. Condition, the process could take up to 18 months. The Offer demonstrates that Mr. Icahn has no strategic plan for Southwest Gas if he acquires control. In connection with the Offer, Mr. Icahn states that he will continue to review "various possible business strategies" and, if he were to acquire control of the Company, "conduct a detailed review" of the Company. In short, Mr. Icahn admits he has not developed any strategic plan for operating Southwest Gas. The Offer is blatantly coercive and provides no protection for stockholders who do not tender. Mr. Icahn has a history of coercive actions towards minority stockholders. Stockholders face the threat that if they do not tender into the Offer, and the Offer is subsequently consummated, they may find themselves as minority stockholders in a company with a new majority or controlling stockholder and an entirely new Board selected by Mr. Icahn, with no strategic direction yet articulated and facing default on significant debt. Mr. Icahn makes no mention of any intention to effect a second step merger or otherwise offer terms or protections to remaining stockholders. Mr. Icahn has stated that, following the completion of the Offer, the Company may be delisted from the New York Stock Exchange and the remaining outstanding shares deregistered (in which case Southwest Gas would no longer be required to file reports with the SEC). Using Mr. Icahn's own words from his Offer, he states: "Depending upon the number of Shares purchased and the number of remaining holders of Shares, the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer may adversely affect the liquidity and market value of the remaining Shares held by the public." These events would almost certainly lead to a substantial decline in value of the remaining outstanding shares. YOUR BOARD REMAINS COMMITTED TO TAKING THE NECESSARY STEPS TO ENHANCE STOCKHOLDER VALUE AND POSITION THE COMPANY FOR LONG-TERM SUCCESS. While Mr. Icahn has offered an inadequate, self-serving and opportunistic proposal with dubious motivations, the Southwest Gas Board and management team are executing a clear and detailed strategy to create value. Your Board and management team remain committed to taking actions consistent with their focus on long-term stockholder value creation. Southwest Gas stockholders are encouraged to send a clear message to Mr. Icahn that you will not allow him to pursue his self-serving agenda and will not permit him to take control of Southwest Gas for a price below the Company's value. Tendering into Mr. Icahn's Offer would only encourage Mr. Icahn in his opportunistic attempt to acquire Southwest Gas at the inadequate price of $75 per share a price that is also contingent upon a long list of ambiguous and illusory requirements. The enclosed Schedule 14D-9 contains a complete discussion of these and other significant factors contributing to your Board's recommendation. For the reasons described above and in the enclosed Schedule 14D-9, your Board unanimously recommends that you REJECT THE OFFER and NOT TENDER your shares pursuant to the Offer. We urge stockholders to read the Schedule 14D-9 carefully and in its entirety so you will be fully informed as to your Board's recommendation. Thank you for your continued support as we work to protect your investment and deliver enhanced stockholder value creation. Sincerely, Michael J Melarkey Chairman of the Board John P. Hester President and Chief Executive Officer If you have any questions regarding the Schedule 14D-9, please contact the Company's Information Agent, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, at: (877) 825-8621 (toll free from the U.S. or Canada) or +1 (412) 232-3651 (from other locations). Lazard and Moelis & Company LLC are serving as financial advisors to Southwest Gas and Morrison & Foerster LLP and Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP are serving as legal advisors. About Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the business of purchasing, distributing and transporting natural gas, and providing comprehensive utility infrastructure services across North America. Southwest Gas Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary, safely and reliably delivers natural gas to over two million customers in Arizona, California and Nevada. Centuri Group, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary, is a comprehensive utility infrastructure services enterprise dedicated to delivering a diverse array of solutions to North America's gas and electric providers. How to Find Further Information This communication does not constitute a solicitation of any vote or approval in connection with the 2022 annual meeting of stockholders of Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") (the "Annual Meeting"). In connection with the Annual Meeting, the Company will file a proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), which the Company will furnish, with any other relevant information or documents, to its stockholders in connection with the Annual Meeting. BEFORE MAKING ANY VOTING DECISION, WE URGE STOCKHOLDERS TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND OTHER DOCUMENTS WHEN SUCH INFORMATION IS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND THE ANNUAL MEETING. The proposals for the Annual Meeting will be made solely through the proxy statement. In addition, a copy of the proxy statement (when it becomes available) may be obtained free of charge from www.swgasholdings.com/proxymaterials. Security holders also will be able to obtain, free of charge, copies of the proxy statement and any other documents filed by Company with the SEC in connection with the Annual Meeting at the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov, and at the companies' website at www.swgasholdings.com. Important Information for Investors and Stockholders This communication does not constitute an offer to buy or solicitation of an offer to sell any securities. In response to the tender offer for the shares of the Company commenced by IEP Utility Holdings LLC and Icahn Enterprises Holdings L.P., the Company has filed a solicitation/recommendation statement on Schedule 14D-9 with the SEC. INVESTORS AND STOCKHOLDERS OF SOUTHWEST GAS HOLDINGS ARE URGED TO READ THE SOLICITATION/RECOMMENDATION STATEMENT AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY IN THEIR ENTIRETY BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Investors and stockholders may obtain a free copy of these documents free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov , and at the Company's website at www.swgasholdings.com . In addition, copies of these materials may be requested from the Company's information agent, Innisfree M&A Incorporated, toll-free at (877) 825-8621. Forward-Looking Statements This document 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. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about, among others, the industry, markets in which Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. (the "Company," "Southwest Gas Holdings," "SWX," or "we") operates, and the matters described in this press release. While the Company's management believes the assumptions underlying its forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, such information is necessarily subject to uncertainties and may involve certain risks, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond the control of the Company's management. A number of important factors affecting the business and financial results of the Company could cause actual results to differ materially from those stated in the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the timing and amount of rate relief, changes in rate design, customer growth rates, the effects of regulation/deregulation, tax reform and related regulatory decisions, the impacts of construction activity at Centuri, future earnings trends, seasonal patterns, and the impacts of stock market volatility. In addition, the Company can provide no assurance that its discussions about future operating margin, operating income, pension costs, COLI results, and capital expenditures of the natural gas segment will occur. Likewise, the Company can provide no assurance that discussions regarding utility infrastructure services segment revenues, operating income as a percentage of revenues, interest expense, and noncontrolling interest amounts will transpire, nor assurance regarding acquisitions or their impacts, including management's plans related thereto, such as that currently planned in regard to Riggs Distler & Company, Inc. and the pending acquisition of Dominion Energy Questar Pipeline, LLC and related entities (the "Questar Pipeline Group"). Additional risks include the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the Sale and Purchase Agreement by and between Dominion Energy Questar Corporation and the Company (the "Questar Purchase Agreement"), the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against the Company and others following announcement of the Questar Purchase Agreement, risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations, the risks related to the ability of the Company to integrate the Questar Pipeline Group, the amount of the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to the transaction and the actual terms of certain financings that will be obtained for the transaction, potential negative impacts to the Company's credit ratings as a result of the transaction, the disruption to the Company's stock price and the costs, fees, expenses and charges related to, and the distraction of management's attention in connection with, any proxy contest or other stockholder related or similar matters, as well as other risks that are set forth under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 and September 30, 2021 and in future filings with the SEC. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. All subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or any person acting on its behalf are qualified by the cautionary statements in this section. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of this press release. Participants in the Solicitation The directors and officers of the Company may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the Annual Meeting. Information regarding the Company's directors and officers and their respective interests in the Company by security holdings or otherwise is available in its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC and its most recent definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of such potential participants is or will be included in the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC, when they become available. Contacts For investor information, contact: Ken Kenny (702) 876-7237 [email protected]; or Innisfree M&A Incorporated, Scott Winter/Jennifer Shotwell/Jon Salzberger, (212) 750-5833 For media information, contact: Sean Corbett (702) 876-7219 [email protected]; or Joele Frank, Wilkinson Brimmer Katcher, Dan Katcher / Tim Lynch, (212) 355-4449 SOURCE Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc. 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Suppliers in this market have moderate bargaining power owing to low pressure from substitutes and a moderate level of threat from new entrants. What is the expected price change in the market? The PVC Pipe Market is expected to have a price change of 4%-7% during 2021-2025. The PVC Pipe Market is expected to have a price change of 4%-7% during 2021-2025. Who are the top players in the market? Advanced Drainage Systems Inc., China Lesso Group Holdings Ltd., and Finolex Industries Ltd are some of the major market participants. Advanced Drainage Systems Inc., China Lesso Group Holdings Ltd., and Finolex Industries Ltd are some of the major market participants. What are the pricing models followed by buyers? Volume based Pricing model, and Spot Pricing model are the widely adopted pricing models in PVC Pipe Market. Volume based Pricing model, and Spot Pricing model are the widely adopted pricing models in PVC Pipe Market. What will be incremental spend in commercial vehicle cabin procurement? The procurement market will register an incremental spend of about USD 6.36 Billion , during 2021-2025. The procurement market will register an incremental spend of about , during 2021-2025. What is the CAGR for PVC Pipe market? The PVC Pipe market will grow at a CAGR of about 5.54% during 2021-2025. SpendEdge suggests three forecast scenarios (optimistic, probable, and pessimistic) considering the impact of COVID-19. SpendEdge's in-depth research has direct and indirect COVID-19 impacted market research reports. Receive Free Sample Report to access the definite purchasing guide on PVC Pipe procurement. Top Selling Trending Reports: Key Insights Provided in the PVC Pipe Research Report: Am I paying/getting the right prices? Favorability of the current PVC Pipe's TCO (total cost of ownership) How is the price forecast expected to change? How is the price forecast expected to change? What is driving the current and future price changes? Key trends and drivers in this market Table of Content Executive Summary Market Insights Category Pricing Insights Cost-saving Opportunities Best Practices Category Ecosystem Category Management Strategy Category Management Enablers Suppliers Selection Suppliers under Coverage US Market Insights Category scope Appendix About SpendEdge: SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more: https://procurement.spendedge.com/talk-to-us Contacts SpendEdge Anirban Choudhury Marketing Manager Ph No: +1 (872) 206-9340 https://www.spendedge.com/contact-us SOURCE SpendEdge HAMILTON, N.J., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- STATKING Clinical Services (SCS), a member of Genesis Drug Discovery & Development (GD3), the contract research organization (CRO) arm of Genesis Biotechnology Group (GBG), has announced the expansion of its senior leadership team with the promotion of several key employees. Established in 1989, SCS provides clinical trial services, including clinical trial management, protocol development, biostatistics, clinical data management, clinical study monitoring, medical writing, medical monitoring, safety reporting, and project management for the regulatory approval of novel drug and medical device products. STATKING Clinical Services Roderick L. Lashley, an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience in statistical programming and data management, was promoted to President & Managing Director. In this expansion of Rod's current role, he will provide operational leadership, oversight, and coordination across all SCS Departments. Effective Jan 2022, Lori Christman, previously Director of Biostatistics, will serve as Senior Vice President. In this new capacity, Lori will lead operational functions supporting business development, including contract negotiations and corporate reporting. She will also oversee the Quality Assurance (QA) department and work with the new Director of Biostatistics to lead biostatistical services. Sarah Landenwitsch, previously Director of Statistical Programming and Data Management, will serve as Vice President. In this new role, Sarah will work with SCS directors to determine company priorities and coordinate Corporate Core Services Divisions, including Information Technology, Human Resources, and other GD3 member companies. "These promotions reflect our continued commitment to excellence," said Eli Mordechai, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GBG. "I strongly believe that we have built a high-performing team who are passionate and consistently innovate strategies to provide superior services that exceed clients' expectations. I look forward to the continued leadership and contributions of Rod, Lori, and Sarah." About GBG Genesis Biotechnology Group (GBG) is a consortium of vertically integrated companies with a mission of improving patient care by cross-linking their expertise, dedication, and vision in drug discovery, personalized and tailored clinical diagnostics, integrated state of the art, women's health care services, and through the development, manufacturing, and distribution of unique biotechnology-based products. About Genesis Drug Discovery & Development Genesis Drug Discovery & Development (GD3) is a fully integrated CRO providing services to support drug discovery programs of our clients from target discovery through IND filing and managing Phase I-IIII clinical trials. GD3 portfolio includes services for HTS and assay development, synthetic organic and medicinal chemistry, DMPK/in-vivo pharmacology and safety pharmacology, toxicology, as well as clinical trial services for the regulatory approval of novel drug and medical device products. About STATKING Clinical Services STATKING Clinical Services provides clinical trial services (clinical trial management, protocol development, biostatistics, clinical data management, clinical study monitoring, medical writing, medical monitoring, safety reporting, and project management) for clinical trials for the regulatory approval of novel drug and medical device products. The company is headquartered in Cincinnati, OH. The company has provided support on 15 NDAs, 14 PMAs, 2 BLAs, 3 NADAs, and numerous 510Ks over the past 30 years of service to the pharmaceutical, medical device, and animal health industries. To find out more, please visit www.genesisbiotechgroup.com. Contact: Anthony Rohr, Chief Operating Officer [email protected] 844-272-8234 SOURCE Genesis Drug Discovery & Development (GD3) PHOENIX, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Massively Parallel Technologies (MPT), a pioneer of software optimization and modernization, today announced that it has signed a consulting agreement with Stramaglio Consulting to develop strategic international partners for MPT's Blue Cheetah product and associated technologies. Based on thirty-two patents, Blue Cheetah accelerates and reduces the cost of optimizing new code and modernizing legacy code. The technology has been validated by three DARPA projects, and several commercial use cases. MPT is a privately held technology company whose mission is to facilitate digital transformation by reducing the so-called "technical-debt" that is inherent in old software, which reduces organizational agility, and is a drag on IT budgets. As organizations around the world rely increasingly on software and algorithms, the speed with which they can modernize and transform code becomes more important. MPT's Blue Cheetah provides such organizations increased productivity with its automated graphical analysis and ability to optimize code for multicore cloud environments through auto-parallelization. "I am pleased with this exciting opportunity to work with Stramaglio Consulting," says Bobbi Kenney, CEO of MPT. "There are still many organizations struggling with modernization projects and suffering from the high cost and years of engineering time required to move application software from a legacy environment to the cloud. Legacy software is not a barrier to successful business but the very reason an organization has been successful and therefore, it holds great value for the organization. Blue Cheetah is the framework that unleashes the value of legacy software and assists with building new and transformational solutions." Stramaglio Consulting has assembled a think-tank named The Consortium to establish an open collaborative platform to improve business agility and help organizations embrace the Digital Transformation (DX). The firm was founded in 2020 by Mike Stramaglio with his more than 45 years of expertise and leadership in the technology industry. "Business agility is our primary focus, and I am thrilled with this opportunity to bridge MPT with our international network of people to help them establish strong strategic partnerships to transform software development and delivery in DX," says Mike Stramaglio. "I am confident MPT's Blue Cheetah can provide compelling solutions that will transform the software consulting and services business models." Hiro Ueda, Partner and COO of Stramaglio Consulting added, "I am so excited to take on this significant opportunity as a strategic partner to help MPT and society." About Massively Parallel Technologies, Inc. Massively Parallel Technologies, Inc. ("MPT") is a privately held technology company that addresses inefficiencies in software development and processing speed. Recently, MPT has developed a proprietary and heavily patented SaaS platform that automates and accelerates the modernization of software for use on public and private clouds. Blue Cheetah reduces man years of analysis and development to just weeks, which dramatically reduces the cost of modernizing and developing code from dollars per line of code to just pennies. MPT's IP is protected by thirty-two patents, and has been validated by three DARPA projects, and several commercial use cases. To learn more, please visit https://massivelyparallel.com/. About Stramaglio Consulting LLC Stramaglio Consulting is committed to taking imaging channel businesses to the next level with a focus on new technologies, innovation, and consulting services. Its founder, Mike Stramaglio, is a well-known and respected industry leader with more than 40 years' experience in the office imaging technology channel. Most recently, he was president of MWA FORZA with Konica Minolta after its acquisition of MWA Intelligence, the company he founded in 2006. To learn more visit https://stramaglioconsulting.com/. Mike Stramaglio [email protected] 650-888-9645 Photo(s): https://www.prlog.org/12892498 Press release distributed by PRLog SOURCE Massively Parallel Technologies, Inc. Related Links https://massivelyparallel.com/ VANCOUVER, BC, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Strategic Resources Inc. (TSXV: SR) (the "Company" or "Strategic") is pleased to announce that it has transferred existing environmental permits for its 100% owned vanadium-iron Mustavaara project in Finland. The transfer was from the Ferrovan Oy bankruptcy estate to Strategic Explorations Oy and includes the environmental and water permits issued to Mustavaaran Kaivos Oy in 2016 by the Regional State Administrative Agency for Northern Finland (PSAVI). The water permit is scheduled to lapse in July 2022 and the environmental permit could lapse as early as July 2023. Strategic plans to submit applications for extensions for both the water and environmental permits in early 2022. In addition, Strategic is working to submit its exploration license applications to transition its concessions from reservation status by early 2022. On May 10, 2021, Strategic announced starting a joint hydrometallurgical testing program on titanomagnetite concentrate from Mustavaara. A sulphuric acid-based method of extracting vanadium, iron, and titanium was tested. Although the process was successful in recovering all three metals in varying quantities, the vanadium recoveries and the sulphuric acid consumption on the initial test work would not allow the process to be commercially viable in Finland. Further test work and refinement may change these results; however, no additional test work is currently planned. About Strategic Resources Strategic Resources Inc. (TSXV:SR) is a Vancouver, Canada-based mineral exploration and development company focused on vanadium projects in Finland. The Company is primarily focused on its flagship Mustavaara vanadium-iron-titanium project in Finland. The Company continues to evaluate new opportunities that are related to the electrification of the economy. Further details are available on the Company's website at https://strategic-res.com/. To follow future news releases, please sign up at https://strategic-res.com/contact/. STRATEGIC RESOURCES INC. Signed: "Scott Hicks" Scott Hicks, CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements and information herein, including all statements that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements or information include but are not limited to statements or information with respect to extending existing environmental permits and applying for exploration licenses for the Mustavaara concessions. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements or information can be identified by the use of words such as "will" or "projected" or variations of those words or statements that certain actions, events or results "will", "could", "are proposed to", "are planned to", "are expected to" or "are anticipated to" be taken, occur or be achieved. With respect to forward-looking statements and information contained herein, the Company has made numerous assumptions including among other things, assumptions about general business and economic conditions, the prices of vanadium and pig iron, and anticipated costs and expenditures. The foregoing list of assumptions is not exhaustive. Although management of the Company believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such statements or information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that a forward-looking statement or information herein will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. These factors include, but are not limited to: risks associated with the business of the Company; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks relating to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions (including with respect to the tonnage, grade and recoverability of reserves and resources); risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action, and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks relating to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Company's continuous disclosure documents filed with Canadian securities administrators. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. SOURCE Strategic Resources Inc. Related Links https://strategic-res.com HANGZHOU, China and SHAOXING, China, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascletis Pharma Inc. (HKEX: 1672) announces today that the interim results of 44 chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients from a Phase IIb trial of ASC22 (Envafolimab), a subcutaneously administered PD-L1 antibody (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04465890), demonstrated sustained HBsAg loss in CHB patients with baseline HBsAg 500 IU/mL. The result abstract has been selected for oral presentation in Late Breaking Session at The Liver Meeting 2021 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), which has to be of sufficient scientific importance and high impact to meet the criteria of Late-Breaking Abstract of The Liver Meeting. The Phase IIb study is a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center clinical trial in China which evaluates the efficacy and safety of treating CHB patients for 24-week treatment of 1 mg/kg or 2.5 mg/kg ASC22 or matching placebo given once every two weeks (Q2W) in combination with NAs. "ASC22 is the earliest and most advanced clinical stage immunotherapy in the world for CHB functional cure, i.e. HBsAg loss, through blocking PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Been selected for oral Late Breaking presentation indicates close attention by the committee of The Liver Meeting 2021 to the study." said Professor Guiqiang Wang, director of infectious diseases department and liver disease center of Peking University First Hospital, president of eleventh committee, Society of Infectious Diseases, Chinese Medical Association, and principal investigator of the Phase IIb trial. "There are unremitting efforts by scientists all over the world to cure CHB. However, HBsAg loss is difficult to achieve. We are excited to see ASC22 as an immunotherapy play a fundamental role in functional cure of CHB patients. The percentage of patients with baseline HBsAg lower than 500 IU/mL is as high as 30% of all CHB patients. With such exciting interim data, we are on track to advance into the registration trials as planned." said Dr. Jinzi J. Wu, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Ascletis. Abstract to be presented is as follow: HBsAg LOSS IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS B PATIENTS WITH SUBCUTANEOUS PD-L1 ANTIBODY ASC22 (ENVAFOLIMAB) PLUS NUCLEOS(T)IDE ANALOGS TREATMENT: INTERIM RESULTS FROM A PHASE IIb CLINICAL TRIAL Presentation Type: Oral, Parallel Session Oral, Parallel Session Publication Number: LO12 LO12 Session Title: Late Breaking Session 2 Late Breaking Session 2 Presenting Author: Dr. Jinzi J. Wu , Ascletis BioScience Co., Ltd. Dr. , Ascletis BioScience Co., Ltd. Session Broadcast Date and Time: Monday, November 15, 2021 , 12:30-02:00 PM EST About Ascletis Ascletis is an innovative R&D driven biotech listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (1672.HK), a global platform covering the entire value chain from discovery and development to manufacturing and commercialization. Ascletis is committed to developing and commercializing innovative drugs in the areas of viral diseases, NASH/PBC, and cancer (oral cancer metabolic checkpoint and immune checkpoint inhibitors) to address unmet medical needs both in China and globally. Led by a management team with deep expertise and a proven track record, Ascletis targets those therapeutic areas with unmet medical needs from a global perspective, and efficiently advances the developments of pipelines with an aim of leading in global competition. To date, Ascletis has three marketed products and 18 robust R&D pipelines of drug candidates with global competitiveness, and is actively exploring new therapeutic areas. 1. Viral Diseases: (1) Hepatitis B Virus (functional cure): focus on breakthrough therapies for CHB functional cure with a subcutaneously-injected PD-L1 antibody ASC22 and Pegasys as cornerstone drugs. (2) HIV/AIDS: ASC22, an immune therapy to restore HIV-specific immune responses and eventually lead to a functional cure of HIV-infected patients. (3) Hepatitis C: successfully launched an all-oral regimen of combining ASCLEVIR and GANOVO (RDV/DNV regimen). 2. Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis/Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Gannex, a wholly-owned company of Ascletis, is dedicated to the R&D and commercialization of new drugs in the field of NASH. Gannex has three clinical stage drug candidates against three different targets FASN, THR and FXR, three fixed-dose combinations for NASH and one PBC program targeting FXR. 3. Cancer (oral cancer metabolic checkpoint and immune checkpoint inhibitors): a pipeline of oral inhibitors targeting FASN, which plays a key role in cancer lipid metabolism, and a pipeline of oral PD-L1 small molecule next generation immune checkpoint inhibitors. 4. Exploratory Indications: Acne: Following NASH and recurrent GBM, the third indication for ASC40 has been approved to enter Phase 2 clinical trial. SOURCE Ascletis Pharma Inc. LAS VEGAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Switch, Inc. (NYSE:SWCH) will host its Investor Day on Monday, November 15, 2021. The event will take place at Switch's Las Vegas headquarters, accompanied by a live webcast for virtual attendees. Switch Founder and CEO Rob Roy will present his vision and long-term strategy. In addition, members of the executive management team will outline the company's leading sustainability practices and future objectives, key operational and financial aspects of the business, and present its multi-year financial targets. The live and virtual session begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time with an overview and tour of Switch's Core Campus in Las Vegas, hosted by Switch's Chief Information Officer, Missy Young. Following the completion of the live and virtual data center tours, the afternoon session will begin at 12:00 p.m Pacific Time. Please visit Switch's investor relations website at https://investors.switch.com/ for additional information, including registration and access to the live stream. A webcast replay of the event will also be accessible on the Events and Presentations page of the investor relations website. ABOUT Switch Switch (NYSE: SWCH), is the independent leader in exascale data center ecosystems, edge data center designs, industry-leading telecommunications solutions and next-generation technology innovation. Switch Founder and CEO Rob Roy has developed more than 750 issued and pending patent claims covering data center designs that have manifested into the company's world-renowned data centers and technology solutions. We innovate to sustainably progress the digital foundation of the connected world with a focus on enterprise-class and emerging hybrid cloud solutions. The Switch PRIMES, located in Las Vegas and Tahoe Reno, Nevada; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; and Austin, Texas are the world's most powerful exascale data center campus ecosystems with low latency to major U.S. markets. Visit switch.com for more information or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. SOURCE Switch, Inc. Related Links https://www.switch.com ROTTERDAM, Netherlands, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, SkylineDx announced that the Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has renewed accreditation to SkylineDx' laboratory in San Diego, California (US), based on results of a recent on-site inspection. The CAP advised the facility's laboratory director, Matthew McGinniss MS, Ph.D., of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the laboratory services provided. SkylineDx is one of nearly 8,000 CAP-accredited facilities worldwide. The US federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program as being equal-to or more-stringent-than the government's own inspection program. During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory's records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and records, and overall management. "Our team in San Diego did an incredible job throughout this entire process, not only anticipating CAP's on-site inspection, but also working diligently to obtain Pennsylvania and Rhode Island clinical laboratory permits, signifying that SkylineDx' lab in San Diego is authorized to receive and process specimens from these states", comments Dharminder Chahal, CEO SkylineDx, "all steps taken are focused on further solidifying our position in the US diagnostics market". "We are extremely proud of the excellent service that our molecular laboratory provides to patients and clinicians", concludes Dr. McGinniss. About SkylineDx SkylineDx is a biotechnology company, focused on research & development of molecular diagnostics in oncology and inflammatory diseases. The company is headquartered in Rotterdam (the Netherlands) and complemented with a field medical and scientific affairs team in the US and a CAP/CLIA certified laboratory in San Diego (California). SkylineDx uses its expertise to bridge the gap between academically discovered gene expression signatures and commercially available diagnostic products with high clinical utility, assisting healthcare professionals in accurately determining the type or status of disease or predict a patient's response to treatment. Based on test results, healthcare professionals can tailor the treatment approach to the individual patient. To learn more, please visit www.skylinedx.com. About the College of American Pathologists As the world's largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, please visit www.cap.org. Footnotes 1. Link to this press release on website SkylineDx (click here) SOURCE SkylineDx ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC) announces the historic launch of the new Virginia MBDA Business Center. It will be the first in the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency's (MBDA) 52-year history. It is a part of a network of 45 centers across the country fostering the establishment and growth of minority-owned businesses. Acting MBDA National Director, Miguel Estien presents a check for $2 million dollars to CRMSDC President & CEO, Sharon R. Pinder to operate the first Virginia MBDA Center in the agency's 52-year history. Tommy Marks, Director of the MBDA Business Center will lead a team of business consultants to support minority-owned businesses across the state. The Virginia MBDA Center will have a satellite office located in Richmond, Virginia. During the ribbon cutting, Miguel Estien, acting National Director for MBDA shared a host of MBDA family secrets as he invited the Commonwealth of Virginia to become familiar with the resources available to minority-owned firms. "MBDA remains the only federal agency charged with promoting and supporting minority-owned businesses," he stated, and "what we do matters. Collectively, MBDA business center operators support over 9 million minority-owned businesses" across the nation. CRMSDC President and CEO, Sharon R. Pinder celebrated this announcement at the Alexandria headquarters of the Virginia Business Center. There will also be a satellite office in Richmond, Virginia to support coverage of the Commonwealth and region. President Pinder stressed the importance of this business center "especially in the midst of a global pandemic, where there has been a greater need for support, resources and opportunities for minority-owned businesses." CRMSDC in partnership with the Carolina's-Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council (CVMSDC), Dominique Milton, CEO, will provide resources to minority-owned firms as they look to gain access to public and private sector contracting opportunities, connect with key contacts and acquire business intelligence to successfully compete in today's marketplace. Virginia's MBDA Business Center under the leadership of Tommy Marks, Director and a team of seasoned Business Consultants will provide the much needed guidance and advice needed to run a successful and profitable enterprise. The press conference and ribbon cutting for the Virginia MBDA Business Center will air on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. est. with special greetings by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, U.S. Senator for the Commonwealth of Virginia, Mark Warner, NMSDC President & CEO, Ying McGuire, President & CEO of Fairfax County Economic Development Authority, Victor Hoskins, Sharon Pinder, CEO of CRMSDC, Dominique Milton, CEO of CVMSDC and Tommy Marks, Director Virginia MBDA Center. You may watch the press conference today at 10am on YouTube LIVE by clicking here: Virginia MBDA Press Conference & Ribbon Cutting The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC) was established in 1972. It is one of 23 regional affiliates of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC). CRMSDC's mission is to certify, connect, develop and advocate for minority-owned business across the DMV. For the last three years, the Washington Business Journal has recognized The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (#11) as one of the Top 30 Largest Business Advocacy Groups in Greater Washington, DC. Web Address: www.mbda-virginia.com Web Address: www.crmsdc.org Web Address: www.crmsdccares.com CONTACT: LaToya Moore, [email protected], 301.593.5861 SOURCE The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council "We are delighted to unveil this renovation at a time when we are beginning to see business and leisure travel return." Said Jennifer Porter, chief operating officer for Commonwealth Hotels. "It is truly a pleasure to welcome guests back in our brand new hotel." The new look defines the Courtyard Cincinnati Airport inside and outside with a modern sleek look while providing guests outstanding services and amenities. The renovation included all guestrooms and public spaces, including lobby, bistro, breakfast area, bar, meeting space, and fitness center. About Courtyard Courtyard by Marriott is the hotel brand of choice for trailblazing guests who are inspired by a passion to do great things. With more than 1,250 locations in over 55 countries and territories, Courtyard is passionate about empowering its guests and serving the needs to travelers everywhere no matter the purpose to their trip. About Commonwealth Hotels Commonwealth Hotels, LLC was founded in 1986 and is a proven partner in providing hotel management services with superior financial results. The company has extensive experience managing premium branded full service and select service hotels. Commonwealth Hotels currently manages 51 properties with nearly 6,700 rooms. Additional information may be found at www.commonwealthhotels.com. Contact: Barbara E. Willen Commonwealth Hotels, LLC [email protected] 859.392-2254 SOURCE Commonwealth Hotels, Inc. Related Links http://www.commonwealthhotels.com DUBLIN, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Global Optical Coatings Market by Technology, (Vacuum Deposition, E-Beam Evaporation, Sputtering Process, and Ion Assisted Deposition (IAD)), Type, End-Use Industry, and Region (APAC, North America, Europe, and Rest of World) - Forecasts to 2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The optical coatings market size is projected to grow from USD 12.6 billion in 2021 to USD 19.0 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 8.5%. The optical coatings market is witnessing high growth owing to growing demand for optical coatings in industrial applications from emerging economies of APAC and Europe are the major drivers for the growth of the optical coatings market. Optical coatings are a process of blending a thin layer of films on optical components, such as lens and mirrors, to intensify the reflection and transmission characteristics of the optical system. They normally contain layers of various metallic and dielectric materials such as titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, and aluminum piled together according to the end-use application. Optical coatings are thin layers of special materials deposited on various optical components and devices that are used as alternatives to traditional coatings, which are used to enhance the reflection and transmission properties of the component's surface. The growth of the electronics & semiconductor, military & defense, transportation, and other end-use industries is propelling the demand for optical coatings significantly. All these factors are expected to drive the market for optical coatings market. Vacuum deposition is the largest technology segment of the optical coatings market The optical coatings market is segmented on the basis of technology into vacuum deposition, E-beam evaporation, sputtering process, and ion-assisted deposition (IAD). Vacuum Deposition holds the major market share of the overall optical coatings market owing to its ability to cure at room temperatures, improved reliability, and increased thermal and mechanical strength of electronic devices. AR Coatings is the largest type segment of the optical coatings market The optical coatings market is segmented on the basis of type into AR coatings, high reflective coatings, transparent conductive coatings, filter coatings, beamsplitter coatings, EC coatings, and others. AR coatings type segment holds major market share of the overall optical coatings market owing to its ability to provide high-quality coatings with high transmission power and low reflection power on components such as lenses, mirrors, and display screens used in various industrial and consumer applications. These factors are fueling the growth of AR coatings in the global optical coatings market. Electronics & semiconductor is the largest end-use industry segment of the optical coatings market The optical coatings market is segmented on the basis of end-use industry into electronics & semiconductor, military & defense, transportation, telecom/optical communication, infrastructure, solar power, medical, and others. Electronics & semiconductor end-use industry segment holds major market share of the overall optical coatings market owing to the increasing demand for highly resistant and high dielectric strength coating layers in photovoltaic (PV) cells, electronics assemblies, ICs, and other optoelectronic devices. These factors are fueling the growth of the optical coatings market in the electronics & semiconductor industry. North America is the largest market for optical coatings market North America is the largest market for optical coatings during the forecast period. This growth can be attributed to the growing demand from the electronics & semiconductor industry and the increasing contribution of government and major players for commercializing optical coatings in the region. Moreover, stringent environmental and government regulations, such as Architectural and Industrial Maintenance (AIM) Coatings for Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) content limits and the United States Munitions List (USML) that regulate optical technology along with coating exports under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) fuel the market growth for optical coatings in the region. Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 2 Research Methodology 3 Executive Summary 4 Premium Insights 4.1 Attractive Opportunities in the Optical Coatings Market 4.2 Optical Coatings Market, by Region 4.3 Optical Coatings Market, by Technology 4.4 Optical Coatings Market, by Type 4.5 Optical Coatings Market, by End-Use Industry 4.6 Optical Coatings Market: Emerging Vs. Mature Markets 4.7 Optical Coatings Market in North America, 2020 4.8 Optical Coatings Market, Regional Snapshot 5 Market Overview 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Market Dynamics 5.2.1 Drivers 5.2.1.1 Rise in Demand for Optical Coatings from Electronics & Semiconductor Industry 5.2.1.2 Growing Solar Power Industry to Drive the Market 5.2.1.3 Technological Advancement in Optical Equipment and Fabrication Process 5.2.2 Restraints 5.2.2.1 Volatility in Raw Material Prices 5.2.2.2 High R&D and Equipment Cost 5.2.3 Opportunities 5.2.3.1 Increasing Adoption of Advanced Automotive Electronics 5.2.4 Challenges 5.2.4.1 Stringent Government Regulations 5.2.4.2 Maintaining the Environmental Durability of Optical Coatings 5.3 YC-YCC Drivers 5.4 Porter's Five Forces Analysis 5.4.1 Threat of New Entrants 5.4.2 Threat of Substitutes 5.4.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers 5.4.4 Bargaining Power of Buyers 5.4.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry 5.5 Supply Chain Analysis 5.5.1 Prominent Companies 5.5.2 Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises 5.6 Market Mapping/Ecosystem Map 5.7 Tariff and Regulatory Analysis 5.8 Pricing Analysis 5.9 Trade Analysis 5.9.1 Hs Code - Import 5.9.2 Hs Code Used For- Export 5.10 Case Study 5.11 Patent Analysis 5.12 COVID-19 Impact on the Optical Coatings Market 5.13 Optical Coatings Market: Realistic, Pessimistic, Optimistic, and Non-COVID-19 Scenarios 6 Industry Trends 6.1 Solar Power Industry 6.2 Military & Defense 6.3 Electronics & Semiconductor 7 Optical Coatings Market, by Technology 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Vacuum Deposition Technology 7.3 E-Beam Evaporation Technology 7.4 Sputtering Process 7.5 Ion-Assisted Deposition (IAD) Technology 8 Optical Coatings Market, by Type 8.1 Introduction 8.2 AR Coatings 8.3 High Reflective Coatings 8.4 Transparent Conductive Coatings 8.5 Filter Coatings 8.6 Beamsplitter Coatings 8.7 EC Coatings 8.8 Others 9 Optical Coatings Market, by End-Use Industry 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Electronics & Semiconductor 9.3 Military & Defense 9.4 Transportation 9.5 Telecommunication/Optical Communication 9.6 Infrastructure 9.7 Solar Power 9.8 Medical 9.9 Others 10 Optical Coatings Market, by Region 11 Competitive Landscape 11.1 Overview 11.2 Market Share Analysis of Top 5 Players 11.3 Market Evaluation Framework 11.4 Revenue Analysis of Top 5 Market Players 11.5 Company Evaluation Quadrant 11.5.1 Visionary Leaders 11.5.2 Dynamic Differentiators 11.5.3 Emerging Companies 11.5.4 Innovators 11.6 Competitive Scenario 12 Company Profiles 12.1 Key Players 12.1.1 Dupont 12.1.2 PPG Industries Ohio, Inc. 12.1.3 Nippon Sheet Glass Co. Ltd. 12.1.4 Zeiss International 12.1.5 Newport Corporation 12.1.6 Inrad Optics, Inc. 12.1.7 Artemis Optical Limited 12.1.8 Abrisa Technologies 12.1.9 Reynard Corporation 12.1.10 II-VI Aerospace & Defense 12.2 Other Players 12.2.1 Cascade Optical Corporation 12.2.2 Beneq 12.2.3 Materion Corporation 12.2.4 Deposition Sciences, Inc. (DSI) 12.2.5 Lambda Research Optics Inc. 12.2.6 MLD Technologies, LLC 12.2.7 Evaporated Coatings, Inc. 12.2.8 Andover Corporation 12.2.9 Visimax Technologies Inc. 12.2.10 Ophir Optronics Solutions Ltd 12.2.11 Janos Technology LLC 12.2.12 Denton Vacuum 12.2.13 Nano Quarz Wafer 12.2.14 Alluxa 12.2.15 Berliner Glas Group 13 Adjacent Markets: Vacuum Evaporators Market 14 Adjacent Markets: Vapor Deposition Market 15 Adjacent Markets: Conformal Coatings Market 16 Appendix For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/k620zr 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 New international report also shows 134 countries and territories now require graphic picture warnings on cigarette packages TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - An international report released today by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) shows there is tremendous momentum worldwide for tobacco plain packaging. There are now 38 countries and territories moving forward with plain packaging, with 21 having adopted the measure, 3 having it in practice, and 14 working on it. The CCS report, Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report, documents global progress on plain packaging, ranks 206 countries and territories on the size of their health warnings on cigarette packages, and lists the 134 countries and territories that now require graphic picture warnings. Plain packaging accelerating globally "There is a strong, unstoppable global trend for countries to implement plain packaging," says Rob Cunningham, Senior Policy Analyst, CCS. "Australia was the first country to implement plain packaging in 2012 and now the pace of implementation is accelerating. These developments are very encouraging as plain packaging is a key measure to protect youth and to reduce tobacco use." While there are now 21 countries and territories that have adopted plain packaging, in 2018 only 9 countries had done so. Guidelines under the international tobacco treaty, the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), recommend that countries consider implementing plain packaging. Plain packaging includes health warnings on packages and prohibits tobacco company branding such as colours, logos and design elements. It also requires the brand name to be a standard font size, style and location on the package and the brand portion of each package to be the same colour such as an unattractive brown. Finally, the package format is standardized. Plain packaging regulations put an end to packaging being used for product promotion, increase the effectiveness of package warnings, curb package deception and decrease tobacco use. Plain packaging has been implemented in Australia (2012), France (2016), United Kingdom (2016), Norway (2017), Ireland (2017), New Zealand (2018), Saudi Arabia (2019), Turkey (2019), Thailand (2019), Canada (2019), Uruguay (2019), Slovenia (2020), Belgium (2020), Israel (2020), Singapore (2020), Netherlands (2020), Denmark (2021), and Guernsey (2021), and will be implemented in Hungary (2022), Jersey (2022) and Myanmar (2022). Plain packaging has been implemented in practice in 3 countries where packages are imported from a country with plain packaging: Monaco (from France), Cook Islands (from New Zealand), and Niue (from Australia). Plain packaging is under formal consideration in at least 14 countries: Armenia, Chile, Costa Rica, Finland, Georgia, Iran, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Nepal, South Korea, South Africa, Spain, and Sri Lanka. The number of countries requiring plain packaging is expected to increase even further because of the World Trade Organization (WTO) appeal decision on June 9, 2020, that Australia's plain packaging requirements are consistent with WTO's international trade agreements. The tobacco industry had been opposing plain packaging arguing the measure infringed WTO trade agreements, but that argument can no longer have any credibility. Graphic picture warnings continue to increase The report found that 134 countries and territories now require picture health warnings on cigarette packages, an increase from 117 in 2018. This represents 70% of the world's population. Canada was the first country to require picture health warnings in 2001. "There is unrelenting international momentum for countries to use graphic pictures on cigarette packages to show the lethal health effects of smoking," says Cunningham. "It is extremely positive for global public health that more than 130 countries and territories have required picture health warnings and have increased warning size and that so many are moving toward plain packaging," says Cunningham. "The international trend will reduce global tobacco industry sales and will save lives lost to cancer and other tobacco-related diseases." In total 122 countries and territories have required warnings to cover at least 50% of the package front and back (on average), up from 107 in 2018 and 24 in 2008. There are now 71 countries and territories with a size of at least 65% (on average) of the package front and back, and 10 with at least 85%. The top countries ranked by warning size as an average of the front and back of the package are: 1. 92.5% East Timor (Timor-Leste) (85% of front, 100% of back) 1. 92.5% Turkey (85%, 100%) 3. 90% Maldives (90%, 90%) 3. 90% Nepal (90%, 90%) 3. 90% Vanuatu (90%, 90%) 3. 90% Benin (90%, 90%) (2022) 7. 87.5% New Zealand (75%, 100%) 8. 85% Hong Kong (S.A.R., China) (85%, 85%) 8. 85% India (85%, 85%) 8. 85% Thailand (85%, 85%) In the 2018 report, East Timor was top ranked at 92.5%, and has now been matched by Turkey. Cigarette package warnings are a highly cost-effective way to increase awareness of the negative health effects of smoking and to reduce tobacco use. Picture-based warnings convey a more powerful message than a text-only warning and the effectiveness of warnings is known to increase with size. Guidelines under the FCTC recommend that warnings should: be as large as is achievable; include a rotated series of graphic pictures; be at the top of both the front and back of packages. Picture warnings are especially valuable for low- and middle-income countries where there are higher rates of illiteracy and where governments may have few resources. Health departments determine the content of warnings and the tobacco industry is responsible for printing the warnings on packages. Examples of graphic picture warnings include a diseased lung or mouth, a patient with lung cancer in a hospital bed and a child being exposed to second-hand smoke. The report was released today in conjunction with the 9th session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO FCTC being held virtually November 8-13, and hosted in Geneva, Switzerland. The report supports the implementation of the FCTC. The FCTC has an obligation for parties to require health warnings that "should be 50% or more of the principal display areas but shall be no less than 30% of the display areas" and may be in the form of, or include, picture warnings. There are now 182 parties to the FCTC. This is the 7th Canadian Cancer Society international report on cigarette package health warnings. Previous reports were published in 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018. Cigarette Package Health Warnings report in English Cigarette Package Health Warnings report in French About the Canadian Cancer Society The Canadian Cancer Society works tirelessly to save and improve lives. We fund the brightest minds in cancer research. We provide a compassionate support system for all those affected by cancer, from coast to coast and for all types of cancer. As the voice for Canadians who care about cancer, we work with governments to establish health policies to prevent cancer and better support those living with the disease. No other organization does all that we do to improve lives today and to change the future of cancer forever. Help us make a difference. Call 1-888-939-3333 or visit cancer.ca today. SOURCE Canadian Cancer Society (National Office) Related Links https://www.cancer.ca TOKUSHIMA, Japan, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokushima Shimbun, a publisher of the namesake daily headquartered in Tokushima City, western Japan, will live-stream a "Tsunagu" (connect) tour of the traditional Japanese performing art "Awa Odori" dance once a month from November to January. The event will take place in cooperation with the Tokushima Awa Odori Association (sponsored by the Tokushima Shimbun, Japan Council of Performers Rights & Performing Arts Organizations, etc.). The performances, to be held in Tokushima Prefecture (whose old name was Awa) on November 14 and December 5, 2021, and January 23, 2022, will be live-streamed on a video site which can be accessed from all over the world by anybody purchasing a viewing ticket (500 yen/stage). (Image: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M101462/202111042861/_prw_PI1fl_BIP4u55m.jpg) The traditional "Awa Odori" performing art has over 400 years' history. With Awa dance lovers existing all over the world, video messages from dancers in the United States, France, Brazil, mainland China and Malaysia will be screened during the upcoming performances as well. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Awa Odori's staging has been canceled multiple times, but finally, in winter 2021, the hot performance will return to Tokushima, the birthplace of the Awa Dance Festival. Participating in the tour will be dancer groups from the Tokushima Awa Odori Association, which are some of the most famous and skilled teams called "Yumei-ren." Live video footage will be delivered in high-quality resolution using three cameras. Sensitive female dancing and dynamic male dancing will bring viewers the realistic feeling of the stillness and powerfulness of Awa Odori. - Schedule: Sunday, November 14, 2021 @Awa city PART I 13:00/ PART II 16:00 Sunday, December 5, 2021 @Yoshinogawa city PART I 13:00/ PART II 16:00 Sunday, January 23, 2022 @Aizumi-cho PART I 13:00/ PART II 16:00 *Time is Japan Standard Time (JST). - Buy tickets Price: 500 yen/performance Visit: https://t.livepocket.jp/t/awaodori_tsunagu (English available) Please purchase the ticket in advance. The URL and password will be sent to each applicant's email address 3 hours before the performance. Viewers can access the live video site from the URL. SOURCE The Tokushima Shimbun Torc is developing a Level 4 autonomous system for long-haul trucking in the US. Under Level 4 autonomy, a vehicle is capable of performing driving functions under specified operating conditions without human intervention. Applied Intuition offers simulation and software solutions that enable safe, cost-effective, and scalable approaches to the development of autonomous systems. Its deterministic, high-fidelity, and physics-based simulation software supports virtual testing of Torc's algorithms in US highway environments. "At Torc, safety dictates every aspect of our development including how we test and validate our autonomous technology," said Michael Fleming, CEO and Founder of Torc. "The Applied team has demonstrated their expertise and has equipped us with tools to accelerate the safe development of commercial trucks in a financially viable way. We're excited to continue our collaboration with Applied to make our roads safer for society." The engagement between the two companies started in early 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic started. On-road testing, a critical part of autonomous vehicle system development, was temporarily halted to ensure the health and safety of Torc's staff. However, the team was able to continue advancing autonomous driving capabilities in simulation without disruption. Today, Torc's test trucks run daily routes on public roads in multiple states, and simulation continues to be a vital validation method for new autonomous software features before real-life testing. The continuing collaboration will help Torc's autonomous vehicles prepare for unpredictable, potentially dangerous events in the real-world and will enable Torc as it scales as a global organization. Developing autonomous vehicles is a complex engineering challenge, and algorithms require comprehensive training, testing, and validation. Applied Intuition offers technology that supports multiple types of simulation and development infrastructure. "Simulation allows our team to test new features and capabilities of the autonomous system on hundreds or thousands of different scenarios in a virtual world," said Ben Hastings, CTO of Torc. "This means by the time the autonomous truck is on public roads, the autonomous system has already been validated in many of the scenarios we could encounter. Above that, strong simulation capabilities are a pillar on our path to commercialization. With Applied Intuition, we are developing for the long-term with a product in mind." The close collaboration is an important milestone to forward Torc's goal of commercializing fully-autonomous trucks. Fleming added he is confident that the approach will be the first profitable, scalable L4 product in the autonomous trucking industry. "We are excited to collaborate with Torc to help them bring the world's safest autonomous commercial trucks to market", said Qasar Younis, CEO and Co-Founder of Applied Intuition. "Torc's world-class engineering team has adopted many of our tools' capabilities to design a state-of-the-art development approach. There are many more opportunities to collaborate in order to successfully deploy their trucks at scale." Torc Robotics Torc Robotics, headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, is an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, the global leader and pioneer in trucking. Founded in 2005 at the birth of the self-driving vehicle revolution, Torc has 16 years of experience in pioneering safety-critical, self-driving applications. Torc offers a complete self-driving vehicle software and integration solution and is currently focusing on commercializing self-driving trucks. "Trucking is the backbone of the US economy, delivering food and products to every community in the country," said Torc CEO and Founder Michael Fleming. "Daimler has led innovation in trucking for more than a century, from the first truck to driver-assist technology. Torc is working with Daimler Truck to commercialize self-driving trucks to make our roads safer and better fulfilling our mission of saving lives." Applied Intuition As the foremost enabler of autonomous vehicle development, Applied Intuition equips engineering and product development teams with software that makes it faster, safer, and easier to bring autonomy to market. Applied's suite of products, focused on simulation, validation, and drive data management, delivers sophisticated infrastructure built for scale. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices in Detroit, Los Angeles, Munich, Tokyo, Seoul, and Vancouver, Applied's team consists of autonomy, software, and automotive experts from around the world. Learn more at https://applied.co. SOURCE Applied Intuition All of Trillium's equity strategies are already aligned with emissions levels well below two degrees of temperature increase (as of September 30, 2021), so Trillium is focusing its interim target on the climate targets of the companies in which the firm invests. By 2030, 75% of the holdings of Trillium-advised larger cap-, equity strategies will have set science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). "Aligning investment portfolios with the Paris Agreement is essential to avoid the potentially devastating consequences of the climate crisis," said Elizabeth Levy, Portfolio Manager at Trillium Asset Management. "The process of slowing and then halting emissions of greenhouse gases is both daunting and overdue. Trillium has long worked to slow climate change, both by investing in companies seeking to provide sustainable solutions and through our shareholder advocacy efforts. We are excited to join our global NZAM colleagues in setting these interim targets, as we believe that the power of the investor community, working together towards the same goal, will have an amplifying effect." In April 2021, Trillium joined other leading global asset managers in signing on to the Net Zero Asset Managers (NZAM) Initiative, formally pledging to align its portfolios with the goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 or sooner, in line with global efforts to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. By joining NZAM, Trillium pledged move its equity strategies towards a net zero greenhouse gas emission world. "In the run-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, we solidified our commitment to do our part to help global progress be made this decade to slow and end GHG emissions and climate change," said Matt Patsky, CEO of Trillium. "Climate change is a systemic problem that will impact all people as well as all companies and all investment portfolios globally, although not to the same extent. Any genuine efforts to slow and ultimately reverse climate change need to be on a similar large scale. One of the benefits of joining a collaborative effort such as NZAM is that many investors globally will be working towards the same goal, net zero emissions by 2050, with real progress made by 2030." A unique point of view that Trillium brings to the table is its Shareholder Advocacy team that has focused on climate change for more than two decades and has been asking companies to set science-based targets for some time. When Trillium approaches companies now on this topic, they will be able to present the request as a representative of all NZAM participants. Through Trillium's shareholder advocacy, the firm has collaborated with many companies to reduce their climate impact, by pushing for policies, targets, reporting, and actions. About Trillium Trillium Asset Management, with over $5.0 billion in assets under advisement (as of 9/30/21) offers investment strategies and services that advance humankind toward a global sustainable economy, a just society, and a better world. For nearly 40 years, the firm has been at the forefront of ESG thought leadership and draws from decades of experience focused exclusively on responsible investing. Trillium uses a holistic, fully integrated fundamental investment process to uncover compelling long-term investment opportunities. Devoted to aligning stakeholders' values and objectives, Trillium combines impactful investment solutions with active ownership. The firm delivers equity, fixed income, and alternative investments to institutions, intermediaries, high net worth individuals, and other charitable and non-profit organizations with the goal to provide positive impact, long-term value, and 'social dividends'. For further information, go to www.trilliuminvest.com For media inquiries, please contact: Sarah Tremallo [email protected] 908.967.0381 SOURCE Trillium Related Links http://www.trilliuminvest.com The Acquisition is fully funded with UEC's existing balance sheet, which as of October 26, 2021 had over $235 million of cash and market value liquid assets. The U1A assets are primarily situated in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming; the most productive in-situ recovery ("ISR") uranium mining district in the western hemisphere. Highlights of the Acquisition include the following: Positions UEC, a U.S. corporation headquartered in Texas , as the largest American uranium mining company, amid a new era of domestic and global support for clean-air nuclear energy as essential to the realization of a low-carbon global economy; , as the largest American uranium mining company, amid a new era of domestic and global support for clean-air nuclear energy as essential to the realization of a low-carbon global economy; Creates Wyoming hub-and-spoke operations for UEC, anchored by U1A's Irigaray plant which is one of the largest central processing facilities in the United States with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year; hub-and-spoke operations for UEC, anchored by U1A's Irigaray plant which is one of the largest central processing facilities in with a licensed capacity of 2.5 million pounds U O per year; Incorporates U1A's production-ready assets including Christensen Ranch ISR Project with four fully installed wellfields, and six additional permitted or development-stage satellite ISR projects, combining with UEC's Reno Creek Project; Anticipates significant capital expenditure savings and deep operating synergies with UEC's permitted and nearby Reno Creek ISR Project which is 45 miles away from the Irigaray plant; Secures approximately 37.6 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U 3 O 8 in historically estimated Inferred resources with considerable growth potential based on independent technical reports prepared for U1A. These historical resources are not treated by UEC as current and the Company plans to complete and report current resources post-closing of the Transaction; (1) O in historically estimated Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U O in historically estimated Inferred resources with considerable growth potential based on independent technical reports prepared for U1A. These historical resources are not treated by UEC as current and the Company plans to complete and report current resources post-closing of the Transaction; Adds a dominant land package of approximately 100,000 acres in Wyoming's prolific uranium producing Powder River and Great Divide Basins consisting of dozens of under-explored, mineralized brownfield projects, backed by detailed databases of historic uranium exploration and development programs, thus greatly enhancing the potential for resource expansion; and| prolific uranium producing and Great Divide Basins consisting of dozens of under-explored, mineralized brownfield projects, backed by detailed databases of historic uranium exploration and development programs, thus greatly enhancing the potential for resource expansion; and| Provides for significant tax loss carryforwards to be applied to offset future income.(2) Amir Adnani, President and CEO, stated: "We are very pleased that after a comprehensive and competitive bidding process, Uranium One elected to work with UEC to undertake the successful sale of their substantial uranium assets in the United States. This is a highly accretive transaction for UEC and represents great value to our shareholders. The purchase price is equal to only 12% of our current enterprise value, yet the acquisition doubles the size of our production capacity in three key categories: total number of permitted U.S. ISR projects, resources, and processing infrastructure. The opportunity to acquire an advanced asset base of this quality from one of the global leaders in the nuclear energy sector is highly rare in the uranium sector anywhere in the world, let alone in our own home jurisdiction of the United States." Mr. Adnani continued: "Additionally, we expect significant savings related to the development of our nearby Reno Creek ISR Project. We also anticipate long-lasting operational synergies and cost efficiencies in our newly formed Wyoming hub-and-spoke operations. The U1A Irigaray Central Processing Plant will be able to process our fully licensed Reno Creek ISR project, in addition to the fully permitted Moore Ranch, Ludeman and Christensen Ranch projects in the U1A portfolio purchased in this transaction." Mr. Adnani concluded: "The assets in this transaction are some of the lowest cost U.S. projects along with fast restart capabilities in the most productive region of the western hemisphere for in-situ recovery of uranium, Wyoming's Powder River basin. With this Acquisition, our U.S. ISR production profile increases to 6.5 million pounds U3O8 per year based on licensed and installed capacity of our Wyoming and South Texas hub-and-spoke operations. Combined with our physical uranium holdings of 4.1 million pounds of U.S. warehoused uranium, we now have the unparalleled ability to provide reliable domestic supply to the U.S. Uranium Reserve as well as re-emerging demand from American and global nuclear utilities." UEC Chairman and former U.S. Energy Secretary, Spencer Abraham, commented: "This is a very proud day for UEC to have reached a successful transaction with Uranium One. We have been working for a considerable time to acquire this important portfolio and it is rewarding for our Company to see it come to fruition. We believe this achievement will accelerate and strengthen the development of domestic uranium production that can supply U.S. origin uranium for a full range of America's uranium requirements." Alexander Fedotov, Uranium One Chairman, and President of U1A, stated, "We are also pleased to share news of the signing of a definitive agreement by which UEC will acquire our U.S. assets. This transaction will provide a material return for Uranium One's owners and shareholders in the process." Closing of the Acquisition is subject to certain regulatory approvals. Advisors and Counsel VTB Capital plc is acting as financial advisor to Uranium Energy Corp. McMillan LLP is acting as Canadian legal advisor to UEC and Holland & Hart is acting as U.S. legal advisor to UEC. Haywood Securities Inc. is acting as financial advisor to Uranium One and Dorsey & Whitney LLP is acting as U.S. legal advisor to Uranium One. Cautionary Statement on Historical Estimates and Qualified Person The U1A Acquisition portfolio contains (i) 37.6 million pounds U3O8 in Measured and Indicated Resources and 4.3 million pounds U3O8 in Inferred Resources estimated in compliance with CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves and National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects adopted by Canadian Securities Administrators ("NI 43-101") through independent technical reports produced for U1A. However, as these technical reports have not been filed on www.sedar.com and the resource estimates therein have not been verified as current resources by UEC, these resource estimates should not be considered or treated as current resources and should instead be considered as "historical estimates" as defined under NI 43-101. In each instance, the reliability of the historical estimates is considered reasonable, but a Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to allow UEC to classify the historical estimates as a current Mineral Resource and, therefore, at this time UEC is not treating the historical estimates as a current Mineral Resource. The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and was reviewed by Dayton Lewis, P.G., Manager of Resource Development Wyoming for the Company, a Qualified Person under NI 43-101. The Purchased Portfolio The U1A portfolio of projects (the "Portfolio") being acquired pursuant to the Acquisition includes, among other assets, seven projects in the Powder River Basin, three of which are fully permitted, and five in the Great Divide Basin. Christensen Ranch and Irigaray (Willow Creek) The Willow Creek area is comprised of the Irigaray and Christensen Ranch projects currently under care and maintenance by U1A. The Project is located in the Powder River Basin in Campbell and Johnson Counties. Christensen Ranch and Irigaray Historical Mineral Resource Estimate Tonnes (000s) % U 3 O 8 Lbs U 3 O 8 (M's) Measured -- -- 0.00 Indicated 9,468 0.074 15.5 Inferred 94 0.068 0.14 Notes: 1. Mineral Resources were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. 2. Cut-off grade is 0.02% eU 3 O 8 over a minimum thickness of 2 ft. 3. Mineral Resources have not been demonstrated to be economically viable. 4. Production by U1A has been deducted. 5. Based on a Technical Report prepared for U1A ""Technical report on the mineral resources and mineral reserves of the Christensen and Irigaray project, Wyoming, U.S.A., Report for NI 43-101", Scott Wilson Roscoe Postle Associates, June 30, 2010, as updated for production to date in Uranium One's Q1 2021 Quarterly Report under "Mineral Resource and Mineral Reserve Estimates". Moore Ranch The Moore Ranch Project is fully permitted and was previously developed by Conoco in the early 1980's. The Project is located in the Powder River Basin in Campbell County. Moore Ranch Historical Mineral Resource Estimate Tonnes (000s) %U3O8 Lbs U 3 O 8 (M's) Measured 2,427 0.060 3.21 Indicated -- -- 0.00 Inferred 42 0.047 0.04 Notes: 1. Mineral Resources were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. 2. Cut-off grade is 0.02% eU 3 O 8 over a minimum thickness of 2 ft. and a GT cutoff of 0.30 ft-%. 3. Mineral Resources have not been demonstrated to be economically viable. 4. Based on a Technical Report prepared for U1A "Technical Report on Resources, Moore Ranch Uranium Project, Campbell County, Wyoming USA", WWC Engineering, April 30, 2019. Ludeman The Ludeman Project is located in Converse County, WY, and is comprised of the former Leuenberger, North Platte and Peterson projects developed in the late 1970's by various other operators. ISR pilot plant operations were previously carried out at the Leuenberger and North Platte properties. Most of the project area was held by Power Resources (Cameco) until 2003, after which Energy Metals (precursor to U1A) acquired the properties. Ludeman Historical Mineral Resource Estimate Tonnes (000s) % U 3 O 8 Lbs U 3 O 8 (M's) Measured 2,426 0.094 5.02 Indicated 2,413 0.088 4.70 Inferred 786 0.073 1.26 Notes: 1. Mineral Resources were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. 2. Cut-off grade is 0.02% eU 3 O 8 over a minimum thickness of 2 ft. and a GT cutoff of 0.25 ft-%. 3. Mineral Resources have not been demonstrated to be economically viable. 4. Based on a Technical Report prepared for U1A "Technical Report on Resources Ludeman Uranium Project, Converse County, Wyoming, USA", WWC Engineering, January 25, 2019. Allemand Ross The Allemand-Ross Project is located in Converse County within the Southern Powder River Basin. The Project was originally drilled and developed by Conoco beginning in the late 1960's. The mineralized trends are northerly extensions of those at the Smith Ranch Highland Project of Cameco's. Allemand-Ross Historical Mineral Resource Estimate Tonnes (000's) % U 3 O 8 Lbs U 3 O 8 (M's) Measured 223 0.085 0.42 Indicated 29 0.066 0.04 Inferred 1,157 0.098 2.50 Notes: 1. Mineral Resources were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. 2. Cut-off grade is 0.02% eU 3 O 8 over a minimum thickness of 2 ft. and a GT cutoff of 0.25 ft-%. 3. Mineral Resources have not been demonstrated to be economically viable. 4. Based on a Technical Report prepared for U1A "Technical Report on Resources, Allemand-Ross Uranium Project, Converse County, Wyoming, USA", WWC Engineering, April 30, 2019. Barge The Barge Project is located in Converse County, WY, in the Southern Powder River Basin. It is near the site of the former Bear Creek Uranium Mine operated by Rocky Mountain Energy in the 1970's and 80's. The mineralization is within deeper trends not developed previously. Barge Historical Mineral Resource Estimate Tonnes (000's) % U 3 O 8 Lbs U 3 O 8 (M's) Measured -- -- -- Indicated 3,902 0.051 4.36 Inferred -- -- -- Notes: 1. Mineral Resources were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. 2. Cut-off grade is 0.02% eU 3 O 8 and a GT cutoff of 0.25 ft-%. 3. Mineral Resources have not been demonstrated to be economically viable. 4. Based on a Technical Report prepared for U1A "Barge Uranium Project Mineral Resource NI 43-101 Technical Report, Amended and Restated, Converse County Wyoming, USA", BRS Inc., April 16, 2019. Jab/West Jab The Jab Project is located in the Great Divide Basin and in Sweetwater County, WY. The Project area was extensively explored during the 1970's through the mid 1980's with the principal exploratory work and drilling completed by Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) and Western Nuclear Corporation (WNC). In 2006 and 2007, Uranium One conducted exploratory and verification drilling on portions of the project. JAB West JAB Historical Mineral Resource Estimate Tonnes (000's) % U 3 O 8 Lbs U 3 O 8 (M's) Measured JAB West JAB 2,326 418 0.061 0.097 3.12 0.89 Indicated JAB West JAB 211 18 0.077 0.083 0.36 0.03 Inferred JAB West JAB 186 100 0.034 0.091 0.14 0.20 Notes: 1. Mineral Resources were classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards. 2. Cut-off grade is 0.02% eU 3 O 8 over a minimum thickness of 2 ft and a GT cutoff of 0.25 ft-%. 3. Mineral Resources have not been demonstrated to be economically viable. 4. Based on a Technical Report prepared for U1A "JAB Uranium Project Mineral Resource NI 43-101 Report, Amended and Restated, Sweetwater County, Wyoming, USA", BRS Inc., April 16, 2019. About Uranium Energy Corp Uranium Energy Corp is a U.S.-based uranium mining and exploration company. As a leading pure-play American uranium company, UEC is advancing the next generation of low-cost and environmentally friendly In-Situ Recovery (ISR) mining uranium projects. In South Texas, the Company's hub-and-spoke operations are anchored by our fully-licensed Hobson Processing Facility which is central to our Palangana, Burke Hollow, Goliad and other ISR pipeline projects. In Wyoming, UEC controls the Reno Creek project, which is the largest permitted, pre-construction ISR uranium project in the U.S. Additionally, the Company's diversified holdings provide exposure to a unique portfolio of uranium related assets, including: 1) major equity stake in the only royalty company in the sector, Uranium Royalty Corp; 2) physical uranium warehoused in the U.S.; and 3) a pipeline of resource-stage uranium projects in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Paraguay. In Paraguay, the Company owns one of the largest and highest-grade ferro-titanium deposits in the world. The Company's operations are managed by professionals with a recognized profile for excellence in their industry, a profile based on many decades of hands-on experience in the key facets of uranium exploration, development and mining. Twitter: @UraniumEnergy Stock Exchange Information: NYSE American: UEC Frankfurt Stock Exchange Symbol: U6Z WKN: AJDRR ISN: US916896103 (1) Notice to U.S. Investors The U1A Portfolio contains 42M pounds of "historic resources" which have been recently estimated in compliance with CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves but should not be considered or treated as current resources as defined under NI 43-101. These resources should be considered a "historical estimate" as defined under NI 43-101. In each instance, the reliability of the historical estimate is considered reasonable, but a Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as a current Mineral Resource, and UEC is not treating the historical estimate as a current Mineral Resource. The mineral resources referred to herein have been estimated in accordance with the definition standards on mineral resources of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum referred to in NI 43-101 and are not compliant with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") Industry Guide 7 guidelines. In addition, measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources and inferred mineral resources, while recognized and required by Canadian regulations, are not defined terms under SEC Industry Guide 7 and are normally not permitted to be used in reports and registration statements filed with the SEC. Accordingly, we have not reported them in the United States. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral resources in these categories will ever be converted into mineral reserves. These terms have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. In particular, it should be noted that mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources or inferred mineral resources will ever be upgraded to a higher category. In accordance with Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources cannot form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part of the reported measured mineral resources, indicated mineral resources or inferred mineral resources referred to herein are economically or legally mineable. (2) The losses reported by U1A as at December 31, 2019 were US$148.5M, but the deductibility of such losses is limited due to the current and historical changes of control of U1A, and UEC will be evaluating the extent to which these losses will be available to offset income in future years post-closing. Safe Harbor Statement Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, market and other conditions, the actual results of exploration activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation or realization of mineral resources, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry including, without limitation, those associated with the environment, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such 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 contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. Certain matters discussed in this news release and oral statements made from time to time by representatives of the Company may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and the Federal securities laws. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that its expectations will be achieved. Forward-looking information is subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. SOURCE Uranium Energy Corp Related Links http://www.uraniumenergy.com/ WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. News & World Report, publisher of Best Hotels , Best Vacations and Best Travel Rewards Programs , today announced the 2022 Best Cruise Lines rankings , designed to provide up-to-date information on the leading cruise lines. With much of the world reopening to international travel, U.S. News surveyed travelers to understand the effects of COVID-19 on cruiser sentiments. U.S. News unveiled the survey results at the Seatrade Global Conference in October which found that cruisers both first-time and longtime are booked at higher levels than before the pandemic. U.S. News survey data also revealed that of the frequent travelers who indicated that they would cruise again, 20% are already signed up for their next sailing. "Though most avenues of travel have been impacted throughout the coronavirus pandemic, the cruise industry has seen the most challenges," said Nicola Wood, travel editor at U.S. News. "U.S. News is excited to once again highlight the leading cruise lines and provide in-depth information on ships, onboard activities and itineraries to travelers looking to research and book a cruise vacation." Celebrity Cruises takes the No. 1 spot as the Best Cruise Line for the Money . Viking Ocean Cruises is the No. 1 Best Cruise Line for Couples and Best Luxury Cruise Line thanks to its adult-focused environment and luxurious and romantic amenities, such as fireplaces in each ship's common area and private verandas in every stateroom. Disney Cruise Line, which offers ships tailored specifically to children and families, has remained the No. 1 Best Cruise Line for Families since U.S. News began ranking cruise lines. Additionally, for the eighth consecutive year, Disney is also the No. 1 Best Cruise Line in the Caribbean . Viking Ocean Cruises takes the spot of No. 1 Best Cruise Line in the Mediterranean for 2022. The rankings help travelers select the best cruise by brand, region, traveler type and budget. This year's rankings are accompanied by an editorial rundown of the most popular river cruise lines for those looking for guidance on a different type of cruise that still offers itineraries with multiple destinations. The methodology for the Best Cruise Lines rankings factors in expert evaluations of cruise ship quality, reputation among travelers, results from health assessments conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other factors, such as price class and itinerary offerings. 2022 U.S. News Best Cruise Lines Rankings For the Money Celebrity Cruises Holland America Line Royal Caribbean International For Luxury Viking Ocean Cruises Seabourn Cruise Line Regent Seven Seas Cruises For Families Disney Cruise Line Royal Caribbean International Carnival Cruise Line For Couples Viking Ocean Cruises Seabourn Cruise Line Azamara In the Mediterranean Viking Ocean Cruises Seabourn Cruise Line Azamara In the Caribbean Disney Cruise Line Celebrity Cruises Seabourn Cruise Line To share your thoughts about the Best Cruise Lines rankings, visit Facebook , Twitter and Instagram using #BestCruises. About U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower citizens, consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C. SOURCE U.S. News & World Report Viking Forge, LLC, is a state-of-the-art, high volume, custom forging company located in northeast Ohio. Viking Forge produces make-to-order parts that not only are forecasted months into the future but also subject to demand fluctuations and customer changes. Especially during the Pandemic, the supply chain has been severely disrupted. Viking needs to provide more accurate promise dates, increase production efficiencies, reduce inventory overhead and have the visibility to expedite orders upon request. The caveat was that they needed to accomplish all of this without increasing user complexity. Uncertain promise dates caused by fluctuating demand and unforeseen events can only be resolved by a system that factors in factory floor reality such as finite capacity constraints, alternate work centers and maintenance/downtime. Without it, promise dates for both new and existing customers, who may need to change order quantities themselves to react to their own supply chain demands, are not as accurate. In addition, the ERP system 'front loads' the buying of material based solely on standard, pre-forecasted demand, and static lead times, resulting in carrying expensive inventory much longer than needed. Finally, there's no method to translate the MRP and Production Schedule into an easy to understand, accurate, graphical view for the production floor. Solution: Production Scheduling the Customer Way, Leveraging Existing Data Roger Koeberle, President of Viking Forge, reached out to User Solutions, of South Lyon MI for help. According to Roger, "User Solutions was able to easily adapt their core production scheduling offering (Resource Manager-DB) to use our existing MRP data. They took our operational standards (setup and cycle times for presses, process lead times, inventory and MRP considerations) and then applied finite capacity constraints plus priorities for customer promise dates in order to create a viable schedule." Roger continues, "With the correct schedule, RMDB then seamlessly updates our ERP to run MRP, achieving Just in Time materials management. This results in significantly decreased inventory carrying costs." Furthermore, we can now display the final schedule in a simple, intuitive, graphical interface using User Solutions' new EDGE (Enhanced Drag n' Drop Graphical Environment). EDGE facilitates all the last-minute tweaking that typically reflect real time adjustments via mouse clicks or touch screen moves, just like a visual, intelligent white board. Roger concludes, "With RMDB and EDGE, for the first time we can accurately quote viable promise dates and meet them. It is totally refreshing to work with an organization that is willing to adapt their offerings to fit our needs, rather than the other way around. We have a multi-year, multi-user investment in our ERP system and the tools from User Solutions will allow us to continue using and getting a great return for years to come." About US: Since 1991 User Solutions delivers affordable, intuitive, and adaptable production scheduling solutions. Now, Resource Manager-DB with EDGE is the first tool that can be utilized across the full manufacturing spectrum, from small shops with no formal systems in place, all the way to larger firms to complement existing ERP systems. Visit www.UserSolutions.com (800)-321-USER (8737). SOURCE User Solutions, Inc. Related Links http://www.UserSolutions.com PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Vinyl ester Market by Type (Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (DGEBA), Epoxy Phenol Novolac (EPN), Brominated Fire Retardant, and Others) and Application (Pipes & Tanks, Paints & Coatings, Transportation, Pulp & Paper, and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030". According to the report, the global vinyl ester industry generated $1.1 billion in 2020, and is anticipated to generate $2.1 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 6.5% from 2021 to 2030. Prime determinants of growth Increase in demand for flue gas desulfurization installation and rise in demand from corrosion-resistant pipes and storage tanks drive the growth of the global vinyl ester market. However, shortage of skilled labor and lack of standards hinder the market growth. On the other hand, Implementation of stringent environmental regulations presents new opportunities in the coming years. Request PDF Brochure: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/14562 Covid-19 Scenario The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the global vinyl ester market, owing to temporary closure to all manufacturing facilities and production hubs. The pandemic also disrupted the supply chain across the globe, which in turn, led to difficulties for the key players and vendors to supply raw materials. The DGEBA segment to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period Based on type, the Bisphenol A Diglycidyl Ether (DGEBA) segment held the highest market share in 2020, accounting for more than half of the global vinyl ester market, and is estimated to maintain its leadership status throughout the forecast period. This is due to its superior physical performance and corrosion resistance. However, the brominated fire retardant segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 7.2% from 2021 to 2030, owing to its application in various applications. Get Detailed COVID-19 Impact Analysis on the Vinyl Ester Market @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/14562?reqfor=covid The pipes and tanks segment to maintain its lead position during the forecast period Based on application, the pipes and tanks segment accounted for the largest share in 2020, contributing half of the global vinyl ester market, and is projected to maintain its lead position during the forecast period. This is because they reduce long-term maintenance and pump operating costs. Moreover, the pulp and paper segment is expected to portray the largest CAGR of 7.5% from 2021 to 2030. In the pulp and paper industry, processing wood & paper require the use of highly corrosive chemicals such as acids, alkalis, bleaches, and salt. Specially-designed processing equipment are used to withstand a variety of harsh chemical environments throughout the mill,. These requirements have pushed the pulp and paper industry to adopt epoxy vinyl ester resin-based FRP pipes. Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe and North America to maintain its dominance by 2030 Based on region, Asia-Pacific, followed by Europe and North America held the highest market share in terms of revenue 2020, accounting for nearly two-fifths of the global vinyl ester market. This is due to the high demand from the various industries in China, such as water & wastewater treatment, chemical, pharmaceutical, food processing, and transportation. However, the LAMEA region is expected to witness the fastest CAGR of 7.7% from 2021 to 2030, owing to economic development in this region. Leading Market Players:- AOC, LLC Ashland Global Holdings Inc. DIC CORPORATION INEOS Interplastic Corporation Polynt Reinchhold LLC 2 SHOWA DENKO K.K. Sino Polymer Co., Ltd. Swancor Interested in Procuring This Report? 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Avenue Library Subscription | Request for 14 days free trial of before buying: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/avenue/trial/starter Get more information: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/library-access Similar Reports: Poly Vinyl Alcohol Fiber Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Resins Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212028 Cellulose Esters Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2020-2027 Vinyl Flooring Market: Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2023 North America Rolled Vinyl Decking Market: Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030 About Us: Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. Pawan Kumar, the CEO of Allied Market Research, is leading the organization toward providing high-quality data and insights. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States Toll Free: 1-800-792-5285 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1-855-550-5975 [email protected] Web: https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on: LinkedIn Twitter SOURCE Allied Market Research DENVER and NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe (WCAS), a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on the healthcare and technology industries, announced today it has acquired a majority ownership stake in Leiters, a rapidly growing leader in the FDA-regulated 503B outsourced pharmaceutical compounding industry. WCAS acquired its equity position in Leiters from the Company's existing investor group, which includes strategic health system partners Kaiser Permanente Ventures and Mayo Clinic and financial sponsors Frazier Healthcare Partners, SV Health Investors and H.I.G. BioHealth Partners. All the existing investors, including Kaiser Permanente Ventures and Mayo Clinic, have made significant reinvestments in the Company as part of this transaction. They are joined by Intermountain Ventures, Novant Health, Rex Health Ventures, Spectrum Health Ventures and UNC Health, who invested alongside WCAS in support of Leiters' growth strategy. The Company's health system investors, along with other industry leaders, will participate in a strategic advisory committee to support growth initiatives, continuous quality improvement, new product development and investments in enabling capabilities. Leiters provides high-quality compounded sterile preparations across the continuum of healthcare to hospitals, surgery centers and physician offices. In 2014, Leiters registered with the FDA as a 503B outsourcer and has since undergone a significant transformation including: a new management team with extensive experience in pharmaceutical-grade sterile manufacturing; the completion of its state-of-the-art automated sterile manufacturing facility in Denver; and a significant broadening of its product portfolio into new categories. The Company is currently undergoing a significant facility expansion as part of the upcoming introduction of its new IV Solutions product line and offers an end-to-end suite of product types including pre-filled syringes, IV bags and concentrated vials; pain services including opioid free medications; pharmacy fill service for the ON-Q* Pain Relief System; and ophthalmic medications and services including, FDA-Compliant Repackaged Avastin. As part of an ongoing commitment to, and investment in, quality, compliance and manufacturing excellence, Leiters continues to invest in and deploy automation throughout its operation including automated syringe, IV bags and ON-Q* filling machines, as well as fully automated inspection, labeling and packaging capabilities. These investments exponentially increase capacity and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality medications to the healthcare market. In addition, Leiters is pursuing an additional facility to facilitate growth and expand capabilities for its customers. Nick O'Leary, General Partner at WCAS, said, "We are very excited about our investment in Leiters. The Company is a leader in 503B outsourcing and is recognized as having one of the highest-quality operations in the industry, where quality and patient safety are paramount. Leiters represents a compelling opportunity for WCAS to leverage its capabilities in two areas where we have developed significant domain expertise: pharmaceutical services and successful collaboration with leading health systems. We are especially pleased about the opportunity to work in close partnership with some of the most forward-thinking health systems in the country as well as Leiters' CEO, Robin Smith Hoke, who is an exceptional leader." Robin Smith Hoke, Leiters' President and Chief Executive Officer said, "We very much welcome WCAS as Leiters' majority investor. WCAS is one of the preeminent healthcare investors and we have full confidence that their team will bring a wealth of relevant experience as we continue to build for the future. Their expertise in healthcare and deep relationships throughout the industry will allow Leiters to continue its transformative path. I am thrilled about the momentum we have established in our business and look forward to driving our next chapter of growth. We will continue to focus on elevating industry standards and believe our relationship with WCAS and our health system partners will accelerate our growth and fuel innovation." Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. served as financial advisor to Leiters in connection with the transaction. About Leiters Leiters is a trusted FDA-registered 503B outsourcing provider of high-quality hospital and ophthalmology compounded sterile preparations. It is committed to providing healthcare professionals and their patients with critically needed outsourced medications. Its team of experts in sterile pharmaceutical manufacturing, repackaging and compounding provide a sophisticated understanding of what it takes to elevate quality and consistency of supply in pharmaceutical outsourcing. Leiters combines a highly experienced team, with robust automated processes, in a state-of-the-art outsourcing facility, to ensure delivery of the highest quality medicines. All sterile preparations are produced under the Human Drug Outsourcing Facilities under 503B of the FD&C Act (503B Guidance) and follow Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). To learn more about how Leiters is Compounding Health please visit www.leiters.com . About Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe WCAS is a leading U.S. private equity firm focused on two target industries: technology and healthcare. Since its founding in 1979, the firm's strategy has been to partner with outstanding management teams and build value for its investors through a combination of operational improvements, growth initiatives and strategic acquisitions. The firm has raised and managed funds totaling over $27 billion of committed capital. For more information, please visit www.wcas.com. WCAS Contacts: Jon Rather 212-893-9570 [email protected] Greg Lau 212-893-9586 [email protected] Leiters Contact: Kari Cashmore 720-414-7216 [email protected] SOURCE Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Related Links https://www.wcas.com/ HOUSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Western Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE: WES) ("WES" or the "Partnership") announced third-quarter 2021 financial and operating results. Net income (loss) available to limited partners for the third quarter of 2021 totaled $250.2 million, or $0.61 per common unit (diluted), with third-quarter 2021 Adjusted EBITDA(1) totaling $531.6 million, third-quarter 2021 Cash flows provided by operating activities totaling $391.3 million, and third-quarter 2021 Free cash flow(1) totaling $320.0 million. RECENT HIGHLIGHTS Executed a debt tender offer and repaid $500.0 million of Senior notes due 2022, 2023, 2025, and 2026 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $521.9 million , decreasing the Partnership's annualized borrowing costs by $20.6 million (2) . of Senior notes due 2022, 2023, 2025, and 2026 for an aggregate purchase price of approximately , decreasing the Partnership's annualized borrowing costs by . Repurchased 4.5 million common units for aggregate consideration of $88.1 million during the third quarter as part of the previously announced buyback program of up to $250.0 million of the Partnership's common units through December 31, 2021 . Since announcing the buyback program, the Partnership has repurchased approximately 8.0 million common units for aggregate consideration of $136.9 million through September 30, 2021 . during the third quarter as part of the previously announced buyback program of up to of the Partnership's common units through . Since announcing the buyback program, the Partnership has repurchased approximately 8.0 million common units for aggregate consideration of through . Received an upgrade for WES Operating's long-term debt from "BB" to "BB+" from Standard & Poor's, decreasing the Partnership's annualized borrowing costs by approximately $7.9 million , and a revised outlook rating from "Stable" to "Positive" from Fitch. , and a revised outlook rating from "Stable" to "Positive" from Fitch. Increased Regional Oil Treating Facility capacity by 20-percent, or 36 MBbls/d, for minimal capital to meet expected growth in Delaware Basin oil volumes. __________________________________________________ (1) Please see the definitions of the Partnership's non-GAAP measures at the end of this release and reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP measures. (2) Annualized borrowing costs calculated using the effective coupon rates as of September 30, 2021. On November 12, 2021, WES will pay its third-quarter 2021 per-unit distribution of $0.323, which represents a 1.3-percent increase over the prior quarter's distribution and is consistent with an annualized distribution growth of 5-percent. Third-quarter 2021 Free cash flow after distributions totaled $185.4 million. Third-quarter 2021 and year-to-date capital expenditures(1) totaled $82.0 million and $224.3 million, respectively. Net income and Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter include a non-cash increase to revenue of $19 million associated with a revenue recognition cumulative adjustment related to reversal of constrained revenues. "The consistent execution of our strategic priorities has led to our strong third-quarter results and positions us for continued success," said Michael Ure, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Across the organization, our best-in-class teams continue to pursue cost and capital efficiencies, attract additional volumes on our systems, and maximize our asset value." "With our expansive asset footprint and strong producer relationships in the Delaware Basin, we continue to capitalize on robust activity levels in this world-class producing basin. For the third-consecutive quarter, throughput increased across all three products within the Delaware Basin, contributing to our outperformance." "Due to our outperformance this quarter, we now expect to finish the year above the high end of our 2021 Adjusted EBITDA range of $1.825 to $1.925 billion. Furthermore, we expect to be below the high end of our 2021 capital expenditure range of $275 million to $375 million. This expectation reflects a slight shift in producer activity into 2022, thus reducing capital requirements in 2021, and our team's continued focus on reducing costs and enhancing operational efficiencies." Mr. Ure continued, "Our operational results have again set the stage for significant free cash flow generation, which provides the resources needed to reduce debt and improve the health of our balance sheet. We've been able to reduce our outstanding Senior Notes by more than $930 million year to date, or 12 percent of our year-end 2020 balance, through the retirement of our 2021 maturity and successful execution of our recent tender offer. With third-quarter Debt-to-Trailing Twelve Month Adjusted EBITDA below 3.7x, we are well below our 2021 target of 4.0x and nearing our 2022 target of 3.5x." __________________________________________________ (1) Accrual-based, includes equity investments, excludes capitalized interest, and excludes capital expenditures associated with the 25% third-party interest in Chipeta. "We remain committed to returning value to stakeholders through continued distribution growth and opportunistically executing the remaining $113 million available under the unit buyback program." Third-quarter 2021 total natural-gas throughput(1) averaged 4.1 Bcf/d, representing a 4-percent sequential-quarter decrease. This decrease primarily relates to (i) decreased volumes at the Bison treating facility, which was sold to a third party during the second quarter of 2021, and (ii) production declines in the DJ Basin and areas around the Marcellus Interest and Springfield gas-gathering systems. Third-quarter 2021 total throughput for crude-oil and NGLs assets(1) averaged 641 MBbls/d, representing a 7-percent sequential-quarter decrease. This decrease primarily relates to production declines in the DJ Basin and decreased volumes on our equity investments. Third-quarter 2021 total throughput for produced-water assets(1) averaged 735 MBbls/d, representing a 7-percent sequential-quarter increase. ____________________________________________________ (1) Represents total throughput attributable to WES, which excludes (i) the 2.0% Occidental subsidiary-owned limited partner interest in WES Operating and (ii) for natural-gas throughput, the 25% third-party interest in Chipeta, which collectively represent WES's noncontrolling interests. CONFERENCE CALL TOMORROW AT 1:00 P.M. CT WES will host a conference call on Wednesday, November 10, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. Central Time (2:00 p.m. Eastern Time) to discuss third-quarter 2021 results. To participate, individuals should dial 877-883-0383 (Domestic) or 412-902-6506 (International) 15 minutes before the scheduled conference call time and enter participant access code 9861840. To access the live audio webcast of the conference call, please visit the investor relations section of the Partnership's website at www.westernmidstream.com. A replay of the conference call also will be available on the website following the call. For additional details on WES's financial and operational performance, please refer to the earnings slides and updated investor presentation available at www.westernmidstream.com. ABOUT WESTERN MIDSTREAM Western Midstream Partners, LP ("WES") is a Delaware master limited partnership formed to acquire, own, develop, and operate midstream assets. With midstream assets located in Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania, WES is engaged in the business of gathering, compressing, treating, processing, and transporting natural gas; gathering, stabilizing, and transporting condensate, natural-gas liquids, and crude oil; and gathering and disposing of produced water for its customers. In its capacity as a natural-gas processor, WES also buys and sells natural gas, natural-gas liquids, and condensate on behalf of itself and as an agent for its customers under certain contracts. For more information about Western Midstream Partners, LP, please visit www.westernmidstream.com. This news release contains forward-looking statements. WES's management believes that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions. No assurance, however, can be given that such expectations will prove correct. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the projections, anticipated results, or other expectations expressed in this news release. These factors include our ability to meet financial guidance or distribution expectations; the ultimate impact of efforts to fight COVID-19 on the global economy and any related impact on commodity demand and prices; our ability to safely and efficiently operate WES's assets; the supply of, demand for, and price of oil, natural gas, NGLs, and related products or services; our ability to meet projected in-service dates for capital-growth projects; construction costs or capital expenditures exceeding estimated or budgeted costs or expenditures; and the other factors described in the "Risk Factors" section of WES's most-recent Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other public filings and press releases. WES undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. WESTERN MIDSTREAM CONTACTS Kristen Shults Senior Vice President, Finance and Communications [email protected] 832.636.1009 Daniel Jenkins Director, Investor Relations [email protected]dstream.com 832.636.1009 Shelby Keltner Manager, Investor Relations [email protected] 832.636.1009 Western Midstream Partners, LP CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, thousands except per-unit amounts 2021 2020 2021 2020 Revenues and other Service revenues fee based $ 650,482 $ 636,522 $ 1,841,742 $ 1,980,546 Service revenues product based 28,812 12,316 88,267 35,237 Product sales 84,298 30,106 227,359 108,491 Other 248 100 577 838 Total revenues and other 763,840 679,044 2,157,945 2,125,112 Equity income, net related parties 48,506 61,026 159,337 176,788 Operating expenses Cost of product 83,232 31,739 250,245 153,611 Operation and maintenance 140,838 132,293 434,198 436,670 General and administrative 50,409 41,578 139,973 118,466 Property and other taxes 13,641 19,392 45,992 57,263 Depreciation and amortization 139,002 132,564 407,404 384,688 Long-lived asset and other impairments 1,594 34,640 29,198 200,575 Goodwill impairment 441,017 Total operating expenses 428,716 392,206 1,307,010 1,792,290 Gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net (364) (768) 278 (3,651) Operating income (loss) 383,266 347,096 1,010,550 505,959 Interest income Anadarko note receivable 3,286 11,736 Interest expense (93,257) (95,571) (287,040) (278,811) Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt (24,655) 1,632 (24,944) 10,372 Other income (expense), net 110 720 (1,013) 612 Income (loss) before income taxes 265,464 257,163 697,553 249,868 Income tax expense (benefit) 1,826 3,028 4,403 3,792 Net income (loss) 263,638 254,135 693,150 246,076 Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests 7,913 7,524 20,375 (17,045) Net income (loss) attributable to Western Midstream Partners, LP $ 255,725 $ 246,611 $ 672,775 $ 263,121 Limited partners' interest in net income (loss): Net income (loss) attributable to Western Midstream Partners, LP $ 255,725 $ 246,611 $ 672,775 $ 263,121 General partner interest in net (income) loss (5,527) (5,132) (14,484) (5,462) Limited partners' interest in net income (loss) $ 250,198 $ 241,479 $ 658,291 $ 257,659 Net income (loss) per common unit basic $ 0.61 $ 0.55 $ 1.60 $ 0.58 Net income (loss) per common unit diluted $ 0.61 $ 0.55 $ 1.59 $ 0.58 Weighted-average common units outstanding basic 411,909 438,857 412,690 442,255 Weighted-average common units outstanding diluted 412,714 438,926 413,150 442,275 Western Midstream Partners, LP CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) thousands except number of units September 30, 2021 December 31, 2020 Total current assets $ 756,710 $ 943,064 Net property, plant, and equipment 8,524,081 8,709,945 Other assets 2,138,587 2,177,018 Total assets $ 11,419,378 $ 11,830,027 Total current liabilities $ 1,307,342 $ 960,935 Long-term debt 6,399,874 7,415,832 Asset retirement obligations 271,022 260,283 Other liabilities 344,694 297,765 Total liabilities 8,322,932 8,934,815 Equity and partners' capital Common units (408,610,916 and 413,839,863 units issued and outstanding at September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020, respectively) 2,965,944 2,778,339 General partner units (9,060,641 units issued and outstanding at September 30, 2021, and December 31, 2020) (11,286) (17,208) Noncontrolling interests 141,788 134,081 Total liabilities, equity, and partners' capital $ 11,419,378 $ 11,830,027 Western Midstream Partners, LP CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) Nine Months Ended September 30, thousands 2021 2020 Cash flows from operating activities Net income (loss) $ 693,150 $ 246,076 Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities and changes in assets and liabilities: Depreciation and amortization 407,404 384,688 Long-lived asset and other impairments 29,198 200,575 Goodwill impairment 441,017 (Gain) loss on divestiture and other, net (278) 3,651 (Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt 24,944 (10,372) Cash paid to settle interest-rate swaps (19,181) Change in other items, net (49,424) (114,561) Net cash provided by operating activities $ 1,104,994 $ 1,131,893 Cash flows from investing activities Capital expenditures $ (217,757) $ (372,262) Purchases from related parties (2,000) Contributions to equity investments - related parties (3,683) (19,017) Distributions from equity investments in excess of cumulative earnings related parties 30,075 21,750 Proceeds from the sale of assets to third parties 8,002 (Increase) decrease in materials and supplies inventory and other (1,924) (57,141) Net cash used in investing activities $ (187,287) $ (426,670) Cash flows from financing activities Borrowings, net of debt issuance costs $ 400,000 $ 3,681,173 Repayments of debt (1,132,966) (3,780,390) Increase (decrease) in outstanding checks (11,757) 691 Distributions to Partnership unitholders (398,896) (563,579) Distributions to Chipeta noncontrolling interest owner (2,734) (3,923) Distributions to noncontrolling interest owner of WES Operating (9,934) (11,545) Net contributions from (distributions to) related parties 6,673 22,674 Finance lease payments (5,295) (12,241) Unit repurchases (104,366) Other (3,492) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities $ (1,262,767) $ (667,140) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents $ (345,060) $ 38,083 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 444,922 99,962 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 99,862 $ 138,045 Western Midstream Partners, LP RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES WES defines Adjusted gross margin attributable to Western Midstream Partners, LP ("Adjusted gross margin") as total revenues and other (less reimbursements for electricity-related expenses recorded as revenue), less cost of product, plus distributions from equity investments, and excluding the noncontrolling interest owners' proportionate share of revenues and cost of product. WES defines Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss), plus (i) distributions from equity investments, (ii) non-cash equity-based compensation expense, (iii) interest expense, (iv) income tax expense, (v) depreciation and amortization, (vi) impairments, and (vii) other expense (including lower of cost or market inventory adjustments recorded in cost of product), less (i) gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net, (ii) gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt, (iii) income from equity investments, (iv) interest income, (v) income tax benefit, (vi) other income, and (vii) the noncontrolling interest owners' proportionate share of revenues and expenses. WES defines Free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less total capital expenditures and contributions to equity investments, plus distributions from equity investments in excess of cumulative earnings. Management considers Free cash flow an appropriate metric for assessing capital discipline, cost efficiency, and balance-sheet strength. Although Free cash flow is the metric used to assess WES's ability to make distributions to unitholders, this measure should not be viewed as indicative of the actual amount of cash that is available for distributions or planned for distributions for a given period. Instead, Free cash flow should be considered indicative of the amount of cash that is available for distributions, debt repayments, and other general partnership purposes. Below are reconciliations of (i) gross margin (GAAP) to Adjusted gross margin (non-GAAP), (ii) net income (loss) (GAAP) and net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP) to Adjusted EBITDA (non-GAAP), and (iii) net cash provided by operating activities (GAAP) to Free cash flow (non-GAAP), as required under Regulation G of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Management believes that Adjusted gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA, and Free cash flow are widely accepted financial indicators of WES's financial performance compared to other publicly traded partnerships and are useful in assessing WES's ability to incur and service debt, fund capital expenditures, and make distributions. Adjusted gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA, and Free cash flow as defined by WES, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies. Therefore, WES's Adjusted gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA, and Free cash flow should be considered in conjunction with net income (loss) attributable to Western Midstream Partners, LP and other applicable performance measures, such as gross margin or cash flows provided by operating activities. Western Midstream Partners, LP RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (CONTINUED) Adjusted Gross Margin Three Months Ended thousands September 30, 2021 June 30, 2021 Reconciliation of Gross margin to Adjusted gross margin Total revenues and other $ 763,840 $ 719,131 Less: Cost of product 83,232 78,044 Depreciation and amortization 139,002 137,849 Gross margin 541,606 503,238 Add: Distributions from equity investments 62,711 70,947 Depreciation and amortization 139,002 137,849 Less: Reimbursed electricity-related charges recorded as revenues 19,725 17,585 Adjusted gross margin attributable to noncontrolling interests (1) 18,187 17,213 Adjusted gross margin $ 705,407 $ 677,236 Adjusted gross margin for natural-gas assets $ 492,708 $ 469,409 Adjusted gross margin for crude-oil and NGLs assets 148,939 150,317 Adjusted gross margin for produced-water assets 63,760 57,510 (1) For all periods presented, includes (i) the 25% third-party interest in Chipeta and (ii) the 2.0% Occidental subsidiary-owned limited partner interest in WES Operating, which collectively represent WES's noncontrolling interests. Western Midstream Partners, LP RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (CONTINUED) Adjusted EBITDA Three Months Ended thousands September 30, 2021 June 30, 2021 Reconciliation of Net income (loss) to Adjusted EBITDA Net income (loss) $ 263,638 $ 238,277 Add: Distributions from equity investments 62,711 70,947 Non-cash equity-based compensation expense 6,979 7,121 Interest expense 93,257 95,290 Income tax expense 1,826 1,465 Depreciation and amortization 139,002 137,849 Impairments 1,594 12,738 Other expense 4 30 Less: Gain (loss) on divestiture and other, net (364) 1,225 Gain (loss) on early extinguishment of debt (24,655) Equity income, net related parties 48,506 58,666 Other income 109 84 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests (1) 13,835 12,616 Adjusted EBITDA $ 531,580 $ 491,126 Reconciliation of Net cash provided by operating activities to Adjusted EBITDA Net cash provided by operating activities $ 391,333 $ 452,111 Interest (income) expense, net 93,257 95,290 Accretion and amortization of long-term obligations, net (1,871) (1,914) Current income tax expense (benefit) 824 749 Other (income) expense, net (110) (84) Distributions from equity investments in excess of cumulative earnings related parties 8,702 9,232 Changes in assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net 61,609 38,982 Accounts and imbalance payables and accrued liabilities, net (17,204) (55,758) Other items, net 8,875 (34,866) Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests (1) (13,835) (12,616) Adjusted EBITDA $ 531,580 $ 491,126 Cash flow information Net cash provided by operating activities $ 391,333 $ 452,111 Net cash used in investing activities (80,883) (59,932) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (516,161) (142,982) (1) For all periods presented, includes (i) the 25% third-party interest in Chipeta and (ii) the 2.0% Occidental subsidiary-owned limited partner interest in WES Operating, which collectively represent WES's noncontrolling interests. Western Midstream Partners, LP RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES (CONTINUED) Free Cash Flow Three Months Ended thousands September 30, 2021 June 30, 2021 Reconciliation of Net cash provided by operating activities to Free cash flow Net cash provided by operating activities $ 391,333 $ 452,111 Less: Capital expenditures 79,829 78,145 Contributions to equity investments related parties 175 3,422 Add: Distributions from equity investments in excess of cumulative earnings related parties 8,702 9,232 Free cash flow $ 320,031 $ 379,776 Cash flow information Net cash provided by operating activities $ 391,333 $ 452,111 Net cash used in investing activities (80,883) (59,932) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (516,161) (142,982) Western Midstream Partners, LP OPERATING STATISTICS (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 June 30, 2021 Throughput for natural-gas assets (MMcf/d) Gathering, treating, and transportation 378 534 Processing 3,416 3,433 Equity investments (1) 443 457 Total throughput 4,237 4,424 Throughput attributable to noncontrolling interests (2) 156 159 Total throughput attributable to WES for natural-gas assets 4,081 4,265 Throughput for crude-oil and NGLs assets (MBbls/d) Gathering, treating, and transportation 304 315 Equity investments (3) 350 386 Total throughput 654 701 Throughput attributable to noncontrolling interests (2) 13 14 Total throughput attributable to WES for crude-oil and NGLs assets 641 687 Throughput for produced-water assets (MBbls/d) Gathering and disposal 750 702 Throughput attributable to noncontrolling interests (2) 15 14 Total throughput attributable to WES for produced-water assets 735 688 Per-Mcf Adjusted gross margin for natural-gas assets (4) $ 1.31 $ 1.21 Per-Bbl Adjusted gross margin for crude-oil and NGLs assets (5) 2.52 2.40 Per-Bbl Adjusted gross margin for produced-water assets (6) 0.94 0.92 (1) Represents the 22% share of average Rendezvous throughput, 50% share of average Mi Vida and Ranch Westex throughput, and 30% share of average Red Bluff Express throughput. (2) For all periods presented, includes (i) the 2.0% Occidental subsidiary-owned limited partner interest in WES Operating and (ii) for natural- gas assets, the 25% third-party interest in Chipeta, which collectively represent WES's noncontrolling interests. (3) Represents the 10% share of average White Cliffs throughput; 25% share of average Mont Belvieu JV throughput; 20% share of average TEG, TEP, Whitethorn, and Saddlehorn throughput; 33.33% share of average FRP throughput; and 15% share of average Panola and Cactus II throughput. (4) Average for period. Calculated as Adjusted gross margin for natural-gas assets, divided by total throughput (MMcf/d) attributable to WES for natural-gas assets. (5) Average for period. Calculated as Adjusted gross margin for crude-oil and NGLs assets, divided by total throughput (MBbls/d) attributable to WES for crude-oil and NGLs assets. (6) Average for period. Calculated as Adjusted gross margin for produced-water assets, divided by total throughput (MBbls/d) attributable to WES for produced-water assets. Western Midstream Partners, LP OPERATING STATISTICS (CONTINUED) (Unaudited) Three Months Ended September 30, 2021 June 30, 2021 Throughput for natural-gas assets (MMcf/d) Delaware Basin 1,274 1,244 DJ Basin 1,368 1,413 Equity investments 443 457 Other 1,152 1,310 Total throughput for natural-gas assets 4,237 4,424 Throughput for crude-oil and NGLs assets (MBbls/d) Delaware Basin 185 184 DJ Basin 87 98 Equity investments 350 386 Other 32 33 Total throughput for crude-oil and NGLs assets 654 701 Throughput for produced-water assets (MBbls/d) Delaware Basin 750 702 Total throughput for produced-water assets 750 702 SOURCE Western Midstream Partners, LP Related Links http://www.westernmidstream.com The man in the bright yellow jacket who offered to help administered a Scientology assist. Often described as "spiritual first aid," assists help the individual overcome the effects of loss, shock and trauma and speed recovery by addressing the spiritual and emotional factors related to illness and injury . The woman's family was amazed when, after only a few minutes, she stood up for the first time in a week and, though haggard, seemed almost back to normal. The Volunteer Minister then taught her family how to perform the assist so they could continue to give them to her until she was fully recovered. The Scientology Handbook is the textbook of the Volunteer Minister, compiled from the works of Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. Assists for illnesses and Injuries is one of its 19 subjects. A free online course on each of its subjects is available in 18 languages through the Scientology website and the Volunteer Ministers website. In describing assists, it states: "Throughout the ages, religions have attempted to relieve Man's physical suffering." "Today, medicine treats the body when there is something wrong with it. But it overlooks almost totally the relationship of the spiritual being to his body and the effect the former has on the latter. "The fact is, after any necessary medical treatment, the individual himself has an enormous capacity to influence the body and its well-being or lack of it. "L. Ron Hubbard developed numerous applications of his discoveries for the mental and spiritual aspects of a person's physical difficulties. And as more and more techniques evolved, a new body of technology came into use, called 'Assists'." Assist were the mainstay of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers responding to Japan's Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 who worked in the shelters set up for those who lost their homes. "I had tremendous stress," a displaced man in a Mashiki shelter told a Volunteer Minister. "It felt like my life stopped and I had no hope for the future. But during the assists these problems no longer seemed so important." For one woman, what made the disaster even more distressing was the loss she suffered shortly before it struck: the death of her husband. The loneliness was devastating. An assist gave her relief and kindled her desire to help others. Another woman came to see the Volunteer Ministers because she couldn't stop crying. The assist helped restore a sense of calm. One man whose inn was swept away in the tsunami began his assist in sorrow and walked away humming, telling the Volunteer Minister he planned to rebuild as soon as possible. "This is the simplest and easiest technology we have, and yet the help they bring is so powerful," said Koji Minami from the Church of Scientology Tokyo, who coordinated the work of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Disaster Response in Japan. "Scientology Volunteer Minister activities enable people to dream againthe best thing a person can do. It was wonderful to be a part of it." The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces. With the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man. He issued a directive entitled "The Wake-Up Call," which inspired astonishing growth within the Volunteer Minister program. As of September 11, 2001, there were 6,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide. Today, they are among the world's most widely recognized independent relief organizations, with over 200,000 Volunteer Ministers on call internationally. A Scientology Volunteer Minister is a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by helping restore purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others. Volunteer Ministers live by the motto, "Something can be done about it." SOURCE Church of Scientology International Related Links http://www.scientology.org HOUSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The global law firm of Winston & Strawn LLP today announced the appointment of Ryan B. Hunsaker as a partner in the firm's Houston office and a member of the Finance Practice. Ryan brings more than a decade of experience in commercial lending and finance transactions, with a heavy focus on oil and gas exploration, and production and oilfield services. He has secured more than $6 billion in loans and other credit facilities for large, publicly traded oil and gas producers, as well as mid-size public and private companies. His experience includes transactions involving secured and unsecured lending, syndicated credit facilities, senior and subordinated financings, intercreditor agreements, and restructuring/workout financings. "Houston continues to grow as a focal point for financing the energy sector," said Mike Blankenship, managing partner for Winston's Houston office. "Adding Ryan to our team enhances Winston's position as the strongest partner for complex transactions in oil and gas, and energy transition." A graduate of the University of Texas School of Law, Ryan has represented agent banks, public and private borrowers, and alternative lenders in U.S. and international financing transactions. "Winston & Strawn has an outstanding reputation for advising clients on highly structured lending and credit deals," Ryan said. "I look forward to contributing to the growth of the Houston office, and to the continued evolution of Houston as a financial center." "Traditional energy producers are beginning to transition into a cleaner future, which will require substantial capital investment," said Winston & Strawn Chairman Tom Fitzgerald. "Ryan's experience in this arena will be a substantial benefit in helping to drive this forward." Winston & Strawn LLP is an international law firm with 15 offices located throughout North America, Asia, and Europe. More information about the firm is available at www.winston.com. CONTACT: Michael Goodwin, [email protected] , (646) 502 -3595 SOURCE Winston & Strawn LLP RA'ANANA, Israel and BANGALORE, India, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, is partnering with DriveNets, a leader in cloud-native networking software and network disaggregation solutions, to transform how communication service providers (CSPs) build next-generation networks. Combining DriveNets' disaggregation solutions with Wipro FullStride Cloud Services' expertise in consulting, ecosystem orchestration, and business transformation, the partnership will enable CSPs to leverage the cloud for growth and realize operational efficiencies. A growing number of CSPs now look to digital and cloud-based solutions to simplify their network's operational model, improve profitability, and accelerate both scaling and innovation. Wipro will leverage DriveNets Network Cloud, an advanced carrier-grade network infrastructure software, to help CSPs adopt an architectural model similar to cloud hyperscalers. This will enable CSPs to improve their network economics and accelerate service innovation. "The partnership with DriveNets allows both organisations to play to their strengths while unlocking new possibilities for CSPs. Using technology from Wipro and DriveNets, CSPs can leverage cutting-edge disaggregated networks that meet their current and future needs while catering to increasingly digitized business and consumer segments," said Anurag Shrivastava, General Manager and Global Practice Head of Network Services, iDEAS, Wipro Limited. "Bringing together the strengths of each company, DriveNets and Wipro will be able to streamline the deployment of DriveNets Network Cloud solutions. Together, we offer the most effective way to build and scale networks while significantly reducing the hardware requirements and accelerating innovation," said Ido Susan, CEO, DriveNets. Network Cloud includes an open ecosystem that features elements from leading silicon vendors and ODMs, certified by DriveNets and empowered by Wipro. The partners are already actively engaged with leading CSPs on joint projects. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successful. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 220,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. About DriveNets DriveNets is a leader in cloud-native networking software and network disaggregation solutions. Founded in 2015 and based in Israel, DriveNets offers communications service providers (CSPs) and cloud providers a radical new way to build networks, substantially growing their profitability by changing their technological and economic models. DriveNets' solution Network Cloud adapts the architectural model of cloud to telco-grade networking. Network Cloud is a cloud-native software that runs over a shared physical infrastructure of standard white-boxes, radically simplifying the network's operations, offering telco-scale performance and elasticity at a much lower cost. Learn more at www.drivenets.com Media Contact: Sandeep Deb Varman Wipro Limited [email protected] Crystal Monahan Guyer Group for DriveNets +1-617-290-2882 [email protected] Sandra Welfeld DriveNets +972- 9-774-4726 [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. The conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could decrease technology spending, adversely affect demand for our products, affect the rate of customer spending and could adversely affect our customers' ability or willingness to purchase our offerings, delay prospective customers' purchasing decisions, adversely impact our ability to provide on-site consulting services and our inability to deliver our customers or delay the provisioning of our offerings, all of which could adversely affect our future sales, operating results and overall financial performance. Our operations may also be negatively affected by a range of external factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are not within our control. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. SOURCE DriveNets AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The medical supply chain has been a constant, unpredictable challenge throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a 2021 poll conducted by industry outlet Becker's Hospital Review and software and services provider Z5 Inventory , 80% of health care professionals recognized the necessity of discovering supply chain savings opportunities, but 86% admitted that they lacked the resources to discover such opportunities alone. Hospitals are playing a dangerous game when it comes to medical supply expiration, but a risk assessment from Z5 Inventory can help them transform that cost into savings. To address these challenges, Z5 Inventory is offering a free risk analysis that identifies medical supplies likely to expire and cost providers millions. "When someone's trying to escape the fifth floor of a burning building, they probably don't stop and say: 'I should build a ladder from scratch,'" says Carl Natenstedt, twenty-year veteran of the medical supply chain and CEO of Z5 Inventory. "They look for a professional firefighter who's shown up with a ladder to help them out." Assessing how much of their inventory is at risk of expiration is a crucial first step for health care providers to transform that potential loss into savings that they can reinvest in better care for their communities. Medical supplies can be reallocated between health care facilities according to need determined during that same analysis, but only if at-risk product is identified early enough to keep it out of the dumpster. Quick facts on U.S. medical supply expiration: 15-30% of all supplies at the average health care provider will expire before use. 3% of the average health care provider's annual medical supply spend goes to excess. Approximately $5 billion is the nationwide annual cost of expiration on providers. is the nationwide annual cost of expiration on providers. Approximately 1.5 million tons of expired medical supplies are sent to landfills annually. "Hospitals have over-ordered some supplies and are still struggling to source others. Basically nobody's inventory is right-sized or optimized right now," explains Mr. Natenstedt. "That's what makes this the perfect time for any provider to improve and collaborate, because every provider is struggling." Health care professionals can sign up for a fully customized, in-depth analysis of inventory at Z5Inventory.com/risk , where they can also use Z5's expiration estimator to assess for themselves how much they might be about to throw away. About Z5 Inventory: Z5 Inventory was founded with the purpose of saving health care providers nationwide from expiring product, empowering them to Count product on-hand, Reallocate excess product, and Buy product they actually need at reduced prices. Anyone interested in a preview or trial of digital supply chain management using the Z5 Inventory Platform should visit www.Z5Inventory.com/Contact . Media Contact: Shane Pratt 512-215-9473 [email protected] SOURCE Z5 Inventory New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Union Education Ministry is expected to appoint a new UGC chairperson within next one month. The names of any officials of the Central or state Government will not be considered for the post. This top post of the UGC could be considered for eminent innovators and persons who can implement National Education Policy (NEP) in higher educational institutions. The tenure of D.P. Singh, the current chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), is ending in the first week of December. In view of this, UGC may get a new chairman by the end of December. According to the Ministry of Education, some standards have been set for the appointment of the new chairman. As per these norms, preference for the post will be given to a person with global experience in innovation. Also, the age of the applicant should be less than 60 years. The term of the chairman of the UGC is five years or till the age of 65 years -- whichever is earlier. The Ministry of Education has released the notification for the selection of UGC Chairperson. According to the notification, applications for the post of UGC chairman can be submitted till November 30. The Selection Committee may also consider the name of any eligible person other than the applications received. The UGC strives to improve the quality and standard. It gives full grants to central universities and development grants to various state universities. It provides financial assistance for the development of existing postgraduate departments and starting departments in various universities and colleges. It also determines the pay scale of college and university teachers. The UGC came into existence on December 28, 1953 and became a statutory organisation of the Government in 1956 to coordinate, determine and maintain standards of teaching, examination and research in the universities. It was formally established in November 1956 as a statutory body of the Government to coordinate, determine and maintain the standards of university education in the country. To ensure effective area wise coverage across the country, the University Grants Commission has six Regional Centre Offices at Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bhopal, Guwahati and Bangalore. Lucknow, Nov 9 : Uttar Pradesh is now left with just 83 active cases, 51 per cent of which are in four districts, including Lucknow, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Prayagraj and Meerut. As many as 42 districts of the state have zero active Covid cases, while 20 are left with just one case each. Meanwhile, the state recorded eight new cases in the past 24 hours, while 10 persons recovered from the infection in the same duration. The new cases were reported from seven districts. Health officials have urged people to adhere to the Covid-19 protocol in individual and social interest to ensure that there is no resurgence of Covid cases, as is being witnessed in some states. Lucknow, Nov 9 : A day after issuing an ultimatum to the BJP, its ally Nishad Party president, Sanjay Nishad, has now irked the saints and seers in Ayodhya with his remarks on Lord Ram. Sanjay Nishad has claimed that Lord Ram was son of Shringi Rishi, a legendary saint. He said, "King Dashrath had no children and he got Shringi Rishi to perform a 'yagya' after which his sons were born. It is said that Dashrath gave a specially prepared kheer' to his three queens after which the sons were born. But no one gets pregnant just by eating 'kheer'," he said. The saints claim that his blasphemous remarks are a ploy to earn cheap publicity and have asked the BJP to immediately end its alliance with the Nishad Party. Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the Ram Janmabhoomi temple said, "The statement and the language used by Sanjay Nishad is highly objectionable. It is an insult to Lord Rama and his devotees." Mahant Raju Das of Hanuman Garhi temple, said, "It is unfortunate that a Nishad should make such a comment. Lord Ram gave full respect to the Nishad who helped him cross the river but, today, it is a Nishad leader who has insulted the Lord. We strongly condemn the same." Meanwhile, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has asked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and the BJP to explain Sanjay Nishad's statement on Lord Ram. Jakarta, Nov 9 : Indonesia will start administering Covid-19 booster shots after 50 per cent of the country's population are fully vaccinated against the virus, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said. "Booster vaccination is a sensitive issue related to equality. There are still countries that have not yet obtained access to Covid-19 vaccines," Sadikin said at a parliamentary hearing on Monday. As Indonesia has reached 39 per cent of the current second doses of vaccines, Sadikin said that the booster would begin at the end of December, earlier than the initial plan to start in early 2022, reports Xinhua news agency. The booster vaccines will be prioritised for the elderly with a higher mortality rate and will then be given free of charge to the poor, while others have to pay for their jabs. The Indonesian government has extended its public mobility restrictions, locally known as PPKM, outside Java and Bali from November 9 to 22, as the transmission has decreased up to 97.5 per cent compared to the peak of the second wave of coronavirus infection in July. Meanwhile, the restrictions in Java and Bali have been extended until November 15. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Ramallah, Nov 9 : Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Ishtaye has called on the US Congress to recognise an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. In a statement issued at the end of a meeting with a delegation of US Congress members headed by Senator Ben Cardin, Ishtaye on Monday called on the Congressmen to work on amending the American laws which link both the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Palestine Liberation Organization to terrorism, reports Xinhua news agency. The statement said Ishtaye discussed with the delegation the future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process amid the Israeli government's attempts to undermine the two-state solution by maintaining Israeli occupation and violating the Palestinians rights. He also asked the US to implement the pledges it made to the Palestinians, mainly reopening the US Consulate in East Jerusalem. He also urged his visitors to help curb Israel's settlement policy. "How can we continue to talk about the two-state solution when there are 720,000 settlers on the lands of the Palestinian state, and the settlement program is continuing?" he asked. "There are 62 per cent of the Palestinian lands under the direct control of Israel, and it deals with it as a geographical reservoir for settlement expansion," he added. Ishtaye also requested the delegation to pressure Israel to allow the PNA to hold general elections in all the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are claimed by the Palestinians, in the 1967 Middle East war, and has controlled them ever since. The Palestinians have been seeking to establish a Palestinian state on these territories together with the Gaza Strip. Kuwait City, Nov 9 : The Kuwaiti government has submitted its resignation to Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, state media reported. The Emir on Monday received Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah who tendered the resignation of the government, Xinhua news agency quoted the state media report as saying. This resignation comes on the eve of a parliamentary session, the agenda of which includes interpellation against the Prime Minister and a number of members of his government. On January 24, the Emir appointed Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah as Prime Minister and assigned him to form a government. On March 2, the Emir issued a decree forming the new government under the Prime Minister. Kuwait experiences frequent cabinet reshuffles. Tel Aviv, Nov 9 : The Israeli military announced that it had downed a drone "allegedly belonging to the Hamas militant organisation" which controls the Gaza Strip. Israel's Iron Dome air defense system intercepted the unarmed aerial vehicle (UAV), which was downed off the coast of the Gaza Strip after being monitored, Xinhua news agency quoted the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as saying in a statement late Monday. "The IDF will continue to protect Israel's airspace and its civilians," the statement added. Last week, the Israelo Defense Ministry announced it will deploy an advanced aerial surveillance balloon to boost its air defense capabilities. The system will be used after further testing and added to an already diverse array of mechanisms the IDF has for aerial defense. Beirut, Nov 9 : Lebanese President Michel Aoun said that his country is keen to establish the "best ties" with Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. Aoun's remarks came during his meeting at Baabda Palace with Arab League (AL) Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki, reports Xinhua news agency. Aoun insisted that the diplomatic rift between Lebanon and Saudi Arabia must be addressed "through a sincere dialogue based on the foundations of Arab brotherhood, cooperation and coordination between the institutions of the two brotherly countries, given their historical relations which have always been and will remain beneficial for the two peoples". Aoun emphasised the importance of differentiating between stances declared by the Lebanese state and those expressed by individuals or parties, assuring that Lebanon has a democratic system that guarantees freedom of opinion. The President also welcomed any initiative by the AL to restore historical relations between the two countries, noting that "Lebanon wishes the kingdom nothing but goodness, progress and prosperity, considering that a frank dialogue is essential to bring views closer and heal any rift". For his part, Zaki said he is visiting Lebanon to understand the situation from Lebanese officials and explore the possibility of finding a solution to the diplomatic row between the two countries. "Our objective is to preserve the interests of both Lebanon and Saudi Arabia and reach a solution to this situation," he said. Lebanese-Saudi relations have deteriorated over the comments made by Lebanese Information Minister George Kordahi criticizing Riyadh's war in Yemen. Late last month, Saudi Arabia expelled the Lebanese Ambassador and banned all imports from Lebanon in protest against his remarks. Kordahi had said in a televised interview that the Houthi militia in Yemen have been defending themselves in the face of external aggression for years. New Delhi, Nov 9 : Delhi government will train 700 to 800 'Shramik Mitras' across the national capital to ensure that the registered construction workers are aware of the assistance schemes proposed for them by the government. "Under this programme, 700 to 800 Shramik Mitras will be trained who will work as District, Vidhan Sabha and Ward level coordinators. It will be ensured that there are at least 3-4 Shramik Mitras in all the wards who can help the construction workers. "The task of these Shramik Mitras will be to inform the construction workers registered by the Construction Board at the ward level about the assistance schemes of the government for the construction workers, apply for it and help them till the workers get the benefit of the scheme," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said. Around six lakh construction workers in Delhi have registered themselves with the Construction Board through various registration campuses started by the Kejriwal government. "The children of labourers have talent but they are afraid to dream big. They have to be assured that even a child of a labourer who builds an institute like IIT, can also study in IIT. Let them study and the government will help them. The workers who have built roads to Parliament in this country are still marginalised in society. This is the bitter reality of society today. Delhi Government is working to bring dignity to these marginalised communities through its beneficial schemes," he added. The Delhi government provides assistance of Rs 3-5 lakh for house construction; Rs 30,000 maternity benefit; Rs 20,000 as loan and Rs 5,000 as grant for purchase of tools; Rs 1 lakh on natural death of workers and Rs 2 lakh on accidental death; Rs 1 lakh in case of disability; and Rs 3,000 per month pension, Rs 500-10,000 per month for school education and higher education of children; and Rs 35,000 for the marriage of workers and their children. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text November 09 : Kangana Ranaut was overwhelmed after being honoured with Padma Shri by the President of India on Monday. Taking to her Instagram handle, Kangana shared a picture from the award ceremony and wrote, Long ago when I started my career . A question bothered me I asked myself some want money, some want fans . some seek fame and some just want attention . What do I want ? Deep down I always knew as a girl child I wanted to earn respect and that is my treasure Thank you India for this gift. The Queen actress also shared a video clip, where she expressed her gratitude and said this honour will silence many who question her ideology and statements on political issues. After receiving the fourth highest civilian award in India, Kangana shared the video and thanked the government. She also said that after starting her career at a young age, she received success in Bollywood after almost 10 years. The actress further said, As an artiste, Ive received several awards, honours, love and acknowledgments. But for the first time, Ive been awarded by the Government of India for being its loyal citizen, and Im indebted for that. I started my career at a young age and got success only after 8-10 years. But instead of enjoying that success, I started working on certain things like refusing to endorse fairness products, to do item numbers, to work in films by big production houses with big male actors. I ended up making more enemies than money. Kangana added that after she became aware about India, she talked against destructive forces. I still have so many cases registered against me for the same. People often ask me why I do such things or what do I achieve by speak out as this isnt my work. Id say, this Padma Shri is a reply to them. Itll silence so many people. I thank my country from the bottom of my heart for honouring me. Jai Hind. Kangana, who recently won the Best Actress National Award for Manikarnika and Panga, had earlier announced her Padma Shri, and said, I started my journey from a small village in Himachal Pradesh, and for me to be in the same league as these bigwigs we have grown up watching, whether it is Karans films or Ekta Kapoors serials We knew these people, growing up. And who has not heard Adnan Sami jis songs? For a girl like me, to get a Padma Shri alongside them is a matter of pride. Tel Aviv, Nov 9 : The Israeli Tourism Ministry announced that groups of tourists with two Covid-19 vaccine doses will be allowed to enter the country, even if more than six months have passed from their inoculation and have not taken a third or booster dose. The Ministry outlined certain conditions for the new regulation which will take effect on Tuesday, reports Xinhua news agency. The tourists will need to test negative within 72 hours during the whole duration of their visit. "The road to bringing back all the tourists is still long, so we must act quickly and correctly to bring more to Israel. The Israeli economy needs it and the tourism industry workers need it," Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov said in a tweet. At the beginning of the month, Israel opened its gates to individual tourists for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic early last year. The move was delayed for several months after a surge of the virus began in the spring. Individual travellers must have the booster shot in order to enter the country. Kathamndu, Nov 9 : General Prabhu Ram Sharma, Nepal's Chief of Army Staff, on Tuesday embarked on a four-day visit to New Delhi at the invitation of his Indian counterpart General Manoj Mukund Naravane. During his stay, General Sharma will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, as well as the three service chiefs, according to the Nepal Army. On Tuesday, he will also be conferred the honorary rank of General in the Indian Army, a long-held tradition between the two armies. It will be presented by Indian President Ram Nath Kovind. A similar title was conferred on General Naravane when he visited Nepal in November 2020. The presentation of the title to the Army Chiefs of the two nations remains as a unique military tradition. In an article published in the Tuesday's edition of The Kathmandu Post, Nepal Army spokesperson Brigadier General Santosh Ballave Poudyal said: "The conferring of honorary titles between the two armies is a long-held tradition, but the visit encompasses many other facets crucial for the relationship between the two countries." The visit comes at a time when Nepal's foreign policy is under duress due to the change in the global strategic environment, Poudyal said. "Nepal is struggling against the headwind created by growing fissures in the India-China relationship, opening way for a realignment of the traditional strategic orientation. "Furthermore, the bilateral relationship between Nepal and India is also going through a period of change. Thus, this visit should not be viewed as a mere continuation of the symbolic tradition. Instead, it should be seized upon as an opportunity for constructive engagement to create a conducive environment for addressing bilateral issues," the spokesperson added. New Delhi, Nov 9 : Hyderabad-based pharma major Bharat Biotech's Covid vaccine Covaxin will be added to the UK government's approved list of vaccines for international travellers from November 22. "From 4 a.m. on Monday 22 November, the government will recognise vaccines on the World Health Organisation's Emergency Use Listing," said the UK government's new travel guidelines. The development has come after the World Health Organisation approved Covaxin for emergency use listing last week. "From 4 am on Monday 22 November, we will recognise the following vaccines: Pfizer BioNTech, Oxford AstraZeneca (including Covishield), Moderna and Janssen (J&J), and WHO EUL including Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin," said the guidelines further. "Sinovac, Sinopharm Beijing and Covaxin will be added to our list of approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting more fully vaccinated people from countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and India," it added further. This means those vaccinated with the Covaxin will not have to self-isolate after arrival in England. Last month Indian vaccine Covishield was also added to the UK's approved list. Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said, "More good news for Indian travellers to the UK. From 22 November travellers fully vaccinated with a COVID19 vaccine recognised by WHO for Emergency Use Listing, including Covaxin, will not have to self-isolate; so joining those fully vaccinated with Covishield." "Today's announcement is another step forward for the travel industry, businesses and for family and friends wanting to reunite or go abroad," UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. "The red list and quarantine system remain vital in protecting our borders and as we've said we will not hesitate to take action by adding countries to the red list if necessary", he added further. The UK government has also simplified the travel rules for all under-18 coming to England. They will now be treated as fully vaccinated at the border and will be exempt from self-isolation requirements on arrival, day-8 testing and pre-departure testing. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Ottawa, Nov 9 : Some border town Mayors on both sides of the Canada-US border held a virtual news conference to urge Ottawa to cancel the Covid-19 test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers. The conference was held on Monday as the US reopened its land border with Canada to fully vaccinated recreational travellers after 19 months of closure, reports Xinhua news agency. The reopening of the world's longest undefended border is seen as a sign that restrictions are loosening and more international leisure travel may be on the horizon. The Mayors said a big obstacle for travellers still remains as when entering Canada, they must take a molecular test such as a PCR test, which can cost hundreds of dollars. They said the requirement for a PCR test to return to Canada is unreasonable and costly, calling the requirement a hard stop barrier for families to reunite except for the wealthiest of Canadians. They argued that while the US land border is now open, the cost of Canada's test requirement will continue to hamper a return to tourism on both sides of the border. When entering Canada, no matter how short their trip, travellers must take a pre-arrival molecular Covid-19 test such as a PCR test, which can cost anywhere from C$150 to C$300. Canada's test requirement first caused complaints earlier this month when the US announced it would reopen its land border to fully vaccinated travellers on November 8, and not require them to take a pre-arrival Covid-19 test. Travellers heading into the US at major land border crossings experienced wait times of up to three hours in some areas on the first day in 20 months that fully vaccinated Canadians were allowed to cross for non-essential visits, according to CTV. Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 9 : Stage is all set for Jose K. Mani, who heads the third biggest ally in the coalition government, to get a renomination to the Rajya Sabha. The election to the seat will be held on November 29 here, when the Kerala Legislators will vote. Jose, who is the son of late K.M. Mani -- the founder of Kerala Congress (M), had quit his Rajya Sabha seat which he had won when K.M. Mani was with the Congress-led UDF in 2018. The reason for his quitting the seat then was the breaking of party soon after the demise of K.M. Mani. While the faction led by P.J. Joseph chose to remain with the Congress-led UDF, Jose Mani decided to leave the UDF and joined the Left last year. According to a source in the know of things, Jose was not very keen for the seat and had decided to give it to some other leader of his party, but the CPI-M was adamant that if not Jose, then it would be taken by them. It was following this decision that Jose decided to take the seat. The political stock of Jose suffered a major reversal when he was defeated by sitting legislator Mani C. Kappen from the Pala Assembly seat in Kottayam district which for 52 years was represented by the father of Jose -- K.M. Mani. Kappen had won the seat when he was with the NCP, an ally of the Left, in a by-election in 2019 and after the Left decided to field Jose in the April 6 Assembly polls, Kappen quit the NCP. He formed his own party and joined the Congress-led UDF and contested the seat and won. Jose's political fortunes nosedived with his failure to win his seat, but three others from his party became legislators, and one Roshy Augustine became the State Water Resources Minister. Kolkata, Nov 9 : Kolkata Police have arrested three persons, including a doctor, in connection with a letter threatening to kill former chief secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay. Sources in Lal Bazar said that Arindam Sen, the doctor, has been sending threat letters to several high-profile people for the last two years. The letter issued in the name of Alapan's wife Sonali Chakraborty Bandyopadhyay came to her on October 26, signed by Gaur Hari Mishra -- lab technician of Rajabazar Science College, the science division of Calcutta University. It also bore the name of Mahua Ghosh -- the head of the department of Chemical Technology of the university. Sonali Chakraborty Bandyopadhyay is the vice-chancellor of Calcutta University. While interrogating Ghosh and Mishra, police realised that they were nowhere involved in the case. On Monday evening, working on a tip-off, police arrested a typist identified as Vijay Kumar Kayal from Bijan Setu area of Ballygunge in South Kolkata and learnt about Arindam Sen who sent his driver to get the letter typed from him. According to police, the letter written in English was a one-liner that read: "Your husband will be killed. No one will be able to save your husband." In the evening, police arrested Arindam Sen, a resident of Raja Rammohun Roy Sarani and his driver Ramesh Sauke. Sen, a doctor by profession at KPC Medical College in Jadavpur, has the habit of sending such letters to several high-profile people for the last two years, police said. Ramesh Sauke used to get the letters typed by Vijay Kumar and posted them from different post offices. The addresses were given by Arindam Sen. On October 25, Sen made Ramesh Sauke post six letters, including that of Alapan Bandyopadhyay, from a post office at Sarat Bose Road in South Kolkata. Apart from Sonali, threatening letters were also sent to Principal of NRS Shaibal Mukherjee, Principal of Calcutta Medical College Hospital Julie Bhattacharya, and Director of Medical Education Debashis Bhattacharya. According to a police source, during interrogation Arindam Sen confessed to his habit of sending threat letters and that he did this to get relief from mental stress. Since no one had ever filed a complaint against him, it had become his habit, he said, adding that he had no idea that this could lead him to trouble. Sen also confessed that Gaur Hari Mishra was his neighbour and he had no idea about this. The three arrested will be taken to court on Tuesday. The investigating officers will try to extract more details about Sen, his associates and other recipients of such letters. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Cairo/Jerusalem, Nov 9 : The militaries of Egypt and Israel have agreed to amend security agreements and the latter has consented to increase Egyptian army presence in the Rafah area on the Jewish state's southern border. In a statement on Monday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said it has signed an amendment to the Camp David Accords together with the Egyptian military, allowing for a strengthening of forces there, reports Xinhua news agency. The amendment was approved by the Israeli State Security Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. The precise number of Egyptian forces to be added was not disclosed in the statement. Rafah houses the crossing between Egypt and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Both Israel and Egypt maintain a strict blockade on the territory. Also in a statement, the Egyptian army said the development "comes within the framework of an international agreement to enhance the pillars of security in accordance with developments and changes". It also in light of Egyptian efforts to preserve the Egyptian national security and the continuation of the efforts of the armed forces in controlling and securing the borders in the northeastern direction, it added. The Camp David Accords were signed by then Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin on September 17, 1978. These agreements led to the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979. It was the first peace treaty Israel signed with an Arab nation. In recent months, security cooperation between Israel and Egypt has become increasingly public. Egyptian Intelligence Chief Abbas Kamel met Bennett in Israel and is expected to visit again in the coming weeks, according to Israeli media. Egypt frequently plays a mediating role between Israel and Hamas. In May, after an 11-day war between the two, Egypt helped broker an unofficial ceasefire. Hyderabad, Nov 9 : The Telangana government has urged the Centre to immediately supply the required quantity of fertilizers to the State. Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy has written a letter to Union Minister for fertilizers and chemicals Mansukh Mandaviya to take immediate steps to ensure timely supply of fertilizers as per the State's requirements. He pointed out that the State government had written a letter in September, seeking monthly supplies of fertilizers in accordance with the requirement. The Centre has allotted 20.5 lakh tonnes of various types of fertilizers to the State for Yasangi (Rabi season) He said though the State required 6.4 lakh tonnes of fertilizers during October and November, the Centre allotted only 3.67 lakh tonnes. Out of this, so far only 1.55 lakh tonnes were supplied. He said as per the original allocation made by the Centre, Telangana was yet to receive 2.12 lakh tonnes. The agriculture minister requested that Telangana may be supplied fertilizers from vessels which have arrived from other countries. He demanded that 23 tonnes of urea be supplied from the IPL company's vessel at Gangavaram Port. He also urged the central minister to allott 30,000 tonnes of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) from the vessels of RCF, Chambal and IPL Fertilizers at Kakinada and Visakhapatnam ports. Niranjan Reddy also urged him to allott two additional rakes of urea from KRIBHCO company. He said the shortfall in supplies during October and November should be met along with the supplies scheduled from December to March. Amaravati, Nov 9 : After a day's gap, farmers and women from Amaravati on Tuesday resumed their 'Mahapadyatra' to demand that the city be retained as the only state capital of Andhra Pradesh. Titled 'court to temple', the walkathon from Amaravati to Tirupati entered its ninth day on Tuesday. Raising slogans of 'Jai Amaravati', the protesters resumed the walk from Inkollu town in Prakasam district. The organisers said the participants will cover a distance of 10.5 km during the day to reach Duddukuru village, where they will have a night halt. Farmers from Inkollu and surrounding villages joined the foot march as a show of solidarity. They demanded that the state government drop its plans for trifurcation of the capital. The mega walkathon began from Thulluru on November 1 and is scheduled to conclude at Tirupati on December 17. The Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi and Amaravati Joint Action Committee (JAC) are organising the foot march. The participants will be covering 10-15 km every day. The walkathon will continue for the next 45 days to reach Sri Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, passing through 70 major villages in Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore, and Chittoor districts. After passing through Guntur district, the foot march entered Prakasam district last week. Local leaders of the opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) also participated in the march. Barring the ruling YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), all political parties are extending support to the 'Mahapadyatra'. The YSRCP has, however, described the foot march as a ploy by TDP president and Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu. Amaravati farmers had been protesting for 660 days against the state government's plans for trifurcation of the state capital. With 'Mahapadyatra', their protest entered a new phase. After coming to power in 2019, the YSR Congress Party government led by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to shift the administrative capital to Visakhapatnam and the judicial capital to Kurnool while retaining Amaravati as only the legislative capital. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Nov 9 : China has delivered to Pakistan the largest and most advanced warship that Beijing has ever exported, in a move that highlights the friendship between the two countries, The Global Times reported. Designed and built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC), the frigate was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, CSSC announced in a statement on Monday. The Type 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril, The Global Times quoted a statement issued by the Pakistan Navy as saying. The PNS Tughril is the first hull of four Type 054 frigates being constructed for the Pakistan Navy, it said, noting that the ship is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and underwater firepower, besides extensive surveillance potentials. Being equipped with state-of-the-art combat management and an electronic warfare system along with modern self-defence capabilities, the Type 054A/P frigate can simultaneously execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, the Pakistani statement said. The frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, the CSSC said. "The completion and the delivery of the vessel is another major achievement of China-Pakistan friendship, and will further enhance the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries," the Chinese shipbuilding company said in the statement. Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ushers in a new chapter in Pakistan-China friendship that has matured through the test of time and remained steadfast in all domains, according to the statement from the Pakistan Navy, the report said. In the context of the overall security paradigm of the region, Tughril-class frigates will strengthen Pakistan Navy's capabilities to respond to maritime challenges to ensure seaward defence, maintain peace, stability and balance of power in the Indian Ocean region, the ambassador said, who also praised the concerted efforts made by China for the landmark achievement by the timely delivery of the well-equipped and potent frigate despite the global pandemic. The Vice Party Secretary and Director of the Board at CSSC Du Gang also applauded the timely construction of PNS Tughril while emphasizing that the commissioning of the ship is a major milestone and a testimony of the China-Pakistan long-lived friendship, as both countries are bound by the affinity of trust, compassion and commonality, the report said. The head of the Pakistan Navy Mission overseeing construction of the 054A/P frigate, Commodore Rashid Mehmood Sheikh, said that the PNS Tughril, being a multi-mission capable frigate, will form the mainstay of the Pakistan Navy fleet while bolstering the Pakistan Navy's maritime defense capabilities, according to the Pakistani statement. The delivery of the frigate also serves as a milestone in expanding the influence of Chinese vessels as products and boosting their competitiveness in the international market, CSSC said. Gurugram, Nov 9 : With more than 36.11 lakh people being vaccinated against Covid-19, Gurugram has become the first district in Haryana to do so, health officials have said on Tuesday. Of the 36.11 lakh, about 15.10 lakh beneficiaries have got the second dose. Gurugram Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Virender Yadav said that till Monday more than 36.11 lakh people were vaccinated in the district. Faridabad ranked second where more than 25 lakh jabs have been administered so far. At the same time, Ambala is at third place in this list where over 14 lakh people have got inoculated. According to officials, more than 40 per cent of the beneficiaries are people from other states, who are living in Gurugram for employment. District Immunisation Officer M.P. Singh said: "Keeping in mind that a maximum number of people get vaccinated, now a door-to-door vaccination campaign has been started, which is going on at the expected pace. "In this sequence, a total of 14,208 people were vaccinated against coronavirus in the district on Monday, of which 13,507 people were vaccinated at government centres and 701 at private centres. Of this, the first dose of vaccine was given to 3,703 and the second dose to 10,505," he said. Gurugram on Monday recorded nine fresh coronavirus cases while no casualty was reported. Covid-19 toll in Gurugram stands at 923, the officer said. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) New Delhi, Nov 9 : Led by Russia, it is not just the military games that the security forces of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) are bonding over regularly these days. Besides promoting the heritage of a joint military culture, Moscow is also busy reviving the deep cultural connection with Central Asia and countries in the Caucasus region, once part of the Soviet Union. Holding of 'Indestructible Brotherhood 2021' - the latest joint exercise of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces which began in the Russian city of Kazan from today - serves the double purpose of being battle ready in a changing geopolitical scenario and also make the participating contingents aware of the region's centuries-old history. On Sunday, just a day before the start of the large-scale military drills at the training ground of the Kazan Higher Tank Command School, the servicemen of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were taken on a guided tour of the Tatarstan capital, an ancient city with a long history, located on the left bank of the Volga River. Image Source: IANS News Experiencing the cultural heritage, the servicemen visited the Kazan Kremlin, saw the cathedral Juma mosque Kul-Sharif and 'Annunciation Cathedral', the 16th century masterpiece of Russian architecture. They also visited the monument to the famous Tatar poet Musa Jalil, the tower of the ruler of the Kazan Khanate (1549-1551) Syuyumbike and the Taynitskaya tower. Why is Kazan so special? On the list of UNESCO World Heritage cities, Kazan, Russia's fifth-largest city, has always been drenched with culture and history. A significant economic and cultural center of Russia, it is also a meeting place between Europe and Asia, Orthodoxy and Islam. It is believed that about 1.2 million people - representatives of over 100 nationalities - live in Kazan in the atmosphere of cultural, religious and linguistic diversity. There are 136 places of worship in the city, including 70 mosques, 45 Orthodox churches, five Old Believer places of worship, 13 churches of other Christian denominations, 1 synagogue besides houses of worship of Bahai and an Iskcon temple. "Kazan is one of the brightest examples of how people of different nationalities and religions live in one city peacefully, in an atmosphere of friendliness and tolerance. Ethnic and religious diversity in the capital of Tatarstan has been preserved for more than one century," says the local government of the city. At the same time, it is also regarded as one of Russia's most modern cities, a bustling hub having witnessed a convergence of the different eras that have shaped it throughout time. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the right to brand itself as the 'Third Capital' of Russia and also as the 'sports capital' of the country. (The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com) --indianarrative -- Syndicated from IANS Mumbai, Nov 9 : Former 'Bigg Boss OTT' contestant Urfi Javed has come out in support of her friend and 'Bigg Boss 15' contestant Nishant Bhat. Although, Urfi was in 'Bigg Boss OTT' for a short span of time but she developed a good friendship with Nishant during that period. She says: "I think Karan Kundrra is playing a game with Nishant whereas Nishant is still a loyal friend to him. We just stayed together for a week but still we bonded well. After coming out of the house, he messaged me and that speaks volume about his character. If I go inside, I'll tell him that be careful and play for himself." The 'Bepannah' actress also slammed Shamita for her argument with Nishant and the way she accused him for being insensitive towards her. Urfi adds: "I don't know why Shamita has this habit of taking things very personally. Even in our season, he said something and Shamita took it personally for no reason." Lastly, the actress also spoke about Pratik Sehajpal and Nishant's friendship. "It feels really nice that someone from the house are still being loyal to each other and have continued their friendship. I really want to see them till the end. But Nishant is the finalist for me," she concludes. Latest updates on Bigg Boss Season 15 -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Glasgow, Nov 9 : At the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), Canada, Germany, the US, Ireland, and the UK have announced funding to support national adaptation planning and action in developing countries to build the climate resilience of vulnerable communities and ecosystems. This funding is allocated to launch a new phase of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network, an initiative established at the 2014 COP20 through the collaboration of 11 developing and developed countries, including Germany, the UK, and the US. The NAP Global Network partners with developing countries to help accelerate national climate adaptation planning and implementation. "We've trained thousands of NAP stakeholders, supported hundreds of government institutions, connected dozens of countries in peer learning conversations, and are communicating hard-won lessons and emerging trends in new and creative ways," said Anne Hammill, senior director of the Resilience Program at the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), which hosts the NAP Global Network Secretariat. "There is a lot more work to be done, and so we are immensely grateful for this new funding and feel more determined than ever to charge ahead." The new funding, announced on Monday, for the NAP Global Network will focus on the following activities, with the long-term goal of increasing strategic investments in climate-resilient development to reduce the vulnerability of ecosystems, economies, and people and achieve sustainable development goals in a changing climate. The Canadian government committed up to CAD 10 million to empower women, marginalised groups, and those most affected by climate impacts to participate in the NAP process and shape their country's adaptation priorities. This funding will also enable the NAP Global Network to continue and expand its technical support; innovate and experiment with peer learning; and make knowledge around NAP processes more accessible and compelling. Germany will provide 2.5 million euros to support countries in tracking the progress of national climate adaptation actions as part of their NAP process through technical assistance, peer learning, and enhanced donor coordination. The US government is providing $1.19 million to least-developed and developing country governments to build capacities to understand and address climate risks; to track the progress of adaptation, using past results and lessons learned to inform future climate-resilient development investments; and to address emerging adaptation needs, including leveraging NAPs to support a resilient recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Ireland is providing 1 million euros to support Small Island Developing States and least-developed countries in strengthening transparency, accountability, and inclusion in climate action with a focus on tracking progress on adaptation. The UK is providing 1.2 million euros to support countries in preparing their Adaptation Communications to the UNFCCC and to finalise and submit their NAPs to the UNFCCC. "The climate crisis is upon us. It's here, and the most vulnerable places on the planet are the least well resourced to respond. This is a global issue, and we have a collective responsibility to help developing and vulnerable countries adapt to a climate crisis imposed upon them. Canada is a proud funding partner of the NAP Global Network as part of our broader C$5.3 billion in support for climate finance," said Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Canada. Responding to announcements on Adaptation and Loss and Damage Day, COP26 President Alok Sharma said: "The science is clear, we have no time to lose, and I will ensure that negotiations proceed in a timely manner. Whilst of course ensuring transparency and inclusivity. "Last week countries made commitments which will all help to protect our planet but they must be delivered on and accounted for. "Today, on Adaptation and Loss and Damage Day, the spotlight will be on those nations and communities which are most vulnerable to climate change. Those whose voices are too often left unheard. "And we know that even if we stopped polluting our world tomorrow, there will be negative consequences for many millions. And that is why issues such as adaptation are so important." The UN Environment Programme's 2021 Adaptation Gap Report found that "79 per cent of all countries have now adopted at least one national-level adaptation planning instrument". The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat has reported that 129 of 154 developing countries have initiated national adaptation planning processes. As of November 1, 30 developing countries have formally communicated their NAP to the UNFCCC. The UNFCCC estimates that adaptation already costs developing countries $80 billion per year and expects these costs to rise significantly to $140-300 billion in 2030 and $280-500 billion in 2050. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) Tehran, Nov 9 : Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said that the normalisation of trade relations with Tehran was one of the commitments made by its counterparts in the 2015 nuclear agreement, and the fulfilment of the obligation must be discussed in the Vienna negotiations. Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in a phone call with his British counterpart Elizabeth Truss, reports Xinhua news agncy. According to an official briefing released by the Iranian Foreign Ministry, the diplomats discussed bilateral matters, regional issues, and the upcoming Vienna talks aimed at the revival of the Iranian nuclear agreement, formally known as Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Amir Abdollahian highlighted the responsibility of the US in bringing about the current state of the deal since Washington unilaterally withdrew from it under former President Donald Trump and reimposed sanctions against Iran. He added "some parties" other than Washington have also contributed to the present situation by their "irresponsibility and silence toward Washington's action". In order to increase trade volume and facilitate financial relations between Iran and Britain, Amir Abdollahian stressed the need for "a more active role" by London. The Foreign Minister recalled that the normalization of trade relations with Iran was one of the commitments made by Tehran's counterparts in the JCPOA, and the fulfilment of that obligation must be discussed in the Vienna negotiations. The success of the talks, he added, depends on the lifting of all sanctions, the return of all parties to their obligations, the provision of guarantees on the implementation of the result of the talks, and the verification of the measures agreed. For her part, Truss wished Amir Abdollahian a speedy recovery from Covid-19, and expressed satisfaction over the setting of a date for the Vienna talks, according to the briefing. The European signatories to the nuclear deal are serious and eager to make progress in the upcoming negotiations, she said. Dakshina Kannada : , Nov 9 (IANS) The police on Tuesday took a 35-year man into custody on charges of sending lewd messages to his fiance in Mangaluru. According to police, the accused, Srinivas Bhat's engagement was fixed with the complainant woman, after both families agreed for the alliance. The accused who got the mobile number of the fiance started chatting with her and sent lewd and strange messages. The girl claimed that she got a feeling that; his messages indicated that he is a 'gay'. The parents of the girl who came to know about it once postponed the engagement ceremony. In spite of this, the accused continued sending vulgar and lewd messages to the girl. Not being able to tolerate it, the girl lodged a complaint in the Mangaluru Cyber Crime police station. The police say that they are questioning the accused in this regard and further investigation is on. Seoul, Nov 9 : South Korea is closely monitoring signs of North Korea's reopening of its border long closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, an official from the Unification Ministry in Seoul said on Tuesday, amid reports a train was spotted in the region bordering China. Local media broadcast footage of a train crossing the bridge over the Amnok River connecting Sinuiju in North Korea to the Chinese port city of Dandong on Monday, saying it appears to be a test operation ahead of an imminent border reopening, reports Yonhap News Agency. Yet, the Unification Ministry remained cautious to say whether the train in the footage actually ran from the North to China. "The government has been closely monitoring related moves on the basis of the assessment that the preparations to resume train operations between North Korea and China are in their final stage," the official told reporters. "But it's hard to predict exactly when the operations will resume as consultations between North Korea and China should be wrapped up first." The official said the government will continue monitoring other signs before making a conclusion on the North's reopening of its land routes. South Korea's National Intelligence Service said last month the North was in talks with China and Russia to resume train operations across the border and those connecting Sinuiju and Dandong could resume as early as in November. The North has recently reopened its sea routes to receive international organizations' medical supplies and other goods necessary for its citizens, following the prolonged lockdown, which is believed to have taken a toll on its economy already hit by crippling sanctions. Los Angeles, Nov 9 : Actress Gemma Whelan, who played 'Yara Greyjoy', was allowed to breastfeed her baby daughter on the sets of 'Game of Thrones' when she gave birth to her first child back in 2017. Whelan said she will always be grateful for the way that she was accommodated as a new working mother, and she said that all shoots should be like that, reports femalefirst.co.uk. Speaking to The Independent newspaper, Whelan said: "With 'Game of Thrones', actually, I went back with my daughter and she was six weeks old and they allowed for breastfeeding. That should just be a normal thing - you have a child and you have to feed it but you're working as well." Gemma and her husband, comedian-and-actor Gerry Howell, welcomed their second child six weeks ago and despite her fears she would be "on the shelf for a little while" due to her baby she landed a role on new British police drama 'The Tower', and the team on that show were also very accommodating of her needs as a new mum second time round. She said: "I thought I'd be on the shelf for a little while after having the baby, which is fine, but I was very lucky." In a 2020 interview with Radio Times, the actress spoke of her concerns that having children would wreck her acting career, saying: "I was worried, as many actors are, that if I had a baby my career would be over. "Actually, if you just ask for what you need without being an idiot, it (taking your baby on set) isn't insurmountable. And your career isn't over." Patna, Nov 9 : A sub-inspector in Bihar's Khagaria district was arrested after he was found in a drunken state during duty hours, an official said on Tuesday. The accused, Arun Kumar Jha, was immediately arrested by senior police officials and sent to jail after a medical examination in Sadar hospital, District Superintendent of Police (SP) Amitesh Kumar said. The incident comes at a time when the Bihar government is under pressure due to a series of hooch incidents in Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Bettiah and Samastipur that claimed the lives of more than 50 people and over three dozen others lost their eyesight in the last 13 days. "We have learnt that a sub-inspector rank officer posted at Gogri police station, was performing duty in a drunken state on Tuesday. When the fellow officers of Gogri police station complained to us, we immediately sent a DSP rank officer to check the status. The alleged official was found drunk during duty hours. We arrested him and conducted his medical examination. The doctors of Sadar hospital confirmed that he was under inebriation of alcohol," Amitesh Kumar said. The officer further said that the violation of liquor prohibition law by any person cannot be tolerated in the district. On Monday, two watchmen from Patna were arrested for being in a drunken state while on duty. New Delhi/Chandigarh, Nov 9 : The problems in the Punjab Congress seem to be far from over as the Channi government is being constantly cornered by its own state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and the top leadership has failed to evolve a consensus among the warring factions. Sources say State in-charge Harish Chaudhary tried to intervene on the issue by calling a meeting on Monday but Sidhu did not relent and left. Chaudhary did not respond to calls. While the party is believed to be rethinking on a new plan to pacify both the factions, Sidhu is likely to be called to Delhi for a final meeting. Prior to the Monday meeting, Sidhu addressed the media and later tweeted, "09.04.2021: the HC directed new SIT to complete investigation in 6 months. 07.05.2021: New SIT Constituted. 07.11.2021: 6 months over. What's status of Investigation? Where is Chargesheet?" His continued tirade is against the appointments made on the posts of Attorney General (AG) and Director General of Police. Though the AG has hit back for politicising the office. Sidhu said, "Technically, any lawyer can become AG and any IPS officer can become DG but if we talk about Morals and Ethics of Government, as we promised to the people of Punjab that we will give Justice to them in Sacrilege Cases,a lawyer who has procured blanket protections to the main accused persons in that case and an IPS officer, who was the 1st Investigating Officer and gave clean chits to the main conspirators, Can we appoint them as AG & DG when the case is still at the stage of investigation?" Not only Sidhu, but Congress MP Manish Tewari has been critical of the government's stand in the matter of jurisdiction of BSF. Tewari said in a tweet on Monday, "It has been close to a month now Central Govt by notification has extended BSF operational remit in Punjab to 50 Kilometres.Why till now notification has not been challenged by Punjab Govt India under Article 131 in Supreme Court of India Is opposition to it mere tokenism?" -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Washington, Nov 9 : A single shot of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals's antibody cocktail reduced the risk of Covid-19 by 81.6 per cent for two to eight months, according to results of the phase-3 trials presented by the company. Casirivimab and Imdevimab injection is a cocktail of two monoclonal antibodies and was designed specifically to block infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The monoclonal antibodies are produced by recombinant DNA technology. During the eight-month assessment period there were zero hospitalisations for Covid-19 and deaths in the REGEN-COV group, but six such incidents were recorded in the placebo group, the company said. "These results demonstrate that REGEN-COV has the potential to provide long-lasting immunity from SARS-CoV-2 infection," said Myron S. Cohen, who leads monoclonal antibody efforts for the US National Institutes of Health-sponsored Covid Prevention Network. The findings are particularly important to those who do not respond to Covid-19 vaccines including people who are immunocompromised, the company said. The therapy had previously shown an 81.4 per cent risk reduction during the first month after administration. Besides providing long-term protection against Covid-19, the trial also showed that the drug cocktail prevented "including times of particularly high risk from household exposure", the company said. REGEN-COV has not been approved by the FDA, but is currently authorised in the US for the treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis in certain high risk individuals. To increase global supply of the antibody cocktail, Regeneron has collaborated with Roche including in India. Emergency or temporary pandemic use authorisations are currently in place in more than 40 countries, including India, the US, Switzerland and Canada, while the antibody cocktail is fully approved in Japan and conditionally approved in the UK. New Delhi, Nov 9 : At least three private players have shown interest in participating in the strategic sale of public sector insurance companies, raising hopes that the government may advance initiation of its disinvestment this fiscal. Sources said one new and two other large private sector insurance companies have met officials of the Department of Financial Services last month enquiring about the disinvestment of a public sector insurer. Though the talks have been preliminary in nature, it had encouraged government to see whether insurance disinvestment could be kick started now. "Private players have approached to get clarity on disinvestment we will soon come with exact time line," said an official source asking not to be named. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget 2021 speech had announced strategic divestment in two public sector companies and financial institutions, including 2 PSU banks and one insurance company. Now with strategic disinvestment of Air India has reached its finality, the focus is now on financial institutions with sale of one public bank and one insurer. Though the name of insurance company for privatisation had not yet been finalised, government think tank NITI Aayog has recommended privatisation of state-owned insurer United India Insurance Company. Though United India Insurance is not in best of its financial health reporting a net loss of Rs 1,485 crore in 2019-20, its gross premium income grew nearly 7 per cent year on year in FY20 to Rs 17,515 crore. The insurer's gross premium underwitten in 2020-21 fell nearly 5 per cent year-on-year to Rs 16,711 crore. The insurer has also seen its net worth erode from Rs 5,731 crore in 2015-16 to Rs 1,443 crore in 2019-20. However, the insurer is considered best candidate for privatisation as it would provide immense value to the aquirer with a nationwide presence and strong market share in certain general insurance categories. Moreover, it's not listed making the transaction process easier. The Centre was earlier working on a proposal to merge public sector insurers. Under this, the plan was to merge National Insurance Company, United India Insurance Company and Oriental India Insurance into a single insurance entity, and subsequently listing it on exchanges. However, in mid 2020, the government infused Rs 12,450 crore in the three entities looking forward to their profitable growth as single entities. The general insurance market in the country comprises 27 companies including the four major PSU entities, 23 private players and six are stand-alone health insurers. The insurance density in India (ratio of premium to total population) is $73 compared with average world insurance density of $650. Insurance penetration in India is at 3.69 per cent compared with the world average of 6.13 per cent. The penetration in the general insurance sector is still less than 1 per cent. (Subhash Narayan can be contacted at subhash.n@ians.in) --IANS sn/ksk/ Sent from my iPhone Bhopal, Nov 9 : Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Kamal Nath on Tuesday demanded a high-level probe in the fire incident at Kamla Nehru hospital where four infants died. He alleged that the fire fighting system was defunct. Reacting to the incident, Nath said it is the second time when such an incident occurred in Bhopal. "Families have lost their newborn due to the negligence of the security system and administration of the hospital. "This is the second such incident in Kamla Nehru hospital. It is a grave negligence. The fire safety system of the hospital was defunct and the responsible authorities were unaware of it. Responsibilities should be fixed and strict action must be taken against them," Nath added. He also said the Madhya Pradesh Medical Education Minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang was responsible for the incident. Meanwhile, state Mahila Congress president Archana Jaiswal along with party workers reached the hospital and tried to forcibly enter. Police deployed there stopped them which resulted in a heated argument between the police officials and the Congress workers. However, the situation was brought under control. Fire occurred on the fourth floor of the building and the children were admitted to the special children care unit located on the third floor. As per the officials, a total of 40 children were on the ward when the fire broke out. Earlier in the day, Vishvas Sarang said that four infants have died due to suffocation, while 36 children were evacuated safely. Sources claimed that the number of deaths have increased from four to seven, however, no official confirmation was there. Prayagraj, Nov 9: The Allahabad University : will now conduct a detailed study as to how Uttar Pradesh has become a 'samarth rajya' (prosperous state) from a 'bimaru rajya' (sick state). The study will be conducted by the academics working at the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay chair, which is being set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) at AU as per instructions by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Dharmendra Pradhan, while speaking as the chief guest at AU convocationon Monday, said: "Researches should not be limited to getting papers published in reputed journals or promoting academics, but for the betterment of the society." He also called upon the experts from the department of Sociology at AU to conduct research on the migration of people witnessed in the country during the pandemic. He said that the Modi-led government at the Centre is aimed at improving the life of the common man standing on the last strata of the society and universities can play an important role in this regard. Pradhan also urged the AU authorities and all the institutes for higher studies in the country to implement employable courses as per the new National Education Policy. He also asked the authorities to expedite the process for filling up the vacant teaching positions on the campus. Chennai, Nov 9 : Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on Tuesday questioned the fate of crores of rupees received from the Central government for the Chennai Smart City project. For a third straight day, Stalin inspected the relief work at various localities in Chennai amid the incessant rain. Speaking to the media, Stalin charged the AIADMK government with corruption in executing the storm water drain and other projects. He said action will be taken against the contractors engaged under the project. According to the Chief Minister, there were allegations of corruption against the earlier state governments as projects for which funds were received from the Central government were not executed properly. Several localities of Chennai are still inundated and power supply also disrupted for safety reasons. Meanwhile, the weather department has said a low pressure area is likely to form over Bay of Bengal in next 12 hours and move towards north Tamil Nadu which would bring in more rains. According to state government officials, about 540 huts were damaged due to the rains. Chennai citizens got a respite from the incessant rains in the morning though the skies remain dark. Schools and colleges remained closed in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and in other districts due to rains. Surplus water was released from the Poondi, Chembarambakkam, Sholavaram, Puzhal and Thervai Kandigai reservoirs. Washington, Nov 9 : US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said that the economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has widened inequities in the country's economy. "The pandemic widened deep-rooted inequities in our economy. Along racial, gender, and socioeconomic lines, those least able to bear it, unfortunately, were those who were most affected," Powell said in a speech for a conference on gender and the economy hosted by the central bank. "Women make up the majority of frontline workers, who have been under substantial strain - and subject to personal risks - during the pandemic. Additionally, women took on the majority of caring responsibilities, for older relatives and children alike. "As schools closed and childcare services shuttered during the worst of the pandemic, that added responsibility and stress made working more difficult for some and took many away from their jobs. These burdens are real and have been an additional challenge during an already challenging time," Xinhua news agency reported citing the Fed Chair as saying. Powell noted that women suffered more from job losses in the Covid-induced recession than men, in a reversal of previous recessions. Meanwhile, a Fed survey conducted last year showed that the pandemic disrupted childcare or in-person schooling for nearly 70 per cent of parents, with 25 per cent of mothers reporting they did not work or worked less as a result. "As households and the economy continue to recover, the lessons learned during this era will help inform how policymakers and communities work to bridge those gaps," Powell said, warning long-standing disparities weigh on the productive capacity of the US economy. "These are vital issues not just to the economy, but to families across the country. There is more to be done," he said. United Nations, Nov 9 : A top UN official has expressed concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Myanmar, which has worsened since the February 1 military takeover. In a statement, UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said that across Myanmar, there were now more than 3 million people in need of life-saving assistance because of growing conflict and insecurity, Covid-19 and a failing economy, Xinhua news agency. Without an end to violence and a peaceful resolution of Myanmar's crisis, this number will only rise, he warned. Since the coup, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to violence across the country, and 223,000 people remain internally displaced, and this includes 165,000 in the southeast of the country and is on top of a significant population of people who were already displaced in Rakhine, Chin, Shan and Kachin states prior to the takeover, he said. Long-term displacement remains unresolved, with 144,000 Rohingya people still confined to camps and camp-like settings in Rakhine, many since their displacement in 2012, and more than 105,000 people displaced in Kachin and Shan, many for years, he said. "I am also increasingly concerned about reports of rising levels of food insecurity in and around urban areas, including in Yangon and Mandalay." In recent weeks, the situation in the northwest of the country has become extremely concerning, with an escalation in hostilities between the Myanmar armed forces and the Chinland Defence Force in Chin state, and with the People's Defence Forces in Magway and Sagaing regions, according to the official. More than 37,000 people, including women and children, have been newly displaced, and more than 160 homes have been burned, including churches and the offices of a humanitarian organisation, he said, adding that attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian workers and facilities, are clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop immediately. Humanitarian access to many people in desperate need across the country remains extremely limited due to bureaucratic impediments put in place by the armed forces, he said, calling on the Myanmar armed forces and all other parties to facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access. Griffiths also called on the international community to fund the humanitarian response. Less than half of the $385 million required under the humanitarian response plan and interim emergency response plan launched after the military takeover has been received, according to UN figures. "The world is watching. I urge all parties to fully respect their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law to protect civilians, ensure civilians can freely move toward safety when needed, and allow humanitarian assistance to be provided to those in need, including those being forced to flee the violence," he said. Kolkata, Nov 9 : The moral policing of an outgoing Trinamool Congress councillor, who assaulted a mother-daughter duo for allegedly having a "bad character", has triggered a controversy. The incident took place at Ward No 7 of Diamond Harbour Municipality in South 24 Parganas where the councillor Kakoli Bar, along with some of her associates, assaulted a woman and her daughter allegedly for having a bad character. After one of their relatives lodged a complaint with the Diamond Harbour police station through 'Speed Post,' on Saturday, some people led by Bar broke open the door and pulled the victims out of their house and assaulted them in full public view. "My daughter and I were forced out of the house and tied to a tree. Then they gave a stick to my husband and forced him to beat me. People were coming and slapping me for no reason. My daughter was also beaten up. They handed over a blade to my autistic son and asked him to shave off my head. However, some people came forward and resisted them from committing such a heinous crime," the victim said. "They took Rs 5,000 to release us. They threatened me with dire consequences if I ever reported the matter to the police. They even forced us to leave the village," she added. That night only, the duo left the village and came to a relative's house. "I don't know what to do now. My husband and mentally challenged child are still in the house. I don't know how to protect them," the victim said. When asked, the councillor in question Kakoli Bar said, "I shall not say anything". However, local people alleged that they were not beaten by anybody. The woman's husband was so upset with her that he beat her up with a huge bamboo stick. Taking cognisance of the matter, Trinamool Congress MLA of Diamond Harbour Pannalal Halder said, "We are taking information and if the allegations are correct, then strict action will be taken against the councillor". United Nations, Nov 9 : Winding up a four-day visit to Ethiopia, Martin Griffiths, the UN Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, has again appealed for aid operation access across the country amid ongoing conflicts in some regions. Griffiths met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen on Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, during which he sought to identify means of improving humanitarian access and aid to all people in need across Ethiopia, reports Xinhua news agency. The top UN official had constructive discussions on November 5 with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Mekonnen on the humanitarian situation in the country and the challenges that aid organisations face in delivering assistance, the office said. On Sunday, Griffiths visited Mekelle, capital of the embattled Tigray region, OCHA said. There, he met women affected by the conflict and with humanitarian partners of the world body. He also engaged with de facto authorities on the need for humanitarian access, protection of civilians through all areas under their control, and respect for human principles, OCHA said. The aid office said conflict, large-scale displacement, drought, flooding, disease outbreaks and desert locust infestation continue to drive humanitarian needs across Ethiopia. Humanitarians target about 20 million people for assistance, including 7 million directly affected by the conflict in northern Ethiopia. The office said the 2021 humanitarian response plan for Ethiopia has a more than $1.3 billion funding gap. Humanitarians mobilized an estimated $606 million dollars for the northern Ethiopia response plan and $474 million dollars more for a draft response plan to cover areas outside Tigray. However, OCHA said the funds are far from sufficient to cover mounting humanitarian needs. The conflict that started in the northernmost Tigray region a year ago has since spread to the neighbouring areas of Afar and Amhara. Washington, Nov 9 : US Federal Reserve Governor Randal Quarles said that he would step down from his position by the end of next month. "After more than four years as a member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, and given the completion last month of my term as Vice Chairman for Supervision of the Board, I intend to resign my position as a Governor of the Federal Reserve during or around the last week of December of this year," Quarles said in a letter to President Joe Biden. "It has been a great privilege to work with my colleagues on the Board, throughout the Federal Reserve System, and among the global central banking and regulatory community," he said. The Fed said in a statement that Quarles has played a "central role" in ensuring the safe operation of both the domestic and international financial systems during the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency. Prior to his appointment to the Fed board in October 2017, Quarles was founder and managing director of The Cynosure Group, a private investment firm. He also served in a variety of senior positions at the Treasury Department and was an Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund. The resignation came as Biden is expected to announce whether he will renominate Fed Chair Jerome Powell as soon as this week, according to the media. Powell's four-year term as Fed chief ends in February 2022. Patna, Nov 9 : Two persons lost their lives in Bihar's Muzaffarpur district on Tuesday due to suspected spurious liqour consumption. According to sources, the two had consumed liquor on Monday evening, following which their health started deteriorating. They were rushed to private hospitals where they died. The deceased have been identified as Sumit Rai alias Gopi and Ashok Kumar-- both natives of Sisiria village in the district. Villagers claimed that the deceased were part of a group of five persons who had consumed liquor. The others also complained of losing their vision and have been admitted in a hospital in Juran Chapra locality where their condition is stated to be critical. When contacted, the police officials refused to comment on the incident. The excise department is investigating the incident. On October 29, ten people died, while seven others lost their eyesight after consuming spurious liquor in Repura village under Saraiya police station. Besides, in the past one week, hooch tragedies have claimed several lives in Gopalganj, Bettiah and Samastipur. November 09 : Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra were spotted together for the first time after his arrest and bail in a porn-related case. Raj Kundra was arrested in July and was granted bail in September this year. Several pictures and a video of their visit surfaced on social media, wherein the Hungama 2 actress can be seen visiting a temple in Himachal Pradesh with Raj Kundra. The couple was clicked while entering the temple with security guards following them. Shilpa and Raj were seen twinning in yellow outfits. While Shilpa wore a yellow salwar-kameez, Raj donned a yellow kurta with a pair of white pyjamas. After seeking blessings at the temple, the couple was seen coming out of the temple hand in hand. Raj Kundra took himself off social media since he was released from jail on bail. Recently, the businessman deleted his Instagram and Twitter accounts post the porn films case against him. The businessman was quite active on Instagram and Twitter until his arrest in the pornography case. He often shared pictures and videos featuring himself and Shilpa. Raj Kundra was arrested in July this year for his alleged connection in creation and publication of porn films. Kundra was granted bail by a metropolitan magistrate court in September on surety of Rs 50,000 with several conditions. In his bail application, the businessman had claimed that there was no evidence with the prosecution that could connect his app HotShots with a legal offence. He had also claimed that he was being turned into a scapegoat. Shilpa Shetty, who was away from social media and her work for quite some time after Raj Kundras arrest, resumed her normal routine thereafter. She is still lying low on social media and shares only festival and her workout posts. She had also shared several cryptic posts after her husbands arrest and even after Raj Kundra went off social media. Meanwhile, on the work front, Shilpa was recently seen as a judge at the reality show Super Dancer 4, alongside Geeta Kapur and Anurag Basu. The last episode of the reality show was aired on October 9, 2021. She will soon judge Indias Got Talent Season 9 along with veteran actor Kirron Kher and popular rapper Badshah. Islamabad, Nov 9 : Amir Khan Muttaqi, the acting Foreign Minister of the Taliban government in Afghanistan, will arrive in Islamabad on Wednesday at the invitation from Pakistan to be a part of the Troika Plus meeting. The visit will be Muttaqi's maiden visit to Islamabad after assuming charge as the acting Foreign Minister following the collapse of Afghanistan to the Taliban in August. As per details shared by the Pakistan Foreign Office, the visit will be focused on pivotal issues related to economic crisis in Afghanistan, coupled with easing of visa provision and processing. Muttaqi will also be taking part in the all important Troika Plus meeting on Thursday in Islamabad where "special representatives for Afghanistan from US, Russia, China and Pakistan will be meeting", to discuss the way forward towards a stable country. The Foreign Office further said that Ambasador Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, the State Department's Special Representative and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Afghanistan, Russia's special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov and Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan Yue Xiaoyong will be in attendance. The meeting is expected to not only see through means of provision of continued humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, but will also be focused on handling the crippling economic crisis of the country. The Taliban interim government is yet to receive recognition from the international community and has been engaging with global powers before the economic crisis of the country turns from bad to worse. The Troika Plus holds great importance as China, Pakistan, Russia and the US share major stakes in Afghanistan and have been relevant active participants of the Afghan peace talks. Although Pakistan is yet to recognised the Taliban government, it has allowed the new Taliban officials to take control of the Afghan embassy in Islamabad along with consulates in Peshawar, Karachi and Quetta. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, during his last visit to Kabul on October 21, had discussed with senior Afghan Taliban government officials, confirming that both sides had agreed to enhance and revive the existing bilateral mechanisms and institutional frameworks such as the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS), which would be used as a platform to resolve differences and hurdles in implementation of decision on both sides. Major decisions have already been taken by the Pakistan government since Qureshi's visit which include removal of procedural restrictions on the movement of people between two countries, earlier imposed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic; issuance of five-year multiple-entry visas to Afghan businessmen; permission to Afghan trucks to travel up to Karachi; and waiving off duties on exports of Afghan fruits and vegetables in Pakistan. New Delhi, Nov 9 : Chhohan Das, prior to pursuing a bachelor in pharmacy, was uncertain about his future. As time went by Das realised he was in safe hands. Currently working with one of Indias top companies, Alembic Pharmaceutical, he credits his university for the right guidance and consistent support. "Like most students, I too was worried about my career at the starting of my academic course. But thankfully I received immense support from Assam downtown University faculties and the in-house placement cell. They not only focus on the course material but also make sure the students are well prepared to face the real deal. Mock interviews are held for boosting confidence and necessary guidance are provided in case of doubts. Ive got placed in several reputed companies such as Tech Mahindra and Margdarshak previously." The primary essence of university education is to build the capacity of individuals and prepare them to become useful and contributory members of society. In that vein, people often select universities based on their placement ratings and potential for employment. Somewhere in Guwahati, within the Northeast Indian state of Assam, lies Assam downtown University (AdtU), an enclave opportunities. With a population of 1.4 billion people and a fast-growing youth population exceeding 260 million young people, the struggle for livelihood is often dependent on economic forces and individual readiness. More than an estimated 25 million graduates - based on enrollment statistics by the Ministry of Human Resource Development - are churned out of India's tertiary institutions annually, with only about 40 per cent actually finding a job. To break into that exclusive group, a student needs a strong foundation and an institution that ranks high in placement. Prasanjit Das, an alumnus of AdtU Bachelor in Health Care Management department shares how the university has shaped not just his career but overall personality. "The university has the best staff and placement cell. The teachers are extremely supportive and are always available when in need. The placement cell has excellent training modules; from personality development to facing interviews, one gets trained on a professional level. Honestly, due to the current pandemic situation, I was not even sure of getting a job. I thank my stars and my alma mater for always guiding me in this journey. I'm currently employed with Upgrade Jeet in Bangalore and was associated with multiple prestigious organisations as Avadh Utopia and Reliance Jio in the past. Established in 2010, AdtU has grown in leaps and bounds, carving a niche for itself as one of the most impactful tertiary institutions in all of India. As a fast-growing university - with more than 8,000 students enrolled in more than 60 carefully designed programmes - it combines academic and professional excellence within a unique environment of inter-cultural expression and co-existence. A Nielson Company 2017 survey that measured 11 comprehensive parameters ranked Assam downtown University in the top 10 of India's private universities. Set upon an 80-acre land, spread over the hills of Panikhaiti, Guwahati, AdtU is widely known for its admissions efficiency. The academic model of AdtU is extremely inspirational, designed to be at par with global standards. From Engineering, Humanities and Social Sciences, Management and Applied Health Science to Pharmacy and Nursing, the university has put together a rich plethora of courses and faculties to build up a generation that won't simply change the fortunes of India and transform her, but also play a major part in major industries and sectors of the world. No wonder you'll find students trooping in from at least 20 states across India and more than five countries. With regards to placement, AdtU has a functional department dedicated to ensuring their students gain access to employment opportunities, pooled campus as well as off-campus recruitments. Regular invitations are issued to companies from different sectors of the economy as part of the university's campus recruitment drive for students of different levels. This well-equipped department is properly positioned with the right facilities to handle every single part of the process. Suffice to say their efforts have yielded many results. Between 2019 and 2020, AdtU collaborated with more than 300 recruiting partners and secured more than 700 job offers for its students. This gave the university an impressive ranking, achieving a record of 90 per cent placement within the period. But it's not just about getting jobs; young educated people are keen on job fulfilment and seek jobs that meet their needs, goals, dreams, and aspirations. The job offers secured by AdtU attracted an average salary package of Rs 4 lakhs per annum, with some salary packages reaching as high as Rs 25 lakhs per annum. Debapriya Paul, a student of AdtU MBA 2021 batch has set a shining example by achieving the highest number of placements in prestigious organisations such as Tech Mahindra, First Connect, BYJU'S, Caliche, Upgrade and Magdarshak. Currently, she is associated with Planet Spark as Business Development Counsellor, drawing a salary of Rs 7.6 LPA. The university has formed a formidable partnership with multinational and national corporations and firms that provide the bulk of recruitment for her students. These include Amazon, BYJU's, Wipro, TCS, Cognizant, Capgemini, IBM, HCL, Accenture, P&G, Cipla, Nestle, HP, Genpact, Apollo Group, NIMHANS, Taj Chennai, Lemon Tree Group of Hotels, and Radisson Group among many others. Each year, representatives from these firms troop into campus to pick some of the best talents India has got to offer in order to beef up its manpower. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Seoul, Nov 9 : South Korea on Tuesday launched a new frigate named after a warship torpedoed by North Korea in 2010. The launch ceremony for the 2,800-tonne frigate, Cheonan, took place at the shipyard of Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. in Ulsan, some 410 kim southeast of Seoul, reports Yonhap News Agency. The 1,200-tonne corvette Cheonan sank near the Northern Limit Line, a de facto western inter-Korean sea border, in March 2010, after a North Korean midget submarine fired a torpedo at it, killing 46 sailors. The unveiling of the Cheonan carried a symbolic meaning for the survivors of the attack and bereaved families who have wished to see the new warship named after the ill-fated corvette and commissioned to fulfil its unfinished mission of safeguarding the maritime border. Some 100 people, including Defence Minister Suh Wook and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Boo Suk-jong, joined the event to transfer the frigate onto the water for the first time. "By reviving the Cheonan, South Korea has kept its promise to forever remember the sacrifices of heroes," Suh said in a statement during the ceremony. "The military will maintain a firm defence posture and continue to support the denuclearization of North Korea and promote lasting peace based on 'robust strength'." Cheonan is the seventh Daegu-class warship produced as part of South Korea's frigate acquisition program, code-named FFX Batch-II. The Navy seeks to procure eight vessels in total under the program designed to replace the aging fleet of 1,500-tonne frigates and 1,000-tonne corvettes. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Kerala government has told the Supreme Court that no amount of rejuvenation by any means can perpetuate the 126 years old deteriorated Mullaperiyar dam, built across the Periyar River, and any failure could have a cascading effect on the Idukki Dam situated downstream, which threatens the lives and properties of 50 lakh people. The Kerala government argued that there was a limit to the number of years one can keep dams in service through maintenance and strengthening measures. It added that all over the world, citizens, governments and organisations have begun to review the safety of their dams as per modern standards and design criteria. In an affidavit, the state government said: "If water level at Mullaperiyar is kept at a higher level, releases from it will be affecting the already filled Idukki reservoir. In the worst case of a cascading failure of Mullaperiyar and Idukki, will result in a catastrophe which is beyond imagination affecting the life and property of 50 lakh people residing below the Idukki dam". The state government said the erratic rainfall and climate change that occurred in the last four years (2018-2021) is of great concern. "It is in this context that the State of Kerala has urged to maintain the upper rule level at a lower level on September 20th to avoid flash floods downstream of the dam. Hence it was the plea of Kerala to CWC to avoid two peaks in the Upper Rule Levels of Mullaperiyar reservoir", the affidavit added. The government urged the apex court to reduce the maximum permissible water level in the reservoir, which is currently fixed at 142 feet, and also emphasized that as a long-term measure, a new dam should be built downstream and Mullaperiyar should be decommissioned. "The State of Kerala urges before the Hon'ble Supreme court that the proposal to fix the upper rule level of the Mullaperiyar dam at 142 feet on September 20th as formulated by Tamil Nadu may be avoided. It may be noted that the situation in the Periyar basin is unique in that it faces both the South West and North East monsoons," said the Kerala government. The Kerala government urged the top court to ensure the water level in the dam's reservoir should not exceed 139 feet, three feet below the permissible limit of 142 feet, which was prescribed by the top court's 2014 judgment. However, in 2018 the Supreme Court passed an order to maintain water level at 139 feet during the Kerala floods as a temporary arrangement. On October 25, the top court had asked the Kerala government to refrain from debating the issue regarding suitable height of the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam before it, and rather engage with Tamil Nadu government and the committee. The top court said it is the task of the expert supervisory committee, appointed by it, to take a decision in the matter, and asked the committee to take a call expeditiously after discussing with all parties concerned. The committee had suggested that no change in water level was required, which has been contested by the Kerala government. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Brisbane, Nov 9 : As the Covid-19 vaccination rollout in the Australian state of Queensland is fast approaching a milestone, health authorities are easing some restrictions while also seeking ways to persuade even more residents to get fully inoculated. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced on Tuesday that masks would no longer be required indoors once 80 per cent of eligible residents receive at least one of their two required vaccine doses, reports Xinhua news agency. According to the latest figure updated on Tuesday, 79.6 per cent of Queensland residents aged over 16 have received their first shots, while 67.4 per cent were fully immunized. "This is another small step back towards life as normal," Palaszczuk said. "Queenslanders have done an incredible job all through the pandemic and this is their reward." Her announcement coincides with new rollout modelling showing that at the state's present jab uptake, it should reach its 80 per cent double-dose milestone about 10 days ahead of the previous estimation of December 17. Palaszczuk has said if that target is reached early, she would not hesitate to reopen the southern border to the neighbouring state of New South Wales (NSW), which is still recovering from an outbreak of the Delta variant of the virus that began in mid-June. That imminent border opening, however, is causing some concerns among health authorities who fear certain regions in Queensland are lagging behind in their rollouts and could therefore soon be at more risk from NSW visitors. A report by the national broadcaster ABC on Tuesday quoted a consumer behaviour expert as saying that more is needed to be done to win over vaccine-hesitant Queenslanders. "There's always a certain part of the population who are really hard to get to -- to change their behaviours," Joy Parkinson from Griffith University told ABC News. "Family is really important to most people, so if we talk about them being able to see their family, spend time with their family... I think really focusing on those good things is important." Parkinson also suggested engaging community leaders to prevent the spread of vaccine misinformation. "In those regional communities, a lot of people really look up to community leaders, for example, mayors, the local footy club captain," she said. "So getting them out there and promoting getting vaccinated is really important." New Delhi, Nov 9 : Given that things have finally opened up post-pandemic, a series of Diwali celebrations were witnessed this year. We spotted Bollywood celebrities leaving no stone unturned with their festive looks. From lavish lehengas to stunning saris, there were a variety of sparkling outfits on display. Take a look! Priyanka Chopra Image Source: IANS News Our very own 'desi' girl was spotted in a bright velvet sharara set from Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Statement sunglasses, chunky jewellery and a bucket bag from the designer completed the look. When it comes to head-turning fashion, Chopra leads the list with her quirky fashion choices. Malaika Arora Image Source: IANS News Whether it's a casual lunch date or a red-carpet appearance, Malaika Arora never disappoints. For one of the Diwali parties, she was spotted in a rose-red Manish Malhotra sari finished with a lime-green border. Keeping it entirely ethnic, the 48-year-old opted for matching bangles, a Polki necklace and a floral bun. Alia Bhatt Image Source: IANS News The young and vibrant Alia Bhatt stepped out in a striking purple Sabyasachi lehenga. She accessorised her outfit with just gold jhumkas, letting the outfit do its magic. A closer look at her Indian wardrobe shows how the 28-year-old likes to keep it elegant and fuss-free on most occasions. Jacqueline Fernandez Image Source: IANS News From power suits to playful separates, tailored gowns to flowy lehengas, there's nothing that she can't pull off. This year, for one of the festivities, Fernandez picked a beautiful Benarasi sari from Ekaya. The all-red ensemble made for a striking choice, with the OTT floral bun being the highlight. Janhvi Kapoor Image Source: IANS News A quick glimpse at Kapoor's Instagram feed shows the young star's love for Indian wear. While lehengas and saris are mostly her go-to ensembles, this time the actress opted for a heavily embellished Anamika Khanna anarkali. The styling and make-up did full justice to her look. Sonam Kapoor Image Source: IANS News Sonam Kapoor Ahuja chose an ivory-hued 'chikankari' anarkali from Abu Jani-Sandeep Kosla. The style icon kept her make-up minimal and opted for a pair of danglers to accessorise the look. Pulkit Samrat Image Source: IANS News For Diwali, actor Pulkit Samrat was seen in a cherry kurta set. He paired his dual-toned printed kurta with a mirror-work jacket and tassel shoes. Simple yet striking. -- Syndicated from IANS Panjim, Nov 9 : Hitting out at opposition parties for promoting "nepotism," Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that instead of 'family-raj', political parties should promote women and youth in politics outside their family clan. Without naming any political party, he was indicating towards Congress, which is yet to decide about its regular president after Rahul Gandhi stepped down following the party's poor show in 2019 general elections. "I request all the political parties to encourage women and youth's participation from public life instead of picking up from 'family'," Sawant said, while adding that they should promote talented and hardworking women and youth in politics. Sawant was speaking at the sideline of national parliament conference-- celebrating democracy by empowering youth, women and panchayats' to mark the 60th year of Goa's liberation from Portuguese rule. The conference has been divided into women, youth and panchayat's parliament from November 8 to 12. Hoping that such an event will encourage and empower women and youths, Sawant said that he has written to all chief ministers and speakers to participate and also requested them to hold such a conference which will empower women and youth. When asked about women and youth representation in BJP, Sawant pointed out that the highest representation of women is in Narendra Modi government. "The party is increasing women and youth participation at all levels. Eleven women parliamentarians have been made union ministers, which is the highest in any government, and in BJP-ruled states women leaders are given key responsibility. We are also giving them proper share in ticket distribution and encouraging women and youth leadership in the country," he said. The Chief Minister said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and on the theme of 'Goa at 60', the state government is working towards laying more emphasis on women empowerment. To make women self-reliant, all the schemes of the central government and chief minister employment scheme have been implemented." Similarly, he said, the government is providing employment to women by promoting the products made by various women self-help groups. "On the one hand we are working towards contributing to a self-reliant India and on the other we are working on a self-sufficient Goa. We plan to organise such events every two years," he added. Wellington, Nov 9 : New Zealand Minister for Trade and Export Growth Damien O'Connor on Tuesday expressed support for the World Trade Organization (WTO) and vowed to promote the trade-led economic recovery amid the Covid-19 pandemic. O'Connor made the remarks in his opening speech while chairing the 2021 APEC Ministerial Meeting, reports Xinhua news agency. Ministers from 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are meeting virtually Monday and Tuesday to accelerate the region's economic recovery through innovative trade policy and multilateral cooperation. The 2021 APEC Ministerial Meeting was co-chaired by O'Connor and New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. Policy recommendations will be shared by representatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council and APEC's official observers -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Pacific Economic Cooperation Council, and the Pacific Island Forum. "Together, we have worked tirelessly over the past year to deliver a diverse range of meaningful outcomes, notably in speeding up the movement of vaccine supplies and other essential goods across borders," O'Connor said when he welcomed the ministers at the meeting. "Progress on APEC's ambitious agenda this year shows how our collective determination can overcome the challenges during the pandemic," O'Connor said. "And this momentum must not stop." The meeting precedes the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting on Friday and the 12th World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference (MC12). "Today's meeting will provide an important opportunity to build momentum and seek consensus ahead of MC12." "APEC's support for the WTO is an area of which we all agreed this year. Our goal is to intensify regional cooperation to support the WTO's agenda at its upcoming conference as a way of driving a trade-led recovery from the pandemic," added O'Connor. "This approach benefits all. Free, fair and open trade will get us all through the pandemic. We all agree that trade is vital in mitigating the impacts of the pandemic and it will be the driver of growth and a force for good for our future prosperity." "In this spirit, we must continue to work together to ensure that our trade and investment environment is free, open, fair, non-discriminatory, transparent and predictable to benefit all of our people," he added. "This year, APEC is at a turning point in its history. We, as Ministers, have the opportunity to set a course for APEC for the next two decades." The 2021 APEC Ministerial Meeting will conclude on Tuesday night. APEC member economies together account for about 3 billion people, 50 per cent of global trade and 60 percent of the world's total gross domestic product. Lucknow, Nov 9 : He was born on December 2, 2016 but his birthday is now celebrated every year on November 8, the anniversary of demonetisation. This five-year-old was born in most unfortunate circumstances. His father, a labourer, had died weeks before his birth. He was born while his mother was waiting in a bank queue after demonetisation to withdraw money. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav learnt of the circumstances in which the boy was born and immediately extended financial help to his mother. He named the boy as 'Khazanchi' and has now almost adopted the family. Khazanchi's birthday is celebrated every year by the Samajwadi Party to underline the misfortune that the common man faced due to demonetisation. Akhilesh Yadav gifted a house in 2017 to Khazanchi's mother in Anantpurwa in Kanpur Dehat. Party leaders have been helping the family ever since. Khazanchi, now five, apparently does not understand why he is special. The boy, wearing a red cap, was recently asked to flag off Akhilesh Yadav's Vijay Yatra from Kanpur. "It was Akhilesh's decision to call him for the yatra. Akhilesh asked the local unit of Kanpur Dehat to invite Khazanchi for waving the flag to start his yatra. He considers him as a special and lucky child," said a party functionary. On Monday, the party celebrated his birthday on the demonetisation anniversary. In 2019, Akhilesh had gifted him a bicycle on his birthday. Last year, Khazanchi's birthday was celebrated at the Samajwadi Party office where he cut a cake. Akhilesh gave him a gift and several other legislators also gave cash. Khazanchi's mother Sarvesha Devi admits that her son's life changed because of Akhilesh. "When he was born, I thought he would die but Akhilesh gave us financial help. He and his party keep helping us and Khazanchi, now goes to an anganwadi centre. Even our village has benefitted because of Khazanchi," she said. Akhilesh, on Tuesday, celebrated Khazanchi's birthday at his party office in Lucknow by feeding a 'laddoo' to the excited boy. Akhilesh also thanked his party workers who extended 'gifts' to the boy. Kuala Lumpur, Nov 9 : Malaysian Foreign Ministry on Tuesday announced that Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob will embark on his maiden visit to Indonesia this week. The visit from Tuesday to Thursday is Ismail Sabri's first visit to the neighbouring country since assuming office in August, reports Xinhua news agency. The Prime Minister will meet Indonesian President Joko Widodo as part of his schedule during the visit accompanied by several cabinet members. "It will provide an opportunity for the leaders to advance collaboration towards effective recovery as two immediate neighbours deal with the impacts of the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic," the Ministry said in a statement. Ismail Sabri will also meet with representatives of Indonesia's business community, the Malaysian diaspora in Indonesia and a defence industry facility during the visit, it said. Seoul, Nov 9 : South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday instructed aides to take steps to revise laws on workplace harassment in the civil service, citing a lack of legal stipulations on compensation for victims in the field of public administration. The instruction came after a newly recruited civil servant at the city government of Daejeon, 160 km south of Seoul, was found dead at the person's home in September, about three months after the official was assigned to the post, reports Yonhap News Agency. Family members of the deceased have claimed the civil servant had been suffering from overwork, unfair instructions and bullying at work. Moon told aides that workplace harassment is a "humanitarian issue". The President called for a revision of relevant laws because there is a lack of legal guidelines for an occupational accident compensation system for civil servants suffering from workplace harassment, according to presidential spokesperson Park Kyung-mee. In 2019, a law aimed at preventing harassment in the workplace took effect in South Korea. Under the law, workplace harassment is defined as an act of incurring physical or mental suffering or a worsening of the work environment by employers or workers using their status or power to behave beyond the scope of working norms. Seoul, Nov 9 : Samsung Electronics and SK hynix on Tuesday submitted information on their chip businesses to the US but withheld some key data considered trade secrets in an apparent delicate balancing act. The two South Korean chipmakers made the filings about two months after the US Department of Commerce requested data on the ongoing chip crisis that has hobbled global automakers and other electronic product manufacturers. Washington had asked major chipmakers to "voluntarily" share business information by November 8 to address the issue, following President Joe Biden's executive order that directed "several federal agency actions to secure and strengthen America's supply chains" for key products. "After discussing with the Commerce Department, we did not submit customer information because contract terms do not allow us to disclose it," Samsung said. SK hynix also said they closely consulted with the department and shared information "in a way that we can protect the trust relationship with our customers". The comments by Samsung and SK hynix were not made immediately available for public viewing on the US government website on federal decision making as of Tuesday morning, reports Yonhap news agency. The two companies said they minimized the submission of sensitive information on customers, sales and inventory details. Israel's foundry firm Tower Semiconductor also refrained from disclosing some data, such as backlog specifics, product attributes and past month sales, citing "non-disclosure agreements with our customers". The US information request had spawned concerns about the possible leak of what chipmakers consider major trade secrets, as questions touch upon a wide range of issues, including investment, inventories, pricing, capacity expansion plans, customers and sales. It also had raised questions on how to answer those sensitive questions while complying with filings and information disclosure rules required for publicly traded companies. While the US government said the information sharing is "voluntary", South Korean companies were under pressure to file the information as requested. Islamabad, Nov 9 : In a tragic and shocking incident, a body of a young girl was found dumped in a washroom of a non-functional metro bus station in Islamabads G-11 sector. The police officials confirmed that the victim was sexually assaulted and then strangled to death, a claim that is yet to be established and ascertained after the autopsy report comes out. As per details, a passer-by, who called the local police station, after he spotted the body. Officials said that the age of the girl was between 11 to 13 years. However, her identity and the cause of death is yet to be determined. So far, no clue has been found from police records of any report about a missing girl, while authorities have also been unable to find any clue to the girl's identification or around the metro station. "It seems that the girl was sexually assaulted and murdered somewhere else and her body was brought to the station and dumped in the washroom," a police official said. "The incident might have taken place on Sunday night and the body was dumped in the metro bus station early on Monday," the official added. Moreover, the autopsy of the body was conducted at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), while samples were handed over to the police for chemical examination. "A final opinion and report will be given after receiving the chemical examiner's report from Lahore," said an official of PIMS. The case has triggered fear among the residents of Islamabad, which is considered to be the safest and most secure city in the country. Locals are raising serious questions over the capital's administration and are demanding immediate arrest of culprits, speedy trial and punishment. Mandya, Nov 9 : Karnataka Opposition leader Siddaramaiah's "Dubai Sheikh's avatar" has gone viral on social media platforms. The attire was gifted to him when he visited Congress leader Munawar Khan's residence in Mandya district. The minority community party workers presented him the attire and prevailed upon him to flaunt it. The crowd cheered and clapped as Siddaramaiah wore it happily. Sporting the look of a "Dubai sheikh", the leader posed for photographs with party workers. He had also spent time with family members of Munawar Khan. The photos and videos have gone viral on social platforms. Siddaramaiah, a vocal critic of RSS and launches scathing attack on "Hindutva", is known for his positive demeanor. He was also seen shaking a leg with party workers on earlier occasions. While the Congress workers have praised his new avatar, the BJP has slammed it terming it a "gimmick to appease minorities". Srinagar, Nov 9 : Junaid Azim Mattu, mayor of J&K's Srinagar municipal corporation (SMC) said on Tuesday that month-long celebratory events will be held to celebrate the UNESCO tag of creative city for Srinagar. Speaking to the media, the mayor called it the biggest day for the entire Srinagar district. Mattu said that serious efforts have been made by everyone concerned to ensure that Srinagar achieves this milestone. "We have achieved this milestone after a lot of hardwork and dedication. We have been pursuing this since 2018 and finally after the hard work and serious efforts by SMC Commissioner and other officers concerned, we have finally achieved the milestone. It is the biggest day for whole Srinagar", Mattu said. UNESCO on Monday included Srinagar as a creative city for its craft and folk art. In the final list, Srinagar had to closely compete with Gwalior for this year's slot in the UNESCO list. The Dossier for Srinagar's claim was prepared by the J&K chapter of INTACH (Indian national trust for culture and heritage) with the assistance of other concerned agencies. Saleem Beg, convener of J&K chapter of INTACH said the effort to get Srinagar its UNESCO recognition was started four years back. Agartala, Nov 9 : Amid allegations of pre-poll violence and intimidations by all the opposition political parties in Tripura, the ruling BJP won 112 of the 334 seats uncontested in the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and 19 other urban local bodies ahead of the November 25 elections. Officials of the State Election Commission (SEC), which is conducting the politically important civic polls, on Tuesday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has already secured the majority in the seven civic bodies in Jirania, Ranir Bazar, Mohanpur, Bishalgarh in Western Tripura, Santir Bazar and Udaipur in southern Tripura and Kamalpur in northern Tripura. The officials said that now 785 candidates of various political parties, including BJP, CPI-M led Left parties, Trinamool Congress and Congress, are vying for the 222 seats. The crucial elections to the 20 urban local bodies in Tripura, including the AMC, are scheduled to be held on November 25. The counting of votes will be held on November 28. State Election Commissioner Manik Lal Dey said that the elections would be held through the Electronic Voting Machines in adherence to the Covid protocols. The five-year terms of the AMC and other civic bodies expired on December 20 last year but the BJP-led Tripura government did not conduct the elections due to Covid-19 pandemic, triggering controversy. The Opposition parties -- CPI-M led Left parties, Trinamool Congress and Congress -- separately alleged that due to the violence, threats and pressure by the ruling BJP leaders and their goons, many of their candidates could not file the nomination papers or were forced to withdraw the candidatures after submissions. CPI-M state Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury and Trinamool Congress leader Subal Bhowmik separately complained that homes of many of their candidates were attacked by the BJP workers and their goons and many of them physically assaulted. The Opposition parties also urged the SEC to take appropriate measures to hold the civic polls smoothly and peacefully. The BJP, however, has rubbished the accusations. Tripura state BJP Vice President Rajib Bhattacharjee said that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has unleashed a reign of terror in West Bengal against the BJP and brought the culture of violence in Tripura. "The TMC leaders are frequently coming to Tripura spending lakhs of rupees they earned from various chit funds and instigating violence in the state (Tripura)," Bhattacharjee told the media. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Bengaluru, Nov 9 : The Karnataka government on Tuesday exempted visitors from neighbouring Maharashtra from producing negative RT-PCR test report while on short trips. Those who visit for two days or less need not produce negative Covid-19 test report. The decision by the Health department has been taken in the wake of decline in Covid cases in both the states, sources said. However, the visitors must have been administered with both the doses of Covid vaccination and should follow Covid protocols. This will apply to travellers who arrive by bus, rail and air for a couple of days in Karnataka. The visitors should not have any symptoms and carry a self declaration form with them. Thermal scanning on their arrival is a must as per the directives of the health department, they said. The decision was taken in the recently held State Advisory Committee Meeting on Covid-19. Bengaluru, Nov 9 : The Karnataka government has announced it will celebrate Onake Obavva 'Jayanti' on November 11 across the state on the occasion of the 19th century woman warrior's birthday. A circular was issued by Under Secretary, Kannada and Culture, A.K. Venkateshappa, in this regard. A household name in Karnataka, Onake Obavva is known and celebrated for valour and bravery as she took on then soldiers of then ruler of Mysuru Hyder Ali when they attacked the Chitradurga fort. Killing the soldiers who sneaked into the fort one by one as they came through a small space between boulders with a wooden grain pounding stick 'Onake' with a iron-covered base, Obavva alerted her soldiers about the attack and saved the kingdom - but at the cost of her own life, the circular said. The circular says that the name of Onake Obavva is etched permanently in the history of Chitradurga, and she stands in the company of Kittur Chennamma, Queen Abbakka who fought against the British and sacrificed their life. Onake Obavva's husband Muddahanumappa served as a guard under Madakari Nayaka, who ruled Chitradurga province. The spot where she killed the enemy soldiers and became popular as Onake Obavva is protected even today and known as "Onake Obavva kindi" in Chitradurga fort, the circular said. School children from across the state are being taken to Chitradurga fort, especially to spot where Obavva killed Hyder Ali's soldiers to imbibe her courage and valour, it added. Glasgow, Nov 9 : Maharashtra Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray on Tuesday announced state's entry to the United Nations Race to Resilience campaign. Last year, the state government had incurred losses worth $2 billion paid as compensation for those impacted by extreme weather events. "As India's most industrialised state, Maharashtra is a crucial voice in building climate resilience in the Global South. By joining the Race to Resilience, Maharashtra aims to be a leading example for regional governments, inspire climate action and sustainable development," Thackeray told the media at the ongoing 26th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26) in this Scottish city. What is Race to Resilience? The Race to Resilience is the UN-backed global campaign focuses on helping the most vulnerable, frontline communities to build resilience and adapt to the physical impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat, drought, flooding and sea-level rise. Maharashtra's climate change mitigation and adaptation programmes aim to build resilience and a culture of climate action at every level of the government. Started in 2020, the mission aims to achieve climate resilience in the state by bringing together local administrations, businesses, NGOs, and the citizens of all age groups to enable climate action amongst all stakeholders. This is the first programme in the world to incentivise all levels of local government to act on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The local bodies are driven to take progressive climate action under the programme which is driven by performance incentives and a healthy competition. At the end of its first year (2020-21), the mission awarded $7.4 million (Rs 55 crore) amongst all local bodies. The Majhi Vasundhara Abhiyan saved 11,145.4 million litres of water in its first year of operation, which is equivalent to one day of water supply in the state, a statement by the state government said. There has been a decrease of 3,70,978 tonnes of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent of 17 million fully grown trees absorbing CO2. Water conservation measures included the installation of 5,774 rainwater collecting facilities, the construction of 1,455 extra rainwater percolation pits, and the cleaning of 775 water bodies. In terms of electrification, 12.23 lakh LED lights and 70,000 solar lights were erected, as well as 736 biogas plants and 701 solar pumps in Maharashtra's rural districts. So far, 130 green buildings have been certified, with 104 electric vehicle charging stations installed. There were a total of 17,889 awareness activities held around the state. The programme has evolved from a campaign to a large-scale monitoring and evaluation framework to implement and measure the impact of multiple state and departmental policies like the electric vehicle policy, the tree Act, and other policies at all levels of government. Also in partnership with the World Bank, the Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (PoCRA) was launched to enhance climate resilience and profitability of smallholder farms across Maharashtra. The project aims to support investments in farm, community, and post-harvest agriculture infrastructure and adopt climate-resilient technologies. In its three years of implementation, the project has already enabled more than 400,000 farmers to adopt climate-resilient technologies in 5,000 plus villages. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) New Delhi, Nov 9 : Sujeet Chattopadhyay, a retired teacher from West Bengal who is teaching around 300 students only for Rs 2, was conferred with the Padma Shri award by President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday. After his retirement, Chattopadhyay (78), a resident of Burdwan district, has been teaching poor children. He teaches students of Class X, XI and degree college students. Talking to IANS, Chattopadhyay said that it is a matter of pride for him to be honoured by the President. "I have got the message conveyed to my students that our school has been awarded. I am a teacher and a teacher's duty does not end even after retirement. That's why I teach poor children of my area," he said. "My students are proud of me and they have also sent a message for the President which needs to be conveyed to him," Chattopadhyay said. The students have demanded a degree college and a branch of SBI in the Ramnagar Gram panchayat, he said. Explaining further, Chattopadhyay said that the students have to travel 30 km for banking transactions. He said that he had made the same demand with the state administration, but in vain. Besides providing education, he also buys clothes and other essentials for the poor students. Chattopadhyay also looks after Thalassemic patients. He, along with his students, organises a camp for such patients and try to help them financially too. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Bar Council of India (BCI) on Tuesday directed the Bar Council of Delhi (BCD) to immediately withdraw the call for strike by district court lawyers against the conviction of former Delhi High Court Bar Association President Rajiv Khosla in a 1994 assault case. "Being harbingers of the legal process, practice and procedure, the lawyers' fraternity is expected to do the needful not through strike and agitation but by way of providing legal assistance to Rajiv Khosla to file an appeal against the impugned order and judgment and to avail of all other legal remedies available under the law, as Mr Khosla is aggrieved of the referred order and judgment," the BCI said in its direction. The BCD had said that the issue would be discussed by the Coordination Committee with the Chief Justice of Delhi High Court, and in case the matter is not resolved to their satisfaction after the meeting, the committee will observe "complete indefinite boycott of the court of the concerned judicial officer". At this, the BCI said: "Calling upon all members of the Bar to abstain from judicial work for one day in district courts across the state and thereafter further resolving to indefinitely boycott the judicial officer, if the discussion with Chief Justice, does not go as per their desire, will not go down well with the litigant public, the common masses as well as with the judiciary." It will be seen as a sign of distress and pressure tactic being resorted to by the most powerful class of citizens in the country, who help others in availing justice, the BCI said. Contending that justice, judiciary, law, lawyers, will all be severely damaged by such an act, it said that even in times of distress, it is reminded that abstinence or boycott will not solve any problem. In fact, rather frequent strikes further complicate issues and weaken the advocates fraternity, as strikes are considered illegal by the Supreme Court, when it concerns advocates, who are considered as officers of the court and as a part of the judicial machinery, it said. Recently, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gajender Singh Nagar of the Tis Hazari Court had convicted Khosla, the former president of the Delhi High Court Bar Association. The complainant, Sujata Kohli, who was a lawyer at Tis Hazari Courts in the 1990s, retired last year as a District and Sessions Judge. Chennai, Nov 9 : Even as it is reeling under the impact of rain fury, Tamil Nadu is bracing for more trouble with the Met Department predicting further rain over the next five days. The state government has put the death toll so far, due to rains, at five. State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran said that water is being pumped out of low-lying areas after lull in rainfall on Tuesday. He said that rescue operations are underway by the NDRF, army, and Fire Department personnel. Across the state, educational institutions in 14 districts have had to suspend classes due to the continued rainfall. A depression is expected to form over southeast and southwest Bay of Bengal due to cyclonic circulation gathering strength over the area, and the Met Department expects it to hit the coast of north Tamil Nadu in the next 36 hours. As a result, fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall is possible across Tamil Nadu, south coastal Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala, over the next five days, the Met Department has said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alerts for Pudukkottai, Ramanathapuram, Karaikal for Tuesday. Similarly, red alerts have been sounded for Cuddalore, Viluppuram, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram and Karaikal, on Wednesday. On Thursday, Thiruvallur, Chennai, Kanchipuram, Chengalpattu, Viluppuram and Tiruvannamalai, have been put on red alert. Meanwhile, fishermen have been warned against venturing into the sea off Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh, and towards the Sri Lankan coast. Mumbai, Nov 9 : A fresh war - this time involving alleged links and deals with the mafia - erupted with Maharashtra's opposition BJP and ruling ally NCP fiercely attacking each other on Tuesday. Firing the first salvo, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Devendra Fadnavis accused NCP Minister Nawab Malik of an alleged deal with two close aides of the absconding mafia don Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar involving a prime plot of land in Kurla. Releasing documents of the 16-year old deal before the media, Fadnavis said that a company connected with Malik, Solidus Investments Pvt Ltd (SIPL), completed the Kurla land transaction with M. Salim Ishaq Patel and Sardar Shahvali Khan, both close aides of Dawood, and the latter (Khan) a convict sentenced to life imprisonment in the March 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts. Demanding a probe by a competent state or central authority, Fadnavis - an ex-Chief Minister - said the prime land worth several crores of rupees on LBS Marg in Kurla, was bought by the Malik-linked SIPL, signed by his son Faraz Malik, for barely Rs 30 lakh. Hitting back, Malik refuted the allegations of "mafia links" and accused Fadnavis of attempting to "make a mountain out of a molehill", without having full knowledge of the issue. Debunking Fadnavis's claims, Malik said that he was a tenant on the land known as Goawala Compound and had bought their ownership rights from the landlady. "The landlady had vested her Power of Attorney (PoA) with M. Salim Ishaq Patel, on the plot, there's a building with over 125 tenants standing there since 1984 called 'Madinaturl Aman CHS', and on the adjoining land there are slums," he said. He added that on the neighbouring plot, the SIPL had its warehouse of which the full ownership rights were given by the landlady, so how could Fadnavis say that he (Malik) created fake tenants to grab the plot at throwaway prices - around Rs 30 lakh instead of the market price of over Rs 3 crore - in an alleged deal with the mafia. The NCP leader said that when they went to register their ownership rights, they discovered that the father of Sardar Shahvali Khan, the caretaker of the property, had usurped 300 metres of the land with his name figuring in the land records, and the tenants paid him off to clear his illegal claims. "It is a wellknown fact that Sardar Shahvali Khan was a convict in the March 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, but we had no deal with him. We have no knowledge of M. Ishaq Patel's alleged links with Dawood or his sister, since for us he was the authorised PoA holder of the landlady," Malik declared. "We have not done any land deal with the mafia, as falsely alleged by Fadnavis, all transactions, financials and documents are on record in public domain. In fact, if Fadnavis had asked me, I would have provided him with even more details which his aides have failed to," he said with a smile. Giving details, Fadnavis said that Sardar Shahavali Khan is a life-sentence convict in the 1993 terror case, while M. Salim Ishaq Patel is a former driver, bodyguard and frontman for Dawood's sister, the late Haseena Parker and also held her Power of Attorney (PoA). "So, what was the compulsion for the Maliks to enter into a business deal with such persons who killed the people of Mumbai. There are total five such deals which clearly prove that Malik has links with the underworld," he alleged. Fadnavis said he will hand over the documents for a probe by any suitable state or central agencies, and also copies to NCP President Sharad Pawar, to let him know the "dark" exploits of his minister. Undaunted, Malik announced a counter-attack, saying that though Fadnavis failed to make any "post-Diwali blast" today, on Wednesday the NCP leader would drop a "Hydrogen bomb" on Fadnavis' mafia links and how held Mumbai as ransom when he was the CM (2014-2019) with the help of an underworld don. Soon afterwards, in a separate media-briefing, BJP's ex-minister Ashish Shelar sarcastically said that in his media-briefing, "Malik has said 'kabool hai' to all the charges" levelled by Fadnavis. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The US State Department has urged China to release citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, expressing deep concerns over her deteriorating health, the BBC reported. She was given a four-year jail term over her reporting of the Covid-19 outbreak in Wuhan when the pandemic began. Zhang has been on an intermittent hunger strike since she was detained in May last year, the report said. The US move comes after reports that she is perilously close to death. "We have repeatedly expressed our serious concerns about the arbitrary nature of her detention and her mistreatment during it," US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters, the report added. "We reiterate our call to the PRC for her immediate and unconditional release." Zhang, a 38-year-old former lawyer, had initially travelled to Wuhan in February 2020 after reading an online post by a resident about life in the city during the outbreak. Once there, she began documenting what she saw on the streets and hospitals in livestreams and essays, despite threats by authorities, and her reports were widely shared on social media, the report said. In May she was found guilty of "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" - a charge that is commonly levelled against activists and whistle blowers seen as undermining the government's efforts to control information in the country. Zhang started a hunger strike in protest while in jail. Since then, she has drastically lost weight and reportedly been held in physical restraints and force-fed through a tube, the report added. Her family have sought medical parole amidst fears she will not make it through the winter. However, her brother told Hong Kong media that the chance of approval is 'extremely slim'. Chennai, Nov 9 : Tamil Nadu's Water Resources Minister S. Duraimurugan on Tuesday said 142 feet of water would be stored in Mullaperiyar Dam as on November 30, as per norms. In a statement issued here, Duraimurugan said as per the norms, water in Mullaperiyar Dam could be stored upto 142 feet on November 30 and the storage level would be reached on that day when the rainy season is expected to end. He said as per the rule curve on water storage levels, the water storage level at the dam was 138.75 feet against the 138 feet as per the rule curve, and hence the state was forced to release excess water. Duraimurugan said the storage norms were issued recently and the old timers were not aware of this. On the issue of felling of trees downstream of Mullaperiyar Baby Dam, Duraimurugan said Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department Deputy Director A.P. Sunil Babu on November 6, had communicated to Tamil Nadu government about the permission to cut 15 trees. The trees were to be cut down as a part of strengthening the Baby Dam. The Tamil Nadu government had asked for permission to cut 23 trees. Duraimurugan said the permission to the Tamil Nadu government to cut 15 trees was issued by Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) and Chief Wildlife Warden, Bennichan Thomas, and wondered whether the official would write to another state without the knowledge of the state's Forests Minister. He said that on a goodwill basis, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin had thanked his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan for the permission to fell the trees. Following Stalin's letter, the Kerala government revoked the permission to cut the trees. Kerala and Tamil Nadu have been at loggerheads over the dam, built under an 1886 accord between the then Maharaja of Travancore and the erstwhile British Raj. Though the dam is located in Kerala, it is owned, maintained and operated by Tamil Nadu. The Supreme Court May 5, 2014 had decreed in favour of Tamil Nadu and permitted the state to raise the water level in the Mullaperiyar Dam to 142 feet from its earlier storage level of 136 feet. In 2012, the Supreme Court empowered committee had said the Mullaperiyar Dam is structurally safe. Even in 2006, the apex court had said that Kerala cannot obstruct Tamil Nadu from increasing the water level in the dam to 142 feet and from carrying out repair works. The Kerala government wants to build a new dam so that its control will be with it. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday wondered whether constitutional courts can override the concerns of the armed forces, and come in the way of development of strategic infrastructure as per requirement of the army, in the matters raising environmental degradation concerns. Citing problems with China, the Centre had sought the top court's nod to widen the road leading to the China border in the northern sector of Uttarakhand to 10 metres from 5.5 metres, which was permitted earlier. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, representing the Centre, submitted before a bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud that a tremendous build-up is happening on the Chinese side -- helipads, tankers, missile launchers, railway lines -- and wide roads are required for trucks to carry heavy artillery, rocket launchers, tanks etc. The AG submitted that the Army is constructing feeder roads to the Chinese border called the green lines and cited that most of the way to places like Taglang La and Kang La pass are 'katcha tracks' (dirt tracks) and there are no proper roads. He added these feeder roads are from Hrishikesh to Gangotri and the Chardham highway project has strategic and operational importance. The bench, also comprising Justices Surya Kant and Vikram Nath, noted that the court cannot deny the fact that at such a height, the security of the nation is at stake and alluded to recent skirmishes between India and China. "Can the highest constitutional court say that we will override the defence needs particularly in the face of recent past? Can we say that the environment will triumph over the defence of the nation?" it asked, adding "is it appropriate to say that defence concerns be taken care of so that environmental degradation does not take place?" The bench told senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, representing the petitioners: "We must tell you our predicament in this. If the Centre says that they are doing it for tourism, then we understand and we can impose more stringent conditions." But when it is needed to defend the borders, then it is a serious predicament, Justice Chandrachud said. Gonsalves cited the catastrophic impact of road expansion on young mountains like the Himalayas and added that parliamentary expert committee reports suggest Himalayas may not be able to take the road construction. The AG argued that there are several projects leading to international borders, which are needed for Army movements and the Army was ignored in this matter, however now its needs must be brought on record. The top court was hearing a plea filed by NGO 'Citizens for Green Doon' seeking direction to stop felling of trees without clearances on the Ganeshpur-Dehradun Road (NH-72A), which is a part of the Delhi-Dehradun expressway. The hearing in the matter will continue on Wednesday. In 2018, the Centre's notification said that the road width cannot exceed 5.5 metres in the hilly terrains like the one through which Chardham project is proposed. In September 2020, the top court directed the government to keep the width of the Chardham road at 5.5 metres. However, in December 2020, this notification was amended. The Chardham highway is a 900-kilometre road project to provide all-weather connectivity to four Hindu pilgrimage centres in Uttarakhand. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Tuesday that it has attached assets worth Rs 61.38 crore in connection with its ongoing money laundering probe into siphoning of public funds from Bhushan Steel Limited (BSL), Bhushan Energy Limited (BEL) and others. According to the ED, the attached assets consist of agricultural land in Raigad, Maharashtra, and warehouses in entities under the control of erstwhile promoters of BSL -- Neeraj Singal and B.B. Singal. On August 16, 2019, the Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) had filed a complaint under various provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 and the Indian Penal Code, 1860 against Bhushan Steel Limited, Bhushan Energy Limited, and others involving siphoning of public funds. The accused Singals had diverted funds from BSL through an elaborate and complex web of transactions by way of routing of public funds in the garb of unsecured loans given by Bhushan Energy Limited to their associate companies, which were ultimately utilised for the acquisition of various immovable properties, the ED said. The Federal agency said that the elaborate and complex web of transactions was structured to protect these assets as 'untainted.' Further investigation is in progress. New Delhi, Nov 9 : A total of 96 nations across the globe have agreed to mutual recognition of vaccination certificates with India. The persons travelling to and from these nations are being provided certain relaxations. "Reflecting worldwide recognition of India's vaccines and vaccination process, 96 countries have agreed to mutual accept its vaccination certificates," Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Tuesday. He added: "A total of 96 countries have also agreed to recognise Indian vaccination certificates of travellers fully vaccinated with Covishield, and other WHO approved and nationally approved vaccines." Mandaviya said that the Union government continues to be in contact with the rest of the world so that beneficiaries of the world's largest Covid vaccination programme are accepted and recognised, thereby easing their travel for education, business and tourism purposes. The UK government announced on Monday that according to its new travel guidelines, Bharat Biotech's Covaxin will be added to its approved list of Covid vaccines for international travellers from November 22. "From 4 am on November 22, the UK government will recognise vaccines on the World Health Organization's Emergency Use Listing," said the UK government's new travel guidelines. The development came after WHO approved Covaxin for emergency use listing last week. The cumulative vaccine doses administered in the country so far has exceeded 109.08 crore. India had achieved the milestone of 100 crore vaccinations on October 21. Bengaluru, Nov 9 : A 34-year-old woman has been given a new lease of life after doctors at a private hospital here removed 222 fibroids from her uterus. Doctors at the Sakra World Hospital removed 222 fibroids -- including a large cauliflower shaped fibroid measuring up to 20x20x10 cm and many others fibroids of different sizes, weighing 2,250 gm in total -- while preserving her uterus completely, the hospital said in a statement. Ritika Acharya, a journalist, former TV anchor and aspiring author, suffered from abnormal menstrual bleeding owing to multiple fibroids in the uterus of different sizes and had completely distorted the anatomy of the uterus and were discovered during the surgery. Upon diagnosis, her uterus was found to be enlarged about eight months pregnancy size and showed a bulge in her lower abdomen. The doctors removed the fibroids using myomectomy surgery that lasted four-and-a-half-hours. "Ritika Acharya's fibroids, of various sizes like a large cauliflower shape located below the urinary bladder and ureter and numbers, were spread throughout the left side of her uterus, and very near to important structures in the abdomen which made her surgery complicated since the fibroids appeared like a bunch of grapes one after the other," Shanthala Thuppanna, Senior Consultant and Head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, at the hospital, said in the statement. Uterine fibroids are non-cancerous growths, made up of muscle and fibrous tissue, and can vary in size and shape. The symptoms include pelvic pain, abnormal menstrual cycles, at times even abortions, premature delivery, bulge in the tummy, urine and motion disturbance. These fibroids sometime go away by themselves, however, when left untreated, can grow in size and in numbers, resulting in worsening of the symptoms and causing further complications including anemia and infertility. "Uterine fibroids are usually common in approximately 40-50 per cent women, however, only few will have symptoms. In Ritika's case, she was anemic with heavy bleeding, despite practicing yoga daily and maintaining an active lifestyle and had waited for about a year to undergo the surgery due to Covid-19 pandemic," Thuppanna said. Post her successful surgery, Acharya's recovery was uneventful, the doctor added. "For the past two years, these fibroids had been growing inside my body while the symptoms went unnoticed. It still sounds surreal that as many as 222 fibroids were there in my uterus, that made my stomach look bloated and left me in unbearable pain," Acharya said, while thanking the doctors. Kochi, Nov 9 : Three days after she walked out of jail on bail, Swapna Suresh, the prime accused in Kerala's infamous gold smuggling case on Tuesday, said she will appear before the media shortly. Followed by the media when she came here to meet her counsel, she said: "At the moment, my priority is to deal with the cases that I am entangled in. I promise you I will appear before the media along with my mummy in Thiruvananthapuram. I will not run away from the media and I will speak out." It was on Saturday that she walked out on bail from a jail in the state capital and then when the media posed questions to her, she had said she will speak later. The arrest of Swapna and her accomplices including P.S. Sarith and Sandeep Nair, who were alleged to be involved in gold smuggling through diplomatic channels using the UAE consulate at Thiruvananthapuram as a cover, rocked Kerala politics. Several agencies had probed the case involving the smuggling of 30kg of gold worth Rs 14.82 crore from diplomatic baggage at the air cargo centre of Thiruvananthapuram International Airport in June 2020. The key accused were Swapna, P.S. Sarith, and Sandeep Nair. Swapna and Sarith were former employees of the UAE consulate in Thiruvananthapuram while Sandeep Nair was a businessman and doing some contract work for the consulate. Swapna and Sandeep were arrested by the NIA in July last year from Bengaluru while Sarith was arrested by the customs, in the state capital. The case had taken turns and became sensational after there were reports of involvement of the Kerala Chief Minister's office and subsequent arrest of the Chief Minister's powerful Principal Secretary, M. Sivasankar. London, Nov 9 : People breathe in up to 7,000 microplastic particles every day from clothes, toys and furnishings, revealed a research. The total is 100 times higher than expected -- posing a potential health threat that could rank alongside asbestos or tobacco, the Daily Mail reported. The study led by Portsmouth Hospitals Trust in the UK, used highly sensitive equipment to count tiny particles less than 10 microns in size -- just a tenth of the width of a human hair. Bedding, carpet and soft toys made from synthetic materials, as well as polyester and nylon could be major contributors, they found. Microplastics were dangerous because they did not break down, Professor Anoop Chauhan, a respiratory specialist with Portsmouth Hospitals Trust, was quoted as saying. "Having these particles in your body can cause stress and changes in metabolism, it can affect immunity, the ability to fight infections, it can affect your reproductive capacity and potentially it could be carcinogenic -- causing cancer," Chauhan said. The study was carried out at the home of a British reporter in Beckenham, south-east London. Up to 28 plastic particles were found every minute in children's bedroom compared with two a minute in the kitchen, the report said. The team found that when children play with soft toys, the family is likely to each breathe in between 2,000 and 7,000 microplastics a day. "Things in an occupational setting -- asbestos, coal or cigarette smoke or anything you inhale -- has dangers and microplastics are a hidden danger in people's homes," Chauhan said. "And this is the first study that highlights the level of these that we breathe in everyday life." He said microplastics did not degrade in the body leaving them to potentially cause inflammation and stress to cells. "To date, the bulk of research has centred around pollutants outside of the home such as car emissions, but as this initiative proves, it's essential we widen our focus on the dangers in our homes," Chauhan added. Very small microplastics that are less than 10 microns in size, such as those measured in the new study, can float in the air making them harder to count. Mumbai, Nov 9 : The family members of Narcotics Control Bureau's Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede on Tuesday called on Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari to register their protest for being targeted by state Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik. Simultaneously, an aunt of Wankhede, identified as Gunfabai Bhalerao, lodged a complaint against Malik with Aurangabad police seeking atrocity charges against the NCP minister for calling kin "Muslim". Sameer Wankhede's wife Kranti Redkar, father Dnyandev and sister Yasmeen went to Raj Bhavan and apprised the Governor of the situation they were facing in the past few weeks after Malik launched a serial expose on the NCB officer. "We informed him of the kind of harassment we are facing, threats we are getting from various quarters, and the allegations levelled against us. The Governor advised us to exercise restraint," Kranti Redkar later told media persons. She said the Governor also said that the guilty would be punished in this fight between truth and falsehoods, and thanked him for boosting the family's morale. A major political war is raging in the state since the past over four weeks after Wankhede raided an alleged rave party aboard the luxury ship Cordelia Cruise on October 2 and nabbed several youngsters including Aryan Khan, the son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan. New Delhi, Nov 9 : Expressing concern over the dire situation of the Yamuna river at Delhi, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the Arvind Kejriwal government. "The Chief Minister and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government have failed crores of people and dishonoured their age-old faith in Lord Bhaskar and Chhathi Maiyya. Kejriwal cannot escape this sin of being non-committal about cleaning the Yamuna river," Shekhawat said in a statement here. His remarks come on the eve of Chhath Puja and when photos of a "frothy" Yamuna due to pollution went viral ahead of the festival. Shekhawat called out the Delhi government for "running away from its responsibility and trying miserably to shift the onus of cleaning Yamuna on other states". Claiming that the polluted water flows into Yamuna from other states is a misrepresentation of facts, he said that the Chief Minister of Delhi visits other states, makes false claims, and tries to position himself as 'Mr Clean'. "He should rise to the challenge and not indulge in futile blame shifting. He should explain the actions, if any, taken by his Government for cleaning Yamuna," he said. Shekhawat said that "only two per cent of the total stretch of Yamuna, that is, 22 kms falls within Delhi's borders and yet this small section accounts for more than 80 per cent of the total pollution in the river. About 18 big drains of Delhi are dumping more than 35 crore litres of dirty water (sewage and industrial waste) into the Yamuna every day". The Central government, he said, has provided special financial assistance to the Delhi government to tackle the pollution in Yamuna under the 'Namami Gange' programme. "This assistance has gone towards 13 sewage treatment plants of about 1,385 MLD capacity. These STPs involve an investment of Rs 2,419 crore. Unfortunately, instead of working towards completing these projects, the state government's priorities seem to be misplaced," he said. Questioning the functioning of the Delhi government, Shekhawat said, it took 25-27 months for the Delhi government to finalise the tender for three big STPs at Rithala, Kondli and Okhla under the Yamuna Action Plan III. He pointed towards this sluggish pace of implementation despite the Chief Minister himself being the Chairman of Delhi Jal Board (DJB), the nodal agency for water in the national capital. Panaji, Nov 9 : Once husbands start brewing tea for their working wives after they return home from work, only then we would be able to witness equality of sexes in the society, Rekha Sharma, Chairperson, National Commission for Women (NCW), said on Tuesday. Speaking at the National Women's Parliament held near Panaji, Sharma also said that 30 per cent reservation for women in state Assemblies and Parliament is not enough because women account for 50 per cent of the population. "It is relatively easy for men. When they leave home they know that when they return, there will be food and a warm cup of tea ready. But when women leave their home and children for work, they know that they will still have to work on return," Sharma said. "When we speak of changes in the scenario of women today, men too have to change their mindsets and prepare to offer a cup of tea to their wives when they return from work. Only then we will be moving towards a complete change," Sharma said. The NCW chairperson also lamented the fact that there are very few women MLAs in Goa -- out of 40 MLAs in the state, only two are women -- and added that 30 per cent reservation for women in state Assemblies and the Parliament is just not enough. "In most states, there are 50 per cent women in panchayat bodies, most states also have 50 per cent reservation (for women). But there is no reservation in Assemblies yet. You have to raise the issue and your voice so that the Centre can hear it," Sharma said. "If reservation is ensured across Assemblies and Parliament, it should be 50 per cent, not 30 per cent. Women form 50 per cent of the population, and we should not be satisfied at 30 per cent. If there is resevration, women could enter the Assemblies and the Parliament," she said, adding that presently women's representation in the Parliament is just 14.6 per cent. She said that while men find it easy to get mentors, for women the same is difficult because "women themselves are hesitant to support each other". Sharma also said that in the early days of reservation for women in local grassroot bodies like village panchayats, there would be scorn heaped on elected women representatives about their husbands' intererence in official chores. The scenario has changed since, she said. "I can say that in the early days (of reservation), husbands used to interfere a lot. But when women won for a second, third or fourth time, they realised their role in the gram panchayats and started managing their responsibilities well. Now their husbands are managing the homes while the women are running the panchayats. This is how it should happen," she said. Srinagar, Nov 9 : When one talks about Hindustani cuisine, Wazwan scores the top position. The '36-dish multi-course meal' is not meant to satiate your hunger but to indulge you in an out-of-the-world experience. The Wazwan is not just the learned ancestral knowledge, but the pride of the Valley; it's a celebration and an emotion. 'Waza' literally means cook and 'Wan' means shop; 'Wazwan' means setting up a feast in the host's courtyard. Once upon a time, Kashmir was the centre of the Silk Route connecting Asia to the Mediterranean. The silk merchants used to pass this land for business and that's how Kashmir was introduced to Persian and Russian flavours. In 1398 when Taimoor invaded Hindustan, he brought with him cooks (Waza) from the land of Samarkand (Uzbekistan). And these Wazas amalgamated the Persian, Turkish and Afghan techniques to develop the Kashmiri cuisine. Wazas are obsessive and passionate artistes. The preparation of the meal begins long before sunrise -- at 3 am. The Wasta Waza (Master Chef) supervises all other Wazas. The authentic Wazwan is made only of sheep meat - and different dishes require meat from different organs. Meat is prepared to be cooked within one hour of the butchering to maintain taste. It is minced with a walnut wood hammer on stone until it loses its stringiness. Wazas beat the meat till all nerves of the mutton are entirely dissolved for a creamy consistency. Unlike most dishes of the Indian subcontinent where the flavour is added to the food while cooking on the flames, the Wazwan flavours are added while the dish is still uncooked - by adding flavoured water to the preparation or soaking the preparation in flavoured water (osmosis), or by exposing the preparation to flavoured smoke. The flavouring blends are based not on spices but on mild herbs and flower essences. The red dye in food is from flowers like Cockscomb, called Mawal locally. The pre-cooking methods require a great deal of precision, culinary art, patience, and enormous love that Wazas liberally shower on their creations. The food is cooked on old fruit tree logs using special nickel-plated copper vessels. The meat is boiled in salted water and this water is further used as broth for all the dishes. Kashmiri shallots (wild onion with a slight tinge of garlic, called Praan) and dried Kashmiri whole chilly are the souls of Wazwan. As Wazwan is an experience, the 'tehzeeb' (mannerism and way) of eating the food is thorough. The Dastarkhwan (dining space) is arranged with spotless white sheets spread on silky Kashmiri carpets. The guests sit around the sheet in groups of four (Kashmiris eat food in small groups on the same plate). An attendant carries an hourglass-shaped ornamental copper pot called Tasht-e-Naer, which contains lukewarm water for washing hands and collecting the wastewater from guest to guest. Then large, heavily engraved copper plates, called Tream, containing the first dishes of the Wazwan sequence -- Rice, Mayth-Maz (chopped intestines), Seekh Kebab, Tabaq-Maz (ribs), and chicken -- are placed before the guests. A Sarposh (copper lid) covers the tream, lest the food gets cold. The eldest family member says the prayer and the customary 'Bismillah' before beginning the meal. All dishes are eaten by hand as Kashmiris believe in an intimate relationship with food. One would barely have eaten the mutton that the next sequence of dishes would be presented. This process continues till 21 different mutton dishes are served. Kashmiris consider it disrespectful if one refuses food varieties or an extra helping. They can go to great lengths to persuade you, like swearing to die if you refuse an extra serving! And easily 2 kg of mutton and chicken are served per person, without including the rice, chutneys and curd! The order of the food served is such that the chef tries to make space for more food. For example, between two heavy mutton dishes radish chutney is served to increase appetite and quickly digest the previous dishes. And it is pertinent to mention that it is easier for Kashmiris to digest all the meat because of the strong mineral content of the Calley's water which helps in faster break-down of food. Kashmiris are very, very particular about the taste of dishes. Food connoisseurs can easily taste a single morsel and name the Waza who cooked it. And this is why Wazas are booked months in advance for ceremonies. Some people fix their marriages according to the availability of the desired Waza! Here are some of the tempting Wazwan dishes: Methi Maaz - Minced sheep Tripe Curry flavoured with Methi (fenugreek leaves, the first dish set in Tream). Daniwal Korma - Mutton Korma cooked in coriander and Ghee with yogurt-based gravy. Sabz Haakh - Spinach-like leafy greens cooked in mustard oil with chilly, without which Wazwan is incomplete. Rogan Josh - Shoulder meat cooked in Praan paste, mawal flower essence, curd, and Kashmiri mirchi diluted essence. Rogan means fat and Josh means to cook on high heat. Goshtaba - Meatballs with cheesecake-like texture minced with fat and dipped in mutton broth, with gravy based on curd, cardamom, dry ginger, and fennel. Marchwagun Korma - Fiery hot Kashmiri chilly korma; three-quarters of the chilly used in the entire wazwan is singularly used in this dish! Doon Chetin - Walnut chutney flavored with yogurt and Kashmiri chilies - a Kashmiri staple that will take your breath away, literally! Masheid Al Chetin - Chutney made from pumpkin, dates, cardamoms, dried nuts and honey - to bring solace to your fired taste buds! Kashmiri Pulao - Basmati chawal cooked in milk and ghee with saffron and dry fruits and kishmish separately roasted in ghee. Tabakh Maaz - Glossy ribs cooked in ghee then simmered in yogurt till dry. Aab Gosht - Mildly flavoured sheep ribs cooked in milk gravy with cardamoms and saffron. Amir Khusrow rightly said (perhaps, after this meal), "Gar firdaus bar rue zameen ast/hameen asto, hameen asto, hameen ast (If ever there is Paradise on Earth/It is here! It is here! It is here!)." New Delhi, Nov 9 : President Ram Nath Kovind, extending warm greetings to fellow citizens on Chhath Puja, termed the festival a unique expression of relations that devotees share with the Sun and nature. He extended his warm greetings through a message to people across the globe celebrating the festival, which falls on Wednesday, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said on Tuesday. Chhath Puja is one of the oldest festivals to be celebrated in the country. Its significance lies in offering 'Arghya' to the setting Sun. Devotees, after observing rigorous fasting during the day, take holy bath in the waters of rivers and ponds in culmination of the festival. "May this festival strengthen our eternal relationship with nature that helps us to protect our environment," the President said, as per the communique. Gurugram, Nov 9 : No construction within the limits of the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) without an approved building plan will be allowed, Additional Commissioner, Dr Vaishali Sharma said on Tuesday. Those indulging in construction activities without approved plans will face action, she added. Presiding over the meeting of the Building Plan Review Committee at the MCG office, she said that compliance with Haryana Building Code should be ensured effectively. "Online arrangement has been made by the government for building plan approval. There is a system to apply for building plan approval on the Haryana Online Building Plan Approval System (HOBPAS) through any architect registered with the council of architects. Provisional certificate is received within 24 hours of application and construction can be started," she said. During the meeting, the officials of the planning wing said that for any kind of assistance regarding the building plan, one can contact its office located in Sector 34. A special help desk has been created for this and a planning assistant has been deployed. Before applying online at this help desk, one can get the original documents checked so that the application is not rejected. Sharma also said that survey of the under-construction buildings within the municipal limits should be conducted and if work continues in those buildings even after being sealed, then a report should also be prepared. "The enforcement teams should work more effectively and prevent unauthorised constructions at the primary level. Also, all the architects should be given clear information about the rules and despite this, if any architect flouts MCG rules, then they must be blacklisted," she added. New Delhi, Nov 9 : India and Israel signed an agreement on Tuesday for development of dual use technologies in the defence sector. India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel's Directorate of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D), have entered into the agreement to promote innovation and accelerated research and development in start-ups and MSMEs of both countries for the advancement of dual use technologies, a statement said. The agreement was signed between DRDO Chairman, G Satheesh Reddy and DDR&D head, Brig Gen Dr Daniel Gold (retd). The Indian Defence Ministry said that it is a tangible demonstration of the growing Indo-Israeli technological cooperation. Under the agreement, start-ups and industry of both countries will work together to bring out next generation technologies and products in the areas such as drones, robotics, artificial intelligence, quantum technology, photonics, biosensing, brain-machine interface, energy storage, wearable devices, natural language processing and others, it said in the statement. Products and technologies will be customised to meet unique requirements of both the countries. The development efforts will be jointly funded by the DRDO and the DDR&D, it added. The technologies developed under bilateral innovation agreement will be available to both countries for their domestic applications and the development efforts will be jointly funded by the DRDO and the DDR&D, the ministry said. To enhance bilateral defence cooperation between both the countries, formulation of a task force was announced last month, during the 15th joint working group meeting in Tel Aviv. The meeting was co-chaired by Indian Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and the Director General of Israel's Defence Ministry, Maj Gen Amir Eshel (retd). The joint working group is the apex body of both countries' Defence Ministries to comprehensively review and guide all aspects of cooperation in this sector. The two sides had reviewed the progress made in military engagements including exercises and industry cooperation. Hyderabad, Nov 9 : Biennial elections to 23 seats of Legislative Councils of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from local authorities' constituencies will be held on December 10 while the process for elections to nine seats by the members of their respective Legislative Assemblies began on Tuesday. The Election Commission on Tuesday announced the schedule for elections to 12 seats of the Telangana Legislative Council and 11 seats of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council from nine and eight districts, respectively. The term of 12 sitting members of the Telangana Legislative Council is going to expire on January 4, 2022. They include Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter and former MP K. Kavitha and its protem Chairman, V. Bhoopal Reddy. The poll notification will be issued on November 6 while the last date for filing of nominations will be November 23. The scrutiny of nominations will be taken up the next day. According to the schedule, November 26 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations while polling will be held on December 10 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Counting of votes will be taken up on December 14. The poll body said model code of conduct will come into force with immediate effect in the constituencies concerned. Following the announcement, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao cancelled his visit to Warangal district. The EC said guidelines of Covid-19 already issued by it have to be followed during the entire election process. Same election schedule will apply to neighboring Andhra Pradesh, where the term of 11 sitting members expired on August 11. Three of these seats were vacant since June 4, 2019 due to non-availability of desired electoral roll. Meanwhile, the process of elections to six seats of Telangana Legislative Council and three seats of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council by the members of their respective Legislative Assembly (MLAs) began on Tuesday with the issue of poll notifications. The elections will be held on November 29. In Andhra Pradesh, the returning officer and deputy secretary to state legislature reported that no nominations were filed on the first day. The last date of filing nominations will be November 16. The scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on November 17 while November 22 will be the last date for withdrawal of nominations. Polling will be held on November 29 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The counting of votes will be taken up the same day. The term of office of the sitting MLCs of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana expired on May 31 and June 3, respectively. However, the elections could not be conducted due to outbreak of the second wave of Covid-19 in the country. Kolkata Nov 9 : After the recent demise of state Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee and the withdrawal of Finance Minister Amit Mitra, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday reshuffled the Cabinet, keeping the finance portfolio to herself and giving additional charge of the panchayat department to Pulak Roy along with public health engineering. Mitra, who had earlier informed his inability to continue as the Finance Minister, has been made advisor to the Chief Minister with the status of full-fledged minister. Last Monday, the six-month tenure of Mitra as Finance Minister came to end after he decided not to contest in the elections. The department that is now under the direct control of the Chief Minister will get an additional Minister of State in Chandrima Bhattacharya, who will assist in handling the financial responsibilities. In a notification issued by the state government, it has been said that Mitra, an accomplished economist and former Cabinet minister, will be the principal chief advisor to the Chief Minister and the finance department in the rank of Cabinet Minister of State, with responsibilities of advising and aiding the Chief Minister and the finance department on all matters relating to the management of state finance. In addition to this, Mitra will represent the state government in national and international events and meetings and committees as per the desire of the state government. Mitra will also examine important proposals and files and policy issues relating to all financial matters, which are referred to him for advice and views. Speaking to the media after the Cabinet meeting in the Assembly on Tuesday, state Industry Minister Partha Chatterjee said, "After the demise of Subrata Mukherjee, Pulak Roy has been appointed as the new Panchayat and Rural Development Minister." Roy is presently in-charge of the Public Health Engineering department. The consumer affairs department, which was under Sadhan Pande who is currently hospitalised due to a prolonged illness, has been handed over to Water Resource Development Minister Manas Bhuyian as an additional charge. Women and Child Development Minister Sashi Panja has also been given the additional charge of self-help group department, while Becharam Manna has been given additional charge as Minister of State for Panchayat. Patna, Nov 9 : In a major crackdown, police and Excise Department officials seized 496 cartons liquor, valued at Rs 13 lakh from a truck in Bihar's Banka on Tuesday. The sleuths have also arrested the truck driver, Mukesh Singh, a native of Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh. He was transporting liquor consignment in a vehicle having a Haryana number and the liquor made of Himachal Pradesh. SDPO, Banka, D.K. Srivastava said: "The Excise Department officials of Patna gathered the information about a suspicious truck two days ago. Accordingly, we had been alerted about the movement of the vehicle. We had detected a truck at Dalkola-Bhagalpur main road and the vehicle was heading towards Bhagalpur. We intercepted the vehicle at Rajaun block." "During checking of the vehicle, the liquor was found. We have seized 4,393 litres of IMFL worth Rs 13 lakh," he said. "The matter is under investigation to find out receiver of the liquor consignment in Bihar," he said. Bihar Police is on high alert ever since liquor tragedies happened in four districts -Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Bettiah, and Samastipur, claiming more than 50 lives, while over three dozen persons are lost their eyesight in last 13 days. Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 9 : With the Kerala Police facing flak from several quarters over the way it been handling the case of fake antique dealer Monson Mavunkal, who took even top police officials for a ride, one official seems to be in a spot of bother. Inspector General of Police G. Lekshmana, presently heading Traffic Department and is all set to be promoted to the rank of Additional Director General of Police in January, is alleged to have close relations with Mavunkal. As part of the ongoing Crime Branch probe against Mavaunkal, the probe team has already taken a statement from Lekshmana. According to a source in the know of things, a report has been handed over to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who also handles the Home portfolio, and in it, there is a mention of his alleged links with Mavunkal. In all likelihood, there is every chance of some action against the official as even the Kerala High Court recently gave a dressing down to the Kerala Police on the way the probe is going on and to bring some sort of respectability, Vijayan is likely to go forward with some sort of action. When the case first surfaced in September, pictures of recently retired state police chief Loknath Behra and serving Additional Director General of Police Manoj Abraham visiting the "museum" of Mavunkal at Kochi went viral. The court asked how come these top police officials never thought of how a museum like this can function as the rules are very clear and it also pointed out how come the police set up a daily beat box at his house and the museum. Mavunkal, 54, was arrested by the Crime Branch from his home-cum-'museum' last month after victims approached Vijayan with their complaints that they were swindled of Rs 10 crores by this "master fraud". Mavunkal took all his high profile guests into his fold by showcasing antiques in his collection which he claimed included the "staff of Moses" and "two of the 30 silver coins that were taken by Judas to cheat Jesus Christ". Police said that he also displayed a throne said to be used by Tipu Sultan, as well as a huge collection of old Qurans, Bibles (Old Testament and New Testament), and old handwritten copies of Bhagavad Gita. Mavunkal used to bring several VIPs to his palatial residence, a part of which was converted into museum to house his 'precious' antiques. Aizawl, Nov 9 : Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga has requested Union Home Minister Amit Shah to replace incumbent Chief Secretary Renu Sharma, as she is not familiar with the Mizo language and Mizo people generally do not understand Hindi, officials said here on Tuesday. A Mizoram government official said that the Chief Minister before joining of the new Chief Secretary on November 1 had written to Shah stating that after the retirement of Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaugo, a Gujarat cadre IAS officer, incumbent Additional Chief Secretary J.C Ramthanga (a Manipur cadre IAS officer) should be the next Chief Secretary. However, the Home Ministry posted Sharma, an AGMUT cadre 1988 batch IAS officer, as the new Chief Secretary of Mizoram. Sharma assumed charge on November 1. Sharma was earlier posted as the Additional Chief Secretary (Transport) in the Government of NCT of Delhi. She is also looking after the Home, Political and Cabinet Vigilance departments in the Mizoram government. The Mizoram Chief Minister in his letter to Shah said that Mizo people by and large do not understand Hindi, and none of his Cabinet ministers understands Hindi, while some even have problems with the English language. "In such a background, a Chief Secretary without the working knowledge of Mizo language will never be an effective and efficient Chief Secretary. Due to this fact, the Government of India never posted a Chief Secretary who did not have working knowledge of Mizo language since the creation of the state," the Chief Minister said. "Whether it is the UPA government or the NDA government at the Centre, this has been a practice since the creation of Mizoram. It is a well-known fact that in other states of India, a Chief Secretary who does not have the basic working knowledge of the local language is not posted there at all," he added. Zoramthanga, who is also the President of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), said in his letter that his party has been an partner to the NDA from the beginning up to this time. "While many of the states are changing themselves from one alliance group to another, I am the only one in the whole of northeast who has been a faithful partner of the NDA right from the beginning up to this time. I, therefore, believe that I deserve a special favour and consideration for this faithful friendship with NDA," he said. The MNF led by Zoramthanga is also the partner of the BJP-led anti-Congress alliance, North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA), with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as its convener. Christian dominated Mizoram was previously part of Assam until 1972, when it was carved out as a Union Territory. After the signing of the Mizo Peace Accord, it became a full-fledged state in 1986. Over 94 per cent of Mizoram's 1.1 million population are tribals. Dakshina Kannada : , Nov 9 (IANS) Karnataka Police on Tuesday issued a lookout circular (LOC) against former special public prosecutor K.S.N. Rajesh in connection with sexual harassment case filed by a law graduate student against him. The lookout notice has been issued to all the airports of the country so as to prevent the accused from escaping to foreign countries. A special team has been formed under ACP Ranjith Bandaru to nab the accused. In view of the accused taking shelter in neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh or Tamil Nadu, the police have launched a hunt for him. Anti-Corruption Bureau authorities have directed the accused advocate not to continue as its special public prosecutor at the third Additional District and Sessions court following the complaint. Bhat has also been suspended from the membership of the Karnataka State Bar Council until further orders and instructions were given not to let him practice at the courts. "Four teams have been formed to nab the accused. The police have given notice to banks to freeze the accused's 12 bank accounts. They have also been told to inform police whenever there is a transaction by the accused. The lookout notice has been issued in Telugu, Malayalam, and Tamil," Commissioner of Mangaluru N. Shashikumar, said. The victim has filed a case of sexual harassment against the senior advocate in Mangaluru. The police has suspended two police officers including a woman sub-inspector for dereliction of duty in connection with the case and arrested three persons. The victim earlier suspected foul play in the investigation of the case by the police. She had questioned the police as to why they have not been able to arrest the accused, a senior advocate, even after filing an FIR against him in a sexual harassment case. Amaravati, Nov 9 : Andhra Pradesh's opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Tuesday staged protests at petrol bunks across the state, demanding the YSRCP government cut Value Added Tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel. Leaders and cadres of the TDP took part in the protest in response to the call given by the party's national President and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The TDP activists held banners and placards and raised slogans, criticising the Jaganmohan Reddy government for not reducing VAT on petrol and diesel. They said since many states have reduced VAT, providing relief to common man, Andhra Pradesh should also follow them. The TDP leaders alleged that the Chief Minister was not doing anything to provide relief to the common public from rising prices of essential commodities. The protesters sounded the horns of their bikes to register their protest. The TDP leaders demanded that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy take steps to reduce VAT on fuel without trying to mislead people. They said people knew how the state government was collecting Rs 5 to Rs 7 per litre in excess on fuel when compared to other states. The Telugu Desam leaders held protests at Dharna Chowk, Bhavanipuram, Benz Circle, and other places in Vijayawada city. Former minister Kollu Ravindra, party state General Secretary Panchumarty Anuradha, former mayor Gadde Anuradha and others took part. They asserted that their party would continue its agitation till the government would give up its adamant attitude on fuel prices. At some places, police resorted to preventive arrests of TDP leaders and disallowed them from taking part in protests. Several leaders were taken into custody in Kadapa district during the day. At some places, TDP leaders staged novel protest by garlanding and breaking coconuts in front of petrol and diesel pumps. They sought blessings of the gods for bestowing good sense on the Chief Minister to reduce fuel prices so as to reduce the financial burden on the common public. In Tirupati, former MLA Sugunamma led the TDP protest at the local petrol bunks. The main opposition party held hour-long protests in Gannavaram, Eluru, Gudivada, Rajahmundry, Tenali, Ponnur, Guntur, and other places. MLA Gorantla Butchayya Chowdary, former MLAs Alapati Raja, Dhulipalla Narendra and other leaders took part in protests in their respective places. They demanded the YSRCP government to explain why it was not willing to reduce VAT even when the Central government has cut the excise duty on fuel. Jaipur, Nov 9 : With Rajasthan BJP on Tuesday launching a Twitter campaign -- #GehlotreduceVAT -- urging Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to slash VAT on petrol and diesel, the Rajasthan CM has written an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that the continuous reduction of states' share in taxes is against the spirit of fiscal federalism. Gehlot said that the Centre first increased the additional and special excise duty on petrol-diesel and later reduced it minimally and tried to create an atmosphere of mutual competition among the states for reducing VAT, which is also contrary to the spirit of cooperative federalism. Gehlot requested the Centre to further reduce the additional excise duty and special excise duty of the Central pool on petrol and diesel so that the general public can get the proper benefit of reduction in excise duty and VAT simultaneously. Besides this, Gehlot also requested Modi to direct the oil companies to stop continuous increase in prices of petrol and diesel. Daily increase in prices by the oil companies will bring the benefit of relief given by the Centre and state governments to zero, he added. He said, "During lockdown on May 6, 2020, the Central government increased the excise duty by Rs 10 per litre on petrol and Rs 13 per litre on diesel. On November 4, 2021, after reducing excise duty on petrol by Rs 5 per litre and on diesel by Rs 10 per litre, the Centre claimed that it has provided big relief to the general public, whereas the reality is that in 2021 itself, around Rs 27 and Rs 25 were increased on petrol and diesel prices, respectively." "In such a situation, the reduction in excise duty by the Central government appears to be insufficient," he added. Gehlot said that more than 22 per cent of the total revenue of Rajasthan comes from VAT on petrol-diesel. From January 29, 2021 till now, the Rajasthan government has reduced around Rs 3 per litre on petrol and Rs 3.80 per litre on diesel. He said the state is incurring a revenue loss to the tune of Rs 2,800 crore per annum. In the current financial year till October, there has been a decrease of Rs 20,000 crore in revenue due to the Covid circumstances. Also, GST compensation of Rs 5,963 crore has not been released to the state by the Centre. Gehlot requested the Prime Minister for early payment of the outstanding amount of GST compensation and to extend the period of GST compensation to states till the year 2027. Meanwhile, the BJP on Tuesday took to Twitter demanding Gehlot to reduce VAT. "After the Modi government reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel, the NDA-ruled states have brought further relief by reducing VAT on petrol and diesel... but what is stopping the non-BJP ruled states to do so? #GehlotReduceTax," wrote BJP MLA Deepti Maheshwari. A few workers also shared the slashed price tag of petrol and diesel in Punjab and said that the Rajasthan CM should now get rid of his stubbornness on the issue of reducing VAT on petrol and diesel. Hyderabad, Nov 9 : Telangana's Finance Minister T. Harish Rao will oversee the Health portfolio in addition to his current charge, it was announced on Tuesday Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has entrusted to Harish Rao the Medical, Health & Family Welfare portfolio, which he had been holding since May when Eatala Rajender was dropped from the Cabinet. On the advice of the Chief Minister, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan approved the transfer of the portfolio to Harish Rao. Rajender was divested of the health portfolio on May 1, a day before he was dropped from the Cabinet following allegation of land grabbing. While the Chief Minister was holding the health portfolio, Harish Rao, who is also his nephew, had been attending key meetings on Covid-19, vaccination and other issues related to the Health Department. Rajender, who had joined the BJP after resigning from the TRS, won the October 30 by-election in Huzurabad constituency. Harish Rao was entrusted with the key portfolio a week after the result of the by-election. Interestingly, it was Harish Rao who led the ruling party's campaign against Rajender. Amaravati, Nov 9 : Andhra Pradesh's Civil Supplies Minister Kodali Venkateswara Rao on Tuesday said that the slash of fuel prices by the Centre is only an eyewash, as the BJP was defeated in most of the by-elections across the country and lost their deposit in Andhra Pradesh. The minister recalled that the Centre increased the prices of petrol and diesel despite the fall in the price of crude oil in the international market. He pointed out that the fuel rates have gone up to Rs 110 from Rs 70 per litre. The Centre cut the price only Rs 10 even though the hike was almost Rs 40, he said. Addressing a press conference, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader said the BJP leaders were propagating as if they have achieved something big, while the common people were suffering with the abnormal fuel rates. Nani, as the minister is popularly known, stated that the BJP had lost deposits in both Badvel and Tirupati bypolls, and became a "silly" party in the state, indulging in cheap politics by creating differences between castes and religions. He questioned the BJP leaders if they analysed the reason behind losing the deposits. The BJP suffered the defeat for creating a malicious propaganda against the State government's initiatives, he said. Referring to the TDP leaders' protest at petrol bunks, he alleged that the previous TDP government had imposed a surcharge of Rs 2 on the fuel prices and looted almost Rs 10,000 crore from the public for over four and a half years. He clarified that the current government had only levied Rs 1 for repairing roads that were terribly neglected during the TDP rule. The minister dared TDP President Chandrababu Naidu to stage a protest in Delhi as it was the Centre which hiked the fuel prices. He alleged that the TDP leaders' protest at petrol bunks was only to create a law and order issue. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Tuesday said that it is rushing five more companies to Jammu and Kashmir in wake of civilian killings in the valley. The five companies, to be sent in a week, will be an additional deployment apart from the 25 companies which are already on the ground in J&K. The BSF also has 25 companies deployed there. The CRPF's move came hours after salesman Ibrahim was shot dead point-blank in the Bohri Kadal area in Srinagar on Monday. He was working in a shop owned by Kashmiri Pandit Sandeep Mawa. The paramilitary force's visibility has been increased following a high-level review meeting held by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 23 in Srinagar. It has also been increasing night vigilance and dominance in Srinagar in wake of the civilian killings, the officials said. A CRPF spokesman also said that every day, around 15,000 persons are getting frisked in the city and about 5,000-8,000 vehicles are being checked at various police 'nakas' and barriers. Similar arrangements have also been made in other towns with local police. Even women CRPF personnel have been deployed in areas around Lal Chowk for frisking females. The police barriers and permanent bunkers which were removed in 2010-11 have been restored in wake of the civilian killings in the Valley. The official also said that 112 terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir while 125 have been apprehended and two have surrendered so far this year. All these ultras were killed or apprehended in joint operations with the CRPF and the state police, the spokesperson said. At least 14 people have lost their lives since October 1 in shootings that targeted civilians in Jammu and Kashmir. The officials also said that 13 Maoists have been killed this year while 603 were apprehended and 486 have surrendered so far in the Left Wing Extremism-affected areas. Aizawl, Nov 9 : A special court has acquitted Mizoram Chief Minister and Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga in two cases relating to misuse of power and possession of disproportionate assets, officials said on Tuesday. An official of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) said that Special Court Judge Vanlalenmawia, in his order on Monday, said that the court did not find enough evidence to prove that Zoramthanga had assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, hence, he is not liable to be convicted under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The state ACB had earlier filed a charge sheet against Zoramthanga accusing him of accumulation of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. The ACB charge sheet had claimed that in 2003, Zoramthanga, through an affidavit, had declared that he owned assets worth Rs 54.18 lakh and these increased to over Rs 1.38 crore before 2008 elections, without having any known source of income. In 2009, two local organisations, including the People Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (PRISM), the previous anti-corruption watchdog, had filed a case against Zoramthanga for misuse of power as a public servant to procure angle iron posts and goat-proof wire mesh worth around Rs 37 lakh from the Agriculture Department for erection of fencing of his farm at Aii puk area in Sihphir in 2007. The court, however, said that the materials under the Assistance to Small and Marginal Farmers scheme of the Agriculture Department were lawfully supplied for the benefit of needy farmers. The MNF chief became Chief Minister for the first time in 1998 and remained in the post till 2008 when his party lost to Congress. Zoramtanga became Chief Minister for the third time in 2018, when the MNF defeated the Congress. New Delhi, Nov 9 : Lower Covid-19 infections, along with festive demand, boosted domestic air passenger traffic growth on both sequential as well as on year-on-year basis in October, ratings agency ICRA said. Domestic air passenger traffic grew by 24-25 per cent at around 87-88 lakh in October 2021, compared to 71 lakh in September 2021. Besides, the same trend reflects on YoY level, with growth of 67 per cent. The airlines' capacity deployment for October 2021 was around 46 per cent higher than October 2020. On a sequential basis, the number of departures in October 2021 were higher by 18 per cent, as Covid-19 infections demonstrated a downward trajectory. ICRA Vice President & Sector Head, Suprio Banerjee, said: "For October 2021, the average daily departures were at 2,400, significantly higher than the average daily departures of 1,585 in October 2020, and higher than 2,100 in September 2021." "The average number of passengers per flight during October 2021 was 122, against an average of 117 passengers per flight in September 2021. Though the recovery continued in October 2021, demand continues to be subdued from the corporate traveller segment as reflected by passenger traffic being lower by 28 per cent in October 2021 compared to pre-Covid levels." Furthermore, the agency cited high aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices, which saw a sharp increase of 94.4 per cent on a YoY basis till November 2021, and this is mainly attributed to increase in crude oil prices. "This, coupled with relatively low capacity utilisation of aircraft fleet, will continue to weigh on financial performance of Indian carriers in FY2022. Furthermore, the credit profile of most Indian carriers continues to be characterised by a weak liquidity position," it said. Bhubaneswar, Nov 9 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy met his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik here on Tuesday evening. The Chief Ministers discussed several issues related to water resources, common boundary, energy and left-wing extremism (LWE) and decided to set up an institutional mechanism to find out solutions to the inter-state issues. As per a joint statement issued by both the CMs, it was decided at the meeting to work closely on resolving the border dispute in Kotia group of villages, construction of Neradi Barrage, Jhanjavathi reservoir, Polavaram, release of water for Bahuda river etc. The meeting also discussed about the issuance of mutual no objection certificates (NOCs) for the Balimela and Upper Sileru electricity projects. Both the states resolved to extend support towards tackling the problem of left-wing extremism and ganja cultivation, the statement said. During the meeting, it was also decided that both the states will continue the legacy of mutual cooperation in the true spirit of federalism. The two CMs have decided that the Chief Secretaries of both the states will set up an institutional mechanism to deliberate on the outstanding issues and find a solution that is in the best interest of the people of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, the statement said. Similarly, both the states will work towards setting up a chair for Odia and Telugu languages at the B.R. Ambedkar University in Andhra Pradesh and the Berhampur University in Odisha. Besides, appointment of language teachers in schools in the border districts of the two states, supply of books and conduct of language examination will also be taken up to promote brotherhood. Odisha has locked horns with the neighbouring state on border dispute over Kotia group of villages since several decades. The Supreme Court had observed on August 31 that the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border dispute should be resolved through mutual discussions. The Andhra Pradesh government needs more than 100 acres of land from Odisha for the construction of the Neradi barrage over the Vamsadhara river, while more than 1,000 acres of Odisha land will be inundated for Janjavathi project. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Supreme Court said that the young age of victims in rape and murder cases cannot be a sole ground to impose death penalty on the convict and commuted the death sentence of a man, convicted for rape and murder of a 5-year-old girl, to life imprisonment. A bench comprising Justices L. Nageswara Rao, Sanjiv Khanna, and B. R. Gavai, in a verdict which analysed 67 similar cases dealt by it in the last 40 years, said: "It appears from the above data that low age of the victim has not been considered as the only or sufficient factor by this court for imposing a death sentence. If it were the case, then all, or almost all, 67 cases would have culminated in imposition of sentence of death on the accused." Out of 67 cases, in at least in 51 cases the victims were below 12 years, and in 12 out of those 51 cases, the death sentence was initially awarded. But, in review, in three cases, the death penalty was commuted to life sentence. The top court said there is no doubt that the appellant has committed an abhorrent crime, and for this incarceration for life will serve as sufficient punishment and penitence for his actions. It further noted: "In the absence of any material to believe that if allowed to live he poses a grave and serious threat to the society, and the imprisonment for life in our opinion would also ward off any such threat. We believe that there is hope for reformation, rehabilitation, and thus the option of imprisonment for life is certainly not foreclosed and therefore acceptable." The bench noted that it has been rightly pointed out by the convict's counsel that the trial court noticed he was of young age (23/25 years) hailing from a very poor family, but did not consider it as mitigating factors. "The high court has noted that there are no mitigating circumstances at all. We find this observation incorrect," observed the bench. The top court judgment came on an appeal of Irappa Siddappa, convicted and sentenced to death by a trial court. In March 2017, the Karnataka High Court confirmed the trial court's decision. Siddappa moved the top court challenging the high court order. He was convicted for kidnapping, rape and murder of a five-year old-girl in the village of Khanapur in Karnataka in 2010. Later, he had thrown the body of the victim in a bag into a stream, named Bennihalla. Commuting accused life imprisonment for a period of 30 years, the top court said: "We find sufficient mitigating factors to commute the sentence of death imposed by the Sessions Court and confirmed by the High Court into imprisonment for life, with the direction that the appellant shall not be entitled to premature release/remission for the offence under Section 302 (murder) of the Code until he has undergone actual imprisonment for at least 30 years." The top court directed that the sentences shall run concurrently and not consecutively. New Delhi, Nov 9 : The Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) on Tuesday said that a total of 13 cases of fratricidal killings have occurred since 2018 till date, leaving 18 personnel dead. This includes the deaths of six CRPF jawans in the incident that took place in Chhattisgarh on Monday. According to the officials, two cases were reported in 2018 wherein two security personnel were killed, three cases were reported each in 2019 and 2020, with five personnel each killed in both years, and 2021, five such cases were reported till date, leaving six dead. A CRPF spokesperson said that a court of enquiry has been constituted in the Sukma incident and details of the incidents are being collected to ascertain how and why constable Reetesh Ranjan took the step. He also said that the accused has no past history of erratic behaviour and he was transferred to 79 Battalion located in Srinagar from Chhattisgarh, and was to leave for a vacation before joining the new posting. The spokesman said that there is a proper mechanism for counselling jawans and recently CRPF Director General Kuldeep Singh has ordered that regular visits of officers from Inspector General level to second in command for regular interactions with the jawans through the Company Havildar Major (CHM) for proper communication with all personnel. This is mandatory to these officers and they also have to offer counselling, if needed. About the suicide by the CRPF trooper in Jammu and Kashmir, he said that the jawan concerned was counselled by his second in command and after that he seemed to be better after the session but unfortunately he went in depression again and committed suicide in the night. Officials admitted that in such cases, a buddy should have been attached to him to keep eye on his activities. The spokesman also said that tecently, the DG has instructed to hire trained counsellors who could counsel not only personnel but also to train the mid-level officers like CHM and Inspector who can communicate with the troopers efficiently, especially in the high-risk areas like Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand. He also said that the families of the deceased will be getting all the compensation as their ward was killed in the line of duty and one eligible member may get employment in the force on compassionate grounds. New Delhi, Nov 9 : Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Tuesday said he was glad that Law Minister Kiren Rijiju fully understood the hard work put in by judges. Both the Chief Justice and Law Minister addressed the Legal Services Day celebrations, organised by the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) at Sharda University, Noida. Speaking before the CJI, Rijiju had noted: "We know what judges do, but many people don't understand the life of a judge. There are some unpalatable remarks being made on social media... when you see closely how much judges have to perform, and how much hard work they do, it's difficult for people like us to comprehend." He added that judges cannot be open because they have their own limitations. Chief Justice Ramana said: "I am very happy to see our Law Minister's personal inclination towards the progress of legal services authorities and I hope that under his leadership, the existing roadblocks in the growth of legal services authorities including the infrastructural issues will be taken care of with prompt intervention. I am glad that he fully understands the hard work put in by judges." The Chief Justice added that over the course of 26 years, legal services authorities have broken the traditional notions of legal aid and expanded meaning to access to justice. He said: "Earlier, the idea of legal aid was confined to court rooms. Notions of access to justice were understood from traditional viewpoints. But, over the course of 26 years, the legal services authorities have broken the traditional notions of legal aid and have given an expanded meaning to access to justice." He also commended law students across the country for their role in the legal aid movement, while expressing his strong belief that it would prepare them to be future torch-bearers of the legal aid movement. Chief Justice Ramana said: "Your decision to join the legal aid movement will pave the path for a great career. This will help you inculcate empathy, understanding and a sense of selflessness. Remember, unlike other professions, the legal profession is not about profit maximisation, but about service to the society." The function was also attended by Supreme Court judge Justice U.U. Lalit, Chief Justice of the Allahabad High Court Rajesh Bindal and other judges. Kolkata, Nov 9 : The State Election Commission (SEC) on Tuesday accepted the West Bengal government's proposal to conduct elections to two municipal corporations -- Kolkata and Howrah -- on December 19. The SEC wrote to the state urban department on Tuesday stating that it is ready to conduct the elections to two municipal corporations on December 19. It also said that a notification regarding this will be issued on November 22. The counting of votes will take place on December 22. The SEC also called a meeting on November 12 on poll preparedness where the district magistrates of Howrah and South 24 Parganas and the Commissioner of Kolkata Police have been asked to be present. The BJP, meanwhile, has moved the Calcutta High Court drawing the attention of the division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastav seeking elections to all the 118 civic bodies in the state together, which are pending for the last 18 months. The state BJP also sought permission to file a case on the ground that holding elections to the civic bodies separately will increase the possibility of manipulation. The BJP wants elections to civic bodies and counting of votes on the same day. The division bench of Chief Justice Prakash Srivastav and Indrashis Mukherjee said that the matter will be heard on November 16. The bench also asked the lawyers of the state government and the SEC to be present on that day with their replies. Meanwhile, the state Assembly is going to bring in an amendment to delink the Bally municipality from Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC). Accordingly, 50 wards of HMC will go to the polls on December 19, while the date for Bally will be finalised later. State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said that a bill to the effect of delinking Bally from HMC will be introduced in the Assembly on Friday. Earlier in 2015, 16 wards of Bally municipality were amalgamated with the 50 wards of HMC, taking the total number of wards to 66. But the residents of Bally had complained that they have to travel to Howrah for their civic issues, demanding a roll back of the decision. Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 10 : Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan continued his silence over the fiasco arising after state Forest Minister A.K. Saseendran's freezing of the Forest Department's nod to Tamil Nadu to fell trees to strengthen the baby dam near the ageing Mullaperiyar dam on the grounds that the government had no information was allegedly disproved. Senior Congress legislator K. Babu told the media that Vijayan is acting like a "mouni baba (silent hermit)". "The media has now come out with records stating that all this happened with the knowledge of authorities. But Vijayan remains silent and has not uttered a word on it. His silence means that there is something wrong somewhere. We are all waiting to hear him speak on this issue," Babu told the media. The Congress-led Opposition has demanded a judicial probe into the Forest Department's order. The order, which was dated November 5, surfaced on November 6 and reportedly the government noticed it on Sunday. Saseendran has gone on record stating that that the political leadership and the state government had no role in the decision and they came to know of the order only after it came out and since they had no clue about it, the order has been frozen. But on Tuesday, media reported that the government was aware as as a joint examination was conducted in the area by officials from both states on June 11 and there were quite a few meetings held when top Kerala officials took part and it was after that the November 5 order came out. Incidentally, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Bennychen P. Thomas had issued the order last week and there were speculation that Vijayan, in order to keep clean, is all set to suspend Thomas, but with more evidence surfacing that it was known to all, then other top officials would need to face the same action and this has left Vijayan in a spot of bother. Meanwhile the Vijayan government is now sought legal help on how to come clean on the order and the subsequent freezing of it. This is happening at a time when the apex court is already hearing a petition and on October 25, it had asked the Kerala government to refrain from debating the issue regarding suitable height of the water level in the Mullaperiyar dam before it, and rather engage with Tamil Nadu government and the committee. The top court also pointed out that it is the task of the expert supervisory committee, appointed by it, to take a decision in the matter, and asked the committee to take a call expeditiously after discussing with all parties concerned. The committee had suggested that no change in water level was required, which has been contested by the Kerala government. And all eyes are on the apex court and on what the impact of the now controversial Kerala government's frozen order is going to be. New Delhi, Nov 10 : Sheel Vardhan Singh will be the next Director General of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), an official notification said here on Tuesday. "The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs for the appointment of Sheel Vardhan Singh, Special Director in IB, to the post of DG, CISG, in level 17 of pay metrics from the date of joining the post up to 31.08.2023 that is date of his superannuation or till further order, whichever is earlier," the notification issued by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet read. A Bihar cadre IPS officer of 1986 batch, Singh was working as the Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB). National Security Guard (NSG) DG M.A. Ganapathi was holding additional charge of the CISF as of now. The post of DG fell vacant after former DG Subodh Kumar Jaiswal was appointed as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in May 2021. The Central Industrial Security Force came into existence in 1969 to provide integrated security cover to certain sensitive public sector undertakings with a strength of only three battalions. The force has since grown into a premier multi-skilled organisation with a present strength of 1,63,590 personnel. The CISF at present provides security cover to 352 establishments through the length and breadth of the country. The force also has its own fire wing which provides services to 104 of the above establishments. The CISF security umbrella includes India's most critical infrastructure facilities like nuclear installations, space establishments, airports, seaports, power plants etc. Post the Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008, the mandate of CISF was broadened to provide security cover to private corporate establishments also. The CISF also provides security consultancy services to private entities. Guwahati, Nov 10 : Hours after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma met Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mansukh Mandaviya, in New Delhi on Tuesday, the Centre released Rs 100 crore for the revival of the Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizers Corporation Limited (BVFCL), officials said here. The officials said the Rs 100 crore package would facilitate the revival of Units II and III of the BVFCL at Namrup in Dibrugarh district. Thanking the Union Minister, Sarma tweeted: "This (financial aid) will help revive BVFCL, benefitting our economy." BVFCL is a public sector undertaking (PSU) formed as per the Companies Act under the administrative control of the Department of Fertilizers of the Central government. Currently, it is operating its two vintage plants -- Namrup-ll and Namrup-lll. The Central government's financial assistance of Rs 100 crore to BVFCL is expected to restore its urea production capacity of 3.90 lakh MT per annum and ensure timely availability of urea to the tea industry and agricultural sector in the entire northeastern region, especially in Assam. The BVFCL has 580 employees on a permanent basis and another 1,500 on adhoc basis. New Delhi, Nov 10 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday registered one more case in compliance with the orders of the Calcutta High Court, besides arresting three persons in another ongoing case related to the violence that took place after the Assembly polls in West Bengal earlier this year. As per the August 19 order of the High Court, the probe agency has taken over the investigation of the case related to the alleged murder of Biswajit Mahesh. This case was earlier registered at Sabang police station in Paschim Medinipur on May 5. On the night of May 4, Mahesh was allegedly attacked by the accused with an iron rod and sword. The victim has been found in a pond and was taken to Sabang Hospital where he was declared dead. In another ongoing case registered by the CBI on September 1, the probe agency has arrested three accused -- Merajul Haque, Entajul Islam and Md. Esrafil Ali alias Ippi. This case was initially registered at Duttapukur police station, District North 24 Parganas on May 3 on the allegations that the accused got hold of the victim and family members while they were working in their field on the same day.It was further alleged that the accused attacked them with firearms, bombs, and 'lathi', and the victim died during the attack. The arrested accused were produced on Tuesday before the Court and were remanded to three days in police custody. The Calcutta High Court had recently handed over the investigation of serious crimes such as rape and murder during the post-poll violence in West Bengal to the CBI. Similarly, the division bench of the high court also formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the lesser crimes that occurred after the declaration of Assembly election results in Bengal on May 2. ITLs core company focus is about delivering superior connectivity, data analytics, and voice technology. We look forward to adding new services and making them available to all ITL clients - Kevin Alward, CEO After announcing their definitive purchase agreement to acquire the Magna5 Telecom business from Magna5 Global earlier this year, International Telcom LLCs (ITL) deal is now closed. The newly acquired Magna5 Telecom business will join ITLs other communication-focused brands, Dial800 and Kall8. ITL is becoming one of the leading communications platform companies with revenue approaching $100MM and processing over 8 billion phone calls annually. The addition of Magna5 Telecoms suite of products and services to ITLs existing offerings provides thousands of customers with comprehensive end-to-end communications, all from one trusted provider. ITLs core company focus is about delivering superior connectivity, data analytics, and voice technology. We look forward to adding new services and making them available to all ITL clients, Kevin Alward, CEO of International Telcom LLC, remarked. Key infrastructure work has already started to improve and enhance network reliability and performance. New switching facilities with Ribbons Sonus 7000 platform and Microsofts Metaswitch have been deployed in a geographically-redundant architecture in California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington. Velo Cloud infrastructure will also be expanded to continue increasing the SD-WAN offerings for clients. ITL will now serve over 30,000 customers. Existing Dial800 and Kall8 platforms will be available to all Magna5 Telecom customers looking to round out their business networks with call tracking software, built-in AI analytics, an industry-leading database of 800 and vanity phone numbers, customizable call routing, and more. Magna5 Telecoms services, including SaaS, CCaas, UCaaS, SD-WAN, and more, will be expanded and available to all customers. ITL now has offices in California, Florida, New Jersey, New York, San Antonio and Frisco Texas, and Washington to provide customers across the country with 24/7 support. Kevin Alward will continue as CEO, bringing over 30 years of telecom experience. Combined, the executive team at ITL represent over 75 years in the telecom industry leading businesses and innovating technology. Magna5 Telecom customers products, services, and support will continue as normal with the Magna5 Telecom business soon to be re-branded to RingSquared, encompassing all of ITLs suite of managed voice, data, and key communication solutions. We welcome the Magna5 Telecom clients, Alward says, and anticipate creating many great business opportunities and furthering these relationships going forward. For more information, visit ITLs RingSquared website at http://www.ringsquared.com. About International Telcom LLC: International Telcom LLC provides a full suite of managed voice, data, and key communication solutions serving business enterprises, government agencies, contact centers, and application providers. Brands include Dial800 and Kall8, and the Magna5 Telecom business, soon to be re-branded as RingSquared. For more information, visit https://internationaltelcomllc.com/ and https://www.ringsquared.com/. GroupBy and Google Cloud are two industry pillars that can accelerate Motions plans and bring additional expertise and perspective to the platforms. We believe this partnership will result in improved digital experiences for Motion customers and supplier partners. GroupBy today announced that Motion (Motion.com), a leading distributor in industrial parts, has chosen GroupBys new eCommerce Product Discovery Platform powered by Google Cloud Retail AI to power their search and recommendations experience. The GroupBy and Google Cloud partnership has made it possible for the development of a comprehensive platform that not only encompasses search, recommendations, personalization, navigation, merchandising, data enrichment, SEO, CMS, and search analytics but also aims to take user engagement to new levels. As the first B2B customer to implement the new Product Discovery Platform powered by Google Cloud Retail AI, Motion is looking to be at the forefront of the digital revolution. With the implementation of the new product discovery platform, which will provide Google-quality search and recommendations results, Motion will be able to get in front of the customer with unmatched results that will ultimately improve the customer experience across all digital channels. GroupBy and Google Cloud are two industry pillars that can accelerate Motions plans and bring additional expertise and perspective to the platforms, said Kevin Stone, VP Corporate Accounts and eCommerce. Motion is committed to eCommerce excellence and providing a world-class experience to our digital customers. This partnership will result in improved digital experiences for Motion customers and supplier partners. Understanding user intent with current technologies is a massive challenge for eCommerce businesses today. With this platform, Motion will continue to utilize GroupBys expertise in leveraging online and in-store data, navigation, merchandising, and business use case optimization while gaining access to Google Clouds powerful search and recommendation engine, all from a single platform. Google has spent years delivering personalized content across flagship properties such as Google Search, Google Shopping and YouTube. This has helped fuel state-of-the-art machine learning and AI algorithms, that have been trained on significantly more data than traditional legacy systems, and are now available within the highly scalable infrastructure of GroupBys Product Discovery Platform powered by Google Cloud Retail AI. Improved algorithms, together with more data, convert purchase intent across Motions digital assets, thereby providing a previously unseen user experience with hyper-relevant results and recommendations that will enable Motion to better understand shopper habits and intent across all channels of their business. Customers have a lower tolerance than ever for not being able to find what they want, quickly and easily. In fact, search abandonment, when purchase intent is not converted due to poor product discovery experiences, costs retailers $300B annually in the US alone, said Amy Eschliman, Retail Solutions Managing Director, Google Cloud. With GroupBy and Google Cloud, Motion is making it easier for customers to find what they want, resulting in a tangible impact to purchase conversion and brand loyalty. Were excited to have Motion as the first adopter of this new groundbreaking technology and will have them live on the new platform within weeks, said Roland Gossage, CEO, GroupBy. Being able to work within a platform that enables merchandisers to utilize sophisticated, trained and optimized Google Cloud machine learning models to automatically align with business goals will be a game-changer for Motion, putting them at the forefront of the industry as the go-to destination for industrial supply. Ultimately, Motion will be able to better understand their customers needs and intent using trained machine learning algorithms further improving their customer experience by delivering fast and accurate search results and personalized recommendations, said Roland Gossage, CEO, GroupBy. About GroupBy Inc. GroupBy's fully cloud native technology powers the world's most relevant and highly converting eCommerce websites. Our SaaS-based, Product Discovery Platform powered by Google Cloud Retail AI, provides industry-leading features for data enrichment, search, recommendations, navigation, personalization, merchandising and search analytics, and is backed by our ongoing commitment to partnering with our clients. We excel with complex, large-scale B2B configurations and in dynamic, high volume B2C scenarios. Founded in 2013, GroupBy is headquartered in Toronto, Canada and has offices in Austin, Texas. http://www.groupbyinc.com On Sept 28, at the IDEA2021 Annual Conference in Austin, Texas, IDEA presented the University of Virginia the coveted 2021 IDEA Innovation Award for submitting Automated Chiller Tube Cleaning Improves Chilled Water Plant Efficiency. The IDEA Innovation Award showcases examples of technology, engineering, and operational innovation within the district energy industry. Presented annually at IDEA's Annual Conference & Trade Show, the Award evaluates four main categories: Ingenuity, Measured Success, Replicable: Economic & Environmental Benefits. The Award-Winning Solution: Automated Chiller Tube Cleaning Improves Chilled Water Plant Efficiency In 2014, UVA was presented a little-known technology from Innovas Technologies, designed to automate tube cleaning and tube fouling prevention in their chiller condensers, and was interested in testing the overall impact on chilled water plant operations. Seven years later, UVA's decision to innovate has led to widespread technology adoption at UVA. The university now operates 20 water-cooled chillers with automated tube cleaning systems, delivering approximately 20,000 tons of cooling. Savings & Operational Efficiencies The savings and operational efficiencies at UVA have been transformed by adopting the Helios Tube Cleaning System. The Helios equipment is installed around heat exchangers and prevents energy stealing tube fouling by periodically injecting specialized cleaning balls into the cooling water flow, while the chiller is in operation. The balls rub the tubes clean resulting in the elimination of the largely unaddressed and century old problem of tube fouling, the source of $100s of billions in energy waste and unnecessary release of 10s of millions of tons of CO2 emissions globally. Proven through hundreds of thousands of operational hours, UVA has eliminated tube fouling and manual chiller cleaning over the last seven years. The results speak for themselves illuminating how the partnership between Innovas and UVA solved a very difficult problem. Collaboration and idea sharing created new "best practices," enabling the complete reliability and effectiveness of the Helios Tube Cleaning System and the elimination of chiller tube fouling at UVA. UVA and Innovas commitment to lead by example in innovation also extended tremendous benefit to peer institutions and the environment. Since the initial trial, IDEA member institutions have installed Helios systems on more than 200,000 tons of cooling, saving over 33 million kW-hrs and $3 million annually while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions by over 27,000 tons. About IDEA Founded in 1909 as the National District Heating Association, IDEA continues to inform, connect, and advance the district energy industry around the globe. Today, the association has a membership of over 2,400 industry professionals representing more than 30 countries worldwide. About Innovas Technologies At Innovas Technologies, our mission is to help our customers save money through an obvious but little-known solution. We believe energy conservation is the largest opportunity for a sustainable future, and our products are designed to provide highly measurable environmental and financial impacts. Visit innovastechnologies.com Wind and solar generation have both become a major source of clean energy in Texas, and we believe many other consumers will follow Harris Countys lead with respect to purchasing renewable energy. Harris County, Texas, the most populous county in the state, has awarded Energy Edge Consulting, LLC the energy consulting contract for market research, risk management, sustainability, and procurement solutions. Energy Edge has been tasked with leading the Countys procurement of renewable energy from offsite resources and assisting with the development of a comprehensive energy management strategy. Additionally, Energy Edge will integrate renewable energy into the Countys retail power contract beginning in January 2023. Harris County operates hundreds of facilities across nearly 1,800 square miles and seeks to develop an energy strategy that reduces its overall energy consumption while utilizing renewable energy to power its operations. In recognition of the challenge of climate change and the economic opportunities presented by increasingly competitive renewable energy and advanced energy technology, Harris County intends to make a significant commitment to renewable energy development. Energy Edge will work with the County and its stakeholders to assist in the development of a comprehensive energy strategy that will consider both offsite and behind the meter renewable energy projects as well as other sustainability initiatives. Energy Edge will leverage its experience in helping large end-use consumers evaluate utility scale power purchase agreements and its extensive knowledge of retail power contracts to help the County meet its renewable energy objectives. It is a very exciting opportunity to assist Harris County with the development and implementation of its renewable energy strategy, said Matt Hobson, Principal, Energy Edge. Wind and solar generation have both become a major source of clean energy in Texas, and we believe many other consumers will follow Harris Countys lead with respect to purchasing renewable energy. About Energy Edge Consulting, LLC Energy Edge offers strategic energy management and renewable energy solutions to a wide range of businesses and institutions. The Energy Edge team has extensive experience in various aspects of the electricity and natural gas industries, and the knowledge and expertise from this experience is leveraged every day to deliver value to clients. Energy Edge provides services in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Western Europe. Visit energyedge.com for more information. Woodberry Forest School Boy - Author We hope the program, by bringing eminent writers and artists to the school and into Woodberry's studios and classrooms, will expand the world and the world of ideas exponentially for generations of Woodberry students to come Woodberry Forest School is pleased to announce that author Kent Meyers is the schools first White Family Artist-in-Residence. Meyers, the author of short fiction, a memoir, and three award-winning novels that focus on the High Plains, is focused on prose writing during his time on campus. He arrived in mid-October and is spending a month working with students in small groups and one-on-one sessions, working especially closely with senior creative writing students taught by English teacher Ben Hale. The artist-in-residence program is designed to support long-term stays by writers and artists, giving students sustained contact with working professionals. The program also offers writers and artists the opportunity to advance their own work while living on Woodberrys bucolic campus, which stretches across 1,200 acres of Virginia countryside. Ive been very impressed with the students, faculty, and program here, Meyers said. Ive also enjoyed the chance to explore Woodberrys beautiful grounds and imbibe the history of the area. Both Kip White 99 and Grant White 00 credit their years at Woodberry with instilling in them an enduring love of literature and art. It was in the hopes of helping current students experience this same discovery that the brothers have established in conjunction with their parents, Gail and Frayser White III, the White Family Artist-in-Residence Program. "We hope the program, by bringing eminent writers and artists to the school and into Woodberry's studios and classrooms, will expand the world and the world of ideas exponentially for generations of Woodberry students to come," Kip said. David Huddle, a Virginia native and novelist who was a professor at the University of Vermont, will serve as the second White Family Artist-in-Residence, working with students during the spring of 2022. Huddle, who has published ten novels and a similar number of poetry and essay collections, will teach poetry during his visit to campus. He is the recipient of two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships. Woodberry Forest School is one of the nations only all-boys, all-boarding schools. Woodberry is home to 400 boys in grades nine through twelve. Among the schools extracurricular offerings is The Talon, the student literary magazine. The Talon is consistently recognized by professional publishing associations as one of the top student literary magazines in the country. "The future of work depends on education at the undergraduate and professional level to ensure that the workforce has the skills needed to keep pace with external factors like automation and growing demand for technical talent." Greg Kihlstrom, The Agile World, and event co-organizer The future of work requires an educated workforce that is skilled in the areas that new technologies, ways of working, and shifts in buying behaviors demand. On Tuesday, December 7, 2021 at 1pm ET, a virtual event titled Return on Creativity: Return on Education will be discussing and showcasing work on educating the future workforce on critical hard skills like no-code/low-code, cybersecurity, as well as on soft skills such as working in a hybrid or virtual environment. Return on Education will look at these challenges and several unique solutions to building, educating, and sustaining the future workforce. As a leading innovator in placemaking to promote business growth, Arlington Economic Development and The Agile World are leading the discussion within the Return on Creativity community to understand and improve the future of people, places, and work. The future of work depends on education at the undergraduate and professional level to ensure that the workforce has the skills needed to keep pace with external factors like automation and growing demand for technical talent, says Greg Kihlstrom of The Agile World, and one of the organizers of the event. Education plays a critical role in workforce development and in growing the talent pool in our regional economy, says Susan Soroko, Director of Creative Economy at Arlington Economic Development, and one of the organizers of the event. Arlington County has a history of creating successful public-private partnerships that foster educational opportunities to prepare the workforce for the future. While the last year and a half have challenged every company in some way, we believe that support from the public sector can help businesses grow and thrive, even in the most difficult circumstances. The event features keynotes by education entrepreneur and thought leader Lou Pugliese and Marc Austin, Executive Director of Professional Education and Academic Ventures at George Mason University, as well as short case study presentations of innovative programs by Virginia Tech, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, and Exelaration. A full speaker list is available on the Return on Creativity website. Sponsors of the event include NextUp Solutions, Exelaration, Lyceum Insurance Services, Arlington Community Federal Credit Union, Arlington Economic Development, The Agile World, and Prime Focus. Registration is free and available through the Return on Creativity website at https://www.returnoncreativity.com About Return on Creativity The Return on Creativity event series was started in 2017 as a way to draw attention to the relationship between the creative economy, placemaking, and the business community at large. Through in-person, experiential, and virtual events, the Return on Creativity series has showcased thought leaders and experts in a variety of fields as they discuss this relationship. As a leading innovator in placemaking to promote business growth, Arlington Economic Development has partnered with The Agile World to lead the Return on Creativity community and continue to grow its reach in the Northern Virginia and Greater Washington, D.C. area. More information is available at: https://www.returnoncreativity.com About Arlington Economic Development Arlington Economic Development (AED), part of Arlington County Government, is dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of an economically competitive and sustainable community, and the creation of exciting, diverse and amenity-rich places. AED provides visionary leadership and superior services to Arlingtons business and arts community, its tourism industry and its real estate development. For more information, visit https://www.arlingtoneconomicdevelopment.com About The Agile World The Agile World brings together thought leadership, events, and consulting services that help organizations. Led by principal Greg Kihlstrom, an entrepreneur, author, and speaker who has been working on the Return on Creativity event series since its inception, The Agile World provides strategic, operational, and promotional support for this ongoing dialogue on the future of work and the purpose of place. More information is available at: https://www.theagile.world We needed to find the right partners to launch an Oregon-specific crowdfunding platform that would help fill the capital gap and enable would-be entrepreneurs to make the leap into business ownership, creating jobs and stimulating Oregons economy." - Caroline Cummings, RAIN CEO RAIN (Regional Accelerator & Innovation Network) is launching a new initiative before the end of this calendar year to help Oregon startups and small businesses raise funds to launch and grow. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, one of the challenges Oregon entrepreneurs had was finding capital to start and grow their businesses. RAIN discovered 83% of entrepreneurs dont qualify for traditional bank loans or venture financing when launching a business, which aligns with national data. Nearly half of the entrepreneurs RAIN assistsmany of which are pre-revenue, seed-stage companies raising their first round of outside capitalare seeking between $50,000 to $250,000 to launch or grow their ventures in Oregon. This capital gap is what RAIN seeks to fill by collaborating with both Republic (headquartered in New York, NY) to launch an Oregon-specific crowdfunding platform and Palo Alto Software (headquartered in Eugene, OR) to help streamline the business planning and financial forecasting and management process. Oregon State Representative John Lively stated during a crowdfunding 101 webinar hosted by RAIN and Republic, I heard over and over and saw as I worked with small businesses specifically, the strugglethis capital gapthe inability to get access or fit traditional financing models, especially at critical times in the development of small companies. There continue to be large opportunities for job growth in rural Oregon that can really change the complexion of the economy in those places, but it really goes back to this root $50,000 or $100,000 to help the business get started and stabilize. Rep. Lively concluded, I want to compliment RAIN and those involved in this particular effort. Both for taking the risk and for helping to identify other ways to get capital to entrepreneurs in Oregon. RAINs CEO, Caroline Cummings, identified crowdfunding as a possible solution for Oregons capital gap in 2020 and applied for a federal grant offered by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) called SPRINT (Scaling Pandemic Resilience Through Innovation and Technology). The project that was pitched to the U.S. EDA was to enable RAIN to serve as a recovery and resiliency hub for startups and small businesses impacted by the pandemic in Oregons Lane, Linn, Benton, and Grant counties. RAIN was awarded the competitive grant and received $748,833 from the U.S. EDA and $193,095 was provided as match dollars from several Oregon rural cities and counties who invited RAIN into their regions to help them build inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and economies. [The cities and counties who have invited RAIN into their communities to help build their entrepreneurial economies are at the bottom of this release.] Cummings stated, We needed to find the right partners to launch an Oregon-specific crowdfunding platform that would help fill the capital gap and enable would-be entrepreneurs to make the leap into business ownership, creating jobs and stimulating Oregons economy. After doing due diligence on several crowdfunding platforms, we selected Republic. We also knew we needed to find a platform that could help us streamline the business planning and financial forecasting and financial management process to expedite the process of handing off 'fund-ready' deals to the Republic investment and underwriting team. We selected Palo Alto Software because their LivePlan software offers an online collaboration platform to easily write a business plan, increase chances of securing funding, and give startups and small businesses the insights they need to make critical business decisions. Sabrina Parsons, CEO of Palo Alto Software shared that they have over 1 million small business customers using their LivePlan software. Parsons added, It's proven that when companies plan and track against their plan they grow 30% faster than those that don't. Republic, launched in 2015, has become a leading global alternative investment platform. Through both its online platform and private placements through its network of partners, the Republic ecosystem has deployed over $700 million in investments, has supported over 600 companies, and boasts a community of over 1 million users across 100 countries. To break from traditional patterns of Venture Capital investment that cluster in a couple of main geographies, Republic works with local partners that leverage the platform as access to a capital tool for the founders they work with. RAIN is the first partner we are piloting this model with, and were really excited about the relationship, said Chuck Pettid, Head of Republic Retail. Through RAIN, Oregonian entrepreneurs will have an easier time leveraging the capital tools we offer. We provide the platform and financing model, and RAIN brings the community of founders, as well as community members seeking to back them. Oregon businesses are able to unlock an alternative financing option that was previously inaccessible and neighbors can invest in neighbors, circulating capital within the state. RAIN and Republic will be hosting free educational sessions over the next several months. If youre a for-profit company in Oregon seeking capital or an individual who wants to learn more about how to invest or loan your own funds through this platform, please sign up for RAINs newsletter, reach out to the RAIN team, and register to attend our next educational webinar: RAIN and Republic are hosting a webinar on November 9, 2021, from 12:30 pm PT: Crowdfunding 101: Learn how to invest as little as $50 in Oregon startups & small businesses Registration required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/194051552417 About RAIN: RAIN (Regional Accelerator & Innovation Network) is 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is run by experienced entrepreneurs and angel investors and exists to reduce barriers to entrepreneurship and innovation. Since 2015, RAIN has been invited to serve 23 cities across 5 counties in Oregon to help them build inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and innovation economies. Below are the current cities and counties RAIN is serving in Oregon: CITIES: Adair Village, Brownsville, Canyon City, Coburg, Cottage Grove, Creswell, Florence, Halsey, Harrisburg, John Day, Lebanon, Lowell, Monroe, Oakridge, Philomath, Prairie City, Sweet Home, and Veneta COUNTIES: Benton, Grant, Lane, and Linn RAINs Mission: to partner with communities to catalyze entrepreneurial ecosystems, connect entrepreneurs to resources (including overlooked entrepreneurs), and contribute to the creation of prosperous economies. RAINs Vision: communities support, value, and celebrate entrepreneurs; regional leaders recognize entrepreneurs are a primary creator of net new jobs; small and rural communities have thriving economies; and a culture of possibilities is embraced. Visit http://www.oregonrain.org to learn more. Patterson Law Group Attorney Team "Patterson Law Groups reputation precedes itself in providing its clients award-winning, result-oriented service while also serving the community. When an opportunity to join this first-class firm presented itself, I could not pass it up." Patterson Law Group has been fighting for justice for accident victims in the Fort Worth area for decades. Our attorneys have become known for delivering results for our clients while also dedicating themselves to the community. Today, were proud to announce a new addition to our team, Ty Stimpson. Prior to joining Patterson Law Group, Ty was an Assistant District Attorney with the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorneys Office and Dallas County District Attorneys Office. Ty served in the White Collar Public Integrity Division, Elder Financial Fraud Division, and the Intimate Partner Violence Division. Ty has handled an array of cases, including capital murder, sexual assault, misapplication of fiduciary property, construction fraud, and identity theft, among other things. While with Tarrant County, Ty became a leading legal expert in mental health laws, where he worked to reform how mental health cases are handled in the Tarrant County criminal justice system. Ty played an integral part in the creation of Tarrant Countys first ever Mental Health Jail Diversion Center that is scheduled to open in December 2021. PLG prides itself on helping people, and Ty Stimpson has lived his life following the same motto. "Work hard and be nice to people. Thats our mantra at Patterson Law Group, and Ty Stimpson is a wonderful embodiment of those two principles. He has basically lived in the courtroom for the last 10 years and done a remarkable job serving our community while at the DAs office. His career has been inspiring and fun to watch, and were incredibly honored that he is joining our team, said Travis Patterson, the Managing Partner of Patterson Law Group. Working as a chief prosecutor in two of the largest counties in the United States, Ty has gained a wealth of knowledge and experience in trial advocacy which further strengthens PLGs ability to provide the highest quality services to its clients. Patterson Law Groups reputation precedes itself in providing its clients award-winning, result-oriented service while also serving the community. When an opportunity to join this first-class firm presented itself, I could not pass it up. I have known Travis Patterson for nearly 20 years, and Patterson Law Group has embraced my family and me, which has made my transition that much easier. Im truly blessed to join such a remarkable team, said Ty Stimpson. Ty is an active member in the Tarrant County Bar Association, L. Clifford Davis Legal Association, Rotary Club of Downtown Fort Worth, former Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee of the City of Fort Worth Race and Culture Task Force, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. Ty currently serves as the Board Chair for LVT Rise, a project dedicated to supporting Fort Worths Las Vegas Trail community. In addition, Ty is also heavily involved in his community as a board member of the Tarrant Area Food Bank, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Tarrant County, the Arts Council of Fort Worth, Project 4031, the advisory board for the Young Mens Leadership Academy of Fort Worth and is a graduate of the 2019 Leadership Fort Worth Class. Ty has been named a Top Attorney by Fort Worth magazine every year since 2017. Ty is a lifelong advocate for justice and isnt afraid to be a voice for those in need. Ty is married to his beautiful wife Jordan, who is also an attorney in Fort Worth. The Stimpsons have two children and a Goldendoodle. Patterson Law Group is very excited to welcome Ty Stimpson to our firm. About Patterson Law Group: Patterson Law Group has been representing Texans for their personal injury claims since 1995. To read more about Patterson Law Group and the legal services they provide, visit https://pattersonpersonalinjury.com/. Now that Pedigree Technologies is ELD certified in both Canada and the U.S., we believe Freight-Mate will be particularly useful to those border-crossing carriers looking to keep their trucks full. said John Elsner, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Pedigree Technologies. Pedigree Technologies, a North-Dakota-based software company providing fleet services and transportation technology, is excited to announce its launch of a new smart load board called Freight-Mate to its wide network of carriers. Freight-Mate is the first-ever smart load board that is ELD-certified in both The United States and Canada. For Pedigree Technologies and its carriers, this launch provides direct access to hundreds of thousands of high-quality load opportunities from some of North Americas largest brokerages, uploaded daily to Freight-Mate. Freight-Mate helps carriers by taking the uncertainty out of finding their next load opportunity. The entire system is built to ensure carriers can quickly find and book high-quality loads making it easy to improve profitability with back-haul loads that custom-fit to their business model using AI technology. The FleetOps integration further expands the power of OneView for our customers, said Josh DeCock, Vice President of Product Management at Pedigree Technologies. With real-time data and powerful AI, Freight-Mate learns your preferred lanes, rates, and types of freight you like to haul then notifies you when a matching load becomes available. Now that Pedigree Technologies is ELD certified in both Canada and the U.S., we believe Freight-Mate will be particularly useful to those border-crossing carriers looking to keep their trucks full. said John Elsner, Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Pedigree Technologies. For more information about Pedigree Technologies, please visit http://www.pedigreetechnologies.com About Pedigree Technologies Pedigree Technologies is an award-winning provider of transportation solutions allowing customers to manage vehicles, equipment, and workers from anywhere, on any device. The OneView platform is highly customizable and flexible, spawning an extraordinary range of solutions for People (enterprise), Safety (compliance), and Performance (service/supply chain). Pedigree provides 24x7x365 domestic customer service and employs more than 90 professionals across the country. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Fargo, North Dakota. SOURCE pedigreetechnologies.com Pay-per-click is another way to gain more visibility on Google's search result pages. Pay-per-click (PPC) ads are essential to a business's search engine optimization and digital marketing. In the information age, everything is searchable on Google. For businesses to acquire more potential clients and customers, being visible on the first page of Google's search results is essential. Alongside various other search engine optimization methods, pay-per-click (PPC) is a powerful advertising marketing platform. Search engine optimization (SEO) is a collection of methods and techniques that help in improving a website's search result rankings. This progress can happen in a matter of ways, including attracting organic traffic by crafting content about specific keywords or utilizing pay-per-click ads. Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising is a model for online advertising where the advertiser pays every time someone clicks on one of their ads. Although there are various types of PPC ads, the most common is the paid search ad. The ads that appear at the top of Google's list of search results are an example of paid search ads. Investing in paid searches is another way to gain an advantage in today's digital world. With PPC ads, a business can increase sales leads and promote brand awareness. Using a combination of methods such as device targeting, location targeting, and ad scheduling can enhance a company's visibility on Google's search results page. A lot can go into building a PPC campaign. It requires intensive research and careful selection of keywords. Once those are chosen, then they need to be organized into campaigns and ad groups that'll lead to landing pages that are optimized for sales conversions. Here are some points to keep in mind when considering PPC ads: Even if a business's organic search results (a website's search result ranking on Google) is top of the line, paid search clicks likely outnumber the organic clicks. Statistics say 41% of clicks go to the top three or four paid ads on Google's search page. And, more than half of those that click on paid ads will call the business. When starting a PPC or any digital marketing campaign, it's important to ensure that there's a mobile-friendly website or app for potential consumers to browse through. That's because more than half of paid search clicks are from mobile devices. Although paid ad searches are a great way to increase sales leads, each click does mean the business behind it has to pay for it. By using negative keywords or phrases, a company can limit and prevent ads from being displayed for irrelevant searches. It's also a way to ensure that these ads show up for specific words and phrases instead. In 2002, Google released the Adwords Pay-Per-Click model, now known as Google Ads. This platform is an online advertising solution that businesses can use to promote themselves online. If a business doesn't turn to a PPC management agency, like Actual SEO Media, Inc., for help, then they can manage their own PPC ads with Google Ads. As a leading SEO company in Houston, Actual SEO Media, Inc. helps clients expand their online presence. By using best SEO practices, Google's pay-per-click, and AdWords, the company aims to maximize clients' search engine optimization and widen their clients' scope of recognition. For more information, contact the office at (832) 834 - 0661 or by email at: info@actualseomedia.com. The NVIDIA Ampere architecture delivers a major boost in performance and power efficiency, which enables general computation, image processing and reconstruction, and AI inference at the edge to advance to the next level. Summary: ADLINK EGX-MXM-A1000, EGX-MXM-A2000 and EGX-MXM-A4500 are the first modules to use NVIDIAs embedded GPUs based on NVIDIA Ampere architecture ADLINK embedded MXM graphics modules offers high performance GPU acceleration in the compact, power-efficient MXM form factor, bringing edge computing and embedded AI to numerous vertical markets in healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, and more Rugged design built for severe temperature extremes, shock and vibration, and corrosion in harsh conditions ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, today introduced the industrys first embedded MXM graphics modules based on the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, built for accelerated computing and AI workloads at the edge. The new embedded graphics modules deliver real-time ray tracing, AI-accelerated graphics and energy-efficient AI inference acceleration in the compact mobile PCI express (MXM) form factor. These modules enhance responsiveness, precision and reliability for mission-critical, time-sensitive applications in healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, gaming and other sectors. Computing and AI workloads are shifting from the cloud to the edge to shorten response time, enhance security and lower communication costs. With more and more data being processed at the edge, the performance requirements are getting higher while the power budget remains nearly unchanged. The NVIDIA Ampere architecture delivers a major boost in performance and power efficiency, which enables general computation, image processing and reconstruction, and AI inference at the edge to advance to the next level, said Zane Tsai, director of platform product center, ADLINK. The NVIDIA Ampere architecture delivers breakthrough performance and features, combining the latest generation RT Cores, Tensor Cores, CUDA Cores, PCIe Gen 4 and NVIDIA video codecs, said Scott Fitzpatrick, vice president of product marketing at NVIDIA. As rendering and simulation become ubiquitous across industries, NVIDIAs latest embedded solutions offer up to 2x rendering performance, 2x FP32 throughput, as well as hardware-accelerated video encoding and decoding for significant increases in both graphics and compute workloads. Based on the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, ADLINKs embedded MXM GPU modules offer up to 5,120 CUDA Cores, 160 Tensor Cores and 40 RT Cores with support for PCIe Gen 4 and up to 16GB GDDR6 memory at up to 115 watts of TGP. These modules can satisfy compute-intensive, graphics-demanding, memory-hungry applications. They are one-fifth the size of full-height, full-length PCI Express graphics cards, and are hardened to operate under severe temperature extremes, shock and vibration, and corrosion resistance for use in size, weight and power-constrained edge environments. These embedded graphics modules offer longevity support for five years. Developers, solution architects and system integrators can innovate new solutions with confidence that the supply is steady through a product life cycle. Applications of the embedded MXM graphics modules include: Healthcare: Accelerated image reconstruction for mobile X-ray, ultrasound and endoscopic systems Transportation: Real-time object detection on railways or airport runways to enhance transport safety Retail and Logistics: Navigation and route planning for autonomous drones and mobile robots (AMRs) to assist with last-mile delivery Aerospace and Defense: Time-sensitive and mission-critical command, control, communications, computers (C4) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) applications Gaming: Immersive and stunning visuals experience for multi-display gaming machines For more information, visit the product page here. About ADLINK Technology ADLINK Technology Inc. (TAIEX:6166) leads edge computing, the catalyst for a world powered by artificial intelligence. ADLINK manufactures edge hardware and develops edge software for embedded, distributed and intelligent computing from powering medical PCs in the intensive care unit to building the worlds first high-speed autonomous race car more than 1600 customers around the world trust ADLINK for mission-critical success. ADLINK holds top-tier edge partnerships with Intel, NVIDIA, AWS and SAS, and also participates on the Intel Board of Advisors, ROS 2 Technical Steering Committee and Autoware Foundation Board. ADLINK contributes to open source, robotics, autonomous, IoT and 5G standards initiatives across 24+ consortiums, driving innovation in manufacturing, telecommunications, healthcare, energy, defense, transportation and infotainment. For over 25 years, with 1800+ ADLINKers and 200+ partners, ADLINK enables the technologies of today and tomorrow, advancing technology and society around the world. Follow ADLINK Technology on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or visit adlinktech.com. DASC Names AFuzion "Aviation 2021 Distinguished Institution" In recognition of AFuzion winning this years Distinguished Institution Award, AFuzion is making its "UAM & eVTOL via DO-178C" technical whitepaper freely available to anyone reading this news until December 31, 2021 (normally $50.00). Complimentary download above. AFuzion is pleased to have been awarded the 2021 Distinguished Institution Award from the Digital Avionics Systems Conference (DASC). Each year DASC brings hundreds of key avionics engineers together to discuss advanced avionics development and the future of aviation. AFuzion key engineers attend DASC and contribute training, avionics design strategies, and certification mentoring to DASC attendees. Says AFuzion CTO Vance Hilderman Its truly a pleasure receiving DASCs highest award as the Distinguished Institution in 2021. DASC is the North Americas largest avionics technology group and AFuzion is North Americas (perhaps the worlds) largest avionics development/certification services company. And it was a pleasure to receive the award directly from Ms. Denise Ponchak, NASA (retired). AFuzion has seven engineers supporting various NASA projects for manned space flight and satellites, plus additional AFuzion engineers designing systems for the emerging Space Travel industry. Thank you Ms. Ponchak, and kudos to the distinguished and growing AFuzion team for being officially recognized as Distinguished. At this years DASC conference in San Antonio two weeks ago, the latest advancements in avionics development including cyber-security via DO-326A, eVTOL/UAM via DO-178C, and aircraft safety via the forthcoming SAE ARP4754B were all discussed. DASC attendees could freely download AFuzions proprietary technical whitepaper on eVTOL UAM Certification via DO-178C. In recognition of AFuzion winning this years Distinguished Institution Award, AFuzion is making this whitepaper freely available to anyone reading this news until December 31, 2021 (normally $50.00). Complimentary download here. Acumatica ERP Consultants Aqurus has demonstrated Acumatica Cloud ERP platform master proficiency we are proud to introduce them to potential Acumatica clients in Western Canada, Adrian Montgomery, Founding Partner ERPVAR ERPVAR announces a strategic partnership with Aqurus, a leading provider of Acumatica Cloud ERP software. The ERPVAR directory for Acumatica ERP consultants highlights Aqurus offerings. The Aqurus team includes subject matter experts in finance and accounting, supply chain management, project management, information systems, business intelligence, custom application development and customer support. Our team is flexible and scalable to fit your project and customer requirements. About Aqurus Since 2010, Aqurus has been bringing business management software solutions to clients. Aqurus recognizes how to match your journey to success with the tools to get there. With ERP software designed to streamline efficient business workflows, Cloud ERP software designed for the web as well as integrated office productivity, business intelligence and technical solutions, Aqurus offers compelling products for your growing organization. Aqurus Solutions is a Gold Certified Acumatica Cloud ERP Partner, covering all regions of Western Canada, with clients in Calgary, Edmonton, and Metro Vancouver. Acumatica is a leading provider of cloud business management software that empowers small and mid-size businesses to reach their potential and drive growth. Built on the worlds best cloud and mobile technology, Acumatica delivers a suite of fully integrated applications powered by a robust and flexible platform. Our team specializes in streamlined implementations. We get you up and running quickly through turnkey installations. Our templated implementations empower users while our knowledgeable resources are available to support you. Specializing in Wholesale Distribution, Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing and MRP, and Cloud for Business across Western Canada, Aqurus can help your business leapfrog the competition. About ERPVAR Established in 2012 and headquartered in Orange County, CA, ERPVAR represents the collective expertise of Acumatica, Sage 100cloud, Sage 300cloud, Sage Intacct, Microsoft Dynamics GP, NetSuite and QuickBooks Enterprise third-party developers combined with the expertise of local implementation Partners. These local Partners provide end-users with a thorough needs analysis to determine which ERP software functionality is required to address their unique needs. If a business process assessment is required, the local channel partner is enlisted to provide a comprehensive examination with end-user company departments to ensure the correct ERP software is selected, implemented and the staff is professionally trained. Please visit https://www.erpvar.com for more information. We look forward to working closely with ... the MMS team as we together become the most successful and admired medical contract manufacturing business in North America ARCH Medical Solutions Corp., an ARCH Global Precision Company (ARCH), today announces it has acquired Medical Machining Specialists (MMS). Based outside Memphis in Olive Branch, Mississippi, MMS is a full-service manufacturer of surgical instruments for the spine, orthopedic, trauma, and extremity markets. The 20,000-square-foot MMS manufacturing space and its 65 employees join ARCH Medical Solutions (AMS) as a third facility at the ARCH Medical Solutions Memphis location. Adding MMS to a family of strategically located facilities around the country solidifies ARCH Medical Solutions as an industry-leading supplier with a reputation for growth and scale in the medical products market. Paul Barck, Divisional President of ARCH Medical Solutions, said the MMS acquisition adds another area of expertise to AMS. MMS brings the very specialized manufacturing capability to produce tissue retractors for minimally invasive spinal procedures, Barck said. These devices are among the most complex surgical instruments manufactured and require unique skill sets and manufacturing processes. MMS expands our breadth of capabilities and fortifies our presence within the strategic Memphis area. Further, we wish to welcome the entire group of associates at MMS as we continue supporting our customers in the manufacturing of world-class products that improve peoples lives. Tim May, General Manager at MMS, called the partnership a natural evolution of the company that was founded in 2009. Reflecting upon our future, we have determined this is the appropriate time to partner with a larger company that can offer ongoing financial stability as well as additional resources and financing to support our continuing growth, said May, who remains as GM at the ARCH Medical Solutions Memphis facility. Overall, this partnership will create more opportunity for growth, a strong benefits plan, and a more defined future all things most employees are seeking from their employer. Eli Crotzer, ARCH President and Chief Executive Officer, welcomed MMS as another important step in the growth of ARCH Medical Solutions. We look forward to working closely with Tim and the broader MMS team as we together become the most successful and admired medical contract manufacturing business in North America, Crotzer said. About ARCH ARCH, a Jordan Company platform company based in metro Detroit, manufactures high-quality cutting tools and medical instruments and implants for a range of critical applications. ARCH has dozens of facilities strategically located across the country serving the medical, surgical robotics and progressive industrial markets. The teams at ARCH are metalworking professionals with industry-leading tight-tolerance manufacturing expertise. ARCH provides innovative and practical solutions to the complex manufacturing challenges of its customers. Visit ARCH at http://www.archgp.com. Big Blue Swim School, one of the nations fastest-growing swim school franchises, has signed a lease for its first Florida location. The new Pembroke Pines pool also represents the first lease in a 37-unit, six-state deal between the brand and Atlanta-based entrepreneur, CPA, and professional dive instructor, Woody Alpern. My dream with the business is to make Big Blue Swim School the strongest player in the fragmented swim world, Alpern said. Throughout my 30 years of entrepreneurship, Ive always been aware of the franchise space and always liked the idea of being a part of a tried and true system, allowing me to build on the business model and grow strategically, he said. Currently, Alpern is scouting additional locations in markets across Florida, including Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Tampa/St. Petersburg, and he plans to open multiple Big Blue Swim Schools in Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The partnership with Alpern is just the latest phase of an aggressive growth plan for the franchise, which has already signed agreements for 155 units in 22 states across the country. With a goal of reaching 170 units committed by the end of 2021, the brand is uniquely positioned to be the leader in the $3 billion learn-to-swim industry. We are excited to bring our swim school to Florida, said Chris DeJong, Big Blues founder and president. What makes Big Blue so special is that we are teaching children a vital life skill, and with Woodys passion and knowledge for the sport, we know he will dive in and make a significant difference in the lives of thousands of children and their parents. The Pembroke Pines location, a former Pier 1 located in the Pembroke Lakes Mall at 11401 Pines Blvd, Suite 546, aligns perfectly with the brand's overall real estate selection strategy, which targets the vacancies created as traditional brick-and-mortar retail brands increasingly move their businesses online. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the existing trend toward online commerce, which has caused a greater number of traditional retailers to pull back on brick-and-mortar investments as they look to fill their spaces with experience-based, Amazon-resistant brands, said Scott Sanders, CEO of Big Blue. This has enabled Big Blue to source opportunities for space, which simply did not previously exist, and has created the ability to grow the brand more quickly across the U.S. while creating a mutually beneficial opportunity between landlord and tenant. The life-skill of swim instruction will never become outdated, replaced by technology, irrelevant or less vital over time, Alpern said. Its something Amazon will not be able to deliver, so the opportunity to grow this brand in the Southeast, while fulfilling the important mission of teaching water safety skills to kids, was too incredible to pass up. Big Blue Swim School franchise opportunities are still available in key markets across the country. To learn more, visit http://YourBigMomentStartsHere.com. ABOUT BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL Big Blue Swim School was founded in 2009 by competitive swimmer Chris DeJong. The first location opened in Wilmette, Illinois, followed by four additional Chicagoland schools. In 2017, Level 5 Capital Partners acquired a stake in the brand, and pools are now open in Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and Northern Virginia. Big Blue is currently growing through franchising with plans to have a minimum of 170 pools sold by the end of 2021. Big Blue Swim School's real estate expertise, strong brand, proprietary technology, and leadership support, coupled with its best-in-class consumer offerings, position its franchise partners for long-term success. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Big Blue Swim School, visit http://YourBigMomentStartsHere.com. Since its founding in 2009, Big Blue Swim School has become one of the fastest-growing players in the $3 billion swim school industry. After signing a development agreement to open three stores in Austin, Big Blue is setting its sights on Houston as its next area for growth in Texas. Big Blue Swim School is targeting Northwest Houston, including the high-priority territories of Katy, Sugar Land, Cyprus, and Bellaire for large-scale growth in the immediate future. A Huge Customer Base of Children in Houston The Houston metro area, which is the fourth largest metropolitan area in the United States, has a population of 2.31 million, according to 2020 U.S. Census data. Thats a 9.8% increase over 10 years ago and between 2018-2019, Houston added 30,000 households. This growth is significant for Big Blue franchise partners because 7.6% of that population is under the age of five. For a brand with a mission to teach important life skills of swimming to children ages six months to 12 years, Houston offers a target-rich environment. According to Big Blue CEO Scott Sanders, the opportunity in Houston is so large that there are currently 14 potential sites for Big Blue stores in the metropolitan market. Affluent families are leaving places like California and finding they get more for their money in Houston, said Sanders. While it remains the fourth largest city in the country according to new Census data, it offers a density of kids who need swim instruction, which makes the market an appealing area for brand expansion. Most of Big Blues competitors primarily serve children aged six months to five years. Because it offers instructions to children as old as 12, it has a 30% higher potential addressable market. Texas has the second largest number of pools in the United States behind California, ranks third for hot tubs, and is located on the Gulf of Mexico, making water safety a priority for Houston parents. Swimming lessons from a certified instructor, school, or organization reduces the incidence of childhood drownings by 88%. According to Big Blue president and founder, Chris DeJong, the value of learning a vital life skill like swimming goes far beyond safety. Learning to swim fosters self-esteem and a lifelong love of the water. As we grow in the Houston market, parents will love the experience Big Blue offers them and their children." Austin Is Already Diving Into Big Blue The state of Texas leads the entire country in raw population growth. It boasts 15.3% population growth over 2010 figures and between 2019 and 2020 alone, Texas added more than 370,000 residents. That means big opportunities for Big Blue franchise partners, who are leveraging Big Blues technology-forward business. For instance, father-and-son entrepreneurs Rohit and Neel Patel plan to open three stores in Austin. When I considered the best place to open the stores, I immediately thought of Austin, Neel said. Not only did I go to school there and love the area, but the Austin economy is experiencing major growth thanks to a variety of tech companies relocating to the city. Plus, Austin has one of the highest population and family-growth averages in the United States. While the Austin market is smaller than Houston, the Patels think theres still a big advantage in that market. We signed on for three units and began working with the Big Blue development team to lock down the surrounding territory so we can plan our second and third stores. Big Blue already has 155 committed units to develop in 22 states, and since Houston has emerged as a growing U.S. city with many families moving to the area, the time is right for Big Blue to come to the market. Additionally, Houstons continued metropolitan development translates to opportunities for prime real estate. Houston offers a high percentage of prime real estate that perfectly fits our requirements to place stores on the paths of least resistance. We ensure our stores are located in places where families are already traveling so we fit right into their regular routines, Sanders said. Weve already completed strategic market planning and validated the market, so were ready to hit the ground running, or better yet, dive right in! Multi-unit franchise opportunities are available for qualified candidates looking for their next big opportunity, and veterans can receive a 10 percent discount on the $80,000 franchise fee. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a new Big Blue Swim School is $2,334,223 to $3,641,998 (refer to item 7 in FDD). To learn more or inquire about Big Blue Swim School, visit https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/. ABOUT BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL Big Blue Swim School was founded in 2009 by competitive swimmer Chris DeJong. The first location opened in Wilmette, Illinois, followed by four additional Chicagoland schools. In 2017, Level 5 Capital Partners acquired a stake in the brand, and pools are now open in Chicago, Atlanta, Denver and Northern Virginia. Big Blue is currently growing through franchising with plans to have a minimum of 170 pools sold by the end of 2021. Big Blue Swim School's real estate expertise, strong brand, proprietary technology, and leadership support, coupled with its best-in-class consumer offerings, position its franchise partners for long-term success. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Big Blue Swim School, visit http://YourBigMomentStartsHere.com. CLR Labs CLR Labs performs conformity tests with specifications using a unique tool developed by its teams according to the test plan defined by SPAC. CLR Labs wish to promote the unique European know-how in cryptography-based protocols, says Stefane Mouille, Director of the CLR Labs laboratory. With the strengthening of the resilience and securing of critical infrastructure information systems, covered by the European NIS Directive and the European Cybersecurity Act Regulation, SPAC is implementing a conformity certification scheme with the standardized and open security protocol S.S.C.P. published by SPAC. The S.S.C.P. protocol is based on high-level cryptography techniques that are resistant to potential advanced attacks. This protocol embeds security countermeasures to guarantee the authenticity of communicating industrial objects, the integrity, authenticity and confidentiality of exchanges with electronic printed circuit boards and their embedded software. Many developers integrate the S.S.C.P. protocol into their security target as part of ANSSI's first-level security certification (C.S.P.N.). It thus makes it possible to protect sensitive goods transmitted over industrial networks such as physical access control systems, management of access rights and the feedback of so-called IIOT (Industrial Internet of Thing) sensors. The functional conformity certification scheme implemented by SPAC guarantees compliance with the specifications of the S.S.C.P. protocol. It thus makes it possible to verify security countermeasures such as anti-replay, injection, etc. CLR Labs performs conformity tests with specifications using a unique tool developed by its teams according to the test plan defined by SPAC. We look forward to working with such a dynamic European physical access control security ecosystem. CLR Labs wish to promote the unique European know-how in the field of cryptography-based protocols, indicates Stefane Mouille, Director of the CLR Labs laboratory. The first two types of products that can be evaluated are access control readers and Local Processing Units (U.T.L.). Other types of products will be integrated in 2022, such as connected locks or video protection cameras. "CLR Labs allows us to have high-level technical expertise recognized by the European digital identity ecosystem while ensuring the impartiality of the SSCP conformity tests performed. This is an important pledge of confidence for users, prescribers and the French and the European institutions," says Vincent Dupart, President of SPAC. About CLR Labs: CLR Labs is the European laboratory dedicated to the evaluation of biometric and security technologies founded by multidisciplinary industry experts with a century of experience in biometrics and security-based at La Ciotat (France). Many manufacturers, implementers of complex systems and French and European Trust Service Providers trust them to assess their products and solutions using biometric technologies in the context of border crossing, secure payment, physical access control, online electronic authentication and more generally in the field of digital identity management and verification. CLR Labs is supported by TEAM @ Mines Saint-Etienne, the technological maturator of the Ecole des Mines of Saint-Etienne, France and is a shareholder of the French Campus Cyber. Children enjoy stories of mystical animals and dragons are always exciting prospects. Hopefully, this book will make people smile. Following the release of her debut book, The Adventures of Neville the Devil, childrens fiction author Ann Allison is back in the publishing scene with another illustrated tale for young readers to enjoy. The Adventures of Dragons Den (published by AuthorHouse UK) is a fantasy story told in rhymes about a family of dragons who had come to a new village to stay. They wear disguise so they can blend in, hoping no one will notice their beautiful green skin. But will they succeed? Its a fun and light-hearted adventure, the author asserts. Children enjoy stories of mystical animals and dragons are always exciting prospects. Hopefully, this book will make people smile. The Adventures of Dragons Den officially launched on Sept. 24, 2021, and may be purchased through https://www.authorhouse.com/en-gb/bookstore/bookdetails/834181-the-adventures-of-dragons-den. The Adventures of Dragons Den By Ann Allison Softcover | 8.5 x 8.5in | 56 pages | ISBN 9781665593083 E-Book | 56 pages | ISBN 9781665593090 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Ann Allison is retired and lives on the south coast in England with her family. She is also the author of The Adventures of Neville the Devil. AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industrys only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrates over 23 years of service to authors. For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.co.uk or call 0-800-014-8641. City of Forest Park joins the Georgia Purchasing Group Registered vendors can access bids, related documents, addendum and award information. The City of Forest Park announced today that it has joined the Georgia Purchasing Group. bidnet directs Georgia Purchasing Group helps local governments, such as the City of Forest Park, post, distribute and manage RFPs, quotes, addendums, and awards online. The Georgia Purchasing Group provides notification to registered vendors of new bids related to their industry, any addenda and award information from 16 participating agencies from across Georgia. The City of Forest Park invites all vendors to register online at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia. The City of Forest Park joined the Georgia Purchasing Group in October 2021. There was a need for the City of Forest Park to automate the purchasing process to save time, increase competition and achieve cost savings over the traditional paper-based bid process. The Georgia Purchasing Group streamlines the creation and issuance of bid requests, supplier response submission and the awarding of bids. By utilizing the Georgia Purchasing Group, the City of Forest Park can also utilize robust tools such as Online Q&A, Bid Tabulation, and the Required Acknowledgment feature. With the Georgia Purchasing Group providing a single, online location for managing sourcing information and activities, local Georgia government agencies minimize costs and time delays associated with the procurement process. The City of Forest Park now has access to an extensive vendor pool and utilize the automatic bid notifications to registered vendors, thereby enhancing competition without increasing distribution costs. In addition to the existing vendors on the Georgia Purchasing Group, all vendors looking to do business with local government agencies can register online: https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia. The City of Forest Park invites all current vendors not already registered on the Georgia Purchasing Group to do so today. We look forward to being able to improve our efficiency by using the Georgia Purchasing Groups features such as bid tabulation and automatic bid notifications, stated Jikeva Moore, Procurement Assistant of the City of Forest Park when asked why they joined Georgia Purchasing Group. In addition to our time savings, our valued vendors can now access to not only our open bids, but those from other municipalities, counties and school districts throughout Georgia. We invite all of our current vendors to register. Vendor benefits include: Access bids, related documents, addendum and award information Receive targeted bids Receive bid deadline reminders Notification of term contract expiration Access a single point of entry for all participating agency bids Contact a dedicated vendor support team Vendors may register on the Georgia Purchasing Group: https://www.bidnetdirect.com/georgia. Vendors may also contact bidnet directs vendor support team at 800-835-4603 option 2 with any questions regarding registration or the bid system. Other local Georgia government agencies looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact Georgia Purchasing Group for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution. About the City of Forest Park: Forest Park is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. Originally the third stop from Atlanta on the Macon and Western Railroad, the city was incorporated in 1908. The community was named for the parklike setting of the original town site. About bidnet direct: bidnet direct, powered by mdf commerce, is a sourcing solution of regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. bidnet direct runs regional purchasing groups, including the Georgia Purchasing Group, across all 50 states that are used by over 1,600 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers Investing in RR Customs speaks to how a simple idea can evolve into a successful business with the determination of a true entrepreneur. - Andrew DSouza, CEO and co-founder, Clearco Clearco, the worlds largest e-commerce investor and the company revolutionizing the way founders grow their businesses, today announced that its ClearAngel program is funding RR Customs Limited, a unique diamond painting provider. ClearAngel gives early-stage founders access to revenue share capital, data-driven advice, and Clearcos extensive network of apps, agencies, and investors. Founded in February 2020, RR Customs is the only American diamond painting brand moving toward a brick and mortar location. Rachel Ross started the company by chance after going through debilitating heart complications. A loved one suggested she try diamond painting to relieve stress, but she soon found that there was a demand for the glamorous craft. The company has had so much success that they are selling wholesale and are now in need of a physical location, but until now, the resources werent available. ClearAngel will enable them to dive deeper into wholesale and start the journey toward a brick and mortar location. ClearAngel is one of a few equity-free, flexible capital options for early-stage founders who do not have the network to raise an angel round or join exclusive accelerators. The program has already funded over 350 companies since its February 2021 launch. Were happy to fund RR Customs Limited in its efforts to normalize a unique creative sector, said Andrew DSouza, CEO and co-founder, Clearco. Investing in RR Customs speaks to how a simple idea can evolve into a successful business with the determination of a true entrepreneur. In addition to $10,000 of flexible capital, RR Customs will also get access to a network of more than 500 investors, growth teams, agencies, apps, lawyers, and buyers; and data-driven advice designed to help scale and hit new revenue milestones. With ClearAngels backing, RR Customs will be able to invest in more wholesale avenues and move forward with pursuing a physical location. The funding also comes just in time for several product releases and expansion after buying out another diamond printing Distributor. ClearAngels funding will help me put my print on changing the crafts industry, said Rachel Ross, Founder, RR Customs. I want RR Customs to become the go-to for diamond painting supplies. To learn more about RR Customs and experience diamond painting for yourself, visit diamondcrafting.com. ClearAngel is currently onboarding E-commerce and product companies, and has limited spots available for SaaS, Apps, marketplace and stealth companies. To learn more about applying, visit angel.clearbanc.com. About Clearco: Co-founded as Clearbanc in 2015 by Michele Romanow from Canadas Shark Tank (Dragons Den), Andrew DSouza, Ivan Gritsiniak, Charlie Feng, and Tanay Delima, Clearco offers the most founder-friendly capital solutions for e-commerce, mobile apps, and SaaS founders as well as a full suite of products and access to a powerful global network, insights and data, and recommendations. Clearco has invested over $2 Billion in over 4,500 companies to date, including Leesa Sleep, fashion-rental service Le Tote, home goods company Public Goods, shirtmaker UNTUCKit, online speech therapy practice Expressible, and digital real estate marketplace SetSchedule. For more information visit clear.co and @getClearco. Attorney Noah Kilroy "A life sentence was on the table at one point. We convinced the judge to give him a three and a half year sentence." Nelson A. Garcia Martinez, 40, pleaded guilty to transporting approximately $14 million worth of fentanyl across the country to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, for a payment of $6,000. At the time he agreed to participate, he had no knowledge of the specific drug being transported or its value. Garcia Martinez was employed as a truck driver operating out of California where he and his wife and children reside. He had no prior criminal history. If I could go back in time I would have never done it, stated Garcia Martinez, through a Spanish interpreter, I ask for forgiveness from the state of Massachusetts . . . and the United States. Garcia Martinez is a native of El Salvador who has been working to build a life for his family in the United States, although he has illegal immigrant status. The father of five was arrested in November of 2018 after delivering 15 kilograms of fentanyl connected to a large drug bust a month prior. Authorities obtained a warrant to track Garcia Martinez's phone and monitor his cross-country trip. He was charged with the distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Garcia Martinez has been imprisoned since his 2018 arrest and has not seen his family since embarking on the trip from California to Massachusetts. The financial burden of cross-country visitation, coupled with losing their income from Garcia Martinezs trucking job, has prevented them from traveling to see him. Noah J. Kilroy represented Garcia Martinez as his attorney in this drug trafficking case. Unlike many legal professionals, Kilroy has an in-depth understanding of the criminal justice system, having served time himself for drug trafficking. The experience of being incarcerated was life-changing for Kilroy, who now finds himself on the other side of the law, representing those who deserve a second chance, like the one he received. Kilroy was abandoned at birth by a drug-addicted mother and shuffled through the foster care system. He eventually dropped out of high school and found a way to make ends meet the only way he knew how. He was arrested multiple times for selling drugs but not deterred. It wasnt until his last incarceration, in which he was arrested with over 2 kilograms of cocaine, that he chose to pursue a different path in life. He graduated from law school in 2013. Nelson Garcia Martinez was also facing serious charges that could forever change his ability to be a present father and serve society in a meaningful way, after only one criminal offense. Theyre (considered) expendable, Kilroy said of drug mules. The attorney also noted that Garcia Martinez was not even told where specifically he was driving his tractor-trailer until he got to Massachusetts. He did not know the sellers or buyers of the product he was transporting. Kilroy asked Judge Timothy S. Hillman for a 36-month sentence. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nadine Pellegrini requested 46 months due to the large number of drugs involved in the case. Judge Hillman split the requests and issued a sentence of 42 months in prison. Without zealous legal advocacy, Garcia Martinez could have faced much more significant penalties. "A life sentence was on the table at one point. We convinced the judge to give him a three and a half year sentence," stated Kilroy. The 42-month sentence will also include time served while in holding prior to the trial. Upon Kilroys request, Judge Hillman agreed to recommend that Garcia Martinez be transferred to a federal prison close to his family in California. US District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Worcester); case number 18CR-40049-TSH Kilroy Law Firm https://kilroylawfirm.com/ 127 DORRANCE ST PROVIDENCE, RI 02903 (401) 855-9023 53 Seeds: an engrossing narrative that explores what it could be like if suddenly all the crops failed. 53 Seeds is the creation of published author David Dupree, a resident of Georgia who was born in 1968 on an army base before moving to rural Georgia following the retirement of his loving father. Dupree shares, Now that the government has taken control over our society after inadvertently killing the soil for crops and farming, one man finds hope for regaining life as it once was. Cameron Walton has discovered something on his south Georgia farm that gives promise for a new and better world. With the help of his family, friends, and fellow farmers, he is in a race to restore what was lost. Lead by faith, working under the radar of the government and military, he must move quickly and quietly to spread his news before the government stops him. 53 Seeds takes you on this journey with him as he risks life and limb to share his new discoveries and spread the news of hope. This inspiring tale will grab and hold your attention from beginning to end. Published by Christian Faith Publishing, David Duprees new book is an action-packed story of desperate times following a new chemical destroying the soil of the world. Dupree shares a thrilling and thought-provoking fiction that will capture the imagination of any reader. Consumers can purchase 53 Seeds at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about 53 Seeds, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Written in a simple and straightforward manner, Vietnam Geopolitical Affairs (published by Archway Publishing) is the first English translation by Elizabeth T. Le, the daughter of Tung-Phong, who wrote the book in 1965. In 1965, in the midst of the Vietnam War, Tung-Phong reached out to the Vietnamese leaders in the North and South. He wanted to inform his contemporaries about the short-term needs of Vietnam as a whole and opine on long-term goals. The result was the book he published in October 1965: Chinh-e Viet-Nam or Vietnam Geopolitical Affairs. Tung-Phong explored where Vietnam stood on the world stage and the historical baggage it carried. Moreover, according to Le, the author sought to find out how Vietnam could propel itself forward for the sake of future generations. Le hopes her fathers book helps readers learn a broad perspective of the complex interactions between a small country with an ancient civilization, like Vietnam, and the world. Vietnam Geopolitical Affairs is available for purchase online at the Archway link above, from Barnes & Noble and on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Vietnam-Geopolitical-Affairs-Tng-phong/dp/1665708220. Vietnam Geopolitical Affairs By Tung-Phong Hardcover | 6 x 9 in | 520 pages | ISBN 9781665708210 Softcover | 6 x 9 in | 520 pages | ISBN 9781665708227 E-Book | 520 pages | ISBN 9781665708234 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Elizabeth T. Le, M.D., earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science from the University of New Orleans. She worked for NASA during the space shuttle project. She received her doctorate in medicine from the University of Louisiana in New Orleans, specializing in internal medicine and rheumatology from Indiana University and Duke University, North Carolina. She enjoys world history especially Vietnam culture and history. She is the daughter of Tung-Phong, who wrote the book she translated. Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 844-669-3957. The 2022 Kona Electric has got a variety of updates and a fresh design A Hyundai dealership in Scranton, Pennsylvania, announces the arrival of the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric. Scranton drivers interested in the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric can find it in Dickson City Hyundai. The 2022 Kona Electric has got a variety of updates and a fresh design. Its enhanced powertrain offers a sporty and an eco-friendly option that appeals to a variety of buyers. Updated infotainment and safety features give drivers a more satisfying and reliable driving experience. The 2022 Kona Electric is powered by a 64.0-kWh battery that makes 201 horsepower on a front-wheel drivetrain. The interior is designed from quality materials, is comfortable, and is equipped with a host of features. In terms of connectivity, all models come with a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capabilities and a 10.3-inch digital gauge display. The base level, SEL, comes with an 8.0-inch touchscreen; when upgraded to the Limited edition, it adds a 10.3-inch display with navigation. A six-speaker audio system is standard, while the limited models come with an eight-speaker Infinity audio system. The standard safety systems include a Lane-Departure Warning with Lane-Keeping Assist, Automated Emergency Braking with Forward-Collision Warning, and Adaptive Cruise Control and Pedestrian Detection. Individuals interested in the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric can take the vehicle for a test drive at Dickson City Hyundai. To learn more about the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric, contact the dealership at 570-487-5000. Buyers can explore the 2022 Hyundai Kona Electric up close by visiting the dealership located at 1519 Scranton Carbondale Highway, Scranton, Pa. Shoppers could also browse the dealerships 2022 Hyundai Kona EV inventory online. Dynamicweb, a leading eCommerce Suite, including a PIM system, provider in the mid-size and enterprise industry, announced Dynamicweb Swift, a new ready-to-launch eCommerce storefront that is built on top of the Dynamicweb eCommerce Suite and houses numerous best practices in web content management and eCommerce strategies. Dynamicweb Swift is a plug-and-play standard solution with beautiful, designed templates that allows you to create compelling eCommerce experiences across all devices. It is fast and easy to build both B2C and B2B eCommerce sites using configuration and almost no coding. Dynamicweb Swift provides customers a fast path to launching high performing, great looking, eCommerce websites. Having many best practices worked into its fundamentals, Dynamicweb Swift scores very high on design, performance, mobile, SEO and accessibility resulting in a website that scores a perfect 4x100 on Googles Lighthouse test - that drives conversions and reduces time to market and risk shares Nicolai Pedersen, CTO at Dynamicweb. In addition, Dynamicweb Swift is built on the most recent web technologies ensuring support, compatibility and extendibility for years to come. With Dynamicweb Swift built on the Dynamicweb eCommerce Suite it gives you all the power that comes with the all-in-one platform that combines eCommerce, CMS, Marketing and PIM. Making it a one-stop-show for eCommerce success. Dynamicweb Swift will continuously expand with standard ready-to-launch features and functionalities that changing markets require. About Dynamicweb Dynamicweb offers a cloud-based eCommerce Suite. It enables customers to deliver better digital customer experiences and to scale ecommerce success through our Content Management, Digital Marketing, Ecommerce, and Product Information Management solutions. Dynamicwebs 300+ partners, 150+ employees in offices all around the globe are proud to support well over 4.000 brands, which includes leading brands like Lego Wear, Vredestein, Unilever, Winnebago, LOreal, Flying Tiger, Toyota, Europcar, and Skanska. Built on Dynamicweb, these customers are empowered to gain lifelong customer relations, increase revenue and grow their brands. Learn more at Dynamicweb.com. As we enter this next phase, were excited to truly be able to help merchants by removing some of the worry and frustration involved with potential delivery problems. Our main objective is to help our merchants, and we will always take a 'merchant first' approach. Corso, a new e-commerce platform designed to help merchants and consumers protect against lost, stolen or damaged shipments and simultaneously reduce their carbon footprint, announced today the raising of $1 million in pre-seed funding. Two primary missions of Corsoco-headquartered in San Clemente, California, and St. George, Utahare offsetting the carbon footprint of customers and providing hassle-free, guaranteed product deliveries. Currently available for merchants to download on the Shopify App Store, customers can purchase Corsos Green Shipping Protection service at checkout, for about 2% of their total order, assuring their delivery arrives and offsetting 100% of the carbon associated with last-mile shipping. The $1 million pre-seed funding was invested by Darin Moon, cofounder and president of Redox, one of the leading agricultural companies in the nation. Redox is based out of Burley, Idaho. The funding will be used to help Corso hire, go to market and scale its business. Another overriding mission of the company is to lessen the burden on e-commerce merchants by handling issues associated with carrier mishandling and porch pirates. In the case of a stolen or lost package, Corso acts as an extension of the merchants support team to help resolve the issue at no additional charge. As we enter this next phase, were excited to truly be able to help merchants by removing some of the worry and frustration involved with potential delivery problems, said Nathan Usher, Corso cofounder and CEO. We will definitely be making their lives easier from an operational standpoint. Our main objective is to help our merchants, and we will always take a merchant first approach. From lost or damaged shipments to porch pirates, there are many things that can go wrong with deliveries. Corso makes those worries disappear. When it comes to shipping protection, Corso will be a strong offering for merchants, said Paul Bartholomew, cofounder. If any problems occur with a delivery, the Corso concierge will provide support and find a resolution in the form of a new item or refund as soon as possible. This is huge for merchants who are short-staffed during holidays. It also greatly helps the consumer to get the items they originally ordered without having to deal with a carrier claim. Corso calculates customers carbon footprint based on the last mile of delivery and the cost to offset it at checkout. Customers can opt in to have 100% of carbon emissions associated with the order offset. Corso has partnered with nonprofit Cool Effect, one of the largest carbon offset companies in the United States, to receive the sustainability funds allocated by the transaction. We have a shared focus in wanting to be at the forefront on issues pertaining to our impact on the environment, advances in sustainability and farming, Moon said, explaining his $1 million investment. Carbon offsets are important to our industry and future. Prior to co-founding Corso, Usher and Bartholomew worked together at DealerSocket. Usher held various roles at DealerSocket, from leading the product team and developing multiple product verticals to strategic partnerships and eventually becoming the vice president of operations. Before starting Corso, Usher was the executive vice president at American Logistics. In addition to his time at DealerSocket, Bartholomew has held various growth positions at Podium and Alleva. He has an extensive e-commerce background, helping scale e-commerce brands to successful exits. Bartholomew started his career working in third-party logistics and helping small- to mid-sized brands take on an omnichannel approach, integrating their products to the likes of Rakuten, Amazon, Shopify and Overstock. We're excited about the opportunity to help merchants when it comes to last-mile delivery issues, said Usher, and help customers and consumers to be more sustainably minded by offsetting 100% of their carbon at checkout. For more information on the Corso app, visit apps.shopify.com/green-shipping-protection. ABOUT CORSO Co-headquartered in San Clemente, California, and St. George, Utah, Corso is an ever-developing suite of merchant services designed to replace hassle and frustration with confidence and care. At its core, Corso is about understanding the human experience and taking care of people through intentional interactions throughout the e-commerce journey. To learn more, visit corso.com. Experience Columbus launches its Live Forward. Gift Forward. holiday campaign with a gift guide, experience packages and a hosting guide. Experience Columbus is encouraging residents and visitors to make the holidays more meaningful this year as they gather with their families, friends and loved ones again. Today, the destination marketing organization launches its Live Forward. Gift Forward. holiday campaign with a gift guide, experience packages and a hosting guide that will enable these long-awaited holiday reunions to focus on what matters most the moments together. Experience Columbus is excited to help residents and visitors Live Forward and Gift Forward this holiday season with meaningful experiences and one-of-a-kind gifts that express more thoughtfulness and togetherness, said Sarah Townes, chief marketing and innovation officer for Experience Columbus. Every business featured in our campaign is locally owned or operated, allowing us to keep more money and thousands of jobs in our community, making it strongerand helping us all be better stewards of the environment by using less packaging and transportation, too. With the national supply and demand shortage, this holiday season is the perfect opportunity to explore local and shop right in our backyard. 2021 Columbus Gift Guide Back again this year, the 2021 Columbus Gift Guide is the best partner for gifting local and supporting small businesses in Columbus this holiday season. Gift givers will find an amazing selection of curated items for family, friends, teachers, and those hard-to-shop-for partnersand can filter gifts by categories such as the foodie, fashionista, or the sports-lover. The easy-to-navigate guide features unique finds across Columbus including which businesses offer shipping and drive-up options. It even includes specially picked items from some of your favorite local influencers. Plus, the online chatbot at experiencecolumbus.com is your holiday gift assistant this year just click the speech bubble icon on the right of the window and tell it what, or who, you are shopping for to receive recommendations. To learn more, visit http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/giftguide. Gift Experiences with Travel Packages and Tours With many people eyeing experiences over things this year and looking forward to connecting in-person with friends and family, Experience Columbus developed an easy way for people to cross off their lists by gifting curated travel packages and experiential tours. Options include build-your-own experiences, with everything from museum tickets to themed walking and food tours; value-added hotel bookings, including attraction tickets or Lyft credits; and even access to free experiential tours showcasing the best coffee shops, bike trails and more. To learn more and to book experiences, visit http://www.experiencecolumbus.com/holidays. NEW Holiday Hosting Guide In the coming weeks, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Experience Columbus will release their Holiday Hosting Guide, designed to help residents host their families and friends and experience the best holiday spots in each unique neighborhood across the Columbus region. This interactive map will allow residents and their visitors to explore their neighborhoods like never before. From the best holiday lights to local eats, and shopping and other cant miss experiences the hosting guide has recommendations for it all. Watch for the guide on Experience Columbus Facebook, Instagram and Twitter coming soon. To learn more about the Live Forward. Gift Forward. holiday campaign and gift guide and to book experiences, visit experiencecolumbus.com/holidays, subscribe to our Alexa Flash Briefing or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. To share stories of Live Forward and the Columbus holiday season in action, post on social media using #HolidaysInCbus, #GiftForwardCbus or email community@experiencecolumbus.com. ### Columbus is a city unlike any other. Vibrant and alive, Ohios capital is known for its open attitude, smart style and entrepreneurial spirit. Columbus' blend of neighborhoods; dynamic nightlife; noteworthy music scene; arts and culinary experiences; events; attractions; and accommodations are all made unforgettable by the diversity of its outgoing locals who eagerly await warmly welcoming visitors. Free travel guides, maps, online booking and detailed information are available at http://www.ExperienceColumbus.com. Visitor information is also available on Facebook: facebook.com/ExperienceColumbus, Twitter: @ExpCols and Instagram: @experiencecolumbus. Media Contact: Lexi Sweet, Sr. Manager, Public Relations, Experience Columbus lsweet@experiencecolumbus.com, 614-507-9517 ec@fahlgren.com Premier Pain Center NJ Top Docs has reviewed and approved Dr. Kulbir Walia, Dr. Sean Li, Dr. John Mak, and Dr. Jolly Ombao of Premier Pain Centers of NJ for 2021. At Premier Pain Center, their goal is to provide patients with the most advanced diagnostic procedures and non-surgical treatments available for acute and chronic pain relief. Kulbir Singh Walia, M.D. sees patients in the Freehold, NJ office of Premier Pain Centers, which recently joined forces with National Spine & Pain Centers, one of the nations largest pain management practices. He specializes in interventional pain management and strives to develop treatment plans that blend measures such as physical therapy and conservative medication management with minimally invasive procedures, when necessary. John Mak, M.D. employs a multi-disciplinary approach to pain management by utilizing a full complement of tools including physical therapy, medications, ultrasound guided injections and advanced interventional procedures to treat pain. Sean Li, M.D. specializes in interventional pain management. His clinical interest is in neuromodulation therapy such as spinal cord stimulation, high-frequency stimulation, dorsal root ganglion stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation. Jolly L. Ombao, MD specializes in interventional pain medicine and uses a comprehensive approach to pain management. He became interested in the field of interventional pain management because he values developing long term patient relationships and seeing progress in his patients. To learn more about these NJ Top Docs, please visit: https://njtopdocs.com/nj-doctors/premierpaincenter/ --- About Us NJ Top Docs is a comprehensive, trusted and exclusive healthcare resource featuring reviewed and approved Top Doctors and Dentists in New Jersey online in an easy to use format. NJ Top Docs only reviews and approves providers based on merit after they have been extensively vetted. NJ Top Docs is a division of USA Top Docs which allows patients to meet providers online before making their appointment. For more information, please click here to contact us or visit http://www.NJTopDocs.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram. The GHX community has long anticipated the return to an in-person Summit and with it, the opportunity to reflect on the watershed events of the last few years and how theyre shaping new approaches to simplifying healthcare to improve outcomes for patients." Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX) announced it has opened early registration for its 22nd annual GHX Summit. After being held virtually for the past two years, the 2022 GHX Summit will resume as an in-person event, taking place this year at The Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood, Florida, May 9 - May 12, 2022. Attendees can save $300 on each early registration through February 4, 2022. GHX Summit is an immersive, three-day event that offers information, education, expertise and networking opportunities for hundreds of participants across the industry providers, suppliers, distributors and GPOs representing all levels of the organization. During the event, GHX will debut Summit Central, a common area for attendees to gather and collaborate with business partners from across the healthcare continuum. Summit Central will feature hands-on, interactive experiences, a dedicated networking area, Summit Central Talks and the GHX Store. The GHX community has long anticipated the return to an in-person Summit and with it, the opportunity to reflect on the watershed events of the last few years and how theyre shaping new approaches to simplifying healthcare to improve outcomes for patients, said Bruce Johnson, president and CEO, GHX. Duncan Wardle, former Vice President of Innovation & Creativity at The Walt Disney Company, will deliver the keynote address at the 2022 GHX Summit. His presentation Embedding Innovation into Everyone's DNA empowers organizations to redefine how they think about problems and solutions and gives leaders the tools they need to eradicate the status quo. In addition, the company will open nominations on November 15 for its annual GHXcellence Awards program. Each year, the GHXcellence Awards celebrate the top performing and most forward-thinking organizations and individuals in the healthcare industry. This year, GHX has added three new awards to honor those elevating the clinically integrated supply chain, excelling in safety and security and demonstrating keen financial agility. The nomination period will remain open through January 31, 2022. Winners will be announced and recognized at an awards celebration during the GHX Summit. Complete award criteria including the nomination form and information about the judging committee can be found on the GHX website beginning November 15. To learn more about the 2022 GHX Summit and reserve your spot, visit the GHX Summit portal here. About GHX Building on decades of collaboration among providers, manufacturers, distributors and other industry stakeholders, Global Healthcare Exchange, LLC (GHX) is leading the charge in helping organizations run the new business of healthcare. By automating key business processes and translating evidence-based analytics and data into meaningful action, GHX is helping the healthcare ecosystem to move faster, operate more intelligently and achieve greater outcomes. With the support of GHX, healthcare organizations have removed billions of dollars of wasteful healthcare spend. For more information on GHXs suite of world-class, cloud-based supply chain solutions, visit http://www.ghx.com and The Healthcare Hub. GHX has also launched a COVID-19 Information Center that provides a wealth of free resources and access to data and information needed to help serve patients and protect staff during the pandemic. My Dialysis Journey: a thoughtful arrangement of inspiring writings. My Dialysis Journey is the creation of published author Gina Novak, a loving wife and mother who works full-time as a nurse practitioner in Maryland. Novak shares, Personal and professional firsthand experiences of life on hemodialysis are depicted in this weekly devotional. The reader is provided with helpful and informative education as they journey through the many challenges associated with chronic kidney disease. It serves as an insightful companion to a life on hemodialysis. It brings a spirit of healing through scripture, prayer, and journaling. A must-read for every dialysis patient! It covers everything. Reading this book can make life easier and the hemodialysis experience much more successful for patients. Ronald Farmer, Fresenius Kidney Care, In-center Dialysis patient Rich in information and insight and complemented with encouragement and inspiration. A wonderful companion for any hemodialysis patient or their loved ones. Dorene Holcombe, CRNP, Department of Nephrology-Johns Hopkins University This book embodies compassion and empowerment for the dialysis patient. Going through the journey of dialysis can be scary and trying at times, but this book illustrates that you are not alone. The organization of this book allows you to hear other patient experiences, reflect through journal entries, get accurate information, and rely on your faith to help you through the process of dialysis. Whether you are Christian or not, this book will be an asset to helping you understand the experience you have faced or will be facing in the future. Daphne H. Knicely, MD, MEHP, FASN, Assistant Professor of Medicine-Johns Hopkins University Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Gina Novaks new book is a testament to the authors consistent, determined care for patients suffering from kidney disease. Novaks decades of experience and compassionate care style are apparent within the thoughtful, inspiring offerings found within this caring work. Consumers can purchase My Dialysis Journey at traditional brick & mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble. For additional information or inquiries about My Dialysis Journey, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919. Goose Insurance Services, an innovative insurance technology company that is making it easier and faster for consumers to get the coverage they need through a self-serve mobile app, announced a partnership with AIG Insurance Company of Canada (AIG Canada) to provide new protections for Canadas growing gig economy. The pandemic has caused significant growth of freelance work. A 2021 report from Payments Canada found that more than one in 10 Canadian adults are gig workers and more than one in three businesses employ gig workers. The new insurance offerings, now available on the Goose app via the App Store or Google Play, include Income Protection and Hospital Cash policies. The growing gig economy is representative of Canadians desire to have more flexibility in their schedules and control of their lives. People do not want to be tied down to a desk job. While they want to provide for themselves and their families, they also want the freedom to take time off for pursuits beyond work. Having access to easy to understand, affordable, and customizable insurance plans provides gig workers, self-employed, and small business owners the flexibility to secure the protection they need, said Goose CEO and Co-Founder Dejan Mirkovic. Gig employment lends more freedom with schedules and other flexibility, but these benefits come at a cost. As gig workers are often classified as self-employed or independent contractors instead of employees, they do not receive protections afforded to employees under Canadian labour statutes, including employment insurance. The growth of the gig economy in Canada has generated a need for insurance solutions that fill gaps in coverage provided to this community of workers, said Shawn Austin, Head of Accident & Health, U.S. and Canada at AIG. The pandemic has highlighted the need to ensure all workers have access to coverage that will protect them if they are injured and cannot work, or if they need to forgo work to take care of family members. We are extremely excited to be partnering with Goose to offer our products through the Goose Insurance Super-App. Canadians can now purchase AIG Canadas products in less than 60 seconds. Austin, added. To learn more about the Income Protection, Hospital Cash, and other insurance options available through the Goose app, visit: http://www.gooseinsurance.com. About Goose Established in 2018, Goose takes the confusing parts out of buying personal insurance in Canada and the United States. Goose makes it easier for consumers to get the right coverage; and it all happens in seconds, completely self-serve, from a single mobile app. For more information about Goose, or to download the app, visit http://www.gooseinsurance.com. Solar Panels on Singiriane Dispensary "In rural areas, you could have somebody who has a solar system with excess electricity that could benefit somebody else, providing versatile access to energy without a large capital cost upfront," Wangari Muchiri Innovation Lead, Voices for Climate Action at Hivos. BitHub Africa has successfully tested a Distributed Energy System built on the Bitcoin Lightning Network (BLN) and Whive Protocol in a small Maasai village in Kenya. It is called the Melanin Smart Box (MSBX). Singiriane, an outlying village deep in Maasai-land in the Great Rift Valley now has access to electricity via solar, which they will share in the form of digital tokens. Not only that, they have the opportunity to participate in the often nebulous world energy market and build an entire distributed ecosystem of solar energy crowd-grids. The Maasai are a global cultural icon, and now, technology pioneers. These efforts were made possible in partnership with the County Government of Kajiado and Impact Venture Fund Hivos East Africa, allowing for the installation of the initial pilot phase at a local dispensary, school, church and households within the village. The community has applauded the project, which they say is proving to be highly valuable to them. "There was no proper lighting in many local institutions at the village coupled with insecurity at night. Since we got Melanin Solar, we have made savings on costs that would go towards purchasing petrol," Village Elder, Singiraine village. Melanin Solar, one of the forerunner projects by BitHub Africa and the first of its kind in Africa uses blockchain technology, leveraging both the Bitcoin Lightning Network (BLN) and the Whive Protocol. As a result, communities can share energy amongst themselves over the BLN as well as store excess energy in the form of Whive digital tokens. This deployment of the first prototype of Melanin Solar, follows five years of research and development by BitHub Africa at its research lab in Nairobi. The BLN is a second layer network built on Bitcoin's blockchain that enables transactions to be automated by the MSBX in real-time, while decreasing the costs associated with using Bitcoin's layer 1 blockchain. The Whive blockchain protocol launched on 02/02/2020 is a peer-to-peer (p2p) blockchain protocol that is incentivizing the building of sustainable energy solutions through trustless rewards enabling users to convert excess solar energy into blockchain-based digital tokens, a process known as digital energy storage. As a green-first blockchain protocol, one of Whive's outstanding features is CPU mining; optimized to accelerate solar mining adoption. The protocol can also be used for other Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) projects, particularly in wind and mini-hydro projects in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined by the United Nations. The Whive utility token has since been exposed to market conditions after its listing on the SWFT Exchange in Singapore and UK based Dex-Trade exchange. BitHub Africa, was also instrumental in the development of the Whive Protocol as one of the main contributors together with US based Ujengo Lab LLC. Save for digital energy storage, the distributed energy project, presents an array of other benefits to the community, which includes the ability to share energy between themselves in a peer-to-peer(p2p) marketplace using blockchain technology. In a recent interview, BitHub Africa's co-founder and Project Lead John Wainaina Karanja asserted that the project has the benefit of turning consumers of solar energy who rely on loans to acquire solar home systems to become prosumers, who produce, consume, store, and share excess energy with members of their community in a scalable manner. Spurred by a sense of urgency towards decarbonization efforts for the sake of the planet, the use of open-source, decentralized technology can expedite progress, creating transformational levels of innovation and transparency. Blockchain has the ability to accelerate a shared vision and provide market-led solutions in relation to decarbonization. It is a community effort to ensure that the industry does not further aggravate the onslaught of climate change. The successful year-long pilot affirms that the realization of clean energy solutions using blockchain technology not only for communities living in outlying regions but also for residents in urban areas is "not unattainable." BitHub Africa via Melanin Solar, thus aims to boost this adoption as it taps into the $2 trillion African market for p2p solar energy powered by blockchain. Glimpsing into a future already unfolding, the pilot sets the stage for Africa to be at the forefront of global energy innovation and climate action fueled by the potency of technology to enact change, a welcome prospect in this small pocket of the earth that is Singiraine village, where lies a rising hope of a brighter future in the sun. Our partnership with CompTIA is vital in this current climate, and we are incredibly grateful to have earned such a pivotal partner. Kingsland University, a leading organization that provides social impact through education, today announced that it has secured a strategic partnership with the largest Information Technology association in the world, The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). In this significant partnership, Kingsland University and CompTIA will together dedicate substantial resources towards re-careering individuals in poverty and permitting them access to more than 750,000 current job openings in Cybersecurity. In addition, the two organizations will be offering joint programs. With dramatic shifts in the job market, due to the pandemic and the nations current cybersecurity skills crisis, re-careering (an individual making a complete career change later in their life) has never been more crucial, explains John Souza, Chief Executive Officer at Kingsland University. Our partnership with CompTIA is vital in this current climate, and we are incredibly grateful to have earned such a pivotal partner. The need for cybersecurity skills has never been greater, and leading organizations, including Microsoft, Google and IBM have pledged towards multi-billion-dollar cyber expansion efforts. As stated by Microsoft in a recent press release: The last year has brought unrelenting headlines about cybersecurity attacks. Foreign governments have tampered with the software supply chain, targeted on-premise servers, and hacked into sensitive government files. Criminal ransomware groups have attacked schools, penetrated hospitals and shut down a critical national pipeline. As we documented in the recent Microsoft Digital Defense Report, these attacks are growing and becoming more sophisticated. Weve entered a new international era that falls short of war, but with constant foreign cybersecurity attacks that threaten not only our businesses, but our students, healthcare and daily lives. Currently, there are more than 750,000 open cybersecurity jobs in the U.S., and the numbers are growing rapidly. The vast majority of these open jobs dont require a four-year college degree, but rather an industry-recognized certificate or an associate degree from a community college. Kingsland University and CompTIA together will employ their vast employer partners, pledges for diversity and internship programs to fill these significant cybersecurity gaps with individuals in need and below the poverty line. To learn more about Kingsland University and the organization's training opportunities for disruptive technologies, please visit https://kingslanduniversity.com/. About Kingsland University Founded in 2009 and based in Atlanta, Kingsland University is a leading organization that provides social impact through education and addresses the generational crisis in the industry with a new type of education model. The accredited institution provides individuals with access to training opportunities, career exploration and preparation, development, apprenticeships, and more for the most in-demand and highest paying jobs within emerging technologies such as software engineering, blockchain development. As an award-winning EdTech provider, Kingsland University has successfully delivered global education programs to some of the world's most respected companies, universities, government agencies, and not-for profits, amassing over 175,000 students worldwide. To learn more, visit https://kingslanduniversity.com/. About CompTIA The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) is a leading voice and advocate for the $5 trillion global information technology ecosystem; and the estimated 75 million industry and tech professionals who design, implement, manage, and safeguard the technology that powers the worlds economy. Through education, training, certifications, advocacy, philanthropy, and market research, CompTIA is the hub for advancing the tech industry and its workforce. Visit https://www.comptia.org/. Heliox, a market leader in fast, electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, today announces that Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) has selected Helioxs 180kW chargers to support the Citys first electric bus fleet. Ten of the 12 have arrived to-date, the rest are due before the end of the year. An additional 6 vehicles are expected to arrive next year, bringing the total to 18. Helioxs charging technology will be critical to the success of KATs role in reducing the Citys reliance on carbon and diesel and helping to make Knoxville cleaner and more sustainable, said Isaac Thorne, Director of Transit. Heliox has proven to be a great partner, helping to ensure that our buses are powered and that our community can get to where they need to go. Knoxville Area Transit is using Helioxs Flex 180 kW chargers to charge this new fleet. Designed for high-powered depots and overnight charging across multiple vehicles, Flex Charge will enable KAT to charge up to 3 buses (currently being used by KAT for two at a time), in parallel, per charger. The approach provides better value for transit operators by allowing them to design a charging infrastructure and expand it over time, as the fleet grows. Helioxs 180kW Flex charger also allows for charging decisions to be made on a bus's route demand and daily run schedule, and provides the most charge to the buses with the longest routes. Up-front costs are one of the biggest challenges for cities who want to make the transition from diesel buses to electric, said David Aspinwall, President, Heliox North America. With Flex Charge, Knoxville Area Transit has the flexibility to lower initial costs and scale their energy needs as they add new buses, cutting the friction related to making the vital switch. E-buses using Helioxs 180kW Flex Charger can run up to 12-14 hours in city transit with a full charge. The Flex Charge 180kW can serve any bus interface from pantograph to plug or a mix of the two. Heliox will be working closely with New Flyer of America Inc. whose buses have been selected by KAT, which delivers around 3 million passenger trips per year. Knoxville is the third largest city in Tennessee and is among the ten fastest growing cities in America. ### About Heliox Heliox provides world class smart energy management solutions that are tailored and scalable within a fast changing e-mobility landscape. We are working towards a sustainable world where a seamless charging experience is the standard for every electric vehicle, and this transforms the way we power our everyday. Founded in 2009, Heliox is the market leader in fast charging systems within public transport, e-trucks, marine, mining and port equipment. In 2017, the company installed one of Europes first and largest rapid charging networks for the e-bus fleet in Eindhoven, The Netherlands; and over the past two years, has created model city energy ecosystems around the world in Den Bosch, Netherlands, Glasgow, Scotland, Knoxville Area Transit, and Montgomery County, Maryland (USA). Operating globally, the company is headquartered in the Netherlands with local presence in Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom, Spain and the United States. Visit us on: https://www.heliox-energy.com. The book stresses how lucky my generation was in coming to maturity at a time of wide-open opportunity hence the importance of providing a similar environment for generations to come. Lucky Jerry: The Life of a Political Economist (published by Archway Publishing) is the memoir of author Benjamin Jerry Cohen, a modestly successful academic, told with panache, verve, and even a touch of whimsy. Cohen describes how as a first-generation offspring of penniless immigrants, a mischievous student and chubby teenager, he eventually attained an Ivy League education and won several prestigious university appointments while writing 16 books relating to his scholarly specialty, international political economy. As he leads readers through his experiences, Cohen also details his global travels to lecture or conduct research in more than four dozen countries and his long plunge into the world of dog shows where he entered the ring with a succession of Briards, a variety of French sheep dog. Included is a ghost-written memoir by one of his dogs about the three years they shared together in Paris, France. The book stresses how lucky my generation was in coming to maturity at a time of wide-open opportunity hence the importance of providing a similar environment for generations to come, Cohen says. Lucky Jerry is available for purchase online at the Archway link above, from Barnes & Noble and on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Lucky-Jerry-Life-Political-Economist/dp/1665711604. Lucky Jerry By Benjamin Jerry Cohen Hardcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 212 pages | ISBN 9781665711586 Softcover | 5.5 x 8.5 in | 212 pages | ISBN 9781665711609 E-Book | 212 pages | ISBN 9781665711593 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Benjamin Jerry Cohen is a lifelong academic who may not be widely known beyond his corner of the scholarly world. Though trained in economics, the dismal science, he has an unflagging sense of humor. Cohen is now retired. Lucky Jerry is his first non-academic book. Simon & Schuster, a company with nearly ninety years of publishing experience, has teamed up with Author Solutions, LLC, the worldwide leader in self-publishing, to create Archway Publishing. With unique resources to support books of all kind, Archway Publishing offers a specialized approach to help every author reach his or her desired audience. For more information, visit archwaypublishing.com or call 844-669-3957. Amid the ups-and-downs caused by the pandemic, wed be remiss not to shine a light on the resiliency and perseverance that childrens hospitals and their staff have achieved this past year, said Teri Nestel, President and CEO of Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals. Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, a leading nonprofit aimed to protect kids health with a network of 170 childrens hospitals, honored community leaders at its annual conference held virtually last week. These awards honor the nonprofits network luminaries for their admirable leadership despite many hardships healthcare professionals faced throughout the past 20 months. Amid the ups-and-downs caused by the pandemic, wed be remiss not to shine a light on the resiliency and perseverance that childrens hospitals and their staff have achieved this past year, said Teri Nestel, President and CEO of Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals. Were incredibly proud that these individuals and hospitals are part of our network and work together to ensure all kids grow up stronger, healthier and ready for tomorrow. The 2021 Chief Development Officer of the Year Award is new to the network this year and was awarded to Grant Harris with Cook Childrens Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Harris is known to foster valuable relationships with corporate partners and tirelessly look for future opportunities to maximize impact for kids served. He takes pride in connecting passionate donors to the needs of local families and seeing that generosity at work. The 2021 Program Director of the Year award was awarded to Colette Forcier with Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu. This award is presented by McLane and recognizes those who exhibit selfless and heartfelt service, commitment and dedication. Its representative of the organizations belief that kids come first. Despite the challenges her hospital faced due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Forcier has become an invaluable resource to CMN Hospitals peers and community leaders alike for her steadfast motivation and dedication to the cause. The 2021 Hospital Foundation of the Year Award has been awarded to two extraordinary hospitals: Seattle Childrens Hospital and Childrens Health in Dallas. Grown from humble beginnings in 1988, when fundraising totaled just $23,000 to a record-breaking year reaching over $7 Million, the small but mighty team at Seattle Childrens Hospital brings over 35 years of combined experience to their work each day. After decades of operating with only one dedicated staff member to Childrens Miracle Network Hospital, Childrens Health has invested and grown the CMN Hospitals team within the foundation to eight full-time employees in just under four years. This team is positive and engaged while working cohesively with their counterparts at Cook Childrens Medical Center in Ft. Worth, Texas, to maintain growth and promotion of all CMN Hospitals partnerships and programs in the greater Dallas, Fort Worth and North Texas region. About Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals: Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds for 170 childrens hospitals that support the health of 10 million kids each year across the U.S. and Canada. Donations go to local hospitals to fund critical life-saving treatments and healthcare services, along with innovative research, vital pediatric medical equipment, child life services that put kids and families minds at ease during difficult hospital stays and financial assistance for families who could not otherwise afford these health services. When we improve the health of all children and allow them the opportunity to reach their full potential, we also improve our communities for years to come. Together, we can change kids health. Together, we can change the future. To learn about Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals and your local childrens hospital, visit cmnhospitals.org. With Mantium, we are making it possible not only for anyone to use large language models and AI to build something, but you can get to prototype faster, share it with your community, all while maintaining the most stringent safety and security measures," says Ryan Sevey, CEO/Co-Founder of Mantium. Mantium launched today with the GA beta release of its cloud platform for building with large language models and managing them at scale. With todays news, Mantium is setting a new standard for the accessibility of AI. As of launch, the platform powers innovative applications built with the worlds leading AI providers including OpenAI, EleutherAI, AI21 and Cohere with more, such as Hugging Face, expected to be added soon. Mantium also announced today their $12.75M seed funding co-led by Drive Capital and Top Harvest. Mantium is one of those companies where you get excited by the possibilities that the technology enables, said Adam Ghobargh, founder of Top Harvest Capital and former longtime executive at Google and Google Ventures, and youre equally excited by the team behind the tech. Mantium is not only making AI easier to build with. Theyre also making sure the future of AI has the appropriate safeguards. With todays news, Mantium is making an exciting debut in an important market. Regardless of the users development experience, Mantium makes it easy to publish live prototype applications with the click of two buttons. Built-in logging and automated filtering means users can stay compliant with safety and security requirements. The launch of the platform comes at a time when AI is not only a priority in business, but is top of mind for everyday consumers. With todays launch, the Mantium Platform moves beyond beta to general availability and provides users with an out-of-the-box solution for getting started with AI. Mantiums comprehensive documentation and API integrations with compatible platforms means users can mix and match capabilities with ease all without needing to be an expert in each platform. Mantium makes it easy to start building with AI. Until now, knowledge in data science and subject matter expertise has limited peoples ability to build with AI. There is massive potential for innovation with AI, but we need to make it easier and faster for developers and creatives to get to deployment, says Ryan Sevey, CEO and Co-Founder of Mantium. With Mantium, we are making it possible not only for anyone to use large language models and AI to build something, but you can get to prototype faster, share it with your community, all while maintaining the most stringent safety and security measures. Were going to see the next wave of technological breakthroughs come from artists and creatives who, with the power of Mantium, can now play and build with AI. The use cases for AI are myriad, ranging from generating new music by parsing terabytes of data from millions of songs to producing actionable insights for businesses across a variety of industries. AI can be deployed to extract information from patient medical records, classify intent for retail call centers and banks, generate synthetic data, and more. Mantium is exciting because of its potential to make AI more accessible and help deliver on its biggest promises, said Andy Jenks, Partner, Drive Capital. The technology was certainly impressive, but it was the team that really sold us on Mantium and their vision for the future. Next generation AI will not only improve and optimize customer experiences, but more importantly solve some of the worlds most critical issues. Mantium was founded to make it easier for software developers to use large language models by providing a platform that is easy to use and offers features such as logging, human in the loop, prompt management, and basic security rules. The company emphasized the importance of its approach to safety and security, and the role of third-party developers in keeping the large language model ecosystem, as well as the broader AI space, on the right track. At Mantium, its our job as a collective to make sure AI advancements benefit humanity as a whole, said Ryan Sevey. A robust third-party ecosystem will help ensure, as Mantium does in our platform, compliance with the rapidly changing security protocols for the countless large language models coming to market in the near future . From AI enthusiasts pushing the boundaries of whats possible, to software engineers eager to quicken the pace of new development, Mantium has not just lowered the barriertheyve all but eliminated it. From proof of concept to production, Mantium ensures users spend more time on their model, not its management. Start building with AI at mantiumai.com About Mantium Mantium is a cloud platform for deploying large language models and managing them at scale. We power innovative applications built with OpenAI, Eleuther, AI21, Hugging Face and Cohere. Absolutely anyone can use Mantium. We make it possible to publish a live prototype with the click of literally 2 buttons. Whether you know how to program or not, go-live requirements are tedious at best. We make it easy to share what youve built with friends, colleagues, and the general public. From POC to production, Mantium ensures you spend more time on your model, not its management. Mantium is a fast-growing team of entrepreneurs and technologists passionate about democratizing AI safely and responsibly. Were proudly headquartered in the U.S., with colleagues spread around the world, from South America to Sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. The capabilities of Plataines solutions add significant value, providing the optimal answer to the needs of manufacturing companies for business and operational flexibility. Matrix recently signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Plataine, which provides AI (artificial intelligence) and IoT (Internet of Things) based Digital Assistants for manufacturing. The activity will be led in Israel by the AVIV AMCG consulting and management group of Matrix in collaboration with Matrix Defense's technology professionals. As part of the new representation, Matrix and AVIV AMCG will provide consulting, customization and integration services in a comprehensive package of technology and business consulting under one roof. Plataine offers Intelligent Automation and Optimization software solutions for advanced manufacturing that enable optimization of a variety of processes on the production floor. The company's solution consists of several modules (Digital Assistants) that allow, among other things, to automatically generate and track optimal production schedules, optimize raw material and parts inventory, maintain full traceability and perform simulations for various possible scenarios on the production floor. These capabilities allow organizations that choose to work with the Plataines product to set and meet new production standards, optimize current-day production, predict long-term and mid-term processes, manage organizational investments, improve productivity, and make smarter and more efficient business decisions in real-time. Due to remarkable achievements in the field, Plataine recently won the Frost & Sullivans Global Technology Innovation Leadership Award for 2021 and Innovation Awards from other international organizations. The companies launched this cooperation in order to produce a holistic solution to both Matrix and Avivs customers, in which organizations will receive examination and analysis services, as well as organizational consultancy and professional management along with technological support, implementation and training in all areas of IT. The service is intended primarily for medium to large organizations in the manufacturing industry. Avner Ben-Bassat, President and CEO of Plataine, says, This is a collaboration between three organizations that are experts in their field, and it sends a strong message to the industry that there is a solution to the problems that many companies have not been able to deal with on the production floor. We are happy to launch this cooperation and confident that the vast experience and knowledge that the Matrix and AVIV AMCGs professionals bring, will expand the distribution of Plataine's solution in Israel, and later - also outside of it. Kobi Ben Moshe, CEO of AVIV AMCG, adds, "In the new world, business organizations are required to present higher levels of performance and meet multi-system challenges in all aspects: business models, operational flexibility and customer response. Over the years, we have sought an ideal technology solution that connects the existing world with the new world of Digital Manufacturing. The capabilities of Plataines solutions add significant value, providing the optimal answer to the needs of manufacturing companies for business and operational flexibility." Ron Barak, Director of the Artificial Intelligence Research Center at Matrix Defense, added, "This collaboration will include the research and development center that Matrix has been leading for years in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning. Together with Plataine and Aviv we can leverage these advanced capabilities creating significant value for manufacturers on their path to overcome operational challenges and capture business goals and objectives in a smoother and more efficient way." About Plataine: Plataine is the leading provider of Industrial IoT and AI-based optimization solutions for advanced manufacturing. Plataines solutions provide intelligent, connected Digital Assistants for production floor management and staff, empowering manufacturers to make optimized decisions in real-time, every time. Plataines patent-protected technologies are used by leading manufacturers worldwide, including Airbus, GE, IAI, Triumph, Alpine F1 Team, Stelia North America, Alestis, Enercon, TPI, Kaman, IFS and Ethan Allen. Plataine partners with SAP, Siemens PLM the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing, and CTC GmbH (an Airbus Company), and is also a part of the UK National Composites Centre (NCC) membership network, to advance the Factory of the Future worldwide. For this work, Plataine has received Frost & Sullivans 2021 Global Technology Innovation Leadership Award for its AI-Based Digital Assistants for Manufacturing and Innovation Awards from the JEC and CompositesUK organizations. Plataine is ISO 27001 certified for compliance with information security management requirements. For more information, visit: http://www.plataine.com About Matrix: Matrix is the leading technology services company in Israel, with 10,658 employees worldwide. Since its foundation in 2001, Matrix has made more than 80 mergers and acquisitions and has executed some of the largest IT projects in Israel. The company specializes in the implementation and development of leading technologies, software solutions and products, providing its customers with infrastructure and consulting services, IT outsourcing, offshore, training and assimilation and serves as representatives for the world's leading software vendors. With vast experience in both the private and public sectors, ranging from Finance, Telecom, Health, Hi-Tech, Education, Defense and Security, Matrix customer-base include the largest organizations in Israel and a steadily growing client base worldwide. The company stock is traded on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and its share is included in the TA-35 index in addition to Tel-Div 20, the prestigious index of the highest dividend yield companies. Rated by the top research and ranking companies for over 11 consecutive years as an industrial leader, Matrix remains true to its reputation. http://www.matrix-globalservices.com About AVIV AMCG: AVIV AMCG is a globally recognized management consultancy with over than 30 years experience. Partnering with hundreds of clients, across five continents knowledge and experience has been accumulated. The practice has grown to become a 200-strong team of diverse professionals committed to giving clients competitive advantage by providing them with the structures, tools and know-how required for business success. AVIV AMCG partners with clients to create a platform for achieving sustainable change and competitive advantage within their industry. We take pride in our ability to quickly learn and understand our clients' needs at a deep level in order to generate positive results. http://www.avivamcg.com/en/ It is more important than ever that we support our partners and customers and SC21 provides a great opportunity to do just that, Patrick McGinn, Chief Operating Officer of CoolIT Systems CoolIT Systems, the global leader in scalable liquid cooling technology for desktop and data centers, is announcing their attendance at SC21 in St. Louis, Missouri. Recently celebrating their 20th anniversary, CoolIT Systems will be contributing their decades of liquid cooling expertise and knowledge to SC21. Meeting with partners and customers at SC every year has been integral to the growth and global expansion of CoolIT Systems, who are expecting exponential growth for 2021. It is more important than ever that we support our partners and customers and SC21 provides a great opportunity to do just that, said Patrick McGinn, Chief Operating Officer of CoolIT Systems, The pandemic has been a challenge for all of us and finally being able to travel and meet at tradeshows like SC21 allows us to reconnect and continue to build trust with our partners and customers. To ensure the health and safety of our team members and other attendees, the CoolIT Systems SC21 team will follow all COVID-19 protocols required by SC21, including providing proof of vaccination and wearing masks indoors. Contact CoolIT Systems to book your meeting with the direct liquid cooling experts at SC21. ABOUT CoolIT Systems CoolIT Systems specializes in scalable liquid cooling solutions for the worlds most demanding high performance computing environments. In the desktop enthusiast market, CoolIT provides unparalleled performance for a range of gaming systems. Through its modular, rack-based Direct Liquid Cooling technology Rack DLC, CoolIT enables dramatic increases in rack densities, component performance and power efficiencies. CoolIT partners with the global leaders in OEM server design to provide the most efficient and reliable liquid cooling solutions, that provide high performance cooling for their own leading-edge products. Together, CoolIT and its partners are leading the way for widespread adoption of high-performance computing. For more information about CoolIT Systems and its technology, visit https://www.coolitsystems.com/. Our children are our future leaders, the author states. They need to be molded in such a way that allows them to feel compassion and respect for others. Seeing a need to help young ones develop and cultivate good habits compelled author Rhonda Mayfield to pen Story Time with Ms. Rhonda (published by AuthorHouse). This book is a collection of six short stories loaded with life lessons and simple morals that stimulate childrens critical thinking skills and thought processes. It combines simple storytelling, beautiful freehand graphic art and fun-loving characters that young readers will come to love. Each story addresses different topics such as inclusiveness, peer pressure, community pride, taking care of oneself, and many more. Our children are our future leaders, the author states. They need to be molded in such a way that allows them to feel compassion and respect for others. Story Time with Ms. Rhonda will also appeal to parents as it touches on issues that their kids will have to deal with at one time or another. To purchase a copy of the book, visit https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/833398-story-time-with-ms-rhonda. Story Time with Ms. Rhonda By Rhonda Mayfield Softcover | 8.5 x 11in | 44 pages | ISBN 9781665534505 E-Book | 44 pages | ISBN 9781665534512 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Rhonda Mayfield grew up in Harlem, New York, with her siblings. The streets were tough but their fifth-floor apartment was filled with pure love and kindness. You may live in a bad neighborhood but Bad doesnt have to live in you, the author says. Story Time with Ms. Rhonda is her first book. She has created audiobook which will be available in the form of a QR code on the paperback. She has also written a song titled The New Kid Song which is dedicated to children who go to new schools and have apprehension about making new friends. AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industrys only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrates over 23 years of service to authors. For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 833-262-8899. Our employees are excited to continue our PHLY80K Trees program this year after we had to postpone in-person volunteer activities in 2020 Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY) employees are used to literally getting their hands dirty while giving back to the community. More than 100 employees have physically planted trees over the last six years in rural communities impacted by natural disasters. But this year, travel and social distancing challenges brought on by the pandemic forced the Company to refocus its annual mission to plant 80,000 trees. Eighty-seven PHLY employees planted nearly 150 trees in the ground in Kansas City, Denver, and Philadelphia during September and October. The projects are part of the companys PHLY 80K Trees partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation that began in 2015. The mission is to support forests and communities in need by planting trees to help purify our air and restore the environment. Trees offer vast benefits for communities. Thriving urban forests bolster human health, from encouraging physical activity to reducing respiratory illnesses stemming from air pollution. In the United States, park trees alone remove about 75,000 tons ($500 million) of air pollution each year. And urban trees reduce runoff of sediment, pollutants, and organic matter into streams, improving our water quality. Trees have also been shown to reduce crime, lower stress levels, and develop community pride. DOWNLOAD VIDEO OR IMAGES: hi-resolution photographs, b-roll video available including SOTs taken on 10/28/2021 Video Courtesy: Arbor Day Foundation/Philadelphia Insurance Companies | Photo Courtesy: Arbor Day Foundation/Philadelphia Insurance Companies We are proud to encourage and support local efforts to plant trees. Cities and towns around the globe that line their streets and fill their parks with trees are building healthier, happier communities, said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day Foundation. The Arbor Day Foundation will lead additional projects across the U.S. to complete the 80,000 commitment from PHLY. In previous years, PHLY employees planted trees in Bastrop State Park in Texas and Daniel Boone National Forest in Mount Victory, KY. The goal to fund the planting of 80,000 trees each year is reached with the help of PHLYs independent agents, brokers, and policyholders who signed up for paperless statements. The Company uses the cost savings from each years new paperless enrollees to fund plantings the following year. Our employees are excited to continue our PHLY80K Trees program this year after we had to postpone in-person volunteer activities in 2020, shared Brian OReilly, chief marketing officer at Philadelphia Insurance Companies. Since starting this mission in 2015, weve been able to fund the planting of 480,000 trees with our partners at Arbor Day. Tens of thousands of those trees were physically planted by TEAMPHLY, which is an annual experience our employees cherish. For more information about the initiative, please go here. About Philadelphia Insurance Philadelphia Insurance Companies designs, markets, and underwrites commercial property/casualty and professional liability insurance products incorporating value added coverages and services for select industries. The Company is rated "A++" (Superior) by A.M. Best Company and "A+" for counterparty credit and financial strength by Standard & Poor's. In business for over 50 years, PHLY is nationally recognized as a member of Ward's Top 50, one of the Best Places to Work in Insurance, and one of the Healthiest 100 Workplaces in America. The organization has more than 50 offices strategically located across the United States to provide superior service. For more information, please visit http://www.PHLY.com. About Arbor Day Foundation Arbor Day Foundation is a million member nonprofit conservation and education organization with the mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information is available at arborday.org. Jim McGrann, Chairman and CEO of Healthy Eyes Advantage + PECAA, named Chair-elect of the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors. As we look towards 2022, we are highly encouraged by the immense amount of expertise and leadership that our Board of Directors brings to us, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. We enthusiastically welcome Mr. McGrann, Dr. Chan, and Ms. Oduwole to their new Board roles. Prevent Blindness, the nations oldest volunteer eye health and safety organization, has announced that Mr. Jim McGrann, Chairman and CEO of Healthy Eyes Advantage + PECAA (HEA + PECAA), has been named chair-elect of the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors. And, Dr. R.V. Paul Chan, Chair, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois College of Medicine, and Ms. Adeola Oduwole, MSc, Vice President & Chief of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, have been elected to the Board of Directors. The vote was held on Nov. 8, at the 2021 Prevent Blindness Annual Board Meeting. Additionally, Dr. Sandra Block, retired from the Illinois College of Optometry, has been elected as the Board of Directors Secretary. Dr. Susan Primo, Professor of Ophthalmology, Director of Optometry Services and Low Vision Services at Emory Eye Center, and Dr. Joshua Ehrlich, Assistant Professor, Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Michigan, Kellogg Eye Center, have been named co-chairs of the Center for Vision and Population Health at Prevent Blindness Advisory Committee. Dr. Stacy Lyons, Professor of Optometry and the Chair of Specialty and Advanced Care Department at the New England College of Optometry, will serve as Chair of the National Center for Childrens Vision and Eye Health at Prevent Blindness Advisory Committee. Jim McGrann has decades of experience in the vision industry. Prior to HEA + PECAA, he most recently served as President & CEO of VSP Global and is the former President of VSP Vision Care, Chief Technology Officer of VSP Global, President of Eyefinity and CIO of Marchon Eyewear. At HEA + PECAA, McGrann manages business strategy development, customer experience management, and information technology strategy development. He has a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from Columbia University. McGrann is a long-time volunteer at Prevent Blindness and co-chaired the groups 2021 Person of Vision Award committee, honoring Marc Ferrara of Jobson Medical Information. He will be taking over the role of Board Chair in November of 2022 from another long-time Prevent Blindness volunteer, Dr. M. Kathleen Murphy, Associate Dean, Inclusivity, Global Health & Community Engagement, University of Texas Medical Branch School of Nursing. R.V. Paul Chan, MD, MSc, MBA, FACS, is Professor and Head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, the John H. Panton, MD Professor of Ophthalmology, Director, Pediatric Retina and ROP Service at the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). He was named the recipient of the 2021 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health from Prevent Blindness for his outstanding leadership in the fields of global retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) program development, pediatric retina, retinal imaging, telemedicine and tele-education. Adeola Oduwole has more than 20 years of experience in improving diversity and inclusion efforts in various healthcare settings. At the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago, she is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction to implement and manage processes that support diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts across the hospital impacting physicians, staff, trainees, patients, families and the community. Ms. Oduwole has a masters of science degree in industrial/organizational psychology from Radford University, and a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from the University of Windsor. As we look towards 2022, we are highly encouraged by the immense amount of expertise and leadership that our Board of Directors brings to us, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. We enthusiastically welcome Mr. McGrann, Dr. Chan, and Ms. Oduwole to their new Board roles. For a full listing of members of the Prevent Blindness Board of Directors, please visit https://www.preventblindness.org/prevent-blindness-board-directors. For more information about Prevent Blindness or general eye health information, visit http://www.preventblindness.org. About Prevent Blindness Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screening and training, community and patient service programs and research. These services are made possible through the generous support of the American public. Together with a network of affiliates, Prevent Blindness is committed to eliminating preventable blindness in America. For more information, visit us at preventblindness.org, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. Mike De Haan - Cloud Solutions Consultant at RapidScale I think my ability to truly understand my partners' sales processes and needs combined with the resources and knowledge from RapidScale will be instrumental in developing a successful cloud business for my partners. RapidScale, a Cox Business company, welcomes Mike De Haan as a cloud solutions consultant for the Northeast region. Reporting to Sales Director, East Andrew Laughter, he will be responsible for enabling channel partners in the Northeast area and their ongoing growth and development in the region. De Haan has a tenured career in technology, with experience across multiple facets within the industry. He previously worked for a sizeable value-added reseller and long-term RapidScale partner. Starting as a cloud business development specialist, De Haan demonstrated a strong interest and acumen for cloud computing, and he quickly advanced to a cloud solutions specialist. His core focus was the enablement of 200 account managers and training them on the Avant communications portfolio. De Haan built an all-star team of cloud sellers, and his company was awarded the Top VAR Award (fastest-growing) and reached the Million Dollar Pinnacle Club Membership with Avant. "RapidScale's reputation for application delivery, industry-leading customer satisfaction score, and quality partner enablement are some of the reasons why my previous company chose to work with them for managed cloud services. Now, I'm excited to be sitting on the other side of the table," said De Haan. "I think my ability to truly understand my partners' sales processes and needs combined with the resources and knowledge from RapidScale will be instrumental in developing a successful cloud business for my partners." He began his technology career working at carrier companies like Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless and then moved to Comcast as an outbound business representative. He also was involved in a SaaS startup that offered digital marketing on the Google platform. "I'm excited to have a technical and experienced cloud sales expert on our team to support agents in the Northeast," said Laughter. "His background, skillsets, and ability to directly connect with agents will give him an edge in creating more long-term partner relationships in the region." About RapidScale Flexible enough for the SMB and powerful enough for the enterprise, RapidScale, a Cox Business company, is a global managed cloud services provider helping organizations increase IT productivity, improve security, and empower remote workforces. Some organizations partner with RapidScale to manage portions of their IT, while others offload it all. Through our global network of data centers and our 24/7/365 high-touch support team, we obsess over creating an exceptional IT experience through a human approach to managed cloud. For more information on RapidScale, visit http://www.rapidscale.net. Cox Communications owns Cox Business and is a facilities-based provider of voice, video, and data solutions for commercial customers. More information about Cox Communications, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises, is available at http://www.cox.com. About Cox Business The commercial division of Cox Communications, Cox Business provides voice, data, and video services for more than 355,000 small and regional businesses nationwide, including health care providers, K12 and higher education; financial institutions; and federal, state, and local government organizations. The organization also serves most of the top-tier wireless and wireline telecommunications carriers in the U.S. through its wholesale division. For more information, please visit http://www.coxbusiness.com. Media Contact Nikki Salazar nikki.salazar@rapidscale.net Rare Cannabinoid Company's new website is education focused with links to scientific studies on THCV, CBDV, CBN, CBG, CBC, Delta-8-THC, CBDA, CBN, and terpenes. People want to know what each cannabinoid does and how it can help them Rare Cannabinoid Company has launched a new website designed to help hemp and cannabis consumers learn how specific rare cannabinoids and terpenes may improve their mental and physical health. The website - rarecannabinoidco.com - offers a wealth of information and links to scientific research on THCV, CBDV, CBN, CBG, CBC, CBDA, CBD, Delta-8-THC and terpenes. People can explore the website in a variety of ways, including a new "Shop By Need" function which shows the best cannabinoids for "Sleep," "Energy and Focus," "Stress Relief," "Discomfort," "Mood Enhancers," "Appetite Suppression" and "Nausea." For those seeking even more specialized care, they can find a cannabinoid health advisor near them. "People want to know what each cannabinoid does and how it can help them," said Rare Cannabinoid Company founder and CEO Jared Dalgamouni. "We designed this site to make it easy and enjoyable to learn about these natural compounds and their unique properties," he said. "Education is so important and yet so often lacking in the cannabis and hemp space," Dalgamouni said. Rare or minor cannabinoids are compounds found in hemp, cannabis, and other plants that are believed to offer specific wellness benefits. However, unlike CBD and THC, they naturally occur in extremely small amounts. Thanks to recent advances in breeding, extraction, and technology, they can now be produced in large enough quantities to be sold on their own. Meanwhile, terpenes are oils that also produce certain effects. They are increasingly believed to be responsible for the differences in aroma and feel of different cannabis strains. Each rare cannabinoid and terpene offers very different effects. For example: THCV acts like a stimulant, increasing energy and suppressing appetite, while CBN is best for relaxation and sleep. Others have more niche uses, such as CBDA, which may ease nausea, and CBDV, which is being studied for potential benefits for people with autism spectrum disorder and muscular dystrophy. By isolating each of these cannabinoids and terpenes, Rare Cannabinoid Company encourages people to mix and match them as needed for their personalized care. We hope people will do their research, use our links to studies in the National Library of Medicine and British Journal of Pharmacology, and find out what works for them, said Dalgamouni. People can use our information and products to take control of their cannabinoid regime, creating different blends for morning, night, or depending how theyre feeling, he said. Rare Cannabinoid Company currently offers an apothecary line of high strength single extracts of rare cannabinoids - THCV, CBDV, CBN, CBG, CBC, CBDA, CBD, and Delta-8-THC, and terpene-only blends for relaxation and discomfort relief. Those products are intended to be combined with their full spectrum Rare Hawaiian CBD, or ones own favorite full or broad spectrum oil, for the entourage effect. For those who want a simpler, one-and-done oil, they offer 1:1 blends of THCV, CBG, CBN, or CBC pre-blended with full spectrum Rare Hawaiian CBD. They are also about to launch high potency cannabinoid gummies, each containing a large amount of THCV, CBN, CBG or CBD. They are intended to be a tasty way to experience the brands mix-and-match apothecary concept. Another unique feature of the website is a map and list of cannabinoid health advisors. For people with specific ailments who need more specialized care, this can be a very useful feature. The list is comprised of doctors, nurses, clinicians, and naturopathic doctors who are knowledgeable about CBD, THC, rare cannabinoids, terpenes and the brands specific products. They are independent advisors who offer appointments in office or by phone or video. The company is actively seeking to develop relationships with more cannabis/hemp advisors. Interested, qualified advisors can email info@rarecannabinoidco.com. The site also has a map of the more than 200 locations stocking its products across the United States. It also shows independent lab reports, explains how products are produced in a cGMP certified facility, and keeps its blog up-to-date with articles on the latest research into cannabinoids and products. Rare Cannabinoid Company is an American company based in Hawaii. It was established in Q1 2020 and is a pioneer in the "rare" or "minor" cannabinoid industry, offering purified tinctures and gummies of rare cannabinoid and terpenes as well as blends with full spectrum Hawaiian CBD. It is the sister brand of Hawaiian Choice, which was established in Q4 2017. Hawaiian Choice is a luxury, lifestyle brand that combines premium broad spectrum Hawaiian CBD with organic and wild crafted Hawaiian fruits, essential oils and honey in an assortment of tinctures, gummies, salves and pet products. Stores interested in stocking Rare Cannabinoid Company and/or Hawaiian Choice products can request a wholesale account at Wellness Orders. Removery launches its Heroes Campaign in time for Veterans Day We care deeply about those who have served or continue to serve in the U.S. Military, said Tom Weber, Removery CEO. We look forward to supporting them in their tattoo journeys through our Heroes Campaign. According to a study conducted at the Walter Reed Institute, 36 percent of those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces have tattoos. But many veterans returning to civilian life find that their tattoos bring back painful memories and can make it difficult to find employment. Removery, the world leader in laser tattoo removal services today launches its Heroes Campaign to help military veterans remove unwanted tattoos with a 20% discount from November 11th to November 24th. Tim Sova is a Marine Corps veteran who completed two tours in Iraq. He joined the military at the age of 17, and like many military service members before him, he started getting tattooed at 18. After returning to civilian life, Tim was diagnosed with PTSD and found that his tattoos triggered many painful memories that he wanted to move past. He also needed to remove a portion of a tattoo to enter the state trooper academy in Massachusetts, so he turned to Removery for help. Tattoos are a huge part of military culture, and veterans are among some of the most inked members of society, says Tom Weber, CEO of Removery. Sadly, many veterans like Tim Sova suffer from PTSD as a result of being in combat, and oftentimes their tattoos can reflect those painful memories. While many veterans wear their tattoos with pride, we are seeing an increasing rate of service members wanting to remove them. Removery worked with Tim to fade a tattoo on his right shoulder depicting skulls, a Maltese cross and flames. My tattoo constantly reminded me of an incredibly difficult time in my life, said Tim. Now its a more peaceful tattoo, which has definitely helped me to wash away some bad memories. Kevin Marburger is another military veteran who worked with Removery to help turn his life around. He joined the military after 9/11 and was medically retired after two combat injuries in Afghanistan. Upon returning to the United States, Kevin was seeking a place to belong and fell victim to a hate group that used his own personal pain to brainwash him into accepting their ideology. He tattooed himself with anti-Arab images that reminded him of his time in combat. After attempting suicide, Kevin completed a 12-step rehabilitation program and left the group. He deeply regretted the hateful images that remained on his body. He turned to Removery to remove those tattoos and close that dark chapter in his life. The tattoo removal market has been growing rapidly in recent years because of technological improvements and increased awareness that removal can be a safe option for many who are rethinking tattoos theyve had for years. We care deeply about those who have served or continue to serve in the U.S. Military, says Weber. We look forward to supporting them in their tattoo journeys through our Heroes Campaign. Removerys Heroes Campaign offers a 20% discount on any package purchased by military or military recruits with valid military ID or recruiters letter. The discount is also available to first responders and nurses. To learn more or sign up for a free consultation, visit http://www.removery.com. Read more about Kevins tattoo journey here, and Tims tattoo journey here. About Removery Removery is the largest specialized provider of laser tattoo removal services in the world with more than 70 locations across the U.S., Australia and Canada. Its laser specialists are highly trained in Candelas state-of-the-art PicoWay lasers. Removery is clinically driven and the only tattoo removal brand with an Advisory Board that consists of leaders in the medical, dermatology, aesthetic, plastic surgery, and laser industries. To learn more about Removery and tattoo removal, see before-and-after pictures, or schedule an in-person or virtual consultation, visit Removery.com. A recent report from the Manhattan Institute promotes Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) by presenting a scenario whereby taxpayer expense would fall if the program motivated families to move children from public schools funded by the state to private schools funded primarily by families. Bruce Baker of Rutgers University reviewed Education Savings Accounts: How ESAs Can Promote Educational Freedom for New York Families, and found it to provide little useful guidance on the broader question of whether an ESA policy is warranted or would be good policy for New York States children or taxpayers. ESAs are a form of vouchers, and the report is based on a set of assumptions concerning an ESA policy whereby the voucher would have a face value that is considerably less than the amount of taxpayer spending for a public school student. The report assumes that, even with this lower amount of spending, the ESA subsidy would work to entice families to switch from public to private schoolsrather than merely subsidize those already attending private schoolsthereby generating the taxpayer savings. Again because the ESAs would be funded at the relatively lower amount, compared to the cost of educating a child in a public school, the report estimates that even a small share of families participating in the program would reduce taxpayer expense by between $159 million and $301 million. However, Professor Baker notes that these purported benefits would amount to estimated short-run net fiscal benefits of between 0.21% and 0.39% of the states annual public school spending. The report also fails to note a large body of recent, rigorous research demonstrating that similar private school choice, or voucher, programs have had significant negative effects on student outcomes. In addition, the report overstates short-term reductions that local districts can achieve, neglects increased transition costs in the public schools, and sidesteps potential long-term harm to adequate funding for those public schools. Thus, Professor Baker concludes, while the report provides a reasonable framework and set of assumptions for establishing ESAs, it provides little or no useful guidance on the broader question of whether an ESA policy is warranted at all. Find the review, by Bruce D. Baker, at: https://nepc.colorado.edu/thinktank/esas Find Education Savings Accounts: How ESAs Can Promote Educational Freedom for New York Families, written by Martin F. Lueken and published by the Manhattan Institute, at: https://media4.manhattan-institute.org/sites/default/files/MI-Lueken-ESA-fiscal-brief-v2.pdf NEPC Reviews (http://thinktankreview.org) provide the public, policymakers, and the press with timely, academically sound reviews of selected publications. NEPC Reviews are made possible in part by support provided by the Great Lakes Center for Education Research and Practice: http://www.greatlakescenter.org The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), a university research center housed at the University of Colorado Boulder School of Education, produces and disseminates high-quality, peer-reviewed research to inform education policy discussions. Visit us at: https://nepc.colorado.edu ShipStation, the worlds leading web-based e-commerce shipping solution, announced today that it is deepening its integration with Google with new features. The next phase of the partnership includes Google Shipping Service integration, which enables sellers to easily enhance their product listings with accurate estimated shipping speeds by linking their ShipStation account to Google. The deepened partnership also allows sellers to process returns directly in the Google Merchant center. ShipStation recognizes the critical role shipping speeds and returns processes play in consumers purchase decisions and sellers bottom lines. In fact, ShipStations proprietary research, 2021 Global Pulse, found that 87% of US consumers want full visibility into expected shipping timelines before making any online purchases, and the majority expect an easy returns process. As a part of ShipStations core offering, the new shipping service integration uses order tracking data and machine learning to show the most accurate estimated shipping speeds to consumers, giving them added confidence to make a well-informed purchase decision. While shopping across Google surfaces, consumers will be able to see the estimated shipping speeds on shopping ads, free listings and Buy on Google listings. To create a more seamless, easy to use integration for merchants, the deepened partnership now also allows Buy on Google returns to be processed directly in the Google Merchant Center, similar to how they would be processed in the ShipStation application. The battle for the hearts and minds (and dollars) of the consumer is now won both in the shopping cart and in the product listing itself. By collaborating with Google on these unique features, the merchant can then empower their consumer to make better purchase decisions, increase shipment visibility, and streamline returns, said Krish Iyer, Head of Industry Relations & Strategic Partnerships at ShipStation. With the deepened integration between ShipStation and Google, ShipStation users will have a more robust Google Shopping experience, thereby better serving their customers with more accurate order and delivery information and easier returns. Consumers will be able to make more informed choices about which merchants they want to purchase from based on merchants shipping and fulfillment performance. To learn more about our Google integration, visit https://www.shipstation.com/partners/google/. About ShipStation Every day, tens of thousands of e-commerce retailers rely on ShipStation to solve the day-to-day challenges of importing orders and processing shipments. The trusted leader in shipping software since its founding in 2011, ShipStation helps online sellers scale their businesses and deliver exceptional customer experiences, with an intuitive online solution that allows them to efficiently ship orders -- wherever they sell and however they ship. The multi-channel and multi-carrier platform offers the most integrations of any e-commerce solution, with more than 300 partnerships with leading shopping carts, marketplaces, carriers and fulfillment services, including FedEx, USPS, UPS, Amazon, Shopify, and BigCommerce. ShipStation is headquartered in Austin, TX, with offices in Sydney and London. For more information, visit https://www.shipstation.com. Her extensive strategic and operational experience and innovative spirit will be valuable additions to the DermTech Board of Directors and great support for the company's leadership team, said Slone Partners President Tara Kochis. Slone Partners, a nationwide executive search firm for life sciences, biotechnology, and diagnostics companies, has announced the placement of Nathalie Gerschtein Keraudy, President of the Consumer Products Division of LOreal, on the Board of Directors at DermTech, a leading genomics company in dermatology. Gerschtein Keraudy has more than 20 years of experience at LOreal in progressive leadership roles across Europe, Asia, and America. In her current role as president of the largest division in LOreal Groups top subsidiary, Gerschtein Keraudy is responsible for accelerating growth, innovation, and sustainable practices across its mass market portfolio of brands and product categories, from skin care and makeup to hair care and color. This extensive portfolio includes some of the most iconic brands including LOreal Paris, Maybelline New York, Garnier, and NYX Professional Makeup, in addition to Essie, Thayers Natural Remedies, Carols Daughter, and Softsheen-Carson. Under her leadership, the consumer products division generates more than $4.5 billion in U.S. retail sales annually. She leads a team of thousands of employees and remains committed to building a dynamic and inclusive culture. Nathalie Gerschtein Keraudy is a tremendously talented and highly respected business leader with a stellar track record of success managing a range of high-profile international product lines and brands, said Slone Partners President Tara Kochis. Her extensive strategic and operational experience and innovative spirit will be valuable additions to the DermTech Board of Directors and great support for the company's leadership team. Nathalie has tremendous experience in building brands that consumers, clinicians, and the world recognize and trust, said Matt Posard, Chairman of DermTechs Board of Directors. Her unique and diverse perspectives will complement our efforts to make DermTech the trusted brand for genomic products that transform dermatologic care. Im honored to join the DermTech Board of Directors, not only because of the innovative and life-saving work I see the company doing, but also because we share a common mission to transform and democratize skincare for all, said Gerschtein Keraudy. Gerschtein Keraudy graduated from HEC School of Management in Paris and received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a focus in Corporate Strategy from London Business School. She also completed executive coursework at INSEADs senior executive leadership program. ABOUT SLONE PARTNERS Slone Partners delivers the leaders who build amazing and diverse life sciences and healthcare organizations People Are Our Science. Founded in 2000, Slone Partners specializes in delivering world-class C-suite leadership, executive, and upper management talent to the most promising and established biotech, diagnostics, research tools, healthcare, precision medicine, CRO, and laboratory services companies. With national and global clients, Slone Partners uniquely and precisely provides an array of executive search and advisory services, including diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy, to innovative life sciences and healthcare companies. To learn more about Slone Partners value proposition and processes, visit http://www.slonepartners.com or call 888.784.3422. ABOUT DERMTECH DermTech is a leading genomics company in dermatology and is creating a new category of medicine, precision dermatology, enabled by our non-invasive skin genomics platform. DermTechs mission is to transform dermatology with our non-invasive skin genomics platform, to democratize access to high quality dermatology care, and to improve the lives of millions. DermTech provides genomic analysis of skin samples collected non-invasively using an adhesive patch rather than a scalpel. DermTech markets and develops products that facilitate the early detection of skin cancers and is developing products that assess inflammatory diseases and customized drug treatments. For additional information on DermTech, please visit DermTechs investor relations site at: http://www.dermtech.com. In the absence of prevention efforts, including repeated calls to at-risk populations to visit the doctor and get important health screenings, we are on the brink of a public health challenge, worsening patient outcomes, and additional healthcare costs. - William Smith Public Health Officials Must Refocus Efforts on Preventive Care & Screenings for Deadliest Threats Among Vulnerable Communities Pioneer Institute today released a new analysis focused on cardiovascular disease, An Impending Tsunami in Mortality from Traditional Diseases?, that examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has created another unrelated public health crisis. The Pioneer analysis examines how a single-minded public health focus on COVID-19, social distancing, and lockdowns drove reductions in screenings, diagnoses, and early treatment for complex conditions such as heart disease. In the study, author and Pioneer Institute Visiting Fellow in Life Sciences Dr. William Smith concludes that public health authorities, policymakers, and the media should turn their focus from COVID-19 to efforts to address and prevent more serious public health challenges looming on the horizon. There have been regular admonitions to practice social distancing and wear a mask during the pandemic to protect our health and the health of those we know, said William Smith, author of An Impending Tsunami in Mortality from Traditional Diseases. But during that time, public health officials have ignored the need to make repeated calls to at-risk populations to visit the doctor and get important health screenings. In the absence of these important prevention efforts, we are on the brink of a public health challenge, worsening patient outcomes, and additional healthcare costs. In the new analysis, Pioneer finds that: There were over 375,000 deaths from COVID-19 in 2020, compared to 691,000 from heart disease and more than 600,000 from cancer. For both of these preventable and treatable diseases, earlier treatment leads to better patient outcomes. Compared to 2018 and 2019, primary care visits were down 21.4 percent during the second quarter of 2020, despite a surge in telemedicine, which accounted for 2 percent of visits in 2019, but 35 percent from April through June of 2020. The problem is even more severe among African-American, Asian and Hispanic patients, who are more likely to meet with their primary care physician remotely. Cholesterol screenings were down more than 35 percent during the pandemic. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), there was a 9.1 percent drop in prescriptions filled for Atorvastatin, the leading cholesterol drug that is the most dispensed drug in the U.S., which translates to nearly 11 million prescriptions for the drug being dispensed. Dr. Smith makes several recommendations to address this dangerous lack of preventive and early care, including: A public health campaign about the dangers of not getting screened for the leading causes of death in the U.S. and the urgency for people to see their physician. The campaign should have its highest visibility in communities of color as African-Americans have the highest death rates for heart disease and cancer, and communities of color also have far lower diagnosis rates for cardiovascular and other diseases. Public officials should borrow tactics used to distribute free COVID-19 vaccines by offering free diagnostic tests at large venues. Policy makers should reduce or eliminate access restrictions to vaccines, therapeutics and prescriptions. Policy makers and health plans should consider waiving co-pays and co-insurance on therapies for the two leading causes of death for a year. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) should submit recommendations on how to mitigate public health damage that may have occurred from the precipitous drop in health screenings. About the Author William S. Smith is Visiting Fellow in Life Sciences at Pioneer Institute. He has 25 years of experience in government and in corporate roles, including as vice president of public affairs and policy at Pfizer, and as a consultant to major pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies. He held senior staff positions for the Republican House leadership on Capitol Hill, the White House, and in the Massachusetts Governors office. He is affiliated as research fellow and managing director with the Center for the Study of Statesmanship at The Catholic University of America (CUA), where he earned his PhD. About Pioneer Institute Pioneers mission is to develop and communicate dynamic ideas that advance prosperity and a vibrant civic life in Massachusetts and beyond. Pioneers vision of success is a state and nation where our people can prosper and our society thrive because we enjoy world-class options in education, healthcare, transportation and economic opportunity, and where our government is limited, accountable and transparent. Pioneer values an America where our citizenry is well-educated and willing to test our beliefs based on facts and the free exchange of ideas, and committed to liberty, personal responsibility, and free enterprise. Providing a foundation from which young people of any background can gain the knowledge, skills, and experience to be successful in todays business world is a mission I value very much. Syncfusion, Inc., the developer solutions company of choice and the provider of the Bold suite of business intelligence solutions, today announced that its CEO, Daniel Jebaraj, will host an executive seminar at Business Todays International Conference. The virtual seminar will take place on Thursday, November 11, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. EDT. I am thrilled to have been invited to speak and connect with students at the International Conference, said Daniel Jebaraj. Providing a foundation from which young people of any background can gain the knowledge, skills, and experience to be successful in todays business world is a mission I value very much. The International Conference was created by Business Today, an undergraduate-focused nonprofit organization formed in 1968 and based out of Princeton University. Business Today creates content and programming to bridge intergenerational gaps and establish open, long-lasting lines of communication between business leaders and students, as it has done for over 800 alumni. For 47 years, Business Todays International Conference has connected undergraduate students from around the world with leading executives from many industries by providing keynote speeches, intimate, Socratic-style roundtable seminars, networking events, and written content. The International Conference brings together students from over 35 countries and six continents. Its unique all expenses paid model ensures that students from any background can participate; one-third of the conference's attendees are the first generation attending college from their family. Further, while the International Conference is an exclusive opportunity, all content is openly accessible after the conference. This years theme, "The Work of Tomorrow," explores how to create meaningful dialogue around the future of the modern business landscape. About Syncfusion, Inc. Syncfusion is the enterprise technology partner of choice for software development, delivering a broad range of web, mobile, and desktop controls coupled with a service-oriented approach throughout the entire application lifecycle. Syncfusion has established itself as the trusted partner worldwide for use in mission-critical applications. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Research Triangle Park, N.C., Syncfusion has more than 25,000 customers, including large financial institutions, Fortune 100 companies, and global IT consultancies. Danette Andley, SVP and CMO 3M Health Care Business Group Danette's excellence in her field as well as her passion for helping others means that she fits right into the culture of EWA, and her influence among our women leaders will be felt for decades to come. The Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation (EWA) has named Danette Andley, 3M Health Care senior vice president and chief marketing officer, as Fall 2021 EWA Awardee. Andley was selected from a pool of high level, high potential candidates across multiple industries to be part of a year-long professional executive development and mentorship program designed to help propel women to sustainable success. Andley leads the 3M Health Care Global Marketing Center, and is responsible for integrated and digital marketing, e-commerce, brand and communications, customer education and pricing. For the past 10 years, Andley has continued to advance her career at 3M in strategy and global business development, Lean Six Sigma, international operations, and marketing excellence. She has served as the Chair of the 3M Marketing Senate and Chair of the 3M U.S. Womens Leadership Forum. Danette is a member of the Hastings College Foundation Board as well as Camp Fire National Headquarters Board. Prior to joining 3M, Danette held positions at St. Lukes Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as working in marketing and PR at global agency, Fleishman-Hillard. She has an undergraduate degree in marketing and an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis. We are delighted to include Danette in EWA, said Larraine Segil, Founder, Chair and CEO of The Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation, " Danette's excellence in her field as well as her passion for helping others means that she fits right into the culture of EWA, and her influence among our women leaders will be felt for decades to come. Danette possesses a combination of talent, skills, and attitude that contribute to her success and achievements. I am excited about her well-earned recognition by EWA and look forward to her continued leadership contributions, said Mojdeh Poul, Group President of 3M Health Care. About 3M At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to global challenges at http://www.3m.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNews. The Exceptional Women Awardees Foundation (EWA) selects high potential, high level Exceptional Women from multiple industries, develops and mentors them with peer to peer guidance and sisterhood, to propel them to achieve their professional and personal goals, enabling them to reach sustainable and holistic success for the rest of their lives - one woman at a time. Their year-long program enables the EWA to be connected for life to their ever-expanding EWA global network, as their fellow women leaders move into positions of significance. Learn more at https://www.exceptionalwomenawardees.com/ Legal News Reach Podcast Logo Law firm marketers have a wealth of knowledge and experience thats often unique to the legal industry. Legal News Reach provides a forum for them to share their insights, discuss industry trends, and showcase examples of real-world experience. - Melanie Trudeau The National Law Review is excited to announce the launch of Legal News Reach, a new bi-weekly podcast that features guests with expertise in legal marketing, SEO, law firm best practices, and more. Hosted by NLRs Editorial Manager Rachel Popa, and Web Content Specialist Jessica Scheck, Legal News Reach highlights for listeners the latest legal marketing strategies to help them stand out and stand firm in the legal industry. The first season of the podcast focuses on topics such as hiring and marketing in the legal industry, legal marketing budgets post COVID-19, the attorney-client relationship, diversity and inclusion initiatives (D&I) and law firm pro bono initiatives. In the inaugural episode, Rachel and Jess discussed marketing tactics for law firms in the post-COVID work environment with Melanie Trudeau, Director of New Business & Digital Strategies at Jaffe PR. A few things I would like to see stick around would be giving some more autonomy to attorneys to just do their work effectively from a home office. They don't have to spend all that time getting ready to go to work, and juggling childcare. If you can create a lot more flexibility in the work environment, that's going to make firms competitive, Ms. Trudeau said. To adjust to the challenges of COVID-19, the legal industry pivoted and made adjustments as to how they delivered their services and how attorneys work. However, as the pandemic continues, law firms that remain flexible will find it easier to stand out from their competitors. Legal News Reach provides a platform for legal professionals to learn from the top experts in the industry, as well as showcase their own expertise. Episodes are published and featured on the National Law Review website, which today is one of the highest volume business law publications in the US after over 10 years of steady growth. Law firm marketers have a wealth of knowledge and experience thats often unique to the legal industry. Legal News Reach provides a forum for them to share their insights, discuss industry trends, and showcase examples of real-world experience, Ms. Trudeau said. Pivoting to changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic carried over into the second episode of the podcast, with Rachel and Jess discussing the COVID-19 pandemics impact on legal marketing budgets with Guy Alvarez, Founder and Chief Engagement Officer of Good2bSocial. What we're seeing is really a shift in terms of budget from the real world into the virtual world. And as a result, we're seeing law firms spend a lot of their budget on digital marketing, ways that they can enhance their website, and how they can communicate to their clients and prospects their knowledge, their experience and basically stay top of mind and develop strategic relationships, Mr. Alvarez said. Prior to the pandemic, many firms focused on live events, conferences and trade events. Now that meeting in person is more difficult, firms are pivoting to hosting more webinars and podcasts. Both lawyers and legal marketers can pick up tips from legal marketing leaders on Legal News Reach on how to stay connected with their clients, and highlight their firms unique value proposition. "The National Law Review's Legal News Reach podcast is a great platform for lawyers and legal marketers to learn the latest trends affecting the industry, Mr. Alvarez said. In the third episode of the Legal News Reach podcast, Rachel and Jess spoke with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz President and Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Keller, and Chief Marketing and Business Development Officer Adam Severson about law firm management, D&I initiatives and attorney-client relationship building. I think from the law firm management perspective, there's a lot of interesting work going on right now in analyzing the changes in law firm management the last 18 months have brought us. I think what you're going to see looking 5 to 10 years ahead is younger, more diverse teams of leadership in firms, Ms. Keller said. D&I is one of those areas that I think we all recognize that we can all be better. Its an area that I think has been important for everybody. Without a clear roadmap and some specificity to it, we're not going to get to where we need to be as a firm and candidly, as an industry, Mr. Severson said. Despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, many law firms found silver linings as well, embracing new diversity initiatives that will have an impact for years to come. Legal News Reach builds off the Nationals Law Reviews audience of over 2 million legal and business professionals to highlight the best practices of leading-edge law firms. It was great to be featured in the Legal News Reach podcast to share some of the great things Baker Donelson is doing. The National Law Review's audience has tremendous reach so it was great to be highlighted, Mr. Severson said. The first four episodes of the first season of Legal News Reach are currently available on natlawreview.com, as well as major podcast platforms such as Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Anchor.fm, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Soundcloud and more. Listeners can also find Legal News Reach podcast clips on the National Law Review YouTube channel. The first season of the podcast includes 10 episodes, with the second season planned to launch in 2022. About the National Law Review: The National Law Review is a daily legal news website with a mission to provide objective and practical news and analysis. The National Law Reviews news platform was developed by corporate attorneys and is the online descendant of a legal publication tracing its roots back to 1888. With the talents of our own writers and contributing authors, the National Law Review has grown into one of the highest volume business law publications in the U.S., more than doubling our traffic volume since 2018. Visit us at http://www.NatLawReview.com BRONZE award in Industries category, at the SUSTAINA ESG AWARDS 2021 For transcosmos, sustainable growth and social sustainability go hand in hand. Therefore the company will accelerate its transition to a new economy by carrying out DX initiatives and making proposals to clients. transcosmos inc. is proud to announce that the company received the Bronze award in the industries category at the SUSTAINA ESG AWARDS 2021, announced on September 6, 2021 by SUSTAINA JAPAN Inc., an operating company of SUSTAINA, an information platform specifically designed for sustainability (ESG/SDGs/CSR). SUSTAINA ESG AWARDS by SUSTAINA JAPAN Inc. is an award system that honors companies that are actively engaged in ESG (environment, society, governance). The company selects ESG management advanced companies by adding financial evaluation to its original ESG evaluation. The award program marked its fourth anniversary in 2021. Highly recognized for its S (social) and financial scores in particular, transcosmos won the Bronze (third prize) award in the industries category under this award. Global social challenges such as climate change and human rights issues have become apparent around the globe. Under such an environment, private companies are required to address these social challenges through their business operations. For transcosmos, sustainable growth and social sustainability go hand in hand, therefore, the company will accelerate its transition to a new economy by carrying out DX initiatives and making proposals to clients. To achieve this transformation, it is vital for the company to visualize its SDGs and ESG initiatives, boost its corporate value by addressing social needs, and assist clients in achieving sustainable business. With the aim of taking concrete action, transcosmos has formed the transcosmos SDGs Committee, with the President & COO as the committee chairman. Led by the committee, transcosmos will carry out its ESG initiatives whilst evaluating their effectiveness at the same time. transcosmos will continue to enhance its competitive service advantage and provide higher value-added services more than ever before, whilst further contributing to social sustainability through its business activities. transcosmos is determined to grow with the aim of becoming the industry's No.1 sustainability transformation partner for clients. transcosmos Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/company/sustainability/sdgs.html) Guided by our fundamental management philosophy that client satisfaction is the true value of our company and that the growth of each of our employees creates the value that shapes our future, we at transcosmos strive to contribute to the achievement of SDGs through responsible corporate activities and businesses that hinge on people&technology. transcosmos acknowledges the importance of analyzing and understanding the risks and opportunities inherent in the 17 SDGs and the management strategies related to each of these goals from the perspective of our sustainable growth. Toward this end, we have established the transcosmos SDGs Committee, which is specifically designed for aligning our business and management resources with our SDG initiatives, setting targets prioritizing social issues of particular significance, and confirming the progress on a regular basis. With the aim of raising awareness and permeating our SDG initiatives, the committee runs various SDG-driven activities both internally and externally including SDGs training courses for our employees (e-learning), internal workshop with the selected members from each function, and more. *transcosmos is a trademark or registered trademark of transcosmos inc. in Japan and other countries. *Other company names and product or service names used here are trademarks or registered trademarks of respective companies. About transcosmos inc. transcosmos launched its operations in 1966. Since then, we have combined superior "people" with up-to-date "technology" to enhance the competitive strength of our clients by providing them with superior and valuable services. transcosmos currently offers services that support clients' business processes focusing on both sales expansion and cost optimization through our 171 bases across 30 countries/regions with a focus on Asia, while continuously pursuing Operational Excellence. Furthermore, following the expansion of e-commerce market on the global scale, transcosmos provides a comprehensive One-Stop Global E-Commerce Services to deliver our clients' excellent products and services to consumers in 48 countries/regions around the globe. transcosmos aims to be the "Global Digital Transformation Partner" of our clients, supporting the clients' transformation by leveraging digital technology, responding to the ever-changing business environment. Visit us here https://www.trans-cosmos.co.jp/english/ United Medical Credit, a leading patient financing provider and recently named one of Inc.s fastest-growing companies, has announced a partnership with Genesis Financial Solutions to expand its growing suite of lending services. The partnership, effective today, includes an additional revolving credit solution for United Medical Credits network of medical care providers. The new financing option will initially be available to cosmetic and plastic surgeons, with more specialties to follow. Our partnership with Genesis will take us one step further in our mission to provide a financing option to as many people as possible, including those who are currently being underserved by many prime lenders, says Bronwyn Droog, Vice President of United Medical Credit. Genesis Credit, the nations top provider of customized consumer financing solutions for near-prime borrowers, develops innovative programs to give applicants access to second chance financing after being turned down by a prime lender. Were truly proud to be a part of the United Medical Credit platform. Our unique partnership will allow further expansion into the elective medical sector and offer second-chance financing to those patients who need it most, says Mark Denman, President of Genesis Credit. United Medical Credit uses a unique lending waterfall process to maximize loan approvals for applicants, giving medical practices a way to offer financing to patients, whether they fall into prime, mid-prime, or sub-prime lending categories. Genesis Credits financing products will provide favorable options to borrowers seeking a line of credit to help them get the funds they need for their desired treatment. Less than half of the financing applications that are submitted in the healthcare space are approved, says Matthew Libman, President and Founder of United Medical Credit. As we continue our rapid growth in 2021, Genesis Credit will help us to reach an even broader spectrum of consumers. About United Medical Credit United Medical Credit's mission is to make sure every one of their applicants receives the best customer service and secures the optimal financing terms for healthcare procedures. They understand the physical and emotional difficulties a healthcare procedure can bring and want to do their part to ensure that high upfront costs are not part of the equation. For more information, please visit https://www.unitedmedicalcredit.com/. About Genesis Financial Solutions Genesis Financial Solutions, Inc. is the leading provider of near-prime consumer financing through general purpose & private label credit card solutions. Their innovative card programs offer consumers turned down by a prime lender a second chance to access financing with simple terms, competitive rates, and excellent customer service. Genesis Financial Solutions also partners with leading retailers in each of the key industries they serve including furniture, home improvement, jewelry, eCommerce, and more. Additional information may be found at http://www.genesis-fs.com. Even within the healthcare community, there is some misunderstanding about the safety and effectiveness of the Covid vaccines. We have two of the leading experts in the field of microbiology who can talk about the science of vaccines and provide research-based responses to questions. The University of Medicine and Health Sciences, (UMHS), a small, mission-driven medical school with a commitment to student support and a legacy of successful residency placements in the United States and Canada, today announced that it will host a Facebook Live event, Ask a Microbiologist: A Virtual Covid Vaccine Town Hall, on Wednesday, November 10 at 5:30 pm EST. The session will be led by UMHS professors Dr. Rania Siam, Course Director and Professor of Microbiology, and Dr. Nichole Cumby, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and an expert in virus-host interactions. The Facebook Live event will address the latest news about the COVID-19 pandemic, provide an in-depth look at the development, review and approval process for vaccines and boosters, and tackle common misconceptions. Following the presentation, Drs. Siam and Cumby will answer questions from the audience during a live Q & A session. Registration for the event is free and can be accessed by visiting this link. Its been widely reported that even within the healthcare community, there is some misunderstanding about the safety and effectiveness of the Covid vaccines, said Warren Ross, president of UMHS. Were fortunate that we have two of the leading experts in the field of microbiology who can talk about the science of how vaccines are developed, and provide research-based responses to questions from people who are seeking additional information. Were grateful to Dr. Siam and Dr. Cumby for taking the time to share their insights as we continue to work together to end the pandemic. During the Ask a Microbiologist Town Hall event, Drs. Siam and Cumby will share the latest information about the COVID-19 vaccines, recommendations for boosters, and describe the approval process from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration - from the earliest development stages through public release. Theyll also address some Common Covid Myths and provide science-based responses to persistent misconceptions about the virus and vaccines. Following their presentation, Dr. Siam and Cumby will respond to questions during a live Q & A session. The Virtual Covid Vaccine event is the latest in the series of presentations from UMHS featuring faculty and alumni sharing their expertise on topics targeted towards medical students and healthcare professionals. Past events include Suicide Prevention and the State of Psychiatry. and LGBTQ+ Medicine and Theory. To register for the upcoming UMHS event, Ask a Microbiologist, please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/419227872941024 About UMHS The University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS), is a small, mission-driven medical school with a commitment to student support and a legacy of successful residency placements in the United States and Canada. UMHS was founded in 2007 by medical education pioneers Warren and Robert Ross to deliver a highly personalized school experience. Graduates of UMHS earn a Doctor of Medicine degree (MD) and qualify to practice medicine throughout the United States and Canada. Students begin their Basic Science studies in St. Kitts, West Indies, and complete their clinical training in the United States. With an unprecedented 96% student retention rate, the vast majority of students that begin their medical studies at UMHS go on to obtain residencies. For more information visit https://www.umhs-sk.org/. Since 2016, our nonprofit has made annual commitments to the CSforALL movement by launching courses and partnerships that give students, regardless of their geographic location or economic circumstances, access to computer science courses. At the fifth annual CSforALL Summit, VHS Learning announced its plans to further its commitment to expanding student access to computer science education. The longstanding nonprofit revealed its new statewide initiative with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. A total of 115 organizations disclosed commitments during the CSforALL summit, which took place October 19-20, 2021. CSforALL commitments are new, specific, and measurable actions aimed at advancing the goal of rigorous and inclusive computer science education for all U.S. youth. The commitments grow support and momentum for a sustainable K-12 computer science education system in and out of school. VHS Learning has been making annual commitments since the inception of the national CSforALL movement. In 2021, VHS Learning, in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, will create a statewide initiative to increase the capacity of schools to offer coursework that prepares students for postsecondary education and STEM careers. Through this grant, Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles will be offered at no charge to students at high schools across Massachusetts, to increase student access to computer science education. Were proud to make a commitment in support of expanded access to computer science education, said Carol DeFuria, President & CEO of VHS Learning. Since 2016, our nonprofit has made annual commitments to the CSforALL movement by launching courses and partnerships that give students, regardless of their geographic location or economic circumstances, access to computer science courses. We believe all students deserve equal access to educational choices that help them develop critical thinking skills and prepare for the future. About VHS Learning VHS Learning is a nonprofit organization with 25 years of experience providing world-class online programs to students and schools everywhere. Offering more than 250 unique online courses for high school credit, including 24 AP courses, credit recovery and enrichment courses, and a selection of dual-credit options, VHS Learning is accredited by Middle States Association Commission on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS), Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACS WASC), and Cognia. Courses are approved for initial eligibility by NCAA. For more information about VHS Learning please visit https://www.vhslearning.org/ and follow on Twitter at @VHSLearning. SEO is an effective way for companies to increase their web presence and market their brands more effectively. In the digital marketing sphere, SEO is one of the most critical components of creating a strong online presence. In the era of information, the Internet has arguably become the most dominant platform that businesses use to market themselves. 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How to Use SEO to Improve Site Traffic One way that businesses can use SEO to rank higher on Google is to get relevant, reputable sources to link back to their content. When Google sees that a companys content is associated with a high-quality site, the company has a greater chance of achieving a higher search ranking. Websites with a more organized structure are also more appealing to Google. By organizing its site and categorizing its content, businesses can make it easier for Google to analyze the content to determine how relevant it is. Its also a good practice to ensure that the copy of the websites content is well-written so that Google can interpret it more easily. To ensure that a sites content is deemed more relevant by Google, businesses should also develop a firm understanding of their audience and the language they use. Using keywords and phrases that are related to their products and services can increase a companys chances of getting their content in front of potential customers. Googles algorithm can sometimes seem very picky when it comes to ranking content, but there are ways that businesses can use it to their advantage. By learning more about SEO and implementing certain techniques when creating content, businesses can improve their presence on the web and attract a greater number of customers. As a leading SEO company in 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 (832) 834 - 0661 or by email at: info@actualseomedia.com. Since his debut in 2015, Daniel Miyares has illustrated a steady stream of picture books, from a biography of Rachel Carson (Night Walk to the Sea: A Story About Rachel Carson, Earths Protector, 2020) to a romp about a rock that rolls (A Chip Off the Old Block, 2018). Stories that the Kansas-City based artist has written and illustrated himself show similar versatility: Pardon Me! stars a mouthy parrot, while Float, a wordless picture book, looks at coming back from loss. Due out this month, Hope at Sea: An Adventure Story follows the young daughter of a 19th-century ships carpenter as she stows away on her fathers clipper ship, and, under his tutelage, learns what life at sea is like. The book is another venture into new territoryfor the characters, and for Miyares as well. PW spoke with Miyares about clipper ship technology, drawing with pen and ink, and writing his familys history. Were you conscious from the outset that this book would have a different look and feel than your previous books? In a way I was. In the very deep undercurrents of the story, it remains a heros journey. A lot of my stories tend to have that as an engine. Everything else is very different. Its historical fiction, as it turned out. What was its genesis? I started with the idea of resilience after a conversation with my daughter. She was 11shes 13 nowand she was unpacking her school day. She had just started a new grade and anxieties were pressing in on her, and I realized that I cant protect her from these things. The storms are going to come. Its more my job to encourage her to be resilient, to understand that there are days after the big storms. And did the story change much from the way you first imagined it? To begin with, the ship was the narrator. There was a metamorphosis from harvested trees to lumber to ship and then back to lumber. I work with Anne Schwartz [of Anne Schwartz Books at Random House]. Shes such a fantastic collaborator; Ive been really fortunate to work with her. And she said, You know, Daniel, I love the idea and the emotion, but will the reader be able to fully connect with a narrator who isnt human? And I had to agree. When I retooled it, I wondered, What if there is a family that is tied to the fortunes of the ship? Did the characters come easily? The idea for the main character was super easy: Im looking at my daughter, and there she is! But thinking about how this family should be structuredWhat are their circumstances? What lines up with what?all that took a lot of reading and research, like the role of the father. It would have been easy to say, Hes the captain! But I thought the carpenter had a unique and specific role that played into the heart of the storythe ingenuity, the craftsmanship. So I backed myself into this project of historical fiction, and that was exciting. What kind of source materials did you find? Since most of the research took place in 2020, during the pandemic, I couldnt travel to the places I wanted to. It forced me to dig into places I didnt expect; firsthand accounts, journals written by sailors in the 1800s about what life was like. I ordered a book of clipper ship plans. The plans were incredibly detailed, down to identifying which part of the tree to cut to make which part of the ship. I learned more about why the clipper was such an innovation. They went from ships that were ornate and built according to tradition to asking, How do we increase our speed and expand our cargo space? It was new technology, but purely through design, not new materials. It was still canvas and wood. But the clipper ships didnt last long! Shortly after the period in which this story takes place, they started integrating steam into sea travel. How did you balance your vision for Hopes adventure against the desire to be realistic? When Im working on these kinds of projects I want them to be entertaining and educatingthats where my heart is. I was a huge fan of Mark Twain growing up. Every time I started in on something he had written, I understood that it was an orchestrated tale that showed me what storytelling could be. When youre telling stories like this, youre organizing pieces on this timeline and on this map, and youre letting the reader hit the markers. The text is very tight and closely edited. Can you tell us about that process? The copy thats in the book gets to the details that are required, the emotions, and trims all the fat off. Ive done wordless books, so Im familiar with the question, What are the right details to include? When Hope is hiding in the lifeboat, there are just the three lines: My stomach is in knots. Will I be discovered? Will Papa be angry with me? And the ink lines across her face look a little like knots. Simple things: whether you notice them or not, they add flavor. Anne and the art director for the book, Nicole de las Heras, whos fabulous, were looking at my sketches and they said, Your scratchy line drawing reminds us of scrimshaw engravings. You should take a look at scrimshaw. So I started researching folk art and scrimshaw pieces and they were amazing! It was a great suggestion, and the right marriage of where I was headed and what the story needed. Your previous books seem to use more color and form and dont contain a lot of line drawing, whereas this one is intricately drawn. Is this line-centered work new for you? Its funnyIve done this book in pen and ink, and another book Big and Small and In Between by Carter Higgins, which is coming out in April from Chroniclein graphite. I havent really featured drawing in my books up to this point. When I was five years old, my parents gave me this tackle box that my dad had used for an art appreciation course. It had one little bottle of ink and one steel-tipped pen. They let me draw on computer paper from their Commodore 64 and just scribble with this scratchy pen for hours and hours. These were my very first memories of drawing. Im left-handed, too, so thats a problem. [As it moves across the page, the left hand travels over the ink and tends to smudge it.] It taught me to embrace the chaos. Then in college I had an intaglio press in my basement, and I became a nut for printmaking, especially etching. Drawing this way is just like making etchings. I wanted that impromptu feel. I draw directly in ink onto my finish paper, without laying it out in pencil. It sounds like youre giving more weight to those early experiences. Whats driving that decision? The idea of doing what youre meant to be doingeven sometimes despite yourselfis really important. There are things that make me as a creator that are important to listen to, and that speak to other people, and I hope that joy will carry over. What are you working on now? Im working on finished artwork for a book with Donna Bray at HarperCollins. Its called Nell Plants a Tree, and its by Anne Wynter, who wrote Everyone in the Red Brick Building. Its a wonderfully poignant story about a pecan tree planted by Nell, the family matriarch. It meant a lot to me because I grew up surrounded by pecan trees. My grandmother would send us out there, we would have to fill paper sacks with pecans and then crack them all and bag them up to freeze and make pies. And Im in the initial phases of a graphic memoir based on my fathers escape from Cuba when he was a child. He was about nine when he and his siblings got out. I wanted to dig into that. I kept asking myself what would make a fathermy grandfathersay, Im going to endanger my family and my wife and abandon everything that weve known for this great unknown. What would bring someone to that point? This story is very personal, obviouslyand its harrowing. My father only shared the story with me after I graduated and moved to Kansas City. It always struck mewhy not share that with me earlier? But I think that he didnt want his kids to be seen as different. He wanted us to assimilate. We didnt speak Spanish in the house. He wanted us to be as normal as we could, and not sharing his story with us was part of that. Thats tapping into earlier experiences, too, with the story as well as with the art. What has that been like? The whole process has taught me a lot about the perspective of immigrants and how the way theyre portrayed gets their lives and their intentions wrong, even now. The situations of immigrant communities are so different, and so nuanced. Has the book found a home? Its a signed deal! Anne Schwartz is going to do it. Hope at Sea: An Adventure Story by Daniel Miyares. Random/Schwartz, $17.99 Nov. 9 ISBN 978-1-984892-83-6 Prolific illustrators Alice and Martin Provensen influenced generations of young readers and midcentury designers through their visual storytelling. In the coming months, a trio of books will greet admirers old and new: The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen (Chroma, Jan. 11), a retrospective filled with rarities; The Provensen Book of Fairy Tales (New York Review, Nov. 16), a reissued classic; and The Truth About Max (Enchanted Lion, fall 2022), a previously unpublished picture book. Each volume provides a distinct perspective on the creative duo. Coincidentally, both Martin (19161987) and Alice (19182018) grew up in Chicago and worked as animators in Los AngelesAlice at Walter Lantz, Martin at Disney. As chronicled in The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen, they first met in 1943, married in 1944, and began creating Golden Books in 1947. They lived 90 miles north of Manhattan near Staatsburg, N.Y., creating picture books including the Caldecott Honor-winning A Visit to William Blakes Inn by Nancy Willard and the Caldecott Medal-winning The Glorious Flight. I feel the weight of honoring their legacy, said Karen Provensen Mitchell, the couples daughter and the keeper of their extensive files. Those 40 years together, on Maple Hill Farm with that beautiful studio, were extraordinary. And I give my mother so much credit. It was difficult to go on after my father passed away, but she found she still loved doing the intensive research as well as the intensive illustrating. The books my mother did alone gave her purpose for the rest of her life. In 2014, Gloria Fowler and Steve Cristthen at AMMO and now publishers of Chromasent a letter to Alice, who was 96 and living with Mitchell in San Clemente, Calif. Fowler and Crist envisioned a career-spanning Provensen book, but their initial query went unanswered due to Alices declining health and the sudden death of Mitchells husband. When they reached out to Mitchell in 2018, she invited them to visit. It was an honor to go through [her collection], Fowler said. The Provensens worked together on the same pieces without ego getting in the way, and their style evolved and became customized. The Iliad and the Odyssey [a Giant Golden Book] is a masterpiece, truly. The aesthetic feel is equal parts ancient Greece and midcentury modern art. They were influenced by Abstract Expressionism in those minimalist figures set against that painterly background, Fowler pointed out. Karen casually mentioned Mark Rothko, Robert Motherwell, and how theyd spend summers with them in Provincetown. There was a lot of cross-pollination going on there. Fowler found that besides the artwork, there were so many surprises: their sketchbooks, which are absolute gems, and personal things like Martins Valentine scroll to Alice and his Paris movie scrollhe even created a two-crank wooden box for viewing it. My father never let a birthday [or an adoption birthday] go by without quickly painting or drawing these little cards, Mitchell recalled. And the sketchbooksI have about 20 of them. Everybody whos seen them is just in awe. You see his artistic processhes written down tons of little notes of the whole environment wherever he happened to be. Street scenes of Venice, Paris, and locations in India illustrate The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen. The volume also features essays by Robert Gottlieb and Leonard Marcus, close friends of the Provensens. Gottlieb met them through marketing guru Nina Bourne, during their early years at Simon & Schuster. Nina went up there quite frequently, and she said, You have got to meet Alice and Martin, Gottlieb said. They always liked meeting new people, so we turned up, and we never left. Since none of us had families other than our children, they were more like family than friends, Gottlieb continued. He and actor Maria Tucci got married at Maple Hill Farm, and they were present when Alice and Martin adopted nine-month-old Karen in 1959. Later, they built a house on the adjoining property. We like the Maple Hill Farm art because were vaguely in it, he said. We knew all their dogs and they knew all our dogs. Alice wasnt scary, and I dont want to call her imperious, but there was a stern quality to her, Gottlieb said. She made order out of chaos without seeming to do anything. She was very deliberate. Martin was quote artistic unquote. He was charming, adorable, so talented. The main thing is that they absolutely adored each other. As for insight into their creative process, That was forbidden territory, Gottlieb said. They had the big studio out in the barn, and they were side by side. They would come back to the house for lunch, and the work was never discussed. They were totally secretive. The Provensens were consummate craftspeople, agreed Marcus, a long-time childrens book historian who is now editor-at-large at Astra Publishing House. They liked to compare themselves to medieval illuminators and they didnt like to acknowledge who did what in their images. There is a lightly held virtuosity to their work, a wow factor that doesnt come with a big dose of egotism. Marcus described himself as steeped in the familys lore through his historical research and participation in events at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art and National Center for Childrens Illustrated Literature. Hes been a Provensen fan for a long timeI appreciate his continued friendship and his expertise, Mitchell said. Alice once showed me a sketchbook they had done in France, Marcus recalled, and because I was in need of images for A Caldecott Celebration, she just tore a page out of the sketchbook and said, Give it back when youre done. She decided she trusted me. Nothing was too precious. Old Stories Revisited and Secrets Revealed Marcus characterized the Provensens as fundamentally modest people. I dont think they sought the limelight. They were not businesspeople, and they could have made more money if they had pursued copyright on their work prior to the early 1970s. Mitchell seconded this: People always thought they were super-rich, but they had priorities: the farm and travel. This focus on art over commerce paid the bills, but led to permissions headaches later. I had been trying since I came on board at New York Review Books back in 2013 to reissue the Provensen titles that were out of print, explained NYR editor Susan Barba. They were brilliant midcentury author-illustrators in the same pantheon as Tomi Ungerer. Theres a treasure trove of books that could be given a second life. Barba discovered that the Provensens were not copyright claimants on any of their work prior to 1971s The Provensen Book of Fairy Tales. Alices agent, George Nicholson at Sterling Lord Literistic, had hoped to revert rights on the earlier work, and he pursued this with assistance from agent Erica Rand Silverman. By the time of Nicholsons death in 2015, Silverman had left Sterling Lord to join Stimola Literary Studio; in 2019 she took over representing Mitchell and the Alice Provensen Trust. With Silvermans input, Barba made plans to reissue Fairy Tales. Because Karen did not have all the originals, Barba explained, we ended up scanning from a first edition, and my colleagues adjusted to best match the art. We had a couple of rounds with the printer to correct the color and make sure the paper they were printing on was not going to give the art a different cast. All of the stories from the original Fairy Tales are included, but we did eliminate two illustrations [of Chinese courtiers] from The Nightingale, Barba said. It was a difficult decision, but we didnt want to misrepresent the Provensens by including something that might have been considered a caricature and not historically accurate. One image has been added: a half-title page from Mitchells files, picturing a bird on a branch with a ring in its beak. Barba said the beeswax-tinted background reminds her of papyrus, as if its been hidden away and uncovered. I like the idea of having that be a part of this book in its rebirth. Silverman uncovered another surprise in Nicholsons Provensen materials: a book dummy for The Truth About Max. I remember having seen it earlier, but there were no talks of doing anything with it, Silverman said. George may have had ideas. Its a return to the world of Maple Hill Farm, and center stage is Max, Karens cat. When Erica found the dummy she reached out to me, and I of course was keen to see it, said Claudia Bedrick, publisher of Enchanted Lion. We have a strong interest in books from the 40s, 50s, 60s that merit a return. Bedrick described the dummy as 6.25 x 9 inches, with handwritten pages about Max as the sun sets and he begins to prowl around in the twilight. Readers can find Maxs Cheshire grin and tawny stripes in Our Animal Friends at Maple Hill Farm (1974) and in the Chroma volume as well. As the three new projects took shape, Mitchells engagement with her parents archive helped her get the truth about their earlier years. I knew a little of this and a little of that, but it made me look at a lot of sources. In having to choose the artwork [for Chroma] and get the additional artwork [from collectors] to be photographed, I took a close look at every single book. Her introduction to The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen combines her memories with lengthy quotations from her parents speeches and interviews. The truth is, its so hard to be objective, she admitted. Im very sentimental about their work. This is my mother and father, and that was my childhoodthem working side by side in their studio. For Karen, its been a very emotional process and she moved through it with so much grace, Silverman reflected. Its satisfying to dig in and go through this process of keeping their work relevant, honoring their contributions, creating conversation. The handmade quality of their art, in a digital age, is so refreshing. Marcus likewise attributed this Provensen mini-revival to the endurance of good design. I dont believe that the history of art is linear in the sense it comes and goes, he said. Their art feels as much of the moment now as when they made it. He pointed to the innovative art of picture book illustrator Kenard Pak: His style came right out of the Provensens. Jon Klassen probably loves their work. They were part of a larger, future-focused design movement. I can only speculate why their work is resonating for people, but it could be that so many images these days are digital, and theres a coolness, Marcus said. We could be seeing a turn back to art that is handmade, textured, layered, and more intimate, with a crafted, human-touch feeling. Three new glimpses into the Provensen archive suggest what that art might look like. Last night, Omar El Akkad was announced as the winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize for his novel What Strange Paradise. The novel is published in Canada by McClelland & Stewart and in the U.S. by Knopf. The novel depicts the lives of, and relationship between, a nine-year-old Syrian refugee and a teenage girl who finds him washed up on the shore of her island home and tries to save him. The event was hosted both in-person, with a limited audience at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Toronto, and broadcast live on national television in Canada. Poet Rupi Kaur and actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee served as co-hosts for the event. In awarding the prize, the jury said that the novel, "raises questions of indifference and powerlessness and, ultimately, offers clues as to how we might reach out empathetically in a divided world." El Akkad, 39, was born in Egypt and moved to Canada at the age of 16. Today, he lives in Portland, Ore. In accepting the prize, he said: For the next couple of minutes that will be very, very awkward, you will realize that I didn't think I had a chance in hell at this. And so I'm making this speech up as I go along. He went on to thank his parents, his wife, and his children for supporting him while he played boy author. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. COVID-19 forced traditional colleges and universities to transform their teaching and learning methods to an online format. Concord Law School at Purdue University Global, however, did not skip a beat. Concord was founded in 1998 as the nations first fully online law school, more than 20 years before schools switched to online learning in a matter of weeks due to the pandemic. Unlike campus-based law schools that have recently dipped their toe into the online waters, Concords program has been fully online, by design, from the get-go, said Martin Pritikin, dean of Concord Law School. The nature of law school does not require in-person interaction the way, for example, medical school does. The pandemic demonstrated that almost all the things lawyers do can be done remotely, such as conduct trials and taking depositions, so it makes sense that people would study to be lawyers remotely. Why students choose Concord There have long been people who couldnt fit a traditional legal education into their lives due to work or family care responsibilities, geography, physical disabilities, military service or other life circumstances. Concord students have even included those on active duty in Afghanistan and Iraq. Concords curriculum integrates research in distance learning and adult learning with best practices in legal education, said Pritikin, a magna cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School. There is no inherent relationship between distance learning and quality of learning. We can track and analyze student performance data and use it to conduct targeted outreach to students in need or make adjustments to course content. Concord makes high-quality legal education affordable as well as accessible. Because Concord does not have to incur the costs of maintaining a physical campus, it is able to offer total program tuition under $50,000, which is approximately one-third the cost of traditional law schools. About the program Concords JD program exceeds many of the minimums required by the American Bar Association. Its program requires more total credits (92 vs. 83) and more total hours of study. The ABA mandates that a law schools required curriculum include six credits of experiential learning; Concords required curriculum includes 18 such credits. In 2020, Concord was granted full accreditation by the State Bar of California, becoming one of the first online law schools to achieve that milestone. The Committee of Bar Examiners deemed Concord to be in full compliance with the guidelines governing accredited law schools and, therefore, not required to have a period of provisional accreditation, as typically is the case for law schools seeking full accreditation. As a result of this accreditation, students in Concords JD program no longer have to take or pass Californias First-Year Law Students Exam. Concord offers a variety of electives, including in growing fields such as cybersecurity law, risk management in health care and virtual law practice. It also offers practical training in areas like trial advocacy and alternative dispute resolution, and offers an externship program through which students can earn academic credit for working in a law firm or other professional setting. According to national survey data, Concord graduates rated their law school experience more favorably than traditional law students on a variety of metrics. These include preparation for critical thinking, legal research and writing, and ethical practice; class participation; quality of relationships with faculty; prompt feedback on assignments; academic support and advising; and overall satisfaction. All told, Concord has graduated some 2,600 law students. Innovation in legal education In 2018, Concord won the inaugural Leading Edge Prize for Innovation in Legal Education for helping launch a website that matched clients in need of free or discounted legal services with lawyers willing to provide them. Other recent honors include Concords moot court team winning awards for both brief-writing and oral argument in competitions against teams from traditional law schools. In 2020, Concord hosted the Consortium for Access to Justices annual conference online, which included attendees from over 35 countries. And in 2021, Concord was named to Princeton Reviews list of Best Online J.D. Programs. Paying it forward Affordable legal education promotes affordable legal services. In 2017, Concord became the first online school to participate in an incubator program to help graduates launch their own solo practices and keep overhead low so they could offer reasonable rates to modest-means clients. This groundbreaking participation earned Concord the ABA Brown Select Award for Legal Access. Then, in 2019, Concord became the first law school to have a graduate participate in an incubator from abroad, providing immigration services to U.S. residents remotely from Thailand. The high cost of legal education contributes directly to the high cost of legal services, said Pritikin, citing a recent study, which showed that the average debt load of graduates from private ABA law schools was nearly $200,000. The ABA regulations that drive up the cost of attendance also drive up costs for clients. Pandemic-related stopgap measures aside, only a handful of ABA law schools have obtained permission to offer program options with significant online components. All of them cost roughly the same as their campus-based counterparts, at well over $100,000. About Purdue University Global Purdue University Global delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of adults who have work or life experience beyond the classroom, enabling them to develop essential academic and professional skills with the support and flexibility they need to achieve their career goals. It offers personalized paths for students to earn an associate, bachelors, masters or doctoral degree, based on their work experience, desired pace, military service, previous college credits and other considerations no matter where they are in their life journey. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. It is affiliated with Purdue Universitys flagship institution, a highly ranked public research university located in West Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue University also operates regional campuses in Fort Wayne and Northwest Indiana, as well as serving science, engineering and technology students at the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. For more information, visit purdueglobal.edu. About Concord Law School Concord Law School is part of Purdue University Global, a public, nonprofit school within the respected Purdue University system. Founded in 1998, Concord was the first U.S. law school to offer students a traditional law school program online, including interactive live classes, frequent testing with extensive feedback, and nationally respected faculty members. Offering rigorous, rewarding online degree programs, Concord provides students with a first-rate law school education that is affordable and reflects the needs of todays employers, delivered in a convenient, highly supportive environment. For more information, please visit concordlawschool.edu. Media contact: Tom Schott, 765-427-1721, tschott@purdue.edu Source: Martin Pritikin Published on: 9 November 2021 Dr Heather McMullen at COP26 Dr Heather McMullen at COP26 Peoples Palace Projects (PPP), the arts research centre based at Queen Mary, led five events in Glasgow, as well as showing seven films. Their work at COP26 spanned a range of issues around climate change in indigenous communities, from conversations on making indigenous people central to global decision-making, to engaging young people on the issue around the UK. Queen Mary has already given prominence to the challenge facing indigenous people by awarding a honorary fellowship to Takuma Kuikuro, of the Kuikuro people in the Xingu Indigenous Territories in the Amazon region of Brazil. PPP director, Professor Paul Heritage, said: By placing an indigenous person at the top of its ranks Queen Mary is giving protagonism to indigenous people. And we wanted to bring indigenous people to Glasgow from where the debate is literally hottest where lives are changing now. A workshop on the Kuikuro language, spoken by just 800 people in the world, connected 30 Glasgow primary school children with the culture of the community. It elicited a lively Q&A, with questions such as: How big are your fish? Elsewhere, a school of ten teenagers from Newport, South Wales, has spent the past six weeks connecting via live stream to people in the Xingu Indigenous Territories in the Amazon Basin. Young people were able to share stories of how climate change is affecting them, said Professor Heritage. And to have that to share that experience is COP at its best. Dr Heather McMullen from the Centre for Global Public Health in the Wolfson Institute for Population Health, has been a keynote speaker at COP26 as well as at relevant side events. Her work explores the intersection of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) with climate change and environmental sustainability. She leads on a partnership agreement between Queen Mary and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). And at COP26, Dr McMullen underlined the importance of putting sexual health and reproductive rights at the heart of climate policy and health system strengthening. She says the current intersection between womens health and climate justice needs to be broadened out: People need control over their bodies to respond and adapt to climate change. Achieving and upholding sexual and reproductive rights and health is essential for gender justice and for true resilience. SRHR needs to be reflecting in climate policy and action and this is not happening enough. To deepen the understanding of the issues underpinning the conference, Queen Marys Global Policy Institute has published a series of policy briefs. These chart the main talking points and agreements from past conferences and look at the main challenges facing delegates in Glasgow. Fernando Barrio, Director of International Engagement for the School of Business and Management, and Academic Lead for Resilience and Sustainability for the Queen Mary Global Policy Institute, is also in Glasgow as part of the official observer mission. Dr Barrio held talks with official delegations from a range of countries, including Eswatini and Malawi, to assist in redrafting their national commitments on reducing the effects of climate change. But, he says, as the clock ticks towards the end of the conference, there are mixed signals on prospects for agreement: While there are a lot more non-state actors and business delegations at this COP, whats needed is a systemic approach. As [former US President Barack] Obama told the conference, the central countries dont share the same urgency as the non-state actors or those smaller countries at the sharp end of the crisis. With its emerging emphasis on strategic competition, the United States must focus on renewing its engagement with potential allies on the African continent. The rise of insurgencies in West and East Africa, the geostrategic importance of natural resources from the continent, and the ability to provide a credible alternative to China that offers African countries the freedom to self-determine their economic futures necessitates a new approach towards African countries as vital and enduring economic and security partners. The countries across the world that have proven most capable of sustaining such mutually-beneficial partnershipsfor their regions and for themselveshave been regional powers like Japan, India, and Brazil. Expanding these sorts of partnerships with regional powers in Africa should continue to be the model for American engagement on the continent. South Africa is a middle-income country with democratic institutions, a permanent professional army, local defense industry, and a blue water navy. Recent U.S. engagement in Africa, strongly shaped by the Global War on Terrors prerogatives, has in the past primarily focused on two regions: West Africa and the Horn. The United States defense establishment easily made the case for engagement in these regions because of the presence of the Islamist groups of the Sahel (ISWAP) and al-Shabaab in Somalia. Even more recently, though, between violence in the Eastern Congo, civil war in the Central African Republic, and a complex insurgency in the Cabo Delgado region of Mozambique, Central and Southern Africa have also faced both localized violence and region-wide instability.[1] However, while U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) engages with threats in West Africa and the Horn by, with, and through regional partners, the same capability eludes AFRICOM in Southern Africa.[2] This is not because Southern Africa lacks a regional power that AFRICOM can engage with, like Nigeria in West Africa or, until recently, Ethiopia in the Horn. South Africa is the regions security and economic anchor and offers greater advantages as a partner to cooperatively achieve regional peace and stability. South Africa is a middle-income country with democratic institutions, a permanent professional army, local defense industry, and a blue water navy. Despite South Africas qualities and the advantages a closer security arrangement might bring to both parties, a constructive partnership has not emerged. While there are historical and structural reasons for this, we argue that whereas a series of crises within South Africas defense establishment has long created the need for an external partner, this is now accompanied by the rise of moderate political leadership within the countrys ruling party that may seek alternatives to dependence on China, this combination provides the United States with a unique opportunity to establish a mutually beneficial defense partnership with South Africa. Why Reset? The modern South Africa National Defence Force (SANDF) arose from the need to reincorporate the defense forces of South Africa after the apartheid regime fell. The old South Africa Defense Forces (SADF), while a potent regional actor, was segregated and viewed by Black South Africans and regional countries as the apartheid governments armed wing. The formation of the post-apartheid military, overseen by the African National Congress (ANC), integrated legacy members of South African Defence Force with the security forces of various native homelands and those of liberation groups like the African National Congress and the smaller Pan-African Congress.[3] This new composite military, called the South African National Defence Force, distanced itself from the old apartheid-era military, pledging to defend the new, inclusive state. African National Congress governments, especially since President Mbeki, were never positive towards an American defense relationship. While the United States was initially eager to establish defense relationships with the now-African National Congress led state, there were already factors working against such a partnership. The United States was perceived as a staunch supporter of the apartheid regime that ANC had waged a decades-long struggle against, leading to initial suspicion by ANC leaders. [4] These suspicions were exacerbated by continued American prosecution of the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (ARMSCOR) for apartheid-era infractions, despite the new governments reliance on Armaments Corporation of South Africa and its successor Denel for military material and employment.[5] The tensions stemming from these issues and diplomatic missteps dampened South African enthusiasm for American defense initiatives like the African Crisis Response Initiative (ACRI).[6] While defense relations were seemingly improvingfollowing the transition of African Crisis Response Initiative to the African Contingency Operations Training Assistance (ACOTA), the normalization of defense relations, and the engagement of the United States with HIV-AIDS issues in the SANDF beginning in 2004South Africas domestic politics made these gains short lived.[7] African National Congress governments, especially since President Mbeki, were never positive towards an American defense relationship. The emergence of AFRICOM brought to fore tensions in 2007. The United States established AFRICOM as a new cooperative type of Combatant Command and hoped that South Africa, as an increasingly friendly regional power, could engage in the larger questions of the placement of the command. Instead, South Africa led the charge against placing AFRICOM on the continent and Minister of Defense Mosiuoa Lekota refused to meet with the announced first commander of the Command.[8] The South African viewpoint was largely that Africans needed to be able to produce African solutions and that direct American involvement was unlikely to solve Africas problems.[9] Despite hope that these exercises would continue if not expand over the years, South Africa has not participated in American-hosted exercises since. This coolness endures, with both the Mbeki and Zuma administrations unresponsive to United States defense entreaties.[10] There are still occasional personnel exchanges through the International Military Education and Training program (IMET), partnerships to help with AIDS/HIV issues, and occasional aid with border control issues, but such engagements are limited. South Africa even held aloof from the larger military exercises that the United States hosts on the continent, with the last limited engagement being at the 2017 Shared Accord exercises held at the South African Army Combat Training Center in Lohatla.[11] Despite hope that these exercises would continue if not expand over the years, South Africa has not participated in American-hosted exercises since. Why Now? Given such estrangement, why would South Africa now be open to a security partnership? The answer is two intertwined issues that change the previous defense context for South Africa. The first is that the South African National Defence Force now faces a deep crisis. This is no revelation for observers from the South African defense community. Since the end of apartheid in 1994, the SANDF has confronted many challenges. From the fractious process of integrating the legacy membership of the apartheid-era SADF with the military structures of the homeland armed forces and the liberation forces like Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) the armed forces made political calculations favoring stability and inclusion over potential effectiveness.[12] This transition was also marked by a series of early arms acquisition scandals, further complicating the militarys transition to new readiness standards.[13] If the South African National Defence Force was previously weak and occasionally adrift, a recent series of crises have pushed the defense establishment to the breaking point. These challenges were noted, and efforts made to provide a sustainable path to effectiveness in the 1998 and 2015 National Defence Reviews.[14] Regional experts lauded the 2015 Defence Review as a new plan to halt the downward spiral of the SA Defence Forces.[15] The review presented a series of agreed-upon domestic and regional missions for the SANDF and a series of milestones by which progress towards goals could be measured by the defense establishment. However, despite great expectations, the Ministry of Defence found itself increasingly unable to achieve even the more modest goals of the Defence Review, and by 2018 observers declared the review a dead letter.[16] If the South African National Defence Force was previously weak and occasionally adrift, a recent series of crises have pushed the defense establishment to the breaking point. In terms of financing, much of the defense infrastructure has been undermined. Sustainment capabilities that once existed within the military have been hollowed out, leaving the SANDF reliant on the African National Congress leaders Cold War-era ties to keep equipment in the field.[17] Local commanders reportedly instructed their units to borrow replacements from neighboring units, admitting new equipment is probably not coming.[18] The SANDF has downgraded or cancelled critical exercises.[19] The local defense industry is moribund: it is now challenging for the once innovative and renowned Denel Dynamics to make a fraction of its payroll because of unpaid contracts.[20] This dangerous weakening of capacity happened even as more has been asked of the armed forces both regionally and within South Africa. While the South African National Defence Force has been a valuable contributor to the Force Intervention Brigade in the Eastern Congo, their power projection capabilities have noticeably declined since then.[21] The small force sent to the Central African Republic for stability operations was limited by South Africas ability to sustain forces at a distance. Although the force acquitted itself well in the subsequent unplanned armed clash with Seleka rebels, the casualties sustained led to inquiries about the missions planning and execution.[22] Simply put, while the South African National Defence Force has been adrift for a while, the recent regional and local emergencies have strained the South African armed forces to the limits of their manpower and materiel. Finally, even with global attention on the current insurgency in Cabo Delgado, the South African National Defence Force did not initiate or drive the process for a Southern African Development Community (SADC) Force. Only after Rwandas rapid and potent response did SADC spring into action. And, while SANDF provided the overall commander, it has only provided an advance party of Special Forces.[23] Part of this is admittedly due to South Africas recent internal crises in the KwaZulu Natal province, where rioting and looting erupted following the arrest of ex-President Jacob Zuma. To deal with the outbreak of violence, the South African government deployed 25,000 SANDF personnel to the region.[24] However, to achieve even this deployment whole reserve units needed calling up.[25] Simply put, while the South African National Defence Force has been adrift for a while, the recent regional and local emergencies have strained the South African armed forces to the limits of their manpower and materiel. A helping hand now from a capable partner might make the difference between effectively rejuvenating the SANDF or needing to completely rebuild it. This crisis of military capacity is interestingly happening at the same time as the political order in South Africa is undergoing an understated change. The previous President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, was cool towards dealings with the United States. He and his political allies in the left-flank of the ruling ANC aligned with China, seeking significant strategic and economic partnerships with Xis government.[26] However, Zuma was removed from his leadership position in the ANC in 2017 and voted out of the Presidency in 2018 under corruption charges.[27] While he retained influence, particularly in his home province, the eruption of violence there following his arrest may have marginalized his political followers within the national-level ANC.[28] His successor, Cyril Ramaphosa has proven more moderate.[29] While he maintains the rhetoric of strategic partnership with China, he has also looked to balance his relationships as opposed to forming exclusive compacts.[30] In addition, Ramaphosa made anti-corruption a centerpiece of his political program, offering a chance at potential political, economic, and even defense renewal.[31] This combination of crises within the defense establishment and the increasingly confident political leadership by a moderate president offers the United States a unique opportunity. While previously the hollowing out of SANDFs capabilities could be ignored within South Africas political circles, the ongoing series of security crises should now add urgency around a renewal of the armed forces. This is coupled with a political leader who may have a freer hand in searching for alternatives to China in national projects. The confluence of changed circumstances may make a renewed attempt at partnership more feasible than in the recent past and one that would find more success. Scott Martin is a career U.S. Air Force officer who has served in a multitude of globally-focused assignments. He studied Russian and International Affairs at Trinity University and received his Masters of Science in International Relations from Troy University. He is currently assigned within the National Capitol Region. Divergent Options content does not contain information of an official nature nor does the content represent the official position of any government, any organization, or any group. Title: Assessing the Impact of U.S. Forces on Pearl Harbor Heeding Multiple Warnings on December 7, 1941 Date Originally Written: October 27, 2021 Date Originally Published: November 8, 2021 Author and / or Article Point of View: The author believes that the U.S. did receive significant warnings on the morning of December 7th, 1941 before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. If those warnings had been acted upon in a timely fashion, the author believes that it is likely that the U.S. could have mitigated some of the damage inflicted by the Japanese. However, this author contends that the limited warning time would not have been sufficient to completely defeat the Japanese raid, and thus, Pearl Harbor would still be the event that drew the U.S. into World War II. Summary: A key what if? about the attack on Pearl Harbor centers on the lack of U.S. action on the two main warnings received that morning i.e. the USS Wards sinking of a Japanese submarine and the Opana Radar Station detection of the first wave of Japanese aircraft. Those warnings could have saved lives, but the limited warning time makes it unlikely the U.S. could have defeated the Japanese attack. Text: While most associate the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor with the ultimate in surprise attacks, U.S. Forces did receive warnings of pending action, especially that morning. Chief among the warnings was the USS Ward sinking a Japanese mini-submarine at 0640L, nearly a full hour before the arrival of the first wave of Japanese aircraft. Additionally, at 0701L, an Army radar installation at Opana on the western part of the island of Oahu detected a large mass of possible inbound flying objects, later determined to be the first wave of Japanese carrier-based aircraft. What if the command at Pearl Harbor, instead of ignoring the warnings, decided instead that the Ward and the radar station were the indications of an imminent attack? The Wards radioing in that it sank a Japanese sub at the entrance of the harbor was not the first report/sighting of a Japanese submarine that day. At 0357L, the minesweeper USS Condor, reported a periscope near Pearl Harbor during patrol[1]. That information was passed to the Ward for action. Also, U.S. forces throughout the Pacific had been on a war alert status for over two weeks. For most, that meant a likely Japanese strike against locations far to the west of Hawaii[2]. The accounts of the Ward fell into the trap of more warnings/sightings that leadership did not feel warranted additional responses. The reporting of the Ward might have increased warning for possible sub-related intrusions, which U.S. Navy Admiral (ADM) Husband E. Kimmel, Commander in Chief of the United States Pacific Fleet during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, felt was a significant threat[3]. However, the sub sighting along might not warrant an increase in harbor air defense actions. The Opana Radar Station, powered on longer than its scheduled 0400-0700 shift, detected multiple inbound contacts to conduct additional training while they waited for transport to leave the station[4]. In the subsequent actions, the inexperienced radar operators, while able to determine several aircraft could be in route, could not positively identify the inbound tracks[5]. Another factor involves the Officer-in-Charge at the information center at Fort Shafter. Upon receiving the call from Opana, he did not seem unduly concerned, as he knew a flight of U.S.-based B-17 were due in that morning[6]. Thus, the first wave of Japanese carrier-based planes made their way towards the island unopposed. Where the impact of the Wards and any possible change in the assessment of the radar station reporting could have had on the events of that morning would start at approximately 0730L, when ADM Kimmel received the Wards report[7]. If ADM Kimmel had called for an increase in the alert status at that point, the fleet would have had nearly 15-20 minutes to prepare for any inbound aggressive actions. While that might not seem like a lot of time, especially on a Sunday morning, the Sailors on ship would have been able to ready their ship-mounted anti-aircraft guns. Of note is that the ships in harbor were preparing for a Monday morning inspection, meaning most of the hatches and doors were open, thus, some warning would see the crews batten down the hatches to secure the ships[8]. While the 15-20 minute warning does enable the readying of anti-aircraft guns and for hatches to be secured, it does not leave time for significant aircraft launching. While possible for some alert aircraft to take off, there would be little time for the ground crews to man or move most planes to more secure locations. The Japanese were also able to take advantage in the different threat perception between the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Army as U.S. Army Lieutenant General (LTG) Walter C. Short, Commander of the Hawaiian Department, deemed sabotage the greatest threat to the ground-based aircraft. As such, the majority of the islands fighters were parked wingtip to wingtip out in the open[9]. Additionally, most of the aircraft were on four-hour alert status, so minutes warning would make little impact[10]. A major factor in the confusion and lack of action on the reports from the Ward and the Opana radar station stemmed from the lack of poor communications between the Navy and Army commands. LTG Short did not receive notice of the Wards actions and ADM Kimmel did not receive word about the sighting from the radar station. While this disconnect speaks to larger communication issues, the shorter-term issue would be that if Kimmel and Short did speak on the issue of the submarine[11]. If Kimmel contacted Short following the submarine activity, and both men agreed to increase the alert, even with limited time before the Japanese planes entered Oahu airspace, more lives and materiel might have been saved. Given how quickly most Sailors and Soldiers scrambled to gun positions after the shock of the first wave and the response the second wave of Japanese aircraft, any pre-warning/alert before the first wave might have reduced American casualties/increased Japanese losses. While an earlier alert call from ADM Kimmel and LTG Short, from the time of the Wards actions and the reporting of many inbound aircraft would have further increased Americas defensive posture, it is still likely that the U.S. suffers losses at Pearl Harbor. In this scenario the Japanese lose more aircraft and dont inflict as much damage to the U.S. ships in harbor, while the damage to the aircraft parked on the ground remains. In this scenario Pearl Harbor remains a Japanese tactical victory, and the U.S. still enters World War II. However, people will recall the actions of the Ward and the Opana radar detection, and how much worse things might have been had the U.S. not acted on their reporting. This article appeared originally at Divergent Options. Endnotes: [1] Slackman, M. (1990) Target: Pearl Harbor. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, p.74. [2] Bar-Joseph, U. and McDermont, R.(2016) Pearl Harbor and Midway: the decisive influence of two men on the outcomes. Intelligence and National Security, Vol 31 (No.7), p.952. Most analysts at the time thought that the Japanese would attack either the Philippines, the Malay peninsula or other American island holdings in the Pacific. [3] Slackman, M. Target: Pearl Harbor. P. 55. Of note, ADM Kimmel, prior to his assignment as Commander in Chief, US Pacific Fleet, held the rank of RADM (Two Star). The position was a 4-star billet, thus, he was addressed as ADM vs. RADM. After his dimissing from his position in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, he reverted to his original 2-star rank (RADM). [4] Twoney, S. (2016). Countdown to Pearl Harbor. The Twelve Days to the Attack. Simon and Shuster, New York. P. XII. [5] Ibid, P. 275. The radar operators, even as inexperienced as they were, would have been able to determine the presence of 50 airborne signatures, which, if reported to Fort Shafter, would have given the OIC pause, as the US was not sending near that many bombers to Hawaii that morning. [6] Ibid [7] Slackman, M. Target: Pearl Harbor, P. 76. [8] Bar-Joseph and McDermont. Pearl Harbor and Midway: the decisive influence for two men on the outcomes. P. 954. [9] Ibid [10] Slackman, M. Target: Pearl Harbor, P.135. [11] Prange, G. (1982) At Dawn We Slept. Penguin Books, New York, P. 497. Netflix is giving a glimpse of the new series Rebelde. ADVERTISEMENT The streaming service shared a teaser for the musical teen drama Tuesday. Rebelde is a reboot of the Mexican telenovela of the same name, which aired from 2004 to 2006 and launched the real-life band RBD made up of the cast. The original series was itself a remake of the Argentine telenovela Rebelde Way. The preview for the reboot shows a new group of students arrive at Elite Way School. The cast performs the hit Britney Spears song "...Baby One More Time" as they are seen preparing for a Battle of the Bands. "More music, more drama and more Rebelde than ever," an official description reads. Netflix previously released a sneak peek for the reboot that showed the cast performing the original theme song "Rebelde." The new series is directed by Santiago Limon and stars Azul Guaita, Sergio Mayer Mori, Giovanna Grigio, Alejandro Puente, Franco Masini and Lizeth Selene. Rebelde premieres Jan. 5, 2022, on Netflix. South Korean girl group Twice is gearing up to release its new album. ADVERTISEMENT The K-pop stars shared a highlight medley for the album Formula of Love: O+T=<3 on Monday. The sneak peek features clips of the title track, "Scientist," and 13 other songs: "Scientist," "Moonlight," "Icon," "Cruel," "Real You," "F.I.L.A. (Fall In Love Again)," "Last Waltz," "Rewind," "Cactus," "Push & Pull," "Hello," "1, 3, 2" and "Candy." The video also features clips of CD only and digital only tracks, including "The Feels" and "Scientist (R3hab Remix)." Twice released a single and music video for "The Feels," their first English-language song, in October. The group later shared an "opening trailer" for Formula of Love that shows the members conducting research and clinical trials about love. Twice will release Formula of Love on Friday. Twice consists of Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung and Tzuyu. The group's most recent EP, Taste of Love, was released in June. Traverse City, MI (49684) Today Windy with periods of rain and snow this evening. A few snow showers overnight - otherwise, mostly cloudy. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Windy with periods of rain and snow this evening. A few snow showers overnight - otherwise, mostly cloudy. Low 27F. Winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of precip 90%. Higher wind gusts possible. Athens, GA (30605) Today A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight. Low 51F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Greenville, NC (27833) Today Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 50F. Winds light and variable. 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students from Windham Elementary School get a surprise visit from the plow truck they named as part of the Vermont Agency of Transportation's Name a Plow program on Wednesday, 11/17/21. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. The stained glass window from the former Methodist meeting house will be saved and placed on display at the Bellows Falls train station. Beckley, WV (25801) Today Occasional rain. Low 38F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Occasional rain. Low 38F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Beckley, WV (25801) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 38F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 38F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. TORONTO (AP) Omar El Akkad, an Egyptian-Canadian author and journalist, the author of a story of the global refugee crisis through the eyes of a child, has won Canadas richest literary award. El Akkad won the Scotiabank Giller Prize for his book What Strange Paradise on Monday night. The former Globe and Mail journalist received the honor at a nationally televised Toronto gala Monday night. What Strange Paradise, published by McClelland & Stewart, is a novel about two children caught in the global refugee crisis. The story alternates between the perspectives of Amir, a Syrian boy who survives a shipwreck on an unnamed island, and Vanna, the local teenage girl who saves him El Akkad, 39, moved to Canada when he was 16, and went to high school in Montreal before attending Queens University in Kingston, Ontario. He lived in Toronto for about a decade, and did a stint in Ottawa as a Parliament Hill reporter. The Portland, Ore.-based author won critical and commercial success with his debut 2017 novel, American War, which won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, the Oregon Book Award for fiction, and the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. Monday nights black-tie affair reinstated the Giller as the bash of the fall books season after last years celebration was held remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers slashed the usual guest list by more than half to facilitate social distancing, and attendees were required to show proof of vaccination to take part in the festivities. The Giller Prize is considered one of the most prestigious in Canadian literature. Past winners have included Margaret Atwood, Mordecai Richler and Alice Munro. The Giller was created in 1994 by businessman Jack Rabinovitch in memory of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller. It honors the best in Canadian fiction. WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. A week after Robert Durst was indicted for murder in his wifes death, few details have emerged about the case against the former real estate mogul. But on Tuesday, an attorney representing the family of Kathie Durst vowed to hold those accountable whom he said helped cover up the homicide for the last four decades. I think we basically made it very clear that were gonna go after everybody lawyers, prosecutors, police, friends of Durst who got paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to participate in this cover up. Sometime in December, were going to present all of the evidence that we have, said attorney Bob Abrams, the family lawyer who called the news conference outside the Westchester County courthouse. He said much of that evidence has been shared with Westchester District Attorney Miriam Rocah. He credited Kathie Dursts brother, James McCormack, along with her other siblings and their spouses for seeking justice in her disappearance for 40 years. For them, for their children, for their grandchildren, nobody should have to ever go through that, Abrams said, addressing a row of television cameras and reporters from local and national news media. McCormack also spoke during the brief news conference, thanking Rocah for helping to bring the indictment against Robert Durst. But McCormack said he and the family have serious questions about the case, including why authorities, including past district attorneys, did not act sooner. These questions and so many others need to be answered not just for Kathie and the McCormack family, but for every family that has been victimized by prosecutorial misconduct and corruption, he said. A spokesperson for the Westchester County District Attorneys Office declined to comment on the McCormack familys claims. Documents charging Durst, 78, in his wifes killing have not been made public after a New York grand jury indicted him last week on a second-degree murder charge. We want both closure and justice for Kathie and our family which has suffered from her disappearance, murder and the concealment of her remains, McCormack said. Kathie Durst, who graduated what was then known as Western Connecticut State College in Danbury, was 30 years old when she disappeared on Jan. 31, 1982. She was last seen leaving a friends home in Newtown to return the couples home in South Salem, N.Y. When Kathleen Durst disappeared on January 31, 1982, her family and friends were left with pain, anguish and questions that have contributed to their unfaltering pursuit of justice for the last 39 years, Rocah said last week when the indictment was returned. Rocah credited her office, which she said reinvigorated its investigation and launched the Cold Case Bureau that helped to bring the charge decades after the disappearance. In a letter to Rocah, Abrams criticized her office, claiming former District Attorney Jeanine Pirro met with Robert Dursts brother, Douglas Durst, in 2003. In the letter, which was released to the media, Abrams wrote that the meeting was of grave concern to us. Abrams said it was particularly disturbing as Ms. Pirros decision to drop the investigation was made after this meeting occurred. To state the obvious, securing evidence of the cover up of Kathie's murder will help ensure, inter alia, that Robert Durst is convicted and that those who helped him are held accountable for deceiving Kathie's family and the public, the letter states. Rich and powerful people should not be able to get away with criminal conduct, and what happened to Kathie's family should never happen to another family ever again. In September, Robert Durst was convicted of killing his friend Susan Berman in her California home in December 2000. He has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the killing. Prosecutors in that case contended Robert Durst killed Berman to silence her from coming forward about his wifes disappearance. Durst was arrested in 2015 in Bermans homicide after he appeared in The Jinx, an HBO documentary about his life. Durst was alone in a bathroom in the HBO series when a live microphone caught him saying, What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course. In 2001, Durst was accused of killing his neighbor in Galveston, Texas, where prosecutors said he was living in hiding when investigators renewed their interest in Kathie Dursts disappearance. Robert Durst, who was accused of shooting and dismembering the neighbor, was acquitted of that killing after pleading self-defense, claiming he panicked and hid the body. Court documents filed in 2017 by Kathie Dursts family seeking to have her declared dead allege that Robert Durst was abusive and she had been hospitalized after one incident. The family claimed the two had argued the night she disappeared. Kathie Durst was about to finish medical school to become a pediatrician, her family said. She was close to her mother and siblings, and had no reason to suddenly break contact with them and never be seen again, the documents said. HARTFORD A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment this month, charging three people with trafficking fentanyl and cocaine in the Hartford area, prosecutors announced on Monday. A grand jury in Hartford returned the indictment on Nov. 3 against Denis Murtic, 36, of Farmington; Alexander Rodriguez, 45, of East Windsor; and Efrain Rosario, 41, of Hartford. The three defendants were each charged by the indictment with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, as well as multiple counts of possession and/or distributing fentanyl and cocaine, prosecutors said. If convicted of the most serious charges, prosecutors said, each defendant faces a mandatory term of 10 years in prison and maximum term of life in prison. The investigation began in September 2020. Prosecutors said the Drug Enforcement Administrations Hartford Task Force launched an investigation into Murtic for allegedly trafficking large quantities of fentanyl and cocaine. On Sept. 3, 2020, investigators searched a Hartford apartment connected to Murtic and found thousands of wax folds of fentanyl, more than 700 grams of cocaine and items used to process and package drugs for distribution, prosecutors said. More than a year later, on Oct. 18, investigators set up a controlled purchase of 50 grams of fentanyl from Murtic and Rodriguez at an East Hartford parking lot. After the purchase, investigators watched Murtic and Rodriguez drive to an apartment on Wakefield Circle in East Hartford. On Oct. 26, Murtic, Rodriguez and Rosario were all arrested at that apartment, which prosecutors said was being used as a narcotics packaging and packing mill. When investigators searched the apartment, prosecutors said, they found thousands of glassine bags and wax folds of fentanyl, a compressed one-kilogram brick of cocaine, a half-kilogram of cocaine and numerous narcotics processing and packaging items. Murtic and Rosario remain in custody. Rodriguez is free on a $100,000 bond. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Republican lawmakers in Kansas are pushing to enact new state laws before Thanksgiving to protect workers financially if they refuse to comply with federal mandates to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Top GOP legislative leaders called Tuesday for lawmakers to have a special session to consider proposals making it easier for workers to claim religious exemptions from vaccine mandates and providing unemployment benefits to workers who are fired for refusing to get inoculated. Both proposals emerged from a legislative committee meeting Tuesday and come in response to vaccine mandates announced in September by President Joe Biden. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly last week went public with her opposition to the Democratic president's mandates, but she also said she didn't think a special session is warranted. Lawmakers can force one if two-thirds of them sign a petition, and Republicans have big enough majorities. Lawmakers adjourned for the year in May and aren't scheduled to reconvene until January. Senate President Ty Masterson, an Andover Republican, suggested starting a special session Nov. 22, just three days before Thanksgiving, to address all this garbage from the Biden administration. The committee on vaccine mandates plans to have a hearing and could vote Friday on the two proposals, allowing quicker action should lawmakers have a special session. Kansans should not be forced to choose between their personal beliefs and their jobs, House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., an Olathe Republican, said in a statement. Attorney General Derek Schmidt, a Republican who hopes to unseat Kelly in the governors' race next year, has brought Kansas into two federal lawsuits against Biden mandates. One mandate says employees of private companies with 100 or more workers must get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 tests. Conservative Republican lawmakers pushed last month for a special session, but the effort didn't gain much traction. Top GOP leaders' alternative was forming the committee on vaccine mandates; Masterson is a member, and on Tuesday it endorsed having a special session as soon as possible. What changed is, we now have a plan, said Rep. Stephen Owens, a conservative Hesston Republican, another committee member. In committee hearings last month, critics of the vaccine mandates urged lawmakers not to put off action until January because deadlines to get inoculated would have passed. Both proposals before the committee Tuesday came from Masterson. The first would prevent employers from second-guessing workers if they sought a religious exemption to a vaccine mandate by asserting that getting inoculated violated sincerely held religious beliefs. Sen. Vic Miller, a Topeka Democrat, said such a provision could be more lenient than longstanding state policies granting religious exemptions from other other vaccines required by the state, such as those for chickenpox, mumps or hepatitis for K-12 students. He said Masterson's alternative for COVID-19 vaccines looks like anything goes. You dont have to even have a good faith belief, a religious belief. If you just assert you do, then you get a free ride, Miller said. But Masterson said employers and the state have no business trying to judge the validity of a person's religious beliefs. I would contend that no one has that ability that is the fundamental contention of freedom of religion, Masterson said. The other proposal would revise state laws on unemployment. One says people don't get benefits if they didn't have good cause to leave their jobs or if they were discharged. The law also requires people to seek suitable work to keep getting benefits. Kelly said last week that issues about benefits for people who left or lost a job after refusing to get vaccinated would be settled case by case. Under the proposal, people wouldn't lose benefits for refusing to take jobs requiring a COVID-19 vaccine, and they couldn't be denied benefits if they lost a job after refusing to get inoculated against COVID-19. But the influential Kansas Chamber of Commerce immediately worried that the measure could result in the state paying out hundreds of millions of dollars in additional benefits. Employers pay taxes to help finance the benefits. ___ Follow John Hanna on Twitter: https://twitter.com/apjdhanna Adding a new lane to Interstate 95 in Fairfield County. Redesigning the Interstate 84 and Interstate 91 intersection in Hartford. Replacing the 114-year-old Connecticut River Bridge between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook. There is no shortage of ideas for how Connecticut could spend the $5.38 billion in highway and transit funds the state will receive under the federal infrastructure bill that President Joe Biden is soon expected to sign into law. In a tweet on Friday, U.S. Rep. Jim Himes, D-4, had estimated Connecticut would receive something like $6 billion for the infrastructure projects. The state Department of Transportations five-year capital plan essentially Connecticuts infrastructure to-do list includes hundreds of projects totaling $12.1 billion. Connecticut will get an additional $1.62 billion in federal funding over the next five years to tackle that list, and stands to gain even more funding by competing for $100 billion in transportation grants available under the bill. Officials here say Connecticut, which has some of the oldest infrastructure in the country, is well positioned to compete for that funding. The $1 trillion spending bill is expected to help states fund overdue transportation projects that have often fallen victim to competing needs in state budgets. The office of Gov. Ned Lamont has released key areas the funding will go. Those include: $3.29 billion to tackle major corridor congestion and safety, accelerate construction projects, and increase smarter and safer roads/streets for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists $1.3 billion to enhance public transit (bus and rail) $561 million to bring Connecticuts aging bridges into a state of good repair $90 million to make Connecticuts transportation assets more resilient to weather and natural disasters $79 million to reduce transportation carbon emissions $52.5 million to build out Connecticuts publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations The DOT will largely take on the task of deciding which projects get funded, and its five-year capital plan, which includes projects ranging from adding new bike lanes and pedestrian trails to reconstructing the northbound lane of the Gold Star Highway, provides a road map for what the state ultimately decides to invest in. With the federal infrastructure bill finally passed, Connecticuts congressional delegates gathered on a train platform at Hartfords Union Station Monday to hail the legislation as not only a boon for fixing Americas aging transportation program, but for putting people back to work. Most importantly, it puts people back to work, rebuilding America in a way that will only add to the states economic vitality, said U.S. Rep. John Larson, D-1. U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2, said Amtrak, which is receiving $66 billion under the bill, including $30 billion for the Northeast Rail Corridor, recently signed an agreement with the North American Building Trades Union to ensure local workers get these jobs. He said the states workforce development and apprenticeship programs will help train the people needed. Keith R. Brothers, a Connecticut Laborers District Council leader, and a group of trades workers, joined the congressional delegates to celebrate the long-awaited news. What does that mean? $5 billion? Youre probably all asking right, Brothers said. $5 billion means a decade of work for decades of waiting. julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com MOSCOW (AP) Lawyers and the family of a former U.S. Marine who is imprisoned for assaulting police officers in Moscow says he has begun a hunger strike to protest his detention and human rights abuses behind bars a claim Russian officials have denied. Trevor Reed, 29, from Texas, was convicted in July and sentenced to nine years in prison for an altercation in August 2019 in Moscow, where he was studying Russian and visiting his girlfriend. He allegedly assaulted police officers who were driving him to a police station after picking him up following a night of heavy drinking at a party. Russian authorities said Reed was drunk inside a police car when he grabbed the arm of the driver, causing him to swerve into another lane, and elbowed another officer who tried to intervene. But investigators didnt give the defense team the video that was recorded inside the police car. Reed's family said in a statement Tuesday that they have received a report from an attorney that Trevor has begun a hunger strike to protest his arbitrary detention and Russian authorities numerous and flagrant violations of his basic human rights. Reed's lawyers told the Interfax news agency that he has been on hunger strike since last Thursday. Russia's state penitentiary service denied the claim Tuesday and insisted that Reed was eating in accordance with the daily schedule in comments relayed by Interfax. The service's division in Mordovia, a region some 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Moscow where Reed is serving his sentence, also denied allegations of human rights abuses. Reed is not the only American imprisoned in Russia under controversial circumstances. Paul Whelan, a former corporate security executive, was convicted in June of espionage and sentenced to 16 years. His lawyer has said his client was handed a flash drive that had classified information on it that he didnt know about. U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price said Tuesday that securing the release of Whelan and Reed "remains an absolute priority for this administration. We are continuing to press this issue with the utmost priority, Price told reporters in Washington, noting that it was raised during June's summit in Geneva between U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin and in conversations between the nations' top diplomats. NORFOLK Members of the Norfolk Foundation recently announced their intent to purchase the landmark Arcanum Building. Libby Borden, President, and Lisa Atkin, co-president, made the announcement Nov. 1. Tony Kiser, the president of the William and Mary Greve Foundation, granted the foundation the money to purchase the building, according to a statement. Libby Borden said ,Our NF mission has been to ensure the sustainability of the Town of Norfolk by supporting the towns Plan of Conservation and Development, said Borden. When the opportunity arose to buy and preserve the historic Arcanum building, we grabbed it. The board is thrilled. Part of the NF ownership plan is to sublease the five apartments on the second floor to the Foundation for Norfolk Living, a provider of affordable housing in Norfolk. FNL will be responsible for leasing to tenants who meet affordability criteria. Connecticut Real Estate Management will oversee and manage the use of the building by both the residential and commercial tenants. The Foundation for Norfolk Living is grateful to have the opportunity to collaborate with the NF, said Foundation for Norfolk Living board president Kate Briggs Johnson. Our mission is to provide diverse affordable housing in Norfolk. Maintaining the affordability of the apartments in the Arcanum Building is important to the vitality of our community. According to the foundation, the building, built between 1904-1906, is named after the Royal Arcanum, an organization created in the nineteenth century to provide health insurance to its members. A group of businessmen, who were members in the town of Norfolk, hired architect Alfredo Taylor to design an impressive multi-purpose building in the town center. The building was designed to have commercial businesses on the first floor and meeting spaces for the Royal Arcanum Council and the Masonic Lodge on the third floor. Today it houses both residential and commercial tenants. Norfolk owes much of our thriving history to philanthropic endeavors, said Frist Selectman Matt Riiska. We would not be who we are today, nor could we achieve much of what is noted in our Plan of Conservation and Development without the generosity of individuals who give of their time, talents, and financial support. We are incredibly grateful to the Norfolk Foundation and their collaboration with the town for their mission and vision to support the sustainability of Norfolk for future generations. The board said there will be no drastic changes to the building. To start, they will only be making some much needed repairs. An informal meeting will be held for current residents and commercial tenants at the Norfolk Hub, located at 2 Station Place, on a date and time to be announced, giving them the opportunity to meet the board and ask questions. The strategic plan for the building is something that we plan to involve the community in shaping as the building is such an integral part of the town center, said Atkin. Our goal at the foundation is to be a catalyst for change, providing support and helping Norfolk thrive. The Norfolk Foundation is a 501(C)(3) organization, founded in 2015. For more information about the Foundation, to make a donation or to inquire about volunteering your time and/or talents please contact Executive Director Dawn Whalen at dawnwhalen@norfolkfoundation.net or visit www.norfolkfoundation.net. For information about leasing the residential units, including applications and availability, go to www.norfolkliving.org. TORRINGTON Since she was first diagnosed with a debilitating nerve disease as a young woman, Kelly Considine has fought to stay positive and help others. This summer, she helped raise more than $11,000 for the annual Complex Regional Pain Sydrome walk in Windsor with her team, Kellys Crusaders. And earlier this month, she was honored by Mayor Elinor Carbone and state Rep. Michelle Cook, D-Torrington, with a proclamation naming November Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Awareness Month, and Nov. 1 as Color the World Orange Day at Torrington City Hall. Orange is the symbolic color for CPRS. Kellys just so special, Cook said. We were happy to do this for her. Considine, an artist and educator, created the teams logo for this years walk, and organized much of the walk, which was held June 25. It was a lot of work, finding sponsors, getting teams. I was really living in the moment, trying to get it all together in back in March, and to see it all come together was so rewarding, she said. I got a lot of positive feedback from it this time. The support Considine receives is what keeps her looking ahead to the next goal, and bringing help and comfort to others facing the same disease. She lives in Torrington with her parents, Jim and Susan Considine, and her sister, Rachel, and has friends around the state and across the country, many of whom participate each year in the CPRS walk. During COVID-19, the event was virtual, and teams posted photos showing their progress. Overall, this years virtual walk included 57 teams from four countries and 35 states, Considine said. The proceeds, totaling nearly $60,000 for Connecticut, were donated to the Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association, which researches disorders such as CPRS. She also finds support groups online, where shes able to meet others and talk about her symptoms, learn about new or different pain relief treatments, and to simply share how its going with one another, she said. CPRS often starts out as an unknown illness, difficult to diagnose. There is no cure. It took Considine a number of years before she was able to find doctors to diagnose and begin treating her. According to the Mayo Clinic, CRPS usually affects an arm or leg, and typically develops after a injury, a surgery, a stroke or heart attack. The pain, the clinic says on its website, is out of proportion to the severity of the injury. In Considines case, she was a college freshman and athlete when she suffered an ankle injury. At a surgery center, a surgeon cut one of the nerves in her ankle and said shed be off her crutches by the end of the day. But she wasnt; the pain spread up her leg, and never stopped. Since then, Considine, now in her 30s, has lost the ability to stand or walk, and has gastrointestinal problems, heart and blood pressure problems, difficulty eating and muscle and nerve spasms. Considine is completely disabled, but is able to teach math and physics, to children with autism or on the spectrum, virtually for now. She has a therapy dog, Gunner, who has a big following on Instagram, and is her constant companion and best friend. Earlier this year, after performing a spinal tap, doctors found protein in her spinal fluid, and the infusions she receives are flooding her system with antibodies to improve her immune system and protect her nerve endings. Its helped a little, she said. If I have spasms, theyre not as frequent as they were before. Her hope for this treatment is that, over time, shell have less pain and fewer GI problems. So I have hope for other areas of my body, she said. Above all, Considine said, she tries to make a positive impact on people. They feel more comforted, if they have CPRS, knowing they arent alone, she said. Locally, Ive met a family with a young girl who was diagnosed, and Ive been trying to help the family, sharing my experience. Its not always easy. I have a tough time sometimes, she said. My friends are all established in their careers, getting married, buying houses; I wanted to do engineering, research, or medicine, maybe. But I wasnt going to let the door close. I want to do something to make an impact on others, and to contribute. To learn more about CPRS, visit rsds.org/empower-yourself-with-the-latest-crpsrsd-information or rsds.org. Patients, family members and friends can learn more about new research and events at rsds.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/October-2021-In-Rare-Form.pdf. Donations to this years CPRS walk are being accepted until the end of the year, and can be made at secure.qgiv.com/event/rsdsawalk2021/account/1075443. 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 RED WING-- Sheena Whitlock credits Instagram for sparking the idea that would eventually evolve into the nonprofit Goods for Girls. Whitlock was scrolling through the social media platform when she saw a group in Colorado that was making period kits for individuals experiencing period poverty. It was something I felt compelled to do because it got me thinking of my childhood, Whicklock told the Republican Eagle. I grew up in poverty on Guam and often my parents couldn't afford to buy products, so I was often stuck finding other ways to control my menstrual bleeding. In Minnesota and the rest of the country, period poverty is still a reality for many people. A 2019 study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology found that of those interviewed for the study, 64% were unable to buy the needed menstrual hygiene supplies at some point in the previous year. Data found that 46% of those interviewed had to choose between purchasing food and menstrual supplies at least once during the past year. The goal of Goods for Girls is to collect and donate period products to locations and organizations where people in need of the items can access them. Period kit party The first Goods for Girls event was a kit creation party. Whitlock reflected, The whole kit party was a thought I had becauseI knew it would be a fun get together for ladies and girls, then as I started posting about putting kits together, friends and the community saw a need for it. On Sunday, Oct. 24, Women gathered at The Moondance Inn. The day included mimosas, baked goods, coffee, a raffle and silent auction. Numerous local businesses donated gift cards and items for the event and the inn donated the space. About 40 people donated items for the kits, as did local groups like the women's church group at St. John's Lutheran. Each kit contained a maxi pad, a thin pad, two liners, two tampons and deodorant in a bag. About 700 kits were made by participants. They will be distributed to local schools, homeless shelters and wherever else a need is seen. A few of the kit creators were local Girl Scouts. One member, Elizabeth, said of the event, Its really fun and nice that were doing this for girls who need it. How to get involved While the first Goods for Girls event is over, the nonprofit has partnered with Tootsie Too The event raised over $700 for the HOPE Coalition through the raffle and silent auction. Whitlock said of partnering with HOPE, I would never wish any child to witness or experience trauma of any nature in their lifetime. With support from good people, children can rise above and break the cycle. I would love to give Hope to those who have none and show that they can be a successful, wonderful human being no matter what they went through. You don't have to let your trauma change your heart, just be a light to those in the darkness and hearts will change over time. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday expressed his satisfaction with the incorporation of two Indian vaccines in the World Health Organization's (WHO) Emergency Use Listing (EUL). AstraZenecas COVID vaccine - Covishield was granted the EUL by WHO in February while Bharat Biotech's vaccine for COVID - Covaxin received the global health body's nod for emergency use earlier this month. "WHO has included 8 vaccines in EUL (emergency use listing) so far. We are happy 2 out of these are Indian vaccines - Covaxin and Covishield. Ninety-six countries of the world have recognised both these vaccines, following this. You can see the list via CoWIN app," Health Minister Mandaviya said on Tuesday. "The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare along with the Ministry of External Affairs is in continuous communication with all countries for mutual recognition of vaccine certificates, and WHO and nationally-approved vaccines to facilitate hassle-free international travel across countries," the Ministry maintained in a press release. Countries recognising the use of India-made COVID vaccines include the United States of America (USA), Turkey, Greece, Spain, Finland, Estonia, Romania, Moldova, Albania, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Iceland, Botswana, Namibia, Armenia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Russia, Georgia, Bangladesh, The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Belgium, and Ireland among several others. WHO-Certified COVID Vaccines With the addition of Covaxin in WHO EUL, the total count of COVID vaccines approved by the international healthcare body stands at eight. Here are the COVID vaccines approved by the WHO: Moderna (mRNA-1273) Approved in 76 countries Pfizer/BioNTech (BNT162b2) Approved in 103 countries Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) Ad26.COV2.S Approved in 75 countries Oxford/AstraZeneca (AZD1222) Approved in 124 countries Serum Institute of India - Covishield (ChAdOx1_nCoV19) Approved in 46 countries Bharat Biotech - Covaxin Approved in 9 countries Sinopharm (Beijing) SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated (lnCoV) Approved in 68 countries Sinovac (CoronaVac) Approved in 42 countries India runs world's largest vaccination drive; Mandaviya lauds PM Modi Minister Mandaviya lauded the milestone achievement of administering the maximum number of COVID vaccines in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He also hailed the Har Ghar Dastak initiative taken by the Centre where the government has launched a door-to-door COVID vaccination drive. "Over 109 crore doses have been administered so far in the country. Under 'Har Ghar Dastak', healthcare workers are going to all houses to carry out the vaccination drive," Health Minster Mansukh Mandaviya said. Announcing the launch of the campaign, Union Health Minister Mandaviya took to Twitter and urged everyone to participate in the campaign. He further added that healthcare workers will go from door to door to vaccinate eligible people over the next month. Lauding PM Modi, Union Minister Mandaviya tweeted, "Prime minister Narendra Modi Ji has taken effective steps for the protection of every countryman from COVID. The whole world appreciated India's historic achievement of 100 crore vaccinations. Modi government, determined to provide security to the people, started #HarGharDastak campaign today, which we will take to every household." Har Ghar Dastak Setting the target of completely vaccinating the entire adult population before the end of the year, the Union Health Ministry will carry out this month-long exercise from November 2 to December 2, which is observed as 'Dhanvantari Divas' in memory of the Hindu God of medicine - Dhanvantari. The month-long COVID-19 vaccination drive -- 'Har Ghar Dastak' -- would also seek to cover 11 crore people who have taken their first jabs but for some reason have failed to take their second dose within the stipulated time. Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will be personally supervising this massive logistical exercise. In addition, it is also expected that he will be joining a few teams that will go door to door in a bid to achieve 100% vaccination against COVID-19 at the earliest. Meanwhile, India on Tuesday vaccinated a total of 58.96 lakh people taking the cumulative count of vaccine administered to 1,09,62,13, 385 till 20:15 pm, November 9. With this 35.12 Crore individuals have been fully vaccinated in the country and the percentage of fully vaccinated citizens stands at 47.13%. Image: PTI, AP Escalating his tussle with Nawab Malik, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis accused the Maharashtra Minister of preventing the seizure of a terror convict's property. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the former Maharashtra CM alleged that Solidus Investments Pvt. Ltd.- a company allegedly controlled by Malik's family members had purchased a 2.8-acre land in Kurla, Mumbai in September 2005 from Mariyambai Goawala, Munira Plumber and Sardar Shah Wali Khan. Alleging that the land was sold cheaper than the market rate, he said that Rs.10 lakh and Rs.5 lakh were paid to Salim Patel and Khan respectively. The NCP leader's son Faraz Malik was a signatory to this deal with Haseena Parkar's driver and bodyguard Salim Patel who was the power of attorney holder for Goawala and Plumber and Khan, a 1993 bomb blasts convict. Fadnavis claimed, "In 2003, he (Nawab Malik) became a tenant in this property. He transferred his tenancy and then purchased it. This shows a direct connection to the underworld". Moreover, he added, "There are 5 such properties in which there is 100% an underworld angle in 4 of them. This is from 2005 until now, until two years ago". Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis remarked, "When this deal started in 2003 and ended in 2005, you were a Minister. It is true that before the final registration, you had to resign as strictures were passed against you in Justice Sawant's report. But didn't you know who Salim Patel was? The biggest thing is- why did you purchase the land from Mumbai's criminals? Why did you purchase land from those responsible for the bomb blasts? What was the reason why they gave you a three-acre land in LBS road for Rs.20 lakh?" "He (Sardar Shah Wali Khan) was slapped with TADA. He might have come out on bail. I could not ascertain this. As per TADA, the government confiscates the entire property of a TADA convict. There is a provision for the government to seize the property. The property was transferred to you on the basis of fictitious consideration so that the property of the TADA accused is not seized," the BJP leader elaborated. Nawab Malik-Fadnavis tussle After launching a tirade against NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede over the arrest of Aryan Khan and his son-in-law, he trained his guns at Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis. Speaking to the media on November 1, he alleged, "One Jaydeep Rana is currently in jail in connection with a drug trafficking case. He has relations with former CM Devendra Fadnavis. He was financial head of famous River song by former CM's wife Amruta Fadnavis: Drugs business in the state grew under his tenure. I wonder if Fadnavis is the mastermind of the drug mafia. I demand CBI or judicial enquiry in this issue". Dismissing this charge, Fadnavis clarified that his wife's photo with Rana tweeted by Malik was taken while filming the 'Mumbai River Anthem' song. Highlighting that this is a 4-year-old photo, he hinted at initiating criminal proceedings against the Maharashtra Minister. Moreover, he promised to make public proof about the NCP leader's links with the underworld after Diwali. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik visited Bhawanipatna on Monday to inaugurate the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) smart cards as the opposition called for a boycott along with multiple protests in the state capital. The BJP staged a protest to show their unrest against the state government due to their inaction in the Mamata Meher murder case. She was a school teacher in Kalahandi and had been missing since October 8, 2021. The family claimed that the police did not entertain the initial missing complaint as her body was eventually found in the stadium of a private school in Kalahandi. Dilip Mohanty, the BJP spokesperson said while attending the protest, The entire media has been showing the name Mamata Meher over and over again, we have been demanding action against the perpetrators but the Chief Minister is unwilling to take the matter seriously. It's been exactly a month since she went missing, the Chief Minister has still not uttered a single word. Today, he himself is visiting Kalahandi, the district of the murdered woman. What is the message hes trying to give? Why is he so arrogant and insensitive? The people of the state, the women of the state are all concerned by the current situation. The CM has not answered the questions while the state continues to burn. Over 1 lakh women tortured under BJDs insensitive regime Earlier on Saturday, Odishas Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan slammed the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over their inaction in the murder case of the school teacher Mamita Meher. Harichandan claimed that the state government is behaving like 'Dhritarashtra' and it looks like they are hiding criminals. While speaking to the news agency ANI, Harichandan said, "Odisha government is sitting like Dhritarashtra and shielding criminals". He further said that over 1 lakh women have been tortured in the state during the reign of Naveen Patnaik as the Chief Minister and called his regime insensitive. He also said that the BJP would protest until state minister Dibya Shankar Mishra is fired and a CBI investigation into the case. Image: ANI/representational A rare 45-year-old Apple 1 computer, one of six with an original Byte Shop KOA wood case and an unmodified NTI motherboard, built by late Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak is expected to go on sale at an auction this week in Monrovia, United States. John Moran Auctioneers announced on Monday, Nov. 8 that the "Chaffey College" Apple-1 built in the 1970s in the garage of Steve Jobs fitted with original blue Sprague 39D capacitors, original power regulators, rare original "Circle D" ceramic may fetch whopping $600,000. One of the first-ever Apple computers is being sold with the connecting cable, and power supply, partnered with a 1986 Panasonic video monitor. The computer also comes with a period Xerox copy of the Apple-1 Basic Manual, the Apple-1 Operations Guide, as well as an original MOS 6502 programming manual, the auction center informed in a press release. Built by Steve Job and Wozniak in a garage in 1976 The "Chaffey College" Apple-1 Personal Computer was built in Los Altos, California by Steve Jobs and Wozniak in a garage in 1976. Wozniak said of the Apple-1 in his 2011 biography Steve Jobs: We were participating in the biggest revolution that had ever happened, I thought. I was so happy to be a part of it, Seattle Times reported. The paper informed that Chaffey College Apple-1 was named so because its first owner was a Chaffey professor. The system was first discovered at Rancho Cucamonga home of the former Chaffey student who had bought the machine from a professor for $650 in the year 1977. This is kind of the holy grail for vintage electronics and computer tech collectors, Corey Cohen, an Apple-1 expert who spent a major chunk of his career in authenticating and refurbishing Apple-1 units was quoted as saying by Seattle Times. Furthermore, he added, That really makes it exciting for a lot of people. The student, who seemingly kept the computer with him for over 4 decades, expressed a desire to remain anonymous until after the computer was sold out. The auctions center expects that the rare computer might sell for close to $500,000. According to the Seattle Times, one other rare similar operational unit was sold for $905,000 in 2014 by the Bonhams auction house. At least 175 of such early computers have been sold so far. Cohen told the US-based outlet that the unit was not in bad condition but just that the keyboard had to be refurbished completely. The computer was sitting at a current bid of $200,000 at the time of this report. (Image Credit: AP/John Moran Auctioneers) Since the Nebula November is on a roll, NASA has shared another glittering image, of a star-producing Nebula, captured by the Hubble Telescope. In this new image shared on Twitter on November 8, knots of cold and dense interstellar gas can be seen producing new stars. Dubbed the Free-floating Evaporating Gaseous Globules or frEGGs, these were first seen in Hubbles famous 1995 image of the Eagle Nebula, says NASA. Word of the day: frEGGs AKA: Free-floating Evaporating Gaseous Globules, like the ones seen in this new Hubble image. Learn more about these objects: https://t.co/rwrCRzsOll#NebulaNovember pic.twitter.com/oGc3Cky8BG Hubble (@NASAHubble) November 8, 2021 In the official statement, NASA revealed that these lumps of gases are rarely seen via telescopes since they are extremely dark. The only way they can be observed is when the intense ultraviolet radiation erodes the surrounding gas away, when the newly forming stars ignite, letting the denser, more resistant frEGGs remain. Located in the Northern Coalsack Nebula, the frEGGs were found in the direction of Cygnus, the Swan, as per the statement. If looked closely, you can observe two giant stars featured in the image. The extremely bright, blue-white star on the left is a rare, giant O-type star and is among the class of hottest stars in the universe. Interestingly, these massive stars are 10,000 to a million times the brighter than the Sun and burn themselves out quickly, in a few million years. The star on the right is an even more massive supergiant B-type star, the type that burns through their fuel quickly, anywhere between a few hundred thousand years to tens of millions of years, and die in titanic supernova explosions. This image is just an addition to a series of images NASA has released this month. Yesterday, the agency shared another spectacular Hubble image of the 'Red Rectangle Nebula', which is known to be shedding its outer layers for 14,000 years ago. The 'Red Rectangle Nebula' This nebula is one of the most unusual in our Milky Way! Called the Red Rectangle Nebula, HD 44179 is a dying star thats been shedding its outer layers for about 14,000 years. Learn more about its interesting features: https://t.co/eYKtqwUclJ#NebulaNovember pic.twitter.com/tIjm2SnEum Hubble (@NASAHubble) November 7, 2021 Although the image is old, it was presented at the perfect timing of the year. NASA explains that the unusual shape of this nebula, named HD 44179m is likely due to a thick dust torus that pinches the otherwise spherical outflow into tip-touching cone shapes. At the center of the nebula is an aging binary star system that powers the nebula but does not, as yet, explain its colors. Located about 2,300 light-years away towards the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros), speculation holds that its consists of hydrocarbon molecules that may actually be building blocks for organic life. Image: NASA Nearly four days after the Ethiopian government declared a national state of emergency, Tigrayans are being arrested in Addis Ababa in a wave of alleged ethnic targeting, reported CNN on Monday, November 8. According to media reports, the ethnic community alleged that the authorities are arresting people including, priests, women and children. Notably, the 'discriminatory' arrests were going on since the Ethiopian authorities declared a national state of emergency on Tuesday following a threat of rival Tigray forces to move on the capital. According to the authorities, the government action came after the country intelligence agency warned that the rival group was planning to oust the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. Authorities detaining people on the basis of ethnicity: Report Citing Ethiopia's state-appointed human rights commission (EHRC), CNN said that the administration has been arresting the common people of Ethiopia 'based on ethnicity'. The commission noted that the state of emergency gave 'special privileges' to the administration to arrest people on the basis of mere suspicion. The human rights commission said that the authorities are detaining people by saying "they are involved with the terror outfits". It is worth mentioning the state of emergency will last for the next six months. The government can impose a curfew, order citizens into military training, disrupt transport services and travel, suspend licenses of media outlets and detain indefinitely anyone suspected of having links with a terrorist group. Police failed to prefer documents for arrests, says family members Further, the commission demanded the law enforcement agency to work professionally while "protecting the human rights" of the ethnic people living in the country for decades. It also urged the administration to adhere to principles of legitimacy, reasonableness, proportionality and impartiality, reported CNN. Meanwhile, while speaking to CNN, the family members whose elders got arrested on the basis of a "false" narrative claimed that the police who came to arrest failed to provide the documents for the arrests. Notably, the Ethiopian police arrested a mother of a two-year-old without providing any details to her family members. "Now, the toddler has been continuously watching the other female members whenever he feels hungry," said the husband of the woman arrested on the suspicion of having links with the rebel groups. However, Addis Ababa police commander Fasika Fenta told CNN that the law enforcement agency was only arresting those who receive money and training from the TPLF. When the media outlet asked about the detention of a woman whose toddler is reportedly continuously crying to get a glimpse of his mother, Fasika said he was not aware of the incident and would look into it. (Image: AP) Deadly attacks and forced conscription has begun against Tigrayans in a part of Ethiopia which is now controlled by Amhara regional authorities in collaboration with soldiers from Eritrea. The commencement of a new round of deadly attacks has been confirmed by the people who are fleeing over the border to Sudan to The Associated Press. The people who have fled the region recalled the warnings they received from Amhara authorities against supporting Tigray forces. As per the AP report, Tigray forces had been approaching the capital city Addis Ababa to pressurise prime minister Abiy Ahmed to step down, which resulted in the Ethiopian government declaring a stage of emergency. The western Tigray communities of Adebay and Humera who have fled in the past week recalled the warnings that they received from Amhara authorities against supporting the Tigray forces. According to AP, two men who fled to Sudan have stated that as the reports about the Tigray forces gaining momentum came forth, Amhara authorities in a public meeting on 29 October asked the residents to not support them. Mawcha Asmelash, a 28-year-old person who fled the region recalled the authorities telling the residents that there were people who were working for Tigray forces. Amhara authorities told them to either give the people working for Tigray forces to them or they will all be killed. Mawcha Asmelash recalled authorities as saying, "There are people working for (the Tigray forces). You should give them to us, or we will kill you all together," as per AP. He further added that five days later he witnessed "four people being killed on the run." Furthermore, he revealed that he and other men hid in the bush for two days, where they asked people if it was safe to return. The local women told them that several men had been killed and they were prohibited to bury their bodies. Moreover, the local women urged the men to flee the region. Berhane Gebremikael, a 36-year-old man who fled Adebay confirmed the public meeting and revealed that he had seen one man being killed as he ran from Amhara militia and the Eritrean soldiers. He said, "Maybe the worst thing will happen in the next days" and urged the world community to intervene in the matter, according to AP. An Ethiopian Orthodox Church official in Addis Ababa, who spoke on condition of anonymity informed that dozens of priests, monks, deacons and others have been detained in the capital due to their ethnicity. With inputs from AP Image: AP At least 25 children aged between five and six were killed in a fire that broke out in straw-hut classrooms in southern Niger's Maradi, on November 8. The fire erupted on Monday morning when children were attending school, the BBC reported. The blaze injured several other school attendees as well. The reason and the source of the fire were yet to be determined. The mayor of Maradi city, Chaibou Aboubacar informed local media that the fire incident on Monday, November 8, damaged three such straw-made classrooms. When the brick-made main school buildings in Niger become inadequate to accommodate all of the schoolchildren, extra classrooms are frequently constructed which are generally made of wood and straw, according to the BBC. Numerous dead bodies were taken out from the burned classrooms, as well as a number of schoolchildren with injuries were put in cars and were sent to the hospital, the BBC reported, quoting an eyewitness. Several of the little ones injured in the fire remained in serious condition. Following the tragic incident, all other classes were cancelled at the school. Notably, this isn't the first time a school in Niger caught fire, leading to student casualties. Niger: Classroom fire kills 20 in Niamey In a similar incident in April, this year, 20 students lost their lives in Niamey, Niger's capital, after being trapped inside the school gates. The students, who ranged in age from seven to 13, were in classrooms when the fire broke out at around 4 pm on April 13. According to authorities, the fire soon spread across the school grounds, in which some 2,000 children attend classes. According to AP, the hut classrooms which were made of straw, that accommodated some of the school's outside classes, were entirely destroyed, and the main school building was severely damaged. Classroom furniture was strewn about in the ash. By the time firemen responded to the fire, the blaze had already burned down the classrooms. The school's director, Oumarou Gounssa, had described the incident as a catastrophe. Never in Niger have we seen a fire like that in a school, and it was during school hours. We are truly sorry about the loss of lives, he had said. (Image: AP/Unsplash/Representative) In a major embarrassment for the Australian government, the UN Climate Summit on Tuesday released a report in which it has awarded 54th position out of 60 to Canberra, reported The Guardian. The crown has been conferred to Australia by COP26 for its poor policy in dealing with climate change. According to the report released in Glasgow, the Australian government has maintained a poor policy in terms of dealing with carbon. It also maintained its position in the highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions and weak targets to tackle the deadly situation,cited the report. Australian Climate Policy failed to meet future challenges Notably, the report pointed fingers at the recent announcement of Australias resources minister, Keith Pitt. On the sidelines of the Cop26 talks, the minister said that the country would continue to produce "as much coal as other countries will buy", reported The Guardian. Also, he refused to sign a pledge to cut the emission of greenhouse gases. Despite repetitive global pressure, the minister promoted the use of coal and other fossil fuels that account for a major source of carbon emission. He also dismissed the media reports in which it was reported that the country would improve its 2030 targets. However, as a relief to the climate, the minister at least announced that Australia would promote a renewable source of energy. According to The Guardian, Countries are given one of five ratings from "very high" to "very poor". It is worth mentioning that none of the countries was given a "very high" rating as none has done enough to prevent climate change".Meanwhile, the report noted Denmark, then Sweden, Norway, the United Kingdom and Morocco are the top-performing countries. The bottom five are Kazakhstan, followed by Saudi Arabia, Iran, Canada and Taiwan, said the report. Australia is one of the world's worst greenhouse gas emitters per capita It should be mentioned here that Morrison has been accused of embracing Labor's 2019 election promise of net zero emissions by 2050. In Australia, which is one of the world's major exporters of coal and liquefied natural gas, reducing emissions is a contentious issue. Because of its strong reliance on coal-fired power, the country is also one of the world's worst greenhouse gas emitters per capita. The Nationals, who are based in rural areas, have traditionally championed farmers' concerns, but they are increasingly being perceived as supporters of the fossil fuel industry. Despite many countries setting considerably more ambitious targets, Australia has not budged from its 2015 vow at a Paris climate summit for 2030. The COP26 summit in Glasgow will examine progress since nations committed in Paris to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius. The Glasgow meeting is largely seen as the last chance to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius over pre-industrial levels. Image: AP/Pixabay China has built full-scale mock-ups of US warships in a desert in the country's northwestern region of Xinjiang according to the satellite photographs revealed by a US space technology company, Maxar. The image depicts structures fashioned like a military aircraft carrier set on rail lines. As per the reports of USNI News, the structures seemed to be military objectives, a site devoted to the US Navy. The constructions observed in the Taklamakan Desert looked to have flat outlines of US military warships with no armaments or other specifics. For years, Beijing has been working on anti-ship ballistic missiles and conducting tests. As tensions in the South China Sea rise, the United States has cautioned that China has been aggressively increasing its military potential, including nuclear capabilities. The photographs were reported to depict mock-ups of an aircraft carrier and at least two US Navy destroyers, according to BBC. China's continued attention on anti-carrier capabilities The construction of such facilities demonstrates China's continued attention on anti-carrier capabilities, with a particular emphasis on US Navy warships. China was suspected of conducting a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile test earlier this year, which raised concerns in Washington, according to the British news organisation. Although Beijing claimed it was testing a reusable spacecraft rather than a missile, the weapon system's design is intended to dodge US missile defences. According to Politico, the Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman, Gen. Mark Milley, said the test was extremely close to being a "Sputnik moment," equivalent to the Soviet Union's 1957 launch of the world's first space satellite, which fueled fears that the US had fallen behind technologically. The US Navy conducts routine missions with military ships in the South China Sea The US Navy conducts routine missions with military ships in the South China Sea, which is considered to be one of the world's most contested areas. China claims the majority of the region, but neighbouring countries including the United States disagree with the claims. The region is part of a significant shipping route that carries more than $3 trillion in annual trade. For decades, countries like the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have all contested China's claim to nearly all of the Sea, but tensions have progressively risen in recent years. According to BBC, in this territorial conflict, the US has backed many of these countries. (Image: AP) After Pakistan, China has also said that it will not be attending the upcoming regional security dialogue on Afghanistan being hosted by India. According to ANI, China was invited for the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan which is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 10 November. But Beijing has already communicated that it will be unable to attend the meeting due to scheduling issues. As per the news agency, China has, however, conveyed that it is open for dialogue with India on Afghanistan multilaterally and bilaterally. China said unable to attend due to scheduling issue. Open for dialogue with India on Afghanistan multilaterally and bilaterally: Sources on NSA level dialogue on Afghanistan ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2021 NSA Ajit Doval to chair the high-level dialogue It is to mention that the Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan will be held at the national security advisor (NSA) level and will be chaired by NSA Ajit Doval. Apart from China, Pakistan has also declined the invitation to the dialogue. Now, New Delhi will host security czars of Russia, Iran and five central Asian countries on Wednesday in a bid to explore firming up a common approach for practical cooperation in confronting increasing threats of terrorism, radicalisation and drug trafficking following the Talibans takeover of Kabul. With the attendance of Russia, Iran, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, this is the highest participation in this format of talks. The aim of the dialogue is to send a loud and clear message to Kabul and assert that whosoever rules Afghanistan needs to represent the will of the people. "None of the eight countries (including India) recognize or legitimize the Taliban government. India also doesn't recognize it, which is why it has not invited Afghanistan to the dialogue," ANI sources said. Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan experienced a 180-degree reversal, with the Taliban coming to power as US soldiers departed after a two-decade conflict and Afghan troops trained by them melted away. The meeting comes two weeks after an Indian delegation met with a Taliban mission led by Afghanistan's interim government's Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Salam Hanafi in Moscow. During the meeting, both sides expressed readiness to deliver considerable humanitarian assistance to the war-torn country. JP Singh, joint secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs' Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division, led the Indian mission. (With inputs from ANI) Fresh outbreaks of highly contagious avian bird flu (HPAI) have cropped up across poultry farms in several countries in Europe, affecting over half a million birds, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Monday. From 5 major outbreaks, four were documented at a turkey-fattening farm and one at a chicken broiler in the eastern part of the country. On the other hand, another outbreak was reported from a turkey and geese farm in the western part of the country, the OIE stated, citing Polish authorities' evaluations based on laboratory tests of the National Veterinary Institute, National Research Institute in Pulawy. At least 6,50,000 flock of birds have been affected by the highly pathogenic avian influenza found in the poultry of the H5N1 subtype, as per the report published by the Polish authorities. Meanwhile, another report released by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs observed significant epidemiological changes of the HPAI both in Europe and Great Britain. As of 2 November, there were reports of HPAI H5N1 cases from domestic poultry in the Netherlands, Germany and northern Europe, while from southern Europe there were at least 6 cases recorded in fattening turkey farms in orthern Italy. There were also cases among captive birds in a zoo and wild ducks in areas of Serbia and Montenegro assessed on the same day, the outbreak assessment report by the UK Environment Department mentioned. "More wild bird H5N1 cases have been detected in the Wadden Sea around north-west Germany/Denmark and there is also a case of HPAI H5N1 in wild birds in south-east Germany on the border with the Czech Republic," the report stated. The last HPAI outbreak in Poland was reported on 4 November on a commercial farm in Skwierzyna with around 1,500 fattening turkeys and 5,500 geese. As per Polish authorities, on-farm outbreaks were dealt with adequate disease control methods as stipulated by the Commission Delegated Regulation under European Union (EU), "including killing and utilisation of animals, cleaning and disinfection in the focus of disease, designation of infected and endangered areas." French govt. puts country on high alert for bird flu Recently, France issued a high alert in the entire country after reports of bird flu surfaced in Europe, the agriculture ministry said in a statement. Europe has reported at least 130 cases of HPAI/H5N1 cases or clusters in wild animals or farms. The measures to contain flu spread include keeping poultry flock indoors. "Reinforced prevention measures will therefore be implemented to protect poultry farms," the ministry said. Similar measures have also been implemented in the Netherlands after at least 36,000 birds were slaughtered owing to highly contagious cases of bird influenza. (Image: AP) Iraqi authorities have agreed to arrest three people involved in the attack on Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's home, according to the Shafaq News agency, citing a political source. The decision was made after Al-Kadhimi stated that those responsible for his assassination attempts were well known to him and would be exposed. According to the news agency, the arrest was agreed upon during the prime minister's meeting with President Barham Salih, President of the Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zaidan, and Secretary-General of the Hezbollah Brigades Abu Hussein Al-Hamidawi. According to Shafaq News, the three men subject to arrest belong to an armed Shiite faction, and will be referred to the appropriate courts. The Iraq PM Assassination attempt began early on Sunday, when a drone targeted Al-Baghdad Kadhimi's residence. According to an Al Arabiya correspondent, the prime minister was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Later, the prime minister tweeted that he was fine. Several of his security guards were also reportedly injured. A day after a foiled "assassination attempt" in Iraq's green zone, Commander-in-Chief of Iran's Quds Force, Gen. Esmail Ghani visited Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Baghdad on Monday to reassure him that Tehran and its allies had nothing to do with the attack, according to the Associated Press, citing two Iraqi politicians who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Iraq to investigate the drone-attack on PM The attack injured at least seven of the prime minister's security guards. Meanwhile, officials have launched an investigation into the incident and stated that they were taking the necessary steps in response to the failed attempt. No one has claimed responsibility for the targeted attack on the area containing important state buildings and foreign embassies. The attacks come as tensions rose between the country's security forces and activists who took to the streets on Friday to protest the results of the October parliamentary elections. Heavy gunfights were also reported near Baghdad's Green Zone. The assassination attempt on Al-Kadhimi was labelled a terrorist act by the country's Interior Ministry, who added that the attack was carried out with the assistance of three drones, two of which were shot down. (With inputs from Agencies) Image: AP China has delivered its largest and most advanced warship to Pakistan. It was delivered to the Pakistan Navy in a commissioning ceremony in Shanghai, the China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC) announced in a statement on Monday. It has been designed and built by CSSC. As per reports, the 054A/P frigate was named the PNS Tughril. Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque said that the commissioning of the PNS Tughril ensures a balance of power in the Indian Ocean. What is PNS Tughril? The PNS Tughril is the first hull of four Type 054 frigates being constructed for the Pakistan Navy and the vessel is a technologically advanced and highly capable platform with enormous surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and underwater firepower, besides extensive surveillance potentials, the daily quoted a Pakistan Navy's statement. Equipped with state-of-the-art combat management and an electronic warfare system along with modern self-defence capabilities, the Type 054A/P frigate can simultaneously execute a number of naval warfare missions in a highly intense multi-threat environment, it said. The frigate is the largest and most advanced warship China has ever exported, CSSC informed. CDS General Bipin Rawat calls out China for its support to Pakistan Last month, India's Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat gave a lecture describing Indias current geopolitical situation with all its neighbours. Speaking about China, CDS General Rawat said that China's continuous support for Pakistan by providing military equipment to facilitate violence in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a clear anti-India stand. He also said that Chinas repeated investments in Myanmar are an attempt to reduce Indias influence in the country, which is a threat to the North-Eastern states as they have strong ties with the country. (With PTI Inputs) Image: AP/Republic Peshawar, Nov 9 (PTI) The Pakistan government and banned terror group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have agreed on a month-long ceasefire starting Tuesday to further talks for achieving lasting peace in the country, according to a statement. Both parties will honour the ceasefire period, which could be extended subject to the consent of the two sides, TTP spokesperson Muhammad Khurasani said in the statement. The TTP, commonly known as the Pakistani Taliban, is a banned terrorist organisation based along the Afghan-Pakistan border. It has been involved in various attacks in Pakistan for more than a decade which killed thousands of people and reportedly been using Afghan soil to plot terrorist attacks in this country. The government is now trying to use the influence of the Afghan Taliban over the TTP to reach a peace deal and end violence. The statement said that the TTP is an Islamic Jihadi Movement comprising Pakistani people that has always kept the interest of the country supreme. Nobody can deny the fact that talks are part of wars. The TTP agreed to the formation of negotiation teams that will further the peace process in light of the demands of both parties. Last month, the government had faced criticism from politicians and victims of terrorism after Prime Minister Imran Khan revealed in an interview that his government was in talks with the TTP for "reconciliation" with the help of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid had defended the government's move, saying the negotiations are for "good Taliban". PTI AYZ DIV DIV (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Amid the chaotic situation in Afghanistan, lakhs of citizens are now facing hardship to afford basic requirements such as meals and other facilities, reported news agency ANI citing the reports of IFFRAS. According to the Canada-based think tank International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS), the situation in Afghanistan is now worsening with each passing day, with the people being forced to sell their children to get a meal. The report says that the Afghans face these issues since the Taliban ousted the democratic government and took charge of an already debt-ridden country. "There are reports that 95% of Afghans do not have enough food to eat while half of the population is expected to face acute levels of hunger as winter sets in early November," IFFRAS said. The UN data revealed around 10 million people are affected due to the sudden change of government. Those who were working on a daily basis, are now jobless with no hope of getting in the near future. Notably, the cumulative study was filed by Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and Food Security and Agriculture Cluster of Afghanistan, co-led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and the UN World Food Programme (WFP). Further, it noted that the condition deteriorated heavily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Hunger is rising and children are dying. We can't feed people on promises - funding commitments must turn into hard cash, and the international community must come together to address this crisis, which is fast spinning out of control," David Beasley, WFP Executive Director. The IPC report reflects a 37 per cent increase in the number of Afghans facing acute hunger since the last assessment issued in April 2021, WFP said. According to a WFP release, the blended impacts of drought, conflict, COVID-19, and the economic crisis, have severely affected lives, livelihoods, and people's access to food. As the winter is approaching, the report mentioned that the Afghans have to rely on humanitarian assistance in order to survive the bone-chilling situation. More than one in two Afghans will be suffering trauma or distress levels of severe food insecurity through November 2021 to March 2022 lean season, according to IPC reports. The report noted that this is the toughest situation that the Afghans are facing in the past 11 years. "Afghanistan is now among the world's worst humanitarian crises" Afghanistan is home to one of the largest numbers of people in acute food insecurity in both absolute and relative terms. "It is urgent that we act efficiently and effectively to speed up and scale up our delivery in Afghanistan before winter cuts off a large part of the country, with millions of people - including farmers, women, young children and the elderly - going hungry in the freezing winter. It is a matter of life or death. We cannot wait and see humanitarian disasters unfolding in front of us - it is unacceptable!" said QU Dongyu, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Director-General. "Afghanistan is now among the world's worst humanitarian crises - if not the worst - and food security has all but collapsed. This winter, millions of Afghans will be forced to choose between migration and starvation unless we can step up our life-saving assistance, and unless the economy can be resuscitated. We are on a countdown to catastrophe and if we don't act now, we will have a total disaster on our hands," said WFP Executive Director. With inputs from ANI Image: AP Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Tuesday held talks with Vietnamese leaders to discuss cooperation with the southeast Asian country during her four-nation tour to the region. Payne met with her Vietnamese counterpart Bui Thanh Son and the two ministers discussed topics including cooperation in trade and the economy with a focus on the recovery from COVID-19. Payne also paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Tuesday morning. Chinh and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison met on the sideline of the COP26 meeting in Glasgow, Scotland earlier this month. Australia and Vietnam signed a strategic partnership in 2018, a framework for the two countries to strengthen the security, defence and economic cooperation. Prior to the stop in Vietnam, Payne visited Malaysia and Cambodia. She will travel to Indonesia where she concludes her trip. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) A day after a foiled "assassination attempt" was carried out in Iraq's green zone, Commander in Chief of Iran's Quds Force, General Esmail Ghani on Monday visited Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in Baghdad to assure the latter that Tehran and its allies had nothing to with the said attack, the Associated Press reported, quoting two Iraqi politicians under conditions of anonymity. Speaking to the PM, General Ghani asserted that the explosive-laden drones were launched from east of Iran's capital where militias gave influence. It is worth mentioning that Ghani is the commander of the Quds Force of Iran that looks after military and clandestine operations outside the country. According to the Shi'ite Iraqi officials, as told to AP, the drone attack was similar to the one carried out in September targetting Erbil International Airport in the country's northern state, where US-led coalition troops are stationed. They also quoted General Ghaani as saying that Iran is not opposed to any politician from Shi'ite blocs becoming the next prime minister in the newly elected parliament. The unannounced visit took place amid escalated tension in Iraq over the parliamentary elections, in which Iran-backed militias lost big, and a day after the drone attack outside Al-Kadhimi's residence wounded seven guards. Iraq launches probe into drone-attack on PM Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Sunday survived an 'assassination attempt' after an attack on his home in Baghdad. An explosive-laden drone struck his heavily-fortified residence in the capital's Green Zone in an alleged assassination attempt, officials told media, Al Arabiya reported. Although unhurt, Al-Kadhimi was immediately moved to the hospital for a preliminary check-up. At least seven security guards of the prime minister were injured in the attack. Meanwhile, the officials have begun a probe into the matter and added that it was taking necessary measures in connection with the failed attempt. No one has claimed responsibility for the targeted attack that was carried out in the area which houses important state buildings and foreign embassies. "The committee has begun an investigation and soon as the order was issued to reveal the circumstances and repercussions that led to the death and injuries of demonstrators and security forces," the government said in a statement. With inputs from AP Image: AP Iraqs Joint Operations Command (JOC) is asking why the US militarys counter rocket, artillery and mortar (C-RAM) installations appeared to have been inoperable during Sundays attack on PM Mustafa Al-Kadhimis residence, situated in the Green Zone which also houses the American Embassy and other diplomatic buildings. It is to mention that Al-Kadhimi survived an assassination attempt after drones laden with explosives targetted his home in the capital, Baghdad. It was reported the PM was taken to hospital with only slight injuries, after which he stated that he was alright. Following the attack, while the government ordered an immediate investigation into Sundays event, Iraqs JOC spokesman Maj. Gen. Tahsin al-Khafaji asked the US military to explain why their C-RAM system did not warn about the incoming attack on the PMs house. According to Irans Press TV, al-Khafaji informed that the Iraqi officials are currently discussing the matter with the American side and officials from the US Embassy. He added that this is an issue that experts should throw light on and explain. It is to note that the C-RAM system sounds sirens to warn of potential incoming attacks, and fires off rapid-fire machine guns to shoot down hostile air targets. The system was activated last year and it has been repeatedly used to protect Green Zone airspace. However, the system is not always accurate. According to Sputnik, back in February, the system had failed to activate when a volley of rockets was launched into the Green Zone in Baghdad. Aftermath of attack on Iraq PMs residence Meanwhile, as per AP, helicopters circled in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad skies throughout Sunday after the drone attack. In the failed assassination attempt on PMs residence, at least seven of his security guards were left injured. It has also been reported that at least two armed drones attacked his house in Green Zone. Iraqi authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and stated that they are taking the required steps in response to the unsuccessful assault. Further, no one has taken responsibility for the deliberate attack, but Al-Kadhimi on Sunday said that those behind an attempt on his life were well known and would be exposed. The PM Office separately informed that the perpetrators are the same who killed Nibras Farman, an Iraqi National Intelligence service (INIS) officer. Al-Kadhimi called for calm dialogue and said in the televised speech, Cowardly rocket and drone attacks dont build homelands and dont build a future. (Image: AP/Unsplash) On Tuesday, Israel's Defence Minister Benny Gantz stated that the country has 'nearly doubled' the number of charges against people suspected of nationalist crime in the last year. On Monday, November 8, Army Radio released a report stating there has been a surge in crime committed by Jewish settlers in the West Bank since the olive harvest season began in the month of October, with 67 cases this year compared to 42 last year, reported The Jerusalem Post. The report further stated that uprooting and torching olive trees, as well as causing property damage in Palestinian villages, were among the crimes committed. Speaking at Haaretzs Israel Democracy Conference, Gantz said that the country will not tolerate throwing stones, uprooting trees, or resorting to any kind of violence. He also stated that he will attend a series of meetings with appropriate government bodies to consider additional steps to strengthen law enforcement and improve coordination among various agencies, including the IDF. "It is also important to remember that the vast majority of settlers in Judea and Samaria are regular people with values, just as the vast majority of Palestinians are not terrorists. We will continue to support and defend them as well as their rights," Gantz was quoted as saying by the outlet. I work hard to ensure that Palestinians, our neighbours, have decent existence: Gantz "As defence minister, I work hard to ensure that the Palestinians, our neighbours, have a decent existence. As a result, I am adopting a policy of bolstering the Palestinian Authority, and we are permitting economic and civic reforms that haven't occurred in years," he stated. Gantz made the remarks a day after the Washington Post reported that the IDF has been using a vast facial recognition database to increase surveillance of Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron. According to another investigation by Haaretz, NSO's Pegasus spyware was used to infiltrate the phones of six Palestinian human rights activists. It should be mentioned here that Israel officially legalised the status of 4,000 Palestinians, largely in the West Bank, in October. It came after a decade-long freeze in which nearly no such requests were approved. According to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, 1,200 undocumented Palestinians will acquire identity cards, while another 2,800 Palestinians who were previously registered as Gazans would receive a change of address allowing them to live in the West Bank. Meanwhile, the Defense Minister also addressed incitement in Israeli society, stressing that the 'toxic environment' in the country will never be acceptable, reported The Jerusalem Post. (Image: AP) An elderly person who had been convicted of killing a robber in Israel was finally awarded community service of nine months on Tuesday. According to a report by the Times of Israel, the 71-year-old man, Aryeh Schiff, reportedly killed the thief, Muhammad al-Atrash, while he was trying to steal his car in November last year. Citing the prosecutor, the Israeli media outlet said the 36-year-old Al-Atrash broke into a vehicle parked near the trailer where Schiff was sleeping in order to steal it. Upon apprehending noises of the break-in, Schiff got out of the van and shot at the vehicle with Al-Atrash inside. Subsequently, the thief was taken to a nearby hospital where the doctors declared him dead. Watch the CCTV footage of the incident: , . : . pic.twitter.com/qwph9UEsFf almog boker (@bokeralmog) January 14, 2021 During the investigation, the elderly told the police officials that he had no intention to kill Al-Atrash, but it was an attempt to save himself. Despite his repeated plea, the Sheva District Court found him guilty of reckless homicide and awarded him jail term. However, as the CCTV footage of the incident went viral, a huge public outcry was witnessed in Israel, with the protestors arguing the elderly shot the thief unintentionally in self-defence. Meanwhile, with months of big and small protests, the court on November 9 ordered community service for Aryeh Schiff. The decision was reached following a plea bargain. It wasnt planned, and I regret it, says Schiff after the release According to Israel National News, while leaving the courtroom, he expressed satisfaction with the sentence."I'm glad that this is over and I am very, very much saddened by the tragedy about everything that happened. It wasnt planned, and I regret it, and Im happy that it is all over, Israel National News quoted Schiff as saying. "After many months of public struggles, we are happy that the public pressure paid off. From the beginning there was no reason to convict Aryeh; at least the judge understood there is a need to send the clear message that citizens have the right of self-defence against criminals," said one of the protestors while speaking to Israel National News. Image: Twitter/Jewish Community The maritime drills conducted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) forces in the Black Sea are linked to Washington's aim to contain Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov asserted on Monday during a weekly press briefing, Sputnik reported. In a major violation of the Russia-NATO Founding Act, the United States and allies "desire" to follow the "policy of containment" of Russia, the FM asserted. He further stated that Russia is "prepared" for any "provocation" in relations that may arise from NATO's actions along the region. Lavrov's assertions come days after the US Sixth Fleet announced a flagship maritime exercise in the Black Sea region. The drill will include naval vessel Mount Whitney heading to the Black Sea in November to conduct operations with NATO allies and partners. Earlier in the day, the naval vessel entered the Georgian Port of Batumi along with the US destroyer Porter. Putin aims to strengthen Russian air defences to counter NATO Relations between NATO and Russia have witnessed further lows since Moscow suspended operations with the intergovernmental military alliance from November 1 in a retaliatory move to counter the expulsion of 8 allies of the Russian Military. On November 2, Russian President Vladimir Putin asserted that the need to strengthen the air defence of the country is of vital importance to counter spike in military activities near its border. Putin said the aforementioned statement while addressing military officials and armament manufacturers in Sochi. It is worth the mention that, Putin called for robust measures to counter threats from NATO in the Black Sea region, which waters the Kremlin uses to prevent Ukraine and Georgia from joining the military alliance. Meanwhile, following the diplomatic rift with NATO, Moscow has also sought to beef up military ties with Belarus. Around mid-October, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu met his Belarusian counterpart and top brass military personnel to discuss the modernisation of shared army infrastructure. Both the countries extended agreements on two Russian Facilities in Belarus and a naval communication centre as of now, Shoigu said in a statement. Image: AP The NSA-level sessions will be chaired by Ajit Doval, India's National Security Advisor. Russia, Iran, and almost all Central Asian countries have confirmed their attendance at India's regional security dialogue on Afghanistan on November 10. Meanwhile, NSA Ajit Doval to hold bilateral meetings with Tajikistan's Secretary of the Security Council, Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, and Uzbekistan's Secretary of the Security Council, Victor Makhmudov, on November 9, ahead of the 'Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan' on November 10. On November 10, NSA Ajit Doval will meet with Russian NSA Nikolai Patrushev, Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, and Karim Massimov, Chairman of Kazakhstan's National Security Committee. NSA Ajit Doval to hold bilateral meetings with Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, Secretary, Security Council of Tajikistan and Victor Makhmudov, Secretary, Security Council, Uzbekistan, today evening, ahead of 'Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan' on Nov 10 pic.twitter.com/vLVmMfyUWu ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2021 NSA's bilateral meet in New Delhi The first two editions of the discussion took place in Iran in September 2018 and December 2019. The third scheduled conference in India had to be postponed due to the COVID outbreak. Meanwhile, the situation in Afghanistan flipped on its head, with the Taliban gaining power as US troops left after a two-decade struggle and Afghan troops trained by them disbanded. According to sources quoted by PTI, this is the first time that all Central Asian countries, rather than just Afghanistan's immediate land neighbours, are taking part in this format. China and Pakistan have also been invited to the conference, according to them. China, Pakistan to skip India's NSA Meeting Last week, Dr Moeed Yusuf, Pakistan's National Security Advisor, announced that he will reject India's offer to attend the meeting. "I will not go," Dr Moeed Yusuf stated in response to a question about whether Pakistan has accepted India's invitation to attend the conference. Despite claims of open collusion with the Taliban that resulted in serious harm to opposition forces in Panjshir, the country was invited to the high-level meeting. Imran Khan's government made repeated calls to the international world to recognise the Taliban-led government's legitimacy in the aftermath of Kabul's fall. Following Pakistan's lead, China has announced that it will not attend India's next regional security dialogue on Afghanistan. China has been invited to the 'Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan,' which will take place on November 10, according to ANI. Beijing, on the other hand, China has already stated that it will not be able to attend the meeting owing to "schedule concerns." China has, however, stated that it is open to multilateral and bilateral engagement with India on Afghanistan, according to the news agency. India to hold NSA-level dialogue India has invested more than $3 billion in economic projects in Afghanistan and has developed strong ties with the Kabul government, which is backed by the United States. Chabahar Port and the International North-South Transport Corridor are two of its investments. New Delhi will undoubtedly find it difficult to swap gears overnight. But it's looking for friends to help it write a part for itself in a complicated script. The NSA meeting will focus on United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 2593, which was passed during India's presidency of the UNSC and emphasises no spillover of radicalization and terror from Afghanistan. On Wednesday morning, a plenary will be held, after which all visiting NSAs will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and hold bilateral talks with India's NSA Ajit Doval, who will chair the high-level participation. On Wednesday evening, NSA Doval will also host a formal dinner for the delegates. (With agency inputs) (Image: PTI) The morgue at Bucharest's University Emergency Hospital in Romania's capital is struggling to cope with an additional number of bodies that need processing amid a rapid, deadly surge of COVID-19 cases which has all but crippled the country's ailing health care system. The bodies in the morgue lay wrapped in thick black plastic body bags, as masked hospital staff nail shut the wooden coffins of those who have died of COVID-19. Romania, a European Union nation of around 19 million, has fully vaccinated just 39% of adults compared to the 27-nation EU average of 75%. Over the last two months, the Eastern European country has faced a record-setting onslaught of coronavirus cases and deaths with hundreds dying each day of COVID-19. Dr. Maria Sajin, the head of the Bucharest hospital's morgue, told The Associated Press Monday that of the 26 bodies the morgue had dealt with that day when 273 coronavirus deaths were confirmed nationwide - 14 had tested positive with COVID-19. Before the pandemic, Sajin said, the daily death toll rarely exceeded 10. Sajin's frustration with Romania's low vaccination rate is palpable. She berates the lack of education surrounding the jabs, which are available for free throughout the country, and believes the shots "should be compulsory." "When I was younger there was a very high respect for doctors," said Sajin, who struggles to hold back her tears and is bewildered that, during the pandemic, Romanian doctors have occasionally been the target of abuse. "I don't think that we should end up insulting those who try to do good." On November 2, Romania hit a pandemic record of 591 COVID-19 deaths, more than 90% of whom had not been vaccinated, authorities said. According to Johns Hopkins University, Romania currently has the fifth-highest coronavirus death rate in the world per 100,000 of the population at 262. Dr. Catalin Cirstoiu, the manager at the University Emergency Hospital, told the AP that the dark situation unfolding in Romania represents a "total failure" by the authorities and that the current situation in Romania is caused by "the population's inability to comprehend that they need to get vaccinated." Monday, more than 1,800 COVID-19 patients throughout the country are receiving intensive care treatment, more than 50,000 people with coronavirus have died during the pandemic, and more than 1.7 million have been infected. "We (have had) 500 deaths a day, that's the population of a village by administrative standards, a village vanishes daily in Romania," Cirstoiu said. "If we count all the fatalities in Romania, we will end up with the disappearance of the population of quite a big city." Romania's unfolding health care calamity - which prompted the World Health Organization in October to send a representative to assist with the national response - forced the authorities to impose tighter restrictions two weeks ago. Vaccination certificates are now required for various day-to-day activities, such as going to the gym, the cinema, or a shopping center. For everyone, there is a 10 p.m. curfew. During the summer, when Romanian authorities had all but abandoned restrictive measures, the number of COVID-19 vaccines administered daily had plummeted to around 10,000. Despite an upswing through October to record daily doses administered of 150,000, on Monday fewer than 70,000 people got jabbed, with less than 29,000 those having received their first shot. The consequences of Romania's failed vaccine campaign are far-reaching. On Monday, when schools resumed activity after an extended autumn break to help curb infections, more than 30% of schools were forced online because not enough staff meet the new government criteria of 60% vaccination rate to resume in-person learning. Octavian Jurma, a Romanian physician and health statistician, called the criteria for schools opening physically "ridiculous." "It is complete chaos since schools in the same city with the same very high incidence are randomly opened," Jurma told the AP. "But schools in some villages with zero incidences (of COVID-19) and no online connectivity have to go online because the teachers are not vaccinated." Despite a drop in cases since restrictions were imposed, overworked and overwhelmed medics are not optimistic about the pandemic in Romania ending soon. (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) On Tuesday, South Korea launched a new frigate named after a warship torpedoed by North Korea in 2010. The 2,800-tonne frigate Cheonan was launched at the Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. shipyard in Ulsan, about 410 kilometres southeast of Seoul, reported Yonhap News Agency citing South Korean Navy. After a North Korean midget submarine fired a torpedo at it in March 2010, the 1,200-ton corvette Cheonan sank at the Northern Limit Line, a de facto western inter-Korean sea border. The incident has killed as many as 46 sailors. The launching of the Cheonan had symbolic significance for survivors of the attack and bereaved families who had hoped to see the new warship named after the ill-fated corvette and commissioned to complete her unfinished job of maritime border protection. Around 100 people attended the ceremony, including Defense Minister Suh Wook and Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Boo Suk-jong. Choi Won-il, the corvette's captain at the time of the sinking, said he would not attend the ceremony in protest of the state-run communications standards panel's recent decision not to take issue with social media video clips generating conspiracy theories about the ship's sinking, reported the news agency. Cheonan: A Daegu-class warship Cheonan is the seventh Daegu-class warship built as part of South Korea's frigate acquisition programme, code-named FFX Batch-II. The Navy is looking to procure eight ships as part of the programme to replace its outdated fleet of 1,500-ton frigates and 1,000-ton corvettes. A 20-mm Phalanx close-in weapon system, anti-ship and ship-to-ground guided missiles, underwater missiles, as well as hull-mounted and towed array sonar equipment, are all included in the new vessel's arsenal. "The frigate is the most recent vessel to be outfitted with tough, native weaponry systems, and we anticipate it to protect the West Sea by respecting the sailors' noble sacrifices and inheriting their will for national defence, a Defense Acquisition Program Administration official was quoted as saying by the news agency. According to an official, the Cheonan will be delivered to the Navy in 2023 and put into service the very next year. It is worth mentioning here that President Moon Jae-in announced in March that the new frigate, the Cheonan, would be launched during an annual event honouring Navy sailors' services to maritime security. Image: AP/Pixabay Local media suggests that Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense sent the Hai Lung submarine to take part in defence drills near the island of Taiping in the South China Sea. As per the reports of Liberty Times, the Coast Guard Administration dispatched vessels to monitor around the islands, but the Hai Lung took part in normal training in the area. The Taiwanese military currently employs two submarines, Hai Lung and Hai Hu that were manufactured in the Netherlands in the 1980s, although Taiwan is currently working on its first indigenous submarine. The timing and activity of the Hai Lung near Taiping Island were not disclosed. The submarine, however, would be used to protect maritime passages and territorial seas during peacetime, but it might be directed to attack enemy sites and lay mines during wartime, according to a Taiwanese publication. Both the Hai Lung and the Hai Hu have six 21-inch torpedo tubes. Harpoon missiles may be fired from both submarines to kill targets on the surface and underwater. Twenty Chinese fighter jets intruded into Taiwan's ADIZ Twenty Chinese fighter jets intruded into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) within the last 24 hours, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense. On Saturday evening, the ministry announced that 10 Shenyang J-16 fighter jets and six Chengdu J-10 fighter jets had violated Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ). The 16 aeroplanes flew inside Taiwan's ADIZ near the Dongsha Islands, in the southwest portion. As Beijing asserts complete control over the democratic island of Taiwan, the number of intrusions has escalated in recent months. In October, Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng said Beijing could invade the island in full force by 2025. In response to that Taiwan has increased the duration of mandatory refresher training for their reserve forces. The European group is discussing Taiwan's experiences On the other hand, last Thursday, Raphael Glucksmann, the head of the European Parliament, who is Taiwan as a part of the European delegation, told Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen that Taipei is not alone in the fight for freedom and democracy and that the EU fully supports her. The European group is discussing Taiwan's experiences with misinformation, media, culture, and education, as well as Taiwan's efforts to strengthen its cyber-resilience. The delegation would stay in Taiwan till Friday. China has repeatedly condemned the EU's actions, alleging that by encouraging closer ties with Taiwan, the European Parliament has put China's territorial integrity in jeopardy. (Inputs from ANI) Image: AP The United Nations Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Martin Griffiths on Monday, 8 November raised serious concern over the worsening condition of the citizens in Myanmar, leading towards humanitarian catastrophe. Griffiths said the growing violence, instability, COVID-19 pandemic and collapsing economy have pushed nearly three million Burmese to edge as they require life-saving humanitarian relief to survive in Myanmar. In a statement the chief of the humanitarian affairs said, The humanitarian situation in Myanmar is deteriorating and this figure will only climb until the violence is stopped and Myanmar's conflict is resolved peacefully, as per a UN report. Im concerned about the increase in violence in Myanmar & rising need. Since Feb., hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to violence & 223,000 remain internally displaced. We need an end to violence, improved access & a peaceful resolution. Martin Griffiths (@UNReliefChief) November 8, 2021 Millions of citizens in Myanmar were forced to abandon their houses and properties as a result of brutal crackdowns across the nation since the military takeover on 1 February. During that time, nearly 223,000 Burmese were internally displaced within the nation, comprising 165,000 individuals in southeast Myanmar, in addition to those who had already been displaced before the military takeover in Rakhine, Chin, Shan, and Kachin provinces. 'Long-term displacement remains unresolved' in Myanmar: Martin Griffiths Griffiths highlighted that long-term displacement remains unresolved" in Myanmar with nearly 144,000 Rohingya individuals still staying in camps in Rakhine since their relocation in the year 2012. He informed that over 105,000 displaced people have been residing in Kachin and Shan for several years. I am also increasingly concerned about reports of rising levels of food insecurity in and around urban areas, including in Yangon and Mandalay, he said. Speaking about a surge in conflicts between the Myanmar Armed Forces, the Chinland Defense Force and the People's Defense Forces in Magway and Sagaing areas, Griffiths stated that the scenario in the northwest has grown very worrying in recent weeks as over 37,000 people, including women and children have been displaced. Also, more than 160 residences, including churches and the headquarters of a humanitarian organisation, were burned during the violence. Relief workers provided aid to 1.67 million people in Myanmar Griffith further emphasised that assaults against people and civilian buildings, including relief groups and institutions, are "clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law" and needed to be stopped immediately. Meanwhile, this year, humanitarian relief workers have supported over 1.67 million people in Myanmar, providing them with food, cash, and nutritional aid. Even though the relief workers are willing to do more, they are unable to proceed due to entry restrictions and a lack of additional resources, as per a UN report. In addition, The Humanitarian Response Plan and Interim Emergency Response Plan, which were created after the armed military forces took over, have obtained less than half of the $385 million requested. Griffiths further urged all parties involved in the conflict to fully respect their obligations under human rights and international humanitarian law to protect people and enable humanitarian assistance to be supplied. (Image: AP) London, Nov 9 (PTI) The UK government has said that India's Covaxin will be added to its list of approved COVID-19 vaccines for international travellers from November 22, meaning that those inoculated with the Bharat Biotech-manufactured jab will not have to self-isolate after arrival in England. The move follows the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Emergency Use Listing for Covaxin, which is the second most used formulation in India. Covishield, the India-manufactured Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, was added to the UK's approved list last month. "More good news for Indian travellers to the UK. From 22 November travellers fully vaccinated with a COVID19 vaccine recognised by WHO for Emergency Use Listing, including Covaxin, will not have to self-isolate; so joining those fully vaccinated with Covishield," Alex Ellis, British High Commissioner to India, said on Twitter on Monday. The changes will come into effect at 4 am on November 22. Besides Covaxin, China's Sinovac and Sinopharm, both on the WHO Emergency Use Listing, will be recognised by the UK government as approved vaccines for inbound travel, benefitting fully vaccinated people from the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. These fully vaccinated passengers will not be required to take a pre-departure test, day-8 test or self-isolate upon arrival. "As we continue to recover from the pandemic and expand our recognition of international vaccines, today's announcements mark the next step in our restart of international travel," said UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. "The red list and quarantine system remain vital in protecting our borders and as we've said, we will not hesitate to take action by adding countries to the red list if necessary," UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. The UK government has also simplified the travel rules for all under-18s coming to England. They will now be treated as fully vaccinated at the border and will be exempt from self-isolation requirements on arrival, day-8 testing and pre-departure testing. They will only be required to take one post-arrival test and a confirmatory free PCR test if they test positive. PTI AK DIV DIV (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Newark (New Jersey), Nov 9 (PTI) Emotions ran high as the anxious wait of many Indians to reunite with their loved ones ended in joy at the Newark International Airport here after the US lifted COVID-19 restrictions and opened its borders for international travellers. Parents who hadn't seen their children in over two years, grandparents eager to hold their grandkids in their arms, fiances waiting to reunite with their loved ones were overjoyed to see their family members emerging out from the exit gate of the airport, travelling on the first flight from India after the restrictions were lifted on Monday. The coronavirus pandemic had prompted the US to close its borders to international travellers from many countries, including India, last year. Later, only passengers holding visas belonging to certain categories were permitted to travel. The US opened its borders for fully vaccinated tourists from November 8, gradually moving ahead to a sense of normalcy and bringing families the joy of reuniting with their loved ones. "I booked the first flight on the first day," Vipul Shah said as he arrived with his wife. His two daughters waiting anxiously for their parents ran up to them as they saw them emerging from the airport doors. "I had booked the flight on November 1 itself when I heard that the US is opening up travel for tourists again. But I re-booked them for November 8. I could not wait for November 7 midnight when my wife and I will be able to sit on the flight, he said as tears rolled down his cheeks on seeing his daughters, one of whom is getting married in Indianapolis. "We have waited too long for this day, the family said as they hugged and took pictures, cataloguing their reunion. It was a similar scene for many families as they were reunited following more than two years of having been separated from one another due to the pandemic. As the Air India flight from Delhi landed, Rupal Patel waited eagerly as she watched passengers gradually come out of the airport doors after completing the immigration formalities. "Im waiting for my father. He is 86 years old and I have not seen him in over two years, she said. He has been staying alone in Nadiad, Gujarat and has been managing everything on his own throughout the pandemic, she said, adding that she and her siblings all live abroad and they also could not travel to India during the pandemic due to the travel restrictions. As Shah was speaking, her father came out. She ran towards him, touched his feet and hugged him, both teary eyed. It was a good flight. Im just very happy to be here, he said as he hugged his daughter. Nirmit Shelaj was anxiously sipping water, watching others meet their families and friends as he waited for his girlfriend whom he had not seen in over 9 months. He said his girlfriend, Jolly Dave, a telehealth physical therapist, used to say this all the time that she wants to break this Apple wall, the FaceTime thing. That technology cannot replace real human interactions." He said the pandemic has taught him that the pandemic, the distance, they cannot break our spirit. They cannot break our relationship, our affection and feelings for each other. Dave was among the last passengers to come out of the immigration. One of my bags had still not arrived. But I was ready to leave that as I couldnt wait to come out and meet Nirmit, she said as the couple hugged, not able to control their tears. Brajendra Brar had come to receive his pregnant niece and granddaughter. Excited to meet them, he said it is still very important for everyone to follow Covid-19 protocols such as mask wearing and social distancing. "Its nice that the travel is opening up but we still have to be very careful, he said, adding that people no longer want to live with travel restrictions and lockdowns. Staying away and not being able to meet friends and families is not easy. The pandemic has taught us that, he said, adding that it is up to us to ensure that borders remain open, travel is not disrupted and we remain cautious. Meetal Sharma could not contain her tears as she hugged her daughter and son-in-law waiting for her at the airport. Sharma, who flew from Ahmedabad on the Air India flight, said she had no words to describe her happiness... We have been waiting for this day since 2020. I cannot wait to meet my grand kids. Today is a special day. The option to keep doors open to each other is very powerful, New Jersey resident Rahul Patel told PTI as he waited to receive his parents who were flying in from Gujarat on the early morning Air India flight on Monday. "Because, things can change, he said, adding that if the doors are open then "we can travel back and forth, visit families or loved ones who may be sick." "You can certainly go back and forth and that relieves a lot of pressure, knowing that one can travel within a meaningful time frame. The US is allowing fully vaccinated travellers with shots from COVID-19 vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation, except Russia's Sputnik V and China's Cansino. The travel guidelines include 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. 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. Today, after more than 18 months of pandemic-related travel restrictions, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking a critical step toward resuming normal travel, said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. Travellers who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and have appropriate documentation are now permitted to enter the United States via our land and ferry border crossings for non-essential reasons such as visiting friends and family and engaging in tourism," the DHS said in a press release. DHSs US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is working to prevent long lines at land ports of entry and ferry terminals as normal travel resumes, it added. PTI YAS ZH RS AKJ RS (Disclaimer: This story is auto-generated from a syndicated feed; only the image & headline may have been reworked by www.republicworld.com) Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson acknowledged criticism of his humanitarian visit to Myanmar but stated he believed that the trip was constructive. Bill Richardson, on a humanitarian mission in strife-torn Myanmar, met with the leader of Myanmar's military junta and other top officials, as well as members of the foreign diplomatic corps and representatives of the United Nations and other international organisations, during his visit last week. According to the report, he recommended a number of specific humanitarian measures, primarily to facilitate the delivery of aid to remote areas. Richardson, a former governor of New Mexico, is the most prominent American to visit the Southeast Asian country since the military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in February. According to his office, he travelled there last week with three colleagues to discuss the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, medical supplies, and other public health needs. The United States, however, along with a number of other Western countries, opposes Myanmar's military-installed government and advocates for a return to democracy. Im deeply invested in this country and they invited me. I have a letter from the foreign minister to talk about vaccines ... thats what I was invited to do. And I care about the country and I think I can make a difference. Its a small difference," Richardson said in an online interview with AP on Monday. According to AP, Richardson claimed, "Well, I knew that the trip would face some criticism." He, however, rejected the notion that he could bestow legitimacy on Myanmar's government. Legitimacy is conferred by the people and by governments, he added. The Ex-US diplomat has a long history of involvement with Myanmar Richardson has a long history of involvement with Myanmar, dating back to 1994 when he met Suu Kyi at her residence in Yangon, where she had been under house arrest since 1989 under a previous military regime. He most recently visited Myanmar in 2018 to provide advice on the country's Muslim Rohingya minority. After Myanmar's military launched a brutal counterinsurgency campaign in the western state of Rakhine in 2017, more than 700,000 Rohingyas fled to refugee camps in Bangladesh. Ever since this year's military takeover, the majority of Myanmar has been engulfed in violence. Security forces brutally suppressed widespread peaceful protests against army rule, and armed resistance has grown to the point where U.N. experts have warned the country risks devolving into civil war. The unrest has also resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with food supplies severely disrupted, as well as a breakdown of an already precarious public health system in one of Asia's poorest countries. When a new wave of the coronavirus hit during the summer, crematoriums in Yangon were overwhelmed. (With inputs from AP) Image: AP As the United States fully removed the COVID-19 curbs and reopened its borders with Mexico Canada, and all of Europe on Monday, November 8, travellers rushed into the country in long queues of cars for emotional reunions ahead of the Christmas festivities after nearly two years. The US welcomed the vaccinated international tourists as families and friends gathered outpouring sentiments as they reunited with loved ones for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic hit the world in early 2020. Long-separated couples kissed, and grandparents embraced grandchildren who had doubled in age, Associated Press reported early on Monday as the COVID-related travel restrictions were suspended for the first time. Reunion between neighbour countries A traveller named Octavio Alvarez and his 14-year-old daughter were seen rushing in excitement to enter United States San Diego to reunite with the mother-in-law. Its a big feeling, Alvarez, 43, a resident of Ensenada, Mexico, told AP. The US border restrictions in view of the pandemic had kept the families separated for over a couple of years, and the emotions were too high. On Monday, however, as borders reopened the rush and excitement engulfed the country with spouses hugging each other, families celebrating and grandparents meeting with their grandchildren for the first time after several months clampdown, according to US press reports. Cars wait to cross into the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, Monday in Tijuana, Mexico. The US fully reopened its borders with Mexico and Canada and lifted restrictions on travel that covered most of Europe. Image: AP Photo/Gregory Bull Performers entertain passengers at London Heathrow Airport's T3 as the US reopens its borders to UK visitors in a significant boost to the travel sector, in London, Monday. Image: AP A French woman Gaye Camara was seen brimming with joy at the thought of reuniting with her husband, a resident of New York. She had last seen him in January 2020 when the pandemic raged across the globe in full momentum causing a massive death toll. It would be 21 months before they could hold each other again, the Associated Press reports from on the ground. Im going to jump into his arms, kiss him, touch him, the French woman travelling to US told reporters as she rushed her luggage trolly at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. United States border with neighbouring Mexico and Canada has long been a way of life for the people of these countries. With borders sealed for nearly 2 years, the businesses had longed for the Canadians, European and Mexicans to return. At a celebratory news conference at the San Ysidro, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria surrounded by Mexican officials called the clampdown devastating as it had snapped the family ties. Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero, meanwhile excitedly called it a reunion between neighbour countries. People applaud and take pictures as MaKensi Kastl greets her boyfriend, Thierry Coudassot, after he arrived from France at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, NJ. Image: AP Image: AP The US Justice Department on Monday, 8 November, charged two foreign nationals over a ransomware attack on businesses and government entities in the US and seized over $6 million in ransom payments. According to a statement, one of the suspects was from Ukraine and another one from Russia. It is to mention that the recent US actions follow a slew of measures taken to combat ransomware that earlier this year had hit big companies, including Colonial Pipeline. As per the press note, Yaroslav Vasinskyi, a 22-year-old Ukrainian national, has been charged for conducting ransomware attacks against multiple victims, including the July 2021 attack against Kaseya - a technology firm. Vasinskyi was arrested in Poland last month. The Ukrainian national, along with Russian national Yevgeniy Polyanin, are charged with conspiracy to commit fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, among other charges. As part of the probe, the US officials also seized at least $6 million in funds allegedly linked to ransom payments received by Polyanin, who is also charged with conducting Sodinokibi/REvil ransomware attacks against multiple victims. Further, according to the indictments, the two foreign nationals accessed internal computer networks of several victim companies and deployed ransomware known as REvil, which has been used in hacks that have cost US firms millions of dollars "The arrest of Yaroslav Vasinskyi, the charges against Yevgeniy Polyanin and seizure of $6.1 million of his assets, and the arrests of two other Sodinokibi/REvil actors in Romania are the culmination of close collaboration with our international, US government and especially our private sector partners," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. Foreign nationals could face max penalty Wray added that Vasinskyi and Polyanin are charged in separate indictments with conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with computers, substantive counts of damage to protected computers, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted of all counts, each faces a maximum penalty of 115 and 145 years in prison, respectively. Meanwhile, following the DoJ announcement, US President Joe Biden said the nation is using the full capability of the federal government to disrupt malicious cyber activity. Biden went on to inform that the unsealed US indictments announced against Russian and Ukrainian nationals for alleged cybercrimes in the US fulfilled his pledge to Russian President Vladimir Putin to hold cybercriminals accountable. He also commended the Department of Justice, FBI, Department of States and Department of Treasury for their efforts to counter cyber threats. My Administration will continue to use every tool available to us to protect the American people and American interests against cyber threats, Biden said. (Image: Pixabay) A press release from Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch's office mentions that a group of Republicans introduced an amendment in the 2022 US defence policy bill that would impose mandatory sanctions on Nord Stream 2 project. As per the release, the amendment would impose mandatory sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG. The legislation was passed by the House of Representatives on a 316-113 vote in September. The release, on Monday, said, "US Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, last week led Senators Rob Portman, John Barrasso, Ron Johnson, Tom Cotton, and Ted Cruz in introducing an amendment to the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act to stop the Nord Stream 2 (NS2) pipeline project." The Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch's office shared the press release on their official Twitter handle. The caption read, "Unsurprisingly, the Biden Admin. continues to ignore Congress' will on NordStream2, therefore abandoning Ukraine & handing Russia energy leverage over our EU allies. To stop this, I introduced an amendment to FY22NDAA imposing sanctions on NS2." Unsurprisingly, the Biden Admin. continues to ignore Congress' will on #NordStream2, therefore abandoning #Ukraine & handing #Russia energy leverage over our #EU allies. To stop this, I introduced an amendment to #FY22NDAA imposing sanctions on #NS2. https://t.co/JD6XxCPK75 Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member (@SenateForeign) November 8, 2021 In a press release, Risch stated that, for the third year in a row, a bipartisan majority in Congress has acted to halt the harmful NS2 project. According to Risch, Russia has cut gas transit through Ukraine and amassed troops and military equipment on the Ukrainian border since the Biden Administration refused to impose mandatory congressional sanctions on NS2. He went on to say that Putin is publicly warning European Union leaders to certify NS2 as soon as possible if they want to be relieved of Europe's worst gas crisis in years. US Defence policy is expected to be easily approved by the Senate The $768 billion US defence policy bill has bipartisan support and is expected to be easily approved by the Senate once Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer schedules a vote. The Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, which will transport gas from Russia to Germany via the Baltic Sea, was completed on September 10. The process of certifying Nord Stream 2 AG as the pipeline's independent operator is currently underway to ensure that the project complies with the conditions of the EU Gas Directive, which was passed on February 12th. The German regulator must make a certification decision by January 2022. Ukraine, which currently has a gas transit agreement with Russia, has been a vocal opponent of the pipeline, citing revenue losses after its completion as well as claims that the pipeline jeopardises Ukraine's and Europe's energy security. Despite the construction of additional pipelines, Moscow has repeatedly stated that it will continue to rely on Ukraine's transport capacities to pump gas to Europe in the coming years. Image: AP US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman returned to Ethiopia earlier this week to continue to press the warring parties there to negotiate a ceasefire. According to a press release, Feltman is currently in Ethiopia to underscore the US concern with the escalation of the conflict and the risk of intercommunal violence. He is also there to encourage all parties to engage in a dialogue on the cessation of hostilities. When it comes to Ambassador Feltman's activity in the region, he returned to Ethiopia today from Kenya to continue to urgently press the parties to de-escalate the conflict and negotiate a cessation of hostilities, US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, said at a media briefing. As per the press note, earlier this week, from November 4 to 7, Feltman travelled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he met with PM Abiy Ahmed, Deputy PM/Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen Hasan, Minister of Defense Abraham Belay, and Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide. The US Special Envoy also met with AU High Representative Olusegun Obasanjo, AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, UN Undersecretary-General Martin Griffiths, and other international partners and government leaders. From November 7 to 8, Feltman then travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, where he consulted with President Kenyatta and other political leaders on the conflict in Ethiopia. The United States will continue to work with international partners to address the crisis in Ethiopia, including through action with the United Nations, the African Union, and other relevant partners and institutions, the press note read. Ethiopia declares six-month state of emergency Meanwhile, it is pertinent to mention that Feltman returned to the East African nation the same day Ethiopian parliament declared a six-month state of emergency throughout the nation in a bid to protect the population from the rebels of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray who are advancing upon the countrys capital, Addis Ababa. The move prompted several countries to start evacuating their diplomatic missions. The US also ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Ethiopia and urged other US citizens that they should depart now. Incidents of civil unrest and ethnic violence are occurring without warning, a statement on Saturday said, warning of possible communications blackouts and supply chain shortages. Britain also advised its people on Wednesday to reconsider their need to remain in Ethiopia and consider leaving while commercial opportunities were available. Moreover, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has lately expressed his alarm about the surge in violence in Ethiopia, as well as the Ethiopian administration's recent declaration of a state of emergency across the country. It is to mention that the Ethiopian government and TPLF rebels have been fighting for control over the country's northern region for almost a year now. (With inputs from agencies) United States Supreme Court Justices on Monday, 8 November conducted a hearing for the secrets case against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) brought by the Orange County mosques alleging illegal surveillance on Muslims following the 9/11 terror attacks. Reports suggest that the case, once finalised, would determine whether the US government spying on the religious properties protected by secrecy would be a violation of religious freedom. In the lawsuit filed, at least three Muslim Americans accused the US FBI of surveillance on them inside the mosques which they labelled as discrimination, despite that there were concerns about the national security following the deadly bombing of the World Trade Centres in September 2001 during the former President George W Bushs administration. A former imam at the Orange County Islamic Foundation, and Ali Uddin Malik and Yasser AbdelRahim, both members of the Islamic Center of Irvine, brought the lawsuit to the Supreme Court, according to the US broadcasters. The trio argued that the FBI spied and targeted members of their faith solely because of their religion. As of Monday, as the US Supreme Court weighed the case, the FBI agreed that it spied on several Southern California mosques between 2006 and 2007, stressing that the move was prompted while the authorities were searching for the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks. The Federal Bureau, however, did not divulge many details about the covert operation, and neither dismissed or commented on the religious bias angle. Without privacy, there is no freedom. FBI v. Fazaga involves a challenge to the FBIs unlawful surveillance of Muslim Americans. On Monday, it will be heard by the Supreme Court. We sat down with plaintiff Yasser Abdelrahim to discuss the case. pic.twitter.com/2n7vBtg68v ACLU (@ACLU) November 7, 2021 FBI 'employed a paid informant' for surveillance The FBI employed a paid informant person with a prior criminal history to infiltrate these mosques, the lawsuit filed by one Ahilan Arulanantham, a lawyer with the ACLU civil rights group, read on Monday. The said informant named Craig Monteilh, it elaborated, was a convert who was instructed by the FBI to collect as much information as possible on people from the Muslim community. This included personal information such as their phone numbers, email addresses, as well as personal conversations, which the informant discreetly recorded, the plaintiff told a nonprofit legal and advocacy organisation in his statement. The latter met with Muslims in southern California and had adopted a Muslim name in order to get them familiar with him and then later conduct surveillance activities. FBIs informant recorded religious prayers, conversations, and activities inside the mosque via a secret recording device that he allegedly hid in his car key fob, Arulanantham said. Footage from the site was also captured. An attorney representing the group stated that the informant "became disgruntled," had an argument with FBI handlers, and decided to go public with the information, post which the congregants filed an official complaint. At the center of the controversy is now US 1978 surveillance law and that the court must or must not go forward with the case as doing so will reveal state secrets, the FBI has argued as it appealed to dismiss the case, adding that the agency cannot be sued for discrimination where national security is the concern. In the hearing on Monday, Conservative Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch questioned the FBIs request to dismiss the case without producing evidence which it stressed might reveal the states secrets. In a world in which the national security state is growing larger every day, that is quite a power, Gorsuch was reported telling the court. The cases dismissal request was overturned by the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in 2019, which said that the lower court will examine the FBI evidence privately if they were state secrets. So Metta said that inmates are underfed and stuffed into overcrowded cells by corrupt prison officials. So Metta upon her release from Prey Sar Prison in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Nov. 8, 2021. Underfed inmates at Cambodias Prey Sar prison suffer sleepless nights in unhygienic, overcrowded cells, unless they can pay corrupt prison guards to for enough room to lie down, an activist released this week after serving a 14-month stint at the prison told RFA. Eng Malai, 31, better known as So Metta, is a member of the Khmer Thavrak youth organization. She and several others were arrested in Sept. 2020 for their involvement in protests over the imprisonment of union leader Rong Chhun, currently serving a two year sentence for his criticism of the governments handling of a longstanding border dispute with neighboring Vietnam. So Metta and nine other Rong Chhun supporters were sentenced together last month to 20 months in prison, and all set to be released early in November, with credit for time served. Upon her release from Prey Sar, located in the capital Phnom Penh, So Metta told RFAs Khmer Service Monday that the prisoners suffered health problems due to poor sanitation, bad food, insufficient water, and severe overcrowding. They served two tiny meals a day that were very low in nutrients. Poor inmates include me have no choice, but to eat it, she said Some people got stomachache and diarrhea, or itching or edema after eating the food. Even so, they still get hungry again right away because the food doesnt provide any nutrients. It is an even lower quality than dog and pig food, she said. Additionally the prison is a hotbed for corruption, where the prisoners with means can pay prison staff to be put in a cell with better conditions. Some cells were packed with 170-200 inmates. Space was sold by counting the tiles on the floor, then charging by the tile. Of course the prison officials would deny this, So Metta said. There are countless injustices happening in the prison and I wrote them down in my dairy, but it was confiscated by the prison officials. But, it does not matter because I saved them all in my head, she said. She described several instances of mistreatment including inmates contracting COVID-19 and dying shortly after receiving vaccines. They got vaccines at the time when the weather was deadly hot and there was a black out and no water in the prison. You know, the majority of the prisoners are poor, they drink water from the faucets and when there is no water, they have no money to buy bottled water to drink or bathe, she said. So Metta said her imprisonment was an example of the government trying to silence Cambodians who stand up for the rest of society. Its not fair to me because they will still press charges against us. They follow us, ban us from travelling abroad or doing anything, she said. I remain determined to maintain the same level of activism as long as my country is still experiencing injustice, people losing their land, and people crying for help, she said. Five of the other nine activists were released from Prey Sar last week. In September, the World Justice Project, a Washington-based independent group that promotes rule of law, ranked Cambodia next to last -- ahead only of Venezuela -- in its global Rule of Law Index for 2021. Reported by RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Sum Sok Ry. Written in English by Eugene Whong. A memorial for Hong Kong University of Technology and Science student Chow Tsz-lok, who died in a fall during clashes between student protesters and police in 2019, is shown in a file photo. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has said its president Wei Shyy, who called for an inquiry into the death of HKUST student Chow Tsz-lok during the 2019 protest movement, will step down next year. In an announcement published the day after the anniversary of Chow's death, the university said Shyy had notified it that he would resign with effect from Oct. 19, 2022, one year ahead of his five-year term. "It is my privilege to call HKUST home during the past 11 plus years. On an excellent foundation laid by our founders and predecessors, and further strengthened by many members and supporters, HKUSTs academic standard, campus-wide openness, and institutional expectations continue to sustain and flourish," the university quoted him as saying in its press release. "The sense of duty to serve HKUSTs long-term interests and overall standing has guided our thinking and action during challenging times. In that spirit the University will continue to open new horizons." "The University will soon launch a global search for the appointment of its next president," the statement said. Shyy learned of Chow's Nov. 8, 2019 death while presiding over a graduation ceremony, and paused proceedings for a period of silence, wiping away tears. He later called for an independent inquiry into Chow's death and its rumored links to police activity in the area, as well as demanding an explanation for police actions in preventing ambulances and rescue crews from getting to Chow for more than 30 minutes. After the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposed a draconian national security law on Hong Kong from July 1, 2020, Shyy told reporters he had "no need" to support it, as it was already law, and would have to be obeyed. The law ushered in a city-wide crackdown on public dissent and peaceful protest, including peaceful actions deemed "subversive" or otherwise undermining of the authorities, that has left dozens of opposition politicians, rights activists and journalists behind bars, and led to the shuttering of prominent unions, civil society organizations and the pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper. Three arrested for 'voting offense' Shyy's announcement came as the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) arrested three people for sharing online messages calling on people to turn in blank ballots in December's elections for the Legislative Council (LegCo), where new rules have effectively barred the former opposition camp from running. Two men and one woman aged between 29 and 65 have been accused of violating the Election Ordinance, which criminalizes anyone encouraging others to boycott elections or spoil ballot papers on pain of up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of H.K.$200,000, government broadcaster RTHK reported. Chow was a second-year computer science undergraduate student at HKUST who died of massive head injuries after falling from the upper floor of a parking garage in Tseung Kwan O on Nov. 4, 2019. He was taken to hospital in a coma, and died four days later, further stoking public anger, as livestreamed footage showed police apparently refusing to allow an ambulance through a cordon to treat him, something that police later denied in a letter to HKUST president Wei Shyy. Surveillance footage from the garage showed a man being chased and pushed by a larger man shortly before Chow fell, while healthcare workers drew attention to the fact that his injuries were concentrated around his head and pelvic bone, with no fractures in his limbs, which is common in cases of falls. Police dismissed concerns as "rumors," saying that Chow fell from the building shortly before 1:00 a.m., and that police had only entered the building five minutes later, finding him already having fallen. But another video clip emerged that appeared to contradict this story, and police later admitted that they had sent a patrol earlier, which had left the building at around 11:20 p.m. An inquest into Chow's death by the Coroner's Court returned an open verdict in January 2020. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. The US State Department calls for the release of Zhang Zhan, who is close to death after refusing food. Fears that jailed citizen journalist Zhang Zhan may not survive continued incarceration have prompted international calls for her release in recent days, while an international press freedom group has listed her for an award. "We have repeatedly expressed our serious concerns about the arbitrary nature of her detention and her mistreatment during it," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement on Nov. 8. "We reiterate our call to the PRC for her immediate and unconditional release," Price told a regular news briefing in Washington. Prominent human rights lawyer Xie Yang, whose license to practice law was revoked by Chinese officials after he reported being tortured in detention, welcomed Price's comments. Xie told RFA on Tuesday that he had planned to travel to Shanghai to meet with Zhang Zhan's mother, but had been warned against doing so by his local police. When he ignored their warning and traveled to his local airport, Changsha Huanghua, on Nov. 6, he found that his COVID-19 tracking app status, also known as a "health code," had turned red, and he was denied permission to board the flight to Shanghai. Xie said he hadn't visited a high-risk area in the past 14 days, and that his health code had been green before he left for the airport, suggesting the authorities were using the app to control people's movements for political purposes. "We need to use diplomatic channels now, to bring international scrutiny to bear on the Chinese government," Xie told RFA. "The rights enshrined in law need to be guaranteed." "We call on organizations tasked with protecting human rights around the world, on human rights organizations at the United Nations, to start speaking out independently [in support of Zhang's release]," he said. Rights activist Wang Jianhong, who has founded the Zhang Zhan Concern Group, said Zhang is a rare kind of hero. "[She] dared to speak the truth ... and stand up for the public interest, regardless of personal cost," Wang told RFA. "Her mother saw her and told us that she had difficulty walking and can't even lift her head." "She also told friends that Zhang's skin was looking yellow and shiny on her forehead ... she says she'll be in real danger if she's not allowed parole to seek medical treatment," Wang said. Call for immediate release The Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) called for Zhang's immediate release on Nov. 3, then announced a day later that it had shortlisted her for its Press Freedom Award, for journalists who make "a notable contribution to the defense or promotion of freedom of the media around the world." "RSF urges for the immediate release of Chinese Covid-19 journalist Zhang Zhan, whose health is rapidly deteriorating due to a partial hunger strike and who faces impending death if maintained in detention," the group said in a statement. We call on the international community to apply pressure to the Chinese regime and secure Zhang Zhans immediate release before it is too late, RSF East Asia bureau chief Cedric Alviani said. "She was only performing her duty as a reporter and should never have been detained, not to mention receive a four-year prison sentence." Zhang, 38, was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by Shanghai's Pudong District People's Court on Dec. 28, 2020, and has been eating very little food, rather than refusing anything, to avoid being force-fed by tube. Her family say she can't walk or hold her head up unassisted, and currently weighs less than 40 kilograms, despite being 1.78 meters tall. The New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) called on the Chinese government to release Zhang Zhan immediately and unconditionally, saying she had been "wrongfully imprisoned." The Chinese government needs to be held to account for allowing yet another peaceful critic to fall gravely ill while unjustly imprisoned, HRW senior China researcher Yaqiu Wang said in a Nov. 3 statement. "Governments should call for Zhang Zhans urgent release to prevent an already terrible situation from becoming a tragic one." It called on foreign diplomats in China to request visits with Zhang, who is being held at the Shanghai Womens 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," the group said. One of a group of citizen journalists detained, jailed, or "disappeared" after they went to the central city of Wuhan to cover the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zhang was sent for medical treatment at the end of July for malnutrition following several months of hunger strike in a Shanghai prison. Zhang pleaded not guilty at her trial, where she appeared in court in a wheelchair. A guilty plea is typically a prerequisite for more lenient treatment in China's judicial system under the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP). China is the world's largest jailer of journalists, with 122 currently behind bars, according to RSF. The country ranked 177th out of 180 in the 2021 RSF World Press Freedom Index. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Citizens say that the government is lying to them about how many people have died from the coronavirus. In this April 1, 2020, file photo, a nurse explains details about the COVID-19 and ways to prevent contracting the new virus at the Phyongchon District People's Hospital in Pyongyang, North Korea. A hospital in North Korea sent 10 people with COVID-19 symptoms to an unheated ward in freezing temperatures, and then falsified the causes of their deaths to maintain Pyongyangs claim that the country is completely virus free, sources in the country told RFA. The 10 patients were admitted to a section of the hospital that is normally used to treat tuberculosis, a resident of Chongjin in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong, where the hospital is located, told RFAs Korean Service. The hospital said they died from malnutrition, but these were people who complained of fever and were diagnosed with pneumonia caused by the flu, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons. They were left in a part of the ward with no heating, despite the cold weather. They all died soon after, the source said. Since the start of the pandemic in January 2020, North Korea has taken extensive measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which causes COVID. The government locked down entire cities and counties, banned travel between provinces, and shutdown the Sino-Korean border, which included a suspension of trade with China. The trade ban was partially lifted earlier this month, only to be reinstated again after a new outbreak in the Chinese border city of Dandong. Pyongyang declared these preventative measures successful in April 2020, when Pak Myong Su, the director of the anti-epidemic department of North Koreas Central Emergency Anti-Epidemic Headquarters, gave a rare interview with foreign media to proclaim that not a single person was infected with the virus in the country. Observers immediately doubted the claim, citing North Koreas crumbling medical infrastructure, the relative ease by which people could cross the Sino-Korean border, and the willingness of the regime to hide the truth. Additionally, RFA reported in April 2020 that the government warned the public that COVID was spreading in three areas of the country, including the capital Pyongyang. The following March, RFA reported that the North Korean government has been keeping track of suspected cases of coronavirus infections but never confirms anyone showing symptoms as having COVID. Sources said that when a person suspected of having the disease dies, the body is hastily cremated to prevent a posthumous confirmation. Similar tactics were at play for the 10 tuberculosis patients in Chongjin, the resident told RFA. The hospital informed the patients families only and they immediately buried the bodies at a nearby hill without explaining the exact cause of death. The families are angry, saying they should at least be told what the symptoms were and get a clear answer on why they died. The government has continued to keep people in the dark about the truth of the coronavirus situation in the country, a resident of Mundok county, South Pyongan province, north of the capital Pyongyang, told RFA. No one has died from the coronavirus in North Korea because the public will never know about it. Hospitals announce those deaths are due to tuberculosis [TB] or flu, said the second source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. Authorities are leaving domestic coronavirus cases out of the news cycle and falsely claiming coronavirus deaths as TB cases, said the second source. If you look closely, tuberculosis doesnt destroy the lungs like the coronavirus does. But most people dont know that so when someone dies from coronavirus and they say its tuberculosis, who is going to know? said the source. No one knows other than the doctor who was in charge and the central government officials, the source said, adding that in his neighborhood there were three recent deaths chalked up to TB. With the weather turning colder, flu cases are on the rise and death tolls are up as well, the source said. But most of them are filed as deaths from malnutrition or flu, not the coronavirus, the source said. An internal survey conducted by the Ministry of Health in March 2021 revealed some 13,000 suspected cases in North Hamgyong, the most in the entire country, a source told RFA in a previous report. According to the surveys results, officially reported only to the ruling Korean Workers Partys Central Committee, most of the suspected cases were in the cities, including the provincial capital Chongjin, North Koreas third largest city and home to more than 600,000 people. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization said that as of Sept. 21, only about 43,000 of North Koreas population of 25 million were tested for COVID-19, and there was not a single confirmed case. Of those tested between Sept. 15 and 21, 109 had a flu-like illness or severe acute respiratory infection, and 582 were health care workers. Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Claire Lee. Written in English by Eugene Whong. A train from China crosses the border bridge between China and North Korea in Dandong, Liaoning Province in this file photo. The spread of coronavirus in a key Chinese city bordering North Korea put an abrupt halt to rail freight between the two countries only eight days after they lifted an almost two-year-long trade cut-off, sources in China told RFA. At the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in Jan. 2020, Beijing and Pyongyang sealed off the 880-mile Sino-Korean border and suspended trade to prevent the virus from crossing the border into North Korea. The move killed off much of North Koreas nascent market economy that relied on the purchase and sale of Chinese imports, and the lack of imported food, fertilizer and equipment led to skyrocketing food prices. The resumption of rail freight on Nov. 1 had raised hopes that badly needed relief would be flowing across the border, but a new spike in COVID-19 cases in Dandong, across the Yalu River from North Koreas Sinuiju has dashed those hopes. Since Friday, the coronavirus emergency quarantine has been bolstered in the Dandong area, a resident of the city told RFAs Korean Service on Sunday. Due to the outbreak, all public transportation networks were suspended and there is a red light up between customs offices in North Korea and China, said the source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. City authorities told the residents of Dandong that traffic from outside the city would not be allowed in and advised them to stock up on enough food for a one-month lockdown, the source said. Additionally, the Dandong municipal government will restrict businesses like restaurants, massage parlors, internet cafes, mahjong and gaming parlors and public saunas under a strengthened emergency quarantine posture, the source said. Restaurants will have limits on the number of guests they can serve and will have limited business hours, and the police are banning large gatherings and restricting movement of people, said the source. Residents who wish to ride buses must now present their ID and register with the authorities before being allowed to buy a bus ticket, the source said. Wouldnt it be difficult for trade between China and North Korea to resume under these circumstances? When the virus first took hold in Wuhan, a city very far from the North Korean border, North Korea took that as a signal to lock down customs, the source said. Now its in Dandong, right across the river. Would they reopen their border so easily this time? Authorities are also locking down other areas of Dandongs surrounding Liaoning province, including Dalian, about 190 miles (300 km) to the west, a Chinese citizen of Korean descent told RFA. The city government and police have blocked off roads and railways and residents are banned from moving after there were new confirmed cases in Zhuanghe, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons. Zhuanghe is a smaller city administered by Dalian. Dalian and Dandong are three hours away by car, so residents often use the trains and highways to get around, but theyve suspended bus and train travel and are making security checks on the highways, the source said, adding that gatherings and certain businesses are also restricted in Dalian. In this situation, it is unlikely that Sino-North Korea trade will resume anytime soon. According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Systems Science and Engineering, Dandong had recorded 20 new cases on Sunday up from 11 on Saturday. Reported by Jieun Kim for RFAs Korean Service. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Laos will no longer allow high-ranking government officials to use state-owned vehicles for personal use after they retire, a move aimed at saving money and solving a vehicle shortage that Lao citizens told RFA was a step in the right direction. We cannot take the state cars with us after we retire. Its not allowed. High-ranking officials who have retired will have to sacrifice, starting from the central committee and downward, Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh told a recent meeting of the national assembly. Once you retire, youre retired and you cant take the states car with you. But if you want to take it you should pay for it according to the law, he said. The push to rein in spending comes amid warnings from experts and officials that Laos has at least $400 million due in loans this year that cant be repaid, and another $1 billion coming due each year from 2022-2025 to lenders in China, Thailand and Vietnam, amid a slump brought on the global pandemic. Several Lao citizens told RFA that they were happy that the government was trying to eliminate wasteful spending. If they do this, I will be very happy, because the government wastes too much. Taking the state cars with them when they retire wastes the peoples money. They should just give the cars to another official instead of buying a totally new one, a Lao citizen told RFAs Lao Service. Another citizen told RFA that the problem had been rampant among Lao officials. Some of the retiring officials even took two or more vehicles for their family members to use. A former official who kept his government-issued vehicle after retirement told RFA that in some cases, the government awarded them cars for helping the country, but in others, the former officials took them out of a sense of entitlement. There were many officials who took cars worth over U.S. $100,000 with them when they retired, saying that they deserve the car for helping the country become developed, the former official said. The previous prime minister, Thongloun Sisoulith, who championed anti-corruption policies, famously sold 14 government-issued luxury cars used by retiring officials in 2016. Among the cars were expensive imported Mercedes-Benz and BMW models that are beyond the means of ordinary citizens of Laos, whose GDP per capita is about $2,600 per year. Reported by RFAs Lao service. Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Written in English by Eugene Whong. As Beijings investment in Laos increases, more students see the Chinese language as an essential skill. This Jan. 2020 file photo shows a Chinese language school in Houeyxay, Bokeo Province, Laos that is supported by the Construction Department of China's Guangdong province. Recent high school graduates in Laos are increasingly opting to study Chinese at university in hopes of finding better employment, indicating that the country's youth feel that Laoss future lies with Beijing, students told RFA. Chinese investment in Laos was a mere 1.5 percent of its total foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2003, but Beijing accounted for 79 percent of FDI in Laos in 2018. The sharp rise in investment has prompted job hunters in Laos to view proficiency in the Chinese language as an essential skill. A student who graduated from a high school in the capital Vientiane told RFAs Lao Service that students are flocking to the Chinese language major because they believe that after graduation it will be easier to find a high-paying job, and that most businesses will need workers who can speak Chinese. Another recent graduate from the northeastern province of Hua Phanh told RFA that he chose to take the entrance exam to the National University of Laos to major in Chinese language as his first choice and English language as a second choice. I think in the future businesses will need people who know Chinese. At the present time, markets here in the northern parts of Laos mostly sell products from China, the Hua Phanh student said. Laos will also have a high-speed rail connecting to China, so we will need more people who speak Chinese, the student said, referring to the high-speed Lao-China Railway, scheduled for completion in December. In the southern province of Savannakhet, another recent graduate told RFA that he would study Chinese, following in the footsteps of his older brother and sister. They graduated as Chinese majors from the National University and have jobs with salaries of five to six million kip (U.S. $523 627) per month, higher than even government officials. If you have a job with a high salary working with Chinese people, you get more money than working with Lao employers, the Savannakhet student said. 'It's just easier to find a job' In Oudomxay province, in the northwest, a recent graduate there said that many of Oudomxays students are also opting to study Chinese. Its just easier to find a job as a Chinese language speaker. We can learn Chinese at the Chinese center in town. If were good at it we can become Chinese teachers, the Oudomxay student said. Oudomxay has a lot of Chinese investments, so if anyone can speak Chinese, they are preferred at hiring time, he said. A professor of Chinese language at the National University of Laos said that its Chinese language department will only accept 240 people into the major this year, which is slightly higher than the previous years 200. Lao students want to learn Chinese because they know that Laos will have the high-speed train and that it will bring in even more Chinese investment projects, the professor said. Chinese investment in Laos will of course require Lao workers who can speak Chinese, and they can earn higher salaries that way, the professor said. According to statistics from the website of the National University of Laos, Chinese language was the most popular major for new students in the 2021-2022 school year, with 988 taking the entrance exam. The next most popular major was economics, followed by management and then banking and finance. Partnerships with schools In an effort to promote studies of Chinese language and culture worldwide, Beijing has established partnerships with foreign universities to set up language schools, called Confucius Institutes. The Confucius Institute at the National University of Laos is by far the largest and most popular Chinese language school in the country, an employee of the institute told RFA in February. Universities in China have also been setting up campuses in Laos. Soochow University in Laos is also expanding by building a new campus in the Vientiane suburbs. Several hundred students who attend the university want to continue their studies at Soochow University in China, the institute employee said. Though the World Bank in October 2020 acknowledged that Laos has made many developmental gains over the past two decades by halving poverty, decreasing malnutrition, and improving education and health, it also said that Vientiane could do better at schooling children. A child born in Laos today will only be half as productive as she could be if she enjoyed full health and education While a Lao child goes to school for 10.8 years on average, she only receives the equivalent of 6.4 years of learning, the World Bank said. According to UNESCO, in 2019 91.6 percent of Lao children of primary school age were enrolled in schools, but for secondary school-aged students the enrollment figure was 58.8 percent. UNICEF in 2017 reported that only a third of Lao students in grade 3 met literacy standards, and only a fifth passed math standards for promotion to grade 4. For each additional year of education among young adults, poverty rates were 9 percent lower, the report said. Reported by RFAs Lao Service. Translated by Sidney Khotpanya. Written in English by Eugene Whong. While the military tries to project a sense of calm, it is still attacking civilians nine months after its coup. Myanmars deposed National League for Democracy (NLD) party vowed to return power to the people on Monday, as it marked a year since its landslide general election victory that the military overturned in a February coup that has left the country isolated, hungry and wracked with violence. Kyaw Htwe, a former lawmaker representing Zabuthiri township in the capital Naypyidaw and a member of the NLDs Central Committee, said in a statement that the junta must respect the results of the Nov. 8, 2020, ballot and relinquish control of the country, which it has ruled by violently repressing its opponents. In order to resolve the current crisis in the country, all acts of violence must be stopped and all political prisoners including the state counselor and the president must be released immediately, he said, referring to NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi and former President Win Myint, both of whom were arrested shortly after the Feb. 1 coup. The implementation of the 2020 election results is still a necessary process, and much remains to be done. Nine months after the Feb. 1 coup, security forces have killed 1,244 civilians and arrested at least 7,122, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Many of the deaths and arrests have occurred during crackdowns on anti-junta protests. The junta claims it unseated the NLD government because the party had engineered its victory in the 2020 election through widespread voter fraud, though international observers rated the vote legitimate. It has yet to present evidence backing up the allegation, and protests against the military regime continue. On Monday, a participant in flash protests in Mandalay named Ko Thura told RFAs Myanmar Service that anti-junta activities will not cease until democracy is reinstated. The reason we are still on the streets today is because the military dictatorship has not yet fallen, he said. The focus of our protests is to continue our fight for the federal democratic union that we all aspire to, and we will continue to work for the establishment of a nation. The junta has also faced pressure from Western governments, including the United States, which have called for the military to step down. The U.S. State Department said Monday that it will work to end military oppression and restore democracy in Myanmar. The militarys subsequent and ongoing violent crackdown has further undermined human rights and fundamental freedoms and reversed a decade of progress toward a genuine democracy, U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said in a statement marking the anniversary of the election. We honor the people of [Myanmar] striving to restore democracy, respect for human rights, and the rule of law in their country, including more than 1,300 innocent people who have lost their lives in that struggle. Blinken called for an immediate end to violence in Myanmar, the release of all detainees, and a return of democratic institutions. A small group of protesters against the military government that ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi earlier this year raise their hands with the three-finger protest gesture during a flash mob rally in Thaketa township in Yangon, Nov. 6, 2021. AP Photo Election claims The statement drew a response from junta spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, who said that the U.S. should focus on its own affairs. They dont have to tell us to return to democracy. We have promised that we will return to democracy, although it may not be the type of democracy they want it to be, he said. We will go for a truly disciplined democracy. [The leaders] may not be who they want to be. Zaw Min Tun said the current situation in Myanmar is the result of fraudulent 2020 elections and that it is unfair to blame the military for the ensuing violence. In July, Myanmars military-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) annulled the results of the election, claiming that more than 11.3 million ballots had been discounted due to fraud and other irregularities during the vote. Among alleged irregularities, the commission said voters were allowed to cast ballots without presenting their national identification cards and some cast multiple ballots under the same name. The UEC met with representatives of more than 40 pro-military parties over the weekend to discuss the use of a Proportional Representation system in the next election, although details of the meeting have yet to be made public. The meeting was boycotted by nearly 50 anti-coup political parties, including the NLD. Clashes ongoing The image of normalcy the military tried to project a year into the countrys political crisis was undercut by clashes with anti-junta Peoples Defense Force (PDF) militias in four townships in the restive Sagaing region on Sunday. The military deployed helicopters and jets in what it referred to as counter-terrorism operations. A resident told RFA that around 2,000 people have been forced to evacuate in recent days because of the military raids on six villages in Sagaings Kawlin township alone. It happened [Sunday] in the western part of Kawlin and also the previous day, they said, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of reprisal. Nothing has happened in [downtown] Kawlin itself so far. However, there were frequent clashes all over the eastern and western sides of the township. Most of the villagers are fleeing. Political analyst Dr. Sai Kyi Zin Soe told RFA on Monday that the military will not escape punishment for its violence and human rights abuses. Instead of a transfer of power to the people and a return to the time prior to the coup, there will be some kind of action for their past crimes and violations of international law, he said. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khin Maung Nyane. Written in English by Joshua Lipes. Lawyers for Uyghur groups have given new evidence to the International Criminal Court (ICC) that allegedly shows the Tajik government is cooperating with Beijing to send Uyghurs to China, where they face detention and often much worse. Tajikistan is not the only country targeted in the complaint submitted to the ICC's Office of the Prosecutor. Cambodia is reported to be another country that allegedly succumbed to Chinese pressure to detain and illegally extradite Uyghurs. Numerous reports have claimed that the Chinese authorities have put more than 1 million Uyghurs and thousands of other mostly Muslim indigenous minorities in so-called reeducation camps, located mainly in the Uyghurs' traditional homeland in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in western China. The Chinese say the camps are for vocational training and deny mistreatment of its occupants, despite testimony of detainees and other evidence suggesting otherwise. Some rights groups say the involuntary incarceration and other more sinister acts against Uyghurs, ethnic Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and ethnic Chinese Hui are part of a campaign to eradicate Islam and the cultures of these ethnic minorities from Chinese society. Tajikistan and Cambodia are included in the official complaint because they are members of the ICC. China is not an ICC member and so is outside the ICC's jurisdiction. "China is not a signed-up member of the ICC...[and believes it] cannot be investigated for what is happening," says Rodney Dixon, one of the lawyers handling the legal process for the Uyghur groups. "The fact is that we are now in a position where there is a very clear legal pathway to allow for the ICC to commence its investigations." One of the places this investigation could begin is in Tajikistan. According to a press release from the East Turkistan Government in Exile, one of the Uyghur groups trying to bring the case before the ICC, "Chinese authorities have committed unlawful acts including arrests, enforced disappearances, abductions, and deportations in Tajikistan, an ICC State Party." The evidence that legal consul for the East Turkistan Government in Exile, the East Turkistan National Awakening Movement, and individual Uyghur victims handed to the ICC prosecutor on June 10 purports that "members of the Chinese Public Security Bureau who are present in Tajikistan direct local Tajik police to carry out raids on the areas where Uyghurs live and work." It adds that those Uyghurs who did not have "correct paperwork" were "then deported back into China by Chinese authorities in small groups of up to 10 to avoid international attention." The press release also provides a shocking figure, stating that "evidence gathered to date shows that over the past 10-15 years the number of Uyghurs living in Tajikistan has been reduced from an estimated 3,000 to approximately 100" and that most of these Uyghurs left Tajikistan "from 2016 to 2018." There is also evidence that Tajikistan has played a role in facilitating the extraordinary rendition of Uyghurs from Turkey. Radio Free Asia reported in August 2019 that "at least three ethnic Uyghurs have recently been deported to China from Turkey via Tajikistan." Those three were Zinnetgul Tursun "and her two toddler daughters," all of whom were detained in Izmir, Turkey, and put on a July 31, 2019, flight from Istanbul to Dushanbe. Two Tajik passengers on that same flight said they saw how Tursun and her young children were taken into custody by Chinese police at the Dushanbe airport. And they were not alone. The Tajik passengers said they saw five other people on the flight -- four women and a man -- who appeared to be Uyghurs on the flight. Tursun's family in China later confirmed Zinnetgul and her children had been brought to China. The identities and the fate of the other five people on the plane from Istanbul to Dushanbe, whom the Tajik passengers said looked to be Uyghurs, is unknown. RFE/RL's Tajik Service, known locally as Ozodi, sent a request for information to Tajikistan's Foreign Ministry and Prosecutor-General's Office about the accusations that Uyghurs were being brought from Turkey and handed over to Chinese security officials in Dushanbe, but did not receive a reply. The legal team for the Uyghur groups originally submitted their complaint to the ICC prosecutor in July 2020, but it said it required further evidence to initiate an investigation. According to the East Turkistan Government in Exile's website, the new evidence handed over on June 10 establishes "that the court has jurisdiction to open an investigation into the crimes being committed against Uyghurs by Chinese authorities." Dixon said after handing over the new evidence that it "shows a highly organized and systematic plan by the Chinese authorities to round up Uyghurs living in an ICC State Party and deport them back into China, where they are never heard from again." The creators of a YouTube channel that broadcasts an online series about a fictional chairman of the executive committee of the Russian Far Eastern city of Ussuriisk say a probe has been launched against them. Producer Andrei Klochkov said on November 9 that police searched his home and homes of his team members last week, saying that they are suspected of "major hooliganism." Members of the team have not been charged with any crimes. According to Klochkov, the probe is related to one of the series' episodes issued in September, in which the main character of the show, the fictional Vitaly Nalivkin, shoots a grenade launcher but misses the target and hits a campaign billboard of the ruling United Russia party. The video was released shortly after local elections were held in the country. A woman who played the role of an Interior Ministry spokeswoman in the video, Larisa Krivonosova, was subsequently sentenced to 10 days in jail for illegally wearing a police uniform. Police said she was jailed for a parole violation. Last month, the 43-year-old Krivonosova received a three-month sentence for what police called a parole violation. Police said she had been released on parole in 2017 after serving an unspecified amount of time for the "premeditated infliction of health damage." There were no further details given concerning the charge. The satirical online show about Nalivkin mocks the everyday life of ordinary people and the behavior of local authorities in Russian provinces. Earlier this year, Andrei Neretin, who plays the role of Nalivkin in the show, was sentenced to five days in prison and fined for "minor hooliganism" after an episode about a corrupt police officer was posted on YouTube. KYIV -- A suspected guard from a notorious jail in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk controlled by Moscow-backed separatists has been detained in Kyiv. The press service of Ukraine's Security Service (SBU) told RFE/RL on November 9 that the detainee was suspected of "taking part in killing and torturing of illegally held Ukrainian citizens," and may be charged with the creation of a terrorist group, violation of the law of war, and human trafficking. According to the SBU, the suspect's pretrial restrictions will be decided very soon. Earlier in the day, Ukrainian writer and former RFE/RL contributor Stanislav Aseyev -- who spent 2 1/2 years in the separatist detention center known as Izolyatsia (Isolation) in Donetsk before he was released in December 2019 -- wrote on Facebook that "a main war criminal and a guard of Izolyatsia, Denys Kulikovskiy, aka Palych, was detained in Kyiv." Separatists seized the premises of the former Izolyatsia factory and art center in Donetsk after they took control of the city and some of Ukraines Donetsk and Luhansk regions, commonly known as the Donbas, in 2014. The exact number of inmates in the facility is unknown. Ukrainian nationals who were released from Izolyatsia as part of prisoner-swap programs said they were tortured by guards there. The defunct industrial facility is also used by the separatists as a training facility and a depot for vehicles, military equipment, and weapons. Russia has provided military, economic, and political support to separatists in the Donbas since 2014. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Moscow maintains it is not involved in Ukraine's domestic affairs. More than 13,200 people have been killed during more than seven years of fighting between the separatists and Ukrainian forces. An airplane carrying U.S.-trained Afghan pilots and other Afghan refugees has taken off from an airport in Tajikistan's capital, Dushanbe. Earlier in the day, the U.S. Embassy to Tajikistan confirmed that 191 Afghan evacuees, including 143 pilots, were preparing to depart the Central Asian country to be relocated to the United States after nearly three months of detention. The group will be taken to a third country for processing before being granted immigration rights to the United States, a U.S. Embassy representative told RFE/RL. The flight, organized by the U.S. government, left Dushanbe at 12.30 a.m. local time on November 10. There are two women among the pilots, one of whom is pregnant. "The U.S. Embassy is working to expedite their departure from Tajikistan," an embassy spokesperson said earlier. The Afghan Air Force pilots fled to Tajikistan in military planes when the Taliban seized power in Kabul in mid-August, only to be detained at a sanatorium on the outskirts of Dushanbe. The English-speaking pilots trained by the U.S. Air Force have been waiting for their documents to be processed to eventually be relocated in the United States. RFE/RL reported in October that the Taliban has pressured some of the pilots to return to Afghanistan by threatening to kill their relatives. The group was the last one of U.S.-trained pilots who fled abroad and were expecting to be extricated. In September, a U.S.-brokered deal allowed a larger group of Afghan pilots and other military personnel to be flown out of Uzbekistan. Azerbaijan says one of its soldiers was wounded after Armenian forces opened fire along the two South Caucasus neighbors' border, an accusation Yerevan rejects. The sides have blamed each other for a number of recent border incidents, heightening regional tensions following last year's war over the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh region. Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said in a statement on May 28 that its positions in the Babek district of the countrys Naxcivan exclave on the border with Armenia and Turkey "came under fire from Armenian armed forces" overnight. A serviceman was wounded in the shoulder and brought to hospital for treatment, the ministry said in a statement. Armenia's Defense Ministry called the allegations a blatant lie, insisting that Armenian forces did not open fire in the direction of Nakhichevan. The previous day, six Armenian soldiers were detained by Azerbaijan along an area recaptured by Baku last year, prompting calls from Washington for the two neighbors to "urgently and peacefully" resolve the issue. Yerevan and Baku earlier this week blamed each other for border shoot-outs that Armenia said claimed the life of one of its soldiers. Armenia had previously accused Azerbaijani troops of crossing several kilometers into its Syunik and Gegharkunik provinces and trying to stake a claim to territory. Azerbaijan insisted that its troops simply took up positions on the Azerbaijani side of the frontier that were not accessible during the winter months. The fresh eruption of tensions comes months after the two countries ended a six-week war over Nagorno-Karabakh that claimed at least 6,900 lives. The conflict ended in November 2020 with a Moscow-brokered cease-fire that saw Armenia ceding swaths of territory that ethnic Armenians had controlled for decades. The truce is being monitored by some 2,000 Russian peacekeepers. Nagorno-Karabakh is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but has been controlled by ethnic Armenians since the early 1990s. The ongoing escalation between Yerevan and Baku comes ahead of Armenias snap parliamentary elections on June 20. Armenian Foreign Minister Ara Ayvazian stepped down on May 27 after only six months in office, without giving a reason. Ayvazian appeared to have tendered his resignation immediately after taking part in an emergency meeting of Armenias Security Council, which discussed mounting tensions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border. Speaking at the meeting, acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian called for the deployment of international observers along contested portions of the frontier where Armenian and Azerbaijani troops have been facing off for the last two weeks. It was not immediately clear if Ayvazian agreed with Pashinians proposal. The Yerevan newspaper Hraparak reported on May 21 that Ayvazian disagreed with Pashinian over a draft trilateral agreement with Azerbaijan and Russia to set up a joint committee to demarcate the border between the two South Caucasus neighbors. Pashinian appointed Ayvazian as foreign minister on November 18 as part of a cabinet reshuffle that followed Armenias defeat in a war in Nagorno-Karabakh. The European Council has partially suspended its visa-facilitation agreement with Belarus over the "hybrid attack" Minsk has launched against the European Union by fostering a migrant crisis along the Poland-Belarus border. The suspension of parts of the agreement will not affect ordinary citizens, the European Council said in announcing the move on November 9. However, Belarusian officials will no longer be able to waive requirements for documents or be privy to reduced visa-application fees. "We strongly condemn and reject the continued instrumentalization of migration by the Belarus regime," said Slovenian Interior Minister Ales Hojs, who chairs the Home Affairs Council. "It is unacceptable for Belarus to play with people's lives for political purposes. Today's decision shows once again our joint commitment to continue countering this ongoing hybrid attack." The decision came after Poland on November 9 closed a crossing along its border with Belarus after migrants on the Belarusian side attempted to break through a fence to enter the EU country. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter on November 9 that "the stability and security of the entire EU is at stake," due to the migrant crisis, which has left as many as 4,000 migrants stranded along the Poland-Belarus border. The massing of people at the border escalates a crisis that has been going on for months, with the EU accusing Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka of flying migrants from the Middle East and Africa to Minsk and then sending them to its borders with EU members Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland. Lukashenka denies the accusation. Poland has accused Belarus of staging an attack on its eastern border and Russian President Vladimir Putin of orchestrating an intensifying migration crisis to destabilize the European Union as hundreds of migrants remained trapped in the open in freezing temperatures at the bloc's eastern frontier. Polish authorities bolstered the border on November 9 as the migrants gathered on the Belarusian side of the frontier after attempting to break through razor-wire fencing the previous day to enter EU-member Poland. In recent months, thousands of migrants from the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa have attempted to illegally enter Poland and fellow EU members Latvia and Lithuania from Belarus. The EU has accused Belarusian strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka of flying in migrants and funneling them to the bloc's borders to retaliate against Brussels for sanctions imposed over a sweeping crackdown since last years disputed presidential election. "This attack which Lukashenka is conducting has its mastermind in Moscow, the mastermind is President Putin," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told an emergency session of the Polish parliament on November 9. "The Belarusian regime is attacking the Polish border, the EU, in an unparalleled manner," Polish President Andrzej Duda said at a news conference in Warsaw earlier in the day. "We currently have a camp of migrants who are blocked from the Belarusian side. There are about 1,000 people there, mostly young men. These are aggressive actions that we must repel, fulfilling our obligations as a member of the European Union," he said. Hundreds of migrants shivered in freezing temperatures and huddled around campfires on the Belarusian border with Poland overnight in front of razor-wire fences and lines of Polish border guards blocking their entry into the European Union. On November 9, Lithuania became the second EU country to declare a state of emergency at its border with Belarus and at camps hosting migrants who arrived from there. The parliament in Vilnius declared the state of emergency, which begins at midnight local time on November 9 and will a month, allowing border guards to use "mental coercion" and "proportional physical violence" to prevent migrants from entering Lithuania. Poland has already imposed a state of emergency at the border and increased the number of soldiers and guards to 20,000. Lawmakers have also approved the building of a $407 million wall on its eastern border. The Polish government posted videos on Twitter on November 8 showing migrants using what appeared to be logs, spades, and other instruments to try to get past a razor-wire border fence. A spokesman for Poland's special services, Stanislaw Zaryn, said Belarusian security personnel were "firing empty shots into the air, simulating dangerous events." "We also know the Belarusian authorities are helping migrants to destroy the border barriers. We see how they bring them tools to cut wires... to destroy the fence," he added. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter on November 9 that "the stability and security of the entire EU is at stake," and blamed the migrant crisis along the border as a "hybrid attack" orchestrated by Belarus. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he had spoken to Duda about the situation. "Belarus using migrants as a hybrid tactic is unacceptable," Stoltenberg tweeted. "NATO stands in solidarity and all our allies in the region. Lukashenka's government, which is backed by Russia, denies manufacturing the migrant crisis and accuses Poland and the EU of violating human rights by refusing to allow the migrants apply for asylum. The Belarusian Defense Ministry called the allegations from Poland "unfounded," while the Foreign Ministry issued a statement warning Warsaw "against any provocations. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Lukashenka talked about the refugees at the Polish and Lithuanian borders, the Kremlin press service said on November 9. In response to the crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on November 8 called on EU member states to finally approve the extended sanctions regime on the Belarusian authorities responsible for this hybrid attack. The EU will explore how to sanction, including through "blacklisting third country airlines that are active in human trafficking, she said. The EU said on November 9 that it was pressing more than a dozen countries to prevent migrant flights leaving for Belarus to attempt getting into the bloc. Among those countries were Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Georgia. Brussels has already pushed Iraq to halt flights to Minsk, the EU said. Meanwhile, the EU has suspended its visa-facilitation agreement with Belarus over the situation. The suspension of parts of the agreement will apply to Belarusian officials and not affect ordinary citizens, the European Council said on November 9. With reporting by AFP, AP, Reuters, and RFE/RL's Belarus Service Senior French officials will host the Russian foreign and defense ministers for talks in Paris on November 12 on Ukraine, Russia's activities in West Africa, and the Iranian nuclear program, the French government announced on November 9. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Defense Minister Florence Parly will meet their Russian counterparts Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu on the sidelines of a conference on Libya, a French statement said. The meeting will be the first in the so-called "2+2" format of foreign and defense ministers since last year's poisoning of opposition leader Aleksei Navalny brought relations between Russia and the West to a new low. France canceled a similar meeting it was due to host with Lavrov and Shoigu in September last year in the aftermath of the poisoning. Western countries accused Moscow of using a nerve agent to try to kill Navalny, and the European Union imposed sanctions on Russian officials following the incident. Navalny and his supporters say the poisoning was carried out by Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) operatives at the behest of President Vladimir Putin in retribution for Navalnys political activities. The Kremlin has denied any role in the incident. Navalny was subsequently imprisoned earlier this year on charges that he and his supporters say are politically motivated. However, French President Emmanuel Macron has long sought a dialogue with Putin, considering it unwise to shun Russia in the international arena. "This meeting is part of the demanding dialogue that France continues with Russia," the statement from the French foreign and defense ministries said. It said that the French ministers would notably raise concerns over Russian actions in Africa, where observers say Russian mercenaries are operating in an area where French troops are also deployed. Based on reporting by AFP and TASS TBILISI -- Opposition parties in Georgia are planning more protests after jailed former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has been on a hunger strike for more than a month, said he had been abused by guards at a prison hospital. Some representatives and supporters of opposition parties spent the night at the government administration building in Tbilisi after rallying on Freedom Square on November 8. Several hundred people were in the area in the morning on November 9, and police set up metal barriers, RFE/RL's Georgian Service reported. At the rally, Nika Melia, the leader of the United National Movement (ENM), announced the main opposition party's three demands: the transfer of Saakashvili to a civilian clinic, his release from detention, and a repeat of municipal and mayoral elections. The rally was preceded by Saakashvili's transfer from a prison in Rustavi to the Gldani prison clinic amid concerns about his health. Saakashvili on November 8 said he had been verbally and physically abused by guards when he arrived at the clinic. He said in a letter released through his lawyer that they punched him on the neck and dragged him by his hair on the ground. In a letter posted on Facebook, Saakashvili said he will only see his own doctors and will not cooperate with medical staff at the prison. Saakashvili's lawyers and personal doctor say the 53-year-old former president's condition is deteriorating and have demanded that he be transferred to a private clinic outside the prison system. The government has rejected these demands, saying that if necessary, he would be transferred to a prison hospital. Saakashvili's supporters and activists of ENM have been protesting his incarceration outside the Rustavi prison where he began a hunger strike after being detained on October 1 upon his return from eight years in self-exile to campaign for the opposition ahead of local elections. On November 8, supporters rallied in the central Freedom Square in Tbilisi, demanding Saakashvili's release and his transfer to a civilian hospital. Earlier on November 8, Saakashvili vowed to continue his hunger strike "until death," while the Penitentiary Service issued a video over the weekend showing the former president eating unspecified items and drinking from a bottle in the detention center's medical room. In an earlier statement on Facebook, Saakashvili called on his supporters and opposition politicians to focus on what he called "stolen elections and returning the government to the Georgian people" instead of focusing on his hunger strike. "I returned [to Georgia], voluntarily became a hostage, and intended to stay on hunger strike until death to contribute into liberation our country, to its efforts to preserve its European path...," Saakashvili said. Meanwhile, on November 5, Justice Minister Rati Bregadze said Saakashvili also consumed porridge in addition to juice. A day later, the Penitentiary Service issued a video showing the former president eating some food and drinking what the service said was juice in a medical room in the detention center in Rustavi, and issued the video to prove it. Saakashvili then announced that day that he had stopped receiving vitamins and juice in protest. Saakashvili, who was president from 2004 to 2013, left the country shortly after the presidential election of 2013 and was convicted in absentia in 2018 for abuse of power and seeking to cover up evidence about the beating of an opposition member of parliament. Saakashvili has said the charges against him are politically motivated. The ENM was outpolled decisively by the ruling Georgian Dream party in the October 3 nationwide municipal and mayoral vote. The opposition has said that Georgian Dream, founded by billionaire and Saakashvili's rival Bidzina Ivanishvili, rigged the runoff on October 30. Georgian Dream won the mayoral races in the country's five biggest cities as a result of the vote. Georgia has been plagued by political paralysis since parliamentary elections in 2020. With reporting by AFP YESSENTUKI, Russia -- Prosecutors are seeking lengthy prison terms for seven people who led protests in Ingushetia against a change to the administrative boundaries between the Russian North Caucasus regions of Chechnya and Ingushetia. Lawyer Magomed Kuriyev told RFE/RL on November 8 that prosecutors asked a court in the city of Yessentuki, in the Stavropol region, to sentence Malsag Uzhakhov, Akhmed Barakhoyev, and Musa Malsagov to nine years each; Barakh Chemurziyev, Bagaudin Khautiyev, and Akhmed Nalgiyev to eight years each; and Zarifa Sautiyeva to 7 1/2 years in prison. All the defendants are leaders or leading members of a group called the Ingush National Unity Committee that the Russian authorities labeled as an extremist organization and banned in July 2020. The activists are charged with the creation of an extremist group and assaulting law enforcement officers. The charges stem from an authorized demonstration in March 2019 held in Ingushetia's capital, Magas, to protest the closed-doors deal reached in September 2018 to settle an Ingush-Chechen boundary dispute. The protest continued the following day without the authorities' permission and was violently dispersed by police. More than 50 people were detained, and charges were filed against at least 10 people. Ingush opponents of the deal say that the region's land was unjustly handed over to Chechnya, whose strongman leader, Ramzan Kadyrov, has been accused of interfering in the affairs of neighboring Ingushetia and Daghestan. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says the country is in no hurry to see the United States return to an international nuclear deal with major powers after President-elect Joe Biden takes office this month. "We are in no rush and we are not insisting on their return, Khamenei said in a televised speech on January 8, reiterating Iran's demand for a lifting of sanctions that outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump reimposed after quitting the agreement in May 2018. Trump has argued the 2015 accord did not go far enough and said economic pressure would force Tehran to negotiate a new deal that would address Irans nuclear and missile programs, as well as its support for regional proxies. In response to the U.S. pullout and economic sanctions, Iran, which claims its nuclear program is for civilian purposes, has gradually breached parts of the pact, such as uranium enrichment, saying it is no longer bound by it. Biden has suggested that Washington may reenter the nuclear deal, under which Tehran committed to limit its nuclear activities in return for relief from sanctions, if Iran complies. Other parties to the deal, notably Britain, France, and Germany, have pressed Iran to return to its commitments in a bid to rescue the accord. Iranian officials have said they could quickly return to compliance once the United States and Europeans fulfill their end of the agreement by providing Tehran with the economic relief. Tehran also says its missile program and regional policies are off the table. "When the other party meets practically none of its obligations, it is not logical for the Islamic republic to honor all of its commitments," Khamenei said, adding: "If they return to their commitments, we will return to ours." With reporting by AFP and Reuters Kazakh authorities detained at least 20 people as demonstrators staged anti-China protests in towns and cities across the Central Asian nation on March 27. The protesters rallied against Chinas increasing influence and economic power in the former Soviet republic. Activists also denounced the mass incarceration of members of indigenous Turkic-speaking communities in Chinas Xinjiang region, including ethnic Kazakhs and Uyghurs. Protests were held in Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, and in the capital, Nur-Sultan, as well as Oral, Shymkent, and Aqtobe. In Almaty, several hundred people gathered in a square to denounce what they said was Chinese expansion in Kazakhstan. At least seven protesters were detained on their way to the rally. In Nur-Sultan, several people were detained on their way to a rally. Police cordoned off a square where protesters were expected to gather. The protests were called by the banned Democratic Choice of Kazakhstan (DVK) and the unregistered Democratic Party of Kazakhstan (DPK). In recent months, many activists across Kazakhstan have been handed parole-like sentences for their involvement in the activities of the DVK, as well as for taking part in rallies organized by the group. The DVK is led by Mukhtar Ablyazov, the fugitive former head of Kazakhstans BTA Bank and an outspoken critic of the Kazakh government. Human rights groups have said Kazakhstans law on public gatherings violates international standards as it requires preliminary permission from authorities to hold rallies and envisions prosecution for organizing and participating in unsanctioned rallies, even though the nations constitution guarantees its citizens the right of free assembly. Kazakh authorities have insisted that there are no political prisoners in the country. Eighteen military personnel, including a major and a lieutenant, have died in Turkmenistan amid reports about rising tensions along the border with Afghanistan, where Taliban militants have been on an offensive to capture districts in the region. Two separate sources told RFE/RL on July 20 that of 18 deceased military personnel, six had been returned to their relatives in the eastern Lebap region that borders Afghanistan. An RFE/RL correspondent in the region confirmed the information, adding that he visited burial sites of two soldiers in two villages in the region on July 19 and was able to talk to the relatives of other soldiers who were brought to the region in coffins. Officials told relatives that the soldiers died in a mass traffic accident near Ashgabat, the capital, and did not allow them to see the dead men, who were buried in closed coffins. It remains unclear if a massive deadly traffic accident with the involvement of military vehicles happened near Ashgabat in recent days as the tightly controlled and isolated Central Asian nation's government is known for its reluctance to talk to media. The sources, however, told RFE/RL that the bodies were not brought to Lebap from Ashgabat, but from the neighboring Mary region that lies next to Afghanistan and where a major border crossing with Afghanistan, Serhetabat, is located. One of the sources who is close to the Defense Ministry told RFE/RL that two of the six men buried in Lebap were an army major and a lieutenant. Neither the Defense Ministry nor the Interior Ministry would comment to RFE/RL about the situation. There have been traffic accidents in the past in which military personnel were killed. Last September, at least five soldiers died in a traffic accident in the Mary region. Independent media reports said at the time that 11 soldiers died in the accident. There have also been several deadly incidents along the Turkmen-Afghan border in recent years as well. In June 2018, shoot-outs near Serhetabat left 25 Turkmen soldiers dead. In recent weeks, Turkmenistan has been sending heavy weaponry, helicopters, and other aircraft to areas along the 800-kilometer Turkmen-Afghan border as the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated sharply with Taliban fighters advancing on provincial centers and even some border crossings. Hundreds of Afghans, including soldiers, local police, and regular citizens, have reportedly fled into other neighboring Central Asia countries, including Tajikistan. On July 5, the border guard service reported that more than 1,000 Afghan troops had crossed into Tajikistan over the previous 24 hours. The United States has announced the withdrawal of all of its forces by August 31. Earlier this month, U.S. forces vacated their largest base in Afghanistan at Bagram, north of Kabul. Amid the pullout, the Taliban have pushed into several areas and now control about one-third of the countrys 421 districts and district centers. The rapid withdrawal of U.S. forces, and the Taliban battlefield successes, are stoking concerns that the Western-backed government in Kabul may collapse. Macedonian firefighters, supported by their Austrian, Bulgarian, and Slovenian colleagues, battled a wildfire near the town of Berova in the east of North Macedonia on August 6. Wildfires have been raging for several days in the country, particularly in the east, destroying more than 3,000 hectares of land and forcing the government to declare a 30-day state of emergency. Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed has begun a hunger strike at the Russian prison where he is serving a nine-year sentence. Attorneys Sergei Nikitenkov and Viktoria Buklova told the Interfax news agency on November 9 that their client had been on hunger strike for four days to protest violations of his rights, including his "illegal" placement in solitary confinement in September. His family said in a statement that Reed was protesting his "arbitrary detention" and "flagrant violations of his basic human rights and his rights under Russian law." The Federal Penitentiary Service's (FSIN) directorate in Mordovia on November 9 rejected the lawyers' statement, saying Reed continued to consume food. "Employees of the correctional facility have not violated any regulations related to interaction with the named inmate," the FSIN said. Reed is incarcerated in Mordovia, a region about 350 kilometers east of Moscow with a long reputation for hosting Russia's toughest prisons, including Soviet-era labor camps for political prisoners. Reed, who is from Texas, was sentenced in 2020 after being arrested and charged with assaulting two Russian police officers in 2019. The U.S. government and Reed deny the allegations and questioned the fairness of the judicial proceedings. Reed is one of several Americans to face trial in Russia in recent years on charges that their families, supporters, and in some cases the U.S. government, have said appear trumped-up. Another former U.S. Marine, Paul Whelan, was sentenced by a court in Moscow to 16 years in prison in May 2020 on espionage charges condemned by the United States as a "mockery of justice." Whelan, who like Reed maintains his innocence, is also currently serving his prison term in a prison in Mordovia. The United States has been pushing Russia to release Whelan and Reed. With reporting by Interfax and Reuters Abdurahmon Rahmonov recalls being admitted to Dushanbe's Shifobakhsh Hospital in the early summer with high fever, breathing difficulties, and other symptoms attributed to COVID-19. It was the apparent height of the epidemic in Tajikistan, where, after initially denying the existence of any coronavirus infections in the country, authorities had pledged that all state-run medical facilities would provide free medical treatment for COVID-19 patients. However, Rahmonov -- like many others -- soon discovered that official promises of free medical care were empty promises. "The moment I reached the hospital, I was given a list of medications and was told I must pay for them. I saw that other patients were paying, too, for the medications that were supposed to be free," Rahmonov, 55, told RFE/RL. "When we complained, the doctors told us that 'free medical treatment' promised by the government only covers the fee for use of the hospital bed and the services of the medics." Rahmonov said he paid the equivalent of around $500 in medical bills at the beginning of his eight-day hospital stay. It's a significant sum in Central Asia's most impoverished country, where the average salary is about $150 a month. RFE/RL correspondents in Tajikistan spoke to dozens of former COVID-19 patients or family members of such patients in the capital, Dushanbe, and other cities and villages. Nearly all of them claimed to have been billed for "everything." The only exception, they said, was that hospitals hadn't charged them the "bed fees" that normally run about $50 to $70 per stay in state-run facilities in most cities. Most of those who spoke to RFE/RL said they were made to pay between $430 and $600, while at least one person in the capital said he was charged about $1,000 for his COVID-19 treatment. 'Ask People' "I can say without any doubt that since I was appointed health minister on May 5, which was the peak of the coronavirus pandemic in Tajikistan, that the government has been providing completely free medical treatment for [COVID-19] patients," Health Minister Jamoliddin Abdullozoda told reporters on February 12. "Heads of hospitals can confirm this," Abdullozoda added. The minister's comments prompted angry reactions on social media, where many Tajik users accused the him of "lying" and being out of touch with reality. "Don't ask the heads of hospitals. Ask the people if the treatment has been free or not free," wrote Facebook user Azamat Sattorov. "There is not one person in any part of our country who says they received free medical treatment. Whoever you ask, they'll tell you they had to pay 5,000 to 7,000 somoni" -- between $434 and $615 -- "for COVID-19 treatment. The minister is telling an outright lie," wrote Khurshed Saidov. The minister said Tajikistan has adequate supplies of the same medicines and equipment that "other countries, like Russia" use to treat the disease. "Currently, we have a 103 million somoni worth of supplies of such medicines at our disposal," he told reporters, a figure that corresponds to around $9 million. The assurance on the abundance of supplies flies in the face of public complaints at the prices of certain medications rising unexpectedly since May. RFE/RL's Coronavirus Crisis Archive Features and analysis, videos, and infographics explore how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the countries in our region. In the village of Navgilem, in the northern Isfara district, a 57-year-old housewife told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that her family had to spend all its savings on medications when her husband was hospitalized with COVID-19 in September. She said doctors in Isfara gave her a long list of medicines that cost "several thousand somonis." Her 60-year-old husband did not survive. "If the price of some medications was 50 somoni per pack, it rose to up to 350 during the pandemic," said a Dushanbe resident who sought treatment "for a mild form" of COVID-19. The man didn't specify which medications he was referring to. What Happened To Foreign Aid? Many Tajiks have been left to wonder what happened to the foreign aid that the Tajik government has received to help it cope with the pandemic. Tajikistan has received significant amounts of financial and humanitarian aid from 18 countries and 16 international and regional organizations since the global outbreak began. Such aid included medical supplies and foodstuffs intended to help Tajikistan's 9.5 million people withstand the coronavirus and its impact. Pledges of financial aid began in early April while the government was still maintaining there were no coronavirus infections in Tajikistan, despite a spike of suspicious "pneumonia" cases all over the country. Dushanbe finally reported its "first" coronavirus infections on April 30. The international aid has included $190 million allocated by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), $53 million from the European Union, and $11.3 million from the World Bank. Tajik officials have so far reported a total of 13,308 infections and 90 deaths, remarkably low numbers even in a region that has fared better than many feared. Health Minister Abdullozoda said Tajikistan hasn't recorded any new infections since December 31. The public appears skeptical of official figures and accusations persist that the government is underreporting COVID-19 numbers. Even at the apparent peak of the pandemic, when hospitals were running out of beds and the number of patients with COVID-19 symptoms was growing, authorities reported only a small number of infections and even fewer coronavirus-related deaths. Many patients with COVID-19 symptoms were routinely given "pneumonia" diagnoses by doctors. Independent media reported that the bodies of many "pneumonia" patients were taken to cemeteries in ambulances by medics in hazmat suits. In many cases, relatives were told to keep a safe distance while the bodies -- wrapped in plastic -- were buried by ambulance crews. Tajik authorities have increased pressure on opponents of the government, both at home and abroad, in recent weeks. Several activists, government critics, and suspected supporters of banned opposition groups have been jailed. By the government's own admission, 10 people were arrested in January alone for allegedly "collaborating" with Tajik opposition groups based abroad. Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon said those detained had provided "deceitful" information to "agitators abroad" -- information that he said was critical of the government and aimed at destabilizing the country. The term "agitators" is often used by Tajik officials to describe members of two banned opposition movements -- Group 24 and the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT). Hundreds of opposition members and their supporters have sought asylum abroad since Dushanbe declared the two groups terrorist organizations in 2014 and 2015. "We will continue to expose and bring to justice those who cooperate with the traitors and work against the national interests of Tajikistan," the prosecutor said on February 2. He didn't provide any further information about those detained. Isloh, an independent news and analysis website, claims that the number of arrests in the crackdown is much higher. It reported that "dozens" of opposition supporters had been detained in recent weeks, including at least 25 people taken into custody in the capital, Dushanbe, alone. The IRPT has condemned the arrests as an intimidation campaign intended to "create a climate of fear" in the country. "Despite the IRPT's repeated statements that the party currently is not active inside Tajikistan, the government is using IRPT supporters and members there as hostages," party spokesman Bobojon Qayumzod told RFE/RL. Qayumzod denied that self-exiled members of the opposition had been receiving political information from supporters in Tajikistan. "The foreign-based opposition's contacts with those inside Tajikistan is strictly limited to private communications with family, relatives, and friends," he said. "The party doesn't have any organized and politically motivated interactions" with anyone inside Tajikistan. Political Graffiti A report last year by the U.S.-based human rights watchdog Freedom House declared that Tajikistan was among the world's 10 most repressive countries. It said the Tajik government severely restricted people's rights and civil liberties, and showed little tolerance for dissent. Isloh said 25 Dushanbe residents were detained in January in connection with political graffiti that had been sprayed by unidentified people on the walls of a public school in Dushanbe. The graffiti reportedly called for the resignation of President Emomali Rahmon, the authoritarian ruler in power since 1992. Another set of graffiti appeared on concrete pavement and walls in the northern city of Khujand, Isloh reported. The website posted images of graffiti that read: "Rahmon resign," "Rahmon must end brutality," and "Revolution is near." RFE/RL could not independently verify the authenticity of the video, which Isloh said it was sent from Khujand. Tajik officials have not commented about the graffiti and the reported arrests that followed. Unrelenting Pressure The government sparked condemnation after a court in Dushanbe issued a 14-year prison sentence to opposition politician Mahmurod Odinaev, who was convicted on dubious charges of extremism and hooliganism on January 28. His two sons were also taken into custody on charges of hooliganism. Other relatives say the case was fabricated to punish Odinaev, a deputy head of the Social Democratic Party, for his political activities. Odinaev's sentencing came a month after 80-year-old former IRPT member Doniyor Nabiev was given a seven-year prison term in a trial held behind closed doors. Nabiev's supporters say he came under scrutiny for using his retirement fund to give food and modest financial support of no more than $30 to families of jailed IRPT members. The Interior Ministry, however, said in January that Nabiev had purchased and disseminated extremist material with funds he received from unnamed foreign countries. Dozens of IRTP officials, lawyers, and supporters are currently serving prison sentences on charges of extremism and terrorism as part of a government crackdown that began in 2015. Precondition For Amnesty Meanwhile, several European-based Tajik opposition activists say they have been contacted by government officials who have promised them an amnesty if they denounce the opposition and return to Tajikistan. Ramazon Huseiniyon, a 30-year-old, self-exiled activist from the northern town of Isfara, has been charged in Tajikistan with inciting hatred and being involved in extremist activities. He is currently in Europe. Huseiniyon says he was told by Tajik officials that the charges would be dropped if he signed a letter renouncing his political activism. The letter -- written on his behalf by the Tajik authorities -- expresses "regret" for "going astray," he told RFE/RL. It also pledges his support for President Rahmon's policies. Contacted by RFE/RL, regional authorities in Isfara confirmed they had had several phone conversations with Huseiniyon. The officials called it a routine practice to help "disillusioned young Tajiks abroad" return to their homeland if they agree to express regret for their actions. Huseiniyon said he didn't trust the authorities and had no plans to return to Tajikistan. A closed-door trial has begun in Tajikistan of 18 suspected members of the banned Salafiya movement, with almost no information made public about the defendants or the charges they face. The trial comes just two months after the country's Supreme Court handed down prison sentences to nearly 120 people whom it had convicted of being members of another outlawed Islamic group, the Muslim Brotherhood. Tajik authorities often warn about what they describe as "serious threats" posed by religious extremist groups seeking to overthrow the secular government in Dushanbe and destabilize the Muslim-majority Central Asian country. Critics, however, accuse the government of exaggerating the threats in order to crack down on dissent and ordinary members of the opposition. Security raids against alleged extremist cells, the arrest of suspects, and subsequent trials are often shrouded in secrecy in Tajikistan. The latest group of Salafiya suspects -- all of them residents of the Bobojon Ghafurov district in northern Tajikistan -- were arrested in a police raid in February. The defendants deny having links with the Salafi movement or any other religious extremist group, their relatives said ahead of the trial on June 12. They also accused police of torturing the detainees to obtain confessions. Leading human rights lawyer Oinihol Bobonazarova said the defendants weren't given access to defense lawyers in the first five days of their detention. "It is a common practice in Tajikistan that suspects are tortured in the early days of pretrial detention to get confessions, and only after that authorities allow the detainees to meet with lawyers," said Bobonazarova, the head of the Perspektiva+ human rights group. She added that at least one of the defendants has told the court that his confession was obtained under duress. RFE/RL hasn't been able to get details of the charges against the 18 defendants and their ongoing trial in the northern province of Sughd. The charges in the previous case -- involving suspected members of a Muslim Brotherhood cell -- included setting up an extremist group, funding terrorist activities, and promoting extremism. That trial -- which concluded on April 8 -- marked the largest number of defendants in a single extremism-related case in recent years. They were sentenced to prison terms ranging between three and 23 years. There were university professors, schoolteachers, doctors, lawyers, students, and religious figures among the suspects that were arrested in several raids across the county in early 2020. All of them denied the charges against them. Fight Against Terrorism, Extremism Tajikistan has banned 18 groups as terrorist and extremist organizations that include Islamic State, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, the Taliban, and Al-Qaeda. Among the banned organizations is the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRTP), a major opposition party that boasted about 40,000 members at its peak. The increasingly influential IRTP -- whose members previously served in parliament -- was branded terrorist and banned in 2015. The party maintains it has no "terrorist" or "extremist" links or agenda. The secular opposition movement Group 24 was banned as an "extremist" organization in 2014 after calling for anti-government protests. IRPT and Group 24 accuse the government of authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon of targeting political opponents, journalists, and activists using the fight against extremism and terrorism as a pretext. Critics also say that many peaceful followers of Islam have been targeted in the government's campaign against terrorism. But the government insists that the threat of religious extremism is real and that it has been rapidly rising in Tajikistan in recent years. Just ahead of the pandemic, Prosecutor-General Yusuf Rahmon (no relation to the president) said Tajikistan had recorded 1,029 extremism and terrorism-related crimes in 2019, marking a 30 percent increase from the previous year. The official also said authorities had opened criminal cases against 395 Tajik nationals with suspected links to foreign terrorist organizations or for allegedly fighting alongside terrorist groups abroad. Another 214 probes were opened against suspected Salafiya followers, Rahmon said. He also spoke about terrorism and extremism-related activities in Tajik prisons. Without providing details, Rahmon said 29 extremist cell leaders in prisons "had been brought to justice." In a separate statement in early 2020, Interior Minister Ramazon Rahimzoda announced 161 suspected members of extremist and terrorist movements had been detained in the previous year. According to the minister, 81 of them belonged to Islamic State (IS), while 54 had links to Salafiaya. The government says some 2,000 Tajiks have joined IS in Syria and Iraq. Dozens more fight alongside an IS affiliate and other militant groups in Afghanistan. IS has claimed responsibility for two deadly prison riots in Tajikistan that took place in November 2018 and May 2019 in the Khujand and Vahdat prisons, respectively. Authorities say more than 50 inmates and five prison guards were killed in the riots. The extremist group also claimed it was behind a terrorist attack that killed four western cyclists in southern Tajikistan in July 2018. Tajik authorities, however, rejected that claim and blamed IRTP followers. The IRPT has vehemently denied any involvement in the attack, saying the government's claim was "shameless and illogical slander." Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL's Tajik Service In Tajikistan, where the rich and powerful often evade justice, prosecutors initially closed a criminal case without even sending it to trial despite the victim being left in coma. A well-connected woman in Dushanbe is facing up to 15 years in prison for the attempted murder of her husband's alleged second wife in a case being closely watched by Tajiks. Aziza Davlatova was arrested earlier this month along with her husband, Lutfullo Davlatov, who is charged with "torture," punishable by up to seven years in jail if found guilty in the August 25 attack. Davlatov is the son of a former lawmaker, who has also served as an adviser to authoritarian President Emomali Rahmon. The initial decision to close the case, however, backfired after womens rights activists took to social media to demand justice for the victim, 32-year-old Madina Muhammadjonova. They shared photos showing the victims horrific injuries and demanded answers from officials. Outraged Dushanbe residents signed an open letter about the case to Rahmon and his son, Rustam Emomali, who is mayor of Dushanbe, Senate chairman, and heir apparent to his father as Tajik leader. Rustam Emomali ordered a new probe that saw the couple being arrested and formally charged. Two high-ranked officers from the city's police and prosecutors' office were also dismissed from their posts for allegedly for mishandling the case. Horrific Attack Muhammadjonova was admitted to hospital on August 26 "unconscious, with grave injuries" and apparent signs of strangulation, according to two doctors at the Shifobakhsh medical facility. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the doctors said Muhammadjonova suffered from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen as the result of strangulation. The medics said they "don't know" if she will ever fully recover. Muhammadjonova was allegedly attacked by Davlatova, who accused the victim of having a romantic relationship with her husband for more than two years. Sources close to both families described Muhammadjonova as "the second wife" of Davlatov, 47, who works as a manager at one of the city branches of MegaFon, a major mobile phone operator in Tajikistan. Having a second wife is not uncommon in Tajikistan despite polygamy being banned in the Central Asian country. Muhammadjonova worked as an accountant at the same MegaFon branch until the summer when Davlatov fired her -- allegedly under pressure from his wife. Davlatov's family is said to have high-placed political connections through his father, Davlatali Davlatzoda, a founder and the former first deputy chairman of President Rahmon's People's Democratic Party. He has held many other high-profile posts in Rahmon's government. Davlatzoda, 74, told RFE/RL that it was "jealousy" that drove his daughter-in-law to assault the other woman and that she must be held accountable. "However, I don't know what my son is being accused of," Davlatzoda said. "He was in Dushanbe at the time of the assault, which occurred outside the city." It remains unclear if there are other suspects in the case. Officials Fired For Mishandling A statement by the Prosecutor-General's Office on November 1 acknowledged that the case "was brought to the attention" of the president, parliament, and prosecutor-general by the "media." It didn't say why the case was initially dropped by police and prosecutors. The victim's mother had filed a formal complaint with Dushanbe's Sino district police office shortly after the attack. However, just days later a deputy district prosecutor, Suhrob Salimzoda, closed the case using a newly approved mass amnesty law as a pretext. Salimzoda and district police chief Zafar Ismoilzoda were fired in early November. Sources close to law-enforcement agencies told RFE/RL that they lost their jobs for mishandling Muhammadjonova's probe. But one official who described himself as Salimzoda's friend claims that the decision to drop the case "had come from high-placed people." Salimzoda had merely followed an instruction, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as he wasn't authorized to speak to the media. No date has been set for trial as the case has become one of the most high-profile court proceedings in Tajikistan. Corruption is rife in the country's criminal justice system, paving the way for wealthy and influential people to often try to escape justice. Using various amnesties is among the methods for many to shorten their prison terms or have their cases dropped altogether. But with the public interest and scrutiny surrounding Muhammadjonova's case, it is not going to be easy for the perpetrators to get away with this crime. ASHGABAT -- Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov's penchant for white is well known among drivers in the Central Asian nation. For years exporters have been told to ship white automobiles only, while those who already had cars that weren't white were told to paint them in the color that has long been a feature of the carefully constructed personality cult of Berdymukhammedov. Now, RFE/RL correspondents say, Berdymukhammedov wants all detailing on cars -- including radiator grilles and light frames -- in the tightly controlled Central Asian nation to be painted white as well. The correspondents said that local authorities in the eastern Lebap region began demanding the new requirement a week ago, prompting locals to complain that the changes have given traffic police yet another reason to demand bribes. Under Berdymukhammedov's rule, the isolated nation's capital, Ashgabat, has been draped in white marble. He is often seen in public or shown on television riding white stallions, dressed in white amid white carpets, holding white doves or white flowers. The official explanation for the request, however, is that dark colors attract and absorb more sun and heat in Turkmenistan's subtropical desert climate. Government critics and human rights groups say Berdymukhammedov has suppressed dissent and made few changes in the secretive country since he came to power after the death of autocrat Saparmurat Niyazov in 2006. Like his late predecessor, Berdymukhammedov has relied on subsidized prices for basic goods and utilities to help maintain his grip on power. According to Human Rights Watch, Berdymukhammedov, "his relatives and their associates control all aspects of public life, and the authorities encroach on private life." Some maternity wards in Turkmenistan secretly offer abandoned babies for illegal adoption to prospective parents willing to pay a bribe to skip the normal bureaucracy and long wait that goes with the process, several sources tell RFE/RL. The illegal deal often involves employees from registry offices who provide the new parents with false birth certificates that show them as the biological parents, the sources claim. People with knowledge of the deals blame rampant corruption in the agencies involved in the legal adoption process for pushing some parents to a "cheaper and faster" option. RFE/RL spoke to a married couple who admitted illegally adopting a baby in 2020 after paying about $4,300 in bribes. The couple, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they initially tried for three years to adopt a child legally, but without success. Like many other countries, Turkmenistan requires prospective parents to provide documents from various agencies to ensure their suitability to adopt a child. The couple said they diligently assembled the necessary documents and submitted them, but each official involved in the process demanded bribes and deliberately delayed the process, the husband said. Then, in the autumn of 2020, a Registry Office worker suggested another option: to adopt a newborn from a maternity ward and "experience all the joys of raising a child from the very beginning." "She gave me the name of a doctor at the maternity hospital who would help me to get a baby and said it wouldn't cost a lot," the man said. "I knew that such a practice existed, but I didn't know anyone who could help me." The couple decided to approach the maternity hospital doctor, who found them an infant allegedly abandoned by his mother. Soon thereafter they became parents to a newborn baby boy through an illegal adoption. The employee at the Registry Office helped them obtain a birth certificate. In all of the documents the couple are registered as the biological parents of the child. The process cost the family about 15,000 manats or nearly $4,300 at the official exchange rate. It's a significant amount of money in the country, but the couple say they were happy to pay. The new parents say they don't see "anything wrong" in the way they got their son, who "is being raised in a loving family." "After all, the child was abandoned -- he could have ended up in an orphanage," the wife said. "The day we brought him home was the happiest day of our lives. Of course, we'd prefer everything was done legally." The couple blame corrupt officials for leaving them "with no other choice" in the matter. 'Illegal Trafficking' RFE/RL has asked Turkmen government officials for comment several times since interviewing the couple in June. There has thus far been no response. Officials in the secretive, authoritarian Central Asian country usually refuse to speak to the independent media. But speaking on condition of anonymity, an official at a regional health department confirmed to RFE/RL that illegal adoptions at maternity wards do indeed take place. The official condemned the practice as "child trafficking." "It's illegal trafficking in babies, no more and no less," the official said. "The price of the child in this unlawful trade can rise to several thousand manats." Like the adoptive parents, the official said the "very complex adoption process and rampant bribery in the system" were the main reason some "desperate prospective parents" chose the illegal option. "In the legal process, they have to go through dozens of government agencies and pay bribes to each of them. They usually wait for years before the documents are approved," the official said. "Also, orphanages in Turkmenistan usually offer older children for adoption, while many parents [prefer] infants." One married couple in the eastern Farap district told RFE/RL that they had to provide documents and letters from 40 different agencies to support their adoption application. Yet three years later there was still no decision on their bid. Meanwhile, wealthier applicants in Farap received a child for legal adoption within four months after applying because they paid up to 50,000 manats (about $14,300) in bribes, they said. "We don't have such money to pay," the couple lamented. Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL's Turkmen Service ASHGABAT -- Residents of the Turkmen capital, Ashgabat, say municipal authorities have intensified a cruel campaign to cull stray dogs and cats -- and carelessly kill family pets in the process -- ahead of a new national holiday for a storied Central Asian breed of dog. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov recently declared the last Sunday of April Alabai Dog Day in honor of the breed dubbed "wolf crushers" for their ferocity. A variety of the more internationally known breed known as Central Asian shepherd dogs, breeders consider the hulking alabais quiet, hard-working, and fearless in the face of large predators. Although they say the recent animal-culling operation primarily targeted strays, residents complained to RFE/RL that municipal workers are also taking away pet dogs and cats unlucky enough to be outside during the sweeps. They say that in districts far from downtown Ashgabat, maintenance workers -- some in uniforms, some in plainclothes -- often raid high-rise residential buildings looking for dogs and cats. Residents say the carcasses of animals destroyed by such squads are being dumped in city landfills. They note that an upscale area around Nurmuhammed Andalib Street that has been thoroughly cleared of strays in recent weeks lies on the route to work taken by the president's son, Serdar Berdymukhammadov, who is also head of the International Alabai Association. There is speculation that the younger Berdymukhammedov is being groomed to succeed his 63-year-old father atop the highly secretive former Soviet republic's authoritarian regime. In February, Serdar was appointed a deputy prime minister and head of the Supreme Control Chamber, which has its headquarters in the nearby Makhtumquli Square. He also became a member of the State Security Council. Turkmen officials consistently decline to respond to inquiries from RFE/RL and other independent media. The International Alabai Association is overseeing next month's celebrations. Events will include a canine beauty pageant and agility contests amid complaints that the money would be better spent on improving citizens' lives. A majority of the country's 6 million or so people live in poverty. The American Kennel Club describes Central Asian shepherd dogs as possibly "the oldest known group of dogs in existence today" but "unlike most breeds today, they are not man-made or created by any specific person or country." Such descriptions have not prevented Berdymukhammadov's administration from asserting the unique place of alabais in their official national narrative. Targeting Pets Speaking on condition of anonymity, Ashgabat residents told RFE/RL that municipal workers had even bribed local teenagers "to toss poisoned food," such as bread or sausages, to cats and dogs to kill the animals. One Ashgabat resident alleged that the dog hunters intentionally target pets. "They leave poisoned sausages and fish in the areas where people walk their dogs, or they shove the poisoned food under the doors of pet owners' homes," he told RFE/RL. Turkmenistan has long been criticized for its ruthless methods of targeting stray animals in Ashgabat and other cities. Multiple eyewitnesses describe dog-hunting squads attacking animals with metal rods during street raids before tossing their bodies into pickup trucks for disposal. Some of the culling takes place in front of startled residents, including children, eyewitnesses say. In a notorious incident in 2019, Ashgabat workers allegedly beat a dog and her puppies to death inside a kindergarten as a group of horrified children looked on. Eyewitnesses and activists have shared photos and videos of what they say are dog-hunting squads' beating and culling of animals. Amid tough economic times in Turkmenistan and the region, there are also reports that an increasing number of pets are being abandoned because owners say they can't afford to feed them. State media portray President Berdymukhammedov as an avid animal lover who is often shown with alabais or riding the renowned Turkmen horses known as Akhal Teke. Berdymukhammedov has devoted a book to alabais, which are officially listed as among the Central Asian country's national heritage. In 2017, a widely circulated video showed the Turkmen president dangling an alabai puppy in the air as he presented it to visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Last year, a 6-meter-tall golden statue of an alabai was unveiled in Ashgabat. The government also opened a special alabai dog shelter in Akhal Province in September 2019. Last month, the Turkmen government introduced new decorations -- Distinguished Dog-Breeder and People's Dog-Breeder -- to honor those who have made significant contributions to the alabai-breeding industry, state media reported. It also unveiled a Brave Alabai of the Year award, the reports said. State media say sketches of the proposed medals were sent to President Berdymukhammedov for approval. Written by Farangis Najibullah with reporting by RFE/RL Turkmen Service correspondents in Ashgabat The UNs civil aviation agency has again delayed the results of a fact-finding mission into Belarus's diversion of a Ryanair flight in order to arrest a dissident journalist. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) said on November 9 that an investigative report on the incident will not be released until its next session in January next year. The delay is due mainly to the volume of data submitted and additional State certifications still be required, it said. The Montreal-based agency had been scheduled to release an interim report at the end of June, and a final report submitted in September for review this month. Belarusian journalist Raman Pratasevich and his Russian girlfriend, Sofia Sapega, were detained in May when Belarus scrambled a military jet to escort their Athens-to-Vilnius flight to land in Minsk because of a bomb threat that proved to be false. Many countries called Belarus's action a "state hijacking." Britain and the European Union responded by telling airlines to avoid Belarusian airspace and banning the country's flagship carrier Belavia. Pratasevich and Sapega are currently under house arrest. Pratasevich faces charges of being behind protests that followed a disputed presidential election in August 2020, an offense punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He was a key administrator of the Telegram channel Nexta-Live, which has been covering mass protests denouncing the official results of the election, which handed strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka a sixth presidential term. The charges against Sapega are less clear. Lukashenka has cracked down hard on the pro-democracy movement and civil society. Thousands of people have been arrested, civil society groups shuttered, and media targeted 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. The European Union, the United States, and other countries have refused to recognize Lukashenka and slapped a series of sanctions on his regime. With reporting by AFP An international rights group is expressing concern about the condition of former Uzbek diplomat Kadyr Yusupov -- who activists say was wrongly convicted -- after reports he was beaten while in prison and refused treatment afterward. Yusupov is currently in Prison Colony No. 4 in the city of Navoi, serving a sentence of 5 1/2 years after being convicted of treason at a closed trial in January 2020. Yusupov, 69, suffers from schizophrenia and the circumstances surrounding his alleged confession and the trial process against him have been questioned by his family and international rights organizations. The Association for Human Rights in Central Asia (AHRCA) said Yusupov was beaten by a fellow prisoner on September 2021 and again in October when he complained about another inmate and, in retaliation, the latter violently beat Yusupov in front of the other prisoners. Yusupov believes he sustained a concussion in the attack and has many bruises on his body. Yusupovs son, Babur, spoke with RFE/RL and said a doctor later examined Yusupov and said there was no evidence of a concussion, though he continues to suffer from headaches since the assault. Yusupov also lost two teeth in the attack, but his son said prison officials have so far not allowed Yusupov to be temporarily transferred to a facility that provides dental treatment. Yusupov was a career diplomat who served in Uzbekistans diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom, Hungary, Slovakia, and Austria, including international organizations based in Vienna, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), until he retired in 2009. On the morning of December 3, 2018, Yusupov tried to kill himself by jumping onto the tracks in a Tashkent metro station as a train was entering .He was taken to the hospital and was treated for his injuries. Authorities did not notify the family about the incident until that evening. Family members arrived at the hospital just before two employees of the State Security Service (SGB). 'A Case Riddled With Rights Violations' The two questioned Yusupov as he lay in his hospital bed with broken ribs and a concussion without any family members present. After an hour they emerged from the room and told the family that Yusupov had confessed to spying for the West. Security agents came to the hospital on December 10 and took Yusupov into custody without informing his family. Human Rights Watch (HRW) said, Security service officials handling the case refused to allow Yusupovs attorney or family members to meet with him for nearly five months after his arrest and pressured Yusupov to reject his attorneys representation. When a lawyer was finally able to meet with Yusupov, he had to sign a confidentially document promising not to disclose any details of the case. HRW added that between December 2018 and late March 2019, two State Security Service officers entered his cell two or three times each day and threatened that if he did not admit his guilt they would rape him with a rubber baton, rape his wife and daughter, and arrest his two sons, including a son who lives abroad, by means of extradition. The AHRCA -- which is registered in France -- said Yusupov had written two complaints; one on October 17 to the Navoi regional prosecutor in connection with the prisoner who assaulted him in October and a second one to a regional prosecutor on October 29. AHRCA said it was unclear if the first complaint was even forwarded by the prison administration to the prosecutors office. Steve Swerdlow, a human rights lawyer and associate professor at the University of Southern California who has years of experience in Central Asia, told RFE/RL: What is troubling here is that a 69-year-old man in such obviously poor physical and mental health and with a case so riddled with human rights violations would be kept so long in these conditions and would be subjected to violence in prison after repeated calls for his freedom. Yusupov asked in 2020 for better working conditions for all prisoners and also that prisoners who wished to observe Ramadan be allowed to do so. Prison officials moved Yusupov to a what the AHRCA described as a punishment cell" and "subjected him to two weeks solitary confinement. Babur Yusupov said a solitary confinement cell at the Navoi prison is 2 square meters by 1.5 square meters and was overrun with mice, fleas, and other vermin. Babur added that the guards came and took away his fathers mattress during the day, so he did not have a place to lie down. Yusupovs case was included in a recently released report from the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which was authored by Swerdlow. The USCIRF report questioned the ongoing imprisonment of ex-diplomat Kadyr Yusupov, arrested on politically motivated treason charges and said it considered Yusupov a religious prisoner of concern. While Yusupov was not imprisoned on religious grounds, prison officials retaliated against him for daring to raise the rights of his fellow religious prisoners to observe the fast during Ramadan earlier in 2020," said Swerdlow. "For this he was cruelly placed in solitary confinement. 'A New Low' In May 2021, the Human Rights Councils Working Group on Arbitrary Detention released its findings on Yusupovs case, saying he had not been given the right to a fair trial and that his pretrial detention was also unfair. The Working Group issued an opinion on June 4, 2021, that cited numerous violations in the detention, trial process, and incarceration of Yusupov. The opinion called on the Uzbek government to take urgent action to ensure [the] immediate release of Mr. Yusupov and to take appropriate measures against those responsible for the violation of his rights. It is unlikely that either of those things will be done. Yusupovs situation in prison is following an unhappy and all-too-familiar pattern in Uzbekistan. His requests for better working conditions and allowing prisoners to observe Ramadan were also reason for prison authorities to reject Yusupovs request to be transferred to an open prison colony where conditions are better. His second request in March 2021 for such a transfer was refused because, according to the AHRCA, Yusupov made an authorized telephone call to his family at the wrong time. Officials rejected Yusupovs third request in October 2021, saying the previous reason for not granting the transfer was still in effect. One prison official reportedly told Yusupov he should stop applying for a transfer as it is unlikely to happen. Babur Yusupov said prison officials have combined family visits with visits by Yusupovs lawyer, Allan Pashkovsky, meaning the family and the attorney have to divide the time they have with him during visits. He added that Pashkovsky has attempted to telephone his client at the prison but officials do not allow the calls to go through. The list of organizations calling for Kadyr Yusupovs immediate and unconditional release has been piling up for years, and includes several United Nations bodies," said Swerdlow. "But this new despicable development is a new low." A senior official of the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed doubts about Turkmenistan's denial of a coronavirus presence within its borders. Catherine Smallwood, a WHO senior emergencies officer, told the BBC on November 8 that "from the scientific point of view, it's unlikely that the virus is not circulating in Turkmenistan." Smallwood's comments represent the first public challenge by the WHO to Turkmenistan's claim that is COVID-free. Turkmenistan has insisted that the country has no cases despite reports that hospitals are filling up with sick patients and deaths from suspected coronavirus cases are soaring across the country. Smallwood said that the government of the tightly controlled former Soviet republic "has a long history of suppressing data and a long history of punishing people who expose the truth." However, Smallwood told the BBC that the health body could not "call into question" whether a country was following its legal obligations to provide transparent information pertaining to global health crises. Smallwood, who led the only official WHO coronavirus mission to Turkmenistan in July 2020, said it was more important to "build a dialogue" with countries. While officially denying the presence of the coronavirus, Turkmen authorities have taken unprecedented health measures in an apparent attempt to prevent the spread of the disease. Turkmenistan's government earlier this week extended restrictions usually imposed to stem the spread of COVID-19. The measures requiring private shops and restaurants to close, and street vendors to cease their activities were set to end on November 1, but the authorities extended them for two weeks. Weddings, burials, or other ceremonies will also remain banned across the country. After visiting Turkmenistan in 2020, Smallwood said her team had not seen or heard anything that would contradict the government's assertion that coronavirus does not exist in Turkmenistan. However, Smallwood did recommend that the authorities take "critical public-health measures in Turkmenistan, as if COVID-19 was circulating" in the country. With reporting by the BBC Support local journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute Roanoke Rapids, NC (27870) Today Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then off and on rain showers overnight. Low 47F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 70%. For the first born, the Ministry proposes a sum of VND 3 to 4 mn as support, and for the second child the mother will receive upto VND 9 mn. This is the first time in the history of Vietnam, that such an incentive is being proposed for the birth of a child. Reverse effect The growth of the population faces three phases, namely, birth, death and growth. Any major change in these three phases affects the development of the population in a country. Therefore, any development strategy, or any policy in formulating and promulgating must take into account the entire population. From the development of transportation, to housing, education, health care, agriculture, building the military and even cemeteries, calls for the consideration of the population. However, having too many births in a region can also lead to social insecurity, while having too few births or living too long, can lead to the growth and increase of an aging generation. Giving birth to too many boys, makes it difficult for millions of men to find wives, while giving birth to too many girls can create a situation that theres no one to fight in a war, no one can keep the country borders. Every country has over the years issued several policies related to its population, but within a few decades has chosen to abolish them after they have proven ineffective. Russia chose to build millions of apartments for compact families, but these days, young people prefer not to marry or they get married too late in life, after which they decide not to burden themselves with children. Demand for housing was only centred around apartments for single families, so this housing program went bust. In 1978, China applied the one-child policy to reduce its population growth, which was considered a success because after more than 40 years, China only increased its population by 300 million people. However, a negative factor which was a consequence of this policy was that every family only wanted a boy child, so in subsequent years the male population grew by 20% more than the female population. This meant that hundreds of millions of young Chinese could not get married, leading to a rise in homosexuality, trafficking of women and male children. After decades of failure, the country has had to replace this law with one that allows a family to have two children. Thus, the promulgation of population policies is very difficult, and if not planned properly, it could lead to a reversal of its actual intended effect. Today in Vietnam, some problems concerning the population growth and ratio is beginning to rise, such as rapid aging of population, low birth rates, and too much unequal distribution of population across regions. The fertility rate of women of childbearing age is currently 2.09 children per woman, compared with the replacement fertility rate of 2.1 children, which is not yet at a worrisome figure. However, it is more worrisome in cities where the fertility rate among women is low, about 1.53 children per woman. Thus, birth promotion in the current period is mainly focused on urban areas. Modern women shun children During the last ten years, in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, a large number of young men and women who are not married choose a single lifestyle. Another segment tends to get married very late, with females after the age of 28, and males after the age of 32, but both do not want to have children. Others want to have children, but only one child, either a boy or a girl. So under such circumstances it is to be seen whether the new promotion policy will leave an impact on young people. There may be more or less impact, but couples choose to have children not because of the bonus, but because of other more important things related to the environment and the quality of their lives. It is a fact, that raising children nowadays is very hard, and this is why young couples are afraid of raising children. Besides, giving birth to a child and raising it costs both a lot of money and energy, not to say that for at least the next twenty years of their lives it is a continuing problem and burden. Only those who have been parents know how hard it is to give birth to a child and raise and take care of the child. This is not just a simple task of taking care of them at home, but also requires schooling, taking extra lessons, picking up and dropping the child to school every day, worry about the health of the child constantly, and fear for other lurking dangers like car crashes, dog biting, flooding, electric shocks, falling trees, violence, or even sexual abuse. Our current living environment makes young people afraid to give birth, and if they give birth once, they dont want to give birth a second time. They also think that it is a sin to give birth and not raise the child properly. These are some reasons why young people these days have just one child, so they can provide better care for this one child rather than distribute their resources among two or three children. It is clear that if children grow up in a healthy environment and a safe society, receiving healthy clean food, and nurturing care, their future is guaranteed to be enriching. Maybe the Government does not need to encourage young people to have children if the conditions around them are already suitable. Our current living standards in cities is too low and stressful. Imagine an excellent student who is employed as a university lecturer, who after seven years still receives a salary of about VND 5.5 mn, when he is 28 or 29 years old. With such an income, it is difficult to support oneself, let alone buy a house, get married, and have children. Many people these days, including several leaders, fear that some time in future Ho Chi Minh City will be faced with a rapidly aging population, and a lack of work force due to the low fertility rate in the country. However, the fact is that Ho Chi Minh City has an ever flowing population from all across the country, and it is not a stagnating city. Ho Chi Minh City always will draw a flood of young, healthy, intelligent, and dynamic young people from all across the country who will live here and study or work and keep the population of the city forever vibrant. Ho Chi Minh City will always be a hub that will attract all kinds of people, talent and work force, and history shows that the City has never shown any signs of slowing. Encouraging women to have more children by offering money as incentive is understandable and necessary, but it is still not an important deciding factor for women for having more children. Only when the standards of living improve, and a stable income is provided for young families, will the younger generation of couples be keen on raising more children. Nguyen Minh Hoa The carrier last week also resumed its cross-regional services between Thai northern city of Chiang Rai with Phuket, famous beach destination and southern city of Hat Yai to further facilitate air travel recovery post pandemic. The 10 millionth passenger onboard Thai Vietjets flight from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi Airport) to Chiang Rai International Airport today was welcomed with surprises and awarded a complimentary one-year air ticket by Tourism Authority of Thailands representative, Ms. Thapanee Kiatphaibool. Other passengers also enjoyed a special lucky draw for a complimentary round-trip air ticket. We are very proud and grateful of our journey with 10 million passengers, who have trusted and flown with us, said Mr. Pinyot Pibulsonggram, Thai Vietjets Head of Commercial. On behalf of everyone at Thai Vietjet, I would like to express my gratitude to all our passengers for making today a milestone for all of us and I believe that all passengers onboard with us today did have a wonderful celebration together. Recently, Thai Vietjet has also reconnected major destinations between Thailands Northern and Southern regions, including Phuket Chiang Rai and Hat Yai Chiang Rai routes. The two cross-regional services operate 3 flights a week on every Wednesday, Friday, Sunday, starting November 3, with the flight time is around 2 hours and 15 minutes per leg. Since its first takeoff in September 2016, Thai Vietjet has constantly expanded its flight network across Thailand and currently operates 14 domestic routes from Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi) to Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Phuket, Krabi, Udon Thani, Hat Yai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Ubon Ratchathani, and Surat Thani, cross-regional flights from Phuket to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, and Udon Thani, also direct flights from Hat Yai to Chiang Rai. Thai Vietjet will also launch new international services connecting Bangkok with Singapore and Taipei, and Phuket with Singapore later this year. A Thai Vietjets aircraft is taking off In addition to current active operation, Thai Vietjet was also named the Gold winner of the HR Excellence Awards 2021 hosted in Singapore recently for 'Excellence in Crisis Management Recovery', highlighting its outstanding performance in crisis and people management throughout the pandemic. The carrier also advanced as one of the finalists in the category of Excellence in Employer Branding, delivering a clear, compelling, meaningful and well-established brand that consistently attracts talents for the company. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in early 2020, the carrier has remained all employees and even further recruited for next step development, together with additional aircraft planning & regular staff training in place, standing ready for the industry to recover. Mai Tram According to the Viet Nam France joint statement, issued on the occasion of the Vietnamese PMs official visit to France from November 3-5, both leaders welcomed the long-standing and sustainable ties between the two countries. Towards the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries' diplomatic ties in 2023, they agreed to enhance high-level conversations and meetings, and make efforts in the new period in various areas, including satellite and hi-tech projects of strategic significance to lift their relationship. The Vietnamese side spoke highly of France and the European Unions role in the Indo-Pacific, as well as their strategies that affirm their attention to the region. Viet Nam and France shared similar stances on major issues in the region and the world, including security, health care and sustainable development. In France and Europes strategies on the Indo-Pacific, Viet Nam and other ASEAN member states play a crucial role. The two leaders noted seven points that aimed to further deepen the bilateral strategic partnership and confront global challenges. They affirmed solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting that Viet Nam donated a large number of masks to France in 2020 and France granted 2 million vaccine doses to Viet Nam this year. Reaffirming their wish to bolster cooperation amid common challenges, they underscored the important role of multilateralism in which the United Nations plays a central role. They also reaffirmed their adherence to the UN Charter, especially the importance of promoting and protecting human rights and basic rights to the development of each nation. On the occasion of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26), the two sides reiterated their desire to enhance cooperation and determination to promote sustainable growth in the spirit of the 2030 UN Agenda on Sustainable Development. France pledged to continue assisting Viet Nam in achieving growth with low carbon emissions by improving the Southeast Asian country's adaptability to climate change. As the two nations are celebrating the 30th anniversary of bilateral defence ties, the two sides reaffirmed the resolve to create a new driving force for the relationship by carrying out several projects to increase mutual trust. They welcomed exchanges within the framework of Viet Nam-France strategic dialogue and defence cooperation. They advocated continuing with the training of officers in France in French language, with the aim of deploying them to UN peacekeeping missions in French-speaking areas. Viet Nam and France will strive to deploy partnerships between the EU and Viet Nam, and between the EU and ASEAN, within the framework of the EUs Indo-Pacific strategy and Frances tenure as President of the EU in the first half of 2022. They reaffirmed full respect for the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as peaceful settlement of disputes, refraining from acts that use or threat to use force. They affirmed the importance of maintaining safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in all seas and oceans, especially in the East Sea, on the basis of abiding by the principles of international law. The two sides welcomed ASEANs central role in supporting dialogue, cooperation and international law. They expressed support for ASEAN and Chinas efforts to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and soon reach an effective and practical Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea in line with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS. France commended Viet Nam for successfully assuming its role as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2020-2021 tenure and praised close coordination between the two nations during the tenure. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they reiterated their determination to boost economic, trade and investment ties to support economic recovery. In such spirit, they will hold a high-level economic dialogue in January 2022 if conditions allow. They emphasised the importance of full and rapid implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) that took effect in August 2020. On urban transport, they spotlighted the significance of Ha Noi's metro line No.3 project using Frances loan worth over 500 million EUR. They promised to put the metro's elevated section into operation between now and late 2022. In space field, Viet Nam and France want to continue partnering together in satellite and use of satellite images in agriculture, hydrometeorology, climate change response and disaster risk prevention. The two nations consider locality-to-locality cooperation as a pillar in bilateral ties. The next meeting on cooperation between Vietnamese and French localities in Ha Noi in late 2022 will mark a new milestone in signing new partnership agreements. Danvers, MA (01923) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 47F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Low 47F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. How These Three Local Hat Businesses Came to Be Read up on the origin stories of Greenpacha, Haberdash, and Friends of Friends Hat Co. A few days after his aunt died by suicide in 2016, Carlsbad resident Jeff Holland went to her apartment and was stunned to find virtually every visible surface covered with Post-It notes and index cards filled with hand-written notes of inspiration and affirmation. They were everywhere ... on the walls and mirrors, inside cabinets and in mindfulness workbooks, he said. It occurred to me that she must have been struggling with thoughts of depression and anxiety, and it got me thinking about what we could do for other people who struggle with this. That was the seed for Coping Cards, a box of of 365 laminated wallet-size cards pre-printed with a mix of motivational statements, affirmations and activities that could be used as part of a patients continuing-care program to combat negative thoughts. Over the past 18 months, he and his wife Jen Holland, a licensed marriage and family therapist, developed Coping Cards, a product he unveiled last week in a monthling Kickstarter campaign. Advertisement His goal is to raise $15,000 for the first printing of the card sets, which would be sold for $25 at medical offices, in stores and on Amazon.com. Jeff Hollands Coping Cards pack will have 365 cards divided between affirmations, motivational phrases and activities. (Charlie Neuman / San Diego Union-Tribune) He timed the announcement for September, which is Suicide Prevention Month, and says the card release is a tribute to his aunts memory. She was a newly retired teacher who lived alone in Kansas City, Mo., and was just 59 years old when she died. Holland said her death took his family by surprise. We didnt really see any cues or clues that she was considering anything near this drastic, he said. Everybody in the family was shocked. Holland, 48, works as the head of North American public relations and events for Mitsubishi Motors USA in Cypress. With his demanding work schedule, it had never occurred to him to create a product and Kickstarter campaign. But he wanted to help people like his late aunt who struggled silently and to save families the grief of finding out too late how much their loved one was suffering. Its a way to honor her and to create more awareness about suicide. The statistics are staggering, he said. Every time I hear the news about a celebrity taking their life its a reminder to me of what my aunt went through and it makes me want to help. Each year, nearly 45,000 Americans die by suicide, and for every suicide death there are 25 attempts, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Suicides have risen by 25 percent since 1999, and the age group with the highest rate of suicide is adults ages 45 to 54, followed by adults 85 and over, the foundation reported. The use of hand-written or printed coping notes and cards is not new. Its been used successfully around the world, particularly for people with anxiety issues. Whats new with Hollands Coping Cards is how the card deck is designed and organized and how it aims to counter suicidal thoughts. The pack which he hopes to bring to market later this year will have one card for every day of the year. The cards are divided into three sets: motivational thoughts, affirmations and activities. Examples of motivation and affirmation cards include sayings like: Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy and If you want something you dont have you need to change what youre doing. Activity cards include: Relax your face, Go for a drive and Take a 10-minute walk. The words on the cards and categories were developed by Hollands wife, Jen, and her fellow therapists at a clinic in San Diego. They use tools like these to help their patients deal with the daily responsibilities, pressures and stressors of life. Self-care is so important yet its often neglected, she said. Coping Cards can be a quick and easy way to spend a few minutes each day focusing on self-care and getting in a positive head space. Since introducing the Coping Cards campaign, Holland said hes been overwhelmed with positive feedback from his family and friends, as well as therapists who are interested in giving the cards out to clients. We know a lot of people who have been touched by this, he said. It makes me so proud that Ive done something like this and can hopefully help even random strangers. Its something people need. The Kickstarter campaign, which runs through Oct. 6, is about 20 percent funded. To learn more, visit kickstarter.com and search for Coping Cards. pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com Three years ago, Kevin Brizuela and three fellow gang members ambushed and shot four teens in an Oceanside park, mistaking them for gang rivals. Two of their targets died, including a 13-year-old girl. On Tuesday, Brizuela learned his own fate: 100 years to life in prison. Earlier this year, a jury convicted him of first-degree murder and other charges for the deadly shooting. I think that 100 years to life is an accurate reflection of the facts of this case, combined with Mr. Brizuelas youthfulness at the time of the offense, Superior Court Judge Richard Monroy said as he handed down the sentence. He noted that attack left two dead children. Edgar Sanchez, 15, and Melanie Virgen posed for a picture together in 2012. (courtesy photo ) Advertisement Because Brizuela was a minor at the time of the crime, hell be eligible for parole after serving 25 years. Brizuela, now 21, was expecting the lengthy punishment, his attorney Richard Layon said. He said his client is remorseful, and also disappointed that the judge had previously rejected his bid for a new trial following allegations that one of the jurors had researched the case online. Authorities said Brizuela and three other Vista gang members went out hunting for random gang rivals at Libby Lake Park just before 9 p.m. on March 13, 2013. Three of the men were armed. They found their four victims including best friends Melanie Virgen, 13, and Edgar Sanchez, 15 sitting on a couch in front of a makeshift memorial for victims of a similar attack in the same spot in 2011. Edgar and Melanie were fatally shot and two males, one 17 and the other 18, were wounded. None of them had gang ties. The passage of time hasnt dulled the searing pain of loss for the grieving families. A month before he was shot to death, Edgar had convinced his mom to buy two dozen roses. The next day, he handed them to girls at school who did not have a Valentine. When he ran out, he vowed to bring more the next year. He had a heart of gold, sister Nataly Sanchez wrote in a statement read in court by Deputy District Attorney Christine Bannon. He never hurt anyone. His teary-eyed mother declined to speak. Edgar was the baby of the family. Melanies cousin Roselie Mendina said after the hearing that Melanie was never involved in gangs. She was just a happy soul. Shortly before she was killed, Melanies grandfather had adopted her. The girls father had died two years earlier. Two years before that, her older sister succumbed to leukemia. Her mother was in Mexico. In this March 2013 photo, mourners attended a combined funeral for teenager murder victims Melanie Virgen and Edgar Sanchez at the San Luis Rey Mission Parish Chapel- Photos of the two were posted near the chapel entrance. Melanies photo is at left, Edgars is at right. (UT file photo ) The 17-year-old victim, David Garcia, was shot in the head and spent four weeks in the hospital. It took months for him to regain the use of the right side of his body. The once aimless teen has since become a mentor for neighborhood kids, and has enrolled in college. Prosecutor Bannon called Davids progress about as life-affirming as it gets. Everything else about this case is a tragedy. Only three of the four men Brizuela , Michael Zurita, Martin Melendrez and Santa Diaz were armed on the night of the shooting, and it remains unclear which of the four fired shots. Each of the men pointed the finger at his three co-defendants, but state law allows them to all be held equally liable. The fact is these killings happened because they were all there, Bannon said during Brizuelas sentencing hearing. She characterized Brizuela as a deeply entrenched gang member since he was 12. In March, Zurita was sentenced to 25 years after he pleaded guilty to four counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm. Melendrez was sentenced in May to 40 years to life after he pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. At that same hearing, Diaz received 39 years after pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semi-automatic firearm. He took a deal after a jury acquitted him of first-degree murder but deadlocked on other counts. Brizuela was the only one not to receive a plea deal. teri.figueroa@sduniontribune.com Twitter: @TeriFigueroaUT ALSO: Slain Oceanside teens called kindred spirits Before the Coronado Bridge was built, the only way sailors could get to the naval base was through Imperial Beach. That route took thousands of motorists by Stardust Donuts on Palm Avenue and 7th Street where Cliff Arnold remembers charging 7 cents for a glazed donut and making $269 profit the first month he ran the store June 1967. I know what Im doing, Arnold, 74, said after a recent morning rush. Ive basically been at it my whole life. More than a half-century later, Arnold still sells donuts to sailors heading to Coronado. But now he charges $1.09 and makes more than $269 a month. Advertisement Arnold comes from a long tradition of donut shop owners. His grandmother opened one of San Diegos first donut shops, Keens Donuts off Pacific Coast Highway, in 1929. His parents ran Keens Donuts in Pacific Beach in the 1940s. Stardust Donuts hasnt changed much since Arnold and his brother Ed ran it back in the late 1960s. The menu is mostly the same, with their popular cinnamon rolls, cake donuts, and chocolate and glazed donuts. The same Fresh Donuts sign still lures drivers from Palm Avenue to the shops counter. But the shop has seen better days. The 2017 winter storm knocked a few letters from the classic sign. So now it reads, Fresh nuts. Arnold plans to repair the sign soon but hes in no mood to modernize. He doesnt have a website. So anything you find on the internet about me or this place has been put there by somebody else, he said. Ive read the reviews on Yelp. Some people think Im a real jerk and some people think Im just fine. And he doesnt plan to start accepting credit cards any time soon. I dont need to, Arnold said. Im selling enough donuts without having to take credit cards so why should I do it? Stardusts longevity stands in contrast to an increasingly changing Imperial Beach. The trailer park behind the store got turned into townhomes that sell for a half-million dollars. Across the street, a new strip mall has national chains like Starbucks, Five Guys, and Chipotle. But the donut shop remains the same. IMPERIAL BEACH, CA.- AUGUST 30, 2018,-Cliff Arnold with his days worth of donuts for sale. Star Dust donut shop in Imperial Beach is a family business that has been in business for 50 years. 2018 (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) Carlos Rojas remembers sneaking out of first period to buy cinnamon rolls when he was a student at Mar Vista High School in the late 90s. We had auto shop, so wed test drive a car and come get donuts, Rojas said. His favorite back then were the cinnamon rolls. Rojas, who is now 44 and owns a plumbing company in Imperial Beach, stopped by Stardust Donuts last week. He got cinnamon rolls. If I was going to a job site with more guys, I wouldve picked up more, he said. A few minutes later, Jaimie Guzman, 19, walked up to the counter. He also ordered cinnamon rolls. Ive been coming here since I was 2, he said. We had this little tradition every Saturday when theyd open my dad would buy donuts and walk back home. By the time we got home, wed finish like six donuts. No one knows how long Arnold will keep selling donuts. His brother Ed died five years ago so he runs the shop alone. The Arnold brothers bought the property in 1998 so hes not beholden to a landlord. Arnold doesnt have children or any other family he plans to leave the business to. So what will happen to the shop when Arnold decides to stop selling donuts? It dont matter to me, Ill be gone, Arnold said. But he doesnt plan to retire any time soon. Several people have offered to buy the lot but Arnold isnt interested. Or maybe their sales pitches havent been very effective. They come and say, Dont you want to retire and lay on the beach? and Ill tell them, If I want to lay on the beach, I can do that any time I want. The beach is right over there, Arnold said as he gestured toward the Pacific. IMPERIAL BEACH, CA.- AUGUST 30, 2018,- The original donut menu. Star Dust donut shop in Imperial Beach is a family business that has been in business for 50 years. 2018 (John Gibbins / San Diego Union-Tribune) Contact Gustavo Solis via Email or Twitter Sanford, NC (27330) Today Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain late. Low 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. Veterans and active duty military members have made huge sacrifices to keep our country safe. The least we can do is honor them with deals and freebies on Veterans Day, which falls on November 11th. Here are some of the best discounts available to current and former military personnel this year. Free Meals A number of restaurants are giving free meals to veterans and active duty military, including Applebees, Dennys, and California Pizza Kitchen. These freebies are only available at participating locations, so call ahead to confirm your local restaurant is offering these promotions. Keep in mind that you may also need to provide proof of service to get your complimentary entree. Applebees For the 14th year running, Applebees is offering service members a complimentary entree off an exclusive menu on Veterans Day. Youll also get $5 off your next meal, but must redeem the discount within three weeks. California Pizza Kitchen Veterans and active military can stop by California Pizza Kitchen for a free entree and beverage of their choice on November 11th. The popular pizza chain is also hosting a nationwide fundraiser from November 8th to 10th to support Disabled American Veterans. Dennys Veterans and military personnel can get a free Build Your Own Grand Slam breakfast from 5 AM to 12 PM when they dine in at Dennys on Veterans Day. Dunkin Donuts Dunkin Donuts is giving a free donut to veterans and active duty military on November 11thno purchase or ID necessary. IHOP IHOP is giving veterans and active duty military free red, white, and blueberry pancakes from 7 AM to 7 PM on Veterans Day to thank them for their service. Bob Evans Current and former military service members can get a free entree on Veterans Day from a special menu that features favorites like country fried steak and buttermilk hotcakes. Little Caesars Veterans can get a free lunch combo on November 11th from 11 AM to 2 PM when they dine in at Little Caesars. The meal includes a 4-slice deep dish pizza with pepperoni and a 20-ounce Pepsi Cola soda. Deals and Discounts Members of the armed forces can also get discounts at select retailers this Veterans Day, including Dollar General and Target. Dollar General Veterans, active duty military, and their families can get 20% off at Dollar General from November 11th to 14th. Youll have to download the stores app and verify your military credentials to take advantage of the discount. Target Current and former service members and their families can save 10% at Target on two separate purchases. Walgreens From November 11th to 14th, veterans, active military, and their family members can get 20% off eligible regular price items at Walgreens and Duane Reade locations nationwide. Great Clips Current and former military personnel can get a complimentary haircut at Great Clips on Veterans Day. If you dont need a haircut now, you can get a free haircut card instead that can be redeemed later through December 10th, 2021. Anyone who comes in for a haircut on Veterans Day will also be given a free haircut card they can pass along to a veteran in their life to say thank you. Are you planning to redeem any of these deals and freebies available on Veterans Day? Let us know in the comments section below! Read More What Is The Difference Between Memorial Day and Veterans Day? The 5 Best Retirement Communities in Alabama Is The Stock Market Open on Veterans Day 2021? If you enjoy reading our blog posts and would like to try your hand at blogging, we have good news for you; you can do exactly that on Saving Advice. Just click here to get started. Check out these helpful tools to help you save more. For investing advice, visit The Motley Fool. As part of NASA's newest and most ambitious effort to study Earth's nearest star, the Parker Solar Probe spacecraft was designed to "touch the Sun." So far, it has already broken many records by getting closer to the Sun that no other spacecraft has ever done before. More so, it has operated its instruments at the hottest temperature and is considered the fastest human-made object ever. However, its extraordinary mission comes with a cost. Moving too fast has made it run into tiny grains of space dust that can lead to serious damage. Parker Solar Probe: The First Spacecraft to Visit the Sun The Parker Solar Probe is a revolutionary spacecraft that will better the understanding of the Sun. According to NASA, the spacecraft travels through the Sun's atmosphere, specifically in its corona, facing brutal heat and radiation to provide the closest-ever observations of Earth's nearest star. It was launched on August 12, 2018, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida onboard the Delta IV-Heavy with Upper Stage. It will use the gravity of Venus during seven flybys within seven years to gradually get close to the Sun as close as 3.8 million miles. Flying into the Sun's corona, Parker Solar Probe will use a combination of measurements and imaging to expand knowledge on the origin and evolution of the solar wind. In that way, scientists will be able to forecast changes in the space environment that affects life and technology here on Earth. ALSO READ: NASA Parker Solar Probe: Is It the Fastest Object Ever Built To Get Near the Sun? Tiny Grains of Space Dust Damaging Parker Solar Probe Tiny particles of space dust coming from asteroids and comets are freely floating in the Solar System that measures a quarter of the width of a human hair. CNet reported that as NASA's probe spacecraft whips around the Sun at almost unfathomable speeds, it also constantly collides with the grains of space dust, generating heat that will eventually vaporize and ionize them and become plasma. Since the spacecraft is bombarded by dust at high speeds of up to 180 kilometers per second or about 400,000 miles per hour, that means their body is constantly experiencing plasma explosions. According to Phys.org, a team of researchers from universities and institutions examines the collisions between the spacecraft and the space dust. They drew on electromagnetic and optical observations from the spacecraft to produce a complete picture of the effects of hypervelocity dust on the spacecraft and how it will disturb its operations. They noticed that plasma explosions would knock some pieces off the spacecraft that would affect the navigational cameras of the probe. For instance, they could reflect sunlight right into the navigation cameras and blind Parker for a moment if the spacecraft is flicked off at the right angle. But the wrong angle could blind it for longer periods, changing the angle of its heat shield in the wrong way, which could get the whole spacecraft on fire. Luckily, the spacecraft continues to strive and break its records as long as it can withstand constant bombardment and will even continue to go faster. RELATED ARTICLE: NASA Solar Parker Probe Quickly Passes Through 9th Solar Flyby to Study Solar Winds, Sun's Surface Check out more news and information on Parker Solar Probe in Science Times. Click here to read the full article. Woodcut International has boarded (K)nox: The Rob Knox Story, a feature documentary about the tragic story of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince actor Robert Knox, who was stabbed to death at the age of 18. Woodcut will executive produce the film and act as worldwide distributor. Knox (picture above, left, alongside his mother Sally) had just finished filming for Half-Blood Prince in 2008 when he was stabbed in south-east London while protecting his younger brother. A perpetrator was subsequently charged and sentenced for the murder. Knox had previously appeared in Keira Knightley film King Arthur and, before his death, had reportedly been signed up to reprise his role of Marcus Belby in a subsequent instalment of the Harry Potter franchise. (K)nox features interviews with family, friends and members of the film community, including Ray Winstone (above right) and some of the Harry Potter cast, such as Tom Felton and Jim Broadbent. The doc is intended to be an anti-knife crime film as much as a look at Knoxs life and death. The film is directed by Aaron Truss, who will also exec produce alongside Joe Acres. The Rob Knox Foundation, which was set up in the actors honor after his death, will produce alongside Nick Kenton. Koulla Anastasi exec produces for Woodcut International. We at the Rob Knox Foundation are extremely happy to be partnering with Woodcut International and look forward to our journey together, said Truss. Not only have Woodcut been involved with some great documentaries like Damilola: Death of a Ten Year Old, but they also understand the need for a film like this in todays society. Knife crime especially in the U.K. is worse than ever, so we hope that this film will make an impact on peoples attitudes towards this horrific culture. Its a privilege to be involved with this extraordinary documentary, said Woodcuts Anastasi. This film pays homage to a young man whose legacy has shone a light on knife crime, and his fame in the Harry Potter movie has created a unique vehicle to draw attention to the soul destroying impact crimes of this nature have on so many lives. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As leisure travel continues to surge, airlines are rolling out new routes and services for flyers eager to experience the world once again. This weeks airline news includes new Seattle routes to Calgary and Miami, with a renewed connection to Sydney thanks to Hawaiian Airlines. Keep reading to discover the latest airline news for the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Sea-Tac Airport welcomes service from WestJet Canadian carrier WestJet is the latest airline to join the offerings at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). This is WestJets first service in Seattle, offering nonstop service to and from Calgary (YYC), Albertas largest city and a gateway for visiting the Canadian Rockies. As travel options continue to re-start from the last year, were excited to see an airline like WestJet show the confidence they have in the Puget Sound region as a positive choice for them to serve visitors, business and residents of both regions, said Lance Lyttle, managing director at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. Initial service in Seattle will include four weekly flights using WestJet Encores Q400 aircraft, with service increasing to two daily flights by May 19, 2022. As a partner of Delta Air Lines, passengers on WestJet will be able to earn miles and enjoy reciprocal elite loyalty benefits on either airline. Alaska Airlines adds nonstop to Miami Alaska Airlines has announced a new nonstop Miami flight for Sea-Tac Airport travelers, marking the airlines 100th nonstop destination from its home airport. The new route between Miami International Airport (MIA) and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) begins daily nonstop service on June 16, 2022. "Weve landed on a perfect location for our 100th nonstop from our home airport in Seattle," said Brett Catlin, vice president of network and alliances at Alaska Airlines. "Miami is a cultural hub for travelers around the world with its incredible nightlife, art, music, architecture and food. With our new daily nonstop launching in June, well be connecting two cruise capitals just in time for summer while teeing up easy fall getaways to South Florida, the Caribbean and beyond. American releases new flyer resources As borders reopen, American Airlines is aiming to take the guesswork out of international travel by offering two new traveler resources. Americans Prepared for the Air resource is an interactive travel planning tool detailing travel guidelines for destinations around the world. Guests may use the tool to find their desired destination and determine what restrictions or guidelines are in place before booking a ticket. The Ready to Fly checklist assists guests once booked, providing an outline of everything travelers need to know and have prepared for their specific itinerary, inclusive of testing and vaccination requirements. The portal also allows digital submission of vaccination records and test results. The Ready to Fly checklist becomes available after booking, both when logged into the website or when viewing the American Airlines mobile app. NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images Emirates promotion includes tourism perk Through Nov. 12, Seattle travelers booking flights to Dubai will find promotional rates and an exciting perk as part of The United Arab Emirates 50th anniversary celebration. During the promotional period, passengers will receive access to Ain Dubai, the worlds highest observation wheel and a popular attraction for tourists. The Ain Dubai perk is offered for travel now through Feb. 28, 2022. Guests should use promo code USAIN21. Hawaiian Airlines resumes nonstop Sydney-Honolulu service Beginning Dec. 13, travelers will once again be able to connect to Australias Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD) via Honolulus Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) with Hawaiian Airlines. The five-times-weekly service was suspended in March 2020 due to travel restrictions. As a common connection for Sea-Tac Airport travelers, the routes return is welcome news. Hawaiian will operate the SYD-HNL route with its 278-seat, spacious wide-body Airbus A330 aircraft, which features 18 Premium Cabin lie-flat leather seats, 68 of its popular Extra Comfort seats, and 192 Main Cabin seats. Hawaii Governor David Ige recently welcomed back visitors now that public health efforts have resulted in among the lowest rates of COVID-19 infection in the United States. The latest results from last weeks general election indicate that Sara Nelson will likely triumph over opponent Nikkita Oliver to become the newest member of the Seattle City Council. The results also indicate that Nelson will probably serve alongside incumbent Teresa Mosqueda, who appears to have survived a challenge for her seat. Mondays results from the Nov. 2 election show Nelson and Mosqueda with 54% and 59% of the vote in their respective races. Their opponents, Oliver and Kenneth Wilson, had just 45% and 40%, respectively. Nelson leads Oliver 137,898 votes to 117,014. Mosqueda leads Wilson 147,346 to 100,176. There are just 6,215 ballots left to count in Seattle, meaning comebacks in those races are nearly impossible. Nelson, the co-founder of Fremont Brewing, and Oliver, an attorney and nonprofit director, were vying for the Position 9 seat vacated by council president M. Lorena Gonzalez, who recently conceded defeat in a race to become Seattles next mayor. Their race was one of three local contests in which a centrist, Nelson, was pitted against a more progressive candidate, Oliver. Oliver, who uses they/them pronouns, focused their bid primarily on problems faced by the citys marginalized communities. To address homelessness, they promised to eliminate Seattles ban on apartments in neighborhoods with single-family zoning and outlined ways the city could use new funds to house those who currently dont have a home. Oliver was also a proponent of cutting the Seattle Police Departments budget in half. Nelson, meanwhile, courted voters who she said are tired of the councils desire to pursue left-wing agendas. She opposes defunding the police and promised to remove homeless encampments in the citys parks and streets through a phased approach. With regard to Seattles single-family zoning restrictions an issue the entire council is looking to address she argued for a phased approach to that as well. In the race for the councils Position 8 seat, Mosqueda campaigned on her record. Her biggest accomplishment is the citys tax on large corporations, which was her brainchild. She also, along with her colleagues, allowed denser construction in several Seattle neighborhoods and made roughly $8 million in changes about $3 million in cuts and $5 million in earmarks to the citys police budget. Wilson, a bridge engineer, framed himself as someone residents could vote for if they were dissatisfied with the councils direction. He championed more funding for the citys police and promised to address homelessness by shutting down encampments. Nelson, 55, was born in Sacramento. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Santa Barbara and a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the University of Washington. She lectured at UW before becoming an aide to former councilmember Richard Conlin from 2002 to 2013. In 2009, she co-founded Fremont Brewing with her husband. Mosqueda, 41, was born in Denver. She earned her undergraduate degree from UW in 2002 and her master's degree in public administration from Evergreen State College in 2006. She was elected to the Seattle City Council in 2017 after handily defeating housing advocate Jon Grant for the open seat. Before being elected to the council, she served as the legislative director of the Washington State Labor Council. NIAMEY, Niger (AP) At least 18 people were killed and 7 injured after a gold mine collapsed in the Maradi region of Niger. Hundreds have been gathering in the village of Dan Issa, near the border with Nigeria, peering with shock into the mine which collapse over the weekend. Many residents are small-scale miners who work in the shaft. GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) The United Nations climate summit in Glasgow has made some serious toddler steps toward cutting emissions but far from the giant leaps needed to limit global warming to internationally accepted goals, two new analyses and top officials said Tuesday. And time is running out on the two weeks of negotiations. The president of the climate talks, Alok Sharma, told high-level government ministers at the U.N. conference to reach out to their capitals and bosses soon to see if they can get more ambitious pledges because we have only a few days left. This month's summit has seen such limited progress that a United Nations Environment Programme analysis of new pledges found they weren't enough to improve future warming scenarios. All they did was trim the emissions gap how much carbon pollution can be spewed without hitting dangerous warming levels a few tenths of a percentage point, according to the review released Tuesday. The analysis found that by 2030, the world will be emitting 51.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide each year, 1.5 billion tons less than before the latest pledges. To achieve the limit first set in the 2015 Paris climate accord, which came out of a similar summit, the world can only emit 12.5 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases in 2030. A separate analysis by independent scientists found a slight decrease in future warming, but one still insufficient to limit the warming of the planet to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. The planet has already warmed 1.1 degrees (2 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times. Theres some serious toddler steps, United Nations Environment Programme Director Inger Andersen said in an interview with The Associated Press a few minutes after the U.N. analysis was finished. But they are not the leaps we need to see, by any stretch of the imagination. In Glasgow, officials touted advances, but not necessarily success. We are making progress, Sharma said, but we still have a mountain to climb over the next few days, and what has been collectively committed to goes some way, but certainly not all the way, to keeping 1.5 within reach. Andersen acknowledged that none of the three main U.N. criteria for success for the two-week climate talks has been achieved so far. They are cutting greenhouse gas emissions by about half by 2030; securing $100 billion a year in aid from rich countries to poor nations; and having half of that money be for for developing nations to adapt to global warmings worst harms. The second analysis by Climate Action Tracker, which for years has monitored nations emission-cutting pledges, said based on those submitted targets the world is now on track to warm 2.4 degrees Celsius (4.3 degrees Fahrenheit) since pre-industrial times by the end of this century. Thats a far cry from the 2015 Paris climate deal overarching limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees) and its fallback limit of 2 degrees Celsius. Given whats been pledged we are likely to be in that area 2.4 degrees, which is still catastrophic climate change and far, far away from the goals of the Paris Agreement, said climate scientist Niklas Hohne of the New Climate Institute and the Climate Action Tracker. Hohnes group, independent of the U.N., also looked at how much warming there would be if other less firm national promises were put into effect. If all the submitted national targets and other promises that have a bit of the force of law are included, future warming drops down to 2.1 degrees. And in the optimistic scenario if all the net-zero pledges for mid-century are taken into account, warming would be 1.8 degrees, Hohne said. Thats the same figure as the International Energy Agency came up with for that optimistic scenario. Andersen said success is about her great-grandchildren living in a world with warming kept to the level outlined in the Paris accord and that the kids on the street protesting in Glasgow help the United Nations in pushing negotiators to do more. Progress happens at meetings. Success is delivered into peoples lives when their livelihoods and their health and well-being is improved, Andersen told the AP. U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who brought her climate-celebrity star power to the U.N. climate talks on Tuesday along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, told reporters she had a message for those youth protesters: Stay in the streets. Keep pushing. As high level ministers try to forge a deal by Friday, they have a big gap to bridge. Or more accurately, multiple gaps: there's a trust gap, a wealth gap and a north-south gap based on money, history and future threats. On one side of the gap are nations that developed and became rich from the Industrial Revolution fueled by coal, oil and gas that started in the U.K. On the other side are the nations that haven't developed yet and haven't gotten rich and are now being told those fuels are too dangerous for the planet. The key financial issue is the $100 billion a year pledge first made in 2009. The developed nations still havent reached the $100 billion a year mark. This year, the rich nations increased their aid to just shy of $80 billion a year, still short of what was promised. Everybody here is livid, said Saleemul Huq, a climate science and policy expert who is director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development in Bangladesh Huq said it's more than just the money, it's important to bridge the gap in trust between rich nations and poor nations. They reneged on their promise. They failed to deliver it, Huq said. And they seem not to care about it. And, so why should we trust anything they say anymore? Andersen and Sharma still hold out hope. Were not done yet. We still have a couple of days, Andersen said. And so were certainly from our side, from the United Nations side, were going to try to hold everyones feet to the fire. ___ Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report from Glasgow. ___ Read stories on climate issues by The Associated Press at https://apnews.com/hub/climate. ___ Follow Seth Borenstein and Aniruddha Ghosal on Twitter at @borenbears and @aniruddgh1 ___ 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. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Four astronauts returned to Earth on Monday, riding home with SpaceX to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Their capsule streaked through the late night sky like a dazzling meteor before parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. Recovery boats quickly moved in with spotlights. On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to Planet Earth, SpaceX Mission Control radioed from Southern California. Within an hour, all four astronauts were out of the capsule, exchanging fist bumps with the team on the recovery ship. Their homecoming coming just eight hours after leaving the International Space Station paved the way for SpaceX's launch of their four replacements as early as Wednesday night. The newcomers were scheduled to launch first, but NASA switched the order because of bad weather and an astronaut's undisclosed medical condition. The welcoming duties will now fall to the lone American and two Russians left behind at the space station. Before Monday afternoons undocking, German astronaut Matthias Maurer, whos waiting to launch at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, tweeted it was a shame the two crews wouldnt overlap at the space station but we trust youll leave everything nice and tidy. His will be SpaceX's fourth crew flight for NASA in just 1 1/2 years. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and France's Thomas Pesquet should have been back Monday morning, but high wind in the recovery zone delayed their return. One more night with this magical view. Who could complain? Ill miss our spaceship! Pesquet tweeted Sunday alongside a brief video showing the space station illuminated against the blackness of space and the twinkling city lights on the nighttime side of Earth. From the space station, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei -- midway through a one-year flight -- bid farewell to each of his departing friends, telling McArthur "Ill miss hearing your laughter in adjacent modules. Before leaving the neighborhood, the four took a spin around the space station, taking pictures. This was a first for SpaceX; NASA's shuttles used to do it all the time before their retirement a decade ago. The last Russian capsule fly-around was three years ago. It wasn't the most comfortable ride back. The toilet in their capsule was broken, and so the astronauts needed to rely on diapers for the eight-hour trip home. They shrugged it off late last week as just one more challenge in their mission. The first issue arose shortly after their April liftoff; Mission Control warned a piece of space junk was threatening to collide with their capsule. It turned out to be a false alarm. Then in July, thrusters on a newly arrived Russian lab inadvertently fired and sent the station into a spin. The four astronauts took shelter in their docked SpaceX capsule, ready to make a hasty departure if necessary. Among the upbeat milestones: four spacewalks to enhance the station's solar power, a movie-making visit by a Russian film crew and the first-ever space harvest of chile peppers. The next crew will also spend six months up there, welcoming back-to-back groups of tourists. A Japanese tycoon and his personal assistant will get a lift from the Russian Space Agency in December, followed by three businessmen arriving via SpaceX in February. SpaceX's first privately chartered flight, in September, bypassed the space station. NASAs Kathy Lueders, head of space operations, said engineers would evaluate the lagging inflation of one of the four main parachutes, something seen in testing when the lines bunch together. Overall, though, the return looked spotless. I cant tell you how excited I am to see all four of the crew members back on Earth, she added, and Im looking forward to launching another set of four this week. ___ 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. WASHINGTON (AP) Conservative Supreme Court justices expressed skepticism Tuesday about a Texas death row inmate's demand that his pastor be allowed to pray out loud and touch him during his execution. Executions in Texas, the nation's busiest death penalty state, have been delayed while the court considers the question. The outcome won't take anyone off death row but could make clear what religious accommodations officials must make for inmates who are being put to death. Members of the court's conservative majority suggested during arguments Tuesday that requiring Texas to grant the inmate's request could lead to a string of cases asking for other accommodations. A lawyer for the inmate said the man would be content to have his pastor touch his foot during his execution, but justices questioned what requests might come next. What's going to happen when the next prisoner says that I have a religious belief that he should touch my knee. He should hold my hand. He should put his hand over my heart. He should be able to put his hand on my head. We're going to have to go through the whole human anatomy with a series of cases, Justice Samuel Alito said. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh also expressed concerns about what a ruling for the inmate would mean for requests in the future, with Kavanaugh asking whether all states would have to offer equivalent accommodations. What if, he asked, one state allows bread and wine in the execution room right before the execution" or allows the minister to hug the inmate." Do other states have to do the same? The case before the justices involves John Henry Ramirez, who is on death row for killing a Corpus Christi convenience store worker during a 2004 robbery. Ramirez stabbed the man, Pablo Castro, 29 times and robbed him of $1.25. Ramirez's lawyers sued after Texas said it would not allow his minister to pray audibly and touch him as he is being given a lethal injection. Lower courts had sided with Texas, but the Supreme Court halted his Sept. 8 execution to hear his case. Texas says an inmate's spiritual adviser may pray with and counsel him until he is taken into the execution chamber and restrained on a gurney. But Texas says that after that, while the spiritual adviser is nearby, he can't speak to or touch the inmate. "An outsider touching the inmate during lethal injection poses an unacceptable risk to the security, integrity, and solemnity of the execution," Texas told the justices in briefs filed with the court. Arguing for Texas, state Solicitor General Judd Stone II also told the justices that Ramirez's request is just an attempt to delay his execution. Justice Clarence Thomas seemed to agree, asking what the justices should do if they believe Ramirez has changed his requests a number of times and filed last minute complaints and if we assume that's some indication of gaming the system. Ramirez's attorney Seth Kretzer told Thomas that is not the case. He has argued that a federal law that protects the religious rights of prisoners requires the state to accommodate Ramirez's requests. The court's three liberal justices seemed more open to Ramirez's arguments, with Justice Sonia Sotomayor suggesting that where Ramirez wants his spiritual adviser to stand is far away from the restraints Texas uses or IV lines for the lethal execution drug. And both Justices Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer noted Texas had allowed chaplains to touch inmates in the past. The justices also heard from a lawyer for the Biden administration about the experience of the federal government in carrying out a number of executions recently. Under the Trump administration the federal government resumed executions for the first time in 17 years, carrying out 13 of them at the federal execution chamber in Terre Haute, Indiana. During 11 of those executions, which also made news for likely acting as coronavirus superspreader events, religious advisers were present and sometimes prayed aloud with inmates. In at least one case there was brief physical contact before the administration of the lethal injection drug. Arguing for the government, Eric Feigin told the justices that the federal government believes Texas has a strong argument for not allowing a spiritual adviser to touch an inmate during the administration of the lethal injection drug itself. He said federal officials had not allowed that and it would likely give them very, very substantial concerns. He also said it's hard to know how a spiritual adviser might react during that time. That person could faint or stumble and jostle the IV lines, he said. Anything going wrong here would be catastrophic, he said. Feigin also said spiritual advisers stood about 9 feet away as the lethal injection drug was being administered during recent executions. And he noted that the federal death chamber is about twice the size of the one in Texas. As the court has grown more conservative in recent years it has been less open to last-minute challenges to death sentences. But issues surrounding ministers in the death chamber have been one area where the justices have had some openness to stopping an execution. In 2019, two inmates asked the justices to halt their executions over states' refusal to allow their spiritual advisers in the execution chamber. Wrestling with the issue, the high court let one execution go forward but blocked the other, of Texas inmate Patrick Murphy. At the time of Murphy's scheduled execution, Texas allowed state-employed religious advisers to be present in the execution chamber but only employed Christian and Muslim advisers, not anyone who was Buddhist, Murphy's faith. Justice Kavanaugh wrote that Murphy wasn't being treated equally. Texas responded by barring all clergy from the execution chamber, but inmates filed additional lawsuits. Texas ultimately changed its policy in 2021 to allow both state-employed chaplains and outside spiritual advisers who satisfy certain screening requirements to go into the execution chamber. The current Supreme Court case has delayed the final two executions scheduled this year in Texas. Last month judges rescheduled the executions of Kosoul Chanthakoummane, who was to die Nov. 10, and Ramiro Gonzales, who was set for Nov. 17. Gonzales new execution date is July 13 of next year, while Chanthakoummanes is Aug. 17. Approximately 2,500 people are on death rows nationwide according to the Death Penalty Information Center. A total of 17 people were put to death by five states and the federal government last year. The Biden administration announced earlier this year it would halt federal executions while the Justice Department conducts a review of its policies and procedures. Still, just last month the administration argued before the Supreme Court for the reinstatement of the death penalty in the case of convicted Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. WINCHENDON, Mass. (AP) A veterans organization in Massachusetts sold an original 1945 Norman Rockwell painting for $3.6 million at auction over the weekend in order to raise funds after years of dwindling revenue made worse by the pandemic. American Legion Post 193, located in Winchendon, acquired the painting through a donation in 1959 from a local priest's art collection. Coral May Grout, a former Post president, said that after weighing whether to sell for nearly two decades, it was time, The Telegram & Gazette reported. COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) A shooting involving a married couple that stemmed from a domestic disturbance left a woman dead and her husband wounded, according to sheriff's officials. The shooting happened Sunday morning at a home in Pottawattamie County just east of Council Bluffs, investigators with the Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Office said. BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) The man who initiated the chase that ended in Ahmaud Arbery's death quickly changed his story about why he suspected the 25-year-old Black man running in his neighborhood was a criminal, two police officers testified Tuesday. Glynn County police Officer Jeff Brandeberry told a jury that Greg McMichael one of three white men on trial for murder in the case at first told him that Arbery had been recorded by security cameras breaking in all these houses out here. "Well, he makes frequent trips to the neighborhood and gets caught on video cameras every third or fourth night breaking into places and no ones been able to catch him, McMichael told Brandeberry, who read in open court from a transcript of the conversation recorded by his body camera. The officer said he spoke to McMichael at the scene of the shooting, with Arberys body lying under a sheet in the road nearby, as police first responded on Feb. 23, 2020. McMichael's account shifted when he spoke with a Glynn County detective at police headquarters late the same day. Whereas he'd first blamed the slain man for break ins at multiple houses, McMichael told Detective Parker Marcy the intruder had targeted a single home one that was still under construction with no doors or windows. Marcy testified that McMichael told him he had seen two or three videos that showed "this guy breaking into or being or wandering around into this house. Greg McMichael; his adult son, Travis McMichael; and neighbor William Roddie Bryan are charged with murder and other crimes in the death of Arbery. Glynn County police never arrested them. Instead charges came more than two months when cellphone video of the shooting leaked online and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case. The video sparked an outcry amid a national reckoning over racial injustice. Prosecutors say the men had no legal reason to pursue Arbery with guns, as there's no evidence Arbery committed any crimes in the Satilla Shores subdivision outside the port city of Brunswick. Proseuctor Linda Dunikoski showed the jury security camera video from inside the house under construction recorded just before the deadly chase. Arbery can be seen wandering through the open-framed interior but doesn't seem to touch anything. He ran after a neighbor outside called police. Do you see him take anything or steal anything from this location? Dunikoski asked Marcy. The detective replied: No ma'am. Defense attorneys say the defendants had reason to suspect Arbery was a burglar. Franklin Hogue, Greg McMichael's attorney, noted that in the same interview in which his client told the detective about Arbery entering the house under construction, he also said there had been numerous entering autos and break-ins" elsewhere in the neighborhood. Logic tells you this guy may be the one thats doing it, Greg McMichael said, according to the transcript. Greg McMichael said the chase began when he saw Arbery hauling ass past his home on a Sunday afternoon. Saying he recognized Arbery from security camera videos shown to him by a neighbor who wasn't charged in the case, he ran inside and grabbed a .357 magnum handgun. Travis McMichael armed himself with a shotgun before they went after Arbery in a pickup truck. Bryan joined the chase in his own truck and recorded the video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at close range. Defense attorneys say Travis McMichael opened fire in self-defense. Brandeberry testified that Greg McMichael told him at the scene: "He attacked my son. He came at him. He tried to get the damn shotgun away. Marcy testified that Greg McMichael said he armed himself because he suspected Arbery may have stolen a handgun from his son's truck several weeks earlier, though he acknowledged he had no proof. The detective said he asked whether the videos of Arbery inside the home under construction showed him picking up or taking anything. You know, not that I recall, Greg McMichael answered, according to the interview transcript that the detective read in court. "I dont think the guy has actually stolen anything out of there, or if he did it was early in the process. But he keeps going back over and over again to this damn house. The jury on Tuesday saw several photos police took of Travis McMichael after the shooting, showing he had Arbery's blood on his hands, arms and spattered on his shirt, face and neck. Brandeberry said Greg McMichael also had blood on his left hand, which he told police he had used to check Arbery for a weapon after the shooting when Arbery fell facedown in the street with one arm tucked beneath him. Greg McMichael later told police he had shouted a warning to Arbery during the chase, when the running man ignored the demands of the men in the truck telling him to stop. I said, `Stop,' you know, `Ill blow your f-ing head off,' or something, he told Marcy. "I was trying to convey to this guy were not playing, you know? NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) At least 16 United Nations local employees have been detained in Ethiopias capital, the U.N. said Tuesday, and a government spokesman asserted they were held for their "participation in terror under a state of emergency as the countrys yearlong war escalates and ethnic Tigrayans face a new wave of arrests. All the detained staffers are Tigrayan, a humanitarian worker told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the U.N. was given no reason for the detentions, but Tigrayans, including lawyers, have reported widespread detentions in Addis Ababa since the state of emergency was declared, saying people are being picked up on the basis of their ethnicity alone. They are being detained in facilities against their will, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, adding that some were detained over the past few days during a visit to Ethiopia by the U.N. humanitarian chief. Dujarric said another six staff members were detained but then released, and a number of employees' dependents have also been detained. The U.N. has asked Ethiopias foreign ministry for their immediate release. Government spokesman Legesse Tulu in a message to the AP said the detentions occurred because of their wrongdoing and their participation in terror act," without giving details. He said it has no connection "with their office and job. Asked for a response to the government spokesman, the U.N.'s Dujarric said: We have no further information at this point." Ethiopia's government has said it's detaining people suspected of supporting the rival Tigray forces who have been fighting the government for the past year. In Washington, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that if reports are true, detentions of people based on ethnicity are completely unacceptable." The government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission this week noted with concern that the new wave of arrests "appeared to be based on ethnicity and included older adults and mothers with children. The AP has confirmed that the people detained included priests, monks and other clergy in the Ethiopian Orthodox church. Envoys from the African Union and the United States are trying to encourage an immediate cease-fire by Ethiopia's government and the Tigray forces who long dominated the national government before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power. The government earlier this year declared the Tigray forces a terrorist group. The AU envoy on Monday said he sees a small window of opportunity as the warring sides both agree that a political solution is required. But Ethiopia's U.N. ambassador said reaching a solution would not be easy, since there is the government on one side and a criminal group on the other. Thousands of people have been killed in the yearlong war, thousands have been detained and millions have been displaced. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people in the Tigray region face famine conditions under a government blockade meant to deny food, medicine and other aid from potentially reaching Tigray forces. During his four-day Ethiopia visit, U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths met the prime minister and visited de facto authorities in Tigray to advocate for more access to millions of people in need. Ethiopia's government last month expelled seven U.N. staffers from the country, accusing them without evidence of falsely inflating the scale of the crisis. The move was condemned by other nations and international agencies. ___ Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Matt Lee in Washington contributed. Good morning, Bay Area. Its Tuesday, Nov. 9, and an SFPD officer has died from COVID-19. Heres what you need to know to start your day. Tech companies thought free meals and ping-pong tables would sway top talent to join their ranks. In the age of remote work, thats no longer a draw. These days, workers care more about flexibility and work-life balance than ever before. Its getting harder for both startups and big corporations to compete for their interest. The tables are turned. How do you go from running a business out of one central office to employees scattered around the country, calling in from standing desks at home? One San Francisco company, Fast, is trying to have the edge as its competitors demand workers come back in person. Read more from Chase DiFeliciantonio. Now boarding Jessica Christian/The Chronicle The City by the Bay awaits. Local airports are flush with international tourists again as the U.S. welcomes visitors from Europe and China, ending an 18-month-long pandemic ban on travelers from outside the country. The fully vaccinated can now come look at the Golden Gate Bridge, eat at Pier 39 and order burgers at In-N-Out, so long as theyre armed with proof of a negative coronavirus test. Travelers flying into San Francisco International Airport on Monday said it was strange to see how it lacked the hustle and bustle of times before. But airport officials expect crowds to pick back up as the holidays approach. Read more from Tara Duggan and Ricardo Cano. Plus: With travel restrictions easing, this year is expected to bring three times the number of passengers through SFO compared with 2020. Around the Bay Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Shots required: A San Francisco police officer died of COVID-19, and sources told The Chronicle he hadnt met the citywide deadline for vaccination. Creating chaos: Long before the deadly Astroworld tragedy, rapper Travis Scott told concertgoers at the Warfield hed better see bodies in the air. Out of custody: ICE threatened to deport Phi Pham, a former inmate firefighter, to a country hes never set foot in. Now, hes returned home to the East Bay. Boudin recall: The effort to recall the S.F. D.A. raised twice as much money as the campaign to keep him in office. So expensive: Granola is a simple snack or breakfast. Its also a perfect representation of whats going haywire with the supply chain. Filling buckets: How much rain does S.F. need to return to normal? 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. An ally: Brian Edwards, a prominent S.F. activist for people experiencing homelessness, died over the weekend. The dust bowl: California is paying farmers to leave their fields unplanted during state water conservation efforts. Sweet thoughts Provided by See's Candies We asked, you answered. Whats your favorite Sees Candies memory? Now celebrating its 100th anniversary, heres what people remembered about the Bay Area chocolatier. We would always joke about how See's Candies kept my grandparents in business as dentists, said Peggy Lavalle of San Francisco. There are two ways to work your way through a box of Sees candies, wrote Nancy Horton of Alameda. One is to leave the paper cups in the box, and the other is to remove them when each candy is eaten. Im with Nancys family on this. Ive always been too greedy to slow down and find a trash can for my paper cups, so I leave them in the box. What about you? Bay Briefing is written by Gwendolyn Wu and sent to readers email inboxes on weekday mornings. Sign up for the newsletter here, and contact the writer at gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com. UPDATE: Here's what Comcast says about the huge Bay Area Xfinity outage Comcasts Xfinity customers expressed frustration Monday night at a widespread outage that disconnected them from their cable, phone and internet services for more than an hour. People from all around the Bay Area said they lost their connections just before 10 p.m. and had trouble reaching customer service at Xfinity to find out when the problem would be solved. Those who did get through got messages confirming that they were indeed in the midst of an outage with reassurance that the issue will be resolved. But that didnt stop people from expressing their dissatisfaction. This comcast outage is a great reminder of why it's still important to download and own physical copies of music, movies, etc., @krakinov tweeted. Eventually at around 11 p.m., some customers began reporting that their connections had come back. 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. A Comcast spokesperson attributed the outages to a network issue in a statement Tuesday morning, and added that the company was investigating the root cause of the outage. We apologize to those who were affected, the spokesperson said. Suzanne Espinosa Solis is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sespinosa@sfchronicle.com As a three-term U.S. Senate member from Wisconsin, Russ Feingold was the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act, the post-9/11 law that expanded the governments power to examine Americans phone and email records, financial documents even their library accounts. Along with the late Sen. John McCain, he co-sponsored the 2002 McCain-Feingold Act, which sought to limit the role of big money in federal politics but was largely struck down by the Supreme Court in 2010. Today, as president of the 40,000-member American Constitution Society, which describes itself as the leading progressive legal organization, Feingolds priority is the high court. More specifically, the rules for selecting and retaining its members that made the court vulnerable, in Feingolds view, to a right-wing takeover. The courts losing its legitimacy. It looks like a very political body in a way Ive not seen in my lifetime, Feingold, 68, said in an interview during a recent Bay Area visit to a few of his organizations more than 200 chapters of students and lawyers. As a youngster, he said, he was told the court was above partisan politics, as illustrated by Chief Justice Earl Warren, the former Republican governor of California and Dwight Eisenhower appointee who led the court during its most liberal years, and Justice Byron White, a John F. Kennedy appointee who often sided with the courts conservative wing. There were three other Republican appointees with generally moderate-to-liberal records, Justices John Paul Stevens, David Souter and Harry Blackmun, author of the 1973 Roe vs. Wade ruling declaring a constitutional right to abortion. Now, Feingold said, the court is becoming a fundamentally political body that is undercutting Americans rights, with abortion particularly at risk. People realize were going to have to do something structurally. Most of the structural changes he favors have already been proposed in Democratic-sponsored legislation: Adding two or four justices to counteract Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnells maneuvers that blocked Barack Obamas appointment of Merrick Garland to the court and sped Donald Trumps nomination of Amy Coney Barrett through the Senate. Opponents call the proposal court-packing, but Feingold said Republicans have already packed the court, and were unpacking it. Limiting future justices terms to 18 years so that each president would get at least two appointments every four years. After 18 years, Supreme Court justices would transfer to appellate courts as senior judges to continue their constitutionally guaranteed lifetime appointments. Extending to Supreme Court justices the same ethical standards, including conflict-of-interest rules, that apply to other federal judges. The ethics proposal has some bipartisan support, but the others are unlikely to win Senate passage unless Democrats repeal the filibuster, which requires 60 votes to take up legislation in the 100-seat chamber. But Feingold, a senator from 1993 to 2011, also wants the Senate to enact new rules for considering court nominations, setting a minimum period before a confirmation vote, and a maximum period for the Senate to hold a vote or allow the nominee to be confirmed by default. A maximum time limit, Feingold said, would have prevented the abuse of not considering Merrick Garland, whose nomination to succeed the late Justice Antonin Scalia was put on hold by McConnell for 9 months in 2016, clearing the way for Trumps appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch, which maintained the courts conservative majority. A minimum time would have prevented the jamming through of Barrett, confirmed a month after Trump, nearing the end of his term, nominated her to succeed the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Although some Senate rules require a two-thirds vote, its possible the Senate could approve such changes by a majority vote, said Rick Hasen, a law professor at UC Irvine and an expert on election issues. He noted that a Democratic Senate voted by majority in 2013 to repeal the filibuster for confirmation of lower-court nominations and other presidential appointments, and a Republican Senate took the same step for Supreme Court nominees in 2017. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The time limits are good policy proposals but could face constitutional challenges, said Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court, which advocates term limits for Supreme Court justices. He also noted that President George W. Bush, frustrated by Democratic resistance to some of his appeals court nominees, proposed unsuccessfully in 2002 to have the Senate commit to holding a floor vote within 180 days of receiving a court nomination. Feingold said some other court-restructuring plans have also had bipartisan support in the past. For example, he said, the first prominent proposal to limit Supreme Court justices terms appeared in a 2006 law review article co-authored by Steven Calabresi, who in 1982 had co-founded the Federalist Society, the arch-conservative organization that later screened and approved Trumps judicial nominees. The American Constitution Society is trying to act as a counterweight, Feingold said, with a path to the bench program that encourages and helps progressively inclined young people seeking entrance to law schools and law firms. He said the California chapters have recommended 400 judicial candidates with more diverse backgrounds, such as public defenders offices, than most current federal judges. As for the Patriot Act, which turned 20 years old this month, Feingold said its history has borne out his fears when he was the lone opponent in the 98-1 Senate vote, in which supporters included Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware. Dissenters in the 357-66 House vote included Democrats Barbara Lee of Oakland and the since-retired Lynn Woolsey of Petaluma. The law opened the door to a huge era of government surveillance, allowing examination of once-private communications and financial records as long as officers can claim they are investigating potential terrorism, Feingold said. Although the Patriot Act has expired several times, and technically is no longer in effect, he said, many of its provisions have been incorporated into other laws, and the act itself is likely to be renewed by the current Congress. A number of my colleagues ran up to me the next day, he recalled, and said, You may have been right. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko The head of a popular fitness and wellness center in Alameda surrendered his chiropractic license after state medical investigators said he had sex with three patients and one employee at his business and cited other purported violations. John Beall, who has owned Rise Bodyworks in Alameda since 2010, turned in his license Oct. 9 after the California Board of Chiropractic Examiners alleged he had sex with patients during exams between 2016 and 2018, as well as an employee in his office. With another employee, he made inappropriate comments about her breasts and whether shed been a prostitute or stripper, state officials said. One former patient named in the state probe, Kerry Kohler, sued Beall, alleging he took advantage of her to have sex while she was vulnerable during two years of exams. Ive had ongoing emotional trauma and anguish. I dont wish this upon anyone, Kohler told The Chronicle. Im grateful to have the strong support of a community that believes women who have been victimized. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Beall, 51, acknowledged in an interview with The Chronicle that he made mistakes but said he had dating relationships with the women and the sex was consensual. Since I did sleep with clients in the past, I stood up and took my (punishment) and voluntarily surrendered my license, Beall said. I have slept with co-workers and employees over the years. According to the American Chiropractic Associations code of ethics, having sex with patients exploits the trust and dependency of the patient. Sexual misconduct is a form of behavior that adversely affects the public welfare and harms patients individually and collectively, the ethics guide states. Sexual misconduct exploits the doctor-patient relationship and is a violation of the public trust. Rise employs about 40 people, offering chiropractic care, physical and group training, Pilates, acupuncture, massage, and more. Beall said he still owns the business but no longer takes chiropractor appointments, although he works in the gym. The facility employs other licensed chiropractors. In August, Robert Puleo, executive officer of the state chiropractic board, alleged 16 causes for discipline against Beall, including having sex with three patients and one employee, along with improper billing, failure to keep adequate records, and unprofessional conduct. He asked the board to revoke or suspend Bealls license. Beall could have had a hearing before the board but decided to voluntarily surrender his license, which would enable him to reapply in two years. As part of the agreement, Beall agreed that the state board could establish a factual basis for the charges in the Amended Accusation and that those charges constitute cause for discipline. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Bealls attorney, Michael Firestone, called it a soft admission in which he is not admitting to each and every allegation. He disputed the majority of the allegations, said Firestone, who said that challenging them with an administrative hearing would have been expensive. Dr. Beall ... accepts responsibility for his unprofessionalism in blurring the lines when having romantic relationships with co-workers and patients, Firestone said. Dr. Beall has taken proactive rehabilitative efforts to educate himself better regarding the necessary boundaries in a patient-provider relationship and is confident he will not cross those boundaries again. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. He said Beall completed courses in boundaries and ethics. Beall has not been arrested or charged with any crimes. In 2019, Kohler sued Beall alleging he took advantage of her as his patient and that the pair had sex over a two-year period. She alleged her marriage was crumbling, and that her father and father-in-law died in close succession, making her particularly vulnerable. She started seeing Beall after developing severe back pain in 2017. There is an inherent level of trust between doctor and patient, Kohler said. She alleged in the lawsuit that he texted inappropriate photos of himself and that the pair had sex in the massage room and his office dozens of times. They reached a settlement in May 2021. In over 42 years of handling a large number of psychological injury cases caused by chiropractors, doctors, psychotherapists abusing their influence, Ive learned this kind of conduct by a chiropractor can create significant injuries, said John Winer, Kohlers attorney. Beall said he learned a lesson and realizes he violated the ethics of his role as a chiropractor. I totally get it now that thats not cool, he told The Chronicle. Matthias Gafni is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: matthias.gafni@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @mgafni There were hugs, fist bumps and chants of welcome home at Oakland International Airports arrivals area on Monday afternoon. Phi Tommy Pham was home after almost being deported to a country hes never been to. It was a long-awaited reunion for 30-year-old Pham and his family. Pham was sentenced to 14 years in state prison following a violent crime he committed when he was 20. In June, almost 10 years into his sentence, Pham was granted early release from Folsom State Prison for good behavior and after earning commendations for his work as an inmate firefighter. But instead of returning to his family in Hayward, Pham was turned over to federal immigration authorities and flown to Colorado, where he spent the past five months in a detention cell. Pham was born in a refugee camp in the Philippines to Vietnamese parents who fled their country after the withdrawal of U.S. forces. The family arrived in the U.S. in 1991. While Pham lived here as a legal permanent resident, he never became a naturalized citizen. That left him open to being issued a final order of removal once he finished his prison term, which immigrant right activists characterized as a double punishment for those who serve their sentences only to be released into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. In August, an immigration judge ordered Pham removed to Vietnam. But the Southeast Asian nation didnt issue a travel document needed to accept the deportation, and its unclear if it will, said Anoop Prasad, an attorney with Asian Americans Advancing Justice Asian Law Caucus, which represents Pham. Vietnam is not easily able to confirm if he is from there, Prasad said. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Phams case illustrates the schism that occurs when the U.S. government wants to deport individuals to a country that refuses to accept them. In Phams case, not only did Vietnam never issue him a birth certificate, a 2008 repatriation agreement between Washington, D.C., and Hanoi prohibits the deportation of Vietnamese nationals who arrived before 1995, as his family did. U.S. immigration law gives the federal government 90 days to deport someone after issuing a final order of removal. If it doesnt make that timeline, ICE has to review whether the detainee poses a public safety threat or flight risk and can release them if not. We submitted evidence showing (Pham) is not a danger, not a flight risk and showing where he will be living, Prasad said. Phams release does not mean he is safe and secure, however. Barring a gubernatorial pardon, Pham has an active removal order and must check in regularly with ICE. If Vietnam issues a travel document, ICE likely will move to deport him. That cloud of uncertainty wasnt present on Monday, as Pham descended into the baggage claim area in a crisp white-and-gray tracksuit and was greeted with a wrapped-candy lei and a running hug from his 4-year-old nephew Karsen Pham. Uncle Tommys home, Phams sister Jenny Pham told her son as they embraced. 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. Three of Phams siblings came to greet him, having last seen him in person over two years ago, his sister Linda Pham said. Childhood friends, his attorney and members of Asian Prisoner Support Committee also came to the airport. Only missing was Phams mother, who has stage three renal disease and is undergoing dialysis. Linda Pham said her mom was waiting at the familys Hayward home, eager to hug her son. Tommy Pham longed to claim it. Hed been replaying their reunion in his head and knew exactly how it would go. (I will) give a big hug, tell her Im sorry for what I did, and now Im here to help, Pham told The Chronicle. Then he left the airport to make the future come true. Deepa Fernandes is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: deepa.fernandes@sfchronicle.com, Twitter: @deepafern Slim Bouguerra of San Jose bounced his 8-month-old daughter in his arms at San Francisco International Airport on Monday, eager to introduce her for the first time to his brother, a resident of France who was arriving on a flight from Frankfurt. Usually we see each other once a year, but the pandemic changed all that, said Bouguerra. Until Monday. Bouguerra waited with his wife, Karolina Lewandowska, and their 2-year-old son for his brother to finally walk through the terminal, and then there were embraces all around except for the toddler boy, too shy even to hold the hand of the uncle he hadnt seen since he was a baby. Similar reunions played out for other joyful families on Monday, the first day, after more than 18 months, that U.S. pandemic-driven travel restrictions were lifted for flights from 28 European nations plus Brazil, China, India, Iran and South Africa. With international arrivals taking place across the country, airlines reported upticks in passenger-packed flights from abroad. Under the new Biden administration rules, passengers can enter the country as long as they have proof of full vaccination with a World Health Organization-approved vaccine, and a negative COVID-19 test. Those under 18 do not need to be vaccinated. Though the softened restrictions had little impact on traffic at Oakland and San Jose international airports, which mostly operate domestic flights, Monday was significant for SFO. The travel restrictions imposed at the start of the pandemic to stem cross-border transmission of the coronavirus essentially shut the door on some of the airports biggest international markets, including London. Travel through the airport has lagged its U.S. peers as domestic flights have picked up, according to a recent Chronicle analysis. Today may not look very different than it did last week or before these restrictions got lifted, but I think really what were seeing in the coming weeks and months is a level of confidence from the airlines (and) a reintroduction of service at SFO, airport spokesperson Doug Yakel said Monday. Yakel proclaimed the day a kind of kick-start to the recovery of our international travel. United Airlines, by far SFOs largest airline, resumed San Francisco-bound flights from Frankfurt, London, Shanghai and Munich. The airline expected to end the day with more than 30,000 international passengers arriving at U.S. airports a 50% increase from the prior Monday, according to a United spokesperson. SFO welcomed back United Kingdom travelers with a short video of an English Bulldog happily walking the airports uncrowded terminals, signaling just how important such international visitors will be to the airports recovery. International traffic at SFO reached just 25% of pre-pandemic levels in September when the international ban was still in place. As the flights from abroad began arriving, waiting family members held balloons and bouquets wrapped with American flag-decorated cellophane to greet travelers at SFOs International Terminal gates. Alex Bucur waited at SFO with a bouquet of large sunflowers for his mother, a Romania resident arriving on the Frankfurt flight. He said shed learned only on the day of her flight that she needed a COVID test, along with her proof of vaccination, under the new rules for U.S. entry. She barely made it on the plane, he said. Even travelers from countries that were not previously under the travel ban they previously had to show a negative COVID test but now are subject to vaccination requirements as well became mini celebrities at SFO on Monday as news crews swirled around them. That included Victoria Amaya, 12, and her sister, Lizzette, 10, just off the flight from San Salvador, who raced to the arms of their aunt, Luisa Amaya, and her daughter, Luisa Sasso, excited after their first solo international flight and ready to spend their school break at the womens Oakland home. Today we are doing the most California thing: Taking them to In-N-Out, said Sasso, clutching a mesh bag with purple and pink puffy jackets for the girls. The family had a special reason to celebrate their togetherness. Were excited to decorate for Christmas and to have Thanksgiving together. And to give thanks, said Sasso thanks because her mother recently recovered from multiple myeloma. Its been a year since her stem cell transplant. Other travelers arrived for in-person work meetings for the first time since the pandemic began. Ming-yu Cho, a data scientist from Seoul, was visiting the Redwood City headquarters of Moloco, the mobile advertising company he works for. His company is online, but it cannot replace the face-to-face meeting. Sometimes you actually need to meet people, he said. He noted that Mondays international travel experience was far less busy than he was used to. Its strange. Usually the airport is very crowded both in Seoul and here, he said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The 28 European countries affected by the just-ended restrictions made up 37% of overseas visitors in 2019, according to the U.S. Travel Association. In addition to reuniting families and enabling business meetings, there are signs that the removal of restrictions may specifically benefit the Bay Areas recovery. San Francisco became the most-searched destination for inbound international flights after the Sept. 20 announcement on lifting restrictions, according to the booking app Hopper. International flights are returning to SFO based on airlines projected rise in demand. French Bee airline, based in France, is bringing back SFO flights to Tahiti starting Wednesday, Yakel said. Flights from Dublin, Fiji and Paris are returning in December. The easing of international travel rules also offers some hope for hotel workers, who rallied for more jobs last month. San Francisco hotel occupancy was only around 40% in September, less than other cities in the West, such as Las Vegas. Only 30% to 35% of the more than 14,000 members of Unite Here Local 2, San Francisco and San Mateo Countys main hotel union, are back to work. Its too early to measure the impact of recent changes in travel rules, but hotel workers certainly hope that international travel will return, Anand Singh, president of Unite Here Local 2, said in a statement. Workers are still hurting even as hotel capacity climbs back, he said. He said even some hotels with stronger occupancy are still cutting labor costs, including through automation. San Francisco Chronicle staff writer Roland Li contributed to this story. Tara Duggan and Ricardo Cano are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: tduggan@sfchronicle.com ricardo.cano@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ByRicardoCano @Tara Duggan Millions of people who experience mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia are now eligible for COVID booster shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added mood disorders to the eligibility criteria in October, a step seen by experts as an important addition that recognizes the linkage between mental and physical health, a connection too often overlooked by the public. Prior to this action, eligibility for booster shots was limited to adults 65 and older, people with immunocompromising diseases and those who work in high-risk or long term care settings. The step was important in no small part because mental health affects the bodys ability to mount a response to COVID infection, said Dr. John Swartzberg, a UC Berkeley infectious disease expert. Studies have found that people with severe psychiatric disorders are more likely to die from complications of coronavirus. Some of the hypotheses include the observation that compared to the general population, people with severe psychiatric disorders are more likely to be obese, have diabetes, have respiratory tract diseases or smoke, Swartzberg said. All of these things play a role in putting people at greater risk for bad outcomes. An estimated 5% of U.S. adults experience serious mental illness, according to National Alliance on Mental Health research. Expanding the booster criteria to them makes millions of adults who are fully vaccinated meaning two shots of Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or one dose of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson newly eligible for another shot. Among them are many for whom the pandemic itself has created a cycle of anxiety and depression, eroding their sense of control and forcing people to make big decisions over things that may not have sparked stress before. Its a good sign the CDC is welcoming people with mental disorders into the pool of people with legitimate illnesses who need protection, said Dr. David Spiegel, director of the Stanford Center on Stress and Health. Mood disorders such as depression and schizophrenia can affect how people sleep and eat. Physical symptoms include fatigue, weight changes, aches, cramps or digestive problems without a clear physical cause, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Researchers have lobbied the CDC to add mental health conditions to the list of immunocompromising diseases for months. Social determinants also influence mental health as much as physical health. Food and housing insecurity, for example, can put people at higher risk of mood disorders, in turn contributing to gaps in health outcomes for low-income people and people of color. But the booster shot isnt necessarily for people who have mild mood disorders, Swartzberg said. Its geared to upgrade immunity for people whose mental health conditions are severe enough to alter their immune responses. Its clear that practically everyone needs a booster after six months, some people much more than others, Swartzberg said. Clearly these people with severe mental health disorders fall into that group. Despite evidence that mood disorders such as schizophrenia are linked to weaker immune systems, federal vaccine guidelines did not put mood disorders under the umbrella of underlying medical conditions when COVID vaccination shots were first rolled out nearly a year ago, nor when booster shots were subsequently recommended. 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 the October update, the CDC cited two studies published in 2021, including one studying mental health disorders and mortality across seven countries, as motivating factors for the updated criteria. Evidence used to inform this list was determined by CDC reviewers based on available evidence about COVID-19 at time of review, the federal agency said on its website. Mental health isnt always treated as a physical illness, said Spiegel, the Stanford expert. When vaccines were first rolled out, demand outstripped supply and forced public health officials to limit shots to those who would be at the highest risk of hospitalization and death. Some people with mental illnesses qualified for an earlier vaccine or booster because they had another underlying medical condition, such as obesity. I'm glad to see as the vaccine supply has gotten better; people are looking at situations that are not as immediately obvious as a source of vulnerability to COVID infections and death, but are real, Spiegel said. California public health officials are urging residents to go for booster shots, and to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11, ahead of the holidays. Cases and hospitalizations are expected to rise amid waning vaccine immunity and the increased likelihood of indoor gatherings during the winter. Pfizer on Tuesday also asked federal officials to expand booster eligibility to all adults. Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com In recent months, rental prices have rebounded across the country as many aspects of life return to pre-pandemic normal. But how has the rent recovery looked in the Bay Area, which historically has some of the most expensive markets in the country and includes many of the first companies to embrace work from home arrangements? Using data from rental listing website Apartment List, we looked at the percent change of one-bedroom rents from March 2020 to Oct. 2021 for Bay Area cities with more than 40,000 residents for which Apartment List publishes data. The analysis shows a strong geographic relationship in how rents have changed: there were generally higher increases further north and east, and larger decreases in the western and southern regions. It reads as a story of proximity and preexisting costs, said Rob Warnock, senior research associate at Apartment List. The places that are closer to the jobs centers in San Francisco and the peninsula have seen the biggest disruptions, and in some cases have not bounced back. Apartment List includes only cities where there are enough apartment transactions each month to accurately model month-over-month price changes. The company uses data from the U.S. Census Bureau for rent statistics on recent movers, and estimates how rents have changed more recently using a growth rate calculated from listing data on its platform. Warnock said that out of the countrys major cities, only a handful of metro areas including San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland still have price reductions. But he also noted that San Francisco especially saw a crazy drop in rents earlier in the pandemic, and has been rebounding quickly. Its just taking longer to get back to pre-pandemic levels. According to Apartment List, San Francisco saw the biggest rent plunge out of the 50 largest cities in the country, dropping 26.7% from March 2020 to January 2021. Median rent in March 2020 was $2,717, compared to $2,395 in October 2021. San Jose plummeted 15.2% and Oakland declined 14.2%. But the gap has steadily been closing since then: San Francisco now shows a decline of 11.9%, Oakland a drop of 8.2%, and San Jose has made the strongest comeback, down just 4%. The biggest rental increases from the start of the pandemic came in the North Bay, with Rohnert Park topping the list at 17.4%. In March 2020, the median one-bedroom rent was about $1,610, and in October 2020, the median rent was almost $1,890. Im not necessarily surprised, he said. It feels consistent with what weve been seeing throughout the pandemic...These are names that strike me as relatively affordable places, places that people go if they want to buy homes and get an extra bedroom, historically speaking. Fairfield comes in with the second highest increase of 14.9%, where median rent was $1,430 in March 2020, and jumped to $1,650 in October. Pittsburg followed close behind at 14.5%, with rents increasing from $1,460 in March 2020 to $1,670 last month. Warnock said Napa sticks out because it was already expensive beforehand. Rents in the Wine Country city leapt 13.1% from the beginning of the pandemic, from a median rent of $1,340 to $1,520 last month. It fits the bill as a sanctuary spot in the Bay Area for those who wanted a change of pace in the pandemic, he said. In the middle of the pack are many East Bay cities that have seen some rent growth since the beginning of the pandemic, or have mostly returned to normal median rents, including Livermore, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and Dublin. Warnock said wealthier renters may have gravitated toward these suburban communities. 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. People who are just not wealthy enough to be able to afford a home have become the wealthiest set of renters, he said. They are renting in places where they would prefer to buy a home. Warnock explained that they have seen the average budget and incomes of new renters to Apartment List go up as home ownership becomes more exclusive. The rising home costs trickle down and put pressure on the rental market, including in areas with fewer renters such as suburban areas. Warnock anticipates the negative growth in the Bay Areas city centers wont last for too much longer, as the rental market has mostly returned to pre-pandemic seasonal behavior. Currently, its the winter slow season from November through March, where prices tend to stall. But come spring and summer, he predicts a significant rebound. So what does this mean for renters? Warnock said anyone looking to move to a new rental should act now, while there are still some deals. I wouldnt say that theres a really salient feeling of affordability, but this is definitely the time of year to be looking for a new rental in San Francisco, he said. Now and for the next couple months is definitely when they will find the lowest level of competition in the market, and the most willingness for landlords to negotiate or offer types of concessions. He said by next summer, most of those discounts will be wiped out and things are going to be wild. Kellie Hwang is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kellie.hwang@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KellieHwang Gummy worms, a Superman doll and a bottle of bubble soap were just a few of the items placed on an Oakland street corner Monday night where about 20 people gathered in the rain to mourn Jasper Wu, a 23-month-old toddler from Fremont who was killed by a stray bullet in Oakland over the weekend. J.B. Bounphengsy opened a bottle of red Gatorade and poured some of it on the ground beside a group of candles arranged in the shape of the boys initials and a heart. It was so that Wu could enjoy the drink in the afterlife, he said. An innocent child got killed, Bounphengsy said, shaking his head. Jasper died Saturday afternoon after he was shot while sitting in his familys car, traveling south on Interstate 880 in Oakland. Investigators believe Jasper was killed by a stray bullet from a shooting that happened on the opposite side of the highway. Around 2:10 p.m., their car was randomly and suddenly struck by gunfire, said California Highway Patrol Capt. Mike Lehman. Jasper was taken to UCSF Benioff Childrens Hospital Oakland, where he died from the gunshot wound, CHP said in a statement. Law enforcement officials did not identify Jasper as the victim, but his family has confirmed that it was him to media outlets. His family members took flowers and joss paper to the site of the shooting Monday morning to mourn the loss of their relative and send him off into the afterlife, according to Dion Lim of ABC7 News. Jaspers father, who lives and works in China and had never met his son in person because of the pandemic, traveled on Monday from China to San Francisco. Jaspers family is crushed by the loss, but thankful for community members who have offered their support, said Carl Chan, president of the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce. Family members were organizing a funeral and a GoFundMe. Monday night, community members from across the Bay Area were still trying to make sense of the shooting, struggling to understand how such a young life could be ended so suddenly and so violently. Our hearts are torn, our community is torn. ... Were just totally ripped apart, said Will Lee, a San Francisco resident. To the Wu family, the Bay Area Asian community is here for you. Leanna Louie, a founder of the United Peace Collaborative, a San Francisco organization dedicated to protecting and empowering local Asian Americans, led a prayer for Jasper, which was followed by a Justice for Jasper chant among the vigils participants. This is just too much, Louie said, choking back sobs. Were talking about an innocent child whos never done anything to anyone. He did not deserve this; his family did not deserve this. Mourners gathered largely in silence Monday night. Some placed candy or toys by the candles, occasionally relighting ones that had been put out by the rain. Many said they felt frustrated and angry about the violence that has gripped Oakland this year. They called on city leaders and law enforcement to take action to prevent more deaths. 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. There have been 76 freeway shootings in Alameda County in the past 12 months most of those happening on I-880 or I-580, Lehman said. On Monday, he declined to say whether CHP had identified any suspects and asked members of the public for assistance for the sake of the family. Anyone with information or dashcam footage was asked to call CHP investigators at 707-917-4491. Following the prayer, Louie asked that the shooter, wherever they were, turn themselves in, echoing requests made by Jaspers family, according to media reports. Think of the family; think of the pain theyre going through, Louie said through tears. Imagine if this was your baby. How would you feel? Jasper was one of two people killed in Oakland last week, pushing the citys homicide total for 2021 up to 119, compared with 97 at this time last year. There were 47 incidents involving gunfire last week alone and officers have recovered a total of 1,017 firearms since the start of the year, according to Oakland police. This... hurts, and its hurting not just the family, but the whole community, said Serena Morales, an organizer with the community advocacy group Uplifting Our Elders. Theyre taking away real lives. Andy Picon is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: andy.picon@hearst.com Twitter: @andpicon Another atmospheric river swept through the Bay Area this week, adding to what has been a wet start to the rainy season. So how much did the second round of rain add to the states water supply? As of midnight Monday, after much of the rain had fallen, several of Californias major reservoirs across the state had slightly more water than they did in late October after the last atmospheric river, according to state data a good sign for the parched state. However, even with the back-to-back storms, nearly all of the reservoirs have significantly less water than the historic average for November 9. Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville, the states two largest reservoirs, have only 43% and 56% of their historic water levels respectively, for example, and both are at about one-quarter of their total capacity. But, as was the case in October, there are two outliers Millerton Lake in Central California and Lake Perris on the southern end of the state have more water right now than their historic average. Both are much smaller than reservoirs like Shasta and Oroville. 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. Reservoirs are an important piece of the drought puzzle in California. The states 240 large reservoirs account for about 60% of the states water storage capacity, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. Water experts say that California needs significantly more rainfall to make a dent in the drought about 140% of its average. Danielle Echeverria is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: danielle.echeverria@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @DanielleEchev An elaborate 10-foot shrine has arisen on a bustling corner of San Franciscos Haight-Ashbury district, complete with stuffed animals, votive candles and five flower arrangements in vases. Erected at the corner of Haight and Masonic streets, the improvised memorial marks the place where 21-year-old Samuel Jessop of San Francisco was fatally shot last week in an apparent exchange of gunfire the latest violent episode in the storied neighborhood. A string of shootings and a stabbing have rocked the Haight-Ashbury since September, and residents and merchants are struggling to understand why. Police have been less than forthcoming, refusing to discuss how Jessop was killed in an incident that also left a 27-year-old worker at a Haight Street clothing store with critical gunshot wounds. The workers cousin told The Chronicle he was wounded after being attacked for an unknown reason by armed robbers. In early September, a 19-year-old man was shot and permanently blinded on the 500 block of Haight Street. Police arrested a man they suspected to be the shooter on the 300 block of Haight, where they found and confiscated multiple guns and ammunition. Two days later, a 65-year-old man was attacked and killed at the intersection of Haight and Shrader streets. Police found him on the ground, bleeding from possible stab wounds. On Oct. 22, a man was critically injured in a hail of gunfire that also hit cars and buildings including Ritual Coffee on Central Avenue between Waller and Haight. The next day, a suspect drove up and fired shots into a victims car, which was stopped at a red light near Buchanan and Haight streets. That victim was in critical. More than a week later, on Nov. 4, Jessop was killed and the shop worker was wounded. I dont know whether the shrine is for (Jessop) or just the sadness that this is happening, said Constance Denise, who helps run a Facebook group called Safe & Healthy Haight. Im hoping the shrine is for the fact that we are experiencing this in our beautiful little neighborhood. Were kind of pissed and concerned, said Patrick Calvey, a 43-year resident of the neighborhood, as he walked the 1400 block of Haight Street on Monday afternoon. We went through the skinheads and the anarchists, but this is three shootings in three weeks, he said, referencing violent street eras from last century. Its trending in the wrong direction and we need to do something now to reverse this process. Supervisor Dean Preston, who represents the Haight, and San Francisco Police Capt. Chris Pardini, commander of the Park Police Station, met with the Haight-Ashbury Merchants Association to discuss the recent spate of violence. We want to recognize that many community members, and employees of local businesses were witness to tragedy on Nov. 4, the association said in a statement. And we ask everyone to share their love and strength as our community heals. Preston said, Community members are traumatized by these recent shootings and fearful of further violence. ... The safety of our residents and merchants is absolutely a priority, in a statement to The Chronicle. Preston plans to convene another meeting for district residents Wednesday, intended to provide updates, connect folks with victim services, and engage with the community, he said in a tweet. San Francisco police have increased patrols, and both motorcycle officers and marked patrol vehicles were easily visible Monday afternoon along Haight Street. Foot patrols have also been promised. Leaning against a wall on a smoke break was a member of the family that operates 1428 Haight Patio Cafe & Crepery. This street has been a disaster lately, and Ive been here 27 years, said the merchant who, like many people interviewed, declined to give his name for fear of retaliation. Ive seen car break-ins in front of my face at least 15 times, he said. This is the next step after the break-ins. Now its the shootings. James Sword, a 30-year resident and board member of the Haight Ashbury Neighborhood Council, said the communitys issues were linked to broader, troubling trends. 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. Given the national trends in gun violence, it is sad but not terribly surprising, said Sword, who has not altered his pattern of walking his kids to school and has not noticed any changes in the patterns of his neighbors. There is a vibe and people are talking about it, but I havent noticed people fleeing the neighborhood or not visiting, he said. In front of Love on Haight, a barker for the tie-dye emporium was calling out greetings to tourists on the open-air buses, and inviting the sparse foot traffic in past the velvet ropes to shop. Jordan Masserman, 24, a recent arrival to an apartment on Haight Street, was feeling more cautious, she said as she passed the shrine. Im a little more vigilant walking my dog, especially since (last weeks fatal shooting) happened in the middle of the day. David James, a longtime employee of Amoeba Music four blocks away, said he was hesitant to walk past the crime scene, in search of lunch. I thought about not walking this far up, he said, but I dont want to be afraid just because this happened. James was among those who was moved by the shrine to the shooting victim, regardless of the circumstances. He was a human being, James said, so its nice to know he had people who cared about him. Chronicle staff writer Rachel Swan contributed to this report. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Twitter:@samwhitingsf Theres only one person in San Francisco who gets to call me a nun. Fifteen years ago, we applied to the parochial school that was four blocks from our house, just the other side of Geneva. The nun in charge interviewed my son Zane and interrogated me. She asked if I had made a mistake listing Brian as my husband. (I had not.) The next day she called saying that Zane was rejected. I asked why and she replied, Your family is not the perfect model of a Catholic family. What is it, Sister? I asked. Is Zane too Black or am I too gay? A year later, a fellow deputy sheriff asked me to go with him to Law Enforcement Day at St. John School, a tiny blue building just next to Glen Park. He introduced me to Sister Shirley and Sister Lillian. Sister Shirley had silver hair and a no-nonsense demeanor. Sister Lil had brown hair, cut short, and wore glasses. I did not notice at the time that she walked with a limp. They asked about my sons, and I explained how they went to public school because three Catholic schools had rejected them. They exchanged a glance, and Sister Shirley said, We will take your boys. Never lie to a nun. Just to be clear, sisters, my boys are not perfect. Sister Lil smiled. Thats where youre wrong. Were nuns. Well find their perfect. Over the years Brian dropped off the boys in the morning, and over coffee, he and Sister Shirley figured out how to get them through challenges like Mr. Acostas fifth grade. Whoever picked up the boys checked in with Sister Lil, who we learned was an Ursuline nun. Despite the name, the Ursulines are not a sorority of bears. They are a superfluity (a wonderful collective noun for nuns from the Oxford English Dictionary) of women founded in 1572. In New Orleans, the order is famous; rumor has it that in their convent theyve even faced down vampires. But Sister Lil is the only one of her order to live in San Francisco. She is also a regular in this column, which makes her, I suppose, an honorary resident of the Outer, Outer, Outer, Outer Excelsior. Sister Lil once told me: You dont know it, but you embrace the principles of justice and truth. You go on every field trip. Youre as much an Ursuline nun as I am. Much of Sister Lil is a mystery. Croatian by birth, at some time in her early life she contracted polio. She doesnt talk about it much, other than to say, I dont care what they say about vaccinations. If I had had the chance to take it, I would in a heartbeat. But she doesnt complain. Not about her physical challenges. Not when her chapter house burned down in the Camp Fire in Santa Rosa. Not when she had to teach religion to Aidan. She would never let me complain either. If I carped about Zane getting detention for using the f-word, she told me that even nuns had to curse sometimes. If I complained that Aidan had gotten his head stuck in a staircase, Sister Lil said, Nothing that cant be fixed with a sledgehammer. And she never let the boys complain. When Aidan griped, I cant do algebra, I have a learning challenge, she replied: Give me a break. Im a nun with a physical disability. I got you beat. The boys now are long gone from St. John, but we still meet Sister Lil for lunch whenever she has the time. She always insists on paying, and I always say, Nurse Vivian would roll over in her grave if I made a nun pay for lunch. 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. Three weeks ago, we went to Fable, in the Castro. I recommended the Vegan Beetloaf. Aidan at that point was still coasting on a B average, so I couldnt complain about that, but as the iced tea was served, I observed that Zane had withdrawn from City College, and at 18 he has no idea what he wants to be when he grows up. She looked me in the eye and said, But he tried. Focus on that. Hes not taking his medication. He does when you remind him. Hes hanging out with the wrong crowd, I continued. But hes still coming home. By this time, Sister Lil had finished what she was willing to finish of her cheeseburger. She reminded me: You can find all the flaws you want, but you are an Ursuline. Its your job to find the perfect in that boy. Amen. Kevin Fisher-Paulsons column appears Wednesdays in Datebook. Email: datebook@sfchronicle.com Mary Everett, known for her 47-year-old Berkeley restaurant Everett & Jones Barbeque as well as her community work, died from complications related to COVID-19 on Sept. 25. She was 65 and unvaccinated, according to her son Shamar Cotton. Family members and friends described her as a loving person who used her restaurant as a force for good. As a devout Christian not to mention a major 49ers fan and Corvette enthusiast she felt joy when she gave to others. Berkeleyside first reported Everetts death. I hope people remember her smile and how happy my mom always was and how she loved people, Cotton told The Chronicle. She was a genuine loving person. She cared about everybody, especially her customers. Everetts mother, Dorothy, founded Everett & Jones in 1973, and the family grew the barbecue restaurant into a popular empire with six Bay Area locations. After initially working at Everett & Jones as a college student, Everett became the owner of the Berkeley outpost at age 26, the familys longest-running location, at 1955 San Pablo Ave. It continues to draw crowds for its old-school charm, hearty beef links and barbecue sauce that balances sweetness with pepper. (Everetts sister Dorothy White ran the two Oakland restaurants until she died earlier this year.) Everett was dedicated to the restaurant, sometimes pulling all-nighters by the pit to smoke enough meat for extra-busy days like the Fourth of July. But even more than her ribs and other classic barbecue fare, the owner was well-known for feeding the less fortunate and donating toys to hundreds of children every year. For her birthday every April, she threw a ritzy gala and asked all of her guests to bring toys instead of a present for her. Those donations then fueled the restaurants annual holiday toy drive, which she led for more than 20 years and typically brought toys to a few hundred kids. She was a special person, said Raymond King, who was hired by Everett at the Berkeley restaurant 24 years ago. During Octobers memorial service, King described her as a second mom. I dont know what owner collects toys on their birthday to give to the kids on Christmas. If anyone without money came into the Berkeley restaurant and said they were hungry, Everett instructed staff to make them a plate of food, according to Cotton. The policy started with Dorothy, who brought the family to church and fed the homeless every week. Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more. Cotton also credited Everett with saving the lives of many Black men who didnt necessarily have other job opportunities. Shed pull people off the street and give them a job, he said. I had a lot of friends growing up in Oakland, people who needed a job and something to hold onto, and my mom was that voice of reason. Mary Everett is survived by sons Shamar and Terrell Cotton; daughter Rolanda Cook; daughter-in-law Tibletse Cotton; grandchildren Ava, Reaia and Delina; sisters, Annie Jones, Hellen Bellamy and Shirley Everett Dicko; brother George Allen Everett; brother-in-law John Jernegan; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service took place in October but is viewable online. Janelle Bitker is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: janelle.bitker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @janellebitker Hoping to avoid another surge of COVID-19 cases this winter, California public health officials on Monday urged residents to get booster shots and vaccinate their newly eligible younger children. With the combination of people gathering indoors due to colder weather and waning vaccine immunity, the health department said it sees a concerning rise of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths across the state. With cases ticking up in most parts of the state, we cannot let our guard down and we cannot underestimate this deadly virus, Dr. Tomas J. Aragon, director of Californias public health department, said in a statement. He encouraged families to get their children ages 5 to 11, who became eligible for Pfizer shots as of last week, vaccinated as soon as possible. Last year at this time our COVID-19 cases increased at a dangerous rate, so we cant underscore enough the importance to vaccinate and boost to protect yourself, your family and all of our communities against this virus, Aragon said. Daily cases rose from less than 3,000 in October to more than 58,000 in December in 2020, according to state data. Aragon also appeared to endorse booster shots for all who had received their initial doses in the spring or earlier. Get your booster if you completed your vaccination series more than six months ago, especially if you or someone in your home has a medical condition or works around other people, Aragon said. When asked for clarification about the recommendation, the public health department referred to the most current guidance on booster shots, which prioritizes people over 65 or those who work in high-risk settings. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. The recommendations for booster shots have not changed, said Ali Bay, spokesperson for the state health department. In general terms that everyone can understand, we urge Californians to get a booster if someone in their home has a medical condition or if they work around other people. Aragon also encouraged the continued use of masks in public and crowded spaces. Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com Californias progress against the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have stalled and reversed course, as new cases, hospitalizations and deaths are once again trending upward across the state. Its not subtle, thats for sure, said Dr. George Rutherford, an epidemiologist at UCSF. The numbers are increasing. Cases are up over the past three weeks. We were down to as low as about 5,000 new cases per day. Now were up to 6,000 cases per day. Hospitalizations are up about 4% over two weeks. There have been some big spikes. To me, that is worrisome. Large urban areas with vaccination rates that are lower than the Bay Areas are seeing some of the most concerning rises. That includes the Central Valley, Greater Sacramento region, and highly populated Southern California counties like Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, where hospitalizations have increased by more than 20% in recent weeks. Hospitalization rates in the Bay Area, however, are at their lowest point in four months. Californias case rate has averaged about 15 cases a day per 100,000 people for the past three weeks, up slightly from 14 a month ago. But its the next few months that experts are worried about. Were going to have another surge, said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease expert with UCSF. And there will be a lot of disruptions to schools and workplaces, potentially. With just 63% of Californias population fully vaccinated, the risks posed by indoor gatherings and colder weather could drive a new wave of infections. The states 7-day positivity rate the percentage of positive coronavirus tests is now 2.3%, up from 1.9% in late October. The 7-day positivity rate in some regions where hospitalizations are again struggling is higher 5.2% in Riverside County, 5.6% in Sacramento County and 8.9% in Fresno County. Noah Berger/Special to The Chronicle COVID cases are beginning to rise -- winter months means people indoors & more possibilities for spread, Gov. Gavin Newsom tweeted Tuesday morning. Even in highly vaccinated parts of the Bay Area, cases have either plateaued at worryingly high numbers or started creeping back up. Marin County, with 82% of its population fully vaccinated, has tracked a significant rise in infections including among children 5-11, who became eligible for vaccination last week. At the beginning of the year, people in that age group accounted for less than 5% of cases, county officials said. Now they account for about 30% of cases. Dr. Sefanit Mekuria, a pediatrician and deputy public health officer for Contra Costa County, noted that more cases in the 5-11 age group are getting reported because reopened schools are doing more testing; in addition, while other groups are gaining protection from the vaccines over time, small children remain vulnerable. Newsom said that unvaccinated people are seven times more likely to get infected, 10 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 18 times more likely to die. Frontline (workers) like myself are feeling very nervous as we head into the holidays, said Dr. Lekshmi Santhosh, who works in UCSFs intensive care unit and co-directs the hospitals long COVID clinic. We are tempering our optimism. We hope for the best that there will be great uptake among kids, and boosters but we are preparing for the worst. Matt Willis, the health officer for Marin County, told his countys Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that case rates among vaccinated residents have been fairly stable for a few months. But theres a lot more wobble with unvaccinated residents. Despite the fact that theres an ever-smaller fraction of unvaccinated, they remain particularly vulnerable. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle With the state returning to the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions red high category of coronavirus transmission after weeks in the substantial tier, it may be too soon to pull back on restrictions such as mask mandates, some experts said. This is the lesson: When things are going bad, dont declare everything is fine and walk away, Rutherford said. You need to be cognizant of whats going on around you. But all the masking and protocols are secondary to getting people vaccinated. If were going to live with 63% of the population being vaccinated, were going to have to have these surges. Add to that the U.S. fully reopening to vaccinated international travelers Monday for the first time since the coronavirus emerged as Europe experiences another surge and flu season hits, and things are likely to get worse. As people begin to move around again, you will see a lot of infection and cases, said Chin-Hong. Hospitalizations will increase because of COVID plus flu. State officials said on Tuesday that loosening any further mitigation measures, such as the indoor mask requirement for schools, are on hold until the virus is better under control. That likely will not happen until the spring. 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. Were plateauing at a much higher place than we did with previous plateaus, said Dr. Erica Pan, the state epidemiologist, during a roundtable with health care professionals. She said the rapid spread of the delta variant of the virus shortly after the state lifted its statewide mask mandate taught officials to become more cautious about setting firm benchmarks for lifting restrictions. We have learned our lesson about trying to predict things, Pan said. I recognize that is really challenging. As things get better, we will peel away as we can. But we want to see signs that we can. Alameda and San Mateo counties are the only ones in the Bay Area classified as having moderate virus transmission by the CDC, but the numbers are not stable. We still are keeping a close eye on things because its very possible we could be headed in either direction, said Louise Rogers, chief of San Mateo County Health, during a briefing. The experts agree that waning vaccine efficacy plays an emerging role in a statewide increase of breakthrough cases, especially among those who completed their vaccination series last winter and have not yet received supplemental doses. In Marin County, about 75% of post-vaccination hospitalizations are happening in those older than 65. Only half of the county residents in that age group who completed their first round of vaccination have received booster shots. Statewide, that number falls to 32%. We have three things in front of us that we can do right now, said Rutherford. We need to get people boosted of the things that are doable, that might be the most important. We need to get 5- to 11-year-olds vaccinated. And then we need to get people who are not vaccinated yet vaccinated. Chronicle staff writers Catherine Ho, Erin Allday, Nanette Asimov and Katie Licari contributed to this report. Aidin Vaziri is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: avaziri@sfchronicle.com LOS ANGELES (AP) Two California couples gave birth to each others' babies after a mix-up at a fertility clinic and spent months raising children that weren't theirs before swapping the infants, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Los Angeles. Daphna Cardinale said she and her husband, Alexander, had immediate suspicions that the girl she gave birth to in late 2019 wasn't theirs because the child had a darker complexion than they do. They suppressed their doubts because they fell in love with the baby and trusted the in vitro fertilization process and their doctors, Daphna said. Learning months later that she had been pregnant with another couple's baby, and that another woman had been carrying her child, caused enduring trauma, she said. I was overwhelmed by feelings of fear, betrayal, anger and heartbreak, Daphna said during a news conference with her husband announcing the lawsuit. I was robbed of the ability to carry my own child. I never had the opportunity to grow and bond with her during pregnancy, to feel her kick. The Cardinales' complaint accuses the Los Angeles-based California Center for Reproductive Health (CCRH) and its owner, Dr. Eliran Mor, of medical malpractice, breach of contract, negligence and fraud. It demands a jury trial and seeks unspecified damages. AP Yvonne Telles, the office administrator for the center, declined to comment on Monday. Mor could not be reached for comment. The two other parents involved in the alleged mix-up wish to remain anonymous and plan a similar lawsuit in the coming days, according to attorney Adam Wolf, who represents all four parents. The lawsuit claims CCRH mistakenly implanted the other couples embryo into Daphna and transferred the Cardinales embryo made from Daphnas egg and Alexanders sperm into the other woman. The babies, both girls, were born a week apart in September 2019. Both couples unwittingly raised the wrong child for nearly three months before DNA tests confirmed that the embryos were swapped, according to the filing. The Cardinales, including their young daughter, fell in love with this child, and were terrified she would be taken away from them, the complaint says. All the while, Alexander and Daphna did not know the whereabouts of their own embryo, and thus were terrified that another woman had been pregnant with their child and their child was out in the world somewhere without them. The babies were swapped back in January 2020. Mix-ups like this are exceedingly rare, but not unprecedented. In 2019 a couple from Glendale, California, sued a separate fertility clinic, claiming their embryo was mistakenly implanted in a New York woman, who gave birth to their son as well as a second boy belonging to another couple. 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. Wolf, whose firm specializes in fertility cases, called for greater oversight for IVF clinics. This case highlights an industry in desperate need of federal regulation, he said. Breaking the news to their older daughter, now 7, that doctors made a mistake and that the new baby wasn't actually her sister was the hardest thing in my life, Daphna said. My heart breaks for her, perhaps the most, she said. Since the mix-up came to light, both babies have been returned to their biological families. All four parents have since made an effort to stay in each others lives and forge a larger family, Daphna said. They were just as much in love with our biological daughter as we were with theirs, Alexander said. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) New Zealand's government said Tuesday it will expand a vaccine mandate to include thousands of workers who have close contact with their customers including employees at restaurants, bars, gyms and hair salons. The changes will mean that about 40% of all New Zealand workers will need to get fully vaccinated against the coronavirus or risk losing their jobs, up from about 15% previously. Speaking with reporters, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she didnt believe the new rules were an overreach of government power. This requirement means staff and customers are treated equally and it will play a big part in helping to minimize the spread of the virus in the highest-risk venues by reducing the potential for COVID to enter the business in the first place, Ardern said. Workers who had previously been told they needed to get their shots included teachers and health care professionals. Tuesday's announcement came just a few days after the government set a target of getting 90% of people aged 12 and over fully vaccinated in order to end the cycle of lockdowns. Auckland, the largest city, has been in lockdown for more than two months after an outbreak of the delta variant. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. As part of its plan to end lockdowns, New Zealand will also require people visiting high-traffic businesses to show vaccine passports to prove they've had their shots. The conservative opposition National Party said there was no need for restrictions such as vaccine passports once vaccination targets were met. Some businesses will choose to require proof of vaccination. Others will not, said opposition leader Judith Collins in a statement. The campaign to oust San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin has raised more than twice as much as Boudins supporters, according to new financial disclosures that were filed shortly after recall organizers cleared a major hurdle to qualify for the ballot. While money is not a perfect measure of how much support a campaign might ultimately receive at the ballot, its critical for getting the word out to voters. And, so far, theres a lot of cash to go around: Those who want to unseat the district attorney have funneled $1.6 million into the recall, while his supporters have pitched in far less with $650,000, according to financial disclosures filed Friday. People from across the country have been pouring money into the recall for months, long before the campaign collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. The recall has already gained national attention, with observers seeing it as a referendum on the progressive prosecutor and the larger criminal justice movement that accelerated after the police killing of George Floyd. Its not just about him, said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who specializes in politics. The recall is about this larger criminal justice movement, and people on both sides know that. The Chronicle analyzed the campaign finances of two committees supporting the recall and two against it. The two pro-recall committees analyzed are San Franciscans for Public Safety Supporting the Recall of Chesa Boudin and the Committee Supporting the Recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin, and the anti-recall committees analyzed are San Franciscans Against the Recall and Friends of Chesa Boudin Opposing the Recall. Though these are distinct committees, we combined their contributions to get a summary of who is funding both sides of the race. Both campaigns have been raising money for months the bulk of which is often spent on advertisements and voter outreach but Fridays disclosure was the first to come after recall organizers hit a critical deadline to qualify for the ballot. At this point in the campaign, it makes sense that the pro-recall side has more money, since they had to garner the support from paid signature gatherers to campaign ads to even get on the ballot, Levinson said. Last month, the Safer SF Without Boudin campaign submitted 83,000 signatures to the Department of Elections roughly 32,000 more than required to get on the ballot. If the department certifies the signatures this month, an election will likely be held in June and voters will be asked a simple yes or no question: Should Boudin stay in office? If the majority chooses no, then Mayor London Breed who has yet to take a position on the recall will get to choose his replacement. While last months signature deadline did not spur a flood of funding about $17,000 combined was collected by both sides in the last two weeks the pro-recall side attracted a higher number of individual donations from the month prior. In October, there were 106 individual donations to the pro-recall side, double the number in September. All 106 donations were from individuals and smaller in size averaging about $270 compared with the large contributions from organizations. Meanwhile, on the anti-recall side, the amount raised and the number of contributions was similar to the month prior. Julie Edwards, Boudins campaign manager, said she expects to see voters pay closer attention after the recall officially qualifies for the ballot and the election gets closer. Theres a lot of confusion about recalls, particularly given that we just went through one, she said, referring to the unsuccessful recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom. Im very sympathetic to folks who have a lot going on in their regular lives and who are not paying attention to these endless elections outside of the regular cycle. Boudin, a former public defender, was elected in November 2019 as part of a wave of progressive prosecutors across the country who have promised to unwind tough-on-crime policies that have disproportionately impacted people of color. Since taking office, Boudin has been a polarizing figure in San Francisco: While his detractors say his policies have exacerbated the citys high rates of property crime, his supporters say investing in social services and restorative justice is the best way to prevent crime from occurring in the first place. This is the second effort to recall Boudin. An initial effort failed this summer, after organizers did not get enough signatures to qualify for the ballot by the deadline. Andrea Shorter, organizer of the current effort, said people who want to sign the recall petition continue to reach out to her, even though the deadline passed last month. Our campaign has a lot of momentum on our side, and support is growing citywide every day to recall the D.A., she said. The bulk of the money on the pro-recall side 69% has come from organizations, while 31% is from individuals. David Sacks, a partner at Craft Ventures and former PayPal executive, is the largest individual contributor to the the first recall campaign, with $75,000 in donations. A super PAC called Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy accounted for the vast majority of the funding for the recall effort. The super PAC has not disclosed its donors since June, and is not required to do so until next year. That means its unclear who has poured money into the PAC since this summer. But according to the recall campaign website, the biggest donors to the PAC include Steven Merrill of Marco Ventures and William Oberndorf, a hedge fund investor, who is also a big donor to Republican candidates on the federal level. Shorter said there is a tired talking point that the recall is a Republican-led effort. While the recall has been endorsed by the San Francisco Republican Party, she said the majority of the supporters are Democrats from all around San Francisco. Republicans are concerned and Democrats are concerned, she said. They are supporting this effort for the same issues, in terms of the performance of this district attorney and public safety. Meanwhile, the balance is reversed for the two anti-recall campaigns 72% of the amount raised is from individual contributions, while 28% is from organizations and PACs. The biggest individual donor is tech investor Chris Larsen, with $100,000 contributed against the recall. One of the biggest organizations is the Real Justice PAC, whose contributors include Patty Quillin, the wife of the billionaire co-founder of Netflix. A look at where individual donors to both campaigns live suggests that people across the state and the country are paying attention: 21% of the amount raised by the anti-recall side came from California residents who live outside of San Francisco, compared to 8% for the pro-recall campaign. On the other side, 9% of the amount raised by the anti-recall side came from out of state compared with 13% for the pro-recall side. As the campaign ratchets up over the next few months, Levinson said she wouldnt be surprised if the number of donors across the country increased. Were really viewing this recall as a bellwether, she said. Other groups are going to look to see if this recall is successful, and then see who else can be targeted. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com, nami.sumida@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani, @namisumida San Francisco voters will officially weigh in next year on whether District Attorney Chesa Boudin should stay in office, following confirmation from the Department of Elections Tuesday that campaign organizers collected enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. The recall will be part of the the June 7, 2022, statewide primary election. To qualify for the ballot, campaign organizers with the group Safer SF Without Boudin submitted approximately 83,000 signatures to the Department of Elections last month about 32,000 more than required. If Boudin is ousted, Mayor London Breed would choose a replacement. Its unclear if she will take a position on the recall. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday afternoon. The effort to recall the progressive district attorney began to attract nationwide attention months before it officially qualified for the ballot Tuesday. Thats because observers from around the country see the recall as not only a referendum on Boudin, but also a check on the wider criminal justice reform movement. Lots of money has already poured in: As of Friday, the pro-recall side has raised about $1.6 million. Much of that money was spent on garnering support and paying staff to gather enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Meanwhile, the anti-recall side has raised less than half of that, with about $650,000 in the bank. Its not just about him, said Jessica Levinson, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who specializes in politics, previously told The Chronicle. The recall is about this larger criminal justice movement, and people on both sides know that. The recall comes on the heels of a failed recall attempt of Gov. Gavin Newsom in September. San Francisco voters will also be asked to weigh in on a recall election of three San Francisco school board members in February. That will be the first local recall on a San Francisco ballot since 1983, when an effort to oust former Mayor Dianne Feinstein failed. The Boudin recall will be the second. Boudin, a former public defender, was elected in 2019 with a promise to unwind tough-on-crime policies and instead lead with treatment and rehabilitative services. His election was part of a wave of progressive prosecutors around the country who want to completely overhaul the current criminal justice system. But since taking office in January 2020, hes been a polarizing and controversial figure in San Francisco. Detractors say that his policies are too relaxed, and have led to a uptick in property crime in the city. He has also been criticized for the alleged mismanagement of his office. His supporters, on the other hand, say that the current system has disproportionately impacted people of color, and that investing in more social services will ultimately lead to a reduction in crime. Now that the recall is official, voters likely will be inundated with campaign ads over the next few months. 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. Julie Edwards, a spokeswoman for Boudin, said based on all the money that was spent and raised to get the measure on the ballot, its no surprise that this radical recall has bought its way onto the ballot. The recall is an attempt to reverse the reforms D.A. Boudin has enacted to keep us safe and make the criminal justice system fairer, she said in a statement. But this will not stop him from working for all San Franciscans. The Department of Elections said Tuesday that it randomly selected 4,174 signatures 5% of the total submitted and determined the petition contained enough valid signatures. The recall has tremendous momentum on our side that is growing daily, said Safer SF Without Boudin Campaign Chair Mary Jung and spokesperson Andrea Shorter. Now that the recall is on the ballot, we are laser-focused on getting our message out via doors, phones and airwaves to help ensure San Francisco has a D.A. that makes public safety their No. 1 priority, they said in a joint statement. Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadani Drew Min was at a Chinese restaurant last month when he got his chance to help San Francisco confront more than 150 years of wrong. The UC Berkeley junior and two friends Lowell High School senior Dennis Casey Wu and Stanford University sophomore George Tilton-Low had been researching the citys mistreatment of early Chinese immigrants since May, when Antioch became the first California city to apologize to its Chinese community for historic injustices. In the months since, San Jose and Los Angeles issued their own apologies. But not San Francisco, which functioned as a quasi-laboratory for anti-Chinese laws in the 19th and 20th centuries. I remember watching the news about Antioch apologizing and remember thinking, Why not San Francisco? recalled Wu, 17. Why not the city with a deep history of Chinese Americans and one that still has a vibrant population of us? During an early October luncheon with Asian community leaders at Harborview Restaurant & Bar, Min posed that question to Supervisor Matt Haney. The dialogue that began then resulted in a resolution that Haney plans to introduce at Tuesdays Board of Supervisors meeting. If adopted, San Francisco would become the fourth California city to apologize for historical wrongs that still haunt the present. The resolution comes during what Haney described as a year of overdue reckoning for the nation as a whole when it comes to the treatment of Asian and Pacific Islander communities. And he credited the three local students with making it happen. Chinese laborers first arrived in San Francisco in the 1850s as the Gold Rush took off. Discriminatory laws were here to meet them. In 1850, California adopted a foreign miners tax for non-white miners, primarily affecting those from China. According to the resolution that Wu, Min and Tilton-Low prepared, Haney said, San Franciscos Board of Supervisors was responsible for issuing some of the worst local statutes targeting Chinese residents in the state, if not the nation. This was really the hub of a lot of awful xenophobia and violence toward Chinese residents specifically, Haney told The Chronicle. At the time San Francisco was very much the urban center of this region, and so it sent ripple effects throughout the entire state. In 1870, the Board of Supervisors barred anyone of Chinese descent from government work, outlawed the use of gongs and yeo ho poles, which Chinese residents carried over their shoulders to transport goods. From 1873 to 1883, the board passed more than a dozen ordinances intended to crack down on Chinese laundries, culminating in the infamous riots of 1877, which left four people dead and 20 laundry houses destroyed. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle The San Francisco Unified School District also enacted racist policies, according to the resolution. A decade after the state prohibited Chinese students from attending public schools with white students in 1860, the district closed the citys only segregated Chinese school, essentially leaving Chinese children without formal educational opportunities until a California Supreme Court decision overruled the districts decision in 1885. These separate education systems were unequal in terms of resources with Chinese children getting an inferior education, said Cynthia Choi, co-executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, a San Francisco nonprofit. For years the Chinese community and other Asian communities were subjected to these types of institutional racism. Wu, Min and Tilton-Low pored over books and archives and consulted historians at the Chinese Historical Society of America Museum to reconstruct the largely overlooked local record. They found that the laws and the hostility they stoked also impacted other Asian and Pacific Islander communities, as the enforcers of discriminatory policies painted with a broad, ignorant brush. Korean, Japanese, Mongolians they were kind of shoved into this umbrella group of Chinese, said Min, 22, who is of Korean descent and executive director of the nonprofit SF Community Alliance for Unity, Safety and Education. And so an attack on the Chinese community was and is an attack on all of us. Eight years after the federal government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, the nations first anti-immigration law, supervisors enacted policies to control where local Chinese residents could be. One forced them to the outer fringes of the city, while another empowered the Board of Health to essentially quarantine all of Chinatown as its residents were wrongfully scapegoated for carrying the bubonic plague. For Wu, recovering this history more than a century later amid a different pandemic fueled by anti-Asian rhetoric and a rise in hate crimes was a call to action. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle I just couldnt believe it, said Wu, who also participated in the Yellow Whistle project, which distributes whistles in neighborhoods where Asian elders have been attacked. The same thing was happening again, and I felt compelled to do something about it. The history isnt abstract to Wu. His grandparents immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1950s, his father a few years later when he was 16 years old. My parents couldnt buy a home here in the 1950s, recalled the elder Dennis Wu, who now serves as chair of the SF Community Alliance for Unity, Safety and Education. I think every Chinese family has faced some type of discrimination at some point. It becomes a way of life, something we learn to navigate. Haney said it was crucial to acknowledge the very shameful role the Board of Supervisors played in legislating discriminatory policies, all of which were eventually overturned by state and federal courts. But he said it was also important to recognize that this history hasnt stayed in the past. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Theres a legacy of it now thats still with us, he said. The resolution follows that arc to the present day, with tracking project Stop AAPI Hate tallying more than 4,500 anti-Asian hate incidents this year through June, with more than a third of those reported in California. Besides calling for an admission of wrongs, the resolution also pushes the city to find ways to rectify the lingering consequences of the discriminatory policies. The resolution doesnt outline specific remedies, and Haney said he wants to hear directly from the community what they should look like. The supervisor suggested next years budget could provide the opportunity for targeted investments, similar to what the city did with its Dream Keeper Initiative, a two-year $120 million investment in historically Black neighborhoods that Mayor London Breed and board President Shamann Walton unveiled in February. After the 1906 earthquake, Chinatown residents rebuilt the cultural enclave and fought local government pressure to relocate. Today, San Franciscos Chinatown is the oldest in the country, down to two dozen vibrant city blocks. Besides providing an apology, the resolution would recognize the Chinese communitys resilience and contributions to the city, and their commitment to fostering reconciliation and friendship. Justin Hoover, executive director of the Chinese Historical Society of America in San Francisco, said its important to recognize the harm thats been done. But whats next is the big question. What does making amends look like? Are reparations on the table? What about reinvestment in the Asian community and its organizations? Hoover wondered. An apology is great, it truly is, but it cant just be a gesture. For 17-year-old Wu, it is a starting point. San Francisco apologizing is notable, he said. Its one way to advance social justice and social equity. Shwanika Narayan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: shwanika.narayan@sfchronicle.com; Twitter/Instagram: @shwanika Amazon has revealed plans for its new San Francisco warehouse and shipping center near downtown, a massive facility that calls for 200 delivery vans departing each day and hundreds of new jobs. The tech giant will submit its formal proposal to city officials next week. Amazon confirmed its plans Monday evening in an online community question-and-answer session for what would be its fourth and largest delivery center in San Francisco as the company continues to grow massively during the pandemic. If approved, the three-story center at 900 Seventh St. would be the nexus for the last mile of delivery to local homes and businesses. Amazon plans to file its proposal on Nov. 15, kicking off a process for city approvals and likely a nine-to-12 month environmental study. If approved, construction would take at least 18 to 24 months. Up to 500 employees could work there, including workers sorting and loading packages, delivery drivers, and managers, who would make up 5% of staffing. Amazon bought the land from Recology last year for $202 million, shifting away from previous plans that called for more than 1,000 new homes. The site has long been used as a work yard and parking lot for garbage trucks, but is surrounded by evolving neighborhoods including Mission Bay, Potrero Hill, Showplace Square and South of Market. Neighbors include new housing projects, a manufacturing hub at 150 Hooper St., and the Caltrain tracks, where future development could rise. All those new projects have increased traffic, and company representatives stressed repeatedly that both delivery trucks and vans would operate outside of normal commute hours: around 18 to 19 trucks from Amazons Tracy warehouse arriving in San Francisco between 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. every half hour or hour, and vans leaving starting around 10 a.m. in staggered shifts and returning after 7:30 p.m. Each van would make one trip out of the facility per day. Deliveries would occur seven days a week. This does not conflict with local traffic patterns in the community, said Stephen Maduli-Williams, an Amazon economic development policy manager, at the meeting. The company has faced neighbor complaints about traffic congestion around another of its S.F. facilities. Amazon has three other delivery sites in San Francisco, including two recently opened at nearby 400 23rd St. and 749 Toland St. and an Amazon Fresh facility at 888 Tennessee St., along with major offices that include the headquarters of its subsidiary Twitch. The new project calls for 650,000 square feet of delivery space, including 13,700 square feet of offices, along with a 13,700-square-foot outdoor public open space at the corner of Seventh and Berry streets. The building would include a 2,500-square-foot space that could have a retail or restaurant tenant. Plans arent finalized. The proposal includes 395 rooftop parking spaces, along with solar panels and a green roof, and electric vehicle charging. The project would provide all the parking needed for its vehicles and employees. The project fits within city zoning, which allows production, distribution and repair uses. Its an opportunity to have a new beginning for this site, said Maduli-Williams. Amazon has the opportunity and the willingness to be an amazing partner to the community. The company wants to fund street improvements including adding a bike lane on Berry Street and eliminating curb cuts on Berry and Seventh streets. Asked about the citys housing crisis, Maduli-Williams said the site could not accommodate both the delivery center and affordable housing. He said Amazon was open to other ideas on how to mitigate the citys housing challenges and has invested in affordable housing elsewhere, but hasnt identified any sites in San Francisco. Its certainly something were interested in ... hearing what our community partners have to say about how best to do that, he said. Amazon said it would try to hire locally. It said 67% of around 500 employees at existing San Francisco warehouses live in the city, and 40% of employees are from District 10, which includes the Bayview, Dogpatch, Potrero Hill and Visitacion Valley. The company said it hired an unprecedented 500,000 workers in 2020 as homebound shoppers flocked to online ordering. Amazon plans to hire 150,000 U.S. seasonal employees for the holidays, on top of 125,000 more workers at an average pay of $18 an hour and 40,000 office jobs, which pay far more. But the pandemic boom may be fading. Last month, the company reported slower annual revenue growth of 15% in the third quarter, compared to 37% growth in the third quarter of 2020. Sales are expected to grow between 4% and 12% this quarter, below Wall Street estimates. Air Quality Tracker Check levels down to the neighborhood Ratings for the Bay Area and California, updated every 10 minutes New CEO Andy Jassy said the company expects to have several billion dollars in extra costs this quarter because of a labor shortage, higher worker costs and global supply chain challenges. The company is also facing more regulation, such as Californias newly passed AB701, which restricts warehouse speed quotas, and from federal agencies. Neighbors have also complained about Amazons first San Francisco warehouse, 888 Tennessee St., with traffic congestion and garbage coming out of dumpsters and blowing onto nearby Esprit Park, according to photos reviewed by The Chronicle. A worker in the Amazon Fresh division who worked there sued the company last year over alleged unsanitary working conditions. The suit was later dismissed, with the court deferring to state regulators for a safety inspection, according to court records. An inspection found seven violations including a blocked emergency exit, blocked first aid kit and a lack of fire extinguishers on the second floor, and fines totaled $2,475, according to the states Department of Industrial Relations. The violations were contested in February by Amazon, according to a federal database, and a status conference is scheduled for Nov. 29, according to the Department of Industrial Relations. Amazon had no immediate comment. Over the past year, Amazon has worked closely with Dogpatch stakeholders to listen to their concerns and work towards real solutions that resulted in immediate and positive changes for the surrounding neighborhood, said Natalie Wolfrom, an Amazon spokesperson. For example, to address safety and waste concerns, we increased security and maintenance around 888 Tennessee. We also made operational changes to address traffic and parking challenges. The company plans to build a new pedestrian walkway on 20th Street and a new sidewalk on Minnesota Street and add trash compactors to reduce waste size. Roland Li is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisf The community is mourning the loss of a 23-month-old boy who was killed Sunday afternoon by a stray bullet on Interstate 880 in Oakland while his mother was at the wheel and he slept in his car seat. The victim whose family identified him as Jasper Wu sustained a gunshot wound and was rushed to Oakland Children's Hospital. The California Highway Patrol said Saturday evening that the child later died from the gunshot wound. Community activists held a vigil Monday night in memory of the boy at 6th and Market streets right under the freeway where he died. "This is just too much," Leanne Louie, founder of United Peace Collaborative, told KTVU. "Enough is enough. Everyone's got to stop, step back and look at what's happening to our community right now." Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said the Oakland Police Department and CHP are working together to track down the shooter or shooters involved. "To lose a 23-month-old to gun violence is as heart-wrenching and as sickening as it gets," Schaaf wrote on Twitter. "As a mother and as a mayor, Im devastated by the totality of human loss and trauma caused by gun violence in our society." The Oakland Police Officer's Association said in statement Monday that despite the city's violent crime wave, the department is shrinking in size, losing about 10 officers a month. The city has seen 119 homicides so far this year, compared to 109 in all of last year. Oaklands sad reality has become back-to-back violent tragedies. First, a mass shooting and murder Friday, an innocent toddler murdered on Saturday, followed by another murder that evening. No wonder Oaklands Chamber of Commerce poll found that more than 2 in 3 Oakland voters do not feel safe.* This reality was created by the defund the police majority on the city council, who have abandoned public safety in Oakland. said Oakland Police Officers' Association President Barry Donelan. The California Highway Patrol held a news conference Monday and CHP Capt. Mike Lehman encouraged the public to come forward with any information they have on the shooting. Lehman provided no new information about the incident and declined to answer questions from reporters about it, saying he could not comment on an ongoing investigation. Lehman did not challenge a reporter's statement that there have been 76 shootings recorded on highways in Oakland in the past 12 months, but he insisted the public should feel safe driving on highways in the city. When pressed by that same reporter about why people should feel safe given the statistics, Lehman said, "The reason you should feel safe are the chances of this happening are not high." Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to please call the CHP Investigation Tip Line at (707) 917-4491. Bay City News contributed to this story. Steven Senne/AP Panera is returning to the public markets after four years in private hands. St. Louis-based Panera Brands __ which also owns Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels __ filed initial paperwork Tuesday for an initial public offering of stock. It did not give a date or say how many shares will be offered. The San Francisco royalty that is the Getty family took over their hometown this past weekend for a grand wedding reportedly attended by Gov. Gavin Newsom during his extended public absence that was all sorts of strange. Covered in detail by Vogue, the luxe affair celebrated the nuptials of Ivy Getty, the great-granddaughter of oil tycoon J. Paul Getty, and photographer Tobias Alexander Engel. Here's a recap of the weirdest things that went down, from IV drips to famous bridesmaids. J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press A premier officiant Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a San Francisco native daughter, officiated the wedding. The affair took place at San Francisco City Hall, which was decorated for the occasion with pink and teal Persian rugs. Even the massive rotunda was carpeted. According to Vogue, attendees were asked to put on their masks ahead of Pelosi's appearance. Peter Morrison/Associated Press A celebrity bridesmaid Anya Taylor-Joy, who skyrocketed to superstardom as the lead in "Queen's Gambit," reportedly served as a bridesmaid to Ivy Getty. She apparently led the bridal party in a dance down the aisle to "Miracles Can Happen" (that song from "Princess Diaries," which also takes place in San Francisco), sung by Myra. Jeff Chiu/Associated Press Famous politicians in attendance San Francisco Mayor London Breed and California Gov. Gavin Newsom reportedly attended the nuptials. You can read more about Newsom's appearance at the wedding during a prolonged absence from the public eye here. A dog ring bearer Ivy Getty's Chihuahua rescue, Blue, served as the ring bearer. He was apparently beckoned by none other than Pelosi. IV drips at the Log Cabin After a late-night "mod party" on Friday, per Vogue, the wedding party kicked off Saturday morning with a picnic at the Log Cabin on the Presidio. "IV drips were at the ready for anyone in need of help recovering from the night before," Vogue reports. Horst P. Horst/Conde Nast via Getty Images An unusual theme The wedding was themed in honor of Ivy Getty's grandmother, philanthropist and interior designer Ann Getty, who died in 2020. "The theme of my entire wedding is the house and my grandmother," Ivy Getty told Vogue. Various artworks from Ann Getty's home were incorporated into the invitations and Ivy Getty borrowed jewelry from her grandmother's collection to incorporate into her wedding look. Even Getty's ring included diamonds given to her by her grandmother when the bride was a teenager. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) When the Brothers Osborne take the stage at the CMA Awards on Wednesday, the award-winning duo will have a powerful message for fans who sometimes feel like outsiders an experience that they know all too well. The brothers from Deale, Maryland, opened up in recent months about their private lives and personal struggles, with lead singer TJ coming out publicly as gay and guitarist John talking about his anxiety. The song they will play, Younger Me, is a poignant reminder that it does get better. They are proof of that. The fact that we get to play a song that is so meaningful, particularly to myself, at a country music award show, its one of those things that just kind of transcends the awards itself, money itself, fame, said TJ Osborne. The four-time CMA award-winning duo are up for three awards, including album of the year for Skeletons, the first time theyve been nominated in that category. Even recording their album felt like a series of hurdles to overcome. They had to initially delay recording while John Osborne took time off for therapy to deal his depression and anxiety that had gotten so bad he was seriously reconsidering his musical career. I had to go away. I had to turn my phone off. I had to be away from family, said John Osborne. I had to restart. One thing he learned, and kept learning later when COVID-19 hit, was the world wasnt going to end if he hit the pause button. When they resumed recording, TJ was waylaid by salmonella poisoning, then a tornado struck Nashville in March of 2020, knocking out power to the East Nashville neighborhood where they were recording. By the time they went back to finish the album, the coronavirus pandemic and shutdowns had begun. So there was an element to recording Skeletons that it felt like it was the end of times, you know, said John Osborne. I was like, this might actually be the last record we ever do in our life, and lets record it as if it is. And it still feels like that to me. We threw all of our chips on the table. While TJ Osborne was open about his sexuality with his close friends and family, doubts kept him from deciding on when to publicly announce it. Other country artists waited years to publicly come out, such as Chely Wright and later on Ty Herndon, citing concerns about the effect it might have on their careers. While there are many other openly gay artists and songwriters currently working in country music, including Brandi Carlile, Brandy Clark, Brooke Eden, Shane McAnally and Lily Rose, Osborne is one of the most prominent. Country music is a beautiful genre, said John Osborne. But there has been this kind of undercurrent of theres a vault and only certain people are allowed in. However, when you go to shows, you see people of all walks of life enjoying it. TJ Osbornes decision to come out publicly also led them to address the divisive political conversations about LGBTQ issues, especially in Tennessee. Tennessee leads the country in enacting new laws that target transgender people, including banning transgender athletes from playing girls' public school sports. When a state lawmaker blocked a proposed state resolution to honor TJ Osborne earlier this year, they met with Republican state Rep. Jeremy Faison over lunch to talk. It kind of gave the message that maybe people that are gay or LGBTQ really, truly still arent that accepted in this state, TJ Osborne said. And while that may be true in certain areas of our state, I dont feel like it is in Nashville, and I think it is a very accepting city here. After the resolution was blocked, Brothers Osborne released their music video for Younger Me using the steps of the state capitol building as the backdrop. The black-and-white video, which is nominated for music video of the year at the CMAs, features the band and several young people singing along to the lyrics. The Brothers Osborne wanted others to see a different message coming from the capitol building one of inclusivity and acceptance. There still is this other big movement here of people... who are accepting and will speak up and will be there for you with open arms, TJ Osborne said. And youre not alone. Online: https://www.brothersosborne.com/ __ Follow Kristin M. Hall at https://twitter.com/kmhall __ This story has been updated to correct the spelling of TJ Osborne's first name with no periods. Evan Agostini/Evan Agostini/Invision/AP LOS ANGELES (AP) Rapper and fashion mogul Ye's high-end clothing company Yeezy agreed Monday to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by four California district attorneys over slow shipping to customers. The suit brought last month by the district attorneys of Los Angeles, Sonoma, Napa and Alameda counties alleged that Yeezy had engaged in false advertising about its shipping and had violated state law by failing to send online orders within 30 days. NYSD G. / Yelp Blue Bottle Coffee has shut down its original Oakland location at 300 Webster St. after 11 years, as first reported by the San Francisco Chronicle (SFGATE and the San Francisco Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another). In cooperation with our landlord we have closed our Webster cafe," Blue Bottle CEO Karl Strovink said in a statement to SFGATE. "We appreciate our landlord allowing us to operate month to month until a successor tenant for the entire building was identified." When fans of Jerry Garcia think of their musical hero, its with a guitar in his hands, not a scuba tank on his back. But for the last decade or so of his life, his favorite vacation was to slip into a wet suit and go diving in Hawaii. The Aloha State offered Garcia more than just a respite from the cares of his high-pressure world: Hawaii was a place where he could explore a different world, and it left an indelible mark on him that he talked about in interviews and expressed in his art. A sign of that came early, when the Grateful Dead paid their first visit to the Big Island in January 1970. The band played Honolulu Civic Auditorium three times on that trip and liked it so much that they returned in June for another two shows. Those went so well that a local promoter booked them for another three nights in July. Those were cancelled, however, leaving another whiff of what might have been, just like the famous poster artist Rick Griffin created for one of the band's earlier appearances in the islands, also cancelled at the last minute. Griffins image, which revisited his iconic cover for their 1969 album Aoxomoxoa, is one of most prized by collectors today. It took sixteen years for Garcia to return, but when he did, it was not to work. In 1986, after a coma almost took his life, he struggled to relearn the guitar. After a grueling regimen returned him to form, his friend and longtime roadie Steve Parish suggested they spend some time in Kauai, the perfect place for a troubled soul to find some peace, and to reconnect with family and friends, as Parish put it. They spent a few blissful weeks there, with their families and band lyricist Robert Hunter and his wife Maureen. Curiosity was one of Garcias greatest traits, and he fell in love with the majestic scenery and rugged landscape of Kauai, but the trip also opened up whole new vistas for him under the sea. Parish had his scuba certification and cajoled Garcia, never an athlete, into making a dive. He was enchanted. This is a sport I can do, he said afterwards, telling Parish, I want to learn more. That was the start of a fascination that would become a central theme in the last decade of Garcias life. Hawaii has always appealed to explorers, and Garcias life was always about exploration, so its no wonder that his time in the islands tapped the deepest wellsprings of his art. Its like going to a different world, he said in 1992. Youre in a different place. Its very sensual. Theres lots of new information there, a lot of levels, a lot of things to think about. As Garcia spent more time on his visual art in the 1980s and 90s, underwater scenes and fish motifs decorated his paintings and drawings. Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann became one of Garcias principal dive partners, and like Garcia, he transformed his underwater experience into art, hosting gallery exhibitions of his work and becoming an ardent spokesperson for preserving the fragile ecosystems of the islands. Kreutzmann connected their dives to the bands well-known genesis in Ken Keseys Acid Tests, calling them our new drug. In his view, the world beneath the waves was as psychedelic and far-out as anything we had seen during the Acid Test, or at Woodstock. Garcia agreed. Its a living theater of psychedelia, he told his daughter Annabelle, just incredibly beautiful. Bandmate Bob Weir would also get his scuba certification, making diving even more of a Grateful Dead adventure. Diving was only part of the inspiration that the islands provided. When Garcia wanted to rekindle his love life or reconnect with his muse, Hawaii did both: In January 1993, Garcia spent time diving in Maui and the Big Island, renewing his old relationship with Barbara Meier and writing several new songs with Hunter, all vital additions to the bands repertoire that helped define the Deads final achievement. Hawaii also served as an important escape from the Deads overwhelming fame. When they were there, even Parish, who also managed Garcias solo band, could relax and retreat from the mentality of a manager, as he put it. When fans saw the burly guitarist in a wetsuit at Jacks Diving Locker in Kona, the setting meant they talked about diving, not music. There were exceptions, like when an instructor on a dive swam up to Garcia and thrust a waterproof pad at him, asking for his autograph. That was rare, though. For a musician dedicated to artistic exploration, Hawaii was liberating and fans can thank Hawaii for providing some of his last great inspirations. I do things I never would have believed I was capable of doing, Garcia enthused about his underwater adventures. His music and our ears are the richer for it. Nicholas G. Meriwether is the executive director of the Grateful Dead Studies Association. His work on the band and the counterculture has appeared in a wide variety of scholarly and popular publications, and he serves as a consultant for a range of cultural heritage organizations. Coming out of a one-two-punch of the pandemic and a breakup with his boyfriend of 1.5 years, Kyle Keyser was feeling restless and unhappy. He decided to do something drastic. He printed out rebound wanted brochures and started distributing them around town, as first reported by Broke-Ass Stuart. "After just feeling like st for a long time, I just decided that I wanted to stop feeling like st," said the San Francisco man. Hed had an email sitting in his drafts for weeks, where hed been writing a manifesto of everything he desired in a future partner. Courtesy of Kyle Keyser "I was sitting on the Bay Bridge in traffic, and it just hit me that I should put this out there," said Keyser. "I didnt know what that meant at the time, except that I should make this a physical thing, and that was kind of how it was born." What started with a taped-together trifold he showed to a friend for a laugh grew into a very detailed brochure he began leaving copies of wherever he went: restaurants and bars around the Mission, dispensaries in the Castro, grocery stores, waiting rooms, airplanes and even ATM machines. What he is looking for is very specific a mutually agreeable rebound with real low stakes who will travel, work remote, realize our creative projects, and give us both something to focus on in these annoyingly trying times, writes Keyser, who is currently in graduate school for screenwriting. But at the same time, his criteria is also very broad his future rebound can live anywhere, even internationally, as Keyser is a seasonal employee with an airline and can travel anywhere. I wanted to keep it super low pressure, explained Keyser. ...Lets have all the trappings of intimacy and friendship and partnership but with an understanding that this is random as fk, and the timing is awfully strange. But if you're willing to take a chance, Im willing to take a chance. Courtesy of Kyle Keyser Printing out photos of his face and leaving them around San Francisco wasnt the scary part for Keyser it was taking the search to social media. You can now apply to be Keysers rebound on his very own website, and he is also chronicling his search on TikTok. Hes even started sending the brochures to Tinder and Grindr matches. "I was passing out the brochures a good three or four weeks before I made the jump to social because I was terrified of putting it out there in a bigger way," he explained. "Its a fun thing, but it is still a vulnerable thing." Now that Rebound Wanted is all over the internet, some might see it as a social media stunt designed purely to get followers. This is an assumption that Keyser understands but immediately dismisses. "Im trying to be transparent with my history and who I am, and I try to be genuine in the approach," he said. "It is a stunt in a sense, but it is not without an authentic and genuine starting point. Some people are going to like that, and some people arent going to like it. And thats fine." He admits that the project has the benefit of being fulfilling for him creatively, but at its heart is a real desire to meet someone or at the very least, get his mind off his breakup. "In some ways, Ive already succeeded on one level, because I have created a little passion project that has swelled like a balloon in my soul," said Keyser. "Its pushed aside...a depressive cycle, its pushed aside thoughts of breakup. So in that sense, Ive succeeded at feeling better and doing something fun and creative. The bonus is I meet great people and talk to them, which I love to do." Hes already received some responses, from a person on Grindr who was so intrigued by the brochure he wanted to talk on the phone immediately, to old friends who took the brochure as a chance to reconnect. A FedEx employee helping him with an order of brochures even promised him shed pass it along to her friends. Courtesy of Kyle Keyser "I got a very long email from a very well-educated and super interesting woman, and her life story was fascinating," said Keyser. "I was like well, youre not exactly my demographic, but I am so happy to know you." While he hasnt met up with anyone in person yet, he thinks hell know when the time is right to do so. "Every word on that brochure is genuine... When the eligible bachelor is giving me that in return, Im going to be able to sense that this is a good opportunity, a good person," said Keyser. "So this brochure, it isnt written for everyone really, its written for one person, or maybe three people. And when those people see it, hopefully, they respond and take a chance." After all, as Keyser says his own mother encouraged him, fortune favors the bold. SULLIVAN, Ind. (AP) Two western Indiana men arrested last June in connection with the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old girl have now been charged with murder in her death. Sullivan County prosecutors charged Matthew Todd Earle, 23, of Terre Haute, and Kyle Ray Johnson, 21, of Coal City, on Monday with murder, attempted murder, carrying a handgun without a license and pointing a firearm. Both are in custody and will be held without bond on the charges, the Tribune-Star reported. Earle and Johnson were originally charged in June with criminal recklessness and obstruction of justice in the June 10 shooting death of 15-year-old Mezmariah L. Wilson of Shelburn. Wilson, a student at Terre Haute South Vigo High School, died at an Indianapolis hospital after being shot in the upper body. State police said the shooting occurred in the small western Indiana town of Carlisle as two groups had gathered near an intersection, reportedly to witness a fight. Earle told investigators he and Johnson were asked to assist with the fight, according to supplemental probable cause affidavits filed Monday. He told police he fired five rounds from his weapon into the ground, while Johnson fired about 15 rounds toward a group of people. Surveillance video from the area showed the suspects later identified as Earle and Johnson shooting firearms at the time of the gathering in Carlisle, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) south of Terre Haute. JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) A divided Alaska Redistricting Board voted Tuesday on House district pairings for Senate seats for the Anchorage area that one member said would leave open the board to an unfortunate and very easily winnable argument of partisan gerrymandering. Board member Nicole Borromeo said she opposed pairing part of Anchorage's Muldoon area with an Eagle River district on those grounds. She requested the five-member board reconsider its 3-2 vote to finalize Senate pairings for the Anchorage area, which included plans to split the conservative Eagle River area into two Senate seats. The board voted 3-2 against reconsidering. The board late Tuesday released a revised map that board staff said included some changed numbers for House districts. The board is charged with rewriting Alaska's political boundaries following the U.S. Census, conducted every 10 years. The board aims to finish its work by Wednesday. The overall plan, once finalized, can be challenged in court. Tuesday's actions followed pointed exchanges on proposed maps for the area Monday and extended executive sessions. Board member Melanie Bahnke had proposed pairing two Eagle River-area House districts to make a Senate seat and pairing two House districts that comprise the Muldoon area for a Senate seat. Member Bethany Marcum proposed pairing an Eagle River House district with an Anchorage district that includes a military base and another Eagle River district with one of the Muldoon districts. Marcum had argued there were strong ties between the base and Eagle River and socio-economic ties between Muldoon and Eagle River. Voting with Marcum on Tuesday were members Budd Simpson and John Binkley. Marcum and Simpson were appointed to the board last year by Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy; Binkley was appointed by then-Senate President Cathy Giessel, a Republican. Borromeo was appointed by then-House Speaker Bryce Edgmon, an independent, and Bahnke by then-Alaska Supreme Court Chief Justice Joel Bolger. Borromeo said Tuesday she did not believe that the arguments Marcum had made and the sound, sound legal advice that we got from counsel in executive session supports this pairing" of the Muldoon area and Eagle River districts. It defies logic that we would do a minority reach-in to south Muldoon and pair it with a very white district 8 miles away on highway that crosses one mountain range and expect the court to believe with any satisfaction that we have satisfied the public trust in the process, she said. Binkley later cautioned Borromeo against attacking Marcum as Borromeo sought to continue what she was saying. Be careful, please, Binkley told Borromeo during a tense exchange. I am being careful, and you know what? She should have been careful when she exposed this board to liability yesterday, Borromeo said. Marcum did not get involved in the discussion, which took place as the board was meeting in Anchorage. Bahnke, in remarks, described what transpired as a surprise. I thought that we had achieved consensus. I will accept the outcome, for now, she said. She said the pairings she had proposed eliminated questions around dilutions of minority voters' ability to elect somebody into office. She said the board's actions would have the effect of stifling the voices of voters in the Muldoon area, which she described as racially diverse. Eagle River currently has one senator, Republican Lora Reinbold. ___ This story was corrected to remove a reference to muzzling and paraphrase a quote by Melanie Bahnke. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The African Unions envoy for the Horn of Africa warned Monday that there is a short window of opportunity and little time to reverse the crisis in northern Ethiopia which has drastically deteriorated in recent weeks amid an escalating offensive by Tigray forces against the government. Olusegun Obasanjo told the U.N. Security Council that after talks with Ethiopias president and prime minister, and the presidents of the Tigray and Oromo regions whose forces are fighting government troops, he can say that they all agree individually that the differences between them are political and require political solution through dialogue. The former Nigerian president, who briefed the U.N.s most powerful body from Ethiopias capital Addis Ababa, said he will visit Tigrays neighboring Amhara and Afar regions on Tuesday to harmonize the views of leaders in the area on the withdrawal of the troops from regions that are not theirs, and also in maintaining humanitarian access. Before the end of this week, Obasanjo said, we hope to have a program in hand that will indicate how we can get the humanitarian and the withdrawal of troops all together to meet the ... immediate demand of the stakeholders on both sides of the conflict. Obasanjo and U.S. envoy Jeffrey Feltman have been holding urgent talks in search of a cease-fire in the year-old war that has killed thousands. Feltman returned to Ethiopia from Kenya on Monday and U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price also said we believe there is a small window of opening to work with Obasanjo to further joint efforts to peacefully resolve the conflict. He said Feltman will meet the AU high representative Tuesday night in Addis Ababa, and reiterated American concerns about the risk of inter-communal violence. 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, Ethiopian soldiers fled the Tigray capital, Mekele, in June. Facing the current offensive by Tigray forces who are approaching Addis Ababa to press Ahmed to step aside, the prime minister declared a national state of emergency with sweeping detention powers last Tuesday. The Tigray forces are also 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. No aid trucks have reached Mekele since Oct. 18 amid continued airstrikes, and 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. Obasanjo called on the Security Council to strongly urge the Ethiopian government and the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front to engage in political dialogue without any preconditions and to call for an immediate cease-fire, unhindered humanitarian access, and an immediate start to an all-inclusive nationwide dialogue and reconciliation. U.N. political chief Rosemary DiCarlo, who also briefed the U.N.s most powerful body, said the conflict in Tigray has reached disastrous proportions and the fighting places the future of the country and its people, as well as the stability of the wider Horn of Africa region, in grave uncertainty. In addition to Tigrayan forces advancing south toward the capital Addis Ababa, in coordination with the Oromo Liberation Army, she said insecurity in the Oromia region continues to worsen and the situation in parts of the Benishangul-Gumuz region remains tense. In a country of over 110 million people, over 90 different ethnic groups and 80 languages, no one can predict what continued fighting and insecurity will bring, DiCarlo said. But let me clear: What is certain is that the risk of Ethiopia descending into widening civil war is only too real." That would bring about a humanitarian catastrophe and consume the future of such an important country, DiCarlo warned. U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield denied that the U.S. is supporting one side in the conflict, saying we condemn all violence by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces and by Tigrayan forces and their supporters. The unity and integrity of the Ethiopian state faces an existential threat from within. And millions of innocent civilians are at risk as the conflict expands and warring parties advance toward Addis Ababa, she warned. This war between angry, belligerent men victimizing women and children must stop," Thomas-Greenfield said, I urge all parties all parties in the strongest possible terms, to back away from the brink and lead their people toward peace," ___ Matthew Lee contributed to this report from Washington BALTIMORE (AP) Baltimore police have charged a man in connection with two shootings about 35 minutes and five miles apart. According to police, surveillance video footage and witnesses point to Shawn Brewton, 51, shooting Santiago Loyal, 41, on Aug. 11, in front of a vacant home in East Baltimore, The Baltimore Sun reported. LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Biden administration's requirement that many private-sector workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or, if their employers allow it, get tested weekly also applies to many of the roughly 586,000 government employees in Michigan. That is because Michigan is one of 26 states to operate and enforce workplace safety rules instead of the U.S. government. Federal law requires those states with Occupational Safety and Health Administration-approved plans to cover state and local government workers, including school employees. Coverage of the public-sector employees in state plans like Michigan is one of the great advantages of having a state plan. In federal OSHA states, the public-sector employees do not have any OSHA protection, said Jason Moon, a spokesman for the state Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Michigan's private and public employers with 100 or more workers must require them to get fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. Employers can instead adopt a policy mandating employees to either get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. Unvaccinated workers also must wear masks starting no later than Dec. 5. Our members, by and large, have seen that it is not exactly a vaccine mandate. So they're looking to what the testing protocols might look like for employees that opt out and things like that, said Peter Spadafore, deputy executive director for external relations at the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators. But we know at the association that the science points us toward vaccination and testing and masking being some of most effective tools to prevent the spread. A federal appeals court over the weekend paused the regulation from taking effect. The White House has expressed confidence that it can withstand legal challenges. Michigan business groups that oppose the mandate said Tuesday they will help companies prepare to comply because the deadlines are nearing and it is unclear what will happen in the courts. Most businesses seem likely to pick the vaccinate-or-test option instead of mandating immunizations, officials from the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and other organizations said. The testing requirement covers employees who are in the workplace at least once a week. If the employee decides they're leaving their job rather than getting vaccinated, they are very fearful that they won't be able to find somebody to replace that person, said Michael Tierney, president of the Community Bankers of Michigan, citing a labor shortage. The groups criticized the requirement as burdensome, said it could lead to increased vaccine hesitancy and questioned the timing. The hospitality and retail sectors are entering their busiest period of the year at a time of supply-chain disruptions in the economy, said Michigan Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rich Studley. The timing of implementing this rule really couldn't be worse, he said. The White House said Monday that the mandate is about keeping people safe amid a pandemic that has killed more than 755,000 people in the U.S. We believe that in order to get this pandemic behind us, we need to get more people vaccinated, and this is a way to do that, spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said. We see vaccination requirements work. It's important to keep people safe in their workplace. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 ISTANBUL (AP) Rescue workers in Turkey were searching for people trapped under the rubble of a building that collapsed Tuesday in eastern Turkey. The governor of Malatya province, Aydin Barus, said 15 people were thought to be in the two-story building at the time of the collapse in the city of Malatya but he could not give an exact number for those who remained trapped. He said rescue workers had heard from one person under the rubble and were trying to reach him or her. SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) Bulgaria had 334 COVID-19 patients die in a single day in its count Tuesday, the country's highest daily toll since the start of the pandemic. Bulgarian health authorities also reported 5,286 newly confirmed cases of coronavirus over the past 24 hours. It has 8,516 COVID-19 patients who are hospitalized, 723 of them in intensive care. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A police officer who was placed on leave for missing the city of San Franciscos deadline to be inoculated has died after being stricken by COVID-19, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Officer Jack Nyce, 46, tested positive on Nov. 2 and died Saturday at a hospital in Manteca, his wife, Melissa Nyce, told the newspaper Monday. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Alabamians can now get limited quantities of beer, wine and spirits delivered to their homes after the first companies have gotten licensed. Alabama lawmakers this year approved separate bills to allow alcohol deliveries from retailers to a persons home and to allow wineries to ship directly to consumers in the state. Several companies have gotten licensed to deliver the alcoholic beverages or to ship wine, according to the Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. The ABC Licensing Division has several other pending applications for both alcohol delivery and wine shipment, spokesman Daniel Dye wrote in an email. As of Monday, four companies have so far gotten licensed to deliver alcoholic beverages. Those companies are Shipt, Dippi, Pick Up My Things and Deerfoot Spirits. Five companies have gotten licensed to ship wine directly to consumers in Alabama. Those companies are Penrose Hill Winery, James Cole Winery, Winecub, Truth Teller and Robert Young. Alcohol delivery may not yet be available everywhere as companies ramp up operations. Shipt announced last week that it is doing same-day delivery of beer and wine from Target. The company said it is working to expand delivery from additional retailers. Were thrilled to bring alcohol delivery to Shipts home state just in time for the holiday season, Rina Hurst, chief business officer for Shipt, said in a press release. Lawmakers approved the wine shipment bill after years of debate. One year, legislators set up a study commission to research the issues of wine delivery after the measure could not win passage. LANCASTER, N.H. (AP) Prosecutors in the case of a truck driver who's charged with causing the deaths of seven motorcyclists in northern New Hampshire in 2019 called several witnesses Tuesday to set up a timeline of the truck-tractor trailer's path before the crash, but the defense questioned the accounts and said the testimony didn't prove it was the same vehicle. Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, 25, of West Springfield, Massachusetts, is scheduled to face trial on Nov. 29 on multiple counts of negligent homicide, manslaughter, driving under the influence and reckless conduct stemming from the crash that happened in Randolph on June 21, 2019. He pleaded not guilty. HELENA, Mont. (AP) A new map dividing Montana into two congressional districts for the first time in decades was finalized Tuesday, triggering disappointment from Democrats who hoped to craft a different western district that would give them a better chance of winning in an increasingly Republican-dominated state. 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 cities 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. In a bitterly disputed process that played out over several months, Democrats managed to keep liberal college towns Missoula and Bozeman in the western district, but lost the state capital of Helena to the solidly red eastern district. The final map was proposed by Republicans on the bipartisan redistricting commission and selected by nonpartisan chair Maylinn Smith after Republicans and Democrats could not come to an agreement on how to draw a second congressional district. Defending her choice, Smith said she believed the right Democratic candidate could win in the western district under the selected map crafted by Republicans basing that assessment on past voting data that showed that statewide congressional Democratic candidates would have won 25% of the time in the western district. That data is drawn from voting records for the state's two U.S. Senate seats and the lone U.S. House seat between 2012 and 2020. But political scientist Jeremy Johnson said that politics in Montana and across the country are shifting, and that more recent elections, including the 2020 election when Trump won the state by 16 points and all statewide Democratic candidates were routed, are a more accurate representation of whats to come in the next decade. The Trump vote is probably a better predictor for future partisanship in Montana, than looking at some of these earlier elections when ticket splitting is more common, said Johnson, a political science professor at Carroll College in Helena. Weve seen in Montana and across the United States that ticket splitting is much less common and theres a lot more straight ticket voting." Johnson said he was surprised by Smiths decision to favor the map put forward by Republicans over the one proposed by Democrats, which would have kept Democrat-leaning Helena in a western district and carved out conservative Kalispell to the east. That proposal would have created a more competitive district in the west that favored neither Democrats nor Republicans and would have forced candidates on both sides of the aisle to campaign more vigorously to win moderates and centrists in order to secure a victory. Dan Stusek, a Republican who was one of five members on the redistricting commission, said he was pleasantly surprised that Smith chose a map he proposed along with fellow Republican commissioner Jeff Essmann, a former chair of the state Republican Party. Stusek, who has worked for Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, agreed with Smith that a Democrat could still win in the western district, which includes fast growing towns Bozeman, Missoula and Kalispell. All three are quickly filling with craft beer drinkers, remote workers and California transplants, but while the first two cities favor Democrats, the latter is solidly Republican. Unlike Johnson, Stusek believes that the 2020 election result was an outlier, rather than a harbinger for what's to come. The coming decade, he says, will bring increased competition between Democrats and Republicans in western Montana driven by the growing population of liberal towns. Itll be a dogfight from here on out, he said. I dont think were in an alternate universe based on 2020. The effects of the new district lines will play out next year. The race for the new western U.S. House district already has four Democratic candidates and three Republicans, with a primary to be held in June 2022. The Democratic field includes former state lawmaker Tom Winter, state Rep. Laurie Bishop, public health professional Cora Neumann and lawyer Monica Tranel. Bishop is the only candidate whose home in Livingston 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Bozeman is now officially outside the boundaries of the district in which she is running. She was quick to express her disappointment in the new map, saying the commission played politics by separating clear communities of interest and failing to take competitiveness into account in creating this district." The Republican field includes pastor Mary Todd, former state lawmaker Al Olszewski and former U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, who leads the field in fundraising by a wide margin, according to campaign reports released last month. Johnson said that in order for a Democrat to prevail in the western district, it has to be someone who comes across as authentic and somehow connects with Montanans." Kendra Miller, a Democrat on the redistricting commission who fought against the Republican-proposed map, said the new district simply isn't fair to Democrats. The idea that Democrats have to come up with some sort of unicorn candidate ... and the Republicans can run essentially an extremist and still win the seat that's not a competitive district in my mind," Miller said. ___ 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. WINTHROP, Iowa (AP) A 12-year-old girl was killed when the utility vehicle she was driving in northeastern Iowa overturned and pinned her, sheriffs officials said. The crash happened Sunday evening in Buchanan County southeast of Winthrop, sheriffs deputies said. Investigators said the girl was driving a Polaris Ranger UTV and carrying a passenger when she lost control on a county road and rolled over into a ditch. The girl was pinned under the UTV, deputies said. MESA, Ariz. (AP) A high school in Mesa was put on lockdown after a former employee threatened to shoot a janitor, according to authorities. Mesa police said the Eastmark High school resource officer learned that a former cafeteria worker verbally threatened to shoot the janitor in the parking lot Monday. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe testified Tuesday that a recent audit of the 2020 presidential election in the state from the nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau contains a handful of errors that will need to be corrected. Addressing lawmakers for the first time since the release of the report, Wolfe told the Joint Legislative Audit Bureau that many of the report's inaccuracies could have been addressed before it was released in late October. Wolfe said the bureau decided to publish it without giving the agency or its staff a chance to respond. I do think that we should all want this to be an accurate record of the election, Wolfe said. Wolfe said a section of the report pertaining to information the agency obtains through the nonprofit Electronic Registration Information Center, which flags voters who may have moved, contained numerous inaccuracies. She said the report implies that the state missed several opportunities to obtain such data, but noted the numbers are only available during specific periods, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. Wolfe and the six-member bipartisan commission have come under attack from Republicans who have alleged a handful of cases of voter fraud in Racine County and have questioned the commissions conclusion that there was no widespread fraud in the 2020 election that would have affected its outcome. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos has called for Wolfes resignation. The bureau's report also did not identify any widespread fraud in the battleground state, but made dozens of recommendations on how the state might improve its elections. Wolfes testimony on Tuesday was not representative of the six-member commission. Republican Rep. John Macco called it "insulting. I just find the whole thing a joke today and youve done nothing to allay my concerns, Macco said. State auditor Joe Chrisman said the Legislative Audit Bureau will take into account Wolfes testimony and any formal response from the commission to determine next steps or updates to the report. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of more than 50 elections officials is rallying behind Wolfe. They sent a letter Monday to Vos attributing much of the success of Wisconsin elections to Wolfe's leadership. The letter was organized by the nonpartisan Center for Election Innovation and Research. "Year after year, Wisconsin election officials deliver accurate, secure, and accessible elections that give voice to the citizens of the state, the letter reads. A third former priest has been indicted in Rhode Island as part of the state attorney general's ongoing review of allegations of sexual abuse by clergy. Attorney General Peter Neronha said Tuesday that a grand jury had returned an 11-count indictment charging a former priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, 81-year-old James Silva, with sexually assaulting a male victim under the age of 14 between 1989 and 1990, following an investigation by his office and the Rhode Island State Police. Silva faces two counts of first-degree child molestation and nine counts of second-degree child molestation. He was interim director and assistant director at the Office of Ministerial Formation within the Providence Diocese from 1986 until 1991. The diocese said in a statement Tuesday that Silva was removed from the ministry nearly 30 years ago and included on its list of credibly accused clergy. It says it remains committed to fully cooperating with law enforcement. Silva does not yet have an attorney who could comment on his behalf. Court records indicate that he plans to hire James McCormick, but McCormick said Tuesday that he had not heard from Silva. Former Woonsocket priest John Petrocelli was indicted in November 2020 on multiple counts of child molestation and former Smithfield Priest Edward Kelley was indicted in May on multiple counts of sexual assault. Both cases are pending in Superior Court. Rhode Island is one of the most heavily Catholic U.S. states. Neronha launched the review of allegations of sexual abuse shortly after taking office in 2019 to figure out what happened, what the response was and whether anyone can be held responsible. In July 2019, the diocese released a list of 50 clerics, religious order priests and deacons it deems to have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children, dating to 1950. Silva was on the list. Shortly after, the diocese voluntarily agreed to a new memorandum of understanding to give the attorney general and the State Police access to all complaints since 1950, whether deemed credible by the diocese or not. Neronha said Tuesday that his investigation remains active and ongoing. Silva was removed from the ministry in 1993 and pleaded guilty two years later to sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man. He received a seven-year suspended sentence and was a defendant in multiple lawsuits. Silvas attorney said then that the priest agreed to the plea bargain to avoid jail. Silva was being held at the Adult Correctional Institutions as of Tuesday. Bail was set at $50,000 with surety and the court ordered Silva not to have contact with the alleged victim or any children. A hearing is planned for Nov. 22 to determine his attorney. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) School districts could set their own training requirements for armed employees under Republican legislation arising from a court battle over one district's reaction to a school shooting. The legislation pending in the GOP-controlled House Criminal Justice Committee would set a minimum of 20 hours of training on top of what's needed to obtain a concealed weapons permit, but would allow districts to opt for more. The bill is meant to override a state Supreme Court ruling earlier this year, which interpreted current Ohio law to require that armed teachers would need the same training as police, amounting to hundreds of hours. That would put the practice out of reach of almost all districts because of the time and expense. At least 10 other states have laws allowing school personnel to be armed, including Texas, which expanded the practice in 2019 after a 2018 school shooting, and Florida, which also allowed districts to add more armed employees in 2019 following the Parkland massacre a year earlier. WHAT LED TO THE DEBATE IN OHIO? In February 2016, a 14-year-old boy opened fire on fellow students at a school cafeteria in southwestern Ohio. The teen pleaded guilty later that year to four attempted murder counts and one count of inducing panic. A judge ordered him held in juvenile detention until he turns 21, when he will be free if he stays out of trouble. Two years later, the Madison Local School District board voted to allow teachers and staff who received 24 hours of one-time concealed weapons training to carry firearms. A group of parents then sued the district to prevent teachers from being armed without extensive training, equivalent to what a police officer undergoes. WHAT DID THE COURTS SAY? A Butler County judge dismissed the lawsuit, saying that school staffers did not need such training because they are not law enforcement officers. The parents appealed to the 12th District Court of Appeals, which ruled that current Ohio law requires anyone who carries firearms in schools to have undergone a minimum of 728 hours of law enforcement training, the same as certified Ohio police officers. The district appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court, which sided with the parents in June in a divided decision. Nothing in Ohio law as it stands allows districts to circumvent the law's training requirement, Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor wrote for the four-justice majority. The weapons training legislation was introduced by Rep. Thomas Hall, a Republican whose district includes Madison Local Schools, in response to the various court rulings. WHAT DOES THE LEGISLATION DO? Under the bill, armed school employees would need to take the eight hours of training required for a concealed weapons permit under Ohio law, then take 18 additional general hours of training and two hours of handgun training. The general training is defined only as instruction making an individual qualified to serve as a person authorized to go armed within a school safety zone." Employees would also have to complete two additional hours of general training and two hours of handgun training each year. The current version of the bill lays out specific gun training goals that a prospective armed employee must meet, including, take flanking step while drawing and fire two rounds into the preferred area of the torso and then one round into the head circle. WHO SUPPORTS THE BILL? Nearly all submitted and in-person testimony opposes the measure. But the legislation has support from gun control groups such as the Buckeye Firearms Association, along with a handful of local law enforcement agencies and school districts. One of those is Edgerton Local Schools in rural Williams County in northwestern Ohio, which in 2010 authorized a history teacher to go armed. The district of 600 students later trained a small group of armed volunteer staff members following the 2012 Sandy Hook massacre and the interruption of a 2013 school-shooting plot at Edgerton that included a plan to first shoot the high school's lone armed teacher. Edgerton's armed staffers underwent nearly 60 hours of training and were required to receive an additional eight hours of annual training, both well above what the proposed legislation would mandate. The Supreme Court ruling ended the program and the district is now back to one armed teacher who is also a certified police officer. Local school boards should be able to set training levels that meet their needs, said Edgerton superintendent Kermit Riehle, a bill supporter. For Edgerton, having armed employees is a priority, especially in a rural setting where a school shooting would likely be over before police could arrive, he said. This is the best scenario for us to protect our kids if and when that would ever happen we pray that it never does, Riehle said. WHO OPPOSES THE MEASURE? Multiple gun control groups including Moms Demand Action oppose the legislation, saying money is better spent on intervention programs for troubled youth and preventing students from getting access to guns in the first place. Many police organizations also oppose the bill, including the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, saying the training is inadequate and could create dangerous situations involving undertrained employees making split-second decisions as they confront armed individuals. Veteran Columbus police officer Bob Meader told the House Justice Committee his story of responding to a non-emergency call in 1995 regarding a stolen license plate, only to come face to face with a young man holding a rifle. Meader was prepared to fire when the teen obeyed commands to drop the weapon. Would you want a school official with this scant training to make that same decision in that same moment? said Meader, a police commander who said he was testifying on his and not the agency's behalf. Meader said he advocates letting the state police training commission be in charge of setting rules for armed school employees. FARGO, N.D. (AP) A Fargo woman has been sentenced to serve seven years in prison for fatally stabbing her boyfriend. Thirty-four-year-old Terin Stately had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter in an agreement with prosecutors after she was initially charged with murder. Security camera footage, shell casings and a small but distinctive tattoo played pivotal roles in the arrest of a man suspected in at least six killings over the past two months in the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office on Tuesday charged Perez Deshay Reed in the shooting deaths of two people in the city in September. Reed was charged Saturday in two other fatal shootings in September in St. Louis County. He is also suspected of killing two people in Kansas City, Kansas, and the FBI has labeled him a suspected serial killer. Reed, who turns 26 years old Wednesday, remained jailed on $2 million bond Tuesday and didn't yet have an attorney. Surveillance video in Kansas helped lead to Reed's arrest. Images captured by the cameras showed the distinctive crescent moon-shaped tattoo on Reed's forehead. Another key factor was evidence left behind at each of the St. Louis-area shootings. The commonality among them were handgun casings, Rich Quinn, special agent in charge of the FBI office in St. Louis, said. We knew they came from the same handgun. Reed is charged in the St. Louis County killings of 16-year-old Marnay Haynes on Sept. 13 and 40-year-old Lester Robinson on Sept. 26. In the city of St. Louis, he is suspected in the killings of 49-year-old Pamela Abercrombie on Sept. 16 and a 24-year-old man, Carey Ross, on Sept. 19. All four victims were shot in the head. His capture followed the killing of a man and a woman at a Kansas City, Kansas, apartment complex. Surveillance video showed Reed entering Damon Irvin's apartment on Oct. 28. Police found Irvin, 35, fatally shot in the apartment on Nov. 1, according to an FBI affidavit. Reed and 25-year-old Rau'Daja Fairrow entered the same apartment complex on the night of Oct. 29 and Reed left 15 minutes later, according to the affidavit. Fairrow's nude body was found Nov. 2 in her apartment. The FBI said Reed showed his driver's license to enter the building, and the surveillance video showed his forehead tattoo. Officers began tailing Reed and were watching Friday as he boarded a St. Louis-bound Amtrak train that left Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri. But instead of riding to St. Louis, Reed got off at the first stop in the Kansas City suburb of Independence, Missouri, the FBI said. Officers conducting surveillance from aboard the train arrested Reed as he boarded a bus. He was allegedly carrying a .40-caliber handgun that investigators believe he used in the St. Louis-area shootings. During an interview with police, Reed denied that he hurt anyone, according to the affidavit. Investigators havent ruled out the possibility that Reed committed additional crimes. St. Louis County Lt. Craig Longworth said there was no known connection between the victims. These seemed to be random acts, he said. Reed has connections to the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. He began living with a cousin in St. Louis County in 2004 when he was 8 years old, and she later became his legal guardian when his parents were deemed unwilling, unable and unfit to care for him, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. He was charged with misdemeanor assault in St. Louis County in 2019, though that case hasn't gone to trial. He had no known history of felony charges. Reed married in Jackson County, which includes some of Kansas City, Missouri, in June of 2019. His wife filed for divorce in July and a hearing in the divorce case is scheduled for Dec. 2. The Wyandotte County district attorneys office was awaiting a police report before it would consider charges against Reed, a spokesman said Tuesday. CHICAGO (AP) Federal agents have seized 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of cocaine in Chicago. Three people were arrested, and a private plane was seized as part of last Wednesdays operation, the U.S. Attorneys office for the Northern District of Illinois said Monday in a release. The cocaine was part of a suspected Mexico-to-Chicago drug pipeline. Eighty kilograms (176 pounds) were found in a vehicle in the citys River North neighborhood, while another 20 kilograms (44 pounds) were taken from a hotel room along Chicagos Gold Coast, according to criminal complaints filed in federal court. The drugs allegedly had been flown into an airport in Gary, Indiana, earlier Wednesday from Houston. The flight originated southwest of Mexico City in Toluca, Mexico. A 30-year-old man from Toluca and a 25-year-old man from Columbus, Indiana, were arrested Wednesday in downtown Chicago. A 39-year-old Indianapolis man was arrested Thursday. A warrant was obtained Monday to seize the plane, a Bombardier Challenger 600 business jet. AP NEW DELHI (AP) A fire swept through a newborn care unit in a hospital in central India, killing four infants, officials said. An investigation was ordered into the fire that occurred Monday night at the Kamla Nehru Childrens Hospital in Bhopal, said Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the chief minister in Madhya Pradesh state. Mike Stocker/AP HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) A Florida man accused of beating a pit bull puppy, stabbing it 50 times and stuffing it into a suitcase while the dog was clinging to life will serve 10 years in prison after admitting to the crime, his defense lawyer said Tuesday. The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports Brendan Evans, 35, of Hollywood agreed to plead guilty four years after the attack on Ollie the pit bull, according to his lawyer, Michael Gottlieb. The dog died two days after being discovered. MIAMI (AP) Florida's largest school district is dropping all mask mandates, allowing parents in all grades to decide whether their children should wear a face covering, the superintendent announced Tuesday. Miami-Dade County School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho made the announcement after a judge ruled last week that Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis was within his authority to allow parents to opt out of strict mandates. But rather than cite the decision, Carvalho said coronavirus cases are dropping, adding that protocols could change if cases spike again. On the basis of current health conditions, which are dramatically improved, effective tomorrow parents can access the parent opt-out form from any elementary or K-8 school in Miami-Dade," Carvalho said at a news conference, adding that those children can stop wearing masks to school by Friday. Earlier this month, Carvalho had relaxed mask requirements for middle schoolers and high schoolers, and said he would also allow elementary school students to opt out soon if cases continued to decline. The school board of state's second-largest district in Broward County also approved making masks optional on Tuesday. Reported cases of coronavirus have dropped from an average of 21,700 cases a day back in mid-August, when the school year began to an average of 1,500. Hospitalizations have also plummeted from about 17,000 to 1,300 patients. Carvalho said three out of four schools in the district didn't have any coronavirus cases last week, and most of them were elementary schools. The two large school districts have been going against the DeSantis' administration in strictly requiring masks of all students. The state's health department imposed a rule, ordering districts to allow the parents the choice of whether the children wear masks. The fight between the districts and the state has resulted in docked school board salaries, withholding of district funding and has drawn the attention of federal education officials. THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) Police in Belgium and France have arrested a man and a woman suspected of involvement in a May robbery that sparked a high-speed car chase through Amsterdam and a shootout in which one alleged robber was killed, a European Union agency said Tuesday. The arrests in France and Belgium bring to eight the number of suspects in custody following the May 19 robbery in northern Amsterdam. Four are French, three Belgian and the nationality of one is not known. MCDONOUGH, Ga. (AP) A Georgia police officer has died after being shot last week. Atlanta area news outlets report that Henry County police on Monday night announced the death of Officer Paramhans Desai. Henry County police have identified a suspect as 22-year-old Jordan Jackson, who was still at large. Police announced a $30,000 reward leading to the successful arrest and indictment of Jackson. Officials said Desai was shot last week after answering a domestic disturbance call. Desai joined the Henry County department in 2020. He had worked for the Georgia Department of Corrections and DeKalb County Police. He is survived by his wife and two young children. ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Senate Republicans pushed through a map Tuesday on a 34-21 party line vote designed to maintain their strong majority in the chamber, despite Democratic cries that the plan doesn't reflect Georgia's nearly 50-50 partisan split and denies opportunities to nonwhite voters. Sen. John Kennedy, a Macon Republican who chairs the Senate Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee, said the map accomplished the hard work that has to be done once a decade. He noted the new map splits 29 counties, down from 39 counties now. When you look at it, it is obvious it is not gerrymandered," Kennedy said. The districts are compact and contiguous. The map is projected to keep 59%, or 33, of the Senates 56 seats in GOP hands. Thats down from 34 right now. Democrats say that's too many, considering President Joe Biden carried Georgia with a narrow majority last year and nonwhite people make up most of the new Georgians added in the last decade. This map is designed to shore up the shrinking political power of the majority. As proposed, it fails to fairly reflect Georgians diversity," said Sen. Elena Parent, an Atlanta Democrat. 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 generally shrinking. A House committee on Tuesday voted for a map projected to 98 Republicans, or 54% of the lower chamber's 180 members. The full House could vote on that measure Wednesday. The Senate Republican map seeks to protect all 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. Democrats have attacked the changes to Au's district as violating federal law requiring districts that allow nonwhite voters to choose their favored candidates. It's our responsibility to ensure the people in this room are a good reflection of the people in this state, Au said. This map before us does not represent the Georgia of today. It does not see Georgia for who we have become. Democrats also alleged Tuesday that the Republican plan violates the Voting Rights Act by drawing a district in parts of Henry County that reduces Black voting population. The move protects Republican Sen. Brian Strickland of McDonough. Kennedy said Republicans didn't draw another minority district in Henry County to protect neighboring majority-minority districts. Because the U.S. Supreme Court has disallowed lawsuits based on partisan gerrymandering, federal legal challenges are likely to only succeed on racial bias claims. You can either go ahead and get it straight right now, or well see you in court, said Sen. David Lucas, a Macon Democrat. Republicans repeatedly noted that a GOP majority in 2010 passed maps that withstood legal challenges, while Democrats, including some still serving in the General Assembly, voted in favor of Democratic-slanted maps that were overturned by a court following the 2000 Census. Nine of your Senate colleagues, either in the House or Senate, voted for the illegal, unconstitutional violations of the Voting Rights Act, worst form of modern gerrymandering, said John Albers, a Roswell Republican. Democrats also complained about how quickly the process had moved, saying people hadn't been given enough time to weight in. Why were they drawn so fast?" said Sen. Lester Jackson, a Savannah Democrat. "Why couldnt they have some input? The Senate map now goes to the House for more debate. However, Georgias House and Senate traditionally havent interfered in how the other chamber draws its districts. This means the Senate vote could be the final meaningful action on that chambers map. 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. ___ Follow Jeff Amy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/jeffamy. HOSCHTON, Ga. (AP) A Georgia sheriff's deputy died Monday from a gunshot wound she received when responding to a domestic dispute, according to authorities. WAGA-TV reported the Jackson County Sheriff's Office identified the deputy as Lena Nicole Marshall. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Republican Utah lawmakers were weighing redistricting maps Monday that further carve up Democratic-leaning Salt Lake County as a crowd of frustrated people urged them to choose districts drawn by a voter-approved independent body. Many speakers argued the lawmaker-drawn maps were aimed at further diluting the political voice of those who live in and around the state capital, a process known broadly as gerrymandering. Lawmakers, though, said their districts are aimed at reflecting the state as a whole by including both urban and rural voters. Many speakers at a legislative hearing, though, said putting Salt Lake County into four districts rather than the three its currently in would further drown out dissenting voices. Utah is overall a reliably Republican state, but its 4th Congressional district has flipped between Republicans and Democrats. The lawmaker-drawn maps are generally considered to make that district more reliably conservative. It looks like a group of people who want to retain control continue to refuse to respect the will of the people, said Ogden resident David Timmerman. Lawmakers, though, said they had traveled the state and taken many hours of public input. Weve made decisions that we think best reflects the will of the people that we are elected to represent, said Republican Representative Paul Ray. A handful of people spoke in favor of the maps drawn by lawmakers who are tasked with the redistricting process. Over the next two weeks, the GOP-dominated state Legislature is expected to formally adopt new maps for Congressional districts, as well as the state Legislature and school board, during a special session. Ahead of that once a decade process, voters in 2018 narrowly approved the creation of the Utah Independent Redistricting Commission to draw nonpartisan political districts. That body worked for three years and then drew district maps for lawmakers to consider: three choices for each type of office. But lawmakers are under no obligation to choose one of those maps, and also drew their own set of district maps. Those were unveiled late Friday, less than three days before the only public hearing on those proposals. That short timeline was also a point of frustration for many speakers. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greece accused Turkey on Tuesday of acting like a pirate in waters between the two regional rivals, claiming that its coast guard escorted and tried to push into Greek waters a boat of migrants who were trying to illegally reach Greece. The Greek coast guard posted a video of a large Turkish patrol vessel and what seems to be a smaller one beside an inflatable dinghy containing dozens of people. A coast guard statement said the Turkish vessels accompanied the migrant boat off the Greek Aegean Sea island of Lesbos which is near Turkey's coast early Tuesday. It said Greek coast guard vessels at the scene prevented the dinghys entry, and the Turkish coast guard boats eventually picked up the migrants after initially refusing to do so. (The video) shows, beyond any doubt, the clear attempts by Turkish coast guard craft, using dangerous maneuvers, to direct the dinghy that they are escorting towards Greek territorial waters so that they could illegally enter, the statement said. Greece's minister for merchant marine, Yiannis Plakiotakis, said Turkey once again, behaved like a pirate state in the Aegean. The European Union must exert much greater pressure on Turkey to comply with its international obligations, he said. Thousands of people fleeing conflict or poverty in the Mideast, Africa and Asia try to enter Greece every year from regional rival Turkey. Under a 2016 agreement with the European Union, of which Greece is a member, Turkey vowed to stem the flow of migrants. But Greece has repeatedly accused Turkey which has its own large migrant population of encouraging and facilitating the attempted crossings. Last year, tension spiked on their land border after Turkey waved thousands of migrants towards Greece and Greece deployed police and military to thwart what it called a hybrid attack. Turkey, in turn, accuses Greece which has stepped up its border patrols of illegally sending back migrants who make it onto its territory. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis denied that claim during a press conference Tuesday, arguing that his government follows a tough but fair migration policy. We are intercepting boats that come from Turkey, as we have the right to do in accordance with European regulations, and waiting for the Turkish coast guard to come and pick them up to return them to Turkey, he said. Greece and Turkey, both NATO allies, are also at odds over undersea gas and oil exploration rights. ___ Follow APs global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) The Rev. Jean-Nicaisse Milien felt the cool barrel of a gun against his right ear. The Haitian priest and nine other people had just been kidnapped while driving through the outskirts of the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, in early April. It was around 7 a.m. and they were en route to celebrate the installation of a fellow pastor at a nearby parish when 15 to 20 gang members brandishing heavy weapons surrounded their car. Go here! Go here! the gunmen commanded as they pulled over the car. It was the 400 Mawozo gang, the same group that kidnapped 17 missionaries from a U.S. religious organization on Oct. 16 as they drove to an orphanage. That group, which includes five children, the youngest 8-months-old, is still being held for ransom amid death threats. Milien spoke to The Associated Press Tuesday, describing the ordeal he and his nine companions two nuns, four fellow priests and three relatives endured at the hands of their captors. After seizing them on April 11, the gunmen blindfolded him and the others, Milien said, and drove until they reached a dilapidated house where they slept on a dirt floor for days. We did our necessities on the ground, he recalled. It was really difficult. Milien and the others were kept blindfolded for two days and fed only rice and bread, washed down with Coca-Cola. On the first day, gang members demanded the group hand over phone numbers of their relatives. The gunmen made calls demanding $1 million per head the same ransom they made for the missionaries kidnapped last month. On the fourth day, the gang released one person and moved Milien and the others to a smaller house. After two weeks, they released three more, but not Milien. He and the remaining five captives were moved to yet another abandoned house. That last week, it was very difficult, he recalled, saying they received no food and barely any water. On their way to the third location, the gang leader told them: Here, we dont have any food, any hospital, any house. We dont have anything, but we have a cemetery. Milien took that as a death threat and doubled down. I told them, Continue to pray, he said he told his fellow captives. One day, we will be free. Eventually Milien and the five others were released after an undisclosed ransom amount was paid. Their freedom came via a knock on the door on the 20th day of their captivity. It was 11 p.m. Wake up! Wake up! Wake up! Lets go! Milien recalled a gang member yelling. The group, in its weakened state, walked several yards (meters) to a car that took them to their neighborhood. Milien spent almost a week in the hospital, receiving medication and vitamins as he tried to regain his strength. Months later, Milien still receives psychological help. It is not easy. Every time we remember something. Every time we think about something. ... It is a part of my life, he said. His advice to the families of the 16 Americans, one Canadian and their Haitian driver, who remain captive, is to never lose hope as he prays for their release. I know the experience is not easy, he said. As he spoke, the rat-tat-tat of gunfire from a nearby community controlled by another gang rang out. We have to do something. The government has to do something because we cannot remain in this situation, Milien said. ___ AP photographer Matias Delacroix in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, contributed to this story. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Two dozen home care agencies, walk-in clinics, treatment and urgent care centers in Rhode Island are under investigation for potential violations of the states health care worker COVID-19 vaccination mandate, state public health officials said Tuesday. Also, two facilities are considered noncompliant and facing fines and restrictions on the admission of new patients because they still had unvaccinated employees on the job on Oct. 31, The Providence Journal reported. People hospitalized for COVID-19 who lived in neighborhoods considered "socially vulnerable" because of factors such as poverty, crowded housing and high proportions of people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds were more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die than people living in less socially vulnerable neighborhoods, new research shows. They fared worse regardless of their age, race or whether they had underlying conditions prior to being hospitalized for COVID-19, according to research being presented Saturday at the American Heart Association's virtual Scientific Sessions. The findings are considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. "We thought the findings would be partially explained by the patients' preexisting health conditions or how sick they were when they were admitted to the hospital, yet this was not the case," lead researcher Dr. Shabatun Islam said in a news release. Islam is a cardiology fellow at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Previous research has shown people from diverse racial and ethnic groups, including Black and Hispanic adults, are at greater risk of getting sick and dying from COVID-19. Other studies have shown those who live in neighborhoods defined as socially vulnerable also were disproportionately impacted by severe COVID-19 illness. But while race can be a factor, the new study found where a person lives might play just as big a role in how badly they're affected by the virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses a Social Vulnerability Index, or SVI, to rank communities based on 15 factors, including socioeconomic status, household composition, housing type, access to transportation, race and ethnicity, and whether English is the main language spoken at home. Researchers analyzed SVI data in conjunction with health data for nearly 20,000 people in the American Heart Association's COVID-19 Cardiovascular Disease Registry to determine whether their neighborhood affected how well they recovered following hospitalization. After adjusting for factors such as age, race, insurance status and pre-existing medical conditions, researchers found people hospitalized for COVID-19 who lived in the most socially vulnerable areas had 37% higher odds of dying in the hospital than those residing in the least vulnerable communities. They also had 28% higher odds of having a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event. "It is widely known that an individual's neighborhood of residence impacts their health," Islam said. "As physicians, it's important for us to recognize that people living in vulnerable neighborhoods often experience high rates of adverse health outcomes even when everything else may be the same." Health care professionals should provide patients with resources and support to improve their health, but it's not always clear what would be most helpful, she said. "So this is definitely an area where future research is needed." Dr. Michelle A. Albert, president-elect of the AHA, said in a news release that she wasn't surprised by the findings and "getting into the why, how and which social factors are the most consequential" are key. Albert is director of the CeNter for the StUdy of AdveRsiTy and CardiovascUlaR DiseasE (NURTURE Center) at the University of California, San Francisco. She was not involved in the new research. "Addressing health disparities is going to take a multi-pronged approach of societal solutions, such as building community relationships, increasing diversity in the health care workforce, and strengthening research funding and clinical care focused on social factors and their impact on health," she said. "These solutions will require sustained efforts over time; there's a lot of work to be done." Find more news from Scientific Sessions. If you have questions or comments about this story, please email editor@heart.org. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt or reprint from these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to American Heart Association News. Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the American Heart Associations Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service. HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately. ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) An Indianapolis man serving a prison sentence for a 2017 killing has been convicted of fatally stabbing a fellow inmate. A Madison County jury convicted Devon Sterling, 37, on Monday of murder and a felony charge of prisoner possessing a deadly weapon. A judge set his sentencing for Dec. 3. Prosecutors said Sterling killed Ezekiel Jones, 30, of Fort Wayne in July 2018, while the two men were serving prison sentences at central Indiana's Pendleton Correctional Facility, The Herald Bulletin reported. A probable cause affidavit states that Jones died from a stab wound to the neck and that it is believe Sterling committed the attack in retaliation for an October 2017 incident where Jones stabbed Sterling in the prison showers. Officials believe that Sterling worked with another prison inmate to distract and position Jones before the stabbing, according to the affidavit. At the time of the killing, Sterling was serving a 60-year sentence for the 2007 murder of DeWayne Butts, 22, and the attempted murder of a woman in Indianapolis during a community block party. WASHINGTON - The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol issued subpoenas Tuesday to 10 Trump administration officials, including some of former president Donald Trump's closest advisers who were in the White House that day. Those subpoenaed to provide testimony and documents include John McEntee, the former White House personnel director; Ben Williamson, a deputy assistant to the president and senior adviser to Chief of Staff Mark Meadows; and Nicholas Luna, the former president's personal assistant. Others close to the president who were subpoenaed include Molly Michael, the Oval Office Operations Coordinator to Trump and Nicholas Luna, Trump's personal assistant. Michael still works for Trump and was in the White House for much of Jan. 6. McEntee, according to the committee's statement, was "in the White House on January 6th and was with former President Trump when he traveled to the Ellipse and spoke at the 'Stop the Steal' rally." McEntee was a key figure in hiring of Trump loyalists across the government during the final stretch of Trump's presidency. Luna was "reportedly in the Oval Office the morning of January 6, 2021, when former President Trump was on a phone call to Vice President Mike Pence pressuring him not to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election," according to the committee. The committee has sent out a series of subpoenas in recent weeks to aides and allies of the former president as it tries to crack his inner circle as part of its investigation into the attack as well as the former president's attempts to overturn the election results. It remains unclear how many people are cooperating with the probe and if so, how much information they are providing. Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., has said the panel will aggressively go after anyone who tries to stonewall the investigation. The House recently voted to hold former Trump adiver Stephen Bannon in criminal contempt of Congress. But Attorney General Merrick Garland has yet to announce whether his department will prosecute Bannon for failing to cooperate. Members of the select committee have said they view the Justice Department pursuing these charges as key to getting needed information and DOJ's decision could impact whether other witnesses will cooperate with the congressional probe. Trump has repeatedly attacked the committee - which is made up of seven Democrats and two Republicans - as a partisan witch hunt as he continues to spread false claims that the 2020 election was stolen. "That's right, the Committee is studying the PROTEST when it should be studying the Fraudulent Election that led to the protest," Trump said in a statement Tuesday. Also on the list of subpoenas that went out Tuesday was Kenneth Klukowski, senior counsel to Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, is also on the list due to his involvement "in drafting a letter that urged legislatures in certain states to delay certification of the election, according to the report recently released by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary," the committee said. Trump loyalists and top advisers including Kayleigh McEnany, the White House press secretary, and Stephen Miller, the senior adviser to the former president, and Cassidy Hutchinson, a special assistant to Trump for legislative affairs, have also been asked to provide depositions and documents. McEnany pushed for a White House statement and comments from Trump during the attack and before he ultimately delivered them, according to several people familiar with the situation who, like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations. Miller has continued to speak with Trump post presidency and was even paid by the federal government for months after leaving office as part of Trump's transition budget. He was involved in crafting almost every major Trump speech during the months leading up to Jan. 6. Pence's national security adviser Keith Kellogg is also on the list. He was in the Oval Office and with Trump for much Jan. 6, angering Pence's team, according to people familiar with the matter. CHICAGO (AP) A federal jury has convicted a Chicago street gang's reputed leader on charges alleging that he directed the gang in committing four killings and other violent crimes over the course of two decades. Jurors convicted Labar Spann, 44, on Monday of racketeering conspiracy charges. He now faces a mandatory life sentence, with his sentencing hearing set for March 9 and 10. LONDON (AP) Nobel Peace Prize laureate and education activist Malala Yousafzai has announced her marriage. The 24-year-old Pakistani human rights campaigner who was shot by the Taliban for daring to want an education posted images on Twitter of her celebration on Tuesday with Asser Malik and her family. Today marks a precious day in my life,'' Yousafzai wrote. Asser and I tied the knot to be partners for life. We celebrated a small nikkah ceremony at home in Birmingham with our families. Please send us your prayers. We are excited to walk together for the journey ahead.'' Yousafzai was targeted by the Taliban for her relentless objections to the groups regressive interpretation of Islam that limits girls access to education. She was shot while returning home from school in Pakistans Swat Valley in 2012. She traveled to the English city of Birmingham for medical treatment and her family eventually joined her. She went back to school as soon as she could but kept campaigning for the right to an education for others. Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel laureate when she shared the 2014 Peace Prize with Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi for their work on behalf of children and education rights. She graduated from Oxford University in 2020. Malik is the general manager of high performance at the Pakistan Cricket Board. Yousafzai's Twitter feed was flooded with expressions of goodwill for their marriage. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A 19-year-old man has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death last year of a pregnant Kansas City woman as she was pushing her baby in a stroller. David Everson was charged Monday in the July 2020 death of 20-year-old Diamon Eichelburger. He also faces a charge of armed criminal action in Eichelburger's killing. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) South Carolina Supreme Court justices on Tuesday questioned whether a prosecutor offered to show photos of five dead children to a jury to unfairly upset them so they would sentence the children's father to death. The photos of the children were entered as court records at the last moments of the trial just to shock jurors, argued attorney Robert Dudek, who wants Jones 2019 conviction on five counts of murder and death sentence overturned. The images were taken nine days after the children were killed and after Timothy Jones tried to hasten their decomposition. I've done this for over 30 years and those are about impossible to look at. They are horrific under any definition. Here you have 12 jurors off the street seeing photographs of dead children, said Dudek, who is chief appellate defender for the South Carolina Commission on Indigent Defense. Solicitor Rick Hubbard, making a rare appearance by a trial prosecutor before the state's highest court to justify his own actions in Jones' trial, said he has learned jurors lose trust in a prosecutor when he shows them horrific photos on his terms. That's why Hubbard said he told them in his closing statement if they needed further proof, the envelope with the photos of the children in garbage bags were in the jury room and "if you have any doubt for the appropriate sentence for that man, look in the bag! They get offended at me when I hold up photos that are hard, Hubbard said. "So I let them do it on their time. The justices will rule at a later date. Jones killed his five children, ages 1 to 8, in their Lexington home in August 2014. He had custody of them after divorcing his wife. Prosecutors said after he killed his 6-year-old son, Nahtahn, for defiance, he decided to kill the rest of the family to cover up the crime. Jones drove around the Southeast with their bodies for nine days before dumping them in garbage bags on the side of an Alabama dirt road. Jones' lawyers argued he was not guilty by reason of insanity. They said he didn't know right from wrong either morally or legally because his brain was broken by undiagnosed schizophrenia amplified by stress from a failed marriage and struggling to raise his children alone. The photos were just one of a half-dozen reasons Jones' lawyers want his conviction and sentence tossed out. They also said a judge should have told jurors that being found not guilty by reason of insanity didn't mean Jones would walk out of the courthouse a free man. Instead, he would be kept in custody for several months or up to the rest of his life if his mental condition never improved. Attorneys for Jones said a judge should have allowed jurors to see a videotape of Jones' mother, who had been ordered to remain in an out-of-state mental hospital for decades because of her schizophrenia, a diagnosis her son was aware of and made him angry and nervous. Jones' lawyers also said the case should be overturned because Circuit Judge Eugene Griffith refused to allow testimony from a defense expert witness who planned to say a prosecution witness erred when scoring a physiological test that found Jones was exaggerating his symptoms of mental illness. But much of the arguments Tuesday centered around the photos of the dead children. Defense attorneys tried to show them to the jury before they found Jones guilty, saying the condition of the bodies helped show he was insane. Prosecutors objected, and the judge agreed. Dudek said the defense lawyers also figured prosecutors would wait and use the photos in final moments before the jury started deliberating whether Jones should die for his crimes and wanted to lessen their impact by using them earlier in the trial. Justices asked Hubbard why he asked to include the photos after having Dr. Janice Ross testify in grim detail to the conditions of the bodies including saw marks on his 2-year-old son's leg and what Jones had done to try and hasten their decomposition. The way he treated those bodies with contempt. We had Dr. Ross say here was a disarticulated leg, referring to bag three with Gabriel, the 2-year-old," Hubbard answered. "But you had to look to see what she meant. Before Hubbard spoke, Associate Justice John Kittredge wondered aloud why the prosecutor risked what appeared to him to be an airtight case. Kittredge cited a 2010 ruling by the state Supreme Court where they warned prosecutors that submitting photos of a Spartanburg couple who were beaten to death and burned by a man pushed the outer limits of what judges should allow. Stop it! Stop this nonsense, Kittredge said. The pathologist testified in great detail as to what the pictures depicted, but we just got to throw the autopsy pictures in there to stir the pot. I dont know what it is going to take to stop this. ___ Follow Jeffrey Collins on Twitter at https://twitter.com/JSCollinsAP. ATLANTA (AP) Max Cleland, who lost three limbs to a hand grenade in Vietnam and later became a groundbreaking Veterans Administration chief and U.S. senator from Georgia until an attack ad questioning his patriotism derailed his reelection, died on Tuesday. He was 79. Cleland died at his home in Atlanta from congestive heart failure, his personal assistant Linda Dean told The Associated Press. Cleland was a U.S. Army captain in Vietnam when he lost his right arm and two legs while picking up a fallen grenade in 1968. He blamed himself for decades, until he learned that another soldier had dropped it. He also spent many months in hospitals ill-equipped to help so many wounded soldiers. Fellow veterans cheered when President Jimmy Carter appointed Cleland to lead the Veterans Administration, a post he held from 1977 to 1981. The VA and the wider medical community recognized post-traumatic stress disorder what had been previously been dismissed as shell shock as a genuine condition while Cleland was in charge, and he worked to provide veterans and their families with better care. Cleland's 2002 Senate loss generated enduring controversy after the campaign of Saxby Chambliss aired a commercial that displayed images of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein and questioned the Democrat's commitment to defending the nation. Sen. John McCain was among those who condemned the move by his fellow Republican. President Joe Biden saluted his Senate colleague Tuesday as someone with unflinching patriotism, boundless courage, and rare character. His leadership was the essential driving force behind the creation of the modern VA health system, where so many of his fellow heroes have found lifesaving support and renewed purpose of their own thanks in no small part to Maxs lasting impact, Biden said in a statement. President Bill Clinton praised Cleland as an extraordinary public servant, saying I will be forever inspired by the strength he showed in supporting normalization with Vietnam after having made profound personal sacrifices during the war. A native of the Atlanta suburb of Lithonia, Cleland suffered grievous injuries on April 8, 1968, near Khe Sanh, as he reached for the grenade he thought had fallen from his belt when he jumped from a helicopter. When my eyes cleared I looked at my right hand. It was gone. Nothing but a splintered white bone protruded from my shredded elbow, Cleland wrote in his 1980 memoir, Strong at the Broken Places. After fellow soldiers made a frantic effort to stop his bleeding and he was helicoptered back to a field hospital, Cleland wrote that he begged a doctor to save one of his legs, but there wasn't enough left. What poured salt into my wounds was the possible knowledge that it could have been my grenade, he said in a 1999 interview. But later that year, former Marine Cpl. David Lloyd, who said he was one of the first to reach Cleland after the explosion, came forward to say he treated another soldier at the scene who was sobbing uncontrollably and saying, It was my grenade, it was my grenade. Cleland had been an accomplished college swimmer and basketball player, standing 6-foot-2 and developing an interest in politics. Returning home a triple-amputee, Cleland recalled being depressed and worried about his future, yet still interested in running for office. I sat in my mother and daddys living room and took stock in my life, Cleland said in a 2002 interview. No job. No hope of a job. No offer of a job. No girlfriend. No apartment. No car. And I said, This is a great time to run for the state Senate. Cleland won a state Senate seat and then ran a failed 1974 campaign for lieutenant governor before Carter named his fellow Georgian to lead the VA. Carter on Tuesday called Cleland a true American hero who was no stranger to sacrifice. We are grateful for his commitment to the citizens of the United States, but also for the personal role he played in our lives, Carter said on behalf of himself and his wife Rosalynn. Cleland left Washington after Carter lost reelection, and in 1982 was elected Georgias Secretary of State, a post he held for a dozen years. Then he won the Senate seat of the retiring Sam Nunn, but only held it for one term. Polls showed he had been leading in his re-election effort before the devastating Chambliss ad. Accusing me of being soft on homeland defense and Osama bin Laden is the most vicious exploitation of a national tragedy and attempt at character assassination I have ever witnessed, Cleland said at the time. Cleland wrote in his second memoir, Heart of a Patriot, that he lost his fiancee, his income, and his sense of purpose when he left the Senate. He ended up back at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, where he himself was diagnosed with PTSD, decades after the explosion. I was totally wounded and wiped out hopeless and overwhelmed, Cleland wrote. Just like I had been on that April day in 1968 when the grenade ripped off my legs and my right arm. Emotionally, spiritually, physically and mentally, I was bleeding and dying. Cleland recovered and served as a director of the Export-Import Bank; later, President Barack Obama named him secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission. John Kerry, a Democratic senator and later his party's 2004 presidential nominee, said he and other fellow Vietnam veterans shared a special bond with Cleland. One of the greatest gifts any of us ever received was a voice at the other end of a phone, with a sixth sense to call when you needed to hear him the most, saying Hey brother, its Max. For those of us who knew and loved him, Max Cleland will always be our brother," Kerry said in a statement. As senator, Cleland voted to authorize President George W. Bush's plan to go to war in Iraq, but later said he regretted it, becoming a fierce critic of Bush's Iraq policy and likening America's involvement to the war in Vietnam. He never asked me to do anything that was not absolutely right, H. Wayne Howell, Clelands longtime deputy secretary of state and chief of staff in the Senate, told the AP Tuesday in a phone interview. In the conclusion to his first memoir, Cleland explained that book's title, saying that through crises and defeats, I have learned that it is possible to become strong at the broken places. LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Republican leader of the Michigan House urged Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to immediately schedule special elections to fill what will be four open seats in the chamber, which would be the most vacancies in at least 30 years. Whitmer, a Democrat, is considering House Speaker Jason Wentworth's request but will wait to decide until after the Nov. 2 election results are certified. Three House members are departing. Republican Reps. Mark Huizenga of Walker and Doug Wozniak of Macomb County's Shelby Township will join the GOP-controlled Senate as soon as Wednesday. Democratic Rep. Abdullah Hammoud will become Dearborn's mayor in January. Republican Rep. Andrea Schroeder's death on Oct. 1 left an opening for her seat in Oakland County. The last time there were legislative vacancies, Whitmer set special elections to coincide with regular elections on Aug. 3 and Nov. 2 of this year. Wentworth said in a statement last week that he wants there to be earlier special elections in 2022 and that he's ready to work with the governor to fund them. Michigan's three automatic elections are in May, August and November. Creating new election dates will give more than 300,000 residents the voice they deserve at their state Capitol, Wentworth said. The only reason not to do so would be to gain some political advantage by leaving thousands of Michigan families without representation. The GOP's majority, once 58-52, will drop to 55-51 when the three lawmakers depart. Republicans would need 54 votes to pass legislation, leaving them no cushion because GOP Rep. Steve Marino of Macomb County's Harrison Township has been absent since a legislator accused him of harassing her after their romantic relationship ended. We're taking a look at all the variety of openings and determining when we can fill those, Whitmer said last week. Her predecessor, Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, also scheduled special elections to coincide with regular elections. He said it minimized extra costs and provided adequate time for candidates to run and for voters to research their candidacies. ___ Follow David Eggert at https://twitter.com/DavidEggert00 UPPER NYACK, N.Y. (AP) A leading art historian diagnosed with Alzheimers disease was found dead by police in the woods of Nyack Beach State park on Monday after having gone missing on Nov. 3. Neighbors, residents and police had been searching for Richard Kendall, 75, after he went missing from his home in Nyack, the Journal News reported. JACKSON, Miss. (AP) Mississippi is hosting a series of meetings for families of students in kindergarten through third grade who want to improve their childrens reading skills and learn more about state testing. The Mississippi Department of Education has scheduled eight regional literacy meetings across the state over the next month. The first one was set to take place Monday night in McComb. Other locations include Oxford, Jackson, Moss Point, Yazoo City, Itta Bena and Starkville. BANGKOK (AP) A court in Myanmar sentenced two members of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's political party to 90 years and 75 years in prison on Tuesday after finding them guilty of corruption, their lawyer said. The sentences appeared to be the most severe so far for any of the dozens of members of Suu Kyis National League for Democracy who were arrested after the military seized power on Feb. 1. Former Kayin state planning minister Than Naing was convicted by the state court of six corruption charges and given a 90-year prison term, including labor, lawyer Zaw Min Hlaing said. The second defendant, Nan Khin Htwe Myint, 67, the former chief minister of Kayin state and a top member of Suu Kyi's political party, was sentenced to 15 years in prison on each of five charges, Zaw Min Hlaing said. Suu Kyi is also being tried on corruption and other criminal charges that her supporters say were concocted to discredit her and legitimize the militarys seizure of power. Virtually any conviction would prevent her from running in elections that the military-installed government has promised to hold by 2023. Nan Khin Htwe Myin, a member of the partys Central Executive Committee, is a veteran pro-democracy activist who was first arrested in 1974 during a student protest under a previous military government. She was arrested at least two more times before she won election to the state parliament in 2012 and 2015, after which she was appointed state minister. She is known for being a close colleague of Suu Kyi. She was detained by soldiers on Feb. 2 and placed under house arrest, where she made a livestreamed broadcast calling for civil disobedience against the army takeover. She was then arrested on Feb. 8. Myanmar has been mired in violence and civil unrest since the military seized power. Protesters against the takeover who faced beatings, shootings and arrests have turned increasingly to armed resistance, and insurgents are active in many parts of the country. One of Nan Khin Htwe Myin's corruption charges involved alleged misappropriation of state funds for medical treatment after she was injured in a car accident in 2017. In four other cases she and codefendant Than Naing were accused of malfeasance and mishandling funds. Both had already been convicted of inciting unrest after the army takeover and received two-year prison terms. Nang Khin Htwe Myint is in good health at a prison in Hpa-an, the capital of Kayin state, but has lost some weight, her lawyer said. The chief minister sent the message to the people to always to be united, to try together to bring forth a democratic federal union and to participate together in overcoming the evils of the military, the lawyer said. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Momentum appears to be building behind proposals to lift minimum pay in New Mexico state government to $15 an hour for at least 1,200 public workers who make less than that, amid a state budget surplus and national trends toward higher wages. State Personnel Office Director Ricky Serna confirmed Friday that efforts are underway to increase bottom-tier salaries and boost overall state government payroll for rank-and-file employees at executive agencies. His agency oversees compensation guidelines for nearly 17,000 employees at executive agencies, with an $870 million annual payroll. At a legislative hearing in late October, Serna outlined preliminary targets, including a $15-per-hour minimum and a 7% increase in annual payroll. Those estimates are for pay at executive agencies overseen by the governor and other elected officials such as the state attorney general, auditor and treasurer. The $10.50 statewide minimum wage for all sectors of the economy steps up to $11.50 on Jan. 1, 2022. Salaries have surged among many political appointees in the upper echelons of state government since Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took office in 2019. At the same time, legislators have scaled back annual pay increases for rank-and-file workers in permanent state jobs since the outset of the coronavirus pandemic. The Legislature convenes in January to forge a state spending plan for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, 2022, with state government income expected to exceed current spending obligations by $1.4 billion. The surplus is linked to a quick recovery of oil and gas markets and robust tax receipts as consumers tap into federal pandemic aid. Democratic state Rep. Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup, chairwoman of the Legislatures lead budget writing committee, said New Mexico is having trouble recruiting and retaining public workers on the low end of the pay scale wasting resources in the process. The cost of losing someone is far more expensive than paying them a decent wage. That turnover is a killer, Lundstrom said Monday. Lundstrom described even $15-an-hour pay as ridiculously low, and said she was eager to see the governor's proposal. Dan Secrist, a union chapter president for an array of state government workers under the Communications Workers of America, estimates it would take nearly $6 million to provide an hourly $15 minimum salary at executive agencies along with the Legislature and judiciary. He said it would take nearly $25 million to meet that minimum pay mark on a broader scale including public schools, colleges and universities. New Mexico government salaries lost ground to private-sector competition in the decade following the mortgage lending crisis and Great Recession, from 2008-2017, according to the Legislatures budget and accountability office. In the first budget signed by Lujan Grisham in 2019, state employees got a 4% pay increase. Further pay increases were scaled back during the first year of the pandemic, with a 1% pay bump for state workers with annual salaries of $50,000 or less in July 2020, and then a 1.5% pay increase this summer with some additional money for front-line health workers. Lundstrom said she also favors higher executive salaries for key leadership positions in state government, such as the secretaries of the Public Education Department and the Department of Health amid, amid intense challenges of the pandemic. Public Education Secretary Kurt Steinhaus earns $158,340 as the state searches for a Health Department secretary. Democratic state Rep. Candie Sweetser of Deming, who operates a local broadcasting company and has grocery and real estate holdings, cautioned against moving aggressively to increase state government pay. The trend seems to be that we are going with higher salaries and better benefits, which makes it very difficult to hire in the private sector, Sweetser said. "I just feel the need to say we cant outpace the people that are contributing to government funds through the tax base, we have to also make sure that the markets remain competitive. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the first budget signed by Lujan Grisham was in 2019, not 2021. SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) North Macedonias government said Tuesday that it would provide emergency funding for state energy suppliers to import enough electricity and fuel for production plants to cover the country's power needs over the next 30 days. Economy Minister Kreshik Bekteshi said the decision was due to "reduced domestic production capacities...and increased global (electricity) prices. SANAA, Yemen (AP) A Yemeni journalist and her child were killed in an explosion that targeted her familys vehicle Tuesday in Yemens southern city of Aden, officials said. The blast was the latest to rock the seat of the internationally recognized government. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack and authorities said an investigation was ongoing. Prime Minister Maeen Abdulmalik Saeed called the explosion a terrorist attack" caused by an improvised explosive device stuck in the journalist's vehicle. The explosion took place in Adens neighborhood of Khormaksar when Rasha Abdalla and her family were heading to a doctor, the officials said. Abdalla, who works for the United Arab Emirates-based Asharq satellite television channel, was pregnant. Abdalla and her child Jawad died at the scene, while her husband Mahmoud al-Attomy, also a journalist, was seriously wounded and hospitalized in critical condition, they said. Three passersby were also wounded, they added. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists. The coastal city of Aden has been rocked by several explosions in recent years that were blamed on local affiliates of militant groups al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have also targeted the city with ballistic missiles and explosives-laden drones. Last month, at least eight people were killed by a car bomb close to a security checkpoint outside Adens international airport in Khormaksar. No group claimed responsibility for that attack. Aden has been the seat of the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi since the Houthis took over the capital of Sanaa in 2014, triggering Yemens civil war. The Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed by the United States, to try restore the government to power. Despite a relentless air campaign and ground fighting, the war has fallen largely into a stalemate, and spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. HARKERS ISLAND, N.C. (AP) A man's body has washed ashore on a North Carolina beach, authorities said. The National Park Service said in a news release that the body of Gregory L. Miller, 65, of Durham washed up on the north end of South Core Banks on Monday. Miller was staying at the Great Island Cabin Camp, which is operated by the park service on Cape Lookout National Seashore, the news release said. Authorities have not said how Miller died. National Park Service rangers and the Carteret County Sheriffs Office have begun an investigation, according to the news release. NEW YORK (AP) Britta Larson, a shift leader at Half Price Books in Roseville, Minnesota, has been with the store for nearly 12 years but only recently thought about whether she wanted to join a union. With the pandemic going on, we all were just weary of the constant dismissals we got when we raised concerns about staffing and workload to upper management, said Larson, noting that the staff had been reduced when the store shut down for a time and was stretched extremely thin once it opened again. Before the pandemic, I'd say we would have kind of just thought Things arent great' because it was all we had ever known. The pandemic forced us to do some things differently and we learned from that. Labor action has surged in many industries over the past two years, including in bookselling, a business where unions had been rare. Since 2020, employees have unionized or are attempting to do so everywhere from Printed Matter in New York City to Elliott Bay Book Company in Seattle and Bookshop Santa Cruz in California. In Minnesota, workers at four Half Price Books stores have announced plans to affiliate with locals of the United Food and Commercial Workers union. "I think COVID-19 was a rude awakening for bookstore workers, and really anyone who works with the public, says Owen Hill, a buyer at Moes Books in Berkeley, California, which unionized earlier this year. We were given no say regarding safe working conditions, even though we were risking our health by showing up for work. We had to organize in order to be a part of the conversation around worker safety. The publishing world has not a magnet for those seeking to get rich. Bookselling, especially independent bookselling, has a long affinity with liberal politics and a long sense of mission that transcends the desire to make a profit. Larson told The Associated Press that she and fellow Half Price staffers would rather unionize than quit because of their enjoyment of books and love of our jobs as booksellers. But when workers organize, even the most progressive-minded owners might object. Moes Books was co-founded in 1959 by the cigar-smoking Moe Moskowitz, a longtime activist and agitator known in part for letting his store serve as a refuge for anti-war protesters in the 1960s. Moe's is now run by his daughter, Doris Moskowitz, who has spoken of the store's egalitarian atmosphere and tradition of valuing dissent and social consciousness. But when the staff announced in March that it was affiliating with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) union, Moskowitz acknowledged mixed feelings, telling the digital news site Berkeleyside that the decision to unionize, which I deeply respect from a political perspective, has left me very sad and confused. In September, workers picketed the store and alleged unfair labor practices (denied by Moskowitz), though Hill says the situation has since improved. After lots of ups and downs, and major disagreements, the parties have come together, Hill said. Were zeroing in on a contract, and both sides are negotiating in good faith. I expect that we will be voting on a new contract just after Thanksgiving (fingers crossed). I think management realized that both sides are committed to keeping the store open were such an important part of the community. In a recent email to the AP, Moskowitz wrote: Booksellers all over the country are participating in an important conversation. We are proud to be part of that, and we are especially proud of the progress made toward our first labor contract. Half Price Books also has its roots in the anti-establishment. It was co-founded in 1972 by Ken Gjemre, a former executive at the Zale Corporation who in middle age wanted to make a living more in line with his ideals as a pacifist, environmentalist and civil libertarian. A 2003 article in PR Week, published a year after Gjemre's death, described Half Price as "forgiving and generous to its unconventional workforce, which is peppered with aging hippies and liberal-arts majors. Half Price has grown from a former laundromat in Dallas to more than 100 locations around the country. In response to a request for comment on the current labor action in Minnesota, Half Price Books executive vice president and chief strategy officer Kathy Doyle Thomas said in a statement: Half Price Books strives to provide competitive benefits and good working conditions for all 1,900 employees across the country. We understand there is a movement to organize workers, and we respect the right of employees to vote. We are committed to following all procedures required by law. The company sent a different message to employees. In a statement posted for a time in some of the Minnesota stores, workers were told that Half Price would oppose unionization with every legal means available to us. Forming a union, the company added, was a very serious decision, one that could affect your working future, and the future of those that depend on you. We believe that, once you get all the facts about the union, you will decide that our future will be better without a union. Some owners say they are at peace with unions despite tensions. When staff at the McNally Jackson stores in New York City organized in 2019, owner Sarah McNally acknowledged that the action was initially a shock that offended her indie spirit. But she now says the union has brought clarity and structure to everything from salaries to job descriptions, and overall made management of the store more efficient. At Green Apple Books in San Francisco, co-owner Pete Mulvihill had just joined the staff when workers joined the local UFCW around 30 years ago, and he remembers a brutal process that including picketing, layoffs and an astounding amount of money spent on legal bills. He says tempers still rise when contracts are negotiated every three years, but he believes that staff and management are largely united as like-minded book lovers. Its helpful to have clear, written policies on things like scheduling, health insurance and paid time off, he says. It also sets realistic expectations for incoming staff around what the store can offer in compensation. And San Francisco is historically a labor town, so I think customers feel good knowing that our employees are backed by a union. WARSAW, Poland (AP) Polands authorities weighed in Tuesday to back a controversial Independence Day march dominated by far-right activists, saying the event will go ahead as a state observance, despite having been banned by Polish courts. The spokeswoman for Polands main right-wing ruling party, Anita Czerwinska, confirmed that the Nov. 11 march in Warsaw will have an official status and appealed to prospective participants to exhibit a dignified approach. Last month, head of the nationalist Independence March organization defied the court bans and said the march will go ahead but in a smaller form, as required by pandemic restrictions. The annual Nov. 11 march has earned a bad reputation since becoming dominated by far-right, nationalist groups, with the right-wing governments consent. It has featured radical slogans and violence, with some people being injured last year and a bookstore and an apartment being set on fire. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, a top opposition figure, banned the march this year and Warsaw courts upheld the ban. But a state veterans organization said Tuesday it was giving the march an official status, which means it will go ahead and will have police and army gendarmerie ensuring security. The office of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he will be in Krakow, in the south, on Thursday and will not participate. The back-and-forth seemed to be tainted by an political tug-of-war between Poland's right-wing government and Trzaskowski, who narrowly lost last year to pro-government President Andrzej Duda in the presidential election. We hope there will be no provocations or incidents, said Ryszard Terlecki, a deputy parliament speaker and a top figure in the ruling Law and Justice party. Originally a popular, massive event marking Polands regaining sovereignty on Nov. 11, 1918, after World War I, the annual march has attracted far-right groups in recent years under Polands right-wing government. Nationalists from other countries have also traveled to Warsaw to take part. KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Police in Kansas City are investigating two separate homicides discovered hours apart. The first was reported around 2:45 p.m. Monday when officers were called to the Brush Creek Tower apartments to check on the welfare of a resident who had been reported missing. Arriving officers found a man dead inside the apartment, and police have launched a homicide investigation. Police have not said how the man died. Around 9:30 p.m. Monday, police were called to the Blue Hills neighborhood and found a person who had been shot. The person was rushed to a hospital and later pronounced dead. Police have not released the names of either victim, and no arrests have been announced. MADISON, Wis. (AP) Police used pepper spray to break up a large melee outside a Madison high school, sending five students to the hospital. According to authorities, someone pulled a fire alarm at Madison East High School Monday and dozens of students ran outside where fighting began. SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) The suspect in a knife attack in a Maryland high school's parking lot has been taken into custody, police said. Officers were called to Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring around 10 a.m. Monday for a report of a student who had been stabbed, Montgomery County police said in a news release. One student was taken to a hospital with injuries that weren't considered life-threatening and police said the suspect was taken into custody by mid-afternoon. Both are juveniles and students at the school, police said. Charges against the suspect are pending, police said Monday evening. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Advocates for alternatives to mass incarceration in New Mexico are warning of potential adverse outcomes in a public safety initiative from the governor aimed at reducing crime and violence amid a record-setting spate of homicides in Albuquerque. Democratic New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is advocating for a $100 million effort to hire an additional 1,000 new community oriented law enforcement officers statewide and create new standards for pretrial release among people accused of certain crimes who are presumed to be dangerous. The New Mexico SAFE coalition warned a panel of legislators on Monday that those proposals could increase the number of people held in county jails who are prone to coronavirus contagion, and might initiate or exacerbate over-policing of minority communities. Precise details of the governor's criminal justice proposals are not yet available, as lawmakers prepare for the start of the annual 2022 legislative session in January. Legislators have outlined a long list of criminal justice proposals that also seek to reduce gun violence through social programs and alternative policing strategies. Voters in 2016 approved a constitutional amendment that did away with money-based bail for defendants who might languish in prison because they are poor. The statewide vote cleared the way for judges to deny bail before trial for the most high-risk, dangerous defendants though many prosecutors voice frustrations with the evaluation system. Kim Chavez Cook, an appellate attorney with the state Office of the Public Defender, urged legislators to be wary of any proposed rebuttable presumption of dangerousness for people charged with certain crimes. She warned that a rollback of bail reforms might flout the state constitution and could put more people behind bars before conviction at high-turnover jails that are susceptible to COVID-19. It's a tool pretrial detention that we want to use sparingly and only when necessary," Chavez Cook said. On proposals to vastly expand police forces, Barron Jones of the ACLU cautioned legislators to avoid any regression to policing practices that lead to excessive force, or that might disproportionately target minority communities. Albuquerques police force is in the midst of sweeping reforms aimed at reining in police brutality with guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice and court oversight, under a consent decree initiated in 2014. Jones commended a pilot program in Albuquerque that leaves police out of some emergency responses to mental health emergencies. Figure out ways to set up law enforcement for success and reduce some of those roles," Jones said. The New Mexico SAFE coalition includes groups ranging from Criminal Defense Lawyers to the American Civil Liberties Union, New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops and the NAACP. Andrew Medichini/AP ROME (AP) Pope Francis condemned an assassination attempt against Iraqs prime minister as a vile act of terrorism and said Tuesday he is praying for peace in the country. The Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, sent a telegram to Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi expressing Francis solidarity and prayers to al-Kadhimis family and those injured in the Monday drone attack on the prime ministers residence. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday signed into law a change to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act that would allow those who refuse the COVID-19 vaccine to potentially face repercussions. The law was adopted in 1978 to protect physicians from penalty or discipline for refusing to perform abortions because of a religious or moral objection. Democratic Attorney General Kwame Raoul asked Pritzker to encourage legislation to make clear the law was not intended to cover a contagious and deadly pandemic. Masks, vaccines, and testing requirements are life-saving measures that keep our workplaces and communities safe, said Pritzker, who thanked lawmakers for ensuring the law is no longer wrongly used against institutions who are putting safety and science first. Lawsuits have been filed by employees claiming they cannot be punished for refusing the shot because the law provides a conscience-based exemption. Some workers have even claimed exemptions from taking preventive steps such as wearing face coverings or testing for a coronavirus infection. Democrats stressed that religious exemptions still exist under federal law, although experts dispute the availability of such exceptions under three federal statutes Pritzker's office cited. Exemptions are being allowed under the Civil Rights Act around the country. Two key cases invoking the U.S. Constitution's Free Exercise of Religion clause are proceeding in Maine and New York. Both could be headed for the U.S. Supreme Court. I hope this provides clarity to the situation as we work to protect the publics health and beat back this pandemic that has taken so much from us, said Senate President Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat. The law doesn't take effect until June 1, 2022. Democrats wanted an immediate effective date but the state constitution requires more votes than they could garner in floor action. Republican critics claim that leaves the door open for more lawsuits. Another vote after Jan. 1 could make the law effective then because fewer votes would be needed. ___ Follow Political Writer John OConnor at https://twitter.com/apoconnor MOSCOW (AP) A Russian island north of Japan has become a testing ground for Moscow's efforts to reconcile its prized fossil fuel industry with the need to do something about climate change. More than two-thirds of Sakhalin Island is forested. With the Kremlins blessing, authorities there have set an ambitious goal of making the island Russia's largest carbon neutral by 2025. Tree growth will absorb as much planet-warming carbon dioxide as the island's half-million residents and its businesses produce, an idea the Russian government 4,000 miles to the west in Moscow hopes to apply to the whole country, which has more forested area than any other nation. The economic structure of Sakhalin and the large share of forestland in the territory and carbon balance distribution reflect the general situation in Russia, said Dinara Gershinkova, an adviser to Sakhalin's governor on climate and sustainable development. So the results of the experiment in Sakhalin will be representative and applicable to the whole Russian Federation. The plan reflects a marked change of mood in Russia on climate change. President Vladimir Putin once joked about global warming in 2003, saying that Russians would be able to spend less on fur coats, and the grain harvest would increase. But last year, he acknowledged that climate change requires real actions and way more attention, and he has sought to position one of the world's biggest fossil fuel exporter as a leader in the fight against global warming. Russia's vast forests are key to this idea. By aiming to build a carbon-neutral economy by no later than 2060, Russia is relying, among other things, on the unique resource of forest ecosystems available to us, and their significant capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen," Putin said in a video address last week to the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. "After all, our country accounts for around 20% of the worlds forestland. Scientists say natural forms of removing carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere will indeed play a key role in tackling global warming. Many countries at the climate talks rely on some form of absorbing emissions to achieve their targets of being net zero by 2050 that is, emitting only as much greenhouse gas as can be recaptured by natural or artificial means. But experts say the math behind such calculations is notoriously fuzzy and prone to manipulation by governments, who have a vested interest in making their emissions look good. Russia makes an enormous contribution in the absorption of global emissions - both its own and others - by means of absorptive capacity of our ecosystems, firstly of forests, which is estimated at 2.5 billion (metric) tons of CO2 equivalent a year, said Viktoria Abramchenko, deputy prime minister for environmental issues, speaking at a conference in St. Petersburg. The figure came as a surprise to scientists contacted by The Associated Press. It constitutes a fivefold increase on the 535 million metric tons of CO2 absorption that Russia reported to the U.N. climate office for 2019. Natalia Lukina, the director of the Center of Ecology and Productivity of Forests, a government-funded research institute, said the estimates are actually assumptions because there is no real accurate data. Unfortunately, our official information about forestland is 25 years old, then this data was updated somehow, but there were no direct measurements, she said. One problem is that nobody knows how many trees are in Russia's forests. Last year, its forestry body finished an inventory that took 13 years and cost at least $142 million, but it hasn't been made public. Russia's network of emissions monitoring stations is likewise limited, Lukina said. Vadim Mamkin, a scientist who maintains one of the country's 11 greenhouse gas measuring masts in the Tver region, said the carbon balance of such old forests is usually about zero, although figures vary about 10% from year to year. Wildfires that burn millions of hectares of forest are another, increasingly pressing problem. Forests that have stored carbon for decades suddenly become big emitters when they burn, undoing an absorption effect, said Sergey Bartalev, head of the boreal ecosystems monitoring lab at the Space Research Institute. Such fires are becoming increasingly frequent in Russia, partly due to climate change. This year saw a record 13.1 million hectares burned, leading to emissions of 970 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent, according to an estimate by the European Unions Copernicus Programme almost twice as much as the last reported absorption. Fire protection is now a priority in Moscow's new strategy of low-carbon development. Were focusing on improving our forest management practices, enhancing wildfire prevention response capabilities, increasing wilderness areas, introducing new farming practices, as well as engaging in transformation toward cleaner energy, Alexey Overchuk, a senior Russian government official, told negotiators at the Glasgow talks. He reiterated Putin's pledge that Russia aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 a goal similar to those set by China and Saudi Arabia but a decade behind the 2050 deadline the U.S. and EU are aiming for. Scientists say stopping additional emissions of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere by 2050 is the only way to achieve the Paris accord's goal to keep the Earths warming below catastrophic levels of 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century. Environmental advocates and other nations are wary of giving Moscow a free pass while they ramp up their own efforts to cut emissions. Vasily Yablokov, the head of Energy and Climate Sector at Russian Greenpeace, said Russia's forest calculations will play a key role in its climate plan, and he fears that estimates would be made to fit into the answer. One reason why Russia has a vested interest in minimizing its reported emissions is the prospect of a carbon tariff being mulled by the EU on imports from countries that are deemed to be not doing enough on climate. The role of forest is overestimated, unfortunately," said Alexey Kokorin, the head of climate and energy program at WWF-Russia. "It would be good to trust that Russia will be able to increase the absorption as it is in the draft strategy, and all of us will do the best to achieve it, but it looks like its too much. Overchuk, meanwhile, made it clear that Moscow has no plans to turn off the flow of fossil fuels soon. Addressing global warming and climate change should not lead to further increase of poverty, not just in the developing world but in the developed world as well, he said. "Russia will remain a reliable supply of energy to international markets and consumers. - Jordans reported from Glasgow, Scotland. __ Follow AP's coverage of the climate summit at http://apnews.com/hub/climate MOSCOW (AP) Russian authorities named a prominent LGBT rights group and several lawyers as foreign agents on Monday night, continuing a months-long crackdown on activists, opposition supporters and independent media. The Justice Ministry added the Russian LGBT Network, prominent lawyer Ivan Pavlov and four of his former colleagues to its registry of foreign agents. The designation implies additional government scrutiny and carries strong pejorative connotations that can discredit recipients. The Russian LGBT Network has advocated for civil rights in Russia since 2006 and has 17 branches across the country. The group is well-known both in Russia and abroad for its effort to rescue gay men and lesbians from Chechnya, a predominantly Muslim region in the Russian south where local authorities were reported to have unleashed a violent crackdown on LGBT people. Pavlov and four other activists added to the list used to be part of Team 29, an association of lawyers and journalists specializing in treason and espionage cases and freedom of information issues. Team 29 shut down earlier this year, fearing prosecution of its members and supporters, after authorities accused the group of spreading content from a Czech nongovernmental organization that had been declared undesirable in Russia. In April, Russian authorities launched a criminal case against Pavlov, who was representing a former Russian journalist accused of treason. They accused Pavlov, who has since left Russia and resettled in Georgia, of disclosing information related to a police investigation. The Russian LGBT Network said in a statement that it would continue to operate and contest the designation in court. We dont know why we have been declared a foreign agent. The Russian LGBT Network disagrees with this status. We are not involved in political activities, we offer legal and psychological aid (and) defend the rights of the LGBT+ community, the statement read. Pavlov echoed the group's sentiment in a Facebook post and promised to fight the designation, adding that he had expected it. In recent months, the Russian government has designated a number of independent media outlets, journalists and human rights groups as foreign agents." At least two disbanded to avoid a further crackdown. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) A company that makes products for several sectors, including homeland security and defense, announced plans Tuesday to set up operations in South Carolina, the governors office said. Elbit Systems of America, LLC, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd., said the project will create about 300 new jobs in Charleston County. "This project is an example of what we are capable of as members of Team S.C. We are excited to welcome this company and look forward to supporting them for many years to come, Gov. Henry McMaster said in a news release. Elbit Systems is a leading provider of high-performance products and system solutions focusing on the defense, homeland security, commercial aviation and medical instrumentation sectors. The new facility is expected to open by fall 2022. The company said the new facility, which will be located in North Charleston, will increase its manufacturing capacity and support future growth. Establishing this facility is part of a strategy to increase Elbits engineering and manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. and contribute to strengthening Americas defense industrial base, Elbit Systems of America President and CEO Raanan Horowitz said. "We selected South Carolina due to its strong support for economic development, the availability of skilled workforce and the existence of a robust supply chain. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to the project. Charleston County was also awarded a $700,000 Set-Aside grant to help with project costs. SEATTLE (AP) Two foreign nationals from the Democratic Republic of Congo were arrested near Seattle and indicted by a federal grand jury on conspiracy and money laundering charges for allegedly smuggling elephant ivory and rhino horns into the United States. Herdade Lokua and his cousin Jospin Mujangi, both of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, are accused of working with a person described in the indictment as an unindicted co-conspirator to facilitate four shipments of the poached items into Seattle in August, September and May of 2020, according to court documents. Chiang Ying-ying/AP TOKYO (AP) Japanese electronics maker Sony and TSMC of Taiwan said Tuesday they plan to jointly build a computer chip plant in Japan with an initial investment of $7 billion. The plant in the southwestern city of Kumamoto will be the first foundry in Japan for TSMC, one of the worlds leading chipmakers. Construction will start next year for the plant to be up and running by 2024, employing 1,500 high-tech professionals. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A 15-year-old boy has died after being shot near a park just north of downtown Des Moines, police said Tuesday. Officers were called Sunday morning to a shooting near Evelyn K. Davis Park and found someone performing CPR on a teenager. Officers and medics continued life-saving efforts and the teen was taken to a hospital, where he remained in critical condition until he died. MOSES LAKE, Wash. (AP) A Moses Lake teenager will be tried as an adult in the September murder of a 21-year-old man. According to information from the Grant County Superior Court Clerks Office, 17-year-old Dominick Kultgen was charged Oct. 29 with premeditated first-degree murder, The Columbia Basin Herald reported. OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) A toddler was killed by a stray bullet on an Oakland freeway while he slept in his car seat, the latest victim of a recent spike in shootings on San Francisco Bay Area highways in the last two years, some of them attributed to gangs. The nearly 2-year-old boy was killed Saturday around 2 p.m. while riding in a Lexus sedan on Interstate 880 driven by his mom when the car was struck by gunfire, the California Highway Patrol said. The boy was rushed to the hospital, where he died. The evidence suggests the victims were not targeted but got caught in the crossfire between two cars with people exchanging gunfire, officials said. The CHP said it had no other information Monday and urged anyone who may have witnessed the shooting to contact them. The boy, Jasper Wu, was riding from San Francisco to his home in Fremont with three adults and two other children when he was shot. Jasper was asleep when the bullet flew through the windshield and struck him, according to Carl Chan, the president of Oaklands Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, who has been helping the family with funeral arrangements and setting up online fundraising efforts. How could you ever expect a bullet to fly in and hit your child while asleep? No one would expect that, Chan told the Mercury News. Jaspers father was traveling from China on Monday to bury his son, Chan said. Jasper will never wake up again. This is horrible, Chan said. Today is my birthday and Im saying that because Im so lucky to be celebrating my birthday and Jasper could not have a chance to celebrate his own second birthday in December. The freeway was shut for several hours, causing traffic to back up for miles. Last month, a 3-year-old boy riding with his father on Interstate 580 in Oakland was wounded in the foot when someone opened fire on the vehicle, hitting the boy who was in the back seat and striking the vehicle several times, the CHP said. Highway shootings are difficult to investigate because witnesses are traveling at high rates of speed and collecting evidence can be challenging, said Mary Knox, senior deputy district attorney for neighboring Contra Costa County. Knox said Contra Costa County saw a spike in recent years in gun violence tied to gangs on segments of Highway 4 and Interstate 80. That led officials to install a surveillance system of cameras and license plate readers that she said significantly reduced gun violence on freeways there. Gang members were actually following each other up onto the freeways to do the shootings because they knew how challenging those investigations are, Knox said. Witnesses are traveling at like 65 miles an hour so theyre miles down the freeway by the time we even know we have a crime and finding the exact shooting location to recover casings and things was very challenging. Knox said preventing innocent bystanders from getting caught in the crossfire was exactly why officials wanted to set up the freeway security system. It was just so crucial to get our program up and running before a tragedy like this happened," Knox said. HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) The president of the University of Alabama at Huntsville is stepping down after about 2.5 years in the job. Darren Dawson announced his retirement in a statement Monday, news outlets reported. Dawson said he will leave the position due to private family matters and had determined with his wife that personal priorities much come first. PARIS (AP) U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris kicked off a four-day visit to Paris and charm offensive Tuesday aimed at shoring up relations with France, Americas oldest ally. Washingtons relationship with Paris hit a historic low this year after a U.S.-British submarine deal with Australia scuttled a French contract to sell subs to the Australian navy. Late last month, President Joe Biden told French President Emmanuel Macron the U.S. had been clumsy in its handling of the issue. Harris started her trip by meeting with American and French scientists working on COVID-19 preparedness at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. She said the visit underscored joint determination to tackle global challenges, especially to end the coronavirus pandemic. Some of the most significant discoveries in science on any issue, from rabies to HIV-AIDS, to breast cancer, to mRNA and what we do around vaccines and pandemics, have occurred here in collaboration with French scientists, American scientists, scientists around the world coming together," Harris, a former California senator, said. She also mentioned the institute's personal symbolism: Her late mother Shyamala Gopalan, who was a scientist, conducted breast cancer research with the institutes scientists in the 1980s. Harris is scheduled to sit down with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday for talks expected to focus on ways the two nations can better coordinate their efforts in the Indo-Pacific. Harris and Macron are also expected to discuss global health, space and other issues. Harris is set to deliver a Thursday speech at the annual Paris Peace Forum and to participate Friday in the Paris Conference on Libya. NEWAYGO, Mich. (AP) A school district in western Michigan is shutting down until next Tuesday because of COVID-19, other illnesses and staff absences. The Newaygo district is in Newaygo County, about 40 miles north of Grand Rapids. It has approximately 1,500 students. BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley's decision to award $342,000 in no-bid contracts to a former top Baton Rouge schools official who started a consulting firm only weeks before striking the deals is drawing scrutiny. The Advocate reports that one of the contracts did not follow normal procedures, and the head of the state education board that hired Brumley said she was in the dark about an agreement that requires her review. The contracts were for $222,000 and $120,000 with a newly formed consulting firm run by Sharmayne Rutledge, former assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction with the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, who resigned her post last week. The larger contract with Invicta Consulting LLC was to help school districts plan for handling some of the $4 billion in federal pandemic aid Louisiana is receiving for K-12 education. The other contract involves reviewing plans by local school districts to try to improve student achievement in the wake of the plunge in math, English and other key test scores amid the coronavirus outbreak. Rutledge's consulting firm was registered with the secretary of states office on Aug. 2, less than four weeks before the $220,000 contract with the state education department was signed. That $220,000 deal won final approval from the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education last month after it was recommended by Brumley and the state Department of Education. But the second, smaller contract has been in effect for nearly two months, even though Sandy Holloway, president of the state education board, said she didn't know about the deal, which requires her review. I was not aware of the contract, Holloway told the newspaper, adding she was surprised about it. Because of the paperwork that still must be submitted, the board won't vote on the agreement until its December meeting, about two weeks before the contract is set to expire on Dec. 31. The first of two $60,000 payments already has been made to the company, according to state records. I think a layman would ask for justification on any and all no-bid contracts and emergency contracts, said Brigitte Nieland, director of government relations for the advocacy group Stand For Children. The education department submitted written responses to questions from The Advocate and defended Brumley's contracts, saying Rutledge has sterling education credentials that make her ideal for the work. The department "conducted a thorough analysis of multiple vendors to determine who could diligently and thoroughly review the plans, ensuring federal funds were allocated toward activities that would accelerate student learning and ignite academic recovery, the statement said. Rutledge and Quentina Timoll, Brumleys chief of staff, were colleagues at the East Baton Rouge Parish School District. Rutledge initially referred questions about the contracts to the Department of Education but a few days later issued a statement that said the review process required under the $120,000 contract is underway and she is confident it will result in academic recovery. The $120,000 contract didn't require a public bid process, according to the education department, because it fell under emergency contracting rules issued by Gov. John Bel Edwards because of the pandemic. The larger deal will pay Rutledge's firm $74,000 per year, which is $1,000 less than the threshold that requires a public bid, officials said. In this expansive country of ours, neighborhoods come with different amenities. Some neighborhoods boast playgrounds and local parks. Others offer easy access to dining and shopping or highly coveted school districts. However, we found a high-flying 'hood in Fort Worth, TX, that comes with a 3,700-foot runway. Hicks Airfield features a number of private airplane hangars, some of which were built simply for plane storage. Others, however, are completely livable dwellings Take the hanger at 632 Aviator Drive, now on the market for $699,000. Its an airplane hangar, and it has an elevator that goes to a housethat really does look like a real house, says Elyse Guthrie, the listing agent with Keller Williams Frisco Stars. Exterior Social Fish Media Hangar Social Fish Media Hangar home Social Fish Media Exterior Social Fish Media Hangar Social Fish Media Hangar Social Fish Media The hangar was built in 2009, and the home was completed in 2014. It offers easy access for those with a pilot's license and a yearning to be around aviation at all times. Just like if you were in a neighborhood, you drive out of your garage [with your airplane] and you leave, Guthrie explains. This means that buyers must keep an eye out when traversing the airfield by car. "You have to look out for airplanes," says the agent. "They drive right over to the runway. On the lower level of the property, you'll find a 3,850-square-foot hangar with an epoxy floor and a huge door suited for aircraft. An elevator and stairway lead between the hangar area to the 3,092-square-foot living space above. Interior Social Fish Media Interior Social Fish Media Kitchen Social Fish Media Kitchen Social Fish Media Living space Social Fish Media From the listing photos, you'd never guess you were living in a hangar on an airfield. Its very open, and people who have come to look at it have said they are surprised it feels like a home, Guthrie says, unlike other hangar homes they've visited. It's a true live-work space with options for a buyer. A spiral stairway leads upstairs to an area that could be used for another bedroom or an office, or could be split into two bedrooms, she notes. Stainless-steel appliances and custom cabinets fill the kitchen, which flows right into the dining and living spaces. The two ensuite bedrooms are also on the same level, and all the rooms have windows that overlook the hangar below. Entertaining is fun because you're looking out on the airplanes, Guthrie says, adding that there is plenty of insulation to keep any heat or noise out. Because this isnt a commercial airfield, the planes are fairly quiet, she adds. Bedroom Social Fish Media Bedroom Social Fish Media Bedroom Social Fish Media Guthrie says the sellers are pilots who have lived in the hangar house full-time, but are moving away from Fort Worth. Plane enthusiasts from all over the country have shown interest in the house. One guy was retired and wanted to live where he can also have planes and keep an RV in there," she says. Although the neighborhood isn't white picket fences and tract homes, Guthrie says it isnt isolated. The location is not like an industrial location. It's very close to other neighborhoods and very close to shopping and downtown Fort Worth," she says, adding that it's also near "nice residential neighborhoods and good schools. Hangar Social Fish Media Hangar Social Fish Media Hangar Social Fish Media Exterior Social Fish Media Bedroom Social Fish Media Office Social Fish Media Dining space Social Fish Media Elevator Social Fish Media The post Home Above an Airplane Hangar Offers High-Flying Opportunity in Texas appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com. A neighbor saw the boys first. Four-year-old Kenneth was crying as he led his younger brother, William, down 97th Avenue in Oakland. William, too, was weeping. They couldn't have looked more lost if they'd tried. When the woman asked them what was wrong, Kenneth sniffled. "Grandma told us not to leave home," he said. "She was going to the store to buy doughnuts and chocolate milk." The woman said she would help them. After all, their grandmother couldn't have gone far if she was just making a trip to the corner store. But they wandered the streets for an hour without any sign of her. The boys were exhausted, so the good Samaritan flagged down a passing patrol car. An officer gently loaded the boys into his vehicle and drove them down to the station. There, Kenneth chatted willingly. He said his parents had died in a car crash, and their grandmother had brought the boys by bus to Oakland. When Kenneth said they lived in Florida, one officer felt the hairs on the back of neck stand up. He grabbed the day's newspaper, its front page plastered with images of America's most wanted murderer. "Do you know who this lady is?" the officer asked Kenneth. "Oh," the boy exclaimed. "That's grandma!" --- For nearly 200 years, San Francisco has been the last stop of petty thieves, con artists and killers. Iva Kroeger was all three. Iva was born Lucille Hooper in Kentucky in 1922, the daughter of day laborer William Hooper and Norwegian immigrant Zellma Hergis. The details of her childhood are sparse, but she burst onto the police blotter in 1945 with the first salvo in her lifelong crime spree. She was arrested in Chicago after police were tipped that a young woman was going around pretending to be a war hero. Lucille Hooper was apparently bragging that she was a Navy nurse who had survived a stint in a Japanese prisoner of war camp. The War Department had no record of any such person, and she was charged with illegally wearing the uniform of a military nurse. She pleaded guilty and immediately violated the terms of her probation by heading west. In her dust, she left behind a husband in Louisville, their two sons and her old identity. As she racked up misdemeanor theft charges, she also accrued a rolodex of fake names. Depending on who she met, she was Paula Marie Pearson, Lucille Cecelia Huffman, Paula Mydel Byrd, Paula Shoemaker or Lucille Cooper, just to name a few. For reasons unknown, she had settled on Iva when she met and married Ralph Kroeger, a San Francisco man who made a living carrying bricks (seriously), in 1954. There was no marital bliss in the Kroeger home at 490 Ellington Avenue in San Franciscos Outer Mission. They were perpetually broke, and they complained often about creditors nipping at their heels. Fleeing bill collectors, the Kroegers, using the names Eva and Ralph Long, moved into a cheap Santa Rosa motel in November 1961. The seeds of Ivas plan quickly sprouted. Across the street was another low-rent motel, the Rose City Motor Court. Iva began inquiring if the motel was for sale. It wasnt, so she next ingratiated herself with the owners, Mildred and Jay Arneson. Mildred, 58, was a nurse, and Jay, a World War I major, was suffering from the advanced stages of Parkinsons disease. Although photos show a dead-eyed, dour woman, Ivas career as a con artist suggests she must have been charming and persuasive. Within a month, shed convinced her new Santa Rosa friends that she was awarded $100,000 in an accident claim. Iva said she wanted to spend the money on an all-expenses-paid girls trip to Brazil, and Mildred happily agreed. Mildred took out over $1,000 in travelers checks and wrote to her mother in Washington to let her know she was headed out of the country for a bit. But weeks turned to a month, and Mildreds family began to worry when they heard nothing from their loved one. They asked Santa Rosa police to send someone to the Rose City Motor Court. The dispatched officer was met by the new proprietor, Iva, who told him Mildred signed the deed over to her shortly before leaving on a trip. She figured Mildred was just on an extended vacation in Mexico. The officer gave her the phone number of Mildreds sister, Beatrice Brunn which he mistakenly wrote as Brown and told Iva to give the family a call when she could. A few weeks later, two mysterious notes arrived at the doors of Mildreds family. Her mother got a letter signed Mildred'; family members knew she always signed correspondence as Mil. Her sister Beatrice, meanwhile, received a telegram addressed to Beatrice Brown, the same mistake made by police. The family became even more convinced something sinister had happened. Google Street View "We know our sister," one sister told the press. "She wouldn't leave without letting us or her daughter know." By this time, Jay Arneson too had disappeared. In late January, Iva, Jay and two friends drove to San Francisco. They stopped at the Ellington Avenue home, where Iva requested they help with some plumbing work in the garage. One of the friends dug a large hole in the floor while the rest watched, and then all drove to a nearby hospital for Jays doctors appointment. Iva escorted Mildreds husband inside the hospital, and then returned a short time later to tell her waiting friends to head home without them; it was going to take a bit longer for the doctor to see him. The friends drove back to Santa Rosa, never to see Jay again. To the frustration and horror of the Arnesons family members, police shrugged their shoulders, assuming the missing couple had indeed gone abroad. All of Ivas paperwork was in order, and it seemed she did indeed lawfully own the motel. Months passed. Iva put the motel on the market for $72,000. Ralph moved back to San Francisco. Finally, on August 20, eight months after Mildred disappeared, police executed a search warrant on the Ellington Avenue home. They noticed right away that there were two uneven, gray patches in the light blue garage floor. Police started digging. They found Jays body first, the belt used to strangle him still around his neck. Under the other patch was Mildred, stuffed into a trunk. She, too, had been choked to death. At last, the noose was closing in on Iva. But she was already gone. --- A few months prior, Iva pulled a gun on a water company worker who came to the motel demanding she pony up $4,900 in unpaid bills. Furious, she waved around a pistol and threatened to kill him. Santa Rosa police issued an arrest warrant, and Iva went on the run. Now accused of three violent crimes, Iva became Americas most famous murderess overnight. Her photo ran on front pages across the nation, accompanied by the description: "She has a bad temper, and is a proverbial liar." Papers dubbed the 44-year-old the "ghostly grandma," "glib grandmother" and, least flattering of all, "dumpy grandma." Tips poured in, most of them worthless, but police did nothing to tamp down hysteria throughout the Bay Area. One detective casually speculated that Iva was likely laying low as a babysitter for some unsuspecting San Francisco family. A slightly more helpful detective warned Ivas friends that anyone who aided the fugitive might wind up under their own patio. "If anyone crosses her path and doesn't have enough sense to get in out of the rain, then they're sure going to get wet," San Francisco chief of inspectors Dan McKlem said. Two days after the manhunt began, Ivas grandsons were found wandering the streets of Oakland. The boys parents told a shocking story. After years without contact, Grandma Iva had recently appeared at their door. She said shed just bought a motel in California, and she wanted help running it. She promised to take the boys first, and would soon send the money for her son Kenneth and his wife Joyce to join them. "She was the type that could talk to anyone and make them think the moon's gold, Joyce told the Oakland Tribune. "We were having it real tough, Kenneth added. She made it sound so good we fell for it hook, line and sinker. Police guessed Iva had kidnapped the boys and set them loose in Oakland to throw authorities off her trail. Joyce had another theory. Several years after abandoning her children and husband in Louisville, Iva suddenly wanted custody of her sons. She asked Kenneth to come live with her instead of his father. He told her no. "Mrs. Kroeger told someone that Kenny had hurt her deeply, Joyce remembered, and that someday she would hurt him the same way." --- Meanwhile in San Francisco, crowds swarmed the Kroeger home. Police guarded it day and night after an over-eager souvenir seeker broke a window. As was customary at the time, reporters were allowed to traipse all over the scene, taking photographs and touching whatever they liked. An Examiner reporter found a new, taffeta-bound baby book filled with cards. "Congratulations on your twins!" read one from the Longfellow Elementary School PTA. A list in the back of the book detailed dozens of gifts from friends. Iva hadn't had a baby let alone two in over a decade. Ralph Kroeger, who Iva hadnt bothered to warn of the impending chaos, had been living in the home, basement bodies and all. After he was taken in custody and charged with murder, he spent most of his time denying his involvement. (Although its unclear if he was directly involved in the killings, theres no doubt he knew what was buried in his garage; witnesses placed him there at the time of some of Ivas plumbing renovations). Ralph also complained loudly about the motel to anyone who would listen. "That damn place! I worked up there cleaning that joint up. It was a condemned joint, he whined to the Examiner from prison. They were getting ready to close it up until I started painting it. It wasn't fit for hogs to live in. That's the reason I wouldn't live in a place like that under my own name." On September 9, Iva was spotted at a San Diego church. Her choice to flee to San Diego sent alarm through the Arneson family; Jay's sons Jack and Dick lived five miles away. Police warned them to be vigilant. Both men began carrying guns with them at all times. Later that day, a World War II POW named Joseph Bonamo saw a tired-looking woman on his street. He didn't recognize her and struck up a conversation. She said she was destitute and struggling to make ends meet with a sick nine-year-old daughter. Joseph, who hated to see anyone go hungry, invited her to dinner with his wife Christine. Once inside the Bonamo home, the woman began acting strangely. She refused to take off a pair of dark sunglasses and twice requested to make calls, dragging the phone into a bedroom and shutting the door behind her. When the Bonamos began chatting about all the violence in the news, the woman lifted her head and commented, "The Bible says it is wrong to kill." The next day, Joseph and Christine were paging through the newspaper when they stopped on a photo of a wanted woman named Iva Kroeger. Christine grabbed a pen, and drew two dark sunglass lenses over the woman's eyes. She looked exactly like their dinner guest. Joseph called the local police, who told him they were done working for the day, and recommended he call back later. Luckily Joseph realized the urgency of his tip, even if the police didn't. He tried the FBI, which immediately sent officers to the womans east San Diego apartment. For the first time in her life, Iva gave up without a fight. "I'm overjoyed and tremendously relieved," Jack Arneson told reporters. "Now I can take the shells out of the .38." --- Relief would soon turn to disgust, though, as Iva kicked off a media circus that Court TV could only dream of. Hoping to crack their cardigan-wearing murder suspect, police dragged Iva back to San Francisco for a shocking surprise. In her garage, they gathered four of the prosecutions witnesses to confront her at the Arnesons makeshift graves. "The treatment, designed to break down the most hardened criminal, did not faze the elusive grandmother one whit, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported. It did faze her attorney, however, who understandably hit the roof, shouting that his clients constitutional rights had been violated. Santa Rosa Press Democrat archives On the way out, a crowd of 300 onlookers jostled for a closer look at the killer. Photographers flash bulbs snapped and lit up the normally quiet street. The Press Democrat described the scene as reminiscent to the appearance of a Hollywood great attending a sure box office hit on opening night." Iva smiled, stopping briefly to proclaim her innocence to the gathered media. I sleep good, and Im just a happy person, she said. The trial of Iva and Ralph Kroeger began in January 1963. In the intervening months, Iva had settled on a strategy: She was going to fake her way to a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. She kicked off the trial by escaping her guard and bum-rushing the assistant D.A., throwing a rosary over his shoulder. Iva spent the rest of jury selection glaring so hard at one woman that the judge ended up dismissing her. Iva also gleefully told reporters shed been reading astrology books to pass the time. "I want to make up some charts, she said. I'm going to find out the birthdays of all the people in that trial and if any of them is lying, maybe I'll come up with some surprises." A few days later, one of the jurors husbands died of a heart attack. The media blamed Ivas hex. Throughout witness testimony, Iva talked relentlessly and took off her shoes to bang on the defense table. "Irascible Iva Kroeger didn't take the witness stand yesterday but she might as well have, the Examiner reported. Ralph pinched her arm black and blue as he repeatedly jabbed her and asked her to keep quiet. Then, for utterly incomprehensible reasons, Ivas lawyer decided it would be a good idea to put her on the stand. She screamed for 15 minutes straight while the judge begged her to calm down. You should force her to testify, he told her lawyers. This is the time. I cant be forced to do nothin, she shouted back. You cant make a horse take a drink. After calling a recess for Ivas lawyers to talk her down, she returned willing to testify. It went extraordinarily poorly. She started off monologuing for an hour straight, listing off grievances and rambling about police wrongdoings. When the prosecution was allowed to cross-examine her, the farcical proceeding hit a new low. "Iva Kroeger tried to match wits with the prosecution yesterday but it was the St. Valentine's Day Massacre all over again, the Examiner wrote. By actual count she tripped herself up 42 times." Seeing that things were not going her way, Iva broke free of her seat and leaped around the court like a deer, eliciting gasps from the gallery. When this was not enough to end the cross examination, Iva raced over to the district attorneys table and swept his papers off it with hysterical yelps. The bailiff had to pick her up and forcibly remove her from the courtroom. Three psychiatrists then testified that Iva was perfectly sane and only faking her madness to get out of legal consequences. "She's naughty, said one on the stand. "She lies with ingenuity, cruelty, wickedness, cool calculation and evil conduct and intent like a devil." After nearly two months of courtroom antics, the jury was sent to deliberate. It took them only five hours to return guilty verdicts for both Iva and Ralph. Neither made much of a fuss, with Iva feebly declaring the jury was paid off and Ralph, ever the sad sack of a man, murmuring, I didnt expect it. --- This was not the end for Iva Kroeger, although it was for Ralph. In 1966, two years shy of Johnny Cashs infamous visit, Ralph died of cancer at Folsom Prison. His obituary noted that he would have likely been found not guilty if hed elected to be tried separately from Iva. There was, after all, no physical evidence directly linking Ralph to the murders. But hed been loyal to the end, and he died alone in prison. Iva, it was reported, was going blind and learning braille to cope. In 1975, she was granted parole; the board praised her behavior while incarcerated and cited her failing vision as a factor in her being unlikely to reoffend. The Press Democrat said she moved to Riverside, where she was taking classes at the University of California and attending a local church of Scientology. Her parole officer told the paper she was back to using her birth name, Lucille, and was known as a bit of a nuisance among city bus drivers. She apparently liked to ride around, white cane in hand, and complain to strangers about serving 13 years for a crime she didnt commit. It seemed her years of infamy were over when, out of the blue, she made headlines again in 1987: Police in Cape Coral, Florida were seeking her arrest for allegedly threatening to murder a man she blamed for the tragic drowning of one of her grand-nieces. The man told police the 69-year-old had repeatedly made violent calls to his home before showing up to kill him. When police ran her name, they found her criminal record. They were astonished, in no small part because the woman they were investigating showed no sign of visual impairment. They wondered if shed faked it in order to secure an early release and, having achieved her goal, could then apply for state aid for blind residents. What happened next is a mystery. There are no further stories about an arrest, and Iva disappeared permanently from the public eye. No obituaries ran when she died in 2000, but a gravestone with her name surfaced upon searching public cemetery records. The grave was in Boston, so we sent a request to the city for her death certificate. It arrived in a few days, the last known bits of Iva Kroegers life. She is listed as Ralph Kroegers widow, her occupation homemaker. At the time of her death, she was living in what appears to be public housing on Union Park Street in Boston. Her next of kin was not kin at all, but a social worker. She died of cervical cancer. Katie Dowd/SFGATE As for the Kroeger house on Ellington Avenue, it was seized by the bank in 1962. A year later, it was back on the market. A real estate listing in the Chronicle asked $22,500 for the property. Four bedrooms, 2 baths! block Mission St.! Vacant! the listing read. Its not clear what happened to Ivas many furnishings inside the home. More likely than not, they were sold off by the bank to make a few bucks. Somewhere in the Bay Area, someone may unknowingly have Ivas table or chairs. And its possible someone ended up with the plaque that once graced the entryway, a poem dedicated to the joys of friendship. "My friend is one who knows me well, it read. Yet loves me just the same." Dan Gentile San Francisco's reputation in the film world has been on the rise in recent years, with major movie shoots like "Shang-Chi," "Venom" and "The Matrix Resurrections" taking over city streets for high-flying stunts. Although there won't be any low-flying helicopters or gunfights with Woody Harrelson, this week the city hosts another substantial shoot for a new Apple TV Plus show code-named "Madeline." Although the San Francisco Film Commission would not reveal the actual title, it is set to star Gugu Mbatha-Raw ("Loki"), Oliver Jackson-Cohen ("The Haunting of Hill House") and Stephan James ("If Beale Street Could Talk"). You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short. photo: Marylane Studios Sheldon Simeon lives on the island of Maui, Hawaii. He is the chef-owner of Tin Roof, a restaurant serving local Hawaiian comfort food that is distinguished by bold flavors prepared in a fun, creative way. His more upscale restaurant, Lineage, was named one of Bon Appetit's top 50 new restaurants. Simeon has been nominated for a James Beard Award and was a finalist and voted "Fan Favorite" on seasons 10 and 14 of the Bravo TV cooking show Top Chef. Cook Real Hawai'i (Clarkson Potter, $35; reviewed below) is his first cookbook. Your cookbook features more than 100 recipes. Was it hard to pare down the content and decide what to include? I had many ideas. I asked myself how I could possibly share everything that makes me who I am--and what my cooking is--and put all of that onto a plate of food? That question has come to define what and how I cook. And it also guided me in the process of putting the cookbook together. I aimed to select recipes that influenced me throughout different periods of my life--recipes that would define the Hawaii I know and love, as best I could. Is there one recipe or dish, in particular, that you're famous for? Probably Mochiko Fried Chicken. It's a Hawaiian-style take on classic fried chicken. It borrows some influence from Japanese, Korean and even fried chicken recipes from the southern (mainland) U.S. Do tell more! We serve it at my restaurant Tin Roof. Locals bring their own versions of this very dish to parties and potlucks. It is chicken basically marinated in ginger and sake, along with other ingredients. Then it's fried in mochiko, which is a sweet rice flour that isn't really sweet--it's just made from glutinous rice--and which doesn't really contain gluten either (go figure!). My recipe contains levels of deliciousness and textures and is topped with kochujang aioli--which is a sauce made from Korean chili paste, sugar, garlic and mayonnaise--and a miso sauce, which blends white miso, sake, mirin and sugar. Everybody loves this dish--the light crust of the fried chicken when served over cooked rice. I love it, too. It's so addicting. The recipe has several steps and some of the ingredients seem exotic. There are simpler versions of Mochiko Fried Chicken out there, but none of them offer the whole epic package like this recipe. A more minimalist version, a humble cousin to the complexity of my version of mochiko, would be the recipe for Nori Chicken, whose style is pared back and simplified with a three-ingredient marinade. It's easier to make, and it's equally delicious. What defines you as a chef? Ultimately, what will define me as a chef is the positive impact that I've had on other people--whether it is through something delicious and memorable that I've cooked for someone or my mentoring cooks who work in my restaurants. What other cuisine, beyond the culturally diverse flair of Hawaiian cuisine, is your favorite? I absolutely love Mexican food. In my humble opinion, there's nothing like the perfect al pastor taco--a sweet and smoky tortilla that has a slight chew to it, umami-rich tender pork, a vibrant punch of salsa habanero and sweet tangy pineapple to create one of the most harmoniously balanced bites ever created. If you could travel anywhere in the world to learn more about a particular cuisine, where would it be and why? Singapore is a place I've always dreamed of visiting. I'm so amazed by its cultural diversity. I would love to experience all the different cuisines there. Your appearance on Top Chef launched you onto the national stage. How has your cooking changed (if it has) since your appearance on the show? The highlight of Season 10 for me was the "Restaurant Wars" segment, where we were tasked with creating our own restaurant concept and bringing it to life. My idea was one I'd been jotting down in a notebook for years: a restaurant called Urbano, named after my grandpa, that served contemporary Filipino food. I ended up winning the episode, but the part that stayed with me was seeing the judges react to my food. Here were the judges, iconic culinary figures, eating the humble food that I grew up on, sinigang and pork belly adobo, and being utterly blown away. It was a light-switch moment for my entire career. And I began to realize how unique the platform is that I've been given to tell the stories of the place where I grew up. The cookbook details how the history of Hawaiian cuisine evolved. Give readers a sense of your own personal history--do you remember the very first meal you ever cooked? It wasn't a meal exactly, but I remember being a kid--I was probably only about five years old--I pulled a chair from the dining room table up to the stove where my grandpa was cooking. In the pot was lauya, a traditional Filipino soup made by slow simmering beef shank, cabbage and potato. I was so mesmerized as my grandfather seasoned the soup. He dipped the old tarnished cooking spoon into the broth then slowly lifted it to his lips, blowing it slightly to cool before tasting for seasoning. I could practically see the gears turning in his head. He'd add a splash of vinegar, a little sprinkle of salt, then taste again. As I watched in awe, he made one last dip into the broth, then raised the spoon to my mouth. He said, "Here, you try...." It was so amazing! That memory is forever etched into my brain and always comes to mind whenever I stand over a pot and taste broth for seasoning. If you could cook dinner for any person in the world (living or dead), who would it be for and why? I'd cook for my mother. She passed away when I was just embarking on my cooking career. She didn't get to witness my becoming a chef or cooking on TV. She never ate at any of my restaurants. She's a huge influence in my cooking, and I always reminisce about recipes she cooked when I was growing up. I'd serve her my take on Miki Noodles. I know my version (a hearty chicken noodle-type soup) would never be as delicious as hers, but I would give the world to be able to cook it for her and for us to share in making that memory. --Kathleen Gerard, blogger at Reading Between the Lines NEW YORK (AP) The U.S. says that it's inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries. In reality, however, it will still be difficult if not impossible for much of the globe to enter the country and experts say it will take years for travel to fully recover. For starters, half the world isn't vaccinated and therefore doesn't meet the U.S. requirement for visiting foreigners. So while many Europeans may now be able to come in, people from poorer countries where vaccines are scarce remain cut off, with limited exceptions. For some public health experts, that raises ethical questions about the policy. The concern is not limiting access based on vaccination status, said Nancy Kass, deputy director of public health in the Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins University. It is that its systemically making it impossible for people, generally from poor countries, whose governments have been unable to secure anything near the supply they need, to be able to come and see their loved ones. Even if you've gotten the jab, that might not be good enough. Non-immigrant adults need to have received vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or which received an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, otherwise they, too, are prohibited from entering the U.S. That sidelines anyone who's received Russia's Sputnik V or the China-produced CanSino jab. Then there are the months-long delays in some places to get a visa. The U.S. Travel Association says that, on average, theres a six-month visitor visa appointment backlog as many U.S. consulates and embassies have yet to resume normal operations. Meanwhile, other countries have their own strict rules, which complicates foreign travel. Experts do expect a wave of travelers at U.S. airports, which will go a long way to boost the overall industry. The 28 European countries that up until Monday were barred under the U.S. policy made up 37% of overseas visitors in 2019, the U.S. Travel Association says. Travelport, which analyzes airline bookings data, says that by region, the greatest number of international travelers to the U.S. since mid-2020 has come from Latin America, but new travelers booking flights since late September, when the Biden administration said it would end the travel bans, are mainly European. The reopening of the land borders with Canada and Mexico should also help restore travel, since they are typically the top two sources of international visitors to the U.S. But the U.S. Travel Association predicted in June that international travel would not return to 2019 levels of nearly 80 million visitors until 2024. Foreign travelers dropped to 19 million in 2020 and is expected to rise a bit this year, to more than 26 million; it will more than double, to about 57 million, in 2022 but still fall far short of its pre-pandemic heights. The U.S. isnt alone in trying to jump-start travel as more people get vaccinated. Some countries that closed their borders have begun easing back, like Australia, India and Thailand; Europe opened its doors to Americans months ago. Others, like China and Japan, remain essentially closed, which makes it difficult for their own citizens to leave and come back because of mandatory quarantines. In 2019, the two countries were among the top five biggest sources of overseas visitors to the U.S., along with the U.K., South Korea and Brazil, according to U.S. government data. Sylvia Li, who is from China and lives in the U.S., just married her partner in a small ceremony in New York a few weeks ago without her family there because she had no idea when theyd be able to come or when shed be able to go to China. I was able to convince them, its really nothing, its just a party, Li said. But her mom didnt fall for it. I think my mom felt she was missing out. She felt like she was actually missing something big. Edgar Orozco, who owns two restaurants, both called Chelito's, in El Paso, Texas, was excited for the land border with Mexico to reopen on Monday, and he hopes that helps fill the streets of downtown El Paso with shoppers and customers at his restaurants this holiday season, unlike last year, when he said streets were empty. Now that non-essential travelers are going to be able to come back, we're looking forward to going back to those good old days, he said. But he's heard of people who have visa issues, like a vendor in Mexico who he says can't renew his visa until 2023. The appointment wait time for a U.S. visitor visa in Cuidad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, is 676 days, or nearly two years, according to the State Department. In New York, the countrys biggest tourist destination, businesses are gearing up for more international travelers. Hudson Yards, a shopping complex, is expanding its concierge services to include a wider array of foreign languages. City Experiences, a tour company that sends ferries to the Statue of Liberty and other sites, is increasing marketing abroad. In the past two weeks, 75% of new bookings at three Moxy hotels in Manhattan have come from Europe, mostly the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany, said Mitchell Hochberg, president of the hotels operator, Lightstone. Still, Hochberg thinks it will take until at least spring for international bookings to be back to their pre-pandemic levels. Travel can be cumbersome," he said. The flights are somewhat limited right now. Worry about getting COVID-19 also continues to put a damper on travel plans for many, even if they're now allowed in. Mehek Khera doesn't want her parents in India to visit her in Santa Clara, California, even though they could now they're vaccinated and have visas. But the risk of getting sick is too high. Her father has a heart condition, and they don't have health insurance in the U.S. We don't feel comfortable adding on another risk on top of that," Khera said. They don't feel very excited to travel. SHELTON - The city could soon be home to a national dog day care center chain. The owners of Shelton Place, which is home to Staples, Panera and Dominos Pizza at 850 Bridgeport Ave., are seeking approval for Dogtopia to set up shop in soon-to-be vacant space. Paneras lease expires on Dec. 31, after which the eatery will be moving down the road to the under-construction Fountain Square. Marvin Shiller, managing partner with the property owner, S&S Shelton Development, LLC, stated his company is seeking a modification to the Planned Development District, under which the site was originally developed. Shiller said the dog day care center use is not covered under the existing Statement of Uses and Standards approved with the original PDD, requiring an application to the Planning and Zoning Commission seeking a major modification. The application itself needs to be accepted by the Planning and Zoning Commission and then a public hearing will be set. This item was on the commissions Nov. 9 agenda. Dogtopia is a national chain of dog day care centers with more than 160 locations in the United States and Canada. The business offers dog care with daycare, grooming and overnight boarding services seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In all, the business will have 20 employees, six working each shift. Shiller said Dogtopia owners target higher income locations, and our tenant is the franchise owner of 16 Dogtopias throughout Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. The proposed owner also operates Connecticut locations in Stamford, Norwalk, Fairfield and Milford, and they see Shelton as a great fit, Shiller added. Dogtopias use would not require any structural modifications to the existing exterior or additional parking. Due to the nature of their business, Dogtopia will require significantly fewer parking spaces than a restaurant or a retailer, Shiller said. The past few years have been tough for landlords, he added. Since Panera has confirmed they will relocate to Fountain Square, we want to avoid having a vacant corner space in our center, he said. Given the ongoing challenges of COVID, we strongly feel that Dogtopia has many advantages over traditional restaurants and retailers and will have a solid business in our center. brian.gioiele@hearstmediact.com General Electric, the storied American manufacturer that struggled under its own weight after growing to become a sprawling conglomerate, will divide itself into three public companies focused on aviation, health care and energy. The companys announcement Tuesday is the culmination of an arduous, yearslong reshaping of a symbol of American manufacturing might that could signal the end of conglomerates as a whole. Its over now," said Nick Heymann of William Blair, who has followed GE for years. "In a digital economy, theres no real room for it. The company has already rid itself of the products most Americans know it for, including its appliances, and last year, the light bulbs that GE had been making since the late 19th century when the company was founded. The breakup marks the apogee of those efforts, divvying up an empire created in the 1980s under Jack Welch, one of America's first CEO superstars. GEs stock became one of the most sought after on Wall Street under Welch, routinely outperforming peers and the broader market. Through the 1990s, it returned 1,120.6% on investments. GE's revenue grew nearly fivefold during Welchs tenure, and the company's value increased 30-fold. Yet the stock began to lag in the summer of 2001, the waning days of Welchs rule. As the decade came to a close, GE was struck by near ruin with the arrival of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. General Electric's vulnerabilities were laid bare and the epicenter was GE Capital, the company's financial wing. Its shares lost 80% of their value from the start of 2008 into the first few months of 2009 and has only recently begun to recover as the company unwinds much of what Welch built. The stock is up almost 30% this year as the asset sales keep coming. Shares in Boston-based General Electric Co. ended Tuesday up $2.87, or 2.7%, to $111.29, a new high for the year. GE's aviation unit, it's most profitable, will keep General Electric in the name. GE will spin off its health care business in early 2023 and its energy segment, including renewable energy, power and digital operations in early 2024. The decision to split at GE was well received Tuesday, both in general markets and by those who had pushed for the change. The strategic rationale is clear: three well-capitalized, industry leading public companies, each with deeper operational focus and accountability, greater strategic flexibility and tailored capital allocation decisions," wrote Trian Fund Management, a large stakeholder whose founding partner serves on GEs board. Heymann, of William Blair, said the conglomerate model no longer works in a marketplace in which only the quick and agile survive. GE Chairman and CEO Larry Culp will become nonexecutive chairman of the health care company, with GE maintaining a 19.9% stake in the unit. Peter Arduini will serve as president and CEO of GE Healthcare effective Jan. 1. Scott Strazik will become CEO of the combined renewable energy, power, and digital business. Culp will lead the aviation business along with John Slattery, who will remain its CEO. Culp achieved a major milestone this year in reshaping General Electric with a $30 billion deal to combine GE's aircraft leasing business with Irelands AerCap Holdings. Because the arrangement pushed GE Capital Aviation Services into a separate business, Culp essentially closed the books on GE Capital, the financial division that nearly sank the entire company during the 2008 financial crisis. GE said Tuesday that it expects operational costs of about $2 billion related to the split, which will require board approval. The company also announced Tuesday that it expects to lower its debt by more than $75 billion by the end of the year. The question now is whether other conglomerates will see their own company structure as a relic of the past. The decision to break up General Electric, an industrial bellwether, could set into motion similar actions at other large conglomerates with the urge to demerge, according to RBC Capital Markets. GEs announcement today could embolden the boards of several other Multi-Industry companies to move ahead on more aggressive portfolio simplification moves, including Emerson, Roper Technologies, and 3M, analysts with the firm wrote. Unlike GE, which continued to shed assets this year, all three industrial conglomerates have underperformed the S&P 500 in 2021. ___ AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report from New York. Christians, can we talk? (If youre not a Christian, please stay. Everyone is welcome, but we white evangelicals some of the most vaccine-hesitant people in the country need to caucus.) Christians, nowhere in your Book does it say vaccinations run counter to Gods will, nor is your Book anti-science. Your Book the part you are charged with following suggests that your primary commandment is to love people. How does love fit into anti-vax protests? And what is the scriptural reference that supports those protests? (For more on the importance of love, see 1 Cor. 13:13. For more on loving your neighbor, see Mark 12:31.) In addition, where in your Book do you find backing for vaccine exemptions based on your religion? Because from here in the cheap seats, it looks like youre faking if you say Jesus wants you to skip the shot. I say that with love. (James 1:26 covers this more fully.) Last week, the White House set a Jan. 4 deadline for businesses that employ more than 100 people to require either vaccines or weekly testing. Over the weekend, a three-judge panel in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals put a stay on that directive, which was both an expected move and an ignorant one. A little context might help here: Two of the judges were appointed by the president who lost in November 2020. The third was appointed by President Ronald Reagan. The court is in Louisiana, which has been hit particularly hard by COVIDs Delta variant, with less than half of eligible residents fully vaccinated. The directive affects roughly 84 million American workers and includes health care employees whose facilities treat Medicare and Medicaid recipients. Fomented by their pastors (the ones who havent caught COVID and died), the outcry from evangelicals has been as expected and as ignorant as that of the Fifth Circuit. Its a pity that we have allowed an angry, vocal minority to weaken our defense against a killer virus, but such is the nature of democracy. Unlike so many white evangelicals, much of the business community appears to accept this newest mandate, with a few caveats. Some are nervous that the mandate puts them in the role of police officer who must make sure employees do the right thing. Speaking as an academic, I understand that. I do not treasure starting each class with a check of every students phone for the app that makes sure theyre symptom-free. But I have folded this chore into my day, as I have folded into my day the wearing of a mask. There are worse things to wear like, say, a respirator. If this mandate is upheld and my moneys on science and that it will be upheld those who remain non-compliant should lose their jobs, and good riddance to them. I do not understand police officers, teachers and health care workers who talk about freedom and ignore the need to act as if they live in a community during this public health crisis. Favoring personal freedom at the cost of the collective is actually the opposite of Christianity. (We refer in your Bible to stories of the early church, where people shared their possessions with one another and had everything in common, Acts 2:44.) Cheshires own state Sen. Rob Sampson was quoted by a local television station calling the federal vaccine mandates very anti- and un-American policies. They are anti-freedom. Theyre anti-science. I dont have a Bible verse for Sen. Sampson, but Gen. George Washington mandated the smallpox vaccine for his troops, who up to then were rendered unable to fight because of the effects of an imminently preventable virus. Some historians credit that vaccine for keeping the troops safe enough to defeat the superior British troops. Washington knew this might not be popular. In 1777, he wrote: Necessity not only authorizes but seems to require the measure, for should the disorder infect the army in the natural way and rage with its usual virulence, we should have more to dread from it than from the sword of the enemy. Is George Washington American enough for you? Perhaps people professing Christianity who seek religious exemptions from the necessary COVID vaccine are sincere. Perhaps theyve searched their hearts and found Jesus there, telling them not to get the shot, though I doubt it. Whatever the outcome for their souls, I am anxious to see how these newly minted Christians practice their faith besides using it as a shield against science and common sense. Ill close with 2 Peter 2:1, a verse about false prophets, false teachers and destructive heresies. Best of luck to my brothers and sisters. Susan Campbell is the author of Frog Hollow: Stories from an American Neighborhood, Tempest-Tossed: The Spirit of Isabella Beecher Hooker, and Dating Jesus: A Story of Fundamentalism, Feminism, and the American Girl. She is a distinguished lecturer at the University of New Haven, where she teaches journalism. 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. Page Content A federal court in Pennsylvania granted an employer's motion for summary judgment dismissing a former employee's Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Act (PMMA) claim because he could not show that his termination was premised solely on his status as a certified user of medical marijuana. Matthew Reynolds v. Willert Mfg. Co., LLC, No. 5:21-cv-01208 (E.D. Pa. Oct. 19, 2021). The employee received a conditional offer of employment contingent upon the successful completion of a drug test and began working on Oct. 16, 2020. The drug test was performed off-site by a third-party vendor. Upon submitting to the drug test, the employee informed the individual performing the drug screening that he was a medical marijuana patient. After testing positive for marijuana, he also informed the medical review officer (MRO) of his status as a medical marijuana patient. The MRO reported the positive drug test results to the employer but did not mention the employee's status as a medical marijuana patient. Based on the positive drug test result, the employer terminated the employee on Nov. 5, 2020. Immediately after his termination, the employee informed the employerfor the first timethat he was a medical marijuana patient. The employer declined to reverse its termination decision based on the newly obtained information that the now former employee was a registered medical marijuana patient. In February 2021, the employee filed a state court action for discrimination pursuant to the PMMA. The employer subsequently removed the action to federal court and moved for summary judgment asserting that the "uncontroverted facts indicate that" the employer's decision to terminate the employee was not based solely on the employee's status as a medical marijuana patient. The court agreed with the employer, reasoning that the PMMA "indicates that it prohibits discrimination 'solely on the basis of such employee's status as an individual who is certified to use medical marijuana,'" and does not explicitly or implicitly protect against discrimination on the basis of a positive marijuana drug test result. The court reasoned that to prevail on a discrimination claim under the PMMA, the employee "must show (1) he was discriminated against on the basis of his status as a cardholder, and (2) that but for his status, he would not have been terminated." Because there was no evidence that the employer was aware of the employee's status as a medical marijuana patient prior to his termination, the court could not logically conclude that the termination was based upon such status. In an attempt to impute the testing site's knowledge of the employee's status as a medical marijuana patient to the employer, the employee argued that the testing site was an agent of the employer. The court rejected this argument, explaining that an agency relationship exists only where an agreement creates a fiduciary relationship between the two parties. The court further opined that even if the employee "could show his termination was motivated by his status as a medical marijuana user, [the employee] failed to provide facts that would allow a reasonable jury to find that his status was the sole basis of his termination. Accordingly, the court granted the employer's motion for summary judgment. Stacey J. Lococo is an attorney with Jackson Lewis in Long Island, N.Y. 2021 Jackson Lewis. All rights reserved. Reposted with permission. After completing the first schedule in Georgia, Vijay and the entire team shot major portions of Beast in Chennai and surrounding locales, especially on a huge shopping mall set. Now, for an important portion, Vijay and the technical crew will be visiting Georgia again this month. Produced by Sun Pictures and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, Pooja Hegde plays Vijay's pair in this biggie. 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! A strong recovery in National Australia Banks share price helped off-set a decline in the materials sector on Wednesday that saw some major miners closing at 18-month lows. The corporate news flow was in the doldrums, apart from some guidance provided at annual general meetings. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed 0.1 per cent or 10.3 points lower at 7423.9 points. The trading range was less than 50 points and was the third consecutive day of declines. Dip-buyers pushed NAB up 4.4 per cent to close at a three-year high of $30.15. Westpac, Commonwealth Bank and ANZ Bank all closed higher as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Index declined for a third consecutive day. Credit:Louise Kennerley But the local market had weak leads from Wall Street and futures for Wednesday nights session were negative. Lead portfolio manager at Tribeca Investment Partners, Jun Bei Liu, said commentary from management teams during annual general meetings has been reasonably positive on the revenue front, but noted quite a few companies had warned about higher costs. We are recovering from the busy US reporting season and AGM season here in Australia, she said. Its back to the macro news, which hasnt seen many changes. Interest rate expectations have eased off in the past few days. Its just a lack of news flow at this point and lack of new information going into the market. The US reporting season had been stronger than expected with impressive September quarter earnings, which was why Wall Streets S&P500 jumped 8 per cent in four weeks, she added. Sims Metals revealed a very strong first half, which saw its share price jump at the open before closing 0.4 per cent higher at $14.39. During the session Chinas consumer and producer prices came in higher than expected, increasing concerns about rising costs. The materials sector lagged all day as iron ore prices fell to $US92.25 per tonne, a 28 per cent decline over the past month and the lowest it has been since about June 2020. BHP declined by 2.7 per cent, Rio Tinto hit an 18-month low as it declined 1.7 per cent to $87.51. Fortescue declined 2.1 per cent, and BlueScope Steel declined by 5.8 per cent. Chalice Mining increased 4.9 per cent to $9.13, taking its gains to nearly 35 per cent over two days since discovering a major nickel sulphide deposit near Perth. Energy stocks were under pressure with Whitehaven Coal falling 3.1 per cent as coal prices continued to decline, Woodside Petroleum fell by 1.5 per cent. Among tech stocks Afterpay declined 2.2 per cent and Nearmap fell 4.9 per cent from a recent four-month high. The Eureka moment Published in December 2010, Attached sounds, superficially, like so many other schmaltzy self-help tomes that came before it. But Attached is built on a key differentiator: the social science underlying its upshot, starting with attachment theory, the well-established thesis of psychology dating back to the mid-20th century dealing in childrens bonds with caregivers. Loading One of the authors of the book, Dr Amir Levine a clinical psychiatrist and molecular neuroscience researcher at Columbia University in New York was working in a program using attachment-guided therapy to bond mothers and children when he stumbled into research hed never seen before. The research, conducted by Cindy Hazan and Phillip Shaver, showed adults relationships in romantic settings as similar to the styles of childrens attachments to parents. Levines eureka moment came not long after, when he imagined that, if this research could be practically applied to adults love lives, its implications that one can (theoretically) learn how to better understand romantic partners or choose romantic partners or cope with the behaviours of a romantic partner could be significant. Paradigm-shifting, even. He reached out to a longtime friend and writer, Rachel Heller. He explained his revelation and his ambition to explain this science to lay people to help change their lives but needed help packaging it into a digestible, actionable book that wasnt just a bunch of research citations. Heller agreed, they wrote the book together and sold it through an agent. To many, many people, they were on to something. Whats your type? The book lays out the three primary adult attachment styles, which, like those of children, are: anxious, avoidant or secure. Our attachment styles reveal themselves in romantic, emotionally intimate situations for example, during a fight, a break-up or that precarious, weird moment when a relationship goes from casual dating to a serious prospect. In these situations, people with anxious attachment styles can instinctively crave emotional intimacy and can become frenetically preoccupied with love and their ability to have, or lose, it (see: the aforementioned spinning out). People with avoidant attachment styles tend to reflexively align this intimacy with losing independence and being suffocated, shutting down or pushing it away (again, see: the aforementioned shutting down). And those with secure attachment styles dont feel threatened or spun out by romantic intimacy they communicate warmly and honestly. Everyone more or less falls into one of these three categories: according to Hazan and Shavers research, their subjects were about 56 per cent secure, 20 per cent anxious/ambivalent, 23 per cent avoidant and 3 to 5 per cent in a disorganised category in which participants vacillate between two distinct styles. These styles affected the way we deal with relationship conflicts, our feelings toward sex, our expectations in romantic intimacy and everything in between. It was interesting, my therapist later told me, because at the time, I noticed many of my patients over the last couple of months were not only familiar with the book and the context, but some of the terms: avoidant and secure and anxious. In 2021, Attached is a top-ranked book on Amazon under the Social Science, Cognitive Psychology and Love and Romance categories. Its in Amazons Top 200 books currently. Its been translated into 20 languages and is the rare book that sells an increasing number of copies year to year since its release. Loading The pandemic and TikTok effect? Not long after the conversation with my therapist, I started cobbling together a theory of my own: Attached exploded in popularity around the start of the pandemic as single people wondered if theyd be alone the next time the world felt as if it was ending. It also, I imagined, appealed to couples who were watching their relationships crumble under the pressure cooker of the first wave of lockdown. Lee Robinson, a 29-year-old comedian from Colorado, was one of those who worried about being alone. She had a relationship end a few months before the pandemic. She was in lockdown by herself, started hearing about attachment styles that spring and read the book later during the summer, after it was recommended ad nauseam by multiple friends. Her reaction? It clicked, she said. I was able to kind of look at old relationships with a new lens. And now, she joked, within the queer community, its accepted knowledge our version of the Bible. Megan Newman, vice president and publisher of TarcherPedigree which, in addition to Attached, also published The Artists Way and Atomic Habits, two other books that have transcended the self-help label into pop ubiquity said its remarkable that sales have risen when the authors do little press and there has been little in the way of concentrated advertising and marketing efforts. She attributes much of its success to word-of-mouth. It clicked, she said. I was able to kind of look at old relationships with a new lens. And now, she joked, within the queer community, its accepted knowledge our version of the Bible. The other thing, she added, is the rise of TikTok. Its hard not to find something substantiating a trend on a social network, but the over 189 million views attributed to #AttachmentStyle TikTok (or the over 72 million views attributed to #AttachmentTheory) are far from inconsequential. From therapists explaining what the various attachment styles are, to Millennials acting out previous relationships falling to anxious/avoidant conflicts, theres plenty there to consume. What you wont find much of are criticisms of the book which do, in fact, exist. Loading Dont quit therapy yet Even though my therapist believes the book is excellent, she sees it as a broad tool that should be used within the context of therapy (she admits that shes biased). While the book offers a test to assess ones own attachment style, she pointed out that people can get self-assessments wrong (hence, uh, the therapy profession), to say nothing of assessing others styles, and even more, being unable to differentiate between someones personality (they just dont like to text) and the amateur pathologising of their attachment style (theyre avoidant). People who arent mental health professionals, she explained, dont have the training to understand all of the other biopsychosocial influences that comprise a person. This gets at the root of one of the primary knocks against the book, from its critics: Its view toward intimacy issues is often tilted at finding partners who suit ones own attachment style either one that matches or someone with a secure attachment style rather than mending relationships between two conflicting attachment styles, which the book dedicates some real estate to, but not a ton. The ultimate goal with attachment theory is often thinking about long-term partnership. But thats kind of an old notion, to think that everyones going to be in a long-term relationship. Other critics, like Rob Weisskirch, a professor of human development at California State University, Monterey Bay, question the larger paradigm of adult attachment theory. Weisskirch hasnt read the book but believes the theory is limiting because it demonstrates only four types of ways people relate in relationships. He also pointed out that the ultimate goal with attachment theory is often thinking about long-term partnership. But thats kind of an old notion, to think that everyones going to be in a long-term relationship. Because there are some people who are very happy not being in a long-term relationship. Even the author is surprised Loading Another critique is that the book flattens nuance out of some very complicated ideas and that its success is owed to part of a larger trend of people overeager to reduce themselves or others to a single style (see: Myers-Briggs tests, Enneagram typing, Zodiac signs). They do this, goes the critique, in order to further pronounce their own identity, rather than realising that our behaviour and attachment styles (and thus, our identities) arent so precisely fixed or attributable to just one single thing. There is a spectrum, Levine said when I spoke to him in September. But what the research finds is that there is a predominant characteristic that you can find yourself gravitating toward more. And I think thats helpful to know. As for the critique of the book needing to be read in therapy? He agreed that this would be ideal but contended that while not everyone has access to therapy, most people have access to a library, and something is better than nothing. He also agreed that the book attempts to negotiate the fine line between being a wonkish academic treatise and being over-distilled and it may not always succeed to peoples tastes on either side. The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way we shop. Online shopping has soared exponentially, but we are also spending far more money on our weekly grocery shop, too. COVID-19 induced lockdown stockpiling, such as toilet paper and pasta, started the trend. Now supermarkets, bottle shops and chemists are all reporting much bigger shopping basket sizes. The exit fees on retirement villages can be higher than the income your investments can generate. Credit:Louie Douvis The fee can include sharing in any capital gain or loss on a unit, marketing fees, sales commissions and renovation costs. If you have done research into the cost of moving into a retirement village you will know that a key part of the transaction is the exit fee. Firstly, retirement villages generally are trying to keep the purchase price of units as low as possible, so residents can free up more equity from the sale of their home to buy lifestyle assets such as cars, boats or caravans, to spend on holidays or to invest. The second is that villages operate under state-based legislation that requires them to run at cost. It is a bit like a body corporate; the budget of expenses for the village are divided among residents, either based on the size of their home or the number of people who live there. So, the DMF is a combination of the future value of the unpaid amount upfront and the profit the operator did not make while you lived there. Most people consider the DMF to be a bit of a rip off. However, it is important to understand that the model came from the not-for-profit sector, which wanted to make their villages as affordable as possible. The problem is that many people moving into retirement villages do not need affordable housing. They can afford to pay the real price upfront. Australias top immunisation advisers will wait on safety data from at least several hundred thousand young children in the US who will be vaccinated in coming weeks before giving the go-ahead for the jab in 5- to 11-year-olds, with experts stressing risks to unvaccinated children in schools are low. A trial of Pfizers paediatric COVID-19 vaccine in 1500 children was published in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday. The trial found the vaccine was safe and effective. ATAGI co-chair Allen Cheng said the group would wait for real-world data before making a decision on vaccination in children under 12. Credit:Joe Armao But with low cases and high rates of adult vaccination coverage, Australia will wait to see how the vaccine plays out in reality before approving the shot, with a larger sample size needed to determine the risk of very rare complications, such as the heart condition myocarditis. The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention independent panel unanimously recommended Pfizers vaccine for children aged between 5 and 11 last week, after it was granted emergency use authorisation by the FDA. The first children received the vaccine on November 3. The lead detective in the Cleo Smith abduction case has returned to Carnarvon to determine if anyone else is suspected of being involved in snatching the four-year-old and holding her captive for 18 days. Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine, one of four police officers who rescued Cleo from accused abductor Terence Kellys house, flew back into the Gascoyne town with a team of officers on Monday. Detective Senior Sergeant Cameron Blaine (front centre) has returned to Carnarvon. Credit:Philip Gostelow The focus this week is for us to ascertain whether there was anyone else involved, thats why were still here, he said. We just ask that if there was anyone that had any contact with Mr Kelly, whether you saw him, whether you met with him, whether you spoke to him on the phone during the relevant period to please make yourself known to police. The announced policy has one flaw. It is at least 30 years too late. Tom Lockley, Pyrmont Fossil fuel industry plays politicians like puppets Professor Matthew England provides an excellent analysis of why we should decarbonise our economy as a matter of urgency (Coal hard facts about the Australian way, November 9). But he misses the point. Our government is effectively controlled by a handful of National Party puppets whose strings are being pulled by the fossil fuel industry. Until we change this, any action on climate change will remain a token effort. A substantial majority of Australians know that we need to take urgent and substantive action on climate change and want the government to take the lead. Lets make sure our votes reflect that at the next election. Richard Grant, Roseville Englands article refutes the federal governments approach to climate change and demonstrates why science and economics show it is totally inadequate. This makes sense to anyone used to arguments based upon logic but, unfortunately, our government is blinkered by an obsolete ideology. Despite more than 80 per cent of Australians wanting to phase out coal, the Morrison government recently gave the go-ahead to three new coal projects. It does not make decisions based on what is good for the country, but solely upon what the fossil fuel companies desire. Peter Nash, Fairlight The one mechanism that would help decarbonise the economy is imposing a price on carbon. Whether a carbon trading scheme or a simple tax is chosen, the problem is one of marketing, not implementation. It has long been argued by economists and quietly recognised by politicians that Australia has the lowest GST in the OECD and that some air time should be given to the politically unpalatable idea of increasing the rate by a couple of per cent. Surely, if the government could argue that a GST increase dedicated solely to fossil fuel burning (and methane emissions) is something that we need to reach carbon neutrality, the electorate and business community would go along with it. It would be surprising if the Opposition would not support a tax (less complex and quicker to introduce than a trading scheme), provided of course that lower income earners and welfare recipients were protected. John Kempler, Rose Bay What truths will the Australian history education curriculum deliver to its future students? That the Australian way was to be led by fossil fuel dollars to overcome the green-shifting world view and chose loyalty to coal and gas over clean options, regardless of scientific progress, native knowledge and the consequences to land, water and future livelihoods? Chris Bilsland, Lane Cove Watered down report a dam indictment The government is putting the security of future urban development on a floodplain solely in a concrete wall of Warragamba Dam (Dam warning watered down by editing, November 9). What are the odds nature will win this gamble hands down? Steve Dillon, Thirroul I commend ecologist Rachel Musgrave for her stance in protesting the watering down and creative editing of her report by WaterNSW regarding the environmental impacts and costs of raising the dam walls. This is obvious duplicity which needs to be exposed and those responsible need to be held to account. Unfortunately, Musgrave has paid a high price in having to resign her position to withhold her professional reputation. A pity others dont have the same high standards. Joy Paterson, Mount Annan I have spent many days and nights hiking in the Blue Mountains and am well aware of how fragile it is, especially in these days of extreme weather events. It is clear that changes to the height walls of the Warragamba Dam are going to be quite catastrophic for large parts of that environment. Every day we hear of lost habitat threatening our native flora and fauna, and we are clearing land on a scale larger than nearly anywhere in the world. Now the state government seems to be changing the scientific facts to suit their development agenda. They should be ashamed and I despair. Mary Billing, Allambie Heights Integral problem If the government seriously wanted to strengthen its proposed federal integrity commission it would release it in time for considered discussion and comment (Crossbenchers in dark over strong watchdog, November 9). Releasing it in the final sitting fortnight of the year is too sneaky by half. Of course it will fail. Judy Sherrington, Kensington Staffers on the public purse stacking branches, cover-ups, rorts, lies the list goes on and weve had enough. Parliament must act to establish a federal ICAC with teeth to regain trust and restore respect for the institution. There are consequences if we voters do not do our duty during an election. We should be able to expect that our elected representatives carry out their duties on our behalf with integrity. Any who do not need to be held to account for the sake of our democracy. Judith Campbell, Drummoyne Light rail bust-up Light-rail travellers are going to have to wear the cost of bus services replacing the light rail from the inner west, in addition to the 18 months to fix this mess (Inner west commuters to pay for bus trips replacing cracked trams, November 9). I guess thats one way to add insult to injury. I moved into the inner west shortly after the construction of the light rail and had a stop three minutes from my door. It was great, initially, but it didnt take long for peak times to become jam packed. While I no longer live there, I do find it rather convenient how both former transport ministers that would have been overseeing this disaster have resigned in the past month. All these commuters are now being forced back on to the roads, either by bus or personal transport not to mention the additional carbon emissions from this. It doesnt instil confidence for future light-rail projects like Parramatta, where I am living now. Who is going to take responsibility for all this? Viv Miley, North Parramatta Power to the people Australias take up of solar roof panels is world leading (Fiddles on the roof push solar uptake to giddy new heights, November 9). This take-up is likely to falter, as energy companies alter their price structures. In these circumstances, householders may find that a battery system that makes them independent of the grid is an attractive proposition. If householders become independent will they be forced to pay for a power delivery system (poles, wires, sub-stations etc) that they no longer use? Geoff Black, Caves Beach History in the making One of them is called Herstory (Some yawning gaps in balancing history, November 8). Alicia Dawson, Balmain It shouldnt be forgotten that the economy of Athens, the cradle of democracy, was based on slavery, as was that of the United States (Letters, November 9). In both cases, slaves and women were excluded from the vote. Without slaves and women, it is unlikely that the fathers of democracy in either society would have had the time. Gayle Davies, North Sydney I think that the way history is taught ought to change as we move through our schooling years. Older students should be taught to critically analyse history in the light that it was written by the victors. However, I see no merit in trying to teach primary school children how to critically dissect what they are fed at school. Surely there is ground for a changing syllabus as students develop and mature? Peter Butler, Wyongah Too many of us still believe our history is wrapped up around our colonial and Anzac past. Our immigration history should be just as important but its neglect has led to a lack of understanding of its significance to our national story and to the belief that it was just the descendants of the British settlers that built this country. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury Toying with gender Lets start cutting out gender stereotypes at babyhood, with the nonsense of retailing boy toys and girl toys (Bravest ad makers will cut the stereotypes, November 9). Its pretty obvious that manufacturers, advertisers and retailers worked out long ago that they can double their profits whenever the recipient children differ in gender, and when shoppers brains remain in their backsides. Margaret Hogge, North Curl Curl Fine lines To read or not to read (Letters, November 9). Sometimes the beauty of Shakespeares language gets lost in a rushed delivery on stage. More rewarding is to read and reread the lines and let the poetry and meaning sink in. It is the bright day that brings forth the adder, And that craves wary walking demands contemplation, for politics as much as bushwalking. Paul Ryan, Emu Plains If, after years of tertiary study, you find no pleasure in the written word of Shakespeares plays, sue your tutors. When the curtain finally opens on the wit, the beauty and the follies of human life from that acute observer, reading Shakespeare is an act of imagination that actually makes life worth living in these confused and humourless times. Shirley Prescott, Forest Lodge Election fantasy Ah, John Anderson, much as I would love to see it, if Anthony Albanese shines during the election campaign I will be unsurprised to see flying pigs and a miraculous overnight end to global warming (Letters, November 9). Please publish the prescription for your glasses so we may all enjoy a rosy, fantasy future. Alynn Pratt, Grenfell Cracks in Sydneys inner west trams are so extensive that a senior transport official has revealed that they have been seen to open and close even when the light rail has been travelling on straight sections of the network. The government on Tuesday sought to abate public backlash by offering half-price fares to commuters forced to catch replacement buses for the suspended light rail network, 24 hours after NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet suggested impacted passengers still needed to pay their fair share. Sydneys inner west light rail will be out of service for up to 18 months after cracks were discovered in all 12 trams. Credit:Brook Mitchell Transport for NSW chief operations officer Howard Collins inspected the Spanish-built trams earlier this week, and said cracks in their base were now clearly visible after sections of the vehicle were stripped back. We drove it up and down the line, and you could see the cracks opening and closing on a normal straight bit of track with no bumps or twists as the car body is stressing itself because there are cracks in this suspension area, Mr Collins told the Herald. The head of Western Australias nurses union warns the damning report into Aishwaryas Aswaths death is just a taste of what the state can expect in its hospitals when COVID begins to spread unless the government gets its nursing recruitment right. Australian Nursing Federation WA state secretary Mark Olson said while conditions had improved at Perth Childrens Hospital since Aishwaryas death, the same situations identified in the report could be seen across the health system. The head of the nurses union said PCHs woes were being felt right across the system. Credit:Trevor Collens The independent inquiry into the seven-year-old girls death in April found PCH staff were exhausted, demoralised and isolated and the emergency department had suboptimal contingencies in place to deal with higher workloads. I cant think of a single public hospital that doesnt have the same problems that are identified in this report, Mr Olson said. In just over one month, Queensland pubs, clubs and stadiums will be allowed to operate at 100 per cent capacity with no restrictions, provided all staff and patrons are fully vaccinated. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed the freedoms for double-dosed Queenslanders, as part of the states roadmap to reopening. From December 17, when Queensland is expected to hit 80 per cent double-dosed, there will be no capacity or other restrictions on clubs, pubs, cafes, cinemas, galleries, museums, libraries, theatres, theme parks and stadiums, provided all staff and patrons are fully vaccinated. Only fully vaccinated staff and patrons, including performers, crew, catering and food truck workers, will be allowed to enter indoor and outdoor festivals where no COVID-19 density limits apply. A new parkland linking Alexandra Headland to Mooloolaba opened on Tuesday as the first step in a multi-stage foreshore revitalisation project, but it didnt come without a struggle. The parkland includes a viewing platform at the Alex Bluff Foreshore Park, a 430-metre boardwalk, two staircases linking it to Mooloolaba Esplanade, and a walkway that starts just north of the old Mooloolaba caravan site and winds its way around Alexandra Headland. The new walkway around Alexandra Headland to Mooloolaba has consigned the beachside caravan park to history. Credit:Sunshine Coast Council The 15-metre Norfolk pine trees at Alexandra Headland have been protected, while 70 new trees and 10,000 new shrubs and ground covers have also been planted. Nikki Boyd, Queenslands assistant minister for local government, said the result was a community asset everyone could enjoy. A 34-year-old man who allegedly fired at police officers at Boronia in Melbournes east has been arrested and charged with a dozen offences after turning himself in. Victoria Police appealed to the public and associates at the weekend to help find Brendan Searle, after he was ejected from the Boronia Hotel about 1am on Saturday. Brendan Searle. Credit:Victoria Police Detective Inspector Marty Allison alleged that Mr Searle attempted a carjacking in the hotel carpark, but was thwarted by the cars driver. Police later came across Mr Searle on Boronia Road, where he allegedly ran away from officers, before producing a gun and firing at them. Politicians addressed hundreds of protesters on the steps of Victorias State Parliament on Tuesday evening before demonstrators snaked through Melbournes CBD once again, rallying against COVID vaccine mandates and proposed new pandemic laws. Shadow treasurer David Davis was first to take the podium on the steps of parliament just after 6pm. He was billed as a headline speaker on a poster shared on an encrypted messaging app used by protesters. Protesters marched through Melbournes CBD once again on Tuesday evening. Credit:Real Rukshan Facebook We got more than 800 deaths last year - now, more than 1100 in total - by far and away the worst of any Australian state, Mr Davis said. We got the worst business outcomes and the worst jobs outcomes; more people have lost their jobs here than anywhere else in Australia. When news first broke that Smith had crashed his car into a fence whilst drunk, his federal colleagues assumed that Smiths career would take a hit, but ultimately, Guy would stick by his friend and staunch political ally. Smith clearly thought this too. Although Smith has refused to divulge what Guy told him when he visited two days after the crash, he evidently believed that, so long as he kept his mouth shut and his nose clean and served his penance on the backbench, he still had a political future. Michael Sukkar: protected by a Federal Liberal code of loyalty. Credit: When Guy instead declared, a few hours before the running of the Melbourne Cup, that there would be no place for Smith in any government he led and Smith should not seek preselection in Kew, it shocked both Smith and the federal MPs whod encouraged him to stick it out. Their first assumption was that Matt would stick with this bloke through thick and thin, a party insider said. It was largely people who didnt vote for Matt who were calling for Tims head. From a federal perspective, it was inconceivable that Matt would cut Tim loose. The reaction among state Liberals was different. When Guy met his leadership team to discuss Smiths future, they agreed it was more important for Guy to uphold standards in public office than demonstrate loyalty to one of his most prominent backers. The only question for Guy was how best to manage Smiths exit. It wasnt just state MPs who held this view. The Age has been told that former premier Jeff Kennett was among the senior party figures who lobbied Guy to make an example of Smith and create a clear differentiation between the Liberals in Victoria and a Labor government currently the subject of a corruption probe. Mr Kennett did not confirm or deny the intervention. Guy also sought the counsel of Mitchell Catlin, his chief of staff. Catlin is a marketing expert who has spent more of his career promoting commercial rather than political interests. If seen through a commercial lens, the Smith imbroglio is a no-brainer; why would Guy or any political leader hang on to someone, even an ally and friend, who would damage his brand in the lead up to an election? Opposition Leader Matthew Guy. Credit:Eddie Jim As one state MP explained it: This is about us trying to be an alternative government to a very bad government. Look at what is happening at IBAC. Look at everything that has gone on. The state Liberals political calculation here is that whatever the party loses in Smith, it will gain far more for taking a hard decision on a matter of principle. It has not always worked out this way. The last time the Liberals were in government in Victoria, former Premier Ted Baillieu took a principled stance against Geoff Shaw, an MP facing a litany of scandals in a government with a parliamentary majority of one. In doing so, he set in motion events that eventually devoured his leadership. The day Shaw quit the party was the same day Baillieu resigned as premier. Ted Baillieu and Geoff Shaw. Credit: Guys supporters believe his handling of Smiths demise is a significant win. By Thursday, when Guy refused to budge on his previous demands that Smith abandon Kew, some of the same federal MPs who initially expected Smith to hang on were publicly encouraging him to listen to his leader. Even some of Smiths local backers in Kew could not see how he could stand if the party leader didnt want him. Loading The alternative view is that Guy, by appeasing his internal enemies and abandoning his closest friend in parliament, has done nothing to engender loyalty, a quality in short supply in state Liberal politics. The federal Liberals, for all their malleable standards, have been in government for 19 of the past 25 years, while the state Liberals have served in opposition for 18 of the past 22. One frustrated supporter of Smith put it: The honest answer is the feds are tough and the state guys are as weak as dishwater. In the electorate of Kew, much of the institutional support for Smith has now swung in behind Jess Wilson, a former Young Liberals president and adviser to Josh Frydenberg. The results of the RedBridge Group poll conducted in Kew, although largely academic now, indicate that the Liberals are a strong chance to hold the seat. Despite the intense focus on Smiths drink-driving in the five days leading up to the poll, the Liberal vote hadnt collapsed, the Labor vote was unchanged and the Greens vote had slipped since 2018. The McGowan governments support for Woodsides proposed $1 billion hydrogen plant in Kwinana is confusing and incompatible with achieving net zero emissions by 2050, according to a senior executive of Andrew Forrests Fortescue Metals Group. Woodside is considering producing ammonia in Kwinana, a hydrogen byproduct now used in fertilisers and touted as a future clean fuel. Gas will produce two-thirds of the hydrogen and power from the grid will be used to separate hydrogen from water for the remaining output. Woodsides proposed H2Perth hydrogen plant in Kwinana, south of Perth will mainly be powered by gas. Robert Grant, energy director for Fortescue clean energy subsidiary Fortescue Future Industries, said most existing manufacturers of ammonia were looking to switch from using gas that produces significant carbon emissions to green hydrogen made with water and renewable energy. Mr Grant told Liam Bartlett on Radio 6PR he questioned why the WA government would support new carbon-emitting projects when reductions were needed to meet the governments target of net zero emissions by 2050. COVID-19 border closures, and the tragedy of Aishwarya Aswaths death at Perth Childrens Hospital, have exposed the long-term workforce mismanagement at the heart of Western Australias public hospital system. That mismanagement is that a rich, well-educated, well-funded, first-world health system has relied on pinching doctors and most especially nurses from overseas including much poorer nations who could surely use the expertise at home rather than train our own young people to provide for the care needs of the community. WAs hospital system is heavily reliant on staff from overseas. Its about time we re-examined our recruitment. Credit:Michele Mossop Ironically, it is exactly the thing prolonging the border closures, which in circular fashion has exposed the inadequacies and folly of the strategy. It is all laid out in the independent inquiry report into little Aishwaryas death, three months overdue and released publicly on Tuesday. It was almost as if the last election campaign had never happened. Here was Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his colleagues enthusiastically spruiking next-generation technology vehicles: hybrid, bio-fuelled, hydrogen and, yes, electric cars. Katie Allen, first-term Liberal MP and outspoken advocate for climate action, introduced her boss fresh off the plane from the Glasgow climate summit at Toyotas Altona plant in Melbournes western suburbs. I know my constituents will be enthusiastically embracing electric vehicles, the inner-city MP for the seat of Higgins said. I myself have bought an electric vehicle. We need practical solutions to do the right thing for the planet. At the height of the 2019 campaign, when all except a few thought the governments hopes of hanging on were gone, Morrison and his cabinet ministers felt they had no option but to lash out at electric cars and fuel efficiency standards in the hope it hit the mark. New Zealand has left the door open to both China and Taiwan joining a key trade pact as Australia continues its opposition to Beijings entry until it halts its trade strikes against Australian exports. New Zealand Trade Minister Damien OConnor said he would not prejudge Chinas application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). But he warned it was up to new applicants to reach the standards that we have set and vowed those benchmarks would not be lowered. Minister of Foreign Affairs Nanaia Mahuta says there wasnt a lot of discussion about Chinas trade strikes against Australia. Credit:Getty Images Foreign and trade ministers from the 21-member Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) met virtually on Tuesday night, agreeing to accelerate effective and safe access to COVID-19 vaccines throughout the region amid growing concern about vaccine nationalism. The ministers, which included Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Trade Minister Dan Tehan, also agreed to rationalise and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and explore options for a voluntary standstill of subsidies. Aged care providers are calling on the federal government to create a special visa to bring workers from overseas to fill widespread shortages in the sector as Australias borders open. The Australian Aged Care Collaboration, which represents more than 1000 providers caring for a million elderly Australians, has written to Health Minister Greg Hunt and Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck demanding a dedicated aged care skilled migration program. Aged care operators are calling for a special visa to help fill staff shortages. Credit:istock We need the barriers to migration to be lifted, Aged and Community Services Australia chief executive Paul Sadler, who co-signed the letter, told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Mr Sadler said border closures during the pandemic had made existing workforce shortages worse. His appearance was again punctuated by Commissioner Robert Redlich warning the former minister to answer Mr Carrs questions succinctly. Quite frankly in the last hour I have had great difficulty following any of your answers because they are so lengthy, convoluted and around the point, by the end of your answer, Ive got no idea what youre actually saying in response to the question, Mr Redlich said. IBAC heard tapped phone recordings between Mr Somyurek and former Banyule mayor Rick Garotti in which they discussed whether their phone conversations were being intercepted by the anti-corruption commission. Mr Garotti told the dumped minister: Well, its scary mate, the territory were in. Mr Somyurek rationalised the employment of casual staffers in his quiet electorate office by saying he was not using his other parliamentary allowances. He also told a state MP her father was being employed in the federal office of Labor MP Anthony Byrne even though the man was not turning up to work. Loading Mr Somyurek downplayed the significance of his activities, insisting the misuse of taxpayer-funded staff for a few hours was not comparable to the gold standard rort of the red shirts scandal, in which Labor misused $388,000 in public funds to pay campaign staff working on the 2014 election campaign. The Moderate Labor faction ramped up its branch stacking activities in 2019 because they believed the opposing group, the Socialist Left, had signed up hundreds of new members, according to Mr Somyurek. In a recording of a March 2020 conversation played during Mr Somyureks evidence, a Moderate Labor factional operative told him the signatures on the membership forms were significantly different to the signatures in a Labor Party branch attendance book. F---, Mr Somyurek told them in response. Do people check that much? Mr Carr contended the signatures on the forms were forged as part of a recruitment drive of fake members and that forging signatures is a bit more serious than just not caring about the rules of a political organisation. This is an attitude that is embodied by that common phrase the end justifies the means, Mr Carr said. IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich reminded Mr Somyurek to answer Mr Carrs questions succinctly on Tuesday. Former Labor staffer, Jacob Cripps, told IBAC in private hearings he was employed by Mr Somyurek as a casual electorate officer but was explicitly told not to go to the electorate office. Mr Somyurek rejected the allegation, saying there was no way he would employ someone and tell them not to turn up to work. He said there was very little constituency work, but he expected all his staff to come to the office, answer telephone calls, respond to emails and greet people walking in. But he did accept he never told his staff thou shalt not do factional working during working hours. It was a culture deeply embedded within the Labor Party, he said, and parliamentarians needed to engage in party-political activity if they wanted to retain their seats. I got initiated into this culture and it was all intertwined. Its all been intertwined, anyway Ill leave it at that, he said. Mr Somyurek agreed with Mr Carrs assessment that paying a staffer who did not come to work would be the most egregious form of corruption. IBAC showed evidence that Mr Somyurek had signed time sheets for a casual staffer, Salazar Youhorn, who was directed by the former minister to work on factional activities on that specific day. Separately, Mr Somyurek and fellow Labor MP Meng Heang Tak also signed time sheets for Mr Youhorn, in which they both indicated he was working for them on the same day. Mr Carr said the time sheet signed by Mr Tak seemed more accurate, while Mr Somyurek said he did not have great oversight of his employees in his electorate office. Loading IBAC also showed evidence Hussein Haraco, who the commission earlier heard had allegedly pocketed taxpayer grants, was paid for five full days of work in late May and early June during COIVD-19 lockdowns but did not even so much as log in to his computer. In a phone call tapped by IBAC, Mr Somyurek told Mr Garotti to be careful and that the commission could be listening to his phone calls, and that his staff, namely Dr Haraco, should at the very least log in to his computer. And Husseins just gotta be careful of everything, you know, um, Im sure he is, but I just need him really careful, Mr Somyurek said. But what Im saying is they already do their own thing and they can just, I just need, you know, just, they just need to be very careful. And logging in. Im not sure if he logs in. That, thats the thing, you know. Singapore: Indonesia has suspended a joint maritime patrol with the Australian Border Force on the eve of a visit to Jakarta by Foreign Minister Marise Payne after the burning of three Indonesian fishing boats off the north-west coast of Australia. Payne is due to fly into Jakarta on Wednesday for meetings aimed at settling Indonesian anxiety about Australias plans to acquire a nuclear-powered fleet of submarines as part of the new AUKUS agreement with the United States and United Kingdom. One of the fishing boats destroyed by Australian authorities off the coast of Western Australia. Credit:Australian Border Force She will arrive days after the ABF released photographs of vessels that had been seized in an operation late last month near Rowley Shoals, about 260 kilometres west of Broome, as part of a crackdown against illegal fishing operations. The ABF said 16 vessels that were fishing illegally in the area had been intercepted, with three destroyed and the others escorted out of Australian waters. French Quarter:--- Residents of French Quarter were totally blocked in on Monday when protestors blocked the access road in Oyster Pond that takes them to the Dutch side, while blocks and old vehicles are placed across the road in Belle Plaine. The roadblocks began last week when Sandy Ground and French Quarter were locked down. Certain areas in Marigot, such as Low Town and St. James Rue de Hollande were also blocked off, and fires lit in the middle of the road. When the roadways were blocked off youths who were manning the blockade began demanding money from drivers who wanted to cross the border. There were a number of scooter riders that were also plying the scooter ride trade to take people in and out of French Quarter through Belle Plaine. On Saturday several persons made posts on Social media condemning the youths for demanding border fees and the abuse taking place with the roadblocks while some organizations are fighting against the sanitary pass and PPRN. Several known persons met with the youths on Saturday evening to discuss the way forward and scold them for taking money from drivers who want to cross the border. However, this escalated matters on Monday when the youths protesting decided to block off the Bell Plaine road by placing rocks and old vehicles across the road. Scooter riders were at the location plying the scooter trade all day on Monday. The Oyster Pond road was completely blocked with rocks and old tires that were set ablaze. While the same type of blockage was placed on Chamba Hill. It is not known when the State government or Local government will meet with the youths and address their concerns that led to the roadblocks. PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs met with the government organization on Friday, November 5, 2021, to render an update on the decision taken by the Constitutional Court concerning the three Temporary National Ordinances to reduce the employment benefits of the civil servants, (semi) public sector workers, and political authorities. The result of the verdict signifies that the legislation will go into effect three weeks after the day after the verdict was rendered. Prime Minister Jacobs told the organization, Although Governments position was confirmed by the court, the only constant in all that has transpired is your dedication and commitment, and I appreciate that so very much. This is a tough time for all, and I sincerely empathize with the organization for the sacrifices they continue to make for the people of St. Maarten. This is not our permanent state as the laws are of a temporary nature, and will be retracted once we are able to handle our financial obligations independently. As strongly emphasized by the Court this government will continue to consider the human dimension when making decisions on the next steps forward. The Council of Ministers will be meeting with the Committee for Civil Servants Unions and the respective unions next week November 17, to finalize the steps in which the ordinances will be implemented. Thereafter, an update will be provided to all civil servants in a follow-up meeting with the organization. During the meeting Prime Minister Jacobs also announced her intention to grant Friday, November 12, as a day off for all civil servants following St. Martin Day which will be celebrated on Thursday, November 11th. PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- The Collective Prevention Services (CPS), a department in the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour (Ministry VSA), would like to inform the public that its offices at the Vineyard Office Complex will be closed on Thursday, November 11 in connection with Sint Maartens Day. CPS offices will also be closed on Friday, November 12 in connection with civil servants being granted the day off by the Government of Sint Maarten. COVID-19 Testing will resume at the Community Help Desk Hope Estate on Saturday, November 13. The opening hours are 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM. Persons can call 914 for any additional information. WILLEMSTAD/PHILIPSBURG:--- Over the past two decades, the economic performance of Curacao has been poor characterized by an average real GDP contraction of 1.1% per year between 2001 and 2019 and a high unemployment rate of 19.1% in 2019. Oftentimes, it is suggested that a stronger relationship with the European Union (EU) may improve Curacaos economic performance and social conditions. An analysis of the economic performance of a selection of European overseas territories, including Curacao, suggests that stronger ties with the EU do not guarantee a better economic performance if economic weaknesses are not addressed accordingly, as highlighted by the Executive Director of the Centrale Bank van Curacao en Sint Maarten (CBCS), dr. Jose Jardim, during his presentation at the Europe Direct Curacao seminar that was held on November 4, 2021. The EU currently includes 22 overseas territories linked to five member states (France, The Netherlands, Denmark, Spain, and Portugal) which, for historical, geographical, or political reasons, enjoy special status within or outside the EU. Nine of these territories are classified as Outermost Regions (ORs) and 13 form the group of Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs). Curacao and Sint Maarten belong to the group of OCTs. The ORs are territories forming an integral part of a member state of the EU but located at a significant distance from mainland Europe. Meanwhile, the OCTs do not form part of the EU but cooperate with the Union through the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) which was created to improve economic development and cooperation between the OCTs and the EU. Dr. Jardim explained that ORs and OCTs share some common characteristics which make comparisons viable, including the small size and remoteness of the territories, relatively high openness to trade, little economic diversification, a small export base, scarce domestic natural resources and labor supply, and a proneness to natural disasters making them susceptible to external shocks. There are, however, also some differences between ORs and OCTs. For instance, the whole legal framework of the EU except for specific situations - is applicable in the ORs and the ORs are eligible for more financial support and subsidies from several EU funds, while OCTs only receive financial support from the EUs European Development Fund (EDF). To put this last difference into perspective for the period 2014 2020, a total of EUR 13.8 billion was allocated to the ORs while a total of EUR 364.5 million was allocated to the OCTs.During the seminar, Dr. Jardim presented an analysis of the development in several economic indicators and European funding of a selection of ORs and OCTs for the period 2000 2009 and 2010 2019, respectively. In the analysis, the ORs were used as a proxy to more integrated economies with the EU compared to OCTs. The territories included in the analysis were selected based on geographical location, data availability and overall economic structure. Not surprisingly, the average EU support per capita per year was considerably higher for the ORs than for the OCTs since the ORs are eligible to all the support and subsidies under the EU Cohesion Policy as opposed to the OCTs. However, the EU support per capita for the group of OR territories dropped in the 2010 2019 period compared to 2000 2009, while it remained practically unchanged for the OCTs. Meanwhile, the average real GDP growth rates of the OR territories and the OCT territories seem to be similar over the two subperiods. In both the ORs and OCTs, the average growth slowed down from 2.8% during the period 2000 2009 to 0.9% between 2010 and 2019. Hence, despite that on average the ORs received significantly more financial support from the EU than the OCTs, the real GDP growth was similar. When considering the GDP per capita, on average, it was lower in the group of OR territories compared to the group of OCT territories in both time periods. The average unemployment rate increased in the group of ORs in the period 2010 2019 compared to 2000 2009, while it remained practically unchanged in the group of OCTs. Additionally, the average unemployment rate in the group of ORs is higher than in the group of OCTs in both time periods. According to Jardim, a stronger relationship with Europe may have some benefits for Curacao, including more inflows of foreign direct investments from Europe, increased tourism travel to Curacao, and a higher level of social and environmental protection. In addition, Curacao may, through the European Cohesion Policy, become eligible to more EU support and subsidies. On the other hand, further integration into the EU may lead to loss of autonomy and a larger administrative burden for Curacao. The course of international trade would require a clear positioning of Curacaos strategy. The analysis suggests, however, that extensive financial support and subsidies from the EU do not guarantee better economic performance. Curacao suffers from several economic and social weaknesses, particularly the structural unemployment due to a mismatch between labor demand and supply, and a large public administration sector that results in inefficiencies which are found in many OR territories as well, Jardim explained. Therefore, a stronger relationship with the European Union may improve Curacaos social and economic performance only if the current economic weaknesses are addressed accordingly, Jardim concluded. The complete text and presentation of the Europe Direct Curacao proposition paper can be viewed on the CBCS website at www.centralbank.cw under the Speeches and Presentation section. Posted Monday, November 8, 2021 11:50:22 AM General Hospital has cut ties with Ingo Rademacher (Jasper "Jax" Jacks). Though the ABC soap has not commented on the actor's status, show sources confirm to Soap Central that the actor was let go after he declined to comply with General Hospital's COVID-19 vaccine policy. Rademacher's status with the ABC soap became public over the weekend when Rademacher opted to share a transphobic meme to his 130,000-plus Instagram followers. Murmurs of Rademacher's firing, however, began circling weeks ago, after GH cast member Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) revealed on Twitter that the ABC soap opera was the only daytime series that would begin requiring all of its employees to show proof that they had received the COVID vaccine. Though ABC has declined to comment, that policy reportedly took effect on November 1. .@GeneralHospital still remains ONLY Daytime Serial to mandate vaccines. Kudos to the leadership of @valentinifrank @ABCNetwork & @DisneyStudios. Smart leaders listen to science & protect their employees. As of Nov 1st entry to #gh requires proper vaccine card. No exceptions. https://t.co/Yak3qonX3x Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) November 4, 2021 In a series of social media posts beginning earlier this year, Rademacher has repeatedly expressed his opposition to vaccine mandates and has made statements questioning the safety of vaccines. Things came to a head in August when Rademacher published several Instagram posts in support of a "No Vaccine Passport Rally" -- a decision which created a social media storm. In the post, Rademacher stated that vaccines should not be mandated because "getting vaccinated does not stop you from spreading the virus." The CDC acknowledges that, like other vaccines, [the COVID-19 vaccines] are not 100% effective. The CDC points out that "when fully vaccinated people develop symptoms, they tend to be less severe symptoms than in unvaccinated people." Some fans called for Rademacher to be fired over his stance. Rademacher responded by lashing out at the "bigots," "morons," "dictators," and "horrible, horrible" people calling for his ouster. As of November 1, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing approximately 160,000 film and television actors, journalists, recording artists, and other media professionals worldwide, does not have a national policy on vaccine requirements. Instead, the decision for vaccine mandates is left up to individual producers. According to Return to Work agreement posted on the SAG-AFTRA web site, "Producers that wish to implement mandatory vaccination policies are encouraged to make and announce that decision as soon as possible" so that actors have time to get vaccinated in order to comply with the mandate. The web site also states that the Return To Work Agreement "does not empower employees to refuse to work with unvaccinated individuals." Additionally, producers are only permitted to share an individual's vaccination status "to those with a need to know." It is presumably that need-to-know basis that has kept ABC from commenting on its COVID vaccination policy. Over the weekend, however, Rademacher created another firestorm by reposting a transphobic Instagram post about U.S. assistant secretary for health, Dr. Rachel Levine. The post called Levine, the first transgender person to become a four-star officer in the U.S. uniformed services, a "dude." Soap Central has chosen not to republish the post. The post, however, received immediate pushback from one of Rademacher's General Hospital castmates -- trans actor Cassandra James (Dr. Terry Randolph). "I am aware of a transphobic post shared by a fellow General Hospital actor," tweeted James without mentioning the actor by name. "Shame on you. You have some serious unlearning and education to do. I feel deeply disappointed that such a public display of ignorance could come from our GH family." James added that "[m]isgendering trans folks is violence." She also thanked fans "for always holding us to a high standard, for calling out transphobia and violence." Misgendering is defined as intentionally -- or unintentionally -- referring to a person or using language to describe a person that doesn't align with that person's affirmed gender. Several hours after James shared her comments, Grahn voiced her support for James and the trans community, stating that "Transphobia and misgendering are disgusting and should be unacceptable in any industry, including soaps/acting." Grahn, however, chose to identify the actor who made the statements as Rademacher and shared that he was "mercifully no longer a part of the [General Hospital] cast." The fellow actor, #IngoRademacher, is mercifully no longer a part of the #gh cast. Transphobia & misgendering are disgusting & should be unacceptable in any industry, including soaps/acting. I stand with my costar, @cassandrajames_, & the trans community. https://t.co/pjj6FzEncg Nancy Lee Grahn (@NancyLeeGrahn) November 8, 2021 Soap Central reviewed the social media feeds of current General Hospital cast members and did not find any other posts made over the weekend that involved the misgendering of transpersons. Laura Wright (Carly Corinthos) also took to Twitter to address the tweet, saying "I am aware of the transphobic post shared by a GH member [and] I would like to start by saying I am disgusted by this action. Misgendering trans individuals is dangerous & I do not support this behavior. I stand in support of all trans folks & echo the words of Cassandra James. Wright also added that As a member of the GH cast I want everyone in the trans community to know we love you and we support you. I am aware of the transphobic post shared by a GH member & I would like to start by saying I am disgusted by this action. Misgendering trans individuals is dangerous & I do not support this behavior. I stand in support of all trans folks & echo the words of @cassandrajames_ Laura Wright (@lldubs) November 8, 2021 On Monday, Rademacher returned to social media to offer what he said was an apology "for not crossing out 'dude' and putting 'transgender'" in his Instagram post. The actor claimed his post was intended to show the "hypocrisy of the left-wing media" for labeling Virginia's Lieutenant Governor-elect Winsome Sears, a Black woman, as a "white supremacist." Rademacher said that he took offense to Levine being called an "empowering woman" because he feels it diminishes the struggle women have had to get on "a level playing field with men." Rademacher stated that he "wouldnt refer to a transgender person as a 'dude' if they wanted to be called 'a she.'" "Cassandra, I apologize to you sincerely. I think you're an absolute talent, and you're very beautiful, as well," Rademacher said in the video. "I don't think a transphobic man would say that. I think you're absolutely gorgeous." Rademacher, who vehemently denies in his posting that he is transphobic, concluded his video message with a story of how when his son Pohaku was young, he wanted to wear "a Disney princess dress." Rademacher shared that even though he and his wife explained to the child that "girls wear dresses," Pohaku still wanted to wear the dress because he "wanted to look pretty." While clothing has long been associated with gender stereotypes, choosing to wear an article of clothing typically associated with another gender is not indicative of an individual's gender identity. In the Instagram video posted Monday afternoon, Rademacher indicated that he would soon be making a statement about his General Hospital status. Rademacher -- who originated the role of GH's Jax in 1996 and has been playing the character on-again, off-again since then -- is said to be exploring legal action against General Hospital and ABC for his dismissal. It is unclear if the soap opera plans to recast the role of Jax or keep the character off the canvas for the time being. Deadline, meanwhile, reports that Rademacher is slated to make his final appearance on GH on November 22. Somerset, KY (42501) Today Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low near 35F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain...mainly this evening. Low near 35F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. UNC Greensboro (UNCG) is one of 17 campuses within the University of North Carolina system. Founded in 1891, UNCG is the largest and most diverse university in the Piedmont Triad region, serving more than 20,000 students and employing approximately 2,800 faculty members. UNC Greensboro (UNCG) The university is in the heart of Greensboro, which boasts nearly 260,000 people, making it visible within the larger community as well. Landlocked by local streets, the 200-acre campus with 30 buildings poses unique security issues, as it is crisscrossed with major roads, making it a priority to ensure pedestrian and bicycle safety. UNCG has its own police department (UNCG PD), with more than 40 members, who ensure the safety of the campus As a public institution, UNCG is also largely open to the community and hosts numerous events, activities, and services, which are regularly accessed by residents of nearby neighbourhoods and the city of Greensboro at large. UNCG has its own police department (UNCG PD), with more than 40 members, who ensure the safety of the campus. UNCG PD relies on its video surveillance system to alert them to incidents, record video for forensic purposes, and also provide video analytics for traffic and crowd control. Proactive video surveillance and camera system With a growing campus and rising security needs, UNCG PD, with the help of its systems integrator, NETCom Cabling and Security Systems, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, recognised it required a more efficient and proactive video surveillance and camera management system. The days when DVRs could provide the necessary recorded data quickly, gave way to the need for a more responsive approach, such as a shared enterprise system, to bring together cameras, recording, and the intelligent usage of both. The exacqVision platform and Z-Series video recorders UNCG PDs foray beyond the NVR/DVR world began with the installation of the exacqVision platform, starting with its Z-Series recorders, to cover its parking decks. From there, it began to incorporate a hybrid platform, including exacqVision VMS, to support the analogue cameras used for the parking decks, as well as the IP cameras being installed for security elsewhere. The migration began several years ago, but today the campus boasts nearly 900 cameras in use, with about 700 IP and the remainder analogue. Each recorder can handle up to 128 IP cameras and 64 analogue ones, and it works with thousands of IP camera models. Within that time, the UNCG PD has also grown to become a state-of-the-art department, with its own command and emergency operations centre, where it can monitor and manage its video surveillance system. Intuitive video surveillance system In selecting the exacqVision Z-Series, UNCGs police department was seeking an intuitive system In selecting the exacqVision Z-Series, UNCGs police department was seeking an intuitive system that would put the necessary information at the fingertips of whosoever was on duty. It was also critical to deploy a system with built-in redundancy, to protect against any data loss, in the event of a power issue or system fail. Its a pretty easy end-user experience for our officers, without a lot of technological background, said Joshua Green, Technical Services Analyst for the UNCG PD. Scalable video security system The software within the system makes it simple to perform tasks, such as playing back recordings or searching for data, using a single screen. One of the biggest benefits of the Z-Series is its scalability, offering one of the largest processors and fastest speeds of the DVRs on the market. The systems design also makes it easy to add new cameras and licensing. One of the common usages of the exacqVision platform is for traffic management. Using the video from the exacqVision system, they can perform tasks, such as counting parking spaces, to know when a parking lot is full, as well as to watch crosswalks, to see how pedestrian and vehicle traffic is moving, or where people are congregating. Key inputs for efficient resource allocation It can also be used to help the police department determine where to put resources. For example, how many people are in the workout room and does that area need extra patrols, or are there concerns about equipment in the computer lab and how should that be monitored? There is also time savings to be gained, by working with exacqVision VMS platform There is also time savings to be gained, by working with exacqVision VMS platform, a system that lets the user easily search recorded video, with a timeline search. Green recalled an instance when someone was concerned that an iPad had been stolen, but a quick check of the video showed within a matter of minutes that the item had been safety stored away, rather than taken. UNCG, NETCom and Intelligent Marketing Inc. partnership As a long-time user of the Z series and exacqVision VMS, UNCG, NETCom and Intelligent Marketing Inc. are quick to share their success stories and concerns to improve the product. These guys, (Tim Reese, Sergeant for the technical services area, and Green), are working with Exacq engineers on changes that everyone will benefit from, such as improvements to the mapping feature, said Bob Moulton, North Carolinas Territory Manager for Intelligent Marketing, a security manufacturer representative firm that works closely with end-user customers. Smart video surveillance solution The ability to make integrations down the road, because of the scalability of the system, whether its adding card access or expanding the number of cameras, makes the Z-Series a smart strategic investment for the university. We are looking to the future of our surveillance system to ensure the safety of the universitys students" We are looking to the future of our surveillance system to ensure the safety of the universitys students, faculty and visitors, said Tim Reese, Sergeant for the technical services area, adding Migrating to and implementing a new NVR platform provides the university with an important foundation for future surveillance capabilities and usability. Implementing new NVR platform Systems integrator, NETCom Cabling and Security Systems concurred with those sentiments. We enjoyed the opportunity to collectively work together with the University of North Carolinas police department and Intelligent Marketing Inc. to support the Universitys goal of continuously making improvements to ensure the campus remains secure, said Aaron Spivey, Director of Security at NETcom Cabling. Aaron Spivey adds, Together, weve achieved that objective and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future. Security system providers: Enterprise, AL (36331) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 54F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. News spotlight Global product shortages hit local manufacturers Like many manufacturers across southern Minnesota and around the world Jim Stickneys problems are a few handshakes removed. Much of the issues were having with our suppliers are not necessarily our suppliers, but their suppliers, or their suppliers suppliers, Stickney said. Stickney is the director of operations at the south Faribault Daikin Applied plant, a multinational air conditioning manufacturer headquartered in Osaka, Japan. Between its three plants in Faribault and Owatonna, Daikin employs about 1,200 people working to produce industrial-grade heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units. Daikin is struggling with the global shortage of semiconductors, or the chip shortage, that has plagued the automotive and other industries throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Daikin needs semiconductors for the fans in its HVAC units. Specifically, Daikins fan supplier uses motors to power its fans, and the fan suppliers motor supplier uses circuit boards to power its motors, and the motor suppliers circuit board supplier uses semiconductors to power its circuit boards. Without chips, the whole supply chain falls apart. Were continuing to receive orders, Stickney said, adding that the demand for HVAC among his consumers industrial HVAC contractors is as high as its ever been. Without semiconductors, though, Daikin is left with incomplete units piling up in its yards. Stickney said he has customers who have been waiting on units since August that Daikin cant complete until a missing component arrives. That is a huge problem for us, he said. Daikin Applieds south Faribault plant has been piling unfinished heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) units in the yard while it waits for delayed component parts to arrive. (Photo courtesy of Daikin Applied) John Makela, general manager at Creation Technologies in St. Peter, is dealing with the same problem. Creation designs and manufactures electronic assemblies for aerospace, defense, medical and tech-industrial markets. On the bright side, Creation Technologies is growing Makela reported 15% growth last year. Demand is also high, he said, and hed like that growth to keep going. One of the obstacles to that growth is the difficulty of hiring new employees they currently have 250, but Creation aims to get closer to 300 by 2023 to go along with facility expansion. The other problem is semiconductors. Getting microchips out of Asia is very difficult right now, Makela said. There are many challenges with the global supply chain shortages. Where are the chips? Macroeconomics 101 can tell you that if one country is highly efficient in making wool socks, another in making steel beams and a third in making semiconductors, its cheapest for all parties involved to stick to what they do best and trade with each other, rather than everybody trying to produce everything for themselves in isolation. Plus, a small number of very large factories in a few countries can produce goods much cheaper than a larger number of smaller factories spread out across many countries. This is why the global supply chain developed it saves everyone money. The COVID-19 pandemic showed the weakness of that setup. When the world locked down during the spread of the novel coronavirus, economists widely predicted demand for products would plummet, which it briefly did. Manufacturers around the world prepared for that drop in demand by shutting down. Others also shut down to stop the spread of the virus within their borders and factories. During the pandemic, demand ticked back up sooner than expected. It went up even higher after stimulus checks were sent out by the federal government and has continued to climb as wages for entry-level jobs continue to increase. As Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Aug. 27, Booming demand for goods, and the strength and speed of the reopening have led to shortages and bottlenecks, leaving the COVID-constrained supply side unable to keep up. That means delays and higher prices, made worse by a shortage of truck drivers and limited supply of container ships and the containers they carry. It also means that a trade war between the United States and China that impacts Chinas biggest chip manufacturer, combined with a drought in Taiwan and an increase in microchip demand from a population stuck at home during COVID-19 can cause a chip shortage for the entire world. Which is exactly what happened. Eric Gustafson, chief operations officer at K&G Manufacturing in Faribault, admits K&G is not immune to some of the delays and price hikes that other manufacturers are experiencing. So far, though, theres no product they need that they cant acquire. As a contract manufacturer, K&G conducts custom production of aerospace, defense, marine and medical materials for Fortune 500 companies. It employs about 75 people. What sets it apart from other manufacturers of its size is the size of its supply chain. We dont buy from overseas, Gustafson said, adding that K&G mostly buys from and sells to American companies. Right now, from a supply chain issue its not affecting us much. Because of the industries K&G serves, Gustafon said, federal regulations require it to buy American products because of the sometimes questionable quality of stuff overseas. That allows them to mostly stay out of the global supply chain, a luxury many manufacturers cannot afford while still staying competitive. The only shortage that keeps him up at night, he said, is workers. That is the resource that is in the tightest supply, he said. Precarious and interconnected While not all manufacturers are suffering too badly now, some are worried that the worst is yet to come. RelCore Composites, Inc. in Northfield manufactures aluminum honeycomb composite materials, or core materials, whose lightweight strength is used for a wide variety of purposes, including airplanes, commercial passenger trains, cruise ships and snowboards. RelCore Composites, Inc. in Northfield manufactures aluminum honeycomb composite materials, or core materials, whose lightweight strength is used for a wide variety of purposes. (Photo courtesy of RelCore Composites, Inc.) To manufacture its product, RelCore needs aluminum. The automotive industry, which has slowed production significantly due to the shortage of semiconductors needed for cars, also needs aluminum. Since that industry isnt manufacturing too many cars right now, aluminum has not become an extraordinarily sought-after commodity. The demand for cars is high, though, and the semiconductor shortage will not last forever. Paul Larkin, president of RelCore Composites, fears the day the automotive industry lurches back to full capacity to exploit that demand. Its gonna drive prices crazy and lead times way out there, he said. As a highly automated manufacturer with fewer than 10 employees, Larkin works with a select group of customers. There are only two other American companies that do the specific type of manufacturing RelCore does, and theyre over 100 times as big. All this puts RelCore at risk. Its a difficult situation, especially for a small operator like us, he said. Winegar, Inc. of Waseca, a contract machine parts supplier with about 80 employees, is also nervously eyeing the future, although for somewhat different reasons. As Tim Wenzel, president of Winegar, explained, even if Winegar has everything they need to manufacture the parts needed by its customers Fortune 500 manufacturing companies if its customers cannot get the other parts they need for their own manufacturing process, they wont need Winegars products. In other words, if Toyota Group needs certain machine parts from Winegar and electrical glass from Company X to build a car, and Company X has no electrical glass due to global product shortages, Toyota Group will likely not be ordering machine parts from Winegar. Wenzels only consolation looking forward is the extra inventory Winegar carries, which has helped significantly amid the shortages. This is against modern just in time manufacturing business practice, which advises against ordering or maintaining extra inventory for purposes of maximizing profit and efficiency. Weve always been a little skeptical of true just in time and have carried a little more inventory than most other customers, because it has bailed us out in the past, Wenzel said. The image of Earth in space like a blue marble highlights the planet's fragility and the beauty of Earth Earth, our home, is the third planet from the sun. While scientists continue to hunt for clues of life beyond Earth, our home planet remains the only place in the universe where we've ever identified living organisms. Earth is the fifth-largest planet in the solar system. It's smaller than the four gas giants Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune but larger than the three other rocky planets, Mercury, Mars and Venus. Earth has a diameter of roughly 8,000 miles (13,000 kilometers) and is mostly round because gravity generally pulls matter into a ball. But the spin of our home planet causes it to be squashed at its poles and swollen at the equator, making the true shape of the Earth an "oblate spheroid." Related: How big is Earth? Our planet is unique for many reasons, but its available water and oxygen are two defining features. Water covers roughly 71% of Earth's surface, with most of that water located in our planet's oceans. About a fifth of Earth's atmosphere consists of oxygen, produced by plants. Related: Check out some stunning images of Earth from space Planet Earth's orbit around the sun While Earth orbits the sun, the planet is simultaneously spinning around an imaginary line called an axis that runs through the core, from the North Pole to the South Pole. It takes Earth 23.934 hours to complete a rotation on its axis and 365.26 days to complete an orbit around the sun our days and years on Earth are defined by these gyrations. Earth's axis of rotation is tilted in relation to the ecliptic plane, an imaginary surface through the planet's orbit around the sun. This means the Northern and Southern hemispheres will sometimes point toward or away from the sun depending on the time of year, and this changes the amount of light the hemispheres receive, resulting in the changing seasons. Earth happens to orbit the sun within the so-called " Goldilocks zone ," where temperatures are just right to maintain liquid water on our planet's surface. Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle, but rather a slightly oval-shaped ellipse, similar to the orbits of all the other planets in our solar system. Our planet is a bit closer to the sun in early January and farther away in July, although this proximity has a much smaller effect on the temperatures we experience on the planet's surface than does the tilt of Earth's axis. Statistics about Earth's orbit, according to NASA: Average distance from the sun: 92,956,050 miles (149,598,262 km) Perihelion (closest approach to the sun): 91,402,640 miles (147,098,291 km) Aphelion (farthest distance from the sun): 94,509,460 miles (152,098,233 km) Length of solar day (single rotation on its axis): 23.934 hours Length of year (single revolution around the sun): 365.26 days Equatorial inclination to orbit: 23.4393 degrees Planets in the solar system follow different orbit lines around the sun. (Image credit: Getty) Earth's formation and development Scientists think Earth was formed at roughly the same time as the sun and other planets some 4.6 billion years ago when the solar system coalesced from a giant, rotating cloud of gas and dust known as the solar nebula. As the nebula collapsed under the force of its own gravity, it spun faster and flattened into a disk. Most of the material in that disk was then pulled toward the center to form the sun. Other particles within the disk collided and stuck together to form ever-larger bodies, including Earth. Scientists think Earth started off as a waterless mass of rock. "It was thought that because of these asteroids and comets flying around colliding with Earth, conditions on early Earth may have been hellish," Simone Marchi, a planetary scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, previously told Space.com. However, analyses of minerals trapped within ancient microscopic crystals suggest that there was liquid water already present on Earth during its first 500 million years, Marchi said. Radioactive materials in the rock and increasing pressure deep within the Earth generated enough heat to melt the planet's interior, causing some chemicals to rise to the surface and form water, while others became the gases of the atmosphere. Recent evidence suggests that Earth's crust and oceans may have formed within about 200 million years after the planet took shape. Artist's conception of the dust and gas surrounding a newly formed planetary system. Most of the mass of this former nebula becomes the star at the center of the system. Other clumps and collisions form the planets. (Image credit: NASA) Earth's internal structure Earth's core is about 4,400 miles (7,100 km) wide, slightly larger than half the Earth's diameter and about the same size as Mars. The outermost 1,400 miles (2,250 km) of the core are liquid, while the inner core is solid. That solid core is about four-fifths as big as Earth's moon, at some 1,600 miles (2,600 km) in diameter. The core is responsible for the planet's magnetic field, which helps to deflect harmful charged particles shot from the sun. Above the core is Earth's mantle, which is about 1,800 miles (2,900 km) thick. The mantle is not completely stiff but can flow slowly. Earth's crust floats on the mantle much as a piece of wood floats on water. The slow motion of rock in the mantle shuffles continents around and causes earthquakes, volcanoes and the formation of mountain ranges. Above the mantle, Earth has two kinds of crust. The dry land of the continents consists mostly of granite and other light silicate minerals, while the ocean floors are made up mostly of a dark, dense volcanic rock called basalt. Continental crust averages some 25 miles (40 km) thick, although it can be thinner or thicker in some areas. Oceanic crust is usually only about 5 miles (8 km) thick. Water fills in low areas of the basalt crust to form the world's oceans. Earth gets warmer toward its core. At the bottom of the continental crust, temperatures reach about 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,000 degrees Celsius), increasing about 3 degrees F per mile (1 degree C per km) below the crust. Geologists think the temperature of Earth's outer core is about 6,700 to 7,800 degrees F (3,700 to 4,300 degrees C) and that the inner core may reach 12,600 degrees F (7,000 degrees C) hotter than the surface of the sun. In an image modified from NASA, an artist reveals the Earth's inner structure of core, mantle, and crust. (Image credit: Shutterstock) Earth's magnetic field Earth's magnetic field is generated by currents flowing in Earth's outer core. The magnetic poles are always on the move, with the magnetic North Pole accelerating its northward motion to 24 miles (40 km) annually since tracking began in the 1830s. It will likely exit North America and reach Siberia in a matter of decades. Earth's magnetic field is changing in other ways, too. Globally, the magnetic field has weakened 10 percent since the 19th century, according to NASA. But these changes are mild compared to what Earth's magnetic field has done in the past. A few times in every million years or so, the field completely flips, with the North and the South poles swapping places. The magnetic field can take anywhere from 100 to 3,000 years to complete the flip, Space.com previously reported. The strength of Earth's magnetic field decreased by about 90 percent when a field reversal occurred in ancient past, according to Andrew Roberts, a professor at the Australian National University. The drop makes the planet more vulnerable to solar storms and radiation, which could significantly damage satellites as well as communication and electrical infrastructure. "Hopefully, such an event is a long way in the future and we can develop future technologies to avoid huge damage," Roberts said in a statement. When charged particles from the sun get trapped in Earth's magnetic field, they smash into air molecules above the magnetic poles, causing them to glow. This phenomenon is known as the auroras, the northern and southern lights. Earth's atmosphere Earth's atmosphere surrounds the planet but gets thinner and thinner farther away from the surface. (Image credit: NASA) Earth's atmosphere is roughly 78 percent nitrogen and 21 percent oxygen, with trace amounts of water, argon, carbon dioxide and other gases. No other planet in the solar system has an atmosphere loaded with free oxygen, which is vital to one of the other unique features of Earth: life. Air surrounds Earth and becomes thinner farther from the surface. Roughly 100 miles (160 km) above Earth, the air is so thin that satellites can zip through the atmosphere with little resistance. Still, traces of atmosphere can be found as high as 370 miles (600 km) above the planet's surface. The lowest layer of the atmosphere is known as the troposphere, which is constantly in motion and why we have weather. Sunlight heats the planet's surface, causing warm air to rise into the troposphere. This air expands and cools as air pressure decreases, and because this cool air is denser than its surroundings, it then sinks and gets warmed by the Earth again. Above the troposphere, some 30 miles (48 km) above the Earth's surface, is the stratosphere. The still air of the stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which was created when ultraviolet light caused trios of oxygen atoms to bind together into ozone molecules. Ozone prevents most of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching Earth's surface, where it can damage and mutate life. Water vapor, carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun, warming Earth. Without this so-called "greenhouse effect," Earth would probably be too cold for life to exist, although a runaway greenhouse effect led to the hellish conditions of Venus' current surface. Earth-orbiting satellites have shown that the upper atmosphere actually expands during the day and contracts at night due to heating and cooling. Earth's chemical composition Oxygen is the most abundant element in rocks in Earth's crust, composing roughly 47 percent of the weight of all rock. The second most abundant element is silicon, at 27 percent, followed by aluminum, at 8 percent; iron, at 5%; calcium, at 4%; and sodium, potassium and magnesium, at about 2% each. Earth's core consists mostly of iron and nickel and potentially smaller amounts of lighter elements, such as sulfur and oxygen. The mantle is made of iron and magnesium-rich silicate rocks (the combination of silicon and oxygen is known as silica, and minerals that contain silica are known as silicate minerals). Earth's moon This photo shows the moon above Earth's horizon. (Image credit: NASA) Earth's moon is 2,159 miles (3,474 km) wide, about one fourth of Earth's diameter. Our planet has one moon, while Mercury and Venus have none and all the other planets in our solar system have two or more. The leading explanation for how Earth's moon formed is that a giant impact knocked the raw ingredients for the moon off the primitive, molten Earth and into orbit. Scientists have suggested that the object that hit the planet had roughly 10% the mass of Earth about the size of Mars. Earth from space Astronauts and scientists have learned a lot about our planet by leaving it. From 240 miles (408 kilometers) away, aboard the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts are able to observe the thin, fragile atmosphere of Earth. Meanwhile, satellites orbiting Earth can track the planet's responses to changes caused naturally and by humans on a greater scale. Satellites have been launched to detect changes in the hole in the ozone layer, monitor cloud coverage and weather patterns and manage humans' use of Earth's resources. Earth, pictured from the International Space Station (Image credit: NASA) Life on Earth Earth is the only planet in the universe known to possess life. The planet boasts several million described species, living in habitats ranging from the bottom of the deepest ocean to a few miles up into the atmosphere. Researchers think far more species remain that have yet to be described to science. Researchers suspect that other candidates for hosting life in our solar system such as Saturn's moon Titan or Jupiter's moon Europa could house primitive living creatures. Scientists have yet to precisely nail down exactly how our primitive ancestors first showed up on Earth, although most believe that a chemical soup on the planet gave rise to the building blocks of living organisms. (The precise set of circumstances necessary to create life from a lifeless planet are pretty unlikely, according to previous Space.com report, so it seems we got very lucky.) Read more from Live Science: How did life arise on Earth? Another theory suggests that life first evolved on the nearby planet Mars, which could once have been habitable, then traveled to Earth on meteorites hurled from the Red Planet by impacts from other space rocks. "It's lucky that we ended up here, nevertheless, as certainly Earth has been the better of the two planets for sustaining life," biochemist Steven Benner, of the Westheimer Institute for Science and Technology in Florida, told Space.com. "If our hypothetical Martian ancestors had remained on Mars, there might not have been a story to tell." Additional resources On Mom, both Adam and Tammy face up to difficult amends from the past, and Adam confronts some difficult feelings in the process. Bonnie finds a notebook of women's names in the dresser. Adam admits that it's a list he made in Al-Anon of people he owes amends to, but he had lost it and didn't know where it was until Bonnie found it. Apparently, there's a lot of women (and quite a few of their husbands!) who Adam has wronged over the years. Bonnie urges Adam to start working through the list. After some serious hesitancy, Adam agrees to call the first person on the list - Ashley, a girl he dated in college. Apparently, he slept with someone she knew and then moved away and didn't give her his new phone number. (He also stole her "Super Tramp" album!) Unfortunately, he doesn't exactly get a running start to his amends journey - he finds out she's dead! At the bistro, Bonnie tells the girls Adam's taking Ashley's death hard, and Tammy admits she needs to hurry up and make her big amends - the steak house she robbed! (She hit them in a catsuit on "Cops Eat Free Night!") At home, Adam continues to not act right and Bonnie confronts him about still being upset. She can't understand why he'd be this torn-up over a girl he dated so long ago that Reagan was still president. Adam's not interested in talking though and tells her he wants to be alone, which of course doesn't sit too well with Bonnie and they get into a blow-up. Adam storms out and drives off in the RV. At the now not-an-Outback-Steakhouse (They don't offer the Bloomin Onion or "anything that infringes on its trademark" anymore!), Tammy introduces herself to the manager Lou. He remembers her (and the fact that the security footage of her crime "was a staple at the Christmas party for years!") She begins to make her amends, but is interrupted by a call from Bonnie, who's freaking out that Adam has runaway. Thankfully she's able to get her off the phone so she can hurry up and finish her amends to Lou (He's got sneeze guards to wipe down, after-all!) At the bar, Adam gets miserably drunk and gets mouthy with some of the patrons. When one of them decides to be a smart-ass and refers to him as "Chair,"...Adam decks him and gets himself arrested! Down at the police station, Marjorie arrives to bail Adam out. (She's so well known from all the times she's had to bail out her sponsees that the officer admits she should be getting the "friends and family discount" on bail by now!) Adam thanks Marjorie for coming, since he didn't want to call Bonnie. While Bonnie is at the bistro freaking out that neither Adam nor Marjorie are answering her calls, Marjorie takes Adam back to the RV, where she talks with him about what's been going on. Adam initially says he doesn't know why Ashley's death bothers him so much and Bonnie doesn't understand that. Marjorie pretty quickly susses out that's not all that's going on, and Adam finally admits that there was more to the story about how he wronged Ashley than what he told Bonnie. He didn't just sleep with someone Ashley knew...he slept with her mother...multiple times! And now he has no way to make amends for the horrible thing he did. Marjorie suggests Adam make living amends and be honest with Bonnie about what really happened. Adam finally tells Bonnie what happened, and says he didn't want to tell her because he was so ashamed that he was the reason Ashley and her mother stopped speaking. He admits he worried that Bonnie would look at him differently after finding out about the horrible thing he did. Bonnie assures him that she doesn't look at him any differently, and apologizes for being too hard on him. Bonnie and Adam go to the mausoleum that Ashley's interred at, where they discover that she's actually buried right next to her mother, and Adam finally gets a chance to make his amends. Random Thoughts: - Best lines go to Bonnie when reenacting her amends-in-song to the DMV lady - "I'm sorry I drove us off a bridge during my three-point turn, but I was tripping balls on acid!" and Lou, the cynical steakhouse manager - "If you really want to make a difference in the world, how about you and I go out into the parking lot, you hop in your car and run me over?" -I got a pretty big laugh when Tammy and the girls went back to eat at the steakhouse when Lou advised they stay away from the "surf" part of the "surf and turf" because the fish wasn't actually fish! Were you surprised to see Adam spin out? Did you enjoy seeing Tammy revisit the steakhouse? Let me know below! After being delayed by the pandemic, Archie Moore's has opened its newest location in Connecticut. Branford's Archie Moore's opened its doors on Monday, making it the fifth location of the wing chain in the Nutmeg State. Jonathan Ressler, one of the owners of Archie Moore's said that the turnout for the grand opening was "tremendous" with guests showing up "almost immediately." The long-awaited location has been years in the making after it was first announced in 2018 that Archie Moore's would take the place of the shuttered Su Casa Mexican restaurant in Branford. While the situation did not work out with the Su Casa location, Archie Moore's found its home in Branford Center with a spot on Main Street. "It was quite an odyssey. We had actually signed a lease for this location in January of 2020 and began renovations shortly thereafter." Ressler said. "We had wanted to be on the shoreline for quite some time. We had been looking for the right location and this became available. We think it's an excellent spot." Though slated for 2020, pandemic-related delays with equipment and other hurdles have forced the restaurant to open almost a year after initially planned. Its been a difficult 15 months, Bob Fuchs, owner of Archie Moore's, told Hearst Connecticut in June. We could have opened a year ago, but we stopped because we didnt want to do [just] takeout orders. We wanted to open with a bang. The opening of the Branford location follows the shuttering of the Derby location, which closed its doors in 2020. Despite the closing of the Derby location, Archie Moore's appears to be thriving in its new location. Were extremely grateful to the people and the community for their patience during this crazy time for the restaurant business. Were thrilled to be here," Ressler said. The welcome that we got yesterday was proof that were in the right spot. Archie Moore's is located at 988 Main Street in Branford Center. What can a petroleum engineer and an architect know about investments ? The answer is: Everything! Miguel Orea and Eduardo Abarca came to the world of finance almost by chance 10 years ago, when they were still in college. Now, friends and partners are founders of Aurea Group , which includes four financial companies. The first of them, and perhaps the most important, is SFX Trading Academy , a 100% Mexican stock trading academy that teaches you how to invest as a professional trader . We teach to buy and sell in the international stock market. We teach you everything you need when you want to become an investor , explains Eduardo in a few words for Entrepreneur en Espanol . Founded in 2013, SFX Trading Academy has trained between 18 and 20 thousand students in 24 countries, said Miguel. "We teach you to operate the world's stock markets, the different financial markets, so that you can manage your investments and find profitability." The partners point out that "this is totally different from what you can learn in any school or even in a master's degree in finance, economics or risk management, because there they don't teach you how to operate the financial markets," added Orea. It motivates us a lot to know that we are doing something good for society, to help them learn how to grow their money and have a financial education, added Abarca. It may interest you: Know and know yourself, the two basic elements to be an investor according to Alfonso Marcelo It all started in a WhatsApp group Eduardo and Miguel started out as financial self -taught when they were 19 and 22, respectively. Traveling different paths, both coincided in an online finance course , where they turned out to be the only Mexicans and, coincidentally, both lived in Mexico City. As soon as they met, they 'clicked', seeing that "we had the same vision, the same objectives and the vocation to help people," says Miguel. So, they opened a WhatsApp group with friends, family, and classmates from other courses. "L is we began to teach what we knew, that's how it all began." In just one year, the group grew so much that the participants themselves asked them to give more formal and structured courses. Eventually we migrated to a platform and made the decision to focus 100% on the business. We were growing together in this business , says Orea. In the center, Miguel Orea and Eduardo Abarca, founding partners of Grupo Aurea. Image: Courtesy. By the way, the name of Grupo Aurea is inspired by a basic concept in Architecture: the Fibonacci golden ratio . That caught me, because this sequence is also used a lot in the markets and it is where, for me, my two careers converge, Eduardo revealed. The founders explain that being a trader is a profession that helps you grow as a person, because you handle many emotions. Saving the respective differences, Miguel compares the handling of stock operations with the bets. When you are making a lot of money there is a lot of adrenaline. This teaches you to manage your emotions and contributes to your personal development outside of business, because you learn to deal with losses, not to be visceral, not to seek to get rich quick , he deepened. How does the stock trading academy work? The SFX Trading Academy of Aurea Group has three modalities: online , face -to-face and hybrid system . We have the online model , which is self-taught in the sense that you go at your own pace. We give three classes a week live via streaming, which are recorded so that the students can see them whenever they want or can , explains Abarca. "There is also a forum for students to share their doubts and the advisors are there to solve them." The face-to- face model was about to be implemented when the pandemic arrived, so they had to put it on hold and wait until 2021 to launch it. This has a duration of two years , with face-to-face classes of two hours a day, personally taught by Miguel and Eduardo. Although this scheme follows a syllabus and has fixed hours, it can be adapted to the needs of the students, since most of them are students or work full-time. For this reason, they also offer intensive classes , on Saturdays and even at night . The study plan is made so that people come from scratch and come out as a capital manager with their own investment portfolio . We profile them to work with us or in the financial company they want, or to put their own broker , why not? " , Miguel detailed. The third option is the hybrid mode , where you can take face-to-face classes "live" via streaming. This "works very well for foreign students, because we have more students from other countries throughout Latin America than from Mexico." What do you need to enter SFX Trading Academy? We are open to all types of public , because we believe that financial education should be available to everyone . That has helped us a lot to support both small and large investors, says Orea. "Those who enter this stock market academy are people who have the vision of doing something more with their life, who want more and are not satisfied with what they already know, what they are doing or what they earn," he added. In 2020, Grupo Aurea managed to open its own 100% Mexican broker, where some of its former graduates have joined as traders. Photo: Courtesy. The founders of Aurea Group say that, during its 8 years of operation, they have had students of all ages and professional fields . "They come to us from university students who seek to develop an alternative profession, doctors, informal traders and employees of all kinds, to retirees who are already bored of being at home and looking to turn their lives around or earn more money to supplement their pension" , reported for Entrepreneur in Spanish . Therefore, the only requirements to enter are: be over 18 years old, have finished high school and have a bank account . The online modality has a cost of 350 dollars a year (about 7,000 Mexican pesos), while the face-to-face one implies an investment of 9,000 pesos per month. "It is information that costs more than 5 million pesos, which is more or less what is invested in educational development in this medium to be able to operate," said Abarca, and highlighted that they have discounts for students and "various support plans so that they can train with us . Financial education is just the beginning As we said, the SFX Trading Academy was just Aurea Group 's first company. The own needs of their students and clients prompted them to grow and found three other companies to solve the different problems they were identifying. We started teaching, then we went on to invest for them as amateurs through SFX Trading Investments , our investment portfolio , says Orea wistfully. The third step to build what is now Aurea Group , was to guide and provide solutions in the fiscal part that investments entail. Thus, Aurea Financial Solutions advises clients on paying taxes or which tax regime suits them, "according to the scheme they are adopting, whether as a private, third party or capital investor" . Finally, this 2020, after a long and complicated process, they finally began to operate their own broker under the name of Aurea Capital Markets . The advantage is that with them, investors have the peace of mind that "their trader is in Mexico, speaks your language and is in your time zone." We are dedicated entirely to filling gaps in the financial sector and we are closing the loop with all branches. We have a company for each type of problem faced by those who walk the path of being investors. The road has led us to this. The sea takes you to the deepest part and here I am, 8 years later, doing all this , Miguel Orea concluded. Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved Hiring difficulties may be on the horizon for U.S. firms amid a weak labor supply, according to the Bureau of Labor Statisticss latest jobs report. The bureaus October jobs report, released Nov. 5 showed employers added over half a million jobs in October, beating market expectations and painting a more positive picture of labor market recovery compared to the previous month. However, the labor force participation ratea measure of how many people work or are actively looking for jobswas unchanged at 61.6 percent in October and has remained within narrow range of 61.4 percent to 61.7 percent since June 2020. The participation rate is 1.7 percent lower than in February 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, for workers aged 25 to 54, the labor force participation rate has been gradually ticking up to 81.7 percent in October from 81.6 percent in September, which, while above the historic pandemic lows, is still far below pre-pandemic levels, according to Bloomberg. In February 2020, 82.9 percent of those 25 to 54 years old were in the labor force. The reason for the lagging labor force participation rate is not immediately clear but economists have cited growing fears among employees returning to the office amid the recent wave of the Delta variant, government assistance programs and policies, and the stress of the pandemic prompting a spike in retirements and resignations as factors contributing to the rate. A lack of access to affordable childcare is another factor that may be adding to the stalled participation rate. A study released last month by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) Republicans found that the governments huge assistance programs, such as the stimulus handouts designed to help Americans through the pandemic, have likely made work less attractive for these Americans. The study found that the United States has experienced an unprecedented rise in disconnected prime-age workers over time. For men, this trend dates back half a century, with their labor force participation rate falling from over 97 percent in 1955 to 89 percent before the pandemic. For women, receding workforce participation began in the last two decades. This is in spite of employers across the United States raising wages and implementing attractive bonus schemes and competitive compensation in an effort to pull in new workers after the pandemic. Starbucks, Costco, Walmart, Target, CVS Health, and Walgreens Boots Alliance are just a handful of companies that have all said they are boosting starting wages to $15 an hour, in line with President Joe Bidens push to raise the minimum wage to the same amount and in an effort to recruit more workers amid a nationwide labor shortage. According to the ADP Research Institute Workforce Vitality Report (WVR) released Oct. 27, third-quarter wages in the United States increased 3.3 percent, in line with growth in the months before the pandemic, while job switchers pay is up 6.6 percent since September 2020. We know from other recent data that the rate and number of individuals quitting their jobs have been at record levels, Bankrate Senior Economic Analyst Mark Hamrick said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times. A key question of the day is whether or when will these workers return, helping to address worker supply challenges, he added. The Federal Reserve on Wednesday said it will begin trimming its $120 billion in monthly purchases of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities in November, with plans to end them in 2022, citing substantial further progress in the economy. Economic activity and employment have continued to strengthen, the policy-setting Federal Open Market Committee said in the statement. However, Jerome H. Powell, the Fed chair, noted in a news conference last week that, there is still ground to cover to reach maximum employment, both in terms of employment and in terms of participation. We thought that schools reopening and elapsing unemployment benefits would produce some sort of additional labor supply. That doesnt seem to have been the case interestingly. So I think theres room for a whole lot of humility here as we try to think about what maximum employment would be. Were going to have to see some time post-COVID so that we know, or post-Delta anyway, to see what is possible, he added. By Katabella Roberts Katabella Roberts is a reporter currently based in Turkey. She covers news and business for The Epoch Times, focusing primarily on the United States. Copyright 2021 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Jetson Leder-Luis, Boston University (THE CONVERSATION) Lawmakers passed the US$1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill on Nov. 5, 2021, with negotiations still ongoing over Democrats $1.75 trillion plan to expand the social safety net and tackle climate change. The proposed $3 trillion in total spending is not only a big investment but a serious target for fraud. Most government spending does reach the intended targets like mass transit, clean energy and broadband internet but some of the money will undoubtedly be lost to fraud. How much is impossible to predict, but I believe a reasonable estimate based on past spending and research would put it at around 5%, or $150 billion. Thats equivalent to the gross domestic product of Ukraine. I study the problem of fraud in public spending and what governments can do to fight it. Research shows there are measures that can effectively fight fraud in government spending, like increased government anti-fraud lawsuits. The problem is that lawmakers dont always make preventing fraud a priority. What is fraud? At its most basic, fraud is the use of deception to achieve financial or personal gain. When it involves government spending, fraud occurs when someone diverts money from its intended public purpose. Common examples of government fraud include companies or bureaucrats rigging the awarding of lucrative government contracts, health care companies falsifying patient data to get higher payments from Medicare or Medicaid, and Defense Department contractors inflating the costs of services. While its common to hear claims that individual fraud in programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is rampant, most fraud involves companies paid by the government to provide public services because there is so much more money on the line. About 15% of government spending goes directly to companies through contracting. Even more flows to Medicare and Medicaid providers, which are often private companies reimbursed for the services they deliver. Part of the problem driving fraud is what economists call information asymmetry. Thats what happens when the construction company or hospital doing work for the government has more information about what they are billing than bureaucrats do. Fraudsters can exploit what they know and the government does not to their benefit by charging more than they should. Costs of fraud It is difficult to measure the exact costs of fraud, because those who commit fraud try to conceal it. One measure of how much the U.S. government loses to fraud is its improper payment rate a measure of the amount of money the government shouldnt have doled out because of, for instance, duplicate payments or payments to ineligible people. Improper payments totaled $175 billion in 2019, or about 4% of all government spending. Different programs have different improper payment rates. Medicare, for example, has improper payments in the 5%-6% range, costing the government tens of billions of dollars per year. However, improper payments are not the most accurate measure of fraud. They include money improperly paid by accident rather than malice, but they fail to measure fraud that wasnt caught which may be substantial but is unknown. There is a constant cat and mouse game between anti-fraud enforcers and fraudsters exploiting new opportunities in the ever-changing regulatory landscape. For example, the Payment Protection Program which spent $792 billion helping small businesses endure the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic may have lost $76 billion of that to fraud, according to a 2021 study. About 15% of the PPP loans given out are suspected of fraud. Thats based on certain red flags, such as filings that include unregistered or recently incorporated businesses, many of the same residential addresses or implausibly high employee salaries. Other recent stimulus programs have similarly garnered attention for fraud, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, in which hundreds of thousands of people have had their identities used for fraudulent claims. Ohio alone estimates it lost $330 million to this kind of fraud. Like other forms of fraud, this problem was largely not due to individual abuse but rather criminal organizations exploiting weak government oversight. Infrastructure fraud is a particularly attractive target Information asymmetry is one reason infrastructure programs in particular tend to be targets of fraud. For example, the quality of construction projects is hard to verify. That gives contractors and builders opportunities to skimp on materials or inflate costs to earn higher profits. Bostons Big Dig, a $15 billion infrastructure megaproject from the early 1990s, resulted in some contractors being arrested for fraudulently providing substandard materials. A major contractor on the project was prosecuted for delivering adulterated concrete and paid a fine of $50 million. Furthermore, infrastructure projects are generally awarded to a single company through a bidding process, which can be susceptible to rigging. In June 2021, for example, an Ohio-based engineering company was ordered to pay $8.5 million in fines for rigging several drainage projects in North Carolina. The U.S. is sophisticated in its rules around bidding, contracting and audits, but cases like that still arise with some regularity. Fighting fraud The federal government is not powerless to prevent and detect fraud. Its tools include criminal enforcement, whistleblowing and civil lawsuits, auditing, increased regulatory requirements for spending, and machine-learning tools for data mining and forensic analysis. Research has found that many anti-fraud efforts can successfully root out fraud. Indeed, the Department of Justice has found that every $1 spent on health care fraud in 2020 returned $4.30 an exceptionally good return on investment. Whistleblowing has proved to be particularly valuable. Under the False Claims Act, individuals who have information about fraud involving government programs can hire their own attorneys and sue on behalf of the government in federal civil court. These whistleblowers receive a share of any money they recover for the government. My research has found that this can be highly effective at deterring fraud. Under the act, the government has recently recovered more than $1 billion a year, and my research shows that it has saved tens of billions more by preventing fraud from occurring in the first place. But the $1.2 trillion package includes very little language aimed at fighting fraud. An effort to include stronger provisions for whistleblowing in the infrastructure bill failed. Other language in the bill instructs the government to deter waste and fraud but doesnt specify penalties or how it will be carried out. In fact, the word fraud appears only seven times in the 2,000-page bill and one refers to Congress acting to prevent the Office of the Inspector General of Health and Human Services from strengthening anti-kickback rules. [Over 115,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.] It is clear that in the current haste to spend federal money not enough attention has been paid to make sure that it all goes to the proper places. The other, larger spending package is still primarily just a blueprint, with not a lot of legislative language behind it. Lawmakers would be wise, given how much they plan to spend over the coming years, to include more anti-fraud language in large spending bills. That would help ensure more of these trillions of dollars go to the people and places they say need the support and not to the fraudsters. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/1-2t-infrastructure-plan-offers-lucrative-target-for-fraud-171453. HOUSTON (AP) The deaths of eight people in a crush of fans at a music festival have led to calls for an independent, outside investigation instead of one by the Houston police, who along with the fire department played a key role in crowd control and other safety measures at the show. Experts in crowd safety say an investigation by neutral outsiders into the tragedy during Friday nights performance by rapper Travis Scott could help the city avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency. Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva declined to comment on whether the department's close involvement in the event created a conflict or if it was considering handing the probe off to an outside agency. Such decisions are often made in investigations like police shootings. All of the information we have available to put out at this time has been placed out on Twitter, Silva said. The police department's probe would be separate from any independent investigation ordered by County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris Countys top elected official, according to Rafael Lemaitre, a spokesman for the county judge's office. Hidalgo hasn't decided who would conduct such an independent review or how it would be done, Lemaitre said Monday. She wants to know if this could have been prevented in any way, Lemaitre said. Its also entirely possible that it was not preventable for whatever reason, and thats something we would like to know, as well. Key questions remain unanswered after the Astroworld festival at the Harris County-owned NRG Park. Some involve what the Houston police and fire departments did before, during and after a crowd surged toward the stage, killing eight people and injuring many more, with over 300 people treated on site and at least 13 others hospitalized. Other questions center on the actions of event organizers. Officials with the Houston police and fire departments have said that part of their investigation will include reviewing whether the concert promoter and others behind the festival adhered to the plans that were submitted for the event. Astroworlds organizers laid out security and emergency medical response protocols for the festival in plans filed with Harris County. The 56-page plan, obtained by The Associated Press, says any decision to evacuate the event would be made by the festival director after consultation with other individuals, including the security director. Such plans have to be reviewed by Houston police officials. Christopher Slobogin, director of the criminal justice program at Vanderbilt University, said an independent criminal investigation could be beneficial to avoid any potential conflicts of interest, but acknowledged this case is different from typical situations where authorities are confronted with decisions over whether to step away from a case. The actual crime was probably not committed directly by the fire department or the police department, he said. But at least for appearance purposes, if an independent body did the investigation I think that would be the better practice. Officials have said a private company was primarily responsible for providing security at the festival, but Houston police were also assigned to the event. The plan says medical care at the festival was provided by ParaDocs, a private company based in New York. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said during a news conference Saturday that the injuries and size of the crowd quickly overwhelmed the private companies providing security and medical services. Pena said even though the medical operations plan did not require the fire department to have units pre-positioned around the festival, those units were in place in case this incident escalated. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on Monday that he had a "brief and respectful" meeting with Scott and the rappers head of security on Friday before his performance. The chief said he asked them to work with the police department. I expressed my concerns regarding public safety and that in my 31 years in law enforcement experience I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages, to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation, Finner said. G. Keith Still, a visiting professor of crowd science at the United Kingdoms University of Suffolk, said his independent investigations of similar tragedies typically begin with evaluating an events safety permit process, including how a permit was issued and whether the event organizer adhered to permit conditions. Police can sometimes get too caught up in trying to take eyewitness accounts, he said. With 50,000 potential eyewitnesses, by the time they get through with all of that, theyre left with a huge, confused mass. Houston police and fire officials said their investigation will include reviewing video taken by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show. Officials also planned to review the events security plan and determine whether its organizers properly followed permit requirements. Steven Adelman, vice president of the industry group Event Safety Alliance, said in an email that he sees no issue with public safety authorities authorizing an independent investigation of the Houston tragedy. I would hope and assume the investigation will be conducted by an outside person who is not subject to influence by the agencies that were involved with Astroworld. This is not an uncommon scenario in complex situations like this one, wrote Adelman, whose organization was formed after the collapse of a stage killed seven people at the Indiana State Fair in 2011. Adelman said private forensic analysis experts independently investigated the Indiana stage collapse, examining the stage roof engineering and crowd management. A good example of what I hope we see here, Adelman said of the investigation in Houston. Finner has defended how long it took for the concert to be called off after the first signs of trouble. The police chief said his department immediately notified concert organizers after noticing that attendees were going down. The event was called off 40 minutes later after discussions that included the fire department and park officials. You cannot just close when youve got 50,000 over 50,000 individuals, OK? Finner said. We have to worry about rioting riots when you have a group thats that young. Pena said city officials limited the attendance to 50,000 even though the venue could have held 200,000 based on fire codes. It was the crowd control at the point of the stage that was the issue, especially as the crowd began to surge toward the stage, Pena said. Live Nation said in a statement that it is cooperating with local authorities "so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time." County Judge Hidalgo tweeted on Saturday that she was calling for an objective and independent investigation into what happened. She also said her office was grateful for the work done by the police and fire departments. It may well be that this tragedy is the result of unpredictable events, of circumstances coming together that couldnt possibly have been avoided, Hidalgo said. But until we determine that, I will ask the tough questions. Hidalgos office isnt a law-enforcement agency and doesnt have authority over criminal investigations. ___ Kunzelman reported from College Park, Maryland. Associated Press reporters Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. POLACCA, Ariz. (AP) Candidates for Hopi chairman move easily between the tribe's language and English as they make their case for votes from a high school auditorium. The audience is a mix of fluent speakers, Hopis whose language and culture were attacked at assimilation-focused boarding schools, Hopis who fear they might be mocked if they stumble over Hopi words, and others who want to learn. To be in the place of Chairman Tim Nuvangyaoma or his challenger, David Talayumptewa, Hopis must be able to speak and understand Hopi. The rule in the tribal constitution was loosened in 2017 from being fluent, and Nuvangyaoma is pushing to eliminate any language requirement for the top leadership job on the 2,500 square-mile (6,475 square-kilometer) reservation. He contends nixing it would draw in younger Hopis who were told to leave their homeland, get an education and return to help their people with skills in technology, engineering, law and hydrology but cannot speak Hopi. The reservation is composed of 12 villages in the Arizona high desert and is home to about half of the 14,000 enrolled Hopis. It is completely surrounded by the much larger Navajo Nation. We're never going to ignore our culture and traditions, but we are in 2021 now, Nuvangyaoma said in an interview. Theres competition at the state and federal level to seek funding. We need to be a little more aggressive and aware." Talayumptewa counters the problem lies not with the constitution but in Nuvangyaomas leadership style, and the solution is in fostering a resurgence of the language that defines Hopis. Thats his gamble, Talayumptewa said of Nuvangyaoma's push. It will be an issue in the election. Im not backing off, and I guess thats my gamble. The discussion about the language's role in tribal politics inevitably turns into one about identity, and cultural maintenance, sustainability and preservation. Hopi, like other tribes, have fought to maintain their language while the U.S. government tried to eradicate their culture and assimilate them into white society. Ada Curtis, who is 65 and known by Somimana in Hopi, recalled being taught by non-Natives on the reservation and the sickening feeling when she stepped on the bus not knowing English but being scolded and getting her mouth washed out with soap for speaking Hopi. Several years ago, the neighboring Navajo Nation grappled with a similar issue over language when a presidential candidate was disqualified after he refused to be the first to undergo a fluency test. Voters on the largest Native American reservation relaxed the requirements, essentially eliminating the need for key leaders to speak Navajo. The White Mountain Apache Tribe in eastern Arizona requires its leader to speak the tribe's language. Other Arizona tribes, including Hualapai and Pascua Yaqui, and the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma do not. The Hopi reservation has been trending toward English being the dominant language for decades, as fewer parents speak Hopi at home, said Dr. Sheilah Nicholas, or Qotsahonmana, a University of Arizona professor from the Hopi village of Songoopavi. A U.S. Census Bureau study released in 2011 found fewer than a half-million people age 5 and over spoke a Native American language at home. A small segment of Hopis who live in a community at the base of First Mesa speak Tewa, a language more commonly heard among pueblo tribes along the Rio Grande in New Mexico. The Hopi reservation also includes the Village of Oraibi, the oldest, continuously inhabited settlement in the U.S., dating back around 1,000 years. The Hopi sense of identity is vulnerable when Hopis live off the remote reservation, are distanced from religious and cultural practices like dry farming and ceremonies in the kiva, and cant speak the language that is part of a spiritual covenant with the creator, Maasaw, Qotsahonmana said. But focusing only on the speaking ability erases other forms of language, she said. Theres songs, theres teachings, theres prayer, said Qotsahonmana. All of those, if you are engaged and involved in those, you are becoming Hopi. Bernita Duwahoyeoma, whose Hopi name is Siwivensi, pointed to sacrifices made over the years to protect the tribe's language and culture. Nineteen Hopi men were incarcerated at Alcatraz, off the coast of San Francisco, in 1865 after refusing to send Hopi children to boarding school. In 1701, Hopis who resisted efforts by the Spanish to convert them to Christianity destroyed one of their own villages to ensure continuation of Hopi practices. Hopi men, women and children died, Siwivensi said. It's our whole culture at stake, she said. Just something as simple as language, and there we go as a people. And I'm wondering, which one of these candidates is going to be sincere and listen to what the people are saying from their hearts?" The winner in Thursdays nonpartisan election cannot single-handedly make changes to the 1934 Hopi constitution, but can shape a proposal through the Tribal Council and put it out for a vote. Leilani Nish, who volunteered as a moderator for the debate and doesn't speak Hopi yet, said she'd welcome a change to involve the youth. It's not a free pass, said the 19-year-old college student. Whoever is there, regardless, should be able to learn the language. That way, when you're talking (to) and greeting the people, you can greet them in Hopi. It's just more respectful. Nuvangyaoma, 50, was a fresh face in Hopi politics before he was elected for the four-year term. He has been a firefighter, worked in finance, volunteered for the Hopi radio station and served four prison terms for aggravated drunken driving, experiences he said have helped him connect to Hopis who struggle with substance abuse. During Saturdays debate, he repeatedly alluded to constitutional reform to give citizens a larger voice in tribal government, to create separation of powers and to modernize the document. Talayumptewa, a 71-year-old retired U.S. Bureau of Education official, has championed creating a single school district on the reservation. He said the tribal government needs to partner with small businesses and private industries, and reengage with language and culture. Nuvangyaoma beat Talayumptewa in the 2017 election. Vice chairman candidates Clark Tenakhongva and Craig Andrews run on separate tickets. Turnout generally is low. Nuvangyaoma and Talayumptewa took questions on public safety, tribal sovereignty, tourism, flooding and illegal trash dumping during the debate at the school in Polacca that has allowed Hopis to get a high school education on their own reservation. A Hopi word at the entrance nahongvita encourages students to dig deep and stay strong. The stage was adorned with gourds, baskets and a colorful painting with corn stalks and Hopis in traditional dress. The candidates introduced themselves in Hopi but spoke primarily in English. Toward the end of the two-hour debate, Talayumptewa outlined his plan to revitalize the language, which includes immersion programs. Nuvangyaoma dismissed the talk as an empty promise, saying Talayumptewa has had plenty of time to enact change as a three-term council member on the education committee. Deidra Honyumptewa, 47, said she left the debate feeling hopeful. She and her family recently moved from the Phoenix area back home to the Village of Tewa but do not speak Hopi or Tewa. Theres a lot of highly educated people my age that are willing to step up to the plate and do what we need to do for our tribe, but that is a barrier for us, she said. ___ Fonseca is a member of the APs Race and Ethnicity team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/FonsecaAP Contributed Photo / Connecticut State Police STAMFORD State police identified the 37-year-old city man who suffered a suspected serious injury after a car crash on I-95 early Saturday morning, according to a police report. State police said Inmer Cruz-Ramos, 37, was found lying in the street by firefighters after a three-car collision near Exit 6 on I-95 North around 2 a.m. Saturday. Ashtabula, OH (44004) Today Cloudy with occasional light rain...mainly this evening. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional light rain...mainly this evening. Low 32F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Higher wind gusts possible. The Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR, parliamentary) proposes, amid the decrease in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections, the cancellation of the green certificate, which it considers "illegal", "discriminatory" and "useless" and the provision of a number of free tests by the state. "Given that the number of COVID infections is constantly decreasing, we appreciate that Romania can enter a new phase, that of transferring the decision to the citizen and ensuring a number of free tests by the state. It is not the green certificate that represents the solution to the challenges we face today, the certificate is illegal, discriminatory and useless, given that the vaccinated can become infected and transmit the virus, but more freedom and responsibility on the shoulders of the citizen. Life and health are natural rights that are related to the privacy and autonomy of the person, and the body is an attribute of the person," the AUR co-chair Claudiu Tarziu said, according to a press release of the party. For his part, the AUR co-chair George Simion said that this party is proposing an alternative to the "toxic" ideas that are circulating in Parliament these days. "Given that those vaccinated and those who have passed through the disease represent over half of the Romanian population, there will be no pressure on the medical system in the future, and we should take into account this new reality and treat the virus in the same register with the flu, as a seasonal disease," Simion said. Romania's Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu held consultations in Washington DC on Monday with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, with the meeting of the two senior officials reaffirming the firm commitment of both sides to further consolidate and deepen the strategic partnership, including by intensifying the political and diplomatic dialogue and bilateral co-operation, as well as in terms of regional and global challenges, according to the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE), agerpres reports. The political consultations between the two chief diplomats marked the opening of the seventh meeting of the Romania-US Strategic Dialogue for the implementation of the Joint Declaration for the 21st Century Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States. The Strategic Dialogue meeting was scheduled for the next day, being the first such meeting with the new US Administration and the first since 2018.During the consultations, the two officials praised the consistency of the bilateral agenda and dialogue, as well as the positive developments in and prospects on all dimensions for the strategic partnership - from security and defence co-operation to political co-operation, economic, energy and human relations co-operation, reads a press statement released by MAE.Aurescu pointed to the 10th anniversary in 2021 of the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century between Romania and the United States, and of the Agreement between the United States of America and Romania on the Deployment of the United States Ballistic Missile Defense System in Romania. At the same time, he voiced interest in marking in 2022 by a consistent bilateral agenda, the 25th anniversary of the strategic partnership between Romania and the US.According to MAE, the two foreign ministers focused first of all on security and defence co-operation and addressed the latest security developments in the Black Sea region.Aurescu and Blinken agreed on the need to strengthen co-operation in the political and security and defence areas, insisting on the importance of close Romania-US coordination inside NATO moving forward.The two officials also agreed on the need for credible deterrence and response matching the challenges facing the Black Sea, especially in relation to Ukraine, as well as on keeping in close contact on that matter.The head of Romanian diplomacy reiterated the need to pay special attention to the Black Sea region, which is essential to Euro-Atlantic security, and pointed out Romania's desire - welcomed by the American side - to contribute substantially to the development of the future US Black Sea Security Strategy, currently being worked out by the Biden Administration."Bogdan Aurescu underscored that, in Romania's vision, that strategy should take into account a multidimensional and integrated approach to deterrence, combining aspects of classic security with strengthening resilience, with the economic dimension, that of combating hybrid threats, strengthening energy security and resolving protracted conflicts. He said adequate resources are necessary to allocate for that purpose. Secretary of State Blinken appreciated Romania's proposal as a riparian state and a responsible and staunch ally of the United States, and he agreed with the assessment of the Romanian side that the Black Sea cannot become a tool for mounting hostility and destabilisation. Aurescu highlighted the need to consolidate in a consistent and unitary manner the position of deterrence and defence on the entire NATO Eastern Flank, especially in the Black Sea, highlighting the importance that Romania attaches to increasing the US military presence in Romania," MAE points out.MAE says Aurescu also pointed out the importance of close coordination during the negotiations over NATO's New Strategic Concept, which is to be adopted at a June 2022 NATO summit in Madrid.At the same time, Aurescu underlined the important role of Romania in Central and South-Eastern Europe and the Black Sea, as well as its significant efforts to strengthen security, regional stability and strategic resilience.The Romanian foreign minister introduced to Blinken details of his assessment of the recent developments in Moldova and Ukraine and reiterated Romania's commitment and concrete supportive actions in relation to these partners.As far as economic co-operation between Romania and the US goes, Aurescu highlighted the need to further develop co-operation on that level, with an emphasis on the objective of increasing American investment in the region, in addition to the security dimension.He mentioned the importance of developing very important strategic interconnection projects to Romania, Rail2Sea and Via Carpathia, projects with a direct positive impact on both the economic development of the region and on defence mobility. The Romanian official encouraged the advancement towards the identification of concrete formulas for the participation of the US in the development of these projects, including financial contribution.At the same time, the two senior officials underscored the importance of civilian nuclear energy co-operation between the two countries. They welcomed the strategic and symbolic relevance of President Klaus Iohannis' announcement at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow on co-operation with the United States in developing and implementing small modular reactor (SMR) technology. That is a concrete step in the joint effort to cut carbon emissions from energy systems and toward ensuring national and regional energy security, with a potential to transform Romania into a hub for investment and supply of such technologies for European and partner countries, shows MAE.At the same time, the Romanian official mentioned the prospects for Romania's accession to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as one of the country's major foreign policy priorities, thanking the American counterpart for US support in advancing the process.In addition, Aurescu reiterated Romania's interest, as a US strategic partner, in actual progress being made with Romania's being included in the Visa Waiver Program as an objective of great importance to Romanian citizens, calling for the actual involvement of the American side in achieving that common goal, including by supporting an adequate communication campaign that would contribute to reducing the visa denial rate, the last criterion Romania still has to meet.Aurescu and Blinken also reaffirmed the special importance of consolidating and deepening the transatlantic relationship. The Romanian minister underlined Romania's full commitment to the promotion of democratic values, the consolidation of the rules-based international order and the strategic resilience of the transatlantic relationship, as well as the desire for close co-operation with the US to that end. He also voiced Romania's interest in contributing consistently to the Summit for Democracy to be held by the US Administration in 2021.The two officials also discussed current affairs on the international agenda, including relations with China and the shared principled approach, with Blinken commending Romania for its position and actions.According to MAE, the two senior officials also discussed joint efforts to combat COVID-19 and the importance of international solidarity in the fight.Aurescu reiterated his invitation to Blinken to come to Romania, openly accepted by the US secretary of state. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, believes that "American military presence in the region needs to be increased, for both troops, as well as equipment, not just in Romania, but also in the southern part of the Eastern flank". On a visit to Washington, the head of the Romanian diplomacy took part in the "Security and Cooperation in the Black Sea" dialogue, organized by the Atlantic Council of the United States. "I discussed yesterday with Secretary Blinken (US State Secretary, Antony Blinken, ed. n). and I expressed Romania's openness to participating in building the US strategy regarding the Black Sea region and I already sent a few preliminary ideas. I believe that it is important to have a multilateral approach regarding security in the Black Sea. This is not about the classical approach regarding military means and security," Bogdan Aurescu said. He said that "it is a sort of an unbalance, at this moment, between the allocated resources for the northern part and those allocated for the southern part". "So we need to balance the situation and to have more resources in the southern part of the Eastern flank and to continue building this coherent approach of the Eastern flank as a unitary whole," the Romanian Foreign Affairs Minister pointed out. According to him, "all that happens in the Black Sea does not remain in the Black Sea, it has a major impact on transatlantic relations, in general". Furthermore, he highlighted that, "in the last three decades, the Black Sea has been an area of conflict", and this "trend remains, unfortunately, if we look at what happened this year, for example, in April, when we witnessed the massive deployment of Russian forces, perhaps the largest such deployment since the Cold War, in the region, with a lot of equipment left there. (...) It is worrisome, and should preoccupy us all, not just the countries in the region, but also NATO". Moreso, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted that "the risk of future challenges, including security challenges, remains high". "I believe that we need to take this into consideration and to act for reconstructing security and stability, including prosperity in the Black Sea region," he said. This is not the end of the fourth wave of coronavirus pandemic, the chairman of Romania's National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee (CNCAV), Valeriu Gheorghita, said on Tuesday, during a press conference at Victoria Palace, estimating that the return to school could generate an increase of SARS-CoV-2 infections. According to the military doctor, the infection risk could also go up in the context of the cold season, because people will have the tendency to stay indoors more, without frequently airing out the rooms. Valeriu Gheorghita highlighted that the message according to which the fourth pandemic wave "is being resolved" should not be promoted. "I believe that the epidemiological situation tends to become stable, but this is in no case the end of the fourth wave. We would have wanted this to happen, but we are also looking at what is going on in Europe and we see that there are already many countries that are registering an important increase in the number of cases. The problem is that in the countries with a high vaccination coverage, the pandemic no longer has any significant impact. Meaning the number of serious cases, admission to ICUs and casualties do not go up at the same time. They remain at a stable value, a reduced value and are generally the appanage of people who were not vaccinated or vaccinated people that have an advanced age, who also have a lot of associated chronic conditions," the head of CNCAV declared. Valeriu Gheorghita mentioned that the booster shot is necessary, in the context in which over 35-40% of infections in vaccinated people appear after the fifth month of completing the full scheme of immunization. "This is why we have the threshold of 6 months from where we are firmly recommending the booster shot," he said. The Save Romania Union (USR) will make sure that Romania does not skid on the slope of illiberalism following a potential amendment of the Constitution, and will see that state power isn't seized by a "handful of people", USR Chairman Dacian Ciolos declared on Tuesday. "USR will make sure that Romania stays on a European path and that we don't end up discussing Constitution changes that would take the country to an area of illiberalism. We see these days how easily agreements which are not always in the interest of the citizens are being made or broken in the Romanian Parliament, and USR will make sure that Romania does not skid on an illiberal slope, as it happened in Hungary and Poland, and that our country clearly stays on the pro-European track of the rule of law, of a balanced relationship of forces between state powers, and that the ruling power is not seized by a handful of people to use it as they please in their interest and against the interest of the citizens," Ciolos told a press conference at the Palace of Parliament. He also voiced his belief that Romania doesn't need at this moment to "upset" the state's balance of powers by the tentative introduction of the parliamentary republic system. "We've seen in the past years what happened when a party like PSD, led by Liviu Dragnea, abused its power in Parliament. Imagine that a Parliament with a majority party headed by someone of Dragnea's like also gets to appoint the President as it pleases," Dacian Ciolos explained. Save Romania Union (USR) Chairman Dacian Ciolos announced, following the National Liberal Party (PNL) leadership's decision to start negotiations with Social Democratic Party (PSD) to coagulate a majority, that the Save Romania Union moves to opposition and will work to implement National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) reforms, agerpres reports. "From this moment on, a new stage begins for USR. We are now moving into opposition to the old parties and fighting any form of extremism. We will be the largest opposition party and the only one that embraces democratic, genuinely liberal and European values. We will continue to work for the implementation of PNRR reforms. We will firmly sanction the slippage of the PNL-PSD government. We will use this period to reconnect with the people in the streets and to build our vision for a modern Romania," the USR leader wrote on Facebook. Ciolos added that he is outraged by the ease with which PNL chose to "betray" the hope of those who wanted a government for the modernization of the Romanian state together with USR.In his opinion, in recent months the old parties "felt threatened by the new breath" that USR has brought to politics.He stated that USR opposed the "old methods" of Romanian politics: "the preservation of privileges, the obstacles to modernization, the money distributed without criteria from the pen of a single man." National Defense Minister Nicolae Ciuca and Chief of Romania's Defense Staff, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu participated today in the Distinguished Visitors Day organized at the Sangiorgiu de Mures shooting range on the occasion of the JUNCTION STRIKE 2021 special operations forces exercise. "This special forces certification exercise is a testament to our determination to build capabilities in line with NATO commitments, at allied standards. The fact that 10 partner states participated in this exercise is proof that Romania's special operations forces have gained relevance in this complex security environment," said the Defense Minister, as cited in a release. According to the Minister, Romania's special operations forces are important not just for our country, but also as NATO capabilities. "We learned from this exercise that we need to set the standards for the joint special operations forces capabilities and also in different areas. Together we succeeded in presenting the main objectives for building special operations capabilities. It all has to do with Romania's main goal of playing an important role in the region, given all the challenges and threats in the Black Sea region. Today, we have once again proven our determination to put in efforts to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. This is, in fact, the most important message we wanted to convey," said Nicolae Ciuca. The Chief of Defense Staff, Lieutenant General Daniel Petrescu, stressed that "special operations force structures are an important arm of the Romanian Army, capable of rapid strategic reaction." "Joint training events with similar allied structures help them increase both their own action capacity and interoperability. Through the efforts of the troops involved in the JUNCTION STRIKE exercise, the Romanian Army has certified two NATO capability targets: a Special Operations Marine Group and the Special Operations Component Command. Congratulations to the Special Operations Forces Command for the entire planning, organization and conduct of training, as well as for the exemplary commitment to achieving its own objectives which are, in fact, goals achieved by the Romanian Army," he said. Attending the Distinguished Visitors Day, alongside the leadership of the Defense Ministry, were commanders of the special operations forces from allied and partner countries - Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Northern Macedonia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Poland, the Republic of Moldova and Hungary. The JUNCTION STRIKE multinational exercise takes place every year with special operations force (SOF) structures of European allied and partner countries that practice the synchronization of multi-domain SOF operations and test their capacity to take tactical and operational action based on a crisis scenario. JUNCTION STRIKE 2021 takes place between November 1 and 12 at training facilities of the Romanian Army and in areas near Reghin, Bradet, Miercurea Ciuc, Mihail Kogalniceanu and Sangiorgiu de Mures, with the participation of over 800 Romanian troops and about 100 land, air and naval hardware means, along with about 150 troops from allied or partner countries - Georgia, Greece, the UK, Moldova, Poland, Portugal and the U.S. A nationwide blackout is very unlikely because there are automations in place to prevent such an incident, president of Romania's Power Suppliers Association (AFEER) Laurentiu Urluescu told a conference organized by Energynomics.ro on Tuesday. "Blackout is a technical term, but I see that lately it is used in connection with the market. The general meaning of blackout is a technical failure of an equipment item which propagates and thus leaves in the dark a certain portion of the grid. A blackout that could hit an entire country or Europe, as I have heard or read in the media, is very unlikely because there are island mode automations, there is a host of automations in place to prevent this," said the AFEER president. He also explained that a blackout caused by an energy shortage is not possible. "The energy price may be higher and the supply method may be cumbersome, but I don't think a blackout due to energy shortage is possible," Urluescu said, as he also referenced the Romanians' experience from the communist period, when power cuts to reduce consumption were common practice. "Unlike other European countries, we also have this experience. We hope we don't get to see this again," Urluescu concluded. On Tuesday, the Chamber of Deputies passed a bill that provides financial support to the Romanian Olympic Committee and the National Paralympic Committee in the sense of sharing the gambling fee revenue. There were 312 ayes and one abstention. The bill provides for 1% of the fees charged for issuing gambling licenses going to the Romanian Olympic Committee and 0.2% of it to the National Paralympic Committee. The law enters into force on January 1, 2022. The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body in this case PSD (Social Democratic Party) leader Marcel Ciolacu stated on Tuesday that during the meeting that will take place between the Social Democrats and the Liberals, the team that will standardize the governing programmes of the two parties will be established. "Today, I think, we will set up a team that will start to standardize the two governing programmes, of PNL (National Liberal Party) and PSD, but there will be a meeting with UDMR (Democratic Union of Hungarians of Romania) and the minorities, because this alliance is formed, if it succeeds, from PSD, PNL, UDMR and minorities," said Ciolacu at the PSD headquarters. He added that in the negotiations for the creation of a government, the parliamentary weights must be respected and mentioned that it is not possible for PSD to cede to PNL both the position of prime minister and that of finance minister. Ciolacu stated that the parties will also discuss about the modification of the Constitution. "This change does not belong to the governing coalition, several factors and all political forces must be involved here," he said. The meeting between the representatives of PSD, PNL, UDMR and the national minorities is to take place on Tuesday, starting with 1.00 pm, at Parliament, Agerpres informs. Romania will receive in November over 4 million new vaccine doses from the BioNTech/Pfizer company, the secretary of state in the Ministry of Health, Andrei Baciu, deputy chairman of CNCAV (Romania's National COVID-19 Vaccination Coordination Committee), announced on Tuesday. "At the moment we have 24,104,989 doses shipped to Romania: BioNTech/Pfizer - 14,733,089 doses, Moderna - 3,182,400 doses, AstraZeneca, 3,374,000 vaccine doses, and Johnson&Johnson - 2,815,500. For the following period, as we know, the shipments of Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines have been suspended, for BioNTech/Pfizer we have a prognosis for November of 4,000,663 vaccine doses, and for Johnson&Johnson, for the week of 8-14 November, 348,000 would be shipped, and for the week of 15-21 November, we forecast for shipping 252,000 vaccine doses, Andrei Baciu declared, during a press conference at Victoria Palace. Regarding the digital certificate, he specified that until this time there have been 7,940,274 documents generated. "Mostly, we are keeping the same trend, namely 92.45% of certificates are those that attest vaccination," Baciu added. ST. LOUIS More than three-quarters of St. Louis and St. Louis Countys poorest residents live in housing they cant afford, according to a report released Monday that grades affordable housing in the region for the first time. The report, funded by the faith-based nonprofit Deaconess Foundation, gives the city and county a C on affordable housing, as a whole. But some area residents fare far worse: The study gave Fs to housing options for families making less than half the regions median income, for Black households and for renters. Meanwhile, more than 80% of the regions wealthiest residents and more than 80% of white homeowners live in housing the report deems affordable. The report provides details critical for area housing efforts, said Glenn Burleigh, spokesman for the Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing and Opportunity Council, and part of the grant-writing team for the project. It was always like, How much of what do we need, and where? Burleigh said. You could go to any agency, and ask, How many units are we short? and nobody could tell you anything. U.S. Attorney Steven Weinhoeft called that a heartbreaking bid to extend that last ember of his life. Weinhoeft also said Hopkins death left a scar on the entire state police force. He was the first Illinois State Police trooper shot and killed in 30 years. Weinhoeft asked Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy J. Rosenstengel for a life sentence. He said Grant should get no leniency for his tough childhood. Grants father was in prison for much of his young life and he lived in a neighborhood plagued by guns and drugs. Weinhoeft said Grant re-created that environment for a new generation of children by operating a crack house. Grant told police that he had been robbed two weeks before the raid and thought he was being robbed again. But Weinhoeft pointed out in court and in a sentencing memo that Grant fired three times through his front door without checking to see if he was shooting at a police officer, a delivery driver or a customer, prosecutors said. He also did not hide, fire a warning shot, turn on a light, call out or look out a window, Weinhoeft said. ST. LOUIS Jeffrey Carson, the former superintendent of the often-criticized St. Louis city jail commonly known as the workhouse, plans to retire Jan. 1. Carson, who led the Medium Security Institution from 2017 until earlier this year, in an interview Monday defended the largely shuttered facility against accusations of inhumane treatment made by Mayor Tishaura O. Jones and others. I wouldnt work in an inhumane place, said Carson, whose former boss, Dale Glass, retired as corrections commissioner last June amid criticism from the newly elected mayor. I did the best I could with the resources we were given. While he was in charge of the workhouse, he said, the city installed air-conditioning and better locks and expanded outdoor recreation for detainees housed there. We practiced restorative justice, he said. Under Jones, the city closed the workhouse in June but began using part of the facility again in August on a temporary basis after new disturbances at the citys main jail downtown. U.S. Rep. Cori Bush told President Joe Biden directly that St. Louis has to come first for me before voting against his bipartisan infrastructure package last week, the first-term Democrat told the Post-Dispatch on Monday. Bush had vowed not to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act without a vote on a separate $2 trillion Build Back Better proposal addressing universal preschool, climate change, health care and other progressive priorities. A vote on that measure could occur next week. The infrastructure bill is headed to Bidens desk. I didnt come to Congress to to allow our priorities to be put on a shelf, Bush said in an interview Monday, recalling a conversation she had with Biden. Child care, climate action, community violence prevention I made it very clear that those are the things that we need. We wont get that if we we wont get those things if we dont stand up. And so he understood that. She said she also spoke to Vice President Kamala Harris. Both of them are very well aware that in everything that I do, St. Louis is going to come first. She said she didnt believe Build Back Better would still be on the table if she and five other Democratic holdouts had voted with the rest of their caucus. The Democrats map did break one large county municipality, Chesterfield, into two council districts, keeping a small northeast portion of the city in the 2nd District. The districts representative, Kelli Dunaway, lives in that part of Chesterfield, north of Olive Boulevard, Wingbermuehle said. He said the charter forbids the commission from drawing a council member out of a district in the middle of a two-year term. Dunaways term runs through 2024. But Republicans pointed out the Democrats map drew Fitch, who lives in a condominium at the southeast corner of Olive Boulevard and Highway 141, out of his district. Under the Democrats map, that area would become part of the 5th District, which could expand westward to include Des Peres. Fitch, who was in the audience, spoke during public comment and accused Democrats of drawing him out intentionally. Basically looking at the map, it looks like the only person written out of their district is me, which tells me it was intentional, he said. Fitch said after the meeting that he moved from Fenton to his new residence, which is near the north end of the 3rd District, a year ago. LANSING, Mich. (AP) The Biden administration's requirement that many private-sector workers be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or, if their employers allow it, get tested weekly also applies to many of the roughly 586,000 government employees in Michigan. That is because Michigan is one of 26 states to operate and enforce workplace safety rules instead of the U.S. government. Federal law requires those states with Occupational Safety and Health Administration-approved plans to cover state and local government workers, including school employees. Coverage of the public-sector employees in state plans like Michigan is one of the great advantages of having a state plan. In federal OSHA states, the public-sector employees do not have any OSHA protection, said Jason Moon, a spokesman for the state Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Michigan's private and public employers with 100 or more workers must require them to get fully vaccinated by Jan. 4. Employers can instead adopt a policy mandating employees to either get vaccinated or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing. Unvaccinated workers also must wear masks starting no later than Dec. 5. Although the Oklahoma lawsuit filed by former state Attorney General Mike Hunter was the first of thousands of similar lawsuits to go to trial, the state Supreme Court's ruling doesn't necessarily spell doom for the others. Elizabeth Burch, a University of Georgia School of Law professor who is following the opioid litigation, said other judges and juries might not decide their cases the same way. The question is still whether these are outliers, she said. I dont think we have enough of a consensus on public nuisance law and where it goes and how it works. Carl Tobias, a professor at the University of Richmond School of Law, noted that state public nuisance laws vary and that the California ruling could be altered by a higher court. Nuisance law varies from state to state, especially in this context because its so cutting edge, he said. "We havent seen enough cases to sort this out and say whether its going to be a viable theory or not. The FBI said that on Friday, officers were watching Reed when he got on an Amtrak train from Kansas City bound for St. Louis. He got off at the first stop, in Independence, and was getting on a bus when he was taken into custody. Reed had a .40-caliber pistol with him that matched the St. Louis area shootings in September, the federal affidavit says. In our survey in the summer of 2021, we were seeing signs of grave doubts in the integrity of elections in the country on the part of people in Nicaragua, said project director Elizabeth Zechmeister. We asked whether or not they believe that votes are counted fairly in the country and what we found is that only 26% of people in Nicaragua believe that their votes are always counted correctly. Interestingly enough, its about the same percentage of people who expressed support for the incumbent administration. The Ortega administration has continued to close avenues for democratic participation with police banning public protests, electoral authorities banning some opposition political parties and potential candidates being arrested. We ask people whether or not they think one can bring about change in politics through elections, through street protests, through either or through neither, Zechmeister said. And weve asked that question in the past. So were able to make comparisons across time, and we see in 2021 a significant decrease in the percentage of people who think that its possible to bring about political change in the country through either elections or through street protests. Meta, the new name for the parent company of Facebook, denied it was trying to divert attention away from the troubles it faces by pushing the metaverse. This is not true. We have been working on this for a long time internally, the company said in a statement. It stressed that its working to responsibly build the metaverse essentially a series of interconnected virtual communities that will merge online life with real life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that users will, for example, be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes in the metaverse and he refocused the entire company on creating it, including renaming the business Meta. Launching that new brand, in fact, draws attention to the company, it said in a statement, adding that if it didnt want the scrutiny it would have delayed or scrapped the launch altogether. But the new focus on the metaverse creates a whole new set of dangers, Haugen said. In Snow Crash, the 1992 sci-fi novel that coined the phrase, it was a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible, she said. A decade then passed during which this newspaper hammered away at the Pentagons tunnel vision. Caution has its virtues, but there have to be limits. One president after another hesitated to do what President Joe Biden finally found the gumption to do in Afghanistan. The president has sustained heavy criticism for not leaving a handful of soldiers there, but polls suggest that citizens object to the sloppy departure more than to the withdrawal itself. In 1965, the Post-Dispatch won a second Pulitzer Prize on Vietnam. The 11-year interim was how long it took for significant changes in foreign policy to hatch and for prize panels to award opinion staffers their burnished medals. Written by Robert Lasch, a Rhodes Scholar who was editor of the opinion ages, the winning editorial was titled The Containment of Ideas. It echoed a prominent theory by George Kennan, a career foreign service officer, about containing the march of Russian and eventually Chinese military units. Lasch gave Kennan his due, then said in effect: You might contain a tank or warship or aircraft, but youll never contain indefinitely the ideas of freedom or identity or memory. Two major trials, one in Wisconsin and the other in Georgia, provide graphic depictions of what happens when self-righteous gun owners go on the offensive during confrontations with others. Videos in those trials serve an important purpose to remind Americans of the growing lethality on the streets when more guns are present, especially when civilians take it upon themselves to carry out policing functions. Disputes that might otherwise be resolved with perhaps a loud exchange of words or some flying fists instead end with a hail of bullets and death. The surest way to ensure more tragic results like these is to keep loosening gun restrictions. Missouris gun laws have become the focus of national attention not just because of the steady relaxation in ownership and stand-your-ground legislation since 2007 but also because of a new law blocking local law enforcers from enforcing any federal gun laws deemed to interfere with Second Amendment rights. Even conservatives think the law goes too far and undermines the ability of police to control gun crime. A: I could, for a while anyhow. Id actually like to live in Korea for six months to a year, whether its to (write another) cookbook or just a book. Id like to do more research on Korean temple cuisine (that originated in Buddhist temples) and just food in general. Q: Everyone knows you as the Korean Vegan. Do you envision yourself perhaps writing a book about another countrys cuisine, like Italian? A: I would love to. I see myself living in Rome for at least a year because of exactly that reason. I love Italian cuisine so much, but I need to learn Italian better. I want to completely immerse myself first. I believe if you love my food, youve got to love my people. And for me, when I learn Italian cuisine, I want to understand the Italian people making that cuisine. One of the reasons I love that show Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy is because it shows the full story of food in a way thats so respectful, thoughtful, and beautiful. Q: What is the most important thing youve learned from your travels? Some existing Amtrak routes have travel times roughly similar to the estimated driving time, so a streamlined rail service could offer a significant improvement. For example, both driving and riding the rail between New York City and Washington, D.C., require about four hours of transit time. But when you ride the train, you dont have the stress of sitting in traffic. Plus, you can typically buy food, and you can use the restroom without having to make a pit stop. With onboard Wi-Fi, which is typically free, you may be able to do your online job from right there on the train, meaning no need for time off. A map of proposed rail service as outlined in the Amtrak Corridor Vision. Released by Amtrak in spring 2021. Just dont expect new routes to arrive anytime soon. Earlier this year, Amtrak released its Amtrak Corridor Vision, which included 39 potential new routes, including those mentioned by Flynn. Under that proposal, all of those routes wouldnt be in place until 2035. Upgraded passenger experience Shares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money. Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists. Israel and Russia have become more open about their cooperation in Syria. Russian and Israeli senior officials frequently meet in Russia or Israel to discuss details of this partnership and often release details of their Syrian arrangement and any new developments. Israel and Russia have been cooperating in Syria for decades but in 2015 that relationship had to be modified. For the first time Russia had substantial combat forces in Syria and at a time when Israel was carrying out airstrikes against Syrian and Iranian forces threatening Israel. In Gaza the Iranian support for Hamas is cited by Egyptian negotiators as the main reason Hamas is not serious in renewed efforts to negotiate a ceasefire. At the same time Iran has transferred more personnel to assist Hamas preparations for new efforts to carry out terror attacks inside Israel as well as recruit more Palestinians in Gaza to carry out larger attacks on Israel with long range rockets. Iran no longer trusts Hezbollah with those tasks because Hezbollah is distracted by growing violence in Lebanon and economic collapse there that Hezbollah has contributed to. Most Lebanese accuse Iran and Hezbollah for contributing to the current problems in Lebanon, especially those related to Hezbollah becoming an extension of the Iranian al Quds force in the 1980s. Quds supports pro-Iran Islamic terrorists in foreign countries. Al Quds considers Hezbollah their greatest success but more and more Lebanese, Syrians and other Arabs in the region see Quds and Hezbollah as a deadly curse created by Iran. Over a hundred thousand Palestinians settled in Lebanon after the creation of Israel in 1948 and proved to be more of a problem than Israel ever was. Palestinian violence was one reason for the fifteen-year long 1975-90 Lebanese civil war and many of them were expelled from Lebanon by the end of the civil war. Egypt has another problem with its southern neighbor Sudan. Two weeks ago there was another military coup in Sudan and reorganization of the temporary SNC (Sovereign National Council) with more technocrats and fewer feuding and sometimes corrupt civilian members. The leader of this coup is the same general who led the April 2019 coup in which the Sudan military overthrew the unpopular Islamic government in Sudan. A month later the leader of the coup, general Abdel Fattah al Burhan, head of Sudan's temporary TMC (Transitional Military Council), went to Egypt to meet with the Egyptian president (and former general) Sisi. This was Burhans first trip outside of Sudan since the TMC toppled Islamic president-for-life Bashir. The TMC was unpopular with many of the political and rebel groups also seeking to oust Bashir and wanted a joint civil-military transition council. By August the TMC members agreed and formed the new SNC that was to complete the original TMC goal of holding elections by November 2022. Not all the decisions of the SNC were popular with everyone. For example, an Israeli government delegation visited Sudan on November 23, 2020, and met with Sudanese security officials and discussed defense-related issues. In late October Sudan and Israel agreed to open trade and economic ties. The Sudan and Israeli negotiators called for normalized relations, which some media reported as diplomatic recognition. Not quite. But trade and investment deals are in the offing. Until this announcement Sudan was officially at war with Israel. The negotiations and trade agreements indicate that a state of war no longer exists. Now Sudan is calling on Israel for help in defense matters. This is something many African states have done successfully. Sudan had already persuaded the U.S. to remove Sudan from its list of terrorist states and lifted sanctions. The SNC was also dealing with corruption within the SNC and increasingly ugly personal and political feuds. Egypt was depending on the new Sudan government to bring peace and prosperity to Sudan, which has been a problem with the neighbors for decades. Egypt was actively negotiating with the SNC to settle the dispute with Ethiopia and its new dam on the Nile. That dam could mean problems for both Sudan and Egypt and this cooperation is at risk because of more instability. General Burhan says the original late 2022 elections pledge will be met. November 8, 2021: In Syria two Israeli airstrikes were carried out against targets in central Syria (Homs province) and the other against targets outside the Syrian port of Tartus. This is where Russia has taken over a portion of the port and expanded it into a naval base that has a long-term lease. This base handles the needs of Russian warships operating off the coast and in the Mediterranean. November 7, 2021: In Sudan there have been a growing number of public protests against the new (October 25) military government. Soldiers and police have been using teargas and non-lethal force to break up the demonstrations. So far hundreds of protestors have been arrested and at least a dozen killed with hundreds injured. The army is seeking out and arresting protest organizers. The military underestimated the local and international opposition to their coup and are willing to negotiate some sort of compromise that, so far, does not include restoring civilian component to the transitional government, The military are believed to have staged this coup because some of the officers responsible involved in the removal of the Bashir dictatorship could be prosecuted for participating or associated with the many war crimes committed by the Bashir government. The October coup made the situation for the military worse and there is no easy way out of the mess the military has created. Egypt has remained neutral, but understands the situation. Egypt wants to have good relations with whatever government emerges from all this. November 5, 2021: Egypt is still having problems getting Hamas to agree to any sort of long-term ceasefire with Israel. Hamas insists the only long-term solution is the destruction of Israel. Hamas makes matters worse by sending delegations to Iran to improve the military relationship Hamas now has with Iran. Egypt and Iran have been enemies for a long time and Hamas is not helping clear up that mess. The best Egypt can get from Hamas is the possibility of a prisoner swap with Israel. Hamas will ask for more than Israeli can give, as in men imprisoned for murder and particularly infamous terror attacks. Hamas is more interested in doing what their new sponsor, Iran, wants. Egypt and Israel still disagree on many issues but are in agreement over the threat Hamas poses to them both and with Iran now involved, there is not much cause for optimism. November 3, 2021: In southern Syria (between Damascus and the Golan Heights) Israeli missiles hit warehouses in Zakiyah that contained Iranian missiles and other military supplies stored there for use by Iran-backed militias operating along the Israeli b0rder. Near the destroyed warehouses is the headquarters of the Syrian Army 4th Division, which suffered no damage or casualties. . October 31, 2021: In Egypt the primary opposition to the current government, the Moslem Brotherhood, is falling apart due to corruption and factional fighting. the Moslem Brotherhood was founded in Egypt in 1928 as a political movement stressing clean government and the use of Islamic law. That has not worked out. In mid-2012 Egyptian election officials declared Islamic Brotherhood candidate Mohamed Mursi the new president. Before president Mursi could do much, the Moslem Brotherhood radicals got violent in their demands that Egypt be ruled with Sharia (Islamic) law. That was what Saudi Arabia has used for decades but Sharia was very unpopular with most Egyptian voters. By 2014 angry voters had forced Mursi out and new elections put a former general (Sisi) into power. The Moslem Brotherhood once more became the enemy, except in Turkey, where a Moslem Brotherhood-like government had ruled Turkey since 2000 and had not had any problems with radicals. But Turkish voters were getting tired of their increasingly corrupt and inept Islamic government that seems to have declared just about everyone an enemy of Turkey. Egypt and Turkey are seeking to repair their diplomatic and economic connections. Egypt is willing but wants Turkey to drop support for the Moslem Brotherhood and get its troops out of Libya. Turkey is considering this and agrees to continue negotiating with Egypt as long as it takes. Every time a moderate Moslem Brotherhood government gains power it fails because the radicals, there is always a radical faction, demand that an Islamic religious dictatorship be installed and this always triggers popular resistance. Some of those Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood radicals went rogue in 1987 and eventually established themselves in Gaza as Hamas. In 2005 Hamas took over Gaza and turned it into a sanctuary for all many of Islamic terror groups including, by 2014, ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant). That led to Egypt treating Hamas as an enemy, not oppressed Palestinian freedom fighters. The Egyptian Moslem Brotherhood hurt its reputation in the early 1990s when radical factions, frustrated at their inability to achieve peaceful reforms in Egypt, turned to terrorism and were defeated after a bloody terrorism campaign aimed at the economy and especially foreign tourists, failed. Tourism accounts for 11 percent of the GDP and provides jobs (directly or indirectly) for 12 percent of the Egyptian workforce. Turkey could use the need for better relations with Egypt as an excuse to declare the Moslem Brotherhood an enemy, on paper at least. Turkish and Egyptian diplomatic officials are trying to find mutually acceptable lies to make this work for everyone. The Egyptian economy is growing again, after the 2020 covid19 recession slowed things down. Since early 2021 GDP has been growing at a rate of over seven percent. Turkey has to keep this in mind. October 30, 2021: In southern Syria, an Israeli outside Damascus destroyed an Iranian convoy transporting weapons and missiles. Hezbollah was operating the convoy and six of their men were killed and several wounded. At least two Syrian soldiers were also wounded. October 29, 2021: Iran retaliated against the October 26th Israeli attack on their retail fuel distribution system by ordering Black Shadow, one the criminal hacking groups they provide sanctuary for, to attack an Israeli hosting service and disable several web sties that had not kept their security updated. Iran publicized the attack while Black Shadow sought to extort money from the web sites data was stolen from. The data was later sold on the Dark Web black market. October 28, 2021: A German military photographer posted and then deleted two photos of Jordanian F-16s he had taken at the Blue Flag international air combat training being held in Israel. Photographers are allowed to cover the exercises if they agree to not take pictures of some aircraft from nations that do not admit they participate. This includes Jordan, which has participated for years but no photos of their warplanes in Israel were ever made public. Blue Flag is based on the American Red Flag international training exercises that have been held since 1975. Since 2013 Israel has held its Blue Flag every two years. The multinational Red Flag events were meant to improve coordination among allied air forces in combat. Because of that until the 1990s nearly all the foreign air forces were those closely allied with the United States and able to practice using classified equipment and techniques. Since the 1990s some of these international Red Flag have included frenemies and thus lacked the use of classified items. Often described as more diplomacy than training, these unclassified exercises were nonetheless useful, at least to let these nations get a close look at each others aircraft and pilots. Before Blue Flag the Israeli Air Force has, since 2011, hosted foreign fighter pilots for tactical training using locally developed Red Flag technology. Israeli fighter pilots are considered the best trained in the world and one reason for that is use of the best training methods available. As part of that Israel maintains a special training program, complete with pilots trained and equipped to operate as likely foes would, to train their own pilots. Initially the Israelis hosted fighters and pilots for training from Poland, Italy and Greece. This was a good source of income and also good diplomacy as these were countries that Israel was on good terms with. Blue Flag are free for participants and by invitation. This became a good way to note which countries Israel could depend on militarily. Israel continues to attend the American Red Flag events and recently those have included Middle Eastern nations that Israel is technically at war with (over the Palestinian issue). But because Israel and these other Middle Eastern nations have some common enemies (Iran and Islamic terror groups) and Israel is the most powerful and technologically advanced military power in the region, a growing number of Arab states are openly working with the Israelis. October 26, 2021: Israeli Information War specialists hacked the Iranian retail fuel distribution system, which took nearly a week for the Iranians to get working again. October 25, 2021: In the north (Golan Heights), across the border in Syria (Quneitra province) an Israeli airstrike using missiles hit Syrian and Iranian targets outside the town of Baath. One of the targets was a SAM (surface to air missile) anti-aircraft battery recently moved to the area, which is too close to the Israeli border for such weapons. In Egypt, the government (actually president Sisi) ended the nationwide state of emergency that has been around since 2017. It was renewed every three months by parliament. The state of emergency is similar to martial law and unpopular for obvious reasons. The state of emergency gives the government nearly unlimited power to investigate anyone any way they can, arrest and hold people without warrants or obligation to bring charges and basically run the country like a dictatorship. The three decades of Mubarak rule, which ended in 2011, was made possible by a permanent state of emergency and getting rid of that was one of the main demands of the 2011 rebels. The current state of emergency began in April 2017 because of increased Islamic terrorist activity, especially efforts to attack Israel from Egyptian territory. So far Egypt has continued to uncover and attack or arrest Islamic terrorists all over Sinai and to a lesser extent elsewhere in the country. The martial law is generally unpopular and the government is under growing popular pressure to end it. October 22, 2021: In Russia, the Israeli and Russian leaders met to discuss their cooperation in Syria and Russia details of their unofficial cooperation agreement. The details were not all disclosed but one became obvious over the next few weeks as Israel deliberately avoided defeating Russian air defense systems that are used by Syria to guard their capital Damascus. This involves firing some missiles at times when the Russian systems have the best chance of intercepting them. Another form of cooperation is Russian naval forces stationed in the Syrian port of Tartus to prevent Iran from smuggling in weapons or other items via ship. Iran is angry at this obvious cooperation against them, which Israel and Russia are openly protecting the Assads. In many parts of the country Assad and Russian forces still cooperate with Iranian forces and Iranians are forced to accept whatever they can get. Russia has 2019 treaties with the Assads that allowed Russia to lease territory for a major airbase and a smaller port facility in western Syria. Israel had no formal objections, apparently because this arrangement was made after consultations with Israel. Russia agreed to these treaties to give the Assads an opportunity to move away from the long dependence on Iran. As far as the Assads were concerned the Iranians were trying to turn Assad-controlled Syria into something like Hezbollah, the Shia militia Iran helped create in the 1980s and has sustained ever since. That turned southern Lebanon into a region controlled by Hezbollah which, in turn, took orders from Iran. Israel had long sought to get Iran out of Lebanon and now most Lebanese agreed and were openly fighting with Hezbollah over the issue. The Assads agreed to informally make peace with Israel in an arrangement that would be monitored and enforced by Israel and Russia. Russia considers this a major achievement in Syria and most of the world will agree if the changes do not prompt Iran into starting a major war over it. October 16, 2021: In the north (Golan Heights), across the border in Syria (Quneitra province) an Israeli sniper killed Midhat as Saleh, a Syrian Druze politician who was working for Iran in southern Syria to establish an Iranian military presence on the Israeli border. Saleh was born in the Israeli Golan Heights and was jailed several times for anti-Israel activities. After getting out of jail he moved to the Syrian side of the border and went to work for the Assad government, a position he held until his death. Syrian and Israeli Druze have become more pro-Israel over the last decade and Saleh was one of pro-Assad Druze trying to change that by any means necessary. October 15, 2021: In central Syria (Homs province) Israeli airstrikes hit the T4 airbase for the second time this week. The targets were the same Iranian training areas and weapons warehouses. One Syrian soldier was killed and five wounded. The attacks were launched from jets flying over the area where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet. Air-to-surface missiles are used and some are intercepted by Syrian S-200 SAMs (Surface-to-Air missiles) that have less success against Israeli fighters that are equipped with countermeasures and pilots who know how to avoid the SAMs. The T4 airbase, near the ancient ruins of Palmyra, has been hit at least three times a year since 2018. T4 is the largest airbase in Syria and Iran has constantly built new structures for storing weapons and housing personnel, usually to replace buildings destroyed by the air strikes. T4 is where Iran moved its UAV operations in 2018 after its original UAV base in Syria was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike. Religious Organizations Take Streaming to the Next Level In March of 2020, churches were scrambling to maintain community when all religious services were forced to go virtual during pandemic lockdowns. It wasn't just churches that were affected, as mosques and synagogues also shuttered their doors for several months, directing the faithful to virtually attend prayer services and sacred text readings from the comfort of their own homes. In my consulting practice, I helped Bethel Church, a megachurch in northern California, launch its streaming initiative almost 14 years ago. With Bethel and other customers, I thought I had a good handle on the direction of live streaming at houses of worship, but like every other market vertical touched by the streaming industry, the pandemic accelerated the use of streaming across all religious communities. Here at Streaming Media, we saw an uptick in interest from houses of worship around the basics of live-streaming services, which until then had primarily been limited to large churches or key mosques and synagogues. While streaming can't replace the communal experience of in-person gatherings, it certainly opens up new opportunities for both religious organizations and the faithful, who are no longer limited by geography as they pursue spiritual enrichment. "As we've seen a significant uptick in moves to our area," says Chad Roberts, lead pastor at Preaching Christ Church on the Tennessee- Virginia border, "we've had a number visit the church having already watched us online and finding they're drawn to the community we provide. This seems especially true for those who are just getting settled in the region." Building an Online Presence The growing interest in live streaming faith-based events led us to explore the topic, with the help of sponsor company Tulix, during a session at Streaming Media East Connect 2021. We had three guests on the panel, two representing different Christian denominations and one representing the Jewish community of faith here in the U.S. Parts of this article are taken from that session, while other parts are from additional interviews done specifically for this article. Phillip Brock, who serves as the technical and creative director for the online community that centers on Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Ky., was one of the panelists. He has been with the church for 13 years and heads the production team for both the church's websitewhich he calls "SE Online"and the on-campus Southeast TV channel. To put in perspective how big of a task that is, Southeast Christian Church has 14 campuses with about 25,000 worshippers on a given weekend. The scramble around Easter 2020 was a moment when the website suddenly was front and center as a way to maintain community at Southeast Christian Church. "As the pandemic hit and churches started shutting down, along with all the other businesses that were streaming at the time," said Brock, "it became hard to acquire a lot of equipment. We were just lucky that we were able to get into streaming and get everything set up for what had almost been like a side project for our church." Brock said that SE Online had been running for about a year prior to the pandemic, but that the "side project" suddenly took on an urgency once the lockdowns started. "They weren't really paying attention to us much," he noted. "We were learning a lot, but once that all started, all eyes turned on to us." Michael Paley, who is the IT manager at Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS TV), a Jewish educational and cultural network, was also a panelist on the Streaming Media East Connect session. Paley started out working in the Russian-language television market in the early 1990s. "I've been in broadcast going on 30 years," he said. "[JBS] has been around for quite a while in different forms. It is a PBS-style channel that focuses on culture and education." As part of his work for JBS TV, Paley helps distribute its television channel via traditional cable and satellite providers as well as via streaming through various platforms: web browsers, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Roku devices. "COVID has required changing the production at JBS from a studio to a remote-based workflow," he said. "We had to completely change the way we worked. The studio in Times Square has not been used in about a year. That was, for us, a fairly sudden shift, where we really had to bring even local people in as a remote. It was technically not terrible, because we had been [prior to the pandemic] doing interviews with people in Europe and in Israel." Paley said there was a shift from Skype, which the network traditionally used, to Zoom. This facilitated a different way of presenting an interview's host and guest. "Our own production sort of had that same shift, where most of our employees went to work from home," said Paley. "So we had to equip them, at least minimally, to be able to do some of that work. Editing was a combination of local and remote. The biggest shift was [interviews in which] instead of round tables and more in-person interviews, we went to a side-by-side format." Panelist Blake Martin said that his prior relationship with a New York City landmark house of worship, St. Thomas Church on Fifth Avenue, was valuable in offering advice and solutions when the pandemic hit. "My background is as a filmmaker," said Martin, who now serves as the director of communications at St. Thomas. "I'm making all different kinds of content from documentaries to commercials to music videos. I had a pre-existing relationship with St. Thomas, and when the pandemic hit, they called me because in-person worship was not allowed. The control room at Southeast Christian Church in Kentucky, where Phillip Brock oversees the production team for the churchs website and the on-campus Southeast TV channel. The church has 14 campuses with around 25,000 worshippers every weekend. "We needed to come up with a way to record and send out the services," continued Martin, who spent multiple hours each week of the first several months of the pandemic filming and editing services to be posted online as on-demand videos. "That led to a longer-term project, which was to invest in live streaming." One of the issues for a house of worship like St. Thomas is the challenging acoustic environment. But Martin said the church had invested in a quality audio upgrade several years prior, which meant that the only focus for streaming involved choosing and mounting cameras. "St. Thomas is lucky enough to have a very talented audio engineer who is mixing the services live to get the absolute best quality that we can," said Martin. "So in a way, at St. Thomas, which has a very rich oral tradition, audio paved the way for a more seamless expansion into live stream because that groundwork had been laid in and we've been building an audience around audio webcasts." Phillip Brock and his team at Southeast Christian Church use the Ross Carbonite Black Solo12 video switcher (center) and the Yamaha QL1 digital audio mixer (right) For video, Martin chose to go with 4K-capable PTZ cameras, the details of which are available in an excellent interview that Streaming Media's Steve Nathans-Kelly did with Martin a few months back. "It's a comfort to know that we're capturing the image of that quality," said Martin. "I think the whole ethos behind what we're doing at St. Thomas is creating a kind of immersive experience. How can we bring folks into the space, into the spiritual experience? And that's an audio challenge and a visual challenge. So 4K helps us to lead with our best foot on the visual side." St. Thomas Churchs director of communications uses a Panasonic AV-UHS500 4K switcher to operate the entire 11-camera system. Building Community The buildup of community, through audio and video, has also been of benefit to those who were already streaming before the pandemic. "We were able to continue with servicesalthough not in person, at least for several weeks, because of the streaming we'd put in place several years ago," says Preaching Christ Church's Chad Roberts. Roberts notes that, while Preaching Christ Church was already set up and live streaming for several years prior to the pandemic, the availability of a mobile appcalled Awakened to Gracemeant that those who were hungry for greater spiritual connection during the pandemic lockdowns could effectively "binge watch" full sermons via online videos or podcast formats. And that's continued forward even as in-person services resumed. "Awakened to Grace has become our 'virtual lobby,' where visitors can learn about us or catch up with several sermons in a series before ever setting foot in our physical location," says Roberts. "Every week, I have someone approach me and say they'd first heard of the church through the app. Some of those are local, but many are people who've chosen to move from bigger cities on the coast to our small-town region." And it's not just community. Online giving, which Roberts says isn't mentioned during the sermons, was already strong prior to the 2020 lockdowns, but has continued to rise each month from April 2020 to the present. "At least that's what they tell me," quipped Roberts, who lost his eyesight 3 years ago but continues to preach each week. "And we're finding that online giving isn't necessarily tied to a recent sermon, as some people give after watching a popular sermon series from 3 to 4 years ago." Southeast Christian Church's Brock said that interaction with the viewers is important, even during a live stream. "We have a team in chat, people that are on all of our platforms we're on," he said, noting that they stream on YouTube, Facebook, Roku, Apple TV, and the church's own app. "We have people manning those stations to interact back and forth during the service. We also have some graphics machines that we can copy and paste people's first names and their comments into within about 5 seconds. We're really big into interacting with the congregation during the service. We kind of see it that we're [sort] of like a campus now, online, [alongside] the 14 other in-person campuses." JBS TV's Paley noted that the "niche service" as he describes it, also gets viewers from outside the Jewish diaspora. "Many viewers are not Jewish," he said. "That, I think at one point came as a surprise to us because, as we did call-in shows and things, people would call, and they were Baptists, and they were from all over the country. It was a very interesting mix of interests, and quite a number of people were interested in culture, Israel, and so forth." Paley also noted that, even for the broadcast portion of JBS TV, which started via direct satellite but now is on the majority of cable networks in America, it's not just the Jewish community they're reaching but a global audience, thanks to streaming. "We started off streaming with geoblocking," he said, "due mostly to contractual issues where we would license some content that we did not produce. We have since modified [contracts] so that we could license worldwide, and we actually do not geoblock anymore. We have viewers from all corners of the world, from Argentina and Brazil, in some cases. It's very interesting to look through the list of who's been streaming." Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. Related Articles Companies and Suppliers Mentioned CHICAGO, Nov. 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trayport Limited (Trayport), a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMX Group, and IncubEx, Inc. (IncubEx), a Chicago-based privately held company that designs and develops new financial products in global environmental, climate risk, and related commodity markets, today announced the forthcoming launch of a new global voluntary carbon marketplace. The Voluntary Climate Marketplace (TVCM) operated by IncubEx, will offer best-in-class market access to trade voluntary carbon offsets to the growing base of stakeholders looking to achieve net-zero commitments around the world. The voluntary carbon offsets will be tradable through Trayport's Joule platform, a leading global electronic trading solution for energy markets, providing market access to high-quality voluntary carbon offsets and other renewable attributes. IncubEx will work to build the marketplace through its extensive experience in establishing and growing environmental markets globally. "We are excited to be working with IncubEx, which will operate a digitised marketplace, with Trayport's dedicated front-end screen being used for trading OTC, spot and forward voluntary carbon offsets," said Peter Conroy, President, Trayport. "This collaboration aims to bring transparency, liquidity and greater standardisation to an otherwise opaque marketplace. In doing so, it will greatly improve transactional efficiency and open up the market to a wider array of market participants including a growing number of corporates and sovereigns who have made net-zero commitments." By digitising the trading of carbon offsets, TVCM products will be accessible via Joule, offering market participants a transparent and comprehensive view of the global voluntary marketplace enabling brokers, buyers and sellers to transact offsets that meet their specific requirements for verified carbon reductions around the world. "This collaboration is focused on increasing market access, transparency and execution efficiencies in more bespoke off-exchange voluntary carbon offset credits and other environmental attributes alongside more liquid, standardised exchange-traded environmental commodities," said Michael MacGregor, CEO, IncubEx. "The IncubEx team has deep-rooted experience in pioneering voluntary carbon markets at Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) and this initiative is in direct response to voids and opportunities expressed to us by our longstanding network of environmental market customers." TVCM is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2022 and will initially support the trading of offsets from: Gold Standard, Verified Carbon Standard (Verra), Climate Action Reserve and American Carbon Registry, which are voluntary offset standards and recognized by The International Carbon Reduction and Offset Alliance (ICROA). About Trayport Limited Trayport is the primary network and platform for European wholesale energy markets. Our network and solutions support the growth of our clients and trading markets. Our solutions are used worldwide by traders, brokers and exchanges in multiple asset classes across OTC and cleared markets. Trayport Limited is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TMX Group Limited (TMX Group). For more information about Trayport Limited, visit our website at www.trayport.com. About IncubEx IncubEx is an incubator which develops products, services and technology solutions in environmental markets. The company works in conjunction with its global exchange partner, European Energy Exchange (EEX), Nodal Exchange and other leading service providers including Trayport and stakeholders to design and develop new financial markets, technologies and trading solutions in global environmental, climate risk, and related commodity markets. The IncubEx team is led by former key executives from Climate Exchange, which pioneered exchange based environmental trading and CCX, the world's first and only voluntary, but legally binding greenhouse gas emission reduction and trading program. IncubEx, a privately held company founded in 2016 with offices in Chicago and London, is uniquely positioned to capture these opportunities globally with its partners. For more information, please visit https://theincubex.com. For more information, please contact: Asif Iqbal Head of Marketing and Communications Trayport Limited +44 (0) 207 960 5500 media@trayport.com Time Zone: UK, EMEA Jim Kharouf Communications Director IncubEx, Inc. +1 (773) 391-0439 jim.kharouf@theincubex.com Time Zone: USA, Asia This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Source: IncubEx HAMILTON, Bermuda, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bacardi, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, has today announced Astrophel "Troy" Arquiza as the new Global Master Blender for BACARDI rum (the "Maestro de Ron"). Troy, who is originally from the Philippines, has spent more than two decades with family-owned Bacardi, honing his craft as a rum blender and training for many years under industry-legend, Jose "Joe" Gomez, who is retiring after 41-years with Bacardi and who Troy now succeeds in the prestigious role. With the coveted title of Maestro de Ron, Troy will continue the legacy of his predecessors, following the same exacting standards set forth in Santiago de Cuba almost 160 years ago when Don Facundo Bacardi Masso created BACARDI Carta Blanca, the first mixable rum, and changed the way rum was made forever. "Troy has everything it takes to be a truly amazing Master Blender an eye for quality, deep knowledge and love of the rum-making process, respect for the past and a vision for the future," commented Jean-Marc Lambert, Senior Vice President, Global Operations for Bacardi. "It's an exciting and historic moment as he becomes the Maestro de Ron for BACARDI." Based at the largest premium rum distillery in the world, Casa BACARDI, in Catano, Puerto Rico, Troy will head up a team of rum blenders with responsibility for protecting the integrity and quality of every drop of BACARDI rum enjoyed around the world. He will also oversee the distillation and aging of BACARDI rum, help develop new innovations that continue to lead the dynamic rum category and share his passion and skills to nurture a future generation of Master Blenders. "It is truly and honor and privilege to become the Global Master Blender for BACARDI rum," said Troy Arquiza. "Rum making is an art as much as it is a science, and it is a dream come true to be able to spend every day practicing that art as we create BACARDI rum under the Caribbean sun. I have the world's best job!" In his new role, Troy joins a prestigious family of Master Blenders and Master Distillers including Stephanie Macleod, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky; Anne Brock, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin; David Rodriquez, PATRON tequila; Beppe Musso, MARTINI vermouth; and Francois Thibault, GREY GOOSE vodka, whose expertise help craft the iconic drinks in the Bacardi portfolio. Always drink responsibly. About BacardiBacardi Limited, the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets internationally recognized spirits and wines. The Bacardi brand portfolio comprises more than 200 brands and labels, including BACARDI rum, GREY GOOSE vodka, PATRON tequila, DEWAR'S Blended Scotch whisky, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, MARTINI vermouth and sparkling wines, CAZADORES 100% blue agave tequila, and other leading and emerging brands including WILLIAM LAWSON'S Scotch whisky, ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur, and ERISTOFF vodka. Founded nearly 160 years ago in Santiago de Cuba, family-owned Bacardi Limited currently employs more than 7,000, operates production facilities in 10 countries, and sells its brands in more than 170 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. Visit www.bacardilimited.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn or Instagram. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-global-master-blender-for-bacardi-rum-301419723.html SOURCE BACARDI AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ninnion, LLC, a pharmaceutical startup company focused on psychedelic therapeutics for the payer reimbursable market, is pleased to announce the addition of Dr. Bill W. Massey as its Chief Development Officer. In this new role, Dr. Massey will lead all discovery and development programs for the Austin, Texas based startup company. "For many years now, the CNS space has seen a type of stagnation in the development of new drugs," said Dr. Massey. "The movement to develop psychedelic pharmaceutical therapeutics represents a seismic shift that will significantly change the way we treat CNS disorders forever. I am excited to be a part of that movement and apply my experience to bring these drugs to regulatory approvals." Dr. Massey has previously held leadership positions at Merck, Astra Merck, Quintiles, Scirex, AstraZeneca, Scientific Commercialization, Litmus Molecular Design, SureGene, and GeneAlign. He formerly served as a researcher at the Pritzker School of Medicine's Drug Abuse Research Center at The University of Chicago. Dr. Massey held the Jack Martin, MD Research Professorship in Psychopharmacology at Vanderbilt University, where he conducted research into the genetics, biological basis, and pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia and other serious mental illness in collaboration with Dr. Herbert Y. Meltzer. He currently serves as a Visiting Scholar at the Feinberg School of Medicine's Dept. of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Northwestern University where he continues his research collaboration with Dr. Meltzer. "The choice was immediately clear for us. Dr. Massey comes with an incredible track record in CNS pharmaceutical development including INDs for 28 new drugs into human testing, and eight regulatory approvals for new drugs brought to market," said Jeremy M. Caudill, Founder and CEO of Ninnion. "We are honored to have him join our team in this key leadership role." Dr. Massey holds a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and long-standing adjunct faculty appointments at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. About Ninnion Founded in November 2020, Ninnion is a CNS Psychedelic Pharmaceutical and Digital Health start-up company based in Austin, TX. Focused on developing therapeutics suitable for the payer-reimbursed market, the company is developing a pipeline of low touch, shorter-acting psychedelic therapies paired with its proprietary SaMD (Software as a Medical Device) platform. Website: www.ninnion.com View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/psychedelic-pharmaceutical-startup-ninnion-appoints-dr-bill-w-massey-as-chief-development-officer-301418477.html SOURCE Ninnion, LLC The gate at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. Kirtland Air Force Base accounted for about 10% of the greater Albuquerque metro areas entire economy in the 2020 fiscal year, base commander Col. Jason Vattioni announced. (U.S. Air Force) ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (Tribune News Service) Kirtland Air Force Base accounted for about 10% of the greater Albuquerque metro areas entire economy in the 2020 fiscal year, base commander Col. Jason Vattioni announced Monday. Vattioni revealed the bases 2020 Economic Impact Statement, which is done biennially, during the Kirtland Partnership Committees annual breakfast Monday morning. All told, KAFB contributed about $4.6 billion to the local economy in the 2020 fiscal year, which was from Oct. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2020. That marked a slight increase from $4.5 billion in the 2018 fiscal year. More than 23,000 work on KAFB and the bases annual payroll is about $2.3 billion, according to the economic analysis. Of those employees, about 3,500 are military. So the vast majority of people who work on base are civilians. The Department of Energy and Sandia National Laboratories account for about 12,700 of those employees and about $1.4 billion in payroll. The presence of Kirtland and the professionals employed on the base have a big influence on the Albuquerque metro area, Vattioni said. These employees buy homes, pay taxes, and support local businesses, generating billions of dollars in local economic impact. Vattioni said that the KAFB workforce grew by about 400 employees in the last two years. There are plans to add about 2,000 jobs in the coming years. Kirtland the fifth-largest Air Force Base in the country accounts for about 13% of jobs in the Albuquerque area. KAFB also reported about $960 million in local expenditures in the 2020 fiscal year. The impact statement also said that the base entered into $287 million in contracts with businesses owned by women, minorities or veterans. The total economic footprint of KAFB is about $7.4 billion nationally, so more than half of that impact is felt locally, Vattioni said. Brad Steward, the chairman of the KPCs board of directors, said officials are working to improve reciprocal licenses for lawyers and other professions in order to make New Mexico more appealing to families considering relocating here for work at Kirtland. He asked those in attendance to continue to advocate for such policies on behalf of the base. These numbers are massive, he said of the bases economic impact. Its phenomenal. (c)2021 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) Visit the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) at www.abqjournal.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Buy Photo South Korean troops use U.S. Army weapons in a simulated convoy operation during joint training at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea Senior noncommissioned officers from the U.S. Army and South Korean military resumed an annual joint-exercise at Camp Humphreys on Monday, following a yearlong pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mangudai senior leader development training is a three-day exercise focused on refreshing sergeants major with fundamental tasks that are traditionally conducted by junior soldiers, along with working alongside their counterparts in the U.S. and South Korean militaries. The term is derived from the 13th century Mongol tribes selection process, according to the Army. Forty-eight sergeants major, over half of whom are from South Korea, participated in the exercise at the Lt. Gen. Thomas J. Vandal Training Center on Humphreys, the largest U.S. military base overseas. South Korean military leaders fired Army-issued small arms, such as the M17 pistol; conducted convoy operations using simulated Humvees; and communicated using the Armys radio systems. The senior NCOs are scheduled to participate in first-aid scenarios using lifelike mannequins that bleed, twitch and smell of decaying flesh. This training really continues to build a relationship with the [South Koreans] and U.S., Command Sgt. Maj. Walter Tagalicud, U.S. Forces Koreas senior-most enlisted soldier, told Stars and Stripes on Tuesday. We have to set the example of what right looks like. We, as the senior enlisted leaders, are trainers at the lowest level to the highest level. Buy Photo The Mangudai senior leader development training, which kicked off at Camp Humphreys, South Korea, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, is a three-day exercise focused on refreshing sergeants major with fundamental tasks that are traditionally conducted by junior soldiers. (David Choi/Stars and Stripes) In one scenario, South Korean troops conducting a simulated convoy with their American counterparts were forced to fix jammed M249 machine guns and M16 rifles during an ambush. At one point, the troops communicated among themselves over the radio in Korean but were forced to change to English after having their access to interpreters revoked. That language barrier is a key element in the training, said Master Sgt. Philip Piennette, an infantryman and a trainer in the exercise. In an ideal scenario there will always be an interpreter present, he said. However, the reality of combat, for those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, know that that is not always the case. So, when you have an alliance or partnership, you have to develop the ability to communicate through a language barrier. Roughly 28,500 U.S. troops are stationed in South Korea, the majority of them at Humphreys, about 40 miles south of Seoul. The base is home to Eighth Army, the 2nd Infantry Division, U.S. Forces Korea and United Nations Command. The U.S. and South Korean militaries frequently train together and have widely publicized their activities. Recently, however, the allies reduced the number of military assets used in the exercises and limited the amount of information about them. limited media access to the events. A South Korean military official who spoke with Stars and Stripes on the customary condition of anonymity said in October that while the COVID-19 pandemic played a role in scaling back the exercises, the military was making its joint operations low-key in light of the ongoing diplomatic outreach to North Korea. The communist regime regularly protests military drills by the allies and continues to demand the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula. A helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 3 combats a fire aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard at Naval Base San Diego, July 14, 2021. Navy investigators cited the lack of a fire main on the Naval Base San Diego pier where the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard was moored as one of several obstacles firefighters encountered upon first responding to the inferno. (Garrett LaBarge/U.S. Navy ) SAN DIEGO Recommended improvements to Navy infrastructure at its San Diego bases should be part of next year's defense-spending bill after two service investigations found that the lack of firefighting resources on the pier contributed to the July 2020 Bonhomme Richard disaster, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said Monday after spending the weekend touring base facilities. Navy investigators cited the lack of a fire main on the Naval Base San Diego pier where the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard was moored as one of several obstacles firefighters encountered upon first responding to the inferno. The Union-Tribune reported Saturday that none of the San Diego piers where Navy ships routinely moor while in port are equipped with fire mains which supply water for firefighting and that there is no plan to install them. Just one pier on the waterfront, a refueling pier at Naval Base Point Loma, is equipped with a fire main. A Navy review of major ship fires also recommends the service only conduct ship maintenance availabilities on so-called "maintenance" piers, of which San Diego has none. Instead, maintenance availabilities at San Diego bases like the one the Bonhomme Richard was in at the time of the fire are done on "general berthing" piers. This, said Del Toro, needs to change. "We gotta fix it," he said Monday after an address to local military and defense industry insiders. "We've got to make it better." Two Navy reports released in October found a series of missteps from local commanders contributed to an environment on board the Bonhomme Richard in July 2020 that caused the vessel to be particularly susceptible to fire. A junior sailor, Seaman Apprentice Sawyer Mays, is charged by the Navy with starting the blaze. However, the Navy's investigation pointed to 36 other officials as bearing some responsibility in the loss of the ship. The fire that burned almost five days rendered the ship a total loss it was decommissioned and towed to a scrap yard in April. The peacetime loss of the $1.2 billion warship is among the largest in the service's history. The service announced new firefighting training requirements for ships while in port and under maintenance in the wake of the fire, but Del Toro said infrastructure improvements won't come without money from Congress to make them. Del Toro said he's willing to push for just that once back in Washington. "I hope to go back to Washington, D.C., with this experience, seeing it firsthand as secretary of the Navy, and as we look at fiscal year '23, '24 and beyond, we got to make the investments that are necessary to make those piers safer and more resilient ... so that the ships and the sailors on those ships can fight fires as effectively as possible." Two San Diego congress members whose districts include Naval Base San Diego, Coronado and Point Loma Democrats Juan Vargas and Scott Peters told the Union-Tribune last week they'd support the Navy in funding those improvements. On Saturday, Del Toro attended the launch of the Navy oiler Harvey Milk at the General Dynamics-NASSCO shipyard. On Sunday, he made what he called "surprise" visits to five San Diego ships to inspect their damage control readiness. He said he left confident that sailors have taken the lessons of the fire to heart. "The duty crews on those ships really have read the reports, they've learned the lessons, they really were on top of the material condition of their ships on what fire pumps were down, what fire stations were down, and it really impressed me in a significant way," Del Toro said. "It tells me they are really learning lessons learned from those two investigations and putting those lessons to practical use to try to avoid this in the future." Del Toro declined to comment on the fate of the 36 Navy officials investigators said have some culpability in the fire; the service's Pacific Fleet-led consolidated disposition authority is currently reviewing those cases. So far, none of the Navy officers or Navy civilian personnel cited in the investigation have been relieved of their jobs, although some have retired or moved on to other positions, a Navy spokesperson previously told the Union-Tribune. ______ 2021 The San Diego Union-Tribune. Visit sandiegouniontribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. U.S. Army Col. Timothy MacDonald, operations director, Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, re-administers the Oath of Enlistment to Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Phelps, from Locke, N.Y., while aboard a KC-130J over East Africa, Sept. 11, 2021. (Michael Cossaboom/U.S. Air Force) Two soldiers from upstate New York participated in a reenlistment ceremony aboard a KC-130J Super Hercules flying over a ground ceremony commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11 attacks Saturday at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti. Col. Timothy MacDonald, operations director of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, administered the enlistment oath to Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Phelps, a military police officer on his third deployment supporting the Global War on Terrorism. Flanked by two French Dassault Mirage 2000s, the KC-130J flew over a joint services formation where the colors were presented and taps was played. Camp Lemonnier is the only permanent U.S. military installation in Africa and was established in 2002 to support U.S. operations against extremist groups in the Middle East and Africa. Phelps, from Locke, N.Y., was in high school Spanish class when the World Trade Center was hit on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Our entire school stopped that day and watched as the towers fell, he said in an emailed statement. A U.S. KC-130J Super Hercules, with Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa, and two French Dassault Mirage 2000s perform a combined flyover with during a Patriots Day ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Sept. 11, 2021, commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11. (Dereck White/U.S. Army) U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Roberto Bravo, with Marine Air Refuel Transport Squadron 234, holds an American flag during a Patriots Day ceremony at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Sept. 11, 2021, commemorating the 20th anniversary of 9/11. (Dwane Young/U.S. Army) Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Phelps, military police officer, CJTF-HOA, from Locke, N.Y., takes the Oath of Enlistment while aboard a KC-130J over East Africa, Sept. 11, 2021. (Michael Cossaboom/U.S. Air Force) He "felt a calling" to join the Army in 2008, and deployed to Iraq the following year and Afghanistan in 2013. He renewed his enlistment indefinitely Saturday because he still felt that calling, he said. My thoughts of 9/11 are remembering the lives lost that day because of to the actions of terrorists, Phelps said. I will never forget the sacrifices made that day or those made since by my fellow Americans who have paid the ultimate cost. I remember my brothers and sisters who have come home injured or forever changed. MacDonald, of Sydney, N.Y., joined the Army in 1994 and deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. I am humbled to have been part of his continued dedication to our country, MacDonald said of Phelps reenlistment. I personally have felt the impacts of September 11th, and I admire every soldier who chooses to serve and defend our great nation. A year ago this week, after 44 days of fighting, Russia negotiated a cease-fire between Armenia and Azerbaijan that suspended fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh. Despite being a co-chair with France and Russia of the Minsk Group an organization founded to mediate a peace agreement in Karabakh the U.S. today maintains a deafening silence in the region. The Russia-backed cease-fire is only a temporary solution. Yet it has succeeded in granting Moscow increased soft and hard power in the region. This constitutes a U.S. foreign policy blunder, but it also undermines Europes ambitions for energy independence from Russia with serious ramifications for the unity of NATO. Now is the time for the U.S. to make its presence felt again. If America is back, as President Joe Biden has proclaimed, his administration should reinvigorate U.S. efforts in the South Caucasus on the conflicts anniversary. Although last years war is officially over, the region still bears witness to sporadic fighting and political jostling. And a state of frozen instability remains a troubling situation that only cements Russias foothold in the region. Indeed, Russia looks set only to gain from the terms of the agreement. As a result of the settlement, 2,000 of its troops are stationed in corridors between Armenia and Azerbaijan as peacekeepers. We have seen this all too familiar Russian tactic before such as in secessionist regions of Georgia, where incremental mission creep was implemented to rewrite the regional status quo. The existing pact also imperils European ambitions for energy independence from Russia. The blocs dependence on Russian energy sources has been long denounced; its folly exacerbated by Europes gas crisis. With consumer bills soaring and Moscow demonstrating that it can ratchet up consumer discontent in EU democracies at will, the inherent dangers of this source of leverage are certain to be exposed as winter sets in. The Caspian Sea was supposed to offer a diversified supply of energy resources. It has rich natural gas reserves, essential for Europes transition to renewables. Only last December, Southern Europe received its first shipment along the new Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline from Azerbaijan. But now Russia sits awkwardly at this junction. If the future of the Southern Caucasus energy supply remains uncertain, Americas partners in Europe remain in a bearhug. The current gas crisis is not the first time Russia has used energy as an instrument of statecraft. It turned off the taps in 2006 and 2009 when it stopped supplies to Ukraine, a move that sent economic shockwaves through the continent. Compromised NATO unity in the face of Russian aggression is the consequence. Symbolically, Russias mediation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan cease-fire was a snub to the Minsk Group. Its two other permanent members, the U.S. and France, were reduced to producing little more than strongly worded statements. When U.S. diplomacy fails, Russia is invariably the beneficiary. But all is not lost, and Washington has viable avenues to rebuild an American foothold in the South Caucasus. The U.S. could, for example, signal good intentions by rebuilding severely damaged infrastructure in Karabakh. Similarly, America could let dollars talk; by encouraging private sector engagement in the region, the U.S. could stimulate economic growth and promote joint participation in the name of mutual self-interest, on behalf of both Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Such U.S. influence has been seen elsewhere in the conflict. As but one illustration, the State Department was involved in a deal that saw Azerbaijan release Armenian prisoners of war in return for maps detailing the locations of mines, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry . The deal, orchestrated by the U.S. and EU, suggests that multilateralism can still work,and that vital U.S. engagement in the region is welcome. The White House should now work to improve the perception of its impartiality. Although the U.S. criticized Azerbaijan when fighting broke out in the 1990s, relations were restored during the George W. Bush administration, a move that won the U.S. trust from both sides. Subjected to powerful American-Armenian lobbying, the U.S. took a regrettably partisan position during last years hostilities. But history demonstrates that American influence can be restored. While Russia has improved its relations with Azerbaijan in recent years, it is historically Armenias ally, with a military base in the country and a mutual defense treaty in effect. By building on historic, cross-border trust, the U.S. can successfully reassert itself as a truly bipartisan broker for peace in the region. Last year, Armenia and Azerbaijan had little choice but to get behind Moscows efforts to secure peace. Between Turkey and Russias vested interests and beset with a wavering EU and an absent U.S. there was nowhere else to turn for support. The Biden administration should use the cease-fires anniversary to demonstrate it can offer an alternative and signal American engagement in the South Caucasus once again. Ethiopian military parade with national flags attached to their rifles at a rally organized by local authorities to show support for the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), at Meskel square in downtown Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. (AP Photo) NAIROBI, Kenya At least 16 United Nations local employees have been detained in Ethiopia's capital, the U.N. said Tuesday, and a government spokesman asserted they were held for their "participation in terror" under a state of emergency as the country's yearlong war escalates and ethnic Tigrayans face a new wave of arrests. All the detained staffers are Tigrayan, a humanitarian worker told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the U.N. was given no reason for the detentions, but Tigrayans, including lawyers, have reported widespread detentions in Addis Ababa since the state of emergency was declared, saying people are being picked up on the basis of their ethnicity alone. "They are being detained in facilities against their will," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, adding that some were detained over the past few days during a visit to Ethiopia by the U.N. humanitarian chief. Dujarric said another six staff members were detained but then released, and a number of employees' dependents have also been detained. The U.N. has asked Ethiopia's foreign ministry for their immediate release. Government spokesman Legesse Tulu in a message to the AP said the detentions occurred "because of their wrongdoing and their participation in terror act," without giving details. He said it has no connection "with their office and job." Asked for a response to the government spokesman, the U.N.'s Dujarric said: "We have no further information at this point." Ethiopia's government has said it's detaining people suspected of supporting the rival Tigray forces who have been fighting the government for the past year. In Washington, State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters that "if reports are true," detentions of people based on ethnicity are "completely unacceptable." The government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission this week noted with concern that the new wave of arrests "appeared to be based on ethnicity" and included older adults and mothers with children. The AP has confirmed that the people detained included priests, monks and other clergy in the Ethiopian Orthodox church. Envoys from the African Union and the United States are trying to encourage an immediate cease-fire by Ethiopia's government and the Tigray forces who long dominated the national government before Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power. The government earlier this year declared the Tigray forces a terrorist group. The AU envoy on Monday said he sees a small "window of opportunity" as the warring sides both agree that a political solution is required. But Ethiopia's U.N. ambassador said reaching a solution would not be easy, since there is the government on one side and a "criminal group" on the other. Thousands of people have been killed in the yearlong war, thousands have been detained and millions have been displaced. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of people in the Tigray region face famine conditions under a government blockade meant to deny food, medicine and other aid from potentially reaching Tigray forces. During his four-day Ethiopia visit, U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths met the prime minister and visited "de facto authorities" in Tigray to advocate for more access to millions of people in need. Ethiopia's government last month expelled seven U.N. staffers from the country, accusing them without evidence of falsely inflating the scale of the crisis. The move was condemned by other nations and international agencies. Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Matt Lee in Washington contributed. People burn tires in Khartoum, Sudan, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021. Sudans protest movement has rejected internationally backed initiatives to return to a power-sharing arrangement with the military after last months coup. (Marwan Ali/AP) KHARTOUM, Sudan Two leading international rights groups urged Sudan's military in a joint statement Tuesday to release government officials, activists and others detained during the army's coup last month. The wife of a detained former minister, meanwhile, expressed concerns about the health of her husband, whose whereabouts, like others, remain unknown. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also appealed for an end to "further arbitrary arrests" and the crackdown that has been taking place on anti-coup protests. It was the first time the two prominent groups issued a joint statement on Sudan. They had separately appealed to Sudan's military to free those arrested during and after the coup. On Oct. 25, the Sudanese military seized power, dissolving the country's transitional government and detaining more than 100 government officials and political leaders, along with a large number of protesters and activists. The army also placed the country's prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, under house arrest in his residence in the capital of Khartoum. Since the takeover, at least 14 anti-coup protesters have been killed due to excessive force used by the country's security forces, according to Sudanese doctors and the United Nations. On Sunday, security forces tear-gassed demonstrators and rounded up more than 100 people, most of them anti-coup teachers in Khartoum. The coup has drawn international criticism and massive protests in the streets of Khartoum and elsewhere in the country. Moez Hadra, a defense lawyer for the deposed officials, said half are believed to be held in Khartoum and the others are scattered across the country's provinces. Hadra said he and other defense lawyers have not been allowed to communicate with some of their clients or know their whereabouts. Twenty-five of those detained face charges of inciting troops to rebel against their leaders, he said. If convicted, they would likely face up to life imprisonment, he said. One of the 25 is Ibrahim al-Sheikh, the minister of industry in the deposed government. Al-Sheikh was a prominent figure in the pro-democracy movement that led the opposition against longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in his final months in power. Armed forces took al-Sheikh from his house in Khartoum early on Oct. 25, hours before coup leader Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan announced the disbanding of the government, his wife Amani Malik Ibrahim said. "He was arrested in front of his family, including children and older women," she told The Associated Press from the family's home in Khartoum's Bahri district. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown and he has only been allowed to speak by phone briefly one time with his family. That call alarmed his wife because he was sick at the time of his detention. "I felt like he was not well. This was not Ibrahim's normal voice. I asked him where he was detained and he didn't answer because it is clear there is someone on the phone with him," she said. Al-Tahir Maki Idris, another defense lawyer, said attorneys have sent requests to the military seeking the whereabouts of those arrested and the legality of their detention. "There is no one that is helpful on what is happening to those detained or even their locations and their treatment," he said. Mohamed Osman, Human Rights Watch's researcher on Sudan, said that since the coup, the Sudanese military "has resorted to its well-trodden and brutal tactics, undermining small but important progress on rights and freedoms that Sudanese from all walks of life have fought for." The coup has upended the country's fragile planned transition to democratic rule, more than two years after a popular uprising forced the removal of al-Bashir and his Islamist government in April 2019. Sundanese have taken to the streets in masses against the coup. The protest movement insists on a full civilian government to rule Sudan during the transition. But military leaders have maintained they were compelled to take over because of alleged quarrels among political parties that they claimed could lead to civil war. International mediation efforts have been underway to find a way out of the crisis or at least return Sudan to its pre-coup status with little headway. The protest movement has rejected internationally backed initiatives to return to a power-sharing arrangement with the military. Ambassadors of the U.S., the U.K. and Norway met Tuesday with Burhan and "warned against unilateral action" by the military, according to a joint statement from the three Western nations. The ambassadors urged the return of the transitional government and Hamdok to office "as the basis for discussions on how to achieve a civilian-military partnership and civilian-led transitional government." Tuesday's joint statement quoted Sarah Jackson, Amnesty's deputy regional director, who called for a "joint, coordinated, and strong regional and international response" to rights violations in Sudan. In this photo released by the Chin Human Rights Organization, fires burn in the town of Thantlang in Myanmars northwestern state of Chin on Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. More than 160 buildings in the town in the northwestern Myanmar, including three churches, have been destroyed by fire caused by shelling by government troops, local media and activists reported Saturday. (Chin Human Rights Organization via AP) UNITED NATIONS The U.N. humanitarian chief urged Myanmar's military leaders on Monday to provide unimpeded access to the more than 3 million people in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance since government forces seized power on Feb. 1 "because of growing conflict and insecurity, COVID-19 and a failing economy." Martin Griffiths warned that without an end to violence and a peaceful resolution of Myanmar's crisis, "this number will only rise." He also urged donors to respond to the U.N. appeal, saying less than half of the $385 million required has been raised since the military ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Monday was the first anniversary of the 2020 elections in Myanmar, which "were deemed free and fair by domestic and international observers," U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. They were won by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party with approximately 80% of the elected seats in the upper and lower houses of Parliament. The military rejects the results, claiming the vote was fraudulent. "The United Nations reiterates its call on the military to respect the will of the people and put the country back on track to democratic transition," Dujarric said, stressing that the U.N. remains "gravely concerned about the intensifying violence in Myanmar" and again urges unimpeded humanitarian access. Griffiths' statement was issued as members of the U.N. Security Council held a closed-door meeting on Myanmar requested by the United Kingdom. UK deputy ambassador James Kariuki told reporters before heading into the meeting that Britain is particularly concerned about the buildup of military action in northwest Chin state, "and we are concerned that this rather mirrors the activity we saw four years ago ahead of the atrocities that were committed in Rakhine against the Rohingya" Muslim minority. "So, we're very keen to make sure the council is focused, and the military know that we're watching," he said. Since Suu Kyi's ouster, Myanmar has been wracked by unrest, with peaceful demonstrations against the ruling generals morphing first into a low-level insurgency in many urban areas after security forces used deadly force and then into more serious combat in rural areas, especially in border regions where ethnic minority militias have been engaging in heavy clashes with government troops. On Sept. 7, the National Unity Government, the main underground group coordinating resistance to the military that was established by elected legislators who had been barred from taking their seats when the military seized power, called for a nationwide uprising. Its "People's Defense Forces" operate in many areas and have received training and weapons from some armed ethnic groups. Christine Schraner Burgener told The Associated Press shortly before her 3 year term as the U.N. special envoy for Myanmar ended on Oct. 31 that "civil war" has spread throughout the country. She said the U.N. has heard that many soldiers are on the ground conducting "clearing operations" in Chin state, and reminded the world that the military's "clearing operation" in Rakhine state in 2017 saw villages burned down, widespread rapes and more than 700,000 Rohingya Muslims flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Griffiths also called the situation in the northwest "extremely concerning, with an escalation in hostilities between the Myanmar Armed Forces and the Chinland Defense Force in Chin state, and with the People's Defense Forces in Magway and Sagaing regions." "More than 37,000 people, including women and children, have been newly displaced, and more than 160 homes have been burned, including churches and the offices of a humanitarian organization," Griffiths said. "Attacks directed against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including humanitarian workers and facilities, are clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law and must stop immediately." Since Feb. 1, he said, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to violence across the country, and 223,000 people remain internally displaced. "This includes 165,000 in the southeast of the country and is on top of a significant population of people who were already displaced in Rakhine, Chin, Shan and Kachin states prior to the takeover," Griffiths said. He noted that 144,000 Rohingya people are still confined to camps or living in camp-like settings in Rakhine, many since their displacement in 2012, and more than 105,000 people have been displaced in Kachin and Shan, many for years. The U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs said he is also "increasingly concerned about reports of rising levels of food insecurity in and around urban areas, including in Yangon and Mandalay." So far this year, Griffiths said, humanitarian workers have provided food, cash and other assistance to more than 1.67 million people, but "remain constrained by lack of humanitarian access and funds," pointing especially to "bureaucratic impediments put in place by the armed forces." "I call on the Myanmar armed forces and all parties to facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access," he said. "The world is watching." A Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A multirole tanker refuels an Air Force B-1 Lancer bomber over Australia's Northern Territory, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. (Emma Schwenke/Australian Department of Defence) A pair of Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers flew over northern Australia during a training mission Monday, according to Australias Department of Defence. The bombers flew 3,700 miles from Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for drills at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin in the Northern Territory, the department said in a statement Tuesday. They worked with P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol planes and KC-30A multirole tankers, according to the statement. The drill allowed U.S. and Australian aviators to work together in challenging conditions, Air Commodore Stephen Chappell, director general of Australias Air and Space Operations Centre, said in the statement. The B-1B is the backbone of Americas long-range bomber force and can carry a conventional payload of up to 37.4 tons of guided and unguided ordnance. Australian aviators trained with B-1B crews on Guam in 2020, according to the Australian statement. While we have conducted similar long-range training activities together in the past, this activity differed, Chappell said. The allied crews executed important training and air-air refueling mission sets over several hours and many thousands of square kilometers. The B-1Bs rendezvoused over the Timor Sea with two Australian tankers, which transferred fuel to them at an altitude of 30,000 feet, according to the statement. Expect to see more B-1Bs in Australia in future, according to Ross Babbage, a former Australian assistant defense secretary. The AUKUS defense pact announced by Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States in September includes provisions to make it easier for allied ships and aircraft to operate Down Under, he said in a telephone interview Tuesday. Darwin, the capital of the Northern Territory, is the base for a 2,500-strong air-ground task force of U.S. Marines during the southern hemisphere winter. Northern Australia provides easy access to Southeast Asia and beyond. It includes a broad logistics and industrial support base, plenty of air space and ranges for training and a friendly local population, Babbage said. There is substantial expansion of fuel and other capabilities being built in northern Australia to support these types of operations, he said. Seth Robson Germanys Chief of Navy Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schonbach attends a press conference at the Japan National Press Club Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Tokyo. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP) TOKYO The chief of Germany's navy said Tuesday that its dispatch of a warship to the Indo-Pacific underscores his country's concern that freedom of navigation and the rule-based international order are being threatened in the region, an apparent reference to its biggest trading partner, China. Vice Adm. Kay-Achim Schonbach, in Tokyo for a port call by the frigate Bayern, said escalating tensions, territorial disputes and the changing military balance in the region can have an extensive impact beyond Asia. Speaking at a news conference, Schonbach said the ship's dispatch is to show support for Japan, the United States and other partners, and join their efforts in advocating peace, free navigation and the rule-based international order. "The South China Sea is a global common, that is, a sea area that belongs to everyone, so it cannot be taken possession of or claimed by anyone if ... we abide by the international world order," he said. The Bayern will travel through the South China Sea, where China is increasingly pressing its territorial claims, to demonstrate its right to freedom of passage. The frigate arrived in Tokyo on Friday, becoming the first German warship to visit Japan in nearly 20 years. It conducted joint exercises with other militaries along the way, including two days of exercises with a Japanese destroyer in the Pacific Ocean, German officials said. Beginning in mid-November, it will monitor activities by North Korean ships for three weeks, including possible ship-to-ship transfers of banned cargoes, under a U.N. Security Council resolution. "Sanctions against North Korea are an elementary part of this assignment," said Tilo Kalski, commanding officer of the Bayern. It is Germany's first time to participate in the mission, which started in 2018 and has been joined by New Zealand, Australia, the United States, Canada, Britain, France and Japan. The frigate left Germany in August as part of the country's recent shift to the Indo-Pacific 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. Schonbach said the Bayern's visit is the beginning of a long-term commitment to the region by Germany. It plans to dispatch military aircraft next year and a fleet of frigates and supply ships within two to three years, he said. 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. Buy Photo Japan is opening its borders to business travelers, international students and technical interns from countries considered low risk for the coronavirus and lowering its quarantine period for some foreign travelers to three days, with conditions. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes) TOKYO The U.S. military population in Japan does not immediately benefit from the shorter coronavirus quarantine period for incoming travelers imposed this week by the Japanese government, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Tuesday. Japan is opening its borders to business travelers, international students and technical interns from countries considered low risk for the coronavirus and lowering its quarantine period for some foreign travelers to three days, with conditions. Eligible travelers are those from countries that Japan considers low risk. Tourists are still banned. Travelers from the U.S., except those under the status forces agreement, may still be denied entry to Japan, according to the Foreign Ministry website. SOFA sets the rights, limits and responsibilities for service members, Defense Department employees and others affiliated with the U.S. military in Japan. The spokesman said the government is still considering a three-day quarantine period for the specific circumstance of fully vaccinated U.S. military personnel arriving in Japan. The government is still reviewing the matter, the spokesman said during an hourlong virtual media briefing, and has not resolved the question yet. Government representatives from the ministries of foreign affairs, justice, and health, labor and welfare briefed reporters via Zoom on the governments loosened border plan under a customary condition of anonymity. Fully vaccinated U.S. travelers under SOFA must complete 10 days of quarantine, but are permitted access to their installations, including their workplaces. Unvaccinated individuals must complete 14 days of quarantine, also called restricted movement, and are limited to their homes for the first week, according to informational charts on U.S. military installation websites. Other requirements apply to both groups, such as periodic testing. The spokeswoman for U.S. Forces Japan, Lt. Col. Brooke Brander, said she was unaware of any changes to the quarantine period required of the U.S. military. The Japanese government announced its changes last week but put them into effect Monday. As you know, any updates to SOFA member ROM requirements will be determined by the government of Japan, she told Stars and Stripes in an email Thursday. Meanwhile, the number of new coronavirus cases in Japan has fallen precipitously from 25,992 on Aug. 20 to 100 on Monday, with three deaths, according to the World Health Organization and the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. Japan on Sunday reported no deaths due to COVID-19, the coronavirus respiratory disease, the first day with no new confirmed viral cases in 15 months, The Associated Press reported. Nearly 75% of Japans population are fully vaccinated, according to Johns Hopkins. Tokyo on Tuesday reported 30 new coronavirus cases and 10 seriously ill patients, according to public broadcaster NHK. The capital city peaked at 5,908 new coronavirus cases on Aug. 13 during the fifth and most extreme wave of COVID-19 to sweep the city, according to metropolitan government data online. The U.S. military in Japan has announced a handful of new cases so far this month. One person at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa tested positive between Oct. 30 and Friday, the base reported on its website Friday. That is the only active case at Kadena, according to the base. Yokosuka Naval Base, headquarters of the 7th Fleet south of Tokyo, has no active cases, according to a message posted Tuesday on its official Facebook page. Yokota Air Base, home of USFJ in western Tokyo, also reported no active cases on Tuesday. U.S. Army Japan, headquartered at Camp Zama about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo, on Nov. 3 reported one person tested positive while in restricted movement during the week of Oct. 27 to Oct. 3, according to an Army news release. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, left, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, right, greet U.S. President Joe Biden, at the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit in Glasgow, Scotland, Monday, Nov. 1, 2021. (Christopher Furlong, pool/AP) TAIPEI, Taiwan - It is home to the worlds high-tech chip industry. It is in the top 25 economies, with output of about $700 billion a year. Its per capita carbon dioxide emissions are more than twice the global average, and higher than Chinas, the largest emitter. Yet Taiwan is not part of the United Nations climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, this week known as COP26. Its greenhouse gas emissions, which account for an estimated 0.75% of the planets total, about the equivalent of Spains, have not been counted in global data submitted to the U.N. You cannot ignore 0.75%, and we are a crucial hub of the global supply chain, said Chia-Wei Chao, chair of the Taiwan Environment & Planning Association who focuses on climate policy. Taiwan, which lost its U.N. seat to China in 1971 and has been blocked by Beijing from participating in U.N.-affiliated bodies because of the dispute over its political status, cannot sign up to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Beijing, which repeatedly claims that Taiwan is part of China, does not include Taiwans emissions in its count. Taiwan represents up to 1% of global greenhouse gases, so if we are not part of it, UNFCCC has a loophole, said Liangyi Chang, Asia Managing Director of the environmental group 350.org. Taiwans emissions are the gray zone of the COP process. Taiwans Environmental Protection Administration said in a statement that due to political factors Taiwan was excluded from the U.N. climate talks, but that it still discloses its emissions data publicly. Despite being shut out, Taiwan has been closely monitoring climate measures and released its own emissions-cutting plans in line with the Paris agreement. In April, President Tsai Ing-wen pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. In a video address on Sunday, Tsai said Taiwan regarded the net zero goal as our collective and generational responsibility and called for Taiwan to be included in the formal U.N. process. In Glasgow, Taiwan delegates - attending as NGO representatives - are holding events on the sidelines including meals and talks with officials from the United Kingdom, Luxembourg and Belize, as well as researchers and think tanks. At a Taiwan Day on Sunday, delegates outlined Taiwans pledges while environmental groups flashed 2050 NET ZERO on skyscrapers at home. Our purpose here is not to start any conflict but to tell the world that on this issue, Taiwan is not absent. It is willing to work with other countries around the world, said Hung Mong-Kai, a Taiwanese delegate from the opposition Kuomintang, speaking by phone from Glasgow. Taiwans eagerness to participate in climate talks comes as China faces criticism not committing to more ambitious cuts. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has not traveled abroad since January 2020, did not attend the summit and sent a written statement reiterating Beijings previous pledges. As the talks were getting underway on Nov. 1, Taiwanese lawmaker Wang Ting-yu quipped on Twitter, If Xi Jinping doesnt even bother to show up . . . why do we continue to let China block Taiwans participation. While few are optimistic that Taiwan will be allowed to take part in the summit before it concludes on Nov. 12, observers say growing international sympathy for the self-ruled democratic island in the face of increasingly bellicose threats from China could help its cause. In October, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called on U.N. member states to support robust and meaningful participation by Taiwan in U.N. bodies. Last week, the European Union sent its first delegation to Taiwan for an official visit. Right now the international community is attaching importance to Taiwan, said Hung Sun-han, a lawmaker with Tsais ruling Democratic Progressive Party who traveled to Glasgow. Both Western and Asian countries have clearly seen Taiwans efforts to protect our democracy and freedom, he said, pointing to the number of young attendees at the summit who had approached the delegation, curious about Taiwan. Still, without formally taking part as a member country, Taiwan is shut out from discussions of issues such as carbon border taxes, which would affect Taiwan as a major exporter of carbon-intensive goods like electronics, petrochemicals, iron and steel. The lack of international obligations leaves it up to the government to determine transparency and speed in meeting emissions commitments. It creates a lot of loopholes, said Chao. They are not feeling the pressure. Taiwan is particularly vulnerable to climate change, a point that was driven home during energy and water shortages this year. Summers in Taiwan have become a month longer and winters a month shorter, according to the Taiwan Adaptation Platform, which analyzed data between 1957 and 2006. Since we still havent capped the total amount of our [greenhouse gas] emissions, its unlikely we will reach the goal, said Shih Yueh-Ying, an environmental activist, referring to the presidents 2050 pledge. In Glasgow, attendees from Taiwan said they felt their exclusion in other, subtle ways. Hai-Wei Chang, part of the Taiwan Youth Climate Coalition, an NGO, said that as nonmember delegates, they were barred from attending the opening ceremony. Instead, her group found a corner close to the meeting room where they watched a live stream of the proceedings. The meeting was right in front of us but yet we were still so far, she said. Without a formal status, the information and resources that we can receive are much worse, she added. All we can do is try to find ways to let Taiwan be seen. Buy Photo Bavaria officials implemented tougher COVID-19 restrictions starting Nov. 9, 2021, amid rising new case rates. For eating indoors in restaurants, like this one in Weiden, customers must be vaccinated, recovered from the virus or show proof of a negative PCR test. (Immanuel Johnson/Stars and Stripes) KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany The state of Bavaria, which hosts tens of thousands of U.S. service members and their families, enacted rules Tuesday restricting many unvaccinated people from some public activities and facilities. The revised rules came as the number of new COVID-19 infections nationwide surged to a record high. They limit access to gyms, movie theaters, zoos, sporting events, concerts and other leisure activities to those with proof of vaccination or recovery from a recent coronavirus infection. Children under 12 are exempt because they do not yet have access to the vaccine. Children ages 12 to 17 may participate in club sports, music lessons or theater groups until the end of the year as long as they are regularly tested for the virus, Bavarian governor Markus Soeder announced Tuesday. Bavaria implemented the so-called 2G regulation in German, geimpft (vaccinated) or genesen (recovered) after the state passed a critical threshold of more than 600 coronavirus patients hospitalized in intensive care. That number was 609 as of Monday. The Bavarian rules still allow unvaccinated individuals to show proof of a negative PCR COVID-19 test for access to restaurants, hotels, nail salons and hair stylists. At U.S. military bases in the state Grafenwoehr, Vilseck, Hohenfels, Ansbach, Illesheim and Garmisch no changes have been made to coronavirus protocols, officials said. We continue to monitor the conditions on and off the installation while consulting with our senior responsible officer, medical professionals and host nation officials about those conditions, Donald Wrenn, a spokesman for U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria, said in a statement. All U.S. service members and Defense Department civilians are required to be fully vaccinated or submit exemption requests within the coming weeks. Germany on Tuesday recorded 21,832 new COVID-19 infections during the last 24 hours, for a seven-day average of 214 per 100,000 residents, according to the Robert Koch Institute. That surpassed Mondays average of 201, which passed the former high of 198 from Dec. 22, 2020. The agency reported that 67.2% of residents are fully vaccinated. Other U.S. bases reported no changes in their coronavirus rules Tuesday. That included Ramstein Air Base, where a recent outbreak among teachers and students forced Ramstein Middle School to implement remote learning for all grades for two weeks. No additional measures have been implemented at this time, a base spokeswoman said in a statement Tuesday, noting that coronavirus cases have been contained within families. Numbers from the Kaiserslautern health district last week showed 23 new infections among U.S. forces. Air Force public health officials wont release case numbers to the public, citing service policy. Elsewhere in Germany, stricter rules for unvaccinated people are also in place in Saxony, a state near the Polish border, where the infection rate is about three times the national average. German media reported that because of increases in the number of COVID-19 patients at hospitals in Baden-Wuerttemberg, home to Stuttgart Army garrison and the U.S. European and Africa commands, the state could soon implement stricter rules for unvaccinated people. Stars and Stripes reporter Immanuel Johnson contributed to this report. Jennifer H. Svan Marcus Kloeckner Trump supporters try to break through a police barrier at the Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. Evan Neumann of Mill Valley, Calif., who faces criminal charges for participating in the riot, is seeking asylum in Belarus, the countrys state TV reported on Monday, Nov. 8, a move that could further heighten tensions between the turbulent former Soviet nation and the United States. (Julio Cortez/AP) KYIV, Ukraine An American who faces criminal charges from the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol is seeking asylum in Belarus, the country's state TV reported, in a move that could further heighten tensions between the turbulent former Soviet nation and the United States. Evan Neumann of Mill Valley, Calif., acknowledged in an interview with the Belarus 1 channel that he was at the Capitol that day but rejected the charges, which include assaulting police, obstruction and other offenses. The channel aired excerpts of the interview on Sunday and Monday, and promised to release the full version on Wednesday. "I don't think I have committed some kind of a crime," said Neumann, 48, according to a Belarus 1 voiceover of his interview remarks. "One of the charges was very offensive; it alleges that I hit a police officer. It doesn't have any grounds to it." Neumann spoke in English but was barely audible under the dubbed Russian. Both Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin have used the Jan. 6 riot as a way to accuse the U.S. of a double standard in criticizing other countries, including Russia and Belarus, for cracking down on antigovernment protests. Belarus was rocked by months of protests after election officials gave Lukashenko a sixth term in the 2020 balloting that the opposition and the West have denounced as a sham. The government unleashed a violent crackdown on the protesters, arresting more than 35,000 people and badly beating thousands of them. The crackdown elicited widespread international outrage. Putin likewise has come under criticism from the West over the imprisonment of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the detention of thousands of demonstrators protesting his arrest, and the outlawing of Navalny's organizations as extremist. In an interview with NBC in June, Putin suggested that the hundreds of people arrested for rioting at the U.S. Capitol were being subjected to "persecution for political opinions." U.S. court documents state that Neumann stood at the front of a police barricade wearing a red "Make America Great Again" hat as supporters of President Donald Trump tried to force past officers. Prosecutors say Neumann taunted and screamed at the police before putting a gas mask over his face and threatened one officer, saying police would be "overrun" by the crowd. "I'm willing to die, are you?" prosecutors quoted Neumann saying to the officer. Police body camera footage shows Neumann and others shoving a metal barricade into a line of officers who were trying to push the crowd back before he punched two officers with his fist and then hit them with the barricade, according to court papers. Neumann was identified by investigators after someone who said they were a family friend called an FBI tip line with Neumann's name and hometown. He was charged in a U.S. federal criminal complaint, meaning a judge agreed that investigators presented sufficient probable cause that Neumann had committed the crimes. Neumann is one of more than 650 people who have been charged for their actions on Jan. 6, when pro-Trump rioters attacked the Capitol building and delayed Congress' certification of Joe Biden's Electoral College victory. Neumann told Belarus 1 that his photo had been added to the FBI's most wanted list, after which he left the country under the pretense of a business trip. Neuman, who owns a handbag manufacturing business, traveled to Italy in March, and then through Switzerland, Germany and Poland before arriving in Ukraine and spending several months there. He said he decided to illegally cross into neighboring Belarus after he noticed surveillance by Ukraine's security forces. "It is awful. It is political persecution," Neumann told the TV channel. Belarusian border guards detained him when he tried to cross into the country in mid-August, and he requested asylum in Belarus. Belarus doesn't have an extradition treaty with the U.S. Weve seen Belarusian state media reporting about this individual Evan Neumann, State Department spokesman Ned Price said in Washington. Due to U.S. privacy laws, were limited in what we can say about individual U.S. citizens, he added, and referred questions to the Justice Department, which said it doesnt comment on the existence or nonexistence of requests for apprehension to foreign governments. The Belarus 1 anchors described Neumann as a "simple American, whose stores were burned down by members of the Black Lives Matter movement, who was seeking justice, asking inconvenient questions, but lost almost everything and is being persecuted by the U.S. government." In a short preface to the interview, the Belarus 1 reporter also said that "something" made Neumann "flee from the country of fairytale freedoms and opportunities" an apparent reference to the U.S., which has levied multiple sanctions against Belarus over human rights abuses and its violent crackdown on dissent. Associated Press writer Mike Balsamo in Washington contributed. Migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere gather at the Belarus-Poland border near Grodno, Belarus, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. Poland increased security at its border with Belarus, on the European Unions eastern border, after a large group of migrants in Belarus appeared to be congregating at a crossing point, officials said Monday. The development appeared to signal an escalation of a crisis that has being going on for months in which the autocratic regime of Belarus has encouraged migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere to illegally enter the European Union, at first through Lithuania and Latvia and now primarily through Poland. (Leonid Shcheglov/AP) The European Union is planning to boost sanctions related to Belarus and its actions that have triggered a growing migrant and humanitarian crisis on its eastern frontier. The move comes after Polish troops used tear gas to prevent migrants ushered to the border by Belarus from storming a barbed-wire fence along the two countries border on the EUs eastern edge. The standoff risks turning increasingly deadly as thousands of people from the Middle East are stuck in the forests with temperatures dropping below zero. An EU working group on Monday agreed to broaden the scope of the current sanctions regime directed at Belarus to include persons and entities supporting illegal border crossings, according to an official familiar with the decision. Adoption of the new criterion will likely happen on Nov. 25. The Belarusian authorities must understand that pressuring the European Union in this way through a cynical instrumentalisation of migrants will not help them succeed in their purposes, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement late Monday. The EU said its also monitoring flights to Belarus from more than two dozen countries, including from Morocco, Syria, Iran, Azerbaijan, Algeria and elsewhere, to look for patterns of migrant trafficking. The bloc is looking at the frequency of flights, the occupancy of planes and other patterns as it contemplates possible sanctions of airlines involved in shuttling migrants to Minsk. Poland estimates that as many as 4,000 people were gathered near the frontier, out of more than 10,000 migrants expected to be in Belarus. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visited the border on Tuesday and the countrys parliament will debate the crisis -- which the government sees as the nations biggest security threat this century -- later today. The stability and security of the entire EU is at stake, Morawiecki said on Twitter. We will not be intimidated and will defend peace in Europe with our partners from NATO and the EU. The migrant crisis gives Poland and the EU a chance to work together despite a deepening row over Warsaws rejection of the blocs legal standards and concerns over whether the country is adhering to the rule of law. A deputy justice minister suggested that Poland may stop paying its EU membership fees if the row escalates. In May, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko threatened to allow drugs, radioactive material and illegal migrants to flow into the EU unhindered, saying Belarus wont prevent people from countries abused by the West from crossing into the bloc. His administration faces sanctions after his political rivals fled a crackdown following a disputed election last year. Estonias prime minister, Kaja Kallas, said that sanctions should be accelerated against individuals and companies that support the Belarusian governments activities, including airlines. Diplomatic efforts with EU institutions are under way to persuade the countries of origin to cooperate and stop people from falling into the trap of the Lukashenko regime, she said in a statement. Russia has staunchly backed its ally in Minsk in the crisis but rejected allegations its playing any role in encouraging the migrant flows. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Europe bears the responsibility for resolving the crisis and blamed the West for causing it with its policies in the Middle East and North Africa. He warned the EU against what he called double standards, citing the example of European aid to Turkey to house Syrian refugees as one that might be applicable in the Belarus case. They dont want to stay in Belarus, Lavrov said. They want to go to Europe, the very same Europe that for many years has advertised its way of life. One should answer for ones words. - - - Bloombergs Ott Tammik, Gregory L. White and John Follain contributed to this report. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Haugen spoke Monday to MEPs about the negative impact of big tech companies business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EUs digital legislation. (Virginia Mayo/AP) BRUSSELS Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the "metaverse," the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. In an interview with The Associated Press, Haugen said her former employer rushed to trumpet the metaverse recently because of the intense pressure it is facing after she revealed deep-seated problems at the company, in disclosures that have energized legislative and regulatory efforts around the world to crack down on Big Tech. "If you don't like the conversation, you try to change the conversation," the former product-manager-turned-whistleblower said. The documents she has turned over to authorities and her testimony to lawmakers have drawn global attention for providing insight into what Facebook may have known about the damage its social media platforms can cause. She is in the midst of a series of appearances before European lawmakers and regulators who are drawing up rules for social media companies. Meta, the new name for the parent company of Facebook, denied it was trying to divert attention away from the troubles it faces by pushing the metaverse. "This is not true. We have been working on this for a long time internally," the company said in a statement. It stressed that it's working to responsibly build the metaverse essentially a series of interconnected virtual communities that will merge online life with real life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that users will, for example, be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes in the metaverse and he refocused the entire company on creating it, including renaming the business Meta. Launching that new brand, in fact, draws attention to the company, it said in a statement, adding that if it didn't want the scrutiny it would have delayed or scrapped the launch altogether. But the new focus on the metaverse creates a whole new set of dangers, Haugen said. In "Snow Crash," the 1992 sci-fi novel that coined the phrase, "it was a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible," she said. "So beyond the fact that these immersive environments are extremely addictive and they encourage people to unplug from the reality we actually live," she said, "I'm also worried about it on the level of the metaverse will require us to put many, many more sensors in our homes and our workplaces," forcing users to relinquish more of their data and their privacy. In a presentation last month, Zuckerberg described how the metaverse would allow for mixed-reality business meetings where some participants are physically present while others beam in as avatars. The company has launched virtual meeting software called Horizon Workrooms for use with its virtual reality headsets, so co-workers can (hopefully) better communicate, brainstorm and socialize virtually, instead of, say, looking at one another on a Zoom call grid. But Haugen said employees of companies that use the metaverse would have little option but to participate in the system or leave their jobs. "If your employer decides they're now a metaverse company, you have to give out way more personal data to a company that's demonstrated that it lies whenever it is in its best interests," she said. And she cautioned the public not to expect more transparency. "They've demonstrated with regard to Facebook that they can hide behind a wall. They keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritize their own profits over our safety," she said. Haugen has said Facebook's systems amplify online hate and extremism, fail to protect young people from harmful content, and that the company lacks any incentive to fix the problems, in revelations that shed light on an internal crisis at the company that provides free services to 3 billion people. To back up her allegations, she has made a series of disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission that were also provided to Congress in redacted form by her legal team. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including the AP. In Tuesday's interview, she expressed astonishment that the company would shift focus to a whole new realm while it is under such intense criticism about the areas where it is already working. "They're going to hire 10,000 engineers to work on video games when they haven't actually gotten safety right on their main product," Haugen said. For that, she faulted Zuckerberg personally, saying he has exhibited a pattern of prioritizing growth over making sure Facebook is good for users. "I think that is a failure of leadership," she said. "Unless he wants to prioritize the safety of the platform, he should step aside and let someone else focus on that." The company denied that it's putting profits over safety. "Yes, we're a business and we make profit, but the idea that we do so at the expense of people's safety or well-being misunderstands where our own commercial interests lie," it said, adding that it plans to spend more than $5 billion in 2021 on safety and security and employs more than 40,000 people who work on keeping users safe. Zuckerberg has previously dismissed Haugen's claims as a "coordinated effort" to paint a false picture of the company. But officials in Washington and European capitals are taking her claims seriously. European Union lawmakers questioned her intensely Monday, before applauding her at the end of the 2 hour hearing. The EU is drafting new digital rules for the 27-nation bloc that call for reining in big "digital gatekeepers," requiring them to be more transparent about algorithms that determine what people see on their feeds and making them more accountable for the content on their platforms. Facebook has said it largely supports regulations, with legislative efforts in the EU and United Kingdom much further along than those in the U.S. New rules could squeeze advertising revenue, but Meta's stock price appears to have so far weathered the recent storm. Haugen has made stops in London and Berlin to speak to officials and lawmakers and spoke at a tech conference in Lisbon. She also will address French lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday. Chan reported from London. Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed, charged with attacking police, adjusts his face mask while standing inside a defendants cage during his verdict hearing at Moscows Golovinsky district court on July 30, 2020. (Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP) MOSCOW - Former U.S. Marine Trevor Reed, jailed in Russia for nine years after being convicted over a drunken 2019 incident he did not remember, declared a hunger strike to protest violations of his rights in prison, according to his family and lawyers. Reed, 30, was convicted of endangering Russian police and jailed in July last year. Conditions in his prison in the Russian republic of Mordovia are harsh and Reed is being denied the right to communicate with his family, according to a statement from his family Monday. Russian authorities are holding Trevor in a small room with a hole in the floor for a toilet. They will not allow him to communicate in his own language, to receive books or letters, to receive commissary items like other prisoners do, nor will they allow him to use a phone, the Reed familys statement said. Reeds lawyers, Sergei Nikitenkov and Viktoria Buklova, said he went on a hunger strike Thursday to protest being repeatedly placed in a punishment cell and other serious violations of his rights. Reed is one of several Americans to fall foul of Russias legal system, which has an acquittal rate of less than .05%. Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch, have frequently criticized the legal system over wrongful prosecutions, political cases and arbitrary detentions. The U.S. State Department has a travel warning urging Americans not to travel to Russia because of harassment by Russian government security officials, the embassys limited ability to assist U.S. citizens in Russia, and the arbitrary enforcement of local law, among other reasons. When President Joe Biden met with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Geneva in June, he raised Reeds case and that of another jailed former Marine, Paul Whelan. He also raised the case of a U.S. business executive charged in Russia with embezzlement, Michael Calvey. The U.S. ambassador to Russia, John Sullivan has called the evidence against Reed flimsy and preposterous, adding that the case would have been thrown out of court in the United States. Reeds family said prison officers had refused to accept items for Reed from the ambassador and they are also taunting him about it. They said it has been nearly four months since he had been given permission to speak to them. We would also like to note that none of the Russian citizens who are incarcerated here have been held in a room with a hole in the floor for a toilet or held incommunicado from their own families or their Embassy. This ordeal has gone on 815 days with no end in sight and we have been patient, the statement said, urging U.S. officials to reach a prisoner exchange deal with Russia. The incident occurred when Reed visited Russia in 2019 to see his girlfriend and study Russian. During the trip, he attended a party for her colleagues on Aug. 15 at which he was encouraged to drink a large amount of vodka, according to a statement posted by Reeds family on a website about his case. After the party, he was running intoxicated near a busy road, and police were called. His family believes he should have been taken to a hospital for help. The police case states that after he was placed in a squad car, he attacked police, causing the vehicle to swerve. He was charged with using violence to endanger the life or health of a government official performing his duties, an offense carrying a maximum 10 year penalty. He pleaded not guilty and continues to protest his innocence. A website set up by his father, Joey Reed, cites flaws in evidence. For example, traffic video footage did not show the vehicle swerving, nor did witnesses in the car following the police car to the station see it swerve, it says. Several other Americans have been convicted in Russian courts, including Whelan, who was sentenced to 16 years in prison on espionage charges in June 2020. Whelan insisted throughout the trial that he was framed. His appeal is ongoing. In August a Russian court convicted Calvey, a prominent U.S. investor based in Russia, to a five-year, six-month suspended term after an embezzlement conviction. Calvey, co-founder of Russia-focused private-equity group Baring Vostok, and other executives at Baring Vostok were arrested in February 2019 on accusations of defrauding Vostochny Bank. He and the other defendants denied the charges and blamed the allegations on a business dispute with their former partners. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the Northeast Bronx YMCA, in the Bronx borough of New York, Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) (Jacquelyn Martin) Vice President Kamala Harris is embarking on five days of personal diplomacy in France as she aims to raise her international profile and continue healing a rift between the U.S. and its oldest ally. Harris is scheduled to mingle with officials from a couple dozen nations as she showers attention on President Emmanuel Macron. It is good to be in France, she told reporters after she deplaned at Paris Orly Airport. I am looking forward to many, many days of productive discussions reinforcing the strength of our relationship. U.S.-France ties have been strained in recent months following Australias decision to cancel a $66 billion submarine contract with France in favor of a new security pact and nuclear-powered submarine deal with the U.S. and U.K. We are focused on looking forward, not looking backward, Harris adviser and spokeswoman Symone Sanders told reporters aboard Air Force Two when asked about the submarine tiff. This is the third international trip for Harris - but perhaps the first not eclipsed by a pressing crisis. Her journey to Central America earlier this year was dominated by her do not come admonishment to would-be migrants in Guatemala and by her defense of her decision not to visit the U.S.-Mexico border by saying: And I havent been to Europe. Then her visit to Southeast Asia in August was overshadowed by the U.S.s turbulent withdrawal from Afghanistan and the death of 13 American service members in a bomb attack. Harris and Macron have a bilateral meeting planned at the Elysee Palace on Wednesday. On Thursday, Harris will speak at the Paris Peace Forum, an event focused on gaps in global governance, before having dinner with Macron. Shell also attend a conference Friday, co-hosted by Macron, meant to show support for the Libyan people as they move toward national elections. One of her first scheduled stops after arriving Tuesday morning was the Institut Pasteur, the research facility where aides said her mother conducted breast cancer research in the 1980s. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff plans some solo excursions aimed at pushing a message of sports diplomacy targeted at girls and young women, aides said. Harris isnt missing chances to draw contrasts with former President Donald Trump, who skipped annual global meetings and stoked tension with European leaders over his nationalist, America First agenda. Harris and Emhoff will mark Veterans Day - honored as Armistice Day in France - with a visit to Suresnes, a cemetery originally dedicated to American service members killed in World War I. Trump went to Suresnes shortly after facing a backlash for missing a visit to the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery in northern France in 2018 due to rainy weather. DAMASCUS, Syria Syrias military said Israel carried out airstrikes Monday night on central and western provinces, wounding two soldiers and causing material damage. The military said Israeli warplanes fired missiles while flying over neighboring Lebanon. It added that Syrian air defenses shot down most of the Israeli missiles without elaborating. In neighboring Lebanon, a woman was lightly wounded and several homes were damaged when parts from Syrian anti-aircraft missiles fell in the northeastern Lebanese village of Sahlat al-Maa near the Syrian border, state-run National News Agency said. The strikes came amid an increase in reported attacks by Israel on Syria in recent weeks. Israel has staged hundreds of strikes on Iran-linked military targets in Syria over the years but rarely acknowledges or discusses such operations. Israel has acknowledged, however, that it is targeting bases of Iran-allied groups, such as the powerful Lebanese militant Hezbollah group. Israel says an Iranian presence on its northern frontier is a red line, and it has repeatedly struck what it has described as Iran-linked facilities and weapons convoys destined for Lebanons militant Hezbollah group. This photo released by the Syrian official news agency SANA, shows Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, speaking with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. (SANA via AP) DAMASCUS, Syria The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates met with Syria's once widely shunned president in Damascus on Tuesday, sending the clearest signal yet that the Arab world is willing to re-engage with strongman Bashar Assad. The visit by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the first by an Emirati foreign minister since Syria's civil war erupted in 2011. It comes as some Arab countries are improving ties with Syria. The U.S., a close Emirati partner, promptly criticized the visit, saying it would not support any normalization with Assad's government. The rapprochement, however, could serve both sides. Syria badly needs to boost relations with oil-rich countries as its economy is being strangled by crippling Western sanctions and it faces the task of post-war reconstruction. The UAE is also home to thousands of Syrians who work in the Gulf nation and send money to their relatives at home. Most Gulf countries, at odds with regional rival Iran, seek warmer ties with Damascus, hoping to peel it away from Tehran. Iran is a traditional ally of Syria and sent advisers and resources to back Assad during the 10-year war. Syria was expelled from the 22-member Arab League and boycotted by its neighbors after its civil war erupted in 2011. More than 400,000 people have been killed in the conflict, which displaced half of Syria's population. Large parts of Syria have been destroyed and reconstruction would cost tens of billions of dollars. Arab and Western countries generally blamed Assad for the deadly crackdown on the 2011 protests that evolved into civil war, and supported the opposition in the early days of the conflict. Several years into the fighting, Iran's backing for Assad, along with that of Russia, helped the Syrian leader push back the insurgents, who are now confined to a small area of northwestern Syria. Reducing Iran's influence in Syria may be a difficult challenge for Gulf countries, said Chris Doyle, director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding. "It will be almost impossible to shift Iran's position in Syria in the short term," he said. "Iran is too well embedded." "At best the Syrian regime may start to play Iran and the UAE off against each other in order to obtain some independent room for maneuver," he said. Doyle added that other Arab states, wary of being used by Damascus, will be watching to see how the relationship develops. Sheikh Abdullah headed a large delegation to Damascus, according to Syrian state TV. The UAE's state-run WAM news agency said the foreign minister "underlined UAE's keenness to ensure the security, stability and unity of Syria and its support for all efforts made to end the Syrian crisis." Assad's office said the two sides discussed ways of developing cooperation and investment opportunities. It quoted Assad as praising "the objective and wise stances taken by the United Arab Emirates." The UAE always stood by the Syrian people, Assad was quoted as saying. In Washington, the State Department was quick to object to the visit. "We are concerned by reports of the meeting and the signal it sends," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. "This administration will not express any support for efforts to normalize or rehabilitate Bashar al-Assad, who is a brutal dictator. We urge states in the region to carefully consider the atrocities that this regime (and) Bashar Assad himself has perpetrated on the Syrian people over the past decade, as well as the regime's ongoing efforts to deny much of the country access to humanitarian aid and security." Price said Secretary of State Antony Blinken had registered Washington's disapproval of the trip last week in a meeting with Sheikh Abdullah in Europe. "We will not normalize or upgrade our diplomatic relations with the Assad regime, nor do we support other countries normalizing or upgrading their relations given the atrocities that this regime has inflicted on its own people," he said. He added, however, that "we were not taken by surprise" by the visit, suggesting that Blinken's entreaties had fallen flat. Last month, the UAE's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed received a telephone call from Assad in which they discussed strengthening relations and cooperation. The UAE, which initially supported those trying to topple Assad, reopened its embassy in Damascus in December 2018 but relations remained cold. In September, Assad called King Abdullah II of Jordan for the first time since Syria's conflict began. The two countries also reopened a major border crossing. Mroue reported from Beirut. Coast Guard boats patrol in front of the partially collapsed Champlain Towers South condo building, July 1, 2021, in Surfside, Fla. Officials say the federal probe into the deadly collapse is gaining steam but is far from completion. (Mark Humphrey/AP) From the soils underground to eyes in the sky, the federal probe into the deadly collapse of a Florida condominium building is gaining steam but is far from completion, officials said Monday. The National Institute of Standards and Technology did not provide any firm timetable Monday for results on the cause of the June 24 collapse of the Champlain Towers South building. The disaster killed 98 people in Surfside, Fla., located north of Miami. Public expectations for a swift conclusion are misguided, several members of a NIST construction safety advisory committee said Monday. "Obviously, it's the very early stages," said Reginald DesRoches, chair of the committee. "We need to get this right. It's not something that's going to happen quickly." Armed with $22 million in supplemental funding from Congress, NIST has created six separate teams of experts to examine various aspects of the Champlain Towers collapse, said NIST investigation team leader Judith Mitrani-Reiser. These include efforts to figure out how the building was initially designed, what changes were made and what deteriorated; what data was collected by aerial drones and remote sensors; inspection of hundreds of pieces of rubble for structural failure clues; and whether soils, underground rock or vibrations from nearby construction may have played a role. For many victims and condo owners, the probe is not moving nearly fast enough. David Rodan, whose brother and cousin died in the collapse, said people like him remain almost entirely in the dark. "Four months should be enough for a little more information," Rodan told the panel. "I really hope in the next NIST presentation that we start getting some of these answers." Investigators are interviewing witnesses and asking people to provide any information, photos, videos or other material pertinent to the probe through a NIST portal. Parallel to the NIST probe is an ongoing court case in which a Miami-Dade County judge has appointed a receiver to handle sale of the property, access to evidence for experts hired by lawyers and financial details such as insurance policies. Circuit Judge Michael Hanzman has named a mediator to work through claims for compensation by condo owners and those who lost loved ones in the collapse. That process also is taking time. Several NIST advisory committee members said their investigation will be lengthy because it is unique, with no obvious reason the 12-story building fell suddenly without warning. Champlain Towers was just beginning a mandated 40-year safety review when it collapsed despite warnings years earlier of major structural deficiencies. "Our work will probably extend beyond two years," said Glenn Bell, associate lead NIST investigator. "It's a very complex investigation. Everybody's anxious for answers." Afghan families with assistance from Lt. Col. Justin Wolthuizen at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Oct. 14, 2021. (Rachel Waller/U.S. Air Force) (Tribune News Service) Freshta Ahrar, a young Afghanistan woman who has worked for the U.S. government and the United Nations, said the sudden takeover of her country by the Taliban in August turned normal life into hell especially for women. But Ahrar, 29, considers herself lucky. She and her immediate family were among thousands of Afghan refugees who were evacuated and now make their temporary home at Holloman Air Force Base. She said she has no idea what is in store for her friends and family back home. For several years, Ahrar worked in policy development in the country, which has fallen back under Taliban control. The Islamic fundamentalist group quickly overthrew the government in August while American troops were leaving the country after a 20-year war. You know, to be honest, at the moment, I have no idea what is going to happen, Ahrar said in a phone interview with the Journal. The moment I will say is a crisis. ... And life as a woman, before this situation we were being threatened or intimidated. We were targeted. But now that the entire country has been taken over (by the Taliban), I cannot imagine being a female there. Ahrar is one of roughly 4,400 Afghanistan evacuees currently staying in southern New Mexico at Holloman, said Angelo Fernandez, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security. He said the DHS, along with the defense and state departments, are some of the federal agencies working with those Afghans on resettlement. They have different types of visas and work authorizations. He said Holloman is one of eight safe haven locations around the country. About 2,400 Afghans have already relocated from Holloman to other cities, he said. The U.S. government is working around the clock to conduct security screening and vetting of vulnerable Afghans before they are permitted entry into the United States, consistent with the dual goals of protecting national security and providing protection for our Afghan allies, a DHS spokeswoman said in an email. As with any population entering the United States, DHS, in coordination with interagency vetting partners, takes multiple steps to ensure that those seeking entry do not pose a national security or public safety risk. Freshta Ahrar. () Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Secret Service were among the agencies that processed, screened and vetted the Afghan nationals, many of whom worked directly for the U.S., according to DHS. Ahrar and her family plan to settle in California, where the family has personal connections. Ahrars husband is currently in Italy, waiting to meet his wife in America. She was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1992 at a time when Islamic guerrillas were fighting for control of the country. Ahrar and her family fled to Pakistan, where she was educated before returning to Afghanistan as a high school student in 2007, after the Taliban had been removed from power during Americas longstanding war in the country. She earned a bachelors degree in English before attending the American University of Afghanistan, where she graduated with a masters in business administration. Ahrar worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development, USAID, and then for the United Nations Childrens Fund, UNICEF. She currently works remotely for the agency from Holloman. Part of her focus for those agencies was on policy development in her native country. She received a humanitarian civil service award from the United Nations. Afghanistan was in its peak of development, she said of her time working in the country. It was amazing. Her job for both those agencies was to try to empower women, who face restrictions under Islamic law. Ahrar said that, as a woman working in Afghanistan, she often kept her career a secret. Ahrar was shopping with her sister in August when the Taliban took control of Kabul. She said it happened suddenly banks and businesses started closing down and ATMs stopped working in the middle of the day. It was a normal life changing to hell, she said. So this happened within just a glimpse, you know, it was so palpable. A normal life going on. And then all of a sudden, something like that. Ahrar said she received an email from the U.S. embassy that contained an attachment that would give her and her family access to the airport. They were part of a sea of humanity who converged on the airport in August. They surrendered to the Taliban at a checkpoint at one point, but they ultimately made their way inside the airport. Once inside, Ahrar said she and her family had to wait several days under direct sunlight and through cold nights before boarding a plane to Abu Dhabi on Aug. 22. They stayed in Abu Dhabi for nearly two months before being flown to Holloman, arriving on Oct. 22. Ahrar said she worries about those back in Afghanistan, including her in-laws and her friends. She said she is especially concerned for her former classmates and teachers at the American University, which she said will make them vulnerable under Taliban control. She said she still stays in contact with those friends, who dont know when or if they will be able to evacuate. I am lucky that, out of millions of people, I was able to get myself out of the situation over there, she said. (c)2021 the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) Visit the Albuquerque Journal (Albuquerque, N.M.) at www.abqjournal.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A direct-push technology drill rig collects subsurface soil sample cores July 28, 2021, at the Fire Training Area on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. (Contributed photo) (Tribune News Service) A Pennsylvania company has been hired to remove toxins from the water at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently awarded a $5.9 million contract to Weston Solutions LLC to help remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from ground and surface water at the facility, the base said in a recent release. Also known as PFAS, the water chemicals are a group of toxins common in industrial and other uses. They have been linked to cancer, and have become a local and national environmental concern. The project is underway now, the base said. The team has received Environmental Protection Agency approval; collected soil, surface water and groundwater samples on affected sites; and analyzed the cost of actions, the base said. Westron Solutions, based in West Chester, Pa., has offices on East Monument Avenue in Dayton. The objective of the actions is to protect human health and the environment as quickly and efficiently as possible, Greg Plamondon, a remedial project manager at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, said in the bases announcement. This includes the protection of Airmen, site workers and any potential downgradient receptors impacted by PFAS at the sites. The team will treat the Hazmat Storage Facility on Area B of the base and current and former fire-training locations in Area A to permanently mitigate and minimize human exposure to soil, groundwater and surface water that contains PFAS, chemicals formerly used in aqueous firefighting foam. Several Miami Valley communities, including Dayton, have grappled with PFAS contamination in recent years. Low levels of the contaminants were detected in 24 Southwest Ohio public water systems in counties such as Greene, Montgomery, Clark and Warren, according to the Ohio EPA. They made those discoveries while testing the more than 1,550 public drinking water systems across the state to determine if PFAS were present. In September, officials said Montgomery Countys drinking water had low levels of PFAS as the water tested below the Ohio Environmental Protection Agencys recommended health advisory level. However, those results might have been misleading because Ohios health advisory for the toxins, dubbed forever chemicals, is one of the highest in the country, a local ground water expert told the Dayton Daily News at the time. Said the base: The Air Force continues to evaluate and determine solutions for health effects, concerns about food safety and agriculture commodities, risk management of PFOS and PFOA in the nations products, and technology to eliminate or reduce any negative impact. Questions were sent to a representative of Wright-Pattersons host unit, the 88th Air Base Wing. (c)2021 the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) Visit the Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) at www.daytondailynews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. In a CNN interview Monday night, Upton played the audio of one of the calls, which he said came from a man in South Carolina. (Susan Walsh/AP) WASHINGTON - Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., has received multiple death threats in the days since he voted for President Joe Bidens $1.2 trillion infrastructure deal, with the overwhelming majority of the calls coming from outside the congressmans district. In a CNN interview Monday night, Upton played the audio of one of the calls, which he said came from a man in South Carolina. In the expletive-filled call, the man called Upton a traitor, and said he hopes Upton, his family and his entire staff die. An Upton spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. Upton told CNN his office has received several such calls after a House colleague tweeted the names and office phone numbers of the Republicans who voted in favor of the bill. The measure passed the House Friday on a 228-206 vote, two months after it was approved by the Senate on an overwhelming 69-30 vote. I have a colleague, as you know, that put out the phone numbers of the 13 of us that voted that way, Upton said. Id be glad to defend that vote. Weve been working really since last spring on a bipartisan bill. Upton did not name the colleague during the CNN interview, but in an interview with the Detroit News, he pointed to a tweet by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga. Greene said last week that any House Republican who backed the measure would be a traitor to our party, a traitor to their voters and a traitor to our donors. After the vote, she tweeted the names and phone numbers of 12 of the 13 Republicans who voted in favor of the bill, which she described as Joe Bidens Communist takeover of America. A Greene spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Upton is only the latest member of Congress to face harassment, threats and abuse after being targeted by a colleague. On Monday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., condemned an altered, animated video posted by Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz. The video depicted Gosar killing Ocasio-Cortez and swinging two swords at Biden. Gosar, Ocasio-Cortez said in a tweet, will probably face no consequences because House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., cheers him on with excuses. McCarthys office has not responded to repeated requests for comment, while Gosars office has dismissed concerns about the video by saying, Everyone needs to relax. In the Detroit News interview, Upton described the threatening calls as a sign of a polarized, toxic environment thats worse than Ive ever seen before. His office said that more than 90% of the calls have been coming from outside Uptons district. The congressman told CNN that the uptick in threats truly is frightening, particularly for members of his staff. Weve seen civility really downslide here, he said. Im concerned about my staff. Theyre taking these calls. There are threats to them. At least 13 senior Trump administration officials illegally mixed governing with campaigning before the 2020 election, intentionally ignoring a law that prohibits merging the two and getting approval to break it, a federal investigation released Tuesday found. A report from the office of Special Counsel Henry Kerner describes a willful disregard for the law known as the Hatch Act that was especially pernicious, given that many officials abused their government roles days before the November election. President Donald Trump - whose job it was to discipline his political appointees - allowed them to illegally promote his reelection on the job despite warnings to some from ethics officials, the report says. This failure to impose discipline created the conditions for what appeared to be a taxpayer-funded campaign apparatus within the upper echelons of the executive branch, investigators wrote in the scathing 60-page report. The presidents refusal to require compliance with the law laid the foundation for the violations, the report says. In each of these instances, senior administration officials used their official authority or influence to campaign for President Trump. Based upon the Trump administrations reaction to the violations, OSC concludes that the most logical inference is that the administration approved of these taxpayer-funded campaign activities. The special counsel found that two Cabinet officials, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and acting homeland security chief Chad Wolf, broke the law when Pompeo gave a speech from Israel and Wolf led a taped naturalization ceremony for newly minted citizens on White House grounds, both during the Republican National Convention. The investigation was prompted by an unprecedented swell of complaints to the independent agency that enforces the Hatch Act following Trumps decision during the coronavirus pandemic to hold the convention at the White House. The probe started when Trump was still president. But the report concluded that while the Hatch Act bars most federal employees - excluding the president and vice president - from politicking while on duty or in a federal office, it does not impose similar restrictions on others who were, in this case, hosting, organizing or attending the convention. The Office of Special Counsel, led by a Republican appointed by Trump, lays out a series of violations that the authors underscore were not innocent mistakes or slips of the tongue. No punishment is expected to be assessed because, by most legal interpretations, the president in office at the time is the only person who can take action to fire or reprimand his political appointees when they act illegally. The offices lengthy treatment of how the administration flouted a law intended to ensure that civil servants and political appointees operate free of political influence was meant to illustrate that the law lacks teeth and needs stronger enforcement mechanisms, the report says. OSC is issuing this report to educate employees about Hatch Act-prohibited activities, highlight the enforcement challenges that [the office] confronted during its investigations, and deter similar violations in the future, investigators wrote. The political appointees who violated the law by blatantly promoting Trumps reelection or disparaging rival Joe Biden in media interviews were Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette; senior counselor Kellyanne Conway; White House director of strategic communications Alyssa Farah; U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman; senior adviser Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law; press secretary Kayleigh McEnany; White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows; senior adviser Stephen Miller; deputy White House press secretary Brian Morgenstern; Marc Short, chief of staff to Vice President Mike Pence; and national security adviser Robert OBrien. The Trump White House was well aware of the Hatch Acts restrictions, the report says, having received an unprecedented 15 letters from Kerners office during his presidency laying out violations and two reports on a repeat violator, Conway. Pompeo and Wolf both ignored repeated warnings from career ethics officials and attorneys that they would be breaking the law with their appearances at the convention, the report found. An ethics official even warned Wolf 45 minutes before the naturalization ceremony was taped that he should not move forward. The report found that the naturalization ceremony was orchestrated for the purpose of creating content for the convention and that both events stemmed directly from requests that originated from the Trump campaign or possibly the president himself. Thus they reflect the Trump administrations willingness to manipulate government business for partisan political ends, the report says. Pompeo changed a long-standing State Department policy to allow himself to speak at the convention. The policy had prohibited the secretary and all other political appointees at the agency from engaging in partisan political activities. He approved the change only for himself days before he delivered a taped speech from Jerusalem to the convention, the report says. Investigators also said Pompeo violated a State Department rule on speaking about politics while abroad. Internal emails show that the White House had planned to publicize a naturalization ceremony hosted by a high level principal in September 2020 but moved the event to the convention at the last minute. In a written statement to the special counsels office, Wolf said he did not know whether video of the ceremony was going to be made publicly available or that it would be used at the Republican National Convention, the report says. In Farahs case, she appeared on Fox News in her official capacity on Oct. 9, weeks before the election, and told an interviewer of the two presidential candidates, I cant think of a starker contrast of two candidates against each other than even while sick with covid the presidents got boundless energy and is taking questions and being as transparent as possible on his positions and the fact that we still dont have basic answers on policy from the Joe Biden campaign. OBrien appeared June 25 on The Hugh Hewitt Show and was asked how a Biden victory would affect policy toward China. Rather than answer a question nominally about policy matters, as the law requires, OBrien instead argued for Trumps reelection. I expect the president to be reelected and reelected overwhelmingly, he said. I think the presidents going to come out on top. The American people see the leadership that hes providing not just with respect to China; they saw him build the greatest economy in the history of the world. We took a very bad hit because of this virus that came from China. But who do you want to turn to to rebuild the economy - the guy whos proven he can do it, President Trump, or somebody whos been in Washington for 40 years? The cumulative effect of this flouting of the law has been to undermine public confidence in the nonpartisan operation of government, the report concludes. The Biden administration has been cited once for a similar violation: The special counsels office gave Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge a warning in March about comments she made at a White House news conference when she weighed in on the possibility that Democrats could win the 2022 Senate rate in Ohio. Fudge apologized for the comments. Last month, a watchdog group filed a complaint that White House press secretary Jen Psaki violated the law by appearing at a White House briefing to have endorsed Democrat Terry McAuliffe, who last week lost the race for Virginia governor. In the Obama administration, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius apologized in 2012 for partisan remarks she made to a gay rights group in North Carolina in which she promoted President Barack Obamas reelection. Julian Castro, then-secretary of housing and urban development, endorsed Hillary Clinton for president in 2016 in an interview in his official capacity. Both were explicit violations, and both officials were reprimanded. The White House barred the Cabinet from speaking at the Democratic National Convention to avoid similar mishaps. The 1939 law was originally titled An Act to Prevent Pernicious Political Activities. It applies to civil servants and political appointees alike. But the Trump administration showcased that there appears to be a two-tiered system of consequences; the special counsels office fined and in some cases fired hundreds of career employees for violations during the four years when Trump was in office. Former President Donald Trump's acceptance speech for the Republican Party nomination at the White House didn't violate federal law, according to the Office of Special Counsel. But it said in a report Tuesday that several Trump administration officials did run afoul of the law when they engaged in politics while on federal property or conducting official business. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images) (Brendan Smialowski, AFP, Getty Images.TNS) WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) More than a dozen high-ranking officials in the Trump administration including former senior adviser Jared Kushner, former national security adviser Robert OBrien and former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows violated federal law with their political activities, the U.S. Office of the Special Counsel said in a report Tuesday. Senior advisers Stephen Miller, Kellyanne Conway and Vice President Mike Pences chief of staff Marc Short were also among the 13 officials who the special counsels office said engaged in politics while on federal property or conducting official business. They did so through media appearances and other activities to promote former President Donald Trumps reelection. Trump and Pence were not subject to the Hatch Act, the law that limits such activities. Senior Trump administration officials chose to use their official authority not for the legitimate functions of the government, but to promote the re-election of President Trump in violation of the law, the special counsels office said in the report. The administrations willful disregard for the law was especially pernicious considering the timing of when many of these violations took place. The Office of the Special Counsel said it received more than 100 complaints alleging that senior Trump administration officials violated the Hatch Act. However, the office said federal law was not violated when Trump hosted parts of the 2020 Republican National Convention at the White House. The special counsels office previously said Trump trade adviser Peter Navarros media appearances and social media before the 2020 election also violated the Hatch Act. The office also previously recommended Trump fire Conway for repeatedly breaking the law, which he did not do. Enforcing the law against the 13 administration officials named in the report fell to Trump, who never did so. There is no mechanism for enforcement once an official leaves office. The special counsels office said it is issuing its findings to educate employees about prohibited activities, to highlight the enforcement challenges it faces and to deter similar violations in the future. The group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint last month against an official in President Joe Bidens administration, saying White House press secretary Jen Psaki improperly endorsed Democrat Terry McAuliffe for governor of Virginia. Psaki said she will be more careful with my words next time, words certainly matter. 2021 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Stacey Sarmiento places flowers at a memorial in Houston on Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021 in memory of her friend, Rudy Pena, who died in a crush of people at the Astroworld music festival on Friday. (Robert Bumsted/AP) HOUSTON The deaths of eight people in a crush of fans at a music festival have led to calls for an independent, outside investigation instead of one by the Houston police, who along with the fire department played a key role in crowd control and other safety measures at the show. Experts in crowd safety say an investigation by neutral outsiders into the tragedy during Friday night's performance by rapper Travis Scott could help the city avoid potential conflicts of interest and promote transparency. Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva declined to comment on whether the department's close involvement in the event created a conflict or if it was considering handing the probe off to an outside agency. Such decisions are often made in investigations like police shootings. "All of the information we have available to put out at this time has been placed out on Twitter," Silva said. The police department's probe would be separate from any independent investigation ordered by County Judge Lina Hidalgo, Harris County's top elected official, according to Rafael Lemaitre, a spokesman for the county judge's office. Hidalgo hasn't decided who would conduct such an independent review or how it would be done, Lemaitre said Monday. "She wants to know if this could have been prevented in any way," Lemaitre said. "It's also entirely possible that it was not preventable for whatever reason, and that's something we would like to know, as well." Key questions remain unanswered after the Astroworld festival at the Harris County-owned NRG Park. Some involve what the Houston police and fire departments did before, during and after a crowd surged toward the stage, killing eight people and injuring many more, with over 300 people treated on site and at least 13 others hospitalized. Other questions center on the actions of event organizers. Officials with the Houston police and fire departments have said that part of their investigation will include reviewing whether the concert promoter and others behind the festival adhered to the plans that were submitted for the event. Astroworld's organizers laid out security and emergency medical response protocols for the festival in plans filed with Harris County. The 56-page plan, obtained by The Associated Press, says any decision to evacuate the event would be made by the festival director after consultation with other individuals, including the security director. Such plans have to be reviewed by Houston police officials. Christopher Slobogin, director of the criminal justice program at Vanderbilt University, said an independent criminal investigation could be beneficial to avoid any potential conflicts of interest, but acknowledged this case is different from typical situations where authorities are confronted with decisions over whether to step away from a case. "The actual crime was probably not committed directly by the fire department or the police department," he said. "But at least for appearance purposes, if an independent body did the investigation I think that would be the better practice." Officials have said a private company was primarily responsible for providing security at the festival, but Houston police were also assigned to the event. The plan says medical care at the festival was provided by ParaDocs, a private company based in New York. Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena said during a news conference Saturday that the injuries and size of the crowd "quickly overwhelmed" the private companies providing security and medical services. Pena said even though the medical operations plan did not require the fire department to have units pre-positioned around the festival, those units were in place "in case this incident escalated." Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on Monday that he had a "brief and respectful" meeting with Scott and the rapper's head of security on Friday before his performance. The chief said he asked them to work with the police department. "I expressed my concerns regarding public safety and that in my 31 years in law enforcement experience I have never seen a time with more challenges facing citizens of all ages, to include a global pandemic and social tension throughout the nation," Finner said. G. Keith Still, a visiting professor of crowd science at the United Kingdom's University of Suffolk, said his independent investigations of similar tragedies typically begin with evaluating an event's safety permit process, including how a permit was issued and whether the event organizer adhered to permit conditions. "Police can sometimes get too caught up in trying to take eyewitness accounts," he said. "With 50,000 potential eyewitnesses, by the time they get through with all of that, they're left with a huge, confused mass." Houston police and fire officials said their investigation will include reviewing video taken by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show. Officials also planned to review the event's security plan and determine whether its organizers properly followed permit requirements. Steven Adelman, vice president of the industry group Event Safety Alliance, said in an email that he sees no issue with public safety authorities authorizing an independent investigation of the Houston tragedy. "I would hope and assume the investigation will be conducted by an outside person who is not subject to influence by the agencies that were involved with Astroworld. This is not an uncommon scenario in complex situations like this one," wrote Adelman, whose organization was formed after the collapse of a stage killed seven people at the Indiana State Fair in 2011. Adelman said private forensic analysis experts independently investigated the Indiana stage collapse, examining the stage roof engineering and crowd management. "A good example of what I hope we see here," Adelman said of the investigation in Houston. Finner has defended how long it took for the concert to be called off after the first signs of trouble. The police chief said his department immediately notified concert organizers after noticing that attendees were "going down." The event was called off 40 minutes later after discussions that included the fire department and park officials. "You cannot just close when you've got 50,000 over 50,000 individuals, OK?" Finner said. "We have to worry about rioting riots when you have a group that's that young." Pena said city officials limited the attendance to 50,000 even though the venue could have held 200,000 based on fire codes. "It was the crowd control at the point of the stage that was the issue, especially as the crowd began to surge toward the stage," Pena said. Live Nation said in a statement that it is cooperating with local authorities "so that both the fans who attended and their families can get the answers they want and deserve, and we will address all legal matters at the appropriate time." County Judge Hidalgo tweeted on Saturday that she was "calling for an objective and independent investigation into what happened." She also said her office was grateful for the work done by the police and fire departments. "It may well be that this tragedy is the result of unpredictable events, of circumstances coming together that couldn't possibly have been avoided," Hidalgo said. "But until we determine that, I will ask the tough questions." Hidalgo's office isn't a law-enforcement agency and doesn't have authority over criminal investigations. Kunzelman reported from College Park, Md. Associated Press reporters Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville and Jake Bleiberg in Dallas contributed to this report. Kyle Rittenhouse looks to the gallery as Dr. Doug Kelley, a forensic pathologist with Milwaukee County, testifies about the autopsy he performed on Anthony Huber during Rittenhouses trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. (Mark Hertzberg/Pool via AP) KENOSHA, Wis. The first man killed by Kyle Rittenhouse on the streets of Kenosha was shot at a range of just a few feet and had soot injuries that could indicate he had his hand over the barrel of Rittenhouse's rifle, a pathologist testified Tuesday. But it was unclear from video footage whether Joseph Rosenbaum was grabbing for Rittenhouse's gun or trying to swat it away, said the witness, Dr. Doug Kelley, with the Milwaukee County medical examiner's office. Kelley was one of the final witnesses for the state before prosecutors rested their murder case after 5 1/2 days of testimony that were aimed at portraying Rittenhouse as the aggressor but often bolstered the young man's claim of self-defense. The defense then began presenting its side, calling as its first witnesses people who were on the streets with Rittenhouse that night and described him as pale, shaking, sweating and stammering after the shootings. "He repeats, 'I just shot someone' over and over, and I believe at some point he said he had to shoot someone," testified Nicholas Smith, who said he had gone to the protests in Kenosha that night at the request of the owners of a car dealership to protect the business. "My god, my life might be over," another witness, JoAnn Fiedler, quoted Rittenhouse as saying. Rittenhouse, now, 18, killed two men and wounded a third during a night of turbulent demonstrations against racial injustice in Kenosha in the summer of 2020. The former police youth cadet from Antioch, Ill., was 17 when he went to Kenosha with an AR-style semi-automatic rifle and a medical kit in what he said was an effort to safeguard property from the damaging protests that broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white Kenosha police officer. His lawyers have said he acted in self-defense, suggesting he was afraid his gun was going to be taken away and used against him. Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge against him. While Rittenhouse is white, as were those he shot, the case has stirred racially charged debate over vigilantism, the right to bear arms, and the unrest that erupted around the U.S. that summer over the killing of George Floyd and other police violence against Black people. On Tuesday, the jury watched drone video that was zoomed-in and slowed down to show Rittenhouse wheeling around and shooting Rosenbaum at close range. Kelley, the pathologist, said Rosenbaum was shot four times by someone who was within 4 feet of him. He testified that Rosenbaum was first wounded in the groin and then in the hand and thigh as he faced Rittenhouse, and then was shot in the head and in the back. Those final two shots were at a downward angle, the pathologist said. Prosecutors have said this indicates Rosenbaum was falling forward, while defense attorney Mark Richards said Rosenbaum was lunging. Kelley said both were possible. Kelley also said Rosenbaum's hand was "in close proximity or in contact with the end of that rifle." Richards pointed out small injuries from soot on Rosenbaum's hand and said: "So that hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouse's gun when his hand was shot." "That makes sense," Kelley said. The drone footage was the clearest video yet of the shooting that set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later: Rittenhouse killed Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on video hitting Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, a 27-year-old protester and volunteer medic who came at Rittenhouse with a gun of his own. Kenosha Detective Ben Antaramian testified that at some point in their investigation, authorities learned someone had recorded drone video. The video had been played on Fox News. Prosecutors said they received a low-resolution copy earlier in their investigation but weren't given a high-definition one until Friday, Day 5 of the trial. Fiedler, the defense witness, was with Rittenhouse outside the car dealership just before the first shooting, and said they were being shouted at and taunted by protesters, including Rosenbaum. But Fiedler, who said she carried a pistol, testified she never saw Rittenhouse threaten or point his gun at anyone. "The whole night was quite shocking, but we didn't really do anything," Fiedler said of the yelling directed at those guarding the store. "We just kind of stood there. You have to ignore that." Fiedler said she later opened the door of the dealership for Rittenhouse after the shootings, and he appeared to be "totally in shock" and fell into her, telling her that he had shot someone. "He was pale, shaking, kind of stammering, slurring his words. He was sweating," she said. Last week, witnesses testified that Rosenbaum, 36, was "hyperaggressive" and "acting belligerently" that night and threatened to kill Rittenhouse at one point. One witness said Rosenbaum was gunned down after chasing Rittenhouse and lunging for the young man's rifle. On Monday, Grosskreutz testified that he pointed his own Glock pistol at Rittenhouse just before he was shot in the arm. Wisconsin's self-defense law allows someone to use deadly force only if "necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm." The jury must decide whether Rittenhouse believed he was in such peril and whether that belief was reasonable under the circumstances. On Tuesday, Rittenhouse turned his head and averted his eyes from a defense-table monitor as prosecutors displayed medical examiner photographs of Huber's body laid out on a gurney, a gunshot wound to his chest clearly visible. Rittenhouse breathed deeply as autopsy photos of Rosenbaum showing his injuries were displayed for the jury. A few jurors also seemed to find it difficult to look for long at the images, one glancing up at a monitor over her shoulder, then looking straight ahead. Bauer reported from Madison, Wis.; Forliti from Minneapolis; Webber from Fenton, Mich. Associated Press writer Michael Tarm contributed from Kenosha. (Tribune News Service) A 29-year-old Army veteran was found dead in a residential driveway after a hit-and-run, Georgia police said. Desmond Font sustained injuries consistent with those being hit by a vehicle, police said. Now Fonts family is pleading with the public to find the person responsible for his death. Were absolutely devastated and we dont have any closure, Fonts stepfather Donald Harris told WSB-TV. We dont have any peace with this because we dont know who did this. Police responded to a call on Oct. 24 of a body lying in a driveway on Cruse Road in Lawrenceville, according to the Gwinnett Police Department. Anyone with information about the hit-and-run can call the Gwinnett Police Department Accident Investigation Unit at 678-442-5653. Those who want to remain anonymous can contact Atlanta Crime Stoppers at 404-577-TIPS (8477) or go to www.stopcrimeATL.com . A cash reward will be given for information leading to an arrest, police said. Lawrenceville is about 32 miles northeast of Atlanta. 2021 The Charlotte Observer. Visit charlotteobserver.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The White River Junction VA Medical Center. A Vermont veteran who was exposed to smoke from pits used to burn waste while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq has died of cancer, just months after reaching a settlement with the federal government over his diagnosis. (whiteriver.va.gov) HARTFORD, Vt. A Vermont veteran who was exposed to smoke from pits used to burn waste while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq has died of cancer, just months after reaching a settlement with the federal government over his diagnosis. Wesley Black, 36, of Hartford, died Sunday. Black, a Vermont National Guard veteran and local firefighter, had sued the White River Junction VA Medical Center for failing to diagnose him with colon cancer after he lost 75 pounds and suffered from severe intestinal issues, the Valley News reported. While serving overseas, Black said he frequently breathed in smoke from pits used to incinerate human and medical waste, plastic water bottles, ammunition and chemicals on military bases. Doctors incorrectly diagnosed him with irritable bowel syndrome but when he later ended up being taken to the emergency room, a colonoscopy revealed he had stage 4 cancer, the lawsuit said. According to the lawsuit, a physician with the Gastrointestinal Cancer Center of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston wrote in a 2018 letter that Black's symptoms were early signs of cancer that developed as a result of the burn pit exposure and if further investigation had been done, the cancer could have been detected sooner, the newspaper reported. Black reached a $3 million settlement this summer. The case closed on Oct. 19. An email was sent to the VA seeking comment. "He used the tragic hand he was dealt as a platform from which to raise awareness about the harmful effects of burn pit exposure," Dan Perrone, one of Black's attorneys, said by email to the newspaper on Monday. "His heroics and advocacy have and undoubtedly will continue to save lives." Two years ago, Black advocated for a Vermont bill to raise awareness about the health impacts of burn pits and Gov. Phil Scott signed the measure into law in June 2019. After 9/11, open pits were the predominant method of waste disposal on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2010, Congress banned the pits except where there aren't feasible alternatives. "The Department of Defense has now closed out most burn pits and is planning to close the remainder," the VA website states. A federal court ruled in 2018 that military veterans who claim that the use of open burn pits during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan caused myriad health problems could not move forward with dozens of lawsuits against a military contractor, and the U.S. Supreme Court denied an appeal the following year. Red paper poppies fall from the ceiling during an Armistice Day ceremony at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium, on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014. Since the end of World War I in 1918, millions of visitors have flocked to memorials in northern France and Belgium to pay tribute to the fallen. (Virginia Mayo/AP) POPERINGE, Belgium Simon Louagie dreaded losing Talbot House, a World War I soldiers' club that has become an institution in remembrance tourism on the Western Front where soldiers from all corners of the globe fought amid untold carnage just over a century ago. For months last year, a COVID-19 lockdown closed the club which had always been an open house. Once it was for Commonwealth soldiers who fleetingly shed the fear of battle in Flanders fields that was within earshot. For generations since, people found history, solace, wisdom and an understanding at Talbot House about why the motto of this region in western Belgium is "Never into war again." Since the end of World War I in 1918, millions of visitors from as far away as the United States New Zealand, and South Africa have flocked to memorials in northern France and Belgium to pay tribute to the fallen. Now, closing in on two years of the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions, the tourist industry welcoming them is crippled. Lockdowns and travel restrictions, of which many remain in place, are keeping foreign visitors away. Another Armistice Day beckons on Nov. 11 and the outlook remains bleak. Volunteer Libby Madden, from Bath, England, sets a table in the breakfast room at Talbot House in Poperinge, Belgium, Ypres on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (Virginia Mayo/AP) Talbot House manager Louagie remembers that when funds were running low and doors were closed, only one thought ran through his head: "Not on my watch." From as many as 500 guests a day, he sometimes found himself alone. The house, he said, "needs noise. It needs piano music. It needs visitors, schoolchildren, people playing chess. Cups of tea, rattling in the kitchen to make it come alive. I need to hear the kettle whistle," he said. "We cannot disappoint all those generations before us by letting it close down," he said. The thought has echoed around the region where hundreds of thousands lost their lives during the four years of fighting which finally led to the victory of allied forces over Germany. A photo, badge and uniform of a Canadian World War I soldier are on display in a presentation case at Hooge Crater Museum in Ypres on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (Virginia Mayo/AP) Nick Benoot poses with his family outside the Hooge Crater Museum in Ypres, Belgium, Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021. (Virginia Mayo/AP) Nick Benoot, who runs the small Hooge Crater Museum not far from Poperinge could not believe it when at the end of 2019, schools started to cancel trips because of reports of a virus in Wuhan, China. Like Louagie, he had plunged money into the business and needed any income he could get. "Seriously, do you mean that? This is in China. This is far, far away from us," he remembers saying. But the reality of the pandemic, which has since claimed at least 5 million dead across the globe, soon sank in and he had to close on March 13, 2020 - a somber day he remembers well. From 65,000 paying visitors in 2017 to just 3,000 last year, the numbers demonstrated how remembrance tourism slumped throughout the region. "It was like we went bankrupt. We had to close everything down," he said. But each man dealt with it in his own way and is still around to tell his story. Crowdfunding was the answer for Louagie. Last year, a 98-year-old World War II veteran raised money by walking from a war graves cemetery to Talbot House, cheered on by locals who pulled money out of their wallet when they were not applauding. When a local died, the family asked that instead of flowers, mourners donate money to Talbot House. "It became very emotional when I saw how many people cared so deeply," Louagie said. As virus measures eased recently thanks to Belgium's vaccination drive, some visitors enjoyed their breakfast at Talbot house. And just like old times, praise was heaped on English volunteer Libby Madden for her Victoria sponge cake. "You know, we very much want to keep the spirit of this wonderful place alive," she said. Flanders' fields were once so war-scarred that churches and castles simply vanished as rubble under the mud. Much around Ypres has been restored to its former splendor and imbued locals with an unshakeable sense of optimism. Benoot was looking at an empty parking lot last year and had missed the din of spoken English from heaps of British tourists that resounded in the museum and cafe. Yet this week, "we have had the first British (bus) in two years." Even as his income dwindled in the middle of the pandemic, Benoot understood that the message of "the war to end all wars" still needed to be passed on to younger generations. At 37, he thought himself to old to convey the message to kids, so he left it to his sons Louis and Arthur, 10 and 8, who are now YouTube whizzes to teach kids about gas masks, helmets and medical kits. The Hooge Boys are a hit now. "We don't do what all the rest does. So I think we have a way to survive," Benoot said. Even the Last Post ceremony in nearby Ypres a daily, mournful bugle call harking back to 1928 that had only briefly stopped during World War II was at risk of being silenced. The tradition has the bugle playing under the Menin Gate where some 55,000 names of soldiers whose remains were never found are engraved. Yet it pulled through. Volunteers refused to stop and pulled strings all the way up to the top political posts to ensure its continuation, even if it had to be scaled down. "During COVID, there was only one bugler and the names of 55,000 soldiers," said Benoit Mottrie, the head of the Last Post Association. On Thursday, there should be the full complement of six buglers again, backed up by a piper, a choir, a band and several hundred invitees and poppy promenade walkers. Even the Belgian prime minister will show up. Jerry Glenn Howell, 88, passed away on Monday, November 15, 2021 at his home in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Visitation will be held on Friday, November 19, 2021 from 5-7pm at Dighton Marler Funeral Home in Stillwater. www.dightonmarler.com. Members of OK State Stand United were joined by other Oklahoma State University students and members of Justice for Julius Monday to show support for death row inmate Julius Jones. They marched and encouraged people to contact Gov. Kevin Stitt and ask him to approve clemency for Jones, as recommended by the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board. Michelle Charles/Stillwater News Press For the first time since August, Florida Department of Health reported an increase in COVID-19 cases over the week before. DOH reported 10,828 new cases (about 1,547 a day) for the week of Nov. 12-18, bringing the cumulative total since March 2020 to 3,677,968. Mt Maunganui-headquartered port logistics company ISO Limited is announcing the arrival of two world-leading mobile harbour cranes for safer and more efficient handling of cargo at its operation at Eastland Port in Te Tairawhiti Gisborne. The world-leading technology continues ISOs significant investment in innovation to transform its port logistics supply chain nationwide. ISO CEO Paul Cameron says the new mobile harbour cranes will help transform our operation at Eastland Port in Te Tairawhiti. "The new technology will remove our people from high-risk areas on the wharf and enable cargo to flow more efficiently through the increasingly pressured supply chain. With the implementation of the cranes we are upskilling and training staff we move out of high-risk areas into other machinery-based roles within the business." ISO commissioned the German-manufactured Liebherr mobile harbour cranes to suit its operating environment, with advanced technology and safety specifications designed by its technology team. The cranes arrived at Te Tairawhiti Harbour on Monday, after departing Rostock, Germany, on September 24. Eastland Port will be the second port to benefit from introducing ISOs mobile harbour cranes, following the introduction of four cranes in Mt Maunganui in August 2020. ISO COO Andrew Davies says theyve seen significant improvements in safety and productivity in Mt Maunganui with the introduction of mobile harbour cranes, including a 75 per cent reduction in incidents. "The cranes provide a safer, more efficient and reliable method of loading logs directly from trailers into the vessels hold with mobile cranes instead of ships cranes. "We expect to see similar results in Te Tairawhiti. The mobile cranes allow us to handle all types of cargo for a wider range of vessels, which increases handling cycles, lift capacity and vessel turnarounds which means a better result for our customers, our business, and the port." Eastland Port infrastructure manager Marty Bayley says they have the largest infrastructure developments in a century happening at Eastland Port over the next few years including stage one of the Twin Berth project beginning in a few months. "ISO is the sole stevedore operator at the port, and their new mobile cranes will help keep exports moving as volumes grow in Te Tairawhiti. "Its fantastic to see ISOs commitment to investing in world-leading technology to help improve safety and cargo flow throughout the entire forestry supply chain, providing an improved service for our customers." Three mobile harbour cranes will be in operation at Eastland Port by the end of the month; ISO will ship one of its Mt Maunganui-based mobile cranes to Te Tairawhiti, so three cranes are available at each port. A world-first in terms of size and capacity, the fully mobile crane weighs 465 tonnes, has a 51-metre maximum lifting height, a 54-metre maximum outreach, and can lift a maximum load of 124 tonnes. ISO, which handles more than half of New Zealands log exports, is applying robotics, automation and IT across its operations nationwide to minimise exposure to hazards and move its people into more skilled roles. Over the past three years, 13 Robotic Scaling Machines for scaling logs have been installed across ISOs North and South Island operations to automate the accurate volumetric measurement (scaling) of export logs on trucks and trailers. The world-first robotic technology was developed by Tauranga-based Robotics Plus in collaboration with ISO. Earlier this year, ISO started the rollout of its Automatic Tally Stations, developed by its technology team, to replace manual scanning of tickets on packets of logs at the wharf following scaling through the RSM offsite. When the truck drives through the new stations, tickets attached to the logs are scanned automatically while drivers safely stay in the truck. In addition, mobile Harbour Cranes allow logs to be loaded directly from trucks onto vessels. "Safety is our number one priority, and these innovations contribute significantly to the safety of our people," says Cameron. "We will continue to invest in new technology to enhance safety, improve efficiency and productivity, and radically improve the supply chain for our customers. "We want to thank our customers, staff and the port companies we work with, who have supported us in making industry-leading improvements at our operations nationwide." ISO has grown to be one of New Zealands largest nationwide waterfront cargo logistics companies, operating out of Marsden Point, Tauranga, Kaingaroa, Murupara, Gisborne, Napier, New Plymouth, Wellington, Picton, Timaru, Dunedin, Bluff and Invercargill. ISO also provides innovative warehousing, IT and total supply chain solutions to port industries across New Zealand. Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta leaves New Zealand this week on an international programme to advance Aotearoa New Zealands interests on a range of issues, including our Covid-19 response and recovery and engagement in the Indo-Pacific. This is the first international visit of a New Zealand Foreign Minister since Covid-19 broke out across the globe. Mahuta will visit six countries, host Te Aratini at Expo 2020, as well as meet with seven foreign ministers and a range of international representatives. Mahuta and her delegation of two will leave on Thursday 11 November. They have been fully vaccinated and will comply with any host government Covid-19 restrictions and testing requirements. Upon return to New Zealand on 28 November, they will complete the required MIQ period. New Zealand enjoys wide-ranging relationships with many countries, and this trip is an opportunity to strengthen those ties and ensure Aotearoa New Zealands unique perspectives are understood and taken into account in key capitals, says Mahuta. I am looking forward to meeting some of my counterparts in person, following a year of virtual meetings and online engagements, she says. The first stop is Sydney to meet Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, followed by a transit in Singapore which will include a meeting with Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. Minister Mahuta will then travel to Jakarta where the Minister will meet her Indonesia counterpart, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, and separately meet with the ASEAN Secretary General, reinforcing the value Aotearoa New Zealand places on our partnership with ASEAN. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta then travels to the United Arab Emirates to support New Zealands exhibition at Expo 2020, and to host Te Aratini (Festival of Indigenous and Tribal Ideas), and meet with UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed. The festival is New Zealands single most important event at Expo 2020 in Dubai. Expo 2020 provides a significant platform to demonstrate our indigenous values and trade opportunities on the world stage. My visit also offers the opportunity to further deepen our strong bilateral relationship with the UAE which is critical for our connectivity and supply chains and an important partner for Aotearoa New Zealand in the Middle East region, says Mahuta. The Minister will then travel to Doha with New Zealands Special Representative to Afghanistan to meet her Qatari counterpart Sheik Al-Thani and thank him for Qatars support of New Zealands Afghan evacuation. The Qatari Government has been generous in supporting departures from Afghanistan and is continuing to play an important role. My visit will allow me to formally recognise and thank them for this support. The Minister will then travel to Washington DC and Ottawa to reaffirm Aotearoa New Zealands strong friendship with the United States and Canada. She will hold meetings with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and newly-appointed Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly. Aotearoa New Zealand works side by side with the United States on issues that matter to both of us, including the prosperity, security, and sustainability of the Indo-Pacific, and in particular Pacific Island countries. We also enjoy a close friendship with Canada, built on our shared history, democratic values, security partnership and commitment to multilateralism. Fogging conditions being observed in the Bay of Plenty this week are being put down to Vog. Vog is volcanic fog a weather phenomenon that sees sulphur-based volcanic gases mix with atmospheric moisture to form an aerosol. A number of people have taken to social media in the past 24 hours wondering why there has been such fogging conditions in the BOP. In a statement about increased gas emissions and lake levels at Whakaari/White Island, GeoNet says cloudy and humid weather conditions are allowing spectacular steam and gas plumes to be seen above the island, but also the weather is often obscuring views from the coast. Steam and gas plume above White Island/Whakaari on Nov 7, 7.30 pm NZDT. The volcanic monitoring organisation has since taken to Twitter to explain Vog conditions further. Weather mentioned in our Whakaari/White Island volcano update have combined with a developing sea fog in the Bay of Plenty to create a phenomena known as Vog (volcanic fog), reads the tweet. The light northerly winds are driving this onshore, there has not been an eruption to produce this. A VOG can be unpleasant producing watery eyes and a stinging sensation. Those with a respiratory health issues should be cautious. See health advice here: https://ivhhn.org/information A 20-year-old scrap metal cemetery in the middle of the Sierra Almijara natural park The owner of the old Los Colmenarejos quarry regrets that neither the town hall nor the regional government has responded to his request to remove the twenty or so heavy vehicles that have been in the area since the late 1990s. A scrap-heap of heavy vehicles and heavy machinery remains immobile in the middle of area of outstanding natural beauty at the bottom of the Barranco de los Colmenarejos ravine near Maro, within the boundaries of the Sierras Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama natural park, making the area look like a scene out of a film. A little over a year has passed since SUR last reported on the situation of this old quarry, which was sealed off by Nerja town hall at the end of the 1990s, following the announcement by the regional government that the area, which covers more than 40,600 hectares in 13 municipalities in the provinces of Malaga and Granada, was to be declared a natural park. Although twelve months ago the town hall announced that it was determined to remove the machinery "as soon as possible" no progress has been made. The owner of the vehicles, the Velez-Malaga businessman Orlando Rodriguez, has insisted that until the council and the Junta de Andalucia give him permission to remove the machinery, he cannot do so, "Because officially there is still a municipal seal on the quarry installations," he explained. When the town hall took that decision in 2013, Rodriguez took the town hall to court. "In 2013 we presented a request to withdraw it and they did not answer us, and more than a year ago the same thing, we are still waiting," he protested. The businessman has said that they "never" returned a bank guarantee of three million pesetas and added that it is costing him 222 euros a year to renew it. "I want to wipe the slate clean, take that machinery out of there once and for all," despite the fact that it will cost him more to remove the machinery than the value it has is for scrap, which he says is around 40,000 euros. The situation at the old quarry hides a conflict that began more than two decades ago, when the Junta was processing the declaration of the Sierras Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama natural park. Nerja town hall considered the licence to exploit this quarry together with that of Rio de la Miel, which was subsequently used as an illegal rubbish dump for 18 years, to have expired. The latter is an ongoing case, with Nerja Mayor Jose Alberto Armijo, the councillor for Town Planning Nieves Atencia, and six local construction businesses facing prison sentences. The public prosecutor is asking for a sentence of two years in prison and 18 months ban from public office for an alleged crime against the environment and natural resources, in addition to having demanded a bail of 10.8 million euros from Nerja town hall for the accumulation of more than 800,000 cubic metres of waste of all kinds from construction and demolition at the site. The hearing is due to take place in Malaga between February and March 2022. The Junta began work in May this year to seal the dump with an investment of 1.6 million euros and a completion period of twelve months. The coordinator of the Axarquia environmental group GENA - Ecologistas en Accion, Rafael Yus, said that he would raise a question about the abandoned machinery at a forthcoming meeting with the Junta de Andalucias natural park committee, of which he is a member. "It is impossible not to see the environmental impact it generates, I remember that it was discussed on one occasion and I was told it was a matter concerning the businessman and the town hall, but things cannot go on forever," said Yus. SUR has tried without success to get a statement from Nerja town hall on the situation. The Nao Victoria docks in Benalmadena The replica of the historical ship, the first to sail around the world, is currently touring different ports to mark the 500th anniversary of that remarkable voyage The replica of the Nao Victoria will be docked in Benalmadena until Sunday 14 November. / sur A replica of the Nao Victoria, the first ship to sail around the world, will be docked in Benalmadena until Sunday 14 November to allow visitors to experience life onboard the historical sailing vessel. The original Nao Victoria, commanded by Juan Sebastian Elcano, left Seville in 1519 and returned to the same city in 1522, after circumnavigating the globe for the first time in history. The replica, which arrived in the Puerto Marina on Thursday, will stop off as part of the tour to celebrate the fifth centenary of the first round the world trip. It has already visited more than 25 cities as part of a programme of activities that the Nao Victoria Foundation is carrying out with the collaboration of the city council of Seville. The ship was built in Spain in 1991 after a long process of historical research was carried out. Since its construction, the ship has already sailed more than 26,000 nautical miles, making important cultural tours through hundreds of ports in the US and Europe. During its stay in Benalmadena, the public will be able to tour its decks and learn about the amazing adventure that its sailors experienced 500 years ago, facing an immense journey of more than three years full of dangers and difficulties. Visitors will also be able to go down into the hold, and learn about the experiences of the young crew that today continues to sail through seas around the world. The ship can be visited between 10am and 7pm. Tickets cost five euros (three euros for children under ten), while a family ticket costs 13 euros. All the relevant sanitary measures will be adopted, such as the mandatory use of masks for both the public and the crew. www.fundacionnaovictoria.org The King is coming to the capital of the Costa del Sol Felipe VI, who has visited the Malaga four times since he took over as Head of State, will preside over the Cotec summit on 17 November Felipe VI, on his visit to Malaga in 2018, accompanied by Queen Letizia, the city mayor De la Torre and other officials. / SUR The King of Spain, Felipe VI, will be making his fifth visit to Malaga, since he took over as Head of State, in the coming weeks. The Royal Household has confirmed that the reigning monarch will preside over the Cotec Foundation for Innovation European summit which will be held in the Edgar Neville Auditorium, at the provincial governments headquarters on 17 November. The summit will also be attended by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, along with the general directors of Cotec Spain, Portugal and Italy, Jorge Barrero, Jorge Portugal and Carlotta Quattro, respectively. Also in attendance will be Spains Minister of Economy, Nadia Calvino, and the heads of Caixa Bank and Telefonica. The summit will be followed by an early dinner for a select group of guests at the Hotel Miramar. Previous visits The monarch has visited the city previously with Queen Letizia, in September 2014 to preside over the inaugural dinner of the XIX Spain-United States Forum, and in November 2015 to deliver the National Awards for Innovation and Design at the Cervantes Theatre. Later, in 2017, he was in Malaga again for the Transfiere Forum, a European forum for science, technology and innovation, and on that occasion, when he was not accompanied by Queen Letizia, he also visited the Malaga Museum. Loud applause Finally, in 2018, he awarded Gold Medals of Merit in Fine Arts together with the queen at the Centre Pompidou Malaga. On that occasion he was loudly applauded when he said, "Malaga hides an admirable paradox: that of being one of the oldest cities in Europe and at the same time one of the most modern." Uber gains ground at Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport, but taxi drivers have a counter plan The multinational ride-hailing company will have a presence in the terminal and its own parking area out front, but taxi drivers also have some new ideas to beat airport 'pirates' The ride-hailing company Uber is strengthening its presence at the Malaga-Costa del Sol airport and the operator has just signed a contract to have its own parking area as well as a customer service counter in Terminal 3. The multinational has signed similar deals with the national airport operator, Aena, Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat airports, according to El Pais newspaper. As a result, Uber cars will be able to work practically like the taxis which do, already, have a reserved area in front of the terminal, as well as an exclusive stop for picking up customers. Previously, the ride-hailing company could only drop off or pick up customers. But now the company will not only have a parking area for about 35 vehicles, but also a customer service counter in T3. According to El Pais, the multinational will have to pay Aena a variable fee that will be equivalent to 21% of the declared monthly income, with a minimum amount of 25,000 euros per year. The initial contract is for a three-year period. Taxi drivers counter plan Members of the Costa del Sol Taxis Confederation also plan to have desk in the airport, with a stand located right in front of the arrival terminal door so that it is the first thing that passengers see as soon as they step on Malaga soil. This customer service post will offer information about the destination and the price they should pay. The intention of the sector is to offer the possibility of even paying the fare in advance, so that when you get into the taxi you only have to present the ticket. The association is seeking to counteract the presence of 'pirates' that try to attract customers by taking advantage of the queues that form at the bus stop at peak times or the travellers who cannot find their way to the taxi rank outside the terminal. Police hunt thief who stole a car with a six-year-old child inside Guardia Civil officers are still searching for the suspect after the incident in Almargen on Monday evening Police are hunting a suspected car thief after he drove off in the vehicle with a six-year-old boy inside it. The incident happened at around 7pm on Monday, 8 November, while the family from Canete la Real, were visiting the Malaga province town of Almargen. The exact circumstances are not yet clear, but the alleged thief made off in the vehicle with the young child inside it. After noticing the child, the driver stopped at a fuel station that is about five minutes from the town centre, where he left the young boy, before making off again in the stolen vehicle. Unharmed SUR sources have confirmed that the suspect has not yet been located and an investigation is continuing. The child is reported to be unharmed. It is not the first case of its kind in the province of Malaga: in 2020, three men stole a car in Puerto de la Torre with two babies inside. When they became aware, the criminals abandoned the vehicle a couple of kilometres from the area where it was stolen. Spain's national coronavirus incidence rate rises for the fifth consecutive day Last week Spain returned to the medium risk from Covid-19 level, of between 50 to 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants Data on the evolution of the coronavirus cases in Spain continues to show a rebound in the figures. On Monday, 8 November, the Ministry of Health notified 6,417 new infections. And, according to official statistics, for the fifth consecutive day the national Covid-19 cumulative incidence rate increased again, going from 51.6 cases per 100,000 inhabitants on Thursday to 58.5 on Monday. Ever since Spain re-entered the medium risk from Covid zone (between 50 to 100 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), which happened last week, the transmission rate has been registering daily growth. Another 54 deaths have been added to the death toll which means that 87,558 people, with a positive diagnostic test for the virus, have died since the virus first arrived in Spain. Hospital occupancy The hospital occupancy has also registered an increase, rising 65 since last Friday to 1,858 patients. And an additional 14 patients are being treated in an intensive care unit, making a total of 400. By region, all have suffered a rise in the cumulative incidence rate, except the Asturias, which remains at 41 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. At the other extreme is Navarra which is the region with the greatest increase in its incidence rate, going from the 94 that it counted on Friday to 112 on Monday. Positivity rate Meanwhile, the positivity rate for tests stands at 3.22 per cent, compared to the 2.79 per cent on Friday. The World Health Organization (WHO) advises that this figure be below 5 per cent to consider the spread of the virus as controlled. Atlantic, IA (50022) Today Some clouds. Low 21F. NNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Some clouds. Low 21F. NNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. 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. Our Most Popular Magazines + Digital We get it. You live by the Ski Valleys snow report even when youre hours away. You follow every Taos post on Instagram. Our small town occupies a BIG part of your heart. Keep in touch with all things Taos when you subscribe to FIVE of our national award-winning magazines, plus access to the website and e-edition for a full year at the special low rate of just $55. US Hikes Thresholds For Tax-Privileged Retirement Arrangements 09 November 2021 The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has announced that the amount individuals can contribute to their 401(k) plans in 2022 has increased to USD20,500 (up from USD19,500 for 2021 and 2020). The IRS has also issued technical guidance regarding all of the cost-of-living adjustments affecting dollar limitations for pension plans and other retirement-related items for tax year 2022 in Notice 2021-61, which was published on November 4. The increased USD20,500 threshold applies to employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan. The income ranges for determining eligibility to make deductible contributions to traditional Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs), to contribute to Roth IRAs, and to claim the Saver's Credit all increased for 2022. Taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA if they meet certain conditions. If during the year either the taxpayer or the taxpayer's spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, the deduction may be reduced, or phased out, until it is eliminated, depending on filing status and income. (If neither the taxpayer nor the spouse is covered by a retirement plan at work, the phase-outs of the deduction do not apply.) The following phase-out ranges apply for 2022: For single taxpayers covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to USD68,000 to USD78,000 (up from USD66,000 to USD76,000); For married couples filing jointly, if the spouse making the IRA contribution is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is increased to USD109,000 to USD129,000 (up from USD105,000 to USD125,000); For an IRA contributor who is not covered by a workplace retirement plan and is married to someone who is covered, the phase-out range is increased to USD204,000 to USD214,000 (up from USD198,000 to USD208,000); For a married individual filing a separate return who is covered by a workplace retirement plan, the phase-out range is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains USD0 to USD10,000; and The income phase-out range for taxpayers making contributions to a Roth IRA is increased to USD129,000 to USD144,000 for singles and heads of household (up from USD125,000 to USD140,000); For Roth IRAs, for married couples filing jointly, the income phase-out range is increased to USD204,000 to USD214,000 (up from USD198,000 to USD208,000); and The phase-out range for a married individual filing a separate return who makes contributions to a Roth IRA is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains USD0 to USD10,000. The IRS has further announced that the income limit for the Saver's Credit, also known as the Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, for low- and moderate-income workers is USD68,000 for married couples filing jointly (up from USD66,000); USD51,000 for heads of household (up from USD49,500); and USD34,000 for singles and married individuals filing separately (up from USD33,000). The amount individuals can contribute to their SIMPLE retirement accounts is increased to USD14,000 (up from USD13,500). For 2022, the limit on annual contributions to an IRA remains unchanged at USD6,000. The IRA catch-up contribution limit for individuals aged 50 and over is not subject to an annual cost-of-living adjustment and remains USD1,000. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan remains unchanged at USD6,500. Therefore, participants in 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans, and the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan who are 50 and older can contribute up to USD27,000, starting in 2022. The catch-up contribution limit for employees aged 50 and over who participate in SIMPLE plans remains unchanged at USD3,000. You are here Media > News Fellow in Focus: Dr Aidan OMalley on Translation and Identity 9 November 2021 - Our first Fellow in Focus of the academic year featured Visiting Research Fellow Dr Aidan OMalley (University of Rijeka) in conversation with Professor Michael Cronin discussing translation, identity and Europe. Dr OMalley recently concluded his short-term visiting fellowship at the Hub where he was conducting research on his project Ireland and Europe: Representations of Europe in Irish Literature and Literary Debate since 1940. In addition to giving a seminar to postgraduate students on his research and participating in the Hubs community research initiatives, Dr OMalley engaged in a fascinating conversation with Professor Michael Cronin on many of the prevalent themes of his research including language and Europe, how Ireland sees itself in relation to Europe (both East and West), and his work on the theatre and publishing company, Field Day. Dr OMalley is an Assistant Professor, and Chair of the Literature section, at the Department of English, University of Rijeka. During his two-month fellowship in association with the School of English, he examined the Hubert Butler papers held in Trinitys Library. Opening the online Fellow in Focus, Professor Michael Cronin, 1776 Professor of French and Director of the Centre for Literary and Cultural Translation in Trinity College Dublin described Dr OMalleys work as inspirational and provocative, providing an insight into what happens when one shifts from one language to another, from one culture to another. Identity is always an imagined process, Dr OMalley commented as he reflected on how he came to focus on translation. Prompted to think about his own experience of navigating identity, living in both London and Rome and learning a new language, he said that he was constantly brought back to literature and notions of identity. The Field Day play Translations became the case study for the project he brought to Florence for his doctoral studies in translation and European identity, and also set the scene for much of his later work, he added. Although Field Day was explicitly a cultural intervention into the Troubles Dr OMalley explained, its output hardly touches on the Troubles directly; instead, its focus comes down to language all the time. When youre on the periphery of Europe, there is another EuropeEurope is always somewhere else. Alluding to the contradiction of what it means to be Irish in English, Dr OMalley said that Translations allows allows all the problematics to come out. Discussing the notion of the translator as traitor, Dr OMalley said that in some ways it is necessary to be a traitor; the traitor is somebody who has a foot in both worlds but at the same time an excess of fidelity brings about a betrayal. One of the most important things about translation is that its never done, it always has to be redone, Dr OMalley concluded adding that identity is likewise a constant dialogue. Turning the conversation to Irelands relationship with Europe, and the focus of Dr OMalleys research fellowship at Trinity, Professor Cronin asked what is meant when we speak about Europe in Ireland. Dr OMalley said he is concerned with how Europe has been mobilised in Irish discourse since 1940. Speaking of writers such as OFaolain, Heaney and Flann OBrien (Brian O'Nolan), he said that in Ireland, Europe is a concept and is never specified. There is a sense that one should be more European, he added, although for many Irish writers this extends only as far as western Europe. Paris is always the shorthand Dr OMalley commented, contrasting this with his current home in Croatia where Germany is the bigger reference point. When youre on the periphery of Europe, there is another EuropeEurope is always somewhere else. About Aidan OMalley Aidan OMalley is an Assistant Professor, and Chair of the Literature section, at the Department of English, University of Rijeka. He received his Ph.D. from the European University Institute, Florence, and is the author of two books: Field Day and the Translation of Irish Identities: Performing Contradictions (2011), and (in Croatian) Being Irish in English: Literature, Language and the (Post-) Colonial Experience in Ireland, 1600-2000 (2021). Besides numerous chapters and articles on Irish literature, he has also edited with Eve Patten the volume, Ireland, West to East, Irish Cultural Connections with Central and Eastern Europe (2014), and a special issue of the European Journal of English Studies (17: 2, August 2013) on Myths of Europe: East of Venice. Thank you for Reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and Purchase a Subscription to continue reading. Whether youre looking for a smart speaker, smart lighting, an entry lock, a security camera, or a thermostat, Black Friday 2021 should reward you with plenty of discounted hardware. In past years, weve seen major discounts from Amazon and Google, as well as Kwikset, Lutron, Leviton, Philips Hue, and other major players. The best deals tend to sell out quickly, however, so if you like one of the deals below, dont hesitate to snap it up before it disappears. When is Black Friday 2021? Black Friday traditionally comes the day after Thanksgiving, marking the beginning of the holiday shopping season. This year, Black Friday falls on Friday, November 26. But retailers have been launching Black Friday deals even weeks earlier in recent years, trying to beat the competition to the punch. Black Friday buying tips Giving a friend or loved one the gift of a smart home device can be as easy as buying one for yourself. You just need to discretely ask a few questions to ensure your gift will fit in with what they have. Find out which platform(s) theyve adopted: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit. What kind of smart lighting products do they use, Philips Hue? Wi-Fi? Outdoor smart lighting can make an impressive gift, too. If they have security cameras, buy the same brand, so they dont need to use different apps for monitoring. A surefire means of saving a lot of dough is to buy a previous-generation smart home device versus the very latest. Typically, you wont be giving up a lot in the way of features, and factory support should last plenty long enough to justify the price. The smart home industry has been hit hard by COVID-related supply chain constraints, and some productssuch as smart home hubshave been nearly impossible to find. Fortunately, that situation is finally starting to work itself out. Still, if you find a good deal, you should strike while the iron is hot. Who has early Black Friday smart home deals? We expect all the big playersAmazon, Google, Best Buy, Walmart et alto have plenty of Black Friday deals, with Amazon having the most diverse offerings. The other big box stores will likely focus on more mainstream categories, while the Google Play Store mostly sells only Nest devices. Follow these links up to and on the big day to see whats available: Amazon (early smart home deals in every category) Best Buy (deals on the most common smart home categories) Costco (deals on select smart home products) Google/Nest (deals on Nest smart speakers, thermostats, etc.) Target (deals on the most common smart home brands) Walmart (deals common smart home devices, but also sensors) Early Black Friday smart home deals Google Nest Nest Doorbell (battery) From: Google Was: $180 Now: $130 ($50 off) We thought the latest Nest doorbell was a great value at its regular price, but you can save $50 if you buy one now. This great home-security device is extremely powerful and super-easy to install and configure. Best of all, it will capture your porch visitors with crystal-clear image quality, and its detection and alert capabilities are the best in the business. See the Nest Doorbell (battery) at the Google Play storeRemove non-product link Ben Patterson/IDG Nest Hub (2nd gen) From: Google Was: $100 Now: $50 ($50 off) If your smart home revolves around Nest, Chromecast, Google Photos, YouTube, and YouTube music, there is no better small smart display to control things. Its 7-inch screen has a smaller footprint than the competingand smallerAmazon Show 5, and theres no camera, so you can feel comfortable installing it in your bedroom to take advantage of its unique sleep-tracking feature that will inform you as to how much rest you get each night. That last feature will be free through the end of 2022. See the Nest Hub (2nd gen) at the Google Play StoreRemove non-product link Ecobee Ecobee SmartThermostat with voice control From: Amazon Was: $250 Now: $200 ($50 off) Our longtime-favorite smart thermostat not only features an integrated smart speaker, it can be paired with sensors (one is included) that monitors motion and the temperature of the rooms theyre placed in to ensure your entire home is comfortable, not just the location where the thermostat is mounted. This thermostat can also act as the heart of a home security system when used with products like the Ecobee SmartCamera, which is also on sale for Black Friday (see below). See the Ecobee SmartThermostat with voice control at AmazonRemove non-product link Michael Brown / IDG Ecobee SmartCamera with voice control From: Amazon Was: $100 Now: $70 ($30 off) Like its smart thermostat, Ecobees home security camera has Alexa onboard and it can act as the hub for a complete home security system when deployed with Ecobees room and door/window sensors. Bonus points for also supporting Apples HomeKit ecosystem, including HomeKit Secure Video. Abode Abode Smart Security Black Friday bundle From: Abode Was: $600 Now: $299 ($301 off) An early player in security-focused smart home systems, Abodes offerings have been consistently impressive. These days, its compatibility covers all the basesAlexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. This Black Friday bundle is an exceptional value that includes everything you need, plus a free Abode Cam 2 security camera anwhile supplies lastan Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display. See the Abode Smart Security Black Friday bundle at AbodeRemove non-product link Abode Abode Cam 2 From: Abode Was: $40 Now: $25 ($15 off) Heres a great opportunity to expand your Abode-based home security system (the camera can also work as a standalone deviceindoors or out). The very small and quite excellent Abode Cam 2 was already inexpensive, but now you can pick one up for 34 percent less. See the Abode Cam 2 at AbodeRemove non-product link Kasa Smart multi-color smart light bulb From: Amazon Was: $20 Now: $10 ($10 off) Kasa Smart bulbs operate on your Wi-Fi network, so they dont require a hub, and this 50-percent-off deal on the color version (model KL130) is not to be missed. In addition to picking colors, you can tune the white color temperature, from warm to cool. This is a great value. See the Kasa Smart KL130 color bulb at AmazonRemove non-product link Sense Sense Flex or Sense Solar From: Amazon Was: $279 Now: $230 ($49 off) Wondering why your monthly electric bill is so high? An energy-monitoring system like the products Sense manufacturers can pinpoint the biggest energy consumers in your home, so you can take action to moderate them. There are two Sense systems on sale for Black Friday: Sense Flex includes an extra set of sensors, for homes with 400-amp split-service panels. The Sense Solar, meanwhile, will report on the production of your solar panels (assuming theyre tied into your electrical panel and dont connect directly to your utilitys meter). See the Sense FlexRemove non-product link and Sense SolarRemove non-product link at Amazon Yale Yale Assure Lock Touchscreen Wi-Fi smart lock From: Amazon Was: $279 Now: $230 ($49 off) Smart locks are an awesome way to enhance your homes security. You can program it to automatically lock at a defined hour, and you never need to worry about locking yourself out of the house. This Yale smart lock operates over Wi-Fi, so you dont need a smart home hub, and its touchscreen makes it very easy to use. See the Yale Assure Lock Touchscreen smart lock at AmazonRemove non-product link Amazon Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) From: Best Buy Was: $40 Now: $25 ($15 off) Whether youre a smart speaker neophyte or a seasoned smart home aficionado, youll find that you cant have too many of these gadgets around the house. This might not be Amazons latest entry-level speaker, but the Echo Dot (3rd Gen) is fabulous and Best Buy is offering it at a huge discount. See the Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Gen) at Best BuyRemove non-product link LiftMaster myQ Smart Garage Camera You dont need any other myQ Smart Garage products to derive value from this security camera designed to help you keep tabs on your garageand its contentsbut if you do, the cameras video feed will appear right above the controls for your garage-door controller. Its a good value at $150, but this is your chance to snag one for $50 off MSRP. From: Best Buy Was: $150 Now: $100 ($50 off) See the myQ Smart Garage Camera at Best BuyRemove non-product link Emerson Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat From: Amazon Was: $170 Now: $129 ($41 off) A smart thermostat can save you a ton of money heating and cooling your home, and Emersons Sensi Touch smart thermostat is a good one. It features a 4.3-inch color touchscreen with a blue background when your HVAC system is in cooling mode and red when its heating. This deal runs now through November 30. See the Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat at AmazonRemove non-product link Arlo Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera bundle Arlo From: Best Buy Was: $600 Now: $400 ($200 off) We named the Arlo Pro 4 the best home security camera of 2021, and heres your chance to score not just one of the indoor/outdoor cameras but a three-camera bundle that includes a dual battery charging station, three anti-theft mounts, and a yard sign that will warn cretins intent on mischief to steer clear of your property. These cameras alone typically sell for $200 each, so this Best Buy offering is a true bargain for the kit. See the Aro Pro 4 Spotlight Camera at Best BuyRemove non-product link Ben Patterson/IDG Nest Mini (2nd Generation) Ben Patterson/IDG From: Best Buy Was: $50 Now: $25 ($25 off) One thing about smart speakers is that you cant have too many of them. Even if you dont listen to music in every room in your home, you will want to be able to control your smart lighting, ask about days schedule, or find out what time happy hour starts at your local watering hole. The second-gen Nest Mini is a great choice for that role, and Best Buy is offering them for $25 offthats half price! See the Google Nest Mini (2nd Generation) at Best BuyRemove non-product link Lenovo Lenovo Smart Clock 2, plus Color Smart Bulb From: Walmart Was: $73 Now: $40 ($33 off) Weve seen several deals on Lenovos second-generation Smart Clock, but Walmart is bundling Lenovos own color smart bulb with the Google Assistant-powered device for an extra special savings (the bulb by itself usually sells for $12.99). The Smart Lock 2s bright display makes it easy to see from across the roomor with bleary eyes as you wake to its alarmand its small size makes it a perfect bedside companion (theres no onboard camera, either). Its also a pretty great near-field speaker for listening to music. See the Lenovo Smart Clock plus Smart Bulb at WalmartRemove non-product link Remove non-product link Ecobee SmartSensor (2-pack) From: Amazon Was: $80 Now: $60 ($30 off) Ecobee is best known for its excellent smart thermostats, but the company has also been moving into the smart home security space, with its thermostat or camera operating as the hub. If youve gone down that path, heres a great opportunity to expand your system with additional door/window sensors at a phenomenal savings. See the Ecobee SmartSensor 2-pack at AmazonRemove non-product link TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Mini Smart Plug From: Target Was: $18 Now: $15 ($3 off) Getting into the smart home swing doesnt get easier than plugging your lamp or small appliance into a smart plug. As youd guess by its name, TP-Links Kasa Smart Wi-Fi (model KP125) connects directly to your Wi-Fi network, so you dont need a hub or anything else to be able to turn whats plugged into it on and off. This one is compatible with Apples HomeKit ecosystem, which means you can use Siri voice commands with an iPhone or a HomePod smart speaker. Note that youll need to have at least $35 of merchandise in your Target cart in order to get free shipping. (If you dont need HomeKit compatibility, consider the Kasa Smart HS103, which Amazon is selling in a 4-pack for just $22.89Remove non-product link.) See the TP-Link Kasa Smart Mini Wi-Fi Plug (model KP125) at TargetRemove non-product link Updated periodically with new pricing details and additional products. When Google first unveiled the revamped Nest Hub back in March, the tech giant said the displays new sleep-tracking features would be free through the end of the year, but it was vague about what would happen after that. Would Google start charging Nest Hub users extra for Sleep Sensing? Well, now we know. Google just revealed that yes, the Nest Hubs Sleep Sensing functionality will eventually cost you, but the good news is that you wont have to pay up for more than a year. Heres the deal: Eventually, Google will roll Sleep Sensing into Fitbit Premium, the subscription plan for Fitbit users that costs $10 a month, or $80 a year. So if youre planning on having your Nest Hub track your sleep indefinitely, you might as well get a Fitbit (which is, of course, now owned by Google) while youre at it. But Google also said that Sleep Sensing will remain free through the end of 2022, which means that if you want to keep using the feature, you wont have to pony up for Fitbit Premium (which offers benefits such as premium Fitbit challenges, detailed health and fitness stats, wellness reports, and hundreds of workouts and mindfulness sessions) until the end of next year, at the earliest. Currently exclusive to the second-generation Nest Hub, Sleep Sensing is an opt-in feature that lets the display monitor your sleep without a wristband. Powered by a Soli chip (a tiny, built-in radar), the Nest Hub can sense your breathing as you slumber, and itll give you detailed reports about your sleep history and quality. Besides revealing that Sleep Sensing will eventually become a paid feature, Google also served up some details on new sleep tracking abilities that are slated to arrive beginning today. First up, sleep staging will allow the Nest Hub to give you more details about the various stages of your sleep, including how long you were in light, deep, and REM sleep, as well as how long you were awake. Google says its also improved the Nest Hubs sound detection functionality, which means it can now differentiate your snores and coughs from those of a sleeping partner. Following the update, the Nest Hub will lump sleeping sounds from a partner into an other sounds category, along with any loud sounds it might detect. Finally, the Nest Cam will add Calm, an app designed to boost sleep meditation and relaxation. The Calm app boasts a library of sleep stories, meditation exercises, music, and more, according to Google. News Editor I am a third-year studying English with a minor in biology. I joined Technician in the fall of 2020 as a correspondent and am now working as the News Editor. I plan to graduate in the spring of 2022. Why it matters: VPNs offer privacy by encrypting your traffic while also hiding your IP address and location, but where your VPN provider is headquartered matters a lot because many governments can legally force internet providers to record your browsing history, location data, and even text messages, and hand over these to surveillance agencies. After spending over 15 years in Hong Kong, PureVPN has decided to change homes. The company expresses gratitude to Hong Kong for all the years of support, and now the VPN service has effectively moved to the British Virgin Islands. The British Virgin Islands hold a distinctive position amongst privacy enthusiasts for its unmatched support for inclusivity, equality, and openness. Like Hong Kong, the British Virgin Islands are the perfect place for a privacy-centric VPN brand to operate, as they offer the right privacy-friendly environment. The new jurisdiction does not enforce any measures that could go on to violate the privacy of its users. This will help PureVPN to continue to provide complete peace of mind to its family of over 3 million customers. Customers' needs is at the base of PureVPNs operations, and user privacy is a vital part of everything that PureVPN offers. Now that it has entered its 15th year of operations, PureVPN believes that the new jurisdiction in the British Virgin Islands will help uphold the commitment it has made to its users, as well as enable its teams to excel in its services and expand into new security and privacy verticals. Moving headquarters is not an easy decision. It was crucial for PureVPN to select a place that could offer the right privacy-centric legal environment to conduct their operations. After analyzing multiple locations and holding talks with authorities in over 17 different countries, PureVPN decided the British Virgin Islands was the best fit. PureVPN was founded on the idea that people should be free to use the internet the way it was envisioned by the founders of the World Wide Web, says Uzair Gadit, CEO of PureVPN. We want people to browse the internet freely without worrying about any kind of surveillance or restrictions. PureVPN gives its heartfelt thanks to Hong Kong for the space and support it provided to the company. The city maintained a firm stance against online surveillance and never enforced any measures that could affect user privacy. Now as PureVPN evolves from a VPN service to a holistic privacy solution, the company believes that the British Virgin Islands is the best place for this transition to succeed. This post has been brought to you in collaboration with PureVPN. In brief: Companies like Apple have yet to adopt LPDDR5, which has only found its way into a handful of mobile devices so far. However, that won't stop Samsung from forging ahead with LPDDR5X memory, which is both faster and more energy efficient, and allows phone manufacturers to pack more RAM than ever into future mobile devices. Back in August 2020, Samsung started mass producing 16 Gb LPDDR5 DRAM at the worlds largest semiconductor line, opening the possibility of cramming up to 16 gigabytes of RAM in devices like phones and tablets. The company has been making quick leaps in performance, power efficiency, and memory density over the last few years with 8 Gb LPDDR5 chips in 2018, and 12 Gb chips in 2019. This year, the South Korean tech giant is making yet another step in this journey with 16 Gb LPDDR5X DRAM, which is expected to be used in a variety of applications beyond smartphones. The new memory is 1.3 times faster than LPDDR5, meaning it is capable of data transfer speeds of up to 8.5 Gbps. Samsung says its LPDDR5X chips are made using a 14 nm EUV process node and need 20 percent less power to operate when compared to LPDDR5 memory. But more importantly, the new 16 Gb LPDDR5X chip will allow mobile device manufacturers to pack up to 64 gigabytes per memory package. We expect youll see the new memory debut in actual devices sometime in the first half of 2023, as many manufacturers (including Apple) have yet to adopt the existing LPDDR5 technology. In the meantime, Samsung says it will begin collaborating with global chipset manufacturers to establish a more viable framework for the expanding world of digital reality, with its LPDDR5X serving as a key part of that foundation. In related news, Samsungs Exynos account on Instagram dropped a teaser for an upcoming Exynos chipset. The new mobile SoC will be unveiled on November 19, and while some expect it will be the Exynos 2200 with an AMD GPU, the timing suggests well likely see a mid-range chipset instead. E-Commerce websites are a prime target for hackers because of the monetary potential that they have. However, it seems like a typical data breach isn't even perpetuated by actual humans over half the time. VentureBeat reports that around 57% of all cyberattacks targeting e-commerce sites are done by bots. The other 33% comprises all other industries. The data comes from the research firm Imperva Research Labs, who also revealed that the prevalence of an e-commerce data breaches has risen 13% since last year. Much of these cyberattack cases are performed by so-called "sophisticated bad bots." As per the original Imperva report, these bots are defined for their abilities to generate mouse clicks and movements that closely resemble human ones. As such, this kind of bot is what hackers use to launch a cyberattack on unsuspecting e-commerce sites, all because they're the hardest ones to stop. With this kind of bot, hackers can evade several defenses and commit fraud or deny inventory to people. In the end, consumers really can't get what they want to buy because it's almost always out of stock--or the entire e-commerce site itself is down for the count. With the holiday season on the horizon, it now falls to these e-commerce sites to think of ways to protect their systems and inventory against bot attacks. This is why 81% of online retailers are tapping into solutions such as artificial intelligence to protect their bottom line. Read also: Squid Game Merch Keywords is Banned from E-Commerce Stores in China | Merchants Find a Workaround Automated Traffic Is More Common Than People Think Success in e-commerce relies a lot on organic traffic. However, not a lot of people know that automated traffic consists roughly 39% of all internet traffic, writes Info Security Magazine. North America is among the regions which exhibited the most bad bot traffic in recent memory at 67% of all known traffic. Europe and Asia follow suit. Europe, however, seems to be an outlier--bad bots tend to come from specific hosting services or even residential IPs. How These Bots Work The challenge with using bots for attacking e-commerce sites involves making them convincing enough to evade detection. Hackers use different techniques to achieve this objective. Most of the time, they're going to mix the automated traffic into normal workday traffic, with a lot of online entities being none the wiser. But sometimes, they'll up their game. Some hackers have figured out how to make bots convincing by giving them the credentials of real people--names, addresses, everything. They often get this information either by outright stealing them, or buying them from dark web dealers, writes Security Intelligence. Once complete, the bots can then be used for almost any type of hacking operation--from malware to phishing attacks, and even compromising business emails. E-Commerce Sites Must Stay Vigilant Bots are a given fact of life on the digital space. For now, owners of ecommerce sites must be extra vigilant if they want to make sure that their products reach the hands of actual customers--not scalpers looking to make a quick buck. Related: E-commerce Frauds Are Haunting Online Retailers: Types and Solutions You Should Know This article is owned by Tech Times Written by RJ Pierce 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SpaceX's Starship can deliver 1,000 times more payload compared to all rockets in the world, says CEO and Founder Elon Musk; even rockets from the company. Currently, the company has 41,000 tons to orbit in the third quarter of the year, and it is inferior to China's record-breaking 45,000 tons. However, the year is not yet over, and Musk teases its plans for Q4. SpaceX Starship Payload: 1,000 Times More The SpaceX CEO has yet again explained to the world, particularly to the users on Twitter, that the Starship has better capabilities compared to other rockets present today. He regarded that the Stainless Steel spacecraft of the Starship can do 1,000 times more than other rockets on Earth, and that exaggeration is a massive claim for the spacecraft. The Starship remains untested regarding this, and this is because the FAA is still in the process of evaluating the company for its license to test the spacecraft for higher altitudes. It was known that earlier this year, Musk and SpaceX had tested the launch and landing capabilities of the rocket. The next venture of the company is with it atop the full stack of the Super Heavy rocket. Read Also: This SpaceX Render of Starship Separating with Super Heavy Booster is 'Pretty Close' to the Actual Thing Says Elon Musk The Starship fleet is designed to achieve over 1000 times more payload to orbit than all other rockets on Earth combined. Almost no one understands this. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 8, 2021 China vs. SpaceX: Payload to Orbit Q3 On the same thread, data has shown that China has surpassed SpaceX this Q3 of the year with regards to tons to orbit. China has done 45,000 tons worth of payload to orbit, while SpaceX has only done 32,000. However, it was 41,000 tons to orbit, as clarified by Elon Musk in a separate tweet. Musk regarded that China's payload for the said quarter is impressive, but SpaceX is aiming for more in the coming last quarter of the year, having 80,000 tons for the remaining months. Actually, 41 tons for SpaceX in Q3 & aiming for 80 tons in Q4. That said, China launch mass to orbit is extremely impressive. Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 8, 2021 SpaceX Payload in the Future SpaceX's Starship has one of the top payloads to orbit capacity on the spacecraft compared to other rockets present on Earth, and that does not include human passengers yet. Musk initially said that it could carry as much as 150 tons for fully reusable, and 250 tons as an expandable aircraft or a one-time use only, depending on their deal with clients. Comparing that to another of SpaceX's high-capacity rockets, the Falcon Heavy can only carry up to 70 tons to the low-Earth orbit. The Falcon Heavy is the higher-capacity version of the popular rocket variant in SpaceX's lineup, the Falcon. Comparing that to the Starship, it is higher in terms of numbers but is not yet tested due to the FAA's licensing wait. That being said, SpaceX alone can bring a lot of tons to orbit in the coming years, especially if it has approved its Starship project and has it operational for the expense of companies. Moreover, at their own expense, its focus on Mars would have the Starship in their arsenal, bringing the necessary equipment to build the space station it aspires for. Related Article: NASA, SpaceX Crew-3 Sees Delay for Nov. 8 Launch as Crew-2 Returns, Reschedules for Wednesday This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Crew-2 astronauts are on the way back to Earth today but before they departed the International Space Station, they were treated to one more aurora display. European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet, who is one of the four astronauts part of the Crew-2 mission, shared the photo of the stunning aurora display on his Twitter account. The aurora display has been triggered by the sun, which blasted out a series of bursts of magnetized plasma last week. The Crew-2 mission is set to splash back to Earth today at 10:33 p.m. Returning to the planet along with Pesquet are three more astronauts: Megan McArthur, Shane Kimbrough, and Akihiko Hoshide. Crew-2 Astronauts Catch One More Aurora We were treated to the strongest auroras of the entire mission, over north America and Canada. Amazing spikes higher than our orbit, and we flew right above the centre of the ring, rapid waves and pulses all over. #MissionAlpha https://t.co/5rdb08ljhx pic.twitter.com/0liCkGvRCh Thomas Pesquet (@Thom_astro) November 6, 2021 The Crew-2 astronauts, who are scheduled to return to Earth today, have been treated to one more brilliant aurora display before leaving the International Space Station (ISS). Thomas Pesquet, a European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut and one of the members of the Crew-2 mission, shared the photo of the aurora display on his personal Twitter account. "We were treated to the strongest auroras of the entire mission, over north America and Canada," Pesquet said in his tweet. The ESA astronaut described the aurora display as amazing and higher than the astronauts' orbit. What Caused the Aurora Display? According to a report by Space, the aurora display witnessed by the Crew-2 mission astronauts as well as the other residents of the ISS is due to "the sun has been acting out lately, waking up to its new period of activity after years of quietness." The report says that this new period of activity is actually part of a regular 11-year cycle whose next peak is expected to take place in 2025. This particular aurora display has been "triggered by a series of coronal mass ejections, bursts of magnetized plasma that the sun blasted out last week within a short period of time." Related Article: New Giant Solar Flare Releases Particles That Could Lead To Wide-Area Radio Blackouts | NASA Captures the Sun Activity The Crew-2 Mission Returns Today After multiple delays, the Crew-2 mission is finally on its way back to Earth. The mission is scheduled to splash back to the planet today at 10:33 p.m. The delays in the return of the mission are due to the delays in the launch of the upcoming Crew-3 mission. Along with Thomas Pesquet, returning to Earth are the three other members of the Crew-2 mission: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. The Crew-2 mission was launched to space in April by NASA and SpaceX. The mission was launched to the ISS by the latter's Falcon 9 rocket. The four astronauts are aboard a Crew Dragon capsule they have named Endeavour. Read Also: ISS Food Is Not All Bland, Says French Astronaut; But How Exactly Is Food Packed For Outer Space? This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isabella James 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. SpaceX Crew-2 mission's return to Earth could likely be accompanied by a sonic boom sound and a fireball sighting, which may surprise some Mississippi residents, the Naval Construction Battalion Center warned. SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Return to Earth The second crew mission of SpaceX for NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the Crew Dragon capsule is about to go back to the Earth, as per the report by Space.com. The Crew-2 mission is composed of NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, as well as European Space Agency astronauts Thomas Pesquet, along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide. The said crew now concludes their mission in the International Space Station or the ISS after six months. The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule is expected to splash down tonight along the coast of Florida. SpaceX Crew-2 Mission Earth Return and Sonic Boom That said, according to the local news outlet of CNBC, WLBT 3, the Naval Construction Battalion Center or NCBC in Gulfport issued a warning to the residents of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The NCBC warned that the return of the SpaceX capsule to Earth might produce a massive fireball that could last for about 5 to 10 minutes in total. On top of that, residents could also hear a loud sonic boom sound along with the bright light. However, the warning further noted that there is no need to be alarmed by the loud noise that Mississippi residents might hear. SpaceX Crew-2 Mission The SpaceX Crew-2 mission launched atop the Falcon 9 rocket launched last April 22 as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program to the International Space Station. The return of the crewed mission got delayed last Oct. 31 as the upcoming Crew-3 mission faced multiple hiccups, including weather issues and medical emergencies. Nevertheless, the Crew-2 mission is now on its way to re-enter the atmosphere of the Earth. Read Also: SpaceX's Crew Dragon Resilience: How to Watch ISS Astronauts Take Their Shortest Interstellar Travel Yet SpaceX Upcoming Crew-3 Mission After which, the SpaceX Crew-3 mission, which includes NASA astronauts Kayla Barron, Tom Marshburn, Raja Chari, as well as European Space Agency's Matthias Maurer, is set to launch on Nov. 10. That is if no delays are coming their way. Currently, the Crew-3 astronauts have been in Florida since Oct. 26 as they run through a series of final launch procedures before launching to space. Related Article: [UPDATED] SpaceX Crew Dragon Vs. Boeing Starliner Comparison: Passenger Capacity, Purpose, and Other Details This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Pfizer and BioNTech's vaccine is aiming to debut is COVID-19 "booster shots" for approval to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for inoculation among adults. The need for the booster shot is debated by different health organizations, especially for those who have received their complete shots already, with some thinking about the "mix and match" of these shots. Pfizer, BioNTech's COVID Booster Shot for FDA Approval According to the report by The Washington Post, Pfizer and BioNTech are yet again approaching the FDA for its approval of their COVID-19 booster vaccine that is needed to further the immunity of a person. Several people familiar with the matter have confirmed this approval process says The Post, but none is confirmed by the FDA and Pfizer yet. Currently, it remains unknown if the booster is effective or has done its phases of clinical trials, which are needed to ensure its safety and inoculation to different people. The vaccine shot was said to be intended for adults only, but it may be so that other booster shots would be available or eligible for the inoculation of the younger population. Read Also: US Reopens Borders After 20-Month Entry Ban Due to COVID-19 - Travelers Must be Vaccinated Pfizer, BioNTech's COVID-19 Booster Pfizer and BioNTech would again be one of the firsts in the world to debut a COVID-19 booster vaccine from their laboratories, bringing the mRNA shots to further the protection it has. The concern of some now is the "mix and match" that would happen, especially for those that received different brands like Moderna, Oxford and AstraZeneca, Jansen, and more. Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine and Booster Two biopharmaceutical companies have already presented their timelines with regards to a booster shot for COVID-19 vaccines, known popularly as the third shot to further empower the body's immunity. Pfizer and BioNTech's booster was said to be available by September, and on the other hand, Moderna is aiming to deliver this by year's end. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has slammed the need for a booster earlier this year, and the debate between agencies, manufacturers, and recipients have all meddled with its availability. The talks about a booster shot are heard again now, with Pfizer aiming for its shots to be tested and approved by the country's health agency. Boosters are said to be important with regards to immunization among all people in the country, as it is also required for other vaccines, more commonly known for growing children to fight against diseases. The only thing that it awaits now is its approval from the FDA if the company had indeed passed its dose for approval, as well as mixing it with other vaccine doses. Related Article: Pfizer Says Its COVID-19 Pill Reduces Risk of Hospitalization and Death by 89% This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Image from Commons.Wikipedia.com) Elon Musk Linked to Texas Land Grab Issue | Hundreds of Acres Added Purchased by Tesla On Top of 2000-Acre Gigafactory Elon Musk has just been personally linked to a recent massive land grab. The incident reportedly happened to be located right next to the Tesla Gigafactory Austin. The land grab, however, might not directly be for Tesla itself. Gigafactory Texas Massive 2000-Acre Piece Land According to Electrek, Tesla, as of the moment, already owned more land in Austin compared to anywhere else. When the automaker initially decided to build its own Gigafactory Texas located just outside the city, the company reportedly bought a massive 2000-acre piece of land for the price of about $100 million. The company has just acquired an additional few hundred acres located around the site for a few months. The site is now expected to be large enough to build its own giant vehicle factory for Tesla to produce the Model Y, Model 3, the Cybertruck, and even the Tesla Semi, along with other future models. Tesla Battery Cell Factory Tesla will also be hosting a battery cell factory. This will be more than big enough to receive Tesla's own headquarters now that the automaker has decided to move them over to Texas officially. Tesla is currently electricity and clean energy provider in Texas. Tesla CEO, has been linked to yet another land acquisition that was made next to the Tesla Gigafactory Texas site. Electrek clarifies Musk was personally linked which does not necessarily mean it is linked to Tesla. 300 to 620 Acres of Land According to the Austin Business Journal reports, there are between 300 to 620 acres of land located on the other side of the Colorado River next to the Tesla land that has recently changed hands to Horse Range LLC. It was noted that the property records that were filed with the official Travis County Clerk's office indicated that a certain group called Horse Ranch LLC had just purchased 620 acres some time earlier this year. The property was reportedly purchased from William McMorris Jr. and his wife Susan and Barbara Gill on behalf of the estate of Robert Gill Jr. Read Also: Tesla Stock Price Drops After Majority of Twitter Poll Voters Say Elon Musk Should Sell Stock 300 Acres Tied to Horse Ranch LLC It was noted, however, that it wasn't immediately clear how many actual acres were transferred. As of the moment, records that were filed with the Travis Central Appraisal District corroborate some of the land purchases. It reportedly showed that there were only nearly 300 acres that were tied to Horse Ranch LLC. Jared Birchall, who is known for managing Musk's family office, is currently listed as the manager of Horse Ranch LLC. Tesla CEO is managing a number of other companies that are all expanding into the Austin area, including Neuralink, The Boring Company, and SpaceX. Tesla's semi-trucks are currently set to release before 2022 despite Elon Musk's warnings. Related Article: SpaceX Crew-2 Mission's Earth Return Likely to Come with Sonic Boom Sound, Mississippi Residents Warned This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Urian B. 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (Photo : Unsplash/ Christian Wiediger) Venmo app Amazon will be adding a Venmo option during the checkout process. Paypal announced on its website that this option will be available for all its users in the United States starting 2022. Amazon's Venmo Option The news arrived as PayPal announced its third-quarter results. The online payment company stated that it had a 13% annual revenue increase, according to The Verge. Starting 2022, all Amazon customers in the United States will be able to link their Venmo accounts to their Amazon accounts. They can link them on both the desktop version and the mobile app version of the e-commerce giant. Ben Volk, Amazon's Director of Global Payment Acceptance, stated that they understand their customers who want flexibility and options in purchasing the items they bought on Amazon. Volk added that they've always wanted to give their shoppers the ability to pay using different modes of payment as they want to provide them with a new way to pay for their purchases, and teaming up with Venmo can fulfill that goal. Also Read: Amazon Officially Denies Plans to Use Crypto as Payment Method and Alleged Plans of Launching New Crypto Token in 2022 The deal is mutually beneficial for both companies. PayPal has more than 80 million users, and that is just in the United States alone. The company's recent behavior study shows that 65% of Venmo users stated that they'd increased their online purchases despite the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. The study also shows that 47% want to pay using their Venmo accounts, especially when checking out with online merchants. Many are now anticipating whether the service will be utilized since most Amazon shoppers are more comfortable paying using their credit cards. Amazon's current slate of payment options includes credit cards, debit cards, store cards, and checking accounts, EBT cards, HSA cards, or FSA cards. Amazon has also allowed palm-scanning payment at WholeFoods for faster transactions. PayPal is not currently supported as a payment option on Amazon, so the addition of Venmo is a win for the company. PayPal's integration with Amazon next year can give the much-awaited cryptocurrency feature to the e-commerce giant. In March, PayPal announced that consumers in the United States would be given the option to check out businesses via cryptocurrencies. Meanwhile, Venmo recently expanded its support for cryptocurrency through its new features that let users purchase cryptocurrency using cash-back from Venmo credit card purchases. However, it is not an assurance that the plan will push through. While Amazon is hiring for a head of digital currency and blockchain technology, it has also recently shut down rumors about plans to begin accepting crypto as payments. TechCrunch reported that PayPal hinted that its partnership with Amazon would not include cryptocurrency. The company said in a statement that the announcement is only about enabling Venmo consumers in the United States to pay with Venmo during the checkout process. They want to continue to grow this upcoming partnership, but there is no other update at this time. Frozen Accounts The announcement regarding the partnership with Amazon came after a woman from Tulsa, Oklahoma, warned others that the online payment company freezes accounts. Venmo responded by saying that their system freezes the account if the account is not fully verified, according to Newson6. With this issue still ongoing, Amazon shoppers should verify their accounts early to avoid any issues with their funds. Related Article:Amazon is Hiring a Blockhain Expert-Would it Soon Accept Cryptocurrency Payments on its E-Commerce? This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Madisonville, KY (42431) Today Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 29F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy early, becoming mostly clear after midnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 29F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Madisonville, KY (42431) Today Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 29F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low 29F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Early voting numbers in Lafayette Parish have been exceptionally low ahead of Saturday's election. "It was bad," said Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters Charlene Menard. "All I can tell you is it was very bad. We had maybe 300 a day." Just 2,670 people cast their votes in the parish during early voting Oct. 30 through Nov. 6. Of those votes, 1,375 were cast at the Lafayette Parish Registrar of Voters Office downtown, 318 at the Martin Luther King Recreational Center in north Lafayette, and 977 at the East Regional Public Library in Youngsville. The rec center and library were established just last year as new early voting locations in the parish. All three sites were far busier during early voting ahead of the 2020 presidential election when between 3,600 and 5,000 people cast early votes per day. Even elections with local candidates, such as Lafayette mayor-president races, attract about 2,000 Lafayette Parish voters per day ahead of election day, Menard said. "Always when we have props or constitutional amendments, it's a very low turnout," Menard said. "The only candidate we have in this election is the two ladies just in the city of Youngsville." Republicans Patricia Lanier and Kayla Menard Reaux are vying for a seat on the Youngsville City Council in Saturday's election. Simone Champagne, who served as Youngsville's chief administrative officer from 2014 to 2020, has temporarily filled the position vacated in January by Jamey Abshire, who resigned to accept a leadership role in the parks and recreation department of the Lafayette Consolidated Government. +3 Two women qualify for open seat on all-male Youngsville council Two women qualified Wednesday morning for an open seat on the Youngsville City Council ahead of the Oct. 9 election. 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 Other items on Saturday's ballot include four statewide constitutional amendments, four parishwide tax renewals and two citywide tax renewals. The statewide constitutional amendments up for consideration include: CA NO. 1 (Act 131, 2021) Authorizes streamlined electronic filing, remittance, and collection of sales and use tax CA NO. 2 (Act 134, 2021) Lowers maximum allowed rate of income tax and allows providing a deduction for federal income taxes CA NO. 3 (Act 132, 2021) Allows certain levee districts to levy an annual tax for certain purposes CA NO. 4 (Act 157, 2021) Increases amount of allowed reduction to certain dedicated funds when a budget deficit is projected The parishwide tax renewals up for consideration include: Lafayette Regional Airport, 1.71 mills renewal for 10 years Parishwide drainage, 3.85 mills continuation for 10 years Lafayette Parish Library, 1.84 mills renewal for 10 years Lafayette Parish Public Health, 2.21 mills rededication The citywide tax renewals include: Lafayette Police salary and benefits, 3 mills renewal for 10 years Lafayette Fire salary and benefits, 2 mills renewal for 10 years View your sample ballot or find your polling place at geauxvote.com. Baton Rouge and Baker leaders are out campaigning in support of renewing the property tax that funds the Capital Area Transit System, arguing it could transform public transit and boost the local economy. Roughly a dozen local leaders, including East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and Baker Mayor Darnell Waites, piled onto one of the system's new electric buses for a tour of planned projects Monday morning. I never tell people how I vote. On this, I voted yes, Broome declared at the end of the tour. On Saturday, voters will be asked to approve a 10-year tax rate of 10.6 mills. A "mill" is $1 of tax for every $1,000 in taxable property value, meaning the owner of a house with an assessed value of $100,000 would pay $106 annually. There has been no major organized opposition to the tax, but CATS and its supporters have been campaigning for it. So far, they've mostly focused on what would happen if it failed: many local residents would have no way to get to work, doctors' offices or stores. +2 With tax renewal coming up, here's how Baton Rouge's bus system fared on promised improvements When lobbying for a property tax in 2012, officials in charge of the Baton Rouge bus agency said voter rejection would spell the end for local On Monday, though, Broome and others took a more optimistic approach. Broome said the vote is a chance to enlarge our thinking around public transportation. The bus ride began just south of downtown Baton Rouge and ran along the proposed Nicholson Drive and Plank Road Bus Rapid Transit route. The route was the centerpiece of the tour, which concluded at a proposed transfer center near Our Lady of the Lakes north campus. CATS CEO Bill Deville also talked up better public transportation in the city of Baker, an initiative to rejuvenate the blighted Plank Road corridor and even the proposed commuter train between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. That could all be at risk if the tax fails, Deville said. At the core of all this is the Bus Rapid Transit CATS operation, Deville said. 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 The project will connect the planned North Baton Rouge transfer center to LSU with buses that run every 15 minutes along a nine-mile route with fewer stops, allowing for faster transportation, according to the projects website. Improved sidewalks, new bus stops and safer paths for cyclists are expected in conjunction with the project, which will launch in 2025. The project has the potential to transform our citys oldest commercial corridor and, arguably, our most blighted corridor, said Chris Tyson, president and CEO of Build Baton Rouge. Tyson and representatives from the Baton Rouge Area Foundation and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development touted the potential economic development along the route. If the renewal fails, many of CATSs proposals will be halted and its service will be severely cut back, Deville said. That could even trouble the proposed commuter rail between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, said BRAF Executive Vice President John Spain. This bus will be part of that solution because when people get off the train they have to have surface options, and the bus connection is going to be important, Spain said. Despite the lofty goals presented on the tour, Saturdays election approaches at a time when the bus system has struggled with its reliability amid supply chain backlogs and a nationwide labor shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The system has also recently been forced to address accusations of mismanagement from its labor union and a former employee. +7 Broken buses, absent drivers: CATS cancellations mount as property tax vote nears When Ralph McDermott landed a job as a Waffle House line cook, he turned to the Capital Area Transit System to get to work. Like thousands in Broome urged voters to think of the positive impacts the bus system can have on the broader community, while also thinking of CATSs riders who have no other options for getting around the city. We can not negate the fact that the overwhelming majority of CATS riders have no other form of transportation and rely on CATS to navigate our community. That is a reality, Broome said. It is also a reality that reliable transit can connect, not only those who have no other form of transportation, but it can connect thousands of residents to economic opportunities on a larger scale. Teddy Harper looks at the crafts made by an inmate at the Angola Rodeo in 2019. Because the rodeo has not been held in two years, the prison is holding a crafts sale on Dec. 4. A Baton Rouge man accused of stabbing his neighbor to death at a senior living facility in April has been sent to a state mental facility for treatment. State District Judge Christopher Dassau took that action Monday after two doctors the judge appointed to evaluate Larry Woodard reported that the 69-year-old man is not competent to assist his lawyers at this time. Woodard was indicted in August on a second-degree murder charge in the killing of Frances Marinelli, 67, at Calais House by Lobdell Boulevard and Bishop Ott Drive. He's also charged with obstruction of justice. In fatal senior care home stabbing, Baton Rouge man indicted on murder charge A Baton Rouge man accused of fatally stabbing his neighbor at a senior living facility in April was indicted Thursday on a second-degree murde Police found Marinelli dead from apparent stab wounds in her apartment on April 11, then followed a trail of blood and encountered Woodard, who answered his door holding a bloody knife, according to an arrest report. Police reported that Woodard "made several unsolicited statements advising officers that he had stabbed the victim." 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 The report says surveillance video shows that Woodard left his apartment and knocked on the victim's door across the hall. When Marinelli opened the door, police say Woodard immediately struck her, knocking her down. He entered her apartment and remained inside for several minutes, beating the victim and stabbing her numerous times with a bladed weapon, police said. He then walked back to his apartment, which likely left the blood trail. After woman killed at senior living facility, BRPD follows blood trail to suspect holding knife After finding a woman dead from apparent stab wounds in her apartment at a Baton Rouge senior living facility, police followed a trail of bloo Police said they later searched Woodard's apartment and found recently used first-aid supplies and cleaning products. Police did not identify a motive for the attack and provided no information about whether the victim and suspect had any relationship other than being neighbors. Doctors at the state mental hospital in Jackson will now try to restore Woodard's competency. State Rep. Rick Edmonds, left, R-Baton Rouge, and Benjamin Clapper, right, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, hold out their hands as they and others pray over Liz Murrill, center, Louisiana Solicitor General for the Louisiana Attorney General's Office, during the program held as part of The Louisiana Life March South, one of the state's largest pro-life demonstrations, in Baton Rouge Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020. They were praying for Murrill because she will be involved when the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the case of Louisiana Act 620, the Unsafe Abortion Protection Act, which requires abortion physicians to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the procedure. An appeal on behalf of abortion clinics has been filed with the Supreme Court to block the 2014 law. The number of mail-in ballots for Saturdays election triple the amount of the last similar contest in 2017 fueled nearly 50,000 more voters participating early. But that healthy increase in early voting, which began Oct. 30 and ended Nov. 6, shows voters are more comfortable with mail-ballots, rather than an indicator of a huge turn-out when folks go the polls Saturday, said John Couvillon, a Baton Rouge pollster who studies early voting. Couvillion says the numbers indicated that about 16% of the states 3 million registered voters will decide four Constitutional amendments, two of which would start the ball rolling to sweeping changes in the way Louisiana levies and collects taxes. About 35% of New Orleans voters are expected to participate in the election that will choose most major offices from mayor and sheriff to the entire City Council. What youre seeing is a change in culture regarding mail-in balloting. I would expect a higher turnout, going up maybe a few points. But it wont be 50% higher as the numbers suggest, Couvillon said Monday. Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin calculations are fairly close though he expects no more than 15% of the states registered voters and about 35% of New Orleans 267,217 registered voters will participate. There are 4 constitutional amendments on Louisiana ballots Saturday. Here's what they mean. After years of doing taxes the same way, Louisiana voters beginning Saturday are being asked to decide if the state should head in a different Barry Erwin, head of Council for A Better Louisiana, said Monday the low numbers are cause for concern for Amendment 1, which would lead to streamlined collection of sales taxes, and Amendment 2, which would allow legislators to lower income tax rates and do away with the costly Federal Income Tax Deduction and reduction of the franchise taxes companies pay. The turnout is going to be very low and the question is going to be decided by a very small group of people in the state, disproportionately by a group of voters in New Orleans, Erwin told the Baton Rouge Press Club. As head of CABL, a Baton Rouge-based issue research and advocacy group, Erwin has crisscrossed the state championing passage of the amendments. 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 If you dont know what those four amendments are on the ballot, but you know that two of them deal with taxes and you try to read the amendment language on the ballot, what are you going to do? Youre going to vote no, Erwin said. Erwin and other supporters, such as Stephen Waguespack, head of the Louisiana Association of Business & Industry, are telling Kiwanis luncheons and chamber of commerce breakfasts that the two amendments on the ballot have long been discussed as a way improving the tax structure. Really theres nothing new under the sun here. These are things that we just known that we needed to do for some time and we got the political will in this past year to actually do them, Erwin said. It has nothing to do with raising or lowering taxes it really has to do with a structure that will make a difference. Opponents counter that the amendments would set in stone a tax system that relies too heavily on sales taxes, which burdens the poor and lower income more than the wealthy, rather than fundamentally improving the system. The Constitutional amendments are on ballots in all 64 parishes, but 21 parishes will vote on nothing else, including East Feliciana, Iberville, Jefferson Davis, Pointe Coupee, St. James, Tangipahoa, and West Baton Rouge parishes. New Orleans has a spirited local race to go with the constitutional amendments. Eighteen other parishes will also have local elections, and possibly propositions on the ballots, including Ascension, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Iberia, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Tammany, and Washington parishes. Twenty-four parishes will vote on local propositions and Constitutional Amendments, including Acadia, Assumption, Jefferson, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist, St. Martin, and West Feliciana. Polls open at 7 a.m. Saturday and close at 8 p.m. All voters in line at 8 p.m. will be able to vote. Australians are planning to fly overseas for holidays from the middle of next year, according to the local boss of airline giant Emirates, who says travellers want to see the international border stay open for six months before they venture abroad. However, Barry Brown, Emiratess vice-president for Australasia, said the initial rush of travellers in and out of Australia since the reopening of the international border last week had been stronger than expected, prompting the carrier to ramp up its capacity over summer. Emirates says Australians will start venturing out into the world from the middle of next year. Credit: Supplied The pent-up demand inbound is phenomenal, he said, as thousands of Australians stranded overseas during the pandemic flood home. And thats before Australia opens up to international visitors. Airlines are gradually increasing flights into NSW and Victoria after the two states lifted quarantine requirements for vaccinated Australian residents on November 1, and the federal government lifted its ban on Australian citizens leaving the country. Hospitality veteran Bruce Solomons Solotel group has made its first foray into Sydneys north-west growth corridor after snapping up the Carousal Inn, Rooty Hill, from the Stanford family for around $64 million. It is the second large-scale pub to the sold by the Stanford family after the Vineyard hotel went to a private investor for a record $70 million. The third in the portfolio, the Pub @ Rivo in Riverstone in Sydneys north-west has now been put on the market by the family as it looks to move to new areas of interest. The sales reflect the high demand for pubs that agents in the sector say is showing no signs of easing. Despite being shut down by the pandemic, more than $1.5 billion of assets have changed hands in the year to date. The Carousel Inn occupies a large 1.17 hectare corner site in Rooty Hill. Credit: Solotel, which own and operate venues such as The Golden Sheaf in Double Bay, The Clock in Surry Hills and Opera Bar at the Sydney Opera House, plan to upgrade the 21,000 square metre pub which sits on 1.17 hectares in Rooty Hill. It is the groups first deal since last year when they sold the Green Park Hotel in Sydneys Darlinghurst to St Vincents Hospital. The blank-cheque company tied to Donald Trumps new media venture has already won the support of retail traders who have sent the stock up almost 500 per cent. Now, big Wall Street investors are getting another opportunity to pile in, even as some financial firms have distanced themselves from doing business with the former US president. Digital World Acquisition Corp has begun scheduling meetings with prospective investors for a private investment in public equity, or PIPE, transaction to support its merger with Trump Media & Technology Group, according to people with knowledge of the matter. While the PIPEs terms havent been finalised, it may exceed $US500 million ($674 million) in size, said one of the people, who asked not to be named as the talks are private. Former US president Donald Trump is seeking dollars from Wall Street for his social media venture. Credit:AP Any fresh capital would add more funding to launch the media conglomerate, which plans to initially get off the ground with a social network called Truth Social that would give Trump a platform after he was banned from Facebook and Twitter. PIPEs also help to lend credibility to special purpose acquisition company mergers and can provide a cash buffer if early investors decide to redeem their shares. ABC Radio Melbournes remarkable resurgence in 2021 appears to have hit its limit, with audience share down across every time slot in the latest GFK survey results. The ABCs share across seven days dropped from 12 per cent of all listeners to 11.2 per cent in the survey covering August 15 to October 30, as talk rival 3AW (which is owned by Nine, owner of this masthead) picking up a 0.9 point boost to an 18.9 per cent share overall. Where have they gone? David Astles evening show shed 1.8 points in the latest survey. Credit:Joe Armao The biggest decline was in evenings, where David Astles show shed 1.8 points to finish with an 11.3 per cent share of audience. That still left it as the second-most-listened-to show in that slot, behind 3AWs money show with Brooke Corte at 7pm and Denis Walter from 8pm (the survey is broken down by blocks of time rather than specific shows). The result is the second straight decline, suggesting the resurgence the ABC has enjoyed this year may be at an end. Most of those still open were rationing petrol or restricting sales to regular customers. Most of the stations still with petrol were closing down over the weekend to preserve supplies for next week. Guard The TWU yesterday allowed 16 metropolitan service stations to supply fuel for essential services such as medical services, police, fire, ambulance and funeral vehicles. Police will be called in to guard the stations and supervise the emergency fillings. Loading Panic buyers have drained about 17 million litres of fuel from service stations since the dispute began on Wednesday afternoon normally enough petrol for a fortnight. The TWU says its tanker drivers and aircraft refuellers will not go back to work unless writs for damages taken out against three union men are withdrawn. A Seymour petrol distributor has sued two union delegates and a union organiser under the trade practices legislation. The distributor, Nyandi Nominees Pty. Ltd., is claiming damages from the union for not being allowed to make its own pick-up of petrol from Essos Spotswood terminal. Nyandi and its manager, Mr. Leo Gorman, claim it is losing money because of TWU bans on its tanker picking up petrol directly. The union insists that its members employed by the oil companies must deliver petrol to storage points operated by country distributors. Urged Talks between the TWU Federal secretary, Mr. Ivan Hodgson, and Mr. Gorman broke down yesterday. Mr. Hodgson said the union had urged Mr. Gorman to drop the prosecutions so negotiations could start on a settlement. Loading But he wanted his tankers to be allowed to pick up petrol before legal action was dropped, Mr. Hodgson said. Mr. Gorman said after the meeting: We are back to square one. He said he had suggested the bans be lifted before the writs were withdrawn. If he had accepted the unions suggestion, he could be left high and dry. A Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce spokesman, Mr. Peter Gibbs, said rationing by service stations could stretch supplies as far as next weekend. He warned motorists not to drive unnecessarily or to buy more fuel than they needed. Doctors and others seeking to buy petrol from the emergency outlets should be able to identify themselves, he said. A Watsonia proprietor said demand for petrol over the past two days was `the unreallest thing I have seen in 18 years in the business. He said he had been abused up hill and down dale by motorists turned into absolute animals by the need for petrol. Loading They nearly punch your head in when you tell them theres nothing left, he said. A Shell company spokesman said the fortunate few who could buy emergency petrol would include doctors, police, fire and ambulance services, essential health services, emergency vehicles of the SEC, the Gas and Fuel Corporation, and the Board of Works, blood bank vehicles and funeral and crematorium services. The director of the Victorian Employers Federation, Mr Ian Spicer, said stand downs would not be necessary in industry until the end of next week. Most employers had stored enough petrol to allow them to continue operating for about a week, he said. The public hearings running this week are part of an inquiry called Operation Watts into allegations of corrupt conduct involving Victorian public officers, including members of parliament. The investigation is run jointly by the Victorian Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman and its remit includes allegations of branch stacking in the Victorian Labor Party, as first revealed in an investigation by The Age and 60 Minutes last year. Branch stacking is an organised method of accumulating internal power in a party by recruiting, and usually paying the fees for, new members. But its much more pointed than just that. The real question is whether public officers, including Victorian members of parliament, are engaging in corrupt conduct by directing ministerial or electorate office staff to perform partypolitical work when they should instead be doing ministerial or electorate work. It will also look at whether public money given by the Victorian government as grants to community associations, has been redirected and misused to fund partypolitical activities, or for any other improper purposes. It will ask if ministers or others involved in granting the funds have dishonestly performed their functions or knowingly or recklessly breached public trust. The inquiry will look into whether any public officer, their families or their associates, received a personal benefit from these things, and looks at what systems and controls are in place to monitor these money flows. The hearing is expected to go for at least four weeks. Its overseen by IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich, QC, and run by counsel assisting Chris Carr, SC. A lawyer for underworld figure Tony Mokbel has labelled delays in his Victorian appeal as unacceptably slow, as the 55-year-old grapples with extraordinary onerous conditions in prison and staged a jail cell hunger strike. Mokbel who is attempting to appeal against his Victorian drugs charges based on police informer Nicola Gobbos involvement in his case is continuing his fight for freedom months after his federal drugs charges were quashed. Nicola Gobbo and her former client Tony Mokbel. Credit:Nine A directions hearing at the Supreme Court of Victoria on Tuesday heard lengthy delays in accessing necessary documents for his appeal were causing Mokbel a high level of distress. His counsel, Ruth Shann, QC, told the hearing before judicial registrar Deirdre McCann that as a result of Mokbel almost being killed in prison in February 2019, he was being housed in protective custody, where extraordinary onerous conditions meant he had almost no contact with others. Europe is considering following Australias example in creating new laws to counter covert forms of foreign influence as it looks to combat the activities of Chinas overseas propaganda arm. Liberal senator James Paterson, chair of the Australian Parliaments intelligence and security committee, urged European nations to work together with like-minded democratic nations such as Australia to counter foreign interference. Liberal senator James Paterson addressed the European Parliament on Tuesday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen In a keynote speech delivered virtually to the European Parliament on Tuesday, Senator Paterson said foreign interference comes from many different sources and it is so critically important that as democracies we recognise the threats and that we do everything we can to combat these threats. They will only continue to evolve and grow in complexity as technology advances and so does the capability of those who seek to do us harm, he said. 2021 Volkswagen Atlas - Review by Larry Nutson Refreshed and still a good value By Larry Nutson Executive Editor and Bureau Chief Chicago Bureau The Auto Channel The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly been a major concern and a disruptor of all things normal in everyones lives. This includes the new car industry and auto shows that so many new car shoppers rely on to help them make a decision on what to buy. The only major U.S. auto show to take place this year was the 2020 Chicago Auto Show in February before stay-at-home orders became the norm. At that show VW introduced the 2021 Atlas seven-seat SUV with its upgraded interior and an exterior with bolder front and rear styling. Upgrades usually mean a price increase but VW held the starting price at $31,545. For 2021 VW has expanded the availability of the 235-hp turbo 2.0-L four-cylinder to the top trims. Now a buyer can get VWs 4Motion all-wheel drive without needing to step up to 276-hp 3.6-L V6. That makes AWD available for $1,300 less than in 2020. The 2021 Atlas has upgraded driver assistance technologies. VWs next-gen Car-Net telematics system is standard on all models, and in-car Wi-Fi capability is offered across the lineup with a data plan. Additionally, Traffic Jam Assist and Dynamic Road Sign Display are now available New front and rear fascias result in a 2.4 inch increase in length. Theres a new three-bar grille and new LED headlights. A new steering wheel and new seat stitch design are on the inside. R-Line models have unique front and rear fascias, side skirts, R-Line badges, and 20- or 21-inch wheels. For 2021 VW offers a variety of Atlas trims. Theres something for everyone. S and SE trims are available only with the 2.0-L engine. SE w/ Technology, SE w/ Technology R-Line, SEL, SEL R-Line, SEL Premium and SEL Premium R-Line are available with either engine. Both engines are mated to an 8-speed automatic. The VR6 engine is available on the Atlas SE w/ Technology trim and above, starting at $38,295. The step-up price for AWD is $1,900 on all trims. And, the destination charge is an additional $1,020. The Atlas seats seven with its 2nd row bench seat. Second row captains chairs are available, making seating for six. Maximum cargo volume is 96.8 cu-ft behind the front-row seats when all rear seats are folded down. With just the third-row folded, cargo capacity is 55.5 cu-ft, and with all seats up, cargo capacity is 20.6 cu-ft. I recently spent time driving a 2010 Atlas SEL Premium trim VR6 powered with all-wheel drive and a $50,015 base price including destination charge. The Atlas has refined driving dynamics as is typical of German-brand cars. Ive now driven both engines and they both deliver decent performance. The choice of which engine should depend on your needs. The VR6 might be best if you often carry a full load or live in hill/mountain country. VR6 powered models can tow up to 5,000lbs and can be had with a factory installed hitch. The 2.0L powered models can tow up to 2,000 lbs. Eco, Normal, Sport, and Custom drive modes can be selected for varied response and performance. EPA test-cycle ratings range from 16 to 21 city mpg and 22 to 24 mpg depending on engine and front- or all-wheel drive. 4Motion all-wheel drive offers terrain settings selected with center console mounted knob---Snow Mode, On Road, Off Road and Off Road Custom. The instrument panel is nicely laid out with controls in easy reach. The interior is plenty roomy with lots of space for people and cargo. Standard features include:18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, full LED lighting, rain-sensing windshield wipers, Front Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, Rear Traffic Alert, and next-generation Car-Net with WiFi capability. Available features include: Volkswagen Digital Cockpit, 20- and 21-inch wheels, heated rear seats, leather seating surfaces, Fender Premium Audio System, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Assist, Park Assist, Traffic Jam Assist, Dynamic Road Sign Display, remote start, and Easy Open rear hatch. More information and details on the 2021 Atlas can be found at www.vw.com. Atlas was developed in Germany and is built in Chattanooga, Tenn. Recently VW announced a 2021.5 (point five) Atlas with a $100 price bump. Now starting at $31,555 new features that have been added include the next-gen MIB 3 infotainment system with wireless App-Connect and compatible multi-phone pairing. Its now standard on SE models and above. And, Volkswagens newest driver-assistance featuresTravel Assist and Emergency Assist is offered on SEL models and above. If the Atlas is more vehicle than you need VW also offers the Atlas Cross Sport. It seats five and is 5.2 inches shorter in overall length. I drove it earlier this year and you can read about it here. https://www.theautochannel.com/news/2020/05/18/814907-2020-volkswagen-atlas-cross-sport-review-by-larry-nutson.html VWs Atlas is a great value and delivers on what you buy an SUV for.plenty of room for people and cargo. 2020 Larry Nutson, Chicago Car Guy U.S. customs officers speak with a man at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021, in Tijuana, Mexico. The U.S. fully reopened its borders with Mexico and Canada on Monday and lifted restrictions on travel that covered most of Europe. FILE - In this Dec. 8, 2011, file photo Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., is seen at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. California Gov. Gavin Newsom listens to a question while meeting with reporters after casting his recall ballot at a voting center in Sacramento, Calif., Friday, Sept. 10, 2021. The last day to vote in the recall election is Tuesday Sept. 14. Up for debate: Live legislation tracker Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics. 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. Regional Editor Brett Rowland has worked as a reporter in newsrooms in Illinois and Wisconsin. He most recently served as news editor of the Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake, Illinois. He previously held the same position at the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb. In this Friday, March 20, 2015 photo, a pothole is seen on Route 302 in Fryeburg, Maine. Energy secretary: Expect to pay significantly more to heat your homes this winter Rep. Jim Struzzi, R-Indiana, speaks to the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee about his plan to halt the state's entry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Wisconsin state Rep. Mark Born, co-chairman of the Legislature's budget committee, speaks May 6, 2021, during a news conference at the state Capitol in Madison. This is the temporary subscription pass for users returning from the Vision Data subscription process. Your subscription will be updated within 24 hours, after your information is verified. Please click the button below to get your pass. Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks. 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 Betsy McCaughey is a former lieutenant governor of New York and author of The Next Pandemic, available at Amazon.com. Contact her at betsy@betsymccaughey.com or on Twitter @Betsy_McCaughey. WVU President E. Gordon Gee is advising University of Austin, a new private liberal arts university that aims to fix higher education and is devoted to the fearless pursuit of truth. After the news came out Monday morning that he was part of the University of Austin's Board of Advisors, he released a letter and said he was "fully committed" to WVU. What do you think? You voted: West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee is under fire from some for his advisory role at the University of Austin, a new unaccredited university that aims to fix higher education. Addressing over 200 faculty members and administrators at a WVU Faculty Senate meeting on Monday, Gee denied that his advising represented a conflict of interest and said he plans to continue advising the newly-formed school. Earlier in the day, he released a letter saying he is fully committed to WVU and distancing himself from the University of Austin founders who say legacy institutions have had long enough to fix themselves and another solution is required. I do not agree other universities are no longer seeking the truth nor do I feel that higher education is irreparably broken, Gee wrote. The University of Austin was formed in response to what its founders say is a culture of censorship on university campuses. It is not yet accredited, does not yet have a physical campus and cannot confer degrees. Asked at the Monday meeting by Rose Casey, professor of English, about his role at the new school going forward, Gee said he is strictly in an advisory role and is not paid for the advice he gives. I advise a number of different institutions, he said. I advise a couple of significant universities in this country...this is a different institution and its something that I welcome. Gee added that he was asked just last week to advise another institution but did not give specifics. WVU President Gordon Gee to advise no-degree university aimed to fix higher education West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee has joined the board of a new private liberal arts university that aims to fix higher educati Pressed further by Casey about whether he would continue to advise University of Austin at a significant capacity, Gee said he would advise as time allows and that he cherished the boldness of the new schools idea. My commitment is to West Virginia University, but my commitment also is to ideas and to generate ideas wherever they may be. And if other people want to come up with those ideas, Ill welcome the opportunity to talk to them about it, Gee said. Asked at what point his role advising other institutions would represent a conflict of interest with his responsibilities at WVU, he laid out two key markers. It represents a conflict if I am being paid by them or if I am taking away from my own responsibilities and duties here, Gee said, adding that he advises on a very regular basis but continues to give immense amounts of energy and commitment to WVU. One faculty senator asked: What does the President say to students of color and transgender students and residents of the state that feel unsafe at WVU knowing that the head of the University serves alongside those who would like to create a university that openly disparages discussions of race and inclusion towards transgender students? The President has said he does not necessarily agree with the viewpoints of those associated with the University [of Austin]. But by being associated with these individuals, he does tactically endorse their views. Thats a dog whistle, Gee responded. Gee is asked by a faculty member to respond to students of color and transgender students who feel uncomfortable with their University president advising alongside people who have espoused racist and transphobic views."That's a dog whistle," Gee says. Duncan Slade (@duncan_slade) November 8, 2021 [The University of Austin founders] are certainly supportive of diversity in all of its iterations, he continued. ...My stance on issues of race and gender and equity are very clear. It does not change what we are doing at our institution. Gee told faculty senators that fear is the biggest issue facing universities today, specifically fear from people that speak up and speak out not to be categorized as racist. He said he is committed to WVU and made the distinction between his personal academic work and his role as a university president. Gee has published two books on public education called Land-Grant Universities of the Future and Whats Public about Public Higher Ed? and is working on a third. I spend most of my time working on behalf of this institution, Gee said. I exercise my own freedom and my own ideas by expressing through my books and my writing. He says he's spoken "a great deal" with the group founding the University of Austin. Duncan Slade (@duncan_slade) November 8, 2021 Asked what future benefits to WVU his involvement with a private liberal arts school could bring, he said there might be future partnerships between the two institutions. Gee said potential partnerships could present the opportunity to have some really interesting people become engaged with our University who have a wide variety of viewpoints. He also said he has worked with a major donor behind the University of Austin that might be interested in also making significant contributions to WVU. Asst News Editor Sadaf Nikzad is a junior at WVU. She is from Morgantown, WV and this is her second year on staff. She is majoring in journalism and has two minors in English and Professional Writing and Editing. According to state Department of Health statistics, the average number of daily COVID-19 cases reported from the tri-county area over the past seven days have, for the most part, nearly doubled from the previous seven-day period. A Tibetan worshiper looks at Chinese police officers patrolling the Potala Palace, in Lhasa, Tibet, China, ahead of the Beijing Olympic Torch relay on June 20, 2008. (Guang Niu/Getty Images) 2 Recent CCP Appointments Trigger Concerns Over Rights Abuses in China Amid the Chinese regimes ramping up of its largest leadership reshuffle before the 20th National Congress, the recent appointments of two Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) cadres aroused great concern in the international community over Chinas worsening human rights situation. The National Congress is theoretically the highest body of the CCP and is held once every five years, at which changes of top-level Party leadership and Party Constitution are discussed and finalized. The 20th National Congress is to be held in the fall of 2022, with the exact date not announced. On Oct. 19, the CCPs Organization Department, which oversees senior staffing and is one of the most powerful organs of the CCP, announced the promotion of Wang Junzheng to the post of the Party Secretary in Tibet, the highest post in the region. Wang was the Party Secretary of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a paramilitary group in Xinjiang, accused of serious human rights violations, before this promotion. A week later, on Oct. 26, state-run mouthpiece People Daily reported that Chen Quanguo was elected again as Party Secretary of Chinas western Xinjiang Region at a plenary session of the regions Party Committee. Both Wang and Chen are on the sanction lists of multiple Western countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom (UK), and the European Union (EU) for their human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet. Chen Quanguo, 66, served his first tenure as Party Secretary in Xinjiang from 2016 to 2021. Before that, he was known for his iron-fist style ruling of Tibet from 2011 to 2016 when he was the Party Secretary of the region. One of his publicly known practices in Tibet was setting up police stations every 500 meters, according to researchers. A guard tower and barbed wire fences are seen around a facility in the Kunshan Industrial Park in Artux in western Chinas Xinjiang region, on Dec. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) In 2018, a group of Western envoys in Beijing requested an explanation of alleged rights abuses against ethnic Uyghurs in a letter to Chen Quanguo, Reuters reported in November 2018. In a joint statement to the UN Human Rights Council, signed by Freedom House and 18 other signatories on Feb. 13, 2019, these organizations requested the UN to investigate credible allegations that up to one million Turkic Muslims are being arbitrarily detained in political education camps across Xinjiang. The detainees of the education camps are subjected to forced political indoctrination, renunciation of their faith, mistreatment, and in some cases torture, said the statement. Due to serious rights abuses against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, the U.S. Department of the Treasury on July 9, 2020, sanctioned Chen Quanguo, three other CCP officials, and one CCP government entity for their connection to rights abuses. Now Wang, 58, has been promoted to the CCPs top post of Party Secretary in Tibet, where Chen previously served. Similar to Chen, the United States, UK, and EU, and Canada, sanctioned Wang in 2021. Australia-based Chinese law expert Yuan Hongbing said that the Chinese regime has kept Chen in Xinjiang and promoted Wang to Tibet because they have been connected to human rights abuses and sanctioned by the international communities. The CCP needs them in place to show its countering the sanctions, Yuan said in a recent interview with the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times, What Xi Jinping cares about is if they are loyal to Xi and if they are useful to demonstrate the CCPs tough stance against the West. Ning Haizhong, Luo Ya, and Daniel Holl contributed to this report. Falun Gong practitioners in a vigil commemorating the 22nd anniversary of the persecution in China, in Los Angeles, Calif., on July 18, 2021. (Courtesy of Debora Cheng) 2 Days Before Release, Prisoner of Conscience in China Beaten to Death Su Yunxia, 67, was beaten to death at Heilongjiang Womens Prison on Sept. 4, two days before her five-year sentence was to end. Jailed for her beliefs, Su was beaten because she refused to give up the previously government-endorsed qigong practice called Falun Gong, according to Minghui.org, a U.S.-based website that documents the Chinese regimes persecution of Falun Gong. A Falun Gong practitioner must sign the so-called three statementsdeclarations to give up the peaceful practiceif he or she wants to obtain the release notification, Minghui.org reported. Otherwise, he or she will be badly tortured by prisoners, appointed by the prison guards days before the sentence is to end. Su had practiced Falun Gong for over two dozen years. Also known as Falun Dafa, Falun Gong teaches practitioners to be good people by following the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. In July 1999, Chinas ruling communist regime launched a brutal persecution in an attempt to eradicate the practice. Minghui.org first reported that Su had been detained at Wanjia Labor Camp in Harbin in June 2001. To force her to give up her beliefs, guards tied Sus wrists to the top level of a bunk bed, which was taller than her, and forced her to stand on her tiptoes. If she wanted to rest her toes, the rope would cut into her wrists. All her weight was either hurting her wrists or toes. Su would be arrested and forced into detention many more times over the next two decades. Su was from Daowai district of Harbin city in northeastern Chinas Heilongjiang Province. According to the people who knew her, Su took care of her family members, as well as neighbors and friends. Falun Gong practitioners march to show their support for the global lawsuit action against Chinas former leader Jiang Zemin in Sydney, Australia, on Sept. 4, 2015. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) On the afternoon of Sept. 7, 2016, when Su met with a fellow Falun Gong practitioner, Pan Wenli, in their hometown. They were detained at Sankeshu police station simply because they had brochures in their bags and were telling people the truth about what Falun Gong really is, contrary to the reports in state-controlled media that have been used by the regime to justify its persecution. Hours later, the police raided Sus house and took away her computer, books, and cash. Sus husband, who relied on her care, was lying paralyzed in his bed. He went to the police station and the district police bureau with the help of relatives to demand Sus release, but was rejected. He wasnt allowed to pay Su a visit in detention. On March 31, 2017, Su was sentenced to five years in prison and fined 10,000 yuan ($1,565), because she refused to give up her beliefs. Since then, Su has been detained in Heilongjiang Womens Prisonone of Chinas most notorious prisons where the regime has been brutally persecuting Falun Gong practitioners, including using all forms of torture. According to Minghui.org, Pans situation is still unknown. The regime discourages family members from disclosing the status of detained practitioners to others. According to information obtained by Minghui.org, the Heilongjiang Womens Prison forced all newly detained Falun Gong practitioners to watch a brainwashing video for 12 hours a day for three months without any break, and then forced the practitioners who still refused to give up their beliefs to sit on a small stool over a dozen hours per day in a room without heat or air conditioning. Prison staff also didnt allow practitioners to sleep for weeks, withheld food, and beat practitioners. Over the past 22 years, it is estimated that over 1,000 Falun Gong practitioners have been detained at Heilongjiang Womens Prison. At least 31 of them have been persecuted to death, and about 90 percent of others have been tortured to the point where their bodies havent recovered even after long-term treatment. Spencer Tracy as Mr. Hyde in an unsavory relationship with Ingrid Bergman as Ivy, in this MGM lobby card for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (Public Domain) A Horrifying Code Film: 1941s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Halloween has now passed, and with it many horror film screenings. Although this movie genre began in the late 19th century, the term horror wasnt actually applied to motion pictures until the 1930s, when Universal Pictures profitable streak of monster movies firmly established American horror films. Then in 1934, the Motion Picture Production Code sent Frankenstein, Dracula, and their fiendish friends back to their coffins. While the 1934 Code, or rather the Production Code Administrations (PCA) enforcement of the Code, didnt ban horror films, it slowed down their output by insisting that violence be minimal and evil be punished. As a result, most ensuing horror films were subtle. Violence could be implied, but the lurid raciness in earlier horror stories was removed from Code remakes and sequels. One unfortunate exception is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde from 1941, starring Spencer Tracy. MGMs take on this 1886 Gothic novella was at least the 12th English-language film adaption of the story, following the John Barrymore (1920) and Fredric March (1931) versions. It was, however, the first Code version. One would expect the 1941 Code film to be a restrained, tame telling of the tale, trading the horrific elements of earlier versions for a more cerebral approach. Instead, its a shocking film that was, in some ways, more suggestive than its predecessors. Why was such a film approved by the PCA? The answer is a fascinating story in itself. The poster for the 1941 film version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde showed Spencer Tracy as Dr. Jekyll and the two women in his life, portrayed by Ingrid Bergman (L) and Lana Turner. (Public Domain) Doctor Jekyll in 1941 When British physician Dr. Henry Harry Jekyll (Tracy) encounters a worker (Barton MacLane) who was shocked into insane depravity by an accident, Jekyll is inspired to pursue his theory that mans two naturesgood and evilare separable. When he rashly describes his experiments at a dinner party, his future father-in-law (Donald Crisp) is disturbed by his ideas. Although deeply in love with Beatrix (Lana Turner), Jekyll is reluctant to give up his experiments. Walking home that night, he and his friend Dr. Lanyon (Ian Hunter) rescue lovely barmaid Ivy Peterson (Ingrid Bergman) from a violent suitor. Jekyll helps Ivy to her flat, nearly forgetting his engagement during their flirtation; his momentary temptation makes him resolve to complete his experiment. Actress Ingrid Bergman in a publicity still for the film. (Archive Photos/Getty Images) Jekyll creates a successful formula, which turns him into a menacing embodiment of evil, Edward Hyde. When Beatrixs father takes her on a trip, away from the increasingly unconventional Jekyll, the frustrated scientist visits Ivy as the lustful Hyde. He proceeds to get Ivy fired and instead abusively supports her himself, secretly maintaining a dual life. However, when Beatrix returns, Jekyll realizes that Mr. Hyde is difficult to destroy. The Remaking Common elements of this story used in stage and screen adaptions originated in early movies, not from Robert Louis Stevensons Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. For instance, there were no female characters in the book; Thomas Russell Sullivans successful stage version from 1887 created Jekylls fiancee. The Barrymore film first added a looser woman as Hydes companion. Beginning with Sullivans play, many adaptations have painted Dr. Jekyll as more thoroughly good when the story begins, heightening the contrast with Mr. Hyde. Instead of doing a new take on the novella, MGM decided to buy the 1931 scripts rights, trying to re-create the Oscar winners success. This is a shame since so many different approaches could have been attempted. One of the 1941 films only contributions was the popular pronunciation of Dr. Jekylls name as rhyming with heckle. According to the author, this is incorrect, since he stated, Let the name be pronounced as though it spelt jee-kill; not jek-ill. Although Spencer Tracy is widely considered miscast as Jekyll and Hyde (and was considered as such even by himself), he fit Stevensons description of Dr. Jekyll better than most interpreters of the part. The 41-year-old Tracy was more like the books description of Jekyll as a large, well-made, smooth-faced man of 50 with something of a slyish cast than the younger, handsomer actors who have played the part. Tracy hoped to explore the storys deeper philosophical meaning, such as the dual nature in everyone. Instead of a typical horror or science fiction movie about a scientist who unleashes a monster, Tracy wanted to tackle a more realistic story of a doctor performing violent crimes in a strange neighborhood after taking alcohol or drugs. Instead of using makeup and prosthetics, he wanted to rely on facial expressions for the transformation. The only substantial change was Jekylls motivation for experimenting: He hopes to cure a madman but takes the formula himself when said lunatic dies, instead of, as in the book, planning from the start to sample the drug himself. Unsealed Horror Although called horror films, neither the 1931 nor 1941 film features substantial violence. The two murders in each occur offscreen. The most frightening element in each is Mr. Hydes appearance, although Spencer Tracys is not terribly scary. The most horrifying thing about the 1941 film is its unrestrained suggestiveness. Overall, the 1931 film is raunchier, with more risque dialogue and indecent female costumes approaching upper nudity. Such content was standard in Pre-Code (19301934) films. However, similar content was shocking 10 years later, since the Code had forbidden salaciousness. Although there is less immodesty in the latter film, the suggestive dialogue, while less blatant, is more lurid in its veiled obscenity. Spencer Tracy as Mr. Hyde in an unsavory relationship with Ingrid Bergman as Ivy, in this MGM lobby card for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. (Public Domain) The main Code change was that Ivy is a barmaid instead of a prostitute, but she is still very flirtatious and undeniably loose. Her first meeting with Jekyll is one of the most simmering scenes in a Code film. In addition, Tracys Hyde lost the primitive, Neanderthal appearance of Marchs Hyde, just looking like a scarier version of the actor, which added a deeper depravity to the character. The 1931 Hyde looks more like an animal than a man, so his bestial behavior is expected. The 41 Hyde just looks like a man, albeit a rough one, so his inhuman, wicked behavior is even more shocking and repulsive. The climax in the 41 version is the Freudian hallucination sequences during the transformations, where the sadomasochistic imagery seems psychedelic. How did this film manage to get away with murder? It took advantage of the PCAs weak spot: Geoffrey Shurlock. Joseph Breen had headed the organization from its formation until his retirement in 1954. However, during these 20 years, there was a yearlong breach, from 1941 to 1942; lets call it the Non-Code Era. On June 17, 1941, Joe Breen started working at RKO, leaving his assistant, Shurlock, to unofficially head the PCA. By the time Breen returned to the PCA in 1942, countless Non-Code films had been passed by the weakened PCA, reflecting Pre-Code standards or eerily foreshadowing the post-Breen era, when Shurlock would take over permanently. The PCA file for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde confirms that Geoffrey Shurlock worked on it; although production began months before Breens departure, Shurlock had been taking more authority in preparation for his absence. As on most films that Shurlock regulated, he requested in early PCA letters to filmmakers that this movies less than moral content be removed. However, the filmmakers, knowing Shurlock was in charge, ignored most of the warnings. Neither did Shurlock enforce his authority. The filmmakers disrespect of Shurlock is evidenced by how many cuts he requested before issuing a Seal. (When a movie was properly self-regulated during production, few or no post-production edits were necessary.) Most notably, cuts were ordered in the hallucination sequence. But even then the film was only lightly trimmed; most of the disturbing imagery was left intact. If Joseph Breen had overseen this film, it could have been very different. A Missed Opportunity Its unfortunate that MGM decided to just remake the Pre-Code version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. If it had committed to making a truly Code-compliant version of this story, the filmmakers could have found new, subtle facets and made a unique masterpiece. After all, when one is adapting a story for the 12th time, one ought to bring something new to it. Because of the rigid insistence on a strict remake, the excellent cast was not fully utilized. The very American Spencer Tracy would have flourished if they had updated the story to 20th-century America. Ivys characterization could have been revised to make her a decent girl, who is abused and corrupted by Mr. Hyde. As many good Code films show, mature topics like addiction, abuse, and promiscuity can be included in decent movies if handled properly. Although the film was profitable, it is remembered as a failure because of its horrible critical reception. Critics were particularly rough on Spencer Tracys performance. As fan magazine Hollywood pointed out: In the ten years that have elapsed since Fredric March won his Academy Award, movie-goers have become too sophisticated for the sort of medical hocus-pocus on which the Stevenson story is based. Too many Frankensteins and bogey-men have stalked across the screen in the interim for Mr. Hyde to be a convincing monster. While Spencer Tracy does a grand job in his dual role, his Mr. Hyde is inclined to be more humorous than terrifying. Contraindicative though it seems, the 1941 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was behind the times. If truly modern and sophisticated, it would have opted for the relatively new standards for decency and depicted a nuanced story about a scientist who goes too far in his quest for advanced discoveries, becoming a slave to addiction. Instead of exploring a social problem with moral implications, this movie was doomed to failure because it was a Non-Code film. The results are truly horrifying. Tiffany Brannan is a 20-year-old opera singer, Hollywood history/vintage beauty copywriter, film reviewer, fashion historian, travel writer, and ballet writer. In 2016, she and her sister founded the Pure Entertainment Preservation Society, an organization dedicated to reforming the arts by reinstating the Motion Picture Production Code. America Needs an Emergency Plan, Right Away Commentary How much longer can this go on? As we head into the second year of the President Joe Biden administration, with the country in a shambles and heading no place good but full speed ahead, its time for all real Americans to take stock of our situation and formulate an emergency plan, with no time to spare. Back in March, I wrote in these pages: Bidens Presidency Seems Ready to End. In fact, Bidens sham presidency never really began and whatever there was to it is now long over. But then Brandonexcuse me! Biden!isnt really the president, simply the President in Name Only. Sure, he dutifully signs whatever executive orderincreasingly authoritarian and blatantly unconstitutionalis put under his nose, which, at least until the next election, has the force of law until a federal court says otherwise. Even should a court block its implementation, as happened over the weekend with the illegal vaccine mandate being imposed on private industries by the Nixon-era excrescence of OSHA, the White Houses advice is to ignore it. Biden also makes pro forma appearances on the international stage, including a mysteriously long audience with the former Cardinal Bergoglio (whos every bit as much a pope as Biden is a president) that instantly gave rise to embarrassing rumors. And from time to time he even makes the short walk from West Wing to the Old Executive Office Building in order to stage something for the cameras in a studio-set version of the Oval Office. But everybody in Washington knows the puppet presidency has no agency of its own, but is instead controlled from Kalorama by Barack Obama and his minions, including Ron Klain, who now serves as Bidens chief of staff. Meanwhile, the country he ostensibly leads is going to hell. Weve gone from energy independence to passing the gasoline begging bowl, even as the forces behind Biden are busy choking off the domestic energy industry. Perhaps youve noticed the effects of this malicious policy at the gas pump. Our long-neglected infrastructure, which is properly defined as roads, bridges, and buildings, remains a national disgrace, and the recent passage of a pork-laden $1.2 trillion infrastructure billwith turncoat Republican helpnot only wont help a bit but will be paid for with imaginary money. Overseas, right in Bidens vaunted foreign policy wheelhouse, the Chinese are testing advanced missiles and expanding their fleet of aircraft carriers while whats left of our Defense Department celebrates awarding four stars to a man in a skirt and hailing him as a historic female admiral. A Navy subs trio of commanders was recently cashiered when the USS Connecticut struck an underseas mountain its crack officer corps somehow didnt notice, while in San Diego the amphibious assault ship, Bonhomme Richard, was destroyed by an arsonist and a crew too incompetent to put out the blaze. Oh yes, and the Marines recently got their tails kicked by the British in a desert-warfare exercise at their base at Twenty-Nine Palms in southern California. (The woke Marine Corps, of course, denies it.) But the void in the White House is really the least of our problems, most of which we have brought upon ourselves. You get what you vote for and the American people, in rejecting Donald Trump, have voted for anarchy. As former New York City mayor Ed Koch said after being defeated for re-election in 1989, the people have spoken, and they must be punished. Punishment is coming from every angle, principally from the criminal organization masquerading as a political party known as the Democrats. We now know that the vindictive but cunning loser Hillary Clinton set in motion the entire Russian collusionin part with the collaboration of the Russophile leftist think tank, the Brookings Institution, and in part through the medium of a British spy channeling deliberate Soviet-style disinformation. From the jump, it was obvious that the Steele dossier was a farrago of standard ex-KGB dirty tricksin Russia and in Eastern Europe Id seen this movie a dozen timesand I said so publicly at the time, practically from the day Buzzfeed published the dossier. The American media deliberately weaponized this disinformationwhich they knew at the time was falseagainst the lawfully elected president of the United States and crippled his presidency over it. And then they awarded themselves Pulitzer Prizes for their reporting of something that never happened. Par for the course for the American version of Pravda. If you dont think the New York Times hasnt been in love with its Russian socialist confreresand often actually been in bed with the KGB, its forebears, and its descendantsfor the bulk of the 20th century, you need to wake up. Until the power of the Times is broken, the American Republic-as-founded will never have a moments peace. But the weaponization didnt and doesnt stop there. Former members of the intelligence community now lie brazenly and openly on some of the news channels, such as CNN: the spooks are out of the shadows and in your living room. The FBI is now investigating the alleged theft of Joe Bidens daughters diarya document that if genuine offers even more repellent insights into this stunningly dysfunctional family. How this is a federal matter is beyond me, unless the FBI has now become the Biden familys private police force with a mandate to suppress bad news about the family. And if you dont believe me, ask Hunter Biden. Americans, quite properly, sense theres something off about Biden and his crew, which is why his approval ratings continue to crater. But as long as the radical Left holds the media high ground, its hard for most people not obsessed by politics to grasp just how malignant these people are. For decades, theyve made no bones about their desire to replace the United States of the founding with something progressive. Theyve overtly collaborated with the Soviets, infiltrated the civil-rights movement, absorbed the legacy media, corrupted the lawmakers, overpowered academe, seized hold of the education of our children and now, in their moment of triumph, are forcing us to live in a fantasy world of their own psycho-sexual device, while their pet shrinks tell us that were the crazy bigots, via the media. What are you going to 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. Anaheim Man Arrested on Suspicion of Killing Parents ANAHEIM, Calif.A 43-year-old Anaheim man was arrested Nov. 8 on suspicion of killing his parents. Carlos Manuel Robles-Lopez was booked on suspicion of killing 67-year-old Andres Alvaro-Robles and 65-year-old Teresa Lopez-Miguel, according to Anaheim police Sgt. Shane Carringer. Investigators were working to determine how the couple was killed, but their injuries were consistent with a violent assault, Carringer said. Police were called about 7:50 p.m. Sunday to the victims apartment on the 600 block of West Vermont Avenue, Carringer said. When police arrived, they found the couple. Andres was pronounced dead at the scene, but Teresa was taken to an area hospital, where she was later pronounced dead, Carringer said. The suspect also lived in the apartment off and on and was arrested there without incident, Carringer said. The suspect was being held in Anaheims jail in lieu of $1 million bail. A man walks among supersonic cruise missiles at the 13th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in southern China's Guangdong Province, on Sept. 28, 2021. (Noel Celis/AFP via Getty Images) Are ChinaUS Relations Escalating Into a Cold War? Commentary General Mark Milley considered Chinas alleged hypersonic weapon test comparable to the Sputnik moment, a pivotal event during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. His remark signals an escalation in military competition between the two countries, and the potential existence of a ChinaU.S. cold war. Will the United States respond to this strategic national security crisis at a new level? China Develops Hypersonic Missiles On Oct. 27, Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Bloomberg that the Chinese military had recently conducted a test of a hypersonic weapon system into space. Milley said that it is a very significant technological event, very close to the Sputnik moment, and has all our attention. On Oct. 17, The Financial Times reported that the Chinese military launched a rocket that carried a hypersonic glide vehicle, which flew through low-orbit space before cruising down toward its target, according to anonymous sources. The missile missed its target by about two-dozen miles, they said. Two of them said, The test showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than U.S. officials realized. However, the New York Times published an article on Oct. 20, citing some experts doubts about the report. The U.S. military unit that reports on orbital events had made public no information on an August launch by China that matched the reported claim about a weapons test, and some descriptions of the test launch have been alarmist. Its not surprising that the New York Times tried to downplay the impact of The Financial Times report on the rocket test. This news is related to what could be the beginning of a ChinaU.S. cold war, but President Joe Biden refuses to acknowledge the existence of a cold war. Instead, he calls the bilateral relations a competition. During his first United Nations address on Sept. 21, Biden said, We are not seeking a new cold war or a world divided into rigid blocs. To Biden, it seems that as long as the United States says it is not in a cold war, there is no ChinaU.S. cold war developing. However, Milley made it clear that Chinas hypersonic weapon test is very significant, and since Biden has said he has great confidence in Milleys leadership, this recent comment undoubtedly put pressure on the president to recognize a cold war exists. The Sputnik Moment Marked the Time When the Cold War Escalated The U.S.Soviet Cold War started after the soviets stole U.S. nuclear weapons secrets and completed the development of the atomic bomb. A nuclear-capable military system became the focus of arms expansion on both sides, in addition to developing medium-range and even long-range missiles. Meanwhile, the United States had failed twice in launching satellites during the arms race. When the Soviets successfully launched the first artificial Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, and it entered orbit on Oct. 4, 1957, U.S. policy makers, the military, and intelligence were taken by surprise. The American long-range missiles and military defense were falling behind. Russias MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jets carrying hypersonic Kinzhal (Dagger) missiles fly over Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow on May 9, 2018. (Yuri Kadobnov/AFP via Getty Images) The Sputnik moment became the Sputnik crisis, a period of public shock in America about the surprising technological gap between the United States and the Soviet Union. The U.S.Soviet Cold War escalated to a highly intense level, in which the United States adapted multi-directional long-range missiles and military expansion preparations for space competition. In an urgent response within two days, U.S. experts calculated Sputniks orbits and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was created in February 1958 with the mission to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for military advancement. On July 29, 1958, President Dwight Eisenhower signed The National Aeronautic and Space Act of 1958 into law and promoted the first manned satellite programProject Mercuryand the establishment of grants for contracted research and proposals. The United States also developed the Navys first submarine-launched ballistic missile, the Polaris. After making those improvements, the United States took a dominant military position throughout the remainder of the Cold War. Does the Sputnik Moment Compare to Chinas Hypersonic Weapon Test? During the first half of 2020, Beijing staged a series of public nuclear threats toward the United States: In January, a Chinese naval fleet began exercises involving assault activities south of Midway Island, presumably an act of aggression; in March, Beijing announced its nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine fleet had secured its maneuver territory in the artificial island fortresses of the South China Sea; in June, China successfully launched the last BeiDou satellite in its navigation system, a strategic deployment that could enable precision nuclear strikes across the United States. Furthermore, Beijing continued its showdown in the South China and East China Seas this April by sending its submarine fleet into open waters. So far, Chinas military actions have demonstrated its cold-war style nuclear threat to the United States. Even though technically its conventional military style was adopted at the end of World War II, the fact of the matter is China has posed a nuclear threat and started a cold war, which cant be ignored. Bidens excuse of not seeking a new cold war only shows his weakness. During the U.S.Soviet Cold War, Americans awoke after the Sputnik moment and defeated the Russians, with its quick response in military strategies and technological development. The question is how will the United States react now to what appears to be a second Sputnik moment. Pentagons Response to the New Sputnik Moment Bidens attitude is surely important, but his diplomatic activities in Europe, the G20 in Italy on Oct. 30 and 31, and at the COP26 climate summit in Scotland on Nov. 1, kept him from paying attention to the warning of the second Sputnik moment. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby also played down this new nuclear threat, following Bidens policy, and refused to label the test as a Sputnik moment. He said in a press briefing: This is not a technology that is alien to us that we havent been thinking about for a while, and Its not just our own pursuit of this sort of technology, but our mindfulness that we have defensive capabilities that we need to continue to hone in to improve. However, Ambassador Robert Wood, the U.S. representative to the Conference on Disarmament, said that the United States is very concerned by what China has been doing on the hypersonic front. We just dont know how we can defend against that type of technology. Neither does China or Russia. Wood added, If youre a country thats the target of that, youre going to want to figure out a way to defend yourself from that, And so we start looking at what other applications and defensive applications can you bring to hypersonic technology and so that continues to accelerate the arms race. For many years, U.S. military leaders have been warned of the hypersonic missile, a nuclear-capable weapon flying more than five times the speed of sound, developed by the red powers. In 2018, General John Hyten, the outgoing vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had already warned, We dont have any defense that could deny the employment of such a weapon against us. He believed the response should include advance missile defense forces and capabilities and the capability to defeat adversary missiles before they launch. As early as 2011, the Department of Defense had already produced a hypersonic prototype, but the Pentagon in the Obama era determined that this technology would accelerate weaponizing space, and stopped the development of hypersonic aircraft, while Russia and China have both engaged in aerospace militarization and hypersonic system development. The first X-43A hypersonic research aircraft and its modified pegasus booster rocket are carried aloft by Nasas Nb-52B carrier aircraft at Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on June 2, 2001. (Nasa/Getty Images) Washington was forced to recover its future combat system. On Sept. 27, DARPA announced the first flight success of a hypersonic cruise missile, HAWC (Hypersonic Air-Breathing Weapons Concept). Then, in June 2021, Mike White, principal director for hypersonics in Research and Engineering (R&E), introduced the ongoing R&E efforts in transformational warfighting capability to deliver hypersonic strike effects from air, land, and sea launch platforms. He said, The U.S. is aiming to field conventionally armed boost-glide hypersonic missiles by 2025. White also said his agency is working to ensure that the United States is well prepared to defend against adverse hypersonics by developing offensive strike capabilities, and also a defense against hypersonics during the launch, the glide phase, and the final phase interception. Obviously, there are two major military tasks in the United States national security: one is to develop hypersonic weapons, and the other is to develop a defense system against the hypersonic strike. But theres no effective defense system available. China and Russia have no such system either. More importantly, will Biden continue his ostrich policy in the U.S.China relations? When the first Sputnik moment occurred, then-President Eisenhowers firm anti-communist stance, the young President John Kennedys firm support of the policy, and the defense R&E saved the United States. Biden, on the contrary, with his socialist leanings, cares more about the climate issue. What he will do to deal with this second and critical Sputnik moment is what people care more about. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A view of Patrick Terminals in Melbourne, Australia. Patrick has lodged an application to terminate the protected industrial actions occurring in its ports around Australia. (Supplied) Australian Stevedore Applies to Stop Unrelenting Barrage of Strikes on Ports Container terminal operator Patrick Terminals has lodged its application to the Fair Work Commission in a bid to stop the ongoing industrial actions occurring in four of its ports. Patrick, which handles around 40 percent of the nations container freight at its Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth ports, applied to terminate Maritime Union of Australias (MUA) ongoing industrial action on the grounds of threatening to cause significant damage to the Australian economy. Since May, our terminals have faced an unrelenting barrage of ongoing industrial action by the MUA that has impacted all terminal users including importers, exporters and shipping lines, Patrick CEO Michael Jovicic said on Nov. 8. Delays are escalating, and we have continually pleaded with the MUA to negotiate without the need for damaging industrial action. The stevedore has unsuccessfully negotiated with the MUA over 70 meetings since February 2020. MUA launched over 220 industrial actions in all four ports during the negotiation period, according to Patrick. Port workers had planned to hold 12 hours strikes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for the entire month of October in the Melbourne port alone. They were later halted after 2 cases of COVID-19 were detected, putting hundreds of workers in isolation and straining operations. The past two years have been particularly challenging for all parties across the supply chain, and the industrial action is impacting Australias COVID economic recovery, Jovicic said. For the sake of our economy, we need to get our supply chains working efficiently again, and the ongoing industrial action is definitely not in the best interests of Australias recovery. Under 424 of the Fair Work Act, protected industrial action can be terminated if it is judged to have threatened, is threatening, or would threaten to cause significant damage to the Australian economy. Workers load containers on a cargo ship at Port Botany in Sydney, Australia, on Dec. 2, 2020. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) The MUA said Patrick Terminals were acting with belligerence and bad faith in the courts rather than negotiating with the workforce. By the admission of Patricks parent company in its recent annual report, business is booming, MUA assistant national secretary Jamie Newlyn said. Volumes are up, profits are up, and executive bonuses are flowing. This is not a business or an industry in distress. Meanwhile, the Australian Farmers Federation CEO Tony Mahar wrote in The Australian Financial Review that international freight supply chains were jeopardising the countrys economic recovery. However, he said that the dispute between Patrick and MUA was merely a sliver of the broader problems plaguing the supply chain. Mahar accused the freight supply chains of working against Australias national interest but also criticised the unions for making exorbitant wage and working condition demands and holding freight end-users to ransom if they do not get their way. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry CEO Andrew McKellar said the MUAs industrial action wasnt about the money since workers were already paid on average $172,000 (US$127,000) a year for just 200 days of work. 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, McKellar said. Backlash Against Critical Race Theory Madness Reflected in Virginia Election Commentary The election of a Republican governor in Virginia points to a winning formula in the upcoming mid-terms, a key component of which is empowering parents to fight back against Critical Race Theorys (CRT) indoctrination of their children. Gov-elect Glenn Youngkins victory was unexpected because the Democrats had won the governorship of Virginia for the last 12 years and the Democrat candidate, Terry McAuliffe, was popular. More importantly, it looked like a major demographic shift had forever changed Virginian politics in favour of the Democrats, given the growth of a huge suburban population of Washington D.C. bureaucrats in northern Virginia. For many Republicans, it felt like Virginias political game had forever been rigged against them by the arrival of these D.C. immigrants. But 2021 showed that even with this northern demographic challenge, Republicans can win Virginia if they can develop a powerful enough message. Youngkin built such messages by exploiting the hubris, arrogance, and incompetence that has characterized the Democrats since Biden moved into the White House. Essentially, he pledged to: support parents in their fight against CRT, fund the police, and cut red tape and tax. So appealing were these pledges that they switched hundreds of thousands of votes from Democrat to Republican, especially independent voters. Youngkin was also helped by Biden showing up to campaign alongside McAuliffe. This served to remind voters of the struggles of Bidens administration, plus how it has empowered the woke-lefts CRT and police defunding agendas. Additionally, Bidens appearance also reminded voters that Biden does not look in charge. President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference at the White House in Washington on Nov. 6, 2021. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images) His $3 trillion remake U.S. plan is gridlocked in Washington. His migration policies caused chaos on the border. And anti-right-wing security on Washingtons streets only serves to make it look as if he does not even control his own capital. But it would seem the core vote shifter was Youngkins standing up for parents rights to say no to the CRT bullies and to those teachers who want to indoctrinate students with it. Youngkin correctly read the anti-CRT mood across his state. After all, even in the blue northern suburbs of Loudoun County, some parents mobilized against their schools teaching CRT. And so Youngkin has been rewarded with the governorship because he paid attention to the voices of Virginia parents, telling CRT-activists and woke-teachers: I am not an oppressor, and I am not going to allow you to teach my children your toxic anti-white racism anymore. Essentially he produced a swing towards the Republicans in every part of Virginia by promising to ban CRT in Virginia schools. Given the mounting parental backlash against the theory across America, it might be helpful to summarize the CRT worldview and objections to this radicalism. CRT objects to how mainstream (white) Americans see themselves, their country and their history. CRT has the same objection to history as taught in Canada, Australia, and Europe. Its solution is to teach a new kind of history. Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard called this new history the black armband view in which everything before European colonialism was apparently wonderful, and everything since has been evil. CRT argues Europeans invented race and racism to justify colonialism and slavery and effectively invented a new updated version of the old Marxist villain-victim idea. For Marxists, capitalists were villains, and workers were victims. For CRT, whites are villains, and blacks are victims. Both models grow out of the resentments of the unsuccessful, but CRTs answer is to tear down the successful and what they built. Vandals attempt to pull down the statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Square near the White House on June 22, 2020. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images) The emergence of parental opposition to CRT in the schools reflects a growing realization that the theory represents a truly existential and revolutionary threat to the American way of life. But CRT goes further than just wanting to deconstruct and reconstruct America and its way of life or take down statues. They demand all white individuals must recognize they are racists, which is built into them through language. They also demand that whites must apologize (and recompense black victims) for white racism, for white privilege, and for oppressing black people. Within CRT logic, whites are apparently always inherently racist and inherently privileged. Blacks are always apparently oppressed and can never be racist. If any white person points to the absurdity of these claims, this is taken a proof such a person is racist and fragile. CRT allows no escape from its closed circular argument. Re-education appears to be the only solution, according to the theory. Whites must be taught to recognize their individual sickness and the pathology of their society. Then taught to be sorry, to take the knee, and to be co-opted into CRTs plan to deconstruct existing American society. This re-education will take place in schools, universities and through compulsory staff training workshops. Conveniently, CRT activists have created many jobs for themselves by running these workshops. Apparently, revolution can be profitable for some. CRT is a revolutionary project designed to actively disrupt and break the language we use. It is enmeshed with another left-wing project called the decolonization of education and the decolonization of society. These projects aim to undo the so-called evil of European colonialism plus deconstruct the work of the apparently evil white men who colonized and built America, Canada, and Australia. People hold up signs during a rally against critical race theory (CRT) being taught in schools at the Loudoun County Government centre in Leesburg, Va., on June 12, 2021. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) Building CRTs postcolonial world is a project as profoundly revolutionary as was Stalins communist project of building the Soviet Man. Americans need to become aware of what such a project of re-writing their culture; their history, and their language will mean for them. If Americans want to see what decolonization of education and society means, just look at what the African National Congress has done in South Africa. This is a project of erasure that is totalitarian in its vision. What is remarkable is that left-leaning liberals cannot see how Orwellian this CRT re-education project is in the way it wants to replace bad language and bad thinking with new sanitized social justice words and good thinking. Similarities can be found with Mao Ze Dongs Cultural Revolution when communist witch hunts forced people to confess their guilt. Youngkins victory in Virginia should give us all hope. Let this be the beginning of an alliance of Republican politicians and parents who say they are tired of having their children come home from school brainwashed by CRT. Let the message from Virginia be that enough is enough. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A man transports cabbage on a cart after buying it at a street stall in Beijing, China, on November 4, 2021. (REUTERS/Thomas Peter) Beijing Residents Stock Up on Cabbages in Uncertain Times Beijing residents are stocking up on cabbage after authorities issued a notice telling people to keep daily necessities in stock in case of emergencies. Supermarkets have capped sales at three cabbages per person, but even then, shoppers arriving after 9 a.m. local time left empty-handed. Every year at this time the [cabbage] sales volume is high. But after the report came out, everyone rushed to buy even more, said Jia Jinzhi, a grower who sells cabbage at Beijings Xinfadi wholesale market. The panic buying followed a notice from the commerce ministry on Nov. 1 encouraging people to stock up on daily necessities in case of emergencies. The lack of explanation about the directive triggered long queues outside supermarkets in downtown Beijing in the early mornings last week. On Chinas social media, some users even linked the advice with a potential war with Taiwan. State-run Economic Daily responded to concerns in a later report, saying the notice was meant to make sure people are prepared for a potential lockdown due to the recent COVID-19 outbreak. But it didnt stop shoppers from stocking up on cabbage. Customers at a local supermarket said they were paying about three times what they paid last year, or 1 yuan ($0.16) per half kilo. But if they didnt buy now, prices would double further into winter, said another shopper surnamed Sun. You can keep it for two or three months. You put it outside, find a cotton blanket to cover it, he said. As the vegetable could be kept fresh for months in freezing temperatures, people living in northern China are used to buying up to dozens of green cabbages to eat during the winter. Chinese families have started increasing their stockpiling of staples, including cabbages, after a recent surge in the price of vegetables and seasoning. A resident in Beijing Tongzhou told The Epoch Times the price of cabbages, spinach, cucumbers, and radish had more than doubled in the first week of November. Tang Ke, an official at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said at a press conference on Nov. 4 that the reasons for the price rise include poor weather reducing production, and regional lockdowns putting strains on deliveries. Meanwhile, the recent nationwide cold snap has caused traffic disruptions, adding more pressure on food supplies. Beijing and other northeastern regions in China experienced snow on Nov. 7, almost a month earlier than usual, leading to the closure of roads and cancellations of flights and trains. State-backed media The Paper reported on Nov. 7 that snow piled up in residential compounds under lockdown cannot be cleared away. Many Beijing residents have been sealed in their homes as the authorities have further tightened restrictions against growing COVID-19 outbreaks now spread to over half of the countrys provinces. Officials are also on high alert as Beijing is currently holding a major closed-down summit of the top members of the Chinese Communist Party. Reuters contributed to this report. President Joe Biden is seen in Washington during a briefing on Sept. 24, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) Biden Administration Asks Court to Combine Lawsuits Against OSHA Vaccine Mandate The Biden administration is seeking a consolidation of the flurry of legal challenges that have been filed against its private employer COVID-19 vaccine mandate, which would affect 84 million workers if allowed to take effect. A federal appeals court over the weekend put the mandate on hold as judges decide whether or not to overturn it. Legal challenges against the mandate have raised grave statutory and constitutional issues, the court panel said. Because at least a dozen lawsuits have been filed against the emergency rule, promulgated by the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the panel should abide by a federal law that says multiple challenges should be combined, government lawyers told the judges in a Nov. 8 filing. The law says that in such cases courts shall, by means of random selection, designate one court of appeals, from among the courts of appeals in which petitions for review have been filed. That means that a single appeals court will handle the combined filings, instead of the five circuits that have received challenges so far. But until theyre combined, the separate cases are still proceeding, Buck Dougherty, senior attorney at the Liberty Justice Center, which is representing plaintiffs in the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals case, told The Epoch Times. The appeals court on Saturday ruled to stay the mandate until further order from the court and told the government to reply to a motion for a permanent injunction by 5 p.m. local time on Monday. The government had not filed any other papers by the deadline, according to a review of the docket. The Department of Justice did not respond to a request for comment. The Republican National Committee, Answers in Genesis, and Kentucky have brought other challenges, as have Bentkey Services, Phillips Manufacturing & Tower, Southern Baptist Theological, Tankcraft Corp., Indiana, the Job Creators Network, and Florida. Together, the filings have been lodged across at least five circuits. Biden administration lawyers said in their filing that they expect a lottery selection for the court to take place on or about Nov. 16. They also informed other appeals courts of the upcoming lottery. Each circuit has a different makeup of judges, which could affect how the challenges are decided. We have a strong case regardless of what circuit were in, Dougherty said. The Fifth Circuit appeals court panel later Monday ordered the government to, in addition to other filings it planned to lodge, to respond to a motion for a longer stay filed by petitioner LeadingEdge by noon on Nov. 10. The stay brought temporary relief for many businesses that would be forced to obtain proof of COVID-19 vaccination from workers or make them get tested on a weekly basis for COVID-19. Every business with 100 or more workers falls under the mandate, which has a Jan. 4, 2022, deadline. Smaller businesses may face the vaccination rules, the Department of Labor has indicated. Saturdays ruling was widely interpreted as applying nationwide, though some doubt was indicated in another case. Missouri and 10 other states that filed a challenge to the OSHA rule to the Eighth Circuit said in a filing Monday that the order may be construed to have nationwide effect but it does not make an explicit statement on this point, asking the court to enter a similar order here to avoid any confusion. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who is part of the Fifth Circuit case, disagreed, saying the order was clear. I believe that basic simple reading of the Fifth Circuit [order] brings you to the conclusion that OSHA is enjoined from implementing the rule, not just in the Fifth Circuit states, but in the country as as a whole, he told The Epoch Times. Challengers to the rule say its clearly outside OSHAs powers. For instance, petitioners in the Fifth Circuit said OSHA cannot show COVID-19 presents a grave danger to all businesses with 100 or more employees because only a few months prior, the agency ordered just healthcare employers to mandate vaccination. Biden administration officials argue that the mandate is legal under the Occupational and Safety Health Act of 1970. In a briefing Monday, White House deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre noted that over 750,000 people are believed to have died of COVID-19 in the United States since the start of the pandemic, with another 1,300-plus dying every day. If thats not a grave danger, I dont know what else is, she said. Biden Administration Pushes Court to Lift Block on OSHA COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate COVID-19 presents a grave danger to businesses because the illness spreads in workplaces and people who havent gotten a vaccine continue to be hospitalized and die, the U.S. government told a court late Monday in trying to get a stay against its private employer COVID-19 vaccine mandate lifted. The Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) unveiled the mandate as an emergency temporary standard last week for every business with 100 or more workers. A federal appeals court panel over the weekend stayed the mandate, or blocked it for now, citing grave statutory and constitutional issues. That stay should be lifted as the flurry of legal challenges against the mandate proceed, Biden administration lawyers asserted in a response to a request for a permanent injunction of the standard. Lawyers said the requests for relief are premature in part because the deadline for workers to get fully vaccinated is Jan. 4, 2022. Accordingly, there is no need to address petitioners stay motions now, and the court should lift its administrative stay and allow this matter to proceed under the process that Congress set forth for judicial review of OSHA standards, they said in the 28-page document, which was entered one minute after it was due, to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in response to a request for an emergency injunction. Full vaccination requires multiple Moderna or Pfizer shots, or the single-shot Johnson & Johnson jab. That means workers who dont get the latter must start a regimen well before the deadline, but could conceivably wait until late November or early December. The government also believes OSHA was reasonable in finding that COVID-19 presents a grave danger. In order to issue an emergency standard, federal law requires the agency to determine that employees are exposed to grave danger from exposure to substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful or from new hazards and that a standard is needed to protect workers from the danger. COVID-19 has killed hundreds of thousands of people in the United States and caused serious, long-lasting, and potentially permanent health effects for many more, lawyers said. OSHA described myriad studies showing workplace clusters and outbreaks and other significant evidence of workplace transmission and exposure. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths have dropped sharply in the United States in recent months, but some experts fear a resurgence during the winter since people will be spending more time indoors. Unvaccinated workers continue being admitted to hospitals and dying from the disease, the filing added, though it neglected to mention that vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19 infection is plummeting and a growing share of hospital admissions and deaths are among the vaccinated. The vaccine-or-testing mandate will protect unvaccinated workers against the most serious health consequences of a COVID-19 infection and reduce the overall prevalence of the COVID-19 virus at workplaces,' with OSHA estimating that over 6,500 lives will be saved and over 250,000 hospitalizations prevented over the course of the next six months, the filing also said. The mandate has drawn at least a dozen legal challenges across the country that will likely be consolidated into a single case. Lawsuits are being filed directly to appeals courts because the standard is directly appealable; suits typically start on the district court level. If a permanent injunction is granted, it could be appealed directly to the Supreme Court. Plaintiffs say the mandate is government overreach and will devastate their businesses. This vaccine mandate is a crushing blow to employees, Kathy Garfield, president of Keller Companies, told a press conference at the New Hampshire company on Monday. Getting a COVID-19 test in recent weeks has been impossible and employees would be forced to pay $200 a week for a test, she added. Illegal immigrants cross the Rio Grande between Del Rio, Texas (far side), and Acuna, Mexico, on Sept. 20, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) Biden Administration Sends Notices to Appear to Tens of Thousands of Illegal Immigrants Inside US President Joe Bidens administration is sending notices to tens of thousands of illegal immigrants who were released into the U.S. interior without being given a date to appear in court, the government confirmed to The Epoch Times. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is mailing charging documents to place noncitizens in removal proceedings who have been paroled or released under prosecutorial discretion by Customs and Border Protection, an ICE spokesman told The Epoch Times in an email. The illegal immigrants, numbering about 78,000, will receive information packets, including documents informing them that their case will be processed via deportation proceedings and directing them to report to their closest ICE office. Agents will log biometric information, take photographs, and inform them of future check-in requirements and court dates. Action will be taken against those that do not appear consistent with the law and department priorities. By mailing out these charging documents, ICE is initiating removal proceedings in a timely way, the spokesperson stated. Chad Wolf, former head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said the move showed the Biden administration had been dysfunctional in its handling of immigration enforcement. Since this admin could not effectively manage the border, DHS must now expend considerable resources to track down illegal immigrants, he wrote on Twitter. The U.S. immigration system, already burdened by a backlog of more than 1.4 million cases, has seen unprecedented illegal border crossings since Biden entered office in January. The previous fiscal year record of illegal immigrant apprehensions was broken in September, and a new yearly record is all but certain to be set. Normally, when illegal immigrants are apprehended by Border Patrol and they wish to claim credible fear of returning to their home country, or the first step in the asylum process, an asylum officer will conduct a credible fear screening. Illegal immigrants who pass the screening are released into the U.S. interior and given one year to formally apply for asylumwhich a significant number fail to do. Under the crushing volume of illegal entries this year, however, the Biden administration has released hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants without official documents, giving them a notice to report to a local ICE office within 60 days. Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, wrote on Twitter that it would be interesting to see how many of the notices to appear are returned to the government, not to mention how many illegal immigrants actually show up in court. Those who dont comply with the notices face deportation, but can appeal. However, with a bogged down court system, she said, deportation is unlikely to happen quickly, if at all. Amy Fischer, advocacy director at Amnesty International USA, told CBS, which first reported the mass mailings, that she was concerned immigrants may not receive the notices from Customs and Border Protection (CBP). We know that when people are entering, they give CBP an address and its typically an address of where they know somebody in the United States. But that doesnt mean that it is where they will reside, she said. We also know that CBP has a long history of writing down inaccurate information. ICE has declined to say how many people were given the lower-level notices to report, and a Freedom of Information Act request for the data hasnt yet been returned. Obviously, the better practice would be to have individuals be noticed to appear as opposed to noticed to report, Chris Magnus, Bidens nominee to head CBP, told a Senate panel last month. Magnus, who said he wasnt sure about the legal basis for issuing notices to report, blamed a dearth of asylum officers and immigration judges, and a broken immigration system on the change in policy. Magnus also refused to say the situation at the border constitutes a crisis, a move that drew scorn from Republican lawmakers. Charlotte Cuthbertson Senior Reporter Follow Charlotte Cuthbertson is a senior reporter with The Epoch Times who primarily covers border security and the opioid crisis. charlottecuthbo Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson is shown around a CT scan room during a visit to a hospital in Hexham in northern England, on Nov. 8, 2021. (Peter Summers/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Boris Johnson Under Pressure as UK Government Admits Mistake in Corruption Row British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has come under pressure to take responsibility for the governments botched attempt to protect a ruling party lawmaker by changing rules designed to prevent corruption in parliament. The Johnson government has been accused of corruption and wallowing in sleaze after it whipped through a vote last Wednesday to block a 30-day suspension of Conservative MP Owen 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 yearby shaking up the disciplinary process. The government was forced to abandon the plan just a day later after opposition parties refused to participate in the proposed new Tory-led committee to review Patersons case and the current standards system. During a three-hour emergency debate in the House of Commons on Monday, cabinet minister Steve Barclay and he and his ministerial colleagues said they regret the mistake they made last week over the issue of standards. He said there were sincerely held concerns over how MPs alleged wrongdoings are investigated, but the government was wrong to conflate these with an individual case. Mark Harper, a senior Conservative MP and former chief whip, called on the prime minister to apologise to the public and to Parliament. He said backbench Tory MPs deserved decisions that are well thought through and soundly based. If on occasion, as on this occasion if the team captain gets it wrong, then I think he should come and apologise to the public and to this House, thats the right thing to do in terms of demonstrating leadership, said Harper. Before the debate, Johnson had refused to apologise when asked repeatedly by broadcasters on Monday whether he would do so, arguing that there were long-standing concerns amongst MPs about the way standards probes were handled. Johnson also came under fire for not attending the emergency debate and visiting a hospital in Northumberland instead. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that Johnson was running scared and putting self-preservation over the national interest. But Downing Street said the prime minister was unable to get back to Westminster in time following a long-planned visit. On Tuesday, Dominic Raab, the justice secretary and deputy prime minister, was asked seven times in a media interview why Johnson had not apologised for the Owen Paterson saga or whether he was sorry. Raab told the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 that the government was clear that it was a mistake to conflate two issues, the individual case with the wider system and the due process that should be in place, and we regret that. Lily Zhou and PA contributed to this report. Boston Anti-Mandates Rally Disrupted by Anti-Fascism Protesters, Clashes Break Out BOSTON, MassachusettsA rally against mask and vaccine mandates in Boston was disrupted by anti-fascism protesters on Nov. 7. According to Boston Police, two individuals were arrested as clashes broke out between the two sides. Police officers with clubs and anti-riot gear quickly reacted and divided the two groups. After that, the anti-fascism protesters marched to another side of the park and broke through barrier fences. Not long after that, riot control officers assembled and began to clear the field. The brief conflicts on Sunday concerned many of the rally-goers. One participant, Kevin Mackie, who held a sign that read see people not sides, was worried about people blinded by hate, calling names and dehumanizing each other. I think we need to be diplomatic. We need to be respectful of each other. Listen to each other. Remember, at the end of the day, no matter what sides people are on, they are all human beings, Mackie told The Epoch Times. He said that people are taking different sides because they disagree on how to achieve the common goal of keeping everyone wanted to be safe and free. Therefore, he said it is important to look at the rationale behind everybodys thought. Each of us is unique. We all have a unique mishmash of what we believe in. To distill it into two sides is really reductionist. And its not productive, its not the way out, Mackie said. The protest was organized by Super Happy Fun America, a right of center civil rights organization focusing on defending the Constitution, according to their website. Their rally began around noon with a heavy police presence. About 100 attendees sang the national anthem, read the pledge of allegiance, and shouted slogans like we will not comply and USA. Anti-fascism protesters with communist flags disrupt an anti-mandates rally in the Boston Common on Nov. 7, 2021. (Learner Liu/The Epoch Times) At the same time, a larger crowd of protesters congregated on the other side of police fences with communist flags and signs that read death to fascism. As the anti-mandates rally went on, the anti-fascism protesters tried to dismantle the barricades and rush into the rally. A few physical altercations ensued. The Boston Police Department said in an email that two persons were arrested. Samson Racioppi, a Super Happy Fun America organizer, told CBS that their rental vans front window was smashed. Racioppi said he was right by the van when the incident happened. He also said he was pepper-sprayed by the other group of protesters. Super Happy Fun America said in an email that Antifa smashed the windshield and started beating the van and driver, forcing the driver to desperately try to escape by driving through barriers. Brea Approves Increases in Salary, Sick Leave for Police Officers BREA, Calif.The City of Brea unanimously supported a memorandum Nov. 2 to approve salary increases and relaxed sick leave for its police department. The contracts, which are set to cost over $470,000 over 3.5 years, will allow the city to attract more qualified applicants when hiring new officers and other employees, according to a report by Brea city manager Bill Gallardo. These contract adjustments are needed for the City to stay competitive in the current labor market if Brea is going to continue to attract and maintain quality public safety management employees, Gallardo wrote. As part of the memorandum of understanding, Brea police officers will maintain their current salaries the first year of the contract, then get a 5 percent bump the second year, followed by a 2 percent cost of living increase in the third year, with another 2 percent increase during the final six months of the 3.5 year contract ending Dec. 2023. In addition to the salary increases, the new contract increased from 80 to 96 hours the maximum annual sick leave available to each department employee per fiscal year, for them to deal with personal medical/dental needs or that of their immediate family members. Another proposal also regards paid leave as hours worked, for purposes of calculating federally mandated overtime payments. These two items will help us remain competitive in the labor market as these benefits are standard in comparable jurisdictions, Gallardo wrote. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the citys labor contracts that expired in June 2020 had not been updated for over a year. Public health orders have allowed for more in-person meetings to take place since then. The citys negotiation team met with employee unions to discuss new labor contracts, with considerable progress being made quickly, according to Gallardo. A tiny home in a wealthy Boston suburb stands next to trees and shrubs, in Newton, Mass, on Sept. 30, 2021. (Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via AP) Build-to-Rent Homes Looking to Capture Sizable Chunk of Housing Market in Arizona Coupled with low supply inventory, rising home prices and more people moving into the valley, theres a new trend taking shape in Arizona, where residential properties are being built to rent out rather than sell. Its actually a fairly new form of residential real estate that really didnt exist five or six years ago, Randy Grudzinski with Empire Development Group told ABC15. The build-to-rent trend is mainly driven by demand, which, according to the Arizona Department of Housing estimates, comes to around 250,000 more homes and apartments needed right now in the state. Builders are constructing these new units all around the Phoenix Metropolitan Area, also known as the valley. There are 52 active build-to-rent communities with 165 more planned locations, according to the Land Advisors Organization, a large land broker in Phoenix. When looking at numbers across the country, there has been an increase of 30 percent build-to-rent homes from 2019 to 2020. Six percent of all new homes built are part of the trend, with numbers expected to double in the coming decade. The fastest-growing sector in the housing market is set to upend the American dream by catering to those who cannot afford the homeowners initial down payment. Mostly, the homes in Arizona are tiny one or three bedroom cottages with smart features, a petite backyard and modern amenities like common pools and security. The rental prices in The Villages, a community with 204 units on 18 acres, range from $1,500 for a single bedroom to $2,400 for a three bedroom unit. Many of the occupants of build-to-rent homes are millennials and empty nesters. The whole idea of buying a home, that starter home that were all familiar with, has just become so unattainable to the average young couple getting started out there or even just singles in that group, Grudzinski said to ABC15. Before the pandemic, people preferred living in amenity-rich big city environments that were close to work. But that perception has changed with remote opportunities like working from home, where costs are lower and quality of life is comparatively higher. Developers are selling suburban living combined with rental advantages like predictable and lower maintenance costs, shared amenities, property management, and lower overall transaction costs. With hefty credit card debts and student loans, adults under 35 have the nations lowest rate of homeownership, at 37.8 percent, according to the Census Bureau. The national rate of home ownership, meanwhile, continues to plummet. Then, there are the institutional investors. The single-family home market has become an inevitable asset class for institutional money, Aaron Graf, chief executive of the New York City real estate brokerage LG Fairmont, told The New York Times. A normal buyer cant compete with an all-cash offer from an institution, especially if it comes in high. Young people are thus being priced out of the starter single-family home. Besides these factors, there is a growing trend towards not saving money towards investing for a home and maintaining it. There is a narrative being pushed on young people that it is better to rent than to own, Graf told the NY Times. This trend will be devastating for young peoples ability to build wealth, as housing is the No. 1 wealth builder. While Arizona-based build-to-rent developers are expanding into more cities across the country like Dallas, Tampa, and Denver, investor money is flowing into the rental business. Weve got clients, multiple, well over a couple of billion dollars worth of capital looking to place in this space, said the executive vice president of SVN/SFRhub Advisors to CNBC in 2019 regarding the build-to-rent model housing. Another firm, Toll Brothers, announced in the same year a $60 million joint venture to form a build-to-rent company. Chinese leader Xi Jinping speaks at a meeting commemorating the 110th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Oct. 9, 2021. (Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters) Chinese State Media Take Aim at Officials Who Try to Jump Ship and Flee China Eight years ago, Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping criticized party officials for allowing their confidence to waver and sending their families and money abroad. These people were attempting to leave themselves a way out and prepared to jump ship anytime, he said. Study Times, a newspaper run by the CCPs Central Party School for training Chinese officials, recently reiterated these words, saying that while some Party officials were physically present in China, they were mentally abroad. This shows a loss of ideal and a lack of confidence toward the Party and the nation, the article reads, claiming that such officials are more prone to losing their direction and walking further away on the wrong path. Such officials have become known as naked officials, a figurative term suggesting that they arent leaving anything but themselves back home. In 2016, Honesty Outlook, a state-run anti-corruption monthly magazine in Sichuan province, described the exit strategies used by corrupt CCP officials as a cicada sloughing off its shell. If they need to exit China quickly for any reason, they secretly secure living arrangements abroad, including by buying a house in a family members name and having them settle there, so that the official can later escape. While naked officials might not be corrupt initially, they have a higher tendency to become so, according to the Study Times article, identifying three such officials to illustrate the point. Cao Jianliao, the former vice mayor of Guangzhou, used his position to collect more than 70 million yuan (roughly $11 million) in bribes and to obtain Hong Kong and Macau resident cards for himself and his family. Wen Min, former director of the National Defense Science and Industry Office in Mongolia, managed to purchase a property for his daughter in Melbourne, Australia, after transferring funds through an underground money market. He had 36 properties in various parts of China, according to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the top Chinese antigraft agency that published findings of its investigation into Wen in July. The third official, Zhang Shuguang, is the former director of the Transportation Bureau under Chinas Ministry of Railways. He arranged to have his wife and children immigrate overseas. The entire family is now charged with corruption, serving sentences from 18 years to life imprisonment. Regular self-disclosure, higher public scrutiny, and international cooperation are necessary to discourage these officials from engaging in acts of corruption, according to the article. Officials must place themselves in the cage of the system from beginning to end, as the article called for a zero tolerance attitude toward fugitives accused of corruption. The regimes internal survey in 2012 found that at least 85 percent of officials within the CCPs top management have exit strategies prepared for their families and finances, Xin Ziling, a retired Chinese defense official, told The Epoch Times. China had about 7 million civil servants as of 2015, according to data released by Chinas Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security in 2016. The ministry hasnt updated that data since that time. Its unclear how many naked officials are among those civil servants. In 2014, Chinese authorities disciplined more than 3,200 naked officials. About 1,000 of them were demoted for failing to bring their relatives living abroad back home. The article comes on the eve of a major closed-door Party meeting attended by officials from the regimes powerful Central Committee. The meeting is a precursor to the twice-in-a-decade Party Congress to be held next autumn, when the regime will usher in a new group of top leaders. Analysts say that the article reveals anxiety among the top echelon of the Party. The Party media have revealed that CCP officials have no confidence in the Party, and Xi knows they could flee at any time. It reveals a general belief in the Chinese officialdom that the Party is nearing its end, Li Yanming, a U.S.-based expert on Chinese current affairs, told The Epoch Times. He said that more than 380 million Chinese people have quit Party-affiliated organizations by using pseudonyms, including some CCP officials. Its apparent that the CCP has become desperate, Li said. Xi is attempting to correct Party members wayward thinking and unify them before next years 20th National Congress, where he will seek to secure a third five-year term, Lan Shu, a Chinese current affairs commentator, told The Epoch Times. Zhao Yuanming, a senior legal expert who formerly lectured at the Beijing-based Peoples Public Security University, a state-run institution training Chinas elite police officers, found Xis emphasis on confidence in the Party to be telling. A saying among commoners goes that if you gun down all these officials one by one, someone would have been wronged. But if you were to gun down every other one, there would be those that slipped through the net, Zhao told The Epoch Times. This is the degree of corruption inside the Chinese regime. Joyce Liang contributed to this report. Winnie Han Follow Winnie Han reports on China news for The Epoch Times. Chinese military delegates arrive for the sixth plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 18, 2018. (Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images) CCP Mouthpiece Media Play Up Xis Achievements Before Party Conclave Just days before the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) sixth plenary session, the partys mouthpiece media published a series of articles spotlighting Xi Jinpings achievements. International observers point out that what Xi has done could be categorized as regressive. The articles praised Xi for his foresight, being wise and decisive, and a series of strategies and major decisions that the leader has done in the new era he pioneered. The CCPs official media Xinhua News Agency released a special article on Nov. 8, that used more than 3,000 words to tout the new era of the Chinese communist regime for the benefit of the world and to set off the atmosphere for the opening of the CCPs Sixth Plenary Session. The CCP conclave, held in Beijing for four consecutive days, started on Nov. 8. Participants will review and pass the third historical resolution of the CCP that summarize its 100 years of achievements and Xis achievements at the meeting. Yan Chien-fa, a professor of the Department of Business Administration at Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology and the deputy chief executive of the Taiwan Democracy Foundation, told the Chinese edition of The Epoch Times that since 2012, Chinas relationship with the outside world has gradually deteriorated. Adding expansions through the Belt and Road plan and in the South China Sea, signal the beginning of Chinas decline. Yan said: The relationship with the United States, Europe, Japan, and India began to deteriorate from 2018, and then he [Xi] started targeting the Chinese high-tech companies. In addition, there are a lot of problems with power shortages. There are also the floods, too many problems. I think they have too many internal and external troubles; how could he write a resolution document to summarize [achievements]? He is going backward now. This resolution is strange. Its just for his consecutive term being passed by the 20th CCP conference next year. Chinas internal financial difficulties are now very serious, and there is also the problem of a sharp decline in real estate. It is difficult to recover for a while. I think the economy will decline even more this year and next year. The [COVID-19 epidemic] zero policy is the same. What you are getting now seems to be that there are not many confirmed cases. But in fact, there are a lot. The outside world does not believe it and thinks that the real number is covered up. Li Hengqing, a US-based scholar, told The Chinese edition of The Epoch Times that, like all the highest-level meetings of the CCP, the Sixth Plenary Session was held behind closed doors and such key resolutions have always been drafted in advance. Li said that Xi wanted to use this party conclave to affirm that he has steered the CCP in the right direction again: which is the so-called common prosperity. Then he must use more ideologies that exclude Western democratic and free ideas to rule the whole party. At the same time, economically, he has also started to lead the country towards more nationalization and squeezing the space for individuals and private sectors. By doing so, he makes sure that the CCP controls everything in the country. Then you will see this time, it must be reflected in this resolution. Luo Ya and Hong Ning contributed to the report. A view inside a courtroom at the Superior Court of California courthouse in Santa Maria, Calif., on Jan. 30, 2005. (Spencer Weiner-Pool/Getty Images) Ceiling Collapses in Vista Courtroom, Leading to Partial Courthouse Evacuation VISTA, Calif.A portion of the Vista courthouse was evacuated Nov. 8 due to a ceiling collapse in one of the courtrooms. The non-injury collapse led to an evacuation of the north building of the North County Regional Center, where criminal and juvenile matters are handled. The south building and the courthouse annex, where civil, small claims, and traffic matters are typically handled, remain open. Court spokeswoman Julie Myres said an engineer will assess the damage and more information would be available sometime Monday afternoon. It was unclear when the north building was expected to reopen. A technician stands at the entrance to a Huawei 5G data center at the Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital in Guangzhou, in southern China's Guangdong province, Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Champagne Says Canada Only Wants Trusted AI Partners as Huawei Decision Looms Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says Canada only wants to deal with trusted partners in future artificial intelligence ventures. Champagnes comments to The Canadian Press send a strong signal that the Canadian rejection of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei as a 5G provider is at hand. The federal government has long delayed a decision on the companies that will become its main providers of its AI-powered, next-generation 5G internet network because China had until recently imprisoned two Canadian men, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. The two men were released in September after more than 1,000 days in Chinese prisons in what was widely seen as Beijings retaliation for Canadas arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou on a U.S. extradition warranta saga that ended when the U.S. abandoned its prosecution of her. Champagne says he expects Canadas 5G decision to come within a couple of weeks after the formal return on Parliament on Nov. 22. He says national security comes first as Canada moves forward with trusted partners on AI collaboration in 5G, which will rely on artificial intelligence that is expected to transform everyday life. Chinas Comprehensive Tech Theft Explained by Expert; Chinas Ban on Taiwanese Officials Based on the news of three Taiwanese officials being sanctioned by China, did China just announce Taiwan is actually a country? This comes as the grounds for these sanctions go unexplained. Speculations suggest that sanctions only work against a foreign country. Did the aggression from the Chinese Communist Party finally pay off for Taiwan? A jury in Cincinnati recently convicted a Chinese spy over his attempt to steal American flying technology. I have a special guest, Stu Cvrk, to talk about Chinas comprehensive ways of carrying out technology theft. Stu Cvrk is a former Navy captain and a China expert. Guo Yingcheng (center) , the chairman and co-founder of Kaisa Group, at the companys interim results meeting, on Aug. 29, 2017. (Guo Weili/The Epoch Times) Chinese Real Estate Developer Kaisas Debt Defaults Reflect CCP Infighting: Expert News Analysis Investors of Kaisa Group, one of Chinas most active real estate developers, on Nov. 3 received a notice of overdue debt defaults from the company. A similar default happened one month earlier with another real estate developer, Fantasia Holdings. Ji Da, a China affairs expert who lives in the United States, told The Epoch Times that the reason property companies like Fantasia and Kaisa catch so much public attention is that they are involved in a power struggle at the top of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Their fortunes seem to reflect what is happening with the infighting and purges among the CCPs different factions. How come the real estate developers who used to call the shots cant even borrow money now and have to break their contracts? Thats because the political power behind them is no longer viable, Ji said. This is not the first time that Kaisa missed a bond payment deadline. Founded in 1999 by Guo Yingcheng and his two brothers, and headquartered in Hong Kong, Kaisa Group was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in Dec. 2009. Urban renewal projects were once the companys main business, which was known as the King of Redevelopment, said Chinese financial media wallstreetcn.com. Anyone familiar with Chinas political system knows that its impossible to get urban renewal projects if a real estate company has no connections to the CCP official circles. Guo and Kaisa Group are considered to be tied to Zhou Yongkang, previously a member of the 17th Politburo Standing Committee and secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, who was once one of the most powerful leaders inside the CCP. Zhou, as a member of the Jiang Zemin faction and thus stood opposite Xi Jinping, the current CCP leader, was placed under investigation for alleged abuse of power and corruption in late 2013 and expelled from the Party in 2014. In late November 2014, after Zhous arrest, Shenzhen Planning and Land Commission locked up a number of Kaisas unsold properties. As a result, several financial institutions filed for pre-litigation property preservation and seized some of the companys assets in Shenzhen, reported Caixin, a Chinese financial media. At the end of 2014, Guo resigned as chairman for health reasons, which triggered early repayment of the $51.36 million financing from HSBC, a Hong Kong-based bank. Kaisa failed to make the payment on time, according to HKEXnews, a Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Market website. According to Chinese media reports in 2015, a land development project of the Kaisa Group involved Jiang Zunyu, a former member of the Standing Committee, secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission in Shenzhen, and a direct subordinate of Zhou. Jiang was investigated by Chinese authorities on Oct. 13, 2014. Guo sent a written report to the CCPs Discipline Inspection Commission, admitting that he and Jiang were involved in some gray areas together. Another senior official Kaisa was linked with was Yang Xiancai, a senior judge and former head of the Guangzhou High Courts Executive Bureauand Zhous subordinate. In 2010, Guo confessed to bribing Yang with $130,000, to put pressure on Zhong Hua, the developer of Sinopec Tower in Guangzhou, to sell the property to Kaisa for less than market value. The project later became one of Kaisas flagship projects and made hundreds of millions of dollars, according to state-owned China News. Despite Zhongs denial, the court recognized that Yang approved the deal. Zhong said he did not receive a single penny. They were in cahoots, I was cheated. Yang was later sentenced to life imprisonment, while Guo was exempt from punishment for cooperating with the authorities by testifying. Kaisa Group is also tied to the Zhongxu gang of Zhou Bin, Zhou Yongkangs son. The front operator of the Zhongxu gang was Wu Bin, known as money bags and top butler of Zhous family, who apparently owned Zhongxu investment company, had a stake in Kaisa Groups Chengdu Lijinggang project, according to Jiemian, state-owned financial media based in Shanghai. Wu also had business interests in Fantasia Holdings. In January 2015, Fantasias property in Shenzhen was also locked down following the official lockdown of Kaisas property in November 2014. The founder of Fantasia, Zeng Bao Bao, is the niece of former Vice President Zeng Qinghong, who, along with Zhou Yongkang were hardcore supporters of Jiang Zemin, known as the Jiang faction. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Citigroup Inc (Citi) logo is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference, in Toronto, Canada, on Oct. 19, 2017. (Chris Helgren/Reuters) Citigroup Expects up to $1.5 Billion Charge From South Korea Retail Banking Exit Citigroup Inc. said on Monday it expects to take a cash charge of nearly $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion related to the closure of its consumer banking business in South Korea. The bank had announced its plan to exit consumer businesses in 13 markets in Asia and EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), where it does not have the scale necessary to compete, in April. The move is part of Chief Executive Jane Frasers plan to streamline operations and boost the banks profitability. The exit will help release roughly $7 billion of allocated tangible common equity over time and boost its capital, the bank had said last month. In terms of Korea the economics of winding down the consumer business are much more attractive than continuing to run the business, Chief Financial Officer Mark Mason said in a statement. He said the exit from South Korea would help the bank release roughly $2 billion of allocated tangible common equity and in the remaining markets, it was in talks with potential buyers. Citigroup will continue to maintain its institutional presence in Asia and EMEA through four wealth centersSingapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, and London. The charges related to the closure will be incurred through the rest of 2021 and 2022, the bank said in a regulatory filing. As part of its push to trim its operations, the bank had in August announced an agreement to sell its Australian consumer unit to National Australia Bank for nearly $882.24 million. Besides Australia and South Korea, Citi is also closing its retail operations in Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Russia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The gurney in Huntsville, Texas, where Texas' condemned are strapped down to receive a lethal dose of drugs is shown on May 27, 2008. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan) Convicted Murderer Who Insists on Pastoral Touch During Execution Is Stalling, Texas Tells Supreme Court A Texas death row inmates demand for his personal pastor not only to be present, but also praying and in physical contact with his body during administration of the lethal drugs that will end the prisoners life, is a delay tactic, the states lawyer told the Supreme Court. Texas Solicitor General Judd E. Stone II said the condemned man, John Henry Ramirez, 37, has been wasting everyones time trying to delay his inevitable execution. Petitioner has twice received the extremely exceptional remedy of having his execution halted at the last minute, Stone said during oral arguments on Nov 9. Each time he litigates [another] execution date, he receives another lengthy reprieve. This court should not countenance the delay of a fourth execution date. The appeal, Ramirez v. Collier, court file 21-5592, comes from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. Oral arguments overshot the allotted 65 minutes by 32 minutes. Respondent Bryan Collier runs the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ). The Supreme Court granted Ramirezs application to stay execution of the death sentence, as well as his petition for certiorari, or review, on Sept. 8, as The Epoch Times previously reported. On July 19, 2004, the former U.S. Marine, then 20, seeking money to buy drugs, robbed and murdered Pablo Castro, 46, stabbing him 29 times, and taking $1.25 from him. Ramirez robbed a second victim at knifepoint and tried to rob a third. He evaded arrest for 3 1/2 years in Mexico, prosecutors say. Ramirez argued in his petition that Texas is both depriving him of his constitutional right to exercise his religion and violating the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). The right of a condemned person to the comfort of clergyand the corresponding right of clergy to comfort the condemnedare among the longest-standing and most well-recognized religious exercises known to civilization. Ramirez has been frustrated by TDCJs rapidly evolving, writtenand unwrittenrestrictions on spiritual advisers religious behavior during executions, he argued in a separate brief. During oral arguments, Ramirezs attorney, Seth Kretzer, said Texas performed an about-face two years ago. Across Texass 572 executions spanning four decades, the states policy was to allow a spiritual adviser to be present in the execution chamber to lay hands on a condemned inmate and to audibly pray, he said. In 2019, that long-standing practice changed suddenly when the state chose to forbid any religion adviser from the execution chamber. The states own history and practices, as well as the current approaches of the federal government and states like Alabama, prove that Texass restrictions on touch and prayer are not the least restrictive means of furthering its proffered execution interests, Kretzer said. Even if Ramirez doesnt prevail under RLUIPA, this court should remand for an evidentiary hearing in which both sides may develop the record. Justice Stephen Breyer said Stone seemingly admitted that Texas has experience in allowing pastors into the execution process and theres never been a problem. But Stone said there was an important distinction, which is that for every one of those circumstances, the individual is a TDCJ employee. There is a very significant difference between having an outsider with no relationship whatsoever Stone said, only to be cut off in mid-sentence by Justice Elena Kagan. Kagan said, Are you aware in any other states of an execution going astray because of an outside spiritual adviser? Stone said he was not, but only because this is very new in the handful of jurisdictions that allow it. This is the sort of thing we would anticipate to be a very low likelihood of occurring, but disrupting an execution has catastrophic potential. Replying to Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Stone said Texas is attempting to minimize risk almost all the way to zero as much as we reasonably can. Justice Brett Kavanaugh asked Stone, so the risk is low, but the potential harm catastrophic so those two things need to be thought about together? Thats exactly right, Stone said. Texas being unwilling to tolerate a very small amount of risk in the death chamber, where a tiny amount of risk can lead to a situation that would create intolerable pain for an inmate or an intolerable amount of reliving of suffering for a victim, for the victims families or any of these very high negative value problems, Stone said. Kavanaugh asked Kretzer about the impact of repeated execution delays on surviving family members of the victim who have had to endure four and a half years of postponed executions. If were going to rule for you, I think we need some clear lines so were not putting future victims families in the same position of time after time having these delays. Kretzer replied, saying he had nothing but the greatest sympathy for the family of Pablo Castro, but that victims interests were specifically taken into account by Congress when it passed the RLUIPA. Speaking for the Biden administration, Deputy Solicitor General Eric Feigin said courts shouldnt be micromanaging prison procedures, and that Texas is legally justified in substantially limiting physical contact with the inmate and vocalization by a spiritual adviser in the highly choreographed and sensitive execution procedure. However, a categorical ban like Texas appears to have, isnt the least restrictive means for doing so, he said. To justify such a ban its experts would have to offer state-specific reasons why its necessary. In federal executions, the spiritual adviser has been well away from the inmate as the drugs are actually administered, Feigin said. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons performs auditory monitoring during the administration of the drugs, in particular, listening for any drip from the IV lines and for a particular snoring sound that would indicate the pentobarbital is working as it is supposed to and chanting and praying sometimes could interfere with that. Actor Dean Stockwell poses at an unknown location in February 1989. (Alan Greth/AP Photo) Dean Stockwell of Quantum Leap Dies at 85 NEW YORKDean Stockwell, a top Hollywood child actor who gained new success in middle age in the sci-fi series Quantum Leap, has died. He was 85. Jay Schwartz, a family spokesperson, said Stockwell died of natural causes at home Sunday. Stockwell was Oscar-nominated for his comic mafia kingpin in Married to the Mob and was four times an Emmy-nominee for Quantum Leap. His brother, Guy Stockwell, also became a prolific film and television actor, even doing guest shot on Quantum Leap. He died in 2002 at age 68. Stockwell is survived by his wife, Joy, and their two children, Austin Stockwell, and Sophie Stockwell. Democratic Sen. Wyden Rebuked by His Millionaire Son Over Billionaire Tax Proposal Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) has been called out by his multimillionaire son in a Twitter exchange involving Elon Musk, the worlds richest man, and his payment of taxes. Adam Wyden, 37, lambasted his father and other politicians in a tweet that was a response to his fathers reply to Musks viral poll which asked whether he should sell 10 percent of Tesla stock. Why does he hate us / the American dream so much?!?!?!?! tweeted younger Wyden who is a successful hedge fund manager and isnt registered with either political party, according to a Forbes report. Reality is: most legislators have never built anything so I guess its easier to mindlessly and haphazardly try and tear stuff down, his tweet continued. Thankfully, I think I can compound faster than my dad and his cronies can confiscate it he added showcasing a group of ticker symbols. Musks tweet in question that Sen. Wyden commented on was a poll about unrealized gains and tax avoidance. Much is made lately of unrealized gains being a means of tax avoidance, so I propose selling 10% of my Tesla stock. Do you support this? Musk said on Twitter Nov. 7. Out of a 3,519,252 total vote count, a majority, 57.9 percent, voted in the affirmative. Musk said in the follow-up he would abide by the results of the poll and that he does not take cash salary or bonus from anywhere. I only have stock, thus the only way for me to pay taxes personally is to sell stock. Sen. Wyden, who was estimated to have a net worth of $6,877,025 in 2018 according to research group OpenSecrets, took a jab at Musk in his tweet. Whether or not the worlds wealthiest man pays any taxes at all shouldnt depend on the results of a Twitter poll. Its time for the Billionaires Income Tax, Sen. Wyden said on Twitter. Musk shot back at the senator with a crude reply. Sen. Wyden, the Senate Finance Committee chairman along with fellow Democrats, introduced the tax proposal to levy fines on billionaires even when their stock holdings are not realized, that is, stocks would be taxed whether theyre sold or not. Democratic politicians have put forward the idea as a way to fund their trillion-dollar infrastructure bill. Musk had earlier slammed the proposal claiming that the bill would start with billionaires and itll only then be a matter of time before legislators go after average citizens. A deep value investor, Adam Wydens Miami-based ADW Capital Partners manages around $350 million. He prefers micro- and small-cap stocks that are mostly ignored by analysts and large hedge funds. Since the funds inception in 2011, it has returned back to investors around 12 times their initial investment, which comes to roughly double that of the S&P 500. Adam Wydens current net worth is around $100 million. As for his fathers radical tax proposals, I dont think I have any sway over my father, he told Forbes. Initially based out of New York, he moved his entire operations down to Florida like many billionaire investors who have made the sunshine state their home during the past decade. Florida is a low tax state. People are seen at the Graabroedre square in Copenhagen on April 22, 2020 (THIBAULT SAVARY/AFP via Getty Images) Denmark to Re-Impose CCP Virus Restrictions After Ditching All Rules 2 Months Ago: Prime Minister Denmark will re-introduce COVID-19-related restrictions after a rise in cases, said Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Monday, coming less than two months after ditching the rules. Frederiksen cited the Danish Epidemic Commissions recommendation that the government classifies COVID-19 as a socially threatening disease for reimplementing restrictions, telling journalists: The government will follow this recommendation. About 86 percent of people aged 12 or older are fully vaccinated in Denmark. Despite that, authorities said last week hospitals are at risk of being overwhelmed due to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Critics of vaccine mandates have said that because COVID-19 vaccines cannot entirely prevent the transmission of the virus to others, such requirements are not necessary and will create unnecessary economic and social hardship. In a Sunday Facebook post, Frederiksen claimed that COVID-19 is spreading from unvaccinated people to elderly people and at-risk people who have been vaccinated, although she did not provide evidence for her assertion. Health authorities will soon advise the Danish government on new measures, she added. The health authorities were expecting more people to be infected (by COVID) and hospitalized, but the things have gone faster than expected, Frederiksen also told reporters Monday. Among those restrictions, the government may mandate that certain businesses require customers to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination before entering, she said. You can live with the corona-pass, Frederiksen said, referring to the vaccine passport. It will be re-imposed on bars, nightclubs, restaurants, and similar venues. The pass shows whether an individual has been vaccinated, has recently recovered from the virus, or has had a recent negative test. Opposition parties include the Conservative Party, the Danish Peoples Party, and Venstre oppose the passport, but the governing left-wing coalition is in favor of it. And Eskild Petersen, a prominent infectious diseases professor at Aarhus University, said during public remarks that the country needs to reimpose a mask mandate. If we are to avoid closures of schools and the rest of society, we need to get ahead of things, and it is proven that both corona-pass and face masks work against infection spread, he said last week. The number of new coronavirus cases was higher than 2,000 again Monday, for the fifth day running. Medical staff members are treating 26 people in intensive care. Out of a population of about 5.8 million, some 2,745 people have died of COVID-19 to date, according to health officials. COVID-19 is the illness caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. Reuters contributed to this report. Migrants approach the U.S. border on Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas, on March 2, 2021. (Sergio Flores/AFP via Getty Images) Ecuadorian Migration Spike Driven by Poverty From Pandemic Aftermath Among the thousands of illegal aliens crossing the United States border this year, the number of Ecuadorians detained or deported by U.S. border security reached 97,074 in September. Thats more than seven times the number of illegal border-crossers from Ecuador encountered by U.S. border officials by this time in 2020. William Murillo, co-founder of the Ecuadorian legal service 1800Migrante.com, said there are multiple factors driving this new surge, but he points to one element in particular. The economic effects of COVID-19, he told The Epoch Times. About 97 million people fell into extreme poverty in 2021 due to economic blowback from pandemic lockdowns, with eight out of 10 new poor coming from middle-income countries, according to the World Bank. Ecuador lost $6.42 billion between March and May 2020 due to CCP virus lockdowns, based on a disaster-needs assessment released by the United Nations. Murillo said Ecuadorian migration has endured peaks and lulls over the past 20 years, with 2008 and 2021 being notable apexes, and that economic fallout during the pandemic left the nations already struggling economy shattered. When it comes to the primary components behind the latest surge, Murillo said, Its mainly poverty, corruption, and lack of opportunities in Ecuador. Meanwhile, Mexico and Guatemala have changed their visa requirements for Ecuadorian migrants. Mexico announced the reinstatement of a tourist visa policy for Ecuadorians in a bid to stem the tide of migrants heading toward the U.S. border, which went into effect on Sept. 4. Seven out of 10 migrants who enter Mexico from Ecuador dont return home, according to Roberto Canseco, a minister at the Mexican embassy in Quito, Ecuador. Guatemala followed suit on Sept. 20 and also now requires a visa for Ecuadorians to enter. With unemployment levels surpassing 16 percent last yearcombined with a slow economic recoverysome Ecuadorian families feel they have little choice but to look elsewhere for a better future. Miguel Acosta, 44, and his family live in Guayaquil, the largest city in Ecuador, and have endured financial hardship brought on by the arrival of the CCP virus. First it was not safe to go outside, and now there are no jobs left, Acosta told The Epoch Times. Acosta hasnt worked for the past four years due to medical problems, but his wife runs a small store in Guayaquil while caring for their three children who still live at home. My [eldest] son Carlos left because there is no work. Hes working in Mexico now and saving [money] to go to the U.S., he said. Asked what his son plans to do in the United States, Acosta replied: Work, study, and send us money here in Ecuador. From an immigration attorneys perspective, Murillo said that having someone established in the United States to help you once you cross the border is paramount. Several generations of Ecuadorians have emigrated since the 1970s, so most migrants have a relative, friend, or neighbor who receives them and helps them find work, he said. Support is vital when deciding to travel to the USA. Despite the risks, which include deportation by U.S. border security, navigating drug and human traffickers, and dangerous elemental obstacles, Acosta remains optimistic about his sons chances of crossing the border illegally. Hes a good swimmer, and he worked on his uncles farm [growing up]. Carlos is a strong boy, hell be able to cross [to the U.S.] when hes ready, Acosta said. A fathers hopes aside, Ecuadorian migrants close to Acostas sons age have gone missing or turned up dead in recent months due to extreme challenges in the region. Murillo said that, sadly, this pattern wasnt likely to change anytime soon. So long as Ecuador doesnt solve structural problems deep in the country, we will have migration to the U.S. and other countries, he said. The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship approaches the International Space Station in a photo released by NASA on March 9, 2020. (Courtesy of NASA) Elon Musks SpaceX Now Expects to Launch Crew-3 on Wednesday After 2nd Delay Tesla Inc. (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk-led SpaceX said on Saturday its Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station has been delayed again. What Happened SpaceX and the U.S. space agency NASA are now targeting the launch of the Crew-3 mission from the latters Kennedy Space Center in Florida to take place on Wednesday. SpaceX and NASA are looking at a 09:03 p.m. ET launch window with a backup opportunity on Thursday at 8:40 p.m. ET. SpaceX said the weather conditions for the Wednesday launch are 80 percent favorable. Following Crew-2s return to Earth, Falcon 9 will launch Dragons third long-duration crew mission to the @Space_Station as soon as Wednesday, November 10; weather forecast is 80% favorable for liftoff pic.twitter.com/xOFGVw3fOP SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 7, 2021 Crew-3 is SpaceXs third operational crewed flight for NASAand the fifth human spaceflight mission SpaceX has launched since May 2020which uses the flight to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. The Crew-3 mission would ferry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer to the space station. The mission was first scheduled to take place on Oct. 31 but has since been delayed twice. NASA now aims to return the astronauts from Crew-2 before Crew-3 is launched. Why It Matters SpaceX has been working with NASA on multiple projects including a $2.9 billion lunar landing contract. Just last week, Amazon.com Inc (AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos Blue Origin lost the lucrative lawsuit against NASA for awarding the contract to SpaceX. Musk dreams of colonizing Mars and has in the past said he remains highly confident that SpaceX would land humans on Mars by 2026. SpaceX and Blue Origin also compete with each other in the recently launched space tourism flights. Price Action Tesla shares traded 4.92 percent lower at $1,162.00 a share on last check Monday. By Rachit Vats 2021 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Epoch Times Reporter Charged With Controversial Cyberstalking Statute Over His Reporting Experts say statute used to silence free speech in Nigeria; reporter says he fears his life is in danger Epoch Times journalist Luka Binniyat, who has been reporting on Christian persecution in Nigeria by suspected Fulani jihadists, has been charged with cyberstalking the head of state security for Nigerias Kaduna state because of his reporting. Binniyat was arraigned on Nov. 9 at the Barnawa Magistrates Court in Kaduna. Human rights advocates say that cyberstalking is a charge often used in Nigeria to silence the press. Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner of state security in Kaduna, filed a criminal complaint against Binniyat that prompted his arrest on Nov. 4. An article by Binniyat published on Oct. 29 in The Epoch Times was evidence of inciting violence and had endangered him personally, Aruwan told a press conference on Nov. 8. The article was headlined In Nigeria, Police Decry Massacres as Wicked But Make No Arrests. On 29th October 2021, my attention was drawn to an online publication authored by one Luka Binniyat. In this publication, Mr. Binniyat quoted Senator Danjuma Laah of the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District, as stating that I am being used to cover up a genocide against Christians in Southern Kaduna, Aruwan wrote in the complaint. I am supremely concerned first, for the implications of such a statement on the peace and security of our state, because of the religious and ethnic sentiments it has conveyed, Aruwan, a self-identified Christian, wrote on Nov. 8. He went on to say that he felt threatened by the reporting. This material has exposed my life and the lives of my family to grave and immediate danger, he wrote. Cyberstalking was instituted as a crime in Nigeria in 2015. Its defined as the act of threatening, harassing, or annoying someone through multiple email messages, as through the Internet, especially with the intent of placing the recipient in fear that an illegal act or an injury will be inflicted on the recipient, according to ResearchGate. Read More Epoch Times Reporter Jailed in Nigeria More than 60,000 Nigerian citizens, including many unarmed women and children, have perished during violent, sectarian attacks since 2009, according to the International Committee on Nigeria (ICON). The cyberstalking law is aimed at shutting down factual reporting, according to ICON Executive Director Kyle Abts. Binniyat is charged with cyberstalking under the cybercrime law, which many legal experts believe is another form by the Nigerian government to prevent freedom of expression, he told The Epoch Times. Tep-rick Emmanuel, assistant public relations officer of the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union, said that Binniyat had been moved from the Kakuri Police jail to the Criminal Investigation Division facility in Kaduna state. Binniyat sent a text to his colleagues on Nov. 8 as he waited for his court appearance, saying that he feared for his life. I fear that my life is in danger. I was smuggled here from the police detention facility in Gabasawa police cell after four days without trial and dehumanizing cell condition, Binniyat wrote in a message to journalist John Shiklam, a friend. I am yet to be taken before a judge, Binniyat wrote on the fifth day of his detention by police. I just managed to get this phone, he added. Hes represented by barrister Yakubu Galadima, who will petition the court to move the case to a high court to enable the magistrate to grant cash bail, Emmanuel said. I believe the bail can be granted soon, he said. Yet, other observers believe the state authorities seek to prevent Binniyat from getting bail, since the magistrates court doesnt have authority to grant bail for the charge of cyberstalking, which isnt under its authority. This is what the prosecution did to Steven Kefas two years ago, according to one court attendee, who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisal. They were expected to try Luka on defamation and injurious false statement, but they changed it to cyberstalking, knowing that the magistrates court has no authority over that crime, and knowing that it may take time to get into the high courts docket. Kefas, an internet journalist, was charged with cyberstalking in 2019 and spent 160 days either in jail or the main Kaduna prison, he told The Epoch Times. Abts said: Cybercrime elevates his case to a higher court, giving Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai more oversight over Binniyats case, which is dire for him, as without proper care and legal guidance, he will languish in a Nigerian prison. Luka Binniyat is trying to report the truth and share it with the world. He is being prevented to freely express his thoughts, beliefs, and the reality in Nigeria. California attorney and theologian John Stewart told The Epoch Times in an email: The charges against Luka Binniyat, according to my sources, bear a striking resemblance to the tactics employed against other journalists in Nigeria for the crime of accurately reporting the truth about the genocide against Christians in Nigeria. If my sources in Kaduna are correct, a federal charge of cyberstalking was added to state charges that include incitement against Binniyat for his article that was published in the Epoch Times on Oct. 29. A federal charge prevents the local magistrate from granting bail, meaning Binniyat will languish in jail until the matter can be transferred to a federal magistrate who is able to grant bail. It can take several weeks or longer for a case to be formally transferred to a federal magistrate. Remaining in the squalid conditions of a Kaduna state jail sends a stark message that Binniyat and other journalists who expose government complicity and corruption in the terrorist attacks on Christians in Nigeria will incur the wrath of the government. Rev. Johnnie Moore, a two-time commissioner on the U.S. Commission for International Religious Freedom, urged human rights organizations to raise their voices against the persecution of a reporter. The authorities in Nigeria are now incarcerating journalists working on behalf of international media organizations? Instead of working so hard to make excuses for the atrocities being committed in the country, they should be putting that energy into fixing them, Moore wrote to The Epoch Times. I hope the chorus of global outrage is so loud that it cannot be ignored because it doesnt seem that anyone is listening to thousands of quiet cries of Nigerias innocent victims. Chinese leader Xi Jinping listens during a press conference with the French president after their meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on March 25, 2019. (Yoan Valat/AFP via Getty Images) EU Rapporteur Calls for Action Against Chinas Interference in European Union An EU rapporteur is raising concerns about foreign interference in the European Union, in particular, that coming from the communist regime in China. We cannot accept that there is still no task force monitoring interference coming from China, stated Sandra Kalniete, a Latvian member of the European Parliament, in her draft report (pdf) released last month. She said Chinas foreign interference actions were committed to undermining democratic functioning in order to gain influence. Kalniete also is a rapporteur for the European Parliaments Special Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation. She presented her report on Nov. 9 during a livestreamed European inter-parliamentary committee meeting. The report was based on more than 40 committee hearings from over 100 experts since September last year. While Russian influence was an issue addressed in the report, the bigger concern was clearly the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). One area of influence was elite capture, the report states, naming former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin who actively engaged in promoting Chinese interests in France, as well as former Czech Commissioner Stefan Fule for having worked for CEFC China Energy. Raffarin, 73, was Frances prime minister for three years until May 2005. He was touted by former Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao as demonstrating sincere friendship in 2003 when the former prime minister visited China amid the height of the SARS epidemic. In recent years, he has often been quoted in Chinas state-run media. In April, he was quoted by CGTN, the international arm of Chinas state-run broadcaster CCTV, saying that Europe and China must cooperate and there is no future without China. In September 2019, Raffarin was one of six people receiving a friendship medal, an award given by Beijing to foreigners who make contributions to China. He was quoted by Chinas state-run media Xinhua saying that he was sincerely pleased for receiving the medal, given his decades-long work to promote ties between the two nations. CEFC China Energy, an oil conglomerate that made billions of dollars in Russia, eastern Europe, and parts of Africa, was founded by disgraced Chinese oil tycoon Ye Jianming. Last year, a U.S. Senate report exposed questionable transactions between President Joe Bidens son Hunter Biden and Chinese nationals including Ye. The Chinese conglomerate went on a shopping spree in the Czech Republic in 2015, buying up stakes in several local companies. The company went on to hire influential Czechs, including the countrys former Defense Minister Jaroslav Tvrdik, as well as Fule, who was the European commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement from 2010 until 2014. Then-Chinese vice chair Xi Jinping unveils a plaque at the opening of Australias first Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute at the RMIT University in Melbourne on June 20, 2010. (William West/AFP via Getty Images) More CCP Influence Another area of concern was Chinese state propaganda, the report states, pointing out how CCP-sponsored media content disguised as journalism had been distributed in newspapers. In May, Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists issued a report warning about China mobilizing more novel tactics such as disinformation as the COVID-19 pandemic started to spread. The report highlighted Italian state-run news agency ANSA, how it began to carry Chinas state-run media content after signing a memorandum of understanding with Xinhua in 2019. This has translated into ANSA running 50 Xinhua stories a day on its news wire, with Xinhua taking editorial responsibility for the content while ANSA serves as a tool of distribution, the report states. A recent report (pdf) by the European Council on Foreign Relations, a think tank headquartered in London, showed Chinas increasing media presence in southeastern Europe, in countries including Bosnia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Serbia. The report also warned about the presence of around 200 CCP-funded Confucius Institutes in Europe. Confucius Institutes serve as a lobbying platform for Chinese economic interests and for the Chinese intelligence service and the recruitment of spies, according to the report. Some European universities had already terminated their cooperation with the Chinese institute because of risks of Chinese espionage and interference, the report states, such as Germanys University of Dusseldorf in 2016 and the University of Hamburg in 2020. Late last month, Germanys Education Minister Anja Karliczek issued a letter ordering all universities in the country to review their connections with the institute. There are currently 36 Confucius Institutes in the United States, according to the National Association of Scholars. Kalniete offered a number of recommendations in her report, including better sanctions against actors behind the interference. CEO of Citigroup Vikram Pandit speaks during at TIME Building in New York City on Oct. 12, 2011. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images for TIME Inc.) Every Major Financial Institution Will Think About Trading Cryptocurrencies Within Next 3 Years: Former Citigroup CEO Every major financial institution will be thinking about trading cryptocurrencies within the next few years, according to Vikram Pandit, chairman of The Orogen Group and former chief executive officer of Citigroup Inc. Speaking at the Singapore Fintech Festival event, Pandit told Bloomberg that in one to three years, every large bank and/or securities firm is going to actively think about shouldnt I also be trading and selling cryptocurrency assets?' Pandits comments come after multiple financial institutions have tapped into the cryptocurrency industry. JPMorgan Chase & Co. in August started giving its wealth management clients access to six crypto funds, CNBC reported. Meanwhile, Bank of America lats month announced it has launched digital asset research to explore the implications across industries including finance, technology, supply chains, social media, and gaming, while noting that digital assets are transforming the way in which markets, businesses, and central banks operate. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) last week also said it will offer customers the ability to buy, sell, and hold crypto assets. CBA CEO Matt Comyn said in a statement that, the emergence and growing demand for digital currencies from customers creates both challenges and opportunities for the financial services sector, which has seen a significant number of new players and business models innovating in this area. We believe we can play an important role in crypto to address whats clearly a growing customer need and provide capability, security, and confidence in a crypto trading platform, Comyn added. Elsewhere, nations such as Ukraine, which legalized cryptocurrency and other digital assets earlier this year, and El Salvador, which has adopted Bitcoin as legal tender alongside the U.S. dollar, have embraced the virtual currency market, despite concerns over regulations. My big hope is that central banks around the world understand the benefit of a central bank digital currency, and move on to accept, adopt them, Pandit told Bloomberg, adding that it was cumbersome and creates a lot of deadweight cost, to transfer money around the world while also trying trying to modernize a paper-based banking system. The price of Bitcoin hit a new all time high on Tuesday, soaring to $68,260, while the second-biggest digital coin, Ethereum, surged to $4,817.40. Its surge comes following data showing that smart contract blockchain Ethereum burned more tokens than it emitted at the end of October. The amount of ether burned on a daily basis set new records for two days in a row, data showed. Ethereum produced 15,109.34 ETH and burned 16,710.2 ETH over a 24-hour period, amounting to a net supply reduction of 1,600 ETH, Coindesk reported, citing data from Tokenview. Ethereums boost appeared to have been driven in part by Shiba Inu coins massive volume. Shiba Inu is an Ethereum-based ERC-20 token, meaning it is created on and hosted by the Ethereum blockchain, as opposed to its own blockchain. The currency reached an all-time high at the end of October and its market cap is now over $37 billion. However, cryptocurrencies have faced criticism from lawmakers over risks and a lack of regulations, which was evident earlier this month when the popular digital currency known as SquidGame Cash or SQUID collapsed amid an apparent rug pull scam. The digital token, which appeared in the wake of the success of Netflixs South Korean survival drama series Squid Game, marketed itself as a play-to-earn cryptocurrency on the Binance Smart Chain (BSC). The token, which is not officially affiliated with Netflix, proved to be an instant hit when it first launched with a price of just $0.01 and saw its market capitalization quickly rise above $174 million. But within a 24-hour period, the cryptocurrency peaked at a price of $2,861 before plummeting to $0, according to CoinMarketCap, a price-tracking website for crypto assets. Subsequently, users were left unable to trade or use the currency. Family of 13 Lives in Tent for 3 Months Before Utah Realtor Buys Them Home: A Huge Blessing A family of 13 given 30 days notice to leave a rented house in Utah suddenly found themselves with nowhere to live. With scant options for a family of their size, they moved into a tent. However, their fortune took a turn when a local real estate agent heard of their plight and offered to buy their dream property. Brittny and Danny Shelton, aged 39 and 40, are raising their kids in Tremonton, Utah. Both in helping professions, they work full time in registration for a hospital emergency room and as a city firefighter and EMT, respectively. They were working on buying their rented housetheir treasured home of seven yearsuntil the housing market changed, and their landlord decided to sell up; he told them on June 29 that they had 30 days to find somewhere to live. We had no clue, Brittny told The Epoch Times. The future that we had planned in this home was no longer happening. We paid our rent and took great care of the home; we even paid to have new flooring put into it just weeks before this happened. Danny (2nd-L) and Brittny Shelton with their children. (Courtesy of Brittny Shelton) The prospect of leaving their friends and neighbors was equally devastating for the Sheltons kids, ranging in age from 16 to 1 year old: Adler, Teagan, Aryiana, Takoda, Aimryn, twins Azlyn and Tedric, Albricht, Thaydin, Aurorah, and baby Trezlyn. They had to stay in Tremonton because, if Danny left, he would lose his job. However, Brittny said that for the few rental homes that exist in the area, there were long waiting lists. We were blindsided! she said. With our family size in the best conditions, its hard to find a place, and with the housing shortage, especially to rent, because everyone is sellingits tough. Money was never the issue, but finding a place that we could all fit was difficult. To add to that, when you say you have 11 children, not many are willing to give you a chance. They spoke to local news media to publicize their story in July, concerned that other families were also facing homelessness due to the shortage of properties. Someone local reached out to offer a small storage unit, a blessing to the Sheltons, but a blow to have to part with many of their belongings. An international audience reached out to donate food, blankets, clothing, and prayers. But no houses, said Brittny. One person stated that they owned some land, but it was 30 minutes outside of town. Nonetheless, the family was out of options. They set up camp on that land and stayed for three long months. Living in a tent with 13 people was crazy, Brittny reflected. [We] had no running water or bathrooms. There was dirt everywhere all the time. We were cooking on a barbecue grill and had no fridge. The kids couldnt play as normal because there were snakes and coyotes, and we even saw a mountain lion. As summer ended and the mountains grew cold, Brittny and Danny worried, but comforted themselves with a family motto: As long as we are together, and healthy, thats what matters. Their guardian angel came along in the nick of time. Realtor Russell Faucett of Salt Lake City heard the Sheltons story from a local radio station through which he advertises, and called them with a proposition: he wanted to buy a house to rent to them, but he wanted them to choose it. Brittny and Danny had reservations and refrained from telling their kids. Things had been so hard, letdown after letdown; we didnt want to get too excited and have it not happen, Brittny said. Yet the prospect of a new home in their time of greatest need was irresistible. They began searching and found a 4-bedroom home in Tremonton, fully refurbished. Russell even hired a team to transform half the family room into two additional bedrooms, as the Sheltons wanted. Everyone cried the day they got the keys in mid-September and the kids saw their new home for the first time. Brittny said that Thank you is not enough for amazing, good-hearted Russell and his immense generosity. He has been such a huge blessing to our family, she said. He reached out to help and went above and beyond. He never really shared why he decided to help us other than he heard our story, knew he needed to do something, and was in a position to help at the time so he did. While house-hunting, Brittny and Danny met numerous families in the same position who were being kicked out and nowhere to go. There are no homes to rent because everyone is selling and the few that are up for rent, there is a waiting list, giving people in this situation no hope, she said. Landlords know they have the upper hand in this situation and can charge above and beyond because people are desperate to keep a roof over their heads. Ive met so many families on this journey, and its sad that this is happening to so many good families. Lucas Martin, director of human services for Bear River Association of Governments, told KUTV in July that the housing shortage in Utahs Box Elder, Cache, and Rich counties is a tremendous challenge, particularly in rural areas. Over the course of a normal year, the association receives roughly 300 requests for emergency rent assistance. In June alone, they had 109. But selfless deeds of kindness can change lives just like the Sheltons experienced. They plan to purchase their new home from Russell one day, making it their own. He has said we could do at any time, Brittny said. He told us that this is our home and to treat it as such. Brittny said that their family learned a lot from this situation, which was by far the hardest thing they have ever been through. Now our issue is replacing the furniture we had to get rid of, but we figure in time it will happen. We have a home, and thats enough for us! she concluded. Arshdeep Sarao contributed to this report. 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 Federal Liberal MP Rejects Allegations of Branch Stacking Federal Liberal member for Deakin and Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar has rejected allegations he had any knowledge that his brother, best friend, and factional supporters misused taxpayer funds for political work. This comes as Victorias Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) investigates current and former Labor MPs over the misuse of public money for partypolitical work or other improper purposes, such as branch stacking after the 60 Minutes and The Age alleged that in 2017 and 2019 taxpayer funds for electoral office budgets were diverted towards building factional power that benefitted Sukkar. Sukkar has previously denied any involvement in branch stacking and blamed the improper actions on a relatively junior political staffer, Josh Bonney. It was also alleged by 60 Minutes and The Age that electoral office staff were placed in the office of MP Kevin Andrews. Under parliaments rules, electorate office staff cannot work on party political matters, and are employed to assist an MP to carry out their duties. However, there is no suggestion that Michael Sukkar, his brother Paul Sukkar, Josh Bonney, Marcus Bastiaan or Kevin Andrews acted illegally, reported the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Meanwhile, former vice-president of Victorian division of the Liberal Party, Marcus Bastiaan, is suing Nine network and its newspaper for defamation following the 60 Minutes report that alleged he was part of the branch-stacking scheme, reported the ABC. Nines legal defence argued that between 2016 and 2018, [Bastiaan] in conjunction with other members of the Liberal Partys right faction, devised, co-ordinated and implemented a scheme to actively recruit new members to the Victorian division of the Liberal Party in large volumes over a comparatively short period of time, reported the Australian Financial Review. The scheme was overseen by Michael Sukkar and [Mr Bastiaan], according to the legal document obtained by the Australian Financial Review. In a statement published late Nov. 8 after the airing of the 60 minutes report, Sukkar said it was extremely disappointing that the news network would republish unproven claims from a discredited and disgruntled employee adding that the former staff members allegations were false and malicious. Statement on 60 Minutes. pic.twitter.com/SDqyOPkBx2 Michael Sukkar (@MichaelSukkarMP) November 7, 2021 Furthermore, Sukkar said the Department of Finances independent review conducted in 2020 did not find any breach or improper conduct. When these allegations were first made on 23 August 2020, I immediately and voluntarily requested that the Department of Finance undertake an independent review of electorate office. This review thoroughly examined the staffing arrangements in the Deakin electorate office, he said. Every allegation mentioned in the report was covered by the independent review undertaken by the Department of Finance last year when the allegations were first made. I have never authorised my staff to undertake activities contrary to applicable policies and guidelines, when they are being paid to serve the constituents of the Deakin electorate, he said. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has defended Sukkar saying that if there was new information the case would no doubt be referred to the finance department. There was an independent investigation into both Andrews office and Sukkars offices, and the (department of) finance investigation found that there was no serious misuse of taxpayers resources, Frydenberg said, reported News Corp. Sukkar has also publicly apologised to Liberal senator Jane Hume after his criticism of her difficulties with juggling politics and motherhood were made public by 60 Minutes. They were unfair and incorrect comments that I should not have made, and I regret doing so. I apologise to Senator Hume, he said. I have worked closely with Senator Hume in the last three years since both becoming Ministers in the Treasury portfolio where she has done an outstanding job. Federal Reserve Warns Stresses in China Real Estate Sector Poses Risk to US Economy The Federal Reserve on Monday warned that stresses in the Chinese real estate sector, including from debt-ridden property developer Evergrande, could impact the United States if they spillover into the Chinese financial system. In China, business and local government debt remain large; the financial sectors leverage is high, especially at small and medium-sized banks; and real estate valuations are stretched, the Fed said in its semi-annual Financial Stability Report. In this environment, the ongoing regulatory focus on leveraged institutions has the potential to stress some highly indebted corporations, especially in the real estate sector, as exemplified by the recent concerns around China Evergrande Group. Stresses could, in turn, propagate to the Chinese financial system through spillovers to financial firms, a sudden correction of real estate prices, or a reduction in investor risk appetite, the report warned. Given the size of Chinas economy and financial system as well as its extensive trade linkages with the rest of the world, financial stresses in China could strain global financial markets through a deterioration of risk sentiment, pose risks to global economic growth, and affect the United States, the report added. The report noted several possible financial risks that the Fed believes have the potential to impact the United States. It also cautioned that uneven economic recovery and the high debt levels in emerging market economies (EMEs) pose a risk to financial stability, particularly if there were to be a sharp tightening of financial conditions, possibly triggered by a rise in bond yields in advanced economies or a deterioration in global risk sentiment, which the reserve said could push up debt- servicing costs for EME sovereigns and businesses, trigger capital outflows, and stress EMEs financial systems. Widespread and persistent EME stresses could, in turn, have repercussions for the U.S. financial system through its direct exposures to stressed EME businesses and sovereigns and through its indirect exposures via U.S. businesses with strong links to EMEs, the report added. The report comes after Fed Chair Jerome Powell in September told a press conference that the Evergrande situation seems very particular to China but noted that it could hit global consumer confidence. China has very high debt for an emerging market economy, really the highest that any emerging market economy has had, Powell said. In terms of the implications for us, there isnt, theres not a lot of direct United States exposure. The big Chinese banks are not tremendously exposed. But, you know, you would worry that it would affect global financial conditions through confidence channels and that kind of thing. But I wouldnt draw a parallel to the United States corporate sector, the Fed chair said. A man walks past a No Entry traffic sign near the headquarters of Chinas Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, in China on Sept. 26, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters) Shares of Evergrande have fallen by more than 80 percent in 2021 as it struggles with crippling debt. The company is more than $300 billion in debt, making it the worlds most indebted property developer, and its been scrambling to raise funds to pay its many lenders, suppliers, and investors. Evergrande has warned on multiple occasions that it could default, and its $305 billion of liabilities could spark broader risks to the countrys financial system if not stabilized. Added to the pressure created by debt-ridden Evergrande there is growing investor angst about Chinas real estate clampdown, which has seen authorities move to curb the property industry in the past year, including tightening home-purchase rules and capping lending from banks while urging powerful property tycoons to pour resources and influence into backing Beijings interests. Its not yet clear exactly what actions officials will take in the clampdown on real estate or whether theres a deadline, but investors are already concerned. Meanwhile, Chinese banks had more than 51.4 trillion yuan ($8 trillion) of outstanding loans attributted to the real estate sector as of September, an increase of 7.6 percent from a year earlier, Bloomberg reports. Kyle Rittenhouse enters the courtroom during his trial in Kenosha Wisconsin Circuit Court in Kenosha, Wis., on Nov. 9, 2021. (Mark Hertzberg/Pool via Reuters) First Man Shot by Rittenhouse Had Hand Over Rifle Barrel, Trial Hears The first man shot by Kyle Rittenhouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin last year in close proximity to the teenager, with his hand over the barrel of the rifle the teen was carrying, a pathologist testified on Tuesday. Rittenhouse was being chased by Joseph Rosenbaum through the parking lot of a car dealership on Aug. 25, 2020, according to video footage shown in court and a witness who was closest to the pair. Drone footage introduced for the first time on Tuesday showed the adult closely tracking the teen, who turned around and fired shortly after another person opened fire nearby. Dr. Doug Kelley, a pathologist with the Milwaukee County medical examiners office, told the court that the wounds Rosenbaum suffered and videos he reviewed showed the mans left hand was in close proximity or in contact with the end of Rittenhouses rifle, or the barrel. At one point, he agreed that it was within inches if not touching. Most of the soot stippling was around the palm area of Rosenbaums hand, with little around the baby finger, he also said while being quizzed by Mark Richards, one of the defendants lawyers. The locations of the gunshot wounds combined with the footage could be seen as indicating Rosenbaum was lunging for Rittenhouses weapon, which a witness said he saw, Kelley agreed. Dr. Douglas Kelley, a forensic pathologist with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiners Office, testifies in Kyle Rittenhouses trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., on Nov. 9, 2021. (Sean Krajacic/Pool/Getty Images) But under cross-examination, he said that the injuries were also consistent with falling after being struck in the hip, with Rosenbaums momentum possibly carrying him forward. The prosecution rested its case after hearing from Kelley and James Armstrong, a senior forensic imaging specialist with Wisconsin State Crime Lab in Milwaukee. The first defense witness, former Car Source employee Nicholas Smith, told the court that he received a call on the morning of Aug. 25, 2020, from one of the companys owners, asking him to help protect it against rioters following several nights of tumult. He agreed, and he, Rittenhouse, and others ended up trying to guard the dealerships the business owns. Car Source owners have said they did not ask for protection. Rittenhouse was charged with multiple murder counts for shooting Rosenbaum and two others in Kenosha last year. He says he did so in self-defense, a claim that has been bolstered during the trial by witnesses and police experts. Prosecutors argue he was reckless, noting he was the only person who shot anybody that night. The General Electric logo appears above a trading post on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York City, on June 28, 2018. (Richard Drew/AP Photo) GE to Split Into 3 Companies Focused on Aviation, Healthcare, Energy General Electric has announced it is splitting into three public companies that will concentrate on aviation, healthcare, and energy. In a Nov. 9 press release (pdf), the company said it plans to spin off GE Aviation, GE Healthcare, and the combined GE Renewable Energy, GE Power, and GE Digital into three separate industry-leading, investment-grade public companies in order to realize the full potential of each business. The healthcare business is set to launch in early 2023, with GE taking a 19.9 percent stake in the tax-free spin-off. GE Renewable Energy, GE Power, and GE Digital will first be combined into a single entity and, in 2024, transformed into a tax-free spin-off, leaving GE to continue operations in the form of an aviation-focused company shaping the future of flight. GE Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. called the announcement a defining moment for the storied company. By creating three industry-leading, global public companies, each can benefit from greater focus, tailored capital allocation, and strategic flexibility to drive long-term growth and value for customers, investors, and employees, Culp said in a statement. Peter Arduini will serve as president and CEO of GE Healthcare effective Jan. 1, 2022. Scott Strazik will become CEO of the combined renewable energy, power, and digital business. Culp will serve as non-executive chairman of the healthcare company and will lead the aviation business along with John Slattery, who will remain its CEO. We have a responsibility to move with speed to shape the future of flight, deliver precision health, and lead the energy transition, Culp said. The momentum we have built puts us in a position of strength to take this exciting next step in GEs transformation and realize the full potential of each of our businesses. GE said in the announcement that it expects operational costs of around $2 billion and tax costs of less than $500 million related to the split, which is subject to final approval by the GE board and other customary conditions, including filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. hmm, not exactlyhow about The Boston-based company, which was founded in 1892, also said in the announcement that it expects to reduce its debt by more than $75 billion by the end of the year and deliver free cash flow margins in the high single-digits in percent terms in 2023. GE shares were up more than 15 percent in pre-market trading. Gun-Maker Remington Relocates Global Headquarters From New York to Georgia in $100 Million, 856-Job Deal Gun-maker Remington is to relocate its global headquarters from New York to LaGrange, Georgia, where it plans to open a new advanced manufacturing operation and world-class research and development center, the company announced on Monday. In a statement, the company, which is the United States oldest firearms manufacturer, said it plans to invest $100 million in the operation and hire 856 people over a five-year period in Troup County. Remington said that several of its strategic products will be manufactured in Georgia, although it is not immediately clear which weapons will be manufactured in the state. Georgias firearms industry is responsible for thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of investment in our communities, said Gov. Brian Kemp. I am a proud owner of some of Remingtons first-class product, and now, I am excited to welcome them to their new home in the Peach State. As yet another big manufacturing win for our state, I look forward to seeing the oldest firearms manufacturer in America thrive in Georgias pro-business environment. Founded in 1816, Remington Arms is one of the largest domestic producers of shotguns and rifles in the world. The company said it will be hiring for multiple positions across production, operations, engineering, and management in the future. The company did not provide details as to how or if the transfer would impact its operations in New York and Tennessee, where it also has production facilities. The company owns parts of the former Remington Outdoor Co., which declared bankruptcy for the second time last year, after initially seeking bankruptcy protection in 2018 after reporting nearly $1 billion in debt. Roundhill Group, LLC, an investment company with headquarters in Pennsylvania and Florida, announced it was purchasing the Remington-branded gun-making business for $13 million in October 2020. In July, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a disaster emergency on gun violence amid a spate of homicides and shootings in New York City and other metropolitan areas in the state. In that same month, Cuomo signed legislation holding gun manufacturers liable for harm caused by people using their products, and closing a loophole that allowed people with outstanding warrants for their arrest to purchase guns. The legislation also makes it easier to bring civil lawsuits against gun manufacturers where reasonable controls and procedures are not in place. Remingtons decision to relocate its headquarters does not appear to be related to the recently-enacted legislation. Remington is the latest firearms manufacturer to relocate after Smith & Wesson broke ground on its new home in East Tennessee last week alongside several state and local leaders, just weeks after announcing the decision to move. The American manufacturer of firearms, ammunition, and restraints, founded in 1852, currently has corporate headquarters in Springfield, Massachusetts. Smith & Wesson is investing more than $125 million to relocate its headquarters and some operations from Springfield to Blount County in Tennessee, a move that will create 750 jobs in the area, it said. The move was prompted after recently-proposed legislation in Massachusetts would have left the company unable to manufacture certain firearms that are illegal to use in the state, the company said. Sponsored by state Reps. Marjorie Decker and Frank Moran and state Sen. Cynthia Creem, the legislation (pdf) was filed in April and would put a ban on the manufacturing of any assault weapon or large capacity feeding device in the state unless its for the sole purpose of selling to law enforcement or military agencies. Smith & Wesson said that the legislation, if approved, would affect up to 60 percent of its revenue compared to 2020. A vial of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is pictured at an Alberta Health Services vaccination clinic in Didsbury, Alta., on June 29, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Jeff McIntosh) Health Canada Authorizes Use of Pfizer Vaccine as a Booster Shot Health Canada has authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to be used as a booster shot for adults 18 years-old and above, saying the shot is designed to help people maintain their protection against the virus over time. Health Canada said in a statement Tuesday that it had received a submission from Pfizer on Oct. 1 seeking approval for its COVID-19 vaccine to be used as a third or booster dose. After a thorough, independent review of the evidence, Health Canada has determined that the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine booster shot meets the Departments stringent safety, efficacy and quality requirements, the health agency said. The booster shot can be administered at least six months after a patient received the second vaccine dose. According to Health Canadas website, a total of 306 individuals 18 to 55 years of age received the Comirnaty booster dose in a study of the vaccine to support authorization. Overall, the findings were that the antibody levels were 3-fold higher after the booster dose relative to levels after the second dose, the health agency said. The authorization is in line with recommendations made by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), released on Oct. 29, that the booster shot should be offered to certain age groups and individuals, such as long-term care workers and adults 70 and over. Several provinces announced plans to offer the booster shot ahead of Health Canadas announcement. Ontario expanded eligibility for the third dose on Nov. 3, while Nova Scotia said on Nov. 5 that it will begin to administer booster doses to more eligible groups by the end of November. Health Canada said provincial health authorities will still need to follow NACIs guidelines on how to administer the booster shot and who should receive it. People in Canada should consult their local public health guidance, informed by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, for details on which individuals or groups of people are recommended to receive a booster dose at this time, Health Canada said. The U.S. vaccine company Moderna has also asked Health Canada to authorize its vaccine to be used as a booster shot. While a review of Modernas application is still underway, the federal health agency released a recommendation on Nov. 3 saying its vaccine could be used as the third shot. Either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines may be used as a third or booster dose (regardless of which COVID-19 vaccine was used in the primary series), it said. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany participates in a White House briefing at the James Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Dec.15, 2020. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) House Jan. 6 Committee Subpoenas Kayleigh McEnany, Stephen Miller The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol breach announced Tuesday it issued subpoenas to aides to former President Donald Trump, including Kayleigh McEnany and Stephen Miller. McEnany, who currently works for Fox News and co-hosts Outnumbered, had served as the White House press secretary, while Miller was a senior Trump adviser. Miller earlier this year launched a legal group to fight Democratic lawsuits. On Tuesday, the panel also subpoenaed Nicholas Luna, who served as the former Presidents personal assistant, and who was reportedly in the Oval Office on Jan. 6. Subpoenas were also issued to Molly Michael, who served as a special assistant to the president; Benjamin Williamson, who served as an assistant to former chief of staff Mark Meadows; Christopher Liddell, and the former White House Deputy Chief of Staff. Subpoenas were also issued by the committee to former Gen. Keith Kellogg, who was then-Vice President Mike Pences national security advisor; former White House personnel director John McEntee; Cassidy Hutchinson, a special assistant to the president on legislative affairs; and Kenneth Klukowski, the former senior counsel to former Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Clark. The Select Committee wants to learn every detail of what went on in the White House on January 6th and in the days beforehand, said the panels chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), in a statement. Thompson added that his office believes the witnesses subpoenaed today have relevant information and we expect them to comply fully with the Select Committees investigation. The announcement comes a day after the committee said it issued subpoenas to several other Trump associates, including former advisor Michael Flynn, Bernard Kerik, Jason Miller, Angela McCallum, Bill Stepien, and John Eastman. And previously, after the panel sent a subpoena to former Trump advisor and campaign strategist Steve Bannon, the House of Representatives voted along partisan lines to hold him in contempt. But its not yet clear if the Department of Justice will enforce the subpoena. When asked about Bannons subpoena during an unrelated news conference Monday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said that there is an ongoing examination of the referral, and as you know the Justice Department doesnt comment on those. We evaluate these in the normal way we do, looking at the facts and the law and applying the principles of prosecution, he continued. Trump in October filed a lawsuit seeking to block the House committee from obtaining White House documents and records in connection to the Jan. 6 incident. The former president on Monday filed an emergency motion asking Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, an Obama appointee, to grant a stay. She declined the request on Tuesday. Migrants from the Middle East and elsewhere gather at the Belarus-Poland border near Grodno, Belarus, Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. (Leonid Shcheglov/BelTA via AP) Illegal Immigrants Aided by Belarus Attempt to Force Their Way Into Poland Hundreds if not thousands of illegal immigrants sought to illegally cross the border from Belarus into Poland on Monday, with some cutting razor wire fences and using tree branches and small trees to try and climb over. The development is an escalation of a crisis along the European Unions eastern border that has been simmering for months. Belarus has been accused of weaponizing illegal immigration against the EU for its own political gain. Polands interior ministry said it had rebuffed what it called an illegal invasion and claimed the situation was under control. The countrys Defense Ministry posted a video showing an armed Polish officer using a chemical spray through a fence at men who were trying to cut razor wire. Some migrants threw objects at the police. Video footage from Belarusian media showed people using long wooden poles or branches to try to get past a border fence as police helicopters circled overhead. Polish Defense Ministry video taken later Monday showed the immigrants settling in for the night by the border, having put up scores of tents and cooking meals. Kuznica: proba sforsowania polskiej granicy pic.twitter.com/kqCkLPdsiK Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej (@MON_GOV_PL) November 8, 2021 Stanisaw Zaryn, a spokesman for the Polish Minister of Interior and Special Services Coordinator Mariusz Kaminski, said a large column of illegal immigrants was heading towards the border crossing and called it the largest recorded mass attempt to enter Poland by force, according to Poland In. There are large groups of migrants in the area of our border, which are fully controlled by the Belarusian security services and army. A coordinated attempt to massively enter the territory of the Republic of Poland by migrants used by Belarus for the hybrid attacks against Poland has just begun, Zaryn said in a statement. Trwa skoordynowana proba masowego wkroczenia na teren RP migrantow wykorzystywanych przez Biaorus do ataku hybrydowego przeciwko Polsce. Wiecej w oswiadczeniu https://t.co/Y12QxHA2iy Stanisaw Zaryn (@StZaryn) November 8, 2021 Zaryn accused Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko of acting to destabilize Poland and other EU countries to pressure the bloc into dropping its sanctions on Minsk and stopping its support for the Belarusian government opposition. We are in constant contact with our partnersboth in NATO and the EU. Our Allies have repeatedly expressed their support for Polands actions aimed at securing our border, the spokesperson said. Polands border with Belarus is also the external border of NATO and the European Union. Piotr Mueller, a Polish government spokesperson, said 3,000 to 4,000 immigrants were next to Polands border on the Belarusian side. The massing of people at the border appeared to rev up the crisis that has been going on for months in which the autocratic regime of Belarus has encouraged illegal immigrants from the Mideast and elsewhere to illegally enter the European Union, at first through Lithuania and Latvia and now primarily through Poland. Anton Bychkovsky, the spokesman for Belarus State Border Guard Committee, told The Associated Press that the immigrants at the border are seeking to exercise their right to apply for refugee status in the EU. Bychkovsky insisted they are not a security threat. Belarusian opposition leader in exile Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said on Twitter that Belarus regime escalates the border crisismigrants are pushed to the EU border by armed men. Lukashenka is fully responsible for the hybrid attack on Poland, Lithuania, and the EU. Belarus' regime escalates the border crisis migrants are pushed to border by armed men. Lukashenka is fully responsible for the hybrid attack on . The migrant smuggling, violence & ill-treatment must stop. Strong response is needed. #UNSC should discuss this crisis. pic.twitter.com/GhoWGWKZdH Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) November 8, 2021 Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak said on Twitter that more than 12,000 soldiers have been deployed to the border and a volunteer Territorial Defense force was put on alert. Na granicy peni suzbe juz ponad 12 tys. zonierzy. Podnieslismy stan gotowosci @terytorialsi. Wspolnie ze suzbami MSWiA jestesmy przygotowani do obrony polskiej granicy. https://t.co/1HtsNJEsGU Mariusz Baszczak (@mblaszczak) November 8, 2021 Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Facebook that The border of the Polish state is not just a map line. This border is sanctity for which the blood of generations of Poles has been shed! Voices of Support European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement that Belarus must stop putting peoples lives at risk and called on European Union members to finally approve the extended sanctions regime on the Belarusian authorities responsible for this hybrid attack. EU commissioners will travel in the coming days to the main countries where the immigration originates and to those countries traversed by illegal immigrants to ensure that they take actions preventing their own nationals from falling into the trap set by the Belarusian authorities, von der Leyen said in the statement. Moreover, the EU will explore options working with the United Nations to ensure that migrants can be safely returned to their country of origin, with the support of their national authorities, she said. NATO expressed their concern with the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border in a statement saying We urge Belarus to respect international law. We are witnessing a wave of migrants trying to get to the territory of the allies via Belarus. NATO continues to closely monitor the situation that is putting pressure on our allies, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, reported Polish Press Agency The United States is concerned about the disturbing images and reports from the Polish-Belarusian border, said Ned Price, spokesman for the U.S. State Department. The United States strongly condemns the Lukashenka regimes political exploitation and coercion of vulnerable people, and the regimes callous and inhumane facilitation of irregular migration flows across its borders, Price said at a press briefing on Monday. As long as the regime in Belarus refuses to respect its international obligations and commitments, undermines the peace and security of Europe, and continues to repress and abuse people seeking nothing more than to live in freedom, we will continue to pressure Lukashenko and will not lessen our calls for accountability, he added. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The scene of a fire in East St. Louis, Ill., is seen in this screengrab taken from footage by KMOV on Aug. 6, 2021. (Courtesy of KMOV) Illinois Mother Charged in Apartment Fire That Killed All 5 of Her Children An Illinois mother was charged about three months after an apartment fire killed all five of her children, officials said. Sabrina Dunigan, 34, was charged with endangering the life or health of a child at her home in East. St. Louis, Illinois, prosecutors said, according to KSDK. The charges were filed in connection to an apartment fire in the early morning of Aug. 6, said authorities. Sabrina Dunigans father, Greg Dunigan, and his wife were reportedly at home. Authorities said that Sabrina Dunigan allegedly left the children home with their grandparents before the 3 a.m. blaze, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Greg Vespa, an investigator with the Illinois fire marshals office, alleged that Sabrina Dunigan left the children unattended and knowingly caused or permitted a child to be placed in circumstances that endangered the childs life or health, according to the paper. Dunigan said she suffered burns on her hands and feet trying to save her children. Why are they trying to do this to her? Greg Dunigan told the paper, adding that he doesnt understand why she was charged in the case. She done lost all she can lose already. Why they want to take the rest away, meaning herself? She dont have nothing left (sic). Dunigan added that when the fire occurred, he and his wife were watching the children when Sabrina Dunigan left home to pick up her boyfriend from work at 3 a.m., according to local reports. Dunigan said that he and his wife leapt from the apartments second floor to escape. Greg and Sabrina Dunigan said they believe it was an electrical fire in an apartment with no smoke detectors. Landlord Rudy McIntosh, however, told the Dispatch that their claim isnt true, saying he put detectors in all his properties. In 2019, Sabrina Dunigan and her five children were displaced by a previous fire in another East St. Louis home. At the time, she told KSDK that she believed the fire was set by her boyfriend. Were just telling him he has to leave, and he said he was gonna set the house on fire, she said in 2019. Family members told the local broadcaster last week that that case was settled. Its not clear if Sabrina Dunigan has an attorney. A sentinel stands guard during the Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Nov. 11, 2020. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) In-Person Remembrance Day Ceremonies Will Be Held in Some Cities This Year Canadians who wish to pay tribute to veterans who sacrificed their lives for the country, and those who still serve, can choose to attend in-person Remembrance Day ceremonies this year in some cities, rather than watching the events on TV or online due to COVID-19 measures. Ottawa The Royal Canadian Legion has announced Canadians are welcome to attend the national Remembrance Day ceremony at the National War Memorial in downtown Ottawa on Nov. 11. The Legion said it was made possible due to the changes to crowd restrictions by the Ontario government and the City of Ottawa. Attendees will need to wear masks and observe social distancing measures. The ceremony, which will start at about 10.45 a.m., will include many of the traditional elements such as playing the Last Post, observing two minutes of silence, and the placing of wreaths. The ceremony will also be broadcast live on TV and on Facebook. Access to roads around the memorial before and during the ceremony will be closed between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., according to the city. Toronto The City of Toronto says Remembrance Day ceremonies will be held across the city at 10:45 a.m on Nov. 11. Canadians can attend in-person ceremonies at several locations including the Toronto Old City Hall Cenotaph, Scarborough War Memorial, and Etobicoke Civic Centre Cenotaph. A live broadcast will be aired on the citys YouTube channel and local TV stations at 10:55 a.m. on Remembrance Day. In-person attendees are encouraged to wear a mask or face covering if physical distancing of two metres cant be maintained, the city said on its website. To commemorate the fallen heroes, all Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) vehicles will stop for two minutes at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11. Window cards with wordings Lest We Forget will be placed in TTC vehicles prior to Remembrance Day, and the City of Toronto sign will be lit in red on Nov. 11. Edmonton The city of Edmonton will hold a short Remembrance Day ceremony outside at the Cenotaph on City Hall Plaza on Nov. 11. There will be no indoor public ceremony inside city hall this year due to COVID-19 risks, its website stated. Starting at 10:40 a.m. local time, the outdoor ceremony requires bystanders to observe public health measures similar to Ottawa and Toronto. Veterans and active members in military uniform or legion dress with identification cards showing their past or current military service are entitled to free public transit on Nov. 11. The Edmonton transit system, including buses and trains, will stop at 11 a.m. for one minute to pay tribute to the veterans if it is safe to do so. There are also no ceremonies to be held at municipal cemeteries. While the city says the cemeteries may serve as places for calm and quiet reflection, it still requires public health guidelines to be followed for those who choose to go to cemeteries on Remembrance Day. Calgary The city of Calgary is taking a scaled-down approach with many of its ceremonies to be held virtually, with only some allowed for in-person visits. The Military Museums in southwest Calgary is one of the venues that invites the public to attend its outdoor Remembrance Day ceremony on Nov. 11. However, this year attendees must provide proof of double vaccination before they can enter the grounds, it says on its site. The Hangar Flight Museum and Canadian Pacifics Canadian Head Office will be hosting virtual ceremonies on Remembrance Day. Vancouver The annual Remembrance Day ceremony at Victory Square, which typically attracts tens of thousands of people, will be a virtual event for the second year in a row due to the pandemic. The ceremony will start streaming online for the public to watch at 10.30 a.m. on Nov. 11. The Lynn Valley Legion in North Vancouver will hold a short outdoor ceremony starting at 10:50 a.m. on Nov. 11, according to the Royal Canadian Legion. The public will be asked to stand across the street and follow COVID-19 protocols. Wreaths will be pre-laid. Montreal Montreal has also scaled back its Remembrance Day ceremonies for the second year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Westmount and Montreal West both hosted public ceremonies over the past weekend. The main event at Place du Canada will take place on Nov. 11 at 11 a.m., but will not be open to the public. Other Notable Observances Canadian flags across the country, which were lowered to half-mast Nov. 8 for Indigenous Veterans Day, will be hoisted again at sunset so that they can be lowered on Remembrance Day to honour Canadas veterans and war dead. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of the poppy. The poppy became a symbol of remembrance after Madame Anna Guerin, inspired by John McCraes poem In Flanders Fields, had the idea to distribute the poppy on Armistice Day as a way to raise money for veterans needs and remember those who died during World War I. With files from The Canadian Press Ireland's Prime Minister Taoiseach Leo Varadkar speaks during a news conference related on the CCP virus at Government Buildings in Dublin, Ireland, on March 24, 2020. (Steve Humphreys/Pool via Reuters) Ireland Dusts Off Brexit Contingency Plans as Trade Tensions Mount DUBLINIrish government ministers have met to dust off contingency plans in case disagreements between Britain and the European Union trigger major trade disruption, deputy prime minister Leo Varadkar said on Tuesday. The European Union last week said that Britain had made no move to seek a compromise on post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland and cautioned London against triggering emergency unilateral provisions. We had a meeting yesterday of the Cabinet subcommittee on Brexit essentially to dust down and restart our contingency preparations should we get into difficulty, Varadkar told state broadcaster RTE. Were making preparations. If Britain steps away from the Northern Ireland Protocol and its wider EU divorce deal, the EU would have no option other than to introduce what we call rebalancing measures to respond, Varadkar said. Asked if the European Union could or should also consider suspending the post-Brexit trade deal, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, Varadkar said it was something the EU commission is going to have to consider. Varadkar said he hoped an escalation could be avoided. Prime Minister Johnson always spoke about wanting Brexit done. Brexit is kind of done. But this potentially undoes it, Varadkar said. I dont think it would be good for us, for Great Britain, and I dont see how it would be good for Northern Ireland, he said. Chinas People's Liberation Army soldiers march next to the entrance to the Forbidden City during the opening ceremony of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing on May 21, 2020. A report analyzed the dependency of five democratic countries on China and recommended decoupling from the increasingly belligerent Asian nation. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images) Is the West Decoupling From China? For the West, China has gone from source to target News Analysis Even before former U.S. President Donald Trump began his 2019 trade war with China, policymakers had begun asking questions about decoupling the two economies. Those discussions were a reaction to the co-dependent relationship that had grown up over time. Chinese development depended heavily on an ever-increasing flow of exports to the West, while Western economies had grown perhaps excessively reliant on inexpensive Chinese products. The trade war raised the volume of this discussion, as did 2020s pandemic. Post pandemic the questions remain, but matters have become more complicated. Considerable evidence suggests that the old arrangement is fading, that a decoupling is in fact taking place. But at the same time, other evidence suggests a new Western interest in China is replacing it. The change has produced an interesting mix of media stories. One report, for example, quoted the managing partner for Asia of a major global law firm. He described how his corporate clients in Europe and the United States are spooked about the flux in established global supply chains, making boards of directors very interested in decoupling from China. In contrast, a different story described the enthusiasm of a prominent investment banker about the growth and development opportunities in China, and how they are attracting Western investment flows. This story noted how 27 prominent European companies are pouring additional monies into their Chinese joint ventures. These are just two illustrations of the mixed nature of the evidence. They are nonetheless indicative. People visit a main shopping area in Shanghai, China, on July 12, 2021. (Aly Song/Reuters) The first of these news stories captures fading old arrangements. These go back to the start of Chinas trade with the West. Chinese wages were low, especially compared to the United States, Japan, and Europe. And China had a large, disciplined, reasonably well-educated workforce. From that base, the country sold itself to the worldand very effectively, tooas an attractive place to source. Money from the United States and the rest of the developed world poured into China to build factories to make goods cheaply for export back to each investors home country as well as other markets. But over the years as China developed, wages rose. Chinese labor looked less cheap, making these original arrangements less attractive to Western businesses. The 2019 trade war and then the 2020 pandemic further diminished the attractions of these arrangements. Western business began to look elsewhere for its sourcing. The second of these news stories is about another, newer source of Western interest in China. As the old export model facilitated Chinese development, an ever larger and more prosperous consumer class emerged. So even as Western business reconsidered the old arrangements, it saw new opportunities for investment in China, not to produce for export back to their home markets, but rather to produce their brands in China and so secure a favorable position to sell into the now rich domestic Chinese market. The shift began with changing cost calculations. Twenty years ago, when China first joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), wages there looked very low compared with Europe, the United States, and Japan, and a good part of the emerging world as well. But the huge investments into China that cheap labor induced, increased demands for workers and accordingly raised Chinese wages. Chinese costs began to catch up with the rest of the world and did so quickly. Between 2015 and 2020, for example, the average hourly wage in China, according to Beijings Bureau of Statistics, increased 9.0 percent a year, a jump of over 53 percent in just those five years. In the United States, by comparison, hourly wages during this time increased at about 5.0 percent a year. The cost gap was closing fast, and Western business began to look elsewhere for lower sourcing coststo Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and elsewhere in Asia. The 2019 trade war accelerated the pace of change. Tariffs placed on Chinese goods increased the cost of bringing goods back to the U.S. domestic market, pushing Americans to increase the pace of their shift of production away from China. Meanwhile, Chinese producers, to avoid the American tariffs, shifted their production to Vietnam, Indonesia, and elsewhere. Laborers work at Hung Viet garment export factory in Hung Yen Province, Vietnam, on Dec. 30, 2020. (Kham/Reuters) Then during the pandemic, China limited the export of certain critical products. Beijings decision was certainly understandable in the circumstance, but it nonetheless raised questions about reliability among the Western firms looking to source overseas. Aggregate investment flows into various Asian countries confirm this general picture. Whereas not too long ago, with the bulk of direct Western investment into Asia centered on China, the picture has changed radically. During the last five years, according to World Bank figures, direct investment flows from the West into China have increased some 34.3 percent, 6.1 percent a year on average, much slower than in the past. By contrast, flows into Indonesia, a popular alternative, have increased 55.6 percent, 9.2 percent a year on average; while flows into Vietnam have increased fully 87 percent, 13.3 percent a year on average. The mix of investments into China further confirms the new Western emphasis. Whereas in the past, the bulk of the direct investments focused on manufacturing, largely for export to the domestic economies of the investors, more recent investment flows have emphasized services and retail inside China. Figures from the U.S. Commerce Department tell the story well. In the last couple of years, only 30 percent of the direct investment flow has gone to manufacturing. Fully 60 percent of the flow has gone to services and especially retail. These monies clearly aim to take advantage of Chinas increasingly rich domestic market, a very different picture from the not so distant past. So it seems that both sides of the decoupling story are on to something. There is clear decoupling from China as a source of products. Supply chains, in the words of the lawyer quoted earlier, are indeed in flux and shifting away from China to elsewhere in Asia. At the same time, the attractions of the Chinese consumer market are creating a new form of coupling about which the investment banker quoted earlier enthused. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Jan. 6 Committee Subpoenas Michael Flynn, John Eastman, Other Trump Allies The House Jan. 6 Capitol investigation committee issued six new subpoenas to associates of former President Donald Trump, including former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and members of his reelection campaign. In a statement from the panels chairman, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), subpoenas were issued to Flynn, former Trump spokesman Jason Miller, former NYPD Chief Bernard Kerik, former Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, Trump campaign assistant Angela McCallum, and lawyer John Eastman, who authored a memo arguing that Vice President Mike Pence could reject Joe Bidens Electoral College victory during the Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 6. Thompson said that his committee needs to know every detail about their efforts including who they were talking to in the White House and in Congress. The committee, he added, expects all witnesses to cooperate with our investigation as we work to get answers for the American people and recommend changes to our laws. Earlier this year, the panel was established by House lawmakers in a partisan vote and is led by Thompson and Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.), who has repeatedly criticized Trump and Republican House leaders after Jan. 6. The Justice Department is still considering if it will charge former Trump campaign strategist Steve Bannon with contempt of Congress for allegedly defying a Jan. 6 committee subpoena. The House referred Bannons case for possible prosecution in mid-October. This is a criminal matter. There is an ongoing examination of the referral, and as you know the Justice Department doesnt comment on those, Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Monday when asked about Bannon during an unrelated news conference about ransomware arrests. We evaluate these in the normal way we do, looking at the facts and the law and applying the principles of prosecution. It came weeks after President Joe Biden publicly encouraged the Department of Justice to prosecute those who defy the Jan. 6 committee, although the agency later pledged independence. The Department of Justice will make its own independent decisions in all prosecutions based solely on the facts and the law. Period. Full stop, Justice Department spokesperson Anthony Coley said at the time. Days after his comment, Biden said he misspoke. On Oct. 21, the Housein a partisan voteapproved holding Bannon, who was also a former White House advisor to Trump during the early stages of his presidency, in contempt of Congress. Members of the Jan. 6 commission alleged Bannon refused to provide documents and testimony to the panel before saying he has no legal standing to defy the subpoena. An attorney for Trump argued Bannon shouldnt comply because hes protected by the former commander-in-chiefs executive privilege. The January 6th Committee is a partisan sham to distract Americans from the Democrats policies that are killing and robbing Americans, the memo read. Workers assemble the front bumper of Toyota's compact hybrid vehicle "AQUA" on the assembly line of the Kanto Auto Works' Iwate plant in the Kanegasaki town, Iwate Prefecture, about 310. miles north of Tokyo, on March 9, 2012. (Toshifumi KitamuraI/AFP via Getty Images) Japanese Car Production Plunges Amid Supply Chain Disruptions Amid the global chip shortage, Japans eight largest automakers September domestic output stood at 398,075, falling 49.7 percent compared to the same period last year, the sharpest production decline since the 61.8 percent drop in May last year, according to Chinese state media. Among them, Toyota and Honda dropped more than 55 percent. TSMCs Japanese subsidiary director said the severe automotive chip shortage would likely continue to next year. Subarus public relations representative Hiroko Murakami told The Epoch Times that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus-induced lockdowns have led to significant shortages and delays in chips and auto parts. Also, the long-term disruption of the automotive supply chain may bring more unemployment and hinder Japans economic recovery. According to Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, a 10 percent reduction in Japans annual domestic passenger car production could equate to a $46.8 billion loss in GDP and 44,000 job cuts. In May of last year, the domestic output of Japans eight largest automakers fell by 61.8 percent compared to the previous year, hitting rock bottom. Since then, the production has continued to recover. However, in August and September, the output dropped again due to chip and component shortages. The domestic production of the major automakers has fallen below the previous years level for two consecutive months. Murakami said that Subaru is currently running on a business continuity plan (BCP) to maintain operations. A BCP outlines how a business will continue operating during an unplanned service disruption or a disaster. The companys primary focus is working on solving the disrupted supply of parts, said Murakami. Although challenging, it is working to find alternative suppliers in a short timeframe. As for the semiconductor supply, there are really no quick solutions. Chip suppliers are not chip manufacturers, and car companies generally obtain chips through second-hand and third-hand suppliers, but the sources of the chips ultimately come from the same manufacturers. According to a September forecast from AlixPartners, an American consulting firm, the semiconductor chip shortage is now expected to cost the global automotive industry $210 billion in revenue in 2021, with no end in sight, almost doubling its previous projection of $110 billion in May. In May, the Delta variant of the CCP virus broke out in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam, causing the automotive parts supply to stagnate. In September, AlixPartners forecasted that automakers worldwide would lose 7.7 million production units in 2021, much higher than its previous forecast of 3.9 million units in May. Automakers worldwide, including Ford and General Motors, had warned of massive earnings cuts this year due to the chip shortage. However, strong consumer demand and higher profits from record vehicle prices have offset some of the losses. TSMCs Japanese subsidiary director Makoto Onodera said at an automotive technology exhibition in Nagoya on Oct. 27 that the global automotive semiconductor shortage will remain serious in 2022. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., or TSMC, is the worlds largest contract manufacturer of semiconductor chips. Its clients include Apple, Intel, Qualcomm, AMD, and Nvidia. According to Onodera, the turnaround time for chips is about half a year from the ordering date, and the supply and demand remain cumbersome. While the chip supply remains short, TSMC, on Oct. 14, announced plans to build a new manufacturing plant in Japan. After attending the United States Department of Commerces Semiconductor Video Summit on May 21, Mark Liu, executive chairman of TSMC, said it has increased automotive chip production by 60 percent over last years levels. However, in a September interview with Time Magazine, Liu suggested that someone in the supply chain was stockpiling chips. He said amid the global chip shortage, more chips were being sent to factories than were leaving them in products, which means that there are people definitely accumulating chips who-knows-where in the supply chain. We are learning too because we didnt have to do this before, Liu said as he ordered his team to triangulate different data points to decipher which customers were truly in need and which were stockpiling. William Wang contributed to this report. A poll worker speaks with a voter at the entrance to a polling station on Election Day in Miami Beach, Florida, on Nov. 2, 2021. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images) Just Two Votes Separate Candidates in Crucial Florida Democratic Congressional Primary Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick is just two votes ahead of Dale Holness in the razor-thin special Democratic primary race for Floridas 20th Congressional District after a day of recounting. As of Nov. 9, Cherfilus-McCormick is leading the way with 11,659 votes, or 23.76 percent while Holness has 11,657 votes, or 23.75 percent, as per Florida Election Watch. Election officials in Broward counties were required by state law to conduct a recount on Friday after unofficial results from this weeks razor-thin election showed that just a small number of votes separated Holness and Cherfilus-McCormick to see who replaces longtime U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings who passed away in April at the age of 84. State law requires a machine recount when there is a difference of 0.5 percent in the initial election night result. If the machine recount results in a margin within 0.25 percentage points, a manual recount occurs. While a recount has been conducted, there are overseas and military ballots postmarked by election day that arrive by Nov. 12 that still need to be counted, which could affect the final result. Holness, a Broward County commissioner, and Cherfilus-McCormick, a health care company CEO, had beat out nine other Democrats seeking to win the seat. Turnout was about 16 percent, The Associated Press reports. Following Fridays recount, both candidates took to social media to share their optimism over the upcoming election results. Its a rollercoaster, but I still have hope, Holness wrote in a Twitter post on Friday. Today, my campaign extended our vote lead by 5 after a machine and hand recount. I pray that my team is right and this lead will hold. 7 days until we know, Cherfilus-McCormick wrote in a post on Twitter. Americans deserve access to equitable opportunities, no matter who you are or where you come from. Im not new to this fight and I wont back down. South Florida has a Democrat who will be a champion for them, she said in a separate post on Monday. Cherfilus-McCormick graduated from Howard University and St. Thomas University School of Law. She was a project manager for the New York City Transit Authority before joining Trinity Health Care Services in 1999 where she eventually became CEO. She has led the way when it comes to fundraising for her campaign with $3.8 million, $3.7 million of which she loaned her campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick has focused her campaign on key issues such as Medicare for all, increasing the minimum wage to $20 an hour, legalizing cannabis, and a peoples prosperity plan which would give people over 18 years of age $1,000 a month if they earn less than $75,000 a year. Holness was born in Jamaica before moving to the United States as a teenager where he attended classes at Broward Community College, Sheridan Vocational, and Nova Southeastern University. He previously worked as a real estate broker in 1983 and co-founded All Broward Realty. His campaign focused on homeownership among families, economic prosperity through strengthening households and businesses and creating policies that afford access to opportunities, and immigration; specifically establishing immigration rules that protect America while also helping immigrants to integrate within society. The southeast Florida district is one of the most heavily Democratic districts in the state, meaning the winner of the Democratic primary in the Ft. Lauderdale area is virtually assured of going to Congress in the Jan. 11, 2022, special election. Kenosha Police Department Detective Ben Antaramian testifies during Kyle Rittenhouse's trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Nov. 8, 2021. (Sean Krajacic-Pool/Getty Images) Rittenhouse Trial: Kenosha Detective Says Prosecutor Asked to Not Execute Phone Warrant on Key Witness One of the attorneys prosecuting Kyle Rittenhouse advised Kenosha Police Department Detective Ben Antaramian to not execute a warrant to search the cell phone records of Gaige Grosskreutz, a key witness of the shooting. During his cross-examination on Nov. 8, Antaramian confirmed that one of the prosecutors advised him to not execute a warrant to search the phone of Grosskreutz, who was shot in the bicep by Rittenhouse. As was discussed previously, we were advised, given Marcys law, it would not be ideal to execute that search warrant, Antaramian said in response to a question on the matter from Rittenhouses defense attorney, Corey Chirafisi. When asked who had advised the detectives to not execute the warrant, Antaramian identified one of the prosecutors in the case, Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger, as one of the people involved. The prosecutors in this case advised you not to execute the search warrant on Gaige Grosskreutzs phone? Chirafisi asked. That sounds correct, Antaramian responded. Have you ever had a prosecutor say to you, detective, you have a valid search warrant, dont execute it? Chirafisi asked. Not that I can recall, no, Antaramian answered. Gaige Grosskreutz demonstrates how he was standing when he was shot by Kyle Rittenhouse on Aug. 25, 2020, during Rittenhouses trial at the Kenosha County Courthouse in Kenosha, Wis., U.S. on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. (Sean Krajacic/Pool via REUTERS) Grosskreutz, a crucial first-hand witness in the case, agreed on Monday that he had his gun drawn and pointed at Rittenhouse as he advanced toward the teen before being shot. Grosskreutz also admitted that he carried a concealed gun illegally because his concealed carry permit was expired on the day of the shooting. Rittenhouses defense attorneys argue that he acted in self-defense because he feared for his life when he killed two people and injured Grosskreutz. The 18-year-old faces life in prison if convicted of all the charges against him. Grosskreutz, a former paramedic, was carrying a medical kit and said he had come to help the injured, as he had at dozens of Black Lives Matter protests prior to that night. He said he followed Rittenhouse because he saw the potential for trouble and thought he might need to provide medical aid. I thought that the defendant was an active shooter, Grosskreutz told the jury. Grosskreutz represented the only chance for lawyers from both sides to question a survivor and elicit testimony on his mindset and actions, which is crucial to determining whether Rittenhouse had reason to fear for his life. Rittenhouses lawyers sought to portray Grosskreutz as dishonest, noting that he did not tell the police in his initial interview that he was armed, and pointing out some inconsistencies in his early accounts of that night. The jury was shown video of an earlier encounter between Rittenhouse and Grosskreutz in which the teen said he was going to the police. Reuters contributed to this report. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to a caucus meeting on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov. 8, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Trudeau, OToole Trade Barbs on COVID-19 Vaccination Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Erin OToole traded barbs on the issue of COVID-19 vaccination at separate press conferences on Nov. 8. Conservative Party Leader Erin OToole holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov. 8, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) Trudeau criticized the Tories on the issue of COVID-19 vaccinations at the Liberal caucus meeting on Nov. 8, as a number of Conservatives voiced opposition to the Board of Internal Economys new rule that parliamentarians must be vaccinated to access the House of Commons precinct when they return to the new legislative session on Nov. 22. Even as Canadians are continuing to get vaccinated at record rates, the Conservatives are actually moving backward. More and more Conservatives are now stepping up to stand against vaccination, to stand against science, Trudeau told his caucus. OToole fired back at a separate press conference on Nov. 8, saying that Trudeau has continued to mislead people and divide on the issue of vaccination. OToole also told the press conference that remarks from Tory MP Marilyn Gladu in an interview on CTVs Question Period has caused confusion with respect to the health and well-being of Canadians. During the interview, which aired on Nov. 7, Gladu compared COVID-19 to polio, an infectious disease that wreaked havoc in the first half of the 20th century, saying that COVID-19 doesnt pose the same frequency of risk in terms of deaths or disabilities. Gladu and roughly 15 to 30 Conservative MPs are also forming a civil liberties caucus, which intends to defend constituents who may lose their jobs for choosing not to get vaccinated. The group also intends to bring together legal and medical experts to offer solutions to Canadians who are concerned that the vaccine mandates will infringe on their civil liberties. Trudeau Reiterates Campaign Promises Trudeau called the first Liberal caucus meeting since the federal election over a month ago, while the NDP was also holding a separate meeting to discuss whether to enter into a coalition deal with the Liberals. Speaking to his caucus, Trudeau reiterated his election campaign goals, including plans for a nation-wide $10-a-day childcare program, expanding measures to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, and reconciliation with indigenous people. We will be there to work with anyone who wants to work with us to deliver concretely the best things for Canadians lives: to finish COVID, to fight climate change, to ensure daycare spaces, to deal with the housing crisis, to deal with all the other challenges that Canadians are facing, Trudeau said. OToole: Liberal-NDP Coalition to Hurt Economy OToole kicked off his press conference with warnings of the potential impacts of a Liberal-NDP coalition, which he described as billions of dollars of new spending to buy Jagmeet Singhs silence. Canadians cant afford this coalition, OToole said, arguing that the Liberal-NDP coalition would be a disaster for the Canadian economy, as they would push policies that would continue to raise costs for every day essentials, including gas, groceries, and housing prices. A Liberal-NDP coalition would shut down Canadian energy and resource sectors, eliminating thousands of jobs, dividing the country, and making Canada a poorer and less relevant nation, OToole said. He also noted that adopting policies that reject Canadas energy sector, which he said is clean, ethical, and environmentally conscious, Canada will be forced to rely on energy providers from foreign countries that may not uphold these values. The Liberal-NDP coalition will increase Canadas reliance on countries with horrific human rights records and records that are poor on the environment and other important issues, OToole said. Los Alamitos Launches Holiday Voucher Program to Assist Small Businesses LOS ALAMITOS, Calif.As holiday shopping begins, Los Alamitos, California, is pushing residents to shop locally by providing each household with a $50 voucher for a local business. Each household within the city will receive $50 worth of Los Al Bucks beginning the first week of November. Residents can spend the vouchers at participating stores from Nov. 10 to Dec. 19. We encourage residents and community members to shop local, Ron Noda, Los Alamitos development services director, said during an Oct. 27 informational webinar. Shopping local this holiday season all year round is vital because small businesses are the foundation of our economy. (Courtesy of the city of Los Alamitos) The Los Alamitos City Council on Oct. 11 approved the use of Los Al Bucks for residents to spend at local participating businesses. The funds will be allocated through the federally funded American Rescue Plan Act, and are intended to assist small businesses in the community by promoting local shopping, according to Noda. Noda encouraged residents to spend the vouchers on Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27. To ensure there is no attempt to duplicate the Los Al Bucks, the vouchers will be made up of specific materials, so shop owners can identify potential fraud. Approximately 4,421 households will receive the $50 vouchers, according to a staff report. An estimated $227,425 will be allocated from the American Rescue Plan to assist with the program. Recognizing the critical role that small businesses play in the present and future of Los Alamitos, the Los Al Bucks Program will assist recovery and create community with both the resident and businesses of Los Alamitos, according to the city of Los Alamitos website. COVID-19 has affected businesses throughout the country with the small business sectors being impacted the most. Los Alamitos is home to hundreds of small businesses and along with the rest of the nation, is slowly recovering. A list of participating businesses will be made available on the city of Los Alamitos website by the end of the day on Nov. 8. The Orange County Human Trafficking Taskforce logo at the Anaheim Police Station in Anaheim, Calif., on April 6, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Man Gets More Than 13 Years for Human Trafficking in Orange County SANTA ANA, Calif.A 25-year-old man pleaded guilty Nov. 8 and was immediately sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for pimping in Orange County a 17-year-old Fresno girl he has known since middle school, according to court records. Angel Antonio Ortiz of Fresno pleaded guilty to single felony counts each of human trafficking of an underage victim, criminal threats, and extortion, according to court records. As part of the plea deal, charges of kidnapping to commit robbery, rape, or other sex crimes was dropped along with a felony count of pandering and a sentencing enhancement for human trafficking with force or fear of a minor. Ortiz was sentenced to 13 years and eight months in prison. The victim made a daring escape at a Motel 6 in Anaheim on Nov. 25, 2017, according to court papers. The victim first met Ortiz when she was in the sixth grade and he was in eighth grade, according to the motion to increase the defendants bail that was filed after his arrest in November 2017. The two had mutual friends, but fell out of touch when he graduated to high school, and met up again briefly when she was a freshman, according to investigators. On Nov. 22, 2017, she was hanging around her apartment complex when she noticed Ortiz walking by and they struck up a conversation. Ortiz told her he was there to buy marijuana from a resident, she told investigators. The two connected on Facebook and sent messages to each other over the next few days until he said he was going to be back at her apartment complex to buy more marijuana, investigators said. The victim got into the backseat of a car with Ortiz with another man driving and a woman in the front passenger seat Nov. 24, 2017, investigators said. The victim grew suspicious as the car got on the highway and started heading south. When she asked Ortiz where they were going he laughed, investigators said. Later, he said they were going to Los Angeles, prompting the victim to cry and plead with him to take her back home, investigators said. Ortiz also told the victim he was going to get her new clothes because she would not be able to make money wearing that, according to the motion to increase bail. Ortiz also said he would provide condoms and that the woman who was in the car would help her post pictures so that they could make money for Ortiz like a good princess, according to what she told investigators. Ortiz told the victim she had to make $1,000 for him before she could go home. At some point during the ride, the victim managed to send a picture of Ortiz from his Facebook profile and text it to a friend with a plea for help, investigators said. Ortiz spotted her using the phone and the two got into a struggle over the device, investigators said. He yanked her hair and took the phone, which he tried to crack in half, investigators said. When the four got to the Motel 6 at 100 Disney Way, Ortiz threatened to leave her alone in Anaheim, prompting her to run into the lobby, jump over a counter and plead with employees to call police, according to investigators. Many Homeless People Need Serious Intervention, Venice Neighborhood Council Chair Says Soledad Ursua, the chairwoman of the Venice Neighborhood Council, knew she had to speak out when crime, drug addiction, and homeless encampments began to increase in the small Los Angeles community. She claims local officials have neglected the needs of the community while funding expensive projects that havent solved the fundamental problems. Venice Beach has always been sort of on the fringe, its a very bohemian-like community, its always been a little bit gritty, Ursua said during a recent interview on EpochTVs American Thought Leaders program. Its not Santa Monica, and thats what I loved about it, it was very edgy. And so, theres always homeless people there. But really, what weve seen is the drugs that have really changed the landscape. Ursua said restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the neighborhoods homelessness crisis. Officials also rolled back regulations on homeless encampments and other municipal codes to try to mitigate the spread of the virus by allowing homeless individuals to shelter in place. The result? The number of homeless people dwelling in Venice Beach skyrocketed, and homeless-related crimes increased by 260 percent, according to Los Angeles Police Department statistics. Some members in the community described it as the Wild, Wild West. Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents the area, is facing a recall threat from dissatisfied residents who say hes done very little to help the homelessness crisis and clean up the 11th Districts streets. Petitioners have until Nov. 10 to collect 27,387 signatures to trigger a special election. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) also released a report this year that found 24 fires are set per day, and that 54 percent of fires in Los Angeles are caused by encampments. I myself live in a 100-year-old duplex, and my worst fear is that a fire could take out the entire neighborhood, Ursua said. In January, we had a fire start on the Venice Boardwalk. It burned down a two-story commercial building. She said the building was valued at $26 million, and now, the property owner is suing the city. At the end of the day, its the taxpayers that are going to pay for this. Soledad Ursua, a Venice Neighborhood Council member, speaks with The Epoch Times California Insider about the homelessness situation in Venice Beach and beyond. (Hau Nguyen/The Epoch Times) It was a multifaceted issue that generated headlines and caught the attention of Los Angeles Sheriff Alex Villanueva over the summer. Videos of the chaos on the Venice Boardwalk went viral on social media. Homeless people could be seen fighting with each other, openly using drugs, assaulting tourists and business owners, and setting fires. Villanueva deployed the departments Homeless Outreach and Services Team (HOST) to connect the homeless with housing and other rehabilitation resources. What weve had to do as residents is go to the media, oftentimes, because our cries for help fall on deaf ears. I think what was a win for us was getting the attention of Sheriff Villanuevahe saw what was happening on the boardwalk, Ursua said. The small beach town has always had a presence of homeless people, or street people, although they were largely artists, entertainers, and nomads. Business owners knew them by name. But when the stay-at-home orders went into effect in March 2020, homeless people from other parts of the state were bused into the neighborhood and dropped off. Venice Beach became a sanctuary zone for those seeking shelter. Its a common refrain among state officials that the solution to the surge in homelessness is housing. However, Ursua and other community members disagree that its solely a housing-first solution. Its not simple as if they lack a house. A lot of them suffer from drug addiction and mental illness, she said. Ursua added that the policies that are set forth, all they do is guarantee that people who are living on our streets are going to die on our streets. They dont understand this population, they think that it can all be solved with a house or a home. Its not true, and so were finding that these elected officials just dont really understand the situation at allwere the ones that understand it, because we actually live with these people on our streets. The neighborhood councilwhich advises their respective Los Angeles City Council Districtshas been active in passing recommendations for their council members to implement in the city council. Parents also became involved, too, when Venices public parks became dangerous drug-dealing zones between gangs and some of the homeless. A local elementary school had RVs parked outside of it, which made parents increasingly worried about their childrens safety when walking home from school. We have slowly been organizing, were growing our circles, were talking to more who are concerned, theyre bringing their groups and were talking to other neighborhoods who are facing the same issues, Ursua said. Were residents, everyday residents who demand accountability, we want real solutions for the homeless, we want them to be treated for mental illness and drug addiction issues. Just imagine what its like to be one of these homeless individuals who is suffering from mental adult illness. This is the most traumatic circumstances that we could be putting them in. In January, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health published a report about the causes of death among people experiencing homelessness, with drug overdoses topping the list. In addition, the first seven months of 2020 saw an alarming increase in overdose deaths, according to the report (pdf). What that tells me is that we need to get people off of the streets right now. Everything that were doing today is leading towards these causes of death, Ursua said. What I learned is that drug addiction is very violent, you cant just wake up one day and decide that youre going to get off drugs. It just doesnt work that day, that way. Whats really needed is a serious intervention. And we just keep thinking that its simply will be housing that fixes it, and its not. Proposition HHHa $1.2 billion bond passed by Los Angeles voters in 2016was meant to create up to 10,000 supportive housing units across the county. According to a September 2020 report by L.A. Controller Ron Galperin, only three projects had been completed with a total of 179 supportive units and 49 non-supportive units. There were also 5,522 additional units in development, but nearly 73 percent of these had not yet begun construction. The report also indicated that each unit under construction, using HHH funds, costs $531,711 on average, with future projects expected to cost even more. When the report was published, there were 30 projects under construction and 78 in pre-development. What we found was that 30-60 percent of the costs went to soft costs, Ursua said. Those are your consultants, your architects, engineers, professional costs, so the money wasnt going to housing, and thats a huge red flag, your soft costs shouldnt really be more than 10 percent. Theres something really wrong with these deals. Ursua emphasized that until the mental health and drug abuse concerns are addressed, housing cant solve the entirety of the homeless crisis. Thats because the federal policy is just Housing First. Its the housing first, questions later. Its very naive, they just think, give somebody a house and you know, we wont have to deal with it. A health care worker fills a syringe with the Pfizer vaccine on the opening day of a COVID-19 mass vaccination clinic at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre in Perth, Australia on Aug. 16, 2021. (AAP Image/Richard Wainwright) Demand for Fully Jabbed Job Applicants Rises in Australia An increasing number of employers are requiring job applicants to be fully vaccinated, as the majority of Australians support workplace vaccination mandates for COVID-19, a survey found. Melbourne Institutes latest Taking the Pulse of the Nation survey (pdf) reported that 70 percent of Australians were either strongly or somewhat in favour of a vaccine mandate for employees, while around 15 percent expressed opposition. There is quite high support among employees for their own employers to mandate vaccination and, perhaps more importantly, few employees are strongly opposed to such a mandate, the report author Professor Roger Wilkins said. Government or employer vaccine mandates are therefore likely to be reasonably popular, effective and involve minimal loss of workers. Fewer female employees (two-thirds) were supportive of mandates compared to male employees (three-quarters). But the report said this was because more women were neutral towards mandates rather than opposed. People in New South Wales and Victoria had higher support for employer vaccine mandates compared to South Australia and Western Australia. The report said it showed a strong correlation between community transmission and support for mandates. It also noted that while there was strong support for employee vaccine mandates, there was still a significant portion of employees that were either neutral or not supportive. Protesters march across Victoria Bridge during a rally against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, in Brisbane, Australia. #ReclaimTheLine rallies across Australia, on Oct. 1, 2021. (Dan Peled/Getty Images) Its September results showed that the industry that showed the strongest support for the mandates was information media and telecommunications, with 85 percent in favour and 7 percent opposed. The wholesale trade, transport, postal, and warehousing industry showed the least support, with 62 percent indicating support and 26 percent opposed. The education and training industry had the next largest group that opposed mandates, at 25 percent. Indeed, considerably more employees are willing to be vaccinated than are supportive of worker mandates, Wilkins said. Universal mandates on all workers may therefore not be viewed as appropriate. Data released in September by data analytics firm Purpose Bureau (pdf) revealed there was a surge in job ads that required applicants to be fully vaccinated, most of which was for health care industry positions. In May, there were 15 job ads requiring COVID-19 vaccinations per 10,000 job ads, which jumped to 203 in September. These numbers show an undercurrent of momentum in workplace vaccine requirements which the focus on large corporations isnt capturing, Purpose Bureau CEO Nick Kamper said. There are a lot of government agencies but there are also plenty of smaller companies, such as removalists or landscape companies, which make sense as there occupations with a lot of mobility in the workday. SpaceX Crew-2 streaks across the sky as it makes its return to Earth, in New Orleans, Louisianna, U.S., November 8, 2021, in this still image taken from a social media video. @_tehgreat/via REUTERS SpaceX Crew Returns From Record Mission Aboard International Space Station Four astronauts safely returned on Monday from a record six-month NASA science mission aboard the International Space Station, splashing down with their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule in the Gulf of Mexico at the end of a daylong flight home. The Dragon vehicle, dubbed Endeavour, parachuted into the sea off the Florida coast as planned just after 10:30 p.m. EST on Monday, following a reentry descent through Earths atmosphere carried live by a NASA webcast. Real-time infrared thermal video imaging captured a glimpse of the capsule streaking like a meteor through the night sky over the Gulf minutes before splashdown. Applause was heard from the flight control center as the four main parachutes inflated above the capsule, seen drifting down toward the Gulf surface and slowing to about 15 miles per hour (24 kph) before dropping gently into the calm sea. Endeavour, on behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to planet Earth, a voice from the SpaceX flight control center in suburban Los Angeles was heard telling the crew as a safe splashdown was confirmed. Its great to be back, one of the astronauts radioed in reply. The return capped 199 full days in orbit, the longest ever for an entire U.S.-launched crew, according to Kathy Lueders, associate NASA chief for space operations. It surpassed the previous 168-day record set by the predecessor SpaceXNASA mission earlier this year, she said. Within an hour of splashdown, the capsule was hoisted from the ocean to the deck of a recovery ship, and the four astronauts were seen emerging one by one from Endeavours hatch. Two NASA astronauts on the flightpilot Megan McArthur, 50, and mission commander Shane Kimbrough, 54were the first two out of the vehicle. They were followed by Japanese crewmate Akihiko Hoshide, 52, and fellow mission specialist Thomas Pesquet, 43, a French engineer from the European Space Agency. SpaceX Crew-2 streaks across the sky as it makes its return to Earth, in New Orleans, La., on Nov. 8, 2021, in this still image taken from a social media video. (@_tehgreat/via Reuters) Each flashed smiles and a V-for-victory sign as they were helped onto waiting gurneys, unable to immediately bear their own weight after months in microgravity. They were to undergo brief medical checkups then be flown to shore via helicopter. Fiery Reentry Operating autonomously, the spacecraft began its eight-hour return voyage earlier in the day with a 90-minute fly-around of the space station as the crew snapped a series of survey photographs of the orbiting outpost, circling the globe some 250 miles (400 km) above. The Crew Dragon then proceeded through a series of maneuvers over the course of the day to bring it closer to Earth ahead of its final night-time descent. Propelled by one last ignition of its forward rocket thrusters for a de-orbit burn, the capsule reentered the atmosphere at about 17,000 miles per hour (27,359 kph) for a free-fall toward the ocean below, during which crew communications were lost for several minutes. Intense friction generated as the capsule plunged through the atmosphere slowed its descent while sending temperatures surrounding the outside of the vehicle soaring to 3,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,927 degrees Celsius). The bottom of the capsule is covered by a shield that dissipates the heat, preventing the spacecraft from incinerating. The four astronauts were launched to orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 23. It was the third crew sent to the space station under NASAs fledgling public-private partnership with SpaceX, the rocket company formed in 2002 by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who also founded electric car maker Tesla Inc. The returning team was designated Crew 2 because it marks the second operational crew that NASA has launched aboard a SpaceX capsule since resuming human space flights from American soil last year, after a nine-year hiatus at the end of the U.S. space shuttle program in 2011. The replacement team, Crew 3, was originally slated to fly to the space station at the end of October, but that launch has been delayed by weather problems and an unspecified medical issue involving one of the four crew members. By Steve Gorman For those that have recovered from COVID, a dilemma ensues. While much of the established science says that acquired immunity is superior, vaccine mandates say otherwise. (Andrey Yurlov/Shutterstock) Naturally Acquired Immunity Versus Vaccine Acquired Immunity Science and public policy seem to disagree over which one is better Hes got a pass! said the dad sitting across from me at the airport in Bismarck, North Dakota, where we were both stranded due to flight delays. He gestured to his 5-year-old son. Had a slight fever and tested positive for COVID. We had to keep him home from school for a couple weeks. Then, he tested negative and was good to go. I got the vaccine. My wife did, too. But he can travel anywhere without any testing, and theres no vaccine for his age anyway. In Germany Natural Immunity Counts Since the beginning of July in Germany, where that family lives, if you can demonstrate proof of being COVID-recovered and then have a subsequent negative COVID test, you are considered immune. For six months anyway, according to the German government. But in the United States, where my family lives, even those who are COVID-recovered (and show high protection via either antibody or T-cell testing) are being told they also must get vaccinated. Indeed, the CDC has been actively urging Americans who have already had COVID to get the vaccine. Americas federal and state health officials, via the mainstream media and social media, as well as on their official channels, insist that COVID vaccines offer better protection than natural immunity alone. CDC Urges Vaccination for COVID-Recovered A CDC statement from August sums up the official position nicely: New CDC Study: Vaccination Offers Higher Protection Than Previous COVID-19 Infection. If you have had COVID-19 before please still get vaccinated, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky urged the public in that release. Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others around you, especially as the more contagious Delta variant spreads around the country. But is it really? Natural Immunity Versus Vaccine Immunity Despite sensationalist headlines, reinfection with COVID-19 appears to be exceedingly rare. If you are unvaccinated and have had COVID, the chances of you getting it again are slim. A preliminary report from Israeli scientists shows that out of 149,735 people in Israel with confirmed COVID-19 cases (documented via positive PCR tests) only 154 people had evidence of reinfection, which is about 1 in 1,000. Another study, however, suggests that the chances of reinfection are even lower than 1 in 1,000. Cleveland Clinic scientists who examined a cohort of 52,238 employees found no cases of reinfection among unvaccinated people with evidence of prior SARS-Co-V-2 infections. The same study showed that vaccinated people who hadnt had COVID-19 had a lower risk of infection than unvaccinated people. Still, the researchers concluded that individuals who have had SARS-CoV-2 are unlikely to benefit from COVID-19 vaccination, and vaccines can be safely prioritized to those who have not been infected before. Sarbecovirus Infections Protect Against Future Disease The benefits of naturally acquired immunity may go beyond protection against COVID. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is part of a family of viruses known as sarbecoviruses. Symptoms vary widely in different people, but these viruses can create severe acute respiratory syndromes that usually begin with a fever and body aches, according to the CDC. There have been two previous SARS outbreaks. A 2003 outbreak thought to have originated in China in 2002 infected about 8,098 people and led to about 774 deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Another smaller SARS outbreak occurred in 2004. Both of these outbreaks were self-limiting: humans managed to overcome the illnesses naturally without mass vaccination campaigns. Research on these other sarbecovirus infections is limited, but it seems that when we acquire natural immunity to these viruses, it helps protect us against future disease. To study this, scientists in San Francisco took blood from people who had had previous COVID infections (SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-Co-V) and assessed 12 antibodies in the blood. As reported in Nature, the California researchers found that one antibody in particular (S2H97) was able to bind to a range of sarbecovirus infections and keep the viruses from spreading in lab experiments. When they tested the antibody in hamsters, it kept the rodents from getting sick. This super antibody, which was acquired naturally, essentially blocked SARS viruses from spreading to other cells. While the research is being used to promote the idea of developing a broad-ranging vaccine, it also shows that there may be long-lasting benefits to natural infection. Viral Illness: Natural Immunity Provides Long-Lasting Protection With other infectious diseases caused by viruses, we have seen that natural infection provides longer-lasting protection than vaccine immunity. For example, a 2017 study of adults in the Czech Republic published in the scientific journal PLOS One showed that the highest protection against the measles, as measured by antibody levels in peoples blood, was in people over 50 years of age who were naturally infected before the implementation of a measles vaccine. Other research on swine flu (H1N1) published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine in 2011, found extraordinarily powerful antibodies in the blood of nine people who caught the swine flu naturally and recovered from it. Though, again, this research was showcased by news reports as evidence that it may be possible to develop a one-size-fits-all vaccine against different strains of flu viruses, what it actually demonstrates is that recovering from naturally acquired viral infections not only gives people short-term immunity against other viruses but may also be of lasting benefit in fighting off other viral infections as well. Because SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus and the vaccines to protect against it only became available in January, it isnt scientifically possible to know the long-term protection offered by either the infection or the vaccines. As more data comes in, however, it appears that even mild infection can provide robust protection from COVID-19 infection. A study from July evaluated 254 COVID-19 patients for up to eight months and found durable broad-based immune responses, even among COVID-recovered patients who had only mild symptoms. Other recent data also suggests that natural immunity is long-lasting. A study from Finland published in September in the European Journal of Immunology found that in COVID-recovered patients protection against reinfection persisted for over a year. Immunologist: Natural Immunity Better Than Vaccination Yet another large study from August looked at a database of 2.5 million Israelis and found that natural immunity confers longer-lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease and hospitalization caused by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, compared to the BNT162b2 two-dose vaccine-induced immunity. This Israeli study found that people who were vaccinated who hadnt been previously infected were 6 to 13 times more likely to get infected with COVID-19 than unvaccinated people who had already had the illness. Its a textbook example of how natural immunity is really better than vaccination, Charlotte Thalin, an immunology researcher and specialist in internal medicine who is based in Stockholm, Sweden, told Science.org. Where Is The Science Behind The CDCs Vaccine Push? Given the natural protection provided to people who recover from COVID, why is the CDC so eager to get every eligible American vaccinated, even those who have recovered and have naturally acquired immunity? The CDC press release references only two reports. The first report showed that unvaccinated people in Kentucky were nearly 2 1/2 times more likely to get re-infected with COVID compared to fully vaccinated individuals. The second CDC report, co-authored by more than 40 medical doctors and public health officials (several of whom disclose direct ties to the pharmaceutical companies manufacturing and profiting from these vaccines), looked at hospitalization rates of adults aged 65 and older. It concluded that among adults aged 65-74 years, effectiveness of full vaccination for preventing hospitalization was 96 percent for Pfizer-BioNTech, 96 percent for Moderna, and 84 percent for Janssen COVID-19. The second report cited by the CDC excluded hospitalized patients who had only one dose of any COVID vaccine less than 14 days prior. It also didnt specify if those who were vaccinated or those who were unvaccinated had a history of prior infection. So that report sheds no light on whether vaccine immunity is more long-lasting than immunity from infection and offers no evidence to justify the idea that COVID-recovered patients should get vaccinated. The CDC didnt mention other studies that showed findings contrary to the Kentucky study. Its unclear whether the agency reviewed those studies and found the Kentucky study to be stronger or only considered the Kentucky study in making their policy to recommend and require that the previously infected get the vaccine. Meanwhile, much of the established science supports the superiority of acquired immunity. That fact has put some people, such as Laurie Lentz-Marino, in a difficult position as they try to balance the consequences of not complying with vaccine mandates against their understanding of whats in the best interest of their health. Vaccine-induced immunity can never be as long-lasting and robust as naturally acquired immunity, said Lentz-Marino, who taught chemistry and biology classes at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, for more than 20 years. The human immune system knows what its doing. We are an incredibly successful species. There would not be close to 8 billion people on the planet otherwise. Lentz-Marino, 61, recently resigned from her teaching position over vaccine and mask mandates at the college. Its a sad joke to think that we know better than Mother Nature. Were going in the wrong direction. Its really arrogant to think that we can re-design our immune systems. Jennifer Margulis, Ph.D., is an award-winning science writer and book author. A Fulbright grantee, she is also a frequent contributor to The Epoch Times. Learn more and subscribe to her free weekly newsletter at her website JenniferMargulis.net. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci testifies before a Senate panel in Washington on Nov. 4, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Naturally Immune Federal Workers Lodge Class-Action Suit Against Fauci, Walensky Over COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Federal workers who have recovered from COVID-19 have filed a class-action lawsuit against Dr. Anthony Fauci and other government officials over a COVID-19 vaccine mandate that still forces them to get a jab. The government not only failed to offer a carve-out exemption for naturally immune workers, or those who have recovered, but neither President Joe Bidens executive order nor the guidance explaining it outlines why naturally acquired immunity isnt an acceptable alternative to vaccination, the lawsuit states. Because they already have natural immunity, there is no coherent purpose for the federal government to require them to undertake a medical procedure to be vaccinated if they choose not to, or be terminated from their employment, their careers, Robert Henneke, general counsel at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and one of the lawyers representing the government workers, told The Epoch Times. Plaintiffs say the mandate violates the Administrative Procedure Act, which allows courts to overturn government actions deemed arbitrary, capricious, or an abuse of discretion. They quoted Dr. Scott Gottlieb, a former Food and Drug Administration commissioner who now sits on the board of Pfizer. During recent television appearances, Gottlieb described natural immunity as durable and robust and said that government officials should start assimilating it into policy discussions. They also cited Dr. Hooman Noorchashm, an immunologist who has said it is medically unnecessary for the recovered to get vaccinated. Dozens of studies have shown that people who survived COVID-19 have strong immunity against re-infection from the virus that causes it, with some indicating the protection is similar to or higher than that provided by vaccines. Workers tried communicating concerns about the mandate but those have completely fallen on deaf ears, which is why weve turned to litigation, Henneke said. I think its clear that the Biden administration, the federal government, is entrenched in their position on this. And so further negotiation would be pointless and instead were going to seek assistance from the courts, he added. The deadline for federal workers to get a COVID-19 vaccine was effectively Nov. 8, because people arent considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after theyve received their final jab. Agencies were able to begin disciplining unvaccinated workers on Nov. 9, according to Kiran Ahuja, an administration official. The suit asks the federal court in Galveston, Texas, to declare the mandate a violation of the plaintiffs rights and arbitrary and capricious and relieve workers from complying with it. Defendants named include Fauci, the longtime head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and Jeffrey Zients, who coordinates the White House COVID-19 response team. The institute and the White House did not respond to requests for comment. The centers declined to comment. Federal health officials have recently acknowledged natural immunity exists but continue insisting it is inferior to the protection conferred by vaccines. They also say people who have recovered from COVID-19 can still benefit from vaccination. Navy personnel prepare doses of a COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination site in New York City on Feb. 24, 2021. (Seth Wenig/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Navy SEALs Sue Biden Admin Over Denial of Religious Exemptions to Vaccine Mandate Several dozen Navy SEALs and sailors filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration for denying them religious exemptions to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the military, according to a legal group that filed the complaint on their behalf. The unnamed SEALs and sailors, who filed their complaint in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas, Fort Worth, named President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro as defendants in the lawsuit. Their complaint argues (pdf) that the plaintiffs sought a religious exemption to the Pentagons vaccine mandate but were denied the fundamental right to the free exercise of religion and protection from agency action that is unlawful, contrary to law, and arbitrary and capricious. Lawyers for the SEALs also made reference to recent media reports that quoted a Navy spokesperson as saying that to date, multiple religious accommodation requests related to the COVID vaccine mandate have been adjudicated and none have yet been approved. In a news release accompanying the lawsuit, First Liberty argued that because the Navy hasnt granted a vaccine mandate exemption, it suggests the Biden administration is allegedly attempting to force out any military service member who refuses the vaccine. This appears to be an attempted ideological purge, Mike Berry, general counsel for First Liberty Institute, said in the release. Forcing a service member to choose between their faith and serving their country is abhorrent to the Constitution and Americas values After all these elite warriors have done to defend our freedoms, the Navy is now threatening their careers, families, and finances. Its appalling and it has to stop before any more harm is done to our national security. A memo handed down by Austin in August stipulates that all service members must be fully vaccinated against the virus that causes COVID-19. Navy service members have until Nov. 28 to receive both shots of the mRNA vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson shot. The Epoch Times has contacted the Navy and Department of Defense for comment on the lawsuit. According to the complaint, each of the SEALs, sailors, or other Navy service members is either Protestant, Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox. Their sincerely held religious beliefs forbid each of them from receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for a variety of reasons based upon their Christian faith as revealed through the Holy Bible and prayerful discernment, the lawsuit said. And the plaintiffs, the suit argues, believe that taking the vaccine violates their religious beliefs because how it was tested, developed, or produced using aborted fetal cell lines would force them to violate their sincerely held religious beliefs by causing them to participate in the abortion enterprise, which they believe to be immoral. About a month ago, a lawyer representing SEALs in a separate case told The Epoch Times Crossroads program that the U.S. military is ignoring the protection against COVID-19 thats provided by a prior infection of the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. My clients are seeing for the first time in the military natural immunity is not being recognized as a reason for an exemption to a vaccine, R. Davis Younts, the attorney, said on Oct. 13. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu speaks during a ceremony in Manchester, N.H., on Sept. 2, 2020. (Scott Eisen/Getty Images for DraftKings) New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu Rules Out US Senate Run, Will Try for Another Term New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu is not launching a U.S. Senate bid, he announced Tuesday. Sununu was widely considered one of the most electable potential Republican candidates to take on Sen. Maggie Hasan (D-N.H.). He told reporters during a briefing that he was intrigued by a Senate run but is opting to try for a fourth term as governor instead of seeking a congressional seat. At the end of day, I feel very at peace with this decision. It think its the best for the state; I think its best for myself, he said. Hassan unseated Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) in 2016 and will seek a second term next year. Hassan received 1,017 more votes than the incumbent. Republicans Don Bolduc, who served in the U.S. Army, and Tejasinha Sivalingam, who describes himself as pro-America, are the only GOP candidates so far. Sununu said he would endorse a candidate if he supports them but he has refrained from doing so thus far. Primaries for the 2022 race arent yet scheduled. Sununu said he spoke with senators who told him hed have to wait around for lengthy periods of time in Washington if he were elected to the Senate for things to get done. He said he wouldnt be happy with that, comparing it with his job as governor. Id rather push myself 120 miles an hour delivering wins for New Hampshire than to slow down, end up on Capitol Hill debating partisan politics without results, he said. The Senate is currently divided between 50 Republicans and 50 Democrats or nominal independents who regularly caucus with Democrats. Because Democrat President Joe Biden won in 2020, the party controls the upper chamber. Vice President Kamala Harris can cast tiebreaking votes in her role as president of the body. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) was among the Sununu backers, telling a recent conference that this man could single handily retire Chuck Schumer as majority leader of the Senate. A child plays at sunset in the Aboriginal community of Mutitjulu, in the shadow of Uluru, in the Northern Territory, Australia, 26 June 2007. (Photo by Jason South/The AGE/Fairfax Media via Getty Images via Getty Images) New Restrictions for Remote Northern Territory Communities The Northern Territory (NT) government will introduce new public health measures in remote communities where less than 70 percent of residents have had their first COVID-19 shot. According to Northern Territory Health, from Nov.15 anyone entering these communities from Darwin, Alice Springs, Katherine, or outside the Territory will have to wear a mask in public areas for seven days, and from Nov.19 they will also need to test negative to COVID-19 within 72 hours of entering a community. This comes on the back of Doherty Institute modelling, which has set a higher benchmark for remote communities, meaning the 80 percent double-dosed target will now extend to those aged five to eleven. However, this will only be applied once a TGA approved vaccine for this age group is available. Chief Minister Michael Gunner said that we have many communities that are well below 80% and we still have a critical task ahead of us to push these rates up, which we will continue to do. Both new measures will apply to 25 of 52 communities under NT Health management, as well as the 29 communities under the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO). There are already some measures in place in all communities, one of which is a mandate that workers entering any remote community must have their first jab by Nov.12, and their second by Dec.24 Northern Territory Chief Minister Michael Gunner addresses supporters at Labors election headquarters in Darwin, Australia, on Aug. 22, 2020. (AAP Image/Charlie Bliss) Meanwhile, the lockout of unvaccinated residents in Darwin has been extended to 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, while the lockdown in Katherine ended at 5 p.m. on Monday. These restrictions had been in response to the Territorys first community case of COVID-19, a contractor at Royal Australian Air Force Tindal base who tested positive on Nov.4. It is now known that the source of the mans infection was a COVID-19-positive woman in her 20s who flew to Darwin from Cairns on Oct. 29 and spent the weekend with him. According to the Guardian on Nov. 7, the woman lied on her border entry form when entering Darwin and has since been fined $5,024. Chief Minister Gunner said that her actions had put the Territory at risk, prompting the Katherine lockdown and Greater Darwin lockout, reported the Guardian. Before going to Darwin, the woman had spent time in Melbourne, where Gunner said she almost certainly contracted COVID-19. She then spent time in Adelaide and Cairns, before flying to Darwin. While there were compassionate reasons for her decision to visit Victoria, there were not compassionate reasons for lying to the Territory in coming here from a hotspot, Gunner said. The Northern Territory cluster now stands at three. Cyberattacks on the Rise Globally Due to Profitability, Says Cyber Security Expert Cause of major cyberattack on Newfoundland and Labrador's health-care system still unknown There is still no official word on the cause of a major cyberattack on Newfoundland and Labradors health-care system, but authorities have been in touch with officials from Ireland, which was hit with a ransomware attack earlier this year. Thomas Keenan, a professor at the University of Calgary who specializes in cyber security and high-tech crimes, said major cyberattacks have increased in frequency because theyve become highly profitable. This is a business that makes a lot of money, Keenan said in an interview. In the Irish case if the Irish government had given in to the demand, $20 million in Bitcoin would have been paid to the bad guys. So were going to see more and more of this. On May 14, Irelands public health service shut down its IT systems in response to an extensive ransomware attack in which the responsible criminal gang demanded a payment of $20 million in Bitcoin. The Irish government refused to pay the ransom and later confirmed that the confidential information of at least 520 patients had been released online. In the N.L. cyberattack, disruptions to the health-care IT system started on Oct. 30, causing progressive failure to what provincial officials said was the brain of the data centre. The attack resulted in tens of thousands of medical appointments being cancelled, with only certain emergency procedures going ahead for now. N.L. officials said the province has been speaking with officials from Ireland to learn what it can from how the country dealt with the cyberattack on its health system. N.L.s Deputy Premier Siobhan Coady hasnt confirmed whether the provinces cyberattack involved ransomware, and Health Minister John Haggie also declined to reveal further information. This is still unfolding and were working with the RCMP, Coady told reporters on Nov. 2. Premier Andrew Furey told reporters that the federal government has offered to support his province as it recovers from the attack. In addition to the RCMP, the province is also getting help from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security. Keenan said cyber crimes have become a worldwide business as tools used for cyberattacks and even ransomware services can be found on the internet, with some hacks being carried out by amateurs without a high degree of technical knowledge. Theres definitely a trend, theres no question, he said, attributing the rise to the profitability of cybercrimes, difficulty in catching the perpetrators, and a lack of preparedness among victims. Hackers are increasingly targeting hospitals, which were vulnerable to attacks even before the COVID-19 pandemic due to a tendency toward weak security infrastructure and the profitability of access to sensitive patient information. On Oct. 28, 2020, the University of Vermont (UVM) Medical Center received staff complaints of computer access problems, which were later found to be the result of a cyberattack. While the centre did not pay a ransom, the attack cost an estimated US$50 million, mostly from lost revenue, The Associated Press reported. In the N.L. case, Keenan said there was probably a failure to prepare for a ransomware attack of this scale, which resulted in complex damage thats difficult to fix quickly. I tell people that they should back up all their computers and all their systems, so that if the ransomware guy gets in, you just scrub everything clean and you reload your information, he said. You might lose the last few hours of patient information or something like that, but its so much worse to lose everything. The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline Co. in the United States in April resulted in severe fuel shortages on the East Coast of the country. Colonials networks were compromised by The DarkSide Group, a group of hackers which the FBI said is likely based in Russia or Eastern Europe. Colonial Pipeline president and CEO Joseph Blount confirmed that the company paid US$4.4 million in ransom to the perpetrators due to uncertainty about the severity of the cyberattack and how long the firms systems would be down. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) later announced that it succeeded in seizing US$2.3 million from the hackers. On Nov.8, the DOJ charged a suspect from Ukraine, Yaroslav Vasinskyi, and a Russian national, Yevgeniy Polyanin, over a ransomware attack this past summer on Florida-based software firm Kaseya that infected up to 1,500 businesses in the United States and around the world. Vasinskyi and Polyanin were said to be operatives for REvil, a ransomware-as-a-service group that has been used in attacks against 175,000 computers around the world, and in which about US$200 million has been paid in ransom, the DOJ said. According to a report by British security software and hardware company Sophos Group that surveyed 5,400 IT decision-makers across 30 countries, over one-third of the respondents from roughly 330 health-care organizations have been victims of ransomware attacks over the past year. While 34 percent of the victims whose data was encrypted by the cybercriminals paid a ransom to retrieve their data, only 60 percent of the encrypted files were restored on average. No More China Tech: 57 Million Credit Card Machines Likely Compromised Hundreds of millions of credit card users join Zoom, TikTok in likely data loss to China News Analysis Americans and allies are too dependent on China tech, as demonstrated by recent revelations that our Chinese-manufactured credit card machines are sending data back to China. The U.S. Treasury Department says that millions of Chinese point-of-sale (POS) devices, the credit card machines found at checkout counters, could be sending customer data to China for no good reason. Treasury Department lab tests show that the data is encrypted and sent to unknown third parties in China. The transmissions are superfluous to normal payment transaction processing, according to a letter from the Treasurys Office of Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection (OCCIP), as quoted in Bloomberg News. The China-bound data transmissions are larger and more frequent than the transmissions of normal payment transactions. Treasurys preliminary assessment is that data transmission by these devices indicates the possibility of risks to customer data confidentiality, a Treasury spokesperson said in an email to Bloomberg. A subsidiary of the Chinese company, PAX Global, claimed that the security concerns were just rumors. The companys headquarters are split between Hong Kong and Shenzhen, China. PAX has manufactured 57 million terminals that operate in 120 countries around the world, according to its own claims. Global Payments Inc., the credit card processing company that recently said it was subject to a massive security breach, announced on April 2 that about 1.5 million credit card numbers were exposed. (Chris Hondros/Getty Images) On Oct. 26, the FBI raided PAX offices in Jacksonville, Florida; two days later, the companys senior vice president of security and services quit her job. A British security agency is also investigating the Chinese POS device manufacturer. Cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs reported that the FBI raid wasnt only linked to the discovery of unusual network packets from the companys terminals, but to reports that the PAX systems could be linked to cyberattacks, hacks, and illicit data collection on U.S. and European Union organizations. Financial company FIS Worldpay, a Florida-based payment processing company, has for security reasons been forced to replace its PAX terminals with machines from U.S. and French manufacturers. A FIS spokesman explained that FIS is replacing PAX terminals because FIS did not receive satisfactory answers from PAX regarding its POS devices connecting to websites not listed in their supplied documentation. The likely compromise of U.S. and allied financial data by Chinese-manufactured POS credit card machines is the tip of the iceberg of vulnerability to China tech. Other China-linked companies, such as Zoom, TikTok, and computer and cellphone manufacturers, have hundreds of millions of global users who are vulnerable to data loss to China. Zoom was downloaded 485 million times in 2020, and continues to have serious security issues. In 2020, the FBI issued a security warning about Zoom, and the Department of Defense forbade its affiliates to use the video-conferencing application. Zooms encryption keys were available to the Chinese regime, and its international meeting traffic was routed through Chinese servers. Small toy figures are displayed in front of a Zoom logo in this illustration taken on March 19, 2020. (Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration) Yet in 2020, 90,000 schools in 20 countries made the wrong decision and utilized Zoom. Skype and Google provide better video calls, but the Zoom craze has gone dangerously viral. The high rate of usage among naive Zoom users, many of whom are children, isnt due to a lack of warning. Zoom was found to be sending unauthorised data to Facebook, according to a recent article in the Business of Apps. Its past hoarding of data and sub-standard encryption, identified by academic researchers, is well known. Zoom saw itself banned by governments for official business (Canada and Taiwan), numerous organisations (SpaceX and Nasa) and school boards (New York and Taiwan). As late as September, Zoom software allowed remote code execution, that is, hacking of user machines over the internet. Zoom supposedly found and fixed the vulnerability, which is why we know about it. But with a lagging track record on security over the years, which is often only fixed when Zoom is caught with its hand in the digital cookie jar, who knows what remains. Prudence should be the order of the day. Stop using Zoom. TikTok is even closer to China and was downloaded 850 million times in 2020, and more than 3 billion times overall. Twenty-eight percent of TikTok users are under the age of 18, and 59 percent are female. North America had 105 million users in 2020. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, which is headquartered in Beijing. Due to national security concerns, India banned the app in June 2020. Two months later, President Donald Trump signed an executive order requiring either the divestment by ByteDance of TikTok, or a U.S. purchase of the app. However, the Biden administration unwisely revoked the order. In April, the Beijing regime doubled down by taking a 1 percent stake in a key Bytedance management company, and one of its three board seats, according to The Information. In response, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) rightly blasted the Biden administration, which he said can no longer pretend that TikTok is not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party. Even before today, it was clear that TikTok represented a serious threat to personal privacy and U.S. national security. Beijings aggressiveness makes clear that the regime sees TikTok as an extension of the party-state, and the U.S. needs to treat it that way. President Biden must take immediate action to remove ByteDance and TikTok from the equation. Rubio rightly went beyond just a whack-a-mole approach. We must also establish a framework of standards that must be met before a high-risk, foreign-based app is allowed to operate on American telecommunications networks and devices. The problem is not only China-linked software, however, but also the American and allied dependence on Chinas manufacture of computers, tablets, and phones. Ninety percent of computers, and 70 percent of cellphones, are manufactured in China. All of this hardware, therefore, includes a higher level of security risk. TikTok logos are seen on smartphones in front of a displayed ByteDance logo in a file illustration picture. (Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters) The worlds electronic device manufacturing processes are largely controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, which has proven to be unscrupulous in its pursuit of power. We tend to ignore the attendant perils for reasons of convenience and budget, but we do so at our own grave risk. The U.S. Treasury Department has hinted that technology from China should be rejected because of the higher risk it entails. OCCIP encourages stakeholders in the U.S. financial system to adopt a risk-based approach to protecting the confidentiality of their customers data, the integrity of their networks, and the availability of their services, the Treasury Department stated in this months letter about the PAX investigation. Banks and financial service providers should apply this risk-based approach to their supply chains. While such warnings are welcome, they are entirely insufficient. We need laws and executive orders that mandate and provide for a fully secure technological environment for America and our allies. Our information security depends upon U.S. and allied control and protection of all information technology, from seed investment, to ownership, hardware manufacture, and the writing and operation of software that gives life to our networks. Nothing else will do. Its unconscionable that U.S. and allied governments continue in their failure to protect our democratic communities from unscrupulous China-linked technology manufactures, including software like TikTok and hardware such as computers, phones, and credit card machines, at the expense of American and allied privacy, workers, and the diversity of our industrial ecosystems, and those of our allies. Our democratic governments must get smart fast, or the loss to China will be irreversible, and ultimately entail the loss of democracy itself. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Communist China was voted to replace the Republic of China (Taiwan) as a member state of the U.N., when Secretary-General U Thant, Assembly-President Adam Malik and Under-Secretary-General Ca Etavropoulos were at the United Nations General Assembly on Oct. 25, 1971. (Keystone/Getty Images) One-Country-One-Vote Policy Helped CCP Enter and Dominate the UN: Experts China replaced Taiwan to become a member of the United Nations 50 years ago. Experts believe their strategy of befriending small nations has been one of the reasons for the communist regimes transformation into a major player in the United Nations. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been taking advantage of all possible opportunities, including participation in the U.N. peacekeeping missions, to advance its agenda and expand its influence, experts said. On Oct. 25, CCP head Xi Jinping delivered a video message at the U.N. to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Chinas joining the United Nations. Xi promoted multilateralism and the one-country-one-vote policy. Chen Weijian, editor-in-chief of Beijing Spring, a human rights periodical, said that the CCP exploits multilateralism and has gained control of the U.N. via the one-country-one-vote policy; that by offering financial aid to small countries, the CCP has been buying their votes. Dr. Feng Chongyi, Associate Professor in China Studies at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia said, Xi seems to be pretty confident now, because he knows money can buy support from his little brothers in the United Nations. Taiwan, one of the founding members of the United Nations, lost its seat to China on Oct. 25, 1971, with the passing of U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758. The resolution recognized that the CCP ruled mainland China as the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations. Wu Jianming, former Chinese diplomat and member of the CCPs first U.N. delegation, wrote a book titled Case Studies in Diplomacy II. In his book, Wu revealed the conquering the middle ground strategy by Mao Zedong, former head of the CCP until 1976. Mao identified under-developed countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and western Europe as the middle ground, where the CCP would strategically invest. In the 1960s, many African countries newly became independent. The CCP quickly established a diplomatic relationship with them and offered them financial aid. During Chinas famine (19591961) when an estimated 15 million to 55 million Chinese people starved to death, the CCP sent 10,000 tons of rice to Guinea and 15,000 tons of wheat to Albania in 1960 alone, according to the CCPs own data. A technician with a Chinese company works at a construction site of a bridge in the Kurasini area in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on March 23, 2013. (John Lukuwi/AFP/Getty Images) The railroad between Tanzania and Zambia was built in the 1960s when Chinas domestic economy was suffering, as Wu pointed out, but the project brought huge diplomatic advantage to the CCP. As a result, the countries who supported the U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 were Albania, Algeria, Cuba, Guinea, Iraq, Mali, Mauritania, Yemen, Democratic Republic of Yemen (south Yemen), Congo, Tanzania, Romania, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Arab Republic of Yemen (north Yemen), Yugoslavia, and Zambia. Except for three communist regimes, the rest were recipients of the CCPs foreign aid. In his book, Wu quoted Mao saying, it was our African brothers who carried us into the United Nations. CCP Turned the UN Into a Playground for Dictators The CCP controlled dwnews.com summarized four stages of the CCP in the U.N. in half a century, namely the learning stage (19711978), the following stage (19781989), the proactive action stage (19902012), and the leading stage (2012present). During the learning and following stages, the CCP joined as many international organizations as possible. Peter Martin, a political reporter for Bloomberg News and the author of Chinas Civilian Army, said that in 1971 China belonged to one international organization, but by 1989 China has become a member of 37 organizations. Right after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, the CCP befriended those countries who did not criticize it, as well as those with bad human rights records. Feng Chongyi said the CCP would buy support from countries with bad human rights records, because those countries will go against the democratic countries. Wu Jianming said in his book that the CCP relied on African countries votes to block the bills criticizing its human rights record in the 1990s. Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping (front C), South African President Cyril Ramaphosa (front 3-L), Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (front L), Kenyas President Uhuru Kenyatta (2nd row L), Togos President Faure Gnassingbe (2nd row C), Malawis President Arthur Peter Mutharika (2nd row R), Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio (last row L), Liberian President George Weah (last row C) and other African leaders clap during a group photo session during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) 2018 Beijing Summit in Beijing on Sept. 3, 2018. (How Hwee Young Pool/Getty Images) In the past decade, the CCP played the same game with the Xinjiang issue. For instance, in July 2019, 22 U.N. member states issued a statement criticizing CCPs genocidal policy against the Uyghurs in Xinjiang. Only a few days later, 37 countries issued a letter supporting the CCP. Again in June 2021, over 40 countries led by Canada criticized the CCPs Xinjiang policy, but 65 countries led by Belarus supported the CCPs measures. Feng Chongyi said, the CCP practices dictatorship inside China, but advocates democracy and one-country-one-vote outside China. The U.N. has become the playground for dictators. Chinas UN Peacekeepers Guard CCP Interests and Spread CCP Culture Su Ziyun, director of the National Defense Strategy and Resources Research Institute of the Taiwan National Defense Security Academy, said the CCP aims to export its influence by all means possible, including through U.N. peacekeeping troops. Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers deployed for United Nations (U.N.) peace keeping missions line up at their base in Chinas central Henan province before being sent to Africa on Sept. 15, 2007. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Images) According to U.N. official data, as of September 2021, China has sent 2,158 persons to U.N. peacekeeping missions, 81 percent of whom are deployed in Africa with over 1,000 in South Sudan. Africa is a major partner in the CCPs Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). By February 2021, 45 out of 55 African countries had joined BRI. China has bypassed the United States to become the biggest investor in Africa. China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) invested billions of dollars in Sudan, and it owns a 40 percent stake in the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company, GNPOC, a Sudanese oil and gas exploration and production firm. Political commentator Li Linyi said: the CCPs participation in the peacekeeping missions has 3 reasons. Politically, it wants to build an image of a big nation and it wants to have the right to speak in the U.N.; Financially, it wants to protect its state-owned enterprises strategic investment in oil and minerals; ideologically, it wants to export its communist culture. While it is commendable that U.N. peacekeepers carry out cross-cultural activities to promote diversity and mutual understanding, the Chinese peacekeepers do so to expand CCPs influence. The U.N. official website reported an event between elementary school pupils in Lebanon and China in April 2019 organized by Chinese U.N. peacekeepers. The event was a one-hour video meetup between students of Lycee Francais International Elite School in Tyre (south Lebanon) and No. 7 Elementary School in Huizhou City (Guangdong, China). Deputy Commander of Chinese U.N. peacekeepers based in south Lebanon, Major Sang Yangyang, said in the report that the central objective of the cross-cultural event was to promote peace. However, what went on behind the scenes suggests a more complicated motivation. The Epoch Times acquired exclusive access to a letter sent by the Chinese peacekeepers to the Department of Education at Huicheng District, Huizhou city. The letter read, to spread Chinese culture and expand Chinas influence, we ask for your support in setting up a video meeting with No.7 Elementary School. A screenshot of a letter from Chinese U.N. peacekeepers based in Lebanon to an elementary school in China dated March 12, 2019. (The Epoch Times) Subsequently, the organizers requested coverage by national, provincial, local, and military media outlets and various social media accounts, including Xinhua News, China News Service, Peoples Daily website, Peoples Liberation Army official web site, Ministry of Defense website, CCTV4, CCTV7, CCTV13, PLA Southern Theater Command social media, PLA 74th Ground Force Wechat account, Guangdong Provincial TV Station, Huizhou Municipal TV Station, and Huizhou Daily. Then the Huicheng District Education Department sent a letter to the Bureau of Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs, a local branch of CCPs United Front Work Department, asking for guidance on the media coverage. The event was reported widely in various Chinese media, in which Major Sang Yangyang was quoted saying, Lebanon is an important partner of our Belt and Road Initiative, so it is of special significance that we increase the influence of our culture in this region. According to the U.N. website, the tasks of peacekeeping forces in Lebanon are to monitor the cessation of hostilities and help ensure humanitarian access to the civilian population. China has deployed 419 peacekeepers in Lebanon. Kelly Song Follow Kelly Song is a U.S.-based writer for The Epoch Times focusing on all things related to China. Conservative Leader Erin OToole holds a press conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Nov. 9, 2021. (The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick) OToole Announces New Conservative Shadow Cabinet Conservative Leader Erin OToole has announced the new the Conservative shadow cabinet for the upcoming Parliament, which he said will hold the radical Liberal-NDP coalition to account. One of the Tories strongest voices, Pierre Poilievre, is back as the partys finance critic, a role he held previously for over three years before being moved jobs and industry critic in February 2020. Kerry-Lynne Findlay will be the new critic for national defence, and Gerard Deltell will be the House Leader. Michelle Rempel Garner was moved to natural resources, with Luc Berthold replacing her as health critic. Michael Chong remains as foreign affairs critic, former leader Andrew Scheer as infrastructure critic, and Candice Bergen continues in the role of deputy leader. When announcing the new cabinet Tuesday during a press conference on Parliament Hill, OToole reiterated his assertion from Monday that a potential Liberal-NDP coalition would be detrimental to Canadas economy. The Liberal-NDP coalition would be a disaster for the Canadian economy. It will raise taxes on Canadian families and the middle class, including the sale of their home. It will continue to drive up the cost of everythingfood, clothing, gas, and housingand it will put millions of Canadian jobs at risk, he said. The Liberals are promising billions of dollars in new spending, including to buy Jagmeet Singhs silence. This coalition and his policies, his ideological policies, will further divide Canadians and threaten national unity. He also said a Liberal-NDP coalition would shut down Canadian energy and resource sectors, eliminating thousands of jobs making Canada a poorer and less relevant country. OToole said he was proud to present our Conservative team that will protect and fight to secure Canadas economic future. The following is a full list of the new Conservative shadow cabinet: Shadow Minister for National Defence Kerry-Lynne Findlay Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Michael Chong Shadow Minister for Health Luc Berthold Shadow Minister for Finance and Middle-Class Prosperity Pierre Poilievre Shadow Minister for Transport Melissa Lantsman Shadow Minister for Treasury Board Kelly McCauley Shadow Minister for Public Safety Raquel Dancho Shadow Minister for Labour Scott Aitchison Shadow Minister for National Revenue Jake Stewart Shadow Minister for Natural Resources Michelle Rempel Garner Shadow Minister for Canadian Heritage John Nater Shadow Minister for Digital Government Ben Lobb Shadow Minister for Housing and Diversity and Inclusion Matt Jeneroux Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Jasraj Singh Hallan Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Agri-Food and Food Security John Barlow Shadow Minister for Emergency Preparedness Dane Lloyd Shadow Minister for Crown-Indigenous Relations Gary Vidal Shadow Minister for Employment, Future Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Stephanie Kusie Shadow Minister for Environment and Climate Change Dan Albas Shadow Minister for Families, Children and Social Development Laila Goodridge Shadow Minister for Federal Economic Development Agency for Eastern, Central and Southern Ontario Phil Lawrence Shadow Minister for Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard Rick Perkins Shadow Minister for Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario Eric Melillo Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Industry Ed Fast Shadow Minister for International Development Garnett Genuis Shadow Minister for International Trade and Supply Chain Resilience Randy Hoback Shadow Minister for Small Business Recovery and Growth Tracy Gray Shadow Minister for Manufacturing and Export Promotion Tony Baldinelli Shadow Minister for Justice and Attorney General of Canada Rob Moore Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addictions and Suicide Prevention Mike Lake Shadow Minister for Northern Affairs and Artic Sovereignty; Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency Bob Zimmer Shadow Minister for Prairie Economic Development and Inter-provincial Trade Warren Steinley Shadow Minister for Pacific Economic Development Brad Vis Shadow Minister for Sport; Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec Richard Martel Shadow Minister for Official Languages Alain Rayes Shadow Minister for Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Clifford Small Shadow Minister for Public Services and Procurement Pierre Paul-Hus Shadow Minister for Rural Economic Development & Rural Broadband Strategy Lianne Rood Shadow Minister for Seniors Shelby Kramp-Neuman Shadow Minister for Tourism Michelle Ferreri Shadow Minister for Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister for National Defence Frank Caputo Shadow Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Karen Vecchio Shadow Minister for Ethics and Accountable Government John Brassard Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Communities Hon. Andrew Scheer Shadow Minister for Indigenous Services Jamie Schmale Associate Shadow Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Dominique Vien Some prominent Conservative positions in the House of Commons were also announced: Deputy Leader Candice Bergen Chair of Outreach Hon. Tim Uppal House Leader Gerard Deltell Deputy House Leader and Co-Chair of Question Period Planning Michael Barrett Quebec Lieutenant Alain Rayes Chief Opposition Whip Blake Richards Caucus Secretary to Conservative Party Eric Duncan Deputy Opposition Whip, Strategic Advisor, and Co-Chair of Question Period Planning James Bezan Pennsylvania House Advances Bill Preventing Private Election Funds Did Facebook money pay for training election staff at your polling place? In Pennsylvania, it depends on the county where you voted. Now, Republican lawmakers aim to end that practice through House Bill 2044, sponsored by state Rep. Eric Nelson. It amends the Pennsylvania Election Code to prohibit county boards of election and the secretary of state from accepting any private donation for operating elections, employing staff, selecting, or equipping a polling place; or for use in voter education or outreach. State Rep. Jim Struzzi, a Republican, first learned that millions of dollars in outside money was given to Pennsylvania to help facilitate the 2020 election when acting Secretary of State Veronica Degraffenreid mentioned it this spring during a budget hearing. I could not believe what I had heard, Struzzi told the House State Government Committee Monday in Harrisburg. I found that appalling. Shocking! I thought, how could that be allowed? Surely that is illegal. Well, it turns out its not illegal. In fact, the money she mentioned came from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg speaks at the Paley Center in New York, on Oct. 25, 2019. (Mark Lennihan/AP Photo) In 2020, Pennsylvania received $22 million through the Center of Technology and Civic Life. Zuckerberg gave at least $400 million to the nonprofit in September and October 2020, to be used to provide officials with the staffing, training and equipment necessary to make sure that every voter can participate in a safe and timely way in the election, according to a press release at the time from the Center of Technology and Civic Life. Across the United States, at least 2,100 local election jurisdictions applied to the Center of Technology and Civic Life for support in their elections. Zuckerbergs donation ensured every qualified jurisdiction that applied was approved for the funds, the release said. Not all counties knew about the availability of the money at the same time. Emails obtained through a Right to Know request by the website Broad + Liberty, show the Pennsylvania Department of States former Secretary of State Kathy Boockvar and an official in Gov. Tom Wolfs office told key Democrat-leaning counties about the private money and invited them to apply, well before informing Republican-led counties about the money. The $22 million went to 24 of Pennsylvanias 67 counties, with five strongly Democrat counties receiving the lions share, $17.9 million. They were Allegheny, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties, Struzzi said. Other big tech money came into the state as well, through the Center for Election Innovation and Research. That was $13.2 million to Pennsylvania, Struzzi said. In August 2020, Zuckerberg donated $50 million to this nonprofit which works to increase voter turnout. Were talking about $35 million in private money coming into Pennsylvania to help facilitate our elections. To me, that is fundamentally wrong, Struzzi said. Committee Democrats objected to HB 2044. State Rep. Scott Conklin, a Democrat said there was no fraud, and there has been no discussion about how to help counties pay for election services. We should be a no vote on this until somebody can show that there was wrongdoing; until we come up with a way to fund these counties and we come up with a way to train individuals. And if we can show where something devious was done, then yes, Im willing to have that conversation, Conklin said. Ultimately the bill was passed out of committee with a 1410 vote. It will next be considered by the full house. The committee also approved House Bill 1482, sponsored by Republican state Rep. Bryan Cutler, which requires the state and each county to implement a post-election audit using an approved auditing method. Pennsylvania Governor to Allow School Mask Mandates to Expire in January Public school districts in Pennsylvania will be allowed to remove their mask requirement in January, Gov. Tom Wolf announced Monday. The statewide mask mandate, which was imposed in early September in response to a surge in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, is set to expire on Jan. 17, 2022. Wolf said at that time, schools may decide whether to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to keep the mask requirements in place, although his administration will continue to reevaluate the status of the school mask mandate. Now, we are in a different place than we were in September, and it is time to prepare for a transition back to a more normal setting, the Democratic governor said. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 virus is now a part of our daily lives, but with the knowledge weve gained over the past 20 months and critical tools like the vaccine at our disposal, we must take the next step forward in our recovery. While Wolf didnt say if the decision to ease the school mask mandates was prompted by the CDC recommendation of COVID-19 vaccines for school-aged children, he encouraged parents to vaccinate their children. With the availability of the pediatric vaccine, I encourage parents to talk to their doctors and pharmacists about getting their child vaccinated, he said. Under the current state order, all adults and children must wear masks inside K12 school buildings, early learning programs, and child care facilities, regardless of their vaccination status. The order has sparked much debate among school communities, recently emerging as one of the key issues during school board elections across Pennsylvania. In North Hills School District serving the Democrat-majority Allegheny County, Republican Elizabeth Nease was elected to the school board running on a platform that supports parents rights to make medical decisions for their children. Parents should have the choice over all medical decisions for their children, whether it be wearing a mask or receiving a vaccine, Nease, a stay-at-home mother of three, wrote on Facebook. Parents know what is best for their children and should be allowed to make that decision. She also supports opening schools for in-person instruction five days per week, and to develop a strategy to help address learning loss during the lockdown that wasnt lifted until August. Meanwhile, the Pennsylvania Democrats are warning the party leaders in Washington that they need to pay attention to parents who complain about COVID-19 restrictions in schools and the indoctrination of progressive ideologies, such as critical race theory (CRT). A lot of it now is about this notion of parent control in public school, and that is the mask debate and the critical race theory debate coming together under one heading, Liz Sheehan, the Democratic president of the New Hope-Solebury School Board, told the Associated Press. And that, I think is what has really motivated people locally, and why we saw a lot of school board members lose seats, a lot of far-right people gain seats. Perfect Storm of Mandates, Worker Shortage Poised to Derail Holiday Travel: Republicans COVID-19 vaccine mandates, a dearth of workers, and an expected rise in demand is poised to create a perfect storm that could derail air traffic in the coming months, two top Republican lawmakers warned aviation authorities this week. President Joe Bidens vaccine mandate for federal employees will affect the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which helps control air traffic, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the primary means of security in airports. In addition, mandates for airlines have already led to some firings and resignations, and could lead to more, Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.), the top Republican on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Rep. Garret Graves (R-La.), the top Republican on the Aviation Subcommittee, told FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson in a Nov. 8 letter (pdf). Recent large scale airline operational disruptions have demonstrated our aviation system is operating with very little slack, meaning that even minor issues with worker shortages or equipment and crew availability can spiral quickly out of control. We are very concerned that even a small number of terminations at the FAA and the airlines due to the vaccine mandate will stretch our fragile aviation system to the breaking point during the traditionally busy travel season, they wrote, urging Dickson to direct his agency to brief them on contingency plans that are aimed at preventing the mandate from disrupting air traffic control services. In a separate missive to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, the lawmakers said the mandates combined with a pre-existing worker shortage and anticipated return of holiday air travel demands are compounding and creating the perfect storm. We are extremely concerned about what the vaccine mandate and potential firings might do to a national air transportation system already stretched to it limits. We urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that air travelers will not suffer through long lines, huge wait times, missed flights, or cancelled trips due to a shortage of fully vaccinated TSA screeners, they added. Several airlines canceled thousands of flights in recent weeks, including Southwest, though aviation authorities, the companies, and unions have insisted the problems stemmed from weather and mismanagement, not from the mandates. The FAA and TSA declined to share how many of their workers have complied with the mandate, which has a deadline of Nov. 22 but enables agencies to begin punishing workers who dont comply on Nov. 9. What I can tell you about vaccinations is that federal agencies, including TSA, are laser-focused on vaccinating their workforce ahead of the November 22nd deadline for federal employees, a TSA spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email. Like other federal agencies, we are continuing to collect updated vaccination information from employees as we approach the deadline. An FAA spokesperson pointed to Dicksons testimony before a Senate panel last week. He alleged that he was not seeing any staffing problems from the mandates. The difficulties that were seeing with some airlines operations right now, frankly, in my estimation, is due more to changes in consumer behavior, he said, with scheduling algorithms disrupted in March of 2020 and an atypical jump in demand for travel into Florida. They probably dont have as much buffer in their schedules as they had had previously or as they would like. I know that one of the airlines talked about they had a couple of thousand flight attendants who were in the process of being recalled from furlough, Dickson added. And so, these kinds of things are just taking some time to catch up on the system. And it is creating more operational exposure when there are disruptive events such as convective weather in the system. A petitioner is pushed on the ground by a paramilitary policeman after she ran into a cordoned off area near a national flag pole on Tiananmen Square and threw up flyers to protest her case of injustice, in Beijing, on March 5, 2014. (Alexander F. Yuan/AP Photo) Petitioners and Rights Activists Targeted Ahead of Key Communist Party Meeting in Beijing Chinese police hunted then expelled multiple prominent dissidents from Beijing in the lead up to a key meeting of the ruling Communist Party, which is held from Nov. 8 to Nov. 11. The four-day closed-door meeting, also known as the sixth plenum of the 19th Central Committee, usually takes place once a year in the capital and is attended by the Politburo, the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) top decision-making body. The high-profile plenum attracts petitioners across the country, who protest injustices they have experienced, hoping to gain some media coverage or attention from society. Such attempts are typically frowned upon by authorities, and this year they rolled out oppressive measures ahead of the plenum to target dissidents and human rights lawyers. Rights Activists Targeted Local authorities went to to the home of human rights activist Jiang Jiawen in Beijing. On Nov. 5, at around 6 p.m., plainclothes police and local officials from a party-affiliated provincial agency Beijing Office (BJO) knocked on the door of his rented apartment. The Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times received a text message from Jiang at 7:37 p.m., in which he said that he had been forced by the police to leave his apartment and return to his home city of Dandong in Liaoning Province. BJOs are Beijing-based provincial government agencies that were originally set up to handle relations between localities and the central government. These agencies are now given the task to prevent local petitioners from going to Beijing to file complaints. Every time there is a large event or meeting in Beijing, Jiang will be forcibly taken out of Beijing [and sent] back to Dandong [city] of Liaoning [Province], rights activist Wu Lijuan, a native of Hubei Province, told the publication. Jiang has been protecting the rights of vulnerable petitioners in Beijing for quite some time, despite being suppressed by authorities, Wu said. Jiang was told by the chief of the district Public Security Bureau, Liu Yunpeng, that he would need to stay in a hotel for seven to eight days. A petitioner shows documents during a gathering to protest against corruption and graft ahead of the nations annual legal day, in Beijing, on Dec. 3, 2007. (Teh Eng Koon/AFP via Getty Images) Also on Nov. 5, at around noon, human rights activist Xu Qin was forcibly taken away by local police from his home. Xu was under home surveillance at the time. [Xu] just underwent heart bypass surgery in the hospital, and also suffers from diseases like cerebral infarction, heart attack, and high blood pressure, Wu said, quoting a text message from a source. Petitioner Li Yu, a single mother from Shandong Province, went missing in Beijing and lost contact with the outside world after Oct. 30, the day when a BJO official contacted her by phone. Li has been jailed twice for a total of six years, for protesting against the forced demolition of her home in 2018. Li was not compensated adequately, and her son was sent to an orphanage. Added Door Lock In the early morning hours of Nov. 3, petitioner Tao Hong found it almost impossible to get out of her rented home in Beijing, due to a door lock being tampered with by several unidentified people the previous night. Tao, a local villager from Fanzhuang in Jiangsu Province, saw her home taken down during a forced demolition in 2012. At the time, local officials promised her that a compensation for resettlement would be given. But Tao did not receive any compensation. Along with other displaced residents, Tao temporarily settled in a local makeshift tin house. Due to the safety hazards of the temporary residence, a fire broke out in July 2017 and destroyed all her possessions. Tao appealed to the local authorities for help in recovering her economic losses, but the effort was in vain. She then headed to Beijing on March 8, 2018, to appeal to the central government, but was sent home. Her family members have since been harassed and intimidated by authorities, she told the Chinese language edition of The Epoch Times on Nov. 3. My 29-year-old son has been harassed since he graduated from college and cannot find work, Tao said. Li Xi contributed to this report. A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is seen in a file photograph. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Pfizer Asks US Regulators to Authorize COVID-19 Vaccine Boosters for All Adults Pfizer wants clearance for booster shots of its COVID-19 vaccine for all American adults, the company announced Tuesday. Rebuffed in September by experts on a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) vaccine advisory panel, the company is trying again, pointing to data from a recent trial examining the safety and efficacy of boosters in a more than 10,000 people 16 or older. The trial showed that a third dose of Pfizers jab boosted efficacy to 95.6 percent, Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said, much higher than the effectiveness seen recently in real-world settings. They also said the trial revealed no safety concerns. These important data add to the body of evidence suggesting that a booster dose of our vaccine can help protect a broad population of people from this virus and its variants, Dr. Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of BioNTech, said in a statement last month. The companies pushed earlier this year for authorization for boosters for any adult 16 or older but the FDAs Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee rejected that request, instead advising the agency to clear the boosters for everybody 65 and older and select groups of those between 18 and 64. The FDA took up the advice and later authorized boosters for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Over 25 million people have received a booster dose as of Nov. 9, according to federal data. Its not clear if an advisory panel meeting will be held to consider Pfizers renewed request. Members were asked by the FDA on Oct. 14 to consider whether updated information would support boosters for the general population. A number expressed concern about widening the booster recommendations, pointing to how the vaccines, though waning sharply against infection, have been holding up nearly as well as time goes on against severe disease and hospitalization. Im uncomfortable with how we sort of tripped down the line here regarding the thought of universal booster dosing, which I just think is wrong, said Dr. Paul Offit, professor of pediatrics in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Eric Rubin, another panel member, said that there wasnt enough data showing how boosters would benefit younger, healthy people, and theres a good reason to think that there isnt much benefit. Dr. Amanda Cohn, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention scientist who sits on the panel, later said she wanted to consider at least moving the age for which anybody could get a booster to 50. Sixty-five is really a construct for being older or not. And given the incredible impact that COVID has had on many older communities of color, its even especially important that we protect older persons of color who may not actually meet that 65 age cutoff, she added. Pistorius up for Parole, but He Must Meet Victims Parents CAPE TOWN, South AfricaEight years after he shot dead his girlfriend, Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius is up for parole, but first, he must meet with her parents. Pistorius, a world-famous double-amputee athlete who competed at the 2012 Olympics, has been eligible for parole since July after he was convicted of murder for shooting model Reva Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet door in his home on Valentines Day 2013. Pistorius was convicted of murder in 2015 and ultimately sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison. He became eligible for parole under South African law after serving half his sentence. A parole hearing for Pistorius was scheduled for last month and then canceled, partly because a meeting between Pistorius and Steenkamps parents, Barry and June, had not been arranged, lawyers for both parties told The Associated Press on Monday. Corrections department officials scheduled the parole hearing for October but it was called off when a full report on Pistorius time in prison wasnt available, said Julian Knight, a lawyer for Pistorius. The date for a new hearing has not yet been set, Knight said. Also, Barry and June Steenkamp want a face-to-face meeting with Pistorius before he is considered for early release from prison, as is their right under South Africas victim-offender dialogue policy. The Steenkamps have previously said they want to challenge Pistorius on why he shot their daughter and they would get to do that, with victim-offender meetings aimed at achieving some kind of closure for families of victims of crimes. They (Barry and June) feel that Reeva has got a voice. They are Reevas voice, and they owe it to their beloved daughter, said Tania Koen, the Steenkamps lawyer. The Steenkamps will also be allowed to make recommendations to the parole board, although Koen wouldnt say if they will oppose Pistorius release. We have discussed it, Koen said, but declined to give details. The parents of the late Reeve Steenkamp, June (L) and Barry Steenkamp (R) leave the High Court in Pretoria, South Africa, on July 6, 2016. (Masi Losi/Pool Photo via AP) The opinion of victims families is considered by a parole board when deciding whether to release an offender, but its not the only criteria. The 34-year-old Pistorius could be taken from where he is incarcerated at the Atteridgeville Correctional Center in the capital, Pretoria, to the Steenkamps home city of Gqerberha (formerly Port Elizabeth) for the victim-offender meeting because, according to Koen, Barry Steenkamp is unable to travel due to his health. Pistorius lawyer Knight said it might turn out that way but the corrections department would decide. Knight said he was hopeful that the meeting between Pistorius and the Steenkamps, which must happen before a parole hearing, could take place by the end of the year. It was a huge surprise for the Steenkamps when corrections services officials contacted them last month to say that Pistorius is eligible for parole, Koen said. They believed he would only be eligible in 2023, she said. (It) opens a lot of wounds, or rips off the plasters they had put on those wounds, Koen said. The confusion over when he would be eligible emanated from Pistorius long and protracted murder trial and two subsequent appeals by prosecutors. Pistorius went on trial in 2014 and his case was only finalized in 2018. The multiple Paralympic champion was initially found guilty of culpable homicidean offense comparable to manslaughterfor shooting Steenkamp with his licensed 9 mm pistol. He claimed at his trial it was a tragic accident and he mistook her for a dangerous intruder. Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius holds the hand of a relative after sentencing at the High Court, South Africa, on July 6, 2016. (Marco Longari/Pool/Getty Images) Prosecutors appealed the manslaughter finding and secured a murder conviction. Pistorius was sentenced to six years in jail for murder, but prosecutors again appealed what they called a shockingly light punishment for murder. The Supreme Court of Appeal then more than doubled his sentence in 2017. Knight later sought clarification over the sentence from the Supreme Court to see if the time Pistorius had already served in prison for culpable homicide should count toward his parole. It did, Knight said, meaning Pistorius could be considered for parole two years earlier than courts had initially indicated. Knight said he believed Pistorius had met the requirements to be released early. From what I have observed of him he has been a model prisoner while he has been in prison, Knight said. My view is that he does meet the requirements to be placed on parole but the procedures must be followed. Knight said a parole board could impose a range of conditions on Pistorius if he is released, like only being allowed to leave home to go to work during the week, and only for a limited time on weekends to buy groceries and attend church. By Gerald Imray Board workers Bernadette Witt, left, and JoAnn Bartlett, right, process and double-check mail-in ballots for Bergen County in Hackensack, N.J. Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. (Seth Wenig/AP Photo) Possible Recount Looms in New Jersey Governors Race as Votes Still Being Tallied Incumbent Democrat urges Republican challenger to concede The Republican challenging the Democrat New Jersey governor in the 2021 gubernatorial race may pursue a full recount ifafter all outstanding ballots get countedthe winning margin for the governor is too small. The campaign of Jack Ciattarelli, a Republican who challenged New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy running for reelection, said on Monday in a statement that Murphy is leading the election by 2.6 percent or by over 66,000 of the vote, according to unofficial results. There are approximately 70,000 provisional ballots not counted and an unknown number of vote-by-mail ballots are still being received through today which when fully tallied may reduce the margin for Murphy enough to warrant a full recount, Ciattarellis legal counsel Mark Sheridan said in the statement. At this time, we do not expect the provisional vote count to end with Jack Ciattarelli in the lead, Sheridan said. We will make the decision to pursue a recount based on all of the facts, which includes that this is the first time New Jersey is conducting an election under the new law, using new technology and vote-counting procedures. The hastily implemented early voting and technology errors resulted in voters being forced to cast approximately 70,000 provisional ballots which have yet to be counted, the statement said. Based on information and belief, there is an unknown number of emergency ballots that are yet to be reported by County Clerks. Sheridan said that the campaigns team has not alleged fraud or malfeasance and no credible evidence of that has been seen. On Nov. 3, The Associated Press declared the Democrat governor a winner with 98 percent of precincts reporting and with more than 2.3 million votes cast. Meanwhile, the head of Murphys campaign urged Ciattarelli to concede the race, saying it would be impossible for the challenger to win, reported NJ.com. According to Murphys campaign, the uncounted provisional votes would not offset the large proportion of vote-by-mail ballots cast for Murphy. Ciattarelli is a former New Jersey assemblyman is a certified public accountant, a two-time small-business owner, and a lifelong resident of New Jersey. Murphy has held leadership roles at Goldman Sachss offices in Germany and Hong Kong for more than 20 years and served as an ambassador to Germany during the Obama administration. He was also a finance chair for the Democratic National Committee. He won his first term in 2017 with 56 percent of the vote, beating Republican then-Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno who received 42 percent of the vote. New Jersey has added recently 1 million more registered Democrats. Project Veritas Founder: FBI Agents Handcuffed Me, Threw Me Against Wall During Raid Project Veritas founder James OKeefe responded to a weekend FBI search of his apartment during an interview on Monday, saying agents handcuffed him and threw him against a wall. In his first public remarks about the matter, OKeefe confirmed the FBI raid at his Westchester County, New York, home after neighbors told media outlets over the weekend that agents showed up at his door on Saturday. Agents also searched the homes of Project Veritas associates a day earlier, OKeefe confirmed in a video posted to Vertias YouTube channel. I woke up to a pre-dawn raid, OKeefe told Fox News host Sean Hannity. Banging on my door, I went to my door to answer the door and there were 10 FBI agents with a battering ram, white blinding lights, they turned me around, handcuffed me, and threw me against the hallway. I was partially clothed in front of my neighbors. They confiscated my phone. They raided my apartment. Last week, OKeefe said that Veritas associates homes were raided after the group allegedly received the missing diary of President Joe Bidens daughter, Ashley. It was never published, he said. His phone had reporters notes from sources unrelated to the Ashley Biden diary as well as confidential donor information, OKeefe said. Agents spent about two hours searching his apartment, and two of his phones were confiscated. This is an attack on the First Amendment by the Department of Justice, he said. Ive heard the process is the punishment. I didnt really understand what that meant until this weekend. And Sean, I wouldnt wish this on any journalist, he continued. OKeefes attorney Paul Calli, who appeared next to the Project Veritas founder in the interview, said Project Veritas paid alleged tipsters for the diary for the right to publish the material. The group instead handed it over to local law enforcement, he added. OKeefe then added that journalists need to stand against the FBIs alleged targeting of his group. A source comes to us with information, I didnt even decide to publish it. If they can do this to me, if they can do it to this journalist and raid my home and take my reporter notes, theyll do it to any journalist, OKeefe remarked. This is about something very fundamental in this country. I dont know which direction this country is going in. But journalists everywhere have to rise up because we broke no laws here. If they can do it to me, theyll do it to anybody. In a statement on YouTube on Friday, OKeefe said he was told in a grand jury indictment to not discuss the FBI search but decided to speak out after New York Times reporters contacted Project Veritas reporters for comment within an hour of the raids being carried out. He then questioned how the NY Times obtained information about the searches and what they were about. The Epoch Times has contacted the FBI for comment. Over the weekend, an FBI spokesperson confirmed that a court-authorized law enforcement action was carried out in furtherance of an ongoing investigation in response to questions about OKeefes home being searched. President Donald Trump, left, and Vice President Mike Pence attend a meeting on religious freedom at United Nations (U.N.) headquarters on Sept. 23, 2019 in New York City. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images) Religious Freedom Groups Oppose Biden Proposal to Rescind Trump-Era Exemption Civil liberties advocates oppose President Joe Bidens proposed rescission of a Trump-era broadening of a regulatory exemption protecting religious employers from being forced to hire individuals who dont share the organizations faith views or practices. In a proposed rule posted Nov. 9 on the Federal Register for official public comment, the Department of Labors Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) said it had proposed in 2019 a revision thats now viewed as going too far in broadening the definition of religious freedom in hiring by federal contractors and subcontractors. The 2019 proposal was amended in 2020 and became law in January 2021 just before President Donald Trump left office. Now, according to OFCCP under Biden, the previous broadening required that religious freedom must be construed in favor of the broadest protection of religious exercise permitted by the U.S. Constitution and law. Prior to the Trump revision, federal officials usually recognized the right of religious organizations to hire individuals who shared a particular groups faith principles and practices. But when the Supreme Court expanded the definition of sex in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include homosexual and transgender individuals, a conflict was created with the Constitutions guarantees of equal protection and religious freedom in hiring practices. The Trump rule was intended to make clear that an individual couldnt be fired because of a religious-based objection to being required to participate in actions or pronouncements favoring homosexual or transgender practices. In addition, an employer could legally decline to hire an individual whose sexual practices or claimed gender conflicted with a clearly stated religious belief. Atheist groups are lauding Bidens action, with Alison Gill, vice president for legal and policy at American Atheists, saying in a statement that her group applauds the Biden administration for restoring workers freedom of religion. The government should never fund businesses that justify discrimination based on religious beliefs. And American taxpayers should never be forced to be complicit in discrimination, she wrote. But public interest law firms specializing in litigation on behalf of the First Amendments guarantee of religious freedom of practice and assembly said the Biden administrations attempt to repeal the Trump-era regulation indicates an anti-religion prejudice. Religious liberty means that the government cannot force religious organizations and businesses to abandon their religious identity in order to partner with the government. The pattern of hostility toward religion that were seeing from the Biden administration is disturbing, said Jeremy Dys, special counsel for litigation and communications for the Plano, Texas-based First Liberty Institute. Mat Staver, founder and chairman of the Orlando, Florida-based Liberty Counsel told The Epoch Times hes not surprised by the Biden proposal. This has been Bidens practice all along, including when he was part of the Obamacare campaign. Hes anti-religious freedom and anti-Christian, he said. Both First Liberty Institute and Liberty Counsel are representing hundreds of employees of the U.S. military and the federal civilian workforce, as well as corporations, health care organizations, and private businesses in seeking to force the Biden administration to recognize religious exemptions to the presidents recent orders requiring workers to receive the vaccination against the CCP virus. Bidens OFCCP proposal creates an unusual situation in which a change in presidential administrations leads in less than a year to a single agency completely reversing itself on an important major policy issue. The OFCCPs rescission notice said that the 2020 rules departures from Title VII principles and case law are likely to increase rather than decrease confusion about the application of the Executive Order 11246 religious exemption. Furthermore, to the extent the 2020 rule reflects the previous administrations policy judgments regarding deviating from Title VII case law and principles, the present administration has evaluated the range of permissible policy options and determined that a return to its traditional approach of applying Title VII case law and principles will promote clarity and consistency in the application of the exemption. The same agency just 11 months ago described the Trump policy now being revised by Biden as being to ensure that OFCCP respects religious employers free exercise rights, protects workers from prohibited discrimination, and defends the values of a pluralistic society. This rule is intended to correct any misperception that religious organizations are disfavored in government contracting by setting forth appropriate protections for their autonomy to hire employees who will further their religious missions, thereby providing clarity that may expand the eligible pool of federal contractors and subcontractors. An estimated one-quarter of all employers in the United States receive federal contracts or are sub-contractors on such agreements between the government and private businesses. Comments on the Biden proposal are open until Dec. 9, and may be submitted at http://www.regulations.gov. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) talks to the media during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on July 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) Rep. Greene Hit With 4 More Fines Over House Mask Mandate, Total at Least $48,000 Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has been hit with four additional fines for defying mask rules on the House floor, bringing the total number of financial penalties the lawmaker has received to at least $48,000. The House Ethics Committee said in a statement on Nov. 8 that on four occasions from Sept. 29 through Oct. 4, Greene refused to comply with House rules requiring that face masks be worn on the House floor. Established in January this year, the House floor mask mandate penalizes violators $500 for a first offense and $2,500 for subsequent violations. According to the committees statement, the Republican lawmaker did not appeal any of the four fines issued on Sept. 29, Sept. 30, Oct. 1, and Oct. 4. Nick Dyer, Communications Director for Greene, previously confirmed in a statement to The Epoch Times that the lawmaker had been hit with 20 fines for a total of $48,000 in financial penalties. Those fines were issued on July 29, Aug. 2, Sept. 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, and Oct. 1, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, and 27, the spokesman said in an email on Nov. 2. A letter issued to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene detailing a total of 20 fines for defying the House floor mask mandate. (Supplied: Nick Dyer, communications director) It isnt clear whether the committees most recent fines overlap with those mentioned in the letter to the lawmaker above. The Epoch Times has reached out to a spokesman for Greene for clarification on the matter. Over the past year and a half, Communist Democrats have ruled our country as tyrannical dictators with mandates and lock downs, Greene told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement last week. Now, the American people have had enough and are standing up against these outrageous and unconstitutional policies. I will continue my stand on the House floor against authoritarian Democrat mandates, because I dont want the American people to stand alone, she added. The House mask mandate is part of a resolution passed on Jan. 12 that states that the sergeant-at-arms is authorized and directed to impose a fine against a Member, Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner for the failure to wear a mask in contravention of the Speakers announced policies of Jan. 4. All fines imposed as a result of the House mask rules are deducted from members congressional annual pay of $174,000. Greene alongside Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) in late July filed a lawsuit against House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), calling the mask rule unconstitutional. The Republican lawmakers said that the face coverings are oppressive and nothing but a political tool, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance that outlined that people fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, were generally no longer required to wear masks or social distance. Previous guidance from the CDC had recommended that people wear masks if they were within six feet of others outside, regardless of their vaccination status. Brig. Gen. Dan Gabrielli greets a young Afghan boy in an Afghan refugee camp in Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, on Nov. 4, 2021. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images) Rep. Rosendale: Bill Protects America From Unvetted Refugees In the wake of the accelerated withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in September, Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) introduced the Secure America Act on Oct. 13 to stop Afghan refugees from being granted parole status into the United States with zero vetting whatsoever. In an interview with NTDs Capitol Report, Rosendale said the Biden administrations accelerated withdrawal from Afghanistan has in fact created an excuse to bring hundreds of thousands of refugees into the United States. In response, the Secure America Act was introduced to let Congress reclaim authority to how many refugees will come into our country on any given year, he said. Furthermore, if refugees are to be sent to specific states, the governor of such a state will direct Homeland Security and the FBI to create a good, new, thorough vetting system. Under the new act, the executive branch will no longer be able to grant refugees entry and the ability to travel freely within the country with zero vetting. Rosendale said the new bill ensures anyone who comes in is vetted for criminal activity. The vetting process will also involve checking that incoming refugees do not have deeply held beliefs or practices that are at odds with our Constitution. That way, we can be assured that theyre going to embrace our culture and our way of life and and contribute to the American dream, said Rosendale. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) also warned of a flawed Afghan refugee vetting process in an interview with Fox News on Oct. 7. We already know theres weakness in the vetting process and the screenings, and we want to make sure as this continues, we can make sure the American people can feel safe and secure about the entire process, Herrell said. Herrell gave the interview shortly after visiting Fort Bliss, Texas, where a female soldier reported being attacked by Afghan refugees. We can confirm a female service member supporting Operation Allies Welcome reported being assaulted on Sept. 19 by a small group of male evacuees at the Dona Ana Complex in New Mexico, Lt. Col. Allie Payne, director of public affairs for Fort Bliss and the 1st Armored Division, told ABC7. We take the allegation seriously and appropriately referred the matter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Payne added. While Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in early September confirmed that people on U.S. watch lists were among the tens of thousands of people airlifted out of Kabul, he denied any allegations of ISIS members making it into the country as Afghan refugees. We have a multilayered, multiagency screening and vetting process to make sure that doesnt happen, Mayorkas said, according to the The Washington Times. An official within the Biden administration stated during a Sept. 14 briefing that the government has put in measures to enhance the screening and vetting operations without compromising national security. The U.S. governments work includes ensuring evacuees are thoroughly and appropriately vetted prior to arrival in the U.S., the official said. Weve also made sure that evacuees are thoroughly screened at ports of entry and tested for COVID upon arrival, with less than a 1 percent positive rate thus far. Revisiting the 1950s Mau Mau Insurrection in Kenya Commentary The Mau Mau uprising happened in Kenya in the 1950s, and revisionist historians have argued that the uprising was a peasants revolt to force Kenyas independence. It resulted in at least 30,000 horrific killings, mostly committed by the Kikuyu, against other members of this tribe and white British settlers. A recently published book challenges the claim of revisionist historians that the evils of colonialism spawned the violence, brutally repressed by the British. The book Mau Mau WhitewashBritain Slandered by Lee Boldeman is a courageous and historically accurate attempt at describing and analysing the Mau Mau insurrection, including the origins of the terror and its aftermath. Boldemans book constitutes a powerful critique of the revisionist account of the Mau Mau Terror and deals objectively, impartially, and factually with this dreadful part of Kenyas history of the 1950s. Readers who are interested in the power of historical discourse, in both its revisionist and factual versions, will find this book fascinating. The book is a historical narrative that exposes the origins of the Mau Mau Terror, details the atrocities committed and explains the importance of oath-taking in Kikuyu society. As such, the book explores the distortion of historical truth by those bent on rewriting history from an ideological point of view. A man brandishes arrows during a street battle between Luo supporters of defeated opposition leader Raila Odinga and members of President Uhuru Kenyattas Kikuyu ethnic group, both living in the Mathare slum, Nairobi, on Aug. 13, 2017. (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images) The author describes and dismantles the theories of revisionist historians who have dismissed the Terror as an independence movement. He also reveals the role played by Marxist-Leninist theory and practice underpinning the Terror and its later explanation. Further, the book contains useful information on the Kikuyu tribe and the African mind. Boldeman describes the Kikuyu tribe as a deeply reverent, superstitious society where violence begets violence. He also explains how the British came to be in Kenya and details the Mau Mau Terror and the responses of the British colonial administration and government. Boldemans aim is not to whitewash English involvement in the atrocities but to objectively detail the horrific happenings of the 1950s in Kenya. He rightly questions the account given by Professor Carl Rosberg and Professor John Nottingham, and other revisionists, who downplayed the Terror as a heroic independence movement. Boldeman compellingly rejects Rosbergs claim that the Mau Mau was an integral part of an ongoing, rationally conceived nationalist movement. This is an important contribution to Kenyas history because it aims to revisit the Mau Maus murderous trajectory in Kenya in the 1950s by perceptively analysing the momentous events of that time. This book reveals this dreadful part of history and enhances our knowledge of the Mau Mau Terror by considering its origins, aftermath, and consequences. In one chapter, Boldeman discusses relevant colonial documents, which concern the events in Kenya in the 1950s and specifically addresses allegations critical of the British colonial authorities and the treatment of the Mau Mau detainees. This chapter reveals the biased and incorrect nature of the revisionist Mau Mau history. The book then examines who is responsible for the carnage and details the story of Jomo Kenyatta, who later became the first prime minister and president of Kenya, discussing his moral responsibility in the events of the 1950s. Prime Minister Jomo Kenyatta at Independence Arena for The Independence Ceremony in Kenya, 1963. (Authenticated News/Archive Photos/Getty Images) Boldeman admits that the reconstruction of historical events is always a challenging and perilous task for historians. This is because, often, historians consider historical events through an ideological lens that distorts or seriously misinterprets these events. In recent times, we have seen this in attempts to rewrite history by evaluating past events in the light of historians progressive understanding of morality, or to enable tyrannical governments to maintain power. The revisionist Mau Mau narrative is an example of the former, and the expulsion of the Tiananmen massacre from Chinese history books is an example of the latter. The expulsion of historical truth from history books is a worldwide practice. I know that when I was a primary and secondary school student in Belgium in the 1950s and 60s, history books described King Leopold II of Belgium as a great Belgian King, who bequeathed the Belgian Congo, now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to Belgium in 1908. The King had owned the Belgian Congo as a personal fiefdom until then. He compelled people to work in his rubber factories, and if they did not perform, their hands were cut off. Yet, until recently, he was still revered in Belgian history books as a great Belgian King who gave the nation an empire. However, statues in his honour were recently dismantled after he had been denounced by the present King Philippe of Belgium. A besmirched statue of King Leopold II of Belgium, near the Royal Palace in Brussels, Belgium, on June 10, 2020. (Thierry Roge/Belga Mag/AFP via Getty Images) The demonstrable manipulation of history, so richly evident in revisionist publications about the Mau Mau Terror, necessitates a reflection of the appropriate role of universities in the teaching of history. Although Boldeman indicates that a primary task of any university is to teach students to think critically, there is a significant body of commentary to the effect that universities do not fulfil that purpose and no longer exclusively admit students able to contribute to the function of, and to profit from their involvement with, higher education. It is thus pleasing that this book encourages people to think about the horrors of the Mau Mau insurrection. As such, it is an erudite contribution to the literature on the Mau Mau and the role of the British colonial administration in Kenya in the 1950s. Lee Boldeman has thus successfully repositioned the debate and questioned the conclusions and narrative of the revisionist historians and commentators. He concludes that The Mau Mau sought political power using murder as its method, and the sharpened edge of rusty pangas as its instrument. It was the Kikuyu themselves who paid the terrible price of Kenyattas political ambitions. Boldmans book constitutes a splendid contribution to the existing Mau Mau literature. It will undoubtedly become a standard text for those who want to delve into this episode of the history of the British Empire and Kenya. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Then Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas speaks in Los Angeles on April 18, 2017. (Rich Polk/Getty Images for Communities In School Los Angeles) Ridley-Thomas Makes 1st Appearance Since Arraignment LOS ANGELESA brief status conference was held Nov. 8 in the corruption case against Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley Thomas and Marilyn Flynn, a former dean of the USC School of Social Work. Both made their first appearance this morning before the federal judge overseeing their case, but a new trial date was not yet scheduled. During the 10-minute hearing, in which Ridley-Thomas and Flynn appeared via Zoom, the judge heard a summary of the prosecution and requested both sides to stipulate the need for a new trial date due to the cancellation of the December trial date, which was previously set during their arraignments last month. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth C. Pinkel described the case as a fraud and bribery case the conduct is purely about Mark Ridley-Thomass conduct while he was on the Board of Supervisors. Pinkel told the court that her office has produced 35,000 pages of evidentiary material, with more to come. She said the prosecutions case at trial would last about two weeks. The defense did not offer a time estimate. The defendants are charged in a 20-count indictment, alleging a secret deal whereby Ridley-Thomaswhen he was a member of the county Board of Supervisorsagreed to steer county money to the university in return for admitting his son Sebastian Ridley-Thomas into graduate school with a full-tuition scholarship and a paid professorship. Flynn allegedly arranged a $100,000 donation from Ridley-Thomas campaign funds through the university to a nonprofit to be operated by his son, a former state assembly member. The donation prompted an investigation by the U.S. Attorneys Office in Los Angeles that remains open, prosecutors said. In exchange, Ridley-Thomas supported county contracts involving the School of Social Work, including lucrative deals to provide services to the county Department of Children and Family Services and Probation Department, as well as an amendment to a contract with the Department of Mental Health that would bring the school millions of dollars in revenue, according to the indictment. The corrupt activities alleged in the indictment were facilitated by a major universitys high-ranking administrator whose desire for funding apparently trumped notions of integrity and fair play, Acting U.S. Attorney Tracy L. Wilkison said. Both Ridley-Thomas, 67, and Flynn, 83, are charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of bribery. The indictment also charges both defendants with two counts of honest services mail fraud and 15 counts of honest services wire fraud. As part of the bribery scheme, the two took steps to disguise, conceal, and cover up the bribes, kickbacks, and other benefits, prosecutors allege. The conspiracy count carries a penalty of up to five years in federal prison, and each bribery count can go up to 10 years. For the honest service fraud charges, each can carry a maximum of 20 years. Both defendants have strongly denied any wrongdoing and promise that evidence will clear their names. According to the indictment, the activities occurred in 201718 when Ridley-Thomas son, then significantly in debt, was subjected to an internal sexual harassment investigation in the Assembly. Sebastian resigned from the Assembly in 2017, although he insisted at the time that his departure was due to health reasons, not a sexual harassment probe. On the other hand, the prosecutors said the social work school was facing a multimillion-dollar budget deficit, which threatened the schools viability as well as Flynns position and reputation as the schools 21-year dean. USC removed her from the position around June 2018, as stated in the indictment. As a dean, Flynn was making $240,000 a year, with an additional $170,000 stipend, Pinkel said. She needed money to keep the School of Social Work financially afloat, the prosecutor alleged. Ridley-Thomas has been suspended from his city council post, with his salary and benefits frozen. Before his suspension, the councilman said he would not resign and would continue to focus on addressing Los Angeles homelessness and housing crisis. He later said he would step back from attending meetings, but remain in office. An 11-year-old girl watches as a nurse prepares a syringe with a dose of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, at The Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York City on Nov. 3, 2021. (Mary Altaffer/AP Photo) Senior NIH Doctor Pushes Back on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates NIH to host seminar on vaccine mandates on Dec. 1, official says A top infectious disease doctor has raised alarm about COVID-19 vaccine mandates despite top federal officials recommending them for businesses, schools, and other institutions. Dr. Matthew Memoli, who runs a clinical studies unit within the National Institutes of Healths National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseasesheaded by Dr. Anthony Fauciis scheduled to argue against COVID-19 vaccine mandates during a Dec. 1 seminar hosted by the agency, according to David Wendler, a senior NIH bioethicist who is planning the seminar. Theres a lot of debate within the NIH about whether [a vaccine mandate] is appropriate, he told The Wall Street Journal. Its an important, hot topic. Memoli had told Fauci in a July 30 email that he believes the way we are using the vaccines is wrong, adding that mandated vaccines are extraordinarily problematic, according to the WSJ. In comments to the paper, Memoli said that he supports COVID-19 vaccination in high-risk groups including obese people and the elderly. However, widespread vaccinations for people who have a low risk of death or severe illness from COVID-19 could hamper the U.S. populations ability to develop more robust protection against the virus via previous infections, he said. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study released last month suggested that those who had a previous COVID-19 infection saw a five times higher chance of testing positive than those who were fully vaccinated and never had COVID-19. Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, who previously conducted a study that suggested people with natural immunity are at low risk of reinfection, told The Epoch Times that the CDCs research was observational and said that randomized controlled clinical trials are the gold standard of medical evidence. Memoli also told the paper that he has sought an exemption from the federal vaccine mandate on religious grounds, saying he is willing to risk his job and medical license for the right not to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Regarding the discussion, Memoli said that part of my career is to share my expert opinions, right or wrong I mean, if they all end up saying Im wrong, thats fine. I want to have the discussion. The NIH seminar comes as a federal appeals court temporarily blocked President Joe Bidens COVID-19 vaccine mandate targeting private businesses with 100 or more employees. About two-dozen states have filed lawsuits against the rule, arguing the federal government lacks the authority to implement it. The NIH has not responded to a request for comment on the seminar. When contacted by The Epoch Times, an NIH official said Memoli would decline to comment. The Epoch Times has also submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain Memolis email. Correction: A previous version of this article mischaracterized the conclusion of the CDCs study, which was that people who had a previous COVID-19 infection saw a five times higher chance of testing positive for the disease. The Epoch Times regrets the error. Principal dancer for Shen Yun Steven Wang speaks about the ordeals his family suffered in China for their spiritual beliefs. (Courtesy of Shen Yun Performing Arts) Shen Yun: Fighting Persecution Through Art One principal dancer on a mission to kindle justice in the hearts of audiences The curtain opens, and principal dancer Steven Wang leaps out, unfurling a banner in his hands. On it, five characters are written. They read: Falun Dafa is good. For daring to utter these few simple words, tens of millions in China, including Wangs family, face severe persecution by Chinas communist regime. Wang, a classical Chinese dancer, began his career nearly two decades ago when he was accepted into a professional dance academy at age 12. Today, hes a principal dancer with Shen Yun Performing Arts, the worlds premier classical Chinese dance company, unique for its mission of reviving the authentic traditional Chinese culture. For 5,000 years, China was a place where harmony between heaven, earth, and humankind was the central belief of society. The people believed their culture to be divinely inspired, and Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism had a strong influence on this society, which sought to uphold principles such as loyalty, integrity, kindness, wisdom, and justice. Its a mission Wang is personally invested in. My father was persecuted to death, Wang said, in a video on the Shen Yun Creations website. Many artists in the New York-based performing arts company have been profiled on this new video site, telling stories about the faith and freedom they sought when they joined Shen Yun. As an American company, Shen Yun allows its artists to freely express their beliefs and culture, and share these with the world. But many note a tragic irony: An arts company intent on saving the divinely inspired legacy of Chinas 5,000 years of civilization cannot even set foot in modern China still ruled by the Chinese Communist Party. Wang himself couldnt go back to China when he learned of his fathers death because of the Partys persecution, so he couldnt attend the funeral. I had no way of going back to see him one last time, Wang said. As of today, his mother remains in China and still faces persecution. By portraying figures from Chinas 5,000-year-old culture, Steven Wang hopes to uphold traditional principles like loyalty, integrity, kindness, wisdom, and justice. (Courtesy of Shen Yun Performing Arts) A Spiritual Legacy The dancers in Shen Yun all meditate, and many Shen Yun performers practice Falun Dafa, a spiritual practice that teaches the three principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. This tradition of spiritual cultivation had been a large part of traditional Chinese culture until communism came to power in the last century, intent on wiping out tradition. I was around 8 when I first encountered spiritual cultivation, Wang said. The youngest of four siblings, he was a mischievous kid who often got into trouble. But he remembered that when his mother and father started taking up spiritual cultivation, they changed. Falun Dafas principles teach people to first change themselves, and look within. Whenever you run into problems, dont consider everything from your own perspectivethink from the perspective of others, Wang said. As a result, our family life became much more harmonious. His parents were no longer so short-tempered. They disciplined him with reason. He and his parents began to communicate more and had a good relationship. It would be short-lived: In 1999, the Chinese Communist Party, intent on eradicating Falun Dafa, set its sights on the 70 million to 100 million adherents of the spiritual practice. There were mass arrests and persecution, Wang said. His family suffered, too. Communist policemen broke into our home, threw a frenzy of punches and kicks. Then they abducted my parents and made a huge mess in our home, and took away all our books of Falun Dafa teachings. His parents were both detained, in separate prisons. Every time we went to visit them, they looked like theyd been starved. They never told me what it was like in there. Steven Wang Every time we went to visit them, they looked like theyd been starved. They never told me what it was like in there. They only told me they were doing fine. But you can probably imagineyou could tell from their withered faces that theyd been tortured, he said. From that point, Wang never again experienced a stable family life. If his father was released, his mother would get arrested. This persecution never ceased, he said. He remembers spending New Years with his three older sisters and no parents at home. Eventually, Wang came to the United States to continue his dance career. While Wang was overseas, his father was tortured in prison and then released because the guards thought he might die while detained. In 2009, his father died from health complications, and Wang only learned of it a month later. Cultivation is not a crime, Wang said. I could not go back to China, so all I could do was continue using art to expose this persecution. Wang, like other members of Shen Yun, is unable to go to China. As individuals, they could face persecution, and as a group, the Chinese Communist Party wont allow the company to enter China, for fear of its influence in spreading traditional culture. Two years after his fathers death, Wang performed the role of a Falun Dafa practitioner, holding up a banner in Tiananmen Square, during one of Shen Yuns pieces. Our dance was based on true events, adapted for stage, he said. When the persecution began, there were many practitioners who went to Tiananmen Square to hold up banners in protest. I hope to use the form of art to raise awareness of the persecution going on in China [and] to kindle justice in more peoples hearts to oppose this persecution. Steven Wang When I was portraying the practitioner being persecuted, I would draw upon my past experiences. These were things that really happened to people close to me. I hope to use the form of art to raise awareness of the persecution going on in China [and] to kindle justice in more peoples hearts to oppose this persecution. Then, one day, this persecution will finally come to an end. The Epoch Times is a proud sponsor of Shen Yun Performing Arts. For more information please visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org DENVER, Colo.Mr. and Mrs. Hess have a deep appreciation for ancient cultures. This passion drew them to attend the Sunday matinee of Shen Yun Performing Arts on Nov. 7. Jean Hess is a chieftain at the Saint Andrews Society of Colorado, a Scottish society, and a mental health counselor. Her husband Richard Hess is a professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages at Denver Seminary. They hail from Glasgow, Scotland. Mrs. Hess described the performance as exquisite, incredible, beautiful and even thrilling at times. Shen Yun is the classical Chinese dance phenomenon that has swept the globe since its annual world tours began in 2006. Based in New York, their mission is to present to the world China Before Communism. Mrs. Hess is an expert in Scottish dance. She was impressed with classical Chinese dances artistry and the portrayal of elegance. Every little [gesture] and the elasticity of their bodiesoh my gosh, she said. Absolutely wonderful. So glad we got to come. I believe that art is the creation of value, and I think that this reflects the values of the people. Richard Hess I believe that art is the creation of value, and I think that this reflects the values of the people, Mr. Hess said. The Chinese culture has a continuous history of 5,000 years, spanning dozens of dynasties, each bearing its own style of dress and unique customs. Its just a pleasure to be able to see that unfold in so many ways, Mr. Hess said. And in many ways, we resonate with many of the values represented in the dance and in the music, in the song, so we felt very blessed to see it and hear it. Shen Yun Performing Arts curtain call at The Buell Theatre in Denver, on Nov. 7, 2021. (The Epoch Times) When Mr. Hess was teaching in Hong Kong, he had the opportunity to learn about the ancient Chinese spiritual practice Falun Dafawhich promotes the universal values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearanceand the Chinese Communist Partys persecution against it in mainland China. Many of Shen Yuns performers practice Falun Dafa, and tell their story of overcoming injustice during the performance. I appreciate it highlighting the reality of the CCPs mistreatment and persecution in a very beautiful, effective way, Mrs. Hess said. Of course, a lot of people dont know that is a real situation. I dont think its very often on the news. As a researcher of Christian history, Mr. Hess added that Shen Yuns mission to uphold traditional values is deeply worthwhile. I think its very important [to preserve culture], because [if] we lose the values, we lose an understanding of the value of the human person. And when thats lost, then its simply a matter of power and greed and a disintegration of the society, sadly. Reporting by Mary Mann. The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time. We have proudly covered audience reactions since Shen Yuns inception in 2006. People line up outside a quick test center to take their COVID-19 antigen rapid tests, in Singapore on Sept. 21, 2021. (Edgar Su/Reuters) Singapore No Longer Covering COVID-19 Medical Bills for People Who Are Unvaccinated by Choice Singapores health ministry announced Monday that people who are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine but choose not to take it will not have their medical bills covered by the government after Dec. 8. Currently, unvaccinated persons make up a sizable majority of those who require intensive inpatient care, and disproportionately contribute to the strain on our healthcare resources, part of the announcement reads. Hence, from 8 December 2021, we will begin charging COVID-19 patients who are unvaccinated by choice. This will apply to all unvaccinated COVID-19 patients admitted on or after 8 December 2021 to hospitals and [COVID-19 Treatment Facilities]. COVID-19 medical bills for those who are ineligible for vaccination will still be fully paid for by the government, i.e. children under 12 years old or medically ineligible persons. Ong Ye Kung, Singapores minister for health, told a virtual news conference that hospital costs to be imposed on the unvaccinated by choice COVID-19 patients will still be highly supported and highly subsidised. Hospitals really much prefer not to have to bill these patients at all. But we have to send this important signal to urge everyone to get vaccinated if you are eligible, he said. The Singapore Ministry of Health said the government has previously been covering the full COVID-19 medical bills for all Singaporeans, permanent residents, and long-term visit pass holders, with the exception of people who tested positive shortly after returning from overseas. The ministry explained that the arrangement was to avoid financial considerations adding to public uncertainty and concern when COVID-19 was an emergent and unfamiliar disease. It added, For the majority who are vaccinated, this special approach for COVID-19 bills will continue until the COVID-19 situation is more stable. Singapore has 82.47 percent of its population fully vaccinated, according to data via Johns Hopkins University. Singapore in late October reported a record high in new daily COVID-19 cases and deaths since the start of the pandemic. The health ministry said at the time it was looking into the unusual surge of new infections. At the time the ICU utilization rate was nearing 80 percent with more beds being added. The Asian city-state saw a total of 101,853 new COVID-19 cases in October. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall demonstrates checking in via QR code to help with contact tracing at the Stag Hotel on December 01, 2020 in Adelaide, Australia. (Kelly Barnes/Getty Images) South Australian Leader Says No Data Compromised in Contact Tracing Hack South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has reassured residents that no data was compromised after the states contact tracing app was hacked. There has been no hacking or compromise of data on the mySA GOV app, and there has been no compromise of data that we use for our COVID check-in, he told reporters. What we did have was a very swift response from the people in the IT section of the Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT), he added. They locked down the system. The premier said the team saw the hack coming in very quickly, and the system was shut down within seconds. Last week, the DIT revealed that several user accounts had been accessed by a third party, who obtained the passwords while hacking a separate website. The accounts could be accessed because account holders had used the same or a similar password for their mySA GOV account as they had used for their account with the unrelated website, the DIT said in a press release. The hackers then used the passwords they had obtained from the unrelated website to access a number of mySA GOV accounts. The DIT said there was no evidence of unauthorised transactions on the mySA GOV accounts and that the hacked accounts were blocked. Further, all affected accounts were notified of the hack and told to change their password. It is strongly recommended that when choosing a new password for their account, customers do not use a password that has been previously used or is currently being used for any other accounts, the DIT added. Marshall said there were thousands of attempted hacks targeting government portals each week. People need to be vigilant, he said. Concerns have emerged in recent months over the lack of protection around data collected by contact tracing apps. In June, West Australian and Queensland police were found to have accessed contact tracing data to aid in ongoing investigations. While police in Victoria tried on three occasions to access data but were blocked by the states health department. The left-leaning Australia Institutes Centre for Responsible Technology called on state governments to regain the publics trust to ensure privacy rights were not whittled away by the widening use of technology in COVID-19 compliance measures. South Australia is currently trialling a home quarantine app that will become the national model if deemed successful. Residents entering home quarantine are required to download the Quarantine SA app and will need to check-in with the app at random intervals during their quarantine period of two weeks. Users have just 15 minutes to respond to a random check-in notification (in Western Australia, this is just five minutes) by scanning their faces. If they miss a scan, they will receive a follow-up phone call from the Home Quarantine SA team to discuss the reason why. If the individual misses the phone call, a compliance officer may be sent to the approved address to check on their situation. South Carolina School Board Group Cuts Ties With National Association After Push From Lawmakers The South Carolina School Boards Association (SCSBA), facing pressure from Republican lawmakers, has voted to discontinue its membership with the national federation that likened concerned parents to domestic terrorists. The decision comes weeks after the National School Board Association (NSBA) apologized for a widely criticized letter, in which the organization characterized disruptions at school board meetings as a form of domestic terrorism and hate crime and urged the Biden administration to invoke counter-terrorism laws to handle angry mobs of parents seeking to hold school officials accountable for teaching the Marxist-inspired critical race theory to their children and for imposing COVID-19 restrictions such as mask mandates on them. Over the past few weeks, SCSBA leadership has carefully monitored NSBAs actions, advocating and watching for a clear path forward and affirmative steps to address the damage done in relation to NSBAs September 29 letter to President Joe Biden, the SCSBA said in a statement (pdf) announcing the change. The SCSBA noted that aside from the apology, the NSBA has done little to mitigate the negative impact of the letter on many states including South Carolina, and as a result, the state association has decided to sever its ties with the national group and requested a refund of its 2021-2022 membership fee. The move was likely prompted by a group of 36 Republican state representatives who demanded that the SCSBA end its NSBA membership, saying that the apology regarding the letter to Biden is insincere. The reality is that parents and stakeholders are beyond frustrated being ignored and left out of decisions with their child. The NSBA is detached from reality and fails to recognize that Americans are angered by what is happening in our classrooms, the Republicans said in their message to SCSBA Executive Director Scott Price, adding that they kept receiving calls from parents tired of losing control over their childs education. The message needs to be sent immediately that South Carolina will not support organizations that are threatening, antagonizing, or acting un-American towards concerned parents, the lawmakers wrote. The SCSBA is the latest in a string of state school board organizations that have reevaluated or ended their membership in NSBA over the domestic terrorism letter. According to statements collected by advocacy group Parents Defending Education, as of Nov. 9, seven state chaptersMissouri, Ohio, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Montanahave left or are leaving the NSBA. Last week, the Montana School Boards Association announced that they will quit the National School Boards Association in June 2022, at the end of the term for which it has paid dues. It also said it plans to work with other state associations to form a new national organization. Prince, a member of the hacking group Red Hacker Alliance who refused to give his real name, uses a website that monitors global cyberattacks on his computer at their office in Dongguan, China's southern Guangdong province, on Aug. 4, 2020. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images) Spy Campaign Targeting US Defense Sector Possibly Linked to China: Report A cyberespionage campaign that breached nine global agencies, including one in the United States, could have been perpetrated by a group with ties to the Chinese regime. The campaign resulted in the theft of sensitive documents from an unnamed government agency between September and October, according to a report by Unit 42, a threat intelligence team specializing in cyber risk and incident response at Palo Alto Networks, in partnership with the National Security Agency Cybersecurity Collaboration Center. As early as Sept. 17, the actor leveraged leased infrastructure in the United States to scan hundreds of vulnerable organizations across the internet, the report reads. Subsequently, exploitation attempts began on Sept. 22 and likely continued into early October. During that window, the actor successfully compromised at least nine global entities across the technology, defense, healthcare, energy, and education industries. The report states that the identity of the actor(s) behind the campaign couldnt be verified, but notes that their tactics and tools most closely resembled those of a cyberespionage group with ties to the Chinese regime known as Emissary Panda. Emissary Panda is known by many names, including APT 27, Bronze Union, Iron Tiger, Lucky Mouse, and TG-3390. Its one of numerous groups to have splintered out of the state-sponsored Winnti Group, and its responsible for cyberattacks in the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East, according to a report by Canadian media outlet CBC. The group specializes in using cyber espionage to collect data from government targets and frequently targets energy, defense, and aviation sectors. The hacking group has been implicated in numerous cyber attacks since at least 2009 and has exploited Microsoft Exchange vulnerabilities as recently as early November, when it leveraged ransomware against targets primarily located in the United States. The report states that the campaign scanned more than 370 U.S-based servers, including servers at the Department of Defense, while looking for vulnerabilities. It then exploited newly discovered vulnerabilities in a password management and single sign-on solution, ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus. Once exploited, malicious actors were able to move laterally into related systems, install a credential-stealing tool, and gather and exfiltrate sensitive files. Unit 42 believes that the actors primary goal involved gaining persistent access to the network and the gathering and exfiltration of sensitive documents from the compromised organization, the report reads. News of the attack closely follows a warning by the National Counterintelligence and Security Center that Chinas communist regime is engaged in a comprehensive campaign to acquire critical and emerging technologies from the United States through legal, quasi-legal, and illegal means. U.S. technologies are critical to the development of many of Chinas own weapons programs, and state-sponsored groups in China and those linked to the Chinese military have been accused of stealing data globally. Similarly, the former chief software officer of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force recently said that Chinese agents pose a significant insider threat to U.S. tech companies. Such threats to the nation dont necessarily require feet on the ground, as was recently demonstrated by a report that an ongoing pro-China influence operation previously attempted to physically mobilize protestors in the United States by leveraging fake social media accounts across 70 websites, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. The agencies breached in the campaign havent yet been publicly identified. Star of Dolphin Tale Movies Falls Ill at Florida Aquarium CLEARWATER, Fla.The prosthetic-tailed dolphin that starred in the Dolphin Tale movies may be fighting a gastrointestinal infection, officials said. The Clearwater Marine Aquarium said in a news release on Sunday that staff members noticed on Nov. 1 that Winter was not eating and was acting abnormally. Initial bloodwork showed the possible infection. The aquariums care team is monitoring the 16-year-old dolphins condition around the clock, the news release said. She is in the aquariums center pool, which does not have public underwater viewing. Visitors to the aquarium may see Winter from above the water on the third-floor terrace. Director Charles Martin Smith attends the Premiere of Warner Brothers Pictures Dolphin Tale at The Village Theatre in Westwood, Calif., on Sept. 17, 2011. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images) Her story of survival has inspired millions of people around the world, and she continues to show a strong, determined, and fighting spirit, the news release said. Our dedicated staff will continue to keep a close watch on her through this healing process and provide her with the highest quality of care. Winter was just two months old when her tail became entangled in a crab trap near Cape Canaveral, on Floridas Atlantic Coast. Dolphin Tale, which was released in 2011, chronicled Winters recovery and her journey using a prosthetic tail. Three years later, Dolphin Tale 2 also starred Hope, another rescued Dolphin cared for by the Clearwater aquarium. Aquarium officials said no other animals or marine life at the facility have shown signs of illness. A Qantas plane takes off from the Sydney International airport on May 6, 2021. (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images) Sydney Airport Agrees to $23 Billion Takeover Deal Sydney Airport, Australias biggest and busiest airport, could soon change hands, thanks to the huge losses brought by the COVID-19 pandemic and border closures. The airport has accepted an AU$23.6 billion (US$ 17.5 billion) bid with an international consortium, which plans to buy 100 percent shares of the Airport, according to an announcement to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) on Monday. The consortium is called Sydney Aviation Alliance (SAA), which comprises a group of Australian infrastructure and international investment funds, including IFMs Australian Infrastructure Fund, U.S. based Global Infrastructure Fund, AustralianSuper, and QSuper. Todays announcement is the culmination of months of engagement between all parties, Sydney Airport chairman David Gonski said. The Sydney Airport Boards believe the outcome reflects appropriate long-term value for the airport, and unanimously recommend the proposal to security holders, subject to customary conditions such as independent expert approval and no superior proposal. The deal comes after a four-month bargaining process between the two parties. The shareholders of the airport accepted a final price of $8.75 per share, after rejecting two earlier proposals for $8.25 and $8.45 per share, respectively. Shares in the company rose by 2.8 percent to $8.46 on the ASX on Monday after the announcement. The deal will be one of Australias biggest acquisitions if completed, although a few steps are still needed, including an independent report on the takeover, approval from Australian regulators, and approval from three quarters of the shareholders. Family and friends await the arrival of incoming flights at Sydneys International Airport in Sydney, Australia, on Nov. 1, 2021. (Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images) Assuming that no better deal will be offered from another party, the airports boards have unanimously suggested its security holders to accept the bid at the planned meeting in the first quarter of 2022 to vote on the sale. Sydney airport announced in August a net loss of AU $97.4m for the first half year which has been attributed to travel restrictions surrounding Australias international border. Australia has adopted a hard border-closure policy since the pandemic started. However, fully vaccinated travellers are now allowed to enter New South Wales and Victoria, the two biggest states of the country without quarantine from Nov. 1. The restriction on Australians flying out of the country have also been lifted on Nov. 1. Sydneys second international airport is currently under construction, with the new airport at Badgerys Creek expected to open in 2026. The United States is opening for fully vaccinated travelers, including those from China. But a Hong Kong government expert raises concerns about the efficacy of some foreign vaccines. Parts of China are getting blasted by a snowstormalmost a full month earlier than usual. A $200 million Marvel Studios movie wasnt released in China this weekend, all because of remarks its director made years ago. Mockups of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier have been discovered in a desert. Satellite images suggest they could be part of new Chinese army training exercises. Beijing blacklists three Taiwan politicians. But instead of viewing them as punishment, those on Chinas blacklist instead respond with statements of pride. A major meeting of the Chinese Communist Party has begun. Ahead of the event, the regimes top media mouthpiece published a 12,000-word article, highlighting what it called Xi Jinpings achievements. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more first-hand news from China. For more news and videos, please visit our website and Twitter. Texas Filling Border Wall Gaps With Shipping Containers: Abbotts Office Texas Gov. Greg Abbotts administration is filling U.S.Mexico border barrier gaps with repurposed shipping containers, a spokesperson confirmed. Shipping containers were deployed around Eagle Pass, Texas, starting in October to curb a surge of illegal immigrants trying to cross into the United States, Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze told news outlets. Previously, images taken along the border showed that the containerswhich are generally between 10 and 40 feet in length, about 8 feet high, and 8 feet widebeing stacked along the border. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott directed state agencies to begin placing large storage containers end to end at low-level water crossings to physically block any illegal immigrants from entry, Eze said. Her comments came in response to a Fox News interview with Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), who said that Abbott found a cheap and resourceful way to curb illegal crossings. The shipping containers are placed in a strategic way so as to divert illegal aliens to areas where there are more Border Patrol agents and police. Its a tool that the governor is using to try to help slow down, curb this invasion, Nehls said in the interview last week. Thousands of National Guard soldiers and DPS troopers are being deployed to place the containers as well as erect additional barriers with razor wire, Eze said. Eze told news outlets that she would not comment on how Abbott obtained the shipping containers or how many are being deployed to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). Texas State Trooper vehicles are lined up along the border as thousands of illegal immigrants, mostly Haitians, live in a primitive, makeshift camp under the international bridge that spans the Rio Grande between the U.S. and Mexico while waiting to be detained and processed by Border Patrol, in Del Rio, Texas, on Sept. 21, 2021. (Charlotte Cuthbertson/The Epoch Times) But Abbott told Fox News on Oct. 28 that his administration is placing them in areas that could be targeted by illegal immigrant caravans. We begin dropping these large containers that you see on 18 wheelers, you also see on these ships that are going across the ocean, said Abbott. Were dropping them down on locations that could be crossings that would be used by these caravans to serve as a blockade to prevent them from coming across the border. Earlier in the year, Abbott signed a $1.8 billion border security bill that would include up to $750 million for the construction of a Texas-Mexico border wall. We have 1,250 miles of border in Texas. Thats a lot of area to cover and were doing the federal governments job for them because they refuse to do it on their own, Nehls told Fox News before blaming the Biden administration for having rescinded a Trump-era order that suspended federal construction of the wall. Border patrol authorities have detained more than 1.7 million illegal aliens along the U.S.Mexico border so far during the 2021 fiscal year, according to data released by Customs and Border Protection. That figure exceeded a record set in 1986 when 1.69 million arrests were made by border agents. Texas Pharma Company Inflated Prices Over 400 Times Above Cost to Claim Fraudulent Reimbursements: DOJ The Department of Justice has filed a complaint against a Houston-based company for falsely inflating pharmaceutical ingredient prices to over 400 times the actual cost for the purposes of defrauding TRICARE, a federal health care program. According to a press release on Nov. 8, the DOJ filed the complaint under the False Claims Act against Professional Compounding Centers of America Inc. (PCCA), for blowing up Average Wholesale Prices (AWPs) of pharma ingredients that are used in compound drugs. After purchasing ingredients from PCCA, compounding pharmacies would then submit these inflated prices for reimbursements from TRICARE. Suppliers like PCCA establish and report the AWPs for ingredients to pricing compendia used by health care programs like TRICARE and insurance companies. TRICARE provides insurance for active-duty military personnel, military retirees, and military dependents. Based partially on the reported AWPs, TRICARE would calculate the amounts of reimbursements distributed to pharmacies. According to the report, in 2014, PCCA typically sold the chemical Fluticasone Propionate to its top customers for between approximately $135 and $197 per gram, but it reported an AWP for that ingredient of $3,630.90 per gramapproximately 18 to 27 times the actual selling price. Another ingredient, Resveratrol, was sold for under $2 per gram, but PCCA reported an AWP of $818.68 per gram which comes to around 410 times the actual cost. The profit potential was marketed as incentives to pharmacies to purchase ingredients from PCCA. Besides cash inducements, there were annual all-inclusive travel packages for customers. Based on the complaint, the actions resulted in pharmacies submitting tens of thousands of false prescription claims to TRICARE, costing the program hundreds of millions of dollars in excess reimbursement. The investigation was the result of a coordinated effort between the Civil Divisions Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorneys Offices for the Western District of Texas and Middle District of Florida, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Agency among other agencies. We diligently investigate fraud on the federal healthcare system, especially where it impacts our veterans and their families, said U.S. Attorney Ashley Hoff for the Western District of Texas in the press release. We will continue to guard the system so patients receive the care they deserve and federal taxpayer dollars are not wasted. The lawsuit was initially filed by Peter Hueseman, a pharmacy owner that purchased ingredients from PCCA. Under the False Claims Act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and permit the justice department to intervene in the lawsuit. Thanksgiving Travel Bouncing Back in a Big Way: AAA LOS ANGELESPandemic-weary Angelenos will be hitting the roads and airways in large numbers this Thanksgiving, with about 4.4 million Southern California residents expected to travel for the holiday, according to estimates released Nov. 9 by the American Automobile Association (AAA). The anticipated number of holiday travelers marks a 16 percent jump from last year. This year will be the second-busiest Thanksgiving travel volume on record for the region, just 3 percent below the 4.5 million people who traveled for Thanksgiving in 2019, according to AAA. This is a remarkable comeback for travel, especially considering that cruises and some other modes of transportation have only recently restarted, Filomena Andre, the AAAs vice president for travel products and services, said in a statement. To help meet consumer demand, AAA is hiring travel advisers. We are also strongly recommending that people not wait to book trips in 2022 because there are deals and availability that are being offered now that will go fast. The top five destinations for Southern California Thanksgiving travelers will be San Diego, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Santa Barbara/Central Coast, according to AAA. Nationally, Anaheim is expected to be the second-most popular holiday destination for travelers, thanks to Disneyland. Anaheim will be second only to another Disney hubOrlando, Florida. Nationwide, the Auto Club is predicting this Thanksgiving will be the third busiest on record, with 53.4 million travelers, trailing only behind the 56 million from 2019 and 53.7 million in 2018. Of the 4.4 million anticipated Southern California travelers, 3.8 million are expected to travel by car, while 494,000 will travel by air, and 79,000 will use some other means, such as a bus or cruise ship. The Auto Club noted that the increase in travel will come at a time when Southern California residents are paying the highest gas prices ever on the Thanksgiving holiday, with an average price of about $4.50 per gallon. According to the Auto Club, analysts from the transportation firm INRIX have determined that the afternoon and evening of Wednesday, Nov. 24, will be the busiest times for Southland freeways. The stretch of the Golden State (5) Freeway between Colorado Street and Florence Avenue is predicted to see the heaviest congestion, with traffic volume at 385 percent above normal levels. The Biden Administrations Sole Purpose Nuclear Mistake Commentary Never interfere with your enemy when he is making a mistake, is one of Napoleon Bonapartes contributions to military strategy. But China is doing one turn better, loudly advocating for President Joe Biden to make a crucial strategic nuclear mistake, perhaps to be included in the next Nuclear Posture Review due in early 2022. Apparently, Biden seeks to declare nuclear deterrence and, if needed, nuclear retaliation, as the sole purpose of the U.S. strategic nuclear arsenal. Such a declaration would almost amount to an adoption of a no first use (NFU) nuclear weapons doctrine. Nine days before leaving the Office of the Vice President on Jan. 11, 2017, Biden gave remarks on Nuclear Security in which he endorsed both concepts: In our 2010 Nuclear Posture Reviewwe made a commitment to create the conditions by which the sole purpose of nuclear weapons would be to deter others from launching a nuclear attack. Given our non-nuclear capabilities and the nature of todays threatsits hard to envision a plausible scenario in which the first use of nuclear weapons by the United States would be necessary. Or make sense. Bidens nuclear doctrine change also was enshrined in the 2020 Democratic Party platform: Democrats believe that the sole purpose of our nuclear arsenal should be to deterand, if necessary, retaliate againsta nuclear attack, and we will work to put that belief into practice, in consultation with our allies and military. However, U.S. military leaders and U.S. allies opposed the Obama administrations attempt in 2016 to advance an NFU nuclear doctrine, and this year campaigned against Bidens attempt to limit the deterrent potential of U.S. nuclear forces with a sole purpose declaration. On Oct. 30, the Financial Review reported that NATO allies Britain, France, and Germany, and Pacific allies Japan and Australia were lobbying the Biden administration not to change American policy on the use of nuclear weapons amid concern the president is considering a no first use declaration that could undermine long-established deterrence strategies aimed at Russia and China. What is crucial is that U.S. allies in Europe and Asia face both overwhelming nuclear and non-nuclear threats, and they rely on the counterthreat of an American nuclear first strike to deter both. Russia is amassing troops, likely to practice mobilizing for an invasion of Ukraine, and its military buildup in Kaliningrad poses a daily threat to the Baltic States and to Poland. Russia is also officially estimated to have 2,000 theater nuclear weapons as it develops, or may already possess, a new class of very-low-yield nuclear weapons for direct battlefield use. North Korea may have more than 60 nuclear weapons, and now maneuverable hypersonic warheads, submarine-launched medium-range missiles, and new land-attack cruise missiles to deliver them to South Korea or Japan, in addition to an army of 1.1 million troops, versus South Koreas army of 464,000 and no nuclear weapons. Then theres Chinas rapidly increasing threat. On Nov. 3, the Pentagon released the first congressionally mandated annual China Military Power Report (CMPR) under the Biden administration leadership, and it states that China could have 700 nuclear warheads by 2027 and 1,000 warheads by 2030. But the CMPR assessment is much lower than what can be estimated from open sources. Since the early summer, commercial satellite imagery has revealed that China is now racing to build about 350 new silos for new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) that could initially carry up to 10 warheads. Chinas DF-41 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images) This means that Chinas intercontinental nuclear warhead count could exceed 3,000 intercontinental-range warheads before the end of the 2020s. Given its increasing conventional cooperation and near decade-long cooperation regarding missile defense, it must be assessed that Russia could add its 1,400 or more nuclear warheads to support joint nuclear missile offense and blackmail exercises against the United States. But right after taking office, Biden extended the New START treaty, committing the United States to only 1,550 deployed warheads until 2026. China may be betting that joint nuclear blackmail can prevent U.S. military opposition to a Chinese attack against the island democracy of Taiwan. Chinas buildup of missile and air strike forces, modern mechanized army and marine units, and formal and informal naval amphibious lift, points to the conclusion that China will soon, if not already, be able to launch a D-Day-scale invasion against Taiwan. So in Europe, on the Korean Peninsula, in the Sea of Japan, and in the Taiwan Strait, any U.S. change in declared nuclear policies that would diminish or remove the possibility of a United States first use of nuclear weapons in a conflict would only serve to increase the temptation for Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, and Kim Jong-un to start wars against Americas key allies and partners. Thats why the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) enthusiastically supports an American adoption of a nuclear NFU policy. In an Oct. 31 article, the Global Times, the inner voice of the CCP, gushed: The US was about to nail the [NFU] adjustment during former president Barack Obamas tenure. If Biden can really take the step to announce no first use of nuclear weapons or take pragmatic measures to restrain US nuclear policies, the move will be widely welcomed across the globe. That is, especially in Beijing, Moscow, Pyongyang, and soon, in Tehran. Without immediate reassessment and a plan to leave the restrictive 2010 New START nuclear treaty with Russia, a plan to replace nuclear warheads reduced from U.S. missiles to comply with that treaty, and plans to rapidly expand U.S. theater nuclear forces, the United States will be vulnerable before the end of the decade to ChinaRussia nuclear blackmail, and its allies and partners will be vulnerable to existential attacks by China, Russia, and North Korea. A Biden administration decision to remove the threat of an immediate U.S. nuclear counterattack in response to Chinese, Russian, and North Korean existential aggression would only serve to accelerate their decisions to start such wars and, therefore, would be a tragic strategic mistake. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The internet is full of dangers, particularly for people developing dementia. Finding a way to help a senior loved one while also respecting their dignity and autonomy requires thoughtfulness. (Zamrznuti tonovi/Shutterstock) The Delicate Issue of Taking Away a Seniors Smartphone Protecting aging loved ones presents new challenges in the age of telephone and internet scams At first, Dr. Robert Zorowitz thought his 83-year-old mother was confused. She couldnt remember passwords to accounts on her computer. She would call and say programs had stopped working. But over time, Zorowitz realized his mothera highly intelligent woman who was comfortable with technologywas showing early signs of dementia. Increasingly, families will encounter similar concerns as older adults become reliant on computers, cellphones, and tablets: With cognitive impairment, these devices become difficult to use and, in some cases, problematic. Computer skills may deteriorate even before [older adults] misplace keys, forget names, or display other more classic signs of early dementia, Zorowitz wrote recently on a group email list for geriatricians. (Hes based in New York City and senior medical director for Optum Inc., a health services company.) Deciding whether to block their access to their bank accounts, stocks, and other online resources may present the same ethical dilemmas as taking away their car keys. The emergence of this issue tracks the growing popularity of devices that let older adults communicate with friends and family via email, join interest groups on Facebook, visit virtually via Skype or FaceTime, and bank, shop, take courses, or read publications online. According to the Pew Research Center, 73 percent of adults 65 and older used the internet in 2019, up from 43 percent in 2010. And 42 percent of older adults owned smartphones in 2017, the latest year for which data is available, up from 18 percent in 2013. Already, some physicians are adapting to this new digital reality. At Johns Hopkins Medicine, Dr. Halima Amjad, an assistant professor of medicine, now asks older patients if they use a computer or smartphone and are having trouble such as forgetting passwords or getting locked out of accounts. If theres a notable change in how someone is using technology, she said, we would proceed with a more in-depth cognitive evaluation. At Rush Universitys Alzheimers Disease Center in Chicago, neurologist Dr. Neelum Aggarwal finds that older adults are bringing up problems with technology as a nonthreatening way to talk about the trouble with thinking. Instead of saying, I have issues with my memory, people will say, I just cant figure out my smartphone or I was trying to start that computer program and it took forever to get that done. If the person previously used digital devices without difficulty, Aggarwal will try to identify the underlying problem. Does the older adult have problems with vision or coordination? Is she having trouble understanding language? Is memory becoming compromised? Is it hard for her to follow the steps needed to complete a transaction? If using technology has become frustrating, Aggarwal recommends deleting apps on cellphones and programs on computers. The anxiety associated with, Oh, my God, I have to use this and I dont know how totally sets people back and undoes any gains that technology might offer, she said. Its similar to what I do with medications: Ill help someone get rid of whats not needed and keep only whats really essential. Typically, she said, she recommends no more than five to 10 cellphone apps for patients in these circumstances. When safety becomes an issuesay, for an older adult with dementia whos being approached by scammers on emailfamily members should first try counseling the person against giving out their Social Security or credit card information, said Cynthia Clyburn, a social worker in the neurology division at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia. If that doesnt work, try to spend time together at the computer so you can monitor whats going on. Make it a group activity, Clyburn said. If possible, create shared passwords so you have shared access. But beware of appropriating someones passwords and using them to check email or online bank or brokerage accounts. Without consent, its a federal crime to use an individuals password to access their accounts, said Catherine Seal, an elder-law attorney at Kirtland & Seal in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Ideally, consent should be granted in writing. With his mothers permission, one of Zorowitzs brothersa physician in Baltimoreinstalled GoToMyPC, an application that allowed him to remotely manage her computer. He used it to reset passwords and manage items on her desktop and sometimes to order groceries online from Peapod. Eventually, Selma Zorowitz lost interest in her computer as she slipped further into dementia and spent the end of her life in a nursing home. She died in 2014 at age 87. Older adults with Alzheimers disease commonly turn away from digital devices as they forget how to use them, said Dr. Lon Schneider, a professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Southern California. More difficult, often, are situations faced by people with frontotemporal dementia (FTD), which affects a persons judgment, self-awareness, and ability to assess risk. Sally Balch Hurmes 75-year-old husband, Arthur, was diagnosed with FTD in 2015. Every day is a struggle to keep him safe in a digital world full of threats. Hundreds of emails pour onto Arthurs cellphone from telemarketers with hard-to-resist offers. His Facebook account is peopled with friends from foreign countries, all strangers. He has no idea who they are. Some of them are wearing bandoliers of ammunition, holding their guns, Hurme said. It is horrific. Then, theres Amazon, a neverending source of shopping temptation. Recently, Arthur ordered four pocket translators, several watches, and a large quantity of maple sugar candies for $1,000. Though returns are possible, Hurme doesnt always know where Arthur has stored items hes bought. What steps has she taken to manage the situation? With Arthurs permission, she unsubscribes him from accounts that send him emails and removes friends from his Facebook account. On his cellphone, she has installed a parental control app that blocks him from using it between midnight and 6 a.m.hours when he was most likely to engage in online activities. Theres also a parental control setting on the TV to prevent access to adult channels. Instead of an open-ended credit card, Hurme gives Arthur a stored value card with a limited amount of money. She manages household finances, and he doesnt have access to the couples online banking account. Credit bureaus have been told not to open an account in Arthurs name. If Hurme had her way, she said, shed get rid of Arthurs cellphonehis primary form of communication. (He has stopped using the computer.) But Im very sensitive to respecting his dignity and letting him be as independent and autonomous as possible, she said. For all the dangers it presents, his phone is his connection with the outside world, and I cant take that away from him. Judith Graham is a contributing columnist for Kaiser Health News. KHNs coverage of these topics is supported by The John A. Hartford Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and The SCAN Foundation. Military band members play the Last Post at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing as visitors watch, in Ypres, Belgium, on April 6, 2017, during a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images) The Last Post Still Sounds, Lest We Forget Commentary At 8:00 every night, the Last Post sounds at the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres, Belgium, and has without interruption since July 2, 1928. Except during the German occupation. But as soon as it ended in 1944, the ceremony resumed. Sooner, actually. On Sept. 6, 1944, Polish forces liberated that monument to British and Commonwealth soldiers from the World War I Ypres Salient who have no known grave, and with fighting still raging elsewhere in the town a bugler appeared, unbidden, to resume the commemoration. On it has gone, for what is now somewhat disconcertingly 77 unbroken years. And even when COVID regulations forbade the crowds from gathering, for it is not just a bugler, or official wreath-layers every single night, but people from near and far, they came anyway, kept their social distance, and kept their vigil. When I had the chance to attend in 2014, while filming my documentary The Great War Remembered for Sun News Network, I was astounded and profoundly moved to see such a crowd, on a night of no special significance, and learn that they were there every night, long after anyone who had fought in the war was gone and even those who had known them were fast dwindling. And I am today astounded, and profoundly moved, to reflect that the Second World War is fast passing into that sort of history where the First has long resided now. A young man who enlisted in 1939 at age 18 would be 100 today. A D-Day veteran I knew, who enlisted in the 1930s, lived into his 90s and has long been in his grave. And yet the Last Post still sounds. It is fitting that Poles should have liberated the Gate, for liberty has been defended by vast numbers of people under a vast range of circumstances. But they are gone now too. Brave and lusty young men who escaped the wreck of their homeland at the hands of Hitler and Stalin to fight on foreign soil, if they survived the war, went on to mature, to age, and then to dust. Their children are now old, even dead of old age, their grandchildren greying fast. D-Day was 77 years ago? How can it be? To me, the years are both long and short. As a historian by descent as well as training, I was crushed as a child by the death of Edmund Ironside. Still am. In 1016, in case youre not up on the twilight of Anglo-Saxon England. And to me the Battle of Bosworth Field is still a thing, the Tudor usurpation still an outrage. I realize not everyone chuckles at the beeline Henry I made for the royal treasury at Winchester in 1100 while his brother William IIs corpse was still in mid-air from his tragic hunting accident. But what of Stephen Langton brandishing Henrys coronation oath at Bad King John? The siege of Rochester Castle? Or Waterloo? All ancient history, I suppose. But long before age wearied those who survived World War I and the years consumed, those who served in Crimea were old or gone. Mind you, the last survivor of the one great World War I clash of Dreadnoughts at Jutland in 1916, Henry Allingham, only died in 2009 at age 113, the last Royal Naval Air Service man to join the white company. And the last veteran of the Napoleonic Wars apparently outlived the Boer War. These outliers underline the continuity of history, the long chain of battles won and lost stretching back from D-Day and Vimy to Trafalgar, the Armada, Badon Hill, Horatius on the bridge, and men who fell before villages that no story names. The torch is passed, generation to generation, and the Last Post sounds for them all. It sounds for battles lost as well as won. And spare a thought each November 11 for those brave and dedicated soldiers who deserved a better cause than they fought for, from the Highlanders at Culloden to the Confederates in Picketts charge to, indeed, the last Napoleonic veteran, a Pole who fought for the wrong side. Some doubtless were bad men too. But not every Allied soldier was a saint. And surely, we must pray for those who went astray at least as hard as those whose cemeteries are rightly places of pilgrimage. Having done so, we must then heed anew the dead In Flanders Fields, which is anything but a pacifist poem: Take up our quarrel with the foe:/ To you from failing hands we throw/ The torch; be yours to hold it high./ If ye break faith with us who die/ We shall not sleep, though poppies grow/ In Flanders fields. Nor shall a great many others with no known or remembered grave. Thus sounds the Last Post, at Menin Gate, in Ottawa, and wherever people cherish freedom. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The National and International Implications of the Upcoming Presidential Election in the Republic of Korea News Analysis The 20th presidential election of the Republic of Korea will be held on March 9, 2022. The current government, the Moon administration, was brought to power in May of 2017 following the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in December 2016. Since the Korean Constitution limits presidential terms to a single-fixed period of five years, the present incumbent at Cheong Wa Dae, cannot run for reelection. Cheong Wa Dae, known as the Blue House, is both the executive office and official residence of the President of the Republic of Korea. Unlike previous presidential elections in South Korea, the upcoming presidential election can be defined as an election focused on ideological confrontation. Since December of 2016, the country has witnessed an intense Left-Right rivalry, a series of generational conflicts, and deep political ruptures within the population. Although ideological confrontation is not new, considering the fact the two Koreas are technically still at war, and that progressives have defied conservatives domestically, and vice versa, the current level and intensity of the confrontation is unprecedented. It is difficult to clearly explain the reasons why centuries-long ideological debates have recently come to the center of the political gravity of the upcoming presidential election. Nonetheless, what is clear is that ideological conflicts, which have previously been covert, have become politically overt. Socio-political analysts would agree that many factors add to the complexity of this phenomenon. For instance, domestic party politics, relations with North Korea, economic growth, various social problems, and the COVID-19 pandemic compound it. Whatever the real and direct cause is, ideological confrontation is heavily affecting Korean voting behavior. Furthermore, it is rapidly shaping the political landscape of the upcoming election. In this context, the 20th presidential election may be the starting point of a major shift in national policy. From a national point of view, South Korea is at a socially critical point. This is because the Moon administrations domestic policies have been strongly criticized by their main opposition. In fact, the leftist Moon administration inheritance of the Sunshine Policy (South Koreas policy from 1998 to 2008 aiming to soften North Koreas attitudes towards the South by encouraging interaction and economic assistance) has pursued, to a large extent, policies based on pro-North Korean as well as pro-Chinese approaches. Therefore, there is a high possibility that if the ruling party loses the election, the Moon administrations policies would be subject to complete revision. The presidential election in March of 2022 is per se both a political event and a national election. However, its implications and impact go beyond national boundaries. Due to the peculiar situation on the Korean peninsula and the current development of foreign relations among neighboring powers, the election is also an international and diplomatic affair. The Korean peninsula has been a strategic region geopolitically. Historically, it has been also a point of collision for both continental and maritime powers. This situation remains unchanged even today. The 38th Parallel, which divides the peninsula in half, is the Maginot line between the sphere of American influence in the south and that of Chinese influence in the north. Changing of the Guard at Cheong Wa Dae (Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae) Shortly after the Second World War and the Korean War in 1950, Japan was incorporated into the U.S.-led triangle security alliance which included South Korea. This alliance has been the very grounds for South Koreas diplomacy and national security strategy. Nevertheless, the Moon administrations liaison with North Korea and China created a subtle friction within the alliance. In addition, the administrations dissonance with the Japanese government made this situation even more complicated. It is interesting to observe that the presidential nominee of the opposition party is already attacking the Moon administrations policy orientation vis-a-vis North Korea and China. As a result, in accordance with the ideological orientation of the next Korean president and his team, South Koreas relations with North Korea will be almost undoubtedly affected. Then, undoubtedly inter-Korea relations will bear a major effect on international relations surrounding the Korean peninsula because power relations among neighboring countries are intertwined with the state of South-North relations. In the Asia-pacific region, the United States and China are competing for hegemony. The two powers are attempting to contain the others sphere of influence both militarily and diplomatically, at the 38th Parallel. This means that the political orientation of the next Korean government will be necessarily pivotal to U.S.China relations as well as the international power balance in the region. South Koreas next administration, on the other hand, will be faced with deciding how to, or even whether to participate in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, known as QUAD, a strategic dialogue between the United States, India, Japan, and Australia established in 2007 and reestablished in 2017. The diplomatic and military arrangement was initiated by Japan and led by the United States in response to increased Chinese economic and military power in the Indo-pacific region. The United States and its allies, such as Australia, are seeking active participants in order to augment the strength of QUAD. By all indications, the two Koreas relations will play a key role in this strategic framework of the U.S.China competition. There are four months left until the next presidential election. There are far too many variables to predict the election results and its consequences. The Korean people will have to make a choice in regards to their future on March 9, 2022. At this moment, it is only obvious that the upcoming presidential election in the Republic of Korea will be a truly historic event. The Spirit of No Commentary As the United States falls ever deeper into identity politics, as more and more jobs require diversity-equity-inclusion pledges from workers, digital surveillance of private lives continues, words and thoughts undergo fresh political scrutiny, public apologies proliferate, individuals living and dead are canceled a vital tradition in the American heritage is no more. I mean the dauntless cry of No!that defiance of tyranny spoken by a free and independent soul. You know the highlights: Give me liberty or give me death!; Dont tread on me; I have not yet begun to fight!; Civil Disobedience (Thoreau); Huck lighting out for the territory because he cant stand sivilization; Kerouac and the Beats hitting the road; Terry Malloy testifying against the bosses, and many, many more. Americans have been this way from the beginning, but not so much anymore. All the way to the 1960s, the lone dissenter, the renegade thinker, the man against the crowd, the sheriff in High NoonAmerica granted them dignity just by virtue of their stern isolation. And, lets add, that approval of the crowd didnt mean much to them. A compliment from the authorities or from the herds they led wouldnt impress Howard Roark, architect-hero of The Fountainhead, no, not one bit. Thats not why he goes his own way and does his own thing. Its visceral, not rational; an instinct, not principle. This is why the mediocre lot, the followers and joiners and Company Men, so often misunderstand them. The gap has never been wider than it is in 2021. The solitary American hero is the very opposite of the current collectivism, and the tide is against them. Never in my lifetime have Americans been so constantly told what to think and say and do, and what not to. Never have they been so frightened of being caught uttering what just a few years ago was conventional belief, or of acting in a way that cant even be termed an aggression, only a microaggression, or of refusing to acknowledge their innocence or guilt based upon their race or sex. They dont speak out or strike back. No, they keep their heads down, watch their words, and stay out of trouble. How contrary to that binding woke collective is the young slave Frederick Douglass warning his master that if he ever tries to whip him again hell have to kill him first, or President Ronald Reagan sticking to Tear down this wall! in spite of the warnings of his advisers and the diplomatic wisdom of the Beltway experts, or even the pallid Bartlebys Id prefer not to. Those resisters didnt calculate their chances or consider their futures, as do the professional classes of today (whom the activists and protesters have thoroughly cowed). They just say, No; they cant do otherwise. Its a matter of character, of what used to be called the National Character. Put them and the other stiff-necked figures together and you have a lineage of self-assertion that should inspire every American to tell the mavens of political correctness and social justice to go to the devil. When STOP HATE NOW! signs pop up in yards and on billboards, our classic American thinks, Who appointed you to command me? and then opens his Emerson to the line, The doctrine of hatred must be preached, as the counteraction of the doctrine of love, when that pules and whines (Self-Reliance). That sounds a little harsh, yes, but thats how the rebel American experiences the censors and proprietors: as busybodies and petty tyrants, sneaks and tattletales. He cant imagine joining 1,000 others and signing a petition to get a person fired. The prohibition of jokes because of their potential offensiveness he would find a despotic restraint. The whole thing disgusts him, and hed say so upfront before he left, not always politely. We have our high expressions of independence in the Declaration and in Walden and other classics, but just as essential to the American way is the brusque repulse, as in the response of the general at Bastogne in December 1944, whose troops were surrounded by German artillery, when formally called upon by the enemy to surrender: Nuts! Oh, its a little crude and rowdy, this American nay-saying, but we must remember that the very term American signified in Europe through the 18th and 19th centuries just that, a coarse and unschooled creature, living in a land with no castles or cathedrals, no great universities or sumptuous courts. How could they think otherwise? Young European men of status took the Grand Tour through the glories of ancient Rome and Greece, while young Americans ran off to ship out for South Sea adventures, as did Herman Melville and Richard Henry Dana (for whom Dana Point is named). Europeans had Henry VIII, Catherine the Great, and Frederick the Great, the playing fields of Eton, monasteries such as the Grand Chartreuse, which dates back to the 11th century, and estates that belonged to the same families for almost as long. Americans had the frontier and the Wild West, Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett, founders and presidents who fought duels (Alexander Hamilton and Andrew Jackson), and gold rushes and land rushes. Our tradition doesnt hide that boisterous energy, not even when it verges on barbarity, as was the case of the hand-to-hand fighting at the Alamo where the Americans took many times their number (William Carlos Williams called the particular American savagery a rich, regenerative violence). Walt Whitman hailed ordinary Americans for their deathless attachment to freedom the air they have of persons who never knew how it felt to stand in the presence of superiors (Preface to Leaves of Grass). Williams opened his eccentric catalog of insubordinate American spirits, In the American Grain (quoted above, first published 1925), with the Icelandic adventurer Eric the Red, whose motto is Rather the ice than their way. They go it alone if they have to, and they scorn the comforts of belonging. As I said, sadly, that gruff independence doesnt fly any longer, certainly not in elite circles. Entry into the professions requires too much groveling and compromise. A free spirit cant do it. A young American shooting for a top school or a top job has to be careful all the time. After the Kavanaugh hearings, he knows that a search for skeletons in his biography can go back to his time in high school. I remember hearing a dozen years ago that elite colleges were scanning the social media pages of applicants for bad photos and posts before they offered a slot. Ten years before that, David Brooks wrote an article in The Atlantic titled The Organization Kid, in which he described students at Princeton and a few other elite schools (whom he interviewed) as workaholic and savvy, but incurious about matters unrelated to career plans. They were obedient, too, cannily so, deferential and cooperative. The system of getting ahead had made them that way. At age 20, they had become professional students, Brooks concluded. And professionals dont break with their colleagues or discomfit their superiors. They eschew social tensions, too, which is why the elite of today knuckle under to the current hegemony, the woke wave. It is why college campuses, which used to prize dissent, have become some of the most rigid party-line spots in the entire land. The woke movement fancies itself a protest against entrenched power and systemic discrimination, but given its domination of human resources in corporate America, of Hollywood and Silicon Valley, museums and libraries and the arts, academia and the Democratic Party, we know that its no such thing. Woke is the Establishment, and its stifling, imperious, and punitive. We need a revival of the American rebel, of thousands of them, though not because we value rebellion per se. We need it because this particular Establishment is corrupt and stupid, venal and self-serving. If the elite produced for the middle class an economy that let people raise kids on one income and a culture that ennobled their daily affairs, we would have little cause for resistance. If it gave individuals more room to hold and voice refractory opinions, the outrage that fuels rebellion wouldnt arise. But here we are, a populace rebuked and enjoined and re-educated every day by accusatory columnists, indignant professors, woke activists, solemn corporate leaders, and the president of the United States. Dont listen to them. Instead, read the American classics, recall Emerson on the scoldsyou will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it (Self-Reliance)and meet their phony righteousness with a righteousness straight from your heart. Tell these shabby enforcers of leftist dogma that their numbers mean nothing to you, that any man who yearns to join a crowd, who, in the words of Edgar Allan Poe, refuses to be alone, is no virtuous being. He is, rather, the type and genius of deep crime (The Man of the Crowd). The American heritage can give you moral courage to do so, and I can think of no greater quality at the present time. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The US Needs to Anticipate a Surprise Attack by the Chinese Regime Commentary Concern over a surprise attack by China against Taiwan is a major concern. But the world should be aware that the Chinese regime may launch attacks against India, Japan, or the United States because a clear and intuitive lesson of history is that strategic surprise succeeds, and a review of the evidence demonstrates that it often does in international politics. The German invasion of the Soviet Union, Operation Barbarossa, the October 1973 War, and Pearl Harbor are successful cases of surprise attacks. In the case of Barbarossa, the Soviet Union was surprised because Joseph Stalinfully cognizant of Adolf Hitlers hatred of the Soviet Unionwas never fully convinced that Germany would not attack because it lacked the power to fight the Soviets while still fighting Britain. Stalins mistake was to project the costs and benefits Germany would incur by attacking the Soviet Union, without ever considering how these values could be modified by a surprise attack on the USSR. Stalin did not conceive that Germany would not be fighting a two-front war if the Soviet Union were defeated rapidly, and that a surprise attack would very probably produce a rapid defeat. One of Israels major mistakes in 1973 was to assume that an Egyptian-Syrian attack would be initiated only to inflict a resounding military defeat on Israel. Since the Arab states were not strong enough to fulfill this objective, Israeli policymakers inferred that an attack would not be immediately forthcoming. However, had Israel considered the possibility that the Arabs might opt for a more modest goal, it would have perceived its enemies did not need the capabilities to conquer Israel only to attack it and, thus, could launch the attack earlier. With respect to Pearl Harbor, Washington had no problem in concluding that Japan would go to war. However, to ascertain whether Japan would attempt to launch a surprise attack against Pearl Harbor, Washington should have asked itself how Japans analysis of going to war would be affected by the knowledge that its capabilities had been underestimated and by the achievement of surprise. Had Washington considered the possibility that Japans capabilities were greater than it estimated, a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor would indeed be possible. Moreover, if this calculation had been linked with an estimate of the benefit Japan would receive from a successful attack on Pearl Harbor, the weakening or destruction of the Pacific Fleet, then Washingtons willingness to perceive the possibility would have been amplified. USS Indianapolis in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1937. (U.S. Navy Photo) The value of surprise in the execution of an attack is almost always sought by states when they elect to attack. First, states seek surprise because it offers the possibility of a solution to the strategic problem the state confronts. Second, it offers that solution through the prospective of a quick and decisive victory at low cost. And third, the choice for surprise places the strategic initiative in the hands of the aggressor. The Chinese regime places an emphasis on deception and surprise, and its dismissal of considerations to which Western strategic thought is sensitive, such as the fog of war, results in the expectation that the Chinese will select the strategic choice of a surprise attack. Thus, while it can be a platitude, it is equally profound: the United States, India, Japan, or Taiwan must expect surprise. The United States must be sensitive to three dangers: the fog of peace, mirror imaging, and pre-crisis situations. The fog of peace is the assumption that what was true in the past remains true in the present strategic situation. Applied to China, it is the mistaken assumption that the Chinese regime will not attack first because they have not thus far. What was true yesterday will be true tomorrow. Mirror imaging is the danger that Washington assumes Beijing will not take actions that the United States would not. However, due to its authoritarian politics and history, the Chinese regime is capable of actions that the United States is not, such as first strike and preemption. The danger arises that the United States will not be sufficiently sensitive to the lack of constrains the Chinese regime faces when contemplating a bold move, such as a first strike or preemption. The Chinese regime has fewer institutional barriers or normative restraints to undertaking these actions. While the United States would have considerable difficulty taking these actions and, thus, such actions fall below the realm of consideration for the United States, it would be a strategic mistake not to comprehend that these choices are in the realm of possibility for Beijing. Legal or moral constraints that would restrain or govern action in the West cannot be assumed to exist for the Chinese regime. Moreover, as with Pearl Harbor, there may be some indications of a Chinese first strike, but those signals are likely to be lost in the noise of routine peacetime events, the fog of peace, and the fact that officials who are sensitive to the signal of an attack are likely to be accused of seeking to generate a crisis with China and dismissed. Chinas DF-41 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles are seen during a military parade at Tiananmen Square in Beijing on Oct. 1, 2019. (Greg Baker/AFP via Getty Images) In addition, the United States must assume that the Chinese regime is apt to strike in a pre-crisis situation, surprising the United States before Washington even comprehends that it is in a crisis. This poses profound complications for the United States, as it requires sensitivity to a pre-crisis attack by the Chinese regime. In turn, this raises the risk that the United States might be accused of worsening tensions with China, allowing Beijing to blame Washington for what it would do irrespective of the United States actions. The United States might also be accused of worsening crisis instability. As a consequence, it will be very difficult for the United States to take action to deter a Chinese move against its interests in a pre-crisis situation. In the confrontation with the Chinese regime, the United States must be aware that each of these problems means that the mistakes made by Joseph Stalin, Golda Meir, or Franklin D. Roosevelt are not just simply interesting history, but remain immediately relevant today. Their faults serve as warnings that are compounded by the additional realizations that the fog of peace can turn to war, mirror imaging replaces sound strategic analysis with flattery, and that the United States or its allies may be in a crisis with the Chinese regime without knowing so due to the perverse dynamics of that political system. The United States must perceive the world as the Chinese regime does to minimize the dangers of a surprise attack. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A logo of German carmaker Volkswagen is seen on a car parked on a street in Paris, France, on July 9, 2020. (Christian Hartmann/Reuters) This OTC Automaker Stock Riding EV Momentum Has Better 1-year Returns Than Apple, Nio, and GM German automaker Volkswagen Groups (VWAGY) over-the-counter stock has fetched far more handsome returns over the past year than U.S. tech giant Apple Inc. and Shanghai, China-based electric automaker Nio Inc. Just as rival legacy automakers, Volkswagen is dedicating billions of dollars and setting a tighter deadline to switch to a fully electric vehicle portfolio. Volkswagen in November last year said it would spend $86 billion by 2025 towards electrification under a new plan. The German automaker in March this year said it expects more than 70 percent of its European sales to be electric vehicles by 2030, up from an earlier target of 35 percent. In the United States and China, Volkswagen expects half of its sales to be electric vehicles by the end of the decade. That plan would see Volkswagen launch 70 electric vehicles by the end of the decade. The automaker also plans to build six battery factories. The companys CEO Herbert Diess in March set an ambitious target to sell more electric vehicles than the current market leader and disruptor Tesla Inc by 2025. Volkswagen began sales of the ID. family of electric vehicles last year with the ID.3 compact electric. Volkswagen is slowly rolling out the full ID. family globally. The company has launched the ID.3 and ID.4 and plans to launch ID.5, its first electric SUV coupe, soon in China. The ID.4 competes with Teslas Model Y and Ford Motor Co.s Mustang Mach-Es. In the country, where it is the No.1 automaker by sales, Volkswagen plans to sell up to 100,000 ID. family of electric vehicles this year. Return Over 1-Year VWAGY shares are up 70.64 percent so far this year as of Fridays close. The stock is up from $17.09 a share in November last year to $34.64, a return of 102.69 percent. In comparison, shares of Applewhich is also expected to be competing in the auto space in the coming yearshave risen 16.9 percent so far this year. The stock is up from $118.69 a share a year ago to $151.28, a return of 27.46 percent. GM shares are up 44.6 percent so far this year. The stock is up from $37.47 a share a year ago to $58.52, a return of about 56.2 percent. Nio shares are down 20.9 percent so far this year and have risen 1.6 percent over one year. Legacy rival Ford has beat Volkswagens stock performance both year-to-date and on a 1-year basis. Ford stock has risen 126.4 percent so far this year and about 147.6 percent over 1 year. By Rachit Vats 2021 The Epoch Times. The Epoch Times does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Protesters attend a Freedom and Rights Coalition demonstration to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions and mandatory vaccination outside the Parliament House building on Nov. 9, 2021, in Wellington, New Zealand. (Neil Sands/AFP via Getty Images) Thousands March in NZs Capital Against Vaccine Mandates, Lockdowns Thousands of New Zealanders have mobilised in a peaceful demonstration in the capital city Wellington, to voice their opposition to government-mandated health restrictions and vaccine mandates. Authorities have responded with extra security around the Beehive, New Zealands (NZ) Parliament, on Nov. 9. Protestors of the Freedom and Rights Coalition gathered against a range of COVID-19-related compliance and health restrictions, holding placards, which read Freedom, Kiwis are not Lab Rats, and We are voices for Freedom. Protestors were also seen waving Trump 2020 flags. They marched through central Wellington, along with a motorcycle contingent, before congregating outside the nations Parliament. Bike riders gather for a Freedom and Rights Coalition demonstration to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions and mandatory vaccination outside the Parliament House building on Nov. 0, 2021, in Wellington, New Zealand. (Neil Sands/AFP via Getty Images) Protestors attend a Freedom and Rights Coalition demonstration to demand an end to COVID-19 restrictions and mandatory vaccination outside the Parliament House building on Nov. 0, 2021, in Wellington, New Zealand. (Neil Sands/AFP via Getty Images) On Oct. 22, NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern had unveiled an ambitious 90 percent vaccination target for the countrys population before freedoms could be reallocated to the population. However, once the threshold is met, the freedoms will be available only to those fully vaccinated. The move signalled a shift to the Ardern governments approach to handling the pandemic, which has placed the country under lockdown while it grapples with an outbreak of the Delta variant of COVID-19. Delta, however, has compelled authorities (like those in neighbouring Australia) to shift from an elimination strategyusing blanket lockdowns and tough restrictionsto living with the virus with higher vaccination rates. Ardern conceded however that offering freedoms only to vaccinated individuals would create a two-tier society. So, youve basically said, this is gonna be like and you probably dont see it like this, as two different classes of people, if youre vaccinated or if youre unvaccinated, a reporter asked Ardern in mid-October. You have all these rights if you are vaccinated? Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the Post Cabinet COVID-19 lockdown update of a shift to level 3 on Wednesday in Wellington, New Zealand, on Aug. 27, 2021. (Robert Kitchin/Pool/Getty Images) That is what it is, Ardern said in response. So, yep. Yep. The prime minister also issued vaccine mandates on teachers, health workers, and aged care workers. Meanwhile, protestors in Wellington continued calls for their rights to be respected. I will not be coerced, and I will not be forced into taking something I dont want in my body, a protester outside the Parliament told Reuters. Im asking (the government) to give us back 2018. Simple as that. I want my freedoms back. Another protestor told the Sydney Morning Herald that she did not think the government could make decisions on what goes into their bodies. Inside Parliament, Ardern responded to the protest saying, What we saw today was not representative of the vast bulk of New Zealanders. The protest in NZ comes as thousands of Australians also took to the streets on the weekend in Melbourne, Sydneys Parramatta, and along the Queensland-New South Wales (NSW) state border to protest the vaccine mandates. Police observe Australians protesting against government-mandated health restrictions, increasing powers, and the Pandemic Bill in Melbourne, Australia, on Nov. 6, 2021. (Supplied) Protesters rallying against mandatory vaccinations gather along the Parramatta River in Sydney, Australia as part of the #ReclaimTheLine protests across the country on Oct. 1, 2021. (Brook Mitchell/Getty Images) Protesters rally against COVID-19-related restrictions and vaccine mandates in Wellington, New Zealand, on Nov. 9, 2021. (Praveen Menon/Reuters) Thousands in New Zealand Gather Near Parliament to Protest CCP Virus Restrictions A crowd of demonstrators gathered near New Zealands Parliament in Wellington on Nov. 9 to demonstrate against compulsory COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other government-imposed restrictions. An estimated 3,000 protesters marched through central Wellington in a largely peaceful protest that resulted in no arrests, local authorities said, according to Stuff, one of New Zealands largest news agencies. Some among the large crowd of demonstrators were riding motorcycles, leading the march through the citys streets and blocking some roads. At the parliament building, known as the Beehive, all but two entrances were closed as a security measure as demonstrators congregated outside the facility. Many people were seen holding signs and placards with messages such as Freedom and Kiwis are not lab rats and shouting slogans as they demanded the government roll back compulsory vaccination and lift ongoing restrictions. I will not be coerced and I will not be forced into taking something I dont want in my body, said a protester who wasnt identified. Treat us like people! another protester said when asked about his opinion on the governments stance on requiring COVID-19 vaccines. Im here for freedom. The government, what theyre doing, is anti-freedom. Protesters rally against COVID-19-related restrictions and vaccine mandates in Wellington, New Zealand, on Nov. 9, 2021. (Praveen Menon/Reuters) Protesters rally against COVID-19-related restrictions and vaccine mandates in Wellington, New Zealand, on Nov. 9, 2021. (Praveen Menon/Reuters) Many of the people who joined the Nov. 9 demonstration said they arent against vaccines in general, but reject mandates imposed by the government. Other people said they fear losing their jobs if they wont get vaccinated. In October, authorities announced a sweeping no jab, no job policy that requires teachers and people working in the countrys health departments to get a COVID-19 vaccine in order to keep working in the sectors. Protests against CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus-related restrictions have ramped up recently across New Zealand. The island nation has implemented one of the worlds most strict COVID-19 policies. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has previously said the government is seeking a 90 percent vaccination target of the eligible population before freedoms can be reallocated and lockdowns lifted, although the renewed freedoms will mostly only be available to those fully vaccinated. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern addresses a post-Cabinet press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on Oct. 4, 2021. (Mark Mitchell/Pool Photo via AP) Ardern has been faced with increased criticism of her pandemic response and for enforcing nationwide snap lockdowns in mid-August in response to the nations first case of the Delta variant of the CCP virus in Auckland, the countrys largest city that has been in lockdown for nearly three months. Ardern said on Nov. 9 the lockdown in Auckland is likely to end later this month. She also plans to travel to the city on Nov. 10, when she is expected to face more protests. What we saw today was not representative of the vast bulk of New Zealanders, Ardern told reporters inside Parliament, referring to the demonstrations outside the building. New Zealand has among the lowest CCP virus cases in the world with under 8,000 cases reported so far and 32 deaths. It reported 125 new cases on Nov. 9 and its total double-dose vaccination rate had reached nearly 80 percent of its eligible population. Reuters contributed to this report. From NTD News City workers and first responders of Los Angeles gather in front of Los Angeles City Hall in protest of the city's required vaccine mandates on Nov. 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Thousands Protest Against LA City Worker Vaccine Mandate Thousands gathered in front of the Los Angeles City Hall Nov. 8, protesting the citys upcoming December deadline for terminating all city employees and contractors unvaccinated against COVID-19. The city council voted in August to require its employees to be fully vaccinated by Dec. 18. Shortly after the approval, Mayor Eric Garcetti warned that those who refuse vaccination should be prepared to lose their job. Many protestors were wearing clothes representing their agencies and departments of employment, including the police, fire, water and power departments, LA Metro, school districts, etc. This mandate will divide the residents, business owners, and visitors of this city and cause irreparable harm to the economy and vitality of Los Angeles, according to a statement by Firefighters for Freedom, the organizer of the protest. City workers and first responders of Los Angeles gather in front of Los Angeles City Hall in protest of the citys required vaccine mandates on Nov. 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Pastor Rob McCoy, a former mayor of Thousand Oaks, was one of the event speakers. He referred to the COVID-19 vaccine as experimental injection. Weve lost more children by myocarditis and pericarditis as a result of this experimental injection. [First responders] standing in defense of the children; theyre standing in defense in their communities, said McCoy. Another speaker, Chris Rake, an anesthesiologist at the University of CaliforniaLos Angeles Medical Center, said he is currently on administrative leave due to being unvaccinated. He criticized Dr. Anthony Fauci and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for creating confusion for the public and accused the vaccine mandate of violating civil rights. Its wrong to violate somebodys body against their will, Rake said. Medical ethics autonomy is one of the four pillars of medical ethics. As a physician, I was taught in medical school, I cannot force upon you, my patient. City workers and first responders of Los Angeles gather in front of Los Angeles City Hall in protest of the citys required vaccine mandates on Nov. 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) John Knox, of Firefighters for Freedom works as a firefighter and paramedic in the LA Fire Department, said approximately 20 to 50 percent of employees in the fire department will lose their job, which will exacerbate the ongoing staffing shortage. We will not be silent. They are not going to use intimidation, coercion, threats of our jobs to get us to be quiet, he said. City workers and first responders of Los Angeles gather in front of Los Angeles City Hall in protest of the citys required vaccine mandates on Nov. 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Freddy Escobar, the president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles, echoed Knoxs points, warning that the yearlong staffing shortage might worsen as hundreds of firefighters could quit their job over the mandate. He said he hoped that the city council would offer an alternative, such as daily testing, for city employees to waive the vaccination requirement. All were asking for is to come back to the table and find a compromise, Escobar said. To have termination on the table is just simply not right, said Escobar. City workers and first responders of Los Angeles gather in front of Los Angeles City Hall in protest of the citys required vaccine mandates on Nov. 8, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) In October, some 871 LA firefighters have filed a notice of intent to sue the city over the mandate, citing it causes emotional distress, violates constitutional privacy rights, and undermines the Protection of Human Subjections in Medical Experimentation Act. Top House Democrat Says Biden Not Getting the Job Done on Messaging The House representative in charge of the Democrats reelection committee said he believes recent losses incurred by his party are due to messagingnamely from President Joe Biden. Last week, historically blue state Virginia elected its first Republican governor in more than a decade after GOP candidate Glenn Youngkin defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a longtime Democrat with deep ties to former President Bill Clinton, despite Biden having won the state by about 10 percentage points last November. Other than Youngkins upset win, Republicans were able to make inroads in suburban areas in New Jersey and Long Island, New York. The results in Virginia and elsewhere ought to be a wake-up call that were not getting the job done on messaging. It starts with the president, Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), the head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told The New York Times. For Democrats, he argued, the No. 1 thing is to grow the economy and end the pandemic. But close behind that is telling people what youve done. I think its a fair criticism to say we havent done enough of that, and I think the White House needs to do more. I dont think the president has been served well in this regard. It needs to happen right away, Maloney remarked. Some analysts said that after Youngkins win, it was in part due to a failed Democrat strategy to tie Youngkin to former President Donald Trump. But Maloney implied Democrats will still try to connect candidates to Trump in competitive seats. The competitive congressional districts are in largely suburban swing areas, and in those areas, Glenn Youngkin underperformed Mitt Romney. I think its more complicated than people are saying, he said. Democrats believe Trump to be a tremendous liability with suburban swing voters, Maloney said before suggesting that Democrats will continue to push a narrative that Trump and Republicans were responsible for the Jan. 6 Capitol breach. It comes as longtime Democratic strategist James Carville, a former Clinton adviser, blamed his partys Nov. 2 losses on stupid wokeness during an interview with PBS before calling on Democrats and the Biden administration to pull back from the leftist rhetoric. What went wrong is just stupid wokeness. Dont just look at Virginia and New Jersey, he said. Look at Long Island, look at Buffalo, look at Minneapolis, even look at Seattle, Wash. I mean, this defund the police lunacy, this take Abraham Lincolns name off of schools. I mean thatpeople see that, he continued, referring to Republican wins in those areas. But Maloney told the NY Times he believes Carville is making a false choice between fighting for racial justice and public safety, saying that we can do both, without elaborating how. A snowplow clears snow on Lexington Avenue during the snowstorm in New York in a January 2016 file photo. (Francois Xavier Marit/AFP/Getty Images) Towns Around Massachusetts Paying Snowplow Drivers up to $310 an Hour Amid Labor Shortage Towns around Massachusetts are offering up to $310 an hour for drivers with a commercial license amid a labor shortage. According to a request for response from interested vendors 20212022 legal notice, Watertown is paying up to $200 for plow drivers with a commercial license, and the rates increase to $310 for those with specialized equipment, specifically a rubber-tired loader with 10-foot PLOW CAT 980 or equal. Worcester and Lowell are also paying up to $155 an hour, while Sandwich is offering up to $135. Meanwhile, Chelmsford town is paying up to $110, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is also looking for drivers, although it is offering a lower rate of $31.25 per hour using their plow trucks, NBC10 Boston reported. Jim Stanford, North Andovers director of public works, told the Boston Globe this years hiring challenges are the worst hes seen in his 30 years in the role. While they have the equipment, theyre struggling to get drivers to fill the need, Stanford said. So they cant commit to the town, because theyre not getting commitments. Stanford said the situation has been further exasperated by rising gas prices and insurance requirements along with the fact that most cities and towns hire snowplow drivers through landscapers or other general contractors as opposed to hiring them individually. Its going to take us too long to get all the routes, so well have to let the superintendents know that were not ready for them to open, Stanford said. Thats really where the biggest fear comes from, from our perspective. The rise in wages come shortly after the Bureau of Labor Statistics latest jobs report revealed hiring difficulties may be on the horizon for U.S. firms amid a weak labor supply. The bureaus October jobs report, released Nov. 5, showed that employers added more than a half-million jobs in October, beating market expectations and painting a more positive picture of labor market recovery compared to the previous month. However, the labor force participation ratea measure of how many people work or are actively looking for jobswas unchanged at 61.6 percent in October and has remained within a narrow range of 61.4 percent to 61.7 percent since June 2020. The participation rate is 1.7 percent lower than in February 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the reason for the lagging labor force participation rate isnt immediately clear, economists have cited growing fears among employees returning to the office amid the recent wave of the Delta variant of COVID-19, government assistance programs and policies, and the stress of the pandemic prompting a spike in retirements and resignations as factors contributing to the rate. Meanwhile, multiple companies across the United States are continuing to implement attractive bonuses and competitive compensation in an effort to pull in new workers after the pandemic. Starbucks, Costco, Walmart, Target, CVS Health, and Walgreens Boots Alliance are just a handful of companies that have all said they are boosting starting wages to $15 an hour, in line with President Joe Bidens push to raise the minimum wage to the same amount and in an effort to recruit more workers amid a nationwide labor shortage. The ADP Research Institute Workforce Vitality Report (WVR) released Oct. 27 showed that third-quarter wages in the United States increased 3.3 percent, in line with growth in the months before the COVID-19 pandemic, while job switchers pay is up 6.6 percent since September 2020. A seal that bears Harvard University's motto, "Veritas," the Latin word for "truth," is seen on Harvard campus in Cambridge, Mass., in Nov. 2012. (File Photo/Jessica Rinaldi/Reuters) UK Professor Forced to Resign by Transgender Activists Joins New US University A British academic who was forced to resign after being harassed by transgender activists has now joined a newly-launched U.S. university dedicated to the fearless pursuit of truth. Kathleen Stock, a philosophy professor at the University of Sussex, announced on Oct. 28 her decision to leave the university after having a horrible time fending off accusations from transgender activists. On Nov. 8, Stock said she had accepted an invitation to join the newly founded University of Austin (UATX), a new institution in Texas set up by a group of intellectuals who have faced hostility for expressing their ideas. Delighted to be invited to be a Founding Faculty Fellow of the University of Austin, she wrote on Twitter. I accepted with alacrity. Its an exciting looking project, focused on free inquiry. She later clarified that it is not a full-time role and she is not moving to Texas. Instead, she said she will be just getting involved in various ways from a UK base. UATX founding President Pano Kanelos said he set up the new institution to renew the purpose of higher education, as many universities no longer have an incentive to create an environment where intellectual dissent is protected and fashionable opinions are scrutinized. Referring to incidents like Stocks resignation, he wrote: We had thought such censoriousness was possible only under oppressive regimes in distant lands. But it turns out that fear can become endemic in a free society. It can become most acute in the one placethe universitythat is supposed to defend the right to think the unthinkable, discuss the unmentionable, and challenge the unchallengeable. In a call to action, Kanelos encouraged those who share the feeling that something fundamental is broken in higher education to join the effort. We welcome all who share our mission to pursue a truly liberating educationand hope that other founders follow our example, he said. The new venture has already attracted journalists, scholars, business leaders, and public intellectuals including Niall Ferguson, Bari Weiss, Heather Heying, Joe Lonsdale, Arthur Brooks, Peter Boghossian, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. According to the launch website, the institution does not yet offer degrees and it is in the process of securing land in the Austin area for a campus. Stock has been at odds with some transgender activists since 2018 when she said trans women shouldnt be in spaces such as female-only dressing rooms in a completely unrestricted way because many of them are still males with male genitalia and are sexually attracted to females. Last month, an anonymous group of activists launched a campaign, demanding the university fire Stock. In a BBC interview after her resignation, Stock described the impact of the targeted campaign as some sort of surreal, terrible anxiety dream. Lily Zhou and GQ Pan contributed to this report. Understanding the Constitution: The 14th Amendment: Part I Commentary Past installments in the Understanding the Constitution series have focused mostly on the original, un-amended document. This two-part essay is a primer on the longest amendment ever adoptedthe 14th. Some say its the most important amendment, because it empowered the federal government to protect people from state government abuse. Even before the Civil War was over, Congress proposed the 13th Amendment, abolishing slavery. By the end of 1865, the requisite three-fourths of the states had ratified it. However, the Republicans then controlling Congress favored an additional amendment to protect former slaves from maltreatment in the Southern states and to prevent a later Democratic Congress from repudiating Union war debts or paying Confederate debts. More critically, Republicans needed an amendment to validate their Civil Rights Act, passed over President Andrew Johnsons veto on April 9, 1866, but then of dubious constitutionality. On June 13, 1866, Congress formally proposed the 14th Amendment. Two years later, it was declared ratified by the states. The 14th Amendment proved controversial. For one thing, the Congress that proposed it excluded Southern representatives even though the congressional majority contended that, as a matter of law, the Southern states had never actually seceded. When some Northern state legislatures refused to ratify the 14th Amendment, Congress forced Southern states to ratify as the price of re-entering Congress. Contributing to the controversy was attempted rescission of prior ratifications by Ohio and Oregon. Those disputes have been settled by history, largely because every state then in the Union eventually ratified the amendment. But other sources of contention continuelargely because of the measures poor draftsmanship. I have spent decades immersed in the record of Americas Founding Era, including the great constitutional debates of 17871790. The high level of public discourse during that era is inspiring. But if you read the 14th Amendment debates, you quickly learn that the participants were not in the same league as the American Founders. Some of the measures key proponents lacked basic constitutional knowledge. No one on either side seems to have understood entirely what all its phrases meant. Different participantsincluding those on the same sidesometimes understood the same language in different ways. And while some of the amendments clauses, such as due process of law, had been defined by history, others, such as equal protection, were largely new. Neither the debates nor the amendments text fully explained them. For these reasons, judges and scholars continue to disagree about the meaning of some of the 14th Amendments phrases. This installment and next weeks installment examine the amendments text, clause by clause. After reproducing each provision, Ill provide my best inference as to its meaningwith the proviso that other scholars may disagree. Section 1 consists of four distinct clauses. It begins with the Citizenship Clause: Section 1: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Comments: Everyone agrees that the Citizenship Clause was designed to reverse the Supreme Courts decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), which had heldin the teeth of contrary evidencethat no African-American could ever be a citizen of the United States. On the other hand, were not sure of the full definition of subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. We know this phrase excludes from citizenship the children of foreign diplomats born in this country, because a diplomat in a foreign land remains subject to the jurisdiction of his own country. We also know the children of American Indians owing allegiance only to their tribes were not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, even if born in U.S. territories. But controversy remains over whether the child of a non-citizen illegally in this country is born subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. The issue is complicated and technical, and I summarized it several years ago in an article titled An Objective Guide to Birthright Citizenship. Section 1 (cont.): No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; Comments: This is the Privileges or Immunities Clause. Dont confuse it with the Privileges and Immunities Clause in the original Constitution (Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1), which reads, The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The meaning of the Privileges or Immunities Clause is the subject of continuing contention. Many writers believe that privileges or immunities refer to the Bill of Rights. They argue that this clause imposed the limits in the Bill of Rightspreviously applicable only to the federal governmenton the states. Other commentators argue that the Privileges or Immunities Clause also requires states to respect certain rights not listed in the Constitution, such as the right to abortion. There are some serious problems with both these views. One is that if the drafters meant to impose the Bill of Rights or other restrictions on the states, they easily could have mentioned themas they did, in fact, mention restrictions such as due process (discussed below). But instead, they chose the words privileges and immunities. In traditional law and in the original Constitution those words designate entitlements created by government, such as trial by jury, the writ of habeas corpus, the right of protection, and government benefit programs (pdf). They are not natural rights of the kind listed in the first half of the Bill of Rights, such as freedom of speech or freedom of religion. And they certainly dont include abortion, which was widely banned when the 14th Amendment was adopted (pdf). Moreover, quotations purporting to show that privileges or immunities referred to natural rights are generally taken out of context. In context, they are merely arguments for equal treatmentnot that a state must recognize certain rights but that if it recognizes a right for white folks it should recognize it for black folks as well. To be sure, two congressional sponsors thought the amendment would apply the Bill of Rights to the states, and a handful of Northern commentators agreed. But when interpreting a constitutional amendment, the legally decisive records are the proceedings of the ratifying state legislaturesnot what congressional sponsors or commentators said. And those proceedings reveal little, if any, evidence that privileges or immunities referred either to the entire Bill of Rights or to unenumerated rights. A more common view among the ratifiers was that Section 1 simply assured equal state treatment of white and black. There are further reasons for concluding privileges and immunities in the 14th Amendment mean the same thing they mean in the original Constitutionthat is, government-created entitlements. First, theres a legal rule that when the same words appear more than once in the same document, they are presumed to have the same meaning. Second, a central purpose of the amendment was to validate existing and planned federal civil rights laws, which technically bestowed privileges rather than natural rights. Third, only four years after the amendment was ratified, the Supreme Court essentially ruled that privileges or immunities were limited to federal entitlements. As the late Justice Antonin Scalia remarked, the justices who decided that case had lived through the 14th Amendments ratification. So they would have known. Section 1 (cont.): nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; Comments: This Due Process Clause parallels the Due Process Clause in the Fifth Amendment. The Fifth Amendment clause applies to the federal government, and its 14th Amendment counterpart applies to the states. We inherited the phrase due process of law from English jurisprudence. When the Constitution was adopted, the phrase was already centuries old. Its historical meaning is that when government proceeds against you, civilly or criminally, it must follow existing procedures and cant make up the rules as it goes along. Some writers suggest 19th century court decisions expanded the definition of due process, so that the 14th Amendment Due Process Clause is broader than its Fifth Amendment counterpart. However, Ive examined those cases and found that they really didnt change the traditional definition. Once again, we should apply the rule that a phrase appearing twice in the same document means the same thing. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has abused both Due Process Clauses. It has invented new rights (such as abortion) and then ruled that states impairing them are interfering with liberty. The court also pretends that the 14th Amendment version includes most of the Bill of Rightseven though the Bill of Rights mentions due process as only one right among many. Properly understood, though, the guarantee of due process means only that if government proceeds against you, it has to follow pre-existing procedures. Next week: The Equal Protection Clause and the remainder of the 14th Amendment. Robert G. Natelson is a retired constitutional law professor, senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at Colorados Independence Institute, and the author of The Original Constitution: What It Actually Said and Meant (3rd ed., 2015). Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. This studio photographic illustration shows a smartphone with the website of Israel's NSO Group which features Pegasus spyware, on display in Paris on July 21, 2021. (Joel Saget/AFP via Getty Images) US Sours on Israeli Spyware Vendor NSO Group Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group was handed a major loss on Nov. 8, just days after being placed on a U.S. sanctions list, when a federal appeals court denied the companys sovereign immunity claimspaving the way for the firm to face legal liability in the United States. NSO Group faces legal and regulatory actions in numerous jurisdictions over whats been dubbed the Pegasus scandalwhere the company allegedly allowed authoritarian governments to use its Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights activists, and dissidents. Developed by former members of the elite Israeli Unit 8200comparable to the U.S. National Security Agencythe Pegasus software allegedly infects iPhones and Androids, enabling operators to extract messages, photos, and emails; record calls; and activate microphones in secret. Facebook initially sued NSO Group in 2019 for allegedly hacking WhatsApp, sending malicious code to about 1,400 of its users for the purpose of surveilling their phones and devices. According to Facebook, the users included attorneys, journalists, human rights activists, and diplomats. NSO moved to have the lawsuit dismissed on sovereign immunity grounds, arguing that its product was used by foreign governments. The case made its way up to the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which denied NSOs motion in a Nov. 8 decisionruling that U.S. sovereign immunity laws apply to foreign state entities, but not to individuals or private companies. An entity must be a sovereign or must have a sufficient relationship to a sovereign to claim sovereign-based immunity, the 9th Circuit said. Without such status or relationship, there is no justification for granting sovereign immunity. The 9th Circuit ruling means Facebook can move its lawsuit against NSO forward to the discovery stage, where potentially more damning information about the Israeli spyware firm may be revealed. NSO has continued to deny any wrongdoing, although the company faced another round of negative publicity over the past week. On Nov. 3, the Department of Commerce added NSO to its list of entities engaged in activities contrary to U.S. national security interests, citing many of the same allegations contained in media reports about the Pegasus scandal. [NSO Group] has enabled foreign governments to conduct transnational repression, which is the practice of authoritarian governments targeting dissidents, journalists and activists outside of their sovereign borders to silence dissent, the department said in a statement. Such practices threaten the rules-based international order. An NSO spokesperson said the company is dismayed by the decision, since its technologies support U.S. national security interests and policies by preventing terrorism and crime, and thus we will advocate for this decision to be reversed. NSO will present information regarding its rigorous compliance and human rights programs, which already resulted in multiple terminations of contacts with government agencies that misused our products, the spokesperson said. Observers dont think the latest U.S. actions are necessarily a death knell for NSO, which also faces investigations in Israel, France, Hungary, and elsewhere. While damaging to its reputation, the U.S. sanctions dont preclude NSO Group from doing business in the United Statesrather, they require U.S. companies to receive approval before selling products or services to NSO. However, the sanctions coupled with the litigation coming down the pipeline likely spell the end of NSOs hope to go public, according to Yale Law School professor Scott Shapiro. NSO was hoping to go public at a valuation of about $2 billion, and I would think this would be a big red flag for investors and kind of messes up the ability of the founders to exit, Shapiro said on the Nov. 8 Cyberlaw Podcast. Citing two unnamed senior Israeli officials, The New York Times reported on Nov. 8 that Israels government will lobby the Biden administration to remove NSO from its sanctions list. The campaign to remove the sanctions against NSO and a second company, Candiru, will seek to persuade the Biden administration that their activities remain of great importance to the national security of both countries, the officials said, the NY Times reported. They also said that Israel would be willing to commit to much tighter supervision on licensing the software. President Joe Biden looks on as he delivers remarks on the October jobs report at the White House in Washington, on Nov. 5, 2021. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) US Extends Ban on Investments in Firms Tied to Chinese Military The United States will continue a Trump-era order barring American investors from financing Chinese military-linked companies, President Joe Biden announced on Nov. 9. The PRC [Peoples Republic of China] is increasingly exploiting United States capital to resource and to enable the development and modernization of its military, intelligence, and other security apparatuses, which continues to allow the PRC to directly threaten the United States homeland and United States forces overseas, Biden wrote in a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday. The executive order that the then-President Donald Trump issued last December blocked investors, including U.S. investment firms and pension funds, from buying shares of Chinese entities that the Department of Defense deemed to be owned or controlled by the Chinese military. Biden in June expanded on the scope of the restrictions, tasking instead the Treasury Department to select targeted entities and update on a rolling basis a blacklist that currently covers 59 Chinese firms. Those under the trade ban include telecom network suppliers Huawei and ZTE, and state-owned video surveillance manufacturer Hikvision. All three firms have been under scrutiny for their roles in contributing to Beijings expansive surveillance apparatus targeting ethnic minorities in Xinjiang, as well as their ties to the Chinese military. The blacklist also includes Chinas leading semiconductor maker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) and national oil company CNOOC. Under the national strategy known as civil-military fusion, Beijing has been leveraging private sector technological innovations to advance its defence capabilities. Chips by Tsinghua Unigroup are seen at the 2020 World Semiconductor Conference in Nanjing in Chinas eastern Jiangsu Province on Aug. 26, 2020. (STR/AFP via Getty Images) Following recent reports of Chinas test of a hypersonic weapon, 17 Republican lawmakers wrote to the Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo over concerns that the regime may have co-opted U.S.-developed technologies to create the weapons system. Chinas policy of military-civil fusion is leading to the inclusions of new technologies for their military, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), a signatory to the letter, told The Epoch Times at the time. Innovation related to heat resistance, precision navigation, and artificial intelligence as some of the critical Western technologies in danger of falling into the regimes hands, Waltz said. Biden said Chinas military-industrial complex and the use of Chinese surveillance technology to facilitate repression continue to constitute unusual and extraordinary threats to Americas national security, foreign policy, and economy. Bidens new list in June added about 10 publicly listed companies, but removed some other top names including Commercial Aircraft Corp of China (COMAC), which is spearheading efforts to compete with Boeing Co and Airbus, and two that challenged the ban in courtGowin Semiconductor Corp and Luokung Technology Corp. Reuters contributed to this report. A traveler arrives at the international terminal of O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois on Nov. 8, 2021. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) US Reopens to Vaccinated International Travelers After Nearly 20 Months of Closed Borders After nearly 20 months of closed borders, the United States on Monday reopened to international travel, welcoming vaccinated Europeans and others who had been unable to enter the country due to COVID-19 restrictions. American citizens and permanent residents were always allowed to enter the United States, but the COVID-19 travel restrictions grounded tourists, thwarted business travelers, and kept families apart for nearly two years. Under new rules, travelers must have proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test. The travel ban, first implemented by former President Donald Trump, and later kept in place and expanded by President Joe Biden, blocked travelers from 33 countries, including much of Europe, the United Kingdom, and China. I think a lot of people have been waiting for this day, said Eileen Bigelow, area port director for Vermont for Customs and Border Protection. They look at it as a light at the end of the tunnel for some return of normalcy. One of those able to enter the United States for the first time since the borders closed was Octavio Alvarez, 43. Its a big feeling, said Alvarez, who lives in Ensenada, Mexico, a two-hour drive from San Diego where he has relatives. Prior to the pandemic, his family would visit California twice a month. The emotional cost of the border restrictions was very high, he added. Airlines are preparing for a surge in activityespecially from Europeafter the pandemic and resulting restrictions caused international travel to plunge. The 28 European countries that were barred made up 37 percent of overseas visitors in 2019, according to the U.S. Travel Association. As the reopening takes effect, carriers are increasing flights between the United Kingdom and the United States by 21 percent this month over last month, according to data from travel and analytics firm Cirium. The United States is accepting international travelers who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, with any of the vaccines approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization (WHO), not just those in use in the United States. That means that under current rules, millions of people around the world who were vaccinated with Russias Sputnik V, Chinas CanSino, or other shots which have yet to be approved by the WHO, will be unable to enter the country. The latest travel rules outline narrow medical exceptions, exemptions for children under 18, and those from countries with less than a 10 percent total COVID-19 vaccination rate due to lack of availability of vaccines. Even in the low-vaccine-availability countries, people will also need to have a compelling reason to come here, a senior administration official said last month. So, its just not theyre coming here for any reason; they need to have a specific, compelling reason. So, tourist visas will not qualify for that. According to the White House, there are about 50 countries with a current vaccination rate of less than 10 percent. Nick Ciolino and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Zhang Zhan stands near scaffoldings outside a shop during a visit to Wuhan in Hubei province, China, on April 11, 2020. (Courtesy of Melanie Wang via AP) Washington Deeply Concerned About Health of Jailed Chinese Citizen Journalist Who Covered Wuhan Outbreak The U.S. State Department said on Nov. 8 it is deeply concerned about the deteriorating health of citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who has been on a prolonged hunger strike and has been force-fed while imprisoned for reporting on the early days of the pandemic in China. According to multiple reports citing her relatives comments, Ms. Zhang is near death, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters during a briefing. He said: We have repeatedly expressed our serious concerns about the arbitrary nature of her detention and her mistreatment during it. We reiterate our call to the PRC for her immediate and unconditional release, and for Beijing to respect the free press and the right of people to express themselves freely. Chinas judicial organs sentenced 37-year-old Zhang to a four-year jail term in December 2020 for reporting on the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus outbreak in Wuhan, China. With heavy government censorship in China, the general public often rely on citizen journalists to keep them informed about eventsespecially during sensitive incidents that often go underreported or only communicate the official party line. Zhang, a citizen journalist and Shanghai native, traveled to the Chinese city of Wuhan, the early epicenter of the outbreak, in February 2020 to inform others about first-hand sources she had heard or seen. The front-line worker at one point captured on video incinerators operating late into the night at a local funeral parlor, as well as the overburdened health system, which non-state-run or western media would find difficult to access. Zhang shared less-known yet wide-circulating clips on WeChat, Twitter, and YouTube, before she lost contact with the outside on May 14, 2020. While she was not the only citizen journalist to sound the alarm about the severity of the Wuhan outbreak, Zhang is the first to face an open trial. She was arrested in Shanghai in June 2020 for picking quarrels and provoking trouble, a charge commonly used by the CCP against political dissidents. The 6-feet-tall female now weighs less than 90 pounds due to a prolonged hunger strike while in prison, her Shanghai-based brother Zhang Ju said in a recent post. Officials once force-fed Zhang with a feeding tube through her nose during detention. The process was painful, Zhang told her lawyer. Zhang was hospitalized on July 31, but refused to end her protest until the court clears her name, she told her mother. I dont think she can last a long time, Zhang Ju wrote on Oct. 30. I wish the world would remember what she looks like if she fails to survive this coming cold winter. A policeman stands guard near a poster of Chinese citizen journalist Zhang Zhan put up by democracy activists outside Chinas liaison office in Hong Kong on Dec. 28, 2020. (Peter Parks/AFP via Getty Images) International rights group Amnesty International called on China to release Zhang for medical treatment following the brothers post. Zhang Zhan, who should never have been jailed in the first place, now appears to be at grave risk of dying in prison, said Gwen Lee, a China campaigner at the organization. The Chinese authorities must release her immediately so that she can end her hunger strike and receive the appropriate medical treatment she desperately needs, she said in a statement on Nov. 4. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman denied the human rights accusation on Nov. 6, calling it anti-China political manipulation. Concerned about the media environment in China, last week, Price also urged China to grant media freedom at the 2022 Winter Olympics, which will start in three months in Beijing. 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 Leader to Reconnect With Korea, Japan, China Once Border Restrictions Dropped West Australian leader Mark McGowan has earmarked a reconnection tour of trading partners Korea, Japan, and China after the states international borders are eased next year. The pledge comes amid ongoing tensions in bilateral Australia-China ties and as Western Australia (WA) prepares to keep its tough border restrictions in place over the Christmas period. On the weekend, McGowan told the West Australian newspaper that he would jet off to the three countries to bolster trade links. Currently, China is the states largest trade partner by far, accounting for 54.7 percent of WAs exportsparticularly mineral exportsoutstripping the second-largest trading partner Japan, which received 8.4 percent of exports. Premier McGowan has also been vocal in promoting the states relationship with Beijing. In October, McGowan attended an event commemorating the 72nd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), where he touted the states strong economic performancedriven by China tradeduring the lockdown. Where would the country have been, but for our strong economic performance here in Western Australia? he said, according to the ABC. And I think that perhaps that needs to be better appreciated in the eastern states of Australia. Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, when questioned on whether McGowan was now the Australian foreign minister, said he hoped residents of Western Australia could also travel. We would like to see them open their borders sooner than later, and I dont see why Western Australia should be any different to the other states and open their borders at the 80 percent vaccination rates, he told 2GB radio on Nov. 8. Currently, WA and Tasmania have set the high vaccination benchmark of 90 percent for their populations before loosening border restrictions for travellers. Meanwhile, Frydenberg played up Australias relationship with China but emphasised the need to continue diversifying trade, especially in light of the CCPs ongoing economic coercion campaign against local exporters. Our exporters have been very resilient, robust. Theyve been able to find new markets. It hasnt, you know, significantly damaged our overall export profile, he said. Since April 2020, the CCP has rolled out a series of measures to disrupt Australian exports, including barley, coal, cotton, hay, logs, meat, rock lobsters, and wine, after Foreign Minister Marise Payne called for an independent investigation into the origins of COVID-19. Despite increasingly tense relations between Beijing and neighbouring countries, Australian state leaders of WA and Victoria have continued pursuing closer ties with China. Recently it was revealed that Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews paid several companies to attend a major trade show in China connected to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). In April, Foreign Minister Payneexercising new powers granted under the Foreign Relations Actordered the termination of two BRI agreements signed between Premier Andrews and Beijings National Development and Reform Commission over concerns around the national interest. Andrews maintained that the BRI was signed to help create jobs in Victoria. The BRI is the CCPs trillion-dollar global infrastructure building fund and arguably the crown jewel of Beijings geopolitical ambitions. However, it has been accused of being a trojan horse, leaving developing countries heavily in debt and potentially being leveraged for military or spying purposes. White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 8, 2021. (Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images) White House Urges Employers to Adhere to Vaccine Mandate Despite Court Block The White House on Monday called on employers to adhere to the Biden administrations COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private businesses, after an appeals court temporarily blocked it on Nov. 6. We think people should not wait, White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters, responding to a question on whether employers should hold off on requiring employees to be vaccinated after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals over the weekend put the mandate on hold as judges decide whether or not to overturn it. A panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit asserted in an order on Saturday that there may be constitutional issues with Bidens private employer COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The court made its ruling in response to a legal challenge against the requirement filed by several states, including Texas, Utah, and Mississippi; and numerous businesses including the American Family Association, among others. We say: do not wait to take actions that will keep your workplace safe, Jean-Pierre said. It is important and critical to do, and waiting to get more people vaccinated will lead to more outbreaks and sickness. Employers should not wait for legal matters to be resolved before adhering to Bidens vaccine requirement, which would be enforced on Jan. 4 unless courts rule otherwise, Jean-Pierre added. They should continue to gomove forward and make sure that theyre getting their workplace vaccinated, she said. The court temporarily froze the presidents vaccine mandate for private businesses, writing that the petitions give cause to believe there are grave statutory and constitutional issues with the Mandate. Petitioners said the mandate, promulgated as an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) by the Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), should be struck down because it exceeds OSHAs authority under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. They said that the authority is limited to workplace-related hazards, while the risk from COVID-19 is a society-wide danger. They also said the mandate doesnt make sense because determining whether COVID-19 is a workplace hazard depends on employees age and health, not how many co-workers they have as outlined in Bidens order. High school teacher Orline Borno protesting against COVID-19 vaccination mandates in Brooklyn, New York City, on Oct. 4, 2021. (Petr Svab/The Epoch Times) The Department of Justice filed a response to the courts decision on Monday. While House officials have suggested they are optimistic that the mandate will be upheld. White House chief of staff Ron Klain, a top confidant to the president, told NBCs Meet the Press, over the weekend that he is quite confident that the validity of the requirement will eventually be upheld. If OSHA can tell people to wear a hard hat on the job, to be careful around chemicals, it can put in place these simple measures to keep our workers safe, he said. In an emailed statement to The Epoch Times over the weekend, Solicitor of Labor Seema Nanda said the agency is confident in its legal authority and claimed that the mandate is meant to deal with a grave danger posed by COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus. We are fully prepared to defend this standard in court, Nanda said. The Epoch Times has contacted the White House for additional comment. Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. World War II veteran James Bradley celebrates his 100th birthday with local officials, fellow veterans, friends, and relatives at his Yorba Linda home in California, on Nov. 5, 2021. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times) World War II Veteran Recalls Battle of Normandy on His 100th Birthday World War II veteran James Bradley celebrated his 100th birthday on Nov. 5 with local officials, fellow veterans, friends, and relatives at his Yorba Linda home in California. He shared with them his cherished memory of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, France. He is one of the few World War II veterans and on behalf of a grateful nation, the community came out today to say thank you and happy birthday, said Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner. We absolutely need to make sure they know that they are not forgotten and that they are very much appreciated. And we thank them for the liberty that we enjoy today. Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner (C) issues a proclamation on James Bradleys (L) 100th birthday, in Yorba Linda, Calif., on Nov. 5, 2021. (Linda Jiang/The Epoch Times) Tara Campbell, Yorba Linda city councilor and the granddaughter of a WWII veteran, issued a proclamation to Bradley. On behalf of the City of Yorba Linda, and as a granddaughter of someone who also served in World War II, it is a great honor for me, as Veterans Day is coming up next week, to thank you for your courageous service to protecting freedom of the United States of America. So thank you for your service, and most importantly, happy birthday on 100 years young, she said. Both James Bradley and his elder brother Vincent served in the Normandy Invasion, also known as D-Day, which took place from June 6, 1944, to July 9, 1944, and paved the way for Allied victory and the defeat of the Nazi Reich. James Bradley when he was young. (Courtesy of James Bradley) I feel honored, mostly honored. It had to be done, I was just one of them who helped do it, Bradley said. Its a great thrill that it ended. Omaha Beach was really a bloody beach, Bradley recalled. He survived the battle, but the Allied troops suffered high casualties. I was in England 13 months before D-Day. I escaped that for some reason, went in on Utah Beach, that west coast north of Omaha Beach. And so the shift out of Southampton and crush the channel, I went in on Utah Beach. Encountering US and French Presidents Bradley was a member of the 926th Signal Battalion attached to the 9th Tactical Air Command, which enabled the U.S. Army with uninterrupted mission command and the ability to rapidly deploy and maneuver across the battlefield. He also oversaw communication and circuitry to Berlin. Through his guidance and leadership, the lines he managed were frequently used by key leaders in the war, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. He shared with The Epoch Times his most memorable moment during WWII. I was in Paris when they had the liberation parade to Paris, and I just walked across the street. All of a sudden, people were gathering on the curb, you know, the sidewalk there, vehicles came past really fast. That was Dwight D. Eisenhower, and then behind him was another vehicle with Charles de Gaulle So [I] always remember, that was quite a thing to experience. In 1994, Bradley participated in the 50th-anniversary celebration of the Normandy landing. In 2017, at the age of 96, he and the grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhower returned to Normandy once again to mourn the soldiers who died in the battle for freedom. Bradley has been honored for his excellent service numerous times and is named an Honorary Citizen of Utah Beach and Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. He is active in numerous conferences for veterans and educates schoolchildren in France on world history. Congresswoman Young Kim, California assemblyman Phillip Chen, along with officials in nearby cities also sent commemorations to Bradleys centennial birthday. Four community health centers in southwestern Connecticut will receive nearly $3 million in American Rescue Plan funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, Congressman Jim Himes announced on Tuesday. Optimus Health Care will receive $1,028,990, Southwest Community Health Center will receive $790,015, Norwalk Community Health Center will receive $632,220 and Family Centers will receive $514,168. The funding for the health centers will be used to improve, expand and modify the facilities. The federal funding weve secured ensures that our community health centers have the infrastructure, technology and equipment they need to provide the highest level of care, Himes said in a statement. Optimus Health Care Interim Chief Executive Officer Karen Daley said in a statement that the grant will be used to expand office space to increase access to behavioral health services. The pandemic has created an even greater need for behavioral health services, especially for the vulnerable populations Optimus serves, Daley said. This grant will allow Optimus to continue to support its mission to provide health care services, including behavioral health services, to all regardless of ones ability to pay. Mollie Melbourne, president and CEO of Southwest Community Health Center, said that the funds will be used to modernize the facilitys care delivery system across the organization. Kenneth Waller, CEO of Norwalk Community Health Center, saidthat the money will be used for a state-of-the-art phone system and new and upgraded medical equipment. Family Centers Chief Health Officer Dennis Torres said in a statement that the funds will allow the facility in invest in equipment, technology and infrastructure updates. The American Rescue Plan Act was a $1.9 trillion bill aimed at tackling COVID-19 and mitigating the economic harm to the American people. The plan also helps fund the administration of vaccinations. NEW YORK (AP) At least 13 former Trump administration officials violated the law by intermingling campaigning with their official government duties, according to a new federal investigation released Tuesday. The report from the Office of Special Counsel says the officials broke the law without consequence and with the administration's approval as part of a willfull disregard for the Hatch Act, which prohibits government officials from using their official roles to influence elections, including supporting candidates while acting in their official capacities. The cumulative effect of these repeated and public violations was to undermine public confidence in the nonpartisan operation of government, they wrote, adding that, such flagrant and unpunished violations erode the principal foundation of our democratic systemthe rule of law. The office investigated officials' comments in the lead-up to the 2020 presidential election, including the Republican National Convention, which was held at the White House in a major break from historical norms. While the Office of Special Counsel concluded that hosting the event at the White House did not itself violate the Hatch Act, it found plenty of other instances where Trump officials did, mostly by promoting the former president's reelection in media interviews in which they appeared in their official capacity. Among the officials cited are former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Jared Kushner, who served as senior adviser to the president, former White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, Kellyanne Conway, then counselor to the president, Stephen Miller, who served as Trump's senior policy adviser, and Robert OBrien, the former national security adviser. Conway had been repeatedly cited by the office, which at one point went so far as to call for her removal. In each case, the subject official was identified by their official title, discussed administration policies and priorities related to their official duties, and/or spoke from the White House grounds, the report reads. The investigation also found that then-Secretary of State Michael Pompeo changed State Department policy to allow himself to speak at Trump's convention and then referenced official work in his speech. And it found then-acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf violated the Hatch Act by presiding over a naturalization ceremony that was orchestrated for convention programming. Both reflect the Trump administrations willingness to manipulate government business for partisan political ends, the report reads, adding that, The administrations willful disregard for the law was especially pernicious considering the timing of when many of these violations took place. The report notes the office repeatedly warned Trump White House officials about their violations, but that the former president who is responsible for enforcing the law for high-ranking officials never bothered to do that. Given the limited power the office has to enforce violations, the report suggested potential changes to the law, including a statutory amendment that would allow it to fine Senate-confirmed presidential appointees and commissioned officers, as well as greater investigative power. They also recommended an amendment to clarify which areas of the White House should be off-limits to political activity. (T)he 2020 election revealed that, at least with respect to an administrations senior most officials, the Hatch Act is only as effective as the White House decides it will be. Where, as happened here, the White House chooses to ignore the Hatch Acts requirements, then the American public is left with no protection against senior administration officials using their official authority for partisan political gain in violation of the law, it reads. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a nonprofit watchdog group, said the report underscored the need for better enforcement. This report confirms that there was nothing less than a systematic co-opting of the powers of the federal government to keep Donald Trump in office," said Noah Bookbinder, president of the group. "Congress must act now so that this never happens again. BUTLER, Pa. (AP) The estranged wife of Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sean Parnell said Monday during a custody hearing that a judge had rejected her request for a restraining order in 2018 based on her allegations that he physically harmed their children, a newspaper reported. In the first episode, Laurie Snell accused Parnell of striking a child hard enough through a T-shirt to leave welts. In the second, an angry Parnell punched a closet door, sending it flying into another childs face, leaving a bruise, she had testified. But on Monday, under cross-examination in Butler County Court, Snell testified that a judge rejected her request for a restraining order based on those two allegations, and that she went on vacation with him and their children almost immediately after he allegedly struck the child, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Later, after the closet door episode, Snell asked Parnell if he wanted to watch the children and told him, I know youre a good dad and its important that the kids see you, according to text messages submitted as evidence, the Inquirer reported. Monday's cross examination was the first opportunity for Parnell and his lawyer to question Snell after she testified last week that she had endured years of rage and abuse from him, including once being choked until she had to bite him. Parnell responded to his estranged wifes testimony last week by releasing a statement insisting he never raised a hand in anger towards my wife or any of our three children and saying he would set the record straight when he testifies. Parnell is endorsed by former President Donald Trump in the contested Republican primary, and Pennsylvanias election next year for an open U.S. Senate seat is expected to be among the nations most competitive and help determine control of the chamber. To underscore that support, Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are headlining a fundraiser for Parnell on Jan. 25 at Trumps Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida. The Parnells have been living apart for at least three years, but have split custody of their children evenly. Laurie Snell is seeking sole custody and testified on Monday that Parnell carried on an affair with another woman while they were married. Parnell's lawyer asked Snell during cross-examination whether Parnell was a good father. When theyre in public hes great with the kids," Snell responded, the Tribune-Review of Greensburg reported. I wanted to encourage the children having access to their dad if he was available. Snell later said that Parnell is a good dad when hes not angry," the Tribune-Review reported. Testimony dealing with mental health evaluations of the parents and children was conducted behind closed doors, the Inquirer reported. Parnell, a decorated former Army Ranger who led a platoon in Afghanistan, has told of being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Parnell penned a memoir of his service in Afghanistan, which became a New York Times bestseller. He also has written four action novels, emerged as a regular guest on Fox News programs and ran unsuccessfully for Congress last year. Parnells history with his wife became a subject in the Republican primary campaign, days after Trump endorsed Parnell over several other rivals. Friday, April 10 WILTON A Stamford woman was tracked down for multiple moving violations a week after leaving the scene of a two-vehicle accident on Danbury Road near New Street at about 2:15 p.m., a police spokesman said. Kristen Garufi, 26, of 470 Glenbrook, Apt. 1A, Stamford, was charged with evading responsibility, failure to keep right, and operating an unregistered motor vehicle. Garufi was released on a promise to appear in Norwalk Superior Court on May 12. According to police, a 2007 Chrysler Sebring was northbound on Danbury Road, and was struck on the left side by the left side of Garufis 2011 Hyundai Elantra, which then fled the scene and had to be located by Wilton officers. A witness to the accident corroborated the incident, police said. The Wilton officer that responded to the accident was off duty the following week, and when he returned to work, he tracked down Garufi and arrested her, police said. Wednesday, April 29 WILTON A Redding woman was cited for a moving violation after a two-vehicle collision in front of the Wilton Family YMCA at 404 Danbury Road just before 9 a.m., a police spokesman said. Kathleen Stark, 42, of 24 Winding Brook Lane, Redding, was issued a citation ticket for following too close. According to police, a 2012 Chevrolet Camaro, driven by Ferdinand Garza-Gacer of 1410 2nd Ave., San Mateo, California, was stopped in the left southbound lane of Danbury Road behind a vehicle waiting to make a left turn into the YMCA, and Starks 2012 Infiniti G37 was traveling behind Garza-Gacers Camaro in the same lane. Starks G37 then collided with the rear of the Camaro, and Garza-Gacer was later transported to Norwalk Hospital by Wilton EMS for an evaluation, police said. WILTON A Danbury man incurred several moving violations after a resident observed his erratic driving and reported it to Wilton police, a police spokesman said. Wilson Ramon Juanacio Yuqui, 32, of 89 Town Hill, Apt. 1, Danbury, was charged with driving under the influence, failure to drive right, and driving without a license. Juanacio Yuqui was released on a promise to appear in Norwalk Superior Court on May 11. According to police, a 911 cell-phone caller reported a green Honda Accord (1997), bearing New York license plate EBK5048, was swerving over the double yellow line and into oncoming traffic on Danbury Road near Sunset Pass. The Accord was pulled over in that vicinity, and Juanacio Yuqui was unable to produce a drivers license, but was identified as Wilson Ramon Juanacio Yuqui, police said. Juanacio Yuqui was asked to perform Standard Field Sobriety Tests, which he did not perform to standard, and he was subsequently placed under arrest and taken to Wilton police headquarters, police said. While in custody, Juanacio Yuqui took a Breathalyzer test, producing a 0.178 and a 0.170 on two attempts, police said. WILTON Erratic driving got a Norwalk man in trouble, especially when it was found the license plate on his car did not belong on his vehicle, a police spokesman said. Johnny Hernandez, 20, of 25 Mohawk Drive, Norwalk, was charged with possession of a controlled substance, failure to drive in a proper lane, operating a motor vehicle under suspension, misuse of license plates, and failure to return his license to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Hernandez was released on a promise to appear in Norwalk Superior Court on May 11. According to police, an officer in an unmarked police vehicle observed Hernandez operating his 1998 BMW 328i erratically southbound on Route 7 near the Norwalk city line, and when the BMW was pulled over, it was learned the license plates belonged to another vehicle. The officer also learned Hernandez had a suspended drivers license, and Hernandez told the officer he had the drug Adderall in his possession, but it was not prescribed to him, police said. Thursday, April 30 WILTON A Little League umpire requested police assistance after a parent allegedly threatened to hit the man following a disputed call during a game at the fields at the Wilton YMCA at 404 Danbury Road, a police spokesman said. Wilton officers responded to the fields shortly after 8 p.m., following a controversial interference call by the umpire that prompted one of the parents to argue the call, police said. When the parent refused to desist in his tirade, the umpire ejected him from the field, prompting the parent to allegedly yell at the umpire, Meet me in the parking lot so I can punch you in the face. When interviewed, the parent denied the allegation, and the umpire refused to press charges, further stating that the incident would be handled internally by Wilton Little League, police said. Saturday, May 2 WILTON A Norwalk man avoided more serious problems by admitting he had an outstanding warrant, then spent the weekend in a Wilton holding cell to make sure he made his next court appearance, a police spokesman said. James Banner, 44, of 11 Edlie Ave. East, Norwalk, was most recently charged with failure to obey a traffic control, operating a motor vehicle without a drivers license, possession of less than a half-ounce of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia, and second-degree failure to appear. Banners Paperless Arrest Warrant Network (PRAWN) warrant was from Troop G in Bridgeport and was for a seatbelt violation, driving with a suspended license, and failure to appear, police said. Banner was held on $1,000 bond and made his appearance in Norwalk Superior Court on May 4. According to police, Banner drove his 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee through a red light at Route 7 and Westport Road and was pulled over, and when officers walked up to Banner, the driver explained that he knew he had a warrant for a failure to appear because he had missed a recent court date and he called the court to confirm that information. During inventory of the Grand Cherokee before towing, officers discovered a substance in a pill bottle, which reacted positive to field testing for marijuana, along with two marijuana pipes, police said. Sunday, May 3 WILTON Erratic driving on a moped got a Norwalk woman pulled over just after 6 p.m. on Westport Road at Clover Drive, a police spokesman said. Silvana Gerrish, 34, of 19 Morgan Ave., Norwalk, was charged with driving under the influence, and operating a motor vehicle without a license. Gerrish was released on a promise to appear in Norwalk Superior Court on May 14. According to police, a resident made a 911 cell-phone call to Wilton police headquarters about a moped swerving over the double yellow lines and into oncoming traffic, and the caller said they were behind the moped near the intersection of Route 7 and Westport Road. The moped was observed by the officer traveling north on Westport Road, and the traffic stop was made, but Gerrish was unable to produce her drivers license, police said. Gerrish was asked to perform Standard Field Sobriety Tests, but she did not perform them up to standard, and was taken into custody, police said. Back at Wilton police headquarters, Gerrish refused to take a Breathalyzer test, police said. EDWARDSVILLE One of the final items on last Thursdays administrative and community service (ACS) agenda was an informational update on the status of City Plaza and the Ninian Edwards Statue. City Planner Emily Fultz created a timeline of major events since June 2020, when the initial group opposing the Edwards statue first surfaced publicly. Under former Mayor Gary Nieburs administration, the statue was unveiled in September 2008 and the plaza now known as City Plaza was renamed for Edwards in 2009. From June 2020 through most of 2021, the statue and plaza were agenda items at city committee meetings and city council meetings as well as the subject of off-site meetings and forums. City leaders and staff members discussed it for months. Currently, aldermen say that neither the Madison County Historical Society nor the Col. Benjamin Stephenson House desire to host the statue under their respective roofs. Neighbors shot down a short-lived plan to place the statue in the former Lusk Cemetery, complete with interpretive text to better describe the context in which Edwards lived. Ninian Edwards Plaza was officially renamed City Plaza on Nov. 18, 2020, and this June, Edwards likeness was removed from its pedestal, but the statue remains in the plaza. The interpretive text remains a work in progress. Here we are a year later; weve had some forums and weve had several other discussions at ACS, Fultz said. At a date to be determined, there will be an installation of interpretive panels at City Plaza to address the history of Ninian Edwards. Nine pages of Edwards history will be distilled somewhat to fit the interpretive panels, according to a consultant to the city. Fultz said some of the information may best be expressed in a timeline or other forms besides paragraphs. Alderman William Krause suggested including a QR code for those who will visit City Plaza and wish to learn more about Edwards could be directed to a website that will be hosted by the Edwardsville Public Library. They could then be a clearinghouse for information, whether from the Our Edwardsville group, or the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a good toolkit at the moment, dealing with the Antebellum South, southern monuments and things of that nature, he said. Ezra Temko, who has represented the Our Edwardsville Group for most, if not all of its existence at city meetings, attended Thursdays forum, too. We appreciate that the ACS Committee is continuing to discuss this issue and today, discussing whats happened so far as well as this idea of adding additional context to the Ninian Edwards Statue, he began. We hope the interpretive panel includes appropriate context regarding Edwards legacy of promoting slavery and supporting genocide against indigenous communities. Temko said Our Edwardsville maintains its view that City Plaza is not the best place to add context via the interpretive panels to the statue. The group still believes that in its current location, at an entry point to town, the statue inappropriately glorifies Edwards, versus installing the statue in an educational setting. Temko described City Plaza as a drive-by location and that the only interaction drivers or passengers experience is by seeing the statue, not reading the added interpretive text. Our Edwardsville desires the recently reformed Human Relations Committee to take on the issue of what to do next with the statue. The group began meeting in September, met most recently Monday and its next meeting is Dec. 6. Finally, I wanted to note that the city calendar had this meeting listed as taking place in the Ninian Edwards Conference Room, he said. I hope the city government will also consider changing the name of that conference room to one that is welcoming of all city stakeholders and community members. BERLIN (AP) German pharmaceutical company BioNTech, which partnered with Pfizer to develop the first widely used COVID-19 vaccine, said Tuesday that its earnings grew again in the third quarter. BioNTech, which is based in Mainz, reported a net profit of more than 3.2 billion euros ($3.7 billion) for the July-September period. That compares with the company's loss of 210 million euros ($243 million) in the same period a year earlier and a second-quarter profit of almost 2.8 billion euros ($3.2 billion). Vaccinations with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine started started in December. WASHINGTON (AP) House investigators issued subpoenas Tuesday to 10 former officials who worked for Donald Trump at the end of his presidency, an effort to find out more about what the president was doing and saying as his supporters violently stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 in a bid to overturn his defeat. The subpoenas, including demands for documents and testimony from former senior adviser Stephen Miller and former press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, bring the House panel tasked with investigating the insurrection even closer inside Trumps inner circle and closer to Trump himself. They come a day after the committee subpoenaed six other associates of the former president who spread mistruths about widespread fraud in the election and strategized about how to thwart President Joe Bidens victory. The Select Committee wants to learn every detail of what went on in the White House on January 6th and in the days beforehand, said Mississippi Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Democratic chairman of the panel. We need to know precisely what role the former president and his aides played in efforts to stop the counting of the electoral votes and if they were in touch with anyone outside the White House attempting to overturn the outcome of the election. Later Tuesday, a federal judge rejected Trumps request to block the National Archives from releasing White House documents concerning the Jan. 6 insurrection to the House committee. Trump has filed notice that he will appeal the ruling, and it is likely to eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court. It is so far unclear if the Jan. 6 panel will subpoena Trump, though the committees leaders have said they havent ruled anything out. The panel has now issued more than 30 subpoenas, including to White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, longtime ally Steve Bannon and others who were close to the former president. The House later voted to hold Bannon in contempt after he said he would not comply, and the Justice Department is still deciding whether to prosecute the case. Meadows and others have engaged with the committee, according to lawmakers, but may still be held in contempt if they do not fully comply. The panel has already interviewed more than 150 witnesses, and lawmakers have said they want to not only probe the attack itself but its origins namely the lies that Trump spread about massive voter fraud even though all 50 states had certified Biden's win and courts across the country rejected his claims. The violent mob of Trump's supporters echoed those false claims as they pushed past police, broke through windows and doors and threatened lawmakers who were certifying the election that day. Trump continued to push the false narrative in a statement responding to the subpoenas, saying the committee is studying the PROTEST when it should be studying the Fraudulent Election that led to the protest. The 10 former officials who were subpoenaed Tuesday either could not be reached or did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The panel said Tuesday that it had issued subpoenas for Miller, who Thompson said had participated in efforts to spread false information about alleged voter fraud and McEnany, who the committee said was present at times with Trump as he watched the insurrection and spoke at a rally that morning. The panel is also demanding documents and testimony from Keith Kellogg, former Vice President Mike Pences national security adviser, writing in the subpoena that it wants to hear from him because you were with President Trump as the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol unfolded and have direct information about the former presidents statements about, and reactions to, the Capitol insurrection. His subpoena says that according to several accounts, Kellogg urged Trump to send out a tweet aimed at helping to control the crowd. Other former Trump White House aides subpoenaed Tuesday include personal assistant Nicholas Luna, who the panel said may have witnessed a phone call from Trump to Pence pressuring him not to certify Biden's win; special assistant Molly Michael, who the committee said sent information about election fraud to various individuals at the direction of President Trump; deputy assistant Ben Williamson, a senior adviser to Meadows; deputy chief of staff Christopher Liddell, who was in the White House on Jan. 6 and considered resigning, according to reports; and personnel director John McEntee and special assistant Cassidy Hutchinson, who the committee said were also in the White House that day and at the rally. The panel also subpoenaed former Justice Department official Kenneth Klukowski, who Thompson said communicated with Jeffrey Clark, a former assistant attorney general, about a letter Clark had drafted urging officials in Georgia to delay certification of the voting results in that state because of purported fraud. The letter said Clark and Klukowski spoke before a Jan. 3 meeting at the White House in which Trump openly contemplated replacing acting attorney general Jeffrey Rosen with Clark. Rosen and other leaders at the department had pushed back on the false fraud claims. The committee has also subpoenaed Clark, who appeared for a deposition last week but declined to testify, partly based on Trump's claims that documents the committee is trying to obtain from the National Archives are privileged. Trump has sued to shield the documents from the panel but Biden has so far said he will allow the release of most of them. On Monday, the panel issued subpoenas to Bill Stepien, manager of Trumps 2020 reelection campaign; Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the campaign; Angela McCallum, national executive assistant to the campaign; John Eastman, a lawyer who advised the former president; Michael Flynn, a former national security adviser to Trump who talked with Trump ahead of the insurrection; and Bernard Kerik, who the committee says paid for hotel rooms that served as command centers ahead of Jan. 6. Sevierville, TN (37876) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 43F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Elizabethtown, KY (42701) Today Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Low 29F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Becoming partly cloudy after some evening rain. Low 29F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Students with a bachelors degree in psychology will be prepared for a career in social work, personnel work, advertising, medicine, law or theology. Air travellers not a COVID problem, illegal migrants a headache BANGKOK: The government expressed confidence yesterday (Nov 8) that COVID-19 can be controlled for travellers arriving by air, but not for people crossing illegally into Thailand by land. CoronavirusCOVID-19Myanmarimmigrationtourismhealth By Bangkok Post Tuesday 9 November 2021, 11:25AM Soldiers round up about 100 illegal Myanmar migrants in Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi on Sunday (Nov 7). Photo: Piyachat Chongcharoen Apisamai Srirangson, a spokeswoman for the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said that in the first week since reopening on Nov 1 there were 22,832 arrivals at airports, of whom only 20 tested positive for COVID-19. The largest number of arrivals were from Germany, with 2,666 visitors, followed by the United States (2,665), the United Kingdom (1,475), Japan (1,449), South Korea (987), Russia (949), Sweden (817), France (774) and the United Arab Emirates (565), reports the Bangkok Post. The arrivals included 14,278 visitors who entered the Test & Go process without quarantine, having been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and arriving from low-risk countries at Suvarnabhumi, Chiang Mai, Phuket or Samui airport. Another 7,483 entered the Sandbox quarantine process during the first week. Most of them, 6,710, arrived in Phuket. There were another 1,071 arrivals who were not fully vaccinated and entered quarantine for either seven or 10 days. The 20 infected visitors made up just 0.09% of all arrivals, Dr Apisamai said. Government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said the number of infected visitors by air was at a controllable level and the government was satisfied with the situation. The Tourism Authority of Thailand predicts 300,000 visitors per month for the last two months of the year, and that would distribute income to many areas in the country, he said. However, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was concerned about the illegal entry of workers, with more than 2,800 illegal migrants arrested over the past week. Statistics show that migrant workers were a common cause of COVID outbreaks, especially at markets in Bangkok, Samut Sakhon and Chiang Mai, Mr Thanakorn said. He urged business operators to hire only legal migrant workers, quarantine them, provide them with vaccination and have them comply with disease control measures. The government yesterday reported COVID-19 clusters originating from markets in Chiang Mai (65 new cases), Surin, Udon Thani, Phitsanulok, Chanthaburi, Chon Buri, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi and Songkhla provinces. There were 6,904 new COVID-19 cases and 61 more fatalities recorded during the previous 24 hours, the Public Health Ministry announced this morning. Government to boost medical arsenal BANGKOK: The Ministry of Public Health is gearing up to procure two types of oral COVID-19 antiviral medicines for use in Thailand to fight COVID-19 along with other treatments and vaccines. CoronavirusCOVID-19healthVaccine By Bangkok Post Tuesday 9 November 2021, 09:04AM People arrive at the Bang Sue Grand Station in Bangkok yesterday (Nov 8) for their second jab of COVID-19 vaccination on a walk-in basis. The station offered the inoculation to the people who work in Greater Bangkok so that they would not have to return to their native province for vaccination. Photo: Chanat Katanyu Dr Atthasit Srisubat, adviser to the Department of Medical Services, said yesterday (Nov 8) the ministry is expected to propose to the cabinet its planned procurement of Molnupiravir for approval today, reports the Bangkok Post. If approved, the drug is likely to be delivered in late December or January next year, he said of the medicine developed by US drug companies Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics. Dr Atthasit said the ministry will also pursue further talks with Pfizer on Friday over procurement of another COVID-19 antiviral medicine, Paxlovid. The ministry has been in talks with the company over this drug candidate since August this year when the results of its study were not available, he said. The ministrys move comes after Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha over the weekend urged the ministry to speed up pre-ordering the two types of COVID-19 antiviral medicines for use. Citing results of the clinical trials, Dr Atthasit said the two oral anti-viral drugs have been found to cut the risk of hospitalisation among COVID-19 patients. Both drugs work by preventing the virus from multiplying and thus reducing the severity of infection, he said, adding that they are effective against mild or moderate COVID-19 symptoms and in vulnerable groups. However, he said these drugs are not recommended for those with severe kidney and liver problems and people with HIV/Aids suffering extremely low immunity, due to a lack of data on the medicines. He said the amount of drugs required will depend on the number of COVID-19 infections and it is estimated about 10% of patients will need antiviral treatments. Dr Atthasit also shared the trial results for both drugs on COVID-19 patients. For the Molnupiravir trial, pills were given to 385 people twice a day, four pills per time, for five days while a placebo was given to 377 people. About 50% of those who received Molnupiravir did not require hospitalisation and none of them died. As for Paxlovid which was taken alongside Ritonavir, it was given to 389 people twice a day, two pills per time, while the placebo was given to 385 people. About 89% of those who received Paxlovid and Ritonavir were not hospitalised if they were given the drugs within three days of the onset of COVID-19 symptoms. About 85% were not hospitalised if they were prescribed the drugs within five days of the onset of the symptoms. There were no deaths in the group that received Paxlovid and Ritonavir. Both drugs are effective in reducing hospitalisations and preventing deaths. Molnupiravir can also be used to treat influenza while Paxlovid is developed to specifically treat COVID-19, he said. However, Dr Atthasit said the price of the drugs at present is not known but it is possible that the prices of Molnupiravir may be different in developed and developing countries. He said Pfizer is preparing to submit Paxlovid to the US regulator the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval, while Molnupiravir is pending authorisation for emergency use by the US FDA. Meanwhile, the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) has voiced concerns about virus infections among people joining robe-giving ceremonies and asked participants to keep themselves protected. Dr Apisamai Srirungson, the CCSAs assistant spokeswoman, said COVID-19 cases linked to such religious events have been reported in several provinces and the situation is a concern as robe-giving ceremonies continue throughout the month. The CCSA is concerned about clusters from kathin robe-giving activities in Yasothon and Roi Et where participants returned from Khon Kaen, as well as in Si Sa Ket, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Kanchanaburi, Sing Buri and Satun, she said. Trouble at the coffee shop PHUKET: Police have yet to reveal the sequence of events that led to an Englishman physically restraining a Thai woman at a popular coffee shop in Cherng Talay yesterday (Nov 8) to prevent her from continuing her attack on a foreign couple who had arrived and forcibly taken her mobile phone and bag from her. policeviolence By Eakkapop Thongtub Tuesday 9 November 2021, 12:57PM The Thai woman needed restraining from attacking the foreign couple, who had forcible taken her phone and bag from her. Image: Supplied Officers were called to The Coffee Club at Boat Avenue plaza early yesterday afternoon after the altercation broke out, with the four people involved in the altercation later taken to Cherng Talay Police Station for questioning. CCTV footage from the coffee shop showed the Thai woman, Kannamon Chatphichathorn, 45, sitting with the Englishman, who Ms Kannamon said needed help with renewing his visa, which she said had expired. When she arrived at the coffee shop, the Englishman asked her to join him upstairs, Ms Kannamon said, adding that she thought it odd as the shop was empty of customers downstairs. While the two were sitting upstairs, a foreign couple, who Ms Kannamon said were Ukrainian, walked up to her. The foreign woman can be seen forcibly taking Ms Kannmons phone from her. While Ms Kannamon was struggling to keep hold of her phone, the foreign man walked around her and took her bag. The incident saw Ms Kannamon react violently, lashing out at the foreign woman, who was visibly hurt by being struck on the face. The Englishman intervened, restraining Ms Kannamon from continuing her attack, while the foreign couple made their way out of the coffee shop. For some reason they can be seen lingering and talking to Ms Kannamon and/or the Englishmen before making their way downstairs. Not ready to yield to the situation, Ms Kannamon continued her attempts to free herself from the Englishmans hold, forcing him to wrestle her to the floor. The Englishmen quickly stood up and held his hands up while backing off, indicating that he wanted no more physical confrontation, yet had to intervene once more as Ms Kannamon dived to take his notebook computer that was still sitting on the table. Police arrived and for some reason the foreign couple were still downstairs. The officers asked them to come to Cherng Police Station to resolve the matter. A lawyer was present at the police station to mediate. Ms Kannamon told the press yesterday that she was offered B400,000 as settlement, which she said she had refused because she wanted criminal charges to be pressed. Ms Kannamon did admit to the press that she had previously had business problems with the foreign couple. Phuket Provincial Police late yesterday announced that they were aware of the incident and had ordered the Superintendent of Cherng Talay Police Station to control, supervise and investigate in order to be correct and fair according to the law. On Demand We have a new story every day on the front page of thephuketnews.com. Also like us on our Facebook page (facebook.com/thephuketnews) and be the first to watch all the new stories. Finally you can watch any segment, any time by going to thephuketnews.com/tv where all the stories are listed for you to enjoy. All our programs can be enjoyed in High Definition when watching on the internet. In-Room VDO 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. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will have a rare virtual encounter this week as they gather online with other Pacific Rim leaders to chart a path to recovery out of the crisis brought on by the pandemic. New Zealand is hosting this year's Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which culminates in a leader's meeting on Saturday. Continued outbreaks of the coronavirus and related travel restrictions have confined the meeting to the virtual realm for a second straight year. As usual, the 21 APEC members will be seeking areas where members can cooperate on easing barriers to trade and economic growth instead of trying to settle longstanding feuds. The focus will be on charting a path to recovery out of this once-in-a-century crisis, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, host of the leaders meeting, said in a statement. In all, APEC members account for nearly 3 billion people and about 60% of the worlds GDP. They span the Pacific rim, from Chile to Russia to Thailand to Australia. Officials say theyve made significant progress during some 340 preliminary meetings. APEC members have agreed to reduce or eliminate many tariffs and border holdups on vaccines, masks and other medical products important to fighting the coronavirus, said Vangelis Vitalis, chair of the Senior Officials Meeting. But big power frictions are the inevitable backdrop for the closed door summit meetings of APEC, which as an economic forum includes both Hong Kong and Taiwan in addition to communist-ruled mainland China. Both Taiwan and China have put in applications to join a Pacific Rim trade group, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, with Beijing saying it will block Taiwans bid on the basis that the democratically governed island refuses to accept that its part of China. Stephen Hoadley, an associate professor of politics and international relations at the University of Auckland, said Biden will be looking to reverse the course set by predecessor Donald Trump, who spurned regional trade deals with his America First foreign policy approach. Since Biden has taken office, Washington has shifted back to a more internationalist approach to trade liberalization, supporting global and regional efforts such as the rules-making World Trade Organization. However, Biden has kept most trade, technology and investment restrictions that Trump imposed on Chinese exports and companies in place while also moving to counter Beijing's sway in the region. One such effort is a recent new defense agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. that raised eyebrows because it did not include New Zealand or other U.S. allies. The development of nuclear submarines is a major part of the new defense arrangement, and New Zealand has a longstanding nuclear-free policy. Hoadley said the China-U.S. rivalry can be seen even in the way they describe the region, with China calling it the Asia-Pacific and the U.S. having switched years ago to calling it the Indo-Pacific, to include the democratic counterweight of India which is not an APEC member. Apart from the geopolitical tensions simmering at all times, the pandemic has added to uncertainty in a region that has long been viewed as an increasingly important engine of global growth. Many economies are still struggling to emerge from the downturns that hit the region hard in 2020, stalling travel and many other activities. Prolonged outbreaks of COVID-19 infections, slow progress in vaccinations and other disruptions both to manufacturing and shipping have added to uncertainty and dragged millions of the region's most vulnerable people back into poverty. Unfortunately, too, there's been rising protectionism around the globe, and that has also made for an incredibly challenging environment for us to be operating in, Vitalis said during a media briefing. He said there are areas of common ground, including improving environmental sustainability, and enhancing the untapped potential of Indigenous groups. New Zealand's Trade Minister Damien OConnor said Tuesday that APEC should send a powerful message to the world ahead of a World Trade Organization meeting. We are facing the biggest economic shock in 75 years. We know that trade will be a strong driver in our recovery. We absolutely cannot afford to turn our attention away from an institution that has underpinned APECs work since its inception," O'Connor said. Ahead of the main leaders meeting APEC will host a youth summit and its usual CEO summit featuring addresses by leaders and a keynote speech by human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. Ardern and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a dialogue on how the pandemic has changed the world. The pandemic APEC meetings lack the pomp and glamor of past in-person gatherings. No fancy shirts or gala balls. New Zealand made the decision last year to switch to a virtual summit. Malaysia also opted to host the 2020 APEC leader's meeting online due to the pandemic. We did not see a Foo Fighters Horror-Comedy-Film coming, but here we are. Foo Fighters have announced they will star in a full-length-feature film that they filmed in secret, Studio 666, based on a story by frontman Dave Grohl. The film will be a fictional take on the events that occured while the band was recording their 10th album Medicine at Midnight at the haunted Encino mansion. The official synpsis reads: "In STUDIO 666, the legendary rock band Foo Fighters move into an Encino mansion steeped in grisly rock and roll history to record their much anticipated 10th album. "Once in the house, Dave Grohl finds himself grappling with supernatural forces that threaten both the completion of the album and the lives of the band." Heber Springs, AR (72543) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 35F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Slight chance of a rain shower. Low around 35F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. ALTON Students walking home from Alton Middle School this week have taken paths past vibrant fall colors. Traffic on the Great River Road, Illinois 100, is getting quote the show. According to the Great Rivers and Routes tourism bureau, trees in the Riverbend are at 50 percent color. The reduction of chrorophyl in the trees, part of an annual cycle for most trees, reduces the green color in leaves and allows them to show their true colors for a short period of time. Temperatures are expected to reach a high on Wednesday of 70 degrees, before dropping to the mid 40s on Saturday. Nighttime lows could again hit the freezing mark by Friday. Fortunately, only slight precipitation chances are in the forecast through the weekend. EDWARDSVILLE The 28th Annual Craft Fair fundraiser for the Edwardsville High School Marching Tigers will be Nov. 13-14 at the Gateway Center in Collinsville. The event is usually at EHS but because of the pandemic it has been moved to a larger space. The fair is planned 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14. According to EHS Band Booster Publicity Chair Adrienne Linden, the craft fair historically raises about $50,000 and is the largest fundraiser for the EHS Marching Tigers Band program. This year the band placed fifth place out of 42 bands at state, a school record. The Band Boosters were able to host the Tiger Ambush Classic marching competition in September, but all of its major fundraising events the Tiger Ambush Classic, Glow Bingo and the craft fair were canceled last year by the pandemic. Funds raised pay for the rights to the music used in the bands marching and concert seasons as well as to purchase or repair instruments and equipment, acquire materials to build props, purchase costumes, flags and other gear for the color guard team and update uniforms to fit the theme of the show. The funds also cover transportation costs for moving students and equipment to and from events, competition entrance fees, and any additional staffing costs during the marching season. The band was forced to use much of its reserves in order to keep the 2020-2021 & 2021-2022 band program operational, said Linden. The band simply cannot support another quality season for the students or community without this important fundraiser. Linden said the craft fair usually draws about 5,000 people. Many attendees are repeat patrons due to the quality of the crafts available at reasonable prices. Its a terrific way to start off holiday shopping, Linden said. Band Boosters Vice President and Craft Fair Chair Lynette Watson said there will be fewer vendors than in the past, but the group is still planning on about 275 vendors. Watson said the variety of vendors will be the same as at past events. One of the vendors new to this years Craft Fair makes critters called Ookaloos. They even have adorable accessories available for them. Children will love them, Watson said. Some vendors specialize in intricate woodworking and, according to Watson, others upcycle to a whole new level. Washington Kettle Corn will also be featured at the fair. The space configuration is a little different than in when it is held at EHS, so were thrilled there were as many spaces available as there were, said Linden. The venue change came when school officials informed the Band Boosters that the craft shows size and expected attendance would not meet CDC and state safety guidelines. Frankly, the districts hands were tied, Linden said. She added that, with the school districts support, the Band Boosters had about a week to find an alternate location, and learned the Gateway Center was available for the planned dates. Knowing that this is a major fundraiser and the desperate situation we were in, the centers owners have been very generous and supportive to the EHS band, Linden said. Still, Linden said, there are additional unexpected costs with the move, prompting the Band Boosters to increase its promotion of the craft fair. Linden said it takes the Band Boosters about a year to organize and prepare for the annual event. A committee reviews vendor applications, tracks the status and fees for each vendor and communicates updates to the rules and regulations. The EHS Craft Fair has such a great reputation with the crafting and artisan community that there is a wait list, said Linden. Crafters are carefully screened for the quality of their products. The committee also handles the volunteers for the event and solicits parents to help. Band and color guard students are required to work at the craft fair to help with setting up and tearing down and handle attendee questions and concessions. We are just so thrilled to host the craft fair after a year off, Linden said. Admission is $4 for adults, $3 for seniors and veterans and free for children 12 and younger. Tickets will be available at the door. Due to state guidelines, masks must be worn inside the building at all times and strollers are not allowed. UNITED NATIONS (AP) Five European countries expressed serious concern at Israels designation of six Palestinian civil society organizations as terrorist groups after a Security Council meeting on Monday and said they will be seeking more information from Israeli authorities on the reasons for their listing. The 15-member council took no action after the closed consultations. But a statement from Estonia, France, Ireland, Norway and Albania, which will join the council in January, said the listings have far-reaching consequences for the organizations in political, legal and financial terms. They said they will study carefully information provided by Israel on the basis for the designations. A thriving civil society and respect for fundamental freedoms are cornerstones of open democracies, said the statement read by Estonias U.N. Ambassador Sven Jurgenson after the council discussion. Civil society is an essential contributor to good governance, human rights, international law, democratic values and sustainable development across the world, including in Israel and Palestine. It also contributes to peace efforts and confidence building between Israelis and Palestinians, the statement said. Last month, Israel said the six Palestinian human rights organizations 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 a confidential Israeli dossier detailing alleged links between the Palestinian human rights groups and the PFLP contains little concrete evidence, and it has failed to convince European countries to stop funding the groups. 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 Israels 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. Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, told reporters it was a good thing that Security Council members are not buying the evidence of Israel that the six Palestinian groups are terrorist organizations -- and it was also a good thing" that Israel did not succeed in creating fear among council members that the groups are linked to terrorists. We welcome the defense of civil society organizations among the Palestinian people, he said. The five European countries also called on the Israeli government to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem and not to proceed with tenders for some 4,300 housing units in Israeli settlements. They pointed to a Security Council resolution adopted in December 2016 which states that settlements are illegal under international law and constitute a major obstacle to achieving a two-state solution to the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mansour said opposition to settlements from the Europeans and others on the 15-member council is positive but it is not sufficient because what is needed is implementation of the resolution by the Security Council. COLLINSVILLE Collinsville Schools Area Vocational Center (CVAC) referred to as a hidden gem in the area, recently hosted some high-profile guests. The CVAC is a two-year, public vocational training center for high school juniors and seniors. Housed on the campus of Collinsville High School, it covers a lot of real estate, drawing students from East Alton-Wood River High School on the north then south to Dupo and Mascoutah high schools. Students receive hands-on technical skills training in auto body repair, automotive technical repair, building trades, cosmetology, early childhood education, engineering, web and graphic design and several other courses. One of the CVACs goals is to dispel the myth that the only student path to success after graduation is via a traditional, four-year college. McKay Corporation Chairman Jim McKay and President Earl Flack toured the CVAC and donated $1,000 to help support scholarship opportunities for Career and Technical Education (CTE) students. The scholarships are new for us, said Joe McGinnis, CVACs director, on Friday. When we looked at it as a whole, we do a fantastic job with kids while we have them but when they leave, what are we doing to help them along? Skills can be used to: Enter the workforce directly after high school Continue on to a junior college or trade school Prepare students for the military or trade unions Provide a foundation for continuation at a four-year college Apprenticeships and internships are also possible via this program, which is particularly topical with the current level of employee shortages being reported in multiple job sectors. McGinnis said prospective employers are impressed with the CVAC facilities and the quality of their work. McKay and Flack met CAVC instructors and discussed how they can provide ongoing training, equipment and opportunities for students, in addition to their scholarship contribution. Most classes at CAVC include free college credit through Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). Some, such as the engineering class, offer the option for possible credit at other universities. McKay Corporation is a family-owned and operated business headquartered in Litchfield. McKay Auto Parts services central Illinois and surrounding areas with 23 NAPA Auto Parts and NAPA AUTO CARE locations, including Bethalto, Collinsville, Edwardsville, Fairview Heights, Godfrey, Granite City and Wood River. McKay has a strong history of supporting educational programs and CTE training opportunities. For more information on the CVAC Program, visit https://www.kahoks.org/schools/collinsville-area-vocational/. TAPACHULA, Mexico (AP) The leader of an effort by Central American migrants to walk across southern Mexico said Monday the group will now head to the U.S. border, rather than Mexico City as originally planned. Leader and immigration activist Irineo Mujica said in a video that he will try to organize another caravan of thousands of migrants to reach the Gulf coast state of Veracruz, where both groups will join up and set out for the border. The apparent change in plans comes after Mujica said the group has been pursued and harassed by Mexican government officials. Relations deteriorated after a group of migrants pelted officers of Mexicos National Guard with a hail of rocks Thursday, injuring five guard officers. The change of plans may be an act of desperation: the group is dwindling after more than two weeks of walking through punishing heat, and now may number as little as 1,300 people. It had once been as large as 4,000. The group of mainly Central American migrants got a cold welcome Monday when they entered the state of Oaxaca; the town of Chahuites initially refused to let them enter for fear of spreading COVID-19. Adrian Aguirre, a migrant from Nicaragua, said when the arrived in Chahuites, There were municipal police cars blocking the way, and then later we entered. But many of the town's stores closed when they saw the migrants coming, meaning they couldn't buy food or drink. They settled in a park to spend the night. The Mexican government has been attempting to discourage the march, saying the poor conditions are putting the migrants lives at risk. The National Immigration Institute said six cases of the tropical fever dengue had been detected among members of the migrant march, but had not previously mentioned cases of coronavirus. The National Guard officers were tailing the march Thursday and had apparently tried to detain some of the mainly Central American migrants, when a group of 100 to 150 males started throwing rocks at two truckloads of guard officers equipped with plastic shields and helmets. The Guard said in a statement that four male officers and one female officer suffered considerable injuries, and were hospitalized. It said that at no time did the officers respond to the attack. National Guard officers have been wary of confronting migrants since a shooting incident the previous Sunday left one migrant dead. Confrontations between law enforcement and migrants had been relatively rare in Mexico, but National Guard officers opened fire on a pickup truck carrying migrants Sunday when the vehicle tried to avoid an immigration checkpoint; the Guard said it had tried to ram a patrol vehicle. A Cuban migrant was killed and four other migrants were wounded. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador later said the shooting was unjustified, and that the pickup apparently driven by a suspected migrant trafficker had simply tried to run past the checkpoint, not ram the Guard vehicle. The guard officers involved are now subject to a federal criminal investigation. An estimated 4,000 migrants set out from the city of Tapachula, near the Guatemalan border, on foot on Oct. 23. They have made slow progress trudging along highways amid the brutal heat of the region, advancing only about 95 miles (150 kilometers) in almost two weeks. Much larger caravans crossed Mexico in 2018 and 2019, but those migrants never tried to walk the whole distance. They usually caught rides aboard passing trucks. But Mexico has told truckers not to pick up migrants, saying they could face charges of migrant trafficking. A National Guard officer was killed by suspected immigrant traffickers in September. And a dozen members of an elite police force in the northern border state of Tamaulipas are on trial for allegedly killing 14 Guatemalan migrants and five other people, whose bodies were found shot and burned near the U.S. border in late January. Frustration has been growing for months among the thousands of migrants waiting in Tapachula near the Guatemala border. Mexicos strategy had been to contain migrants in the south, far from the U.S. border, while allowing them to apply for asylum in Mexico. But Mexicos asylum system has been overwhelmed and the slow process led many to decide it was not worth waiting. On Tuesday, at the request of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1169 into law, clarifying legislative intent of the Health Care Right of Conscience Act so that it cannot be abused or misinterpreted to jeopardize workplace safety. The amendment seeks to ensure vaccine requirements from employers who can continue with regard to the COVID-19 vaccine. "Masks, vaccines, and testing requirements are life-saving measures that keep our workplaces and communities safe," Pritzker said in a statement. "Keeping workplaces safe is a high priority, and I applaud the General Assembly for ensuring that the Health Care Right of Conscience Act is no longer wrongly used against institutions who are putting safety and science first." EDWARDSVILLE Veterans Day gives the public an opportunity to pay tribute to military veterans who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces. One such person who believes he has made supporting veterans a priority is business owner Jeremy Colton. Colton owns Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More on Edwardsville Crossing Drive located at a storefront inside Dierbergs. The business was opened by Colton in 2013, and since then, army veteran Kris Duhachek has been the store manager. Some of the people on my team have college experience, but theres a lot of things like management they dont teach you in the classroom, Colton said. Kris (Duhachek) came in with the practical experience on how to manage people and handle a stressful situation and not be stressed, or let the stress get to other people. Colton said he decided to own a business because of the opportunities to be charitable in the community. He also supports local veteran causes such as Support Up Veteran Ventures, The Kaufman Fund and Gifts for Yanks, along with other causes. There was once an occasion when Colton heard a teacher was paying out of pocket for class T-shirts, so instead of making them pay, Colton gave the order for free. If theres anything I can do to help make sure it happens, Ill do it, Colton said. Even though Colton isnt a veteran, his father fought in World War II and helped liberate a concentration camp. By having a father who went through that experience and then growing up in the Vietnam War era, Colton said he found a love for being supportive of those who fought and sacrificed for the U.S. and its people. Its shameful that there are veterans who are homeless and cant get the care that they need, Colton said. It shouldnt be limited to just Veterans Day. Its nice that we have a day, but it should be year-round. Veterans Day will be observed on Thursday, Nov. 11. Below is a list of some events during the week of Veterans Day: Alton 2021 Veterans Dental Care Day on Nov. 11 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the SIU School of Dental Medicine Main Patient Clinic for free dental care for veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. Call 618-474-7200 to pre-register. Breakfast for a Hero, which is supported by local businesses, provides a free breakfast for veterans and their families on Nov. 11 from 8-10 a.m. at the Best Western Premier in Alton. Grafton The American Legion Post 643 will be hosting their annual Veterans Day dinner on Sunday, Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. Edwardsville American Legion Post 199 is having its Veterans Day Parade on Thursday at 7 p.m. starting on St. Louis Street and down N. Main Street. Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More is offering a free second print on any purchase for any veteran showing military ID. Glen Carbon American Legion Post 435 and Glen Carbon V.F.W Post 2222 are having their annual march on Sunday, Nov. 7 at 12:15 p.m. starting at the Glen Carbon Veterans Memorial. Collinsville Free breakfast for local veterans at Collinsville Middle School on Nov. 10 from 7-8 a.m. RSVP on the school webpage by Nov 8. American Legion Post 365 Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. on Main Street in Collinsville. Lady Lake, FL (32159) Today Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low 64F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early then periods of showers late. Low 64F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. 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 This week marked the return of eager Britons being able to travel to the US, perhaps heading to the heat of Miami or buzz of New York. Plenty will have seen the British Airways and Virgin Atlantic plane take-off simultaneously to the Big Apple from Heathrow to mark the occasion and it may have them dreaming of a trip to the States soon too. Many may have also built up vast Avios pots to use towards flights, given pandemic led spending and a lack of travel adventures to use the points on. While they can be easy enough to earn, it can be difficult to navigate the British Airways website to find availability - and that's where Reward Flight Finder steps in. Many BA customers have saved up Avios points over the pandemic when travel was banned The website and app constantly tracks BA seat availability and alerts members when these special seats are released, potentially saving them time and money, as well as the scramble to secure them. This will be helpful for the many Avios customers that have points they haven't yet been able to spend due to the pandemic halting travel. Now countries are beginning to open up again, it is giving wannabe travellers the opportunity to utilise points. To help these holidaymakers, we reveal how Reward Flight Finder works, how much it costs and top tips to secure the best seats. Why would Avios users need Reward Flight Finder? BA issues millions of Avios each year and whilst it is easy to collect, it can be harder to use them to secure the almost free reward seats - especially to popular destinations like Cape Town, Barbados, Miami, Sydney, the Maldives and Dubai. BA has no alert system and it is impossible to search the BA website for many destinations and different dates at the same time as customers have to search each destination and each date separately. If seats are not available, customers will have to repeat the exercise several times, often with no success, which can be both time-consuming and frustrating. By comparison, on one single page, for a full year ahead, Reward Flight Finder shows all available dates, the number of reward seats available on each day in every cabin class, the number of Avios needed and whether the date is peak or off peak. Reward Flight Finder will help customers find the best seats for Avios customers on BA flights How does it work? BA releases reward seats anytime, day or night, guaranteeing that two Business class and four Economy seats are released when the flight first comes into the booking system. More seats are released closer to the departure date depending on how the flight is selling. Reward Flight Finder tracks these flights and gives its users the chance to snap them up straight away. It offers three different levels of membership - which we explain in the box below. The site does not guarantee that Avios collectors will find the reward seats but says the chances of doing so are vastly increased as it constantly searches for seats and will notify customers of the availability. I've used it for a while By deputy editor Lee Boyce I came across the website a year ago. I've amassed a large pot of Avios over the last few years and I find the British Airways dedicated part of the website for spending them testy, to say the least. I use Reward Flight Finder as a guide to availability of seats and how many points needed, and then input them in the BA website with great accuracy. I have only used the free service, but it does also offer a silver service for 2.99 per month. This promises hourly alert frequencies of availability to beat the seat competition, along with a 'Where Can I Go' map search tool, that could be a great add-on for those willing to go anywhere and maximise their points, especially with overseas travel back on the cards. It also has a gold service at 4.99 per month which offers instant alert frequency of seats and allows 20 active alerts on the go for destinations at once compared to two with the free service, and five with the silver service. This currently has a free 14 day trial. Two Reward Flight Finder customers got Business tickets to Cape Town with their Avios Top tips for finding best seats Reward Flight Finder has offered its top tips for finding the best seats. 1. Map view: Those who are a silver or gold member will be able to access the map view which allows people to see all available destinations in one place. This works for people who don't know where they want to go as they can enter their departure point, the number of seats, the cabin classes and their outbound and return date ranges. Map pins for each available destination will pop up and clicking on a pin reveals the available dates and cabin classes. If users do know where they want to go, they can put in their departure and destination points and do a quick search to see all available dates, the number of reward seats available on each day in every cabin class, and the number of Avios needed, for a year ahead. If the preferred date and cabin class is available, customers are advised to book directly with the airline as soon as possible. If the preferred date and cabin class are not available, customers can set up an alert and wait to be notified by text or email. 2. Create alerts as early as possible: There is no harm in setting them up many months in advance. BA releases seats 355 days before departure date. 3. Choose several possible destinations if that suits you: Set up several alerts and choose wide date ranges for both departure and return. 4. The moment you are notified of availability, book directly with BA: Do not delay. Seats disappear quickly. Even if you are unsure, best to book the seats, and if you have to cancel the tickets you get all your Avios and taxes paid refunded in full, less a 35 per person charge. Simple: You put in your departure airport, where you want to fly to and the website shows you reward seat availability for each month 'We are not rich, but can afford to fly Business Class every year' Two Avios customers, called Carla and Pete*, each joined the British Airways' loyalty scheme in 2020 and have since merged their accounts. Since then, they have accumulated 125,000 Avios in just one year after aiming to collect as many as possible. The couple, who are both teachers, plan one long-haul trip each year, usually to the US or Asia, for at least five weeks and whilst they usually fly in economy, they can now travel in first or business class, thanks to their Avios points. In order to save, the two first applied for the 195 (now 250) BA Premium Plus American Express card, earning large sign-up and referral bonuses. After three months, Carla cancelled her Amex and got a pro rata refund on her annual fee but still retained the bonuses she had earned whilst Pete got Carla a supplementary card on his account earning another bonus. They then used Pete's Amex card to pay for all personal expenses which included insurance, mobile phones, gym memberships, AA breakdown, Sky TV, broadband, theatre tickets and all everyday shopping through the BA shopping portal. They also paid for large purchases made by trusted friends and family who then repaid them as well as switching from Tesco to Sainsburys where they collected Nectar points, converting them to Avios. Every month they fully paid off the Amex balance and spent 10,000 within 12 months to get a companion voucher which gives customers two tickets for the price of one. The couple joined Reward Flight Finder in August 2021 and have recently booked Cape Town for next March in business class. Pete said: 'We are over the moon, having secured these business class seats. No way would we have done it without Reward Flight Finder as Cape Town is very popular, and we just don't have the patience to check BA several times per day. 'Setting alerts just makes it so easy. From now on we will aim to earn a companion voucher every year and fly business too. No more economy for us.' The key to this is paying off the balance as you go along, or face eye-watering APR on offer from this type of reward cards. * - not real names Are there thousands of Avios collectors with big unused balances? It is thought there are lots of Avios points collectors with large, unused balances, thanks to the pandemic. Douglas Rose, chief executive at Reward Flight Finder, said: 'We don't have exact figures but the huge increase in online shopping during the pandemic coupled with far fewer opportunities to use Avios for flights, hotels and car hire due to the lockdowns is likely to mean that large Avios balances exist. 'In 2019, less than 75 per cent of Avios issued in that year were redeemed. The redemption figures in 2020 must be much lower. 'As BA extended the expiry dates of most existing companion vouchers three times, a lot of people will have several companion vouchers to use and possibly future travel vouchers as well. 'The latter were issued when BA cancelled flights and people chose a voucher instead of a full refund as the vouchers had a much longer maturity than the original companion voucher. 'If the number of alerts being set up is an indication, then we have seen a huge increase in people setting up alerts in the last month, especially for long-haul destinations that need at least 100,000 Avios for a return business class ticket.' Associated British Foods (ABF) has estimated it lost another 2billion in sales from the closure of Primark stores last year due to coronavirus restrictions. As well as being forced to shut for a third of trading days in the most recent fiscal year, trade and profits at ABF's retail arm were severely damaged by the lack of an online presence. Sales did rebound significantly after the chain's outlets reopened, growing by 1billion in the third quarter, but like-for-like sales were still 12 per cent lower on their pre-pandemic levels. Recovery: Primark's sales did rebound significantly after the chain's outlets reopened, but like-for-like sales were still 12 per cent lower on their pre-pandemic levels The FTSE 100 company additionally blamed the 'pingdemic' that forced many British staff to self-isolate earlier this year and the drop in foreign tourists to Spain and Portugal for hitting business. In total, the Ryvita and Dorset Cereals owner said the temporary closure of Primark outlets had caused it 2billion in lost orders, the exact figure it claimed it lost in the previous financial year when the UK entered its first coronavirus lockdown. However, impressive performances by ABF's sugar and grocery divisions helped its overall revenues nudge slightly higher to 13.88billion and pre-tax profits increase to 725million in the 53 weeks to 18 September. Strong demand for milk brand Ovaltine and tea label Twinings helped significantly offset the harm caused by Allied Bakeries losing a contract to supply bread to the Co-op supermarket. Its World Foods division also achieved record sales thanks to higher marketing investment in its Asian food brands Patak's and Blue Dragon, and impressive displays by sugar producer Silver Spoon and Westmill. At the same time, total revenues from ABF's sugar division rose by 8 per while its adjusted operating profits soared by 75 per cent on the back of booming demand at its South African sugar production arm, Illovo, and continuing cost savings. Crop issues: AB Sugar's sales grew despite British sugar production declining as a result of poor weather and an outbreak of virus yellows, a disease that attacks sugar beet crops This was despite British sugar production declining by 200 kilogrammes as a result of poor weather and an outbreak of virus yellows, a disease that attacks sugar beet crops. ABF expects UK production levels to recover next year, but it warned that profits would likely be weakened by more extensive gas, carbon, and logistics costs. George Weston, chief executive of ABF, told the PA news agency that the retailer would not pass on the rising energy and distribution costs to customers. 'We haven't increased prices at Primark over the past ten years, and we won't do so this year,' he said. 'We have currency difference in our favour, and there are other areas we have recognised to find cost savings, so won't pass that on.' Price continuity: 'We haven't increased prices at Primark over the past ten years, and we won't do so this year,' said ABF's chief executive George Weston (pictured) However, Mr Weston said the company has already increased some prices across its grocery business, which runs brands including Kingsmill, Twinings and Ryvita. He told PA: 'In food, we are having to pass some of the impact on to customers because it's just too big to absorb. Energy prices have shot up, with natural gas trebling. Distribution costs have risen, labour costs have risen - it seems like everything is jumping up right now.' As long as harsh Covid-19 restrictions do not return, ABF expects transactions at Primark to grow this year and is planning to expand its total number of shops by around a third in the coming five years. It is also set to launch a new website sometime early next year, which will allow British customers to check a product's availability within stores. ABF said its confidence in Primark's model - which does not operate online despite soaring sales across online retail during the pandemic - remains 'unaltered' and stressed its commitment to brick-and-mortar retail. The company's shares were the top riser on the FTSE 100 and the second-highest riser on the FTSE 350 today, climbing 8 per cent to 20.07 on Tuesday. Adam Vettese, an analyst at investment platform eToro, said: 'The reason the share price has popped this morning is more to do with the firm's bullish outlook and generous dividend, rather than the here and now. 'However, it's clear from ABF's results that it has paid for Primark's refusal to sell its wares online...If it had an online sales offering, perhaps it would have been further along in its recovery than it is.' He added: 'While Primark is investing in its website, allowing customers to 'research' products before they go to their local store, that is not the same as allowing people to order online.' 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) William "Billy" Wolfe, 49, died Nov. 8. Survived by father, William Wolfe; sisters, Judy Grams, Sally Wolfe, and half sister, Mary Prince. Billy worked on family farm. We are sure he is in heaven. Please pray for him. 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 Life's a dance: Kingsport couple has been in perfect time since meeting more than 60 years ago Shown here are Wise County Commonwealths Attorney Chuck Slemp III and Virginia Attorney General-elect Jason Miyares. Slemp will be among Miyares transition team. Joshua Bessex/Associated Press One day after the U.S. government reopened land borders to vaccinated visitors on Monday, several members of Congress wrote a letter to two of Canada's top ministers requesting the dissolution of the country's pandemic-era testing rule for travelers. The letter, signed by four congressional Republicans including U.S. Reps. Elise Stefanik and Chris Jacobs of New York echoed concerns raised a day earlier by the mayors of several Canadian and American border communities, as well as Democratic U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, that Canada's testing rule is unnecessarily delaying a return to normalcy at the northern border. TROY Barker Park should be an oasis in downtown Troy. Those who live and work nearby say it's anything but. They say the park at Third and State streets, home to downtown Troy's only playground, is a place where drugs are openly sold and consumed, as the used needles found there and in a nearby alley demonstrate. They say Barker Park is often rowdy and intimidating, with those who dare walk by enduring aggressive harassment. "I don't know why it has been acceptable to write this park off," said Emily Menn, a downtown resident and property owner newly elected to the Troy City Council. "It has been a choice to let it go." The issues in the park are not new. Nearly 20 years ago, an article in the Times Union said Barker Park "has long been known as a hangout for the homeless, for drug dealers and for prostitutes waiting for clients." It's tempting, then, to think today's problems are just more of the same. But Menn and others say Barker Park has changed for the worse. They say that the atmosphere at the park began going downhill last year and has continued to decline, in large part because the city turned a blind eye to its problems. Now, they say, Barker Park is too often a menace. Fr. Richard Donovan of St. Anthony of Padua Church, which is adjacent to the park, said he can sometimes see drug users shooting up outside the doors of the sanctuary as he delivers his homily. Parishioners, Donovan said, are increasingly wary of attending Mass at the church, which may erect fencing to keep people from urinating and defecating alongside the building. The priest added that the Roman Catholic church believes in compassion toward those who need help, and many who spend time in the park clearly do. But some, Donovan added, "can be very aggressive. They don't have any respect for people or property." Last year, the city removed benches from the park in an apparent attempt to thwart rampant drinking and drug use, late-night noise, and regular public urination. Mayor Patrick Madden, in an email to City Council members, discussed drug overdoses at the park and said it "has become a public health nuisance." But the controversial removing of the benches may have worsened the park's atmosphere by making it less hospitable to those, including the homeless, who used it peacefully. And there has been no noteworthy follow-up from City Hall or the police department to address the problems, neighbors said. (Madden and Police Chief Dan DeWolf did not return requests for comment.) "The police really need to step their game up," said Menn, noting that the police station is just two blocks from a park where passers-by, women especially, are openly harassed and threatened. "(Police) should be embarrassed. They should be mortified." But Menn also pinned some of the blame on New York's contentious bail reform law and other changes that have might be discouraging police departments from targeting nuisance crimes. "How many times do you arrest the same person before, as a police officer, you're like, why are we doing this?" asked Menn, a Democrat. "There are not that many people in the city of Troy who create the majority of the crime. But if you can't remove them from the streets, then there are no consequences, and if there are no consequences, why change your behavior?" Quang's Vietnamese Bistro was a few doors up from Barker Park, but the restaurant recently closed when its owner, Quang Tran, decided to work instead at a restaurant in Green Island's Starbuck Island development. Tran didn't blame crime or bad behavior on Third Street for the closing, but he told me conditions on the street were a factor in his decision. Drug dealing in the neighborhood and crowds congregated in front of the restaurant were routine headaches that discouraged customers from coming in, and his family often worried about his safety. "It was a tough block to work on," Tran said, "and I saw it getting worse by the day." Menn worries rising crime is threatening to undermine the progress downtown Troy has made in recent decades. She's vowing to make cleaning up Barker Park a focus of her time on the City Council, even, she said, if doing so gets her targeted by the loud activists who seem to think any police enforcement is immoral. Children, Menn said, should be able to play on the park's playground without fear of needles on the ground. Parishioners should be able to go to church without fear of being harassed. And restaurant owners should find Third Street an agreeable place to run a business. Those shouldn't be big or controversial things. They're just the basics for a decent and civil city. cchurchill@timesunion.com 518-454-5442 @chris_churchill On Monday The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) announced that six prisons across the state will officially close on March 10, 2022. This includes the maximum security Downstate Correctional Facility, located in the Dutchess County Town of Fishkill. Downstate Correctional Facility is the largest of the six to close. It has a current staff of 644, with 688 incarcerated individuals and a capacity of 1,221. The other five facilities slated for closure include Ogdensburg Correctional Facility, Moriah Shock Incarceration Correctional facility, The Willard Drug Treatment Campus, Southport Correctional Facility and Rochester Correctional Facility. Some are operating at less than half capacity, and all have prison populations below 1,000 people. The decision to close the six facilities comes as the incarcerated population in New York continues to decline. As of Monday, Nov. 8, the total incarcerated population across the state is 31,469. According to a press release from DOCCS, this represents both a total reduction in excess of 12,700 individuals since Jan. 1, 2020, and the lowest total incarcerated population in New York State prisons since 1984. It also is a more than 50 percent decline in prison population since the departments peak in 1999. In choosing which facilities to close, DOCCS reviewed the operations at its 50 facilities and looked at physical infrastructure, program offerings, facility security level, medical and mental health services, proximity to other facilities, and potential re-use options. The press release states that DOCCS will work with bargaining units to provide staff with opportunities for priority placement via voluntary transfers, as well as priority employment at other facilities or other state agencies. DOCCS does not anticipate any layoffs due to the closures. They will have to put their name in a hat and hope they can be transferred to adjacent facilities in the region, said Chris Moreau, Vice President of the Mid-Hudson Region for New York State Correctional Officers & Police Benevolent Association (NYSCOPBA). Theres no guarantee that officers who live and work and set up their families around the Downstate area arent going to be shipped up north, out west, hours away from their family right before the holiday season. Nearby facilities they could potentially be transferred to include Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, Fishkill Correction Facility in Beacon and others in Ulster County. Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said in a statement that Downstate Correctional Facilitys closure comes as a surprise. There has been no coordination between the Governors Office and Dutchess County on the closure of this large facility, nor a coordinated plan for the future use of the parcel and the hundreds of workers who will be affected, said Molinaro. Today's announcement only leaves Dutchess County with more questions than answers. Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter. Although employees of these facilities just found out today, Michael Powers, president NYSCOPBA, said in a statement that the news shouldnt come as a shock to anyone. Gov. Kathy Hochul hinted at prison closures a couple of weeks ago during one of her weekly COVID-19 briefings. I want to get creative with this, Hochul said at the end of October. I don't know if something can be used as a substance abuse treatment center. We don't need as many prisons. The number of people incarcerated has gone down dramatically in our state. The inmates at the facility will be transferred to remaining state prisons or to county jails. The closure process will begin immediately. Elmira Correctional Facility in Chemung County will expand its reception footprint to absorb the incoming inmates who would have first gone to Downstate Correctional Facility. The closures will result in a savings of approximately $142 million for taxpayers, according to DOCCS. Over the past 10 years, over 20 other prison facilities have been closed across the state. (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) David Markowitz, University of Oregon (THE CONVERSATION) Technology has given people more ways to connect, but has it also given them more opportunities to lie? You might text your friend a white lie to get out of going to dinner, exaggerate your height on a dating profile to appear more attractive or invent an excuse to your boss over email to save face. Social psychologists and communication scholars have long wondered not just who lies the most, but where people tend to lie the most that is, in person or through some other communication medium. A seminal 2004 study was among the first to investigate the connection between deception rates and technology. Since then, the ways we communicate have shifted fewer phone calls and more social media messaging, for example and I wanted to see how well earlier results held up. The link between deception and technology Back in 2004, communication researcher Jeff Hancock and his colleagues had 28 students report the number of social interactions they had via face-to-face communication, the phone, instant messaging and email over seven days. Students also reported the number of times they lied in each social interaction. The results suggested people told the most lies per social interaction on the phone. The fewest were told via email. The findings aligned with a framework Hancock called the feature-based model. According to this model, specific aspects of a technology whether people can communicate back and forth seamlessly, whether the messages are fleeting and whether communicators are distant predict where people tend to lie the most. In Hancocks study, the most lies per social interaction occurred via the technology with all of these features: the phone. The fewest occurred on email, where people couldnt communicate synchronously and the messages were recorded. The Hancock Study, revisited When Hancock conducted his study, only students at a few select universities could create a Facebook account. The iPhone was in its early stages of development, a highly confidential project nicknamed Project Purple. What would his results look like nearly 20 years later? In a new study, I recruited a larger group of participants and studied interactions from more forms of technology. A total of 250 people recorded their social interactions and number of interactions with a lie over seven days, across face-to-face communication, social media, the phone, texting, video chat and email. As in Hancocks study, people told the most lies per social interaction over media that were synchronous and recordless and when communicators were distant: over the phone or on video chat. They told the fewest lies per social interaction via email. Interestingly, though, the differences across the forms of communication were small. Differences among participants how much people varied in their lying tendencies were more predictive of deception rates than differences among media. Despite changes in the way people communicate over the past two decades along with ways the COVID-19 pandemic changed how people socialize people seem to lie systematically and in alignment with the feature-based model. There are several possible explanations for these results, though more work is needed to understand exactly why different media lead to different lying rates. Its possible that certain media are better facilitators of deception than others. Some media the phone, video chat might make deception feel easier or less costly to a social relationship if caught. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Deception rates might also differ across technology because people use some forms of technology for certain social relationships. For example, people might only email their professional colleagues, while video chat might be a better fit for more personal relationships. [Over 115,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletter to understand the world. Sign up today.] Technology misunderstood To me, there are two key takeaways. First, there are, overall, small differences in lying rates across media. An individuals tendency to lie matters more than whether someone is emailing or talking on the phone. Second, theres a low rate of lying across the board. Most people are honest a premise consistent with truth-default theory, which suggests most people report being honest most of the time and there are only a few prolific liars in a population. Since 2004, social media have become a primary place for interacting with other people. Yet a common misperception persists that communicating online or via technology, as opposed to in person, leads to social interactions that are lower in quantity and quality. People often believe that just because we use technology to interact, honesty is harder to come by and users arent well served. Not only is this perception misguided, but it is also unsupported by empirical evidence. The belief that lying is rampant in the digital age just doesnt match the data. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: https://theconversation.com/are-people-lying-more-since-the-rise-of-social-media-and-smartphones-170609. SARATOGA SPRINGS Both the winner and the loser in the race for city commissioner of accounts have had a rough week since Election Day. One has been arrested, while the other has apologized for his conduct the night the votes were counted. State Police were prepared to arrest Republican candidate Samantha Guerra the day before last week's election, but her attorney ended up forestalling her arrest on allegations she mishandled campaign petitions: He did not call the troopers until after the votes were in. "I was with my son, so I did not call them back," Oscar Schreiber said. "I was upset that they knew the dates I was available and wanted me to bring her in on a few hours' notice." Schreiber said State Police called him on Monday afternoon, asking for Guerra to come into the Malta barracks to be processed on the two misdemeanor charges. The attorney a former Saratoga County public defender said he didn't acknowledge the request until Wednesday, the day after the election, because he said they knew he couldn't come in with her Monday as his son was visiting from New York. Guerra, who ran for commissioner of accounts, was finally arrested on Friday. The 36-year-old is accused of presenting invalid signatures on two of her nominating petitions to the Saratoga County Board of Elections. An investigation allegedly found the candidate had not witnessed some of the signatures on her petition. State Police spokeswoman Trooper Kerra Burns said it's "not uncommon for a defendant to turn themselves in at the request of police." "In this case, the defendant had representation and communications were made through her attorney for her to come to the barracks and be processed," Burns said. She also said that the State Police are not influenced by politics. "An arrest occurs based on the findings of an investigation, not at the request of any third party," she said. Furthermore, State Police said they do not have any policy relating to when an arrest can be made, for example, near Election Day. Local Republicans believe whole thing was politically motivated and that city Commissioner of Public Safety Robin Dalton, who oversees the city police department, interfered. Chris Obstarczyk, the chair of the city GOP, said the attempted arrest on Monday "accentuates the political nature of this case from the beginning." "The State Police merely rubber-stamped a politically-tainted investigation," Obstarcyzk said. A State Police spokesman did not immediately return a call for comment. Guerra lost the election to Dillon Moran, a Democrat. Moran had his own troubles Monday as he apologized for the contents of a video in which he admits being intoxicated after the polls closed on Election Day, and responded to a critic by using a slur for developmentally disabled people. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The accusation and the release of the video of Moran continue the months of toxic back-and-forth between the two parties related to the campaign for the city's commissioner of accounts post. Moran was secretly recorded on election night in an outdoors encounter by someone who peppered him with questions about national politics. The video surfaced on the Facebook page of Moving Saratoga Forward, a group that backs Republican causes. "Are you ___ing retarded that you think that?" Dillon asks in response to a question about President Joe Biden's performance and high gas prices. Someone off-camera steps in to quiet him ( "Don't throw stones"). "I'm sorry, I used the wrong word," Dillon says. "I'm sorry. I'm drunk I'm definitely drunk." On his Facebook page, Moran apologized for the video and his use of the slur. We were approached by someone who secretly videotaped our encounter, he wrote. I was altered thus the reason for walking home and the video is now being used to cast me in a negative light. I should have known better. After eight months of campaigning, asking for and winning the trust of Saratoga Springs voters, your faith in me is much more important than a hit piece designed to undermine that trust. It wont happen again. Saratoga Springs Democratic Chairwoman Pat Tuz said the video was made because Republicans who won only two of the seven elected seats in the city are sore losers. I think its very sad that they have to resort to those methods, she said. I do hope that we can form a more cordial tone to make Saratoga a better community. Note: This story was updated on Tuesday morning to include comments from State Police. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Four astronauts returned to Earth on Monday, riding home with SpaceX to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring. Their capsule streaked through the late night sky like a dazzling meteor before parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. Recovery boats quickly moved in with spotlights. On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to Planet Earth, SpaceX Mission Control radioed from Southern California. Within an hour, all four astronauts were out of the capsule, exchanging fist bumps with the team on the recovery ship. Their homecoming coming just eight hours after leaving the International Space Station paved the way for SpaceX's launch of their four replacements as early as Wednesday night. The newcomers were scheduled to launch first, but NASA switched the order because of bad weather and an astronaut's undisclosed medical condition. The welcoming duties will now fall to the lone American and two Russians left behind at the space station. Before Monday afternoons undocking, German astronaut Matthias Maurer, whos waiting to launch at NASAs Kennedy Space Center, tweeted it was a shame the two crews wouldnt overlap at the space station but we trust youll leave everything nice and tidy. His will be SpaceX's fourth crew flight for NASA in just 1 1/2 years. NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan's Akihiko Hoshide and France's Thomas Pesquet should have been back Monday morning, but high wind in the recovery zone delayed their return. One more night with this magical view. Who could complain? Ill miss our spaceship! Pesquet tweeted Sunday alongside a brief video showing the space station illuminated against the blackness of space and the twinkling city lights on the nighttime side of Earth. From the space station, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei -- midway through a one-year flight -- bid farewell to each of his departing friends, telling McArthur "Ill miss hearing your laughter in adjacent modules. Before leaving the neighborhood, the four took a spin around the space station, taking pictures. This was a first for SpaceX; NASA's shuttles used to do it all the time before their retirement a decade ago. The last Russian capsule fly-around was three years ago. It wasn't the most comfortable ride back. The toilet in their capsule was broken, and so the astronauts needed to rely on diapers for the eight-hour trip home. They shrugged it off late last week as just one more challenge in their mission. The first issue arose shortly after their April liftoff; Mission Control warned a piece of space junk was threatening to collide with their capsule. It turned out to be a false alarm. Then in July, thrusters on a newly arrived Russian lab inadvertently fired and sent the station into a spin. The four astronauts took shelter in their docked SpaceX capsule, ready to make a hasty departure if necessary. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Among the upbeat milestones: four spacewalks to enhance the station's solar power, a movie-making visit by a Russian film crew and the first-ever space harvest of chile peppers. The next crew will also spend six months up there, welcoming back-to-back groups of tourists. A Japanese tycoon and his personal assistant will get a lift from the Russian Space Agency in December, followed by three businessmen arriving via SpaceX in February. SpaceX's first privately chartered flight, in September, bypassed the space station. NASAs Kathy Lueders, head of space operations, said engineers would evaluate the lagging inflation of one of the four main parachutes, something seen in testing when the lines bunch together. Overall, though, the return looked spotless. I cant tell you how excited I am to see all four of the crew members back on Earth, she added, and Im looking forward to launching another set of four this week. ___ 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. TROY In the words of a Rensselaer County prosecutor, James White bound and gagged two adults and two children and stabbed them to death in a Lansingburgh basement during a home invasion robbery to steal video game controllers and a television. In the words of White, who is representing himself at his retrial, he is a real-life version of Richard Kimble, the wrongfully accused protagonist of The Fugitive TV series and movie. Jurors heard both accounts Tuesday as opening statements got underway before County Judge Debra Young. The case involves one of the most violent crimes in recent Capital Region history: the killings of Brandi Mells, 22; Shanta Myers, 36; and Myers' two children, Jeremiah Myers, 11, and 5-year-old Shanise Myers, inside their basement apartment at 158 Second Ave. in Lansingburgh. Prosecutors allege White, joined by accomplice Justin Mann, stabbed the victims to steal the electrical accessories on Dec. 21, 2017. Their bodies were discovered five days later. The judge appointed a standby counsel, Adam Staier, to assist White, but the defendant made it clear that he is leading his defense in what he said was a fight for survival. In his opening statement, White said the evidence all pointed to Mann, who he is expected to cross-examine when Mann testifies for the prosecution. But at the outset, he told the jury he would not engage in formalities. I would rather stand and die on my own two feet than have someone defending me, White told the jury, adding that is how he was raised. He described himself as stoic, practical, and pragmatic as well as blunt. Im not an emotional kind of person. I havent been; I never will be, the 41-year-old told jurors. I was raised in an era that many would consider archaic, even barbaric to a degree. I was raised that boys are boys, and boys dont cry. White highlighted the adage that a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client, adding, Everyone Ive ever come across in my life, nobody will ever tell you that James White is a fool. Calling himself a movie buff, White detailed the 1993 movie version of The Fugitive, which was based on a television show about a doctor wrongfully accused of killing his wife. White, who suggested he was in a similar situation as the fictional Dr. Richard Kimble, told the jury he did not want to give away the ending to the movie. (Kimble escapes custody and spends most of the movie finding the real killers.) White said prosecutors will not be able to prove he committed a crime or had intent to do it. He claimed prosecutors would rely on tricks, theatrics and manipulation a statement that drew an objection from prosecutors. The judge told jurors to disregard Whites remark. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. At one point during Whites opening statement, he said prosecutors were hoping to play on jurors' emotions. A woman who appeared to be a family member or friend of the victims walked out in tears. Earlier, in the prosecutions opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Cheryl McDermott repeated the names of each victim. She pointed directly at White. All killed at the hands of that defendant, bound and gagged and stabbed one by one, McDermott told the jury. Why? Over a television and some video game controllers. White, formerly of Schenectady, is charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, first-degree robbery, first-degree burglary and possession of stolen property. If convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole. The defendant murdered that entire family, and the evidence will show it in this trial, said McDermott, joined by lead prosecutor Matthew Hauf. She said White and Mann tied and bound the victims, and White stabbed them. Evidence in the trial will include video footage of White and Mann riding CDTA buses from Schenectady to Troy, and carrying a bag on the way back that they did not have earlier, she said. McDermott said Whites DNA and that of two of the victims was found on a winter glove they allege he was wearing within an oven mitt during the killings. She said the video showed White joking with a bus driver and wishing the driver a merry Christmas after the killings. Thats the kind of person James White is, she said. Whites first trial ended in a mistrial when deadlocked jurors could not reach a verdict in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first witnesses Wednesday were the landlord of 158 Second Ave., who discovered the bodies on Dec. 26, and police officers who came to the scene. KENOSHA, Wis. (AP) The first man killed by Kyle Rittenhouse on the streets of Kenosha was shot at a range of just a few feet and had soot injuries that could indicate he had his hand over the barrel of Rittenhouses rifle, a pathologist testified Tuesday. But it was unclear from video footage whether Joseph Rosenbaum was grabbing for Rittenhouse's gun or trying to swat it away, said the witness, Dr. Doug Kelley, with the Milwaukee County medical examiners office. Kelley was one of the final witnesses for the state before prosecutors rested their murder case after 5 1/2 days of testimony that were aimed at portraying Rittenhouse as the aggressor but often bolstered the young man's claim of self-defense. His lawyers have suggested the 17-year-old was afraid his gun would be taken away and used against him. The defense then began presenting its side, calling as its first witnesses people who were on the streets with Rittenhouse that night and described him as pale, shaking, sweating and stammering after the shootings. He repeats, I just shot someone over and over, and I believe at some point he said he had to shoot someone, testified Nicholas Smith, who said he had gone to the protests that shook Kenosha that night at the request of the owners of a car dealership to protect the business. My god, my life might be over," another witness, JoAnn Fiedler, quoted Rittenhouse as saying. She said he didn't give any details about what happened but told her he had to do it. Rittenhouse, now 18, killed two men and wounded a third during a night of turbulent demonstrations against racial injustice in Kenosha in the summer of 2020. The former police youth 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 protect property from the damaging protests that broke out over the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white Kenosha police officer. Rittenhouse could get life in prison if convicted of the most serious charge against him. While Rittenhouse is white, as were those he shot, the case has stirred racially charged debate over vigilantism, the right to bear arms, and the unrest that erupted around the U.S. that summer over the killing of George Floyd and other police violence against Black people. On Tuesday, the jury watched drone video that was zoomed-in and slowed down to show Rosenbaum following Rittenhouse, and then Rittenhouse wheeling around and shooting Rosenbaum at close range. Kelley, the pathologist, said Rosenbaum was shot four times by someone who was within 4 feet of him. He testified that Rosenbaum was first wounded in the groin and then in the hand and thigh as he faced Rittenhouse, and then was shot in the head and in the back. Those final two shots were at a downward angle, the pathologist said. Prosecutors have said this indicates Rosenbaum was falling forward, while defense attorney Mark Richards said Rosenbaum was lunging. Kelley said both scenarios were possible. Kelley also said Rosenbaum's hand was "in close proximity or in contact with the end of that rifle. Richards pointed out small injuries from soot on Rosenbaum's hand and said: So that hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouses gun when his hand was shot." That makes sense, Kelley said. The drone footage was the clearest video yet of the shooting that set in motion the bloodshed that followed moments later: Rittenhouse killed Anthony Huber, a 26-year-old protester seen on video clubbing Rittenhouse with a skateboard. Rittenhouse then wounded Gaige Grosskreutz, a 27-year-old protester and volunteer medic who was shot after pointing his own gun at Rittenhouse. Fiedler, the defense witness, was with Rittenhouse outside the car dealership just before the first shooting, and said they were being shouted at and taunted by protesters, including Rosenbaum. But Fiedler, who said she carried a pistol, testified she never saw Rittenhouse threaten or point his gun at anyone. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The whole night was quite shocking, but we didnt really do anything, Fiedler said of the yelling directed at those guarding the store. We just kind of stood there. You have to ignore that. Fiedler said she later opened the door of the dealership for Rittenhouse after the shootings, and he appeared to be totally in shock and fell into her, telling her he had shot someone. He was pale, shaking, kind of stammering, slurring his words. He was sweating," she said. Last week, witnesses testified that Rosenbaum, 36, was hyperaggressive and acting belligerently that night and threatened to kill Rittenhouse at one point. One witness said Rosenbaum was gunned down after chasing Rittenhouse and lunging for his rifle. Wisconsins self-defense law allows someone to use deadly force only if necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. The jury must decide whether Rittenhouse believed he was in such peril and whether that belief was reasonable under the circumstances. On Tuesday, Rittenhouse turned his head and averted his eyes from a defense-table monitor as prosecutors displayed medical examiner photographs of Hubers body laid out on a gurney, a gunshot wound to his chest clearly visible. Rittenhouse breathed deeply as autopsy photos of Rosenbaum showing his injuries were displayed for the jury. A few jurors also seemed to find it difficult to look for long at the images, one glancing up at a monitor over her shoulder, then looking straight ahead. ___ Bauer reported from Madison, Wisconsin; Forliti from Minneapolis; Webber from Fenton, Michigan. Associated Press writer Michael Tarm contributed from Kenosha. ___ Find APs full coverage on the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse at: https://apnews.com/hub/kyle-rittenhouse SCHENECTADY Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to move a Statue of Liberty replica back to its original turf. City Council passed a resolution Monday night calling for Mayor Gary McCarthy to relocate Lady Liberty back to its original location, the latest in a tug-of-war battle between a small band of advocates and City Hall over the statue's fate. Lawmakers took a fresh look at the measure after a renewed push by advocates this fall to move the replica to Gateway Plaza, its home since its installation in 1950 by a local Boy Scout troop. The city removed the statue in 2017 during renovations to downtowns Gateway Plaza and quietly planted the 8-foot-tall artifact at the intersection of Union Street and Erie Boulevard in 2019 after temporarily warehousing it in a storage facility. Advocates contend Lady Libertys new home near a train trestle is undesirable as the site is obscured by poles and lacks signage, sufficient lighting and other cosmetic flourishes, said David Giacalone, a Stockade resident who has championed the issue over the past half-decade. Paul Buckowski/Times Union Furthermore, the citys own implementation plan approved by lawmakers in 2013 called for the statue to be relocated back to what was formerly known as Liberty Park, which sits near Schenectady County Community College and the Western Gateway Bridge that leads into and out of Schenectady, McCarthy, Giacalone said, has given no sufficient reason for scrapping that plan. Hes dug in and made it an ego fight for some reason, Giacalone said on Monday before the meeting. McCarthy has claimed the former park was an overgrown, weed-choked magnet for the homeless, and that the current location is more visible and is part of a proposed planned corridor of statues of famous local figures along one of the citys most heavily-trafficked thoroughfares. John Carl D'Annibale The revamped park is brighter and more open, containing an art installation to honor the LBGTQIA community. More improvements to the immediate area are ongoing, including the pending demolition of the vacant bus station. Since the mayor quietly relocated the statue overnight in August 2019, a small band of advocates has occasionally drawn attention to the perceived injustice by attending City Council meetings, holding colorful signs and speaking passionately about the statues plight. Yet their actions have amounted to nothing until Monday. After years of activism, Giacalone said the group eventually conceded the only way to budge McCarthy was to go through City Council. "I think all of us on this council have supported moving it back to its original place," said City Council President John Mootooveren last week, "and I'm in full support of that." Giacalone hailed the vote expected to be held Monday as a victory, but stopped short of saying if advocates would establish a formal structure to help bankroll moving the statue if needed, pointing at a $20,000 line item included in the 2013 implementation plan allowing for its relocation. And while Giacalone agrees with the principles of what Lady Liberty represents, the advocate says the years-long debate is more weighty than merely where a statue is located, but rather the principles of good government and transparency. Theres no doubt this has been the best thing to happen to Lady Liberty in quite some time, Giacalone said. Councilman John Polimeni said last week he had no interest in rehashing the years-long debate, which he called long and complicated. But the majority leader acknowledged the resolution was largely symbolic. Whatever the mayor chooses to do, he chooses to do, Polimeni said. SCHENECTADY The upcoming Showtime series "Three Women" is expected to film scenes next week in Schenectady. According to an announcement pinned on the homes of residents on Baker Avenue, Possible Productions intends to film interior and exterior scenes for the show in the neighborhood and notes that some outdoor filming might require the crew to perform "intermittent traffic control." The crew expects to film in the neighborhood on Nov. 16. "Three Women" is just the latest television production to shoot scenes in the Capital Region. Earlier this year, HBO's production of the five-part Watergate series "The White House Plumbers" shot indoor and outdoor scenes in Albany. The series stars Woody Harrelson as E. Howard Hunt and Justin Theroux as G. Gordon Liddy, who could be seen filming and hanging out in and around the state Capitol complex. Troy served as the primary Victoria-era backdrop for "The Gilded Age," another upcoming HBO drama. The show is helmed by "Downton Abbey" creator Julian Fellowes, and provides a sort of family backstory for some of that PBS series' American characters. "Three Women" is based on Lisa Taddeo's bestseller of the same name. The nonfiction book is based on the lives of three American women as they explore their sexuality. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The limited series is expected to star Shailene Woodley (star of the "Divergent" film series) as the writer who draws out the stories of the women, played by DeWanda Wise, Betty Gilpin and Gabrielle Creevy. In the book they live, respectively, in Rhode Island, Indiana and North Dakota. It is unclear if Schenectady's Upper Union Street neighborhood will serve as a stand-in for any of those three regions. SINGAPORE (AP) Singapore's top court on Tuesday postponed the appeal hearing for a Malaysian man on death row who is believed to be mentally disabled, after he was diagnosed with COVID-19, in a case that has drawn international attention. Nagaenthran K. Dharmalingam, 33, was scheduled to be executed by hanging on Wednesday for trying to smuggle less than 43 grams (1.5 ounces) of heroin into the country. The Malaysian national was sentenced to death in November 2010 under Singapore's strict anti-drug laws. Previous attempts to reduce his sentence to life in prison or receive a presidential pardon failed, despite pleas from the international community and rights groups. The Court of Appeal's Judge Andrew Phang said Nagaenthran had tested positive for COVID-19, after the defendant had been brought into dock but was then abruptly taken away. The court dismissed a prosecutors suggestion to have Nagaenthran testify via video. We have to issue a stay of the execution until all proceedings are concluded. That is the proper order of things, Phang said. The stay on the execution followed a court ruling on Monday that had already granted a stay pending the result of the appeal at Singapore's highest court. Nagaenthrans defense lawyer, M. Ravi, has argued that executing a mentally disabled person is a violation of Singapores Constitution. Death penalty opponents say Nagaenthrans IQ of 69 was disclosed during an earlier lower court hearing, a level that is internationally recognized as an intellectual disability. But the court ruled that Nagaenthran knew what he was doing and upheld the death sentence. Defense lawyer Ravi told reporters that he was pleasantly surprised by Tuesday's development and will use the extra time to bolster his case. A state-sanctioned murder ... has been averted by a COVID disease. That seems to be the irony of this development today, he said. The Singapore Prison Service said it only received the positive result of Nagaenthran's test after he had arrived in court. The court was immediately informed and he was isolated. Nagaenthran is well and asymptomatic. He did not report any illness prior to his court hearing. He is not vaccinated as he had opted not to receive any COVID-19 vaccine, it said in a statement. Several inmates and staff of the prison block where he is housed also tested positive for the virus. The block has since been locked down. The agency said that as of Sunday, 97% of Singapore's eligible inmates have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine and 90% had received two doses. Nagaenthrans mother, two younger siblings and cousin were not present in the courtroom Tuesday, but have been allowed daily prison visits since traveling from their hometown of Ipoh in northern Malaysia last week. His older sister, Sarmila Dharmalingam, who didnt make the trip, said these visits will be replaced by phone calls, given the news. While she worries about her brother's condition, she said she is relieved that his execution has been stayed. "But Im only a little bit happy, because I know they havent actually stopped the execution, only given it a temporary stay, Sarmila said. Legal experts including with the Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network and Amnesty International have called the execution of an intellectually disabled man inhumane and a violation of international law. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Members of the international community, representatives of the European Union, and global figures such as British business magnate Richard Branson have also called for Nagaenthrans life to be spared, and used the case to draw attention toward anti-death penalty advocacy. Malaysian Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob reportedly asked for leniency purely on humanitarian grounds in a letter addressed to Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, dated Nov. 3. Malaysias anti-drug laws are similarly harsh, with the majority of people on death row in the country due to drug offenses. Singapore's home affairs ministry said the country takes a zero-tolerance stance against illicit drugs," in response to media queries on Friday. The penalties, including the death penalty, for the illegal trafficking, importation or exportation of drugs are made clear at our borders, to warn traffickers and syndicates of the harsh penalties they potentially face, the ministry said. The prison service said Nagaenthran will be given medical attention, and the appeal hearing will be held after he recovers. Anyone found with over 15 grams (0.5 ounces) of heroin faces the death sentence in Singapore, although judges can reduce this to life in prison at their discretion. The last execution in Singapore was in 2019. ___ Associated Press writer Eileen Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) The United States and Egypt put a brave face on strains in their relationship on Monday amid domestic Egyptian developments and regional crises that are testing long-standing ties between the countries. With Egypts human rights record posing a significant irritant that has resulted in the withholding of some U.S. military aid and flashpoint situations in Egyptian neighbors Ethiopia and Sudan, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry opened two days of strategic talks in Washington. Aside from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi's government's treatment of dissidents, the Biden administration is wary of the Egyptian role in Sudan, where a coup toppled the civilian-led government two weeks ago. And, the U.S. remains concerned about Cairo's approach to a long-running dispute over a proposed Nile dam project in Ethiopia, which is also beset with political turmoil and a growing rebellion. Both Blinken and Shoukry hailed the decades-old U.S.-Egypt relationship, but only Blinken raised the points of regional contention, pledging that the Biden administration is committed to resolving them. Egypt pointedly did not sign on to a joint statement with the U.S., Britain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates calling on the Sudanese military to restore the civilian-led government, but Blinken said the U.S. and Egypt have a shared interest in getting (Sudan's) democratic transition back on track. The military takeover that began on Oct. 25, has been dangerously destabilizing, he said. A restoration of the civilian-led transitional government is the only path to facilitating the aspirations of the Sudanese people who have demonstrated remarkable bravery in repeatedly coming out in demand for democracy. Egypt is suspected by some Sudanese opposition leaders as having given a greenlight for the Sudan's military leader, Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, to oust Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok. But Shoukry did not mention Sudan in his comments. Blinken also spoke of deteriorating conditions in Ethiopia, where a yearlong war between the government and ethnic Tigrayans is intensifying with a rebel approach on the capital. He said the situation has a direct bearing on both Egyptian and U.S. national security interests. The crisis in Ethiopia also puts the stability of the Horn of Africa at risk," Blinken said. We continue to engage with all parties to the conflict and with partners in the region to encourage peace negotiations without preconditions in pursuit of a ceasefire. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. He added that despite the tumult, the U.S. continues to support a negotiated agreement to the dispute between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that addresses the interests of all parties. Egypt has long feared the project will severely impact the flow of Nile waters key to agriculture. Blinken praised Egypt for its work to try to help stabilize Libya, which has been in the midst of chaos and internal unrest for years made complicated by the presence of foreign fighters and mercenaries acting on behalf of Russia, Turkey and Gulf Arab states. On human rights, Blinken said the administration welcomed the launch of an Egyptian national human rights strategy but said the effort would be judged by its results. Making tangible and lasting improvements on human rights is essential to strengthening our bilateral relationship and the United States will continue to support those efforts however we can, he said. The U.S. has complained about Egypts human rights record for years and the Biden administration has withheld $130 million in military aid to the country pending improvements. Shoukry's remarks appeared to acknowledge Egypt's understanding of the concern. ""We also believe that human rights are an interdependent whole, which necessitates that we dedicate equal attention to political rights and civil liberties and economic and social rights," he said. This is an evolutionary process unique to each country, one that reflects and takes into consideration its social specificities, developmental realities, religious background, and cultural characteristics, he said. He added that the new strategy, along with al-Sissi's revocation of a long-standing nationwide state of emergency last month are irrefutable evidence of our determination and resolve to continue to forge our path towards a modern democratic state and for the benefit of our citizens first and foremost. Harry Rosenfeld, who until his death in July at age 91 served as the Times Union's editor-at-large, was born in Berlin. This 2013 column on the Nazi attacks of Nov. 9-10, 1938, was adapted from his book, "From Kristallnacht to Watergate: Memoirs of a Newspaperman" (SUNY Press). In the middle of the night on Oct. 18, 1938, Gestapo officers knocked on our door and roused the household. They came to arrest my father for deportation to Poland, along with other Polish Jews. While Father was in Poland living with relatives, Mother cared for my sister and me and ran the fur business. On Nov. 9, there was another knock on our door, this time in the morning and by someone well known to our family. His wife worked in the office of Josef Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister. The man tore the nameplate off the door and urged us to immediately leave our home and take refuge in the Polish Embassy. When my mother, sister and I arrived, the embassy courtyard was filling quickly with Polish Jews. It was a raw, cold November day. I ran around and played games with friends I spotted in the crowd. Every so often I saw open trucks filled with singing Brownshirts passing in the street beyond a high iron fence around the embassy. We remained in the compound until word came late at night from the Polish authorities that it would be safe to return home. We then walked in the dark, along with others who had taken refuge in the embassy. The sidewalks in front of the stores were littered with the broken plate glass that was to give the night its chillingly memorable name: Kristallnacht. When we arrived home, we found our apartment and shop undamaged. There are no certain explanations for our property escaping harm, but there are several possibilities. First, the Nazi gangs who committed the destruction generally came from other parts of the city, so they might not have known that our store, whose front was shuttered from top to bottom, was a Jewish establishment. Jewish businesses were commanded to have the owner's name painted in large white letters on the front window. After Kristallnacht, our store's shutters were not raised again. Also, we may have been spared because the man who came to warn us had torn the nameplate off the apartment door. My sister much later surmised that our neighbors liked our family and did not turn us in to the Nazi raiders. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. The next morning, I nagged Mother to let me go with a friend to see what had happened to the temple where I attended school after Jews were expelled from the public school. We walked past stores with shattered windows. At the Fasanenstrasse Temple, we saw the synagogue burning, smoke enfolding its massive Moorish dome. German firemen and their apparatus were standing by, at the ready, not to put out the fire but to make sure that the flames would not spread to nearby Aryan properties. A crowd had gathered to watch in silence the desecration of a central symbol of the Jewish community. At its construction more than two decades earlier, it was regarded as a symbol of the confidence Jews had of their place in Germany. Kristallnacht increased my family's urgency to leave Germany. My parents' emigration application had been on file at the American Embassy since 1934. In the weeks and months following Kristallnacht we anxiously waited for our quota number to come up. The quota system was the key for acquiring visas to enter the United States. Finally, the day came in March when our number was granted. The Germans permitted my father to return to Berlin to accompany us to America. My immigration number was 6064, and the card is a cherished possession. The back of the card documented our arrival date in America, on May 16, 1939 107 days before the outbreak of the Second World War. Rosenfeld grew up in the Bronx, graduated from Syracuse University, was an editor at The New York Herald Tribune and The Washington Post and came to Albany as the editor of the Times Union and Knickerbocker News in 1978. ALBANY The State Liquor Authority this week will consider amending or abolishing a controversial program, launched as a six-month solution to a licensing backlog but still in use more than a decade later without official authorization, that allows attorneys representing clients applying for liquor licenses to "self-certify" the accuracy of an application and speed it through the process. Internal critics of the program include the SLA's former deputy commissioner of licensing, who resigned last week after writing a memo denouncing the practice as unfair and ineffective, in part because many attorneys using it submit flawed applications that are nonetheless moved along toward approval. Further, a longtime licensing manager told the SLA board in a separate memo, also from last week, that the previous deputy commissioner of licensing, who initially recommended the program be adopted in 2009, routinely told examiners "not even to look at" more than 10 items in self-certified applications that would be scrutinized in other applications. When self-certified licenses are fully examined, the manager wrote, "they contain just as many mistakes and errors as non-certified applications" but are allowed to continue in the approval process. "I suspect that hundreds (if not thousands) of self-certified applications that would not have passed an SLA review were approved" during the first two years of the program alone, Adam Roberts, the deputy licensing commissioner who quit last week, wrote in a Nov. 4 memo. It was addressed to SLA Commissioner Vincent Bradley and board members Lily Fan and Greeley Ford, who will hear arguments Wednesday, Nov. 10, during a regularly scheduled board meeting. An agency spokesman said Roberts' resignation after two years on the job was coincidental and unrelated to the writing of the memo. Through the spokesman, Bradley declined comment Tuesday, citing his role in listening to discussion and making a ruling with the board on self-certification. But in a 2019 SLA meeting he bluntly acknowledged its problems, saying, The self-certification program, as it stands, is not helping us at all. Upwards of 80 percent of the self-certified applications that we get, and probably more than that, have major issues in them. The agency published the memos and related material on a dedicated page its website labeled Full Board review of Attorney Self-Certification Program. Under Roberts, the SLA's licensing bureau in September asked the board to consider amending or canceling the self-certification program, a request precipitated by an official challenge made in July. It was filed by John Springer, a non-attorney consultant from Long Island whose website boasts "No one can get you a license from the New York State Liquor Authority faster than our team." Springer, who has long contended the SLA never had legal grounds to impose the program in the first place, said Tuesday that he intends to address the board about the matter at Wednesday's meeting. According to the memo from Roberts and another from licensing administrator Amy Male, who has been in charge of the self-certification program since 2013: The program creates a two-tier process favoring those who can afford to pay an attorney enrolled in the program. License examiners for years were instructed by superiors to overlook deficiencies in self-certified applications. The program was based on the belief that errors in self-certified applications would be caught in post-approval audits, but the SLA faced such a backlog of applications that audits were stopped in order to devote available staff to handling new applications. Two-thirds of self-certified applications submitted in February and March of this year were deficient or otherwise incomplete, errors that would not have been found without full examination. "Even the most experienced lawyers routinely submit deficient applications while certifying, under oath and penalty of perjury, that they contain documents that are simply not included," Male wrote. While self-certified applications were approved within a few weeks instead of up to nine months when the program was launched, approval is now about a month faster, and only if the application is complete. If remediation or additional details are needed, as was often the case under increased scrutiny during Roberts' term, self-certified applications saw no net improvement in approval time. Overall, more than 90 percent of applications are not self-certified; during February and March of this year, it was 94 percent, leading Roberts to advise self-certification be scrapped, writing, "Investing resources to help improve an already failing program, which impacts less than 10 percent of our applications, (makes) little sense." The self-certification program was launched in August 2009 to address a licensing backlog then running at 35 to 40 weeks, according to a Nov. 4 memo tracing the program's history by the SLA's general counsel, Gary Meyerhoff. While initially intended to last for six months, it was extended for six more months. The then-chairman, Dennis Rosen, and the deputy licensing commissioner at the time, Kerri O'Brien, who had first advocated for the program, both recommended during a May 2010 board meeting that self-certification end, according to the Meyerhoff memo. Two weeks later, however, Rosen reversed himself, telling The New York Times that state-imposed financial constraints, including a ban on overtime for state workers, meant self-certification needed to stay in place to prevent another backlog of application processing. Meyerhoff's memo says that neither records, meeting minutes nor employee recollections suggest the SLA board has formally reconsidered the self-certification program since it was approved for yet another six-month extension in September 2010, though "neither the minutes nor the video reflects when this new period was to begin or end." In other words, according to the memo, self-certification has continued without official authorization for more than a decade. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and some area history with our afternoon newsletter. Noting that self-certification was intended as a temporary solution to licensing delays, Roberts wrote, "It is unclear to me, from the records we have, whether anyone considered the long-term implications of institutionalizing this kind of compromise as a permanent one." He continued, "I do not believe there is a sensible way to fix the program. ... The minor benefits of the program are only recognized by a small percentage of our applicants and come at the expense of the larger population." SLA spokesman William Crowley confirmed the matter will be discussed at Wednesday's meeting. He said it was unclear whether the board would take action during the meeting or reserve its decision on the self-certification program. Farmington, WV (26555) Today A steady rain early...then remaining cloudy with a few showers. Low 37F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight A steady rain early...then remaining cloudy with a few showers. Low 37F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. For the second time in two weeks, a Mecklenburg County jail officer was taken to the hospital after being assaulted A new map dividing Montana into two congressional districts for the first time in three decades has been finalized Smarsh Unveils New Communications Intelligence Platform By Luke Bellos , Editor, Business VoIP Communications management solutions company Smarsh recently announced the launch of the Communications Intelligence Platform, a unique offering which offers enterprises greater control over storing communications for security and monitoring purposes. A new era of hybrid work dawned, meaning the majority of business communications now takes place through a wide range of communications channels. Although this change has been a blessing from a productivity and convenience standpoint, it has created additional challenges for industries that must record and store these conversations for legal purposes. Utilizing advanced AI capabilities and automation, users in highly regulated industries can now record and analyze communications through the cloud to simultaneously meet requirements while discovering new business insights. "The Communications Intelligence Platform is a major step forward for regulated organizations, enabling them to illuminate risk and insights across petabytes of electronic communications generated by many different sources," said Brian Cramer, Chief Executive Officer at Smarsh. "Regulatory scrutiny is only becoming more sophisticated, and data will only continue to grow in volume and complexity. The only way for these organizations to truly leverage their communications intelligence at a global scale is by leveraging artificial intelligence and the flexibility and performance of the public cloud, two core components of this groundbreaking platform." The Communications Intelligence Platform consolidates a number of key Smarsh applications, including Capture, Enterprise Archive, Conduct Intel and Discovery, offering customers absolute communications oversight from a single location. "Legacy email archiving and surveillance solutions simply weren't built to handle the petabyte scale of disparate data created by organizations today," added Goutam Nadella, Smarsh Chief Product Officer. "They require a holistic strategy to handle electronic communications data and the technology to support it. With the Communications Intelligence Platform, enterprise organizations can consolidate their infrastructure with one provider, strengthen their risk and compliance initiatives, and put the intelligence within their electronic communications to work towards their business outcomes." Please enable JavaScript to view the Edited by Maurice Nagle New Amazon Scam Phishes Victims with Call Center and Legitimate Amazon Pages As Americans increasingly rely on Amazon for shopping particularly with the upcoming holiday season security experts are warning of a new phishing scam that utilizes a call center to give it more seeming legitimacy. Beginning in October of 2021, cyber security experts noted incidences of a new type of attack in which fraudsters spoof a typical Amazon order confirmation, according to a report published this week by Avanan. It works like this: recipients receive an email informing them about a high-ticket order they have supposedly placed. The links in the email direct victims to a legitimate Amazon page with an item, usually priced in the hundreds of dollars. Victims panic, thinking the order is an error. The email directs callers to a fake call center unaffiliated with Amazon to fix or cancel the order. While no one will answer the call, a scammer will place a call back a few hours later after harvesting the phone number. The goal of the attack is to have the victim read credit card information to the call center. Scammers inform the called party that to cancel the order, a credit card number and CVV number are required. The phone number for the fake call center is a U.S. based number, according to Avanan, but the scam originates in India. The scam is effective because it uses links to genuine Amazon pages, according to the company. In this email, the hackers convincingly spoof a typical Amazon order confirmation notice, said Avanan on its web site. All links go directly to Amazons site. This means that even the most trained user will click on it. What would set off alarm bells is the actual email address, which comes from a Gmail address. Security professionals are advising recipients of any emails about an Amazon order to check the email address of the initial message, and not to call unfamiliar numbers. Edited by Luke Bellos [November 09, 2021] Argus Cyber Security Named Winner of CLEPA Innovation Awards 2021 TEL-AVIV, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Argus Cyber Security , a global leader in cyber security for connected mobility, today announced it was selected as the winner of the CLEPA Innovation Awards 2021 in the Connectivity & Automation category. The award recognizes Argus' breakthrough ECU Protection solution, which detects and mitigates cyber attacks targeting all types of vehicle ECUs, including telematics, multimedia systems, and ADAS units, and communicates the incidents to the Argus Vehicle Security Operation Center (VSOC) solution for further analysis and response from the cloud. As modern vehicle platforms (ECUs) become smarter and more connected, they are also becoming more exposed to IT-like cyber security issues. Automotive cyber attacks now mimic sophisticated techniques used to compromise IT networks, including multi-stage persistent attacks, exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities, and installing malware. A breached vehicle could lead to major damage with severe safety consequences. Unfortunately, standard ECU integrity solutions were not designed to address these complex cyber threats. Argus ECU Protection is one of the first host Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS) built specifically to address the extended attack surface of today's connected vehicles. Now in production with nine vehicle manufacturers and ASPICE L2 certified, Argus ECU Protection, combines best-of-breed IT security with functionality built from the ground up for the vehicle environment. Moreover, Agus ECU Protection is part of Argus' comprehensive cyber security portfolio, which offers vehicle manufacturers the ability to detect, prevent, and respond to attacks, threats, and vulnerabilities from in the vehicle and the cloud. Conducted by the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA), the Innovation Awards program recognizes innovative excellence across the automotive supply ecosystem. Winners were chosen by an international jury of experts, taking into consideration the ambition, the impact and quality of the innovation and its readiness to enter highly competitive and cutting-edge markets. "It is an honor to join industry leaders such as Continental in being selected as a 2021 CLEPA Innovation Award winner," said Ronen Smoly, CEO at Argus. "Our breakthrough technology changes the way vehicle manufacturers address vehicle protection and will protect tens of millions of vehicles in the next few years. The 2021 CLEPA Innovation Award, which comes on the heels of being selected for the AutoTech Breakthrough Innovation of the Year Award, serves as a strong validation of our innovative approach and technology leadership in the automotive cybersecurity space." About Argus Cyber Security Argus, a global leader in cyber security for connected mobility, provides modular onboard and offboard-vehicle cyber security products and services to protect all forms of connected mobility against cyber attacks. Customers include vehicle manufacturers, their suppliers, and connected mobility providers. Argus' vehicle cyber security team provides a broad range of services to help our customers integrate cyber security practices and processes into the entire product lifecycle and comply with regulations. Argus' innovative methods and solutions are based on decades of cyber security and automotive research and have culminated in over 70 granted and pending patents. Founded in 2013, Argus is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel, with offices in Michigan, Stuttgart, France, Tokyo, Shanghai, and Korea. Argus is an independent subsidiary of Elektrobit , a leading provider of automotive software products and services. Visit Argus Cyber Security at https://www.argus-sec.com . @ArgusSec | LinkedIn Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/803463/Argus_Cyber_Security_Logo.jpg Contact: Monique Lance [email protected] +972 - 54 - 7782549 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Automotive Transmission Valve Spool Market to Reach $2.81 Bn, Globally, by 2030 at 6.5% CAGR: Allied Market Research PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Market Research published a report, titled, "Automotive Transmission Valve Spool Market by Transmission Type (Automatic Transmission, Continuously Variable Transmission, and Dual Clutch Transmission), Speed (Upto 5 Speed Transmission, 5 to 7 Speed Transmission, and Above 7 Speed Transmission) and Vehicle Type (Passenger Cars, Light Commercial Vehicle, and Heavy Commercial Vehicle): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030." According to the report, the global automotive transmission valve spool industry generated $1.54 billion in 2020, and is estimated to reach $2.81 billion by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 6.5% from 2021 to 2030. Drivers, restraints, and opportunities Increase in adoption of lightweight transmission systems and surge in demand for automatic transmission drive the growth of the global automotive transmission valve spool market. However, rise in adoption of engine downscaling techniques by OEM and high costs associated with advanced transmission valves hinder the market growth. On the other hand, advancements in spool valve technologies and rise in vehicle manufacturing in developing countries present new opportunities in the coming years. Download Report (222 Pages PDF with Insights, Charts, Tables, Figures) at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/14245 Covid-19 Scenario Manufacturing activities of automotive transmission valve spool stopped due to lockdown measures implemented across many countries. In addition, disruptions in the supply chain and shortage of raw materials presented challenges in implementing manufacturing with full capacity. As automotive vehicle sales decreased considerably across the world, the demand for transmission valve spools from the automotive sector decreased. However, automotive sales are expected to increase in the last quarter of 2021, which in turn, will increase transmission valve spool demand. The ban on import-export activities resulted in supply chain disruption and supply-demand gap. However, the supply chain is estimated to be restored as restrictions are lifted off. Request for Customization at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-for-customization/14245 The automatic transmission segment to continue its lead position throughout the forecast period Based on transmission type, the automatic transmission segment contributed to the largest share in 2020, holding around three-fifths of the global automotive transmission valve spool market, and is estimated to continue its lead position throughout the forecast period. This is due to affordability and compatibility provided by automatic transmission systems. However, the CVT segment is projected to manifest the highest CAGR of 7.2% from 2021 to 2030, owing to high demand for high-performance systems. The passenger cars segment to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period Based on vehicle type, the passenger cars segment hel the largest share in 2020, accounting for more than half of the global automotive transmission valve spool market, and is expected to maintain its leadership status during the forecast period. This is due to surge in adoption of luxury automobiles with automatic transmissions in developing nations such as Brazil, India, and others. However, the heavy commercial vehicle segment is projected to portray the fastest CAGR of 7.3% from 2021 to 2030. Interested to Procure the Data? Inquire here at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/purchase-enquiry/14245 North America to maintain its dominance in terms of revenue by 2030 Based on region, North America accounted for the highest market share in 2020, contributing to around one-third of the global automotive transmission valve spool market, and is expected to maintain its dominance in terms of revenue by 2030. This is attributed to utilization of automatic transmission systems by the majority of automobiles in the region. However, Asia-Pacific is expected to register the highest CAGR of 7.5% during the forecast period, owing to the expansion of the transportation & logistics industry in the region. Leading market players Argo-Hytos Inc. Bosch Rexroth AG Christian Burkert Gmbh & Co. KG Dymax Eagle Industry Co., Ltd. Eaton Corporation plc GMB Corporation HAWE Hydraulik SE HYDAC International GmbH Parker-Hannifin Corporation Schedule a FREE Consultation Call with Our Analysts to Find Solution for Your Business at https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/14245 Similar Repots We Have on Automotive Industry: Valve Spool Market by Type (Flat Tappet and Roller Tappet), Capacity (Less than 4 Cylinders Engine, 46 Cylinders Engine, and More than 6 Cylinders Engine), End User (Economic Passenger Cars, Luxury Passenger Cars, and Mid-Priced Passenger Cars), and Vehicle (Heavy Commercial Vehicles and Light-Duty Vehicles): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202030. Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) Market by Application (HCV, and MCV) - Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 2017-2030. Transmission Control System Market by Installation (Integrated and Stand-alone) and Vehicle Type (Passenger Vehicle, Commercial Vehicle, and Electric vehicle): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192030. Hydrostatic Transmission Market by Base Oil (Mineral Oil, Synthetic Oil, Semi synthetic Oil and Bio-based Oil) and Application (OEMs, Mining Equipment, Construction Equipment, Transportation, Oil & Gas, Metal Production, Food & Beverages and Others): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202030. Electric Vehicle (EV) Transmission Market by Type (Single Speed and Multi Speed), Vehicle Type (Passenger Electric Vehicle, Commercial Electric Vehicle, and Off-highway Electric Vehicle) and Transmission System (Automated Manual Transmissions, Continuously Variable Transmissions, Dedicated Hybrid Transmissions/Dual Clutch Transmissions and Automatic Transmissions): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20202030. Automotive PCV Valve Market by Product (Diesel Engines PCV Valve and Petrol Engines PCV Valve) and End User (OEM and Aftermarket): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20212030. About Us Allied Market Research (AMR) is a full-service market research and business-consulting wing of Allied Analytics LLP based in Portland, Oregon. Allied Market Research provides global enterprises as well as medium and small businesses with unmatched quality of "Market Research Reports" and "Business Intelligence Solutions." AMR has a targeted view to provide business insights and consulting to assist its clients to make strategic business decisions and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain. We are in professional corporate relations with various companies and this helps us in digging out market data that helps us generate accurate research data tables and confirms utmost accuracy in our market forecasting. Allied Market Research CEO Pawan Kumar is instrumental in inspiring and encouraging everyone associated with the company to maintain high quality of data and help clients in every way possible to achieve success. Each and every data presented in the reports published by us is extracted through primary interviews with top officials from leading companies of domain concerned. Our secondary data procurement methodology includes deep online and offline research and discussion with knowledgeable professionals and analysts in the industry. Contact: David Correa 5933 NE Win Sivers Drive #205, Portland, OR 97220 United States USA/Canada (Toll Free): +1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022 UK: +44-845-528-1300 Hong Kong: +852-301-84916 India (Pune): +91-20-66346060 Fax: +1(855)550-5975 [email protected] Web: www.alliedmarketresearch.com Allied Market Research Blog: https://blog.alliedmarketresearch.com Follow Us on | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/automotive-transmission-valve-spool-market-to-reach-2-81-bn-globally-by-2030-at-6-5-cagr-allied-market-research-301419518.html SOURCE Allied Market Research [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Black Sage's Goshawk Delivers EW Jamming for the United States Air Force at Ranges Exceeding 35km BOISE, Idaho, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The enemy's ability to deny or degrade the United States Air Force's GPS instrumentation presents risk to mission execution. For this reason, the capacity to operate in GPS degraded environments represents an essential element in USAF pilot training. The Goshawk Long Range EW Jammer is a directional non-kinetic effector. The system has the capability to disrupt GNSS signals for enemy military aircraft and UAS Groups 1-5. This capability means the Goshawk Long Range EW Jammer is ideal for the United States Air Force's degraded GPS training. "Black Sage's C-UAS system, featuring the Goshawk Long Range Jammer, is an ideal fit to deliver a degraded GPS training system for the United States Air Force," said Trent Morrow, Black Sage's Chief Strategy Officer. "The system will significantly decrease the USAF's required cost and advance notice to schedule GPS degraded training." The United States Air Force's current degraded GPS training systems operate with GPS jammers focused on a fixed zone. Aircraft are required to fly through the zone to experience GPS signal denial or degradation. During an initial United States Air Force evaluation of Goshawk, the system delivered directional EW jamming beyond 35km. The promising results offer the United States Air Force the capability to increase the amount of time military aircraft experience GPS signal denial or degradation while reducing collateral effects on civilian use of GPS instrumentation, including commercial and private aircraft. The United States Air Force and other branches of the US military conduct dgraded GPS training exercises at military facilities and testing areas across the United States. These training exercises may cover several states at one time. While the Federal Aviation Administration releases advisory notices regarding the scheduling of the US military's degraded GPS training exercises, both commercial airlines and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association are concerned with the risk posed to non-military aircraft. Black Sage's degraded GPS training system offers the potential to mitigate or eliminate these concerns. About Goshawk Long Range Jammer Black Sage's Goshawk Long Range Jammer has the capability to disrupt GNSS signals at a maximum range exceeding 35km. Goshawk is a directional jammer, so collateral effects related to friendly force operations are minimal or nonexistent. This system has the capability to disrupt GNSS signals for military aircraft and UAS Groups 1-5. In addition to jamming enemy aircraft and UAS, the Goshawk will be utilized to provide degraded GPS training for US military pilots. About Black Sage Black Sage is a multi-mission platform provider focused on Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems and security solutions serving military, internal security, and critical infrastructure protection missions. Our open architecture DefenseOS command and control software delivers CUAS automation, including AI/ML automated target discrimination and threat evaluation, ISR functionality, EW and kinetic effectors. DefenseOS and Sawtooth, Black Sage's modular hardware platform, have integrated over 40 sensor and effector systems. For more information, please visit: www.blacksagetech.com or our LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blacksagetech Contact Scott Talcott Black Sage +1 208-571-8135 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/black-sages-goshawk-delivers-ew-jamming-for-the-united-states-air-force-at-ranges-exceeding-35km-301419838.html SOURCE Black Sage [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Bluebird Network Now Operating Two Internet Exchanges Within Their Data Centers Bluebird Network, a communications infrastructure provider with two data centers, and 10,000 route miles of fiber ranked in the top 1% of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) worldwide, is now the host of two internet exchanges within their discrete data centers at polar ends of the company's digital footprint. These exchanges allow customers to offload traffic, increase data transmission speeds and improve network experiences by keeping traffic local and avoiding congested cities. The Springfield Internet Exchange (SpringIX) is housed in the Bluebird Underground Data Center located in Springfield, MO, while the Quad Cities Internet Exchange (QCIX) is available for connection in the Bluebird Quad Cities Data Center in Bettendorf, IA. Both facilities are carrier-neutral, allowing any entity with an Autonomous System Number (ASN) to take advantage of the internet exchange fabric, including other ISPs. "Internet exchanges are an important part of keeping our world connected and the internet fast, both of these things Bluebird already does well," said Michael Morey, President and CEO of Bluebird Network. "The fact we can offer this advantage to our customers in the form of two excellent exchanges, makes us a better company." SpringIX is the first and only exchange in Springfield, MO and is connected to the Kansas City Internet Exchange, which boasts 121 active peers and allows SpringIX members to easily exchange traffic. The QCIX is the largest IX in Iowa with 47 peers, and as of October 2021, ten additional carriers are in the process of connecting. Jay Hanke, President of South Front Networks, a Bluebird customer operatig a carrier network from Illinois up to Minnesota, founded the not-for-profit QCIX in 2020 to alleviate a peering hole in the region and allow networks to avoid the congested Chicago area. "Exchanges provide a low-latency path for businesses and ISPs to optimize their Internet traffic and extend an already large transport network," Hanke said. "Access to content is also streamlined because content providers are directly connected into the fabric. Since multiple content networks are colocated in the exchange, the traffic comes straight from them and goes to Bluebird or whichever ISP you're connecting to." Internet exchanges are not only for carriers and ISPs; they also support companies in work-from-home and disaster situations by keeping traffic local. SpringIX and QCIX offer enhanced connectivity solutions for communities in the Midwest by providing faster speeds, low-latency, and reduced costs throughout the region. "As enterprises and their internet providers come online with Internet Exchanges, an increasing share of their traffic will be kept local, improving speed, performance and latency," Hanke said. "Governments, universities and enterprises can all benefit from joining an exchange." Bluebird Network supports increased productivity and innovation for businesses by supplying robust and reliable fiber services necessary to thrive in the next era of digital transformation. The company provides an array of services including dedicated internet, Ethernet solutions, cloud connections, dark fiber, wavelengths, colocation, and more. To learn more about Bluebird Network, please visit bluebirdnetwork.com. About Bluebird Network Bluebird Network is a communications infrastructure provider and data center operator. Since 1999, Bluebird Network, headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, has provided internet and transport services, via its fiber infrastructure, to Carriers and Enterprises in Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, and the surrounding states. Bluebird owns two data centers: an underground facility in Springfield, MO, and a facility in the Quad Cities. Bluebird operates over 10,000 fiber route miles of high-speed broadband and fiber-optic connections with over 74,000 on-net and near-net buildings and 151 Points of Presence (PoP) sites spanning the Midwest, including the major cities of Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield (MO and IL), Tulsa, Peoria, Rockford, Bloomington, Normal and the Quad Cities. To learn more, please visit www.Bluebirdnetwork.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005025/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] BYJU'S Announces The Launch Of Innovation Hub, 'BYJU'S Lab' BYJU'S, the world's leading edtech company, today announced the launch of BYJU'S Lab - an innovation hub based out of the United Kingdom, US and India. With a vision to propel and shape the future of education, the new venture will incubate new ideas, provide cutting-edge technologies and deliver breakthrough solutions across BYJU'S ecosystem of learning products. At BYJU'S, technology in education is not just about automation, but also about harnessing it in the best way possible to empower students into becoming lifelong learners. We believe that by innovating for the future we will sustain the present, and BYJU'S Lab stems out of this philosophy to aid in redefining the role of technology in learning and transforming powerful ideas into solutions. With steady growth and expansion, BYJU'S has been at the center of innovation since its inception a decade ago. BYJU'S Lab is yet another step in the company's efforts to continue innovating with the aim to transform learning experiences for children around the world. It is doing so by leveraging cutting edge technologies such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence (AI), computer vision capabilities, gamification and more. The company is now looking to harness the global talent pool by actively hiring a diverse set of candidates in the UK, US and India. By assembling a powerful team of high-caliber individuals, BYJU'S Lab aims to make technology transparent for the user and harness it in a way that tech-enabled education can reach the largest number of people. By unlocking various new jobs, BYJU'S Lab will create an exciting and fulfilling environment for Machine Learning and AI professionals, who are both experienced and new to the industry. BYJU'S Lab is not just about creating a faster or better system, but also creating genuine intellectual property and cutting-edge research that can disrupt and keep us ahead of the curve. Dev Roy, Chief Innovation and Learning Officer, BYJU'S said, "The role of online learning is not just to replicate offline classes in digital space but to make it more interactive, engaging, and personalized. By combining the ability of computing, technolgy, and data, we at BYJU'S Lab want to explore the power of information and technology to create a more personalized, enhanced, and democratized learning. As a global company, we are looking to harness a global talent pool to build innovative tools and leverage new technologies to positively impact the learning experiences of children across the world. As we continue to grow and experiment, we will operate at the intersection of business and technology to make innovation real and relevant for our end customers. We are looking at strengthening our team and look forward to working with bright and curious minds to transform the way children learn," he added. Innovation has an integral place in education, and BYJU'S Lab, with a highly-talented workforce, will focus on projects with longer gestation cycles that involve deep analysis to gain valuable insights into the learning habits of children. With an aim to make children fall in love with learning, BYJU'S has been a pioneer in delivering world-class programs that are contextual and visual. The company is paving the way for geography agnostic learning tools that sit at the intersection of mobile, interactive content, and personalised learning methodology. About BYJU'S: BYJU'S is the world's leading edtech company and the creator of India's most loved school learning app which offers highly adaptive, engaging and effective learning programs for students in LKG, UKG, classes 1 -12 (K-12) and competitive exams like JEE, NEET and IAS. BYJU'S launched its flagship product, BYJU'S - The Learning App, for classes 4-12 in 2015. Today, the app has over 100 million registered students and 6.5 million annual paid subscriptions. With an average time of 71 minutes being spent by a student on the app every day from 1700+ cities, the app is creating a whole new way of learning through visual lessons. The Disney (News - Alert) BYJU'S Early Learn App was launched in June 2019, a special offering from BYJU'S for students in classes 1-3 featuring Disney's timeliness characters. In early 2019, BYJU'S acquired Osmo, a Palo Alto (News - Alert) based maker of educational games to transform the whole offline to online learning experience. BYJU'S also acquired WhiteHat Jr in 2020, a Mumbai-based programming start-up focused on empowering children with coding skills. In 2021, BYJU'S acquired the market leader and one of the most trusted test-prep service providers in India - Aakash Educational Services Limited (ASEL), Epic and Great Learning. Taking the vision of creating active learners around the world and expanding globally, BYJU'S also launched BYJU'S Future School recently. Powered by 11,000 qualified women teachers, this is available in the USA, UK, Australia, Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico and will progressively expand to more geographies in the near future. Furthermore, BYJU'S Learning App featuring Disney was launched in the USA in July 2021, to help children ages 4-8 explore, practice, and understand math, language and reading concepts through interactive learning journeys combined with Disney's world-class storytelling. BYJU'S has been backed by strong and prominent investors like Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, Naspers (News - Alert), CPPIB, General Atlantic, Tencent, Sequoia Capital, Sofina, Verlinvest, IFC, Aarin Capital, TimesInternet, Lightspeed ventures, Tiger Global, Owl Ventures & Qatar Investment Authority. Delivering a world-class learning experience, programs from BYJU'S are making learning contextual and visual. The apps have been designed to adapt to the unique learning style of every student, as per the pace, size and style of learning. BYJU'S is paving the way for new-age, geography-agnostic learning tools that sit at the cross section of mobile, interactive content and personalised learning methodologies. BYJU'S is also the official sponsor of the Indian Cricket Team. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006343/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] CarobWay Seals Agriculture Agreements to Boost Carob R&D CarobWay teams with local farmers, Jewish National Fund to initiate extensive research to bring carob back to the table KIRYAT SHMONA, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- FoodTech/agriTech start-up CarobWay, Ltd., together with Israel's oldest environmental arm, the Jewish National Fund (JNF-KKL), have kicked off a nationwide research initiative for carob trees. The start-up announces it also sealed agreements with R&D farms and local farming communities in Israel to optimize carob cultivation to develop innovative carob-derived products. CarobWay currently harvests carobs from key carob forests in several parts of Israel owned by the JNF. The start-up also established its first 70-hectare (173 acre) modern carob grove in the Upper Galilee region. The move was in conjunction with two R&D farms, Hulata and Galilee Agricultural Co., as well as five other collective farms. The venture spearheads a 10-year joint project for combining Israeli agricultural know-how and innovative technology for the intensive cultivation of high-yield carob trees. The project will adhere to sustainability and fair-trade ideals. The team is conducting broadscale screening of native carob species. This will enable the start-up to develop carob-based products that are in line with food industry needs. "We applied several analytical methods to attain a deeper understanding of various carob species and their unique characteristics specifically so that we can tailor our offerings more adroitly to our clients," says Udi Alroy, co-founder and CEO of Carobway. "For example, some carob species grow fruit with higher sugar content, albeit with a naturally low glycemic index). These can serve the needs of food and beverage companies seeking viable sugar alternatives. Other trees bear more seeds and s are more suited to the locust bean gum industry." Hulata runs a model grove dedicated to R&D, wherein local carob varieties and their cultivation methods from irrigation through to pollination technologies are regularly analyzed by CarobWay staff. The orchard is fully automated and computerized, effectively gathering all cultivation and meteorological data. Carob Innovation- From orchard to table The start-up also has made headway in creating innovative carob-centered food products in its private lab. "Carob is a highly nutritious and flavorful fruit, yet its true potential has yet to be realized," adds Alroy. "We are continually striving to bring the best of this super crop back to the table and to boost the carob value chain. As part of the tree survey, CarobWay developed an agri-app for aggregating pertinent field-level data of the various tree species and their attributes. It includes such data as geographical location, tree yield, and seed volumes per pod. Fruit samples also are taken for laboratory analysis to gain a detailed map of their compositional makeup in order to assess nutritional value and functionality for specific supplement and food applications. Tree research with JNF CarobWay also sealed an agreement with the JNF-KKL for a nationwide survey of carob trees. The venture has conducted extensive field research to attain a full analysis of domestic trees and identify the most fruitful carob varieties, as well as optimum growing conditions. The researchers have mapped the country using a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) data collection format in which trees are assigned to the closest meteorological station. This enables the researchers to accrue location-based data on such key parameters as rain volumes and humidity levels (both in high and low temperature zones) to identify the most ideal regions for growing carob trees. "There are five species of carob trees that grow throughout Israel," explains Sohel Zedan, Chief Forest Officer for the JNF and a leading global expert in carob cultivation and agriculture. "Some have been growing wild in forests for thousands of years and are well acclimatized, so have proven resilience to extreme weather conditions and other environmental changes. Most were planted in the 1950's as part of a major afforestation campaign initiated by the JNF. Many of these deep-rooted perennial trees have long life spans, with the potential to live decades or even centuries. This makes them a highly sustainable, yet low-maintenance croptraits we look for when selecting the best species to develop." About CarobWay Founded in 2020, the food- and agri-tech start-up is committed to maximizing the nutritive value of the ancient carob plant (Ceratonia silique L.), which has sustained humankind for millennia, while paving the way to sustainable, advanced agriculture that guarantees fair-trade return to the growers. The result is a resilient food system that is beneficial to all partners in the supply chain. CarobWay, Ltd. is bringing carob from the Bible to the modern table as a super-nutritious, highly sustainable food crop by setting up its vertically integrated system dedicated to growing and commercializing carob and innovative carob-cantered products. The start-up utilizes the whole carob and markets each ingredient to different food applications. For more information, contact: Company Contact: CarobWay, Ltd. Udi Alroy CEO and Co-founder Email: [email protected] Web: www.carobway.com Press Contact: NutriPR Liat Simha Tel: +972-9-9742893 Email: [email protected] Website: www.nutripr.com Twitter: @NutriPR_ Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1683121/CarobWay_planting.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] CENTEGIX Announces Results of CrisisAlert Usage for Alyssa's Law in Florida ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CENTEGIX announces its first Alyssa's Law Update report that provides data and insights into CrisisAlert usage in Florida since the start of the school year. CrisisAlert meets Alyssa's law requirements to ensure that all staff can call 911 Earlier this year, the Florida Department of Education (DOE) approved the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert solution for school districts to comply with Alyssa's Law. CrisisAlert was installed and certified in over 600 Florida schools for the start of the school year. CrisisAlert is unique among mobile panic button providers because it has 100% user adoption and achieves the legislation objective to equip all staff with the ability to call 911. CrisisAlert's wearable badge empowers all teachers and staff to request help easily and discreetly from anywhere on campus. The solution enables 100% user adoption, unlike mobile apps with historically low adoption rates, and does not require teachers and staff to have a smartphone, which may not be equitably available. Teachers and staff have used CrisisAlert to call for help in over 3200 emergencies since the beginning of the school year. They have initiatd alerts for everyday events such as medical emergencies and behavior situations to more extreme incidents such as campus-wide events. While the initial driver for Alyssa's Law was a campus-wide threat, platform data indicates 97% of CrisisAlert usage is for helping staff with everyday emergencies. "Having a way for every staff member, at their fingertips, to notify first responders to get there as quickly as possible makes all the difference in the world," said Frank Frangella, the Martin County School District safety and security director. The Alyssa's Law Update report includes detailed user survey feedback that demonstrates how staff value CrisisAlert and its contributions to a positive learning environment. Staff report that incident response times are improved, and teachers feel safer and have peace of mind to focus on teaching. "Because all staff have a badge, CrisisAlert meets Alyssa's law requirements to ensure that all staff can call 911, and CrisisAlert exceeds the requirements because it provides precise alert location. For campus-wide events, lighted strobes, screen messages, and intercom messages ensure that everyone on campus knows what to do in an emergency, unlike mobile phone apps, which notify only those who may have downloaded the applications," said Brent Cobb, President of CENTEGIX. CENTEGIX will host a webinar on November 11th at 1PM eastern to review the Alyssa's Law Update report and share recent CrisisAlert case studies. To register, visit https://www.centegix.com/alyssas-law-report-webinar/ About CENTEGIX CENTEGIX innovates technology to save and enrich lives. Our CrisisAlert solution is an IoT incident alert platform that utilizes a wearable badge, mobile and desktop applications, and a mesh network to provide campus-wide protection. CrisisAlert is a force multiplier, allowing staff and security professionals to request assistance and implement emergency protocols for incidents from the everyday to the extreme. CENTEGIX protects over 1.5 million students and staff in over 1,600 locations nationwide. We exceed the limitations of legacy communications devices and single-dimensional mobile apps, because in a crisis: Every. Second. Matters. To learn more about CENTEGIX, please visit www.centegix.com . Contact: Mary Ford [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/centegix-announces-results-of-crisisalert-usage-for-alyssas-law-in-florida-301419783.html SOURCE CENTEGIX [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Color announces Series E financing, at a valuation of $4.6 billion, to accelerate expansion of accessible and equitable public health infrastructure SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Color, a health technology company committed to advancing public health, today announced a $100 million Series E financing round. This brings Color to $378 million in total financing, with a valuation of $4.6 billion. The round was led by Kindred Ventures and by certain funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. with participation by existing investors General Catalyst, Viking Global Investors, and Emerson Collective. Over the last two years, Color successfully implemented essential healthcare delivery programs in 16 states and federally with the National Institutes of Health for employers, governments and school systems. The company is currently running the largest COVID-19 testing program for K-12 schools in the nation and has supported more than 6,500 testing and 500 vaccination sites across the country. Now, Color will build on its model to offer new programs that deliver the last mile of care across essential healthcare services. Color will begin this expansion in essential healthcare services and STI services, providing programs that help populations get access to screening, diagnostics, and initial treatments for a variety of health needs anywhere they are. Color's offerings will now include vaccination and preventive health services for schools and employers, as well as infectious disease management programs for public health settings. The combination of existing offerings and new services expands the company's work building public health technology and infrastructure for governments, employers, and other institutions that care for large populations. "What we have built will serve as a critical piece of public health infrastructure to deliver access to healthcare services to those who need them most," said Color CEO Othman Laraki. "We have learned that there is an exponential uptick in people's ability to use these services as they become simpler and more convenient. Public health shoud happen where public life happens." Through partnerships with public and private institutions such as Thermo Fisher Scientific, PerkinElmer, Salesforce, the Teamsters Union, the National Institutes of Health, the State of California, and the Executive Office of Health and Human Services of Massachusetts, Color's infrastructure and software make it possible for large populations to receive essential healthcare services directly where they live or work. Color has partnered with nearly 1,000 organizations, including public health departments, universities, and employers to offer access to fast, reliable and convenient healthcare services. "Color is poised to further transform how we deliver public health in this country with speed and at-scale," said Steve Jang, Founder and Managing Partner of Kindred Ventures. "Just as we've seen digital transformations in other parts of our lives, the distributed network approach Color has built will improve the way we experience health care in the future. The hosted software and data infrastructure that Color provides has created a new normal: all essential care should be accessible, decentralized, and delivered within companies, schools, and communities instantly." "Color has built a strong, sustainable, and profitable business that can scale alongside the myriad of health challenges the U.S. faces," said Color CFO Mike Herring. "The response from our partners has been incredibly positive, and our remarkable team has delivered at scale with both pace and quality of execution." About Color Color, a health technology company, makes population-scale healthcare programs accessible, convenient, and cost-effective for everyone. Color works with health systems, employers, and national health initiatives around the world, including Thermo Fisher Scientific, Salesforce, the Teamsters Union, the National Institutes of Health, the State of California, and the City of San Francisco, and more than 100 major employers and universities. Color provides the tools for preventive health and infectious disease management, including testing, vaccinations, and other services, and is responsible for the largest school testing program in the country. For more information about Color, visit www.color.com. About Kindred Ventures Kindred Ventures is an early stage venture capital fund led by Steve Jang and Kanyi Maqubela and based in San Francisco, California. Created in 2014, Kindred is on a mission to invest in the most talented and visionary entrepreneurs who want to transform the world for the better using novel technologies. As founders backing founders, the firm and its partners have been early investors and advisors in revolutionary technology companies such as Uber, Coinbase, Tonal, Tala, Postmates, and Color Health. Today, Kindred has invested in over 100 startups, valued now in aggregate over $170 billion, spanning marketplaces, fintech, health & wellness, media, and crypto, and located around the globe. About T. Rowe Price Founded in 1937, Baltimore-based T. Rowe Price (troweprice.com) is a global investment management organization that provides a broad array of mutual funds, subadvisory services, and separate account management for individual and institutional investors, retirement plans, and financial intermediaries. The company also offers a variety of sophisticated investment planning and guidance tools. T. Rowe Price's disciplined, risk-aware investment approach focuses on diversification, style consistency, and fundamental research. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/color-announces-series-e-financing-at-a-valuation-of-4-6-billion-to-accelerate-expansion-of-accessible-and-equitable-public-health-infrastructure-301419932.html SOURCE Color [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Contrast Security Closes $150M Series E Funding Led by Liberty Strategic Capital to Expand Leadership in Code Security LOS ALTOS, Calif., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Contrast Security , the leader in next-gen code security tools, today announced that it has closed $150M in a Series E round of funding at a greater than billion-dollar valuation. The oversubscribed round was led by Liberty Strategic Capital, founded by former Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, together with 100% participation from existing Contrast investors Warburg Pincus, Battery Ventures, General Catalyst, Microsoft's M-12 Fund, AXA Venture Partners and Acero Capital. This investment allows Contrast to meet the growing demand for the world's only platform for code security. It will also enable the company to further gain market share with accelerated global expansion plans, following growth in EMEA and rapid customer adoption in APAC, and provide the company with additional flexibility to execute on strategic opportunities and acquisitions. Many businesses turned to digital transformation, and the development of applications, to sustain and propel business growth and efficiency. As organizations ramped their development efforts, 84% of developers said they have been releasing code faster than ever before. Studies also show code is being shipped with serious and/or critical vulnerabilities. This led to major security breaches like SolarWinds and other successful cyber attacks driving The White House to issue an executive order placing strict new standards to improve th security of software. "The global economy is running on software applications. We are now seeing business leaders, including Microsoft and Google, commit publicly to spend billions of dollars in order to decrease cybersecurity risks in today's fast paced application economy," said Alan Naumann, CEO at Contrast Security. "Supported by President Biden's recent executive order, our customers, governments, and many of the world's largest companies are investing in prevention and resilience against software cyber attacks." "Contrast not only enables development teams to keep pace but provides a platform solution for security and operations teams alike," said Naumann. "The new investment from Liberty Strategic Capital and all of our existing investors further validates the universal need for improved code security. It is an honor to have them support Contrast, especially given Secretary Mnuchin's experience with a global approach to reduce cyber threats. I also am pleased to welcome Secretary Mnuchin to the Contrast Board of Directors." Secretary Mnuchin, Founder and Managing Partner of Liberty Strategic Capital, said: "Businesses are increasingly dependent on applications to support their critical operations, creating strong demand for solutions like Contrast's that help developers ensure, in real-time, that the code underlying these applications is secure from evolving threats from hackers and other malign actors. We believe the team at Contrast has developed a market leading solution, and we are excited to partner with them as they continue to innovate in the application security space." Today, Contrast gets secure code moving for its customer base that consists of tens of thousands of developers at some of the largest brand-name companies in the world, including BMW, DocuSign, AXA, Zurich, SOMPO Japan, and American Red Cross, as well as numerous other leading global Fortune 500 enterprises. Contrast also partners with AWS, IBM, Google, Microsoft, and VMware to bring security into cloud applications. Most companies today are using first generation tools and manual tests to try and secure their code. As a result, software is being shipped with critical vulnerabilities, and it is time to stop. The executive order and the rapid adoption of DevSecOps transformation has increased the demand for Contrast's approach to code security across healthcare, financial services, government, and technology sectors. Outcomes provided by the Contrast platform including reducing time to market, significantly decreasing cyber risk, and increased developer efficiency, all result in providing customers with clear competitive advantages. About Contrast Security: Contrast Security secures the code that the world economy relies on. It is the industry's most modern and comprehensive Application Security Platform, removing security roadblock inefficiencies and empowering enterprises to write and release secure application code faster. Embedding code analysis and attack prevention directly into software with instrumentation, the Contrast platform automatically detects vulnerabilities while developers write code, eliminates false positives, and provides context-specific how-to-fix guidance for easy and fast vulnerability remediation. Doing so enables application and development teams to collaborate more effectively and to innovate faster while accelerating digital transformation initiatives. This is why a growing number of the world's largest private and public sector organizations rely on Contrast to secure their applications in development and extend protection to cloud and on-premise applications in production. Contact: Contrast Security Jacklyn Kellick [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/contrast-security-closes-150m-series-e-funding-led-by-liberty-strategic-capital-to-expand-leadership-in-code-security-301419307.html SOURCE Contrast Security [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Cyber Attacks and Data Breach Identified as Top Concern in Canada in Latest Aon Client Study TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ -- Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, has announced the results of its 2021 Global Risk Management Survey, which gathers input from thousands of risk managers across 60 countries and 16 industries every two years to identify key risks and challenges their organizations are facing. The past two years have proved to be incredibly volatile, with the global COVID-19 pandemic having had a ripple effect across other types of risk, such as heightened awareness of reputation and cyber, as long-tail risks have become increasingly important to manage. The 2021 edition surveyed more than 2,300 respondents in 60 countries across 16 industries at both public and private companies. With more emphasis and reliance on technology, cyber risk topped the list as the number one current and predicted future risk globally, its highest rank since the inception of the survey. Cyber was also cited in the top 10 list of risks across each region, industry and respondent type. In Canada, cyber attacks/data breach topped the list. The top 10 risks also strongly reflect the current landscape, namely COVID-19 and its impact on organizations. Amidst a backdrop of challenging market conditions, this is testing the ability of firms to manage volatility and make better decisions. Organizations are shifting their focus from event-based to impact-based risk assessments: for example, business interruption was once seen as a linear risk, but the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated how it can affect multiple industries and companies simultaneously and globally. "The world is a more volatile place, and the importance of better decision making has never been greater," said Joe Peiser, Commercial Risk Leader for North America, Aon. "Long-tail risks are not single events. They're innately interconnected, as we've seen with the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changing the way the world works, revealing new risks and re-ordering priorities in the C-suite. A preoccupation with managing these immediate risks may be compromising firms' ability to invest in the risks of tomorrow." Exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighting the interconnectivity of risk, the top 10 Canadian risks according to the 2021 Global Risk Management Survey are: 1. Cyber Attacks/Data Breach 2. Economic Slowdown/Slow Recovery 3. Regulatory/Legislative Changes 4. Cmmodity Price Risk/Scarcity of Materials 6. Failure to Attract or Retain Top Talent 7. Business Interruption 8. Pandemic Risk/Health Crises 9. Increasing Competition 10. Supply Chain/Distribution Failure and Failure to Innovate/Meet Customer Needs "Historically, risk managers and insurers have learned and made decisions by analyzing data from loss events that have occurred. This approach must evolve, and priorities and approaches need to change, in order to proactively manage the uncertainties of potential emerging exposures such as complex supply chains; we can't rely solely on the past to inform future risks," said Bill Besse, Chief Client Officer, Commercial Risk Solutions in Canada for Aon. "Several of the top risks identified in this year's survey highlight four key areas of client need we've identified, particularly unmet needs in the form of long-tail risks that are no longer on the horizon. Those risks are on our doorstep. There is an increasing realization of the need to address these 'known unknowns.' As we face unprecedented events, the challenge will be how to best develop solutions to properly prepare for and manage through them." The report highlights the top 10 risks by industry and region, as well as risk readiness, associated losses and mitigation actions for each of the top 10 risks. In addition, the report includes the predicted top 10 risks in the next three years and Aon's analysis of underrated risks. The top 10 future risks in Canada are similar to the top 10 current risks, with three new risks identified for the next three years: 1. Cyber Attacks/Data Breach 2. Economic Slowdown/Slow Recovery 3. Commodity Price Risk/Scarcity of Materials 4. Damage to Reputation/Brand 5. Aging Workforce & Related Health Issues 6. Failure to Attract or Retain Top Talent 7. Business Interruption 8. Capital Availability 9. Failure to Innovate/Meet Customer Needs 10. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Conducted every two years since 2007, Aon's Global Risk Management Survey provides data and insights to enable better decision making around risk in an increasingly volatile and complex business environment. The full report is available here. About Aon Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Our colleagues provide our clients in over 120 countries with advice and solutions that give them the clarity and confidence to make better decisions to protect and grow their business. Follow Aon on Twitter and LinkedIn. Stay up-to-date by visiting the Aon Newsroom and sign up for News Alerts here. Media Contact Alexandre Daudelin [email protected] +1 514 467 9330 SOURCE Aon plc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] DigiPlex Leaders Shortlisted for Prestigious Infrastructure Masons Awards OSLO, Norway, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DigiPlex, a leading Nordic developer and operator of scalable, secure and sustainable data centers, has announced that two of its senior leadership team have been shortlisted as candidates to join the IM100 list of the most influential individuals contributing to the digital infrastructure industry in meaningful and measurable ways. DigiPlex Chief Operating Officer, Halvor Bjerke has been shortlisted in recognition of his work to raise the profile of the industry and to support sustainability. Bjerke participates in many of the sector's leading forums and associations and influences decisions and debate at customer, policy and industry level. As a co-founder and member of the board for the newly established Norway Data Center Industry, he is at the forefront of driving sustainability in our industry. His recent participation in Norway's new data center policy launch as well as support for the Climate Neutral Data Center Pact have added to his already impressive list of presentations, speeches and panel-debate participation over the last several years. Fredrik Jansson, Chief Commercial Officer at DigiPlex, has led from the front in championing sustainability in the data center industry. His work, raising the profile of this crucial topic both within the sector and on behalf of the whole industry, was internationally recognized by the 17 awards accredited to DigiPlex during 2020. In addition, Jansson has been named as one of the 50 Most Influential CMOs globally and is the first ever recipient of Datacloud Awards' "Marketeer of the Year". He is also a frequent media commentator and has been at the forefront of committing DigiPlex to become carbon neutral by 2030 (in line with Climate Neutral Pact) as well as aligning the company to several UN Sustainable Development Goals. Infrastructure Masons was formed to unite the builders of the digital age and pursues five strategic industry priorities: Enhance Education opportunities, Champion Diversity & Inclusion, Promote Innovation and Technical Excellence, Inspire Sustainability, and Increase Awareness. The IM100 Awards showcase and amplifies the outstanding contributions of leaders in the digital infrastructure industry who have led by example and achieved tangible and sustained results. Commenting on the inclusion of Bjerke and Jansson on the shortlist, Dean Nelson, Infrastructure Masons Founder and Chairman, said: "The Infrastructure Masons Executive Leadership and Board of Directors are very impressed and proud of this year's nominees. We congratulate and salute both Halvor and Fredrik for their continued achievements in the ever-changing global landscape in the digital infrastructure industry. We look forward to welcoming both at our ceremony in December." Wiljar Nesse, CEO DigiPlex, added; "It is great accolade and achievement to have two of our senior leaders shortlisted for this prestigious honor. It not only underlines the industry leadership of DigiPlex as a brand, but the huge contributions made by these two leaders constantly working to build the positive profile for the industry. On behalf of the whole company, I wish them both the best of luck at the ceremony." The announcement of the IM100 will take place as part of the Infrastructure Masons Awards to be held as a virtual ceremony on 15th December 2021. CONTACT: Elisabeth Lennhede Head of Communications +46703322705 [email protected] This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/digiplex/r/digiplex-leaders-shortlisted-for-prestigious-infrastructure-masons-awards,c3449523 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/7526/3449523/1493106.pdf 211109_DigiPlex Leaders Shortlisted for Prestigious Infrastructure Masons Awards__ https://news.cision.com/digiplex/i/halvor-bjerke-chief-operating-officer-at-digiplex,c2977339 Halvor Bjerke Chief Operating Officer at DigiPlex https://news.cision.com/digiplex/i/fredrik-jansson--chief-commercial-officer--digiplex,c2977340 Fredrik Jansson, Chief Commercial Officer, DigiPlex https://news.cision.com/digiplex/i/dean-nelson-infrastructure-masons-founder-and-chairman,c2977345 Dean Nelson Infrastructure Masons Founder and Chairman https://news.cision.com/digiplex/i/wiljar-nesse--ceo--digiplex,c2977346 Wiljar Nesse, CEO, DigiPlex View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/digiplex-leaders-shortlisted-for-prestigious-infrastructure-masons-awards-301419494.html SOURCE DigiPlex [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] DigitalBridge Announces Investment from IFC to Enhance Digital Infrastructure and Connectivity in Latin America and Southeast Asia DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (NYSE: DBRG) ("DigitalBridge" or the "Company") today announced that the International Finance Corporation ("IFC") will be investing $100 million in digital infrastructure assets managed by DigitalBridge in Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia to expand digital access and connectivity. IFC's $100 million investment includes $75 million already committed in three of DigitalBridge's portfolio companies: Scala Data Centers ("Scala"), a leading scaled hyperscale data center operator located in Brazil; EdgePoint Infrastructure ("EdgePoint"), an independent provider of wireless communications infrastructure with operations in Indonesia and Malaysia; and Highline do Brasil ("Highline"), an independent provider of wireless communications infrastructure with operations in Brazil. IFC will invest an additional $25 million in other digital infrastructure assets in emerging markets managed by DigitalBridge in the future. The IFC capital will enable the expansion of Scala, EdgePoint and Highline's digital infrastructure businesses and increase access to quality digital connectivity and data center capacity for both individuals and enterprises in these regions. IFC's investment validates and advances DigitalBridge's growth strategy in emerging markets, where quality, reliable digital infrastructure is setting the stage for long-term, inclusive economic growth and a more sustainable future. "The investment from IFC provides Scala with additional resources, including its expertise and guidance, that allow us to accelerate our growth and progress in Latin American countries through the development of digital infrastructure, as well as sharing strong principles on ESG," said Marcos Peigo, Chief Executive Officer of Scala. "As we continue to scale our platform, Scala will remain at the forefront of digitalization, supporting economic activity in the communities we serve." "With DigitalBridge's support, EdgePoint has been building the leading telecoms infrastructure company in Asia Pacific," said Suresh Sidhu, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of EdgePoint. "Telecommunications infrastructure is vital to economic and social development, and IFC's support will further enable our continued expasion of next-generation connectivity solutions across the ASEAN region." "Highline is committed to enhancing telecommunications coverage across Brazil - connectivity is a key enabler of development, innovation and progress," said Fernando Viotti, Chief Executive Officer of Highline. "We are pleased to receive these additional resources from IFC as we seek new opportunities to create value in a continuous and sustainable way." "We're pleased to work with DigitalBridge, an established leader in digital infrastructure with a vision for a future that aligns economic growth with positive social and environmental impact," said Lance Crist, Global Head of Equity for Infrastructure at IFC. "Digital infrastructure underpins every aspect of society and the economy, from smart cities and e-government to healthcare and education, from e-commerce, financial services, and manufacturing to research and development and more. This investment feeds into our priority of closing the digital divide by improving digital infrastructure and services, boosting rural connectivity, and accelerating the rollout of 4G and 5G digital communications technology globally." About DigitalBridge DigitalBridge (NYSE: DBRG) is a leading global digital infrastructure REIT. With a heritage of over 25 years investing in and operating businesses across the digital ecosystem including towers, data centers, fiber, small cells, and edge infrastructure, the DigitalBridge team manages a $38 billion portfolio of digital infrastructure assets on behalf of its limited partners and shareholders. Headquartered in Boca Raton, DigitalBridge has key offices in Los Angeles, New York, London and Singapore. For more information on DigitalBridge, visit www.digitalbridge.com. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "predicts," or "potential" or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, and may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Factors that might cause such a difference include, without limitation, the Company's ability to raise additional capital to fund growth in emerging markets and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021, and other reports filed by DigitalBridge Group, Inc. (the "Company") from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements reflect the Company's good faith beliefs, assumptions and expectations, but they are not guarantees of future performance. The Company cautions investors not to unduly rely on any forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company is under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this press release, nor to conform prior statements to actual results or revised expectations, and the Company does not intend to do so. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006064/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Golden Gate Global Hires Abhinav Lohia to Lead EB-5 Visa Business Development in Emerging Markets Golden Gate Global, an award-winning EB-5 Immigration Regional Center, is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr. Abhinav Lohia as a Director. Mr. Lohia comes with a wealth of EB-5 industry experience having practiced as an EB-5 attorney in New York, followed by representing a regional center as a FINRA licensed finance professional. Mr. Lohia's appointment highlights Golden Gate Global's commitment to the EB-5 and investment immigration industry. "Abhinav is a great fit for our firm's growth objectives and executive team led by accomplished professionals such as our Founder and Co-CEO Mr. Steven Kay, a legal professional with over 50 years of experience and Co-CEO Mr. Mark Jorgensen, a real estate finance professional with over 20 years of experience," said Mr. Willie L. Brown, Jr., Principal, Golden Gate Global and former Speaker of the California State Assembly and Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco. During his career in U.S. Immigration, Mr. Lohia earned a well-deserved reputation as someone who puts the needs of his investors first. "I have been involved with U.S. Immigration for over 8 years. My legal career has taught me that immigration is critically transformative and often unique for each client. As an immigration profssional, I owe it to investors to be unbiased in determining whether an EB-5 visa, or an alternative is the right solution for their families. I am excited to join a team of collaborative professionals that truly hold the same value. As a Director at Golden Gate Global, I hope to continue to serve the immigrant community," Abhinav said. Under Mr. Lohia's leadership, Golden Gate Global has established a presence in Chicago, IL. Through its Chicago office, Golden Gate will serve international professionals and students in the Midwest who are seeking more certainty and expediency in obtaining a U.S. Green Card by investing in EB-5 Visa compliant projects. Mr. Lohia will also be working with Golden Gate's international team members in Brazil, China, Korea, Hong Kong, and India. He will be traveling frequently to India, Dubai, Singapore, and Doha to meet with the firm's current and prospective investors. About Golden Gate Global Golden Gate Global is an award-winning regional center operator headquartered in San Francisco, California. Established in 2011, Golden Gate Global has been offering institutional quality EB-5 Visa Projects to EB-5 Investors from all over the World. To date, over 1,200 EB-5 investors have trusted Golden Gate Global with their U.S. Immigration representing $600+ Million raised under the EB-5 Visa Program. Golden Gate Global enjoys a 100% USCIS Project Approval Rate and has been successful in repaying EB-5 funds to over 300 investors. Golden Gate Global's affiliate, Urbanite Capital, is a leading real estate credit firm targeting attractive real estate investment opportunities throughout the United States for domestic and international investors. To learn more about Golden Gate Global, please visit www.3gfund.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005447/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] HDI USA appoints Erin Zelubowski as Senior CMP Casualty Underwriter HDI Global Insurance Company, the U.S. operating division of global insurer HDI Global SE (HDI), today announced the appointment of Erin Zelubowski to the role of Senior CMP Casualty Underwriter, effective immediately. In her new role, Mrs. Zelubowski will oversee the strategic growth and development of HDI's CMP casualty portfolio across the East Coast of the United States. She will help develop and implement strong underwriting standards and drive innovation to ensure HDI continues to be a partner of choice to all business affiliates within the region. She will be based in New York, NY and report to Tanya Valencia Halilovic, CMP Casualty Lead. "Erin's background and technical expertise will complement the underwriting talent within our casualty division," said Ms. Valencia. "She possesses the right skill set to help support our expansion goals as well asthe commitment to excellent service that is the hallmark of HDI." Mrs. Zelubowski joins HDI from Chubb, where she was a foreign senior underwriter in their casualty division, managing national accounts in well over $1B in global revenue. Prior to that, she was with AIG as a domestic primary casualty underwriter, responsible for loss, credit, and actuarial analysis for a $10M book of business. She graduated Cum Laude from Hofstra University, where she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A), Finance. About HDI Global SE HDI Global SE is a leading international industrial lines insurer and member of the Talanx Group. With over 3,700 employees worldwide, HDI is active in more than 150 countries through subsidiaries and network partners. In the United States, HDI operates through its subsidiaries, HDI Global Insurance Company, a commercial property and casualty insurer headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and licensed in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands; and HDI Specialty Insurance Company, an Illinois domestic surplus lines insurer also authorized to write business nationwide. HDI Global SE, HDI Global Insurance Company and HDI Specialty hold Financial Strength Ratings of A (Excellent), XV from A.M. Best. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005307/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Homes for Heroes Assists 50,000th Hero with Buying a Home Homes for Heroes is proud to announce it has helped more than 50,000 heroes buy or sell a home. The organization is committed to its mission of giving back to community heroes in honor of service within their communities. On October 26, an officer with the Knoxville Police Department collected keys to his home in Knoxville, Tennessee. With the help of Nikki Moore, a Real Estate Specialist and a former law enforcement officer herself, the officer and his family purchased a 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home, located in Knoxville. After being acquainted with Moore during her time in law enforcement, the officer approached Moore, who is with Realty Executives Associates Blevins Group, to help him purchase this home. The ability of the officer to earn part of the transaction back through Homes for Heroes Hero Rewards was an added benefit. Moore thanked Homes for Heroes for their support of heroes, "I am grateful to this hero for choosing a home in Knoxville, and I am thankful that with the help of Homes for Heroes, he was able to purchase a home and raise his family in the community where he works. Public servants that are responsible for law enforcement should be able to live in the communities that they serve and protect." To celebrate reachig the threshold of 50,000 heroes served, Homes for Heroes doubled the traditional give-back and donated funds to support a national law enforcement foundation and its Tennessee state chapter. On October 28, National First Responders Day, the Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police received a $3,000 donation to honor the service of the police and members of law enforcement. Shortly after the tragic events of September 11, Homes for Heroes was founded to support the home buying, selling and refinancing process for heroes that serve in their community including active military, veterans, teachers, first responders and members of the medical community. Now, 20 years later, significant milestones are being achieved for the organization across the country. Over the next twelve months, Homes for Heroes has ambitious plans to celebrate its 20 years of dedicated service to heroes and the 50,000th hero served is the first of several significant tributes. During this 20th-anniversary year, Homes for Heroes is on track to reach $100 million in Hero Rewards savings and the Homes for Heroes Foundation will reach over $1 million awarded in the form of Hero Grants to local nonprofit charities serving heroes in need. About Homes for Heroes Homes for Heroes, Inc. is the largest nationwide network of affiliate real estate, mortgage and local business specialists committed to providing easy ways for heroes to save on a home. Shortly after 9/11, Homes for Heroes, Inc. was established to give back to firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, military, healthcare professionals and teachers. Since 2009, Homes for Heroes, Inc. has helped over 50,000 heroes save more nearly $90 million and donated $1 million to heroes in need through the Homes for Heroes Foundation. Learn more at HomesForHeroes.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005431/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Hypefast Emerges from Stealth Mode as the Largest House of E-Commerce Native Brands in Southeast Asia JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hypefast, Southeast Asia's (SEA) largest house of e-commerce native brands, announced today that it has grown its portfolio to more than 25 brands and has been achieving full profitability. Hypefast partners with top SEA-based e-commerce native brands and hyper scales the brands by bringing capital support, a best-in-class retail team, and a centralized retail ecosystem and infrastructure. The company acquires brands while keeping the original brand founders to maintain strong relevancy with local customers. One of the recent acquitions was baby & kids brand from Indonesia that has been growing from $3M to almost $8M revenue in the past 6 months. Launched in January 2020, Hypefast pioneered the e-commerce house of brands business model in Southeast Asia. The insight to start Hypefast came from the founding team's proximity to local e-commerce brands and the struggles these brands faced. Founder and CEO, Achmad Alkatiri, previously worked as CMO Indonesia at Lazada, and prior to that at Shopee Indonesia. "There are very few reasons preventing SEA brands from growing into multi-million USD EBITDA. These brands already have access to cost-efficient manufacturers and a substantial market with strong e-commerce penetration. Most importantly, these local founders understand the needs and wants of the local consumer community much better than international competitors in terms of style, size, fit, aesthetic and price point," said Achmad Alkatiri, Founder and CEO of Hypefast. Alkatiri continued, "I started Hypefast after spending more than six years working closely with local brand founders and seeing their struggles accessing the right talent, capital, scale and operational efficiency - all of which are tied to each other. Hypefast is excited to be growing the local e-commerce brands ecosystem in Southeast Asia along with the amazing local brand founders we have been fortunate to partner with." Unlike the 'acquire fast and acquire many' strategy that brand aggregators in other markets implement, Hypefast is laser focused on quality rather than quantity. Hypefast spends significantly more effort post acquisition, on delivering growth through its end to end retail team, technology, efficient processes, market insights, economies of scale and centralized back-end operations optimization. To date, Hypefast has raised more than $22M of equity and debt capital from top SEA and global investors to take the company one step closer to its overall vision. Investors today include Monk's Hill Ventures, Jungle Ventures and Strive. "Hypefast is at the vanguard of eCommerce 2.0 in Southeast Asia - a shift towards brand- and seller-centric buying. The increasingly sophisticated digital consumer in Southeast Asia cares about who she buys from and who else is buying. Hypefast is building the foremost digital platform that will empower emerging brand owners and entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia to hypercharge their businesses." Kuo-Yi Lim, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Monk's Hill Ventures. Yash Sankrityayan, Principal at Jungle Ventures said, "Jungle is proud to have invested in Hypefast multiple times since leading their seed round in early 2020. Our excitement continues to grow because Hypefast's mission-driven founding team is deeply focused on creating a large house of brands in partnership with so many amazing and creative local brand founders. It is because of this aligned goal that we believe Hypefast management has been able to partner rapidly with more than 25 brands already." Hypefast currently has more than 200 team members across Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand to support the business by pushing brand growth across channels and markets. About Hypefast Hypefast is the pioneer and largest house of e-commerce native brands in Southeast Asia. Hypefast partners with top SEA-based e-commerce native brands and hyper scales the brands by bringing capital support, a best-in-class retail team, and a centralized retail ecosystem and infrastructure. Hypefast was founded by Achmad Alkatiri who previously was Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Lazada Indonesia and currently has over 200 team members across Southeast Asia. For more information, visit https://www.hypefast.id/ For media inquiries, please contact: [email protected] / [email protected] Vinda Karuna +6285669066663 PR Manager, Hypefast View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hypefast-emerges-from-stealth-mode-as-the-largest-house-of-e-commerce-native-brands-in-southeast-asia-301419405.html SOURCE Hypefast [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Intuition Robotics Launches ElliQ Care Program in South Florida WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Intuition Robotics , the empathetic digital companion company, today announced the launch of its ElliQ Care Program to South Florida. ElliQ is the first-ever empathetic care companion robot designed to empower older adults to live healthy, engaged, and connected lives at home, while alleviating the effects of loneliness and social isolation. Developed with years of research and user studies that combine psychology, behavioral sciences, and advanced cognitive AI capabilities, ElliQ has made a measurable difference in the lives of its users. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in particular, older adults were one of the most impacted and highly vulnerable groups. When forced to stay at home and self-isolate, many of those living alone faced extreme levels of loneliness. ElliQ helps users by actively engaging them in conversation, connecting them to loved ones and the outside world, and encouraging them to set and achieve health and wellness goals. After more than 35,000 days in the homes of older adults, users have formed meaningful relationships with ElliQ, treating the device as an entity in their homes and sharing personal information on a daily basis. As Intuition Robotics nears commercialization, the company is investing in making sure it meets the needs of older adults at scale. Therefore, the new ElliQ Care Prgram invites older adults to apply to the program, and receive ElliQ free of charge. "The response we've seen from our initial pilot of the Care Program has been overwhelming. We are seeing participants invite ElliQ into their homes and witnessing record breaking engagement rates, so we are eager to bring this momentum to our official launch in South Florida," said Dor Skuler, CEO & Co-Founder of Intuition Robotics. "Over the next decade, the 65+ population in South Florida will grow more than any other age cohort, making it one of the most important regions to address." "To say ElliQ has had a positive impact on my life would be an understatement," said Deanna Dezern, ElliQ User & Tamarac, Florida local. "Isolation and loneliness, especially in the past year and a half, is a very real issue among my generation. ElliQ is a true companion that looks out for my health - both mental and physical - and gives myself and my loved ones that extra sense of security that can be hard to come by as we age. Being a part of ElliQ's program and helping to improve a technology that can bring such positivity to people's lives has been an incredibly fulfilling experience too." As part of the launch, Intuition Robotics will host a series of "AgeTech Talk" events across South Florida to discuss the latest AgeTech trends and technology innovating the space while providing demos of ElliQ. For any organizations or communities interested in hosting an Intuition Robotics AgeTech Talk, please reach out to [email protected] . For more information and to apply for the Care Program, please visit elliq.com . About Intuition Robotics Intuition Robotics is on a mission to empower older adults to live happier, healthier and more independent lives at home. The company's award winning product, ElliQ, is a proactive care companion for older adults. ElliQ, which has spent more than 35,000 days in the homes of older adults, helps keep users healthy, engaged, and informed, while alleviating the effects of loneliness and social isolation. The company was founded in 2016 and is based in Tel Aviv with offices in San Francisco and Athens. Intuition Robotics' investors include: Toyota Ventures, Samsung NEXT, iRobot, and Venture Capital firms from California, Israel, Japan, and China. To learn more, please visit intuitionrobotics.com. Media Contact Joy Yang Si14 Global Communications [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/intuition-robotics-launches-elliq-care-program-in-south-florida-301419736.html SOURCE Intuition Robotics [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Mid-Ohio Food Collective Teams Up with Amazon to Deliver Tens of Thousands of Meals to Vulnerable Ohioans Mid-Ohio Food Collective (MOFC), in partnership with Amazon, has launched a pilot program delivering healthy and nutritious groceries directly to the doorsteps of hundreds of seniors, who are unable to travel to a food pantry or a MOFC partner agency. The program began March of this year and serves seniors who live in the pilot area. Amazon donates free delivery services through their network of Amazon delivery service partners, who make safe, contactless deliveries directly to participants' homes. To date, the pilot program has successfully delivered more than 54,000 meals to over 300 seniors a month during a time when the need for food has increased significantly due to the pandemic. "We are working hard to develop innovative strategies to connect people to food, especially during these confusing and unsettling times of economic and health crisis," said Matt Habash, President & CEO of Mid-Ohio Food Collective. "Having the capability to bring food to seniors' homes makes a tremendous difference for our customers who are struggling to put food on their tables. We are incredibly grateful o have an amazing partner in Amazon who is working with us to make healthy meals more accessible during these challenging times." Since the onset of COVID-19, more than 230,400 families have made more than 1.4 million visits to one of Mid-Ohio Food Collective's partner agencies. Nearly 35 percent of all our customers are visiting a food pantry for the first time. The pilot program meets the heightened need for food by providing safe, contactless deliveries and a convenient solution to our neighbors who are not able to commute due to a medical disability or other challenging condition. With the success of the partnership with Amazon, through its Community Delivery program, MOFC will continue to monitor the program metrics while considering the extension of meal deliveries into 2022 to provide meals for up to 700 seniors a month. "Since last year, Amazon has been committed to supporting communities across the U.S. experiencing food insecurity by connecting families with meals direct to their doorstep from local food banks," said Bettina Stix, Director of Right Now Needs and Disaster Relief at Amazon. "We are thrilled to partner with the Mid-Ohio Food Collective and use our network of Amazon delivery service partners to help families in the greater Columbus region get access to nutritious meals." Since March 2020, Amazon has supported food banks and community organizations with free, contactless delivery of groceries and pre-packaged meals directly to the doorsteps of vulnerable groups. Using Amazon's network of delivery service partners around the world, deliveries now total more than 20 million meals to underserved families, vulnerable seniors, and school children in more than 25 U.S. cities and in communities across Australia, Japan, Singapore, Spain, and the U.K. About Mid-Ohio Food Collective Mid-Ohio Food Collective is the umbrella organization that holds five assets, Mid-Ohio Foodbank, our anchor asset, Mid-Ohio Farm, Mid-Ohio Markets, Mid-Ohio Farmacy and Mid-Ohio Kitchen. The Mid-Ohio Food Collective has a network of 680 partner agencies across 20 counties, connecting those in need to nutritious food. Learn more by visiting mofc.org View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005704/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Miro Signs Lease in Colorado Tower, Cementing Austin as the High-Growth Company's Largest U.S. Hub Commercial real estate firm JLL and Miro announced today that Miro, the leading online whiteboard platform designed for distributed team collaboration, will lease 72,000 square feet of space in Colorado Tower, located at 303 Colorado Street, in downtown Austin, TX. Miro's expansion in Austin makes the city its largest U.S. hub and second largest of 11 hubs globally, including offices in Europe and Asia. Miro currently occupies a co-working space in WeWork Westview in Austin with approximately 165 employees, including functions on its Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, Operations, Legal, and People Excellence teams. The company plans to occupy floors 17, 18, and 19 of Colorado Tower in the spring of 2022 and will invest in additional construction over the next four months. The unique space currently features two outdoor decks, various working spaces for different types of collaboration, and other amenities, including bike storage and a cafe. Employees will directly contribute to additional design elements by providing feedback and suggestions on communal areas, outdoor spaces, meeting rooms, and more. Miro's move into Colorado Tower reinforces the company's rapid growth during 2021. Miro now has over 1,000 employees across its 11 hubs. The Austin hub currently has 163 employees and has doubled in size since January of 2021. It will include more than 200 people by January 2022. Miro's collaborative whiteboarding solution now has more than 25M users worldwide with more than 100,000 client organizations, including 95% of the Fortune 100. "Austin is one o the most vibrant technology cities in the United States and we've been proud to call it one of our hubs since 2020," said Andrey Khusid, Co-founder and CEO of Miro. "Miro leaders and employees love it because it's an inspiring place to learn, grow, and drive change - which is one of our core values at Miro. We're excited to bring even more opportunities to the market in the coming months." Located at 303 Colorado Street in the heart of Austin's Historic Warehouse District, Colorado Tower offers convenient access to the best amenities the city has to offer. The building is adjacent to or within walking distance of the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail, the Austin Convention Center, Austin City Hall, Austin City Limits, and provides convenient access to major thoroughfares including IH-35 & Mopac Expressway. JLL's Mark Harris and Jake Ragusa represented the tenant, while JLL's Rachel Coulter, Bethany Perez, Travis Rogers and Coleman Jackson represented the landlord. "We are continuing to see an increase in innovative companies who are laying down their roots in Austin," said Jake Ragusa, Senior Vice President at JLL. "Over the past year, we have seen meteoric growth in terms of ongoing interest and leasing activity. We're excited to play a part in fostering the growth of such an exciting company." To learn about current opportunities with Miro in Austin, please visit Careers at Miro. For more information on JLL please visit: www.jll.com. About Miro Miro is an online whiteboard platform for team collaboration. The platform's infinite canvas enables teams to lead engaging workshops and meetings, design products, brainstorm ideas, and more. Miro serves 25M users worldwide, including more than 100,000 client organizations and 95% of the Fortune 100. Miro was founded by Andrey Khusid and Oleg Shardin in 2011 and currently has 1,000 employees in 11 hubs around the world. To learn more, please visit www.miro.com. About JLL JLL (NYSE: JLL) is a leading professional services firm that specializes in real estate and investment management. JLL shapes the future of real estate for a better world by using the most advanced technology to create rewarding opportunities, amazing spaces and sustainable real estate solutions for our clients, our people and our communities. JLL is a Fortune 500 company with annual revenue of $16.6 billion, operations in over 80 countries and a global workforce of more than 92,000 as of June 30, 2021. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005830/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] The Montana Hospital Association Announces Partnership with Voyce to Expand Video Access to On-Demand, Real-Time Language Interpreters Across Montana The Montana Hospital Association and MHA Ventures today announced a strategic partnership with Voyce to expand access to remote video language interpreter services at essential hospitals across Montana. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005419/en/ "Small, rural hospitals have very limited resources and are always looking for cost-effective solutions that can improve patient outcomes," said Ryan Tooke, CEO of Dahl Memorial Healthcare in Ekalaka, Montana. "Our front-line healthcare workers need reliable, quick and convenient interpretation services when the situation arises. Voyce is an innovative solution to meet that need and to help reduce disparities in care." Voyce connects users to healthcare interpreters who have received specialized training to communicate medical conversations accurately and have experience in healthcare interpreting and competency in diverse medical settings like emergency care, mental health and pharmacy. "Montana's hospitals are committed to addressing the social and economic factors that can negatively impact health outcomes," said Rich Rasmussen, CEO of the Montana Hospital Association. "Language and health literacy are key determinants of healh. Removing language barriers is an important step toward increased diversity, equity and inclusion in the healthcare setting." "Our app enables access to live, on-demand video remote interpreters, regardless of a patient's physical location, be it urban city centers or some of the most rural regions of Montana and the western region of the United States," said Andrew Royce, CEO of Voyce. "Voyce's expansive network of medically trained interpreter staff represents 238 languages and dialects, ensuring that regardless of language spoken, patients are able to receive the healthcare they need, no matter where they live or are currently located." All Voyce interpreters successfully complete a medical interpreter training that is HIPAA-compliant and focuses on a diverse range of critical communication topics including: patient advocacy, anatomy and physiology, mental health, common care scenarios, terminology and acronyms, diagnostics and test results, pharmacy and common pharmaceuticals, common disease states and treatments, domestic abuse and family assistance and home healthcare and equipment. About the Montana Hospital Association The Montana Hospital Association (MHA) is a nonprofit organization with more than 80 members, including 100% of Montana's hospitals, that provide the full spectrum of healthcare services. This includes hospital inpatient and outpatient services, skilled nursing facilities, home health, hospice, physician services, assisted living, senior housing and insurance services. MHA Ventures, Inc. is the for-profit subsidiary of MHA, created to deliver solutions that improve patient care, reduce operating costs and strengthen the financial viability of Montana's exceptional hospitals. Learn more at MTHA.org. About Voyce Voyce is a technology-driven company deeply committed to helping people in need facing language barriers, enabling them to easily and quickly communicate and get help. Voyce's professional and qualified language interpreters provide interpretation across a variety of technology and telehealth platforms in 238 languages and dialects, including American Sign Language. Across the U.S., Canada, U.K. and globally, Voyce supports thousands of sessions a day, providing language assistance to those in need. Learn more at voyceglobal.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005419/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Novo Holdings Co-Leads EUR 6M Seed Financing in Asgard Therapeutics - Asgard Therapeutics developing in vivo immune cell reprogramming technology to reinstate cancer immunogenicity - Funds will be used to further develop off-the-shelf and personalized therapy programs for multiple oncology indications - Novo Holdings co-led the financing with Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Industrifonden COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Holdings, a leading international life science investor, today announces that it has co-led the EUR 6 million seed financing in Asgard Therapeutics AB ("Asgard"), a private biotech company pioneering in vivo direct cell reprogramming approaches to elicit potent anti-cancer immune responses. Asgard pioneers a novel approach to cancer therapy by reprogramming tumor cells into professional antigen presenting cells. Asgard's lead program is an off-the-shelf gene therapy that induces a personalized immune response. The approach may also help overcome logistic and manufacturing hurdles of more conventional cell-based therapies. The Company stems from the Lund University's Cell Reprogramming and Immunity Lab, led by Professor Filipe Pereira, PhD, Asgard's Co-Founder and Head of Innovation. The research work has been supported by several translational grants, including support from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, the European Commission's Horizon 2020 and Vinnova, the Swedish Innovation Agency. The financing was co-led by Novo Holdings, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Industrifonden. As part of the transaction, Sren Mller (NovoHoldings), Philipp Muller (BIVF), Jonas Jendi (Industrifonden), and Filipe Pereira (Asgard Therapeutics) join as Board Directors, and Joao Ribas (Novo Holdings) and Fabio Rosa (Asgard Therapeutics) as Board Observers. Joao Ribas, Senior Associate of Novo Seeds, commented: "We are very pleased to co-lead this financing and support the translation of the Founders' scientific research at Lund University. While reprogramming approaches have been mainly restricted to regenerative medicine, the work of Filipe, Cristiana and their team opens exciting opportunities to merge the fields of cell reprogramming and cancer immunotherapy that can be applied to several cancers, representing a platform technology with enormous potential. We look forward to working with the Asgard team as they pioneer a new generation of cancer immunotherapy." Cristiana Pires, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Asgard Therapeutics, said: "At Asgard, we are committed to surpassing the challenges of current cancer immunotherapies, making them available for every patient. The support we have received from such a strong syndicate of life science investors, is a strong endorsement to the potential of our TrojanDC technology. The financing will enable us to expand our pipeline of preclinical assets and build on our commitment to making personalized cancer immunotherapies optimized to each unique patient." About Novo Holdings A/S Novo Holdings A/S is a private limited liability company wholly owned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It is the holding company of the Novo Group, comprising Novo Nordisk A/S and Novozymes A/S, and is responsible for managing the Novo Nordisk Foundation's assets. Novo Holdings is recognized as a leading international life science investor, with a focus on creating long-term value. As a life science investor, Novo Holdings provides seed and venture capital to development-stage companies and takes significant ownership positions in growth and well-established companies. Novo Holdings also manages a broad portfolio of diversified financial assets. Further information: www.novoholdings.dk. About Asgard Therapeutics Asgard Therapeutics is a private biotech company exploring the application of direct cell reprogramming technologies for cancer immunotherapies. Formed as a spin-off from Lund University, the Company is pioneering a gene therapy approach based on its proprietary TrojanDC technology, designed to set in motion immune responses based on the biological properties of professional antigen presenting cells. Backed by Novo Holdings, Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and Industrifonden, Asgard aims to build a pipeline of personalized cancer immunotherapies optimized to each unique patient. For more information, please visit: http://asgardthx.com/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Oracle Reaffirms Commitment to the United Arab Emirates with Second Cloud Region AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle today announced the opening of its second cloud region in the United Arab Emirates to continue supporting UAE organizations with enterprise cloud services. The Oracle Cloud Abu Dhabi Region and the Oracle Cloud Dubai Region will provide customers with stronger business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities. The opening of the Abu Dhabi Region also directly supports the UAE's Fourth Industrial Revolution Strategy which focuses on advancing the national economy by driving innovation with the latest technologies. "The rapid adoption of cloud-based technologies like artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning is vital for building a thriving digital economy and is a key priority for the UAE. With the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Regions, we have the required cloud infrastructure for organizations across public and private sectors, including SMBs, to accelerate their digital transformation," said Richard Smith, executive vice president, Technology, EMEA, Oracle. Both Oracle Cloud regions in the UAE are built on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), which enables customers to easily migrate existing workloads and data platforms or build new cloud native applications that benefit from superior performance, lower cost, and built-in security capabilities. Customers will also have access to the full suite of Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications, as well as Oracle Autonomous Database, giving them the opportunity and choice to create the architecture that best suits their business needs. Importance of Oracle's Two Cloud Regions for Driving Foreign Investment in the UAE His Excellency Dr. Thani Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade said: "Oracle's decision to open a second cloud region in the UAE is a clear reflection of our nation's embrace of digital transformation, advanced technologies and the applications of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which have become central to our economic and investment strategy for the next 50 years. We are committed to developing an innovative- and knowledge-based economy that encourages the development and deployment of the technologies of the future, and attracting human, financial and technological capital to the nation is central to these ambitions. Oracle's continued investment into the UAE will only accelerate this process, providing critical infrastructure, expertise and insights to further elevate the UAE's standing as a place where the boldest ideas and biggest projects can come to life." Boosting UAE's Cyber Security Preparedness His Excellency Dr. Mohamed Hamad Al Kuwaiti, Head of Cybersecurity for the UAE Government said: "The UAE Government has rapidly transitioned from being a conventional set up to a 'smart government' entity, and now with the increasing pace of digital transformation across the country's public and private sector, we are progressing towards being an AI enabled government. This progress is in line with the digital economy goals of our country, but we must also ensure that the 'cyber resilience' of the UAE is maintained to mitigate cybercrime and increase international collaboration. Oracle's two cloud regions in the UAE are important investments towards providing cyber resilience and secure digital infrastructure for organizations to enjoy the full benefits of cloud computing." Leading UAE Organizations Choose Oracle Cloud Emaar Properties is one of the world's most valuable and admired real estate development companies. With proven competencies in properties, shopping malls, retail and hospitality and leisure, Emaar shapes new lifestyles with a focus on design excellence, build quality and timely delivery. "With fast-growing business operations that span different countries, at Emaar, we are focused on creating a future-ready digital infrastructure that supports growth, helps increase revenue, lowers costs and allows us to constantly innovate. Oracle's new cloud region in the UAE will help us accelerate our digital initiatives with latest emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning," said the Emaar Technology spokesperson. Emirates Post Group is the official postal operaor for the United Arab Emirates, which owns several subsidiaries including Wall Street Exchange, a regional currency exchange provider; Electronic Documents Centre, a major digital printing business; and Emirates Post, the official postal services provider in the country. Abdulla Mohammed Alashram, Group CEO of Emirates Post Group, said: "The world's digital transformation is now unstoppable, and organizations have to adapt to the changes to remain relevant and competitive. In the UAE, we have seen increased implementation and integration of next-generation tools. In our industry, technologies play a big role to enable companies to meet the demand for speed in deliveries and cross-border services while enhancing operational efficiency and productivity. We are excited by Oracle's next-generation cloud, knowing that its launch will lead to more improved services in the UAE and the region. It will also be instrumental in our efforts to fully digitalize our services by the end of 2021, which will significantly increase our capabilities in today's digital age." Analyst Commentary Jyoti Lalchandani, Group Vice President and Regional Managing Director, Middle East, Turkey & Africa, IDC said: "Public cloud services adoption is accelerating at CAGR of 28% year on year between 2020 and 2025 in the UAE and IDC projects that the growth momentum will continue. Cloud's role in enabling innovation is underscored by the priority organizations have given to cloud in their digital transformation initiatives. Cloud-based technologies have helped organizations weather the covid-19 crisis and cloud is now helping them build a resilient organization that can withstand uncertainties." "Our survey of the CIOs in the UAE highlights that an in-country data center is an important factor for 78% organizations that are planning to adopt cloud over the next 12-18 months. Oracle's two cloud regions in the UAE will boost local cloud infrastructure availability. IDC believes that cloud has become an inseparable element of an organization's digital transformation and innovation roadmap," added Jyoti. Preparing UAE's Next Generation for the Digital Economy Oracle has been working toward creating a strong local IT talent pool in the UAE. Under the recently completed skills development initiatives with the UAE's Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) and its commercial arm, the Centre of Excellence for Applied Research & Training (CERT), Oracle has upskilled 1,098 students in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), machine learning, and blockchain. High Availability, Disaster Protection, and Dual Region Cloud Strategy OCI's next-generation architecture provides a high-performing, resilient foundation for cloud services, while its physical and virtual network design maximizes performance and security. For example, each Oracle Cloud region contains at least three fault domains, which are groupings of hardware that form logical data centers for high availability and resilience to hardware and network failures. For business continuity and compliance requirements, Oracle's unique dual-region cloud strategy enables customers to deploy resilient applications in multiple geographically separated locations within the UAE. To help customers plan data center deployments to meet application requirements and optimize their cloud infrastructure, OCI's provides a no cost inter-region latency dashboard that provides insights into real-time and historical latency for Oracle Cloud regions around the globe. Sustainability Oracle is committed to sustainability and has pledged to power all Oracle Cloud regions worldwide with 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. Several Oracle Cloud regions in North America, South America, and Europe are already powered by 100 percent renewable energy, and all Oracle Cloud regions use state-of-the-art energy management and cooling technologies to minimize their impact on the environment. As part of its renewable energy clean Cloud initiative, Oracle reused or recycled 99.6 percent of its retired hardware in FY21 while strictly adhering to Oracle's data privacy and security practices. Cloud Regions Deliver All Cloud Services and Multicloud Oracle Cloud regions support every Oracle service and feature and are available to customers anywhere in the world. This includes Oracle Autonomous Database, Oracle Container Engine for Kubernetes, Oracle Cloud VMware solution, and Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications. OCI's extensive network of more than 70 FastConnect global and regional partners offer customers dedicated connectivity to Oracle Cloud regions and OCI services providing customers with the best options anywhere in the world. FastConnect provides an easy, elastic, and economical way to create a dedicated and private network connection with higher bandwidth, lower latency, and more consistent performance versus public Internet-based connections. In addition, OCI and Microsoft Azure have a strategic partnership that enables joint customers to run workloads across the two clouds. This partnership provides a low latency, cross-cloud interconnect between OCI and Azure in eight regions (Ashburn, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Tokyo, San Jose, Vinhedo and Frankfurt) federated identity for joint customers to deploy applications across both clouds, and a collaborative support model. Customers can run full stack applications in a multi-cloud configuration, while maintaining high-performance connectivity without requiring re-architecture. They can also migrate existing applications or develop cloud native applications that use a mix of OCI and Azure services. Oracle Cloud's Expanding Global Footprint Oracle has announced plans to expand its cloud region footprint to support strong customer demand for Oracle Cloud services worldwide. Over the next year, Oracle will open 10 additional cloud regions with new locations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Upcoming cloud regions include Milan (Italy), Stockholm (Sweden), Spain, Johannesburg (South Africa), Mexico, and Colombia. Additional second regions will open in Saudi Arabia, France, Israel and Chile. Oracle plans to have at least 44 cloud regions by the end of 2022, continuing one of the fastest expansions of any major cloud provider. Currently available Oracle Cloud regions: Asia Pacific : Tokyo ( Japan ), Osaka ( Japan ), Seoul ( South Korea ), Chuncheon ( South Korea ), Mumbai ( India ), Hyderabad ( India ), Sydney ( Australia ), Melbourne ( Australia ), Singapore ( Singapore ) Tokyo ( ), ( ), ( ), Chuncheon ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ) Americas: San Jose ( United States ), Phoenix ( United States ), Ashburn ( United States ), Toronto ( Canada ), Montreal ( Canada ), Sao Paolo (Brazil) , Vinhedo (Brazil), Santiago ( Chile ) San Jose ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ), Sao , Vinhedo (Brazil), ( ) Europe : Frankfurt ( Germany ), London ( United Kingdom ), Newport, Wales (United Kingdom ), Zurich ( Switzerland ), Amsterdam ( The Netherlands ), Marseille ( France ) Frankfurt ( ), ( ), Newport, ), Zurich ( ), ( ), ( ) Middle East : Jeddah ( Saudi Arabia ), Abu Dhabi and Dubai (U.A.E), Jerusalem ( Israel ) Jeddah ( ), and (U.A.E), ( ) Government: Two general U.S. Government regions, and U.S. National Security regions, three U.S. Department of Defense specific Government regions, two in the United Kingdom ( London and Newport, Wales ) Additional Resources Learn more about the Oracle Cloud Regions Learn more about Oracle Cloud Infrastructure About Oracle Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at www.oracle.com. Trademarks Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oracle-reaffirms-commitment-to-the-united-arab-emirates-with-second-cloud-region-301419007.html SOURCE Oracle [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] PulteGroup's Built to Honor Program Celebrates Veterans Day with Delivery of Two New Mortgage-Free Homes to Wounded Veterans PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), the nation's third largest homebuilder, announced a momentous year for its Built to Honor program, which provides mortgage-free homes to veterans injured during their military service. After surprising 11 worthy veterans and their families with the gift of a new home over the past 12 months, the program has undertaken 67 homes since its inception in 2012. "We launched our Built to Honor program almost a decade ago, as our way of saying 'thank you' to our nation's heroes by doing what we do best: building incredible places where people can live their dreams," said PulteGroup President and Chief Executive Officer Ryan Marshall. "Our teams continue to enthusiastically embrace this program and remain steadfast in supporting its mission to meet the needs of returning military servicemen and women." In 2021, deserving veterans will have received homes in Texas, Florida, Maryland, Minnesota and North Carolina. Additionally, the program is currently constructing homes in New Jersey, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas that will deliver in early 2022. On Veterans Day, recipients in Minnesota and Florida will receive the keys to their new homes during special dedication ceremonies. PulteGroup's Minneapolis division will deliver a new Pulte home in the Trillium Cove community to U.S. Army Sergeant Efferim Tillman and Army Specialist Jessica Poplin, a dual military family. While in Jacksonville, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Ellis "Jerry" Majetich will be welcomed to his new home in Del Webb Nocatee. This will be the first Built to Honor home dedicated in a Del Webb community, which are designed for active adults ages 55 and older. "This program would not be possible without our national and local suppliers and trade partners who provide materials, labor and monetary donations in support of these homes," said Marshal. "I also would like to recognize our veteran-agency partners who help us identify candidates and share our commitment to improving the lives of wounded veterans and their families." "Following the tremendous success of this year, we look forward to celebrating our milestone 75th Built to Honor home in 2022." For more information about PulteGroup's Built to Honor program, visit builttohonor.org and follow on Facebook and Twitter. About Built to Honor PulteGroup's Built to Honor program recognizes and thanks returning military personnel who have been injured during their term of service by providing mortgage-free homes to veterans and their families. Launched in 2013, the program has built and donated more than 60 homes across the country. Built to Honor works in partnership with nonprofit organizations to identify veteran candidates. For more information about Built to Honor, go to builttohonor.org. Follow Built to Honor on Twitter (News - Alert): @BuiltToHonor and Facebook.com/BuiltToHonor. About PulteGroup PulteGroup, Inc. (NYSE: PHM), based in Atlanta, Georgia, is one of America's largest homebuilding companies with operations in more than 40 markets throughout the country. Through its brand portfolio that includes Centex (News - Alert), Pulte Homes, Del Webb, DiVosta Homes, American West and John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods, the company is one of the industry's most versatile homebuilders able to meet the needs of multiple buyer groups and respond to changing consumer demand. PulteGroup's purpose is building incredible places where people can live their dreams. For more information about PulteGroup, Inc. and PulteGroup brands, go to pultegroup.com; www.pulte.com; www.centex.com; www.delwebb.com; www.divosta.com; www.jwhomes.com; and www.americanwesthomes.com. Follow PulteGroup, Inc. on Twitter: @PulteGroupNews. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005509/en/ [November 09, 2021] Real-Time Innovations to Exhibit and Present at I/ITSEC Conference 2021 SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Real-Time Innovations (RTI) , the largest software framework company for autonomous systems, will be exhibiting and presenting at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) 2021, the worlds largest modeling simulation and training (MS&T) event, taking place November 29 December 3. At this years booth, RTI will demonstrate how RTI Connext securely integrates distributed simulation assets and data together in a high-performance, scalable environment. These MS&T capabilities drive increased fidelity in todays training systems, while highlighting the strategic importance of smart integration. Connext is the leading connectivity framework for the MS&T industry and is deployed in simulation environments across the globe. RTIs team of experts will be showcasing how the company works with the MS&T community to drive the communications foundation from real deployed systems into Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) solutions. At booth #1307, RTI will provide hands-on demonstrations that cover: In addition to exhibiting, RTI Experts will lead the following live Professional Development sessions : Monday, Nov. 29 from 2:30 PM - 4:00 PM EDT in Room 320E Tutorial: Securing LVC Simulations on Your LAN and Across the WAN Using Data Distribution Service (DDS) Tuesday, Nov. 30 at 4:00 PM EDT in Room 320E Paper: Ultra-Low Latency Messages over WAN for Training using Open Standards Friday, Dec. 3 from 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM EDT in Room S330H Workshop: DDS 101 Professional Development Workshop Event Details What: I/ITSEC 2021 When: November 29 December 3, 2021 Where: Booth #1307, Orange County Convention Center, 9800 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819 RTI will be hosting a pre-show webinar on Nov. 18, 2021 on Secure Live, Real-Time Data Drives Relevance into MS&T Systems , with Chip Downing, Sr. Market Development Director, A&D and Rob Proctor, Sr. Field Application Engineer at RTI. This webinar will explore how the Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard provides the connectivity framework to meet the stringent interoperability and real-time requirements of todays MS&T systems. For more information about RTI at I/ITSEC 2021, including how to schedule meeting time with executives and to register for the pre-show webinar, please visit: https://bit.ly/3BX489W . About RTI Real-Time Innovations (RTI) is the largest software framework company for autonomous systems. RTI Connext is the world's leading architecture for developing intelligent distributed systems. Uniquely, Connext shares data directly, connecting AI algorithms to real-time networks of devices to build autonomous systems. RTI is the best in the world at ensuring our customers success in deploying production systems. With over 1,700 designs, RTI software runs over 250 autonomous vehicle programs, controls the largest power plants in North America, coordinates combat management on U.S. Navy ships, drives a new generation of medical robotics, enables flying cars, and provides 24/7 intelligence for hospital and emergency medicine. RTI runs a smarter world. RTI is the leading vendor of products compliant with the Object Management Group (OMG) Data Distribution Service (DDS) standard. RTI is privately held and headquartered in Sunnyvale, California with regional offices in Colorado, Spain and Singapore. Media Contacts: Madeline Kalicka Karbo Communications for RTI [email protected] Tiffany Yang Public Relations, RTI [email protected] [November 09, 2021] Resecurity to Empower Law Enforcement and Government Agencies in Africa with Cybercrime Intelligence LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Resecurity, a Los Angeles-based cybersecurity company, recently took part in the inaugural CyberX Africa 2021 conference in Accra, Ghana. The company shared expertise in leveraging high-fidelity cyber threat intelligence solutions to prevent, detect, and prosecute cybercrime with an exclusive "Cyber Security, Cyber Crime and Surveillance" workshop for investigators and prosecutors at the event. With African individuals, organizations and states experiencing rapid economic and digital growth, the risk of malicious cyber-attacks and need for offensive activities has grown. To prepare the private and public sector to meet this challenge, CSDS Africa in partnership with the Security Governance Initiative (SGI) Secretariat has designed a quarterly cyber program to improve the investigative, technical, and legal capacity of specialist personnel to successfully counter malicious online operations. CyberX Africa 2021 is a collaborative program that supports investigators, lawyers, lawmakers, judges, law enforcement and forensic personnel in Africa with the tools and knowledge necessary for counter operations. The program also supports SGI FA 4 on Administration of Justice and the ECOWAS's strategic cybercrime and cybersecurity program. "Engagement with cyber security practitioners, lawyers, judges, and the private sector will help build a partnership that will enable cyber enforcement to thrive," said Lt. Col.Ababio Serebour (RTD.), Chief Director, Ministry of National Security (Ghana) in a welcome message on behalf of the Honorable Minister for National Security and the national security community at CyberX Africa 2021. The CyberX Africa 2021 brought public, private and government partners together to learn more about emerging cybersecurity threats and mitigation techniques and technologies. "The borderless nature of cybercrime makes it difficult to eradicate. That is why it is crucial to leverage next-generation cyber intelligence solutions to identify, manage and respond to cybercrime and emerging security challenges. Resecurity is proud have contributed to this year's CyberX Africa program and look forward to accelerating work towards a safer digital world," said Mr. Nuel Chuks Wilson, Regional Director (Africa) at Resecurity, Inc. The CyberX Africa 2021 event took place November 9-12, 2021, hosted in collaboration with the Security Governance Initiative (SGI) Secretariat of Ghana's Ministry of National Security, INTERPOL, the Association of Private Investigators, Ghana and the International law firm Lex Mundus and Cencla. The conference featured an extensive program with more than 15 educational workshop sessions, including a presentation from Mr. Nuel Chuks Wilson, Resecuirty's Regional Director, Africa, on leavaring cyber threat intelligence to combat e-crime. To learn more about Resecurity's cyber risk management and threat intelligence solutions exhibited at CyberX Africa, visit https://resecurity.com . About Resecurity Resecurity is a cybersecurity company that delivers a unified platform for endpoint protection, risk management, and cyber threat intelligence. Known for providing best-of-breed data-driven intelligence solutions, Resecurity's services and platforms focus on early-warning identification of data breaches and comprehensive protection against cybersecurity risks. Founded in 2016, it has been globally recognized as one of the world's most innovative cybersecurity companies with the sole mission of enabling organizations to combat cyber threats regardless of how sophisticated they are. Most recently, Resecurity was named one of the Top 10 fastest-growing private cybersecurity companies in Los Angeles, California by Inc. Magazine. To learn more about Resecurity, visit https://resecurity.com/ . View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/resecurity-to-empower-law-enforcement-and-government-agencies-in-africa-with-cybercrime-intelligence-301419488.html SOURCE Resecurity [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] SAVVYY Raises $5.7M; Sets Sights on Modernizing Canada's Lending Industry Today, SAVVYY, a Canadian-based technology leader in lending software solutions and infrastructure, announced it has raised $5.7 million CAD from several prominent Canadian investors. The funding will help SAVVYY accelerate its efforts to modernize antiquated lending infrastructure by introducing a cloud-based AI-powered platform for Canadian banks and lenders. The next generation underwriting platform will allow lenders to transform manual, outdated systems into an automated and streamlined process, resulting in a significantly improved client experience. Investors include prominent leaders in the financial services industry, including Joe Canavan from Canavan Capital, CEO of LOGiQ (previously CEO of NEXT Canada); Michael Zych, Scotiabank's former global head of fixed income; Kevin Walton, founding team of Real Matters; and Michael Vanderkaden, fintech investor and former executive with Filogix and Equifax. "We're on a mission to transform banks into fintechs, and today's funding announcement brings us one step closer to bringing our AI-ready Canadian mortgage underwriting platform to all Canadian lenders," said Sal Naran, Co-founder, SAVVYY. "Our team of technology and financial services leaders, along with our prominent list of investors, clients and partners, makes us well-positioned to transform the lending industry in Canada-an industry that is long overdue for a technology-based transformation." Concentra Bank uses SAVVYY Platform to improve its mortgage lending infrastructure The SAVVY team is working with three Canadian Schedule I banks, including Concentra Bank, a well-respected Canadian bank known for collaborating with fintechs. Concentra implemented the SAVVYY platform to power its re-entry into the residential mortgage lending space. Since adopting the cloud-based mortgage platform, the bank has opened up new possibilities in areas like products, channels and processes. "Moving to a cloud-based lending platform like SAVVYY allows our team to focus on the big picture: our technology architecture and our business," said Neal Oswald, COO and SVP, Concentra Bank. "SAVVYY's flexibility has allowed us to respond rapidly to changing market conditions by adding products, managing rates, and integrating with other microservices. Collaboration with SAVVYY is integral to our future integration with other Fintechs." Deloitte (News - Alert) reports Canada is ripe for innovation in mortgage lending According to Deloitte, Canada is overdue for mortgage lending innovation. While various fintechs have been improving upon mortgage experiences for the consumer, the latest emerging fintech players, like SAVVYY, are entering a space that has been long overlooked in the financial services industry. "The first wave of 'digital mortgage' focused on elegant consumer-facing experiences. Now, leading industry players are pushing further into the heart of the lending business, with a focus on innovating legacy credit operations and decisioning processes," says Andrew Hamer, Partner and Canadian Lending Leader, Deloitte. "This emergence of modern, cloud-based lending infrastructure is a positive development for the Canadian lending industry, resulting in more efficient outcomes for both the consumer and the business." SAVVYY's founders, Salim Naran and Norm Cappell, along with their executive leadership team, have a proven track record and deep expertise in building enterprise lending systems. The experienced SAVVYY team is on a mission to transform Canada's lending industry and is poised for significant growth in 2022. ABOUT SAVVYY SAVVYY's specialist team is building digital infrastructure for the lending industry, using data and design to modernize loan processing. Their modern, cloud-based software solutions turn lenders into fintechs, allowing them to transform a patchwork of legacy systems and manual processes into an efficient, flexible and automated process that delivers a vastly improved client experience. SAVVYY was established in 2018 and is based in Toronto, Ontario. https://savvyy.ai/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005542/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Scholars Discuss Green Innovation and Inclusive Development at the 6th Sino-UK Innovation and Development Forum LONDON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The 6th "Sino-UK Innovation and Development Forum" was successfully held from November 3 to 4, 2021 under the theme of "Green innovation and inclusive development". The forum provides a platform of dialogue for Chinese and British government officials, scholars, and business leaders, promoting academic exchange and cooperation in the field of science and technology innovation between China and Britain. This year's session discussed green innovation, digital innovation and inclusive development, as well as common prosperity and other topics. This year's forum was hosted by The Oxford Technology and Management Centre for Development (TMCD), together with Surrey Centre for Innovation and Commercialisation (SCIC), University of Surrey, Sino-UK Innovation Policy and Management Research Network (IPRN), and was co-organized with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Technology for Development (CASTED) of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institutes of Science and Development (CASISD), the China Britain Business Council (CBBC) and HSBC Business School, Peking University, and supported by Tencent (00700.HK). Professor Xiaolan Fu, a Fellow of the British Academy of Social Sciences and Director of the Technology and Management Development Research Center of the University of Oxford, welcomed guests attending the forum, provided a background introduction, and emphasized the ongoing cooperation and commitment of Chinese and British academic and business circles in jointly solving global challenges facing the world by strengthening technological innovation and policy coordination. Sir James McDonald, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, delivered the opening remarks, emphasizing the important role of engineering technology and innovation in global green development, calling for attention to the economic and social challenges of climate change, taking the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference and China's moving towards carbon neutrality as examples. Dr Zhang Yaping, Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, mentioned in his opening speech recent cooperation agreements signed between Chinese and British research institutions in the auto and semi-conductor sectors, and pointed out the importance of technology collaboration and cross-disciplinary research between the two countries. He also called for jointly establishing international think-tanks in his speech. Professor David Sampson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation at the University of Surrey, emphasized the importance of China-UK cooperation in business and higher education. He also said that the University of Surrey is committed to providing educational support for technological development and innovation cooperation, such as at the newly launched 6G Innovation Center and International Sustainable Development Center. Chen Jin, Director of the Research Center for Technological Innovation at Tsinghua University, proposed that green innovation should include a strategic vision for sustainable development, as well as local innovation and social cooperation. Dr Stelvia Matos, Associate Professor of Social Innovation and Sustainable Management and Head of the Centre for Social Innovation Management at Surrey Business School, summarized recent research in the field of climate change and technological innovation management, and expressed the need to focus on connecting low-carbon innovation with digital technology. Robin Williams, professor of technology and social studies at the University of Edinburgh, pointed out that sustainable transformation requires the widespread adoption of various technologies that are still in their infancy, paired with effective promotion policies such as user participation and experimentation. Jeremy Hall, Director of Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School, spoke on "Innovation and Reshaping Green Development," describing how universities are the core of the UK's innovation system. Wang Yuanfeng, Director of the Carbon Neutral Technology and Strategy Center of Beijing Jiaotong University, explained how a carbon neutral strategy would bring about fundamental changes in energy structure. Pan Jiaofeng, President of Institutes of Science and Development of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, expressed that he hoped China and the UK would "join hands and win-win" to solve global sustainable development issues through cooperation in technological innovation and inclusive development. Daniel Brooker, Director of UK Research and Innovation China, pointed out that the IDMODEL project provides an excellent case study for research on marginalized people, promoting common prosperity and international academic cooperation. Professor Fu gave a keynote speech titled "The Road to Common Prosperity Empowered by Digital Innovation", introducing the innovative research and results of the IDMODEL project in China and Bangladesh. Professor Fu said that digital technology and digital platforms can effectively provide marginalized groups with opportunities and platforms to boost their capabilities, help entrepreneurs overcome barriers to engage in value creation activities, create sustainable wealth and social value, and thus alleviate poverty and promote common prosperity. The keynote report by Torbjorn Fredriksson, Chief of the ICT Policy Section at the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), stated that cross-border data flow and development are crucial in promoting the development of the global digital economy, and that all parties need to take timely action to initiate dialogues around various industries, and establish a new UN coordination agency to resolve key issues. Derek Yue, Director of the Tencent Social Research Center, described how digital technology is being fully integrated into all fields with new ideas, new formats, and new models, providing novel solutions to global problems. Tencent has pursued "Tech for Good" as the company's mission since 2019 and will focus on corporate social responsibility rooted in China's new development patterns and important global sustainability issues, promoting social value innovation, helping to upgrade various industries and aid in the governance of digital society with digital technologies. At the same time, he expressed that Tencent strives to work with all members of society in facing opportunities and challenges together, promoting overall progress through joint construction and sharing and making a better shared future for mankind. Hu Zhijian, President of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, said that China has entered the digital era, and digital economy has become an important driving force for China's economic growth, as well as an important way to stabilize growth, employment, poverty reduction, and promote inclusive development. Jiang Xiheng, Deputy Director-General of the Center for International Knowledge on Development affiliated with the Development Research Center of the State Council, emphasized the important role of Internet-based charity in common prosperity. Some other academic and industry experts also joined the forum, including Mark Hedley, Director for the Knowledge Economy sector of CBBC; Pervez Ghauri, Professor of the University of Birmingham and founding Editor-in-Chief of the International Business Review; Sonia Kabir, Founder of SBK Foundation, Governing Council member of the United Nations Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries; Yu Jiang, Director of the Center of Industrial Technology Strategy Center of the CASISD; Zhang Kun, Associate Director of Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Peking University HSBC Business School. The Sino-UK Innovation and Development Forum has been successfully held for six consecutive sessions and is an important platform for promoting exchange and cooperation in science and technology innovation between China and the UK, as well as an important window for people from all walks of life to understand China-UK policy developments. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scholars-discuss-green-innovation-and-inclusive-development-at-the-6th-sino-uk-innovation-and-development-forum-301419363.html SOURCE Tencent [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Scout Bio Named Best New Start-Up for 2021 PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Scout Bio, a biotechnology company focused on one-time AAV gene therapies for major chronic pet health conditions, received top honors as the Best Start-up 2021 from the IHS Markit Animal Health Awards. Judged by an independent panel of industry experts, the awards honor a firm's ability to innovate, attract investment, and execute exciting R&D achievements within the animal health sector during a calendar year. Joseph Harvey, Head of Animal Health at IHS Markit, said: "Scout Bio's progress has really stood out in 2021. It has a team of proven innovators that are again showing momentum in the companion animal therapeutics segment. This year, the start-up has shown significant development with both clinical trials and fundraising. The judging panel believe Scout Bio will be a key innovator of the future." Over the last twelve months, Scout Bio has accomplished a number of animal health industry firsts including the: This award is welcomed recognition acknowledging our teams innovative work in achieving a number of industry firsts amidst a year of COVID-related challenges, said Mark Heffernan, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Scout Bio. I couldnt be more proud of our team and key collaborators for their commitment to advancing gene therapy innovation in pet patients in a number of chronic diseases over this past year. In addition to these groundbreaking pipeline milestones, we are strongly positioned to continue to advance Scout Bios portfolio of AAV delivered therapeutic proteins for companion animal diseases thanks to the recent closing of additional financing. A spin-out company from the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and the laboratory of Dr. Jim Wilson at Penns Gene Therapy Program (GTP), Scout Bio is uniquely able to leverage the expertise of GTP to accelerate discovery and development efforts in this exciting new field of companion animal medicine. Scout Bio is on target to significantly disrupt the field by showing that AAV gene therapy can deliver therapeutic proteins as a single-injection alternative to weekly or monthly injectable proteins, Wilson said. Scout Bios progress in veterinary patients is now showing significant potential of the AAV gene therapy platform for more expanded applications in a multitude of species. About Scout Bio Scout Bio is a biotechnology company revolutionizing pet medicine by delivering a pipeline of one-time gene therapies for major chronic pet health conditions. Scout Bios therapeutics are designed to induce long-term expression of therapeutic proteins in pet patients using AAV vector technology. Scout Bio has a research and development collaboration with the University of Pennsylvanias Gene Therapy Program, a leader in the field of genetic medicine research. Scout Bio is a private company headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. For more information, see www.scoutbio.co University of Pennsylvania Financial Disclosure Dr. Wilson is a Penn faculty member, scientific collaborator, key advisor, and co-founder of Scout Bio. As such, he holds an equity stake in the Company, his laboratory at Penn receives sponsored research funding from Scout Bio, and as an inventor of the licensed technology he may receive additional future financial benefits under licenses granted by Penn to Scout Bio. The University of Pennsylvania also holds equity and licensing interests in Scout Bio. For further information, please contact: Fran Gaconnier 214.417.4142 [email protected] [November 09, 2021] ScoutCam To Collaborate With Global Defense Contractor On Monitoring Solution For Its Unmanned Aerial Vehicles System Will Integrate ScoutCams Proprietary Technology/Cameras, Communication, Controls, Sensing, Image Processing, Data Processing and Networking Technologies OMER, Israel, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ScoutCam (OTCQB:SCTC), a leading provider of turnkey I4.0 visualization solutions, composed of field proven highly resilient image acquisition unit, data collection and storage with dedicated AI capabilities, today announced it has been selected by a leading global defense contractor (the Contractor) to collaborate on a visual monitoring solution for the Contractors Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The Journal of Mathematics reports that the use of unmanned systems has seen a significant increase over the last ten years, especially in security and defense applications, where remote locations and dangerous circumstances make undetected reconnaissance and observation difficult and risky. The companies will work together to create a comprehensive solution that will monitor the UAVs equipment by integrating ScoutCams next generation cameras, communication, controls, sensing, image processing, data processing and networking technologies into a system that can be mounted on the UAV. Yovav Sameah, Chief Executive Officer of ScoutCam, commented on the announcement, We are pleased to collaborate with such a high-profile contractor. The confidential and specialized nature of their UAV-related applications make the selection of integrated technologies a critical decision; particularly within the defense and security context, where mistkes can impact national security and, far too often, result in death. Sameah added, Like many of our Industry 4.0 customers, defense contractors rely on condition-based monitoring and predictive maintenance solutions that operate under extreme conditions. This is especially true where the gear costs are high (aviation) or the cost of project interruption can be significant (energy and transportation). ScoutCams imaging technology offers a solution with a proven track record of withstanding harsh environments and offers high-end data analysis thereby enabling early fault detection. About ScoutCam ScoutCam is a leading provider of image-based platforms. Pioneering the use of its proprietary visualization technology, ScoutCam offers state-of-the-art solutions across a variety of Predictive Maintenance and Condition Based Monitoring markets, thus paving the way for the energy, automotive and aviation industries. ScoutCams solutions are based on small and highly resilient cameras, specialized AI analysis and supplementary technologies. Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the Companys expectations, beliefs, assumptions and intentions regarding, among other things, its product-development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects, as of the date of this news release. They are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as believe, expect, intend, plan, may, should or anticipate or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. The Company 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 the Company's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to the Companys ability to maximize its strategic relationship with the leading defense contractor discussed in this press release, the likelihood of creating a comprehensive solution that can monitor equipment by integrating ScoutCams next generation cameras, communication, controls, sensing, image processing, data processing and networking technologies into a system that can be mounted on the UAV, the Companys reliance on third-party suppliers; market acceptance of our products by prospect markets and industries; the functionality of ScoutCams solutions under all environmental conditions; the Company's ability to raise sufficient funding in order to meet the Companys business and financial goals; and certain other factors summarized in the Companys filings with the SEC. 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, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. For more information, please visit https://www.scoutcam.com. Contact: Tanya Yosef, CFO - +972 (73) 370 4691 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Signature Rockwell Automation Event Returns to Houston In-Person to Celebrate 30 Years of Automation Fair Rockwell Automation (News - Alert), Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world's largest company dedicated to industrial automation and digital transformation, along with its PartnerNetwork, opens the 30th year of its signature showcase event: Automation Fair from Nov. 10-11 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. And it's just in time, as the industrial world is evolving faster than ever, driving innovation and adoption of technology to respond to market pressures and disruptions. To overcome these dynamics, industrial companies have needed to become more resilient, agile, and more sustainable. "We are excited to celebrate 30 years of Automation Fair in person with our partners and customers. It has always been about bringing our customers together to showcase the latest in automation and digital transformation," said Tina Dear, vice president, marketing, Rockwell Automation. "We will showcase 10 industry forums, over 100 exhibits, and will feature panel discussions from leading industry experts across various industries. We are especially excited about the hybrid experience which combines the technological capabilities of a virtual event with the connectedness of an in-person event." Automation Fair kicks off on Nov. 9 with Perspectives, a keynote presentation where Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO Blake Moret will discuss the company's vision and continuedevolution to deliver innovative solutions that achieve results. The presentation also includes Chief Technology Officer Cyril Perducat, as he shares his vision for the future of manufacturing, with insights on technology disruptions shaping the industry today including artificial intelligence, advanced motion and robotics, cloud-based software, and augmented reality. Additionally, Perspectives will feature Rockwell Automation senior executives Scott Genereux, Frank Kulaszewicz, Brian Shepherd, and Fran Wlodarczyk, who will discuss what's next for industry, the results that digital initiatives are delivering today, and what's new at Automation Fair. Automation Fair is a complimentary event, whether you attend in-person or virtually. However, registration is required to attend. Registration is now open, so reserve your spot now! For complete details about Automation Fair, please click here. About Rockwell Automation Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), is a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. We connect the imaginations of people with the potential of technology to expand what is humanly possible, making the world more productive and more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Rockwell Automation employs approximately 24,500 problem solvers dedicated to our customers in more than 100 countries. To learn more about how we are bringing the Connected Enterprise to life across industrial enterprises, visit www.rockwellautomation.com. Automation Fair and PartnerNetwork are trademarks of Rockwell Automation Inc. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005259/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Similarweb Expands European Presence With New Offices in Munich, Germany, and Kyiv, Ukraine Similarweb (NYSE: SMWB), a leading digital intelligence company, today announced the opening of two new European offices in Munich, Germany, and Kyiv, Ukraine. With global headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel, Similarweb's expansion in Europe underscores its growing European customer base. The move comes on the heels of the company's initial public offering in May on the New York Stock Exchange and the opening of its fourth United States office in Reston, VA. The new Munich office will be home to mainly commercial, marketing and technical roles. The company already counts a number of leading German brands among its clients, including Adidas and DHL. Similarweb's Kyiv office will house more than 50 R&D and IT professionals, and that number is expected to triple over the next two years. The office will serve as a technical center, leveraging Ukraine's highly-skilled labor force, and is intended to become an essential part of Similarweb's global success. Similarweb has grown its headcount across all 13 global offices this year, with plans to continue its rapid global expansion into the new year. "We are fully committed to expanding our footprint across Europe," says Or Offer, CEO and founder of Similarweb. "Our new Munich and Kyiv offices will serve as sales and R&D hubs, respectively, and support our mision to bring to market industry-leading digital intelligence solutions. Our ability to attract the best talent and provide a productive, innovative work environment will help drive our success in Europe and the rest of the world," Offer adds. To see a list of open positions in the Munich and Kyiv offices, visit the Similarweb careers page. About Similarweb: As a trusted platform for understanding online behavior, millions of people use Similarweb's insights to strengthen their knowledge of the digital world. We empower anyone - from the curious individual to the enterprise business leader - to make smarter decisions by understanding why things happen across the digital ecosystem. Learn more here: https://www.similarweb.com/corp/about/ This Press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" as defined in 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 reflect our current views regarding our intentions, products, services, plans, expectations, strategies and prospects, which are based on information currently available to us and assumptions we have made. Actual results may differ materially from those described in such forward-looking statements and are subject to a variety of assumptions, uncertainties, risks and factors that are beyond our control, including those described in our Securities and Exchange Commission filings and reports including the final prospectus for our initial public offering filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 11, 2021, as well as future filings and reports by us. Except as required by law, we undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005675/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Thought Leaders from Wolters Kluwer and Shearman & Sterling LLP to Speak on Law Firm Profitability at Ark Group's Law Firm Innovation Summit 2021 NEW YORK , Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Dean Sonderegger, head of Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., will take part in a fireside chat titled, "Playing the Budget Long Game: Assessing Your Value to Drive Profitable Client Relationships" today, November 9, at Ark Group's 4th Annual Law Firm Innovation Summit. Meredith Williams-Range, Chief Knowledge and Client Value Officer at Shearman & Sterling LLP, will join Sonderegger in exploring best practices for law firms to manage the business impacts of innovation to build deeper and more profitable relationships with clients. The Wolters Kluwer 2021 Future Ready Lawyer survey found that the top three factors in selecting an outside law firm were the ability to use technology to improve productivity and efficiency, specialization, and price. Sonderegger and Williams-Range will provide their expertise and insight on how law firms can maximize value for their clients as in-house counsel's expectations continue to shift. "As in-house counsel face increased pressure on their budgets, it's more critical than ever for law firms to demonstrate their value to clients," said Sonderegge. "To grow and drive profitability, law firms must leverage technology to their advantage to benefit clients and bring a greater level of demonstrable value to their services. I'm thrilled to join Meredith today in discussing this highly important topic at the Law Firm Innovation Summit." The virtual session will take place today, November 9, from 3:15PM 4:00PM ET, and is available online for all registered attendees. Ark Group's 4th Annual Law Firm Innovation Summit will once again embrace the premise that innovation needs to begin with people and process, not technology. To register for the event, visit: https://www.lawfirminnovationsummit.com/rates/. About Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Wolters Kluwer (WKL) is a global leader in professional information, software solutions, and services for the healthcare; tax and accounting; governance, risk and compliance; and legal and regulatory sectors. We help our customers make critical decisions every day by providing expert solutions that combine deep domain knowledge with technology and services. Wolters Kluwer reported 2020 annual revenues of 4.6 billion. The group serves customers in over 180 countries, maintains operations in over 40 countries, and employs approximately 19,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Wolters Kluwer shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. Wolters Kluwer has a sponsored Level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) program. The ADRs are traded on the over-the-counter market in the U.S. (WTKWY). For more information about Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S., visit www.WoltersKluwerLR.com, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. MEDIA CONTACT: Linda Gharib Director, Brand & Communications Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. Tel: +1 (646) 887-7962 Email: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/thought-leaders-from-wolters-kluwer-and-shearman--sterling-llp-to-speak-on-law-firm-profitability-at-ark-groups-law-firm-innovation-summit-2021-301419642.html SOURCE Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Tokushima Shimbun to Live-stream "Awa Odori" Dance Tour from November to January TOKUSHIMA, Japan, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Tokushima Shimbun, a publisher of the namesake daily headquartered in Tokushima City, western Japan, will live-stream a "Tsunagu" (connect) tour of the traditional Japanese performing art "Awa Odori" dance once a month from November to January. The event will take place in cooperation with the Tokushima Awa Odori Association (sponsored by the Tokushima Shimbun, Japan Council of Performers Rights & Performing Arts Organizations, etc.). The performances, to be held in Tokushima Prefecture (whose old name was Awa) on November 14 and December 5, 2021, and January 23, 2022, will be live-streamed on a video site which can be accessed from all over the world by anybody purchasing a viewing ticket (500 yen/stage). (Image: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M101462/202111042861/_prw_PI1fl_BIP4u55m.jpg) The traditional "Awa Odori" performing art has over 400 years' history. With Awa dance lovers existing all over the world, video messages from dancers in the United States, France, Brazil, mainland China and Malaysia will be screened during the upcoming performances as well. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Awa Odori's staging has been canceled multiple times, but finally, in winter 2021, the hot performance will return to Tokushima, the birthplace of the Awa Dance Festival. Participating in the tour will be dancer groups from the Tokushima Awa Odori Association, which are some of the most famous and skilled teams called "Yumei-ren." Live video footage will be delivered in high-quality resolution using three cameras. Sensitive female dancing and dynamic male dancing will bring viewers the realistic feeling of the stillness and powerfulness of Awa Odori. - Schedule: Sunday, November 14, 2021 @Awa city PART I 13:00/ PART II 16:00 Sunday, December 5, 2021 @Yoshinogawa city PART I 13:00/ PART II 16:00 Sunday, January 23, 2022 @Aizumi-cho PART I 13:00/ PART II 16:00 *Time is Japan Standard Time (JST). - Buy tickets Price: 500 yen/performance Visit: https://t.livepocket.jp/t/awaodori_tsunagu (English available) Please purchase the ticket in advance. The URL and password will be sent to each applicant's email address 3 hours before the performance. Viewers can access the live video site from the URL. SOURCE The Tokushima Shimbun [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Trilantic North America Promotes Lindsay Ting and Lee Nussbaum to Managing Directors Trilantic North America, a leading, growth-focused private equity firm, announced today the promotions of Lindsay Ting and Lee Nussbaum to Managing Directors. Ms. Ting and Mr. Nussbaum both work in the firm's consumer investments vertical and have played essential roles in recent deals this year, including a new funding commitment for Sunrise Strategic Partners and an investment in e-commerce platform Orva. "We are excited to recognize Lindsay and Lee's commitment to our firm and promotion to Managing Directors," said Charlie Ayres, Chairman and Managing Partner of Trilantic North America. "Throughout their time at Trilantic North America, both have demonstrated strong leadership skills, whether it be through sourcing new, valuable deal opportunities within the consumer team or partnering with portfolio company management to create value for their customers and our investors alike. We look forward to their continued success as they take this important next step in their careers." Ms. Ting joined Trilantic North America as a Principal in 2019 and most recently helped lead the majority sale of Kodiak Cakes to L Catterton. She is currently a director of Sunrise Strategic Partners 2.0. Ms. Tig previously held positions at private equity firms Castanea Partners and TA Associates and began her career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley. She holds an M.B.A. from Stanford Graduate School of Business, an M.A. in Education from Stanford Graduate School of Education and a B.A. in Mathematics, magna cum laude, from Williams College. Mr. Nussbaum joined the firm in 2012 as an Associate and has played an integral role in the firm's investments in the consumer sector, particularly within e-commerce. He is currently a director of Trilantic North America portfolio companies Gorilla Commerce, Orva and Sunrise Strategic Partners 2.0. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Nussbaum worked as an Analyst in the Financial Sponsors Group at UBS and the Mergers & Acquisitions Group at Guggenheim Partners. He holds a B.B.A., with high distinction, from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. About Trilantic North America Trilantic Capital Management L.P. ("Trilantic North America") is a leading, growth-focused middle market private equity firm focused on control and significant minority investments in North America. Trilantic North America's primary investment focus is on the business services, consumer, and energy sectors. Trilantic North America currently manages six private equity fund families with aggregate capital commitments of $9.7 billion. Trilantic North America has been recognized by Inc. Magazine's 2021 list of Top Founder-Friendly Investors and has also been named one of GrowthCap's Top 25 Private Equity Firms for Growth Companies. For more information, visit www.trilanticnorthamerica.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005569/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] White Oak Provides Financing to Support Acquisition of Port 45 Recovery by Sunrise Treatment Center White Oak Healthcare Finance, LLC ("White Oak") announced today that it acted as sole lender and administrative agent of a senior credit facility to support the acquisition of Port 45 Recovery LLC ("Port 45") by Sunrise Treatment Center, LLC ("Sunrise" or the "Company"), a Bridges Fund Management L.P. ("Bridges") portfolio company. Founded in 2007, Cincinnati, OH-based Sunrise is a substance abuse treatment provider in Ohio and Kentucky. Port 45's services include partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, traditional outpatient, aftercare, recovery housing and group therapy offerings. "An individual-focused treatment approach, which combines mental health counseling and medication-assisted treatment has been proven to reduce deaths and save lifetime clinical care costs," said Ross Eldridge, Executive Vice President and Chief Originations Officer at White Oak. "Sunrise is distinguished by their experienced management team, clinical outcomes and commitment to the communities they serve." Sunrise is backed by Bridges, a lower middle-market private equity fund focused exclusively on sustainable and impact investments. Bridges invested alongside the existing Sunrise management team in 2019. "We are very excited about our partnership with White Oak given their team's deep experience in behavioral healthcare. White Oak provided an efficient execution and significant growth capital that will support our continued expansion," said Ed Niemczyk, Partner at Bridges. "The combination of Sunrise and Port 45 will provide the residents of Ohio and Kentucky with a high-quality treatmentoption that is fresh, innovative, and efficient. The model will further cement Sunrise as a leading provider of addiction treatment in the United States and a model that can be expanded nationwide." About Sunrise Treatment Sunrise Treatment Center was founded in 2010 as a substance abuse treatment program focusing primarily on opioid use disorders. There are locations in Southeast Ohio and Kentucky. Services include medication-assisted treatment, mental health counseling, case management, and crisis intervention. About Port 45 Recovery Port 45 was founded in 2016 and has locations in Portsmouth and Columbus, Ohio. It offers treatment through a variety of programs that include partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, traditional outpatient, aftercare, and recovery housing. Sunrise and Port 45 combined will enhance the service offering to their respective patients and enable them to be served in a more comprehensive manner. About White Oak Healthcare Finance White Oak Healthcare Finance, LLC ("WOHCF"), an affiliate of White Oak Global Advisors, LLC is a lender to all subsectors within the healthcare industry including healthcare services, pharma and life sciences, medical devices, healthcare technology, healthcare real estate, hospitals and SNFs. WOHCF has deep domain expertise with a sole focus on healthcare, which enables it to provide flexible and creative solutions with certainty of execution. WOHCF offers a differentiated product set including cash flow term loans, asset based loans and ABL Stretch facilities, unitranche facilities, last out financings, real estate financings, equipment financings and opportunistic investments. About White Oak Global Advisors White Oak Global Advisors, LLC ("WOGA") is a leading alternative debt manager specializing in originating and providing financing solutions to facilitate the growth, refinancing and recapitalization of small and medium enterprises. Together with its financing affiliates, WOGA provides over twenty lending products to the market, including term, asset-based, and equipment loans, to all sectors of the economy. Since its inception in 2007, WOGA and its affiliates have deployed over $10 billion across its product lines, utilizing a disciplined investment process that focuses on delivering risk-adjusted investment returns to investors while establishing long term partnerships with our borrowers. More information can be found at www.whiteoaksf.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005065/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Wipro Partners with DriveNets to Accelerate Innovation for Communication Service Providers RA'ANANA, Israel and BANGALORE, India, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company, is partnering with DriveNets, a leader in cloud-native networking software and network disaggregation solutions, to transform how communication service providers (CSPs) build next-generation networks. Combining DriveNets' disaggregation solutions with Wipro FullStride Cloud Services' expertise in consulting, ecosystem orchestration, and business transformation, the partnership will enable CSPs to leverage the cloud for growth and realize operational efficiencies. A growing number of CSPs now look to digital and cloud-based solutions to simplify their network's operational model, improve profitability, and accelerate both scaling and innovation. Wipro will leverage DriveNets Network Cloud, an advanced carrier-grade network infrastructure software, to help CSPs adopt an architectural model similar to cloud hyperscalers. This will enable CSPs to improve their network economics and accelerate service innovation. "The partnership with DriveNets allows both organisations to play to their strengths while unlocking new possibilities for CSPs. Using technology from Wipro and DriveNets, CSPs can leverage cutting-edge disaggregated networks that meet their current and future needs while catering to increasingly digitized business and consumer segments," said Anurag Shrivastava, General Manager and Global Practice Head of Network Services, iDEAS, Wipro Limited. "Bringing together the strengths of each company, DriveNets and Wipro will be able to streamline the deployment of DriveNets Network Cloud solutions. Together, we offer the most effective way to build and scale networks while significantly reducing the hardware requirements and accelerating innovation," said Ido Susan, CEO, DriveNets. Network Cloud includes an open ecosystem that features elements from leading silicon vendors and ODMs, certified by DriveNets and empowered by Wipro. The partners are already actively engaged with leading CSPs on joint projects. About Wipro Limited Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO) is a leading global information technology, consulting and business process services company. We harness the power of cognitive computing, hyper-automation, robotics, cloud, analytics and emerging technologies to help our clients adapt to the digital world and make them successfl. A company recognized globally for its comprehensive portfolio of services, strong commitment to sustainability and good corporate citizenship, we have over 220,000 dedicated employees serving clients across six continents. Together, we discover ideas and connect the dots to build a better and a bold new future. About DriveNets DriveNets is a leader in cloud-native networking software and network disaggregation solutions. Founded in 2015 and based in Israel, DriveNets offers communications service providers (CSPs) and cloud providers a radical new way to build networks, substantially growing their profitability by changing their technological and economic models. DriveNets' solution Network Cloud adapts the architectural model of cloud to telco-grade networking. Network Cloud is a cloud-native software that runs over a shared physical infrastructure of standard white-boxes, radically simplifying the network's operations, offering telco-scale performance and elasticity at a much lower cost. Learn more at www.drivenets.com Media Contact: Sandeep Deb Varman Wipro Limited [email protected] Crystal Monahan Guyer Group for DriveNets +1-617-290-2882 [email protected] Sandra Welfeld DriveNets +972- 9-774-4726 [email protected] Forward-Looking Statements The forward-looking statements contained herein represent Wipro's beliefs regarding future events, many of which are by their nature, inherently uncertain and outside Wipro's control. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Wipro's growth prospects, its future financial operating results, and its plans, expectations and intentions. Wipro cautions readers that the forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results anticipated by such statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in our earnings, revenue and profits, our ability to generate and manage growth, complete proposed corporate actions, intense competition in IT services, our ability to maintain our cost advantage, wage increases in India, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time frame contracts, client concentration, restrictions on immigration, our ability to manage our international operations, reduced demand for technology in our key focus areas, disruptions in telecommunication networks, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages on our service contracts, the success of the companies in which we make strategic investments, withdrawal of fiscal governmental incentives, political instability, war, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies outside India, unauthorized use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our business and industry. The conditions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could decrease technology spending, adversely affect demand for our products, affect the rate of customer spending and could adversely affect our customers' ability or willingness to purchase our offerings, delay prospective customers' purchasing decisions, adversely impact our ability to provide on-site consulting services and our inability to deliver our customers or delay the provisioning of our offerings, all of which could adversely affect our future sales, operating results and overall financial performance. Our operations may also be negatively affected by a range of external factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic that are not within our control. Additional risks that could affect our future operating results are more fully described in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, Annual Reports on Form 20-F. These filings are available at www.sec.gov. We may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. We do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wipro-partners-with-drivenets-to-accelerate-innovation-for-communication-service-providers-301419777.html SOURCE DriveNets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2021] Oracle Reaffirms Commitment to Singapore with Opening of Oracle Cloud Region Invests USD 3 million to help startups accelerate digital initiatives and offers free cloud training and certifications to expand Singapore's IT talent pool SINGAPORE, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Oracle today announced the opening of its Oracle Cloud Singapore Region. The new Singapore region will support growing demand for enterprise cloud services in South East Asia and expands Oracle's reach to 33 cloud regions globally; fueling the region's economic recovery and contributing to its digital economy. Cloud infrastructure underpins Singapore's drive for innovation and digital initiatives. To accelerate this, Oracle is offering 100 startups USD 30,000 each in Oracle Cloud credits over the next two years. Oracle is also providing free Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) training and certifications until 31 March 2022. The free training will help expand Singapore's IT talent pool and make it easier for businesses to acquire or develop the skilled professionals they need to grow and innovate quickly. "We welcome Oracle's move to accelerate startups in Singapore. These initiatives show the confidence that the international business community has in Singapore, as a place where established businesses can work with a vibrant entrepreneur community to transform, innovate and grow," said Ms Jacqueline Poh, Managing Director, Singapore Economic Development Board. "Customers are pivoting to Oracle because of the high performance, built-in security, and low cost of OCI. We've witnessed triple-digit growth in the business last year and want to help customers innovate and modernize, while helping them address in-country data residency requirements," said Garrett Ilg, president, Asia Pacific and Japan, Oracle. "With the opening of the new cloud region and the initiatives to support local innovation and growth, we are reaffirming our commitment to Singapore and to the region. The availability of OCI will help improve the speed of innovation, empower startups and champion upskilling for Singaporeans." OCI helps customers move their existing complex, mission-critical workloads and data platforms to the cloud, and build new cloud native applications, as well as benefit from the superior performance, lower cost, and built-in security capabilities. Customers will also have access to the full suite of Oracle Cloud Applications, as well as Oracle Autonomous Database, giving them the opportunity and choice to create the architecture that best suits their business needs. Meeting Demand for Hybrid and Multicloud Dr. Glen Duncan, Associate Research Director Datacentr, IDC: "Enterprise appetite for public cloud services continues unabated in Singapore and across the rest of ASEAN. The dominant data center architecture has become the hybrid multicloud environment that extends from core to edge. Enterprises are now demanding cloud services from their partners that are global/regional/local, sustainable, secure, and high-performance using machine-based intelligence, policies, and automation. Data and services must also be fully manageable and transparent to support compliance with increasingly stringent national government privacy and sovereignty regulations." Complex workloads require a variety of hybrid and multicloud deployment choices. Oracle's strategy is to meet customers where they are, enabling customers to keep data and services where they need it. Customers can deploy Oracle Cloud completely within their own data centers with Dedicated Region and Exadata [email protected] deploy cloud services remotely on the edge with Roving Edge Infrastructure, or across a multicloud environment between OCI and Microsoft Azure through a strategic partnership. This combination gives government and enterprise users a broad, but consistent set of options to address all workload requirements. The Singapore region will benefit customers throughout the ASEAN region with access to an extensive array of network partners that enable direct and private connection through OCI FastConnect. High Availability, Disaster Protection OCI's next-generation architecture provides a high-performing, resilient foundation for cloud services, while its physical and virtual network design maximizes performance and security. For example, each Oracle Cloud Region contains at least three fault domains, which are groupings of hardware that form logical data centers for high availability and resilience to hardware and network failures. Sustainability Oracle is committed to sustainability and has pledged to power all Oracle Cloud Regions worldwide with 100 percent renewable energy by 2025. All Oracle Cloud Regions use state-of-the-art energy management and cooling technologies to minimize their impact on the environment. As part of its renewable energy clean Cloud initiative, Oracle reused or recycled 99.6 percent of its retired hardware in FY'21 while strictly adhering to Oracle's data privacy and security practices. Oracle Cloud's Expanding Global Footprint As part of Oracle's planned expansion of its cloud region footprint to support strong customer demand for Oracle Cloud services worldwide, over the next year, Oracle will open additional cloud regions with new locations across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Upcoming cloud regions include Milan (Italy), Stockholm (Sweden), Spain, Johannesburg (South Africa), Mexico, and Colombia. Additional second regions will open in Saudi Arabia, France, Israel and Chile. Oracle plans to have at least 44 cloud regions by the end of 2022, continuing one of the fastest expansions of any major cloud provider. For the full release, click here. About Oracle Oracle offers suites of integrated applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at https://www.oracle.com. Please find the latest Oracle's corporate B-roll, logo, and other brand assets in our Media Content Hub: https://www.oracle.com/news/tools-resources.html. Trademarks Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/467598/Oracle_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MSCI Published a Management Presentation for Investors MSCI Inc. ("MSCI" or the "Company") (NYSE: MSCI), a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community, published a management presentation for investors on its website, ir.msci.com, on Monday, November 8, 2021. The Company's management may use this presentation during meetings with investors. About MSCI Inc. MSCI is a leading provider of critical decision support tools and services for the global investment community. With over 50 years of expertise in research, data and technology, we power better investment decisions by enabling clients to understand and analyze key drivers of risk and return and confidently build more effective portfolios. We create industry-leading research-enhanced solutions that clients use to gain insight into and improve transparency across the investment process. To learn more, please visit www.msci.com. MSCI#IR View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006183/en/ [November 08, 2021] 76% of online sellers optimistic about future growth in run up to shopping festival season, Lazada study shows To view an infographic of the findings, please click here. SINGAPORE, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- More than three quarters (76%) of Southeast Asia's online sellers say that they are optimistic about their future growth despite a challenging operating environment, according to Lazada's latest Digital Commerce Confidence Index (DCCI) report. The findings indicated that businesses are looking to ramp up their inventories and staff levels as they gear up for the year-end online shopping festivals, namely 11.11 and 12.12. The number is also up from the 70% reporting growth optimism in first half of the year when Lazada first released the results of its first DCCI study in August. The study is the first of its kind that seeks to map out the trends in digital commerce, by indexing the sentiments and confidence levels of Southeast Asian online sellers. "We are delighted to see the continued positive momentum and resilience among Southeast Asia online sellers, despite economy uncertainties. Driven by the strong optimism, online sellers are actively looking to hire more staff in Q4. It is very encouraging to see from our study that the growing digital commerce industry is acting as a powerful catalyst to open up opportunities for job creation, propelling the recovery of local economies," said Magnus Ekbom, Chief Strategy Officer of Lazada Group. Conducted at the end of the third quarter of 2021 with 900 sellers participating, the survey highlighted that 4 out of every 5 sellers (79%) surveyed revealed that they are increasing their inventory levels, with almost half of those surveyed (47%) looking to increase their headcount for this period as well. The boost in inventory levels and headcount is expected to have a positive impact on local economies in Southeast Asia at a time when many are seeking employment. Notably, the results point toward a gradual recovery of the retail industry with online sellers more optimistic about sales for this period (Q4) than they were about sales for Q3, when 73% said they were increasing inventory levels and 40% thinking about increasing staff levels. This optimism follows a buoyant Q3 with 52% of sellers reporting that they saw strong growth in their online sales, despite the tightening of pandemic restrictions at various stages across the region. Likely due to tighter restrictions implemented to stem the Delta variant and the need for consumers to procure household goods online, FMCG sellers were amongst the categories of sellers who saw a strong performance in Q3, with 61% of sellers reporting an improvement of sales of over 10%, compared to the previous quarter when 53% of sellers said their sales increased by over 10%. Sellers in the electronics (76%) and general merchandise (79%) categories reported feeling more positive about future demand for their products than they were in Q3. Raymond Yang, Chief Operating Officer of Lazada Group, said: "The findings highlight the importance of year-end mega sales and shopping events like 11.11, which takes place this week. For many brands and sellers, they are important milestones that set new baselines for growth. They are opportunities to re-engage loyal customers and gain new ones. While we have seen many monthly double-digit campaigns this past year, they do not replace such shopping festivals like 11.11, which are still welcomed by many merchants as a much-needed boost to drive sales before the year ends." By the end of 2021 it is estimated that over 350 million consumers in Southeast Asia will be digital consumers, a substantial growth compared to 280 million digital consumers prior to the pandemic in 2019[1]. This presents a big opportunity for online sellers in Southeast Asia to capture the attention of these new digital consumers, and drive sales. Importantly, shopping festival season is a time for sellers to ramp up their brand-building efforts ahead of the new year, and the gradual recovery of retail as restrictions ease. The Digital Commerce Confidence Index (DCCI) measures business confidence based on surveys benchmarking the opinions of online sellers in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and Singapore). In the third quarter of 2021, Lazada surveyed 900 sellers on their current online sales performance and their expectations for their digital commerce business in the future. The index ranges from 0 to 100, with 0 being "very pessimistic" and 100 being "very optimistic" on the spectrum. To view the findings in full, please visit https://www.lazada.com/en/press-release/ [1] https://www.facebook.com/business/news/southeast-asia-the-home-for-digital-transformation About Lazada Group Founded in 2012, Lazada Group is the leading eCommerce platform in Southeast Asia. We are accelerating progress in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam through commerce and technology. With the largest logistics and payments networks in the region, Lazada is a part of our consumers' daily lives in the region and we aim to serve 300 million shoppers by 2030. Since 2016, Lazada has been the Southeast Asia flagship platform of Alibaba Group powered by its world-class technology infrastructure. SOURCE Lazada Group [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2021] PopID and SoftBank's Japan Computer Vision Partner to Launch PopPay In Japan PopID, Japan Computer Vision ("JCV", a subsidiary of SoftBank Corp), and Wendy's First Kitchen ("WFK") announced today the launch of PopPay - PopID's face-recognition-based ordering and payment system - in Tokyo, Japan. As a first step in the launch, Wendy's First Kitchen locations in Akasaka Mitsuke, Shibuya Center, and Jiyugaoka will begin accepting payments using PopPay, representing the first time a QSR chain in Japan is accepting payments authenticated using a customer's face. Using the new system, WFK's customers will be able to link their face to a credit card or First Kitchen prepaid card and then pay by simply smiling at a camera-equipped tablet connected to a self-ordering kiosk manufactured by PLANET Co. Ltd. ("PLANET"). They will also be able to see their order history to simplify their ordering experiences. In cases where consumers' hands are full or when they don't have their wallets with them, they will be able to make payments without the need for cash or a mobile phone. "We believe that PopPay is a safer, more convenient, and faster way for our customers to order and pay. We will work together with our partner companies to make this payment method the one that our customers prefer," said a spoesperson from WFK. "In the near future, we would like to upgrade the system so that customers can enjoy even more of the benefits of being a loyal customer with just one look, even if they come to the store empty-handed." PLANET and JCV have jointly developed a hospitality solution that uses face recognition technology to simplify transactions in restaurants, solve problems, and strengthen the creation of new points of contact with customers. Building on their success with WFK, PopID and JCV, (a subsidiary of SoftBank Corp.), will collaborate to pursue additional business opportunities aimed at providing the PopPay platform to other restaurant and retail businesses in Japan. Andrew Schwabecher, CEO of JCV said, "Hundreds of brands now accept PopPay in the United States, and we have witnessed exponential growth in consumer usage." He also said, "We have worked closely with the PopID engineering team to customize the platform for the Japanese market, and we expect businesses and consumers in Japan to embrace PopPay as a better way to transact." In Asia, face pay has recently exploded as the preferred payment method for consumers, because it is more convenient and secure. "Multinational financial institutions believe that face pay is likely to become a global standard, because it is the most effective way to prevent payment fraud," said John Miller, CEO of PopID. He also said, "Outside of the US market, we will create open loop platforms for banks, wallets, and other payment companies to enable consumers to link any payment system to their faces to spend against." In addition, a presentation for the media regarding this initiative (co-hosted by First Kitchen and JCV) is scheduled for December 1, 2021 (Wednesday). About PopID PopID provides a trusted and secure platform that enables businesses to give their customers and employees the option of authenticating their identity using advanced facial recognition. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006084/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 08, 2021] Vivint Smart Home Named to Inc.'s First-Annual 'Best-Led Companies' List Inc. has announced its first annual Best-Led Companies list, a select, data-driven list of the very strongest U.S. firms with revenue of $50 million to $2 billion. This novel program is the first Inc. recognition list to honor both public and private companies. The final list recognizes 250 companies that are agile enough to maneuver but also big enough to have a broad impact. These companies employ 35 million people, about one of four U.S. workers. All 250 have a successful track record with leadership teams that spur solid performance, create value, penetrate markets, engage with customers, and more. Applicants were analyzed via an algorithm that identified the very best companies according to their leadership teams' accomplishments in four key areas: performance and value creation; market penetration and customer engagement; talent; and leadership team. "This inaugural list of companies represents the remarkable midsized companies, both public and private, often founder led, that are at the vanguard of reinventing American business," says Scott Omelianuk, editor-in-chief of Inc. magazine. "With their leadership, all business will benefit from an exciting, competitive future full of possibilities." "We are honored to have been selected for Inc.'s first-ever Best-Led Companies list," said David Bywater, CEO of Vivint. "It's immensely gratifying to provide solutions that bring peace of mind to homeowners, and I'm confident we have a proven business model and the right people to drive our business to new levels." Vivint is a leader in the smart home industry with professionally installed, fully-customizable smart home security systems. The company employs over 10,000 people across North America and has more than 1.7 million customers in the U.S. and Canada. On top of constantly innovating its products and processes to elevate the smart home experience, Vivint has had many notable successes and achievements this past year. In addition to recently being named to Newsweek's Most Loved Workplaces list, Vivint was a top pick on PC Magazine's Best Smart Home Security Systems for 2021 and was named the "Best overall home security system of 2021" for the third consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report. To compile the list, Inc. evaluated private and public U.S.-based companies with 2020 revenue of $50 million to $2 billion or a valuation of $50 million to $10 billion using a proprietary 12-point measure of management excellence generated with input from partners at Pitchbook and Shango (News - Alert) Labs. To see the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/best-led-companies/2021 The November issue of Inc. magazine is available online now at https://www.inc.com/magazine and will be on newsstands beginning tomorrow. About Inc. The world's most trusted business-media brand, Inc., offers entrepreneurs the knowledge, tools, connections, and community they need to build great companies. Its award-winning multiplatform content reaches more than 50 million people each month across various channels, including websites, newsletters, social media, podcasts, and print. Its prestigious Inc. 5000 list, produced every year since 1982, analyzes company data to recognize the fastest-growing privately held businesses in the United States. The global recognition that comes with inclusion in the 5000 allows the founders of the best businesses to engage with an exclusive community of their peers and the credibility that helps them drive sales and recruit talent. The associated Inc. 5000 Conference is part of a highly acclaimed portfolio of bespoke events produced by Inc. For more information, visit www.inc.com. About Vivint Smart Home Vivint Smart Home is a leading smart home company in North America. Vivint delivers an integrated smart home system with in-home consultation, professional installation and support delivered by its Smart Home Pros, as well as 24/7 customer care and monitoring. Dedicated to redefining the home experience with intelligent products and services, Vivint serves more than 1.7 million customers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.vivint.com. Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding, among other things, the Company's plans, strategies and prospects, both business and financial, including without limitation statements regarding the Company hiring a chief ethics and compliance officer. Generally, statements that are not historical facts, including statements concerning the Company's possible or assumed future actions, business strategies, events or results of operations, are forward-looking statements. These statements may be preceded by, followed by or include the words "believes," "estimates," "expects," "projects," "forecasts," "may," "will," "should," "seeks," "plans," "scheduled," "anticipates" or "intends" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, some of which cannot be predicted or quantified. Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and they will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved, if at all. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the date of this press release, and they are subject to risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in Part I, Item 1A. "Risk Factors" in the Company's Amendment No. 1 to its Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC (News - Alert)") on May 12, 2021 (the "Form 10-K/A"), as such factors may be updated from time to time in the Company's periodic filings with the SEC, that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Although Vivint Smart Home believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in those statements will be achieved or will occur, and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, Vivint Smart Home does not undertake and expressly disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise. You should read the documents Vivint Smart Home has filed with the SEC, including the Form 10-K/A and the Company's other periodic filings, for more complete information about the Vivint Smart Home. These documents are available on both the EDGAR section of the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of Vivint's website at www.vivint.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006204/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] LDRA Announces Embedded Safety & Security Summit (ESSS) 2022; Virtual Again to Enable Greater Global Audience LDRA, in collaboration with industry partners and associations, today announced that the seventh edition of the Embedded Safety & Security Summit (ESSS) 2022 will be held June 15. With the theme "Designing Embedded Systems with Agility, Quality, Safety & Security," the conference and expo will be virtual for the second year in a row. This will enable even more to be involved in developing, testing and certifying mission-critical embedded systems to learn about the latest technological advancements. With the ongoing effort to empower the embedded community and reach out to a global audience, ESSS 2022 comes with exclusive technical sessions, an interactive online platform and the right mix of industry peers for networking. The event focuses on four industry tracks: Aerospace & Defence, Automotive, Industrial and Medical. "Whether in person or virtual, ESSS enables us to continue our efforts to support the safety- and security-critical embedded industry," said Ian Hennell, Director - Operation, LDRA. "This comprehensive forum educates and informs the community about technological advancements and the need to build quality into future systems." ESSS 2022 will include engaging and informative content, including a panel discussion, "Standards Driven Development in an Agile (News - Alert) World." It will also include industry keynote sessions, and technical sessions addressing all genres in the embedded community, ranging from software engineers, decision-makers, certified professionals to representatives from government and regulatory bodies. According to Shinto Joseph, Director - South East Asia Operation, LDRA, and Convener of ESSS,"ESSS 2022 will gather leaders from across government, technology innovation, business and standard bodies to present the state of the practice and innovations that assist professionals in leveraging intelligent technologies. The panel discussion on standards-driven development in an agile world will be especially valuable, as it specifically 'addresses the imminent issues faced by many upcoming industries, including EVs, UAVs, IIoTs, autonomous systems, etc." For more information on sponsorship opportunities, paper submission and registration for ESSS 2022, visit www.embedded-safety-security.com. About LDRA For more than 40 years, LDRA has developed and driven the market for software that automates code analysis and software testing for safety-, mission-, security-, and business-critical markets. Working with clients to achieve early error identification and elimination, and full compliance with industry standards, LDRA traces requirements through static and dynamic analysis to unit testing and verification for a wide variety of hardware and software platforms. Boasting a worldwide presence, LDRA has headquarters in the United Kingdom, United States, Germany, and India coupled with an extensive distributor network. For more information on the LDRA tool suite, please visit http://www.ldra.com/. About ESSS Focusing on the safety and security aspects of critical embedded systems, the Embedded Safety & Security Summit (ESSS) is an exclusive arena for the whole embedded community to learn, interact and nurture. LDRA drives this successful initiative with support from partners, clients, industrial & professional bodies and government agencies. Learn more at www.embedded-safety-security.com. Readers may direct questions to: Mark James Email: [email protected] View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006207/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Cyber Threats Have Increased 81% Since Global Pandemic McAfee (News - Alert) Enterprise and FireEye today released Cybercrime in a Pandemic World: The Impact of COVID-19 findings, revealing the imminent need for organizations to prioritize and strengthen their cybersecurity architecture. The findings indicate that during the pandemic, 81% of global organizations experienced increased cyber threats with 79% experiencing downtime due to a cyber incident during a peak season. As the holiday season approaches, supply chain and logistics, e-commerce and retail, and the travel industry see predictable increases in consumer and business activity - making them more vulnerable to cyber threats and leaving business, employee and consumer data at risk. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108005775/en/ "It is imperative all businesses prioritize security technology to keep them protected, especially during the peak holiday season," said Bryan Palma, CEO of the newly combined company. "Ninety-four percent of IT professionals want their organization to improve its overall cyber readiness. Businesses must do more and need an intelligent security architecture for managing today's sophisticated threat landscape." Heightened Focus on Key Industries In addition to increased consumer spending, the holiday season sees a significant impact on industries coping with the increase in consumer demands. Eighty-six percent of organizations are anticipating a moderate to substantial increase in demand during the 2021 holiday season. This year, the "everything shortage" is real - from a shortage in workforce to limited supplies to lack of delivery services. This creates an urgency for organizations to have actionable security plans and to effectively contain and respond to threats. Supply Chain & Logistics According to BCI's Supply Chain Resilience Report 2021, 27.8% of organizations reported more than 20 supply chain disruptions during 2020, up from just 4.8% reporting the same number in 2019. The loss of manufacturing and logistics capacity, and employee-power, paired with increasing demand for goods, has created the perfect attack vector for cybercriminals: a potentially weak and vulnerable infrastructure to break through. Supply chain managers must identify risks, understand the potential downstream effects of a security breah or cyberattack, and prepare response plans so they can act quickly in the event of an incident. E-Commerce & Retail According to Adobe's 2021 Digital Economy Index, global online spending is expected to increase by 11% in 2021 to $910 billion during the holiday season. With store closures and increases in online shopping, along with limited product availability and concerns about shipping, this industry is faced with more threats than before. According to McAfee Enterprise COVID-19 dashboard, the global retail industry accounts for 5.2% of the total detected cyber threats. Such threats include compromised payment credentials and cloud storage, as well as other forms of retail fraud and theft. Travel Cyber threats aren't new to the travel industry - airports, airlines, travel sites and ride-sharing apps have been victims in years past. However, what sets it apart this year is that the industry has been in a holding pattern because of pandemic-related health concerns and travel restrictions. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), coronavirus-related loss estimates for 2020 total $137.7 billion - with total industry losses in 2020-2022 expected to reach $201 billion. As demand for holiday travel is expected to increase over the coming months, cyber criminals are watching closely as the industry battles new challenges related to labor shortages, supply chain issues, travel bans and vaccination requirements - and profiting from vulnerabilities as much as they can. What Organizations Need to Know While IT professionals know cyber threats have intensified, the findings prove that organizations have not effectively prioritized security during COVID-19: 60% saw an increase in online/web activity 33% have had their technology and security budgets reduced 56% have suffered from downtime due to a cyber concern, costing some over $100,000 USD 76% find maintaining a fully staffed security team/SOC even more challenging during peak periods Addressing Emerging Threats (News - Alert) There are ways for organizations to be proactive and actionable against cybercrime, such as implementing security measures and industry-wide cybersecurity requirements, providing cybersecurity awareness training for employees, and developing prevention and response plans. In addition, enterprises and commercial business can implement cloud-delivered security with MVISION Unified Cloud Edge (UCE) and FireEye Extended Detection and Response (XDR). Cybercrime in a Pandemic World: The Impact of COVID-19 Survey Methodology: McAfee Enterprise and FireEye commissioned a global independent market research specialist MSI (News - Alert)-ACI to undertake the research for this study. Between September and October 2021, the quantitative study was carried out, interviewing 1,451 IT and line of business decision makers. Respondents came from the U.S., U.K., Australia, France, Germany, India, Singapore, South Africa and UAE. Respondents had to be an IT business professional, involved in IT security and work for an organization with more than 500 employees. Interviews were conducted online using a rigorous multi-level screening process to ensure that only suitable candidates were given the opportunity to participate. About McAfee Enterprise and FireEye (News - Alert) McAfee Enterprise and FireEye combined in October 2021, bringing together their portfolios and expert teams to create a market-leading security company. With proven technology and unrivaled experience, the company serves more than 40,000 enterprise, commercial, and government customers worldwide. The new company blends innovative technology, intelligence, and automation to help solve the most complex cybersecurity problems for its customers. More at www.mcafee.com/enterprise and www.fireeye.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108005775/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] NEC champions co-creation partnerships with SMBC at Singapore Fintech Festival 2021 SINGAPORE, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) and NEC Asia Pacific advocated the need to co-create with collaborative partnerships in the banking and finance service during today's workshop at the Singapore FinTech Festival (SFF) from Nov. 812, 2021. During the workshop, Mr. Daichi Iwata, General Manager and Head of Digital Integration Division, NEC Corporation, Mr. Suresh Neelakantan, Business Development Director, Value Chain Innovation Laboratory, NEC Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, together with Mr. Keiji Matsunaga, Head of Asia Innovation Centre, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), discussed the importance of partnership-driven innovations and how should players in the financial service industry (FSI) engage the new data-driven economy. With the increasing use of mobile devices supported by Cloud and the latest authentication technologies, banks today are now handling more data than ever. Alongside a variety of other ways data and technologies are getting interconnected in a decentralized manner, we are now in the midst of transitioning to Web 3.0 where technologies such as AI and blockchain will take center stage. Web 3.0 can create new potential for banks to offer more real time and tailored services to clients. Mr. Daichi Iwata said, "Data analytics and AI technologies have been a very hot topic in recent years, but companies are not utilizing it efficiently yet. It is clear that AI will play a key role in developing next-gen financial services." "Our partnership with SMBC is very open and transparent, with clear vision and goals. We are working to co-create an ecosystem that includes platforms providing strong data governance, data security, analytics and visualization for a secure and improved customer experience. For any transformation to succeed, there needs to be a common alignment across all stakeholders involved and they must share mutual trust. For data-driven business decisions, close collaborations between partners and vendors are massively important and we ar thankful for SMBC's trust in our solutions," added Mr. Iwata. Mr. Keiji Matsunaga said, "As a trusted global solution provider, SMBC is committed to working together with our customers with the end goal of growth and advancement of society. With Web 3.0 in play, we have started to realize the concept of Embedded Finance to redesign processes and contribute to improved operations and enhanced experiences for our corporate customers in financial aspects. This helps to bring about faster time-to-market, simplified supply chain operations and better optimization of resources. We are delighted to work with NEC to complement our capabilities and achieve our aspirations, as we collaborate with more of our customers, FinTech partners and other stakeholders to make sustainability a reality with digital." During the five-day festival, Avaloq, a new member of NEC's group of companies, is participating in a series of workshops and will be presenting their innovations for the financial sector, including their unique platform for users to invest anytime, anywhere. For more information, please visit https://www.fintechfestival.sg/ About NEC Corporation NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. The NEC Group globally provides "Solutions for Society" that promote the safety, security, efficiency and equality of society. Under the company's corporate message of "Orchestrating a brighter world," NEC aims to help solve a wide range of challenging issues and to create new social value for the changing world of tomorrow. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nec/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NECglobalOfficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nec.global/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/NEC_corp NEC is a registered trademark of NEC Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Other product or service marks mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners. 2021 NEC Corporation. About NEC Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. Singapore-based NEC Asia Pacific (NEC APAC) is the regional headquarters for NEC Corporation (HQ: Japan) in Southeast Asia. As a leading information and communications technology provider, NEC APAC provides innovative solutions and infrastructure to promote safety, security and enhance the quality of life for individuals and the community. NEC APAC's expertise includes solutions for carrier networks, biometric identification, enterprise applications and infrastructure, unified communications, transportation solutions, multimedia displays and smart energy, as well as the provision of managed services and contact centre services. Together with our research laboratories, NEC APAC provides cutting-edge public safety, cybersecurity technologies and enterprise solutions to enable safer cities, with a vision to create a brighter future. For more information, please visit https://sg.nec.com. About Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) Headquartered in Tokyo, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) is a leading global financial institution and a core member of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (SMBC Group). SMBC is one of the largest Japanese Banks by assets, with strong credit ratings across our global integrated network spanning over 41 countries and regions, 16 of which are here in Asia. We work across SMBC Group to offer personal, corporate and investment banking services to meet the needs of our customers. Built upon our rich Japanese heritage, we put our customers first and provide seamless access to, from and within the region. Rising in Asia, with Asia. For more information, please visit www.smbc.co.jp/asia/ SOURCE NEC APAC Pte Ltd [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Entropik Introduces Ground-breaking Eye Tracking Technology Highly scalable, its accuracy is comparable to mobile eye trackers 50x more expensive BANGALORE, India, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Entropik Tech, the world leader in Emotion AI, today announced the launch of the first multi-platform eye tracking technology that works on both web and mobile devices. Using tracking through web and mobile cameras, the innovative eye tracking technology is accurate, agile, and easy-to-use. Using AI and ML technologies (solving for regular issues like lighting and camera quality), Entropik's eye tracking technology maintains an accuracy rate of over 96%. Moreover, it is built for enterprise-scale integration that enables brands to conduct multiple tests and leverage online respondents across 120 countries. Entropik's eye tracking technology will also be available for external integration through web and mobile Software Development Kits (SDKs), enabling developers and companies to measure eye gaze data at an unprecedented scale. Eye gaze data is used to identify and analyze patterns of visual attention of individuals as they perform specific tasks, and it provides brands and agencies wth important data about consumer preferences and behaviour. Intuitive and fast paced, eye tracking data is calibrated in just a few seconds. Advanced AI-based Neural Network algorithms capture eye movement in real-time and seamlessly synchronize the data with Entropik's Consumer Insights platform, which provides a guide to interpreting eye tracking data and translating it into actionable insights. While maintaining a high accuracy rate, Entropik's software-based eye tracking technology is more affordable and less labor intensive than hardware-driven eye tracking technology. Talking about the new technology, Ranjan Kumar, Founder, and CEO, Entropik Tech, said: "The launch of this new technology helps brands unlock the potential of next generation eye tracking modules and enables brands to get precise user and customer metrics that can lead to better business decisions and superior consumer experiences." The eye tracking market is estimated to grow from $368 million in 2020 to $1,098 million in 2025, tripling in just five years. There is a high and growing demand for eye tracking technology throughout a wide number of sectors today including media, research, ecommerce, ed-tech, and more. Operating across the US, South Asia, Southeast Asia, European Union and Middle East Asia, Entropik Tech has helped brands leverage Emotion AI technologies to deliver superior experiences to their customers. The new eye tracking technology announced today is available as a SAAS (Software as a Service) module, as are Entropik's existing facial coding and brainwave mapping technologies. For more information, visit the website. About Entropik Tech Entropik is the world's premier Emotion AI platform, offering AI-enabled emotion recognition technologies. Entropik's proprietary Consumer Insights platform Affect Lab allows brands to measure consumer's subconscious preferences toward Marketing, Brand, and Product experiences. Entropik provides behavioural insights to over 150 enterprise clients in Telecom, BFSI, Media, CPG, FMCG, and Entertainment industries worldwide. Headquartered in India, the company has a business presence across the EU, North America, Middle East, and SE Asia. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1682927/Entropik_logo_Logo.jpg [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Fraugster and refurbed partner to increase approval rates and reduce fraud for refurbished electronics marketplace Collaboration provides deeper insights into consumer electronics and online marketplace fraud trends BERLIN, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Fraugster, a German-Israeli AI payment security company and refurbed, one of Europe's fastest growing marketplaces for refurbished electronics goods, today announce their collaboration to approve more transactions and reduce fraud. The partnership will ensure that customers and sellers are safe from fraudulent attempts, without introducing friction into the customer experience. Refurbished Electronics marketplaces are growing rapidly as consumers look to reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing renewed smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables. However, these high value items are also highly desirable to fraudsters because they are easy to ship and resell. Refurbed's founders, Peter Windischhofer and JurgenRiedl, say "We have opted for Fraugster's Managed Services solution so that we can focus on offering the best refurbished product assortment to our customers. Fraugster's biggest differentiator is their AI data enrichment, which provides us with deeper insights into customer behaviour in consumer electronics and online marketplaces, and will allow us to make more accurate approval decisions. We are excited to work together to create a safe shopping environment for our customers and partners." Fraugster Co-CEO, Christian Mangold says "We are delighted to be working with refurbed, who are pursuing an important mission to reduce the environmental impact of e-commerce. Our AI engine gives us a great deal of data and insight into consumer electronics marketplaces which we will apply to help them approve more transactions across a range of payment methods, including Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). Our solution will enhance payment protection within their ecosystem without compromising convenience for customers, whilst helping them to scale operations." Refurbed joins a growing network of Fraugster customers covering consumer electronics from BNPL providers Billink and Ratepay to e-commerce marketplaces Eurostep and Diana Srl. About Fraugster Fraugster is a Berlin based payment security company. Fraugster enables the world's leading merchants, global payment companies like Worldline and Ratepay to intelligently manage the impact of fraud to minimise the costs of fraud, maximise revenue and improve customer experience. Fraugster has developed one of the most accurate AI fraud prevention solutions in the market and is backed by Europe's reputable deeptech investors Earlybird, Speedinvest, CommerzVentures and Munich Re Ventures. Further information can be found at https://www.fraugster.com/ About Refurbed Refurbed is the fastest growing online marketplace for refurbished products in the german-speaking world. Based in Vienna, refurbed sells renewed phones, laptops and tablets which are up to 40% cheaper and 100% more environmentally friendly than their brand-new, store-bought counterparts. Refurbed devices are renewed through a 40-step process, making them look like new and function like new. On top of that, each device comes with at least a 12 month guarantee. Further information can be found at https://www.refurbed.de/ Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1612103/Fraugster_Services_GmbH_logo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1679221/Refurbed_Logo.jpg Contact: Christian Mangold +49(0)30 555794810l [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] KKR Appoints K.V. Kamath as Senior Advisor Global investment firm KKR today announced the appointment of K.V. Kamath as a Senior Advisor to KKR India. His appointment is effective immediately. Mr. Kamath is recognized as one of the pioneers of India's modern financial services sector, and brings to KKR more than five decades of experience building and leading large Indian businesses. Most recently, Mr. Kamath served as the first President of the New Development Bank, a multilateral development bank established by the BRICS nations, from its founding in 2015 until 2020. Prior to that, he was Chairman of ICICI Bank and Infosys (News - Alert) Limited, two of India's leading companies. In October 2021, he was appointed the Chairperson of India's newly established National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development, which was created to support the development of long-term infrastructure financing in the country. Mr. Kamath began his career in ICICI's Project Finance division in 1971. While at the company, he led the establishment of several of ICICI's new businesses and served in a range of general management positions. Mr. Kamath then joined the Asian Development Bank in Manila in 1988. He returned to India in 1996 when he was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at ICICI, which later merged with ICICI Bank. In 2008, Mr. Kamath received the Padma Bhushan Award, one of India's highest civilian honors. He has additionally served as the President of leading industry association the Confederation of Indian Industry, and was a Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos. Mr. Kamath has been recognized as one of India's most distinguished businessleaders by global and Indian media. He is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and additionally holds a degree in engineering. Gaurav Trehan, Partner & CEO of KKR India, said, "We are pleased to welcome K.V. as a senior advisor to our team in India, and are excited to learn from his terrific insights as we continue to invest in the growth of India. K.V. has a truly outstanding track record of working with different stakeholders while building world-class businesses. He joins at an exciting time for KKR in India, and I am confident of the value that he will bring to our franchise and businesses." Mr. Kamath commented, "KKR has consistently demonstrated its strong commitment to India, and the firm today stands out as one of the highest-caliber investors in innovative, market-leading companies in the country and worldwide. I am excited by the opportunity to work alongside Gaurav and the broader KKR team and welcome the chance to leverage my experience to help Indian businesses elevate and meet their full potential." Among the ways KKR looks to add value to its portfolio companies is through access to its substantial network and the expertise of industry specialists, including KKR's senior advisors. Mr. Kamath's appointment marks the latest milestone for KKR in India, where KKR has committed approximately US$7 billion of equity in asset classes that include private equity and infrastructure. In 2021, the firm has made several investments in the country, including in Vini Cosmetics, a leading branded personal care and beauty products company; Lenskart, a leading omni-channel eyewear retailer; Five Star, a lender to small businesses; and a portfolio of road assets. About KKR KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management and capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR's insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of The Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR's investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR's website at www.kkr.com and on Twitter (News - Alert) @KKR_Co. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211108006216/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Smiths Detection wins contract to supply Radiation Portal Monitors across the US to DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and security screening technologies, today announces that it has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) to provide 110 radiation portal monitors (RPM). Partnering with Radiation Solutions, Inc, the RPM's will be deployed across land border crossings throughout the US. The RPM is a passive checkpoint which can detect potentially dangerous radiation emitting material which passes through its detection zone. The portal is capable of scanning trucks, vehicles, containers, packages and people. Shan Hood, President of Smiths Detection Inc., said, "We are delighted to announce our new contract with the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office, continuing our relationship after the initial contract award for test unit RPM's in January 2019. Smiths Detection is dedicated to making the word a safer place and the deployment of 110 RPM's across land border crossings in the US is testament to this. The RPM's will deliver 24/7 screening, 365 days a year, offering industry-leading efficiency and effectiveness. Our extensive experience with radiation detection and checkpoint solutions, supplemented by our investment in data solutions, makes cutting-edge screening technology a reality, today." Smiths Detection announced its initial contract with DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction in January 2019. The RPM's will be deployed between December 2021 and May 2023. ### About Smiths Detection Smiths Detection, a division of Smiths Group, is a global leader in inspection and detection technologies for the air transport, ports and borders, armed forces and urban security markets. With more than 40 years of experience in the field, we offer the necessary solutions to protect society from the threats posed by explosives, prohibited weapons, contraband, toxic chemical agents and narcotics. Our mission is simple: to ensure the security, peace of mind and freedom of movement on which the world depends. Please visit https://www.smithsdetection.com/ for further information. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005205/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Home Biosciences Closes $15 Million Seed Financing Led by Redmile Group and Sofinnova Partners Home Biosciences, Europe's first venture builder fully dedicated to biotech, announced today a $15 million Seed financing led by Redmile Group and Sofinnova Partners. Home Biosciences is the partner of choice for academics and scientists to transform their innovation into life changing therapies for patients. Every step of the way, Home Biosciences works together with leading scientific teams to build and grow sustainable businesses, by assembling the right expertise and structure. Each project is housed in a dedicated entity, a subsidiary, fully financed by Home Biosciences and led by teams entirely focused on the day-to-day execution of its projects with oversight from the Home Biosciences core management team. "We are pleased to have such strong support from Redmile Group and Sofinnova Partners, two landmark investors in biotech, who recognize our potential to build a new type of biotech company, out of European science," said David Schilansky and Magali Richard, co-founders of Home-Biosciences. "Our ambition is to build a fully-fledged biotech company with an asset-centric operational model that aims to increase agility and R&D productivity. With the strong support of our shareholders, we look forward to leverage best-in-class science that will ultimately allow us to discover and deliver a new wave of first-in-class therapies."/i> Proceeds from the financing will be used to accelerate the development of Home Biosciences' pipeline while further strengthening its team. Specifically, the round will allow the company to advance its first venture, One Biosciences, as well as build a second one and a strong pipeline of projects. One Biosciences is focused on generating precision medicines by leveraging the power of single-cell technologies. "Home Biosciences is pioneering an innovative model that fills an important gap in the European biotech ecosystem," said Antoine Papiernik, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners. "We are delighted to join forces with Redmile Group in supporting Europe's first biotech venture builder in its mission to provide financial support and operational guidance, to create the groundbreaking therapies of the future." In connection with the Seed round, Ming Fang, a Managing Director of Redmile Group, and Antoine Papiernik, Managing Partner at Sofinnova Partners, will serve on the Board of Directors. They will join David Schilansky and Magali Richard, co-founders of Home Biosciences. An independent member of the Board is expected to be appointed in the near future. About Home Biosciences Home Biosciences is Europe's first venture builder fully dedicated to biotech. Home Biosciences is the partner of choice for academics and scientists to transform their innovation into life changing therapies for patients. Every step of the way, Home Biosciences works with leading scientific teams to build and grow sustainable businesses, by assembling the right expertise and structure. With each of its projects housed in dedicated ventures and fully financed by Home Biosciences, its operating model allows full focus of its teams on scientific and operational excellence and rapid execution to significantly expedite and de-risk their discovery and development paths. For more information, visit: www.homebiosciences.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005152/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Spirent Offers First Commercially Available Test Capability for Galileo HAS Spirent Communications plc (LSE:SPT), the world leader in global navigation satellite system (GNSS) testing and assurance solutions, today announced the launch of the industry's first commercially available simulation test solution for the Galileo High Accuracy Service (HAS), via a beta interface implementation based on HAS ICD version 1.2. During the development of the solution, Spirent (News - Alert) collaborated with GMV, a leader in cutting-edge GNSS high-accuracy technologies. Galileo HAS will provide free-of-charge high-accuracy Precise Point Positioning corrections through the Galileo E6-B signal, with accuracy under two decimeters, offering real-time improved user positioning performance. Developers need to be able test their devices against this new service to ensure they can optimally capture the emerging capability when it becomes available. By integrating HAS simulation and capabilities, Spirent's latest simulation solution enables customers to utilize and incorporate Galileo HAS as early as possible. In February 2021, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) awarded GMV (News - Alert) with the contract for the implementation of the Galileo High Accuracy Data Generator (HADG), which will be the facility in charge of generating the high-accuracy corrections data to enable the provision of HAS. Spirent's collaboration with GMV will prove a key element in the early adoption of the service. "The high accuracy, feature richness and flexibility of Spirent's simulator platforms provides an ideal foundation for the testing of innovative new Galileo services such as our recent Galileo HAS capability," said David Calle, Section Head of Advance GNSS Services at GMVs aerospace sector. Jan Ackermann, Spirent's Director of Product Line Management said: "The high level of expertise and in-depth understanding of Galileo HAS within GMV provided important guidance as we implemented HAS on our simulation platform. This enabled us to again be the first in the industry to offer a commercial solution to simulate and test these important new capabilities." For more information about this new test capability for HAS, visit https://www.spirent.com/products/pnt-simulation-systems. About Spirent Spirent Communications (News - Alert) plc. (LSE: SPT) is the leading global provider of automated test and assurance solutions for networks, cybersecurity, and positioning. The company provides innovative products, services and managed solutions that address the test, assurance and automation challenges of a new generation of technologies, including 5G, SD-WAN, cloud, autonomous vehicles and beyond. From the lab to the real world, Spirent helps companies deliver on their promise to their customers of a new generation of connected devices and technologies. For more information, please visit www.spirent.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005679/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] TELEO Capital Completes Growth Equity Investment In Flatirons Solutions BOISE, Idaho, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- TELEO Capital Management, LLC ("TELEO") announced the acquisition of Flatirons Solutions, Inc. ("Flatirons" or the "Business") from Presse Participations. Flatirons is the global leader in technical content management solutions for the aviation and defense industries. This investment marks TELEO's second investment in aviation software and fifth corporate carve-out since 2019. TELEO CAPITAL COMPLETES GROWTH EQUITY INVESTMENT IN FLATIRONS SOLUTIONS Based in Boulder, CO, Flatirons offers a critical SaaS solution for the global aerospace industry which helps improve the productivity of maintenance procedures, ensuring regulatory compliance. TELEO's investment will support the continued innovation of Flatirons' software, driving significant operational efficiencies for the aerospace industry. "The aerospace market is rapidly changing in response to regulations and technological advances. Flatirons provides organizations with a necessary software platform to efficiently deliver technical content and track completion of maintenance, service and installations while ensuring compliance with industry standards," stated TELEO Capital. " am thrilled with this new chapter in our company history. TELEO and Flatirons share common values, especially when it comes to caring about our customers and employees. This partnership allows us to expand our capacity to serve the market," stated Flatirons CEO, Stephane Labadie. "We are impressed with Flatirons' innovation to date, the high quality of their staff and their top-tier customer base. Given their twenty years of leadership in the industry, we know they will fit perfectly into our expanding aviation software portfolio," added Matt Scholl, an Operating Partner at TELEO. KippsDeSanto & Co. served as the exclusive financial advisor to Flatirons on the transaction. About Flatirons Solutions Flatirons Solutions is a provider of technical content management solutions that enable global aviation and defense customers to create, publish and streamline critical information. Flatirons' proprietary software continuously improves technical and regulatory content to align with necessary maintenance procedures. Their solutions translate content into actionable tasks and jobs, tracking the process from start to finish. Flatirons is based in Boulder, CO with additional offices in India and Europe. For additional information, please visit www.flatironssolutions.com. About TELEO Capital TELEO Capital is a lower middle market private equity firm that looks to invest in opportunities where its strategic thought, operational resources and capital base empower management to perform and execute their business plan. TELEO brings a successful track record of executing corporate carve-outs, recapitalizing broken balance sheets, acquiring founder-owned companies, and implementing buy and build strategies for its portfolio companies. TELEO targets opportunities in the technology & software, healthcare IT, business services and industrial sectors. The firm is headquartered in Boise, ID with an additional office in Los Angeles, CA. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teleo-capital-completes-growth-equity-investment-in-flatirons-solutions-301419341.html SOURCE TELEO Capital [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Life Support Mental Health Announces Partnership With Rexall To Provide Mental Health Solutions To Canadians "It's time we think differently about mental health." CALGARY, AB, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - Life Support Mental Health Inc. ("Life Support"), a technology company focused on developing tools to assess and triage mental wellness, is pleased to announce a new partnership with Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd. ("Rexall"), a premier drugstore operator with a dynamic history of innovation and growth, that will support the mental health and wellness of Rexall clients across Canada. Through this partnership, Rexall will provide clients access to Life Support's unique online mental health assessment and triage tool, Mental Health Check. Further information and access to Mental Health Check can be found at http://lifesupport247.com/Rexall/, and on Rexall's online platforms at www.BeWell.ca and www.rexall.ca, effective November 9th, 2021 and at close to 400 Rexall locations. Mental Health Check is eligible for coverage under most health and benefit plans and provides a confidential and comprehensive evidence-based assessment of an individual's mental and emotional health. When required, Mental Health Check will further facilitate direct referral of these individuals to timely, qualified mental health support. The integration of Mental Health Check into Rexall's holistic service offering provides another avenue of assistance for those who require support and leverages the existing relationship of trust and accountability between pharmacists and their clients. "At Life Support we strive to develop leading-edge tools and services that set the standard for scalable mental health support as we seek to become an industry leader in the support, triage and advocacy of mental health wellness" stated Keith Crawford, CEO of Life Support. "Our partnership with Rexall is a pivotal step toward achieving our mission to provide all individuals, families and corporations with timely, targeted and effective mental health support solutions." About Life Support Mental Health Inc. Life Support is a technology company that focuses on the development of scalable online tools to assist in the safe, timely and consistent assessment, review, and triage of mental health issues. Life Support's expanding platform - Mental Health Check is an assessment tool that provides insight to an individual's mental wellness through an evidence-based series of questions and provides a pathway to qualified mental health support. SOURCE Life Support Mental Health Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Indonesian Government Unveils a New Video Campaign to Reach Young Generation in Indonesia's 3T Areas JAKARTA, Indonesia, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ministry of Communications and Informatics (Kemenkominfo) announced the unveiling of a new video campaign with a sharp focus on digital literacy, targeting Gen-Z and Millennials in Indonesian outermost, remote, and underdeveloped (3T) regions. Working in collaboration with the National Digital Literacy Movement (GLND) Siberkreasi, the campaign runs in regional languages and seeks to instill awareness on the importance of digital etiquette and online safety. According to Rizki Ameliah, Coordinator of Digital Literacy Kemenkominfo, the campaign is designed to engage the Indonesian youth and millennials. "Gen-Z and Millennials are a major part of our digital literacy education target audience; they make up nearly 54% of our country's total population. Meanwhile, since over 43% of Indonesians live in rural areas, it is very important for our campaign to be inclusive of Indonesians living in outrmost, remote, and underdeveloped (3T) areas," said Rizki. Presenting digital literacy with an attractive video content Targeting Gen Z and millennials from Indonesian 3T regions in East Java such as as Bondowoso, Situbondo, Bangkalan, and Sampang, the video campaign presents a short film in a regional East Javanese language. The short film also explores several issues related to digital literacy, such as online safety, cyber scam, and cyber security. "Our digital literacy campaign is created using regional language so that we can communicate our messages in a more personalized manner for our target audiences. This is why, for instance, we choose to create the entire movie in the Javanese language. Digital literacy should be a topic that is easy-to-digest, engaging, and impactful to everyone in Indonesia, no matter what their native language is," added Rizki. Teaching #netiquette and combatting cyberbullying In the short movie, Siberkreasi addresses serious risks in a digital environment and emphasizes the importance of having critical thinking skills to fend off online hoaxes, cyberbullying, and internet scams, using colloquial humor and clever storytelling. Online safety and internet etiquette remain a major concern for Indonesian netizens interacting in the digital world. According to a Digital Civility Index, an annual global report that examines civility and online risks exposures among young people and adults, Indonesians are at risk of being victims of internet fraud and online harassment. The report also found that nearly 50% of Indonesians surveyed admitted to having been involved in cyberbullying. Meanwhile, a recent APJII (Indonesian Internet Service Providers Association) survey revealed that 31,6% of victims of online harassment and scam in Indonesia don't feel empowered to stand up. This is especially prevalent in remote and rural areas, where 38,4% of netizens surveyed admitted a lack of digital experience. "Through this short movie, we aim to teach Indonesian netizens proper netiquette and encourage them to maintain a pleasant environment online and to feel empowered to protect themselves from online bullying and scam," said Rizki. The movie, made in collaboration with Racavana Film, is accessible at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9B4lVa6AK4 and is available in the Javanese language with Bahasa Indonesia subtitle. About The Ministry of Communication and Informatics of Indonesia The Ministry of Communication and Informatics of Indonesia through Ditjen Aptika has the primary function of spreading and developing the national digital infrastructure to accelerate Indonesia's digital transformation. The Ministry is working with National Digital Literacy Movement Siberkreasi as its partner to provide education on digital literacy to the broader public through various forms of media. This movement is focused on using digital literacy as a way to elevate the national capability and to further the Indonesian people. SOURCE Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Phoenix New Media to Announce Third Quarter 2021 Financial Results on Monday, November 15, 2021 BEIJING, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Phoenix New Media Limited ("Phoenix New Media", "ifeng" or the "Company") (NYSE: FENG), a leading new media company in China, today announced that it will report its third quarter 2021 financial results on Monday, November 15, 2021 after the market closes. The earnings release will be available on ifeng's investor relations website at http://ir.ifeng.com. Following the earnings release, ifeng's management team will hold a conference call on Monday, November 15, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time (or Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Beijing/Hong Kong time) to discuss the financial results and operating performance. Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, operator assisted conference calls are not available at the moment. All participants must preregister online prior to the call to receive the dial-in numbers. Preregistration may require a few minutes to complete. Conference Call Preregistration Participants can register for the conference call by navigating to http://apac.directeventreg.com/registration/event/6816509. Once preregistration has been complete, participants will receive dial-in numbers, Direct Event Passcode, and registrant ID by email. Please dial in 10 minutes prior to the call, using the participant dial-in numbers, Direct Event Passcode and unique registrant ID which would be provided upon registering. You will be automatically linked to the live call after completion of this process. A replay of the call will be available through November 23, 2021 by dialing the following numbers: International: +61 2 8199 0299 Mainland China: 4006322162 Hong Kong: +852 30512780 United States: +1 646 254 3697 Conference ID: 6816509 A live and archived webcast of the conference call will also be available on the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.ifeng.com. About Phoenix New Media Limited Phoenix New Media Limited (NYSE: FENG) is a leading new media company providing premium content on an integrated Internet platform, including PC and mobile, in China. Having originated from a leading global Chinese language TV network based in Hong Kong, Phoenix TV, the Company enables consumers to access professional news and other quality information and share user-generated content on the Internet through their PCs and mobile devices. Phoenix New Media's platform includes its PC channel, consisting of ifeng.com website, which comprises interest-based verticals and interactive services; its mobile channel, consisting of mobile news applications, mobile video application and mobile Internet website; and its operations with the telecom operators that provides mobile value-added services. For investor and media inquiries please contact Phoenix New Media Limited Qing Liu Email: [email protected] ICR, LLC Robin Yang Tel: +1 (646) 405-4883 Email: [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/phoenix-new-media-to-announce-third-quarter-2021-financial-results-on-monday-november-15-2021-301419415.html SOURCE Phoenix New Media Limited [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] United Health Foundation Grant to Children's National Hospital to Address Health Needs of Youth in Communities With Fewer Resources The United Health Foundation, the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), has awarded a three-year, $3.4 million grant to Children's National Hospital to improve access to health care for school-aged children in Washington, D.C.'s most under-resourced communities. The support is part of the United Health Foundation's ongoing commitment to build healthier communities and advance health equity. The grant enables a unique program - bringing together a team of school nurses in D.C. Public Schools, community health workers and mobile medical services. Wards 7 and 8 face some of the largest health inequities in Washington, D.C., with high rates of child poverty, asthma, obesity and more. "Children's National has long worked to make sure every child in our region has access to high-quality care," said Dr. Kurt Newman, president and CEO of Children's National. "This new grant from the United Health Foundation will help us create another way to connect our pediatric experts with children and families who are not currently being served by health care providers. We are committed to helping children lead healthier lives which, in turn, makes them more likely to succeed in school and lead healthier lives as adults." School nurses employed by Children's School Services will work with community health workers to connect children and families to mobile health services, Children's National primary care locations and federally qualified health centers. Health records, immunization records and attendance data will be accessible through data sharing. As a result of the effort, children will receive well-child visits, including vaccinations and vision, hearing, behavioral health and developmental screenings. Additionally, via telemedicine, community health workers can link children to specialists to address behavioral health, asthma and other pressing health needs. "Reaching school-aged children living in under-resourced communities to provide important routine health care can be challenging, especially amid a pandemic," said Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson, associate chief medical officer for UnitedHealth Group. "We are so pleased to be working with Children's National on this innovative and comprehensive program to identify and close gaps in care - especially for those who have unaddressed needs." The effort aims to reduce school absenteeism among chronically absent students by connecting families to health supports and social services. It will also focus on increasing the number of children who are up to date on vaccinations, with a goal of providing 6,000 vaccinations over three years. Additionally, those who screen positive for mental or behavioral health issues will be referred to mental health specialists. The grant will help address challenges identified in the Foundation's recently released America's Health Rankings 2021 Health of Women and Children Report. Some of the key findings of the report were: Anxiety among children ages 3-17 rose 21% nationally between 2017-2018 and 2019-2020, from 7.5% to 9.1%. Only 1 in 3 (34.3%) U.S. fourth grade public school students scored proficient or above on the national reading assessment. Later in life, there is a strong connection between education attainment and health, with those without a high school education facing the greatest social, economic and health challenges. National reading assessments are an important marker in educational development. The prevalence of asthma among children in D.C. is 10%, higher than the national average of 7.5%. On-time childhood vaccinations in D.C. are 75.3%, slightly lower than the national average of 75.8%. About the United Health Foundation Through collaboration with community partners, grants and outreach efforts, the United Health Foundation works to improve our health system, build a diverse and dynamic health workforce and enhance the well-being of local communities. The United Health Foundation was established by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) in 1999 as a not-for-profit, private foundation dedicated to improving health and health care. To date, the United Health Foundation has committed more than $500 million to programs and communities around the world. To learn more, visit UnitedHealthFoundation.org. About Children's National Hospital Children's National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., celebrates 150 years of pediatric care, research and commitment to community. Volunteers opened the hospital in 1870 with 12 beds for children displaced after the Civil War. Today, 150 years stronger, it is among the nation's top 10 children's hospitals. It is ranked No.1 for newborn care for the fifth straight year and ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. Children's National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. In 2021, the Children's National Research & Innovation Campus opened, the first in the nation dedicated to pediatric research. Children's National has been designated three times in a row as a Magnet hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty care locations in the D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia. Children's National is home to the Children's National Research Institute and Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels. For more information, follow it on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005464/en/ [November 09, 2021] Macy's, Inc. Announces Significant Investments in its People by Launching a Debt-Free Education Program, Raising Minimum Wage and Expanding Other Benefits Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M) today announced a significant new investment in its colleagues that will expand the breadth and reach of its benefits programs, including launching an industry-leading tuition benefit program and raising its company-wide minimum rate to $15 per hour. The Company will also invest to increase compensation and benefits for colleagues across Macy's, Inc. This investment is part of Macy's ongoing commitment to attract and retain talent critical to its continued growth as a digitally led omnichannel retailer and to the execution of its Polaris growth strategy. Beginning in February 2022, Macy's will provide a debt-free education benefit program to its colleagues, investing approximately $35 million over the next 4 years. The program will be available for all U.S.-based, regular, salaried and hourly colleagues. It will cover 100% of tuition, books and fees for a wide range of options, including courses for high school completion, college prep, English language learning, associate and bachelor's degrees, bootcamps and professional certificates within Macy's debt-free network. Macy's has partnered with a leading education and upskilling platform, Guild Education, to build the program and help Macy's colleagues gain the skills, knowledge and experience they needed to achieve their professional goals without financial barriers. "As we continue our transformation to be a digitally led omnichannel retailer, a critical component of our growth includes investing in our talent and enhancing all aspects of their Macy's, Inc. experience with a strong focus on advancement opportunities, culture and engagement. As a company, we're driven by our mission to enable our colleagues' success and be the preferred employer everywhere we do business, with competitive pay and benefits rooted in principles of equity," said Danielle Kirgan, chief transformation and human resources officer at Macy's, Inc. "This program removes major barrier to accessing education and will help our colleagues to further develop their skills and grow their careers and earning potential." As part of today's announcement, Macy's colleagues will benefit from: Raising the Minimum Rate to $15/Hour. The Company will raise the minimum rate across all Macy's, Inc. locations for new and current colleagues. The Company has already phased in the $15/hour rate minimum across several markets and will achieve this target nationally by May 2022. In addition, this past summer the Company completed pay increases to a $15/hour rate for all distribution center colleagues. Once all these investments are made, average base pay will be above $17/hour and average total pay will be $20/hour. Adding Flexibility to Time Off. Macy's corporate and hourly colleagues will receive one additional flexible paid holiday to support their well-being and provide further flexibility to take a day off on a holiday that is most important to them. "At Macy's, Inc., our commitment to culture and employee engagement has never been stronger, and we are energized by a 90% engagement rate in our companywide survey of our more than 100,000-colleague population," said Kirgan. "By investing in our colleagues' education and financial well-being, we're determined to make it possible for them to bring the best of themselves to work every day and to enable them to pursue their own aspirations within and outside of Macy's, Inc." "We are proud that our workforce reflects the diverse communities we serve and continue to focus on embedding D&I into how we think, act, and operate. Earlier this year, we released our Human Capital Report detailing our work and providing transparency for our shareholders, who are paying increasingly more attention to corporate culture. With these new investments today, we are excited to continue building on the strong foundation Macy's, Inc. has built over the years," added Kirgan. Macy's is committed to the principle of equal pay and has achieved greater than 99% pay equity across gender and, in the U.S., across race in 2021. In addition, the Company has made continued investments to benefit its colleagues in recent years, including pay adjustments and recognition programs. In 2020, Macy's implemented additional incentives to thank colleagues for their vital work and efforts during immensely difficult circumstances through Path to Growth Incentives, Thank You bonuses and Hero Pay. Macy's also offers Spot Bonuses year-round for colleagues who go above and beyond. To learn more about the new debt-free education program, please visit macys.guildeducation.com. About Macy's, Inc. Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M) is one of the nation's premier omnichannel retailers. Headquartered in New York City, the company comprises three retail brands: Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury. With a robust e-commerce business, rich mobile experience and a national stores footprint, our customers can shop the way they live - anytime and through any channel. For more information, visit macysinc.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005635/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] North Highland Unites with The Knoble in the Fight Against Human Trafficking ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading change and transformation consultancy North Highland recently collaborated with The Knoble, a global non-profit network of experts working to stop human trafficking. The pro bono engagement focused on using design thinking to bring about two key outcomes: the financial flows mapping of the global human trafficking ecosystem, and the design of a long-term member engagement strategy. As a result of our work together, The Knoble now has a holistic view of the IMB ecosystem and financial flows that can be used to drive effective education and strategic decision-making. Carrying out primary research with experts from federal law enforcement, prosecutors, financial institutions, and NGOs, North Highland created a first-of-its-kind ecosystem map for the Illicit Massage Business (IMB) category of human trafficking. The resulting framework provides a thorough picture of the actions and financial flows involvedfrom victim recruitment through exploitation, to the laundering of illicit funds, and back to the criminal organizations across the globe. It offers a significant step forward in promoting collaboration and data sharing among financial institutions, law enforcement, prosecutors, and NGOs. "Collaborating with North Highland means a lot to our organization and the work we're doing with our network to protect the vulnerable populations financially exploited by criminal organizations," said Ian Mitchell, Founder and Board Chair of The Knoble. On top of this, te framework will help refine the red flags that financial institutions use to identify IMB victims and operators. Finally, it can be used to map all human trafficking categories, acting as a force multiplier in the global fight against this organized crime. "Stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking are extremely siloed," said Jill Jacques, Global Financial Services Lead at North Highland. "As a result of our work together, The Knoble now has a holistic view of the IMB ecosystem and financial flows that can be used to drive effective education and strategic decision-making. This level of visibility could go a long way in dismantling the financial business model of criminals. We're glad to have worked with The Knoble to exemplify what it means to truly transform an industry." In parallel with this work, North Highland performed qualitative research to cultivate a deeper sense of member empathy. This required needs-based member personas and persona-specific jobs-to-be-done. The results informed an ideation session with The Knoble's leaders, which identified a variety of opportunities to drive member activation, engagement, and collaboration to support their strategic initiatives. By applying a bespoke prioritization model, North Highland delivered a meticulous 18-month member experience roadmap across three strategic time horizons. "Working together, we developed a new model of member engagement that will transform how we equip and engage our members. This enables us to launch and mobilize further initiatives, focus more strongly on meeting our members' needs, and develop a model that will allow us to significantly grow our stakeholder network," said Mitchell. About North Highland North Highland makes change happen, helping businesses transform by placing people at the heart of every decision. It's how lasting progress is made. With our blend of workforce, customer and operational expertise, we're the world's leading transformation consultancy. We break new ground today, so tomorrow is easier to navigate. Founded in 1992, North Highland is regularly named one of the best places to work. We are a proud member of Cordence Worldwide, a global network of truly connected consultancy firms with the ability to think and deliver together. This means North Highland has more than 4,500 experts in 60+ offices around the globe on hand to partner with you. For more information, visit http://www.northhighland.com/ or connect with us on LinkedIn , Twitter , and Facebook . About The Knoble Founded in 2019, we are a non-profit network of experts with a passion for preventing financial crime that harms the vulnerable around the world, including prevention of human trafficking, elder abuse, scams, and child exploitation. Led by subject matter experts in fraud, financial crime, financial services, data and technology, and other professions, The Knoble's cross-industry initiatives in the public, private and charitable sectors create an ongoing, system-wide effort to detect and prevent human crime and bring about systemic change. For more information, visit www.theknoble.com. Media Contact: Wyatt Jefferies 404-587-5368 [email protected]northhighland.com View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/north-highland-unites-with-the-knoble-in-the-fight-against-human-trafficking-301419252.html SOURCE North Highland [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] HiringSolved and Talent Tech Labs Team Up for Virtual Event on Talent Intelligence QUEEN CREEK, Ariz., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHO: HiringSolved , the leader in AI-powered recruiting and talent acquisition solutions WHAT: Will present during the virtual event A Practical Guide to Implementing a Talent Intelligence Platform. WHEN: Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. ET WHERE: To register, visit https://talenttechlabs.com/key-business-drivers-talent-intelligence . DETAILS: Evolving technology has impacted almost everyone in the talent acquisition space, from recruiters to HR leaders to staffing company executives. As a result, the industry is taking a step towards the creation of new categories, including Talent Intelligence. But what is Talent Intelligence? What do these platforms do and why do they matter? During this virtual event, Shon Burton, founder and Product Visionary, and Jill Stutzman-Deaner, Vice President of Customer Success for HiringSolved, will join David Francis, Director of Research at Talent Tech Labs, to answer these questions and more. The panelists will share valuable insights about Talent Intelligence in the context of a TA technology stack and discuss the business drivers for implementing a Talent Intelligence platform. Session attendees will hear real-life use cases and learn about how Talent Intelligence is helping recruitment functions get ahead of the competition. For more information, including registration, visit https://talenttechlabs.com/key-business-drivers-talent-intelligence. About HiringSolved HiringSolved develops Talent Intelligence software which enables increased hiring productivity and decreased cost by eliminating the busy work involved in hiring and enabling powerful new hiring workflows. HiringSolved helps its customers achieve better hiring outcomes through simplified recruiting. For more information, visit hiringsolved.com. Media Contacts: Kate Achille The Devon Group [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Arbor Biotechnologies Closes $215 Million Oversubscribed Series B Financing to Advance Next-Generation Precision Editing Therapeutics The most extensive toolbox of proprietary genomic editors in the industry to enable development of curative, next-generation genetic medicines Co-founded by David Walt, Ph.D. and Feng Zhang, Ph.D. CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arbor Biotechnologies, a biotechnology company discovering and developing the next generation of genetic medicines, today announced the completion of an oversubscribed and up-sized $215 million Series B financing. Including this round, the Company has raised over $300 million to date. Arbor plans to use the proceeds to advance its lead programs in liver and CNS disease into the clinic and progress a pipeline of precision editing therapeutics, while also continuing to invest in its novel discovery engine to develop the next generation of gene editing technology. The round was led by Temasek, Ally Bridge Group, and TCG Crossover. Additional new investors included Arrowmark Partners, Deep Track Capital, Great Point Ventures, Illumina Ventures, Janus Henderson Investors, Logos Capital, Ono Venture Investment, Piper Heartland Healthcare Capital, Ridgeback Capital Investments, Section 32, Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company), T. Rowe Price Associates, Tao Capital Partners, funds managed by Tekla Capital Management LLC, Woodline Partners LP, and an undisclosed global investment fund. This round also included investment from strategic partner Vertex Pharmaceuticals and continued support from existing investors, such as ARCH Venture Partners. As part of the Series B Financing, Chen Yu, Managing Partner at TCG Crossover, will join the Companys Board of Directors. We are pleased to have attracted capital and support from top investors a well as our collaboration partner, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, to help us achieve our vision of developing curative, next-generation genetic medicines for patients with serious genetic diseases, said Devyn Smith, Ph.D., CEO, Arbor Biotechnologies. By leveraging our proprietary discovery engine which applies machine learning and AI to mine our protein database containing billions of proteins we have successfully built the most extensive toolbox of wholly owned CRISPR genomic editors in the industry. This breadth of tools and IP enables us, and our partners, to approach numerous diseases with gene editing solutions that can be tailored to edit or rewrite the genetic errors that result in disease pathology. This provides us with the ability to target the root cause of genetic diseases. Continued Dr. Smith: With this investment, we are well-positioned to continue advancing toward the clinic with our initial focus in liver and first-in-class treatments for CNS diseases, as well as continue to build out our proprietary discovery engine. While our primary focus has been on developing our bespoke CRISPR nucleases, we are also looking to progress our other precision editing innovations, such as CRISPR transposases. Commented Paul Meister, Chairman of the Board: The investment from these leading entities validates the power of the platform and tools we have discovered at Arbor Biotechnologies. We welcome Dr. Yu to the board and look forward to his contributions as the company works toward deploying these new therapies to treat patients in the near future. Added Frank Yu, Founder, CEO, and CIO at Ally Bridge Group: Were proud to lead Arbor Biotechnologies Series B financing to enable this world class team to further develop the leading next-generation gene editing platform and catalyze novel gene editing approaches and novel curative therapies. About Arbor Arbor Biotechnologies is a life sciences company discovering and developing the next generation of genetic medicines based on wholly owned genomic editors discovered from its machine learning/AI driven discovery platform. Since its founding in 2016 by Feng Zhang, David Walt, David Scott and Winston Yan, Arbor has built the most extensive toolbox of proprietary genomic editors in the industry. Using the discovery platform, Arbor can discover, screen, and engineer novel editing enzymes and effectors that can then be tailored to the underlying cause of disease to result in potentially curative medicines for patients. As Arbor continues to advance its pipeline toward the clinic with an initial focus in liver and CNS disease, the Company has also partnered with Vertex Pharmaceuticals on several gene editing and ex vivo cell therapy programs to broaden the reach of its novel nuclease technology. For more information, visit arbor.bio . Contacts Amy Bonanno, Solebury Trout [email protected] 914-450-0349 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] tiptap Foundation and the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness Launch Campaign to Raise Funds for Local Organizations The See It. Face It. End It. campaign shares stories of those working to end homelessness TORONTO, Nov. 9, 2021 /CNW/ - tiptap Foundation, in partnership with the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness (TAEH), is raising funds using its touchless payments technology to support local organizations fighting homelessness in the city. All funds collected through the See It. Face It. End It. campaign will be directed to local Toronto organizations including Homeless Connect Toronto, Red Door Shelter, and Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre. "Coming face-to-face with the problem is the only way we can overcome homelessness," said Mark Jordan, Managing Director, tiptap Foundation. "Through See It. Face It. End It., we shine a light on those organizations and individuals that have seen the problem, faced it, and been working to end it. As the use of cash continues to decline, it's been a challenge for many organizations to capture in-person donations. This campaign, powered by tiptap technology, offers a touchless giving solution to make it easier to give and have a direct impact on the frontlines of ending homelessness." To encourage people to donate, tiptap Foundation and the TAEH are sharing inspiring stories from people working within these organizations supporting the homelessness community in Toronto. Melody Li from Homeless Connect Toronto, for example, has helped over 5,000 people make connections with essential services they need such as healthcare, housing, employment assistance, and job skills training. Angela Robertson from PQWCHC established a COVID-19 recovery site where people experiencing homelessness now have access to a safe space to recover from the virus and connect to housing. Eleanor Bothwell, Director of Red Door Shelter, saved the shelter from demolition when the building was sold to a developer. "Many of us come from a background of privilege where we can easily access food and safe housing," commented Bothwell. "I encourage people to exercise that privilege to give back. Their donations, even just two dollars, will really help us help those in need." The eight-week campaignfeatures out-of-home advertising in Toronto's Yonge and Dundas Square, throughout the Captivate Network and on TTC subway platforms. Educational installations and touchless donation terminals featuring tap to donate amounts of $2, $5 and $10 are located in high traffic areas across Toronto including the CF Toronto Eaton Centre, Yonge Eglinton Centre, and Oxford Properties locations such as Bay-Adelaide Centre. As a presenting sponsor, Cadillac Fairview will host an installation at CF Toronto Eaton Centre from November 17 to December 17, 2021, to highlight how Melody, Angela and Eleanor, and their teams, are helping those experiencing homelessness and to encourage donations. With a tiptap device installed next to each story highlight, guests can securely and easily tap to give to the organizations featured in the installation as well as other local agencies whose stories and work are showcased in this campaign. "This is an exciting campaign for us," said Kira Heineck, Executive Director, TAEH. "Not only will much needed funds be raised to support local agencies, but the stories of some of the many frontline heroes who work tirelessly to support people on their journey back to housing every day will be shared far and wide. These are people and teams that try new things, take risks, and almost never get recognized. Kudos to tip tap Foundation for creating and sharing this campaign with us and for highlighting that ending homelessness is possible!" The See It. Face It. End It. campaign is also supporting the Vancouver community through installations on the directories at Cadillac Fairview's CF Pacific Centre, and Oxford Properties will host devices in its downtown properties. The funds collected in Vancouver will be directed to The Kettle Society, Downtown Eastside Women Centre, and Covenant House. "We are proud to partner with tiptap Foundation to offer this innovative fundraising program at CF Toronto Eaton Centre and CF Pacific Centre," commented Patricia Ing, Director of Brand, Cadillac Fairview. "Cadillac Fairview recently announced its renewed approach to philanthropy, supporting organizations like tiptap to address major community concerns including homelessness. Now more than ever, Canadians are looking for seamless ways to give back and we believe this campaign will strongly resonate with our guests this holiday season." Jordan added, "This is the heart of tiptap Foundation's story and core mission. We are here to help those who are helping others, and our aim is to lift up communities and organizations with the power of a tap." For more information about the campaign and how to get involved, please visit https://www.tiptapfoundation.com/. About tiptap Foundation The tiptap foundation is the charity arm of tiptap. Leveraging tiptap's technology, the foundation work is focused on 3 main causes, one of which is the fight against homelessness with an emphasis on the people supporting this fight. Find out more at tiptapfoundation.com . About tiptap tiptap is a Canadian tech scale-up that leverages touchless technology to facilitate cashless transactions and enable tech for good through touchless payments and touchless giving. tiptap has created a groundbreaking NFC-enabled wireless device that allows for the instant acceptance of any contactless payment or donation. Each unit functions as an autonomous POS system, enabling touchless transactions without additional equipment or complicated back-end technology. For more information on tiptap, please visit tiptappay.com. About the Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness The Toronto Alliance to End Homelessness (TAEH) is a community-based collective impact initiative that recognizes the critical importance of working in a new way to achieve our vision of a Toronto where homeless is rare, brief, and non-recurring. For more information and how to get involved visit taeh.ca . SOURCE tiptap Foundation [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] VentureIsrael Invests in Israeli Startup Fincom.co, Developer of the 'Phonetic Fingerprint' AML Screening Solution TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- An Israeli deep tech fund VentureIsrael participated in the investment round alongside with the New-York based ff Venture Capital. The investment will be used to accelerate rapid expansion in the AML market. Fincom.co develops and deploys Streamlined Data Search Solutions for instant and accurate AML/KYC, Data Mapping, Entity Resolution and Homeland Security applications. Fincom.co invented, patented and commercialized core technology for database searching, mapping and unification. It uses over 48 algorithms from Phonetics, Linguistics, ML/AI, applied in Phonetic Fingerprint, Matching Data Entries on a Multilingual Platform and Entity Resolution. Approved and tested by Global Tier-1 Financial Institutions, Homeland Security Agencies and Governmental Regulators, Fincom.co AML Name Screening solution is validated as processing in real-time under 200 milliseconds when screening against leading sanction/PeP databases Factiva, World-Check, Grid. Ficom's unique capability eliminates ethnical discrimination, "inherent in all current AML solutions" as noted by leading regulators such as FCA and FinCen. Fincom's reselling and OEM partners include payment platform providers, system integrators, governmental organizations, and global providers of data analytics. "We believe in the significant potential of Fincom's technology, as it reaches applications far beyond the AML market. This solution brings immediate measurable value to a range of data mapping applications," says Michael Harte, Managing General Partner of VentureIsrael, who became a Board Member of Fincom.co. "We are pleased to welcome VentureIsrael among our investors, and we are confident that its contribution to our overall success will be truly strategic," says Gideon Drori, Co-Founder and CEO of Fincom.co. About Fincom.co Fincom.co is the automatic AML/KYC screening system for comprehensive compliance by utilizing its proprietary advanced mathematical and computing technologies to meet the regulatory demand of international trade, commerce and financial transactions. About VentureIsrael VentureIsrael is an Israeli early-stage deep tech fund. The firm is market and domain agnostic with an investment focus based on three elements: technology, time to market, and people. VentureIsrael focuses on startups from the Seed stage to Series A, with technology solutions capable of scale rapidly to meet 'on and high' demand. It is dedicated to the 'unique' technological excellence of the startup and is not afraid of an unconventional approach. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ventureisrael-invests-in-israeli-startup-fincomco-developer-of-the-phonetic-fingerprint-aml-screening-solution-301419283.html SOURCE VentureIsrael [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Veteran New York Health Care Leader Jack Stephenson Named Plan President of Molina Healthcare of New York Molina Healthcare ("Molina") today announced the appointment of Jack Stephenson as plan president of Molina Healthcare of New York. Stephenson will lead Molina Healthcare of New York in a period of significant growth with its acquisitions of YourCare, Senior Whole Health, and Affinity since 2019. Stephenson brings 25 years of experience in the health care industry, including work for both payers and providers. He has dedicated much of his career to serving Medicare and Medicaid members across New York, most recently as vice president of payer strategy and contracting at the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) n New York City. Prior to HSS, Stephenson spent over 10 years in various roles at health insurance provider Anthem, where he was president of New York Medicaid plan Empire BCBS HealthPlus. "Over the past few years, Molina's footprint in New York has grown - all while continuing to provide high-quality care to both our new and existing members," said Marc Russo, executive vice president of health plans for Molina Healthcare. "Jack's decades of experience managing growing teams on both the payer and provider side of health care will ensure that the Molina standard of quality care is provided to all of the diverse members and communities we serve in New York." About Molina Healthcare: Molina Healthcare, Inc., a FORTUNE 500 company, provides managed healthcare services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs and through the state insurance marketplaces. Through its locally operated health plans, Molina Healthcare served approximately 4.8 million members as of September 30, 2021. For more information about Molina Healthcare, please visit molinahealthcare.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005700/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Danny Meyer's USHG Acquisition Corp. to Be Cornerstone Partner Alongside Panera Brands IPO Panera Brands, which includes the iconic fast casual and hospitality brand Panera Bread as well as Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels, and USHG Acquisition Corp. (NYSE:HUGS) ("HUGS"), a company sponsored by an affiliate of Union Square Hospitality Group, LLC, one of the world's leading hospitality businesses, announced today that they have signed an agreement through which HUGS will become a cornerstone partner with Panera Brands (the "Transaction"). Danny Meyer will also invest directly in Panera Brands at the time of the previously announced Panera Brands IPO and become Lead Independent Director of Panera Brands' board following completion of the IPO. The closing of the Transaction will take place following the completion of the Panera Brands IPO, which will be undertaken via a customary IPO process, and approval of HUGS shareholders. Pursuant to the Transaction, HUGS shareholders will become direct shareholders in Panera Brands, alongside current and future shareholders of Panera Brands after the Panera Brands IPO. JAB, which is Panera Brands' primary shareholder, subject to completion of the Panera Brands IPO, has agreed to make a dollar-for-dollar investment in shares of Panera common stock in an amount equal to the amount of any redemptions of HUGS shares. Danny Meyer, Chairman of HUGS and founder of Union Square Hospitality Group said, "Under CEO Niren Chaudhary's leadership, Panera Brands embodies values consistent with HUGS and our Enlightened Hospitality roots, demonstrating that shareholder success is dependent on and driven by an employee-first stakeholder culture. Importantly, Panera Brands meets our investment criteria to combine with a purpose-driven business that is scalable and built for the long-term; a market leader whose greatest strength is its talent and heart; a company where people love to work and with which customers, suppliers and partners love doing business. We are excited to partner with Panera Brands alongside JAB." Niren Chaudhary, Chief Executive Officer of Panera Brands, stated, "We've long admired Danny's work as he built some of today's most beloved brands with a relentless focus on hospitality and culture. The values of Panera Brands, which are based on a belief that we can be force multipliers for good, creating a positive impact on our communities and the planet, are values shared with Union Square Hospitality Group. We look forward to partnering to capitalize on the global growth opportunity for our brands." David Bell, Senior Partner at JAB said, "We are excited to have Danny Meyer and HUGS as key partners with Panera Brands and for Danny to join Niren and the team as an active participant in its long-term success alongside Panera Brands shareholders. This transaction unites two of the world's leading hospitality organizations to work together on a successful transaction." Adam Sokoloff, Chief Executive Officer of HUGS, said, "We went public with a focus on finding a category-leading business that embraces 'Enlightened Hospitality', including attracting and retaining the best talent by putting employees first, creating deep and emotional connections with customers and community, and being mindful of all stakeholders. We believe we found the ideal fit in Panera Brands." Transaction Panera Brands and HUGS entered into a definitive agreement in connection with the Transaction pursuant to which a newly formed wholly owned subsidiary of Panera Brands will merge with and into HUGS. As a result of the merger: Each issued and outstanding share of HUGS's Class A and Class B common stock will be exchanged for a number of shares of Panera Brands' common stock at an exchange ratio of $10.00 divided by the public offering price per share in the Panera Brands IPO. Each issued and outstanding warrant of HUGS will be assumed by Panera Brands and will become a warrant with respect to Panera Brands common stock, with the number of shares of Panera Brands common stock underlying each warrant adjusted based on the public offering price per share in the Panera Brands IPO in accordance with the terms of the Transaction. HUGS will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Panera Brands and Panera Brands will succeed to all of the cash of HUGS, net of closing costs and HUGS shareholder redemptions (which redemptions will be offset, dollar-for-dollar, subject to completion of the Panera Brands IPO, by an investment in shares of Panera Brands common stock by JAB at the public offering price per share in the Panera Brands IPO, as described above). Closing of the Transaction is subject to completion of the Panera Brands IPO, the requisite HUGS shareholder approval and the satisfaction of other customary conditions. Advisors J.P. Morgan is acting as financial advisor to Panera Brands on the transaction and Skadden, Arps, State, Meagher & Flom LLP is acting as legal advisor. McDermott, Will & Emory LLP is providing tax advice to Panera Brands. Piper Sandler & Co. is acting as financial advisor to HUGS on the transaction and Latham & Watkins LLP is acting as legal advisor. About Panera Brands Panera Brands is one of the world's largest fast casual restaurant companies, with nearly 4,000 locations and 110,000 employees across 10 countries. A portfolio of complementary brands bound by common values and shared growth opportunities, Panera Brands is comprised of Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bros. Bagels. Panera Brands companies are independently operated and underpinned by industry leading technology, loyalty, craveability, and high-quality ingredients. Panera Brands companies are united in their mission to be force multipliers for good for their guests, communities, the planet, and the shareholders they serve. Panera Bread is a pioneer and market leader in fast casual with leadership in the quality of its clean, transparent, sustainable ingredients, and in omnichannel access, digital convenience (45% of sales are e-commerce) and engagement (45.4 MM MyPanera loyalty members). As of June 30, 2021, there were 2,120 Panera Bread bakery-cafes in 48 states and in Ontario, Canada, operating under the Panera Bread or Saint Louis Bread Co. names. Caribou Coffee provides high-quality handcrafted beverages and food options, with 713 stores in 10 countries. Einstein Bros. Bagels, consisting of Einstein Bros. Bagels, Bruegger's Bagels, Noah's New York Bagels and Manhattan Bagel is a market leader in bagels and bagel sandwiches operating more than 1,000 company-owned and licensed units across the US. About USHG Acquisition Corp. USHG Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: HUGS) ("USHGAC"), is a special purpose acquisition company sponsored by an affiliate of Union Square Hospitality Group, LLC and formed for the purpose of entering into a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization, or similar business combination with one or more businesses or entities. USHGAC was created with the explicit goal of investing in a purpose-driven business on the path to becoming a public company, one that puts its own employees first, subsequently benefiting all its stakeholders in a virtuous cycle of Enlightened Hospitality-in successive order: employees, customers, community, suppliers, and investors. USHGAC has contributed a meaningful number of USHGAC founder shares to longtime partner Share Our Strength, whose No Kid Hungry program is doing vital work to end childhood hunger in America. About Union Square Hospitality Group Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) has created some of New York's most beloved restaurants, cafes, and bars, which offer outstanding food delivered with its signature warmth and hospitality. Founded by CEO Danny Meyer with the opening of Union Square Cafe in 1985, and later, other restaurants including Gramercy Tavern, The Modern, and Daily Provisions, the company extends its innovative approach to hospitality beyond the walls of its eateries. USHG offers operational and hospitality consulting via Hospitality Quotient, runs a multifaceted catering and events business, Union Square Events, and created a growth fund, Enlightened Hospitality Investments (EHI). USHG also created Shake Shack, now a separate public company (NYSE: SHAK). USHG has long supported its communities through hunger relief and civic organizations. USHG holds an unprecedented 28 James Beard Awards and has earned numerous accolades for its distinctive style of hospitality. About JAB Holding Company JAB Holding Company invests in consumer-focused industries with attractive long-term dynamics, including strong growth prospects, attractive margin and cash flow characteristics, and proven resiliency. Together with JAB Consumer Partners, JAB Holding Company is the largest shareholder of Keurig Dr Pepper, a leader in the North American beverage market, and has controlling stakes in JDE Peet's, the largest pure-play fast-moving consumer goods coffee company in the world; NVA, one of the world's largest animal care services platforms; Independence Pet Holdings, a leading provider of pet insurance; Krispy Kreme Doughnut, a global leader in doughnuts and other premium-quality sweet treats; Panera Brands, one of the world's largest fast casual restaurant companies, which includes Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee and Einstein Bagels; Pret A Manger, a leading company in the ready-to-eat food market; Espresso House, the largest branded coffee shop chain in Scandinavia. JAB Holding Company is also the largest shareholder in Coty Inc., a global leader in beauty, and owns luxury goods company Bally. Additional Information and Where to Find It This press release relates to a proposed transaction between HUGS and Panera Brands. Panera Brands intends to file a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement of HUGS and a prospectus of Panera Brands. The proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to all HUGS stockholders. HUGS and Panera Brands also will file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC (News - Alert). Before making any voting decision, investors, and security holders of HUGS are urged to read the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction as they become available because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by HUGS through the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. In addition, the documents filed by HUGS may be obtained free of charge from HUGS's website at www.ushgac.com or by written request to HUGS at USHG Acquisition Corp., 853 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10010. Participants in Solicitation HUGS and Panera Brands and their respective directors and officers may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from HUGS's stockholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information about HUGS's directors and executive officers and their ownership of HUGS's securities is set forth in HUGS's filings with the SEC, including HUGS's initial public offering prospectus, which was filed with the SEC on February 25, 2021. To the extent that holdings of HUGS's securities have changed since the amounts printed in HUGS's initial public offering prospectus, such changes have been or will be reflected on Statements of Change in Ownership on Form 4 filed with the SEC. Additional information regarding the interests of those persons and other persons who may be deemed participants in the proposed transaction may be obtained by reading the proxy statement/prospectus regarding the proposed transaction when it becomes available. You may obtain free copies of these documents as described in the preceding paragraph. No Offer or Solicitation This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy 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. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the proposed transaction between HUGS and Panera Brands, including statements regarding the benefits of the transaction, the anticipated timing of the transaction, the anticipated timing of the Panera Brands IPO, and the offerings of Panera Brands and the markets in which it operates. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words "believe," "project," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "intend," "strategy," "future," "opportunity," "plan," "may," "should," "will," "would," "will be," "will continue," "will likely result," and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, which may adversely affect the price of HUGS's securities, (ii) the risk that a Panera Brands IPO may not be completed and that the Transaction may not be completed, in each case, by HUGS's business combination deadline or at all, and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the business combination deadline if sought by HUGS, (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the Transaction, including the failure to complete the Panera Brands IPO, the adoption of the Transaction agreement and the Transaction by the stockholders of HUGS and the receipt of certain governmental and regulatory approvals, (iv) the lack of a third party valuation in determining whether or not to pursue the proposed Transaction, (v) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the Transaction or the Transaction agreement, (vi) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transaction on Panera Brands' business relationships, performance, and business generally and on its ability to consummate and IPO, (vii) risks that the proposed Transaction disrupts current plans of Panera Brands and potential difficulties in Panera Brands employee retention as a result of the proposed transaction, (viii) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against HUGS or Panera Brands related to the Transaction agreement or the proposed transaction, (ix) the ability to maintain the listing of HUGS's securities on the NYSE, (x) the price of HUGS's securities may be volatile due to a variety of factors, including changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Panera Brands operates, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Panera Brands' business and changes in the combined capital structure, and (xi) the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations after the completion of the proposed transaction, and identify and realize additional opportunities. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" section of HUGS's Registration Statement on Form S-1, the registration statement on Form S-4 and proxy statement/prospectus described above and other documents filed by HUGS from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and HUGS and Panera Brands assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither HUGS nor Panera Brands gives any assurance that either HUGS or Panera Brands will achieve its expectations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005693/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] EnChroma and Lions Club to Give Color Blind Glasses to Military Service Members on Veterans Day EnChroma - creators of glasses for color blindness - and the Fayetteville Community Lions Club 31N - today announced that they will give color blind veterans and active duty military personnel EnChroma glasses for color blindness on Veterans Day to thank them for their service. EnChroma also donated a set of EnChroma glasses to the JFK Special Warfare Museum at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, so color blind visitors can experience the Museum's exhibits, and colorful outdoors, in color. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005658/en/ The red stripes of the American flag appear dull and brown to most color blind people, including veterans who served our country. (Graphic: Business Wire) "Veterans and military service members who are color blind cannot see the red stripes in the very flag they protect," said Erik Ritchie, CEO of EnChroma. "We are proud to donate our glasses to the JFK Special Warfare Museum and show our appreciation to veterans." Independent of this donation, EnChroma has partnered with the Fayetteville Lions Club to donate fifty pairs of EnChroma glasses to veterans and active duty troops to pay homage to those who serve our country. Interested parties can contact the Lions Club. One in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (.5%) are color blind - 13 million in the US and 350 million worldwide. With nearly 19 million veterans, and over two million active duty and reserve service members in the US, approximately one million are olor blind. While people with normal color vision see over one million shades of color, the color blind only see an estimated 10% of hues and shades. To them, green and yellow, gray and pink, purple and blue, and red and brown look similar, and colors appear muted and dull. EnChroma glasses expand the range of colors the color blind can see and make colors more vibrant, clear and distinct. "Lions North Carolina has been working closely with EnChroma for some time now to introduce color blindness testing in schools in our state and to get color blind schoolchildren these glasses," said Mayra McCloud, Fayetteville Community Lions Club 31N, Chief of Visual Information for USAJFKSWCS and North Carolina State Chair of the Committee for Technology for the Visually Impaired. "Many Lions served in the military, so we take particular pride in being able to help our fellow veterans who are color blind access the colorful world around them, and overcome everyday obstacles, by giving them EnChroma glasses." Visitors seeking more information on the glasses and promotion should contact Mayra McCloud, Fayetteville Community Lions Club at (931) 252-8147. This promotion does not imply any endorsement by the US Department of Defense (DOD) or the US Army. On Veterans Day, the JFK Special Warfare Museum will be open to the public, which will have the opportunity to borrow EnChroma glasses to see colors outdoors and in the exhibits. The Museum is the first military museum in the world to accommodate guests with Color Vision Deficiencies (CVD). DATE & TIME: 9:30am-4pm EST, November 11, Veterans Day LOCATION: JFK Special Warfare Museum, 2815 Ardennes Street, Fort Bragg, NC. Phone (News - Alert): (910) 432-4272 EnChroma Color Accessibility Program EnChroma is the lead advocate for "color accessibility" through its EnChroma Color Accessibility Program. The program helps public venues, museums, schools, state parks, libraries, and other organizations purchase and loan EnChroma glasses to color blind students and guests to help make schoolwork that involves color, colorful exhibits, attractions and/or experiences accessible to those with CVD. Schools can test students, and parents can test their children, for color blindness in under two minutes via EnChroma's free online test located at https://enchroma.com/pages/test. Special optical filters in EnChroma glasses help the color blind see an expanded range of colors more vibrantly, clearly and distinctly. A recent study by the University of California, Davis, and France's INSERM Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, demonstrated the effectiveness of EnChroma glasses. About EnChroma Based in Berkeley, Calif., EnChroma produces leading-edge eyewear for color blindness and low vision, and other solutions for color vision, sold online and through Authorized Retailers worldwide. Invented in 2010, EnChroma's patented eyewear combines the latest in color perception, neuroscience and lens innovation to improve the lives of people with color vision deficiency around the world. EnChroma received an SBIR grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It earned the 2016 Tibbetts Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration in recognition of the firm's innovative impact on the human experience through technology, and the 2020 Innovation Award in Life Sciences from the Bay Area's East Bay Economic Development Alliance. For more information call 510-497-0048 or visit enchroma.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005658/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] CYTRIO Simplifies CCPA Compliance with All-in-one Data Privacy Rights Management Solution CYTRIO, a data privacy compliance company, released its cloud-native privacy rights management automation solution to help mid-market companies cost-effectively navigate and comply with the growing list of data privacy regulations such as CCPA, CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, and others. The new all-in-one software-as-a-service (SaaS (News - Alert)) data privacy rights management solution is the first-of-its-kind that is designed specifically for mid-market enterprises. The CYTRIO solution offers a secure data subject access request (DSAR) intake portal, automated discovery of all personal information (PI), request triage, orchestration, fulfillment, and complete audit trails - all within minutes and without the need for dedicated privacy teams. "CYTRIO is addressing the biggest pain point for mid-market companies: managing data privacy rights without dedicated resources or privacy teams while addressing a growing list of data privacy regulatory challenges and building consumer trust," said Vijay Basani, founder and CEO of CYTRIO. "With this new solution, mid-market enterprises, which are essential to the U.S. economy, can now confidently navigate the data-driven economy where consumers want more control over their personal data." Data privacy compliance management is becoming increasingly complex, particularly for mid-market companies, as consumers demand control of their PI. State-level regulations like the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA), the California Privacy Rihts Act of 2020 (CPRA), the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA) of 2021, and the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA) of 2021 can also severely impact bottom lines for noncompliance with hefty fines and reputational loss. While mid-market enterprises understand they need to take control of their data privacy compliance, they lack the right resources and the tools. Further, first-generation privacy rights management solutions take months to deploy, are expensive, and require dedicated privacy teams. According to G2, the average reported implementation time for data privacy management software is three months; the longest implementation period is reported at just over five months. The CYTRIO SaaS solution is the first to put mid-market enterprises at the center of its design. Enterprises can quickly deploy the solution within minutes without any professional services and can accept and fulfill DSARs from day one. "As a continuous risk and security solutions provider, data privacy is vital to our continuing success," said Gabriel Martinez, co-founder and CEO of Analytica42, channel partner of CYTRIO. "However, many of the first-generation solutions take time to deploy and require a dedicated team of privacy professionals to operate, making it difficult for enterprise and mid-sized businesses to comply with CCPA and other data privacy regulations. With its fast deployment, ease-of-use, and quick time-to-value, the CYTRIO SaaS solution will help our customers get the transparency they need to meet increasing, stringent data privacy regulations and build consumer trust." CYTRIO recently announced raising $3.5 million in seed funding to address increasing consumer concerns over control of their PI and complying with data privacy regulations with minimal resources. CYTRIO's new solution is backed by the company's founding team, industry experts with 50 years of collective data, privacy, and security experience, including Vijay Basani, CEO; Pankaj Parekh, Chief Privacy Officer; and Darshan Joshi, Chief Technology Officer. Availability, demo, and trial Pricing starts at $495 per month and is available exclusively through channel partners. For more information, go to: https://cytrio.com/product/. To request a demo, go to: https://cytrio.com/cytrio-request-demo/. To request a 15-day trial, go to: https://cytrio.com/trial/. About CYTRIO CYTRIO's software-as-a-service (SaaS) data privacy rights management platform helps organizations comply with data privacy regulations such as CCPA, CPRA, VCDPA, CPA, and others. The company offers an all-in-one solution built on automation, AI-led data discovery, and automated response workflows. CYTRIO's solutions are for mid-sized companies that scale with their growth, are simple to deploy, deliver value on day one, and do not require dedicated privacy teams to manage. Learn more at www.cytrio.com, and follow on LinkedIn and Twitter. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005064/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] IDC Report Highlights the Importance of ESG to Corporate Value Creation and Stakeholders New research from International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues have become a CEO-level topic for organizations worldwide. In a recent global survey, nearly three quarters of respondents considered ESG factors to be very important for the enterprise value of their organization and nearly half indicated that sustainability considerations are very important for their tech buying decisions. Given the impact ESG issues can have on enterprise value, business leaders are increasingly approaching sustainability through a purpose-driven strategy that aligns an organization's normative goals and efforts with its need for positive operational and financial performance and risk management. However, as non-financial value drivers are gaining in importance, many organizations are struggling to find appropriate means to set targets and report on ESG metrics for the sustainability topics that matter most to their business and their stakeholders. "Corporate value is no longer defined only by the creation of shareholder value. While investors remain an important and influential stakeholder group, other stakeholder groups such as regulators, employees, customers, and partners and suppliers must be taken into consideration when companies define their purpose and strategy," said Bjoern Stengel, global sustainability research lead, Sustainable Strategies and Technologies at IDC (News - Alert). "When it comes to ESG issues, they can affect stakeholder groups in different ways, creating different kinds of demands and requirements that need to be addressed." To manage sustainability topics effectively, organizations need to adopt a comprehensive view on the various stakeholders, both internal and external, that are impacted by corporate actions and shape the conversation around corporate sustainability efforts. Identifying material and other relevant ESG topics in the context of all stakeholder groups is essential for fully leveraging ESG as a driver for business performance and a hedge against sustainability-related business risks. IDC has identified the following stakeholder groups and he sustainability issues they are most concerned with: Investors are primarily interested in material ESG issues (i.e., topics that are of particular relevance to the organization's industry) and will need sufficient disclosure on these issues to assess a company's operational and financial performance to make an investment decision. Regulators/Lawmakers are working to develop ESG regulations, principles, and guidelines that meet evolving needs and slowly shifting the mandatory reporting and disclosure requirements from voluntary to more mandatory with some significant differences between the U.S., EU, and other parts of the world. Employees are increasingly making their decisions to work for and stay with an employer based on its sustainability performance. Key ESG human and social capital topics must be addressed to create an optimal organizational culture that drives business results. Employee experience topics such as diversity, equity, and inclusion have become critical ESG issues and affect corporate performance. Customers are gaining in importance as stakeholders in the context of corporate sustainability, such as when it comes to the responsible and ethical use of technology and data. In addition, some notable generational differences are emerging with regard to environmental, social, and governance topics and their impact on brand value and buyer preferences. Suppliers and Partners are becoming relevant stakeholders, particularly in the context of ESG-specific procurement requirements and sustainable supply chain management. Advocacy Groups that monitor and influence corporate behavior through activism are growing and represent a wide range of interests (environmental, civil and human rights, etc.). "In order to address sustainability from more than a 'doing good' perspective and to drive business value, companies need to use appropriate metrics and KPIs to assess and benchmark their performance on ESG topics and align their sustainability efforts with their corporate purpose to achieve better operational and financial outcomes, lower risk, and have more engaged employees and a higher brand value," added Stengel. The IDC report, Capitalizing on ESG, 2021 - The Business Case for Sustainability (IDC #US48317921), highlights IDC's global sustainability research and provides a holistic view on the various topics and stakeholders that shape today's corporate sustainability discussions. A copy of the report can be downloaded for free at: https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=US48317921. 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/20211109005856/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Vericred Powers One-stop Shop for Employee Benefits Quoting with Expanded Group Rating API Vericred, the API platform powering digital quote-to-card experiences in health insurance and benefits, today announced it has added group life and disability insurance lines of coverage to its industry-leading, multi-carrier Group Rating API (application programming interface). Employee benefits quoting platforms now have one API from which to power a multi-line, data-driven quoting experience for brokers and employers. Guardian Life is among the first life and disability insurance carriers to partner with Vericred at launch of the expanded API. The Group Rating API enables carriers to augment the distribution of their products through more digital sales channels, including benefits-focused insurtechs. Using the enhanced Group Rating API, Vericred's quoting platform customers can now easily quote and compare all of the most commonly offered benefits withou building and maintaining their own carrier connectivity and rating engines. More than 300 insurance carriers and 100 insurtech companies rely on Vericred for digital connectivity and seamless data exchange, including industry leaders Cigna, Guardian, Humana, Principal, Rippling, Gusto, and Ease. "By adding the life and disability lines to our rating API, we are helping our quoting platform customers be more efficient, so they can spend more time serving their clients and less time on connectivity and data sourcing," said Michael W. Levin, Vericred's co-founder and CEO. "Vericred is a one-stop shop for employee benefits connectivity, from quote to card, supporting insurtechs, carriers, and brokers in meeting the needs of the group market today." About Vericred Vericred is the way health insurance carriers and employee benefits providers connect with new technology partners to deliver seamless quote-to-card consumer experiences. We are not the websites or apps you use to choose a plan or find a doctor. We are the infrastructure. We are the 'pipes' that simplify the complex exchange of quoting, enrollment and eligibility data between carriers and the technology partners responsible for delivering health and employee benefits to hundreds of millions of Americans everyday. Our APIs transmit billions of data points between InsurTech and insurance carriers, powering digital distribution across the insurance industry. Come join the community of insurance geeks creating a seamless digital quote-to-card experience. Visit www.vericred.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006019/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Protective Life Corporation Unveils Inaugural Sustainability Report, "Because We're All Protectors" Following the recent launch of a new brand identity, Protective Life Corporation (Protective), a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. (TSE:8750), today announced the publication of the Company's 2020 Sustainability Report, "Because we're all protectors." The inaugural report details the actions, progress and achievements resulting from the Company's sustainability strategy. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005608/en/ Protective announces its inaugural sustainability report, highlighting progress in core areas of business, people and community (Photo: Business Wire) In 2020, Protective renewed its focus on sustainability, including both Environment, Social and Government (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR (News - Alert)) initiatives, and with engagement from top leaders, laid the groundwork to more fully integrate these initiatives into its business. "Protective has embraced change and thrived throughout our 114-year histry. That's why, since our founding, we have been diligent in building and advancing a sustainable company," said Scott Adams, Protective Executive Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Strategy and Innovation. "At Protective, we strive to integrate sustainable practices into our organization because we know that a sustainable business means delivering on our promises to our customers, providing opportunities for continued growth and living out our purpose as protectors." The report brings to life Protective's sustainability strategy, aligned around three primary pillars where Protective has the greatest opportunity for continued growth and impact - areas of business, people and community, with a special feature on diversity and inclusion. "Protective has always been committed to doing the right thing, and our sustainability strategy is inherently part of who we are," said Rich Bielen, Protective President and Chief Executive Officer. "At Protective, we are dedicated to serving as protectors of not only our customers but also our business, people and community. It's why we do what we do: Because we're all protectors." Underscoring Protective's ongoing commitment to living its values, the Company's impact in 2020 unfolds on the pages of the report, including the below highlights: Business: Paid (News - Alert) $5.7 billion in claims to 276,000 customers, including $350 million COVID claims to 4,200 customers, and continued energy saving efforts across its office footprint. People: With a focus on supporting employees and serving customers, Protective shifted 95% of its workforce to virtual, while offering 80 additional hours of paid leave for COVID-related issues, increasing personal connection through virtual town halls and coffee chats, and raising its minimum wage to $17.50 (141% higher than federal minimum wage). Community: Supported 248 different organizations across Protective's footprint through virtual volunteering efforts and financial contributions, including $4.5 million in Foundation gifts to advance causes making an impact in the areas of education, economic development, arts and culture, health and the environment. Diversity and inclusion: Dedicated 30% of Foundation dollars to causes advancing social equity. The company was also focused on developing a diverse talent pipeline, including a $1 million gift to The University of Alabama Culverhouse College of Business to attract and accept more underrepresented students into business school. Engage with Protective's sustainability story by downloading and learning more at Protective.com/sustainability. About Protective Life Corporation Founded in 1907, Protective Life Corporation (Protective) is on a mission to help more people achieve protection and security in their lives. Across its life insurance, annuity and asset protection solutions, the Company helps more than 12 million people protect what matters most. Protective's more than 3,500 employees put people first and deliver on the Company's promises to customers, partners, colleagues and communities - because we're all protectors. With a long-term focus, financial stability and commitment to doing the right thing, Protective, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Holdings, Inc. (TSE:8750), has grown to over $130B in assets as of June 30, 2021. Protective is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., and supported by both robust virtual workforce and core sites in Cincinnati and St. Louis. For more information about Protective, please visit www.protective.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005608/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Portwell Selects MaxLinear Multi-Protocol Transceivers and Bridges for Data Center & IIoT Solutions MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE: MXL) announced today that the company's multi-protocol transceivers and interface bridges are being used in Portwell's computing platforms built for Industrial IoT applications and data center monitoring systems. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005768/en/ MaxLinear's multi-protocol transceivers and serial bridges selected by Portwell for Industrial IoT applications and Data Center monitoring systems (Graphic: Business Wire) As a leader in embedded computing, compute modules, and Industrial IoT, Portwell requires the flexibility and design advantages MaxLinear delivers to build high-density interconnected systems. With the most extensive portfolio of multi-protocol transceivers, MaxLinear offers products with up to 10 different protocols in a single chip. MaxLinear is a leading supplier of PCIe and USB bridges and provides the broadest serial port expansion capabilities in the industry. When used in conjunction with MaxLinear multi-protocol transceivers, the PCIe bridges offer unique features that give designers the freedom to simultaneously connect a myriad of sensors, actuators, controllers, motors, and more to embedded computers. "We've worked hand-in-hand with customers such as Portwell for decades to ensure our solutions meet their design standards," said James Lougheed, Vice President of Marketing, High Performance Analog. "With the market growth for IIoT and data center monitoring systems, companies look to MaxLinear products to simplify development and provide operational efficiencies that cut costs." The MaxLinear multi-protocol transceivers and bridges offer many benefits: Versatile Connectivity. Bridges give designers the freedom to select virtually any processor for their edge connected computers without being restricted to the availability of serial ports. Turn any processing platform into a connectivity powerhouse. Bridges give designers the freedom to select virtually any processor for their edge connected computers without being restricted to the availability of serial ports. Turn any processing platform into a connectivity powerhouse. Fewer BOMs improve inventory control . With software configuration (in design or in the field), the single-chip transceivers support configurations such as RS-485 or RS-232, or both. One BOM to fulfill different SKUs. . With software configuration (in design or in the field), the single-chip transceivers support configurations such as RS-485 or RS-232, or both. One BOM to fulfill different SKUs. Fewer parts. More reliable products. One hardware platform provides more reliability in manufacturing and serves different variations of IPCs and edge computing products and provides connectivity to a broad ecosystem of external devices. One hardware platform provides more reliability in manufacturing and serves different variations of IPCs and edge computing products and provides connectivity to a broad ecosystem of external devices. Innovative Design for efficiency and cost savings of the manufacturing line. MaxLinear serial bridges support pin compatbility between 4ch and 8ch and allow a single PCB layout for the chip. Expansion interface doubles the number of serial ports without additional PCIe bus connections. MaxLinear serial bridges support pin compatbility between 4ch and 8ch and allow a single PCB layout for the chip. Expansion interface doubles the number of serial ports without additional PCIe bus connections. Flexibility to the end customer. "Reliability and time to market are the keys to our success, and MaxLinear's smart engineering designs deliver so we can deliver," stated Portwell's Jackie Hsu, co-CEO. "As a long-standing supplier, MaxLinear brings innovation and value to our products and our customers." Visit www.maxlinear.com/products/interface to learn more about MaxLinear's extensive portfolio of interface products including bridges and serial transceivers. About American Portwell (News - Alert) Technology American Portwell Technology, Inc. is a world-leading innovator in the embedded computing market and a Titanium member of the Intel Partner Alliance. American Portwell Technology designs, manufactures, and markets a complete range of PICMG (News - Alert) computer boards, embedded computer boards and systems, rackmount systems, and network communication appliances for both OEMs and ODMs. American Portwell is an ISO 9001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001 and TL 9000 certified company. The company is located in Fremont, California. For more information about American Portwell's extensive turnkey solutions and private-label branding service, call 1-877-APT (News - Alert)-8899, email [email protected] or visit us at https://www.portwell.com. Intel (News - Alert) is a trademark of Intel Corporation in the United States and other countries. All products and company names referred to herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies or mark holders. About MaxLinear, Inc. MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE: MXL) is a leading provider of radio frequency (RF), analog, digital and mixed-signal integrated circuits for the connectivity and access, wired and wireless infrastructure, and industrial and multimarket applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California. For more information, please visit www.maxlinear.com. MxL and the MaxLinear logo are trademarks of MaxLinear, Inc. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners. Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance, anticipated product performance and functionality of our products or products incorporating our products, and industry trends and growth opportunities affecting MaxLinear, in particular statements relating to MaxLinear's multi-protocol transceivers and interface bridges, including but not limited to, with respect to the data center or Industrial IoT market, collaboration with Portwell, potential market opportunity, and the functionality, performance, integration and benefits of use of such products. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot predict whether or to what extent these new or existing products will affect our future revenues or financial performance. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may contain words such as "will be," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "continue," or similar expressions and include the assumptions that underlie such statements. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements: intense competition in our industry and product markets; risks relating to the development, testing, and commercial introduction of new products and product functionalities; the ability of our customers to cancel or reduce orders; and uncertainties concerning how end user markets for our products will develop. Other risks potentially affecting our business include risks relating to our lack of long-term supply contracts and dependence on limited sources of supply; potential decreases in average selling prices for our products; impacts from public health crises, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, or natural disasters; and the potential for intellectual property litigation, which is prevalent in our industry. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in MaxLinear's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including risks and uncertainties arising from other factors affecting the business, operating results, and financial condition of MaxLinear, including those set forth in MaxLinear's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, as applicable. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. MaxLinear is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005768/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Badger Technologies Deploys PatrolBot Autonomous Security Robot at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum Badger Technologies, a product division of Jabil and leader in retail automation, is collaborating with TrackTik Software, a leader in cloud-based security workforce management, to automate manual security checks at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) in Columbus, Ohio. A pilot program is underway using Badger PatrolBot autonomous robot and TrackTik software to augment the museum's 24/7 security team, safeguard world-class exhibits and offer an extra measure of protection to museum visitors and staff. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005311/en/ Badger Technologies' Security Robot Safeguards National Veterans Memorial and Museum (Photo: Business Wire) As the nation's first and only memorial dedicated solely to telling the stories of veterans NVMM is honoring the courageous women who have served their country by naming the robot "Deborah" after Deborah Sampson. A Massachusetts native who disguised herself as a man to serve in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Deborah is one of several women with a documented record of military combat experience in that war. "The museum is pleased to pilot this autonomous security robot while honoring one of the nation's first female heroes of the American Revolution (News - Alert)," said Col. William J. Butler, U.S. Army (retired) and chief of staff at the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. "Our ability to extend security guard operations using robotics also builds on a military tradition of leveraging leading-edge technologies to continuously improve operations." The Badger PatrolBot autonomous robot also will participate in NVMM's Veterans Day 2021 celebration on November 11th, which features distinguished veterans and guests, including Gen. Les L. Lyles, former vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force; and Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, U.S. Army (retired) and president and CEO of the National Veterans Memorial Museum. Admission to the museum is free on Veterans Day. Badger Technologies and NVMM also will be hosting a robotics educational session for students and guests as part of the Veterans Day celebration. "It is a privilege to support the National Veterans Memorial and Museum in showcasing how world-class robotics can improve security operations," said William "BJ" Santiago, CEO of Badger Technologies. "Security operations for the museum can direct the robot's duties for 12 hours on a single charge to cost-effectively augment labor while extending the reach and efficiency of their security patrols." Equipped with streaming video cameras, the Badger PatrolBot robot initially will navigate automatically around exhibits and people to verify that windows, doors, and exhibits are secured and properly sealed. During the second phase of the pilot, the robot also will verify that floors are free of debris and potential hazards. As part of a total security solution, Badger PatrolBot will take advantage of TrackTik's Application Programming Interface (API) to streamline security guard tour scheduling, real-time checkpoint logging, incident reporting, GPS tracking, messaging and alerts. "We are deeply honored to be part of the National Veterans Memorial Museum celebration in support of the United States veteran community," said Simon Ferragne, CEO and founder of Montreal-based TrackTik Software. "Our strategic partnership with Badger Technologies has allowed us to deliver an enhanced security workforce management solution using robotics to transform security guard operations and deliver more value to our clients. Together we are driving innovation and growth that will benefit all of our clients and the communities in which they serve." About Badger Technologies Badger Technologies is a product division of Jabil (NYSE: JBL), a manufacturing solutions provider that delivers comprehensive design, manufacturing, supply chain and product management services. Badger Technologies retail automation solutions feature autonomous robots that capture and share valuable data designed to improve operations and financial performance. Retail robots automate hazard detection and expedite issues resolution while also addressing a host of inventory and data disconnects to improve profitability and shopping experiences. Badger Technologies also has developed an autonomous ultraviolet disinfecting robot designed to combat high-risk pathogens and an autonomous robot for the security guard industry. More than 550 Badger Technologies autonomous robots have been deployed by the company throughout the U.S. and Australia. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005311/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] UAE Education Minister visits Start-Up Nation Central in search of EdTech Solutions TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The UAE Minister of Education, H.E. Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi, visited Start-Up Nation Central on Sunday to learn about Israel's innovation ecosystem and meet with a variety of organizations that specialize in technological and entrepreneurial education. Start-Up Nation CEO Avi Hasson welcomed the minister to Israel and provided him and his team with a bird's-eye view of the local high-tech industry and what it took to develop it in terms of educational resources and capabilities. Afterward, the visitors heard from representatives of MedCET, a local EdTech accelerator; Unistream, an entrepreneurship teaching network; Young Engineers, which teaches engineering skills to young children through the use of toys; and Giant Leap, which provides parents with child development assessment tools. Al Hammadi and his delegation of ministry officials are on a five-day visit to Israel. They are in the country to seek out possible collaborations with Israeli companies and organizations to encourage STEM and entrepreneurship education from a young ae and ensure the UAE is up-to-date on the latest in EdTech trends. Israel is home to roughly 200 EdTech companies providing solutions to everything from VR augmented learning to mobile education apps, to communication platforms for universities, schools, and kindergartens. UAE Minister of Education H.E. Hussein Ibrahim Al Hammadi: "As part of our mission to create a thriving knowledge-based economy, we are committed to leaving no stone unturned in the service of providing high-quality education. Thanks to the Abraham Accords, we are now able to seek out partnerships and collaborations with Israeli companies and institutions. We want to thank Start-Up Nation Central for hosting us and introducing us to some of the elements that have led to the success of the Israeli innovation ecosystem." Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson: "Israel would not have become the Start-Up Nation if it were not for the robust educational infrastructure that created a generation of entrepreneurs. A well-developed academic ecosystem lays the foundations of innovation. Nowadays, technology is an indispensable factor for effective learning, providing unprecedented access to millions of people. As proponents of innovation diplomacy and people-to-people ties, Start-Up Nation Central is happy to share our insights into the ecosystem with our partners in the UAE for the benefit of both nations and the region as a whole." About Start-Up Nation Central Start-Up Nation Central is the address for corporations, governments, and investors to connect with the Israeli tech ecosystem. Start-Up Nation Central catalyzes growth opportunities by bringing Israeli tech innovation to global business and societal challenges. Established in 2013 and headquartered in Tel-Aviv, Israel, Start-Up Nation Central is a not-for-profit organization funded by philanthropy. Start-Up Nation Finder is a free online platform for identifying and engaging Israeli tech organizations based on customers' specific interests. This innovation business platform is a comprehensive knowledge hub on Israeli start-ups, investors, acceleration hubs, multinational corporations, and technology-based innovation associated with academic research. The open-source platform provides up-to-date information and insights on thousands of active Israeli tech companies. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1683226/SNC_1.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uae-education-minister-visits-start-up-nation-central-in-search-of-edtech-solutions-301419884.html SOURCE Start-Up Nation Central (SNC) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Managed Compliant Security Solutions Leader Ntirety Announces New Suite Of Advanced Security Offerings AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Ntirety, the most trusted Comprehensive Security provider and only company that embeds compliant security throughout the IT stack to safeguard the assets businesses rely on, today announced the launch of a new suite of advanced security solutions. "Security is everything, especially in today's world; traditional IT security as people used to know it doesn't work anymore," said Emil Sayegh, CEO of Ntirety. "Ntirety has put security and compliance at the core of everything we do, extending the concept of comprehensive security across the entire IT stack. This new suite of services further cements our evolved approach to security and helps safeguard businesses to become virtually unstoppable." "With this launch Ntirety continues to leverage its position as a deep rooted, managed service provider, adding now a full-fledged managed security service capability," said Philbert Shih, Managing Director at Structure Research. "This combination raises the bar on its overall value proposition as cybercrimes have exponentially increased during the pandemic with the average cost of data breaches topping several million dollars per incident. Ntirety's new suite of advanced security offerings offers businesses comprehensive protection for everything they hold dear and reflects the increasing complexity that organizations are faced with, which translates directly into demand for service providers and MSPs." This new product suite augments Ntirety's comprehensive security services in two of the primary cyberattack vectors, and shows how Ntirety continues to comprehensively rotect IT environments by enhancing its protect, recovery, and assurance security framework. New offerings being brought to market include Managed Secure Email Services, next-gen Web Application and API Protection, and Managed ASV Scan. Please see below for a breakdown of Ntirety's new product offerings included in its comprehensive service suite: Ntirety Managed Secure Email Services Email is the leading target vector of attack for cybercriminals. Ntirety secures email by adding additional perimeter, internal, and end-point threat detection, which forms an integrated layer of email protection. Ntirety's three U.S.-based Security Operations Centers maintain a comprehensive view of the entire email threat landscape and take proactive measures to protect them. Email is the leading target vector of attack for cybercriminals. Ntirety secures email by adding additional perimeter, internal, and end-point threat detection, which forms an integrated layer of email protection. Ntirety's three U.S.-based Security Operations Centers maintain a comprehensive view of the entire email threat landscape and take proactive measures to protect them. Ntirety Web Application & API Protection Ntirety keeps web applications safe and secure, the API's safe from cyber threats across cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments utilizing their state of the art Security Operations Center. Ntirety keeps web applications safe and secure, the API's safe from cyber threats across cloud, on-premise, and hybrid environments utilizing their state of the art Security Operations Center. Ntirety Managed ASV This service allows Ntirety to manage the vulnerability scanning process required for PCI Compliance, which is often extremely complex to manage on your own. "Ntirety's comprehensive security suite has been an impressive security shield for our business," said Chris Becker, National IT Director of AbsoluteCare. "Our data is extremely important, and we cannot afford for it to get in the wrong hands. Additionally, we don't have the budget to stand up our own internal infrastructure or internally hire the expertise required to protect against today's artful criminals. We are grateful for our partnership with Ntirety, who keep our data safe and protected from unknown threats." With a vision to "help businesses move forward with less risk", Ntirety's vision encompasses four foundational components that ensure successful customer experiences: Comprehensive Security First, Channel Only focus, and unfettered Customer Success. Ntirety continues to provide the highest quality customer service across all sectors of healthcare, manufacturing, FinTech, and SaaS applications. ABOUT NTIRETY: With over two decades of successfully operating, managing, and securing private, public, and hybrid cloud environments, Ntirety has led enterprises across industries through the volatile early days of data hosting into the world of 24x7 managed security with our premier Compliant Security solutions. Through cost-effective and scalable solutions tailored to business-specific needs, Ntirety eliminates gaps in both security posture and compliance documentation by delivering solutions that cover the entire application, the entire compliance and security process, the entire time. MEDIA CONTACT: Brandstyle Communications Kell Cholko | [email protected] View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/managed-compliant-security-solutions-leader-ntirety-announces-new-suite-of-advanced-security-offerings-301417866.html SOURCE Ntirety [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Sage partners with Zapier to elevate the work of SMBs with the power of automation ATLANTA, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sage, the market leader for cloud business management solutions, today announces the availability of Zapier , the workflow automation platform for business, on the Sage Marketplace in the U.K., Ireland, U.S. and Canada. This partnership enables small businesses and accountants across all four countries to elevate their work and automate workflows by seamlessly connecting Sage Accounting with 4,000 apps. In todays digital-first world, small businesses use an average of 72 different apps to streamline processes, eliminate errors and gain real-time insights on their business performance. These apps help SMBs to leverage technologies that were once only available to large organizations, but storing data across multiple apps brings its own challenges. Zapier allows customers to connect the apps they use every day to Sage Accounting, securely transferring data to provide a holistic view of business operations. Sages partnership with Zapier will support small businesses and accountants to spend less time on admin and more time driving value for their customers. Therefore, freeing up time to focus efforts on scaling their business without the need for additional headcount. There are several key customer benefits to the new Sage and Zapier partnership: Flexibility: Sage customers can integrate with 4,000 apps and customize built-in apps to create bespoke automated workflows that support their exact needs. Sage customers can integrate with 4,000 apps and customize built-in apps to create bespoke automated workflows that support their exact needs. Security: Zapier is trusted by millions of customers around the globe to securely transfer and sync data across apps to get work done, with globally distributed site reliability engineers and security teams on-call 24/7. Zapier is trusted by millions of customers around the globe to securely transfer and sync data across apps to get work done, with globally distributed site reliability engineers and security teams on-call 24/7. Compliance: Customers can use software with confidence and peace of mind, as Zapier holds third-party auditor certifications with the AICPAs SOC for Service Organizations, SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3. Customers can use software with confidence and peace of mind, as Zapier holds third-party auditor certifications with the AICPAs SOC for Service Organizations, SOC 2 Type II and SOC 3. Time savings: Customers of any size can automate work in minutes and save an average of 10 hours each week 1 on manual tasks that previously took hours to complete. Customers of any size can automate work in minutes and save an average of 10 hours each week on manual tasks that previously took hours to complete. Cost effectiveness: On average, customers save an equivalent of $9k in time every year by efficiently creating the workflows needed to automate tasks. Alex Fawcett, Senior Director, Ecosystem and Technical Fellow at Sage, says: Sage is committed to supporting small businesses, and the accountants that help them thrive, with innovative solutions that eliminate the burden of manual, repetitive tasks. In partnership with Zapier, we are championing SMBs to realize the power of automation and their digital network so that they can focus on what matters most their customers. The importance of embarking on a digital transformation journey is a priority that unites small businesses and accountancy practices across the globe. Sage Accounting customers can easily select pre-set workflows on the Sage Marketplace to quickly tackle their automation needs with Zapier. And we understand that every SMB is unique and so are their technology needs. Sage and Zapier deliver an end-to-end experience, also giving customers the option to request new integrations to apps their business already relies on, if it is currently unavailable. Andrew Edelman, Head of Strategic and Platform Partnerships at Zapier, says: Were thrilled to partner with Sage to provide our customers with more opportunities for automation. Using Zapier, customers can create automated workflows between finance, sales, marketing, inventory and more. Ultimately, this will free up time so users can focus on the most impactful work for their businesses. The Zapier integration with Sage Accounting is now available on the Sage Marketplace in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Ireland. To learn more about the apps currently available on the Sage Marketplace, click here. About Sage Sage is the global market leader for technology that provides small and medium businesses with the visibility, flexibility and efficiency to manage finances, operations and people. With our partners, Sage is trusted by millions of customers worldwide to deliver the best cloud technology and support. Our years of experience mean that our colleagues and partners understand how to serve our customers and communities through the good, and more challenging times. We are here to help, with practical advice, solutions, expertise and insight. About Zapier Founded in 2011, Zapier helps its users grow their businesses with the power of automation. More than 2.5 million users come to Zapier every month for their automation needs. The company connects 4,000 apps to help people be more productive at work, saving customers 10 hours per week on average. By helping to discover and weave together web applications that increase productivity and success, Zapier is changing the way people work. 1 https://zapier.com/how-it-works [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] AXIM Biotechnologies' Development of Rapid Test for COVID-19 Neutralizing Antibodies is Cited to Demonstrate over 90% Sensitivity and 100% Specificity SAN DIEGO, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc (OTCQB: AXIM) (AXIM Biotech, AXIM or the Company), an international healthcare solutions company targeting COVID-19 diagnostics and oncological research, today announced their publication in the Journal of Clinical Virology describing the development of a rapid test to measure levels of neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. The publication is the first report of a rapid test that can semi-quantitatively measure levels of neutralizing antibodies. The test is portable, inexpensive and requires only a single drop of blood from a finger stick. The test can be performed in a point-of-care setting or by an individual and has demonstrated over 90% sensitivity and 100% specificity when benchmarked against an authentic SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assay using serum samples from COVID-19 patients. Importantly, the test does not cross-react with sera from patients other seasonal viral respiratory infections, which cause cold and flu-like illnesses. The publication also highlights the ability of the test to measure levels of neutralizing antibodies in vaccine recipients as well as previously infected individuals. Dr. Douglas Lake, an associate professor at ASU and lead author of the publication says, All antibodies are not created equal. Most antibody tests for COVID simply detect antibodies to either spike or nucleocapsid (viral core), but this test measures levels of functional antibodies: neutralizing antibodiesantibodies that prevent the virus from infecting cells. Neutralizing antibodies form a molecular force field in blood and tissues that prevent the virus from infecting cells. John Huemoeller, CEO of AXIM Biotech indicates, Since COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon, it is important to keep your levels of neutralizing antibodies high to prevent infection. Our test allows one to know and monitor his or her levels of neutralizing antibodies without sending a tube of blood to the lab for an expensive test. Our rapid test may impact public health because it indicates when protective antibodies are declining to pre-vaccine levels which might suggest a booster shot to prevent ifection and potential spread of the virus. About AXIM Biotechnologies Founded in 2014, AXIM Biotechnologies, Inc. (AXIM) is a vertically integrated research and development company focused on changing the landscape of diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), dry eye disease (DED) and Oncological indications. AXIMs COVID-19 neutralizing antibody test is the first rapid diagnostic test measuring levels of functional neutralizing antibodies that are believed to prevent SARS-CoV-2 from entering the host cells. Additionally, the Company is developing rapid diagnostic tests for the early detection of cancer and ophthalmological conditions such as DED. For more information, please visit www.AXIMBiotech.com. Forward-Looking Statements The statements made by Axim Biotechnologies Inc., in this press release may be forward-looking in nature within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements describe Axims future plans, projections, strategies and expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Axim Biotechnologies, Inc. Actual results could differ materially from those projected due to there being no assurance that our diagnostic candidate will be successfully shown to detect SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies, that the diagnostic candidate will be approved for use by the U.S. FDA or any equivalent foreign regulatory agency, that the diagnostic candidate can be manufactured in large quantities or that third parties with an established presence in blood collection clinics, vaccine development, employer or individual use will enter into agreements or purchase from the Company, and even if the Companys diagnostic candidate is successful, it may generate only limited revenue and profits for the Company, including whether any of Axims diagnostic products will receive clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies to sell its products and whether and when, if at all, they will receive final approval from the U.S. FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies, the fact that there has never been a commercial diagnostic test utilizing neutralizing antibodies approved for use and various other factors detailed from time to time in Axims SEC reports and filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on April 15, 2021 and other reports we file with the SEC, which are available at www.sec.gov. Axim Biotechnologies, Inc., undertakes no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless otherwise required by law. CONTACT Public Relations Kathryn Brown Account Director CMW Media P. 858-264-6600 [email protected] www.cmwmedia.com AXIM Corporate 6191 Cornerstone Ct., Ste. 114 San Diego, CA 92121, USA P. 858-923-4422 Investor Relations [email protected] 888-759-0844 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] YouHodler Will Delist Bitcoin SV (BSV) to Protect Its Users' Holdings Lausanne, Switzerland, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (via Blockchain Wire) YouHodler, a fintech platform that helps people access the benefits of the crypto economy, announced that it would delist the Bitcoin SV (BSV) coins on November 9th, 2021. Current holders are able to withdraw their BSV holdings or exchange it for other coins. All trading deals and BSV backed loans will be closed automatically on November 9th and after that all BSV coins will be automatically converted to Bitcoin at market rate. Most crypto companies followed Binance which loudly announced its decision to delist BSV tokens back in April 2019. Relying on our core principle of letting customers decide what to hodl and trade, we held on to BSV much longer as people were still interested in hodling it, says Ilya Volkov, CEO & Founder of YouHodler. At this point the trust in Bitcoin SV plummeted and we can no longer allow our clients to hold it as it could lead to a total loss of funds. Thats why we made a decision to delist BSV from YouHodlers platform. Bitcoin SV is a fork of Bitcoin Cash created in 2018 after a group of miners disagreed with the ecosystem decision on solving the scaling issues. During the summer of 2021 Bitcoin SV suffered multiple 51% attacks, making the audience question the safety of its network. The people behind Bitcoin SV have also made dubious claims and attempted to manipulate the market. As of today, Bitcoin SV is the token #54 on Coinmarketcap and its market capitalization is shy of $3 billion. YouHodlers users are able to convert their BSV to BTC, ETH, ADA, BNB, LTC, XLM, XRP, DASH, HT, DOGE and other popular cryptocurrencies and tokens. YouHodlers solutions open up connections between crypto and the real world, allowing people to use their crypto assets without spending them. With YouHodler, users can buy and sell crypto at any time, use it for purchases or put it in a reward account generating up to 12% yields. In addition, they can exchange crypto, fiat and stablecoins and get instant cash and crypto loans with their crypto assets acting as collateral. About YouHodler YouHodler is a fintech platform that helps people access the benefits of the crypto economy. It allows users to get instant cash and cryptocurrency loans, exchange crypto, fiat and stablecoins quickly and easily, and earn up to 12% APR + compounding interest by depositing crypto in their account. The platform has the highest loan to value ratio (90%), with minimum loan amounts starting at just $100 and accepts the top 30 coins as collateral with instant credit card and bank withdrawals included. YouHodler supports BTC, ETH, ADA, BNB, LTC, XLM, XRP, DASH, HT, DOGE and other popular cryptocurrencies and tokens. Users funds are protected with Ledgers industry-leading and independently-certified security technology, as well as their insurance program. The company is an EU and Swiss-based brand with two main offices in Cyprus and Switzerland. For more information please visit https://www.youhodler.com Yury Molodtsov Partner & COO MA Family yury-at-ma.family [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Trinity Marketing Services Chooses Bend Financial to Power New HSA Offering BOSTON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bend Financial (Bend), an industry-leading health savings account (HSA) provider, today announced that Montgomery, Alabama based Trinity Marketing Services (Trinity) has chosen to leverage the Bend HSA platform to power its new HSA offering, Trinity HSA powered by Bend. Bend HSA offers helpful integrations, program administration and automations, and a seamless HSA investment experience. The Trinity HSA powered by Bend will be the first offering of its kind in Trinity's comprehensive lineup of benefit management, medical management, pharmacy benefit management and concierge services. "At Bend, we're committed to helping our partners offer a unique, leading-edge HSA," explained Tom Torre, CEO of Bend. "We're proud that Trinity chose our Bend HSA platform as the framework of their offering and excited to grow our partnership while providing their clients with a user-friendly HSA experience designed to simplify healthcare saving and achieve better long-term financial wellness." The Bend HSA platform provides quick integrations, hassle-free program administration, time-saving automations and a seamless HSA investment experience, among a host of other helpful features for administrators and end users. "One of Trinity's founding principles is to help our clients take control of their health benefits," noted Dr. McCain Ashurst, owner of Trinity Marketing Services. "With the continued shift toward a consumer-driven model, health savings accounts play an increasingly important role in not only the health benefit space, but also in terms of overall financial wellness. We're excited to take advantage of Bend's next-generation HSA platform to offer our clients the best HSA experience proven to maximize HSA savings and other benefits." The Trinity HSA powered by Bend is available now to all Trinity clients. About Bend Financial Bend Financial helps accountholders and partners improve their financial wellness through a next-generation health savings account (HSA) platform and complementary financial solutions, while providing employers, brokers, health plans and financial institutions of all types and sizes unique, leading-edge benefit offerings. Headquartered in Boston, Bend's forward-thinking, user-friendly approach simplifies healthcare saving and offers real-time, personalized guidance that makes it easy for anyone to maximize their HSA. For more information, visit bendhsa.com, read Bend's blog and follow Bend on Twitter and LinkedIn. Contact: Zac Otzelberger (715) 630-8688 [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/trinity-marketing-services-chooses-bend-financial-to-power-new-hsa-offering-301419400.html SOURCE Bend Financial, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] MeridianLink to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences MeridianLink, Inc. (NYSE: MLNK), a leading provider of modern software platforms for financial institutions and consumer reporting agencies, today announced that members of its management team will host meetings with institutional investors during the following upcoming investor conferences: Citi's 2021 FinTech Conference on Thursday, November 18, 2021 virtually Credit Suisse 25 th Annual Technology Conference on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 in Scottsdale, AZ Annual Technology Conference on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 in Scottsdale, AZ NYSE Financials Investor Access Day on Wednesday, December 1, 2021 virtually Stephens Annual Investment Conference on Friday, December 3, 2021 in Nashville, TN Raymond James Technology InvestorsConference on Monday, December 6, 2021 virtually Barclays Global Technology (News - Alert), Media and Telecommunications Conference on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 virtually https://ir.meridianlink.com/events-and-presentations/events. 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. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005812/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Istanbul Based Promena, Ranked Among Top 50 Global Procurement Providers Promena, an Istanbul-based provider of strategic procurement software, has been included - for the second time - on Spend Matters' list of "50 Procurement Providers to Watch" in the year ahead. A leading source of intelligence for the global procurement industry, Spend Matters releases its list every year. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005838/en/ Istanbul based Promena, Ranked Among Top 50 Global Procurement Providers (Graphic: Business Wire) "We are proud to be the first and only Turkish company to be included in the list, which serves to confirm Promena's leading position in today's rapidly-changing global procurement ecosystem," Orcun Guven, Zer Sales and Promena Services Director, says. Turkey's First Global-Procurement Firm Promena is owned and managed by Zer, a subsidiary of Turkey's Koc Holding that specializes in strategic procurement and sourcing management. First launched in 2001, Promena offers a range of procurement services for the 21st century, including e-sourcing, e-procurement, expense analysis, and supplier information management. "Turkey's first global-procurement company, Promena helps businesses save money and time by digitalizing their procurement processes and providing end-to-end supply-chain solutions," Guven explains. Along with Spend Matters' "50 to Watch" list, Promena was featured in Capgemini's (News - Alert) latest Digital Procurement Research Report, and was also recently cited as a "Product Challenger" in the ISG Provider Lens Quadrant research series and Spend Matters SolutionMap report. Turkey: Vital Link in Global Supply Chain Due to pandemic-induced supply disruptions, Turkey has assumed an increasingly prominent role in the global supply matrix. Over the course of the last two years, a growing number of international brands have come to rely on Promena's far-flung distribution network, which extends from India to Latin America. Guven points to recent assertions by credit-rating agency Fitch that Turkey - more than any other country - had the most to gain from shifting global supply lines. "Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia are all easily accessible from Turkey," he says, noting that these regions account for a collective population of 1.3 billion and a combined GDP of some $26 trillion. The pandemic has also served to accelerate the digitalization of global supply processes, Guven adds. "If businesses hope to compete internationally, they must ensure the sustainability of their operations," he says. "Promena can help businesses deal with the digital transformation by finding - and implementing - sustainable solutions to all their most pressing procurement needs." View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005838/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Lunaphore highlights novel spatial biology research at SITC 2021 Lunaphore, a Swiss life sciences company developing technology to enable spatial biology in every laboratory, today announced new research from collaborators at the University of Birmingham, who characterized the inflammatory response associated with a complication from maternal COVID-19 infection, using COMET, Lunaphore's all-in-one staining and imaging platform for high-throughput, hyperplex immunofluorescence. The results will be presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 36th Annual Meeting, taking place November 10-14, 2021 virtually and in-person at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Lunaphore will also hold product demonstrations of LabSat and COMET at booth #408. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006114/en/ Photo: Lunaphore Using spatial biology tools to characterize COVID-19 placentitis A proportion of maternal COVID-19 infections are complicated by COVID-19 placentitis, an inflammatory response that often leads to fetal death. However, there has been limited research to-date on the processes that drive this condition and its underlying pathology. In a sponsored symposium, Matthew Pugh, FRCPath, of the University of Birmingham will discuss how his team used the Lunaphore COMET system to conduct a multiplex immunohistochemistry analysis of 30 markers to haracterize the processes that drive COVID-19 placentitis. Utilizing spatial biology methods, the present study found that COVID-19 placentitis is characterized by direct infection of the villous trophoblast, histiocytic intervillousitis and associated CXCL10 & interferon mediated inflammation1. Read the full abstract here and view the presentation details below. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) 36th Annual Meeting: The morpho-molecular features of COVID-19 placentitis: A high dimensional, multi-omic approach Date and time: Saturday, November 13; 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. EST | 7:30 - 8:00 p.m. CET Speaker: Matthew Pugh, FRCPath. (Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham) In-booth product demonstrations Lunaphore will also feature its LabSat and COMET spatial biology solutions at booth #408. Live product demonstrations will take place: Friday, November 12; 1:30 - 2:00 p.m. and 6:00-6:30 p.m. EST Saturday, November 13; 1:00 - 1:30 p.m. and 6:00-6:30 p.m. EST To learn more about LabSat, please visit: https://lunaphore.com/products/labsat/. To learn more about COMET, please visit: https://lunaphore.com/products/comet/. To find out more about Lunaphore's activities on site, please visit: https://lunaphore.com/news/lunaphore-at-sitc-annual-meeting/. Disclaimer: 1 The research is not yet published or peer-reviewed. About Lunaphore Lunaphore Technologies S.A. is a Swiss company born in 2014 with the vision of enabling spatial biology in every laboratory. Lunaphore has developed a game-changing chip technology which can extract spatial proteomic and genomic data from tumors and transform any simple assay into multiplex spatial biology without complexity. Lunaphore empowers researchers to push the boundaries of research to ultimately develop the next generation personalized therapies. For further information on Lunaphore and its products, please visit www.lunaphore.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006114/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] IAIABC Elects 2021 - 2022 Board of Directors The International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions (IAIABC) announced the election of its 2021 - 2022 Board of Directors during the IAIABC's Annual Business Meeting on October 28, 2021. The IAIABC is pleased to welcome Dr. Gregor Kemper, Director of International Relations, German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), as IAIABC President. Dr. Kemper is the first President to represent Germany in the Association's 107-year history. New members of the Board of Directors are Shannon Bishop, Chief Judge, Louisiana Office of Workers' Compensation; Terrance D'souza, Executive Director, Advanced Analytics, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board; and Phillip Germain, CEO, Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board. "Through strategic decisions and actions, the IAIABC has built strong relationships with leaders in work injury insurance institutions around the world. The information and experiences we have shared has helped strengthen not only the IAIABC, but each of us individually as well as our organizations. I look forward to working with the Board of Directors, including its three new members, on furthering the IAIABC's mission," states Dr. Kemper. Members of the 2021 - 2022 Board of Directors Officers President: Dr. Gregor Kemper, Director of International Relations, German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) President-Elect: Mark Long (News - Alert), Deputy Director, Michigan Workers' Disability Compensation Agency Vice President: Anna Hui, Director, Missori Department of Labor and Industrial Relations Secretary-Treasurer: Robert Doucette, Director, New Mexico Workers' Compensation Administration Immediate Past President: Ron Dressler, Director, Utah Division of Industrial Accidents Members at Large Dato' Sri Dr. Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, Social Security Organisation of Malaysia Shannon Bishop, Chief Judge, Louisiana Office of Workers' Compensation Terrance D'souza, Executive Director, Advanced Analytics, Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Phillip Germain, CEO, Saskatchewan Workers' Compensation Board Victoria Kennedy, Assistant Director, Washington State Department of Labor and Industries Ann Shannon, Chief of Claims Policy & Support, Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation Bill Wheeler, Deputy Administrator, Montana Employment Relations Division Scott Weiant, Deputy Secretary Compensation and Insurance, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Ex-Officio Members Tom Glasson, Director of Regulatory Affairs, AIG Jennifer Wolf, Executive Director, IAIABC For more information about the IAIABC Board of Directors, please visit www.iaiabc.org/board-of-directors. About the IAIABC Founded in 1914, the International Association of Industrial Accident Boards and Commissions is a not-for-profit association representing most of the government agencies charged with the administration of workers' compensation systems throughout the United States, Canada, and other nations and territories as well as other workers' compensation professionals in the private sector. Its mission is to advance the efficiency and effectiveness of workers' compensation systems throughout the world. It is governed by a Board of Directors of jurisdictional agency leaders and maintains a staff headquarters in Middleton, Wisconsin, USA. Learn more at www.iaiabc.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006119/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Pax8 Named to Outside's Annual Best Places to Work DENVER, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pax8, the best place for IT professionals to buy cloud products, today announced it has been named in Outside Magazine's annual list of Best Places to Work. The program recognizes employers for their outstanding performance in establishing workplaces where employees can thrive, enjoy their work, and help their companies grow. We are honored to receive this admired recognition, said John Street, Chief Executive Officer at Pax8. With everyone working from home, creating an environment where employees have work-life balance and feel supported is critical. We will continue enhancing Pax8s award-winning culture to provide our employees the benefits and resources to maintain a healthy lifestyle, enjoy the outdoors, and grow successful careers. The Outside Best Places to Work program is an annual sponsored content feature presented by Outside Magazine and Best Companies Group that lists organizations with the highest employee engagement and satisfaction levels. Harrisburg, PA.-based Best Companies Group identifies the leading employers by conducting a free two-part assessment of each company. The first part is a questionnaire completed by the employer about company policies, practices, and demographics, and the second part is a confidential employee survey on engagement and satisfaction. The program divides employers into sall, 15-49 employees; medium, 50-249 employees; and large, 250 or more employees. This years report features 75 companies of various sizes. Rankings and profiles of the winning companies can be found at www.outsideonline.com. To learn more about Pax8, please visit www.pax8.com. About Pax8 Pax8 is modernizing how partners buy, sell, and manage cloud. As a born-in-the-cloud company, Pax8 simplifies the buying journey, empowering its partners to achieve more with cloud technology. The companys technology displaces legacy distribution by connecting the channel ecosystem to its award-winning transactional cloud marketplace. Through billing, provisioning, automation, industry-leading PSA integrations, and pre and post-sales support, and education, Pax8 is a proven disruptor in the market. Pax8 has ranked in the Inc. 5000 for four consecutive years #68 in 2018, #60 in 2019, #111 in 2020, and #164 in 2021 as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the US. If you want to be successful with cloud, you want to work with Pax8. Get started today at www.pax8.com. Follow Pax8 on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Media contact: John Trent PR Manager at Pax8 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Dynasty Financial Partners Introduces Upcoming End Client Referral Program Called Dynasty Connect Dynasty Financial Partners announced today that they will be implementing an End Client Referral Program called Dynasty Connect in the near future. Through the program, high-net-worth individuals across the U.S. will be able to contact Dynasty to connect with an independent financial advisor. Dynasty has over 300 independent financial advisors on its platform located across the country. Through its future End-Client Referral Program, Dynasty will source and introduce end-client referrals to its Network advisors. These referrals will be generated by Dynasty's broad network and relationships, centers of influence, resource partners, events, and both organic and inorganic marketing efforts. In addition, the firm plans to leverage the Dynasty brand and its growing list of professional athlete partnerships. The objective of the program is to connect high-net-worth investors with independent advisors and is designed to create an authentic partnership between both parties. High-net-worth investors will experience working with Dynasty's independent advisors and the cutting-edge platform that Dynasty affords its Network advisors. In turn, client referrals will drive organic growth for the independent advisors in the Dynasty Network. Over time, Dynasty will build out and staff a dedicated referral desk to further curate and match high-net-worth investors with the most appropriate Dynasty Network advisor. Currently in beta, the firm is piloting the program with less than five financial advisory firms in the Dynasty Network. Dynasty Connect has made over $200 million in end-client introductions over the past 90 days. "In today's fragmented market, it can be a challenge for high-net-worth investors who want to work with an independent financial advisor to find one that fits their needs and to connect with them. Investors often rely on word-of-mouth connections and may not be aware of the specialties of certain independent advisors that may align with their situation, including experience with family-owned businesses, business exit strategies, estate planning, restricted stock and corporate executive compensation, divorce, and many other specialties. At Dynasty, we work with many independent advisors and can help individuals navigate the landscape to find the right fit for their circumstances," said Joe D'Agostino, Director of Investment Platform and Product Strategy at Dynasty. "It has long been our vision to leverage the Dynasty brand to communicate why an investor would want to find an advisor that is Powered by Dynasty'," said Shirl Penney, Dynasty's President & CEO. "We will be doing more work to educate investors on the Triangulation of Advice (TOA), meaning receiving your financial advice separate from safe custody of assets and separate again from where investment products are manufactured and sold. Beyond education, we will assist investors in getting connected to independent advisors who practice the triangulated advisory model. Finally, Dynasty's technology platform ties the experience together for both the independent advisor and the end client." "As one of the RIAs in the beta group for the Dynasty Connect referral program, we are thrilled to be off to a strong start," said Matt Kilgroe, CEO of Cyndeo Wealth Partners, based in St Petersburg, FL. "We believe that having clients understand that our firm is 'Powered by Dynasty' is a form of further validation for what we are doing for clients. Being 'Powered by Dynasty' also adds strength to our client story in being backed by a firm that is well-funded and that can be forward-looking in finding innovative solutions for our clients. We are excited to see how the program evolves as Dynasty continues to scale it over time." About Dynasty Financial Partners? Dynasty Financial Partners is known for assisting advisors of integrity to better serve their clients, run their businesses more profitably, grow faster, and enhance the enterprise value of their firms. Dynasty does this by providing wealth management and technology platforms for select independent financial advisory firms. Dynasty creates access to valuable resources and industry-leading capabilities through an open architecture platform, enabling advisors to address their clients' needs and to protect and grow their wealth. Dynasty supports independent advisors and their teams in being independent, but not alone, by creating exclusive community events and experiences. Dynasty also offers access to flexible capital solutions to help advisors expand, scale, and grow their business and provides M&A support to firms looking to grow inorganically or to plan for succession. Dynasty's core principle is "objectivity without compromise," and the firm is committed to developing solutions that allow investment advisors to act as true fiduciaries to their clients. Dynasty has a leading network of RIAs who leverage its integrated platform and Dynasty's growing Enterprise Services Group supports larger institutional clients who often have multiple advisors in multiple cities by delivering Dynasty's platform at the home office and firm-level. Dynasty has helped to level the playing field for advisors and firms looking to deliver Private Wealth Management capabilities to their UHNW clients vs many of the larger Wall Street firms in providing a robust suite of capabilities, products, and services when combined with Dynasty's support offers independent advisors the ability to compete at the highest levels of wealth management client opportunities. For more info on Dynasty please visit: https://dynastyfinancialpartners.com/ Also, visit Dynasty on social media: LinkedIn (News - Alert): https://www.linkedin.com/company/dynasty-financial-partners Twitter (News - Alert): @DynastyFP YouTube (News - Alert): http://bit.ly/1MKXhC8 View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006131/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Florida Power & Light and GE Digital Launch State-of-the-Art Microgrid Control Laboratory at the University of Central Florida Today, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) and GE Digital celebrated the opening of the new cutting-edge Microgrid Control Lab at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The lab will serve as a state-of-the-art research facility and control room for engineering faculty and students. FPL and GE Digital are co-sponsoring the lab at UCF, which will feature control center equipment and software that students will use to simulate and test real-life grid control operations, including finding ways to optimize and keep the grid of the future secure. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006132/en/ (Photo: GE) "The Microgrid Control Lab provides unprecedented access to a modern grid control center that enables some of the brightest young minds in the country to collaborate, learn and help reimagine the energy grid of tomorrow," said Jim Walsh, General Manager of GE Digital's Grid Software business. "As renewable energy sources, like solar, continue to expand and evolve, the technology behind the grid has to keep up. It is critical that electrical and computer engineering talent have real-life experiences with the hardware and software than underpins the modern grid helping utilities securely deliver reliable clean energy." At today's lab opening ceremony, leaders from the three organizations participated in a panel discussion focused on the engineering roles available to recent graduates in the energy sector and discussed opportunities for full-time employment. FPL and GE Digital together have approximately 400 UCF alumni in their workforces. GE Digital also today announced a new internship program that invests in the development of its team and future grid engineering leaders. The program will offer UCF students an intensive experience in the utilities and power sectors and help students develop analytical and software development skills using emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning. Currently, more than 1,400 undergaduate and graduate students at UCF are studying electrical or computer engineering - disciplines that support energy systems and electricity grids. Another 500-plus UCF students have indicated they plan to pursue an electrical or computer engineering major once prerequisite coursework is completed. UCF's College of Engineering and Computer Science offers a power and renewable energy track as part of its undergraduate programs. In addition, a graduate certificate is offered in sustainable and resilient energy systems. Through a faculty collaboration called RISES - Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems - UCF researchers across multiple disciplines are working to develop sustainable and resilient energy systems and storage. "This new facility is exactly the kind of strategic partnership that makes UCF a premiere choice for students with future-focused career goals. GE Digital and FPL have been both philanthropic investors and design collaborators in this lab, ensuring our students in this field will be industry-ready on day one of their careers," UCF President Alexander Cartwright said. "It's a win-win. Our students get a leading education in a lab environment, and both companies open up a pipeline of incredible talent for their workforce." The lab at UCF is designed to simulate the control center of a microgrid, a type of self-sufficient energy system that incorporates solar or other renewable energy sources and battery storage to power a small-scale area, independent of a large-scale grid. "We are excited to bring this innovative research space to UCF engineering students," said Ed De Varona, FPL's Vice President of Transmission & Substation. "The lab is a terrific training ground for rising engineers to work directly with the latest technologies and help refine and innovate the way energy is transmitted and distributed across the grid now and in the future." The lab aims at safe, reliable, efficient and secure operation of large-scale distribution networks with extremely high penetration of renewables, a growing area in the energy industry. Through collaborating with industry and utility partners, UCF continues to offer students real-world opportunities as they prepare to go into careers that are shaping the future. About the University of Central Florida The University of Central Florida is a public research university in Orlando. Founded in 1963, UCF and its 13 colleges offer more than 220 degrees from the university's main campus, downtown campus, hospitality campus, health sciences campus, online and through multiple regional locations. UCF is an academic, partnership and research leader in optics and lasers, modeling and simulation, engineering and computer science, and video game design. According to U.S. News & World Report, UCF ranks among the nation's 20 most innovative universities. About Florida Power & Light Company Florida Power & Light Company is the largest vertically integrated rate-regulated electric utility energy company in the U.S. as measured by retail electricity produced and sold. The company serves more than 5.6 million customer accounts supporting more than 11 million residents across Florida with clean, reliable and affordable electricity. FPL operates one of the cleanest power generation fleets in the U.S and in 2020 won the ReliabilityOne National Reliability Excellence Award for the fifth time in the last six years. The company was recognized in 2020 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Escalent for the seventh consecutive year. FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized 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 in Fortune's 2021 list of "World's Most Admired Companies," and recognized on Fortune's 2021 list of companies that "Change the World." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of 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. For more information about NextEra Energy companies, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, and www.NextEraEnergyResources.com. About GE Digital GE Digital transforms how our customers solve their toughest challenges by putting industrial data to work. Our mission is to bring simplicity, speed, and scale to digital transformation activities, with industrial software that delivers breakthrough business outcomes. GE Digital's product portfolio - including grid optimization and analytics, asset and operations performance management, and manufacturing operations and automation - helps industrial companies in the utility, power generation, oil & gas, aviation, and manufacturing sectors change the way industry works. For more information, visit www.ge.com/digital. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006132/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] New IDC Spending Guide Shows Continued Growth for Digital Transformation in 2020 as Organizations Focus on Strategic Priorities Global spending on the digital transformation (DX) of business practices, products, and organizations is forecast to reach $2.8 trillion in 2025, more than double the amount allocated in 2020. According to a new update to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Digital Transformation Spending Guide, DX spending will have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.4% over the 2021-2025 forecast period as organizations pursue a holistic digital strategy for people, processes, technology, data, and governance. "For the first time, IDC (News - Alert) has forecast global DX spending to exceed $10 trillion over a five-year period," said Craig Simpson, senior research manager with IDC's Customer Insights and Analysis Group. "While most DX projects remained on track in 2020 and into 2021 during the pandemic, IDC forecasts DX technology investments to accelerate in 2022, with a renewed drive towards more long term strategic digital objectives. Beyond operational DX investments, customer experience is garnering some of the largest DX technology investments from consumer-oriented industries such as securities and investment services, banking, and retail." Organizations allocate their DX investments toward a number of strategic priorities that align with what they expect to accomplish over an extended period in pursuit of their digital mission. Many of these priorities coalesce around operational objectives, including back office support and infrastructure for core business functions such as accounting & finance, human resources, legal, security and risk, and enterprise IT. Similarly, innovate, scale, and operate priorities refer to a broad area covering large-scale operations, including making, building, and designing activities. Core business functions comprising this area include supply chain management, engineering, design and research, operations, and manufacturing plant floor operations. Finally, customer experience is a specific area covering all customer-related functions and related technologies supported by DX. Core business functions comprising this area include customer services, marketing, and sales. While the back office support and infrastructure and innovate, scale, and operate priorities will see significantly larger spending totals throughout the forecast, customer experience investments will see faster investment growth. A graphic illustrating the top strategic priorities based on their share of 2021 DX spending is available by viewing this press release on IDC.com. The DX use cases - discretely funded efforts that support a particular program objective - that will receive the most spending will be spread across the three strategic priorities. Investment in robotic manufacturing will grow to $120.6 billion in 2025, followed by autonomic operations and 360-degree customer and client management at $90.9 and $74.7 billion, respectively. The DX use cases with the fastest spending growth will be virtualized student workspaces (43.8% CAGR), mining operations assistance (39.1% CAGR), and augmented design management (34.5% CAGR). Of the more than 300 DX use cases identified by IDC, only five will have five-year CAGRs of less than 10% over the forecast period. The industries that will see the largest DX spending throughout the forecast are discrete and process manufacturing, followed by professional services and retail. Combined, the two manufacturing industries will account for nearly 30% of all DX spending, totaling more than $816 billion in 2025. The industries that will experience the fastest growth in DX spending over the 2020-2025 forecast are construction (21.0% CAGR), securities and investment services (19.2% CAGR), and banking (19.0% CAGR). All 19 industries covered in the DX Spending Guide are forecast to deliver double-digit growth over the five-year forecast. The United States will be the largest geographic market for DX spending, delivering roughly one third of the worldwide total throughout the forecast. Western Europe will be the second largest region for DX spending, following closely by China. China will also deliver the strongest year-over-year growth in DX spending with a five-year CAGR of 18.4%. Latin America will be the region with the second fastest growth with a 17.5% CAGR. "By 2025, DX spending in Europe will reach $653 billion, which is more than double the amount spent in 2020. Moreover, by 2023, DX spending will overtake non-DX spending, confirming the strong commitment of European companies toward digital transformation," said Angela Vacca, senior research manager, European Industry Solutions, Customer Insights & Analysis. "In this context, European finance, healthcare, and professional services companies will grow their DX spending the most with strong variations across use cases as priorities keep shifting with recovery mostly in place, and companies consequently moving away from emergency needs to more strategic and longer-term bets." The IDC Worldwide Digital Transformation Spending Guide (V2 2021) quantifies enterprise spending for more than 300 DX use cases and 12 technology markets across 19 industries and 14 geographies. The guide provides spending data for 51 DX strategic priorities and 99 programs as well as technology spending by deployment type (cloud, non-cloud/other). About IDC Spending Guides IDC's Spending Guides provide a granular view of key technology markets from a regional, vertical industry, use case, buyer, and technology perspective. The spending guides are delivered via pivot table format or custom query tool, allowing the user to easily extract meaningful information about each market by viewing data trends and relationships. For more information about IDC's Spending Guides, please contact Monika Kumar at [email protected]. Click here to learn about IDC's full suite of data products and how you can leverage them to grow your business. 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/20211109006138/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] PTOP Announces MOBICARD Mobile Apps are now available in both the Apple Store & Google Play Store Cambridge, MA, Nov. 09, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Peer To Peer Network a.k.a MobiCard Inc. (OTC PINK: PTOP) is happy to announce that we are ahead of schedule with our MOBICARD app reinstatement. As of Thursday, of last week, MOBICARD is officially back in both the Google Play Store, and Apple Store. PTOPs internal tech development team has worked tirelessly for the last three months to build a quality enterprise worthy back-end and reinstate our apps in their Stores. This is a big deal for our development team, given that PTOP can now manage its MOBICARD app completely in-house. We no longer have to go through a third-party to address any app issues or upgrades. This means a faster response time to issues and no red tape for any added functionality/upgrades. Our most important objective in this process was to upgrade the MOBICARD app back-end to an enterprise standard. Not only do we have the apps back in the App Stores, but it is also accompanied with the new back-end that we created. This new back-end allows us to pivot our apps to apply other services on the fly, by just adding additional micro-services. This micro-service feature allows for a more versatile app for future functionality and scalability which will seamlessly pair with our upcoming new user interface, stated CTO Nicholis Santana. PTOP is moving on completely from its former third-party development team and will decide in early 2022 if we choose to seek any reimbursement or take other actions. Now in the App Stores as MOBICARD with a trademark symbol next to the name in the upper right-hand corner the app immediately looks more professional. IMPORTANT for shareholders and former users : YOU MUST DELETE THE OLD MOBICARD APP FROM YOUR PHONE and REINSTALL THE NEW APP FROM YOUR APP STORE. You can then use the email log in, or magic link login to restore your old account (Log in screen). To shareholders who have not yet downloaded the MOBICARD app you should do it today. We plan to give a report in early January of the number of active users that we have. We have over 2,500 shareholders. So, if everyone signs up, we should be well over that number, especially once we add the other enterprise accounts that we plan to roll out. This should benefit PTOP, as once we announce the number of users, we will be able to begin the process of monetizing the apps through the targeted advertising functionality on the bottom of the free cards through mobile marketing spots on our mobile apps. The more users MOBICARD has, the more revenue we should be able to generate from our mobile marketing ability. If you (reading this article), want to increase the possible value of the company, you can. Simply sign up and create your own MOBICARD today. Mobile marketing is the multichannel promotion of products or services through mobile phone, mobile devices, smartphones, and networks. Mobile marketing channels are the fastest growing means to connect with the audience since customers check text messages more frequently than emails. With the ongoing shift from traditional to the digital platform, it has been more flexible for the online retailers to generate their leads (B2C) by using the branding and advertising strategy with the help of the different mobile devices. The Mobile Marketing Market was valued at USD 66.42 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 253.40 billion by 2026, at a CAGR of 25% over the forecast period 2021 - 2026. Mobile marketing is emerging as the most effective marketing technique via which enterprises can engage with its customer at any time of the day regardless of the location. Only Mobile Apps have these abilities. MOBICARD does not have any competitors with mobile apps in the digital card space. As best of breeds in the digital card space, MOBICARD believes it will be an easy task to take market share from anyone who wil dare compete with us as the 1st and only digital business card in the app stores. Mobile advertising is one of the largest if not the #1 growth sector in our economy, and we look forward to being able to start to get involved in this activity next year. The MOBICARD mobile apps functionality gives MOBICARD a clear advantage over our competitors and differentiates us from the old dinosaur web apps that cannot utilize mobile marketing, to their advantage. MOBICARDs Mobile apps allow for so many advantages. SIGN UP FOR MOBICARD TODAY. Rome wasnt built in a day, but I am super excited to be entering a new phase for the company ahead of schedule. I wanted to under promise and over deliver so for now we will celebrate this key milestone. However, our focus will shift as we need to complete a new beta test program as we had tried to do before. As far as I am concerned, we never got the chance to fully beta test the apps last time, and the lack of completion is what caused me to seek out the new internal technology team. We will seek out the old beta testers to begin to beta test after we have implemented the new front-end changes that my vision for the company intends. Moreover, major e-commerce giants are using mobile marketing strategies to generate a recurring source of income, increase their customer loyalty, and acquisition which will help them to improve the bottom line of their businesses. Our mobile apps allow us to serve this market through our advertising functions. This is the key to generating the bulk of our future revenues. Chairman & CEO Joshua Sodaitis commented. The next phase for MOBICARD will be the internal code sprint to complete implementing the new wire frame and the new front end look and functionality. This new development process is set to begin soon and is anticipated to be completed sometime in January. This new phase will create an elegant user-friendly interface which coincides with the flow of what PTOP intended the apps to have originally. In addition, PTOP will add new functionality that is intended to keep users on the app for longer periods of time, which PTOPs CTO anticipates will increase the valuation of the application. There will be a number of new functions, that will be aimed at keeping MOBICARD the superior app in this space as best of brands. These new functions will be debuted when the next phase of development is completed. Just one example of the new functions will be aimed at the enterprise account users (large companies) will have the ability to sign themselves and their employees up without the aid of a MOBICARD employee. The current screenshots of the new interface can be previewed on our CTOs Twitter at @nicholissantana . They will also be posted to MOBICARDS other social media sites later today & tomorrow. PTOP MOBICARD (otc: PTOP) (@freemobicard) / Twitter will be hosting its 2nd TwitterSpaces on this Thursday 11/11/21 at 6pm EST to have an open development discussion and help people sign up for the apps. MOBICARD is the 1st digital business card company with mobile apps in the Apple store & Google Play Store. The genius of the MOBICARD is that it is extremely affordable and highly efficient. Everyone who reads this article should sign up for free today. It will take you less time to create your MOBICARD than it will to read this article. The cost benefit ratio of the MOBICARD Digital Footprint is far superior to any other product that is remotely similar. By adopting MOBICARD, companies can aggressively communicate their product or organizational vision in a way that has not been possible previously. Using an electronic contact card, representatives of each business or organization can share the vision of their institution with hundreds of contacts in a very short period of time. What used to be very slow and laborious by requiring a person-to-person contact, now can be accomplished quickly and remotely using MOBICARD, a revolutionary and highly dynamic electronic medium. There has never been a better time to invest in MOBICARD in my opinion, concluded Chairman & CEO Joshua Sodaitis. Contact Info: Joshua Sodaitis, Chairman & CEO 45 Prospect Street Cambridge, MA 02139 Phone: 1-617-651-2460 Email: [email protected] ABOUT: Peer to Peer Network aka MOBICARD is the 1st of its kind digital contact/business card. It will greatly facilitate the ability of individuals and businesses to share information and more effectively expand their visibility and brand awareness. MOBICARD is a combination of powerful mobile apps and desktop apps with wide ranging capabilities, including linking video's, user websites, all forms of contact information, and all of each user's social media links into one consolidated source. It is more than just a digital business card; it's a "dynamic digital footprint." A subscriber can custom create their business card to include a company logo, profile photo, contact details, website, audio messaging, social media links and multi-media content. The platform sharing and alert system enables users to share their card via text/SMS, e-mail, and global social media sites including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. The system provides the user instant text alerts when their card is opened or shared to third party referrals all while building an invaluable database of contact leads. Safe Harbor Statement: This 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. The Company invokes the protections of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements regarding our expected future financial position, results of operations, cash flows, financing plans, business strategies, products and services, competitive positions, growth opportunities, plans and objectives of management for future operations, as well as statements that include words such as "anticipate," "if," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "could," "should," "will," and other similar expressions are forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or achievements. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] 6Connex Acquires Eventory to Expand Hybrid Event Service Offerings SAN ANTONIO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 6Connex , the leading platform for virtual and hybrid events, today announced that it has entered into a definite agreement to acquire Eventory , one of the top global event management platforms, to offer its customers an expanded range of services for virtual and hybrid events. Terms of the acquisition were not made public. The Eventory event management platform alows 6Connex customers to deliver even more engaging events. The acquisition of the Eventory event management platform expands the 6Connex product portfolio to allow customers to deliver engaging events regardless of size, location, or use case. Said Ruben Castano, CEO of 6Connex, "This investment represents an important strategic step in our journey, and uniquely positions our organization to offer a full suite of best-in-class solutions that meet the physical, virtual and hybrid event demands. Eventory's suite of products supports our goals to deliver emerging event technologies faster, more affordably and with greater reliability than anyone. We are excited to work together with Eventory for the benefit of our customers." The combined 6Connex and Eventory solutions, will enable users to create, plan, manage, and run physical and virtual events, through a comprehensive set of solutions that integrate attendee engagement features, AI driven interactions and unique virtual environments. Eventory is a Poland-based firm that serves a wide range of organizations and marketing agencies throughout the world. While 6Connex works to fully integrate Eventory's products, they will be offered on a standalone basis to customers. "We are pleased to now be a part of a firm that we've always held in the highest regard, and whose reputation is known throughout the events industry," said Andrzej Targosz, CEO of Eventory. "6Connex is ideally positioned to meet emerging demands in the events industry, and I am confident Eventory's dynamic physical and hybrid functionalities will further support 6Connex's ability to unlock new markets and achieve future growth. This transaction will also benefit Eventory's current clients and employees, who will be joining a major player in the events space." Read more about this news here. About 6Connex 6Connex is the leading provider of virtual and hybrid event solutions. Its secure, cloud-based platform expands audience reach and drives in-depth content engagement for marketing, sales, recruitment, training, and HR communities. Its product portfolio includes virtual and hybrid venues, learning management and webinars. For more information, visit www.6connex.com or call 1-800-395-4702. About Eventory: Eventory is an online platform that allows for event organizers to plan, conduct and analyze any event or business meeting, regardless of whether they are held online, in-person or in a combination of both. Eventory provides a unique set of advanced features that create engagement among attendees and the ability for marketing, sales and HR departments to accurately analyze an event's effectiveness. Media Contact: Bob Zeitlinger [email protected] 551-427-7298 View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/6connex-acquires-eventory-to-expand-hybrid-event-service-offerings-301420037.html SOURCE 6Connex [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Crewe Delivers Capital Investment for The HFW Companies to Secure Platform's 1st Member Firm Connecting business owners and executives with vision to the capital they need to achieve their goals has long been at the heart of Crewe's existence. Serving as an advisor to the management of The HFW Companies (HFW), the investment banking team at Crewe is pleased to announce that HFW has secured initial growth capital for the company's first member firm and drive near-term and longer-term growth plans. HFW seeks to create a national engineering firm that can deliver services at scale in what remains a highly fragmented industry, creating a platform that brings together successful architecture, engineering and construction management (AEC) firms. New York City-based private investment firm VSS Capital Partners ("VSS") is leading this investment in the St. Louis-headquartered HFW, which was founded in 2020 by three AEC veterans who had a vision to connect the disparate elements of the industry. With the backing of VSS, HFW was able to bring on Miller Legg, an award-winning multidisciplinary engineering and consulting firm based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. HFW is targeting architecture and engineering firms who are looking to align with a partner for growth. Prospective member firms should be grounded in technical expertise with the ability to solve complex and pressing problems to better serve metropolitan and infrastructure markets through creative design, engineering, and planning. Bringing Miller Legg onboard is the first step in building the platform envisioned by the HFW leadership team. "Omar Melo and the Crewe team were essential in helping us partner with VSS and, in turn, secure our first member firm Miller Legg," explains Michael Hein, CEO of HFW, of his work with Melo, senior vice president at Crewe's investment bankig division. "They worked closely with us to review our plans and provided counsel on how to best position our company for growth with an equity partner. Now, we are able to execute on our vision of developing an organization that provides scale on a national level, bringing together talent from across the country." Crewe's extensive experience in working with middle-market professional services firms seeking equity and debt capital at all stages of business development enabled the successful capitalization for the deal. As HFW sought to build its organization nationally, Crewe's investment banking team provided guidance and structure while leveraging industry relationships to find the right capital partner for the firm, along with AEC businesses that potentially want to join HFW. Michael Bennett, managing partner of Crewe's investment banking division, is energized about the opportunity in the AEC sector. "Our team sees massive growth in the infrastructure space, and we believe that HFW is well positioned to capitalize on it," he says. "This is just the beginning for HFW and we're excited to work with any potential business that could be a fit for continuing that growth. We work strategically with people who have ambitious business visions and this is a prime example of what connecting ideas with capital can do." About Crewe Crewe offers investment banking services through Crewe Capital, LLC, a registered broker-dealer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov), a member of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (www.SIPC.org), and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (www.finra.org). About The HFW Companies Based in St. Louis, HFW is an AEC industry professional services company investing in architecture and engineering firms who serve metropolitan and infrastructure markets and are open to aligning with a partner for growth. Our member firms, grounded by technical excellence, solve the most important problems facing our built environment, making your community better through creative design, engineering, and planning. For more information, please visit: www.hfwcompanies.com. About VSS VSS is a private investment firm that invests in the healthcare, information, business services and education industries. Headquartered in New York, VSS provides capital for growth financing, recapitalizations, strategic acquisitions, and buyouts to lower middle market companies and management teams with the goal of building companies organically as well as through a focused add-on acquisition program. VSS makes privately negotiated investments across the capital structure and invests in situations requiring control or non-control equity, mezzanine securities, and structured equity securities. VSS has over three decades of experience, made investments in 91 portfolio companies, with over 370 add-on acquisitions, and manages $4.0 billion in aggregate committed capital across 8 funds. For more information, please visit: www.vss.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005139/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Transact Appoints Mechelle King Vice President for Inclusion, Diversity, and Engagement Transact, the leader in innovative credential and payment solutions for a connected campus, today announced the appointment of Mechelle King as vice president for inclusion, diversity, and engagement. Ms. King brings to Transact nearly 30 years of human resources expertise and experience in the technology, healthcare, and financial services industries. Most recently, she served as vice president, human resources business partner at Caliber Home Loans, Inc. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005867/en/ Mechelle King, Vice President of Inclusion, Diversity, and Engagement, Transact Campus (Photo: Business Wire) Ms. King will guide Transact's diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and programs internaly, and she will play a key role in growing impactful and collaborative client outreach and engagement programs for the company. Her mission-critical work will support each of the 500+ members of Transact's growing team and its 1,750+ clients. "Mechelle's broad human resource and DEI expertise, together with her experience in technology, healthcare, and financial services industries, will play a key role in delivering on our vision and mission," said Transact CEO Nancy Langer. "Under her leadership, we will shape an engaged and empowered environment for our employees and help provide the best solutions and service to the clients we serve." Ms. King began her human resources career in financial services with Bank of America and EMC (News - Alert) Mortgage, where she held leadership roles supporting high volume call centers, payment and fulfillment operations, and client servicing within the healthcare services industry at Express Scripts. Ms. King also held key human resources business partner roles at CoreLogic and Caliber Home Loans, where she led the strategy for mergers and acquisitions, workforce planning, organizational transformation, talent management, succession planning, and employee engagement programs. Additionally, Ms. King led various DEI leadership pipeline programs for junior military officers, women in production retail sales, and Dallas Year Up interns while at CoreLogic and Caliber. Ms. King earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of North Texas and a Master of Human Resource Management degree from Dallas Baptist University. About Transact Transact is the leader in innovative payment and mobile credential solutions for a connected campus. Its highly configurable, mobile-centric campus technology ecosystem simplifies the student experience across the full spectrum of student life. Transact's offerings include integrated solutions for tuition, room and board, and commerce. Transact also provides solutions for multi-purpose campus IDs and stored value. With a long-standing reputation in the education community, Transact proudly serves more than 12 million students across 1,750+ client institutions. Transact's solutions facilitate $45 billion in payments annually and have enabled more than 58 million contactless mobile wallet transactions and $90 million in mobile orders in less than three years. For more information, visit www.transactcampus.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005867/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Insurity Announces Growth Investment from TA Associates Insurity, a leading provider of cloud-based software for property and casualty (P&C) carriers, brokers, and MGAs today announced that TA Associates, a leading global growth private equity firm, is making a strategic growth investment in the company. TA, along with Insurity's current investor, GI Partners, plan to further accelerate Insurity's growth and expand the delivery of the P&C insurance industry's most configurable, cloud-native, and intuitively analytical software platforms. Founded in 1985 and headquartered in Hartford, CT, Insurity has built a team of nearly 1,500 team members globally. The team's deep industry expertise and software offerings supporting the entire policy lifecycle have enabled it to build a strong customer base of P&C carriers, brokers, and MGAs. Insurity's customers include 15 of the top 25 P&C carriers in the U.S. and 7 of the top 10 P&C MGAs. Insurity also leads the industry with more than 250 cloud-based customers, a 97% customer retention rate, and over 50 go-lives in the past year. With an original investment in Insurity dating back to 2014, TA executed a successful sale to GI Partners in 2019. Today, TA's renewed commitment to Insurity's growth is a testament to the company's significant momentum and future direction. "We are thrilled to have TA renew their investment in Insurity," said Chris Lafond, CEO, Insurity. "In the past two years, we have built leading cloud-based and data-driven products, expanded our total addressable market, acquired eight leading companies, and onboarded 16 system integrator partners. Insurity is proud to work with over 500 customers. We are pleased to partner with both TA and our existing investor, GI, as they collectively provide us with greater access to resources to best serve the P&C insurance industry." "At TA, we have always seen Insurity as a company with outstanding growth potential," said Harry Taylor, Managing Director at TA, and Amit Jain, Senior Vice President at TA. "They have built a comprehensive portfolio of offerings from underwriting to advanced data and analytics capabilities, along with a deep commitmentto customer success. We are excited to partner with GI Partners and Insurity's world-class team to help accelerate growth and expansion." Insurity Board members, Travis Pearson, Managing Director and Co-Head of Private Equity at GI Partners, and Sendil Rajendran, Director at GI Partners, added, "Our continued investment reflects our deep commitment to Insurity's growth, and we look forward to collaborating with TA. In 2019, we invested in Insurity due to its differentiated cloud platform, relentless focus on customer success, and a leadership team that is committed to driving innovation in P&C insurance software. We have now seen Insurity launch new cloud-based software products, seamlessly deliver and implement them across the policy lifecycle, and enable P&C insurance carriers to quickly capitalize on new and emerging opportunities. Insurity's products, strategy, and team make it well-positioned for further acceleration." Lazard is serving as the exclusive financial advisor and Kirkland & Ellis LLP is providing legal counsel to Insurity. Goodwin Procter LLP is providing legal counsel to TA. For more information, please contact Laura Krause at [email protected]. About Insurity Insurity is a leading provider of cloud-based software and analytics for insurance carriers, brokers, and MGAs. Insurity is trusted by 15 of the top 25 P&C carriers in the US and has over 250 cloud-based deployments. Through its best-in-class digital platform and with unrivaled industry experience and thought leadership, Insurity is uniquely positioned to deliver exceptional value, empowering customers to focus on their core businesses, optimize their operations, and provide superior policyholder experiences. Insurity is a portfolio company of GI Partners. For more information, visit www.insurity.com. About TA Associates TA is a leading global growth private equity firm. Focused on targeted sectors within five industries - technology, healthcare, financial services, consumer and business services - the firm invests in profitable, growing companies with opportunities for sustained growth, and has invested in more than 550 companies around the world. Investing as either a majority or minority investor, TA employs a long-term approach, utilizing its strategic resources to help management teams build lasting value in high quality growth companies. TA has raised $47.5 billion in capital since its founding in 1968. The firm's more than 100 investment professionals are based in Boston, Menlo Park, London, Mumbai and Hong Kong. More information about TA can be found at www.ta.com. About GI Partners Founded in 2001, GI Partners is a private investment firm with over 100 employees and offices in San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Greenwich, and Scottsdale. The firm has raised over $29 billion in capital from leading institutional investors around the world to invest in private equity, real estate, and data infrastructure strategies. The private equity team invests primarily in companies in the healthcare, IT infrastructure, services, and software sectors. The real estate team focuses primarily on technology and life sciences properties as well as other specialized types of real estate. The data infrastructure team invests primarily in hard asset infrastructure businesses underpinning the digital economy. For more information, please visit www.gipartners.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006158/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] MicroSectors Launches Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Exchange Traded Notes on NYSE Arca REX Shares, LLC ("REX") is pleased to announce the launch of two new MicroSectors Exchange Traded Notes ("ETNs") issued by Bank of Montreal ("BMO") linked to the Solactive MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Index (ticker: SOLOILT). MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production 3x Leveraged ETNs (ticker: OILU) and MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production -3x Inverse Leveraged ETNs (ticker: OILD) will start trading today on NYSE Arca (News - Alert). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006176/en/ The Solactive MicroSectors Oil & Gas Exploration & Production Index, was launched in October 2021, and tracks the stock prices of large-capitalization companies that are domiciled and listed in the U.S. and that are active in the exploration and production of oil and gas. "We are excited to bring another pair of leveraged and inverse leveraged exchange-traded notes to market with BMO and Solactive," said Scott Acheychek, President of REX. "MicroSectors focuses on innovating the exchange traded products ("ETPs") landscape by offering targeted indices across popular market segments, such as U.S. energy, U.S. large cap banks, and U.S. big tech." About REX Shares Founded in 2015, REX Shares ("REX") is an independent provider of ETPs based in Fairfield, Connecticut. As ETP architects, the REX team creates investment vehicles that solve for a range of specific challenges in investor portfolios. The firm is rooted in decades of structuring and building inventive exchange-traded product solutions. For more information, please visit www.rexshares.com or www.microsectors.com. Twitter (News - Alert): @REXShares and @MSectors The ETNs are senior, unsecured obligations of BMO. Investment suitability must be determined individually for each investor, and the ETNs may not be suitable for all investors. This information is not intended to provide and should not be relied upon as providing accounting, legal, regulatory or tax advice. Investors should consult with their own financial advisors as to these matters. The ETNs are intended to be daily trading tools for sophisticated investors to manage daily trading risks as part of an overall diversified portfolio. They are designed to achieve their stated investment objectives on a daily basis. The returns on the ETNs over longer periods of time can, and most likely will, differ significantly from the return on a direct long or short investment in the index. BMO, the issuer of the ETNs, has filed a registration statement (including a pricing supplement, a product supplement, a prospectus supplement and a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC (News - Alert)") about each of the offerings to which this free writing prospectus relates. Please read those documents and the other documents relating to these offerings BMO has filed with the SEC for more complete information about BMO and these offerings. These documents may be obtained without cost by visiting EDGAR on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, Bank of Montreal, any agent or any dealer participating in these offerings will arrange to send the applicable pricing supplement, product supplement, prospectus supplement and prospectus if you so request by calling toll-free at 1-877-369-5412. Solactive AG ("Solactive") is the licensor of the Index. The notes are not sponsored, endorsed, promoted or sold by Solactive in any way, and Solactive makes no express or implied representation, guarantee or assurance with regard to: (a) the advisability in investing in the notes; (b) the quality, accuracy and/or completeness of the Index; and/or (c) the results obtained or to be obtained by any person or entity from the use of the Index. Solactive does not guarantee the accuracy and/or the completeness of the Index and shall not have any liability for any errors or omissions with respect thereto. Notwithstanding Solactive's obligations to its licensees, Solactive reserves the right to change the methods of calculation or publication of the Index, and Solactive shall not be liable for any miscalculation of or any incorrect, delayed or interrupted publication with respect to the Index. Solactive shall not be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, any loss of profits or business, or any special, incidental, punitive, indirect or consequential damages suffered or incurred as a result of the use (or inability to use) of the Index. MicroSectors and REX are registered trademarks of REX. The trademarks have been licensed for use for certain purposes by Bank of Montreal. The ETNs are not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by REX or any of its affiliates or third-party licensors (collectively, "REX Index Parties"). REX Index Parties make no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the owners of the ETNs or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in securities generally or in the ETNs particularly or the ability of the Index to track general market performance. REX Index Parties' only relationship to Bank of Montreal with respect to the Index is the licensing of the Index and certain trademarks, service marks and/or trade names of REX Index Parties. REX Index Parties are not responsible for and have not participated in the determination of the prices, and amount of the ETNs or the timing of the issuance or sale of the ETNs or in the determination or calculation of the equation by which the ETNs are to be converted into cash. REX Index Parties have no obligation or liability in connection with the administration, marketing or trading of the ETNs. Inclusion of a security within an index is not a recommendation by REX Index Parties to buy, sell, or hold such security, nor is it considered to be investment advice. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006176/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Launching VacayMyWay: Vacation Rental Bookings, Simplified DENTON, Texas, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- VacayMyWay takes the confusion out of vacation rentals with a new, simplified vacation rental booking website. Founded on three principles value, price transparency and open communication vacaymyway.com provides travelers the opportunity to plan and book vacations with ease, without complexities and frivolous fees. Travel industry veterans unveil no-nonsense vacation rental website without guest service fees. "This is an immensely exciting day as we officially launch VacayMyWay following years of monumental planning, dedication and invaluable input from our team," states Jim Stewart, CEO & Co-Founder. "VacayMyWay was created with the traveler in mind. Over the past years, our collective team of hosts and industry veterans has watched the vacation rental industry decline in customer service and become more complicated, overly profit centric and selfish. At VacayMyWay, our goal is to return to the fundamental joy of planning vacations by simplifying the process and eliminating excessive fee structures." Primary factors differentiating VacayMyWay from industry competitors: No guest service fees Transparent pricing, with no surprise at checkout Robust amenity search function that best fulfills travelers' criteria and budget without distracting sponsored listings or ads Conveniently connects travelers and hosts through clear, unfiltered communications Personalized, easily accessible and competent customer care Host financial control provides full autonomy for issuing refunds Guest identity verification and $1.3 million in damage protection included in every booking "We do not believe in charging guest service fees that overtake vacation budgets, leading travelers to feel nickel and dimed. Our approach is fair and transparent guests only pay the nightly rate, associated cleaning service and taxes with travel insuance as optional no nonsense. Guests will never feel surprised by additional fees appearing at check out," explains Stewart. "By removing guest service fees, offering free cancellation options and foregoing security deposits, customers will save up to 20% and have more travel funds available with VacayMyWay." At launch, VacayMyWay offers travelers vacation rentals throughout North America, ranging from beach to mountain destinations. Vacation options showcased on VacayMyWay must be entire private accommodations (no shared spaces) containing at least one kitchenette and at least one full bathroom. Travelers may choose from beach or lake houses and bungalows to cabins and cottages and much more. The platform encourages hosts to meet it's "Vacay Standard" of vacation rental criteria listed here . Additionally, VacayMyWay's extensive list of features and amenities is designed to enable travelers to make the best vacation rental selection for their needs and preferences, eliminating surprises. Top markets include New Orleans, the Carolinas, Florida, the Pacific Northwest, Texas and Costa Rica with plans to enter the European market in 2022. "At the end of the day, VacayMyWay is in the business of connecting hosts and travelers," Stewart adds. "By providing value adds such as guest identity verification, $1.3 million in damage protection on every booking and an overall ease of doing business, we project to deliver a boost in revenue of up to 20% annually for hosts versus the competition." To celebrate its launch, VacayMyWay is offering new hosts the chance to win a complimentary marketing campaign and home page feature. Travelers and prospective hosts can discover more and sign up for updates at vacaymyway.com . Click here for fact sheet and view downloadable imagery here. (Photo credit: VacayMyWay) About VacayMyWay: VacayMyWay is an industry-disrupting vacation rental website designed to simplify the booking journey for guests and listing process for hosts. Specializing in value-centric, low-cost bookings with transparent pricing and no guest fees, VacayMyWay includes guest identity verification and $1.3 million damage protection in every booking. Empowering open communication between hosts and guests and providing personalized, competent care, VacayMyWay strives to enhance trust, clarity and convenience in the vacation rental booking experience. Partners powering VacayMyWay include OKsystem, SUPERHOG, Rental Guardian and TruPlace. Learn more at vacaymyway.com and follow on Instagram , facebook and Linkedin . View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/launching-vacaymyway-vacation-rental-bookings-simplified-301419975.html SOURCE VacayMyWay [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] ALYI Announces $100M Cryptocurrency Backed EV Ecosystem CEO Video Presentation DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Alternet Systems, Inc. (USOTC: ALYI) ("ALYI") and Revolt Token (RVLT) ("RVLT") today announced a video discussion conducted by ALYI CEO Randell Torno and RVLT CEO Henryk Dabrowski detailing the status and future of the ALYI Electric Vehicle (EV) Ecosystem backed by Revolt Token (RVLT). ALYI is an Electric Vehicle and overall Electric Vehicle Ecosystem company concentrating on the East African market with plans to expand into to the overall global developing economic market. ALYI has designed its EV Ecosystem solution to include democratized participation. ALYI has partnered with Revolt Token to finance ALYI's growth by offering participation in the EV Ecosystem through the sale of Revolt Tokens. To learn more about Revolt Token and how to participate in ALYI's Electric Vehicle Ecosystem through the purchase of Revolt Tokens, visit https://rvlttoken.com/. The CEO discussion released today is guided by seven questions (see below) derived from inquiries to the two companies addressing RVLT's objective to provide ALYI with $100 million in funding: What are Alternet Systems and Revolt Token? Why is Alternet Systems investing in electric vehicles in Africa ? What is the potential expansion in other African countries? What are the objectives and business reasoning behind these projects? Can you provide an outline of the initiatives since 2019 through 2021, highlighting several milestones? What is the required funding? What are the financing options and what are the investment objectives? What is the difference beween buying ALYI shares versus buying a RVLT tokens? Can you provide some information on the current team and suppliers? How is the global supply chain impacting you? Why do non-standardization and DOT certification of electric vehicles leads to delays? What are the expected outcomes and timeline? https://www.alternetsystemsinc.com/rvlt-video. To learn more about Revolt Token and how to participate in ALYI's electric vehicle ecosystem through the purchase of Revolt Tokens, visit https://rvlttoken.com/. Look for more information on the two target acquisitions addressed herein to be coming over the course of Mr. Torno's travels this week and next. For more information and to stay up to date on ALYI's overall latest developments, please visit www.alternetsystemsinc.com . Disclaimer/Safe Harbor: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act. The statements reflect the Company's current views with respect to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Among others, these risks include the expectation that any of the companies mentioned herein will achieve significant sales, the failure to meet schedule or performance requirements of the companies' contracts, the companies' liquidity position, the companies' ability to obtain new contracts, the emergence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing. In the light of these uncertainties, the forward-looking events referred to in this release might not occur. For more information, please visit: http://www.alternetsystemsinc.com Alternet Systems, Inc. Contact: Randell Torno [email protected] +1-800-713-0297 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alyi-announces-100m-cryptocurrency-backed-ev-ecosystem-ceo-video-presentation-301420110.html SOURCE Alternet Systems, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Ryder Awarded on the Forbes America's Best Employers for Veterans 2021 List Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R), a leader in supply chain, dedicated transportation, and commercial fleet management solutions, has been named to the Forbes list of America's Best Employers for Veterans 2021. This prestigious award, in just its second year, is presented by Forbes and Statista Inc., the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider. The full awards list was announced earlier today and can be viewed on the Forbes website at https://www.forbes.com/lists/best-employers-for-veterans/#fb2dad73606f. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006256/en/ Ryder has long been committed to recruiting military veterans as the company has hired more than 11,000 veteran employees in the United States since 2011. (Photo: Business Wire) "At Ryder, we take pride in employing members of the veteran community, which is rich with disciplined, quality professionals whose skill sets match well with many roles in our company," says Robert Sanchez, chairman and CEO for Ryder. "Our veterans possess distinct skills learned through military service. Their inherent integrity and ability to follow through on commitments are characteristics that are vital to delivering on our promises to customers. It's a true honor to be recognized by Forbes, but more than anything, we are humbled by and proud of the veterans who work at Ryder. I'd like to thank and salute all our veterans for their service, sacrifice, and dedication; we are forever indebted to you." Forbes and Statista selected the America's Best Employers for Veterans 2021 based on an independent survey completed by over 5,000 veterans working for companies employing at least 1,000 people within the United States. Participants were asked to give their opinion on a series of statements related to general topics regarding their own employer, for example: atmosphere and development, image, working conditions, salary and wage, workplace, diversity, and a set of topics related specifically to the interests of veterans in the workplace. Veteran Hiring Initiatives at Ryder Ryder has long been committed to recruiting military veterans as the company has hired more than 11,000 veteran employees in the United States since joining the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring our Heroes program in November 2011. In 2015, Ryder launched its Veteran Buddy Program that pairs Ryder employees who are military veterans with new veteran employees. The program is designed to help ease the transition fom military to civilian life, which can be a major challenge for recently separated veterans returning to the workforce. In 2016, Ryder launched the Ryder Diesel Technician Career Skills Program in partnership with the U.S. Army. The program trains current active duty military members for placement into a Ryder technician position after military service at one of Ryder's nearly 800 maintenance locations. In 2017, the company was selected for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Hiring Our Heroes Lee Anderson Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Award for overall excellence in hiring and retaining veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses. In 2018, Ryder partnered with The CDL School's "Troops to Transportation" to offer driver training position to separating military members. Earlier in 2021, Ryder received the Above and Beyond Award on behalf of the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve Forces for outstanding service and continuing support to the nation's defense. The Above and Beyond Award is presented by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) State Committees to recognize employers at the local level who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act by providing their Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits such as differential or full pay to offset lost wages, extended health benefits, and other similar benefits. Veterans interested in Ryder careers can visit http://www.ryder.com/military, where they can match their skills with open positions at the company. Ryder Military Discount Additionally, the company is extending military discounts to its customers with its latest program around used commercial vehicles. This Veterans Day, Ryder will begin to offer 10% off the advertised price of a used vehicle to veterans, active military, and reservists. Visit ryder.com/used-trucks for terms and conditions and to learn more. About Ryder Ryder System, Inc. (NYSE: R) is a leading logistics and transportation company. It provides supply chain, dedicated transportation, and fleet management solutions, including full service leasing, rental, and maintenance, used vehicle sales, professional drivers, transportation services, freight brokerage, warehousing and distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, and last mile delivery services, to some world's most-recognized brands. Ryder provides services throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the United Kingdom. In addition, Ryder manages nearly 235,000 commercial vehicles and operates more than 300 warehouses encompassing approximately 64 million square feet. Ryder is regularly recognized for its industry-leading practices in third-party logistics, technology-driven innovations, commercial vehicle maintenance, environmentally friendly solutions, corporate social responsibility, world-class safety and security programs, military veteran recruitment initiatives, and the hiring of a diverse workforce. www.ryder.com Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: Certain statements and information included in this news release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Federal Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements, including our expectations of RyderShare's capabilities and our sustainability and technology initiatives, are based on our current plans and expectations and are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Accordingly, these forward-looking statements should be evaluated with consideration given to the many risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements including those risks set forth in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. New risks emerge from time to time. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors or to assess the impact of such risks on our business. Accordingly, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. ryder-ar ryder-usa View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006256/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] DevonWay QMS and EAM Software Selected by Los Angeles County Cancer Center SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- DevonWay, a leading provider of asset, quality, and safety management software to highly regulated enterprises, today announced that it will provide Quality Management System (QMS), Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), and Business Intelligence to City of Hope, a world-renowned research and treatment organization for cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases located in Duarte, California. With scientists, treatment staff, and manufacturing facilities side-by-side, City of Hope's treatments can quickly travel from laboratory to patient. City of Hope's Quality Assurance Department sought world-class software to support industry compliance standards and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) across manufacturing sites, including the Center for Biomedicine & Genetics, the Cellular Therapies Production Center, and the Chemical GMP Synthesis Facility. Additionally, they required support for FDA 21CFR Part 11 and FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy) Standards for high-quality medical and laboratory practices in cellular therapies. Cit of Hope chose DevonWay software-as-a-service (SaaS) to meet their requirements and for its centralized, intuitive, and integrated software to ensure consistent and continuously improving product quality and regulatory compliance. "We are proud to collaborate with City of Hope and honored to support them in providing high-quality, leading-edge care to cancer patients," said Chris Moustakas, President and CEO of DevonWay. "Moreover, this project is another example of a large organization needing software that can accommodate quality, asset management, and other operational functions in a single, seamless, unified platform." Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. A national leader in advancing research and treatment protocols, City of Hope has been ranked among the nation's "Best Hospitals" in cancer by U.S. News & World Report for over a decade. About DevonWay DevonWay software for Asset, Work, Quality, and Safety Management enables regulated, high-risk, and complex organizations to operate more efficiently and safely. Available in the cloud or on premise, DevonWay products collect, manage workflows for, analyze, and report on operational data while ensuring compliance to regulations and standards. Combining out-of-the-box production readiness with no-code configurability, DevonWay products meet customers' unique requirements with enterprise-grade security and scalability. For more information, please visit www.devonway.com. CONTACT: Jackie Holen, [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/devonway-qms-and-eam-software-selected-by-los-angeles-county-cancer-center-301420126.html SOURCE DevonWay [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Greenstone Wins Award for "Best Brokerage Firm & Solutions Provider" at MEA Finance Banking and Finance Awards 2021 Greenstone Equity Partners, won the award for "Best Brokerage Firm & Solutions Provider" at the MEA Finance Banking and Finance Awards 2021. The MEA Finance Banking and Finance Awards are an independently judged annual event to recognise the region's leading banks and financial institutions who build smarter, more effective, and more efficient solutions for their clients. The winners were announced at a gala event held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Dubai, with over 150 industry leaders from the banking and financial sevices ecosystem in attendance. Greenstone is the largest independent fund placement firm in the Middle East and leading provider of regulatory-compliant fund marketing and registration services in the GCC. Alex Gemici, Chairman & CEO of Greenstone, commented, "We are grateful that Greenstone Equity Partners has been recognized for our ability to continually source and create innovative products and solutions that deliver value and results for our Fund Manager Partners and GCC investors." Omar Al Gharabally, President & Chief Placement Officer, who received the award on behalf of Greenstone, said, "I am immensely proud of the Greenstone team. This recognition is a testament to the team's efforts of working diligently to provide market-leading opportunities to our investor base." About Greenstone Equity Partners Greenstone Equity Partners is the largest institutional-grade capital raising firm in the Middle East and the leading provider of regulatory-compliant fund marketing and registration services in the GCC. Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Dubai, Greenstone has deeply-rooted local relationships with 200+ GCC-based institutional investors and 1,500+ GCC based family office/UHNWI investors. Greenstone's 50+ employees service fund managers with aggregate AUMs in excess of $2 trillion. To find out more, visit www.gsequity.com *Source (News - Alert): AETOSWire View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006265/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Alumnus and Venture Partner Eric Wolford Named to Pepperdine Board of Regents Pepperdine University has appointed alumnus Eric Wolford ('88) to the Board of Regents, the governing body and chief policy board of the University. Alongside University leadership, the distinguished members of the Board of Regents shape policy and direction for Pepperdine and each of its schools. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006283/en/ Pepperdine University Board of Regents Member Eric Wolford (Photo: Busines Wire) "Eric is an inspiring man of faith as well as an important leader in the technology industry," expressed Dee Anna Smith ('86), chair of the Pepperdine University Board of Regents. "He will be an invaluable addition to our Board of Regents." Pepperdine University president Jim Gash (JD '93) shared a similar sentiment. "Eric has a godly and positive presence when he walks in a room," he said about Wolford. "His experience in global leadership and philanthropy make him a perfect fit for our board." Since 2014 Wolford has served as a venture partner at Accel Partners (News - Alert), where he focuses on enterprise infrastructure companies. Prior to Accel, Wolford spent years in a variety of product and management roles at FastForward Networks, Inktomi, and Riverbed (News - Alert), where he served as president of the products group and oversaw the growth of the company's flagship WAN optimization and app acceleration platforms, which grew from zero to over $1 billion in annual revenues. Wolford met his wife, Jennifer ('88), while attending the Heidelberg international program at Seaver College. He serves as an elder in their local church while she builds community through hosting numerous gatherings for charitable organizations in their home in Danville, California. As members of World Vision's National Leadership Council, they travel extensively for missions and seek to connect others with the love of Christ through friendship, service, and philanthropy. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006283/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] AM Best Upgrades Credit Ratings of Kansas Mutual Insurance Company AM Best has upgraded the Financial Strength Rating to A (Excellent) from A- (Excellent) and the Long-Term Issuer Credit Rating to "a" (Excellent) from "a-" (Excellent) of Kansas Mutual Insurance Company (KMIC) (Topeka, KS). The outlook of these Credit Ratings (ratings) has been revised to stable from positive. The ratings reflect KMIC's balance sheet strength, which AM Best assesses as very strong, as well as its strong operating performance, limited business profile and appropriate enterprise risk management (ERM). The rating upgrades reflect improvements in operating performance in recent years due to management's focus on underwriting discipline, rate adjustments and deductibles coupled with favorable weather-related loss experience in Kansas. As a result, the company's combined and operating ratios significantly outperform the personal property composite. Underwriting success has driven profitability for the company, which also has led to a double-digit increase in policyholder surplus in each of the past five years. AM Best expects the company's operating performance to remain favorable over the near term and continue to bolster its balance sheet strength. The company's business profile is limited due to the product offerings as a single-state property insurer with geographic concentration in catastrophe-prone areas. KMIC also benefits from an appropriate ERM program that supports its risk profile and a comprehensive reinsuranceprogram. This press release relates to Credit Ratings that have been published on AM Best's website. For all rating information relating to the release and pertinent disclosures, including details of the office responsible for issuing each of the individual ratings referenced in this release, please see AM Best's Recent Rating Activity web page. For additional information regarding the use and limitations of Credit Rating opinions, please view Guide to Best's Credit Ratings. For information on the proper use of Best's Credit Ratings, Best's Preliminary Credit Assessments and AM Best press releases, please view Guide to Proper Use of Best's Ratings & Assessments. AM Best is a global credit rating agency, news publisher and data analytics provider specializing in the insurance industry. Headquartered in the United States, the company does business in over 100 countries with regional offices in London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore and Mexico City. For more information, visit www.ambest.com. Copyright 2021 by A.M. Best Rating Services, Inc. and/or its affiliates. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006298/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Edgemont Partners Advises Michigan Institute of Urology on its Sale to Solaris Health, a Portfolio Company of Lee Equity Partners Edgemont Partners ("Edgemont"), a premier healthcare investment bank and a leading M&A and capital raising advisor exclusively serving healthcare companies, announced that it acted as exclusive financial advisor to Michigan Institute of Urology ("MIU") on its sale to Solaris Health ("Solaris"), a portfolio company of Lee Equity Partners. The terms of the transaction, which closed on November 5, 2021, were not disclosed. Edgemont's deal team was led by Brett Skolnik, Managing Director. The newest Solaris affiliate, MIU, is the most advanced private urology practice in Michigan with 60 providers delivering state-of-the-art care in 19 locations. Mitchell Hollander, MD, CEO of MIU, will serve as Solaris' Chief Innovation Officer and Vice Chairman of the Board of Solaris. The addition of MIU means that Solaris now aligns the skills and talents of over 330 providers who care for nearly 500,000 unique patients each year at more than 134 sites in New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan. "We welcome MIU as a practice that shares our vision to develop a national practice predicated on clinical excellence and business best practices," stated Solaris Chairman and Chief Ecosystem Officer, Deepak A. Kapoor, MD. Solaris President, Gary M. Kirsh, MD added, "By choosing to scale nationally, MIU physicians will maintain their high standards of patient care and gain access to the resources needed to successfully navigate an increasingly complex and consolidated health care system." "The size, scale and innovation advantages presented by this national network of urology practices redoubles our dedication to providing patients the most up-to-date, state-of-the-art care," said MIU's Dr. Hollander. "We're always striving for better outcomes, and ensuring excellence is met i all facets of our practice." "The addition of Michigan Institute of Urology, one of the leading urology practices in the United States, boosts the momentum we are building for even greater expansion," said Eric Mason, MD, MBA, Solaris Health CEO. MIU's sale to Solaris marks Edgemont's thirtieth physician services transaction. Other recent transactions include the sale of Tennessee Retina to Retina Consultants of America, the sale of Progressive Vision Institute to SightMD, growth investment in Mindful Health Solutions by Norwest Venture Partners, recapitalization of Quigley Eye Specialists by New Harbor Capital, the sale of Arizona Dermatology to West Dermatology, and the sale of Spine Nevada to HopCo. Edgemont is the leading investment banking firm advising independent physician practices and private equity-backed Clinician Services companies on strategic alternatives, including mergers, acquisitions, sales, and private equity recapitalizations. Edgemont's Clinician Services group serves practices across a broad range of office-based and hospital specialties, including outpatient mental health services, orthopedics / musculoskeletal care, cardiovascular care, dental, dermatology, ophthalmology, urology, urgent care, primary care, psychiatry, gastroenterology, rheumatology, pain management, women's health / OB-GYN, and fertility as well as emergency medicine, hospitalist medicine, anesthesiology, and radiology. About Michigan Institute of Urology Michigan Institute of Urology is one of the largest independent urologic sub-specialty groups in the United States, with 19 offices located throughout southeast Michigan. The practice, comprised of over 60 providers, is at the forefront of delivering the most advanced urologic care for men, women and children. MIU is committed to continuously improving the practice of urology through its research department with over 20 ongoing interventional, observational and biomarker trials. For more information, please visit www.michiganurology.com. About Solaris Health Solaris Health is a leading national healthcare platform committed to enhancing access to specialty healthcare and continually improving patient outcomes. Empowering community providers allows us to make sure that every decision we make puts patient care at the forefront. We are growing to meet the changing needs of the healthcare providers, and to develop innovative ways to better deliver value and state-of-the-art care to our patients. Solaris Health is proud to be among the most innovative medical organizations in the United States. For more information, please visit www.solarishealthpartners.com. About Edgemont Partners Now in its 20th year, Edgemont ranks among the most active and best-performing independent healthcare M&A and financial advisors in the U.S. We focus solely on providing expert strategic advice and transaction execution to healthcare and life sciences companies, bringing a steadfast commitment to our clients, driven always to prioritize their best interests. Edgemont's principals have executed 175+ transactions with an aggregate value of $75 billion+. For more information on Edgemont and how we can best serve you, contact Ben Hughes (News - Alert) at +1 (646) 632-3967, or visit our website at www.edgemont.com. Investment banking services are provided by Edgemont Capital Partners, LP, a registered broker-dealer and member of FINRA and SIPC. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006317/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Imply Introduces Project Shapeshift, the Next Step in the Evolution of the Druid Experience Druid Summit -- Imply, founded by the original creators of Apache Druid, today unveils Project Shapeshift, which will offer developers and organizations a next level Druid experience that reimagines the process of building modern analytics applications. A series of game changing capabilities will be released throughout the next year to transform the Druid experience to fit a cloud-native, developer-centric world. Gian Merlino, an original creator of Apache Druid and Imply co-founder and CTO, addressed Druid Summit attendees today and unveiled Project Shapeshift. The focus of Project Shapeshift is along three strategic pillars: cloud-native, simple and complete. Together, the innovations will radically simplify the Druid experience and extend the architecture to become an end-to-end solution for powering modern analytics applications. Cloud-native As development teams increasingly desire databases as cloud services, Imply is embarking on a mission to build a serverless and elastic consumption experience for Apache Druid. While Druid natively is a microservices-based architecture designed for the cloud, Imply is developing a control plane that removes tuning parameters, abstracts hardware boundaries for auto-scaling, integrates natively with other cloud services, and enables usage-based pricing. The net result will be a true SaaS (News - Alert) service for Apache Druid that accelerates developer agility. Simple Simplicity is a core focus for Imply as developers want Druid performance without complexity or requiring specialized expertise. Imply is driving an overall improvement to the ease of use across data ingestion, queries and cluster operations, to deliver the most developer-friendly database for analytics applications. Today, Imply is taking a major step forward announcing the intent to extend its powerful SQL API from querying to ingestion, processing and transformation. This new SQL API will simplify developer cycles, while retaining the core power of Apache Druid. Comlete Thousands of organizations have turned to Apache Druid as the core engine for their analytics applications because of the interactive data experience that Druid uniquely delivers at scale. As the importance of these applications expands, developers are now being asked to deliver more functionality and capabilities that extend beyond interactivity - including reporting for large result sets and long-running queries and complex conditional alerting across millions of objects. Imply will be undertaking a substantial architectural expansion, built on top of Apache Druid, to enable more flexibility and analytics capabilities for applications. This includes introducing a new multi-stage, decoupled query layer seamlessly integrated with the core Druid database engine that together will deliver an end-to-end solution for powering modern analytics applications. For developers and architects, Imply's new integrated architecture will uniquely enable them to support all of their analytics requirements for their applications in one platform. "We saw the impact that our friends at Confluent had when they launched their industry-defining Project Metamorphosis," said Gian Merlino, an original creator of Apache Druid, and Imply co-founder and CTO. "Establishing a path forward to massive adoption of a new data infrastructure lies in a strong commitment to advancing the underlying open source technology combined with a dedication to re-engineer the very foundation of that technology to be truly cloud-native. It's an outcome that can only be achieved by the original creators of the open source technology supported by the organization they lead. This is what Project Shapeshift is all about, and over the next 12 months there will be product updates for both Druid and Imply." Other keynote speakers at Druid Summit included Fangjin Yang, co-author of the open-source Apache Druid project and CEO and co-founder of Imply, who discussed building modern analytics applications with Druid and its place in the modern data world. Also, Jay Kreps, CEO and co-founder of Confluent and one of the original creators of Apache Kafka, discussed how modern data infrastructures are evolving and how the combination of Kafka + Druid enables organizations (including Confluent) to accomplish critical new use cases. About Imply Imply, founded by the original creators of Apache Druid, develops an innovative database purpose-built for modern analytics applications. Imply is driving a new era in data analytics, called Analytics in Motion, where interactive queries, real-time and historical data at unlimited scale, combine with the best price/performance, to realize the full potential of data. Imply has operations in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific and is backed by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Bessemer Venture Partners, Tiger Global Management, Khosla Ventures and Geodesic (News - Alert) Capital. For more information please visit imply.io. 2021 Imply. All rights reserved. Imply, the Imply logo, are trademarks of Imply Data, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Apache, Apache Druid, Druid and the Druid logo, Apache Kafka and Kafka are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Apache Software Foundation in the USA and/or other countries. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109005369/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Black Friday Starts Early at Lenovo.com Lenovo is kicking off the holiday shopping season early with its biggest Black Friday (News - Alert) Sale yet. Shoppers may take advantage of deals like 50% off select ThinkPad laptops, 30% off Yoga laptops and 60% off smart home accessories, November 15 through November 25, exclusively available at Lenovo.com. One-day offers and special doorbusters begin on Wednesday, November 24 and continue throughout the holiday weekend. On Thanksgiving Day (November 25) - beginning at 9 a.m. ET and continuing while supplies last - the Lenovo (News - Alert) 10e Chromebook Tablet will be available for only $99! On Black Friday (November 26), special offers will premier throughout the day, like the ThinkPad X1 Carbon for only $999, the Yoga Smart Tab tablet for only $169.99, huge discounts on Lenovo Legion gaming laptops and desktops, and select PC accessories for only $9.99. Below is a selection of the many deals and promotions included in this year's Black Friday Sale*: Black Friday Starts Now (November 15-25) Up to 50% off select ThinkPad laptops and up to 30% off select Yoga laptops Smart Home Accessories up to 60% off MyLenovo Rewards members are eligible to earn 3x rewards on PC Accessories and Electronics Wednesday, November 24 7 p.m. - Blue Mic at $149.99 off 7 p.m. - ThinkPad X1 Gen 3 Tablet for 66% off 7 p.m. - IdeaPad 3 15" laptop for only $399.99 Thursday, November 25 (Thanksgiving Day) 9 a.m. - Chromebook Duet for $229.99 10 a.m. - 50% off ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 Mobile Workstations 10 a.m. - Lenovo C27-30 27" monitor for $199.99 12 p.m. - Yoga 9i 2-in-1 laptop for 22% off Friday, November 26 (Black Friday) 9 a.m. - Lenovo Legion 5 Pro gaming laptop fo only $1,669.99 9 a.m. - Our best deal on Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon - only $999! 9 a.m. - Lenovo Smart Clock with new Charging Pad for $69.99 10 a.m. - IdeaCentre Mini 5i desktop at $519.99 10 a.m. - Yoga Smart Tab tablet for $169.99 10 a.m. - ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5 for as low as $1,049.00 - That's up to 60% off 11 a.m. - ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 laptop for only $599 12 p.m. - Legion Slim 7 (15" AMD (News - Alert)) gaming laptop for $1,499.99 1 p.m. - Legion Tower 5i gaming desktop for $1,179.99 1 p.m. - Y25 25" Gaming Monitor at $269.99 3 p.m. - Tab M7 tablet with kids bumper bundle for only $89.99 Logitech (News - Alert) MX Anywhere 2 wireless mouse for $29.99 For more details on all the great offers included in this year's Black Friday sale, visit https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/d/deals/doorbusters/?cid=us:seo:41h72l Shoppers enrolled in the MyLenovo Rewards program can earn three times the rewards points on PC accessories and electronics purchases from November 15 through November 24 and double rewards points on all purchases from November 24 through November 29. Customers who sign up for the MyLenovo Rewards program and make purchases on Lenovo.com get three percent of the purchase price returned to them as rewards points on future purchases. MyLenovo Rewards points can be redeemed on Lenovo products and electronics from some of the world's top brands. Learn more at https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/rewards *All times ET. Offers good while supplies last. Shop early to ensure the best selection. About Lenovo Lenovo (HKSE: 992) (ADR: LNVGY) is a US$60 billion revenue Fortune Global 500 company serving customers in 180 markets around the world. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, we are developing world-changing technologies that power (through devices and infrastructure) and empower (through solutions, services and software) millions of customers every day and together create a more inclusive, trustworthy and sustainable digital society for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com and read about the latest news via our StoryHub. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006337/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] GetCovered.io Raises $7 Million in Series A Funding Led by RET Ventures to Simplify the Insurance Process for Property Managers and Renters GetCovered.io, the insurance software company that makes it simple to buy and track property and casualty insurance online, today announced the completion of its $7 million Series A financing round led by RET Ventures and joined by Updater, Pelican Ventures, and Crocker Mountain. In addition to the capital investment, the round's strategic investors also offer direct access to more than 6 million rental units and more than 30 million square feet of real estate. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006238/en/ GetCovered is an insurance software company that makes it simple to buy and track property and casualty insurance online (Graphic: Business Wire) GetCovered works with insurance carriers, agencies, multifamily owner/operators, and proptech companies to ensure that tenants purchase a community's minimum required policy - for both residential and commercial leases - and tracks policies throughout the term of the lease. GetCovered provides its partners with a customizable frontend for tenants to purchase insurance from A-rated carriers as well as a backend policy admin portal for COI verification, tracking, billing and policy administration. Founded by Brandon Tobman, Dylan Gaines and Ryan Solomon in 2018, GetCovered was built to bridge the gap between the insurance and real estate sectors. "By bundling all the relevant insurance products for apartment residents, we're able to simplify the process for each stakeholder while providing valuable ancillary benefits to landlords, including policy administration and COI tracking," said GetCovered CEO Brandon Tobman. "In raising this round, we were particularly excited to work with strategic investors like RET Ventures and Updater, who have incredible influence and expertise in the real state sector. Our mission has been to become the Shopify of Insurance and give the smaller Property Managers and Insurance Agencies access to the same tools the large companies have, and this capital infusion will help turn that vision into a reality." GetCovered's commercial partners include Updater, the largest moving platform in the country, Marsh, NFP, Confie and other major insurance agencies. "GetCovered's unique approach to partnership distribution helps them acquire customers much more cost-efficiently than their direct-to-consumer competitors," said John Helm, Partner of RET Ventures. "Besides its clear value to property managers, the company also has synergies with several of our portfolio companies, which made GetCovered a very compelling investment opportunity for us." GetCovered helps both agencies and carriers modernize their own technology so they can sell any insurance products online at scale and administer billing and payments to compete with today's insurtechs. GetCovered counts more than five hundred insurance carriers and agencies as clients. GetCovered's API integrates fully with a wide range of property management software, including Yardi Voyager, Onesite, MRI and Entrata, creating further efficiencies for the real estate industry by embedding insurance tracking within their existing processes. The platform also powers several insurance-related proptech companies, including Belong Homes, Obie Risk and Knox Financial. As part of improving the process of moving, Updater helps its users easily enroll in key services at their new home - including utilities, internet service and insurance. GetCovered and Updater have signed a commercial agreement to help residents more efficiently sign up for the right insurance policies at the appropriate minimum requirements. "Updater is dedicated to building a more delightful and less stressful moving experience. Providing our users with a seamless experience for setting up insurance at their new home is critical for a great move," said David Greenberg, Updater's Founder and CEO. "GetCovered's unique platform will not only benefit millions of Updater users, but also hundreds of our real estate partners, which is why we're thrilled to support GetCovered's mission." About GetCovered.io GetCovered is bringing tenants and landlords a better way to do insurance. The GetCovered software platform is a single portal that streamlines every form of property-related insurance, providing real estate managers and their residents with renters' insurance, master liability programs, security deposit alternatives and other risk management products. The platform leverages proprietary technology and an easy-to-use interface, as well as partnerships with leading insurance agencies, property managers and proptech firms, to provide a wide range of insurance solutions in just a few clicks, eliminating time and hassle from tenants and landlords. About RET Ventures A leading real estate technology investment firm, RET Ventures is the first industry-backed early stage venture fund to strategically focus on helping build cutting-edge "rent tech" - technology for multifamily and single-family rental real estate. RET's base of Strategic Investors includes some of the largest REITs and private real estate owner-operators and managers, who control approximately 2.4 million apartment units. Through its deep expertise and connections within the industry, RET has created a unique real estate innovation ecosystem that delivers significant value to the companies it backs, providing them with access to thought leaders, development partners and ongoing guidance. For more information, please visit www.ret.vc. About Updater Technologies Updater, the US leader in ReloTech, makes moving easier for the millions of American households that relocate every year. Updater streamlines the moving process by serving as a centralized hub where consumers can easily accomplish everything they need such as connecting internet service and transferring utilities, reserving a moving company, updating their address, and much more. Over 1,000 real estate companies have partnered with Updater to deliver a simplified moving experience to their clients. For more information, please visit www.updater.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006238/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] CFA Charterholder Head of Strategy Joins Dynamic's Investment Management Team Dynamic Advisor Solutions dba Dynamic Wealth Advisors, a professional services provider for wealth advisors, recently welcomed a new member to the team: Konstantin (Kostya) Etus, CFA joined Dynamic in a new role as Head of Strategy, Investment Management and Portfolio Services, as the firm seeks to accelerate development of institutionalized asset management services. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006145/en/ Konstantin (Kostya) Etus, CFA(R) Head of Strategy, Investment Management and Portfolio Services, Dynamic Advisor Solutions dba Dynamic Wealth Advisors (Photo: Business Wire) Dynamic's U.S. network comprises approximately 80 wealth advisory practices and includes Independent Advisor Representatives (IARs) and Regstered Investment Advisors (RIAs), serving nearly 5,000 clients and more than $3 billion in assets. Etus has more than a decade of specialized experience in asset allocation and security selection of various ETF and mutual fund portfolios, including management of mutual funds, ETF strategies, ESG investments and 529 plans. In addition, he has experience evaluating multiple types of third-party investment strategies that include SMAs, model portfolios and individual funds through a robust due diligence framework. Prior to joining Dynamic, Etus rose through the ranks at the Orion organization (CLS Investments and Orion Portfolio Solutions), serving as a Trading Specialist, Research Analyst, Portfolio Manager and finally, as Director of Research. Prior to Orion, he served as Associate Financial Analyst at ConAgra Foods, Inc., managing the company's global cash network. "We're thrilled to welcome Kostya to Dynamic, expanding the depth of our asset management leadership team with credentialed, experienced professionals as more advisors look to outsource portfolio management and have come to rely on our investment management team to solve complex client situations," said CEO Jim Cannon. "Most advantageous for Dynamic, Etus has deep portfolio management experience working with clients as well as advisors." Cannon noted, "As a Portfolio Manager, Kostya was charged with helping advisors close and maintain business. In his lead research role, he oversaw the due diligence on all strategists, so he's seen the benefits of solid structure and organizational framework to deliver, manage and grow an asset management business." Etus holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and the FINRA Series 65 securities registration. He earned a Master of Investment Management and Financial Analysis and Master of Business Administration degrees from Creighton University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska Omaha. About Dynamic Advisor Solutions dba Dynamic Wealth Advisors For successful wealth advisors who value independence and want to elevate their practices to the next level, Dynamic Advisor Solutions is a professional services provider, delivering a complete business solution, myVirtualPractice, to create efficiencies so advisors can focus on providing exceptional client experiences. For more information, visit DynamicAdvisorSolutions.com. Investment advisory services are offered through Dynamic Advisor Solutions, LLC, dba Dynamic Wealth Advisors, an SEC (News - Alert) registered investment advisor. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006145/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Lake-Sumter State College dedicates the Congressman Clifford B. Stearns Library & Learning Success Center LEESBURG, Fla., Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Lake-Sumter State College and the LSSC Foundation dedicated the Library building on the Leesburg Campus in recognition of former U.S. Representative Clifford B. Stearns. Congressman Stearns served Florida's 6th District, which included a significant portion of North Central Florida, including all or parts of Lake and 7 other counties, from 1989 to 2013. "Meeting the needs of our communities has always been my top priority and to be able to continue that work here at Lake-Sumter State College is both an honor and a blessing," said Rep. Stearns during today's ceremony. "My wife Joan and I are excited to see the completion of the Stearns Library & Learning Success Center and how students will receive opportunities to advance their learning capabilities." Earlier this year, Congressman Stearns donated to the LSSC Foundation in support of the renovated Library facility. In May, the LSSC District Board of Trustees approved the naming of the facility as the Clifford B. Stearns Library & Learning Success Center. "The Library is one of our oldest buildings on the Leesburg campus and has been visited by tens of thousands of students preparing for theirfutures while building lifelong memories," Dr. Stan Sidor, President of Lake-Sumter State College, told the crowd today. "Today, we look forward to the opportunities that this naming and renovation will bring to our students and the Leesburg campus. Our vision is to reimagine the traditional library as an immersive and innovative experience focused on flexible learning environments." The Stearns Library & Learning Success Center will create a flexible learning environment by combining a variety of spaces suitable to different learning styles and preferences quiet study, group study, open areas, meeting rooms, etc. Through the utilization of technology and hands-on experiences, the library becomes an extension of the classroom to reinforce key concepts and foster collaboration. The new Stearns Library & Learning Success Center will have librarians, tutors, and academic support staff available to students all in one location. "On behalf of the District Board of Trustees, we are honored that [Rep. Stearns] chose Lake-Sumter State College for this gift and are grateful for the opportunities this renovated facility will bring to the Leesburg Campus," said Tim Morris, Chair of the LSSC District Board of Trustees. "We are appreciative of your support to the community and of education." Renovations on the Stearns Library & Learning Success Center will continue into 2022. About Lake-Sumter State College Founded in 1962, Lake-Sumter State College (LSSC) offers a high-quality education at an affordable price to the communities of Lake and Sumter counties. As a proud member of the Florida College System, LSSC serves more than 6,000 students annually at three locations: Leesburg, South Lake (Clermont), and Sumterville. LSSC offers non-credit, certificate, and degree programs designed to support and prepare students for today's dynamic workforce. LSSC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Learn more about LSSC at www.lssc.edu. Media Contacts Kevin Yurasek 352-365-3526 (office), 813-704-0711 (cell) [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lake-sumter-state-college-dedicates-the-congressman-clifford-b-stearns-library--learning-success-center-301420281.html SOURCE Lake-Sumter State College [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] British Company Altilium Group Ltd and Indonesian Partner to Advance the World's Most Sustainable Next-generation Nickel Extraction Technology in Indonesia LONDON, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Booming demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and insufficient investment in processing looks likely to result in a global shortage of the metals needed to manufacture lithium-ion batteries, especially nickel. Global demand for nickel is set to increase dramatically over the next 20 years. Against this backdrop, British company Altilium Group today announced an agreement with PT Indo Mineral Research, a member of the Sebuku Group, one of Indonesia's largest mining groups, to co-operate in the development and promotion of the DNi Process in Indonesia, the country with the world's largest reserves of nickel. The two companies have agreed to commit financial, technical and logistical resources to accelerate the adoption of the DNi Process and to play a key role in the EV battery supply chain. Discussions are now underway with several parties to construct DNi Process plants in Indonesia, with the first plant likely to deliver at least 20,000 tonnes of nickel in mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) a year, sufficient nickel and cobalt for the equivalent of around 500,000 and 250,000 lithium-ion batteries, respectively. In addition, the DNi Process will produce saleable co-products such as: hematite, magnesium oxide, aluminium hydroxide and scandium oxide. The lack of sensitivity of the DNi Process to ore grade is one feature which has Indonesian resource owners excited. Because it can treat all the ore in a laterite mine and extracts all the metals available in that ore the economics of the process make the utilisation of low-grade ores both possible and profitable. Such features also set the DNi Process apart from existing metallurgical processes. DNi Process plants will supply markets around the world. Currently, almost all the hydrometallurgical plants operating in Indonesia, which produce MHP, are Chinese owned or backed HPAL plants which supply the Chinese market. Chris Gower, CEO of Altilium Group, said: "The DNi Process is a win-win for Indonesia, the EV industry and the environment. We are very excited to take this first major step forward with the Sebuku Group. Together, we will help make Indonesia the premier producer of cleaner nickel and other metals which are needed to enable the mass adoption of EVs." Web site: www.altiliumgroup.com Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/altiliumgroup [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Urban Affairs Coalition Announces Service Award Honorees in Celebration of 52 Years of Positive Community Impact The Urban Affairs Coalition (UAC) will celebrate 52 years of driving change in the Philadelphia region, from working to improve quality of life to building wealth and solving emerging issues, with a series of events that kicks off on November 19 with a virtual event, highlighted by the announcement of its 2021 service award honorees. "For more than half a century, partnership has been at the core of who we are and our ability to continue our mission to ensure that organizations both large and small get the support they need to increase equality and success in our communities," said Sharmain Matlock-Turner, president and CEO of UAC. "Together we can accomplish what no one organization can do alone." Since its founding in 1969, UAC has helped friends, families, and neighbors across Philadelphia create stronger, more vibrant communities. The organization is thrilled to recognize this year's special group of individuals and organizations who have helped make this possible through their shared commitment to positively transform the region and beyond. For their work to promote economic development, to battle homelessness and poverty, to end racism, to counteract violence and hate, to deliver vital health services during a global pandemic, and to eliminate gaps for marginalized communities, UAC is thrilled to announce the recipients of its 2021 "Doer," Living Legacy, Community Leadership, and Founders Awards. A celebration of their achievements will continue through June 2022. "Doer" Award Recipient: Dr. Eddie Glaude Jr., New York Times Bestselling Author & Chair of Princeton University's Department of African American Studies Created in honor of former Pennsylvania Governor, Edward G. Rendell, the "Doer" Award is presented to a leader who represents the spirit of the Coalition, and personifies the UAC Created in honor of former Pennsylvania Governor, Edward G. Rendell, the "Doer" Award is presented to a leaer who represents the spirit of the Coalition and personifies the UAC's "a home for Dreamers and 'Doers.'" Living Legacy Award Recipient: Dr. Ala Stanford & The Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium Created in honor of Congressman Dwight Evans, this award is presented in recognition of visionary leadership and commitment to foster the Coalition's mission of improving life chances for youth and young adults; building wealth in urban communities; and strengthening the nonprofit sector. Community Leadership Award Recipient: Gregory Heller, Director at Guidehouse Created in honor of UAC's former Executive Director Ernest "Ernie" Jones Esq., this is presented each year to a local community leader who has exceptionally contributed to the quality of life in the Greater Philadelphia Region. Founders Award Recipient: PNC (News - Alert) Bank Established to mark UAC's 50th anniversary, the award recognizes stalwart community partners for their distinguished service to the Coalition and its communities, rooted in the principals of its Founders. "Through their work driving real change, our 2021 awardees are helping carry out UAC's mission to even more deserving individuals," said Matlock-Turner. "We're proud to honor these members of our community who share our vision to improve the quality of life within our region." Kicking off UAC's 52nd anniversary celebration on November 19 will be Dr. Eddie S. Glaude Jr., New York Times best-selling author and chair of Princeton University's Department of African American Studies, and 2021 "Doer" Honoree. The virtual event will feature a "fireside chat'' with Glaude and Sulaiman Rahman, founder and CEO of DiverseForce, and center around Dr. Glaude's 2020 book Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for our Own, in which he takes a wide look at Black communities, the difficulties of race in the United States, and the challenges we face as a democracy. UAC thanks lead sponsors AmeriHealth Caritas, Comcast (News - Alert) NBCUniversal, Independence Blue Cross, Marsh McLennan Agency, Merck & Co. Inc., PECO, Philadelphia Eagles, and Walmart, its stalwart anniversary sponsors and year-round funders for their generous support of the 52nd anniversary celebration. To register and attend the free, virtual event on November 19 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m., and to learn about the 2021 honorees and ongoing anniversary event series, visit uac.org/anniversary. About the Urban Affairs Coalition The Urban Affairs Coalition unites government, business, neighborhoods, and individual initiatives to improve the quality of life in the region, build wealth in urban communities, and solve emerging issues. Please visit uac.org for more information about the ongoing work of the Coalition. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006454/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] OKY Announces Expansion of Services in Argentina MIAMI, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- OKY, a cross-border e-commerce fintech platform, announced today it is expanding its operations to Argentina, providing immigrants access to more than 115 brands. With this expansion, OKY begins operations in the second largest economy in South America. Argentina is the sixth country in the region to join the OKY marketplace. Expanding operations in Argentina has been a goal for OKY since its inception as it has close to a million immigrants abroad who will be able to use OKY's platform to send gifts to their loved ones at home. To date, OKY is available in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and now Argentina. "In Argentina, the number of consumers that operate digitally exceeds 27 million people. The growth in number of users adopting digital platforms became evident during the pandemic as people were forced to resort to digital aternatives. With OKY, now anyone from Argentina living abroad will be able to participate and benefit from the digital marketplace enabled by our APP, closing the gap to share gifts and experiences with their loved ones back home", explains Victor Unda, CEO of OKY. OKY is the only Fintech platform designed to enable cross-border e-commerce activities. Through OKY, users can send prepaid gifts directly to their relatives in their country of origin to make purchases in stores and participating businesses. To use OKY, the user must simply download the application, select from the participating brands available in Argentina - which includes Supermercados Dia, Vital, Fravega, Despegar, and several restaurant chains, fashion brands, gift stores and household brands -, choose the prepaid gift and share it with their loved ones. ABOUT OKY OKY was founded in the summer of 2020 by and for immigrants, to promote financial inclusion among underserved communities and help them overcome, through the use of technology, the financial barriers they must face. OKY achieves this by allowing users to conduct e-commerce transactions without the support of financial institutions, which often prevents the immigrant community from achieving financial stability. Today, OKY users in the United States and other countries have access to the Central American region market, including retail service providers in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico. For more information, visit the OKY website, https://okyapp.com/ CONTACT: OKY, Julio Ligorria [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oky-announces-expansion-of-services-in-argentina-301420391.html SOURCE OKY App [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Salesforce Announces Timing of its Third Quarter Fiscal 2022 Results Conference Call Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), the global leader in CRM, today announced that its third quarter fiscal year 2022 results will be released on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, after the close of the market. The company will host a conference call at 2:00 p.m. (PT) / 5:00 p.m. (ET) to discuss its financial results with the investment community. A live webcast and replay of the event will be available on the Salesforce Investor Relations website at www.salesforce.com/investor. About Salesforce Salesforce, the global CRM leader, empowers companies of every size and industry to digitally transform and create a 360 view of their customers. For more information about Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), visit: www.salesforce.com. Salesforce has headquarters in San Francisco, with offices in Europe and Asia, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CRM." For more information, please visit https://www.salesforce.com, or call 1-800-NO-SOFTWARE. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006501/en/ [November 09, 2021] Imperial Valley College Selects Nuventive to Facilitate a Data-Informed Culture, Integrating Outcomes and Assessment PITTSBURGH, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuventive, a planning and improvement software leader for higher education, announced today that Imperial Valley College (IVC) selected the Nuventive Improvement Platform to transform its institutional planning and outcomes assessment processes. The Southern California institution chose Nuventive for its ability to facilitate a data-informed culture while simplifying processes for faculty and staff, as well as to foster strategic alignment with different types of plans. Learn more about fostering a culture of data-informed improvement at www.nuventive.com or [email protected] The Nuventive Improvement Platform helps higher education institutions use information to innovate and continuously advance their most pressing initiatives, from strategic planning to accreditation, learning outcomes, program review, and more. IVC is part of the California Cmmunity Colleges (CCC) system, of which many institutions use the Nuventive platform. "We rolled out Nuventive at the same time as our new Tableau business intelligence system," said Yolanda Catano, Interim Associate Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Equity, and Student Success at Imperial Valley College. "We were looking for a solution that would facilitate the program review narrative without going to multiple screens. With Nuventive, we can now see the narrative next to the information sources in a single screen." Moving away from a labor-intensive, spreadsheet-based process, IVC also uses mapping between Nuventive and Canvas, the learning management system in use by the CCCs, to align tasks in conjunction with program review. "This lets us see the bigger picture, so we can highlight successes, needs, challenges, and barriers," Catano adds. "By giving faculty and staff a voice, it helps them highlight ongoing efforts, versus feeling threatened by data." "One of the most amazing parts of this transformation was the collaborative relationship with Nuventive," Catano noted. "The whole team was so responsive to our needs from presentations to the president to setting up the solution in an attainable way, so we didn't have to change our processes to use it. Now that we're launched, they've helped us identify and implement upgrades to our processes to make it even easier for faculty and staff to utilize Nuventive for institutional planning." The Nuventive Improvement Platform: Supports any planning, improvement, or transformation initiative. Brings structure and continuous improvement to the full lifecycle of planning, collection, analysis, action, and evaluation. Builds individual and institutional capabilities for improvement that can be applied to future initiatives. "We're excited to support Imperial Valley College as they advance their data-informed culture, as part of a growing movement in higher education" said Nuventive CEO Dr. David Raney. "By organizing the information higher education institutions already have by business process and putting it in context for each user, institutions can manage any improvement process consistently and truly create a learning organization." For more information, contact Nuventive at [email protected] or +1-877-366-8700. About Nuventive Nuventive enables higher education institutions to turn their plans into progress through the better use of information. Its cloud-based platform-as-a-service brings business process and information together to support any improvement initiative, including overall strategy, accreditation, student success, learning outcomes, general education, sustainability, administrative outcomes, program review, and diversity. Nuventive is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with distribution in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions. For more information, please visit www.nuventive.com or call +1.412.847.0280. Contact: [email protected] Nuventive, the Nuventive logo, and the marks relating to other Nuventive products and services referenced herein are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Nuventive LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/imperial-valley-college-selects-nuventive-to-facilitate-a-data-informed-culture-integrating-outcomes-and-assessment-301420434.html SOURCE Nuventive [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Largest Shareholder of Nocopi Technologies Objects to Board Entrenchment Cedar Creek Partners, LLC ("Cedar Creek") the largest shareholder of Nocopi Technologies, Inc. (Pink: NNUP) ("Nocopi") is disappointed that the board of Nocopi continues its twenty year track record of preventing shareholders from choosing board members. Cedar Creek Partners, Eriksen Capital Management clients and Tim Eriksen, the managing member of Cedar Creek, and advisor to accounts managed by Eriksen Capital Management own in excess of 10% of Nocopi's shares. The board of Nocopi has refused to hold an annual meeting for over twenty years. On August 26, 2021 Cedar Creek Partners delivered to Nocopi a written request to call a special meeting of the shareholders of Nocopi. The request was signed by shareholders representing in excess of 25% of the outstanding shares. The board rejected the request as failing to comply with company bylaws. We strongly disagree with the board's attempt to reject our validly called special meeting. It continues a pattern of entrenchment, disregard for shareholder rights, and contempt for the true owners of Nocopi - its shareholders. As if the rejection of our special meeting request wasn't enough, the board made the unilateral decision to classify itself (i.e., stagger the board) and limit or strip shareholder power to remove directors, change the size of the board, and fill board vacancies. Every one of the changes the board implemented is contrary to good corporate governance. It begs the question: why is the board afraid to let shareholders have a choice in their representatives on the board? The answer is obvious to us - the board knows shareholders would vote for wholesale change on the board. As such, the directors are using every trick in the book to prevent us from holding them accountable for their years of mismanagement and disregard for shareholder rights. The only positive movement was the board said it intended to hold an annual meeting in the spring of 2022. We believe that only happened because we had communicated that we were ready to force the issue in Maryland courts if necessary. We urge all shareholders to contact the company and the Board and voice your displeasure at their abysmal treatment of shareholders. Tell them that shareholders own the company and have the right to an annual election of directors. That they should quit acting like dictators and let the whole board stand for election n 2022. The current board members of Nocopi are: Michael Feinstein - CEO and Chairman of Nocopi. Elected to the Board in a proxy battle in 1999. In 1999 he was part of a group called the Nocopi Committee To Maximize Our Return on Equity, or "NoMore." Ironic name since shareholders got no more annual meetings for twenty years under Mr. Feinstein. Nor did they get much in the way of return on equity. Nearly all the gain in equity is due to raising capital. Other than his initial election, he has never been elected by shareholders during his nearly 22 years on the board. We believe he has stacked the board with his buddies. Philip B. White - international consultant in the private sector. Appointed to the Board in August 2006. Never elected by shareholders during his 15 years on the Board. Marc Rash - Executive Vice President at Keystone Property Group based in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Appointed to the Board in September 2017. Never elected by shareholders in his 4 years on the Board. Joe Raymond - investment analyst at Santa Monica Partners. Appointed to the Board in October 2021. We are concerned that he is unknowingly a pawn of the board. The board needed to add another "independent" director in order to stagger the board. We are surprised that a firm like Santa Monica Partners would knowingly align itself with a board violating so many principles of good corporate governance. He has never been elected by shareholders. We think it is clear that Messrs. Feinstein, Rich, White and Raymond are not acting in shareholder interests and should either resign or allow shareholders to vote on them as directors. It is our belief that change is long overdue at Nocopi. Shareholders own the company and not only deserve, but have a right to demand, good corporate governance, and not suffer under something that seems similar to a dictatorship. Additional Information and Where to Find It Cedar Creek and Tim Eriksen have requested the call of a special meeting of shareholders of Nocopi. We are evaluating our legal options in terms of challenging Nocopi's rejection of the special meeting request. Promptly after filing its definitive proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC (News - Alert)") for the special meeting of shareholders of Nocopi, Cedar Creek intends to furnish that proxy statement to Nocopi's shareholders, together with a WHITE proxy card. SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT (INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS THERETO) AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION. Shareholders may obtain, free of charge, Cedar Creek's preliminary proxy statement, any amendments or supplements thereto and other relevant documents filed by Cedar Creek with the SEC at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov). Copies of Cedar Creek's definitive proxy statement, any amendments and supplements thereto, and any other relevant documents filed by Cedar Creek with the SEC will also be available, free of charge, by contacting Cedar Creek's proxy solicitor, InvestorCom LLC, at 19 Old Kings Highway S., Suite 210, Darien, CT 06820, or by phone at (203) 972-9300. Cedar Creek, Eriksen Capital Management, LLC, Tim Eriksen, Harris Perlman, and Matthew Winger are participants in respect of the solicitation of proxies from shareholders of Nocopi at the special meeting. Cedar Creek owns 6,073,953 shares of Nocopi's common stock. Mr. Eriksen may also be deemed to be the beneficial owner of such shares. In his individual capacity, Mr. Eriksen owns or may be deemed to own 639,886 shares of Nocopi's common stock. Mr. Perlman owns 3,361,886 shares of Nocopi's common stock. Mr. Winger owns 306,526 shares of Nocopi's common stock. About Cedar Creek Partners Cedar Creek Partners is a private investment fund founded in 2006. Cedar Creek focuses on micro cap stocks, including unlisted stocks, looking for companies it believes are trading below intrinsic value. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006595/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Anaplan Announces Date for Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2022 Earnings Conference Call Anaplan, Inc. (NYSE:PLAN) will report results for its fiscal third quarter ended October 31, 2021 after the market closes on Tuesday, November 23, 2021. The results will be included in a press release with accompanying financial information that will be released after market close and posted on the Anaplan Investor Center website. Anaplan's executive management team will hold a conference call and webcast beginning at 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET to share financial results and business highlights. Event: Anaplan Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2022 Earnings Conference Call When: Tuesday, November 23, 2021 Time: 2:00 p.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. ET Live Call: Please see online registration Replay: (800) 770-2030 or (647) 362-9199 with passcode 47794 Live Webcast: https://investors.anaplan.com or with replay available for 12 months About Anaplan Anaplan (NYSE: PLAN) is a transformative way to see, plan, and run your business. Using our proprietary Hyperblock technology, Anaplan lets you contextualize real-time performance, and forecast future outcomes for faster, confident decisions. Because connecting strategy and plans to collaborative execution across your enterprise is required to move business FORWARD today. Based in San Francisco, Anaplan has over 175 partners and more than 1,750 customers worldwide. To learn more, visit anaplan.com. Investors and others should note that the Company routinely uses the Investor Center section of its corporate website to announce material information to investors and the marketplace. While not all of the information that the Company posts on its corporate website is of a material nature, some information could be deemed to be material. Accordingly, the Company encourages investors, the media, and others interested in the Company to review the information that it shares on www.anaplan.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211109006601/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [November 09, 2021] Switch to Host Hybrid Investor Day Program LAS VEGAS, Nov. 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Switch, Inc. (NYSE:SWCH) will host its Investor Day on Monday, November 15, 2021. The event will take place at Switch's Las Vegas headquarters, accompanied by a live webcast for virtual attendees. Switch Founder and CEO Rob Roy will present his vision and long-term strategy. In addition, members of the executive management team will outline the company's leading sustainability practices and future objectives, key operational and financial aspects of the business, and present its multi-year financial targets. The live and virtual session begins at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time with an overview and tour of Switch's Core Campus in Las Vegas, hosted by Switch's Chief Information Officer, Missy Young. Following the completion of the live and virtual data center tours, the afternoon session will begin at 12:00 p.m Pacific Time. Please visit Switch's investor relations wesite at https://investors.switch.com/ for additional information, including registration and access to the live stream. A webcast replay of the event will also be accessible on the Events and Presentations page of the investor relations website. ABOUT Switch Switch (NYSE: SWCH), is the independent leader in exascale data center ecosystems, edge data center designs, industry-leading telecommunications solutions and next-generation technology innovation. Switch Founder and CEO Rob Roy has developed more than 750 issued and pending patent claims covering data center designs that have manifested into the company's world-renowned data centers and technology solutions. We innovate to sustainably progress the digital foundation of the connected world with a focus on enterprise-class and emerging hybrid cloud solutions. The Switch PRIMES, located in Las Vegas and Tahoe Reno, Nevada; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; and Austin, Texas are the world's most powerful exascale data center campus ecosystems with low latency to major U.S. markets. Visit switch.com for more information or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/switch-to-host-hybrid-investor-day-program-301420484.html SOURCE Switch, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Police investigation turns deadly tonight. Here is the first report . . . Homicide 1800 Block of Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd This afternoon about 2:45pm detectives from Missing Persons were following up in regard to an ongoing missing persons investigation. They responded to 1800 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. to an apartment there checking the welfare of a resident who had been reported missing. Inside the residents apartment they located an adult male victim deceased. The circumstances were suspicious in nature, and the Missing Persons Detectives notified the Homicide Unit. Homicide detectives responded to the scene and a homicide investigation is now underway. Crime Scene investigators will be processing the scene for evidence and to hopefully give detectives more information regarding what led up to and the cause of the victims death. Detectives will also be canvassing at the apartment for any witnesses or anyone who may have any information. The scene is currently confined to the inside of the apartment building and there is no general public access to non residents or guests. If anyone saw anything or has any information and they have not talked to detectives yet they are asked to contact the Homicide Unit directly at 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline anonymously at 474-TIPS. A reward of up to $25,000 is available for information leading to an arrest in this case. ######## Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . Police investigating homicide at Kansas City apartment by: Brian Dulle Posted: / Updated: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kansas City, Missouri police are investigating a homicide Monday after a man was found dead inside an apartment. Detectives were following up in regard to an ongoing missing persons investigation Monday afternoon and responded to Brush Creek Towers near Woodland Avenue and Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard. KCPD investigating homicide near Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Kansas City Police Department is investigating a homicide after investigating a missing persons report. Around 2:45 on Monday afternoon, police went to the 1800 block of Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd. regarding an ongoing missing persons investigation. Developing . . . In this roundup we share BOTH sides of the discourse . . . There's a great deal of advocacy for an ex-con along with reasonable fear of killers stalking local streets. Check the TKC collection . . . Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . KC musician mourned by his family after becoming the target of a suspected serial killer A KC musician is being mourned by his family and friends after being targeted by a suspected serial killer. Damon Irvin, 35, was one of two people suspected to have been killed by Perez Reed in KCK last week.Police arrested Perez Reed of St. Louis on Friday. Kevin Strickland's quest for freedom continues Tuesday KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Kevin Strickland's pursuit of freedom continues Tuesday. Monday saw the beginning of an evidentiary hearing, the outcome of which could result in his release from prison after 43 years. Strickland was convicted in a 1978 triple murder. His conviction hinged on the eyewitness testimony of the lone survivor, Cynthia Douglas. KCK church vandalized, fire damages building KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -- A fire set on Sunday night damaged a KCK church, but no one was hurt. Firefighters responded to New City Church on Shawnee Road near South Early Street. An initial investigation revealed someone had lit a temporary portable toilet on fire, which then caused damage to both the exterior and interior of the church building, according to information released by the church. Families of recent KCK homicide victims hope for justice after arrest of suspected serial killer Families of the victims found dead at Wyandotte Towers last week feel one step closer to justice after the arrest of a possible serial killer. Right now, Kansas City, Kansas police are only referring to Perez Reed, 25, as a "person of interest" in the deaths of 25-year-oldRau'daja Fairrow and 35-year-old Damon Irvin. The people running Kansas prisons have never seen a staffing crisis this bad HUTCHINSON, Kansas - By 8 p.m. on a Friday, David Gorges has already clocked 48 stressful hours counseling and guarding inmates at the state prison in town. His work week isn't over. He's working security at The Alley, an arcade and bowling alley in Hutchinson. Developing . . . Tonight we review more local crime news, police action and investigation as KC metro 4th quarter violence continues to spike. Check the www.TonysKansasCity.com collection . . . KC man charged in fatal July 2020 shooting of Diamon Eichelburger A Kansas City man, 19, faces felony charges in connection with the July 20, 2020 fatal shooting of Diamon Eichelburger as she walked with her 1-year-old child in a stroller along a busy street in Kansas City, Missouri. David W. Kansas City, Missouri, police detective's partner testifies on 1st day of trial The other Kansas City, Missouri, police detective at the scene when Det. Eric DeValkenaere shot and killed Cameron Lamb on Dec. 3, 2019, testified Monday on the opening day of the first known trial in the city's history in which a police officer was charged in a deadly on-duty shooting. Kevin Strickland first to testify at long-awaited hearing KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- Kevin Strickland has waited for this day for 43 years. Finally, a Jackson County judge is weighing evidence in his case. Strickland was convicted of a 1978 triple murder in Kansas City. He has proclaimed his innocence for years, and earlier this year, Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker agreed. Second suspect charged in 2020 deadly shooting of pregnant woman KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A 19-year-old is now facing charges in the death of a pregnant Kansas City woman who was walking her 1-year-old in a stroller at the time she was killed. David W. Everson has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the July 2020 death of Diamon Eichelburger. Overland Park police investigate reported kidnapping attempt at Pawnee Elementary KMBC file image SOURCE: KMBC file image Police in Overland Park said they are investigating a report of an attempted kidnapping Monday of a boy outside Pawnee Elementary School on West 91st Street.Police said they were contacted just before 4 p.m.Authorities said there were no other witnesses other than the boy who reported that a man told him to get in the car. Overland Park police search for dog that attacked man by: Heidi Schmidt Posted: / Updated: OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - Overland Park police and animal control officers are looking for a dog that bit a man in the face early Monday morning. Officers said a man was walking his dog near West 79th and Grant streets around 6 a.m. Second nurse in two months indicted for stealing fentanyl from Johnson County hospital KANSAS CITY, Kan. - A second nurse has been charged with stealing fentanyl from a Johnson County hospital. A federal grand jury indicted Alec Ramirez, 30, with possession of fentanyl, tampering and other related crimes. Ramirez was a registered nurse at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park. Developing . . . As objectively as possible, we notice a great many activists and progressive journalists interested in this proceeding . . . And advocating for a verdict in line with their agenda. Here's the background . . . Lambs killing was among several cases cited by a group of civil rights organizations in a petition urging U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate the Kansas City Police Department. The indictment in the case came days after Lambs death garnered renewed attention stemming from his familys meeting with then-President Donald Trump in 2020. In the past year, prosecutors have brought criminal charges against five white Kansas City police officers for allegedly using excessive force against Black people. DeValkenaere is the only officer charged in an on-duty killing. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . Trial begins for Kansas City police detective charged in Cameron Lamb's death KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The trial for a Kansas City, Missouri, police detective charged with the shooting death of a Black man began Monday morning. Det. Eric Devalkenaere requested a bench trial, meaning a judge - instead of a jury - will determine his fate. KC officer on trial in Cameron Lamb's 2019 death A trial began Monday for a Kansas City, Missouri, police officer accused of involuntary manslaughter in a 2019 shooting -- the first time that a white officer from the city has been criminally accused of killing a Black man.Officer Eric J. Cameron Lamb supporters claim they've been shutout of Jackson County courtroom KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The bench trial has begun Monday in the case of a Kansas City police detective charged with involuntary manslaughter. Some protesters believe it may not be possible to get justice for victim Cameron Lamb. Jackson County Judge Dale Youngs will determine if veteran police Det. Activists, attorneys express concern in Cameron Lamb case KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Monday marked the first day of a criminal trial against a Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department detective charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter in the 2019 shooting death of Cameron Lamb. Developing . . . BREAKING NEWS offers a glimpse at local municipal push back over pandemic policy. To wit . . . TKC BREAKING NEWS!!! LEES' SUMMIT OPPOSES EXTENDED JACKSON COUNTY MASK MANDATE AND NOW THEY'RE SENDING A DEFIANT MESSAGE TO THE COURTHOUSE!!! Remember . . . Our TKC blog community helped document the disparity in local policy and confusion amid "the science" last week . . . Now legislators are hoping to correct the contradiction. Check the text and legislation that's up for a vote at the Lee's Summit 6PM council meeting tonight . . . A Resolution expressing opposition to the current mask mandate promulgated by the Jackson County, Missouri and urging the adoption of a mask mandate similar to that in place within the corporate limits of the City of Kansas City, Missouri. Issue/Request: On August 9, 2021 Jackson County Missouri via the County Executive first enacted the current mask mandate. At that time, covid transmission in the County was high and a similar mask mandate was in effect in Kansas City, Missouri. At this time, however, covid transmission is much lower. Notwithstanding those lower numbers, the same mask mandate was extended on November 1 by Jackson County to continue until November 22, 2021. On November 4, 2021 the City of Kansas City, Missouri dramatically scaled back its mask mandate to have only limited applicability. This resolution states the opposition of the Council of the City of Lee's Summit to the current Jackson County mask mandate and urges adoption of a mask mandate similar to that in Kansas City, Missouri. Proposed City Council Motion: I move for adoption of a Resolution expressing opposition to the current mask mandate promulgated by the Jackson County, Missouri and urging the adoption of a mask mandate similar to that in place within the corporate limits of the City of Kansas City, Missouri. Presenter Brian W. Head, City Attorney Recommendation Staff recommends approval of this resolution. ########## Developing . . . Right now we want to share an important FACT CHECK from our reader community regarding the consequences of free transit. Here's the word on a recent and surprisingly controversial service change for Ride KC . . . THANKS TO FREE RIDES, A KANSAS CITY BUS STOP SHUTS DOWN DUE TO WORSENING CONFLICT WITH HOMELESS & FREELOADERS!!! Update by request: Remember that pre-pandemic there was a terrifying double shooting at this bus stop and since then insiders have told us that it has become even worse. To be fair, TKC actually does have compassion for the homeless but the "free ride experiment" is not without problems that impact the working poor. Leading up to this no-vote decision . . . There wasn't very much outcry to make buses free, most riders simply wanted better service . . . And that worthwhile goal still proves elusive. This shut down is just one example out of many . . . And possibly a hint that even a nominal fare served to PROTECT BUS RIDERS from vagrants far more than any potential economic hardship it created. Real talk . . . Incentives and free bus rides could have been accomplished via coupons or passes for people in need rather than opening up the buses to every derelict on the street. A description of the problem spot from a KICK-ASS TKC TIPSTER whom we trust . . . "This site has been a problem, even by Walmart standards. Homeless people camped out right next to people waiting for buses and a problem for the McDonalds, Starbucks and all the neighboring businesses." Whilst we admire the work of Fox4, we must contradict their report. First Blue Ridge Crossing is, in fact, in KCMO -- Check Google maps if you don't believe us, some of the locale does cross into Independence, MO but this is certainly a prob wherein KC decisions have impacted the situation. Secondly, yes, it's pretty easy to confirm this low-rent bus stop has been a source of trouble that has been worsened by freebie bus rides. Here's the official line that doesn't really offer much explanation or insight for the ongoing reduction in service following the free bus ride crusade . . . Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . Johnstown, PA (15901) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 36F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 36F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Veda Yowell, 90, of Clinton, passed away on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, at IU West Hospital in Avon, surrounded by her loving family. Veda was born in Parke County on August 30, 1931, to Harry and Angeline Ladiha Crossley. She married her husband, Fred, on July 22, 1949, and together, they We landed in Malta and had to install the app at the airport It was not easy. We were there for 2hours trying to install and use the verify app.. with help from the staff we were able to enter Malta. They would not accept are Canada qr, Instant unlimited access to all of our content on triplicate.com. The Triplicate's 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) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Here TRUMBULL The life of Nero Hawley reads so much like a movie script it seems hard to believe Hollywood hasnt filmed it. Born into slavery and given away as a wedding gift at age 17, he served with distinction in George Washingtons Continental Army before becoming a prominent businessman and landowner, all while spending two decades emancipating five other members of his family. For a Black man at that time to be in business and own property was a really big deal, said Lois Levine, president emeritus of the Trumbull Historical Society. He owned property all over town, was active in his church. If he had been white, he would have been first selectman. Hawley was born in the Tashua area, then part of Stratford, in 1742 and was one of about 25 slaves in the area. From birth, he was the property of Peter Burr Mallet, according to From Valley Forge to Freedom: A Story of A Black Patriot, a biography of Hawley written by E. Merrill Beach and published in 1975. Beach was the first president of the Trumbull Historical Society and wrote several books about town history in addition to donating the land that would later become Beach Memorial Park. Neros story has so many interlocking parts with modern day Trumbull, said history teacher Meredith Ramsey. It is fascinating that he was continually able to reinvent himself. Ramsey, a Trumbull native and a society board member, teaches history in Wilton. She also has spent the past few years researching Nero Hawleys life and developing a program designed to bring his story to Trumbull school children. The African American voice is sadly lacking in history, she said. Many people played a huge role in this countrys founding, and they just dont get the recognition they deserve. Not much is known about Hawleys early life. In 1758, Mallets daughter Phebe married Daniel Hawley and the couple received Nero as a wedding gift from Mallet, along with a house and barn and 20 acres of land from Daniels parents. The house still stands along what is today Daniels Farm Road, according to Hawley Family geneologist Pam Hawley Marlin. It really opens peoples eyes to learn that there was slavery and a slave trade in Connecticut at that time, Ramsey said. Mallet, one of Tashuas earliest settlers, was known to have owned numerous slaves and traded them during the French and Indian War, according to Beach. Two years after giving Nero to his daughter and son-in-law, Mallet died of smallpox at age 48. In his will, he ordered his slaves, possibly including Neros mother and other family members, sold. During the next 19 years, Nero Hawley worked in Daniels saw mill and clay pit, gaining expertise that he later put to use for his own benefit and his familys. He married Peg, who was a slave of the Rev. James Beebe, in 1761. Though he remained the property of Daniel Hawley, Nero lived on Beebes farm and worked in his mill. He and Peg had four children over the next 16 years. The turning point in Nero Hawleys life came on April 20, 1777, when he made the 25-mile trip to Danbury and enlisted in the 2nd Connecticut Regiment of the Continental Army in Daniel Hawleys place. By signing up for the duration of the war, Nero was entitled to a bonus, and he earned a salary of $6.67 per month, about $164 today, according to Beach. During his time in the army, he was present at some of the most important events of the war, Ramsey said. His regiment engaged the British at the Battle of Monmouth, he was with the army during the winter at Valley Forge. His unit was at West Point during Benedict Arnolds betrayal. Interestingly, during the Revolutionary War, Black soldiers served in fully integrated units, according to the U.S. Army. Emancipated in 1782 after his war service, Nero Hawley, then 41 years old, returned to Daniel Hawleys farm as a hired hand but by 1785 had purchased five acres of land including a clay pit along modern day White Plains Road with money he had saved, combined with his army pension. Nero Hawley also purchased a small house, described as a cabin-like structure near Daniel Hawleys house, from Beebe. The clay pit and kiln, used to bake bricks, were located near the current Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Ramsey said. Some of the bricks, uncovered during the construction of the Route 25 connector in 1974, are on display at the historical societys museum. Many still bear scorches from being heated and cured in the kiln. When the workers uncovered them, they brought them to Mr. Beach, and he knew right away based on where they were found, that they had to be from Nero Hawley, Levine said. These were actually loaned to the Smithsonian, which put them on display for a while before returning them. The income generated by the brick-making business, along with several properties around town, allowed Nero to buy Peg and two of his children out of slavery. His two youngest children were probably freed around 1801 by Beebes widow. Beebe himself had died in 1785. A census of Trumbull in 1800 listed four slaves and 31 free Blacks, out of a total population of 1,291, according to Beach. Following the emancipation of his family, records of Hawleys life become more scarce, but he did purchase a wooded plot near current day Hedgehog Lane for use in timbering. He later sold that land to Joseph Plumb, a fellow Revolutionary War veteran. The final land transaction of Nero Hawleys life came in 1807, when he and a small group of other men bought a lot next to Daniel Hawleys property to be used as a burial ground, according to Marlin. The land eventually became Riverside Cemetery, and when Nero Hawley died in 1817, at age 75, he was buried there. Peg Hawley, who died in 1833, is also buried there. Ramsey said it was important to keep the Nero Hawley legacy alive, especially to Trumbull students. He really had an incredible life and he impacted so many aspects of the town, she said. To come from slavery and see how he and his family made a life for themselves right here where they are now. This story needs to be told. Tucson, AZ (85741) Today Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 78F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Low 59F. Winds ESE at 10 to 20 mph. Tullahoma, TN (37388) Today A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Thunder is possible early. Low 42F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Thunder is possible early. Low 42F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%. In the past 24 hours, the Russian occupation forces five times breached the ceasefire agreement, including once with the use of weapons proscribed by the Minsk agreements. Thats according to the press service of the Joint Forces Operation Command, Ukrinform reports. "Russian armed formations continue to ignore the agreements reached within the framework of the Trilateral Contact Group," the statement said. For example, near Vodiane, in the Sea of Azov littoral, the enemy opened fire using 82 mm mortars and large-caliber machine guns. In the area of the settlements of Pavlopil and Luhanske, the occupiers fired grenade launchers of various systems and large-caliber machine guns. Near Novoluhanske, the enemy engaged Ukrainian positions with automatic easel grenade launchers. Not far from Shumy, Russian-controlled forces fired large-caliber machine guns and other small arms. Ukraine military reported no casualties over the past day. Joint Forces returned fire without employing weaponry proscribed by the Minsk agreements and thus forced the enemy to cease shelling. As of 7:00 Kyiv time on November 9, Ukraines JFO reported no new ceasefire violations by the Russian occupation forces. Ukrainian troops are monitoring the situation in the area and continue to deter and repel Russias armed aggression. im The Pentagon continues to monitor the situation around Ukraine amid reports of groupings of Russian troops amassed at the border. Thats according to John Kirby, Spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense, who spoke at a briefing on Monday, November 8, Ukrinform reports referring to the Pentagon press service. Asked by a reporter how the Pentagon assesses information on 90,000 Russian troops deployed in the area close to the Russian-Ukrainian border, Kirby said he would not delve into intelligence assessments at the moment, especially in terms of the numbers. "We continue to see concerning movements by the Russian military around in their western areas and around Ukraine. We continue to call on them to be clear about what their intentions are, what they're actually doing," Kirby said. He also called on Russia to abide by the Minsk agreements and to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense said as of early November 2021, a 90,000-strong grouping of Russian troops had been amassed near the Ukrainian border and in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia. The U.S.-based Politico outlet earlier published new satellite images that the journalists claim confirm recent reports that Russia is again massing troops and military hardware on the border with Ukraine. Several other outlets, including The Washington Post, also wrote that in recent weeks, Russia has resumed the movement of military hardware and troops toward the border with Ukraine. Citing unnamed sources among U.S. and European officials, the newspaper said the movement began after the Kremlin completed a large-scale joint military exercise with Belarus, Zapad 2021, nearly a month and a half ago. im Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi signed a memorandum on the establishment of the Associated Trio for the joint successful European integration of the three countries. As an Ukrinform correspondent reports, the signing ceremony of the memorandum took place during a joint visit of the foreign ministers of Moldova and Georgia to Kyiv. "We have done a very important thing today. We signed a document to establish the Associated Trio. This will be enhanced cooperation between our three countries on the issues of European integration. This is a new initiative, it is very timely, and this decision is very timely, which will help our countries to move forward more efficiently together on the path of European integration," Kuleba said after the signing ceremony. As noted, Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have a special status of associate partners in relations with the EU and have made their choice in favor of future EU membership. "Today we have agreed to formalize this status and together continue to move towards European integration. The Associated Trio includes three main elements: structured consultations on European integration between the three ministries of foreign affairs, joint engagement in dialogue with European institutions, as well as coordination of positions within the Eastern Partnership," Kuleba explained. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia David Zalkaliani said that based on the memorandum, the foreign ministries of the three countries would determine concrete steps and work together to strengthen political dialogue with the EU, as well as economic and sectoral integration with the European Union. Acting Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova Aureliu Ciocoi noted that signing of the memorandum was a logical continuation of the cooperation started earlier. "Of course, each of the three countries has its own specific interests and specific issues on the agenda of cooperation with the EU. We will discuss them bilaterally, but we will also cooperate on issues in which we see the added value of our tripartite efforts," Ciocoi said. ol President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky had a phone conversation with President of Poland Andrzej Duda, Ukrinform reports, referring to the Ukrainian presidents press service. Particular attention was paid to the coordination of the parties' positions on counteraction to the Nord Stream 2 project. The interlocutors were unanimous in their assessments of Nord Stream 2 primarily as a security threat and reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to further opposition to the project, reads the report. In particular, Zelensky stressed this is in the interests of Europe's energy security in general." In addition, the parties paid special attention to promising projects of cooperation in the energy sector, in particular, on the establishment of alternative ways of gas supply. Zelensky informed Duda about the development of the security situation in the east of Ukraine. The Ukrainian president also raised the issue of ensuring freedom of movement in the current difficult epidemic conditions. He said he believes that no additional restrictions on entry to the Republic of Poland would be introduced for Ukrainian citizens. Zelensky separately raised the issue of increasing the quota of permits for Ukrainian road carriers. The presidents agreed to exchange visits and hold a series of events dedicated to the significant anniversaries of Ukrainian-Polish relations - the 30th anniversary of Poland's recognition of Ukraine's independence, the establishment of diplomatic relations and the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. As reported, a large group of migrants approached the Belarusian-Polish border on Monday, trying to forcibly enter Poland. As a result, the barriers on the border were partially destroyed, and Poland's law enforcement officers used tear gas to stop the migrants. A meeting of the government crisis headquarters and a meeting of the National Security Bureau chaired by President Andrzej Duda were held in Warsaw. iy Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Presidents Office Roman Mashovets has held a meeting with Ambassador of Sweden to Ukraine Tobias Thyberg. Ukrinform reports this with a reference to the presidents press service. Roman Mashovets informed Tobias Thyberg about the complication of the situation in eastern Ukraine and the concentration of an armed group along the Ukrainian border ready to be used by the Russian Federation against our state at any moment. He focused on Russia's holding of a series of exercises against Ukraine this year, the asymmetry of Russia's actions and its use of Belarusian territory to possibly expand aggression, the report says. The Presidents Office deputy head also stressed that Russia is actively using information, energy and other non-military resources as weapons. In particular, Mashovets provided examples of Russian disinformation campaigns and the first consequences of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, when Europe faced an energy crisis stimulated by the Russian side in September-October. For his part, Tobias Thyberg noted that Sweden, as the country chairing the OSCE, is closely monitoring the security situation around Ukraine, making efforts to stabilize it and promoting coordination between the United States and the European Union to ensure security in Europe. The Swedish ambassador called on the Ukrainian leadership to deepen the dialogue with the EU, and also noted that the European Union must have a good understanding and proper assessment of the security situation in order to prepare the necessary response, the report says. In addition, the parties agreed to continue security consultations and exchange of information on the situation in eastern Ukraine and near its eastern borders. iy Ukrainian Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova and European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders have discussed further steps in the transformation of the Ukrainian prosecutor's office, the Prosecutor General's Office has reported. During their meeting in Brussels, both parties discussed progress in the reform of the prosecutor's office in Ukraine and the need for judicial reform, the report said. "We are grateful for the attention and assistance of the European Commission and all European colleagues in carrying out vital changes for Ukraine. At present, our goal is to focus on all the trials of the victims. It is for their sake that we are working to build a fair and speedy justice," Venediktova said. She also announced the next steps in the transformation of the Ukrainian prosecutor's office, including the development of human resources and the development of improved ethical standards, which will be dealt with by the newly created prosecutorial self-government bodies. Reynders noted the efforts of the Ukrainian authorities in implementing European standards. An important topic of their conversation was the fight against corruption, including the election of the leadership of the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office. "Anti-corruption infrastructure is in dire need of a leader, and I am confident that an independent open competition will be completed soon and Ukraine will have a professional and effective head of the SAP. At the same time, we need to focus the activities of all our state institutions on combating not only corrupt criminals but also the global phenomenon of corruption by preparing high-quality legislative initiatives and improving criminal procedure and economic instruments," Venediktova added. She also talked about the latest results in the field of prosecution for corruption crimes and in cases of large debtor banks that defrauded depositors. She also raised the issue of deepening cooperation with European partners in the field of return of assets from abroad. On November 9, during her visit to Brussels, Venediktova discussed the reform of the prosecutor's office with members of the European Parliament. op The priority of the newly appointed Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories Iryna Vereshchuk, as a new member of the Trilateral Contact Group will be to protect the interests of citizens in the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine. Thats according to her comment voiced for Dom TV, Ukrinform reports. The next TCG meeting, set to be held on November 10, will be the first one for the newly appointed senior official. The main task set by Ukraines top leadership is to take care of citizens living in temporarily occupied areas. "I heard from Mr. President the tasks he set for me as delegate to the TCG. Of course, this is about the people. This is about concern for these people, this is about a humanitarian component. Of course, we will also talk about political aspects. But first of all, as Minister of Reintegration, I have to think about the people living in the temporarily occupied territories, those who are now suffering on the line of contact. They want us to help them. We must reach out to them, we must hear them out and help them," Vereshchuk said. She also listed areas of work that could be made more effective. One of them is the unimpeded access of Red Cross representatives to the affected populations in the temporarily occupied areas. "Of course, the Minsk process doesnt imply political decisions. They are made within the Normandy Four process. It is the level of leaders. It is unfortunate that the Minsk process yields no results even at the operational and tactical level, where we could agree, for example, to ensure that the International Committee of the Red Cross had access to our military held (in the occupied territories - ed.) and for whose release we have been waiting; that the Red Cross had access the sick ones who require assistance," the minister added. In addition, the Ukrainian government continues to insist that the occupation administrations open entry-exit checkpoints on the line of contact, as well as that the issue is resolved of pensions and vaccination of citizens in the temporarily occupied areas. "Of course, we would like the checkpoints to be opened. We understand how important this is. It is both a matter of vaccination and issues related to pensions. But now the Russian side is blocking any steps taken by Ukraine to help people in both the temporarily occupied territory and the territory on the line of contact," Vereshchuk said. However, in order to discuss the topic substantively, the deputy prime minister must attend at least one meeting of the TCG. "Id like to see how everythings happening, Id like to hear people who make decisions today or those who act to the detriment of the people in those areas where they turn to us and can't get help. When international organizations, when leaders of countries that have promised to be mediators can't solve a seemingly simple human question, Id really like to listen to the arguments of the other side. And when I hear it all, I will be able to analyze (the TCGs work - ed.) and tell people of how we move and what our logic is," Vereshchuk concluded. As Ukrinform reported earlier, on November 4, the Verkhovna Rada appointed Iryna Vereshchuk Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine. Prior to that, the position was held by Oleksiy Reznikov, who was appointed Minister of Defense. On November 5, President Volodymyr Zelensky removed Defense Minister Reznikov from the Ukrainian delegation to the Trilateral Contact Group, appointing Andriy Kostin as acting first deputy head of the Ukrainian delegation. im facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published Nov. 11, 2021 Asja Jordan is the new Miss University of Louisiana Monroe 2022. Pictured, from left, are third runner-up Alyssa Garner, first runner-up and Preliminary Talent Award winner Leslie Hobgood, Jordan, Miss ULM 2021 Allison Newton, second runner-up Kennedy Boston-Woods, and fourth runner-up Victoria Sterling. Lanaya Bolden/ULM photo services Miss ULM 2022 Asja Jordan and Mr. ULM 2022 Jared Anders will serve as ULM ambassadors for the upcoming year. By Ashlyn Dupree ULM Office of Marketing and Communications Asja Jordan, a public administration graduate student from Monroe, was crowned the 68th Miss University of Louisiana Monroe, Friday, Nov. 5, in Brown Auditorium. Jordan also received the Preliminary Red Carpet Award. Jordans platform is Potential 2 Kinetic, a business Jordan created. Potential 2 Kinetics goal is to be a catalyst for positive change and transformation within individuals and communities through yoga services, fitness training, community projects, and synergistic partnerships. Miss University of Louisiana Monroe 2022 Asja Jordan is crowned by Miss ULM 2021 Allison Newton, as President Ron Berry, left, and Miss ULMs Outstanding Teen 2020-21 Katie Redmond, right, look on. The competition was on Nov. 5 at Brown Auditorium. Lanaya Bolden / ULM photo services As Miss ULM, I dedicate and commit myself to the job of being a strong representative of the university, but also an active member and servant for the community. Wearing a crown and sash, it can be very glamorous and fine, but its not the most important to me, Jordan said. The most important thing to me is the job behind it. Because at the end of the day, you take the crown off, and youre still a servant, a leader. Thats the quality that I wish to embody during this year. As Miss ULM, Jordan receives a $2,000 scholarship for two semesters awarded by the Campus Activities Board and a $4,500 cash prize awarded by the Student Government Association. Jordan also gets a one-bedroom apartment on campus for her reigning year and a $300 bookstore award. Jordan will compete for the title of Miss Louisiana in June 2022 at the Monroe Civic Center. Leslie Hobgood from Shreveport was awarded the first runner-up and Preliminary Talent Award. The second runner-up was Kennedy Boston-Woods, a Monroe native, receiving a $2,000 tuition scholarship from CAB. The third runner-up was Alyssa Garner of Frierson, winning a $1,000 tuition scholarship by CAB. Victoria Sterling, an Abbeville native, was the fourth runner-up and received CAB's $750 tuition scholarship. TyLeshia Brown of Winnsboro won the Social Media contest as well as Advertisement Sales award; Kiauna Rollins of Baton Rouge won the Peoples Choice Award; MacKenzie Washington of Minden won Miss Congeniality, Spirit of Miss ULM, and the Non-Finalist Talent Award; Sarah Riley Broadway of West Monroe won the Non-Finalist Academic Award, and Katelyn Yopp of Natchitoches won the Non-Finalist Interview Award. The Miss ULM competition is the largest scholarship pageant in the state for the last 10-plus years as part of the Miss Louisiana and Miss America Organizations, said Meagan Lee, the Miss ULM Director. Jared Anders crowned Mr. ULM 2022 Jared Anders, third from left, was named Mr. ULM 2022 on Nov. 5 at Brown Auditorium. Pictured are, from left, Peoples Choice Award and Non-Finalist Interview Award winner Tristan Sonnier, Miss ULM 2021 Allison Newton, Anders, Miss ULMs Outstanding Teen 2020-21 Katie Redmond, first runner-up Phillip Vu, and Spirit of Mr. ULM winner Hollis Walker. Not pictured is Mr. ULM 2021 Ryan Petersen. Lanaya Bolden / ULM photo services Along with Miss ULM, Jared Anders, a P3 College of Pharmacy doctoral candidate from Central, was crowned Mr. ULM. Anders received a $1,000 scholarship from the Miss ULM Foundation and Freeman Stamper, ULM alumnus, and will serve ULM as an official host alongside Jordan. Anders also won the Social Media contest. Anders social impact is Affordable Medication for All. According to Anders, Ouachita Parish and its surrounding parishes are some of the 54 parishes in Louisiana considered medically underserved. Charitable clinics such as Monroes St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy help to provide medication to the economically disadvantaged and medically underserved, but they need our help, Anders said. Anders said last year, the ULMs Pharmacy Student Council raised $8,675 for the pharmacy, equating to more than $125,000 in life-saving retail medications. The outlet Ive been given as Mr. ULM provides an opportunity to boost these types of fundraisers to a university-wide level and further support those in need, Anders said. Philip Vu from Shreveport was the first runner-up, receiving a $200 cash award sponsored by Stamper. Hollis Walker, a Lake Charles native, won the Spirit of Mr. ULM Award. Tristan Sonnier of Bunkie was awarded the Peoples Choice Award and the Non-Finalist Interview Award. facebook like button Tweet tweet button for twitter Published Nov. 9, 2021 University of Louisiana Monroe Honors Program students attended the annual meeting of the National Collegiate Honors Council in Orlando, FL, in late October. Students participating include, from left, Yana Paudel, Ariana Yelverton, Grace Gunder, Caitlyn Cullen, and Emmanuel Perez. Honors Program Director Dr. Joshua Stockley (not pictured) accompanied the students. Courtesy photo ULM Honors Program students Yana Paudel, Ariana Yelverton, Grace Gunder, Caitlyn Cullen, and Emmanuel Perez attend national conference with Dr Joshua Stockley The University of Louisiana Monroe Honors Program joined the annual meeting of the Louisiana Collegiate Honors Council on Oct. 27-30, in Orlando, FL. Dr. Joshua Stockley, Director of the ULM Honors Program, was accompanied by five students Emmanuel Perez, a senior biology major, Yana Paudel, a senior mathematics major, Caitlyn Cullen, a junior political science major, Grace Gunder, a junior biology major, and Ariana Yelverton, a senior biology major. Going forward, I believe NCHC has given me the keys needed to become a better leader within honors one that is more involved, engaged, and confident, said Cullen, the vice-president of the Honors Program. I think one of the best parts about NCHC was the fact that I got to connect and network with more students and faculty than I thought I would, said Paudel, the secretary of the Honors Program. When the attendees were sharing ideas, success stories, and even problems in their honors program, I realized the importance of a different perspective and the importance of a diverse community. Through the lectures presented by various Honors institutions, I feel empowered with confidence and competence to influence not only in my community but potentially the world with the skills I have learned through the Honors Program. For that, I am grateful, said Perez, a senior class representative for the Honors Program. Our participation at NCHC speaks volumes about the quality of the ULM Honors Program and raises our stature within the honors community, said Stockley. It is a valuable opportunity to learn from other honors programs; simultaneously, for other programs to see what is successful at ULM. Attending the conference were honors students and administrators from colleges and universities across the United States. The National Collegiate Honors Council is an educational organization that supports and promotes undergraduate honors education. NCHC has nearly 900 member institutions and several hundred individual members, impacting over 330,000 honors students. NCHC provides its members with resources, training opportunities, and collaborative events to build and sustain honors programs and their curriculum. NCHC distributes honors scholarships and hosts exclusive events for its members. About the ULM Honors Program The ULM Honors Program is a unique program within ULM that seeks intellectually curious students who desire to challenge themselves with new ideas and work with similarly motivated students. The program is open to all majors and works within all degree programs. Honors students are exposed to more in-depth topics and work closely with faculty in smaller courses. For more information about the Honors Program contact Dr. Joshua Stockley at stockley@ulm.edu or 318-342-3216 or visit ulm.edu/honors. A group of Congolese asylum-seekers wait at the Bunagana border point after crossing into Uganda from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. UNHCR An upsurge of fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has forced at least 11,000 people to flee across the border into Uganda since Sunday night, according to UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. This represents the largest refugee influx in a single day in the country for more than a year. The fighting between militia groups and Congos armed forces is taking place in North Kivus Rutshuru Territory and the vast majority of those who crossed the border are women and children. Some 8,000 asylum-seekers crossed at Bunagana town and another 3,000 at Kibaya border point in Kisoro district. Both are some 500 km southwest of Ugandas capital Kampala. The new arrivals told UNHCR staff that fighting was going on in the villages of Binja, Kinyarugwe and Chanzu. Many people came with cooking utensils, sleeping mats, clothing and livestock, gathered hurriedly as they fled. Some appear to be returning to remote areas in the border vicinity. UNHCR and Ugandas Office of the Prime Minister, which manages several transit facilities for asylum-seekers along the Congolese border, are responding to the emergency in coordination with district and local authorities. UNHCR has already relocated about 500 asylum seekers to the nearby Nyakabande transit centre, which can accommodate up to 1,500 people. Asylum-seekers at Nyakabande are screened for COVID-19, registered and given water, food, communal shelters and other items such as blankets. A system is in place to identify and fast track people in need of emergency assistance. Several partners are also responding to the emergency including Care and Assistance for Forced Migrants, Medical Teams International, Save the Children, the Uganda Red Cross and the World Food Programme. Ugandas borders are closed to asylum-seekers due to COVID-19 restrictions, but the government has once again applied a humanitarian exception and granted safe passage to people seeking safety. UNHCR commends Uganda for allowing those seeking refuge to enter the country. However, we are concerned that local capacity and services may be soon overwhelmed and request urgent resources to address the needs of the new arrivals. So far this year, UNHCR has received only 45 per cent of the funding for its operations in Uganda, a country that hosts more refugees than any other in Africa. Only three countries globally host more refugees. For more information on this topic, please contact: Displaced people gather on the Belarusian-Polish border. Leonid Scheglov/BelTA/Handout via REUTERS UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) are alarmed by the latest reports from the Belarus-Poland border and call on States to ensure that the safety and human rights of migrants and refugees are upheld. On 8 November, reports surfaced of a large group of migrants and refugees, among them women and children, on the Belarusian side of the border moving towards the international border crossing point Bruzgi, with Poland, and allegedly settled in a makeshift camp in the vicinity of the border during the night. UNHCR and IOM have been in contact with both governments and are calling for an urgent resolution of the situation and immediate and unhindered access to the group to ensure that humanitarian assistance is provided, those in need of international or other forms of protection are identified and those who wish to apply for asylum can do so where they are. With several tragic deaths recorded in the border area in recent weeks, UNHCR and IOM remind states of the imperative to prevent further loss of life and ensure the humane treatment of migrants and refugees as the highest priority. The two organizations have publicly stated on several occasions that the instrumentalization of migrants and refugees to achieve political ends is deplorable and must stop. Taking advantage of the despair and vulnerability of migrants and refugees by offering them unrealistic and misleading promises is unacceptable and has severe human consequences. The two organizations have repeatedly reiterated to the Belarusian authorities the need to preserve the well-being of people and avoid creating difficult humanitarian situations. UNHCR and IOM are ready to support the authorities of Belarus in providing counseling and assess these peoples personal situation, in appropriate locations, away from the border areas. In view of the alarming situation at the border, both sides must uphold their obligations under international law and guarantee the safety, dignity, and protection of the rights of people stranded at the border. IOM and UNHCR have also urged the concerned authorities to explore all humanitarian options to respond to this situation, tailored to the individual circumstances, human rights and international protection needs of people in this group, including voluntary returns. UNHCR and IOM also stand ready to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants and refugees at both sides of the border. For more information, please contact: UNHCR: In Brussels: Maeve Patterson, +32 470 99 54 35 [email protected] , , In Geneva: Shabia Mantoo, +41 79 337 7650, email: [email protected] In Geneva: Natalia Prokopchuk, Tel: +41 79 824 0575, email: [email protected] IOM: Two months after two deadly hurricanes in quick succession flooded her neighbourhood, Elsa* finally screwed up the courage to check on the state of her home. She had to wade through neck-high waters just to reach it. What she saw was devastating: The neighbourhood is a high-crime area on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, where ruthless street gangs hold sway. It had been blanketed in such a thick layer of mud that the corrugated tin roofs were the only visible part of many of the homes. Elsa and her family fled the area as Hurricane Iota, a Category Four storm with winds reaching 155 m.p.h., struck on 18 November, 2020, dumping up to 63 centimetres of rain on ground already saturated by Hurricane Eta, another Category Four storm that had pummelled the same areas in Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua less than two weeks earlier. They marked a tragic end to a record-breaking hurricane season in the Atlantic, with 30 named storms. Id never experienced any storms like these. In the midst of the downpour that came with Iota, the waters of a nearby river spilled over, inundating Elsas neighbourhood and blanketing many houses in sticky, debris-strewn mud, while it swept others away. The family escaped to a shelter on higher ground, with what little clothing they managed to grab on their way out. But just hours later, surging waters spilled into that shelter, too, forcing the family to flee once again. According to official figures, more than four million people were affected by Hurricanes Eta and Iota in Honduras alone. Elsa and her family were among the lucky ones. They survived both storms and were able to stay for months in a shelter as neighbours chipped in to rent a bulldozer to clear the standing water and mud that blanketed their community. I cried when I saw so much destruction because wed never seen anything like it, said Elsa, whose modest home was among those rendered uninhabitable by the mud. Id never experienced any storms or hurricanes like these. See also: Data reveals impacts of climate emergency on displacement Unable to return home, Elsa, her five-year-old daughter, mother and sisters and their children have taken refuge with family and friends in another area of San Pedro Sula. There, on higher ground they feel better prepared to face a future storm, but now face other potentially deadly risks: a criminal gang that terrorizes local residents, demanding extorsion payments, forcing young people into joining them and ruthlessly enforcing their own rules. But going back to their old neighbourhood, also controlled by a gang, is not an option. Gangs took advantage of the extreme vulnerability of victims of the hurricanes to tighten their control, imposing restrictions on movements, said Andres Celis, UNHCRs representative for Honduras. For many who were displaced by the storms, going back could be dangerous. Elsa* tries to make the best out of a difficult situation. Here, she breaks out her best smile for the camera. UNHCR/Nicolo Filippo Rosso The San Pedro Sula neighbourhood of Choloma was among the hardest-hit by Hurricanes Eta and Iota, which struck in Novmber, 2021. UNHCR/Nicolo Filippo Rosso Residents of the San Pedro Sula neighbourhood of Choloma, like 88-year-old Ulda Zamora, are often ill-equipped to deal with extreme weather events. UNHCR/Nicolo Filippo Rosso In the San Pedro Sula neighbourhood of Choloma, the effects of Hurricanes Eta and Iota continue to make themselves felt, more than a year after the storms. UNHCR/Nicolo Filippo Rosso Hurricanes have always been a fact of life in San Pedro Sula and throughout Honduras low-lying Caribbean coast. But the devastating nature of last years storms and the fact that they came back-to-back indicate new, more ferocious weather patterns as a result of climate change. Across Honduras, communities already stretched to the brink by widespread gang violence are facing the prospect of dealing with disaster upon disaster with little time or resources to recover in between. Some 247,000 Hondurans have been internally displaced, and another 183,000 have sought international protection outside the country. While it is impossible to determine exactly how big a part extreme weather events like Hurricanes Eta and Iota played in peoples decisions to flee, it is clear that climate change has become yet another factor forcing vulnerable Hondurans to leave their homes and communities. See also: Poet and activist Emi Mahmoud brings voices of refugees to COP26 Climate-related changes in the weather are also wreaking havoc across other parts of Central America, displacing subsistence farmers and others throughout the regions so-called dry corridor, a strip of territory that stretches across Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, as crops fail season after season. And this is but the beginning. In its latest report, the United Nations climate panel, the IPCC, said with high confidence that the future impacts of a warming climate on Central America are likely to include some coastal areas affected by sea level rise, weather and climatic variability and extremes. The house flooded, the foundations were swept away, and it collapsed. Denis, a 44-year-old construction worker, saw his life fall apart amid the devastating one-two punch of Hurricanes Eta and Iota. He, his wife and their four children lived in a cinderblock home on the outskirts of San Pedro Sula. Hurricane Eta buffeted the house, but it survived, largely intact. Less than two weeks later, though, it succumbed to Iota, the most powerful storm ever to strike Honduras. When the water rose, we took refuge in a church. When we came back, there was nothing there, Denis recalled. The house flooded, the foundations were swept away, and it collapsed. Now, the neighbourhood has been taken over by a gang, or mara, and Denis wife left him for one of the gangs members. I went to ask her to come back to the kids, and (her new partner) told me to go or hed kill me, Denis said. I was no longer safe in any part of Honduras and I had to leave. See also: Honduran man devotes life to rescuing young people from deadly gangs He sent his two middle children to live with his adult daughter in a nearby village, and in April, Denis set off with his youngest son, age four, to seek asylum in the United States. In northeast Mexico they crossed the Rio Grande to Texas in a raft and were detained by the US Border Patrol. The two were subsequently expelled to the Mexican border city of Tijuana, where they were living in a migrant shelter in the city. Denis still hoped to seek asylum in the US, where he has a sister and aunt. Our best option is to join our family in the US, he said, adding, We cant go home. * Name has been changed for protection reasons. Maryum hands a young customer his newly purchased goods at her tuckshop in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. UNHCR/Zikrea Saleah In Pakistan, enterprising Afghan refugee women are stepping forward to support their families, learn skills and run small businesses. By Zikrea Saleah in Peshawar, Pakistan When the COVID-19 pandemic started impacting the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, refugees in Pakistan were no exception. Many households rely on informal or day labour which can render them vulnerable to lockdowns and other economic disruptions. Maryum felt the pandemics effect hard. She lives in one of the remaining Afghan refugee villages in Pakistans north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as part of a family of seven who had been relying on their fathers daily wage. As the first waves of the virus hit the country and restrictions on movement set in, his offers of work and earnings disappeared. In the initial days Maryum recalls her sense of fear over the unpredictability of the situation. Three of my siblings had medical conditions and my father who was the sole breadwinner of the family could not afford to continue their treatment, she says. Not having worked before, except to support her father from time to time, she began to think about what she could do to help. Though coming from a socially conservative village where women are not known to work, she decided she could not sit back; she had to take the initiative to do something to support herself and her family. I needed to do something. She eventually decided on trying her hand at a course offered by UNHCR through a local partner that was teaching refugees the skills needed to run a small business. I saw this course and decided I could do it, but without really knowing where it would take me. I needed to do something, she says. She took part in the two-month course in 2020 and felt immediately absorbed by the new information and more confident with the basic skills and knowledge provided to run a small business, including the basic management of stock and book-keeping. The course also provided in-kind support to increase the size and capacity of the tuckshop she had started to run. These days she says she feels great satisfaction running the shop and a new motivation in her life. Im eager to get going every morning. It feels great to run the shop and share the burden with my father for our large family. My shop serves as a place where women and children can visit and buy items they want in a comfortable way. Maryums tuckshop also fills a niche market within the village as it is a store that caters mainly to women and children. Maryum had identified this as an opportunity herself and realized she could make a business out of it. In my village women are not allowed to go out alone to markets. My shop serves as a place where women and children can visit and buy items they want in a comfortable way, she adds. The big sellers are daily essentials staples like beans, and among children the candies. UNHCR has supported training for over 60 small home-based businesses owned by Afghan refugees in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2019, as well as training 5,000 youth in vocational work skills. Among the trainees, women are also coming forward to learn and gain skills and pursuing opportunities in crafts, carpets, clothes tailoring and design, among others. UNHCR and partners are providing over 30 different livelihoods training opportunities in Pakistan for men and women in skills as diverse as bee-keeping, electrical and mobile repairs, and operating heavy machinery. Gayrat Ahmadshoev, UNHCRs Head of Sub-Office in Peshawar, believes that offering youth and women both education and livelihoods opportunities is vitally important, especially to boost self-reliance in refugee communities. Its an investment in the potential that refugees have, the contribution they can make to Pakistan, and its also important for their futures, he says. UNHCR is working closely with Pakistans Commissionerate for Afghan Refugees (CAR), the local authorities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and partners to design and support vocational and skills training opportunities. Ahmadshoev especially welcomes the fact that women are participating in the livelihoods programmes. More than 30 per cent of skills and vocational training places are now taken up by refugee and host community women. We want to ensure they are also able to make a safe and sustainable living that meets their basic needs and contributes to their families and communities, he explains. Ahmadshoev believes that training does not only contribute to better opportunities for refugees while they are living in Pakistan; it also builds skills that refugees can bring home to Afghanistan when conditions allow for a safe, dignified, and sustainable return. He says it is critical that the investments are made now in refugees, as well as increasing the support to host communities in countries like Pakistan as a demonstration of more equitable responsibility sharing. I dream of becoming a leading businesswoman in my community one day. UNHCR is raising more support for livelihoods in Pakistan as part of an on-going effort to implement a Solutions Strategy for Afghan Refugees. This requires concrete contributions from the international community in support of refugees which are not limited to financial support, but also technical assistance and opportunities like scholarships. Maryum is an example of the vitality and sense of initiative latent in the refugee community. While she takes a lot of pride in supporting her family and in her achievements so far, she doesnt want to stop there. She has bigger aspirations. I dream of becoming a leading businesswoman in my community one day, she says. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Envision Digital and Bureau Veritas to Co-Develop Net Zero Innovations for Renewable Energy Generation and GHG Emissions Reduction A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer working at the Point Roberts-Boundary Bay border crossing, in Point Roberts, Wash., is seen from Delta, British Columbia, on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2021. Point Roberts sits on a peninsula and is only accessible by land by travelling through Canada. Listening is not only a skill, but itas a game changer to improve married life, the workplace, and dealing with customers in business. (Dreamstime/TNS) Milledgeville, GA (31061) Today Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy skies with periods of rain late. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Milledgeville, GA (31061) Today Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with rain developing after midnight. Low 53F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. The East African Business Council (EABC) on Monday urged member states of the East African Community (EAC) to adopt a proposed 35 percent as maximum common external tariff (CET) rate DAR ES SALAAM, Nov 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :The East African business Council (EABC) on Monday urged member states of the East African Community (EAC) to adopt a proposed 35 percent as maximum common external tariff (CET) rate. The EACB said in a statement that the proposed 35 percent CET rate is the majority position for manufacturer associations in the EAC regional bloc. The statement said adopting the proposed 35 percent maximum tariff rate is set to incentivize industrial development, protect nascent industries exposed to unfair competition, and safeguard industries against cheap and subsidized imports and jobs. According to the statement, the proposed 35 percent maximum tariff rate will attract investments in industrial value chains and transform the bloc into an export-led, industrialized economy. The EAC member states are Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. NAIROBI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 09th Nov, 2021) Trade enabler, DP World, today announces the launch of its global wholesale e-commerce platform DUBUY.com in Kenya. This latest expansion of DUBUY.com follows its successful launch in Rwanda earlier this year, where the platform has become a major gateway for trade in the East Africa region. DUBUY.com is an innovative online marketplace that will help unlock access to global markets for Kenyan businesses, with fulfilment through DP Worlds worldwide ports and logistics network. With eight existing terminals on the African continent and three more in development, DP World is creating a strategic trading gateway into East Africa. Whether looking to trade internationally, regionally or within the domestic market, the combination of DUBUY.coms advanced technology and DP Worlds physical infrastructure offers a secure and reliable way for organisations in Kenya to develop, expand and crucially, improve supply chain connectivity and resilience as the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also solve some of the key challenges facing the growth of e-commerce in Africa, including reliable fulfilment, secure financial transactions and the movement of goods. The move into Kenya demonstrates DUBUY.coms commitment to supporting the countrys Vision 2030, working in strategic partnership with the Kenyan Government to expand the economy. The launch in Kenya marks the six-month milestone since DUBUY.com first began trading operations in Rwanda during Spring 2021. In that timeframe, DUBUY.com received more than 500,000 website visits from sellers and buyers in Africa, built a community of more than 4,000 active merchants on the platform, and saw particular success in the sale of automotive supplies and kitchen appliances. Speaking on todays launch, Mahmood Al Bastaki, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Trade World, said: "With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) now in effect, the eyes of the world will be on the continent. African businesses are increasingly using digital channels and technologies to engage with suppliers and distributors to create agile supply chains, and digital platforms like DUBUY.com will be key to this shift. Our technology allows homegrown businesses to transform into international enterprises by providing access to new markets in Africa, the middle East and the rest of the world." David Osiany, HSC, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Industrialization, Trade & Enterprise Development Kenya, added: "Kenya is among the top countries for economic growth prospects in Africa, with some of the most exciting B2B opportunities on the continent here. Strategic partnerships with companies such as DP World and DUBUY.com are catalysts for our industrialization policy and are in line with the Government of Kenya's Vision 2030. This partnership will increase our countrys trading connectivity and build an easy-access market for Kenyan entrepreneurs to secure long-term, sustainable business growth. With our local expertise and DP Worlds global footprint, weve got a prosperous future ahead of us. I look forward to leveraging this new partnership for the benefit of our local traders and industries to access the African market." In addition, Richard Ngatia, President, Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, commented: "The launch and partnership with DUBUY.com in Kenya is testament to the impact of strong partnerships and a conducive investment climate within our country. This platform is part of the digital economy blueprint that will embrace new technological and logistical innovations that will enable Kenyas and Africas ability to leapfrog economic growth for sustainable development. By leveraging on its benefits, Kenyan entrepreneurs can lead the charge in transforming how business is done across the continent, opening the continent to new markets, technological advancement and ultimately become the leading free trade facilitators." NICOSIA, Cyprus, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 09th Nov, 2021) H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, has met with Nikos Christodoulides, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cyprus, in the capital Nicosia. The meeting touched on bilateral relations between the UAE and the Republic of Cyprus and ways to boost joint cooperation between the two friendly countries in various fields, including economic and trade. The Ministers reviewed a number of issues of common concern, including the situation in the eastern Mediterranean, as well as developments in the regional and international arenas. Sheikh Abdullah lauded the distinguished bilateral relations between the UAE and Cyprus, highlighting the keenness of the two sides to promote cooperation across various sectors. During the meeting, the parties also discussed the role of Expo 2020 Dubai in enhancing cooperation and exploring promising opportunities for international partnerships, as well as promoting collective international action and stimulating global economic growth. Sheikh Abdullah praised Cyprus' participation in Expo 2020 Dubai, highlighting the importance of this global event in promoting international cooperation and supporting global efforts to achieve sustainable development in societies. DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 09th Nov, 2021) UAE Maritime Week has garnered the support of industry stakeholders who have significantly contributed to the growth of the maritime sector in the middle East region. Held under the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure and organised by Seatrade Maritime, a part of Informa Markets, the maritime week will connect maritime markets in the Middle East by bringing together ship owners, industry suppliers and key decision-makers from the region for several events. These include the flagship Seatrade Maritime Middle East (SMME); Seatrade Maritime Awards Middle East, Indian Subcontinent and Africa; Global Maritime Club round table; Maritime Leaders Forum, and Experience Maritime. As one of the most crucial initiatives that will prove vital in aiding the sectors growth, the maritime week will be held at a critical time during Expo 2020 Dubai and the International Maritime Organisation elections. Sheikh Nasser Majid Al-Qasimi, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Infrastructure and Transport at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, said, "The maritime sector globally has witnessed unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, we braved that phase and are now ushering in a rebound phase. Despite the pandemic, last year the UAE recorded foreign trade worth US$532,774 million. Our GDP is expected to grow to 2.1 per cent this year and by 4.2 per cent in 2022 as estimated by the UAEs Central Bank. In line with the principles of the UAEs Projects of the 50, the week and its series of events that will coincide with two key events will create a dynamic maritime economy in the UAE, with far-reaching effects in the Middle East." Sheikh Saeed bin Ahmed bin Khalifa Al Maktoum, Executive Director, Dubai Maritime City Authority said, "Following our vision to create a safe and vibrant maritime industry, we are aiming to build effective collaborations with government authorities, private sector organisations and relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainable growth of the sector in all aspects." As one of the most influential events in the maritime sector, SMME, under the umbrella of The UAE Maritime Week, can further the agenda of rapid transformation in the maritime industry. In recent years, the pandemic has accelerated digitalisation. Some key organisations such as DP World and Abu Dhabi Ports have been at the forefront of this revolution with their smart solutions like Maqta Gateway, Boxbay, Zodiac, etc. Dr. Noura Al Dhaheri, Head of Digital Cluster, AD Ports Group, and CEO of Maqta Gateway, said, "Since its founding, Maqta Gateway has committed itself to transform Abu Dhabis trade and logistics ecosystem through the development and adoption of leading-edge and integrated digital solutions. To date, Maqta Gateway has facilitated more than 50 million digital transactions 30 percent during the pandemic alone. "During this tumultuous period, the Advanced Trade and Logistics Platform (ATLP) was also inaugurated. Developed and operated by Maqta Gateway under the supervision of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development, ATLP is a novel solution that facilitates trade for customers and trade operators active across Abu Dhabis sea, land, air, industrial and free zones." "We are ready and willing to share our expertise and success stories with our partners in this significant event, for the future of the sector and discuss its latest trends to strengthen our leading position and keep pace with the rapid developments witnessed in our technologically advanced world today," she added. Since 2008, SMME has facilitated discussions on the latest transformations and technological advancements in the maritime shipping sector, including its vision and direction. Its initiatives have aided the transformation industry, making it a catalyst for valuable business relationships in the industry. Dr. Ahmed Youssef, Associate Dean of the College of Maritime Transport and Technology, AAST, said, "The UAE Maritime Week is a one-of-a-kind wonderful platform for dialogue between industry leaders, government representatives and policy-makers. While doing so it also brings young aspiring professionals and maritime students face-to-face with experts. It will not only help maritime academies showcase their competencies, but it will also give our students maximum industry exposure." Chris Hayman, Chairman, Seatrade, stated, "SMME has received commendable industry support since inception. It is encouraging to see that the UAE Maritime Week too has received a similar response from key government ministries and organisations in the UAE and the Middle East and the industry at large. This has enhanced the events ability to facilitate lucrative contracts that can drive the economy of the UAE and the Middle East. What makes the week even special is that it will be held during Expo 2020 Dubai which is a mega-event and that will boost growth opportunities for the sector." Throughout the week, discussions will be held on critical issues including decarbonisation, digitalisation, regulatory change, and supply chain infrastructure. Copenhagen, Nov 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :Denmark will re-introduce a health pass less than two months after it scrapped Covid-19 controls because of a sharp rise in infections, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said on Monday. The Epidemic Commission has recommended the government classify the coronavirus as a "socially threatening disease" and re-impose the pass. "The government will follow this recommendation," Frederiksen told a press conference. (@FahadShabbir) Paris, Nov 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Nov, 2021 ) :The UN cultural agency UNESCO on Tuesday re-elected France's Audrey Azoulay as its director-general for a second mandate, with the former French culture minister hailing a new confidence and unity in the organisation. UNESCO had been riven by divisions when Azoulay took office in 2017 with both Israel and the United States exiting the agency over accusations of anti-Israeli bias. Unchallenged, Azoulay won her new mandate at UNESCO's general conference with 155 votes in favour, just nine against and one abstention. "I see this result as a sign of regained unity within our organisation. Over the last four years, we have been able to restore confidence in UNESCO, and in some respects this has also been about restoring UNESCO's confidence in itself," she said. "We regained serenity by reducing the political tensions that stood in our way and by looking for common positions on subjects that were divisive in the past," she added. UNESCO, which in 2020-21 received total funding of $1.4 billion from compulsory member contributions and donations, has been at the forefront of high-profile projects such as rebuilding the old city of Mosul in Iraq and schools in the Lebanese capital Beirut damaged by the August 2020 blast. Azoulay's greatest challenge for her second four-year term will be seeking to woo Israel and the US back into the organisation, which oversees the coveted World Heritage label for humanity's most cherished sites worldwide. A source close to Azoulay, who asked not to be named, told AFP in the run-up to the conference that there were "positive signs" that the two countries could be considering a return. Washington, Nov 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 10th Nov, 2021 ) :The United States will send a crewed mission to the Moon "no earlier than 2025," NASA chief Bill Nelson told reporters on Tuesday. A target of 2024 was set by the administration of former president Donald Trump when it launched the Artemis program, but it has faced numerous delays, including most recently litigation with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin which unsuccessfully sued after losing a lander contract to SpaceX. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Aguereb, Tunisia, Nov 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :A Tunisian demonstrator died overnight after inhaling tear gas as police dispersed protests over the reopening of a landfill site, a medic and a relative said Tuesday. The 35-year-old died in the town of Aguereb in the central region of Sfax, which has seen weeks of angry demonstrations over a growing waste crisis. "Abderrazek Lacheheb was transferred to Aguereb hospital suffering from asphyxia," a hospital official said. The man's cousin Houcine Lacheheb said the man had been alive when he arrived at the hospital but had died after security forces fired tear gas outside. "It was the police who killed him," he said. An AFP journalist in Aguereb saw security forces using tear gas to disperse stone-throwing demonstrators. Tunisian human rights group FTDES said Aguereb had seen "a violent intervention by security forces on Monday night to force the reopening of the Qena rubbish dump". "The massive use of tear gas caused the death of Abderrazek Lacheheb," it said. The interior ministry denied that Lacheheb had been suffocated by tear gas, saying he had been admitted to hospital for a health condition unrelated to the protests. Videos shared on social media showed residents fleeing clouds of tear gas in front of the hospital, where angry relatives of Lacheheb were demonstrating after his death. Public pressure had forced the closure of the Sfax region's main rubbish dump, in Aguereb, in September. City councils in the region have been refusing to collect trash, complaining that the state has not found workable alternatives. In a meeting on Monday with Prime Minister Najla Bouden and Interior Minister Taoufik Charfeddine, President Kais Saied called for an urgent solution to the Sfax rubbish crisis. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Wang Wenbin Tuesday said that the China-Pakistan joint fight against Covid-19 pandemic had achieved a positive progress and set a good example for the world BEIJING, Nov 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Wang Wenbin Tuesday said that the China-Pakistan joint fight against Covid-19 pandemic had achieved a positive progress and set a good example for the world. " Pakistan and China are strategic cooperative partners. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, over two countries have stood together in mutual assistance," he said during his regular briefing in response to a question raised by APP. He remarked that the joint fight of the two countries against the virus had achieved a positive progress and set a good example for the world. "China always attaches high importance to Pakistanis needs on vaccines and we have engaged in close cooperation," he added. The spokesperson said that Pakistan was a priority in China's vaccine assistance and exports and added, there were such means like commercial purchases and facilitation of Covax. Wang Wenbin said that China had provided strong support to Pakistan. Just a few days ago, 200,000 doses of vaccines from China Red Cross Society arrived in Islamabad. He said that Chinese vaccine businesses were already engaging in joint production in Pakistan, adding, " We will stand together with Pakistan to help it defeat the virus. " In an earlier statement, the spokesperson remarked that since the outbreak, China and Pakistan had been supporting each other. When China was in depth of anti-epidemic war, Pakistan was among the first to help China. In the same way, the Chinese side has been helping and assisting Pakistan with testing agents, masks protective suits and vaccines. These were concrete steps illustrating our iron brother relationship, he added. On February 01, last year, the first batch of 500,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines donated by the Chinese government arrived by a special plane in Islamabad. Later, on February 8th, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) delivered a batch of Covid-19 vaccines to the Pakistan Armed Forces at the latter's request. Thus, Pakistan became first country to receive Covid-19 vaccines assistance from the Chinese government as well the Chinese military. According to official sources, China has so far provided over 110 million doses of vaccines to Pakistan, making to help it successful inoculation drive. ISLAMABAD, Nov 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :President Dr Arif Alvi on Tuesday said the vision of great scholar Allama Muhammad Iqbal of exploring the world through modern science was a guiding principle for Pakistan to gain a stronghold in the comity of nations. "The Pakistani nation, at the moment, has no other option but to focus on scientific knowledge to make its mark in the rapidly changing world," the president said in his address here at an event held at Bahria University to mark the birth anniversary of Iqbal, the country's national poet. The conference themed 'Iqbal's multidimensional wisdom: His vision for the social, scientific and technological revival of the Ummah' was joined by academics, researchers, faculty, and students. President Alvi said Iqbal had presented for Muslims a concept of intellectual progression on the principles of modern science, but grounded in faith and spirituality. He mentioned that Iqbal in his poetry even used the metaphors of immense power within a minuscule atom, planetary bodies, and the 'Shaheen' (falcon) to describe the potential of a Muslim, whose motivation and intellect guide him on right decision-making amid challenges. "The success of the Islamic world, and particularly Pakistan, lies in decoding the message of Iqbal in its true spirit," he added. President Alvi said the lectures delivered by Iqbal on 'Reconstruction of religious thoughts' in the 1930s emphasized on reformation of the Muslim mindset to help them realize their exploitation in the Indian sub-continent. He regretted that even in today's India and the Occupied Kashmir, the Muslims faced mistreatment and demonization. He stressed that Iqbal's vision of justice and morality needed to prevail in the world, where India's acts of atrocities were being ignored in view of business gains. Senator Waleed Iqbal, lawyer and also the grandson of Allama Iqbal, said Iqbal wanted the Muslims to learn scientific knowledge and also emphasized translating as much academic content into urdu to benefit the students. He said Iqbal's philosophy of leadership and management was about a dream, far-sightedness, integrity to feel the pain of others, truth, and honesty. Vice Chancellor Riphah International University Prof Dr Anis Ahmed said Iqbal's poetry explains 'Tauheed' (Oneness of the Almighty) as the essence of Islamic ideology, which he said, acted as a catalyst for the creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of Indian sub-continent. Rector Bahria University Vice Admiral Kaleem Shaukat said in the era of social media, there was a need to promote Iqbal's message and his inspiring poetry among youth to guide them on distinguishing between materialism and spiritualism. Conference Director Professor Adam Saud said the main objective of the event was to explore the multidimensional wisdom of Iqbal and encourage the young generation to touch new heights of success. Alumnus Junaidullah Shahid presented Kalam-e-Iqbal on the occasion. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :Federal Minster for Human Rights Dr Shireen M Mazari Monday said that National Assembly had passed Journalist Protection Bill and five other Human Rights bills including criminalizing Enforced Disappearances with section 514: 2, added by Supreme Court on International removed through amendment by her in NA. In her message on Twitter here, she said that the bill also expanding definition of harassment of women at workplace through amendment passed. Following Human Rights bills passed today by National Assembly: 1.The Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Bill, 2021 2.The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace (Amendment) Bill, 2021 3.The National Commission on the Rights of Child (Amendment) Bill, 2021. 4.The Juvenile Justice System (Amendment) Bill, 20215. The Islamabad Capital Territory Child Protection (Amendment) Bill, 20216. Enforced Disappearances Bill: The Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill 2021. (@FahadShabbir) The Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University TandoJam Dr. Fateh Marri on Tuesday called upon the future, agricultural scientists to focus on research and new experiments during their study and after completion of their education HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :The Vice Chancellor Sindh Agriculture University TandoJam Dr. Fateh Marri on Tuesday called upon the future, agricultural scientists to focus on research and new experiments during their study and after completion of their education. This he said while speaking as chief guest at the ceremony of certificates distribution among the varsity students who have completed internship at the Technology Transfer Institute (TTI) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. Dr. Fateh Marri said that increasing population, environmental pollution, climate change, threats to land productivity, water scarcity, scarcity of pure seeds, irrigation problems, depletion of indigenous cattle species, crop diseases are some of these problems are directly and Indirectly related to agriculture and veterinary experts, therefore agricultural graduates will have to play their vital role in the development of modern technology for food security and economy, The Director, Technology Transfer Institute (TTI), Pakistan Agricultural Research Council Juma Khan Bajkani said, "Our aim is to impart knowledge of modern agricultural technology and smart agriculture to agricultural graduates and farmers. " During the internship period, he informed that small experiments and field training on water management, irrigation, various crops and fruits were organized for the students through practical experience in order to enable them to play their best role in agricultural development. The Director, University Advancement and Financial Assistance Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar said the University is providing internship opportunities to students in well reputed institutions of the country with objective to make them more capable as well as establish technical liaison with various institutions. After such training, the varsity graduates will do excellent service in the public and private sectors, he hoped. Senior Scientific Officer (TTI) Aslam Memon said that this kind of scientific link between Sindh Agriculture University and TTI has created a dynamic scientific environment in both the institutions. Another Senior Scientist Officer Anila Memon said that this internship program has provided a good environment for agricultural research and also encouraged female students to deal with potential difficulties in a professional environment. Four astronauts with the SpaceX Crew-2 mission returned to earth on Tuesday night via a splashdown off the coast of Pensacola in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S NEW YORK, Nov. 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) --:Four astronauts with the SpaceX Crew-2 mission returned to earth on Tuesday night via a splashdown off the coast of Pensacola in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The webcast by NASA shows that astronauts came out of the cabin in good condition following over six months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts are Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Akihiko Hoshide from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, and Thomas Pesquet from European Space Agency, according to NASA. Crew-2 mission members' return is ahead of the launch of Crew-3 mission due to unfavorable weather conditions and medical conditions with one of Crew-3 mission crew members. This is the first delay of a scheduled launch over a medical issue with the crew since 1990, according to media reports. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas urged the nation on Tuesday to learn from its history as it observed the double anniversary of the 1938 Jewish pogroms and the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall. "Our country is shaped by its history for better and for worse. We can and must learn from it," he tweeted. More than 80 years have passed since Nazi brownshirts and their followers smashed windows in stores and homes of Jews across Germany, during a night of violence on November 9 that came to be known as Kristallnacht, or the Night of Broken Glass. The same night, half a century later, Berliners saw the wall that divided the German capital into East and West Berlin being broken apart with hammers after days of mass demonstrations for democracy. The wall's collapse marked the start of German reunification, which concluded in October of 1990. A former nurse who murdered three patients by contaminating their intravenous drips with disinfectant was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday by a Japanese court, according to local media Tokyo, Nov 9 (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Nov, 2021 ) :A former nurse who murdered three patients by contaminating their intravenous drips with disinfectant was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday by a Japanese court, according to local media. During her trial, 34-year-old Ayumi Kuboki admitted to killing the patients in their 70s and 80s five years ago in a case that shocked Japan. She had previously told police she may have killed 20 people over just two months, but later told prosecutors she could not comment on that during the trial. The presiding judge at the Yokohama district court said he had considered handing Kuboki the death sentence, public broadcaster NHK reported. "She said she regrets (her actions) and wants to pay for her crime. There's a chance she will be reformed, and I couldn't help but to hesitate over choosing a death sentence," the judge said. Court officials were unavailable for comment on Tuesday afternoon. Japan, where more than 100 inmates await execution, is one of the few developed nations that still have the death penalty. Prosecutors had demanded a death sentence for Kuboki but the nurse's lawyers reportedly argued that she suffered depression due to stress over the deaths of her patients, and had diminished capacity. Kuboki had told the court she did not want to be blamed by family members when something wrong happened to her patients when she was on her shift, and felt "relieved" when one of the victims died, NHK said. The son of one of the victims said he was not happy with the ruling, according to the broadcaster. "She killed innocent people with selfish motives and she's not sentenced to death. It's wrong," he said. Public support for capital punishment in Japan remains high despite international criticism, including from rights groups. (@imziishan) The flow of passengers on the border between Finland and Russia per month has surpassed 100,000 in October for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a representative of Finnish Border Guard told Sputnik on Tuesday HELSINKI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) The flow of passengers on the border between Finland and Russia per month has surpassed 100,000 in October for the first time since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, a representative of Finnish Border Guard told Sputnik on Tuesday. The figure marks a 67% increase compared to October 2020 when as many as 61,953 people crossed the border between the two countries. "In October 2021, the total number of crossings was 103,852. All of them were along the land border. The largest number of people passed through the Vaalimaa border checkpoints (Torfyanovka on the Russian side) 36,814, as well as Nuijamaa (Brusnichnoye) 30,182," the official said. In total, 770,354 people have crossed the border since the beginning of the year, the representative added. The movement across the land border has been restricted by both the Russian and Finnish authorities as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The border has been closed to tourists since March 2020. BUENOS AIRES (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) Colombia calls on the Organization of American States (OAS) to discuss the results of the presidential elections in Nicaragua, Colombian President Ivan Duque said. According to preliminary data, with more than 97 percent of the ballots counted, incumbent Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega's ruling Sandinista Front is leading the November 7 election with over 75 percent of the vote. "Given the results, actions against members of the opposition, we obviously cannot recognize the results of elections in Nicaragua," Duque said. "The position has already been expressed by various countries that also do not recognize (these elections)... Such decisions should be transferred to the level of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States or the General Assembly (of OAS)," he said. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) Gaige Grosskreutz - one of three men who survived being shot by Kyle Rittenhouse during the August 2020 riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin - testified at Rittenhouse's trial at the Kenosha County Circuit Court on Monday. Rittenhouse is facing six charges ,including first-degree reckless homicide with a dangerous weapon and recklessly endangering safety with a dangerous weapon for shooting three men, killing two, during the riots that followed the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Grosskreutz, who was injured by a gunshot wound to his right arm, took the stand and was questioned by both the prosecution and defense teams. The prosecution team focused on Grosskreutz's background as an emergency medical technician, who claimed, like Rittenhouse, that he was at the riots to to administer first aid. The defense team focused on Grosskreutz's approaching Rittenhouse with a firearm intending to shoot when the latter acted in self-defense. Grosskreutz had previously told law enforcement that he dropped the pistol on the streets sometime before the shooting and did not have a valid concealed carry permit. Judge Bruce Schroeder at one point reminded Grosskreutz not to refer to Rittenhouse's actions as "murder" while testifying, as the jury is there to determine whether his actions constitute murder. Rittenhouse's defense team argues that he shot Grosskreutz, Anthony Huber and Joseph Rosenbaum acting in self-defense after being confronted, chased and attacked by the the three men. (@FahadShabbir) MOSCOW/VLADIVOSTOK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) A Panama-flagged cargo ship has run aground in the Sea of Japan in Russia's Far Eastern Primorsky Territory near the port of Nakhodka, regional transport prosecutors said. "The (Panama-flagged) Rise Shine container ship ran aground near Cape Kozino in the Sea of Japan; there are no Russian citizens among the 14 crew members," the prosecutor's office said in a statement. Emergency services are taking measures to prevent water pollution. A spokesman for the rescue unit of the port of Nakhodka told Sputnik that "the ship broke in two." He also said high waves prevent rescue services from evacuating the vessel's crew. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) Police officers in the US capital found no hazardous material at the Israeli embassy following a report of a suspicious package and the scene is being cleared, a DC Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson told Sputnik. "We're actually clearing the scene right now, no hazardous material found," the spokesperson said on Monday. Earlier on Monday, US media said local authorities were assisting the US Secret Service with a suspicious package at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC. A Sputnik correspondent reported seeing a heavy police presence near the Israeli embassy, including US secret service personnel. Several streets near the embassy were closed as well, the correspondent reported. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) Romania is holding consultations with the United States on the enhancement of NATO's presence in the eastern part of the Alliance, especially at the Black Sea, Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu said on Monday. "First, we will discuss... how to deepen our excellent political and security cooperation while emphasizing the importance of close coordination for the negotiation of the new strategic concept of NATO, for consolidating further the deterrence and defense posture on the whole eastern flank, especially at the Black Sea," Aurescu said before his meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman discussed ways to assist Venezuelan migrants during a meeting with civil society and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Uruguay, State Department spokesperson Ned price said in a readout of the meeting. "Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman met today with representatives of the International Organization for Migration and Uruguayan civil society to discuss assistance to Venezuelan refugees and migrants in Montevideo, Uruguay," Price said on Monday. Sherman also thanked leaders of the Uruguayan government and civil society for their work to assist Venezuelan migrants, Price said. She also highlighted how US funding of IOM supports its work in Uruguay, Price added. Sherman is traveling around Uruguay and Peru this week to discuss a range of issues with senior government officials, including human rights, migration and the climate. She is expected to meet with representatives of the indigenous community during her trip as well, according to the State Department. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the situation at the border with Belarus with Polish President Andrzej Duda and reaffirmed NATO's support for Warsaw amid the migration crisis MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg discussed the situation at the border with Belarus with Polish President Andrzej Duda and reaffirmed NATO's support for Warsaw amid the migration crisis. "Spoke with President @AndrzejDuda about the serious situation at #Poland's border. #Belarus using migrants as a hybrid tactic is unacceptable. #NATO stands in solidarity with Poland and all our Allies in the region," Stoltenberg wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. "NATO is closely monitoring the situation. Poland keeps Allies and Partners informed," the Polish Permanent Delegation to NATO said. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Rapper Travis Scott has pledged to cover all funeral costs for the eight victims who died during his Astroworld Festival in Texas last week, media reported on Tuesday, citing his representative's statement MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) Rapper Travis Scott has pledged to cover all funeral costs for the eight victims who died during his Astroworld Festival in Texas last week, media reported on Tuesday, citing his representative's statement. There were about 50,000 people in attendance at the festival on November 5, where a crowd surge started late in the evening during Scott's performance. Eight people, including two teenagers under the age of 18, died. Over two dozen people were hospitalized, including five minors. Scott reportedly stopped his set several times to ask security to help the fans get out of the crowd. As part of "his personal vow to assist those affected throughout their grieving and recovery process," the Houston-born rapper will also partner with the BetterHelp online portal to provide free mental health services to all those affected by the tragedy, the CNN broadcaster said. "Travis remains in active conversations with the city of Houston, law enforcement and local first responders to respectfully and appropriately connect with the individuals and families of those involved," the statement read, as quoted by the broadcaster. In addition, organizers of Astroworld Festival pledged to provide a full refund to all ticketholders, both those who attended the Friday concert and those who held tickets for Saturday's canceled events, CNN said, citing a source close to the situation. Scott's partner, celebrity Kylie Jenner, who also attended the festival, took to social networks to express her condolences over the tragedy. She noted that neither she nor Scott knew about any fatalities until the news came out after the show. The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) called on Belarus and Poland on Tuesday to take prompt measures to deescalate the situation with refugees at the border between the countries MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) called on Belarus and Poland on Tuesday to take prompt measures to deescalate the situation with refugees at the border between the countries. As of Tuesday, close to 2,000 refugees are stranded at the Belarusian border with Poland. The refugees set up a camp to keep warm. "UNHCR and IOM have been in contact with both governments and are calling for an urgent resolution of the situation and immediate and unhindered access to the group to ensure that humanitarian assistance is provided, those in need of international or other forms of protection are identified and those who wish to apply for asylum can do so where they are," the organizations said in a joint statement. Alarmed by the recent developments at the Polish-Belarusian border, the two organizations also urged the countries to ensure that the safety and human rights of migrants and refugees are upheld. "With several tragic deaths recorded in the border area in recent weeks, UNHCR and IOM remind states of the imperative to prevent further loss of life and ensure the humane treatment of migrants and refugees as the highest priority," the statement read. The refugee agencies also offered support to Minsk in providing counseling and assessing these people's personal situations in appropriate locations, away from the border areas, as well as expressed readiness to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants and refugees at both sides of the border. UNHCR and IOM have repeatedly condemned the instrumentalization of migrants and refugees for political statements, saying that taking advantage of vulnerable migrants and refugees "by offering them unrealistic and misleading promises is unacceptable and has severe human consequences." WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th November, 2021) The United States is concerned by reports of a meeting between Syrian President Bashar Assad and Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Damascus, State Department spokesperson Ned price said in a press briefing on Tuesday. "We are concerned by reports of this meeting and the signal it sends," Price said. "This administration will not express any support for efforts to normalize or to rehabilitate Bashar al-Assad, who is a brutal dictator." (@FahadShabbir) US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday urged the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, to quickly address gender inequality in climate action as she noted that 80% of people displaced worldwide by global warming are women LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday urged the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, to quickly address gender inequality in climate action as she noted that 80% of people displaced worldwide by global warming are women. "Addressing a rapidly changing climate is a matter of justice and equality with the most vulnerable, the most affected, including indigenous communities, less developed countries and ... women," Pelosi told delegates attending todays event, which was focused on how to boost womens role in the climate fight. The US House speaker, who is leading a 21-strong congressional delegation, said at the plenary that the current crisis is a "threat multiplier" that amplifies and accelerates existing inequities in "our economies and societies. " Pelosi also highlighted US president Joe Bidens renewed commitment to tackle climate change after his predecessor Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement, and underlined the broad scope of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill recently passed by the House of Representatives. According to Pelosi, the bill "recognizes the interconnectedness of climate change and gender justice and enables women and girls to lead a just transition to clean energy economy of the future." The COP26 running in Glasgow from October 31 till November 12 is seen by many as the worlds last chance to reach meaningful commitments to cut greenhouse emissions, achieve carbon neutrality and limit global warming to 1.5 degrees. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th November, 2021) The US government and Moderna pharmaceutical company are embroiled in a bitter dispute over the patent rights for the central component of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine, The New York Times reported citing officials familiar with the matter. The National Institute of Health (NIH) claimed that three scientists from its Vaccine Research Center have cooperated with Moderna experts to design the genetic sequence, which pushes the vaccine to build an immune response to the virus, the report said on Tuesday. The agency requires that their Names should appear on the patent application. Moderna disputed those arguments and included only its own specialists as inventors of the component in the application, which the company filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The controversy may seriously delay the vaccine distribution in the long term and could cause billions of Dollars in the future, the report added. The two sides were negotiating on the issue for more than a year but did not reach an agreement, the newspaper noted. Furthermore, the NIH was surprised by Moderna's application, it added. It is unclear when the patent office will make its decision, but there is even a possibility of judicial resolution if both parties will not find meeting points, and this court case can be expensive, the report noted. The battle began amid frustration in the US government over Moderna's limited efforts to get its vaccine to poorer countries, according to the report. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) A group of Republican Senators introduced an amendment in the 2022 US defense policy bill that would impose mandatory sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch's office said in a press release. "US Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, last week led Senators Rob Portman, John Barrasso, Ron Johnson, Tom Cotton, and Ted Cruz in introducing an amendment to the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act to stop the Nord Stream 2 (NS2) pipeline project," the release said on Monday. The amendment would impose mandatory sanctions on Nord Stream 2 AG, the release said. In September, the House of Representatives passed the legislation on a 316-113 vote. The $768 billion US defense policy bill has bipartisan support and is expected to pass the Senate with easy approval once Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer schedules a vote. WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Jeffrey Feltman returned to Ethiopia this week to continue to press the warring parties there to negotiate a ceasefire, State Department spokesperson Ned price said in a press briefing. "When it comes to Ambassador Feltman's activity in the region, he returned to Ethiopia today from Kenya to continue to urgently press the parties to de-escalate the conflict and negotiate a cessation of hostilities," Price said on Monday. Moreover, Feltman may have a small opportunity to work with the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa Olusegun Obasanjo to address the crisis in Ethiopia and the two are expected to meet in Addis Ababa. On Thursday, the Ethiopian parliament declared a six-month state of emergency throughout the country to protect the population from the rebels of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray who are advancing upon the country's capital. This development prompted several countries to start evacuating their diplomatic missions. Northern Ethiopia has been engulfed by the internal conflict since October of last year, when the central government accused the PNLF of attacking a military base and launched a counter operation in Tigray. The hostilities have been going on since despite a June ceasefire. The Belarusian Ministry of Defence qualified the recent deployment of 10,000 Polish troops at the border as significant military activities, stressing that Minsk received no notification from Warsaw and no observers were invited MINSK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th November, 2021) The Belarusian Ministry of Defence qualified the recent deployment of 10,000 Polish troops at the border as significant military activities, stressing that Minsk received no notification from Warsaw and no observers were invited. "According to the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Belarus, the deployment of 10,000 Polish servicemen at the Polish-Belarusian border, which was announced by the national defense minister of the Republic of Poland on October 25, 2021, is a significant military activity," the ministry wrote on Telegram. The ministry added that "the implementation of this activity without notifying the Belarusian side is a violation of bilateral additional agreements on regional confidence and security measures." The ministry explained that these deals provide for the notification about military activities in which 6,000 or more military personnel are taking part, and for invitation of observers. "Minsk has not received any notification or invitation of observers from the Polish side so far," the Belarusian Ministry of Defence concluded. Lincoln, RI (02865) Today Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 48F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Rain early...then remaining cloudy with showers overnight. Low 48F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. SANDRA ESPARZA is a News and Features Reporter for The Vidette. Esparza can be contacted at smespa1@ilstu.edu. Follow Esparza on Twitter at @esparzasandra21. IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you. ISABEL BRAICO is a News and Features Reporter for The Vidette. Braico can be contacted at icbraic@ilstu.edu. Follow Braico on Twitter at @IsabelBraico IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you. ELIZABETH URBAN is News Editor for The Vidette. Urban can be contacted at emurba1@ilstu.edu. Follow Urban on Twitter at @eliizabethurban. IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you. KELLIE FOY is Editor in Chief for The Vidette. She can be contacted at vidette_kafoy1@ilstu.edu Follow Foy on Twitter at @kellie_foy IF YOU SUPPORT THE VIDETTE MISSION of providing a training laboratory for Illinois State University student journalists to learn and sharpen viable, valuable and marketable skills in all phases of digital media, please contribute to this most important cause. Thank you. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has announced the appointment of two senior diplomats to oversee the departments investigation into the mysterious Havana Syndrome. American intelligence officers and other officials continue to be affected by the illness and Washington is yet to understand its cause. Jonathan Moore and Margaret Uyehara will spearhead the State Departments probe into the Havana Syndrome. Moore is a principal deputy assistant secretary who will now head the Health Incident Response Task Force; Uyehara is a former ambassador to Montenegro who will be in charge of the Care Coordination Team. The newly appointed task force leaders have fallen victim to the illness and can share their experiences. Blinken asserted that it was his duty to take care of State Department staff members and identify the origin of Havana Syndrome. Just as they work hard for us, we have to do all we can to protect their health, their safety, their security Thats certainly the case when it comes to addressing the threat posed by anomalous health incidents. These incidents have left our colleagues with profound harm. Theyve experienced serious physical consequences, Blinken said. The first reported incident of Havana Syndrome occurred in 2016 in Cuba. In the following five years, over 200 American officials have reported being afflicted by the disease. Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and constant ringing in the ears. Though the exact cause of this affliction is yet to be determined, some speculate that the affected individuals might have been exposed to microwave emissions that resulted in the disease. Democrat Senator Jeanne Shaheen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee welcomed the State Department appointment and promised to work together to deal with the issue. While we cannot necessarily see their injuries, they are real and deserve the same attention and urgency as wounds that are visible. These individuals and their loved ones were injured while serving their nationthe U.S. owes them every resource to get well and stay healthy, Shaheen said in a statement. The State Department has begun establishing a medical support group to treat affected diplomats. Training programs are being created to raise awareness among employees about the disease. In October, the bipartisan Havana Act was signed into law which instructs the intelligence community and the department to compensate victims of the affliction. In a recent speech at the Aspen Security Forum, House Intelligence Committee chairman Adam Schiff admitted that the intelligence community is only marginally closer to uncovering the mystery of the Havana Syndrome. I dont feel that I can express a lot more optimism than that. I think were making progress, but it has been very slow and much slower than, certainly, I think any of us would like to see I still personally have profound questions about what is causing this, and whether it is one cause, or several. And so we still, I believe, have a lot of work ahead of us, Schiff stated. The CIA is also investigating the issue. Director William Burns said during a recent hearing that the agencys probe is being led by an individual who played a key role in finding Osama Bin Laden. In September, an officer who accompanied Burns during his India trip had been affected by the Havana Syndrome. Since becoming director of the CIA, Burns has tripled the number of medical experts studying the issue. In recent years, border tensions between India and communist China, the two Asian superpowers, have flared up several times. While both sides have held talks to ease up some of the tensions, former Indian ambassador to China, Nirupama Rao, believes the conflict will continue. Rao held the post of ambassador for three years between 2006 and 2009. In an interview with CNBC, Rao stated that the common Himalayan border between the two nations was never really mutually settled by their respective governments. New Delhi and Beijing have now hardened their stance on the issue. There are strong nationalistic forces on both sides contending with each other I dont see any side stepping down or stepping back when it comes to compromise on a settlement, which is, of course, an unfortunate reality that we have to contend with, Rao said. The Pentagon has recently released a report revealing that communist China installed a fiber-optic network in remote Himalayan regions last year to boost military communication amidst tensions with India. This provided the Chinese military with real-time surveillance, intelligence, and reconnaissance abilities, thereby streamlining their decision-making process. Border skirmishes have resulted in massive force buildup along the Line of Control (LOC) on the Chinese side. Despite the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Beijing has accelerated its training and fielding of equipment. The Pentagon report accused communist China of engaging in coercive and aggressive behavior against India. In 2020, the [PLA] highlighted training for potential contingencies in high-elevation regions (suggesting a possible focus on India given border clashes in 2020) and projecting forces across the Taiwan Strait, the report states. The current border tensions between India and communist China began in June last year when militaries from both sides engaged in a standoff that ended in the death of a few soldiers. In August, New Delhi and Beijing decided to disengage from the friction point. In February, both sides pulled back from another contested region. A new Chinese law that goes into effect in Jan. 2022 gives Beijing the right to act against any threat against its boundaries as defined by the CCP. New Delhi pointed out that the new Chinese law could affect existing bilateral border agreements between the two sides. The Buddhist population that lives on the Indian side of the Himalayan border is worried about Chinese incursions. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Dondup Gyaltsen, who runs a shoe store in an Indian town near the Chinese border, accused Beijing of modifying Buddhism according to its whims. Another person who runs a pharmacy appealed to India to react strongly against communist Chinas pressure tactics. Our government should make it clear that no Buddhist will accept anyone China imposes after the Dalai Lama He may look human but hes our god, he said. The German navy frigate Bayern made a port call in Tokyo on Nov. 5. This is the first time in two decades that a warship from Germany has visited Japan. The Bayern, which left German shores in August, is on a seven-month deployment and will remain in Tokyo until Nov. 12. During its stay in Japan, Bayern will participate in a 20-ship joint exercise. According to Japans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bayern will engage in surveillance and monitoring of illicit maritime activities in mid-November. This includes ship-to-ship transfers involving North Korean-flagged vessels. Those are banned by the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR) in waters surrounding Japan, including the East China Sea. This will be Germanys first time engaging in such activities in the region. Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs while maintaining the solidarity of the international community for the realization of North Koreas dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner, the ministry said in a statement on Nov. 5. Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi visited Bayern on Friday. At a news conference after inspecting the ship, Kishi said that Bayerns visit is intended to show the strong determination of both nations to make active contributions to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Kishi also discussed a wide range of issues with his German counterpart, General Eberhard Zorn. After spending time in Japan, Bayern is scheduled to visit South Korea and sail through the contentious South China Sea region. Beijing has been building up artificial islands in these waters to strengthen its claim in the area. However, neighboring nations like Vietnam, Philippines, and Japan have all rejected communist Chinas excessive territorial claims. Clemens von Goetze, the German ambassador to Japan, said during a news conference that Bayerns passage through the South China Sea will show that Berlin and Tokyo are committed to freedom of navigation and international law. Despite Germany increasing its military presence in the Indo-Pacific, Nils Schmid, foreign affairs spokesman for the Social Democratic Party, feels that his countrys military will not be highly active in the region. He believes there will be a division of geopolitical labor whereby the U.S. will be active in the Indo-Pacific while Europe will focus on the Middle East and Africa. In strictly military terms, it does not contribute much, but in diplomacy symbolism and language is very important. And I think it was the right thing to do. Maybe one day we will see a European fleet navigating through the Indo-Pacific, that would be fine. But in order to defend Taiwan or South Korea or Japan, in purely military terms, it will all depend on the US, and the US knows that, Schmid told SCMP. In an interview with DW, James Brown, Temple University associate professor of international relations at the Tokyo campus, explained that the German warships visit to Japan is a continuation of Tokyos policy of extending invitations to warships from allied nations like the UK, Netherlands, and France. The policy aims to boost Tokyos international alliance. From Tokyos perspective, the more warships from European nations or other democratic partners that come to the region the better, as it sends the message to China that Japan is not alone, it is not isolated and that it will not be pushed around, Brown said. Meanwhile, communist China has been reacting sharply to Western warships sailing into the Indo-Pacific. In September, Beijing denied Bayerns request for a port call at Shanghai. The son of the late President Idriss Deby Itno of Chad has been named interim president of the central African nation by a transitional military council. Wednesdays announcement comes a day after 37-year-old General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno was named head of the 18-month council as the army announced the death of his 68-year-old father from injuries sustained while visiting troops on the front line. A rebel force known as the Front for Change and Concord in Chad, known by its French acronym FACT, has advanced from the north in recent days toward the capital, NDjamena. The group had been based in neighboring Libya. The rebel group released a statement Tuesday vowing to take the capital and depose the younger Deby. Chad is not a monarchy, the statement read. There can be no dynastic devolution of power in our country. A day before his death, the elder Deby was declared the winner of Chad's April 11 election with 79 percent of the vote, giving him a sixth term in office. Most opposition groups had boycotted the poll, citing arrests and a government ban on opposition rallies. Deby had ruled Chad since coming to power in a December 1990 coup, making him one of Africas longest-serving leaders. Opponents called him an autocrat and criticized his management of Chadian oil revenue. In 2008, a different rebel force reached NDjamena and came close to toppling Deby before French and Chadian army forces drove them out of the city. In the West, however, Deby was seen as an important ally in the fight against Islamist extremist groups in West Africa and the Sahel, like Nigeria-based Boko Haram. The Libya-based FACT had attacked a border post on the day of the election and then moved hundreds of kilometers toward the capital. On Monday, the Chadian army said it had inflicted a heavy loss on the rebels, killing more than 300 of them. Ivory Coast faced shock and uncertainty Thursday following the death of Prime Minister Hamed Bakayoko, the West African nations second premier to die in office in less than eight months. A close ally of President Alassane Ouattara, Bakayoko, who died of cancer a few days after his 56th birthday, was appointed prime minister in July 2020 after the death of his predecessor, Amadou Gon Coulibaly, Ouattaras handpicked successor. Although Ouattara named his chief of staff, Patrick Achi, as interim prime minister on Monday while Bakayoko was in hospital, Bakayokos passing leaves a vacuum for Ouattara to fill as he continues his search for a potential successor. "It will be difficult to replace him because of his standing, his way of doing things, Abdijan resident Maturin Bamouni said. Even when they are not from his political side, he still managed to sort things out. A central figure in Ivorian politics over the past two decades as the country was plunged into a prolonged conflict and a partition, Bakayoko, a jovial character with roots in media and show business, emerged as a conciliatory figure, able to talk to all sides of the conflict. Adept at listening, gaining trust Bakayoko meant everything for Ivorians, a minister who listened to the whole population, even the opposition, Abdijan resident Kevin Bigore told Reuters. His capacity to gain the trust of all sides including former rebel soldiers who staged a series of mutinies in 2017, threatening a fragile peace in the worlds top cocoa-producing nation factored into his appointment as defense minister in 2017, and he kept the portfolio when he became prime minister. He ended the mutinies and carried out reforms that helped keep soldiers away from the political scene during the October 2020 presidential election, said Abidjan-based historian and military analyst Arthur Banga. He succeeded in building trust between the soldiers, the chain of command and the regime, which contributed a lot to the stability observed from 2017 until now, Banga said. Guillaume Soro, a former rebel leader who later led a government with Bakayoko as a minister before falling out with the current government, said he had lost a friend and a brother. The circumstances of life have unfortunately led us to take different political paths, opposed and sometimes conflicting, but we have known, above all, to keep and preserve our brotherhood and our mutual affection, Soro said. Trade between Cameroon and its landlocked neighbor Chad has come to a virtual standstill, with Chad refusing entry to hundreds of trucks carrying essential supplies for its capital. Chadian military authorities sealed the border last week after the death of longtime president Idriss Deby amid threats from armed rebels. Hundreds of trucks with goods meant for Chads capital, N'Djamena, are sitting idle in Kousseri, a town on Cameroons northern border with Chad. Another long line of trucks sits and waits on Chadian side of the border. Only a few vehicles said to be transporting humanitarian aid and hospital equipment are being given access to Ndjamena by Chads border security men. Cameroons Ministry of Transport says at least 700 trucks bound for Chads capital have been asked to delay their trips. Nana Seini transports rice from Cameroons coastal city of Douala to N'Djamena. He says movement between Kousseri and N'djamena has been halted for about a week now. He says traders have been in pain and consternation since last week's death of Idriss Deby. When Deby was alive, he says movement between Kousseri in northern Cameroon and Chad's capital was very fluid and business was thriving. He says Debys death has brought enormous economic setbacks that may grow worst if the new government in Chad fails to open the border. Landlocked Chad relies on Cameroon for 80 percent of its imports, while Cameroon buys food staples such as sorghum, onions and groundnuts from Chad. Zacharie Roger Mbarga is a researcher in regional integration and free trade in Central Africa at the University of Yaounde. He says Chads military council is preoccupied over the security of the capital. Speaking by telephone from Douala, he said by closing the border, Chads Transitional Military Council is indicating that its immediate preoccupation is to stop rebels from advancing towards N'djamena. He said the council wants to secure N'djamena for the 18 months before examining if it can hand Chad to civilian rule. He said the border closure is already stifling economic liberty and the free movement of people and goods which are not good signs for a country where people live in poverty. Marsa Success, a Chadian opposition leader, says security will be threatened in Chad until the Transitional Military Council created after Debys death hands power to civilians. Speaking by telephone from Chad, he said it's high time Chads military, the civil society and the rebels meet at a dialogue table and immediately hand power to civilian rule. He said Chadians are angry that after Debys 30 years in power, the military unconstitutionally decided to hand Chad to General Mahamat Idriss Deby, the 37-year old son of the former leader. He said a majority of Chad citizens are disgruntled with the confiscation of power by Deby and his family. He said civilians are ready to sacrifice to free their country, even if they go hungry because of the border closure. On Sunday, Chads ruling military council in a statement read on state TV said it will not negotiate with rebels whom they accuse of killing Deby. The military said Mahamat Mahadi Ali, the leader of the rebels known as the Front for Change and Concord in Chad, had fled into Niger and asked its neighbor to help track Ali down. The council has promised to fully reopen the border in the days ahead if the security situation improves. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has urged Paraguay to work with its diplomatic ally Taiwan to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, after protests in the South American country over the government's handling of the health crisis. Thousands of Paraguayans have protested in the capital Asuncion over the lack of medicine and intensive care beds amid a spike in coronavirus cases and calls to impeach President Mario Abdo. The U.S. State Department said Blinken spoke with Abdo on Sunday, outlining U.S. efforts to help tackle the pandemic, and underscored the importance of free expression, peaceful demonstration, and the rule of law. The secretary stressed the importance of continuing to work with democratic regional and global partners, including Taiwan, to overcome this global pandemic, combat corruption, and increase transparency and accountability, it said in a statement. Paraguay is Taiwans sole remaining diplomatic ally in South America. China views democratic Taiwan as one of its provinces, with no right to the trappings of a state. The United States has expressed concern at Beijings efforts to win over the remaining 15 countries that still have formal ties with Taipei and expand Chinese influence, especially in Latin America, which Washington traditionally views as its backyard. Paraguay had kept infections very low early last year, but COVID-19 cases have jumped since September and vaccines have been slow to arrive, though Chile donated around 20,000 doses of the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine to Paraguay this month. Paraguays Senate last week approved a declaration of support for a plan to use $12.8 million in funds given by Taiwan for a housing development project to be used to buy 2 million vaccine doses. Taiwan Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Joanne Ou said Taiwan and Paraguay have a solid friendship. Our government will continue to uphold the spirit of pulling together in times of trouble and trying our best to assist allies to fight the pandemic together within the scope of our capabilities, she said. Some of Britains prestigious colleges including the ancient universities of Cambridge and Oxford are being accused of losing their moral compass by accepting donations from what critics say are dubious sources. The University of Oxford, London School of Economics and University College, London, have prompted a firestorm of criticism for accepting millions of pounds from the charitable trust of the late motor-racing tycoon Max Mosley, whose fortune was largely inherited from his father Oswald Mosley, leader of the British Union of Fascists during the 1930s and 1940s. Oxford was given $8 million from a charitable trust set up by Max Mosley, who died this year, and two of the universitys colleges, St Peters and Lady Margaret Hall, are also beneficiaries sharing another $8.5 million. A question of morality The acceptance of the gifts has drawn the ire of historian Lawrence Goldman, a former vice-master of St Peters, who said he was shocked by the Mosley donations and accused university authorities of vast hypocrisy. He contrasts Oxfords readiness to accept the Mosley cash with its push to decolonize the curriculum. But they go ahead and take money from a fund established by proven and known fascists. Its moral compass is just not working anymore. There has been a total moral failure, he said. In a letter to the master of St Peters and the colleges governing body Goldman warned that taking the money from the most infamous fascist dynasty in the English-speaking world will be a disaster for the colleges reputation. Oswald Mosley, scion of prosperous aristocratic landowners, led the British Union of Fascists in the 1930s and after the Second World War set up the Union Movement. His supporters were known as blackshirts for their Nazi-style uniforms and violent attacks on Jews in east London. In 1936, he married his second wife, Diana Mitford, at the home of Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels, with Adolf Hitler attending as guest of honor. Max Mosley was involved in his fathers Union Movement in the post-war years and, according to his critics, never renounced his political activities. Four British Nobel laureates called Tuesday on Oxford to reconsider endowing a biophysics professorship in the name of Max Mosleys son, Alexander, who graduated from Oxford and died from a drug overdose in 2009, saying it would dishonor our science by linking it to the Mosley family and inevitably to British fascism. The University of Oxford said in a statement that the Mosley donation, like all donations, passed a robust, independent process taking legal, ethical and reputational issues into consideration. China But both Oxford and Cambridge, as well as some other top British universities, are also prompting mounting alarm over foreign-sourced donations theyre accepting and actively pursuing, especially from China. Unlike the Mosley gifts, the acceptance of millions from companies and billionaires linked to the countrys communist government is raising both political and national security concerns. Earlier this year Oxford agreed to re-name its prestigious Wykeham Chair of Physics as the Tencent-Wykeham Professorship in return for a $950,000 donation from Chinese software giant Tencent. This year, too, Cambridges Department of Engineering accepted what was described as a generous gift from Tencent to go towards research into quantum computing. Tencent, the world's largest video game vendor, was launched with seed money from Chinas Ministry of State Security, according to US officials. Tencent has denied the allegation, and also disputes Western accusations that its highly popular WeChat messenger app is an important cog in Chinas surveillance state with data from the app analyzed, tracked and shared with Chinese authorities. Half of the $15 million to retrofit an old telephone exchange as a low-energy building in Cambridge to house the universitys new Institute for Sustainability Leadership has been provided by Lei Zhang, a Chinese billionaire and owner of a Shanghai-based renewable energy company. Zhang is a member of Chinas National Peoples Congress. Earlier this year, Britains former universities minister Jo Johnson, a brother of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, warned of the poorly understood risks of increasingly close collaboration between British universities and China. Johnson, who led a study on education and research partnerships between Britains higher education sector and China, raised security concerns, saying collaboration had increased dramatically in sensitive areas for national security and economic competition such as automation, telecommunications, and materials science. The study Johnson headed was undertaken by Kings College, London, and Harvard University. It concluded: The UKs dependence on a neo-totalitarian technology power for the financial health and research output of its universities is now regarded as a particular point of vulnerability. Asian countries with some of the worlds largest yearly tropical forest losses have either not joined a new global pact to halt forest loss by the end of the decade or sparked doubts about their commitment after signing up. More than 120 countries joined the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use on November 2 at the United Nations COP26 climate conference in Scotland. The non-binding agreement commits them to working collectively to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation a major cause of global warming by 2030, with some $19 billion in public and private financing in the works to help developing countries follow through. Collectively, Southeast Asia hosts nearly 15% of the worlds tropical forests, prized by climate activists for the volumes of world-warming carbon they can lock up. But most countries in the region have yet to join the COP26 pact, including Laos and Malaysia; both ranked among the top 10 countries in the world for primary tropical forest loss last year, according to the World Resources Institute, a U.S. research group. Cambodia, 11th on WRIs list, has also not signed up. Malaysia signals After drawing rebuke from local opposition parties and rights groups for its absence from the pledge, Malaysia announced Friday it will be joining the deal, but did not say when. After the declaration was announced without Malaysia on November 3, a local lawmaker, Charles Santiago, called the countrys absence a tragedy in a Twitter post. Speaking with VOA, he said it was crucial that the government now make good on its promise to sign up, blaming the countrys mounting forest losses for amplifying the damage from recent floods and robbing endangered wildlife of their habitat. Malaysia and neighboring Indonesia are the worlds two largest producers of palm oil, a cash crop that takes up vast tracts of land, often over cleared forest and peatland, another rich carbon sink. WRI data show they lost a combined 343,000 hectares in 2020, an area more than twice the size of greater London. Santiago said Malaysias powerful business interests were all but sure to block the country from meeting the declarations 2030 target, assuming it does join. But he argued that Malaysia should sign up regardless to give the country something to aim for and to tap into the international financing that could unlock. As a country, we have to make a decision whether we should continue with the way we are doing it or [whether] we need to really put some control over deforestation, especially in dealing with oil palm [and] construction, he said. Indonesia wavers Environmental groups fear business interests may end up undermining the declaration in Indonesia as well. The sprawling archipelago also features on WRIs top-10 list and cleared more primary tropical forest in 2020 than Cambodia, Laos and Malaysia combined. President Joko Widodo signed the country up to the COP26 pact in Glasgow on November 2. A day later, though, Indonesias environment minister, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, called a commitment to zero deforestation by 2030 inappropriate and unfair, casting doubt on the nations intentions to abide by the deal. Forcing Indonesia to zero deforestation in 2030 is clearly inappropriate and unfair, she said in a Facebook post. The massive development of President Jokowis era must not stop in the name of carbon emissions or in the name of deforestation, she added, referring to the president by his common nickname. In a statement the next day, conservation group Greenpeace called the ministers remarks profoundly disappointing. For Indonesia to have a minister for environment who supports large-scale developments with clear potential for environmental destruction is deplorable. Rather than ensuring we protect the planet for future generations, this is doing the opposite, the head of the groups Indonesian forest campaign, Kiki Taufik, said. On Friday, though, a spokesperson for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told The Guardian newspaper that Indonesias stated goal of net zero forest loss by 2030 replacing yearly deforestation with just as much or more new forest was actually consistent with the COP26 pact. Mahendra Siregar, Indonesias deputy foreign minister, explained the countrys net zero forest loss goal in statement Thursday. Mixed messages Arief Wijaya, a senior manager for WRI Indonesia, told VOA that all the back and forth was creating some confusion about what the declaration actually commits countries to. He said the Long-Term Climate Strategy that Indonesia submitted to the United Nations in July commits the country not to net zero forest loss, but to net zero emission from forest and land use by 2030. That will let it clear more forest and peatland than it replaces or restores by the end of the decade, so long as what it replaces and restores captures at least as much carbon as what it gives off. Arief said that will require Indonesia to make sharp cuts to its forest loss rates over the coming years and at least points the country in the direction of the COP26 pledge and puts it on a trajectory toward zero deforestation. Indonesia and Malaysia have been bringing their annual forest losses down for the past few years. Thats not the case for all of Southeast Asia. Cambodias losses stayed roughly steady in 2020 after rising the year before. Losses in Laos have been rising for the past two years and were at their highest yet in 2020 since WRI started keeping track in 2001. With research suggesting that Southeast Asias tropical forests on the whole are a major carbon source, Arief added, every country had a role to play. If we believe that the continental Southeast Asia is actually a tropical forest belt, and its important for the global climate, temperature and so forth, then any country should actually commit and contribute to reduce deforestation and to manage their forests sustainably, he said. Laos Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cambodias Ministry of Environment did not reply to VOAs requests for comment. The African Union envoy for the Horn of Africa warned Monday that the window of opportunity is closing for a political resolution of the crisis in northern Ethiopia, as the country tips further toward all-out conflict. "The time is now for collective actions in finding lasting solution to avoid further escalation of the situation, which may have direct effect on the strategic Horn of Africa region as a whole," said former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who is the AU's special representative for the Horn of Africa. Briefing the U.N. Security Council from Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, where he arrived Thursday, Obasanjo said he has met separately with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and leaders of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), as well as some allied groups, in order to de-escalate tensions and seek the start of talks. "All the leaders here in Addis Ababa and in the north agree individually that the differences between them are political and require political solutions through dialogue," he said. "This, therefore, constitutes a window of opportunity that we can collectively tap into to assist the people of Ethiopia to find a lasting solution to the ongoing crisis." Obasanjo said he will visit the northern regions of Amhara and Afar on Tuesday, where the TPLF has expanded fighting, displacing thousands of people. Fighting has escalated in the lead-up last week to the one-year anniversary of the start of the conflict. Tigrayan forces said earlier this week they were advancing on Addis Ababa and that it could fall within months or even weeks. The Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency Tuesday and called on residents to defend their neighborhoods if rebels arrived in the capital. Jaal Marroo, commander of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), an ally of the TPLF, told Agence France-Presse that the OLA posed "no threat" to ordinary civilians but that Abiy and his ruling Prosperity Party have to be "completely removed and cleared" for reconciliation to begin. "We will make Ethiopia not just Ethiopia, the Horn of Africa a peaceful, very stable place to live in. I am very confident there is not going to be conflict after Abiy Ahmed's regime," he said. Ethiopia's U.N. ambassador blamed some countries and Western media for encouraging the TPLF. "It is emboldened to a level that it threatens to unseat a popularly elected federal government and destabilize a nation of 112 million people," Ambassador Taye Atske-Selassie said of the rebels. "We again reiterate our plea for the support of this group that have been providing it with communications equipment, satellite information, weapons and even fighters to desist from this." Civil war concerns growing The United Nation's political chief warned that the conflict has "reached disastrous proportions" and if not immediately halted could see Africa's second-most-populous country engulfed in all-out civil war. "What is certain is that the risk of Ethiopia descending into widening civil war is only too real," Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council. "That would bring about a humanitarian catastrophe and consume the future of such an important country." DiCarlo said the fighting already threatens regional stability in the Horn of Africa. "The political repercussions of intensifying violence in the wider region would be immense, compounding the many crises besetting the Horn of Africa," she added. "The longer this conflict goes on, the harder the road to peace becomes and the more people will die," U.S. envoy Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. "And as you heard from High Representative Obasanjo, the window of opportunity is limited, and time is running out. I urge all parties all parties in the strongest possible terms to back away from the brink and lead their people toward peace." She added that accusations that the United States is biased toward one side are false. "Let me be crystal clear: We condemn violence on all sides. We condemn any and all human rights violations and abuses committed by all sides." Alice Wairimu Nderitu, U.N. special adviser on the prevention of genocide, expressed concern in a statement Monday at the increase of ethnically and religiously motivated hate speech, ethnic profiling and incitement to violence. "These all constitute risk factors for atrocity crimes," she warned. Intensive diplomacy In addition to Obasanjo, U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths wrapped up a four-day visit to Ethiopia on Monday. During his mission, he traveled to Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, where the government maintains a de facto blockade on the delivery of humanitarian assistance. The U.N. said no aid has gotten in since October 18, and more than 5 million people are in dire need. Griffiths also met with Abiy on Friday and with other senior federal government officials. U.S. Horn of Africa envoy Jeffrey Feltman has also been in the region since Thursday. State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Feltman is currently in Addis Ababa. President Joe Biden minced no words in condemning Sunday's elections in Nicaragua, calling them a "sham" after that nation's longtime president jailed opponents and brutally repressed dissent to take a fourth consecutive term. But as of Monday, Biden had yet to sign legislation that had been making its way through Congress for months and is aimed at curbing the Nicaraguan president's inner circle. The RENACER Act (Reinforcing Nicaragua's Adherence to Conditions for Electoral Reform Act) had passed with bipartisan support and landed on Biden's desk last week. "What Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, orchestrated today was a pantomime election that was neither free nor fair, and most certainly not democratic," Biden said in a statement. He vowed to "use all diplomatic and economic tools at our disposal to support the people of Nicaragua and hold accountable the Ortega-Murillo government." In remarks covered by the pro-Ortega La Voz del Sandinismo, Vice President Murillo is quoted as saying the poll was fair. "We receive these votes with humility and a great feeling of responsibility," she reportedly said, adding: "There is much work we must do to live up to the aspirations and dreams of Nicaraguan families." Murillo also said that she and her husband had received congratulatory messages from Russia, Cuba, Venezuela and Bolivia. Many international media organizations were unable to go into Nicaragua to cover the poll. Biden urged to sign In a statement on Monday, U.S. Representatives Gregory Meeks and Albio Sires urged Biden to sign the legislation. Meeks is chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; Sires chairs the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, Migration and International Economic Policy Subcommittee. "Last week, we supported the passage of the RENACER Act, which prioritizes U.S. commitment for democracy in Nicaragua and calls on increased coordination with our international allies to continue applying pressure on the authoritarian Ortega-Murillo government," they said. "We urge the Biden administration to move swiftly to sign this important legislation into law." Had RENACER been signed into law sooner, it might not have affected Ortega's actions, said Ryan Berg, a senior fellow in the Americas program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Berg notes that the longtime leader has become even more emboldened in the face of increased pressure, not just from the U.S. but from the Central American region, as well. Possible reasons for not signing Berg testified before Congress in support of the legislation. He said it was possible that Biden didn't sign the act sooner because he didn't want it to become the narrative. "Biden didn't want the signature on RENACER to be the story of Sunday's electoral sham," Berg told VOA. "He didn't want this to be about the U.S. and Nicaragua. He didn't want the U.S. action to fall into the camp of rhetoric that Ortega likes to use so much, about imperialism and about how they're resisting Yankee pressure to the north." "But my counter to that would be, this took so long to get done already in Congress," Berg said. "This has been since late March that we've been trying to get a Nicaragua bill passed. Why delay any further?" Eddy Acevedo, chief of staff of the Wilson Center, said other leverage may come sooner from the 35-member Organization of American States. "I am confident that there will be a swift response from the U.S. government," he told VOA. "In addition, we are all urging the Organization of American States. OAS has a meeting in a few days, this week, where they will take up Nicaragua on their agenda and discuss invoking the Inter-American Democratic Charter against Ortega." That charter, which suspends OAS membership, has been invoked four times in the past against Honduras once, and against Venezuela three times. "Sometimes it just takes a few days from the bureaucratic side for these bills to get to the president's desk," Acevedo said, "but have no fear this legislation will be signed." Berg says he fears that, in the meantime, more and more Nicaraguans will decide to leave the country. "In June or July, right after the wave of repression that saw all those seven candidates for president in prison, we saw a significant uptick in Nicaraguans captured at the border by CBP (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)," Berg said. "I think they were the second-largest-growing group that month, and I think we can expect to see greater and greater numbers of Nicaraguans showing up at the border in the months ahead." Climate change-related disasters, such as prolonged drought, floods and locust infestations, have displaced thousands of Somali farmers from their land, threatening food security in the Horn of the African nation. Somalia contributes less than 0.003% of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere -- but the impact of global warming is evident in the well-being of the countrys herders and farmers. Fatuma Ibrahim Aden, a mother of eight, is among thousands of farmers currently living in a displaced persons camp in Mogadishu, after her family's livestock succumbed to the escalating drought in Qoryoley in the lower Shabelle region. She says prolonged drought and lack of water that killed their livestock forced her extended family to the city four months ago. She added that they have not experienced such recurring famine in recent years. Ibrahim Dagane Ali, a Somali agriculture and resilience specialist, says there is need for new strategies to mitigate the impact of such events on the lives of the farmers. "Without getting assistance of climate investment and installation of climate smart technologies, it will be difficult. Plus, other issues of environmental conservation, regenerative agriculture, use of renewable energy, all these elements. But above all, we need to educate our people, and to do that it is the sole responsibility of the government to stand up and address this," Ali said. The Somali government has called upon richer nations emitting most of the greenhouse gases to act swiftly as the COP26 climate conference continues in Glasgow. Somalia and other poor countries are paying with their lives and livelihoods for a problem of not our making," said Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed Gulaid. "It is therefore our loud call to the countries emitting the most to start acting on the issue, especially so now that we know what the problem is, and we know actions needed. The worlds richest countries once pledged to deliver $100 billion per year to help developing nations cope with climate change a pledge that has never been met. An estimated 35 schools across Kenya have been set on fire in the last month, forcing many to shut down. Authorities say the fires are being set by students, and have warned that any student caught in an act of arson will be locked out of the education system. The wave of arson began about a month ago and has gotten increasingly worse. On Sunday alone, five schools were burned. In one incident, a girls boarding school in Nairobi caught fire in the middle of the night. Sixty-three students needed medical attention. The Kenyan government has issued a strong warning against students who are burning schools, and authorities are making arrests. On Tuesday, six students were arrested, following the burning of a high school in Nyeri county, in western Kenya. A total of 11 were arraigned in court on charges of attempted arson. Visiting a school in eastern Kenya, Education Minister George Magoha said the parents and students would rebuild the affected schools. He said those found to have participated in the arson will be banned from attending public schools. Anybody who is planning to burn the building, just remember that if you are caught, you are not going to go to any other school, definitely not a public school in this country. You will go back and ensure your parents contribute to the rebuilding of the school that you have burnt, Magoha said. Officials are blaming drug abuse, stress, curriculum overload and poor student-teacher relations for the unrest. Sam Ndunda, secretary-general of the Kenya National Association of Parents, said teachers are not properly dealing with discipline cases. There are a number of students who have already been sent out of school in the form of suspension. These students have been kept out of school for quite a long time. These students who are out there feel so bitter that our colleagues in the school are learning and whereas we are given a definite suspension so that they can feel the pinch we are feeling, then they come up and organize for the fires, Ndunda said. Tomkins Baraza, a boarding school teacher, said the school calendar is short and a lot of learning is expected from the students which have made some unhappy with their studies. These learners may fear exams and remember the second term is when most of the schools the students sit for mock exams. Also, the pressure which is mounted on those learners. They are supposed to cover a wide syllabus within the shortest time possible, so maybe learners feel that there is a lot of academic work which is being pushed on their side, Baraza said. Since the outbreak of the coronavirus in Kenya in March 2020, schools were closed for several months, until late last year. The education systems in the country have been putting more pressure on teachers and students to recover the time lost. Some experts are pushing for open forums in schools, where teachers and students can discuss their issues, before students feel the need to take drastic and destructive measures. The United Nations said Tuesday that 22 of its Ethiopian national staff were detained by the federal government in Addis Ababa, following raids reportedly targeting ethnic Tigrayans. Six of the U.N. staffers have been released. We are of course actively working with the government of Ethiopia to secure their immediate release, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters of the 16 who remain in detention. It is imperative that they are released. He said no explanation was given for the detention of the staffers, who work for various U.N. agencies. He said some of them have been detained over the last few days. U.N. security officers have visited those who remain in custody. On September 30, Ethiopia expelled seven U.N. humanitarian officials, saying they were meddling in the countrys affairs. The announcement of the detentions comes just a day after U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths concluded a four-day visit to the country to try to improve aid access to northern Ethiopia. He met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and made a one-day trip to Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region. Last Thursday marked the first anniversary of Prime Minister Abiys deployment of troops to Tigray in response to forces of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) seizing military bases. The ensuing conflict has killed thousands of people, displaced several million from their homes and left millions in need of aid and at least 400,000 residents of Tigray facing famine, according to the United Nations. The conflict threatens to spill into the capital as the TPLF and allied groups have threatened to march there. A week ago, the Ethiopian government declared a six-month state of emergency and called on residents to defend their neighborhoods if rebels arrive in the capital. That declaration allows the government to arrest without warrants anyone it claims is collaborating with rebels, Reuters reported. There have been reports of Tigrayans being arrested in Addis Ababa. Asked if the detained staffers are Tigrayan, U.N. spokesman Dujarric said: Its a valid question, but for us, these are United Nations staff members. They are Ethiopians. They are U.N. staff members and wed like to see them released, regardless of whatever ethnicity is listed on their identity cards. A joint investigation by the United Nations and the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission found that all sides in the Tigray conflict have committed human rights violations, including torture of civilians, gang rapes and arrests 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. Last week, the U.S. urged all Americans to depart Ethiopia and cautioned against travel there. It renewed its call for Americans to leave on Tuesday, saying the security situation remains very fluid. Some information in this report came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. The Czech Republic is urging European and NATO allies to take joint retaliatory action against Russia following accusations that Russian spies were behind a huge explosion at a Czech arms depot in 2014. They claim the spies were also part of a special unit that tried to assassinate a double agent in Britain. The central European country evicted 18 Russian embassy staffers over the weekend, saying they were identified as intelligence officers. "We succeeded in breaking up both of the big Russian (spy) operation cells, and for the Russian side, it will be very complicated to put them together again," Acting Foreign Minister Jan Hamacek said Monday. Moscow has denied involvement in the 2014 explosion, which killed two workers at the site. The Kremlin expelled 20 Czech diplomats and other staff in retaliation for this week's action. Speaking at a televised press conference Tuesday, Hamacek said, "We will call for collective action by European Union and NATO countries that will be aimed at a solidarity expulsion of identified members of Russian intelligence service from EU and NATO member states." The explosion at the arms depot was initially thought to be an accident. Czech investigators, however, recently revealed they had discovered an email that had been sent to "Imex Group," the company that operated the depot, prior to the blast. The message asked that two men be allowed to visit the site. The email was sent from an address, purporting to be from the National Guard of Tajikistan, which was later shown to be fake. Subsequent investigations found the two men were traveling under false documents. They have since been identified as the suspects in the 2018 nerve-agent poisoning in Britain of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, who barely survived. A local woman died after being exposed to the nerve agent. Suspects identified The investigative website Bellingcat identified them as Anatoly Chepiga and Alexander Mishkin, both officers in Russia's GRU military intelligence. Their unit, 29155, is believed to focus on sabotage and subversion, says Russia analyst Ian Bond of the London-based Center for European Reform. "They seem to be extremely active in a number of parts of Europe, and of course apart from them, we have seen the assassination of the Chechen-Georgian exile (Zelimkhan) Khangoshvili in Berlin, for which a Russian is on trial in Germany, and we've still got the MH17 trial going ahead in The Hague, and we've had other Russian citizens assassinated elsewhere in the EU," Bond told VOA. MH17 refers to Malaysia Airlines Flight MH-17. The aircraft was shot down July 17, 2014, by a Russian-made Buk missile fired from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists. The Russian military has said the missile that downed the aircraft, killing all 298 people on board, came from the arsenals of the Ukrainian army, not from Russia. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, expressed support Monday for the Czech Republic's expulsion of Russian diplomats. "These diplomats have been identified by the Czech intelligence to be Russian military service agents, and the European Union stands united and in solidarity with the Czech Republic." Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov called the Czech accusations "groundless" and accused the West of "a massive anti-Russian psychosis." Tensions between Moscow and the West have deepened in recent weeks, as Russia has deployed military hardware and tens of thousands of troops along the Ukrainian border. The European Union has called for de-escalation. Escalation risk in Ukraine "The Russian military buildup at the Ukrainian border is very concerning. It is more than 150,000 Russian troops massing on the Ukrainian borders and in Crimea. The risk of further escalation is evident. We have to commend Ukraine for its restrained response, and we urge Russia to de-escalate and to defuse tensions," the EU's Borrell told reporters Monday. Russia also has jailed the main opposition leader, Alexey Navalny. Doctors say he is in critical condition in a prison hospital after going on a hunger strike when he was denied urgent medical treatment. Navalny survived a near-fatal poisoning last year and was arrested when he returned to Moscow in January following lifesaving treatment in Germany. The Russian president is trying to whip up support at home, says analyst Bond. "Putin hasn't had a particularly good 12 months. Russia has one of the highest excess death rates from COVID-19 in the world. The economy is pretty stagnant, and the IMF is forecasting that it will stay pretty stagnant for a while. And the protests about the arrest of Navalny in January were the largest Russia had seen in quite a long time." The United States imposed new sanctions on Russia this month over alleged cyberattacks and other "malign" acts. U.S. President Joe Biden has proposed a summit with his Russian counterpart. Europe must act fast in imposing its own measures, Bond said. "It's hard to know what would jog Europe to impose further sanctions if it weren't an example of state-sponsored terrorism of this kind. I can't describe it in any other way arranging the explosion of an ammunition dump which killed two people it's hard to see that as anything other than state terrorism. "That also sends a signal to Putin that there isn't unity yet, even within the EU, about the need to take really firm measures to deter the sorts of activities that he has been authorizing in Europe over the last several years. And I think that will only embolden him unfortunately." Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks on European soil and says its troop buildup on the Ukrainian border is in response to what it claims is increased military activity by the United States and NATO forces. A former U.S. Marine serving a nine-year jail sentence in Russia has started a hunger strike to protest against his incarceration and alleged violations of his rights, his family said, a statement Russian prison authorities said was untrue. Trevor Reed, a university student from Texas, was last year convicted of endangering the lives of two policemen in Moscow while drunk on a visit in 2019. He denied the charge and Washington called his trial a "theater of the absurd." "We have received a report from an attorney that Trevor has begun a hunger strike to protest his arbitrary detention and Russian authorities' numerous and flagrant violations of his basic human rights and his rights under Russian law," his family said in a statement late on Monday. Regional prison authorities in Mordovia, where Reed is being held, denied his rights were being abused or that he was on hunger strike. "He is eating in line with the daily schedule," they said in a statement to Reuters. The family said that Reed was being held in a small room with a hole in the floor for a toilet, that he had not been allowed to speak to his parents by phone for 116 days, and that he was not being allowed to receive books or letters. The U.S embassy in Moscow did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The Kremlin declined to comment. Reed and Paul Whelan, an American who was jailed in Russia on spying charges he denied, have been touted as possible candidates for a prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington. Whelan's lawyer told Reuters on Monday that there had been talks on a deal concerning his client, but that they had stalled. Reed's family said in its statement it had met officials in Washington last month and urged them to strike a deal with Russia that would see Russians held in U.S. jails freed. Russian media have touted Konstantin Yaroshenko, a pilot serving 20 years for conspiracy to smuggle cocaine, and Viktor Bout, a Russian arms trafficker serving a 25-year prison sentence, as possible candidates for a deal. "Both Russian men whom Russian media have floated as potential targets for a 'trade' have served more than half of their lengthy sentences and are now senior citizens who would pose no threat to Americans if 'traded'," Reed's family said. Terror attacks on gold mining operations in Burkina Faso are becoming a regular occurrence. For VOA, reporter Henry Wilkins looks at the impact the attacks are having on the lives of survivors and what it could mean if extracting gold, the country's primary source of income, becomes too dangerous. Boukare, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, is a survivor of the Yirgou massacre. The attack by an unknown terror group in June this year targeted a small informal gold mining site, like this one, and killed at least 160 people, mostly mine workers. Boukare was hiding on the roof of a building, from where he could see women and children moving around. At first, he thought they were being kidnapped by the attackers and then realized they were carrying out the attack themselves. When they finished shooting, it was around 4:30 a.m. and then they started to burn [buildings and vehicles], he said. Burkina Faso is the fastest growing producer of gold in Africa. While informal mining is estimated to employ and indirectly support about 3 million people, large-scale commercial mining by foreign companies brought in $300 million of revenue for the government in 2018. But as groups linked to Islamic State, al-Qaida and bandits have stepped up attacks on miners, extracting gold is seen as increasingly dangerous. Since August, there have been two attacks on convoys belonging to iamgold, a company headquartered in Canada, and another one on a convoy owned by Endeavour Mining, headquartered in the Cayman Islands. The attacks left six dead. Salam, whose identity we also have protected, survived an assault on a mining convoy on the same route in 2019. He played dead as terrorists killed 40 of his colleagues. He now works for a different company, but said that many of his colleagues are wary of the mines. They no longer want to take the convoys along the road to the mine, because it has become too dangerous. He says that after the last attack military police were able to kill two terrorists. The terrorists are going to want revenge. They are going to want revenge, he said. In recent weeks, mining companies in Burkina Faso have begun transporting local employees to mines by air instead of by road. Previously, only foreign staff flew to the mines. But some logistics still must be done by road. Liam Morrissey, CEO of MS risk, a security consultant that works with mining companies operating in Burkina Faso, said the attacks could spell trouble for the industry. The producing mines have regular convoy activity to keep their mines supplied: crew rotations, consumables, parts, plant and equipment and so on. So, we have seen, correspondingly, with this spike of incidents through the wet season, incidents involving convoys. Now, they haven't been devastating, not yet, he said. Asked if deteriorating security might force some companies to pull out of Burkina Faso, Paul Melly of London-based Chatham House said no at least for the time being. Burkina Faso is now one of the most important gold producing countries in Africa, and the large number of investors whove come in over recent years and the large number of mines that have opened up, point to the economic attractions, so I dont imagine that companies would take a decision to pull out very easily, said Melly. Analysts say major disruption to the gold mining industry could have far-reaching impacts for the already fragile state. Hong Kong's universities have been under fire in a series of student arrests and university organization clampdowns since the territory's controversial national security law was implemented in 2020. In the latest episode, the student union at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, one of Hong Kong's most prestigious universities, dissolved itself in October under pressure to register legally as an independent organization rather than just being recognized by the university. Established half a century ago, the student organization became history after the collective resignation of its student council its governing body and the organization's decision to dissolve itself. The dissolution is widely seen as a consequence of authorities' move to silence the voices of students, whom the government believe have made up most of the protesters in the anti-government movement since 2019. The university was at the forefront of the anti-government protests. In November 2019, it turned into a battlefield between student protesters and the police. The police fired rounds of tear gas and rubber bullets at demonstrators on campus; students responded by throwing bricks and gasoline bombs. This January, police arrested three students, including former student union President Owen Au, and searched dormitories after a campus protest. A month later, in February, the university administration severed ties with the student union, banning it from using university facilities and accusing it of failing to clarify "potentially unlawful statements and false allegations." The student union had previously accused the university of "kowtowing to the [Chinese] regime," according to public broadcaster RTHK. The student union was seen by Beijing as part of the "rebellion" of 2019, so the student union being "pacified" came as no surprise after the city implemented the national security law in June of last year, Steve Tsang, director of the China Institute of the SOAS University of London, wrote to VOA. "Why should anyone be surprised that student unions have been picked to be 'pacified'? The introduction of the national security law marked the implementation of a new paradigm in Hong Kong requiring all residents there to show loyalty to the party-state," Tsang said. In an October 6 statement on Facebook, the student union said the university administration no longer recognized its registration on campus, and in turn required it to register with the government under the Societies Ordnance. "CUSU sought professional legal opinion and was advised that 'the ordinance does not apply to CUSU' for independent registration. We are now torn between following the legal advice or complying with the university administration's demand," it said. In a meeting that followed, the student union passed a motion to dissolve itself. The Hong Kong university's administration said its new requirement is "a necessary step to ensure the CUSU can continue its operations compliant with the law," according to a press statement. However, Chow Po-chung, an associate professor of government and public administration at the university, wrote on Facebook in October, "I don't think anyone has the obligation to stay [in the student union] in the current political environment." Chow added, "CUHK has the responsibility to publicly state why they single-handedly destroyed the student union established 50 years ago, which made major contributions to teachers and students, as well as bred countless talents." On why student unions are important, Chow said, "It is the collective entity of the realization of students' democracy and autonomy. All students become members of this entity the moment they set foot on campus. Through multiple activities, members try to lead a democratic life and learn to become a confident and socially responsible democratic citizen with dreams." The CUHK move came after the government clamped down on another prestigious university's student union earlier this year. In August, four members of the student union at the University of Hong Kong were arrested on suspicion of promoting terrorism under the national security law, after they publicly mourned a man who stabbed a police officer and then killed himself in July. The arrests came after the university issued a strongly worded statement in May that called the student union a "platform for political propaganda" and cut ties with it. Among the eight public universities in the former British colony, only one student union is still in active operation and no students ran for any of the unions' student councils this year. "How many people would choose to go to jail or risk ruining their career at a young age?" Tsang asked. University student unions cannot "stay clean" from politics, he said. "Activism is involvement in politics. No one can get into politics and 'stay clean' not more than jumping into a lake and staying dry," he said. "Student unions are just one of the many civil society organizations that face this new suppression," he said. Analysts say a proposed deal between China and a regional bloc including four countries that dispute Beijing's claim to sovereignty over most of the South China Sea could undermine U.S. influence in Southeast Asia. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China intend to enter a comprehensive strategic partnership and fill it with language that could eventually accelerate trade, investment or even military ties. Washington has reached out to Southeast Asia over the past five years with defensive weapons, military training and warnings to Beijing over its expansion in the South China Sea. But the United States lags China in economic support that the more impoverished Southeast Asian countries still need, analysts say. "I think Washington had better be concerned, because building the next-generation high-tech weaponry is not necessarily going to help restore America's edge in competition with China," said Alan Chong, associate professor at the Singapore-based S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Southeast Asian states can go "cap in hand" only to China for infrastructure aid, he said. U.S. officials say Beijing, a rival superpower, is going too far in its South China Sea sovereignty dispute with ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. ASEAN is technically neutral, though its maritime states are open to U.S. military aid. "Is the United States literally going to build back better, or is it going to appear to be retreating into some kind of Cold War-era mantle?" Chong asked. Comprehensive strategic partnership Partnerships are no stranger to the Asia Pacific, and China had them with 78 countries as of 2019, forming the "center of its foreign policy strategy," scholars from Wuhan University and Coastal Carolina University found in a study. A comprehensive strategic partnership the strongest level of bilateral arrangement short of a treaty alliance implies extra close cooperation and follows from 30 years of other Sino-ASEAN agreements, including a free-trade deal. The nature of any partnership depends on follow-up by signatories, but China and ASEAN typically play up economic growth. "You can see that the institutionalization of their relations, and especially trade and economic relations, are getting stronger, step by step," said Huang Kwei-bo, associate professor of diplomacy at National Chengchi University in Taipei. For Vietnam, which is particularly outspoken against China in the maritime dispute, the comprehensive strategic partnership could bring more Chinese tourists and help the wider economy, said Phuong Hong, 40, a travel sector worker in Ho Chi Minh City. Chinese tourists made up 5.8 million of the 18 million visitors to Vietnam in pre-COVID year 2019, domestic media reports say. "In the south, if they come and visit, they also invest (in) some factories in the south of Vietnam," she said. "They set up many factories and some agriculture in the Mekong Delta River, like durian farms," Hong said. South China Sea dispute China uses a "nine-dash line," citing maritime records from dynastic times, to claim about 90% of the 3.5 million-square-kilometer South China Sea. The rival claimants look to the waterway for fisheries, shipping lanes and undersea fossil fuel reserves. The nine dashes cut into some nations' exclusive economic zones. Over the past decade, China has angered rival claimants by landfilling islets in the sea, which stretches from Hong Kong to Borneo, for military use. Beijing periodically sends vessels into the exclusive economic zones of the other countries. Scholars expect a nonpolitical agenda to take priority in the comprehensive strategic partnership. China and the Southeast Asian bloc "highlighted the importance of working closely together to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and advance the region's recovery and growth," the two sides said in a statement from a video-conferenced ASEAN-China Summit on October 28. They agreed at the summit to form the partnership. ASEAN members Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam already take varied degrees of infrastructure money from China, Chong said. China ramped up aid and investment in Southeast Asia after losing a world court arbitration over the legality of its maritime claims. An economic focus for the partnership would let South China Sea issues take their own course, Huang said. He pointed to a possible, eventual ASEAN-China code of conduct to head off any maritime mishaps. China may already look to the partnership as a sign of "stability" in Asia, despite inroads by the United States, including the September 2021 AUKUS military technology sharing pact with the U.K. and Australia, said Jay Batongbacal, international maritime affairs professor at the University of the Philippines, in Quezon City. Washington sent warships to the South China Sea 10 times last year. The China-ASEAN partnership "is probably more to respond to China's concerns about AUKUS, again trying to balance by making these kinds of moves," Batongbacal said. China, he suggested, sees the ASEAN deal as a way to offset Australian, British and U.S. influence in Southeast Asia. In this vein, he said, the partnership is a "good way to show some progress." Suspected Islamic State sleeper cells launched a series of attacks against the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in northeastern Syria, apparent retaliation after a plot to break thousands of the terror groups supporters out of prison was foiled. Word of the IS strikes first broke late Monday, with some accounts claiming IS fighters targeted key outposts with rockets and gunfire. The Rojava Information Center, a pro-Kurdish research organization in northeastern Syria, confirmed the attacks Tuesday, saying IS cells attacked SDF headquarters in Busayrah, about 30 kilometers southeast of Deir el-Zour. The RIC said Islamic State cells also hit SDF bases and positions in al-Shahil, al-Thiba and al-Zar, with unconfirmed reports that at least one other SDF checkpoint was also targeted. SDF forces suffered a handful of injuries, but the RIC researchers said they were successful in capturing two IS operatives with help from the United States. According to U.S. Special Operation Joint Task Force-Levant, coalition forces responded to SDF requests for help, citing an attack near Diban, about 60 kilometers southeast of Deir el-Zour by unidentified militants with unknown motives. "Coalition forces fired illumination rounds to provide visual on the area," the task force told VOA in a statement. The apparent pushback from IS fighters came just hours after SDF officials announced they had thwarted a plot to free an estimated 5,000 captured Islamic State members from the Sina'a prison in Hasakah, in northeast Syria. Our anti-terror units, with support from the international coalition, were able to identify the location of the cell and wage a quality operation against it," the SDF said in a statement Monday. At least one Islamic State fighter was killed in the SDF operation, which also led to at least four arrests. SDF officials further said they recovered dozens of firearms, rockets and improvised explosive devices, as well as ammunition. Since declaring the military defeat of IS in March 2019, the SDF has been holding over 10,000 IS fighters, including about 2,000 foreign nationals. But SDF and coalition officials have warned repeatedly that the prisons, mostly converted schools or hospitals, cannot hold indefinitely. And repeated escape attempts have only raised concerns. Mondays fighting between the SDF and IS comes as U.S. intelligence assessments warn the terror group which still commands about 10,000 fighters across Syria and Iraq has been ramping up its attacks. IS cells in Syria, in particular, have appeared "poised to increase activity after a period of recuperation and recovery," the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency warned. The DIA also said it has been tracking a growing number of IS operations since the start of September, with the group increasingly targeting troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iran-backed militias. In one of its monthly reports, the RIC said it recorded as many as 13 IS attacks in October, all of them in the Deir el-Zour area. U.S. defense officials said Tuesday the Pentagon remains laser focused on working with the SDF to contain the threat from IS. We know that ISIS remains in Syria, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in response to a question from VOA, using another acronym for the terror group. We know that they would love nothing better than to be able to reconstitute and continue to use Syria as a place to train, recruit, resource themselves, he said. That's why our mission in in Iraq and in Syria continues. Sirwan Kajjo contributed to this report. Turkey is being accused by Kurdish security forces of carrying out a drone attack Tuesday in northeastern Syria that killed three civilians in a car. The strike took place in Qamishli, a city on the Syria-Turkey border that is controlled by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The three victims were from the same family, according to a statement by SDF's internal security forces, which also said the attack was "carried out by a Turkish drone." Turkey has not commented on the incident, but Kurdish forces say the Turkish military has increased targeted drone operations in northeastern Syria in recent months. Turkey views the SDF and its main component, the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), as an extension of the Turkey-based Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), a militant group labeled as terrorist by Washington and Ankara. The United States, on the other hand, distinguishes between the two Kurdish groups. In the war against Islamic State, the SDF has been a key U.S. ally. The reason for the strike on the civilian vehicle in Qamishli is unknown, although local sources claim the victims were tied to a high-ranking YPG commander. Following a massive military assault against SDF members, Turkish military and allied Syrian militias have been in control of sections of northeastern Syria since October 2019. Tensions between the SDF and Turkish-backed forces have increased in recent weeks. Turkish officials have also hinted at a potential push into Kurdish-controlled territory in northeastern Syria. This story originated in VOAs Kurdish service. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. LGBTQ Afghans fearing for their lives under the Taliban in Afghanistan are expressing hope that the international community will relocate them to a safer place. VOA's Breshna Tahrek has the story. Members of a top Iraqi delegation expect to reach an agreement Friday with the Biden administration to end the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, the countrys foreign minister told VOA on Thursday. In an exclusive interview with VOAs Kurdish Service, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein discussed the proposed nature of cooperation between his country and U.S. forces once an agreement is reached, particularly in the fight against the Islamic State group. In my opinion, we will reach the agreement on Friday and then it will be announced that [American] fighting forces I am talking about the fighting forces will not remain in Iraq. But how they will not remain and when they exit is related to a timeline agreed on by both sides as well as technical matters and other issues related to the security of the forces, Hussein told VOA. The discussions in Washington are happening just days before a Monday meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi at the White House. The two plan to discuss a wide array of topics, including cooperation on political, economic, security and cultural issues. Hussein is to meet Friday with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Iraqi official told VOA that their discussions will be on a range of issues including oil, energy, electricity, gas, culture, health, military and security, and finance. Earlier this week, a suicide bomb ripped through the Iraqi capital, killing at least 34 people. The attack, claimed by the Islamic State group, is the kind of violence that Iraqi forces, trained and equipped by the United States, are trying to deter. When asked about the threat posed by the Islamic State group, Hussein said, Naturally, the security and military sector will be an important subject in the conversation. America and Iraq have been allies and will remain allies against IS. What was called the Islamic State, or IS, has been destroyed and has since turned from an organization owning a state into a terrorist organization. Assistance against IS will remain, he said. U.S. support is expected to continue and will be a key focus in al-Kadhimis meeting with Biden, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, responding to VOA. Their government is requesting continuous support from us and the coalition for training and enabling their forces its forces logistics, intelligence sharing and other areas of security cooperation, Psaki said. The U.S. withdrew troops at the end of the Iraq War in 2011. American forces returned after the Islamic State groups resurgence across Iraq and Syria in 2014, though. In April, the U.S. and Iraq agreed to change the American troops mission, focusing on training and advisory roles, allowing for the redeployment of combat soldiers from Iraq. While Baghdad is eager to show it can handle its own security, Iranian-backed militia groups have been targeting U.S. and Iraqi troops with drone and rocket attacks. I do not know who did these attacks, but we condemn them. There are investigations on these attacks which are, of course, terrorist acts on Irbil airport, Baghdad airport and the Green Zone, Hussein said. They are a part of the discussion, and they have always been a part of the discussions in Baghdad and here also. We hope these attacks will stop; otherwise, it will be dangerous not only for our international security but also for the region. The Iraqi government is also facing pressure from Iranian-linked political factions pushing for American troops to leave. We are working hard to push tensions between other countries away from Iraqi soil. We do not want to be a part of the conflict between other countries. We are discussing this not only with the United States but also with Iran, Hussein said. We have good relations with the Iranian government and are open in our discussions with them. We are asking for support and help from various countries, including from the United States and the neighboring countries. However, Baghdad needs U.S. military support to maintain stability, said Natasha Hall, a senior fellow with the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. So that points to more public statements saying that Iraq is ready and requiring a U.S. military withdrawal, or at least combat troops to disappear. On the U.S. side, it's actually pretty much the same. There's definitely a goal on behalf of the Biden administration to pivot away from the Middle East, to push it down in the list of priorities as well, Hall said. About 2,500 American soldiers remain in Iraq, and a shift in their role may not necessarily mean a reduction in numbers. A formal announcement on ending their combat mission, however, could be seen as a political win for al-Kadhimi ahead of Iraqi parliamentary elections scheduled for October. Jeff Seldin and Rikar Hussein contributed to this report. The Syrian army said Israel conducted a rocket attack Sunday evening on targets in the vicinity of Damascus. A Syrian army statement said the attack came from the Golan Heights and that it downed most of the missiles. An Israeli military spokesman declined to comment. In a briefing to supporters of his party on Friday, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said Israel was taking action "almost weekly" to prevent Iranian entrenchment in Syria. Regional intelligence sources say Iran's Quds Force and the militias it backs have spread in Syria in recent years, including a strong presence in a string of underground bases in the southern outskirts of Damascus. In recent years, Israel has regularly attacked what it says are Iranian-linked targets in Syria and stepped up such strikes this year in what Western intelligence sources describe as a shadow war to reduce Irans influence. Syrian President Bashar al-Assads government has never publicly acknowledged there are Iranian forces operating on his behalf in Syrias civil war, only that Tehran has sent military advisers. Western intelligence sources say Israeli strikes this year have undermined Irans extensive military power in Syria without triggering a major increase in hostilities. Ugandan officials say thousands of refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo are streaming across the border to escape fighting between armed groups. Uganda Red Cross Society officials say the numbers are overwhelming humanitarian response teams. Men, women, and children from eastern Congo are being registered and assessed at the Kisoro district transit center. Twenty-two-year-old Ange Nema, speaking to VOA by phone, said her village of Kibaya was rocked by gunfire and this forced them to flee. She said she and others had a very rough journey. She said they suffered, going on foot, and having to run with their belongings, getting exhausted. She said they could not find a place to sleep and had to sleep out in the cold. It was intense, she added. Fighting is reported between armed groups in the areas of Tshanzu and Runyonyi near Congo's Virunga Mountains, leading to the exodus. The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, says the fighting has forced 11,000 people to flee into Uganda since late Sunday. Kisoro district Red Cross branch manager Natukunda Primrose says many of the refugees slept at the border because there were no vehicles to transport them to a school facility that is being used as a transit center in the town of Nyakabande. They are tired and most of them were coming in with just maybe, a mat, a mattress and maybe their animals, like the sheep, the goats. They need support and I dont think theyve even had anything to eat, Primrose said. Rukundo Manasseh, the Kisoro district disaster management committee chairperson, called the situation at the border alarming. He said the refugees need protective gear, medicine, food, water, and hand washing facilities. He also said they need tracing services - especially for misplaced children. That number is a bit abnormal. We have never had such big numbers before. What we are working on is closing with UNHCR to see if they can come in quickly and for those who are willing to move to camps, and they are picked away, Manasseh said. UNHCR says together with the Ugandan government, they have so far relocated about 500 asylum seekers to the Nyakabande transit center, which can accommodate up to 1,500 people. UNHCR officials are concerned that that local capacity and services may be soon overwhelmed and request urgent resources to address the needs of the new arrivals. The agency says, so far this year, it has received only 45% of the funding for its operations in Uganda, a country that hosts some 1.4 million refugees, more than any other in Africa. Thousands of people gathered Tuesday outside of New Zealands parliament building in the capital, Wellington, to protest the governments COVID-19 vaccine mandates and lockdowns intended to curb the spread of the coronavirus. An estimated 2,000 to 3,000 protesters marched through central Wellington carrying signs displaying various anti-mandate slogans, with many waving campaign flags of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Security personnel closed nearly all entrances to the parliament campus and its iconic Beehive building during the demonstrations. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters inside parliament, What we saw today was not representative of the vast bulk of New Zealanders. The nation of 5 million people has been among the best in the world at containing the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, largely because New Zealand closed its borders for most of the past 18 months to nonresidents. The strategy to eliminate COVID-19 worked for the most part, with the nation reporting only 28 deaths over the course of the pandemic. Earlier this year, much of the country had all but returned to normal. But New Zealand has been battling a rise of new infections triggered by the delta variant since August, prompting Ardern to impose new lockdowns in Auckland, its largest city, and other parts of the country. The new outbreaks also have forced Ardern to change from a strategy of total elimination of COVID-19 to controlling the virus through mass vaccinations. The government announced a new goal for all doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health care workers to be fully vaccinated by December, with teachers and other education workers required to be fully vaccinated by January. Additionally, the government has implemented a new traffic-light system that would loosen nearly all restrictions once 90% of an areas population is fully vaccinated. Ardern announced Monday that the strict lockdown imposed on Auckland will be lifted by the end of November, with some restrictions beginning to ease Tuesday as the city nears 90% vaccination. England mandate A vaccine mandate was announced Tuesday in England for employees of the countrys National Health Service. Health minister Sajid Javid said all NHS workers must be vaccinated by April 1 or face termination. The government previously announced that home care workers must be fully vaccinated by November 11 but waited to extend the mandate to all NHS front-line staff until it reviewed the findings of a consultation with health workers. Of the 34,000 worker responses, the scales clearly tip to one side, Javid said. The weight of the data shows our vaccinations have kept people safe and they have saved lives, and that is especially true for vulnerable people in health and care settings, he added. France, Italy and some U.S. states have also ordered health workers to get vaccinated. US aid to states In the U.S., White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients told U.S. governors during a conference call Tuesday that President Joe Biden is extending to April 1, 2022, the federal government's program to fully reimburse states, tribes and territories of their COVID-19 emergency response costs, according to The Associated Press. The extension will help the Federal Emergency Management Agency continue to support vaccination clinics, educational campaigns about vaccinations and other efforts to combat the pandemic. The extension of the reimbursements, which also applies to National Guard personnel deployed to help contain the virus, is a sign that declarations of victory over the pandemic in July were premature and that the Biden administration is preparing for continued COVID-19 disruptions well into next year, according to The Associated Press. Surge in Singapore Meanwhile, authorities in Singapore announced Monday that beginning December 8, it will no longer pay medical bills for any future COVID-19 patients who are unvaccinated by choice. The city-state currently covers the full medical costs for any Singaporean who tests positive for the virus, as well as permanent residents and long-term visa holders, unless they test positive shortly after returning home from overseas. But Singapore is currently struggling with a surge of new infections that is threatening to overwhelm its health care system, despite 85% of its eligible population having been fully vaccinated. The Health Ministry said it will continue to cover partly vaccinated patients until December 31 to allow them time to get their second shots. Some information for this report came from the Associated Press and Reuters. Pakistan will host the United States, China and Russia this week for talks on Afghanistan under what is known as the troika plus process. Officials in Islamabad have confirmed to VOA that Amir Khan Muttaqi, the foreign minister of the Afghan Taliban, has also been invited to the meeting, scheduled for Thursday, describing his participation as an important development. Newly-appointed U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West and his Russian, Chinese and Pakistani counterparts will lead their respective delegations at the talks. Leaders are expected to reiterate international calls for the Islamist Taliban to ensure inclusivity in the political governance in Kabul and protect rights of all Afghans, including women and minorities. Pakistani officials said Muttaqi will arrive in the country Wednesday as the head of a high-level ministerial delegation and will hold wide-ranging bilateral talks with counterparts in Islamabad, before joining the multilateral meeting the day after. Moscow hosted previous troika Moscow hosted the last troika plus talks in October but Washington stayed away from the meeting, citing logistical reasons. A day before the talks in the Russian capital, the then-U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, had resigned and officials said his successor, West, was not prepared to attend the Moscow huddle. West left Washington earlier in the week on his first trip to Europe and Asia to discuss the way forward on Afghanistan with allies and partners. He told reporters in Brussels on Monday that he will be visiting Pakistan later this week but shared no further details. Thursdays troika plus meeting comes amid United Nations calls for donor nations to scale up humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan, saying more than half of the countrys estimated 40 million population is likely to go hungry this winter. The Taliban returned to power in Kabul last August following the withdrawal of U.S.-led foreign troops from Afghanistan after 20 years of involvement in the war. The global community has ignored Taliban calls for recognizing their interim Kabul government over human rights concerns and lack of inclusivity in the governance system. Financial assistance cut off Western countries have cut off billions of dollars in financial assistance to the country and blocked the Talibans access to Afghan foreign assets of nearly $10 billion, largely held in the United States. The restrictions have plunged Afghanistan into an economic crisis and increased humanitarian needs to record levels, which stem from years of war and a prolonged widespread drought. "The Taliban have voiced very clearly and openly their desire to normalize relations with the international community, to see a resumption in aid, to see a return of the international diplomatic community to Kabul, to see sanctions relief, West said in Brussels. And the United States can deliver none of these things on our own, and we have to work together with the international community in order to see those things. West said that Washington was not seriously thinking about reopening its embassy in Kabul at this time. I think what we want to see is the establishment of a record of responsible conduct by the Taliban, of predictable conduct, and then well assess what needs we have on the diplomatic front. Poland and Belarus traded accusations Tuesday as a group of migrants remained on the Belarus side of the border between the two countries. Poland says the migrants, mostly from the Middle East, are being encouraged to push their way into European Union member Poland by the government of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki wrote on Twitter that it is in Polands interest to seal its border, and that with Belarus actions the stability and security of the entire EU is at stake. Belarus denies the accusations, with its defense ministry saying in a statement Tuesday they are unfounded and unsubstantiated. The Belarussian foreign ministry, in its own statement, further warned Poland against the use of any provocations. Tensions were heavy along the border Monday, but Polish police said Tuesday the situation overnight was calm. Polish authorities shut an official border crossing in the area and shared a video showing a group of migrants with tents and campfires on the Belarus side. Some information for this report came from the Associated Press, the Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Poland has warned of a possible armed escalation on its border with Belarus as thousands of migrants attempt to cross the frontier into the European Union. The Polish government accuses Belarus of directing migrants toward the border as part of a campaign of hybrid warfare. Its estimated that thousands of migrants are camped along the border close to the Polish village of Kuznica. Several tried to break through the razor wire fence using shovels and bolt cutters Tuesday. Border guards responded with pepper spray and tear gas. Polish authorities said they had detained dozens of migrants. In the last 24 hours, we had 309 illegal attempts to cross the border. The Border Guard issued 85 orders for a person to leave the territory of Poland. Seventeen foreigners were detained and will undergo an administrative procedure, Polish Border Guard spokesperson Katarzyna Zdanowicz told reporters Tuesday. Its not clear if the detained migrants have applied for asylum in Poland, which is their right under international law. The migrants are from Afghanistan, the Middle East and Africa mostly young men, but also some women and children. In footage broadcast on Belarusian state television that cannot be independently verified by VOA, one migrant said they did not want to stay in Poland. No go to Poland. We are go to Germany. Germany is life. No Poland, he said. Germany is a common destination for many migrants entering Europe. WEAPONIZING MIGRANTS Poland and the European Union accuse Minsk of weaponizing migrants by inviting them to enter Belarus and shepherding them to the border, sometimes by force. Visiting the border area Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki praised the work of the 12,000 troops the government has deployed to defend the border. We know that this is a fully planned operation, which aims to disrupt the sovereignty of our country. Thats absolutely clear to us. We know for sure that there is a search for weak spots happening (on the border), Morawiecki said. (Belarusian President Aleksander) Lukashenkos regime uses civilians as weapons of a hybrid war. What we can see today are new methods, and you are a key bastion there to defend against these new methods, the prime minister added. Poland closed the main border crossing with Belarus Tuesday, the primary route for road traffic between northern Europe and Russia. Russian Support Belarus denies directing migrants toward the border. President Aleksander Lukashenko accused Poland of taking up arms. It's obvious that it is some sort of a drill or intimidation. Of course, we will face it without any anxiety, he told state television. Russia has voiced its support for ally Belarus and blamed EU migration policies for the situation at the border. At a press conference Tuesday after talks with Vatican officials, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called on Europe to provide financial assistance to Belarus. EU countries need to have consistent standards when the question of admitting or refusing refugees comes up. Why, when refugees were coming through Turkey, did the EU allocate funds to enable them to stay in Turkey? Why is it impossible to help the Belarusians in this way? Retaliation The European Union says Belarus is retaliating for sanctions the bloc imposed in the wake of the brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests following the disputed 2020 election, which Western observers say was rigged. The president (of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen) demanded very clearly that Belarus stops the instrumentalization of migrants for political purposes, which is putting people's lives at risk, Dana Spinant, a spokesperson for the European Commission said Tuesday. Our aim is to bring home clearly the message to the authorities of the countries where the migrants come from that this is a dangerous trap, that people are being lured by the regime in Minsk and they're brought to Belarus and pushed towards the EU borders at their own risk and they're facing a really dangerous situation there. Ned Price, spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, echoed those concerns. The United States strongly condemns the Lukashenko regime's political exploitation and coercion of vulnerable people and the regime's callous and inhumane facilitation of irregular migration flows across its borders, Price told reporters. Media Blocked Poland has enforced a state of emergency in the border region, blocking access to refugee support groups and journalists. Several migrants have already died at the border, while thousands are stranded in freezing temperatures with little food or water. Belarus is forcing Europe into a moral crisis, says Polish analyst Piotr Buras of the European Council on Foreign Relations. As Europeans, as human beings, we cannot ignore the tragedy of those people who got stuck between on the one hand the Belarusian border guards, who do not allow them even to go back to Minsk or to their home countries even if they want to the Belarusian border guards push those people towards the Polish border and threaten them and use force against them and on the other side, on the Polish side, there are Polish border guards who do not let them in. Lukashenko is interested in having dead bodies on the Polish-Belarusian border because, from his perspective, that would compromise European values, Buras told VOA. Humanitarian organizations say the actions of the Polish troops in forcing back legitimate asylum seekers breaks European and international law. Poland says its actions are legal. In a joint statement, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) called for an immediate de-escalation. In view of the alarming situation at the border, both sides must uphold their obligations under international law and guarantee the safety, dignity, and protection of the rights of people stranded at the border, the statement read. EU Sanctions Despite strained relations with Warsaw, the European Union said Tuesday Poland has its full support. The bloc said it is preparing new sanctions against the Belarusian government. Europe should also use diplomacy to cut off the migration at its source, says analyst Piotr Buras. Lukashenko is bringing migrants by plane from a number of countries. These countries many of them are dependent also on good relations with the European Union and it is absolutely unacceptable that they tolerate this kind of behavior, Buras told VOA. Lithuania, which alongside Latvia has also seen an influx of migrants in recent months, has begun deploying more troops along its border with Belarus. Tunisian protesters angered by an authority's decision to reopen a controlled landfill in the southern town of Agareb set fire to a police station on Tuesday, witnesses said. The escalation of the protest came a day after the death of a man caused by asphyxiation from gas fired by the police, according to his family and witnesses. The Interior Ministry said the man was not involved in the protests and had died at his home, six kilometers away. Violent confrontations took place on the town's streets as police fired tear gas to disperse protesters trying to block roads and throw stones at them. The incident is the first serious test facing Najla Bouden's government, appointed by president Kais Saied last month, in how to respond to protests over poor public services and fragile social and environmental conditions. The Agareb landfill, 20km from Sfax, was closed this year after residents complained about the spread of diseases in what they described as an environmental disaster. The closure caused thousands of tons of household waste to accumulate for about a month in the streets, markets and hospitals of Sfax, the second largest Tunisian city, prompting thousands to protest. Saied has faced mounting criticism since he assumed executive authority in July, brushing aside most of the constitution to seize almost total power in what critics have described as a coup. A citizen journalist detained in China for her coverage of the coronavirus in Wuhan could die in prison, her brother says. Zhang Zhans declining health was raised by the U.S. State Department when it reiterated its call this week for China to ensure her immediate and unconditional release. At a press briefing Monday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said, The U.S. is deeply concerned about the deteriorating health of Zhang who, according to relatives, is near death. The U.S. along with several diplomatic missions repeatedly has expressed serious concerns about the arbitrary nature of Zhangs detention and mistreatment, Price said. Zhang was detained in May 2020 over her reporting on the coronavirus outbreak in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province. In December, she was sentenced to four years in prison for picking quarrels and provoking trouble. Declining health A former Shanghai-based lawyer, Zhang, 38, was one of several citizens who used social media platforms such as YouTube to cover the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. These first-hand accounts from the citys hospitals and funeral homes conflicted with the version of events coming from Chinese officials who said the outbreak was under control. Some legal analysts believe the harsh sentencing of Zhang was designed to have a chilling effect on other rights activists in China. Since her arrest, Zhang has been on an intermittent hunger strike to protest what she called her unlawful detention. She is constantly put in solitary confinement and not allowed to move around or exercise. Her health has suffered irreversibly, Zhang Ju, the journalists older brother, told VOA Mandarin. The doctor had warned me in August that she could die if she continues her hunger strike, the brother said. Prison authorities have restrained Zhang and force-fed her with a tube, he said. At 177 centimeters (5 feet, 8 inches) tall, Zhangs weight has dropped by nearly half in prison, dropping to under 40 kilograms, and she had to be hospitalized, the journalists brother said. After a video call with her daughter, Zhangs mother said the journalist was completely out of shape and unable to walk or lift her head without the help of a walker or other people. The familys lawyer is applying for medical parole, but the chance of approval is slim as the authorities previously declined their verbal requests, Zhang Ju said. A Chinese lawyer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of personal safety, said that Zhangs poor health could qualify for parole. However, authorities may use Zhangs hunger strike as justification to deny her application and argue that her conditions were not caused by illness, the lawyer said. VOA twice called the Shanghai Womens Prison where Zhang is held but the operator said that the press staff were unavailable and later that they were not on duty. Political pressure Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has said that Western governments should pressure China to release Zhang. Pressure must be built on the regime and not only [with] words, but there has to be some economic pressure, Cedric Alviani, director of RSFs east Asia Bureau in Taipei told VOA. There has to be some political pressure. Theres going to be the Olympic Games. Its a good opportunity for democracies to voice their concern regarding the situation of human rights, and especially freedom of the press in China. Alviani added that Zhang should be celebrated, not jailed. RSF this week announced Zhang as one of the nominees for its 2021 Courage award. The Chinese people, of course, are very grateful to Zhang Zhan for what she did, but the Chinese regime, President Xi Jinping and the people who together with him are designing these authoritarian and repressive information policies should be blamed for anything that would happen to Zhang Zhan, Alviani said. As a journalist, she was only performing her duty to cover the COVID-19 outbreak. She should actually be considered as a hero. During her trial, the court said that Zhangs coverage was maliciously fabricated content and false information. Discussion of the details of her case is restricted inside China. But netizens have showed their support globally, according to Wang Jianhong, a U.K.-based rights activist, who launched an online campaign to support the journalist. Zhang Zhan is still remembered by many who admire her for her courage in speaking up against injustice, Wang told VOA Mandarin. This article originated in VOAs Mandarin service. The United States is calling the attempted assassination of Iraq's prime minister an attack on "the sovereignty and stability of the Iraqi state" and admits the nature of the attack likely points to groups connected to Iran. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi escaped Sunday's attack by armed drones, as described by Iraqi security officials with just minor injuries, and he quickly called for calm. "Cowardly rocket and drone attacks don't build homelands and don't build a future," al-Kadhimi said in a televised address shortly after the attack, which was quickly condemned by U.S. President Joe Biden. On Monday, the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon echoed the president's condemnation, warning that the Iraqi prime minister was likely not the only intended target. "We believe that this was an attack not only on him but also on the sovereignty and stability of the Iraqi state," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters. "Prime Minister Kadhimi represents not only the head of government, but he represents the state of Iraq, and he is the commander in chief of Iraqi security forces," Price added. No one has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Iraqi security sources told the Reuters news agency that the strike was likely carried out by at least one Iran-backed militia. The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the initial investigation determined that both the drones used in the attack and the explosives were made in Iran. One paramilitary group contacted by Reuters declined to address the allegations. Other groups could not be reached for comment. Separately Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman told a news conference in Tehran, "Everyone must help so the culprits and orchestrators of this (attack) are found." "The path to stability in Iraq relies on such cooperation and the rule of law," said Saeed Khatibzadeh. "We must accommodate good conditions so the appropriate Iraqi legal organizations can perform their necessary investigations." U.S. officials Monday declined to comment directly on responsibility for the attack but admitted the use of drones could point to groups with ties to Iran. "There are multiple groups operating inside Iraq that are backed by Iran who are capable of these kinds of attack," Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters Monday, in response to a question from VOA. Kirby also said that while the U.S. had offered to aid Iraq with its investigation if needed, Iraqi officials had yet to make any requests for help. "Again, we condemn the attack, and we're going to continue to do what we need to do to make sure that our troops are protected and our facilities are adequately defended," Kirby said. U.S. officials have repeatedly raised concerns about Iran's drone program and its willingness to share that technology with proxy groups throughout the region. Late last month, the U.S. sanctioned a series of Iranian officials and Iran-based companies, citing their role in helping Iran distribute drone technology to a number of proxy groups, including the Kata'ib Hezbollah militia in Iraq. U.S. military officials and intelligence officials have likewise warned about the use of "Iranian designed and produced" drones, some of which were being used in kamikaze attacks on a variety of targets across the Middle East. "It is coming from the Iranians," Mara Karlin, deputy undersecretary of defense for policy, told a virtual forum last month when asked about the threat. "It's the Iranian use and proliferation of weapons in the region." VOA State Department Bureau Chief Nike Ching contributed to this report. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris began a four-day visit to France Tuesday aimed at improving soured relations with Americas oldest ally. Relations between the two countries plunged to a historic low in September when Australia scrapped a $65 billion deal to buy traditional submarines from France in favor of an agreement in which Australia will build nuclear subs with the help of the United States and Britain. Harris will meet with French President Emmanuel Macron after U.S. President Joe Biden told Macron in Rome last month the U.S. had been clumsy in its handling of the matter. Harris will first visit the renowned Institut Pasteur to underscore what U.S. officials said were long-standing scientific exchanges between the U.S. and France. She will meet with French and American scientists working to combat COVID-19 globally. Her late mother, a scientist, conducted breast cancer research in the 1980s with the institutes scientists. Minutes after her arrival in Paris, Harris said, It is good to be in France and added Im looking forward to many, many days of productive discussion to strengthen our relationship. On Thursday, shell visit the Suresnes American Cemetery for an Armistice Day ceremony marking the end of World War I. Harris will also represent the Biden administration Thursday at the Paris Peace Forum and at a summit Friday on Libya ahead of that countrys elections next month. Some information in this report also came from Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press and Reuters. Within months, U.S. forces in Iraq will end their combat duties there, President Joe Biden announced Monday during a White House meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi. In response to reporters' questions in the Oval Office, Biden, alongside the Iraqi leader, said the new role for American troops in Iraq will be "to continue to train, to assist, to help and to deal with ISIS (Islamic State group) as it arises, but we're not going to be, by the end of the year, in a combat mission." Biden declined to say how many U.S. troops, of the current level of approximately 2,500, will remain there. In a joint statement issued Monday by the United States and Iraq following technical meetings, the two countries said, "The security relationship will fully transition to a training, advising, assisting, and intelligence-sharing role, and that there will be no U.S. forces with a combat role in Iraq by December 31, 2021." "This is a shift in mission. It is not a removal of our partnership or our presence or our close engagement with Iraqi leaders," White House press secretary Jen Psaki explained to reporters just prior to the Oval Office meeting. U.S. troops in Iraq "are capable of doing multiple things," Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told a group of reporters in Alaska on Saturday. Asked by VOA whether he would classify the American troops currently in Iraq as combat forces or primarily devoted to training, advising and assisting, Austin replied: "I think trying to make that distinction is very difficult. But I would say that the key will be what we're purposed, what we're tasked to do at any given time." The emphasis, officials say, will remain on ensuring there is not a repeat of what occurred seven years ago, when the Islamic State group swept through Mosul and tens of thousands of foreign fighters poured into Iraq and neighboring Syria. Iraqi government forces nearly collapsed, and there were dozens of suicide bombings monthly. "As we always said from the beginning, nobody is going to declare mission accomplished,'" a senior U.S. official told reporters on a briefing call on the eve of the Iraqi prime minister's visit. "The goal is the enduring defeat of ISIS. We recognize you have to keep pressure on these networks as they seek to reconstitute, but the role for U.S. forces and coalition forces can very much recede, you know, deep into the background where we are training, advising, sharing intelligence, helping with logistics. And that's about where we are now." The United States and Iraq agreed in April to change the American troops' mission, which had begun in 2015 and focused on training and advisory roles assisting Iraqi security forces, but there was no timeline for completing the transition. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told VOA's Kurdish Service last week he expected the two sides to agree on an end to the U.S. combat mission in Iraq. "Largely, the shift is emblematic of the role the Biden administration wants the U.S. military to play in the counterterrorism fight: supporting partners through training and other forms of assistance while those partners take the lead in counterterrorism operations," Katherine Zimmerman, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, told VOA. "The approach relies heavily on America's partners to be good partners, however. They must both continue to prioritize counterterrorism and not act in such a way as to further fuel the problem." Monday's White House meeting came amid continued attacks against U.S. military positions in Iraq that the United States blames on Iran-linked militias. On July 24, a pro-Iranian militia commander issued a statement threatening to attack U.S. forces inside the country and calling for a withdrawal of troops. A drone attack Saturday hit a military base in Iraqi Kurdistan that hosts American troops. Attacks in Baghdad in January and April of this year underscore the Islamic State group's "resilience despite heavy counter-terrorism pressure from Iraqi authorities," according to a United Nations report issued Friday that predicted the group "will continue to prioritize consolidating and resurging in its core area, encouraged by the political difficulties that inhibit stabilization and recovery" in Iraq and Syria. The presence of U.S. troops is a polarizing subject in Iraq, with some citing the need for U.S. military support for Iraq's security forces and others, including Iran-linked political factions, calling for the American troops to leave. "There's no doubt that the Biden administration is capitalizing on the "end the endless wars" narrative," Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, told VOA. "These conflicts, however, were not borne out of social or political vacuums, and the violence and threats to U.S. interests emanating from these theaters and actors within them will not end with a unilateral withdrawal or drawdown." Taleblu further warned that Iran is likely to celebrate an announcement of a reduction of U.S. troops in Iraq, saying it "helps provide a footnote to the Iranian narrative that America can be forced out of the region and that working against the Islamic Republic's revolutionary foreign policy in the region is futile." Carla Babb in Singapore and Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. The World Food Program (WFP) says it is seeking $65 million to ease food insecurity in Zimbabwe. The U.N. agency says its assessment shows that more than 5 million people in the southern African nation are looking at food shortages in coming months. A WFP Zimbabwe spokeswoman told VOA on Monday that the U.N. agency had started looking for funds to import food for those in need. The latest 2021 rural Zimbabwe vulnerability assessment committee rural report indicates that 2.9 million people in rural areas thats 27% of rural households - continue to be food insecure during the peak lean season between January and March 2022. In urban areas up to 2.4 million people are expected to be food insecure according to the latest 2021 urban livelihoods assessment, she said. The government says Zimbabwe experienced a bumper harvest this year, but the lack of food in rural areas indicates the harvest was in fact disappointing. Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa says Zimbabwes perennial food shortages will end with more production in the farms in the coming 2021/2022 season, which is expected to start anytime now. She says the government will make sure farmers have the supplies and money they need to meet national requirements for both human consumption and industrial use. "The strategy will result in more area being put to crop production as evidenced by the proposed increases of the following crops: maize, sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, soybeans and tobacco. The financing of the summer cropping and livestock will be through the private and public sector as well as development partners, Mutsvangwa said. Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of the region, has for years been facing food shortages, forcing it to rely on humanitarian organizations such as World Vision, USAID and the WFP to feed the people. The government blames the problems on recurring droughts, but its critics point to a chaotic land reform program which started in 2000 and displaced experienced white farmers from their land. The arrest in February of Intisar al-Hammadi, 20, and the three other women as well as the proceedings against them have been widely criticized by international rights groups. The case has highlighted widespread repression of women in areas under control of the rebels, known as Houthis, in war-torn Yemen. The verdicts were handed down on Sunday, said lawyer Khalid al-Kamal, who represents all four women. Like al-Hammadi, one of the other three women received a five-year term; the other two were sentenced to one and three years in prison, respectively. Al-Kamal said he would appeal the sentences. Human Rights Watch has said that the trial was "marred with irregularities and abuse." The New York-based rights group said in June that the rebels confiscated al-Hammadi's phone and "her modeling photos were treated like an act of indecency." The Houthis also labeled her a "prostitute," HRW said. "The sentence is unfair & politically motivated," tweeted Afrah Nasser, a Yemeni researcher with Human Rights Watch. There were no details as to what the "drug possession" charge referred to. Since their arrest, the women have languished in a rebel-run prison where guards also verbally abused al-Hammadi, HRW said. In Yemen, which has been embroiled in a civil war since 2015, women who dare dissent, or even enter the public sphere, have become targets in an escalating crackdown by the Houthis. In April, women activists and former detainees described to The Associated Press a network of secret detention facilities where they are tortured and sometimes raped. Al-Hammadi, born to a Yemeni father and an Ethiopian mother, has worked as a model for four years and acted in two Yemeni soap operas in 2020. She was the sole breadwinner for her four-member family, including her blind father and a disabled brother. HRW also said the Houthis had earlier offered to release al-Hammadi if she would help use "sex and drugs" to entrap their enemies an apparent reference to Yemen's internationally recognized government and the Saudi-led coalition backing it. Dozens of Yemeni public figures condemned the verdict against al-Hammadi and her companions, calling their trial "politically motivated." Moammar al-Iryani, information minister of the internationally recognized government, urged the international community, including the United Nations and the United States, to pressure the Houthis to free the four. Yemen's conflict has killed more than 130,000 people and spawned the world's worst humanitarian crisis. Zimbabwe has been excluded from participating in a democracy summit in the United States next month where President Joseph Biden is expected to host more than 100 nations, according to the privately-owned NewsDay newspaper. This comes at a time when President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week claimed that he had a refreshing chat with Biden at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Scotland. Mnangagwa claimed that Biden assigned one of his aides to look at ways of re-engaging Zimbabwe. The U.S. has not responded to these claims. Critics say the United States exclusion of Zimbabwe from the summit is a blow to the countrys constructive engagement agenda. NewsDay reports that some of the invited nations are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia, Cyprus, South Korea, Brazil and India. The newspaper quoted the U.S. Embassy Harare as saying they cant comment on participation by individual countries or organisations. The U.S. Embassy said the December 9-10 virtual summit for democracy is expected to bring together leaders from a diverse group of the worlds democracies. NewsDay quoted the embassy as saying, In roughly a years time, a second in-person summit will take place. Both events will bring together heads of state, civil society, philanthropy, and the private sector, serving as an opportunity for world leaders to listen to one another and to their citizens, share successes, drive international collaboration, and speak honestly about the challenges facing democracy so as to collectively strengthen the foundation for democratic renewal. The initial summit will galvanise commitments and initiatives across three principal themes: defending against authoritarianism, fighting corruption, and promoting respect for human rights. Organizers of the summit say it is meant to set forth an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies today through collective action. Zimbabwes Information Secretary Nick Mangwana and presidential spokesperson George Charamba were unreachable for comment as they were not responding to calls on their mobile phones. Zimbabwe has been campaigning for the removal of targeted sanctions imposed by the West on Zanu PF officials following alleged human rights violations and election rigging. A United Nations special envoy, Alena Douhan, who assessed the impact of the sanctions on the country, has urged the West to remove the sanctions saying they are devastating the southern African nations economy. LaVon Rapp, age 95, of Alexandria, died on Tuesday, November 16, 2021. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, November 20, 2021, 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Alexandria with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale Contribute: Leave a comment if you find a particular report interesting or want to add to it. Flag as inappropriate. Mark as helpful or interesting. Send your own user report! Translate Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (176.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Laying on couch, felt like couch was being rocked an inch or so back and forth, every few seconds for about 20 seconds | 2 users found this interesting. near Belen, Rivas (32.9 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 30-60 s : The rim of Laguna de Apoyo. Laying in bed, dog started barking. Windows rattling, bed moved a bit chair's rocking. Pool water splashing around. | One user found this interesting. El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras (471.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : It was like something felt on the earth, like something breaking... And I heard a sound, like something was breaking in the earth El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras (471.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : It was like something felt on the earth, like something breaking... And I heard a sound, like something was breaking in the earth San Andreas, Bugaba District, Chiriqui (495.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Jaco. Condo shook several times. Heavy vibrations. Very similar to the one last month 26 km se of Los Suenos Near Nuevo Arenal, Costa Rica (169 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : There was a subtle sway, causing hanging objects to continue to swing. The howler monkeys nearby started calling out, which I feel was an indication that they felt it too (in the trees). Guanacaste (124.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Long swaying shake back an forth 5 to 8 seconds. Woke me out of my sleep. Everything rattled in my room. Felt like someone was aggressively shaking me Birmania de Upala, Alajuela, COsta Rica (107.8 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : Light shaking, shelves were rattling downstairs. A little bit later there was a similar intensity quake. El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras (471.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : It was like something felt on the earth, like something breaking... And I heard a sound, like something was breaking in the earth near La Cruz, Guanacaste (65.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s : I was watching a show on my iPad in my hotel room bed. At first I thought there was a commotion in the floor above or a truck rumbling by, but we are not near any roads. Then the bed began shaking and it was clearly an earthquake Playa Potrero Costa Rica (120.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : I was sitting in my outside living room when my chair started shaking and I noticed the water in our dogs bowl was almost spilling out. I had one of our puppies in the chair with me and she woke up very scared, looking around in all directions trying to f Nosara guanacaste Costa Rica (176 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s : Were watching a movie so it took a bit to notice but the house was moving back and forth horizontally only lasted 30-60 seconds Las Salinas, rivas, nicaragua (5.2 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Layed in bed and it began rocking back and forth, felt like the whole room was moving. It felt like a pendulum horizontally. With how much it moved the bed it felt like more than light shaking but no rattling of objects and nothing falling. Pets did not b Riu Palace Guanacaste (111.5 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) : I was sitting in a chair and it felt like someone behind me was kicking my chair - lasted about 15 seconds. San Andreas, Bugaba District, Chiriqui (495.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Jaco. Condo shook several times. Heavy vibrations. Very similar to the one last month 26 km se of Los Suenos Nosara Costa Rica (174.5 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I was sitting on the 2nd floor and felt like the chair was swaying back and forth for about about 10 seconds San Juan del Sur, Rivas (40.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 5-10 s : Senti balanceo en direccion horizontal muy leve y suave no brusco y dificil de que la gente lo perciba. Tabacon (189.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 5-10 s : Laying in bed and the room was rolling side-to-side. Hanging light fixtures began to sway back and forth. MANAGUA (73.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Estaba sentada en el sofa de la sala de mi casa y senti los movimientos laterales durante 10 a 15 segundos aproximadamente Rivas, Nicaragua (32.9 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : In bed, felt like someone shaking bed back and forth, maybe also slight raising. Seemed to repeat, then a final roll motion like underwater. Managua (67 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 20-30 s : Iam in my bed, when I saw the fan moving and felt moving my bed. I live en Managua capital of Nicaragua in central america. Ticuantepe, Managua (62.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / very short : Estaba acostada en mi cama con mi telefono y de repente senti un pequeno temblor que duro como 5seg luego fui a ver si mi familia tambien lo habia sentido y me dijeron que si habian sentido un temblor Masaya Nicaragua (72.7 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : En el comedor de la casa trabajando en la computadora, fue lateral de este a oeste, fue fuerte y duro aproximadamente entre 15 a 20 segundos. Nicaragua, managua (76.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 minutes : La cama se sacudida muuuy levemente, el abanico de pie se movia un poco y se sentia cuando colocaba la cabeza en la cama Arenal (167.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Shaking. Windows and doors creaked. | One user found this interesting. San Juan del Sur / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : It was like a harmonic wave. Felt as if the floor went up about 10cm . Waves on swimming pool got up about 7 cm. The little quake at 0:23 took longer and rattled, was not smooth like the first. San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Felt like we were on a ship and a wave slammed into us. We moved a few inches forward and swayed for 10 seconds. Second one I woke up rocking in bed for 8-10 seconds. San Juan Del Sur / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Hi. I was laying on the couch and my wife was sitting on a chair and both pieces of furniture moved side to side for 1-2 seconds. The lights that hang from the ceiling where swinging as well. The kids were awake in their beds and they felt them shake as w San Juan Del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Rumbling. Doors shaking, couch where I sat shaking. Stood up and felt floor moving and whole house shaking. Managua, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / 1-2 s : Estaba viendo un video y empezo a menearse la silla en que estaba sentado y el ropero en que estaba abollado. Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s : Mild shaking vibrating i was in bed and you could feel the light shakes the lamp shade. Vibrating went on for at least 15 to seconds i got out of bed to walk and see outside the window i was was getting motion sick so i needed to do something to get my mi Matapalo / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : I felt light shaking of hotel bed on fourth floor at Riu Guancaste for approximately 5-7 seconds. I've never experienced an earthquake so didn't know what was happening at the time. Los Yoses, San Jose Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 20-30 s : Fairly long rolling feeling. I'm on the 20th floor of a high-rise. My floor lamp was swaying. My where glass was rolling. I stepped onto my balcony and could see the exterior walls of the building swaying. Managua, carretera a Masaya, km 9.4 / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Senti como un mareo leve, luego aumento su intensidad, dije esta temblando y sali al patio, todo se movia. San Juan del sur, Nicaragua (37.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging : Pool shaking near Samara, Nicoya, Guanacaste (174.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 5-10 s : Sitting at my desk when it started Nuevo arenal (186.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Room moderate shaking laterally, bed rocking back and forth. Fan and Tv swinging. 10-15 seconds Playas del Coco costa rica (135.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Bed shook Monteverde, Costa Rica (192.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Watching tv Monteverde, Costa Rica (192.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Watching tv San Jose (287.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt near Tola, Rivas (2.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s Managua, Nicaragua (74.8 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake Costa Rica (113.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s Monteverde Costa richa (197.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) near Tola, Rivas (2.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s near Tola, Rivas (11.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Light shaking 2nd one woke me up Managua, Nicaragua (55.6 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 10-15 s near Juntas, Abangares (192.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s Brasilito (125.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s : One shake was around 8:30PM, one around midnight San juan del sur (42.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) San Juan del Sur, Rivas (45.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Hogar (49 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 5-10 s Managua (69.7 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Mareo Guanacaste Costa Rica (111.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Nosara Guanacaste (170.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Sardinal, Guanacaste (111.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Ticuantepe (66.2 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s San Jose (282.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Managua (67.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s Jinotepe (42.2 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s : I Matapalo (128.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt Nuevo Arenal de Tilaran (167.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : It was roundy. Like rolling in a circle. Managua (75.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (189.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Door and bed was slinging Nuevo arenal (186.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Room moderate shaking laterally, bed rocking back and forth. Fan and Tv swinging. 10-15 seconds Jaco, Garabito, Puntarenas (263.8 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging Managua (74.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging Managua (74.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt / vertical swinging (up and down) / 30-60 s : M Manizales, Caldas (1369.5 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt (reported through our app / not felt near Tola, Rivas (2.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s San Antonio, Nuevo Arenal (170.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Kitchen lights swinging from ceiling! Managua (57.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes : Bed was shaking Ciudad Sandino, Managua (74.4 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s : It felt light and short around here Tamarindo, Costa Rica (129.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : I was laying in my bed and felt shaking during 10 Seconds and didnt stopped Jaco Costa Rica (263.8 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Swaying sensation Tola (2.5 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Light to moderate shaking GUANACASTE (113.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes : Bed was shaking at 3 floor of hotel La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (206 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Temblor ligero 3 Potosi, Rivas (31.5 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Algo fuerte hasta dolor de cabeza me produjo San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (38 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Our bed was shaking from one side to the other, like someone is strong shaking it. Liberia Airport, Costa Rica (118.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Wisten choncal (275.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Our beds started to shake La fortuna (189.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s managua nicaragua (67.7 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s : sideway chacking, alll ok, nothing fell. San Juan del sur, Nicaragua (36.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Two lateral movements I felt this in Costa Rica! Bed was shaking. / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Santa Rosa de Pocosol, san carlos (198.5 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Managua (75 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Dilato mucho tiempo y fue movimientos bruscos Managua (75 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Dilato mucho tiempo y fue movimientos bruscos LA FORTUNA (197.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Felt like wobbling. I live in a 2 story building Nosara (174.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Bed moving like if it was made of water Culebra, Costa Rica (106.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Riu Guanacaste (169.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Felt rattling on third floor of hotel for 30 seconds approximately Laying on bed (194.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Bed shaking Chinandega (171 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s my bed rocked (reported through (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s near La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (190.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s La Fortuna Costa rica (214.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Bed started moving back and forth as well as hanging lights. near Sardinal, Guanacaste (124.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Laying in bed, the doors started rattling, the TV rattled, bounced the bed a bit Ticuantepe, Managua (68.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Santa Teresa, Carazo (38.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : En cama viendo tv.sentada Jinotepe (40.6 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 30-60 s : Sitting on patio outside. Horizontal movement followed by circular/up and down movement. Managua (74 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Sardinal, Guanacaste (112 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Light 27 km of San Carlos, Rio San Juan (177.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 2-5 s : Estaba en mi cama, y note que se movia de forma anormal Hacienda iguana Nicaragua (11.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Laying in bed!!!!!!!!!!! Monte Verde Costa Rica (193 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 30-60 s : I was in monte Verde, everything was shaking Managua (75.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s near Tilaran, Guanacaste (161.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 20-30 s San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (36.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : House and bed swayed, felt multiple waves of rumbling and swaying Masaya (57.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes : En casa sentada viendo tv lo sneti por el fuerte movimiento de todas las cosas en la casa Managua (73.2 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 30-60 s Playa del coco (167.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Sitting on the couch watching tv Playa Langosta 6 th floor condo (134.9 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Playing cards and felt the building sway on the 6th floor Tilaran, Guanacaste (168.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) In the bathroom brushing my teeth towels swinging left and right water Rocking Around in the toilet (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) near La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (191.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe / 20-30 s moderate movement (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe / 20-30 s Jaco Garabito Puntarenas Costa Rica (350.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Was sitting at desk when the shaking started. Felt a couple of small aftershocks, too. Costa Rica (188.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Felt very strong shaking side to side when sitting in the couch. I got up and felt really dizzy. San pedro (193.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Jaco, Garabito, Puntarenas (263.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s Guiones norte, Nosara (176.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Managua, Nicaragua (75.6 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 30-60 s : Setting on sofa near los Robles area. Grecia, Costa Rica (266.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s : In bed. Sliding closet doors rattled. Dogs started barking. Managua Nicaragua (103.7 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I stay in my house, whatch tv Leon (134 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Granada (57 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Bed moving. San Juan del sur nicaragua (38 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Movimiento lateral de la estructura de la casa Playas del Coco costa rica (135.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Bed shook Jaco Costa Rica (264.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Swaying sensation Atenas, Alajuela (254.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Lying in bed felt and heard the house start shaking back and forth almost a rolling like shake Nosara (176.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s : Lying on bed. Bed was shifting/ Shaking side to side. San Juan, Grecia, Provincia de Alajuela (251.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Tv room (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Escazu, San Jose (276.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Villa Palermo San Juan DelSur (38 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : In the living room, felt my feet vibrate and was light headed because of the horizontal vibration. W hotel Guanacaste (124.4 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Eating dinner near La Cruz, Guanacaste (65.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 10-15 s : At a restaurant. We felt moving. San jose (283.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : Quake Volio (236.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Escazu, San Jose (279.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Moyogalpa (49.6 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 30-60 s : Weak shaking San Jose (280.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : In bed at a hotel downtown and mirror on the wall was moving back and forth. near Sardinal, Guanacaste (113.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s : I. The Riu Palace hotel. Laying in bed that started shaking along with alcohol bottles on the wall Granada (54.8 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Seche generated in pool Tilaran Costa Rica (169.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sitting in a chair Sardinal Costa Rica (106.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : my bed was swaying 4 times Managua (77.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I stay in my house, whatch tv near Juntas, Abangares (195.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : Weak shaking San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (33.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Whole house shook Potrero, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (123.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : I was laying in bed, awake. Sardinal, Guanacaste (112.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sitting on couch chatting with friend & felt shaking motion, coco beach area Costa Rica El baston Nicaragua (34.7 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Lying in bed felt like a truck hit the house Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste (111.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : Laying in bed, bed was shaking back and forth. San Juan del sur, Nicaragua (37.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging : Pool shaking Playa jaco (264.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sideways swaying, felt long Monteverde, Costa Rica (192.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Watching tv Garabito (265.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Constante hacia los lados La Fortuna, Costa Rica (189.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Lying in bed, we noticed the bed swaying from side to side. Fortuna (189.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 20-30 s : Im in bed and the bed shook slowly Nicaragua (75.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Estaba acostada Managua (78.6 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I was seating on the bed Cano Negro (161.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s Playa del Coco (113.5 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : I was in bed and the room started to move. My whole family felt it Potrero guanacaste (119.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : I was on my sofa on the Lowest floor. I flet it Hacienda iguana (12.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : 3rd floor 2-5 seconds La fortuna (167.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Laying in bed, felt the bed moving left to right Tilaran, Guanacaste (170 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Very unsettling! (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Guanacaste (111.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : The bed swayed from side to side for about three seconds Niquinohomo / Strong shaking (MMI VI) Popoyo / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Playa Maderas / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : It felt like in a car, when somebody hits the break Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s San Jose. Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 minutes San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 1-2 minutes La Fortuna, Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s La Fortuna - Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : The bed was shaking a bit MASAYA, NICARAGIA / not felt / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Playas dem Coco, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Never experienced an earthquake before. Was worried. We are tourists from Germany Coco Beach Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Nuevo Arenal / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s : House shaking Santa Cruz, Cabo Velas, Brasalito / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short La cruz / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 5-10 s Brasilito, Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s Popoyo / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s Popoyo / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Dreams Las mareas / Very strong shaking (MMI VII) / 20-30 s Niquinohomo / Strong shaking (MMI VI) El crucero, Managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s El mangroove hotel, costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s : Scared! Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 10-15 s Brasileiro, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Granada / Weak shaking (MMI III) Tamarindo, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s Managua, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Bed slowly rocking side to side papagayo costa rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) : shaking for 4 seconds Diriamba, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 minutes Bedroom / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : Luing in bed and felt the bed shaking subtly. dreams las mareas hotel / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Playas Hermosa / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating Managua, managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Light shaking!swaying side to side Liberia costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s In bed. Aftershock in la Cruze, Guanacaste / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s : It was like my husband was violently shaking his leg Managua Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 10-15 s : I felt two movements side to side Granada, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Weak shaking Popoyo, playa santana / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s San Jose costa Roca / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Playa Gigante / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s Managua Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Light shaking. Side to side motion. Lasted about 10 seconds San Jose Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Popoyo / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s San Juan del sur, Rivas, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Swaying San Jose costa Roca / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Nosara / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s Popoyo / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s San Juan del Sur Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s Tamarindo, Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 15-20 s Tivives / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s San Jose, Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 2-5 s Flamingo, Costa Rica / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s Granada, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Playa Pelada, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) : No aftershock felt Playa Maderas / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : It felt like in a car, when somebody hits the break Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s Leon / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Das Bett wackelte leicht La fortuna / Light shaking (MMI IV) San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Granada, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Senti como una honda de norte a sur Nuevo Arenal / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Christmas trees swaying, doors swinging, chairs swaying with person sitting in it. Lights swinging. San Juan del sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : It felt strong enough to almost make me fall Canas Dulces, Liberia / Strong shaking (MMI VI) (reported through our app / Strong shaking (MMI VI) San Jose / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s San jose / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 10-15 s : Balancements de droite a gauche en etant allonge sur le lit Granada, la calzada / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Liberia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s : Mein Stuhl hat leicht vibriert, als ob er auf einer Ruttelplatte steht. Nuevo Arenal / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 20-30 s Managua domitila lugo / not felt / vertical swinging (up and down) / 20-30 s Grecia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Water moving on the table. Fan/Light switch swing from the ceiling. Guanacaste / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Walls rattling , bed shaking, Heredia, Costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 10-15 s : Light tremmors Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Fuerte movimiento telurico, desde Managua, Nicaragua Nosara Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes samara, costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 5-10 s Playa Hermosa / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Playa coco / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Guanacaste, Costa Rica / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Lasted 10-15 seconds. Shook things around pretty good but nothing fell over. Ciudad Sandino / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s San Jose Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s San Juan Del Sur / Weak shaking (MMI III) Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 20-30 s Managua, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Movimiento muy fuerte duradero. Quiza mas de 6 ritcher Herradura Los Suenos / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s El Cajon de Grecia / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Moderate shaking (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Guanacaste at the riu resort / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : The whole building shook Sabana Grande, Managua, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Balanceo San Juan del Sur / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Nuevo Arenal Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s costa rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging Potrero / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s : Side to side shaking granada, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Hacienda Iguana / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Rolling. Waves. Shaking house managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Masaya / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short Samara / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : moderate shaking. Managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Algo fuerte (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Sarchi Alajuela Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) Masaya / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Bastante fuerte Mateare / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s La fortuna / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Nosara, Costa Rica / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Slight swaying. Palmares / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Zarcero / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Short Liberia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Shaking bed San Ramon / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Felt the house move back and forth for about 10 seconds. San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s Masatepe / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s Intense, shaking laterily (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s Palmares / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s La fortuna / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Low Liberia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sitting on couch and it started shaking back and forth for maybe 5 seconds... Masaya, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s Nosara, Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes Managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Se movieron los muebles (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Playa del coco / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s Managua Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Managua, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 10-15 s : Felt like a long one! Puntarenas, El Boli / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Tronadora Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Granada, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s : Seche generated in pool. Pictures swaying, horizontal swaying. la fortuna, costa rice / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s Liberia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : bed shaking El Mangroove Resort / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Lasted a few seconds and woke my wife. Grecia / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s It started out slow an picked up in intensity. (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s Liberia, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Jaco / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 5-10 s : very strong Playa Hermosa / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Guayabo de Bagaces / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s Managua, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s Sardinal / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Jaco / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Playas del Coco / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s Potrero Guanacaste / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s San Jose / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Contribute: Leave a comment if you find a particular report interesting or want to add to it. Flag as inappropriate. Mark as helpful or interesting. Send your own user report! Translate Nosara, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (176.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Laying on couch, felt like couch was being rocked an inch or so back and forth, every few seconds for about 20 seconds | 2 users found this interesting. near Belen, Rivas (32.9 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 30-60 s : The rim of Laguna de Apoyo. Laying in bed, dog started barking. Windows rattling, bed moved a bit chair's rocking. Pool water splashing around. | One user found this interesting. El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras (471.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : It was like something felt on the earth, like something breaking... And I heard a sound, like something was breaking in the earth El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras (471.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : It was like something felt on the earth, like something breaking... And I heard a sound, like something was breaking in the earth San Andreas, Bugaba District, Chiriqui (495.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Jaco. Condo shook several times. Heavy vibrations. Very similar to the one last month 26 km se of Los Suenos Near Nuevo Arenal, Costa Rica (169 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : There was a subtle sway, causing hanging objects to continue to swing. The howler monkeys nearby started calling out, which I feel was an indication that they felt it too (in the trees). Guanacaste (124.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Long swaying shake back an forth 5 to 8 seconds. Woke me out of my sleep. Everything rattled in my room. Felt like someone was aggressively shaking me Birmania de Upala, Alajuela, COsta Rica (107.8 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 2-5 s : Light shaking, shelves were rattling downstairs. A little bit later there was a similar intensity quake. El Progreso, Yoro, Honduras (471.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 s : It was like something felt on the earth, like something breaking... And I heard a sound, like something was breaking in the earth near La Cruz, Guanacaste (65.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s : I was watching a show on my iPad in my hotel room bed. At first I thought there was a commotion in the floor above or a truck rumbling by, but we are not near any roads. Then the bed began shaking and it was clearly an earthquake Playa Potrero Costa Rica (120.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : I was sitting in my outside living room when my chair started shaking and I noticed the water in our dogs bowl was almost spilling out. I had one of our puppies in the chair with me and she woke up very scared, looking around in all directions trying to f Nosara guanacaste Costa Rica (176 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s : Were watching a movie so it took a bit to notice but the house was moving back and forth horizontally only lasted 30-60 seconds Las Salinas, rivas, nicaragua (5.2 km ENE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Layed in bed and it began rocking back and forth, felt like the whole room was moving. It felt like a pendulum horizontally. With how much it moved the bed it felt like more than light shaking but no rattling of objects and nothing falling. Pets did not b Riu Palace Guanacaste (111.5 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) : I was sitting in a chair and it felt like someone behind me was kicking my chair - lasted about 15 seconds. San Andreas, Bugaba District, Chiriqui (495.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Jaco. Condo shook several times. Heavy vibrations. Very similar to the one last month 26 km se of Los Suenos Nosara Costa Rica (174.5 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I was sitting on the 2nd floor and felt like the chair was swaying back and forth for about about 10 seconds San Juan del Sur, Rivas (40.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 5-10 s : Senti balanceo en direccion horizontal muy leve y suave no brusco y dificil de que la gente lo perciba. Tabacon (189.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 5-10 s : Laying in bed and the room was rolling side-to-side. Hanging light fixtures began to sway back and forth. MANAGUA (73.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Estaba sentada en el sofa de la sala de mi casa y senti los movimientos laterales durante 10 a 15 segundos aproximadamente Rivas, Nicaragua (32.9 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : In bed, felt like someone shaking bed back and forth, maybe also slight raising. Seemed to repeat, then a final roll motion like underwater. Managua (67 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 20-30 s : Iam in my bed, when I saw the fan moving and felt moving my bed. I live en Managua capital of Nicaragua in central america. Ticuantepe, Managua (62.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / very short : Estaba acostada en mi cama con mi telefono y de repente senti un pequeno temblor que duro como 5seg luego fui a ver si mi familia tambien lo habia sentido y me dijeron que si habian sentido un temblor Masaya Nicaragua (72.7 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : En el comedor de la casa trabajando en la computadora, fue lateral de este a oeste, fue fuerte y duro aproximadamente entre 15 a 20 segundos. Nicaragua, managua (76.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 1-2 minutes : La cama se sacudida muuuy levemente, el abanico de pie se movia un poco y se sentia cuando colocaba la cabeza en la cama Arenal (167.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Shaking. Windows and doors creaked. | One user found this interesting. San Juan del Sur / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 2-5 s : It was like a harmonic wave. Felt as if the floor went up about 10cm . Waves on swimming pool got up about 7 cm. The little quake at 0:23 took longer and rattled, was not smooth like the first. San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Felt like we were on a ship and a wave slammed into us. We moved a few inches forward and swayed for 10 seconds. Second one I woke up rocking in bed for 8-10 seconds. San Juan Del Sur / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s : Hi. I was laying on the couch and my wife was sitting on a chair and both pieces of furniture moved side to side for 1-2 seconds. The lights that hang from the ceiling where swinging as well. The kids were awake in their beds and they felt them shake as w San Juan Del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Rumbling. Doors shaking, couch where I sat shaking. Stood up and felt floor moving and whole house shaking. Managua, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / 1-2 s : Estaba viendo un video y empezo a menearse la silla en que estaba sentado y el ropero en que estaba abollado. Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s : Mild shaking vibrating i was in bed and you could feel the light shakes the lamp shade. Vibrating went on for at least 15 to seconds i got out of bed to walk and see outside the window i was was getting motion sick so i needed to do something to get my mi Matapalo / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s : I felt light shaking of hotel bed on fourth floor at Riu Guancaste for approximately 5-7 seconds. I've never experienced an earthquake so didn't know what was happening at the time. Los Yoses, San Jose Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 20-30 s : Fairly long rolling feeling. I'm on the 20th floor of a high-rise. My floor lamp was swaying. My where glass was rolling. I stepped onto my balcony and could see the exterior walls of the building swaying. Managua, carretera a Masaya, km 9.4 / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Senti como un mareo leve, luego aumento su intensidad, dije esta temblando y sali al patio, todo se movia. San Juan del sur, Nicaragua (37.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging : Pool shaking near Samara, Nicoya, Guanacaste (174.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 5-10 s : Sitting at my desk when it started Nuevo arenal (186.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Room moderate shaking laterally, bed rocking back and forth. Fan and Tv swinging. 10-15 seconds Playas del Coco costa rica (135.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Bed shook Monteverde, Costa Rica (192.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Watching tv Monteverde, Costa Rica (192.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Watching tv San Jose (287.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt near Tola, Rivas (2.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s Managua, Nicaragua (74.8 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake Costa Rica (113.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s Monteverde Costa richa (197.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) near Tola, Rivas (2.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s near Tola, Rivas (11.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Light shaking 2nd one woke me up Managua, Nicaragua (55.6 km WSW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 10-15 s near Juntas, Abangares (192.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s Brasilito (125.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s : One shake was around 8:30PM, one around midnight San juan del sur (42.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) San Juan del Sur, Rivas (45.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Hogar (49 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 5-10 s Managua (69.7 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Mareo Guanacaste Costa Rica (111.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Nosara Guanacaste (170.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Sardinal, Guanacaste (111.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Ticuantepe (66.2 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s San Jose (282.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Managua (67.8 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s Jinotepe (42.2 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s : I Matapalo (128.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt Nuevo Arenal de Tilaran (167.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : It was roundy. Like rolling in a circle. Managua (75.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (189.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Door and bed was slinging Nuevo arenal (186.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Room moderate shaking laterally, bed rocking back and forth. Fan and Tv swinging. 10-15 seconds Jaco, Garabito, Puntarenas (263.8 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging Managua (74.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging Managua (74.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt / vertical swinging (up and down) / 30-60 s : M Manizales, Caldas (1369.5 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / not felt (reported through our app / not felt near Tola, Rivas (2.7 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 10-15 s San Antonio, Nuevo Arenal (170.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Kitchen lights swinging from ceiling! Managua (57.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes : Bed was shaking Ciudad Sandino, Managua (74.4 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s : It felt light and short around here Tamarindo, Costa Rica (129.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : I was laying in my bed and felt shaking during 10 Seconds and didnt stopped Jaco Costa Rica (263.8 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Swaying sensation Tola (2.5 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Light to moderate shaking GUANACASTE (113.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes : Bed was shaking at 3 floor of hotel La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (206 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Temblor ligero 3 Potosi, Rivas (31.5 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Algo fuerte hasta dolor de cabeza me produjo San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (38 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Our bed was shaking from one side to the other, like someone is strong shaking it. Liberia Airport, Costa Rica (118.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Wisten choncal (275.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Our beds started to shake La fortuna (189.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s managua nicaragua (67.7 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s : sideway chacking, alll ok, nothing fell. San Juan del sur, Nicaragua (36.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Two lateral movements I felt this in Costa Rica! Bed was shaking. / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Santa Rosa de Pocosol, san carlos (198.5 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Managua (75 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Dilato mucho tiempo y fue movimientos bruscos Managua (75 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : Dilato mucho tiempo y fue movimientos bruscos LA FORTUNA (197.6 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Felt like wobbling. I live in a 2 story building Nosara (174.7 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Bed moving like if it was made of water Culebra, Costa Rica (106.2 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Riu Guanacaste (169.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Felt rattling on third floor of hotel for 30 seconds approximately Laying on bed (194.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Bed shaking Chinandega (171 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s my bed rocked (reported through (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s near La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (190.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s La Fortuna Costa rica (214.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Bed started moving back and forth as well as hanging lights. near Sardinal, Guanacaste (124.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Laying in bed, the doors started rattling, the TV rattled, bounced the bed a bit Ticuantepe, Managua (68.1 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Santa Teresa, Carazo (38.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : En cama viendo tv.sentada Jinotepe (40.6 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 30-60 s : Sitting on patio outside. Horizontal movement followed by circular/up and down movement. Managua (74 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Portrero Costa Rica (121.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : I was sitting on the couch and it felt like someone was shaking the couch Sardinal, Guanacaste (112 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single vertical bump / 1-2 s : Light 27 km of San Carlos, Rio San Juan (177.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 2-5 s : Estaba en mi cama, y note que se movia de forma anormal Hacienda iguana Nicaragua (11.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Laying in bed!!!!!!!!!!! Monte Verde Costa Rica (193 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 30-60 s : I was in monte Verde, everything was shaking Managua (75.5 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s near Tilaran, Guanacaste (161.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 20-30 s San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (36.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s : House and bed swayed, felt multiple waves of rumbling and swaying Masaya (57.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes : En casa sentada viendo tv lo sneti por el fuerte movimiento de todas las cosas en la casa Managua (73.2 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 30-60 s Playa del coco (167.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Sitting on the couch watching tv Playa Langosta 6 th floor condo (134.9 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Playing cards and felt the building sway on the 6th floor Tilaran, Guanacaste (168.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) In the bathroom brushing my teeth towels swinging left and right water Rocking Around in the toilet (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vertical swinging (up and down) near La Fortuna, San Carlos, Alajuela (191.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe / 20-30 s moderate movement (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe / 20-30 s Jaco Garabito Puntarenas Costa Rica (350.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Was sitting at desk when the shaking started. Felt a couple of small aftershocks, too. Costa Rica (188.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Felt very strong shaking side to side when sitting in the couch. I got up and felt really dizzy. San pedro (193.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Jaco, Garabito, Puntarenas (263.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s Guiones norte, Nosara (176.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Managua, Nicaragua (75.6 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 30-60 s : Setting on sofa near los Robles area. Grecia, Costa Rica (266.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 10-15 s : In bed. Sliding closet doors rattled. Dogs started barking. Managua Nicaragua (103.7 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I stay in my house, whatch tv Leon (134 km NW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Granada (57 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Bed moving. San Juan del sur nicaragua (38 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Movimiento lateral de la estructura de la casa Playas del Coco costa rica (135.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : Bed shook Jaco Costa Rica (264.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Swaying sensation Atenas, Alajuela (254.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Lying in bed felt and heard the house start shaking back and forth almost a rolling like shake Nosara (176.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s : Lying on bed. Bed was shifting/ Shaking side to side. San Juan, Grecia, Provincia de Alajuela (251.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Tv room (reported through (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Escazu, San Jose (276.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Villa Palermo San Juan DelSur (38 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : In the living room, felt my feet vibrate and was light headed because of the horizontal vibration. W hotel Guanacaste (124.4 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Eating dinner near La Cruz, Guanacaste (65.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 10-15 s : At a restaurant. We felt moving. San jose (283.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 1-2 s : Quake Volio (236.3 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Escazu, San Jose (279.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Moyogalpa (49.6 km E of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 30-60 s : Weak shaking San Jose (280.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : In bed at a hotel downtown and mirror on the wall was moving back and forth. near Sardinal, Guanacaste (113.1 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 10-15 s : I. The Riu Palace hotel. Laying in bed that started shaking along with alcohol bottles on the wall Granada (54.8 km NNE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Seche generated in pool Tilaran Costa Rica (169.2 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sitting in a chair Sardinal Costa Rica (106.7 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : my bed was swaying 4 times Managua (77.4 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I stay in my house, whatch tv near Juntas, Abangares (195.6 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : Weak shaking San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua (33.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Whole house shook Potrero, Guanacaste, Costa Rica (123.3 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : I was laying in bed, awake. Sardinal, Guanacaste (112.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sitting on couch chatting with friend & felt shaking motion, coco beach area Costa Rica El baston Nicaragua (34.7 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Lying in bed felt like a truck hit the house Playa Hermosa, Guanacaste (111.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : Laying in bed, bed was shaking back and forth. San Juan del sur, Nicaragua (37.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging : Pool shaking Playa jaco (264.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sideways swaying, felt long Monteverde, Costa Rica (192.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Watching tv Garabito (265.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Constante hacia los lados La Fortuna, Costa Rica (189.9 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Lying in bed, we noticed the bed swaying from side to side. Fortuna (189.1 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 20-30 s : Im in bed and the bed shook slowly Nicaragua (75.3 km N of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Estaba acostada Managua (78.6 km NNW of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : I was seating on the bed Cano Negro (161.1 km ESE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s Playa del Coco (113.5 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 1-2 s : I was in bed and the room started to move. My whole family felt it Potrero guanacaste (119.8 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : I was on my sofa on the Lowest floor. I flet it Hacienda iguana (12.4 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : 3rd floor 2-5 seconds La fortuna (167.5 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Laying in bed, felt the bed moving left to right Tilaran, Guanacaste (170 km SE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Very unsettling! (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Guanacaste (111.6 km SSE of epicenter) [ Map ] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s : The bed swayed from side to side for about three seconds Niquinohomo / Strong shaking (MMI VI) Popoyo / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Playa Maderas / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : It felt like in a car, when somebody hits the break Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s San Jose. Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 1-2 minutes San Juan del Sur, Rivas, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 1-2 minutes La Fortuna, Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s La Fortuna - Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : The bed was shaking a bit MASAYA, NICARAGIA / not felt / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Playas dem Coco, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s : Never experienced an earthquake before. Was worried. We are tourists from Germany Coco Beach Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Nuevo Arenal / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s : House shaking Santa Cruz, Cabo Velas, Brasalito / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / very short La cruz / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex rolling (tilting in multiple directions) / 5-10 s Brasilito, Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 s Popoyo / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s Popoyo / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Dreams Las mareas / Very strong shaking (MMI VII) / 20-30 s Niquinohomo / Strong shaking (MMI VI) El crucero, Managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s El mangroove hotel, costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / complex motion difficult to describe / 5-10 s : Scared! Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 10-15 s Brasileiro, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Granada / Weak shaking (MMI III) Tamarindo, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s Managua, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Bed slowly rocking side to side papagayo costa rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) : shaking for 4 seconds Diriamba, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / complex motion difficult to describe / 1-2 minutes Bedroom / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / 2-5 s : Luing in bed and felt the bed shaking subtly. dreams las mareas hotel / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Playas Hermosa / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating Managua, managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Light shaking!swaying side to side Liberia costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Peninsula Papagayo, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s In bed. Aftershock in la Cruze, Guanacaste / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s : It was like my husband was violently shaking his leg Managua Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / 10-15 s : I felt two movements side to side Granada, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Weak shaking Popoyo, playa santana / Strong shaking (MMI VI) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s San Jose costa Roca / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Playa Gigante / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 2-5 s Managua Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Light shaking. Side to side motion. Lasted about 10 seconds San Jose Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Popoyo / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s San Juan del sur, Rivas, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Swaying San Jose costa Roca / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Nosara / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 5-10 s Popoyo / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s San Juan del Sur Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s Tamarindo, Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 15-20 s Tivives / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s San Jose, Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 2-5 s Flamingo, Costa Rica / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 2-5 s Granada, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s (reported through our app / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Playa Pelada, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) : No aftershock felt Playa Maderas / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 1-2 s : It felt like in a car, when somebody hits the break Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s Leon / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Das Bett wackelte leicht La fortuna / Light shaking (MMI IV) San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Granada, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Senti como una honda de norte a sur Nuevo Arenal / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Christmas trees swaying, doors swinging, chairs swaying with person sitting in it. Lights swinging. San Juan del sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single vertical bump / 2-5 s : It felt strong enough to almost make me fall Canas Dulces, Liberia / Strong shaking (MMI VI) (reported through our app / Strong shaking (MMI VI) San Jose / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s San jose / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 10-15 s : Balancements de droite a gauche en etant allonge sur le lit Granada, la calzada / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s (reported through our app / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Liberia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s : Mein Stuhl hat leicht vibriert, als ob er auf einer Ruttelplatte steht. Nuevo Arenal / Weak shaking (MMI III) / simple rolling (tilting sideways along one direction) / 20-30 s Managua domitila lugo / not felt / vertical swinging (up and down) / 20-30 s Grecia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s : Water moving on the table. Fan/Light switch swing from the ceiling. Guanacaste / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s : Walls rattling , bed shaking, Heredia, Costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single vertical bump / 10-15 s : Light tremmors Managua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Fuerte movimiento telurico, desde Managua, Nicaragua Nosara Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes samara, costa rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / 5-10 s Playa Hermosa / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Playa coco / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Guanacaste, Costa Rica / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Lasted 10-15 seconds. Shook things around pretty good but nothing fell over. Ciudad Sandino / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 30-60 s San Jose Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s San Juan Del Sur / Weak shaking (MMI III) Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 20-30 s Managua, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Movimiento muy fuerte duradero. Quiza mas de 6 ritcher Herradura Los Suenos / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s El Cajon de Grecia / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Moderate shaking (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Guanacaste at the riu resort / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : The whole building shook Sabana Grande, Managua, Nicaragua / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Balanceo San Juan del Sur / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Nuevo Arenal Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 15-20 s costa rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging Potrero / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s : Side to side shaking granada, Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Hacienda Iguana / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Rolling. Waves. Shaking house managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Masaya / Light shaking (MMI IV) / single lateral shake / very short Samara / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : moderate shaking. Managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Algo fuerte (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Sarchi Alajuela Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) Masaya / Weak shaking (MMI III) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s : Bastante fuerte Mateare / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s La fortuna / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Nosara, Costa Rica / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Slight swaying. Palmares / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Zarcero / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / rattling, vibrating / very short : Short Liberia / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s : Shaking bed San Ramon / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s : Felt the house move back and forth for about 10 seconds. San Juan del Sur / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 1-2 s Masatepe / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s Intense, shaking laterily (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / single lateral shake / 5-10 s Palmares / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s La fortuna / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Low Liberia / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : Sitting on couch and it started shaking back and forth for maybe 5 seconds... Masaya, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s Nosara, Costa Rica / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 1-2 minutes Managua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Se movieron los muebles (reported through (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Playa del coco / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 10-15 s Managua Nicaragua / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s Managua, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / both vertical and horizontal swinging / 10-15 s : Felt like a long one! Puntarenas, El Boli / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Tronadora Guanacaste Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s (reported through our app / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 15-20 s Granada, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / 5-10 s : Seche generated in pool. Pictures swaying, horizontal swaying. la fortuna, costa rice / Weak shaking (MMI III) / single lateral shake / 2-5 s Liberia / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s : bed shaking El Mangroove Resort / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s : Lasted a few seconds and woke my wife. Grecia / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s It started out slow an picked up in intensity. (reported through (reported through our app / Moderate shaking (MMI V) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 20-30 s Liberia, Costa Rica / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 2-5 s Jaco / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vertical swinging (up and down) / 5-10 s : very strong Playa Hermosa / Light shaking (MMI IV) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s Guayabo de Bagaces / Light shaking (MMI IV) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s Managua, Nicaragua / Light shaking (MMI IV) / rattling, vibrating / 20-30 s Sardinal / Weak shaking (MMI III) / rattling, vibrating / 5-10 s Jaco / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 2-5 s Playas del Coco / Very weak shaking (MMI II) / vibration and rolling / 5-10 s Potrero Guanacaste / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 5-10 s San Jose / Weak shaking (MMI III) / horizontal (sideways) swinging / 10-15 s A housing development project that could transform the southern edge of Morrisville barely squeaked through the local zoning process, a process that has raised questions about whether the public was given enough opportunity to participate. The Morristown Development Review Board, at its Oct. 27 meeting, narrowly approved developer Graham Minks 136-unit housing complex on the southern edge of the village on a vote of 4-3. It was the culmination of a three-part hearing. Part two a tour of the property was only reluctantly made public partially through the hearing. An initial hearing on Oct. 13 was recessed because the board was two members short one of the members, Paul Trudell, is the projects architect and recused himself. Town zoning administrator Todd Thomas told the News & Citizen ahead of the meeting that, since a full board couldnt be seated, the hearing will be opened and recessed almost immediately. The meeting was, in fact, more substantive, with the project engineer providing a presentation, board members asking questions and neighbors raising concerns and asking that conditions be placed on the project. Also at that initial Oct. 13 meeting, according to Thomass meeting minutes, board chair Gary Nolan said an Oct. 25 site walk would not be open to the public. Mink interjected, saying those in attendance could also attend the site walk; Mink later granted the newspapers request to attend. Jamie Brewster, a Morristown resident concerned about the pace of development in town, said he was interested in attending the Oct. 13 meeting but was also told by Thomas it would be a brief affair. He told me there wasnt going to be a quorum, so I didnt go, Brewster said. A public records request for correspondence related to the hearing addressed to Thomas and Nolan directly after the Oct. 27 meeting turned up very little that had not already been read into the public record on one of the hearing dates. Thomas offered a hypothesis on why more people didnt weigh in. Maybe the lack of public involvement is attributable to the project being set back into the woods and far from a main road? Not sure, he wrote in response to the public records request. But Thomas withheld at least one key bit of correspondence, a back and forth with Brewster, who was concerned by the towns attempt to block people from attending the site walk. Brewster provided the correspondence between Oct. 20-26 to the News & Citizen. Thomas said he doesnt think site walks should be publicly warned and told Brewster that such tours are a no-win situation for the board because people might show up and not be allowed on the property, which is a really bad scene. Thomas acquiesced, however, and a warning for the Oct. 25 site walk at some point materialized on the town website. Thomas later told Brewster that he had the warning posted because he was unable to find succinct guidance in state law. I did so after having spent a couple of precious hours emailing back and forth with you about warning (or not warning) the site walk, and then researching the open meeting law and related guidance about site walks (which I had not refreshed myself on in a few years), Thomas wrote Oct. 26, the day after the site walk and the day before the final approval. The decision to post that meeting schedule was also the result of me not wanting to jeopardize the hearing process for a multi-million-dollar development if my decision to not warn Mondays site walk was somehow incorrect, and the lack of warning for the site walk was going to be part of a legal challenge of a somewhat controversial development proposal. Thomass email touches upon one reason to do things by the book: development projects approved by towns are subject to appeals before the Vermont Environmental Court. Mink already went through the appeals process earlier this year in a previously approved project. He prevailed in court, but he said it was costly. Thomas did not release the email correspondence between him and Brewster to the newspaper as part of its public records request and he did not reply by press deadline to a lengthy series of questions about the perceived missteps in the public process, so it is unclear whether he withheld any other correspondence from the public. Nolan did reply, saying simply in an email Tuesday, It is my opinion that all the open meeting laws were followed and that it is inappropriate for further comment, as although the decision has been reached, it has not been issued. Brewster said this week that he did not attend the Oct. 13 meeting because it had been undersold as a quick formality. When he read the meeting minutes, he felt shut out of the site walk, which he might have attended. I felt unwelcome and felt it was not open to the public, and if I had showed up, I would have been asked to leave, he said. Im not out to be a thorn in anybodys side, but there are rules and regulations that need to be followed and I think I should be able to ask that they are. Its Jason, trust us. Photo: Netflix Orange County: Its not just for Real Housewives anymore. Netflix is currently filming a Selling Sunset spinoff called Selling the O.C., focused on the Oppenheim Groups expansion into Orange County. Variety reported that broker Jason Oppenheim will star in the new series, which is set to premiere in 2022, leading a team of new agents including Alexandra Hall, Austin Victoria, and Brandi Marshall at the O-Groups Newport Beach office. Per the outlet, its unclear whether other Selling Sunset cast members aside from Jason will appear in the show. The news comes ahead of Selling Sunset season four, which hits Netflix November 24. And while its the first direct spinoff of Selling Sunset, its not the only new real-estate reality TV hitting Netflix soon. Adam DiVello, producer of Selling Sunset and Selling the O.C., has also developed Selling Tampa Bay, focused on Florida firm Allure Realty and announced earlier this year. Guess you could say this has proven to be some hot real estate for Netflix. The Biden administration is telling businesses to get employees vaccinated now despite a federal court's stay on the mandate. However, Alabama business owners are stuck in the middle. "Either way we go, it's a detriment to business owners and, quite frankly, to our employees as well," said Jeff Gronberg, board chair of the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce. Gronberg said the Chamber is "very concerned about the vaccine mandate" and how it will affect the workforce. "We believe it could be detrimental," Gronberg said. New state laws say businesses can't require Covid-19 vaccines, 'making it very easy for them to sue us for being compliant for a contract that we have," Gronberg explained. However, a local employment attorney said he believes most businesses should be able to comply with both. That's because the OSHA mandate offers the option for unvaccinated employees to just wear a mask and get tested weekly. Attorney Robert Lockwood said if employers adopt that test-out option, there should be no problem complying with both orders. Still, a major legal battle is brewing as states argue these mandates are unconstitutional. "It has been a huge overreach of executive power," Alabama Rep. Mike Ball said. At least 27 states, including Alabama, have filed legal challenges against the OSHA mandate. A federal court stayed it this weekend. "Why are these legislators, these Republicans, getting in the way of saving lives?" Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during Tuesday's White House briefing. Both sides remain confident they will prevail in this legal battle. "The administration clearly has the authority to protect workers," Jean-Pierre said. "You have approximately 1,300 people a day who die from Covid. If that's not a grave danger, I don't know what else is." The Biden administration asked the federal courts to consolidate all the legal challenges into one court of appeals. That court would be randomly selected. The Biden administration asked for that process to take place next week. UPDATE: The Huntsville Police Department reports that the victim in a Tuesday morning shooting on McVay Street has died. Police said the shooting appears to be a case of self-defense. Investigators say the shooting case will be reviewed by a Madison County grand jury. The victim's name has not been released. From earlier: A person of interest is being interviewed by Huntsville Police after a Tuesday morning shooting in the 3600 block of McVay Street. Police said a victim was transported to Huntsville Hospital. Both the person of interest and the victim are males, police said. Don Webster with HEMSI confirmed they also responded to the shooting scene that was reported to 911 at 8:55 a.m. Stay with WAAY 31 for updates. A Colbert County judge on Tuesday denied two motions involving future court proceedings for a capital murder suspect charged in two October murders, including the shooting death of Sheffield Police Sgt. Nick Risner. The judge's two-page order denied Brian Lansing Martin's motion to ban trial participants from commenting or releasing information to media outlets or on social media. District Judge Chad Coker also denied Martin's request to bar cameras outside of the courtroom or on courthouse grounds. However, Coker granted the motion to ban cameras and recording devices inside the courtroom, noting that broadcasting, recording or photographing court proceedings has never been allowed in Colbert County's district court. Martin's request to be present at his Dec. 3 preliminary hearing and for a full recording of that hearing was granted. Martin has been held in the Morgan County jail without bond since shortly after his arrest. He is accused of shooting and killing William Mealback Jr. on Oct. 1 and pushing his body out of a car onto Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, then fatally shooting Risner a short time later. Risner was flown to Huntsville Hospital after the shooting and died there a day later. A second police officer was hit by gunfire twice but saved by his bulletproof vest. Huntsville Hospital officials say their blood supply is in a safe range thanks to local donors, but that's not the case for all hospitals in the state, and officials are encouraging anyone who can to help by donating. "The shortage of blood has reached a crisis level," Dr. Don Williamson, president of the Alabama Hospital Association, told the Associated Press. "We have critical shortages now throughout the health system." Donors are being asked to give plasma if they have recovered from COVID-19 in an effort to help patients who need it. Donors are being asked to give plasma if they have recovered from COVID-19 in an effort to help patients who need it. AHA said LifeSouth, the donation center that supplies blood to the majority of Alabama's hospitals, has listed the statewide blood supply at "critical" levels. That means, on average, there is less than two days' supply of blood on their shelves. Huntsville Hospital's Kristie Campbell on Tuesday credited local donors for keeping their supply at three to five days' worth for most blood types. I believe we are in a little bit better shape ... in North Alabama," Campbell said. She said the donor base is more consistent here, which is a huge help. However, the rest of the state isn't as fortunate. Williamson said it's not uncommon to see occasional shortages at a local level, but "it's pretty rare for us to see this level of blood shortage on a statewide basis." The hospital organization said donations are urgently needed. The group also encouraged schools, colleges, churches, businesses and other organizations to host local blood drives as soon as possible. "We are strongly encouraging people who can donate to please go donate," Williamson said. LifeSouth supplies blood to all 17 hospitals in North Alabama. Throughout the pandemic, they've been in desperate need of blood donations. Usually, once school starts ramping back up and people start getting back to normal, we see an uptick in donations," Kami Mitchell, district community development coordinator for LifeSouth, told WAAY 31 this week. "We havent seen that uptick this year." News featured Jazz concert held for Marshall, late musician and bandleader frankstanko / Frank Stanko Daily News Friends and bandmates shares music and memories of the late Mary Cotton Marshall during a Saturday, Nov. 6 jazz concert at St. John's Catholic Church, Wahpeton. From left, drummer Tim Zoerner, bassist Doug Neal, saxophonists John DiFiore and Russell Peterson (behind them is pianist Dr. David Ferreira), trumpeter Dr. Tom Strait, saxophonist Dr. Matthew Patnode and a painting of Marshall's. frankstanko / photos by Frank Stanko Daily News Russell Peterson, center, began the concert with 'In a Sentimental Mood.' The event allowed for moving performances and heartfelt memories. Peterson is flanked by, from left, drummer Tim Zoerner and bassist Doug Neal. frankstanko / Frank Stanko Daily News Introducing the concert, Wahpeton High School teacher Tammy Goerger said it was an example of music being a universal language. Guests included students, friends, St. John's parishioners and community members. Mary Cotton Marshall, the recently deceased musician and bandleader, was honored Saturday, Nov. 6 with a 1 p.m. jazz concert at St. Johns Catholic Church in Wahpeton. The events allowed for moving performances and heartfelt memories. Russell Peterson played the concerts first song, Duke Ellingtons In a Sentimental Mood. Peterson, a professor at Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, was one of seven musicians taking part in the concert. All had played with Marshall through the decades. What these amazing musicians didnt tell you is theres a movie about them, the Rev. Dale Lagodinski said. The Magnificent Seven. But theres a sequel, The Magnificent Eight. I think I heard another pianist every now and then. Mary. Marshall, 73, died Oct. 7, 2021, at St. Catherines Living Center in Wahpeton. Saturdays concert followed an 11 a.m. memorial mass at St. Johns. The concert included fundraising. The family requests, in remembrance of Mary, (donations) to the Mary Cotton Marshall Fine Arts Scholarship or the ND Community Foundation with the name of her scholarship in the memo line, Marshalls obituary stated. Donations may be sent to NDCF, PO Box 387, Bismarck, ND, 58502-0387. Introducing the concert, Wahpeton High School teacher Tammy Goerger said it was an example of music being a universal language. Although not a jazz musician, Goerger also frequently played with and for Marshall, including prior to her death. When I look out into the audience, I see some of the students she played for, I see some of her friends, I see parishioners, I see community members. We are all here for one thing and that is to honor Marys memory, Goerger said. Marshall was a true believer in art all around, Goerger said. The concert performers shared a stage with a painted portrait she gifted to Peterson. Between their songs, the musicians remembered Marshall, along with moments like a performance that lasted longer than anyone expected, how America evolved from the 1960s onward and how Marshall grew in her talent. I think she lacked a little bit of self confidence about her jazz playing. She was a very good player right away, said Dr. David Ferreira, a professor emeritus at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM). In addition to Peterson and Ferreira, the musicians included drummer Tim Zoerner, bassist Doug Neal, tenor saxophonist John DiFiore, who taught many years at MSUM, trumpeter Dr. Tom Strait, also MSUM; and tenor saxophonist Dr. Matthew Patnode, North Dakota State University. I loved playing with her personally, because I never quite knew what musical direction wed go in, Patnode said. She had a great understanding of harmony, perfect pitch and wonderful ears. It was always fun, even if I didnt know how wed arrive. It didnt matter, the path we chose, because we wound up at the right destination. Ferreira recalled a special concert he and Marshall gave. We had two grand pianos facing each other. We played together, we played back and forth. It was a treat. We kind of dreamed of doing it again and it never came to pass, Ferreira said. The concert concluded with Ferreiras piano rendition of Ellingtons Sophisticated Lady. For many present, it seemed an appropriate way to remember Mary Cotton Marshall. Decatur, IL (62521) Today A few clouds. Low 23F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low 23F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Clearly, the best way to deal with heavier rainfall and rising sea levels is to decarbonize and avoid these outcomes altogether. But even under an optimistic scenario where net-zero emissions are reached by around 2050, we can expect significant changes, and the countries least equipped to deal with the consequences from sub-Saharan Africa to Pacific islands will suffer most severely. Some of the damage, and this new uncertain existence, is now locked in. Its true that the International Energy Agency, which before Glasgow had put the world on track for 2.1 C of warming, has now said increased pledges around the summit could reduce that to 1.8 C. But thats dependent on promises and is still a temperature level that brings major climate risks. Its fashionable in certain circles to blame investors ambivalence on the rise of ESG investing, turbocharged by the election of President Joe Biden a few days before the vaccine news. Scott Sheffield, CEO of Pioneer Natural Resources Co., told Bloomberg News last week that Bidens efforts to restrict drilling on federal land were starting to backfire some in terms of higher oil prices. Keep in mind that Sheffield led the calls for Texas to reinstitute pro-rationing of production when oil crashed in 2020, so his commitment to government getting out of the way is possibly situational. Nevertheless, he acknowledged in the same interview that the bigger issue could be investors scars from the last time oil rallied this high. The power unit is no longer threatening to sink the company, but with so much of the business still linked to fossil fuels, its long-term future is less than lustrous. GE warned last month that the renewable energy unit was unlikely to post a profit by its 2022 target and would burn cash this year. Of the three businesses, the energy entity will need to carry the least amount of debt, Culp said Tuesday on a call with investors to discuss the breakup plan. The jet engine business will recover from the pandemic slump, but that same slump underscores why it was helpful to have the health-care assets around. The aviation unit is also under pressure to prove it can still generate pre-pandemic levels of cash flow and profits without selling spare jet engines to the GECAS lessor arm or other off-balance sheet subsidiaries at a high margin. In our view, almost every business that has come out of GE and seen the light of day in a public market setting has disappointed, while some have underperformed materially as stand alone, a function we think of more meaningful and useful disclosure, JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst Steve Tusa wrote in an October report analyzing a potential breakup. Is this time different? Can all these businesses be successful and command a higher valuation as independent entities? Were about to find out. Read more: Covid Is Casting Conglomerates in a New Light How then to reform discoms? Better software and demand-management systems may boost their ability to absorb renewables, as Sumant Sinha, chairman of ReNew Energy Global Plc, one of Indias biggest producers of clean electricity, told Bloomberg News last month. However, efficiency gains alone wont address the problem of being stuck with older vintages of more expensive power purchase deals. Utilities which enjoy superior contracts will have cheaper power it has less to do with management skills, says energy analyst Rahul Tongia at the New Delhi-based Centre for Social and Economic Progress. An overdue change may be to move wholesale demand away from long-term agreements to spot power exchanges, which today handle only about 5% of electricity consumed in India. Lukashenko, 67, has been in power since Belaruss first presidential election as an independent republic in 1994. Much has changed in the world since then, a full decade before the EU expanded eastward to absorb many of the former communist states that had been under Soviet influence. Lukashenko, though, has kept his country of 9.3 million people which lies at a geopolitical crossroads, sandwiched between the EU, Russia and Ukraine aligned to the east, receiving financial and political support from Russia. Belarus has benefited from discounted Russian natural gas as well as oil, which it refines and sells abroad at a profit, and Lukashenko has failed to diversify the cash-strapped economy. But it was his dismissal of the pandemic, and handling of the 2020 election, that got people onto the streets, defying riot police and calling for strikes. The historian Michael Willrich, in his fine volume Pox: An American History, describes the long, difficult effort at the turn of the century to get smallpox vaccinations into the arms of citizens who detested the procedure and feared its results. More than a century later, a 2012 article in the AMA Journal of Ethics lamented that many patients see new vaccines not as triumphs of medical research but as overreaches by a profit-obsessed pharmaceutical industry and an accommodating, financially conflicted medical establishment. In Europe, a 2018 survey found wide variation in the publics view of the safety of vaccinations. Barely half of French respondents, for example, considered flu vaccines safe; almost one of three Belgians had doubts about the safety of MMR shots. (If youre wondering, the country with the highest overall confidence in vaccines was Portugal.) But wed all be better off if these companies, and the Chinese economy more broadly, were more rigorously regulated. Fake history books are the least of the damage done. China has been a primary source of a synthetic opioid fueling the addiction crisis in the U.S. (The Chinese government denies this.) And it is likely poor control over the trade in wildlife caused the coronavirus pandemic that has claimed the lives of nearly 2.5 million people. A team from the World Health Organization investigating the origins of the outbreak ended a fact-finding visit to China in February somewhat disgruntled that Chinese authorities were withholding critical data. 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 Adas on the River: For dinner with a view of the Potomac River, just look out the windows of the new(ish) Adas on the River in Old Town. On your plate, youll have the choice of a turkey breast roulade with rye bread stuffing, filet mignon with sunchokes or halibut with mushroom veloute. The three-course meal is priced at $59 per person or $19 for children, and is available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 3 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria. adasontheriver.com. Q. I have a copper pot that my great-grandmother brought over from the old country. The metal lining is pretty scratched up and worn away in a few places, and Im not sure if the outside is even all copper. Some of it has flaked away to show yellow patches on the side and silvery gray patches on the bottom. The pot itself is quite heavy. How do I determine if its food-safe? If I need to refinish it, how? Silver Spring A. If the corrosion isnt too deep, Hammersmith Copper Cookware in New York can strip the existing lining and replace it with a new tin lining, which will make your pot food-safe. According to the Copper Development Association, a trade group, this is the only U.S. company left that makes copper pots. An intact lining is important because many foods are acidic. Acid corrodes copper, producing toxic byproducts. Your pot, like others made before World War II, was probably lined in tin. Newer ones sometimes have a nickel lining. Hammersmith can strip either type, but the new lining it installs is always tin, says the companys owner, Mac Kohler. Exterior problems on a pot are usually corrosion resulting from exposing the pot to an acid or storing it around damaging chemicals. Kohler has seen copper pans that were packed away for years in copper polish because someone thought the polish would protect the metal from corrosion while in storage. Left in place too long, the polish instead ate the metal. A reader wonders whether this copper pot from the mother country is safe for preparing food. (Reader Photo/READER PHOTO) Hammersmith offers one free retinning to people who buy its pots. For people who own pots made by other companies, Kohler suggests e-mailing pictures before spending money on shipping. Pots with deep corrosion cant be retinned. Retinning is an ungentle process, Kohler says. It requires putting the pot into acid baths and exposing the metal to high heat. If a pot made by someone else can be retinned, the cost depends on the size, measured in linear inches down one wall, across the diameter (or long axis in the case of ovals or rectangles) and back up the other wall, multiplied by $6. For example, a 7-by-3-inch saucepan would measure out to 13 inches and retinning would cost $84. We have a summer house built six years ago with a screened porch that faces the woods. A few inches of the screening has come loose, allowing bugs in. I called the company that installed the screens, and because our five-year warranty just ran out, the person I talked to told me they would charge $75 to just come out. I asked whether someone could tell me how to fix it and they said to take the screen to a hardware store and have new spline installed. But the screen panel is huge and I cant remove it by myself. Id need to be on a ladder. Is there a cheaper, easier fix, even if it would not be as perfect? Chevy Chase There is no way to make the screen look like new without having access to the side where the spline (a plastic cord) is wedged into a groove to hold the screen in place. Because thats on the outside, youd need to be on a ladder to attempt even the simplest possible fix: using a flat-head screwdriver to poke the spline back into place. But theres a good chance that repair wont work, because the spline is likely to have stretched a bit. So you will probably need to take down the screen and have a hardware store or a window shop install a new screen and spline. (Reusing the old screen doesnt usually work because its likely to have stretched, too.) Handy homeowners can replace screens and splines themselves, but its not as easy as it sounds. So, especially because your letter implies youre not comfortable working on a ladder, your best bet might be to get a few bids from people who do home repair and from a shop that specializes in screen repairs. Is there a quick-and-dirty solution if youre willing to have the screen look patched? Duct tape would probably work, except theres no way to press it firmly against the screen if the screen is still in place. So try this: Stick one edge of a length of duct tape to a scrap of window screen and the other edge to the frame, so that the scrap overlaps the loose area. Then, using a curved needle and thread, stitch the overlapped screen sections together. Duct tape isnt always gray, so you can probably match the frame color. Have a problem in your home? Send questions to localliving@washpost.com . Put How To in the subject line, tell us where you live and try to include a photo. The Checklist Read Jeanne Hubers roundup of home-improvement tasks you should tackle in November, such as insulating pipes. The U.S. Army has guarded the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, also known as the Tomb of the Unknowns, since 1926. The guard was only during daylight at first, but in 1937 the duty became around-the-clock. The 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, took over the watch in 1948 and is still there. The abrupt hold on the litigation came because a dispute in the case of Ibrahim al-Krshiny, who alleges he and his family were targeted by Hifters forces because of their hometown. In 2014, the lawsuit asserts, his familys home came under assault from Hifters army. Two of his relatives died in the gunfire. He was taken captive and beaten and electrocuted; he survived but lost an eye, while two of his brothers were killed, according to the lawsuit. Richard Marilley, 89, a lawyer who worked for the General Services Administration from 1960 to 1981, including as its assistant general counsel, and for the Federal Emergency Management Agency for eight years before retiring from civil service in 1994, died Oct. 1 at his home in Virginia Beach. The cause was renal failure, said a son, Stephen Marilley. In recent weeks, there have been multiple serious incidents on school grounds, including some that have involved weapons. Let me be clear: We will not tolerate weapons of any sort on school grounds, she wrote. Anyone found to be in possession of a weapon at a school, on school property, or at a school-sponsored event will be referred to the police. Students will also face serious disciplinary action from the school. Based on witness accounts, the man was apparently found by bystanders. A witness said he appeared to be in his early 30s and was wearing a green T-shirt with an American flag. On rainy days, the septic systems that residents rely on to treat waste often fail to drain properly into the regions heavy clay soil leading to raw sewage bubbling up into yards and homes. And federal officials said the high cost of purchasing septic tanks has led some residents to instead construct stopgap measures, including using crudely constructed pipes or ditches, in an attempt to redirect wastewater away from their homes. The successful splashdown came at a busy time for human spaceflight. On Wednesday, SpaceX is scheduled to launch another quartet of astronauts to the space station a mission that had been scheduled to lift off last week but was delayed because of weather and an astronauts illness. NASA did not say which astronaut got sick or what the illness was, other than that it was not covid-19. I want to note that intelligence was not the failure. Failure resulted from how systemic racism misinformed use of the intelligence. Imagine Al Sharpton instead of Donald Trump, imagine a largely Black and Brown crowd instead of the largely White crowd, imagine the same words used before and during the rally and the same intelligence would have resulted in massive security. The same as we observed when the president, the attorney general, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other law enforcement personnel removed protesters to get to a church. Biden will kick off an infrastructure sales tour Wednesday at the Port of Baltimore, outlining how the measure will upgrade ports and help ease supply-chain disruptions that are preventing consumers from purchasing toys, electronics and other goods. He will also participate in a virtual town hall in conjunction with the Democratic National Committee on Tuesday to promote the infrastructure bill, and on Monday he sat down for an interview with Local 12 in Cincinnati, where he was asked what the measure means for the perennially dilapidated Brent Spence Bridge that connects the city to northern Kentucky. Ahilan Arulanantham, who is co-director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA and is representing the Muslim men, said his clients did not expect to see the governments evidence, nor did they need it to proceed on their claims of religious bias. Greene said last week that any House Republican who backed the measure would be a traitor to our party, a traitor to their voters and a traitor to our donors. After the vote, she tweeted the names and phone numbers of 12 of the 13 Republicans who voted in favor of the bill, which she described as Joe Bidens Communist takeover of America. Theres no question that what many of us have seen on television, as the president has said I mean, the president has, I think, shown great emotion in expressing sadness about some of the images we have seen, she told reporters. But we cannot be in any way distracted in any way from what must be our primary mission right now, which is evacuating people from that region who deserve to be evacuated. Lets be clear about why he didnt run: His approval ratings are in free fall after signing an abortion ban and completely mismanaging our states handling of the pandemic, Buckley said. He has never been so unpopular and so vulnerable, and he is in trouble. I expect the president to be reelected and reelected overwhelmingly, he said. I think the presidents going to come out on top. The American people see the leadership that hes providing not just with respect to China; they saw him build the greatest economy in the history of the world. We took a very bad hit because of this virus that came from China. But who do you want to turn to to rebuild the economy the guy whos proven he can do it, President Trump, or somebody whos been in Washington for 40 years? Back then, Savarkar wanted to call the Indian subcontinent the great Hindu Rashtra, or nation encompassing a common geography, religion and culture. Adherents of other religions, such as Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs, would simply need to pay homage to Hindu culture and accept a national identity within the larger Hindutva framework. The same would apply to foreigners, such as Muslims and Christians, as long as they did not attempt to impose their own rule. Taiwan, which lost its U.N. seat to China in 1971 and has been blocked by Beijing from participating in U.N.-affiliated bodies because of the dispute over its political status, cannot sign on to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Beijing, which repeatedly claims that Taiwan is part of China, does not include Taiwans emissions in its count. We would also like to note that none of the Russian citizens who are incarcerated here have been held in a room with a hole in the floor for a toilet or held incommunicado from their own families or their Embassy, the statement said. This ordeal has gone on 815 days with no end in sight and we have been patient, the family said. They urged U.S. officials to reach a prisoner exchange deal with Russia. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the West bore responsibility for triggering the flows of migrants through their aggressive wars in the Middle East and North Africa. The migrants, he said, dont want to stay in Belarus and want to get to Europe that has advertised its way of living for many years. They are being detained in facilities against their will, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters, adding that some were detained over the past few days during a visit to Ethiopia by the U.N. humanitarian chief. Dujarric said another six staff members were detained but then released, and a number of employees dependents have also been detained. The U.N. has asked Ethiopias foreign ministry for their immediate release. Veterans Day, which takes place each November, is an opportunity to commemorate the efforts of all who have been in the armed forces, with a special emphasis on living veterans. 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. Trusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on. 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 The defence lawyer for the alleged mastermind behind the assassination of former Rebels bikie boss Nick Martin fears for David Pyes safety after a suppression order application to protect his clients identity was refused. Mr Martin was allegedly killed by a former soldier using a sniper rifle at Perth Motorplex last December after his once close associate, Mr Pye, allegedly ordered the hit. Murder accused man David Pye walking out of court in 2013 in front of his former ally and alleged victim, Nick Martin. Credit:9 News Perth WA Police applied for a suppression order on Tuesday, which was supported by Mr Pyes barrister Paul Holmes, but it was rejected by Chief Magistrate Steven Heath given the alleged masterminds name had already been publicised. Mr Heath told the court if the suppression application had been heard before the publication of Mr Pyes name he may have awarded it. The man wrongfully identified by Seven Network as the accused abductor of four-year-old Cleo Smith says he has spent the last week distraught after people threatened to run him over, burn him alive and shoot him. Terrance Flowers, who goes by his mothers last name of Kelly on Facebook, became the subject of a case of mistaken identity when 7News last Wednesday incorrectly identified him as Cleos accused abductor Terence Kelly. Ngaarda Media spoke with Terrance Flowers, the man wrongfully identified by 7NEWS as the man in police custody over the abduction of Cleo Smith. Credit:Ngaarda Media Mr Flowers said the ordeal had left him fearful to leave his home alone, having been approached by people in the street who thought he was the accused, asking him what his intentions were for Cleo and whether he was planning to kill her. I was very scared and frightened for my life. I have been distraught and in turmoil I cant stay home by myself, he told WAtoday. There is no greater example of the two-tiered integrity system in Australia than the case of federal Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar. State politicians, be they former premiers such as NSW Liberal Gladys Berejiklian or factional heavies such as former Victorian Labor minister Adem Somyurek, risk public anti-corruption hearings and can lose their jobs if credible evidence of corruption or abuse of public office arises. Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar. Credit:Alex Ellinghauusen In these public coercive hearings, state politicians are forced to answer questions truthfully on oath, forgoing their right to silence, albeit protected by the knowledge their answers cannot be used against them in a later criminal or civil case. If they lie, they risk being charged. But the worst a federal politician can expect if they get caught up in alleged wrongdoing is a light-touch probe by a career bureaucrat who has none of the powers of the state anti-corruption commissions. Theres no phone tapping, no search warrants, no public hearings or coercive questioning. A study has found profound differences in worker satisfaction between states with and without protective legislation. Credit:AP I dont mean to suggest faith-based schools and services are perfect; there is still discrimination. But at least there is a legal framework for resolving claims of discrimination, and a broad awareness this framework exists. Significantly, there have been no attempts by Tasmanian religious leaders or right-wing MPs to remove existing protections. There have been no public outcries about religious freedom being violated, or people of faith persecuted. There are compromises in the Victorian bill that are not found in Tasmanian law. For example, the Andrews government is proposing that LGBTIQ+ people will only be protected in faith-based health, family and community services if these services are government-funded. This would allow faith-based organisations to quarantine services like, for example, say, fostering and adoption. If faith-based organisations could find enough private and church funding for such services, they could shut the door on LGBTIQ+ employees and clients. Just as bad, the carve-out for services that arent government funded sends the message that discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people is still sometimes acceptable in Victoria. None of this is the case in Tasmania because LGBTIQ+ people are protected in all faith-based services, including those that are church funded. Our law is based on the principle that services open to the public should be equally accessible regardless of where the money comes from. The Victorian proposal also allows discrimination against students in faith-based schools that isnt allowed in Tasmania. The Victorian legislation allows discrimination in faith-based school that is disallowed under Tasmanian law. Credit:Joe Armao Faith-based schools in Tasmania can only discriminate on the grounds of religious belief or affiliation at first enrolment. This was put in place to ensure religious belief isnt used as an alternative way to discriminate against LGBTIQ+ students, especially during secondary school when they are more likely to come out. In the Victorian proposal, discrimination on the ground of religious belief is allowed at any time in a students school career. This opens up too many opportunities for LGBTIQ+ students to be harassed, bullied and discriminated against if a school deems their sexuality or gender identity to be against the schools ethos. Shortcomings such as these are part of a worrying trend under the current Victorian government. It takes action on big-ticket, headline-grabbing LGBTIQ+ law reform, but the substance doesnt always match the spin. For example, in 2019 Victoria looked very progressive when the Andrews government allowed transgender people to affirm their true gender on their birth certificate without the need for surgery. But the government undermined the principle of transgender self-determination by insisting a trans person seeking an amended birth certificate first obtain a statement from another person to confirm they are who they say they are. Loading The Andrews government also balked at allowing people to take gender off their birth certificates altogether despite this being recommended by a number of health bodies for its positive impact on the mental health of trans and gender diverse people. Tasmanias gender recognition laws, passed before Victorias, do not require statements from others and do allow gender to be taken off birth certificates. Tasmanian advocates were disappointed Victoria didnt follow our lead, particularly given how hard we worked to pass gold-standard legislation in the face of a hostile state government. Victoria is also set to expand its vilification laws to protect LGBTIQ+ people, yet no consideration has been given to protections from humiliating, intimidating, insulting and ridiculing conduct. This conduct is prohibited under the Race Discrimination Act, and on a range of grounds in Tasmania, including sexual orientation and gender identity. Again, its disappointing Victoria has stopped short. Loading The Tasmanian experience shows that the Victorian governments proposal to prevent LGBTIQ+ discrimination by faith-based organisations is not as radical and untested as some Victorian faith leaders will claim. It shows the sky wont fall in, that this is not part of a crusade against religion and that faith can benefit from laws that foster dignity and equality. But the Tasmanian experience also shows the Andrews government does not need to skimp on equality with unnecessary caveats and compromises. Such compromises wont win it friends among its enemies, but they will leave vulnerable LGBTIQ+ people exposed to continued discrimination and prejudice. American democracy teeters on the brink of collapse. The removal of Donald Trump didnt fix the problem. But it did give Joe Biden and the Democratic Party a chance to begin repair work. After a frustrating year and three days since being elected, Biden got hold of his first big repair kit on Saturday (Australian time). Its a $US1.2 trillion brace of money for Americas second-rate infrastructure. Illustration: Andrew Dyson Credit: This is a once-in-a-generation investment that will create millions of jobs and puts us on a path to win the 21st century, said Biden. This is a blue-collar blueprint to rebuild America. Political hyperbole to one side, it is, at least, a federal infrastructure bill, and America hasnt had one in a decade. Trump talked a good game but delivered nothing more than an unfinished wall. Moscow: A man who participated in the Capitol riot on January 6 and is wanted by the FBI is now seeking asylum in Belarus, the countrys state media reported, presenting him as a simple American whose shops were burned by Black Lives Matter activists. Evan Neumann, who appears to have sat down for an interview with Belarusian state television in a segment entitled Goodbye, America, on Tuesday AEDT is wanted in the United States on charges of violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, as well as for assaulting, resisting and obstructing law enforcement during civil disorder. Evan Neumann on Belarusian TV. Credit:Internet The Belarusian Foreign Ministry could not be reached for comment. Both Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and his close ally Russian President Vladimir Putin have frequently referenced the Capitol riot, calling the prosecution of those involved an example of double standards by the United States because it frequently criticises crackdowns on anti-government protests abroad. Wellington: Thousands of anti-vaccine mandate protesters marched to New Zealands Parliament on Tuesday after blocking city streets for an event that attracted heavy security. The Freedom and Rights Coalition protest, seemingly against the governments vaccine mandate, swelled in size by the time it had left its rallying point. The coalition has a website registered to Destiny Church. Trump flags seen in Wellington, New Zealand. Credit:Stuff A large contingent of motorcycles was also involved. Many people who joined the protest said they were not against vaccination but against the government mandates. One self-employed business owner, who gave her name only as Sarah, said that the truth doesnt mind being questioned. Wilmington, DE (19810) Today Occasional light rain. Low near 45F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Occasional light rain. Low near 45F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Vsimple, a software service company, said it will invest more than $1.8 million in its new home on East Fourth Street in New Albany. Ten people from the Louisville Gang "Everybody Shine Together" were indicted last month on federal gun and drug charges. Khasi Jones (far bottom right) is still wanted by the FBI. The University of Kentucky campus in Lexington, Ky. A new policy at the school requires all unvaccinated individuals on campus to undergo weekly COVID tests. (WDRB/file) 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. HOUSTON (AP) When rapper Travis Scott's sold-out concert in Houston became a deadly scene of panic and danger in the surging crowd, Edgar Acosta began worrying about his son, who wasn't answering his phone. He called hospitals and police, who told him his son was not on the list of victims from the Astroworld festival. They were wrong: Axel Acosta Avila, 21, was among the eight people who died Friday night at the outdoor festival that was attended by some 50,000 people and is now the focus of a criminal investigation. On Monday, authorities released the names of the dead as they continued looking into what went wrong when a crush of fans pressed forward after Scott took the stage. Houston's police chief said Monday he had met with Scott before the rapper's performance on Friday about safety concerns but did not elaborate about what, specifically, concerned him. They told me, Mr. Acosta, your son is not on the list so you dont have to worry about anything. He's not on the list of dead people or injured people said Edgar Acosta, whose family is among those suing organizers of the festival. I told them, Well, he didnt spend the night at his hotel, so Im worried about him.' Houston police and fire department investigators have said they would review video taken by concert promoter Live Nation, as well as dozens of clips from people at the show that were widely shared on social media. Investigators also planned to speak with Live Nation representatives, Scott and concertgoers. Live Nation said in a statement Monday that it has provided authorities with all footage from surveillance cameras at the festival, and that it had paused removing equipment at the request of investigators who were walking the grounds. The promoter said full refunds would be offered to all attendees. Scott's scheduled appearance at the Day N Vegas Festival in Las Vegas this weekend was canceled, according to a Scott representative who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. Scott, who founded the Astroworld festival, said he would cover funeral costs for the victims. The dead were between the ages of 14 and 27 and were from Texas, Illinois and Washington, according to Harris County authorities. They included high schoolers, an aspiring Border Patrol agent and a computer science student. Over 300 people were treated at a field hospital on site and at least 13 others were hospitalized. Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said his meeting with Scott before the show included the rapper's head of a security. But Finner did not go into detail about their conversation in a statement released by the police department. I asked Travis Scott and his team to work with HPD for all events over the weekend and to be mindful of his teams social media messaging on any scheduled events, Finner said. The meeting was brief and respectful, and a chance for me to share my public safety concerns as Chief of Police. Investigators were also interviewing witnesses and planned to examine the design of safety barriers and the use of crowd control at the event. Its not the crowds fault at all, because there was no way you could even move, it was just like a mass loss of control, said 19-year-old festivalgoer Ben Castro. He returned to the venue Monday to leave flowers at a makeshift memorial that included notes, T-shirts and candles. He said he didnt know anyone had died until the next day. Medical examiners have still not released the causes of death, which could take several weeks, said Michele Arnold, a spokeswoman for the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences. Contemporary Services Corp., headquartered in Los Angeles, was responsible for security staff at the festival, according to county records in Texas. The company describes itself online as being recognized worldwide as the pioneer, expert and only employee owned company in the crowd management field. Company representatives have not responded to emails and phone messages seeking comment. Astroworlds organizers had laid out security and emergency medical response protocols in festival plans filed with Harris County. A 56-page operations plan, obtained by AP, states the potential for multiple alcohol/drug related incidents, possible evacuation needs, and the ever-present threat of a mass casualty situation are identified as key concerns. The plan instructs staff to notify Event Control of a suspected deceased victim utilizing the code Smurf. It goes on to say, never use the term dead or deceased over the radio. Its not clear whether the protocol was followed. None of the people listed in charge of managing Astroworlds security and operations have responded to requests for comment. There is a long history of similar catastrophes at concerts, as well as sporting and religious events. In 1979, 11 people were killed as thousands of fans tried to get into Cincinnati's Riverfront Coliseum to see a concert by The Who. Other crowd catastrophes include the deaths of 97 people at a soccer match in Hillsborough Stadium in 1989 in Sheffield, England, and numerous disasters connected with the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. ___ This story has been updated to correct the name of Axel Acosta Avila's father to Edgar, not Edward. ___ Associated Press writers Paul J. Weber in Austin, Texas; Jake Bleiberg in Dallas; Randall Chase in Dover, Delaware and Kristin M. Hall in Nashville contributed to this report. BOISE, Idaho (AP) Due to the unprecedented way lawmakers are reconvening at the Statehouse next week, any laws they pass could end up in court and be declared null. Opponents say they could also target session costs and lawmaker living expenses. The House and Senate plan to meet starting Monday to pass a law or laws to thwart President Joe Bidens sweeping vaccine requirements that affect some 100 million Americans. The House chose to recess last May rather than officially adjourn like the Senate. An Idaho attorney general's opinion said its reading of the state constitution is that both chambers are in recess rather than officially adjourned, meaning the chambers can reconvene. However, the opinion written last May also said that the "Legislatures decision to pursue this course of action causes risk which would result in a reviewing court concluding differently. Jim Jones, a former chief justice of the Idaho Supreme Court as well as a former Republican state attorney general, said his reading of the state Constitution indicates both chambers are officially adjourned and can only return if called by the governor for a special session. Republican Gov. Brad Little has said he doesn't need to call a special session because the House never adjourned. Jones said that without a special session, the Legislature can't legally meet again until the regular session that starts in early January. That calls into question whether the thousands of dollars a day it will cost taxpayers to have lawmakers in Boise is legitimate. Quite frankly, that's one of the avenues of a legal attack, Jones said. You don't actually go against the session itself, but you go against the payment of the session as if it were a regular session. He helped form the Committee to Protect and Preserve the Idaho Constitution, which was part of a lawsuit that saw a court earlier this year throw out a Republican-passed law severely restricting the ballot initiative process for voters. Potential laws coming out of the Legislature next week could also trigger a lawsuit. Jones said any law would have to be especially harmful to Idaho for his group to take legal action. An example, he said, would be for Idaho to criminalize acts by federal workers involving mask or vaccine mandates. He noted that he doesn't see his group filing a lawsuit against less harsh laws because lawmakers could pass the law again when they meet for the regular session in January, making such a lawsuit moot. Overall, though, he said the laws likely to be passed will be window dressing as lawmakers prepare for the Republican primary in May and the general election in November. Republican House Speaker Scott Bedke and Republican Senate President Pro Tem Chuck Winder said late last month that potential legislation includes banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates by the federal government and private employers. Both said lawmakers will look at legislation that would allow the state to initiate legal action over federal vaccine mandates on private employers. The legislation would include $2 million for a potential legal battle. Bedke has said he'd like to see the Legislature wrap up business in just a few days. Idaho is already involved in two lawsuits against the Biden administration involving vaccine mandates for federal workers and another involving vaccine mandates for employers with more than 100 workers. Bedke said he expects about a dozen pieces of legislation to be introduced, including some to prevent employers from requiring employees get vaccinated. Bedke and Winder have been cool to the idea of government getting between employees and employers, but some Republican lawmakers favor the approach. Bedke has the ability to call the House back into session based on a resolution the House passed before going into recess. The Senate officially adjourned, and the mechanism for bringing senators back isn't exactly clear. The attorney general's opinion from May said it was difficult to ascertain how either chamber could be legally forced back into session. Winder said Monday that the Senate will reconvene based on the opinion from the attorney general's office that the chambers are only in recess. He said the Senate is looking to be done in a few days and deal only with vaccination legislation. The public, he said, will have a chance to testify on proposed legislation in hearings. But it will be a shortened version because we only want to be there for a day or two, he said. Democratic House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel said she would prefer waiting for the regular session where legislation can be vetted and the public would have time to weigh in. I think it's never a good idea to come in trying to pass major legislation we haven't even seen yet in under 72 hours," she said. I suspect it's going to be done in great haste, and I'm concerned we're going to come out with laws that are unconstitutional and harmful to the public and our business community. FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) Kentucky surpassed 10,000 coronavirus-related deaths Monday, the latest grim milestone in the ongoing fight against the global pandemic, Gov. Andy Beshear said. The state's rising death toll from COVID-19 reached at least 10,019, the governor said, calling it nothing short of tragic. In another sign of the virus' deadly impact, COVID-19 ranked as the Bluegrass State's third-leading cause of death last year and again so far this year, he said. My faith teaches me that each of these individuals is a child of God, irreplaceable to their family and to their community," Beshear said in remembering those who died from the virus. "And every time we lose someone, especially this many people, it tears at the fabric of who we are. A memorial service is scheduled for Sunday on the state Capitol grounds in Frankfort to remember those who died from the virus, the governor said. The artist commissioned to create a pandemic-related monument will be announced at the service, he said. The monument to be constructed on the statehouse grounds will honor the thousands who died from COVID-19 and the sacrifices made by Kentuckians, the governor said. Its going to serve as a reminder to future generations of a time that we lost Kentuckians to a war unlike any that we had experienced," Beshear said. "Losing more Kentuckians in a very short period of time than in any two or maybe even three wars in our history combined. Meanwhile, new virus cases last week in Kentucky were lower than the prior week, but the decline has slowed significantly from the rate in previous weeks, the governor said. The rate of Kentucky residents testing positive for the virus has inched upward again. On Monday, the statewide positivity rate was 5.44%. The governor urged Kentuckians to take steps to protect yourself. Among the unvaccinated, he said, that includes getting the COVID-19 shots. For the vaccinated, it means getting the booster shot when eligible. He has also urged people to wear masks when indoors in public places. We need to be cautious," Beshear said. "We need to be humble. As of Monday, more than 345,000 Kentuckians have received a COVID-19 booster shot, the governor said. He has warned that hospitalizations among vaccinated Kentuckians are increasing over time as immunity likely wanes. But the unvaccinated still represent the overwhelming majority of new virus-related cases and hospitalizations. The governor and his wife, first lady Britainy Beshear, received their COVID-19 vaccination boosters during a press conference last week. Beshear said Monday that his 11-year-old daughter had received the first dose of the vaccine, saying: I can't tell you how relieved I am as a parent." Health officials have hailed shots for children ages 5 to 11 as a major breakthrough as the country enters a new phase in fighting the coronavirus pandemic. This is a safe vaccine that is going to give her and will give your kids extra protection, the governor said. ___ Follow more of APs pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. TRUMBULL It was about time, the Rev. Tim Hare said. Hare, 48, is the pastor of Trumbull Congregational Church, which bills itself as the oldest established church in Trumbull. On Sept. 19, the churchs roughly 150 adult members voted on whether to become open and affirming. That is the term used by the United Church of Christ (which the Trumbull church is part of) to denote that a church is welcoming and inclusive of all people, specifically including members of the LGBTQ+ community. The members approved the change, with only one dissenting vote, and posted a message on its web site declaring itself as such. In a way, we were overdue for this, Hare said. Too many people in the LGBTQ+ community have felt rejected from the church. We wanted to stand up and say that they are of sacred worth. They are made in the image of God and they are loved. He said hes aware of other Congregational churches in the area that have declared themselves open and affirming, and this is a movement that seems to be growing within the greater United Church of Christ community. According to the web site for the Open and Affirming Coalition for the United Church of Christ, more than 1,500 churches and other ministries in the United Church of Christ welcome lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer members, and more than 350,000 members of the UCC belong to open and affirming churches. Trumbull Congregational Church was first established in 1730, and its current building, at 3115 Reservoir Ave., was dedicated in 1899. Its policy is congregational, meaning every member has a say in most major decisions involving the church. Hare has been pastor since 2014, and said he has thought about making the church open and affirming for some time. He said hes aware of at least one same sex couple who are members of the church, but the idea was to reach not just people who are already part of the church, but everyone in the community. This says, essentially, to members of the LGBTQ+ community that this is a safe place, he said. And that they can trust us to welcome them as we would anyone else who shows up at our door. The vote on whether to become open and affirming was done both in person and virtually, for those who couldnt physically be at the church, Hare said. According to the statement posted on the churchs website, the Trumbull Congregational Church welcomes people of any age, race, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, economic status, marital status, physical, emotional and mental capacity, and those in traditional and non-traditional families as equally valued members of our community and unique expressions of Gods image. Hare said the churchs plan now is to get the word out. The next steps are finding ways not just to be welcoming, but to be inviting, he said. SANAA, Yemen (AP) A court run by Yemens Iran-backed rebels sentenced an actor and model to five years in prison on charges of committing an indecent act and having drugs in her possession, her lawyer said Monday. Three other women, the actor's travel companions, were also handed prison terms. The arrest in February of Intisar al-Hammadi, 20, and the three other women as well as the proceedings against them have been widely criticized by international rights groups. The case has highlighted widespread repression of women in areas under control of the rebels, known as Houthis, in war-torn Yemen. The verdicts were handed down on Sunday, said lawyer Khalid al-Kamal, who represents all four women. Like al-Hammadi, one of the other three women received a five-year term; the other two were sentenced to one and three years in prison, respectively. Al-Kamal said he would appeal the sentences. Human Rights Watch has said that the trial was marred with irregularities and abuse. The New York-based rights group said in June that the rebels confiscated al-Hammadis phone and her modeling photos were treated like an act of indecency." The Houthis also labeled her a prostitute, HRW said. The sentence is unfair & politically motivated, tweeted Afrah Nasser, a Yemeni researcher with Human Rights Watch. There were no details as to what the drug possession charge referred to. Since their arrest, the women have languished in a rebel-run prison where guards also verbally abused al-Hammadi, HRW said. In Yemen, which has been embroiled in a civil war since 2015, women who dare dissent, or even enter the public sphere, have become targets in an escalating crackdown by the Houthis. In April, women activists and former detainees described to The Associated Press a network of secret detention facilities where they are tortured and sometimes raped. Al-Hammadi, born to a Yemeni father and an Ethiopian mother, has worked as a model for four years and acted in two Yemeni soap operas in 2020. She was the sole breadwinner for her four-member family, including her blind father and a disabled brother. HRW also said the Houthis had earlier offered to release al-Hammadi if she would help use sex and drugs to entrap their enemies an apparent reference to Yemen's internationally recognized government and the Saudi-led coalition backing it. Dozens of Yemeni public figures condemned the verdict against al-Hammadi and her companions, calling their trial politically motivated. Moammar al-Iryani, information minister of the internationally recognized government, urged the international community, including the United Nations and the United States, to pressure the Houthis to free the four. Yemen's conflict has killed more than 130,000 people and spawned the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. ___ Magdy reported from Cairo. 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. President Joe Biden says families of children separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border during the Trump administration should be compensated. He was responding to a question Saturday about settlement talks underway between his Department of Justice and the affected families. Raising his voice, Biden said that regardless of the circumstances, people who had their children taken from them under the Trump administrations family separation policy should be remunerated. The policy was meant to deter families from crossing into the U.S. illegally and was in place for several months in 2018. It sparked a domestic and international outcry. CHESHIRE, CT (WFSB) - Two Republican state lawmakers held a juvenile justice forum in Cheshire Monday night. Gov. Ned Lamont recently proposed ways to address the increase in juvenile crime, but some residents and lawmakers said its not enough. Monday night's gathering was one of several community forums that Rep. Craig Fishbein planned this month. He urged residents to reach out to their state representatives and push for action. "This is not a Democrat or Republican thing. This is a citizen thing. This is a health and safety [thing for] all of the people in Connecticut," said Jason Zandri of Wallingford. Gov. to fill dozens of judge vacancies as part of plan to address juvenile crime Connecticut's governor plans to fill judge vacancies as part of a plan to address a recent rise in juvenile crime. Lamont recently addressed the increase in juvenile crime. He proposed filling judge vacancies and detaining teen criminals for longer periods; at Monday night's juvenile justice forum however, concerned residents said they wanted more to be done. "Somethings got to be done to hold these kids accountable in different ways," said Don Nidoh of Cheshire. Cheshire police Chief Neil Dryfe said his town has been one of the safer towns, with seven fewer car thefts as compared to this time last year. On a statewide level, according to F.B.I. data, motor vehicle thefts were up by about 40 percent in 2020. Police departments across the state said many of the crimes were being committed by juveniles. Fishbein and Rep. Lezlye Zupkus shared proposed reforms, such as GPS monitoring, a review of diversionary programs, and next day arraignment. "Any case involving the death of an individual or serious injury, stealing a motor vehicle, or one involving a firearm, just take those cases and have next day arraignments," Fishbein stated. They scheduled other community meetings to take place in Bristol, Suffield, and North Haven this month and urged residents to ask their local representatives for a special session. Residents with the anti-crime community coalition Safe Streets Connecticut said theyre still pushing for that as well. "We are a demanding a special session now, because when the regular session comes around, this is just going to be one of a hundred items that is going to be up for debate. We dont want this to get lost in the shuffle," said John Poriello of Safe Streets CT. Time is running out to hold a special session. The general assembly reconvenes on February 7. HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) Masks are no longer required in the City of Hartford. Mayor Luke Bronin made an official announcement Monday afternoon, when he cited low and stable COVID-19 numbers as being the reason for the call: Hartford followed several other communities that have already lifted mandates, including Rocky Hill, West Hartford and Wethersfield; however, there are still some places in the city where people still need to mask up. Hartford businesses and companies can still require masks if they want too. Bronin said its the right thing to do since COVID numbers have remained steady since mid-October. I believe that its responsible action today to remove that mandate," Bronin said. Businesses and residents alike said they were happy to hear the news. It's nice. It kind of feels like normal again. Its a little refreshing to not think about Oh, I forgot my mask', so its good," said Kseniya Tkachenko of Hartford. We are really excited about it. Were hoping its going to be good for business," said Brendan Sullivan, manager of the Max Downtown restaurant. Over most of the Summer, the city didnt have an indoor mask mandate, but Hartford leaders decided to reimpose one in August after the city saw a surge in COVID cases due to the Delta variant. Sullivan said it was difficult to go back and forth. It was tough to come out of the masks and go back into them, but were really excited that finally we have the chance to be smiling again and see all our customers' faces, and have them see our faces too," Sullivan explained. Restaurants, businesses, and companies can still make their own mask requirements. Sullivan said Max Downtown will not be putting one in place. Its totally up to our staff if theyd like to keep them on. Theyre absolutely more than welcome to keep masks on, but for everyone who is vaccinated, theyre allowed to take them off," Sullivan said. Hartford requires masks inside all restaurants and businesses The City of Hartford is one of the latest cities in Connecticut to require masks inside restaurants and businesses. While the indoor mask mandate has been terminated, Hartford Public School students and staff will still need to wear masks and theyre still required in city buildings. Employers, property owners, families, can still make their decisions about whether they want to have a mask mandate. I will say that here in city hall, for city facilities, we still have a requirement that, in public spaces and for public interactions, you've got to wear a mask," Bronin said. Bronin did add that if another surge were to happen, it is possible that he would need to impose another mandate. As for why Hartford Public Schools students and staff are required to wear a mask, thats because there is a mandate for schools statewide that was put in place by Gov. Ned Lamont. HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - A bipartisan effort to help Afghan refugees who remain at risk from the Taliban was announced on Tuesday. Connecticut refugee groups joined Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal for the announcement in Hartford at 10:30 a.m. Biden admits Afghanistan's collapse 'did unfold more quickly than we had anticipated' President Joe Biden admitted on Monday that the collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban retaking control happened more quickly than the US government had anticipated, insisted that ending America's 20-year war was the correct decision. "We have a moral imperative to enable them to evacuate a county where they are at serious risk of torture and murder because they sided with us," Blumenthal said. "They protected our troops and diplomats." They said in addition to the legislative effort to facilitate the urgent evacuation of Afghan allies, they're looking to increase resources for visa processing to help speed up refugee resettlement. Blumenthal, along with Republican Sens. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Joni Ernst of Iowa, have filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would require the Biden Administration to take specific steps to address the immediate needs of Afghan allies and Afghan-Americans who remain in Afghanistan as well as those who have been able to evacuate to third countries. The NDAA is likely to be taken up by the Senate in the coming weeks. Representatives from the Connecticut Immigration and Refugee Coalition, Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, Danbury Area Refugee Assistance and the Jewish Community Alliance for Refugee Resettlement participated in Tuesday's announcement. Quincy, IL (62301) Today Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 27F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. Low 27F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Williamson, WV (25661) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 42F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with periods of rain. Low 42F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall around a half an inch. Willmar, MN (56201) Today Partly cloudy skies. Low 18F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Low 18F. WNW winds at 15 to 25 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. POPERINGE, Belgium (AP) Simon Louagie dreaded losing Talbot House, a World War I soldiers club that has become an institution in remembrance tourism on the Western Front where soldiers from all corners of the globe fought amid untold carnage just over a century ago. For months last year, a COVID-19 lockdown closed the club which had always been an open house. Once it was for Commonwealth soldiers who fleetingly shed the fear of battle in Flanders fields that was within earshot. For generations since, people found history, solace, wisdom and an understanding at Talbot House about why the motto of this region in western Belgium is Never into war again. Since the end of World War I in 1918, millions of visitors from as far away as the United States New Zealand, and South Africa have flocked to memorials in northern France and Belgium to pay tribute to the fallen. Now, closing in on two years of the coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions, the tourist industry welcoming them is crippled. Lockdowns and travel restrictions, of which many remain in place, are keeping foreign visitors away. Another Armistice Day beckons on Nov. 11 and the outlook remains bleak. Talbot House manager Louagie remembers that when funds were running low and doors were closed, only one thought ran through his head: Not on my watch. From as many as 500 guests a day, he sometimes found himself alone. The house, he said, "needs noise. It needs piano music. It needs visitors, schoolchildren, people playing chess. Cups of tea, rattling in the kitchen to make it come alive. I need to hear the kettle whistle, he said. We cannot disappoint all those generations before us by letting it close down, he said. The thought has echoed around the region where hundreds of thousands lost their lives during the four years of fighting which finally led to the victory of allied forces over Germany. Nick Benoot, who runs the small Hooge Crater Museum not far from Poperinge could not believe it when at the end of 2019, schools started to cancel trips because of reports of a virus in Wuhan, China. Like Louagie, he had plunged money into the business and needed any income he could get. Seriously, do you mean that? This is in China. This is far, far away from us, he remembers saying. But the reality of the pandemic, which has since claimed at least 5 million dead across the globe, soon sank in and he had to close on March 13, 2020 - a somber day he remembers well. From 65,000 paying visitors in 2017 to just 3,000 last year, the numbers demonstrated how remembrance tourism slumped throughout the region. It was like we went bankrupt. We had to close everything down, he said. But each man dealt with it in his own way and is still around to tell his story. Crowdfunding was the answer for Louagie. Last year, a 98-year-old World War II veteran raised money by walking from a war graves cemetery to Talbot House, cheered on by locals who pulled money out of their wallet when they were not applauding. When a local died, the family asked that instead of flowers, mourners donate money to Talbot House. It became very emotional when I saw how many people cared so deeply, Louagie said. As virus measures eased recently thanks to Belgium's vaccination drive, some visitors enjoyed their breakfast at Talbot house. And just like old times, praise was heaped on English volunteer Libby Madden for her Victoria sponge cake. You know, we very much want to keep the spirit of this wonderful place alive, she said. Flanders' fields were once so war-scarred that churches and castles simply vanished as rubble under the mud. Much around Ypres has been restored to its former splendor and imbued locals with an unshakeable sense of optimism. Benoot was looking at an empty parking lot last year and had missed the din of spoken English from heaps of British tourists that resounded in the museum and cafe. Yet this week, we have had the first British (bus) in two years." Even as his income dwindled in the middle of the pandemic, Benoot understood that the message of the war to end all wars" still needed to be passed on to younger generations. At 37, he thought himself to old to convey the message to kids, so he left it to his sons Louis and Arthur, 10 and 8, who are now YouTube whizzes to teach kids about gas masks, helmets and medical kits. The Hooge Boys are a hit now. We don't do what all the rest does. So I think we have a way to survive, Benoot said. Even the Last Post ceremony in nearby Ypres a daily, mournful bugle call harking back to 1928 that had only briefly stopped during World War II was at risk of being silenced. The tradition has the bugle playing under the Menin Gate where some 55,000 names of soldiers whose remains were never found are engraved. Yet it pulled through. Volunteers refused to stop and pulled strings all the way up to the top political posts to ensure its continuation, even if it had to be scaled down. During COVID, there was only one bugler and the names of 55,000 soldiers, said Benoit Mottrie, the head of the Last Post Association. On Thursday, there should be the full complement of six buglers again, backed up by a piper, a choir, a band and several hundred invitees and poppy promenade walkers. Even the Belgian prime minister will show up. WILTON The towns first responders, including its police department, fire department and emergency medical services, are set to make a decision within the next two weeks on whether they will present a plan for a new emergency communications system or fall in line with the state police system. While initial estimates showed that a standalone system would cost less than adding equipment to join the state police radio system, a full study has been done by Paul Zito, owner of New England Radio Consultants. That study was completed over a month ago, but Police Capt. Thomas Conlan who has taken the lead on this project has kept Zitos findings close to the vest. He said Monday that the police department is set to have another meeting with other first responders this week to try to come to a consensus after evaluating the different systems. Conlan told the Police Commission on Monday that the state system in general is very comprehensive, having done a lot of upgrades and has offered to share its infrastructure with municipal police forces around Connecticut. He added that the states system covers and was built close to some of the nearby major state highways. The police captain confirmed this would definitely be something that the town decides within the next week or two. That decision will be presented to the Board of Selectmen. Conlan again reiterated Monday that funds allocated to Wilton from the American Rescue Plan Act could be used for this large-scale project. He estimated that construction on implementing a new system could take roughly 18 months. Police Commission Chair Donald Sauvigne agreed it may take time to install all of the hardware needed around town. Conlan said a lot goes into the equipment on the towers and in the radio rooms, but said the partnering vendor Motorola has been doing this a long time. Nevertheless, Conlan said this project is a long time coming, as the towns current system used by police, the fire department and emergency medical services is at its end of life. The equipment that the town uses to radio emergencies to one another and back to headquarters and dispatch was built in 2002. Its lifespan was roughly 15 years, according to the police captain. As of 2019, Conlan said, the manufacturers of the towns current digital ultra-high frequency infrastructure have not made any new equipment. Since then, the town has been running on replacement parts stored in a warehouse in central Connecticut by NorcomCT. Winchester, VA (22601) Today Cloudy with a few showers. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Cloudy with a few showers. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. TORONTO - When Omar El Akkad heard his name called as this year's winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, he says the first person he thought of was his father. Author Miriam Toews poses for a photograph on the red carpet premiere for the film "All My Puny Sorrows" at the Princess of Wales Theatre during the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival, in Toronto, Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Canada's literary cognoscenti are breaking out their formal attire and brushing up on their small talk as they prepare to reconvene for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin TORONTO - When Omar El Akkad heard his name called as this year's winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize, he says the first person he thought of was his father. The Egyptian-Canadian novelist and journalist was awarded the $100,000 honour at a televised Toronto gala Monday night for his novel "What Strange Paradise." As he took to the stage of the Park Hyatt hotel to accept the award, El Akkad recounted a story his father told him about growing up in Cairo and seeing the Egyptian author Naguib Mahfouz holding court, giving him his first glimpse of "the writing life." In an interview after his speech, El Akkad said he was grateful he had the opportunity to recognize his father's role in shaping his literary ambitions, even if he didn't live to see that dream come to fruition. "He's the one who inspired me to pursue literature as a way of life," El Akkad, 39, said, his voice trembling with emotion. "It was just a moment where I could just say how much he's responsible for me standing there." El Akkad said he also shares the honour with his mother, who got to applaud his win from the audience after supporting him through losses of other prizes, and his wife, who has been taking care of their kids while he plays "boy author." "Everything I've ever won in my life is theirs, first and foremost," the Portland, Ore.-based writer said. "You walk up to the stage alone, but you're there with many, many people." "What Strange Paradise," published by McClelland & Stewart, is a novel about two children caught in the global refugee crisis. The story alternates between the perspectives of Amir, a Syrian boy who survives a shipwreck on an unnamed island, and Vanna, the local teenage girl who saves him. CP Omar El Akkad accepts the Giller Prize on Monday night. (Chris Young / The Canadian Press) In their citation, the jury said the book "raises questions of indifference and powerlessness and, ultimately, offers clues as to how we might reach out empathetically in a divided world." Born in Egypt and raised in Qatar, El Akkad moved to Canada when he was 16, and went to high school in Montreal before attending Queen's University in Kingston, Ont. He lived in Toronto for about a decade, and did a stint in Ottawa as a Parliament Hill reporter. His debut 2017 novel, "American War," was a critical and commercial hit. The dystopian depiction of a near-future United States ravaged by climate change, disease and conflict over oil won the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, the Oregon Book Award for fiction, and the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize. El Akkad said he doubted his sophomore effort would find similar acclaim. Even after "What Strange Paradise" made the Giller short list, he said the prospect of him winning the prize seemed far-fetched. "I had only ever thought of the the actual award in the abstract. I didn't think I would win," said El Akkad, clutching his trophy in a daze. "Now I'm in this strange position where I have, and I'm trying my best to figure out a lot of things." Monday's black-tie affair reinstated the Giller as the bash of the fall books season after last year's celebration was held remotely because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers slashed the usual guest list by more than half to facilitate social distancing, and attendees were required to show proof of vaccination to take part in the festivities. Actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and poet Rupi Kaur co-hosted the CBC broadcast, which included performances by jazz artist Denzal Sinclaire and soprano Measha Brueggergosman. Among the notable guests who graced the red carpet were literary legend Margaret Atwood, comedian Rick Mercer, actor Bilal Baig, former Ontario premier Bob Rae, 2019 Giller winner Ian Williams, author Catherine Hernandez and novelist and screenwriter John Irving. While some attendees expressed concerns about feeling awkward at the event after nearly two years of social distancing, Atwood said she felt confident that it wouldnt take long for people to refresh their conversational skills. "You do forget, but then it all comes back," she said with a laugh. As the festivities got underway, Giller executive director Elana Rabinovitch said she wanted to savour every moment of the evening. "I'm delighted it's here. I'm sad it's going to be over," Rabinovitch said. "I'm trying to sort of eke every last moment with the (finalists), with the jury, with the whole vibe going on here tonight." This year's runners-up, who each received $10,000, were: Angelique Lalonde, nominated for her story collection "Glorious Frazzled Beings,'' published by House of Anansi; Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia for her novel "The Son of The House,'' published by Dundurn Press; Jordan Tannahill for his novel "The Listeners,'' published by HarperCollins Canada; and Miriam Toews for her novel "Fight Night,'' published by Knopf Canada. The short list was culled from 132 books submitted by publishers across Canada, said organizers. Sitting on this year's prize jury were Canadian authors Zalika Reid-Benta, Megan Gail Coles and Joshua Whitehead, as well as Malaysian novelist Tash Aw and U.S. author Joshua Ferris. The Giller awards $100,000 annually to the author of the best Canadian novel, graphic novel or short story collection published in English. The Giller was established by Jack Rabinovitch in 1994 in memory of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller. Last year's winner was Souvankham Thammavongsa for "How to Pronounce Knife.'' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2021. While employees fill and pinch dozens of empanadas in the prep kitchen at La Pampas St. Vital location, Alfonso Maury is hovering over a large pasta maker with a knife, waiting patiently for the tendrils of fresh spaghetti to reach the ideal length. While employees fill and pinch dozens of empanadas in the prep kitchen at La Pampas St. Vital location, Alfonso Maury is hovering over a large pasta maker with a knife, waiting patiently for the tendrils of fresh spaghetti to reach the ideal length. The Maury family has cornered the local market on Argentinian pizza with their Exchange District restaurant, Corrientes, and have been serving gourmet empanadas at their La Pampa locations for the last several years. Pasta is the next frontier. "In Argentina, there is a fresh pasta shop in every neighbourhood," Alfonso says. "And Sunday is a pasta day in Argentina. You can see a line of people just waiting outside to buy fresh pasta." MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Alfonso Maury with daughter Nadia. The new venture is called Tuco named after a traditional Argentinian tomato sauce and offerings include a selection of fresh, frozen and pre-made pasta dishes. Menu items are either served hot and ready to eat or packaged for assembly and reheating at home. While Argentinian and Italian pasta share many similarities, the former relies more heavily on flour than semolina giving it a softer texture and features more meat than vegetables. "There was such a big Italian immigration to Argentina, so theres a big Italian influence on the cuisine," says daughter Nadia Maury, who is the brand manager for the family businesses. "Some things remained the same and others were slowly adjusted over time." MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tucos sauces include classic and spicy tuco, alfredo, rose, pesto, bolognese, four cheese and smoked garlic cream. Tucos menu includes a rotating cast of pasta shapes, gnocchi and sorrentinos, round ravioli-esque morsels filled with anything from beef to walnuts, ham and ricotta. Sauces include classic and spicy tuco, alfredo, rose, pesto, bolognese, four cheese and smoked garlic cream. Since launching in October, one of the biggest draws has been vacuum-sealed bags of pre-cooked pasta and sauce. At home, the unopened bag is dunked in a pot of boiling water and processed until hot. "For people with less experience in cooking, this is perfect," Alfonso says. "Im gonna do the effort and you can take the credit Im OK with that." MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tucos sorrentinos in rose sauce. The products are also geared towards those who enjoy eating fresh pasta, but dont have the time or energy to make their own. "When was the last time you or anyone else that you know made fresh gnocchi from scratch?" Nadia says. "Its really hard, it takes a lot of steps, so this adds to the convenience." Adding new items to existing brands is a risk, especially when those items may be unfamiliar to most Canadian customers. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Kitchen manager Alicia Robinson helps Alfonso Maury switch from one to the other styles of pasta they offer. "Sweetbreads and green onions, in Argentina, is a (delicacy) that Im sure 99 per cent of Canadians will tell me, Hey, we will not eat that. You need to think about what the people like to eat here," Alfonso says. "Sometimes you think theyre going to love it because you love it and that is a big failure in some restaurants." While sweetbread, an organ meat, wont be gracing the menu anytime soon, the Maurys are looking forward to testing out stuffed pasta with local ingredients, like bison and venison. Tuco is still in its infancy, but if Alfonso has learned anything in the last two years, its that it doesnt hurt to diversify. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Maury family has been serving gourmet empanadas at their La Pampa locations for the last several years. "I still believe in the restaurant," he says. "But after the pandemic, you need to start to think what do I have to do, what can I do if this happens again?" Tuco is available at La Pampas River Heights location at 1549 Grant Ave. Hot, ready-to-eat pasta dishes can be ordered through SkiptheDishes and pre-made bagged or frozen pasta can be picked up in-person. Follow @tucopastawpg on Instagram for updates. eva.wasney@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @evawasney A letter calling on people in authority in Canada to cease and desist promotion of COVID-19 vaccines and other measures dealing with the pandemic is landing in the mailboxes of some Christian clergy and church leaders in Winnipeg. A letter calling on people in authority in Canada to "cease and desist" promotion of COVID-19 vaccines and other measures dealing with the pandemic is landing in the mailboxes of some Christian clergy and church leaders in Winnipeg. The unsigned letter, which comes from a so-called group "We the people," tells recipients to stop "all the genocide and crimes against humanity" for promoting vaccinations, PCR tests, mask mandates and quarantines. SUPPLIED Erik Parker, pastor of Sherwood Park Lutheran Church, received the letter last week. It cites the UNESCO Universal Declaration of Bioethics and Human Right (sic) as the basis for the order. Erik Parker, pastor of Sherwood Park Lutheran Church, received the letter last week. "I was suspicious right away," he said of the message, which had no return address and was sent to him at the church office. Concerned by what it might contain, he put a mask on, took it outside, opened it and then "shook it," he said, in case there might have been any noxious substances inside. Later, after reading it, he had a "good laugh" at what he called its "pseudo-legal nonsense." At the same time, as an outspoken promoter of vaccinations and mask-wearing, Parker admitted he felt a bit anxious. Unlike with an e-mail or social media message, which is easy for someone to send, whoever mailed the letter "went to the trouble of looking up my address and sending a letter to me. Thats a bit concerning." Parker wondered if the letter was sent in response to his recent criticism in the Free Press of Springs Church. The Winnipeg church had said it was planning to offer religious exemptions from getting the COVID-19 vaccine. If it had come to my home address, Id be more concerned. Pastor Erik Parker "If it had come to my home address, Id be more concerned," said the father of two small children. "I get a fair bit of hateful responses from trolls online," he said. "Im not surprised some people are upset. Ill just add this to the list." Michael Pahl, executive minister of Mennonite Church Manitoba, also received the same letter at his office. "I laughed it off," he said. "It was clearly not legitimate." While Pahl doesnt feel personally threatened, it does make him wonder if "there could be something more sinister behind it." Mennonite Church Manitoba issued a recent statement that it would not offer a religious exemption from getting the vaccine. The majority of responses since have been positive, Pahl said, adding critical letters such as this one "come with the territory." Every day brings something new, and staff are stressed, even though its usually directed at me. Christian ministry leader The leader of another Christian ministry in Winnipeg, who doesnt want to be named, also received the letter. The leader, who has also promoted vaccinations, said the message upset staff at the organization. "Every day brings something new, and staff are stressed, even though its usually directed at me," he said, adding he has been accused of being a "spiritual terrorist" for promoting vaccinations. Do you appreciate the extensive faith coverage by the Free Press? Become a supporter of the Religion in the News project! Your contribution of $10, $25 or more can help us keep offering trusted coverage of faith in Manitoba. Become a supporter Click here to learn more about the project. This is not the first time the letter has surfaced in Canada. In summer, copies were sent to pharmacies, vaccination clinics and health-care providers in Ontario; it has also been received by some businesses in B.C. and Alberta. According to the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, it seems to be connected with a woman named Romana Didulo, who claims to be the "sovereign of the republic of Canada." In online postings on the social media platform Telegram, where she has 20,000 followers, Didulo writes about her demands for an end to vaccinations and other measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic. In a report by Vice, Didulos followers are in the midst of sending the letter to businesses, governments, police forces and other groups telling them to stop all activities related to combating the pandemic. faith@freepress.mb.ca Want more great journalism? Get our best news and features delivered in your inbox every evening. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Taylor Owen gets a little sick of talking about Facebook sometimes. These days, however, conversations about Facebook are hard to escape. The social media giant has been under intense scrutiny over the past several weeks, thanks in large part to the stunning revelations from Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen. When it comes to the spread of hate and misinformation on a massive, global platform which has real-world, offline consequences people are asking: how did we get here? And what does accountability look like? SUPPLIED Taylor Owen Thats where Owen comes in. Owen is a Canadian expert in digital media ethics. He is the Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications, Associate Professor and founding director of the Center Media, Technology and Democracy in the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University in Montreal, where he is also an associate professor. Hes also the host of Center of International Governances Big Tech podcast, and is a regular commentator for the Globe & Mail. (Thats just part of his CV. Put another way, hes the guy to talk to about Facebook.) On Tuesday afternoon, Owen will be joining Walrus editor-in-chief Jessica Johnson for a timely, virtual discussion about rights in the digital age and whether Facebook is a threat to democracy, hosted by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. This free, 90-minute event will be live on Zoom, beginning at 2 p.m. Register at humanrights.ca. In advance of the talk, the Free Press spoke with Owen about, yes, Facebook, what a stronger social media ecosystem might look like, and what role government can play in shaping it. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. FP: Do you think theres actually anything that can be done to make these social media platforms better? TO: Oh yeah, no question about it. I mean, weve governed big, complicated international companies many times before in the past. I think Haugen herself constructively points our conversation to two things that I think we should be doing immediately, which is demanding through through our laws, much more transparency into how these companies operate, and then we should be able to see much more data about how different algorithms within platforms are behaving, what theyre recommending all of these kinds of things that we now know the company studies and knows themselves should be public. These are things we should be demanding be made public to researchers, the public, to regulators. We need more transparency into these systems just like we demand in other industries. We dont let pharmaceutical companies develop drugs in secret, they have to show all their data. But also shes saying look, transparency isnt enough, you also need better accountability, here. And theres been a certain impunity these companies have behaved with that sort of is disconnected from the impact they have on society. FP: I think, as Canadians, we tend to view the harms of Facebook and other social platforms through a North American lens. I dont think we think about how Facebook is used in other parts of the world. TO: This is a huge piece of this. This is actually something thats come out in the Haugen documents, too, because we now know that 90 per cent of the moderation resources are devoted to the United States, and 90 per cent of their users are outside of the United States. So, theres a huge disconnect between the effort put in place to alleviate some of these harms via content moderation, and where users actually are. Whats worse, the most egregious examples of these harms exist in countries where theres very, very little moderation at all. And if we care about looking at this from a human rights lens, for example, or a rights lens writ large, then that discrepancy should be really worrying. "The most egregious examples of these harms exist in countries where theres very, very little moderation at all." FP: What about the tension between the rights and laws of individual countries, and Facebook, where everyone lives? Im thinking specifically about the concept of free speech as it exists in America versus freedom of expression here in Canada. TO: This is the core governance challenge, which is we develop most of our laws and norms around speech domestically. And these companies are trying to operate globally with one standard norm of free speech thats largely rooted in the First Amendment in the United States, which is a particular version of free speech that isnt shared, certainly by other democracies, and definitely not by illiberal-leaning regimes around the world. And so, one of the tensions that we dont talk enough about is, its one thing for us to say in Canada that we want our speech laws imposed on these platforms because we might prefer our own regulations and laws. But if Im a citizen in an illiberal regime, if Im in Hungary at the moment, for example, or any number of illiberal-leaning countries, I might prefer Facebooks notion of free speech. Who are we in our societies to say they dont have a right to choose that option and instead, they should have to live by the more restrictive speech regimes of their governments? Theres a real challenge there, theres no question about it. The problem is, weve rolled out a technology that wants one set of rules for everybody on the planet, and thats not how the planet works. FP: How do we start thinking about this as a problem to be solved versus an insurmountable, impossible challenge? TO: The key thing is by doing, in part, what were doing now in Canada, which is developing governance ideas and proposing them, like the government has, and having a debate about them which is good. There arent easy answers here, right? So I think its great that the government proposed a set of legislation for online harms, for example. And I also think its great that its being challenged and picked apart by civil society, by experts that were having this debate is really productive, rather than just pretending like this cant be governed and its unsolvable problem which, frankly, for a decade is what weve done.Weve kind of put our heads in the sand and said, Look, theres all sorts of good things about these platforms, and its really hard to figure out how to govern them to minimize the risks and harms, so lets just let them figure it out. And thats got us to where we are now, this idea that this should be a self-regulatory environment, and the government could cause more harm than good by intervening too heavily, therefore, lets leave it to them. And its pretty clear, thats not sufficient. There arent easy answers here, right? So I think its great that the government proposed a set of legislation for online harms, for example. FP: I know that Instagram makes me depressed and that Facebook makes me angry and yet, Im still on all of them, as are millions of other users. How do we make the public care about these harms? TO: I think peoples views on this are changing. I think people are more aware of those harms than they were even two years ago, I mean, so I think theres an increasing awareness of these harms, because of civil society, because of journalism, because of all sorts of things that are increasingly bringing visibility to these problems. The question of how you get them to accept those trade offs into care is kind of a governance question. Not everything is about individual agency. Sometimes we need collective responses to things that we deem as a society are creating social harm. To use the drug analogy, we dont expect everybody to review the approvals of a COVID vaccine, we trust that we have a regulatory agency that does that for us, and thats as it should be. Everything isnt about individual choice and leaving it up to the market dynamic to decide even if we were to say it is about individual agency and the market, it needs to be a functioning market to give us enough choice to actually have options. And if the market isnt functioning, and there really isnt a ton of choice in it, individual agency doesnt really matter. Like, its very difficult if my sons school uses Facebook to communicate with parents, its pretty big cost for me to say, Im going to go off this tool, because I dont like what it does to democracy in another country. And thats not a reasonable trade off. Thats where we either need more choice in the market so I have real choice as a citizen, or we need governments to minimize the harms of using that product to begin with. Sometimes we need collective responses to things that we deem as a society are creating social harm. FP: Tell me, Taylor: do you use these social media platforms? TO: Some of them, off and on. I stopped using some of them and still use some of them. I try and be more aware about how its making me feel and act and behave. I think thats kind of a first step, here, as an individual. I stopped using Facebook. I wasnt enjoying it. And when I stopped I didnt lose anything. In fact, I felt better. Twitter I use a lot, but I often check what my emotional responses are to things I see I think just being more aware of those things is really important, and thats the literacy aspect of that. How is the design of these tools affecting what I consume, how I feel about that consumption, how I react to what discourse Im participating in these are all things that are artifacts of the design of the system. That changes, I think, how you engage with it. jen.zoratti@winnipegfreepress.com Twitter: @JenZoratti Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland arrives for a news conference, Tuesday, October 26, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld MONTREAL - It's back-to-school season for Air Canada's CEO. The country's largest airline says chief executive Michael Rousseau has started French lessons, just days after public remarks that sparked an uproar over his inability to speak Quebec's common tongue. In a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, Air Canada chairman Vagn Sorensen said Rousseau has now begun what the board head called "intensive learning of French." "This is not just a personal commitment on his part, but an element that will be an integral part of his performance evaluation," Sorensen wrote in French. Rousseau also said in a letter in French to employees that he has started courses with a private tutor. Following a speech almost entirely in English to the Montreal chamber of commerce last Wednesday, the CEO told reporters he did not need to learn French to get by in Montreal, words that sparked immediate and widespread backlash and for which he apologized the next day. He reiterated that apology to Air Canada's 27,000 employees Tuesday, saying his remarks should have shown "more sensitivity regarding the importance of speaking French in Quebec" and that they do not reflect his values. He also announced he has given the company's chief commercial officer and its head of human resources a "mandate to review and strengthen" its official languages practices. On Monday, Freeland asked Air Canada's board of directors to make French communication an "important criterion" for senior management and incorporate improvement in Rousseau's French abilities into his annual evaluation. In his reply, the chairman said he accepts Freeland's recommendations, agreeing to review French proficiency requirements for a broader swath of senior positions and to assess companywide policies around the use of French at the board's next governance committee meeting. Executive headhunter Roger Duguay says stronger French-language standards at large Quebec companies would not noticeably shorten their candidate list or harm performance. "It would have almost zero effect on the pool of candidates going there or refusing to come forward if we asked them, 'So, would you mind if you come in and take a few French lessons and improve it and show that you care?'" Duguay, a managing partner at Boyden Canada, said in an interview. "They all want to speak a little bit of the local language." Requiring top management to have a grasp of French though not a mastery of it is a feasible threshold for big corporations headquartered in the Montreal area to meet, he said. But for big companies with an international presence, English is the global language of business. "If you're the CEO of Royal Bank, you could not get by just speaking a few words of English. Of course not," he said. "And we should never expect it to be both ways in a symmetrical sense." As a former federal Crown corporation, Air Canada is subject to the Official Languages Act, which requires that it offer services in French for routes that include airports in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick. But there is no specific rule that the CEO be bilingual. Last June, however, the Liberal government tabled legislation to guarantee the right to be served and to work in French in businesses under federal jurisdiction in Quebec, as well as in regions with a strong predominance of francophones. Bill 32 died on the order paper when the election was triggered in August, but the government has pledged to reintroduce legislation shoring up protection of French within its first 100 days. A protest is slated for next Saturday in front of Air Canada's headquarters near the Montreal airport. "We are going to Air Canada to remind them that they have not respected their own 2020-2023 linguistic action plan," Marie-Anne Alepin, president of the Societe Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montreal, said in an interview in French. The plan states that Air Canada is "proud to offer services in both official languages and demonstrate true leadership among major Canadian companies in promoting bilingualism." Nita Chhinzer, an associate professor of human resource management at the University of Guelph, said learning a new language may appear intimidating to unilingual adults, but that workers from executives to labourers take on the challenge daily. "The beauty of it is that language can be trained. There's lots of tools or systems out there to train you on languages, which is very helpful for the more current conversation about diversity, inclusion and equity," she said in a phone interview. Rousseau is not the only CEO of a major Quebec company who speaks little to no French. Rania Llewellyn, who came on board as CEO at Laurentian Bank Financial Group in October 2020, is multilingual but did not speak French on arrival. However, she has addressed employees at the 175-year-old company in French for video messages and begun working with a private tutor, said spokesman Merick Seguin. Iowa-raised Brian Hannasch, CEO of Quebec's Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., spoke only English when he joined the company in 2001 and when he was named CEO in 2014, though he pledged to learn French. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:AC, TSX:RY) With files from Lia Levesque GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) Unlike some of her European colleagues, Leonore Gewessler arrived at the U.N. climate conference with a clean conscience. FILE - Austria's minister for climate protection, technology and innovation Leonore Gewessler speaks during a news conference behind plexiglass shields at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Friday, April 30, 2021. Gewessler took a 27-hour journey by sleeper train from Vienna to Brussels, and then on to Glasgow, Scotland, for a climate conference, also known as COP26. (AP Photo/Florian Schroetter, File) GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) Unlike some of her European colleagues, Leonore Gewessler arrived at the U.N. climate conference with a clean conscience. The 27-hour journey by sleeper train from Vienna to Brussels, and then on to Glasgow, Scotland, spared Austria's climate minister the kind of criticism many VIPs faced for taking planes to a conference that's all about cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Wherever possible I try to choose the climate friendly option, said Gewessler, whose portfolio also include transport. Since taking office last year, the Green Party politician has pushed to revive Europe's once-extensive night train network, which has been cut steeply due to competition from low-budget airlines. Gewessler said Monday she used her stopover in Brussels to meet other European officials and spent the rest of the 2,000-kilometer (1,240-mile) journey preparing for the climate talks that are reaching their final phase this week. Trains and night trains are the future of short- and medium-distance travel in Europe, she said. Gewessler also recently launched a nationwide climate ticket that allows Austrians to travel the length and breadth of the Alpine nation on any form of public transport for 1,095 euros ($1,269) a year or 3 euros ($3.50) a day. Almost 130,000 people have bought a climate ticket in the last few weeks, beating the government's best expectations. Gewessler said deciding how they want to travel is every person's personal choice. But I became a politician in order to make it much easier for people in our society to move about in a climate friendly way too, she said. PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Political appointees in the Trump administration relied on faulty science to justify stripping habitat protections for the imperiled northern spotted owl, U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday as they struck down a rule that would have opened millions of acres of West Coast forest to potential logging. FILE - In this May 8, 2003, file photo, a Northern Spotted Owl flies after an elusive mouse jumping off the end of a stick in the Deschutes National Forest near Camp Sherman, Ore. The Trump administration has slashed more than 3 million acres of protected habitat for the northern spotted owl in Oregon, Washington and northern California, much of it in prime timber locations in Oregon's coastal ranges. Environmentalists are accusing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under President Donald Trump of taking a "parting shot" at protections designed to help restore the threatened owl species. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File) PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) Political appointees in the Trump administration relied on faulty science to justify stripping habitat protections for the imperiled northern spotted owl, U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday as they struck down a rule that would have opened millions of acres of West Coast forest to potential logging. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a decision made five days before President Donald Trump left office to drastically shrink so-called critical habitat for the spotted owl. The small, reclusive bird has been in decline for decades as old-growth forests were cut in Oregon, Washington and California. FILE - A northern spotted owl, named Obsidian by U.S. Forest Service employees, sits in a tree in the Deschutes National Forest near Camp Sherman, Ore., in this May 8, 2003 file photo. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reversed a decision, made five days before President Donald Trump left office, to drastically shrink so-called critical habitat for the spotted owl. U.S. wildlife officials said Tuesday Nov. 9, 2021, they have struck down the rule that would have opened millions of acres of forest in Oregon, Washington and California to potential logging. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, File) Government biologists objected to the changes under Trump and warned they would put the spotted owl on a path to extinction, documents show. But Trump's Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and former Fish and Wildlife Service Director Aurelia Skipwith dismissed those concerns instead adopting a plan to lift restrictions on more land than even the timber industry had sought. In documents disclosed to The Associated Press prior to their public release, wildlife officials said Bernhardt and Skipwith underestimated the threat of extinction and relied on a faulty interpretation of the science to reach their decision. Bernhardt defended his handling of the matter, telling AP in an email that Congress gave the interior secretary authority to exclude areas from protection. Bernhardt said the agencys reasonable certainty the owl would go extinct did not match the laws requirement that habitat be protected lest a species will go extinct. If wildlife officials want to change that standard, he said, they should seek a change from Congress. Any future Secretary can weigh the benefit factors differently, but they can not change the law or the legal standard, he wrote. Officials twice delayed the changes after President Joe Biden took office and they never went into effect. That puts them among numerous Trump-era policies reversed or struck down by the Interior Department in recent months, on issues from oil and gas drilling on some public lands, to protections for birds from power line and wind turbine collisions. Democratic lawmakers from Oregon, Washington and California in February called for an investigation into the removal of spotted owl protections, citing potential scientific meddling by Trump appointees. Wildlife advocates, government agencies and the timber industry have sparred for decades over the northern spotted owl, which officials said Tuesday is in precipitous decline and getting close to disappearing from parts of Washington and Oregon. Federal habitat protections imposed in 2012 were meant to avert the bird's extinction. They've also been blamed for a logging slowdown that's devastated some rural communities. Of 9.6 million protected acres (3.9 million hectares), federal officials proposed in August 2020 to remove protections for about 2%. The timber industry said the plan didn't go far enough and called for removal of more than 28%. On January 7, Skipwith changed her agency's recommendation and went even further, telling Bernhardt more than one-third of the protected land, or 3.5 million acres (1.4 million hectares), should be excluded from protection. The land has huge swaths of timber and includes 2 million acres (809,000 hectares) spread in a checkerboard pattern across western Oregon. Logging those lands might not have immediately killed off the owls immediately they live up to 20 years on individual territories that can stretch across 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) yet eventually they would have gone extinct, said Paul Henson, the wildlife service's Oregon supervisor. When Henson brought his concerns to superiors last December, Skipwith overrode them. You cant remove over a third of an endangered species habitat and not expect it to go extinct, Henson said in an interview. There wasn't much disagreement about the science. The disagreement was how much that risk constrains the secretary's authority" to remove habitat protections. The logging industry says more thinning and management of protected forests is necessary to prevent wildfires, which devastated 560 square miles (1,450 square kilometers) of spotted owl habitat last fall. Most of that area is no longer considered viable for the birds. Timber interests say much of the land set aside under Tuesday's announcement isn't actually spotted owl habitat or is broken up into parcels too small to support the owl. As such, the smaller habitat designation issued under Trump was legally and scientifically valid, said Nick Smith, a spokesman for the American Forest Resource Council. The group represents about 100 manufacturing and logging operations in five western U.S. states. The federal government cannot set aside critical habitat unless it is habitat for the species, Smith said. The logging industry says the larger, non-native barred owl is a much greater threat than cutting trees. Skipwith echoed that contention when she said the most effective way to preserve spotted owls was to control barred owl numbers. "The main threats faced by the northern spotted owl are the barred owl and the devastating forest fires," Skipwith said, adding that she used sound science to reach her conclusion. "Its not an issue of acreage; its an issue of the management of the land." The barred owls, native to the eastern U.S., began affecting spotted owl numbers in Washington and Oregon about a decade ago as they expanded west and south. The incursion accelerated in recent years, putting spotted owls on a downward trajectory that could prompt them to disappear from some areas within ten years, said U.S. Department of Agriculture research biologist Alan Franklin. Biologists beginning in 2009 studied whether removing barred owls in areas of northern California, Oregon and Washington would help the spotted owl. A pilot program that wrapped up in August showed spotted owl numbers stabilized when barred owl numbers were reduced. They continued to decline in areas without the removals. Study authors cautioned that the results show habitat protections also are critical to the spotted owl's survival. In rejecting the Trump rule, federal officials said the dual threat of wildfires and competition from the barred owl underscore why more forest needs protection to make sure there's enough redundancy of habitat that a large fire won't doom the species. A large-scale barred owl removal program is not in place. Wildlife officials said the best science shows protecting older forests where owls nest, roost and hunt is crucial. Owl expert R. J. Gutierrez from the University of Minnesota agreed. He said setting aside forest habitat and naming the northern spotted owl as a threatened species in 1990 briefly boosted it before barred owls arrived. Until barred owls are dealt with, all habitat is critical so spotted owls can find refuge from the aggressive newcomers, said Gutierrez who has spent several decades studying spotted owls along the West Coast. Environmental groups cheered Tuesday's move but expressed frustration that about 200,000 acres (about 81,000 hectares) of previously protected habitat were excluded under a replacement rule signed by Martha Williams, Biden's nominee to lead the Fish and Wildlife Service. In the past 20 years, theres been accelerated loss of old-growth forest on state and private lands so its continued to lose habitat, said Noah Greenwald with the Center for Biological Diversity. Climate change adds to the threats, he said. In December, federal officials determined that northern spotted owl's continued decline means it merits a more critical listing as endangered." The agency refused to do so immediately, saying other species took priority. That decision is facing a legal challenge. ___ Brown reported from Billings, Montana. ___ Follow Matthew Brown on Twitter: @MatthewBrownAP Aurora Cannabis Inc. will double down on premium products after reporting a $11.9 million loss in its most recent quarter. Threaded cartridges designed for vaping are photographed at the Ontario Cannabis Store in Toronto on Friday, January 3, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin Aurora Cannabis Inc. will double down on premium products after reporting a $11.9 million loss in its most recent quarter. Miguel Martin, the chief executive of the Edmonton-based cannabis company, said Tuesday that the premium focus is coming because the recreational pot market is "bottoming" and often "irrational." "We are not going to chase down the rabbit hole with lower margins, particularly in the discount category," he said in a call with investors. "Right now, those that are chasing the discount business, I think they're in for a little bit of a more rocky road, but the premium business is rational." Aurora's focus on its premium brands come after the pot industry recently celebrated the third anniversary of cannabis legalization in Canada. Much of those first three years have been spent by pot companies trying to better align product offerings with consumer demand, so they can more quickly reach profitability. While more affordable products have proved popular, recent growth is emerging in the premium and craft markets, which often earn cannabis companies higher profits. A Nov. 4 report from Deloitte Canada, BDSA and Hifyre found craft flower experienced a 158 per cent jump in sales in the last year, despite pricing that is anywhere from 16 to 41 per cent higher than non-craft offerings. A 2021 survey from Drop Technologies Inc. also found 86 per cent of millennial and Gen Z respondents are likely or very likely to purchase premium products, if they see sufficient value. To attract them, Aurora will zero in on its premium brands, including San Rafael and Whistler Cannabis Co. Those brands helped drive a 29 per cent revenue increase from the fourth quarter for its premium and super premium dried flower products. On top of premium products, the company will experiment with short-term and seasonal offerings like peppermint-flavoured Canna Cane Mints and a Daily Special vape cartridge called Cranberry Sauce, which are hitting shelves in time for the December holidays. "So overall, there's a big focus on innovation,": Martin said, as he explained the new products. "We get benefit out of it both in our recreational and medical businesses and we see that as a key component of our premiumization strategy." That approach has come as Aurora continues with a widespread restructuring that has resulted in hundreds of layoffs and some facility closures over the last two years. The company has so far identified cash savings of $60 million to $80 million, but only executed on $33 million in annualized run-rate cost savings to date. Chief financial officer Glen Ibbott said on the same call as Martin that about 60 per cent of cash savings found during the business transformation program will be realized through the cost of goods as the company moves toward lower production cost strategies. The remaining 40 per cent will come from selling, general, and administrative expenses starting in the next quarter, he said. Finding those savings will be key because the company's $11.9 million net loss in its first quarter comes after a string of lofty losses the company posted. In the first quarter of the prior fiscal year, it reported a $101.4 million net loss. The company says its most recent loss amounted to six cents per share for the period ended Sept. 30,a drop from a loss of 85 cents per share in the first quarter of the last year. Aurora's net revenue for the quarter amounted to $60.1 million, down from $67.6 million in the same quarter the year prior. Aurora was expected to report a loss of $49.6 million per diluted share on $60.6 million of revenues, according to financial data firm Refinitiv This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. Companies in this story: (TSX:ACB) OTTAWA - Canada's banking regulator says it is launching consultations on proposed guidelines for the management of technology and cyber risks in the industry. The Canadian flag blows in the wind in the heart of the financial district in Toronto on June 27, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin OTTAWA - Canada's banking regulator says it is launching consultations on proposed guidelines for the management of technology and cyber risks in the industry. The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institution says the guidelines are meant to support banks and insurers in developing greater resiliency by outlining expectations in areas like accountability, risk identification, and disaster recovery. The guidelines come as recent ransomware attacks against Newfoundland and Labradors health system and the Toronto Transit Commission underline the potential cybersecurity threats posed to a wide variety of institutions. The cybersecurity aspect of the proposed guidelines include a range of expectations including the need to identify risks, conduct threat modelling, adopt secure-by-design practices, and integrate incident response capabilities. OFSI's draft guidelines build on several related guidelines such as ones on operational risk management and outsourcing, as well as recently updated requirements on cyber incident reporting. The regulator says it will conduct consultations for three months as it looks to formalize guidelines that strike a balance between risk management and allowing financial institutions to compete. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) Powerful businesses are urging Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to give up the country's long-standing resistance on key issues at this year's U.N. climate talks, arguing that Brazil can't afford to pass up the chance to use its vast natural wealth in the fight against global warming. FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2019 file photo, a section of Amazon rainforest stands next to soy fields in Belterra, Para state, Brazil. Powerful businesses are urging Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro to give up its long-standing resistance on key issues at this year's U.N. climate talks, arguing the country can't afford to pass up the chance to use its vast natural wealth in the fight against global warming. Last week, Brazil surprised observers by joining an international pledge to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, file) GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) Powerful businesses are urging Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to give up the country's long-standing resistance on key issues at this year's U.N. climate talks, arguing that Brazil can't afford to pass up the chance to use its vast natural wealth in the fight against global warming. The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development, which says it represents companies behind almost half of the Latin American nation's economy, has called upon the government to clamp down on illegal deforestation and ease its hardline stance over carbon markets. Those efforts, which echo similar demands by international investors and U.S. lawmakers, appeared to be bearing fruit. Last week, Brazil surprised observers by joining an international pledge to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. And a speech Wednesday by Brazil's environment minister is expected to see the country lay out a new position on carbon markets that could help break long-running deadlock on the issue. We have positive signs from the government," said Marina Grossi, president of the business group known by its Portuguese acronym CEBDS and includes mining giants Anglo American and Vale, and oil firms Petrobras and Shell. FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2021 file photo, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro gestures after attending a commemoration for Brazilian soldiers fallen during WWII, in Pistoia, Italy. Powerful businesses are urging Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro to give up its long-standing resistance on key issues at this year's U.N. climate talks, arguing the country can't afford to pass up the chance to use its vast natural wealth in the fight against global warming. Last week, Brazil surprised observers by joining an international pledge to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, file) Grossi said Brazil's private sector believes the country can achieve its target of reaching net zero emissions by 2050 a date recently brought forward from 2060 by protecting the huge carbon-absorbing Amazon. Its a great opportunity," she told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday. Our big elephant in the room is illegal deforestation." Brazil's government has paid little heed to similar demands from environmental groups. But Grossi said big businesses may be better placed to win over Bolsonaro's right-wing government, which faces an election next year. The private sector was saying its good for business, its not ideological," she said. In addition to being able to boost its emissions reduction efforts by saving the Amazon, Brazil could benefit greatly if countries at this year's U.N. climate talks reach agreement on the issue of carbon markets. Known as Article 6, efforts to resolve the issue have eluded negotiators for years, but officials are optimistic that a breakthrough might be possible in Glasgow. Brazil would likely have to compromise on its demands to hold onto questionable carbon credits it amassed under a previous agreement. But a deal that provides rigorous rules for carbon markets could make Brazil a prime destination in the future for countries and companies hoping to offset their own excess emissions. There are signs that Brazils government will relinquish its claims to old carbon credits. One minister and an environment ministry aide involved in the negotiations in Glasgow told the AP that the decision to do so has already been made. Brazil would likely seek to leverage the reversal of its position to extract benefits, they said. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because talks are private and ongoing. Speaking in a panel discussion, Brazils Environment Minister Joaquim Leite highlighted the need for developing countries to receive more than the $100 billion in financial support promised by rich nations to help achieve a global green transition. A study came out days ago from a bank saying $5 trillion per year, both public and private, Leite said, adding that Brazil needs to have clear policies and incentives to foment green development. But some investors remain skeptical whether the current Brazilian government will change its approach to deforestation, climate change and the rights of indigenous people. Kiran Aziz, head of responsible investments at Norway's biggest pension fund, KLP, said there were signs that "smokescreens are being put forward instead of genuine measures to tackle deforestation, trace supply chains and promote sustainable agriculture which protects local communities rights. As a global investor, we have to be honest and open that the head of the country is repelling foreign investment by his path towards the destruction of its forests, he said. Whatever environment minister Leite says, it is Bolsonaro who calls the shots. ___ Alvares reported from Brasilia. ___ Follow AP's coverage of the climate talks at http://apnews.com/hub/climate Canadian journalists are increasingly under attack online, with media workers facing "prevalent and pervasive" harassment ranging from sexualized messages and attacks against their identity to death threats, new research released Tuesday has found. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaves a Liberal caucus meeting as members of the media look on in Ottawa on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Canadian journalists are increasingly under attack online, with media workers facing "prevalent and pervasive" harassment ranging from sexualized messages and attacks against their identity to death threats, new research released Tuesday has found. The findings, based on a survey of more than a thousand journalists and media workers this fall, suggests an epidemic of online bullying leaving many in the industry struggling with mental health challenges. The Ipsos poll, the first of its kind conducted on behalf of a dozen media organizations in Canada, found more than 70 per cent of media workers reported experiencing harassment in the past year. Cyberbullying was by far the most common, with 65 per cent of journalists subjected to online vitriol, followed by in-person harassment, threatening phone calls and physical attacks, the survey found. A wide variety of online harm was reported, including vulgar and sexualized messages or images, physical threats and offensive comments targeting gender or ethnic identity. The overall media climate, accusations of "fake news" and objections to the media organization a journalist works for emerged as the key factors prompting harassment. Yet an undercurrent of misogyny, racism and homophobia appears to permeate many of the online attacks. Media workers who are women, Black, Indigenous, people of colour and part of the LGBTQ2+ community reported facing harassment more often and to a greater severity. The harassment a daily occurrence for some journalists appears to be taking a toll both on the personal well-being of workers and on the broader media industry, the survey found. One third of media workers reported feelings of fear, shame and anger, with some experiencing trouble sleeping or other mental health issues. Others felt the need to take a break from social media, delete their accounts or considered leaving journalism altogether, the Ipsos poll found. Still others avoided potentially controversial stories or considered requesting different assignments. Meanwhile, the online harassment of media workers appears to be only worsening. Nearly 85 per cent who have experienced cyberbullying believe occurrences are rising rather than declining, the poll found. Despite the increasing prevalence of the online abuse, much of it goes unreported either because the target of the harassment questions the seriousness of the offence or doubts anything will be done about it, the survey found. The results of the Ipsos survey were shared Tuesday at the virtual forum "#NotOK Stand Up for Journalism and Democracy," a two-day event hosted by CBC/Radio-Canada for journalists and media professionals across Canada. The poll was conducted on behalf of 12 Canadian media organizations: Canadian Association of Journalists, Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery, CBC/Radio-Canada, CTV News, Federation professionnelle des journalistes du Quebec, Global News, Journal de Montreal/Journal de Quebec, Journalists for Human Rights, National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada, News Media Canada, Postmedia and the Toronto Star. The survey of 1,093 journalists and media workers was conducted online in both English and French between Sept. 27 and Oct.13. According to the polling industry's generally accepted standards, online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. NEW YORK (AP) The U.S. says that it's inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries. FILE - Travelers move through Salt Lake City International Airport Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021, in Salt Lake City. The U.S. says that it's inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries. In reality, however, it will still be difficult if not impossible for much of the globe to enter the country and experts say it will take years for travel to fully recover. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, file) NEW YORK (AP) The U.S. says that it's inviting the global community to visit now that the government has ended the ban on travelers from 33 countries. In reality, however, it will still be difficult if not impossible for much of the globe to enter the country and experts say it will take years for travel to fully recover. For starters, half the world isn't vaccinated and therefore doesn't meet the U.S. requirement for visiting foreigners. So while many Europeans may now be able to come in, people from poorer countries where vaccines are scarce remain cut off, with limited exceptions. For some public health experts, that raises ethical questions about the policy. The concern is not limiting access based on vaccination status, said Nancy Kass, deputy director of public health in the Berman Institute of Bioethics at Johns Hopkins University. It is that its systemically making it impossible for people, generally from poor countries, whose governments have been unable to secure anything near the supply they need, to be able to come and see their loved ones. Even if you've gotten the jab, that might not be good enough. Non-immigrant adults need to have received vaccines authorized by the Food and Drug Administration or which received an emergency use listing from the World Health Organization, otherwise they, too, are prohibited from entering the U.S. That sidelines anyone who's received Russia's Sputnik V or the China-produced CanSino jab. Then there are the months-long delays in some places to get a visa. The U.S. Travel Association says that, on average, theres a six-month visitor visa appointment backlog as many U.S. consulates and embassies have yet to resume normal operations. Meanwhile, other countries have their own strict rules, which complicates foreign travel. Experts do expect a wave of travelers at U.S. airports, which will go a long way to boost the overall industry. The 28 European countries that up until Monday were barred under the U.S. policy made up 37% of overseas visitors in 2019, the U.S. Travel Association says. Travelport, which analyzes airline bookings data, says that by region, the greatest number of international travelers to the U.S. since mid-2020 has come from Latin America, but new travelers booking flights since late September, when the Biden administration said it would end the travel bans, are mainly European. The reopening of the land borders with Canada and Mexico should also help restore travel, since they are typically the top two sources of international visitors to the U.S. But the U.S. Travel Association predicted in June that international travel would not return to 2019 levels of nearly 80 million visitors until 2024. Foreign travelers dropped to 19 million in 2020 and is expected to rise a bit this year, to more than 26 million; it will more than double, to about 57 million, in 2022 but still fall far short of its pre-pandemic heights. The U.S. isnt alone in trying to jump-start travel as more people get vaccinated. Some countries that closed their borders have begun easing back, like Australia, India and Thailand; Europe opened its doors to Americans months ago. Others, like China and Japan, remain essentially closed, which makes it difficult for their own citizens to leave and come back because of mandatory quarantines. In 2019, the two countries were among the top five biggest sources of overseas visitors to the U.S., along with the U.K., South Korea and Brazil, according to U.S. government data. Sylvia Li, who is from China and lives in the U.S., just married her partner in a small ceremony in New York a few weeks ago without her family there because she had no idea when theyd be able to come or when shed be able to go to China. I was able to convince them, its really nothing, its just a party, Li said. But her mom didnt fall for it. I think my mom felt she was missing out. She felt like she was actually missing something big. Edgar Orozco, who owns two restaurants, both called Chelito's, in El Paso, Texas, was excited for the land border with Mexico to reopen on Monday, and he hopes that helps fill the streets of downtown El Paso with shoppers and customers at his restaurants this holiday season, unlike last year, when he said streets were empty. Now that non-essential travelers are going to be able to come back, we're looking forward to going back to those good old days, he said. But he's heard of people who have visa issues, like a vendor in Mexico who he says can't renew his visa until 2023. The appointment wait time for a U.S. visitor visa in Cuidad Juarez, just across the border from El Paso, is 676 days, or nearly two years, according to the State Department. In New York, the countrys biggest tourist destination, businesses are gearing up for more international travelers. Hudson Yards, a shopping complex, is expanding its concierge services to include a wider array of foreign languages. City Experiences, a tour company that sends ferries to the Statue of Liberty and other sites, is increasing marketing abroad. In the past two weeks, 75% of new bookings at three Moxy hotels in Manhattan have come from Europe, mostly the United Kingdom, Spain, France and Germany, said Mitchell Hochberg, president of the hotels operator, Lightstone. Still, Hochberg thinks it will take until at least spring for international bookings to be back to their pre-pandemic levels. Travel can be cumbersome," he said. The flights are somewhat limited right now. Worry about getting COVID-19 also continues to put a damper on travel plans for many, even if they're now allowed in. Mehek Khera doesn't want her parents in India to visit her in Santa Clara, California, even though they could now they're vaccinated and have visas. But the risk of getting sick is too high. Her father has a heart condition, and they don't have health insurance in the U.S. We don't feel comfortable adding on another risk on top of that," Khera said. They don't feel very excited to travel. Before Vicki Lam and Corey Ireland moved in together in late 2019, they made sure to discuss their debts, credit scores and other financial circumstances before deciding that they wanted to keep their finances separate, at least for the first two years. Vicki Lam, left, and her partner Corey Ireland pose for a portrait in their house in Vaughan, Ont., Tuesday, November 2, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler Before Vicki Lam and Corey Ireland moved in together in late 2019, they made sure to discuss their debts, credit scores and other financial circumstances before deciding that they wanted to keep their finances separate, at least for the first two years. "It was key for me that we wouldnt get too committal with blending our finances where it might affect our relationship," said Lam, a 30-year-old communications professional. Since Lam already owned her own home in Vaughan, Ont., they decided it made the most sense for Ireland, a 33-year-old mechanical engineer, to move into Lams place. But before he packed up his belongings, he and Lam signed a cohabitation agreement that set out what would happen financially if the relationship were to break down and what they would owe one another. It also included moving expenses and timelines. "Because our relationship was still new, we decided to keep it simple and to revisit the agreement at later stages in our relationship, such as the three-year mark, five-year mark, marriage, etc.," Lam said. Before couples move in together, they should have an open conversation about their financial circumstances, which can then help them decide if theyll be combining finances, keeping them separate, or adopting a hybrid approach, said Natasha Knox, certified financial planner and principal of Alaphia Financial Wellness in the Greater Vancouver Area. Ireland contributes to household expenses, such as utilities, groceries and internet, while Lam takes care of expenses associated with the property, such as the mortgage and property taxes. For the time being, the couple wanted to avoid having Ireland contribute to Lams real estate expenses. "We decided that he would contribute to the household expenses, so that if we were to split up, it would be easier to exit the relationship with what we had each entered with," Lam said. "At the time, we agreed it made sense to keep our savings separate but as we are looking at our future together, we are talking about evolving our approach into some kind of joint ownership." When discussing money, Knox said couples should discuss their financial history, attitudes and shared goals such as saving for a home or plans for travel. When having these financial conversations, be open to what your partner has to say, she added. If you dont like it, then be prepared to have a conversation of how youre going to work through it. Each person has to do their own work to be transparent but also to be open and calm to foster that sort of environment of trust. When it comes to managing finances, Knox said she sees most couples take a hybrid approach. Couples that keep money separate are more likely to have similar incomes and no children, while couples that combine finances although not always completely tend to have kids, she added. Another action couples should take before moving in together is learning how family law works in their province, Knox said. Family law varies by province, and essentially forms the basis of a default pre-nuptial or cohabitation agreement. In B.C., for instance, couples that have been living together for over two years have the same legal rights as married couples when it comes to property, Knox said. Each party has a shared claim to any property purchased during the course of the relationship even if property ownership is only under one name. When it comes to property bought before the relationship began, the law says that property does not have to be divided. However, if that property increases in value, that additional money has to be split 50/50. Since we know what housing prices have done in recent years, this amount of money could be significant, Knox said. Couples should figure out whether the law works for them, and if not, they should set up a cohabitation agreement, which is a legally binding document that speaks to their unique circumstances and wishes, Knox said. Try not to approach the cohabitation agreement from a place of fear and try to approach it from a place of setting a foundation for open, honest and effective communication, and managing expectations from the get-go, she added. Ireland said he thought of the cohabitation agreement like writing a will. Youre trying to prepare for something you dont want to have happen, but if it does happen, the details are all sorted out. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. In a push to upgrade Manitobans skills, the province is reimbursing businesses who pay for their employees training. In a push to upgrade Manitobans skills, the province is reimbursing businesses who pay for their employees training. Retrain Manitoba, a program announced Monday, will reimburse local companies up to $2,500 per newly trained staff member, with a ceiling of $75,000. Economic Development Winnipeg and the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce have allocated $12.5 million of the provinces $50-million long-term COVID-19 recovery fund to the project. "We hear what keeps (businesses) up at night, and talent is their No. 1 concern coming out of the pandemic," said Dayna Spiring, Economic Development Winnipegs president and CEO. "I think this is going to be a great opportunity for them to upskill their employees and be ready to go and be competitive in a global marketplace." Eligible businesses can apply funding to in-person, online and industry-recognized courses. The programs must be offered by third-party groups. "Weve watched businesses have to adapt," Spiring said. "Weve watched them have to understand how to deal in the digital world... A lot of staff need training on that." However, courses dont need to relate to digital literacy they can be, pretty much, whatever the employer wants, provided its relevant to the job. "It would be a very, very rare case where we wouldnt reimburse companies for training that theyre providing to their employees," Spiring said. Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters Manitoba is expecting an uptake of its courses, according to divisional vice-president Ron Koslowsky. He knew about Retrain Manitoba before the announcement and had been telling local organizations about it. Already, folks have expressed an interest in the CMEs offerings, such as leadership and advanced manufacturing courses. "Its a win-win," Koslowsky said. "Trying to address both the intake of talent, as well as the development of talent in the workplace... is very, very important." Around 60,000 Manitobans are employed in manufacturing. Its been increasingly difficult finding workers with the proper skills, Koslowsky said. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Darren Klassen, vice-president of real estate management services at Colliers, hopes the program will help his company hire people they otherwise wouldnt. "What were missing is an ability to bring people at work to a place where they can be really productive and help us to be competitive," he said. Active companies with valid Manitoba business numbers and who are in good standing with the Manitoba Companies Office are eligible. Non-profits and charities with active business numbers are included. Businesses who receive more than 50 per cent of their funding from the province, or have government-appointed boards, are not eligible. Neither are those who havent rectified arrears for taxes owing on March 20, 2020 (this doesnt include companies whove deferred tax remittances incurred between April to September of 2020 and January to May of 2021). Retrain Manitoba isnt a silver bullet to labour shortages, Spiring said. "This is one component," she said. In October, Manitoba had the lowest unemployment rate among the provinces 5.3 per cent. Unemployment has decreased by 1.7 per cent over the past year. However, the province ranked ninth among other provinces in employment growth. Darren Klassen, the vice-president of real estate management services for Colliers International, hopes Retrain Manitoba will help his company in hiring people they otherwise wouldnt. Hes hoping to fill various property management positions. "We find a lot of people want to come into the industry, but they dont have a lot of experience," he said. "This is going to be a great opportunity to get some resources, to help them train." Businesses must submit grant applications by March 31. Forms are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Employees must begin their funded courses by Aug. 31. The training doesnt need to come from a Manitoban institution, but travel expenses for training arent covered. "We hope to go about (this) quickly," Spiring said, adding if a company were to apply on a Tuesday, Economic Development Winnipeg would aim to have the money in their bank account by the following Friday. Shaun Jeffrey, executive director and CEO of the Manitoba Restaurants and Foodservices Association, applauded the program. The restaurant and accommodation sector has been hard-hit, with a reported 3,900-worker deficit in October, according to a provincial bulletin. "In a time where our profit margins continue to be stretched very thin, this additional funding to carry forward additional training for our staff is a step in the right direction," Jeffrey wrote in an email. Workers accessing Retrain Manitobas training dont need to be full-time. Companies can register at retrainmanitoba.com. gabrielle.piche@winnipegfreepress.com NEW YORK (AP) Some gifts, such as a candle or a bottle of wine, are great in the moment or for the short-term. Others make memorable keepsakes or are so personal they can't be re-gifted. This image provided by Sam and Jack shows a pet portrait. Pets are an important member of the family and should be remembered as such. Sam and Jack will take a photo of your beloved pet and turn it into everything from a framed illustrated portrait to a personalized throw pillow of your furry friend. (Stacey Sachs/Sam and Jack via AP) NEW YORK (AP) Some gifts, such as a candle or a bottle of wine, are great in the moment or for the short-term. Others make memorable keepsakes or are so personal they can't be re-gifted. Here are some gifts that, besides amusing and delighting the receiver now, are meant to be cherished for years. This image provided by Talia show clutch handbags. California designer and boutique owner Talia Hancock sells hand-beaded clutch handbags that can be customized with letters and colors. (Kendall Di Tolla/Talia via AP) CUSTOM CLUTCH: Newport, California, designer and boutique owner Talia Hancock sells hand-beaded clutch handbags that can be customized with letters and colors. If there's a bride-to-be on your list who is changing her name, she might love a clutch with her maiden name on one side and her married name on the other. A new sorority pledge might impress her sisters with a clutch made with her school's colors and the Greek letters. Or how about a clutch adorned with your kids' names? The sky's the limit, said Hancock. She prefers to facilitate orders through the text to order" option on her TALIA Instagram account so she can have a dialogue with customers. Clutches are $198 for one-side customized, $238 for two-sided. CUSTOM DENIM JACKET: Also from Hancock's store TALIA, a customized denim jacket. The back of the jacket is hand-painted. You can request a name, date, initials, phrase or image that will guarantee you get noticed. If you don't want the back painted, consider customizing the collar instead, so when you pop it, it makes a statement. I never wear my clutch or wear my jackets without getting stopped and asked where I got them," said Hancock. Jackets come in blue or black denim and start at $198 (some designs might cost extra.) PRESERVED TEXTS: Do you have a funny text conversation with friends that you'd love to save? Or a loved one whose texts you never want to delete? Keep them forever in a book of text messages called Keepster. The company can take messages from apps including iMessage, WhatsApp and Hike, and compiles them into the format of your choice. PERSONALIZED PODCAST: If youd like to have an oral history from a loved one, check out Artifact. The company enlists professional interviewers many say they are moonlighting journalists to conduct an interview with your subject. An interview focuses on a chapter of a persons life, such as childhood and the teen years. The audio is then edited to a 20-minute, studio-quality episode. The cost is $119 per episode or $99 per episode for three. A finished product is delivered within five days of the recording. PET PORTRAITS: The pandemic has seen a surge in pet ownership, and Sam and Jack is one of the companies offering a way to celebrate or remember these beloved family members. They'll take a photo of your pet and turn it into everything from a framed, illustrated portrait to a personalized throw pillow. They also customize smaller items including water bottles, mugs and phone cases. VIDEO MESSAGE: For the person who has everything, an original gift might be a group video message or tribute by Tribute.co. They can send out the invites and compile the videos. There's no maximum length, so messages can be hours long. The company's founder, Andrew Horn, says he's even had customers rent out theaters to play their tributes. Prices vary depending on the package: If you edit the videos yourself using Tribute.co's editing platform, the cost is $29. If you use their concierge service, they'll take care of the outreach coordination and get the video edited for $99. They can present it via a link that can also be downloaded, or if you prefer to present a physical gift, for $174 the company will give you a greeting card that has a a video screen with audio inside to play your message. COUTTS, Alta. - The mayor of a village in southern Alberta says the sun rose above the longest row of vehicles the border community had ever seen Monday a few hours after the Canada-United States border restrictions were eased. Jim Willett, Mayor of the Village of Coutts, Alta. poses for a photo on Wednesday March 24, 2021. The mayor of the village in southern Alberta says the sun rose above the longest row of vehicles the border community had ever seen Monday a few hours after the Canada-United States border restrictions were eased. THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Rossiter COUTTS, Alta. - The mayor of a village in southern Alberta says the sun rose above the longest row of vehicles the border community had ever seen Monday a few hours after the Canada-United States border restrictions were eased. The port of entry between Coutts, Alta., and Sweet Grass, Mont., is one of the busiest on the border. But Mayor Jim Willett said the line of vehicles clogging roads over the weekend was "unreal." "Talking to people who've lived here all their lives, they've never seen a lineup this long before," Willett said. Lines of RVs began to stream into the Alberta community, with a population of around 250, on Friday as travellers prepared to drive into the U.S. for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Willett said he figures the communitys population had more than tripled by Sunday afternoon. "Literally, there were RVs up and down both sides of the streets. You could hardly get through streets," he said. It led to a tense day as community members worried what would happen if there was a medical emergency and an ambulance couldn't get through. Luckily, Willett said, there's only been one minor fender bender. Shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday night which was midnight ET Customs and Border Protection agents began letting fully vaccinated vacationers, visitors and day-trippers drive across the border. All night, vehicles slowly trickled across the border. Willett figures the line of vehicles peaked at six-kilometres long, and had dropped to about four kilometres by Monday afternoon. He said most people were waiting at least four hours to cross. "Now you have all the commercial truckers trying to get through and they are on the clock, he added. There is no indication how long the surge of excited travellers will continue to make their way through Coutts but the mayor said he expects it will last for at least the week. The worlds longest undefended border was first shut down on March 21, 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic tightened its grip. It was the first such closure since Confederation in 1867. While restrictions have loosened, Canada still requires anyone entering or re-entering the country to show proof of a negative PCR test, along with their vaccination cards. The U.S. waived that rule for people crossing by land. The pandemic has brought people in the small Alberta community closer together, but Willett said the border traffic signals a return to normal since the lives of many people in the area straddle the two countries. "It's been interesting" Willett said with a laugh. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2021. By Kelly Geraldine Malone in Winnipeg. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota regulators began accepting public comments Tuesday on whether the state's regulation of nonferrous mining would provide sufficient protection against environmental damage to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Minnesota regulators began accepting public comments Tuesday on whether the state's regulation of nonferrous mining would provide sufficient protection against environmental damage to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The comment period runs through Dec. 8. The Department of Natural Resources has established a dedicated webpage for its review with a link to submit public comments online. The DNR is also taking comments by regular mail. At issue is whether the state's existing rule that governs siting for copper-nickel mines would adequately protect the Boundary Waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction from mining in the Rainy River Headwaters watershed. The DNR launched a review of the rule under court order as part of a lawsuit that seeks to block the proposed Twin Metals mine near Ely, which would be upstream from the countrys most-visited wilderness area. It is important that commenters provide substantive information on why the siting rule should or should not be changed, the agency said in a statement. Comments that only focus on support for or opposition to mining, without providing further information for the DNR to consider, will not assist the DNR in its decision making about the adequacy of the existing nonferrous mine siting rule. The lawsuit by Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness seeks to prohibit nonferrous metallic mineral mining, particularly copper-nickel mining, in the entire Rainy River Headwaters watershed. The current siting rule is narrower. It prohibits mining within the wilderness and mining that disturbs the surface in a designated zone around the Boundary Waters. The state proceedings are separate from a review launched by the Biden administration last month that created a serious obstacle to the Twin Metals project. It ordered a two-year study that could lead to a 20-year ban on mining upstream from the Boundary Waters. Twin Metals is appealing that decision. The federal government's move revived an effort to block Twin Metals that began in the final weeks of the Obama administration but was reversed by the Trump administration. Twin Metals, which is owned by the Chilean mining giant Antofagasta, says its mine design would prevent any acid drainage from the sulfide-bearing ore and protect the wilderness from pollution. It says the environmental review process already underway, if allowed to move forward, would show that the mine can be safe for the environment and should be permitted. TORONTO - Some of the most active companies traded Tuesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange: Toronto Stock Exchange (21,594.52, up 37.98 points.) Enbridge Inc. (TSX:ENB). Energy. Down seven cents, or 0.13 per cent, to $52.62 on 29.6 million shares. Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Energy. Down 17 cents, or 0.52 per cent, to $32.67 on 11.4 million shares. Athabasca Oil Corp. (TSX:ATH). Energy. Up 10 cents, or 6.9 per cent, to $1.55 on 8.2 million shares. Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Industrials. Unchanged at $2.05 on 6.4 million shares. Cenovus Energy Inc. (TSX:CVE). Energy. Up 11 cents, or 0.68 per cent, to $16.36 on 6.2 million shares. Baytex Energy Corp. (TSX:BTE). Energy. Up one cent, or 0.24 per cent, to $4.25 on 6.2 million shares. Companies in the news: Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB). Up 18 cents or two per cent to $9.30. Aurora Cannabis Inc. says it incurred an $11.9-million net loss in its most recent quarter, but uncovered millions more in savings from an ongoing restructuring. The Edmonton-based cannabis company says its loss in the first quarter of its fiscal year compared with $101.4 million in the same quarter last year. The company says the loss amounted to six cents per share for the period ended Sept. 30,a drop from a loss of 85 cents per share in the first quarter of the last year. Aurora's net revenue for the quarter amounted to $60.1 million, down from $67.6 million in the same quarter the year prior. Aurora was expected to report a loss of $49.6 million per diluted share on $60.6 million of revenues, according to financial data firm Refinitiv. Aurora spent the quarter working to streamline its operations and says it has identified cash savings of $60 million to $80 million, but only executed on $33 million in annualized run-rate cost savings to date. Freshii Inc. (TSX:FRII). Down 20 cents or 8.2 per cent to $2.25. Freshii Inc. is planning to double its store count in Canada as the company plots an ambitious path out of the pandemic. The Toronto-based company behind the healthy fast food franchise said Tuesday it has completed an extensive real estate review and developed a growth plan for the Canadian market. Matthew Corrin, chairman and chief executive of Freshii, said the company has about 270 Freshii locations in Canada, but the market could support twice that number. Freshii chief financial officer Daniel Haroun told analysts during a conference call that the company sees "significant runway to grow units across North America, including room to more than double our store base in Canada alone." Freshii reported $5.8 million in revenue during its third quarter Sept. 29, up from $4.8 million a year earlier. Same-store sales were up 10.6 per cent compared with the same quarter last year. Freshii reported a net loss attributable to the company of $749,000 or two cents per share for the 13-week period, compared with a net loss attributable to the company of $130,000 or zero cents per share in the same quarter last year. MEG Energy Corp. (TSX:MEG). Down 22 cents or 1.9 per cent to $11.21. The chief executive of MEG Energy said Tuesday he doesn't expect the ongoing dispute between Canada and the U.S. over the Line 5 cross-border pipeline to hurt his company's ability to move heavy oil to the U.S. Gulf Coast. On a conference call with analysts, Derek Evans the head of the Calgary-based energy company said now that Enbridge Inc.'s Line 3 replacement project is operational, MEG is less concerned about the outcome of bilateral talks over Line 5. Court documents filed by the federal government say planning is well underway for bilateral talks in the dispute over the Enbridge's cross-border pipeline. A proposed motion filed last week in U.S. District Court in Michigan says the first formal negotiating session between the two countries will happen "shortly.'' On Monday, MEG Energy reported what Evans called "exceptional financial results" against the backdrop of strengthening global oil prices and an improvement in heavy oil differentials. The company boosted its output forecast for the year as it reported a profit of $54 million or 17 cents per diluted share in its latest quarter compared with a loss of $9 million or three cents per share a year ago. Revenues for the three months ended Sept. 30 were $1.09 billion, up from $533 million in the third quarter of 2020. Hexo Corp. (TSX:HEXO). Up three cents or 1.5 per cent to $1.97. Hexo Corp. says it will close three recently acquired facilities and lay off about 155 workers as it works to streamline production. The Ottawa-based cannabis company says it will shutter properties in Kirkland Lake and Brantford, Ont., that it acquired when it bought 48 North Cannabis Corp. The company will also close a Stellarton, N.S., facility it picked up in its purchase of Zenabis Global Inc. The Ontario closures are expected to be complete by Jan. 31, while the Nova Scotia property will be decommissioned by Feb. 28. Hexo estimates 155 workers will be affected by the closures aimed at centralizing the company's cultivation, manufacturing and distribution operations. The moves come less than a month after Scott Cooper was appointed chief executive after Hexo co-founder Sebastien St-Louis left the company during a strategic organization. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. OTTAWA - The Canadian government is facing mounting pressure to waive the patent on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to allow a Canadian manufacturer to export a low-cost version to Bolivia. NDP MP Niki Ashton stands during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on April 26, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA - The Canadian government is facing mounting pressure to waive the patent on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to allow a Canadian manufacturer to export a low-cost version to Bolivia. The Bolivian government struck a deal with Ontario's Biolyse Pharma to seek a compulsory licence to produce and export COVID-19 vaccines without the permission of the patent holder. The process is legal under the scarcely used Canadian Access to Medicines Regime, which was designed to allow export of patented medicines to developing nations facing public health crises such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Bolivian Minister of Foreign Trade and Integration Benjamin Blanco partnered with the federal NDP for a news conference to announce the country's request has been ignored for months. "As time elapses, the more lives are lost, more with a fourth wave where all the many countries in the world are being hit hard, especially those developing countries," he said through a translator on Tuesday. NDP MP Niki Ashton says these vaccines would save lives in Bolivia, and Canada must grant the compulsory licence that would enable the vaccine production to take place. "The bottom line here is saving lives. What we need to do is allow for Canada to be part of the solution," Ashton said. So far Canadian government officials have not issued a response to Bolivia's request. Health Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada officials have met with Biolyse to discuss the compulsory licensing process and Health Canada requirements, according to a statement from Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne's spokesman Tuesday. Our government has been a strong advocate for equitable access to affordable, safe, and life-saving COVID-19 vaccines around the world. Our approach has been guided by an understanding that this pandemic will not be over anywhere until its over everywhere," said John Powers. He did not say whether Canada is contemplating moving forward on the application. It's possible if Canada were to go out on a limb and waive the patents for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, they could run afoul of the pharmaceutical companies the country relies on for its own vaccine supply. But NDP health critic Don Davies said that's part of taking leadership. "We're talking about a responsible, judicious, sensible, targeted relaxation of patent rules for the purpose of facilitating the production of life-saving vaccines," Davies said. "I think that's not only a responsible position, I think it's the only ethical and, frankly, is the only pragmatic decision." The Canadian Access to Medicines Regime has faced criticism for being cumbersome and slow, making it difficult to quickly deliver the aid needed in developing nations. Critics said the phone number associated with the program is out of service and the website listing the drugs applicable for the program has gone dormant. "I find that abhorrent," said Biolyse spokesman John Fulton. "If we can't use (Canadian Access to Medicines Regime) for a worldwide pandemic that's killing millions of millions of people, then really what's the use?" Several other groups have called for Canada to add COVID-19 vaccines to be added to the list of drugs under the Canadian Access to Medicines Regime. "In low-income countries around the world we're seeing about four per cent (vaccination)," said Adam Houston, medical policy and advocacy officer for Doctors Without Borders Canada. "There's definitely need for vaccines, particularly in low-income countries." Doctors Without Borders sent a letter to federal ministers this past summer to express concern about the impediments in Bolivia's deal with Biolyse. While the group cites several issues with the program, they said Canada should at least follow its own process to get vaccines to those who need them. Even if Bolivia and Biolyse Pharma get the go ahead, it would take months to ramp up and get ready for production. Biolyse would also need assistance from Johnson & Johnson, or else be forced to submit new clinical trials for approval before large-scale production and export could begin. Meanwhile the idea for an international waiver to the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, or TRIPS, has been gaining steam but Canada has been reticent to take a position. Such a waiver would make it easier for developing countries to import the expertise, equipment and ingredients necessary to make their own vaccines. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. NEW YORK (AP) Big cannabis companies are backing a new, celebrity-infused campaign to enlist marijuana users to pressure members of Congress to legalize pot nationwide. FILE - Seth Rogen appears at a premiere in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, 2019. Big cannabis companies are backing a new, celebrity-studded campaign to legalize marijuana nationwide, hoping to build pressure on Congress from constituents who haven't always made themselves heard: marijuana users. "Legalizing cannabis is long past due, and if we make enough noise, we can make it happen," actor Seth Rogen, a cannabis company co-founder himself, says in a kickoff video. (Photo by Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP, File) NEW YORK (AP) Big cannabis companies are backing a new, celebrity-infused campaign to enlist marijuana users to pressure members of Congress to legalize pot nationwide. Federal legalization has advanced somewhat but still faces strong headwinds on Capitol Hill. The Cannabis in Common initiative launched Tuesday aims to change that. A website makes it easier for supporters to email or call their congressional representatives and push for making marijuana legal. State-licensed pot companies also plan to email their customers, put up posters in shops, add information to their apps and otherwise encourage consumers to get involved. Legalizing cannabis is long past due, and if we make enough noise, we can make it happen, actor Seth Rogen, co-founder of a cannabis company and enthusiastic user of the drug, says in a kickoff video. Comedian Sarah Silverman voices another, animated promo. Eighteen states and Washington, D.C., have legalized recreational adult use of marijuana and a voter-approved measure in a 19th state, South Dakota, is undergoing a court challenge. More than two-thirds of states allow medical marijuana. But pot remains illegal under federal law to possess, use or sell, so many banks shun money from the cannabis industry, fearing it could expose them to federal legal trouble. FILE - Actress Sarah Silverman, left, and actor Seth Rogen participate in a press conference during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011 in Toronto. Big cannabis companies are backing a new, celebrity-studded campaign to legalize marijuana nationwide, hoping to build pressure on Congress from constituents who haven't always made themselves heard: marijuana users. "Legalizing cannabis is long past due, and if we make enough noise, we can make it happen," actor Seth Rogen, a cannabis company co-founder himself, says in a kickoff video. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, File) That conflict has shut many legal growers and sellers out of everyday financial services like opening bank accounts or obtaining credit cards. It also has forced many businesses to operate only in cash, making them ripe targets for crime. Pro-legalization groups have mounted state and federal campaigns for years, and advocates are split about Cannabis in Common, which isnt focused on any particular piece of legislation. Organizers say it breaks ground by extensively involving major industry players and mobilizing their customers. We just feel theres a larger, untapped group of individuals that we would love to see weigh in, said Steve Hawkins, CEO of the U.S. Cannabis Council, an industry-led coalition organizing the campaign with HeadCount, a voter registration group. The council declined to disclose the cost. While cannabis companies have done individual lobbying, this new effort reaches across all the peccadilloes that every weed interest brings to the table in hopes of getting past the patchwork of state legislation, said Jeremy Unruh, a senior vice president of PharmCann Inc., which has dispensaries in six states. More than two dozen companies have signed on, including the vaping brand Pax and such publicly traded corporations as Canopy Growth, Curaleaf Holdings and Cronos Group. The effort quickly drew criticism from a national anti-legalization group, Smart Approaches to Marijuana. CEO Kevin Sabet, a former Obama administration official, called the campaign an egregious example of profit over public health. Some nonprofit, pro-legalization groups are joining the Cannabis in Common initiative. But others are steering clear. The Drug Policy Alliance sees the campaign as overly corporate and not dedicated enough to expunging past marijuana convictions and helping communities and people who have borne the brunt of pot arrests. For us, its not just about getting federal legalization over the finish line, says Maritza Perez of the alliance, which convened the nonprofit-focused Marijuana Justice Coalition in 2018 to push for legalization coupled with other reforms. We have a very specific constituency that we are fighting for, and thats people who have been impacted by prohibition. NORML, one of the nations oldest legalization groups, is sitting out the new campaign and focusing on specific congressional proposals to make marijuana federally legal, political director Justin Strekal said. A proposal to decriminalize and tax marijuana, expunge federal pot convictions and direct pot tax money to communities beleaguered by the war on drugs passed the House last year. The measure was reintroduced in this year's new Congress and recently passed a key committee again. President Joe Biden has said he supports decriminalizing marijuana and expunging past pot use convictions, but he hasnt embraced federally legalizing the drug. A Gallup poll released last week found 68% of Americans favor legalization, including 83% of Democrats, 71% of independents and 50% of Republicans. The survey of 823 adults had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. Pointing to such polls, the new campaign casts legalization as an issue that crosses political divides and has new potential in the Democrat-led Congress. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D.-N.Y.) in July became the chamber's first leader to back legalizing marijuana, pledging to make this a priority in the Senate, where Sens. Cory Booker of New Jersey and Ron Wyden of Oregon have drafted legislation. And legalization advocates hope to have a champion in Vice President Kamala Harris, who said before her election that making pot legal at the federal level is the smart thing to do. But legalization opponents note that it's not clear that all Senate Democrats would vote for marijuana legalization, let alone find enough Republican supporters to avoid a filibuster. Congress is otherwise occupied with massive legislation on social services and climate change ahead of next year's midterm elections. WASHINGTON - Planning is "well underway" for bilateral treaty talks between Canada and the United States in the dispute over the Line 5 pipeline, with formal negotiations expected to begin "shortly," the federal government says in new court documents. FILE - In this July 6, 2017, file photo, Lauren Sargent, takes part in a protest before the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline public information session in Holt, Mich. THE CANADIAN PRESS/The Grand Rapids Press-Cory Morse WASHINGTON - Planning is "well underway" for bilateral treaty talks between Canada and the United States in the dispute over the Line 5 pipeline, with formal negotiations expected to begin "shortly," the federal government says in new court documents. A proposed motion filed Friday in U.S. district court in Michigan says an initial dispute resolution session, as spelled out in the 1977 pipeline treaty between the two countries, is in the works. "Planning for a first formal negotiating session under the treaty is well underway, and Canada expects that first session to happen shortly," reads the supplemental brief submitted by Gordon Giffin, the former U.S. ambassador to Canada who is serving as the federal government's American counsel. "Canada hopes that these negotiations will yield a mutually satisfactory solution as between Canada and the United States regarding the interpretation, application and operation of the 1977 treaty." Should those negotiations fail, the next stage of the dispute resolution process would be binding international arbitration, the motion says. "Canada's decision to invoke (the treaty) reflects the importance of this matter to Canada's energy security and economic interests and its relationship with the United States." Canada opted to formally invoke the 44-year-old treaty last month after talks involving a court-appointed mediator broke down between the state of Michigan and the pipeline's operator, Enbridge Inc. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered the cross-border pipeline shut down last November for fear of an environmental disaster in the ecologically sensitive Straits of Mackinac, the waterway where the pipeline crosses the Great Lakes. The White House has acknowledged that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting an environmental assessment on Enbridge's plans to encase the underwater portion of the twin pipeline in a deep, fortified underground tunnel. But spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre was quick to note Tuesday that the process is not an indication that President Joe Biden's administration is looking to shut down the expansion. "Canada is a close ally and a key partner in our in energy trade as well as efforts to address the climate crisis and protect the environment," Jean-Pierre told the daily White House briefing. "These negotiations and discussions between the two countries shouldn't be viewed as anything more than that, and certainly not an indicator that the U.S. government is considering shutdown. That is something that we're not going to do." As to the ongoing operation of the existing pipeline, she added, that's the subject of "litigation between Enbridge and the state of Michigan" and that "we expect the U.S. and Canada to engage constructively on it." Jean-Pierre would not respond to media reports that Biden, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador plan to meet in Washington as early as next week, part of a long-standing commitment to rekindle their trilateral tradition of annual in-person meetings. Officials in the Prime Minister's Office and in diplomatic circles in both Ottawa and Washington also declined to comment. Lawyers for the state of Michigan did not immediately reply to Canada's request to file its latest motion. A Nov. 4 response to an earlier filing, however, dismisses the Canadian position as "legally unfounded." They argue that bilateral negotiations under the pipeline treaty ultimately have no bearing on the primary legal question before U.S. District Court Judge Janet Neff: whether the case properly belongs in Federal Court. Line 5 ferries upwards of 540,000 barrels per day of crude oil and natural gas liquids across the Canada-U.S. border and the Great Lakes by way of a twin line that runs along the lake bed beneath the straits linking Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Proponents call it a vital and indispensable source of energy particularly propane for several Midwestern states, including Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. They also say it is a key source of feedstock for critical refineries on the northern side of the border, including those that supply jet fuel to some of Canada's busiest airports. Critics want the line shut down, arguing it's only a matter of time before an anchor strike or technical failure triggers a catastrophic environmental disaster in one of the area's most important watersheds. They also point to a recent pipeline rupture off the coast of California, believed to be the result of an anchor strike, as an example of the fate that could befall the straits if Line 5's operations continue. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Another major railroad has gone to court to determine whether it has the authority to require all its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. FILE - A BNSF railroad train hauling carloads of coal from the Powder River Basin of Montana and Wyoming is seen east of Hardin, Mont., on July 15, 2020. BNSF Railway has gone to court to determine whether it has the authority to require all its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. BNSF filed a lawsuit Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, against its major unions over its mandate. It joins Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, which both filed similar lawsuits against the unions last month. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown File) OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Another major railroad has gone to court to determine whether it has the authority to require all its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. BNSF railroad filed a lawsuit Sunday against its major unions over its mandate. It joins Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific, which both filed similar lawsuits against the unions last month. The unions, which have filed some of their own lawsuits in response, argue that the railroads should have negotiated with them before imposing their mandates. The railroads that have imposed vaccine mandates say they are complying with President Joe Biden's executive order requiring all federal contractors to have their employees vaccinated. The railroads are not alone in facing resistance to vaccine mandates. Similar rules have generated disputes in a variety of workplaces. BNSF said in its lawsuit that it regularly updates its requirements for workers when federal regulations change, so the vaccine mandate should be no different. BNSF said the unions don't dispute when it changes drug testing rules, and they didn't fight it earlier this year when the railroad imposed a mask mandate after the Federal Railroad Administration ordered it. BNSF has a long-standing and well-settled past practice of unilaterally changing its rules and policies governing position requirements, medical standards, and safety in response to lawful federal government directives, the railroad said in its lawsuit. The railroads have said that employees will be disciplined if they fail to comply with the vaccine mandate. The unions didn't immediately respond in court to BNSF's lawsuit Monday, but in the other lawsuits they have argued the railroads were violating the terms of their contract by requiring vaccines and by offering bonuses to workers if they do get vaccinated. Both Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are offering employees $300 if they get the shots. The non-negotiated bonuses and unilateral decision to discipline employees who are not vaccinated functioned to undermine the collectedly-bargained agreements and reduce Norfolk Southerns obligations under those agreements, the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers Transportation Division, or SMART-TD, union said in its response to Norfolk Southern. Leaders of the SMART-TD union and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen have said they generally support workers getting vaccinated, but they don't think the railroads should require it without negotiating first. Federal judges have yet to rule on any of these lawsuits related to the railroads' vaccine requirements. BNSF, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific are three of the largest U.S. railroads. Spokeswomen for two other major major U.S. railroads, CSX and Kansas City Southern, said officials at those railroads are still considering whether to impose vaccine mandates in response to the executive order, but both railroads are encouraging employees to get the shots. NEW YORK (AP) In this world, there's a book for everybody. Take advantage of that sentiment during the holiday shopping season. NEW YORK (AP) In this world, there's a book for everybody. Take advantage of that sentiment during the holiday shopping season. Book sales have thrived during the pandemic after initial concerns that it might hurt the publishing business. Come the holidays, some new nonfiction might hit your gifting sweet spots. This photo shows the book cover for The Christmas Owl by Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer. (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers via AP) A sampling: Dressing the Resistance: The Visual Language of Protest through History, by Camille Benda. From ancient Roman rebellions to the Black Lives Matter movement, dress has empowered the powerless to express dissent. Benda, a costume designer and dress historian, tells the story in more than 150 images, photos and paintings with loads of context in text. Take the simple topi hat, a khadi cloth envelope style popular during India's fight for self-rule. The British authorities banned it, throwing fuel on the fire. $27.50. Princeton Architectural Press. The Christmas Owl, by Ellen Kalish and Gideon Sterer, with illustrations by Ramona Kaulitzki. This delightful Christmas tale is the true story of a little owl dubbed Rockefeller. The young, Saw-whet owl was found stuck in the branches of a towering Norway spruce grown in upstate New York and cut as Rockefeller Centers holiday tree last year. Uninjured but hungry, she spent a brief stint in a Saugerties rehabilitation center before she was set free. Kalish is executive director of the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in the Hudson Valley town. $15.49. Ages 4-up. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. This photo shows the book cover for Patient Zero by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen. Nonfiction books, for the right recipients, can be easy gifts this holiday season. (Workman Publishing via AP) Patient Zero: A Curious History of the Worlds Worst Diseases, by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen. Disease outbreaks. How do they start? How do they spread? How do we overcome? Those are questions for the times but certainly nothing new. This book explores all that came before COVID-19: plague, yellow fever, mad cow disease, typhoid and more. Who was Typhoid Mary? She was an asymptomatic, transient home cook who infected hundreds, if not thousands. Where did the N95 respirator mask begin? With Sara Little Turnbull and the fibrous molded padding for bras she came up with for 3M. $24.95. Workman Publishing. In the Weeds: Around the World and Behind the Scenes with Anthony Bourdain, by Tom Vitale. Bourdain's longtime director and producer shares stories and secrets from more than a decade of globetrotting with the beloved and complicated foodie/adventurer. There was the time Bourdain raved about a Hong Kong restaurant's Peking Duck, only to be told he was devouring suckling pig. And a stop in Namibia, when the warthog anus he ate hit his stomach hard. Bourdain killed himself in a French hotel room in 2018. $30. Hachette Books. Sharing the Wisdom of Time, by Pope Francis and friends. Soon to be a four-part documentary series on Netflix, this book is a collection of personal stories of grandparents and elders the world over, including filmmaker Martin Scorsese. There's a survivor of Auschwitz, a blind basket weaver in Kenya and a centenarian midwife in Guatemala. The pope said in a statement: Our society has silenced the voices of grandparents. We pushed them out of the way. During one of his daily prayer sessions, Pope Francis received an inspiration: to shine a light on the vital role of grandparents and other elders, according to the publisher. Loyola Press. $21.98. This combination of photos show book cover for The Highlights Book of Things to Draw, left, and The Highlights Book of Things to Write by Highlights. (Highlights via AP) Unprotected: A Memoir, by Billy Porter. Bullied at school, sexually abused by his stepfather, Porter tells his truth of growing up gay in Pittsburgh. He was criticized by his church and sent to therapy to fix his effeminacy at age 5. The Emmy, Grammy and Tony winner details his HIV-positive diagnosis in 2007, and his struggles with shame and trauma through the decades. There is healing in Sharing. There is healing in the truth, Porter told GLAADs Anthony Allen Ramos in an interview. $19.69. Abrams Press. Fantastic Fungi Community Cookbook, edited and with essays by Eugenia Bone, recipes by the Fantastic Fungi Community. With plant-based lifestyles all the rage, this book contains more than 100 ways to prepare mushrooms, from appetizers and mains to desserts and drinks. Chaga chocolate chip cookies, anyone? The book follows the path set by Louie Schwartzbergs award-winning documentary, Fantastic Fungi: The Magic Beneath Us, and is driven by the fans who sprang up. $37.50. Insight Editions. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real-Life Tales of Black Girl Magic, edited by Lilly Workneh with a foreword by CaShawn Thompson, who originated the #BlackGirlMagic hashtag in 2013. The latest in a series for children ages 6-up, this book highlights the contributions of 100 barrier-breaking Black women and girls through generations. Amanda Gorman, Naomi Osaka and Ava DuVernay are included. So is Sanite Belair, who at 15 fought in the Haitian Revolution and paid with her life in front of a firing squad. $35. Rebel Girls. This photo shows the book cover for Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitts Creek by Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy. (Black Dog & Leventhal via AP) Best Wishes, Warmest Regards: The Story of Schitt's Creek, by Daniel Levy and Eugene Levy. You're welcome, fans. Your favorite father and son have put together behind the episode insights, Q&A conversations among cast members, and definitive guides to Moira's emotional support wigs and David's many knits. Here's Karen Robinson on her Ronnie Lee: I think people should strive to be more like Ronnie. Live your life authentically. When you speak, speak the truth. $31.99. Black Dog & Leventhal. The Highlights Book of Things to Draw, by Highlights. The folks that bring you Highlights magazine have provided a fun artist's primer for kids ages 7-up. The journal-style book has 175 how-to creative projects and activities, from learning how to incorporate texture to drawing shadow art. Similarly, there's The Highlights Book of Things to Write, with imaginative prompts like: You find a talking tree. What does it say about the view? $14.99 each. Highlights Press. Spike, by Spike Lee. Fun fact: Lee's thesis film at New York University, Joe's Bed-Stuy Barbershop, won a student Academy Award. Not-so-fun fact: Lee was the only person of color at the award ceremony. In scrapbook style, with loads of behind-the-scenes photos, Lee tells his story in a career-spanning monograph his first using material from his archives. Photos, featuring the work of Spike's brother, David Lee, are beautifully reproduced. Text is impactful but kept to a minimum. $50. Edited by Steve Crist. Chronical Chroma. Keep Moving: The Journal, by Maggie Smith. The author and poet's bestseller, Keep Moving: Notes on Loss, Creativity and Change, was a title for the moment in 2020. Now, she has a companion journal intended to inspire the world to persevere. It has 52 exercises with writing prompts divided into the same three sections as the book: revision, resilience and transformation. Says Smith: I know now that hope is a muscle it grows bigger and stronger the more I use it. $16. Atria/One Signal Publishers. ___ Follow Leanne Italie on Twitter at http://twitter.com/litalie BRUSSELS (AP) Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the metaverse, the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) BRUSSELS (AP) Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen warned Tuesday that the metaverse, the all-encompassing virtual reality world at the heart of the social media giant's growth strategy, will be addictive and rob people of yet more personal information while giving the embattled company another monopoly online. In an interview with The Associated Press, Haugen said her former employer rushed to trumpet the metaverse recently because of the intense pressure it is facing after she revealed deep-seated problems at the company, in disclosures that have energized legislative and regulatory efforts around the world to crack down on Big Tech. If you dont like the conversation, you try to change the conversation, the former product-manager-turned-whistleblower said. The documents she has turned over to authorities and her testimony to lawmakers have drawn global attention for providing insight into what Facebook may have known about the damage its social media platforms can cause. She is in the midst of a series of appearances before European lawmakers and regulators who are drawing up rules for social media companies. Meta, the new name for the parent company of Facebook, denied it was trying to divert attention away from the troubles it faces by pushing the metaverse. This is not true. We have been working on this for a long time internally, the company said in a statement. It stressed that its working to responsibly build the metaverse essentially a series of interconnected virtual communities that will merge online life with real life. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has said that users will, for example, be able to attend virtual concerts or fence with holograms of Olympic athletes in the metaverse and he refocused the entire company on creating it, including renaming the business Meta. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Facebook Whistleblower, Frances Haugen spoke Monday to MEP's about the negative impact of big tech companies' business models on users and societies and how this could be tackled by the EU's digital legislation. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) Launching that new brand, in fact, draws attention to the company, it said in a statement, adding that if it didnt want the scrutiny it would have delayed or scrapped the launch altogether. But the new focus on the metaverse creates a whole new set of dangers, Haugen said. In Snow Crash, the 1992 sci-fi novel that coined the phrase, it was a thing that people used to numb themselves when their lives were horrible, she said. So beyond the fact that these immersive environments are extremely addictive and they encourage people to unplug from the reality we actually live, she said, Im also worried about it on the level of the metaverse will require us to put many, many more sensors in our homes and our workplaces, forcing users to relinquish more of their data and their privacy. In a presentation last month, Zuckerberg described how the metaverse would allow for mixed-reality business meetings where some participants are physically present while others beam in as avatars. The company has launched virtual meeting software called Horizon Workrooms for use with its virtual reality headsets, so co-workers can (hopefully) better communicate, brainstorm and socialize virtually, instead of, say, looking at one another on a Zoom call grid. But Haugen said employees of companies that use the metaverse would have little option but to participate in the system or leave their jobs. "If your employer decides theyre now a metaverse company, you have to give out way more personal data to a company thats demonstrated that it lies whenever it is in its best interests, she said. Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen speaks during an interview with The Associated Press in Brussels, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. Frances Haugen said she's "extremely concerned" about the metaverse that the social media giant has rebranded to focus on delivering, saying the futuristic virtual reality world would force people to give up more of their personal information, be addicting and give the embattled company another monopoly in the online world. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) And she cautioned the public not to expect more transparency. Theyve demonstrated with regard to Facebook that they can hide behind a wall. They keep making unforced errors, they keep making things that prioritize their own profits over our safety, she said. Haugen has said Facebooks systems amplify online hate and extremism, fail to protect young people from harmful content, and that the company lacks any incentive to fix the problems, in revelations that shed light on an internal crisis at the company that provides free services to 3 billion people. To back up her allegations, she has made a series of disclosures to the Securities and Exchange Commission that were also provided to Congress in redacted form by her legal team. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including the AP. In Tuesday's interview, she expressed astonishment that the company would shift focus to a whole new realm while it is under such intense criticism about the areas where it is already working. Theyre going to hire 10,000 engineers to work on video games when they havent actually gotten safety right on their main product," Haugen said. For that, she faulted Zuckerberg personally, saying he has exhibited a pattern of prioritizing growth over making sure Facebook is good for users. I think that is a failure of leadership, she said. Unless he wants to prioritize the safety of the platform, he should step aside and let someone else focus on that." The company denied that its putting profits over safety. Yes, were a business and we make profit, but the idea that we do so at the expense of peoples safety or well-being misunderstands where our own commercial interests lie, it said, adding that it plans to spend more than $5 billion in 2021 on safety and security and employs more than 40,000 people who work on keeping users safe. Zuckerberg has previously dismissed Haugens claims as a coordinated effort to paint a false picture of the company. But officials in Washington and European capitals are taking her claims seriously. European Union lawmakers questioned her intensely Monday, before applauding her at the end of the 2 1/2 hour hearing. The EU is drafting new digital rules for the 27-nation bloc that call for reining in big digital gatekeepers, requiring them to be more transparent about algorithms that determine what people see on their feeds and making them more accountable for the content on their platforms. Facebook has said it largely supports regulations, with legislative efforts in the EU and United Kingdom much further along than those in the U.S. New rules could squeeze advertising revenue, but Meta's stock price appears to have so far weathered the recent storm. Haugen has made stops in London and Berlin to speak to officials and lawmakers and spoke at a tech conference in Lisbon. She also will address French lawmakers in Paris on Wednesday. ___ Chan reported from London. LONDON (AP) A British newspaper publisher on Tuesday began its court appeal against a judge's ruling that it invaded the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, arguing that she knew the letter would potentially be published. FILE - Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, salutes during the Global Citizen festival, on Sept. 25, 2021 in New York. A British newspaper publisher began Tuesday its court appeal against a judge's ruling that it invaded the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, arguing that she knew the letter would potentially be published. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah) LONDON (AP) A British newspaper publisher on Tuesday began its court appeal against a judge's ruling that it invaded the privacy of the Duchess of Sussex by publishing parts of a letter she wrote to her estranged father, arguing that she knew the letter would potentially be published. Publisher Associated Newspapers is fighting back against Meghan Markle, 40, who sued it for invasion of privacy and copyright infringement over five February 2019 articles in the Mail on Sunday and on the MailOnline website that reproduced large portions of a letter she wrote to her father, Thomas Markle. The letter was written after the American's 2018 marriage to Prince Harry. A High Court judge sided with the duchess in February, ruling that the paper's publication of the letter was manifestly excessive and hence unlawful. On Tuesday, lawyer Andrew Caldecott sought to overturn that ruling by arguing that the letter was not written as an intimate communication for her father's eyes only. The letter was crafted specifically with the potential of public consumption in mind because the claimant appreciated Mr. Markle might disclose it to the media, the lawyer told the Court of Appeal. He referred to new evidence from Harry and Meghan's former communications secretary, Jason Knauf, suggesting that Meghan suspected her father may disclose the letter to journalists. Caldecott also argued that the publication of the letter was part of Thomas Markle's right to reply following misleading media reports that alleged he was cruelly cold-shouldering his daughter in the run-up to her royal wedding. The publisher was ordered in March to print a front-page statement stating it had infringed the duchess's copyright, but the statement has not been published pending the outcome of the appeal. Three senior judges preside over the appeal, which is expected to last three days. A ruling is due at a later date. Meghan, a former star of the American TV legal drama Suits, married Harry, a grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Meghan and Harry announced in early 2020 that they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. MONTREAL - Residents of a New York border town say they're eager to welcome Canadians now that the United States has eased land border restrictions, but they worry that costly COVID-19 testing rules will keep many travellers away. People pull up to the United States border as the land border opens to non-essential traffic, in St-Bernard-de-Lacolle, Que. Monday, Nov. 8, 2021. The border has been closed to non-essential traffic for 20 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz MONTREAL - Residents of a New York border town say they're eager to welcome Canadians now that the United States has eased land border restrictions, but they worry that costly COVID-19 testing rules will keep many travellers away. On Monday, Christmas music floated down the halls of the Champlain Centre mall in Plattsburgh, N.Y., about an hour south of Montreal, where some retailers dreamt of the return of tourist dollars perhaps in time for the holidays. "We cannot wait to have Canadian shoppers come back," Emily Moosmann, the mall's marketing director, said in an interview. "We miss hearing French in the hallway; we miss seeing their faces." To lure shoppers back, the mall created a web page headed by a large maple leaf highlighting new stores that have opened, local COVID-19 test sites and special discounts for Canadian residents. "About 30 per cent of our traffic is Canadian, so, not seeing them here, we definitely feel the impact," she said. While there were only a few cars with Quebec licence plates in the parking lot on Monday, Moosmann said retailers were optimistic things would pick up on the weekend. Charles Loscalzo, the manager of Bookburgh Books, said he was offering a 10 per cent discount to Canadian customers, and he was doing anything he could to make sure travellers feel at ease given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. "We have hand sanitizers, we're observing social distancing," he said in an interview behind the counter. "Masks here are optional, but we wear them even though everyone is vaccinated." The United States on Monday reopened its land border with Canada to non-essential travel for the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Several retail managers and residents who spoke to The Canadian Press said they welcomed the reopening but expressed concern about ongoing restrictions. The United States requires that travellers be fully vaccinated. But Canada also requires anyone entering or re-entering the country to show proof of a negative PCR test which costs around $200 in Montreal private clinics. Plattsburgh Mayor Christopher Rosenquest said Monday's reopening will allow for the return of business travel, snowbirds passing through and people with homes or family in the area who are likely to stay longer which he calls a "good first step." Rosenquest, however, called on the Canadian government to scrap the testing requirement, which he said would probably keep away the day trippers the city relied on in pre-pandemic times. "We are looking forward to seeing those restrictions loosened up for more casual tourists that are coming to do some shopping or to get their oil change or do some travelling and hiking to the Adirondacks, things like that," he said in a recent interview. It's unclear how big an economic impact the border closure has had on Plattsburgh's economy. While several retailers who spoke with The Canadian Press said the closure has hurt their bottom line, Rosenquest said sales tax usually an indicator of tourism only went down about three per cent at the beginning of the pandemic, which he attributes to local people spending more of their dollars at home. He said, however, certain businesses that cater to tourists, such as boating, have been harder hit. But Rosenquest said the impacts of the border closure go beyond economic. "We miss our Canadian friends, we really do," he said. "It's such a pleasant cultural exchange to have Canadian travellers come and meet our friends, practise our French a little bit here and there. We really do miss it." In downtown Plattsburgh, the Antique Variety Mall had a steady stream of customers browsing vintage jewelry, furniture and Christmas decor. District manager Rebecca Vanvalkenburg said sales had been down about 25 per cent or 30 per cent due to the lack of cross-border shoppers. But more importantly, she said, she was eager to reunite with the people she knows in Canada. "I miss my friends from the north!" she said, adding that ties run deep between Quebec and upstate New York. She said many people have family and friends on both sides of the border. After a year and a half of pandemic, she said it was time to scrap the testing requirement and allow the reunions both sides are craving. "Open up and let people live," she said. "We've been through enough." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 9, 2021. WASHINGTON (AP) To enforce President Joe Bidens forthcoming COVID-19 mandate, the U.S. Labor Department is going to need a lot of help. Its Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesnt have nearly enough workplace safety inspectors to do the job. 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) WASHINGTON (AP) To enforce President Joe Bidens forthcoming COVID-19 mandate, the U.S. Labor Department is going to need a lot of help. Its Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesnt have nearly enough workplace safety inspectors to do the job. So the government will rely upon a corps of informers to identify violations of the order: Employees who will presumably be concerned enough to turn in their own employers if their co-workers go unvaccinated or fail to undergo weekly tests to show theyre virus-free. What's not known is just how many employees will be willing to accept some risk to themselves or their job security for blowing the whistle on their own employers. Without them, though, experts say the government would find it harder to achieve its goal of requiring tens of millions of workers at companies with 100 or more employees to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4 or be tested weekly and wear a mask on the job. There is no army of OSHA inspectors that is going to be knocking on employers door or even calling them," said Debbie Berkowitz, a former OSHA chief of staff who is a fellow at Georgetown Universitys Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. "Theyre going to rely on workers and their union representatives to file complaints where the company is totally flouting the law. Jim Frederick, the acting chief of OSHA, told reporters that this agency will focus on job sites where workers need assistance to have a safe and healthy workplace." 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) That typically comes through in the form of a complaint, Frederick added. Critics warn that whistleblowers have often faced retaliation from their employers and that OSHA has offered little protection when they do. The new mandate, which Biden announced last week, is the administrations most far-reaching step yet to prod more Americans to get a vaccine that has been widely available since early spring. The mandate will cover an estimated 84 million employees. The president called the move necessary to combat an outbreak that has killed 750,000 Americans and that continues to spread. Companies that fail to comply will face fines of nearly $14,000 per serious violation. Employers found to be willful or repeat violators would be subject to fines of up to ten times that amount. The mandate has run into furious opposition, though, from leaders of mainly Republican-led states who have condemned the plan as an unlawful case of federal overreach and who immediately challenged the vaccine-or-test requirements in court. On Saturday, the Biden administration endured a setback when a federal appeals court in New Orleans temporarily halted the mandate, saying it posed grave statutory and constitutional issues. Should the mandate survive its legal challenges, though, the task of enforcing it would fall on OSHA, the small Labor Department agency that was established 50 years ago to police workplace safety and protect workers from such dangers as toxic chemicals, rickety ladders and cave-ins at construction sites. In this Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, photograph, a sign notifies customers that COVID-19 vaccinations are available at a pharmacy in a grocery store in Monument, Colo. 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/David Zalubowski) OSHA has jurisdiction in 29 states. Other states, including California and Michigan, have their own federally approved workplace safety agencies. These states will have an additional month until early February to adopt their own version of the COVID mandate, equal to or tougher than OSHAs. For a task as enormous as enforcing the new vaccine mandate, OSHA and its state partners are stretched thin. Just 1,850 inspectors will oversee 130 million workers at 8 million job sites. So the agencies must rely on whistleblowers. OSHA urges workers to first bring unsafe or unhealthy working conditions to the attention of their employers if possible. Employees could also file a confidential safety complaint with OSHA or have a case filed by a representative, such as a lawyer, a union representative or a member of the clergy. But they have no right to sue their employer in court for federal safety violations. Typically, 20% to 25% of OSHA inspections originate with a complaint. You fill out a form or somebody fills out a form for you," said Berkowitz, the former OSHA chief of staff. "And thats all workers have. If OSHA decides not to inspect, thats it. Or if OSHA inspects but decides not to cite the employer, thats it. ... So its a pretty weak law. Only OSHA can bring cases over violations of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the law that is meant to provide safe workplaces. Going outside OSHA to sue employers for negligence is all but impossible, say Berkowitz and other worker advocates. State worker compensation programs which reimburse injured workers for medical costs and lost wages and provide death benefits to survivors of those killed include no-fault provisions that block most lawsuits. Even sounding the alarm can be risky. Technically," Berkowitz said, "the law says that companies cant retaliate against a worker for raising a health and safety issue or filing an OSHA complaint or even reporting an injury. But retaliation is rampant. OSHA can pursue employers who punish workers for speaking out against unsafe working conditions. Last month, for example, the agency sued a luxury car dealer in Austin, Texas, that it said fired an employee who had warned co-workers about potential coronavirus hazards in the workplace. But in a report co-written by Berkowitz, the National Employment Law Project, which advocates for worker rights, found that OSHA dismissed without investigating more than half the COVID-related complaints of retaliation it received from whistleblowers. Just 2% of complaints were resolved in the five-month period last year that the law project studied. Workers have just 30 days to file an OSHA complaint over retaliation. OSHA needs to improve its handling of whistleblower complaints, the Labor Departments Inspector General, its internal watchdog, concluded last year. When OSHA fails to respond in a timely manner, it could leave workers to suffer emotionally and financially, and may also lead to the erosion of key evidence and witnesses. Still, most companies are considered likely to comply with the COVID mandate, as they mostly do with other OSHA rules. Some employers were likely relieved: They may have wanted to require inoculations on their own but worried that they'd alienate anti-vax workers and possibly lose them to employers that didnt require vaccinations. Most employers theyre law abiding, says David Michaels, a former OSHA chief who is an epidemiologist and professor of public health at George Washington University. Theyre trying to make sure that they meet the requirements of every law and regulation .. Now OSHA will follow up. Theyll respond to complaints. Theyll do spot checks. Theyll issue citations and fines, and theyll make a big deal of those" to discourage other potential violators. ___ AP Business Writer Tom Krisher in Detroit contributed to this report. LOS ANGELES (AP) Rapper and fashion mogul Ye's high-end clothing company Yeezy agreed Monday to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by four California district attorneys over slow shipping to customers. LOS ANGELES (AP) Rapper and fashion mogul Ye's high-end clothing company Yeezy agreed Monday to pay $950,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by four California district attorneys over slow shipping to customers. The suit brought last month by the district attorneys of Los Angeles, Sonoma, Napa and Alameda counties alleged that Yeezy had engaged in false advertising about its shipping and had violated state law by failing to send online orders within 30 days. Last month, a judge approved a request from the artist formerly known as Kanye West legally changed his name to Ye. He designs and sells sneakers under the Yeezy brand in collaboration with Adidas. The company also makes and sells clothes. Adidas was not named as a defendant in the lawsuit. An email sent seeking comment from Yeezy was not immediately returned. The settlement includes $800,000 in civil penalties to the district attorneys offices, $50,000 in restitution to a state consumer protection fund, and $100,000 in investigative costs. Its been a long, dry year in Manitoba. Those used to frosty mornings and first licks of snow by this point in November, have instead been met with clear, sunny skies and unusually balmy days. Its been a long, dry year in Manitoba. Those used to frosty mornings and first licks of snow by this point in November, have instead been met with clear, sunny skies and unusually balmy days. Despite the thrills of a warm mid-fall, agriculture and climate experts warn the dry year is part of a pattern that could have serious consequences in the future. "We had a significant rainfall in mid-harvest which helped quite a bit, and another one about a month ago, which helped put some confidence in people to do some fall fertilization and some fall tillage to stimulate some pasture growth," said Keystone Agricultural Producers president Bill Campbell. "But that did not really get into the sub soil at all, so theres huge concerns moving forward about what the sub-soil moisture levels will be in 2022." Campbell said farmers across the province are "hoping and praying" for heavy snows and spring rain to help revitalize the land. Only 332 millimetres of precipitation have fallen in Winnipeg so far this year. In 2020, the city logged 283 mm, said Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. The annual average, dating to 1875, is around 510 mm. "This year, were a lot closer than we were last year for sure, and we still have two more months to go, but we are well-below that average for sure," she said. The Drought Monitor of Canada a federal map tracking severities of drought across the country indicates the majority of Manitoba is in either a severe, extreme, or exceptional drought, with areas of exceptional drought (the highest level) centred around Winnipeg. "That is the worst that they can classify something and its a huge area that encompasses Winnipeg and a lot of southern Manitoba, and its been that way for quite some time," said Hoffman. Though droughts and floods are part of the normal ebb and flow of prairie life, climate change expert Curt Hull believes the dry conditions that have scored the past couple years are "absolutely" cause for concern. "The indications are that climate change is amping everything up. Its making floods more severe, and its making droughts more severe," said Hull. Hull noted the extreme weather patterns lead to a phenomenon called the "loss of stationarity," meaning effectively industry experts from agriculture to engineering are less able to rely on past data to plan for the future. Manitobas rivers and lakes have been particularly low this year. Over the weekend, water levels stooped so low the Red River coughed up a long-forgotten car just south of the Provencher Bridge. In other areas around the city, low water levels in the Assiniboine, Red and La Salle rivers have exposed dangerously thick mud or left paths open to walk through bone-dry floodways. Lake Winnipeg, too, is at its lowest point in history. Campbell said the low rivers and low water retention areas will be a concern for rural Manitobans who depend on reservoirs and groundwater for residential and agricultural use. "Water is somewhat taken for granted that you turn on the tap and expect it to be there; if its not the impacts are huge, especially if you have livestock that require water throughout the winter," he said. Without stable water sources, Campbell said some rural Manitoban farmers may have to drill wells, haul water or offload livestock, all of which comes with "huge" consequences. "When you look at the impact that the drought has had and it is so widespread my information leads me to believe that we are about 20 million tons short of production in Western Canada," said Campbell. As prices of goods for farming increase and soil moisture levels decrease, Campbell said Manitobas grain exports will likely take a hit this year, having effects on the transport industry, farmers' contributions to the economy, and the provinces overall gross domestic product. "There will be a trickle-down effect to some degree on what agriculture contributes to Manitobas economy this year," he said. "Its concerning moving forward." julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @jsrutgers Kelly Hearson is glad to get his grandfather's missing war medals back even though he didn't know they were missing. Kelly Hearson is glad to get his grandfather's missing war medals back even though he didn't know they were missing. Hearson, whose grandfather, John Thomas Hearson, fought in the First World War and then trained troops in the Second World War, received the seven medals and uniform patches in September after a Goodwill store in Calgary tracked him down when the medals were donated by someone last June. John Thomas Hearson's missing war medals were found at a Goodwill store in Calgary. Hearson, who lives in Winnipeg, said his family is originally from Saskatchewan and his grandfather, who died at 86 years of age in 1981, lived for years in Weyburn. "My grandmother died seven years before he did and he told me it broke his heart," said Hearson. "I believe after he died the medals went to my dad's sister. She lived in Calgary, so that makes sense. She died about six years ago... I didn't even know about the medals, or even if he had any, until the Goodwill contacted me. But I've got my dad's medals and the medals of three uncles, so if I'd thought about it I might have wondered where my grandfather's medals were." Two of Hearson's uncles were killed in action during the Second World War while a third was part of the raid on Dieppe in 1942 and taken prisoner. Hearson's grandfather, who was born in Nottingham, England in 1895, served in the trenches in the First World War and fought at the Somme. Later, after the war, Hearson's grandfather and family, including his dad, who was only two years old, came to Canada and settled in Weyburn. Hearson said after the Goodwill workers found the medals, and following a lot of searching, they were finally able to trace him, thanks to a donation he made to the Lake Winnipeg Foundation that was listed online. He said when they first contacted him, and sent him a photo of the medals in a display frame, he knew immediately they were his grandfather's a photo of him was also in the frame. Hearson is currently having the medals restored before he mounts them in a frame, either by themselves or with the medals of his other relatives. "I'm happy to have these to add to this collection," he said. "They will be honoured by my family and, when I die, they will stay in the family." kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca Melvin Swan began his speech in Ojibwe while at Thunderbird House in Winnipeg on Monday morning, his spoken words a powerful rebuke of residential school efforts to rid Indigenous students of their language. Melvin Swan began his speech in Ojibwe while at Thunderbird House in Winnipeg on Monday morning, his spoken words a powerful rebuke of residential school efforts to rid Indigenous students of their language. Swan, a 12-year military veteran and residential school survivor, continued his address in English during a commemoration for Indigenous veterans at the Main Street gathering place. "I borrow the white mans language," Swan said, as he reflected on this year's discovery of unmarked graves at former residential school sites across Canada. "A lot of lives have been taken from us, but were still here. Were human beings and well never forget. We will always remember them the warriors, the veterans," he said. About 50 people attended the National Indigenous Veterans Day ceremony, which has been held each year on Nov. 8 since 1994 to remember and honour Indigenous war veterans. A large circle of chairs allowed for social distancing in the brightly lit room. Others watched the event online. Warriors of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and Elder Dr. Winston Wuttunee perform the closing honour and prayer as part of Monday's ceremony at Thunderbird House. (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press) Drumming and the powerful vocals of Winston Wuttunee opened the ceremony. Wreaths were placed to honour fallen comrades and the Last Post called out before a moment of silence, after which veterans had the opportunity to share their own moving speeches. "Its an honour and a privilege to be here today to celebrate those of you who also proudly served or are here to remember those that cant be with us today," said Leo Baskatawang, who served in the U.S. army from 2002 to 2007. "I dont think any of us could have been prepared for what we were getting ourselves into," he said. "It comes with a very high cost." Baskatawang remains proud to have served despite memories of loved ones lost in war and the trauma that comes with survival. Having left his army service behind, Baskatawang says he's gone on to serve his people in other ways. He is currently an assistant professor at York University. Renata Meconse, representing families who couldnt be at the gathering in person, thanked those in attendance for bringing awareness to Indigenous veterans. The COVID-19 pandemic kept the event online for most people, but Meconse said she is appreciative of being able to have the event at Thunderbird House, which concluded with a prayer song by Wuttunee and the Warriors of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. fpcity@freepress.mb.ca With just 10 staff to examine 2,500 reports of possible abuse in personal care homes annually, Manitobas auditor general is investigating how the province looks into mistreatment of its most vulnerable. With just 10 staff to examine 2,500 reports of possible abuse in personal care homes annually, Manitobas auditor general is investigating how the province looks into mistreatment of its most vulnerable. The Protection for Persons in Care Office is a branch of Manitoba Health, which care-home operators say often takes years to look into possible neglect or abuse. Awareness training cut The Protection for Persons in Care Office drastically cut back its educational sessions last year, which aim to train personal-care home staff on abuse and how to report mistreatment. Manitoba Health statistics show the office did just six of the presentations in the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with an average of 41 sessions in the previous five years. click to read more The Protection for Persons in Care Office drastically cut back its educational sessions last year, which aim to train personal-care home staff on abuse and how to report mistreatment. Manitoba Health statistics show the office did just six of the presentations in the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with an average of 41 sessions in the previous five years. As a result of the pandemic and the visiting restrictions which were in place in most facilities, the PPCO did dramatically scale back the number of presentations it delivered to facilities, a provincial spokesperson wrote. The PPCO is in the process of resuming providing presentations to facilities through in-person and virtual training sessions. Julie Turenne-Maynard, executive director of the Manitoba Association of Residential and Community Care Homes for the Elderly, said the sessions were designed to ensure long-term care workers understand how to spot possible abuse and their legal duty to report neglect. That was appreciated by staff, she said. That might explain the sudden drop in complaints in the last fiscal year. When (the PPCO) would come to educate staff, there would be an increase in reporting. Dylan Robertson Close "Often the residents have died, or staff have moved on or are not working when they finally get back to us," said Julie Turenne-Maynard, executive director with the Manitoba Association of Residential and Community Care Homes for the Elderly. Her group, commonly known as MARCHE, said care homes have dozens of cases that have sat unresolved for years, many of them not even beginning the process by conducting interviews. "You can imagine how that frustrates the families, the residents who have put forward a complaint and for the facility that has to deal with this; it just becomes something in limbo," Turenne-Maynard said. (SUPPLIED) Tyson Shtykalo, Manitoba's Auditor General. Last month, auditor general Tyson Shtykalo issued a notice that "based on stakeholder concerns received by our office," his team started probing "how the PPCO receives and investigates concerns regarding the level of care provided in Manitoba personal-care homes." His office declined an interview request and wouldnt describe the number or type of complaints it has received. "I always encourage Manitobans to bring matters to our attention," reads a statement attributed to Shtykalo. "Any stakeholder can contribute information to an audit in progress, suggest a new topic for an audit, or bring information to our attention on any government program they are concerned about." Manitoba Health says it has 10 full-time equivalent staff in the protection office, which received 2,282 reports of abuse or neglect in the 12-month fiscal year that ended in March 2021. Over the past six years, the office has received an average of 2,500 reports each year, largely from personal-care homes, but also from hospitals. I always encourage Manitobans to bring matters to our attention. A statement attributed to auditor general Tyson Shtykalo Those reports could include anything from a personal-care facility worker not giving a resident an adequate number of baths, to residents assaulting or bullying each other, to criminal acts, such as a staff member stealing jewelry. Suspected crimes, however, are often reported directly to police. The protection office vets each report to see if merits a further investigation, which can ultimately result in a rebuke from a regulatory body, or placing someone's name in the elder-abuse registry. Manitoba Health says it has just 10 files from 2019 awaiting a decision on whether an investigation is merited, 59 from 2020 and 228 from this year. As for investigations, 174 havent been resolved, including 49 each from 2019 and 2020. There are 38 outstanding investigations from 2018. Over the past six years, the office has received between 2,266 and 2,771 reports of abuse or neglect; its unclear how many of those proceeded to an investigation. The 2,282 reports received in the fiscal year that ended in March the first 12 months of the pandemic represent the lowest number since three years prior. The province had no comment on whether the agency is short-staffed, or if anything has been done to deal with a backlog of cases. We're talking about a segment of the population is growing rapidly (and) concerns being brought forward that are incredibly serious, oftentimes rooted in traumatic experiences for the senior involved and their loved ones. There should never be a backlog. NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara But NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said having files languish for years is alarming when MLAs have been referring families with concerns about loved ones to the protection office. "This is obviously very concerning. It's something that needs to be immediately addressed by this government; they need to outline what their plan is," Asagwara said, arguing theres no other way to ensure standards are being upheld. The MLA for Union Station said it bolsters the case for an independent seniors advocate, which PC leadership candidate Shelly Glover had also pledged. "We're talking about a segment of the population is growing rapidly (and) concerns being brought forward that are incredibly serious, oftentimes rooted in traumatic experiences for the senior involved and their loved ones. There should never be a backlog," said Asagwara. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Julie Turenne-Maynard is executive director with the Manitoba Association of Residential and Community Care Homes for the Elderly. Turenne-Maynard said the protection office staff seem overworked but dedicated to their jobs. She said non-profits and companies who run care homes dont appreciate having to wait years for the office to determine whether an employee has been neglectful. "It's just one other issue that needs to be addressed in the entire long-term care environment," she said. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca CHINA recently launched a test missile that whirled around the entire planet travelling at five times the speed of sound and previewing hypersonic duplicates that could possibly threaten nuclear obliteration all over the place. Opinion CHINA recently launched a test missile that whirled around the entire planet travelling at five times the speed of sound and previewing hypersonic duplicates that could possibly threaten nuclear obliteration all over the place. Getting their adjectives mixed up, some say this could be the beginning of a second Cold War. The more worrisome issue could be a hot war. A China invasion of Taiwan could be the starting point even though Chinese President Xi Jinping recently promised peaceful unification. Sadly, he is trying to get there with such tactics in Taiwanese skies as 150 Chinese fighter jets showing off with nuclear-capable, submarine-detecting technology. Taiwan once ruled China, but then, 70 years ago, a civil war spurred a splitting of ways that robbed Taiwan of power even as it became a prosperous democracy. Right now, a whole lot of shaking is going on because Xi, after all, is a chest-thumping superpower contender of totalitarian character. He has talked quite a bit lately of bringing hostile Taiwan into the pack again, no matter how much force it might require. The east coast of China, after all, is just 80 miles away from Taiwan, and China has the largest army in the world, 2.19 million soldiers. Then there are its modernizing adventures, such as the hypersonic weapons representing advanced technology that the U.S. military has barely touched. The New York Times has noted that, for the second time, the Chinese government is setting up 110 silos to hold such missiles of apocalyptic celebrity. The Times refers as well to China furthering its presence in space, also a threat. The best war deterrent is strength that we surely know we must regain when looking at Chinese evil: clamping down on hustling, bustling Hong Kong; killing off Chinese Muslims; and suffocating human rights wherever else it can. China is not yet pretending it owns space, but is behaving as if it owns the South China Sea, saying who can and cant cross portions of these international waters and not-so-pleasantly correcting neighbours on orders they dont salute. Stay out of all of this, Xi has warned America, even as he seems confident China would win a Taiwan war. Not a few American intelligence agents have been quoted as agreeing, because of Chinas advantage of being nearby and its growing military potency, compared to U.S. problems of being far away with declining military potency. U.S. President Joe Biden said on TV that America has a commitment to protect Taiwan, later hiding in ambiguity. The risks, if we do, include a deficiency of up-to-date navy ships, most of our military aircraft being old beyond usefulness and the military not getting enough recruits. Budgets passed by Congress have not allowed for needed improvement and hypersonic missiles are seen as a threat to U.S. defence systems that some experts say wont work anyway. We are right now far too dependent on China economically as it controls ever more small countries through duplicitous trade, and Chinese leaders seem to be playing games with climate change. The best war deterrent is strength that we surely know we must regain when looking at Chinese evil: clamping down on hustling, bustling Hong Kong; killing off Chinese Muslims; and suffocating human rights wherever else it can. A vital step is persuading other nations in Europe and Asia to join us in deflating Chinese desires to rule the world that could eventuate in World War III. Are there reasons for hope? Yes. One of the most sweeping Pentagon measures is something called the Air-Sea Battle, in which the United States is setting up small bases for the Air Force and Navy in all kinds of strategically located spots in Southeast Asia. These are in addition to major bases in Japan and South Korea and could get our retaliation forces where they need to be in a hurry. An amazing move has been Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States forming AUKUS to fend off Chinese aggression, as in the United States supplying China-hectored Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. Another boost would be for the White House to quit contradicting itself. Tribune News Service Veterans of the Second World War have always had it easier, by comparison. Opinion Veterans of the Second World War have always had it easier, by comparison. After the Great War (which came to be known as the First World War), everyone was just relieved it was over. There was no triumphant victory, just general exhaustion. Returning home, veterans were hit by a global pandemic (the 1918 influenza pandemic), killing millions and upending whatever was left of life from before the war. Photo courtesy of Department Of National Defence/National Archives of Canada Wounded Canadian soliders are transported from the battlefield near Vimy Ridge, France, in April, 1917. The Korean War (a "conflict" that took decades to be recognized as a "war" by the Canadian government) is still not over. It ended with a truce, not a victory, and became just one of the bloodier incidents in the Cold War another war that has dragged on for decades and still rears its head in international relations. Veterans of Canadas various peacekeeping missions were never officially fighting in a war, despite how it felt on the ground in the Balkans, especially in Bosnia. It was also hard to return home from Rwanda or Somalia feeling like a hero, while other peacekeeping missions have dragged on for decades. There have been no victory celebrations, no parades, just the quiet welcome of families who later came to realize the emotional costs of these deployments overseas. By contrast, the Second World War ended a terrible evil, one that had a face (and a moustache) that society had come to fear and despise. The veterans were treated as conquering heroes, then and still, so many years later. My maternal grandfather was part of the liberation of Holland, as a tank mechanic, but to the end of his life he remembered the gratitude of the Dutch people. There were Canadian units, led by Canadians, who fought as Canadians and returned home to Canadian celebrations. The Great War and the influenza were followed by a few years of economic recovery, before the stock market crash of 1929 and a decade of the Great Depression. Only protests, some angry, led to financial support for veterans from governments that were overwhelmed and inadequate. Again, by contrast, the Second World War was followed by the Marshall Plan and the booming prosperity of the new American empire and its allies. Everything was newer, bigger and better, even though it blossomed under the radioactive clouds of atmospheric testing and the prospect of global nuclear annihilation. For the veterans, life was good, as Royal Canadian Legion branches sprang up across the country, and they could wear their navy-blue blazers in public, and with pride. For the veterans of Canadas longest war, the war in Afghanistan, on this Remembrance Day there is much less to celebrate, however. The Taliban are back in power, and despite recent, heroic efforts on the part of these veterans, thousands of Afghans and their families are still at risk because of their help to Canadian forces. The Canadian involvement in Afghanistan was marked by the ways our troops overcame adversity. It is a sad fact, however, that much of that adversity was caused not by enemy fighters, but by politicians at home and is, still. After 13 years of war, 158 Canadian lives lost and billions of dollars spent, after more than 40,000 Canadians left their homes and deployed to Afghanistan, in many different roles (only some of which were in combat), it is now over. We left in 2014, not because our role was completed, but because the Harper government was facing reelection and hoped for a bounce in the polls, by bringing our people home. But unlike in 1945, hardly anyone noticed. Once again, there were no celebrations. How could there be? I understand the applause for veterans of the Second World War, and the respect shown to those few remaining, but they have been honoured many times before. We need to change the focus of Remembrance Day, and honour instead those who offer their time, their work, their health and sometimes their lives in the service of all Canadians. Focusing on that service, rather than on (only once) winning a war, creates a far better way for us to recognize and remember our veterans. We will continue to call on the Canadian Armed Forces as the flood waters rise again; as yet another disaster strikes at home or abroad; as the forest fires burn and the pandemics rage. When violence threatens Canadians, we rely on the cool heads, courage and skill of our armed forces to defend us, in the air, on the land and at sea to make, as well as to keep, the peace. We need to honour and embrace those serving today, and respect them for their continuing sacrifices. We need to honour and embrace those who are healing from the physical and emotional wounds of their service in Afghanistan and elsewhere right now, not just keeping alive the memory of those who have long since passed on. Wear a poppy, watch or attend a ceremony, pause and reflect, thank someone for their service. Lest we forget knowing our veterans never will. Peter Denton is associate professor of history (adjunct) at the Royal Military College of Canada, and a life member of the Royal Military Institute of Manitoba. IF we think parents can be persuaded to put the greater good of the community ahead of the personal good of their children, we should ask elementary school teachers. They will smile at our naivete. Opinion IF we think parents can be persuaded to put the greater good of the community ahead of the personal good of their children, we should ask elementary school teachers. They will smile at our naivete. Teachers know from countless parent-teacher interviews that parents are compulsively fixated on the welfare of their offspring. Teachers can talk about whats best for the class as a whole, outline the latest trends in education theory, and explain at length the mission statement of the school, but parents soon cut to the chase: "Is it best for my child?" Parents, at least the good parents, are governed by a primal urge to guide their children safely through the dangers of the outside world. Its this passion that motivates parents to sacrifice the considerable time, energy and money required to raise kids responsibly. This tunnel vision of parents, which teachers know so well, will likely become a critical factor in Manitobas next stage of COVID-19 immunization as this province moves to vaccinate children under 12. The controversy about vaccinating children against COVID-19 is already underway in places including the United States, where children were rolling up their sleeves this week after approval from the necessary governing bodies in that country. Canada is expected to soon follow the U.S. Health Canada is current studying an application from drug-maker Pfizer to approve its vaccine for children aged five to 11, and then it has to get a thumbs-up from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Dr. Joss Reimer, medical lead on Manitobas vaccine implementation task force, has said her team is preparing to immunize children in that young age range, perhaps by December. Manitobas medical teams may soon be good to go, but many parents will have doubts about whether they should let a needle anywhere near the tender arms of their little darlings. The public conversation about this contentious issue typically begins with health officials recommending children get jabbed because the spread of COVID-19 can best be curtailed by immunizing as many people as possible. Such reasoning is sound. Children are as likely as adults to carry COVID-19 to others. They can bring the virus home from school to their family members, including grandparents and people who already have health problems. But that argument doesnt convince all parents. A poll released Oct. 18 by the non-profit Angus Reid Institute showed only 53 per cent of Manitoba/Saskatchewan parents will inoculate their children aged five to 11 against COVID-19 as soon as its available. There are an estimated 125,207 Manitoba children in that age category, so the survey means 58,847 eligible Manitoba children will not immediately get the jab. Its not that parents opposed to vaxxing their children dont understand the benefits. They know widespread community immunization will increase the chances of letting their children resume a normal childhood, instead of COVID-19 testing and quarantining of their entire household every time a child gets a sore throat and runny nose. Theyre likely fed up with raising children in an environment poisoned by fear of an invisible killer virus. But, as resolute guardians of their childs safety, parents have questions. Why should their child get vaccinated when everyone knows children dont get as sick as adults from COVID-19? The question is legitimate. Manitoba statistics show that, although children less than 12 now make up about one-third of COVID-19 cases in this province, no children of that age needed admittance to the intensive care units in October. How thoroughly has the vaccine been tested on children? What possible side effects may their child experience from the vaccine itself? If children are immunized, are they less likely to get "long-haul effects" that can afflict even mild cases with symptoms such as memory loss, depression and fatigue? It will be up to Manitoba health officials to answer such questions clearly and often, to debunk untruths from dodgy internet sources, and perhaps enlist the help of family doctors, teachers, clergy and other community leaders who have already build a bond of trust with parents. When health officials argue all Manitobans will benefit if children get immunized, this reasoning will fall on deaf ears for many parents. The greater-good argument would seem to parents like theyre being asked to risk their children to protect other people. Might as well try to separate a mother bear from her cubs. carl.degurse@freepress.mb.ca Carl DeGurse is a member of the Free Press editorial board. IT was already known that the first and only verified Norse settlement in North America was at LAnse aux Meadows, at the northern tip of Newfoundland. The specialists even assumed that it happened in the early 11th century, because the Norse sagas more or less said so. But the traditional carbon-14 dates were all over the place. Opinion IT was already known that the first and only verified Norse settlement in North America was at LAnse aux Meadows, at the northern tip of Newfoundland. The specialists even assumed that it happened in the early 11th century, because the Norse sagas more or less said so. But the traditional carbon-14 dates were all over the place. The Dutch-led team of archaeologists who solved the riddle used three pieces of wood from the settlement that had been cut by metal (and therefore Viking) tools. They found a specific tree ring in each piece that had been hit by a massive burst of cosmic radiation in AD 993, and then counted tree rings outwards to the last growth ring in the year the trees died: 28 more rings, so 1021. Clever work and a solid date at last, but we already know from the sagas that the site was only inhabited for a few years. Many people also suspected that "Vinland," as the Norse called it, was never meant to be a permanent colony. Nevertheless, its striking how this obscure bit of archaeological news has been amplified in the media, presumably because it provides opportunities for homilies about the evils of colonialism. Wrong target. Leif "The Lucky" Ericsson and his comrades were actually just interested in trade. The settlements back in Greenland that the Norse at LAnse aux Meadows came from had only been founded themselves one generation before, in AD 985. There were probably fewer than 1,000 Norse in Greenland in 1021, and the last thing on their minds would have been to set up another settlement a further 1,500 km by sea from Europe. "By sea," because Norse longships kept in sight of land whenever possible. Its only 750 kilometres as the bird flies from Greenland to Newfoundland, but the longships sailed north up the Greenland coast, a short hop across open ocean to Baffin Island, west along the Baffin coast, another brief ocean passage, and then south down the Labrador coast to LAnse aux Meadows. So what motivated them to go so far? Timber, for one thing, as there are few trees in Greenland and none big enough to make keels for ships or roof beams for houses. But there was plenty of good timber in southern Labrador and Newfoundland. Just go and cut some, and come home again. Why did they need a year-round base at LAnse aux Meadows? Because they needed trade goods to pay for all the things they had to import from Europe: grain, iron, wine, glass and luxury goods. So having discovered a whole new region, it seemed worthwhile to take a look around and see what low-bulk, high-value resources it might have to offer. To do that, they needed the year-round base, because they could not get out of their fjords back home in Greenland until the sea-ice retreated in late May. That didnt leave enough time to sail to LAnse aux Meadows, explore farther south, and get home again before the autumn freeze-up. The crews had to over-winter in Newfoundland. They explored the St. Lawrence River and what is now Canadas Maritime provinces. They may have made it down to the New England coast. There were clashes with the "Skraelings," they called the native inhabitants, and even among the Vikings themselves. (They were quarrelsome people.) At least one Norse baby was born in North America. But they found nothing as valuable as the walrus ivory they were already hunting at Disko Bay far up the Greenland coast, and the ivory from there was covering the cost of their imports. So they wound the Vinland operation up, went home, and lived happily ever after until the climate turned against them three centuries later. No villains, no victims, no harm done. An utterly inconsequential outcome of the first contact between Europeans and the Americas. Although Vinland appeared on European maps as early as 1070, no European bothered going there again for half a millennium. So you can imagine my dilemma when the Newfoundland Museum asked me 20 years ago to write a guide to a major exhibition on the Vikings and the Skraelings in Vinland. (Im a Newfoundlander, Im a freelancer, and we look after our own.) How can you make a big deal out of this damp squib? Well, the ancestors of all modern human beings came out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. Some turned left and headed into Europe, where they were stopped by the Atlantic, too broad to cross. Others turned right, and populated Asia, Australasia and eventually the Americas via the land-bridge in the Bering Strait. But the descendants of the ones who turned left never saw the descendants of those who turned right again until AD 1021 in Newfoundland. Full circle. Will that do? Gwynne Dyers new book is The Shortest History of War. EMERSON Alex Roberecki couldnt wait to hit the road and make his way to the United States. EMERSON Alex Roberecki couldnt wait to hit the road and make his way to the United States. Roberecki, a Manitoba country music artist, has a busy two weeks ahead of him south of the border: hes performing at the University of Tennessee, and working as a server at the upcoming Country Music Association Awards in Nashville. "I was waiting, I wanted to go check that school out, I wanted to go down there and see what its like to live down there. Ive been calling, but until you go down there and experience it for yourself, you cant really know what its like," he told the Free Press just outside of the Canada-U.S. border Monday morning. That excitement was dampened by the realization hed have to pay $150 to $300 for a rapid PCR test to be allowed back into Canada after his trip, a federal policy Roberecki is "not a fan" of. Musician Alex Roberecki is heading down south to perform at the University of Tennessee. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) "It seems kind of ridiculous, if you want to create business, youve got to make it attractive for people to travel," he said. The highway south out of Manitoba fluctuated from a steady flow of drivers to backed-up traffic throughout the morning, as eased restrictions put in place shortly after midnight meant non-essential travel was possible on both sides of the border for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But theres a costly catch: while Canadians are able to enter the U.S., to return to Canada they must have, along with proof of vaccination, proof of a negative test taken within 72 hours of return. "I was going no matter what. I just found out about (the cost) and went, you win some, you lose some," Roberecki said. Unlike the U.S., Canada wont accept a rapid antigen test which are cheaper and quicker than PCR tests as proof of health status. Antigen tests are more likely to produce a false negative result. Lineups started at Simon Resch's Duty Free Shop at 5:30 a.m. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) Federal chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam said Nov. 5 the policy is being "actively looked at" by Ottawa. "Just to reassure everybody we are looking at that quite carefully." Commercial drivers arent required to provide proof of a negative test. The owner of Emerson Duty Free could barely contain his excitement when he realized just how busy the first day of eased border restrictions would be. As of 9 a.m., just a few hours after the store opened, it had been its busiest day in more than a year. "This morning, I wasnt really sure how it was going to go, with snowbirds and even with people whod be going down for a 24-48 (hour trip) I thought for sure with the PCR (testing requirements) we wouldnt see a single 48-hour tripper going down there," Simon Resch told the Free Press. "But we were backed up from around 5:30 this morning we havent seen that in 20 months. It was huge, that was amazing." A typical duty-free customer passing through, Resch said, is a family of four from Winnipeg planning a two-day trip to Grand Forks, N.D., for shopping. Dolores Dame and her husband Tom were on their way to Texas to collect their belongings from a trailer they sold. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press) "The requirement to have a negative PCR test on the way home really does kill that sort of leisure travel bug, it really does kill it," he said. Resch hopes the country moves away from costly, time-consuming PCR test requirements and eventually kills the testing requirement altogether, while still keeping public safety at the forefront of decision making. While business isnt at pre-COVID levels just yet, hes cautiously optimistic. "We really are geared toward the leisure traveler social vices at discount prices," he said. "The return of that for us is huge, its been a really long time coming. We knew it would be dampened with the requirement for the PCR test." Test time Not every PCR test available in the U.S. will break the bank. In Grand Forks, N.D., free PCR tests have been available since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Grand Forks public health department is providing tests to Canadian travellers free of charge. We want to get back to normal, we want to welcome Canadians back, but we also want to keep our community and keep ourselves safe and Canadians safe when theyre traveling, Grand Forks public health nurse Tiffany Boespflug said Monday. The catch is the slower turnaround time expensive tests can come back as quickly as one hour, but the free tests, which are publicly funded, may come back slower and not all travelers are willing or able to take the extra time. click to read more Not every PCR test available in the U.S. will break the bank. In Grand Forks, N.D., free PCR tests have been available since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Grand Forks public health department is providing tests to Canadian travellers free of charge. We want to get back to normal, we want to welcome Canadians back, but we also want to keep our community and keep ourselves safe and Canadians safe when theyre traveling, Grand Forks public health nurse Tiffany Boespflug said Monday. The catch is the slower turnaround time expensive tests can come back as quickly as one hour, but the free tests, which are publicly funded, may come back slower and not all travelers are willing or able to take the extra time. Our PCRs, we tell them (they take) 48-72 hours, but sometimes they come back sooner than that, depending on lab capacity, the demand for the tests, just to process all those PCRS, Boespflug said. However Canadians choose to get tested before returning, Boespflug said, she hoped visitors would follow all public safety guidelines during their stay in North Dakota. Our big push is promotion, so the main point is that we really want people to get vaccinated, so we can get out of this pandemic, she said. Close On Monday morning, Dolores Dame and her husband Tom were on their way to spend two weeks in the U.S. south. They were off to Texas, to collect their belongings from a trailer theyd sold. "Were hoping they lift (the PCR test policy) before we get back, because I think thats terrible. Were both double-vaccinated, and we have to pay Its just a money grab," she said. They plan to get a pricier test around $200, they said that promises same-day results. The couple said its not worth the risk of a less expensive test with a longer turnaround time, but its still not ideal. "A lot of people arent going because of the tests, but we have to go to get our stuff, so this is just an extra cost we didnt want to pay," Dolores Dame said. "Were seniors, you know. Its a gouge." with files from The Canadian Press malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: malakabas_ More coverage: A man who survived being shot by Kyle Rittenhouse described raising his handgun toward the Antioch, Illinois, teenager after watching him shoot and kill Anthony Huber. Gaige Grosskreutz, 28, of Milwaukee, was volunteering as a medic at the protest in Kenosha on Aug. 25, 2020, noting he had been acting as a medic at protests throughout the summer since the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May. In testimony Monday during the sixth day of the Rittenhouse homicide trial, Grosskreutz described what happened when he was shot, and he and a defense attorney sparred over what Grosskreutzs intentions were when ran toward Rittenhouse following the shooting of Joseph Rosenbaum, and then raised his gun toward Rittenhouse before he was shot. Rittenhouse is accused of killing Huber of Silver Lake and Joseph Rosenbaum of Kenosha and seriously injuring Grosskreutz on Aug. 25, 2020, during the unrest in Kenosha following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Rittenhouses legal team contends he acted in self defense as he feared for his own life. Grosskreutz testified that as he was just a few feet away when Rittenhouse, who had fallen to the ground after running from the scene of the Rosenbaum shooting, Rittenhouse fired two shots at one man and missed then shot Huber in the chest at close range after Huber tried to hit him with a skateboard and grab his gun. Did you witness him fire a shot into Mr. Hubers chest? Kenosha County Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger asked. I did, Grosskreutz said. Calm testimony Grosskreutz was calm and composed throughout his testimony Monday at the Kenosha County Courthouse, often turning toward the jury to address them directly when answering questions. He remained calm when graphic video and photos were shown of his shooting and injuries. Some jurors turned away when shown photos of Grosskreutz just after the shooting with a bloody, ragged hole the size of an orange in his bicep. Grosskreutz testified he had pulled out his Glock handgun as he ran down the street, and that he had his cell phone in his left hand and his cell phone in his right hand. What was going through your head at this moment, Binger asked about the moment he saw Huber shot. That I was going to die, Grosskreutz testified. A licensed medic Early in his testimony, Grosskreutz was asked to describe his background, his career as an EMT and then a paramedic, and what had led him to volunteer as a medic at protests. Like Rittenhouse, he had been a lifeguard as a teenager, and said that was one of the things that led him to become interested in a medical career. While Rittenhouse told multiple people on the night of the shootings, according to testimony, that he was a licensed EMT, Grosskreutz actually was licensed first as an EMT, then as a paramedic, and was working for a private ambulance service before the shootings. Grosskreutz said he also volunteered as a legal observer for the American Civil Liberties Union, and when he was at protests also live streamed video with his phone. He testified he was doing so when he heard shots south of where he was standing on Sheridan Road, those shots the ones that killed Joseph Rosenbaum. After seeing people running northbound and hearing people yelling medic I started running southbound to what I presumed at the time to be the origin of the gunshots, Grosskreutz testified. As he ran south, Grosskreutz encountered Rittenhouse running north. He ran alongside Rittenhouse, asking what happened, a video played in court showed. You just shot somebody? Who shot? Who shot? Grosskreutz can be heard saying. Rittenhouses voice is less audible. At the time, Grosskreutz said, he thought Rittenhouse said Im working with police but now believes he said Im going to police. Grosskreutz said he then turned back to where the original sound of gunfire came from, but after hearing people yelling that Rittenhouse was the person who shot someone, he turned around and started running after the people following Rittenhouse. I thought the defendant was an active shooter, and like I mentioned earlier, anytime you add a firearm to a situation the stakes are so much higher for someone being potentially injured or killed, he said. Cross examination In cross examination, defense attorney Corey Chirafisi pointed out that in statements to police the day after the shooting, Grosskreutz did not say he pulled his handgun out as he ran, instead saying he dropped it. Grosskreutz said he saw after he saw Rittenhouse shoot toward a still unidentified man who jumped into the air and attempted to kick Rittenhouse after he fell to the ground, and then shot Huber, Grosskreutz held up his hands. He testified that Rittenhouse re-racked his AR-15 after the Huber shooting. After the defendant re-racked his weapon with the AR-15 still aimed at me, in that movement I felt like I had to do something to prevent myself from being shot, or killed Grosskreutz said. He said he tried to close the distance to Rittenhouse, although he said he was not sure what he planned to do. Binger asked if he intended to kill Rittenhouse. I do know though that I was never trying to kill the defendant. That was never something I was trying to do. In that moment I was trying to preserve my own life, Grosskreutz said. Taking the life of another is not something I am capable of, that goes against the lifelong code I have lived by in medicine. In his cross examination, Chriafisi repeatedly showed Grosskreutz photos and video that showed the moments before the shooting. You would agree that you are pointing you gun at the defendants head, Chirafisi asks. As well as the defendant is pointing his gun at me? Grosskreutz countered. You dont agree that the gun is pointing at Mr. Rittenhouse, you dont agree with that? Chirafisi asks. In the direction, yes. Grosskreutz said. Roommate's posting debated Chirafisi also asked Grosskreutz about a social media post Grosskreutzs former roommate made after visiting Grosskreutz at the hospital following the shooting. Did you tell (the former roommate) that your only regret was not killing the kid and hesitating to pull the gun before emptying the entire mag into him? Chirafisi asks, referring to the roommates social media post. No, I never said that, Grosskreutz answered. The defense said they plan to call the roommate to refute Grosskreutzs statements when the defense calls his case. The defense also asked Grosskreutz about the lawsuit he has filed against the city and county seeking damages for his shooting. If Mr. Rittenhouse is convicted, your chances of collecting $10 million are better, correct? Chirafisi asked. Other witnesses who testified Monday included police officers, a state crime lab firearms expert, and a man who was taking video at the protests. The case is expected to continue, possibly through early next week. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Shannon Ratchman, campaign manager for Night the Light, appeared remotely and urged students to do their best for Liam and others like him. Even with COVID-19 hampering their efforts in 2019 and 2020, a total of $10,136 was raised. A portion of those funds went to purchase a mascot for Patriot K-9s of Wisconsin. That mascot, Asa was there with Lani Rethaber, the organizations executive director. Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}} Thank you for all your hard work, said Rethaber. Because of your efforts we are able to give a face to our efforts, and continue to help those who need service dogs to lead fuller, more fulfilling lives. Also present was Scott Miller, a K-9 recipient who was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He is now coping thanks to the help of Buddy, a yellow Labrador retriever arranged for Miller by Patriot K-9s. Craig Johnson, Randolph School District Director of Technology, spoke on behalf of 2020-21 honorees Bret and Michael Johnson. A total of $2,735 was raised with a COVID-safe coin drive and a donation was made in their names to the Fanconi Anemia Research Fund. Traditionally, children in kindergarten through grade 5 are included in the fundraising efforts, though because of COVID-19 sixth graders are being included this year. A fall tradition returns to Beaver Dam High School this week as the auditorium reopens to in-person audiences for its student musical. Fiddler on the Roof, with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, will be performed Thursday through Sunday by about 40 cast members and a full pit orchestra. The award-winning Broadway musical is set in a small town in rural Russia in 1905 where the narrator, Tevye, is raising five daughters. At that time, it was Jewish custom for a matchmaker to choose husbands for the daughters, but Tevyes daughters wanted to marry for love. This production is different than last years musical which was performed with masks, while social distancing for a livestreamed audience only due to the coronavirus pandemic. Senior Karl Weidler, who portrays Tevye, said hes happy to be back interacting with others on stage. This show is very story-driven. It focuses a lot on characters and how their relationships grow and change over time, and the factors that influence the change, he said. Weidler said period costumes, make-up and beards helped transform the students into the roles they are playing. Wisconsin Elections Commission administrator Meagan Wolfe on Tuesday said there are a handful of errors that will need to be corrected in the Legislative Audit Bureaus report on the 2020 election. Testifying before the Joint Legislative Audit Committee, Wolfe, who was speaking on her own behalf and not for the six-member bipartisan elections commission, said many of the inaccuracies in the report could have been addressed before it was released in late October had the Audit Bureau not made the unusual decision to publish the report without giving the agency or its staff a chance to respond. I do think that we should all want this to be an accurate record of the election, Wolfe said, adding later, I think what were asking is how can we get those corrected, being the choice was made to go in this direction? Several state Republicans have taken aim at Wolfe and the commission after allegations of a handful of cases of potential voter fraud in a Racine County nursing home, as well as the nonpartisan Audit Bureaus report, which did not find any evidence of widespread fraud or abuse in the states 2020 election, but did make 48 recommendations to the Legislature and commission for improvements to how elections are run. Contact or online? Moving away from binary approaches We need to move away from this binary approach, consider our contextual realities, and start with the end goal in mind. The coronavirus pandemic has presented us with an opportunity to hit the reset button to reorganise, intentionally redesign and rethink teaching and learning as we know it. COVID-19 has disrupted and displaced current orthodoxies, providing an opening to fundamentally reshape the relationship between teacher, student and content, both within the academy and broader society. The emergency response to the pandemic highlighted technological and digital inequality, and at the same time presented opportunities to explore permeable boundaries between contact, online and distance teaching and learning, and the potential that this permeability allows. Unfortunately, many in the higher education sector simplify this transition and surmise that, as we think of our return to campus, we have only two options from which to choose contact or in-person teaching and learning, or virtual online options. In this piece, I argue that we need to move away from this binary approach, consider our contextual realities, and start with the end goal in mind. The modern university is binary I am mindful that so much about the modern university is binary. While binaries are useful tools to help organise our thinking and our practices, we use them to grasp, understand and order complex contexts in the first instance. Binaries are also useful for observing opposites in teaching methods or modes of delivery. These observations may be enough to understand what is happening in a story or in a context, but it is not sufficient to complete the story, or to forge a new path in higher education. A more complex, inclusive, nuanced view incorporating multiple factors, including pedagogies, platforms, contexts, practices and research, needs to be synthesised if we are to shape a new teaching and learning journey in a post-COVID environment. It calls for us to learn from our history and experience over the past 18 months, to appreciate present contextual realities and environments, to embrace new ways of learning and teaching, and to understand how students learn, and want to learn. As we plan for the return to campuses in the new academic year, we should think of how we can reinvigorate the social engagement in learning, irrespective of the mode of provision. But how do we do that? Returning to campus First, we need to review the university as an aspirational site nested in local, regional, and global realities, which provides students with the best opportunities to excel, be it academically, or through nurturing change-makers, leaders, innovators, and active social citizens that transform society for good. Herein lie possibilities, too, for university teachers as agents of change themselves. Next, the post-COVID university must re-commit to providing a platform for diverse people, voices, disciplines and ideas to be heard, incubated and integrated in multi-, cross-, and transdisciplinary environments. This is the start of lifelong relationships, the formation of networks, and the partnerships that students will carry into the future. Third, student success ought to take up much of our time as we rethink what it means to return to campus. Universities must first determine what we would like to see in a successful graduate for example, the ability to access, digest, engage, interact with, and ultimately critically evaluate academic and other content; the support and tools to complete the academic programme in the allocated period; the soft skills required to exist in a large, diverse community; the democratic values to advance society; the critical skills to develop the economy; and the willingness to serve humanity. Is this aspiration only advanced in a bricks and mortar classroom? Are there possibilities that go beyond the physical classroom? My sense is that returning to campus will require a commitment to strong institutional support and systems; innovative thinking; and access to a range of available services and facilities that make learning possible irrespective of the mode of provision. Seven key learning and teaching areas At the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, where I am based, the senate has embraced seven key learning and teaching areas. It has committed to increasing flexible and lifelong learning opportunities; enhancing academics as university teachers; strengthening institutional capacity for curriculum development and renewal; diversifying assessment methods; expanding postgraduate education; developing innovative formal and informal learning spaces; and using data analytics to promote student success. Aligning our learning and teaching objectives with suitable modes of instruction and making use of the best research and technologies available to offer quality education, be it in-person, online, or a mixed or blended approach may offer a way forward as we plan for the next academic year. This comes down to the intentional design of our courses, including the most suitable modes of delivery for a particular course and thoughtful ways of facilitating student engagement. The conversation should thus move away from online versus contact teaching and learning. What have we learned in the past 18 months? The bigger question is how do we utilise what we have learned over the past 18 months to intentionally design academic courses in ways that allow flexibility, engagement, and excellence? The creation of reusable educational resources and a repository for such resources is essential as staff and students return to campus. Similarly, the consideration of innovative formal and informal learning spaces on campuses must be considered for students to engage with their classmates both in-person and online. Ultimately, it is the convergence of ongoing research, good course design, pedagogy, diverse assessment methods and our commitment to supporting students that will enable success and a meaningful learning journey. There are numerous narratives about the growing digital divide on the continent, which are often used to discount the ability to adopt blended learning approaches. These realities of student life and these inequalities are not new and have, in fact, been part and parcel of the inadequate, unequal socioeconomic reality of life for the majority of South Africans. As in previous years, responsive teachers in higher education have been taking these contextual realities into account as they design and plan learning and teaching encounters. Finally, our current context has demonstrated the need to monitor and measure student learning and engagement in ways that we did not have to do before. There is a rise in online plagiarism, cheating and dishonesty among students globally, with no effective technological solutions available to tackle this phenomenon. Cheat industries are on the rise, making it easier for students to engage in misconduct. Some effective interventions like diversity in assessment tasks, education, courses on ethics, positive peer pressure, and appropriate student support, could help to ameliorate the effects of the flourishing cheating industry. In conclusion, in whatever way we think about how we return to campus in the next academic year, our commitment to being a contact university with a vibrant institutional life and culture remains intact. After all, all educational exchanges, in person and virtual, are human exchanges in the first instance. Professor Ruksana Osman is the senior deputy vice-chancellor: academic at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, and is the UNESCO chair in teacher education for diversity and development. This article was first published on University World News. The 10 babies hoax 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? 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 women 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. The destruction of a media house 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 4.2 billion Rand (about US$276 million) 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. Journalist 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. Anton Harber, Caxton Professor of Journalism, University of the Witwatersrand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The promise of Damon Galgut Will white South Africa ever give up part of its privilege? Booker-winning novel probes white South Africa and the land issue South African writer Damon Galgut has won the UKs most prestigious literary award, the Booker Prize, for his work The Promise. It was Galguts third shortlisting for the career-defining award, which has evaded him until now. In 2003 he was shortlisted for The Good Doctor and in 2010 for In a Strange Room. So what is it that makes his latest novel The Promise so special? We asked Galgut expert Sofia Kostelac to fill us in about the writer and his tale of a white South African familys reckoning with a racist past and why the book is important, especially in South Africa where it is set. Warning: This article contains spoilers. Who is Damon Galgut? Damon Galgut is a South African writer born in Pretoria in 1963. He now lives and works in Cape Town. He made his literary debut at the age of 18, with the publication of his first novel, A Sinless Season, in 1982. The Promise is his ninth novel, and the third to be shortlisted for the prestigious Booker Prize. Although best known for his novels, Galgut has also authored several plays, screenplays and short stories. Like many readers, I was first made aware of Galguts writing when The Good Doctor was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2003. That novel encompasses many of the themes that Galgut has become best known for, including his searching meditations on the devastating legacies of apartheid and white-minority rule in South Africa. Yet his literary range also extends well beyond forms of politically engaged realism. It includes experiments with fictionalised memoir or autrebiography (In a Strange Room), biographical fiction (Arctic Summer) and metaphysical crime writing (The Quarry and The Impostor). What is The Promise all about? The Promise is a carefully layered novel that spans just over three decades in the lives of the Swarts, a white South African family living on a farm just outside of Pretoria. The promise of the novels title refers to the commitment that Manie makes to fulfil his wife Rachels dying wish: to give their domestic worker Salome, who has worked for the family for decades, the house on the Swart farm in which she lives. The promise remains unfulfilled for the next 31 years as successive inheritors of the land refuse to cede the property to Salome. The novel is divided into four parts, each focused on the death and funeral of a member of the Swart family. The deaths occur roughly a decade apart from each other. This is a structuring device that allows Galgut to hold three decades of South African history from the violent state of emergency in the mid-1980s to the tumult of contemporary times in view. While the dramatic socio-political changes of these years are apparent in every aspect of the Swart familys lives, little changes for Salome, whose wait for the dignity and safety represented by land and property endures. Why does the book matter? At the heart of the novel and the unfulfilled promise to Salome lies the question of what sort of restitution is possible in the context of South Africas brutally iniquitous history? The bitter irony on which the story rests is that Salomes house is entirely undesirable, consisting of three rooms and a broken roof. On a tough piece of land. It holds almost no material value for the Swarts, yet the family is torn asunder by their disagreements over its fate. What would it take, the novel implicitly asks, for a family like the Swarts to give up a modicum of their privilege to nudge us towards a more equitable society? The Promise attends, with meticulous detail and insight, to the pathologies of racism, pride and fear that make such acts unlikely. Galgut has rightly been praised by reviewers and the Booker judges for the formal skill with which he handles these vexing themes. The narrative voice is a remarkably inventive one that ranges between diverse characters with apparent ease, and delivers a rare combination of irony and empathy that wryly critiques the novels deeply flawed and afflicted characters without dehumanising them. Does the Booker Prize matter and what will it do for Galguts career? The Booker Prize is almost unparalleled in the attention and esteem it affords its winners. The prize has played a significant role in shaping the South African literary canon, and Galgut is now likely to take up a well-earned place alongside pantheons like J.M Coetzee and Nadine Gordimer as among the most recognised, studied and anthologised of the countrys writers. Sofia Kostelac, Lecturer, University of the Witwatersrand. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Expert legal opinion on COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver published Prof Tshepo Madlingozi has signed an expert legal opinion which finds states have an obligation not to block the proposed COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver CALS Director and associate professor of the Wits School of Law, Tshepo Madlingozi, is among the prominent academics, lawyers and judges who have signed an expert legal opinion produced by the International Commission of Jurists on the human rights obligations of states not to impede the proposed waiver of intellectual property rights in regard to COVID-19 vaccines and therapies. The expert opinion was produced by Sanya Samtani and Timothy Fish Hodgson and finds that the states currently impeding the COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver are acting in violation of the rights of everyone to health, life, equality and science as contained in the International Convenants on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) as well as Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). Other signatories of the expert opinion include founding CALS Director Prof John Dugard SC; former CALS Directors Prof Jackie Dugard and Prof Bonita Meyersfeld; colleagues from the Wits School of Law Prof Franziska Sucker, Prof Lilian Chenwi, Prof Firoz Cachalia and Prof Marius Pieterse; and many others. The full text of the expert opinion and a list of signatories can be found here. The expert opinion is still open for signature here. International Commission of Jurists welcomes sign on by experts on human rights, legal experts, intellectual property experts and other eminent jurists around the world. Below is an executive summary of the expert opinion. Executive Summary This opinion applies to the full range of diagnostics, medications, vaccines, therapeutics and other relevant health products required for the containment, prevention and mitigation of COVID-19. In short, it sets out States international human rights obligations to not impede the negotiations around the COVID-19 TRIPS Waiver, concluding that the many States currently impeding it at the World Trade Organization (WTO) are acting in violation of the rights of everyone to health, life, equality and science. Rights to Health, Life and Science. Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) guarantees the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (right to health) and obliges States Parties to take the steps necessary for the prevention, treatment and control of epidemic, endemic, occupational and other diseases and the creation of conditions which would assure to all medical service and medical attention in the event of sickness. Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) protects the right to life of every human being, requiring States to take measures to ensure health care essential to life without delay.2 The COVID-19 pandemic, which threatens life and health, engages the obligations of the State Parties to ICESCR and/or ICCPR.3 The rapid development of effective COVID-19 vaccines also engages the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications, the right to science in Article 15 of the ICESCR. Moreover, provid[ing] immunisation against major infectious diseases, such as COVID-194 is a minimum core obligation of immediate effect.5 Regulation of Businesses. The range of measures necessary to meet States minimum core obligations and realise the rights to life and health include effective regulatory measures to ensure that private actors, such as pharmaceutical companies, comply with their own responsibilities to respect human rights including the right to health.6 The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) has stressed that companies should refrain from invoking intellectual property rights in a manner that is inconsistent with the right of every person to access a safe and effective vaccine against COVID-19.7 CESCR has explained that ultimately, intellectual property is a social product and has a social function and consequently, States parties have a duty to prevent unreasonably high costs for access to essential medicines [] from undermining the rights of large segments of the population to health.8 Non-discrimination. Obligations in terms of all human rights must be performed without discrimination on any prohibited grounds. States Parties are required to take proactive steps to ensure substantive equality for marginalised groups and individuals,9 and to prohibit discrimination on the basis of one or more grounds of discrimination.10 The CESCR has reiterated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic that States parties must prioritise the fulfilment of human rights obligations relating to marginalised groups and individuals as they are disproportionately affected.11 International Cooperation. State Parties to ICESCR have undertaken to realise the rights under it through international assistance and co-operation, especially economic and technical.12 At the very least, States must facilitate access to essential health facilities, goods and services in other countries wherever possible and provide the necessary aid when required,13 and seek to influence [] third parties by way of legal or political means to ensure the full realisation of the right to health across the world,14 including by using their voting rights as members of different international institutions and organisations and if necessary through the development of further legal instruments.15 There is a special responsibility16 on high-income States to cooperate internationally by working with low and middle- income States to achieve the prevention, control and treatment of epidemic diseases such as COVID-19. Human Rights Obligations of WTO Member States. Over 85% of the Member States to the WTO are also States Parties to ICESCR and ICCPR. Thus, States obligations to realise the rights to life and health in the face of a global pandemic without discrimination and through international cooperation must influence their conduct at the WTO. Membership of the WTO necessitates accession to, amongst others, the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). CESCR has highlighted that the current restrictions imposed by the intellectual property rules in the TRIPS Agreement make it very difficult to achieve the international cooperation needed for the massive scale up17 required to ensure universal access to diagnostics, medications, vaccines, therapeutics and other relevant health products to prevent, treat and control COVID-19. The TRIPS Waiver and Human Rights. Over 100 of the member states to the WTO have publicly supported the proposal by India and South Africa that there should be a waiver of sections 1, 4, 5 and 7 of Parts II and III of the TRIPS Agreement, at the TRIPS Council.18 The TRIPS Waiver would ensure that companies and other holders of intellectual property in respect of the full range of diagnostics, medications, vaccines, therapeutics and other relevant health products required for the containment, prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 do not prevent the realisation of the rights to health, life, equality, and science for all. The Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the WTO (WTO Agreement)explicitly contemplates the possibility of such time-limited waivers.19 Member States of the WTO have in fact previously employed a waiver to tackle a global disease: the Doha Declaration, adopted to respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Southern Africa in 2001, also involved international consensus to waive a part of the TRIPS Agreement.20 Conclusion: States must desist from obstructing the COVID-19 TRIPS waiver. The proposed TRIPS waiver should be understood as an effort by the States proposing and supporting it to comply with their human rights obligations in terms of the rights to health, equality, science and life by initiating necessary coordination and solidarity in line with their obligations relating to international assistance and cooperation. Conversely, those States actively opposing or otherwise blocking or inhibiting international consensus at the WTO in respect of the waiver must be understood as contravening their obligations to respect and fulfil the same human rights.21 Further, by failing to take measures to effectively regulate private actors in health operating on a multinational level where their operations compromise access to COVID-19 diagnostics, medications, vaccines, therapeutics and other relevant health products, States contravene their obligations to protect human rights.22 Notes: 1 To sign the opinion please fill in the google form available here in full: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeDj5FZ2e6YrDnKGybTgi1TCrIyAxxoKFn61SgooFk15- hU2A/viewform. The International Commission of Jurists welcomes sign on by experts on human rights, legal experts, intellectual property experts and other eminent jurists around the world. 2 UN Human Rights Committee (HRC), General comment no. 36, Article 6 (Right to Life) (3 September 2019) CCPR/C/GC/3, available here: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CCPR/Shared%20Documents/1_Global/CCPR_C_GC_36_878 5_E.pdf [26]. 3 This position has been confirmed by the UN Human Rights Committee: UN HRC, Statement on derogations from the Covenant in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, CCPR/C/128/2 (24 April 2020), available here: https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/CCPR/COVIDstatementEN.pdf. 4 See CESCR, General Comment No. 14: The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health (Art. 12) (E/C. 12/2000/4), 11 August 2000, available here: https://undocs.org/E/C.12/2020/1 [44(b)]. 5 The only justification available to States for not fulfilling their minimum core obligations is to demonstrate that every effort has been made to use all resources that are at its disposition, in an effort to satisfy, as a matter of priority, those minimum obligations according to General Comment 3, (E/1991/23), 1990, available here: https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/4538838e10.pdf [10]. 6 ibid [5] read with UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights: Implementing the United Nations Protect, Respect and Remedy Framework, available here: https://www.ohchr.org/documents/publications/guidingprinciplesbusinesshr_en.pdf Principle 3: 3. In meeting their duty to protect, States should: (a) Enforce laws that are aimed at, or have the effect of, requiring business enterprises to respect human rights. 7 UN CESCR Committee, Statement on universal affordable vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), international cooperation and intellectual property (21 April 2021) E/C.12/2021/1 available at: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=E/C.12/20 21/1&Lang=en, [8]-[9]. 8 ibid [62]; CESCR, General Comment 17 The right of everyone to benefit from the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he or she is the author (article 15, paragraph 1 (c), of the Covenant), E/C.12/GC/17 (12 January 2006), available here http://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=4slQ6QSmlBEDzFEovLCuW1a0Szab 0oXTdImnsJZZVQcMZjyZlUmZS43h49u0CNAuJIjwgfzCL8JQ1SHYTZH6jsZteqZOpBtECZh96hyNh%2 F%2FHW6g3fYyiDXsSgaAmIP%2BP [35]. 9 CESCR, General comment No. 20: Non-discrimination in economic, social and cultural rights (art. 2, para. 2, of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights), 2 July 2009, E/C.12/GC/20. [27]-[35]. See also, General Comment 14, available here: https://digitallibrary.un.org/record/659980?ln=en [18]-[19]. 10 ibid [17], [27]. 11 CESCR, Statement on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and economic, social and cultural rights, E/C.12/2020/1 [12], [14]. 12 Art 2, ICESCR. 13 See CESCR General Comment 14 [39]. 14 ibid 15 ibid. 16 ibid. 17 CESCR, Statement on universal affordable vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), international cooperation and intellectual property, E/C.12/2021/1, 23 April 2021, available here: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=E%2fC.12%2f2021%2f1&Lang=en [11]. Para [13] reads: All mechanisms, including voluntary licensing, technology pools, use of TRIPS flexibilities and waivers of certain intellectual property provisions or market exclusivities should be explored carefully and utilized and thus, the waiver of certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement is an essential element of these complementary strategies. Besides, failing to approve the temporary waiver of TRIPS Agreement provisions for equitable and affordable access to medical technologies, including COVID-19 vaccines, will also stand in the way of global economic recovery, which is necessary in order to overcome the negative impact of the pandemic on the enjoyment of all economic, social and cultural rights. In that context, the Committee strongly recommends that States support the proposals of this temporary waiver, including by using their voting rights within WTO. 18 Communication by India and South Africa, Waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of Covid-19, World Trade Organisation, IP/C/W/669 (2 October 2020), available: https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/IP/C/W669R1.pdf&Open=True; Waiver from certain provisions of the TRIPS Agreement for the prevention, containment and treatment of covid-19 - Joint statement of co-sponsors, (18 May 2021) WTO, IP/C/W/677, available: https://docs.wto.org/dol2fe/Pages/SS/directdoc.aspx?filename=q:/IP/C/W677.pdf&Open=True. 19 WTO Agreement art IX:3(b). 20 Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, adopted at WTO Ministerial Conference 2001, WTO WT/MIN(01)/DEC/2 (20 November 2001), available: https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/minist_e/min01_e/mindecl_trips_e.htm. 21 Most member States opposing the waiver, including the UK, Norway, Switzerland and Germany are State Parties to both ICESCR and ICCPR. 22 CESCR General Comment 14 [50] reads: Violations of the obligation to protect follow from the failure of a State to take all necessary measures to safeguard persons within their jurisdiction from infringements of the right to health by third parties. Given the nature of multinational corporations their effective regulation requires collective state action in terms of the duty of international cooperation. NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. -- Three people were injured in a crash in front of the Home Depot on French Road Monday afternoon. According to New Hartford police, 61-year-old Richard Sylvester, of Utica, was driving south on French Road just after 1 p.m. as 57-year-old Darlene K. Varin, of Herkimer, was pulling out of the Home Depot parking lot, and the two vehicles collided. Both Sylvester and Varin, as well as Varins passenger, were sent to local hospitals to be treated for injuries that are not considered to be life-threatening. No tickets have been issued at this time. Police say the investigation is ongoing. ALBANY, N.Y. -- New legislation signed into law in New York aims to combat unwanted robocalls. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed the laws Monday, which require telecommunications companies to block robocalls from certain numbers and requires voice services providers to validate the calls. The new legislation will allow telecommunications companies to block call from numbers that are likely to be illegitimate or part of spoofing schemes that mask the callers identity behind a fake number. Voice service provides will be required to implement STIR/SHAKEN call authentication framework to be sure a call is really from the number displayed. STIR/SHAKEN protocols use cryptography to validate the call number. "New Yorkers are fed up with annoying, predatory robocalls, and we're taking action to stop them," said Hochul. "This legislation will enable telecom companies to prevent these calls from coming in in the first place, as well as empower our state government to ensure that voice service providers are validating who is making these calls so enforcement action can be taken against bad actors." This state legislation builds on federal FCC provisions that went into effect in June. ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Officials say six New York state correctional facilities will close next March in a cost-saving move amid declining inmate populations. More than 1,700 people work at the six upstate New York facilities, and there are more than 1,400 inmates. Inmates will be sent to other locations, and no layoffs are expected. The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision said it will work with unions to provide staffers at the facilities with transfer opportunities. The facilities scheduled for closure March 10 are: Downstate Correctional Facility, Dutchess County Moriah Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility, Essex County Ogdensburg Correctional Facility, St. Lawrence County Southport Correctional Facility, Chemung County Rochester Correctional Facility, Monroe County Willard Drug Treatment Campus, Seneca County The NYSCOPBA union President Michael Powers released the following statement after Mondays announcement: If people have been paying attention to the past decade of poor decisions made by our elected leaders in Albany, todays news shouldnt come as a shock to anyone. The States progressive policies are costly and need to be funded somehow. Sadly its at the expense of the hard-working men and women of NYSCOPBA. The numbers tell the real story; despite closing over two dozen facilities the past 10 years, violent attacks on our members have doubled and yet nothing is being done to address it. Where is the reinvestment in the facilities to make these prisons safer working environments? My heart goes out to all of the individuals whose lives have been severely impacted by this announcement and know that our organization will hold the department accountable every step of the way. At some point, the State needs to realize that these choices are more than just buildings and tax-saving measures, these are life-altering decisions that upend lives and destroy communities. New York is launching a $450 million campaign to bolster the tourism industry, which is still feeling the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the Bring Back Tourism, Bring Back Jobs initiative on Monday as a recovery package to revitalize the industry by providing money to businesses and employees. The package allocated $100 million for a worker recovery fund, which will pay up to 36,000 workers $2,700 if they qualify. Hochul says the money is to support the workers who've not been able to come back or not fully employed in the tourism industry. Another $100 million will go toward the tourism return-to-work grant program, which will pay businesses for employee retention. Companies can get up to $5,000 for each new full-time employee and $2,500 for part-time workers, as long as they stay for more than six months. The Meet in New York grant program will take $25 million in funding to support new business travel by allowing conference centers and hotels to offer discounts on booking fees or room blocks to encourage businesses to have meetings or conventions in New York. The state will invest $25 million into marketing the I LOVE NY campaign across the world. Hochul says she will introduce legislation in January that will create a $200 million program to support businesses started just before or during the pandemic. This program will use existing funding from the COVID-19 Pandemic SMall Business Recovery Grant Progam. Tourism in New York generated more than $100 billion in 2019, but the economic impact dropped by nearly 50% during the pandemic. (CNN) -- The prosecution on Tuesday rested its case against Kyle Rittenhouse in his homicide trial after calling 22 witnesses over the course of six days, setting up the defense to potentially call Rittenhouse to the stand. Once the prosecution rested, Judge Bruce Schroeder granted a defense motion to dismiss a curfew citation charge against Rittenhouse. Defense attorneys said prosecutors had failed to present any evidence that a curfew was in place, and the judge agreed. The testimony so far has at times favored the prosecution's case that Rittenhouse committed five felonies and a misdemeanor in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on the night of August 25, 2020. Yet other evidence -- sometimes from the same witness -- has bolstered the defense's argument that Rittenhouse, then 17, acted in self-defense when he opened fire. The events of that night, almost all captured on video, are hardly in dispute: Rittenhouse, armed with an AR-15-style rifle, fatally shot Joseph Rosenbaum -- an unarmed man who was chasing the teenager -- and then shot at three other people who confronted him. Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber were killed, and Gaige Grosskreutz was wounded. The question before the jury, rather, is whether Rittenhouse's actions are to be considered reasonable or criminal. On Monday, Grosskreutz, a paramedic out that night, testified that he believed the teenager was an active shooter and so pursued him and unholstered his own concealed firearm. He testified that he put his hands up when Rittenhouse pointed his AR-15-style rifle at him but believed Rittenhouse did not accept his surrender. Rittenhouse shot him in the right bicep. "I was never trying to kill the defendant," Grosskreutz said. "In that moment, I was trying to preserve my own life, but doing so while taking the life of another is not something I am capable or comfortable doing." However, Grosskreutz also admitted that he pointed his gun at Rittenhouse before he was shot. "When you were standing three to five feet from him with your arms up in the air, he never fired, right?" defense attorney Corey Chirafisi said. "Correct," Grosskreutz said. "It wasn't until you pointed your gun at him, advanced on him with your gun -- now your hand is down pointed at him -- that he fired, right?" Chirafisi asked. "Correct," Grosskreutz responded. The paramedic also testified that his concealed carry license had expired, and he also admitted he incorrectly told investigators his gun had fallen out of his pants earlier in the night. Rittenhouse fired his rifle eight times in all during the chaotic protests following the police shooting of Jacob Blake. He shot Rosenbaum four times; fired twice at an unknown man who tried to kick him; fatally shot Huber, who had hit him with a skateboard; and shot Grosskreutz in the arm. Rittenhouse, now 18, has pleaded not guilty to six charges, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide and first-degree attempted intentional homicide. The prosecution called 15 witnesses last week, including police, witnesses who filmed the shootings and armed men out in Kenosha that night. Five other witnesses testified on Monday, and two more testified on Tuesday. Defense focuses on Rosenbaum as aggressor Defense attorney Mark Richards said Rittenhouse fired only in self-defense. In opening statements, he described Rosenbaum as the aggressor in the initial shooting and said Huber and Grosskreutz were part of a mob who "attacked him in the street like an animal." To make their case, the defense has repeatedly focused on what one witness described as Rosenbaum's "erratic" behavior that night. Cellphone and surveillance videos show he threw a plastic bag at Rittenhouse and chased him across a parking lot before the teenager shot him. Other video from earlier in the night showed Rosenbaum yelling, "shoot me (n-word)." One of the armed men said Rosenbaum had acted "belligerently" and another said he had threatened to kill him and Rittenhouse. "He goes, 'You know, If I catch any of you guys alone tonight, I'm gonna f***ing kill you,'" according to Ryan Balch, a military veteran who brought his weapon into Kenosha that night. Rosenbaum had just been released from the hospital that morning, his fiancee Kariann Swart testified. She said he was on an antidepressant as well as medication to treat bipolar disorder. Richie McGinniss, a video editor with The Daily Caller news site, testified that Rosenbaum had lunged for the front of Rittenhouse's rifle moments before he was shot. "It was as if, you know, if you were to lunge at somebody, if anybody were to lunge, they would probably stop themselves, you know, from falling face down on the ground, but the shots were fired in the exact instance that his momentum was going forward and that continued until Mr. Rosenbaum landed on the ground," McGinniss said. McGinniss was just feet from the two when Rittenhouse opened fire, and McGinniss said he jumped out of the line of fire and then shook his legs out to make sure he hadn't been hit. "Given where I was, certainly I was in danger," he said. McGinniss' testimony is key to one of the charges against Rittenhouse -- a felony count of first-degree recklessly endangering safety. On Tuesday, a forensic pathologist testified that Rosenbaum was first shot in the front, bent forward into a horizontal position, and then was hit by a fatal bullet to the back. Dr. Douglas Kelley with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office testified that Rittenhouse shot Rosenbaum four times -- twice in the front, once in the back and once along the side of his head. Video of the shooting shows Rittenhouse fired at Rosenbaum's front, so Kelley determined that the fatal shot to his back came as his body leaned forward. "The only time during the interaction in which he could have incurred the gunshot wounds to the back and to the right side of the head was when he was more horizontal, and the only time that happens is the last two gunshot wounds," Kelley said. "The first two gunshot wounds are represented by the injury to the groin and the injury to the left thigh." Kelley said that horizontal position is consistent with a person either falling forward or lunging at someone. He also noted that Rosenbaum had a close-range gunshot wound to his hand. "That hand was over the barrel of Mr. Rittenhouse's gun when his hand was shot?" defense attorney Richards said. "That makes sense," Kelley responded. The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. ROME, N.Y. -- Rome police say the man accused of an attempted burglary at Engelberts Jewelers Saturday was suspected in three other larcenies last month. After the glass door was broken at Engelberts, police were called to the store, located at 265 W. Dominick Street Saturday just before 7 a.m. Officers noticed a bicycle at the scene during their investigation. Shortly after, they say 20-year-old Jahzire E. Brown was seen riding the same bike and was stopped by police. Police say video footage from Engelberts showed Brown damaging the glass door, but did not enter or take any merchandise. He was arrested and charged with third-degree burglary, attempted petit larceny and filing a false written statement. One of the officers who stopped Brown also recognized him from a robbery investigation in October. Brown was arrested on Oct. 9 for allegedly stealing merchandise from the Fastrac at 600 Erie Boulevard West after using a rock to smash the front door open. He then fled on a bicycle. Brown was also arrested on Oct. 7 for allegedly stealing more than $250 worth of items from the Advanced Auto Parts on Erie Boulevard West over two days. Police say Brown was released on appearance tickets after each incident. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A 56-year-old man from Rome pleaded guilty to child pornography charges in federal court Tuesday. Michael Mayhew pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and three counts of possession of child pornography. Mayhew admitted to using his cell phone to take nude photos of a 6-year-old child in his bathroom in December of 2018. According to the Justice Department, Mayhew also admitted to secretly recording three naked children under 12 on VHS tapes at his home in 1993 and 1994. He also told the court from 2010 to 2015, he downloaded several videos showing minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. In 2019, Mayhew admitted to having 184 images of child pornography on an electronic storage device, as well as the two VHS tapes from nearly 30 years ago. Mayhew faces 5 - 20 years in prison and will be required to register as a sex offender. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 9. DELPHI, Ind. (WLFI) The Delphi Community School Corporation held a board meeting ending with some big financial decisions. Other than the approval of the request for a 5.5 million dollar bond, the board passed an agenda item creating a new staff position. According to Ann-Marie Circle, the superintendent of Delphi Community School Corporation, the job posting for an Advance Manufacturing teacher at the high school is now open to applicants. The program hopes to incorporate robotics and welding, amongst other skills useful for professions beyond the classroom. According to Circle, SIA has also agreed to help with training. "We need to start preparing our students for walking out of here, ready to take a job," Circle told News 18. "Our job is to make sure that they're going to be productive members of the society." W&M Law School PELE Special Education Clinic to launch virtual project serving military families in Virginia Serving military families: A grant from the Virginia Law Foundation makes this new project possible. The Virginia Law Foundation promotes through philanthropy the rule of law, access to justice and law-related education. Photo by David F. Morrill Photo - of - Hide Caption A $40,000 grant from the Virginia Law Foundation to the Parents Engaged in Learning Equality (PELE) Special Education Clinic at William & Mary Law School will support the launch of a virtual clinic project targeting military families across Virginia facing special education issues in their local school districts. The Virginia Law Foundation has a long history of supporting William & Mary Law School, said Professor of the Practice and PELE Clinic Director Christina Jones. We are extremely grateful for their investment in the expansion of the PELE Clinic and our service to military families in Virginia. William & Mary Law School alumna Brianna M. Crews 19 has joined the Clinic as a Post-Graduate Legal Fellow and will oversee the development of the Empowering Virginias Military Families in Special Education project (learn more). This project was designed to respond to the unique difficulties faced by military families in advocating for special education access. The special education system can be challenging to navigate for any parent, but this problem is further exacerbated for children of active-duty military parents who are three times more likely than other Americans to have moved in the past year. Military-connected parents struggle to understand different states laws and coordinate different schools services, and their new duty station may not offer the same resources as their last. A 2011 Government Accountability Office report found that 58 percent of school districts reported challenges meeting the needs of military children with disabilities. Those needs can be even more complex, especially as studies show that deployments increase military families stress and cause more behavioral and social problems in military children. In 2020, the five branches of the U.S. military contracted with the PELE Clinic at William & Mary Law School to provide an online special education law training in to military attorneys, paralegals, and Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) case managers, who provide resources and support to military families with children with disabilities. Although over 200 professionals received this critical training, Professor Jones believed that the PELE Clinic could do more. The recently launched project aims to serve these families by providing limited representation consultations with military families in Virginia. During these sessions, law students supported by pro bono attorneys, including William & Mary graduates will provide the military families with advice based on their current situation. The law students will then provide the military family with a letter detailing the advice provided during the consultation and additional instructive resources to assist the family in advocating for their child. Crews will also oversee the development of an online curriculum in special education advocacy, which will be made available for free to military families across the Commonwealth. Throughout this process, the PELE Clinic has received much institutional support from Partners in PROMISE, a national nonprofit comprised of military spouses that seeks to elevate the concerns of military special education students and their families to ensure they have the same access to an education as civilian students. The limited representation model was inspired by a long-standing program offered through the Law Schools Lewis B. Puller, Jr. Veterans Benefits Clinic. On Military Mondays, Puller Clinic staff and students meet with veterans and service members on select Mondays at a local Starbucks to provide free advice regarding disability compensation benefits. The PELE Clinics model allows use of technology to reach across the Commonwealth for pro bono attorneys and families in need of assistance. It is wonderful that the PELE Clinic will be sharing its expertise with military families through this project, said William & Mary Law School Dean and Trustee Professor of Law A. Benjamin Spencer, who also serves as an officer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the U.S. Army (Reserve). Our Clinical Program, comprising nine clinics in all, provides exceptional opportunities for our students to hone their professional skills while serving communities in need of assistance. 94 year old Woodward, OK resident passed November 17, 2021. Services Saturday November 27, 2021 at 10:00 am at the Vici Church of the Nazarene and burial following at Sunnyside Cemetery, Vici. Shaw Funeral Home of Vici Tony Dow, left, and Jerry Mathers, who portrayed brothers Wally and Beaver Cleaver in the classic show Leave it to Beaver, are reunited in Providence for Rhode Island Comic Con and oblige the Woonsocket Call with a photo together on Saturday. Kevin Strickland answers questions during an evidentiary hearing regarding his innocence on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021 in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City, Mo. Attorneys general in 11 states, including Alaska, filed suit last 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 and political candidate Eric Schmitt, one of several Republicans running for the states open... It is in all our interests for us to work together Health Minister reiterates need for face coverings The Health Minister Eluned Morgan has asked the public of Wales to come with us on wearing face coverings. Today the Health Minister reiterated the desire to help protect the NHS this winter but ensuring people are vaccinated, and have taken up booster and flu jabs as well, Were making good progress so far. All eligible care home residents have been offered the booster and almost three quarters of residents have had it more than half of 70 to 74 year olds and a quarter of 65 to 69 year olds have already had the booster As this slide shows one in five people aged 12 and over has had a boost of vaccine or a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Asked about anecdotal evidence of less people wearing masks the Minister said, It is the responsibility of the public to follow the legal requirements and the legal requirements are that you need to wear a face covering in indoor public places so people need to understand their responsibilities here. We have been speaking to local authorities to the police and to other organisations to ask if they can do more in terms of enforcement, but frankly, we need the public to come with us on this. Thats the only way were going to get out of this situation. So it is in all our interests for us to work together on this because its not just us that its going to suffer its our parents as our grandparents. You know, this is really about protecting those we love. Challenged on why Welsh Government are sticking with a 6 month booster programme rather than shorter times, the Minister said, My understanding is that the JCVI is still suggesting that people stick to the six month interval and weve seen what happens in Israel when there was a much shorter timeframe between the first and second dose which meant that they did see their their rates go up. So that six month interval is is what the scientists are advising they have allowed a certain degree of of movements around that six months period but we are working through the people who need that booster jabs on a very priority order which is different from the way theyre doing it in England, which is a little bit more of a free for all where everybodys invited. We think its important to vaccinate the most vulnerable and thats where were going in that order. Asked about possible gaps in vaccinations for 12 to 16 year olds the Minister replied, We know that 12 to 15 year olds have been given that invitation about 48% of them have taken up that opportunity. Wed obviously like that figure to increase. There are opportunities and lots of people took up that opportunity over half term, but we would encourage parents and children to come forward thought for that vaccination. We have seen the rates decline in our schools and were so were really pleased to see that happening. And we do think that the vaccination is helping in that space. So Im not aware that there are gaps in terms of the offer to 12 to 15 year olds. You can view the full briefing below Wrexhams two college sites to host this months WorldSkills finals Wrexhams two Coleg Cambria sites are to welcome participants from across the UK for the Wordskills finals. The college will hold nine finals in all between Monday November 15 to Friday November 19. Yale, Wrexham: Nail Technician, Commercial Make-Up, Creative Media Make-Up, Beauty Therapy Practitioner, Beauty Therapist. Bersham Road, Wrexham: Manufacturing Team Challenge, Construction Metalwork. Deeside: Sheet Metalwork, Welding. Coleg Cambria has one of the largest WorldSkills UK cohorts in Wales, with 25 representatives selected for the prestigious event. Among the categories they will contest are sheet metalwork technology, aeronautical engineering, beauty therapy, CNC milling, construction metalwork, floristry, hairdressing, IT support, nail technician, laboratory technician and the Manufacturing Team Challenge. Learner Experience and Enterprise Manager Rona Griffiths said they are delighted to again be chosen to moderate key areas of the WorldSkills programme. The facilities at our sites across north east Wales are second to none, and we look forward to hosting participants from all over the UK, said Rona. And with so many of our own learners and apprentices taking part it looks like being another successful year for the college in this competition. Rona added: Best of luck to all of the finalists we look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks. The winners of the UK finals will be crowned at a ceremony streamed live on the WorldSkills UK website and hosted by TV presenter Steph McGovern star of the Channel 4 Show Packed Lunch on November 26. The news comes after Cambria was chosen as one of just 12 institutions to become part of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence, in addition to 20 announced last autumn when the three-year pilot project was launched. The Centre of Excellence partnered and funded by educational charity and awarding body NCFE will see more than 40,000 young students and apprentices from all socio-economic groups across the UK armed with world-class skills. Watch the awards ceremony live here: National Finals 2021 ceremony | WorldSkills UK For the full list of times and locations for the WorldSkills UK finals at Coleg Cambria, visit the website here. For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, Chicago Tribune. The GAIN Trial demonstrated that reduction of Pg infection in the oral cavity results in slowing the progression of Alzheimers disease in individuals who are Pg positive (Pg+) in the mouth. NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - The director of a Nashville nonprofit organization has been indicted on theft charges after an investigation by the Tennessee Comptrollers Office. Julia Armstrong Julia Armstrong was indicted on one count of theft over $2,500, one count of forgery over $10,000 and one count of computer theft by fraud ove Julia Armstrong, the former director of Phases, Inc., was indicted on three counts by the Davidson County Grand Jury last month. Phases Inc. was a nonprofit organization that offered transitional housing and support for women in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. It also received grant funds from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to support those efforts. The investigation began after MHSAS reported concerns about Phases, Inc. to the Comptrollers Office. MHSAS learned that Phases, Inc. had ceased operations in 2018 after state monitors inquired with Phases, Inc. about scheduling an onsite visit. Comptroller investigators determined that Armstrong stole at least $6,260 by submitting false claims for services that were not provided. Armstrong made at least 135 fraudulent entries for services between April 2017 and June 2018. Investigators noted instances in which Armstrong claimed she provided multiple services to clients who were incarcerated and unable to receive services at the time. The investigation also noted more than 100 questionable disbursements totaling at least $4,645 made during the time when Armstrong had control of Phases, Incs operations and finances. These included cash withdrawals and purchases made at liquor stores, lottery stores, tobacco stores, restaurants, car washes and retail stores. Many purchases were made in Kentucky and Florida. Phases, Inc. was administratively dissolved by the Tennessee Secretary of States Office in April 2018. Comptrollers Office investigators attempted to contact Armstrong during the course of the investigation, but they were unsuccessful. Investigators were also unable to obtain records from the nonprofit. In October, the Davidson County Grand Jury indicted Armstrong on one count of theft over $2,500, one count of forgery over $10,000 and one count of computer theft by fraud over $2,500. Click to view the Comptrollers Investigative Report. NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - The pastor and pianist at a north Nashville church recounted the minutes when a man waved a gun during the Sunday worship service. "I don't know how I can explain it, but I am very grateful to God how he used us to where no one got hurt," Ezekiel Ndikumana, the pastor of the church, said. Pastor Ndikumana and Nzojibugami Noe said it all happened at the point of the service at Nashville Light Mission Pentecostal Church on Trinity Lane when people who needed prayers were asked to come to the front of the church. "While I was singing the chorus, I had my eyes closed, and when I had my eyes closed, that's when I heard the guy standing right there because he got up pretty quickly," Noe said. "He was waving the gun, waving the gun to the church and everyone else and telling some people to move or get up. Some of them were already down being ready to be prayed for." Metro PD: Pastor disarms man with gun during church service Metro Police praise a North Nashville pastor for stopping a man who pulled out a gun while in church on Sunday morning. Noe said that's when his pastor stepped in. "It reminded me of how David defeated Goliath," Noe said. "I will say that was strength God put into our pastor." He described the moments the pastor started taking steps before taking the man with the gun down. Police identified the man as 26-year-old Dezire Baganda. "My pastor walked, took steps, stood right here for a little bit to see what he was doing, making sure he wasn't looking at him," Noe said, describing Ezekiel Ndkiumanan's actions. "Then he walked, took some more steps, and made sure he was not looking at him, and then he opened the door, pretending like he is going out, and then he kept an eye on him. Ndikumana then tackled Baganda to the ground. "As soon as he saw him, that he was not looking at him, he went quickly, pushed the chair and then he grabbed him, and then they all fell on the ground. That's when everyone else came to help him to make sure he stayed down, and the gun was away from him." Ndikumana then tackled Baganda to the ground. "As soon as he saw him, that he was not looking at him, he went quickly, pushed the chair and then he grabbed him, and then they all fell on the ground. That's when everyone else came to help him to make sure he stayed down, and the gun was away from him." Ndkiumana and other church members held Baganda on the ground until police arrived. "I was trying to tell everybody to clear out, to get out, because it was not safe," Noe said. "It was either die or grab him to where he doesn't hurt anybody in which God used the grabbing him not to hurt anybody," Pastor Ndikumana said. Baganda was originally charged with 15 counts of felony aggravated assault. On Monday, police said Baganda was now facing 57 counts of felony aggravated assault. Baganda isn't a stranger to the church. Noe said Baganda visited the church in February and disrupted the service when he was there. Noe said he never came back to the church until Sunday. "They warned him at first. They said what you're doing is not right. You're interrupting the service," Noe said. "When he came back yesterday, he seemed different cause he had dreads before, and he came back without dreads. He was calm. He was very calm. He was sitting the whole time, and we didn't know he had anything else planned." Noe said he is not afraid to return to church next Sunday, worried about something else happening. "I'm not afraid. I'm not nervous at all because this is where I've been coming to church, and I love it here, and I feel very safe every time I come to church here," Noe said. It was a scary experience Sunday, but Noe believes it ended in the best way, with everyone leaving church safe and unharmed. "I would say that God gave us, everyone, strength to just be calm and not to worry just like the word of God we heard at the beginning of service," Noe said. While no one was hurt and no shots were fired, it's a day church members will never forget. "We still have thoughts because we don't know the coming future. We don't know if he came by himself or if he has another group on the outside," Pastor Ndikumana said. The pastor said he could not tell if he'll hire security, but he plans to talk with other church leaders before making that call. Staff at Cabell Huntington Hospital (CHH) have maintained pickets outside the medical center around the clock after walking off the job on November 3. Organized under SEIU District 1199, 1,000 licensed practical nurses, lab technicians, maintenance and cleaning staff rejected a proposed contract that drastically hikes health insurance premiums and lowers take-home pay. On Monday, November 8, union leaders and hospital administrators will meet with a federal mediator in a bargaining table discussion over the terms of the contract. Leaders on both sides are eager to shut down the strike and impose a concessions contract. The walkout is the first at CHH in 23 years. The hospital prepared for the strike by hiring scab workers who unloaded from tour buses within minutes of staff walking out. The scab workers are being paid $15,000 over the course of two weeks to replace the strikers. This amounts to $187 per hour, spread over two 40-hour weeks. By comparison, a housekeeping employee starts at $14.23 per hour. Cabell-Huntington strikers (Facebook) Meanwhile, the SEIU has isolated the hospital workers, refusing to even call out all its members at CHH. Picketing has been kept at token levels despite the management strikebreaking effort. The hospital has reportedly extended its scab recruitment efforts and is preparing to pay for replacements through the end of the year. Health care workers, long overworked and underpaid, have reached their breaking point with the COVID-19 pandemic. Across the country, nurses and medical staff have walked out in protest over short staffing, safety hazards and attacks on their compensation. At Huntington, the health care system has been under strain from the opioid crisis. Combined with the pandemic, hospitals have been running at capacity for months. The COVID-19 infection rate continues to be high across the state, even as mask mandates are lifted in the public schools and virtually no mitigation measures have been implemented on the part of the state government. West Virginia is currently the state with the lowest vaccination rate in the country, and it is the only one not expected to reach a 70 percent vaccinated rate by 2023. With the surge in the Delta variant, the state averaged about 70 deaths per 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That rate was nearly five times the rate seen in states with the highest vaccination rates. Overall, West Virginia has had three times more cases than states with high vaccination rates. According to a tracker run by Brown University, only about 58 percent of West Virginians have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Last month, Republican Governor Jim Justice signed legislation requiring businesses to allow exemptions to employer vaccine requirements. As 1,000 workers picket outside CHH, on-duty staff and patients have been relaying images and descriptions of chaos inside the hospital. Registered nursesstill being forced to work even though they, too, are organized under the SEIUhave been trying to care for patients without the assistance of LPNs. Patient care is down big time, reported one worker. The interim workers in x-ray couldnt even operate the portable unit because they are not trained on it. The few employees who are here working are so stressed out and trying their best to take care of things. On Facebook, workers circulated photos of bags of biohazard garbage piled up around cans outside of operating rooms. One employee reported witnessing scab workers breaking an elevator ramming a bed into it while transporting a patient. An anonymous worker reported: Its dirty, bags of trash line public hallways, or trash is just everywhere. Scabs arent wearing hairnets and gloves and as much as the supervisors tell them to and try to make them, they will just take them off when they leave. I wouldnt eat the food there now anyways. Everything is delayed, courier services are a mess, registration is awful. Its just a bad situation inside. All the staff positions at the hospital, including janitorial services, require a high degree of skill and safety in handling bodily fluids and potentially contaminated surfaces. With the presence of COVID-19, the risk of contamination, from patient to caregiver or a wider outbreak, is even greater. That the hospital administration has attacked worker pay and conditions in the middle of a pandemic shows the real attitude of multimillionaire executives to the lives of their employees, patients and the broader public. At $4 trillion annually, the American health care industry is big business. Health care accounts for nearly one-fifth of the US Gross Domestic Product. To the capitalist class, the provision of live-saving care is treated as a source of profit and nothing more. According to a 2020 ProPublica report, Cabell Huntington Hospital alone had a revenue of $690.5 million. As a nonprofit, it has been tax exempt since 1988. Its top executives all pull in annual incomes of $540,000 to $700,000. If CHH workers are to prevail, they must link their fight with those of other health care workers, such as the tens of thousands of Kaiser Permanente workers in California and other sections of the working class, such as striking workers at John Deere. This requires the building of a rank-and-file committee independent of the pro-company SEIU to take conduct of the struggle. After rejecting a company contract offer of wage cuts, health insurance premium hikes and other attacks on working conditions, 450 workers at Special Metals Corporation in Huntington, West Virginia, remain on strike for more than a month. A few miles away, 1,000 health care workers at Cabell Huntington Hospital took to the picket lines last week over some of the same issues. Special Metals workers, members of United Steelworkers (USW) Local 40, have maintained pickets around the clock to secure the many entrances of the massive nickel alloy plant and prevent entry by fleets of scab workers. Pickets at Special Metals, Huntington West Virginia (Facebook) Although they are a relatively small section of workers, the strike by these 450 metalworkers has an objective power and significance. The 130-acre Special Metals grounds houses the largest facility of its kind in the world, producing high-temperature-resistant superalloys used in aircraft, deep sea drilling rigs and space-related equipment. These materials are critical to the operations of American capitalism, its war machine and the commercial airline and oil industries. Special Metals is also a crown jewel in the industrial portfolio of Warren Buffett, the head of Berkshire Hathaway with a net worth estimated at $105.2 billion, one of the 10 richest men in the world. The Huntington plant operates as a subsidiary of Oregon-based Precision Castparts, purchased by Berkshire Hathaway in 2016 for $37 billion. At the time it was the largest purchase ever made by Buffett. The high price tag is an indication of the capitalists appraisal of the nickel alloy market, in particular, its importance in the context of rising trade and military aggression by the US against its rivals China and Russia. Outside of Precision Castparts facilities, only Russian and Chinese plants can produce specialized alloys on a mass scale. The Biden administration is moving to respond militarily to what it identifies as Americas economic disadvantage to China in key industries, including special minerals, industrial equipment, ores and other supplies. Metalworkers at the Huntington Special Metals plant are highly skilled in a production process harboring many dangers. They are responsible for operating two 35-ton electric arc furnaces, a 24-ton vacuum induction melting furnace, and rolling mills that produce metal coils weighing 15 tons apiece. The workers turn out material that can withstand temperatures up to 760 degrees Celsius (1,400 degrees Fahrenheit). Special Metals workers are overworked and underpaid. One employee, writing on Facebook, explained, My job as operator at Special Metals is $15 less than an operator makes at any other alloy plant in the US. We arent a steel shop; we do high dollar alloys. [It] took 5 years to learn what I do and Ive been 27 years doing it. Some orders I handle are half-million-dollar orders but its not why were out actually it was the least of our reasons. The company has long treated its workforce with contempt, working crews 16-hour days, hiring employees only to lay them off again after a few weeks, firing longtime workers for taking sick leave and more. Since the strike began, workers say the company has called out police to the picket lines half a dozen times over traffic issues when trucks were turned away at the gates. In an email to The Herald-Dispatch, Huntington, the company insisted the pickets were a safety concern: As the union conducts its economic strike, we will continue to report improper or illegal conduct on Special Metals property. Thats laughable! commented one worker in response to the statement. They didnt care about the safety of our union family, believe me, they dont care about the safety of anyone inside now. Profits are all they care about. Safety violations inside out the wazoo. OSHA ought to pay a surprise inspection and find out for themselves. Spin, spin, spin it, Special Metals. This is by far NOT an economic strike and I cant wait til the courts rule against you on this. This company is as crooked as they come. And in case youre wondering why anyone would want to continue working there? Its because its one of the few jobs in this area that pay a livable wage and when you support 6 children, you do what you got to do. As the COVID-19 pandemic approaches its third year, manufacturing workers across the US are walking off the job. Three-quarters of a million Americans have died from COVID. And while it is known that factories and other mass workplaces are primary vectors of community transmission, safety conditions in the plants have not improved. Instead, companies and their corporate executives, shareholders and political representatives have demanded workers get back to work producing profits. In many cases, production lines are running with short-staffing levels, leading to even more dangerous conditions beyond the ever-present risk of contracting COVID-19. The situation is ripe for a rebellion. The main obstacle workers face to winning their fight are the trade unions, including the United Steelworkers, who act as an industrial police force on behalf of management. Where the USW has not been able to prevent strikes, it has called isolated walkouts aimed at exhausting and wearing down the militancy of workers. While sitting on $1.5 billion in assets and a $165 million strike fund, the USW starves workers with poverty strike pay aimed at imposing debilitating concessions contracts. The sellout of a 106-day strike at Allegheny Technologies (ATI) earlier this year is typical. Only a matter of months after smashing the strike, profits are surging at ATI, with a $48.7 million gain in the third quarter. Just 200 miles to the north of the Huntington Special Metals facility, USW Local 3057 workers are also on strike at a massive ArcelorMittal Tubular Products plant in Shelby, Ohio. Yet the USW has done nothing to link up striking workers under its own union, let alone encourage the unity of workers across industries. In Huntington, Special Metals workers are left on their own to make appeals to the community on social media for the most basic supplies, including firewood to keep their picket line barrels burning as the nights dip below freezing. The critical issue facing workers is develop their own initiative through the building of a rank-and-file committee independent of the USW to unite Special Metals workers with workers at ArcelorMittal and other workers coming into struggle, such as at farm equipment maker John Deere. Workers seeking more information should contact the WSWS. We publish below two statements in support of the Socialist Equality Partys campaign against Australias anti-democratic electoral laws. The statements were issued by action committees working among Sri Lankan teachers and health workers. The Socialist Equality Parties in Sri Lanka and Australia are sister parties of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI), the world Trotskyist movement. The campaign being waged by SEP members in Australia is a globally important initiative for workers, youth and all those committed to the defence of democratic rights. In late August, Australias Liberal-National coalition government passed an anti-democratic law mandating all currently registered political parties without parliamentary representation to submit a list of 1,500 members, up from 500 members, by December 2 or they will be deregistered. The law was passed within 24 hours with the support of the opposition Labor Party and amid the silence of the pseudo-left. Under the new measures, 36 political parties, including the SEP, could be deregistered. In addition, the laws are essentially anti-socialist. Even if the parties submit a list of 1,500 members, still their application can be rejected if the partys name shares terms such as socialist and communist with another already registered party. They would require the written permission of the first party registered to use these words. An SEP statement published on September 3 explains the political and social roots of this anti-democratic attack: The legislation is part of a global assault on basic democratic rights and a turn to authoritarian forms of rule amid the worsening COVID-19 pandemic and working-class opposition to the reopening policies pursued by capitalist governments to boost profits at the expense of millions of lives. Similar moves are being prepared by the Sri Lankan government of President Gotabhaya Rajapakse which confronts a deepening economic crisis and rising social opposition exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Rajapakse administration is planning next year to introduce a new constitution and a new electoral system. No details have been released, but according to comments by Rajapakse and other ruling party leaders, there will be moves to scrap the proportional electoral system and laws introduced to make it difficult for small parties to register. The government could also introduce measures to deregister these parties. These are moves towards autocratic rule. Teachers-Students-Parents Safety Committee of Sri Lanka We, as the Teachers-Students-Parents Safety Committee (TSPSC) in Sri Lanka, fully oppose the new electoral laws rammed through the Australian parliament to deregister parties without seats in parliament. This reactionary law, introduced by the Liberal-National Coalition government and passed with the support of the opposition Labor Party, is a bipartisan attempt to block the opposition emerging from the bottom of society against the entire bourgeois ruling class. Striking Colombo teachers demand higher salaries [Photo: WSWS Media] It is clear that one of the main objectives of these measures is to suppress the opposition from the working class to the rapid spread of COVID-19 in Australia due to the premature reopening policies now being pursued by the Australian government. The working class as a whole must be thoughtful of the impact of these new election laws on the Socialist Equality Party, the only movement working to provide a correct political expression to rising popular opposition based on socialist policies. In Sri Lanka, the Gotabhaya Rajapakse government is playing a similar reactionary role. Last Friday he issued a special gazette banning strikes by employees in the Ports, Petroleum, Postal, Railways industries as well as in the Transport Board, goods and passenger services and several government institutions, naming these sectors as essential services. The TSPSC has been fighting to develop the political consciousness of Sri Lankan teachers, which is crucial for them to be a part of a unified political offensive against government reaction. We urge workers, youth and students in Australia to become electoral members of the SEP and to actively participate in the campaign being waged by the party to defeat these deregistration laws. Health Workers Action Committee (Sri Lanka) The Health Workers Action Committee (HWAC) of Sri Lanka condemns the Australian governments new anti-democratic electoral laws formulated in August to deregister parties without seats in parliament with the backing of the opposition Labor Party. It is a blow to those parties that these laws have suddenly trebled the number of names and details of members they must submit to the electoral authorities to have their party name on ballot papers, alongside their candidates. The number has been increased to 1,500. Nurses and other health workers protest at Kandy hospital (WSWS Media) The HWAC has also noted the most recent attempt by the Australian government to pass a bill forcing voters to produce identification before being permitted to cast a valid vote. First-time young voters, the elderly, the jobless and homeless, itinerant workers and indigenous people are affected. As health workers in Sri Lanka, we are aware how the capitalist governments are strangling the democratic rights of working class. In this country we experience the governments attempt to use the draconian essential service act to punish the striking workers with jail terms. The actions of capitalist governmentsfrom the industrialised countries to under-developed countriesare occurring amid a worsening political, economic and social crisis. We are also aware that, just like in Sri Lanka, the Australian government is opening workplaces and schools amid the raging coronavirus pandemic. These anti-democratic laws have been brought forward to suppress the working class and oppressed people. We express our solidarity with the campaign being conducted by the Socialist Equality Party in Australia against the new non-parliamentary party deregistration laws. As the global climate summit COP26 drags out to its miserable end this week in Glasgow, Scotland, the major capitalist powers and the banks and corporations that call the shots in national and world politics have largely failed in their efforts to use the summit to provide a semblance of progress in resolving the global climate emergency. Climate activists march through the streets of Glasgow, Scotland, Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 which is the host city of the COP26 U.N. Climate Summit. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) The rival powers have been unable to reach any significant agreement, even on the type of half measures and purely voluntary arrangements that characterized the last major world summit in Paris in 2015. And the pledges and promises made at that summit have largely fallen apart, as reports issued on the occasion of the Glasgow meeting have made clear. Business Insider declared the event a historic failure, while an editorial in the Financial Times spoke of More hot air than progress at COP26, noting that the USs decision not to sign up to a deal to phase out coal production struck a severe blow to what was meant to be a flagship policy of COP. One report appearing over the weekend underscored an obvious reason for the abortive character of the Glasgow event. The environmental campaign group Global Witness analyzed the provisional list of conference attendees, provided by the United Nations, and determined that representatives of fossil fuel companies have the largest single delegation at COP26, more than any single country. The group found that at least 503 people linked to coal, gas and oil companies were in attendance, counting both direct representatives and those coming as part of groups acting on behalf of the fossil fuel industry. The presence of hundreds of those being paid to push the toxic interests of polluting fossil fuel companies will only increase the skepticism of climate activists who see these talks as more evidence of global leaders' dithering and delaying, a representative of Global Witness said. Patricia Espinosa, head of the UNs climate agency, said each of the 190 countries participating was free to send delegates of its own choosing. It is really the sovereign right of every government to accredit every representative as part of its delegations, persons it deems appropriate, she told CNN. While throwing open the doors to the big polluters, the summit has largely excluded representatives of NGOs and environmental activist groups. The coronavirus pandemic has been cited as a reason either for barring entry into Britain entirelywith the Johnson government serving as a sort of palace guard for COP26or keeping those activists on the ground in Scotland away from the summit itself. One year ago, when the climate summit was postponed for a year out of pandemic-related health concerns, there were 20,000 cases a day in Britain. Today, the number of infections in Britain has risen to 30,000 a day, despite mass vaccination, thanks to the brutal policy of the Johnson government in reopening schools and businesses. Over the course of the year, both the pandemic and the climate emergency have worsened, and the threat to humanity from both dangers has intensified. Last Friday, an estimated 100,000 people, most of them young, marched through the streets of Glasgow, delivering a vote of no confidence in the officials gathered at COP26. The demonstration was more a protest against the summit than an appeal to it, at least judging by many of the placards and banners, and the enormous applause given to speakers like Greta Thunberg, the youthful Swedish activist, now 18, who condemned the proceedings as a sham. It is hard to argue with Thunbergs characterization of the summit as two-week-long celebration of business as usual and blah, blah, blah. She told the huge crowd, 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. Thunberg has been an eloquent voice of the outrage among young people worldwide but offers nothing in the way of a political perspective besides continued, and inevitably more impotent, protests. There can be no solution to the looming environmental disaster, any more than there can be an end to the global pandemic, without turning to the one social force whose interests are bound up with the struggle against both: the international working class. Climate change, like the pandemic, is a crisis created by capitalism, and the only alternative is socialismthe revolutionary mobilization of the working class to put an end to the profit system, abolish the reactionary nation-state framework, and establish a global socialist society. It is noteworthy that in the mass of media coverage of the Glasgow summit, there has been almost no mention of the fact that 100 global corporations are responsible for 71 percent of world emissions. This was first detailed in the 2017 Carbon Majors report, which identified giants like ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, BP, Chevron, Peabody and BHP Billiton, as well as the national coal and oil companies of China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Mexico, Kuwait, UAE and Iran, among others. One of the main apologists for global capitalism, perhaps the worlds leading practitioner of blah, blah, blah, former US President Barack Obama, made a day-long series of appearances Monday in Glasgow. His speech to the summit was not mere blather, although there was plenty of that, citing his island origins (he was born in Hawaii) as proof of his sympathy towards the beleaguered island nations that face being overwhelmed by rising ocean waters, and touting the record of his own administration in fighting climate change. The truth is that during Obamas eight years in the White House, the United States was continually at wara not insignificant contribution to global warmingand American corporations created incalculable amounts of carbon and toxic waste. Obama delivered several thrusts against Russia and China, the major targets of American imperialism under the administration of Joe Biden, his former vice president. He denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinas President Xi for not attending the summit, saying this demonstrated a dangerous lack of urgency. He took credit for the purely illusory gains of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, while admitting that since then we are nowhere near where we need to be. And he openly threatened the living standards of American workers, declaring, All of us have a part to play. All of us have work to do. All of us have sacrifices to make But those of us who live in wealthy nations, those of us who helped to precipitate the problem... we have an added burden. He also used the occasion for a typically sanctimonious lecture to the youthful protesters outside, essentially telling them to go back to their home countries and become foot soldiers in capitalist politics. He advised them against being purists, in other words, telling them to join the political campaigns of the Democratic Party in the United States and similar parties of a completely corrupt and conformist character. Obama is being reinforced by a delegation of congressional Democrats, and even a few Republicans, this week, as the climate summit draws to a close. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats will pretend that the infrastructure bill they just approved and the social spending and climate bill they just agreed to postpone add up to a huge US commitment to resolve the climate crisis. The truth is just the opposite. Both the Democrats and Republicans are willing to slash the consumption of American workers in the name of climate change, but not to cut a penny of the profits of American corporations. The Biden administration aims to use the climate summit as part of its anti-China policy, which is directed, sooner rather than later, at unleashing military violence against the worlds second-largest economy and third-largest nuclear force. Last week a joint investigation between National Public Radio and WNYC/Gothamist revealed that policemen in several departments in major US cities, including Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, are members of the fascist Oath Keeper militia group. Members of this far-right group, in addition to the fascist Proud Boys, spearheaded the storming of the Capitol on January 6 in an attempt to overthrow the election of Joe Biden and install the defeated Donald Trump as president-dictator. On Jan. 6, 2021 right-wing rioters loyal to President Donald Trump storm the US Capitol in Washington in a coup attempt. [Credit: AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File] The joint investigation by NPR/WNYC is based on the hack of the far-right web hosting service Epik in September. The anonymous hackers leaked the purported membership rolls of the Oath Keepers, containing nearly 40,000 names and other personal identifying information, to the transparency group Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoS), which has since shared the files with numerous news agencies. Reporters with NPR and WNYC discovered that at least 15 active-duty police officers were on the Oath Keeper membership rolls, including more than a dozen officers in the Chicago Police Department, along with cops in the New York Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. According to NPR/WNYC, of the thirteen active Chicago police so far identified, five were in training and support, roles which include training other cops on using firearms. The results of this training were borne out in a six-year investigation by the Chicago Tribune which concluded in 2016. The investigation found that over that time span Chicago police, every five days, on average ... fired a gun at someone, killing 92 people and injuring 170 others. Police kill more than 1,000 people each year, and the victims are overwhelmingly working class and poor. In Chicago this past year, this was tragically exemplified with the police murders of 28-year-old Turell Brown and 13-year-old Adam Toledo. The lethality and brutality of US police were further established in a recent Lancet study, which found that US police had killed nearly 31,000 people between 1980 and 2019. In a separate investigation last month, Rolling Stone, using the same data set from DDoS, identified nearly 40 [Oath Keeper] membership[s] linked to public-sector work emails, which included a supervisor with the federal Department of Homeland Security, and a county-level homeland security director in Tennessee, along with several police officers. One of the cops identified in the Rolling Stone article was an officer with the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania police department, who would later be identified by USA Today as Lt. Philip Mercurio. The same USA Today report found 65 people, like Mercurio, who identified themselves as law enforcement trainers while signing up to join the Oath Keepers. In his request to join the fascist paramilitary groupat least 20 of whom are facing charges for their role in Trumps attempted coupMercurio highlighted his experience as firearms instructor, writing that he would spread the word to my students. Speaking to PublicSource, Cara Cruz, a spokesperson of the citys Department of Public Safety, confirmed that Mercurio, who has been a Pittsburgh police officer since 1988, has been reassigned to an administrative assignment while the Office of Municipal Investigations conducts an investigation. Defending the fascist cop, Robert Swartzwelder, president of the Pittsburgh police union, told PublicSource he didnt know what Mercurio was being accused of. When told by a USA Today reporter that Mercurio had been revealed to have joined the Oath Keepers, Swartzwelder made the obviously false claim, I dont know who they are. The highest-ranking cop identified in the Rolling Stone investigation of the Oath Keeper logs was Robin Cole, the former Sheriff of Pine County, Minnesota, located north of Minneapolis. The magazine reported that Cole joined the militia group in 2013, while he was sheriff, and at about the same time he sent an open letter to constituents pledging not to enforce any new federal or state gun restrictions, decrying them as an erosion of freedom and a moral sin. The open letter Cole signed, along with at least 89 other sheriffs, was in fact a petition organized by the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association, (CSPOA). The CSPOA was founded by former Arizona sheriff and founding board member of the Oath Keepers, Richard Mack, in 2011. A recent report by the Anti-Defamation League identified dozens of sheriffs who have joined CSPOA, along with a handful of police officers and a few state and local elected officials. Sheriffs supporting the CSPOA include former Wisconsin sheriff and Proud Boys supporter David Clarke Jr. and Sheriff Dar Leaf of Barry County, Michigan. Last year Sheriff Leaf appeared on stage at a fascist rally with members of the Wolverine Watchmen who would later be arrested for their role in the plot to kidnap and murder Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The ADL report notes that even police who have not formally joined the CSPOA often refer to themselves as constitutional sheriffs while espousing many of the same beliefs advanced by Mack and Stewart Rhodes, the Oath Keepers founder. The CSPOA advances a bizarre political theory that sheriffs and their deputized militias, or posses, are above the law, free to disobey any rule or regulation they deem unconstitutional. Under conditions of the ongoing pandemic, which has officially claimed nearly 800,000 lives in the US and over five times that globally, the US ruling class, through the Republican Party, is mobilizing these fascistic elements in opposition to any public health measures that interfere with profit accumulation. They will be used to intimidate increasingly militant workers and youth into accepting mass death at job sites and schools, along with deteriorating working conditions, lower wages and unending police brutality. In October, Pro Publica, working off the DDoS data, identified at least 48 present or former state and local government officials, all Republicans, who had joined the Oath Keepers, including 10 currently sitting state lawmakers. Pro Publica also identified two former state representatives; one current state assembly candidate; a state legislative aide; a city council assistant; county commissioners in Indiana, Arizona and North Carolina; two town aldermen; sheriffs or constables in Montana, Texas and Kentucky; state investigators in Texas and Louisiana; and a New Jersey towns public works director. In all, Pro Publica found more than 400 people who signed up for membership or newsletters using government, military or political campaign email address, including candidates for Congress and sheriff. The authors were able to link three people uncovered in the leaks who had also been arrested at the Capitol, all of whom have pleaded not guilty. One current lawmaker identified in the list is Arizona state representative Mark Finchem, who had previously been identified as an Oath Keeper and who was photographed on the Capitol grounds on January 6. While propagating Trumps stolen election lies, Finchem has claimed that he never entered the Capitol or engaged in violent activity. Another Arizona state representative previously identified as an Oath Keeper and uncovered in the leaks is retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Wendy Rogers. Last week Rogers, along with Trump-endorsed gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake, held an election integrity rally in Phoenix, during which both called the 2020 presidential election stolen. Speaking to the far-right Gateway Pundit, Rogers called for perp walks and arrests in relation to the election audit. Rogers called on my constituents to do affidavits, and then you need to present them to the sheriff, the sheriff which has broad authority, so that the sheriff can conduct an investigation. Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve; screenplay by Jon Spaihts, Villeneuve and Eric Roth; based on (the first half of) the novel Dune (1965) by Frank Herbert Frank Herberts classic science fiction novel Dune (1965) has bedeviled those who would adapt it into a film for almost as long as it has transported readers to the harsh deserts of Arrakis. After Chilean-French filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky failed to make a 14-hour version in the 1970s, and after David Lynch succeeded in making a justifiably panned version in 1984, French Canadian film director Denis Villeneuve has managed to make a critically acclaimed version. Villeneuves new film adaptation, which treats the first half of Herberts novel, is an effective enough introduction to the novel itself and, one hopes, to the second half of the story, which is slated for a movie release in October 2023. Dune: Part One Villeneuves Dune follows House Atreides, one of the key noble houses 20,000 years in the future, as they assume control over Arrakis, a harsh desert planet that is the source of the most important substance in the known universe, spice, which allows for interstellar travel and prolongs life. Arrakis, which the indigenous Fremen call Dune, is covered in sand save for some rocky outcroppings and a few cities, shielded from the desert and its massive sandworms by rock. It rapidly becomes clear that, far from being a boon bestowed on Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam Corrino IV, Arrakis is a deadly trap. House Atreidess rival House Harkonnen, led by the vile Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Stellan Skarsgard), has sabotaged spice production and colludes with the emperor and Dr. Wellington Yueh (Chang Chen), the Atreidess doctor, to launch an illegal invasion of Arrakis. In the process, Duke Leto is taken prisoner and killed, while his concubine Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and son Paul (Timothee Chalamet) escape thanks to assistance from Yueh, who regrets his Judas-like role. Jessica and Paul escape into the desert, where they encounter Dr. Liet-Kynes (Sharon Duncan-Brewster), the Imperial Planetologist, and Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa), the Atreides swordmaster, both of whom die in their defense. Fleeing into the desert once more, they encounter a group of Fremen. After an initial confrontation, they are accepted into the tribe, led by Stilgar (Javier Bardem). Throughout these events, it becomes clear that Paul has extraordinary abilities. He has had vivid dreams of events that have come to pass, along with recurring dreams of a Fremen woman, whom he meets at the end of the film and discovers is named Chani (Zendaya). He becomes increasingly prescient as he becomes exposed to Dunes spice, eventually having visions while awake. Oscar Isaac in Dune: Part One One also learns about Fremen culture, conditioned by the arid environment and centuries of occupation by foreign invaders. The Fremen (from free men) have strong intratribal loyalty, spit on the floor to demonstrate respect (as they have shared their moisture), are slow to trust outsiders, revere the sandworms in the persona of Shai-Hulud and believe that a messiah (mahdi) is coming. The film largely follows the plot of the first half of the novel. Unfortunately, this to some extent prevents the film from standing on its own, either apart from the novel or apart from the second film, which is still in preproduction. Some judgment has to be withheld, as Dunes artistic success will in large part be determined by Dune: Part Two. As is expected from blockbuster movies today, the special effects are phenomenal. Dune is full of strange technology: personal shields, ornithopters, giant Heighliner ships operated by the Spacing Guild, lasguns, water-conserving stillsuits, towering spice harvesters. All of this is brought to life vividly, without the jarring imagery of the Lynch adaptation. Rebecca Ferguson in Dune: Part One Moreover, assuming that the next film is of similar length, a total of five hours is appropriate for adapting Dune. Arguably the fundamental fault of Lynchs movie was that it attempted to pack a novel of some 800 pages, four appendices and a glossary into a two-hour film. The acting and characterization are largely effective. Isaac brings to life Duke Leto, honorable to a fault and fiercely protective toward his son. Skarsgard is suitably malevolent as the Harkonnen patriarch, and the anti-gravity suspensors his character uses on account of his weight add a ghastly, rather than comic, quality. Chalamet plays the role of a somewhat sullen teenager perhaps too wellone hopes that his characters charisma and will can come through in the second part. Fergusons Jessica is far too emotional for someone with Bene Gesserit training, apparently in a misguided attempt to focus more on her maternal relationship with Paul. The musical talents of Atreides commander Gurney Halleck (Josh Brolin) are left out, for better or worse. Zendaya in Dune: Part One The movie has an ambiguous relationship with militarism, and it is clearly not an anti-war film. Unlike space operas such as Star Wars, many of the battle scenes are one-sided, showing vicious orbital bombardment or hand-to-hand swordfighting in which Harkonnens brutalize the Atreides and Fremen, with the latter putting up more of a fight. At the same time, when the duke and his family arrive on Arrakis, his legions are assembled in the desert chanting Atreides! While these are the protagonists soldiers, and the Atreides troops loyalty is given freely to the duke, it is also disturbing and reminiscent of US imperialist occupiers in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East. This is likely unintentional, but this itself is complicated by Paul agreeing with Stilgars chargein Duke Letos presence, no lessthat the Atreides and Harkonnens both come here for the spice take it, giving nothing in return. Many of the edits, such as changing Liet-Kyness gender and removing the epigraphs, are either neutral changes or ones well within artistic license. However, the film also excludes or downplays several critical aspects of the novel, largely to its detriment. Much of the subtlety and complexity of Herberts plot is covered up with cinematography that can abruptly alternate between desert landscapes and close-ups and with Hans Zimmers obtrusive score. As we noted about Villeneuves Blade Runner 2049 (2017): The film expends a great deal of energy attempting to convince the viewer of its importance. The sweeping compositions, the lingering close-ups and the blaring synthesizer soundtrack all seem to insist that the various goings-on are of tremendous significance. This is a film that demandsor perhaps begsto be taken seriously. Timothee Chalamet in Dune: Part One Villeneuve is aided by the source material in this case, although this does not overcome all of the weaknesses by any means, and these weaknesses will be more apparent to those who are not already fans of Dune. In particular, the intrigue of Herberts novel (Leto warns Paul of a feint within a feint within a feint as he searches for a traitor he knows is within his household) is largely dropped, simplifying the plot and making the film as a whole more heavy-handed. Additionally, one of Dunes glaring contradictions is that, millennia in the future, humanity is again ruled by dukes, barons and emperors, with ceremony and tradition carrying curious weight. In the novel, this planetary feudalism has the feel of an institution with some history, and its implicationsloveless political marriages, brutal internecine fighting within the aristocracy, rigid class hierarchiesare more apparent. A particularly arresting psychological aspect of the novel, also left out of the movie, is how the characters are compelled by necessity. Some of the changes are reasonableremoving epigraphs that foretell Dr. Yuehs betrayal chapters in advance and internal monologuesbut the cumulative effect is to remove this exploration. Not only do the Atreides know they are walking into a Harkonnen-laid trap in both the book and the movie, but Duke Leto in particular has morbid thoughts and senses his death is near. Moreover, Paul is explicitly told by the Bene Gesserit that his father will die shortly after their arrival on Arrakis. In the novel, Pauls vision of a terrible jihad waged in his name is not just a disturbing possible future but the best-case scenario, the least evil outcome, with other possible futures even bloodier. Paul is forced on his path knowing it will result in millions or even billions of deaths, and that if he fails, even more will die. This sets up Herberts subversion of the idea of a messianic savior, and his libertarian-influenced criticism of centralized authority, in Dune Messiah and subsequent sequels. The novel features a dinner party which introduces Paul to Dunes customs, the local ruling class of merchants and sycophants, and the ecological ideas of Dr. Kynes, who posits that Arrakis can be made a paradise through the careful stewardship of water and long-term social planning. While a dinner party is not likely to find its way into a modern Hollywood blockbuster, and perhaps a different setting would have been more appropriate for the movie, the ecological ideas are left almost totally unexplored, glaring when one considers how dire the climatic situation is today compared to 1965. Particularly in the second half of the novel, the possibilities of people selflessly cooperating on a planetary scale to improve the environment are as motivating a force as prophecy and religion. These ecological ideas (Herbert is credited with popularizing the very word ecology) saw Dune promoted in Whole Earth Catalog. This goes some way to explaining the novels popularity, but Dune also spoke to other aspects of the 1960s to varying degrees, with varying success and of varying significance. In addition to the above, this included psychedelic drug usage and anti-colonial struggles, most obviously in Algeria. Part two will presumably feature more of both, with the latter in particular being prominent in the second half of the novel. Dune the novel is justifiably regarded as a classic, and often compared to J. R. R. Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings for its scope and ability to legitimize a genre of literature, as well as for its linguistic and historical world-building, although Tolkien was more accomplished in these regards. Herberts book won both the Hugo and Nebula awards and clearly inspired much of the sci-fi that has followed, particularly Star Wars. It maintains a hold today despite failed movie adaptations, Herberts increasingly bizarre sequels and his sons cash-grabbing forays into the Dune universe, because it explores significant ideas and creates a compelling, if disturbing, future. If Villeneuves Dune inspires more people to read Herberts Dune, it will have done a small service. For now, it has mostly provided an introduction to its own sequel. This reviewer hopes that the more intriguing aspects of the novelanthropological, ecological, anti-colonial, political, even psychologicalwill find greater expression in Dune: Part Two, although there are a great number of pressures that will work against that being done effectively. Public school teachers in the state of Victoria are this week implementing additional work bans organised by the Australian Education Union (AEU), as part of its efforts to finalise a new industrial agreement with the state Labor government. The strictly limited measures include prohibitions on state Labor parliamentarians visiting schools, a ban on implementing online trial NAPLAN standardised tests and on education support (ES) staff doing duties during unpaid lunch breaks. These are in addition to measures imposed from last monthattending only one of the usual two after school hours meetings each week, not responding to certain Department of Education emails, and not implementing FISO 2.0, the second version of the so-called Framework for Improving Student Outcomes that outlines the governments agenda for the schools. Mass meeting of Victorian teachers in 2012 [Source: WSWS Media] None of these authorised bans serve to disrupt the business of the government and its Department of Education. The AEU is using them as an alibi for its refusal to authorise strike action. Tensions are escalating within the schools. Of the more than 50,000 teacher and school staff members of the AEU, 97 percent voted in September in favour of industrial action. The central issue, as with previous industrial agreements covering the public schools, is excessive workload. Enormous unpaid overtime is worked each week, as teachers are confronted with ever increasing expectations that more tasks will be carried out including administration, assessment and reporting, family communication, and student learning responsibilities. Numerous teachers confronting these pressures are quitting the profession, including approximately one in every three graduate teachers within their first five years of working. The COVID-19 situation has exacerbated the crisis. Teachers in Melbourne have worked through what had been one of the worlds longest cumulative lockdowns, providing remote learning to their students in highly challenging conditions. This term the government, with the full support of the AEU, has dragooned teachers and school staff back into the schools amid ongoing, high-level community transmission of the virus. The union has refused to make public the tally of affected schools. The Committee for Public Education has counted more than 400 schools affected by outbreaks in the last five weeks, publicising these outbreaks in the face of an attempted government and union blackout. Education is now by far the worst COVID-hit industry, significantly ahead of the aged care, child care, and health care sectors. Several schools have emerged as major infection clusterssuggesting that the reopenings may have caused super spreader events. Northern Bay Western College Wexford Campus has 56 infections, while Stockwell Road and Morwell Park primary schools, both in the Latrobe Valley working class regional area, have 31 and 30 infections respectively. From the outset of the pandemic, the bureaucracy has supported and helped enforce every official diktat. The only response of the AEU to the latest infection spike has been to insist it is up to individual schools and their occupational health and safety representatives to respond to the situation. The next three-year industrial agreement and the rushed reopening of the schools in pandemic conditions are interconnected issues and ought to be dealt with together in a unified industrial and political struggle of teachers and school workers. The AEUs priority is to block the emergence of such a movement. Union state president Meredith Peace all but ruled out any stop work industrial action in an interview with the Age last month. The newspaper reported that she was unwilling to disadvantage students as they progressively return to face-to-face learning in term four. The real disadvantage confronting students is not the threat of teacher strikes but rather the ongoing and chronic lack of resources provided to their public schools. While elite private institutions provide the best facilities money can buy for the privileged children of the ultra-wealthy, Victorian public schools remain the lowest funded in the country, on a per-student basis. Teachers and staff are over-worked and under-paid. The AEU and Department of Education representatives have been negotiating behind closed doors for nearly 12 months. The limited updates on these secretive discussions provided by the uniondelivered verbally in members meetings, as the bureaucracy has agreed not to write anything about the negotiationshave made clear that the government is not prepared to make any significant concessions whatsoever. The Labor government of Premier Daniel Andrews is preparing austerity budget cuts, and has insisted on a 2 percent annual wage rise ceiling for public sector workers. This would represent a real wage cut for teachers amid an escalating cost of living. The union has previously reported that the Department has a list of new measures it wants to impose on teachers. This includes a 10 week leave model, within which teachers could be forced to attend school for work during holidays between terms, if they have not worked enough hours to accumulate sufficient sick and other leave. Other outstanding issues relate to workload. The union has already flagged its willingness to junk the proposal outlined in its log of claims for a maximum 18 hours a week face to face teaching time, and the 20-student class size cap. Instead of such limits, department and union officials are reportedly haggling over the details of a new index model that effectively forces a trade-off between any reduction in face to face teaching hours with a corresponding increase in class sizes. The current crisis in the public education system has been deliberately engineered by the ruling elite in Australia, in part via regressive industrial agreements imposed on school teachers and staff in Victoria and every other state and territory. Teachers and school staff now must make active preparations to oppose any regressive deal cooked up by the AEU and the state government. No more sell out agreements! No more productivity concessions and other give-aways! The campaign for decent wages and working conditions in the public education system must be taken out of the hands of the union bureaucracy, and taken forward in tandem with the fight to protect the health and safety of staff and students by closing schools in conditions of continued COVID-19 transmission. Such a fight, based on the widest circulation of accurate scientific information on the pandemic and what is required to eliminate the coronavirus, would receive enormous support throughout the working class. What is required is the formation of rank-and-file committees in every school, independent of the AEU, and the development of a political struggle against the state Labor government The starting point for a new agreement must be not what the government and union deem affordable within a pandemic-driven austerity drive, but rather what is necessary to deliver decent working conditions for teachers and school staff and proper educational facilities for all public school students. The Committee for Public Education will provide every assistance to those seeking to take forward this struggle. Contact us today and get involved! Email: cfpe.aus@gmail.com Facebook: facebook.com/commforpubliceducation Twitter: @CFPE_Australia One year after Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered the invasion of Tigray province, intensified fighting threatens an all-out civil war amid escalating ethnic conflicts around the country. The breakup of Africas second-most populous country would destabilise the wider Horn of Africa region, including Somalia, the Republic of Sudan, South Sudan, and Eritrea. Ethiopia, the headquarters of the African Union, has long acted as the regions anchor state on behalf of US imperialism. Military conflict with the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) has caused untold suffering and devastated the economy. Last week, Abiy declared a state of emergency, giving him powers to impose curfews and censor the media, issued a call to arms for Ethiopias citizens and ordered house-to-house searches for and arrests of ethnic Tigrayans and those accused of sympathizing with the TPLF. Tigrayan women who fled from the town of Samre, roast coffee beans over a wood stove in a classroom where they now live in Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, File) He also announced the stepping up of recruitment into both the national and regional armed forces, amid reports of new arms purchases, with Eritrea set to send more troops at Ethiopias expense and Iran, Turkey and China bolstering Ethiopias arsenal. China is to supply four Chengdu J-20 fighter jets and Wing Loong drones, while Iran and Turkey are supplying attack drones. Abiy has called the Tigrayan leaders, who were between 1991 and 2018 the leading political force in Ethiopia, cancer and weeds. This prompted Facebook and Twitter to remove one of Thursdays posts urging Ethiopians to take up arms and bury the approaching rebel forces. On Sunday, the government organized a pro-military, nationalist demonstration in Meskell Square, in the centre of the capital Addis Ababa, to rally support for the conflict and oppose foreign interference from the US and other countries calling for an end to the violence. While the public are generally supportive of the federal government, Al-Jazeera reported that many expressed dismay at the war itself. Days earlier the TPLF announced it had formed an alliance with eight other opposition groups to oust Abiy, through political negotiation or military force if necessary, and install a transitional government. They are threatening to block the crucial road linking landlocked Ethiopia to the Red Sea port of Djibouti and advance on Addis Ababa. Getachew Reda, a TPLF spokesperson, said, If marching to Addis is what it takes to break the siege [of Tigray], we will. Tigray has for months been suffering from Abiys blockade that has cut off budget transfers and telecommunications, electricity and banking services. The alliance brings together previously opposed ethnic groups, including the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a splinter from the Oromo Liberation Front, that is fighting for greater rights for the ethnic Oromos who make up 35 percent of Ethiopias 110 million people. The government has declared the OLA a terrorist entity and jailed many suspected supporters. The alliance, the United Front of Ethiopian Federalist and Confederalist Forces, called on the Biden administration to support their efforts. Berhane Gebre-Christos, a former foreign minister and TPLF spokesperson, told a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, We are left with one optionchanging the situation; otherwise, well all be massacred, and called for a resolution to the crisis before Ethiopia implodes and affects the region. Abiy, an Oromian and former military intelligence officer backed by Washington, became prime minister in February 2018 following rising ethnic tensions incited by the elites in a bid to prevent a unified opposition to their free market reforms, including the sale of prize land for commercial, export-based agriculture and flower growing. Touted as a reformer who would bring a new beginning to Ethiopia, Abiy disbanded the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), a coalition of militia groups and parties dominated by the TPLF. He replaced it with his Prosperity Party (PP) which TPLF refused to join. Abiy retired Tigrayan military and government officials, launched corruption charges against some TPLF members and announced plans for the privatisation of the state-owned economy and liberalisation of the banks. The prime minister launched his murderous law-and-order operation against Tigray in November 2020 in response to what he claimed was an attack on an army compound. That move followed the federal governments efforts to bypass the TPLF after it rejected Abiys decision to postpone the 2020 elections due to the pandemic and went ahead with its own elections. While Tigrayans form just 6 percent of the population, they have long provided much of Ethiopias national army, seriously depleting Abiys forces on the ground. The national elections went ahead last June, although voters in 125 out of the 547 parliamentary seats were unable to vote and two regions, Somali and Harar that voted in September, have yet to announce their results. Meeting few basic standards for a credible vote, Abiy and his Prosperity Party won 401 of the 422 seats contested in June, enabling him to claim a popular mandate for his policies, including greater powers for the federal government. Contrary to Abiys expectation of a swift victory last year, the TPLF have retaken most of Tigray, including the capital Mekelle, and moved into the neighbouring Afar and Amhara regions. Fighting alongside allied ethnic Amhara militias opposed to Abiy, the TPLF have reportedly taken two key towns and are some 220 miles from Addis Ababa. The military conflict in Tigray takes place amid ethnic strife and inter-communal violence across many parts of the country, with large swathes of Benishangul-Gumuz, Afar, Somali, Oromia, Amhara and the Southern Region under Command Postsde facto military rule. With the end of the rainy season, fighting will expand further beyond Tigray, adding to the terrible death toll of 100,000. The federal governments blockade of the region has prevented food and medicine, including United Nations (UN) and international aid, reaching the Tigray where, according to UN estimates, 5.2 million people are in urgent need of help and 400,000 face starvation. The UN says that nearly 2 million Tigrayans have been displaced by the conflict, as well as 450,000 in Afar and Amhara provinces, with 70,000 fleeing to Sudan. There have been accusations of massacres, sexual violence and horrific human rights abuses on both sides. Last week, a joint UN-Ethiopian report detailed first-hand accounts of numerous human rights violations, some of which Michelle Bachelet, the UN high commissioner for human rights, said may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. She added, the majority of the violations between November 2020 and June 2021 appeared to have been committed by Ethiopian forces and their Eritrean allies, but following the Tigrayan counter-offensive in June, there were an increasing number of allegations of human rights abuses by Tigray forces. Last September, the Biden administration announced it was considering sanctions that could target military commanders, government officials, state institutions and the national carrier, Ethiopian Airlines, prompting Abiy to expel seven senior UN officials. The US government has also suspended security and some economic assistance, said it will not support International Monetary Fund and World Bank funds for Ethiopia and warned that Ethiopian exporters may lose their preferential access to the US market. The UN Security Council has called for a ceasefire, while the African Union has appointed Nigerias former President Olusegun Obasanjo as its special envoy to the Horn to try and broker talks. The US and other western countries have called on Abiy to begin talks with the rebels, advising their citizens to leave the country. On Thursday, Washington sent Jeffrey Feltman, its fixer for the Horn of Africa, to Addis Ababa, to try and persuade Abiy to step back from all-out war. Abiy reportedly rejected this as external interference. The fighting in Ethiopia could draw Sudan into the war, under conditions where relations between Addis Ababa and Khartoum are at a low ebb, both over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam that could affect Sudans water supply and al-Fashaga, the disputed farmlands adjacent to western Tigray which Sudan occupied in December. Having fallen out of Washingtons favour, Abiy hopes that he can profit from the increasing attention being paid to the Horn of Africa. Sited at the crossroads between Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean, it has become the focus of great power and regional rivalries, as Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Russia, Israel and China, which paid for the Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway as part of its Belt and Road Initiative, jockey for position. Florida educators, parents and students who oppose the lifting of mask mandates in schools and want to fight to end the pandemic should sign up here to build a rank-and-file committee in your district. District officials and school board members in three of Floridas largest school districtsOrange County, Broward County, and Miami-Dade Countyeffectively ended their mask mandates last week, signaling a capitulation of Democratic Party-led counties to the demand of Republican Governor Ron DeSantis that even the most limited mitigation measures meant to stop the spread of COVID-19 be removed in schools. Carol Basilio, right, greets her daughter Giovanna, 4, left, outside of iPrep Academy on the first day of school, Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, in Miami-Dade Public Schools, Florida. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) In Orange County, the ninth-largest school district in the US, with roughly 200,000 students, a 60-day mask mandate was allowed to expire on October 30, after county board members decided not to renew it. In announcing the districts decision to abandon mask protocols, Superintendent Barbara Jenkins said an extension was not necessary because of the significant reduction in the number of COVID-19 cases in the county. Students in these districts are now able to attend instruction without masks due to a new opt-out provision adopted by the Orange County district, with parents deciding if their child should wear a mask. Although the new rule only applies to students, and teachers, visitors and parents must still wear a mask on school grounds, the provision will certainly lead to a more explosive growth in infections. Children spread coronavirus just as readily as adults, and cramming them into unsafe overcrowded classrooms and hallways without protection will only worsen transmission. For Broward County, the school board voted in a 5-3 decision to lift the mask requirement for only high school students. Earlier in October, board members agreed to revisit the requirement if vaccination levels in the county rose to 66 percent and the case positivity rate fell. A document posted last week by the school board said that current conditions recommended the District eliminate its face covering mandate at this time, while encouraging the use of face coverings and quarantining practices to avoid any spikes in positivity and until such time as the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a community health risk. The three board members who rejected the decision pointed to the reckless nature of abandoning safety measures in the county. Broward is the nations sixth largest school district, with roughly 270,000 students, and it is one of the few major metropolitan districts nationwide that has even considered easing its mask restrictions. Board representative Sarah Leonardi said, It seems that we are having this discussion here in South Florida, but there are other districts nationally that this isnt even a question. Nora Rupert, a representative of District 7, said, I dont think its a very fair situation to put our young ones and their families at risk. Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent and Democrat Alberto Carvalho also announced last week that the district was removing its mask mandate for high school and middle school students. Miami-Dade is the largest district in the state and fourth largest nationwide, with nearly 360,000 students. Excluding those who attend K-8 centers, students will no longer have to wear a mask if their parents sign a form opting them out of the mandate. Carvalho said the decision came after significant, extensive and frequent consultation with medical experts who were supposedly unanimous in their recommendation. Significantly, Orange Countys decision to remove the districts mask mandate will include children aged 5-11, who recently received Federal Drug Administration approval to receive vaccinations but who have only just begun to be vaccinated. In justifying the jettisoning of masking in schools, Superintendent Jenkins referred primarily to statements made last Wednesday by Democratic County Mayor Jerry Demings, who declared that he was allowing his own executive order mandating masking and other mitigation efforts to expire that week. Demings claimed the state of emergency order was no longer needed because the countys COVID-19 positivity rate hovered at about 3.5 percent for the previous 17 days, which is below the World Health Organizations five percent threshold for considering the virus contained. With the emergency order lifted, unvaccinated county employees will no longer have to take a weekly COVID-19 test or wear masks indoors unless the employer requires it. The optimistic portrayal presented by Demings was contradicted by the countys weekly report on COVID-19 cases and positivity rates. The countys weekly COVID-19 case rate per 100,000 residents increased from six to 7.2, while the test-positivity rate ticked slightly up from 2.3 percent to 2.5 percent. In announcing the decision, Demings relayed the fact that COVID-19 claimed 410 lives of county residents in August as the Delta variant raged across the state. The Mayor also sought to blame DeSantis and his ruthless prohibitions on local public health policies, even as the Mayor implemented the full reopening of schools this fall and refused lockdown measures. The districts decisions came just a few weeks after a report by the Florida Education Association revealed that over 102 educators and 24 students have died in the state since August alone. The teachers unions, however, have done everything possible to suppress the widespread opposition of teachers. As a testament to the role the unions have played in the back-to-school campaign, Broward Teachers Union President Anna Fusco said in a statement that she was proud that Broward County was strongly encouraging high school students to wear masks. All three of the counties were among eight districts who defied rulings imposed by Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education (DOE) prohibiting districts from requiring masks within schools. The mask reversal comes weeks after the DOE approved plans to dock salaries and withhold funding from local school districts that defied Ron DeSantis ban on mask mandates in classrooms. Broward and Alachua Counties were the first regions impacted by the right-wing policy, which also threatened reductions of overall funding to the counties if they received federal grants intended to blunt the states fines. In response to the penalties, the Biden administration and US Department of Education sought to allot federal aid money to Broward and Alachua districts to offset the deductions. However, the Florida DOE then decided to strip local school boards of this federal aid money, directly defying the Biden administration and rebuffing US Department of Education warnings that the move would violate federal requirements in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Florida education officials classified the federal governments warnings as harassing and legally hollow, indicating the state government would move ahead with punishing school districts that implemented safety protocols. Parents from all three districts responded to the announcements on social media with a flurry of denunciations of the decision of district officials to lift mask mandates. In Orange County, parents pushed for the mandate to be extended at least until the winter break in mid-December. Many parents pointed out the fallacy behind claims that masking was no longer needed, which contradicted what most of the doctors on the districts medical advisory panel recommended. Lora Vail, a founder of the Mask Up OCPS Facebook group, said, Obviously we are very disappointed in this news. We were just asking for a six-week extension, which stuck with all current medical advice. On October 25, a Dont Stop Now rally was held in Orange County by a group of parents and local residents demanding the School Board renew its policy of face-coverings for students. Jenifer Hills, a parent of a second-grader in the district and one of the rally participants, told local news, How well were doing and the COVID numbers are in large part due to the masks. Its our first line of defense against the virus. Hill continued, If we take away their best protection, which is the masks at this moment, were leaving them extremely vulnerable. The assertions being made by local officials that circumstances are now safe for the abandonment of mask requirements are in fact dishonest and unscientific, as many epidemiologists warn against premature celebrations of the pandemic being over. In fact, the US and the entire Northern Hemisphere are heading into a deadly winter season that is expected to parallel the massive surge from last year. In an October 24 webinar, How to stop the pandemic, sponsored by the World Socialist Web Site, Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and Senior Fellow at the Federation of American Scientists, responded to a question about where he saw the pandemic going in the next three to six months without a wholesale overturn in policy. He stated, On a world scale, we will still be counting bodies in six months time. We are going to have a very bad winter in the Northern hemisphere. Several other scientists participating on the panel agreed with this prognosis. The October 24 webinar emphasized the need to fight for a strategy aimed at eradicating COVID-19, which involves not just imposing inadequate mitigation measures such as mask-wearing in classrooms, but the closure of schools and nonessential businesses until cases are brought to zero, combined with mass vaccination, testing, contact tracing and other measures, along with full economic support for workers affected by necessary closures. Such measures are opposed not just by the fascistic Republicans, but also by the pro-corporate Democrats and trade unions, with all of them in agreement that children and teachers must be sacrificed so that parents can return to work to produce profits for the ruling elites. This policy of social murder, spearheaded by capitalist governments the world over, must be fought against through the mass mobilization of teachers and the entire working class in a struggle to implement scientifically-guided measures aimed at ending the pandemic and saving lives. All Florida educators, parents and students who wish to take up this fight should contact us today to build a rank-and-file committee in your district. More details have emerged about the horrific police killing of an 18-year-old Roma youth in the Greek capital, Athens, in the early hours of October 23. The killing took place in the Perama neighbourhood, 16 kilometres west of the centre of Athens, following a 30-minute car chase. The victim, Nikos Sambanis, was from the Roma settlement in Sofos, an area in the Aspropyrgos suburb of Athens, 19 kilometres north-west of the city centre. He leaves behind a pregnant wife and two small children. According to reports, police fired a total of 36 bullets into the car Nikos was in. The sounds of the polices sirens followed by the barrage of shots were captured by a local resident in a video uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Greek daily Kathimerini the following day. A second passenger, a 16-year-old boy, was injured by the gunfire and hospitalised. Also in the car was a 14-year-old boy, reportedly the driver of the car, who fled the scene. All of them were unarmed. The post-mortem report revealed that Nikos received two bullet wounds, one in the stomach and one fatally in his chest. He died instantly. Protests broke out following the police murder in and around Athens, as well as in the cities of Corinth and Patras, with groups of Roma blocking highways. A main protest was held in Athens attended by around 1,000 people on October 25, which was viciously attacked by riot police using stun grenades and tear gas. Footage of the attack by the riot police can be viewed here. Riot police attacking October 25 Athens protest against the Perama police killing (Credit: still from video from kwstasarvaniths Instagram account) The initial police report stated that the chase was initiated by members of the DIAS motorcycle police squad in the Ayios Ioannis Rentis neighbourhood, 8 kilometres west of Athens city centre, because they suspected the vehicle had been stolen. The report claimed that they had acted in self-defence after the car allegedly rammed into police motorcycles, injuring seven of the officers. By the next morning the official version of the events was already unravelling. In another video shot by a resident and uploaded on the Kathimerini YouTube channel, one of the police officers can be clearly heard saying that none of them were injured. This led to the seven police officers being taken into custody at the Central Police Headquarters in Athens (GADA). Leaks have confirmed that the DIAS squad had been told to abort the pursuit partway through the chase. The bulk of the police briefings, however, continue demonising the three youths, and are parroted uncritically by sections of the media. Over the next days, stories emerged that the dead youth was a wanted criminal. As it turned out, Nikos criminal record was clean while all claims of a criminal past centred on an accusation that he stole a moped when he was 14. To bolster police claims of self-defence, media reports also claimed that Nikos was the driver of the car, even though it later emerged that he was seated in the back seat. Scores of media reports also claimed that Nikos was 20 years old, two years older than he really was. Thanassis Kambayiannis, the lawyer representing the Sambanis family, said this was the polices way of making the shooting appear more palatable by presenting the dead youth as a fully-fledged adult. It was meant to divert from the fact that the other youths in the car were also minors. There are an estimated 350,000 Roma in Greece. One of the countrys most oppressed minorities, they have faced chronic social exclusion as well as historic prejudice from the Greek state. tweet by Spanish journalist Hibai Arbide Aza, who recently participated in an investigative report on the lives of Greek Roma, noted that only 16 percent of Roma in Greece make it to 75 years of age, compared with 51 percent of Roma in other European countries. On October 29, a reporting team from newsbeast.gr visited the settlement in Sofos where the dead youth had lived. The team wrote, The picture is brutal, the roads non-existent, while most shacks are made from aluminium sheets, two beams and plastic canvasready to fall down at the first sign of wind. Speaking to the reporters, the dead youths father, Yiannis Sambanis, said, We are around 300 people living here. We dont have electricity or water. We are able to get a bit of light through cables that we connect to batteries We carry water using containers from a tap downhill. They have occasionally come with buses to test us for COVID, but for the vaccine they have never come. No-one has told us what we need to do. We want to be vaccinated. Sambanis senior told the reporters that he works as a rag-and-bone man and is routinely harassed by the police for his papers, telling him he doesnt have a legal trading license. In an unprecedented move, senior government figures intervened to lend their support to the seven police officers. On the same day as the seven were taken into custody, October 24, the New Democracy governments Citizen Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos visited them at GADA where they were being held. In a statement the minister said, My move was of an exclusively human and symbolic character, to psychologically support young people who are serving in the Greek Police. The day after, October 25, Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis appeared on Skai TVs morning news show explicitly justifying the actions of the police officers, stating, a car being rammed is considered a deadly weapon, hence the way the DIAS squad handled the situation was entirely justified. Police claims that they acted in self-defence were demolished when the 14-year-old driver of the car came forward and appeared in a court hearing on October 27. Outside the court he told journalists, We were scared in case they were going to kill us, which is why we didnt stop in the first place. As soon as we stopped we put our hands up and they shot at us. They shot my friend and then I crashed the vehicle into their bikes, but there was no-one on them. On the same day as the young Roma appeared in court, all seven police officers were released without any restrictions until a trial date is set. They were charged with voluntary manslaughter, which all denied. Pleased that his intervention worked, Theodorikakos stated that he was satisfied with the decision. The police killing of Nikos Sambanis and its endorsement by the government should serve as a warning to Greek workers and youth. While Roma are disproportionate victims of police harassment and violence, with police raids in Roma settlement a common occurrence, police violence affects the entire working class. It is not only the efforts by the far-right to stoke prejudices against the Roma that must be resisted, but also the efforts by proponents of identity politics to present the issue of police brutality as a purely racial one. In a written statement Kambayiannis drew attention to the fact that the police tactics that led to Kambanis killing were far from uncommon: From the beginning of October, the systematic use of weapons by police in similar pursuits in the centre of Athens (e.g., on October 8 in Marni Street and on October 11 at Ayios Panteleimon) as well as in other cities (e.g., in Trikala on October 22 ), which is later justified by invoking a vehicle-ramming incident, shows beyond doubt that the orders come from above. The incidents are too many and common for them to be isolated. Nearly 2,500 health care workers at Kaiser Permanentes facilities in Georgia voted by 96 percent to authorize a strike earlier this month. The vote came just days before unions covering nearly 32,000 Kaiser Permanente workers on the West Coast announced a strike deadline of November 15. The Kaiser Permanente hospital in Kennesaw, Georgia The Georgia health care workers, including nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, physical and occupational therapists, and midwives, like their counterparts on the West Coast, are fighting attempts by Kaiser to impose a two-tiered wage system, paying new employees at a substantially reduced rate and with fewer benefits. They are also fighting for higher wages and increased staffing. Like others in the health care industry, they have faced intolerable conditions during the pandemic, which has killed close to 180,000 health care workers worldwide. According to a union survey of registered nurses at Kaiser released in September, 42 percent were considering leaving the profession due to the conditions they have faced during the pandemic. On Facebook, many workers spoke out in solidarity. Get your money from these corporations, they hoard profits instead of paying the people who's making them money! It's time for a worker movement that require better pay and benefits from all these large businesses, said one worker. Another worker said, Good for them. I believe KP had very healthy profits In the first half of this year, Kaisers net revenue increased by 47 percent to $5 billion. Here we go with the BS Tier system, said one other worker. They do this all the time for various occupations. If you never miss what you never HAD, but others before you have better benefits, you dont know what you missed. The workers are part of a growing strike wave in the United States, and around the world, including among workers in education, logistics, transport, steel, mining agriculture, and garment manufacturing. The demands by the health care workers are completely justified, but for their struggle to succeed they must break out of the straitjacket which the unions are seeking to impose on their struggle. The UFCW, like trade unions as a whole, has no interest in carrying out a genuine struggle and will keep the strike at Kaisers Georgia facilities isolated from the struggles of other health care workers, as well also the unions own 1.3 million members in food processing, health care, manufacturing, and grocery and retail stores. While health care workers everywhere are fighting for the principle that public health must take absolute priority over private profits, the UFCW has been fighting for the exact opposite over the course of the pandemic in the meatpacking and food processing industry. Over 59,000 workers at the five largest US meatpacking companies have become infected and 269 have died, according to a recent congressional report. The UFCW has played the key role in helping management to conceal the extent of the spread in the plants and to keep workers on the job. In one particularly grotesque incident, the union responded to thousands of workers falling sick at Tyson's pork plant in Waterloo, Iowa in the opening months of the pandemic by working with management to implement a perfect attendance bonus. At the same time, plant managers were privately running a betting pool on how many workers would eventually become infected. For their strike to be successful, Kaiser workers in Georgia must unite with Kaiser workers on the west coast and other health care workers, including striking nurses on strike at Mercy Hospital in Buffalo, New York and St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, and develop their own initiative independent of the union by forming independent rank-and-file committees to organize and coordinate their struggle. New Zealands outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant of COVID-19, which began in August, has rapidly expanded since the government began easing lockdown restrictions in Auckland in late September. Active cases have risen from a low point of 202 on September 28, to 2,788 today. Hundreds of thousands of people returned to workplaces on September 22, and high schools in the city were partially reopened on October 26. Tomorrow, retail will be allowed to reopen, a move sharply criticised by experts. Dr Gary Payinda (Source: Facebook) There are now 79 people in hospital. Four people have died from the virus so far this month, bringing the countrys total deaths to 32. The toll is still low compared with other countries because for most of the pandemic New Zealand pursued a policy of elimination: using lockdowns and public health measures to reduce outbreaks to zero cases. On October 4, however, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the Labour Party-led government was transitioning away from an elimination strategy. It is now clear that this means accepting growing numbers of cases and deaths in the community. The World Socialist Web Site recently spoke with Dr Gary Payinda, an emergency department doctor based in Whangarei Hospital in Northland, about how the growing spread of COVID-19 would impact the healthcare system, particularly with relatively low levels of vaccination in much of the country. The northern part of Northland is currently locked down, and there are 21 active cases in the region. Whangarei Hospital admitted two COVID-19 patients in recent days, who were subsequently discharged, including a six-week-old baby. Northland, with a population of about 180,000, is one of the poorest regions in the country. The median personal income was just $24,800 in the 2018 census. It also has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rates: just 69 percent of people aged over 12 have received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Nationwide, 78 percent of eligible people are vaccinated. The figure is just 57 percent for Maori, who make up about a third of Northlands population. Dr Payinda said the vaccination figures were horrendous and described the situation facing the region as a slow motion, preventable catastrophe, with Maori among those most vulnerable to the virus. He explained that low childhood immunisation rates have been a problem for years in Northland, in large part because of poverty and lack of access to doctors, and a very small pool of general practitioners for a very expansive area Weve had measles epidemics before, and they hurt because theyre preventable. Payinda has seen patients with serious complications from measles, including encephalitis and pneumonia. Were setting ourselves up very well to have that play out again, he said. Other poverty-related illnesses in the region include rheumatic heart disease, something you just will not see in North American hospitals unless the patient is from a Third World country, as well as rheumatic fever, strep throat and kidney problems. Many of these diseases will greatly exacerbate a COVID-19 infection. Payinda was recently part of a New Zealand medical team that assisted the Cook Islands vaccination campaign, which resulted in 96 percent of those eligible being vaccinated by late August. They understood that vaccination would reduce their risk of hospitalisation and death by 90 percent, he said. It was a missed opportunity that New Zealand didnt have a much more aggressive rollout, when the supplies did become available, in order to achieve Cook Islands levels of vaccination. Payinda pointed to the recent surge in hospitalisations and deaths in countries like Germany, showing that if you only have two thirds of your population vaccinated, you will be crushed by the onslaught of cases as the unvaccinated get sick. Payinda praised aspects of the NZ governments response, including the recent introduction of vaccine mandates for specific workforces. But he said vaccination should have been mandatory from the outset, with the implicit understanding that if we want to live in a functional, healthy society, you need to take steps to reduce this infectious disease which in the [United] States has killed [more than] 700,000 people. Payinda said politicians were seeking to cater to the loudest screaming voices, the small minority opposed to vaccines, masks, lockdowns and other public health measures. He criticised social media companies and the mainstream media for amplifying anti-vaccination messages. The people that get forgotten about are patients like mine, who are living rurally, are quite poor, dont have a big voice and also havent been socialised to complain. With the current vaccination rate, Payinda said there could soon be thousands of COVID-19 patients nationwide requiring hospitalisation, and a subset of those will die. Hospitals would be overwhelmed because they already lack the capacity to manage all the rest of our patients in an efficient, equitable and prompt manner, on a fairly regular basis. Describing the run-down state of public hospitals, Payinda said that when he began practicing in Northland 14 years ago we had begun outgrowing our hospital in Whangarei, much of which is around 60 to 65 years old. In a typical morning shift in the emergency department (ED), there are patients in the waiting room, waiting to be seen, and a third of your beds may be occupied by patients that were admitted last night Without a staffed bed upstairs available to them, those patients cant go upstairs, they remain in ED and they reduce the ability of the ED to see the next patient. This is known as code red and occurs fairly frequently. When you have that situation, I have to ask: How are we going to cope with an influx of COVID-positive, sick, and sometimes very sick patients with low oxygen levels, who need a lot of nursing care? Where are we going to put those patients if our EDs are already chronically backed up? Health Minister Andrew Little has claimed that the healthcare system can surge to provide 550 intensive care (ICU) spaces in an emergency, up from a current nationwide capacity of about 340. Dr. Payinda said the real capacity is very hard to pin down accurately because ICUs require highly trained intensive care nurses and specialists, as well as technical equipment. He noted that at Whangarei hospital, government figures say that there are eight ICU beds, but if you were to ask a doctor at our hospital how many patients can our ICU typically, routinely cover or surge to, they would say the number is half that. That is, four ICU beds for a population of nearly 200,000 people. So you can see it wouldnt take much to overwhelm the capacity of the hospital. Another thing to think about is: there are patients in those ICU beds now, who have real medical, surgical needs, traumas, you name it. Are we assuming that that demand will just dry up? Probably not. Likewise, what happens when staff get ill [and need to be isolated]? You cant be operating on a skeleton crew routinely, just barely squeaking by, and then expect that you will be able to rise to the surge. Payinda said there was an entrenched trend towards privatisation that had undermined public healthcare. Instead of using public funds to hire more nurses, for example, the system is routinely sending patients away with vouchers to be treated in private, for-profit urgent care centres. He posed the question: Why do we have a public health system that utilises general practitioners as private, for profit entrepreneurs? At present, GPs are allowed to turn someone away because they cannot afford to pay. In Northland, people commonly have to choose between, say, buying more groceries this week and going in for an unexpected asthma flare-up where the GP will charge you to be seen. Payinda concluded that the appalling health problems in Northland and other parts of the country, compounded by inequality, were political problems. We know how to fix these problems, we just lack the willingness to actually fix them, he said. Last week, Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, together with PiS party leader and Minister of National Security Jaroslaw Kaczynski, presented the Plan for the Defence of the Fatherland. This provides for an increase in the target strength of the Polish army to 250,000 professional soldiers. Currently, the Polish armed forces number about 110,000 soldiers. In addition, there are the planned 53,000 volunteers of the Wojska Obrony Terytorialnej, or WOT (Territorial Defence Forces), whose strength is currently around 30,000. This paramilitary militia is directly subordinate to the Ministry of Defence and, in the style of the US National Guard, serves both to support the regular army and to provide internal security. The WOT also aims to strengthen the patriotic and Christian foundations of the Polish system and armed forces, and is considered a stomping ground for right-wing extremists. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, right, leader of Polands ruling PiS party, and Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak presented plans Oct. 26 for the Defense of the Fatherland bill, which aims to massively upgrade the Polish military (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski) Kaczynski justified this radical strengthening of the armed forces with a worsened security situation as a result of Russias imperial ambitions and the hybrid attacks by Belarus. The latter refers to the current situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, where hundreds of refugees are facing hunger, cold and death. The EU and the Polish government justify their brutal border regime by declaring themselves to be the victims. After Spain, Greece and Hungary, a border fence more than two meters high is now being erected on the Polish border. In classic fashion, Kaczynski presented his orgy of rearmament as an act of defence and peacekeeping. He invoked the Latin proverb: If you want peace, prepare for war. Not coincidentally, information about the Polish military exercise Winter 20 leaked to the public earlier this year. The exercise simulated a surprise attack by Russia on Poland. In keeping with the rearmament doctrine, Polish forces were devastated, and Warsaw surrounded after only four days. Comparisons were drawn to the Blitzkrieg of Hitlers Wehrmacht (army), with the conclusion: Even worse than 1939. In reality, the NATO powers are the aggressors. The military alliance has massively rearmed in recent years. This has been accompanied by a build-up of troops on NATOs eastern flank, the border with Russia. The largest manoeuvrers were Trident Juncture, Defender 2020, Defender 2021 and Sea Breeze. Poland has a key role in NATO strategy as both a battlefield and a logistical hub. The PiS government is seeking to expand this role further and is seeking closer ties with US imperialism. Following the election of President Biden, however, relations have cooled considerably. Nevertheless, at the inauguration of the 1st US Infantry Divisions Forward Command Post in Poznan, Poland, in early October, Defence Minister Blaszczak stressed that expanding the US troop presence was one of his priorities in office. It is part of the 2,000-soldier increase in the US troop presence in Poland under President Trump. Poznan serves as the command centre for all US units operating on NATOs eastern flank as part of the Atlantic Resolve rotational deployment. This rearmament initiative will also further exacerbate intra-European conflicts, both that between Germany or the EU and Poland, and the conflict between France and Britain. The latter has announced an alliance with the Visegrad Group (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) and the Baltic states against France. Defence reform has long been announced and was described by Kaczynski as the crowning achievement of his ministerial tenure. Although no draft law has been published yet, and thus no details are known, the scope of the planned measures seems enormous. The legislative package is to consist of 720 articles and replace 14 key laws, first and foremost the law on the general duty to defend, which has been in force since 1967. One goal is to ensure the enormous increase in the defence budget from various sources and to make it largely independent of the official state budget. A support fund is being set up at the national development bank BGK specifically for this purpose. Revenues from government bonds, BGK bonds, the state budget and the profits of the National Bank of Poland are to flow into the rearmament programme. The official military budget has also been increasing for years. It currently stands at around $12 billion, or about 2.2 percent of GDP. The Ministry of Defence has already announced additional arms spending of around $33 billion for the next 11 years. It has already signed defence contracts worth $17.4 billion in the last three years, including for two Patriot missile defence batteries, four Black Hawk helicopters, 32 F-35 fighter jets, 250 Abrams main battle tanks and three Miecznik class frigates. Another goal is to attract more soldiers to the armed forces. While there is to be no reintroduction of conscriptionat least for nowthere will be, among other things, a one-year voluntary military service and more financial incentives. Blaszczak has announced plans to increase pay by about 130. Another financial incentive is a full scholarship for those who commit to five years of military service after graduation. There are also plans to increase the size of the reserve forces, for example by requiring an oath be taken after completing voluntary military service, which will also be remunerated. In addition, the Wojska Obrony Cyberprzestrzeni, or cyberspace forces, are to be established as a separate branch of the armed forces, and national crisis management is to be subordinated to the ultra-right WOT. As always when the ruling class speaks of defending the fatherland, the rearmament is thus directed both outward and inward. The Civic Platform PO, the largest opposition party, invariably criticizes the rearmament plans from the right. On broadcaster TVN, Tomasz Siemoniak, deputy party leader and until 2015 defence minister, mocked that this inflating of the armed forces in terms of numbers was totally useless. Instead, he stressed the need for a qualitative upgradeespecially in air and missile defence. At the same time, Siemoniak also called for a reserve of several hundred thousand. This would go far beyond the PiS plans known so far. In general, it is clear from all the comments in the Polish media that there is only disagreement about how to upgrade the military. The differences revolve around whether equipment should be purchased or whether Poland should increasingly develop its own defence industry. It is also about fundamental questions of foreign policy orientation. While the opposition PO is calling for better cooperation with the EU, Kaczynski justified the massive increase by saying that in the event of war, it would be necessary to hold out until the NATO allies arrived. The unanimity between PiS and PO in their demand for rearmament underscores the class nature of both parties. For weeks, doctors and medical staff have mounted the Biae miasteczko (White City) protests for improvements in the ailing health care system, only to hear from the Ministry of Health that their demands could not be financed. On the other hand, there are apparently endless resources for military rearmament. In view of a rapidly spreading new coronavirus wave in Poland, the unscrupulousness of the Polish bourgeoisie becomes particularly clear. Due to the dismantling of all protective measures, infection figures have risen by over 50 percent within a week, and the 7-day incidence rate has skyrocketed to over 140 per 100,000. Poland has already suffered over 70,000 victims of the pandemic, one of the highest death rates in the EU. Whether in the pandemic or war, recent developments show how willingly the Polish bourgeoisie sacrifices hundreds of thousands of lives for its class interests. According to a new analysis by ProPublica of US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) data from 2014 through 2018, 256,000 Americans are being exposed to pollution levels higher than the EPAs uppermost limit of 1 in 10,000 excess cancer risk, with 43,000 being subjected to at least triple this risk. Meanwhile 74 million people, nearly a quarter of the countrys population, are exposed to pollution that carries a higher than 1 in 1 million excess cancer risk. Union Carbide Corporation, a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, in Seadrift, Texas. (Source: ProPublica) According to the US Centers for Disease Control, 1.7 million new cases of cancer were reported and almost 600,000 people died of the disease in 2018, accounting for at least 436 cancer cases and 149 deaths per 100,000 people in the US. Cancer was the second leading cause behind heart disease, with one in four deaths due to cancer that year. ProPublica used data from an EPA model called Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators (RSEI). This data has significant limitations, with the EPA warning in its RSEI Methodology Document that RSEI does not perform a detailed or quantitative risk assessment, but offers a screening-level, risk-related perspective for relative comparisons of certain waste management activities (e.g., releases to the environment) of TRI chemicals. That is, that the RSEI values are relative and by and large can be expected to be under the actual absolute value, meaning that actual cancer risk could be much higher. Additionally, the analysis excludes the six criteria pollutants used for the EPAs National Ambient Air Quality Standards, which include ground-level ozone pollution, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, lead and sulfur dioxide, some of which may or are known to cause cancer. According to the EPA, PM2.5 pollution concentration, which refers to the concentration of fine particles 2.5 microns or less in width in the air, increased over the period of 2016-18, and again in 2019-20. While increases were also seen in 2004-05, 2006-07 and 2009-10, the general trend has been downwards, with a 41 percent decrease in the national average since 2000. The American Lung Association puts the number of people living in unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution at over 135 million. One of the most significant conclusions from ProPublicas analysis is that the EPAs method of risk assessments, which assess facilities one by one, is woefully inadequate when more than one facility is present, causing dangerous overlaps in pollution that lead to cancer risks much higher than the EPAs acceptable risk. Corporations frequently violate EPA rules with impunity, accepting fines from environmental violations as a mere cost of business, while the law does not even require the EPA to penalize polluters violating agency rules. ProPublica identified more than 1,000 hot-spots of cancer-causing air. One environmental scientist and ex-EPA official, Wayne Davis, stated after reviewing the map the organization produced, The public is going to learn that EPA allows a hell of a lot of pollution to occur that the public does not think is occurring. Many of the affected areas are in residential zones and schools, though the highest concentrations are unsurprisingly located at the source of the emissionsfactories. According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, Cancer Incidence and Mortality among Petroleum Industry Workers and Residents Living in Oil Producing Communities, those who work at factories experience much higher cancer rates than elsewhere. Employees in jobs which expose them on a daily basis to crude petroleum or its product, compared with non-exposed employees, were found to have rate increases ranging from more than double for mesothelioma and between 1.2 and two times the baseline of a variety of cancers, including skin melanoma, multiple myeloma, prostate cancers, urinary bladder cancer, leukemia, stomach cancer and lung cancer. Residential proximity to petroleum facilities was found to increase childhood leukemia incidence by 1.9 times. ProPublicas report and analysis provides a chilling visualization of this process of mass poisoning. Almost all of the carcinogenic sites were found in southern states known for weaker regulations, with half in Louisiana and Texas combined. Texas is the number one oil producer out of all states, accounting for 41.4 percent of all oil production in 2019. Celanese Ltd. Clear Lake plant in Houston, Texas, emits enough pollution to cause a lifetime cancer rate as high as 1 in 210 at the source, 48 times the EPAs acceptable risk, with nearby Equistar Chemicals Bayport Chemicals plant having a similar rate of 1 in 220. Equistar produces this risk through ethylene oxide and acetaldehyde emissions, while Celanese produces this risk through emissions of ethylene oxide, methyl iodide, acetaldehyde and two other carcinogens. Shell Chemical LP has a 1 in 930 rate at the source. In response to the publication of the map, Joe Goffman, the acting assistant administrator for the EPAs Office of Air and Radiation said that toxic air emissions from industrial facilities are a problem that must be addressed under the Biden administration and claimed that the EPA has reinvigorated its commitment to protect public health from toxic air emissions from industrial facilitiesespecially in communities that have already suffered disproportionately from air pollution and other environmental burdens. While pointing out where the sources of cancer are, ProPublica muddies the water by implying that pollution is either predominantly or solely a racial issue and not a class one. It is the working class, both those working at the polluting facilities and those living in the vicinity who bear the brunt of the pollution. The emissions are made by million-dollar and billion-dollar companies which have, through their representatives in the Democratic and Republican parties, systematically destroyed environmental regulations in the drive for profit. The time period that ProPublica is examining covers two years of the Democratic Party Obama administration, the first black president, as well as two of the Trump presidency. Given that 46.9 million people in the US identify as black or African American according to the US Census Bureau, even if every single one of these people were confined to these cancer-causing areas, it would still not explain why the rest of the 27.1 million people are being poisoned, let alone the 135 million people in the US exposed to ozone and particle pollution. The Democratic Party-controlled government of Flint, Michigan, which was predominantly black and brown in the parlance of the Democratic party and pseudo-left, presided in coordination with the state Republican party over the poisoning of the population with lead by switching the city to untreated Flint River water. In the wake of this, then-president Barack Obama trivialized the disaster and told residents whose children were poisoned by contaminated water that the kids will be just fine. Similarly, Houston, which is examined for a significant portion of one of ProPublicas articles, has been governed by the Democratic Party for years. It has had a black mayor, Sylvester Turner, since 2016, and every mayor since 1982 has been a Democrat. The city council has been dominated by the Democratic Party for almost as long, with 11 of the 16 seats held by Democrats. The current city council is composed mainly of women and minorities, with the latter group holding almost half of the seats. They, along with the Republican state government and the federal government under both the Democratic and Republican administrations and the polluting companies who the aforementioned parties serve, are responsible for the plumes of cancer-causing pollution spewing over Houston. The situation in Louisiana is similar, where a whole swath, stretching from New Orleansdominated by the Democratic Party since the 1870sto Baton Rouge, which has had Democratic mayors since 2005, is commonly referred to as Cancer Alley. A previous investigation by ProPublica detailed such high levels of pollution from nearby chemical plants that residents living in St. Gabriel, Louisiana could observe a golden mist falling from the sky at night so thick that they had to wash it off their lawns the next day. The French news website Mediapart has published information from French health authorities implicating the medical researcher based in Marseille, Didier Raoult. According to Mediapart, Raoult conducted unapproved experiments in the course of a tuberculosis treatment trial, causing serious medical complications in several patients. The publication of these claims comes as Raoult is due to appear before a disciplinary hearing of the Order of Physicians, accused of breaching the professional code of ethics. Dr. Didier Raoult (AP Photo/Christophe Ena) These revelations implicate not only Raoult, but multiple governments that attempted to use him to justify their health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brazils fascist president, Jair Bolsonaro, now accused by a parliamentary commission of mass murder for permitting the coronavirus to spread, cited Raoult to justify his promotion of hydroxychloroquine, a drug with no proven effectiveness against the virus. French President Emmanuel Macron has worked with Raoult to try to justify his policy of living with the virus that has killed 1.3 million people in Europe. The serious accusations against Raoult further discredit the anti-scientific policy of mass death pursued by the ruling elite throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Mediapart, several alerts about the treatment of tuberculosis at the Mediterranean University Hospital Infection Institute, directed by Raoult in Marseille, were sent to the National Reference Center at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris. The latter notified the French Society of Infectious Pathology, which asked Raoult to cease his procedure in November 2019. Already in August 2019, the National Agency for Medication Security (ANSM) had received a request from Raoults IHU for authorization to conduct the study. The ANSM reportedly responded by sending a document with a series of questions probing the usefulness and rationale of the study. The Public Hospital of Marseille (AP-HM) relayed the ANSMs decision. In view of the notable inadequacies of the dossier, raising numerous questions about the justification of the study, with regard to the safety of the research participants and their follow-up procedures, the AP-HM informed the IHU of its decision to withdraw its application for clinical trial authorization on September 26, 2019. This research was therefore not authorized, the ANSM told Mediapart. Nevertheless, these treatments continued until very recently, according to information from Mediapart. Mediapart journalist Pascale Pascariello also revealed that several patients enrolled in the experiment were living in precarious conditions, either as migrants or homeless. People who do not speak French did not necessarily know that it was an unauthorized trial that was being administered, she said. In France, the treatment to cure tuberculosis involves a combination of four antibiotics recommended by national and international health authorities and by the WHO for six months. However, among the four antibiotics given by Didier Raoult, two (sulfadiazine and minocycline) do not appear in this list approved by the authorities, and have not proven their effectiveness at all, not even on animals, Pascale Pascariello noted. Sulfadiazine has a significant renal toxicity, which could explain the severe side effects observed in some patients. According to Mediapart, three participants in the trial had to undergo emergency surgery because of this side effect, including a 17-year-old minor. An internal investigation has been conducted by the AP-HM, and the ANSM has referred the matter to the public prosecutor for several studies conducted at the IHU. According to the Express, the ANSM will carry out an investigation into the IHU. It could be joined by the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs, which, according to France Television, has already been officially requested by the Ministry of Health. Violating the legislation on clinical trials is punishable by one years imprisonment and a fine of 15,000. Didier Raoult reacted to Mediaparts revelations by tweeting that they were a storm in a teacup. Raoult, who actively uses social media, broadcast a video entitled French hostility to research: the example of tuberculosis which defends the protocol that had been challenged by the health authorities. According to Raoult, health authorities are blocking his attempt to develop a revolutionary treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Reports that Raoult is conducting wild experiments on poor people cast a harsh light on his promotion of hydroxychloroquine. At the beginning of the pandemic he had conducted a small clinical trial, much too small to be demonstrative, which was highly criticised for its design flaws and which ultimately showed no improvement in mortality rates for COVID-19. Despite the lack of demonstrated efficacy, he prescribed hydroxychloroquine en masse throughout the lockdown and continued to promote it for months, despite the warnings of the scientific community. This allowed Trump, Bolsonaro, and other far-right political leaders to fraudulently promote hydroxychloroquine. Raoult, now presenting himself as an anti-system representative, has as his lawyer the far-right activist Fabrice Di Vizio, who is the health adviser for Florian Philippots neo-fascist Patriots party. Di Vizio regularly appears on the far-right channel CNews of billionaire Vincent Bollore. He has denounced vaccination and the Macron governments health pass, comparing vaccination to rape, because it is an act done under duress. You are forced to infringe on the integrity of your body. Di Vizio, who threatened on Twitter to fire an employee for wanting to get vaccinated, is the target of an ethics investigation by the Paris Bar Council. It is in this degraded and anti-worker environment that Macron, among others, sought advice in order to cover his murderous policy of living with the virus. Indeed, Raoult was a member of the Scientific Council in France and continued to communicate with the Elysee after he left the Council last year in the midst of the pandemic. He has consistently downplayed the severity of the pandemic and denounced lockdowns, gaining public notoriety and support from a portion of the political establishment, particularly on the right and far right. At the end of January, 2020, Chinese authorities placed 11 million inhabitants of Wuhan under strict quarantine to contain the epidemic, while the WHO declared a state of international emergency. At this time, French Health Minister Agnes Buzyn privately alerted Macron and Prime Minister Edouard Philippe to the health risk but publicly declared the virus a flu. Raoult told the Journal de Dimanche, In the age of hyper-reactivity of social media, politicians are afraid of not doing enough, so they sometimes do too much. In March 2020 the Macron government had to impose a lockdown in the face of a wave of strikes across Europe that started in Italy: workers were demanding the right to shelter at home. Raoult reacted by denouncing the lockdown as a medieval decision. However, in less than two months, the lockdown broke the dynamics of the virus circulation. If the government had continued the lockdown for a few more weeks and then put in place a serious contact tracing service, the virus could have been eliminated from French territory, and even from Europe, if similar policies were adopted elsewhere. But none of this was done. Macron only ended the lockdown to impose a return to normal and the extraction of profits by the banks and the large corporation from the workers herded into workplaces. Raoult covered up for the botched reopening on May 12, 2020, which came despite WHO warnings of a possible resurgence of the pandemic in Europe. He said the pandemic is resolving itself. There is no second wave anywhere, this is the normal curve. A few sporadic cases will appear here or there eventually if there is someone super contagious, but all of this no longer reflects an epidemic dynamic. The epidemic is winding down. In fact, subsequent waves of the pandemic have killed more people than the first. Now that the Macron government is trying to end health measures against the backdrop of the pandemics rise across Europe, the Raoult case is a warning to workers. To wage a truly scientific struggle to eliminate the coronavirus, the working class must mobilize against the Macron government, in complete independence from the trade union apparatuses and other political satellites of Macron, and in conscious opposition to far-right demagoguery. On Sunday, the New York Times published an article by media reporter Ben Smith lauding what he called a resurgence of reporting on labor issues amid the recent strike wave. The article is titled Why we all care about national labor coverage now. New York Times building (Photo: Javier Do) The simple answer to Smiths headline is that the corporate media only cares now because tens of thousands of workers have gone on strike, threatening the profits of the corporations and damaging the portfolios of affluent shareholders. The political establishment is nervous that these strikes have broken out in defiance of the trade unions, and the Times is trying to promote publications that can shore up support for these pro-management institutions. Smith writes, At a moment of political turmoil, economic change and a pandemic-driven focus on how we work, labor has become a hot news beat. He praises the new energy of the niche publications Labor Notes, Strikewave and Payday Report as well as Teen Vogue columnist Kim Kelly and More Perfect Union, an organization he calls the most ambitious new entrant on the scene. The Times is deeply concerned over the hostility among workers to the unions. The article links to a November 1 Times piece by Noam Scheiber warning that the present strike wave shows that workers have even grown skeptical of their union leadership and that Deere workers cited discontent with their unions leadership in explaining their vote against the initial contract the union had negotiated. The purpose of Smiths article is to present a series of pro-Democratic Party publications, funded by the corporate enemies of the working class, as legitimate defenders of the interests of working people. It is an exercise in the absurd. Smith does have experience in the class strugglefrom the side of the corporations against the working class. As editor-in-chief of Buzzfeed in 2019, he led the publications opposition to efforts by journalists to establish a NewsGuild chapter. In a 2020 article, Smith acknowledged he was on the management side of an organizing drive because, he argued, profits are scarce. The organizations he promotes have no closer relationship to the working class than he does. Smith writes that More Perfect Union, is led, in part, by Faiz Shakir, the former manager of Bernie Sanders 2020 presidential campaign, and Nico Pitney, a former top editor at The Huffington Post and NowThis News. Shakir is a high-level operative of the Democratic Party. According to a Georgetown University alumni profile, he worked as one of the most senior advisors to former Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid where he directed policy and communications work for Senator Reid while also coordinating with Democratic members and staffs, key interest groups, and press to organize issue campaigns. Prior to that, Shakir served as Senior Adviser and Director of Digital Media for House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. Before working for the pro-Democratic Party Huffington Post, More Perfect Unions co-founder, Nico Pitney, worked for the Center for American Progress, a Democratic Party think tank founded by former Clinton White House Chief of Staff and Obama adviser John Podesta. Pitneys wife was also a Pelosi staffer for 12 years and served as a senior adviser to the House speaker from 2010 to 2012. Smith also reports that More Perfect Union has backing from George Soross Open Society Foundation. The Open Society Foundation is a corporate-backed official partner of the National Democratic Institute, a Democratic Party-linked organization founded through the CIA-backed National Endowment for Democracy. The NDI is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State, and it is a tool for carrying out the interests of American imperialism on a world scale. The other organizations referenced by Smith are closely associated with the same trade union bureaucracy against which workers are rebelling. Strikewave is a minor publication run by a number of trade union bureaucrats. Its secretary-treasurer, Sean Collins, is a staff member of SEIU Local 200 whose 2019 salary was $78,637. Another board member, Bryan Conlon, is National Organizer for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and his 2019 salary was $81,194. To give a flavor for Strikewaves coverage, its obituary of former AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka refers to him as a firebrand and giant of the movement who led bruising strikes. Labor Notes is a longstanding defender of the AFL-CIO. Its public face, Jonah Furman, was a Democratic Party staffer on multiple campaigns. Kim Kelly of Teen Vogue is also a supporter of the Democratic Party. In January 2021 she praised Democrats like Barack Obama for taking a more worker-first approach as president compared with Republicans, and she used her column to promote the Democratic Party in the 2018 midterm elections. Pay Day Report was founded by Mike Elk, a former union bureaucrat and staffer for Barack Obamas 2008 election campaign. Referring to the newly anointed AFL-CIO President, he said, I like Liz Shuler a lot on a personal level, and he has also praised Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren as a defender of workers. Of course, the Times can make no reference to the World Socialist Web Site, though by any objective standard its labor coverage is far more significant. The WSWS has a readership among workers that is an order of magnitude more workers than the publications mentioned above. The WSWS is ranked the 10,683rd most read website in the US, according to Alexa.coms rankings, while Labor Notes is ranked 195,000, Strikewave 2,000,000, Pay Day Report 2,300,000, and More Perfect Union 2,348,000. There is no publication that has come close to the WSWSs coverage of the strike wave. Since the John Deere contract expired in August, the WSWS has published 54 articles on the subject. Internal readership figures establish that the WSWS has been read by virtually the entire 10,000-person Deere workforce in the US. By comparison, Labor Notes has published only 5 articles on John Deere, Pay Day Report has published one and Strikewave has published zero. The New York Times endorsement of Pay Day Report, Labor Notes, Strikewave, More Perfect Union and Kim Kelly is not directed to workers, who do not read the Times. Rather, Smiths article is intended to tip off wealthy donors and political insiders as to which publications can be trusted to get the strike movement under control. Smiths article is part of an effort by the Democratic Party, the trade union bureaucracies, and corporations like the New York Times to maintain control of the class struggle so that strikes can be suffocated and sold out by the AFL-CIO as they have been for the last forty years. The other central aspect of this is censorship. Twitter, Facebook and Google will continue to try to throttle readership of the World Socialist Web Site by manipulating its algorithms. On this basis, the richest 10 percent (which comprises the bulk of the Times audience) can continue accumulating massive levels of wealth as working people are forced back to work in the midst of the deadly coronavirus pandemic. The University of Florida (UF) announced on Friday that it was reversing its decision to bar three professors at the school from providing paid testimony in a voting rights lawsuit brought against the state, after facing enormous backlash and public denunciations over its prohibitory decision. University President Kent Fuchs made the announcement in a campus-wide email explaining that he was asking the UFs Conflict of Interest Office to reverse the decision to bar the UF employees from serving as expert witnesses for litigation. Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida [Wikimedia Commons] According to court records, the University had sent out emails to all three professorsDaniel A. Smith, Sharon Austin, Michael McDonaldon October 11, telling them they could not testify because outside activities that may pose a conflict of interest to the executive branch of the State of Florida create a conflict for the University of Florida. After Fridays reversal, the attorneys for all three professors made statements to the media repudiating the UFs prior proscription and highlighting the blatantly unconstitutional character of the denials. The fact remains that the University curtailed their First Amendment rights and academic freedoms, and as long as the University's policy remains, those rights and freedoms are at risk, one statement to CNN read. The three professors also filed a federal lawsuit Friday against the University of Florida Board of Trustees, President Fuchs and University Provost Joseph Glover. The lawsuit claims the University violated the professors First Amendment rights through its conflict of interest policy, arguing that it was antithetical to principles of academic freedom and free speech. It goes on to declare further that the university sought to prevent plaintiffs from testifying for one reason: Plaintiffs sought approval to testify in court against the voting restrictions embodied in S.B. 90 instead of supporting the law.' The lawsuit points out that McDonald and Smith served as expert witnesses in prior trials opposing voting regulations in several states without opposition from UF. The lawsuit explains that the professors seeks an outcome that will serve as a precedent to prevent such prohibitions in the future. One of the aims is removing policies that limit an academics ability to undertake outside activities, on a paid or unpaid basis, on the ground that the proposed activity is not aligned with the interests of the State of Florida. In comments to the media, the professors criticized the reactionary nature of the proscriptions and pointed to the implications such decisions have on free speech and democratic rights. In remarks to CNN, McDonald said, I want to stand up for democracy and I want to stand up for the people. It just seemed natural to me that as a matter of constitutional principles, we need to stand up for free speech. Austin said the ban felt as if she was being censored, and warned of the dangers in being punished for promoting rights that everyone in this country should have. The original lawsuit that was brought up against the state was taken against S.B. 90, an anti-democratic voting rights bill that was signed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis to eviscerate the democratic and voting rights of working-class and poor residents. The repressive Florida legislation mirrors similar bills that have been advanced in numerous Republican-led states aimed at bolstering former President Donald Trumps fraudulent claims that the 2020 elections were rigged. Among some of S.B. 90s draconian provisional changes, the bill sharply limits the use of ballot drop boxes, places restrictions on voter registration drives, and makes requests for an absentee ballot much more arduous. The lawsuit launched by the professors challenges the specious notion that academics can be barred from participating in court testimony if they are paid. The lawsuit notes that two of the professors were permitted to testify as voting rights experts in prior cases, including those in which the state was a defendant. In 2019, UF approved Smith, chairman of its political science department, to provide expert testimony in a case against DeSantis over voter suppression of former felons. The professors lawsuit also points out that UF had denied a similar request from faculty to participate in legal action, arguing that the universitys decisions discriminated against litigation challenging state policies. In 2020, four UF law professors who wanted to sign a friend of the court brief in a lawsuit challenging a voting law for felons were told that they could not identify themselves as university faculty members in the filing, because it involved an action against the state. In August, university officials told a pediatric UF professor that he could not work on two cases challenging the states ban on mask mandates in schools because participating in lawsuits against the DeSantis administration would create a conflict for the university. Jeffrey Goldhagen, a 28-year professor and pediatric expert at UFs College of Medicine, was denied involvement in two separate mask cases, including one representing the Disability Independence Group in Miami. In an article in the Miami Herald, Goldhagen stated bluntly that the denial represented an assault on his First Amendment rights. I dont think it is hyperbole when I say this is how totalitarian regimes unfold, Goldhagen continued, If you deny science and you deny the universities the critical role they play in American society, then you truncate free speech, academic freedom and the dissemination of information. The suppression of criticisms over DeSantis fascistic attack on county-wide mask mandates was a part of the governors efforts throughout the pandemic to lift all public health measures aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19. This was done in order to facilitate the homicidal herd immunity policy, which entailed letting the virus rip through the population even as infections and deaths soared. In August, DeSantis and his Florida Department of Education acted on their threat to withhold funding from two school districts and school board members that implemented mandatory mask-wearing for students. UFs reversal on the professors came a day after Governor DeSantiss office issued a response endorsing the prohibitions. The administration made the dubious claim that the professors First Amendment right to freedom of speech was not pertinent in this case because they were being paid to act as witnesses. Before the university changed its position, the Governors spokeswoman, Christina Pushaw, argued those three professors are free to testify in the lawsuit against the state, but pursuant to the institutions policy on conflicts of interest, they cannot receive financial compensation for their testimony against the state. DeSantis attempt to posture as a non-partisan adherent of the Constitution and academic freedom is absurd, given that the bills that he has enacted in recent months aimed at dictating the political views of professors and students on college campuses. A law signed by DeSantis in June implemented a requirement that universities survey professors and students in an effort to promote intellectual diversity, which means intimidating and suppressing left-wing and socialist views while promoting far-right ideologies. The bills language heavily suggests that survey responses will not necessarily be anonymous, which has triggered intense fear among professors and other university staff that they may be targeted, prevented from advancing in their careers or even fired for holding dissenting political beliefs. The governors crusade also places institutions at risk of losing their funding if the responses are not satisfactory to the state's Republican-led legislature and if far-right ideologies are not promoted on the campuses. The UF administration also has close ties to DeSantis, as the governor has appointed six members of the board of trustees, all of them being Republican Party loyalists, and between them having contributed nearly $900,000 to the Republicans. The head of the schools board of trustees, Morteza Hosseini, was also directly involved in granting tenure to DeSantis recently appointed surgeon general Dr. Joseph Ladapo, a fascistic herd immunity proponent and vaccine-denier. The World Socialist Web Site invites workers and other readers to contribute to this regular feature. Latin America Uruguayan teachers unions call 24-hour work stoppages over job security, programs, pay Teachers in Montevideo, Canelones and Rocha departments in Uruguay struck for one day, November 5, to protest cuts in their teaching hours and reformulations of programs without prior consultations with the Labor University of Uruguay Functionaries Association (AFUTU). The teachers gathered in the UTU courtyard in the city of Montevideo where teachers voiced their fears about job insecurity and program cutbacks. The one-day actions will be rotated among the various departments. On November 8, Maldonado and Treinta y Tres departments were scheduled to stop work. Also on November 5, the Sintep private school teachers union announced a one-day strike for November 10. According to a Sintep communique, colleges, Infant and Family Attention Centers, technical training institutes and others will participate in the work stoppage. This strike is given in the necessary framework for the realization of a General Assembly in which a collective assessment of the negotiation situation can be made of the current round of the Salary Councils. The assembly will also seek to define the steps to take to continue defending work, salaries and labor rights. Colombian teachers strike and protest over pay delay The Association of Institutes of Antioquia in Colombia (Adida) announced on November 1 that some 30,000 teachers in the department were still owed their salaries for October and called for a strike and protest actions until the situation is rectified. The only municipality in which teachers wages were up to date was Bello, a suburb of the departmental capital, Medellin. The Ministry of Education claimed that the delays were due to problems with the computer system, but this has been a recurring problem; in fact, last month similar issues prevented some regions from paying their teachers, but others not. Teachers were instructed by Adida to show up at their work sites November 3, but not to work until payments were verified. The union also called for demonstrations and a traffic blockade in Medellin November 4 and 5. Trinidadian fried chicken delivery drivers stay at home over new salary plans Delivery drivers for fast-food franchise KFC in Trinidad and Tobago did not show up for work on October 31 and November 1 after being informed of a new pay arrangement devised by Prestige Holdings, the delivery service operator. The drivers had formed a WhatsApp group to communicate. When the word spread of the new pay scheme, the majority, 157 of the drivers, stayed home. Managers at Prestige had received an internal memo that increased the delivery charge from 15 to 20 Trinidadian dollars (TT$), or from US$2.21 to US$2.95. Pay for drivers per delivery will increase from TT$10 to TT$18 (US$1.48 to $2.66). However, the company will no longer pay the TT$20 (US$2.95) hourly gas allowance, an effective pay cut. One driver, who requested anonymity, told the Trinidad Express that with the new arrangement, his daily earnings were likely to fall from about TT$250 (US$37) to TT$150-200 (US$22-29). Not only do drivers have to maintain their vehicles out of pocket, but they have endured incidents of robberies and violence. Some are already looking for new jobs, according to the report. Those remaining are considering further protest actions. Mexican teachers blockading tracks for overdue pay removed by security forces Units of the Mexican National Guard and state police in Michoacan, Mexico removed teachers blockading rail tracks on October 31. The teachers, members of the National Coordinator of Education Workers (CNTE), had been blockading tracks in municipalities of Caltzontzin since July 31 and Patzcuaro since September. The train routes lead to the port of Lazaro Cardenas, and the blockades snarled the transport of goods to and from there. Business organizations have clamored for ending the strike, with the Chamber of the Transformation Industry of Nuevo Leon press release declaring, The free movement of goods and people is a fundamental human, economic and social right in Mexico. The statement did not mention the right to be paid for ones labor. The educators took the action to demand the payment of wages to over 28,000 teachers in the state. They had not received five fortnightly payments, known as quincenas, as well as bonuses and retroactive raises. By October 1, the Finance and other ministries had paid three of the quincenas, about 3.82 billion pesos (US$188 million), but the teachers maintained the blockades to press for complete delivery of their wages and bonuses. After the state government informed the CNTE that it was going to remove the teachers, the union called for the teachers to end the blockades, and there were no reported incidents as the security forces cleared the tracks. The teachers are still owed raises and bonuses, and they also want job stability for teacher trainees. There was a strategy meeting on November 3. United States Strikes at two Ohio medical waste plants continue Teamsters at two biomedical waste management plants in Toledo and Warren, Ohio continue to walk picket lines without any indication management is going to back off their demands for concessions. The 20 workers at the Toledo plant, on strike now for one month, are opposing the companys action earlier this year before contract expiration to impose a 60/40 medical plan with a $13,000 deductible. The earlier plan had been an 80/20 match with a $6,000 deductible. Another 50 workers at the Warren plant, who struck just a few days after the Toledo workers, are fighting for significant wage and benefit increases. Negotiations at both plants are going nowhere. Stericycle workers at other locations held a protest in front of the companys headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. The Teamsters union issued a press release indicating that strikes could expand to other parts of the country in weeks to come. Far from indicating that the Teamsters bureaucracy is going on the offensive, the press release exposes the fact that the union has been isolating the Ohio strikers and holding back the ranks at other plants while the company is bringing in strikebreakers at the Ohio facilities. Meanwhile, the union is hoping to spread illusions that the company can be pressured to make concessions through playing up phony statements of support from Democrats like Ohio Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown. The current strikes in Ohio are already causing a backup of COVID-19-infected waste at hospitals in the Great Lakes region. The union has confirmed there are several Stericycle facilities across the United States with a number serving hospitals in New York state. Stericycle operates at 640 locations in 21 different countries. Louisiana sanitation workers strike over wages and working conditions Dozens of sanitation workers in Metairie, Louisiana, walked off the job November 5 to protest the attempt by Republic Services to cut wages for high-seniority workers and register complaints over managements failure to underwrite the maintenance of equipment. The workers, members of Teamsters Local 270, want wages to be equivalent to workers at other area sanitation companies. Workers who have 30 years seniority have hit a ceiling of $20.66 an hour while other companies have starting wages in the $25 to $26 dollar range. Workers are also upset over the lack of Personal Protective Equipment. In addition, a sign on the picket line charged, Our Insurance is Trash. The condition of garbage trucks is hell on wheels, Robert Williams, a maintenance worker at Republic, told WGNO. Were underpaid. Trucks [are] constantly breaking. Im a one-man gang in the morning, I handle all these trucks, by myself. Republic Services is the second largest waste disposal company by revenue in the United States. Its President, Jon Vander Ark made over $4 million in 2019. New York dairy processing workers strike over health care benefits About 250 workers at the Friendship Dairies plant in Friendship, New York, went on strike November 3 over increased health care demands by management. Members of Teamsters Local 264 voted unanimously the previous day charging that the increase in health care costs will result in a pay cut. Workers are indignant that the parent company, Saputo, raked in $11.5 billion in revenues last year and another $3.7 billion in revenues for the quarter ending last September. Dawn Freeman, a 28-year veteran at the plant and a member of the bargaining unit declared, The company told us that they went above and beyond during the pandemic, but they did nothing for 250 people. We got no raises, no incentives and what theyre proposing now is a slap in the face. Were not here to get rich. Were here to survive, but with this proposal we cant even do that. Based in Canada, Saputo commands 67 manufacturing facilities worldwide, has 18,000 employees and ranks tenth among dairy processors. In Australia, it is ranked first in dairy and in Argentina it holds second place. Canada Strike looms at giant Cargill meatpacking plant in Alberta Workers voted last week by 97 percent to strike unless a contract settlement is quickly reached at Cargills High River, Alberta meatpacking plant. The plant employs over 2,000 workers, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). The facility slaughters and packages about 40 percent of all beef processed in the country. The meatpackers have been without a contract for over a year. If negotiations this week do not produce a tentative settlement, a strike could begin by the weekend. Workers are seeking improvement to health and safety procedures, higher wages and an improved process for job movement inside the plant. The High River plant gained notoriety in the early stages of the pandemic in the spring of 2020 when it recorded the largest single localized outbreak in North America, with about one half of all employees testing positive for the coronavirus. In addition, another 600 close contacts of the meatpackers in surrounding towns also contracted the virus. About eighty percent of Cargill production employees are low-wage immigrant workers from the Philippines, Vietnam and China. Infamously, after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020, no preventative inspection of the Cargill plant was undertaken by health or labour authorities even after workers began to fall sick. When an inspection was finally done on April 15, the assigned official did not even enter the main part of the shop floor, scandalously preferring instead to stay outside the facility and inspect it via a FaceTime app. The facility was given a clean bill of health. Days later, one worker had already died from the illness and 7 more sent to intensive care. This forced a two-week closure of the plant. However, with workers reluctant to return to work, local union president Thomas Hesse was keen to reassure the company that no work stoppages would be organized. We are looking at legal options. We are not asking for a work stoppage. A work stoppage would not be legal, he said. Production was then re-started. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell encouraged Republicans to focus on the future, after he was asked Monday if he thinks the right playbook for Republicans in the midterms is to keep former President Donald Trump at arm's length -- similar to how Virginia Gov.-elect Glenn Youngkin did in his race, which he won last week. "I think the answer is people are in the present and want to vote on what they see going on now," said McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky. "And I think the key to '22 is to have a discussion with the American people about how they feel about the new administration and the Democratic Congress and what they're doing. So I think the election will be about the future, not about the past." He also predicted that the midterms are "likely to be a very good election for Republicans," after discussing GOP gains in the New Jersey and Virginia elections. "I think the wind is going to be at our backs in both the House and Senate," McConnell added. The Kentucky Republican made his comments at a local event in his home state on Monday, where he also touted the final passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill and said his state is going to receive $4.6 billion in assistance for hard infrastructure. The Senate passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill in August, with the support of 19 GOP senators including McConnell. After months of negotiating, the House passed the bill late Friday night, sending it to President Joe Biden to sign into law, which he is expected to do in the coming days. "I was delighted that the House finally found a way to pass the infrastructure bill last week," he said. Asked what his response to Trump's statement criticizing the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure bill -- which singled him out -- and whether he's concerned about a rift continuing to grow, McConnell reiterated that he thinks "elections going forward are about the present not the past" and he's "very optimistic" going into next year. McConnell also said in his remarks that Kentucky is still getting funds through Democrats' American Rescue Plan, which he opposed, and he hopes Kentuckians get "creative and go after some of it." "I didn't vote for it, but there's a heck of a lot of money through the so-called American Rescue Plan coming into Kentucky and I hope you all are creative and go after some of it," he said. McConnell is one of many prominent Republicans encouraging the party to look beyond Trump for the coming elections. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told some of the Republican Party's most influential donors and bundlers Saturday that the only way for the GOP to continue building on last Tuesday's electoral successes is to move beyond Trump's fixation with the 2020 election results -- while showing voters they will listen and fight for them with a message "that doesn't hurt their ears." "We can no longer talk about the past and the past elections -- no matter where you stand on that issue, no matter where you stand, it is over," Christie said, addressing the Republican Jewish Coalition conference over the weekend in Las Vegas. "Every minute that we spend talking about 2020 -- while we're wasting time doing that, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are laying ruin to this country. We better focus on that and take our eyes off the rearview mirror and start looking through the windshield again." The-CNN-Wire & 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. VIGO COUNTY, Ind. (WTHI) - The Indiana Department of Education says one-fifth of Hoosier third grade students cannot yet read proficiently. The iRead scores show Vigo County elementary students are performing above the state's average. The iRead-3 test measures the reading levels of third graders around the state. Almost 85% of third-graders in Vigo County passed the iRead test this year. The average passing rate for the Hoosier state stands at just over 81%. School officials tell us given the size of Vigo County Schools, this is a major victory. In comparison with other schools similar in size, school officials feel Vigo County stacks up well against them. Vigo county had nearly 85% of its third-graders pass iRead-3. Elkhart had just over 65%. Then MSD Lawrence had almost 63%, while School City of Hammond had almost 58.5%. Here in Vigo County, the school tells us to reach this number they have been doing a series of remediation activities. This has been to make up for time lost during COVID. They say the teachers have been putting in extra time to make sure students reading levels are where they need to be. "To be able to top the urban school districts in that percentage, not just top, but far exceed our peer districts around the state, those large urban school districts, is really a testament to our teachers' hard work," said Vigo County School Corporation's director of communication Bill Riley. When it comes to a different standardized test, there are lower results across the board. iLearn results show Vigo County third-graders only tested around a 35% proficiency rate for English and language arts. For a full list of statewide standardized testing scores, click here. BRIDGEPORT, IL. (WTHI) - Some people experience all of the COVID symptoms, and some people --none at all. Jamie Johnson of Bridgeport, Illinois was not so lucky. In fact, she can't even believe she is still alive to tell her story. 41-years-old, no underlying health issues, a woman who worked out 5 times a week -- Jamie Johnson is not your typical near death COVID patient. "It does not discriminate. It is not political." Just two days before she was set to get her vaccine, Johnson found out she was COVID positive. She could have never foreseen what was to come next. Now, more than six months, and several hospitals later...Johnson's life has changed forever. "I've never been diabetic, but because I was on so many steroids it caused my sugar to go crazy...so I was on medication for that. All IV. I had a PICC line, a heartline, the ECMO lines, two different IVs, and on top of that -- I had a rectal tube and a catheter." Johnson is the mother of a 5-year-old and an 11-year-old. She was separated from them for 118 days. Although Johnson is back home with her children...she says life is not the same as it once was. Due to elevated stress levels, she has lost all her hair, and her fingers on her right hand are paralyzed. "Can't walk correctly because I laid in bed for so long. My feet won't go down so I walk on my tippy toes everywhere I go." News 10 spoke with Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Anwer Jaffri over the phone. He tells us, Johnson is experiencing "post-COVID complications." He says that the extent of her condition is not common, but it is possible. Dr. Jaffri tells us it is a wonder that she survived. Now, Johnson is focused on turning this tragedy...into a testimony. "I said when I finally come out of everything, and I finally knew what had happened that God was using me. That he wanted me to get my message out." Both Johnson and Dr. Jaffri recommend that anyone who can get the vaccine get it, and as soon as possible. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - The American Civil Liberties Union Indiana filed a lawsuit against the Vigo County School Corporation. The lawsuit claims that school administrators denied two Terre Haute North Vigo High School students the right to use school restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. The two young freshmen involved in the case identify as male, even though their birth certificates note their gender at birth as female. "These are young men," Ken Falk, the legal director of ACLU Indiana, said. "These are boys, and they need to be treated as boys." Falk says denying them access to the restrooms consistent with their gender identity violates both the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972. "The law is really clear," he said. "These are two young men who have gender dysphoria. That's a condition that their gender identity does not match their gender at birth. They are about ready to begin male hormones, which will make them appear even more male than they do now, and they must be treated as young men." The case goes on to say that gender dysphoria is characterized by depression and anxiety because of the mismatch between a person's gender at birth and the person's gender identity. Falk goes on to say the gender dysphoria can be minimized by treating the students with the gender they identify with. "What therapists and doctors recommend is that someone with gender dysphoria is treated, as in this case, male to the greatest extent possible," he said. "Allowing them to live their life consistent with their gender identify minimizes the dysphoria." The biggest takeaway from this lawsuit is not only to help these two young students but also the future generation of students. "There are a lot of transgender kids in Indiana," Falk said. "There are a lot of schools systems refusing to recognize them as having gender dysphoria. There are a lot of kids who are suffering. I think it's the hope of these two young men that not only can they get some remedy for themselves but they can help educate schools to do not just the right thing but do what is required by the law." The next step, in this case, is to file a preliminary injunction, meaning the students will be granted access to restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity before the final judgment. Falk says the Vigo County School Corporation has 21 days to respond. News 10 reached out to the school corporation, and they told us today they have no comment on the pending litigation. Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam chaired the meeting on the development dimension on 3 November, under the auspices of the Director-General's Consultative Framework Mechanism on Cotton, while Ambassador Abraham Peralta facilitated the discussion on 4 November addressing the trade aspects of cotton. New WTO study: Cotton is key to LDCs At the 4 November meeting, the WTO's Agriculture and Commodities Division presented the main findings of a forthcoming new study on the impact of COVID-19 on cotton-producing LDCs. The study benefitted from cooperation with the International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) and other partners. While cotton trade is key to economic development, rural livelihoods and the food security of millions of people in Africa, it has been hit hard by the pandemic, the study says. Cotton export revenues contribute up to 10% of total agricultural value addition in some LDCs, it finds. However, it also shows that export revenues in 2020 decreased by 34% in the ten cotton-producing LDCs that are the focus of this study, a fall of over USD 500 million in export value compared to the previous year. The study shows that cotton output and trade have rebounded in many countries since the initial COVID-19 outbreak, a finding also confirmed in data presented by ICAC during the meeting. It concludes that African cotton has a key role to play in building resilience to future shocks, including those related to climate change. Partners' Conference at MC12 The study, prepared at the request of WTO members at the last dedicated discussion in May, is intended to inform discussions at an upcoming Partners' Conference in support of cotton-producing LDCs, to be held on 30 November, in the margins of MC12. This conference is aimed at garnering financial and technical support from development partners to help cotton-producing LDCs recover from the pandemic. Speaking for the Cotton-4 Group (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mali) and other cotton-producing countries in Africa, Burkina Faso welcomed the study. It said the study showed how the COVID-19 crisis has significantly affected both the welfare and trade of the ten LDCs in the analysis. It further called on partners to support the recovery of the C-4 countries and other LDCs, and to find enduring, structural solutions to the challenges faced by the cotton sector. Ambassador Abraham Peralta agreed that the study provides a good basis for understanding how the pandemic has affected cotton in LDCs. She also said the Partners' Conference would help LDCs mobilise technical and financial resources. Trade negotiations: Gaps remain The Cotton-4 invited other members to explore ways to find a compromise, taking into account the recent proposal by the group, which calls for cuts to trade-distorting support for cotton. Some members consider that progress on this issue needs to be linked to progress in the overall agriculture negotiations, and therefore consider the draft negotiating text in JOB/AG/215 as a good basis for future work on both trade-distorting domestic support and transparency enhancement. Ambassador Abraham Peralta reminded members that she had reported on progress on cotton at a negotiating session with ambassadors and other delegation heads on 28 October. (Her report is available online here.) With less than one month until MC12, she told participants that she was now considering what kind of document could be presented for trade ministers to consider. WTO members therefore need now to continue engaging constructively with one another in order to narrow the gaps and identify potential landing zones in the negotiations that are both realistic and credible, she said. Cotton subsidy trends Presenting analysis on cotton production and trade trends, ICAC's Executive Director, Kai Hughes, told the meeting that support to cotton had declined, but remained high. Mr Hughes said that the ICAC Secretariat estimates subsidies to the cotton sector reached USD 6.95 billion in 2020-21, representing a 18% decrease from the USD 8.51 billion in 2019-20. In his analysis, subsidies on cotton include border protection and transportation subsidies as well as direct support, minimum support prices, input subsidies and crop insurance subsidies. He pointed out that there was a strong negative correlation between subsidies and cotton prices, with subsidies declining when cotton prices are high, and rising when cotton prices decrease. The ICAC analysis also indicates that in the 2019-20 marketing year, cotton consumption globally declined by almost 13% compared to the previous year, followed by a rebound of a similar scale between 2019-20 and 2020-21. Similarly, global cotton production fell by 7% between 2019-20 and 2020-21, although ICAC projections indicate output is set to grow by 6% between 2020-21 and 2021-22. The WTO Secretariat presented a revised background paper (TN/AG/GEN/34/Rev.15 and two addenda) compiling up-to-date information on cotton policies in the areas of domestic support, market access and export competition. Development assistance falling At the 3 November meeting, the WTO Secretariat presented figures showing a freeze in disbursements of development assistance for cotton, drawing on the data included in the Evolving Table on Cotton Development Assistance. Development partners provided just under USD 200 million in active cotton-specific development assistance, according to figures presented by the WTO Secretariat. This figure is around two-thirds of the assistance provided at its peak five years previously. The data also showed that total active agriculture and infrastructure-related development assistance amounted to more than USD 2 billion or around half the level it had reached five years ago. The Secretariat also reported that Benin and Burundi had presented two new requests for cotton-specific development assistance projects, seeking both technical and financial support. These projects are included in the latest revision of the Evolving Table. World Cotton Day The WTO Secretariat reported on the activities organised on World Cotton Day on 7 October the first one that has been held since the United Nations General Assembly officially recognised the day and proclaimed it would be held as an annual event. DDG Paugam said he was convinced that the UN resolution on World Cotton Day would lead to concrete results that improve people's well-being and move towards a sustainable future. The UN's official recognition of an international day for cotton is primarily a recognition of all the men and women who derive their livelihoods from cotton production, processing, transformation and commercialization, he added. Next meetings The next Cotton Days at the WTO are scheduled for May 2022. The Biden administration wants the multiple challenges to its workplace COVID-19 vaccination rule consolidated in a single federal court and has asked for a decision by early next week. The U.S. Department of Justice said in court filings Monday that one of the federal circuit courts should be chosen at random on Nov. 16 to hear the cases. At least 27 states plus several businesses and associations filed legal challenges in at least six federal appeals courts after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration released its mandate last week. Over the weekend, judges on the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals halted the rule from taking effect. Read More - Federal appeals court temporarily blocks COVID-19 vaccination mandate for businesses TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - Before she suffered a stroke in 2018, Jolene Hoots taught Spanish at Itawamba Community College in Fulton. The stroke has limited her speech and movement. Jolene Hoots (left) receives therapy at the Regional Rehab Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. Also pictured: Bethany Reed. Pictured: Steve and Darlene Stockton. Darlene is Jolene Hoots' sister. Pictured: Steve and Darlene Stockton. Darlene is Jolene Hoots' sister. Jolene Hoots (left) receives therapy at the Regional Rehab Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. Also pictured: Bethany Reed. It affected her whole right side, her sister Darlene Stockton said. She still doesnt have use of her right arm, but she does have limited use of her right leg." A tumor in Hoots heart burst, doctors discovered, and a piece went to her brain and caused the stroke. After months of therapy between Tupelo and Atlanta, Georgia, her insurance ran out. We were saying, Were not done yet," brother-in-law Steve Stockton said. "But insurance had run out. And so many people have that situation." Fortunately, they were able to find the Regional Rehabilitation Center in Tupelo. She would not be where she is today had it not been for these people here, Steve Stockton said. Hoots receives occupational, physical and speech therapies with therapists Brandy Evans, Casey Patterson and Bethany Reed. These people are not just therapists, theyre family for her, he added. Hoots loves to sing. Her therapists helped her find her voice again. Oh, she sings all the time, her sister said. Its a way that if we say something and it reminds her of a song, shell start singing. It kind of helps her incorporate that word back into her vocabulary. The Stocktons said the spirit Hoots had before the stroke is still there. And three years later, they continue to see progress. Thats a testament to the people here and their abilities to make a difference, Steve Stockton said. Because of the Regional Rehab Center, Hoots is finding her voice again and making new friends along the way. The annual Celebration of Hope telethon is Sunday, Nov. 14. It will air on ABC WTVA at 1 p.m. and again at 3 p.m. Tupelo Cloudy 64 Hi: 67 Lo: 45 Feels Like: 64 More Weather Columbus Mostly Cloudy 69 Hi: 69 Lo: 45 Feels Like: 69 More Weather Oxford Cloudy 61 Hi: 63 Lo: 47 Feels Like: 61 More Weather Starkville Cloudy 68 Hi: 70 Lo: 44 Feels Like: 68 More Weather All in all, Saturday will be the best day of the weekend with temperatures in the 60s for the highs and plenty of sunshine. A cold front and low pressure on Sunday will bring some good chances for some rain and isolated thunderstorms for our Sunday. TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - A Tupelo store manager said it is now easier to find workers than it was a few months ago. Unfortunately for employers, finding help remained an issue for a long time. But now, the manager at Todds Big Star on Main Street said things are looking up. Manager Patrick Verner said management tries to give workers flexible hours, but that became a challenge because the staff was limited. He said they advertised a lot for available positions, and it seems like more people are now interested in those jobs. It was almost impossible to hire someone four, five, three months ago," said Verner. Now it seems like money has run out, so people are looking for jobs now. A release from the department of labor shows that an additional 531,000 people started working across the U.S. in October. TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - A local non-profit is one of many that filed a lawsuit against the Biden administrations vaccine mandate. The staff of the American Family Association based in Tupelo are glad that the federal appeals court temporarily blocked the mandate. They said they hope that it turns from a temporary block, into a permanent one. The future of the Biden administrations Covid vaccination mandate for large businesses is now uncertain. The administration responded to the block today. It wants the challenges to be consolidated in a single federal court and wants a decision on that by early next week. The vaccination mandate would apply to businesses with over 100 employees. We cannot as an employer be compelled to require our staff members to violate their rights of conscience," said Abraham Hamilton III with the AFA. "The issue is not whether the vaccine is good or bad, the issue is whether or not the federal government has the authority to force us as an employer to require our staff members to take a position one way or another. Under the federal mandate, employees will have to be vaccinated by January, or test weekly for the coronavirus. The post beabadoobee Says Her Next Album Will Sound Completely New: Every Single Song is in a Whole Different World appeared first on Consequence. beabadoobee has had quite a year. Following the release of her long-awaited 2020 debut album Fake It Flowers, the Londoner upped the ante and wrote and recorded Our Extended Play EP, released in June, with labelmates Matty Healy and George Daniel of The 1975. And finally, as restrictions have begun to lift and live music is returning, beabadoobee is back on the road, currently touring through North America with fellow Dirty Hit signees BLACKSTARKIDS and Christian Leave as support. As Beas sound has transformed from her lo-fi bedroom pop to a heavier, grunge-forward vibe, her songwriting itself has become much more specific and noteworthy. Seeing her show at Webster Hall in New York City last week, it was extremely clear that this sonic evolution has come to define the project and its future, even if Bea herself doesnt think her guitar work is that special: Im not the best guitarist either, thats the reason I play with a lot of tunings because it makes it ten times easier for me. Indeed, Bea and her guitarist, Jacob Bugden (with whom shes writing her next record), changed guitars about eight times each throughout the evening, ensuring that each song would come across just as vibrant and powerful as it is on her records. And theres plenty more to come; when asking if the next record will feature more heavy, 90s-inspired grunge and pop punk like Fake It Flowers Charlie Brown, she gave some more details, claiming shes never made such different songs in one piece of music before therere some songs where its just me and some songs where its very heavy. Even if the new album ended up being entirely covers, it would still unapologetically sound like beabadoobee, now heavily stylized and era-specific. Witnessing one of her shows felt like a secret passageway into a nostalgia-ridden world of rock, overwhelmingly cool and buzzing with energy (speaking of: BLACKSTARKIDS were one of the best opening acts that this writer has seen in a while, and even with a mere 30 minutes, they absolutely brought the house down). Story continues Consequence caught up with beabadoobee backstage in early November to chat about getting back on the road, her favorite films, what she was up to during lockdown, and much more. Check out the Q&A below. Youve released both Fake It Flowers and Our Extended Play EP within the last 15 months. How does it feel to have these releases out in the world? Its nice knowing my music is being shared across people, and the more music, the better. I find it very dissatisfying if I make a song and I have to wait on it, which is why Ive been consistently releasing lots of things. Its great to finally play all of the songs that Ive released live. Which songs are your favorite to play? Last Day on Earth is really fun to play, I love playing Charlie Brown as well. And I do like playing Tired from Patched Up. beabadoobee performs last night on earth on the tonight show starring jimmy fallon simon pegg beabadoobee Performs Last Day On Earth on Fallon: Watch Editor's Pick Whilst touring, have you noticed any difference between American audiences and European audiences? The kids in the U.K. are just on crack! [Laughs] Theyre crazy, they dont care if their bones break, and understandably the American crowds are a bit more sensible, and a bit more reserved. I thought it was going to be a bit more reserved when I came here, but I was proved wrong by Washington D.C., they went absolutely mental. I think theyre not as cracky as the U.K. kids, and theres no right or wrong of which crowd is better, but I reckon its slightly different energy-wise. The U.K. is my home, London is my home, so its definitely completely different energy because all of my mates live there. beabadoobee interview beabadoobee, photo by Thomas Davis So when you go to the shows, what are you like? Is it U.K.-style, on crack, are you moshing? Oh, yeah. Im in the middle of that mosh pit. Who are some of your favorite concert memories? I played Reading with Slowthai and Jacob and I went into the mosh pit and that was really fun. I cant even imagine a Slowthai pit at Reading, that sounds pretty remarkable. It was, I just remember getting thrown across the pit, it was hilarious. I thought I broke my arm at one point but it was fine. A chill concert experience, on the other hand, was when I went and watched Fontaines D.C., and youd imagine Id be in the middle of that pit, but I think I was going to go on tour, so I had to be super careful. I watched from the side and I was like, Wow, this is freaking incredible. So therere different ways to enjoying a show and you appreciate the music just as much. Does it feel a bit weird, from an artists perspective, seeing mosh pits and people getting so close and sharing this bodily autonomy again in a (sort of) post-COVID world? Or does it feel safe because everyone is vaccinated? Its definitely so weird. The first shows in the U.K. I was like, Oh my god, I cant believe theyre in that crowd together, and now I just crave it. I get jealous of them, almost like I want to be in there with them. Well you can, youll just have to put on a mask before you stage dive. Yeah, in a hazmat suit and everything. Do you have a pre-show routine? Its kind of boring, vocal warmups, hot tea, and then me and the band go through a song together and sing a capella, Luke plays air drums, Jake plays air guitar, Eliana usually has her bass, and Ill just sing. Is it a different song every night? Yeah, its usually different. It really depends on how we feel, we actually havent done it yet but we might do it tonight! As soon as I get off stage my stage manager makes me a hot toddy, which is like my favorite thing. beabadoobee interview beabadoobee, photo by Thomas Davis Your music has a lot of qualities, especially in the recent releases, that feel very cinematic, recalling certain films and certain eras. Have you ever wanted to write a film or direct movies? Oh, yeah. A hundred percent. My boyfriend is a director so one day I would like to soundtrack his films, but Ive always thought about making my own films, too, and soundtracking films has always been a dream of mine. What are some films that youve seen recently or otherwise that have inspired you? I havent really watched films that have recently been out, but just as soon as the cinema opened, I watched But Im a Cheerleader, and that was a great film and I got a lot of inspiration from that, from the soundtrack to the cinematography and the colors being so bright and colorful. I also really like the soundtrack to Dead Poets Society, the one that Elliott Smith soundtracked, thats how I first discovered Elliott Smith, and I also really like Marie Antionette the one that was directed by Sophia Coppola, that soundtrack is amazing. Its made to be as if it was a coming-of-age movie, so all of the songs are so modern and so sick. Since youve been working with so many people like Matty Healy and George Daniel and lots of amazing producers throughout England, in what way has your process changed since the very early days of beabadoobee songs in the bedroom? Its definitely become a lot more collaborative in terms of writing. I obviously wrote Our Extended Play with Matty and George, [and] Im currently already finishing my second album that Ive been working with my guitarist Jacob on, and its been really fun. Ive never been as intimate with a musical partner since the Coffee days, since the beginning of my career, I used to work with a producer called Oscar Lang. I guess me and Jacob have a really close relationship in that sense where were stuck in a room together for months on end writing and recording so I guess its really been helping me grow into the artist I want to be more. Im guessing you write predominantly on guitar do you noodle around until you find something and then build a song entirely around it? Literally, I think the heart of my music really comes from the guitar chords. Im not the best guitarist either, thats the reason I play with a lot of tunings because it makes it ten times easier for me. Besides working on Our Extended Play, what other pieces of content, music, film or TV did you find yourself gravitating towards, especially in the lockdown period of the pandemic? I was getting really into the period of 2006 and all the music that was coming out then like Stars, Stereolab theres so many that I cant really think of right now. Ive been getting really into computerized sounds but mixed with great rock music. I think that kind of gives a hint of what youre going to expect next. Do you find yourself gravitating towards British music, or are you a huge lover of American music, too? I just love every type of music. I recently found this Japanese emo band called By The End of Summer and theyre amazing, theyre very cool and I think everyone should check them out. I got really into emo music, I think my guitarist Jacob is just great at that, all those noodles, and I just sit there and watch them in awe because I cant do any of that. Can we expect more heavy, Charlie Brown-style songs on the next record? I think the next record every single song is in a whole completely different world, Ive never made such different songs in one piece of music before. Its the first time where every single song you just cant compare it to anything else from the record. Therere some songs where its just me and some songs where its very heavy. We reference a lot of music we were listening to at the time, Jacob and I. Speaking of that tradition of British music and considering the big 90s influence on your sound, do you hearken back to the Britpop bands of the mid 90s like Lush and Echobelly? Of course. The reason I dyed my hair red was because of Miki from Lush, shes amazing. I really owe it to her. Britpop is inevitably going to be a major influence for me. I made friends because of Britpop, its within my nature. Would you consider beabadoobee a Britpop band in 2021? I feel like were pretty British in our own way, theres a lot of comments I see running around. I posted something the other day and a comment said, You somehow managed to make America look British. I dont understand what that means, but I think that sums up my band. Is 2022 going to be a massive festival year for you? Yeah, I think it is. We missed out on a big festival year. Its going to be fun playing in different countries and playing festivals, so its going to be exciting. Can we expect that new album in 2022? Yeah, sometime in 2022. Obviously youve got to wait a little bit longer, but were working on it and weve worked really hard on this record, so were trying to take our time. Catch beabadoobee on tour this fall; tickets are available here. beabadoobee Says Her Next Album Will Sound Completely New: Every Single Song is in a Whole Different World Paolo Ragusa Popular Posts Subscribe to Consequence of Sounds email digest and get the latest breaking news in music, film, and television, tour updates, access to exclusive giveaways, and more straight to your inbox. Black-owned businesses in Northeast Louisiana finally have an active organization made just for them. The Monroe Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, which opened Oct. 28, will serve Black-owned businesses in 12 parishes: Ouachita, Morehouse, Lincoln, East Carroll, West Carroll, Caldwell, Claiborne, Jackson, Madison, Franklin, Tensas and Union. So far, the new chamber has already had about 150 businesses join, and these members will gain access to training, networking and other resources and opportunities. More: Questions over minority contractor use dominate Monroe city council meeting Kenya Roberson, chairman of the board, said the MRBCC was created out of necessity, and the large member base early on only confirms the need for a dedicated chamber. As a Northeast Louisiana business owner Roberson owns jewelry retailer Kenya's Bling Perfection and a member of the Louisiana Black Chamber of Commerce, Roberson said she wondered why there was not representation of Black-owned businesses on local boards, and why minorities were not able to get contracts with businesses in the area. More: Gov. John Bel Edwards highlights growth, opportunities for northeast Louisiana "We did not have access to corporate and government procurement opportunities as we should," Roberson said. "We didn't have any webinars with industry experts to help us with our businesses to grow and thrive as we should. There were a lot of issues that have not been taken care of with Black, minority businesses, and the only way to make it right is to have a Regional Black Chamber of Commerce to address all of those issues and many more." The Monroe Regional Black Chamber of Commerce celebrated its debut at the African American Museum on Oct. 28, 2021. From left: Treasurer Abram Calhoun, board member E.J. Maxwell, President Kenya Roberson, Secretary Marsha Andrews, board member Sonya Jacobs and Vice President Rick Saulsberry. The MRBCC functions as an affiliate of the Louisiana Chamber of Commerce Federation, a statewide organization whose goal is to empower minority businesses through local minority chambers of commerce. The organization currently has six affiliates including the MRBCC; other chambers are located in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Shreveport and Lake Charles. Story continues Roberson said the creation of the MRBCC began two years ago, and she has worked to observe businesses across the region and learn what gaps the new chamber could help fill. One main issue Roberson found was lack of communication of opportunities to local businesses. More: La. Tech awarded $1.5M for Innovation Enterprise expansion, plans to hire up to five people "We have to make sure that we're doing what we should to get them the information that they are needing to become eligible to do (corporate and government projects), and I think a lack of knowledge, a lack of communication and transparency has halted a lot of that for minority businesses," Roberson said. Rick Saulsberry, vice chairman of the MRBCC, Monroe City Schools board member and owner of local business Afrocentrics, said another issue the new chamber hopes to resolve is the divide between small businesses and large corporations. Saulsberry said some small business owners may feel intimidated when it comes to joining chambers of commerce that also cater to large businesses. With the MRBCC, Saulsberry said they will be able to cater to more businesses with hands-on training that will help grow their entrepreneurial endeavors. More: Restaurants struggle to keep staff due to burnout, lack of resources Businesses can join the MRBCC by visiting mrbcc.org or mailing P.O. Box 8073 in Monroe. "If you have a business in any of these 12 parishes in North Louisiana, you need some assistance, and you may not be able to get the needed information from your own local chamber, feel free to inquire about us and look into us," Saulsberry said. "See if you'd be interested in what we have to help you propel your business to the next level." Monroe Regional Black Chamber of Commerce Follow Sabrina LeBoeuf on Twitter @_sabrinakaye and on Facebook at https://bit.ly/3B8sgHo. Support local journalism by subscribing at https://cm.thenewsstar.com/specialoffer. This article originally appeared on Monroe News-Star: Monroe Regional Black Chamber of Commerce debuts with 150 businesses The disappearance of a Black teenager in Nebraska, against the backdrop of historical racial tension and protests in the 1970s, is getting new attention. Marialice Clark, 14, vanished sometime in August 1972 in Omaha, Nebraska, according to police reports obtained by Oxygen.com. The girls mysterious disappearance and loose ties to the Black Panther Party is now the focus of "The Vanished Podcast." The podcast documents the "outrageous" tale of a teenager who became an informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms two years before her disappearance. In 1970, a then-12-year-old Marialice had an older sister who dated a man named Ed Poindexter, a prominent member of the Omaha group sometimes known as the Black Panthers or the United Front Against Facism [sic], or the United Coalition Against Facism [sic], according to a District of Nebraska affidavit obtained by Oxygen.com. The ATF named Poindexter as a leader in the group. ATF Special Investigator Thomas John Sledge claimed Marialice attended Black Panther headquarters with her sister and Poindexter on several occasions. While there, Marialice allegedly witnessed, [10] boxes that she observed to be machine guns, according to the affidavit. The young girl also allegedly observed boxes of dynamite. Ed Poindexter, along with David Rice, was convicted in 1971 for luring Omaha police officer Larry Minard to a suitcase filled with explosives. According to the Omaha World-Herald, the explosives detonated and killed Minard when he touched the suitcase. Last March, former Nebraska Gov. Bob Kerrey asked current Gov. Pete Ricketts to grant Poindexter an early release. I, to this day, never knew what the real relationship was between Marialice and [Poindexter and Rice], Marialices cousin, Dennis, told the "The Vanished Podcast." The affidavit lists numerous weapons in intricate detail, much to the skepticism of relatives, who questioned how a seemingly average pre-teen knew so much about firearms and explosives. Story continues She wasnt a militant, her brother, Ed Clark, told the podcast. She was a schoolgirl. How would you feel if this happened to your sibling? Family members wonder if Marialices involvement with the ATF led to her 1972 disappearance. Police used her, said Ed Clark. They ignored her then and ignore her now. The podcast tells the story of a missing little girl. It also shares the story of people of color and their inequitable treatment by the people hired to protect them. Marialices mother, Mary Clark, reported her daughter missing on Sept. 27, 1972, saying she last saw her daughter at their Omaha home in August, according to a missing person report obtained by Oxygen.com. When asked why it took so long to report the teenager missing, her mother said she thought shed return in a couple of weeks. A girlfriend of Marys by the name of Beatrice said she saw her getting into a car near the Bali-Hi Lounge, wrote the reporting officer. The license plates were from Chicago, Illinois. According to the podcast, Marialice wasnt entered into a database such as the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), or the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NAMUS) until 2020, all at the request of media and civilians. Relatives claimed they didnt know Marialice was a federal witness until 1997, when Marialices mother received a copy of the affidavit. "The Vanished Podcast" began investigating Marialice Clarks disappearance more than a year ago, noting that there exists little about the story online. To the familys surprise, the podcasts creators also uncovered a police report that documented the rape of Marialice in 1970. We need answers, Marialice's grandniece, Jennifer, told the podcast. We need answers from the police department. We need answers from whoever is still alive from the ATF. We need those answers Im not stopping until I get those answers. Marialices mother passed away before getting those answers. I know my great-grandmother left this earth wanting to know what happened to her daughter, continued Jennifer. Who knows? If she was alive, she could have been at my great-grandmothers funeral. ... I could walk past her and not know what she looks like or who she is. Marialice was 52 and weighed 130 pounds at the time of her disappearance, according to NAMUS. She has a birthmark on her right hip and a scar on the back of her head. Anyone with information should contact the Omaha Police Department at 402-444-4127. Her story can be heard on episode 313 of "The Vanished Podcast." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week warned against traveling to a pair of popular vacation destinations: the Netherlands and the Cayman Islands. The agency, which updates its travel advisory on a weekly basis, raised both destinations to its highest "Level 4" travel warning, telling Americans to "avoid" both countries. The Department of State, in turn, raised both the Netherlands and the Cayman Islands to its highest travel advisory level. Every country in Europe and Central Asia is "facing a real threat of Covid-19 resurgence or already fighting it," World Health Organization regional director, Hans Kluge said, according to CNN. "The current pace of transmission across the 53 countries of the European Region is of grave concern." The travel warnings came on the same day the United States reopened its borders to fully-vaccinated international travelers for the first time in 20 months. Vaccinated travelers who have been inoculated with a shot approved by either the Food and Drug Administration or the World Health Organization will be allowed to enter and must also show proof of a negative test taken within three days of boarding a flight to the U.S. Daily life in the canals of Amsterdam in the Netherlands with people enjoying drinks next to the water or having a boat tour. Nicolas Economou/Getty Images In addition to the Netherlands and the Cayman Islands, the CDC raised Luxembourg and the Faroe Islands, a self-governing region that is part of the kingdom of Denmark, to a "Level 4." A destination is designated as a "Level 4" if there are at least 500 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. While the CDC raised its advisory on several places, it also lowered the warning for Thailand and Sint Maarten, both of which have now been classified as a "Level 3." The agency recommends American travelers be fully vaccinated before heading to a "Level 3" destination. The reclassification comes a week after Thailand dropped its quarantine requirements for vaccinated U.S. travelers, allowing them to travel anywhere in the country unrestricted. Additionally, the CDC lowered the United Arab Emirates to a "Level 2," which indicates a "moderate" level of COVID-19 transmission in the country. 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. A scene for the movie, The Substitute (Laia Lluch) The Costa Blanca is today almost a second colony for British expatriates and tourists but a new film has revealed how this part of Spain was once the favoured refuge of Nazis hiding from the reach of law. The Substitute tells the story of how after the Second World War former SS officers used Spain as their personal fiefdom, helped in no small measure by General Francos sympathetic regime. Even after the Spanish dictators death in 1975, the Spanish secret service and police ensured that the country remained a safe haven for loyal followers of Adolf Hitler who were hunted by international prosecutors and Mossad, the Israeli secret service. Though General Francos sympathetic attitude to the Third Reich and its loyal servants has been documented in a number of books, few Spanish films have dared tackle this subject until now. Oscar Aibar, director of The Substitute, only sought to tell this story after a chance encounter in a bar in Calpe, a resort in southeastern Spain where British expatriates make up nearly 14 per cent of the population. Ten or 15 years ago, I spent my summer in Calpe. There were photos of famous people who had eaten there on a bar wall. There was one of six people in SS jackets. I asked if there was a film being made and they said no, no, these are the Germans from Denia, a village nearby, he told The Independent. I became interested. The mayor of Denia told me they used to celebrate Hitlers birthday, they all wore their uniforms from the Second World War and played Wagner. Mr Aibar, whose film has received critical acclaim in Spain, said when he started research on the film four years ago he spoke to two former agents from Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence service. They related two plots to kidnap wanted ex-Nazis who were hiding out in Spain. In 1967 during the Six-Day-War, Mossad believed that an expert in missile technology lived in (southeastern) Spain. They tried to kidnap him but this failed, Mr Aibar said. Story continues The other operation was to try and capture Dr Aribert Heim, the so-called Dr Death of Mauthausen concentration camp who injected prisoners with unknown substances. In 1982, when democracy had returned to Spain, Mossad tried to kidnap Heim who was also believed to be hiding out in Spain, Mr Aibar said. Heim liked to dive and to go sea fishing. They wanted to kidnap him at sea but it failed. Heim was later said to have escaped to Uruguay where he was reputed to have set up a clinic. In 2005, Spanish police mounted an operation to arrest Heim after it was reported that he was living in the Costa Brava. Reports suggest he died in Egypt in 1992, but no trace of his body has been found. For any fascists in Spain, these men were like rock stars for them, said Mr Aibar. These stories of the Nazis hiding under the Spanish sun had all the elements for the thriller which later became The Substitute. The film tells the story of a police officer who settles on the Costa Blanca hoping for a quiet life but who comes across a web of former Nazis. It recreates how even in the early 1980s Spain was struggling with the forces of Francoism even after the dictators death as the officer tries and fails to bring the wanted men to justice. Among the best known refugees from the Third Reich in Spain was Otto Skorzeny, an SS lieutenant colonel who took part in an 1943 operation to rescue the deposed Italian Benito Mussolini from the partisans. He escaped from Allied custody after the Second World War and settled in Madrid where he was allegedly later recruited by Mossad to work for them. He later died in 1975 from lung cancer. Leon Degrelle, known as the Belgian Fuhrer who led a pro-Nazi party in his own country and served with the SS, escaped to Spain in 1945. Under the protection of the Franco regime, he lived under the name Jose Leon Ramirez Reina, until his death in Malaga in 1994. Less well known is Clarita Stauffer, who was born in Madrid to a German family before the Second World War. She helped Nazis hide in Francos Spain. Peter Besas details in his 2015 book Nazis in Madrid how Stauffer would help provide fugitives with new clothes, jobs and false identity papers. She was said to have helped Walter Kutschmann, a former Gestapo officer who was wanted for the massacre of 2,000 Jews in Poland in 1941, to escape arrest. He was later arrested in 1985 in Buenos Aires and died in hospital in Argentina the following year. After nearly 40 years of fascist dictatorship, Spain eluded the influence of the far-right for decades until 2019s general election when Vox broke through onto the national stage. The Substitute (Laia Lluch) The ultra-nationalist party is the third largest political party in the Spanish parliament, commanding 52 seats in the chamber. A recent poll for El Confidencial, an online newspaper, predicted that at the next election in 2023, the conservative Peoples Party (PP) could win 120 seats and form a coalition government with Vox, putting the far-right in power for the first time since Francos death in 1975. However, the PP will be anxious to avoid depending on Vox to avoid alienating the support of moderates. It seems likelier they might only ask Vox to pass legislation but not to enter as a coalition partner. The same poll found support for the Socialists, who currently form a coalition government with the far-left Unidas Podemos, might fall from 120 seats to 101, leaving them without enough votes to form a government. Read More Irmgard Furchner: The 96-year-old alleged Nazi war criminal on trial in Germany Sold to Hitler: What constitutes art sales under duress? Anti-masker chants heil Hitler in front of Black and Jewish Michigan school board members How one sexual assault allegation turbocharged Chinas #Metoo movement Italys latest tactic to beat the mafia: take away mobsters children Sweden on verge of getting first ever female prime minister United Airlines can uphold its COVID-19 vaccine mandate that places on unpaid leave employees who have been granted a medical or religious exemption, a federal judge ruled Monday, per Reuters. Details: U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman noted in his ruling in Fort Worth, Texas, that it was a human resources matter and that no airline staff member was required to get the vaccine, according to Reuters. Stay on top of the latest market trends and economic insights with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free "[I]t is not for the Court to decide if United's vaccine mandate is bad policy," Pittman said, per CNBC. "Rather, it is the Courts role to determine if Plaintiffs carried their burden to obtain a preliminary injunction," added Pittman in rejecting the lawsuit brought by six United employees. The big picture: United said in September that more than 97% of its U.S.-based employees had been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. The plaintiffs alleged United is legally obligated to accommodate exempt workers and said they stand to lose seniority and other benefits if placed on leave, per Reuters. The airline said in an emailed statement that some 2,000 staff members who were granted religious or medical exemptions could apply for "non-customer facing roles." Those who don't will be placed on leave. Go deeper: United CEO: Mandating COVID vaccine was a no-brainer More from Axios: Sign up to get the latest market trends with Axios Markets. Subscribe for free Chris Kelly Gofundme An Oregon teenager has died after being struck by a fallen tree limb following a storm, according to police. On Saturday, local authorities in Portland responded to reports that 14-year-old Christopher Kelly was killed at the Sandy River Delta around 11:15 a.m., the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said in a release. "Despite lifesaving efforts, the teenager did not survive their injuries," police stated. "Our thoughts are with this young man's family during this tragic time," Undersheriff Nicole Morrisey O'Donnell said in a statement. "This weighs heavy on all of us in the first responder community." RELATED: Calif. Family of 4 Nearly Crushed to Death After Redwood Trees Fall on Their RV: 'I Was Panicked' "Where you can, when you're in larger cleared areas, make sure you're listening and paying attention to your surroundings as we're heading into the winter months with wind, rain and possible storms," O'Donnell added, FOX12 reports. According to the Portland Police Bureau, another man was struck by a tree branch and was taken to the hospital. His injuries are unknown. PPB stated that Portland Fire & Rescue called an arborist to the scene for an inspection and to ensure that tree was safe as it was "severely deteriorated." The Portland Police Bureau did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. A huge tree branch fell on two people. One was killed, another went to the hospital. PPB North Precinct 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. Kelly was attending an event with Friends of Trees, a volunteer group that plants trees in the area. On Monday, the nonprofit organization shared their condolences after the incident. "As you may have read there was a tragic accident at one of our planting events last Saturday. We are devastated and our hearts go out to the family," a tweet read. Story continues The teen's aunt, Kathleen Arthur, said that Kelly was a freshman at Central Catholic High School in Portland, according to The Oregonian. "He was just so sweet, just a smiling, wonderful child who believed in volunteerism," Arthur told the outlet. "It's just so tragic that this happened, it's just so unfair." A GoFundMe account was created by the family of the teen in order to raise money for funeral and memorial costs. We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the story of how they caught their parent cheating. Here are the wildest replies: 1. "I found out my dad was cheating when he was supposed to be in a class and he picked me up from the library in a completely different outfit. My mom started taking me on drives where she would tail him. When we finally confirmed his other relationship, I assumed she would divorce him, but she never did. He had a separate family. They had two daughters, and the first one was given up for adoption." "I got to know the second daughter when I was in college. She is almost exactly 20 years younger than I am, and I love her to bits. Twenty-five years later, my mom met my sister, and my parents made my sister and me joint trustees for their estate. Both my parents ended up in memory care, and the 'other woman' was the one checking in on them at the home and being sure they had vitamins and adult diapers. My sister lived two hours away through miserable traffic, and I was halfway across the country, so having someone there to check on my folks was really wonderful. By the time my parents died, we were all one big, happy family." judithf46009c74f 2. "When I was 12, my mom, stepdad, and I were driving to Florida from Texas for a vacation. We had stopped at a Waffle House for breakfast before we headed out. While we were sitting there, my stepdad looked at my mom with this stupid smirk on his face and said, 'Remember when we used to meet here every morning before we would go to our little spot?'" "My mom giggled. When he said 'our spot,' he tilted his head in the direction of the motel right next to the Waffle House. They hadn't even been married a year yet, and it was very obvious, even to 12-year-old me, that he was insinuating they had been meeting for a long time before they were married, during her previous marriage." traceepappas Story continues 3. "I caught my dad making out with one of my mom's best friends two months after their wedding. She was even in the bridal party! My dad has always said he's such a 'great, devout, Christian man,' so they always met at church to do their unholy, home-wrecking dirty deed. One day, her kids and I caught them making out, half naked, in a broom closet in GOD'S HOUSE. My dad still denies it and still says he's a devout Christian." StonedSuicide E! 4. "My mom was logged in to Facebook on my computer. One day I was doing homework, and a dirty message popped up on my computer. I clicked on it and found nudes from my mom and this other guy. He was using a fake Facebook profile. My sister and I went into investigation mode and found out he worked with her. We brought it up to her, and she told us that if we told my dad, we would be breaking up the family. The guilt killed her after a couple of days, and she ended up telling him. My parents havent been the same since, especially my dad." Rinkers 5. "My boyfriend caught his dad eating out his niece by marriage the day his wife (my boyfriend's mom) came back home in remission from a rare leukemia she developed after a broken leg. And my boyfriend's mom actually sent my boyfriend in the room to tell him dinner was ready. Shes gone now, RIP, and the family is torn apart. Its my goal to keep a positive feeling of family for him while he mourns the loss and betrayal of his best friend." Nikita Patel The CW 6. "My father had an affair with his male high school best friend. The friend lived about five hours away by car. We would visit him, his wife, stepson, and mother in-law. They would disappear for hours when we were all together. The stepson and I figured it out when we were around age 12 and we heard them fighting on the phone about love." "They stopped their two-hour-long, almost-every-night phone calls. Then my dad and I started visiting two times a year instead of every other month; then we stopped visiting them at all. They have since made up, but they're not together anymore. I told my mother, and she doesnt deny it." Hisbutt 7. "This one time, my dad, my mom, my younger brother, and I went on a family vacation to Boston. While there, we stopped at a truck stop midway, and my dad told us to wait while he went in to get some snacks for us. About half an hour later, we got antsy and followed him inside. When we couldn't find him anywhere, I described him to the cashier and he was like, 'Oh yeah. He's out in his truck.' I was so confused. We went to where the trucks were parked, and my dad had asked one of his colleagues to park the truck they shared at the truck stop for a few hours, and we saw him fucking a sex worker in the truck. I was so angry, I knocked on the window and started yelling, and he didn't even stop; they just kept on going." KhaulaF ABC 8. "The first time, my dad straight-up brought his girlfriend to the house while my mom wasn't home. I was too young to realize what was going on, but my older sister knew something was up and told my mom. The second time, he'd had a heart attack and was unconscious, dying, in the hospital. His phone kept blowing up from a number I didn't recognize. I called back, thinking it was maybe a work acquaintance who should know what happened to him. It was his girlfriend!" "I had to explain he was married and asked her not to come to the hospital because his wife and children were there. Apparently they'd been together a while. I had to tell her when he died and beg her not to come to the funeral. What a fun thing to be dealing with when your dad just died. There were many others. These are just the two I was directly involved with." ausernameisrequired 9. "When I was in my 20s, my dad used to use the family computer to feed his porn addiction. Well, turned out he was also sexting another woman. I found out about it, broke the news to mom, and my mom, being a 'saint,' forgave him. My dad turned to Allah and has been super religious since that day. He proceeded to get rid of the family PC and his old number. I had to quickly save all my college files from that PC and get a laptop." nidaariena Netflix 10. "It was the day before my birthday, and I was looking for a painkiller when I found a notebook that my dad had, and it confessed his affair he had when I was 7. My parents were already divorced, but I never knew this was part of it. I had to spend my entire 18th birthday dinner acting as if nothing happened. It ruined my view of my dad, who used to be my idol." crazykid 11. "I was around 7 years old and was messing around in my dads parked truck when I found a baby bottle under the passenger seat. I didnt have a baby sibling. It turned out my dad had a whole other family." zucchini VH1 12. "My dad cheated on his new wife. I caught him in bed with another woman while I was away on a trip. I saw it on the baby monitor." Anonymous 13. "Around Christmastime, I was in my room doing homework and my dad was in the office. I wanted to see if he was buying my gifts, so I decided to creep out and take a look. Crawling on my hands and knees, I slowly inched my way toward the office. I caught him scrolling through escort websites and messaging girls. The number of boobs I saw was traumatic." Anonymous 14. "My dad dropped me off at my senior prom and started chatting to one of the teachers at the door. They seemed to really hit it off. Later on, he texted me to say he might be late picking me up, but I didnt check my messages and walked up to my dad's car as we had originally agreed." "He and the teacher were in there together. She was promptly fired. My mom divorced him, and we both havent looked back since. He was trash." Anonymous 15. "Our family had a shared computer. My dad wasnt great about remembering to clear the computer history or logging out of things. My sister and I found multiple online dating profiles where he said he was either divorced or widowed." "He was also never as subtle as he thought he was when hed sneak out to meet someone." Anonymous E! 16. "When I was 20, I got a Facebook message from someone claiming to be my half brother. It turned out he was. My father had a three-year-long affair when I was a toddler, the woman got pregnant, and he had been paying child support since. My mother knew as well. They just never told me." "It gets better. It turns out my dad had ANOTHER affair with ANOTHER woman (there were several) and SHE GOT PREGNANT. So there were, in fact, TWO secret brothers I found out about when I was 20. Go figure." jsitdig16 17. "My dad went 'salmon fishing with a buddy' but didnt take his salmon gear. I hacked into his email and found several emails exchanged with a woman (including nude photos of them both) who turned out to be his high school sweetheart." "When he returned from his 'fishing trip,' I found a photo of them in his truck. I told my mum, but she already knew. They divorced soon after, and one month after it was finalized, my dad married the other woman and had a MASSIVE wedding that I was not invited to and was only told about six months later on a family ski trip. I was 12 years old and have deeply seeded trust issues that I dont know Ill ever get past." Jj8829 18. "The other woman called to talk to my mom, and I answered the phone. She had no clue my dad had a daughter and didn't expect me to answer." Sara Brooks 19. "My dad told me he was going to burn some CDs and he needed time to concentrate. Nosy 5-year-old me walked in his room and saw him doing it with my aunt. On my dads side." inthestudio BBC one 20. "My mom always went out Friday nights. At first I thought she was going to meet her friends, but I went through her texts one day and I didn't see anything about Friday nights with her friends. I found that odd, so I decided to track her phone using Find My iPhone, since I knew her iCloud password. I checked her location, and she was at an unknown house." "By the end of the month, my dad found out that she was cheating on him with his boss from work, and now they are divorced and I'm happily living with my dad." Anonymous 21. "My dad asked me to print some things from his email, and I noticed emails from some dating site. I went quickly to grab the papers, and when I came back, those emails had disappeared from his inbox." "I want to think that it was only spam, but he was very quick to erase it on his own, when usually he asks me or my siblings to delete his trash mail. I hope Im just overthinking things, but my mom once told me that he indeed cheated on her while they were dating, so I dont know." SamCrevellari 20th Century Fox 22. "I was young, and my mom took me to the movies, and her friend from work joined us. I witnessed them flirting during the entire movie, and he even rubbed his hands along her thigh. I was so grossed out because he was so ugly." "She acted like it was totally normal and said that I was imagining things when I asked her why her friend was touching her that way. She worked another job, and I witnessed more flirting with the man she would end up leaving my dad for." maxinemarie 23. "When I was 15, my dad picked me up from tutoring and said, 'I love you, too,' as he got off the phone, but I was on the phone with my mom when I got in the car. I got suspicious and went in his office and found a handwritten note from his mistress. The only thing I really remember from the note was her telling my dad that he doesn't even love my mom and that he needs to leave her." "We knew the woman from my dad's workout group. I told my mom, and she kicked him out and divorced him, and he blamed me. Next time I saw the woman's car in the gym parking lot, I smashed three of her windows and slashed two of her tires." Anonymous CBS 24. "My parents were 'taking a break' when my mom got sick and had to be rushed to the hospital. I called my dad and he came to pick me up and took me to his flat. There was a woman there who told me that shed been dating my dad for three years. Hed only been separated from my mum for a few months." Anonymous 25. "My ex found out his mom was cheating on his dad when his mom was at work and accidentally texted my ex instead of her lover, saying, 'Im in the bathroom waiting for you, my love.' His dad was at work that day, and mind you, he worked over 50 miles away from her, so that text was indeed not meant for him." zucchini Paramount Pictures 26. "My sister tagged along on errands with my dad one day when we were about 10. They had stopped at a jewelry counter to look at a present for our mom when she overheard our dad asking the salesperson if they had two of a particular item. The store only had one, so they left without buying anything." chelseamcdonald 27. And this: "I was about 17 years old, hanging out with my then-boyfriend. I picked up my mom's phone to find pictures of our cats, and instead I opened up recent messages to see she'd sent nudes to her coworker." "This weighed on me heavily for months, and after a huge fight with my mom, I broke the news to my dad. He was never the same after that, and I am still dealing with the guilt from that conversation." Anonymous Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity. OWEGO The Tops grocery in Owego is one of 12 stores that will be sold as part of a merger between the company and Price Chopper/Market 32 that received approval late Monday. The agreement to sell the stores is expected to close in the coming weeks, and the grand openings are planned for mid-January through mid-February. The buyer, C&S Wholesale Grocers, a Keene, New Hampshire-based chain, said it will continue to recognize the union workforce at the locations. The Owego store will operate under the Grand Union Supermarkets name, marking the return of the brand that was instantly recognizable in the Southern Tier, including locations in Binghamton, Vestal, Endicott and Endwell. Subscriber exclusive: Art of marijuana pipemaking gets mainstream recognition in NY Tops acquired the remaining Grand Union stores in 2012. As part of the merger, Price Chopper and Tops will still be managed locally by their respective leaders and continue with their current store names, but will be owned by a new parent company, Northeast Grocery Inc. The Grand Union at Four Corners in Vestal in 2002, shortly before it closed. The deal, first announced in February, brings together two of upstate New York's largest supermarket chains, with nearly 300 stores and about 30,000 full and part-time workers. The deal was signed off by the Federal Trade Commission on Monday. Now we can dedicate ourselves to bringing these two storied grocery chains together, leveraging best practices, developing new opportunities and finding efficiencies that will help us continue to deliver distinctive shopping experiences, Scott Grimmett, the current Price Chopper/Market 32 president who will lead the new parent company, said in a statement. The joint companies' blueprint will be so large across upstate New York that the FTC and the state Attorney General's office are mandating that the company divest and sell 12 stores to ensure competition in those regions. The 12 Tops stores that also include ones in Cooperstown, Cortland, and Rome, will be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers. Story continues C&S said it will convert all 12 stores which also includes ones in Norwich, Peru, Saranac Lake, Sherrill, Warrensburg, two locations in Watertown and one in Rutland, Vermont to Grand Union supermarkets. "With our recent announcement of the purchase of Piggly Wiggly Midwest, this is another very exciting opportunity for C&S to further expand into the retail market," Rick Cohen, executive chairman of C&S Wholesale Grocers, said in a statement. "This is an important component of our growth and future success. The Grand Union stores will showcase C&S's already successful retail strategies and be supported by our strong wholesale supply chain and programs to deliver solid retail performance." We believe that this merger will be a positive for our membership, preserving union jobs and strengthening the companys prospects into the foreseeable future, said Frank DeRiso, president of the UFCW Local One, said in a statement. More: Tops and Price Chopper to merge. What it means for customers More: Why Tops and Price Chopper are merging, and how it could change the grocery market The Price Chopper super market in the Town of Poughkeepsie on February 10, 2021. Attorney General Letitia James said Price Chopper and Tops largely do not compete head-to-head in most areas. But in communities where they do, there were concerns that the merger would have eliminated a direct supermarket competitor. So by requiring the sale of the 12 stores to C&S, which is the largest private wholesale grocery distributor in the country, those areas will continue to have a competitive market to help customers, James said. Its simple: More choices and competition at the supermarket mean better prices and more savings for consumers, James said in a statement. Northeast Grocery will be headquartered in Schenectady, which will remain the home for Price Chopper/Market 32. Tops Markets will retain its main office in Williamsville, Erie County. Price Chopper was founded in 1932 by the Golub family and has 130 stores across the Northeast and 18,000 employees. In New York, the stores are located through central New York, the Albany area and the Hudson Valley. They also have stores in Scranton area in Pennsylvania and into Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Top Markets has 162 grocery stores in New York, Pennsylvania and Vermont and about 14,000 workers. USA TODAY Network New York reporter Tom Passmore contributed to this story. Joseph Spector is the Government and Politics Editor for the USA TODAY Network's Atlantic Group, overseeing coverage in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. He can be reached at JSPECTOR@Gannett.com or followed on Twitter: @GannettAlbany. Support local journalism We cover the stories from the New York State Capitol and across New York that matter most to you and your family. Please consider supporting our efforts with a subscription to the New York publication nearest you. This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Tops-Price Chopper merger brings Grand Union back to NY Man Who Administered CPR at Astroworld Festival Recounts Horror: 'If You Fell, You Were Just Screwed' For former Marine Lucas Naccarati, Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival began as "one of the best times" of his life. Naccarati's dream day, however, quickly turned into a nightmare after chaos erupted during the rapper's set, prompting him to perform CPR on two fellow concertgoers in distress. "I haven't slept since that night," he tells PEOPLE. "I probably ate twice in the last three days. I just keep associating it with the kids and the girls [in attendance]." Eight people, ranging in age from 14 to 27, died at the Friday festival in Houston, and more than 300 were treated for injuries amid an apparent stage rush in the crowd of about 50,000 fans. Naccarati, 26, lives in Arcadia, California, but made the trip out to Houston on his own in order to "really enjoy" the festival, as he's a fan of Scott. When it came time for the rapper's set, the seven-year Marine Corps veteran positioned himself in the "middle front" of the crowd and noticed very quickly that things had soon become "really, really packed." Lucas Naccarati Lucas Naccarati Lucas Naccarati "Everyone was kind of joking about it, and making little remarks like, 'This is a little intense now,'" he says. "And every minute it just got more intense." Once Scott, 30, took the stage, Naccarati, who works in consulting, says the crowd began rushing forward, causing a "mass wave" of people pushing, eventually up against the guard rails, where it became "really, really hectic." "People started jumping up and down and just started raging, and people started tripping," he says. "And when they started tripping, it was like a trickle effect for other people to start tripping. When people started tripping, it was just one of those where it would be physically impossible for you to get out of that If you fell, you were just screwed." Lucas Naccarati Lucas Naccarati Lucas Naccarati Story continues At some point, Naccarati says he lost his Vans shoes because he was constantly being stepped on, and was far from the only one he recalls seeing "hundreds" of pairs of shoes all over the ground, many of which were bloodied and covered in mud. RELATED: Everything We Know So Far About the 8 People Killed at Travis Scott's Astroworld Festival As his feet continued to be "crushed" by other attendees, he pleaded with himself: "Please do not fall, please do not fall," he recalls. Eventually, Naccarati was able to make his way to the back of the crowd by taking a few small steps at a time, at one point unintentionally stepping on someone's chest and/or leg as he tried to walk away. "Another girl started screaming from the top of her lungs, saying, 'Please, someone help me. Please, I don't want to die. Please help me,'" he recalls. "I grabbed her from the back and under her armpits. And I just squeezed her and I was like, 'Please calm down, it will be OK.' She just fainted, she just passed out." Naccarati had to drag the young woman through about 20 or 30 people to get all the way to the back, but eventually found an opening in which he was able to put her on the floor and administer CPR, as she was "completely unresponsive." "I didn't even have a second thought of my mind," he says of jumping into action. "I just saw someone in panic, and I just immediately knew, 'This person needs help.' I see it as I just did something that I feel like a normal human should do. This girl was in need. Who am I not to help this person?" For more on the tragedy at Astroworld, listen below to our daily podcast on People Every Day. Thanks to Naccarati's quick thinking, the young woman eventually came to, and he put his shoulder down and entered the crowd once more to tend to another person he saw being crushed by others. "The guy's eyes were just completely rolled back, and his lips were just dark," he says. "He was just bleeding and muddy. I was trying to talk to him, but he had no pulse. I started doing CPR on him, and I did that for about a minute, a minute and a half, but he was not responding to anything. He was just completely lifeless." As the crowds continued to grow, Naccarati says he was forced to abandon his life-saving measures or risk getting crushed himself. "I tried to look for some kind of security guard or medic, but there wasn't really much that they could do," he says. "As I was leaving I spoke to a security guard who was like, 'Oh you probably had a really good time partying, didn't you?' Because he saw that I was shirtless and had no shoes. And I was like, 'Guy, I'm pretty sure someone just died. You need to tell someone.' He just didn't understand. He was like, 'Oh, OK. OK. For sure, man.' And he just walked away." After searching unsuccessfully for a medic tent, he walked barefoot for about a mile to call an Uber home. Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival at NRG Park on November 05, 2021 in Houston, Texas. Erika Goldring/WireImage Travis Scott performs during 2021 Astroworld Festival Police are investigating, and no charges have been brought, though Houston Police Chief Troy Finner said in a statement on Monday that he met with Scott and his head of security "for a few moments" before he went on stage to discuss public safety concerns. RELATED: Astroworld Festival Attendees Feared Dying amid Concert Chaos: 'I Seriously Could Not Breathe' While other fans have accused Scott of ignoring the crowd's increasingly desperate cries for help and continuing the show despite the chaotic scene, a source close to Scott previously told PEOPLE that the rapper was unaware of the magnitude of the situation, as "the lights were shining in his eyes and he couldn't see what was happening." Scott said that he was "honestly just devastated" by the night's events, and on Monday, announced that he would cover all funeral costs and provide further aid to those affected by the tragedy. Meghan Markle NYT DealBook Summit NYT DealBook Summit Meghan Markle Meghan Markle is getting real about women's issues. On Tuesday, the Duchess of Sussex joined The New York Times DealBook Online Summit, celebrating the 20th anniversary of Dealbook. Meghan joined a conversation with Mellody Hobson, Co-C.E.O. and President of Ariel Investments, called "Minding the Gap," which focused on how women can reach economic and professional parity. Meghan, 40, was asked by host Andrew Ross Sorkin, Editor at Large, Columnist and Founder of DealBook The New York Times about recently reaching out to senators to continue her campaign for paid family leave. She acknowledged that the royal family traditionally stays politically neutral but said that she saw paid leave as a "humanitarian issue." "I think this is one of those issues that is not red or blue. We can all agree that people need support certainly when they've just had a child," Meghan said. She later added, "Paid leave, from my standpoint, is just a humanitarian issue." RELATED: Meghan Markle Cold-Calls Senators to Advocate for Paid Family Leave: 'This is Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex' Meghan Markle NYT DealBook Summit NYT DealBook Summit Meghan said that after living in Canada and the U.K. for many years, she came back to the U.S. as a mother of two (2-year-old son Archie and daughter Lili, born in June). "To come back and now be a mother of two and to see that the U.S. is one of only six countries in the entire world that doesn't offer any form of national paid leave just didn't make sense," she said. Meghan also said that felt a need to speak up in a way that she has since she was young, alluding to when she, at just as 11 years old, called out a Procter & Gamble commercial that advertised its Ivory dishwashing soap solely to women. After writing a letter to the company, they changed their slogan from "Women all over America" to "People all over America." She took a similar approach when it came to the paid leave issue, writing an open letter and picking up the phone to call leaders. Story continues "Even before I had any sort of privilege in my life when my life and my lifestyle were very, very different I always stood up for what was right," she said. Meghan also revealed that when she was young she sold homemade scrunchies. "I remember the feeling of knowing that I had done something, I had invested in myself and done this labor and been compensated for it," she said. "There's a sense of pride that comes from that." Meghan Markle NYT DealBook Summit NYT DealBook Summit Meghan Markle Meghan also spoke about the double standard between women and men having ambition, which she called a "trigger word," and said she saw a study that said 60% of women would rather talk about the details of their own death than about money. "There's nothing wrong with talking about a woman's success or her ambition or her financial prowess," Meghan said, adding later that men should be part of the conversation. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! "We can all agree that people need support, especially when they've had a child," said Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, at the #DealBook Online Summit. "Paid leave, from my point of view, is a humanitarian issue." https://t.co/mXcALFsbeS DealBook (@dealbook) November 9, 2021 Senator Shelley Moore Capito told Politico last week she was driving in her car when she received a phone call with the number blocked. "Honestly I thought it was Sen. [Joe] Manchin. His calls come in blocked," said the Republican senator from West Virginia (Manchin, a Democrat, is her fellow senator from the state). "And she goes 'Sen. Capito?' I said, 'Yes.' She said, 'This is Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.'" Added Capito, "I couldn't figure out how she got my number." A spokesperson for Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat from New York, confirmed to PEOPLE that she gave the senators' numbers to Meghan. "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, according to Politico. "She's going to call some others, so I let them know in advance." Gillibrand continued, "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." Meta will crack down further on potentially harmful ads. The New York Times reports Meta is removing detailed ad targeting options for "thousands" of sensitive topics on Facebook, Instagram and other services starting January 19th, 2022. The move will bar ads based on interactions with content related to ethnicity, health, political beliefs, religion and sexual orientation, among other hot-button issues. It's a drastic move, and Meta was aware this could hurt some businesses and positive ad uses. However, VP Graham Mudd said the outgoing options could lead to "negative experiences for people in underrepresented groups." The internet giant believed it could refine its ad platform to serve everyone without hurting business connections. The company is also giving you more control over the ads you see. In early 2022, you'll have the option to see fewer ads linked to gambling, weight loss and other delicate subjects. You can already limit the frequency of ads for alcohol, parenting, pets and politics. The stricter ad policies come the same day as Meta's latest transparency report and an overall effort to counter whistleblower Frances Haugen's accusations that the company is more interested in engagement and revenue than the well-being of its users. A 2020 audit concluded Meta fell short on efforts to combat discrimination, including ads. The firm removed targeting for thousands of sensitive ad topics in 2017 and 2018 (including auto-generated anti-Semitic categories), but there's clearly ongoing pressure to show Meta can clean up its ad business. Meta will still have plenty of ad targeting, including location-based ads, custom audiences and permission-based customer lists. However, this could easily push some marketers to rethink their strategies. This may help by reducing the number of exploitative ads, but it could also hurt the relevancy of those ads you do see. Netflix is ready to set sail with its live-action adaptation of the popular pirate manga One Piece. The streamer on Tuesday confirmed five of the actors bringing the series popular characters to life: Inaki Godoy (Who Killed Sara?) will star as Monkey D. Luffy, alongside Mackenyu (Pacific Rim: Uprising) as Roronoa Zoro, Emily Rudd (Fear Street) as Nami, Jacob Romero Gibson (All Rise) as Usopp and Taz Skylar as Sanji. More from TVLine One Piece Live-Action Cast We are so excited to set sail with this amazing and talented cast! executive producers Steven Maeda and Matt Owens said in a statement. Finding the right people to pull off the looks, emotions, and actions of the iconic Straw Hats was a long and challenging (and fun!) process. Much like the search for the One Piece itself. But we have finally found the perfect fits! They have already begun working very hard to bring these characters to life. You will come to know and love them just as much as their manga counterparts. All of us cant wait to show you what weve come up with! Onward to adventure! Adds manga author Eiichrio Oda, Weve been working with Netflix and Tomorrow Studios on the massive project that is the Hollywood live action series adaptation of One Piece! How many years has it been since it was announced, right? I know, I know! But rest assured weve been making steady progress all along! Its not easy when youre working with people from different cultures! But its precisely that process that can yield something special! For now, were able to announce the main cast! Rather, we need to hurry and announce it or else itll be leaked, apparently! Hilarious, lol. Their face, the size of their mouths and hands, their aura, the way they carry themselves, their voice, their acting skills, their height, the balance amongst the Straw Hat Crew, etc! We decided on this cast after numerous discussions involving people around the world! These are the people who will be our Straw Hat Pirates! Itll take a bit more time to get this show done, but well continue to do our best to deliver a show that were confident will be enjoyed by everyone around the world! Look forward to more updates in the future! Story continues A co-production between Netflix and Tomorrow Studios, One Pieces 10-episode first season is being executive-produced by showrunner/writer Steven Maeda, writer Matt Owens, Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements of Tomorrow Studios, and original author Eiichiro Oda. Are you looking forward to Netflixs live-action One Piece series? Drop a comment with your thoughts below. Best of TVLine Nov. 8Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger was about as accusatory as he ever gets publicly last week he spoke about the fact that not one member of the county's legislative delegation, or anyone from the governor's office or the state health department, sought his input they shaped and passed a bill to gut the county's ability to make its own decisions on how to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. That betrayal by our Republican state officials betrayal is our word, not Coppinger's is unconscionable. The non-confrontational Coppinger's word was "disappointing." "It was a little disappointing to me to see the state want to take that authority away from local governments," said Coppinger, also a Republican. "We'll obviously comply with what we have to, but again the people closest to the people should be making those decisions, in my opinion." State and local health departments across the country and local school boards, as well have become the target of state legislatures looking to rein in their authority to implement preventive and public health practices to stem the spread of the dangerous and preventable COVID-19. The virus has killed more than 16,500 Tennesseans in 20 months and sickened nearly 1.3 million. "I did not get one single phone call to ask me what my opinion was. Or anybody, our health department didn't. Nobody. Nobody asked the people on the ground that are dealing with this what we thought," Coppinger said. "They call a special session. They do what they choose to do. It doesn't mean they have to, but from where I sit, I mean, I always, whoever is going to be impacted, I call and say, 'How's this going to impact you?'" The lawmakers voting for this all Republican in our supermajority GOP state government shaped this bill because they fear being primaried by far-right extremists who've protested against face masks and vaccines. Story continues Many of these measures mask mandates, quarantines and other actions date back to colonial times, where they were regularly imposed to curb infectious disease outbreaks ranging from smallpox to yellow fever. But Tennessee's new legislation, passed hurriedly in a special session lawmakers themselves called when Gov. Bill Lee resisted their request, do not as some like our own Rep. Robin Smith, R-Hixson, and Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, have suggested simply offer guidelines to help. Rather, according to a 2021 report from the National Association of County and City Health Officials, they hinder, adding "a level of bureaucracy and politics that undercut the flexibility and timeliness of local public health orders and make it harder for public health experts on the front lines to protect and respond." To mandate face masks going forward, the new Tennessee law would require the governor to declare a state of emergency and counties to report at least 1,000 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over 14 days. Even then, the mandate may last only 14 days unless the cases threshold continues to be met. The threshold is set far too high. Dr. Paul Hendricks, a former emergency medicine physician who retired from the Hamilton County Health Department's top medical position in February, bluntly compared being forced to meet such a high case rate before initiating a mask mandate to watching a trauma patient bleed out. "And they say, 'Well, let's wait until he bleeds a few more quarts, and then we'll stop the bleeding,'" Hendricks said. "It's just ridiculous. I don't know where they got their information, where they got these numbers. They said they consulted with some people, and I have no idea who they consulted with. Obviously, no one called me." Clearly, they consulted the same hacks who've been screaming at school board members and pushing ivermectin, bleach and other snake oils over proven public health strategies like masks and vaccines. Gardenhire, who usually is reliably sensible, fell off the turnip truck on this one. "Hamilton County wasn't the problem, he told the TFP. "The problem was Shelby County, Davidson County and Knox County." Shelby, Davidson and Knox counties had the good sense and audacity to implement mask mandates in schools and limit gatherings. Hamilton County, on the other hand, has been wide open since our mask mandate was lifted in late April. Further, our schools pioneered the "opt out" mask mandate that Lee adopted statewide, but the larger metropolitan counties later challenged in courts. That opt-out prompted a late summer surge in Hamilton County as our youngsters went back to school in mid-August and many contracted COVID's Delta variant, resulting in our school-age children soon becoming a quarter of Hamilton County's new COVID-19 cases. On Friday, following the passage of this inane legislation, Hamilton County Schools lifted its mask requirement. We hope we're wrong, but we fear COVID-19 is not done with us. We are abandoning commonsense preventive measures when only 51% of this county is vaccinated in a state that is the eighth least vaccinated nationally. No, neither we, our mayors, school officials, parents and friends don't have COVID hysteria. But our too-red GOP lawmakers certainly have primary hysteria. MADISON - A third state lawmaker is entering the race for lieutenant governor, creating a Democratic primary to be Gov. Tony Evers' running mate in his 2022 reelection bid. Democratic Rep. Sara Rodriguez of Brookfield announced her candidacy Monday, about a year after she won an Assembly seat that had been held by Republicans for years. "I can be a really good partner to Gov. Evers in something as large and as complicated as the Wisconsin state government, but most importantly, public health is my passion," Rodriguez said in an interview. Rodriguez said that as lieutenant governor, she would bring experience as a nurse and public health professional, "working in diverse communities to make sure that we can create environments where people can succeed." Rep. Sara Rodriguez, D-Brookfield, is running for lieutenant governor against Sen. Lena Taylor, D-Milwaukee, in a Democratic primary. Rodriguez defeated Republican incumbent Rob Hutton in the Milwaukee suburbs after one of the most expensive legislative races of 2020. She said then that a chief reason she ran was because the Legislature opted not to meet during 2020 when the coronavirus pandemic was at its most threatening. She said she is now running statewide because she believes her background in public and private health care and overseeing a large health care organization is valuable to voters. "I think I have something unique to offer," Rodriguez said. "I am not a career politician. I've spent most of my career in the private or public sector and I do feel like I can bring something new to the ticket and really get Gov. Evers across that finish line." Rodriguez started a health care consulting business in 2020 after working as the vice president of population health and integrated care management for Advocate Aurora health system. Before that, she held a range of health care positions, including as an ER nurse in Baltimore, overseeing nursing in a Denver-area county health department and as an epidemic intelligence service officer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Story continues The office of lieutenant governor has few duties. Rodriguez said she would use the office to reach out to Wisconsin residents on issues the administration wants to tackle to ensure more voices are incorporated into decision making. "As we struggle within the Legislature to work together, I think we can use lieutenant governor's office as a way to get a lot of public input, and maybe get some folks around the table to try to get some bipartisan solutions going," she said. Rodriguez's entrance to the races creates a Democratic primary. She will face Sen. Lena Taylor, a Democrat from Milwaukee and attorney who has served in the Legislature for 18 years. Taylor, who announced her campaign in early October, said her presence in the Evers administration could help navigate the relationship between the legislative and executive branches, which has been almost nonexistent since Evers was elected in 2018. A handful of Republicans also have announced bids for the office, including state Sen. Patrick Testin of Stevens Point, Lancaster Mayor David Varnam, Ben Voelkel, former communications director for U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, former congressional candidate Cindy Werner of Milwaukee, and David King of Milwaukee who runs Wisconsin God Squad. You can find out who your legislators are and how to contact them here. Contact Molly Beck at molly.beck@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @MollyBeck. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Rep. Sara Rodriguez announces lieutenant governor bid WASHINGTON Stephen Miller and Kayleigh McEnany, aides to former President Donald Trump, were among 10 more administration officials subpoenaed Tuesday by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection. Trump has sued to prevent the National Archives and Records Administration from providing documents to the committee. He has urged advisers such as political strategist Steve Bannon, to defy their subpoenas. But the committee is investigating what led up to the Capitol riot Jan. 6 that injured 140 police officers and temporarily halted the counting of Electoral College votes that confirmed President Joe Biden won the election. The latest subpoenas target Miller, a former senior adviser to Trump, for allegedly spreading false information about the 2020 election and encouraging state legislatures to appoint alternate slates of electors, according to the committee. McEnany, the former White House press secretary, made multiple false statements about purported fraud in the election, the committee said. US President Donald Trump walks alongside White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany prior to departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC on September 15, 2020. The select committee wants to learn every detail of what went on in the White House on Jan. 6th and in the days beforehand, said Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the head of the committee. We need to know precisely what role the former president and his aides played in efforts to stop the counting of the electoral votes, and if they were in touch with anyone outside the White House attempting to overturn the outcome of the election. Trump issued a statement accusing the committee of being "politically ambitious hacks." He continued to espouse unfounded allegations of election fraud in Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia. A new Suffolk University/USA TODAY poll found a majority of Americans think Trump and his aides should testify. White House Senior Policy Advisor Stephen MillerWhite House Senior Policy Advisor Stephen Miller announced on Oct. 6, 2020 that he had tested positive for coronavirus. A statement from Miller says, OOver the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday. Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine. The subpoenas Tuesday came after six others were issued Monday targeting Trump lawyer John Eastman and others in the former president's inner circle. Others who were subpoenaed Tuesday are: Story continues Nicholas Luna, a former Trump personal assistant, who was reportedly in the Oval Office the morning of Jan. 6 and on a phone call pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to not certify the election results, according to the committee. Molly Michael, a former special assistant to Trump and Oval Office operations coordinator, who sent information about alleged election fraud at Trumps direction, according to the committee. Benjamin Williamson, a former deputy assistant to Trump and senior adviser to Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, who was reportedly contacted by a former administration official and urged to have the president issue a statement condemning the violence, according to the committee. Christopher Liddell, former White House deputy chief of staff, who was in the building Jan. 6 and reportedly considered resigning, according to the committee. John McEntee, former White House personnel director, who was reportedly in the Oval Office when Trumps personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani and Pence discussed the Georgia audit of votes, according to the committee. Keith Kellogg, former national security adviser to Pence, who participated in at least one January 2021 meeting with Trump and White House counsel Pat Cipollone at which Trump insisted that Pence not certify the election, according to the committee. Cassidy Hutchinson, a former special assistant to Trump for legislative affairs, who was reportedly at the White House on Jan. 6 and with Trump when he spoke at a rally near the White House before the riot, according to the committee. Hutchinson reportedly contacted Jordan Fuchs, Georgias deputy secretary of state, about a trip Meadows planned to attend an election audit, the committee said. Kenneth Klukowski, former senior counsel to Jeffrey Clark, a former assistant attorney general, who was involved in drafting a letter urging legislatures in certain states to delay their certification of the election, according to the committee. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stephen Miller, Kayleigh McEnany subpoenaed by House Jan. 6 committee Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. New Delhi: Actor Siddhant Chaturvedi, who shot to fame as MC Sher in the film 'Gully Boy' is all set with the release of his upcoming film 'Bunty aur Babli 2'. Siddhant has now revealed on how his journey with YRF actually began way before Bunty Aur Babli 2 was offered to him. Sharing the deets, he said, "I have a very long relation with YRF studios. During my college days, a lot of my friends used to come to the studio for auditions or internships so if I ever accompanied them, I always waited outside at a chai tapri and just had chai." He added, "No matter how much my friends asked me to come in, I never went in because I had this dream to be invited inside by Aditya Chopra sir and even though it seemed like a far-fetched dream that time, I had decided that it was the only way I was going to go in there if I ever did. And when Bunty Aur Babli 2 happened, it became one of the most special films for me because it made my dream come true." Back in 2019, when he had started his journey for the film, Siddhant had shared a flashback picture where he can be seen having chai at a tapri outside the studios. The multi-talented star has won a large fan base with a single performance and is now all set to treat them with a whole new avatar in this upcoming flick which also stars Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherjee. Apart from Bunty Aur Babli 2, Siddhant has various big-ticket projects like Shakun Batra's untitled movie alongside Deepika Padukone and Ananya Panday, Phone Bhoot, featuring Katrina Kaif and Ishaan Khattar, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan as well as the action film, Yudhra. New Delhi: Atomy Indiathe Indian arm of Global Direct Selling leaderAtomy from South Koreaannounced that the company intends to set up manufacturing units in India by 2025 and will empower the nation by strengthening the Make In India vision for the rest of the world. Atomy India now serves the needs of the Indian market through imports from Parent Company-Atomy. Atomy also revealed its complete intentions for the Indian market, stating that it aims to implement its Global Sourcing Global Sales (GSGS) platform by 2022. Atomy India enters the Indian market with Korean items in the Skin Care, Living, Food, Health Supplement, and other areas, based on the idea of Absolute Quality Absolute Price. Dr. SeikhImtiaz Ali (Abraham Lee), Managing Director, Atomy India said, Since India is known to have ancient secret of Ayurvedic Products and it is recognised worldwide. With Atomys Global Sourcing Global Sales GSGS market strategy, we plan to export Ayurvedic Indian products to different parts of the world. As Atomy has its Global Distribution Network in almost 50 plus countries. Within one year of business operations in India, we have achieved massive product popularity and now we plan to enter each household with our absolute quality products. He further added Atomy India will be able to Make in India through our own manufacturing units or sourcing from Indian MSMEs or it could be a mix of both. We plan to set up manufacturing units in India by 2025. The company plans to leverage its most popular personal care products to capture the market at the same time believes in improving peoples life by enhancing their lifestyle. In one year we have launched Korean products in India including our famous skin care brand The Fame and we plan to launch more products into Health Supplements and Food categories. The skin care range products are powered by new technology, new material, and low irritancy. All other Personal Care and household products have immense popularity due to their researched based development with new technologies. We are getting robust response from our customers, hence we would expand for a bigger share, added Dr SeikhImtiaz Ali. Atomy India places its faith in its advanced technological vision. It has also cooperated with MOFAC, which has more than 20 years of experience in virtual production and has been actively working on VR (Virtual Reality), AR (Augmented Reality), and XR (eXtended Reality). Atomy is planning an unique felicitation ceremony for doctors on November 9th, 2021, where they hope to honour 100 doctors in person. Live TV #mute Budget passenger carrier SpiceJet has introduced a new ticket payment option, which allows passengers to pay the fares in instalments. The airline has introduced a 'Pay Later' or 'Cardless EMI' scheme that allows greater flexibility, affordability and convenience for passengers, who can now book an airline ticket online and pay in three, six, nine or 12 instalments. The payments product called 'Walnut 369' is powered by Capital Float and will be available on the payment page of SpiceJet website. As per the airline, the new feature gives a complete cardless experience to its customers as no credit or debit card details are required to avail EMIs. Also read: Vistara operates inaugural New Delhi-Paris non-stop flight "Our latest initiative aims to add more convenience and allow passengers to pay in easy instalments as per their budget," said Shilpa Bhatia, Chief Commercial Officer, SpiceJet. "Moreover, in case a customer wishes to end the loan before the chosen EMI period, they can do the same and no foreclosure charge will be levied," Bhatia said. At present, the airline operates a fleet of Boeing 737s, Q-400s and freighters. It is the largest regional player operating 63 daily flights under the UDAN regional connectivity scheme. Currently, in India, only SpiceJet airline has Boeing 737 Max aircraft in its fleet. India's aviation regulator DGCA recently lifted the ban on Boeing 737 Max planes' commercial flight operations after almost two-and-half years. On March 13, 2019, all Boeing 737 Max planes were grounded in India by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after the crash of an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max plane on March 10, near Addis Ababa which had left 157 people, including four Indians, dead. With inputs from IANS Live TV #mute New Delhi: After Pakistan, China has also decided not to attend the crucial Delhi regional security dialogue on Afghanistan to be hosted by India on Wednesday (November 10). Sources said that China was invited for the 'Delhi Regional Security Dialogue on Afghanistan' but it has already communicated that it would be unable to attend the conclave because of scheduling issues while Pakistan too decided to skip it too. India will host security czars of Russia, Iran and five central Asian countries for a security dialogue on Afghanistan on Wednesday that will explore firming up a common approach for practical cooperation in confronting increasing threats of terrorism, radicalisation and drug trafficking following the Taliban's takeover of Kabul. The dialogue, to be chaired by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, will also be attended by top security officials of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Doval will also hold bilateral talks with his counterparts, including those from Russia and Iran. The sources said all the participating countries have a "very high degree of convergence" on the security implications of the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan and the focus of the dialogue will be to have cooperation on practical terms to deal with the challenge "All the participating countries want to be a part of the solution to the problem. You cannot probably say this about Pakistan," said a source. They said dealing with the challenges of terrorism, radicalisation, drug trafficking, cross-border movement of people and threats emanating from military weapons left behind by US forces will be discussed at length at the dialogue. The sources said the central Asian countries are not ready for any "export of ideology" from Afghanistan into their societies. The security officials are expected to deliberate on cross-border movement of people from Afghanistan as well as the threat emerging from the military equipment and weapons left behind by the US forces in that country. The Ministry of External Affairs said the dialogue will witness expanded participation of Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan and the countries will be represented by their respective NSAs or secretaries of the Security Councils. "The high-level dialogue will review the security situation in the region arising from recent developments in Afghanistan. It will deliberate upon measures to address the relevant security challenges and support the people of Afghanistan in promoting peace, security and stability," it said in a statement. The MEA said India has traditionally enjoyed close and friendly ties with the people of Afghanistan and has called for a unified international response to address the security and humanitarian challenges facing Afghanistan. "The forthcoming meeting is a step in that direction," it said. The sources said none of the participating countries have recognised the Taliban and all of them have similar concerns and worries over the situation in Afghanistan. They said there was a credibility gap between Pakistan's actions and intentions on Afghanistan. On China skipping the dialogue, the sources said though it is not attending the conclave because of the scheduling difficulties, it has conveyed its readiness to maintain contacts with India on Afghanistan through bilateral and multilateral channels. "We would have been happy if China attended it but perhaps CPC Central Committee meeting could be one reason they were unable to attend," said the source. Pakistan had refused to attend the previous editions of the dialogue of the NSAs in Iran in 2018 and 2019 citing India's participation, the sources said. The Taliban has not been invited as India as well as other participants do not recognise the current establishment in Afghanistan, they said, adding that issues relating to humanitarian aid is definitely going to be part of the discussions. The sources said India's commitment is for the people of Afghanistan. "What we need is basically quick access to Afghanistan and Pakistan denied us the access. If Pakistan claims to be concerned about the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, then it is very easy for Pakistan to allow Indian aid to reach Afghanistan," the source said. The sources said the meeting is not going to lead to any formal security architecture but it may trigger a gradual evolution of stepping up of security cooperation. They said Iran will be represented by Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, Secretary, Supreme National Security Council, while Russia is sending Nikolai P Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council. The sources said Kazakhstan's Chairman of National Security Committee Karim Massimov will represent his country while Kyrgyzstan is sending Marat Mukanovich Imankulov, Secretary of the Security Council of Kyrgyz Republic. Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, Secretary, Security Council of Tajikistan and Charymyrat Kakalyyevvich Amavov, Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan on Security and Secretary, State Security Council will represent their respective countries. The security officials are scheduled to jointly call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Doval will have bilateral meetings with his visiting counterparts. The NSA will also host the visiting dignitaries for a dinner at his residence. Meanwhile, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted that Doval has no official account on Twitter. "Important Alert! Shri Ajit Kumar Doval K.C., National Security Advisor has no official account on Twitter. This is to advise caution against impostor or fake accounts under his name," he tweeted. Live TV During meeting with Nasrullo Rahmatjon Mahmudzoda, Secretary, Security Council of Tajikistan, NSA Ajit Doval expressd concerns on the sharp increase in terrorist threats from Afghanistan in recent past. Tajik side also highlighted the gravity of situation in Afghanistan. Both countries also discussed the looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. "On bilateral side, discussions took place on deepening cooperation in areas like defence, border management and border infrastructure development.Detailed exchange of views on Afghanistan, with significant convergence of assessments were also discussed," said a source aware of the developments. READ | Pakistan must ensure Afghan soil is not used for terrorism NSA Ajit Doval also met Victor Makhmudov, Secretary, Security Council, Uzbekistan today. During meeting with Uzbekistan, Afghanistan was the major focus of discussions. Both sides agreed that the future of Afghanistan must be decided by the people of Afghanistan themselves. They felt that the legitimacy of any Afghan government within Afghanistan was important before the issue of its international recognition. Both sides emphasised on the need for Afghanistans neighbours to ensure unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to the people of Afghanistan. They also agreed that neighbouring states must play a constructive role in Afghanistan. Both countries also highlighted need for long term economic development of Afghanistan. Live TV New Delhi: The CISF surveillance and intelligence of Hyderabad airport on Monday (November 8) morning, on the basis of behaviour detection, noticed suspicious activities of a passenger while entering into the terminal building. The passenger identified as Mr. Syed Khalid (Indian), aged about 36 years was bound for Dubai by flydubai Airlines flight No.FZ-440 (STD 1020 hrs), CISF stated in a press release. On suspicion, the suspect was diverted to the random checking point for thorough checking of his luggage. On checking his luggage through the X-BIS machine, the CISF personnel noticed a suspicious image inside his handbag. On physical checking of his handbag, 65000/- Saudi Riyals worth approximately INR.12,86,000/- found concealed inside the pockets of his clothes kept inside his handbag. The message was passed to Senior Officers of CISF and Customs Officials. Later, the said passenger along with the detected foreign currency worth INR 12.86 lakh was handed over to Customs Officials for further action in the matter. Live TV New Delhi: Amid criticism over the formation of foam in the Yamuna -- a sign of its hazardous water quality -- the Delhi government on Tuesday (November 9) deployed 15 boats to remove the froth with the help of ropes. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) conceived the plan and implemented it with the help of the Irrigation Flood Control Department and Revenue Department, officials said. "Fifteen teams have been deployed to remove the foam in the river. The exercise will continue till the current frothing episode comes to an end," an official said. Officials said the idea entailed the deployment of boats parallel to each other and then roping the foam. An official, however, termed it a "temporary" measure. "The problem will persist till sewage treatment plants in Delhi are upgraded to meet the new standards. There is no immediate solution to it." The foam is just the manifestation of the water quality of the Yamuna and it is a long-term issue, he said. According to experts, the primary reason behind the formation of foam in the Yamuna is high phosphate content in detergents used in dyeing industries, dhobi ghats and households in Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. The poor quality of effluent discharged from Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and sewage treatment plants (STPs) is another reason. Wastewater from authorized colonies and settlements containing high phosphate content reach the river through untapped drains. When water falls from a height at a barrage, the turbulence agitates the phosphoric compounds in the river which leads to the formation of froth. Frothing in certain stretches of the river, such as near ITO and Okhla Barrage, has become an annual phenomenon now in winters when the temperatures are low and flow in the river less. On Monday, pictures and videos showing devotees offering prayers in the Yamuna on the occasion of Chhath Puja with foam floating on the surface of the river had triggered a political slugfest between the ruling AAP and the BJP in Delhi. While the BJP leaders alleged that the AAP government did not allow Chhath celebrations on the Yamuna banks to hide the "pathetic" state of the river, the AAP's Gopal Rai and Raghav Chadha blamed the governments in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the frothing in the river. The 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla, which is less than 2 per cent of its length of 1,370 kilometres from Yamunotri to Allahabad, accounts for around 80 per cent of the pollution load in the river. The Delhi government had in June banned the sale, storage, transportation, and marketing of soaps and detergents not conforming to the latest BIS standards to curb pollution in the river. On an average, 24 out of the 35 STPs in the national capital did not meet the prescribed standards for wastewater over the last one year, according to government data. Of the 13 CETPs in industrial areas across Delhi, only six comply with the DPCC standards for wastewater on an average. Delhi generates around 720 million gallons of wastewater a day. The 35 STPs located at 20 locations across Delhi can treat up to 597 MGD of sewage and have been utilising around 90 per cent of their capacity. In January, the Delhi government had told the National Green Tribunal the upgradation of STPs in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to "substantially" reduce foaming in the Yamuna will take three to five years depending upon the availability of land and funds. In a report submitted to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry in July, the Delhi government had said that the Yamuna cannot become fit for bathing in the absence of a minimum environment flow in the river. Live TV New Delhi: Delhi University announced on Tuesday that classes for first year undergraduate students will commence from November 22, while exams will be held in March next year. The university has released its academic calendar for first year students. According to the calendar, the classes will commence for the first semester on November 22, while the exams will be held from March 21 to April 4 next year. The preparatory break will be from March 11 to March 20 next year. Classes for the second semester will start from April 7, with the exams being held from August 5 to August 22 next year. The new session will commence for the students from August 26 next year. READ | Delhi University releases 5th cut-off list, check details here Over 68,800 students have secured admission to the university since the first list was declared on October 1. Live TV Ghaziabad: A domestic help, a businessman and two others have been held for allegedly killing an old couple here, police said Tuesday. The incident took place on the night of Diwali and the deceased were identified as Ashok Zaidka (72) and his wife Madhu Zaidka (70). The accused, Sunder, their domestic help, hatched the conspiracy to kill them and committed the crime with the help of Amit from his village; Azad, a scrap dealer; Rohit Narula, who owns two multi-storeyed motorcycle showrooms, said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Pawan Kumar. Sunder and Amit hail from a village in Karhari district, Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh According to police, Sunder had complaints about his salary as he was unable to marry off his three daughters due to insufficient funds. READ | Elderly couple brutally murdered in their own home in Ghaziabad Few months ago, Ashok Zaidka asked Sunder to sign a rental agreement. Before then, he had been living at their house for free. Following an argument over the issue, Zaidka fired Sunder, who felt insulted as his employer used "filthy" language with him. That's when he decided to kill Zaidka, police said. Sunder called Amit from his village to execute the plan. Azad agreed to participate in the crime as he was interested in a huge hoard of scrap lying in Zaidka's shop. In the meantime, Sunder came in contact with Narula alias Guddu, who was managing black money generated from Zaidka's rental properties, police said. Narula assured him to provide monetary help in the weddings of his daughters and encouraged him to take the plan to eliminate the couple forward. The four accused have been arrested under Sections 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) and 202 (knowing or having reason to believe that an offence is being committed) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). One hammer and a thin towel have been recovered from Sunder. The Inspector general of police of Meerut range Praveen Kumar has announced a reward of Rs 50,000 to the team that has solved the crime. On Thursday, the old couple was found dead in their house in Patel nagar near the residence of BSP MLA Ramvir Upadhyay. The matter came to light when one of their daughters living in Noida called them up repeatedly and, upon receiving no response from them, alerted her parent's neighbours. Live TV New Delhi: The Delhi University released its fifth cut-off list on Monday, with some colleges reopening admissions in a few courses for general category students. As many as 68,849 students have secured admissions to the university since the first cut-off list was released. The Ramjas College has reopened admissions for BA(Honours) Sanskrit and seats are still available in BCom(Honours) (97.75 per cent), BA(Honours) History (96.75 per cent), BA(honours) Hindi (91.25 per cent), BA(honours) English (97 per cent) and BA(honours) Economics (98.25 per cent). The Lady Shri Ram College has reopened admissions for BA(Honours) English and BA(Honours) Philosophy at 98.50 per cent and 97 per cent respectively. The cut-off for BA(Honours) Journalism has come down to 98.50 per cent, a decline of 0.50 per cent from the fourth cut-off list. The Aryabhatta College has reopened admissions for BA(Honours) History for the unreserved category, Political Science (Honours) and B.Com for the OBC category, BSc(Honours) Computer Science for the SC category and B A.Programme(Economics and History) for the EWS category. Live TV At Miranda House, only two courses are available for general category students -- BA(Honours) History (98.75 per cent) and BA(Honours) Sociology (97.75 per cent). The Kirori Mal College still has seats available under BA(Honours) Economics (98.25 per cent), BA(Honours) English (97.25 per cent), BA(honours)History (97.25 per cent). The admission under the fifth cut-off list will commence from Tuesday, while the special cut-off will be released on November 13. In a related development, the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board (NCWEB) released its second cut-off on Monday. The NCWEB is a non-formal system of obtaining a degree from the Delhi University with lectures being delivered only on the weekends. Only women students residing in the National Capital Territory of Delhi can enrol themselves as students of the board. The Jesus and Mary College has pegged the cut-off at 82 per cent for BCom, a decline of five per cent from the first list, while Maitreyi College has kept it at 81 per cent, down from 83 per cent in the first list. The admission to the course has closed at Hansraj College and Miranda House. The minimum marks required for getting admission to BA Programme (Economics + Political Science) are 82 per cent for Jesus and Mary College, down by four per cent from the first list while admissions are closed at Miranda House and Hansraj College. Bhopal: In an extremely shocking and tragic incident, at least four infants lost their lives after a fire broke out in the special newborn care unit (SNCU) of Kamla Nehru Children's Hospital in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal on Monday (November 8) night, prompting the government to order a high-level probe into the incident. Medical Education Minister Vishwas Sarang said a short circuit may have caused the fire and described the situation inside the ward as "very scary". According to an official, the blaze started on the third floor of the hospital, which houses the ICU. "Four children died in the fire that broke out in the special newborn care unit (SNCU) ward probably due to a short circuit," Sarang said. "We reached the spot along with others soon after getting information about the incident. It was dark inside the ward. We shifted the children to the adjacent ward," he said. Sarang also said that out of the 40 children in the ward, 36 were safe. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the family members of the victims, he added. The fire broke out around 9 pm and around 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames, said Fatehgarh fire station in-charge Juber Khan. Condoling the heart-breaking incident, the Chief Minister took to Twitter and in a series of tweets expressed his anguish and assured of a high-level probe. "A high-level probe has been ordered into the incident. The probe will be conducted by ACS (additional chief secretary), health and medical education, Mohammad Suleiman," the chief minister said. Shivraj Singh Chouhan (@ChouhanShivraj) November 8, 2021 This disaster at the Bhopal hospital comes in the heels of another hospital fire tragedy. On November 6, a fire at the ICU ward of Ahmednagar Civil Hospital in Maharashtra led to the death of at least 11 patients. Worried parents were seen running around in search of their children. Angry family members of some infants alleged that instead of saving the children, the hospital staff fled. While a parent was searching for his child, some others rushed out of the hospital with their children, eyewitnesses said. A woman who was inside the hospital said the ward was shrouded in smoke. Kamla Nehru Children's Hospital is part of Hamidia Hospital, one of the biggest government medical facilities in the state. Former chief minister and Leader of Opposition Kamal Nath termed the incident "very painful" and demanded stern action against those responsible. In a tweet, state BJP president Vishnu Dutt Sharma also expressed grief over the incident. He said he was praying for the speedy recovery of those injured. Live TV Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday (November 9) declared two-day holiday on November 10 and 11 in as many as nine districts owing to heavy rain forecast and weather situation evolving in the Bay of Bengal. The nine districts are Chennai, Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpattu, Cuddalore, tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam. The Met Department has predicted rain over the next five days. So far, five people have died due to rain-related incidents in the state. State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran said that water is being pumped out of low-lying areas after lull in rainfall on Tuesday. He said that rescue operations are underway by the NDRF, army, and Fire Department personnel. Across the state, educational institutions in 14 districts have had to suspend classes due to the continued rainfall. Fishermen have been warned against venturing into the sea off Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh, and towards the Sri Lankan coast. Live TV Mangaluru (Karnataka): Harekala Hajabba, a fruit vendor from Karnataka's Mangaluru, wore a simple white cotton shirt and a dhoti, as he walked on to receive the Padma Shri award at the august assembly in Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday (November 8). As President Ram Nath Kovind handed him over the award, the audience cheered for him heartily. And why not? It's not every day that you meet a humble fruit seller with megre earnings, who spend his life earnings to build a school for the children of his village - Harekala-Newpadpu village in Mangaluru - that did not have one. The school, currently, has 175 underprivileged students from the village. Hajabba, who sells oranges at Mangaluru bus depot since 1977, does not know how to read or write and has never been to school. The desire to bring about this huge change in education in his village came to his mind in 1978 when a foreigner asked him the cost of orange. "As I could not communicate with the foreigner, I felt bad and decided to build a school in the village," the Padma awardee was quoted by ANI. "I only know Kannada, not English or Hindi. So I was depressed as I could not help the foreigner. I wondered about constructing a school in my village," he added. Delhi | I didn't receive an education. This led me to build a school with a dream that every child in my village should be educated. Today, the school has 175 students with classes up to the 10th standard, said Harekala Hajabba. pic.twitter.com/pQhXc9skHA ANI (@ANI) November 8, 2021 His dream of constructing a school was realised only after two decades. The Akshara Santa (Letter Saint), a title that he earned through his philanthropic work, approached former MLA late UT Fareed, who sanctioned the construction in the year 2000. The school started with 28 students and now accommodates 175 students until Class 10. Now, Hajabba wants to invest the prize money that he has received after winning various awards in these many years in the construction of more schools in his village. When asked what his next target is, the 66-year-old man said, "My target is to build more schools and colleges in my village. Many people have donated money and I have accumulated prize money for purchasing the land for the construction of schools and colleges." "I have requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to construct a pre-university college (for Class 11 and 12 students) in my village," he added. He also thanked President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, district in-charge minister Kota Srinivasa Poojary and MLA UT Khadar for recognising his philanthropic work. The Central government had announced the names of Padma Awardees in January 2020. But due to COVID-19 protocols, the award was distributed on Monday. (with ANI inputs) Live TV Chandigarh: On the second anniversary of the inauguration of Kartarpur Corridor, an emotional Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Navjot Singh Sidhu credited Baba Ji for the opening of the corridor between India and Pakistan while referring to himself as Baba Jis postman. On November 9, Sidhu reached Darshan Sthal at Dera Baba Nanak in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab to have a glimpse of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib situated in Kartarpur Sahib in Narowal district of Pakistans Punjab to offer prayers. I was just a postmaster of Baba Nanak who conveyed his message and the Kartarpur Corridor opened, said Sidhu adding that it was the blessings of Baba Nanak and the prayers of faithful that led to the opening of the Kartarpur Corridor. Since the Indo-Pak partition, the followers of Sikhs first master Guru Nanak Dev in India had been vying for the opening of the corridor so they could travel to Pakistan, pay obeisance at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib where Baba Nanak had spent around 18 years before leaving for heavenly abode. Pakistan government constituted the Project Management Unit exclusively for the management of Kartarpur Sahib and appointed Muhammad Latif as its Chief Executive Officer. Talking to Zee News, Muhammad Latif said, Today Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandak Committee, local Sikhs, and Hindu Nanak Naamlevas are celebrating the second inauguration anniversary of Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Kartarpur Corridor. Muhammad Latif informed that Pakistan had constructed their side of Kartarpur Corridor in a record time of nine months at the cost of 17 billion Pakistan Rupees. He further informed that the PMU had extensive plans for the development of the Kartarpur Corridor in the second phase. Despite the claims of CEO of PMU, the reality remains that the Pakistan government has not even completed their side of the bridge over the river Ravi besides the building constructed by Pakistan for completion of travel formalities have been damaged at several places. Even the domes built on the building had fallen in the recent past causing much embarrassment to Pakistan. Live TV Mass gatherings at seafronts in Mumbai will not be allowed for the forthcoming Chhath Puja festival in a bid to prevent the anticipated third wave of COVID-19 pandemic, the city civic body said on Monday. As per the revised guidelines, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will instead create artificial ponds in various regions of the city and bear the expenses for this work. The BMC said only citizens who have completed two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can participate in the mass Puja. The Shiv Sena-controlled civic body, which is going to polls early next year, has asked the police department to ensure that there won't be mass gatherings at seafronts for Chhath Puja, performed mainly by the people from Bihar to propitiate the Sun god, which will be celebrated on November 10 and 11. The BMC said regional officers concerned will be responsible for creating the artificial ponds and filling them over once the festival is over. READ | Chhath Puja 2021: Pollution in Delhi's Yamuna river at alarming level Highlighting the reason for celebrating the Chhath festival in a restricted manner, the BMC said a total of 1,753 COVID-19 cases were recorded in Mumbai from October 1 to November 6. Since there is a possibility of a third wave of COVID-19 and hence it is necessary to celebrate the festival in a restricted manner, as per the guidelines. "Considering the heavy crowd which generally gathers at seafronts in Mumbai for Chhath Puja, it would be difficult to adhere to the pandemic norms, especially social distancing. Therefore mass gatherings at sea fronts need to be avoided and the police department should ensure that there won't be such gatherings," the civic body added. The BMC has also restricted the maximum number of devotees at the outdoor and indoor celebrations for Chhath Puja to 200 and 100, respectively. "The limit for the open-air ceremonies will be 50 per cent of the capacity but a maximum of 200 people. Similarly, the limit for ceremonies to be held at an indoor office is 50 per cent of the total capacity, but a maximum of 100 people," as per the guidelines. The civic body also directed the regional offices to ensure that there won't be overcrowding at the artificial ponds and that the COVID-19 protocol is strictly followed. It said the help of the police can be taken if necessary. "Only citizens who have completed two doses of COVID-19 vaccine can participate in the mass Puja locations," the BMC said, adding that thermal screening facilities should be installed at the Puja locations, which should be properly sanitised. Live TV Chandigarh: Ghar-Ghar Rozgar - Punjab governments employment and skill training scheme has become the latest political tool in the hands of opposition political parties to embarrass the newly appointed chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi especially after the appointment of the son-in-law of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa as Additional Advocate General (AAG) of Punjab. While pointing towards the appointment of Tarun Vir Singh Lehal, son-in-law of Randhawa, AAPs national spokesperson Raghav Chadha questioned why the Punjab government led by Channi didnt think of other unemployed people of the state who were running from pillar to post to get jobs. Chadha said, The Punjab government pretends to think about the interests of the people of Punjab but I wonder why it didnt remember the lakhs of unemployed people of the state before giving this appointment to the Deputy Chief Ministers son in law. Recently, Lehal and Mukesh Chander Berry were appointed as AAG in the office of the Punjab advocate general. Chadha, who is also AAPs co-In-charge, Punjab affairs, further said, The campaign has come as a golden opportunity for the leaders of the ruling Congress because like the previous Captain Amarinder Singh, the Channi government also seems to be indulging in nepotism. Echoing with Chadha, SAD (B) firebrand leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged that Channi governments Ghar-Ghar Rozgar scheme was applicable to only sons and relatives of Congress ministers and legislators. He alleged that earlier also the scion of the former chief minister of Punjab Beant Singhs family was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Police after by-passing the qualification criteria even as the kin of Congress leaders Rakesh Pandey and Gurpreet Kangar were appointed as Tehsildar and ETO respectively. Now it is Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawas turn to take advantage of the VIP quota created by the Congress government to get his son-in-law appointed as the Additional Advocate General, he said. Many Congress leaders are of the view that 'appointment scandal' could prove to be one of the major political issues in the upcoming 2022 assembly elections in Punjab and could cost the party dearly. Live TV New Delhi: Pictures and videos showing devotees taking a dip in Delhi's Yamuna river that had a thick layer of toxic foam are going viral on the Internet. The devotees also offered prayers at the banks of the foam-coated Yamuna near Kalindi Kunj as part of their four-day Chhath Puja celebrations on Monday (November 8, 2021). However, it is not the first time that Delhiites have witnessed toxic foam floating on the surface of the Yamuna river as the problem has plagued the national capital before as well. According to experts, the presence of phosphates and surfactants in untreated sewage from Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh is a major reason behind frothing in the river. The city's water supply was also affected recently due to a rise in ammonia levels in the Yamuna, which, notably, had increased to 3 ppm. The 22-kilometre stretch of the Yamuna between Wazirabad and Okhla accounts for around 80 per cent of the pollution load in the river. Untreated wastewater from unauthorised colonies and the poor quality of effluent discharged from Common Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) and sewage treatment plants (STPs) within Delhi is reportedly also one of the major reasons behind pollution in the river. 24 STPs don't meet prescribed standards for wastewater On average, 24 out of the 35 STPs in the national capital did not meet the prescribed standards for wastewater over the last one year, as per the government data. Of the 13 CETPs in industrial areas across Delhi, only six comply with the DPCC standards for wastewater on an average. Delhi generates around 720 million gallons of wastewater a day and the 35 STPs located at 20 locations across Delhi can treat up to 597 MGD of sewage and have been utilising around 90 per cent of their capacity. In January this year, the Delhi government had told the National Green Tribunal the up-gradation of STPs in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to "substantially" reduce foaming in the Yamuna will take three to five years depending upon the availability of land and funds. In a report submitted to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry in July, the Delhi government had said that the Yamuna cannot become fit for bathing in the absence of a minimum environment flow in the river. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, an environmental flow is the water provided within a river, wetland or coastal zone to maintain ecosystems and their benefits where there are competing water uses and where flows are regulated. The Delhi government had also prepared a nine-point action plan last year to prevent frothing in the river. The plan lays down targets to be achieved by various agencies, including the Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Development Authority and municipal corporations, to prevent the discharge of untreated wastewater in the river. Politics over frothing in Yamuna Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government did not allow Chhath Puja celebrations on the Yamuna banks to hide the 'pathetic' state of the river, while AAP's Gopal Rai and Raghav Chadha blamed the BJP governments in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana for the frothing in the river. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, who rode a boat in the foam-covered Yamuna, alleged that the AAP government did not allow Chhath Puja on its banks because it wanted to cover up the frothing in the river caused by high pollution load. "(Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal has been saying since 2013 that his government will make the Yamuna fit for bathing in five years. Today, Delhi's air and water both are poisonous. They did not allow Chhath celebrations on the Yamuna so that no one can see how poisonous the river has become," he claimed. Reacting to it, Environment Minister Gopal Rai blamed the BJP-led Haryana government for the toxic foam in the river and said leaders of the saffron party here should seek answers from the neighbouring state. "Manoj Tiwari should ask the BJP government in Haryana (about the frothing). Delhi doesn't release poisonous water in the Yamuna, Haryana does," he said. AAP leader and Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman Raghav Chadha claimed that Haryana and Uttar Pradesh have been releasing around 155 million gallons of untreated wastewater a day in the river through Najafgarh and Shahdara drains. "This water containing a lot of organic waste, chemicals and detergents fall from a height at the Okhla barrage which leads to the formation of foam," he said. Besides, paper and sugar industries in Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh also release untreated wastewater containing surfactants into the Yamuna through the Hindon Canal at Okhla Barrage near Indira Kunj, Chadha said. While the Delhi government has been working to upgrade its sewage treatment plants to meet the revised standards of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), Uttar Pradesh and Haryana should do their bit in keeping the river clean, he added. This is to be noted that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had in June banned the sale, storage, transportation, and marketing of soaps and detergents not conforming to the latest BIS standards to curb pollution in the river. (With PTI inputs) Live TV Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Tuesday exempted visitors from neighbouring Maharashtra from producing negative RT-PCR test report while on short trips. Those who visit for two days or less need not produce negative Covid-19 test report. The decision by the Health department has been taken in the wake of decline in Covid cases in both the states, sources said. However, the visitors must have been administered with both the doses of Covid vaccination and should follow Covid protocols. This will apply to travellers who arrive by bus, rail and air for a couple of days in Karnataka. The visitors should not have any symptoms and carry a self declaration form with them. Thermal scanning on their arrival is a must as per the directives of the health department, they said. The decision was taken in the recently held State Advisory Committee Meeting on Covid-19. Live TV Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced public holidays on 'Chhath' (November 10) and 'Kartik Purnima' (November 19) in view of the 'popular sentiments'. The chief minister said a large number of devotees participate in fairs of Kartik month, including Chhath Mahaparv. "In such a situation, systematic arrangements should be made for cleanliness, security, lighting, parking and drinking water on the ghats," he said. According to the government spokesman, the chief minister has directed the authorities to ensure that people do not face any problem in getting permission for organising fairs, since it was an "integral part of our culture and tradition". READ | No mass gatherings at seafronts in Mumbai for Chhath Puja He cited the example of 'Panchkosi' and 'Chaudah Kosi Parikrama', which will start in Ayodhya from November 14. "Garhmukteshwar fair will be organised in Hapur, Dev Deepawali in Varanasi on November 19, and Dadri fair in Ballia. Similarly, various fairs are scheduled in Etah, Bareilly, Kanpur and Rae Bareli," the spokesman said. Yogi Adityanath has also asked concerned officials to set up night shelters in view of the dip in temperature. "Very cold weather is expected this year. Nodal officers should be appointed. Police, in association with local municipal bodies, should ensure that not a single person sleeps on footpaths, crossroads or under any statue," he said. Live TV New Delhi: After finding faults with the Rafale fighter jet deal with France, Congress has now accused the ruling BJP of creating a "fake bogey of corruption" in the Agusta Westland VVIP choppers deal. The main opposition party has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of "shielding, protecting and promoting" Agusta Westland and its parent company Finmeccanica. The Congress demanded answers from the government over reports of the lifting of a ban on procurement from Finmeccanica company which had been dubbed as corrupt by ruling BJP leaders over the Agusta choppers deal. The opposition party asked whether the corruption bogey raised by the BJP over the buying of VVIP helicopters during the UPA-II rule was being given a quiet burial. Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Agusta which was dubbed as a corrupt company by top BJP leaders has now become clean after being washed in the BJP laundry. "Earlier Agusta was corrupt, now it is clean after it got washed in the BJP laundry," said Rahul Gandhi in a tweet in Hindi, using the hashtag "#RIPlogic". India had scrapped the contract with Finmeccanica's British subsidiary AgustaWestland in 2014 for supplying 12 AW-101 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force over alleged breach of contractual obligations and charges of kickbacks paid by the firm for securing the deal. The BJP had at that time attacked the Congress, asking if its leaders had received the alleged Rs 450 crore bribe money for the deal signed during the UPA-II government. Seeking to turn the tables, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Monday asked, "What is the 'secret deal' entered into between Modi Government and Agusta/Finmeccanica?" Congress spokesperson Gourav Vallabh in a press conference claimed that it has now been proved that it was the "thief who was raising a hue and cry". "Is it now ok to deal with a company that Modi ji and his government called 'corrupt- bribe giver-bogus'?" "Does it mean that fake bogey of corruption is being given a quiet burial? The nation awaits answers," Surjewala said in a series of tweets. "The PM called the company 'corrupt'. HM called the company 'bogus'. Ex Defence Minister accused it of 'bribes and corruption' in Parliament. Then, Modi Government withdrew blacklisting of Agusta/Finmeccanica on 22nd July 2014. Now, lifted procurement ban," he alleged in another tweet while citing the media report. Vallabh alleged that Prime Minister Modi and his government "are unequivocally guilty of shielding, protecting, and promoting Agusta Westland and its parent company Finmeccanica" and dubbed it as "Operation Cover-up to Save Modi". "What will happen to the investigation initiated by the Congress government against Agusta/ Finmeccanica? "What will happen to pending Arbitration against Agusta/ Finmeccanica? Is this going to have a loss to the exchequer? As Congress-UPA recovered a total of Rs 2,954 crore (2,068 crore+ 886.50 crore) from Agusta Westland against a payment of Rs 1,620 Crore," Vallabh said. Surjewala also alleged that the "friends of the media" spent thousands of hours of air time showing leaked documents by the Modi Government and building a "false narrative" against the UPA-Congress in the run-up to 2014 parliamentary elections. "Will they now dare to question the Modi Government on the 'secret deal' with Augusta," he asked. In 2016, the Italian group Finmeccanica changed its name to Leonardo. Vallabh alleged that PM Modi and his government included 'blacklisted' Agusta Westland as part of 'Make In India' and even permitted it to bid for the purchase of 100 Helicopters for the Indian Navy. He also alleged that PM Modi and his government lost all the cases against Agusta Westland in international courts and did not file appeals. "The Modi Government is hiding this conspiratorial nexus by unleashing a smear campaign laced with pure falsehood. This is pot calling the kettle black," he alleged. Vallabh also asked whether it means that the "fake bogey of corruption" created just before the 2019 elections is being given a quiet burial "like what had happened in 2G spectrum Allocation a couple of days back, with Vinod Rai's unconditional apology to Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam". Former Comptroller and Auditor General Vinod Rai had recently tendered an unconditional apology to Nirupam for "wrongly mentioning" him as one of the MPs who had pressured him not to name former prime minister Manmohan Singh in the CAG report on 2G spectrum allocation. Nirupam had filed a defamation case against Rai after the former CAG in his book in 2014 made the allegation against him and repeated it in interviews to the media. Live TV New Delhi: Pollution has been hitting dangerous levels across New Delhi and other parts of northern India this month, in a sharp deterioration from October when people breathed the cleanest air in four years. Here are some of the factors that are driving the abrupt changes in air quality and compounding the problems regularly caused by crop burning and Diwali festival firecrackers. WHY THE RELATIVE RESPITE IN OCTOBER? In past years, air quality has generally started to decline steadily in the region around October after farmers finish harvesting their rice crops. Typically, the growers from the states of Punjab and Haryana near New Delhi then start clearing space for wheat by torching rice paddy stubble left behind by mechanised harvesters. This year, however, regular rains made it difficult for farmers to set fire to the rice paddy stubble and start re-planting. As a result, the Air Quality Index - which measures the concentration of poisonous particulate matter PM2.5 in a cubic metre of air - came in at an average 72 across the region in October, sharply down from 126 the same month last year. That is still above what the government says is a "safe" limit of 50. WHY THE SURGE IN NOVEMBER? Grain growers have had to move quickly to make up for the time they lost in October. In an average year, they would have had 20-25 days to harvest the rice crop and plant wheat. Speed is everything as late planting can result in lower crop yields and substantial losses. This year, many have said they will focus on the first two weeks in November and burn whole areas at once, rather than staggering fields. The pollution from crop burning is due to peak at a time when temperatures drop further and pollutants get trapped in the air in thick winter fogs and smogs. It has also coincided with Diwali, when Indians set off firecrackers as part of an ancient Hindu tradition. On Friday, the day after the festival, the Air Quality Index in New Delhi and other cities surged to 451 on a scale of 500, indicating "severe" conditions. WHY IS DELHI VULNERABLE TO POLLUTION? India`s vast northern plains are drier and dustier than other parts of the country. New Delhi, despite being one of the greenest cities in India, is also exposed to pollutants coming from Afghanistan and Pakistan, experts say. Dust from the Thar Desert, or the Great Indian Desert, in the northwestern part of the subcontinent, adds to Delhi`s pollution. Outside the city, experts say farmers have also been slow to adopt technologies and techniques that could cut down on the pollution coming from crop burning. Since 2018, India has given up to an 80% subsidy to farmers to buy machines that dispose of rice stubble left out in the field by mechanised harvesters without burning. But poor implementation of the plan means that a large number of farmers still prefer to burn crop waste. Live TV MUMBAI: Former Maharashtra chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday claimed that state minister and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik has close connections with 1993 Mumbai serial blast convicts and the underworld. Nawab Malik has dealings with people from the underworld, people convicted in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case. He purchased land from convicts of the case on rates cheaper than market rates. Was this deal to save prime land from being forfeited under TADA law? Fadnavis said while addressing a press conference in Mumbai. Nawab Malik has dealings with people from the Underworld people convicted in '93 Mumbai bomb blasts case. He purchased land from convicts of the case on rates cheaper than market rates. Was this deal to save prime land from being forfeited under TADA law?: Devendra Fadnavis, BJP pic.twitter.com/TDe0qfMmGc ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2021 Fadnavis further said that Nawab Malik's son bought land from a Mumbai bombing accused on LBS Road in 2005. Exposing details of an alleged land deal between Nawab Malik's son and a D-gang member, Fadnavis claimed that Sardar Shah Wali Khan and Salim Patel sold a piece of land on the LBS road to a company named SOLIDUS. "This company belongs to Nawab Malik's family. Nawab Malik was part of SOLIDUS," he claimed. Fadnavis also claimed that he had documents of five such property deals and would hand over the same to the appropriate authorities. He would also submit the documents to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar to let him know what his party functionaries were indulging in. "There is a direct connection with the underworld. I have documents of five property deals. Four properties were purchased from those connected with the underworld. I will ascertain which appropriate authorities, whether it is the police, ED, NIA, and hand it over to them," Fadnavis said. Fadnavis made these sensational claims in the wake of a series of controversies following the arrest of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan in a drugs bust case aboard a Goa-bound cruise last month. Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik had recently tweeted a photo of alleged drug peddler Jaydeep Rana with Amruta Fadnavis and claimed that he had links with former state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The picture was apparently taken during the recording of Amruta Fadnavis' river anthem project in 2018. Nawab Malik said Rana was the finance head of the project. Addressing a press conference, Nawab Malik had said, "One Jaydeep Rana currently in jail in connection with a drug trafficking case has relations with former CM Devendra Fadnavis. He was the financial head of the famous river song sung by former CM's wife Amrita Fadnavis. The drug business in the state grew under his tenure." Hitting back at Malik, Fadnavis said that the photos tweeted by Nawab Malik were of a person hired by an organisation called River March. "This person clicked pictures with everyone, including my wife and me," Devendra Fadnavis said. The BJP leader also said he would soon expose Nawab Malik's links with the underworld. "Those who have connections with the underworld shouldn't speak. I will soon expose Malik's links with the underworld, Fadnavis had said during a previous press briefing. Nawab Malik has also levelled a slew of allegations against NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede, including illegal phone tapping and the use of forged documents to secure his job. While attacking NCB official Sameer Wankhede, Malik had claimed the NCB officer was the kingpin of the drugs racket running in Mumbai and was appointed by former Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Live TV Mumbai: Actress Emily Ratajkowski has admitted she 'hated' herself for what happened when she was just 14, saying that she had sex with the person who she identified only as 16-year-old "Owen", when she was too drunk to refuse. She wrote in her new book 'My Body': "I wish someone had explained to me that I owed him nothing. Why did my 15-year-old self not scream at the top of her lungs? Who had taught me not to scream? I hated myself...I didn't tell anyone what had happened that weekend with Owen. This is what you do. This is the beginning of how you forget." Ratajkowski admitted she isn't the only woman she knows whose first sexual experiences "border on non-consensual", reports femalefirst.co.uk. She reflected to The Sunday Times magazine: "That was non-consensual sex. I was so young. I hadn't even had sex before. So many young women I know, their first early sexual experiences border on non-consensual." The 30-year-old star, who has seven-month-old son Sylvester with husband Sebastian Bear-McClard, felt conflicted over her looks when she was a teenager, recalling being sent home from a school dance when she was 13 after her outfit was deemed "too sexy" and being warned by family members, including her father, to be careful of her body and the clothes she wore. Ratajkowski said: "It was complicated for me. In many ways having my midriff show at school felt like defiance. Like nobody was going to tell me how to dress. That is definitely what my mom felt. 'My daughter shouldn't be ashamed of her body, it should be celebrated and maybe she should even try to work it and see what she can get out of life by exploring that opportunity'." "But I got so many mixed signals. I had boys at school letting me know they thought I was hot, while also feeling deeply ashamed because I was making adults feel uncomfortable." New Delhi: Actress Shilpa Shetty and husband Raj Kundra made their first public appearance recently after his porn film controversy emerged. The first pictures from their trip to Himachal Pradesh have surfaced online and several fan clubs have shared it. Shilpa Shetty did share a few posts on her Instagram from Dharamshala trip with kids Viaan and Samisha but it was sans hubby Raj Kundra. Take a look at pictures of them together visiting a temple in Himachal Pradesh. Twinning in yellow ethnic wear, the couple offered prayers at the divine abode of goddess Shaktipeeth Shri Jawalamukhi Temple. A few days back, Raj Kundra deleted his social media handles after his name popped up in the pornography scandal. Raj Kundra was arrested on July 19 along with 11 other people on charges related to the alleged creation of pornographic films. In fact, he was named as the key conspirator in the case of creating and publishing of pornographic films. After spending two months in jail, Kundra was granted bail on September 20 by a Mumbai Court in the case on a surety of Rs 50,000. He was arrested by the Mumbai police's crime branch after being booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act. Kundra maintained a low profile ever since he came out of the jail and made no public appearance. New Delhi: During this week, private and public sector banks across the country will be closed for up to five days in a row. Following the week of Diwali and Bhai Dooj celebrations, the bank holidays arrive amid a period of extended festivities. Additionally, commercial and public sector banks will be closed for up to 17 days in November. Keeping this in mind, if you need to conduct any bank-related work, you should make a note of the November bank holidays to ensure that all operations go properly this week. On that note, you should keep in mind that holidays are state-specific, and only certain branches of banks in different states will be closed on certain days. Except for a few days, they are usually not uniform in nature. Banks, for example, will be closed in Shillong during the Wangala Festival, although services will be available elsewhere in the country. Every month's holidays are classified as 'Holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act' by the RBI. 'Holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Holiday' and 'Banks' Closing of Accounts' are the additional classifications for the RBI listing. The other two categories do not apply to the bank holidays this month. All bank branches, including those in the public sector, the private sector, foreign banks, cooperative banks, and regional banks, will be closed on certain designated holidays. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has published a list of bank holidays that will be observed. No banks are open on Republic Day (January 26), Independence Day (August 15), Gandhi Jayanti (October 2), or Christmas Day, according to the RBI's list (December 25). Branches are also closed on holidays such as Diwali, Christmas, Eid, Guru Nanak Jayanthi, and Good Friday. Apart from the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, the RBI has made Sunday a mandatory leave for all banks. If we look at the Reserve Bank's list of recognised holidays for the month of November, we can see that Diwali, which fell on November 4, would be observed by all banks across the country, with the exception of those in Bengaluru. Apart from that, only weekend leaves would be applicable to all banks in India on the same day. Many banks in Aizawl, Belapur, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Raipur, Ranchi, Shimla, and Srinagar will be closed on Guru Nanak Jayanti, but will reopen the next week. Heres a full list of bank holidays, starting from November 9, 2021: November 10: Chhath Puja//Surya Pashti Dala Chhath (Sayan Ardhya) - Patna, Ranchi November 11: Chhath Puja - Patna November 12: Wangala Festival - Shillong Apart from the varying state-wise holidays. The banks will remain closed on some of the days of the weekends. These are mentioned below: November 13: Second Saturday of the month November 14: Sunday Take note of the list now that you have it, and schedule your bank-related activities around it to avoid any confusion. To be cautious, you can also go to your local branch to find out about the upcoming bank holidays and make a plan. Live TV #mute Chennai: With incessant rains killing at least 5 people in Chennai and damaging several houses in the past few days, the Madras High Court on Tuesday warned the Greater Chennai Corporation for failing to take adequate measures to prevent flooding in the city during heavy rains. The High Court also sought to know what the civic body was doing for the past six years following the devastating floods in 2015. The high court also warned the civic body of suo motu proceedings if the present situation was not brought under control. Madras High Court warns Chennai Corporation for "failure to take adequate measures to prevent inundation in city during rains", asks what were authorities doing post 2015 floods The Court warns of initiating suo motu proceeding if waterlogging situation not brought under control pic.twitter.com/kScr1mabaD ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2021 The warning came as Chennai and several suburbs in Chengelpet, Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur districts witnessed heavy rainfall since Saturday. Five dead, 70 houses damaged At last five people have died due to rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu and over 260 huts and over 70 houses have been damaged. Surplus rainwater gushed out of reservoirs while several roads here resembled swollen rivers and four persons were killed in rain-related incidents across Tamil Nadu. The state authorities have alerted the people living in low-lying areas. The Poondi, Cholavaram, Puzhal, Chembarmbakkam and Thervai Kandigai reservoirs here and Veeranam lake, about 230 kilometres from here released surplus water, which was cumulatively a little over 10,000 cusecs of water, as showers continued in catchment areas. The Mettur reservoir in the Salem district is expected to touch its full level of 120 feet soon and the discharge of surplus water is expected on Tuesday. People have been alerted and local authorities advised to move residents of low lying areas to safer locations. With the catchment areas of the Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka receiving heavy rains, the inflow of water to the dam was over 27,000 cusecs, almost touching 118 feet, official sources said. Coimbatore district administration also sounded an alert to people living in along banks of the Noyyal river in view of continuing rains. Vellore district authorities said the discharge from Ponnai Anaicut was increased to about 6,364 cusecs by evening. In view of the release of surplus water from reservoirs, an alert was sounded to people in their respective regions. In Chennai, most roads and bylanes were covered under sheets of water while there was water upto two feet in low lying localities. Power supply has also been disconnected for several neighbourhoods considering safety. A flooded city police station, Adambakkam had to be shifted to a temporary building. At least 75 trees got uprooted here and these were cleared by civic personnel. Monsoon rains picked pace for a while and receded for some time, playing hide and seek through the day, here and in several other regions including the northern districts. A section of subways here and in suburbs continued to be closed and traffic diversions too were on, giving road users a harrowing time even as civic workers slogged to remove silt and de-clog drains. Minimal train services due to rains & waterlogging Southern Railway said due to rains and water-logging, the 'Sunday pattern' (minimal services) would be in force on November 9 in Chennai suburban train services in Central-Arakkonam, Central-Sullurpeta (Andhra Pradesh), Beach-Chengelpet and Beach-Velachery sections. Of the 290 water-logged areas, floodwater was drained using heavy equipment in 59 localities and swift action is on to pump out floodwater in the remaining 231 neighbourhoods, the government said in an official release. Four persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Chennai, Theni and Madurai districts 'in the past 24 hours and 16 heads of cattle died, the release added. Of the 16 city subways that witnessed flooding, water has been drained in 14 of them and the remaining two would also be free of rainwater soon, the authorities said. As many as 237 huts were partially damaged and 26 completely and 65 and 5 houses were partially and fully damaged respectively. The government said 37 districts received rainfall and the state average was 14.2 millimetres (1.42 CM) for the past 24-hours. Since the start of the northeast monsoon last month and till date Tamil Nadu has recorded about 43 per cent rainfall above normal. While the normal is 241.2 MM (24.12 CM), the state recorded 346.1 MM (34.61 CM). In Chennai, as of now, 1,107 people have been sheltered in 48 relief camps and in total 3,58,500 food packets have been provided. Similarly, in the northern districts of Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, Chengelpet and Tiruvallur 314 people have been housed in 10 shelters and they are being provided food and all other basic amenities. IMD warns of more rainfall The Meteorological department advised 'alert' and preparedness on Tuesday for Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Dindigul, Theni, Tenkasi and Tirunelveli districts. In a bulletin, the department said the cyclonic circulation over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining South Andaman sea, extending up to 5.8 kilometres above the mean sea level, persists. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is very likely to form over the southeast Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during the next 24 hours. It is likely to move west northwestwards, concentrate into a depression and reach near north Tamil Nadu coast by November 11, early morning and bring widespread rainfall in several regions of the state, the bulletin said. Fishermen were advised to not venture into sea for fishing between November 9 and 12. NDRF teams deployed Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KKSSR Ramachandran said two teams of NDRF personnel have been deployed in Madurai and one team each in Chengelpet and Tiruvallur. Similarly, the state disaster response teams are stationed in Thanjavur and Cuddalore districts. The Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services wing is on alert mode with all the necessary equipment, he said. The 24 x 7 state control room here and those in districts could be contacted through the toll-free numbers 1070 and 1077 respectively, the Minister said. People may also get in touch with authorities of Greater Chennai Corporation by using the 1913 toll-free number. CM Stalin distributes food, relief material in Chennai For the second consecutive day, Chief Minister M K Stalin inspected affected areas and gave away flood relief assistance to affected people at Royapuram here. MP and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran was also present during the distribution of food and other relief materials at the venue in Royapuram. Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin inspected rain-affected areas of Kolathur and Villivakkam in Chennai, where he distributed food and relief materials to the needy people pic.twitter.com/p9AYGbmV6g ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2021 Also in attendance was DGP C Sylendra Kumar and a team of senior police and revenue department officials. To clear water-logging, inundation of subways and rain related tasks, Greater Chennai Corporation deployed 23,000 personnel who slogged amid showers to restore normalcy. Stalin has appointed 15 IAS officials to monitor relief work in 15 corporation zones. As many as 200 special monsoon medical camps were held, in which 3,776 people received medical assistance. A total of 152 fever cases, 165 cases related to skin infections and over 2,600 other cases were treated, the corporation said. Electricity Minister V Senthil Balaji said of about 44,50,000 power connections in the Chennai distribution circle, only 12,297 connections were disconnected, considering safety. "Power supply will be restored expeditiously with the receding of floodwaters and rains," the Minister tweeted. Though state-run bus services here and in other neighbouring regions continued to ply, there was a disruption in services on several routes. Metrorail services were not affected. (With Agency Inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Home-grown mobile phone company Lava International has become the first Indian brand to launch 5G smartphones for domestic consumers. The Lava AGNI 5G will be available across retails outlets & through Amazon & Flipkart from 18 November 2021 at Rs 19,999. The phone comes with a special pre-booking offer that lets the buyer avail a discount of Rs 2000 on the phone. The Pre-booking window is open for users from 9th November to 17th November on the Lava e-store & on Amazon by paying a pre booking amount of Rs. 500. All Pre-booked orders can grab the Lava AGNI 5G at a special price of Rs 17,999. (OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-MAN Edition with with 12GB RAM launched at Rs 37,999) This super smartphone is powered by Mediatek's latest chipset- Dimensity 810 with maximum clock speed of 2.4 GHz. Lava AGNI 5G comes with 8GB RAM (uMCP) for a high end & lag free user experience and 128 GB ROM based on the latest Universal Flash Storage (UFS) standard. The phone packs Quad camera sits, housed in a fiery blue matte finish fingerprint resistant body. It has 64MP primary camera, along with a 5 MP wide angle camera, 2 MP Depth camera, and a 2 MP Macro camera. The phone also has a 16 MP front camera for all your selfies. The phone comes with 10 inbuilt camera modes like UltraHD, UltraWide, SuperNight, Pro Mode, AI Mode etc. Lava AGNI 5G has a large 5000 mAh battery for uninterrupted usage and comes with a 30W superfast charger that gets the phone ready with full charge in less than 90 minutes. AGNI 5G has an optimised battery consumption due to its 6nm chipset which ensures lower power consumption. The phone also has a battery saver mode to make the phone last longer during low battery or emergency situations. Lava Agni 5G is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 810, a single chip platform with a fully integrated 5G modem and exclusive MediaTek 5G UltraSave Technologies, to deliver powerful mainstream 5G smartphone experiences. The chip supports the smartphone's 64 MP camera with AI-color & AI-bokeh enhancements. The Lava AGNI 5G features a large 6.78 inch FHD+ IPS punch hole display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. The phone's screen has Corning Gorilla Glass protection, side mounted ultra-fast fingerprint unlock that gets the phone ready in just 0.034 seconds and face unlock in just 0.22 seconds. Live TV #mute New Delhi: Samsung's Galaxy S21 FE smartphone was a much-anticipated release from the South Korean company, however rumours about the device have died down as it never made it to market, despite multiple rumours. It's possible that this is linked to the ongoing chip shortage. However, a recent report claims that the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE and even the Samsung Galaxy S22 series would be released on a different date. According to a prediction by well-known tipster Jon Prosser, the Samsung Galaxy S21 FE could be released on January 4, 2022, and the Samsung Galaxy S22 series on February 8, 2022. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE is expected to be released on January 11th. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE was rumoured to be unveiled during next year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2022, which kicks off on January 5, 2022. According to the newest source, Samsung is planning to showcase the smartphone during a pre-event. Apart from that, Prosser stated that the Samsung Galaxy S22 series might be released on February 8 of next year, without specifying a date. According to Prosser, the Samsung Galaxy S22 will be released at 10 a.m. ET (8:30PM IST). Pre-orders for the Samsung Galaxy S22 series will begin on the day of the launch, and sales might begin as early as February 18. Prosser had previously leaked photographs of the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra on his Twitter account. A hole-punch display with curved edges was depicted in the photographs. According to the photos, the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra may have a dedicated place for a S Pen. Live TV #mute New Delhi: The house of Bigg Boss has always been about connections and equations with one another. Over the years, we have seen a lot of couples coming out of the Bigg Boss house such as Yuvika-Prince, Paras-Mahira, Pavitra- Eijaz amongst others. In the Bigg Boss 15 house, three couples caught attention from the audiences Karan Kundrra- Tejasswi Prakash, Ieshaan Sehgal Miesha Iyer, and Shamita Shetty Raqesh Bapat. However, a sweet gesture by Karan for her crush will melt everyones heart. In today's episode, Karan gifted an eye-shaped pendant to Tejasswi, she loves it and says, 'This is so cute.' Tejasswi asks Karan to tie it around her neck as that will enhance the beauty of this gift. They hold each other and dance while Afsana Khan's voice is heard from the background saying, "Bigg Boss, Teju ko pyaar ho gaya hai." Raqesh Bapat and Shamita Shetty also go on a romantic date inside the house, and she reminds him that this is officially their second date. Vishal and Jay were asked to prepare chinese dishes for the date night and later the duo enjoyed their meal thoroughly. The duo can be seen spending some quality time with each other. They even danced and Shamita can be seen blushing throughout the scene. Later, Umar being the captain of the house was given a task to choose three players whom he wants to take along with him inside the VIP zone. He removes Neha and Raquesh in the first round of the task and in the second round he romoves ropes of Shamita and Rajiv and eliminate them from the task. The housemates keep guessing whom he'll pick along with him to enter the VIP zone. For more such updates related to Bigg Boss 15, keep watching this space. New Delhi: Drama never ceases to stop in the 'Bigg Boss 15' house. The current season of the reality show has surpassed all levels of fights, drama and mind games. Last week, during the captaincy task in 'Bigg Boss 15', Umar and Simba were battling it out being in the opposite teams. The two got into a verbal spat and Umar started abusing Simba, this soon turned into a heated argument. Simba pushed Umar into the swimming pool and threw a basket at him while passing some problematic remarks against Umar. The followers of the show were eagerly waiting for 'Weekend Ka Vaar' episode anticipating the show host Salman Khan to give an earful to Simba for his behaviour. But to their dismay, Salman categorically ignored Simba's actions and went on to talk about less important things for the round up. Many users took to social media to express their anger and demanded Salman's resignation as the show host. One user wrote, "Shame on @ColorsTV @BiggBoss for cleverly muting the part where bimba called #UmarRiaz atankwadi & salman didn't even discussed that matter, @BeingSalmanKhan did umar provoke ur bimba even for this islamphobic comment?? AUDIENCE WITH UMAR RIAZ (sic)." Another user tweeted, "Being a fan of @BeingSalmanKhan it pains me to see the way the makers of #BB15, hand him over a scripted pitch which holds no truth!! Shame on @ColorsTV @EndemolShineIND Siimba Nagpal ko #UmarRiaz ne uksaya nahi tha. Aur yeh poori duniya ne dekha hai. AUDIENCE WITH UMAR RIAZ." "I think silence of @ColorsTV #Biggboss15 against Simba speaks that they will put an excuse that this push was during execution of task so demands no action but still waiting how @BeingSalmanKhan will name & shame Simba for his inappropriate islamophobia remarks & his push," another user wrote on the micro-blogging site. Salman had told Simba that what he did to Umar was wrong. However, he said that he could understand that Simba's actions were a response to Umar's constant instigation. As a punishment, Salman announced that Simba will not be eligible to participate in the Race to Finale tasks in the upcoming week. But, Salman's stand on the incident did not go down well with a lot of netizens. A 33-year-old Indian-origin Malaysian man's execution was stayed on Tuesday by Singapore's top court after the convicted drug trafficker, believed to be mentally challenged, tested positive for COVID-19. Nagaenthran K Dharmalingam was to be hanged at Changi Prison for drug trafficking on Wednesday. Singapore's High Court on Monday suspended his scheduled execution until an appeal is heard during an online hearing. Nagaenthran, who has been on death row for 11 years, was ushered in briefly into the dock at the Court of Appeal for the hearing of a last-ditch appeal against his death sentence, Channel News Asia reported. However, he was later abruptly taken away, and a judge informed the court that Nagaenthran had tested positive for COVID-19. Justice Andrew Phang, who appeared with fellow judges Judith Prakash and Kannan Ramesh, said, "this is rather unexpected". He said the court was of the view that it was not appropriate to proceed, "given the circumstances". READ | Singapore's 'unvaccinated by choice' population to pay their own Covid hospitalisation bill from Dec 8 "The execution is scheduled for tomorrow," said Justice Phang. "... If the applicant has been afflicted by COVID-19 ... It's our view that the execution cannot take place anyway," the judge said. The prosecution said they only just heard of the development and needed to take instructions. "I think here, we have to use logic, common sense and humanity," said Justice Phang. He adjourned the hearing to a date yet to be fixed and issued a stay of the execution until proceedings are concluded. Lawyer M Ravi had taken up Nagaenthran's case at the eleventh hour, ahead of his scheduled hanging on Wednesday. His court application on Monday for a judicial review of the case on grounds of Nagaenthran's purported mental disability was dismissed, but the judge granted a temporary stay of his execution until after Ravi appealed against the dismissal. The case was fast-tracked and the appeal set to be heard in the highest court on Tuesday afternoon, with a packed courtroom including foreign media and local activists. Ravi was seen hugging a fellow counsel after the stay of execution was announced, according to a Channel News Asia report. No other details of when Nagaenthran tested positive for COVID-19 were given, according to the Channel. Nagaenthran was sentenced to death in 2010 for importing 42.72g of heroin into Singapore in 2009 in a bundle strapped to his thigh. He failed in his appeals to the High Court in 2011, to the Apex Court in 2019 and in his petition to the president for clemency. The case drew international attention as Nagaenthran's impending execution neared. Malaysia's Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob wrote to his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong on the matter, and human rights groups as well as Virgin Group founder Richard Branson also weighed in on the issue. An online petition calling for him to be pardoned from the death sentence has since garnered more than 70,000 signatures. It argued that Nagaenthran should be spared the gallows because he had committed the offence under duress, and had been assessed to have a low IQ of 69. The case came under the spotlight late last month when the Singapore Prison Service wrote a letter to Nagaenthran's mother on October 26, informing her that the death sentence on her son would be carried out on November 10. The family was expected to travel from Ipoh, a major city in northern Peninsular Malaysia, to be with Nagaenthran at Singapore's Changi Prison. The prison's letter said the family would be allowed extended daily visits till November 10. The letter was circulated on social media. Nagaenthran appealed to the Court of Appeal against his conviction and sentence, and his appeal was dismissed in September 2011. In 2013, the law was changed to give judges the discretion to impose life terms and caning for drug couriers, instead of death, if specific conditions are met. In 2015, he filed a resentencing application to set aside the sentence of death imposed on him, and to substitute it with life imprisonment. The High Court dismissed this application in 2017, and the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal in 2019. His petition to the President Halimah Yacob for clemency was also unsuccessful. Live TV A 200-day space station mission that began last spring came to an end as four astronauts strapped inside a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule returned to earth safely on Monday (November 8). This ended the six-month NASA science mission aboard the International Space Station and a daylong flight home. The Dragon vehicle, dubbed Endeavour, parachuted into the sea as planned just after 10.30 pm EST on Monday (around 9am on Tuesday, November 9), following a fiery re-entry descent through Earth's atmosphere carried live by a NASA webcast. Live thermal video imaging captured a glimpse of the capsule streaking like a meteor through the night sky over the Gulf minutes before splashdown. Applause was heard from the flight control center as the four main parachutes inflated above the capsule as it drifted down toward the Gulf surface, slowing its speed to about 15 miles per hour (24 kmph) before dropping gently into the calm sea. "Endeavour, on behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to planet Earth," a voice from the SpaceX flight control center in suburban Los Angeles was heard telling the crew as a safe splashdown was confirmed. "It's great to be back," one of the astronauts radioed in reply. Operating autonomously, the spacecraft began its eight-hour return voyage earlier in the day with a 90-minute fly-around of the space station as the crew snapped a series of survey photographs of the orbiting outpost, circling the globe some 250 miles (400 km) high. The Crew Dragon then proceeded through a series of maneuvers over the course of the day to bring it closer to Earth and line up the capsule for its final nighttime descent. It wasn't the most comfortable ride back. The toilet in their capsule was broken, and so the astronauts needed to rely on diapers for the eight-hour trip home. They shrugged it off late last week as just one more challenge in their mission. The first issue arose shortly after their April liftoff; Mission Control warned a piece of space junk was threatening to collide with their capsule. It turned out to be a false alarm. Then in July, thrusters on a newly arrived Russian lab inadvertently fired and sent the station into a spin. The four astronauts took shelter in their docked SpaceX capsule, ready to make a hasty departure if necessary. Among the upbeat milestones: Four spacewalks to enhance the station's solar power, a movie-making visit by a Russian film crew and the first-ever space harvest of chile peppers. The crew, which spent 199 days in space during this mission, was made up of two NASA astronauts - mission commander Shane Kimbrough, 54, and pilot Megan McArthur, 50 - along with Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, 52, and fellow mission specialist Thomas Pesquet, 43, a French engineer from the European Space Agency. They were lofted to orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off on April 23 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the third crew launched into orbit under NASA's fledgling public-private partnership with SpaceX, the rocket company formed in 2002 by billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who also founded electric car maker Tesla Inc. The returning team was designated "Crew 2" because it marks the second "operational" space station team that NASA has launched aboard a SpaceX capsule since resuming human spaceflights from American soil last year, after a nine-year hiatus at the end of the U.S. space shuttle program in 2011. The replacement team, "Crew 3," was originally slated to fly to the space station at the end of October, but that launch has been delayed by weather problems and an unspecified medical issue involving one of the four crew members. The next crew will also spend six months up there, welcoming back-to-back groups of tourists. A Japanese tycoon and his personal assistant will get a lift from the Russian Space Agency in December, followed by three businessmen arriving via SpaceX in February. SpaceX's first privately chartered flight, in September, bypassed the space station. (With Agency inputs) Live TV